Initiate Countdown: 28 Days

28 Days to break up,

Fess up,

Dream some,

Eat lots,

Settle scores,

And, just maybe,

Remember, feel, and treasure.

Papers were shuffled around, passed about, and flipped through. The classroom was quiet except for those soft sounds and the occasional pencil being sharpened. All of the desks faced the front of the room, each surface and exam illuminated by fluorescent lights.

“At this time, would everyone please silence their phones and place them in this bin,” the exam supervisor prompted, beginning to make her way between the aisles.

The student fished his phone out, preparing to turn it off when he saw a new text message alert. Glancing over at the approaching teacher, he quickly opened the message.

From: Ryeo~

I don’t think we can be together when we go to university.

“Kyuhyun, may I have your phone at this time?” the teacher looked down at him. “The mock exam will be starting.”

Four years of what?

Across campus, an underclassman shuffled uncomfortably outside of the fine arts building. His hair was tousled and freshly dyed a chestnut brown. Stuffing his hands into pockets, the boy sighed and leaned against the brick exterior.

The doors were suddenly opened and students poured out of the building. Straightening up, he hurried to the edge of the steps, looking around expectantly for the right face. Upon seeing it, he called out, “Zhoumi!”

“Oh, hey Henry,” the upperclassman greeted coming over, “what’s up?”

“Can we talk?”

They walked around to the side of the facility. Henry fiddled with his hands, taking a deep breath and squeezing his eyes shut. “Zhoumi, I’m in love with you!” he blurted.

“Uhm…I’m sorry.”

What needs to be said?

“I’m not coming back, Donghae.”

He grabbed either side of the boy’s face, crushing their lips together in a desperate kiss. A drizzle of rain was their background music in the early evening. “Please don’t say that,” he whispered, resting his head against his boyfriend’s. “We can make it work, Kibum.”

“This isn’t the place for me.” The hands were pushed away as the rain began to pour harder.

“No, please—” he reached out, but the boy was already turning his back, disappearing into the darkness of the downpour. He stood in the rain for a while, wondering if the water really could wash away everything that had ever been painful.

Maybe he would drown. That would be convenient.

What is changing forever?

The library was quiet. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, staining his textbooks and journals. The pencil in hand twitched with every scribbled word. He yawned, cracking his neck and knuckles. Glancing at the clock, he saw the hours had ticked away too quickly.

“I should probably get going,” the student muttered, beginning to pack up his supplies.

In a few minutes, he was shrugging his backpack on and heading for the library doors. He smiled at the librarian and then pushed the door open.

Shuffling down the steps, he saw a figure sitting halfway down the grand staircase. Slowing down, he chuckled and sneaked up behind the lounging person. Carefully, he reached around, tilting his lover’s chin up and placing a soft kiss on those lips, “Hey, Hangeng.”

“You took forever, Siwon,” the person whined.

“Sorry, I’m here now though,” he assured.

Memories, what can they say about you?

This is your chance to say what you want.

It has been four years now,

So what do you want to tell us?

Who made your experience here special?

Who made it terrible?

Who made it unforgettable?

Send us a video clip expressing these things,

So we can ensure that your memories are forever.

“Good morning Class of 20XX! It has been a long journey for many of you and we are proud to be sending you all off on your separate paths. Hopefully everything has been deeply impressed into your minds in these last few days,” the principal spoke, “Now here we are, on your final day at this school saying goodbye.”

Kyuhyun loosened his too-tight tie, eyes cast down to his lap.

Ryeowook fidgeted and played with the hem of his uniform jacket, throwing fleeting looks at his former lover.

Zhoumi whispered casually to the person beside him in the alphabetical rows.

Henry pretended he wasn’t secretly heartbroken over the loss of his best friend and potential lover as he sat in the bleachers watching.

Donghae sat stoically, wishing that Kibum hadn’t left.

Siwon smiled, playing with the promise ring on his finger.

Hangeng did the same.

“As many of you know, we make a graduating video every year and this year we decided to do something a little different. Instead of having one club collaborate to make a pleasing video, we have asked for all of the seniors to submit personal clips from their high school experience. What made it so special?” The principal pressed a button on a remote and the projector screen behind him came to life. “Without further ado, let me present your graduating class memorial video.”

It opened with a simple black title screen, followed by faces of students and voices that have been around for years.

Donghae sat back on the soccer field, looking around secretively before facing the camera again. “Kibum,” he said simply, smiling in that dopey way of his, “I know you’re not there right now, but thank you for everything.”

“You and me forever, right?” Hangeng flashed a ring at the screen, smiling gently and waving goodbye to the camera as it switched video clips.

Henry toyed with his phone, not interested in the video even slightly. That is, until he heard Zhoumi’s voice. It was a reaction, fast and sudden.

“I didn’t reject you because I don’t love you,” he said softly, the words blaring over the speakers nonetheless, “It’s because I know I can’t take you with me when I leave.”

Their eyes met across the distance, and Henry laughed a little, covering his face. Zhoumi simply smiled.

“You made my high school experience.”

Kyuhyun’s head shot up. His eyes focused on the face staring uncertainly into the camera. Turning slightly, he looked down the row of students, finding Ryeowook staring back at him. Quickly, he looked away from those delicate features, anger rising inside of him.

The video wasn’t over yet. “I hope you’re listening to this right now,” Ryeowook spoke through the recorder, “because I never meant to hurt you. Life wouldn’t have been the same without you there. Thank you for giving me four years of you.”

Let the years pass,

And the regrets pile up,

The dreams die,

Life takeover,

End.

“Do you think all of your old friends are here?” the woman asked, holding onto her husband’s arm. She looked up at his handsome face curiously.

They strode underneath a banner: Welcome Back! 10 Year Reunion of Class of 20XX

“Probably,” Kyuhyun shrugged, knowing deep down that he had only one goal for coming back. He wanted to patch up what he could and successfully gain closure for what couldn’t be fixed. The years had taken their toll already and it was clear to him that the passion from high school was long gone.

Why had he thought it would be possible to accomplish his dreams? They were so hard to reach and already he was tired. A wife was easier to deal with and a steady job was convenient. His life couldn’t be more average.

That’s what happens to people. They venture into the world with so many hopes and wishes, but come out with nothing. Kyuhyun had been at the top of his class and even then, it wasn’t enough. That was why he knew without a doubt that dreams were meant to drown in the pressures of society.

Across the room, he saw Zhoumi with Henry by his side. They idly chatted with some old friends, but never did they move a few inches away from one another.

Near the food table, Siwon was with a slender woman, his arm around her waist. Beside him, back turned away as if they were strangers, were Hangeng and a beautiful androgynous figure.

Donghae sat at a table, playing with the fingers of his lover – a young man with smooth skin and bunny-like features.

Kyuhyun could only smirk, eyes closing briefly as he relished in the fact that he was right. High school was filled with foolish promises. Only, he had known that way back when. He led his wife over to a table, not worried about her ability to start up a conversation with the other women there.

Walking over to where his old friends were, he picked up a cup of some sweet drink. They exchanged greetings, laughing uncomfortably and finding a way to mingle against after so many years.

“So, where’s Ryeowook?” Kyuhyun prompted, looking around the room, “Was he too scared to come and see me?” he joked.

The group went quiet, but only for a second as Donghae laughed forcefully. “Ryeowook would do something like that,” he remarked awkwardly.

The rest of them chimed in as well, the words all coming out in similarly rigid manners. Kyuhyun stared at them, confused. Shaking his head slowly, he was about to question them further, but then a video reel began.

All of the old friends around Kyuhyun began laughing and teasing, but stopped as one of the last clips came up. It was Ryeowook and he was sitting in a well lit room. There was no one else around and the clear audio resonated in the quiet reunion hall.

“You made my high school experience. I hope you’re listening to this right now, because I never meant to hurt you. Life wouldn’t have been the same without you there. Thank you for giving me four years of you.”

The years had corrupted the memories.

Images faded away to be replaced by a new collage of videos.

There were random snippets from their senior year. Kyuhyun watched absently until he heard a sweet, familiar laugh and then he was zeroing in on the video without meaning to.

Ryeowook was holding up a white flag, waving it and grinning. Into the picture came Kyuhyun with a red sash around his head. Spreading his arms, he swept Ryeowook up, spinning him around and laughing as they finished whatever activity they had been doing.

The screen faded to black. White words slowly appeared.

In Loving Memory of Kim Ryeowook

No one said a word and Kyuhyun would’ve hardly been able to comprehend what they were saying. He set his drink down, about to walk away when Donghae caught his arm and slipped an old, worn-out envelope into his hand. They exchanged a short look before Kyuhyun was off, disappearing down a hallway.

Racing through the corridor, he didn’t stop running until he was in the most isolated part of the building – the place that he had spent so much of his four years at.

He tore the letter open.

Kyuhyun,

I didn’t want you next to me when I died. It wasn’t because you weren’t the most important thing in my life. It was because I knew you would make me feel like dying isn’t so acceptable now. There shouldn’t have been any regrets in my life.

Loving you was almost a regret. Leaving you is my only regret.

I wish I had been strong enough to keep you next to me. You’re my dream, even now. Right now. I don’t know where you are,

And I don’t know who you’re with,

But a dream won’t be changed because of those things.

When you only have so much time, I guess it’s easier to keep on hoping and praying. I’m sorry if I’m upsetting you. It’s not fair that you have to play the game and hold onto such flimsy things like dreams and wishes.

However, I want to tell you that my dream is you. I already said it, huh? But do you hear me? Fulfill this dead person’s dream. I don’t know how you’ll interpret it, but think of something.

I’m still watching over you. It doesn’t matter whether I’m in Heaven or Hell, or in some other place no one knows about.

I’ll find a way to see you again.

Wherever you are in life, Kyuhyun, it’s never too late. Just get back up, up that stubborn pride of yours, and start believing in something.

Until We Meet Again,

Your Faithful Ryeowook