His father is a musician, a master of all traditional Korean Instruments, a teacher at the local R university, teaching music history. His mother, a beautiful dancer famous for her graceful performances. It’s no surprise that their son, Kim Wonshik, is also a musical genius with a beautiful face. If only it wasn’t for his aloof and nonchalant personality, he would have been popular.

Just like right now, the girls are gawking at him when Wonshik is drowned in his own world. His fingers pressing down on the string as his right arm the bow, the voice of Hageum resonates in class.

Beside him, was Cha Hakyeon, singing with all his heart, chanting the beautiful lyrics of ‘I Can’t Say Goodbye’ with a pansori style. The combination of the two trapped the people around them with their beautiful melody,

Hakyeon sang his last lyrics, and the class clapped their hands. The teacher that always sits because her old age, now stood up, proud of her best students. Hakyeon and Wonshik share a look thinking one thing in their mind ‘We totally killed this’, and Hakyeon walked back to his seat with head up high, as Wonshik followed meekly.

“That’s from group 10, group 11 come forward” The old KyungOk called, and revert to her bitter face.

Wonshik sits away from Hakyeon, in the corner. Hakyeon sat in the middle where he just high fived the people beside him, his usual squad, Taekwoon, Wonshik, Hyuk, and Hongbin because he knew he just slayed. Everyone agreed, except one particular sassy friend.

“You’re just lucky you paired up with Wonshik, no one dare to ask him but you.” Hongbin narrowed his eyes, at the proudful Hakyeon.

“Wonshik is sweet, he’s not cold or cocky because of his parents like any of the rumors, he’s just shy” Hakyeon cocked his head to peek at Wonshik, and found him already looking at Hakyeon.

Hakyeon felt his chest tighten, suddenly meeting the pair of those dreamy droopy eyes. Wonshik just smiled and nods. ‘Isn’t that cute?’ Hakyeon thought, and just slightly sighed.

He mouthed to Wonshik ‘Ice cream?’, the boy lit up and nod, when he thought that Wonshik can’t get any cuter, he just did.

~~+++~~

Everyday whenever they have no activities after school, Hakyeon and Wonshik hangs out by the old abandoned church made of concrete where they have to go through a quite rocky path.

It’s not something unusual in their small neighborhood in a small and still traditional city. Only a few malls are open, and the roads are narrow, and not even one fly overs or toll roads. A city at the foot of the mountains, where everything is still green.

Both of them sat by the staircase after dusting off some of the fallen leaves. The place is relatively clean since the both of them often come there and clean it once in a while.

Wonshik could relax and be himself, Hakyeon can get away from his ‘annoying’ friends, taking a break from his always sassy personality.

An old small church, tangled with vines and moss, abandoned because all the people in that town is Buddist for now. From school, they go straight to this place with fruit ice cream bars on their hands. Looking at the cloudy sky, peeking through the leaves from the towering trees. Fall is about to come, and it’s getting cold.

“I bet we’re getting an A-plus, we slay back there” Hakyeon darts his eyes over Wonshik.

“Maybe… maybe not, it’s the ice-hearted Mrs. KyungOk, we won’t know.” Wonshik shrugged, always being down to earth, sometimes too low.

Hakyeon rolled his eyes, “Oh, please! She loved our performance, my voice and your music, it’s a perfect match!” Hakyeon just realized what he said, and decides to stop his running mouth.

Wonshik at the other hand, felt somehow happy, a perfect match with Hakyeon, how he wished Hakyeon felt the same way about those words as him.

The both finished their ice cream bars, and Hakyeon about to do his routine, “Hey! Play your Hageum! I need to stretch”

It was a routine that Wonshik play any instruments he brought for Hakyeon to dance too. Accompanied by the rustling branches and fallen leaves, making the scene looked even more ethereal, and the two falling deeper for each other.

Wonshik closed his eyes for a moment, his first tune, and the voice sent shivers down Hakyeon’s neck. Entranced with the melody, Hakyeon closed his eyes on Wonshik, letting the melody sink into his soul.

He started to move, slowly, as his hands waved following the flow of the wind. His feet tiptoed, stepping elegantly following the strum of Wonshik’s melody.

Wonshik opened his eyes, seeing the boy in front of him still in his school uniform, moving gracefully and become one with his tune. This unity of music and dance, of him and Hakyeon, sent an utter bliss to his heart, feeling like they somehow become one.

Hoping that this moment would last forever, Wonshik kept playing, his fingers are a bit sore, but he didn’t stop. Hakyeon, with his eyes open, hoped that Wonshik won’t stop, just a little more, he thought, just a little more time in this little paradise, so that he won’t go home.

Immersed in the melody of ‘Onara’, the two feels pain at their fate, the space so close between them yet feels far and impossible.

H