“Quick! Run Jaejoong run! You still might be able to catch it now!” he thought to himself as he ran and ran, to the spot he believed was the perfect place to see the sunset. Unfortunately, he had never been able to catch a glimpse of the sunset before. He then wondered if that was really the perfect spot to catch a sunset since all the times he tried to catch it, he always failed.


___
“Hello!” Jaejoong beamed at him but he just ignored him like he always did.


“So how’s your day today?” Jaejoong tried again. He looked at Jaejoong wondering when he will ever give up but unfortunately for him, it isn’t any time soon. 


They had been friends; their relationship had barely lasted over four months and was very stable until Jaejoong broke the news that he liked him.


That was when he realised he couldn’t remain friends with Jaejoong, he most definitely wasn’t gay and hedidn’t even like Jaejoong in that way. However, Jaejoong is one very obstinate guy and wouldn’t stop pestering him. He would make dinner for him every day and deliver it to his office. That had been Jaejoong's daily routine only that a few weeks ago, he had this strong urge of wanting to see the sunset with his own eyes.


So Jaejoong had changed his daily routine; he decided to make dinner earlier, deliver it to him and then rush off to try to catch the sunset. Well maybe the sunset hates him and that’s why he never got to see it once before. But he wasn’t one to give up so easily. He kept trying and trying but just couldn’t get the timing right.


____
“Jaejoong, we have to talk” he says as he showed a very tired looking face.

“Yeah?”

He sighed, “Remember I told you that I didn’t like you?” Jaejoong’s head was stirring with confusion yet also with anticipation, hoping that he would finally like him back but his hopes were crashed.

“I still don’t like you despite your efforts. I’m really sorry Jaejoong; you don’t have to do this anymore.”

“Why? Is it because you think it’s inconvenient to me? It’s not at all! And besides, I love cooking for you!” 

“No Jaejoong, it’s just that I’m tired. I’m sure you’re tired too right? Nothing will come out of this and isn’t it better if we remain as friends like last time?”

Jaejoong’s heart broke then. All his efforts, his energy put into those cooking; he didn’t like it at all and saidhe was tired? Tired of his cooking? Of him? Tears found its way into his eyes, flooding it. 


One drop of tear. Two drops of tears. Three, and then tears just began to drips continuously, never stopping.


“Don’t cry Jae, in the long run this will be the best for us.”

“N-no.” Jaejoong whispered to himself. “No”, he shook his head, voice a little louder than before. “NO” he said another time, with much determination.

“I won’t give up! I won’t! One day, I’ll make you like me too” Jaejoong said while looking at him. “I will”, he looked down mumbling incoherent words to himself and then took off. 


Jaejoong ran, fled, from him or reality, he didn’t know. He couldn’t believe it, all his efforts were nothing, nothing! He always believed that if he tried hard enough, he would eventually get what he wanted but he was wrong?


He soon found himself at the same spot everyday but the same disappointment filled him again. He sat down on the ground, sobbing. ‘Is it not meant to be? I really can’t ever see the sunset nor win his heart can I?’ 


‘No. No, Jaejoong you can’t just give up like that!’ Jaejoong said to himself after several minutes with much resolute, ‘I can definitely win his heart if I try hard enough!’



But sometimes in life, it isn’t about trying hard enough. It’s about knowing how to let go.



Jaejoong returned back to normal the next day, carrying out his daily routines and as usual, he just ignored him daily too. As the days passed, Jaejoong felt himself suffocating, his heart slowly withering. Why doesn’t he feel alive like before? Why is he constantly so restless now? Even though he convinced himself again and again that he was happy like that, his heart knew very much he wasn’t.


But yet, he ignored his own poor withering heart and continued to live this way. It was like he was talking to himself since he ignored him and didn’t even spare a glance at him. At that very moment, he couldn’t take it anymore. He contemplated if he should go and slap him who was giving him so much pain but he remembered that he was the cause of his own suffering. So he ran, ran and ran again to this familiar place.


He ran so hard his muscles were aching badly and was breathless, so he just fell to the ground. He looked up with tears clouding his vision and it seemed like it was a déjà vu but this time it was different. Yes it was different, this time; he saw something he had longed to see for ages. Wondering if his eyes were playing a trick on his, he rubbed his eyes along with the tears that hid in it and this time...


This time, he got to see a better and clearer version of the view he just saw. He saw the hues of red mixed with yellow and orange, the sun hiding behind the clouds and the mountains decorating the whole painting. It was so beautiful and the sight of it was just magnificent. His heart started beating again, slowly and steadily, making a constant rhythm. 


He felt his heartbeat with his palm, smiling sadly at the stunning picturesque view in front of him and thought, ‘Ah, what a wonderful feeling it is to be able to let go. To be able to see the whole beautiful world in front of me again. For I was blind when I didn’t let go and now that I did, I can see again’.


“What a beautiful scene isn’t it?” He turned to look at where the sound is coming from and saw a middle-age man around the same age as him sitting beside him and all this while he didn’t notice. He had brown hair and his facial features that were so beautiful under the beautiful sunlight it hurts. For a minute, he lost his voice and there was silence as they both appreciated the view in front of them together.


“Beautiful indeed” Jaejoong smiled and looked back at him.


“So are you. My name’s Yunho” He smiled back at him and they stared at each other for what seemed like eternity.