"What would you do if I told you I was gay?"

Jun sat back and stared at Wonwoo. His next door neighbour. His closest confidant. His best friend.

"Are you?" He asked him quietly. Why else would he ask that?

It was a cool day, right on the edge of autumn and winter, and they were hanging out in the courtyard garden at the High School where both were in their final year.

Wonwoo's turtleneck wasn't enough and he shivered a little as his eyes wandered far away, wandering to a time and place only real to himself. He pulled his hands into his sleeves. Sweater paws, Jun thought as he watched him, ing adorable.

His hair blew back from his face in the wind and Jun watched him take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. "Yeah." He said as he turned towards his best friend, trepidation in his brown eyes, his cheeks flushed pink with the cold. "Yeah. I think I am Jun. Do you hate me?"

Jun shook his head. "You're my best friend. I'd help you hide a body. Remember that time when we were little and you stole all the reward stickers out of the teachers desk?"

He started to laugh. "Yeah. I remember."

"And do you remember hiding them in my pencil case because you didn't want to get in trouble? But I got caught and you wouldn't confess?"

Wonwoo was chuckling now, his eyes scrunched up in delight, the memory funny enough to override his tension.

"Did I hate you then? When you let me take the blame and I had to stay inside at lunch for a whole week?" He shook his head again at him. "I could never hate you."

The relief on Wonwoo's face was palpable. His laughter died and he turned serious. "Thank you Jun. You're the best friend anyone could ever want." He squeezed the other's hand and smiled at him in the saddest way possible. "I couldn't stand to lose you." It came out as barely a whisper.

Gay. His best friend. How did he not notice? Jun laid flat on his back, his bedroom his refuge, staring at the roof. Of course. Wonwoo was stunning looking. He had dark good looks and a coldly aloof persona. He loved reading and books. He was President of the astronomy club and volunteered as a tutor for disadvantaged children. And had never had a girlfriend.

Jun always thought Wonwoo was just a late bloomer. Even though he was the same age as Wonwoo, older by just a matter of weeks, the other always seemed younger, almost childlike, precious and innocent. Girls liked his looks but most were soon put off by his awkward conversation and cold mannerisms. But those were the things about Wonwoo that Jun loved most. They couldn't have been more opposite.

He got up from his bed and went to the window. It was dark outside and he could see straight across the yards into Wonwoo's house. His back porch, his kitchen and his bedroom. The light was on in his room but the sheer curtain was pulled over. He could see straight through it, making out the silhouette of Wonwoo at his desk studying. He was always studying even though he was so smart. Wonwoo was top of his year level. Jun would be lucky to pass.

Jun went back to his bed. Of course he didn't hate him. They had been through so much together. He still remembered the day his family moved in next door. Jun was six and a loner. He was small for his age, he was quiet and cried easily, and he was terrified of this strange new country. He remembered standing in the driveway watching a boy with dark hair and dark eyes watching the removalists. He was clutching a threadbare stuffed monkey.

"Hi." Jun said quietly as he approached him with reservation.

"Hi. I'm Wonwoo." The other boy replied staring at the removal truck.

"I'm Jun. I'm from China." He watched Wonwoo stare at the truck. "You like trucks?"

Wonwoo shook his head. "No. I like books." He buried his pouted lips into his monkey. "You like trucks?" He turned to Jun.

"No. I like dancing. And flowers." Jun smiled as he replied.

Ever since that first day they were inseparable.

Summers playing under the hose on the back lawn and winters cozied under blankets in Jun's living room. Losing their first teeth, running from bullies, chasing the ice cream truck. Jun didn't have a memory that didn't have Wonwoo intrinsically entwined. They had shared birthdays, holidays, secrets and dreams. They had shared everything.

Jun rolled over and pressed his face into the pillow. He knew he should be studying too but he just didn't have the willpower to force himself tonight. Wonwoo would still be studying. He would be valedictorian and would graduate top of their class. Straight As. Wonwoo wanted to study literature at university, he had plans of becoming a librarian while continuing his studies to get his Masters. Jun just wanted to dance.

He danced with a small hip hop crew and wasn't even sure if he wanted to go to University. He would probably just get a job in a coffee shop and try to make it as a singer and dancer. He had started to pick up a few modelling jobs here and there but it wasn't a serious career path. Jun got up and looked out into Wonwoo's bedroom again. He was gone from the desk. Jun could see him laying on his bed with his head phones on. He knew what he would be listening to. Their favourite idol group, Monsta X, had just put out a new album and Wonwoo was obsessed. So was Jun. He plugged in his own headphones and scrolled through his playlist to find the same album.

The next morning Wonwoo was waiting to walk to school together. Wonwoo was always ready on time, neat and tidy and organised, bag packed and lunch made. Jun had woken up 15 minutes ago and had hastily showered and dressed, grabbing his bag and some cash on the way out, his half dry hair flying wildly around him.

Wonwoo sat on the couch in Jun's living room as he watched the daily spectacle of Jun's morning routine. He was used to the habits of his best friend but it still amused him. Jun finally headed to the door, jacket half on with an apple in his mouth, and Wonwoo laughed and hoped he never changed.

As they stepped out into the cold morning breeze and began the ten minute walk to school, like they had done every morning since forever, Wonwoo pulled his cold hands inside his jacket. He looked at Jun, so tall and handsome, so fun and outgoing charismatic, and breathed a sigh of relief. Everything seemed fine. Jun caught Wonwoo staring and flashed his bright smile and Wonwoo smiled back. Everything's normal. Nothing has to change. Wonwoo had been dreading telling Jun for over a year. He knew he had to tell him, Jun had to hear it from his own mouth, if he found out from someone else it would really hurt their friendship.

He smiled to himself as they walked in silence. He hoped that no matter what happened they would stay best friends. Jun was the most important person in his life. He couldn't bear to lose him.

"Meet me on the roof at lunch!" Wonwoo called to Jun across the corridor. Jun smiled his acknowledgment. Ever since their first year at High School they had loved to sit out on the roof top with no one else around. Lunch on the roof meant Wonwoo had something important to tell Jun. He wondered what it was.