Little Myungsoo was five years old when his parents divorced. He didn’t take it so well so that was why he decided to escape, from his home, and his family.

He was too young to experience this mess.

Myungsoo managed to sneak out from his house somehow in the middle of the night. He heard his mom sobbing, in her room while his dad was nowhere to be found.

He took a small step towards the door, tiptoeing carefully not to make any sound. Once everything was clear, Myungsoo leave.

It took awhile for him to walk around the neighborhood. He was scared. No doubt. The street was quiet and the only light his eyes can caught was from the lamp near the playground.

Myungsoo placed his bag near a bench, and walked towards the swing.

Little Myungsoo was actually brave. For someone of his age, Myungsoo should be staying in his comfortable bed, dreaming about all the fiction and imaginary life like how a kid should be doing. But Myungsoo was too aware of fairytales that never cease to exist. In the age of 5, Myungsoo accepted the fact that there’s no a happily ever after.

He pushed his legs forward to increase the speed of his swing. He was alone yes, but he enjoyed the quiet moment of being with no one but himself.

As he was lost in thought, a crack of iron magnetized caught his attention. And when he looked up, he came eyes to eyes with another boy almost as young as he was. The boy started swinging his own swing and Myungsoo just stared at him, wondering whether he’s dreaming.

“Hi” The boy said, and he gave Myungsoo a smile. “Its quiet here” He noted, eyeing the surrounding before staring back into Myungsoo’s eyes.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Sungyeol. Lee Sungyeol. You can call me Yeolie too. My mom used to call me that” He beamed only to have the smile flatten down. “Before she left”

“To where?” Myungsoo asked, confuse with the boy’s words.

Sungyeol glanced up to the sky. “Somewhere beautiful…” and turn again to the puzzled boy. “My dad told me that and I believe it’s true. My dad also said that she’s happier now because she won’t feel any more pain.”

Myungsoo can only ohh-ed at that and continue to swing. It took a short silence before Sungyeol asked him for his name.

“I’m Myungsoo”

And before Sungyeol was about to ask why he’s here alone, Myungsoo beat him to that and told everything.

“… That’s not true” Sungyeol argued. “Parents love their kids, and there’s no way they would abandon you”

Myungsoo shook his head. It’s hard to believe it when he always heard sad tales of kids being abandon once the divorce was made.

“I’m scared” Myungsoo said in a slow voice, barely a whisper.

Sungyeol stopped his swing, and jumped from the seat to stroll next to him. “It’s okay to be scared, Myungsoo” He rubbed small circle on Myungsoo’s back, trying to comfort the younger male. “Life is full of surprises, and this is only the beginning” He continues on. “You might be downed at this moment, but later… the sun will rise and you can see a bigger picture in your life that soon will be filled with rainbow and much more happiness you could possibly imagine”

Sungyeol looked back at the male and caught Myungsoo’s staring hole into him. “What?”

“How old are you? You talked like my mom”

Sungyeol laughed at the comment but said nothing, “I’m just trying to help. I have been in worst situation than this, and see….” He turned around with a smile on his face. “…I’m happy”

Myungsoo smiled at that too. He looked at the surrounding, and there’s no one here. He wondered whether Sungyeol escaped from his home too, because there’s no way any parents would let their child wondered off alone, especially late in the hour. Myungsoo was about to ask Sungyeol about that before the other boy started to speak.

“Your mom…” Sungyeol changed from being hype to melancholy. “… Your mom will be sad, knowing you disappeared. She will cried, and cried, not only because your dad left, but because you’re missing too. She will blamed herself if anything happens to her child” A tear formed in Sungyeol’s eyes. “And when you realized your mistake, it will be too late”

Myungsoo was unsure how to feel about that. He never thought about that, about how his mom was feeling right now. Guilty rushed to him, and when Myungsoo looked up again, Sungyeol was gone.

“Myungsoo? Honey is that you? Myungsoo!?

Myungsoo turned his head to the familiar voice, and soon he was embraced in a tight hug. “Mom…”

“You scared me Myungsoo” She cried. "You scared me"

His mom was crying, her nose was red, her eyes were swollen. Myungsoo traced the trail of her tears and wiped them away with his little thumb. “Don’t ever scare me like that Myungsoo, I don’t want to lose you”

She went back to hug her child and by now, Myungsoo was crying as much as she was. “I’m sorry” Was all he could repeated again and again.

His mom lifted him up by the shoulder, and started carrying him. Myungsoo s his arms all around his mother’s neck and buried his face in her shoulder.

“Lets’ go home, okay” Myungsoo nodded. “It’s not safe staying here alone”

Myungsoo leaned back, and noticed that Sungyeol was completely gone. None from the short distance, and none from a far. “But...”

“It’s okay, baby. Lets’ just go home”

Myungsoo said nothing but obeyed. Maybe he can find Sungyeol again tomorrow at the same park, and they could be friends. He never had a chance to ask him that, so maybe next time they met, he can says it.

But... Sungyeol was nowhere to be found. No one has heard of his name before, and everyone thought that Myungsoo was being dreaming, and talked about his imaginary friend. But Myungsoo knew better. He talked to a certain Lee Sungyeol last night, and he has helped him. Unfortunately, Sungyeol never came.

15 years later.

Myungsoo is now 20 years old and life can never get better.

“Hey Myungie! Ready to go out?”

Myungsoo smiles at his brother, and nods rather cutely, earning a laugh for the older male. “Ready. Sungkyu wait! I forgot to say goodbye”

Sungkyu shakes his head, but smile still plasters on his face. “Okay then, make it short. Woohyun keeps texting me saying he can't wait to see you”

Myungsoo smiles at that name, but says nothing about it. “Thanks Gyu! Be right back” He side hugs his brother and his brother pats his head rather fondly before that kid runs off to bid his goodbye.

Myungsoo is now happy with his new life. He got a new dad, and a step-brother too. Both care for him and his mother way too much, that they have been showering nothing but love. Myungsoo loves his new family, and they make him happy.

“Mom! Dad!” He runs and embrace of his parents in a tight hug and pampering kissing to their cheeks. Myungsoo may be 18, but he still acts like a kid to their parents and his brother. “I love you”

His parents return the hug, beaming with a thousand smile.

Years has passed, and Sungyeol was right. There is a rainbow behind every dark cloud. Myungsoo never did see him again but he’s thankful of that certain Lee Sungyeol, or Yeollie he wants to call him, and he will never forget him, never forget how much Sungyeol has changed his life.

“Thanks Yeollie” Myungsoo murmurs only for him to hear. He feels another arms wrapping around him and his parents, and Myungsoo didn’t have to turn to know its Sungkyu. Myungsoo smiles. “…I’m happy now too” And snuggles back to the family hug. He’s happy and he has Sungyeol to thank for it.