chapter five

Staring at the stars

Nichkhun shoves his hands further inside his pockets. Eyes glancing at the buildings, the billboards, the pedestrian walk and all he sees is how different everything is compared to LA. He should feel like a tourist visiting a foreign country by now but that’s not how he feels at all. There's a flair of familiarity in everything he see, despite everything seems so new to him. He feels comfortable here, safe, like he belongs here, like he can live here and buy a house and fills it with furniture and calls it home. That would be nice. He’s been living in a house for so long, maybe somewhere here in Korea he can actually finds himself a home.

 

It’s an hour before midnight and Nichkhun is still outside. He told Chansung he’s out for a smoke but that was three hours ago . He didn’t feel like coming back to Chansung’s place just yet.  Didn’t feel like faking a smile when all he want to do was to shake the truth out of that man.

 

He can’t understand the reason of Chansung’s lie. Chansung doesn’t strike Nichkhun as somebody who would have a hidden agenda, so maybe he was forced to lie? Nichkhun thinks of the possibility. But then again Nichkhun doubts anyone could really forced Chansung to do anything he didn't want to do. Then what is it? Was Chan lying in order to protect someone? But who? him? or is it this "Y" person? Whatever it was, Chansung definitely knows more than what he wants Nichkhun to believe he does.

 

Headaches. Nichkhun massages the sides of his temple with his finger. He’s been avoiding sleep ever since he dumps his medications down the drain. He’s had brief naps, not long enough to get the dreams starting, but not long enough to get him feel refreshed either. He’s only had three hours of sleep in the last few days. He’s tired. Physically and mentally. The fact that chansung, the one person nichkhun thought will help him remember, the one he can fully trust, was lying to him is making Nichkhun more frustrated than ever.   Nichkhun walk the curbs feeling more and more upset with each step he takes. He doubt he can get anything from Taecyeon or Jay . Which leave only Lee Junho and Jang Wooyoung.

The street light turns green and a 'don't walk' sign glares in front of him so Nichkhun stops. The thing is, Wooyoung makes him antsy. Maybe it’s the guilt. Of course it’s the guilt, what else would it be ? he reminds himself. So antsy that he might consider going to Junho for information rather than Wooyoung. Nichkhun bit his lower lips.

 Lee Junho hates him, which is a clear fact. Lee junho will give him a black eye just for showing his face in front of him again, let alone give answers to his questions, that is a possibility probability.  Lee Junho just happen to walk out from a store across the street from where he stands, and when at the exact same moment the  traffic light turns red and people around him starts walking, Nichkhun knows. That is fate.

“ Junho! “ he yells.

Junho doesn’t hear him and walks on, Nichkhun fastens his pace and try not to lose him in the crowds. When Junho disappears inside a building Nichkhun is not far behind. He asks for Junho to the nice girl on the front desk who told him to go upstairs, to the third practice room, the one on the far left. So Nichkhun did.

 

Muffled music was heard before the door. It’s energetic and catchy and Nichkhun can imagine finding Junho practicing his newest dance moves inside. Nichkhun's not sure he'll get out physically unscathed if he confronts Junho again, but he soldiers on nonetheless and opens the door.

 

The loud music was blaring, sounding a little like electro pop with a twist of RnB, Nichkhun sneaks behind a wooden rack by the door to hide himself. His eyes going to that single dancer busting out his moves in front of the mirrored wall . He's in a black wifebeater, loose grey sweatpant and a snapback, and he's got everyone focusing their attention on him only.

 

Junho is an amazing dancer. Even for somebody who knows nothing about dancing, Nichkhun can see how he moves along the rhythm, within the rhythm, cutting clean with the melody,  an accurate and sharp breaks between movements. It’s a heartfelt dance because Nichkhun can actually feel the dancer's passion, an emotion so strong that it exudes through his dancing.  Every sway, every swing of arm, every shoulder glides and head tilts, the way his hips rolls, how his feet counters. It’s like he's truly born to dance and he knows it. Nichkhun never saw anyone danced his heart out with such passion in that way before. It's not perfect; there are some twists here and footings there where Nichkhun can sense it was not being fully done, like he can’t move freely in some parts. But the imperfections is endearing, the imperfections is what makes it more breathtaking, because it isn't Junho dancing.

 

It's Wooyoung .

 

It’s Wooyoung and he's shining.

 

Maybe it’s the lighting, the way the light reflects from his body, muscles contracting underneath his sweat glistened skin.  Maybe it’s his passion, burning and emanating like a magical aura that it’s impossible not to notice it . Maybe it’s the look on his face, that confidence in his eyes, that determined press of his lips or the sureness of his movement, showing everyone in the room that this is what I do, this is my world. Gone was the polite restrained math teacher Nichkhun talked to days before, this Wooyoung is flaming and bold and daring and so so stunning..

 

Junho jumps in from the side and joins him in the dance, and as both of them breaks into an almost similar dance routine Nichkhun can see how they differ as a dancer. Junho's movement flows with the music, swaying and gliding with the beat while wooyoung’s sharp and precise, technical and clean with impeccable posturing.

 

The song ends with both dancers jumping high up. Junho buckles his knees, sturdy legs and flexible muscles contracts to supports a perfect landing. Wooyoung didn’t have those. He had plates and screws to hold his hips back together, torn muscles that healed yet scarred. As talented and trained as he was, his body is not suitable for dancing. At least not in the way it’s supposed to. The sound of his body hitting the floor makes some of the female dancers’ gasps; the inexplicable pain shows clearly on Wooyoung’s face on the rough landing. Wooyoung rolls his body to a curl.  A painful groan escapes his lips.

 

Something inside nichkhun jolts at the scene, he’s pushing through shoulders of the gathering crowds before he realizes what he’s doing, " Wooyoungie..." He shouts in worry, the startled stares directed to him, the fact that junho is here and would probably hurt him just for showing his face in the studio is the least of his worry.  “ Wooyoung..” Nichkhun breathes out the name with a desperation he doesn’t recognize, this panic bubbling in his chest that he have no idea where it came from.

 

" How did you get here?" Junho snarls when he sees him, getting up from where he kneels down to tend Wooyoung.

 

Nichkhun ignores him, doesn’t care, wooyoung is on the floor, hurting, and suddenly nothing in the world seems even remotely important as getting to wooyoung right now, “ wooyoung are you okay?” nichkhun tries to reach for him.

 

 " I asked you a god damn question!”   Nichkhun finds himself stumbling back, Junho had pushed him back, hands shoving him further away from wooyoung, an infuriated look on his face.

 

Nichkhun is having none of that, not this time. So he gets up and pushes Junho back with his hands, feeling his own anger rising. “Why did you let him jumped so high? Why did you let him dance? He could've got hurt?!"

 

“He did got hurt and that’s your ing fault! “ Junho snaps back.

 

Okay. So, that wasn’t the comeback Nichkhun had expected, it was a low blow and god it did land where it hurts the most. It stunts Nichkhun, because that is what guilt does, it paralyses him, degrading him into this useless pile of regrets and remorse.

 

“It’s on you that he can't do that jump in the first place, It’s on you that his feet cant land him properly, so don’t start pretending that you cared on how much he’s hurting now.” Junho spits the words like they’re meant to hurt and they do.

 

“ fine! Just let me--, just let me see him.”

 

Junho swats nichkhun’s hands off and wakes something in nichkhun.

 

Guilt is an ugly thing, but anger--, anger is an entirety of its own. It seethes and it boils and it shoots right up through his veins because wooyoung is hurting and junho won’t even let nichkhun to get close to him. how dare he.
 

When nichkhun lurches forward towards junho , no one expected it to happen, not even Nichkhun, but he has Junho by the collar and if junho as much as breathes the wrong way god help him nichkhun will—

 

“ Stop it you two! I’ve seen 8th graders with better self control than the both of you.”

 

Nichkhun hears wooyoung shout, murmuring a string of curses after and wooyoung--, Wooyoung. Oh god what is he doing? Nichkhun drops junho like the shirt he’s wearing is made of fire and what the just happened?  Nichkhun looks around him, on each faces looking back at him like he’s some kind of wild animal. He snapped, nichkhun realized belatedly, he never snaps before, heck, he’s never been angry before.  He finds Junho again, looking back at him , more upset than surprised and nichkhun doesn’t know what to tell him, he was out of line, even if junho was the one provoking him.

 

“ I’m sorry.” He says, because what else was he suppose to say?

 

“ don’t you ing dare touch him", Junho glares at nichkhun, but only for a moment because he’s scowling at wooyoung now,  " ..the was that Woo? I told you to skip the jumping part, didn’t I ? That was stupid even for you."

 

To everyone’s surprise, Wooyoung just laughs. He's half cringing from the pain but he's laughing, shoulder shaking and eyes bright. " I had to try, Junho.. I had to, and it was awesome! I just need to work on my landing.. it’s one hell of a choreography, everything is just perfect… you did a good job, junho. “ Wooyoung lies on his back, one hand holding his weak hip, his eyes closing and he’s grinning, wide and blithe, with such joy like a five year old getting new toy for Christmas.

 

Wooyoung love dancing, that fact is undeniable. He loves it so much he's willing to endure the pain inflicted by it. Without his injuries he could have been one of the best in the business.  

 

Guilt is that bitterness Nichkhun feels in his mouth. But that warm feeling throbbing in his chest when he sees wooyoung’s carefree laugh, he haven’t quite figured that out yet.

  

 

~

 

 

They take Wooyoung to a small room right beside the stairway. Nichkhun can see someone tending Wooyoung’s ankle through the glass window that opens up to the corridor. Junho is there with him, standing close with arms folded, glaring vehemently to his direction.

 

They didn’t kick him out, not yet, and Nichkhun doesn’t know why. He sees Wooyoung swinging a water bottle to Junho’s chest, sees Junho saying something to Wooyoung and now Wooyoung is also looking his way. He can’t hear what Junho is saying, but the frowning, the furrowed brow and the way Junho’s spitting each word while throwing occasional glare his way is clear enough for Nichkhun. Wooyoung shakes his head and downs his water before smiling to Junho who doesn’t look so happy. A group of people comes out from another practice room, walking in the corridor towards the stairs and blocking his view. When he manages to look back, Junho is already half way walking towards him with a duffel bag in one hand.

 

“ Come to my studio uninvited again and I’ll get security to deal with you.”

 

 Junho looks him down through his small eyes and Nichkhun starts to think the eye smiles he saw from the photograph was just illusions because throughout his stay he never seen Junho smiling, not to him, not with those eyes.

 

 “You’re lucky Wooyoung actually wants you, get him home safely this time and if anything happens to him I will hunt you down and get you deported back to wherever you came from.” He hisses, chucking the duffel bag to Nichkhun’s chest before walking off into one of the practice rooms.

 

Nichkhun grips the bag tightly, doesn’t really understand what junho is on about but Wooyoung waves him from inside the room and Nichkhun doesn’t need to be asked twice.

 

 

 

“You’re one stubborn man, Horvejkul.” Wooyoung takes a swig from his water bottle when Nichkhun enters the small clinic. “ …always was.” He adds, inclining his head slightly to the side and grins to the walls.

 

 “ How you doin’?” Nichkhun asks, looking at Wooyoung’s bandaged ankle.

 

“ Not fine. But I’ll live.” Wooyoung tilts his head and inspects his ankle. “ my hips are okay,  just  a light sprained ankle. It’ll be better in no time.”

 

“ that was a nasty fall..”

 

“ Heh, I’ve been through worse, I’ll survive.” Wooyoung hops off the table he’s been sitting and lands on his good foot. He tries to walk but gets slightly off balanced, Nichkhun rushes to his side and holds his arms steady.

 

“ are you sure? You might need crunches or a wheelchair.” Nichkhun suggests worriedly.

 

Wooyoung stares at him for a while before shrugging. “ what I need is people to stop treating me like I’m a god damn china, a little fall wont shatter me to pieces.”  Wooyoung takes the bag from Nichkhun and slings it over his head.

 

Nichkhun smiles to that, because he understands the feeling. “people worry because they care.” He mutters, sneaking an arm to Wooyoung’s side to help him walk, finding himself little surprised that Wooyoung lets him.

 

“ maybe..” Nichkhun hears Wooyoung mumbles.

 

“ what do you mean maybe? We’re your friend of course we care.”

 

Wooyoung stops at this. “didn’t I told you I’m not your friend?” he says. “ tsk..ah really.” He shakes his head.

 

Nichkhun doesn’t really know what to answer to that until he remembers what Junho said. “ Junho said you want me? To take you home? That’s the only reason he hasn’t kicked me out yet.”

 

Wooyoung’s face breaks into a smile, a genuine smile and Nichkhun is surprised on how much he likes it instantly, and maybe a little jealous, just a little , that junho gets to make wooyoung smile that way.“ He has an important meeting after this, our lee junho. ”

 

Wooyoung starts walking again; Nichkhun can feel him leaning on his side for support so he takes Wooyoung’s arm, placing  it around his neck to help lessen the stress on Wooyoung’s ankle as they walk on. He feels Wooyoung’s body tenses for a bit, but if Wooyoung resents it, he isn’t voicing it out. “There’s this big group that wanted him to do the choreography for their next comeback and I’m not gonna let him miss that chance just cos he have to take stupidly injured me home.” Nichkhun hears the pride in Wooyoung’s voice when he talks about Junho “ You don’t have to take me home home. Just help me get to the bus stop.” Wooyoung adds.

 

“ He said he’ll have me deported if anything happens to you on your way home, so I’m not taking chances.” Nichkhun reasons, he’s not going to let Wooyoung go home like this; he barely could walk with that swollen ankle.

 

“ Pshh.., just because his sister works at immigration doesn’t mean he can have people deported as easy, i’m fine, i really am.” Wooyoung insists but quickly falls silent when they reach the elevator, big bold letters written in red over white is plastered across the elevator door, a “ PLEASE TAKE THE STAIR, ELEVATOR UNDER MAINTENACE.” is glaring at their faces.

 

“Uhh, I think we have a problem.” Nichkhun can hear Wooyoung’s sigh.

 

 

~

 

 

The bus drops them off in a part of Seoul that Nichkhun doesn’t remember ever visiting. He’s been around these few days, Chansung took him to see their old highschool although Nichkhun can’t bring himself to actually come near, something was wrong, he can’t tell exactly what, but without his memories, he learns to rely on his gut feeling and his gut feeling told him to get away from there.

 

“ Am I heavy? “ Wooyoung’s voice brings Nichkhun back from his thoughts. “ You could just drop me off the bus stop like I asked you too, no need to actually got into the bus to carry me home like this , it’s not that steep, I can walk.” His breath falls warm on Nichkhun’s  nape.

 

Nichkhun feels movement as Wooyoung tries to wiggle off the piggy back ride he gives him. “ Stay still, you’ll worsen the swell on your ankle if you force it to walk now. I promised Junho I’d take you home and I will.” Nichkhun tightens his hold on Wooyoung’s legs. Wooyoung’s thighs wrapping on each side of his hips and it’s not something Nichkhun should be concerned about , but the contact is warm against the chilly wind.  

 

“Yeah, but you don’t have to carry me like this. Ah this is embarrassing.” Wooyoung half whines. “ What if someone I know sees me? What if one of my students sees me?”

 

“ They’ll probably think you have too much to drink or something, besides your bandaged ankle is a good enough reason. I’m sorry I’m not letting you down.” Nichkhun persists.

 

“ --but this is silly. “ Wooyoung protests, sounding like a petulant child. “ Tsk, you’re insufferable.” He finally says when it’s clear that Nichkhun is not letting him down.

 

 

 

The way to Wooyoung’s house is quiet, the sounds of traffic echoes from afar and Nichkhun thinks he hears trot music being played in one of the houses. They have been walking for some time now from where the bus drops them off. Even on the bus ride Wooyoung was quiet, looking out the window, drowning in his thoughts while the lights of Seoul pass by in a mix of red orange and white streaks.  He looked contemplative, sad almost, but also so strong and Nichkhun’s chest bubbles with pride when he remembers the dance Wooyoung did back at Junho’s studio.

 

Nichkhun secretly thinks Wooyoung could survive apocalypse on his passion alone. He’s like a little box of surprise, looking fragile and delicate on the outside and yet he’s iron strong on the inside. He loves dancing with every single cell of his body, the dance loves him back and it’s a beautiful love story for the world to see.

 

 Only the world would never actually see it. Nichkhun has taken that away from Wooyoung. His  future, his dreams. That knot around Nichkhun’s chest tightens once more.

 

“ I’m sorry.” Nichkhun says quietly. “ I’m so so sorry.” He can feel the way Wooyoung holds his breath; he knows wooyoung can hear him, so Nichkhun starts again,

 

“ I’m sorry for..“ Leaving? Forgetting? Not remembering everything he should have remembered? For not picking up the phone? Not answering all the emails? Or was it sorry for the accident? Sorry I crushed your dream and leave you to scrape what’s left of it alone? He had wronged Wooyoung in so many ways, would a simple apology be enough?

 

Wooyoung hums, but doesn’t reply, only gripsNnichkhun’s shoulder slightly tighter. “ Go left.” Wooyoung tells him before Nichkhun has the chance to speak again. “ it’s not far from here.”

 

Nichkhun sees their reflection on a shop window and the image of Wooyoung’s dancing in front of the mirror back at the studio enters his mind again.

 

“ You were amazing back there, that must be one of the best dance I’ve ever seen in my life. I know I haven’t seen much dancing but—,..but you are really something.”

 

Wooyoung doesn’t respond and Nichkhun have that uncomfortable feeling that he might’ve said the wrong thing.

 

“ I’m sorry. Chansung told me you can’t dance anymore and so when I saw you doing…all that, it was just.. Amazing.” Nichkhun heaves. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”

 

“ Stop saying you’re sorry already.” Wooyoung answers him this time.

 

“ I know, I’m sorry.” Nichkhun replies quickly and then realizes he keeps on repeating the words.“ Ah, im sorry, --I mean, okay.”

 

Wooyoung snorts, suddenly, unexpectedly, and his laugh reverberates to Nichkhun’s back , and it feels nice, the sound of Wooyoung’s laugh, the feel of Wooyoung’s laugh, this ice breaking between them.

 

“ How do you do it?” He asks when they walk passes a convenience store, feeling the initial tension loosening.

 

“ hmm..do what?” Wooyoung answers, tilting his head. Nichkhun feels a bit light headed from wooyoung’s warm puffs of breath, falling softly on his cheek.  

 

“ push yourself forward, be so passionate about things? about dancing, about teaching, about life.  Where do you find the drive? What keeps you going? I mean, it’s easier to just--, give up on everything.”

 

Wooyoung doesn’t reply, and nichkhun has half a thought that he might’ve said the wrong things again. He’s been so accustomed to walk through landmines, to choose his words carefully so it won’t sets off any discomfort for anyone, for his family. But he needs to know, he didn’t travel this far to keep silent , to play it safe , he want answers and if that means he’ll have to step on mines, to see them explode, to see how much damage they cause, then so be it. God, he is so selfish.

 

 “ Because I like it I guess,’ wooyoung answers after a while. Pausing between each words like he’s weighing them. “I like--, I love dancing. Telling me I can’t dance anymore is like telling me I shouldn’t breathe anymore, which is impossible. I could lose both feet and I’m sure I’d still find a way to dance somehow.” He chuckles, sounding contemplative after.  “ Still, I won’t be able to do it professionally, no director would hire a crippled dancer. But it’s okay, you know? it takes time, but I realized I wasn’t dancing to be famous or to garner recognition, not even for the money.  I dance because it makes me happy, I dance because, well honestly, I don’t know how to stay still. “ Wooyoung laughs, soft and light.

 

Nichkhun wonders whether wooyoung have always been like this, this huge ball of positivity, or have he seen so much darkness that he’s fed up by it, chooses only to see the bright side of things not just because he can, but because he have to . How does a man laughs at the death of his dreams? how many soul searching moments wooyoung has to go through to get to this point? And did he found it, his soul? Because maybe if wooyoung has, he can show nichkhun how to find his.

 

“ teaching came as a surprise though. “Wooyoung huffs out another laugh.” I never guessed it before, but apparently I like it, too. I get to have my say and everyone has to listen to me.  but be it dancing, or teaching or working in an office, I think it’s impossible not to feel passionate about the things that we love. I mean, you have things that you love too, surely you’d understand.” Wooyoung says.

 

Nichkhun frowns. Chansung have his coffee shop, he has his books and it’s easy to see how he loves life. Nichkhun thinks Chansung can find things to love from everything and everyone.

 

Junho has that fire and ambition for his carrier. He knows what he want from the get go and he goes his way to reach it, to take it, to mold his own future  with his own hands. He work hard and relentless, earning every glory that comes to him.

 

Taecyeon chases his dream fearlessly around the world;  Jay lived a happy, content life with his wife and daughters, a proud loving husband and father.

 

Wooyoung and passion goes hand in hand.

 

And Nichkhun… What have Nichkhun achieved? What does Nichkhun love with every single cell of his body? Where is his own zest for living? What is he passionate about? He has a silent cold building for a house, a girlfriend he doesn’t love, a job that turns him into a robot day after day after day after day.

 

Nichkhun wants to end the nightmares, and it’s not only the ones he’s having almost every night.

 

It’s also the one he’s living every day.

 

 

 

It’s like a cliché novel when it suddenly rains heavily by the time they get to Wooyoung’s house. Wooyoung scratches his head with a “ I can’t let you go out in this, Chansung would kill me.”

 

He’s unsure, Nichkhun can see that. Still, he comes from one of the room bringing a blanket and some extra pillows. “ I’ve called Chan and told him you’re staying here for the night,  i hope you don’t mind the couch.” He hands the blanket to Nichkhun and help setting the pillows on the couch. There's no guest room so Nichkhun settles with the couch. He's not complaining, either he's too tired too sleep deprived, or the couch is just that comfortable, or both, but Nichkhun feels his eyelids getting heavy. The couch smells like fabric softener Nichkhun thinks as he pulls the blanket higher, but there’s also that hint of Wooyoung’s cologne, and the combination is weird but it’s--, it’s good. It feels peaceful, almost cathartic and Nichkhun take deep breathes as he lets himself being lulled to sleep by the pitter patter sound of the rain.

 

 

And then it comes. The nightmares.

 

It’s rolling in waves of fear, the confusion that escalates, the pain, the excruciating pain.

There’s flashes of light and they’re moving, -- a car? his car?--  he can see his hands on the steering wheel as they skidded off the road and he tried to,-- wait, Wooyoung? Wooyoung on the passenger seat ,bracing himself arms lifted up eyes scrunched shut as the windshield burst, and--, and then the screaming starts and it takes a moment for him to realize that the pitiful screams are his. It feels like he’ll rip his throat open screaming but he can’t stop himself. The jolt of pain running through his veins is burning and Nichkhun screams louder, cries harder, Wooyoung is there, he’s not moving, god why isn’t he moving? There’s blood, so much blood, and it’s dark and this can’t happen, please god don’t let this happen.

 

It’s okay.

 

It’s not!  It’s terrible and it’s painful and take me too, let me die too.

 

It’s okay Nichkhun, sshhh.. everything’s okay,

 

It’s not, it’s not - it’s not - it’s not . He’s punching and kicking and thrashing around as the pain mixed with the overwhelming loss shreds his heart to pieces. An indescribable loss clawing deeper, it’s like having his limbs chopped off only worse, because half of his soul is dying.

 

“ Help me..” he cries out, jerking awake with broken sobs while grappling on to the arms that’s holding him. “ Please, help me..”

 

It’s a pair of concerned eyes that holds his gaze, mystifying dark, deep like the ocean.

“ what do I do? What do you need?” wooyoung holds him, both hands on the side of nichkhun’s face to get him focus. Nichkhun blinks, he’s not in the hospital, not in his house either, nor his flat. There’s wooyoung, alive , his mind reminds him, and his eyes widens.

 

“ You died.” he blurts out, gripping wooyoung’s arm so hard, his knuckles turning white. “ you died you died you died. Wooyoung you died.”

 

“ nichkhun, I’m here. I’m okay.” Nichkhun hears wooyoung’s voice between the rushing blood in his ears.

 

“ my pills, I need my pills..” nichkhun throws himself aside only to remember that he dumped it all down the drain. “ oh my god, my pills.” He shivers, lifting his hands and gripping his hair tight. He can feel the panic building up, the room is spinning around him, closing in. Nichkhun shuts his eyes, his skin tight over his bones, his heart racing and his whole body begins to shake.

 

“ please just breathe, please, come on..” wooyoung places a hand on nichkhun’s back and begins in circles to calm him down. “ come on breathe with me, one , two.. that’s it..that’s it…come on, khun..”

 

“ I can’t--, I can’t do this…” Nichkhun swallows, focusing on wooyoung’s voice to get him through this, forcing himself to breathe on wooyoung’s count. He feels wooyoung’s hands on his cheeks again, a solid weight pressed against his forehead and wooyoung’s warm breaths caressing his face.

 

“ Sshh.. you’re doing great… “ wooyoung whispers soothingly, forehead pressed against nichkhun’s. “ just breathe… you’re okay.. you’re okay.. we’re okay, we’re fine..”

 

It’s all so confusing, too much for him to process all at once, but wooyoung is here. The firm hold of wooyoung’s fingers against his cheek is a lifeline that keeps nichkhun from drowning further, his voice, husky and comforting seeps into nichkhun’s wounded soul. Wooyoung’s lips hush and ease the pain, offering air to nichkhun’s suffocating heart, and nichkhun needs it. he needs it desperately. So nichkhun reaches to hold wooyoung’s nape, his fingers shaky but sure as he tilts his head, and captures those lips gently between his own.

 

and then he breathes, and breathes, and breathes..

 

Wooyoung’s lips are soft, warm and tastes like memories.

 

 

 

 

a/n. thankyou so much for all the comments <333

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Jhyeonna #1
Chapter 4: OMG I got recommended to read this story by a fellow KY stan on Twitter and even though I just reached chapter 4, it's so good already. To be honest, I never liked reading like this before, but I am now (kekeke :>>), even when this story is in English (not my 1st language :>>)! When Woo was so cold with Khun at first, not only Khun's heart breaks, mine was shattered into pieces too 😭 This is actually really, very, jinjja, jeongmal, (all the words I can think about) good, brilliant, amazing, wonderful, (also all the words I can think about kekeke) 😭 I love this sm <33333
QueenOfRoses #2
Chapter 16: This is so raw and beautiful, so well-written. Pleaaaaaaase come back and finish the fanfic, I need to know how Nichkhun realizes that he loved Wooyoung in the past. THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME
Fieldofdreams
#3
Chapter 16: Mmm.. okay.... WOW! I..,I just... I have no idea where to start and what to say, but that honestly was amazing! Utterly amazing! In every sense of the word! I don't know why I only found it now, but I'm truly glad I did eventually. This story has been taking over my mind for the last three days. I could have ended it in less time if i was free at day time. It's mind blowing... the storyline, the buildup, the way you captured their emotions... idk, man, I got emotionally invested in their situation. My heart ached for both of them. Idk if you'll ever be here to see this, but I truly hope you can finish this amazing piece one day! It's a great story that I hope it'll see the light as a complete piece. Thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating this amazing world and sharing it with us! I had a great time reading it! Again, THANK YOU! And I hope you'll get to continue it oneday. <3
0430dra #4
Chapter 16: I reread this. It's still one of the best KW fic that I've ever read<333 I can't wait for the final update, but at the same time, I'm not ready to say good bye to this great story;-;
kshmoo #5
Chapter 8: I keep reading and re-reading your story over and over again because it’s just so good!!!! Really really really hope you will finish the story sooon. Thank you so much!!
min_michi #6
Chapter 16: I came to re-read from the first chapter XD
Cant wait for the mext update. Fighting!
EwonJung
#7
Chapter 16: YOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AUTHOR-NIM-NIM-NIm-Nim-nim-im-m WHERE ARE YOOOUUUUUUUUU!?!?!?!?!?!?
Please finish this story as soon as possible, one last chapter is left so FIGHTING!!!!
EwonJung
#8
Chapter 16: OMG Woo, just show him your ring already!!! I am so happy about the update, thank you Author-nim and I'm glad that you'll have Nichkhun get his memories back, it's the right thing to do...can't wait for the final chapter!!!!
ShinPM98
#9
Chapter 16: You've finally updated again!! Thank you so much! :* and i love to see Wooyoung wasnt running away anymore and accepted Nichkhun wholeheartedly altho Khun has still forgotten about him. But wow, now i know that Khun has forgotten Woo not bc the accident but bc his despair(?) longing for Woo >,<

Yes, pls. Let Khun at least remember about the past of him and Woo. KhunWoo happy ending i assumed now yey. Hehe.

Will wait for your next final update! Fighting!^^
hwootestjang #10
Chapter 16: Those dream he had. Oh my god, he forgets the whole ordeal because he cant take it anymore. It his defense mechanism. The accident was too traumatic that his own brain temporarily delete all memory with Wooyoung.
Thats why he keeps feeling longing of something. His memory is not complete. Well people say body remembers, maybe thats why he cried. He heart remembers Woo but not his brain.
I feel sad for Woo.
I love it as always. Thank you