Ryeowook has been afraid of love since forever and Kyuhyun is there to change it.

“You know, if you would just say yes...”

Ryeowook looks up from where he was working on what piece to teach for his piano class. Not bothering to take his eyes away from his phone, his brother continues to speak.

“... you wouldn’t be miserable anymore.”

Ryeowook should have known. His brother has always pestered him when it came to his love life. 

“Hyung, it’s not that easy,” he replies.

“It is!” Heechul throws away his phone on the sofa and walks to where his brother was sitting on the dining table. “My dear brother, it’s just one word: yes.”

The younger rolls his eyes. There was no use in fighting Heechul. Once he sets his mind on something, he’s bound to fight for it until the end. Case in point, Ryeowook saying yes to the person courting him.

All his life, Ryeowook has never been the guy people would fawn over. He was just, well, ordinary. At 33 years old, he had graduated university with a master’s degree and is now teaching piano at a music school in Seoul. He lives in an apartment with his older brother who works production in one of the TV networks in South Korea.

He was lonely, to say the least. Years and years of having to stare at couples during Valentine’s day didn’t really help with the emotion he always felt. So, imagine his surprise when someone actually had the guts to ask him out on a date.

Said someone was a parent of one of the students he was teaching at school. He didn’t have anything against the man, it was just him and his stupid insecurity. Cho Kyuhyun was a nice man, after all. He always picks up Seungjae after his lessons end, silently waiting for his son outside the classroom.

They talked whenever they could, from topics as trivial as the weather to deeper ones. Both were about the same age so there was no space for awkwardness between the two of them. At some point, Kyuhyun eventually would throw a flirty remark in their conversation but Ryeowook just dismissed it as simple banter. He had a hunch that Kyuhyun was just doing it to keep the conversation light.

It wasn’t until Seungjae’s recital that things changed between the two. Ryeowook was busy attending to the parents bidding their goodbyes when a bouquet of flowers suddenly emerged in front of his face. The flowers were lowered, revealing Kyuhyun dressed in one of his suits with his hair pushed back, a shy smile evident on his lips.

“Something special,” he says.

“Seungjae’s still inside with the other kids,” Ryeowook motions to the door leading inside the music hall. “Do you want me to lead you inside?”

“It’s not for my son,” Kyuhyun laughs, his deep voice sending shivers down Ryeowook’s spine. “It’s all for you.”

Kyuhyun didn’t stop there. He would bring food for the three of them to eat after Seungjae finished his lessons, he offered to give Ryeowook a ride home, he smiled ever so sweetly even at Ryeowook’s worst jokes. Ryeowook, on the other hand, felt that everything was just a dream. Never in his life would he imagine that someone would actually want to pursue him romantically.

He was new to all of this. Yes, he was a hopeless romantic and he wanted to feel love for once in his life but the moment he felt it through Kyuhyun, he became afraid. The possibilities of something bad happening to what would be their relationship were endless. He was afraid of what could happen to Kyuhyun, he was afraid of what would happen to himself.

“Mr. Kim, do you like Daddy?”

Ryeowook’s hands which were playing the piano came to a stop upon the student’s question. He closed his eyes and collected his thoughts. It’s okay Ryeowook, it’s just an innocent question, he thought. An innocent question coming from the son of the person courting him. He takes a deep breath and faces his student.

“Seungjae, I’m trying to show you a new piece. You’re here to study piano, aren’t you?”

The seven-year-old pouts and walks over to the piano where his teacher was seated. He blows on the hair hanging above his eyes, puffing his cheeks in the process. Seungjae looked very much like his father: same set of doe-like eyes, plump lips, and chubby cheeks. He was also very stubborn, a quality that Kyuhyun also has. Ryeowook doesn’t know what the child’s mother looks like, all he got from Kyuhyun’s stories was that Seungjae was a child born out of wedlock, his mother not wanting to be weighed down by a family left them on their own. 

Despite his situation, Seungjae was a bright young boy. He greets everyone he comes across, he was curious of a lot of things, he treats everyone with his innocence. Ryeowook was thankful he got to teach Seungjae instead of the other children who were only forced by their parents to attend the music school. Seungjae was genuinely eager to learn piano, he tells Ryeowook everyday.

“Daddy always looks so sad. He looks like he’s about to cry everytime I see him!” the child exclaims, his hand going all over the place. The piano teacher can only laugh at Seungjae’s behavior. “But you know Mr. Kim…”

He looks at Ryeowook with eyes full of sincerity. His hands found Ryeowook’s, he held it tight as if he was afraid for Ryeowook to suddenly leave.

“... Daddy’s starting to smile lately,” Seungjae says. He looks around, as if to look for anyone possibly eavesdropping their conversation. He then moves closer and leans into Ryeowook’s ear. “I think it’s because of you.”

Hours went by as Ryeowook finally got Seungjae to learn the new piece he was supposed to teach the child. Teaching Seungjae was the least of his problems, not when his student innocently asked if Ryeowook liked his father. All his thoughts went down the drain except for one. Does he like Kyuhyun? Seungjae’s question was stuck in his head and it melts every part of his brain until it was all that’s left.

There was an emptiness inside him that ate him up. But whenever Kyuhyun was around, the emptiness fades away and becomes replaced by this fluttering feeling he couldn’t name. He feels as if he’s walking in the sky but he’s afraid no one would be there to catch him if he falls. He wasn’t sure if Kyuhyun would be there but maybe, he could take the risk.

“Mr. Kim?”

Seungjae’s voice lifts Ryeowook from his thoughts. He hadn’t realized that his student already finished running through the new piano piece.

“Were you thinking about Daddy?” Seungjae teases, his eyes filled with mirth. “Have you decided to go on a date with him?”

Before Ryeowook could reply to the child, the door to the room they were in suddenly opened, revealing Kyuhyun in his suit which he often wears. Seungjae rushed to his father, shouting “daddy!” in the process. Ryeowook smiles at the scene in front of him.

“Were you not finished yet? I could still wait outside,” Kyuhyun turns to Ryeowook. The piano teacher shakes his head. Kyuhyun then turns back to Seungjae, coming down to Seungjae’s level and giving his son a kiss. 

Ryeowook feels a sudden pang in his chest. He could feel Kyuhyun’s love for Seungjae even through the little things Kyuhyun does to his son. He felt his eyes watering, so he turns around, gathering the sheet music on the piano and arranging them inside Seungjae’s folder. He then puts the folder inside Seungjae’s sling bag. He turns back to the father and son, surprised to see them both looking at him.

Seungjae suddenly laughs and whispers something to his father’s ear. Kyuhyun breaks into a smile before ruffling his son’s hair.

“Are you gossiping about me?” Ryeowook asks, putting his hands on his chest, feigning shock.

“A little bird told me that you liked me,” Kyuhyun laughs, “and that you already agreed to going on a date with me.”

Ryeowook squints his eyes towards Seungjae. The child hides his face in the crook of Kyuhyun’s neck, attempting to shield himself from his teacher’s look.

“Well, tell that little bird that I would only go on a date with Mr. Cho Kyuhyun if that little bird gets an A+ on his next assessment.”

At Ryeowook’s response, both of the Chos’ heads whipped to look at him.

“Really?” “An A+?!”

Ryeowook shrugs, keeping himself from laughing out loud. The father and son’s reactions were far different from each other: Kyuhyun smiling widely, eyes shining while Seungjae looked like it was the end of the world, pouting with his shoulders slumped. Kyuhyun turns to his son, suddenly concerned about his gloomy state.

“Why are you so sad, Seungjae? Shouldn’t you be happy for Daddy?”

“It’s too hard to get an A+!” the child whines.

“You’ll have to practice a lot then,” Kyuhyun contends. “Let’s go, Joontae’s waiting for you at his home.”

With that, Seungjae grabs his sling bag and bolts out of the door. Kyuhyun can only shake his head at his son. He faces Ryeowook, quiet for a moment before speaking out.

“Care for a ride?” he offers. This wasn’t the first time he offered Ryeowook for a ride home, anyway.

Ryeowook nods, “Let me just get my things at the office.”

“I’ll come with.”

Faint instruments playing fills the silence across the hallway. It was past dismissal time already so only a few students were left in the school, those who wanted to practice for a bit longer. It was a good thing that Seungjae was his last student for the day. Ryeowook was thankful Kyuhyun offered him a ride home. He was tired from teaching new pieces of music to his students and he still needed to cook for himself and Heechul at home. Unknowingly, he yawns.

“Tired?”

“Yeah, I stayed up all night coming up with new pieces to teach the kids,” Ryeowook replies, before entering the teachers’ office.

Kyuhyun nods in understanding. He leans by the doorframe and watches as the other fixes and collects his things. He thinks about Ryeowook’s ultimatum earlier, debating with himself whether it was for fun or for real.

“Where’s Seungjae going?” Ryeowook asks, breaking the silence.

“He’s sleeping over at his friend’s house,” Kyuhyun answers, staring at his shoes. He tries to remove the dirt stuck on the top. “Breaktime from childcare for me, I guess.”

“Oh.”

Silence envelops them once more. It wasn’t the deafening kind as the two basked in the calm peace. Ryeowook finishes gathering his things, walking along the corridor once more with Kyuhyun in tow. It was the same during the car ride - quiet, save for Seungjae in the backseat singing along to some pop songs playing on the radio. Ryeowook lightly giggles, expressing his amusement towards the child’s antics. Unaware, he didn’t realize that Kyuhyun was looking at him, eyes glowing in admiration.

The moment they arrived at Seungjae’s  friend’s house, Seungjae was already out the door. Kyuhyun sighs in exasperation while Ryeowook chuckles at his reaction. Kyuhyun turns to Ryeowook, leaning forward, catching the other in surprise. Ryeowook backs up, but Kyuhyun only reaches to the backseat for Seungjae’s overnight bag. Ryeowook can only blush in embarrassment, how can he think about Kyuhyun kissing him at this moment?

“Sorry, I’ll talk to Joontae’s mother quickly. I’ll be back.”

Before Ryeowook could even reply, Kyuhyun was already walking towards the door of the house. Ryeowook watches from inside the car how Kyuhyun hands over the bag to Joontae’s mother. He couldn’t hear what they were talking about but he sees Seungjae come back from inside the house and hug Kyuhyun’s legs. He sees Kyuhyun kneel to Seungjae’s level and kiss the top of his son’s head. The small sign of affection brings an undistinguishable feeling to Ryeowook’s heart. Despite raising Seungjae by himself, Kyuhyun’s love for his son never diminished, instead it only grew in time. And Ryeowook can see that.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he jumped in surprise when a knock on the car’s window brings him out of it. Kyuhyun was looking at him with a big smile on his face that he couldn’t help but smile back.

As they drive through the road, Ryeowook is once again back to thinking about the man beside him in the car. He was aware that Kyuhyun is being careful with his actions, as he did not push Ryeowook to go on a date with him. He didn’t pester Ryeowook with continuous words to remind Ryeowook that he liked him. Instead he showed his affection in the subtlest ways. He listened to Ryeowook’s stories, he supported Ryeowook’s endeavors outside of the music school, and he was there. He was there to stand by him if anything happens.

He thinks about the times his heart would flutter just by the sight of Kyuhyun: Kyuhyun getting out his car, Kyuhyun opening the door for him, Kyuhyun hugging Seungjae tight. Maybe it was due time to give what Kyuhyun has been waiting for. And what Ryeowook has been wanting for so long.

Kyuhyun pulls up by the street in front of the apartment complex where Ryeowook stays at. Ryeowook was busy unbuckling his seatbelt and when he was about to open the car door, it opened with Kyuhyun already outside. He shyly gets out of the car, Kyuhyun shutting the door behind him. Ryeowook awkwardly fiddles with his bag.

“Thank you for the ride,” he says, looking at anywhere besides Kyuhyun.

The other chuckles. He waves his hand in the air as if dismissing what Ryeowook said. “It’s only right for me to do.”

Ryeowook nods, running out of words to say. He takes a deep breath before turning to Kyuhyun.

“I, uhh, what I said earlier…”

“Yeah?”

“I mean it. I really mean it.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll go on a date with you when Seungjae gets an A+,” Ryeowook sees Kyuhyun with his eyes almost falling out of its sockets. He scratches the non-existent itch on the back of his head. “I, uhm, I promise to teach and train Seungjae well so he could get it. I’m not the one assessing him so… I hope all will be well.”

Kyuhyun takes his hand and holds it. The look of pure happiness couldn’t be hidden from Kyuhyun’s eyes. He steps closer to Ryeowook. At this point, Ryeowook’s heart cannot beat faster than what he’s experiencing. His breath hitches as Kyuhyun puts his other hand on Ryeowook’s cheek.

“Ryeowook, I—”

“I hate to break the moment but Ryeowook, I’m really hungry!”

Ryeowook closes his eyes in disappointment and embarrassment. He senses Kyuhyun step away from him and turns to see the other bowing down to his older brother. 

“Good evening, Heechul-hyung.”

Heechul nods in acknowledgement. “I’m here to claim my food provider. Bye, Kyuhyun! Drive safely!” 

And with a pull on his brother’s arms, Heechul drags Ryeowook inside the building. Ryeowook had no clue what just happened. He didn’t even have the time to say goodbye to Kyuhyun.

Come the day of Seungjae’s assessment, Kyuhyun couldn’t get a single trace from his son’s piano teacher. He’s probably busy evaluating other students, he thinks. He came to pick up Seungjae, hoping for a positive reaction from his son, not forgetting about Ryeowook’s promise. However, Seungjae remains quiet, busy playing some games on the Nintendo Switch Kyuhyun bought on his birthday. For the whole drive home, he didn’t dare speak and decides to just ask Seungjae at a later time.

They ate their dinner in silence. No one was making a move: Seungjae too absorbed in his own world and Kyuhyun too anxious to speak to his son. Time passed, still no one of the two talked. Kyuhyun sighs in defeat, realizing that maybe Seungjae didn’t want to talk because he did not get an A+. He tucks in his son in bed, kissing his forehead.

“Goodnight, Seungjae. Get a good rest.”

Seungjae suddenly opens his eyes and calls him out. “Daddy, I forgot! Mr. Kim gave me a note earlier, it’s in my bag. Goodnight!”

Kyuhyun stares at his son, dumbfounded. All this time, the answer he’s been looking for lies in his son yet the child forgot to tell him about it. He makes his way to the bag, taking the letter. Upon entering his room, he immediately reads the letter.

Hi Mr. Cho Kyuhyun!

I hope this note reaches you. You know how Cho Seungjae tends to be forgetful. Anyway, I’m writing this because I don’t have the guts to say it personally. I want to say thank you for all the kind and sweet things you’ve been sending my way. Please don’t think I’m not aware of any of it, because I am. I don’t know what I’m writing anymore ㅋㅋ. 

Sorry, it’s been a while since I did something like this. I think I’m babbling now. So, pick me up tomorrow at 5pm. You decide where we go. Yes, this is what you think this is.

Best, Ryeowook

Kyuhyun reminds himself that he should treat Seungjae someday for getting an A+.

“Daddy, you look fine! Stop running around!”

Kyuhyun stops to look at his son who’s playing with toy cars on the floor. Seungjae was right, he has been fussing on what to wear for his and Ryeowook’s date that night. He calms down and sits next to Seungjae on the floor.

“Are you really okay with me going on a date with Ryeowook?”

Seungjae pouts. “I think the question should be, am I okay with Mr. Kim going on a date with you? You’re too hard to deal with.”

The shock couldn’t be hidden from Kyuhyun’s face. Did Seungjae really just insult him? Right in front of his face? Then again, he should really think about his actions because children never lie. Seungjae puts a hand on top of his own, intertwining their fingers.

“As long as you’re happy, Daddy. I’m happy when you’re happy.”

Kyuhyun almost tears up with his son’s words. The simplicity of it and how Seungjae said it so freely make his heart clench. How his son could say something so mature and beyond his age, Kyuhyun would never know. He basks in the silent contentment he feels around Seungjae while the little Cho continues to play with his toy dinosaurs. The doorbell rings and Kyuhyun knows it’s time.

He opens the door to reveal Heechul with an untroubled smile on his face. Surprisingly, Heechul was free that day and even volunteered to babysit Seungjae while his brother is out on a date. 

“Uncle Heechul is here to save the day!”

Kyuhyun doesn’t know how Heechul handles children but he hopes everything would be okay. He really hopes.

The night is young. A soft classical piece is playing in the background, adding to the fancy atmosphere surrounding the two men eating at a table. Cutlery graze against elegant plates, with people sipping wine around. Ryeowook can’t help but feel small. He wasn’t used to the extravagant lifestyle but he couldn’t refuse since he told Kyuhyun he could pick the place. 

“Are you not enjoying?” Kyuhyun looks at him with a worried face.

“No…” Ryeowook shakes his head. He sees a frown appear on Kyuhyun’s face and he quickly realizes what he just said. “I don’t mean I’m not enjoying this! I am! It’s just that… I’m not really used to all this fancy stuff.”

“Ah, I thought you’d like to have dinner here at Yellow Note,” Kyuhyun says, wiping a napkin against his lips. “Let’s get out of here then.”

“What?”

“I’m sure we’ll enjoy somewhere else,” Kyuhyun stands up and gestures to Ryeowook. 

Ryeowook was unsure whether to stand up or to insist that they should just stay at the restaurant. What he’s sure of is that Kyuhyun spent a lot of his effort (and money, most likely) just for reserving a table at the fanciest restaurant in town. Before a word could even come out of his mouth, Kyuhyun drags him by the arm, making his way to the exit.

“Kyuhyun, where—stop!”

Kyuhyun looks back at him, laughing. He lets go of Ryeowook’s arm and instead, holds his hand. He raises up his pointer finger to his lips as if telling Ryeowook to stay quiet and he suddenly runs.

The two of them end up in an ice cream shop in front of the city park. Ryeowook leans on the shop’s window, catching his breath. They ran quite far from the restaurant without stopping. He closes his eyes to regain composure. Maybe he shouldn’t have looked so out of it earlier in the restaurant. They wouldn’t have ran so much and he would still have been indulging in elegance in the restaurant. A tap on his shoulder makes Ryeowook look up. Kyuhyun was looking at him in concern.

“You okay?” he asks Ryeowook, handing the water bottle. Ryeowook takes it while nodding his head in response. 

He feels grateful that Kyuhyun waited for him to finish drinking before walking towards the park. The park was the exact opposite of Yellow Note. Here he feels more free and unrestricted. There were a few people walking and lounging around, enjoying the lull and serenity enveloping them. 

“Want to sit?” Kyuhyun asks, to which he nods.

Settling into one of the park’s benches, Kyuhyun hands him an ice cream. It was their first date yet here they were eating ice cream at a park. Looking at the man beside him, Ryeowook realizes it’s not really the place that matters but who you’re with. Kyuhyun was busy trying to open the wrapper of the ice cream he bought that Ryeowook subconsciously laughs at. Kyuhyun looks at him questioningly.

“Sorry, it’s really funny how Seungjae is better than you even at the simplest things,” he says, taking the ice cream from Kyuhyun and opening it for him. He hands it back carefully.

“I really wanted to celebrate tonight, but we’re just eating ice cream,” Kyuhyun mumbles, receiving the ice cream.

Ryeowook only laughs. It’s times like these that he can really see the similarities with Kyuhyun and Seungjae. He wonders if Kyuhyun is just a baby stuck in a grown man’s body.

“Seungjae really enjoys eating ice cream at the park so I figured you would too,” he adds.

Ryeowook smiles gently at him. Even during these times, he still remembers his son. Cute. Looking around the park, Ryeowook spots a few couples but he couldn’t feel the sadness he used to experience before. Maybe, just maybe, Kyuhyun changed it.

“You know Kyuhyun, I’m never the person other people would normally ask out. I’m really surprised you still continued to do it even though I’m not responsive,” he says out loud. Kyuhyun looks like he was about to reply but he cuts him to it. “Wait, hear my side first. Look up to the stars.”

Kyuhyun does so and he begins.

“I always believed people tend to be reckless, love would always end in heartbreak. I was seventeen when my father left my mother for someone else. After that, she took her life and it was just me and Heechul-hyung left. There was an emptiness inside me that kept eating me up whenever I think about love and loneliness just feeds on to my heart like a parasite.That loneliness just made me hollow, it made me feel worthless like I don’t deserve anything in this world. But you know what, Kyuhyun?”

Kyuhyun takes his gaze away from the sky and back to Ryeowook. The other man kept talking, still looking up.

“I think you changed that. You’ve filled up the emptiness I always felt. I’m conscious of your actions towards me and how you feel, but even if I don’t respond, you still continue to do it. You’re really stubborn, aren’t you?” Ryeowook gently laughs. “I’m scared of abandonment like what happened to my mother. But seeing how you take care of Seungjae, I’m sure you won’t run away. And I don’t want to run away from love forever.”

Ryeowook looked at Kyuhyun, his eyes full of tears. “So this is me, Kim Ryeowook, saying three words to you...”

Kyuhyun swears he never felt so tense before. The park felt so quiet that he could only hear his heartbeat beating faster than ever.

“...Saying I love you.”

Kyuhyun kisses Ryeowook. His emotions couldn’t be confined anymore. Kyuhyun poured all the fond affection he felt towards the other. The moment lasts when Ryeowook returns the kiss. It felt so soft, so warm, yet so gentle. The feeling left Ryeowook breathless.

In the park were a few people walking and lounging around. There were a few couples and Ryeowook can finally say he was one of them. It feels like a dream but he knows he’s not alone anymore. It took so long for him to find someone but now he has Kyuhyun to spend every second with. The past was the past. Kyuhyun and him have all the time in the world to create new memories together.

“I think I really have to thank Seungjae for getting an A+.”

“Kyuhyun, Seungjae didn’t get an A+.”

This was a product of my missing Sechskies hours. I left 19 jekki easter eggs there, let me know if you find them. And yes, that is Ko Seungjae my baby.