Chapter 8

Second Chance

When Eric opened his eyes, he thought that last night was a dream and it was a painful thought. He momentarily felt empty, lost and bitter. But when he felt a weight shift at his side, a familiar arm slung over his torso and a mop of hair under his chin. He quickly realized that it wasn’t a dream.

 

It was real.

 

Andy was here, back in his arms where he belonged.

 

Eric relief was immerse and he immediately tightened his hold around Andy’s slender frame, keeping his close and subconsciously making sure that he didn’t disappear again. Having Andy sleeping next to him felt natural, as if they hadn’t been apart for all those years.

 

But, a night of bountiful was not going to miraculously improve Andy’s self-image. It was going to take months, years even for Andy to start allowing himself as a worthwhile person, that he was worthy of love and affection. And Eric was going to be there with him, all the way,

 

He couldn’t let Andy go. Not again.

 

Running his fingers through Andy’s hair, Eric intense relief was tinged with a sense of anger and betrayal. Anger and betrayal directed completely at his little sister. She had driven them apart for six years and prentended to be the adoring little sister who comforted him when Andy vanished without reason. She knew about Andy’s lack of self-esteem and used that against him. She purposely set out to make Andy run away. Making him believe that it was the best thing to do, making him feel even less about himself.

 

His own sister tried to ruin his happiness, and for what? What did she thinks she was going to achieve by getting rid of Andy? Was she jealous that Eric was lavishing Andy with attention and gifts?

 

Wait…

 

Eric gritted his teeth. It made sense to him now. She was threatened Andy because Andy was….

 

A soft moan pulled Eric out of his own thought and he quickly turned his attention down at the slightly younger man sleeping against his chest. He watched as Andy muttered something under his breath. Andy nuzzled his a little more under Eric’s chin, causing Eric to laugh lightly. It must have been at that moment that Andy realized he wasn’t dreaming. Andy suddenly lifted his head off Eric’s chest, snapping his gaze up to stare directly into Eric’s eyes.

 

Eric simply smiled, trailing a finger down to Andy’s cheek and using his other arm to pull Andy down to his chest again. Andy was tense at first, as if in disbelief but soon melted against him.

 

And they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other’s arm, in a comfortable and reassuring silence.

 

“Is it really okay for us to be like this?” Andy asked softly, after a few moments of silence.

 

“I told you,” Eric said as he ran his hand over Andy’s shoulder, his finger kneading themselves through Andy’s hair and tilt Andy’s face up toward him so Andy could see as well as hear the sincerity of his words, “, if you think I deserve more, than I deserve to be with someone I love the most. And that person is you, Andy”

 

“But-“

 

Eric placed his thumb on Andy’s lips, stopping any rebuttals or arguments.

 

“Enough of that,” Eric said firmly, yet lovingly. “I won’t allow you to say anything bad about yourself again”

 

Andy looked as though he wanted to protest in some way, but he pulled back, stopped himself. “ I really am sorry for everything” Andy said as he closed his eyes, but not before Eric saw the remorse and guilt in his gaze. “ I didn’t mean to cause you so much pain”

 

Of course not. Andy would never purposely hurt him. He had been tricked, abused by his sister. No, he would refer her as Jiyeon from now on. She wasn’t his little sister anymore.

 

“You were hurting as much as I was” Eric said pushing aside his anger toward Jiyeon to focus on comforting Andy, the one he loved the most. “ Maybe even more so”

 

Andy laid his head in Eric’s chest again. Nuzzling against him. “ I really missed you”

 

“ I know, I missed you too” Eric said as he wrapped his arms around Andy. “We won’t be separated again. I promise.”

 

“But, what about Jiyeon?” Andy asked, still in the older man arms. “ She wont-“

 

“I’ll deal with her” Eric cut him off. He didn’t wish to discuss about Jiyeon right now, not after finally having Andy back in his arms again, “ Don’t worry about it, Andy”

 

Andy nodding his head and hugged Eric. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying being together again. There were so many things they could say to each other, so many words that need to be spoken. Instead, however, they just hold each other. And that said more than words ever could.

 

“I better get up.” Andy said eventually, yet reluctantly. “The garden…”

 

“Yeah” Eric muttered. “And I have work to do. Running a hotel doesn’t give you much time to yourself”

 

“I guess not” Andy said as he pushed himself into a sitting position, moving to slip out of bed, “ I need to have a shower”

 

Eric reached out his hand suddenly and snared Andy by the arm, making Andy paused in his movements “Hyung?”

 

Eric smiled at him,” Just making sure you’re not going to run away again. You won’t, will you?”

 

A flash of guilt flickered in Andy’s eyes before he managed a smile, soft yet understanding smile. “What’s the point? You’ll track me down, anyway”

 

“Damn right” Eric said with a smirk as he pulled Andy down toward him for a brief kiss before letting go of him.

 

“I promise I won’t run anymore” Andy said after break the kiss. He then sat up and slipped out if bed.

 

Eric watched him as he moved about, happily watching Andy’s form before he disappeared into the bathroom. Eric then managed to hoist himself out of bed as well, feeling more relaxed that he had for a long time. Years, even. He would like nothing more that spending all day in bed with Andy, but he had work to do.

 

He had some serious business that needed to be done.

 

As Eric was picking his clothes off the floor, Andy appeared out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist as the water beads glistened on his body. It took all of Eric’s will not to jump on the man in front of him. Andy looked so damn y. No, that was going to come later. They can have it all day and night to make up for the lost time. Now, they needed to settled their things first.

 

Eric had a quick shower, probably the shortest in his life. He just cleaned himself up enough to look respectable before stepping out, sliding on his trousers from last night and drying his hair with towel. As Eric stepped back into the main room of the suit, Andy was going through one of his bags, seemingly searching for something.

 

“What are you doing?” Eric asked as he approached him. Andy wasn’t running away again. He promised he wouldn’t. And Eric believed him. Still, Eric wanted to be sure.

 

Andy lifted his head up and smiled cutely at him before shuffling to his feet and held out his hand to show something. In the palm of his hand was a silver ring, with a small but respectable diamond. It was an engagement ring. The very same engagement ring that Eric slipped onto Andy’s finger.

 

“You kept it?”

 

“Yeah” Andy said as he pulled his hand back slightly so he could look at the ring as well. “ I wanted to remember, for once in my life, how happy I was. How it felt to be precious to someone else. I-“

 

Eric interrupted Andy by hastily pulling him into his arms and kissing Andy’s sweet lips. Andy didn’t struggle, he allowed himself to be pulled into Eric’s embrace, allowed him to be kissed by Eric.

 

When they pulled back, Eric took the ring from Andy and slipped it upon Andy’s finger, much like he did all those years ago. And it still fit. Perfectly.

 

Andy looked at the ring, simply staring it as it sat on his finger. He then lifted his eyes toward Eric, their gazes meeting. They looked straight into each other’s eyes lovingly. Eric leaned forward and they shared another kiss, this one soft and reassuring,

 

“Here, I want to show you this as well” Andy said as they drew apart and took a step back to pull out a photo from his back pocket. It was worn and crippled, as if he couldn’t bring himself to look at it, but kept it as a reminder nonetheless. “Jiyeon gave me this. To show me how you were better suited for someone else, well, someone female, I guess”

 

Eric looked at the photo quickly and frowned darkly. Petty. Absolutely ing petty.

 

“I’ll take that” Eric said as he crumpled up the photo and shoving it hatefully into his pocket.

 

Andy looked momentarily uncomfortable, as if he wasn’t exactly thrilled to be the one to instigate a family dispute. “I’m sure she was just being protective of you” Andy said.

 

“No. there something else involved” Eric replied sharply and bitterly.

 

“Look, don’t worry” Eric said as he hugging the shorter man, placed his hand around Andy’s waist. “We’re together now. And she won’t come between us ever again. I promise.”

 

Andy just nodded his head. He believed that, he truly did.

 

Again, they simply took a moment to hold each other, reaffirming that they are indeed together again and they’ll stay together, no matter what.

 

“I have to go” Andy said finally, disappointment in his voice. “ The garden is almost finished, Just a few finishing touches left.”

 

“Okay, baby” Eric said as he reluctantly pulled away, dropping his arms from Andy’s waist. “We’re holding a party here tonight to celebrate the opening. The family is coming as well”

 

A sense of fear and apprehension appeared in Andy’s eyes. “Oh, I see” Andy said, shortly.

 

Eric could understand his uncertainty, but he was going to make sure that none of his family members corner Andy alone. Not until this whole thing had been aired for everyone to know, “ And you are going to be there with me” Eric said with a smile.

 

“ Don’t they hate me for what I’ve done?” Andy asked

 

They were more disappointed than angry.

 

“Everything will be cleared up”

 

Andy gave him a look that was of hope. He really really wanted everything to okay again.

 

Suddenly, Andy stepped forward and placed his hands on Eric’s shoulder, and then kissed him quickly on the lips. “I love you, hyung” he whispered as he pulled back.

 

Eric smiled, bright and warm, like how he used to. “I love you more”

 

The mood was broken, however, by Eric’s phone ringing. Eric looked annoyed while Andy gave him a sympathetic smile. Andy then slipped out of the room and Eric picked up his phone.

 

“Hello”

 

It was the police officer. Eric had been expecting them to see if they knew anything about why the men were targeting the hotel and more importantly, why they were targeting Andy.

 

“It may hard to believe” the authoritative voice on the phone said with only a tiny amount of sympathy. “But your sister, Jiyeon, has been implicated in soliciting these men to harass the victim.”

 

Honestly, after everything Eric just learned and realized about his dear, sweet sister, it wasn’t hard to believe at all.

 

“We are about to get a warrant for her arrest”

 

Not just yet.

 

“Please, wait until tonight” Eric said as he picked up his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. A look of sheer determination and vengeance on his face. “There is something I need to say to her first”

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I would like to thank you guys for your kind words on the previous chapter. I'm so glad you liked my first attempt at a love scene. I do hope you'll enjoy this one as well. Actually I want to make this chapter to be sweet or romantic maybe. But I'm not a cheesy writer. So, I'm sorry for that XD. Don't forget to leave your comment :D

And the poster is so beautiful right? I totally love it :*. Thanks to -Secret Letters- for making this for me ^^

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Babybandit92
#1
Chapter 1: Found this story a week ago or so I think. Can't stop reading it cause it's really good
rinakkuma #2
Chapter 10: Happy ending~
poojitaj #3
Chapter 10: Wow a real good one
poojitaj #4
Ricky and ricwan has always been my favorite couples amongst all other pairings in shinhwa
scrippsydoodle #5
Chapter 10: omg i love every chapter of this story!!! i actually have a test to study for but i just can't stop reading hihi #wherearemypriorities
i love the ending, a happy ending for the love birds~~
i wish there are more ricdy fics out there ;A;
JisuJisu #6
Chapter 10: Stubborn eric and low self esteem andy = perfect ~

Im so happy for the happy ending !!
Andy is so cute here and yassss andy slapped that ~ go baby boy !
maysquidz #7
Chapter 10: Lastly, Happy ending~ so sweet
Eric really love little Andy~ and Andy is really love Eric hyung too.
I love this fic and this pairing (Leader-Maknae<3)
I'll be waiting for your fic>~<!
maysquidz #8
Chapter 7: So sweet and hot M rated-chapter T///////T
I like it!><~
maysquidz #9
Chapter 6: Heartbreaking! T_____T This chapter can make me have tears TT
Lastly,both of them are understand each other~
So sweetttttt ><
maysquidz #10
Chapter 1: I think he is Eric~ so excited!