Chapter Two

            His breath was coming hard, and he couldn’t think. Why did Myungsoo think he was a bad friend? He wasn’t a bad friend; he was the best, the very best friend that Sungyeol had ever had. Every part of Sungyeol’s life for the past many months had been all about Myungsoo. Myungsoo made him happy, completed him, made him feel complete. Isn’t that what friends did?

            “Howon?” Sungyeol’s tentative voice broke through the post-movie quiet. The tone in his voice startled the other occupants of the room into staring at him. One of their friends reached for the light, and Sungyeol buried his face in one of Howon’s throw pillows to hide his tears. Howon didn’t answer for a few seconds, and Sungyeol’s heart thudded painfully in his chest, and he held his breath, scared that he would miss any words that the other uttered.

            “Are you okay?” Dongwoo asked, prying the pillow away from Sungyeol. Sungyeol swung his legs off of the couch, and stared diligently at the floor. He shook his head, unable to speak. Howon moved, and disappeared into his bedroom.

            “We’re going to get another movie from town,” Dongwoo said, his hand pushing Sungyeol’s hair back. “We’ll be back.”

            “Wait!”

            Just before Howon’s hand fell on the door, Sungyeol spoke.

            “Yeah?”

            “Can you bring me to Myungsoo’s?” Sungyeol’s voice cracked, tears choking him up, though he fought to keep the sound out of his voice. Howon didn’t say anything.

            “Can you give me a good reason?” Howon asked quietly. Sungyeol’s eyes narrowed in anguish, and he stood up and paced in a single tight circle, muscles nearly locked. Desperately, his throat worked, and he tried to think of something, but every reason was too trivial to voice.

            “Is it crucial for your friendship?” Howon asked, in a different tone. Sungyeol glanced up at him in relief. Howon understood. Howon knew. Howon understood.

            “Please.” Sungyeol whispered. Dongwoo shook his head.

            “We need you to stay here, and make some food for us. We’re gonna be back. You don’t even need Myungsoo. He’s just going to blow you off and leave you anyway. That just shows what kind of a friend he really is, Sungyeol. You’ve got us; forget him.”

            No.

            No.

            No.

            Sungyeol shook his head, and he sat down. His knees refused to hold him anymore, and his fists tightened in the overly-baggy jacket that Myungsoo had once donated to him. The door opened, and then closed, and Dongwoo and Howon were gone. Sungyeol’s two remaining friends sat beside him on the couch, watching him concernedly.

            “Do you need a hug?” Sunggyu offered.

            “I need Myungsoo,” Sungyeol wailed, raising his hands to hide his face.

            “You sure? ‘Cause I give good hugs,” Sunggyu tried again.

            “Please don’t. I need Myungsoo.”

            Sungyeol turned his eyes to their other friend. Silently, his voice no longer obeying his command, he begged for a ride. Slowly, the other rose and grabbed her keys, and walked to the door.

            “I’ll drive you.”

            Sungyeol’s knees went weak again, then he was flooded with adrenaline. He rose to his feet, and dashed out of the house, barefooted, and fled to the car. The friend walked with more decorum, and slowly walked over to the car.

            “You’re going to have to direct me; I don’t know where Myungsoo lives,” the friend said.

            The car ride was the longest that Sungyeol had ever experienced, for all the fifteen minutes it lasted. He reached Myungsoo’s house, and stood by the door, then knocked slowly, ponderously, five times. Very shortly, Myungsoo’s mother arrived in the doorway, then asked him inside.

            “Do you want to come in? Myungsoo isn’t home yet,” she said. Sungyeol shook his head.

            “I can wait outside,” he whispered.

            Myungsoo’s mother gave him a skeptical look, and then tugged on his jacket sleeve.

            “Come inside. It’s cold out there.”

            Sungyeol obeyed, and then allowed himself to be steered to the couch.

            “What’s wrong?” Myungsoo’s mother asked. Sungyeol’s eyes went wide, then closed abruptly to stop the flow of tears. He began to spill out every emotion that had  been building in his chest for the past several weeks, and sometimes had to stop when he felt his voice becoming too loud, or too choked up. He spoke of how he felt abandoned, how he felt as though Myungsoo no longer even knew him, and then, the door opened.

            Sungyeol froze, his head still bowed, and heard Myungsoo’s footsteps approach the couch, drop a heavy bag, then flee the room. His chest locked. Did Myungsoo hate him that much?

            And, just like that, all of the insecurities, the fears, the self-doubt, the self-disgust­, were all multiplied by a thousand, and his eyes stared blankly at the ground.

            Did Myungsoo really hate him so much?

            Did he hate Sungyeol?

            Why?

            Myungsoo’s mother followed her son out of the house, and then it was several minutes before Sungyeol heard any movement. First, she walked in, then, Sungyeol heard a sound that filled him with a hope that he’d never felt before: Myungsoo’s slow footsteps approaching him. His small hands fell on Sungyeol’s shoulder and hand, and bore down, and led Sungyeol from the room.

            The touch that had once caused so much joy for Sungyeol only filled him with dread, now. Did Myungsoo hate him? What had Sungyeol done? Could he fix it?

            A roaring pain filled his ears, and he struggled to think of words to say, as the two boys settled to sit on the cold concrete of Myungsoo’s back patio.

*A/N~

            Here’s part two. I don’t know if it can be considered a cliffhanger, or not, but it’s the best I could do.. (My mom is nagging me.. Ugh. Homework beckons) I hope you like it!!

I will update in a few days, hopefully with a slightly more lengthy chapter. 

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Comments are tons of love!!

            ~~Mak~~