Indeed, Hakyeon heard correctly the weather forecast. A typhoon will strike the city next to them, and the forest area is protected, but they’ll certainly feel it there too.

Being not long after midnight, the only guy who is awake in the whole house is Hongbin who is still leaned on the wall next to the window, watching how the wind intensifies, as the trees start to move their branches, being exposed to the wind. As if waken up from a trance, the boy more or less asleep opened the window and leaned out slightly, breathing in the fresh air and looking up at the sky which isn’t so clear as when he and Taekwoon were outside, in the garden.  As a matter of fact, where is Leo?

Hongbin, remembering that he hadn’t seen the boy inside his room and Hakyeon has informed him two hours ago that his friend didn’t went inside the house, began to worry, but he doesn’t feel able to leave his room in search of his friend and his condition doesn’t let him face Leo, not to mention the fact that if he would find the boy they’d have to talk, in special after what happened in the garden. But to tell the truth, it was his fault, thought Hongbin. He did a wrong move. Why he had to tell those harsh words to Taekwoon? Couldn’t he keep it all inside and let it go as soon as he was in his room? He made a big mistake. All these things are going through Hongbin’s mind right now. He is blaming himself for not keeping his mouth closed.

Only thinking about Taekwoon, the beautiful boy feels a heavy feeling inside his chest. It’s his heart. It was always his heart.  When did this happen? When did he start to feel this unbearable pain inside his chest? May it be the fact that these past teenager years he spent them with Taekwoon? May it be those beautiful nights in the beginning of the new school year when he used to go to Leo’s house and they’d watch movies together and Leo would hug him unconsciously then he’d let Hongbin go from his arms after realizing  what he was doing? May it be those times when Leo actually shared his food, his precious and the most important thing to survive, with him? Looking back, Hongbin could find thousands and thousands of things that are able to explain his feelings… But one thing is sure for him. He’s a lost cause. ‘For Leo… What am I to him? Nothing…’ The boy thought.

- Stop thinking… Stop thinking, Hongbin, stop! Said the boy in a loud tone, his voice hitting the walls.

Hongbin is trying to stop thinking of useless things; he wants those questions to just disappear into the darkness; he just needs to clear his mind, to stop letting his thoughts control him. He doesn’t need to know why he’s feeling like this towards his very best childhood friend, he always said this to himself because more than sure there were nights in Hongbin’s life when he couldn’t fall asleep because of these thoughts, he couldn’t concentrate and he always ended up by staying awake the whole night, making up scenarios in which he’d confess to Leo or he’d hug him for more than two minutes without being awkward for his friend. He repeated to himself every single night that maybe if he had the body of a girl, maybe then Taekwoon would like him back in a romantic way.  He knows Leo the best, and because of this, he always ends up suffering a lot; Hongbin knows how Taekwoon sees a girl, a girl in his eyes is a great and stunning, mystical creature who has to be protected by any cost, a girl for Leo means something special, in special in matters of love, this explains why he didn’t have at least one girlfriend till now;  he can’t fall in love partially and he truly believes in love at first sight, which Hongbin found it silly when he heard Leo saying this, but deep inside he knew so well that the chance of Leo loving him back the way he loves him is one in a million and once again the poor beautiful boy bleed inside.

Tonight is one of those sleepless nights, but it’ll be way much harder to survive now than it was back then, when they were at their own houses. If back in the city, Hongbin was quite far away from Taekwoon, thirty minutes by bus, well right now Leo is right here, in the same place, same house.

Hongbin went back on looking out the window. He slowly takes his long fingers through his hair, ruffling it a little. He didn’t need to analyze the landscape in front of his eyes because Hongbin immediately realized that the wind increased in power and the lightnings are brightening the forest, while thunders can be heard and soon, the rain started to fall. At first the way the raindrops were falling on the ground was a pleasure to watch, being really relaxing, while the heat of summer faded away just for this moment. Hongbin suddenly ran away from the window and covered his ears. It was a big lightning and the beautiful boy knows what that meant: the thunder will be way too loud and scary.

Hongbin is in love with all four seasons, he sees always the good parts in every season, therefore he really enjoys summer as well, but he has this fear of storms, in special of lightning and thunders since he was just a little boy; in this kind of rainy and stormy night, Hongbin never sleeps. He stays awake, under his blanket while listening to music or just thinking, this night will be the same.

- Wh…. What’s going on?! Out of nowhere whispered Hongbin, running back to the window, while opening it and looking outside.

What is going on outside? Between the raindrops, there are falling pieces of ice from the sky and the wind went way too strong in speed.

- H.. Hail?! Stammered Hongbin looking up to the dark sky. Yes, it’s hail falling from the sky. ‘Hakyeon didn’t predict this.’ Thought the beautiful boy, while smiling just for himself, but his smile faded away right in the moment when he lowered his look, his eyes widened in shock and surprise when he saw a tall silhouette standing still, being hit both by hail and rain. It took him a few minutes to realize who the boy is.

- Tae… Taekwoon… Whispered in shock the boy, panicking. ‘What to do?’  ‘What can I do?!’ asked himself Hongbin, walking around his room, being on the verge of crying. He the light and started to look around, trying to find things that he could throw out, in hope to catch Taekwoon’s attention. He saw some candies on his table, he thought Hakyeon put them there, and the boy took two and rushed to the window. He is shaking and trembling, being dressed only in a T-shirt and some shorts. Hongbin threw the first candy, but he missed and let out a huge groan, he decided to throw the second candy, but this one didn’t touch Leo, it fell right next to him and the boy in the rain didn’t even flinch.

- God, Taekwoon! Why… why you do this?... Whispered nervously Hongbin, returning to search for another object to throw outside the window, he took this time a pillow. He doesn’t care if it’s a silly or bad idea at least he is sure the boy from the garden will see the flying object. He goes back to the opened window, but as soon as he looks outside, Hongbin drops the pillow and tears start to fall from his beautiful eyes. Taekwoon was gone. He disappeared.

- H.. He vanished?! Said Hongbin with a shaky voice, putting his hands onto his chest and slowly started to hit himself in despair while tears are falling down onto his cheeks. ‘What am I supposed to do right now?’ ‘Why am I crying?’ ‘Why is all of these happening to me?!’ Hongbin’s mind is full of thoughts, so full that he stayed several minutes crying, shaking and thinking right next to the opened window without knowing how to react, what to do. Usually he isn’t a guy to panic easily, nor to get scared of something like this. Normally, he would analyze the situation and he would come up with solutions. But not this time. This time is definitely different. It’s Taekwoon. His heart starts beating so fast and he stops crying for a little bit, remembering that scene from his childhood when Leo’s warm hand dragged him away from those brats. He gets teary again and he made up his mind, thinking that the worst thing happened to his friend, Hongbin rushed to the door, running and having in thought to run outside and search for Leo who, thought Hongbin, may be hurt or even worse. He didn’t even step properly outside his room, while running and the beautiful boy crying bumped into something.