-1-

Yawning repeatedly and walking to school, Sunghoon immediately realizes that the atmosphere around has something crowded unusually. Many students gather at a corner of the yard. They talk and laugh with joy, and somewhere echoes music and the sound of guitar. Sunghoon is so curious that he runs hastily and glues his eyes to the crowd but then suddenly remembering that there are some homework he hasn’t yet done, Sunghoon is grieved and he resigns to backing to class.
Feeling regret and standing at the corridor to look down, Sunghoon can see clearly the shining black sinciputs of two male students, a person crosses his leg and plays guitar that looks so seasoned, the other one sits and sings without micro but he still attracts the audience by his sweet voice which is like a candy. Suddenly Sunghoon thinks about calling for Jaejin to make a mini concert and a meeting like this. Sunghoon smiles with himself because of feeling excited about this intention. Sunghoon essentially and really likes singing, every time he has a bath, he is bewitched to stand under the shower and drone out few song lines then he will naturally see his soul lighter and more comfortable.
"Jaejin hyung won’t agree, will he?"
his finger to draw his name on the banisters which has been full of dust, Sunghoon continues to dream of someday he can stand on stage and perform in front of thousands of people but it is supposedly to be uneasy. Sunghoon’s family and relatives, no many people support him to join the showbiz because all of them can predict dozens of extreme and bitter things that Sunghoon will must suffer, from the eyes examine thoroughly even to every pore to insulting statements without making concessions. Public opinion is a knife with two blades and being a famous person is giving his fate to the masses’ hands. If Sunghoon says he isn’t scared, it’s wrong, but Sunghoon has never thought about changing his intention. He doesn’t believe that everything will be off the orbit and become worse if he knows to dominate himself from delicate actions and speeches. Anyway, the road ahead is still long, Sunghoon must study hard and convince his mom.

.
Turning around to keep going and abruptly seeing Jiwon, Sunghoon briefly startles and turns his head to another direction. There’s no way but running really fast, he steps to the right to find the exit then Jiwon also steps to the right, moving to the left then he’s so surprised that Jiwon still follows him. Sunghoon now can know Jiwon is deliberately blocking his way.
- Let’s have a little talk.
Not waiting for Sunghoon to react, Jiwon holds Sunghoon’s wrist and draws him towards the end of the deserted corridor. The noisy music nearby slowly becomes dim in Sunghoon’s mind because the person whom he is facing now is the one he still wants to dodge.
- Why changing the boarding house? – Jiwon decides to ask straight.
- I don’t want to bother aunt and you anymore. I want to be independent.
- So why not tell me?
- ...
- I also need to know who goes in and who goes out my house. If your reason is wanting to be independent, why didn’t you tell me? You thought that I would keep you?
- ...
- I will never keep you.
The heart slightly feels stinging pain, Sunghoon still tries to smile with calm. That kiss was really because Jiwon got drunk, and Sunghoon unintentionally became a guy replacing a girl whose heart could not reach the limitation to accept Jiwon. However, if Sunghoon used to be scared much, today he suddenly loathes. Sunghoon doesn’t raise his voice hurriedly, he waits for Jiwon to see whether Jiwon will say something next or not, then slowly replies:
- You’re like a changeable wind, I don’t dare to expect you to keep me.
Having done, Sunghoon keeps his head up and looks straight at Jiwon’s eyes. Sunghoon has never understood Jiwon, why can he know what that eyes where are keeping the opposite person’s image want to say.
- From now on you’ll not have to worry that there is always a male student riding bike and eating with you every meal.
- You want to break off the connection with me?
- Nope. It’s just better if I keep distance from you.
- Why do you must keep distance from me?
Witnessing Jiwon’s sharp eyes, Sunghoon is surprised with himself because he is no longer shy and worried when encountering them, anyway, this will be also the last time he can see an Eun Jiwon who is angry with him, and then someday the pain in his heart will naturally reduce.
Jiwon glowers his eyes and looks at the face of the child standing opposite which is calm strangely. He can immediately feel a sudden headache slowly covering all his body. He has never overcome an annoyance in front of a situation like this, he’s so annoyed that he can only confine himself to the old spot that he can’t open his mouth to say anything.
- Am I only a guy replacing for that girl, the girl whom you’ve been spending all your high school period to follow?
- ...
- Even the kiss you gave me that night, was it also because you got drunk so you thought that I was that noona?
Jiwon suddenly cries out like a hungry tiger. He slaps strongly his hand on the wall making Sunghoon briefly panic. Sunghoon turns his head about and tries not to sigh with tiredness.
- I’ve to go.
- No.
Putting the remaining palm on the wall, Jiwon lets Sunghoon fall into his controllable distance. Looking at Sunghoon attentively as if he didn’t want to miss any moments existing Sunghoon’s images, Jiwon knits his brows, his lips and tries to ask himself to be calm, then resumes:
- I need to ask you a thing.
- ...
- Do you know if you leave, what will I need from you the best?
- What do you still need from a guy like me?
Sunghoon keeps his head up and looks at Jiwon’s face being elastic. Are those eyes dewed with tears? No, they aren’t. Why does Jiwon have to shed tears because of a superfluous person like Sunghoon? At present Sunghoon only wants to escape here and this limited distance while Jiwon is directly not allowing Sunghoon to leave Jiwon's sight. Sunghoon doesn’t worry that Jiwon will do something to him because he believes that Jiwon is making a strong effort to be calmer. However, the longer Sunghoon stays here, the hurter his heart will get. Sunghoon slightly hides his sadness which is appearing clearly at his corners of eye. He smiles and bravely asks Jiwon again.
- Tell me. What do you need from me?
Jiwon is haggard and looks at Sunghoon of those days and months who is near him but it seems to be too far. It turned out that Sunghoon was no longer a child that Jiwon could ignore his emotions, on the contrary, Sunghoon revenged Jiwon with a sweet approach, he made Jiwon quickly sink in depth and forced Jiwon to cast off his indifferent ‘mask’. Ok, if Sunghoon wants to hear, Jiwon will tell him - tell the truth and not have to delete any sound.
- So let me tell you what I need from you.
- I’m ready.
- I need you.
The whole Sunghoon’s body is freezed like a stone statue.
- Because you stole my heart so I must need you.
- … What are you talking about?
Jiwon’s lips are more and more trembling. He suddenly says in a voice choked with emotion.
- I love you.
- …
Sunghoon can’t expect that this day will come so he doesn’t want to believe in what he heard. A moment ago, Jiwon talked ruthlessly to Sunghoon, put down Sunghoon’s last hope and lighted in Sunghoon’s mind about a new journey without Jiwon, but then Jiwon said that he loved Sunghoon. What happening now makes Sunghoon only think of the invisible existence of an excessive joke. Sunghoon casts down his eyes completely then he can feel Jiwon’s breath thread its way through his ears with every strong beat. Maybe Jiwon is much tired and annoyed, but what can two people do with it? And Sunghoon, he’s only the true person who cannot do anything now. What will be a satisfactory anwser? For Jiwon, and for him...
After a while his mind was pulled and pushed that he thought it would be explode, Sunghoon tightens his lips and thinks about the final answer, then he takes the last breath and replies:
- But I don’t like you anymore.
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.

.
Quickly escaping Jiwon, Sunghoon runs down the school yard and lets himself dissolve again into the crowd enjoying music. No matter how much eventful the atmosphere around is, Sunghoon’s mind can only absorb it for a while then it immediately becomes empty. He’s scared, so scared although his heart is still sure that Jiwon will never follow him just in order to aksing more some things, but he keeps running until he feels tired and then he realizes that he has divided himself from the crowd. Sunghoon sits strongly on the bench lied right at campus, he both be breathless from tiredness and raises his hand to wipe the sweat sponging down. He wants to cry but his tear cannot shed even a half. Sunghoon didn’t want to say he no longer liked Jiwon like that, but at that time he had no other thoughts. Leaving Jiwon was what Sunghoon wanted, why did he have to worry?
- Don’t you enjoy the concert?
- Jaejin hyung, good morning.
Seeing Jaejin, Sunghoon pretends to having nothing happened but he seems that he couldn’t hide it because of Jaejin’s sharp-witted eyes. Sunghoon looks at Jaejin slowly sitting by his side, then suddenly wants to find a hold to cry.
- You look sad.
Jaejin knows at all, but this time he wants to let Sunghoon talk about Sunghoon’s feelings himself.
- Stealing someone’s heart... how is it?
- It means you hold the power to control their emotions. You’re happy then they’re happy. You’re sad then they’re sad, sometimes their sadness is more thousand times than yours.
- ... I don’t want to treat anyone like this. So how can I pay their heart back?
Jaejin thinks so long when his mind abruptly falls in the empty state, then smacks his lips and says:
- You can’t do it.
Sunghoon looks much surprised and turns his wide eyes towards Jaejin. Maybe he needs from Jaejin an explanation.
- Because that thing’s depended on the person whose heart is hold by you. Don’t make the burden for yourself. You’re not at fault.
Jaejin smiles to finish his answer. He slaps Sunghoon’s shoulder to encourage Sunghoon then he can see the child’s mood has been better somehow. After that, Jaejin looks at his pocket few seconds and takes out two pieces of paper. Jaejin gives to Sunghoon a piece, then he stays still to observe Sunghoon who is reading the printed white words attentively.
- Concert ticket?
Sunghoon turns his shining eyes towards Jaejin. Seeing Jaejin nod his head, Sunghoon can forget all the tiredness and smile with excitement. A moment ago, Sunghoon intended to calling for Jaejin to make a mini concert at the school yard, now it’s Jaejin suddenly asking Sunghoon to go to a concert, so Sunghoon cannot refuse.
- See you tonight. I’ll come to pick you up.
- I got it. I’ll wait for you in front of the gate.

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-2-
Having come home after school, Jiwon lies down on the armchair, lets his arm touch the floor as if he didn’t have energy to raise it up. Although Jiwon knows the fact that he eavesdropped this morning was wrong, but anyway he did it by mistake. What he heard was just that two people would go to a concert together tonight. Saying with himself that there is absolutely no complicated relationship between Sunghoon and Jaejin, Jiwon still cannot prevent his mind from the confusing, even anxious mood somewhat. Thinking of the moment when Sunghoon said that he didn’t like Jiwon anymore, Jiwon feels his heart a more stinging pain. Is it possible to be over like that? The destiny between Jiwon and Sunghoon simply will stop because two people love each other at the different period, it turned out that the fate was so much whimsical. Jiwon keeps his head up, looks at the ceiling then drags a half-smile when he thinks that he is about to going crazy and he cannot control it.
"I have one more concert ticket. I give it to you, go for relaxing."
Having a thoughtful friend is good, but if Jiwon comes here then he encounters Sunghoon and Jaejin, what will he be able to do? Jiwon beats strongly the ticket on the table, sighs with depression and lays his face downwards on the seatback. He tries to fall asleep.
.

.
- Jiwon, don’t you eat dinner?
Waking up and realizing that he has slept for rather long, Jiwon tries to sit up, his dim eyes look ahead. Mom has backed. The time he lived alone here was so hard.
- I’m not hungry.
- Come one. Sit up and wash your face. I bring with me some food from our hometown. The day after tomorrow your Dad’ll come here and stay with us.
Hearing mom talk about dad, Jiwon startles. During these months, Jiwon hasn’t met his dad. Two years ago, Jiwon’s dad used his saving money to buy this house for his wife and son to live so that his son could feel convenient to study in the new school, then he started erecting again a new property after his failure so he didn’t have time to stay home with this small family. Few months ago, Jiwon’s dad went business in somewhere belonging to the remaining half of the Earth and opened a more developing future for his company, but suddenly he was so sick that he must finish everything quickly and backed to the hometown. Therefore, mom had left here for a long time. Finally, dad is better and he is about to coming back here, this family’s members can gather again. If Jiwon only introduced Sunghoon to his dad – a child who only heard that there was a boarding house then would follow unconditionally with his luggage - that’s so silly.
- A moment ago, Sunghoon called me.
Jiwon stops his thoughts completely. Sunghoon’s images appear immediately and clearly in his mind.
- He asked me if I had backed to this house.
- Did he say something more?
- Nope. I asked for his present state then I heard that he still lived well, the new place was also comfortable, although he must cook himself, it’s okay. Sunghoon said that he missed Kimchi that I made so much.
Jiwon bursts out laughing. Sunghoon turned out to be good at saying sweet statements like that.
- Didn’t you meet Sunghoon at school?
Having to make the data in his brain stop again, Jiwon shakes his head and says no. Why does he must say out loud when this morning he faced a such awkward scene? Sunghoon’s eyes at that time was not the eyes of a little rabbit which was shy and scared, it’s not also the eyes of sadness mixing with a bit anger and annoyance. On the contrary, it was strong and sharp like a wild panther. Sunghoon made Jiwon become little that he could only scream to hide the worry stabbing straight to his heart. Essentially, Jiwon had never yielded to anyone until this morning.
- Maybe you and him didn’t have natural bonds.
Having done said, Jiwon’s mom slaps slightly on Jiwon’s thigh to console her son then walks into the kitchen. Looking at the attic which has been quickly empty and no shine makes a mournful feeling, she can only sigh. Seeing a child happy and active like Sunghoon, she asked Sunghoon to come here so that Jiwon would have more friends and he would be less quiet, but now... she may have no other way.
- Mom.
Jiwon’s voice echoes from his own room.
- I won’t eat dinner. I’ll go out a moment.
Jiwon quickly takes a bath then changes a neat clothes, a striped-shirt with simple jeans. He wears his favourite sneakers then quickens his step and goes out. He doesn’t reply his mom’s call.
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- The show is about to beginning.
Sunghoon is very excited. He lets his body forwards and looks at the stage. Two seats that Jaejin got lie at the top in a very large conference room. Because the amounts of people accessed to the system to buy ticket was very big, Jaejin couldn’t compete and then two people resigned themselves to accepting that. Jaejin’s face is slightly furrowed. He rubs his hands then says to Sunghoon’s ear in whisper:
- Sitting here is so inconvenient. I’m sorry.
- No problem.
Sunghoon smiles with his eyes close. He takes out the bottle of water that he has just bought and slides it into Jaejin’s hands, then asks Jaejin to drink. Seeing that, Jaejin only sets his mind at rest and sighs with relief.
- Hyung, in the future... I wanna be a singer.
Jaejin says an exclamative word unconsciously that makes Sunghoon ashamed. Sunghoon leans whole his back on the seatback then resumes:
- Singing in front of the audience and hearing them scream to cheer me, it’s so great. At that time... I can invite Jaejin hyung to join the band or be my manager.
Jaejin bursts out laughing then shakes his head repeatedly, replies:
- Being your manager, I’ll have to worry about everything. I wanna in the same band with you.
Music beginning makes the room’s atmosphere become thunderous only after a second. Everybody stand up and clap hands, all the dicussions slowly dissapear. Jaejin casts a furtive glance at Sunghoon’s face which is very happy then he also feels happy. Being stolen heart by another one is exactly like this, but Jaejin doesn’t expect that he is not the only one who turns to Sunghoon, it’s more unexpected when the second person is Jaejin’s best friend since his childhood. Having walked together, shared with each other and so many times ‘being together’ during the childhood, but two people now must resign themselves to step towards two different fighting-lines? Jiwon is very ambitious, Jaejin is also not less ambitious than. However, if this love affair becomes a fight about action and wisdom, its result forever belongs to Sunghoon’s decision.
- Can I go out?
Suddenly hearing Sunghoon’s voice gentle by his ear, Jaejin slightly trembles because of feeling puzzled. Right after that, he feels surprised then says:
- It’s just started for not so long.
- I have a phone call.
Hearing that, Jaejin immediately instructs Sunghoon carefully about the direction to back to the room. Still being afraid that Sunghoon will be lost then Jaejin will must get into a state of panic and find him, Jaejin looks at Sunghoon until that figure is hidden from view, then his mind can firmly believe that everything will be alright. Letting his body lean on the seatback comfortably, Jaejin abruptly finds out another familiar figure who is managing to find his seat at beyond the corner.
- Jiwon?...
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-3-
The curtain has fallen, Jiwon wakes up in dream, looks at the watch then knows that it’s over 11 p.m. Moving every heavy step to leave the seat, he realizes that there are only few people around then wonder himself that if this concert really helped him relax. Maybe Sunghoon did not come here, but if he did, Jiwon’s mom may right when saying that Jiwon and Sunghoon didn’t have natural bonds anymore.
"Actually, being met one another was also a natural bond."
Jiwon realizes that he misses Sunghoon much more than his expectation.
" – New Year is going to come, what will Jiwon hyung want to do?
- Nothing.
- Or... going to see firework with me. Let’s elbow into the overpass.
- I don’t like it."
Yes, really miss him so much...
.

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Having led Sunghoon to his house, Jaejin has some regret and he doesn’t want to leave. Suddenly remembering an important thing that he must do now, Jaejin opens the backpack in secret in front of the curious eyes of Sunghoon then takes out a stuff.
- It’s for you.
Sunghoon becomes woozy and looks at the scarf with every beautiful straight knitting line, then he gazes without blinking at Jaejin.
- When you go out, you never keep your neck warm. Few days later, the weather will be colder, so…
Not waiting for Sunghoon to reply, Jaejin puts the scarf round Sunghoon’s neck then slowly makes a knot.
- What I need to do to requite you?
Sunghoon is briefly moved. He raises his hand to touch slightly the scarf then it with his respect. After that, Sunghoon doesn’t know to say anything next. Jaejin hyung is so good that makes Sunghoon feel himself so weak.
- I don’t need you to requite me.
Jaejin slightly rubs the head of the child who is hesitating at his sight. Sunghoon will cannot see Jaejin’s eyes with full of love now, and Jaejin also doesn’t want to let Sunghoon see it. Everything all needs more time.
- Thank hyung. I’ll stand you a meal someday.
- Back to your room. It’s dark, so go carefully.
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Backing to room slowly and running his eyes around the whole room few seconds, Sunghoon puts the backpack at a corner of the bed then lies down comfortably. It has been a long time that Sunghoon could enjoy a concert but this is the first time he could see it at a very big space in the city, both the atmosphere and music quality were much better. And maybe it is also the first time there has been a person who didn’t prove to prevent Sunghoon from his dream to step into the art door or look down on it, that person even wanted to be Sunghoon’s partner. The way Jaejin acts and what he says can make everyone surprised but all of them are sincere and straight. Jaejin’s really worthy.
Disengaging the calendar on the wall, Sunghoon mumbles and counts day to know when New Year will come, finally he realizes it will be exactly one week. Sunghoon still remembers very clearly that he called for Jiwon to enjoy firework with him but Jiwon said that he didn’t like it, so Sunghoon was grieved and resigned himself to arranging the schedule for going alone. It’s so fortunate that Jaejin has invited Sunghoon. Thinking about Jiwon, Sunghoon suddenly remembers the figure of someone stepping across the dim light in the conference room with a striped-shirt and the hair combed to the opposite direction. Sunghoon couldn’t see clearly because everything seemed to happening only within few music notes, but if was really Jiwon, Sunghoon didn’t waste his effort when leaving there. Dodging Jiwon, although Sunghoon doesn’t know what effect he will get from that, Sunghoon exactly has no other choices. Saying that he doesn’t like Jiwon anymore doesn’t mean he will be brave to encounter Jiwon’s eyes.
.

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Haven’t yet left, Jaejin keeps look towards Sunghoon’s room near the stair and cannot stop thinking. Since the day Sunghoon moved out from Jiwon’s attic, Jaejin and Jiwon haven’t talked any clear statement to each other. That day, two people even nearly came to blows. Having just said that he had special affection to Sunghoon, Jaejin was punched in his face by Jiwon that he couldn’t respond to emergency, and he had to control himself not to repay. No matter what happened, Jiwon was still Jaejin’s friend, ‘judge not, that ye be not judged’ was also always the way Jaejin lived, so it’s okay for him to make concessions. However, it may never have the concession in love. Jiwon has never admitted his love but what Jiwon doing has proved the truth which he was not good to conceal, so Jaejin will not have to wonder any problem and he will just keep doing a fair competition.
" - Why do you like that child?
- You are comfirming your implicit affection, what makes you not dare to say with me? Don’t you trust me?"
After receiving that question, Jiwon didn’t reply and he left, and two people haven’t contacted up to this time.
Maybe Jaejin needs to do something...
He decides to call Jiwon.
... No one picks up the phone.
Being patient to call again but he doesn’t succeed, Jaejin resigns himself to returning home. Jiwon has drunk alcohol and slept deeply since when.