There was a soft knock. And then another.

The door slowly swung open with a small creak.

Soft footsteps padded through the door along with the rustle of newspaper that was holding a bouquet of blue flowers.

The patient in the room didn't seem to even notice the visitor, only solemnly looking out the window with soulless eyes.

Jongdae briefly watched Kyungjin with worried eyes and sighed.

He dumped the dead and dried flowers he had put in last time into the trash and inserted the new flowers he brought.

"Hey, Kyungjin," he said, trying to start a conversation despite knowing the result.

There was a brief silence, but he continued to talk to cover up the lonely silence.

"Lina and Kyungsoo asked me to bring these flowers for you." He chuckled quietly. "Lina was the one who picked them out. Kyungsoo was pretty much standing there and saying things like, 'I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give Kyungjin flowers.' I know he means well, but it's hilarious. Speaking of those two, I never expected them to get together. They told me that Minseok -"

He abruptly stopped and looked at Kyungjin anxiously. He didn't want her to hear his name. At least not when she was like this.

Kyungjin, at first, didn't seem like she heard. But she lifted her head ever so slightly and turned to look at her cousin.

After staring at him briefly, she returned her gaze out the window.

Jongdae let out his breath he was holding and sighed.

He finished arranging the flowers and brushed his hands on his pants. He walked over to the bedside so that he was standing partly in Kyungin's field of vision.

He sat down on the chair next to her and started to talk again.

"Jongin keeps asking how you are. Even that brat Sehun asks if you're talking again. Everyone's worried about you, Kyungjin. They all just want to know if you're okay."

She didn't reply, only blinking her eyes every so often.

Jongdae felt his heart crush, the same feeling he got every time he would visit her. He tried his best to keep his voice from cracking.

"I'll...I'll come visit again." He stood up and brushed a few strands of hair off her face. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the head.

"I'll see you again, Kyungjin."

She didn't reply nor even glance in his general direction.

He quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

He walked down the hallway, taking deep breaths and trying to calm down.

The doctor had told them that Kyungjin went into a mental state of shock. The fact that she believed that she was abandoned once again was too much too handle, especially since she had developed such a deep bond with Minseok. It didn’t help that she was already weak from the start.

She had closed herself to everything, hiding deep in the dark crevices of her mind. She was literally a shell of herself.

She hardly ate or slept. She wouldn't talk to anybody and let herself be prodded and hooked up with self-stainable tubes and machines.

The doctor said he it would be good if people came to visit her and talked to her, hoping that it would stimulate her mind.

And it the beginning, many people did. They would come and talk cheerfully to her. But after a awhile, they died down until it was pretty much Jongdae, Kyungjin's mother, and the occasional visit from her friends.

They told them they couldn't do it. It was hard enough that she wouldn't talk back and look despondently at them. But it was the guilt that really killed them.

Minseok had specifically asked practically the whole town to take care of her but the fact that this had happened made them feel worthless.

Jongdae knew how they felt. He could never visit Kyungjin without thinking of Minseok and how he wished he was there right now or how he failed him.

But that was also the reason why he kept visiting Kyungjin at least once a week.

Because that was the only thing he could do.

He promised himself that he could do his best to take care of Kyungjin until Minseok came back.

Although there were people who felt like Minseok left forever, Jongdae believed in him.

He thought back to the day when Minseok told him he was going to leave.

How he looked so determined and so lonely.

How Minseok looked at him with such intense eyes.

How he gave him such a sad smile.

And how it broke his heart seeing him like that.

And how he finally trusted Minseok. Finally believing that Minseok really did love Kyungjin.

And that's why Jongdae believed wholeheartedly in Minseok and how he believed he was eventually coming back.

He didn't' know how long it would take, but he knew he would come back.

As Jongdae continued to walk down the hallway, he felt wet streams on his cheeks.

He tenderly touched his face only to understand that he was crying.

Warm tears silently dropping from his eyes.

He stopped mid-step before ducking into a small hallway to crouch down.

And as he crouched there in the darkness, he sobbed into his knees hoping that Minseok would finally come back so that he could see Kyungjin smile again.

Minseok watched the scenery of farm fields fly past him as he tiredly stared out the train window. The clickety-clack of the wheels on the rail was rhythmic and almost hypnotizing. He blinked his eyes several time, trying to keep awake.

It had been several long weeks.

The second person Jongdae was planning on seeing was hard to track down.

Minseok was able to find traces of him until he graduated from his university.

And then after that, it was like he had dropped off the face of the planet.

But Minseok wasn't about to give up. Not when he was so determined to finally tie up loose ends.

He talked to most of the professors at the university. However, not many remembered him.

But there was one.

Apparently, he had been rather close with the boy and when he graduated, he paid the professor one final visit.

He had told the professor that he was going to stay with his grandparents for a year or two before looking for a job. A place deep in the countryside in some rural town.

That was all he knew, but that was enough Minseok.

He booked a train ticket to the town, and the next day he was on his way to that small town.

While he was on the long train ride, Minseok had time to think of what he was going to say to that boy.

With Changsub, he knew that he wanted to ask for forgiveness for ignoring him when he most needed.

But with this person, Minseok didn't know where to first start.

He wondered if he still disliked him.

They were never that close despite hanging out so much in high school.

The train slowly screeched to a stop, the conductor's voice coming through the intercom to announce their arrival.

Minseok looked up and out the window. He got up and grabbed his things as he headed out.

With a light hop off the steps, he glanced around.

There wasn't a lot of people getting off the train nor were there many people milling around the train station.

Minseok watched at the train called for any more passengers and sped off into the distance.

He then looked out to the horizon where there were fields on fields of crops.

The sun beat down heavily that Minseok had to shade his eyes with his hands to look out in the distance.

He looked around, hoping to find someone who would be of help.

In the distance, he located a policeman and walked over.

"Hello."

The man looked over to Minseok and smiled pleasantly.

"Hey, there. How can I help ya?"

Minseok quirked a smile on the corner of his lips. The man was thinking about how much he wanted to end shift and eat at his favorite restaurant.

"Do you know where I can go where I can find out the residents of the town? I'm looking for someone."

The policeman frowned as he thought about it. "Hmm, your best bet is probably the town center. There's bound to be someone there who knows the person you're looking for. Mind you that it's not a very big town either," he grinned. "Actually, I can show the town center to ya. I'm about to get off my shift."

Minseok nodded. "I'll be thankful for that."

The man nodded and smiled. "Hold on, let me go tell my coworker I'm headed off."

He jogged over to another policeman, talking cheerfully to him. Minseok could hear them laugh, their voices mixed with joy.

Minseok watched as the man jogged back and gestured to the general area across them. "Shall we go?"

Minseok nodded and followed the man.

"We don't get a lot of visitors around here. Where ya from?"

"A small town near the city," he replied. "It's quite far from here."

"I bet. I don't know anybody who would come here unless it's to see family. And even with them, we start to recognize."

The police officer grinned and looked at Minseok.

"But let me tell ya, we have some pretty delicious food. There's this one restaurant that is just excellent."

"They grill the best beef in the area?" Minseok added with a soft smile.

"Yeah, how'd ya know?" He shook his head. "Well, that doesn't matter. What really matters is that it's beyond delicious.

"I'll be sure to check it out when I'm done."

The officer smiled happily. "Good. And look, we're here."

Minseok looked at the building. It was brightly painted with murals on the walls. A white wooden fence surrounding it.

The man looked at Minseok quizzically. "You know, I never asked who you were looking for."

Minseok turned to look behind him. "His name is Byun Baekhyun."

After bidding farewell to the police officer, Minseok headed inside.

The rush of cool air conditioning brought shivers throughout his arms.

His eyes ran across the room. It was a fairly large communal area. There were long tables set up across the large room and framed pictures hung across the walls.

He ventured in deeper, casually looking around.

"Oh, we have a visitor."

Minseok turned his head to see an elder woman walk out from another room, wiping her hands with a towel.

Minseok bowed his head slightly. "Hello."

She smiled warmly at him, her eyes crinkling with kindness.

"And a fairly young and handsome one as well."

Minseok gave her a small soft smile at her compliment.

"Come sit," she said as she gestured to one of the tables.

Minseok sat down along with the old woman.

"Now, how can I help you? You obviously don't look like you're here for some persimmons."

Minseok shook his head. "I'm looking for someone. I was told someone here would help me."

The woman smiled. "Well, I can sure try. But if I don't, I can always call someone. So, what's this person's name?"

"Byun Baekhyun. I'm looking for Byun Baekhyun."

"Byun?" the woman thoughtfully hummed. "Well, you must mean the Byuns who grow sweet potatoes and lettuce! I do believe Baekhyun is their grandson. Though I don't know if he's here right now."

Minseok shook his head. "No, that's plenty of help. May I know their address?"

The woman nodded and scribbled out directions on a piece of paper.

She bade him farewell, but not before giving his bags of persimmons. Some for him and some to bring to the Byuns.

He thanked her and headed off on the road.

It was a quiet town, but the people were friendly and honest.

As he walked down the road, he was greeted by so many people passing by. There were no underlying thoughts with. Everyone sincerely thought well. It was oddly pleasant as Minseok secretly enjoyed the positiveness of the town. It reminded him slightly of home.

After a good ten minute walk, he arrived to a fairly grand and large house. It was in no means new or in perfect conditions, but it looked homely and welcoming.

Minseok tentatively knocked on the door.

There were some shuffling as the door swung open.

Minseok met eyes with an old man who squinted at him.

"And who are you?"

Minseok bowed his head. "Hello. Are you the Byuns?"

The man nodded. "That'll be my name."

Minseok first brought out the bag of persimmons. "I brought this from the town center."

The man leaned closer and took the bag as he peered in it. "Ohh, persimmons! They must be from Granny Lee's tree. Tell her thank you."

Minseok nodded. "I'll be sure to. But I'm actually here for another thing."

The man looked at him expectantly.

"Is your grandson Baekhyun?"

The man nodded.

"Is he here right now?"

The man tilted his head slightly as he thought. "As a matter fact, he just got back from the market in the next town with his grandma. Shall I call him?"

"If you could, please."

"Oy! Baekhyun! Someone's here for you!"

"Who is it, Gramps? I'm kinda busy washing the vegetables!"

The old man peered at Minseok who smiled softly back.

"Some young man. Looks about your age!" he shouted back.

He then turned to Minseok. "What'd you say your name was again?"

"I don't know if I know anybody like that, Gramps," Baekhyun replied, as he came out to see.

His gaze fell onto Minseok, and his eyes grew in size.

"Minseok," he breathed out in disbelief.

"Hello, Baekhyun," Minseok replied, a warm but sad smile on his lips.

"Here, we bought these earlier," an old woman with kind eyes said as she set down a plate of peeled and cut pears.

"Grams! You don't need to do this. He's leaving soon anyways, right?" Baekhyun complained, eyeing Minseok suspiciously.

Minseok smiled at the grandmother. "Thank you. And it depends on you, Baekhyun."

The grandmother laughed warmly. "Oh, my. Baekhyun never talked about his days in school. It's nice to see his friend come visit him."

"He's not a friend, Grams," Baekhyun brutishly replied.

"Oh, now. Don't say that, Baekhyun. He came all this way to see you. The least you can do is be civil."

She gave him a stern look.

"Fine," he grumbled in reluctance.

His grandmother smiled pleasantly. "Good. I'll you two boys alone, then. Call me if you need anything."

Minseok smiled and nodded back to her.

As she left, Baekhyun glanced at him as he played with fork, poking the pears.

"So, you know how smile," he muttered.

Minseok looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. "Back in high school, you hardly smiled. But look at you now, smiling warmly at everyone."

Minseok chuckled softly before looking directly at the male across from him.

"How are you, Baekhyun?"

Baekhyun looked at him with incredulous eyes. "Seriously, who the hell are you?"

"You look like you're doing well. Your grandparents are pleasant people. And this town is lovely as well. Honest and positive."

Baekhyun softened up at those words. "Yeah, they are. That's why I like it so much here. I was only going to stay here for a couple of years, but I'm thinking I'll stay here for good. Grams and Gramps are getting old, and I want to help them out. They say I have a knack for growing crops. The people here are good folks. They mean well and aren't manipulative s."

Minseok saw that Baekhyun thought about several people when he said that. He didn't know some of them, obviously people who he associated with after high school, but there was one person he did know.

Park Chanyeol.

But the thought was gone as soon as it appeared.

"Anyways, what are you here for, Minseok? I never thought you would seek me out, especially how I treated you back in high school."

Minseok shook his head. "You had your reasons."

"What? Like acting a jealous jerk?" Baekhyun scoffed. "I'm surprised you didn't hate me forever."

"But people change as well. I've changed, so why can't you? For better or for worse. And I do believe your case is the former."

"Still," Baekhyun persisted. "I should be hated. Even I would hate myself."

"You're only human, Baekhyun. We all are. We make mistakes, but that is what makes people humans. Even you. Even me."

"Yeah?" Baekhyun weakly, looking at him with depondent eyes and with small shoulders.

Minseok gave him a soft smile. "Yeah."

Baekhyun smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks. I really mean it." He sighed and looked at Minseok, deciding to spill his heart out. "I...I really hated how I was in high school. I only thought about myself. I wanted to be the best even if it meant groveling to other people. But then even if you did that, you were backstabbed and betrayed. At first, I thought I could handle it. But after being pushed over and over again, I wasn't able to take it anymore. The world out there is vicious and won't wait for you. I was really depressed. And my grandparents saw how I was and asked if I wanted to stay with them for a year or two. My parents were not that happy about that. They were afraid that I would fall  behind all my other peers. That I wouldn't be able to find a job while everyone else did."

He took a deep breath and continued. "Honestly, I didn't care. All I wanted was to disappear. So, they whisked me away to their home in the countryside. It wasn't until after a few months here that I realized how nice it was here. Everyone has no ulterior motive. They're simply happy. And before long, I thought about the me back then. How stupid and ungrateful I was. How I mistreated people just because I thought they were lower than me."

He looked at Minseok. "I thought about you too. I remembered how jealous I was because Chanyeol always seem to like you better. And then when you stopped hanging around us and that rumor about you started up, I thought I would his best friend. But that wasn't the case; instead, he continued with that false appearance of his and continued to manipulate and fool everyone. I only came to realize that Chanyeol wasn’t as great as I thought he was. At the end of high school, we separated and never spoke to each other again." He shook his head. "But I realized that you were never a bad person.  A little withdrawn, but you were the only one without an ulterior motive. Just living life."

He paused and clasped his hands together.

"And with that being said, I'm sorry, Minseok. I'm sorry that I was a horrible friend. I'm sorry that I detested you and thought you were horrible when in reality you're the least person from that." He sighed. "I've always wanted to tell you that. But I thought it was a lost cause. So thanks for coming to see me."

Minseok blinked at Baekhyun, pouring his heart in such a vulnerable way that he didn't even need to listen to what he was truly saying. Because all he said was undeniably the truth.

"No, thank you, Baekhyun. For telling this to me. You probably don't know this, but after high school, I lost hope in society. I thought everyone was worthless and that it was pointless to even associate with them. I completely isolated myself from the world outside. And like you, it wasn't until I met people who showed me that wasn't the case. But even more importantly, I learned that people make mistakes. There is no reason to hate the whole world just because a few bad people. Because in the end, there will be thousands more of better people. You just have to look hard enough."

Baekhyun stared at him and laughed. "Wow, so profound. Have you always been like this?"

Minseok chuckled and shook his head. "No. I actually didn't like myself because I was the same person that I hated. It's only recently that I've been trying to like myself more. And that is one of the reason why I looked for you."

"Me?" Baekhyun confusedly replied.

Minseok nodded. "I never hated you, Baekhyun. I also knew you jealous of me But you are a good person inside. I never hated you for it, but I also never cared. Everything was insignificant to me. But now that I care, I wonder if it means I’ve started to hope again,” he said, more to himself than anything. He shook his head. “Anyways, I have been trying to confront my past to move on.”

Baekhyun was silent before speaking up. "Can I ask you one thing, Minseok?"

Minseok looked at Baekhyun. "What is it?"

"Did I change? I don't feel like it."

"I wouldn’t know how to answer. We perceive things differently. Personally, I think you have adapted another mindset. And maybe that means you have."

Baekhyun smiled, his eyes glistening wet. "Thanks. I really mean it, Minseok. Thank you for coming here. Thank you for telling me these things. And thank you still considering me as your friend. Even after all these years."

Minseok smiled softly at him and silently sat next to him as Baekhyun cried silent but happy tears.

Minseok was planning on leaving right away. The quicker he found and talked to everybody he wanted to, the quicker he would be able to go back home.

But Baekhyun’s grandparents, and even Baekhyun himself although reluctantly, insisted on him staying the night. Plus, there wouldn’t be any trains running at this time.

Minseok allowed him the luxury of staying for one night, but his mind would still travel back to one girl which only made him feel a sense of urgency.

Minseok and the Byun’s had a pleasant dinner and conversation. Baekhyun’s grandparents spared no embarrassment for Baekhyun, complimenting on the things he done in the village. It was obvious to Minseok that Baekhyun truly loved being here with his grandparents, and he was happy for him. He, too, had found a place where he belonged.

Minseok couldn’t help but to let a small smile slip on his lips as Baekhyun’s grandparents fussed over him.

“Take this! It’s our very own home-grown sweet potatoes,” the old lady said, pushing a box towards him.

“And feel free to visit anytime,” Baekhyun’s grandfather proclaimed loudly with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. “I’m sure that Baekhyun would appreciate that greatly.”

“Gramps!” Baekhyun muttered embarrassedly.

“No, he’s right, dear.” His grandmother turned to Minseok. “Baekhyun never really did talk about his school days, so I’m glad to know that he as such a nice friend as you.”

Minseok smiled slightly. “No, I am honored to be his friend as well.”

“You guys, Minseok has to go or he’s going to miss the train.” Baekhyun shouted hurriedly, pushing Minseok onto the road.

Minseok waved to Baekhyun’s grandparents, stopping slightly off the road.

“Good-bye, Baekhyun. I am glad I saw you.”

Baekhyun looked away and scowled. “Yeah, yeah. Now get going.”

Minseok smiled softly, knowing that Baekhyun was feeling embarrassed, and picked up his bag and walked down the road to the train station. He only walked a few feet before he heard, “Wait!”

He paused, turning around to look.

Baekhyun ran up to him, a fierce grim look on his face.

“What is it?”

Baekhyun coughed roughly, reaching into his pocket and placing a piece of paper into his hands.

“Ok, this is really the last goodbye. Don’t die or anything, you hear?” he shouted, running down the road, back to his house.

When he wasn’t in sight, Minseok opened up the piece of paper revealing an address, email, and a phone number. The words “I’m not asking you to contact me or anything, but yeah… for your information,” were scrawled in Baekhyun’s handwriting.

Minseok let out a small laugh, placing the note into his pocket.

There seemed to be a more confident bounce in his step, but it might have been his imagination.

Minseok sighed. He just had one more to go. And it was the one he was the most worried about.

A/N: My goodness. It’s been awhile. I had been so busy that there wasn’t enough motivation to write. But I had drafts stored up in my computer. I read them again, and I just had to continue writing. I’m not sure when I’ll update, but for now, I’ll try my best.

As always, thanks for reading and sticking with me for so long