Chapter Text
Spring came early that year; in the breeze that caressed the back of his hand, a hint of winter remained. Minhyuk put his hands inside his pocket to keep his body warmth better as he walked down the road by himself.
What struck him hard enough for the thought to visit his old neighbourhood show up in his mind? Most likely a call from his relative that he used to live with.
Within the busy days that filled his adult life, he spared a few days just to go back to Gwangju alone. Taking a breather or two was never a bad idea, hence his immediate action as soon as his company gave him a break.
Coming back to his old town made him feel unlike himself in ways unexplainable to him.
“Are you sure you want to go around alone?” was the question that made him realise just how odd he was acting.
His cousin looked at him nonchalantly for he was never one to fuss over doing things by himself, and yet he found it odd that he didn’t wish for company. He could only muster a nod as he left the residence for a walk, frown still visible on his face.
Within each step he took, he could feel his heart sinking in nostalgia.
It was bound to happen, he thought. He didn’t recall spending that much time in that city, but all sort of thing sparked warmth in his chest. Even small details, like the noisy sound of run-down fan that his neighbour owned, brought a tiny smile onto his face.
Just how miserable his life had become that only then did he get the chance to appreciate the beauty of small things around him. He snorted toward himself.
Completely impulsive, that’s how he would describe the tour. He didn’t seem to have any concern flashing in his contour as he strolled the road. The way his eyes would wander around aimlessly made him look like he was lost but enjoying the scenery nevertheless.
Taking his time to walk around the neighbour was never against his policy, what might hurt him?
Ultimately, he halted in front of a vast field.
Minhyuk’s eyes scanned the surrounding quickly, frantically searching for certain object of his interest. He pressed his lips together, suppressing himself from saying anything as he found it on the edge of his eyes.
Staying still was never his forte, and yet he found himself staring helplessly, as if he was awestruck by the beauty it presented. There, on one side of the field, a single cherry blossom tree with stood.
The first step he took was heavy, but it got better as he took more. He ran lightly, pacing up his heartbeat as his muscle worked to take him there faster. Each breath he exhaled and thump his heart made lift the anticipation in him.
It made him unable to predict precisely; he tripped as he tried to stop himself in front of the lone tree in the field. He brushed dust off his honey blonde hair and all over his clothes gently.
Rather than the pain stinging his knees, the heat creeping on his face was all he could focus on. Hurriedly, his eyes wandered to make sure no one witnessed him on his lowest. He wouldn’t like a total stranger to remember him as the dumb blonde who tripped over his own feet.
Knowing he was alone, he sighed in relief. He must thank God that the place was in a rather secluded area.
“You look dumb.”
Until he heard that voice calling out to him; that’s when he jumped and clenched his fist, just in case he would be required to blow a punch to a creep or ghost.
Behind him, stood a guy with lanky figure. The white shirt, instead of being worn by him, looked as if it was draped on his figure due to its larger size. In contrast, he wore a tight-fitting black jeans that emphasized his long legs. Minhyuk had to look up to spot that the stranger had pink hair colour.
"Creep,” Minhyuk curtly replied, yanking his gaze away from the weirdo.
Minhyuk had wanted to collect his last piece of dignity by standing up and showing him that he’s not made out of embarrassment. As childish as it might sound, he couldn’t exactly be categorized as short. There was a chance for him to beat the man in height battle.
It was proven to be a mistake. His 1.78 m didn’t win like he had expected.
Their eyes met. The man reeked of calm demeanour. Minhyuk felt as if he wouldn’t flinch even if Minhyuk were to tell him they’re long lost sibling. Something about that indifference irked Minhyuk; especially when the face that was framed by the pink hair was extremely breath-taking.
“Well,” Minhyuk took a step back, realising how much he had stared. The taller man tilted his head, eyes fixated on Minhyuk with little shift in his expression. “I was labelled a creep. Can’t say I’m not offended.”
“You sneaked up on me!” What was intended to come out as a brave statement turned out to be a squeak. “What are you? Some assassin sent to finish me off?”
“With my bright pink hair. Sure.”
With a huff, Minhyuk turned his body. “Poor thing, you missed the pink maid outfit. You failed, buddy.”
Minhyuk kneeled down, taking a nearby stick that seemed sturdy enough. He used it to dig the ground near the cherry blossom tree. Just a little bit, perhaps, he regretted not bringing any shovel with him.
As he kept digging, he could feel the pastel haired man’s presence right behind him. The silence seemed to emphasize the intensity of his stare, hence he stopped digging occasionally to see how he would respond. He didn’t even need to turn his eyes away to know that the man had averted his gaze whenever he felt like Minhyuk would stop his activity and turn over.
“What are you doing?” The stranger opened the talk. “Even kids these days do more useful things than you.”
“I quite enjoy vandalising this park.” The lanky guy sat beside Minhyuk, loudly sighing as if Minhyuk just reduced his lifeline bit by bit by that statement.
Perhaps, this time the cherry blossom boy (Minhuk thought it was just befitting for him to be called that) became even bolder. The stare was no longer directed toward the back of his head, it was directed toward his face instead. God knows how much he was tempted to look back.
“You haven’t changed.”
Huh.
Once again, their eyes met. All credits to the sudden statement. “How are you supposed to know that?”
Upon the question, Minhyuk noticed a crack in his stern front. The change was subtle, but his expression seemed to harden right away. As if he didn’t want to show anything further.
Minhyuk was certain it was disappointment that flashed in his expression.
The taller didn’t seem to be interested in starting another conversation. Instead, he gave Minhyuk a long stare. Maybe that was not precisely a pleasant thing for Minhyuk, so he stopped digging to stare back. For a while, both of them stayed still just to stare at each other.
As awkward as it might sound, Minhyuk felt petty enough to not want to lose even in that small aspect. The little fight he put made his enemy open his mouth, but no word came out in the end.
The cherry blossom boy gave in and looked away. “This is ridiculous,” muttered the fellow with peculiar hair colour.
Cue Minhyuk’s vainglorious smile as he giggled and pried his gaze away once again. Since the little fight was over anyway, Minhyuk continued his previous activity.
Not long after, his stick seemed to hit something solid between the soils. Hope quickly spread inside him as soon as he heard the sound it made. He regained strength that was drained from him after minutes of digging, and his lips were pulled into a wide smile that was impossible to hide.
His effort revealed a biscuit box.
Minhyuk’s face lit up as his hand went to raise the box from the soil. The resemblance between it and the one in his memory was unmistakable.
“Finally,” he murmured, unable to erase the grin on his face.
He brushed dust off the tin, inspecting whether his name was still inked on the case. He had written his name on it with permanent marker he stole from his cousin’s room and layered it with a tape so that it won’t get erased. He praised himself, realising that the trick worked even after being left for 8 years.
Minhyuk looked up to check on the cherry blossom boy, but he wasn’t there.
Just like how he had appeared, he disappeared without Minhyuk realising it.
Again, wind blew. It brushed his blonde hair, brushed the cherry blossom tree. Between the bangs that covered his eyes, he could see a single cherry blossom petal fell on his old biscuit box.
What is he being all shy for?
“I’m telling you, that place is haunted.” Jooheon said, more animated than alarmed. Minhyuk spooned his curry, nodding at his old friend’s claim nonchalantly.
He visibly looked like he believed none of what the younger man said, but any discussion is always more fun when it’s two people disagreeing each other. He waved his hand in dismissal, cocking a sideway smile to mock what sounded like a neighbourhood urban legend.
“That place is the least scary place in the whole town.” Minhyuk tried to argue. “The cherry blossom looked pretty, too. How old is it?”
Jooheon groaned and rolled his eyes. “Of course you would be attracted to the cherry blossom. You have always been freakish, hyung.” He proceeded to use his spoon to point at Minhyuk accusingly.
Minhyuk gasped and clutched his chest as if Jooheon just offended his ancestors by saying that. “What did I and the cherry blossom even do to you, man.”
“Not the cherry blossom, hyung. It’s the ghost that is stuck with that tree.”
Silence followed. Minhyuk kept shoving his meal into his mouth, not minding his friend who paused everything just to make a dramatic effect on his story. Let him be the only fool in the room, he thought while munching. As his spoon made clattering sound when it met the porcelain plate again, the boy cleared his throat and continued his meal.
Minhyuk giggled. “So? What did he do to you, my sweet Heonie?”
The younger man glared at Minhyuk, not fond of being called such in mocking tone. While munching his food, he said, “I seriously have met the ghost once. He just glared at me when I tried to come close to the cherry blossom tree!”
Minhyuk hummed again, this time putting his spoon down. He propped his chin, finally giving his old friend his full attention. “Tell me more,” he requested as he tapped his fingers on the table. Jooheon nodded smugly, feeling accomplished by attaining the older man’s attention. He followed Minhyuk on putting down his spoon as he adjusted his seat to be settled up more comfortably.
“Where should I begin?” He clasped his hand together. “At first, I couldn’t see it. But when I wanted to go under the tree, he just appeared out of nowhere!”
Minhyuk leaned closer, furrowing his eyebrows. Jooheon nodded, linking his gaze with Minhyuk’s in exaggerated way. “Yes, I know it’s scary. At first, I was spooked but I just played it cool. But ... the less steps were there between us, the more apparent his glare was. God, he didn’t move an inch—or even blink!”
Expectant pause again. Jooheon froze, eyes tearing a hole on Minhyuk. He might label himself an idiot at times but he was not enough of an idiot to not notice that Jooheon was waiting to spot any hint of fear in the older man’s eyes. None of that happened, and still they wallowed themselves in silence.
“Let me have a guess,” Minhyuk interrupted as the boy wished then, eyes as serious as before. “You ran away because it was scary. You banged the door to your friend’s house loudly and got scolded. Am I on the spot?”
A faint red hue started to creep onto Jooheon’s face. “Of course it’s not like that.”
“Could it be that my Heonie has grown?”
“I screamed and ran ... and came to my friend’s house. I didn’t—don’t look at me like that—do anything more than pressing the doorbell repeatedly.”
Minhyuk kind of felt bad for the idea that Jooheon grew up to be less of a scaredy-cat to cross his mind. Which part of Jooheon would he mistook as changed?
He leaned back as he snickered. Undoubtedly, that the wimpy friend of his have added some exaggeration to spice the story up. He had nothing against that, fortunately, for he gained even more subject where he can tease Jooheon in.
“You need to stop being easy,” he added after sighing. He couldn’t deny he enjoyed seeing Jooheon pouting.
“For real, though,” Jooheon picked his spoon and began eating once again. “Is your aunt okay with this?”
Minhyuk tilted his head. “Why not? They like you a lot.” Or was scared of Minhyuk enough to be overjoyed when he proposed to sleep over in Jooheon’s residence. Somewhere along the way, the line got blurred. Perhaps the reason was a mixture of the two, which would make it more spiteful for him.
As always, Jooheon merely looked at Minhyuk. He shook his head gently, as if he understood what was in his old friend’s head. What gave it away? Did he sound too bitter, perhaps? He might’ve just turned the situation to be awkward if so.
Minhyuk stood up first; he was the one with empty plate. After washing it while attempting to come up with various light conversation with his temporal housemate, he excused himself to go to the shower.
“Hyung, about that ghost ....”
Minhyuk froze and turned his head. “What about him?”
The sound of water stopped. Jooheon put his plate gently and while chuckling, he said, “How did you know that it’s a he? It’s almost as if you knew him before I told you about him.”
Funny how small things seem to get stuck in Jooheon’s mind, truly. Inconvenient for Minhyuk, but that’s what made him infatuated with Jooheon.
“Maybe I found his little valued treasure. Just maybe.”
Single cherry blossom petal fell onto Minhyuk’s palm. The wind was not that strong, just enough to make him feel like being lulled to sleep.
The sunlight was shielded by clouds that day. He could feel it gently kissing his skin, which was pleasant if combined with the wind. The sight in front him might not be the best—he could only saw a relatively quiet road—but he wouldn’t appreciate it less. He sat under the haunted cherry blossom that Jooheon wouldn’t shut up about, already planning to brag to the boy later.
Though he was also quite fond of the quietness around the place, he broke it.
“You’re there, aren’t you?”
Even without turning his head, Minhyuk knew that the cherry blossom boy was there, of course.
He could draw the image perfectly inside his head; a lone figure, sitting on a branch of blooming cherry blossom trunk with indifferent look. While his face would make the painting beautiful, his pink hair would blend well with the petals around him and perfect everything.
If it were to be turned into a painting of Minhyuk’s taste, though, he would like to give the man’s empty eyes a touch of loneliness.
“You aren’t surprised.” There came the mildly soothing voice of his.
“I’m just good at hiding it.” Minhyuk lied.
“You’re not cute and not fun.”
The first statement sounded like another lie to Minhyuk, but he saved that for himself.
Murmuring a half-hearted apology, Minhyuk turned his head to look at the cherry blossom boy whose state was precisely like how Minhyuk imagined. Unlike previously, they broke the eye contact almost right after. Minhyuk did, to be precise. He was not feeling as petty as he was the last time they met.
Minhyuk rested his head on the tree. The boy didn’t look like the type who talks a lot; in this situation, Minhyuk had to take the lead. Miscellaneous topics started to cross his mind as soon as he realised that, and he was determined to pick one that wouldn’t be killed in a blink.
“Aren’t you going to ask why am I here?”
The cherry blossom boy stayed quiet for a few moment. “What will your answer be, Minhyuk?”
If that isn’t his name.
“Ghosts sure have a unique ability,” he commented. “Can you read minds? Is that how you got my name, pink boy?”
“Please don’t call me that ever again.”
Minhyuk giggled. “Why can’t I? I think I missed the get-to-know-each-other’s-name event.”
“You came here because you opened that box.”
Minhyuk couldn’t deny that, so he kept his mouth shut.
Minhyuk pulled his knees closer to his chest, resting his head on them and closed his eyes slowly. “Maybe I did.” He said, which came out as no more than a whisper. Normally, he would assume only heard what he said. Knowing the cherry blossom boy, though, he must’ve hard. He barely misses anything in almost everything.
Maybe he was a little conflicted inside.
“Who told you about the box?” The cherry blossom boy spoke again, this time oddly calm. He suppressed something, again. “Only you and I know about that box. You knew where to find the box, Lee Minhyuk. You remember that box. So you should remember—”
“Stop it. Just stop.”
As Minhyuk had expected, the cherry blossom boy listened well. After a short pause, Minhyuk closed hie eyes and muttered, “You’re scaring me with those questions, you know.”
“Really, now?”
Minhyuk snickered. “Of course. Imagine coming here to fetch a box you vaguely remember, and then suddenly you found yourself two letters written by your past self. I don’t even remember writing that letter!”
The cherry blossom boy kept still and silent. Minhyuk decided it’s a cue for him to continue. “Can you imagine how do I feel when I opened one of the letter and only a name that I don’t know of was written there?” He sighed and threw his head back, staring at the cherry blossom that acted as his umbrella that afternoon.
“A name,” The cherry blossom boy’s tone started to harden again. “A name, you said.”
“A name.” Minhyuk confirmed, accompanied with a nod. “I really hate my past self, you know? He wrote two letters just to put a name in one of them. He’s wasting paper, I don’t get teenagers!”
The quietness came back for a short while. “And the entry of the other letter is?”
“A request for me to tell you about the name. The name is yours, apparently. You have no name and I had to name you, am i right? My memory is horrible for not being able to remember a thing.”
The cherry blossom boy opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He closed it not long after.
“It feels weird. Like receiving an order from other person despite it being written by myself. I really ... don’t know why am I like this, too.”
“Really, now.” He repeated, this time weaker than previous one.
“I’m sorry. I can definitely tell you your name, though. Isn’t that why you wanted?”
The cherry blossom boy started to develop disappointment in his voice. “What?”
“In the letter, it was written as if you really wanted to know the name I would give you. But ... my asshole past self refused and told you to wait for the next time we meet. Right?” Minhyuk snorted. “There’s a limit to how much of an asshole one can be, and I surpassed it.”
The cherry blossom boy looked down, right to Minhyuk’s eyes. “Tell me, then, Lee Minhyuk.”
Something felt so bitter in his eyes.
It reminded Minhyuk of Jooheon’s 17th birthday. The poor boy had expected something grandeur being thrown by his friends and family only to be greeted by some birthday party that no one put effort in preparing. Of course, they threw the proper party the next day. It was just some cruel prank to the soft hearted Jooheon.
Both of them, cherry blossom boy and Jooheon, looked equally devastated—not quite resenting, but he was snatched from his sweet imagination just like that. And Minhyuk felt a pang in his chest.
Even then he couldn’t stop himself from being so selfish.
“But you know, I have a request for you before I tell you about it.”
The cherry blossom boy groaned in frustration. “You never changed, did you?”
Maybe he really never did.
Hesitation started to show up when he opened his mouth to state the condition. Perhaps it was bad idea. He could have just taken the easy way and hurt no one in the process, and probably should. Instead he listened to his ego; the cherry blossom boy was right, he never changed.
What can he do when he already told lies that are beyond repairing anyway?
“I’ll give you the name if you agree to be my friend before I go back to Seoul. Will you be my friend, cherry blossom guardian?"