Chapter Text
Red and gold were scattered throughout the streets.
Couples were wearing matching red and holding hands while walking towards Han River. Laughter of families echoed through the streets, there were several moms telling the younger kids to not stray too far from them.
Rui walks down those same streets feeling homesick and lonely. A group of friends push past him, eager to get to the river and grab a good spot to see the fireworks.
Rui can feel tears threatening to fall down his face. Loneliness was hellish. It had been a few months since he had moved to Korea for the exchange program at the arts university, and it had been hard for him to make friends.
He barely had a grasp on the language, and it seemed like everyone had already made their own group of friends, unwilling to accept more people in.
His part-time job also kept him too busy to accept any invitations from his dance team for dinner and hangouts.
Envious of the groups of friends hanging out, Rui follows the crowd to the river. As he tries not to let his emotions take over, he hears his phone ringing-
Incoming call "haohao <3"
"Ruil!! My baby happy new year!!!"
Rui hears his best friend's voice coming through the phone as he picks up.
Hao is squished up into the phone camera, Rui can hear music and laughter in the background, sending a pang of loneliness through his heart.
*Am I early? I think I got the times messed up again and am too early. Oopsie. Anyways. Babe, happy new year. I love you sooooo much. I miss you!! Come back home soon."
Hao sounds like he has had a few drinks in him already. Hearing his friend's voice makes Rui feel a tiny bit better. He still feels sad and lonely, but at least he can always count on his best friend to remind him he was not alone.
"Yeah HaoHao, you're early," Rui smiles, "but happy new year to you too. I love you and miss you a lot."
"Everyone, tell Rui Happy New Year"
It takes some time, but the phone gets passed around to mutual friends and Rui has everyone chiming in to wish him well. It warms his heart, he is so thankful for his friends.
"You're on the way to see the fireworks right, Rui?" Hao asks when he gets his phone back.
"Yeah, I am almost at the river. It's pretty crowded, I honestly thought I was being smart coming here an hour early."
Rui hears someone call Hao's name and his friend looks over his shoulder. With the way his friend's eyes soften, Rui can immediately tell that it is Hao’s boyfriend that called out.
*Binnie-yah, come say hi to Rui." He hears his friend say.
*Rui hyung. Happy New Year!! Hao hyung misses you so much. It’s like his wife went to war." Hanbin says coming into the frame, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist from the back as he rests his head on Hao's shoulder.
"Hanbin-ah ohmygod. Don't tell him that."
"You literally just said that to me," Rui deadpans.
"I said I miss you not that you're my wife?" Hao pouts.
Hanbin giggles but ignores Hao, "Rui hyung. Hao hyung told me you're going to see the fireworks! Please be safe, it gets very crowded!"
Rui thinks Hao really managed to win over the sweetest angel, "Thank you Hanbin-ah. I will let you both go now though. I am almost at the river and it is getting harder to walk and talk."
"Take care Rui hyung!"
"Take care Rui, mwahhh" Hao gets up close to the camera to send him kisses.
Rui blows Hao a kiss back as he hangs up.
His heart feels a bit warmer after the call as he arrives at the river.
Han River has always been crowded, full of tourists and locals alike, but he has never seen it like it is today.
It looks packed from end to end. There doesn't seem to be a single spot for him to observe the fireworks. He slowly bustles his way through the crowd trying to find even the tiniest place where he could sit with his thoughts while ringing in the new year.
He has half a thought to stand near the bridge at the edge of the river instead of sitting down but it is quickly dismissed as he realizes he would much rather not deal with any pushing as people try to get closer.
He doesn't understand that either, the fireworks would look the same whether they are seen from the riverside or from the parkside, he does not understand why anyone would push towards the front. It is not like there were idols near the front that people could meet.
Distracted as he is, he does not notice until it is too late and he walks straight into someone.
Of course, this would happen to me, classic k-drama moment Rui thinks to himself as someone grabs his arms to stop him from falling.
He hears someone apologise in Chinese and immediately looks up. "Sorry I wasn't looking where I was going."
Too stunned to speak, Rui just shakes his head. It is rare to hear his mothertongue being spoken in Korea and it takes him a few seconds to get his senses back.
"Rui, right? Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
"Oh no, I'm fine! Sorry, I was distracted trying to find a place to sit. Are you okay, senior?" Rui answers.
He's not sure why it took him so long to recognise who was speaking to him.
Maybe it was the lights shining bright into his eyes, that made him lose his focus. It was a senior from his dance class, Wumuti.
"Nah it's okay. I'm fine too. You're looking for a place? Are you with friends?" Wumuti asks him while guiding him out of the crowd's way.
"Nope, just me." Rui giggles awkwardly, thinking about how much of a loser this makes him look. All alone on New Year's.
"Oh that's brave, coming alone on New Year's to Han River. It gets so crowded; I don't think I could ever come here alone." Wumuti answers.
Rui smiles a bit; brave was not the word he would use to describe himself right now.
Desperate maybe, to feel just a bit of home so far away from it. Lunar new year was supposed to be spent surrounded by loved ones and yet here he was. Decidedly not with friends or loved ones.
Wumuti perhaps sensing his awkwardness, changes topics without waiting for a response.
"Do you wanna come sit with us? It is just a few people from dance class and my friends. It might be hard to find a place right now," The senior smiles sweetly.
"Oh," Rui answers stupidly. He wants to say yes, but he is scared he would be imposing.
"Don't worry about intruding or anything, I wouldn't ask you to join us if I didn't want you there. And my friends won't mind either. The more the merrier." Wumuti’s smile has softened and he looks so sincere, Rui is somewhat taken aback.
He is also starting to think that the older man can read minds.
"Yeah, if you're sure. I would love to join you all." Rui answers. He is still nervous about meeting a group of strangers and intruding on their celebrations, but his loneliness wins over. Begging him to join others, to feel a bit less alone for the night.
"Yeah I'm sure. Come on, let's go." Wumuti starts walking through the crowd and Rui hurries to follow him.
There is a small moment where he gets separated from the senior as they are moving against the crowd. He tries looking around for Wumuti but there are just too many people. He almost trips over a fallen cup while walking.
Just as he is about to give up and resort to just spending the night alone as he had expected to in the first place, he feels a light pressure on his left arm.
"Hey, do you mind if I hold onto you? It's too packed, I don't want to lose you again." He hears Wumuti say into his ear.
Rui tums his head around slightly to look at him.
"I don't mind," he confirms. They are close. Rui can see the lights sparkling in Wumuti's eyes from this close.
He sees the senior smile, as if he is happy he got permission. "Let's go then, it's not too far from here."
Wumuti's hand slides down to hold onto Rui's wrist, light enough that Rui could move away if needed but not enough for them to get separated.
In a passing thought, Rui realizes how nice it is to feel someone's warmth. It has been so long since the last time he held onto someone.
Wumuti wasn't wrong when he said his spot is close by. After a couple of minutes of walking, they stop near a few picnic blankets that are haphazardly joined together. Rui recognizes quite a few faces from the dance team.
Wumuti goes straight to sit down next to some people Rui has not met. They look young though; Rui didn't think they were even in university yet.
With Wumuti still holding onto him, Rui also gets dragged down to sit next to him.
"Sorry I'm late," Wumuti says in Korean. "I met Rui along the way and brought him along,"
Rui smiles in greeting at Wumuti's friends.
"Rui-ssi," Wumuti continues in Korean, "That's Park Hanbin and Keita, you have met them already, I'm sure."
"Oh, you don't have to be so formal, just Rui is okay" The younger one says while bowing his head in greeting to the other two people at their picnic blanket.
"Okay, Rui-yah. You can call me hyung then." Wumuti smiles back. "These are my sons Haru and Jinhyung," He says introducing the younger kids he had sat next to. Wumuti's arm is wrapped around Haru's shoulder as he pulls the younger boy close.
Haru looks so young to Rui. He has an elegant face, Rui thinks, reminiscent of an elf. All sharp bones that soften considerably when he smiles. People would go to war for a face like this is Rui’s only thought.
"Hi Rui sunbaenim," the boy says softly.
Rui responds in kind and turns to Jinhyung who is sitting on Haru's other side.
"Hyung, you need to stop introducing us like we are your kids. I am barely 3 years younger than you." Jinhyung whines as he bows his head in greeting to Rui, his whines are a stark contrast to his deep voice.
"That's 3 whole years. You are my baby." Wumuti brings his hands up to Hyun's face and squishes the boy's cheeks.
There is a warmth spreading through Rui as he watches the scene unfold before him. He is suddenly ever so grateful for somehow running into Wumuti.
He is pulled into conversation with Keita and Hanbin as they discuss the current choreography their professor is teaching them. Keita complains about how there is a part that he can't get at all while Hanbin laughs and tells Keita that he is just growing old.
The next half an hour passes by quickly and before Rui knows it, everyone around him is counting down to the start of the Firework’s show.
3!
2!
1!
When the fireworks erupt, Rui sees the group of friends he is sitting with hugging each other as they all shout happy new year. There is a small pang of loneliness again in his heart but it is not as bad as he thought it would be.
When Keita and Hanbin are done hugging, they both pull him into a quick hug, wishing him well.
As Rui wishes them a Happy New Year’s back, he can see from the corner of his eye Wumuti leaning in to pull both Jinhyung and Haru into a hug and then kissing them both one by one on their cheek.
Rul laughs when he sees the stark contrast in the kids' responses, with Jinhyung wiping it off immediately after but Haru turning and smacking a kiss on Wumuti's cheek too.
Wumuti pulls back and turns to Rui as he holds out his arms, "Can I hug you?"
He has switched back to their mother tongue.
Rui is a little shocked and a little shy but he nods and leans forward into the older man's arms.
He is engulfed into a warm embrace; it reminds him of home somehow. Wumuti smells like warm wood and florals and Rui who still feels a little homesick stays in his embrace for a bit longer than necessary.
"Happy new year, A’Rui," Wumuti whispers into his ear.
"Happy new year, ge," Rui mutters as he starts to lean back but Wumuti holds him a tiny bit tighter.
"You okay, ge?" Rui asks, surprised at the older not letting go.
Wumuti hums, Yeah, you just looked like you could use a hug."
Tears spring to the younger man's eyes but he blinks quickly refusing to let them fall.
Wumuti leans back then and smiles widely at him, Rui mirrors the grin.
They both turn around to face the fireworks and Rui feels warmth as Wumuti puts his hand very lightly on top of where his is rested on the picnic blanket.
Still smiling wide, the younger man whispers a quick thank you just loud enough to be heard over the sound of fireworks and Wumuti only squeezes his hand softly in response.
As Rui looks ahead at the fireworks lighting up the sky in vibrant colours surrounded by what he hopes are new friends, he suddenly feels a bit less alone.
Maybe the new year won't be all that bad , he thinks to himself.