In a peaceful place, sandwiched within the outskirts of the city and the wild. There sits a white building, worn out and filled with the memories from the consumers that had spent their time in it. It was the old folks' home. The plasters that is dangling off the aged walls, defined the old folks' depressing stories of loneliness and sadness.

 

it's garden that is dimly lighted by the  setting evening sun, there sits an old man who is in his late sixties. He is inspecting the sewer that is constructed beside the building with fascination despite that is a filthy place to be at the first place. His piercing eyes glows curiosity and the vibe of a young child rather than a mature old man. He seems to be very happy even though there's old folks' around him,  judging him with glares and shakes of heads.

 

He eyed the dark tadpoles swimming in the sewer as if they were magic. It makes the old man stared into space and wondered away into his own imaginary world, far away from this reality. Suddenly an out of breath of hoarse voice is heard behind him. "Seunghyun, why are you sitting here?" An old man dressed in fine suit, voiced angrily and was panting while holding onto his knees. 

 

Once his breath is regained, the  old man quickly pulled said Seunghyun up and patted away the hay that is sticking onto Seunghyun's cardigan. The man seems to be around the age of Seunghyun, but his size is much smaller compared to him.

 

Seunghyun shrugged off the man's grasp and slowly retreated. He eyed him strangely. "Who are you?" He asked while furrowing his eyebrows. He seems to not known who the old man is. The old man sighed in frustration and closed his eyes before opening it again. "I'm Jiyong..." He grumbled as he tried to find any acknowlegdement in the bigger man's eyes. Seunghyun nodded slowly and plastered on a smiled. "Then... you are my new friend then?" He asked again.

 

 Jiyong glared at him but soon he gave up in defeat and chuckled silently. He proceeded to take Seunghyun's hands into his and sighed. "Yes, I'll be your friend. Now, can we go inside?" Jiyong asked and left no space for Seunghyun to answer and pulled him in. Seunghyun complied hastily when is being lead into the old folks home. Despite that, he's more than satisfied to have found a new friend...or just so he thought.

 

Jiyong held Seunghyun's hand tightly, brushing his thumbs across the rugged hands from time to time, while his other free hand is holding an unknown bag. While walking, Seunghyun speaked about the colours of the butterflies and the tadpoles he just saw earlier. Jiyong listened to him rambling, inattentively, while beside him. Suddenly, a nurse rushed to Seunghyun frantically and held his forearms with both of her hands. "Oh my lord! Uncle Seunghyun, where did you went again?!"She asked and her voice was laced with panic as her grip was tighten on the old man's arm.

 

Seunghyun showed a pained expression and tilted his head. "D-Do I know you?" He stammered and pointed a shaky hand at her. The nurse sighed again and slumped her shoulder, releasing her grasp as disappointed clouded her. It is quite saddenning that this old man infront of her is still forgetting everything and gained no improvement of recovery. She pulled out a wheel chair from no where and asked Seunghyun to sit in it kindly. When she proceeded to push the chair. She was halted by Jiyong because the old man insisted to push Seunghyun around  himself. In which the nurse allowed and followed behind them quitely.

 

They made their way up the stairs and turned numerous irritating lefts and rights again to only arrived at the door of a ward. Seunghyun quickly jumped up from his position and picked up his old bearbricks from his bed and murmured dialogs for the figures and played with them like a child while adding sound effects for them.

 

Watching Seunghyun afar from the door, Jiyong leaned his tired body against the door's frame and took out his pack of nicotine lozenges lazily from his coat pocket. The nurse sighed and dropped her head down sadly. "He's still forgetting things Mr. Kwon, I thought he'll be fine since he remembers me yesterday." The nurse said bluely and her eyes tears up immediately. Jiyong pops one of the lozenges into his mouth and nodded his head. "It's ok, Bommie. He'll be alright. Thank you for concerning about him, you truly had a kind heart." Jiyong patted her on the shoulder  consolingly. 

 

Park Bom is the nurse who is in charged of Seunghyun's daily basis since the first day he is committed into the home, sometimes she would provide him company when Jiyong is away for work. And that's one of the reason Jiyong is always thankful of her. 

 

With Seunghyun being more and more childish as each day passed, it is hard to deal with him and it's frustrating for Jiyong. His life is getting more hectic adding the fact, that he's still working as the President of his company, the G&D Corporation, despite of his old age and his exhausted body.

 

He might have retired and sat back to relax for the rest of his life. But, Seunghyun's Alzheimer's medication and treatment needed a lot of financial supports and Jiyong had to picked up that responsibility despite knowing that Alzheimer's are incurable and can't be reverse.

 

He was torn apart when stumbling upon these news from their house doctor. He is disappointed in God. Is it a punishment for not being religious? Why among all the people, the one that had to suffer is Seunghyun? His best friend, his lover, his one and only husband. 

 

Jiyong tried to spent as much time he managed to with Seunghyun at their home and, took care of him when the old man's situation is still considered stable. Seunghyun was fine at those time, he is just forgeting little things, as the early stages of his diseases strikes. It wasn't long until his condition worsen. Seunghyun lost part of his memories of his life.

 

 Everyday, his mind struggles to get at least a little part of memories for him to live in it. But after all of that, he would still forget everything including who Jiyong is to him, reseting everything in his mind as if he's a programmed object. And Jiyong knows himself is losing patience with Seunghyun. The selfish desire for his husband to remembered him back had crushed him, when his wish is not returned.

 

Snapping himself back to the reality, Jiyong sat beside Seunghyun and laid the bag on his lap. He unpacked it with a steady hand and laid out the food that he had brought along. Jiyong ran his hand down Seunghyun and back up again in a soothing manner. Although, he is not patience but still he care for Seunghyun.

 

"Would you like to eat some Bulgogi?" Jiyong asked gently and move to picked up the lunch box and showed the contents to Seunghyun. Seunghyun shook his head and continued to clash his bear bricks together childishly. "No? How about crackers?" Jiyong asked again. Hoping that Seunghyun would at least eat something to settled his stomach for the rest of the afternoon.

 

Seunghyun shook his head again and pouted while looking at Jiyong. Jiyong smiles gently and caressed his husband's cheeks lovingly. "Well then, what do you want to eat? I'll buy it for you." Jiyong said certainly. "Really?" Seunghyun exclaimed and casted a goofy smile to Jiyong. Jiyong chuckled and nodded his head. Seunghyun hummed while his finger is placed on his lips like he's making a serious decision.  "Can I have some chocolate waffles?" He voiced out in which Jiyong nodded his head quickly.

 

Standing up from his position, Jiyong groaned as his knees pops. "Chocolate waffles it is!" "Yay!" Seunghyun clapped his hands like a happy seal. Exiting through the entrance of the old folks' home, Jiyong got into his car and ordered his chauffeur to drive him to a certain place.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~A.ND HERE~~~~~~~~~

 

"Two waffles with chocolate syrup please?" Jiyong ordered to the cashier as the young lady nodded her head and typed on her computer. This place has been a special place for Jiyong, since it's the place where he meet Seunghyun when they were still young adults. Ah...the good old days...

 

"Well, well, well...If it isn't Mr Kwon himself?" A voice said making Jiying turn to its direction. Jiyong rolled his eyes mentally as soon as he saw who it is. -Lee Seungri, the president of VI Enterprise and the headmaster of Plug In Music Academy. Otherwise, peacock assss for Jiyong.

 

"I thought you would be enjoying meals in Ritz-Carlton rather than lousy A.ND HERE, Jiyong hyung." Seungri smirked while twiddling the ruby ring on his pinky. How would Jiyong forgot that this cafe that he's in, is the subsidiary of Seungri's. If it wasn't Seunghyun liked the way they prepared the batter of the waffles, he wouldn't never dare to make business with this egoist man. 

 

"Look Jiyong hyung, I feel sorry that Seunghyun hyung is sick but if you choose me instead of him all those year ago, maybe you would never have to gone through any of this frustrating shiit. Too bad..." Seungri said mockingly. Jiyong in a breath and slammed his fist onto the counter making everyone looked at him. He pointed a finger at Seungri which the proud man backed off a few steps.

 

"Don't you dare bad mouthed Seunghyun, he is my husband and I had the rights to take care of him and keep up to the vows that I've promised him. If you had a problem with that, you can go fxck yourself!" Jiyong spat out harshly. "Erm...sir, your waffles... $8.50 please?" The cashier whimpered and trembly handed Jiyong's order in which was snatched away  as the old man threw his money at the cashier. And stormed out of the cafe, angrily.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~Old Folk's Home~~~~~~

 

After a little nap in his car, Jiyong stirred awaked as the car made its final bump. The skies has turned dark by now. Stretching out his limbs, Jiyong yawned loudly and shifted his seat to the door and exited the vehicle quickly. It's been a long time that he had some rest like these. He's been having a hard time felling asleep lately. He always finds himself wide awake in the middle of the night, cigar held between his fingers while his problems is swirling around his mind. The stress that he encountered was so strong that it stimulated his alertness for the slightest sound. For example, his phone ringing.  

 

As Jiyong arrived once again at the door of Seunghyun's ward, he heard quarrelling and screaming. And he recognised the voice of his husband instantly, he rushed through the door and was met with the sight of his husband hiding under a table. Seunghyun's face was pale and he seems scared and anxious, streaks of tears was on his chiselled face and he is trembling uncontrollably.  "Who are you!!!???" Seunghyun shouted at his nephew and Park Bom.

 

Yeonjun tried to reach his uncle but was quickly avoided, the old man moves further into the narrow space underneath the furniture.

"Kojiu(uncle/ Seunghyun), please come out from there...please..." Yeonjun whined. He can't bear the sight of his once strong and cheery uncle acted like this. "No!!!! Go away!!!!" Seunghyun shouted again loudly with his voice broke. His whole body is shaking like a leaf, everything in this world is so stange to him and it so confusing at the same time that he got horrified by it. He didn't even know any of these people, he only wanted a safe place to hide and seek comfort. But, the problem is he didn't know any of those place.

 

Stepping to Yeonjun, Jiyong patted his shoulder for attention in which the boy turned to looked at him with eyes of remorse. "Samchon(Jiyong)..." The boy mumbled as Jiyong nodded his head in acknowledgment. Nothing is needed to say between them. Crouching down to the eye level same as Seunghyun, he met his husband's teary ebony eyes that's once held a majestic vibe, which is now filled with fear. His heart clenched at how vulnerable Seunghyun is. "Seung? It's me, Jiyong...." He said gently like talking to a flock of pigeons. 

 

The old man looked Jiyong in the eyes and he seems to have loosen his alertness. "J-Jiyong?" He stammers in disbelief. "Yes, that's me Seung. Do you remember me? I'm your new friend remember? Why don't you come out?" Seunghyun tried to recognises Jiyong's face. After for a moment, Seunghyun finally found some familiarity on Jiyong and he rushes out to hug Jiyong at the acknowledgment of Jiyong as his new friend from earlier.

 

He hold a death grip onto Jiyong, hands clenching onto the younger man's suit and sob into his shoulder. "Shh...shh...everything's  fine...shh" Jiyong whispered while patting Seunghyun's back. Suddenly, Seunghyun's stomach growled loudly filling up the quite room. Three of the witnesses laughed  at his cuteness. "Haha, you're hungry aren't cha?" Jiyong cooed and ruffled his husband's grey hair. Seunghyun pouted and nodded his head. 

 

Jiyong chuckled and instantly felt relieved that knowing his husband is not in fear anymore. "Come, let's eat this." Jiyong gestured to his bag of waffles and moved to prepared it. He teared open the box containing the waffles, into two and served them as a temporary plate for it. He hands Seunghyun one of the waffles while the chocolate off his fingers. He watch as Seunghyun devoured the food happily.

 

Fondling the bag, in search of some tissue. Jiyong dabbed the tissue lightly on the side of Seunghyun's lips, wiping off the smeared chocolate. "Is it good?" Jiyong asked and disposed the tissue into the bag. "It's good." Seunghyun said with his muffled as he stuffed more pieces into his mouth before he could swallowed it. 

 

Watching his uncles' intimacy. Yeonjun thought he mights as well leave the two alone. "Samchon(Jiyong), it's late now. I think I'm leaving now, I still have work to do in the office." Yeonjun said and went to hug his uncles.  But Seunghyun refused since he's still scared of him. 

 

Yeonjun sighed sadly. "It's ok kiddo, you know your uncle Seung always loves you right?" Jiyong consoling him. "Yeah, I always remember how he brought various kind of candies to me back then..." Yeonjun's face saddens even more at the memory. 

 

"You know what? let me drive you! I'm going back to my company anyway." Jiyong susgested which the younger man declined but forced to agree as Jiyong keeps nagging him to accept his kindness. 

 

As soon as Jiyong make his way to the door, Seunghyun got up and use the quickest speed he managed and blocked Jiyong's way, frantically. "W-where are you g-going?" Seunghyun stammered with his eyes widen. Jiyong was shock at Seunghyun's action, he quickly collected himself, and went to patted Seunghyun's head. "Going back to my office, of course!" Seunghyun quickly shook his head vigorously and holding a death grip onto the door frame with both of his bony hands. 

 

"Y-you can't l-leave!" Seunghyun said loudly. Jiying sighs in frustration and moved to pushed Seunghyun away lightly. "Come on Seung, Yeonjun still got work to do." "No! No! No! NO!" Seunghyun shouted and struggled to held onto the door frame as Jiyong tried to pry him away from it. 

 

Like a kid throwing a tantrum, Seunghyun pouted and shouted in all his might trying to convince Jiyong to stay. He's afraid of the dark of the night, the time where loneliness, unfamiliarity and darkness would hover over him. "It's ok samchon(Jiyong), you can stay here with Kojiu(Seunghyun). I'll just hail a cab, ok?" Yeonjun voiced in which Seunghyun agrees and nodded his again, vigorously and finally deattacted himself from the door frame.

 

Sighing in defeat, Jiyong nodded and apologised to Yeonjun. Once the room is emptied, leaving only the old couple. Jiyong helped Seunghyun into the built-in bathroom and wipe a warm-soaked cloth across his husband's body, cleaning him. He slipped on a pair of pyjamas onto Seunghyun. And did so to himself since Seunghyun didn't even let him leave his room, heck, even his sight. So, he decided to stay the night.

 

Tucking Seunghyun into his bed, Jiyong sat down on its the edge and kissed his husband's forehead and smoothed the older man's hair continuously, luring the older man to fell asleep. Once everything settled, Jiyong stood up and pulled a nearby chair to the side of the bed and shifted himself to sit on it and fell asleep there.

 

Through the blurriness of his sight, he can't see anything but he felt a warm sensation enveloped him and a large hand is combing through his hair gently. Also, someone managed to pulled him into a bed but who it is? 

 

Groaning groggily, Jiyong stirred awaked and a deep rumble of chuckles was heard. Turning his head to the sound's direction, Jiyong recognised that it's his husband's voice. "Seung?" Jiyong croaked due to the dryness in his throat. 

 

"Hey baby." Seunghyun said as he hugs Jiyong tighter and nuzzled his face into his mop of grey hair, inhaling his scent. Is this real! Seunghyun just called him baby! Jiyong was dumbfolded as he propped himself up and stare at his husband with wide blown eyes. "I'm not dreaming, am I?" Jiyong asked in disbelief. Is this really his Seunghyun? The one that he loved so much?

 

"No, you are not dreaming, baby." Came a short reply from Seunghyun. "By the way it's 4 in the morning, Let's just sleep. You'll be need early in the morning for your office." Seunghyun mumbled and moved to pulled Jiyong closer to him and wrapped themselves with a blanket. 

 

Seunghyun's memories seems to have drifted to the time of the day before his illness strikes and remembers Jiyong as his spouse. Tearing up a bit, Jiyong bit his lips, and tried to hold in his sobs. Kissing his husband on the lips in which it was returned, Jiyong placed his head on Seunghyun's chest happily. Drifting into sleeping with the steady heartbeat of his husband accompanying him. 

 

Finally, he gets to feel some love from Seunghyun again. He didn't care that the period of this affection is limited. Jiyong is sure that he'll be sad that when tomorrow came, Seunghyun would forget him once again. But, all he wanna do is to devoured the comfort and security that he's experiencing, as long as it allows. Moments like these are likely to be treasured forever and worth the price of everything.

 

 

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A/N:

ARGGHH! The ending was quite crappy! I don't like it myself. But what the heck, I'm lazy to change it anyway. So please pardon my mistakes and grammar and KAMSAHAMIDA for reading and enjoying! Comments and critiques are always welcomed! ^^