The two of you headed back toward your house, and the surrounding fans slowly decreased in number.
Finally, some peace and quiet.
"This is nice, isn't it?" Dongwoo beamed at you. He was referring to the trees surrounding the park, as they were turning all shades of orange.
"Yes, I love it here," you answered, watching Dongwoo humorously frolic around. His delightful nature made you feel a little happy, and a thought popped into your head that made you cough.
"Are you okay? Are you sick?" asked Dongwoo, rushing to your side.
"No, no, I'm fine!" you said, "I just..." you started laughing at Dongwoo's behavior, how he went from happy to worrisome in a split second, all because of a small cough. He began to laugh with you, unsure of what was so funny, and your laughing stopped as you remembered why you coughed in the first place.
Should I tell him about it...?
Dongwoo went back to admiring the trees, inviting you to walk along beside him. You joined him in the simple sight-seeing pleasure, thoughts racing through your mind. You couldn't tell him, you just couldn't. The thought of burdening him with your own problems was the wrong thing to do, no matter how much you wanted to tell someone about it. But if you told him, maybe he'd know how to help. Maybe... Maybe he'd understand?
You shook your head as the idea surfaced, dismissing it as a silly and overly-expectant wish. You couldn't do that to Dongwoo, even if he was a friend who's been there for you all these years. In order not to raise any suspicion, you spent the next while smiling and laughing with him, doing your best to ignore the nagging reminder inside of you. It wasn't until mid-afternoon that Dongwoo asked to sit down. The two of you found a bench and he sat next to you, just like those nights on the subway.

"Good thing there aren't any creeps to bother you right now," he joked. Your heart skipped a beat.

Wait, you... You remember?

You didn't expect him to remember that night at all. Did he really think about it as often as you did?

Did you really think back on the time we first met?

"Yeah, right," you forced a laugh.

"Unless you consider me a creep!" he teased. You smiled and felt heat in your eyes.

No! I can't cry. Not here, not in front of him!

You looked up in order to fight the tears, and Dongwoo cocked his head to the side.
"What's wrong?" he asked, the smile disappearing from his face, "Why do you look like you're about to cry?"
"It's nothing," you said, waving your hand, "I'm just really happy, that's all."
"Ah, I see... You don't look happy."

What was he talking about? Of course you were happy. He was here, sitting next to you, and better yet, he remembered a time you thought he had forgotten. You were happy... Weren't you?
"I am happy," you said, forcing another smile.

No you're not.

Dongwoo put an arm around you and wiped away one of your tears. He didn't say a word as your tears continued to flow. In seconds, you were sobbing, burying your face in his shoulder. He sat very still, unsure of what to say. Everything was falling apart, and he didn't know what to do. Why were you crying? Did he say something wrong? Maybe he shouldn't have made that joke.
"Dongwoo, there's something I wanted to talk about," you managed to say through your sobs.
"Sure, sure. What is it? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" You lifted your head off his shoulder and regained your composure. It felt good to cry for a few minutes, but it demanded an explanation for his sake.


"I'm depressed."

You braced yourself, expecting Dongwoo to say something along the lines of  'Don't be silly, you're not depressed. There are so many reasons to be happy! '
What he said instead caused your heart to skip another beat.

"It's okay."

You looked up at him, and his lips formed a smile. He brushed the hair out of your face and said, "Everything will be okay. I'm here for you, you know that, right?" Tears welled up in your eyes again, and you cried into his shoulder once more. This time, he wrapped his arms around you and rested his chin on your head. You cried and cried until you felt dry, with Dongwoo holding you the entire time. He didn't have to ask you why's or how's, as those words gave you the comfort you had been looking for. He may not understand what you're going through, but he offered you some reassurance all the same. He didn't argue reasons to be happy, but what he said gave you hope. Hope that you wouldn't have to suffer through this forever. This brief moment with him might not last, but that doesn't mean it has to be a negative moment. It will be okay. Just like this moment with him, your depression won't last.

You finally caught your breath, lifted your head, dried your face, and looked up at Dongwoo. He smiled and took your hands.
"Did that feel better?" he asked. You nodded, and his smile grew wider.
"Thank you, Dongwoo," you mumbled. He told you there was no reason to thank him, that he was only doing what friends were supposed to do.
"There's just one thing I want to ask you," he said. "How long have you been depressed?"
"I don't know, a few months, years maybe?"
"Ah, I just wish you had told me sooner."
"I couldn't tell anyone."
"And why's that?" he asked, pulling you close for another hug.
"It's... It's embarrassing. You're always so happy, Dongwoo, and I felt like you'd think I was being childish for feeling like this when there are so many things to be happy about. I didn't want you to find out, because I thought you'd..."
"What is it?"
"I thought you'd think I was weak. I mean, I can't even get out of bed sometimes. It takes so much strength just to step foot outside the door. You always seem so happy, and they say it takes a strong person to smile through the hardships, so I didn't want you to know this about me. I kept it a secret for so long." You stopped, hoping that what you thought wasn't true. Please prove me wrong...

"You're not weak," he said finally. "You're very strong to be able to make it this far. You're very strong to be able to tell me about this, since I assume it was difficult to do. And although it may seem like I'm always happy, I have some bad days once in a while. Although I may not know what it's like to be depressed, I know that it's something serious, not childish.
"You've supported me through everything over the years, and now it's my turn to support you. You can lean on me whenever you have trouble, and you should know that. Do you know that?" he asked. You nodded and Dongwoo gently rested his head on yours. "You have no reason to be embarrassed."

You squeezed his hand, grateful that he understood. Just telling him about it helped you much more than you thought it would, and for the first time in years, you felt hopeful. You felt like things were going to be okay, and it was all thanks to Dongwoo.

He really was your angel.