"EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW TO LOVE BUT ONLY FEW PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO STAY IN LOVE WITH ONE PERSON FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME."

Donghae and Hyukjae grew up in a small town of Mokpo in South Korea. The 14-year old Donghae dreamed to debut as an idol and be famous not only in his own country but in Asia and if luck is on his side, he also wanted to conquer the world. They’ve always been the best of friends. They were inseparable in every sense of the word until one day, during their summer break, Donghae being the older of the two asked his best friend to come with him in Summit Entertainment, a well-known entertainment company situated in Seoul. The younger Lee hesitated but then again he can’t say no to his best friend or better yet his crush.

He never admitted his true feelings toward Donghae because he knew it will tarnish their friendship that he never wishes to happen. He’s primary concern is the wellbeing of his friend. It doesn’t matter if he gets hurt along the way as long as Donghae is happy, he is happy.

With few moneys on hand, the two young boys travel their luck to Seoul even before the sun sets its rays onto the horizon. Both of them were nervous because it’s their first time traveling all by themselves and the thought of something untoward may happen doesn’t help ease the situation at all.

Two agonizing hours later, they arrived outside a medium sized building with long lines of teenagers of the same age. All of them have one goal in mind and that is to get pick by the officials of Summit and signed as one of their trainees. Hyukjae being the nervous boy as he is almost threw up backstage while waiting for his best friend’s turn to perform.

“Hyuk, calm down okay?” Donghae continuously rub his best friend’s back to somehow calm him because he knew if Hyukjae’s condition got worsen, he have no choice but to bring him to the hospital and his only chance for stardom will vanish in a blink of an eye.

“Hae, I’m okay.” The younger tried to convince the other by putting on his best smile even though he’s still nauseous and will surely throw up again.

“But Hyuk…”

He’s about to say that he’s fine and he’s just hungry when finally, Lee Donghae was called.

With trembling hands he reached for Donghae’s face and placed a single kiss on his cheek

“Good luck.” The younger said, slightly pushing the older into the main stage.

“Thank you, Hyuk.” the aspiring idol said and marched his way in front of the three Summit officials that will be judging him.

As Hyukjae watches his best friend gracefully showing off his dance skills, he wondered why he let him dragged him there. Yes he can dance but he doesn’t want to be famous. He has his own dream and that is to finish high school and take his pre-law course in Seoul University and his law proper in Oxford University. He doesn’t want to disappoint Donghae that’s why he’s here on the back stage, patiently waiting for his best friend to finish his audition piece.

For Donghae, Seoul is where his dreams will come true and not in Mokpo. His dad passed away due to cancer where as his mom is a bank manager. His older brother is a scholar of Paran Boys Academy, a prestigious all boys school in Daegu. Donghae knew that he’s not as smart as his hyung that’s why he improved himself in other aspect that he knew his Dongwoo hyung will not beat him and that is dancing. Inline with that, he also knew that he is not his mother’s favorite. Donghae thought he resembles more of his father anyway so better not dwell on that matter.

As the two boys ride the last train bound for Mokpo that night, Hyukjae rested his head on Donghae’s shoulder while the latter interlaced their fingers as if he knew what is going on inside his best friend’s mind.

“Don’t be sad, Hyuk. We will see each other on holidays. Leeteuk hyung, I think he will be our manager, told us that the company allows their trainees to come home during holidays.”

That moment Hyukjae cannot pinpoint what part of his body aches more. He’s happy because Donghae was picked and now considered a trainee but then again his heart is having a difficult time to accept that the two of them will separate in week’s time.

“You are my best friend, Hae and you know I will support you in every way I can but… but… it’s hard to be away from you.” The younger of the two said as he closed his eyes for a moment.

“I’m sorry, Hyuk. As much as I want to stay with you this kind of opportunity happens only once and I can’t forgive myself if I will not give it a try.”

“What if you don’t debut as an idol? What if they told you to be an actor instead? Will you leave the company and go back to our town?”

“I’ll cross the bridge when I get there, Hyuk. Why are you like this?”

“That’s because… I… I… don’t know…”

“Liar! Come on tell me, or you want me to say it for you?”

Donghae actually have feelings toward his best friend. He thought he cared so much for the latter because he is his best friend but when the campus heartthrob, Siwon Choi asked Hyukjae to watch a movie, that’s the time he realized that indeed, he’s in love with him.

“Hae... just forget it okay? I’m tired.”

“Promise me you will not have other best friend than me when I’m gone.” He’s never a possessive type especially when it comes to Hyuk because he knew the latter is faithful. He trust him, more than he trust himself, but at this point of their friendship he can’t help but to feel a little insecure.

“Isn’t that a little unfair to me? You will surely have new friends in Seoul and you can’t expect me to be a loner until I finish high school.” The younger Lee kept his eyes close but he squeezed their entwined hands a little. Donghae, throughout the years, has been his ball of sunshine. He never grew tired of his silly jokes and misfortunes. His smile can brighten up not only his day, but also everybody’s. Sometimes he can be stupid and dense but it doesn’t make him less of a person.

“Of course I will have lots of friends there but you know I’ll always consider you as my BEST FRIEND. No one will take that place of yours, Hyuk. You, aside from my father, accepted the real Donghae. The one that is never as smart as his brother. You accepted the stupid Donghae, the lazy Donghae, the Donghae who can’t stand to be alone for a mere five seconds without someone on his side and most importantly, you accepted what Donghae can give without asking anything in return.”

Eunhyuk flutter his eyes open to be greeted by the serene face of Donghae.

“Why are you being sappy all of a sudden, Donghae? It’s not like you will leave first thing tomorrow morning. We still have a week. You don’t need to be dramatic.” He sure is stupid to say something like that wherein he knew that Donghae is serious. But what can he do? His heart is beating so fast that it will burst out of its cage when this side of Donghae continues.

Instead of explaining himself, Donghae chose to show the younger what he really means to say. Unlike him, Hyukjae is smart and he can read him as an open book. It is one of the cornerstones of their friendship. If he is dumb, he’s friend is the exact opposite. If he can’t understand the situation, Hyuk will always explain every detail of it to him, whole heartedly. At his young age, Donghae is certain that he can’t find another Hyuk in his life. He can’t love anyone else aside from him. But the question is, does Eunhyuk love him too?

“Hyuk, I love you not as a friend but as a person. You have no idea how much I wanted to convince you to join the audition but I know you have your own dreams and that is to become a lawyer. As much as I want you to stay beside me, I can’t. I don’t want to be a selfish person especially to you, the one I love.”

For the first time in many years, Hyukjae is speechless. The confession itself is simple, so much simpler to what he imagined it to be, but each word enunciated by Donghae are the exact words he wanted to hear over and over again. All along he’s not suffering from unrequited love. What a relief, he thought.

Without tearing his eyes from Donghae, Hyukjae hold up their hands and bring it closer to his lips. He himself is not romantic by nature. He forbid himself to watch late night dramas with his cousin, Ryeowook because watching those makes him sick and Donghae doesn’t want him to get sick so he literally avoided that. But at this very moment, he planted soft kisses on their entwined hands as if he reenacted a scene his cousin replayed almost a hundred times last weekend. Indeed love can make you do things you thought you wouldn’t do in you entire existence. Love can make you speechless and brainless. It’s the magic of love that brings out the romantic side of a person who doesn’t have the word romantic in his dictionary.

“And I love you too, Donghae. You don’t know how much I’ve waited to hear that from you. I thought you see me only as your best friend. I was fine with that, really. But when I saw how pleased the Summit officials were when you’re done with your audition, I had this urge to say NO don’t pick him. Don’t pick him because I know the moment you become part of the company, you will leave Mokpo. You will leave me.”

He never intended to cry, not now, not when Donghae is declaring his love for him, but he can’t help it. Salty tears begun streaming down his delicate face as their eyes never leaving each other’s.

Using his thumb, Donghae brushed off his tears and leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on top of his hair.

“Let’s make a promise then.” He said after a minute of pure silence.

“Promise?”

“Yes. A promise that when the both of us are successful in our own field, we’ll see each other again and from that day on, I promise I will never let you go. I will love you until the day I die, Hyuk. I promise you that.”

“That being said it means you’re letting me go?”<