When the doorbell rang, Woohyun jumped up. Before Dongwoo could come out of the kitchen, he had already mastered the lock and thrown the door open.

“Hello Woohyun, nice to see you,” Hyunseung greeted, smiling. But there was something wrong with him; he looked edgy. Also, he seemed to have been expecting him.

“Hi,” he replied quickly.

He was looking over Hyunseung’s shoulder, trying to spot Sunggyu but apparently there was no one behind him. As Hyunseung stepped into the house, he still stood at the doorway, looking around confusedly.

“Where’s Sunggyu?” he finally asked.

“Yeah about that.” Hyungseung started to fidget with his fingers and when Dongwoo came out, he looked at him with pleading eyes. Dongwoo looked at his brother quizzically.

Woohyun’s chest felt heavier than lead. It was the calm before the storm, he just knew it. There was something very wrong.

I can feel it.

“He had to go erm for an urgent meeting…” Hyunseung said, sounding extremely unconvincing. “Why don’t we have dinner? Something smells good.”

He strode across the room towards the kitchen but Woohyun blocked his way. He seemed to shrink under his glare.

“What’s wrong?” Dongwoo chimed in.

“Hyunseung, tell me where Sunggyu is?”

“Look Woohyun I -”

“Tell me!” His voice was icy as he stared at him, unblinking.

“I -”

“Tell him,” Dongwoo interrupted. He looked as surprised and confused as Woohyun felt.

Hyunseung heaved a defeated sigh.

“Airport.”

Woohyun closed his eyes momentarily; he needed a respite. This couldn’t be happening, Sunggyu couldn’t be slipping out of his fingers once again. His head was spinning with the information.

Why?

But at the same time, he was adamant about what he had to do.

“I have to go to the airport. He can’t board a flight so soon. I’ll take a taxi right away!”

He looked around for his luggage madly. All he knew was he had to find Sunggyu.

“He’s gone Woohyun,” Hyunseung said emphatically.

“He can’t catch a flight so quickly, without any notice.”

“Woohyun, you don’t understand. I saw him off at the airport.”

Woohyun was confused – he couldn’t understand how Sunggyu had managed to arrange a flight booking in less than three hours.

Are you that desperate to not meet me?

“That doesn’t -”

Hyunseung sighed again.

“He took my private jet.”

Woohyun broke down, his kneed wobbling dangerously. He felt his strength waning.

He hates me so much that he wouldn’t even be in the same country as me.

Dongwoo, who was looking confused during the exchanges now asked, “But why? I mean I told you guys Woohyun is here, why would he leave for a meeting knowing that?”

Woohyun wheeled around.

“You told him I was here?”

Dongwoo shrugged.

“I called up Hyunseung so that they hurry up. You were waiting so…”

Woohyun collapsed on a sofa.

What’s going on, why does every time I think I got him, I lose him?

He exhaled deeply, trying to straighten his mind.

“Where did he go?”

Hyunseung looked close to tears.

“I can’t Woohyun, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but he told me not to tell you. I swore…”

Dongwoo looked at Woohyun.

“Are you guys fighting?”

“Sort of,” Woohyun mumbled. “Only it’s a matter of life and death. My life is at stake here, please.”

When Hyunseung still looked indecisive, Woohyun sat them down and told them what had happened. He showed them the letter too.

Finally, he said, “Please, I have to find him. You know I love him.”

Hyunseung looked at Dongwoo, who nodded gravely. Woohyun wondered how Hyunseung took his business decisions when he seemed to consult Dongwoo for everything. But maybe it was a twin thing and Hyunseung was clearly torn between helping his business partner and his boyfriend.

“He travelled through all those countries, he chased him madly, he deserves it.”

Hyunseung still looked hesitant, so Woohyun addressed Dongwoo instead of his brother, realizing that if anyone could persuade him, it would be him.

“Dongwoo, I know we just met but please, I need your help. We need to fix this or else we will both hurt. Do you want us to be miserable forever? Love is not pitiful, don’t let love be pitiful.”

He stared intensely at Dongwoo, trying to stress the importance of his action. He didn’t seem like a believer of love, in fact he was struggling with his love life, and through the gaze, Woohyun tried to convince him.

Something clicked as Dongwoo called his brother aside and whispered furiously in his ear. Hyunseung shook his head at first but then his shoulders drooped. He looked over at Woohyun and mumbled, “LA, he went to Los Angeles.”

As soon as he heard it, Woohyun felt a river of disappointment wash over him. He lost Sunggyu to another continent, another ocean.

Me and my horrible luck. How did I even meet Sunggyu in the first place with my rotten luck?

The disappointment was apparently visible on his face as Dongwoo said quickly, “Woohyun, do you want to go to LA?”

Woohyun was shocked but he also knew the answer.

“Of course, I have to! I will find him. I’ll call the airport right now. But – you have to promise me you will not warn him. Do you know where he’s going to stay?”

Dongwoo looked at Hyunseung, who said nervously, not meeting his eyes, “I gave him the address to a cousin of mine. He’s going to meet him when he lands.”

His brother cocked his head to one side. “You gave him Hoya’s address?”

Hyunseung nodded at his brother. He then said to Woohyun, “I’ll give you the address too.”

“Thanks,” Woohyun murmured. He got up; he now had a huge task ahead of him – to catch the quickest flight to Los Angeles. Sunggyu had a head start but at least he would know where he was.

It’s okay, this time I will find him.

He tried to comfort himself, although a part of him was tired of hearing the same words from him, as Hyunseung wrote out the address but his limbs were trembling with a different kind of fear. He couldn’t exactly place the emotion but for some reason he felt apprehensive about meeting Sunggyu in LA.

Everything will be fine.

Dongwoo offered to drive him to the airport and he accepted gracefully. On the way, they remained quiet while Dongwoo played Korean songs. When they were approaching the entrance to the airport, Woohyun asked the question that had been eating away at him all this while.

“Tell me truthfully, is Sunggyu having an affair?”

Dongwoo pushed his lips out while tapping the dashboard with his fingers.

“I wouldn’t know, we have only met recently after a long time.”

Woohyun exhaled slowly. He wasn’t exactly satisfied by the answer but at least it meant Dongwoo was out of the picture. He had thought that since Dongwoo was unsuccessful in his love life, he might attract Sunggyu since he seemed to attract all the tragedy in the world.

“But actually,” Dongwoo continued as he drove slowly, looking for a place to park. “I don’t think he is having an affair, he is in love with you.”

“What makes you say that?”

Dongwoo shrugged. “I have a feeling. Oh and I called my cousin and told him to pick you up from the airport. Sunggyu wouldn’t know a thing.”

Woohyun smiled. “Thank you, for everything.”

He got out of the car and retrieved his luggage from the boot of the car.

Dongwoo watched him as he gathered his suitcase and overnight bag. When they had shaken hands, he said, slowly, “Woohyun, I didn’t find love. I don’t think anyone can, but if someone does, it’ll be you.”