Their Song

**I've always been appreciative of gestures of love, both small and grand, more than gifts and sweet words combined. I wrote this on a plane flying back from a trip, old school style on pen and paper. I hope somehow that speaks of how much this couple means to me.***

"Ya! Shin Hye, are you going to come? What's this I'm hearing that you may not be able to make it? " Keun Suk blabbers with a straight face the moment he stormed into AVA Entertainment's office, Shin Hye's management's headquarters. "Oppa, mwo?" Shin Hye asks, startled and in between a hurried munch of the sandwich she was eating for lunch that day. "My last FM in Seoul, Shin Hye, that's what I'm talking about! I already promised my fans and you know me and promises," he demanded almost furiously. Shin Hye stares at him almost aghast, and then she chuckles as she shakes her head. "Ya! What now?! Why are you laughing?" He glares at her. "Oppa, you can be a worry wart. I promised you too, didn't I? And you know me and promises. Trust me a little sometimes." Shin Hye tells him.

Keun Suk sighs relieved at the assurance and also feeling safe that he can carry through with the surprise he had prepared for her and for his fans. He had promised that he will be doing something new for this fan meeting-birthday show. Since the fan meeting was meant for everyone who had stood by him and loved him inspite of all who he is and can be, the perfectionist and driven boy oft-misunderstood as a self-absorbed arrogant jerk. For this event, he wished to somehow prove to his loyal followers what they believed all along. He wants them to feel that he thinks of them more than he thinks of himself. Yes, them, including Shin Hye, the undeclared guest of honor that night.

~**~**~**~**~

Upon returning home from his trip to Hawaii, he enters the recording studio on his first day back in Seoul. The studio was requested to be isolated so his rendition of a soulful tune will not be leaked. He was still planning to sing it live on performance day itself but still opted to pre-record it just so he has back-up in case his emotions get the better of him. "Will she like it? Will she know it is for her?" he silently asks himself, smiling through his endless humming of the tune stuck in his head and somehow already ingrained in his heart. The rate he is going, her presence at the fan meeting matters more each second, like a life-and-death situation.

~**~**~**~**~

"Oppa, saengil chukhae. Again. Haha. We will see you later! We even have our mini script ready. Yong Hwa and I. for our beloved leader." He smiles hearing her usual chirpy voice through his voicemail. He had been in seclusion as he focused on this encore FM. He had caught her only once since he came back from Hawaii, and it was only to hand over the set list to her for his fan meet. Hearing her voice just now, through his phone, made him feel even more vibrant. The anticipation inside him builds up -- to the sound of the fans chattering away in line outside the stadium, to the whizz of people walking to-and-from backstage in preparation and to Shin Hye's recorded voice on his message box. And the goodness of the feeling that dawns on him makes him think. He must have saved the whole world in another life to deserve this much.

~**~**~**~**~

The floor lights were starting to dim and the crowd chatter was dissipating. Almost showtime. Keun Suk stands backstage behind the curtain and from the corner of his eye, he sees a glimpse of Shin Hye being escorted to the dressing room. Yong Hwa trails not far behind. She stops her tracks and waves at him. She gestures a cheering fist "Hwaiting" She mouths to him from afar. He smiles. He could almost run to her to claim a good luck kiss, but he controls himself. She stays where she stood, making sure he can see her clearly. She puts her two hands together to form a heart. "Oppa, saranghae." She mouths, her eyes not betraying how proud she is of him. He knew he's off to a good start.

~**~**~**~**~

It had always been his dream to have her see him in his fan meeting. That way she'll see and know anything that matters to him. Like her, these memories matter and each moment shared with her makes them even more meaningful. That day he felt all his dreams are coming true at once, perhaps so he could dream some more.

~**~**~**~**~

The curtain is lifted and he comes out, imitating Steve Jobs. Shin Hye sits at her hidden spot in the crowd, Yong Hwa beside her. Yong Hwa whispers "It hadn't started yet but already your eyes are beaming with pride." She chuckles at the comment. "Must've been how Seo Hyun-ssi felt when she came out to see you at your concert." Shin Hye teases him back. She sees Yong Hwa turn beet red. He nudges her. "Aish, pabo-yah! We are all fools in love these days. What has become of us?" "Yes. Yong Hwa, but that's not an excuse to keep abandoning us." He shushes her quiet, "Focus, Shin Hye. Watch. The love of your life is on stage." His excuse masked in the scolding goes unnoticed, as already, Shin Hye only saw the guy in black commanding the stage.

~**~**~**~**~

Finally, she and Yong enter the stage as their cute script indicated. Her heart was beating fast. From the time she arrived, he was only a mirage to her, so near yet so far. Even so, she felt the intimacy of the entire hour that passed. She began to see him differently then. Standing beside him on stage enacting the script as planned, she stood. She's never been this proud of him like this. She stands next to him closely wanting to make sure she isn't dreaming, a giddy smile on her face where everyone could see.

~**~**~**~**~

He comes back out on stage, this time in a suit with red roses in hand. Shin Hye was backstage watching him on TV. Yong Hwa smiling as if he knew what was going to transpire. A popular soulful tune fills the air. Yong Hwa grins. Shin Hye eyes him suspiciously, still fixated at watching Keun Suk from the small screen.

Ahhh… I’m in love
Ahhh… I’ll fall in love
Never feel any more fear
As long as I’m with you
The world is so beautiful

Keun Suk sang from his heart while the girl he is singing to stands backstage, awestruck. "Did he just profess his feelings in front of everyone?" She asks herself shocked. She looks to Yong Hwa who was only nodding, reading the question in her mind. "I can never outsurprise this guy, can I? No matter how hard I try." She says looking exasperated but feeling giddy all at the same time. Yong taps her shoulder and rubs her back assuring her of the answer. "Welcome to heaven." he tells her. He was right. Her feet didn't feel like its on the ground anymore. She wants to rush back out at that moment to stand beside him. She was proud. Elated. Honored. Speechless.

Finishing his song, Keun Suk rushes backstage, grabs at the bouquet of roses standing by his path. "Where's Shin Hye?" he asks Keun Sama. His manager points at the direction where Shin Hye and Yong were. "Your knight is here, princess." Yong tells Shin Hye seeing Keun Suk by the door. She looks at him silently. He smiles widely. "Here. You are beautiful as these and as the song I struggled to sing." She takes the bouquet in his hand. And holds his hand tight. She looks at his eyes, wanting to make sure she is not dreaming. He had been brave. She will be too. It feels good. In their own way, they feel right. He is in love, so he said in his song. And at that moment, she realized, she is too.

He gives her a quick embrace, before he runs out back on stage again for his Encore. Amid their reality, no matter how blissful or complicated, the show must go on.

************************************************************************************

Author's Note: Apologies again for the delay in between posts. I will be honest to say I had been in some sort of writing rut. It's not that I stopped believing this couple. I just lacked the inspiration. I may take a temporary hiatus from the world of one-shots, only posting as inspired. And in its place, I will be bringing the KiSS couple with me as new characters in a new fan fic story. I hope to see you, dear readers, in this new challenge. Will post the link up here when the time comes.