[The train will be arriving in a few minutes. Please stand behind the yellow line and stay in line.]

The announcement from the PA system echoes throughout the subway station despite how loud the crowd is at the peak hour and he observes around to find a group of aunts wearing almost similar attire either in polka dots or stripes pattern with darker shades of floral-designed trousers, gossiping at a corner and a few groups of four or five high-schoolers in their school uniforms, possibly talking about their crushes since he can see how some of them blush while the others keep on teasing them.

Well, nothing is new compared to what he observes every single day on his way back from job-hunting, just different type of groups that changes.

He stands up from his seat to join in the queue once he spots the train coming in a slower speed and the screech of wheels can be heard before it stops accurately at the classified areas. The familiar indication song is played once the doors are open, giving way for the passengers to board off and board in and the familiar indication bell rings after a couple of seconds before closing the doors.

He walks slowly, passing through the crowd that stands in the middle of the carriage to get to his usual place by the door on the opposite side. He stands right next to the door and settles on looking at the outside view through the window which he finds very calming as he can witness the changing color of the dusk sky. He doesn't know how science works in this situation but he loves how the sunlight diffracted through air and bent as it moves through the atmosphere, changing wavelengths and giving different colors to the observer's eyes.

He notices that the dusk sky looks calmer than usual, painted in pearl metal gold instead of the usual combination of bright red-orange and bittersweet shade. Many skyscrapers block him from seeing the dusk sky as the train moves forward in a fast pace but that doesn't make him look elsewhere.

He stares blankly at the window as he starts to reflect on himself for being insufficient enough to get employed.

He knows how to handle on being rejected since he has been job-hunting for four months after he graduated as most of the companies that he applied for don't employ him because of his unattractive resume and background, but rather than suppress, ignore, or deny the pain, he acknowledges his emotions. He admits that he is embarrassed, sad, disappointed, and discouraged but he turns it into an opportunity for self-growth instead. With each rejection, he grows stronger and becomes better.

He knows his self-worth and he doesn't let other people's opinions define him.

He comes back to reality when he heard the name of his stop mentioned in the announcement coming from the intercom. He walks to the door near him and waits for a few seconds until the train stops and the door opens before he carefully steps out of the carriage, leaving the groups of aunts and high-schoolers back in the train. He wonders if he gets to see them again, or perhaps, a new variety of people will welcome him tomorrow.

He adjusts the black blazer that wraps around his body and loosens the tie that circling around his neck before un-buttoning the first two buttons of his white shirt underneath as he walks to a convenience store attached to the subway station across the street from his apartment. Well, at least the old woman there will always welcome him heartwarmingly every single day without failing.

The door is being pushed open and it hits the bell at the top corner of the door frame, signaling the owner and the workers of the store an incoming customer.

"Sunggyu honey, it took you so long to drop by… How did it go?"

He passes a few aisles before he turns to enter an aisle filled with snacks and instant packed foods. He scans through the different flavored microwavable ramyun cups before deciding to buy the sweet yet spicy ddeokbokki-flavored one.

"It went well Eommo-ni, but I didn't get the job as usual…" said Sunggyu with no intention of being sarcastic.

"Don't say that, honey…" replied the old woman as she gives him a reassuring smile when he comes to the counter with two bottle of carbonated drink and the packet of five cupped ramyun earlier.

"Well, I'm not giving up just yet…"

"That's the spirit!" commented the old woman before she looks at the items on the counter. "I swear, Sunggyu honey, you should really eat real food instead of this. When was the last time you really ate something?"

"I don't… remember…" said Sunggyu weakly as he rubs the back of his neck to hide the embarrassment.

"Okay, that's it! Woohyun? Woohyun-ie?! Can you come out for a sec?" the old woman calls over her shoulder.

Sunggyu's eyes widened, mouth slightly opened as panic starts to build within himself. He doesn't know what's going to happen when this said Woohyun guy comes in view because he never met this guy before but it's probably just him being a coward. Woohyun comes out from the "Staff Only" door and obediently heads towards the old woman without looking at Sunggyu.

"Yes?"

"This is Sunggyu, you know, the one that I've been telling you about. Remember?" asked the old woman and both turn to look at the clueless Sunggyu in front of them.

"Yeah, I remember you told about him all the time…" responded Woohyun as he smiles to the guy.

"Can you help him out tomorrow? Doing some grocery shopping with him since he doesn't eat proper meal and perhaps you can cook for him too? Can you, Adeul?"

"Oh, sure Eomma. Anything for your favorite customer…"

Sunggyu stands in front of them, only being separated by the counter and stares blankly as he tries to process the conversation that he heard earlier.

"Wait, wait! It's okay, I can do it by myself, you don't have to   "

"Sunggyu honey, I can't believe you anymore. I've been telling you to eat properly for so long, but you didn't listen to me… shushhh~ Woohyun-ie is going with you tomorrow." said Woohyun's mother as she hands Sunggyu a plastic bag of his purchased items and Sunggyu takes it from her before giving the exact amount of money in return.

"It's okay, Sunggyu-hyung. It won't take so much of your time, I promise." Woohyun is smiling widely so easily that leaves Sunggyu puzzled.

"Speaking of time, it's already late, Sunggyu honey. Go home and don't forget to stay warm, okay? Make sure to eat properly tomorrow, you hear me?" scolded Woohyun's mother but in a soft tone.

"Yes, yes… I hear you, loud and clear…" replied Sunggyu as he waves goodbye and Woohyun goes next to his side from behind the counter. They stop a few feet far from the door after going out of the convenience store.

"Sorry about that. She can be a little strict sometimes, but you know how much she cares about you, right?"

"Yeah, I know… Thanks anyway, you don't have to go with me tomorrow, I can go alone…"

"It's okay, besides, she'll probably be mad at the both of us if I don't follow you…"

Sunggyu thinks a little before agreeing.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks again, Woohyun…" Sunggyu wouldn't want to see the old woman mad at him.

"No problem, Sunggyu-hyung. Think of it as a way for me returning a favor as you're always polite to her. I can see why she likes you so much. You're really nice…"

Nice? Sunggyu baffled from the compliment.

"Thank you…?" said Sunggyu as his eyes squinted a bit, staring at Woohyun but the younger smiles at him instead.

"I'll wait for you here tomorrow…"

"Okay, see you then." Sunggyu still stares at Woohyun as the younger walks back to the convenience store to help his mother but doesn't forget to give him a parting wave and Sunggyu has a question in his mind as to why this guy looks so damn attractive in the unflattering work attire, so he reassures himself that he will find the answer soon.

**********

"So, Sunggyu-hyung, what do you want to have tonight?" asked Woohyun as they walk across the aisles in the supermarket with Sunggyu pushing the empty cart and Woohyun walking in a comfortable distance next to him.

"What can you make?" asked Sunggyu back while his eyes roaming around to find that particular aisle for biscuits.

"Maybe I can teach you something that's easy…"

"Like what?"

"Fried rice…? Is that okay?" asked Woohyun and that causes Sunggyu to stop in his track. He looks at the younger beyond belief and gives him the 'you're-unbelievable' look.

"Woohyun, do you really think I don't know how to make fried rice…?" asked Sunggyu, with a slight tone of hurt and disbelief. Woohyun laughs because he thinks Sunggyu looks the cutest when he's sort-of mad.

"That's not what I meant, hyung…" answered Woohyun while having a hard time breathing because he laughs so much.

Sunggyu looks at Woohyun and he finds himself enjoying the younger's presence a bit too much on acquaintance level. Sunggyu knows that he stares at the younger for so long when he realizes how amazing Woohyun looks in white, long-sleeved shirt and skinny, dark-colored jeans and how his blonde hair complements his skin tone a lot, so he averts his attention somewhere else.

"So, you pick the ingredients since you're making me fried rice. I want your own style or else I won't eat it…" demanded Sunggyu.

"Aye, aye captain…" answered Woohyun while giving a salute and Sunggyu laughs at how cute this guy can be. Woohyun leads the way as he searches for the ingredients and other foods for the week's supply while Sunggyu follows behind, can't take his eyes off the younger.

After getting all the ingredients for Woohyun's styled fried rice, they walk for another round, circling the aisles in the supermarket as Sunggyu goes to search for some samgyupsal and a packet of shrimp-flavored ramyun but Woohyun stops him from putting the packet into the semi-filled cart.

"We're not buying any ramyun okay, hyung? Let's buy you something else..." persuaded Woohyun softly so Sunggyu puts the packet back at its place.

They come across an aisle for books and stationeries and Sunggyu decides to have a look but Woohyun stops to grab a book that managed to catch his attention. He flips through the book, pages by pages, but put it back again as he is unsatisfied with what he expected it to be. Sunggyu looks at him curiously; why the younger suddenly pouts in disappointment.

"Why, Woohyun?"

"It's a book about pick-up lines, but seriously I can do better than that." said Woohyun, showing how upset he is because of the badly-written book yet sounds confident in himself. Sunggyu can see the younger's eyebrows are frowning and his lips move sideways out of dissatisfaction.

"Oh, really? Why don't you give it a try then?" asked Sunggyu half-jokingly but he can see Woohyun's eyes sparkle in excitement before he runs over to pick up a pencil from across the other side of the aisle and brings it over to the elder.

"Life without you is like a broken pencil..." started Woohyun before he drops the pencil for the pointed lead to break.

"…pointless." continued Woohyun and Sunggyu would be lying if he doesn't feel the tingling sensation crawling all over his back but that doesn't stop Woohyun from trying a different attempt as he grabs a Mathematics workbook and shows it to Sunggyu, who's walking towards him.

"Wait, Woohyun… You're paying for that pencil since you broke it, okay?" Woohyun pouts a little before he nods obediently.

"Okay, hyung… This one, hyung, this one…" said Woohyun excitedly but he stops to look at Sunggyu as he finds the elder in anticipation and that encourages him to do more.

"Do you know why I like Mathematics? Because 'you' plus 'me', equals to 'us'."

Sunggyu tries so hard not to blush in front of the younger so he gives Woohyun a smile instead. He doesn't have a clue on how Woohyun can be so cute despite how attractive and manly-looking he is. Woohyun puts back the workbook to its place as they heads to the next aisle, filled with personal care goods and his eyes glint when he spots a mirror at a corner.

"Hyung, do you wanna see a picture of a beautiful person?" asked Woohyun and Sunggyu nods, playing along because he enjoys this side of the younger. Woohyun then grabs the mirror and holds it up to Sunggyu for the elder to see his own reflection.

Sunggyu leans in to the mirror to take a closer look and he sees himself in soft beige-colored turtleneck with his cheeks that get skinnier day by day and his decent amount of eyeliner is still on point, making his eyes look bigger than the actual size and his black hair complement his pale skin but still messy to his own liking. He touches his fringe, arranging every strand of his hair neatly as he smirks at his own perfection.

"He is beautiful, Woohyun." and somehow that managed to make Woohyun laughs heartily.

Sunggyu begins to love how comfortable they are with each other despite the fact that they just met yesterday and there, he decides to step up the game.

"Excuse me, Woohyun?"

Woohyun stops laughing when he can see that serious expression on Sunggyu's face.

"Why, hyung?"

"I think there's something in your eyes   " Sunggyu closes the gap between them to look straight into the younger's eyes "   oh wait! It just sparkles."

Sunggyu looks into Woohyun's black shining orbs and the younger looks back into his. Sunggyu notices that visible red blushes on Woohyun's cheeks before he retreats and stands straight on his feet.

"H-hyung… that caught me off guard. Not fair!"

Sunggyu sticks his tongue out at the younger and heads to the cashier, leaving Woohyun dumbfounded.

Sunggyu feels worried because Woohyun hasn't utter a word when he reaches next to his side in a queue lining at the cashier counter while waiting for their turn to pay. Both of them take out all of their items from the cart and put it on the conveyer belt, but Sunggyu splutters to an embarrassing stop when Woohyun speaks up.

"Hyung, I like you a latte." and Sunggyu almost slaps himself when he looks at his hand to find a bottle of caramel-flavored latte before looking up to see Woohyun's eyes disappear as he smiles widely with that heart-shaped lips of his stretched over a pretty set of teeth. He hears a chuckle coming from a middle-aged woman lining behind him; he turns around involuntarily and the middle-aged woman smiles at him knowingly.

Two can play the game, thought Sunggyu.

"If you were a fruit, you’d be a fineapple." said Sunggyu before he stops to think when did a pineapple get into their cart but seeing how Woohyun reacting to his lame pick-up line happily, he doesn't mind paying for it.

The male cashier had to keep a straight face when he was scanning the items while the two are playing around in front of him.

**********

"Woohyun, how old are you again?"

Sunggyu searches for his apartment keys in one of his jeans pockets when they arrive at the front door. Woohyun stands next to him obediently as he carries a plastic bag filled with foods while waiting for Sunggyu to open the door.

"I'm turning 25 this year, hyung."

Sunggyu finds the key and he quickly unlocks the door before pushing it open widely. Both of them step inside of Sunggyu's apartment and Woohyun takes off his shoes before heading to the kitchenette while Sunggyu is struggling to lock the door back as his other hand start to feel the pain from carrying a heavier plastic bag. Woohyun comes back again to take that plastic bag away from him.

"So, you're on your semester break now?"

"Yeap. I always help my mom on my semester break."

"Ahhh~"

"You know, she keeps on talking about you at home, it makes me wonder what type of guy you are to make my mom fall for your charms endlessly."

"Moms always like me, I'm not kidding."

"Confident much…" said Woohyun and Sunggyu laughs when he sees that beautiful smile on Woohyun's face. He wonders how can such a beautiful smile exists, but then, everything about Woohyun is beautiful.

Sunggyu starts to organize the groceries to its respective places and Woohyun helps along. Woohyun then takes a frying pan that hangs on the wall near the sink and rinses it before putting it on a stove. He opens the refrigerator to take three eggs out and washes it cleanly before cracking it open in a plastic bowl and stirring it furiously. Sunggyu stands on the side, watching the younger silently.

Woohyun opens the refrigerator again to take out the ham this time and he gently peels open the wrapping plastic. He takes the chopping board that hangs next to the frying pan earlier and a knife from the knife holder for him to delicately cut the ham into edible-sized pieces, not wanting to ruin the ham's structure. He puts the ham into the pan to fry it and adds in the eggs, mixing it together with the ham as he slowly stirs it.

When the ham and the eggs are half-cooked, he adds in two portions of rice into the frying pan and stirs it thoroughly before adding two spoons full of soy sauce. Sunggyu finds it amazing how Woohyun looks so reliable, unlike his cute and fluffy side shown in the supermarket and then his heart skips a beat for a second when suddenly Woohyun skillfully flips the mixed rice with eggs and hams on the pan.

Sunggyu's eyes go round and his jaw drops a little to see how skilled Woohyun is in cooking, the opposite side to what the younger displayed earlier. No more cheerful and playful Woohyun since the younger shows him at the moment is a real deal; making him realized that Woohyun looks more dependable than he, himself. He should learn so much more from Woohyun instead of being a lazy bum like he always is.

Sunggyu walks closer to Woohyun to look at the fried rice and inhales the delicious smell of it before he grabs another frying pan in smaller size and the plastic of samgyupsal. He goes to the stove, next to where Woohyun is standing and he starts on frying the samgyupsal, carefully flipping it one by one, pieces by pieces, using a pair of chopsticks. Sunggyu takes out the grillable cheese that they bought earlier and cut the cheese into the small slices before adding it into the frying pan together with the samgyupsal.

They both are cooking and frying food next to each other and Sunggyu finds it heartwarming to have a company after so long. Sunggyu and Woohyun's eyes met and the younger's mouth grinned in happiness before he paid attention back to flipping the fried rice. Sunggyu smiles back at the younger without him noticing and averts his attention back to the samgyupsal.

Sunggyu turns off the stove he's using as he done cooking all the samgyupsal and a packet of grillable cheese. He heads towards his small living room; only a three-seater sofa and a low coffee table with a carpet lying vast across the small area and a television situated at a corner with a big bowl filled with goldfishes and other aquatic decorations that adds a little life to the dull and dead room.

Sunggyu cleans up a bit, making the small living room comfortable enough for Woohyun since he doesn't have company for quite a while other than himself. He sets the low coffee table with two hot pad for the samgyupsal and Woohyun-styled fried rice before he brings over the pan of samgyupsal mixed with grillable cheese along with plates, mugs, spoons and chopsticks; two sets each.

"Woohyun, can you bring over a bottle of juice too?" Sunggyu quickly takes a sit on the carpet, reaching for the remote control to turn on the television and going through the channels until he finds a show that attracts his attention.

"Which juice, hyung?!" screamed Woohyun as he turns off the stove and heads towards the refrigerator, examining the content.

"Any juice!" answered Sunggyu without turning over to look at Woohyun's direction.

Soon, Woohyun comes to join Sunggyu at the living room, with a pan filled with mouth-watering smell and killer visual of fried rice on one hand and a bottle of cold orange juice on the other. Sunggyu never stops smiling to the younger and Woohyun never disappoints the elder as he always returns his smile. Woohyun scoops out a huge portion of fried rice and pours the orange juice for the elder as Sunggyu watches every action of his silently.

He remembers now, how it feels like to have a company and he's getting used to it.

"Eat up, hyung~"

Sunggyu grabs a spoon before he takes a spoonful of fried rice and tries the first taste of it. Sunggyu looks heavenward when the taste of Woohyun-styled fried rice dissolves into his taste buds, making the elder feels nostalgic, like a son coming back home to a love-filled homemade cooking from his mother and Woohyun couldn't be more happier to get that kind of feedback.

"Is it good, hyung?"

"Mmm~"

Woohyun beams in happiness at Sunggyu's cute reaction.

"This is what a lot of people who lives alone eat."

"This is so good~!" Sunggyu can't stop eating the simply-made yet heavenly-taste fried rice. Woohyun feels full just by looking at Sunggyu's eating wholeheartedly.

"Hey, I approve this…" said Sunggyu while showing the younger thumbs up, breaking the pleasant silence between them.

"This is the best and the simplest thing to eat when there's nothing left at home." commented Woohyun as he feels the triumphant air around him. Sunggyu then takes a pair of chopsticks and takes a piece of samgyupsal from the pan and eats it.

"Woah, it tastes better if you eat it with this!" said Sunggyu while showing Woohyun the samgyupsal. Woohyun can't stop himself from smiling as he looks at the elder's reaction. Woohyun thinks this might be it, the feeling every mothers feel when they feed their hungry children. Woohyun wouldn't mind cooking for Sunggyu everyday if he gets this kind of reaction in return, enough as a token of appreciation to him.

Sunggyu takes another piece of samgyupsal before he feeds Woohyun and the younger gladly receives it.

"Eat, Woohyun~" Woohyun nods as he tries to chew the chewy piece.

Then, Woohyun joins in Sunggyu as well, finishing everything they have at the coffee table.

**********

"So, Woohyun…" Sunggyu breaks the silence again as they both are now watching the television in front of them, sitting on the carpet and resting back at the sofa instead of sitting on it with all the used plates and pans and mugs left untouched on the coffee table.

Woohyun hums in anticipation but his eyes never leave the television.

"When will you be graduating?" Even though Sunggyu doesn't look at the younger but Woohyun can feel that curious tone in the elder's voice.

"In two years' time… Why, hyung?"

"No, I just…" Sunggyu stops to heave a sigh which causes Woohyun to turn to his side, finally giving the elder his full attention. Sunggyu looks at the younger at his side and he can see that curious look on the younger's face. He knows he can't stop halfway now, so might as well say it all out.

"I didn't imagine my life would be like this…" Sunggyu is finally revealing himself that he always hides behind his happy smile and positive personality. Woohyun doesn't have to know Sunggyu for a very long period of time to understand what the elder truly feels because he has been through that kind of phase too, where he starts to question his own decisions in order to find his pathways, to find his place in this world. Everyone has been through that phase, at least once in their lifetime.

Woohyun waits for Sunggyu to continue.

"I studied hard enough until I feel puking every single time I start reading and revising, but I endured everything because I know I'm doing my best so I thought that I'm going to be okay once I've graduated, but…" Sunggyu fakes a smile at the younger. "…look at me now, still unemployed…"

"Hyung…"

"…but I'm grateful to finally meet your mom one day when I was on my way back home after getting rejected, again. I was about to break down, but she really lifted me up at that time. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have become who I am right now."

"Oh? What did she say, hyung?"

"She said that everyone has their own beautiful story in their lives, it just a matter of when it will happen and so she said to me to live my life at my own pace instead of competing with other people my age..."

"Well, isn't that true, hyung?"

"Yeap, it is and ever since that day, I come to the store just to see her because, I don't know… It's comforting even just by looking at her. She reminds me of my late mother."

"Oh…" answered Woohyun and Sunggyu can sense that sympathetic tone in the younger's voice so he immediately clears the situation.

"No, no… it's okay, Woohyun. I'm okay. I'm so happy to meet her, seriously. She's like a mother to me…" and for that time, Woohyun finally see that genuine smile on Sunggyu's face among the pain he's been enduring.

"She'll be so happy to hear this, hyung…"

"No! Woohyun, you can't tell her!"

"Why??"

"Because…"

"Because…?" Woohyun looks at Sunggyu to find the elder's face in visible red blushes. Is he blushing? Is he?

"I-I'll prove to her how much I appreciate her one day, Woohyun. I don't know how but I just have to work hard, have a stable earning and maybe one day, I buy her a bigger store or a bigger house…"

"You know, hyung, she'll be the happiest when you finally join us for dinner, every single day. That is enough to return her favor, hyung. As simple as that..."

Sunggyu chuckles softly as he rubs the back of his neck; feeling embarrassed at how easy for him to show his appreciation to the older woman who plays an important role in his life other than his late mother, yet difficult for him to do so. He doesn't want to intrude the family. Woohyun laughs a little when Sunggyu tries so hard to push himself to accept the offer.

"You don't have to if you don't want, hyung. It's okay, plus I can come here and cook for you every day if you're okay with it. I think my mom will be happy too since you'll be eating properly instead of having instant, microwavable packed food…"

"Woohyun, you don't   "

"And you don't have to push yourself too hard in finding a job that makes you forget to enjoy your life. There are so many things around you that you'll miss if you keep on chasing the future. Just focus on being alive and focus on the present…"

Sunggyu has to admit that Woohyun can be so, so reliable at times. He doesn't expect to be comforted by such wise words coming from a two-year younger guy than him. He lets himself sink in those wise words deeply in order for him to get himself back up.

"My mom told me that there's always a turning point in life and when that comes, you'll find out why you have to go through all of it before getting to the point where you'll be fully satisfy and you can be enjoy your life sincerely. So don't worry about it, hyung. That day will come." and Woohyun melts his anxiety walls when the younger shares the most captivating smile.

"Thanks, Woohyun… I really appreciate it…" Woohyun sees Sunggyu's soul through his smile but they suddenly interrupted by a phone call. Woohyun quickly fishes out his phone from his pocket to find his mother's worried voice on the other line and Sunggyu doesn’t have to ask who because he knows it from listening to the one-side conversation.

"I need to go…" said Woohyun as he stands up and keeps his phone back in his pocket.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hog up your time…" Sunggyu stands up too and they both head to the front door.

Woohyun wears his shoes in an urgent haste, steps on the topline and the heels counter at the back of the shoes until it squishes into half instead of wearing it properly. Woohyun looks back at the elder who's standing in front of him and he takes a moment to appreciate the guy before he goes back to the convenience store.

Woohyun doesn't know how Sunggyu can make him feel this foreign feeling that he never felt before just by showing up in front of him; wearing a long-sleeved, soft-beige colored turtleneck and dark blue ripped jeans. He finds Sunggyu's small-sized eyes cute; the most beautiful part of the elder other than his long, delicate-looking fingers and most probably the perfect-sized hands for Woohyun when they hold hands…

The younger averts his attention before he can imagining stuff any further. Woohyun mentally slaps himself.

"Goodbye, hyung. I see you tomorrow~" said Woohyun as he opens the door and waves at the elder.

"See you then." replied Sunggyu and he watches the younger goes until he disappears at a corner.

Sunggyu closes the door behind him before he leans back at it, trying so hard to accept the reality that just happened to him. It's too good to be true, but Woohyun is right. There is a turning point in his life and he is not ready because then he realizes that Woohyun is the turning point in his life since he feels fully satisfy and enjoy everything sincerely whenever Woohyun is around.

For the first time after so long, Sunggyu sleeps with a smile on his face as the images of Woohyun's adorable smile keep on appearing in his dream.

For the first time after so long, he finds the taste of instant ramyun cups to be worse than before he met Woohyun.

For the first time after so long, he will try his best to focus on the present while searching for a better future.

All thanks to the turning point in his life; Nam Woohyun.

this is my first time, so...