2002, Mokpo South Korea   The last bell of the day rings, signifying the end of the class. Most of the students hurriedly stand up, leaving the room in a matter of seconds while some, like Donghae, takes his time gathering his stuff. Hyukjae, his best friend, appears before his table just like always, waiting for him to be done.   “Kyuhyun’s already on his way to the shop, we’re going to do a 2 on 2 Starcraft battle with the boys in Class C, but we can stretch it out to 3 on 3 if you want.”, Hyukjae casually informs him. “Oh I won’t be joining you guys today.”, Donghae answers, standing up as he secures his bag on his back. “And why is that?”, Hyukjae asks, the two of them exiting the room and walking through the hallway side by side. “I’m meeting Sooyeon-sshi.”, Donghae answers simply and Hyukjae comes into a halt, grabbing Donghae’s arm to look at his face. “Jung Sooyeon? The girl who gave you the chocolate cake last week?”, he asks and Donghae nods. He’s quite puzzled however, when a sly grin appears on his best friend’s face, elbowing Donghae quite a few times before pulling him closer. “I didn’t know you guys are dating already! You could have told me!”, Hyukjae feigns hurt but it’s obvious he’s all happy and excited for Donghae. “But we’re not dating.”, the brunette replies in all honesty. “Aeee, you mean you’re not dating.. yet? Come on, I’m your best friend you can tell me everything!”, Hyukjae shakes him slightly, tightening his hold on the other’s shoulder. “But we’re not really dating Hyukjae.”, Donghae answers with a smile, somehow he finds the grin on Hyukjae’s face contagious. “Yeah yeah of course you won’t tell me, you idiot.”, Hyukjae keeps on, not bothering to show his disappointment that his best friend is keeping something from him but he quickly recovers anyway. He hauls him in a headlock, messing his hair as he does so and Donghae struggles to break free. “You’re getting all secretive and arrogant now you have a girlfriend, huh?”, the raven-haired boy probes and yet he’s laughing. “But there’s nothing really!”, Donghae fakes a cough and that’s when Hyukjae let go, checking if the brunette’s alright and then punching him softly on his chest when he grins back. “You swear to tell me everything tomorrow, okay?”, Hyukjae insists and Donghae just stares because really, why won’t Hyukjae believe? In the end, and partly because Hyukjae just won’t let the topic go, he nods and the other’s all cheerful again and proud, uttering something about his best friend growing up. Hyukjae wraps his arm around Donghae’s shoulder again, a little too agitated than he should be, as they continue to walk along the school corridors.   -   Hues of orange and purple color the sky, the setting sun looks so amazingly breathtaking and it could have been perfect, Sooyeon thinks, if not for the heartbreak she already seen coming.   “I.. I appreciate your recognition and I am flattered. But I can’t offer anything more than friendship.”, Donghae states. He’s not being harsh but he sees no point to beat around the bush. Sooyeon’s quiet after the statement though, and Donghae dares not to turn his head to the other side of the bench they’re sitting in, to her direction, and tells himself to just wait for whatever the girl will do.   It doesn’t take a while before a heavy sigh leaves Sooyeon’s lips; Donghae peeks at her expression and finds her wearing a soft, weary smile. “Well, I’m not surprised. I knew all along you will reject me, but I still give it a try. I’m sort of glad I did though, even if it isn’t the outcome I’m hoping for.”, Sooyeon stands up, and Donghae quickly follows even though he doesn’t have any idea why. He just feels like he should say something more, and yet when he opens his mouth there’s nothing.   “It’s okay. It’s not your fault that you don’t like me back.”, the girl utters, having enough courage to face this boy she not so secretly cherish in her heart for years, biting her lip and suppressing her tears because she thinks it’s just not right to cry before him. Donghae sees the emotions play on her face, the hesitation, the push and pull on wanting to say something more but almost immediately deciding against it. In the end Sooyeon smiles and thank him for hearing her out, yet even before she leaves completely, Donghae calls her out.   He’s somehow cautious, and he’s not sure if it’s the right thing to say. “We can still be friends?” The uncertainty turns into bemusement however, when Sooyeon starts to chuckle.   He asks why in confusion, and when she answers Donghae gets a little confused.   “That’s now how it works, Sunbae.”, she explains. “You can’t be friends with someone you’re madly inlove with.”   -   It’s past seven in the evening when Donghae reaches home, his mother greeting him immediately once he comes in. “You didn’t walk with Hyukjae today?”, the woman asks as Donghae takes his runners off. “He’s playing with Kyuhyun and the others.”, the boy answers, heading straight to the stairs once he’s done with his shoes. “Oh. Did you take your medicine?” He’s already halfway through the steps when he stops, closing his eyes as he goes over this again. “No.”, he replies with the same answer he always gives whenever that specific question’s being asked. His mother frowns, ready to confront her son all over again. “How many times do I have to tell you not to miss it? Stop being stubborn Donghae!”, she’s worried rather than annoyed. “But I don’t need it mom. How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not sick?”, Donghae yells the last few words out, yet as soon as he did so he regrets it immediately. He hates having this kind of conversation with his mother, loathes fighting and shouting back at her, detests seeing her upset and hurt because of him. He doesn’t apologize though, as he turns his back on her and starts climbing the stairs again. “You’re sick Donghae.”, he still catch her words. “And unless you accept it, it’ll be hard to.. fix you.”   He closes his door loud enough, just like how he always has whenever his mother opens that topic up. He lets his backpack slides to his feet and not bothering to take his uniform off, he sluggishly making his way to his bed and plops himself on it.    Suddenly he’s feeling drained, and he welcomes the exhaustion as he closes his eyes. Before sleep claims him images of Hyukjae’s smile, Sooyeon’s misty eyes and his mother’s anxious face cloud his vision. Those.. and the words he had always wanted, had been trying to tell his mother eventhough he knows she will never listen.   ‘But there’s nothing to fix mom. I’m not broken or anything..   ..I am just me.’   -   A polytone of Shinhwa’s Wild Eyes wakes him up, and he practically let himself fall on the floor, crawling his way to his bag near his door. He grabs his phone, his eyes hurt from the bright light and finds his best friend calling him. He buries his face on the floor, still sleepy and bushed as he answers Hyukjae’s call.   “I’m outside.” is all Hyukjae says and hangs up. He doesn’t have to try harder however, since the words effectively wake Donghae up, or at least be conscious of what’s happening. Eyebrows in a scrunch, Donghae sits up and stares at his phone again, briefly wondering if he’s just dreaming. Nevertheless he stands up, exits his room and quietly descends the stairs and leaves the house.   True enough, Hyukjae’s waiting in front of their gate, a frown on his forehead after giving him a once over.   “You’re still in your uniform.”, Hyukjae states and Donghae eyes himself and shrugs, shifting his gaze back to the other boy. “And you’re in your pajamas.”, he points out and it’s the other’s turn to shrug. “So? I still look cool anyway.”, he casually utters, placing one hand in his pocket, the other holding his mobile phone. “What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you came all the way here looking like that.”, Donghae exaggerates his look of surprise and scoffs when Hyukjae rolls his eyes. “Please stop acting like our houses aren’t in front of each other.”, the boy with the raven hair says and Donghae chuckles, tip-toeing a little as he tries to see Hyukjae’s room on the house before his. “But it’s kind of cool saying it, you know, like you came all the way just to see me.”, Donghae grins and Hyukjae makes a face. He flicks Donghae’s forehead and the other aims to punch his arm but he’s quick enough to dodge. He sticks his tongue out to the brunette and the other glares while soothing his forehead.   “Let’s do something.”, Hyukjae states and even before Donghae question what, he’s already walking away. “At this time?”, Donghae calls out, then clamps a hand on his mouth because he might wake the neighborhood up. Hyukjae keeps on walking though, doesn’t bother looking back and Donghae’s left with no choice but to run after him. “Ya Hyukjae! Where are we going? Hyukjaeyah!”   -   He winces at the sudden coldness that touches his forehead, and he looks up and finds his best friend. Hyukjae grins, detaching the unopened ice drop on his skin and handing it to him. Donghae takes it and the black-haired boy occupies the empty swing besides his, opening his own ice drop and taking a bite. He cringes at the cold, but keeps the ice drop in his mouth as he sways his swing gently, taking the calmness and quietness of the park at that time of the night.   “Eating ice cream at this hour? Really Hyukjae, you’re the weirdest!”, Donghae utters, side-eyeing the other boy but opens his own ice drop nevertheless. He takes a bite and grabs the handles of his swing, looking at the other boy and tr