Year 2005

 

Sixteen years old Kim Sunggyu was one of the popular boys in Seoul High School. He was smart, talented and possessesd a great personality. Everyone liked him and wanted to be close to him and be his friend.

 

People at school always got jealous of Sunggyu’s closest circle especially Woohyun, his best friend. Sunggyu was friends with Dongwoo, Hoya, Woohyun, Myungsoo, Sungyeol and Sungjong. However, everyone knew that Woohyun had always been the closest one to him.

 

While their classmates and schoolmates even teachers thought the two were dating, they weren’t. Though, Sunggyu felt something for Woohyun, he never had any guts to tell him. He was content of how they were and he couldn’t afford to lose Woohyun. 

 

“Gyu! Help me with Math. Mom will kill me if I fail.” Woohyun was giving Sunggyu a puppy eyes that was making him weak. Who could resist Woohyun? No one. 

 

“Give me your book and listen well or I’ll let auntie kill you.”Woohyun sat down close to him and started to listen to every explanations he was saying. 

 

Sunggyu was never immuned to Woohyun’s presence. The warmth that he felt when their skin touched was making his insides tumble in happiness. The tingling sensations from every graze of Woohyun’s fingers to his hand when he holds him was enough for him to be restless at night.

 

Woohyun made him sleepless on those times he would sleepover at their house, occupying most of space on his bed. His eyes always secretly followed his bestfriend whenever he wasn’t looking. They spent most of their times together everyday and they were inseparable.

 

“The two of you should date and grant everyone’s wishes.” Sungjong blurted out while doing their art assignment. 

 

Sunggyu threw a pen and a crumpled paper towards Sungjong and continued helping Woohyun study. 

 

“Why are you throwing things on me? It’s just a suggestion. Look around. Everyone is staring at both of you.”

 

The best friends looked up from the book together to see what Sungjong was talking about. A sigh escaped both of their lips as they returned to what they were doing. They were used to being watched and most of the time, they both just brushed it off.

 

“You know what? I agree with Sungjong.” Dongwoo who just came with their snacks said.

 

It was Woohyun’s turn to throw things. 

 

“Hey! It almost went in my cup.” Sungyeol complained. “Stop throwing things you two. We were just telling you to give those people what they want so they would stop staring at our group.”

 

Sunggyu put down his pen and faced their friends. 

 

“Why do we need to date just to make them back-off? You all can always shoo them away. We aren’t bothered by it so why are you all?”

 

The five just snorted at Sunggyu’s statement. 

 

“Gyu, don’t mind these idiots. They’re crazy.” Woohyun got up from the bench and pulled Sunggyu up. “Come on, we have to go home. I promised aunt Jina to bring you home early because you have visitors.”

 

Sunggyu bid goodbye to their friends and walked away with Woohyun.

 

The five left just watched their retreating backs.

 

”They are the idiots. It was obvious that they both like each other. Only the two of them are too densed to notice each other’s feelings.” Myungsoo commented as he munched on the chips that Dongwoo brought.

 

Hoya also gave his own comment. “No. They don’t like each other. They love each other. They just didn’t know that it was beyond friendship. Just let them figure it out.”

 

”When will that happen? Woohyun would be leaving soon.” 

 

No one could answer Dongwoo’s question. Everyone knew that Woohyun and his family would migrate to Canada. It was the reason why they were trying to push the bestfriends to date before it’s too late.

 

*****

 

Sunggyu and Woohyun walked to the familiar road leading to their houses. Woohyun lives just four houses away from Sunggyu’s. They were childhood friends. They met when they were 8 years old at the playground near their houses.

 

As they traveled down the road, Sunggyu’s mind drifted away to what their friends were suggesting. They weren’t deaf or blind. Both he and Woohyun knew that people were waiting for the day that the two of them would walk to school, holding-hands and in a relationship. Some were even betting that the school year would end with them announcing their relationship. 

 

However, it was far from reality. He and Woohyun would never be in any form of relationships other than best friends. Sunggyu had long accepted the fact that Woohyun would never feel the same way like he does. They love each other. They care for each other. But all because they are best friends.

 

”Penny for your thoughts, Gyu.” Woohyun slung his arms on his shoulders. 

 

Sunggyu just smiled and said, “Nothing. Let’s walk fast. I don’t want our visitors to wait.”

 

He created a distance between them as he walked farther. But Woohyun being Woohyun, closed the space again and walked beside him.

 

”Gyu, don’t mind our friends. Did they make you uncomfortable with their comments? I will talk to them tomorrow.”

 

”No. It’s fine. It doesn’t really bother me at all.” 

 

Lie. 

 

He knew he was lying to himself. Even he accepted the fact that he and Woohyun could never be more than best friends, those kinds of comments sometimes still bothered him. It was difficult to hide his feelings and he was trying the best he could to bury it. 

 

 

They parted in front of the Kim’s house and as Woohyun’s habit, he dropped a kiss on his forehead and gave him a hug before saying goodbye and walking to his own house.

 

Woohyun was just as sweet as that. For his bestfriend, that gesture was normal. Their friends often teased them because of it but it never affected Woohyun at all. While he on the other hand, had all the butterflies in his stomach creating chaos inside him.

 

His bestfriend didn’t know what he was doing to him after every hugs and forehead kisses. The sparks of electricity it left was making his knees weak. And it made him silently wish that Woohyun would stay and never leave. However, it was inevitable. The Nams already had their plane tickets.

 

 

Days and months passed quick. There was only a week left before Woohyun’s flight to Canada. Sunggyu was dreading that day. He couldn’t hide the early longing from his eyes whenever his best friend was around. Thus, he avoided him and Woohyun was too busy to notice.

 

 

Sunggyu was alone sitting on the basketball bleachers while writing on his notebook. He tried his best to not give away his feelings when he was with his friends. It was only when he was alone that he let himself free from the feelings that was suffocating him. 

 

Instead of joining his friends in doing their homeworks and studying together, he started to prefer being alone in a place where no one would notice him.

 

He felt someone sat beside him and he didn’t need to look who it was. He could recognize the scent even on his sleep.

 

”What do you want Woohyun? You should be helping aunt Sooyeon packing.” He never dared to remove his eyes from his notebook and just let his bestfriend think that he was busy.

 

”Gyu, spend time with me. I only have a week here. Why are you not making time for me.”

 

Sunggyu let out a deep breath before facing Woohyun. 

 

“Hyun, I have to study for finals. You’re already done with yours. It’s not my fault that you’re leaving on finals week.”

 

It was hard to look at Woohyun. He felt how his eyes were burning and tears wanted to escape from it. But he had to be strong even he was breaking inside. 

 

“I promise to spend time with you after finals, ok? Finals is just two days and I’m free.” A promise he wanted to break from the moment it left his lips.

 

Woohyun whined from his words. But he knew his bestfriend understood it. 

 

It wasn’t long that they heard Woohyun’s phone sounded off. His mother was already asking him to go home to help emptying their house.

 

”Are you coming with me?”

 

”No. Go ahead. I still need to finish this last homework.” 

 

“Ok. Please call me when you get home. I’ll be waiting.” 

 

Sunggyu closed his eyes as Woohyun gave him his forehead kiss. And when his best friend’s back turned away, the tears he was holding trickled down his face. 

 

It hurt seeing Woohyun’s back walking away. 

 

 

Before he could return back to what he was doing, he heard footsteps nearing his place. He knew whose footsteps were those. Because he was very certain that Woohyun told their friends his whereabouts. Woohyun never wanted him without any company. He secretly wiped his tears and took his pen to start writing again. 

 

However, five pair of arms enveloped him and he just couldn’t handle it anymore. He bawled his eyes and let his feelings flow freely.

 

”Gyu, it’s ok. Just cry it out. We will all miss Woohyun but we know you would be the one who’ll miss him the most. Just let everything out.”

 

Sunggyu didn’t know how long he was squeezed inside the arms of his friends but he just found himself leaning on Myungsoo’s shoulder.

 

”Why couldn’t you just tell him, Gyu?”

 

”I can’t. I love him too much that I couldn’t afford to lose him as my best friend.”

 

Dongwoo who was sitting beside him played with his hair. “We see the way Woohyun looks at you, Gyu. He loves you.”

 

”I know. I am his bestfriend.”

 

The five sighed. They knew that Sunggyu would never listen to them or would give any meanings on what they say. 

 

 

When Sunggyu got home, he was thinking hard if he would call Woohyun or not. He was pacing back and forth in his room, holding his phone. But in the end, he settled on sending him a message and turning off the mobile after.

 

 

Day before Woohyun’s flight, Sunggyu and Woohyun spent their time together, bonding for the last time. They were out the whole day and did things that they usually enjoyed doing together. Sunggyu tried to show Woohyun how happy he was for him. He was able to joke around and act like the way he used to.

 

It was already late when they decided to go home. They were walking silently beside each other. No one wanted to break the silence until Sunggyu’s house was already on their line of sight.

 

”Gyu, can we go to the playground where we met? It would just be fast. I want to see it before I go. We have many memories there.”

 

Sunggyu smiled and ruffled his bestfriend’s hair. “Of course. Anything for my bestfriend.”

 

The word bestfriend started to sting a week ago.

 

 

When they reached the playground, Sunggyu sat on the bench while Woohyun at the foot of the slide. The place was a little dark with only the distant streetlight was illuminating it. But not enough to light up the place.

 

”Remember when we met here? You were so friendly to other kids and it annoyed me.”

 

He chuckled at he remembered that day. Kid Woohyun was so grumpy that he kept on scoffing and snorting at him because everybody was his friend and no one played with a bratty Woohyun. 

 

“I tried talking to you but you were pushing me away. You’re a brat! If it’s not for aunt Sooyeon, you would never talk to me.” 

 

“And talking to you was the best thing that I did that time. We became bestfriends after three days.” 

 

Woohyun transferred to the bench and sat beside him. Arms instantly circled his waist and chin rested on his shoulder. 

 

“I will miss you, Gyu. So much! Thank you for everything. For all the memories. I will cherish every moments we had together.”

 

Sunggyu wasn’t ready for that talk but he knew it was bound to happen.

 

“I will miss you too, Hyun.” That was all he could say or his tears would start to drop from his eyes. And he had to let him go now before he couldn’t help himself and say things he shouldn’t. “Let’s go. You have to wake up early tomorrow.”

 

He got up from the bench and pulled Woohyun’s hand to get up and drag him home.

 

However, he didn’t see it coming. He was harshly pulled and hands cupped his face. Soft lips touched his. His eyes widened but he couldn’t move. Instead, his eyes started closing and savoring the feeling of Woohyun’s lips on him. The tears that was threatening to fall, fell. As their lips moved, tears from his eyes started to glide down his face. But he just didn’t care anymore. He let out all his feelings on the kiss that they were sharing.

 

The kiss was searing, loving and sweet. And yet, full of innocence of young hearts.

 

Their foreheads remained touching and nose brushing after the kiss ended. Woohyun’s hands were still on his face and his eyes still closed.

 

”I’m not going to make any promises, Gyu. I’m scared that I might not able to fulfill it and hurt you. But before I go, I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much.”

 

Sunggyu’s tears never stopped. After hearing what Woohyun said, he knew that everything between them would never be the same again. That the moment he boarded the plane, all would be vague a