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Coincidences are few and far between in this world. And while there are some things we’ve always wished for, we can’t foresee all of the events that appear in our lives, especially those that bring us misfortune.
There are things that we can’t foresee no matter how much we want to. Things like our death. Unfortunately for Hoseok the world he lived in was quite different. Because on the day you die, you receive a phone call informing you of your death. It is done because this way you are allowed to live out your last day and say goodbye to your loved ones. But Hoseok thinks it’s bullshit.
It’s all bullshit because his hands are shaking and it’s hard to breathe and everyone in the coffee shop is staring at him with pity and worry and he doesn’t even know what he’s supposed to do now.
If he walked out of the caffe he could be hit by a car at any moment, or he could be mugged or beat to death and then he’d have no way of saying goodbye to his parents and sister and Mickey. He had told Jimin, it’s okay, I can walk home on my own. It’s late, you’re tired, go home to sleep, but now if he dies on his way home Jimin will feel like it’s his fault because that’s just how Jimin is.
Before he knew it there were tears streaming down his cheeks and he dropped his phone somewhere on the bench he was sitting on. The hot chocolate in front of him was already cooling because he just had to stop at his favourite coffee shop after practice, before he went home.
He tried to think about what he was going to do next but he couldn't calm down no matter how much he wanted to. Suddenly, a sound rang out through the caffe again. It made Hoseok’s breath hitch and he stood straighter in his chair.
It was the same ringtone that Hoseok had heard a few minutes ago. The ringtone everyone would hear hours before their death.
Hoseok scrambled trying to find his phone on the bench only to realise that it wasn’t his phone that was ringing. Looking up, he saw the boy with the blonde hair behind the counter answer his phone. He didn't know his name, but he was the cute guy that Jimin always teased him about.
The silence in the coffee shop was deafening, but it was broken as the girl in the corner jumped from her seat, throwing her bag over her shoulder and leaving, fearing that she would be next.
As it was past midnight there weren’t many people left but there were still enough of them for Hoseok to know that the boy felt scrutinized under their stares just as he felt a few moments ago.
A hushed conversation took place between the boy and the person on the other side of the line. After a few minutes the boy finished the call with a sigh. So far, he took it a lot better than Hoseok had, who was shaken even now. He turned towards his colleague, a woman older than him, who had tears in her eyes.
They exchanged a few words, before the boy took off his apron and handed it to her. He bowed, then he turned and stepped away from the counter. Looking around as if he was deciding what to do, his gaze landed on Hoseok. He began walking towards his booth.
“Can I sit?” he asked, his voice grave and calm as if he wasn’t just informed of his imminent death.
Hoseok nodded, stunned.
“Tough luck, huh…” the boy ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his seat. “I’m Yoongi.”
“Hoseok.”
It was quiet after that. Hoseok didn’t know what to say. It was still hard for him to believe that he will soon be dead. And Yoongi as well…
“So, what are you gonna do?” Yoongi asked, breaking the silence.
The question took Hoseok by surprise but he still shrugged, nonchalantly. “Dunno. Right now I just wanna stay here as long as possible.”
“You know that won’t work, right?” Yoongi said with a scoff.
“Of course, I do. I’m just… scared.”
Yoongi’s gaze softened. “Me too,” he admitted, placing his elbows on the table.
“You certainly don’t look like it.”
“Freaking out isn’t gonna help,” Yoongi said. “Is there something you wanna do?”
Hoseok sighed and looked down at his feet. “I don’t know. If I go see my family now it will hurt more. That's not how I want to spend my last moments. I know that's selfish, but I don't think I'll be able to take it."
Yoongi shook his head. "It’s not selfish. Not at all. Don't think that."
Hoseok nodded hesitant, not believing Yoongi's words but not having the heart to argue. "What about you?"
“I can’t see my family. They’re in Daegu." Yoongi paused as if he was gathering his thoughts then he continued, firmly. "I wanna play the piano again.”
“You play the piano?”
Yoongi nodded. “Yeah. I want to become a musician. Well, wanted.”
“I wanted to dance,” Hoseok simply said, leaning back in his chair and looking at the ceiling.
“What about your friends? The one with pink hair and the other one who always orders a mocha latte.”
Hoseok laughed softly. “Jimin and Taehyung. I don’t know... I don’t wanna cry with them either. They mean a lot to me and Jimin,” he paused, “Jimin will find a way to blame himself somehow. I don’t want to see that.”
Yoongi seemed to understand because he didn’t push anymore. Hoseok’s lips curved in a smile as a memory popped up in his mind.
“Jimin likes to tease me a lot. About my crush on you,” he admitted, because these are his last moments and there really isn’t any point in not saying it.
It seems to be worth it because Yoongi’s cheeks immediately took on a rosy hue. His eyes were wide. “You have a crush on me? You didn’t even know my name until now.”
Hoseok laughed at how flustered Yoongi became. “I guess it’s not really a crush but I think you’re cute. And when you make my drink with all those toppings that I like, you get this really adorable frown on your face as if you can’t fathom how someone can drink something so sweet.”
“That’s… How did you even figure all that out?”
“I didn’t at first. But then I was studying here once and you came as a customer and got yourself a black coffee and then it all made sense.”
Yoongi shook his head. “You’re ridiculous.”
Hoseok laughed and for just a moment he forgot what his fate was. Looking at Yoongi who had just a ghost of a smile on his face everything seemed a little bit better.
“I wish we talked before,” Yoongi said, reminding Hoseok again of what was supposed to happen to them soon. “Maybe you could have taken me out on a date?”
Hoseok’s heart skipped a beat at Yoongi’s words. At this moment there is nothing he regretted more than not introducing himself to Yoongi all those times Jimin and Tae pushed him to do it. It’s not like he was nervous or worried, he just didn’t think anything would come out of it. Now he realised how dumb that was.
“I would have liked that,” he replied, sighing again and looking down at the table fixating his gaze on a spot of grease that he didn’t really notice before.
He was brought out of his stupor when his phone buzzed and Hoseok looked at it to see a text message from Jimin asking if he got home alright. His chest got heavy again and he ignored Jimin’s message, in favour of turning off his phone completely. He would be too tempted to call his loved ones otherwise.
Yoongi saw, of course and when his and Hoseok’s eyes met, he noticed sorrow in his gaze.
“Why don’t we leave this place?” Hoseok asked, surprising himself.
Yoongi seemed surprised as well. “Where would we go?”
“Do you have a piano at home?” Yoongi nodded. “Good, let’s go. You want to play the piano so let’s go play the piano.”
Without waiting for a reply Hoseok stood from the booth and took the gym bag where he held his dance practice clothes. He threw it over his shoulder and jerked his head towards the door, urging Yoongi to stand up and follow him.
“Ok, let’s go.”
They left the coffee shop after Yoongi said goodbye to his manager for the last time. Hoseok could tell that the both of them had tears in their eyes they were unwilling to shed. Stepping out of the building they were hit with a gust of cold air. Hoseok didn’t expect the night to be so cold.
He turned towards Yoongi who was only wearing a black T-shirt and shivering despite the fact that he seemed like he was trying to hide it. Rummaging through his bag, Hoseok found a white jacket that he held in there for when he might need it, but he never really used it. He handed it to Yoongi.
“Here, it’s clean.”
Yoongi stared at it for a moment before he took it and put it on. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome," Hoseok said, reveling in the fact that he had made Yoongi blush again. They began walking with Yoongi leading the way. “Do you live far from here?”
“No, just a few streets. If we’re careful we should be fine.”
Right… careful. They have to be careful of thieves or cars or buildings falling or whatever else could kill them at any moment. Hoseok found it strange how calm he felt. Though there is nothing he can do about it at this point, it freaks him out that he isn’t scared anymore.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, their steps cautious and eyes darting from place to place. There was no point in doing it because if they were meant to die on their way to Yoongi’s house then they will die. Whether they are careful or not.
Fortunately they make it without incident. They have to walk up a flight of stairs for five floors and by the time they are up they are both slightly out of breath. Yoongi fitted the key in the lock and he opened the door, turning on the lights.
“Sorry for the mess,” he mumbled, even though the place wasn’t really messy. Just a few empty cups on the coffee table and a jacket thrown over the couch.
It wasn’t a big apartment, but it was cosy and it felt like a place that could easily become someone’s home.
The piano was located in a corner of the living room, besides a shelf full of books and different trinkets. Hoseok walked up to it and noticed a frame. Four people were gathered in front of a lake, one of them holding a fish while the others made faces in the background.
“Who are they?” he asked Yoongi as the other man approached him.
He smiled softly when he saw the photograph. “They are my friends. This is Seokjin-hyung, we go fishing together sometimes,” he said pointing to the man holding the fish, then he moved his finger to the left, “this is Namjoon, he’s a genius but he won't admit it,” and finally he pointed to the one who seemed the youngest, “this is Jungkook, he’s usually shy but he’s a good kid.”
His tone was so fond and looking back at the picture, Hoseok saw how happy they all looked. Thinking for a moment, he realised that Namjoon seemed somewhat familiar.
"Namjoon… I think I was in the same class with him once, last year."
Yoongi smiled. "Really? That makes you my junior. You better call me hyung."
Hoseok couldn't help smiling back. "Okay, hyung." He turned back towards the photograph. “Don’t you want to see them?”
Yoongi sighed. “Seokjin-hyung is in Japan filming his first drama, Namjoon went to his hometown to visit family and Jungkook… I don’t wanna put him through that.
“We’ve known each other for so long, this is the first time we are separated and I get my call. Irony of fate, is that what they say?”
Hoseok nodded. “Yeah. We’re supposed to know when we die just so that we can spend time with our loved ones. Look at us now.”
Without a response, Yoongi sat down at the piano and motioned for Hoseok to do the same. He gently brushed one of the keys without pressing down on it. He turned towards Hoseok. “I don’t mind that it’s you.”
Surprised, Hoseoks widened his eyes. “What?”
“I don’t mind that I’m spending my last day, or hour, or hell, even just my last minutes with you. I really wish I would have known you earlier.”
“I… don’t mind either,” was all Hoseok said before letting his gaze fall towards Yoongi’s hands which were already placed on the piano keys.
Without waiting anymore, Yoongi pressed down on the keys and began playing. A soft, melancholic melody filled the room as Yoongi’s fingers gently but expertly moved on the white and black tiles. Hoseok looked at his face. His expression was serene, his eyes were closed but there were no mistakes in the song. On the contrary, Hoseok was hit with a wave of emotion, powerful sorrow that seeped into his bones.
A stray lock of blonde, bleached hair was touching Yoongi’s eyelid and Hoseok’s hand itched to brush it away. For a moment, he forgot how to breathe. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen someone so beautiful.
The melody ended and Yoongi opened his eyes, looking at the piano as if his only regret was having to leave it behind.
"That was beautiful," Hoseok whispered and Yoongi turned towards him.
Hoseok gave in to his own wish and raised his hand to brush away the hair, his fingers lowering until they barely touched Yoongi’s cheek.
"Thank you," he said.
"What for?" Yoongi asked, surprised.
"For being here…" he replied, a soft smile appearing on his lips.
Yoongi smiled back, this time wide and gummy and it was the first time Hoseok had seen that smile. Yoongi laughed. "Where else would I be?"
Hoseok shrugged, moving to rest his forehead on Yoongi's own. He joined in on the laughter ignoring the smell of smoke that started filling the room.
He didn't know who closed the distance, maybe it was Yoongi, but suddenly their lips were pressed together.
It was a soft and somehow unsure kiss, the way first kisses are supposed to be but at the same time it was hurried and passionate the way a last kiss is supposed to feel like.
When they pulled back, it was already hard for Hoseok to breathe, though he wasn't sure if it was from the kiss or the smoke.
He heard people shouting and footsteps were thumping down the stairs. They could try to run too, but it wouldn't change anything.
Hoseok wrapped his arms around Yoongi, holding him tightly as the other man did the same.
The panic he felt a few hours ago was returning and Hoseok felt tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Shh, it's okay, Hoseok-ah. We'll be okay."
They both know that wasn't the truth and the crack in Yoongi’s voice gave away the fear that he was trying to hide.
Hoseok tightened his hold on him, as Yoongi’s fingers moved up to brush Hoseok's hair in a soothing manner.
"Hyung, I love you," he whispered against his shoulder. There was no fire around them yet but the smoke might suffocate them before they could burn.
It might be even better that way, Hoseok thought.
"I love you, too."
Hoseok closed his eyes and concentrated on Yoongi's breathing. Everything would be alright as long as he heard it. And after that… well after that it wouldn't matter anymore.