Hyesung woke up from the unbearable cold. He flung his arms to the other side of the bed only to realize the empty space. He opened his eyes and wondered, “Eric-ah?"

The man beside him disappeared so he became worried. He was about to go up from the bed and look for the other man when he heard some sobs. He looks at the time it was 3:00 AM. Beads of sweat start to form from Hyesung’s forehead.  A ghost? Hyesung wondered. His fear turned into a heart-shattering pain when he saw a dim light coming from the laptop.

It was Eric. He was staring at his laptop while crying so hard. Hyesung assumed that Eric was looking at his ex-girlfriend’s wedding photos.

Hearing how Eric cried so hard made it more painful. Hyesung forced Eric to get out of the house early in the morning to avoid this scenario to happen. In the end, Hyesung was not able to stop it. Another trail of tears fall from his eyes.

 “Good Morning” Dongwan greeted as soon as Hyesung entered the building of his workplace. Hyesung just glanced at his friend. “Yah, don’t tell me you’ve been crying again.” The shorter guy stated after noticing the dark circles from his friend’s eyes.

“Tsk. tsk. tsk.” Dongwan clicked his tongue. “Shin Hyesung... See, I’ve already told you before but you never listen. If you chose me over Eric you will be happier and I will never let you cry.”

Ignoring his friend, Hyesung just walked to his desk. He was about to sit down when he noticed a bouquet of flowers in the table. “Yah! Kim Dongwan you...”

“Chill there okay. That’s not from me. When you rejected me I completely accept your decision... Even if it hurts so bad.” Dongwan leaned his back on the wall, placed his hands on his heart and showing some dramatic gestures.

Hyesung laugh at his friend’s stupid act and said, “Being a drama actor really suits you.” Kim Dongwan is an indie film actor. Meanwhile, Shin Hyesung  is working at a Event Planning business.

 “Really? That is my line in the drama I’m working right now.” The two friends laugh. Dongwan was somehow relieved to see his friend laughing. Although, his words are half-meant. He really confessed his feelings to Hyesung but only got rejected and broken hearted.

Hyesung stared at the flowers and smiled. “Yah!! That flowers are not from Eric either. Don’t get your hopes up to that good-for-nothing.” Dongwan harshly said.

“You know...your words can really hurt sometimes. Also, calling Eric a good-for-nothing when he is also a friend.” Hyesung said in his defensive mode.

“He is a friend but that is before I saw your puffy eyes. Tch. See those flowers? That is from a secret admirer. You always complain that you always received that flowers most of the time. There are many people who likes you, why do you have to force yourself with that prick.”

Hyesung lets out some juicy curses before saying, “Why are you even here? Aren’t you supposed to be working right now?”

To which his friend replied, “It just so happened that the filming site is around here so I came to see you and know if you’re fine. Fortunately, since you can still curse then you’re completely normal.” His friend said before handing here a cup of coffee. With that, Hyesung smiled.

“Don’t smile that. I might fall in love with you all over again.” Dongwan jokingly said to his friend. It makes his friend curse once again.

After chatting for a short while, Dongwan left to start his filming. Meanwhile, Hyesung spent his work day talking to the clients and having some negotiations. It was a long tiring day for Hyesung.

It was already late when he went home, to his surprise Eric isn’t home yet. Usually, Eric arrived home first.

They never talked with each other since last night. When Hyesung woke up in the morning, Eric was not beside him. He wondered if Eric even went to sleep after he caught him crying.

Time had passed and Eric wasn’t still home. Hyesung starts to be worried.

That night... Eric didn’t went home. Unfortunately, he didn’t come home either in the following night.

It made Hyesung anxious. He kept on calling Eric and their friends but none of them answered. He was pale when he got to work, so his boss told him to take a break and go home early.

Instead of getting home, he went to the restaurant where Eric was working. Eric is a chef in a five-star restaurant.

“Eric? He came to work today but he got out early. Well, he also worked in the past few days.” Answered by a waiter. The waiter’s face became worried after staring at Hyesung. He is pale and seems like he could collapse from any time.  “Does anything happened? Are you okay? ”

“No. Nothing... I’m okay.” Hyesung reassured the waiter. “Uhmmm... How about Minwoo?” He asked the waiter once again. Minwoo was a waiter in the same restaurant. He doesn’t reply to any of his messages.

“Minwoo-hyung is on his sick leave. So...” The waiter shrugged. Hyesung went home after thanking the waiter.

As soon as Hyesung arrived home, he grabbed his phone and starts calling Eric and their friends once again.

“Please answer the call...” Hyesung was chanting while walking to and fro in the living room.

“Hello Minwoo-ah!!” He almost jumped up when his friend answered the call.

“Eric... Do you know where Eric is? It’s been two days... He hasn’t been home for two days. I’m so

worried right now...” He was choking to tears while speaking to Minwoo.

“Eric? I’m with him.” Hyesung’s heart almost leaped when he heard the good news.

“Thank goodness! I’m about to report him in the police.” Hyesung wiped the tears from his eyes. He was very happy that Eric was okay.

“It’s Hyesung.” Hyesung heard Minwoo talking to someone in the background. He was busy finding for his car key that he didn’t heard it clearly.

“Where are you?” Hyesung took a jacket and was about to leave to fetch Eric but then he heard his voice. The voice that he was longing to hear for the past two days.

“Tell him I’m not here.” Hyesung stopped when he heard Eric’s voice from the other line. He was making sure if he heard it right.

“Yah! It’s pretty obvious that he was worried so I already told him you’re here.” He could clearly hear Minwoo shouting at Eric in the background.

“I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to go home. I’ll sleep here Minbongie”

Hyesung almost dropped his phone after hearing those words from Eric. I don’t want to see him. Those hurtful words kept on playing in his head.

“I’m sorry Hyesung-ah, this idiot right here wants to sleep in my house—”

Before Minwoo could finish talking, Hyesung already cuts his sentence. “Then just call me if he caused a fuss or you need some help.” He ended the call.

Hyesung couldn’t continue the conversation anymore. It was already hard for him to contain. His knees got weak and flopped down on the floor after the call ended.

I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to go home.

Tears were flowing from his eyes as he remembers those words. His eyes were stinging so much. His heart felt so heavy and his body was helplessly tired.

He then went to the kitchen and grabbed all of the beer and soju in their refrigerator. He drank every bottle at once. He doesn’t care anymore if he got drunk. Somehow he was reminded of the day... the last time he got drunk. It was the day when he had this stupid idea.

***

ONE YEAR AGO...

Eric was still devastated after him and his girlfriend broke up. Just like the past few days, Hyesung was beside him and comforting him. Both of them had drank so much and it was already past Hyesung’s limits.

Eric kept on asking Hyesung what his girlfriend doesn’t like from him. He had been whining and crying for an hour. Meanwhile, Hyesung was already drunk to be able to rationalise what he’s been saying. He took the opportunity to confess his long one-sided love to his best friend.

“Eric-ah, I like you. No... I love you. Ever since.”

Eric just laugh and said. “Very funny. Hyesung you’re just drunk.”

“No, I’m not drunk. I will prove to you that it’s true.” Hyesung leans forward and starts pointing himself. “You can use me... You can do everything and anything to me as long as you will forget about her.”

He was desperate and even took his shirt and show his bare upper body in front of him. Hyesung wrapped his arms around Eric and sat on his lap. He was forcing himself to Eric but the latter kept on resisting.

“Hyesung... No... I can’t do that.” Eric grabbed the nearest blanket and wrapped it on Hyesung. “It’s not good. What will your brother say to me. You’re just drunk... We’re drunk.”

Hyesung removed the blanket. Eric tried to put it back again but the skinny guy was so strong. “I don’t care. As long as I’ll be with you. And I’m not drunk, I’m serious.”

“Hyesung... Please... you will catch a cold.” Eric was still struggling over the blanket.

“Eric-ah... I’m here. I love you and I’m ready to give up everything for you.” Hyesung slid his hands to Eric’s nape before crashing their lips together.

That kiss left a fire into Eric’s lips. His heart beats so fast... that kiss was so addicting. He wants more. He wants to taste those soft lips once again.

He cupped Hyesung’s red cheeks then kissed him. They are passionately kissing one another, with their tongues slithering and battling against each other. He lift Hyesung then threw him to the bed.

And it happened... that foolish mistake.

The mistake that should’ve been forgotten just like how the dusk turned into a new dawn. But that mistake happened again and again... even when they were sober.

That’s how they ended up living together and fooling himself that everything will work out.

***

He emptied another bottle of soju and slammed it on the table. He remembered his brother’s line.

What if it don’t? I’ll make sure that you will leave him when it happened.

“No, Jinnie... It’s my idea in the first place. I’ll be the one who will fix this mess... back to the place where it should be.”

A/N:  Hello Guys! How’s your day?

First of all I want to say thank you for the comments and subscriptions. I felt so touched and happy reading your comments. (｡◕‿◕｡) 심쿵~

Actually, I’ve lost my confidence after posting the story. I even had the urge to delete this (haha) but I changed my mind after reading your comments. So THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH.

I will also use this opportunity to say that... I will use three asterisk “***” as sign for the start of flashback and another “***” for the end of the flashback.

See you on the next chapter. HAVE A GREAT DAY AHEAD :)