(I listened to this song: http://youtu.be/a6AzbOupbxk while writing so if you can, please try reading it while playing the song :) )

Chapter 3

The reunion and confession.

Sunggyu calls Jiyoon to cancel their date using his perfect excuse and it seems like she believed him Well, she always does. It’s sort of one of the two reasons why she has been staying with Sunggyu all this time even though he’s a well-acknowledged lost cause among all the youths in this neighbourhood. The other reason is probably that he loves her unconditionally or the other way round. Myungsoo doesn’t know and he never feels like it’s necessary to ask because in his eyes, Jiyoon and Sunggyu are made for each other, not like how couples in movies are made for each other but sort of like how only Myungsoo’s mom knows where to put his dad’s weirdly shaped handmade stuff in his house to make them actually useful and pleasant to look at instead of being just wastes of clay. Jiyoon knows how to validate Sunggyu and Myungsoo guesses that it’s not any less than what you can ask for from a lover. So he thinks they’re probably his second favourite couple, right behind his parents and frankly speaking, their relationship only loses in terms of length.

As Myungsoo’s thoughts stray further and further away from what should be occupied his mind right now, they’ve reached Dongwoo’s and Sungyeol’s apartment. And the spaced out boy is only brought back to reality when a shirtless and rather sleep deprived looking Dongwoo comes into his sight with a hoarse “Are you alright?”.

- He’s been like that ever since we left home.

Sunggyu explains with the slightest concern in his voice and a tug on his younger brother’s collar to pull him into the apartment.

- Where’s your brother?

It took Dongwoo, whose sleepiness and exhaustion is now even more blatant under the darkness of his windowless living room, 30 seconds to be fully aware of the intrusion and another 30 to register the question in his head.

- Sungyeol?

- Do you have another brother?

Sunggyu stops pacing around the apartment and turns to give Dongwoo a raised eyebrow.

- I suppose I don’t.

Dongwoo scratches his head as a small amused smile spread across his tired face. But it soon turns into a slight grim line as he notices Myungsoo standing still and lifeless in front of Sungyeol’s room, body barely hidden by a slightly open door

- What’s wrong, Myungsoo?

The younger boy never replies though. Not even one breath is heard until he mutters out.

- Hyung, where is.. our photo?

- What photo?

Genuine worry is laced in Dongwoo’s voice and etched on his face. But Myungsoo only keeps sinking deeper into oblivion with wide eyes open and trembling hands.

- He .. has.. no photos.. no photos of… us.

And there Dongwoo sees it. He sees a part of the young boy break right in front of his eyes. Ever so slightly but vividly under the dim sunlight spreading out from Sungyeol’s room’s curtainless window. But before he can rush to Myungsoo’s side to offer him whatever affection he needs, he feels a firm grip on his shoulder and a decisive pull on his arm.

- Call your brother.

Sunggyu speaks up with strong demand in his voice but visible pleading in his eyes.

- Call your brother and tell him to fix mine.

And with a knowing nod, Dongwoo takes out a cell phone from his pocket dialing his brother’s number. A rather chirpy waiting tone echoes off the whole deadly silent apartment.

- Hyung, what’s up?

The image of a cheery and bubbly Sungyeol comes into both of the olders’ minds and softens them up immediately until their stares land back on Myungsoo’s frozen shoulders.

- Yeol ah, come home now.

________________________

So there they were. Myungsoo and Sungyeol. Alone together, at last. Because their older brothers decided that their seven year friendship in the past deserved a better and more personal union than the last time.

Bereft of places to run away to or anything to get distracted with this time, Sungyeol finds himself squirming and mentally trembling under Myungsoo’s stares again. His mind’s in a total blank state and he thinks he’s not even in a condition stable to be panicking now He feels numb, and possibly terrified. So many thoughts are running in a mess of circles in Sungyeol’s mind that he doesn’t even know what he’s thinking about anymore. But Myungsoo knows. Sadly, he knows.

- You’re still not ready to talk to me?

- Myungsoo, I…

- Why didn’t you keep in touch? I called you so many times, you know.

- You stopped though..

- Why would I continue if all I get every time I call is a “Sungyeol’s out” from either your brother or mother? I’m not an idiot, Sungyeol.

- Yes you aren’t. That’s why…

Sungyeol stops as he’s realised what he was about to say. Audible hesitancy poorly covered by his attempt to fake an awkward cough out of the blue. But Myungsoo has had enough of that.

- That’s why what? Tell me, Sungyeol. Tell me everything that you have to say?

- I..

- Dammit Sungyeol. I went through five ing years without you in misery. You were my best friends and you just left me like that. I didn’t even know what to do anymore. I was so bored.. and I don’t know... I was sad and lonely. And then you came back. And I thought it’d be alright again. I’d be alright again. But why is everything so difficult with you? Don’t you think of me as a friend anymore?

Myungsoo is shaking and hurting. The more he speaks, the more those old feelings of being abandoned come back to him and he feels like they’re trying to break the cage in which he’s been keeping them ever since the last time he stopped calling Sungyeol. They’re crawling out and eating him from the inside. The more he yells, the more hopeless and desperate he feels. Myungsoo’s overwhelmed. And so is Sungyeol when he looks up at his frustrated friend with an expression that Myungsoo can’t read. But it calms him down and makes him feel guilty, at the same time. So he stops yelling and flops down on the couch, right next to Sungyeol. Inhaling an sufficient amount of air that may be able to help push down all the pent up feelings for a short time, the slightly shorter boy speaks with much difficulty but enough cohesion.

- Sungyeol, look at me.

A pair of scared eyes slowly raise up to meet his. Myungsoo’s hand is on the other’s now.

- Do you not want to be friends anymore?

Momentary silence ensues but it feels like forever in this room. Bodies are tensed up and hands are squeezed.

- No, I don’t. Myungsoo… I don’t want.. us.. to be.. friends.

Some tears fall down on the couch. But hands are remained in each other’s company. 

- Why? Yeol, tell me why.

Myungsoo’s broken whisper floats in the air of silence for a very long time until Sungyeol slowly raises his head and speaks.

- Because I’m in love with you.

_____________

A/N: I admit to having troubles writing this chapter so I apologise for this crappy outcome *sighs* Anw, has everyone listened to Nell's new song, The day before? Man, aren't they just the best ;-; 

And hello to new scubscribers! Thank you all for taking your time reading this crappy piece of a story and please bear with me til the end of it XD