Joseon 1616,

Spring had come and gone, leaving the birds yearning for another season of fresh flowers and rain. Summer had left trails of its hailstorms as though to rescue people from the overbearing heat and sunshine. And, finally, another autumn had come.

Autumn came with her refreshing breezes, the colourful leaves that she was wearing like her coat, and her nostalgic sunlight. But, people loved autumn, not only because of her beauty, but also because of Chuseok.

Chuseok was the most important and festive holiday in all of Joseon. During Chuseok, the streets would be decorated with glamorous lanterns and colourful flags and banners. People would be singing, dancing, performing tricks, martial arts, selling street foods, and all sorts of stuff. There were also other rituals inside the households to be carried out. But, for students in Seowangmyeong, Chuseok was a special occasion because of another reason. Legend had it that Chuseok was a special day for lovers, especially.  And that was why Chuseok was a time to tell people whom you loved your true feelings.

And that was probably the reason why Sungmin was seeing what he was seeing right now.

His classes had finished for a while now, and he was sitting on a patio facing a courtyard of the school with Hyukjae, for some reason that Hyukjae made up to convince him, and that he could not recall now. All he knew was that he was now sitting with Hyukjae on the patio, looking at the couple standing on the courtyard giving each other love letters.

Or, perhaps they were not a couple. That was only Sungmin's speculation, after all. Right now, the smaller boy that was standing in front of the taller boy was handing the other a piece of paper folded in four. The smaller boy had a shy expression on his face that Sungmin thought was extremely cute. He did not know who he was, but he realised that he recognised the taller boy that was receiving the piece of paper from the smaller boy. He had seen him around the school before, and always with a group of other boys. He had heard around, probably from Donghae and Hyukjae, that this boy was one of the most beloved students in the school. He was bright, nice and friendly towards everyone in school. He helped his friends, teachers, and even the servants, when they needed. Whenever Sungmin saw him, he would have the brightest smile on his face. A smile that made even the biggest worries in others disappear. That was probably the reason why he was receiving a love letter on this day, a day near Chuseok, Sungmin thought, and wondered if he would get more from others later.

After the boy received the letter from the other, he put out his usual bright smile that Sungmin had seen, but this time, Sungmin knew, only for the boy standing in front of him. He mouthed something to the other boy. Then, as he was about to turn around to leave, the taller boy suddenly pulled the other boy towards him in a hug, and put a slight kiss on the other's forehead. Sungmin could not see their faces now, but he imagined how happy the other boy must have been now. This was a sign that the boy had accepted the other's feelings.

- Aigoooo. How lucky is he. - Sungmin heard Hyukjae exclaim in jealousy. He turned to his friend, holding in his laugh, trying to ask in a serious manner.

- Do you want to send love letters to him as well, Hyukkie?

- No! Not to him, Sungmin! - His friend exclaimed even louder.

- Then... Donghae? - Sungmin could feel himself grinning.

- What? No!

Hyukjae turned to look elsewhere. But only after a short while, he turned back to Sungmin.

- Yeah... maybe. How do you know?

- Everybody knows about you and Donghae, Hyukjae. - Sungmin chuckled.

Hyukjae gave him a "Tsk", but Sungmin could feel his friend embarrassed. Ja, this could make this guy, normally shameless and not afraid of anything, embarrassed? Sungmin thought to himself. Would it really be love, if it could make people act, and feel, not like themselves? Sungmin did not know the answer to this. He, like Hyukjae, did not have any experience, after all.

But, suddenly, an idea, as unexpected as a summer storm and as bright as a clear summer day, came to Sungmin. It would be a way to fulfill Hyukjae's wishes and his own alike if they could work with each other. Smiling with himself and proud of his new scheme, he turned to his friend who was now looking at him confusedly.

- What are you grinning about, Minnie? - He said.

But, before Hyukjae could finish his questioning, Sungmin pulled his friend closer to him and started whispering. When he finished, Hyukjae turned to look at him, confused at first. Then, as he started to comprehend Sungmin's scheme, he slowly nodded. And, within a second, they both let out the biggest grins either of them had ever felt.

***********

Their plan was simple. Sungmin would hang around with Donghae and approach him on the topic of Hyukjae. And vice versa, Hyukjae would do the same for Sungmin, but with someone else. The person that had helped him since the very first time that they had met. The person who could make his heart beat faster every time he saw or even thought of. The person that could make him excited for literature classes. The person that had made strange and inexplicable feelings rise up in him every time he saw him talk to another. But also the person who could always bring smiles to his face, even when he was sad, frustrated, angry, or desperate.

That person,

His friend,

Jo Kyuhyun.

Hyukjae would go to ask Kyuhyun. And it their feelings for each other were reciprocated, they would decide to reveal to the others. It was a good plan, Hyukjae had to agree. And that was why at the moment, Sungmin was going to the market with Donghae, and Hyukjae was hanging around with Kyuhyun in the library.

- Donghae-ah -  Sungmin started, interrupting Donghae's endless stories about fish and the East Sea. This guy really did live up to his expectations of being a babbler, Sungmin thought. - Why have we never been to the market together before?

Sungmin asked intentionally. He already expected an answer in his mind.

- Because you and that brat Jo Kyuhyun are always sneaking around together drinking at the soju house. Do you really think we didn't know that? - Donghae replied half-heartedly. His eyes were still on the food stands.

This was not the answer Sungmin had expected. He also had not expected Donghae to know what he was doing with Kyuhyun. This guy was good, Sungmin thought, he knew how to turn his question in a different direction.

- No! - Sungmin denied. - It's because you are always going with Hyukjae!

- Ah. Am I always here with him? That's impossible. - Donghae asked foolishly.

- Yes, you are, Donghae. You guys are like a parasite and a host, always stick to each other, never separated.

Donghae thought about this for another while. The face that Donghae was making right now, Sungmin thought, as the most foolish face that he had ever seen. But he continued to probe further.

- So... what do you think about Hyukjae?

- What do you mean what do I think about Hyukjae? About what? - Donghae was still confused.

Sungmin let out a long sigh before he looked at Donghae again.

- I mean, do you like him?

- Of course I like him. Why else would I be friends with him?

- No. Not like a friend. Something else.

- What? - Donghae was helpless.

- Like... a lover... - Sungmin did not know how to voice his thought.

- What!? - Donghae stumbled. He was stunned at Sungmin's question, not because of how ridiculous and unimaginable it was to him, but because he had never thought about it before. Hyukjae was his best friend. They had hit it off since the very first day they met each other, and had never been separated. If one day, he thought, that he was to marry someone he would only want that someone to be Hyukjae. He could not imagine how it would feel if that day came and he could not be with Hyukjae. It would break him to see the person he loved marry another.

- Maybe...maybe... I do. - He finally looked at Sungmin.

Sungmin let out the brightest smile. He grabbed Donghae by the shoulders and exclaimed into his ears.

- That's good, Donghae. Good good good.

Sungmin let Donghae go only when the other had nodded profusely. And, as if just remembering something, he turned back to Donghae excitedly.

- You know, Chuseok is a day for people to reveal their true feelings towards loved ones. That's why people write and send love letters on Chuseok.

Sungmin slightly winked at Donghae. And, fortunately, Donghae understood what he meant. He slightly nodded with Sungmin.

Sungmin smiled again. He was both excited and nervous as to what was happening on Hyukjae's end.

***********

- Kyuhyun-ah.

Hyukjae called out to the person sitting in front of him. But he heard no reply.

- Kyuhyun.

Still nothing.

- Jo Kyuhyun!

- What!?

Both of them snapped. But Hyukjae had to regain himself since he had a task to do.

- What are you doing? - Hyukjae asked softly.

- Homework, Hyukjae. You might wanna check that out too, if you're not too busy goofing around the market all day.

Hyukjae only shrugged.

- I never do homework before the deadline.

- I know. - Kyuhyun shook his head.

- But, it's Chuseok. We're supposed to have a break. - Hyukjae gave some excuses.

- You goof around even when we're not on a break. - Kyuhyun spoke out again.

- Alright. Fine. - Hyukjae said in defeat. - But there's one thing I want to ask you. - He sat closer to Kyuhyun, which prompted the boy to look up at him.

- Well... Umm... It's Chuseok. And, Chuseok is a day for people to admit their true feelings. Do you have anyone in mind, Kyuhyun?

Kyuhyun looked at him for a long while, then, unexpectedly, he burst into laughter.

- Oh, gee, Hyukjae. Are you interested in me? Do you want to write me love letters? - Kyuhyun teased.

- No! Brat! I'm just asking!

- Why? - Kyuhyun had not stopped laughing.

- Because I care about my friend!

- Well, if you must know, then, no, I don't have anyone in mind. - Kyuhyun had started to look back at his homework again.

- Really? Have you put any thought into it? - Hyukjae asked again. - Because people say you only get one person in your whole life. That person will be your soulmate, your partner, the person you laugh with, hang around with, and whom you feel most comfortable with. The person that you love with every breath. The person you love more than your own life. The person you would do anything to protect, even give your own life, even betray the whole world. Because, to you, they are your whole world. And when you are with them, you feel like the world is already there in your hands. And to them, the same. If you have someone like that, you'd better take your chance and hold them tight, because if you don't and they get away, you will feel that regret your whole life. You will feel in your own breath, in your heartbeat, in everything and everyone that you see. It will haunt you, and finally, it will break you. So remember it, Kyuhyun. There is only one person for every one of us. Do you have anyone like that, Kyuhyun?

Every word from Hyukjae echoed into Kyuhyun's ears. In a second, his mind suddenly conjured up a small figure, standing in the training hall all by himself. Then, he saw himself standing with the figure in front of his parents' graves. And, he remembered how comfortable he had felt, just standing there, in silence, with him. He remembered all the jokes and the times that they snuck around the school and out of school to go to the market and the soju house. He remembered Seolnal when he left his friends at the festival just to go back to an empty and dark school to be with that person. He remembered how disappointed and pointless he had felt when he did not get to be with that person at the festival, and how happy and comfortable he felt lying on the patio talking with the other. He remembered that being with that person, he had felt everything. So, would it be true, that that person was his everything? That that person was his whole world?

The thoughts quickly ran past Kyuhyun's mind. But, as strongly and quickly as the thoughts, he tried to push them aside. Besides those thoughts, his mind also conjured up the screeching screams of his parents, the helplessness and despair that he felt sitting in the well that night, and the rusty and dirty graves in the middle of the woods, without proper construction and maintenance. His palms roughly squeezed onto themselves. And he knew that he had work to do. He knew that he could not let himself get distracted. He knew that he could not let himself be happy when his parents were still unavenged. So, he had to bury his feelings and keep fighting until the day he could complete his mission.

- Even if I did have someone, I can't do anything right now. - He let the words slip out of him to Hyukjae.

Hyukjae looked at him, stunned and confused.

- Why not, Kyuhyun?

- I just have a lot of work to do, Hyukjae. - Kyuhyun looked at his friend. And for a moment, Hyukjae could feel some kind of sadness in his eyes.

Hyukjae was about to say something to Kyuhyun, but he could see that Kyuhyun was already engrossed in his homework again. He looked down in silence, then, grabbed his own books to begin his homework.

***********

- Sungmin! Lee Sungmin! - Donghae yelled out his friend's name as he was dragged mercilessly towards the school when he had not yet filled his stomach at the market. For some reason that Donghae did not know, his friend was so impatient to get back to their school that he did not even let him finish his quest at the market.

They saw Hyukjae and Kyuhyun at the gate to the school, with very incomprehensible expressions on their faces. Sungmin sped up, almost tripping on a stone on the street. But his face was still wearing his brightest smile. As he came closer to where Hyukjae and Kyuhyun were standing, he nodded repeatedly to Hyukjae, as if signalling his results to his friend.

- Hyukkie-ah! - He called out to his friend. But when Hyukjae turned to look at him with a meaningful expression and slightly shook his head, Sungmin could understand it. He understood his results. He understood his failure. He understood that his feelings were not, and probably would never be, returned. And he felt as if all of his energy had been drained out of his body, leaving only a lifeless corpse standing in front of his best friends. The smile had disappeared from him, so quickly that Sungmin did not notice. He stood still for one moment. Then, as if noticing the curious eyes glued on him, he quickly changed his expression and put on his usual smile, as easily and as quickly as when it had gone.

- Donghae-ah, I think Hyukjae has something to tell you. - Sungmin dragged Hyukjae to stand in front of Donghae, then made a turn towards the school, not once looking at Kyuhyun. Hyukjae only pulled Donghae's hand to take Donghae with him. Before they were out of there, he turned around one last time to look at Sungmin, but he had already disappeared into the school, leaving a clueless Kyuhyun only standing at the gate looking at the space where once he was standing.

*********

- What happened, Hyukkie-ah? - Sungmin asked Hyukjae when they were finally alone.

Hyukjae contemplated for a long while what to say to his friend. But he did not seem to be able to find a way to make this better for him. It was an impossible situation.

- His head's not at it, Sungmin. He said he had a lot of work to do right now and didn't want to be distracted.

Sungmin nodded at his friend. He gave Hyukjae another smile, just to reassure him that he was okay. But inside, he knew that he was far from it.

***********

Just outside Hanyang, there was a Wishing Tree. Legend had it that Wishing Tree would fulfill any wish of any person if they were genuine at heart. The Tree was large and grand. Its trunk was so big that it would take about ten people to circle around the tree. Its branches stood low but spread a shade bigger than a commoner's hut. Wishing Tree's shade brought a cooling haven on hot summer days, but a safe shelter on storming autumn nights. And, what was most special about Wishing Tree was that it had green leaves all year round, no matter in the transitioning autumn or the cold storming winter. And that was why people considered Wishing Tree a God, one of the many that were guarding the well-being of Hanyang citizens.

Hanging letters on Wishing Tree had been Hanyang's customs on Chuseok for centuries. As legend was told, anyone who had wished to be fulfilled had only to write a letter and hang it on the Wishing Tree. If those wishes were the deepest desires within their souls, they would be fulfilled by the god. A person could wish for wealth, luck, talent beauty. But, most commonly, people wished for love. Love was undoubtedly the rarest gift to be found and kept. Some people wished to find a soulmate. Lovers wished they would be happy together forever. And, in some cases, people wrote letters to the person that they wanted to talk to the most, but could not, for some reason.

Carefully hanging his letter on the Wishing Tree, Sungmin glanced at Kyuhyun, who was standing opposite from him, hanging his own letter on another branch of the tree. On the other side of the tree, Donghae and Hyukjae were arguing with each other about something. But Sungmin knew that they could not be mad at each other for long, and would soon enough show up hand in hand, arm in arm again. He glanced at Kyuhyun again, but this time, he caught Kyuhyun's eyes looking at him. He quickly turned away, not knowing why he was doing so. But it was too late, Kyuhyun had started talking to him.

- What are you wishing for? - Sungmin saw that usual smirk of Kyuhyun's, and for a moment, was at a loss for words. He cleared his throat to buy some time and calm himself down. His usual smile came out of him.

- If I tell you, it will not come true.

- Are you wishing to pass the poetry exam this year?

They both chuckled.

- No! - Sungmin replied. - Of course not. I don't need to wish for it. I have my brain for that.

- I think you need it. - Kyuhyun was still looking at him with a smirk.

- Yah! - Sungmin could feel himself blushing, and Kyuhyun looking at him gently while giggling. 

It took Sungmin a while to feel calmer. He spoke up again.

- What are you wishing for then? 

- I'm wishing for you to pass the exams, of course. Otherwise, I'll have to tutor you again.

- Yah! 

This time, Sungmin picked up a bunch of branches and dry leaves on the ground and threw them at Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun only kept chuckling and teasing him. Occasionally, he lowered to the ground to pick up some dry leaves to throw at Sungmin as well, but carefully and gently. Their giggles and chuckles echoed throughout the plains where Wishing Tree was standing, blended in with the songbirds and the blowing wind on the empty land, and only stopped when their two friends came over and signaled for them to go home.

The letters were waving in the wind, in the harmony of the birds and leaves. Over their heads, the sun was shining its last bright lights of the autumn. The four boys continued walking towards the city, chatter and giggles echoing throughout the empty land. If only they knew that their wishes had already been fulfilled.

*********

"Jo Kyuhyun,

If being friends is the only way to be with you right now, I will do it. Even if for five years, ten years, twenty years, I will do it. I know there are things you have to do right now, and you can't just be a schoolboy flirting around. But don't make me wait too long, okay? I will wait for one day when we can walk in the market hand in hand, like Donghae and Hyukjae; when we can do the wedding ceremony together; when we can live under the same roof; when I can call your abeonim and eomeonim my own abeonim and eomeonim, and you mine. I will wait for that day. I can wait for that day, so you don't have to worry about me. Just focus on your mission right now. Because when that day comes, we will both be free of these worries and responsibilities, and we can truly be happy. I will wait for that day, okay, Kyuhyun?"

"Lee Sungmin, 

Donghae once told me about the strange flowers that only grow on the high canyons, and only come in pairs. From the minute they rise from the seeds, to the moment they turn brown and fall back to the ground, they only have each other, and live for each other. If one grows brown and dies before the other, it will not be long until the other turns brown and follows the former to the ground. If one is plucked from its stem without the other, they will both wither within a short time, even if you put them in water. It was as if they could no longer live apart from each other. It was as if they had to suffer a deep and excruciating pain being separated from each other. And I think that that applies to humans as well. Once we find our other flower, it is hard to imagine a life without them. It is hard to even think back to how we had lived a life without them. And we would want to spend every second, every minute, every hour of our lives being with them. I can't even imagine what kind of pain would be inflicted upon us, if we were to be separated, or to see the other with someone else, just like the flowers. 

Sungmin-ah, l think we could be each other's halves of the flowers. If that did indeed exist, I could only think of you. I only want it to be you. So, please wait for me until I'm finished with my mission. Please wait for me until I'm ready. Please don't be anyone else's before that. Do you hear, Sungmin?".