FLASHBACK

- Nothing, Hakyeon, nothing ever happens. Smiled widely Hongbin and rising up, he passed really fast by Hakyeon and with an ‘I’m going into my room’ he disappeared on the stairs.

The boy’s mind is invaded by so many thoughts. Why doesn’t he answer back? Why does he let him so abruptly? Why does he torment him every time?

Going into his room, Hongbin locks the door and then slowly he lets himself on the edge of the bed. Drawing a deep breath and lying down, the sad boy pulls the blanket over him and he holds himself from crying. He knows Taekwoon since first grade, since his early childhood and he always felt protected with him, Hongbin being one of those sensitive and highly emotional children who were always to some extent ridiculed and mocked because of the powerful sensibility they held within themselves. In such a situation he met Taekwoon, back then a little boy, quiet and stately, with a serious posture that offered him a great respect from everyone. One day, during lunch break, Hongbin, staring down he was walking towards the school cafeteria when suddenly a group of boys from third grade surrounded him and they began to push the little boy and as if this wasn’t enough, they also began to shout harmful words. Due to this kind of ugly and messy situation, it didn’t last long and Hongbin started to cry so badly. Unable to control his emotions, being emotionally hurt, Hongbin took the shape of a ball, sitting down on the cold ground and hugging his knees to his chest and sobbing incessantly. At that time, Taekwoon intervened. Making his way through the little aggressors, he went near Hongbin and he pulled the crying boy by his hand, making him to stand up more forcefully than willingly. Hongbin was forced to follow the boy who captured his hand. With tears still into his eyes, not being able to see clearly, the little boy barely kept himself onto his feet. Taekwoon took Hongbin in a secluded place in the school yard, next to a fence of colorful roses. ‘Look at me’ said the little, but stately Taekwoon. Hongbin, still scared but trying to calm down he took away his palms from his face and he looked into the eyes of the one who saved him; Hongbin realized that the boy in front of him was the quiet boy who never spend his time with anyone and he never got into trouble, in special for saving someone else. ‘Are you fine? I am Jung Taekwoon’ said Leo when he saw the lost look of the boy in front of him. Hongbin timidly reached his hand for Taekwoon and smiling radiantly, his teary eyes glittering in the sunlight, introduced himself. ‘I am Lee Hongbin, first grade.’ Taekwoon smiled a little then he invited Hongbin to sit with him for lunch at the school cafeteria. Since then the two boys are always together and they always take good care of each other. Growing up, being childhood friends, they’re most likely to know everything about each other, from all their angles of personality, gestures to their voice tones and others.

Hongbin was the happiest when at the end of this school year, Taekwoon surprised him with a visit at his house and there he invited the beautiful boy to his parents’ mansion for this summer. Taekwoon, at that time had invited only Hongbin and being the first guest and also Leo’s words ‘ Tell the others to come too’ made the boy so happy that he had this enormous and wide smile on his face all the way to the mansion, the smile that Taekwoon adores and considers it the perfect treatment for his inner sadness.

As Hongbin was meditating over sad things, memories that includes the mighty and ferocious Taekwoon, one floor up in the attic, Jaehwan and Sanghyuk were plotting an escape plan, so they decided to attach some materials such as the sheet from the bed and a cord taken from the bathrobe they found and at one of the ends of this wonderful invention as only in the James Bond’s movies you can see, they tied a note saying: WE CALMED DOWN. PLEASE, LET US GO. WE’RE HUNGRY. Once these naughty boys verified the resistance at wind of the cord, they began to let it go out the window little by little, the final destination of the note was represented by the first window below; in case they fail, they have in mind to deliver the note to the next window; long story short this is a reenacting of the movie Mission Impossible, but with a younger cast.

Hongbin, after several minutes, opened his eyes and stared into space for another couple of minutes. Sitting on the bed and still being very thoughtful he saw something that caught his eye, something white moving outside the window. Fast, he went up from the bed and went to the window, opening it and observing the creation of his friends, the creation that is coming down slowly from the attic. Hongbin, without thinking too much, pulled in the seized material and he soon discovered that at the end of it is hanging a little note. Taking it and reading what was written inside, the boy smiled and then he decided to go to Hakyeon and ask his friend to give him the attic key, the saving item for his little 007 secret agents.

After he got the main artifact in the mission impossible, namely THE KEY, Hongbin, swaying thoughtfully went up to the stairs to save the boys from the improvised prison.

- Guuys! It’s me. Said Hongbin introducing the key.

On the other side of the door can be heard screams of joy.

- Hurry up, Hongbin! Shouted Ken, holding Sanghyuk by hand.

- You don’t even have the slightest idea of how happy we are right now! Uttered Sanghyuk, blushing because of Ken’s action.

Hongbin opened the door and smiled.

- Hello to you too. I hope you’re….

The boy stopped right in the moment when his eyes went on the hands of the two boys.

Sanghyuk, observing this, took away his hand from Ken’s and, embarrassed, sneaked beside Hongbin.

- I’ll… I’ll go, see you down stairs. Whispered Sanghyuk then he disappeared.

- Beanie… What is happening with you? Asked Ken, going next to the boy who is lost in his thoughts. Ken putting his hand onto his shoulder, continued. You worry me and you know that I’m not the type to worry easily.

The words pass by Hongbin like the breezes of the wind, he feels them, he is aware they are there and he knows where they come from, but he is frozen. Jaehwan jumped a little and began to worry even more when suddenly a tear started to fall down on Hongbin’s cheek.

Seeing this, Jaehwan put his both hands onto his friend’s shoulders and shook him hard, calling him by his full name.

- Yes! Yes… yes. I’m sorry…. Whispered Hongbin, wiping his tears.

Hongbin’s tears troubled Jaehwan. He knows how sensitive is Hongbin, well he knows what was happening when he was just a little child, also Taekwoon told him… But Jaehwan didn’t see his friend’s tears in such a long time and he got used to his huge, warm and full of love smile, forgetting that his friend’s soul remained the same. Hongbin is the same emotional and sensitive boy, but now, when he is overwhelmed with grief, he manifests inside himself, in his interior which currently has way too many injuries to be able to recover completely. Jaehwan took him by the arm and urged him to sit on the bed.

- Sit. Commanded Jaehwan and the crying boy sat down. Jaehwan sat down too, but on the floor and he fixed his eyes onto Hongbin’s sad ones.

- We don’t go anywhere. We stay here until we fix you.

- Jaehwan… I’m… I’m ok! Smiled between tears the boy.

- Mhm, yeah sure. I know. You’re ok and Wonshik isn’t these days. Pointed out Ken, now putting his elbows onto Hongbin’s knees and waiting for him to say something. Hongbin didn’t tell a word, he just smiled and it seems like his tears stopped falling.

- See?! That’s how I want to see you. Don’t cry. Everybody cries… this little one also cried for an hour… an hour… and now the beautiful boy from our squad is also crying…. What am I doing with you? You sadden me and then I’ll cry too, the boy with the big nose, right?! This is what you want! Huhuhuhuhu! Jaehwan finished his speech by faking his crying. Hongbin started to laugh.

- This little one? Hyuk, right? Asked Hongbin, and Ken nodded. And I, the beautiful guy?! Oh God, Jaehwan…. No. Hahaha… Sorry… I’m better… Concluded Hongbin, starting to go up from the bed. Right then, Jaehwan grabbed him by his leg and looking right into his eyes, he said shortly and being really serious:

- It’s about Taekwoon.

At hearing this name, Hongbin felt how his heart is shaking and his whole body began to tremble and it didn’t last long and he collapsed on the bed; this made Ken to get up quickly from the floor and he joined the boy, taking him in his arms and trying to soothe him.

- Hongbin…. Calm down. Said gently Ken.

- I can’t… I simply can’t, Jaejae… I can’t and I don’t even know why…. Explain to me why my tears are falling uncontrollable only because of hearing his name. Why?! Why?! Shouted Hongbin, taking his fists onto Ken’s chest and hitting him slowly then exhausted and powerless the boy leaned onto his friend and Ken took him into his arms onto his chest and started to caress his back.

- Hongbin… you know Takewoon… Ken couldn’t finish his sentence because of Hongbin.

- Do I really know anymore, Jaehwan?? You explain to me. Because I surely can’t explain… How we get closer, in special when we are alone, just the two of us, he leaves and ignores me, he just… simply…. LEAVES. I don’t get it…. Am I that bad am I that unbearable, Jaehwan?? Confessed Hongbin, squeezing himself more inside Ken’s embracing.

- Look, Hongbin…. All I know is that he cares about you … like a lot! Since the day he saved you from those stupid little brats…. I can’t explain to you why he acts like this right now, talk to him, but I’ve told you… He cares about you more than you think… Please, stop crying… Everything will be alright, you’ll see… please, Hongbin… Begged Jaehwan, still caressing the boy’s back.

In the end, Hongbin stopped crying, calming down into the arms of his friend. They began to joke around and Jaehwan told him about Sanghyuk when Hongbin asked why they were holding hands.

- Uhh…. Am I interrupting you? If so… I can come back later… Broke in Sanghyuk, entering the attic’s room, holding a plate full of apple pie.

- Hyukie, come in! You don’t interrupt us. Explained Hongbin.

- Sanghyuk!! Called Jaehwan, motioning him to come and sit beside him.

Sanghyuk, shy walked towards the bed, but when he was about to sit down, Ken pulled him into his arms, making the little boy to sit onto his laps.

- Jae… Can I sit like a normal person…. On the bed? Asked cutely Sanghyuk, trying to keep his balance and to hold in place the plate.

- But now what are you when you sit on my laps? Asked teasingly Ken, putting his face right next to Sanghyuk’s neck.

Embarrassed by Hongbin’s presence, Sanghyuk started to speak like nothing’s going on.

- Uhm… Hakyeon said to me to tell you… that… to eat… and… JAEHWAN! Stop! Yelled Sanghyuk when he felt how Jaehwan’s lips started to move onto his neck, not being able to concentrate on speaking.

- I’ll go now… And, Jaehwan… Stop tormenting the boy! Chortled Hongbin, standing up.

Sanghyuk got up too and stopped Hongbin from leaving.

- Wait! I didn’t finish. Hakyeon told me that he watched the forecast program and they said a typhoon will hit an area close to this place. He said that if we go out at night, in the middle of the storm, he’ll kill us all… And… Oh! The apple pie. Don’t you want to eat?

- It’s okay. If I want to eat I’ll go and take from the kitchen, don’t worry, Hyukie. I can’t eat right now. You two eat this pie and don’t go to sleep late! I’m going back into my room, guys… Take care and see you in the morning. Assured Hongbin, being thoughtful.

Sanghyuk quickly handed the apple pie plate to Jaehwan and hugged the beautiful boy in front of him saying a sweet ‘good night’ and he hardly let go of him.

Hongbin has always been the kind of boy you feel sorry for and you feel the urge to hug him all the time, whenever you get the chance, Leo is among these people who want to hug and to love this beautiful boy, but Leo wants to make him feel safe and he wants him to stop being pitied. Taekwoon, deep inside, he wants to release all the negative thoughts that Hongbin has and he wants to destroy that great sadness his big eyes transmit.

The boy left the attic and now he is in front of his own room with his look fixed onto Leo’s room door, door that is wide opened and his room is largely untouched. Waken up from his thoughts by the strong wind that is stirring the forest trees, Hongbin directs his steps to his room and without turning on any light, he closed the door and went to the window, being painfully sad.

END OF FLASHBACK