One of those days where time becomes viscous, clinging onto the hands of the clock. Junhong was restless. He took a spoonful of shrimp flakes and tapped a small pinch over the fishtank, watching as the little goldfish took bites at the surface of the water.

Junhong's phone vibrated against the table and he snapped from his stifling reverie. It was a reply from Jongup to his happy birthday text. Junhong hadn't seen Jongup in forever since the latter had moved to another district. They'd both been busy.

Jongup asked how he was and said that he missed him.

Junhong said he was fine, asked if he was too, said he missed him just as much (when in actual fact he missed him a whole lot more because he spent one too many nights thinking about him). He then asked if he was seeing anyone now, winky face. Just because Junhong needed to know if the rumours he'd been hearing were true. 

His phone buzzed and Junhong wondered if it was really worth knowing the answer.

Oh how did you know? Uhm... I do actually... She's great! She's from the dance club... What about you, Junhong-ah?

Junhong tossed the phone to the side of the couch. He had seen that girl before, a photo from Jongup's instagram. She was really pretty and they looked happy. Junhong had been in love with Jongup for the longest time, and for a while, everyone, even Jongup led him to believe it wasn't unrequited. But he never heard a confession from Jongup so he kept quiet and let his hopes drown. Now he was sinking. He dumped the remaining spoon of food into the tank, but the fish was no longer interested and his mother was going to give him a earful later. 

Junhong felt a strong wave of pity wash over himself and he wondered if he could ever break away from the stickiness of time. His hyung once told him that he should move on, told him that there were other fish in the sea. But Daehyun didn't understand. Junhong was but a goldfish stuck in a fishtank, watching as the only boy he would ever learn to love left the store. 

He picked up his phone, trying his best to ignore the dull ache in his chest. Because he was alone now, the four walls of the tank drawing in on him, yet they reminded him that the only way to go now was up. Closer to the line that divides the water and the sky. 

Not yet... I'm still waiting...

Junhong’s fingers dragged across the keys of his phone painfully slow. But then he erased the second part of the message and typed in another happy birthday and an obligatory "we should catch up soon".

Daehyun didn’t understand. There was no sea, the only vastness that could come close was the emptiness Junhong now had in his heart. And the closest he could get to moving on was to wait for another face to stop by his fishtank, maybe take him into his life, remember to feed him every once in a while.