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It was way past midnight, and Hobi should really be at home. Should really be at home, because Jin and Jungkook are probably still asleep on his couch and hungover as hell. It was new year's after all, and they had a party to celebrate the very first moments of 2021 and drank far too much after that. After the two had passed out, Hobi found himself feeling a little overwhelmed with thoughts that he couldn’t shake off. That was how he ended up trucking up the hill to the bright Hollywood sign that he would always come to when he needed a couple moments to himself. When he just wanted to think for a little while.
The city’s lights were as bright as they ever had been. The night alive and shining with a passion that left Hobi almost breathless. It was beautiful, and it reminded him of why he moved here in the very first place, when he was just 19 and everything looked so scary, yet so enthralling to him. But he brushed that off as he walked up the hill, and braced himself to find couples making out and all over each other, but was surprised to find it being way quieter than he expected. It made sense, really. Everyone was out partying, no one wanted to be alone. Hobi figured he was one in a million.
But then he saw him. A blonde boy, sitting with his legs crossed over underneath the big W. Hobi wasn’t alone after all. Wasn’t the only one who needed to escape from the lively city filled with lights and laughter. He walked over and sat down underneath the big L, and looked out over the city. Thinking of nothing and everything all at once. It was then the blonde boy looked over at him, and tilted his head to the side.
“Do I know you from somewhere?”
Hobi’s head snapped to him, and he looked the blonde boy over before deciding— the man did look sort of familiar. He thought for a moment, where would he know him from? His mind scanned all of the faces he had seen since he moved here, but coming up short. The blonde boy’s seemed to, too.
“I’m not sure, but you look really familiar.” Hobi decided to say, his dimple popping out ever so slightly.
The blonde reached out his hand and smiled when Hobi took it, shaking as if they had met for the first time. “Min Yoongi.”
“Jung Hoseok, but you can call me Hobi.”
“How old are you?” Yoongi took back his hand and wrapped his arms around his waist.
“I’m 27, internationally.”
Yoongi’s gums appeared as he smiled. Almost puffing his chest out a little before he nodded. “I’m your hyung, then.”
Hobi smiled at that as well. He hadn’t used honorifics with anyone in a long time, apart from Jungkook and Jimin calling him hyung once they met and found out Hobi was older than them. But, Hobi hadn’t had a hyung in a long time, probably since he moved here from Korea years ago. “Yoongi-hyung then.”
A moment of silence overcame them, as they felt the wind graze across their faces in a chilly breeze. The night was beautiful. The moon was high and there were so many stars in the sky that Hoseok just looked at in awe. The first night of the new year, and Hoseok was endeared. He finally felt like he could breathe. Laying down, and looking up at the stars as if he had never even seen them before, Hoseok felt free.
“Hyung, the stars are so pretty tonight.”
Yoongi looked up and his lips turned up as well. Leaning back on his jacket that he laid down, he stared up at the sky as well. It really was beautiful. “They are.”
Hoseok’s eyes closed for just a moment, silence swarming around him and the blonde boy he seemingly just met but somehow felt like he already knew. The air was clear, and so was Hoseok’s heart. Truthfully, he didn’t know exactly why he wanted to come up here to begin with. Perhaps it was that another year had gone by without much movement in his life. Restlessly standing in the same place year after year; it was tiring. Hoseok just needed a moment to think. To decide exactly where he was going and why he hadn’t gotten there yet. A sigh made its way out of Hoseok’s lips and into the air.
“You alright?”
Hoseok closed his eyes again. But, he nodded. “Yeah, I’m alright.”
Yoongi turned his head to look at him. “You sure?”
Hoseok shook his head. “I’m not sure. But, we just met and I don’t want to bother you with my problems.”
Yoongi laughed then, and turned to look back up to the stars. “Hoseok, I’m pretty sure we’ve met before. And you wouldn’t be bothering me, but I won’t push it.”
And that was how Hoseok found himself laying underneath the stars with a blonde man who he may or may not have known once, spilling his life problems. Talking about how he moved here right after his 19th birthday and seemingly not gotten very far since then. How sure, he had gotten plenty of auditions and small jobs, but nothing that got him very far. How sometimes he got discouraged, but he hated to be down on himself. Why he was here in the first place.
Yoongi turned towards him and listened to every word. One thing Hoseok found out quickly was how good of a listener the blonde boy was. How he didn’t judge him at all, and just nodded in response to everything he said. Patiently listening to every word, and taking them in as they fell out. And when Hoseok had finally sighed and his words came to a halt, Yoongi looked back up at the stars.
“It’s okay to be discouraged. It’s okay to feel sad. But you can’t give up. Things may be slow right now, but one day they’ll pick up and you’ll be proud that you didn’t let yourself stop trying.”
It’s true. Hoseok knew it was true. And a weight felt like it was lifted off of his shoulders. Talking about it in general instead of keeping it holed in like he had for as long as he could remember. Yeah, Hoseok decided he was very thankful to Yoongi. Thankful that he let him rant, and let him talk as if they had known each other for years.
Hoseok turned towards Yoongi, and when he saw the way the moonlight shone on his face and the way his gentle eyelashes fluttered as he blinked, it all came back to him. Rushing as fast as thunder rolling across the hills of California. A memory of a small black haired boy sitting in the corner of the music room, with a pencil and headphones wrapping around his ears. A boy who never spoke in class; a boy who made music.
“I remember you.”
-
Hoseok was ecstatic. Things were falling into place, and his life felt like it was moving finally. Felt like things were looking up. He had just landed a job as an assistant dance teacher at the new dance studio across the road. He had a week before his first day of work, and all he could do was smile and think about all the people he could be able to help. Everyone he could help learn, could help show how great dancing could really be.
The week came and went, and before Hoseok knew it, he was walking to the new studio. He was so excited, he couldn’t even wipe the grin off of his face. Since the moment that he woke up that morning, he had felt like his head was in the clouds. Couldn’t believe it, if he were honest. His feet weren’t planted in the ground anymore, and suddenly a certain person’s words echoed in his head.
He was proud that he didn’t give up.
When he opened the doors, he was greeted by the teacher he would be working with. “Hello! I’m Park Jimin. I look forward to working with you!” The man’s smile was bright and his eyes were crescent moons. His english was perfect, and Hoseok bowed to the Korean man who bowed back with a smile. Hoseok could already tell that he would enjoy spending his time with the man.
“I’m Jung Hoseok. Nice to meet you!”
He looked around, taking the pretty studio in and breathing in it. The walls a pretty cream color that popped against the floors, and the mirrors lining one of the walls. A singular piano next to a guitar sat in the very corner. It was so nice, and Hoseok was grinning again.
Students started piling in the room slowly, and Hoseok smiled and waved at all of them.
Hoseok turned around to sit his bag down, and in the little time he was turned around, a man walked through the door and Park Jimin wrapped his arms around him.
“Hey, Yoon! Are you excited for your first day?”
The man’s gums appeared and he nodded shyly. “I am. I hope the kids like me.”
Hoseok’s ears quirked at that, and he could have sworn he had heard that voice before. His head slowly turned, seeing the fluffy blonde hair that was as familiar as it could be. Slowly taking in the cat-like eyes and the tiny nose. The gummy smile that Hoseok knew. It had been a year, a little over a year since that night they stargazed underneath the Hollywood sign. Had been a year since Yoongi had disappeared when Hoseok had woken up that morning covered up with the jacket the blonde boy left behind. The jacket Hoseok was wearing right at that moment.
“Hyung.” Hoseok stepped forward then.
Yoongi’s eyes widened at the sight of Hoseok, but eventually he smiled wide and shook his head. “You did it. I told you that you would.”
Hoseok smiled at that.
“I remember. I’d never forget.”
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