everything started with a man who always closed his eyes as he held a microphone in one hand, and another man who always gazed upon the other while letting his hands grace the keys on a piano.

the world would disappear around them, until all that remained was a just a singer and a pianist.

 

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music became their home

 

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but sometimes it would be quiet

 

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the restaurant was not know to everyone.

it laid hidden in between two other bigger establishments, just a small little place that created the best music and told the best stories.

in that restaurant, which had less than ten things to order from the menu, people could go simply for the sake of exposing their creations to the world. from poets to singers to musicians of every kind, you could find all types of art in there.

the restaurant was unknown to most people, but that was the place where everything began.

 

 

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jungkook had been singing since he was young, always finding solace on the small hums he could produce from the base of his throat. little sounds that would make him giddy once people began to compliment them.

when he was fifteen, he stumbled across the restaurant after school, noticing its cheap prices and the lonely microphone set in front of a small stage, and decided to give it a try.

he would not have known it then, but stepping foot into that place would change his life forever.

 

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a single choice always changes everything.

 

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yoongi had barely learned how to play the piano, making the decision two years ago, after becoming enamored on the sounds it could produce.

he had worked day and night, cutting yards, working as a waiter, selling poems he would make. he had done everything possible to buy a piano.

and he did.

but everything began to change when he received a call from an old friend, who worked at a small restaurant, asking for his desperate help. apparently, he needed a replacement pianist for that day’s performance.

and that changed everything.

 

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other people can change your life, if you just let them.

 

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the customers at the restaurant, although few in numbers, were not blind.

they could see the seamless string of fate that connected the two musicians on the stage.

they watched with knowing eyes as the singer would sometimes glance back at the blond man, shyly stealing glances at the fingers drumming on the keys, at the closed eyes, and the faint lines that formed on his forehead.

they watched with knowing eyes as the pianist would always gaze back at the singer, especially during those difficult parts that always left everyone breathless, and would just look at the other fondly as he sang his heart out.

the customers were not blind. no one could deny what was growing between the two, what had been growing for the past two years.

no one could deny it, except for the singer and pianist themselves.

 

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jungkook and yoongi.

yoongi and jungkook.

everyone always united the two, without hesitation, for words needed a melody to truly make music.

 

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at the end of the performances, jungkook and yoongi would always stand next to each other, arms grazing slightly as they took their bows before the customers.

they would both smile to the public, and quietly steal glances at each other. but nothing more.

they would pack up after, and with just a simple gaze at each others eyes, they would understand.

they would leave their separate ways after that, knowing that they will undoubtedly return the next day, and the next, and the day after.

they had become addicts to the music.

 

 

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and to each other.

 

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their first performance together was unforgettable.

if you were to ask jungkook why, he would smile wistfully, and respond how, after singing alone for a while, hearing the piano come on behind him was the greatest relief he ever felt in his entire life.

if you were to ask yoongi why, he would look down, mumbling about how he didn’t expect the singer to be that good.

their first performance together was unforgettable. and while most customers forgot about it once they got home, jungkook and yoongi laid awake more than a few kilometers away, under the same moon, wondering about how beautiful the music sounded with them.

together.

 

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they found heaven in a small stage, together with a piano and a microphone.

 

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change, whether welcomed or not, always comes.

and in the case of jungkook and yoongi, everything was going to change in just a single second.

 

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just a second

 

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the next day, jungkook didn’t come.

yoongi was forced to play by himself, a lonely sound that was missing a part of its essence, its very own heart. but he continued to play nonetheless, shooting constant glances at the door to see if jungkook would come in when least expected.

his eyes never strayed far, even when his fingers messed up slightly on the notes for the first time in a long while.

he kept playing, hoping that he would hear the other’s voice all of the sudden, and feel the other’s presence again.

 

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but he never did.

 

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jungkook didn’t come the day after, nor the next day.

by the fifth day, yoongi could no longer bear it. he went and talked to anyone who might have the slightest clue as to what happened to the vocalist.

it was the manager who finally relented, after many stubborn stares from yoongi and his sharp words, and said that jungkook had been in an accident.

a car crash.

 

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a crash is often defined as a violent collision, a powerful strike.

but for them, a crash meant the end of many beautiful things.

 

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after much bugging to the manager, yoongi managed to find what hospital jungkook was in.

he drove as fast as he could as soon as he got out of the restaurant, stepping on the petal that left the tire screeching against the road.

he drove under the cloudy night, watching as slight water droplets began to fall in a small drizzle, forming endless paths and rivers in his windowpane.

but he paid no notice, and just kept driving with the moonlight as his companion.

in that moment, he didn’t care that he and jungkook were nothing more than workers who happened to collaborate together each night. he didnt care that they had never spoken a single word to each other.

he didn’t care that they were strangers.

he just drove.

 

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(in reality, the two were everything but strangers. they knew more about each other with just a single tune, with just a melody)

 

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the piano and the vocals always go together.

united as one.

 

 

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in the hospital, the remaining people sitting by the waiting could only see as a pale man rushed inside, going straight to the front desk while panting slightly.

out of breath, he asked, “jeon jungkook? is he here? i need to see him.”

the secretary merely glanced at him as she began to type, her fingernails making a loud clicking noise against the ambient sound of the hospital. he drummed his fingers against the marble, impatiently waiting as she patiently took her time.

finally, after what seemed like forever, she hummed, “yes he is here. car crash. are you a family member?”

he didn’t even hesitate. “yes. may i please go see him?”

she looked at him, looked down at the computer, and glanced back at him. she sighed, and said, “you’re going to have to wait. visiting hours ended two hours ago.”

“when can i see him then?” he asked her, tiredly rubbing his forehead.

he just wanted to see jungkook.

the secretary just looked at him with something akin pity, and just shook her head, “until tomorrow. we let visitors come in at 8:30.”

he sighed loudly, nodded his head, and murmured a small, “thanks.”

he walked towards the uncomfortable looking chairs in the visiting area, and flopped down. he looked at his watch. 11:23.

he closed his eyes, and willed time to go by.

 

 

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in between his closed eyes and his open mind, he could hear people moving around him. a family behind him began to shuffle in quite loudly, almost making him just turn around to glare at them. but he was so tired.

he opened his eyes every thirty minutes, seeing if time had gone by at all. but it hadn’t. the clock barely showed 12:39.

he leaned back, and just watched the ceiling, counting the tiles, and wishing that jungkook had just been there with him.

 

 

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he couldn’t feel his feet by the time more people started trickling inside the hospital, signifying the beginning of another busy day.

he looked over the front desk, and noticed that the woman wasn’t there anymore, and instead and older man stood in her place, serenely reading a book.

he glanced at the clock.

6:11

closer.

 

 

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he must have fallen asleep or something, because next time he opened his eyes, a little girl was staring up at him with deer eyes and a milk bottle on . she was pulling at his pants slightly, her little fists closed on the rough fabric.

he gave her a tired smile, and glanced at the clock.

10:49

damn.

he hurriedly looked at the girl again, and looked around to see if her parents were nearby. when he found a woman staring intently at him and the girl, he quickly brought the toddler to her.

he bowed slightly, gave her a small “mam” and walked away.

he hurried towards the front desk once again, and hurridly spoke to the man, “may i go see jeon jungkook?”

the man was slightly surprised, but quickly recovered, “jeon jungkook you say? let me see.”

the man typed away on the computer, and wrote on a white sticker room 412, tore it off, and gave it to yoongi.

“here you go, young man. hurry while you can. he has to go under some more tests.”

tests?

with a bow to the man, yoongi hurried towards the elevator, pressing the buttons quickly as if that would make any difference.

once it opened, the wait to go to the fourth floor was almost painful. he couldn’t stop the nerves that began to settle in his stomach, because for the first time, he and jungkook would see each other.

truly see each other.

with no music to support them.

just them.

 

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somehow that was even scarier that the thought of his piano breaking down.

 

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he walked through the halls slowly, looking at each door slowly, as if the numbers would change magically.

when he finally arrived to room 412 though, he never expected the door to be wide open, light streaming from inside.

even less, he never expected jungkook to be with his back facing yoongi, watching outside the window as he sat on a wheelchair. his hands were gripping a pencil tightly, and a sketchbook with something that yoongi couldn’t see laid on his lap.

jungkook was right there, but for some reason, yoongi couldn’t form any words.

he simply stared at jungkook, relishing in the way that his back raised and fell lightly with his breathing. he stared at the way the sun seemed to shine against his outline, making him seem almost like a dream.

and when he looked into the window to see what jungkook was seeing, his breath was stolen as his eyes were captured with those of the other. they stared at each other through the reflection of the window.

it was jungkook who spoke first.

just a single word that somehow held a thousand different meanings.

“yoongi?”

 

 

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sometimes it takes years to fall in love with someone. sometimes it takes days. sometimes it takes hours.

though neither knew it, for them, it had only taken one song.

one song just to fall.

 

 

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his breath came to a stop, his eyes never straying away from the younger man in front of him.

his mouth felt dry. the behind of his neck was sweating. his hands trembled slightly against his sides.

“jungkook.” he whispered, voice somewhat gravelly.

he never moved his eyes away from the singer as he expertly moved the rolling chair to the side, now facing him.

yoongi could not help but be blinded again by the younger, by his almond eyes and round nose and cute lips. by his lone freckle in between his mouth, and by the small scar on his left cheek.

he took a small step forward, just as jungkook rolled slightly towards yoongi. they both stopped at the same time. they both stared at each other.

before yoongi really knew what he was doing, he surprised himself and the younger when he moved forward all of the sudden, gently throwing himself to jungkook’s arms, circling his own against the slim frame.

eventually, he felt jungkook’s arms go around his back, holding him loosely at first, but when he saw that yoongi wasn’t planning on moving, he held onto yoongi tighter.

it was their first hug, and they just stayed there, together, simply soaking in the presence of the other.

they closed their eyes, and simply lived.

 

 

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a week turned into a month. a month turned into half a year. and for jungkook and yoongi, everything was going to change, once again.

 

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yoongi visited the hospital every day, without a fault.

he was there when jungkook began to learn how to use the wheel chair.

he was there when jungkook had to start muscle therapies.

he was there when the doctor declared that jungkook would never be able to walk again.

he was there when jungkook needed him.

 

 

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it might have been the end of jungkook’s walking, a new limitation, a certain lack of freedom.

but it was also the beginning of a new relationship, of new musical melodies, better pieces to be composed.

 

 

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neither of them returned to the restaurant until years later, long after yoongi had become a budding music producer, and jungkook a freelancer of whatever opportunity came to use his voice.

the day they returned was a normal day like any other. yoongi held open the door for jungkook as they entered the still small and cozy restaurant that had once been their home.

when they decided to go, they only had the intention of going there as costumers for once, to simply enjoy the food and the live music.

the first thing they noticed, however, when they got inside was the same old piano lying in the corner of the stage, dust taking residence on the cover and the keys.

yoongi couldn’t stop staring at the piano, even when he felt jungkook’s hand tighten over his. he didn’t stop staring, even after jungkook whispered, “maybe they’ll let you play. just to remember.”

he only looked away when he heard a familiar voice speak in front of them, “look who we’ve got here. haven’t seen you guys in so long!”

the manager of the restaurant hadn’t changed much, and it was simply more surprising that he still managed to remember just another pair of musicians from such a long time ago.

jungkook had these same thoughts, and when he voiced them out loud, the manager responded gently, “how could anyone forget you guys? you were the duo, our duo. no one could forget your music.”

the words made jungkook blush slightly, lowering his head in a small bow, and muttering his gratitude.

yoongi, on the other hand, turned back to stare at the piano, wondering, remembering, aching to simply play one last time.

the manager noticed yoongi’s fond gaze, and smirked slightly. he told them both, “how about you give us a little show? for old time’s sake?”

jungkook was about to protest, but with one single look at how yoongi stared at the piano, his mind was made up.

he tightened his grip on yoongi, and said, “one last time.”

 

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the sound that music makes never truly leaves.

not really.

 

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the stage had to be fixed slightly, since now the singer was in a wheel chair. however, yoongi simply decided to go against jungkook’s protests, and just carry the younger and gently place him next to him, in the piano seat.

the manager announced them to the public, and those few regulars that have been going to the restaurant for years were able to recognize them. they all clapped loudly, for the pianist and the singer.

finally, after the customers calmed and waited for the performance, jungkook and yoongi looked at each other straight in the eyes.

they had never done that in stage before.

before they began, they each remembered the old times, where music had been their only connection.

jungkook remembered how he always used to grip the mic with all the force his fingers could provide, never being ashamed to just let the words flow from his mouth and into the ears and hearts of the people willing to listen. he remembered how he would always used to listen to yoongi play the piano, wishing with all his might that he could just turn around, and sing directly to him. but he was always scared, ashamed, terrified of how he could ruin the delicate thread that kept them together.

and yoongi, yoongi was never able to forget how the keys of the piano felt underneath his fingerprints. how the music would always sound sweeter when made with the younger by his side. he remembered how he always used to sneak glances at the other, short gazes that always made him wish for more. how he would always imagine all the what if’s, all the endless possibilities that could occur if he would just be a little less scared, a little more braver.

but now, they sat side by side on the seat of the piano, overlooking an audience waiting for them.

they held hands for a brief moment, simply for reassurance, for comfort, for the simple knowledge that they were now together, and that nothing could ever silence their music.

and just like that, they began to play the game they always knew how to win.

 

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neither of them knew, but music became the home that they were always excited to go back to at the end of the day.

because music could only be so beautiful without the aid of other instruments, other people.

because music could only be so beautiful without them by each others side.

 

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they played together in that small restaurant one last time, sitting side by side. and with the help of a microphone and a piano, they became one again.

 

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they took a bow for the last time.

 

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they left the restaurant that day with small smiles on their faces, knowing fully well that they would be returning one day again, not to play anymore, but to enjoy the music that was always there, waiting for them.

because whether they believe it or not, that small restaurant had become a home for them.

 

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better yet, the music was always their home.

 

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the moment jungkook entered the restaurant, he never expected for his life to be changed completely.

the moment yoongi had entered the restaurant, he never expected to fall in love.

but the most unexpected things happen at the most unexpected moments.

and neither of them ever regretted what happened.

 

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for jungkook, he had always found solace in expressing all his emotions with his voice. by whispering sweet melodies, or passing the rawest emotions he felt.

either way, music was always there for him.

 

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for yoongi, he had always found solace in the way the piano never seemed to quite let go of him. the way tunes could change with just a tip of a finger, the way he could portray art with the keys.

either way, music was always there for him.

 

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that is, until they met each other.

then, music wasn’t always there.

because now, they were.

 

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they were always there for each other.

 

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they became each others home.

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fin