we move on

Minho/Hayi

The scent of burned out tyres a hundred miles down the highway bristles at Minho's nose. He tugs at his collar and pats the rim of sweat lacing the fabric, yawning lightly. Morning sits upon his windscreen, numerous scratches deflecting the b shine and bouncing onto rocky roads. For seven o' clock, it's a bit too bright, Minho thinks. Grogginess still claws at his eyelids and he second guesses his quick agreement to Seunghyun's request.

Seunghyun had asked for a simple favour, really. His younger sister had just ended her long-term relationship and had moved out of her shared house. She left behind a few miscellanous things and needed her brother to help her with them. As her brother was busy, he called on Minho to help out in his place.

It's been quite a long while since Minho has seen Hayi. Sure, he's close to Seunghyun; they meet for drinks every week. They have been friends for over two decades, having been neighbours for half their lives till Minho moved to Seoul. But his sister is a different case. He saw her every time he hopped over to Seunghyun's house and there was a point in time they used to play together as kids. They gradually drifted apart after they hit their late teens. Minho supposes a little of his aversion of her had been because he found her pretty, and thought he would like her a bit too much if he allowed himself to. It was like a brother code of some sort and he felt it would violate the friendship between him and Seunghyun.

For a phase, it really lingered. The 'what if's always hung around his head whenever he came over and bid hello to Hayi, but those thoughts mainly sprouted during the short breaks where he wasn't attached. He saw her a year back when he paid her parents a visit—they always dubbed him their second son—and she happened to be visiting as well. She had grown into a beautiful woman, though her height gave off the impression she was still the eighteen year old she was. It was a little awkward with the customary 'how are you's and 'haven't seen you in a while's. He had promised to introduce his then-girlfriend to Hayi and Hayi promised she would bring Hanbin to visit him next time. She left quite abruptly upon receiving a call and her mother had questioned worriedly if Minho brought up her boyfriend.

He figured there was something going on, but never that it would end up in a separation. He remembers Hanbin from Hayi's last high school years and he was renowned for his temper. They all said Hanbin and Hayi were like fire and fire together, always burning each other out, but it was undeniable how much they loved each other. Hanbin often got into fights over her, all battered bones and bloody bruises, and Seunghyun once joked they yelled at each other more than they spoke. Two hundred degrees farenheit worth of passion, smouldering holds and a possessiveness so strong everyone resigned to it—Minho sort of wonders where it went, but he doesn't want to pry Seunghyun for answers.

At that time, he thought it was the way it should be. He had been dating Jisoo when Hayi graduated from college and Hanbin and Hayi had finally settled their on-off relationship (that they couldn't live without one another), and Minho left behind all the lingering speculation. Jisoo and him didn't last but Hanbin and Hayi did, for so many years that Minho nearly forgot about them altogether.

Infidelity, perhaps? Maybe they both got sick of their frequent fighting. Or the whole thing just sizzled out and they got tired of each other. Minho ruminates silently, a tinge of extended melancholy dabbing onto his tongue. It must be painful for the both of them, considering they lasted for seven years. It's a bit scary to think about it. His longest relationship, and most recent one, spanned a heavy three years. It hit him hard when he realised it was all gone.

You walk for a thousand and ninety five days with someone, six hundred and fifty seven thousand minutes of holding hands even apart and in your sleep, and suddenly, half of you gets ripped away. 

It's hard when you've gotten used it. He woke up one morning and brewed two cups of coffee, one with three sugar cubes and the other a dash of condensed milk. He took one and sat in the living room, thumbing through the TV channels. It took him a long while to realise no one was going to wake up after him and drink the other cup. 

Even the little things stayed with him. He left the living room light on when he left the house because Jieun felt scared coming home alone to darkness. He carried a jacket wherever he went, even on summer days, because Jieun got cold easily. He kept shoeboxes because Jieun liked making time capsules out of them.

He wonders if Jieun ever got trapped in the same cycle. Perhaps she did, or maybe not, but it's best not to know, Minho thinks. The car shudders over several bumps in the track and he winces at the sunlight successfully slashing through the window. The tattered magazines on the passenger seat bounce and Minho stashes them messily into the glove box. 

The road is relatively empty as compared to the capital's bustling mornings. Minho winds down the window and takes in a deep breath, tickling the still atmosphere of chirps and breezes. He didn't know Hayi lived in such a remote place, cluttered with terraces. He didn't expect less, though; Hanbin is considerably wealthy from his family's assets alone. He sweeps the dashboard roughly, startling the dustmites out.

The engine revs a quiet drone as he cruises further into the neighbourhood, humming a low tune. He unfolds the crumpled note in his pocket and cranes his head out to search for Hayi's house. A petite figure stands on the porch of the corner house, crouching over a cardboard box by the mailbox.

"Hayi!"

The girl in question lifts her head in surprise, rising as Minho pulls up in her driveway. Minho kills the engine and slams the door behind him, offering a grin and a light wave.

Hayi blinks several times and blurts, "Minho? Crap, I didn't know you were coming so early. I'd have packed faster, then." She glances back to the pile of items sitting on the grass patch and puffs. "Seunghyun told me you'd be here at ten."

"He told me to come at around seven," Minho chuckles, ruffling his own hair. "That bastard."

"That's Seunghyun for you," Hayi snickers, wiping sweat from her forehead and propping her arms up on her hips. "Hey, thanks a bunch for coming over. I know Seunghyun forced you and all, so I'll be as quick as I can."

"It's alright; take your time. I wanted to help," Minho hums easily, crossing over to help her with some of the boxes. He knows she matured a fair bit, having seen her a year earlier, but it still surprises him. She's wearing her hair up, face without a dabble of make-up, and there's a prominent glow in her cheeks, despite the trace of grey under her eyes. She has grown prettier, but the lost sparkle in her doe eyes incites some nostalgia in Minho. They have grown out of being kids for sure.

"Nothing better than spending your Sunday morning helping your friend's sister move, right?"

Minho snorts. Her sass is still there. She's noticeably more casual than the last time they met, though. "Yep. That's the life." He beams when Hayi melts into a rich laugh.

"But really, thanks a lot. I haven't driven in a few years so I don't really trust myself," Hayi provides. Minho nearly asks why but catches himself before potentially veering towards a touchy subject.

"I would have waited for Seunghyun to come back from the States but I wanted to get the moving over and done with. And moving services are going to break my wallet," Hayi groans, scribbling on one of the taped up boxes with a fat marker. Photo albums.

"So... I'm a free-of-charge taxi service?" Minho jokes, watching as she caps the marker contentedly.

"I prefer the term 'lending a helping hand'," Hayi returns with a saccharine chuckle. They stack the boxes into the car boot, one unopened one still left by the fence. She heaves a sigh and angles her chin towards the door. "Come in and sit. I promise it'll take only fifteen more minutes."

"Why'd you come so early, then?" Minho questions, following her into the house. The interior is pretty impressive, of a contemporary design with oozing coziness. The polished hardwood flooring echoes as they step across it, footsteps in unison.

"I wanted to take a good look at everything before I left," Hayi replies honestly, looking up and slowly sweeping her eyes across the room.

"Oh, then you should take all the time you need," Minho quickly offers, to which Hayi laughs good-naturedly.

"It's fine. I don't know how many times I've said this," Hayi hums, winding past furniture to the kitchen. "Seunghyun's already gotten tired of chaeuffeuring me around." She gestures to the sofa and beams, "Take a seat. Coffee?"

"Yeah, thanks," Minho replies belatedly, unsure of how to answer. Hayi disappears into the kitchen and Minho glances around, pressing his lips together. The air feels a little stale, silence stagnating into a pensive stillness. The chime of a teaspoon against ceramic resounds and Hayi emerges, setting down the coffee into Minho's hands.

"Thanks," Minho hums, slurping at his coffee. "Have you found a buyer?"

"Buyer?" Hayi repeats confusedly, stretching herself. "Oh, we're not selling the house. Hanbin's still living here; I'm just moving out."

Minho lifts his head and nods, watching her for a prolonged moment as she ties up her hair into a bun. The way Hanbin's name had rolled off her tongue seemed so normal, like it was everyday conversation and they were not on the brink of their relationship. Of course, Minho does not know the details of their break-up, so perhaps the separation was planned since a long time ago, but Seunghyun had seemed very mournful over it.

"Feel free to watch TV, or look around," Hayi proffers, tone casual. She casts a warm smile before meandering up the stairs, gone like the wind. Minho waits for a few moments out of formality and rises, pacing along the perimetre of the living room.

There are numerous items still crowding the shelves, the usual knick knacks and photo frames put up as ornaments. Minho crouches to get a good look at some of the photographs, age spelled out from the grime and yellowing colours. Bordered up is a high school class photo and Minho spots Hanbin out of the lot. The few others along the row are of his basketball team and with his friends.

Minho offhandedly recognises one of the boys, Jiwon. He had been Hanbin's closest friend back in college and Hayi was often seen around him as well. Minho remembers because catching Hayi with any one of the opposite gender was an absolute feat back when Hanbin and Hayi first dated, what with Hanbin getting jealous easily.

Beside the television are several more photo frames, but they are laid down. Minho throws a furtive glimpse behind him before gingerly them off the cabinet. What greets him is a couple photo, Hanbin clad in ebony with his arm twined around Hayi's waist. Hayi's smile is stunning, glimmering through layers of dust and scratched glass, and they look as if they could never be happier.

Minho can almost feel a secondhand melancholy on their behalf. The feeling reminds him a little of Jieun, so he shakes it out of his head and cautiously places the photo frame back down. He guesses it must have been the bitter nostalgia that made them cover their photos.

He settles back down on the sofa and sips at his coffee, flicking on a random channel to watch. Fifteen minutes bleed into two hours and Minho switches off the television, decidedly heading up to ask if Hayi needs any help. He had hesitated numerous times because he figured she needed the time.

"Hayi?" Minho calls, craning his neck up from the bottom of the stairs.

"Crap, sorry!" Hayi returns belatedly, startled. With pattering footsteps, she emerges at the top with an embarrassed grin. She spouts, "Just five more minutes, promise you that! How long has it been?"

"Two hours," Minho chuckles, padding up the stairs to her. "It's alright; I told you to take your time. Just came to check on you in case you fell into the toilet or something."

Hayi snorts and crosses her arms, smile lingering on the edge of her lips. "Thanks for the concern."

"No problem," Minho unapologetically chimes. "Do you need my help?"

"It's alright. Thanks." Hayi bites her tongue before slowly saying, "Well, actually, I guess I could. Else I'm gonna lose track of time and stay up here for another hour more."

Minho laughs good-naturedly and offers, "Seriously, Hayi. Take your time. I'm in no rush." He tails her anyway as she saunters into one of the rooms.

"Huh... You're being so nice to me. Let me guess: fight with the girlfriend, and you've got nowhere to go?" Hayi jests. She settles down cross-legged on the floor beside a large drawer taken out from the nearby chest.

"Can't fight with the imaginary," Minho replies jokingly. Hayi glances up at him and he unabashedly announces, "I've been single for a year now."

Hayi glances up and breathes, "Oh, sorry... I didn't know." She brushes a hand through her hair and breathes, "A lot happened for us in a year, huh?"

"Yeah. Honestly, the last time we met and I told you I was dating, my girl- ex-girlfriend and I were already planning to call it quits." Minho lets out a sigh as he plops onto the floor, shrugging to lighten her tight-lipped expression. "Probably wasn't the best idea to promise I'd introduce her to you," Minho jokes.

"...Me too, actually," Hayi confesses. "Hanbin and I... we weren't doing so well at that time, either."

They meet eyes, melancholy brooding within the space between them. The shade wrapping Hayi's eyes makes him wonder if he'd looked the same way for the past few years.

"Guess we both can't keep our promises."