...19 Years Ago...

White clouds drifted across the vast blue ocean of the sky. The narrow streets of the village was rather deserted except for a single young man. A lanky figure clothed in a simple t-shirt and jeans. His hair a shade of dark brown and fashionably sea blown from his ride to the island. His right hand dragging along a suitcase while the other held onto a cloth wrapped gift of the country's finest beef. His steps were light and his face beaming with excitement at being back to his childhood days. A sharp contrast to his younger brother whose expression shouts his youthful rebellion.

The folks were mostly out filling their rice bowl for the day. The few that remained were huddled in their houses, tuning in to the television for a daily dose of drama. In the house of the Lee's, it was the same.

"Annyeonghaseyo!" 

His voice rang out cheerfully. The wooden door slid open to reveal two faces wearing similar wrinkled smiles. 

"Harabeoji! Harameoni! We're back."

Hugging his grandparents and gifting the gift he brought on behalf of his parents. He proceeded to not so subtly kicking his younger brother's leg, reminding him of his manners. 

"An-annyeonghaseyo harabeoji, harameoni..."

A pouty greeting that earned him some warning glares from his big brother. However, their grandparents doesn't seem to mind. They were just happy that they were here safely and in good health. The doting grandparents they are. Grandpa automatically took their luggage in spite of their annual reluctance that they were old enough to do it on their own while grandma headed straight for the kitchen, ladling out the snacks she had prepared in anticipation of their arrival. Sungyeol headed for the kitchen while Daeyeol laze out at the living room.

"You're going there again?" His grandmother asked, unpacking the beef gift set.

"Yup. It's been a long time."

"Be back before sunset alright." A sentence she has been repeating and he has been hearing every summer as he grabbed some snacks. He happily skipped out of the house with Daeyeol's eyes followed him out the door.

Sungyeol's feet trace back the familiar stone path that led up to a shrine. The sound of the cicadas and the gentle whispering of the trees delivered their annual greeting. Welcoming him back. At the top of the steps, the shrine stood weather worn but well taken care of by the villagers. He clasp his hand and bow at it. Offering prayers of good health and happiness. When he looked up, a young man in his twenties stood under the shadow of the forest.

"I'm back, Myungsoo!"

The figure stepped out of the shade, beaming at Sungyeol, his only friend. Like the year before that and before before that, Myungsoo was dressed in a plain white long shelves shirt and black pants.

"Do you remember the time we first met?" Sungyeol asked while trying to act cute.

"You were cute." 

"I still am!"

"You're noisy."

It was years ago when Sungyeol first arrived to the village for the holidays. His parents deemed he was old enough to be sent here. His younger brother would later join him three years later, at the age he was then; nine. He arrived a grumpy kid, constantly whining to return home like his younger brother now. His summer days were a bore although his grandparents tried hard to appease their young and only grandson. After hearing tales of the mountain forest, he decided to go home but after walking for what seemed like forever, he finally realised something dreadful. He's lost. The greens of the forest looked the same wherever he turned. Panic soon sipped in and he started running around but he never found the entrance nor an exit. Eventually he gotten himself tired from both running and crying, falling asleep to the lull of the trees.

When he woke up, a face was staring down at him. A young man. His bangs covered half of his face. As if hearing his subconscious curiosity, the wind blew to reveal his face. His skin was fair and it emits a certain glow. His nose were prominent, the kind that male idols would want to have. His eyes were mysterious, the longer he stare at them the more he found himself getting pulled in by unknown forces. He was really handsome. If he were to walk the streets of Seoul, he was sure to be scouted by the entertainment agencies. Why is he wasting his looks here?

"Are you dead?" The handsome stranger asked.

"Then, are you alive?" Sungyeol retaliated.

The stranger led him through the thick forest and out into an open grassy field. Finally before the entrance of the forest, "Don't return." He warned. "The forest is not a safe place for a human." Perhaps because he was a child or perhaps he was seriously bored that the idea of spirits did not shock him.

The next afternoon, he was back again and once more he had to lead him out of the forest. This went on for the remaining days of summer and on those days, the forest never learned of the word silence. Sungyeol was either busy questioning his new found spirit friend and when he ignored him, Sungyeol began narrating his days in school, home and his cute but occasionally annoying little brother. On the last day, Sungyeol promised he will be back the next summer. This time, the stranger of the forest did not bid him to never return.

"What's your name?

After spending the last few days with him, it strike him that he had never asked him for his name. Silence. Perhaps he wasn't comfortable revealing his name since Sungyeol had done nothing but intruding and pestering him everyday. "See ya." Sungyeol walked away, feeling a little sad but quickly console himself that there is only three seasons till next summer. He turned around and shouted, 

"I'm Sungyeol! Lee Sungyeol!"

"It's Myungsoo."

It wasn't loud but Sungyeol heard it. His summer friend; Myungsoo.

"See ya next summer, Myungsoo!"