Everyone knows Mister Ong. The grumpy old man who lives in the big white house across the park. It is impossible for someone in Beaufort to not be familiar with Mister Ong. For starters, only he and his son have that unique surname in the small town. Mister Ong is the minister of their town’s church. He and the other elders of the church work to maintain the town's people's faith in God, focusing particularly on the youth.

 

 

And that’s the sole reason why Daniel is sitting on the second row in the church, forcing himself to listen to what the Reverend Ong is talking about. He preaches about how God has plans for everyone, and that people need to be more loving and understanding of one another. The minister quotes a line from the bible; he deliberately explains how God listens to everyone’s prayers, and how it will come true if people believe in it.

 

 

“There’s a miracle for everyone if you have faith in Him.” the priest says as everyone nods and agrees.

 

 

Everyone except  Kang Daniel.

 

It’s not that Daniel doesn’t believe in God, he does to an extent, but he is more of a science guy. He would be more likely to believe in a more complicated explanation of how things come to be, than believe that “it’s God’s plan”. He thinks it’s dumb for someone to believe that everything is the work of higher power.

 

It’s stupid.

 

Daniel stops himself from yawning, he mentally keeps himself in check. He shouldn’t look uninterested or bored. After all, attending the mass every Sunday was one of his punishments. He knows that Mister Ong has two more eyes especially designed for making sure Daniel listens to every word he says. He isn’t supposed to spend his Sunday morning moping here inside the church but the recent stunt he and his friends pulled was enough to turn his Sunday into a nightmare.

 

Daniel and his friends decided that it was cool to drink within the school grounds on a Saturday night, thinking that they wouldn’t get caught. Well, they were caught but Daniel took all the blame. Daniel grimaces as he remembers the punishments Principal Choi gave him: 50 hours of volunteer work, 5 straight weeks of Mass attendance, and he will be part of the school play.

 

He flits his eyes around, scanning the pews, the church is almost jam packed. He recognizes everyone, their town is small so almost everyone is acquainted with one another.

 

Daniel follows as everyone stands up to sing a song of praise to God. The church choir then manages to catch Daniel’s attention. He admits that their little town is really full of kind and talented people like those kids. He recognizes some of the faces he frequently sees in school. Daniel’s eyes then lands on the boy singing the solo of the song, his voice is so soothing Daniel feels like he is being lured to sleep for an eternity. He recognizes the boy, he is the Reverend’s son.

 

Ong Seongwu is someone who every parent in this town wants their child to be friends with. If there is a personification of goodness, Daniel knows it would look like him. He goes to the orphanage every weekend to help, and play with the kids. On weekdays, he helps the librarian arrange books without being asked to. He lets people cut in the line in canteen during lunch, and picks up any injured animal he sees on the street and brings them to the veterinarian . The parents in the neighborhood loves him too. They give him baked goods whenever he passes by their houses.

 

In summary, Ong Seongwu is the nice kid that puts Daniel and his friends to shame whenever he looks in their direction.

 

Although they grew up in the same neighborhood and studied at the same school from elementary to high school, Daniel couldn’t remember any conversation between them. Though they do know each other’s name, he is pretty sure of that. Occasionally, Seongwu will smile in greeting whenever he sees him and Daniel will just nod in return. That’s it.

 

It’s not like Daniel wants to associate himself with the boy. If you were to ask him, Daniel wouldn’t even bat an eye at Seongwu. They live in a different world.

 

While Seongwu lives to see the good in people, loving and helping anyone who needs help, Daniel is the opposite. No, Daniel isn’t exactly the bad boy type, at least that’s what he claims. He doesn’t beat people around or do drugs in small and narrow alleyways. He doesn’t intentionally breaks people hearts or with everyone who wants a piece of him. But he and his friends occasionally do some stupid things that causes them to land their asses in detention.

 

Daniel isn’t like Seongwu.

 

He’s isn't bad, but he isn’t a good boy either.

 

Daniel lets his gaze stay on Seongwu even after the song is finished. The boy is far too different from Daniel. He is always wearing long, white, sleeved shirt that’s probably a size too big for him. His hair is styled almost too cleanly. Like the hairstyle you usually see on a church boy. He is simple—too simple for Daniel’s liking. He isn’t really ugly, but he is just not attractive either. Despite his white complexion, small face, and coffee brown eyes—-he is too plain looking. And it's obvious from the way he presents himself that Seongwu doesn't care about his appearance.

 

 

“Maybe he is looking for ‘inner beauty’” Sungwoon, one of his close friends, joked once.

 

 

Daniel remembers that old brown cardigan that Seongwu always wore to school. It was hideous, all of his choices of clothing were, but the boy seemed to love wearing it. He had worn it since the first day of high school and hey, they were already onto their fourth now. Daniel often sees Seongwu hanging around the library, studying his off even when they don’t have exams. He doesn’t have a group of friends to sit with during lunch, nor anyone to hang out with after class.

 

 

It is also not a secret that the boy never had a girlfriend or boyfriend. Daniel isn’t sure if it’s because of Reverend Ong’s strictness or because of the bible Seongwu always carries around. If Mister Ong doesn’t scare away any potential love interests, he is sure the bible does.

 

 

Ah, don’t get Daniel wrong, he does read the bible sometimes, but he doesn’t enjoy it as much as Seongwu does. Daniel would rather spend his time flirting around or kissing girls than reading Paul’s letter to Ephesians. Where is the fun in that anyway?

 

 

For Seongwu, everything is in the Lord’s plan. You missed the first class because you overslept? Must be God’s plan to save you from something worse happening. A surprise exam? It must be Lord’s plan to challenge you.

 

 

Another thing that made Seongwu and Daniel different is that while the former is a loner, he is still so goddamn cheerful all the time. It drives Daniel crazy to know that a person could be that happy every time he sees him. Daniel is almost sure that Seongwu is the type of person who would forgive anyone for anything.

 

 

Daniel’s musings stop when Seongwu catches him staring, the boy’s lips lift upward as his eyes crinkle. He gives Daniel a smile that seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness.

Daniel quickly averts his eyes, embarrassed to be caught staring by the Reverend’s son.

 

 

 

But one thing he realizes is that Seongwu has a really nice smile.

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel sighs as he climbs down the stairs and the sight of his mother’s disappointed face greets him. Today is Saturday, the starts of his detention work slash punishment at the Orphanage. He grips the strap of his bag a little tighter, his headphones are blasting music loudly into his ears but that doesn’t cover the whispers of his conscience inside his head. Just like a million times before, his mother is disappointed in him. It’s not like it’s the first time this has happened but Daniel’s heart still hurts a little whenever his mom makes this face.

 

His mother might not notice but he is trying his best too. It’s not like he chose his life to be like this.

 

 

“Daniel, your father called. He wants to see you.”

 

 

With just one mention of his father, Daniel feels his energy disappear into thin air. His father is probably the last person Daniel would want to see. He left them to be with a woman he just met years ago.He was only eight years old, still a little too young to experience his world falling apart beneath his feet.

 

 

His father broke his heart before any girl or guy could and Daniel loathes him for that.

 

 

He casts his mother a look. He doesn’t want to. It’s the last thing he will even do.

 

 

 

“Just try.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Can I sit beside you?”

 

A not-so-familiar voice asks him. Daniel looks up and observes how all of the remaining seats in the shuttle bus are already taken. Daniel nods as he knows that he doesn’t have another choice.

 

Ong Seongwu, the Good boy of Beaufort is sitting beside him. Today he’s wearing a blue long sleeved shirt that is twice his size.

Daniel thinks all of his clothes are always too big for him, he's always covered from head to toe as if he was hiding something beneath those baggy clothes.

 

Today, Seongwu’s hair is not styled like the usual, he lets his bangs fall down on his forehead. Daniel thinks he kind of resembles a cat. A small black cat.

 

He looks at him with eyes twinkling with innocence and gentleness, And the corners of his thin lips pulled up into a soft smile.

 

Compared to Daniel, Seongwu looks like an angel.

 

“Hello Daniel, do you need any help in teaching the kids later?”

 

“It's probably better if you get to know them first. Let them warm up to you before starting to teach them.”

 

“I heard that Woojin is assigned to you, he’s a bit of a handful but he’s nice boy once you get to know him”

 

Seongwu starts talking about how nice the orphans are, and how good are they at studying if only they could afford to study in school. He keeps blabbering about the things Daniel doesn’t know or care about and it’s starting to piss him off. He’s not in a good enough mood to hear about other people’s struggles when he’s struggling himself. He doesn’t want to hear about what God’s plan is for his life nor what he ate for breakfast.

 

First, Seongwu and Daniel are not friends.

 

Second, they will never be friends.

 

Fed up, Daniel turns to look at Seongwu. He forces a smile on his lips, a tight smile, and Seongwu stops talking. He’s probably waiting to hear what Daniel has to say.

 

“Stop talking. I don’t need an advice from someone like you.”

 

Daniel might have sounded rude but he just wants him to leave him alone. He doesn’t want to associate himself with someone like Seongwu. It’s bad enough that he has to do his volunteer thing--he is forced to do this, he’s not here to make friends or anything.

 

Instead of getting angry, Seongwu just smiles at him. “Daniel, are you having fun with your life?”

 

Daniel is supposed to say yes. He's supposed to brag about how happy and content he is with his life right now--how he has friends to talk and hang out with, how he has a wonderful and loving mother waiting for him at home, how he has the looks and the money to spend on silly things.

 

He wants to lie and say those things.

 

But he doesn’t.

 

“At least, I have a life unlike you.”

 

Bull. He doesn’t intend to be mean at Seongwu. He is merely asking a question that is answerable with a yes or no but Daniel chooses to be what people already think he is: an .

 

“Why do you think I don’t have a life?”

 

Daniel shrugs his shoulders, “I know you. We went to the same school and have been in the same class since kindergarten. I know you’re Ong Seongwu, the kind and obedient son of Reverend Ong. You sit at table number 7, which is the I-have-no-friends table, with no one but your goddamn bible. You have exactly one ugly sweater. You like to hum when you’re walking and greet anyone you see. Oh, and you also go to the Orphanage every weekend or hang out with those nerds from Stars and Planets. All in all, your life is as boring as how you look.”

 

By the time Daniel had finished talking, Seongwu had lost the smile that had been on his face and Daniel feels kinda guilty for causing that. But he should have stopped talking when Daniel asked him to. It’s not his fault.

 

He doesn’t intend to hurt him intentionally, but he kind of did.

 

“Thoroughly predictable. Nothing I've not heard before.”

 

Daniel frowns. Does he even get angry about anything? Daniel is already being an . Why can’t he just shut up and let him be, like most people would do.

 

“Exactly. That’s what people think about you.”

 

The bus arrives at the destination. The volunteers start leaving the bus but the two of them remain seated in their seats. Daniel feels hypnotized as he locks eyes with Ong Seongwu.

 

“What they think about me and what I think about myself doesn’t have to be the same, Daniel.”

 

Seongwu leaves but what he said echoes through Daniel’s mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Help me, Seongwu.”

 

Daniel blurts out to a shocked Seongwu in the empty hallway. In a moment of desperation, Daniel has swallowed all of his pride. He needs help in preparing for his role in the Spring Play. Not that he wanted to do this, but because he has no choice. The principal has made it clear that Daniel is to participate in said play.

 

Seongwu has always been part of the drama club, well, not really acting but the singing part.

 

“What do you need from me, Kang Daniel?” Seongwu asks in a kind voice. The tone he uses with almost everyone.

 

“Help me with my lines for the play.” Daniel says in a rush manner. Afraid that someone else will hear their conversation.

 

“Okay. “ Seongwu nods, Daniel grins. “But on one condition.”

 

Daniel’s grin falters but he couldn’t let this chance go. “Of course.” He answers back.

 

Seongwu looks almost serious. The kind smile he always pulls on everyone is gone. It’s almost as if he is standing in front of another Seongwu, a serious and intimidating version of him. “Do not fall in love with me.”

 

That’s it? Daniel cracks a laugh. Does he really think that he will fall for him? Though Daniel is open to anything or anyone, he is pretty sure that Seongwu isn’t his type.

 

It’s crazy for him to think that Daniel will fall for him. Daniel stops laughing when he notices that Seongwu doesn’t even crack a smile. “Consider it done.”

 

With that, the kind smile he was familiar withcame back. “Come over to our house after school then.” Seongwu says as he closes his locker.

 

Daniel watches as Seongwu fades away from his sight. He grins when he remembers the boy’s condition before helping him. He wouldn’t fall in love with Seongwu even if he strips or seduces him. Seongwu is too pure and plain for someone like Daniel.

 

Daniel walks to the opposite end of the hallway.

 

“Don’t fall in love with me.”

 

He laughs. He doesn’t have to ask.

 

“Maybe in another universe, I’ll fall in love with you.”

 

——

 

It’s the third time Daniel has come over to Seongwu’s house to practice his lines. The first day was awkward, Daniel didn’t know how to even use the correct emotions for different scenarios but Seongwu was very patient with him. He didn’t get frustrated nor mad at Daniel’s lack of skills. Instead, he thoroughly explained each and every line that Daniel needs to portray. He explained to him the personality of the character he will be playing.

 

It’s the third day but Daniel has yet to properly act the last scene. It’s the scene where Daniel’s character Youngmin realizes what he feels towards the woman, Sooyoung. He needs to portray a man who just realized he’s in love after being friends with her for almost a decade, but the problem is, Daniel hasn’t fall in love yet.

 

He doesn’t know how to express the feeling or how to act like he is in love.

 

Daniel does flirt and date— he plays around but he hasn’t found someone whom he could fall for yet. He hasn’t liked someone enough for them to be his first love.

 

“You need to act in love Daniel. Look at her as if she’s the only person in your world—” Seongwu’s voice falters,”or something like that.” Seongwu sounds unsure too.

 

“Have you ever fallen in love, Seongwu?” Daniel asks, he puts down the papers which contains the lines for the play on the coffee table.

 

“Me? With God.” Seongwu grins playfully and Daniel laughs.

 

One thing he realized by spending time with Seongwu is that he can be extremely funny at times too. He has already made Daniel laugh more than once— and that is already something.

 

“No. Silly. Like dating—love?” Daniel asks again.

 

Seongwu freezes as if Daniel has asked something sensitive. He notices how the boy stiffens and how his eyes turn so sad. So sad that Daniel wants to unsee it. Seongwu looks sad and Daniel hates seeing Seongwu sad.

 

“Me? Who will ever fall in love with me?” Seongwu frowns. He plays with hem of his over-worn old cardigan. “Look at me? Who will ever love someone like me?”

 

“I—”

 

Daniel frowns. He doesn’t mean it to be like that, he is just genuinely curious if the boy has ever fallen in love. He hasn’t either. The feeling of first love, he hasn’t experienced it yet. He wants to tell Seongwu that. But somehow, It doesn’t sound comforting and Daniel just wants Seongwu to smile again.

 

“Hey— don’t look down on yourself like that. You’re smart, funny, and very kind to everyone, even to someone like me— i mean, you’re not the most handsome one around here, but—-“ Daniel stutters as he locks eyes with Seongwu’s sad ones, “My point is— you’re easy to love too. You just need the find the right person at the right time.”

 

Daniel knows he isn’t the most eloquent one when giving advice but the moment he sees the familiar smile on Seongwu’s lips he feels a sudden surge of pure joy exploding through his body. He mirrors the smile of Seongwu.

 

“Thank you, Daniel.”

 

Daniel means what he said. Seongwu is very special. The person who will love him would be very lucky.

 

Daniel stops smiling as he stares at the distracted Seongwu who's fiddling with his jacket. He notices that the boy is really thin for someone his age. Just today, he discovers that the boy is actually older than him by a year but started studying late, that’s why he’s in the same year as Daniel. He should eat a little more.

 

Seongwu looks so fragile. Like an elegant and expensive porcelain that may break once you touch them.

 

Daniel sighs as he shakes his head from these unwelcome thoughts.

 

Maybe in another universe, Daniel will really fall in love with this Seongwu.

 

But not this time.

 

———

 

Daniel sings to his car’s radio as he is on his way home from Jaehwan’s Birthday party. It’s been a while since he went drinking after the whole punishment thing. Daniel squints his eyes when he sees a familiar face walking down the road—to the cemetery. It’s odd enough that he is there walking, at this ungodly hour, but the big bag on his back looks more suspicious. He stops his car and climbs out to follow the boy. When he is near enough, he calls him to get his attention.

 

“Seongwu!”

 

Seongwu immediately looks for the source of the voice, he sighs with relief when he sees it is just Daniel. “What are you doing here, Daniel?”

 

Daniel raises an eyebrow, “I could ask you the same thing.”

 

“I’m here to bury a body.”

 

“Shocking.”

 

Seongwu continues walking while Daniel follows. This is the part of the town where no one dares to stroll around, especially in the evening. There are some stories going around about the spirits living in the graveyard.

 

“Aren’t you afraid there’d be ghosts here?”

 

“Don’t fear someone you can’t see. Fear the living.”

 

Daniel shrugs but walks closer towards Seongwu. He wouldn’t dare to admit it but he’s pretty scared of ghosts himself. When they arrive, Seongwu opens his gigantic bag and reveals a big telescope.

 

“You want to see stars?”

 

“No, I’m here to see the Summer Triangle.”

 

“A constellation?” Daniel asks as he sits on the grass.

 

Daniel is surprised to see the graveyard clean. Row upon row of white marble tombstones are aligned with each other, all shining and polished perfectly. He observes how everything is just the same for every tombstone except for the names they bear.

 

“It doesn’t happen again in 3 years, I can’t miss it. It’s the 10th in my list.” Seongwu answers while looking into his telescope.

 

“List of what?”

 

“The things I want to experience before I die.”

 

Daniel nods as he looks to the sky.

 

The starry night above them is better than anything Daniel has seen (he isn’t really the person who appreciates things like this). These are the same stars that greeted the people that lived thousands of years before them, and the same ones that would be there for another million of years.

 

“Those stars are lucky. They’ve been there for so long. They witnessed everything and everyone that lived in this world.”

 

Seongwu looks at Daniel, he gives him an impressed look. “Wow. Your mind.” He laughs. The other just coughs awkwardly.

 

Ugh.

 

“What other things do you have on your list?” Daniel says as he tries to shift the topic towards the other.

 

Daniel is genuinely curious. Everyday he is learning something about Seongwu that simply amazes him. Daniel has never had anything planned for the future. He never had a plan or any dreams growing up.

 

“Just small things.” Seongwu’s face brightened, “Dancing under the rain, standing at two different places at once , swimming with a dolphin—Getting a small tattoo. They are small things but they're things i really want to experience.” He pauses as he stares into Daniel’s eyes,“What about you Daniel? What do you want to do in the future?”

 

“My mom—she wants me to go to college. I just don’t know what course to take.”

 

“You should think about it then.” Seongwu nods. He sits closer beside Daniel as the two of them stare at the sky full of stars above them.

 

Silence envelops the two as they sit on the green grass surrounded by tombstones. It was ironic to talk about dreams while hanging out in the place where the dead lay.

 

“You? What course would you take?” Daniel asked Seongwu.

 

And just like in Seongwu’s backyard, he freezes as if Daniel asked him a sensitive question. His body tenses as his hands start fiddling with his cardigan. The same old cardigan he loves to wear.

 

“I can’t go to college.” Seongwu says, almost too—lonely? Sad? Grieving?

 

Daniel turns to look at Seongwu.

 

“Why? Is it money? I’m pretty sure you can get a scholarship with a brain like yours.”

 

Seongwu laughs dryly, “It’s not that I won’t. I just can’t.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Just because. There are things you don’t know about me, Daniel.”

 

As matter of fact, Daniel does agree with that. There’s more to Seongwu than what he knows . There’s more to Seongwu as the Reverend’s son he thought he knew all his life. He realizes a lot of things when he’s with Seongwu—and it scares him.

 

It’s probably his positive energy radiating to Daniel, and Daniel is almost a little too convinced that

Seongwu is affecting him in the most positive way.

 

But the most important thing that he realizes this night is he wants to get to know him more. He wants to know all the things that others don’t know about him.

 

Daniel likes learning things about Seongwu. It’s like there’s an infinity of things he has yet to understand—and being with Seongwu helps him to understand himself a little better.

 

He helps him appreciate life a little better.

 

“The night is young. Why don’t you tell me then?”

 

Seongwu laughs.

 

“I will tell you but then I’ll have to kill you.”

 

Daniel scoffs. If you would tell him months before that he and Seongwu would be watching the stars at the graveyard all by themselves, Daniel would probably laugh and say that it wouldn’t happen. Not in this universe.

 

But here they are, two different souls, finding comfort in each other.

 

Seongwu is like a flame, Daniel is like a moth.

 

He was already warned not to play with the flame but the moth can’t help but be enchanted by the mystery of the flame.

 

 

In this universe, maybe Daniel could really fall in love with Seongwu.

 

 

---------

 

Daniel laughs as he watches Jaehwan’s silly dance. The group is currently hanging out in the hallway waiting for their next class. Daniel’s group of friends is composed of boys who are mostly like him. Wild, carefree, problematic boys who only know how to have fun. But they’ve been friends since they were in kindergarten.

 

Daniel laughs again when his eyes catches a familiar looking boy. The said boy is wearing his favorite cardigan again. Daniel immediately averts his eyes, he doesn’t want to interact with Seongwu right now.

 

It’s not that he is embarrassed but his friends don’t know that he asked Seongwu for help. They would surely for asking him for help.

And that’s the least thing Daniel wants to worry about.

 

They are not technically bullies but there are times they laugh at other people just because. And one of those people is Seongwu.

 

“Here comes the man of your dreams, Daniel.” Sungwoon said. Daniel immediately shoot him an irritated look.

 

“Shut up bro.”

 

“Man, look at those baggy pants. I swear my father owns a pair of those” Jaehwan commented.

 

Daniel throws Jaehwan a look for them to stop. No