CHAPTER TWO:Heaven's Door

Usually JongHyun would wake up early. He love to welcome the sun and use his time wisely. Sleeping wasn't something he really cared about – the dark circles around his eyes could talk for him. He chose eating over sleeping, music over sleeping, over sleeping. But somehow, that day he managed to wake up pretty late. Maybe he had been really tired from the long travel to Busan or maybe it was just the effect his hometown had on him. Not wanting to face reality. 

“MinHyuk.”

JongHyun’s voice resounded as he walked by the halls of the old Korean house in search of his best friend. The wood creaking as he walked barefoot. He had tried already in the younger male’s bedroom and outside but it seemed his friend wasn’t watering the plants or taking a nap.

“Holy ,” he groaned as he walked to the kitchen in hopes to find his friend there. “Was your house this big, MinHyuk—? Oh.”

As soon as he walked in his eyes met the figure of a young male he had never seen before. He was comfortably resting his cheek on the short wooden table. His supposedly medium length hair was tied in a messy bun and in front of him was an almost empty container of cold tea and two cups. When the seated young man noticed JongHyun’s presence he sat up straight. The surprised look on his face didn’t last long.

“Ah, you must be Lee JongHyun-sshi.”

His voice sounded friendly giving JongHyun the confidence to walk inside the kitchen.

The young traveler nodded. “Are you one of the renters?”

“Yeah, I’m Lee JungShin.”

As they were in the middle of presenting each other MinHyuk appeared in the kitchen carrying a two bottles of soju and some chips. When he noticed his best friend’s presence the boy raised his eyebrows.

“Nice to finally see you, JongHyun,” He interrupted the other two’s chitchat.

“Hyung,” JungShin acknowledged him as he took the bottles of soju. Kindly he offered some soju to JongHyun who merrily accepted the drink. Being morning, midnight or evening he always welcomed some good liquor. And soju happened to be one of his favourites.

“Min-ah. Morning,” The content grin on JongHyun’s face met a frown.

“It’s almost twelve.”

“Still morning.”

As their small bickering kept on going a soft smile appeared on JungShin’s face. It was obvious how special the relationship between those two was. Stories about JongHyun, he had heard plenty – mainly complains – but now that he managed to see both friends interacting JungShin could only feel how true their friendship actually was. It was a proof that distance couldn’t mess up real relationships.

“Had a good sleep?”

JungShin suddenly entered in their conversation making JongHyun pause for an instant before a look of mischief bloomed. It confused slightly the younger males.

“I guess.” JongHyun grinned.

He had almost forgotten the encounter he had had with the other renter a few hours ago. The memory still brought a humorous grin on his face. That YongHwa guy had been pretty entertaining, at least for JongHyun who never stopped laughing at the half drunk young man. The few words they exchanged and the peaceful atmosphere that they shared while looking at the night view. It all had been enjoyable. And how could he forget the way the renter stood up and tried to walk to his bedroom? It had been simply hilarious. In the end – not before having a good laugh – JongHyun helped the slightly older male to reach his room that actually was in the other side of the house. How come he ended outside JongHyun’s bedroom?

In all, that night in Busan had been a good one.

“What are we having for breakfast?”  The cynic way JongHyun asked the question made JungShin snort playfully.

“You mean: lunch,” MinHyuk corrected.

“What about some pasta?” JungShin offered while pouring another cup of soju to JongHyun who quickly drank it.

They had been drinking and talking for the past hour. The young traveler entertained the youngest male with his stories and anecdotes while MinHyuk contently interrupted whenever he felt the story was turning pretty unreal. 

“Nah, I want some Korean food,” JongHyun sighed before looking at his childhood friend. “What about bulgogi?”

“Isn’t the weather too hot for that?” JungShin questioned carefully trying not to sound rude to the renter’s old friend.

“Doesn’t matter,”  JongHyun simply said.

MinHyuk scratched his neck. “You really want bulgogi?”

“The question is, can you cook it?”

That was it. Even after three years JongHyun still knew how to pull his friend’s buttons. Obviously the challenge had been accepted not before MinHyuk punished his friend. With a pretty extended supermarket list and no one to help him, he sent JongHyun to buy everything he needed to cook bulgogi and other stuff, just for the pleasure to make him carry them all the way back.

The supermarket wasn’t a place he frequented. On the contrary, he pretty much avoided it since it was a luxurious place he couldn’t afford with his lifestyle. JongHyun was more of small local markets and convenience stores but since MinHyuk was paying for it, well, screw it.

Thinking a kart was too much; JongHyun went for a small basket. Soon enough his eyes caught sight of a young woman taking the kart that was next to him. Instantly he placed her toddler on the baby seat. It might have been the way the kid laughed all along or the fact that this supermarket reminded him the one he used to go when younger but a sad smile covered his lips. His eyes longed at the image and the memories harassed his thoughts.

Right then he remembered those common Saturdays’ mornings that JongHyun spent with his mother. They usually used those mornings to have some quality time and to buy the things that they needed for the week. Oh, how he remembered himself asking his mother to place him on the kart even if he didn’t fit on them anymore.  

JongHyun walked slowly by the aisles, taking carefully everything that was written on the list –brand, size and everything. He was completely entertained looking at all the products that were displayed. Plenty of things called his attention. There were some stuff he didn’t know existed and some other stuff that JongHyun found completely useless, at least for his homeless lifestyle.

Just as he reached the pharmacy section he caught sight of someone completely familiar. Grinning to himself he approached to the person that was busy looking at some toothpastes.

“Hey.”

His voice was soft but it still caught off guard the other person that turned to look at him with confused eyes.

“Oh,” was all YongHwa said when he noticed JongHyun was by his side. The traveler was grinning.

“Are you feeling okay? You seemed pretty wasted last night.”

YongHwa’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink as the memories came back. “Yeah, I’m sorry that you had to see me that way.”

“Whatever, you aren’t the first one I meet that way,” JongHyun shrugged it off as he carefully looked at the different toothpastes displayed. He had to buy one too. Colgate. Max Fresh Liquid. Cinnamint. Damn MinHyuk.

“Don’t you need a kart?” YongHwa said after a while. He had been standing next to JongHyun for the past minute while the younger male simply ignored him. He was pretty busy searching for the precise toothpaste to keep up the conversation with the older renter. Under an arm JongHyun carried the now full basket while on the other, supposedly free hand, he held the vegetables’ bags.

“What? Nah, I don’t think I—ah, here it is!” JongHyun’s attention went back to the toothpastes as he fished the one he had been looking for. Just as he leaned to take it most of the products he had been carrying fell to the floor calling the attention of other customers. “Okay, maybe I need one.”

Why he did it? He didn’t know. Did it felt awkward? Not really, in fact JongHyun felt pretty comfortable by having – forcing – YongHwa to be next to him as he finished buying all the stuff written in the massive list. Just like last night, JongHyun was enjoying the renter’s company. His presence made him feel rather calm, but there was something, another feeling that he was trying to decipher. What it was? He was about to know.

The way YongHwa shyly smiled at him, the way his tired eyes looked at the world, the way he carefully chose his words while talking to him even while drunk, it all intrigued his curious self. They had spent a couple of hours together and JongHyun had already found all of this things.

People might wonder why JongHyun being the loner he was, related himself so much with other people – strangers in his case. He was used to be all by himself with no need to have another person’s presence in his life so why did he waste his time meeting other people when he never stayed for too long on the same place? Well, JongHyun sometimes wondered that too. He had a vague idea. It might be that he always found people as interesting creatures. Humans were entertaining. JongHyun tended to pay close attention to others. He was always ready to learn everything – good and bad stuff – from them. Stealing their knowledge and ways of thinking. All this to make him a better and more mature person.

“MinHyuk is crazy, how the hell am I supposed to carry all this by myself?” JongHyun rolled his eyes before kicking one of the bags that were resting on the pavement. “Thanks god you’re going to help me.”

At that YongHwa smiled gently looking at the raspberry ice cream he had in his hands. JongHyun had bought the sorbets with MinHyuk’s credit card saying it was a small treat for their hard work.

JongHyun stretched his arms careful not to drop his precious ice cream.

“How come you ended in MinHyuk’s?”

There was no quick answer, just a soft humming before the older male rested his back on the park’s bench where they were seating. His eyes set on the road where people passed by.

“I’ve known him for a long while,” YongHwa started, his voice a bit different from his drunken one. “A year ago my parents decided to move back to their Mokpo. I didn’t want to—I just couldn’t go with them so I decided to stay,” a tired smile appeared on his face. “When I found the Kangs had a free bedroom I went there. It was a surprise to see MinHyuk there. I didn’t know his parents owned the rooms.”

JongHyun looked questioningly at the renter. Of all he said something had caught his attention. “You couldn’t leave Busan?”

“No,” YongHwa said slowly before releasing a sigh. “I’ve been waiting for someone.”

At that JongHyun grinned. “A lover?”

YongHwa didn’t answer; he simply his ice cream.

“A person I hurt.”

The answer caught completely off guard JongHyun. Unconsciously he turned to face the older renter.

“How long have you been waiting?”

“Years? I don’t know. I’ve never left this place in hope to meet up for a second time.”

“Not even for vacations?” There was a negative answer. JongHyun couldn’t believe it. “Is it even worth it? I mean, you’ve been stuck here for so damn long. How can you do it?”

It was then that YongHwa’s sad eyes met the intrigued ones of JongHyun.

“He’s completely worth it.”

It might have been the serious and desperate look YongHwa gave him or the secure way his words sounded in the peaceful evening but JongHyun felt his body tremble in an uncomfortable way. Quickly he broke the eye contact letting the sound of the street cover their silenced moment.

“How long will you stay?”

The question YongHwa asked broke deliciously the silence that JongHyun wasn’t able to split up.

“Hum, I don’t know. Some days? I guess?” He shrugged. He didn’t really plan when to leave or arrive. He usually moved at a peculiar and unpredictable rhythm.

“Don’t you miss it? Busan.”

“Not really,” JongHyun answered right away, his words carrying a cynic sensation. “There’s really nothing to miss in this place since it never changes.”

“It has changed,” YongHwa didn’t agree.

The traveler shook slowly his head. “Every time I come back I keep seeing the same things. The same old mountains, the same cold sea, the same people and buildings.”

“And don’t you like that?”

“I hate it.”

The answer came with a surprised look from both young males. YongHwa had never expected to listen to such a sincere answer and JongHyun had never imagined himself opening that way with someone he didn’t know.

The cool wind blew their way as the plastic bags made a delicate sound that mixed with the sound of the trees. The refreshing sensation calmed JongHyun’s surprised self. How come he had said that?

“I could show you,” YongHwa said in a whisper managing to get the younger’s attention. “I could show you how much Busan has changed.”

The words were simple but deep inside JongHyun felt the words had a deeper meaning and in his eyes he had managed to see YongHwa, at least for an instant, as a savior. Of what? JongHyun didn’t want to put a name on it yet.