Deep sigh as Hyunjin pushed the glass door with his right hand carrying a plastic of canned beer on the other hand while his eyes searched for the most perfect setting to unwind, spotting a red haired pitiful looking being sitting on the swing of the playground parallel to the convenient store he was in as if he is breathing air of melancholy since forever. He nonchalantly went over the downcasted boy not even noticing his presence as he sat on the swing beside his. ‘wow this boy must have been going through a lot’ as he thought and hand him a can of beer “drink.”

The red haired boy finally noticed his existence looking at the can of beer in his most impassive state and grab it with no contemplation. After series of failed attempts of pulling the tab on his beer, the boy sighed with great despair. “Tangina pati ba naman to!” almost whispering with full of anger.

“Wow pinoy?”

The boy was shocked but still manage to keep his mood empty hearing the other speak the same language. “Hindi. Marunong lang.”

“Ah. Bakit?”

The boy glared asking if he seriously has to answer it but hyunjin just smiled.

“Yung asawa nung kapatid ng nanay ko pinoy .”

"Hindi. bakit ka malungkot?”

“Gago.”

“Bakit nga?”

“Ikaw?”

“Hindi naman ako malungkot eh.”

“Pinoy?”

“ah. Hindi. Marunong lang din.”

“Bakit?”

“Sa pinas ako nag aral ng high school.”

“Hindi. Bakit mo ako binigyan ng beer?”

“Eh mukhang kailangan mo eh.”

“Ulol.”

“Ang saya saya ng langit tapos nag nagmumukmok ka dyan. Tingnan mo nga yung mga stars oh hiyang hiya sayo.”

“Kasalanan ko ba? Sinubukan ko naman ah.”

“Sorry.”

“Ok lang.”

“Hindi sayo. Sa stars.”

Seungmin doesn’t even know the sense of talking to this guy, it's just that he suddenly felt the need of someone to talk to at the moment.

“Sobrang hirap na ba?” hyunjin asked.

“Hindi ko alam. Wala na nga akong maramdaman.”

“Halata.”

Seungmin smiled bitterly. Why is he even talking to this stranger.

“Alam mo cute ka naman eh. May girlfriend ka?”

Seungmin just rolled his eyes. This conversation is getting more and more nonsensical but Hyunjin seems to be enjoying it.

“Ilang taon ka na ba?”

“18”

“Wow same.”

“Di halata.”

“Oo mukha kasi akong baby”

Seungmin rolled his eyes for 19382th time today. Wow this guy is really something. He noticed the plastic full of canned beer "Daming beer ah. daming problema? I feel sorry for your liver.”

“Akala ko kasi depressed ako eh, kaso nung nakita kita kanina narealize ko malungkot lang pala ako. Nahiya yung dami ng beer ko sa dami ng iniisip mo. Mabigat ba?”

“Ang alin?”

“Yung mundo. Pasan mo ata eh.”

“Ang saya mo no?”

“Compliment ba yan?”

“Medyo”

“Bakit?”

“Wala lang. Ang saya mo lang.”

“Hindi. Bakit ka malungkot?”

“Gago”

“Bakit nga?”

“Wala nga”

“Gago naman eh. May dila ka ba? Magsalita ka naman oh. Bahala ka mapapanis 'yang laway mo” Hyunjin said with almost full of frustration.

Seungmin can't help but laugh at this guy’s effortless cuteness. He felt like he was actually talking to a naïve kid and it kinda somehow made him forget his misery.

 Hyunjin looked to see the boy beside him with almost disappearing eyes, shaking shoulders in silent laughter. He was more than confused to see the latter laughing for the first time because of him(?) But it was just so cute as the boy was really trying hard to contain his laughter. Too cute that Hyunjin could feel his soft heart once again, he wanted to hug the boy and one thing is for sure, he never felt so happy to make someone laugh in their most depressed state. “Wow marunong ka palang tumawa.”

“Alam mo, inggit nga ako sayo eh. Kasi parang ang saya saya mo lang. Parang wala kang problema. Yung tipong mang titrip ka lang kung kelan mo gusto.”

“Lahat naman tayo may problema, nasa sayo nalang kung paano mo ihahandle.”

“Med student ako.”

“WOW DOC!”

“Studyante palang wag kang oa”

“Sorry nabigla eh”

There was a moment of silence so Hyunjin decided to look at the stranger beside him straight in his eyes which screamed sadness which breaks his soft heart. He hated it. “Ayaw mo?”

“Gusto ko maging singer.” Seungmin said with great frustration in his tone. “Gusto ko kumanta, I want to sing, I want to write songs, I want to make music! TANGINA AYOKO SA OSPITAL! Putangina naman oh” Seungmin was angry. He was so mad he wanted to scream it out and break everything he sees. He wanted to hurt himself for being unable to do anything but he can't. He doesn’t know what’s holding him back there in his mind to suppress all this feelings. He is just mad and all he could do is to cry which he hated the most. His tears won't stop falling. He was biting his lower lip trying to contain his feelings. He was trying so hard stop his tear from falling but he couldn’t. He was breaking down, in front of a stranger, but he couldn’t care less, its embarrassing but this isn’t as comfortable as crying alone. He just needed someone who will listen. Seungmin’s tears continued to fall more aggressively as he felt warm hand sliding through his shoulders pulling him into a tight hug. He looked up to see Hyunjin who was standing in front of him with empathetic look on his face. He hated the fact that he looks pitiful or be sympathized with but Hyunjin is more of a caring and understanding rather than what he thinks of. He allowed himself to lean his head onto Hyunjin’s midriff as the latter brushed his soft hair. “Hindi ko sasabihin na ok lang yan kasi alam kong hindi. Pero naniniwala ako na malalagpasan mo yan so please help yourself too. Don’t stop yourself from crying. You will feel better after it.”

 

Seungmin calmed down and his eyes were just so tired from crying. It brings pain whenever the wind blows into his eyes. They moved somewhere under the tree feeling the grasses for the swing was making them more dizzy from drinking too much beer. Hyunjin was leaning his back on the tree while holding a can of beer.

“Ang panget mo pala umiyak”

“Pogi mo eh”

“Well, yung nga ang sabi nila.”

“Ewan ko sayo”

Seungmin took the last sip of his beer and let out a deep sigh as he rested his head on Hyunjin's shoulder with drowsy eyes which flustered Hyunjin a bit for an unexpected moment. It’s not that he wasn’t prepared for a skinship but yeah what is this butterflies in his stomach and sudden tachycardia (?)

“Ikaw? Anong problema mo? Bakit ang dami mong beer?” seungmin asked which distracted him from facing out.

"Wala lang."

"Ah ge."

"Gago hindi mo man lang ako pipilitin"

"Ayaw mo eh"

"Lasing ka na ata"

"Uy hindi ah. baka ikaw"

"Malakas ata to!"

"O dali na kwento ka na. Tagal"

“Trainee ako. 8 years na.” 

"Saan?"

"JYP"

"Gago"

"Oo nga!"

"Gago"

"Seryoso nga!"

"Tangina? Di nga?" Seungmin straighten up to face the latter with a mixture of confusion, shocked and anticipatory feeling visible enough to see how he is doubtful about the words of the boy beside him.

Hyunjin hated it when he was being doubted. But this feelings turned different as he looked at how cute this confused boy in front of him, not knowing whether to believe him or not, which made him chuckle. 'Why is this guy so cute?' Hyunjin isn't the type of guy to explain himself but this time he is more than willing to share even the love story of his dear parents just to keep this conversation going. 

"Bakit ba? Sobrang big deal? Wag tayong oa"

"GAGO DAY6!!" Seungmin shouted with excitement and full of happiness in his eyes as if there were diamonds which was very opposite from how this boy was looking so down and unhappy.

Hyunjin felt his heart skipped a beat. Why is it so significant to see this boy happy? He has seen a lot of people being excited and happy but why is this the most precious one? "Ah idol mo?"

"Tangina sobra." Seungmin said with voice that expressed longing to meet his idols. He is like a kid  who wants to buy an ice cream but got no penny. 

Hyunjin saw the change of expression in the latter's eyes but still cute to him. Everything is just so cute and uwu. Hyunjin was happy. He likes it. This moment. He never understands how are things getting more and more interesting. He even like the sudden irregular heartbeats this boy is giving him which he is feeling right now as the boy rested his head on Hyunjin shoulder once again but he manage to play it cool.

"Kasabay ko sila magtraining, actually nauna pa nga ako eh. Pero bakit ganon? Ang labo"

Seungmin did a quick gently pat Hyunjins lower limb and uttered "You will make it one day. Kaya mo yan, ikaw pa. Support kita."

With those words, Hyunjin felt like crying. He was hearing words he wanted to hear. The words his ears was longing for. He just can't believe those words will be coming from a total stranger whom he just met but he doesnt care. He just wanted to hug Seungmin. He wanted to thank him for making him feel something he never thought he would.

"Alam mo ba ikaw lang nagsabi sakin nyan. In fairness, natouch ako. Wala na akong ibang naririnig kundi 'nagte-training ka pa din? ' kailan ka ba mag dedebut?' 'grabe ang tagal tagal mo ng trainee hanggang ngayon hindi ka pa din nakakausad' 'inaaksaya mo lang ang oras mo sa ambisyon mo kesa tulungan ang pamilya mo' sobrang sakit na sa tenga, hindi ko nga alam kung- HOY gago wag mo akong tulugan." He quivered his shoulder a bit to disturb the sleepyhead.

“Nakikinig ako wag kang malikot.” 

 “Tulog ka na eh.”

“Hindi nga.”

“Wag ka pumikit.”

“Hindi ako nakapikit."

“Makinig ka ha.”

“Oo nga.”

“So ayon nga 8 years na akong trainee. Gusto ko maging dancer. Oh diba ang cute natin, ikaw gusto mo maging singer, tapos ako gusto maging dancer. TULOG KA NA EHHH”

“HINDI NGA KULIT.”

“Yun lang. Yun lang yung kwento ko”

“Ano ba yan ang bulok mo naman mag kwento. Walang kwenta.”

“Eh wala naman akong kwenta eh”

“Artista ka ba?”

“Bakit? Pogi ko ba?”

“Arte mo eh”

“Eh nakakagago kasing isipin. 10 YEARS OLD HA!! 10 years old palang ako nag te-training na ako, tapos ngayon tangina 18 na ako trainee pa din ako. Gago bat ganon? Yung iba  kong mga kabatch lahat sila paconcert concert nalang gago musta naman ako? Minsan nga eh iniisip ko, para saakin ba talaga to? O masyado ko lang pinipilit yung gusto ko? Minsan gusto ko na lang tumigil sa pag te-training kaso naisip ko, saan ako pupunta? Yung parents ko? They don’t support me anymore and I don’t think I can face them kung hindi ako mag su-succeed.”

Hyunjin was already in the verge of giving up. He wanted to give up on his dreams, he wanted to stop but he can't. He has left with nothing to do but to practice. He can't go back to his family for he was embarrassed facing them being a failure after turning his back against them.

He let out a deep sigh as the boy resting on his shoulder was totally knocked out and obviously enjoying the dreamland. He placed seungmin’s head on his lap and positioned him more comfortably brushing the boy’s hair. He looked exhaustively at the boy’s visuals which never failed to amaze him by every inch of it. Once again, he felt really thankful for being born to meet such a beautiful being  uhm yeah second to jinyoung. He looked very peaceful. Very precious and calm. He is someone who has to be protected. As if he is a fragile expensive glass that has to be enfolded in a bubble wrap to avoid it breaking. It saddens him how such a boy who is worthy of everything has to suffer and drown himself in an ocean of frustration.

Hyunjin reached out for seungmin's hand and hold it tightly making him feel secured and protected as he slowly fall into a slumber.

♡

Hyunjin woke up the next morning with a back pain and slightly head ache. It took like a minute or two to finally realize where he was. He examined the place to look for a familiar figure with red hair but there was no signs of him. He felt sadness and regrets for not asking his name and feared that they might not be able to meet again. Standing up while picking empty cans to throw, he noticed an untouched can of beer lying on the green grass with something written on it that made hyunjin smile.

 

‘I’ll save this one for next time.’