"Hoya." He called out softly. 

Hoya turned to Sunggyu slowly and fearfully. He dreaded to see his state currently. He looked as if he was a walking dead. 

"I miss her. I really do." He mumbled before breaking down, again. 

It pained Hoya to see him acting like this. 

"Everything will be over soon enough." 

With those words of reassurance, Hoya hugged Sunggyu. He questioned himself whether he was doing it for the sake of friendship or not. After all, he loved him. Hoya knew that since before. 

∞

 

Sunggyu ran his finger over the photo in his wallet. It was him and her, smiling so sweetly and lovingly. If he ever knew she would leave him, he would have kissed her a few more times. He would not have fought with her even once. He would have used his entire life to protect her from harm. However, he had never expected her to leave his side. Never once had he thought she would die before him at such a young age.

They were supposed to go to the same college. They were supposed to go on more dates. They were supposed to belong to one another till the very end. However, now, nothing was left because she was gone for good. Jihyun was not going to return. She had left him, forever. Sunggyu felt his heart ached as those thoughts ran through his mind. It was killing him. She was. 

Then, he decided. 

"For you." Sunggyu said with a genuine smile. 

Hoya returned the smile, glad that his friend was seemingly doing better. At least, he thought so. 

"Why so random?" he asked, trying his best to contain his happiness. 

Holding onto the figurine, Hoya smiled to himself. 

"Free gift from buying instant noodles at the convenience store." He lied. 

Hoya felt a pang at his heart but he ignored it. 

"Thanks anyway." He slapped Sunggyu on his back as he contained his disappointment. 

After school, Sunggyu made Hoya leave first. He lied that he had to meet the teachers for consultation. Walking down the road, Hoya the figurine inside his pocket. The bells clinging on the handle twinkled as he entered the convenience store. Grabbing a bowl of instant noodles, he paid at the counter. It was Sunggyu's favourite brand. He had grown to like it too. The cashier received the note courteously and returned Hoya his change. Hoya lingered at the counter for a while longer, confused.

"Is there a figurine as complimentary gift?" he inquired. 

"What are you talking about?" The cashier looked at the boy as if he was abnormal. 

Hoya took out the figurine Sunggyu gave him and earned a shook of head. 

"." Hoya cursed as he ran out of the store. 

"Hey! Your instant noodles!" The cashier shouted. 

Hoya ran as fast as he could. Uneasiness overtook him as every second ticked away. He must not be right. But his instincts told him he was. Hoya felt his legs grow tired but he forced himself to run even faster. Bursting through the door of the rooftop, he saw Sunggyu on the ledge. He was crying, real hard. Stepping closer carefully, Hoya called out to him softly. He did not want to startle him. Not when he was in such a dangerous spot.

“Sunggyu. What are you doing up there?”

He asked the obvious.

Sunggyu turned around and met eyes with Hoya. He saw Hoya drenched in sweat and trembling slightly from all the running.

“How did you know?” he asked with a scary smile.

“That’s not important, Sunggyu. Come down now!” Hoya demanded as he walked nearer.

“Don’t come closer, Hoya.” Sunggyu warned as he stepped further out on the ledge.

“Sunggyu, please! Get off that freaking ledge now! You will die!” Hoya yelled.

He was almost hysterical at the moment.

“You don’t understand.” Sunggyu mumbled.

“I am better off dead, Hoya. Every day, Jihyun comes into my mind. I can’t live without her. It’s too painful.”

Hoya kept quiet. He knew. Because he witnessed how Sunggyu became frailer as days passed.  

“Must you do this?” he finally asked.

“Yes.” He replied in determination.

Hoya felt something on his face. Then, he realized that he was crying already. Turning his back on Sunggyu, Hoya clenched his fists.

“Thank you, Hoya.” was the last thing he heard from Sunggyu.

With a loud impact on the cold, hard ground, everything was over. Hoya walked over to the ledge and glanced over. Then, he shut his eyes because he couldn’t bear to see Sunggyu’s distorted body.

He had let him go.

∞

 

“Is that why you gave this to me?” Hoya asked no one in particular as he played with the figurine.

He was on the rooftop with his back against the dirty white wall, alone.

“Kim Sunggyu, I hate you.” Hoya scolded as he cried once more.

He regretted so much for letting Sunggyu go that day. When he saw his mother crying at his funeral like there was no more tomorrow, Hoya felt guilty. However, it was more than guilt he was feeling at the moment. He felt emptiness. Weird but indeed, he felt empty. He missed Sunggyu so much. Just like how he missed Jihyun then, he guessed.

Standing up with the support of the wall, Hoya climbed onto the ledge as well. The skies were dark, he noticed. It was going to rain soon. Spreading his arms, Hoya felt the strong wind blowing against his body. He wanted to do the same. He didn’t want to be left alone in this world. He wanted to join Sunggyu. He loved him and he wanted to tell him that in person.

“Wait for me.” He said with a smile before stepping out.

As he fell through the air, scenes of Sunggyu and him since before flashed across his mind. Before he hit the ground, Hoya made a silent prayer. He prayed that in the other world, Jihyun did not exist. Because it was only then, he would not be the extra.

Only then, he can love him. 

 

Author's Note

This one shot is kinda dark in my opinion.
Eh, this is something I don't attempt and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. ^^
I had a heavy heart while writing this... Teared up slightly in the procress of writing too.
Hope someone would comment/ subscribe. Thank you for reading 'Gone for Good'.