Joon sighed as he rubbed his temple.  It’s been two weeks since his discovery of the journal and still, he had no luck in tracking down the old staff.  Every employee he had spoken to simply had no idea and he didn’t know where else to look.  Where did you find an older staff when they’d all been dispersed?  He looked up as a maid knocked on his door and bowed. 

“Dinner, sir,” she said shyly, her cheeks a tad pink.

“Thank you,” Joon replied, getting up and following her out towards the dining hall, “Changwook and Soyun-shi will be at dinner?”  Soyun regularly joined him and Changwook for dinner, something he was grateful for.  Changwook seemed very happy whenever Soyun was around and it helped distract the boy from laying all of his attention onto Joon.

“Yes,” the maid replied, “And the hwejangnim as well.”

Joon’s step faltered but he quickly regained his footing.  Song Bangna would be joining them?  It would be the first time he ate with her since arriving at the estate.  He felt fear course through him followed by a new sense of anger and resentment.  He would be dining with the woman that had so mercilessly killed his father and then tried to kill him… would he be able to do it?  Did she even know that he was aware of the past?  Or would she pretend as if nothing had happened?  He could feel his heart thud loudly in his chest as he approached the dining hall.

Already seated were Changwook and Soyun.  The two bickered like cats and dogs across the table but Changwook’s wide smile was hard to miss.  The boy must have been so happy to finally be having dinner with his mother after over a month.  Joon wondered if Bangna knew at all how her son felt.

Changwook looked up as he entered and his grin widened.  “Hyung!” he called affectionately as he got up, “My mother’s joining us for dinner today.  It’s the first time we’re all eating together!”  His excitement seemed to reverberate through his whole body and he was all but hopping up and down with glee.

“Hey, you forgot me,” Soyun said, giving him a playful scowl, “What am I?  Chopped liver?”  She gave Joon a warm smile and added, “Good evening, Changsun-ah-”  She paused and blinked before saying sheepishly, “Can I call you that?”

Joon gave her a smile and nodded.  He had gotten used to being called Changsun since his return.  Even though he didn’t feel any different, he was treated as Lee Changsun and so Changsun he will be.  “Yes,” he said, “Of course.”  He walked over and ruffled Changwook’s hair before sitting down at his seat.

They didn’t have to wait long; Song Bangna soon walked into the dining hall in all her grace and dignity.  Changwook quickly jumped up and ran to his mother while Soyun stood and gave a polite bow.  Song Bangna let the boy wrap his arms around her waist briefly and placed a gentle hand on Changwook’s head.  Her gaze, however, was fixed on Joon and her eyes seemed to harden with hostility even though her face had spread into a seemingly warmth smile.

“Changsun-ah,” she said, walking past Changwook and Soyun, “Finally, we can have dinner together.  I’ve been looking forward to this for years.”  She held out her arms in an open invitation for a hug.

Joon had expected this… that she would play the innocent card.  The terror he had felt earlier seemed to dissipate as he steeled himself and plastered a smile onto his face.  Walking into her arms, he pulled her into a hug and replied, “Yes, I am glad to finally be able to sit down as a family again.”  He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat as he uttered the words and reminded himself that two could play at this game.

Amidst the hug, Joon’s eyes trailed to Changwook standing behind them.  It was hard not to notice the small look of disappointment on the boy’s face. 

Bangna pulled apart and gestured for them to all sit.  Settling down herself, she motioned for dinner to be served.  She looked at Changwook as the boy gave her another large smile.  For a fleeting moment, he saw her eyes soften as she looked at her son before it was quickly replaced by the hardened look he had seen only moments before.  Unsure of what to think, he tried to focus on his expressions.

“Things are going well with your training I hope?” she said as she cut into her chicken and took a bite, “It is a lot to take in.” 

Joon paused and looked at her.  He had to be cautious with what he said; he didn’t want to reveal to her that he had found his father’s journal.  “It’s going well,” he said, “I have good teachers.”

“Omeoni,” Changwook interjected, chewing on his chicken, “Did you think about what I’d asked?”  He looked at her expectantly, his face filled with anticipation.

Bangna sighed and nodded.  “I did, though I don’t know why you want to start now,” she said, before glancing at Soyun and Joon, “Changwook asked to learn the piano recently.  I’ve arranged for a teacher to come in tomorrow.”  She looked at Changwook with skepticism.  “Please try to make this last for more than a week,” she said lazily, “I don’t know how I manage to hold my head up when you keep jumping from hobby to hobby.” 

Changwook’s face fell only slightly before the smile was put back into place with careful control.  He didn’t say anything and, instead, cut into his food awkwardly. 

Feeling a pang of pity for the boy, Joon spoke before he had a chance to really think.  “I’m sure Changwook will be a great pianist,” he said, “He’s extremely smart and picks up things in a heartbeat.”  He gave the boy a warm smile and was relieved when the boy returned his smile with bright eyes.

“That’s right,” Soyun added, giving Bangna a polite smile, “I’m sure Changwook will play for you when he becomes familiar with the piano.”

Bangna picked up her wine glass and added, “I believe you are familiar with the teacher.”  She gazed at Joon as she sipped.  “I believe you used to work with him before you came to the estate,” she said as she watched for a reaction.

Joon paused as he looked at her with confusion.  A piano teacher he used to work with?  He hadn’t touched music until after he came to the estate.  So who…?  He felt a surge of electricity suddenly shock through him as he met her eyes.  There was only one person he had ever known who could play the piano well enough to be a teacher… Yang Seungho.

He tried his best to control his expression as he set down the utensils.  He could feel his heart racing in his chest.  “It must be someone from the talent agency?” he asked as if he had no idea.  He couldn’t let Bangna know how important Seungho was to him.

“That’s right,” she said, “Yang Seungho-shi… He was at the fundraiser with you.  He blew me away with his skills and since Changwook specifically requested him, I have great expectations.”

Joon nodded and gave her a smile despite the storm that raged in his mind.  Seungho was coming… he was finally coming.  He felt a flood of anticipation mixed with dread.  As much as he was euphoric and excited to see Seungho again after what felt like forever, he was terrified that Seungho would be back on Bangna’s radar.  Was it smart to pull Seungho into this even more than he already was?

He wasn’t sure what to think or feel about it.  All he knew was that finally, after over a month, he would be able to see Seungho again.

Seungho swallowed the lump in his throat as he climbed out of the car and onto the steps of the estate.  He had waited so long for this but now, he was finally here.  And it was all thanks to Cheondoong.  The boy had been reluctant to help; Cheondoong still wanted Seungho to detach from the Lee-Song controversy and scandals.  But after much persistent insistence, Cheondoong gave in and planted a seed of excitement inside the young Changwook’s heart.  And now… here he was.

Straightening his suit, he stepped up to the door with jittery nerves.  He felt as if his entire body was being sent tiny shocks of electricity.  Before he could knock, the door opened and a butler greeted him with a bow.  As usual, he was let inside and asked to wait.  He looked around the foyer; the house still looked the same from his last visit.  Even though he was still here to work with the piano, he felt drastically different than the last time.  This time, he had worked so very hard to get here.  This time… he wanted to be here.

“Seungho-hyung!” a young voice called to him from the stairs.

Seungho looked up as Lee Changwook dashed down the stairs and sprinted towards him with a wide smile one his youthful face.  Seungho couldn’t remember the last time he had met with the boy directly; he was surprised that the boy had called him hyung.  They weren’t familiar; Cheondoong had always been much closer with the boy.  But still, he felt relieved that the boy seemed comfortable enough with calling him hyung…

And then all thoughts were erased from his mind because right behind Changwook on the stairs was Joon.  His Joon looking so beautiful dressed in casually luxuries with his hair neatly trimmed and swept away from his face.  He felt as if the air had been knocked out of him and it was all he could do to stop himself from bulldozing across the room and sweeping the other up into his arms.

Joon’s face was equally emotional as gripped onto the staircase railing with white knuckles.  Taking the few steps down onto the landing, he walked closer to Seungho with shaky legs.  A flurry of emotions flashed across his face as he opened his mouth to speak.  Before he could say a word though, the butler behind them interrupted.

“If you’ll please make your way to the music room,” the butler said, bowing before turning to Joon and saying, “Young master, your appointment…”  He gestured to the door.

Joon looked at the butler and nodded.  Biting his lips, he turned to Seungho and Changwook.  “I… have a doctor’s appointment to go to,” he said, “I’ll be back in an hour most likely.”  He gave Changwook a smile before turning to look at Seungho with pleading eyes. 

Seungho knew exactly what Joon wanted to say.  Before the latter could say it, he smiled and said, “Our lesson will be quite long…”

Relief flashed across Joon’s face before it was replaced by a smile.  “Have fun, Wook-ah,” Joon said, ruffling Changwook’s hair, “I’ll be back.”

“Okay,” Changwook replied, completely missing the tension between the two older ones, “Seungho-hyung!  Let’s start!”  He took Seungho by the hand and began dragging him towards the music room.

Seungho gave Joon one last look before following the boy into the room.  His mind was lost for the rest of the lesson; he wasn’t sure how he’d managed to pull off the musical theory that spewed from his mouth.  After half an hour of watching Changwook doze off, Seungho sighed and set down his book.  He couldn’t keep his mind off of Joon and Changwook was sleeping with his eyes open.  At this rate, he would be fired before he could even have a real conversation with Joon.

Giving his head a shake, he focused on the boy before him.  The younger Lee boy was cute; the boy shared similar features with Joon but his face was softer and rounder when compared with Joon’s angular features.  The boy seemed to hold an air of innocence that drew Seungho’s fondness. 

“Changwook,” he called softly.  He watched as the boy jumped and let out a soft laugh.

Changwook blinked and gave Seungho a sheepish smile.  He scratched his head and looked around the room before sitting up straight and opening his eyes wide so he could pay attention.

“Let’s hop on the piano,” Seungho said, “We can always get to music theory later.  First, you should meet the piano.”

It did the trick; Changwook’s eyes lit up instantly as they made their way to the beautiful grand piano.  Sitting down onto the seat side by side, Seungho let Changwook press a few keys and get used to the sound.

“My dad played the piano,” Changwook said without much thought as he pressed the white keys, “I don’t remember him but my mom said he was really good at it.”  He paused and looked at Seungho expectantly.  “You must be good too if Cheondoong-hyung suggested you,” he said, “My mom said you were at the fundraiser but I don’t really remember you.”

Seungho nodded.  “I was at the fundraiser,” he said, “Should I play something for you right now?” 

“Yeah!” Changwook replied with excitement and made to get up.

“No, stay seated,” Seungho said, patting the bench, “See these two keys right here?  Press them back and forth like this.”  He pressed the keys at an even tempo.

“Okay,” Changwook said excitedly as he sat down again and did as he was told.

Warming up his fingers, Seungho began to play a cheery song that matched the tempo of Changwook’s beats.  He watched as the boy’s face lit up with excitement and felt his own burden lighten a little.  The rest of the lesson seemed to pass much more quickly as the two played music together.  Soon, they were on their tenth impromptu song.  As they ended the song, they heard a soft clapping from behind them.

Joon had returned and was standing in the doorway of the music room with a smile on his face.  “That was great,” he said, walking over to them, “But I think most of that was done by Seungho-hyung…”  He teased the younger boy and grinned with Changwook scowled at him.

“We’re just starting,” Changwook said, “Eventually, I’ll play better than you Joonie-hyung.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” Joon said.  Pausing, he looked at Seungho briefly before adding, “Wook-ah… can you go get some tea for us?  I’d like to catch up with Seungho-hyung.”

Changwook raised an eyebrow.  “I guess the lesson’s over technically,” he shrugged before heading towards the door, “I’ll be right back.”  With that he left the two of them to their own devices.

Silence fell between them as the shared a long gaze.  Seungho sat on the piano bench as Joon walked over and placed a hand on the piano.

“Hi,” Seungho said softly, feeling his heart beat heavily against his ribcage.

“Hi,” Joon whispered quietly, his eyes turning glassy.

Seungho held out a hand and placed it on the piano keys.  He felt his chest fill with emotion as Joon’s slim fingers intertwined with his.  They’d always fit just right, as if their fingers were made for each other’s company. 

Brushing his thumb pad across Joon’s palm, Seungho looked up while bring the hand to his lips.  Like a gentle breeze, he brushed his lips against the hand he had yearned to hold for the past month.  Electricity passed through them despite the silence and the heat in their eyes was impossible to miss.  Standing swiftly, Seungho circled a hand around to the small of Joon’s back and pulled the other forward into a gentle kiss.  He felt Joon melt against him and felt the gentle brush of fingers through his hair at the back of his head.  As if taking a drink after a life of thirst, Seungho pulled the two of them even tighter together.  Equally thirsty, Joon kissed him back with a vigour that could only be seen from a starved animal.

They pulled apart as they heard soft footsteps down the hall.  Without thinking, Seungho grabbed Joon’s hand and pulled him into a nearby closet.  Cramming themselves into older and aged instruments, Seungho closed the door and put a finger to his lips.

Joon stared at him with wide eyes as they heard the music room door open again.  He looked both panicked and surprised.  He opened his mouth to say something but Seungho quickly cut him off with a kiss.  And it was a sweet one; Seungho could feel his body light on fire as he cupped Joon’s face with his hands and deepened the kiss.  Pressing his thigh between Joon’s legs, he earned a soft gasp from Joon and felt hands tighten around his suit collar.

“Hyungs?” Changwook’s voice called from outside the room, his voice both curious and a little panicked.

Joon broke the kiss and glanced at the door with worried eyes.  Letting out a soft breath, he looked at Seungho and brushed a thumb across Seungho’s cheek.  “We can’t,” he whispered, running his fingers across Seungho’s face, “We… we can’t.”

“I know,” Seungho replied in a quiet whisper, “I just…”  He leaned forward for another kiss, his chest bursting with desperation.  “I missed you so much,” he said in almost a whimper.  He could feel stinging at the back of his eyes as he met Joon’s.  “I’m so glad I’m here but it kills me to think I can only see you once a week during the lesson’s…” Seungho whispered, nuzzling his face into Joon’s neck needily.

“Thank you,” Joon whispered softly, leaning his cheek against Seungho’s temple and closing his eyes against the warmth, “For coming… I’m… I’m so glad you came.”

They heard clattering outside in the music room and the fading of soft footsteps.  Changwook must have grown impatient and had left to find them.  All they could hear now was the suppressed raggedness of their breathing.

Seungho leaned forward and pressed another kiss on Joon’s lips before using what little self-control he still had left to pull away.  “We don’t have much time now but… I’ll find a way to stay longer,” he said, “I… I’ll figure out a way so that we can-”

“I know,” Joon shushed, linking their fingers together, “And I will too.  We’ll catch up.” 

They fell silent for a brief moment as they both thought about their promise.  Somehow, they would have to find time in between Changwook’s piano lessons.  They couldn’t always rely on sending the boy out for drink duty; Seungho was going to have to work on his relationship with the boy.  That didn’t seem like a hard task; he was already extremely fond of Changwook.

“We should go outside,” Seungho said, biting his lip and staying still despite his words.

“Changwook will worry,” Joon added, nodding but staying rooted to the spot as well.  

Taking a deep breath, Seungho broke their contact and cracked open the door.  It took every fiber of his being not too slam the door shut again and take Joon right there on top of the old piano.  He wanted to breathe in Joon’s scent, to feel Joon’s supple skin underneath his fingertips.  He wanted to feel Joon’s warmth and freeze time.  Instead, he looked around the empty music room before opening the door wider and walking out.  He felt regret seep into him, followed closely by desperation at the thought of walking out the front doors like this.  The only comforting thought was that he would at least be back again within a week’s time.

“Hyungs!” Changwook’s voice made both of them jump as the boy returned to the music room with a frown, “Where did you guys go?”  He put on a show of cute irritation but Seungho could tell the boy had been seriously upset by their disappearance.

“I had to use the washroom,” Seungho said, glancing at Joon, “I got lost so Joonie went to find me.”  He felt terrible lying to the child but it couldn’t be helped.

“Hmm…” Changwook said, looking at them before nodding, “Seungho-hyung, why don’t you stay for dinner?”

Seungho blinked in surprise.  Dinner… that sounded good.  He would be able to spend more time at the estae.  He glanced at Joon, who looked equally surprised and eager.  “Dinner sounds great,” he said.  For now, the time earned from dinner will have to do.  

For now.

Author's notes:

Yes I know, it's been FOREVER!  I've been losing my spark for this story (but fear not for I will not abandon it) and I haven't had much creativity for it.  I'm still crunching along as much as I can so please be patient!