“Kiseop?” Soohyun asked on a scorching summer as the two ate ice cream.

“Yeah?” he responded, mouth covered with ice cream.

The two hung out almost every day of summer. Kiseop had summer school but Soohyun would always show up at the gates after to pick him up. Kiseop loved hanging out with Soohyun and his heart pounded whenever Soohyun smiled his gorgeous smile. Kiseop started to fall for Soohyun but he knew Soohyun was in love with Dongho. He’d always talk about Dongho and with every story, Kiseop started to get jealous but he soon realized it would be pointless to try and take Soohyun away from Dongho because he liked them both and to him, as long as Soohyun was happy, so was he. It seemed cliché but it was the truth.

“Why do you always wear long sleeves? Don’t school uniforms have short sleeved uniforms for summertime?”

“…I uh. Get cold easily…” Kiseop’s voice drifted away – as if he was trying to avoid the topic.

Soohyun knew that Kiseop was hiding something – something big. He’d always try to get it out of Kiseop but he’d always drift away. Soohyun wanted to forget about it but the other day Kiseop kept tripping as they walked to their usual coffee/ice cream store. He seemed weak or something.

There was one thing Soohyun figured out – and that was abuse. He didn’t know who it was from though. No one seemed to give Kiseop a dirty glare whenever he picked the blonde up from school so perhaps it was a family member or maybe it was bullies.  

“Kiseop…” Soohyun said.

“Yes, hyung?”

“…is there something you’re not telling me? We’re friends y’know. You can tell me everything.”

“…y-yeah. But do we have to talk about it here?”

“No, we’ll go somewhere private.”

Soohyun took Kiseop to his house for the first time. Kiseop sat on the bed as Soohyun pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards – staring at Kiseop.

“So...it’s…” Soohyun started.

“A-abuse,” Kiseop finished.

Soohyun didn’t change his expression because he saw it coming.

“Who’s doing it?”

“Ah… my step-father. He started after my mom died… a-and I’ve never told anyone until now.”

Kiseop closed his eyes tightly, holding back tears, “You’re the bestest friend I’ve ever had. I trust you with all my life and…”

“…and?”

“I like you a lot, hyung!”

Soohyun went quiet after that and Kiseop knew the answer. Although he anticipated it before, somewhere deep inside his heart hoped Soohyun would think otherwise but he was wrong.

“I’m sorry hyung!” Kiseop apologized as he ran out of the house and into the streets. He tripped a couple of times as he ran because of the bruises on his legs. When he got home, his father was angry at him for coming home late and that he got his clothes dirty.

So the abuse continued.

Soohyun waited at the gates of Kiseop’s private school, waiting for the only blonde boy to appear before him. He waited and waited until the last teacher stepped out of the school.

“Um… excuse me noona?” Soohyun asked, “Did Kiseop go to school today?”

“Oh, are you his friend? His father called this morning and informed me that Kiseop couldn’t attend school today because he was sick but he’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Ah… thank you!” Soohyun bowed and the teacher walked away.

Soohyun felt awkward again. It was like that time Dongho didn’t talk to Soohyun after exams and then… left. Soohyun just couldn’t ignore Kiseop for a day. What if he woke up the next day, and he was gone too?

Instead of going home, he ran to… to… wait, where was Kiseop’s house? He sprinted back to the school – hoping that teacher hadn’t left. The car was pulling out of the parking lot as Soohyun ran up to it and immediately knocked on the window.

“I-I apologize, noona,” Soohyun panted, “b-but… where is Kiseop’s house? It’s really important.”

“Ah…  Kiseop lives in the richer district of town. If you go there, his house number is 353,” the teacher said.

“Thank you so much!” Soohyun bowed and ran towards the mentioned area, looking for Kiseop’s house.

The house Soohyun found was a big yellow mansion. It wasn’t those types of houses with a front gate and enormous lawns or anything like that. It was just… big! The garage had 4 doors, all painted a golden brown. Soohyun slowly approached the double door whose color was similar to the garage’s color.

Ding dong.

“Good afternoon, good sir,” their maid greeted.

“A-ah good afternoon,” Soohyun bowed, “is Kiseop home?”

“U-um yes but the young master is unable to see any visitors,” the maid look hesitant.

“Please… I’m his good friend and I really need to see him right now,” Soohyun could only plead. He had to make sure Kiseop was okay.

The maid looked around and bent down so she could whisper into Soohyun’s ear.

“Young master Lee he… he’s in the hospital currently.  I’m only telling you because the young master has no friends and whomever he trusts, the servants do too,” the maid smiled.

Soohyun sat in the back of the taxi the maid had called. He prayed and prayed that Kiseop would be okay. Why the hell is he in the hospital? Just how much did he get abused?

It was very late at night when the taxi pulled into the driveway of the hospital since it was all the way in Busan. Soohyun rushed inside the hospital looking for Kiseop’s bedroom.

“330… this is his room,” Soohyun gulped. Did Kiseop even want to see Soohyun after he rejected the boy so coldly yesterday? Nevertheless, Soohyun went in.

Kiseop sat on his bed, looking outside the window. His head turned towards the brunette as Soohyun entered.

“H-hyung?” Kiseop stuttered.

“Hey, Seopie,” Soohyun smiled.

Kiseop blushed at the childish nickname.

“Are you okay? When will you be able to go home?”

Kiseop was silent.

“Kiseop?”

“I-I’m alright, hyung. When I’ll be able to go home… probably never.”

Soohyun stared at the blonde in shock.

“Hyung… It’s not only the abuse that’s made me weak but… I’ve always been weak since birth. I had a lot of operations when I was a child and I often got sick. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to go to our favorite café ever again.”

“You’re lying, Kiseop!”

“No, hyung,” Kiseop swallowed hard.

The room was silent for a while, Soohyun processing everything through his head.

“I-I have something to ask of you, Soohyun. Sort of like a last request.”

“What is it?”

“Could you… take me to the water bank where we first met? I want to share our last moments at the place where our first memories were shared.”

Soohyun could only nod and slowly put Kiseop on his back.

He walked out of the hospital and out to the water bank where Kiseop first rolled down the hill – where their eyes first locked together. Soohyun gently sat down and Kiseop could only sit beside him and rest is head of golden locks on Soohyun’s shoulder.

“It looks like it’s about to rain...”Soohyun said.

“Hyung would it be selfish of me to request another thing?”

“Of course not, Seopie…”

“You said that… you wrote a song and sung it for Dongho. I know I’m not the one you love but would you please let me hear it?”

Soohyun nodded.

The view of your back, leaving me on this rainy road
Because I couldn't do anything again,
I regret it again everyday. I'm sorry,
I pray, I want you to be back. 
I can't. I can't stand it. I cannot stand a day without you. 
My tears are falling again. 
Will I be able to forget you? When will I be like that till? 

Kiseop closed his eyes as the melody rang through his ears. As Soohyun’s harmonious voice rang through the air.  

 “Hyung. Please take my notebook. It has all of my precious thoughts in it. You were the first person I ever loved and you’ll be the last person I ever love. Also, please tell don’t tell Dongho we ever met,” Kiseop handed the brunette his black notebook.

“But why not?” Soohyun asked.

“He’s actually my step-father’s brother’s son. So, a step-cousin you could say. He treated me very well when we met and I had promised him that we would meet again someday. It was heartbreaking to leave him when I left China.”

Soohyun nodded at Kiseop’s third and final request.

“Thank you hyung. 사랑해요.”

Soohyun could feel Kiseop’s body going limp.

Soohyun was familiar with the sadness he gets upon someone’s death.

Tears fell from his eyes as they mixed with the raindrops that also fell from the heavens.

Soohyun opened Kiseop’s notebook and flipped through the pages until he came to the last page – the only blank page in Kiseop’s notebook; the last page of Kiseop’s life.

Inside, Soohyun wrote:

Lee Kiseop. January 17^th, 1991 XX:XX  - August 19^th, XXXX 03:30. His life was precious to those around him. His life will be forever cherished. 나도 사랑해요.

--

Bye Kiseop ;__________; the first korean phrase says I love you & the second says I love you too. (but Soohyun means it as a friend) The XX:XX simply means I don't know the time Kiseop was born Orz and the XXXX simply refers to the year, since it's unknown as well. I don't know how realistic to make it so it's better left unknown ;A; 

I hope you enjoyed this side story D: its so random and everything moves too fast LOL. PLEASE LOOK FORWARD TO DONGO'S RETURN! and please support Ukiss in the Oricon charts by pre-ordering 'One of You' 

also happy to say I'll be seeing Ukiss at Inazuma rock festival on September 15th! Waaaaah so excited Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ annyeong ~