Hello, hello! :0  There has been much demand to continue this fic, and I've been feeling kinda guilty leaving it just as a prologue anyway, so voila!! I really wanted to get this up for tonight, so that's why it's not that long, I hope to write longer chapters in the future, though! (But longer chapters take more time >o<) I changed up their ages a bit, and I hope it's not too out-of-character. Please enjoy! -littleELFBANA

When Dongwoo pulls his car over to the side of the highway, the first thing the boy does is open the rear door. He slings his guitar off his back and places it gently in the back seat before he shoves his duffel bag on the floor, then slams the door. He reaches for the door to the passenger side and clambers in, all gangly limbs. He holds a worn notebook close to his chest and stares straight out the windshield. He seems rather young, clad in a baggy grey pull-over, ripped black skinny jeans and bright red converse-although Dongwoo himself doesn’t look much older, in jeans and a blue plaid shirt layered over a white v-neck. Dongwoo turns towards the boy to introduce himself, to say something, but he’s ultimately cut off when the boy snaps, “Just drive.” Dongwoo complies, shifting into drive and pulling back onto the road. The sun is beginning to set, and Dongwoo rolls down the windows to let the warm summer air in. Dongwoo tries to keep his eyes on the road, but every so often he steals glances at the boy. The boy’s grip on the notebook has loosened, and he breathes deeply with his eyes closed while his burgundy-dyed hair is tossed about by the rushing air.

“Where’re you heading?” Dongwoo asks. The boy’s eyes fly open, and when he finally registers the question, he scowls and sighs, running a hand frustratedly through the black roots of his hair.

“Nowhere. Anywhere.” He replies. Dongwoo smiles, albeit sad and bitterly.

“What a coincidence, I happen to be going in the same direction.” At this, the boy looks at Dongwoo for the first time, clearly puzzled, but he doesn’t say a word. He pulls his notebook back to his chest, and they continue to drive as the sun disappears from the horizon.

The moon is high by the time they reach a rest stop, the chirping of crickets the only thing to break the silence once the engine is turned off. Dongwoo removes his key from the ignition and turns towards the boy.

“I’m getting out to buy some snacks, do you want anything?” The boy answers with a shrug. Dongwoo takes that as a “no”. “Okay, well just stay here, I’ll be back soon.” He opens the door of the car and swiftly closes it behind him, simultaneously patting the back pockets of his blue jeans to make sure he didn’t forget his wallet. His ex used to make fun of him for things like that, forgetting his wallet or keys. She would just giggle at him and smile, playfully punching his shoulder. “You’re such an idiot, sometimes,” she’d say, then he would chuckle in agreement and she would kiss his cheek, “But you’re cute, so I’ll forgive you.” He was really looking to get serious with her, and he told himself that to do that there had to be no secrets between them. So he told her he was biual, and now here he is without a girlfriend, a place to stay, or any idea where he’s going. He shakes his head. Now’s not the time to be drowning in self pity-he’s got snacks to buy.

He scans the shelves of colorfully packaged junk food, but just grabs a couple standard bags of plain chips and a two bottles of Coke. He pays the cashier and makes his way back to his car. The boy is still in his seat, staring out the window, his face illuminated by the stadium-bright parking lot lamps. Dongwoo opens the car door and slides into his seat. He drops one of the soda and a bag of chips in the boy’s lap, then shuts his door. The boy looks down at his lap, then up at Dongwoo.

“Um,” he utters, looks back down at the food in his lap, and soon Dongwoo knows why he’s confused.
    “, I forgot you didn’t want anything,” Dongwoo says, furrowing his brow, “I guess I’m just used to buying for two.” The boy looks back at Dongwoo, his gaze suddenly softening.

“It’s fine,” he says, before promptly popping the bag of chips open, proceeding to eat them one by one, slowly and steadily. Dongwoo opens his own bag, and they stay like that for a while, surrounded by quiet munching and the light fizz of soda bottles being opened. The boy takes a swig of his coke. “Jinyoung,” he says. Dongwoo stops mid-chew and swallows, cringing as sharp pieces of potato chip are pushed down his throat.

“What?” he croaks.

“Jung Jinyoung,” the boy elaborates, “That’s my name.” Dongwoo stares at him in bewilderment. “And you are?”

“Um, Dongwoo. Shin Dongwoo,” he replies, before awkwardly sticking out his hand. Jinyoung raises an eyebrow, but accepts his hand shake nonetheless.

“Nice to meet you, Dongwoo… hyung? You are older than me, right?”

“Uh, probably, I’m twenty-one,” Dongwoo nearly stutters when he answers. For hours, neither of them had said a word to one another, and suddenly Jinyoung is speaking to him in full, surprisingly friendly sentences.

“Damn, I’m only eighteen,” Jinyoung says, and his face cracks into a fox-like smile. Dongwoo can’t help but smile too.

“What’s a kid like you doing hitching rides to nowhere from strangers?”

Jinyoung’s smile falters a bit,“It’s a long story, and anyway,” his smile comes back, “what’s a guy like you doing picking up defenseless kids off the side of the road?”

“It’s a long story,” Dongwoo replies, smirking. Jinyoung jokingly punches his shoulder. “Ow, what was that for?” Dongwoo rubs his shoulder fervently in mock pain. Jinyoung folds his arms.

“Being a smartass,” Jinyoung says.

Dongwoo counters,“You started it.”

“Touché.” Then their eyes meet, and they suddenly burst into inexplicable fits of laughter. While Dongwoo’s subside into quiet chuckles, Jinyoung ends up wheezing and coughing, wiping tears from his eyes. He lets out a sigh and sinks into the seat.

“Well, we have plenty of time,” Dongwoo begins, “so you can tell me your story whenever you’re ready.” Jinyoung doesn’t reply for a while, but Dongwoo waits. He counts his breaths, one, two, five, ten. At the twentieth breath, he speaks.

“You too,” Jinyoung murmurs, “Whenever you’re ready.”