Archive of Our Own ^beta

Mingyu wanted to puke out right at the moment when he saw his own guitar sheets that Jisoo had just distributed to him.

Playing the guitar was Mingyu’s talent. He played electric guitar on several stages and performances before and had numerous awards. But it was never his passion. It was what his mother wanted for her son. He is a good mama’s boy, so he couldn’t just disobey and decline¬–either way, he had no ways of declining or backing out from where he was already standing, because his mother is a strict parent who forces her children on what she wants for them. Even Minseo was forced to play and excel in violin.

But what makes Mingyu happy was how music led him into a more colorful life that he had to thank his mother a million times. It wasn’t the discoveries and years of learning the instrument–it was someone special he met through music and became a big part of his life.

Mingyu is just a second year college student who took guitar as his majority. He had some friends like Jisoo, Soonyoung and the others, but most of the time he’s always with Jisoo and Jihoon since they’re in the same course. He couldn’t talk a lot with Soonyoung since the older had been busy with hectic dancing schedules for five days straight, and he had been skipping a lot of meals too. There were a lot of girls in the campus that have some huge crushes on Mingyu, but what shocked everyone even the professors was the fact that Kim Mingyu has a boyfriend.

“OUCH!” Mingyu screeched right after he felt a heavy thing hit his head hard. It wasn’t a drum or a piano or a saxophone or anything that can be found inside the music room–Mingyu was sure it was another blow of Jihoon’s ultimate swing using Jisoo’s guitar, this time not on his butt; it was worse than the previous times Mingyu got hit by Jihoon because this time, it was right on his head. Mingyu almost fainted and Jisoo, who was watching the scene unfold from the corner, was worried that the tall young guitarist might have an amnesia and come running around the room asking everyone a bunch of everyone a bunch of questions such as ‘Who are you? Who am I? What are these music-making things?’ and others.

-

Junhui sighed out loud. “Aish I messed up again,”

Minghao, on the other side was positive. “Junhui hyung, fighting!”

Junhui just smiled at the other Chinese. Minghao grinned too before going back to his place, continuing on with practicing the flute. Meanwhile, Junhui faced his piano again.

Just like his boyfriend, his parents forced him into playing the music instrument. But unlike him, he didn’t hate the piano, he didn’t hate the music sheets, he didn’t hate the music the black and white keys made. He never hated it. It was always blissful for him to play the piano. He loved the delightful feeling of having his fingers move delicately on the keys.

What made him feel bad was how his mother bought Steinways and Sons just for him to play and practice at home. He thought his family would go bankrupt, but they never did; which just proves how rich they are.

But the long path of music led him into a much happier moment which was meeting someone special. No, it wasn’t Mozart or Chopin or Beethoven who he adored a lot from the very bottom of his passionate heart–it was the special and lovable person who now has become his precious boyfriend. If Junhui would have to choose between a piano and him, he’ll choose him.

He stepped on the pedals and placed his hands slowly on the black and white keys according to the piece. The piece was Violin Sonata No. 9, commonly known as the Kreutzer Sonata which was published as Beethoven's Opus 47. You name it, if Junhui was playing the piano for the piece and the piano only, he would’ve needed a violin–the piano was the accompanist all along anyways. But this piece was how it was the highlight and Junhui’s favorite because he remembers doing a duet with Minseo with the same said piece of Kreutzer, him with the piano of course and the girl with the violin. Mingyu was there at the moment as one of the audiences, watching both his lover and sister perform an amazing duet.

Junhui started playing the piece and noticed how it still looked good without the help of the violin. The music was pleasurable. His passionate heart was filled with lust.

That’s when the door opened, making the two Chinese males turn their heads to whoever it was as Junhui stopped playing and Minghao also stopped checking out his flute’s tunes.

“Third year Wen Junhui and second year Xu Minghao, I came here to bring news from the dean.” Spoke the dean’s personal student messenger, Boo Seungkwan, a first year saxophonist. “For you, Mr. Xu, you are invited to Japan and participate in an orchestra. You have a whole month. And as for you, Mr. Wen, you are invited to France and perform there with a total of 3 pieces. You have 26 days. Inform your parents about this. That’s all for today, thank you.”

-

Mingyu poked his head inside the music room.

His eyes roamed around the room before they landed on a particular someone. He smiled, seeing Junhui asleep on his piano. It was a good thing that he wasn’t drooling on his own piano sheets. No one other the only Chinese man was inside the room and he was alone, so Mingyu didn’t have to ask anyone if he could gladly enter the room. Minghao must’ve been done with practice for the day and bid farewell to the older Chinese, leaving him alone in the music room. Mingyu entered the room, careful to not slip on any music sheets scattered on the floor. They must’ve been messed up or either blown away by the natural air through the open window.

Mingyu put his guitar bag down on the floor and tapped the older male on the shoulder.

“Junhui baobei, wake up,” Mingyu whispered in Chinese on his ear.

It was enough for the older to wake up and lean back from his piano.

“Since when did you learn Chinese?” Junhui raised an eyebrow at Mingyu, rubbing his own other eye.

“Since the Gala competition in Japan.” Mingyu answered.

Junhui slightly frowned. That event was before the Schuberstein Competition which was held in China instead of Germany. He performed Étude Op. 10, No. 12 (Chopin) there, while Mingyu only played the electric guitar at the same event for its intro.

“I was afraid I’ll be a lost guy, so Minghao taught me,” Mingyu added. “Not only that, but I also wanted to learn for you.”

“Thanks for your hardwork, Gyu. By the way, I have to tell you something.” Junhui stated. Mingyu sat beside him on the black piano seat. “I have to go to France on the next 26 days. I have to perform–“

“Then I guess we’re even.” Mingyu interrupts. “I was invited to Vietnam too. Same 26 days.”

Junhui smiled. “We should spend more time during the 26 days.”

“Yeah. But we have to manage our practice time too.” Mingyu replied. “And hey, don’t you think the number 26 is special to us?”

Junhui glanced at him. “Was it because we met on the 26th day of January?”

Mingyu nodded. “But not only that. I did some math. I was bored in Statistics class so I thought of doing it.”

Junhui listened closely to his lover’s statement.

“I was born on the fourth month and you were born on the sixth month. The numbers add up to 10. And then, I was born on the sixth day and you on the tenth. Then numbers make 16. 16 plus 10 is 26.”

Junhui chuckles softly at his boyfriend, feeling proud of him. "You're so clever. I love you, Mingyu."

Mingyu grins at him, hugging him close. "I love you too. It's sad that I won't be able to watch you since I'll be in Vietnam and you'll be in France."

"It's okay. We can still call each other through phones." Junhui states. "We're going to win on these contests, okay?"

Mingyu reaches for Junhui's hand, and Junhui lets him intertwine their fingers. "We are going to win on these contests."

In a second, Mingyu leans in and a short but satisfying kiss was shared between the two musicians.