In the midst of hectic schedule between school and part-time jobs, Namsoon had gotten used to the feel of tiredness and the help that was unconsciously given by Heungsoo had made things much more manageable for Namsoon to handle. The last two weeks went by unnoticed, for him at least and the time for the promised school trip will begin shortly.

"Don't forget to bring your Literature books for the trip, understand?" Teacher Jung commanded before leaving the classroom; Teacher Kang following behind using the back door.

The students of Class 2-2 barely nods at the order before discussing animatedly of whatever that Namsoon didn't really give a damn about. Besides the boy was too distracted to concentrate on anything else right now. There is only one that has the ability to do such thing as to catch Go Namsoon's absolute attention.

A person, that is.

A very special person who is always and forever be the most important thing in his life.

Park Heungsoo.

Currently, the said boy had taken out his iPod and closed his eyes as the music starts blasting out through his earphones. Namsoon on the other hand, was sitting in his own seat; his head laid down on his left arm and ended up gazing at the older boy, he was transfixed on watching Heungsoo from his seat. The younger boy had started the habit of admiring his old-time friend a long time ago. Namsoon couldn't help being mesmerized by Heungsoo's attractive feature. 

The boy indeed has a very distinctive face with high cheekbones and sharp jaw-line that could chisel granite. The eyebrows lining in perfectly complementing his composed expression. Also, Heungsoo has the tendency to his dry lips once in a while, it seems the action was done unconsciously and the older boy probably didn't take a note of it. But Namsoon did; it had always cut Namsoon off from forming any intelligible words or even a rational thought whenever he accidently saw him do it. One other thing that had him chained to Heungsoo was his eyes. Those dark piercing eyes had never failed to freeze him instantly. That is why Namsoon was easily shaken by those eyes, he felt under those sharp fiery gaze.

A mix of being intimidated and captivation.

Only Park Heungsoo is able to do such things.

"–Namsoon! Go Namsoon!" the boy snaps out of his trance. Namsoon realized that someone had been calling his name for awhile now, he looks around and spotted a fuming Song Ha Kyung with her arms crossed. Tapping her foot furiously as she orders him to come with her, saying that their teachers had wanted to tell them regarding something.

Therefore Namsoon reluctantly stood up and walk towards the irritated Vice President of 2-2 Class. Before he leaves the classroom, he risks a chance to steal another glance at his special person.

His eyes met with a pair of piercing eyes that is all too familiar to him.

Shock fuses through him as he noted that Heungsoo is currently watching him intently. The other boy is giving off a knowing smirk, stunning Namsoon effortlessly without needing any sorts of physical contact; causing the boy unable to move an inch. He felt as if he was pinned by the sole force of Heungsoo's gaze. Unfortunately, the younger boy's torment didn't end there, with his eyes fixed upon Heungsoo; the older boy slowly his lips, biting down gently on his now wet lips before flashing Namsoon one of his infamous sly grin. 

He knew.

Namsoon is truly speechless, unsure if he trembled because of the ethereal display of his secret or by the fact that he had wanted to kill himself since Heungsoo had known of his little dark secret. Suddenly, his name was once again being called out irately by the long-haired girl. 'Oh, thank god!' Namsoon thought as he blatantly rushes out of the classroom, forcing himself to break off from his enrapture. However, the boy did a miserable job on trying to cover up his burning red face at the end of his intense unspoken conversation with Heungsoo.

In the end, the poor blushing boy couldn't stop recalling the delectable expression that his older friend had personally showed to him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The way back home was quiet. Namsoon had silently decided to take the long route towards his house, he had wanted to walk with Heungsoo. And Heungsoo who did not object nor agree it, lets Namsoon do as he wishes to. It was certainly a peaceful snowy night as they walk pass rows of closed shophouses. Moving on step by step, on to the under bridge and they make their trails along the sidewalk. The cold had somehow given them warmth in a way, it was almost pleasant to spend the night this way. Namsoon had slowed down his pace, he felt the need to just watch over Heungsoo from behind. The sight of his broad shoulder that has flakes of snow covered on his uniform makes Namsoon wondered what had the older boy gone through these past three years. During the times Namsoon wasn’t there, the times when they didn’t have each other by their side.

The floating silence had become comforting between themselves somehow. Heungsoo didn’t comment on how Namsoon was still following him around from behind, and for that he was grateful. Namsoon felt the need to do so to put pieces of his mind back in place after that awkward incident happened at school that made him lost on how to start a conversation. A normal one preferably.

Without really noticing, they have finally arrived at the familiar bridge where Heungsoo would cross over but Namsoon does not; the place where they part. The younger boy stops like he usually would, before racking his brain to debate on what to say to the older boy who continues to walk on as if he had not known Namsoon’s presence that had been following him.

The younger boy has made his decision.

Namsoon strides off to the older boy and tugs on the back of his school uniform. Heungsoo paused on his tracks and stayed perfectly still as if waiting for Namsoon's next move. But the boy didn’t utter a single word and so the other has yet to turn around.

“Heungsoo-ya”

Without looking back at Namsoon.  “What?”

“…Nothing”

The younger one lets go of Heungsoo’s uniform. The same pause shoots both of them until Heungsoo finally moves his right leg forward to continue walking his way home. The image of the other boy leaving him alone fleets into his memory.

“Heungsoo-ya!”

Namsoon felt anxious as the splitting image of his past memory repeated itself before his very own eyes. He felt a slight tremor sifts through his body. The boy panics.

Heungsoo had once again halts himself. Although this time he turns around, looking straight ahead at Namsoon; muttering an annoyed, “What?”

With just that action, Namsoon bets Heungsoo has no idea how much it had relieved his unsettled feelings. He felt beyond relief, the fact that the past doesn’t played out like before the moment that boy turned around. Struggling, Namsoon kept his stance strong since he refuse to show that the past still have such a strong influence on him.

“Don’t forget to come to the school trip tomorrow”

Heungsoo throws him a weird look. “That’s all you wanted to say?”

Namsoon blearily nodded.

The older boy give out a snort.

“Aish this brat...” Heungsoo grumbles.

The older boy turned around and gives a small wave back at Namsoon. “Go home, Saekki-ya,” Heungsoo says nonchalantly.

Namsoon continues to stare off at Heungsoo walking away, disappearing around the corner.

He smiled?

Namsoon could’ve sworn he saw Heungsoo gave out a smile as the boy turns around facing his back on the younger boy. He was in dazed by that rare smile; Namsoon even forgot he didn’t get an answer from Heungsoo. The younger boy ruffles off his hair frustratingly as he slams his back onto the wall nearby. He looks up at the hazy sky mixed with shiny stars and misty clouds; snow kept on falling down on him.

Sliding downwards from the wall to the floor, the hand that messes up his hair is now covering his flustered face as he stretches out a leg. The other hand was holding onto a small present that had been in his pocket all along. Namsoon sat there for quite some time that night. He fumbles around the gift he had bought for that someone.

“In the end, I couldn't give it to him...”

The gift he had bought was something he had wanted to give to Heungsoo ever since they became the bestest friends. But he wasn't sure if it was alright to give him such a present. It would definitely will leave a mark on their relationship, but what sort of mark is it going to be?

Another thing that has been bothering his thinking was about the trip. Namsoon had talked to the teachers about changing the location, but it seems both of them had made a strong hold on their decision. The boy was pretty much powerless to do anything about it. It had been decided from the very beginning that the trip will be held on that fated place, where it all started. His hometown where he had met Heungsoo for the very first time.

And that place is Gyeonggi-do.

Namsoon sighed, unsure of what to think anymore. He wonders how Heungsoo felt about the trip being held in their hometown. It was certainly a place filled with bittersweet memories for the both of them. 

He opened the small box on his hand, revealing two similar rings that have fine black linings engraved on it decorating its silvery base colour.

Perhaps I should give this to him during the trip?

The only person that could possibly messes up with his thoughts and feelings. The one and only Park Heungsoo.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All of the students from Class 2-2 are supposed to be present inside the hall with their homeroom teachers, Teacher Jung and Teacher Kang. They are busy checking the attendance for the trip and confirming the sponsored transportation that seems to be running late. Plus, there are still some students that have not arrived yet. These kinds of things had brought upon massive headaches on the poor teachers of Class 2-2.

“Kids, line up or else your precious points will be deducted in a rather generous amount” Teacher Kang threatens sweetly yet lethal as the students quickly lines up accordingly. It does the trick well enough.

The teachers give off a sigh, sometimes they wonder if it is even possible for anyone who could handle this one particular class alone as a homeroom teacher. As if trying to prove their point, a sudden burst from the door to the hall was opened rashly, revealing two of their late-comer students, looking fairly messy. One of them squats abruptly and the other bends down with hands on his knees, attempting to catch their breath again.

“OH~ Our Hyung-nim and President Go are late together again!” points out Byun Ki Deok rather obviously.

Quite a number of them make an overly scandalized tone while others started giggling as they made up groundless conclusions of what had actually happened between Go Namsoon and Park Heungsoo. “Those two have finally made up?” “More like finally making out to me” “Look at their messed up clothes!” “Rough night, maybe?” “Totally”

Numerous rumors being fabricated at once, all just because both of them are late, together and wearing ‘messed up’ clothes. Teacher Kang is literally traumatized by the word ‘making out’ used on Namsoon and Heungsoo, unwanted images being formed by his own traitorous mind is certainly of no help. Meanwhile, Teacher Jung has turned red already, probably because of that same line that he had heard as she try to break off the chattering by scolding those late-comers, although without a tinged of seriousness in her voice.

The boys didn’t deny a thing nor do they admit everything. Or rather they seem to not care at all about the gossips being thrown at them, as if they have already gotten used to it. They gave an apologizing bow towards Teacher Jung. And a nod to Teacher Kang.

“Try not to be late again… Now, fix your uniform” Teacher Jung says, they give a small nod in return and do as she had requested.

Well at least they are much more tolerable than others.

She thought silently as she watches Namsoon handed out a packet of chocolate bread to Heungsoo, the older of the two refuses stubbornly before reluctantly snatches it from the other boy’s hand when his own stomach grumbles out loud for the public to hear. The younger boy mouths open to say something but shut it close later; he seems unsure and looks away towards the other side, dejected. Heungsoo then turns in Namsoon’s direction as he wanted to say something, suspiciously seems like he had wanted to thank the other boy. However, he too didn’t manage to send out his thoughts in words like Namsoon and ended up staring at the hard floor with a perplexed expression plastered on his face.

Teacher Jung knew they are still in the middle of fixing their broken up friendship. But something seems so out of place when she noticed that they are still very awkward around each other; they needed something to break that wall that has been blocking them from whatever they should be having.

It appears that she wasn’t the only one who noticed this; Teacher Kang was also observing the situation.

Looking at the teacher beside her, “Teacher Kang, do you think we can do something about them?”

He folded his arms and tilts his head a little, thinking.

“I might just have the right idea that would suffice”

“What would that be?” the female teacher asks.

The brilliant Kang Se Chan smirks.

The briefing started and finishes so quickly that Heungsoo hardly noticed it.

“Since we only booked 8 rooms for all of you, divide yourselves to a group of 4 people at least in each room,” stated Teacher Kang.

“Remember not to mix in girls and boys in the same group since you will be sharing the room” Teacher Jung noted.

The students scatter to find their preferred roommates. Heungsoo feels slightly uneasy at the idea of sharing room with his classmates; after all he barely makes any contact with anyone but Namsoon and the troublesome trio. The older boy decides to just stay away from the crowd and if his in luck today, he could have a room with the least people in it.

Heungsoon steps back casually but stopped when he felt two hands landed on his shoulders from behind. He utters a silent curse, not expecting anyone to pick him willingly at the time. Unless it’s…

“Hyung-nim, why aren’t you joining anyone? Come with us, Hyung-nim!” urges the chirpy Byun Ki Deok pointing excitedly at his groupie, who now found the floor tiles and ceiling rather fascinating to look at than at Heungsoo.

He had to grimace.

It’s not that he hated the guy, Heungsoo simply find him difficult to be around with. Sharing room with the overly-cheerful guy is just too extreme, especially in his case. Ignoring the request seems to be the best decision as of now.

“Hyung-nim~” Byun Ki Deok started to whine when Heungsoo didn’t respond to him.

He winces. Well, .

He intended to give the persistent guy a taste of his death glare so Heungsoo turned to look directly at him. But it seems he was already scared out of his skin by something. Heungsoo blinks in confusion as one of Byun Ki Deok’s friends drags the petrified boy away, uttering a hastened apology.

'…What the hell just happened?'

He stares oddly at the sight of them retreating. But then again he could care less about it, at least now he didn’t have to be bothered by anyone. Heungsoo shrugs it off and made to turn around again.

And again, he halts as Heungsoo saw Namsoon a few meters away from him, leaning casually against the wall with hands tucked inside his pockets. The younger boy was surrounded by some of their classmates; the scene wasn’t unexpected though, Heungsoo knew the boy have more friends than Namsoon realizes himself. What surprised him was that Namsoon was looking towards his direction and judging from the incident happened just now, he has a feeling that Namsoon has been observing him for quite a while.

The younger boy tears off his gaze on Heungsoo to tell something to the people around him. He assumed Namsoon has refused their request as the others gave a disappointed look and the boy waving off a quick “Sorry!” before he strides off towards where Heungsoo stands.

Heungsoo fights to hold his position still, his mind went haywire and his heart beats alarmingly fast at the sight of Namsoon’s firm steps towards him.

The boy stops in front of Heungsoo. He stares into Heungsoo directly; lightly Namsoon tilts his head to the side and showed off his usual grin that has always charmed the older boy.

“Surprised?” Namsoon asks.

“Should I be?” Heungsoo retorts.

The younger boy only smirks in return.

“Why did you refuse them?”

“Because I wanted to” Namsoon moves to the nearest wall to lean onto.

“And why exactly did you scared off that guy just now?”

“What guy?”

“Don’t play dumb and answer me, Saekki-ya” Heungsoo commanded.

“Aish… such a demanding bastard” Namsoon mutters.

However he still didn’t get the answer he seeks in the end, Namsoon dodged it all and instead, the boy launches a question that had Heungsoo stunned.

“Let me share a room with you”

Heungsoo couldn’t even believe what he just heard, wondering whether it was just his imagination acting up.

“Say what?” the older boy asked, perplexed.

“Let me be your roommate” Namsoon insisted with such confidence.

He snaps out from the shock and responds as cunningly as he thought it was, “Go and join your friends, Saekki-ya”

“I don’t want to, Saekki-ya” refused Namsoon.

“Your friends are much more willing to have you as roommate than I do” the older boy says

“I'm much more willing to have you as my roommate than they do” Namsoon retorts cleverly.

Heungsoo gave a long stare, and sighes out defeatingly.

"Fine, you stubborn idiot." He walks away from the crowd like he had planned before.

Namsoon smiles victoriously as he follows his new roommate.

-----------------------------------------

"Settle down, people!" The teachers urges.

The students rushes to find seats with their close friends. At the very back of the bus, Oh Jungho and his two faithful followers had long conquered the place and no one really wants to argue with the boys since they want no unnecessary problems throughout their anticipated trip. It was much less trouble, to just let it be than to stand against them anyway. After all, it seems like those three have shown an improvement on their behavior and the bullying have lessen, now that there are Go Namsoon and Park Heungsoo being on the top of the food chain. 

Speaking of which, those two dominators had ended up sitting beside each other. No one really knows why the two of them always looked like they were constantly throwing their claws on one another; Heungsoo being the one attacking while Namsoon struggles to hold his stance strong, and after a moment it was as if nothing had happened. They were always hanging out with each other, whether or not they noticed it. That was why if one needs to find Go Namsoon, the said person would search for Park Heungsoo first, same goes the other way around. It was that simple, yet complicated relationship those two have in connection. But not even one of them dared to ask questions out loud. They figured it would be better to just leave it be.

The journey is due for about an hour or so. At the beginning, the sound of students chattering about was unevitably loud. Even the teachers had given up commanding them to tone it down after several times of failure as the sound kept coming back on. Although surprisingly, after half an hour throughout the journey, the atmostphere had became unnaturally quiet; most of the students had fell asleep along the way. Of course they are bound to fall asleep since their daily routine is having to go to school from morning until  late night every single day had been piling up stress mentally and physically.

A special case for one particular student, Go Namsoon who had been shifting to and fro from school to work; eating lesser than he should have eaten, being awake more than asleep and getting an alarming amount of accidental bruises and cuts than any klutz should possibly get was definitely unable to escape from the clutches of sleep. The boy had struggled to keep himself awake nonetheless, his eyelashes flutters open from time to time, attempting to stay conscious. He sat with arms crossed, his long lean legs was imminent to bump onto the other boy ones who sat beside him, occupied staring at the nostalgic scenery outside the window of the bus. Heungsoo didn't bother to avoid the bumping nor do he talks to Namsoon about anything. The older boy was just too engrossed on the outside world as he peacefully listens to the music on his iPod.

Both of them were drifted in an unusual sense of comfort by the familiar surrounding, in a way they felt normal again somehow. 

Heungsoo felt a bump, not on his leg but on his shoulder instead. He shifted his gaze to his side; Heungsoo saw Namsoon had finally surrendered to his exhaustion and had unconsciously fallen asleep with his head nodding off downwards. He stares upon the tired feature of the younger one, contemplating to wake him up or not. It can't be good for his neck if he continues to sleep without any support for his head to lie onto, but he also didn't have the heart to wake him up from his new-found rest. An idea strikes through him; Heungsoo tentatively looks around making sure no one was watching them before sliding his arm around Namsoon shoulder, slightly pushing the boy towards him and resulting Namsoon completely leaning against Heungsoo. The younger one jerked a little making Heungsoo held in his breath, but nothing much happened as Namsoon just snuggled down onto Heungsoo's side in search of more comfort.

Heungsoo lets out his breath in relief. He then checks on the younger boy again, satisfied at the sight of the boy in a secure position than the previous. He lifted his gaze; focusing on the finally relaxing feature, breathing in and out evenly. Namsoon has completely let his guard down, the said boy being called Tsunami was knocked down by sleepiness. Leaving himself utterly defenseless to the world.

"That is why I'm your Hyung, idiot bastard"

The older boy keep on holding the other protectively as he turned away to look at the vast scenery of their hometown. Heungsoo realizes that the last time he had been to his hometown, he had lost Namsoon. Soon, Heungsoo will be at his hometown once again, but this time will not be the same. This time, Namsoon is there with him.

Heungsoo tighten his grip on Namsoon.

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Hello there my lovely readers~ I'm grateful this story is so well received! Thank you very much for commenting~ <3 Sorry for not giving you a faster update, I lost my beloved Internet and laptop you see ;w;

AND SORRY FOR GRAMMAR MISTAKES, AS I'M FREAKISHLY SLEEPY NOW. YAEEEEYY.... /snores/

...... oh seriously anyone who wants to request a fluff scene is welcomed. Before I become a jelly, A bright pink jelly,

Also thank you to @Jilamah for the upvote <3 love you dearie :D  (I have no idea how to tag people in stories lol)