Mino was on an express train to Busan.

After leaving the café, he just ran straight to Seoul station. His heart was burning. His head was congested with so many thoughts yet he couldn’t think clearly. All he can think of was to see Seungyoon’s face again. Everything else could come later.

Although he was against the idea of dating Seungyoon, he always thought they would always be together. Best friends and roommates who were always there for each other. He just wanted to keep Seungyoon by his side and never lose him.

He was greedy and selfish like this.  

It was already evening when he reached Busan. He had followed Seungyoon’s home once during semester break. He still vaguely remembered the address. He got a cab and gave the driver the address to his home.

Seungyoon’s place was in one of those apartment complexes where there were tens of apartment buildings accommodating hundreds and hundreds of flats. And that was where he gets lost. He only remembered the housing name but not the exact building or room number. Everything seemed even more similar to him during nightfall.

He tried calling Seungyoon’s number again but it was still turned off.

He was frustrated, scared, worried and all kinds of negative feelings filling him up. But he didn’t wanna go back to Seoul like this. He messed up once and couldn’t give up on him like this. He had to meet him. So he decided to wait. He didn’t know what exactly to wait for but he was still clinging onto something, some hope.

He helplessly sat on a swing in the playground in front of the apartment building.

He didn’t know how long it took but it was already dark when he heard a lady calling his name.

“Mino? Song Mino?”

He looked up to meet the concerned eyes of a middle aged lady he instantly recognized to be Seungyoon’s mom. Her eyes were the same shade of brown as Seungyoon’s eyes and even in the dark, they radiated warmth.

“Ma’am!” He stood up quickly from the swing and greeted the lady.

“Mino ya~ What are you doing here son?”

His mind went blank at the lady’s concerned question. He didn’t think anything but just ran to Busan on an impulse. He just wanted to see Seungyoon. He didn’t even think of what to say to him when they meet.

Seungyoon’s mom seemed to notice his inner turmoil. She didn’t probe any further.

“Anyway, it’s too cold here. Come inside. Ahjumma will cook you delicious dinner.”

Not waiting for his response, she lead the way, grabbing his arm gently. Her fingers were long and warm, just like Seungyoon’s, he couldn’t help but noticed again.

While preparing dinner, he learned that Seungyoon didn’t come back to Busan. But he seemed to be in contact with his mom. So it was a relief to hear. He didn’t wanna make the lady worry with his useless miseries.

So he was silent all throughout the dinner. Seungyoon’s mom was kind enough to lead the conversation making his unannounced visit felt welcome and comfortable. He realized Seungyoon got this trait from his mom. Seungyoon never made him feel left out. Even when Mino was hanging out with Seungyoon’s friends, he always dragged him into the conversation; made him feel involved and showed him that he cared. Seungyoon was nothing but nice to him and yet he hurt him badly. He remembered Seungyoon accusing him of being cruel and remembered Seungyoon’s tears when he tucked him into bed.

Without him realizing, a teardrop rolled down his cheek. He hurriedly wiped with the back of his hand but as the lady was observing him this whole time, she didn’t miss it. She stood up from her seat and walked to Mino’s side.

“Oh son!”

She murmured softly and rubbed his back gently in a comforting manner.

“I’m here son. You know you can tell me anything right?”

It was as if her warm words melted the ice barricade inside of his heart. All the tears and words he pressed inside burst out like a hurricane. In tears, Mino explained what happened between Seungyoon and him, his worries and insecurities. He finished with the question that had been haunting him all this time, that’d been stopping him from being with Seungyoon.

“What if we don’t work out? I was never good with commitment and relationship thing. I don’t want any reason to hate him or for him to hate me. I can’t afford to fall out with him ma’am. I can’t stand staying away from him. I.. I just love him so much.”

Seungyoon’s mom ended up hugging him in a gentle embrace. She whispered “Oh dear! What should I do with you?”

After a while, his tears dried out and as he regained his composure, he felt embarrassed to have a meltdown in front of Seungyoon’s mom, of all people.

She left him and went into a room beside the living room, signaling him to wait.

A while later she came back again hugging something like a book to her chest.

They moved to the sofa in the living room.

He realized that was the photo album she brought back. She asked him sweetly_

“Don’t you wanna see how Seungyoon looked like as a child?”

Mino couldn’t help but smile at the thought of little Seungyoon. He nodded earnestly. She chuckled and started turning the pages.

The album was filled with not only Seungyoon’s baby photos but also their family photos. But he noticed that Seungyoon’s father was not in the photos of Seungyoon’s later years. He silently flipped from one page to another with Seungyoon’s mom narrating the behind stories of each photo. And at the end, she flipped back to a certain page of the album. It was a family photo taking in front of their house. His dad seemed to look paler and thinner there. His mom softly spoke.

“That is the last photo we had together. His dad left us for heaven. He was sick for a long time before he left.”

Mino mumbled “I’m sorry to hear that.” to which Seungyoon’s mom quickly replied with “Oh no! It’s ok. Don’t feel sorry boy. It’s been a long time already.”

Although her tone was gentle, there was no trace of lingering sadness but just stable as if conveying some information.

Mino somehow felt relief to hear that. His mom continued_

“He has this coronary condition and we already knew his time was limited. And that was why my family was against us marrying.”

Mino lightly gasped. She smiled fondly at his reaction.

“Maybe you’re wondering why I still choose to be with him? Maybe you might even think it was a stupid idea.”

Mino quickly refuted that_ “No no ma’am. It’s just.. your time together is too short that.. that..” he stopped midway as he couldn’t choose the right word to use.

She chuckled again at Mino’s stuttering.

“Yes you’re right dear. We only had a few years together. But I’d still choose him if I were given another chance. You know why?”

Mino shook his head confusedly. He simply didn’t understand why she chose to walk the difficult path as a single mother if she knew her husband would leave her this early.

“Because nothing lasts forever my dear. If we were to give up on things we love only because we can’t have them forever, what’s the point of living life then? We try to live although we already know we will die one day anyway, right?”

Mino slowly nodded his head. He thought he started getting what she was implying. 

“What I believe is that applies to love too. Although I couldn’t be with Seungyoon’s dad longer than I wanted to, I’m still happy and content that I could at least spent a part of my life with him. We could make so many memories together. If I were to back out on him, only because he had shorter lifespan than others, I would miss out on those beautiful memories. If life were a movie, my days with him would be my most favorite scenes. Oh please don’t tell that to Seungyoon though. He might be pissed that he’s not my most favorite. Boy is the type to get jealous very easily.”

She finished off with a joke but Mino could feel how meaningful her words were. They opened a new perspective to view things for him.

She then closed the album and stood up.

“Ok! Enough talk. Now it’s time for bed gentleman. You can use Seungyoon’s room, the one next to the dining room.”

Mino wished her goodnight and mumbled a sincere “Thank you” to the lady.

Unlike when he first came, he felt hopeful again with new found determination.

Next morning, he left the house after breakfast.

Before he left, his mom said_ “So what if it won't last forever? The most important thing is to make the best out of present and living without regret. Give Seungyoon sometime dear. I’m sure he can’t stay apart from you either. He will come back when it’s time. ”

He nodded firmly at her. He would just wait for him.

And he would beg him till he would forgive him and have him back.

He got back to dorm and he didn’t leave anywhere hoping to see Seungyoon in case he came back. He didn’t go to class or go out to part-time either.

But still there was no trace of him.

It was 3 days after he came back from Busan, Seungyoon came back to the dorm. Mino was dozing off on the couch when Seungyoon opened the door and came inside. As he heard the sound of door opening, Mino rushed to his feet and in the doorway, saw the guy who he had been missing so dearly.

He wanted to run and hug him into his arms but he stood still in his place like a statue. Worries and anxieties creeping up inside of him and haunting him with “what if’s”. What if Seungyoon never forgive him again? What if Seungyoon didn’t like him anymore?

He stayed rooted on his place just gazing at Seungyoon’s face longingly. It is Seungyoon who made the first move. He must have looked pity and pathetic as Seungyoon gave him concerned look. Seungyoon walked up to him and cupped his jaw with one hand murmuring_

“What happened Mino? You lost weight and there’s dark circle under your eyes. Look at yourself. Are you feeling sick anywhere?”

It was when Mino leaned into Seungyoon’s touch and breathed out a shaky “I miss you”, Seungyoon pulled him into his arms and hugged him tight. He responded “I miss you too Mino. You have no idea.”

Mino hugged him back tightly.

Mino decided it’s now or never. He took in a long breath and asked_ “Do you still love me?”

Seungyoon pulled apart from the hug and gave him an intense look. His tone turning defensive and tense.

“Why do you wanna know that?”

Mino nervously bit his lower lip, squeezed his eyes shut and blurts out_ “Because I am madly in love with you and I don’t know what to do if you don’t love me anymore. It’s not that I don’t know. I.. I know I will still love you even if you don’t love me anymore. But I wanna give us a chance if you still do.. and..”

Seungyoon lifted his face with both hands.

“Hey..hey.. you are rambling. Please look at me Mino!”

Only then Mino remembered to open his eyes again. He knew he must have look like but Seungyoon was giving him heart eyes and looking at him as if he was the most precious thing on the world. Seungyoon’s brown eyes twinkling so beautifully.

“I still love you Mino. I love you so much.” He punctuated each word carefully.

Mino’s heart felt like a heavy rock was lifted off of it. He felt waves of happiness and relief hitting his whole body. He felt ecstatic, his heart beating erratically.

Seungyoon chuckled and leaned forward to capture his smiley lips into an open-mouthed kiss. And Mino reciprocated immediately. Lips gently nibbling and tongues exploring each other’s mouth.

They broke off when they ran out of breath.

Without a word, they looked into each other’s eyes for while till they regained their breath.

Then they kissed again, and again, and again as if there was no tomorrow.

He never knew kissing his best friend was all he needed to make his day better by a million times.

In between their make-out session, he gave his words to Seungyoon_

“I can’t promise a forever but I’m willing to try my best. To turn this present into the best memory when we look back. Will you let me?”

“Do you really need to ask Mino?”

Seungyoon replied cheekily and kissed his lips again.

They ordered Chinese for dinner and Seungyoon was stealing food from his box when Mino remembered to ask_

“Seungyoon, why you never told me you suspended school? And I thought you went back to Busan for good.”

And his question seemed to catch him off-guard. Seungyoon gave him a puzzled look_ “Because I didn’t. Who told you such nonsense?”

“Seunghoon!”

Seungyoon looked even more confused.

“But I was at Jinu Hyung’s place this whole time. He’s dating him and of course he knew I’m not in B.. ”

Seungyoon’s eyes glinting as if he realized something. And Mino too, seemed to realize something was off. He’d been cheated.

Seungyoon burst out into roaring laughter at Mino’s scandalous expression.

“Oh my god! That’s why you went down to Busan? Because you thought I was quitting school and all? Oh my god! That Seunghoon Hyung! Really!”

Mino chewed on his noodle angrily and mumbled_ “That idiot Seunghoon guy! I knew it! I knew he wasn’t reliable one bit!”

Seungyoon laughed at his outburst some more and placed a soft kiss to his cheek after he'd done laughing.

"I love you!" Mino whispered touching the cheek that'd just been kissed.

.

Seungyoon replied_ "I love you more."