When they arrive on stage, it’s like their minds leave their bodies. It’s just them, the stage, and the music, and everything is in sync. There is no audience or flashing lights – they’re back in their dance room, practicing with all of their might. They won’t – can’t – let all of their hard work go to waste by messing things up.

The dance goes on just as it had during all of those practices – without error. At the end, however, Donghae decides to stick his pinky out at Hyukjae as a spur of the moment thing. Without thinking, Hyukjae sticks his pinky out as well, and the two intertwine, symbolizing a promise – although they don’t know what promise this is exactly. They are too busy panting and sweating, anxious yet relieved.

The crowd claps and cheers as they do for every performer, and the two bow and then exit. Junsu, who is backstage still, walks over to them and congratulates them. Although he wasn’t able to watch it because he was behind the curtain, Sungmin took a picture of the last scene – the only thing that changed from the performance he saw at the second round of auditions – and sent it to him. Junsu smirked when he saw it, and stuffed his phone away when he saw that the two were coming back.

“You added an extra move?” he asks curiously, grinning.

Hyukjae shrugs, trying not to think too much about it. “It was just a last minute thing. It added more to the performance, didn’t it?”

Junsu snorts. “You bet,” he answers, and though Hyukjae doesn’t understand Junsu’s tone exactly, he still smiles. “Let’s go out to the crowd, now. Sungmin is really bored, apparently, since his friends are all mostly performing.” Hyukjae laughs and nods, and the three exit from the back and walk over to where the crowd is.

“Is that food I smell?” Hyukjae asks, sniffing the air.

Junsu laughs. “Isn’t that what you always smell? Besides your body odor.”

Hyukjae smacks Junsu and asks, “We can eat after the performances, right?”

“It wouldn’t be a festival without food,” Junsu answers wryly.

Sungmin greets the three eagerly, congratulating his best friends happily and smiling at Donghae. “The singers are up next,” he says, handing them the paper. “Ryeowook and Kyuhyun are towards the end because they’re younger.”

Junsu nods. “I’ll see you guys after the performances,” he says. “I’m going to go congratulate my friends.” He leaves towards another part of the crowd, and Hyukjae and Sungmin take their seats. Donghae, without a seat, notices that there’s an empty seat down the aisle, where Kibum is. He peeks over some more and notices that Siwon is there, too, and smiles excitedly.

“I’m going to go sit over there,” he whispers to Hyukjae, pointing to the empty seat.

Hyukjae frowns and looks at Donghae. “Why?”

“There are no seats left over here,” Donghae says. “Besides, I want to go see Bummie and Siwon.”

“Bummie?”

“Kibum.”

“Oh,” Hyukjae says. “Okay. Are you going to come back after the performances?”

Donghae nods, and walks over to sit more closer to the front where Kibum and Siwon are. Hyukjae watches but is brought back to reality when Sungmin snickers.

“Wow,” Sungmin says under his breath. Hyukjae tears his eyes away from the area that Donghae is sitting at and looks at Sungmin, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Really? Are you two dating or something?”

Hyukjae’s curious stare turns into a glare. “No. I’m not –“

“Gay. I know,” Sungmin finishes. “Well, you really seem… hmm, protective over Donghae, I guess.”

“We’re friends,” Hyukjae defends. “That’s all.”

“But you didn’t seem concerned when Junsu left, and he’s your best friend.”

“But I have you,” Hyukjae explains.

“Still doesn’t explain why you were so reluctant to let Donghae sit somewhere else.” Sungmin just smirks now. His friend is as clueless as they get.

Hyukjae frowns. “It’s nothing,” he says, trying to just let go of this subject now. “I’m just used to him being by my side now. Drop it.”

Sungmin shrugs, leaning his head against his friend’s shoulder. “When you decide to accept your feelings, I’ll drop it. How about that?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Hyukjae says. And the sad this is that he really doesn’t.

Sungmin sighs and sits back up. “You’re hopeless.”

They sit through the performances. Sungmin has to admit that he’s fairly jealous of some of the performers’ abilities, and that he’s surprised some of these students haven’t been scouted yet. He wonders a lot about Ryeowook’s song and its meaning, and he wonders even more about Kyuhyun’s song.

Finally, it’s Ryeowook’s turn. He introduces the song’s title, “If You Love Me More”. Then the melody starts, and Ryeowook’s soft voice is singing.

Sungmin likes the song immediately. It’s soft and slow, but beautiful. He wonders who gave the song to him, and wonders if the lyrics have anything to do with their relationship. Hyukjae smiles upon hearing Ryeowook’s voice – it is the first time for him – and whispers over to Sungmin at how good he is.

When Ryeowook finishes and bows, walking off stage, Kyuhyun walks onto the stage. Sungmin notices that he’s a bit nervous, fixing his shirt’s sleeve. He introduces the name of his song, “Hope is a Dream that Doesn’t Sleep”. Right from the start, Sungmin is hooked, wanting to hear this song more than anything.

As the song comes to an end, he is surprised. He’s heard Kyuhyun sing before – he’s his tutor, after all, and they’re in the same singing class – but this still takes his breath away. Hyukjae notices and smiles sympathetically, knowing that his friend is still not over the younger boy.  

Afterwards is the last person, and Sungmin recognizes him as Kyuhyun’s friend, Changmin. However, Sungmin doesn’t pay much attention to him, still in awe over Kyuhyun’s song. When Hyukjae leans over to Sungmin, praising both Kyuhyun and Changmin’s voices, he just nods, not knowing what else to say.

The singers were the last group. The teacher comes out, saying that there will be a thirty-minute break until the drama department puts on a short skit for them, followed by another break and then the comedy show.

Hyukjae stands up and stretches. “We can eat,” he announces happily, smiling. “I’m going to go get Donghae.” He walks over to Donghae, and Sungmin just stands there, waiting.

“How was it?” Ryeowook asks, walking over to Sungmin.

Sungmin smiles and gives him a hug, saying, “You were amazing. Who was foolish enough to give up singing that song?”

Ryeowook laughs softly. “He’s no longer a student here. His name is Jongwoon, but people call him Yesung. He was one of the praised singers at this school.”

“Oh, I remember you talking about him,” Sungmin says. “Wow. I can’t believe he didn’t want to sing that.”

Ryeowook smiles. “Our voices are contrasting, because mine is higher and his is lower. I guess mine just worked better for this song.”

“You bet it did,” Sungmin says. “You were really good.”

“Thanks,” Ryeowook replies happily.  He notices Kyuhyun with Changmin and waves them over. “Hey, you two! You guys were both really good. And Kyuhyun – you are really lucky to have been given that song.”

Kyuhyun and Changmin thank him and reply with their own congratulations. Sungmin just stands there, smiling but not saying anything. Changmin excuses himself to go see his other friends, and Kyuhyun nods. This leaves Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Sungmin.

“Did Sungmin help you choose your song?” Kyuhyun asks curiously.

Ryeowook shakes his head. “He didn’t have the time to. It was Yesung’s.”

“Oh,” Kyuhyun says, his mouth making an ‘O’ shape. “Do you miss him?”

Ryeowook smiles. “Yeah. We still talk, but he’s busier now…” he trails off, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Kyuhyun nods, and Sungmin is confused. When Ryeowook leaves temporarily to see Donghae and Hyukjae and congratulate them, Sungmin asks why Ryeowook is so sad about Yesung.

“They were a couple,” Kyuhyun explains, surprising Sungmin. “Well, kind of. They liked each other, at least. Yesung was actually Ryeowook’s singing tutor at first.”

Sungmin’s eyes widen. “Really?”

Kyuhyun nods. “Ryeowook was singing in class one day, and Yesung was walking to his next class when he heard him. After class, Yesung approached Ryeowook and offered to help him and give him tips. And because Yesung was kind of a big star for his voice, Ryeowook accepted without hesitation.” Kyuhyun grins at the memory. “It’s kind of funny because they have such opposite voices.”

“We do, too, and you’re my tutor,” Sungmin points out.

“Only because I’m being forced to,” Kyuhyun corrects, his grin widening. “But you’re right, I guess.”

“Did they ever date?” Sungmin asks.

“They liked each other after some time, but neither of them really made a move to make it official, I guess. And Yesung just graduated, so Ryeowook’s having a hard time coping without him.”

“You sure know a lot about them. I didn’t take you as one to gossip,” Sungmin notices.

Kyuhyun snorts. “Gossip? No. I was in their group, remember?”

“Even back then?”

“This school has classes for middle school students as well,” he says, smirking. “As long as you’re really talented, that is.”

“Bragging, I see,” Sungmin mutters.

Kyuhyun laughs. “I think I have the right to,” he says confidently. “I mean, did you just hear me? I think I was amazing.”

Sungmin stares at Kyuhyun, realizing this is one of their longest conversations that’s not all about singing. Even though it’s about Ryeowook, mostly, it still makes Sungmin comfortable knowing that he’s able to carry out a conversation with Kyuhyun confidently. He hopes this is a step towards a normal friendship with him and getting over him.

Hyukjae returns short after, Donghae following. “Kyuhyun, you were really good,” he says immediately, smiling at Kyuhyun.

Donghae nods in agreement. “Were you really given that song by a teacher?”

Kyuhyun nods. “Yeah. And thanks.”

“Let’s eat,” Hyukjae finally announces. “Before my stomach eats away at me.”

“And you don’t need to get any skinnier,” Sungmin says, grinning.

“Unlike you,” Hyukjae retorts, sticking his tongue out at his best friend.

Sungmin gapes, although he doesn’t mean it. Although he knows he isn’t fat or anything, Sungmin still worries over his weight from time to time, and Hyukjae always teases him about it.

“You’re worried about your weight?” Kyuhyun asks curiously.

Sungmin shrugs.

Kyuhyun snorts. “Why? You seem perfectly fine to me.”

Sungmin blinks then a silly smile enters his features. He realizes it’s going to be a lot harder getting over Kyuhyun than he thought.

-----

A/N: I really like Ryeowook’s song – I heard it a while back. :) I didn’t include the lyrics because they take up too much time, but I provided the links to them with English subtitles. More Kyumin that Eunhae, I think... or they're kind of even o.O Not exactly sure. This is all for the festival - I'm sorry for not describing the other parts, but that'd be pretty boring and useless towards the overall plot of the story. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!