Chapter Text
Choi Jeongyo was stunned for a few seconds without blinking or moving, he clearly didn't expect that his doctor exposed him even less to Kang Pio out of all people.
He coughs awkwadly and take a good look at Pio, seeing the handsome man getting blurry eyes as tears treats to fall down where they starts to gather.
"Why would you do that? If you just continued your treatment you could've your hand back" Pio says in a shaky voice, a sniff following.
"But you would still be blaming yourself, Kang Pio, and I didn't want that. I wanted you to be free from this burden a live happy without drowning in bad feelings", Jeongyo answers like it makes all the sense in the world. "Besides, I really wanted to play four hands with you even if one last time."
He turns to smile at Pio, eyes shining with so much affection that make his heart hurt and he can't help but let a sob out as the tears finally falls down his face.
"Hey, you don't need to cry it's alright." Jeongyo says, sliding a little closer to Pio. "My hand is fine actually. Look".
And with that, the hand that was in Pio's hold starts to move. Pio looks down as amazed as the time he saw Jeongyo play again for the first time in 10 years in their little secret place. Jeongyo rotates his pulses as his hand open and stretches it's fingers to the maximum he can for now. The moviments are stiff and a little shaky but nonetheless they are there.
"I've keep my treatment. The doctor here say it was a miracle that I didn't actually lost my hand and said I couldn't take another injection or I would lost it for sure this time. It's been a challenge but I can already hold a cup and other light weight things." Jeongyo says as he keeps flexing the fingers, opening and closing his hand.
He then moves to try to grab one of the cups in the table, but Kang Pio grabs his hand and interlock their fingers watching in almost child-like wonder as he feels the light grip on it. Jeongyo is surprised but looking at Pio's face, tears stopped falling and his doe eyes are focused on his hand as he need to make sure it's real and not another farse.
He can't help but smile, he rarely saw that look on Pio. When teenagers he always had his guard high around everyone untill he started sharing sweet smiles with him during piano practices and their secret escapades to parks performances. Later as an adult Kang Pio was nothing but a dull shell of emotions, the once round face gave way to slim and thin one that was even more promenient as the time went on as result of Pio's mental state.
Pio strokes his thumb gently over the hand and finally looks up to face Jeongyo, a smile so big that Jeongyo could see almost all of his teeths. Pio let out and surprise laugh, a mix of relieve and surprise, and Jeongyo can't help but follow him hands still interlocked and none had a hurry to let go.
"I didn't think you would find me so quickly, you know," Jeongyo says before taking a bite of a cookie. "I mean, I send this postcard like a week ago or something."
Pio looks at the postcard on the table.
"That's because this time I already had experience on tracking you." Pio says with a playfull smile, but the words are nothing but serious. Once Pio spend nine years trying to find Choi Jeongyo, he wouldn't allow himself to waste that many time again, even more knowing that he was alive.
They spend the afternoon like this: Pio talk about how he quited playing in big venues and nows plays around South Korea for people and communities that might need comfort; How Jaein been working hard as the new head of his mother company. In exchange Jeongyo tells how he was back at the monastery that once saved his lived and gave him a roof to live and sleep; how he helped the brothers around and started teaching the kids choir. He talks about each one of the little kids with so much love, even when narrating some of their mischief around.
Before they know the sun is almost totally down, last rays of orange bloodie clouds giving space to a dark blue sky with stars spread around shining like glitter.
They make their way to the entrance in slow steps and shoulders brushing, quick stolen glances and smiles.
"Do you already have a place to stay?" Jeongyo ask once they are out of the church. Kang Pio avert his eyes, looking embarrased.
"Not really, I didn't plan much ahead", He says. "Once a found where to go I bought he next plane ticket and came."
Choi Jeongyo looks at him speechless, eyes big in surprise, but soon turn in crescent as he gives one of his signature goofy smile.
"You really are something, Kang Pio."
"Well do you know where is the nearest hotel or something? I don't think I can stay with you" Pio asks, hands moving to remotely point at the church.
"Hmm? And why is that?" Jeongyo asked looking genuinely pluzzed, one eyebrow going up.
"I mean, I don't think I can stay here l, with you being in the monastery righ?" Pio looks down at Jeongyo's body, making the other man do the same. Just now he realizes he still wearing the robe he uses when teaching the choir. He looks up and sees Pio looking rather defeated with his shoulders slumped and a kicked puppy eyes.
He can't help but laugh out loud, a laughter so full of enjoyment and life that even when confused Kang Pio can't help but appreciate it and bask under the image, eyes running to every corner of Choi Jeongyo's face as to memorize every tiny detail.
"W.. What's so funny?"
Jeongyo take a while to stop laughing and recover his breath.
"Oh my god, do you think I am a monk or something? No, god, no. I just help them around and teach the kids. I don't live here". He says as he starts to take over the robe, revealing a simple white shirt and black pants underneath it.
"Oh."
It's all Kang Pio manage to say, brain busy trying to get the information but eyes scaning up and down Choi Jeongyo's body. He looks good, the now exposed skin in his arms and neck have now a little tan on them, He fills in his clothes very good as biceps bulges in against the shirt and thights looks very promenient on those pants.(_Sorry father_, he manages to think, _I'm sinning right in front of your holy house_)
Jeongyo is looking at him with some kind of mischief in his eyes that he can't decode.
"You looked kinda dissapointed that I was a monk. Tell me, Pio-ah, would that be a bad thing?"
"NO!" Pio yells, "I mean, it's not that. Is just It was not what a expected when I though of finding you again."
"And", Jeongyo eyes shine as he steps closer to Pio, "What did you expected to happen when you found me?"
Pio open his mouth to say something but nothing really gets out. Jeongyo is too close to him, not like when they sit next to each other at the piano, and he can't help but look down at the man's lips, finding Jeongyo's tongue peeking out as he licks them. It ignites an old desire on Pio that follows him for the last thirteen years.
His hands finds their way to Jeongyo's face, slowly to give him time to back out if Pio is reading things wrong, one of his thumb strokes gently the mole bellow the man's eye as the other slide down to the nape and plays with a few strand of hair. Jeongyo still smirking at him but doesn't move neither foward and, thank god, not backing down. Pio looks at his eyes for a second before finally moving foward and placing a brief and gently kiss on those lips.
He is about to move when he feels Jeongyo's hands grabs his waist and face moving to press their mouths close again, Pio let out a gasp before deepening the kiss.
Kiss Choi Jeongyo is, to Kang Pio, the best thing he ever felt since playing piano, again with Choi Jeongyo. He tastes like caramel and coffee and his body pressed against his feels so warm. Pio remember the times when he was sleeping over at Jeongyo's dorm room, how sometimes he couldn't sleep so he stared at the ceiling and sometimes he stared at Jeongyo sleeping, feeling guilt that his heart and mind was always at war with desire to always be close to him but to shut him out of his life to never hear another belittle words from his grandfather or his mother.
Jeongyo kiss like he plays the piano, full of passion but also freedom. Hands gripping Pio's waist then going up his back, fingers trailing his spine leaving goosebumps. Tongue exploring every corner of his mouth like he wants to claim something that was obviously his but wanted to make sure everyone knew it.
They let go for each other mouth for a few seconds but a brief eye contact is enough for them to begin kissing again and again.
Jeongyo thinks about teenager Pio on verge of giving up on the competition, how small he looked in that bed and how much he wanted to just lay there hugging him. Thinks about Pio helping him run away from Kim, even when Jeongyo had just punched his face, and how he wanted to kiss him there for being his hero.
Jeongyo thinks about when they met again for the first time, still pretending to have amnesia, and Pio lunched forward trying to hug him, face breaking so sad when got rejected twice.
Jeongyo think about the broken look on his face when he pushed Pio too much and he had a breakdown, how he wanted to stop the world just a moment for just the two of them so he could comfort Pio. He think about playing Nemesis with Pio and how Pio seemed so etheral as he played and how he took all the blame so Jeongyo could live a happy life without revenge.
Kang Pio thinks about the night Jeongyo comfronted his grandfather, yelling that Pio was a genius. No one ever told him that ever, teachers only told him to do like they teached, because they wanted to be in good light for his mother and grandfather.
Pio remember when they played together for the first time, Jeongyo eyes behind the rope so he couldn't see the audience and focused only on Pio.
Jeongyo that gave up his music sheet so Pio could play, unknowing that his life would change so much aftewards.
Kang Pio thinks about the restless night where nightmares of the worst cenarios of what happened to Jeongyo plagued his mind. And the nights where in his calm dreams they were playing together, Jeongyo smilling brightly and full of life.
Kang Pio spent half his life thinking about Choi Jeongyo as much as Choi Jeongyo spended his thinking about Kang Pio.