Song #2

Don’t Leave (떠나지 말아요) - BEATWIN (비트윈)

Don’t leave me 
 I’ll always be in your heart 
 Even when I’m tired 
 I won’t leave you 
 I’ll love you forever 
 So stay by my side

Hansol left.

A sigh filled a living room surrounded by bookshelves as one tall man looked around the simple homey looking room. The silence of Sunday morning brought nothing to his salvation as the piled mess of books on the coffee table and couch seemed to stare expectantly at him.

Walking toward them, Mingyu picked the books one by one piling them nicely on his right hand before walking toward the shelf then putting the books back to its supposedly place with his left hand.

Placing both of his hands on his hips after placing the book, the tall man smiled at the neat bookshelf only to frown when there was one empty space in the bookshelf. Mingyu looked around the room once again, trying to locate the missing book. When he failed to find it by skimming the place, he brought his feet to move around the room while his dark brown eyes and his big hands raking every possible place.

A corner of something thick peeked from under a baby blue blanket which was abandoned on the floor between the back of the couch and a desk where several photo frames stood proudly on top of it.

Letting out another sigh, Mingyu wondered how the book and the soft warm blanket could end up there as he went to get them from the floor. Once picking them up and noticing what book that was, Mingyu sat down on the couch placing the blanket on his lap and then the book over it.

Opening the first page, the young man was greeted by bright smiles from the people captured in the eternal flesh of memory. It was a photo of him hugging another person with fluffy brunette hair from behind and their friends lined up beside them, with scatter of colourful cut of papers littered on the white tiled floor. Fishing through his memories, Mingyu remembered that the photo was taken on Hansol’s birthday, the first birthday they celebrated together after they decided to date each other.

In the photo, Hansol looked as if he was the happiest person in the world and so did Mingyu himself as he held his cute boyfriend so close to himself. That day, the birthday boy received 12 gifts in total and 2 of those were a camera from Seungcheol hyung which was used to take said picture and a photo album from Jeonghan hyung where the photo currently resided in.

“Take a lot of pictures and cherish your memories together.” That was what the two said to them after giving the pair of gifts.

Smiling at the echo of sweet words from the back of his mind, Mingyu looked further down; following that first photo was a photo from graduation day. Soon after Hansol birthday was the graduation ceremony for Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Jisoo hyung. In that picture the three oldest hugged the trio maknaes in their group, Seungkwan, Hansol and Chan, while the second years students including himself stood beside them.

With a smile, Mingyu reminisced every single moment passed over the time, eternized in that photo paper. Pages after pages full of love and happiness stretched his lips wider as those particular memories resurfaced again.

As much as Mingyu wanted to laugh at the pouty lips the younger held against him, he didn’t want to make Hansol more upset than that. “Hansollie...” he cooed, trying to wash the disappointment from Hansol’s being.

“Hmmph!”

Even though summer had almost came to its end, the heat still screamed aloud and mercilessly absorbed sweat from people. Yet despite that, it didn’t stop the university student from embracing the bundle of hotness namely Hansol. Chuckling at the sulking boy, Mingyu stepped closer and enveloped the younger closer to him.

“Yah! Kim Mingyu! Let go! It’s hot!” Hansol tried to wriggle his way out of Mingyu’s tight lock around him. Hating the way his clothes seemed to cling more on his skin with added pressure and that they were in public.

“No~~ Until you forgive me, I won’t.” The older teased, tightening his embrace as he placed his head on top of Hansol’s, clearly taking advantage of his towering height and strong built.

Blushing when he heard some noonas chuckling at their antics, Hansol groaned and finally relented. “Fine. Fine. I forgive you! Now, let me go!”

Almost instantly, Mingyu let Hansol go and let the shorter boy took his breath and fanning himself with the wave of both his hands desperately. When he noticed that Hansol’s face had went back to his usual calm expression, Mingyu stepped closer again. Placing his hand on Hansol’s shoulder, Mingyu led the boy to nearby cafe to hide away from the blazing heat.

“I’m sorry that I can’t be with you during your summer holiday. That’s why I’ll make it up to you this week.” Mingyu confessed honestly and his smile widened even more when he saw redness painted Hansol’s face and it’s not because of the weather.

Laughing with himself at those particular memories, Mingyu kind of feeling guilty at the fact of most photos were taken during Mingyu last year in high school, as after graduating he had less time to be with Hansol due to lot of activities in university.

Still amused by the thought of his sulking boyfriend, Mingyu came across a single photo of Hansol smiling so bright and beautiful that he put the blooming sakura at the background to a shame.

“Hansollie… Let's take a photo here.” Mingyu suggested while raising the camera toward his boyfriend.

Looking around the area, Hansol raised his eyebrow questioningly. “Who will take it? Everyone here is so busy with themselves.”

It was true. The other people were so busy taking picture of the pinkish white sakura that they barely pay any attention to their surroundings.

Pouting a bit, Mingyu gave up the idea of taking picture together. “Then let's take your photo instead.” He grinned at his recently graduating boyfriend.

Look of surprise jumped into Hansol’s face once he heard it. “What? I think you want…”

Shaking his head, Mingyu evaded, “We can use our phone to take selca together. Now, stand there and smile at the camera.”

Chuckling at the silly command, Hansol moved to the pointed place and looked back at Mingyu with a fond smile rested on his lips. “Here?”

Mingyu was the one who took the photo. He was so happy that time as he looked at Hansol’s precious smile through the viewfinder; he knew the smile which always illuminated his days since day one then would live forever inside the photo. Taking the picture, Mingyu felt like the happiest man in the world that time, he never thought that that happiness would came to a stop. His younger self never thought about being apart from Hansol, he thought he would always be together with Hansol.

That was until Hansol left.

“What do you mean?” the taller asked, his hand reaching for Hansol’s arm, a silent gesture to ask the other to explain what he had just said.

“You know exactly what I mean.” Not looking at Mingyu, Hansol found the ground to be more interesting. “I have to go to LA and I don't know when I can go back or whether I can go back. I can't be with you anymore. So let's break up.”

“Hansol. You’re kidding, right? Didn’t you say that you want to go to the same university? And join basketball club with Wonwoo and Jeonghan?”

“Do I look like I'm joking?” Hansol almost shouted at Mingyu. He did raise his voice but mindful enough about people who was also strolling around the park for the last chance of seeing Sakura flower before the last petals fell onto the ground.

Mingyu reasoned when Hansol didn't even look at him. “You…. Do you really have to go? Do we…” throwing his gaze away to halt his overwhelming emotion from leaking, Mingyu breathed harshly. “I don't see any need for us to break up. We will- no, we can manage this relationship even though we are far apart.” The taller almost plead, not wanting to end everything between them, not under the same sakura where he took photo of Hansol the previous week.

The younger looked away, hiding his emotion and expression from the other as he ran his hand through his brunette locks, shaking sakura petals off from his head. The moment seemed to still for a while until Hansol turned around, not even once looking at Mingyu as he muttered something before leaving the other alone among the crowd.

“You don’t know anything,”

Leaning his back on the couch, Mingyu thought to himself as his hand traced the last photo of Hansol before he left. “He’s really annoying. Leaving me like that.”

The following day, Mingyu told his friends about Hansol, receiving the same shocked expression he had showed to Hansol. It went into havoc as the eleven young men tried to call Hansol for explanation at the same time and none of their calls went through.

Trying his best to explain about his ex-boyfriend’s leaving, Mingyu convinced himself that Hansol had been thinking it through and he knew what’s best for them all. Surprisingly, after he explained it, the rest seemed to understand and accept it.

“If Hansol had decided that, we could only support him.” Seungcheol wisely said as he placed his hand on Mingyu’s shoulder. “He’s an adult now. He knows what he’s doing.”

Several days later, the thirteen of them gathered for the last time at the airport. From the very back of the group, Mingyu watched everyone bid Hansol goodbye and good luck with hugs and pats to his back and head.

“Don’t forget about us.”

“We will miss you.”

“Take care of yourself.”

“Don’t eat junk food too much.”

And when it’s Seungkwan’s turn, their circle went from noisy to disturbing as the diva of the group cried helplessly, making the remaining maknaes line and several hyungs cried with him.

“Call me when you arrive there. Call me when you’re lonely. Call me when you have trouble. Call me when something happen. Call me when nothing happen too. Just... Call me.. Anytime.. I will answer it right away no matter what time it is...”

Nodding continuously as his hands rested on Seungkwan’s cheek to wipe the tears, Hansol answered shortly, letting his tears wiped by Seungkwan’s hands. “I will. I will.” He repeated, collecting his best friend into embrace as he locked his arms around the other who did the same thing to him, reluctant to let go of each other.

“Hansol.”

The call of his name, made Hansol pulled away from Seungkwan’s hug to look at his parents and sister who had been watching him and his friends. Nodding at them, Hansol turned back to his friends and muttered. “I have to go now.” He said patting Seungkwan’s arms numerous times