Close Your Eyes 1
Close Your Eyes | Various Pairings : Heechul/Hankyung, Heechul/Ryeowook (for now) | Angst, Friendship, Romance, Slice of Life | PG-R
for my beloved juuten and special thanks to my co-heewook stan hennu15 <3
Chapter 1 : Hallways
“Let’s forget we were ever friends. Goodbye Kwon Boa.” Heechul picked up his luggage and started to head out the house when Boa pulled him back. “Yah! I said I’m sorry….”
He glared at the other and she just gave him a shy smile. “I arranged a room for you…. Is it okay to share an apartment at least until the old man leaves?” She succeeded in pulling Heechul back to the living room and handling him a cup of tea to calm him down.
“I told you on the phone that I want the top floor, and I was positive that the old man’s contract expires a month before I arrive and now you’re telling me the old man extends his stay and auntie can’t help but say okay, now what? I’m the one who doesn’t have a place to stay!” Heechul lashed out at the girl and Boa just had to raise an eyebrow.
“I told you I arranged a room for you, goddamnit, a year already passed and you didn’t even change a bit!” She ruffled Heechul’s now long black hair, and the other could have returned the teasing if not for the soft knocking on the door. “Oh, he’s here.” He heard Boa say as she made her way to the front door.
“Who?” He hollered by where he’s sitting and when he looked up, he saw a young man, probably 5 years younger than him, or more. “Heechul, this is Kim Ryeowook. Ryeowook-ah, he’s Kim Heechul and he’s the owner of the unit you bought.” Boa introduced them and Heechul’s mind momentarily blacks out, and now he’s in tangle.
He saw the boy bow politely and with a soft voice said, “Nice to meet you.” Despite the chaos going on in his mind, he managed a “Nice to meet you too” as a response. The situation is revealing itself but his mind doesn’t want to acknowledge any of it, but not until Boa decided to announce it.
“I asked him if you could stay with him just until you get your own unit and since you’re the previous owner of the house he said it should be okay.” He glanced at the young man and he can feel him studying his expression. His face must be giving him away. “I-I’m going back… to my old apartment?” Heechul asked but it turned out to be more of a statement.
“I figured it should be okay for you… and Ryeowook’s the only one in that huge unit. You won’t have the problem with staying in there since you have the habit of locking yourself inside your room, and Ryeowook’s practically just going back there to sleep. Okay then, let’s get going. I know you’re tired.” Boa pulled him up to his toes and ushered them back to the 16th floor.
He’s walking the same hallway he used to know by heart just a year ago. He’s going back to the apartment he used to call home. A year in Paris did not change anything. All the memories he buried in the white walls of the apartment when he left slowly creeps up to his senses implanting themselves back into his mind. The same brown doors with the room number, 1608, comes into his sight and he can feel his chest tightening and limiting his oxygen supply, his blood slowly draining from his head down to his tightly clenched hands.
Boa stopped by the doorway and said her goodbyes, patted Heechul’s shoulder and he watched her disappear inside the elevator. Maybe his body has a mind of its own and now he finds himself inside the living room. Almost all of the furniture inside is white if not the occasional black and gray. It was the same apartment Heechul used to live in just a year ago, but it feels so different now. It used to be the warm home he loved going back to after work, but now it feels like just a house. It’s not the same, but the memories are still there, and the moment he turned to his right he felt like he was back to more than a year ago, when they were happy. When they were still together. When they were still contended just being with each other. Ryeowook kept the painting on the wall. The smiling face of Hankyung that will forever be embedded in Heechul’s memory.
“Hyung, are you okay?” He heard the soft voice of Ryeowook from behind him and he forced to tear his gaze away from the painting to the young man behind him. He knew, but he was still surprised when his eyes met the younger’s. It was like a black sea of loneliness and he finds himself being pulled the longer they hold their gaze. “I-I’m fine.” He whispered, and he almost clutched onto his chest when Ryeowook smiled at him. The saddest smile he’s ever seen.
Staring at the ceiling of his new room instead of getting his much awaited rest he decided to just tire himself out since relaxing is obviously not working. He opened his hand carry bag and pulled out a sketch pad and a pen. He smiles remembering the days when he was in the same room, just minus the bed and furniture when that same room serves as his art studio. He closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh scent of white lilies that Ryeowook placed on the nightstand. Hands instinctively marking the white sheet followed by the skillful turns and curves. He wondered when he started to draw faces, smiles and frowns, when he used to draw only the eyes. He loves the human eye. It conveys all the emotions not even a smile or a frown can always express. All the secrets, lies and truths. But painting it takes risks of knowing what you don’t want to know.
His mind drifts off to the painting in the living room, his first ever painting wherein he poured his emotions, all the love that’s left inside of him before it turned into regret, loss, and betrayal. It was the painting that started it all, the painting that showed him how beautiful a person can be when his smile reflects in his eyes. Staring at the masterpiece in his hands, he can’t help but admire the smile he kept inside his memory.
A gentle knock on his door, and he had to leave his gaze out of the sheet and there is Ryeowook, standing by his doorway, biting his lower lip. “I’m sorry, I thought you were asleep. I-I just made lunch and I was about to leave it on your nightstand so you can eat once you’ve woken up… but I think I can just give it to you now that you’re awake.”
He can’t help but smile. “Thank you” Heechul said and he saw Ryeowook smile back at him. Indeed, his smile is so beautiful just like how it showed in Heechul’s drawing. If only his beautiful smile can reach his eyes. “I-I’m going now. I’ll be back late so you can just lock the door. I have my keys. I’ll leave the apartment to you then.” The younger bowed at him before closing the door to his room. He heard the front door close and he just felt the urge to look outside the window.
Minutes later, he saw the small figure of his new neighbor walking out of the building with a basket in his hands. He fished out his phone in his pocket and punched in a familiar number. “I need to ask you something.” He said the moment Boa answered the call. Just ask, I’ll see if I can help, came her reply. “Where is my little neighbor going?” He tried to ask nonchalantly but Boa still heard the interest hidden in his voice.
Most probably to the hospital. She said, and Heechul just had to wonder, “Why?” Boa chuckled from the other line and he can imagine her shaking her head. He’s visiting someone. Don’t ask me who because I don’t really know. The farthest I got into conversing with him is that he goes to the hospital to visit someone everyday without a miss and he’s been doing that since the day he moved in here.
“That someone must be special to him” Heechul commented unconsciously and his cheeks burned when he heard Boa giggling on the other line. Yah Heechul, stop being a busy body and leave the little guy alone. He’s still lost in his thoughts and he missed the playful tone in Boa’s voice. “I’m not bothering him! I just want to see him smile.”
What? He heard Boa almost shouting from the other line. “I want to paint him. I want to see him smile.”
for my beloved juuten and special thanks to my co-heewook stan hennu15 <3
Chapter 1 : Hallways
“Let’s forget we were ever friends. Goodbye Kwon Boa.” Heechul picked up his luggage and started to head out the house when Boa pulled him back. “Yah! I said I’m sorry….”
He glared at the other and she just gave him a shy smile. “I arranged a room for you…. Is it okay to share an apartment at least until the old man leaves?” She succeeded in pulling Heechul back to the living room and handling him a cup of tea to calm him down.
“I told you on the phone that I want the top floor, and I was positive that the old man’s contract expires a month before I arrive and now you’re telling me the old man extends his stay and auntie can’t help but say okay, now what? I’m the one who doesn’t have a place to stay!” Heechul lashed out at the girl and Boa just had to raise an eyebrow.
“I told you I arranged a room for you, goddamnit, a year already passed and you didn’t even change a bit!” She ruffled Heechul’s now long black hair, and the other could have returned the teasing if not for the soft knocking on the door. “Oh, he’s here.” He heard Boa say as she made her way to the front door.
“Who?” He hollered by where he’s sitting and when he looked up, he saw a young man, probably 5 years younger than him, or more. “Heechul, this is Kim Ryeowook. Ryeowook-ah, he’s Kim Heechul and he’s the owner of the unit you bought.” Boa introduced them and Heechul’s mind momentarily blacks out, and now he’s in tangle.
He saw the boy bow politely and with a soft voice said, “Nice to meet you.” Despite the chaos going on in his mind, he managed a “Nice to meet you too” as a response. The situation is revealing itself but his mind doesn’t want to acknowledge any of it, but not until Boa decided to announce it.
“I asked him if you could stay with him just until you get your own unit and since you’re the previous owner of the house he said it should be okay.” He glanced at the young man and he can feel him studying his expression. His face must be giving him away. “I-I’m going back… to my old apartment?” Heechul asked but it turned out to be more of a statement.
“I figured it should be okay for you… and Ryeowook’s the only one in that huge unit. You won’t have the problem with staying in there since you have the habit of locking yourself inside your room, and Ryeowook’s practically just going back there to sleep. Okay then, let’s get going. I know you’re tired.” Boa pulled him up to his toes and ushered them back to the 16th floor.
He’s walking the same hallway he used to know by heart just a year ago. He’s going back to the apartment he used to call home. A year in Paris did not change anything. All the memories he buried in the white walls of the apartment when he left slowly creeps up to his senses implanting themselves back into his mind. The same brown doors with the room number, 1608, comes into his sight and he can feel his chest tightening and limiting his oxygen supply, his blood slowly draining from his head down to his tightly clenched hands.
Boa stopped by the doorway and said her goodbyes, patted Heechul’s shoulder and he watched her disappear inside the elevator. Maybe his body has a mind of its own and now he finds himself inside the living room. Almost all of the furniture inside is white if not the occasional black and gray. It was the same apartment Heechul used to live in just a year ago, but it feels so different now. It used to be the warm home he loved going back to after work, but now it feels like just a house. It’s not the same, but the memories are still there, and the moment he turned to his right he felt like he was back to more than a year ago, when they were happy. When they were still together. When they were still contended just being with each other. Ryeowook kept the painting on the wall. The smiling face of Hankyung that will forever be embedded in Heechul’s memory.
“Hyung, are you okay?” He heard the soft voice of Ryeowook from behind him and he forced to tear his gaze away from the painting to the young man behind him. He knew, but he was still surprised when his eyes met the younger’s. It was like a black sea of loneliness and he finds himself being pulled the longer they hold their gaze. “I-I’m fine.” He whispered, and he almost clutched onto his chest when Ryeowook smiled at him. The saddest smile he’s ever seen.
Staring at the ceiling of his new room instead of getting his much awaited rest he decided to just tire himself out since relaxing is obviously not working. He opened his hand carry bag and pulled out a sketch pad and a pen. He smiles remembering the days when he was in the same room, just minus the bed and furniture when that same room serves as his art studio. He closed his eyes and inhaled the fresh scent of white lilies that Ryeowook placed on the nightstand. Hands instinctively marking the white sheet followed by the skillful turns and curves. He wondered when he started to draw faces, smiles and frowns, when he used to draw only the eyes. He loves the human eye. It conveys all the emotions not even a smile or a frown can always express. All the secrets, lies and truths. But painting it takes risks of knowing what you don’t want to know.
His mind drifts off to the painting in the living room, his first ever painting wherein he poured his emotions, all the love that’s left inside of him before it turned into regret, loss, and betrayal. It was the painting that started it all, the painting that showed him how beautiful a person can be when his smile reflects in his eyes. Staring at the masterpiece in his hands, he can’t help but admire the smile he kept inside his memory.
A gentle knock on his door, and he had to leave his gaze out of the sheet and there is Ryeowook, standing by his doorway, biting his lower lip. “I’m sorry, I thought you were asleep. I-I just made lunch and I was about to leave it on your nightstand so you can eat once you’ve woken up… but I think I can just give it to you now that you’re awake.”
He can’t help but smile. “Thank you” Heechul said and he saw Ryeowook smile back at him. Indeed, his smile is so beautiful just like how it showed in Heechul’s drawing. If only his beautiful smile can reach his eyes. “I-I’m going now. I’ll be back late so you can just lock the door. I have my keys. I’ll leave the apartment to you then.” The younger bowed at him before closing the door to his room. He heard the front door close and he just felt the urge to look outside the window.
Minutes later, he saw the small figure of his new neighbor walking out of the building with a basket in his hands. He fished out his phone in his pocket and punched in a familiar number. “I need to ask you something.” He said the moment Boa answered the call. Just ask, I’ll see if I can help, came her reply. “Where is my little neighbor going?” He tried to ask nonchalantly but Boa still heard the interest hidden in his voice.
Most probably to the hospital. She said, and Heechul just had to wonder, “Why?” Boa chuckled from the other line and he can imagine her shaking her head. He’s visiting someone. Don’t ask me who because I don’t really know. The farthest I got into conversing with him is that he goes to the hospital to visit someone everyday without a miss and he’s been doing that since the day he moved in here.
“That someone must be special to him” Heechul commented unconsciously and his cheeks burned when he heard Boa giggling on the other line. Yah Heechul, stop being a busy body and leave the little guy alone. He’s still lost in his thoughts and he missed the playful tone in Boa’s voice. “I’m not bothering him! I just want to see him smile.”
What? He heard Boa almost shouting from the other line. “I want to paint him. I want to see him smile.”