Present Day

            Three months passed since he was first told the news, Kyungsoo watched in silence and pain as his father began to deteriorate right in from of his eyes. His father, once full of life, had become bed ridden in a matter of weeks, in and out of hospitals too many times for Kyungsoo to count. As it turns out, he had been suffering from the deadly virus since his decision to first retire and fought many gruelling battles against it. He kept it from Kyungsoo, because he knew of what would happen if he would have found out.

            The same day he found out, was the same day Kyungsoo’s life had lost meaning. At night, he stopped by the hospital after school, Kyungsoo used to sing to his father, with the hopes that his voice could miraculously bring his father to full health. Unfortunately, it was no use. Three months after first knowing, Kyungsoo’s father lost the war against the virus. At the same time, Kyungsoo lost a part of himself. It was his father who made his love for music possible. His passion died, and got buried along with his dad.

            As the years passed, Kyungsoo shut himself out from other around him. He still showed emotion to his mother, but very little. She observed him even after his graduation from high school. She watched him as he tore his acceptance letter to Juilliard School of Music. Instead of going after his dream, he continued to work in the very music store his father opened. It was as if he couldn’t let go of the fact that his father was really gone.

            It had been seven years since Kyungsoo’s father passed. Seven years since Kyungsoo started his full time job at ‘DO’S MUSIC’. Day after day, he would either stay in the back for inventory, or help his mother in the store front.

            Out of the two of them, Kyungsoo’s mother recovered the quickest, much to his surprise. During the first few weeks since his death, she was quiet and distant, like Kyungsoo was. Only difference was that she recognised his death as a time to move on and not mourn for the rest of her life. She knew he wouldn’t want that.

            That was something that Kyungsoo admired about his mother, her ability to let go. Kyungsoo however couldn’t, he became more distant and more fragile. To put it simple; Kyungsoo was lost.

            It was raining heavily that day. Kyungsoo leant on the counter and stared blankly out the front doors. It was Wednesday, their slowest day, which meant Kyungsoo could stand around for most of the day and not do anything.

            It was late in the afternoon as the rain came down harder, causing large water droplets to cascade down the glass entrance doors. The store was empty and Kyungsoo’s mother was in the small office to the side of the front counter. He sighed and rested his elbows on the counter top, palming his left cheek in his hand. It was his ‘quiet time’ so to speak.

            The desk he stood over didn’t face the entrance and had a complete view of the store’s interior. Guitars hung from the wall behind him, small counters of records and CD’s in the middle of the floor and two practice rooms in the corner of the shop. The smaller of the two was special to Kyungsoo however, because it was his father’s personal room. He remembered being in there for hours watching his father play the piano inside.

            Kyungsoo’s thoughts came to a halt when he heard the staff room door opening. His mother appeared beside him, putting down the paperwork she was carrying.

            “It’s really coming down out there,” he sighed. Kyungsoo simply shrugged his shoulders.

            “Why don’t you hang out with your friends instead of being here?” She asked him. “You rarely go out with them anymore.”

            “Kyungsoo smirked, even if he asked them, would they remember him? “Why would I do that? Who would help you?”

            “I am perfectly capable of running this place by myself, thank you.” She placed her hand on his shoulder and stepped away back in to the office as the phone started to ring. Once again, Kyungsoo was alone.

            -DING-

            The sound of the door opening for the first time that day made Kyungsoo jump on the spot. Through the doors came a person of small stature, her hair cut off at the shoulders was drenched and clung to the sides of her clear face. Kyungsoo was taken back by her features that her seem almost angelic, even though she was soaked.

            As Kyungsoo stayed still, admiring the girl in front, his mother came out and saw her soaked from head to toe.

            “My goodness that rain is coming down hard.” She exclaimed as she stepped from behind the counter, taking off her long coat and wrapping it around the girl’s almost shivering body.

            “Tell me about it,” she said with a smile. Kyungsoo held his breath, even her voice was that of an angel. Her smile felt so pure and wonderful to him, he didn’t want to look away.

            “Kyungsoo,” the sound of his mother’s voice snapped him out of this thought.

            “Y-yeah,” Don’t stutter in front of her you idiot!

            “Can you call for a taxi; I do not want her to be walking in this rain for a minute longer.” Typical of her to act motherly to those in need. Kyungsoo nodded and moved to the office to make the call. As he dialled the number for the cab, he could hear the conversation happening next to him.

            “My dear, why did you come out in this weather without an umbrella?”

            “It’s one of those days I guess. I forgot the umbrella, I fell over in a puddle and as I was walking it was as if someone dropped a bucket of water on me.”

            “It’s definitely one of those days.”

            Kyungsoo entered the store front once more and breathed as he began to speak. “Because of the weather it won’t be here for another half hour.”

            She looked into his wide brown eyes and smiled with her own, making Kyungsoo’s knees almost underneath him. “That’s alright, I can browse right?”

            “Of course you can, we are open after all.” His mother smiled and guided her over to one of the counters holding music books.

            At this point Kyungsoo bolted away from them and into the office once more. He quietly shut the door behind him and placed his hand over his heart. He could feel it beating erratically, too fast for his liking. Since he never went out a lot, he never got to meet girls or hung out with them. He was spoken to them in the store, and although they would take interest in him, he would not accept them in return; much to their disappointment. He had other things on his mind.

            After taking a few deep breaths, he came up with the courage to venture out onto the floor again. He stepped out and took sight of this mother guiding the girl into one of the practice rooms, his father’s favourite. Kyungsoo rushed towards the two of them but cut him short as the girl entered the room and his mother shut the door behind her.

            “What are you doing Mum?” he asked frantically.

            “Gee Kyungsoo this is the most time I have seen actual expression on your face.” She said as she stepped around him.

            “You know that was Dad’s room, why did you let her in?”

            “Because she said she liked to play the piano, end of discussion. I’m going to make a cup of tea.” She walked up the stairs leaving Kyungsoo to himself, and the girl in the practice room.

            Annoyed, he went over the window and took a peak in. His annoyance faded away as he saw her playing. He could tell that he was experienced by the way her fingers danced on the keys like a dancer would. Her side profile was gorgeous; everything from her eyes, nose to chin was perfection in Kyungsoo’s eyes. Her hair was beginning to dry and Kyungsoo made it out to be a dark chestnut caramel colour, which complemented her pale skin tone.  The expression on her face was similar to that of Kyungsoo’s father’s, which made his heart sting a bit. What he would give to hear him playing again, or what she sounded like.

            Kyungsoo continued to gaze at her profile as she played, only to see her fingers freeze, and her face to turn towards him. His eyes widened as her dark brown orbs became fixated on his own. In a state of panic, he ducked from underneath the ledge and hid from her piercing eyes.

            Damn it, damn it, damn it.

            Thinking the case was clear, he popped his head up slightly, only showing his eyes. He only saw the girl smile at him and laugh, which made Kyungsoo move into the crouch position he was in before.

            God damn it!

            He poked his head up again to see that the room was empty. He stood up and tried to look around the room, only to come face to face with the girl’s face that jumped up from behind the glass. Kyungsoo jumped and slumped down to the floor entirely.

            .

            That was when he heard the door to the practice room open and close. Kyungsoo turned his head to see her leaning against the wall, grinning slyly at him.

            “Got you good huh?” She laughed softly.

            “Heh, yeah.” He shrugged.

            Without anything said, she held out her hand, hinting for Kyungsoo to take hold of it. He braced himself for the emitting contact and accepted her offer. He tried to hide his reddening cheeks as she pulled him up and kept holing his hand. Expecting she would let go, he tried to part, but she refused and held onto his hand even tighter.

            “You must be Kyungsoo,” she said as she shook his limp hand.

            “Yeah,” he said.

            “I’m ____, nice to meet you.”

            “Yeah,” he couldn’t say anything else.

            “Can you say anything else?”

            You’re pretty. “No.”

            “There you go.” She smiled.

            There has been the rare occasion of where Kyungsoo has become completely awestruck. This was one of those times. For the next twenty minutes, he actually enjoyed the company of ____ for a change. Kyungsoo found out she had been interested in music ever since she was a child, much like himself. She also told him about wanting to apply for a music degree, but instead teaching piano to children in the neighbourhood. Kyungsoo eyed her face as she spoke, and he became observant to her attributes in the small time frame. Like for instance when she talked about something she loved, she would talk quicker than usual. If it was something she was embarrassed about, she would run her long fingers through her hair, now dry from being indoors. Kyungsoo did not even speak during the conversation, only nodding along and smiling to what she had to say. She was Kyungsoo’s complete opposite.

            Their conversation was cut short as the beeping of the taxi echoed through the shop.

            “Oh, I don’t want to leave.” ____ sighed.

            Me neither.

            “Can I have your phone for a sec?” She asked.

            “Kyungsoo blinked and pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to her. As she started to walk out the door, she began to type into the device. Kyungsoo followed behind her closely, trying to have a look over her shoulder. She stopped suddenly to open the doors and turned around to hand Kyungsoo’s phone back to him. He took it and stared at her wide eyed. ____ smiled and locked her eyes with Kyungsoo’s.

            “I’ll see you later, ok?” She left before Kyungsoo could reply back; he was too busy staring at her hair shining in the clear sunlight right after the rain. He watched the taxi drive off with ____ inside. He turned around and walked back towards the counter, at the same time the phone he held in his hand dinged. He unlocked it and found the text message.

To: Kyungsoo

We should get together soon. Next time I’d like to hear that voice of yours J

From: ____ (Wet Piano Girl)

            Kyungsoo smiled just as his mother walked back down to the shop. “What are you smiling at?”

            Kyungsoo looked at his mother, “just a funny message, that’s all.” He said as he walked past up the stairs to his room. His mother grinned at his back; she noticed the light skip in his step. ‘Finally’, she thought, ‘you’re finally back.’

Here's an early update for all my lovely suscribers, just cause my friend wanted me to do that now :)

Enjoy!

Andy^^