the boy next door

it wasn't long before i met kim hanbin again, although i would've preferred not to be in my pyjamas with my hair sticking out when that happens. it actually was the next morning after i arrived at my mom's. i woke up to the sound of a coughing car outside and the smell of burning tires and gasoline.

with my eyes still glued from sleep i went to the window to shut it, but that's when i heard a voice i hadn't heard in a while.

'hey mirae! is that you?'

i blinked and grabbed my glasses on the desk. down there, in the neighbors' driveway, next to a broken old car, was a blonde boy in a blue varsity jacket, waving at me. it took me a moment to realise 1- where i was, and 2- that the guy smiling under my window was my childhood friend i had almost forgotten about.

it took me by surprise. i waved back awkwardly, mumbled something incoherent, and shut the window, not entierely sure in which order.

i stepped in the shower and got dressed before joining my mom in the kitchen. she made eggs, toasts and coffee.

'you just missed hanbinie' she said. 'he's always bringing me the newspaper on sundays'

'i saw him from my room. he said hi' i drank a gulp of hazelnut coffee. 'i thought he had moved away not long after i did. what is he doing here?'

my mom frowned a little and she leaned over the table to whisper 'he got homesick, i heard. the big city and everything, it got him sad and lost, he told me. he came here to feel better.' she tapped on my hand. 'but i'm sure it's an heartbreak. have you seen how handsome our little hanbinie is now? i'm sure he must've break hearts and got his heart broken too.'

'mom—'

'just like you'

'mom, you know you shouldn't gossip' i laughed.

she pouted before taking a bite of breakfast.

'are you going to tell me why you are back home then?'

i sighed.

'i don't know mom, i need time to think. i just had a bad break up and i need to let it go.' i paused 'i don't want to talk about it'

mom nodded. 'i understand' she said. 'what are you going to do now? you know you can stay here as long as you want'

'i know, i know' i answered 'i'll go around the neighborhood to see what kind of job i can get later today'

when i went back to my room to get ready to stroll around town, i peeked outside my window. in the neighbors' house, the upstairs window opposite mine was opened. scrunched over his desk in the sunlight, hanbin was writing, his blonde hair swaying in the b