While lying in his bed Hyuk toys a small jewelry box, rolling back and forth. He had been in his bed for more than an hour. He can’t sleep. He stops playing grasp the jewelry box in his hands.

This had been an important part of his life. For how many years he had clung to this as if it was his life. He stares at the ceiling.

For the second time in his life after he had meet Hae he was sleepless again, but unlike the first one where he was giggly and happy now it was totally different.

How many years had past since I last saw this box? Eight? Seven? No. Six years ago. Six years ago and I always thought that it was a very long time and had totally forgotten about it but now I feel like it’s the same time again eight years ago.

Hyuk tries to remember those moments in his life as he stares at the ceiling he sees his life again as if watching a movie.

The moment Donghae put the ring on his finger, he knows that he we will be the happiest kid in the world and he already know that he wanted to spend his whole life with him.

They walk while holding each other’s hand and upon the request of Donghae they went to the town to stroll, they walk from pavement to pavement, Eunhyuk wanted to ask but then he doesn’t want to end the moment he was with Donghae. they stop in front of a store and Donghae release his hand, he excitedly walk towards the glass display looking for a specific product. He lean closer examining the display one by one.

When he found what he was looking for, he looks at Eunhyuk and urges him to look at the product he was pointing.

Eunhyuk being curious on what he wanted to show obey him and look at the display he was pointing.

“You see that ring in there?” he ask while pointing at the ring.

“Which one?” Eunhyuk was confused on what ring he was talking about.

“The one in the farthest left, that one with a big stone.” Donghae enthusiastically describe the ring.

“Hmmm...” Eunhyuk nod his head as a sign that he had figure what he was referring about. “It’s is very lovely.”

“I know.” Donghae smile mischievously.

“What is so special about the ring?” Eunhyuk looks at Donghae. “I think it’s very expensive.”

“For over a year I have been saving my money to buy that ring in the future for you. But since I have to go I wanted something important to bind as together even if we are a far so I bought this ring for you.” Donghae reach out for Eunhyuk’s hand and look at the ring he gave him.

“This is what I can only buy for you now but when I come back I am going to by that ring for you.” Donghae grins at Eunhyuk.

Eunhyuk on the other hand was speechless. He was overwhelmed with the love Donghae was giving him.

“Then I’ll wait for the time when you will buy me that ring.” Eunhyuk looks at the ring on the display window and then to Donghae.

“Until that time, please take care of this ring, don’t take off, okay?”

Eunhyuk smiles at Donghae then nod his head as an assurance for him.

Donghae grab his hand and drag her to the inside the store. Eunhyuk was surprise on his action, he tried stopping Donghae but he doesn’t want to listen to him. Eunhyuk looks around the store but at that moment there was only one person inside and it was the lady in the counter.

They went to the counter, Donghae dragging him to the counter and Eunhyuk pulling him back.

“Excuse me Miss, are you the owner of this store?” Donghae use a serious tone for an eight year old kid.

Eunhyuk is so scared that the lady might think they are crazy kids and scold them.

The lady was surprise by his question but she still answer. “Yes I am. What can I do t the two of you?” she looks at both of them.

“I wanted to buy that ring on your display but I don’t have enough money right now. If you could please save that ring and don’t sell it to anyone else until I come back and buy it.” Donghae tries to sound formal so that the lady will take his words seriously.

Donghae pointed the ring on the display glass.

She was astonish on his words, it is the first time that someone ask her that kind of favor and what’s more surprising is it came from a kid!

Eunhyuk was shock on Donghae’s words. He was grateful and happy on his words but he was scared of the lady owner.

  Now he really thinks that the lady will scold at them and kick them out of the store. He watches the lady’s reaction and feel at ease when the lady smile at them.

“Then that ring will wait until you come back and buy that.”

Donghae smiled at Eunhyuk and then face the owner. “Thank you, you don’t know how much it means for me, for us.”

After a few more express gratitude they left the store and decides to home, Donghae sends Eunhyuk home before he sadly walk towards their house. This will be the last day he will be seeing Eunhyuk and it breaks his heart knowing that it will take time before they will meet again.

The next day Eunhyuk wakes up very early, this will be the day that Donghae and his family will left their town and will be the last time they will see each other. He doesn’t want to miss this chance.

While walking towards the Lee residence he is practicing his farewell and promise speech to him whom he painstakingly wrote and memorizes it last night 

“Lee Donghae since you are leaving I decided to make a parting message for you. To my friend who was always in there whenever I need him and would always make crazy things and games to make me smile I will never forget you. I will forever treasure the ring you gave me and please do comeback quickly to fulfill your promise… I love you.”

Eunhyuk blushed on the last words of his speech. He was hoping he’ll be able to say it to Donghae’s face.

He stops at their gate and then rings their door bell.

He waited for a response, but no one answers him.

He tries again. Still no one answers him.

“Maybe I am too early and they were still sleeping but that’s not possible Donghae told me they will leave early. Had they left already?” Eunhyuk is on the brick of crying.

He tries to ring again and again and started calling Donghae.

“Donghae! Donghae are you in there? Stop playing games will you and come out! Donghae!” Eunhyuk was shouting and crying.

A neighbor step out of their house after he heard Eunhyuk’s outburst.

“If you are looking for the Lee family, they had left minutes ago.” the old man stares at Eunhyuk. “If you want to reach them go to the town street before the highway. They must still be in there way…”

Eunhyuk did not let the old man finish his words, he mumbles a ‘thank you’ and started running.

‘The old man is right if I wants to see Donghae I needs to be in the town street before them and the only way I can do that is use the shortcut.’

Donghae was the one who taught him about the shortcut, it will only take him minutes to be on the town way out.

Eunhyuk runs while he was wiping his eyes. He knows it will be long before they will see one another. So for one last time he wants to see Donghae. He wanted to tell him how much he loves him and he wanted to give his letter.

Eunhyuk was breathing heavily when he stops at the street greeting. He leans on the post to rest his body he run for 3 minutes. He looks to his left and right looking for a car that must left or on their way to his position.

He smiled sweetly. “I know they haven’t left, I can still see Donghae, during this hour there must be traffic in the town so it will take them minutes before they reach his location.

He sits on the gutter and took out his letter.

“I hope he will see me. So I can give my letter.” Eunhyuk tries to smoothen his letter that had been folded and crumpled on his pocket.  “I hope he will like it.” He giggled at the thought of Donghae reading his letter.

While he is trying to calm his heart and cleans his face, he hears a car steering on his location. He stands up and tries to recognize the car from afar.

He is sure the car is owned by Donghae’s family.

He tries to wave his hand so that he will notice him and stops the car.

“Donghae! Donghae! I’m here!”

Eunhyuk was doing everything he can so that he will notice him. But to Hyuk’s surprise it did not stop. Eunhyuk freeze for a moment.

Maybe he did not see me, I have to do something.

Eunhyuk tries to run after the car, on that way he thinks that he will be seen by Donghae.

“Donghae! Donghae! Please stop the car! Donghae!”

Eunhyuk was already crying but he continuously run after the car, he accidentally trip and fell on the ground and then he watch as the car speed up their way out of the town out of Eunhyuk’s life.

“Donghae! I will wait for you! Please don’t make me wait for too long, please come back I love you!!!” he was screaming on top of his lungs and crying at the same time.

He looks at his hand that was holding his letter and cries out even more.

Passersby help Eunhyuk to stand up while he was lying on the middle of the street. They got concern when they saw him crying and bleeding when he fall. But whatever question they have Eunhyuk is not answer instead he run away from all of them.

“No one will understand me, no one knows how much pain I am going through right now. No one.”

Years have pasts and Eunhyuk still bears the promise he had with Donghae on one fleeting afternoon. The ring no longer fits his finger so he put it as a pendant holding closer to his.

He becomes friends with the owner of the jewelry shop because he visits the place everyday looking at ‘their’ ring.

For him he was leaving a normal life, he is happy but at the same time he is also lonely and detach from the world. The only people who are close to him are his family and Shindong. He focuses his life to Donghae and the promise they had.

He become anti social thinking that people may think of him weird for still waiting for someone who does not even show himself for a long time.

Some people even think he is delusional and that he Donghae was just a fantasy. The friends they had before also forgot about Donghae as time passes by.

Eunhyuk got involve in a big fight when he was in high school because students started to bully him about his fantasy. He was fifth teen at the time.

“Hey Eunhyuk, why don’t we use your story for the class presentation?”

Eunhyuk looks at his classmate who is talking to him. They are planning a class presentation for the cultural night in the school.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, I don’t have any story.” He is puzzled on what he was talking about. Eunhyuk then tries to ignore him and put his things on his bag.

“You know what he is talking about.” One of his classmate smirk and walk towards him.

“I told you I don’t know what you are talking about.” He starting to get irritated on their nonsensical talk. Once his done fixing his thing he picks up his bag and prepares to leave.

His classmate pulls his arm to jolt him back and face them. Eunhyuk can see that they were angry with what he did.

Their classmates become interested in the commotion and decides to watch them.

“Were not done yet, weirdo. We want to make your story as the basis for our fantasy theater play. The princess waiting or his prince to comeback. We know it will be a hit.” They started to mock him.

People around him started to laugh.

 “It’s not a fantasy.” Eunhyuk clenched his jaw to control his anger.

“Or t make it more appealing, you will be the one to play the princess role.” One of his classmate added.

“Stop!” He is turning red from anger.

“Or we can make it as a melodrama and make the princess wait in vain because the prince is not coming back.”

“Stop it!”

Eunhyuk tries to cover his ears as his classmates suggest the reason for the prince for not fulfilling his promise.

“Maybe he has found someone.”

“The prince went abroad.”

“The prince does not love the ‘princess’ back.”

“He had forgotten about the princess.”

He looks at the ground and tries to control his tears. He doesn’t want to show them that he is crying but all the words they are saying are like knives cutting his heart.

His classmate went to him and pulls his face up.

“Or he had die.”

Eunhyuk’s eye widen, never in his wildest reason had he killed Donghae for not coming back. He had always give him the benefit of doubt. And he had always wishes for his welfare. How dare his classmate say those things to Donghae?

He could not contain his anger and he hit his classmate on his face. Everyone got surprise by his action and gasp. He had just hit the class bully on his face. But Eunhyuk did not stop he continues to hit him to release all the hatred, anger, frustration and loneliness he have felt for the past years. 

He continuously hit him even when he was on the ground. His classmate started to pull him away from the bully when they saw him on the floor. Eunhyuk was uncontrollable, he tries to be free from three people who were holding him and his fist were still clenched. It already has blood from his own wounds and from the bully’s.

He only calms down when the teacher arrive, both of them were sent to the clinic, to treat their wounds and then to the principal’s office. Eunhyuk did not know what to say it was his first time become involve in a fight. Since he was a diligent student he was only reprimanded for what he did.

Eunhyuk taught that after the fight everything will be fine again and the bullies will stop until he was beaten by his three classmates on his way home. Eunhyuk was walking on the dark alley when they started hitting him until he was on the ground. After that incident Eunhyuk develop a phobia on dark streets that people might hurt him and his classmates started to avoid him thinking that he was a freak.

And all the time he was going through a lot of hardship he only had Donghae in his mind. He takes out his pendant and as if it was Donghae he was talking to.

“Where are you? Why do you let me suffer like this?”

“When are you going to fulfill your promise Lee Donghae?”

A/N hope you all enjoy this part, let me hear what you have to say about this chapter ^^