23 years old; present; fall

Jae flings his apartment door tiredly. After a whole day full with classes, he finally back home. “Back to the empty house,” Jae sighed.

He slumps his body on the bed still with his class outfit and about to drift into sleep when his phone rings with a familiar ringtone. It’s a special ringtone for a special person. Without looking at the caller, Jae picks up the call. 

“Jaehyungiee,” a familiar voice can be heard from the other side. Jae smiles broadly and he feels like a stone is lifted from his body. 

“Briian,” Jae replied while imagining the smaller boy is actually here.

Then he hears the boy chuckles before he replied, “You must feel so tired right? I just wanna check on you today since you aren’t replying to me since the morning”. His voice sounds like he is sulking and Jae notices that.

“Sorry, I have too many classes. I haven’t checked my phone since morning,” said Jae apologetically. He can imagine the other boy pouting cutely at the other side of the phone. 

“It’s okay. It’s your last month there. I understand. Now go change your outfit before sleeping, Jaehyung-ah”, Brian replied.

“How did you know?”

“I know everything about you. Go change and sleep. 

GoodnightJaehyungie.”

“Goodnight Brian.”

19 years old; winter; past

A week before Jae’s departure.

“Younghyun-ie, Ms. Park is here to see you”, Brian’s mom knocked softly on the door. Brian who was in deep in thought quickly rose from his bed and made his way to the living room.

He greets his neighbour and sat beside the older woman. Ms Park slowly held Brian’s hand before she said while sighing.

“Jaehyung doesn’t want to get out from his bed. He has been locking himself and didn’t want to eat anything. Can you come and talk to him,” she said with sad looking eyes.

Truthfully, they did not talk to each other as frequent as before. Jae felt bad about leaving Brian behind and Brian, he would be lying if he said he was happy with their condition.

After assuring Ms. Park that he would talk to Jae after this, Brian decided to text that tall boy.

Bri brj <3: Jaehyunggie…….

Jaehyungie <3: Brian…..(?)

Bri bri <3: Are you busy? Let’s go out…

Jaehyungie <3: I’m a little bit busy, next time, okay?

Bri bri <3: Liar :^

Jae was mentally cursing himself when he heard a soft knock coming from his door. The door squeaked open and there he is, his soulmate standing there looking perfect with his yellow hoodie. Their eyes locked and without realising Jae stood up.

“Put on your jacket or hoodie or whatever, we are going out”, Brian said with a stern voice.

Jae clumsily put on his matching hoodie with Brian and followed that boy without much thinking. Jae intentionally walked slowly so that Brian would walk first and he tailed that boy from behind. Jae did not realised  Brian came to an abrupt stop and bumped into that sturdy boy.

Brian turned his body around and hugged that tall, lanky boy in the middle of the street.

“We got this. It’s the 21th century, we have everything. We can Skype, FaceTime or whatever it takes. I’m not going to lose you and you are not going to lose me, okay?” he said softly. Brian’s voice was soothing enough and they stayed few minutes standing like that before going into the diner.

“D-DAY, Jae’s departure,” written on Brian’s calendar with a red marker. Brian stood in front of the mirror checking himself before he go out. He was going to send Jae with the Park’s family to the airport.

The ride to the airport was short and silent. Both of them are holding hands at the backseat. Brian rubbed a circle on Jae’s hand to comfort him. Jae's eyes look like they were going to burst into tears anytime from now. 

The goodbye was full of tears and with that, Park Jaehyung off to Canada for four years majoring in music. He would come back on holidays and they would always inseparable during that time.

23 years old; present; fall

Jae wakes up to a fresh smell of toast and coffee. 

Heis still in sleepy state when he sees a man figure in his kitchen, cooking breakfast. He know that back, it his soulmate’s back.

“Am I dreaming?” he mumbles to himself while rubbing his eyes hardly. 

The figure slowly turns and there he is, his soulmate grinning broadly from ear to ear.

“Good morning sleepyhead. Did you sleep well?” Brian said to still-confused Jae.

“Brian? BRIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Jae screams on top of his lungs and proceeds to run towards the boy and Brian welcomes him with an embrace.

Jae hugs him tightly till Brian said, “Yah yah, I’m choking here. Please let go of me Jae-ssi, I’m not going anywhere”.

Jae loosens the hug and starts hitting Brian on the shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you are coming?”

“Why did you think? It’s called surprise, you idiot”.

“When was your flight?”

“After calling you yesterday”.

“How did you know my place?”

Brian shots that “really” look and Jae laughs. The morning has never been so bright before.

“Let’s eat first and you can ask me everything you want after this, Jaehyungiee”, Brian said while placing the toast on the table. They sit and begin catching up with each other happily.

Brian stays until Jae finishes his last month and they go back to Korea together and they swear to each other that they will never be apart again.