Chapter Text
Consciousness crawls to Sion gradually as the sunlight breaks through his curtains. He flings an arm over his eyes in an attempt to prolong the darkness of his sleep, refusing to acknowledge that the dreaded tomorrow has finally come.
This is it. He heaves a sigh of defeat.
The sun is out. Bags are resting by his door. Everything feels like a mocking symbol of his passivity. His denial. This is fucking it.
He remembers the day he got his acceptance letter. The very thing he has looked forward to all throughout high school, now in his own clutches as if the time in between is nothing but a half-remembered day spent. With his heart threatening to jump from his ribcage, he rips the letter open. Short and commendatory. They mention a few of his recent achievements in school, ones that Sion listed in his application. We look forward to having you at our university this upcoming academic year , it reads by the end. He feels a chill as the wind from his open window blows his sweat away.
He should feel almost every positive feeling in that moment knowing how much effort he has put in to get those outstanding grades. He's not a prodigy of some sort. He’s not a math whiz nor a great art kid. Whatever he lacks he makes up for in diligence. You reap what you sow, as his mom would always remind him.
He works hard in school to earn himself all these achievements. These achievements have led him to this renowned school. A school located in Seoul. Hundreds of miles away from home. Here in Mokpo.
He should be happy—he wants to so badly. But how could one bring himself to after this realization? He has lived here all his life. This place is all he has ever known. Going to college has been part of his plan for a long time, but leaving is never a real possibility to him until today.
This letter materializes a future he only knows best in dreams. He finds himself standing at the crossroads he’s read about so many times in books. And yet, all he wants to do right now is to turn his back. Maybe for someone to just at least give a little more time if this is not too much to ask for. But he knows it. It’s not just time that he actually wants.
So he breaks the news to his mom next. She cries happy tears as she engulfs her tall son in a tight embrace, whispering I’m so proud of you with so much tenderness. It's bad enough how Sion doesn't return the smile his mom gives after with the same spirit, much more when he doesn't even finish the celebratory cake she ordered. If his mom notices her son's sullen demeanor, she doesn't say anything about it.
A loud ring from his phone breaks his train of thought.
He palms his surroundings with his eyes closed to search for the noise. He opens one eye to see who's calling, and answers without hesitation.
“Hey, are you okay? It's early.”
Riku answers with a giggle, “Yes I am, and yes it is.”
“Well, what's up? You should still be sleeping right now.”
He hears Riku sigh, “I know, but I've got plans today.”
Sion finally sits up straight from his bed, “What kind of plans?”
“Look out your window.”
Without another word, Sion sweeps aside his curtains, squinting at the burst of light. He pokes his head out the open windows to see Riku standing in front of their house, hand to his flip phone.
“You look kinda stupid with your bed hair right now.” Sion hears a snort from his phone. He rolls his eyes and ends the call. He rushes to his mirror to tame his hair before going downstairs.
He sees his mom by the kitchen and quietly makes his way to the front door.
“What are you doing here?”
Riku looks up from his phone, “Well, you leave tomorrow–”
“I know that,” The red dot sticker on his wall calendar has been a glaring reminder to him for a week now.
Riku sighs, “And with the way you've been acting lately I know you're just gonna mope all day today so…”
Sion doesn't even know why that surprises him when Riku is the only one he knows who can pick him apart with just one look. He rolls his eyes, but he doesn't deny it. “Well I don't have anything special to do today.”
Sion doesn’t think there is a good reason for it. This day is not worth celebrating after all.
Riku gives a shrug, “Doesn't have to be anything special. We can just go through the day together, if you want.”
He wants to spend this day with him? That's his plan? To be with him because he knows this is going to be a devastating time for him?
“You do realize I will most likely be on my farm duties?”
Riku grins all-knowingly, “Good thing your cows love me then.”
The last summer is the first time Sion realizes how irresistible Riku is.
The funny thing is that Sion wishes this fact hadn’t come that obvious to Riku yet. He thinks it's crazy how a word from Riku gets him on his feet in an instant like a shipman to his siren. Like it's second nature. Instinctive. Sion can't blame those nameless sailors he's read and heard from old tales and bedtime stories that fall into these so-called temptations. Not when jumping seems to be the easiest thing to do in the world, he thinks.
So when Riku calls he answers it.
That summer Riku finds himself a side hustle at the port. He helps Mr. Kim, one of the well-known captains in their town, docking his boats and transferring the day's catch to iced containers for preservation before the delivery to markets. A right-hand man is what Riku would like to call it but he's more of an assistant, just as what Mr. Kim himself would say, that usually gets followed by a boisterous laughter which echoes through the whole port.
By noon, Sion finds his way to the port where the rest of the fishermen spread out for a nice meal for lunch. He waits there until Riku finishes all his work. His friend’s tan skin gets brighter under the heat of the summer sun.
Sion couldn't be more proud of Riku when most kids in their school only go to the sea to achieve that summer relaxation goal. Not to mention the influx of tourists this time of the year. Those tourists who flood the main roads and get an undeserving pass for being oblivious to the locals’ way of life. Tourist brain is another brand for narcissism, Sion reckons.
Just thinking about the long lines those out-of-towners cause in every establishment makes Sion’s feelings bubble in this passive vitriol that he can only show by glaring their way with indifference.
“It’s not like they’re here to stay, anyway.” Riku comments as they dig into their lunch at their favorite spot.
“That doesn’t help them either,” Sion says as he tries to secure the gimbap in between his chopsticks, “When pricing goes high they’re not even here long enough to deal with the fallout.”
Riku mindlessly picks up the piece and places it on Sion’s dish. “So what, you want to close Mokpo’s gates altogether?” he said jokingly.
“I don’t know, less strangers might do this place some good.” Sion shrugs, partly serious.
“Whatever these strangers have done to you,” Riku digs back with a purposeful emphasis.
“You know what I mean,” Sion retorts.
His sentiments are coming from a good place, he’s sure Riku understands this. He’s not opposed to people . But at the end of day, strangers are what they are. Not just to him but to this whole place. They don’t know what it’s like to be here . They just come and go. They don't get to see the trees in the snow, or the sea when there's an angry storm. They don’t witness how people grow in Mokpo.
“I’m not exactly a native, need I remind you.” Riku says humorously and continues to chew after that.
Sion is quick to answer. “Yeah, but you’re not like them. You’ve lived here.”
Although Riku and his family are not the only Japanese family residing in their town, Riku is the only Japanese student in his year. But he will never be a stranger because of it. Not when his own mother affectionately calls him Riku-kun all the time. Not when Riku is the only reason he aces their Japanese tests at school. Sometimes when they're in a crowd, both of them fall into conversation using both of their native languages effortlessly. That is enough proof to him.
“That’s appealing to emotion. I see why they didn’t let you in the debate team.” Riku chuckles.
Sion nudges his friend playfully. He feels his already summer-warmed cheeks grow a tad darker. This plants a small doubt in his mind; it makes him unsure how to respond. He didn’t mean to offend him.
He focuses on balancing another piece of gimbap in between his chopsticks as his hand crosses the space from his bowl to Riku’s. This small success puts a proud grin on Riku's face. Sion watches as he eats it, which then puts a smile of relief on his own face.
“It’s the truth. You're just as part of this place as the fish you guys catch everyday,” Sion finally says.
Riku makes a sour face at that. Sion pauses, “What?”
They take care of their seas and in return it gives kindness back through the fish. It’s a natural cycle he was taught as a kid.
“We need to work on your metaphors. They sell those fish and they get eaten!”
Sion chuckles at his grouching friend as he stabs his straw onto his banana milk box.
“Yeah, you're right.” I have never been that good with words. “But you know what I mean.” You always do .
They fall into a comfortable silence as they both finish their meals.
Later that day, the two boys find themselves walking by the shore as the sun begins its beautiful descent for the day. The constant blow of the wind passes through each boy’s hair as they inspect the beach for odd-looking rocks and seashells.
“Have you thought about your college applications yet?” Riku asks as he finds a place to sit in the sand.
Sion follows him, “Yeah, I have.”
“Have you chosen a school already?” Riku lays down the plastic full of their sea treasures in between them.
“Lee-sensei gave me a list of schools I can apply to before we left school for this summer.”
“And?” Riku probes quietly. Almost in a nervous breath.
Sion offers him an easy smile, “I’ve looked through a few of them. At least the ones that Lee-sensei strongly recommended.”
Riku gives a gentle understanding nod.
“I’m trying my best not to overthink it,” Sion starts as he stares into the point where the sun meets the sea, “That’s still 11 months away from now. I still have one more year to finish high school. I’ll just deal with it when the time comes.”
It’s not that Sion is holding off on it. There is no point when it’s inescapable, so he might as well sit for the rest of the ride. He’s not sure though how long this is gonna last. Just going through his life with a fake, almost deluding, sense of calmness. But he’s well aware it’s what he needs to cope. He might crumble right then and there whenever he is asked about the same thing if he didn’t.
Riku breaks into a gentle laugh that blends into the sound of waves crashing by the shore.
“Oh my god, you’re full of shit!” Riku says in the bubbly way he does when he tries to get out the words in the middle of his laughter.
Sion can’t help but mirror the smile before rolling his eyes, “No, I’m not.”
“You’re so bad at lying hyung!”
There is a certain twinkle in Riku’s eyes that Sion recognizes as a genuine sign of happiness from him. He loves it. He wishes he knows how to scoop it and pour it into a bottle for safekeeping.
As Riku’s laugh subsides into a soft hum he manages to lean his shoulder into Sion’s to loosen up like the rest of the world seems to do so before the moon rises. Sion loves this too. When he’s with Riku, there is always a sense of ease that he’s sure only comes with years of familiarity; it may be the only time the mess of his worries takes a momentary lull.
“A year from now, you could be well on your way to your new school.”
There is no apprehension in his voice when Riku speaks this time. He says it like he’s already imagined a version of Sion and his long scrawny legs, all fixed in his well prepared attire ( because Sion is the type to take care of how he presents himself to people ) in a campus much bigger than they have been accustomed to. A year from now he would be arranging his stuff in his dorm room and reading each syllabus with so much attention ( because there is no such thing as over-preparing for someone like Sion ). Riku says it like a year from now is a future with nothing but good things to look forward to.
So he lets himself get lost in the pleasantness of the idea even for just a moment.
“Yeah. I'll try to keep up with that schedule,” he earns a chuckle from Riku before he continues, “Can I tell you something?”
Riku gives him a nod, both of them staring into the horizon that is slowly turning into a pretty mixed hue of pinks and oranges against the rising blues.
“I haven't made it past Jeongeup Station. That's the farthest I've been by train.”
“Really?” Riku looks up with his big round curious eyes to Sion.
“Yeah, I always make that ride to pick up the special cattle medicines from Dr. Hwang. He was my dad's college friend so that must be why he sells those to us at a cheaper price.”
There's no other veterinarian in their area who would extend such generosity out of pure goodness of their soul that's why when he's become old enough to ride the trains on his own Sion makes a promise to his mom to make the trip on his own from then on as his own sign of gratitude.
Riku’s face holds what Sion could only hope for as a sense of admiration. “Your mom must be so proud of you.”
“Yeah, she’s my number one supporter. I think if she wasn’t busy with the farm all the time she would take me to the city to explore. But our life has always been here”
Sion has never been one to daydream about a life in the city. When he lets himself truly imagine his future, he sees their farm. He sees himself continuing raising hundreds of cows and learning more ways to take care of them. He sees the endless greens in the countryside as the first daylight breaks. He sees Riku as they race together down a hill to see who’s the fastest to reach the bottom.
But he feels a little insecure about this side of himself. He has never been able to dream big like the other kids. He is not into exploring outer space, or building machines. His dreams just always begin and end in Mokpo.
Riku stays unbothered by Sion’s reply. He lets the wind take its time to pass through them before he speaks. “Don’t you want to see what’s beyond Jeongeup Station?”
“Honestly, not really. But I guess I have to.”
Sion feels Riku’s head move into a small nod.
“When you do, will you tell me all about it?”
“About what?”
“Everything that’s beyond Jeongeup Station. Come back and tell me everything.”
Sion finds himself looking up. The whole sky has turned into a majestic display of various dark blues that envelopes everything below it in a serene shade of a shadow. The sea becomes an enchanting mirror of this world above. There is nothing else for Sion to do except happily oblige his best friend of his humble request. To jump off the ship and follow his siren’s call.
With all this view of grandeur as his sole witness, Sion leaves these two words as a sealed promise to the boy on his shoulder: “I will.”
It’s well past 4 in the afternoon when Sion and Riku finally finish the work at the barn. Once milking in the morning is done they let the cows have their time in the grassfield for a few hours where Riku mostly gets the most fun out of. Mostly talking to the cows and making up voices unique to each cow that he finds getting lost from the group, muttering “ listen to Riku-chan~ ” in a silly cartoon voice . They pass the time with a game of badugi that usually doesn’t last long since Sion always wins. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand this game. How does having the lowest hand make you win?” Riku would complain as Sion shuffles the cards for another play with a chuckle. Once the last hour is up, the two boys would start to round up the herd back in the barn.
“Do you think the food will taste different there?” Riku says as he properly rolls the hose around his arm after sanitizing the milking equipment.
The thought makes Sion groan. It’s not like he’s that kind of picky-eater but Sion just likes to eat food with a certain taste and in a certain way.
Sion prides himself as someone with longer patience and not easily annoyed by all the little inconveniences of life. Slow walkers in front of him? He would swiftly overtake them without another thought. He will ignore even the loudest chewing he could hear in a public place. It’s nothing in comparison to having food that tastes weird to him.
Riku gives a sheepish smile at Sion’s reaction. “I’m sure there’s not much difference. And if there is, you probably won’t even notice it,” he says in an attempt to broach the sensitive topic.
Sion stacks the buckets neatly and places them in the equipment shelf, “Yeah, maybe I won’t notice it, like you said. It’s fine. We can talk about something else.”
As Riku follows him in returning the hose to its proper place, he quickly replaces the subject as asked. “Okay then, what score would you give me for all the work I did today?”
This brings an amusing grin to Sion’s face. It’s not everyday that he gets Riku to join him in the farm to solely accomplish these chores. His mom’s helpers, Mr and Mrs Kang, help out once school starts for Sion during the weekdays, and whenever Riku is over at their house he is treated as nothing but a guest. Sion’s mom would even scold her son for having his best friend bring the dishes they used from his room to the sink downstairs. “ What’s next? You’d have him mop the floors too? Be better than that, Sion! ” His mom would nag before pulling Riku into the living room and offering a slice of watermelon she’s bought from the grocery.
Sion has a stinking suspicion that other people often look at him and Riku when they are out together as brothers. He looks after Riku like a brother would so it’s not that far from the truth after all. If Riku had been his brother he would never get the same treatment he gets from his mom. No, his mom would have him learn to do the chores like him early on too. She would instill the same values and be strict when it comes to it. But his mom would never treat him to the same degree because she knows it. Sion has a feeling that his mom understands what kind of special Riku is to Sion. Riku is certainly close like a family but not that of a brother. Sion is not that articulate when it comes to these things but he could only hope this is the same case for Riku.
“Depends on how you want me to rate it.” Sion replies with both of his hands on his hips, scanning the place for a final look-see, “As your friend, an eight maybe. As your boss, five at best.”
Riku perks up at the last number and whines, “Wha - five? That is just mean. I did good with the cows!”
Sion chuckles. He did, and the cows are comfortable around him. But he doesn’t say this just so he can see his friend complain in his cute baby way.
“I don’t know, you seemed distracted in the field.” Sion feigns a disappointed tone.
“Whatever. You’re a bad boss anyway so you’re not a credible source.”
Riku rolls his eyes before proceeding to walk his way out of the equipment area in a haste.
Sion rushes back to follow his best friend out the room. He hangs his arm on Riku’s shoulders as he catches up to him, “I’ll text mom if she can make your favorite custards tonight. You think a bad boss would do that?”
“That’s paying off otherwise known as a bribe which suggests that, yes, a bad boss would definitely do that.” Riku says in his as-a-matter-of-fact tone that makes Sion chuckle as they walk past the stable where the cows have their heads sticking out the metal bars.
“I’m glad you’re finding this amusing.” Riku comments with a mirroring smile plastered on his face. “Now that we’re done with the farm, where to next?” he continues.
“I’d like to visit my dad.” Sion answers, a lingering smile on his face. A stark contrast to what his answer meant.
If Riku is surprised by this, he doesn’t show it. The two of them continue to walk as if what Sion said bears no hold in the present at all.
Riku gives him an understanding nod in return, “Okay, let’s do that.”
The way to the cemetery is quicker than Sion remembers.
The last time he visited was when he’d graduated from grade school. The world seemed bigger then. He’d counted steps longer than it takes for him to get there now. His legs become a funny reminder of how quickly time passes.
Once Sion spots the oak tree landmark he’s committed to his memory, he holds the brakes in his bike to halt and looks over his shoulder to see Riku following. “We’re here.”
They leave their bikes behind and make their way to the tree. The place hums in a quiet blow of the late afternoon wind.
Sion’s face falls into a calm neutrality as they near his dad’s headstone.
Something in his gentle heart compels Riku to reach for his best friend’s hand. Even in silence he continues to know Sion.
Sion releases a sigh he thinks he’s been holding in since they got there. Maybe even longer.
“Hi Dad,” he utters in a soft voice, aching but all the more tender.
There is only quietness after, but there is also a certain acknowledgement that if the circumstances had been different Sion would get an equally tender reply of Hello, son .
“Hello, Mr. Oh. I’m Maeda Riku.” He folds himself into a proper bow, still holding Sion’s hand as he does so.
This act brings an unbridled smile to Sion’s face. If the circumstances really had been different, Riku would be embraced by his dad just like he always does to his own son. Sion squeezes Riku’s hand in place of this phantom hug.
“I met your son in school and we have been friends for three years now.” Sion couldn’t help but look at Riku, surprised by his words.
Riku continues, “I know it’s not a very long time but it’s been a good while of getting to know your son. He’s funny, and charming in his own quirky way. Like how his laugh is the loudest you'll hear in the room, but that’s only because he’s not afraid to share his joy to the rest of the world. He’s cranky for the oddest reasons, and even then you’ll find there is also goodness in there. But he’s also a hard worker and the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
The way Riku manages to express himself with so much conviction than Sion has ever seen him do so leaves him in astonishment. He has no idea why he’s doing it–speaking these words to the air and the stone before them. There is no one else at that cemetery but the dead. And the dead will not speak back.
But Sion doesn’t stop him. It’s alright to have the dead not speak, maybe all they need to do is listen. And he wants nothing more than to have his dad hear Riku for the first time.
“He’s off to college tomorrow all because of these amazing qualities he has,” his tone fluctuates as he ends this sentence, as if reality made a nudge in his own throat before he continues.
“And if I am this terribly proud of your son, I know for a fact that you would be too.”
The mind is such a machine to behold because all of a sudden a picture manifests itself in Sion’s mind. His dad in his usual worn-out jeans and flannel that he knows his mom keeps in her drawers now. He imagines both of his parents as they fall into a tangled cocoon of warmth and love. But he recognizes this–a memory from when he was a kid, still in his little leaguer uniform. The sound is all muffled like they’re underwater but their faces are clear. They’re all happy and cheering because Sion’s team won.
There is no stopping it once the tears start falling from Sion’s eyes. Suddenly, it feels like all the emotions he didn't even know he’s concealed the past few days came rushing out in a swift twirl of a storm. Without a word, Sion’s head finds home in Riku’s shoulders.
He’s all waves crashing in that moment - plunging and uncontrollable.
Riku keeps a steady rhythm in rubbing his hand on his best friend’s side to soothe the trembles in Sion’s body like cradling a baby. He finds himself looking up at the sky. Clear blue and peppered with cotton candy clouds. The whistle of the wind keeps him still. The perfect weather. Like a farewell gift for a friend before his departure.
It takes a while before Sion’s sobs soften against Riku. Silence becomes a welcome reprieve for the both of them.
The last time Sion was this shy in front of Riku was back when they first met. Although the shyness then was different - born from a child's innate need for connection. This one feels like it comes from the magnifying awareness of being seen . Focal and inextricable.
When Sion overcomes this new feeling and finally raises his head again, he lets out a deep and satisfying sigh. Like an invisible burden has been alleviated from him, and he’s finally breathing in air for the first time. He blinks away the remaining waters in the corners of his eyes. The blow of the breeze on his face helps him dry his tear-stained cheeks with ease.
Silence breaks when Riku, in his most innocently curious voice, says, “Look at that cloud. It looks like a head of a dinosaur.”
Sion cranes his neck towards the direction Riku is pointing in search of the oddly looking cloud. Just up there in the right floats indeed a fully formed dinosaur head. He can make out the silhouette of an open mouth like it’s ready to devour the small oval cloud just next to it.
Somewhere deep in the warmth of Sion’s heart, or maybe just his stomach, blooms the undeniable bark of a laugh.
Riku recognizes this laugh. A semblance of the real Sion he’s come to know and hold dear in his heart. This pure part of him that he’s hidden in the last month. He misses this laugh so much.
The infectiousness of it ropes Riku to fall into a warm symphony of laughter with Sion. Whatever somberness left in the air gets blown away and replaced by a new air of affection - the music of two hearts singing.
This endearing tune carries well through the night. Sion helps out with his mom in the kitchen as they prepare a delicious meal for dinner. It didn’t feel right to sit and wait in the living room so Riku offered himself to be put to use. He sets the table for three and helps in placing all the hot dishes down the table. True to his promise earlier, Sion’s mom serves her special custards for the dessert. Once everyone is done, Sion lets his mom retire to her room to rest, and goes to scrape off leftovers from the dishes before carrying it into the sink. Riku follows him wordlessly. The two of them wash the dishes together unceremoniously. Hands placing each dish with practiced precision from all the times they’ve done before. The night plays out like just another summer evening - warm and full.
“Thank you for today,” Sion’s grateful heart continues to sing.
Riku is sitting on the floor, back to Sion’s bed. He looks at his best friend, head hanging off the side of his bed like how he used to do when they were fifteen.
A thank you from him is not needed. Riku knows Sion would do the same for him without a doubt.
“Your blood is rushing down to your face.” Riku chuckles. All that blood is probably making his mouth talk.
It’s well past 10; coldness is evident on his windows at this hour. One of the days where the warmth of the season surprisingly escapes well into the night. His hand searches for the buttoned green shirt he left lying in his bed earlier.
He feels the familiar texture of the cloth before handing it to Riku, “Wear this before you leave. You’ll get cold.”
Riku nods in agreement, pulling the shirt from Sion’s hand and wearing it over his t-shirt. “Any last requests before the day ends?”
Sion closes his eyes, a loopy smile on his face. “I wish this day wouldn’t end.”
Funny thing how earlier this morning he wished this day never even started. Now it’s slowly slipping away from him in every tick of his wall clock.
“Unfortunately, I can’t defy physics for you. C’mon, just something realistic.”
When Sion takes more than a minute to answer. Riku nudges his hanging head with his shoulder, “An easy one.”
Sion chuckles, “Okay, okay! Hmm…Let me think.”
He scans the room upside down. Everything is the same as they are when he left this morning, only a little less unnerving. The bags are still just bags waiting patiently by his door.
“Will you come to the station tomorrow?”
Riku gives him a quizzical look, like the answer to the question is already obvious. “I don’t even know why you’re asking.”
“Yeah,” Sion huffed, he can slightly feel the blurring effect of laying his head upside down, “But you’ll be there?”
“Yes, hyung, of course I’ll be there,” Riku chuckles, “Want me to pinky promise?”
Sion feels the crawling dizziness in his head, or maybe he’s just sleepy, as he raises his pinky to Riku.
Riku interlocks his finger and solemnly utters, “I promise I’ll be there tomorrow.”
Sion blinks away the heaviness of his eyes, “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
He fights the urge to close his eyes to take a good look at Riku. The sharp outline of his silhouette in the dark room is in direct contrast to the softness of the plane of his skin. The blurriness of his vision covers Riku in a foggy sheen that makes him look transcendental–like an illustration of an enchanting creature in one of the books he’s seen at the library. Perhaps this is how he will always remember him–enchanting as a distant dream.
“Lay your head properly, hyung.”
He feels his body move on its own as told. His head finding its way to the pillows. He feels himself slowly giving in to his heavy eyes.
“Go to sleep. We’ll see the sun tomorrow.”
The end comes softly as it began–gentle light seeping through the cracks of Sion’s curtains. The house is quiet. There is nothing else you can hear except for the distant sound of the birds chirping outside. Pensive as someone’s final day can be.
Sion moves around the house like it’s just an ordinary day. After his morning shower, he joins his mom downstairs for breakfast. There is no big fuss. The silence between them is calm. Sion’s nerves have been washed clean, replaced by a new unknown feeling of rebirth.
A tiny worry only reveals itself on Sion’s face once the door is closed behind them. He checks his silent phone.
“What’s the matter?” Mrs. Oh stops in her tracks.
“Riku hasn’t texted me.”
Sion’s mom reaches for his son’s hand with a reassuring smile, “He’ll be there.”
Her hand finds its way to Sion’s face–a gentle brush of her thumb on his cheek. Something she always did when little Sion was scared.
This gesture proves to have the same soothing effect as Sion gives a hopeful nod. He will be there.
Sion lets himself be guided by his mom’s hand to the car. He promised he will be there.
The station is bare and clean when they get there. Only two other people are waiting with them on the platform. He raises his arm to look at his watch. There is only ten minutes left before his train arrives. His grip on his bag tightens–a strained feeling gets stuck in his throat.
It will be fine. Perhaps something came up–a family emergency. Something important and unexpected that requires this change of plans. It will be fine, it’s not going to be the last time .
Riku has done so many things that Sion will eternally be grateful for. Whatever his reason may be is already good enough to be forgiven. He will understand, just how he endlessly does too for him. Maybe this way a good-bye won’t feel final. This way it won’t feel so much like an end.
It’s not the end. No, not really. His love is one unending line. Persistent–almost to a fault.
Love? Did he say love?
A distant hissing sound echoes through the railway.
Sion’s mom tugs him into a tight embrace as the train shrills into a stop. The doors sliding open with a loud swoosh . Nobody in the train seems to step out of the doors.
“Be good, okay? Don’t forget to text me when you get there.” He feels his mom give her final kiss to his cheek before finally letting him go.
He nods, “I will.”
As he turns to the open doors he hears someone shout his name–“Hyung! Wait!”
Both Sion and his mom turn their heads to the familiar voice.
Riku comes barrelling into Sion’s body–crashing into him with a hug that knocks Sion’s breath away upon impact.
Sion wraps his arms around his best friend instinctively, dropping the bag he’s been tightly holding.
“I’ll wait for Riku-kun outside,” Sion’s mom quietly announces, which Sion only smiles at.
He’s here–compelled by some unknown power of fate. Do they know the siren leaves the sea to stand beside the shipman too? Bounded not by temptation or whatever ungodly force they tell in the stories, but something different. More powerful. Perhaps ingrained deep within each person. It’s hard to deny it when it’s staring you right in the face–standing there in front of you.
“I thought you already left. I thought I was too late.” Riku huffs in between, trying to catch his breath.
Riku earns himself a soft chuckle from Sion.
“Even if you were, I wouldn’t be mad about it.”
Riku only pushes himself further into Sion’s shoulder in response. Like this alternate outcome physically pricks him.
“Hurry it up!” The conductor snaps by the train door.
This momentarily breaks them apart. But Sion’s grip on Riku stops him from completely pulling away. Sion notices Riku is wearing the green shirt he gave him last night.
“Thank you for coming today, and for yesterday.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, hyung.”
“Well, I will anyway. I need to let you know how grateful I am for being there for me.”
“Always, hyung.”
He feels the beating of his heart triple in speed. “We’ll text everyday.”
“Everyday,” Riku parrots, “Okay.”
“I’ll see you in winter then.”
“See you in winter.” Riku repeats in a more quiet breath now.
Sion pulls him into another hug. He will not say it so he lets this embrace become his way to say good-bye.
His grip loosens around Riku when he sees the conductor looking at his watch.
Riku stays planted on the platform as Sion finally steps into the train and the doors close behind him.
The train begins to move. His eyes never tear away from his best friend until he can no longer catch sight of the station.
Only then does he move his gaze to the train’s direction ahead.
He holds his head high–ready to see what’s beyond the lines. Eager to know everything there is to know so he can fulfill his promise.
To come back and tell him everything.
He will. He always will.