It was a year ago; Same day, same month, different year.

 

"They're twenty; dropped them off at your usual point." Chanyeol arrived and dropped off Kyungsoo a reminder; his left arm and head peeking out of his truck window.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, was on his shipped Korean newspaper and Maui Jim sunglasses that he liked to sport outdoors; and it turns out really ridiculous most of the time. Chanyeol don't have a taste for Kyungsoo's distaste; he's been around it since high school. Maybe just the glasses, but most of what's left in him is really likeable. He's smart, he's persuasive, he's beautiful, he's adorable, and probably earned the best smile ever award.

"Kyungsoo, the tourists don’t look like they'll participate on to jumping on gummy bears. It's Africa, not Willy Wonka's." Chanyeol approaches, seeing the lesser out of Kyungsoo who wasn't paying attention of his work's punctuality. "Oops, I remembered. They do have tour guides too."

"Ah-yeah! Sorry, I'm on it." Kyungsoo snaps, slamming his newspaper at the foldable table at his right. He then stood up quick and started jogging to the nearest tourist spot.

Chanyeol slowly chases him by the wheels, smirk aligned in his mouth as he peeks out even more. "It'd be faster if you'd throw your bum in to my ride."

Kyungsoo looks at him, and looks back at the distance; two large eyes squinting but weren't small enough from the sun's extreme light. "I'd like you to rephrase that. But, okay. That would be better."

 

"You've been like this every day. Since─" Chanyeol asks as he turns the steering wheel carefully as they got in to the rocky road. Sunlight gleaming in and out of their window as they passed through matter of trees and post sign warnings; banners and heat waves overwhelming the sight of the day.

"Don't mention it. That's too ridiculous." The tour guide blocks him off; seemingly he didn't want to talk about the topic.

"I know that's ridiculous. But why?"

Kyungsoo sighs, averting his eyes away from the driver. "Because that's too funny to think of. But I can't deny that that was real. Like reality tv, but without scripts of course." He added, tucking himself like it was cold.

It all happened last week when Chanyeol and him spent the rest of a night to watch the movie Chanyeol wanted to see from a very long time now, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He dragged in Kyungsoo to it as he didn't want to watch it alone. Kyungsoo constantly denies that he won't enjoy it and just might rather annoy him by sleeping, but he eventually got himself a spot besides his friend in front of the television.

"Plug it in for me." Chanyeol asks, hugging his pillow tightly.

"Why me?"

"Because I want to see everything from start to end. You said that you're not interested anyway."

Kyungsoo sighs and crawls to the DVD at their far front, opening the case with his fingernails and placing in the movie. It wasn't much of a long night preparation; popcorn on floors and a couple of soda cans on laps. "I think I wouldn't really cry." Kyungsoo noted, sweater covering him at the low celcius air conditioning that dwells on African nights.

"Okay, man. I believe you. Now shut up, the movie’s starting."

Few lines here, few lines there; sci-fi bright flashes and throwback glares, Chanyeol suddenly felt warmth in his shoulders. As he looks back slowly at Kyungsoo, his friend was already curling up his fingers in his shirt and wiping it to his crying eyes. He didn't how to react at that time; the bravery of Kyungsoo all flushed away within twin hours.

"Too wish-washy." Kyungsoo immediately blurted a comment as the movie ended; both arms around his knees, tugging in his shivers and regrets.

"Says the man who cried all throughout the end."

"I─" Kyungsoo blushes. "You saw that?"

"I wish I didn't. But it was my shirt you were using to wipe your tears." Chanyeol answers. "Why did you cry anyway?"

"It's drama."

"Not really the reason I see behind your weakness."

Kyungsoo gives up, but he made sure he won't be facing Chanyeol as he reveals the true reason. He slides to a degree facing away his friend, eyes staring straight at the never-ending darkness. "I just think their story was beautiful. And I envy that. But of course I cried because of the scenes; but also made cry even more at the end of just thinking how I won't ever come up with that kind of fairytale ending."

"Kyungsoo." Chanyeol reaches for Kyungsoo's shoulder in a long note of his name, pulling him closer. "Don't say things like that. You sound funny."

"I know."

"But don't lose hope. You are a one of a cute, squishy man. Irresistible, if I'd tag you a name. The day will come when you'll find your own Joel Barish."

Kyungsoo digs a spot on Chanyeol's chest, buries himself in it and cries further, though softer this time.

 

He waves goodbye to Chanyeol, and polished himself before facing back the tourists. It was another day for him. Another day for him to work and to do what he always dreamed of. He asked everyone to enter the tour car; small microphone taped in his cheeks and the speaker by his side. He steps in after in the car that held anticipation and enjoyment; such feelings to endure for the tour guide.

The usual routine goes this way. He lets the tourists view the sight first for the initial distance, and then turns up his volume to speak and to entertain. "Hi everyone! Is my English okay?" He asks, followed by a chatter-like laughter of foreign smiles and chamomile eyes.

"Well, welcome to the savannah, the place that you have traveled for. We are now rolling in our tour bus inside a 1.3 million km² beauty and glory. Does the fact amaze you, guys?" He asks again, answered by the listening crowd's nods.

"Our commoners here are acacia trees and baobabs, tall grasses and dusty grounds. You'd see gazelles on their way to the movies, hippos are on their Japanese bath houses, and probably big lions that you wouldn't want to see in your hotel beds."

It was a lot of talk, and Kyungsoo knows how to deliver it well as much as he knows all the facts of their surroundings. It was like a smooth conversation with people from afar, and he feels good about it. Communicating, sharing, teaching, and also exploring; by hand was the pliant reasons why he became a tour guide. Besides, he's used to doing it about twenty times a month.

Since he was a child he had been in love with savannah life. Turning five surprises him with wildlife books; turning ten was to see his seaman father's pictures from the country's zoo. Reaching fifteen was for him to be in a wide internet research of the fields, and finishing college at nineteen was his last breath in Korea; first breath in Africa.

The tourists enjoyed the first day trip; interacting with the laughing zebras, viewing the sudden swarm of snakes and enjoying their friendly feeding the big manes and peanuts to elephants. The tourists also had the chance to set foot on a river, and outdoors shine above camouflage and nudes, summer hats and shades, and sun block on Kyungsoo's porcelain skin.

"Let's sing a song before we part." He announces, tears of the afternoon light dripping down in to violet shades of the curtaining night. Sweat, cold winds, fresh air, dust, romances, laughter and endless smiles; it was all that he had seen throughout the ending day. "Join me to it, okay?"

Let me tell you about the birds, and the bees 
and the flowers and the trees

Everyone was singing along with the vintage tune, even the moon was swinging in its white crescent; degrees after degrees, pushing out stars to fly out of the sky.

He balls his eyes to the man that caught his wandering attention, who was behind an American couple loving the beat of the song. Measurably tall by just his posture, relentlessly thin and sharp features, mussed hair and Angelina Jolie lips; almost gives Kyungsoo an idea that the man looks like a cat. But the man was pouting, the man had his arms crossed, and the man wasn't singing along. And Kyungsoo finds it rude and unexpected.

He slowly routes to the man's seat, slowly taking wavering steps as the car dances along with the roads. He takes hold on seat rests and heads; smiling to everyone he passes by telling them to enjoy the curvy ride.

“Hi, sir.” Kyungsoo greeted; counted heavy breathings and leg staggering as he reaches the man’s seat. “Are you doing well, sir?”

The man glares at him slowly, from the views of the mild night windows to a man who is probably smiling at its obvious effort to irritate. Kyungsoo retaliates with his big eyes popping to the unwanted manner, finally etching his eyebrows to a downward connection.

“I’ve been hearing you all day, can you shut up?”

Kyungsoo clenches his fist, though he hides it in his pocket, proceeding to lean his head closer to the man. He was gauging his throat to a high pitch argument, teeth biting the blood out of his lips. But he was too late since the tour car has already set foot and the later he knew, he was shoved off by his shoulder and saw himself fall down to the dusted flats.

He stands up again, wiping every piece of his clothing that touched the ground. He risked the most hateful glare at the man who walked away; he seemed Korean and he seemed to have the urge to make him pay back.

♑

 “Why is everyone here at the hotel on a break? Don’t they know that labor is precious at this kind of times?”

Kyungsoo pushes the cleaning cart and Chanyeol was stuck on his notebook of schedules. He lost track of his time, and he didn’t know how long he took his break already. He was in between to staying to help Kyungsoo out, or go back to his work place and do his job.

“I think not all. It was just the service personnel who took breaks.”

“All of them? I am a one man, one duty. If I only can decline this generosity.” Kyungsoo complains over and over again, walking the hotel hallways in a deep silence; only his voice was disturbing it.

“This one is only an addition.” Chanyeol said as he draws his finger to the little letters written on his notebook. “You’re also a researcher, a preserver, keeper, and tour guide. This one seems pretty light than those if compared.”

“That’s the point. I have much more things to do and they’ll give me the sheriff’s badge for this one. And if you want it revised, okay; I am a one man, four duties.”

As Kyungsoo faces back his friend, he wasn’t there to argue with anymore. And as he follows the sound of the running steps, Chanyeol was already displaying his hands from a distance, waving goodbye and telling Kyungsoo that it is already his work time. Kyungsoo sighs, rolls his eyes away and continues to walk and push his cart.

He transfers his attention to the doors that he passes by, reading the numbers that is arranged in zigzag dilemmas. He continuously counts from one hundred and two and upward, through golden plates and bronze digits; weathered doors and shiny knobs. It was obviously hot, and Kyungsoo skin sometimes can’t take the humidity. But everything seems fine, just like every time; but something comes to him unexpected.

He stops by a door, the label on it was missing one letter; but he’d guess if he’d investigate this one is the hundredth and eight.  The door knob was slowly spinning, rough sound and blunt turning of gears that awfully caught his ears. It was different as it opens fast, the figure from inside storming out to view the hallway.

“Hey, I lost my phone. Can you come in and help me find it?”

Kyungsoo didn’t know who that was, his eyes was still fixated on the figure’s stomach, probably as he moves his sight upward he’d be taking all the bright light from the window of the room.

Silhouette, silhouette, features were here and there, and a little more blinks that made Kyungsoo regret to see a familiar portrait. Measurably tall because he’s already standing overhead than him, relentlessly thin and sharp features, washed hair and Angelina Jolie lips; almost gives Kyungsoo an idea that the man looks like a cat. An unmannered cat.

“Hello? I need service.” The man tries to wake Kyungsoo up, but Kyungsoo was too occupied to think of things on how he’d face a man who looked like he forgot what he did to his tour guide last night.

“God, what kind of employee is this.” The man loudly sighs and brushes his hair up, taking another breath and pulls Kyungsoo inside of his room. That really woke up Kyungsoo and he turns around to defend himself from the reflex, his Taekwondo sparring face was too ridiculous yet it showed.

“Hey!”

“Oh, wow. What a coincidence.” The man laughs. “Aren’t you the tour guide?” He states as Kyungsoo got trashed in by a bright light at his face.

Kyungsoo huffs. “Yes I am. And I find you very rude, sir. For telling me to shut up last time and for dragging me in here to your room in force.”

“You talk like a senator. But since you’re a bell boy today, hunch your back and help me find my phone.”

“No can do.”

“I’d report you.”

And Kyungsoo was there, like a turtle he fitted his small figure in to every little space the guest’s phone could have been. Dusty floors rubbing against bare hands and knees, porcelain and cement gives that odor that finishes of Kyungsoo’s situation.

Then his eyes caught the slightest glow from afar, just between the man’s legs, under a table he was standing behind. Kyungsoo rushes for it and grabs, and as his hands reaches for it, the man also knelt down and grabbed; though the moment was they saw it at the same time.

And everything precious stops, Kyungsoo’s heart beat, Kyungsoo’s breathing, the oxygen, the air and everything that seemed to move; the man. They had their eyes on their hands that met at the tail of the phone, accompanied with red face and stuttering murmurs, the silence was awful and awkward.

“There’s the phone. It wasn’t really hard to find it if it was so obviously placed somewhere usual.” Kyungsoo quickly stood up and faced away, already aimed at the door.

The man didn’t responded; he was instead coated with a smile.

“You might want to thank me, sir.”

“No need, I was the one who found it. Get out.”

“How rude.”

“What did you say?”

“I said have a good day, sir.”

“Stop addressing me when you don’t even know my name.”

“Like you know mine.”

“Yes I do.”

Kyungsoo looks back at him. “Then what is it?”

“Kyungsoo.” The man names him. “Do Kyungsoo.”

It was quite a cut when Kyungsoo finally realized that the man was reading his name tag. He rolls his eyes and continued to walk away.

“It’s Jongin, by the way.”

“Don’t need your name.” He shouts, already walking from a distance.

“You’ll need it someday.” Jongin shouts back before he closes his door.

 

“Kyungsoo-yah! Why are you bawling out?”

Chanyeol rigidly taps the glass door of their dorm’s shower, shouting at Kyungsoo who was inside for several minutes. He has been hearing the water dripping down without any movement from the inside, and Chanyeol is deep down worried about Kyungsoo; he might have drowned himself, he might not be breathing.

“Kyungsoo-yah, come out now! You are making me worry.”

“Why do you sound like a concerned little girl?” Kyungsoo finally speaks, somehow gurgled by the shower water. “Stop tapping the glass, it’s killing me.”

“You’re not dead? Or crying?” Chanyeol stops himself and plants his ears flat at the surface, finally breathing easier.

“I’m not.” Kyungsoo balks. “Clear your mind, Mr. Park. Is there any reason I would consider for me to cry? Gosh, you are too over-acting.”

“Yes, there is.” Chanyeol pouts.

“What?”

“I left you alone in the hotel. I thought you were sad about it and cried.”

“What the heck? Did you even see how hard I rolled my eyes on you?”

Chanyeol sighs, still not amused and still believes that Kyungsoo misses him; in some way.

“So did something happen?” Chanyeol asks, just about time he was leaning against the wall and Kyungsoo stepping out with wet toes.

“Yes, actually. The most misfortunate of all events.” Kyungsoo states, handing out the towel to Chanyeol and let him dry his hair as they garnered to a sit.

“What is it?”

“I had this tourist once, and he’s Korean.”

“That’s nice, a fellowman.”

“No, it’s not nice and either his attitude. He’s very rude.”

“How come?”

“One day he told me to shut up and back at the hotel he let me sprawl in his room floor to find his phone and when I did, he didn’t thank me.”

“That’s blunt.”

“Ultimately blunt.”

Chanyeol finishes drying him, and Kyungsoo stands up to put on some clothes. As Chanyeol pulls away he towel from the other’s head, he noticed something relevant.

“But why are you blushing?”

“I’m not.” Kyungsoo embarrassedly touches his cheeks, hiding it from Chanyeol.

“Oh my god.” Chanyeol inhales. “You like me?”

“Hey!” Kyungsoo shouts. “What is going in your mind these days?”

“Oh my god.” Chanyeol repeats. “You like that tourist, don’t you?”

Kyungsoo didn’t reacted, he instead transformed in to a long line of silence; eyes pointed downward, mouth that holds too much breath inside, and cheeks that reminds him of roses and subway paint. He stood up, still leaving no hint for Chanyeol to manifest because he was even doubting his own feelings at that very point.

♑

Chanyeol had his break and Kyungsoo had his work, so as a friend he thought of joining Kyungsoo to one of his tour activities. But it wasn’t really a good choice; and Chanyeol all had in his mind was distance. Luckily there was a smoothie bar not far from the view, and there he could breathe normally.

Chanyeol gives glances a desperate chance at Kyungsoo, who was dancing embarrassedly in front of the tourists while he sings children’s song, and he can’t bear with it; if he only knew if the laughter coming from them was of amusement or another way.

“Hey.” A stranger approached Chanyeol, making him sip his smoothie faster for a reply.

“Hi, sir.” Chanyeol greets back. “Has anyone told you that you somehow look like a cat?”

Jongin shrugs it off with a laugh. “A tour guide too?”

“Nope, but an employee. Have a smoothie, sir.”

“No thanks.” He declines politely, almost seemingly his nature to Chanyeol’s eyes. “Well, I assure that one is a tour guide. Do you know him?” The stranger pointed his finger to Kyungsoo.

“I─I don’t.” Chanyeol stutters as he lies, trying to save his own sanity.

“He’s Kyungsoo, right?”

“I don’t know.”

“He’s cute.”

Chanyeol didn’t know how to react at that moment, so he just shoved in the straw of his drink in his mouth. Sipping in crushed ice and watermelon delight, everything inside him was cheering for his friend who doubts that someone would like him.

“Really?” Chanyeol asks, trying to get in to a deeper view of the stranger. “He’s average for me.”

“You might want to look again. Even everyone he’s talking to loves him.” The stranger pins. “But supposedly I wasn’t one of them.”

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol turns his stool, facing the stranger like they’re on a casual and close conversation; turning up the straw up to his mouth again, sipping and listening.

“At first I hated him, but after some thinking… I think he’s very adorable, and likeable.”

And there was Chanyeol again, keeping in his screams inside his stomach full of smooth cream and fruit powder. “I’d think about it.” He giggles.

“I have to go.” The stranger flies of his stool, smiling at Chanyeol. “See you soon, and your friend Kyungsoo.”

“Hey! He’s not─”

 

Turmeric sand, dusted and humid air, something fresh and smoky, revitalizing and usually comforting; Kyungsoo walks in home with two hands snuggling his arms, jacket hanging in his shoulders, and a pale complexion covering every features of him.

“Glad you’re b─” Chanyeol rushes to Kyungsoo as the door opened, catching him at the right time before he falls to the ground. They did fall, but luckily there was Chanyeol to carry him to a safe one.

Chanyeol examines Kyungsoo’s temperature, pressing his palm to regions of the sickly body.  “You have fever. Let me bring you to bed.” Chanyeol softly whispers, groaning as he grabs strength to carry Kyungsoo to bed.

He slowly positions Kyungsoo to the bottom bunker, and quickly covering him with his blanket. “Have you eaten? What happened?”

“I think I over-worked. And Koreans aren’t used to excessive heat.”

“You’ve been here for years. Just rest okay? I’d ice bath you.”

“No.” Kyungsoo laughs, distilled rough and weak. “That’s too embarrassing.”

“I think so too, but you need it. I’d be back, okay?”

“Okay─” Kyungsoo coughs. “Okay, umma.”

Kyungsoo watching Chanyeol go out of their dorm was hard to bear with; it was like he was being left. He needed love, care and affection. But he knows he’d come back, because he always believed that people would come back.

His father left his mother and him to work overseas, but then he found another job and came back to them. His mother left after, to help in his sister’s business, but then time to time she made sure to come back. Chanyeol left him once for an assignment, but he eventually came back. He never felt he was being left out, never, and that is where Kyungsoo hangs his faith in living life. He couldn’t ask for anything better, but there was something missing.

He stared at the downside of the upper bunker, steel bars and bare mattress subdued in dark and pale hues that nearly sickens him. But it wasn’t what he was looking at; he was looking at what lies behind. Not the bed top, not the ceiling, not the attic, not the roof, but the skies above. Imagining how every star shines before him makes him feel slightly lighter.

Chanyeol came back quickly, with a stainless tub in his hands full of ice and water, and a small towel in his shoulder.  “Close your eyes, umma is here.”

“Tell me a story.” Kyungsoo speaks weakly as the shiver fills him in, but somehow it was a finite comfort.

“Well, I met a guy lately.”

“And?”

“He told you were cute.”

“Really?” Kyungsoo coughs. “That’s awful for him.”

“Not really, I even tried to contradict him. He keeps telling me that you were really adorable.”

Kyungsoo earnestly smiled. “What’s his name?”

“I was too happy for you, I forgot to ask.”

“Stupid.”

A little more exchanging of laughter and lime green blankets on shy mouths and pink cheeks, Kyungsoo fell asleep. Chanyeol fixed everything up, and hid the DVD they were supposed to see tonight. He just lied next to Kyungsoo and shared his warmth, hoping for the fastest recovery.

♑