"Love is not selective, just as the light of the sun is not selective." - Eckhart Tolle

The music slowed to a stop and the crowd erupted into a deafening roar as they concluded their performance. Youngbae was floating on air, because this was it. This unity, the connection between people, between him and the fans, between him and Jiyong, all made possible through music. He could feel the energy and he knew Jiyong could feel it too, because this was everything they had ever dreamed of as scrawny little twelve year olds mopping floors together.

 In that one surreal moment, it was as if time was slowing down. 

The deafening roar of the crowd became a muted background hum as a hand gently caressed the back of his head and pushed him forward. He was engulfed by Jiyong's embrace and his eyes fluttered to a close as he wrapped his arms around his best friend's torso and returned the hug in full. 

What happened next was so quick he thought that he must have been imagining things, but there was no mistaking the warm breath against his skin and the ever faint brush of lips again the shell of his ear. 

"Can you hear it?" Jiyong breathed into his ear and time came to a halt.

One second.

Two seconds.

A startled breath that was probably his own.

And then time resumed, the deafening cheers returned, and he was released from Jiyong's embrace. As Jiyong pulled away from him, Youngbae caught a flash of something (disappointment?) in his best friend's expression, his eyes dimming and his smile faltering for only a fraction of a second before he swiftly turned to the crowd for one last bow and exited the stage. 

Youngbae followed closely behind the younger man, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, pondering the meaning behind Jiyong's question and wondering why he was unable to provide him with an answer. 

Written for the RISE writing contest.

An idea that I had almost a year ago. It wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to finally write it out.