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The air in the Ho Chi Minh City arena is thick and humid. Around them, the venue is filled with a vibrant, rippling sea of sapphire blue light. The stage floor beneath Heechul's feet vibrates violently, carrying the roar of thousands of cheers from E.L.F.
This is Super Show 10's final stop before next month's grand encore concert.
The past eight months have been a grueling marathon. It's a blur of freezing air in the airport terminals, the sharp sting of pain relief spray hidden beneath stage costumes, and the crushing weight of chronic jet lag. They are no longer young men in their twenties. Kanghoon's fragile spine and Heechul's once-shattered legs scream in protest at every explosive choreography. Yet, they survive on sheer determination, tightly wrapped bandages, a constant mix of painkillers, and an unspoken devotion to the fans—and to each other.
But tonight is different.
When Heechul opens his eyes, his gaze lands immediately on Kanghoon, who is standing across the stage. His dark, middle-parted hair is damp with sweat, clinging slightly to his forehead, making him look even more breathtaking than usual. As Kanghoon sings, his honeyed voice carries a raw, unguarded emotion that somehow makes the throbbing ache in Heechul's legs subside slowly.
At that moment, Heechul feels an overwhelming and calming sense of gratitude. Kanghoon had weathered his own devastating storms during this tour, yet he remained a steadfast, showering Heechul with a sense of security he never knew he craved.
The tour might have bruised their bodies, but it has completely rebuilt their souls. Between quiet nights in the hotel rooms and silent car rides through unfamiliar cities, they have forged something entirely unbreakable. Something they have longed for for more than two decades.
And for the first time in his fast-paced, noisy life, Kim Heechul feels completely content.
The soft, nostalgic beat of "Marry U" flows through the speakers. The members scatter across the extended stage, singing wholeheartedly even though they have performed this exact track hundreds of times.
♫ "Love~ Oh baby my girl~ You’re my everything, your beauty blinds me…" ♫
Heechul stands near the center of the stage, his eyes fixed on the younger man. For more than eighteen years, this song had been sung as a sweet, carefully prepared promise to the sapphire blue ocean. But tonight, the lyrics lose their fan-service meaning and transform into a deeply personal reflection for Heechul.
♫ "My present from the heavens above. Are you happy? Tears are flowing from your eyes…" ♫
The emotional weight of the finale begins to press on them all. Through the monitors, Heechul catches a sudden glint of tears welling in Kanghoon's fierce eyes. Watching him, Heechul's own hands tremble around his microphone, holding back the overwhelming urge to cross the stage and wipe away the tears that only he truly sees.
♫ "Until the day your black hair turns gray, I promise to love you forever." ♫
Those verses pierce straight through Heechul's chest. Suddenly, the chaotic flash of the stage lights fades from his mind, replaced entirely by the dim, yellow streetlights of Saitama that swept across the interior of their van just a week prior.
The night air had been freezing. In the back seat of the moving van, Heechul was aggressively massaging his left knee whis was completely numb from the cold, while Kanghoon lay curled up against the window with a neck pillow. The younger man's face was terrifyingly pale, his back ached with radiating pain after a grueling four-hour performance.
"We'll slowly die if we keep pushing ourselves like this, Hyung," Kanghoon had muttered, his voice hoarse and almost desperate. "How long do you think our bodies can last?"
Heechul remembered turning to look at Kanghoon's fragile silhouette. "Until our hair both turns gray," Heechul had replied sharply, though his hand immediately reached out to smooth Kanghoon's fleece blanket. "Until our joints creak every time we stand. And even if this body falls apart, Hyung won't let you fall apart alone. We'll be nagging old men taking care of each other."
At that moment, Kanghoon had just let a tired chuckle that ended with his cold fingers wrapping tightly around Heechul’s wrist, as if to say 'I am holding you to that promise'.
Back in the present, on the shaking stage, Heechul's heart pounds relentlessly. He realizes that he really, really wants it. He desperately wants the gray hair, the aching joints, the quiet, ordinary mornings with Kanghoon. He wants it forever, and he's going to make it happen.
He begins walking down the stage, moving purposefully toward the younger man.
♫ "I want to tell you every single day that ‘I love you’... I want to put you to sleep in my arms every night…" ♫
Heechul doesn't want to go home to a cold, empty penthouse anymore. He's entirely tired of driving across Seoul at 2 A.M. just to make sure Kanghoon was asleep soundly. He wants to pull him into his arms every night, enveloping them both in the same gravity, without worrying about the distance.
♫ "Through hardships and troubles (I do)... I’ll always be there (I do)..." ♫
For twenty years, they've been through more than anyone could ever imagine. They've weathered public scandals, private tragedies, and the terrifying, suffocating fear of losing each other. And somehow, they survived.
Heechul survives because Kanghoon is his grounding cloud, and Kanghoon survives because Heechul is his guiding star.
The music drops, leaving a few moments of silence. It is Heechul’s turn to end the song.
Heechul stops right in front of Kanghoon. He stares straight into Kanghoon's expressive dark eyes, stripping away every shred of his idol persona, hoping Kanghoon can feel the truth radiating from his gaze.
He lifts the microphone.
♫ "Will you marry me, Yesex?" ♫
The crowd cheers ecstatically. To the world, it's just the chaotic AB line being weird and heavily invested in their fan service again.
Kanghoon freezes for a moment before harmonizing with Heechul to end the song.
He stands there, staring at Heechul with bated breath and wide, unblinking eyes. He searches for any hint of humor or mischief on Heechul's face, but he finds absolutely none. All he sees is a man baring his soul before the entire world, while hiding the greatest, most terrifying truth in plain sight.
A small, radiant smile spreads across Kanghoon's face, infinitely softer and brighter than all the flashing stage lights combined. He nods once just before the stadium plunges into total darkness. It is like a silent, fiercely devoted gesture reserved only for Heechul.
The concert officially ends. They take their final bow before returning backstage, and are greeted by applause from the exhausted staff and cheers from the members.
Heechul doesn't bother to join the commotion. His sharp eyes scan the chaotic crowd until he spots Kanghoon leaning heavily against a concrete pillar, looking dazed but still wearing that beautiful smile. Heechul closes the distance, grabs Kanghoon's wrist, and pulls him away from the crowd.
"Hyung?" Kanghoon stumbles slightly, being dragged seamlessly through the labyrinth of backstage corridors.
"Come here."
Heechul pulls him into a secluded, dimly lit, dusty equipment room. He slams the heavy metal door shut, instantly drowning out the chaos outside to a muffled, distant hum.
Kanghoon leans back against the cold steel of the door, his chest heaving. "Hyung, what are we doing here? The stylists are going to—"
"Just now, on stage. I wasn't doing fan service," Heechul interrupts, his voice dropping low, trembling with an intensity that fills the tiny room. He steps right up to Kanghoon, placing his hand on the door beside Kanghoon's head, trapping him there. "I wasn't joking."
Kanghoon’s smile falters, replaced by astonishment that laces with vulnerability. He looks up, meeting Heechul’s fierce eyes. "Hyung... out there? You mean...?"
Heechul catches both of Kanghoon's hands, his thumbs tracing the familiar, soothing warmth of his knuckles. "Every single word of that song," Heechul whispers reverently. "I meant it. I really, really meant it. I'm sick of having to steal time from our schedules just to see you, Kanghoon-ah. I'm tired of living out of a suitcase and having to worry about you from across town."
He steps closer, until their chests are pressed against each other. "I want to spend the rest of my life together with you. Like, actually together. When the lights finally go down, and the schedules are over, I just want to come home and see you. Every single day, without fail."
Kanghoon stares at him, utterly speechless. As a man who made his living writing deeply poetic lyrics, his mind is completely blank. Tears well up in his eyes, spilling over and mingling with the exhaustion and sweat on his cheeks.
"Are you serious, Hyung?" Kanghoon whispers, his voice breaking beautifully in the quiet room. "Here? Now?"
"I've never been more serious in my entire life," Heechul replies softly, yet full of determination.
"I want that too," Kanghoon’s voice cracks, a bright, teary smile breaking across his face. "More than anything."
Heechul let out a shaky breath, the weight he had carried for half his life seemingly just lifted off his shoulders all at once.
He leans in and kisses Kanghoon on the lips.
The kiss is deep, quiet, and completely unhurried. The noise of the staff and members can still be heard beyond the door, but inside this cramped, dusty room, time seems to stand entirely still.
When the kiss finally breaks slowly, Heechul doesn't pull away. He rests his forehead against Kanghoon's, closing his eyes, and savouring the moment. Their chests rise and fall in sync, sharing the same air.
Kanghoon laughs softly, mixed with a little sob. "You're really crazy, Hyung. The managers are going to kill us for sure."
"Let them," Heechul whispers. His thumb gently wipes away the lingering tears on Kanghoon's cheekbone. "They've been dealing with me for a long time. They'll be fine."
Kanghoon swallows hard. His deeply ingrained vulnerability slowly peeks through the remnants of the adrenaline. He stares deeply into Heechul's eyes under the dim, flickering light above them, as if searching for reassurance.
"So..." Kanghoon whispers, his voice fragile yet filled with hope. "An apartment? Just the two of us?"
"Yes," Heechul answers without a single shred of hesitation. He lowers his head, pressing a tender kiss to the tip of Kanghoon's nose. "Just the two of us. You nagging me for playing games until dawn, and me forcing you to stop writing lyrics so you'll actually eat dinner."
Heechul let his fingers run through Kanghoon's sweaty, wet black hair. "Our promise back then... Let's make it happen. Hyung really wants to do everything with you until our hair turns gray and we can't walk anymore."
Kanghoon's eyes well up with tears again, but this time an incredibly bright, relieved smile adorns his face. He raises both hands, gripping the collar of Heechul's shirt, and pulling him a little closer.
"In that case," Kanghoon whispers, his voice now calm and brimming with a warm, playful certainty. "You have to promise me one thing."
Heechul raises his eyebrow gently. "What?"
"You're not allowed to complain when I bring my entire, massive collection of clothes and accessories to our new home."
Heechul laughs softly, his eyes crinkling in pure happiness. "That is an incredibly small price to pay to be able to hold you until I fall asleep every night. You can bring whatever you want, baby."
Both of them are realistic men. They are veterans in a brutal, unforgiving industry, and they know exactly what kind of world they live in. They don't know whether they will ever be able to walk hand-in-hand on the streets without disguises, how the public would react if the truth comes out, or what will happen when these dazzling idols' spotlights finally fade.
But, as Heechul brings their lips together again in a sweet, lingering kiss, feeling Kanghoon's steady heartbeat beating perfectly against his own chest, that fear of the future vanishes completely.
The world behind this heavy steel door might still be loud, demanding, and incredibly complicated. But tonight, they only know one absolute truth, and it is the only thing that matters: they will never navigate this life alone ever again.