Jongin hated the way the bus bounced whenever it hit a rock on the ground. It was only 15 minutes after he left the city, and he already felt carsick. He took out his iPod and put his earphones in his ear. Jongin leaned on the window glass and on a particularly large bump, hit his head on his glass with a loud thump. He rubbed the side of his head and groaned. He heard giggling behind him and he turned around to find a little girl, around 5, 6 years old, laughing at him. 

"Omma, that man hit his head," she whispered to her mother. Jongin scowled and turned around, putting his hoodie over his head and burying himself in his music. 

Half an hour later, the bus stopped and the rush of people getting off woke Jongin up from his slumber. He rubbed his eye sleepily and pulled his earphones out of his ears. He waited until the aisle emptied and then proceeded to take his luggage off the shelves above the seats. He slung the duffel bag on his shoulder and put his backpack on. Jongin stepped off the bus and found his grandmother sitting on a bench, waiting for him. He made his way over to her side and she smiled at him. 

"You grew so much, Jongin-ah," she said. Jongin gave her a small smile back and helped her stand up. They walked back to Jongin's grandmother's house together. "How are your studies?" 

Jongin chewed on his lower lip at the question. "I'm doing well, halmoni," he lied. "Top of the class even." He glanced at his grandmother, who had a proud smile on her face. Jongin immediately felt the guilt pool in his stomach. But a small lie couldn't hurt her right? Jongin shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder and continued home. 

Jongin had never seen this person before. The moment his grandmother unlocked the door to the house, Jongin's eyes zeroed in on the man mopping the floor. The man stopped and stared at Jongin for a few seconds before turning to Jongin's grandmother and asking about her day. 

"Jongin, this is Kyungsoo. He's the boy that lives a few houses away from here. He's working for me to help his family. Be nice to him alright?" She patted his arm and hobbled into the kitchen. Jongin his lips and eyed Kyungsoo. He had full lips and wide eyes, and it reminded Jongin of one of those penguin plushies his little sister had. 

"So you're Jongin," Kyungsoo said. 

Jongin shuffled on his feet awkwardly. "Yea."

"Your grandmother talks about you a lot. You're from the city right?" Jongin nodded. "When you're done, can you tell me a bit about it? I've never been there." Kyungsoo grinned at him and Jongin can't help but smile back. 

"Alright." 

Kyungsoo and Jongin sat on the steps in front of the house while each holding a cup of hot chocolate in their hands. "It's really beautiful isn't it?" Kyungsoo asked. Jongin hummed in reply and took a small sip of his drink, the sweet taste exploding on his tongue. "Do you come here every summer?" 

"Yea. I've been coming here since I was seven. I'm eighteen now," Jongin replied. Jongin glanced at the male sitting next to him. "How old are you?" 

"Nineteen," Kyungsoo replied. The two sat in silence until the sun disappeared behind the trees and the sky turned dark. "I have to go now."

Jongin turned his head and found Kyungsoo standing up. "Are you coming back tomorrow?" 

Kyungsoo nodded. "Can you bring my cup inside and tell your grandmother I'm leaving?" 

"Sure," Jongin said. 

Kyungsoo walked down the steps and near where the front yard ended, Kyungsoo turned around. "Goodnight, Jongin!"

"Goodnight, Kyungsoo!"

"I've never been here before..." Jongin mumbled in awe. He surveyed his surroundings and took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air. 

"A lot of people haven't," Kyungsoo said. He tugged on Jongin's sleeve and pointed somewhere in front of them. "We're almost there." The two continued to walk until Kyungsoo stopped abruptly and Jongin almost crashed into the smaller's back. "We're here." 

Jongin blinked a few times and then his eyes widened. In front of him was the biggest patch of flowers he had ever seen in his eighteen years of living. And it wasn't one of those one colored-flower patches, but the one where every single color possible is showcased. Jongin reckoned he had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Awesome right? I stumbled on it a few months ago when it was spring, it was even more vibrant then." Kyungsoo walked over to a small boulder and sat down on it, the sunlight giving the perfect amount of shine to his dark brown locks. He waved Jongin over and Jongin followed him, situating himself beside Kyungsoo. 

"I wish there were places like this in the city. This is beautiful..." 

"I don't even think beautiful's the right word for it." 

Jongin nodded in agreement. "It's too beautiful to express with words."

"Just like you." 

"I'm coming back next summer," Jongin said. 

Kyungsoo nodded. "I know. I'll be here waiting for you." He waved to Jongin with a small smile on his face. "Don't forget me over the course of a year alright?" 

"I won't." Jongin stepped onto the bus and found a seat. He opened the window and waved at Kyungsoo. "You have to promise me to be here."

"I'll never leave," Kyungsoo said. 

That was Kyungsoo's first lie.