Bedside//enhypen heeseung ff

7 - Whispers in the Rain

February 19th, Saturday // Rain

The rain tapped softly against the windowpane, its rhythmic whispers creating a melodic backdrop to our lesson. Heeseung's gentle voice guided me through the intricate notes of a piano composition, his patient guidance a familiar comfort in my world of darkness. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a single lamp casting shadows that danced across the walls.

With each stroke of the keys, I immersed myself in the music, feeling the vibrations resonate through my fingertips and reverberate in my chest. Music was my sanctuary, a language that transcended sight and spoke directly to my soul. Heeseung had nurtured this love, opening doors to a world of melodies I had never imagined.

As I played, my mind wandered, contemplating the fleeting nature of time. It had been several weeks since that snowly evening when Heeseung first appeared. The songs he sang had struck me with a mix of emotions, a whirlwind of panic and longing that can't help but take my thoughts to the end date of this ethereal encounter. 

I know that it is selfish to feel this way...but Heeseung's impending departure to wherever his dreams will take him weighed heavily on my heart, like a storm brewing on the horizon.

"Yubin, that was beautiful," Heeseung's voice cut through my thoughts, filled with genuine admiration. "You've truly captured the essence of this piece."

I smiled, grateful for his words of encouragement. "Thank you, Heeseung. Your guidance has been invaluable to me."

Heeseung paused, his expression becoming somber. "Yubin, I need to talk to you about something important."

A flicker of unease tingled in the air, and my heart skipped a beat. I turned toward him, my ears attuned to his every word.

"I've been accepted into Juilliard, Yubin. It was the one of the three schools I applied to, and I just received my offer today," Heeseung revealed, his voice carrying a mixture of excitement and sadness. "It's a dream come true for me, but it means that I'll be leaving right at the start of school year, in August."

My fingers froze on the keys, the weight of his words sinking in. I've thought about the countdown that had been placed on our time together...the countdown that had started ever since our first meeting, but having him tell me about this opened the panic and anxiety that I've been repeatedly suppressing for all this time. Dread welled up within me, threatening to consume my fragile heart. I then truly realized: Heeseung's departure would leave a void in my life, a void I didn't know how to fill.

"But..." I stuttered, my voice barely above a whisper. "But... what about our lessons? What about... us?"

Heeseung's eyes met the hollowness and unfocussed ones of mine. "Yubin, I never wanted to cause you any pain. I care about you deeply, and these past months have been incredibly meaningful to me. But Juilliard is an opportunity I can't pass up."

I felt tears welling up, their silent presence like raindrops tracing paths down my cheeks. The rain outside seemed to echo the turmoil within my heart.

"I... I don't want you to go," I confessed, my voice trembling and my mind scrambling to find words that could convey the depth of his presence to me. "You've brought light into my life, Heeseung. Without you... it'll be darkness again."

Heeseung's hand reached out, his fingers finding mine in the air. He squeezed gently, offering a tender reassurance.

"Yubin, you're stronger than you realize," he whispered, his voice a soothing balm against the storm raging within me. "You have a gift, and your art will continue to shine, even in the absence of my physical presence. Our bond will remain, and I'll always be here for you, no matter the distance."

I closed my eyes, tears mingling with raindrops, as the reality of his departure settled in. The room felt smaller, the walls closing in on me, amplifying the ache of loss. But amidst the pain, I clung to the hope that Heeseung had planted in my heart.

We sat there in silence, enveloped by the whispers of the rain, sharing a moment of raw vulnerability. And as the raindrops continued to fall, I made a silent promise to myself. I would cherish every remaining lesson, every conversation, every shared melody. I would hold onto the memories we created, allowing them to sustain me through the days that lay ahead.

The rain outside intensified, its rhythm growing stronger, and I let it wash over me, overwhelming my fears and insecurities. In the midst of this downpour, I found solace in the knowledge that even in the darkest of times, there is beauty to be discovered. I would continue to paint my emotions, to weave stories through art, and to find solace in the whispers of the rain. And perhaps, just perhaps, our paths would cross again in the future, guided by the same love for music that had brought us together.