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If I Could Spend A Year With You
i.
January was a cold month for Kikwang, he decided. The skies never
seemed to be able to decide if they wanted to toss rain, snow or hail
at him or just remain dark and bleary, dressed in a heavy cloak of
dull clouds in an attempt to block out the sun.
He shifted on the bench, full lips quivering slightly in the cold air as
he hugged himself for warmth; his black beanie fell over his dark eyes
as he sneezed and rocked forward. The subway had never been his
ideal method of transportation and he sighed despondently as his
lower lip stuck out in a prominent pout, chocolate coloured eyes lighting
up in dismay. The only good thing about taking the train to school was the
fact that he got to see Yoseob every morning.
Yoseob was a bright and funny boy, thought Kikwang. His hands were pretty
Yoseob was a bright and funny boy, thought Kikwang. His hands were pretty
too. He remembered the first time they’d met a couple of months back when
Kikwang had gotten lost at the station.
Yoseob had come up to him and blinked curiously, snapping a, “Where the
are you going?” and Kikwang had practically burst into tears because
Kikwang was Kikwang and he felt cold and tired and he hadn't had breakfast
and he truly was bad at navigations and he had no idea where to go.
Yoseob had laughed and grabbed his shoulders- Kikwang remembered
Yoseob had laughed and grabbed his shoulders- Kikwang remembered
momentarily panicking as he imagined himself being kidnapped and
whisked away; he hadn't even finished his coin collection and his mother
would be sure to worry at his sudden absence when she called him for
dinner- before directing him to the right platform, all smiles and wide eyes
and bleached blond hair.
They’d become fast friends and the platform was declared their official
BFMS- best friend meeting spot- where they shared biscuits and sandwiches
and coffee over hushed giggles and loud secrets between hard seats and
smoke filled platforms as crowds of people passed by them in a busy daze.
Kikwang shuffled closer to the end of the bench, pale fingers wrapped around
a poorly wrapped box as he bit his lip, pondering over Yoseob’s unusual absence.
It was the elder’s birthday and Kikwang had rushed in the morning to wrap his
It was the elder’s birthday and Kikwang had rushed in the morning to wrap his
present as nicely as possible, with the result being a replica of some form of
abstract origami, tape sticking out at odd angles. The wrapping crinkled and
abstract origami, tape sticking out at odd angles. The wrapping crinkled and
bent under his hands as he sneezed again, tape sticking to the pads of his
fingers as he squinted through his glasses for any sign of the blond.
After about an hour of waiting, it came to him as a surprise when a cold finger
pressed into his cheek playfully, making his eyes widen as he turned around
and looked up before allowing his face to break into a bright smile.
Standing up, he the small package into Yoseob’s surprised hands, making
the elder blink in confusion as he stared down at the gift.
“It’s your birthday,” chirped Kikwang, eyes disappearing behind dark lashes as he
smiled widely. “So happy birthday!”
Blinking, Yoseob looked up at the younger in slight awe before giggling and tackling
him in a hug.
“My birthday’s tomorrow, idiot,” he laughed, earning a pout from Kikwang.
“But tomorrow’s a weekend,” huffed Kikwang, nose wrinkling in slight distaste.
him in a hug.
“My birthday’s tomorrow, idiot,” he laughed, earning a pout from Kikwang.
“But tomorrow’s a weekend,” huffed Kikwang, nose wrinkling in slight distaste.
“I won’t see you.”
Smiling widely, Yoseob pulled back and playfully punched the younger’s shoulder,
Smiling widely, Yoseob pulled back and playfully punched the younger’s shoulder,
fingers gripping the small gift happily as he flushed in glee. “Thank you.”
Shrugging, Kikwang smiled and took his place on the bench once more,
stuffing his hands into his pockets to prevent them from getting any
colder.
Yoseob shuffled around thoughtfully, nose buried into his bright red
scarf as he regarded Kikwang with a small frown before grinning and
tapping the latter’s foot with his own.
“Come over tomorrow,” he smiled, earning an astonished blink in reply. “You can
Shrugging, Kikwang smiled and took his place on the bench once more,
stuffing his hands into his pockets to prevent them from getting any
colder.
Yoseob shuffled around thoughtfully, nose buried into his bright red
scarf as he regarded Kikwang with a small frown before grinning and
tapping the latter’s foot with his own.
“Come over tomorrow,” he smiled, earning an astonished blink in reply. “You can
wish me properly when it’s actually my birthday.”
“For real?” Kikwang gaped. After all, the two were merely subway buddies.
Giggling, Yoseob shrugged.
“We’re friends, right?”
Kikwang nodded, smiling.
“Let’s take this up a step,” chirped Yoseob, grinning. “Come over tomorrow.”
January didn’t seem so very cold anymore, thought Kikwang, face warm, as
“For real?” Kikwang gaped. After all, the two were merely subway buddies.
Giggling, Yoseob shrugged.
“We’re friends, right?”
Kikwang nodded, smiling.
“Let’s take this up a step,” chirped Yoseob, grinning. “Come over tomorrow.”
January didn’t seem so very cold anymore, thought Kikwang, face warm, as
he smiled widely.
ii.
Tea or coffee?
Yoseob wrinkled his nose thoughtfully as he crossed his legs, palm pressed
Yoseob wrinkled his nose thoughtfully as he crossed his legs, palm pressed
to the surface of the table as he thrummed his fingers against the cool marble.
His gaze fluttered to the napkin holder a few inches away from his hand and he
His gaze fluttered to the napkin holder a few inches away from his hand and he
frowned, mind wandering away to a land with palepalepale papers and delicate
patterns on white sheets as he stared at the sheaves of tissues.
Cue Kikwang stumbling into the coffee shop a few minutes later, snapping Yoseob
Cue Kikwang stumbling into the coffee shop a few minutes later, snapping Yoseob
out of his reverie as he noisily plopped himself down on a chair opposite him,
fumbling with his dark bag and too long muffler. Blinking, Yoseob stared up at his
boyfriend in vague amusement as Kikwang scowled and pulled at his scarf, only
succeeding in tightening it around his neck in a fluffy mass of dark grey wool.
Finally managing to settle down, Kikwang sighed and looked up at Yoseob before
Finally managing to settle down, Kikwang sighed and looked up at Yoseob before
allowing his features to relax into a soft smile as he dropped his bag on the floor
beside him.
“Thought you forgot,” murmured Yoseob, smiling faintly as he grabbed one of the
“Thought you forgot,” murmured Yoseob, smiling faintly as he grabbed one of the
napkins and picked on the edge of the layered paper.
“I see you have no faith in me at all,” joked Kikwang, pouting faintly as he leaned
“I see you have no faith in me at all,” joked Kikwang, pouting faintly as he leaned
forward and placed his hand over the former’s.
“You can’t be trusted with dates,” laughed Yoseob, lacing their fingers together as
“You can’t be trusted with dates,” laughed Yoseob, lacing their fingers together as
he bit his lip.
“I remembered this time,” huffed Kikwang, sliding down in his seat slightly as he
“I remembered this time,” huffed Kikwang, sliding down in his seat slightly as he
pulled on the elder’s finger in reproach.
Chuckling, Yoseob smiled softly up at the muffler clad youth and blushed faintly,
Chuckling, Yoseob smiled softly up at the muffler clad youth and blushed faintly,
murmuring, “Happy anniversary.”
Kikwang smiled brightly, cheeks flushed, as he tightened his hold around the
Kikwang smiled brightly, cheeks flushed, as he tightened his hold around the
former’s hand. They held each others gaze for a while, a young couple lost to the
world’s problems and tensions for a short while as they enjoyed the stuffy warmth
of the small café, hand in hand beside the foggy glass windows plastered with
bright ads and colourful posters promising hot chocolate and heavenly cakes for
those wandering outside in the cold February air.
They stayed quiet for a while, smiling to themselves as they retracted their hands
They stayed quiet for a while, smiling to themselves as they retracted their hands
and leaned back in their seats, fingers curling around dog-eared menus as they
stole secret glances at each other.
Kikwang was the first to break the silence with a light, “Tea or coffee?”, earning a
Kikwang was the first to break the silence with a light, “Tea or coffee?”, earning a
laugh from Yoseob as the door to the coffee shop swung open, wind chimes jingling to
announce the entrance of a new customer.
announce the entrance of a new customer.
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