Kyuhyun snapped his laptop shut in annoyance. None of the samples that the scout sent him caught his attention. In fact, he couldn't even listen to them for more than a minute. All of them were full of loud, electronic beats and incomprehensible lyrics. The pronunciation was so horrible that he couldn't make out what the contestants sang about. All in all, the samples went straight to the Recycle Bin without hesitation. He took out his phone and cursed, realizing that he wasted ten minutes listening to garbage. While listening to his own songs to cleanse his ears and sanity, he also opened the Kakao Talk app and messaged Kim Ryeowook, the company's scout.

.

 .

Ballad King: Ryeowook, your samples all .

Little Rose Prince: Again?

Little Rose Prince: Do you know how hard it is to find a true unpolished gem in this age where everyone and their mother want to be a star?

Ballad King: I don't care.

Ballad King: Shindong and you asked me to produce a new star and I'm doing just that.

Little Rose Prince: Lower your standards a bit?

Ballad King: Not gonna happen.

Ballad King: If no one passes my criteria, I'd rather throw this project in a trash bin altogether.

Little Rose Prince: Urgh, fine.

Little Rose Prince: Give me another week.

.

.

Kyuhyun closed the app and decided to take a walk. He had nothing to do now anyway. So, he put on a coat, a cap, and a thick scarf that hid half of his face. Although it had been a while since his last album and concert tour, his popularity was still high. He left the building and blended in with the people in the street. White snowflakes fell from the grey sky and robbed colors from the busy city. No matter where he looked, he only saw white, grey, and black. Everyone kept their head low and no one smiled. The atmosphere was very depressing as if to match the weather. Kyuhyun walked without any direction in mind, letting his legs take him while he listened to the music from his iPod. He arrived at a nearby public park and continued to wander aimlessly. When he was walking past a row of frozen trees, the playlist came to the last song and he took out the iPod to reshuffle it.

"Take my hand, let's see where we wake up tomorrow." 

A clear and melancholic voice hit his ears. Kyuhyun took out the in-ear headphones and carefully listened to the song that was carried by the winter wind.

"And, God, tell us a reason. Youth is wasted on the young. It's hunting season." 

He put away the iPod and turned to where the crystal voice came from.

"And this lamb is on the run. We're searching for meaning." 

His legs took him to stop in front of a young man who was singing while playing an old classical guitar. The man was half a head shorter than him but his thin figure made him appear even smaller. A few snowflakes that were caught in the younger man's curly hair reminded him of a poodle puppy. The man's dark brows arched slightly above his closed eyes. The tip of his high nose was slightly red due to the cold. His chubby cheeks and bow-shaped lips, on the other hand, were pale with a very subtle hint of a pink tinge. The baggy, old, grey wool sweater and fitting ripped jeans didn't seem to do a good job protecting the singer from the cold, much less the worn-out sneakers that allowed a toe to stick out of a hole. The young man was singing with a guitar case at his feet where a few hopeless notes were scattered. Kyuhyun counted the content. It couldn't even buy the singer a single warm meal.

"But are we all lost stars, trying to light up the dark...?" 

The young man sang the last line and opened his eyes. The black almond-shaped eyes stared straight into his brown eyes while the snow slowly fell heavier around them. Time seemed to stop moving as the quiet winter evening embraced the two of them. After a very long while, the curly-haired singer broke the magic and smiled at him.

"Hello, do you like my singing?"

Kyuhyun had found his star.

.

.

.

"Debut and become a star?"

"Yes, you'll be my student and under my guidance, I'll make you the brightest star in the sky."

Kyuhyun explained and put another piece of grilled meat on the young man's plate. Right now, they were at a nearby restaurant after a brief introduction. The young man's name was Kim Jongwoon, an orphan who came to Seoul to look for an opportunity. Apparently, after being kicked out of the orphanage when he turned eighteen, Jongwoon had fended for himself for two years now by accepting all kinds of odd jobs. Singing in the park was just his hobby. The younger man nodded and pondered his offer while eating.

"Okay, assume that I accept your offer, what do I have to do?"

"You'll learn about and practice all the necessary lessons to be a good singer. It'll be hard but you have a good foundation with your talent, so you'll be fine."

"Hmm, what about the hours?"

"The practice starts at ten in the morning and ends at ten in the evening, with a lunch and dinner break. Though you can leave earlier if you do well on the day so you don't have to worry about going home late. That reminded me, where are you living now?"

"At the park."

Kyuhyun stopped the hand that was grilling beef and looked up at the younger man in uncertainty.

"Excuse me, is that a joke? Am I supposed to laugh?"

"No, I really mean it. I've been living at the park since I left the orphanage. I couldn't afford the rent in Seoul and I care more about filling my stomach than finding a place to sleep. Oh, but I sometimes stay at the church when the weather is bad and help clean the place in exchange for that."

He looked at the young man again. So, the new star-to-be man that he picked up is a homeless person? No wonder his clothes were old and worn out. Good. He could use this backstory to gain sympathy from people. He nodded and put more meat into the young man's plate who ate them with twinkling eyes.

"You can live with me until you debut and earn enough to buy or rent your own place."

"Eh? But I'm a stranger... What if I'm a bad guy?"

"You're as harmful as a kitten. Besides, I've been in the entertainment industry for almost two decades and I've met all kinds of people. You, Jongwoon, are an embodiment of innocence."

"Sir, I'm twenty years old now. I'm not a clueless kid."

"Yet you followed me blindly like a duckling. What if I was a bad guy?"

Jongwoon went quiet and continued to eat the grilled meat. Those munching and puffed-up cheeks really reminded him of a bunny so he couldn't help but add a piece of lettuce to the meat pile. Then, he snorted fondly when the young man munched on the given lettuce obediently, even staring at him with a pair of clueless dark eyes.

"So? Are you interested in my offer or not? You'll get a place to live comfortably and three hot meals per day."

"I don't know... That just sounds too good to be true..."

"I see that you're not entirely clueless. Obviously, I won't go easy on you during the practice. I'm a perfectionist so I expect the best out of my student."

"But why me? Surely, there are many young people out there who want to be a superstar? People who aren't lowly homeless guys like me..."

"Talents have nothing to do with one's upbringing. Many legendary singers were once nobody. Most importantly, my student must genuinely love music and singing, not the fame and fortune that come after that, and I can sense your love for music in your singing. So? What's your decision?"

The young man went quiet and kept his head low, eating the expensive hanu beef that he grilled. Sighing, Kyuhyun ordered more beef and grilled another piece for the younger.

"...If you agree to train under me, you can eat meat like this whenever you want."

"Deal."

.

.

.

"This is your room from now on. It's too late now so wash up and wear my clothes for tonight. I'll take you to buy more clothes tomorrow."

"Thank you, Teacher Kyuhyun, you're too kind."

Jongwoon bowed politely and put down the guitar case to look around the spacious room. After they reached the agreement, Kyuhyun took his new student to his vacation house out of town for privacy. He left his student to familiarize himself with his new room and contacted Ryeowook to inform the scout that he had found a potential star. His friend was skeptical about the fact that Kim Jongwoon was a homeless person and directly expressed concern for bringing the man home. He brushed off the scout's concern with a casual "I'll be fine". To put his friend at ease, he went to the guest room to show Ryeowook the said student. However, he walked into Jongwoon excitedly jumping on the large bed like a kid. Both he and his friend watched speechlessly at the younger who flopped down on the soft mattress and rolled around. Then, the smaller man rolled over and met his and Ryeowook's eyes on the screen. After a short period of silence, Jongwoon blushed darkly and scrambled to stand up and bow repeatedly. His curly hair that was still slightly damp after the shower stuck to his oval face like wet cat fur. The younger man shyly fidgeted his small hands that barely showed up beyond the cuffs of the loose pajamas— his long-sleeved sweatshirt and pants.

"I see now that he's really harmless. If anything, I'd be more worried about him than you."

"Thank you for your useless comment."

Kyuhyun dryly ended the call and waved at his student who hadn't stopped bowing yet.

"You did nothing wrong so don't apologize. That being said, you should sleep now. We'll go shopping in the morning and start the practice after coming back."

"Understood. Good night, Teacher Kyuhyun."

Jongwoon beamed and, to his confusion, dragged the duvet and pillow to the corner of the room and lay down. The young man rolled himself in the sheet and closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep, but he stopped him first.

"What are you doing? Why don't you sleep on the bed?"

His student peeked one eye open and tugged the duvet down to his chin, before answering him truthfully.

"I'm used to sleeping on a bench in the park so the big bed makes me feel a bit lonely..."

Kyuhyun resisted an urge to sigh. He went to the storage room and fetched a giant penguin plushie that he got from a fan. Its size was about the same as a grown man's. He placed the penguin on the bed and beckoned his student to get back on the bed. Jongwoon obediently lay down and hugged the plushie while smiling at him.

"Thank you, Teacher Kyuhyun."

"I'll be strict with you only during the class. Apart from that, feel free to speak your mind. I always want the best for my student. Good night, Jongwoon."

"Wait! Um, can I call you hyung...?"

"I'm thirty-five years old this year. You can even call me ajusshi."

"No, hyung is good-looking and doesn't look old at all!"

He thought that the younger was buttering him up but he only found sincerity in those sleepy eyes. He smiled and ruffled Jongwoon's soft hair.

"Alright, then call me hyung."

"Thank you! Good night, hyung!"

He waved and turned off the light before leaving. Walking back to his bedroom, he thought back to today's events and couldn't help an amused smile making its way to his lips. Rather than a future star, it seemed like he had picked up a stray kitten.

********************************

"I'm going to play a few notes. Listen to it and try to hum along."

"Understood."

After coming back from a department store, Kyuhyun immediately started the lesson. He brought the younger man to his private studio in the basement and they sat down on a piano bench together. His fingers moved to play a simple melody and watched his student ponder with closed eyes. After a short while, Jongwoon perfectly hummed what he played without a mistake. He tried again with longer and more complicated notes but the young man was still able to accurately repeat them. After a few more tests, he came up with the conclusion that Jongwoon was born with a perfect pitch.

"You have a perfect pitch so we'll skip vocal practice for now. Let's focus on a theoretical study first."

"Theoretical study?"

"For example, how to read music sheets and understand the meaning of musical symbols."

He snorted when his student made a face as if someone forced him to eat bitter medicine. Apparently, Jongwoon hated studying and he barely made it past high school, especially in Mathematics. Despite that, the younger man didn't complain and diligently jotted down everything he taught, and didn't shy away to ask if there was something he didn't understand. Although his student was a slow learner, he didn't mind taking time and was patient throughout the lesson. Plus, Jongwoon was so focused on studying that he literally had to pry a book out of those small hands when it was time to eat. Seeing how serious his student was, Kyuhyun decided to end the lesson early today and let the younger rest.

.

.

.

Kyuhyun woke up around three in the morning because he felt thirsty. On his way to the kitchen on the first floor, he walked past Jongwoon's bedroom and saw from the gap under the door that the light was still on. He carefully opened the door and stepped into the room. He automatically smiled once he saw the younger man falling asleep at the desk surrounded by textbooks. Did Jongwoon study by himself even after the class was dismissed? Shaking his head, he carried the young man and took him to the bed. While pulling up the duvet to properly cover him, his student murmured in his sleep.

"Star... I wanna be... star..."

"Don't worry. I'll make you become the brightest star."

He brushed the curly bang aside and made a promise, before leaving the room.

************************************

"Alright, you got the full score. Good job, Jongwoon."

"Yeah! I did it, hyung!"

"Yes, you got a lot better within a couple of months."

"Because hyung is an awesome teacher."

Kyuhyun chuckled and ruffled the younger man's curly fluffy hair. In only three months, Jongwoon already passed the theoretical study and was more than ready to start a real singing practice, which shouldn't take too long considering the man's innate talents. He couldn't be prouder of his student who worked hard and of himself who discovered a rare hidden gem. Jongwoon was a very good person with a gentle soul who loved music. The young man was sincere and hard-working, exactly his ideal student. Moreover, Jongwoon didn't laze around and enjoy his privilege for free. His student volunteered to keep the house clean even though he never asked him to do it. All in all, Kyuhyun couldn't thank fate enough for leading him to Jongwoon on that snowy day.

"You deserve a reward for your hard work. Tell me what you want."

"Anything?"

"Yes, as long as it's not too outrageous, but knowing you, you probably ask for something simple."

"You know me too well, hyung."

Jongwoon smiled sheepishly. After that, the younger man looked down and answered meekly.

"I want to play with snow in the backyard..."

"Is that all you want?"

"No, there's more. I want to play a snow fight with hyung and drink a cup of hot cocoa after that, with marshmallows on top! Then, let's watch movies together while snacking. Only if you're okay with that, hyung."

"Why not? It's simple enough."

.

.

.

Smack!

"Hahaha! Hyung, you're really bad at this!"

"You're the one who—!'

Another snowball was thrown in his face and prevented him from protesting. While the young man was laughing heartily, Kyuhyun wiped the snow off of his face with a twitching brow. He kept his word and joined his student in a snow fight. However, due to his age and non-athletic lifestyle, he couldn't keep up with the energetic man and got hit by snowballs all the time. That one in his face was the last straw though. He crouched down and gathered as much snow as he could in his arms while Jongwoon was still laughing. Then, he ran to the shorter man with a murderous aura. Jongwoon tried to run away so he wrapped his arm around the slim waist and dropped the snow on the thin body. His student shrieked as the cold snow got inside his t-shirt, causing him to shudder.

"Hyung! I surrender! Have mercy on me!!"

"Never!! Taste my wrath!"

"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"

After dropping the snow, Kyuhyun tickled the smaller man mercilessly while still holding him close. His fingers poked the younger man's flank and he grinned at the other man's breathless wheeze. Jongwoon struggled harder and they accidentally fell on the snowy ground with the younger beneath him. He kept tickling his student while the smaller man also tried to push him off but failed due to his unstoppable laughter. He smirked and gazed down at his student, only to stop completely when he realized how close their faces were. Jongwoon's rich eyelashes fluttered slightly before him. When staring into the dark almond-shaped eyes, he felt like he got pulled into them and leaned closer until his breath brushed against the full lips. He had a sudden urge to caress the chubby cheeks and tasted those full lips...

"Hyung? Did you catch a cold? Your face is really red."

"My face...?"

He whispered quizzically while still staring at the young man beneath him. He was about to get up but then noticed that Jongwoon's face was really red too. The way his student tried to keep cool despite his flushed face was so endearing that he couldn't help but . He pressed their foreheads together and held the younger man's gaze.

"What about you, Jongwoon? Your face is really red too."

"I do...?"

Jongwoon blushed harder at his gaze and averted his eyes. Seeing that his student couldn't retort, Kyuhyun stopped the teasing and got up. He pulled the younger up and gently brushed the snow off the curly hair. Then, he told his student to change clothes while he made two cups of hot cocoa with marshmallows as a topping. After that, they watched movies together while snacking on popcorn. Halfway into the second movie, he felt the fluffy head tickle his neck and glanced down at the curly-haired man who had leaned on his shoulder. Those eyes were staring at the TV but his focus seemed to be elsewhere. Kyuhyun put his arm behind the smaller man and patted his head.

"You seem distracted. Is the movie not fun? Should we change it?"

"Hyung, I think I might catch a cold for real..."

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"Mm, I feel slightly dizzy and my chest feels funny. I think my cheeks are burning too... Hyung, did I catch a cold?"

"...Perhaps, and I think I catch it too."

Kyuhyun murmured as he slid his hand down to hold the small shoulder instead.

******************************************************

"Hyung?"

"Hm?"

"Did you know that you can tell what kind of a person they are by checking their playlists?"

"What a weird theory. Where did you hear it from?"

Instead of answering him, Jongwoon giggled and picked up his phone.

"Let's prove it then! Hyung, can I?"

"Sure. Go ahead."

They were practicing singing today but Jongwoon nailed everything with ease, so they finished earlier. He decided to compose a song after a while with the younger man observing him. About an hour later, Jongwoon suddenly brought up the peculiar topic. He let his student do as he wanted and watched him fiddle with the smartphone while smiling fondly. The curly-haired boy hummed softly as he scrolled through his playlist, before looking up and pouting.

"Hyung! Your playlist is full of sad and ballad songs! Too depressing!"

"How do you think I got the nickname "Ballad King"? It's not only because I sing ballads well, but also because I love the ballad genre. So? What kind of a person am I?"

"Hmmm... You're very mature and calm. A realist who is a bit pessimistic too. You have a deep understanding of people's emotions and can adjust yours to suit the situation. And—"

"Jongwoon?"

Jongwoon suddenly went quiet and it worried him. The younger man stared fixedly at the screen without saying anything but his cheeks slowly heated up. He began to panic. Did he leave something embarrassing on the phone? Why did Jongwoon blush like that?

"Hyung...?"

"Yes? What did you find in my phone?"

"Nothing, it's just,"

Jongwoon used the phone to cover his face but he still saw the reddened cheeks.

"... Your recently played and liked songs are all love songs."

"Oh, that's because I'm thinking of trying something new."

He didn't understand why he needed to explain but he did anyway, all the while praying that his heart would stop jumping up his throat. He kept cursing his heartbeat and only looked up again after hearing a quiet voice.

"...Me too."

"Huh?"

The curly-haired boy beamed.

"My recently played and liked songs are all love songs too."

"Oh, well, that's great. As a singer, it's always a good idea to listen to various artists and observe their techniques."

For some reason, he felt tongue-tied and couldn't express his thoughts eloquently. His ears also felt hot the more he looked at Jongwoon's beautiful smile. Then, time seemed to stop for a moment when their eyes met.

"Hyung, do want to listen to love songs with me?"

"...Of course."

Kyuhyun murmured dazedly and leaned in so his student could put on the earphone for him. Two persons connected by one string that guided a sweet melody to their hearts then sat side by side, listening to songs about how people fall in love. He felt the back of Jongwoon's hand brush against his so he overturned his palm. The smaller hand then slid into his larger one and they clasped closely, leaving no gap between them, even their fingers were interlocking perfectly.

"Hyung, are you happy now?"

Jongwoon asked just as the lyrics were singing about a love confession.

"Yes, I'm happy."

Kyuhyun answered and tightened their hands.

*********************************************

Author's note:

It's a rainy season now. How about a slow-life & heart-warming kyusung story to accompany you?   ;)

Take care and love you  <3