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Chapter 8 - Leaving the Past, Living the Present

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It is already five in the afternoon when Donghae starts to tell his story.

They have been at the ice cream parlor for an hour going two. And everyone is very quiet that Donghae decides to narrate his life story to break the silence, and of course, to get some plus points from Sungmin.

"I was from Mokpo, and we have a restaurant there. At first, we were very confident because my father is a great chef, and it feels like heaven whenever I eat my father's dishes. Since there are other restaurants that were running for a very long time, we were scared to compete because we were not yet known and established. My mother encouraged my father to continue the plans not for money but for the people to taste my father's specialty. We started with a very small restaurant that offered Korean foods because it is my father's specialty. We started with ten to fifteen customers per day. I was the one who assisted my mother and father in serving the customers. They were all delighted after tasting our menu, so they invited a lot of friends to try our menu. Fortunately, they loved it. My mother and I were very busy in serving the customers, and since the number of customers grew in its fourth month, we needed to hire someone to assist my father to cook and assist my mother to serve the customers," Donghae narrates.

"You helped your mother in serving customers, right?" Ryeowook asks.

"Yes, I did, but because I was in my last year in middle school, I was concentrating on studying for the entrance examinations for high school. My mother didn't want me to be distracted. I helped my father too so I knew how to cook," Donghae boasts. "I know some of his secrets."

"You can cook!?" Sungmin is amazed at the fact the Donghae can cook. "I thought Inhwan University students can't cook because they have a chef at home or they are busy sitting comfortably at home," He glares at Kyuhyun who in turn gives a cold stare at Sungmin. "I bet you can't cook, am I wrong?"

Kyuhyun just shrugs.

"Actually, Kyuhyun prepares his own lunch box. He does not buy in the cafeteria because he reasons out that it is just a waste of money," Donghae answers for Kyuhyun.

"Wow!" Ryeowook exclaims. Sungmin rolls his eyes in disbelief.

Sungmin speaks again, "I bet that my cooking skills are much more better than him though."

He does not want to lose, Kyuhyun thinks. Why is he even comparing himself to me?

"I actually can cook, too," Ryeowook says. "Since I am living alone, I need to cook for myself."

"That's great! Of course, if you are living alone, you have to do everything by yourself, right, Kyuhyun?" 

"Why are you asking him?" Sungmin asks. "I'm pretty sure that he has a lot of maids serving him back at home."

Kyuhyun looks at him. "I am living alone. I don't have what you think I have just because I am studying in Inhwan. Stop judging me."

"You did it first. You judged me when we first met, remember?"

First meeting, huh? Those words hurt Kyuhyun's ears.

Feeling the tension between the two, Donghae interjects, "Guys, guys, calm down-"

"I'm leaving," Kyuhyun tells everyone as he stands. Ryeowook worriedly stares at Kyuhyun who quietly leaves the ice cream parlor.

"Damn him. I really can't stand how arrogant he is," Sungmin mutters. "He acts like he is all good."

"But you started it, Min, no offense," Ryeowook says to Sungmin. "I know that you had a bad start, but please, learn to control your temper."

"On a lighter note, at least we know what made them like this," Donghae sighs. "So Kyuhyun judged you when you first met?"

"Yes. He insulted me. He told me that I was a good-for-nothing, and he stated that he hates people like me, getting everything that I want without exerting effort," Sungmin recalled the words that Kyuhyun said. "How did he become your best friend? Maybe he had troubles back home. Had he told something to you?"

Donghae shakes his head. "I met him back when I was in first year high school. We were classmates then we became friends afterwards because we had the same purpose - to study, to have a stable job and earn money. That's just it. He never told me anything about him, except that he was living alone as well."

"He didn't have a family?" It was Ryeowook.

"I don't know. He never told me anything. When I asked him, he would change the topic. I respect him so I don't ask him anymore," Donghae says. Then he looks at Sungmin. "Let's just understand him. Maybe there is something that makes him hate the world."

Sungmin bitterly laughs. "So I am his world, I see. I actually want to be nice to him for the sake of having you as friends but he always makes me feel like I'm the dirtiest guy alive in his eyes. I wonder... what did I do to make him insult me like that? I mean, it's just a magazine. And I can't remember if we met somewhere. Did I bully him before? But I am certain that I didn't because I never bullied anyone. Did I do something wrong? I need to ask him myself without getting mad at him."

"It's actually what you can do right now, to be honest," Ryeowook says. "Apologize if you must."

"A-apologize!? Heck no, I won't let my pride down for him, especially because I don't know why I owe him an apology," Sungmin crosses his arms and pouts.

"Apologize for getting the magazine. Apologize for being unable to control your temper. Apologize for anything that you did or you didn't do. Please do it for me, okay? For the sake of world peace," Ryeowook requested.

Sungmin gives up. "Fine. For world peace. But I want him to apologize for insulting me and for making me mad."

"I'll talk to him about that," Donghae volunteers.

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Kyuhyun returns home and lies down on the bed. He puts his right arm on his eyes as he closes them tightly.

He realized when they were having a heated conversation awhile ago that wasn't angry at Sungmin for judging him, or for competing with him. He was angry because Sungmin didn't recognize him.

It hurts that Sungmin always thinks that it was their first meeting. He has a feeling of displeasure because Sungmin can't remember him as the child that he protected eight years ago. Maybe he is too selfish to think that Sungmin would still remember him even if it is already too long ago. He is hoping that Sungmin would at least treat him special because Sungmin told Kyuhyun his name and according to the former, he had not told his name to anyone before.

It turns out that he is just the one who thinks that their meeting is special. That there is something special in it. Sungmin does not remember it anymore, and he has to accept it.

He takes a deep breath and exhales. He removes his arm from his eyes and opens it. Maybe he needs to let go of his feelings of hoping for Sungmin so that he can't be stuck in the past, so that he can continue his mission without any pain, without any regrets and without any distractions, and so that he could at least treat Sungmin casually. Just like what Sungmin said - living the present happily is the most important.

Yes, that's what he must do.

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As expected, Donghae talks to Kyuhyun about what the rest had discussed. Kyuhyun tells Donghae that he is now ready to do the right thing.

He leaves the school after classes to go to the ice cream parlor.

But he isn't expecting the person who is waiting for him outside.

"Sungmin," he murmurs as he sees Sungmin leaning near their school gate.

When Sungmin recognizes Kyuhyun, he walks towards him as Kyuhyun waits for him.

Kyuhyun is not showing any emotion that time, but he is feeling butterflies in his chest while Sungmin is walking towards him. What is happening, Kyuhyun? I thought you decided to stop it completely-

"I'm sorry, Kyuhyun."

There goes his decision - down the drain. He feels that his heart beats faster than its normal pace as he hears his name from Sungmin's mouth for the first time. It feels good but it also feels conflicting.

"I'm sorry if I have wronged you in any way. I really can't remember it, but whatever it is, I am putting my pride aside," Sungmin apologizes. "For the sake of my friends, let us end this now."

Kyuhyun gets more shocked when Sungmin extends his arm to shake hands with Kyuhyun. Living the present happily. Now I understand. I might leave the past, but it doesn't mean I'll forget my promise to Jino. I will take him back. But first, I need to live my present...

"Aish, Kyuhyun!" Sungmin stomps his feet and pouts. "I'm getting tired of stretching my arm-"

"Thank you," Kyuhyun says as he grabs Sungmin's hand. "Apology accepted."

"Yah!" Sungmin yells, "You're not apologizing?"

Kyuhyun walks ahead of Sungmin as he smirks. "In your dreams, Sungmin."

"Ugh! You're mean!" Sungmin follows Kyuhyun.

"Okay fine, I'm sorry," Kyuhyun whispers as he walks faster. "I'm sorry for making you mad and for almost trying to forget my feelings for you."

But because Kyuhyun says it very softly, Sungmin doesn't hear it. "What? Are you saying sorry?" Sungmin tries to catch up to his pace.

"No, I said, you're slow," Kyuhyun shouts and walks even more faster.

Sungmin stops from chasing him and then he shouts. "You are really a jerk, monster!"

...And Sungmin is my present.

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