On the shore that began to quiet the crowd, two friends fell silent and heard the rushing waves filling their silence. The rush of the waves grew louder as if the water was rising closer to them. There was no desire to start a conversation. Neither Jihoon nor Wonwoo. The faint crowds behind them start deafened. The smell of salt from the sea began to cover them. But they did not shudder to leave. It was totally their mind which more had great power to hold them continue to be on the beach even though it was getting dark. 

 

The faint of playing song mixed with the rushing wave. Yet their mind secluded themselves inside so that no one could bother them more. As if the mind really had to keep them still, impaired their hearing from the hustle and bustle of their lives. Indeed, they seemed to engross in their own memories. Memories about a person that they had loved once so dearly. Perhaps the last love they ever experienced before surrendering themselves to Sky’s will regarding their fate. 

 

Again and again, the waves came and slapped the beach that night. Totally contrast with the night before, the sea waves brought a stabbing cold in the midsummer night. However, no one of them asked about it. 

 

“Did he look happy?” 

 

Wonwoo hummed. A bit of sad to tell it. He had just lost someone he used to keep in his heart. Kim Mingyu. 

 

Jihoon snorted. He looked up to the dark sky. “You should be happy too then, Wonwoo.” 

 

“Shouldn't you talk to yourself like that?” 

 

The latter let out a snicker. “I try, be here in my hometown.” 

 

“You run away,” he commented. Jihoon turned at the side, stretched his body as he felt stiff before. 

 

“No, I try to embark upon a new life,” he defended, “then look at my life, I did not refuse his invitation to his wedding with Hyojung noona, okay.” He sent a sharp glare right to Wonwoo. 

 

The latter bobbed his shoulder. “Well, I did it too…today, I send him away with Sejeong.” 

 

In unison, they let out a sigh, a heavy one they held after talking about a sensitive matter. 

 

“Why we ended up like this?” 

 

“I do asking the same one to myself, why you could not continue your relationship with Seungcheol and why I had to love Mingyu back then.” 

 

His eyes laid down in the water that slowly approaching the shoreline. Their mind came back to roaming to that person. 

 

“Seungcheol was doubt — and I can not make him stay, that’s my flaw. I can not make anyone stay beside me,” Jihoon responded, as his thought trailed back to where he had to let Seungcheol out of his life, “besides, 5 years relationship can not promise good things will come in the end.” 

 

Wonwoo hummed. 

 

“You’re right. He was caught to have a crush on Seulgi noona’s friend. Also, he was caught of having affair with Dahyun.” 

 

“Exactly. Am I always vanilla to him?” 

 

Wonwoo shrugged his shoulder. “At least you gave your everything to him, time and love. That was enough to say that you were devoted to him until mistrust hit you both.” 

 

“Yes. Then, I have to let him go in the end. Although he said sorry.” 

 

“It won’t change anything.” 

 

Jihoon bobbed his head. “Anyway, his parent want him to marry a woman, not a man.” 

 

Wonwoo nudged him. “Man can do pregnant too.” 

 

The shorter glared. “Well, I don’t. Besides, mostly men do not bear a baby inside their stomach.” 

 

“Some of the women also have difficulty to have a baby.” 

 

“But Hyojung noona is not. She can bear a child in her womb. And Seungcheol’s parent does not want an in-law who has the same gender to marry their son.” 

 

Wonwoo let out a snort. “Mostly parent refuses to do.” 

 

Jihoon responded with a hum. Then they got back into silence, re-immersing with their cogitator. 

 

“Seungcheol will have his first child on my birth month.” 

 

Wonwoo turned to see Jihoon, giving a so-terrible reaction. “Will he?” Jihoon simply nodded his head. 

 

“Does he love you so much? Does fate always play with you, Jihoon?” He asked, out of his curiosity. He really wondered if that could happen. 

 

“I don’t know,” Jihoon replied weakly. 

 

He was utterly aware of that, although the fate brought them to drift apart. He was prepared before. Although Seungcheol would keep a soft spot inside his heart, Jihoon knew, it would not be able to change the fact that Seungcheol looked happier with Hyojung and his baby. More than when he had been sparing his time and love with Jihoon. 

 

Even though in one part, Jihoon felt upset, to know that Seungcheol was happier to live with another person, instead of spending the rest of his life with Jihoon. And he felt upset to not make him stay a little longer. And he felt upset to let everything happened between them. He was unhappy and having no idea to live on without the latter. He had no idea how supposed to live too. 

 

“You should find one.” 

 

Wonwoo said a right thing to him. But his heart told him, it would never be the same. It would never work with him. Because Jihoon had given a chance once to try a heteroual relationship. And it simply happened for a week, just because Jihoon assumed the girl to be a friend in the end, also he introduced the girl with a senior he knew. That one time was enough to be his proof, about he could not replace Seungcheol with anyone else. 

 

“You know I can not do that,” he retorted. 

 

“Sorry,” Wonwoo muttered softly. 

 

Jihoon breathed out, audibly. “Something in your mind, Wonwoo?” 

 

“N-nothing,” he stammered. Jihoon raised a single brow. “We’ve been a friend for years. Do you really need to lie to me?” 

 

“Did I look so bad at the ceremony this morning?” 

 

“No, but you really took a ponderous speech. I guess no one notices it, why?” 

 

“Just…nothing. Mingyu gave a look, unusual stare today.” 

 

He recalled when he gave a speech after the vow. He had trembled so much as he had to speak to the guest and the newly-wed couple. He had to speak before the smiling Mingyu. He frowned secretly. Because he had to give a speech. 

 

“Mingyu is so happy.” His face fell, so did tears. Jihoon distinguished a wobble tone he used. The shorter drew closer to Wonwoo, pulled him into a warm embrace. 

 

“You should be happy,” Jihoon said. 

 

“I can’t.” He buried his face in the crook of Jihoon’s neck. He sniffled. “How to be happy after this night pass?” 

 

A distinct memory of happy face abruptly came back to him. His tears became worse. Jihoon patted his back. 

 

“You must be happy though he is living beside you and be yours.” 

 

Wonwoo shook his head. “It’s hard.” 

 

“Wonwoo…,” Jihoon called, but a hiccup cut him off. “I know that feeling, but you must be happy and go on living, just like a little whale who swimming by himself in the blue sea.” 

 

The latter broke the hug, gave a solemn expression when he mentioned a whale. “Whale?” He wiped down the tears, followed by Jihoon who cracked a warm smile to soothe him. 

 

“Yes, you always blabber how whale lives under the sea and it’s fascinating. Should you keep living like them? Although you have no one, you have to live, Wonwoo. You deserve another happiness.” 

 

He frowned. Wonwoo was absolutely certain that he shall achieve his own happiness but he was dubious to live by himself without Mingyu. 

 

“He is happy, Wonwoo. Shouldn’t you be happy even so Mingyu is happy with another love?” 

 

He rested his forehead against Jihoon’s shoulder. He was tired to think about it. 

 

“You have to live and be happy although half of you is missing.” Jihoon uttered it sternly. Wonwoo could read through his eyes, how serious the latter was. 

 

“Be a whale?” 

 

Jihoon hummed. 

 

“Okay,” he replied, half-heartedly. He rose, dusted the sand off his pants. “Where are you going?” 

 

“Your home, silly, I have to sleep early because I have to drive the car in the morning to Changwon.” 

 

Jihoon tugged his lips into a crescent form. Then he rose up, dusting the sand off his pants. After that, he laced his arm around Wonwoo’s arm. “Let’s get home. Jieun noona cooked something for us, ramyeon I guess.” 

 

Wonwoo glared, being shocked yet delight to hear how his favourite mentioned. Both of them drew from the quietness of shore to the noise of night street life. 

 

“So, how’s about Mingyu?” Jihoon , trying to make him bad mood but what he received was only a nudge in his ribs. 

 

“He is ing charming. So stop. I don’t want to feel how terrible to be brother-zoned or friend-zoned by the mighty Kim Mingyu,” he grumbled. Jihoon merely snickered. 

 

“Well — not only you who have been through friend-zoned. Some people do experience the same thing,” Jihoon retorted, which receiving a dagger from the taller’s eyes. He giggled again. 

 

“Easy, people do have sad love stories. Not only you. Be happy,” he encouraged. Wonwoo simply released his arm from Jihoon’s lace then putting it around Jihoon’s shoulder as he pulled Jihoon closer. 

 

“Thanks for being my friend.” 

 

“My pleasure,” he replied. A simple smile appeared on his face. He knew it would be not as easy as people expected. However, an encouragement from Jihoon braved the misery in the future. He knew he shall be happy just like Mingyu when he had a wife by his side. Because like Jihoon had said, even a lonely whale had to face swimming alone in the wide sea and had to cheer himself up when no whale was around it. 

 

Because of Jihoon, the experience he had, braved him about the future which probably brought him to sorrow the unpleasant moment. Because the friend had experienced unpleasant love story and succeeded to rise on his feet although it was difficult to be happy, Wonwoo had the courage to do so. He believed, for now, it was too hard for him, but soon … he never knew that he could be happy again. 

 

Even somewhen in the future, he would sorrow his sad love story again. He shall believe that he was able to be content with his life. 

 

Afterwards, the two friends got back to Lee’s house and continued to release their stress y a bowl of noodle and a can of beer. 

-THE END-