Mingyu squeezed Jeonghan’s hand. “Why are you so nervous?” he asked.

Jeonghan let out a strained laugh. “I’m not nervous.”

“Yeah right.”

“Ugh...” whined Jeonghan while showing his sulking face to Mingyu. It made Mingyu laughed.

“It’s just signing a piece of paper,” said Mingyu. When he saw Jeonghan’s pout, he quickly added, “Okay, okay, it’s not just a a piece of paper. But what’s there to worry? You want this, right?”

Jeonghan nodded. “I guess I’m not sure if I can do it. I’ve dreamed of having a career in the music industry, but I’ve never acted on it. Not like Jihoon. I mean, look at me now. A senior majoring in business. Not that I hate college. I like studying. But...”

Jeonghan looked up at gazed into Mingyu’s eyes. “I’ve been dilly-dallying for so long, I don’t think I’m ready.”

Mingyu gazed back at Jeonghan’s eyes, his piercing yet gentle eyes trying to wipe the worries in Jeonghan’s.

“You will be. They will help you prepare. You also have Jihoon in your team. You have me, Wonwoo, and Jun. Well, the three of us might not be able to do much, but...”

Jeonghan nodded several times before saying with a smile, “Thank you.”

Mingyu replied with a grin. “Now go inside,” he said.

“You sure you don’t want to come in? Take a look, maybe.”

Mingyu just shook his head. Jeonghan didn’t push it.

“Call me when you get home later.”

“Okay.” Jeonghan gave Mingyu his best smile and walked inside the building.

---

Wonwoo grabbed Jun’s shoulder from behind.

“Where are you going? The illumination’s this way.” Wonwoo pointed his thumb towards his left.

Jun looked at him and said as a matter-of-factly. “It’s still too early for the illumination and we’re already here anyway, so why not play?”

It was too early. The sun has yet to fully set. Jun did have a point. Wonwoo was just feeling too lazy to comply.

But it’s more troublesome to deny Jun from his wants.

“...Fine.”

Jun moved his feet as soon as he heard the word coming out from Wonwoo’s mouth. Wonwoo sighed at how eager his companion was. He didn’t complain though. It was usually Jun complying to Wonwoo’s wishes. He could at least let him do what he wants once in a while, Wonwoo thought as he followed Jun from behind.

He immediately regretted his decision when he realized where Jun was heading to.

“Of all things. Why spinning teacups?!” Wonwoo groaned.

---

Jun rubbed Wonwoo’s back as the black haired sat down on a bench, back slumped forward, sweat all over his face.

“Let’s just go home,” said Jun.

“I’m not going home before seeing the illumination.”

Wonwoo could hear Jun let out a small sigh. “Let me get you some hot drink first,” said Jun. Wonwoo felt the hand left his back. From the corner of his eyes he saw Jun’s worn out sneakers walking away.

Wonwoo felt like there’s something trying to push itself out from his body, but got stuck on his throat. It felt terrible.

Not long after, Jun came back and sat next to him. He handed a can of hot tea, probably from a vending machine nearby. Wonwoo took a sip and savored the warmth that the hot liquid brought to his body. After a few sips, he felt considerably better.

When they walked into the illumination spot, it was already past seven. It’s weekday, but the place were pretty crowded. The visitors varied, from couples to a group of teenagers. They strolled the entrance tunnel, which was covered in thousands of small yellow lamps shaped like flower petals.

At the end of the tunnel, Wonwoo and Jun were greeted by a huge open space. There were small white lamps on the ground, creating some kind of border around a large pond. On the pond were dots of blue scattered all over the surface.

Wonwoo took a moment to delight in the view. Then he felt a nudge on his right arm. He turned his head and saw Jun pointing to a small hill not far away.

As they got closer to the hill, Wonwoo’s steps became slower. He saw that the other visitors on the hill were all couples and that brought hesitation to his steps. On the other hand, Jun didn’t seem to notice. He walked in a steady pace until he reached an empty spot and took a seat. Wonwoo followed behind, with a feeling of intruding the couples’ rendezvous, and sat down next to Jun.

Still feeling somehow uncomfortable, Wonwoo couldn’t stop glancing around him. Then he felt a tug on his shirt. He turned his head to see Jun looking at him with gleaming eyes before turning his head. Wonwoo’s gaze followed the same direction.

For a moment Wonwoo thought that the world somehow turned upside down so that the sky was underneath him. He felt like he was hovering above the dark sky and its beautiful stars.

Wonwoo didn’t know how long had passed since then. For all he knew, at some point he broke the spell and turned his head to his left. He saw Jun turning his head too and looked at him with a grin. Wonwoo thought that it was such a silly grin, but he didn’t dare to point it out because he could feel his own face and was pretty sure that he had the same stupid grin.

“This is nice. Better than the book,” said Jun.

“Nothing beats the power of words and the imagination they evoke... I wanted to say that, but yeah, this is way better than my imagination,” said Wonwoo.

They spent some time looking at the illumination on the pond, commenting on the shapes of the “constellations”.

“That one looks like that ill-proportioned horned helmet. From your game,” said Wonwoo as he pointed to the right side of the pond.

“Get real.”

“Seriously. That part is the insanely huge horns, okay. And that’s the helmet.”

“Hmm.... Now that you mention it...”

“See! Anyway, have you leveled up? Don’t you have to do that to beat Jihoon?”

“Haven’t got into it.”

Wonwoo raised his eyebrows. That game was one of the things Jun was passionate about beside dancing and books. He could say the same goes for Jihoon because he looked so serious yet having fun every time he had play-date-slash-tournament-night with Jun.

“You guys don’t play anymore?”

“Nah. We haven’t hang out these days. Busy.”

Wonwoo felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He knew that Jun not hanging out much with Jihoon was not just because they’re both busy.

“It’s because you’ve been following me around.” Wonwoo tried to sound casual, but when he heard the words coming out from his mouth, he’s not so sure.

Jun only chuckled at Wonwoo’s words. He sounded so carefree, it made Wonwoo irritated. He should’ve scolded him, Wonwoo thought.

“I don’t get it,” said Wonwoo as he looked at Jun with a frown. “How did you stick with me the whole time?” With that selfish and immature me, Wonwoo wanted to add, but he swallowed the words.

The carefree look on Jun’s face was replaced with an expression of surprise. It was like he didn’t expect the words coming from Wonwoo. It was for a split second, but Wonwoo didn’t miss it.

Then the disbelief turned into his usual lazy face. He deadpanned, “Because I’m your babysitter. Duh.”

Wonwoo scoffed at the answer. No, he was scoffing at himself.

They didn’t talk much after that. They spent some more time on the hill in silence before deciding it’s time to go home. When they passed the gate and walked through the streets, Wonwoo opened his mouth.

“Thanks....” he said softly, eyes directed to the street in front of him.

Wonwoo heard Jun hummed beside him. He let the sound lingered in his ear for a moment before stealing a glance to the brown haired guy.

Jun was smiling. The sight made Wonwoo smiled too.

---

Jihoon had just stepped down from the stairs when he saw Jeonghan entering the building. He turned his gaze across the glass door and saw a smiling Mingyu standing outside. It was only for a short moment. The tall guy walked away not long after. Meanwhile, Jeonghan walked towards the elevator and disappeared as soon as the door opened with a ding.

Jihoon didn’t move for a while. He stood frozen as many things came across his head. Mingyu’s smile just now. The feel of Jeonghan’s hand under his own when he squeezed that hand days ago. Voices, his own and Mingyu’s. Is it for someone you like? Yeah. How the wind felt nice up there when he was on Mingyu’s shoulders.

They’re working on it and guess what, it does work, the voice in his head said. How bitter the voice was made Jihoon shiver.

Feeling the tremble hit his body, Jihoon put his right hand to his pants’ pocket to pull out his phone. As soon as he got the phone in his hands, he punched his thumb on the screen.

Change of plans. Let’s go tonight.

He hit send. It didn’t take long before a box popped up on the screen.

How about work?

I’m done early for today. Sorry, got plans already?

Nah. Meet you at the park.

OK.

Jihoon put his phone back in his pocket and took quick steps towards the door. He didn’t slow down until he reached the park. There he saw Soonyoung with his hands in his jacket and back on the pole of the swing. The blonde haired turned his head when he noticed Jihoon walking towards him, showing Jihoon his trademark eye smile.

---

Soonyoung sensed someone approaching so he turned his head with a smile ready on his face, even though he had yet confirmed who the person was. Turned out it was Jihoon. Soonyoung’s smile grew wider.

They chatted as they walked. Talking about Soonyoung’s theater group, Jun’s upcoming dance competition, the delicious dumpling Soonyoung ate earlier that day. The conversation didn’t stop until they arrived at the entrance of the club.

After they entered, they went straight to the dance floor. Soonyoung could feel the vibration of music and the heat in the air. His body reacted to it with moves so liberating, Soonyoung thought that this must be what it felt like for a bird when it’s released from its cage to the open sky. Free and at home.

“This place is great!” Soonyoung said to Jihoon.

Jihoon, also moving his body along with the music, replied with the first smile he showed tonight. “Yeah.”

Seeing that smile, Soonyoung realized something.

Until this afternoon, he never knew how happy it made him to see Jihoon smile. And now, this night, he knew how painful it is to see that smile lost behind a façade.