Chapter Text
Icy cold water runs down his throat, as Haemin raises the metal bottle to his lips and takes a few eager gulps. The vivid green treetops above their heads largely provide shelter from direct sunlight, but even this thick protective layer of leaves cannot do much to combat the sultry, persistent heat that is wavering around them. Every now and then, a light breeze rustles through the undergrowth and playfully ruffles Haemin's jet-black hair. Yet, by now, his skin is covered with a sticky film of sweat, partly caused by the sweltering, oppressively humid air and partly due to the unexpectedly challenging path they had already left behind them. With the next gust of wind, a soft whisper whistles through the thicket, but even apart from that, the forest is far from quiet.
The world around them is filled with life; birds, lured out of their shelters by the warm rays of the spring sun, bounce back and forth on the upper branches, their lively chatter echoing through the woods. Every now and then a bee buzzes around Haemin's backpack with heightened interest, inside which are a few hastily thrown together sandwiches and some flattened protein bars, and - in a particularly dense spot deep in the forest, in waist-high impenetrable grass - they had even spotted a grazing deer.
The change of seasons had unmistakably begun; at last they had left the bleak and barren winter behind, and spring was welcoming them in full bloom. Now they're sitting at the edge of a small clearing in the sun-warmed grass, their backs leaned against moss-covered tree trunks and take in the bustling sounds of nature.
Almost perfectly motionless, Haemin stares up at the nearly cloudless sky and lets his eyes follow a flock of magpies as they glide across the endless blue. When he inhales, the musty smell of weathered leaves and mouldy wood from the past winter wafts into his nose. He plucks a few yellow strands from the small patch of warm grass beneath his palm and rolls the dry stems between his fingers, as he watches a beetle leisurely make its way across one of his boots.
The quiet crackling of branches makes him snap his head back. It is Kyungmin, who is sitting opposite to him, knees drawn up to his chin and eyes still firmly shut. It would almost look as if he were sleeping, if it weren't for the relentless tap-tap-tapping of his left index finger against the rough denim of his jeans.
Just for another moment, Haemin takes in how he looks in the light of the scorching sun. A little older than the shy boy he used to be, but still wearing the same dreamy smile on his lips.
Then, he finally musters up his energy, shakes dead leaves and a few stubborn crumbs of dirt from his pants, and slips the water bottle back into his backpack.
"Let's keep going." He then says to Kyungmin, and when the other still shows no sign of moving, Haemin lightly nudges his thigh with his foot.
"I thought you wanted to reach the top?"
Finally, Kyungmin cracks a singular eye open and sleepily looks up at him.
"Just think about how many bugs are in the grass." Haemin grins back.
Now Kyungmin is wide awake and wordlessly reaches out his arm to Haemin, who grabs it to pull him back to his feet.
As they make their way back to the path and therefore have to leave behind the small patch of shade, the sun immediately resumes its merciless beatdown, and Kyungmin inevitably slumps a little.
"I can't believe you forced me to come here in this heat." He whines and deliberately slowly trails after Haemin.
"I didn't force you to do anything." The other responds calmly and slips his bucket hat back on his head. "You wanted to come."
He waits for Kyungmin to catch up, and when he does, he playfully stubs his shoulder with his own. But Kyungmin only crosses his arms.
"Interesting way of saying 'Thank you, Kyungmin, for not making me go alone'."
"You should be grateful that I didn't want to come early to see the sunrise." Haemin snorts half-jokingly, but Kyungmin only grins at his forehead so Haemin once again stops in his tracks.
"What?"
"You look like an old man."
Indeed, Haemin is currently dressed in his full-on adventure gear: worn-out hiking boots, a pair of faded cargo pants that have been through more than a few escapades, and, to top it all off, his trusty bucket hat, which is currently flat-pressing his hair.
He rolls his eyes.
"I look like an expert hiker."
"Sure you do."
And so they walk side by side in silence for a while.
The uneven forest floor, riddled with thick roots and the occasional exposed rock, has long since given way to a wide gravel path, its dull sandy grey colour interrupted only occasionally by the green specks of particularly stubborn patches of weeds. The loose stones crunch underneath their soles, and each step they take kicks up a small cloud of dust.
As the forest is gradually replaced by expansive fields, with only a few remaining trees lining the winding path, and the trail starts to become steeper, Kyungmin tries to suppress his increasingly loud breathing.
"It's a tough trail."
He admits, when Haemin finally grants them a short break as they arrive at a small viewing platform, drops his backpack onto the bench and fishes his camera out of his pocket. The other only nods briefly in response, as he focuses the lens on the panorama view in front of them.
"Harder than the one we did when we were trainees." Haemin agrees and the shutter clicks.
Solely a flimsy wire fence separates them from a barren cliff, which first descends down for a few steep metres and then transitions into large stone slabs. Behind those lies a seemingly endless, blossoming landscape, and the wide open valley glows in the various shades of green that stretch to the edge of the horizon.
Large dark grey rocks emerge out of this sea of trees, partly covered by a thick layer of moss or leaves and bushes; and somewhere in between, the sun glitters in the calm water of a large lake.
Haemin spends quite a while trying to capture the enchanting sparkle of the gentle waves with his camera. When he looks up again, scattered clouds drift across the powder-blue sky like a veil of pure silk, contrasting with the blurred green-ish grey of the trees that paints the edge of the horizon.
Somewhere behind all this lies the city, a real life full of obligations and responsibilities, but in this brief moment there is only the picturesque and seemingly endless expanse of nature, and Haemin and Kyungmin became part of it.
A gust of wind blows over them and rolls across the valley, and Haemin breathes in along with the earth. Like a ginormous wave, the treetops sway in a single flowing motion, and when he closes his eyes, the rustling of the leaves in the wind is almost reminiscent of the foamy roar of the tide crashing against the shoreline cliffs.
Meanwhile, Kyungmin had made himself comfortable on the bench and is now lounging contentedly in the warmth of the sun like a cat. He runs his flat hand over the deep ridges previous visitors had left on the backrest and dangles his legs over the other side. His gaze is fixed in the distance, past Haemin and towards the horizon, but when the other man turns to him, their eyes meet.
"It's beautiful." Kyungmin then says, and Haemin hums in silent agreement.
And only after Kyungmin turns back to enjoy the view does he let his index finger ghost over the shutter button and sneaks a photo of him.
On their further ascent towards the summit, they are accompanied by a quirling stream, that is running alongside the trail for quite a while, winding its way through the trees that are now gradually growing denser again and lining up at the edge of their path.
The much-needed shade finally provides some relief from the oppressive heat, and although the ascent is growing steeper, their steps start to become lighter. The gentle splashing of the water mixes with the sounds of the forest to create a unique melody, and Haemin nods along to the unpredictable rhythm of nature. Every now and then, Kyungmin kicks an unusually large pebble towards him, which Haemin promptly submerges in the cool water of the brook. Crystal-clear water splashes up and spreads dark drops across the sandy path.
"But it's so hot!" Kyungmin whines, as Haemin just barely manages to stop him from jumping into the water fully clothed.
"I'm surprised you're even bothered at all." Haemin admits with a teasing grin. "Isn't this basically your natural habitat?"
Kyungmin slowly blinks at him, prompting Haemin to explain in more detail.
"You never let me turn on the air conditioner!"
"Only at night! It's bad for your throat." Kyungmin refutes. "And you've learned to live with it."
"I've learned to tolerate it." Haemin immediately corrects him.
"I've learned to tolerate you."
Even whilst the sound of these last words still lingers between them, Haemin lunges forward, causing Kyungmin to stumble backwards in shock before he turns to take off with a surprised shout.
The sudden commotion startles a flock of birds, which swoosh out of the nearby bushes and hastily flutter away.
Sand and dust swirl up beneath their feet as Haemin chases Kyungmin down the path. In a particularly tight corner, he almost manages to grab at the corner of Kyungmin's colourful shirt before the other narrowly manages to duck under his arm and dart away like a startled deer. Completely undeterred, his pursuer tirelessly chases after him.
Only when a weathered sign announces the last hundred meters to the summit, the two come to a halt, loudly gasping for air. Catching his breath and with jet-black strands of hair sticking to his forehead, Kyungmin turns around and knocks his knuckles on the faded metal.
"I win."
Haemin only cocks an eyebrow.
"You're too slow." Kyungmin continues. "Like a slug."
"It's not fair!" Haemin protests, crossing his arms. "Your legs are longer than mine."
Kyungmin tilts his head to one side and pretends to think for a moment.
"Sounds exactly like something a slow slug would say."
"I can't believe I ever thought you were quiet."
At that, Kyungmin actually laughs out loud, and the sound of it sends a jolt of electricity through Haemin's body. A tingling sensation spreads through him.
They decide to take a short break and Haemin uses the chance to rub his aching shoulders. The heavy backpack had been chaffing against his back, and he is glad to be able to put it down for a few minutes.
By now, the sky had darkened slightly; a few more fluffy clouds had drifted in front of the sun, occasionally hiding it behind a thick layer of cotton wool, giving the parched landscape a moment to breathe. Kyungmin tilts his head back as he squints at the sky and points to a cloud that is taking on a somewhat deformed shape.
"A star." Says Kyungmin, as if it were obvious.
"It's about as much of a star as you are." Haemin retorts and earns himself a pointed jab in the side of his stomach.
"Oh, look at Mr comedian over here."
Haemin only grins.
"You're just mad because you're not as funny as me."
Kyungmin smiles back.
"You wish you were funny."
They reach the summit alongside a descending breeze, and the cool gust of wind almost blows Haemin's hat off his head. The sun has by now disappeared behind a thick layer of dark grey, and the clouds are crowding together in the sky.
Kyungmin takes a step forward. The view from the highest point of the hiking trail is veiled; only occasionally does the top of an old fir tree break through the thick blanket of fog. One can only take a guess at the promised picturesque view, as the area is completely covered by a hazy layer of opaque mist.
Disappointed, Haemin scrapes his hiking boots across the gravel.
"Maybe it will clear up?" Kyungmin attempts.
Just at that moment, it begins to drizzle, and as small dark spots gather on Kyungmin's cotton shirt, Haemin looks up in confusion.
A thick wall of dark clouds towers above them like a pile of chubby cotton balls. Their cold drops seep through his thin shirt and mix with the sweat on his skin - a rather welcome relief from the heat that had pursued them for the first half of the day. A thick raindrop smacks Haemin right in the face.
But the light rain doesn't last long, and the downpour soon follows. As if on cue, the heavens gates open and, in a fraction of a second, the gentle droplets turn into a fierce shower.
Right then, warm fingers wrap around Haemin's wrist and Kyungmin pulls him along. He has no choice but to stumble after him - totally disoriented by the rushing water that is practically blocking his view - and Haemin just manages to dodge a spider web as Kyungmin pulls him to dry ground.
His knees scrape across the rough sandstone, and dried leaves and dead twigs crack under their weight as the two tumble into their makeshift shelter.
Haemin quickly recovers from his crash landing and scrambles to his hands and knees. Kyungmin had dragged him to safety beneath a rock ledge just large enough for the two of them to somewhat comfortably fit underneath. Overhead, sturdy branches groan in the wind, letting plump raindrops dance across their lush green leaves.
The sudden change in temperature puts Haemin into a kind of drowsy state, and he pulls the almost fully soaked hat off his head. A few strands of hair - the ones that didn't make it under the safety of the fabric - stick damply to his forehead.
And so they now huddle in the thicket. A particularly sharp branch pokes Haemin in the upper thigh, but he is too distracted by Kyungmin's attempts to shake the water out of his sneakers to notice.
The smell of hot, dried-up gravel and grass mingles with rain, and small puddles of mud have now formed in the sandy hollows of the path in front of them.
Hesitantly, Kyungmin reaches his hand out and watches as tiny drops of water run down his arm.
"There… won't be any lighting, right?"
"It's not a thunderstorm." Haemin reassures him. "We just need to wait until the rain stops."
"And then walk back through the mud." Kyungmin grumbles.
"You wanted to come." Haemin shrugs.
The air is still humid and sultry, crackling with the excitement of the parched earth, greedily soaking up the raindrops that darken the dry, sandy gravel.
Nearly mesmerised, Kyungmin stares at a patch of dried resin on his pants. A few chalky flakes of sandstone have gathered in his hair, and Haemin watches for a while as they migrate from his fringe down to his forehead, until Kyungmin brushes them away with the back of his hand.
Then he hands him a flattened sandwich wrapped in cling film.
"I'm sorry I slowed you down." Kyungmin says at some point, a little quieter and between two bites.
"Well, I would have stopped to take pictures anyways."
But when Haemin looks up again, Kyungmin is still staring at his half-eaten slice of bread.
"We came all the way to the summit, and you couldn't even enjoy the view."
"We'll just come back another time."
In a moment of silence, the rain drums a rhythm into the canopy of leaves high above them.
"I just don't want you to be disappointed." Kyungmin mumbles. "Because in the end, it wasn't worth coming here at all."
"I came here with you." Haemin replies and wrinkles his nose at how soft he sounds. With a deliberate nonchalance, he shrugs his shoulders and continues. "That's worth more than seeing a bunch of trees."
Kyungmin smiles the tiniest smile.
"I never knew you were such a romantic."
"Shush." Haemin says quietly.
Then he leans back, lets his head fall against the rough rock wall, and together they watch as the first spring rain washes over them.