Sungjong and Howon have known each other for almost their whole lives. Sungjong has been in love with Howon for the same amount of time. On chilly nights when they take strolls on the town, Howon would joining his hand snuggly with Sungjong. At home they cuddle together while watching marathons of Romantic movies and tv shows throwing popcorn at the screen whenever something funny or cheesy happens or laughing at the mess they’re making.

Howon says Sungjong is his ‘best friend’ and every time Sungjong hear that term it breaks a small piece of his heart off. (Shhh, this is a secret.) When Howon is saying  ‘best friend’ to Sungjong he is really saying ‘I Love You’ or ‘My True Love”. Over time  his grip on Howon’s hand loosens and sooner than later Sungjong’s hand is stuffed into his pocket every time they take a stroll on the town.

Sungjong has cold, empty, and lonely nights when Howon spends the nihgt at someone else’s apartment. He must see Howon’s beautifully bright smile being directed at somebody that isn’t him. But what Sungjong doesn’t now is that Howon always imagines him (Sungjong) as the person he with even though he is with somebody else.

Sungjong has to watch as his ‘best friend’ goes through tons of failed relationships each oe leaving him more broken than the last. Sungjong has to comfort Howon; hug him and whispher into his ear “you’ll find somebody better.” But what he really wanted to say was “ Don’t you see I’m the better person for you.”

But he can’t

Because Sungjong is Howon’s Best Friend

Not somebody else nor somebody better.

Sungjong rather have Howon as his best friend than not having him in his (Sungjong) life at all.

The current relationship Howon has been in  has been the longest to date. Sungjong notices as he is fixing himself a small breakfast even though as of late he has not felt hungry as he used to. Howon would say it was the most important meal of the day when he was a  home. Even though he would throw away his cup of coffee and the light breakfast he had made himself because the have gone cold due to the fact he was distracted by text whomever he was ‘with’ at that point in time. As of late, Howon has been staying the night over at someone called Myungsoo. The nights of them (Howon and Sungjong) throwing popcorn at the tv screen and curling up on the couch has become a distant memory.

. Sungjong curses when he realizes he poured juice instead of milk into his cereal.He get rid of the disgusting mixture and throws the bowl in the sink.

I’m sorry I a mess Howon.

Howon returns home when it is pitch black out. Sungjong acts like he doesn’t notice but Howon is crying. He is slumped over at the door. Sungjong know what it means. It  takes every ounce of Sungjong's power to pry the keys out of their owner’s palm. Howon is still a blabbering mess of tears and cures as Sungjong carries him bridal style to their shared bedroom and places him on his bed. Howon cries into his pillow and Sungjong doesn’t know how much more of Howon’s suffering he can handle. Sungjong just embraces Howon and   his hair.

“Sungjong, I’m glad I have a ‘best friend’ like you.”

Sungjong tightens his hold on Howon. Slow lays Hown down and cover him with the blanket and continue to his hair until Howon is calm and is sleeping soundly.

I’m sorry Howon that I wasn’t enough for you.

A couple weeks pass, Howon finds somebody else, Sungjong cheers from the sidelines. But neither of them notice that the smile the other has is not as genuine as it has been in the past. For their hearts, the speed of their heartbeats are slow as if something inside of them is telling them they are breaking the others’ heart. Sungjong notice their movie nights and strolls on the town are diminishing again. He still has hope that one day Howon will wrap his arms and say I love you Sungjong. But now that hope feels more like a shard of glass scraping against his heart.

The relationship end on a low note.

“I hope you never leave me… Sungjongie.

Huh?

“You are ‘My Best Friend’.”

I will never leave you.

But that night when they went to sleep Sungjong heart broke beyond the point of being put back together.

 

One night Howon returns home around 6pm, busting through the door excitedly wearing a suit and tie. In one hand he was holding a rose ans in the other hand he was holding a card and a velvet case that contained a ring. He was expecting Sungjong to greet him. He calls out ot Sungjong. At first softly but it get louder and louder as he frantically searches every room in the house. Once he made it to their shared room, Sungjoning bed was made up, his wallet gone, and his closet cleaned out. All of Sungjong’s belongings are missing

Sungjong is Missing

Howon calls Sungjong but is greeted by the automated voice the number you have dialed is unavailable. He yells at the voice liar. He throws tha phone on the ground which it smaches in to pieces He screams to no one in particular, “you lair, LIAR!” He scramles as he looks for a note. But there is no note left by Sungjong. He is now back in the bed room they once shared. He picks up the rose and throw it on the ground and stomps on it.

Sungjong you been there through all my heartbreak and now you’re the one who broke my heart. But I’ll wait for you as long as you want me to or keep me waiting.

Not now

Not today

Of all days.

Howon stuffs the ring box and card in the drawer under his clothes to keep it safe he contemplates on put all the pictures of him and is true love (Sungjong) away but decides not to.

In his life, Howon never thought Sungjong would ever leave him, everybody could but he always thought Sungjong would stay until the day one of them dies.

Out of all days

It had to be today???