It was a rainy day in Seoul, but that doesn’t mean that people will be away from the street. A wise man once said, business must keep running no matter the weather is. So here they are, in the side of the street with other people, waiting for the green light turns to red.  Without them knowing, they are already in one place, standing almost next to each other. If it’s not because the other people there, they will probably see each other.

But the rain up there is smiling, in the middle of those black umbrellas, you can see two of them are different. One in red, and one in green. Unfortunately only the rain and the sky that can see them.

Not today, said the destiny.

Cho Kyuhyun is standing in the side of the street. One of his hand is gripping his red umbrella so the wind didn’t blow it away, while his other hand is holding a book tightly. While waiting the green light turns to red, he reads the book in silence.

“Both are convinced

that a sudden surge of emotion bound them together.

Beautiful is such a certainty,

but uncertainty is more beautiful.”

Kyuhyun look up from the book, his close his eyes then smile. The light turn to red, he walks along with the other people.

Choi Siwon is standing in the side of the street. He fixed the violin that hanged in his shoulder, while his other hand is gripping his green umbrella, trying to keep himself away from the rain. He look up to his watch, there is still 30 minutes left before his audition begin. He took a deep breath, then smile. The day must be cloudy with the non-stop rain since this morning, but not with his heart. The light turn to red, he walks along with the other people.

-

Siwon is playing his violin beautifully inside the studio. He played one of his favorite song, La Corda. He tries to get into the feeling as much as he can, hoping that the producer will accept him. But, even before he played half of the song the producer cut him.

“Stop! Stop! We need a pop song, not classical! Where is the pop song? Can you play it?” the producer asked, making Siwon looked at him in silence.

Kyuhyun is sitting in front of one of the editor in this publisher. The editor seems like ready to blow up his mind.

“Where is the translation?” the editor asked him.

Kyu just bending his head low while shaking his head lightly.

“Did you lost it?”

He shakes his head again.

“Then where is it?”

Kyu stay silent for a while, “Sajang-nim, did you translate the first book or the second book?” he asked.

The editor sighed in annoyed, he looks to the two books in front of them. There are two books of a new horror series that need to be translated, he asked Kyuhyun, the young translator, to translate the second book, while he translated the first book.

“Did you translated the first book?” the editor asked again.

Kyu bend his head even lower, didn’t dare to see his boss’ eyes.

“Aisshhh! I told you I will translate the first book, you do the second book! Why you so absent-minded?”

“I... I’m sorry, sajang-nim.”

“We still have a week before the publishing, you translate the second book.” The editor said again.

Kyu immediately looked up to his boss, “no.... I can’t translate it.”

“Why?”

Kyu looked panicked, “I can’t. I’ve just moved. I can’t translate it anymore. If I read it, I will be freak out. I even see a ghost before. Please, sajang-nim I can’t translate it anymore, I don’t want to move again.” The reason is silly actually, Kyu is afraid of horror things since he was kid, now he is been asked to translate a Polish horror novel to Korean. The editor looked like ready to blow up his mind, again.

“TRANSLATE IT!!!!”

-

Siwon walks slowly from the building that he had an audition before.  He know having an interest in classical music these days is hard, since everybody is in into pop music more than classical. But he can’t lie to himself.

“Hey!” Someone tapped him from behind. When he turns around, he finds a man that must be older from him, but still has such a baby face and pretty face.

“I’ve seen you up there. I’m Heechul.” That man said, handing him his hand. Siwon look at him again, he took his hand.

“Come on, I know you had a bad day, I’ll drive you home.” Heechul said.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Come on, I won’t take you anywhere. Besides, it’s already night.”

Siwon decided to take Heechul’s offer to drive him home. At first he thought it was a good choice because it was already night and he is new in this town, so finding his way back to his apartment in day is already hard, moreover in night. Along the road they didn’t talk to much, well, it’s more like Siwon didn’t talk to much, while Heechul was talking almost along the road.

Once when they are almost arrived at Siwon’s apartment, he keeps looking to the street, trying to find his building.

“I’m sorry, I’m still new here, so it might take a while.” Siwon said while looking apologetical to Heechul. The man smile sweetly, he put one of his hand in Siwon’s thigh, “it’s okay. No need to rush.”

Siwon looked to Heechul’s man, but decided to keep searching for his building.

“Gosh, where is it?”

“Maybe, if you can’t find it, you can stay at my place.” Heechul said, making Siwon to look at him. He winked seductively, making Siwon hold his gasp. Heechul’s hand is already rubbing his thigh even more. When Siwon is ready to scream, he looked around and found they are already in the corner around his building.

“We are here!” Siwon said. Heechul immediately pull his car to the side.

“Well, maybe I can stay at your place.” He said again while looking at Siwon like he is ready to eat him. Siwon on the other hand had fear written all over his face, he immediately open the door and run away to his building. Heechul who took a second to realize that Siwon is already run away from him, get out from his car and try to catch the young boy. He sighed when Siwon is already nowhere to be seen.

Kyu walks slowly in the side of the road while reading the Polish horror novel. He reads word to word, trying to finish it as soon as possible. It was already night, the neighborhood is already quite. He stops his reading, and look around. He found no one in the neighborhood. He continues his walk while reading, but this time his mind is already hard to concentrate, he keeps looking around.

He looks up and find a big tree in the corner of his building. He holds his breath. His mind suddenly thinks about all horror things, and he start to believe that he see something on that big tree. Kyu keep looking around. He is already shivering, and when even the cold wind suddenly blew around him, he got even more shivered.

“AAAAAA!!!!” Out of nowhere Kyu scream out and start running to his building.

***

Siwon came out from his building, still with a violin in his shoulder. He is about to turn to left when he see the man from last night, Heechul, is standing in the corner of his building. Siwon is quick enough to hide himself in the small cubicle that sells newspaper and things in that side of the road. He peeked once, and still can see Heechul is standing next to his car while looking for him.

He turns to the other way then start to running away.

Kyu came out from his building. He can’t sleep well last night because he keeps waking up in almost every ten minutes. He is about to go to the small cubicle that sell newspaper in his right, when he sees the big tree in the corner of the street. He stops his step, and immediately turns around and start walking in a quick steps to walk away from that tree.

-

Days passed, Siwon got a job as violinists in some fancy restaurant. Even though this is not exactly his dream is, at least this job can help him to live. So he began his life, sometimes when he is not working he will stand above the overpass while looking down to see all those cars, thinking about life. Sometimes he went to a cinema to watch movie, get bumped by someone while he was watching. Sometimes when he is working and the restaurant is not full yet, he will help to receive the calls. Although sometimes he will got a wrong call that asked if it was bookstore, not a restaurant. Sometimes he will walk to the park and sit under the tree, playing his violin and get watched by no one but some pigeon in front of him.

Kyuhyun in the other hand is done with translating the polish horror novel. After done translating it, he is trying to tell his editor that he translated one of poet from Poland, Wislawa Szymborska, that once he reads while waiting to crossed the road. But once again, his editor doesn’t seems to care, instead he gave him another horror novel to be translate. Although is so hard for Kyu to translate it without being paranoid, he decided to work with it since it’s the only way of him to make money.

So he began his life, sometimes when he is tired of works, he will go to his favorite overpass. He will sit on the bench under the overpass, looking up to the sky, thinking about life. Sometimes he went to a cinema, bumped and disturbed someone when he is about to sit, because the movie was already begin. Sometimes he calls for a bookstore to ask for some job, although he sometimes calls the wrong number, calling a restaurant instead of a bookstore. Sometimes he will take his bike to the park and sit under the tree, reading his favorite poem and heard by no one but some pigeon in front of him.

Days passed. Not today, said the destiny.

-

Siwon sighed while waiting for the train. It was a sunny day, but he doesn’t know why his spirit is not as tough as the sun. He looks around to the station, and his eyes landed to some sign.

‘Life is full of coincidences. Even two parallel lines might someday meet.’

Siwon look up again when the train is finally came. Then, he steps inside the train.

Kyu sighed while came out from the train. It was a sunny day, but his spirit is not as tough as the sun. He looks around to the station, and his eyes landed to some sign.

‘Life is full of coincidences. Even two parallel lines might someday meet.’

Not today, said the destiny.

***

Today, said the destiny.

On the next day, Kyu run as fast as he can from his apartment to down stair. He needs to get out from that building as fast as he can. Once when he is out from the building, he looks around and decided to go right and run again to the park.

Siwon is running away as fast as he can from his apartment. He needs to get out from that building as fast as he can. Once when he is out from the building, he looks around and decided to go left and run again to the park.

-

Kangin have been knocking, or more like pounding one of his apartment’s door. The apartment is rented by a young musician, and that boy hasn’t pay him for two months.

“Yah! Open the door!!!” Kangin yelled again. But no answer from the inside.

He stopped pounding the door when he thinks he heard something from the next building.

Leetuk on the other hand is also have been pounding one of his apartment’s door. The apartment is rented by a young man that works as a translator, and that young man haven’t pay him for two months.

“Open the door!!!” Leeteuk yelled again. No answer from the inside.

He stopped pounding the door when he thinks he heard something from the next building.

Kangin stepped out from his building while grumbling.

“Next time I won’t believe a young musician again!” He said while turn his body to his left.

Leeteuk stepped out from his building while also grumbling.

“Next time I won’t believe such a young man like that!” He said while turn his body to his the right. He walks few steps forward while still grumbling when he bumped into someone.

He looks up and found a big man with a big arm next to him. He is mesmerized by him for a second, but he is still in not in the good mood.

“Why you bumped at me!?” Leeteuk asked feeling annoyed.

“I just bumped to a beautiful angel.” That man, Kangin, said. Leeteuk can’t help but blush.

While the owner of the small cubicle that sell newspaper and things is can only shook his head lightly with the view in front of his store.

-

Kyu arrived at the park and decided to go to the big fountain. Before he sits  on the edge of the big fountain, his eyes landed to a young man across him. Their eyes met, Kyu observes the man quickly. He can’t lie that that man is handsome, his eyebrows are thick, his bowed lips and his sharp nose are making him even more handsome. However, he immediately sits to the edge of the fountain and start to take out some of his papers and put it next to him, he start to write something in paper in his hand. Even though the technology has been evolved these days, Kyu still love to write his works in piece of paper.

Siwon arrived at the park and decided to go to the big fountain. Before he sits on the edge of the big fountain, his eyes landed to a young man across him. Their eyes met, Siwon observes the young man. He sure that that young man is younger than him. He has a pair of beautiful eyes and an alabaster skin. His browns lock looks so good on him, and his chubby red cheeks are making him even cuter. Siwon can’t lie, he want to pinch that cheeks. If it’s not he is still sane and they are separated by a big fountain, he might already pinched that cheeks.

However, he decided to sits on the edge of the fountain when he sees the young man is also already sitting with his back on him. Siwon sits and then slowly take out some music sheet in from his bag. He peeked to the young man once in a while, hoping that their eye will met once again.

Little that he knew, Kyu indeed also peeked him once in a while. Also hoping that their eyes will met once again.

And one autumn’s wind blew away softly, but enough to make Kyu’s papers fell into the fountain. Siwon peeked him again and see the papers are already wet in the fountain but the owner seems like didn’t notice.

“Excuse me, mister.” Siwon called the young man, but he still focused on his paper.

“Excuse me.” Siwon called again, this time that young man turn around. Siwon motioned him to look to the fountain, the young man looked to the fountain and found that his papers are already in it.

“No!!! No! No! No!” He said in panicked while trying to take out some of the papers than he can reached by his hand.

Siwon who is looking at him at first second, decided to put his music sheet and then take of his shoes, rolled up his pants and his shirt-sleeves. He gets in into the fountain in a second, making Kyu is bulging his eyes.

“No, you don’t have to.” Kyu said to the man.

Siwon doesn’t care, he keeps taking the young man’s paper. While Kyu also take off his shoes, rolled up his pants and sleeves and also joined the man in the fountain. Kyu approached him and start taking the papers as well.

However, because Kyu feel panicked, he is taking the papers in hurry and didn’t aware of his body’s movement. In one movement he nudges Siwon’s music sheets that have been put in the edge of the fountain. With that one clumsy move, Kyu is success to drown the man’s music sheets also in the fountain.

“Oh, no! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Kyu said in panicked.

30 minutes later, both Siwon and Kyu are sitting in the grass, with all wet paper around them, trying to make their papers dry enough with the sun. Siwon looked at the young man that has been enjoying the sun while closing his eyes. He chuckled a little after seeing the young man’s expression.

He looks around and decided to take one paper that dry enough. It’s not his paper, it’s the young man’s paper.

“Both are convinced

that a sudden surge of emotion bound them together.

Beautiful is such a certainty,

but uncertainty is more beautiful.”

He reads the poem in that paper, making Kyu open his eyes and look at him.

“You must be very talented to write this kind poem.” Siwon said.

“I wish I’m that talented.” Kyu said, “The poem is written by one of my favorite Poland aurthor, I just translate it into Korean.”

Siwon shrugged his shoulder, “well, you still very talented to translate Polish to Korean.” He said again, earning him a sweet smile from the young man.

“Thanks.” Said Kyu, he then look around and take one of the man’s music sheet.

“I can’t read this music sheet, but I know its need a very talented person to play it. Did you write it?”Kyu asked.

“I wish I’m the one who wrote it,” Siwon said while chuckling, “it’s made by one of the best composer in the world, Edward Elgar, I’m just the one who play it.”

“Well, you still very talented to play this kind of music.” Kyu said while smiling, earning him another sweet smile from the man next to him.

In the next 15 minutes, Kyu is already sitting in one of the horse in the carousel. He can stop laughing with who is also sitting next to him in one of the horse in that carousel. He feels silly because it’s been really a long time since he ride a carousel.

Once they are done ridding the carousel, they sits together again and enjoying their lunch.

“When was the last time you ride carousel?” Kyu asked.

Siwon looked up to him, thinking for a second, “When I was 15, I guess. Yeah, it was when I was 15. It’s when my school trip. When was your last time?”

“Hmm.... It was when I was 13. Where you rode it last time?”

“If I’m not mistaken, it was when I was in Jeju.”

“Really?” Kyu asked enthusiastically, “my last time was also in Jeju!”

“Really?” Siwon asked while smiling disbelief with the coincidence. “I actually had a beautiful story behind that school trip. That year, we went to Jeju for our school trip. We stopped at a beautiful small amusement park. I met a young boy there. I’ve been looking at him since I met him, but I didn’t have any courage to speak to him. I saw him from far when he was playing with the kite, he was having a hard time to play with it, I really want to help him, but I was such a coward.” He began to start his stories. However, the young man in front of him is listening to him but with a confused face. Siwon didn’t notice it, so he continues his stories.

“I watched him playing with his friend from behind. I watched him played in the carousel while laughing. I really want to talk to him, but my feet seems didn’t want to move. However, when he was sitting near the pond while reading, the wind blew away his papers. That was when I had courage to come to him and help him. I soaked myself to the pond to take his papers, once when I gave it I immediately run away.

When we about to leave the amusement park, he suddenly came to me. He asked for my phone number, I gave him. But since that day, he never called. I don’t know if I gave him a wrong number or what, I never know until now. All I know is only his student number in his uniform, 883213.” Siwon ended his story.

Kyu looked at him with a shocking yet happy face. “Are you 867410????”

Siwon just looked at him dumbfounded, while Kyu is already let out a laugh.

“Oh my God! I didn’t believe I will meet you here. Today. I’m 883213.” He said while give his hand. Siwon took it still with a shocking face.

“You were really coward back then. I was playing with the kite like a fool, waiting for you to help me. I was playing in that carousel also because I want you to sit next to me. Thank God you finally came to me when I dropped my papers.” Kyu said while smile sweetly, “And I wait in that amusement park’s gate for you to come out, so I can asked your phone number. I can’t believe you run away after you helped me, I haven’t say thank you.” He added while pouting cutely.

Siwon let out a laugh, “I’m sorry. I was really such a coward back then.”

Kyu just look at him, captivated by his laugh and those dimples.

“Why you never called?” Siwon then asked.

Kyu let out a sigh, he will never forgot that day, “I left my bag in the bus. Your phone number is in there.”

Siwon laugh again, “you really absent-minded, don’t you?” He teases, making Kyu scratch his head, feeling shy all of sudden.

The rest of the day both of them are playing in the park. Running and playing along with a golden retriever, then talking with a beautiful cute baby boy, making silly faces and laugh here and there. For years this is the first time Kyu felt this kind of feeling again. He feels comfortable with the man. So did Siwon, he loves how the young man laugh from the bottom of his heart, and how he looks really beautiful everytime he laughs.

Once when they finished playing with the dog and the baby, they walk side by side in the park. Smile can’t leave their faces ever since they are together. Then a soft thunder heard, making both of them look up to the sky. In a second they can feel the rain drops one by one and is getting hard every second.

Siwon open his jacket to covered both of them under the rain. They about to step aside to the closest area near to them to get away from the rain. However their eyes suddenly met with their building owner. Their eyes grew in panicked, the immediately face each other.

“I should go.” Kyu said.

“Me too."

“Give me your phone number.”

“Give yours too, in case you lost it again.”

Both of the write their phone number in hurry in a piece of paper. Once when they are done, they look at each other’s eyes once again. They smile to each other for the last time.

“Bye!” Kyu said then start running away from his building owner.

“Bye!” Siwon answered and also start running away to the different direction.

-

Kangin and Leeteuk are standing next to each other while smiling shyly. It’s raining out there. Thank God they find place to get away from the heavy rain. That was when their eyes suddenly met the one that they have been looking for. Kangin finally met the young musician, while Leeteuk finally found the young man.

Their eyes from shy immediately turn to anger.

“I need to go.” Kangin said ready to chase the young musician.

“Me too.” Leeteuk said also ready to chase the young man.

“Give me your phone number.” Kangin asked.

“Give me yours.”

They write in hurry in piece of paper.

“If I get the rent pay, I’ll call you.” Leeteuk said, already out walking under the rain.

“If I don’t get the rent pay, I still call you.” Kangin said.

They looked into each other eyes once again.

Leeteuk smile, “Forget them, I’ll get the rent pay next week.” He said, walking back to the area to get them away from the rain drops.

Kangin smile and followed him, “okay.”'

-

Kyu came to his apartment all soaked. But he doesn't even mind. He took a warm bubble bath, sneezing a few times but the smile in his face never leaves him.

He opens the small cabinet on his kitchen to take out a medicine. He drinks a glass of water while still smiling.

"Eh? Did I take it?" He looks to the medicine while frowning.

"I take it." He said again while giggling. He closed the cabinet and back to his bed.

He closed his eyes still with a smile, “Good night, 867410!” He said while still smiling.

He sure knows that he looks like a crazy person no, but for Kyu, he is not crazy he is just in the state of falling in love.

Siwon came to his apartment all soaked. But he doesn't even mind. He took a quick shower while singing happily. He sneezes few times, still with a smile on his face he check his cabinet to take some medicine.

However, the medicine is out of date. Siwon shrugs his shoulder, "doesn't matter, they say love cures everything." He said to himself while smiling.

Siwon walks to his bed, trying to sleep. Closing his eyes while smiling, “good night, 883213!” He said. He rewinds everything that happens today in his mind, he can't help but laughing likes a crazy person.

He doesn't care. He is not crazy, he is just in love.

***

However, life doesn’t always run like we want to. Sometimes things that we never predicted will happen.

 The next day the sun was shining softly. The sign in the station get changed.

‘Life is full of surprise. The kite you’re flying might suddenly sail away...’

-

Kyu looked at the piece of paper in front of him with disbelief in his face. All disappointment and sadness are written in his face. He wants to blame someone, but he can’t. He has no one to blame. If he can blame yesterday’s rain he will blame it, but he can’t.

He woke up excitedly this morning, even with his sore throat and a little bit fever, he still feel excited. He will call 867410 today. However, once when he looked at the piece of paper with the man’s number, his heart broke into pieces.

The paper is already wet. He can’t see some number clearly, heck, he can’t see any number at all in that paper. Kyu’s heart is aching from the view.

Siwon looked at the piece of paper in front of him with shocked and disbelief in his face. All disappointment and sadness are written all over in his face. He thought that today will be another good day just like yesterday. He woke up excitedly this morning, ignoring his sore throat and headache from yesterday’s rain.

He will call 883213 today. However, once when he looked at the piece of paper with the young man’s number, his heart broke into pieces.

The paper is already wet from yesterday’s rain. He only can see the first and the last number, the rest of it is all blur. He sighed. His heart is aching from the view.

-

tbc