||:

If I could redo one thing in my life,
I would go back to your side.

###

"Minhyun, meet your new classmate."

"Kang Dongho."

"Here."

"You can play the requiem, right? You should pick that. The teacher will definitely be able to see your skills with that piece."

"I don't want to hear your excuses and I don't want to see you anymore!"

"Minhyun? Is that..."

I looked up from the book in my hand and standing before me was you.

You looked different.

Happy.

"Baekho."

I couldn't hide my pained expression. Three years. We haven't seen each other ever since you left.

"It is you!"

Without any warning, you pulled me into a hug. I was surprised and my heart ached more than it should have. Three years, I thought I had moved on. Thought I had gotten pass those emotions.

But I was only lying and blocking  myself.

I wrapped my hands around you.

A weird sound escaped my lips and you looked up at me.

"How have you been all these years?" you asked with a bright smile that I had to avert my gaze from.

All these years.

"Are you still playing the piano?"

I shook my head and you seemed surprised, maybe even a little sad.

"Why not?"

"I..."

I showed you my hand and you gazed at it, eyes turning wide in disbelief. "What did you do to it?"

"An accident," I replied while moving my hand away before you could hold it. I didn't want you to see it but I couldn't hide it from you either.

"That's..."

"It's nothing. I've gotten over it. What about you? Still playing?"

You flinched before you nod a little, pulling out a piece of folded paper from your back pocket and handing it to me. I opened it raised my brows before putting on a thin smile.

"Congratulations."

"Minhyun, I-"

"You achieved your dream. I'm really happy for you." 
It wasn't a lie so why...

"Are you so happy that you're crying for me?"

I laughed while rubbing my tears away.

"Yes."

Because if you were happy, nothing else mattered.

And if this was what it took, then I would do it all over again.

:||

||:

It was all black and white.
Key after key.
Note after note.
One day after another.
I could no longer hear you.
Or myself.

###

I could only look forward. It was over.

My relationship.

My friendship.

"Are you sure about this, Baekho?"

"Yes. Thank you very much for teaching me all this past year. I'm very grateful but I think it's time for me to..."

To?

"Move on."

As if.

Every time my fingers touch a piano key, I think of him. I think of all the moments I shared with him. Our jokes, our arguments, everything. It was hard. It was suffocating. I wanted to throw everything. Tear everything.

But I couldn't.

"Baekho."

"Yes, mum?"

"I notice you have been down lately and... I contacted your old music teacher. There is an opening for her new music group. Would you like to give it a try?"

Why not, I said.

It was better than wasting my life away, moping away over nothing.

Nothing.

No.

There was something.

If I keep this up, someday.

Someday, we would be able to stand on the same stage.

I believe.

Even if I can't hear your sound now...

Someday.

"Minhyun? Is that..."

"Baekho."

I couldn't believe my eyes. Three years.

"It is you!"

I couldn't hold myself back and attacked you with a hug. An overwhelming surge of relief overcame when I saw you. I didn't feel the same remorse as I had back then. This time, this time. For sure.

"How have you been all these years?" I asked once I broke the hug, gazing into the same pair of eyes I had seen all these while. You didn't respond as you looked away. I noticed that you weren't smiling at all.

Something felt wrong.

"Are you still playing the piano?"

The moment he shook his head, I was startled. What happened? Why? There were so many questions that came to mind but when you showed me your hand, I knew.

"An accident," you said but I knew better.

"That's..."

"It's nothing. I've gotten over it. What about you? Still playing?" 

Why?

Why are you pretending like it's nothing?

I can see the tears in your eyes.

I can hear the remorse in your voice.

"Congratulations."

"Minhyun, I-"

"You achieved your dream. I'm really happy for you."

It flowed down your eyes.

"Are you so happy that you're crying for me?"

Why did I say that?

No, I wanted to say so many other things.

"Yes."

This was wrong.

So many other tunes we could have played.

I didn't want to meet you again like this. Please, if there was a way for me to take your pain and suffering away, please.

I don't want you to be sad.

:||

||

So together,
One last time,
With you
And the keys that brought us together.
Return us to that moment.
And help us regain what we lost.

---

"Baekho."

"Minhyun."

"I can't do this."

A shake of the head.

"You can. Come on."

"No. I'll just drag you down."

"Minhyun, this is all I've been working towards... No, we have been working towards. Please, take this step with me."

"But my hand doesn't work the way it used to anymore."

"I know. Teacher told me what happened."

"He did?"

"Yes. Minhyun... But this time, I'm not letting go of your hand."

"Even though I was the one who let go first?"

"I'll never let go. You are all I had and have. All I ever wanted."

A reach for the hand.

"Baekho, I... I'm so sorry."

"With me, there's nothing else we have to be afraid of. Okay?"

A smile.

A hug.

"Will you forgive me?"

"I already have. But will you forgive yourself?"

"Help me."

"I'm here for you."

A kiss.

||

The crowd cheered as the duet ended. A standing ovation. A bow.

The two pianists exited the stage, hands wrapped tightly around one another.

Bright smiles across their lips as their performance had successfully ended.

"You were wonderful as always, Minhyun."

"No. You are the most beautiful pianist the world is lucky to have."

"Flattered but I believe in us."

"Thank you, Baekho. Without you, there was no more path. It was like a dark empty road in front of me but now that you're here again..."

A squeeze in the hand.

"Now that you're here again with me, I feel like we can conquer any stage we step onto."

"And we will, Minhyun. Together."

A smile.

"Minhyun, I... I love you. I want to stay with you."

"I love you too and I will gladly be by your side. Now and forever more."

"Now and forever more."

Fin ||