Ryeowook smiles to himself as he puts his books in his locker.
Nothing will get to him today, he promises himself. Absolutely nothing will upset him anymore.
Not even a few moments later when he's shoved against the wall and spit on, laughed at, criticized, and eventually punched in the ribs for lack of proper reaction, does he let anything bother him. He just smiles and takes the abuse of his school mate. It's okay, after all.
Today will be the best day of his life and he is absolutely certain of that. He has the chance to do the things that he's wanted to do for so long now on this Friday afternoon. He's finally going to be brave enough to do these things that will make him happy.
He doesn't bring any of his school work home with him this weekend, as he has no intention of finishing it, and on his way out of the building, he stops by his best friend's locker and slips a note inside for him. Donghae may be a year older than he is, but they've been friends since they were toddlers, and nothing gives the younger boy more joy than leaving behind this little confession of love for the person who has had his heart for almost 10 years now. Though, Donghae probably won't see the note until Monday, as he's most likely already left for home. He sometimes leaves school early now that he's the star player on the soccer team that Ryeowook had finally convinced him to join this year. The teachers don't mind, because why does a few extra minutes of class matter to a person as talented as him?
Ryeowook smiles. What will Donghae's expression be when he reads the note? He probably won't get to see his reaction, so all he can do is make a guess. The letter might even help fix this little issue between them! Sure they'd had a fight during lunch last Tuesday and they hadn't spoken since, and, yes, Donghae had been ignoring him lately for his new soccer buddies, but Ryeowook knows that everything will be okay again come Monday, and that thought carries him on with the rest of this beautiful, perfect, day and helps him to forget the curiosity of what his friend's reaction might be to this almost childish way of confessing. Whatever happens happens, and Ryeowook is absolutely, perfectly, okay with that.
Even with his only friend angry with him, today is going to be the best day of his life and he won't let anything ruin it for him.

He trails down the hall, ignoring the whispers and the quiet laughter following behind his back like there's actually a good reason to laugh at him. It's because he's small, isn't it? It's because they know he's gay or because they assume such a thing based on his preference for cute things and singing rather than sports and such. That's why they laugh at him and point at him. That's why they treat him as they do. That's why the boys and girls he's grown up with are still giggling when they think he can't hear.
Oh, if only they knew how wonderfully his day was about to play out, they wouldn't be talking about him or pointing at him as he walks by. They'd actually be happy and they might even approach him and smile with him and tell him that they're happy that he's going to have such a great day. But on Monday he's sure that they'll talk about him even more, and on Monday he's sure that they'll be happier than they've ever been. They'll be happy that Ryeowook has finally found what really makes him happy. For once, they'll be happy for the boy they've been teasing all these years. He can't even imagine them feeling any other way when Monday finally comes.
In moments, he steps out into sunlight, and it warms his flesh, makes his eyes light up like he's been stuck in darkness forever before now. And maybe, in a way, he has been. Because today... today he can actually see the light. He can actually feel it run through him and give him delightful hope. Reassurance that nothing can ever make him hurt again. Not after the happiness that is today and every day after.
Ryeowook slips off his sneakers and socks, tucking them in his almost completely empty backpack, then continues his walk home in bliss, the pads of his feet touching the slightly heated pavement.
It's almost summer; his favorite time of the year. It's full of his favorite memories with his favorite person. It's full of love and happiness and fun, and he's pleased to know that it will always be like this, perhaps even more so from now on.

Every year, in August, he and Donghae run off together for a three night camping trip at the younger's parent's camp site near the most beautiful, crystal clear, lake that Ryeowook has ever seen (not that he's been to many lakes aside from this one, mind you). Then, just the two of them, they play and laugh and build sand castles, even if it's a bit juvenile at their ages, now; and Ryeowook always packs the food to bring with them; things that he can cook over the fire that the older boy builds.
On the first evening, after setting up their tent (as they only sleep in the cabin if it rains), they always go fishing off the little bridge nearby, just in sight of their camp. Or, rather, Donghae fishes and Ryeowook pouts when the older boy reminds him that they're going to be eating these poor fish later. One year, the smaller boy had even managed to fall into the cold water, his friend jumping in right behind him to 'save' him, as though it was a game. And they laughed together and splashed one another until well after the water stopped feeling so cold, and everything was blissful.
On the second night, Ryeowook always grabs the extra blanket that he'd packed and throws it over Donghae's shoulders when he realizes his hyung is cold even with the fire blazing, knowing very well that the other would never willingly admit to such a thing nor grab the blanket himself. Then Donghae always manages to convince the younger to join him so that they can be warm together beneath the heavy fabric, shoulder to shoulder, and sometimes closer. Like this, they look at the stars, and Ryeowook points out constellations that he must have told Donghae about a thousand times before... but the older boy never grows tired of hearing the stories behind them. Actually, he asks for them. He insists that the younger tell him of the legends behind each constellation they can find.
Finally, on their last night together, Ryeowook always ends up crying, caving in and telling his best friend all the things that have been bothering him, all the things that Donghae always tries to get him to speak about through the year, and which he always knows he'll be able to hear from his dongsaeng on this one night every summer. Because Ryeowook doesn't, honestly, complain much. He doesn't appear to let things bother him. And he doesn't cry over much more than hurt animals or sad movies. Donghae is typically quick to confide in the younger on any day he's feeling down, but on this one night, Ryeowook actually opens up to the only person he knows he can trust, and he cries and trembles in strong arms until he's weak and tired, hiccuping a time or two from readjusting to breathing right. And Donghae always hushes him with sweet words and his beautiful singing, letting his dongsaeng fall asleep in his arms, only moving so that they can properly lie together in this way all through the night, straight up until early morning when the younger wakes first to make breakfast for the boy he's accidentally fallen in love with.
These three nights are his favorite nights of the year, and he hopes that the older boy feels the same way. Though he can't be sure, of course, and he actually rather doubts that they're as important to his hyung as they are to him.

When Ryeowook snaps back to reality, he wears a goofy smile, wondering what this year's camping trip will be like. Things are going to be different this time, he knows. He wouldn't even mind if Donghae brought somebody else along this year; after all, just because it's /their/ tradition doesn't mean that somebody else can't join, right? Maybe it could even be more fun that way.
Finally, his bare feet touch grass and he wiggles his toes a bit on the soft, earthy, bed. He's always liked the feeling of grass beneath his feet, but, today... today it feels especially nice. Today everything feels like heaven, because today is the perfect day.
After a short time, he stops playing in the grass, noting that it needs to be mowed and doubting that his father will do it anytime soon; he hasn't really been doing much of anything, lately, aside from working, signing documents, and drinking down his cure-all medication when he feels he needs it. But Ryeowook, in his mind, has already called dibs on not doing the chore, so it'll just have to wait until his father is feeling better again. Hopefully that