Following Your Heart
Title: Following Your Heart
Author: Ink_River10
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Zhou Mi
Rating: PG-13
Genre: One Shot, AU
Disclaimer: I make no profit from this fic. It's just fun
Summary: Kyuhyun makes an unexpected trip after an unexpected revelation
Kyuhyun stood and turned, finding his suitcase lodged against a bright pink bag with the Hello Kitty logo all over it. He grimaced at the tacky thing for a moment and then pulled his suitcase free. He stretched his limbs and rubbed his eyes. He had awoken when the plane landed, jolting him upright in confusion until he remembered where he was. He glanced out the window to see that the sun was not even up yet, and the world was a washed out gray, misty morning. The plane had left Seoul a little over thirteen hours ago, and the sun had still been up. Now he had arrived into New York, and in an hour or so, the bright sunshine would be blinding.
He quietly followed his fellow passengers off the plane, nodding numbly as the flight attendant wished him a good day. Kyuhyun set down his bag, pulled up on the handle and began the long trek from the terminal to baggage claim. He yawned as he walked, wishing that the owner of that Hello Kitty bag - a very excitable 10 year old girl - hadn't kept him awake nearly the entire flight by bouncing in her seat so much that it made him feel airsick.
When he finally reached baggage claim, he was astounded to see his bag already making its way around the carousel. It was the first bit of good luck he'd had since waking up this morning. He thought back to the messages that had brought him here in the first place. Text messages from his best friend, Zhou Mi.
9:01am
I'm leaving Beijing today.
9:11am
I just wanted you to know that I love you. I've been in love with you for a long time.
9:18am
I know I never told you, because I thought it would be easier for you not knowing.
10:34am
I hope this hasn't made you hate me.
11:03am
I'm leaving for New York now. I will miss you so much. Good luck with everything, Kui Xian.
Kyuhyun tugged his two bags to the curb and hailed a taxi. His English was terrible, but he managed to communicate enough with the taxi driver that he wanted to go to Lincoln Center. Once his bags were locked in the trunk, they were on their way. The ride was harrowing and Kyuhyun's fingernails had nearly embedded themselves in the vinyl seats by the time the taxi stopped in front of his destination. The driver looked a big smug as he pulled Kyuhyun's bags out, and he wondered if the insane twists turns, and speeding through red lights had been a passive aggressive attempt at proving his superiority. Kyuhyun grimaced and paid the man, then looked up at the imposing structure in front of him.
The Julliard School for the Performing Arts
He wondered if Zhou Mi was already here, and if he was asleep, recovering from his flight from China. He had seen Zhou Mi almost a week ago now, and now he understood why his friend had acted so quiet and withdrawn. Everyone had thought that this was the best thing that had happened for Zhou Mi. He had wanted to attend Julliard all his life, and now it was happening. But when Kui Xian had seen him, Zhou Mi had looked sad. And he had said something to Kyuhyun that hadn't made any sense at the time. It made sense now.
Will you miss me at all, Kui Xian?
Kyuhyun had snorted and said of course he would miss Zhou Mi. His chest had felt tight and there had been a lump in his throat, but he hid it well. They were friends, weren't they? This was Zhou Mi's dream. But Zhou Mi had only smiled a half smile that hadn't reached his eyes.
Zhou Mi had flown back to China the next day in preparation to move to the United States. Kyuhyun had gotten stupidly drunk and had lain in his bed trying not to cry, although he didn't understand why it hurt so much. He should be happy for Zhou Mi. He should be proud that his best friend was following his life-long dream. But all he had felt was a hollow sense of loss...a gaping hole in his chest where something was missing.
And then this morning, while he was sitting in class at University, the texts had come in. His class was from 9am to 11am, with a professor that strictly forbade cell phones. Kyuhyun hadn't even seen the texts from Zhou Mi until he turned his phone back on around 11:05am. And by then it was too late. Zhou Mi's phone was off, a voice mail message with Zhou Mi's sweet, kind voice announcing that this number wasn't in service any more, and not to leave a message, but to email him instead.
Kyuhyun had practically torn his bag in half trying to get to his laptop. He logged into the website to check on Zhou Mi's flight. Sure enough, the Air China Flight Number 822 was, at this very second, leaving the runway, taking his best friend with it.
He had been dizzy with the revelation that Zhou Mi loved him. No....was IN love with him. It was shocking, and scary, and strange, and yet....
It makes perfect sense.
Kyuhyun had always been a planner. His whole life had been planned out, mapped out, organized within an inch of its life. He had studied hard, and had gone through school like a bulldozer, making his family proud. He had gone to University with the plan of being a doctor. He would spend his whole life in South Korea, meet a boring but pretty girl, get married, have kids and live respectably. This was the plan. And until this morning, it had been the only plan he knew.
But now, the idea of marrying a pretty girl and having kids scared the hell out of him. It was a plan that he didn't want to follow anymore. He wanted to be with Zhou Mi, who was wild and free and funny, sweet and kind and unpredictable.
Zhou Mi, who could play so many musical instruments that it was downright alarming.
Zhou Mi, who had taught him Mandarin, had shown him the beauty and simple joy of lying on his back and gazing at the stars.
Zhou Mi, whose eyes twinkled, betraying everything he was thinking.
Except for this.
Kyuhyun had abandoned reason and had turned away from his structured life. The calmness with which he left it all behind and bought a plane ticket to New York was disconcertingly shocking. Zhou Mi was in love with him. This was the reason he had felt so unhappy and...hollow when Zhou Mi was gone. That was what the hole that was in chest had been. Zhou Mi.
He didn't call his family. He called the school, said he had a family emergency and would be in contact soon about the rest of his classes. He called Changmin and said he was taking an unexpected trip, and would Changmin please tell his family he loved them and that he was really okay, and not completely insane?
"It's Zhou Mi, isn't it? You're going to go be with him." Changmin had asked.
Kyuhyun had been gobsmacked that Changmin knew. Changmin had only laughed kindly and said that all of his friends had known that Zhou Mi had been in love with Kyuhyun. It was only Kyuhyun himself that had missed it for all this time.
No longer.
He walked up the steps of the world famous Julliard School and walked inside, trailing his bags behind him. With the help of her computer and Google translate, he asked the receptionist if a new Chinese student named Zhou Mi had checked in yet. She nodded, and told him where to find him.
"He's most likely sleeping. Maybe you should wait until later?" She typed into the computer, and the garbled translation came through enough for him to understand.
As much as he wanted to surprise Zhou Mi, he knew that he needed his sleep. And truth be told, Kyuhyun was exhausted beyond measure. It had been a very long day.
The receptionist pointed him in the direction of a hotel room where he could rest until the evening. He dragged himself there, rented a room and fell into a deep and exhausted sleep.
When his alarm woke him at 8pm, he got up, showered, and looked at his reflection. A part of him was screaming that he shouldn't be here, but it was oddly muted. He wanted to be here. He wanted to see Zhou Mi. He wanted to take his friend in his arms and hug him, kiss him, tell him he was sorry for being so stupid and blind for so long. He wanted to see New York with him, and stay here.
I don't want to go back to Seoul.
When he arrived back at the school, he realized that the doors were locked for the night. He wandered around helplessly for a while until he saw an Asian man about his age walking out of a building. Feeling awkward but desperate, he ran up to him and called out first in Korean, then in Mandarin. It was the Mandarin that caught the man's attention.
"Yes?" The man asked, gripping a violin case tightly.
"I'm looking for a new student. He arrived ....today? Yesterday? I don't know...his name is Zhou Mi."
The man's eyes flickered recognition, but he looked wary still. "Zhou Mi said he doesn't know anyone in New York."
"He doesn't." Kyuhyun tripped over the Mandarin words, trying to remember the right ones. "I'm a friend from Seoul. I...." he faltered, feeling embarrassed. "I need to talk to him."
The Chinese man glanced at Kyuhyun, then at the building behind him, then back at Kyuhyun. "I've got to be somewhere soon, but I'll take you to him. If he doesn't know you, I'll have to kick you out, got it?"
Relieved, Kyuhyun nodded. He followed the Chinese man into the building. The name "Henry" was written in faded ink on the violin case, and Kyuhyun wondered if this man knew English as well as Mandarin. They entered an elevator and Kyuhyun introduced himself. Henry DID know English, and a smattering of Korean as well. The elevator stopped at the 5th floor, and Henry led him down the hallway of what was obviously a dormitory building. He could hear music and laughter everywhere. It was comforting to know that Zhou Mi would be living here, among people who understood him and his passionate love for music.
Will there be a place for me in his new life?
"Stay here." Henry commanded, and Kyuhyun nodded. Henry rapped on the door and called out in Mandarin. Seconds later, the door opened, and Kyuhyun heard Zhou Mi's voice. He felt his stomach plummet into his toes and his heart leap into his throat as he waited. "Zhou Mi, someone named Kui Xian is here. He says he knows you. Do you know him?"
There were a few seconds of silence and then the door flew open further, and Zhou Mi was standing there, his mouth hanging open in utter astonishment.
"Kui Xian?"
Henry gave them both a look and shrugged, then turned around and disappeared down the hallway, his violin case still gripped in his hand.
"Zhou Mi..." Kyuhyun began, but all of the words he had thought about saying - every rehearsed line left him, making him feel like a fish out of water. "I got your texts. I just...couldn't stay there after what you said. I had to come see you and--"
"Wait." Zhou Mi said, his voice raised slightly in fear. He took Kyuhyun's shoulder and pulled him into his dorm room, and closed the door behind him. The moment they were alone, Zhou Mi closed his eyes and pulled his arms around his chest. "Okay." He said quietly. "Now you can say it." He opened his eyes and looked at Kyuhyun. He looked tense, as if waiting for a blow. His arms folded over his chest, he was prepared to protect himself.
Kyuhyun frowned, confused. He never had been any good at reading people. Zhou Mi looked upset that Kyuhyun was here. Had he just made a terrible mistake?
"Zhou Mi." Kyuhyun swallowed. He didn't know how to do this. He'd never been in love before, but that's what this was. "I didn't know that you felt that way about me."
Zhou Mi laughed, a choked sound that hurt to hear. "I know. And I'm sorry to lay that on you. I never thought you'd follow me here. Why are you here? What about school and..." Zhou Mi trailed off.
Cho Kyuhyun stepped forward and pulled Zhou Mi's arms away from his chest. Zhou Mi looked away, and then Kyuhyun understood. He was afraid Kyuhyun was angry with him. He remembered the text.... I hope this hasn't made you hate me.
"Zhou Mi, I don't hate you. Please look at me."
Zhou Mi turned his face back to Kyuhyun, and it was all there in his eyes, plain as day. Just as it always had been, but Kyuhyun had never seen for what it truly was until now.
Hope.
And then Cho Kyuhyun did something he had never planned to do before in his life.
He kissed Zhou Mi.
And then Zhou Mi's arms were around him, and he tasted so familiar, like everything Kyuhyun had forgotten he'd known. It was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he knew that this was it. There would be no pretty, boring girl. There would be no wedding with a bride he didn't really know. His whole life was a map that he'd just stopped following.
"Zhou Mi, I've just spent fourteen hours on a plane next to a hyper ten year old. I've traveled halfway across the globe to find you here and tell you this." He said in a rush. Zhou Mi blinked at him in surprise, but did not interrupt. "I love you too. I want to be with you."
Zhou Mi's face broke into a huge smile. One that filled all the empty, hollow places inside him. A smile that meant he had actually just come home. And nothing in his life had ever felt so right.
Fin
.
Author: Ink_River10
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Zhou Mi
Rating: PG-13
Genre: One Shot, AU
Disclaimer: I make no profit from this fic. It's just fun
Summary: Kyuhyun makes an unexpected trip after an unexpected revelation
Kyuhyun stood and turned, finding his suitcase lodged against a bright pink bag with the Hello Kitty logo all over it. He grimaced at the tacky thing for a moment and then pulled his suitcase free. He stretched his limbs and rubbed his eyes. He had awoken when the plane landed, jolting him upright in confusion until he remembered where he was. He glanced out the window to see that the sun was not even up yet, and the world was a washed out gray, misty morning. The plane had left Seoul a little over thirteen hours ago, and the sun had still been up. Now he had arrived into New York, and in an hour or so, the bright sunshine would be blinding.
He quietly followed his fellow passengers off the plane, nodding numbly as the flight attendant wished him a good day. Kyuhyun set down his bag, pulled up on the handle and began the long trek from the terminal to baggage claim. He yawned as he walked, wishing that the owner of that Hello Kitty bag - a very excitable 10 year old girl - hadn't kept him awake nearly the entire flight by bouncing in her seat so much that it made him feel airsick.
When he finally reached baggage claim, he was astounded to see his bag already making its way around the carousel. It was the first bit of good luck he'd had since waking up this morning. He thought back to the messages that had brought him here in the first place. Text messages from his best friend, Zhou Mi.
9:01am
I'm leaving Beijing today.
9:11am
I just wanted you to know that I love you. I've been in love with you for a long time.
9:18am
I know I never told you, because I thought it would be easier for you not knowing.
10:34am
I hope this hasn't made you hate me.
11:03am
I'm leaving for New York now. I will miss you so much. Good luck with everything, Kui Xian.
Kyuhyun tugged his two bags to the curb and hailed a taxi. His English was terrible, but he managed to communicate enough with the taxi driver that he wanted to go to Lincoln Center. Once his bags were locked in the trunk, they were on their way. The ride was harrowing and Kyuhyun's fingernails had nearly embedded themselves in the vinyl seats by the time the taxi stopped in front of his destination. The driver looked a big smug as he pulled Kyuhyun's bags out, and he wondered if the insane twists turns, and speeding through red lights had been a passive aggressive attempt at proving his superiority. Kyuhyun grimaced and paid the man, then looked up at the imposing structure in front of him.
The Julliard School for the Performing Arts
He wondered if Zhou Mi was already here, and if he was asleep, recovering from his flight from China. He had seen Zhou Mi almost a week ago now, and now he understood why his friend had acted so quiet and withdrawn. Everyone had thought that this was the best thing that had happened for Zhou Mi. He had wanted to attend Julliard all his life, and now it was happening. But when Kui Xian had seen him, Zhou Mi had looked sad. And he had said something to Kyuhyun that hadn't made any sense at the time. It made sense now.
Will you miss me at all, Kui Xian?
Kyuhyun had snorted and said of course he would miss Zhou Mi. His chest had felt tight and there had been a lump in his throat, but he hid it well. They were friends, weren't they? This was Zhou Mi's dream. But Zhou Mi had only smiled a half smile that hadn't reached his eyes.
Zhou Mi had flown back to China the next day in preparation to move to the United States. Kyuhyun had gotten stupidly drunk and had lain in his bed trying not to cry, although he didn't understand why it hurt so much. He should be happy for Zhou Mi. He should be proud that his best friend was following his life-long dream. But all he had felt was a hollow sense of loss...a gaping hole in his chest where something was missing.
And then this morning, while he was sitting in class at University, the texts had come in. His class was from 9am to 11am, with a professor that strictly forbade cell phones. Kyuhyun hadn't even seen the texts from Zhou Mi until he turned his phone back on around 11:05am. And by then it was too late. Zhou Mi's phone was off, a voice mail message with Zhou Mi's sweet, kind voice announcing that this number wasn't in service any more, and not to leave a message, but to email him instead.
Kyuhyun had practically torn his bag in half trying to get to his laptop. He logged into the website to check on Zhou Mi's flight. Sure enough, the Air China Flight Number 822 was, at this very second, leaving the runway, taking his best friend with it.
He had been dizzy with the revelation that Zhou Mi loved him. No....was IN love with him. It was shocking, and scary, and strange, and yet....
It makes perfect sense.
Kyuhyun had always been a planner. His whole life had been planned out, mapped out, organized within an inch of its life. He had studied hard, and had gone through school like a bulldozer, making his family proud. He had gone to University with the plan of being a doctor. He would spend his whole life in South Korea, meet a boring but pretty girl, get married, have kids and live respectably. This was the plan. And until this morning, it had been the only plan he knew.
But now, the idea of marrying a pretty girl and having kids scared the hell out of him. It was a plan that he didn't want to follow anymore. He wanted to be with Zhou Mi, who was wild and free and funny, sweet and kind and unpredictable.
Zhou Mi, who could play so many musical instruments that it was downright alarming.
Zhou Mi, who had taught him Mandarin, had shown him the beauty and simple joy of lying on his back and gazing at the stars.
Zhou Mi, whose eyes twinkled, betraying everything he was thinking.
Except for this.
Kyuhyun had abandoned reason and had turned away from his structured life. The calmness with which he left it all behind and bought a plane ticket to New York was disconcertingly shocking. Zhou Mi was in love with him. This was the reason he had felt so unhappy and...hollow when Zhou Mi was gone. That was what the hole that was in chest had been. Zhou Mi.
He didn't call his family. He called the school, said he had a family emergency and would be in contact soon about the rest of his classes. He called Changmin and said he was taking an unexpected trip, and would Changmin please tell his family he loved them and that he was really okay, and not completely insane?
"It's Zhou Mi, isn't it? You're going to go be with him." Changmin had asked.
Kyuhyun had been gobsmacked that Changmin knew. Changmin had only laughed kindly and said that all of his friends had known that Zhou Mi had been in love with Kyuhyun. It was only Kyuhyun himself that had missed it for all this time.
No longer.
He walked up the steps of the world famous Julliard School and walked inside, trailing his bags behind him. With the help of her computer and Google translate, he asked the receptionist if a new Chinese student named Zhou Mi had checked in yet. She nodded, and told him where to find him.
"He's most likely sleeping. Maybe you should wait until later?" She typed into the computer, and the garbled translation came through enough for him to understand.
As much as he wanted to surprise Zhou Mi, he knew that he needed his sleep. And truth be told, Kyuhyun was exhausted beyond measure. It had been a very long day.
The receptionist pointed him in the direction of a hotel room where he could rest until the evening. He dragged himself there, rented a room and fell into a deep and exhausted sleep.
When his alarm woke him at 8pm, he got up, showered, and looked at his reflection. A part of him was screaming that he shouldn't be here, but it was oddly muted. He wanted to be here. He wanted to see Zhou Mi. He wanted to take his friend in his arms and hug him, kiss him, tell him he was sorry for being so stupid and blind for so long. He wanted to see New York with him, and stay here.
I don't want to go back to Seoul.
When he arrived back at the school, he realized that the doors were locked for the night. He wandered around helplessly for a while until he saw an Asian man about his age walking out of a building. Feeling awkward but desperate, he ran up to him and called out first in Korean, then in Mandarin. It was the Mandarin that caught the man's attention.
"Yes?" The man asked, gripping a violin case tightly.
"I'm looking for a new student. He arrived ....today? Yesterday? I don't know...his name is Zhou Mi."
The man's eyes flickered recognition, but he looked wary still. "Zhou Mi said he doesn't know anyone in New York."
"He doesn't." Kyuhyun tripped over the Mandarin words, trying to remember the right ones. "I'm a friend from Seoul. I...." he faltered, feeling embarrassed. "I need to talk to him."
The Chinese man glanced at Kyuhyun, then at the building behind him, then back at Kyuhyun. "I've got to be somewhere soon, but I'll take you to him. If he doesn't know you, I'll have to kick you out, got it?"
Relieved, Kyuhyun nodded. He followed the Chinese man into the building. The name "Henry" was written in faded ink on the violin case, and Kyuhyun wondered if this man knew English as well as Mandarin. They entered an elevator and Kyuhyun introduced himself. Henry DID know English, and a smattering of Korean as well. The elevator stopped at the 5th floor, and Henry led him down the hallway of what was obviously a dormitory building. He could hear music and laughter everywhere. It was comforting to know that Zhou Mi would be living here, among people who understood him and his passionate love for music.
Will there be a place for me in his new life?
"Stay here." Henry commanded, and Kyuhyun nodded. Henry rapped on the door and called out in Mandarin. Seconds later, the door opened, and Kyuhyun heard Zhou Mi's voice. He felt his stomach plummet into his toes and his heart leap into his throat as he waited. "Zhou Mi, someone named Kui Xian is here. He says he knows you. Do you know him?"
There were a few seconds of silence and then the door flew open further, and Zhou Mi was standing there, his mouth hanging open in utter astonishment.
"Kui Xian?"
Henry gave them both a look and shrugged, then turned around and disappeared down the hallway, his violin case still gripped in his hand.
"Zhou Mi..." Kyuhyun began, but all of the words he had thought about saying - every rehearsed line left him, making him feel like a fish out of water. "I got your texts. I just...couldn't stay there after what you said. I had to come see you and--"
"Wait." Zhou Mi said, his voice raised slightly in fear. He took Kyuhyun's shoulder and pulled him into his dorm room, and closed the door behind him. The moment they were alone, Zhou Mi closed his eyes and pulled his arms around his chest. "Okay." He said quietly. "Now you can say it." He opened his eyes and looked at Kyuhyun. He looked tense, as if waiting for a blow. His arms folded over his chest, he was prepared to protect himself.
Kyuhyun frowned, confused. He never had been any good at reading people. Zhou Mi looked upset that Kyuhyun was here. Had he just made a terrible mistake?
"Zhou Mi." Kyuhyun swallowed. He didn't know how to do this. He'd never been in love before, but that's what this was. "I didn't know that you felt that way about me."
Zhou Mi laughed, a choked sound that hurt to hear. "I know. And I'm sorry to lay that on you. I never thought you'd follow me here. Why are you here? What about school and..." Zhou Mi trailed off.
Cho Kyuhyun stepped forward and pulled Zhou Mi's arms away from his chest. Zhou Mi looked away, and then Kyuhyun understood. He was afraid Kyuhyun was angry with him. He remembered the text.... I hope this hasn't made you hate me.
"Zhou Mi, I don't hate you. Please look at me."
Zhou Mi turned his face back to Kyuhyun, and it was all there in his eyes, plain as day. Just as it always had been, but Kyuhyun had never seen for what it truly was until now.
Hope.
And then Cho Kyuhyun did something he had never planned to do before in his life.
He kissed Zhou Mi.
And then Zhou Mi's arms were around him, and he tasted so familiar, like everything Kyuhyun had forgotten he'd known. It was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he knew that this was it. There would be no pretty, boring girl. There would be no wedding with a bride he didn't really know. His whole life was a map that he'd just stopped following.
"Zhou Mi, I've just spent fourteen hours on a plane next to a hyper ten year old. I've traveled halfway across the globe to find you here and tell you this." He said in a rush. Zhou Mi blinked at him in surprise, but did not interrupt. "I love you too. I want to be with you."
Zhou Mi's face broke into a huge smile. One that filled all the empty, hollow places inside him. A smile that meant he had actually just come home. And nothing in his life had ever felt so right.
Fin
.