PS: the address on top of the letters is Daehyun’s address, not Youngjae’s.

356-71 Daehakro,
Jongno-gu, Seoul

December 30, 1967

Dear Youngjae,

I never realised how essential stars could be for a good night’s sleep. I rarely ever looked up at the sky to gaze into the galaxies we are offered. Usually, I sleep with the curtains pulled open but with my back to the window. And the darkness that fills the room, is often enough to let me be able to see just enough of my hands when I reach for water in the middle of the night.

The darkness in Seoul is different, Youngjae-yah.

For one, it’s not enough. In the middle of the night, when I wake up to drink water, I can see more than just my hand. I can see the littered floor of the goshiwon I’m living in. The kaleidoscopic array of bright lights dancing on the walls of my dorm from a pub’s store light, still beaming bright at even four in the morning. And when I look out the window, because I’m aware enough to do so, I can see people walking the streets.

And that doesn’t help me sleep anymore than the loneliness of this place would have. I keep trying to see your face in the unknown faces.

I’ve sent a letter to Youngwon asking him to send me your address. He told me you moved to a monastery close to Daehakro. This letter, I’ll send to Youngwon. He’ll post it for me.

Yongguk says he’s visited you a couple times already. He’s looking for boarding here too; he’s starting his semester next month. I offered him a stay in my room until he finds his living.

I don’t mind if he continues to stay with me until he graduates too, actually. But I’m not sure if I want to tell him about us or keep it a secret yet…

I don’t want you to be a dirty secret though…

I might not be able to send in a letter for a week, Jae. Just until Yongguk settles down. Once he gets busy, I’ll write again.

I promise.

I love you,

Daehyun

*****

Junhong’s lips go dry when he see Jongup at the train station. Coffee mug in hand and sweater paws pulled over his nails. A gummy smile gracing his lips.

He’s scared.

Because, Jongup is bound to ask him about his sudden trip to Busan in the middle of the night and he’s not sure how to break the news of his grandfather passing away to the other boy.

“You’re finally back, huh brat?” Jongup snickers patting his shoulders and shoving the cocoa in his hand.

Junhong simply ducks his head into Jongup’s embrace the moment the boy gets close enough. Tears prickling the corners of his eyes. Suddenly, he misses his grandfather. Jongup’s arms, so warm and welcoming around him, make the him miss his Grandpa all the more.

And as he pulls back, braving his heart to finally tell Jongup about his Grandpa’s death, a memory filters into his mind.

Flashback
“Bunhongie-ya” Jongup exclaims as his tiny fingers hold on to the pencil in his hand. “I’ll dwaw you a pictuwe. You colow it, kay?” The five year old lisps, watching the four year old next to him, stare excitedly at the portrait he’s sketching.

“That’s a very nice picture, Jongup-ah” an old man chuckles, watching Jongup scribble some ambiguous figures onto the paper. “What are you making exactly?”

Jongup wipes the snot that’s falling relentlessly from his nose - he has a cold, you see - and turns to the man with a sugary grin. But Junhong cuts short whatever Jongup was going to say, and jumps in with his own explanation.

“He’s drawing you, Grandpa!” The boy is missing his two front teeth and his eyes are big enough that they don’t disappear even when he smiles. “I asked him to draw you!”

Once again the old man chuckles patting the two boys on their backs. His hearty laughter filling the room. “Well!” He declares as the two boys continue on to pour their heart and soul into the artwork. “Once you two are done, we’ll pin it on the fridge and then I’ll take you both to get some ice cream!”

Junhong’s excited cheer sounds close to a pterodactyl’s screech, but both Jongup and his Grandpa are immune to it by now. The younger boy presses his cheek against his grandfather’s knee and pouts unintentionally, as he says, “can we also go to ‘Ddeok Ajusshi’s’ store, please?”

Guffawing at the boy’s attempt at being cute (not that he wasn’t cute or anything. Junhong is always cute as a button for his Grandpa) Grandpa ruffles the boy’s hair, nodding fervently. “We definitely can!” He turns to Jongup, who is still invested in his portrait, and Grandpa can make out his trademark smile that Jongup incorporated into the sketch. “What about you, Jongup?” The old man cards his fingers through Jongup’s hair. “Where do you wanna go once we’re done here?”

Jongup doesn’t reply back immediately, and anyone else would’ve frowned, but Grandpa knows what Jongup’s like when he’s concentrating. He waits for the boy to finish his sketch and pass it on to an elated Junhong. When Jongup t