Chapter Text
It wasn’t unusual to see Juwoon in this fancy bar. What was unusual, however, was seeing him tucked away in a dark corner at the far end of the place. out of sight, away from the piano, and not playing.
It had been like this today, yesterday, and seemingly the entire past week. If one looked closely, they would notice the pallor of his face, the exhaustion in his eyes. Maybe he had been staying up too late. He looked like he was waiting; his gaze lingering on each performer who took the stage, watching to see who would sit under the lights tonight and fill the room with melody.
But his mind was elsewhere, tormenting him with guilt. Why wasn’t he up there tonight? Why couldn’t he move past just two sentences from his father? He had endured far crueler words from him before. Why hadn’t he been more careful?
Not that it would have made a difference.
Juwoon had loved music since he was young. Giving it up as he grew older was far from easy. He couldn’t just toss his dream into the nearest trash can like a crumpled piece of paper, no matter how much his father tried to convince him otherwise. He had pretended -tried to act as if he had let go- but his short-lived lie hadn’t lasted. One of the bar’s customers had taken a picture of him at the piano. Somehow, that picture had made its way to his father’s hands.
And now, here he was. Unable to touch a single key, even if he wanted to nothing good could come from his hands. He should have quit playing instruments earlier. It would have hurt less. He had ruined everything .or so he believed.
His thoughts were interrupted as two people stepped onto the stage -unusual, considering most performances were solo-. A woman and a man.
The man carried what looked like a guitar slung over his back. Juwoon guessed he was the musician tonight. Maybe the woman was his companion, or his girlfriend, or… whatever. He wasn’t particularly fond of guitars, but whatever music came tonight, he was willing to listen.
Or rather -he was willing to judge. Was he really as terrible at playing as his father had claimed?
His view from this angle wasn’t great, but it didn’t matter. As long as he could hear the music clearly, it was enough.
The lighting shifted slightly to match the stage ambiance. Juwoon raised his glass, downing the rest of his drink in one go, just as the music began. The first few notes left him dazed. Both the man and the woman were playing.
Juwoon found himself standing before he realized it, drawn toward the bartender’s counter for a better view of the musicians.
The woman had long hair and appeared young; not a teenager, but likely in her thirties. She sat elegantly in front of the piano, every bit a seasoned performer. Her silky rose-colored blouse and a skirt patterned with tiny flowers added to her presence. Her playing was just as refined.
And the man beside her… The shadows partially obscured his face, but he sat behind her, cradling his guitar, fingers effortlessly weaving into the melody. His head bounced slightly in time with the music, making his slightly curled hair fall over his forehead and neck. Something about him was captivating.
Unlike his polished partner, his clothes were casual. jeans and an olive-green shirt, the top buttons undone, revealing a hint of his throat and chest. The sleeves were rolled up slightly. It wasn’t extravagant, yet it was effortlessly striking. Juwoon realized he had been staring too long.
Perhaps that was why he didn’t immediately recognize the melody. Perhaps that was why he looked suspicious. He only realized it when the bartender slid another drink toward him with a knowing smirk.
“You like their playing?” she asked, raising an eyebrow toward the stage. Juwoon hesitated, then slowly shook his head halfheartedly.
He had to admit. the guitar playing was beautiful. But he would always prefer the violin and the piano. Still, the pianist was better than him.
And he hated admitting that.
The dancing lights flickered in sync with the most powerful part of the song, illuminating the man’s face in full.
Juwoon froze.
Hazel eyes shimmered under the glow,warm, bright, and full of life. He was older than Juwoon, likely the same age as the pianist. He played with effortless joy, hands gliding over the guitar strings as if it were second nature. Juwoon’s gaze followed his movements, then …A resemblance.
It wasn’t just similar features, it was too strong to ignore. Were they related? No… They were more than just relatives.
“They’re the Lee twins,” the bartender said, shattering Juwoon’s thoughts.
He flinched, nearly spilling his untouched drink. A slow warmth crept into his cheeks. Had he been that obvious?
He could only hope the dim lighting hid the flush on his face. Clearing his throat, he muttered, “I didn’t ask.” The bartender merely smirked. “You were staring.” Juwoon chose silence. His mind was too occupied to argue.
So they were twins.
He should’ve noticed.
Juwoon raised the cup to his lips and downed the drink in one gulp, letting the liquid burn slightly as it went down. He turned to ask the bartender something, but before he could speak, a voice interrupted him.
“Ajusshi!” she waved to the stage.
woman on stage waved toward the crowd. Juwoon blinked, realizing that the music had already stopped. Had he really been that lost in thought?
“Eonni!” she called again.
Juwoon slowly turned toward the stage, just in time to see the musicians stepping down, making their way through the gathered patrons. They greeted a few familiar faces before heading directly to the bar.
Suddenly, the air around him felt different, maybe thicker, hotter, pressing against his lungs. Seeing the guitarist up close was something else entirely. He was even more handsome than Juwoon had thought.
“Who are you calling ajusshi?” the man protested, his voice laced with amusement.
“You’re an old man, really,” his twin teased.
“So are you!” he shot back, only to receive a swift kick to the heel. He whined dramatically before settling into the chair nearest to Juwoon, who remained stiff in his seat.
“Jaeyi-ya, I didn’t know you worked at such a fancy bar. If I had, I would’ve dressed up a little.”
Juwoon had been coming here regularly, yet somehow, this was the first time he learned the bartender’s name. Jaeyi. Not that it mattered much, but for some reason, it gave him an unpleasant impression of himself.
Jaeyi raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t I tell you before?”
the twin elbowed the guitarist in the gut playfully. “Don’t listen to him. I already told him. And that’s all he comes up with? Very disappointing, oppa.”
“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” the man sighed. “Neither of you is saying anything nice about me. Don’t embarrass me in front of such a handsome young man.”
All eyes turned to Juwoon.
For the past several minutes, he had been pretending not to hear, not to see, not to react. But now, there was no avoiding it. he had been exposed.
Juwoon shifted awkwardly, glancing at the twins and then at Jaeyi, who had just finished serving another customer.
“Ah,” she said, as if only just remembering. “That’s Han Juwoon-ssi. The former pianist. I’ve told you about him before.”
Juwoon felt a flicker of gratitude that she had started the conversation first, sparing him from having to introduce himself. But wait…did everyone here know his name already?
“Lee Yeoyun,” the woman said, offering a polite nod.
“Nice to meet you, Lee Yeoyun-ssi.” Juwoon returned the gesture, carefully avoiding the gaze of the man now leaning forward toward him.
“Lee Dongsik.”
Juwoon hesitated for a second before finally shaking his hand. His palm was smaller than Juwoon’s, but noticeably warmer. He could feel the heat seeping into his skin. Strangely enough, it didn’t make him uncomfortable. That fact alone unsettled him. Instantly, he pulled his hand back.
Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, long enough for Juwoon to realize he had just seen the most beautiful eyes he had ever encountered. And then Dongsik smiled. A slow, easy smile, the kind that made something twist deep inside Juwoon’s chest.
He could only force his eye away from him. He needed to think about something -anything- other than Dongsik’s lips. He only hoped his face wasn’t betraying every single thought in his head.