I was sixteen. And I had dreams.

“Yah, Lee Donghae, don’t you have anywhere else to go? It’s a Saturday evening and you barge in my house?” The young man, with platinum blonde hair wearing his slacks, scolded his friend who was shamelessly sitting on his bed –who was, no other than Lee Donghae.

“Yah, Lee Hyukjae, don’t you feel sorry for your one and only best friend? It’s a Saturday evening and you’re lazing around the house, and you, dare lecture me?” The brunette sat up from the comfortable bed to retort to his best friend –who was, no other than Lee Hyukjae.

Lee Donghae and Lee Hyukjae. If you had been living in this neighborhood for quite long –maybe at least ten years– then you’d know they have been the closest friends since ever. Even if you haven’t been here for long, you can see just how close they are. They were inseparable. Having grown up together, they became very close. You’d think they were brothers. But, of course, they were different enough not to be mistaken as one.

Lee Hyukjae, your usual neighborhood dreamer. Yes, Hyukjae was a dreamer. He had admitted it himself. He dreams big, to be a dancer. Ever since discovering Michael Jackson, he couldn’t stop thinking about the way he moves and grooves. He himself could not stop from moving and dancing just hearing a few beats. Hyukjae gives off the image of a rebel but he is exactly the opposite. With top grades in his cohort, active in clubs, and his undeniable charisma, he is the definition of Pride –the teachers’ pride, his friends’ pride and his family’s pride.

And then we have Lee Donghae, your normal high school athlete. He was on the football team and he was the ace, of course. The striker, the ace, the one that brings victory to the school, he was loved by the whole school. He wasn’t considered a jock since he was actually down to earth and nice to all students. But of course, he was also quite the playboy. He was famous for dating a lot of girls but not at once, of course. Donghae knows the limit of being in a relationship. Other than that, his grades were average, and in fact, dropping, but his best friend’s a genius so he doesn’t really care. He does a bit of dancing with Hyukjae sometimes too.

If they really were brothers, their parents would have been rich by now. But, these two were not brothers, they were not friends, they were not any of these. They were more than that; they had a bond that no one could break. Maybe one of them could but for now, it was kind of impossible.

“Nice one, Lee Donghae. But seriously, go away. I’m busy.” Hyukjae said as he went to his wardrobe.

“Doing what, Hyuk, homework?” And then Donghae laughed hysterically at his own joke while Hyukjae just rolled his eyes.

“As you can see, I am going to change so I could go out. So your argument is invalid.” Hyukjae snapped, not wanting to hear it from his dumb friend.

“Where are you planning to go, Hyuk?” Donghae asked.

“Somewhere, so I need you to get out. Why are you here anyway?” Hyukjae said while going through his clothes, trying to find the perfect pair.

“Ugh, don’t even get me started.” At this, Hyukjae raised a questioning brow. “It’s this girl. I’ve been dating her for quite some time now. And she cancelled out today. And I think I saw her with another guy on the way here. I’m thinking of cutting it off with her, but I really liked her, you know?” Donghae covered his eyes with his arms, getting frustrated just from thinking about it while Hyukjae tried to control his feel expression.

The moment he heard the words ‘It’s this girl’ come out from Donghae’s mouth, his expression and composure wavered. It’s quite simple actually. Hyukjae had feelings for his best friend. Since when? He’d sometimes laugh at it himself. It was since puberty started and hormones started rising.

Growing seemed hard to Donghae. With all the girls in the world, he dated and dated lots of them, trying to find ‘the one’. But for Hyukjae, it was harder. Having his best friend and love interest as the same person, he struggled just trying to conceal his feelings –especially when Donghae was dating girls 24/7.

“I just thought that maybe we could have last. But I guess not. Aish, now I have to find another one again.” Donghae did not notice that Hyukjae wasn’t responding anymore, instead he just laid down on the bed and after a while, fell asleep.

Hyukjae looked behind to see that Donghae was asleep. He quietly stalked towards his bed and sat on the floor in front of Donghae’s face and admired his best friend’s face.

“Pabo, I’m just right here.” He smiled softly and then bitterly added, “But you can’t even see me.” He stood up and closed his cabinet and sat on the floor in front of his television soon falling into slumber.

You always look far away

Even though I'm right here

If you'd only turn your head 

Just a little, you could see me

“Hyuk!” Donghae called after Hyukjae after seeing him at his locker. Hyukjae looked in his direction and spotted him, a smile on his face.

Hyukjae watched as Donghae smiled back but then looked behind. And now that Hyukjae sees it, Donghae was holding a girl’s hand. And they were coming this way. Hyukjae’s smile faltered but he tried to put it back on as they were reaching.

“Hyukjae, this is Gi Yeong, my girlfriend. Gi Yeong, this is Hyukjae, my best friend.”

The girl was nice, Hyukjae thought. But he could see how she was just using him. But Hyukjae didn’t want to say anything. Donghae looked happy and he did not want to ruin that. He’d just have to swallow his feelings. He tried to be civil but at the same time, he tried to avoid her. He just didn’t like her, with her obviously fake aura.

But what hurt was the way Donghae talked about her. The way his eyes just twinkle when they talk to each other. It hurt Hyukjae but he couldn’t do anything. He was a boy. He was his best friend. He wasn’t what he was looking for.

I dream every day

A dream of you and I speaking to each other 

Next Chapter:

People asked me why I looked at one spot so much .:. I couldn’t understand it myself –my mind .:. Like a small doll, I’m only looking towards you

If you look at me .:. And wave to me .:. I would always love you

I dream everyday .:. A dream of you and I speaking to each other .:. But you won't know the pain afterwards