It's Sunday, 7.03 AM.

Sungryong wakes up.

No, 'wake up' is probably not the right words since he couldn't get a wink of sleep last night.

So, Sungryong opens his eyes. Still lying on his mattress, he murmured to the ceiling,

"The day has come."

--

"Seo Yul," Sungryong called right after their cringey goodbye confessions, "Let's meet up."

Seo Yul frowned, "What? I'm still here in front of you, and we just, ugh--"

"A year from now," Sungryong interfered, "Let's not say a word until then, and if you are still the same, and if I am also still the same, if nothing of us has changed--let's meet at that place at whatever time you think is appropriate."

"Huh? What's with those vague details--they're not even details, can't you be more specific? And why can't we--"

Sungryong interfered, again, "Well, let's make the best of our lives, won't we?"

--

It's Sunday, 9.11 AM.

Sungryong has gotten dressed. Nothing special in particular, he only puts on what he usually wears; that lousy yellow shirt (he doesn't forget to the first one, as always) with brown checkered coat along with pants of the same pattern.

He remembers what happened at the appointed place--not quite exactly a year ago, though, as it happened days before their parting--and he smiles at the memories. He only hopes the other person he shared these memories with will smile, too, it can be not because the same emotion Sungryong holds towards the occasion--they can remember it as something silly for all he cares--but he wishes they would smile.

Sungryong now has some silly second thought.

--

Seo Yul didn't really take Sungryong's words seriously when he first heard from him, but it had been a month since they said goodbyes and that day really was the last time he heard from him.

He had gotten used to his new job as a public defender, slowly climbing his way up; though it's actually not that different from what he's used to be doing so he's not sure it could be called a new job.

--

It's Sunday, 10.04 AM.

Sungryong comes out of his apartment he's been living in for the past two weeks. He has gotten rid of that everyday outfit of him as he changed into the exact same clothes he was wearing in the memories; a white shirt and a red necktie with dark blue striped coat and a pair of black pants.

The appointed place is pretty close from where he is staying, something he has calculated when he looked for a place for his temporary stay, so he chooses to walk his way there.

--

It had been six months.

"That bastard, he could be dead for all I care and I would not shed a tear for him. How dare he cut us off completely like this?" Seo Yul remembered Chief--no, Director Choo's remark at one meet-up celebrating the engagement of Sangtae and Gwangsuk.

He wondered what Sungryong could be doing now, and where, and how he was doing in general, but not even with the power of connection of his which he held highly and had made many of his cases easier could touch any Sungryong related piece.

--

It's Sunday, 12.10 PM.

Sungryong has arrived at that place an hour or so ago (it was indeed close but he decided to take a walk around) and is now having his lunch, some triangle kimbap he picked up on his way at a convenience store. He bought five pieces of them, only ate three and saves two because he predicts today could be a long day.

--

Eight months had passed since Sungryong's dissapearance.

Seo Yul found himself thinking about things a lot. About his house that had some parts to fix. About his eating habit, should he tone it down a bit? About the people around him. About Sungryong. About what he meant back there. Had he changed? Had Sungryong changed? What kind of changes was tolerable for them to meet?

Because he obviously had changed. He's not a jerk anymore, or ugh, at least he's trying not to be a jerk and the reaction from people around him seemed positive. He's pretty sure this kind of change was okay. After all, it's Sungryong out of people who pulled him back.

Well, that's one kind of change eliminated, Seo Yul noted.

--

It's Sunday, 3.15 PM.

Sungryong takes a walk around the place. It's getting a bit crowded, but he kind of expected this of a Sunday afternoon at this kind of place.

"It's probably not the appropriate time for him," Sungryong thinks.

He didn't regret coming early anyway, because the appropriate time for himself is anytime.

--

Ten months. Still no news, no sight, no call nor text from Sungryong.

Seo Yul didn't even bother to look anymore, he chose to believe their promise--though no one practically promised, he recalled.

It didn't mean he stopped caring, though. On the contrary, Seo Yul thought about Sungryong more frequent. He's still confused about the change implied in those words. At times, he thought he finally understood, but then he's not sure if he ever did.

--

It's Sunday, 7.01 PM.

The sun has gone and here comes the moon.

Sungryong considers himself lucky he could watch the sun set properly, "It's been a long time," he says. He is now having dinner with two triangle kimbap he saved earlier.

--

Eleven months. On another words, just one more month.

A mere thirty days, for God’s sake--he’s been doing fine for eleven times this duration, but Seo Yul was getting... More uncomfortable. He felt uneasy.

He gave up trying to figure out that ‘change’, he’s coming anyway.

--

It’s still Sunday, 9.08 PM.

Sungryong is preparing, not to give up because he’s stubborn enough to wait until this day is entirely over, but to let go. Sungryong is preparing to let go.

--

One year. Exactly three hundreds and sixty five days had passed.

Seo Yul grabbed the first suit he saw when he opened his wardrobe, a white shirt and a black striped necktie with a red coat and pants.

He’s still not sure where and when to go, though.

--

Sunday, 10.02 PM.

It’s gotten very dark, fortunately the small road by Han River has street light planted every few meters or so on its side.

Sungryong is planning to spend the rest of his one hour and fifty eight minutes next to one of them.

--

Seo Yul had gone through the most of his list but he still hadn’t found Sungryong.

Their old offices at TQ? He had managed to sneak in because he’s currently not their employee, but he found nothing.

That abandoned building where he ‘played’ jenga with him? Well, it wasn’t a very nice memory but he still went there, and he found nothing.

That secluded place where he literally saved Sungryong’s life? Nice try, but he found nothing. He only noticed that it’s most likely for Sungryong to not know the way since he was, ugh, almost dead.

Or that thugs’ base where he was kidnapped and slandered then Sungryong self-claiming he had arrive to save Seo Yul? He wished, but still he found nothing.

He only had two more hours until his chance ran out and he’s fairly panicking. Did Sungryong perhaps consider himself ‘changed’ so he’s not coming out? Or worse, maybe Chi--Director Choo was right and he’s been long dead and, and--

“Calm. Down.” Seo Yul reminded himself. “He’s there, somewhere, and I will find that ‘somewhere’.”

He fixed his car’s rear-view mirror as in preparing to go, and he saw himself there.

Red suit. White shirt. Striped necktie.

And it hit him.

It was the outfit he wore on that day.

The day he was released from jail. The day when he turned back to the right path--when Sungryong pulled him back.

At the side of Han River.

--

Again, it’s still Sunday, 11.11 PM.

“Should I make a wish?” Sungryong did, and he hopes it comes true soon enough.

--

It took him an hour or so to arrive at that side of Han River from the last place he visited. The last thing he wanted right now was for him to be anymore late than he already was. For him not to meet his appropriate time.

--

Sunday, 11.34 PM.

Sungryong is holding to his last stray of hope.

--

It’s exactly twenty six minutes until Sunday’s over and Seo Yul had arrived at that particular side of Han River.

He had parked his car and he’s now looking around, thank God the street got lamps on its side, if it’s not for them it would be so hard for him to--

--find what he finally found.

--

Sunday, 11.35 PM.

Sungryong is still hoping and--

“KIM SUNGRYONG!”

He turns his head and sees (for what it seems) Seo Yul (now he confirms) is bolting towards him.

Sungryong’s face is slowly getting bright, and he opens his arm wide as if waiting for a hug, though what comes next is nothing but a hit on his left cheek, by none other than Seo Yul’s fist.

It doesn’t really hurt much, if he was to tell. “Seo Yul-ah, seriously? We haven’t met for a year and the first thing you want to give me is a punch?”

“Shut up! I am currently in rage because I can’t believe I don’t have the energy left to properly punch you, why? Because you deserve it, you jerk, so shut the up!” Seo Yul breaks down, because what he say is true, he doesn’t really have the energy left to properly do anything, so he just sits there on the ground.

Sungryong watches him.

“I can’t believe I ran around a whole day to look for you, thanks to your very detailed explanation, thank you very much,” Seo Yul pauses to catch his breath, because the last thing he needs right now is to collapse, “I am upset I still did this whole thing when I’ve known very well you’re such a jerk for leaving everything behind, leaving everyone behind, leaving me behind, disappear one whole year without a word!”

“I gave you,” Sungryong speaks up, “you know, words.”

If glares could kill, Seo Yul is murdering Sungryong at this very moment.

“I’m sorry,” Sungryong starts, “but I need you to listen.” He watches as Seo Yul relaxes a bit, and continues, “I wanted to confirm if these feelings I have for you are strong enough for me to act upon it, and, the most important thing, if you are kind enough to accept them,” he squats in front of Seo Yul, “and I will see further if you will ever allow me to retrieve.” He smiles. “And I am now very happy to see all of those things are present, right now, right in front of me.”

Seo Yul is losing his rage and confused, “What... What are you talking about?”

“This,” Sungryong runs his hand to cup Seo Yul’s face, and he leans in.

Sungryong kisses Seo Yul’s lips.

And in that moment, Seo Yul understands.

So, he kisses him back.

Gently.