Inspired by "This town" - by Nial Horan 

 

At the ring of the alarm, Daniel groans and scoots towards the other side of the bed, hand outstretched to reach for Minseok, his boyfriend.

The hand reaches nothing and Daniel briefly panicks, before it all comes back to him.

 

There’s no Minseok. They’re no longer together.

He flaps back on his back, puts the hand over his face and wishes the lingering scent of Minseok would disappear. He’s tired of waking up with hope only to find no one.

 

—————

The car is stuffy in the early morning sun. Daniel sits in the back, looking at the moving scene outside the car. His driver, comments about how beautiful the sea is and Daniel hums.

“How long till we arrive?”

“About 30 minutes, Sir.”

“That’s your hometown, isn’t it Sir?” 

“Yes it is.”

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy being there.”

 

He hums and takes the red folder besides him. 

In it listed the plan for a project for the town he’s going to. Building an apartment complex. 

So far from what his secretary had said, there were appositions to this project by the local citizen. 

There will always be appositions, he thinks, closing it again.

 

 

He checks into the motel, uses the free hours to get himself settled and sleep for a bit.

 

In around 3, he goes out on his own to inspect the area and see what the town is now like. 

He buys a few street food, takes in the carefreeness of the people around him. The town seems like nothing has changed and yet, different nonetheless. The hilly roads, the green trees and the fresh air. That never changes.

 

 

He comes up to a coffee shop. It looks rundown, its yellow paint faded and scratched. The metal full of papers; posters, both old and new. 

It’s changing, he thinks.

 

“Dani?” Minseok looks up from the book he was reading. A big smile on his face. “ You came.”

Daniel turns a bit, adjusts his hat and sits down. He puts the bag down and gets his books on the table. He looks around. The cafe is quite small and just about two more tables occupied. It smelled quiet pleasant, and the walls were beautifully decorated.

“This is a nice cafe.” He says. Minseok nods, beaming. 

“It is. I wanted you to see it. What would you like to drink? It’s on me.” He adds quickly.

“Let’s study first. We can drink a bit later.” Minseok nods. 
 

Daniel chuckles at the memory. The way Minseok was shy, yet so comfortable and eager, having Daniel for a study date. The first after Minseok had asked so many times.

And he’s never told Minseok, that he too was so happy, felt butterflies whenever he was around Minseok.

 

He continues on his walk until he reaches the site. The large green land, filled with bushes and small flowers stood beautifully before him. 

He almost felt bad that he’ll w ruining such a beautiful site. 

He walks around, visualizing the apartment complex in that area, tall and environmentally friendly. It wasn’t a bad idea.

 

Voices of some group of friends brings him to look at them. They’re stumbling, laughing and joking and without knowing, a smile falls on Daniel’s face. It reminds him of his own group friends from high school. 

And it falls when he hears the name ‘Minseok.’

It can’t be. He chuckles and shakes his head. There’s so many other people named ‘Minseok’, it can’t be him.

 

He looks closely at the group, hoping against hope that it’s him and yet, he he hopes it’s not. 

What would he say to him anyways. What would he Change? 

 

The group goes and until they’re out of site does he decide to go back to the motel. He has meetings upon meetings the following day.

 

———-

 

“That’s all for the presentation.” Daniel concludes, the coworkers applauding as he goes about turning off the equipments.

 

“Hey,” Jaewhan places a hand on his back. Daniel turns to him with a hey in return. “Let’s go grab a beer or something.”

 

Daniel looks at his watch. “It’s 3pm?”

“The sooner we drink, the sooner we get over the hangover.” He shrugs, with a sheepish grin.

Daniel laughs. “Convincing.”

Jaehwan outstretches his hands. “What can I say.” 

They laugh. 

 

They enter the bar, along with two other coworkers.

They find a booth. Daniel looks around, the booth seems familiar, likes he’s been here before.

“You’ve probably been here, Daniel, seeing as it’s your hometown.” Minhyun speaks up, drinking dripping down his mouth. 

“That was what, six years ago? Probably not.”

 

Daniel put the glass down, his head hanging, drunk out of his mind. Minseok was laughing, laughing and Daniel didn’t know why. He looked up and Minseok looked perfectly fine, like he wasn’t downing a long glass of beer. 

“You’re drunk. You’ve only had 2 cups.”

“I’m not. I’m no....” he burps and Minseok’s head fall back laughing.

Minseok looks beautiful, so striking, without knowing, Daniel is pulling him into a kiss. Mouth and teeth clashing, drunk like he is, and yet Minseok runs his hands in Daniel’s hair, rubs at his nape, and breaths into the kiss like it was life. Daniel let’s go slowly, lips stills touching softly, breaths into each other’s mouth. Eyes hooded, he kisses Minseok again. 

“I think I love you.”

Minseok’s eyes widens. He kisses Daniel, pulling him closer over the table, a glass shatters. Daniel feels his stomach turning, it’s the butterflies, he thinks. 

 

Daniel downs his drink, suppressing the memories. There was no point in hurting himself over and over again.

They drink, making jokes, talking about love and whatever random things that comes up.

When the drinks has hit his system and the urge to use the laboratory overcomes him, Daniel stumbles through the bar, side stepping tables and people. Using walls to catch himself. 

He does his business and comes out, stumbling.

He trips on a chair and falls, taking someone with him. Though he fell on top, he felt his knees and elbows throbbing from the impact of hitting on the floor. His head is mush, feels like he can just lay there, warm and cozy.

 

The person taps him frantically, pushes at him and he slides to the side. Giggles at bit, his face on the floor and he curls into himself.

“Hey, get up.” The person pats him again and turns him around. Though it’s hazy, he can never forget this face. 

The face he kissed so many times in the morning. The face that would greet him with a beaming smile whenever he came home. 

“Min...,” he gulps, rubs his eyes and slaps his cheeks. “Minseok?”

“Daniel. What’re you doing here?” Minseok looks just as bewildered as he does. The hand that was pulling him up now back at his side. Daniel’s frowns.

“That’s your first question? No how are you? How have you been after I ing left you with no words. Have you always been this selfish,Minseok?”he pulls himself up, finds it hard and slips, Minseok catching him. 

Minseok looks at him, his face hardened and though he looks y with the way his shirt is and his hair slicked to the side, Daniel has to remind himself to will the twist in his stomach away. 

“Who did you come with? Tell them to take you home. You’re so drunk.” Minseok picks at something in his hair and blows it away. 

 

Will he not react to Daniel’s words? 

 

Daniel yanks his arm from Minseok’s hold and glares at him. “Why do you care?”

 

He goes to his table, his friends giving him looks. 

“Who was that? He’s handsome, did you get his number?”

Daniel runs a hand down his face and takes Daewhi’s shot glass, downing it in one go.

“Nobody.”

 

 

 

Daniel hits the hood of the taxi, his friends waving at him as the taxi takes off. He shivers and jumps lightly on his feet. The smell of smoke from nearby causes him to scrunch up his nose and sneeze. His suit does nothing against the evening air.

 

 He feels a presence next to him and he looks, only to find Minseok next to him. No jacket, only his shirt, always loved wearing black skinny jeans. 

“Aren’t you cold?” Daniel asks.

“Oh?” Minseok looks up at him, his thick eyebrows raised, his head tilted. 

He never changes. Daniel thinks.

“I thought you were mad at me. Your words back there were harsh.”

Daniel scoffs. “They hurt because you know it’s the truth.” 

They both turn to look at the passing cars and drunk pedestrians. 

 

“How are you? Really.” Daniel looks at Minseok, not understanding where he was going with that question.

“What will change if I answer you?”

Minseok shrugs. “I don’t know. But I want to know, I want to make sure you’re alright.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have left me. You shouldn’t have told me you loved me. You should have at least told me goodbye.” They look at each other, Daniel huffing, knowing it shows just how much Minseok gets under his skin. It irks him that Minseok looks so unaffected. 

The sounds of  cars, people, the music inside all becomes too laud, so annoying.

“Just go away. My head can’t deal with this right now. “ Daniel rubs at his temples.  Daniel starts to walk away. He can catch a taxi away from Minseok.

“Why are you in town, Daniel?! You said you hated this place.” 

Daniel turns to him. “Why do you care? What’re you trying to get at Minseok?”

“I want a second chance. I want you to forgive me. Give me time to explain and redeem myself. Give me a chance to take you away from here again. I made a mistake, I thought I was following the right path. I should have acted like an adult and made my own decision, yet, I listened to the opinions of those around me and lost you instead.”

 

Minseok wasn’t speaking straight. Or Daniel couldn’t hear well. He was still lingering over Minseok that he thought Minseok wanted him when it was all in his head. Minseok left him, Minseok left him with nothing. Minseok didn’t love him. He might have chased Daniel, might have baked him cookies and bought him jell-os. Minseok might have shared that coffee shop with him and took Daniel away when life got too exhausting, but Minseok never loved him.

Why else would he leave him so easily?

 

So Daniel laughs and laughs, wipes the tears as Minseok looks at him confused.

“Minseok, you’re still such a sweet talker. I almost fell for it again.”

“Dani...”

“Don’t. Don’t ever call me that again. Don’t you ever,” he gets closer to Minseok, face hovering so close to him, their eyes unwavering. “Don’t ever call me that again. You lost that privilege.”

 

He hails a taxi passing by, gets in and leaves. No more turning back. 

He opens the window, lets the air through, lets it hit his face and dry his tears. He lets the butterflies in his stomach twist and turn, hoping they go with the wind. 

 

He leans his head on the headboard, closes his eyes and pictures Minseok. 

Sees him holding Daniel, playful with him, kissing Daniel under their blanket, playing with his earrings. 

And Minseok looks soft in those memories, so stunning as he carries Daniel who has his legs wrapped around him, kissing him softly. Whispering love words.

Whispering “I love you, Dani. Love you so much.”

 

And Maybe, just maybe, Minseok used to actually love him.

 

 

 

* I've been wanting to write a Daniel & Minseok fanfic. It was hard, idk why. But finally, here it is.

*Don't be shy to comment :)