past vs. present/expectations vs. reality

''after i saw you again...'' taekwoon seems hesitant to speak, he lets out a shaky breath and avoids hakyeon's eyes, that are intensely looking back at him, ''i started to wonder... what if i'd never left?'' 

he continues.

''and then... i started making up these... stupid ideas like, i could've met the rest of the members here... i started imagining meeting them here in the city, as if it were their home... and somehow it made sense.''

''maybe i'd meet wonsik back in that record shop we used to visit every day after school because you didn't have that new SHINee album at home...''

hakyeon smiles fondly at the memory, looks down to the floor as well.

''it made sense, hakyeon.'' taekwoon repeats. 

and he smiles, but his eyes are blue.

''never leaving — never leaving you.''

taehyung looks up, and that's when he realizes hakyeon is crying. he wants to hold him, tell him everything is going to be okay 'we're going to be together from now on' or 'let's run away together' (taekwoon laughs at the thought of this) but hakyeon looks up before taekwoon can even open his mouth to speak, and he smiles.

''i would've never let you do that to yourself, jung taekwoon,'' hakyeon says, raised eyebrows and tears rolling down his cheeks, ''you're living your dream, taekwoon, you made it!''

''but it's not what i want!''

''what do you want, then?''

''you.''

side pairings: hongbin/hyuk, ravi/ken