Chapter Text
"Hyung, I found someone I like."
Seoho felt his world falling apart. He feared this day will come when the one he loves will love someone else. He sighed in the defeat of all his attempted failed attempts, lack of courage, and his own indecisiveness. His heart feels pricked by hundreds of needles. But it's too late now, to dwell on regret.
"Wow! Really? Tell me, who is it?" He tried to compose himself, to act like normal, as if it's not hurting him. Trying hard not to slip sadness in his voice, and trying to be the good friend he was supposed to.
"It's a senior. I like him as a friend at first but there was a day when I was looking at him I felt my heart beating, my world stop, and I realized I fell in love." Keonhee lovingly said, with a warm smile on his face.
A drop of tear falls down in Seoho's cheek. He doesn't know why his heart hurt so much. He wants to be happy for him, he really does, Keonhee's happiness should be his happiness too, it's just hurt too much. It hurt too much that the one he loves, love someone else.
-
It was his twelfth of his summer he met the newly moved family next to his house. He saw a little boy hiding behind his mother, holding onto his mother's skirt in one hand and the other holding a plushie. He assumed that he was younger than him around eight years old because he was taller than him. Seeing the shy child, almost in tears, he felt a strange responsibility arise in him, he wants to protect this child.
"I'm Lee Seoho, you?" He said with a bright smile, looking at the child behind his mother. The child was startled, holding tighter to his mother.
Without looking at Seoho, the child introduce himself. "I-I'm K-Keonhee."
"Hello, Keonhee! Let's play beside the riverside."
Keonhee's eyes sparkled. He stared at his mother's eyes seeking permission which his mother nodded to. He passes his plushie to his mother and gesturing his mother to bent down. Keonhee planted a kiss on her cheek then walks timidly to Seoho's side.
"Let's go!" Seoho reached out his hand to Keonhee in which Keonhee takes. They started walking to go near the riverside. Keonhee with a gleaming smile looks back to wave goodbye to his parents.
-
It's been a year now since Keonhee's family moved next to his house. Since then Keonhee follows him like a puppy chasing its mother. They've got closer. Seoho felt he gain a younger brother which makes him very happy. Keonhee often sleepover at his house, more likely, they played until they fall asleep.
"Hah...My heart always jumped in worry when I realized Keonhee is not home yet. I'm sorry for always bothering you like this." Keonhee's mother apologizes to Seoho's mother.
"It's alright, I love seeing them like this. It's great to have friends of their age." Seoho's mother gently said.
They look lovingly at their children as they sleep peacefully holding each others' hands.
"Keonhee, there's a pigeon!" Seoho said pointing to nowhere.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!" Keonhee runs to his side to hide. Seoho love teasing Keonhee as he gives a big reaction that makes him laugh out loud.
"Hihihihi." Seoho laughs mischievously. "You've been trick, Keonhee."
"Hyung..."
Seoho is always tricking, teasing, and startling Keonhee. He was always amused by Keonhee's reaction. And even more amused to Keonhee as he always sticks to him after all the mischief he has done to him.
"Coward, what a chicken." Seoho heard the child of his age on the other side of the park snickered at them. He looks at Keonhee and saw him sadly looking down to the ground. Seeing this, he's enraged. Though he like teasing Keonhee, he will never let anyone else hurt him.
"What did you just say?" Seoho glared at his opposite hiding Keonhee behind him.
"Chicken." The child smirked.
Hearing this, Seoho's anger reached its limit. He lands a punch to his face which makes the child run away with tears. He's upset but more than that he wants to comfort Keonhee. Seoho who's been with Keonhee for more than a year knows Keonhee is sensitive and a fragile child who cries to every little thing.
"Keonhee, let's go." With a gentle smile, he takes Keonhee's hand.
"Okay." Keonhee bashfully replied.
-
Time passed by quickly, it's already Keonhee's middle school graduation and Seoho is already in his second year of high school going third. They've been together for almost five years. Five years of constant bickering, quarrels, laughing about little things and sharing their days with each other. They are always together, best friends one could say.
With a bouquet of flowers in his hand, Seoho reached the gymnasium where the graduation is taking place. From far away he saw Keonhee laughing with his friends. That moment he felt his heart moved. The child who he treated as a younger brother who was surprisingly just two years younger than him grows taller than him. His voice sounds angelic, every time he speaks he felt light, comfort. He never realized it before but he has always thought Keonhee is more handsome than his peers.
"Hyung!" Keonhee called out.
Seoho watches every movement of Keonhee feeling the time slowing down for a minute. He watched Keonhee as he walks toward him. His hair fluttered with the air, eyes sparkling like starry stars in an autumn night, smile as warm as the sun, and his face as if perfectly sculpted by a great renowned sculptor. In conclusion, he looked ethereal.
"Congratulations, Keonhee."
"Hehe hyung, thank you."
What's with that smile?' Seoho was trying to organize the remaining rational reasoning left in him. He feels there's something wrong with him. Surely there was.
"So what school you'll be going to?"
"Your school."
"My school?!?"
"Really hyung? What did you think of me, an idiot?"
"You're not?" Seoho asked with his mischievous smile on his lips.
"Hyung!" Keonhee protested.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. Great job, Keonhee-ya."
Seoho pats Keonhee's head to let him know he's proud of him. Even he might have like to tease him, he truly cares for him. "I'll be going now, and have fun with your friends."
"Okay, hyung. Go home safely."
They part ways with Seoho's heart in feral. He never felt this way before since he always sees Keonhee as his younger, his best friend, his treasured person.
-
Keonhee really did enter his high school. Seoho thought that he would not be able to because the entrance exam for his school is difficult. They undergo many selection processes and only the chosen of chosens can enter. Seoho has known him long enough but he thought he was an idiot, no, not an idiot, a naive child who would find it hard to survive this world. He was even ready to be with him until they grow old.
"That first-year tall guy with a chestnut brown hair is so handsome."
"His smile is too captivating."
"Even his voice is very pleasant for the ears, I could listen to it forever."
The school is buzzing with noise, maybe because of the new students. It's too irritating, a noise, it's too loud for Seoho. He knows that they are talking about Keonhee.
'What's so good about him? He looks like a frog who jumps around me when he sees me. A puppy who'll never leave its mother's side. It's not like I hate, it's cute actually. And his eyes...'
"That guy, really? He's nothing."
'What did you just say?!?' Seoho felt a sudden irritation surge in him when he heard someone insults Keonhee. He lets himself to tease him but never will be others be allowed to do so. He calmed himself as it was not good to be upset with someone who says unnecessary things.
Seoho regain is composure, and search for Keonhee so they can go home together. He spotted Keonhee and saw a spectacular event.
In the center of their classroom, Keonhee is standing. There's a girl who had her head bowed down, arms extending to Keonhee holding a letter, and some supporters behind her. Keonhee looked flustered, do not know what to do, eyes looking around, and his cheeks with a little redness.
"Please go out with me!" The girl shouted.
"I-I..."
Keonhee looks around and met his eyes with Seoho's. 'Why are you looking at me?!?'