Kyuhyun sat with Mrs. Kim in the hospital. Classes for the day had ended and there was only one place the boy wished to be. That’s why he caught the earliest public bus to the hospital and half ran into the waiting room. He knew things couldn’t have changed much but he was anxious to know about his friend – no, more than that, his…brother.

“Kyuhyun…,” Mrs. Kim began, angling her body so she could easily look at the middle school student. She was tapping the sides of her plastic coffee cup, a familiar nervous habit of hers.

He raised an eyebrow in response, head having lifted up from the mathematics textbook in his lap. It appeared he had quite a number of problems to do but the piece of paper was mostly empty except for a few meaningless markings in the margins.

The older woman spoke softly, “I know this is wrong to say and I’ll understand if you as well as Ryeowook never speak to me again…but it’s necessary.”

“What?” Kyuhyun prompted harshly, all his nerves and emotions on edge.

“…I’m leaving the home…to live my life.”

“…”

Mrs. Kim gazed at Kyuhyun, waiting for him to speak but when he refused to, she sighed and started to explain, “I’ve dedicated so many years to this home already. I…I’m tired and feel suffocated. There’s just no need for me anymore—”

“—You told us to look at you as a mother. If you’re our mother why are you leaving us behind to some new person?” Kyuhyun interrupted, slamming his math book shut and shoving it into his bag. “Why bother sitting here waiting for someone you don’t even care about?”

“Wait Kyu—!” she started standing up but Kyuhyun was already pushing past her, messenger bag roughly banging against his fast moving legs.

A nurse’s eyes widened at the fury in Kyuhyun’s tired, sleepless eyes and opened to ask what was wrong. The young boy glared at her, saying, “Don’t let that woman into Kim Ryeowook’s room anymore. She no longer acts as our guardian.”

“O-Okay,” the nurse stammered, watching Kyuhyun pass by. Her eyes trailed to the approaching Mrs. Kim and quickly stopped the red-faced, panicking woman with the words, “Only family and caretakers are allowed to see patients.”

Kyuhyun couldn’t hear – nor did he care to hear – the rest of the conversation. The hallway was long and white and filled with the smell of sterilized equipment. All the doors to hospital rooms were closed some displaying name tags whilst others did not. He knew Ryeowook’s room number by heart, having burned the number into his mind the first day. It had been almost three since then.

The door appeared to Kyuhyun’s left and he gently pushed on the handle, opening the barrier and passing over the threshold. It wasn’t a private room but a curtain effectively separated Ryeowook from his roommate. The young boy was sitting up in bed, absently fiddling with the wires connected to his body. His normally bright eyes were dull and exhausted seeming to despair at the situation he was in.

Kyuhyun closed the door quietly and silently approached Ryeowook. “Wookie…how are you feeling?” he murmured, setting his stuff down by the visitor’s chair.

Light flashed in the depths of Ryeowook’s eyes, slowly fading to a warm glow. “Kyuhyunnie,” he greeted, smiling and reaching out for the standing boy’s hand, “I’m happy that you come see me everyday…”

“How could I not?” Kyuhyun scoffed, entwining their fingers and kneeling down beside the low resting bed. He gave he bruised hand a squeeze, eyes lowered over the slender, talented fingers. “When you get better and we go home, play a song for me. I’ll sing for you too.”

Ryeowook nodded happily, clasping their laced fingers with his free hand. “I love your voice, Kyu…if you’re singing I’ll always play for you.”

“Good,” he answered, absently brushing his lips over the small hands covering his own.

“Where’s Mrs. Kim?” Ryeowook inquired, eyes scanning the room, “Did she not come with you today?”

The boy didn’t even flinch at the mention of their ‘mother’. Instead he caught Ryeowook’s gaze, holding the other there. “…Do you want me to sing for you now?” Kyuhyun offered, smirking up his friend, “I think you’ll like it.”

“Oh, sure!” Ryeowook answered, letting the absence of their caretaker slip from mind.

“When eyes turn away,

Look at me,

When the world shuns us,

Look to our place,

When you feel all alone,

Look at me again,

And know I’m all you need…”

He hummed soothingly here, eyes falling to a half-lidded state. Ryeowook was enraptured, unable to focus on anything but the deep, rich voice enveloping him. Perhaps for someone else the affect wouldn’t have been so great, however, Ryeowook knew it was for him, them.

It felt connected to the childish poem Kyuhyun had written when they were younger and just maybe, it was.

“Shadows creep on us,

Tragedy strikes us,

Pity drowns us…

But then look at me,

When eyes turn away,

Look at me,

When the world shuns us,

Look to our place,

When you feel all alone,

Look at me again,

And know I’m all you need…”

Kyuhyun’s eyes raised up to Ryeowook, lips parted. His fingers danced around the slender neck, pulling Ryeowook closer to him. They were brushing foreheads as Kyuhyun’s tempting voice deeply wrapped around the smaller one.

“Quietly, I’ll take your hand…”

His fingers tightened around Ryeowook’s…

Gently, I’ll lull you to dreams,

His lips curved into a breathtaking smile, eyes twinkling tenderly…

Softly, I’ll kiss your lips…”

His mouth found Ryeowook’s for a moment as the world around them continued turning. It was not a moment for the masses. It was a moment for them alone so the world could off and keep on going about their business.

Why did Kyuhyun kiss his ‘brother’ that day? He didn’t know. It felt right. It felt like the only thing to do. But…people didn’t think of their ‘brothers’ in that way…so why did Kyuhyun have the urge to kiss Ryeowook? Why did he pull back to see the slender boy’s reaction before going back in for a deeper, sweeter, richer kiss – their first kiss.