The sky is blue and leaves are green, the sun is hot, and time is a constant; these are the truths we hold self-evident. Within time the sky turns dark, leaves become brown, and the sun sets on approaching night, but nothing controls time. Seconds, hours, days pass by without consent of what people want. Time upholds to no one, following its own law that can’t be changed.

In a way, Sungjong is like time. He appears as suddenly as a second and as evanescent as one too. His presence is forever fleeting but impressionable.

Sungyeol remembers the boy who played with time. Even after a decade, the image of the petite boy skipping confidently through his neighborhood was left imprinted in his mind. Sungyeol had moved out of his old home years ago, but sometimes he visits and visualizes the same feline like features and pouty rosy lips that used to greet him so casually. The few pictures he had with Sungjong couldn’t capture the whimsical beauty he always displayed. The photos only brought half of his charm, but still he regrets not demanding more photo ops. All of his worldly treasures could be found framed along his wall at home.

Today was one of his rare days off from his busy job, and like every free day, he went back to his familiar childhood home. He muses silently to himself as he steps along the old cracked sidewalk, staring at his own landmarks. He smiles at the tree he and Sungjong would climb and whose branches provided them shade and a comfortable place to perch upon. It was also the same spot where Sungjong divulged his secret to him, the only person ever. He had felt so special.

Sungyeol could still remember the way the air smelled, so crisp and fresh with hints of mint. The evening’s faint sun was drawing to a close and the long shadows played on Sungjong’s skin. The wooden limbs of the tree mimicked opaque veins on his pale skin. The words that had made Sungyeol laugh, no longer held that same effect, instead it filled him with a sense of wonderment now.

“I don't control time. I'm just the exception.” He whispers silently to himself, repeating the words as he steps towards the elderly tree.

The green grass flattens under his shoes and leave a fading trail of his footprints before the grass reshapes itself shortly. The rough texture of the tree bark is comforting yet also manages to leave him with a heavy heart. He rests his forehead against the tree and take in its earthy scent. Old memories come flooding back to the time where he was a lively nineteen year old kid.

It was summer at the time, right after his first year at university. The stress of the school year faded away with the last of his finals and he had no intent of doing anything productive for the next three months or so. He had plans that went on for a mile long that he wanted to accomplish in so little time. To Sungyeol, he didn’t want the hot season to end anytime soon. He wanted to bask in the warm rays of the sun and live each day to the fullest.

The first day back home had not gone as originally planned as all his high school friends were away on vacation for the first month. Sungyeol’s family wasn’t too big on the whole traveling thing and preferred to stay home, much to his dismay. He spent the majority of the precious day lazing around, watching dramas on his laptop to pass the time. He locked himself in his room, curtains closed and surrounded with junk food. His computer was propped up on his bed as he laid on his side, fifty pillows supporting his head. Crumbs laid scattered around his sheets and the signs of an ant colony wasn’t so far-fetched.  

By around six pm, his mother could no longer deal with the dirty shutin and kicked him out to enjoy the remainder of what day was left.

That was when Sungyeol first laid his eyes on Sungjong.

There was a boy who seemed so out of place in the surrounding homes. While the houses were aged by weather and time, he seemed to exude youth, almost glowing. Sungyeol was captivated at first sight at the frail looking teen. His eyes fell over the maple curls that seemed to fall perfectly into a messy sea of hair and the small feminine face accompanied by an unlikely manly jaw line.

Sungyeol’s mouth had gone dry, making it hard to swallow the industrial sized lump in his throat. He had never truly found another male attractive, however, this boy was something else. His features looked beyond that of human nature, as if handcrafted from God’s hands Himself.

After a while, Sungyeol was finally able to pull his eyes away from his face and to what had the boy so in awe as well. Sungyeol had been a little bit more than confused as he looked at just a crow - barely a foot away - pecking around the concrete. The crow was quite big, being the size of his head. He wondered why such a fair beauty was wasting his time observing  a crow.

He looked back to the boy and found that he was looking at him as well. His catty eyes had widened by half a centimeter and a dust of pink coated his cheeks. He looked embarrassed, as if being caught doing something he shouldn’t have. The mystery boy his heels and walked (more like jogged) away from his spot. The suddenness of his steps caused the crow to flee away in surprise.

Sungyeol watched his retreating figure, but at some point he must of blinked because the boy was nowhere to be seen. In a daze Sungyeol returned home. The next day, he went on a stroll again, hoping to see him. These daily ventures carried on for some time. Some days Sungyeol was lucky and saw the teen (whose name he later learned to be Sungjong) and some days weren’t as fortunate. At times, he only caught a glimpse before Sungjong mysteriously vanished.

What caused Sungyeol to be so interested in him? Was it his entrancing nature? The odd way Sungjong stared at nothing? The mystery behind how quick Sungjong seemed to disappear from sight? It was all of it and none of it at the same time. To this day, he still doesn’t know. Sungyeol was just bewitched with the kid he’d never spoken to, but that was all gonna change, after two weeks of what some people may label as Sungyeol’s ‘stalking.’

Sungyeol still denies he was stalking and likes to call his sightings coincidences. It’s all just semantics anyway.

On one particularly hot June afternoon, Sungyeol spots Sungjong at the tiny playground by his home. The playground’s area is as large as his kitchen at home and the flooring is cushioned with some kind of soft substance.

Sungjong is playing on the swing set designed for kids five to twelve years old. His eyes are small crescents as he smiles, the wind carelessly tossing his hair as he rises and falls from the air in a rocking motion. The smile on his face is bright and childlike, it makes Sungyeol’s heart flutter.

Without making a sound, he carefully opens the black gate to the toddler infrastructure and sits on the unoccupied swing to the right of Sungjong. The swinging teen is too caught up in the joys of falling to notice him, until he speaks, “Hey.”

Sungjong’s shoes scratch against the soft floor of the tiny park in shock, halting his momentum. The boy looks to be startled and once again acts like a child caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Sungyeol notes the flight or fight response dancing behind his chocolate orbs. He’s relieved when the boy chooses to stay.

“Ummm... h-hi,” Sungjong greets back, uncertainty powdering his words. He’s swinging slightly back and forth as the momentum from earlier tries to calm.

“I hope you don’t mind if I join you.” Sungyeol gives off one of his best grins, unleashing all of its gummy goodness. He takes a few tentative steps back before letting gravity do its work and send him falling forwards.

Sungjong doesn’t say another word and copies Sungyeol’s actions. The two swing for what seems like eternity, receiving judgmental looks from passing adults that walk by. The pair doesn’t speak to each other at all as they enjoy the feelings of childhood once more. Sungyeol called the day a failure with the lack of conversation that transpired, but is thrilled to see Sungjong back the next day at the swingset.



It isn’t until three days later do they actually talk to each other again, aside from the usual greetings. The day they do talk, Sungjong and him get along stunningly. Despite Sungjong’s initially shy demeanor, he was much more confident and easily excitable than he let on. The day after their first real conversations, is the day where there was no silence at all. The two went at it like gossiping socialites.

Sungyeol’s family and friends are suspicious of where their tall choding goes everyday.

“Hey, Sungjong! Where are ya?” Sungyeol calls out as he enters the park, getting strange stares from the few families at the place for once. The past times they had visited, the park was always empty.

Sungyeol had sat at the swings miserably, waiting for Sungjong. He had hoped that Sungjong hadn’t gotten bored of him, the idea pulled at his heart. Sungyeol was really kicking himself for not knowing anything about Sungjong’s personal life. How was he supposed to contact the younger boy without his cell number or home address? Regardless of the children running rampant in the park, he felt so lonely.

He had sat there in the park for hours and watched as people came and went. It wasn’t until Sungyeol was alone in the park again did Sungjong appear to him.

“Yah! Where were you?” Sungyeol jumped off of his seat and pointed accusingly at Sungjong.

The teen rubbed the back of his neck nervously, “Sorry for making you wait. It’s just that I don’t really like being around other people. The families made me feel uncomfortable.” Sungjong bit his lip, “Sorry.”

“Hmph.” Sungyeol huffed crossing his arms like a spoiled child, “Sorry doesn’t fill my stomach with food.”

“I have sandwiches.” Sungjong says, lifting the basket of food that Sungyeol had overlooked.

“All is forgiven.”

That day, they spent dinner under a large tree, eating the Nutella sandwiches Sungjong had made them. It wasn’t til Sungjong told Sungyeol his secret two months later did he realize that Sungjong hadn’t had that basket when he first arrived at the park.



As summer drew on, the couple became closer. After many failed attempts to learn of Sungjong’s phone number the boy had given up. He had put up a very solid silent treatment for an hour before he learned he could not threaten the boy with silence. The whole time that Sungyeol refused to utter a word, Sungjong had taken the liberty of mocking him and pointing out all his faults.

After his resolve had crashed, Sungyeol was more than happy to return the favor of the brunette’s unmerciful bashings. That was their first argument, but it didn’t even feel like one. Nothing was ever bad when Sungjong was around.



It’s July by the time Sungyeol realizes he was falling for Sungjong and by then it’s too late to stop. He could only let himself be enveloped by the boy’s endearing qualities even more. He could spend his lifetime with Sungjong. Unlike his usual joking nature, this was something he meant.

It may have been selfish, but he wanted Sungjong to be all his. The high voice, the whiny nature, and fragile yet confident ways, he wanted to own them all. He tells Sungjong this one day while he has his arms wrapped around the smaller boy and all he receives is an airy laugh in return. Some may have taken it as a rejection, but to Sungyeol it was a mutual confession.



It’s their non-official one month anniversary when Sungjong tells him of his secret. Of course Sungyeol thinks nothing of it as he blatantly laughs and tries hard not to fall out of the tree from the brunette’s jest. The look in his eyes however, stops him and creates an awkward atmosphere. The tension is thick enough to cut the air with a knife. It felt like they had reverted back to strangers.

Sungyeol is the first to speak eventually, “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Sungjong nods his head and points to a crow suspended in the sky. It’s raven wings were spread out and unmoving.

“Woah.”

“You think I’m a freak, don’t you?” Although it came out as a question, there was underlying affirmation to his voice. Sungjong knew it was a mistake to tell Sungyeol.

“I think you’re a bratty kid.” Sungyeol brushes his lips against Sungjong’s, wiping away all insecurities.

Time really did stop for their love.



After the revelations of Sungjong’s gift, the two often escaped from time. They were neither living in the present, past, nor future, but somewhere in between them all. Some may wonder what fun is there to have when time doesn’t move and Sungyeol would answer them all that they had to be in love to understand.

There was endless opportunities for them. They could have gone and stirred up mischief since they were both impish, however they didn’t. For an instant and forever, they just liked to stare at the proverbial sunset, settled in each others arms.

Love, miracles, joys, all created in a second.

Sungyeol rethought his idea of love. Love wasn’t a lifetime spent together, love was what felt like fifty lifetimes in a single moment.



Sungyeol’s last day of summer felt like a year and he still wished that he didn’t have to go back to school. He had to wait a whole year before he could return to Sungjong’s side and then maybe they could go to the same university together.



When he returns home in late May, Sungjong isn’t there to greet him. Sungyeol is worried.



By June, there is no signs of Sungjong. Sungyeol is going crazy.



July, Sungjong is still missing. No one but Sungyeol cares.



The annual carnival arrived to town like it did every July. The festive lights of the fair lit up the entire night. Scents of kettle corn and funnel cake filled everyone's senses. What should have made Sungyeol so happy made him sick to his stomach. He went to the carnival every year and the year before he came with Sungjong.

His right arm had felt so limp recently. Sungjong would always be clinging to it, complaining he had too much muscle on such a noodle of an arm.

His family had dragged him out, worrying about his thinning body. Sungyeol was wasting away. In a way, Sungjong probably couldn’t complain about Sungyeol’s muscles since they had faded away. Sungyeol smiled at that bit a little.

By sometime, Sungyeol escaped away from his parents and wandered around freely. None of the booths or attractions caught his eye. He just walked around aimlessly, having the noise and sounds distract him. He wasn’t paying attention to where he was going, but he found his way to a fortune teller’s booth.

Her crystal ball reflected his down casted expression and the wrinkles that formed on his once youthful face. She looked at him with a sense of pity that angered him. He didn’t know why he stayed in the booth, maybe it was so he could have some false comfort.

“Shall I tell you your future?” She asked him.

“Can you tell me about Sungjong?” His voice was filled with hopelessness.

“If that is what you wish.”

“What do you want? I’ll give you anything.” Sungyeol was desperate for whatever answers or confirmations he could receive. He didn’t care whether or not the person in front of him was a fake or not. Whether Sungjong was dead or alive, was what he needed to know so badly. Was he yearning after a ghost?

“For you, this is free.” She moved aside her mirror ball and pulled out a deck of tarot cards.

The cards that she had used and the words that she had told him had faded from his memory after so long. He only chose to retain the snippets of knowledge he had found valuable.

“He’ll return within time.”

Sungyeol had scoffed at her words. Time. That was what was going to bring back his beautiful Sungjong? The boy who was the exception to time. It was laughable. Though he doubted her prediction, he still liked to pray that she wasn’t a fake.



At the end of summer, Sungyeol still waited for Sungjong’s return. No one knew much about him and Sungyeol never did get his number or address. Why did he never get the important information out of Sungjong? What use was it to know that the boy was fond of lemon candy and such.

Even a decade’s time didn’t erase the love from Sungyeol. He had tried to move on, see other people, do other things. He had dated a handsome photography student Myungsoo, but the relationship came to an end; Sungjong never left his thoughts.



His memories still didn’t leave him alone now.

He’s still waiting for the time the oracle promised him. The time Sungjong would come back. Ten years had already past, so that meant the promised time was getting closer (he hoped).

He lifts his head from the tree and wipes away the tears pooling at the corners of his eyes.

If he had to wait an eternity, he would. A single second with Sungjong equated to fifty lifetimes. If he had to wait, he would.



“Sungyeol.”



Not many people in town recalls the boy who played with time, but they know of Sungyeol.

Sungyeol the man who appears for a few seconds before disappearing. Sungyeol who is just a glimpse. Sungyeol who is often spotted with another boy before time seems to freeze.