Weightless

It was the way their bodies moved in sync. How they twirled and stretched to the soft music that played in the background. He barely noticed anything, but the girl dancing beside him, lost in her own world as she flitted across the stage with him close behind.

His hand touched her cheek as they circled each other, eyes locked. A smile touched her lips ever so slightly and he returned it. He brought his face closer, lips to brush hers...

“We're about to land, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Seoul.”

Han Geng's head shot up, startling awake. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the plane's interior. Only an overhead light or two were lit. Passengers awakened to get ready for the landing. Sighing, Han Geng leaned his head against the window and looked at the lights sparkling below him.

This was the last reason he wanted to return to Korea. But there was no way he was staying in China after Siwon's phone call. Han Geng had been thrilled to hear from his old friend, but the joy was short lived when Siwon had told him the news. She was dying.

He couldn't understand it. Eun Mi was strong, lithe, perfect. How could she be dying? Since he'd first come to Korea, she had been his pillar. No matter what had gone wrong, she had been there, facing the challenges with a laugh and firm need to succeed. Never had she shunned him for being Chinese. Han Geng remembered when he'd first prepared to go on stage with his mask, afraid people would notice him and he'd be shipped back to China prematurely. Eun Mi had seen him, hidden and ashamed, and she had cried.

She had always been so empathetic.

Han Geng got up from his seat, eyes still heavy from sleep as he left the plane and made his way through the tunnel. Even in the middle of the night, the airport was rupturing with activity and conversations. Han Geng kept his head low, though he doubted anyone would recognize him. Korea wasn't his place of popularity anymore.

“Han Geng!”

The Chinese singer turned at the sound of his name, his gaze falling on the tall, fit figure of Siwon. The Korean smiled at him sadly and Han Geng hurried towards him, wrapping him in a hug.

“Its been too long, hyung,” Siwon said, patting his old friend on the back.

Geng nodded, his eyes rimmed red. “It has,” he agreed.

Before he could ask any questions about Eun Mi, Siwon put his hand on his shoulder. “Let's get your luggage.” They made their way to the baggage pickup and Han Geng wasted no time in finding it. “Do you want to go to the hotel or—”

“No,” Han Geng answered. “I'd like to see her.” He winced at how broken his Korean must sound. He hadn't used it for awhile.

Siwon nodded and the two of them left the airport. Han Geng kept his eyes fixed on the cityscape of Seoul, his mind drifting as he wondered what he would find there. She would be asleep, but he had to see her. Would she be happy to see him? He hadn't spoken to her since—had it been over two years? How did things change so fast?

Siwon led his friend through the doors of the hospital and to the elevator. As they traveled upward, Siwon peered at his friend from the corner of his eye. “She'll be happy to see you.”

Han Geng looked at the floor and smiled grimly. “How do you know? She hates me.”

Siwon's eyebrows narrowed. “Hates you? No, hyung...” He opened his mouth to say more, but closed it, thinking otherwise.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and Siwon continued to lead Han through the hospital corridors. He came to a stop at one of the doors and looked at Han Geng. Geng swallowed and slowly stepped into the room. His heart felt like it dropped to the floor and shattered.

Her skin nearly melted into the sheets, the same stark white. Her black hair hung limp and lifeless around her gaunt face. Heavy bags clung underneath her eyes.

“Han Geng!” Eun Mi exclaimed, her voice croaking. Her shadowed eyes brightened as she reached out with thin, bony hands. “Its so good to see you.” As usual, her Chinese was flawless; just like she was.

Han Geng forced a smile and stepped forward, taking her hand and sitting beside her bed. “Its good to see you too,” he manged to say.

Eun Mi looked down at herself and sighed. “I'm sorry you have to see me like this.”

“Oh, no.” He shook his head and tightened his hand around hers. “You look beautiful.”

A small amount of color returned to her cheeks and she looked down at her lap. “Thank you,” she murmured. “When Siwon told me you were coming, I was so happy.” She looked up at her friend and smiled. “How long are you staying here?”

Han Geng smiled slightly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “As long as you want me to.”

“Forever, then,” she laughed and Han Geng joined her. “I've been keeping track of you in China. Your music...I love it so much.”

Han beamed at her and scooted closer. “I'm glad to hear it.”

Eun Mi kept his gaze before her smile dropped. “But I saw the 'Clown Mask' video...It worried me, Geng.”

He snorted at her concern. “Simple effects was all.”

“That's not it,” Mi answered. “You looked so...sad. More than just acting.” Her eyes returned to his. “Like you do now.”

“I was away from you,” Han said before he could stop himself. Immediately, he regretted it. She looked down again and he saw her chin trembling. Mentally smacking himself for not thinking before speaking. The subject of him leaving was still raw. “Mi, I'm sorry.”

“I couldn't go,” she said.

“I know. I just—”

“I had a life here. I couldn't pack up and go to China. No matter how much I wanted to. I wanted you to stay here and you wanted to go back to China. What was left for you here? Nothing. Nothing without being in Super Junior anymore. Even I couldn't keep you here.”

“Please, don't do this, Mimi,” Han Geng begged, taking both her hands in his. “I don't want this to end the way it did last time. I'm sorry for everything I said and did. I should have visited, talked to you even. But I was a fool...”

“Would you be telling me all this if I wasn't dying?” came her sharp reply.

“Of course,” said Han Geng. “And you're not going to die, okay? You're going to be fine.”

Tears fell from Eun Mi's eyes and she jerked her hands away from his, only to wrap her arms around his neck. “I don't want to die,” she sobbed, burying her face in his shoulder. “I'm...so scared.”

Han wrapped his arms around her and rose from his seat so he could sit beside her on the bed. He licked his lips, glad she couldn't see his watering eyes. He looked up at the doorway to see Siwon turning away. Han sighed. “Do you remember how we first met?” The answer to his question was a nod, her hair brushing against his neck. “I was lost in the SM building and I saw you dancing alone in one of the studios. I thought, 'She's incredible! I have to learn how to do that.'.”

“But you already knew,” Mi answered quietly.

Han Geng smirked. He'd already knew how to dance; he even knew all fifty-six Chinese traditional dances. Plus, ballet. Mi had been practicing her ballet and Han had found it a familiarity in that foreign world he'd dumped himself into. He'd found something comforting in a total stranger. “But you helped me get through everything.”

“I saw how lost you were,” Eun Mi said.

“I was so scared back then,” said Han Geng.

“You had every right to be,” she answered.

“Just like you do now.”

Eun Mi swallowed, her eyes tracing over the blank wall across from them. “I'm so used to being brave, but...I can't do it anymore.”

“Then, I'll do it for the both of us.”

Mi smiled and closed her eyes, breathing in his cologne. “I missed you, Geng,” she said.

“I missed you too,” he answered quietly, setting his chin on her head.

“Thank you for coming. I know it wasn't easy with everything going on for you.”

“You're more important than any of that,” Han Geng replied. “I just wish I would have came back sooner.”

“Me too...”

Those two words that were breathed, innocent and soft, brought tears to Han Geng's eyes. He regretted his stubbornness, the pointless fight that had drove them apart over two years ago. He'd been so sure she'd come with him to China; and when she refused, his pride was smashed and he claimed that everything between them had been a lie.

They never really dated, but their were feelings—ones they never truly addressed. They had performed countless times together. One time she even traveled to China with him for a special event. Their connection while they danced was one Geng had craved for. He felt closest to her when they were on stage performing. It was hard to explain, words that even he couldn't find.

And he wanted to feel that closeness. Just one more time. He wanted to experience that weightlessness when she was beside him, in step and moving with perfection. Just one more time...

“What do you want?” he asked softly.

“What do you mean?”

Han Geng pulled away from her so he could look in her eyes. “There must something you want to do. A place you want to see? Something...”

The corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled. “I don't know.”

His lips upturned in a smile. “I have an idea...”



“Siwon...what are we doing?”

“You'll see.”

“I don't like surprises,” Eun Mi scowled as he led her down the aisle of the theater towards the stage.

Siwon chuckled. “You and I both know that's not true.”

Eun Mi rolled her eyes and let him continue to lead her. He walked her up the steps and to the center of the stage. Then, he released her arm and hopped back down.

“Siwon,where are you going?” Eun Mi demanded as he walked back up the aisle.

Siwon simply waved without turning around and disappeared. Eun Mi huffed and crossed her arms, hiding her exhaustion behind annoyance. The short walk from hospital to car and car to theater had taken too much out of her. She frowned. Being so weak only made the reality harsher.

A slow, orchestral tone rose into the air and Eun Mi lifted her head. Her teeth shown brighter in the stage light, though it washed out her skin tone more.

“Remember it?”

She turned her head to see Han Geng walking out onto the stage, dressed in a black beater and jeans. His raven-colored hair was laid naturally over his head, the way she liked it.

Eun Mi nodded. “Its the song we danced to for our first performance.”

Han Geng gave a single nod before breaking into the choreography, a mixture of moves from Chinese traditional dancing and fluent foot and hand motions. Eun Mi's eyes stayed locked on him as he graced across the stage, feet seeming to be barely touching the floor as he spun and stretched, keeping his own dark eyes on hers. Eun Mi knew every tiny step, every flick of the hand, every turn of the neck. She and him had worked endlessly on it together until it was perfect. Watching him dance around her, her chest contracted with longing to be beside him. But she knew that her body couldn't take the excessive movement. No, this was enough. Seeing him resurrect apart of their history just for her left her floating.

Suddenly, Han Geng was upon her. “Ready?” he asked.

Eun Mi barely had any time to respond before his hands encircled her waist and lifted her into the air. Grinning, Eun Mi struck her pose, arms outstretched, legs arched in an elegant angle. Han Geng spun her around, the air blowing against her face and she closed her eyes, reveling in the way it felt to truly fly again. Han Geng released her waist and she dropped into his arms, toes barely scuffing the floor as he spun them both around, not at all hindered by the extra weight.

Their eyes never left each other, Han Geng's arms wrapped protectively around her. Eun Mi's smile brought on his own, though tears clouded his eyes. Her beauty always fazed him, the way her skin shown in the stage lights, movements beyond the words of graceful. She placed her lips against his, gently, and it was like the air had been knocked from Han Geng's lungs.

“I love you, Geng,” she whispered, lips moving softly against his.

She encircled his neck with her arms, supporting more of her own weight as she laid her head on his shoulder. Han Geng laid his own head on hers, keeping his footing as they continued to move slowly across the stage. “I love you.”

Her body went slack in his arms. Han Geng's eyes widened, his breath freezing in his throat. “Eun Mi?” There was no response. “Eun Mi?” His voice became frantic as he picked up her face with his hand. It was set in a peaceful expression, eyes closed and a small smile against her lips. “Eun Mi!” Han Geng dropped to his knees, holding her against him. “Siwon!” he yelled, looking behind him.

“Siwon! Call for help!” He looked back down at the pale form before him, tears falling from the brims of his eyes. “Don't leave me...” Siwon thundered up the stage, talking rapidly on the cell phone. Han Geng's fingers brushed down the side of her face, memorizing her features, forever frozen. The reality set in and Han Geng pulled her to his chest, sobbing into her shoulder. “Please,” he begged.

Siwon's hand rested on his friend's shoulder as he dropped to his knees beside him. “I'm so sorry.” He brushed his own tears away.

She was gone, wrenched from Han Geng's grasp no matter how tightly he had held her. He tried desperately to contain himself, but the grief was overwhelming. So powerful he lifted his head to scream at the ceiling. A scream filled with agony and defeat that echoed off the walls with pain-filled regrets.