Let Me Immortalize You (at Least for a While)

“You know, you really don’t have to do this.”

Heechul tore his gaze away from the people that he was watching and towards Hangeng who was poking around some of his equipment. He made his way over and put the blow torch back to its place.

“I do. I promised you I would make an appearance at this thing, and Kim Heechul does not go back on his word.”

“And you did, you made an appearance. That’s enough.”

Heechul frowned.

“I thought that you, as one of the sponsors, had to mingle and not stay by my side while I try and get some inspiration. I might be tempted to use you as a model if you do.”

Hangeng shook his head at the conspiratorial grin on Heechul’s face.

“Fine, fine, I’ll go. You have fun and sculpt something breathtaking as I know you always do.”

“As if anything I make can be anything other than breathtaking.”

Hangeng was shaking his head in amusement again as he walked away.

“See you later, princess.”

Heechul would have demanded a kiss, but they were at a public event and he couldn’t afford people thinking he was here just because he was involved with one of the sponsors. As if surviving in the ice sculpting business wasn’t tough enough without those allegations.

His eyes went over his equipment and the large fridge where a nice big block of ice was ready for him whenever he thought of what to do with it. He’d come to this ice sculptures exhibition because Hangeng had asked him too, but in truth he was happy he was chosen to be here. Especially as one of the few who wouldn’t have just their art displayed, but were also supposed to make a piece in real time. He should have made a cardboard cutout of the idea he had prior to the event, but he wanted it to be completely authentic so he didn’t. He was kind of regretting that now. The sketch pad he had with himself was full of doodles and his previous ideas, but nothing that could be used. Of all the days when his muse could have left him, it just had to have been today.

He looked around the exhibition room where his tented workshop was stationed. People walked around, admiring the art heavily bundled up, and he stood in the corner, watching them. He hoped something one of them did would spark an idea. So far nothing. Mostly just families and couples who though going to an ice exhibition was romantic. Heechul rolled his eyes. As if they needed an extra excuse to cuddle in public.

His attention was snagged by the two new people that had walked into the room. Two guys, about the same age from what he could tell, relatively handsome and ridiculously stupid. The taller one’s hand kept brushing the shorter one’s every so often, which would make the shorter guy look at them before blushing and looking away. The taller one was also more interested in watching the shortedr guy than the pieces exhibited. Seriously, could they get any more pathetic? Heechul had half a mind to storm over and bash their faces together. Maybe then they wouldn’t be stuck in this endless dance they were doing. Oh. Hohohoho, that gave him an idea.

He waited until one of them turned in his direction and then waved them over. The shorter one, who had spotted him first, pointed a finger at himself, and when Heechul nodded, made the taller one look his way. Heechul waved them over again. The shorter one snatched the taller one’s hand and dragged him over. Heechul gave him kudos mentally for not letting go of the other’s hand even when they were standing right in front of him. Maybe there was hope for them after all. Heechul intended to enlighten them completely in return for what they would do for him.

“I’m Kim Heechul.”

The shorter one’s face lit up in recognition.

“Oh, you’re the guy that did the Cinderella and the kitten pile sculptures in the other room, they were wonderful. I’m Kim Jongwoon, and this lost idiot next to me is Cho Kyuhyun.”

He really was lost. In the other idiot standing next to him. Heechul raised an eyebrow at his behavior, and Kyuhyun just raised one back and pretended his ears weren’t burning.

“Thank you for recognizing my brilliance.”

Kyuhyun snorted and Heechul was more than happy to pretend that hadn’t happened. The brat would be thankful to him soon enough.

“I called you over because I think you would be perfect for my next piece.”

“You’re one of those guys that freezes people and later displays them as his work, aren’t you?”

Kyuhyun had a tongue on him apparently. Too bad for him that Heechul did to.

“Keep dreaming. You’re nowhere near pretty enough for me to immortalize you forever.” Jongwoon looked at him alarmed, and Kyuhyun’s eyes narrowed. “However, I do admit that the two of you look rather interesting together so I want you to be my models. If you agree?”

He raised an eyebrow at them. They was no way they were going to refuse.

Kyuhyun looked like he’d thought of a sharp retort but Jongwoon pulled him away so they could consider the offer in hushed whispers. Heechul watched them amused. Jongwoon had the guy wrapped around his little finger and he didn’t even know it. But he knew his weapons apparently; that lost puppy look was pretty damn good. Its effectiveness was proven a moment later when they turned back towards him.

“We agree.”

“Great! I’ll need you to wait for a second while I grab my block of ice.”

He walked over to the giant freezer and rolled it over.

“Before I start working, I’ll need you to get into position so that I can choose which angle I like the best, we clear?”

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes, but nodded along with his companion.

Let the fun begin.

“I want you to face each other.”

They did.

“I thought you said we weren’t pretty enough and you want our side views?”

“I said you weren’t pretty enough. You boyfriend, on the other side, has quite an astounding jawline.”

And they were facing him again.

“H-he’s not my boyfriend!”

“We’re not together!”

Heechul almost laughed at them. They’d walked right into that one.

“That would be a lot more believable if you weren’t holding hands.”

They let go immediately, each of them looking away.

“We’re really not. We’re just friends.”

And there came the phrase. Everyone knew that if you had to say that - you were lying, if to no one else, then to yourself. Heechul shook his head.

“Well, as much as I’d like to give you relationship advice, I’m more inclined to do my job.” He fixed them both a look. “Now turn to face each other if you would.”

They did, but rather reluctantly. Heechul sighed.

“And move closer. You’re too far apart.”

The pair shared a look before they took a step forward.

“Better, but not enough. A step more.”

They moved even more reluctantly this time. It was amusing how the moment they stepped closer Kyuhyun’s fist clenched and Jongwoon bit his lip. Heechul didn’t know whether to laugh or to bang his head at the wall. He settled for directing them further.

“Okay that’s good. Now kiss.”

And they jumped apart again.

“What?!”

“Are you messing with us on purpose?!”

Well, he was doing it on purpose, but he wasn’t messing with them. Okay, he was, he’d never intended for them to actually kiss. He’d just hoped they were dumb enough to do it anyway.

“No,” he scowled, “I thought you would look good doing it, especially since you would portray all the anxiety of a first kiss. But, I guess it would be hard to hold that emotion for long, so leaning in for a kiss might be better.”

He looked at the two gaping faces and nodded.

“Yes, leaning in for it will do. Anytime soon, if you don’t mind?”

They stared at him for a few more seconds, and Heechul was honestly surprised they didn’t protest further. Seemed like even they, oblivious as they were, could appreciate the excuse to be close that this demand provided them with. They moved back to the position they were in before and just looked at each other until Kyuhyun awkwardly raised his hand to put one at Jongwoon’s hip and other at his shoulder. The brat had some guts after all. Jongwoon blushed to the roots of his hair and copied the movement along with tilting his head a bit to the side. Heechul could have hurried them along, but he let them find the position at their own pace. It took them a few minutes, but they finally settled in an awkward embrace with their faces close enough that one could describe it as leaning in for a kiss. At least they got the anticipation and other emotions across, even if their posture was horrible.

“Okay. Now hold that position.”

He unloaded the block of ice on a base stand and grabbed a chainsaw, happy that the two hadn’t moved. He turned the machine on and stared shaving off the ice, and general contours of their figures started to emerge from the block.

“Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Tough winning neat the goal yet, do no grieve;
He cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
For ever wilt thou love, and he be fair.*”

Kyuhyun turned towards him slightly. Heechul traded the chainsaw for a chisel.

“Or that’s how it would go if one you was a girl.” He shrugged as he looked at what he’d accomplished so far. “It fits you great otherwise. And turn back, brat, I can’t have you changing the angle now.”

He continued working with the chisel and the chainsaw until the two had satisfyingly accurate ice counterparts. Then he turned to grab a die grinder as it was far more suitable for doing the parts that were detailed. He didn’t get to use it immediately because he had a situation to defuse.

“Oi. Stop!”

The two almost jumped apart. They had been pretty close to ruining the whole thing. The point was to capture their longing, and that would be lost if they actually kissed, and they had gotten very, very close. Their eyes had been shut almost completely, and if Heechul hadn’t yelled when he had they would have kissed in the next few seconds.

“Save that for when this is over. For now I need you two lovebirds not kissing.”

Heechul set the die grinder down and moved to position them back properly. From the look on their faces he could tell they didn’t appreciate being manhandled, but it was much faster if he did it himself rather than instructing them until they slid back to the exact angle he wanted.

“Though, half-lidded eyes are a nice touch. Keep that if possible.”

He’d managed to carve in their faces almost completely when he caught a movement in the corner of his eye.

“Seems like you found some inspiration after all.”

“And you would be more useful if you took a picture of my models rather than distracting me.”

Hangeng chuckled and pulled a camera from his pants pocket. A few flashes went off as Heechul worked and Hangeng walked over to show him once he was satisfied with his takes.

Heechul nodded. He’d done the details he’d needed live models for; pictures would suffice for the rest.

“Okay. You two are free to go and kiss in some dark frozen corner.”

Kyuhyun shoot him a look. Heechul just smirked back.

“And don’t forget to check the sculpture once when it’s done.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

“We will. Thank you Heechul-ssi.”

“What the hell are you thanking him for?”

The silence he got as an answer turned the atmosphere awkward again. Heechul snickered as he watched them finally walk away. Hangeng was shaking his head again.

“Was that really necessary?”

Heechul grabbed his camera from him and zoomed into a picture that showed Kyuhyun’s fingers the best.

“Please. They would have never done anything about it otherwise.”

Looking at the two walking a foot away from each other Hangeng couldn’t really disagree.

-

“Well, that was awkward.” Kyuhyun broke the silence once they entered the next room.

Jongwoon turned to look at him properly for the first time since the almost kiss.

“More like terrifying.”

Kyuhyun chuckled and Jongwoon smiled too.

“Yeah. I was afraid he would realize we really were together at one point.”

“Apparently we’re better actors than we thought. Not only are we able to fool our families, but total strangers too. Still, that was close. Too close.”

“Definitely too close.”

Despite his words, Kyuhyun grabbed Jongwoon’s hand. The older man was confused. Weren’t they supposed to keep the PDA at minimum?

“It made me want to kiss you so bad.”

Apparently not. Jongwoon swallowed. The words had made his stomach turn in a familiar way.

“I’m sure we can find a place private enough to do that.”

Kyuhyun’s eyes burned into his back as Jongwoon pulled them towards the nearest bathroom.

(Heechul smirked at how disheveled the two looked when they posed for a picture next to the finished sculpture of their figures rising as spirits from an urn. They wisely escaped before he could comment on it.)

word count: 2254

A/N: 1) *the verses that Heechul recites are from a poem called Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats. 2) The credit for coming up with the idea of ice sculptor!Heechul and KyuSung as his models goes to my lovely rl friend RRR