TITLE: Lost & Found

AUTHOR: TheDailyShinthing

PAIRING: Ricsyung

GENRE: romance, fluff

WARNINGS: slight angst

DISCLAIMERS: Any similarities to other stories are strictly coincidence. No copyright infringement or plagiarism intended.

SUMMARY: A love, lost, then found.

ARTWORK: pandorasnowhearts

Lost & Found

Eric and Hye Sung went to the same elementary school. Hye Sung was so forgetful that he often lost his stuffs, while Eric was so observant that he often found things lost by other students. Hence, they both often visited the school’s Lost & Found box, but for totally different reasons.

One day, Eric arrived at the box while Hye Sung was rummaging in it.

“Hey. What are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for my pencil case. It’s orange, with my name on it.”

“Yeah? What’s your name?”

“Hye Sung. Shin Hye Sung.”

“Alright, let me help you find it.”

Eric joined in the rummaging with Hye Sung. The box was not deep, but it’s quite big and full of water bottles, tumblers, lunch boxes, stationeries, books, papers, caps, hats, shirts, sweaters, pairless gloves, socks and shoes, toys, and various kinds of other trash or treasure, depends on how you look at it. Every month, the school would usually sort and give away those ownerless things for charity, or, otherwise, for recycling.

They didn’t find the pencil case that day, so they decided to meet each other again at the box directly after school the next day. And this time, they found it.

So the two boys became inseparable ever since, until they had to separate right after they finished junior high school, when Eric and his family moved to the USA.

They tried keeping in-touch the best they could, and after they finished high school, Hye Sung also went to America to study at the same university as Eric, albeit the different majors. Hye Sung majored in English, while Eric majored in Business.

They shared a room in one of the university dorms and continued as best friends for two years, until one, eventful night…

It was a stormy autumn night, and there had been a black out in the entire university compound because both the main and back-up generators got by lightning. No one dared to leave their dorms and everyone was indeed advised to stay safe and warm indoors.

“Hye Sung ah~ Did you forget to charge the emergency light again?”

“Oops! I guess so… Sorry…”

“*sighed* And I have forgotten to check it. Aigoo~ I think your forgetfulness is getting contagious…”

“But I’ve got candles… And they’re sesame scented… Just the way you like ‘em…”

“You mean just the way YOU like ‘em… Fine, light ‘em up then. It’ll help warm the room up a bit.”

Hye Sung lit the candles and meticulously arranged them around the room for effective illumination. The room was bright enough for them not to stumble on anything, but it was still too dark to read or do their assignments. And without electricity, playing online games was definitely out of the question. So, in the actually romantic candle-lit room, they just did what they would have usually done in the given situation: Snuggle under a blanket in the same bed and play shadow puppets. Even at the age of 20, they’re still 2 at heart.

But this time, this time something was different. This time Hye Sung looked so beautiful and smelled so nice to Eric… Well, it could’ve been the sesame-scented candles, but still…

“Hye Sung ah~ Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

“Yah! micheonnya?? Are you crazy??”

“No, I’m serious! And you smell so nice too… What is it? New shampoo? Or cologne?” Eric started sniffing Hye Sung’s hair and face.

“Yah! What are you doing?!? Jugullae? You wanna die?” Hye Sung began to grab Eric’s neck like they usually did whenever one annoyed the other, and it’s usually followed by a painful side-hair pulling.

Eric closed his eyes thinking that he was about to experience yet another merciless, stinging hair-pulling, but instead he felt a warm softness on his lips… On the lips, ladies and gentlemen! The L I P S! They’re used to kissing each other’s cheeks, but within the twelve years of their friendship, never had the lips been touched… And Eric could not help but to return it, more passionately than he ever did anyone else in his life.

Hence, since then on, they ceased being friends and upgraded to lovers.

But three years later, it was another time to say goodbye. They both had finished their undergraduate studies. Eric wanted to stay in the US to continue his studies and help develop the family’s business, while Hye Sung wanted to return to Korea to pursue his singing career after being discovered by a talent scouter a few months before. And being supportive lovers to each other, they agreed to part ways and promised to reunite in two years, after Eric had finished his studies.

Two years is not a long time. We can do it. We’ve done it before, for three years, even, they had convinced themselves. But as the nature of their relationship and the pace of their work and lives had changed, not to mention the different time zones, it was difficult for them to maintain a long-distance relationship. They did visit each other from time to time, and tried spending holidays together. But their schedules rarely matched. Hence, it was almost natural, albeit unfortunate, that they grew apart day after day.

And Hye Sung’s forgetfulness was no help either. In fact, an incident triggered by it had driven Eric to come to the conclusion that they needed a ‘holiday’ from each other.

“*picked up phone* Eo Eric ah~”

“*tried sounding like a 5 year-old* Hye Sungie~~ mwohaeyoung? Whatcha doin’?”

“I’m on my way to Busan.”

“Busan? What’s in Busan? I thought you were done with it yesterday and coming to Jeju today?”

“Jeju?? Oh dear… Was it supposed to be today?? Haven’t I told you that the concert got rescheduled?? Shoot! Obviously I didn’t… *sighed*”

“……………”

“Eric, I’m… I… I don’t know what to say… I…”

“Gwenchanha~ It’s okay, Hye Sung ah~ Don’t worry about me. Just do great and have a great time at the concert like you always do. And I’m sorry I can’t be there with you. *hung up phone*”

Hye Sung closed his eyes, put a hand on his forehead, laid his head back on the car seat and let out a heavy sigh. He knew he should have let his manager told Eric about the concert rescheduling, but he insisted on telling him himself. He thought he had, but obviously he hadn’t.

Hye Sung tried his best to be professional at the rehearsal and concert that night, but he secretly whished it was over soon. Right after the encore, he dashed into his dressing room and immediately called Eric. He didn’t pick up, obviously still upset with Hye Sung.

Eric just watched his phone ringing in his left hand. It was Hye Sung calling. His right thumb and index finger fidgeted with two rings. They were simple but elegant platinum rings with Eric’s name inscribed in gold on the inside of one ring and Hye Sung’s on the other. He’d been preparing for that night since months ago. Keeping up with his work and rearranging his hectic schedules to make sure he’d be free today and for the next two days. He had booked the best private villa in Jeju and ordered a set of candle-lit dinner, with white lilies, a butler, a violinist, and the whole nine yards.

Hye Sung given up after the third try. He knew better not to further upset Eric by pestering him with calls. Usually Eric would call first when he feels better. Hye Sung knew he had screwed up big time, but little did he know how big it was.

If anyone knows just how forgetful Hye Sung is, it’s Eric. He doesn’t always remember his own birthday, let alone others’ and other important dates, including their anniversary. May 9, 1988. It was the day they had found each other, at the Lost & Found box. Hence, they had decided to make it their anniversary. That is also why Hye Sung’s first album was titled ‘Love of May.’

Eric thought of that special character of his beloved and blamed himself for not making extra effort to make sure Hye Sung didn’t forget. He was sure he had gone the extra mile to make sure everything went as he had planned, but it turned out that the extra mile wasn’t far enough. And for once, Hye Sung’s forgetfulness had disappointed him, even more than he thought he could ever be. He was so disappointed that it actually hurt… Hurt so badly.

Three days later, Eric finally called Hye Sung. The singer’s almond eyes lit up at his ringing phone and immediately picked up, “Eo, Eric ah…”

“Eo, Hye Sung ah…” Eric tried sounding as natural as possible. “What are you doing tonight? Can we meet?”

“Yeah, sure. I only have a brief vocal training schedule… I think. I… I’ll ask Tae Hak to rearrange my schedule. What time shall we meet? Should I come to your office?”

“No. I’ll come to your house.”

“Ok, I’ll be waiting… Eric, I…” Hye Sung didn’t get to finish what he was saying because Eric had already hung up.

Eric didn’t show up that night, nor the nights after. Hye Sung tried to reach him, and only realized the repercussions of his forgetfulness after learning from Bo Geun, Eric’s personal assistant, about his lover’s months-long preparations for the surprise-proposal plan that he had ruined, albeit without him realizing it. It had finally dawned on him how much he had hurt the tough-but-sensitive man, albeit unintentionally.

Knowing his man well, Hye Sung sent Eric a hand-written letter, basically saying that he was awfully sorry for hurting him, and that he understood if Eric wanted to have a break from the relationship and heal the wounds that Hye Sung had inflicted. “I’m sorry I got lost. I’ll be waiting in the Lost & Found box until you come and pick me up. Gidaryeo, neo olttaekkaji...” Hyesung ended his letter.

It’s been six months since Hye Sung had sent that letter to Eric. There’s no way of knowing how long Hye Sung had to wait, but at least Bo Geun had confirmed that Eric had read it. So as he had promised, Hye Sung waited patiently. Even when he had a fan-meeting in New York, he managed to stay away from Eric’s office on Wall Street.

Afraid of awkwardly bumping into Eric in the city, Hye Sung spent most of his 5-day stay in the hotel. He had just finished taking a shower when the room phone rang. It was the hotel’s concierge informing him that something belonging to him had been found. After getting dressed, Hye Sung made his way to the concierge, wondering what else he had lost this time.

“How may I be of help, Sir?” asked the concierge.

Wearing a puzzled look, Hye Sung asked, “Yes, I’ve been told that I would find something I’ve lost here?”

“Ah, yes. You must be Mr. Shin Hye Sung. One moment, please, Sir,” the concierge then disappeared into the back room for a moment and came back with a fresh bouquet of beautiful white lilies, “Here you are, Sir.

Hye Sung was amazed and hesitant, but still accepted the flowers. After all, they were his favorite. He examined the bouquet and found a note: When you’ve found the Lily’s, you’ve found me. And we’ll find each other on the balcony. Hye Sung may be forgetful, but he wasn’t slow at all. He immediately knew who the message was from and noticed that ‘lilies’ were spelled ‘Lily’s’ with capital L.

The concierge saw Hye Sung’s frowned forehead, and asked, “May I help you with anything else, Sir?”

“Oh, yes, please. You don’t happen to know what ‘Lily’s’ is and where it might be located now, do you?” Hye Sung was rather doubtful that the bald man would have the answer to his question.

“Why, of course, Sir. I believe it’s a restaurant, on the 6^th floor of the opposite building, right across the street,” replied the concierge confidently.

“Ah… Very well, then. Thank you very much,” Hye Sung smiled to the helpful man, grabbed the lilies and immediately headed out to the busy street, smiling wider.

“You’re very welcome, Sir. Have a nice day!” replied the concierge, half shouting at half running Hye Sung.

About three minutes later, Hye Sung arrived at the restaurant and directly proceeded to its balcony, but no one was there. So he decided to lean forward onto the railing and enjoy the ocean’s breeze and watch seagulls tease Lady Liberty. About a minute later, Hye Sung heard footsteps coming from behind him. So he looked back and turned around to find Eric standing in the doorway with a dashing smile, saying, “I see you’ve found the lilies.”

Hye Sung chuckled and replied, “Didn’t even know I lost ‘em.”

Eric approached Hye Sung slowly while saying, “Doesn’t matter if you lost something, as long as you’ve found it.”

Hye Sung put the lilies down on a nearby table as Eric got closer. He then leaned on the railing behind him.

Once Hye Sung was within his reach, Eric cupped his beloved’s blushed cheeks in his warm hands and rubbed his nose on Hye Sung’s.

Hye Sung closed his eyes and held Eric’s hands on his cheeks, saying, “I’m sorry I lost you…”

To which Eric replied, “And I’m glad I’ve found you,” before he planted butterfly kisses on Hye Sung’s forehead, nose, and lips…

-- The End --

FROM THE MODERATOR:

PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE AUTHOR'S WALL BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK

COMMENT ON THE ARTWORK HERE.