. . .

L.Joe-ah, Mianhae.

People walked in and out in our daily life but who will leave their foot imprinted in our heart?

“My name is Lee Chanhee!” A boy with one front teeth missing, was smiling broadly sticking his hand out to a timid boy.

The little boy curled deeper into his mother’s skirt, apparently feeling scared or jumpy in his new kindergarten.

“Byunghun…” The little boy’s mother cooed. “Go ahead and make friend with him.” She pushed him softly to the friend. “Chanhee won’t bite you.” She giggled watching the excited Chanhee nodded his head enthusiastically.

“Yes, Chanhee won’t eat people because Mommy said Chanhee will be like Uncle Dracula the vampire.” The boy grinned, stepping closer with a friendly glint in his eyes.

The little boy called Byunghun walked neared with nervous heart. He held his hand out, reaching for Chanhee’s pudgy palm. “I-I’m Byunghun,” he muttered, barely audible for Chanhee to catch the phrases.

“Hey, Byunghun,” Chanhee grasped the hand happily. “We could be best friend and don’t worry because I’ll never leave you alone!”

Little he learnt that Chanhee was just a month older than him. Byunghun smiled, reminiscing his first encounter with the weird happily Chanhee. Both of them really became best friends and always doing things together. Not to saying, they also had made a MoU between them to become crime of ally.

They were best friends, anyway.

Fifth October, Byunghun found him giddily anxious on that warm Sunday. Sunlight peeped from the windowpanes brightened his room in golden light. He shuffled around his room, cleaning up and down until any visible dusts could be seen. It was Chanhee’s thirteenth birthday after all. And he wanted the best to best to best for his best in universe friend.

He arranged his desk table in the middle of his room, putting a vase of red roses. He found it was a bit romantic but Daniel and Changhyun, another companions in school insisted that it would be a very good choice in the party.

He bit his bottom lip, not liking the roses on the plain white tablecloth. Shrugging, he threw the roses out from the window and went to the nearby florist shop. He found himself liking the new flowers he had bought. Yellow chrysanthemums, he liked the flower and Chanhee liked it too. But they said that the flowers were for dead people but who cared, Chanhee and he were out from the norm.

He continued his preparation and would steal a glance on the watch occasionally. Times were surely ticking fast. The moment he blew the last balloon, a trail of doorbell echoed. He tied the balloon hastily, climbing down the stair as soon as he could. By the end, he saw Chanhee was talking to his mother animatedly.

“Chanhee-ah, you look pale.” His mother chided, examining Chanhee’s face worriedly.

Chanhee smiled sheepishly, “I just have a bad dream last night and couldn’t go back to sleep.”

Byunghun’s mother patted his head, giggling, “Aigo~ Is my little Channie still get nightmare?”

“Mom, am I not being your little Byungie anymore?” Byunghun interjected from behind, smiling as he hugged his mother from the back.

His mother shook her head, smiling beautifully, “You’re still my little Byungie and so does Channie. Both of you will be always my little darlings.”

The boys laughed, combining with the lady’s laughter.

Without more jiffies, Byunghun pulled Chanhee to his room, blindfolding the birthday boy.

“Byung, where are we going anyway? It just your room,” Chanhee chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s my room we heading anyway but still, you must need to surprise,” Byunghun smirked and leaded the way even though Chanhee didn’t need his help since he already memorize the paths.

“Three more steps from right and we’ll be right in front of your room,” Chanhee stated, obliviously with the loosening grip on his wrist.

See, Chanhee could calculate the steps already but then he jumped in fright when Byunghun didn’t speak anything back to him.

“Byung?” The birthday boy didn’t walk or move from his current state. “You know how I’m hate you when you pulling this kind of prank whenever you blindfolding me,” Chanhee ranted, biting his inner cheek.

A soft creaking sound penetrated through Chanhee’s eardrums and he flinched, shrinking to the smallest form he could.

Byunghun tried to hide his laughter but he couldn’t; especially when he watching the fear smeared on his best friend’s face. “Come here, Chanhee and don’t open your blindfold.”

The birthday boy grunted but still him moving his limbs to the standing Byunghun, “It’s my birthday but why you still bullying me?”

“I don’t know if you will be able to say that I’m still bullying you or not,” Byunghun held Chanhee closer to him, padding behind the birthday boy’s back. Slowly, they entered the beautifully decorated room. “Open the blindfold,” Byunghun whispered, right next to Chanhee’s ear.

Chanhee untied the blindfold, momentarily closing his eyes before opening his beautiful pools slowly. The piece of cloth dropped on the floor with his mouth opened wide. “Byung, it’s…” Chanhee turned behind, facing Byunghun, “-it’s beautiful, awesome, the best, prettiest and so on!”

Byunghun smiled, “Well, I want the best out from the best to my best in universe friend.”

The birthday boy giggled, hugging the smug boy tightly. “Now, I’m not saying that you’re bullying me.”

“Glad to hear it,” Byunghun chortled, replying the hug with a tight squeeze.

Later, during their sleepover, Byunghun was truly happy beyond proud when Chanhee murmuring how thankful he was to have Byunghun as best friend in his sleep.

Three, two, one… years passed without their noticing. Four years and they had enrolled in a famous high school. Chanhee became weaker for unknown reasons but kept the bright smile on his face and Byunghun became more famous among the students.

“Hey, Byung,” Chanhee said in a breezy evening while they were hanging out in the desolated area of the neighborhood park.

“Yes?” Byunghun absentmindedly replied.

“I wanted to call you something… like more friendly, only both of us know that.” Chanhee poked Byunghun’s cheek.

Byunghun raised one eyebrow, “What is it?” he caught the playful finger of Chanhee that trailed around his jaw line.

Chanhee chuckled, “I wanted to call you,” he tapped his chin with another finger, “-L.Joe?”

“L.Joe, huh?” Byunghun chuckled, “-sounds cool to me. How about you?” he laced their fingers teasingly.

“That’s the one that you should think about,” Chanhee snapped, pouting.

“Chunji.”

Chanhee cocked his head in confusion, “Chunji?”

Byunghun smiled and pulled Chanhee closer to him, placing his forehead on the mused Chanhee’s, “Yeah, that’s your name to me. Sounds cool, huh?”

Chanhee laughed, “And I was thought you would call me ‘the awesomest Chanhee’.”

Byunghun shook his head lightly, “Awesomest isn’t in the dictionary, Lee Chanhee.” He pecked the giggling Chanhee’s nose, “Chunji is sounds cool, what?”

“Yeah, sounds reasonable,” Chanhee teased.

“Hey, Chanhee!”

Byunghun raised his head from his homework in Saturday morning when he deciding that he wanted to spend time with his Chunji. A strange voice made him curious and he felt like he was gaping too long when suddenly he saw Choi Jonghyun in front of him, smiling enthusiastically before the smile fading away.

“Where’s Chanhee?” Jonghyun sneered.

Byunghun never felt an urge to punch someone badly before, “What’s your problem in coming here without knocking the door first?” he barked.

Jonghyun curled his fingers into a fist, “I don’t-“

“What’s going on here?” Chanhee reappeared from the bathroom in his room. “Oh, hey Jonghyun!” Chanhee greeted happily. “Come in!”

Byunghun baffled. What’s on Earth was going on between Chanhee and Jonghyun? Chanhee never had a friend other than him, Daniel and Changhyun.

“Byung, Jonghyun and I are in the same group for AP class,” Chanhee explained while making some space for Jonghyun to sit beside him.

“Oh.” Byunghun nodded, lifeless. He continued to jot notes on his notebook, ignoring Chanhee and oh-well his new acquaintance.

“Byung?” Chanhee looked worriedly at his best friend’s sudden weird behavior.

Byunghun sighed, looking at Chanhee’s worried face, “It okay. Start your work and then, we could hang out together.” He cradled Chanhee’s face, smiling.

“Okay,” Chanhee nodded, replying Byunghun’s smile back.

Both Chanhee and Jonghyun worked on their project, focused. Somehow, Byunghun could catch Jonghyun’s finger trailed on Chanhee’s thigh, nearly reaching the crotch. Byunghun would flare all up and grasped his pen tightly. He coughed awkwardly, making Chanhee turned to him hastily.

“Byung, are you okay? Is the air-conditioner is too low to you?” He touched Byunghun’s forehead frantically.

“I’m okay, Chunji.” Byunghun smiled; gingerly made his arms s around Chanhee’s waist.

Chanhee flabbergasted. Blood rushed to his cheeks instantly but he could deny Byunghun’s sudden affections, wasn’t he? “L-L.Joe…” he bit his lips in embarrassment as Jonghyun eyeing them warily.

“I think we should stop this for awhile,” Jonghyun mumbled, putting his stationery back into his pencil box. He quickly bided a goodbye, not looking back to mused Chanhee and smug Byunghun.

“Why are you doing like that, L.Joe?” Chanhee pouted.

Shrugging, Byunghun pulled Chanhee much closer to his chest, “Maybe, I’m just jealous.”

Chanhee was speechless when Byunghun taking a chance to kiss his lips.

“I don’t think that we could be best friend anymore.”

Chanhee felt his heart shattered in pieces. His heart was being squeezed tightly. His lips quivered when he watching Byunghun turned his back to him. He raised his shaky hand, urging to touch his best friend’s shoulder but no, he hasn’t that that courage. “L.Joe? Byung-“

“Chan-“ Byunghun sighed, turning his front back to the trembling Chanhee, “I’m sorry but I love you.”

“Huh?” Chanhee cocked his head, confused. “W-what?” the strands of tears stained his puffy red face left, non-wiped.

Byunghun chuckled, stepping closer to sensitive Chanhee, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he smiled faintly, wiping the tears away, “-but yeah, we couldn’t be best friend because I want to be your lover.”

“Stupid,” Chanhee mumbled, leaning to Byunghun’s gentle touch. “Do you have to pull such that act?”

“So that I could see how much you love me,” Byunghun pulled the cried Chanhee into his embrace, “-and so, how do you think about it?”

“I’m rejecting your confession,” Chanhee hid his face to the crook of Byunghun’s nape.

“B-but, Chunji…” Byunghun spluttered. He moved Chanhee’s from his neck and stared at the boy questioningly. “Why?” He softly muttered.

Chanhee smiled meekly, “-because you made me cry.” He pushed himself more to Byunghun’s static hug, “Make me another one confession.” He sniffled, either happy or sad.

“Chunji, for second I thought you just think of me as friend,” Byunghun chuckled, realizing the other’s hidden agreement, “-sure, sure. It would be a biggest surprise of you.”

Chanhee giggled, “And make sure that there will be a hot air balloon.”

Twenty-third November, Chanhee smiled happily as he putting the last batch of homemade cupcakes into the heated oven. He wiped the stained butterscotch cream on his face whilst cleaning the messy kitchen counter. He had had a good hunch about the day. After all, it was Byunghun’s birthday. He washed the utensils used as he looked over the kitchen, wondered. The yellow buttercups that his mother planted were covered in a thin layer of snow. It was rare indeed to see the flowers were fully blossomed in such cold season. However, he felt glad because he could pick some of the flowers to decorate his room. And somehow, his naughty mind felt happy to see how his mother would deadly curious about the flowers thief, obliviously about her son’s mischievous prank. Well, he was a mommy son of course.

A soft ting made him look at the oven. He grinned broadly, stepping gingerly with a pair of gloves. Opening the oven with nervous heart, he chuckled watching the beautiful rose baked cupcakes. Slowly, he reached the end of the tray and grasped it. The heat from the oven made his head swirled slowly. He groaned in pain, almost dropping his tray of cupcakes if not his mother was there, adeptly walked to his side and helped him to put the tray on the table.

“Channie? Are you okay?” His mother looked at him worriedly.

Chanhee nodded weakly, “I’m okay, I guessed it must be the heat from the oven.”

His mother hummed, still worried, “How about you take a rest awhile? It’s not good for you to do heavy things straight in hours.”

“It okay, besides, it almost done,” Chanhee reassured his mother, smiling as wide as he could.

“I-I know about that but,” his mother hugged him tightly, “-I just don’t want to you fall sick in this already state.”

“I’m okay; Mommy and I promise I won’t fall sick.”

But Chanhee knew it won’t be a solid promise.

“I’m sorry; Mr. Lee but you have another two months left.”

Chanhee smiled broadly watching Byunghun crouched down, blowing his birthday cake. He giggled in amused as Byunghun purposely leaned closer to him to swipe some cream on him but to no avail. The candles were taken out from the cake and Chanhee cut them into pieces.

“Isn’t these are too many for us?” Byunghun teased, pointing at the twelve pieces of Strawberry Shortcake.

Chanhee rolled his eyes annoyingly, “It would be you who finish them.”

Byunghun laughed, draping his arm on Chanhee’s shoulder, “Baby, aren’t you the one that fancy those berry-berry fruits?”

Chanhee glared oh-so-murderously to his ~~best~~boyfriend. “Shut up.”

“Okay, okay, baby,” Byunghun shrugged in defeat, “-gee~ you’re such a diva if you’re mad.” He chuckled darkly as he reappeared from Chanhee’s back. “I love you, my Chunji.” He secretly swiped the cream before pecking lightly the shocked Chanhee’s cheek.

Fourteenth February, Byunghun walked in nervously state. He hummed his favorite song absentmindedly while rearranging small bouquets of red and pink roses with some yellow chrysanthemums in each parts of the hot air balloon basket. He smiled feverishly, acknowledging with his smugly side would totally melting Chanhee’s heart more and more.

Two minutes more, he felt jumpy inside and out. His palms became clammy and cold water ran through his spine. He waited, biting his lips nervously. The flowers moved gently, following the wind. He let a small smile and kept glancing at his watch.

This was the time.

Chanhee came to him, humming melodiously as his eyes wandering to left and right, admiring the beautiful evening scenery. He giggled, watching a couple of butterflies flew beside him as if they were accompanying him to see his L.Joe.

Byunghun gulped.

“H-hey-“

He felt like an idiot when his voice cracked but the idiotic feeling vanished the moment Chanhee stood in front of him, blinking with his mouth opened.

“You like it?” Byunghun said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

Chanhee obliviously smiled widely and twirled around the hot air balloon. He chuckled as he pressing his thumb on the petals of the flowers. “Are you kidding me? This is awesome,” he frowned, “but doesn’t that make me look like I’m the girl?”

Byunghun shrugged, “I’m not saying that but-“he smirked, “if you say so, what can I do?”

Rolling his eyes, Chanhee scoffed, “Well, yeah but still-“

“How about you step on the balloon and we could see the sunset together?”

Upon hearing the suggestion, Chanhee leapt in joy and exclaimed happily. He gingerly made his steps on the balloon and warily watching the different spectacular views from above there when Byunghun asked the instructor there to loosen the knot of the rope.

“Beautiful,” Chanhee breathed.

“The person beside me is beautiful too,” Byunghun praised.

Chanhee shot a smug look. “Yeah and I could be handsome too, you know.” He winked.

“Oh, really?” Byunghun asked, mocking a questioning look. “I wondered if the blond would make you look far prettier from your current copper blond.”

“Just because you look handsome in every colors in universe doesn’t mean I couldn’t look handsome too,” Chanhee scoffed, biting his bottom lip angrily.

Giggling, Byunghun hugged the furious boy from behind. “Don’t spoil the mood-“

Chanhee pushed Byunghun far from him, “It was you the one that start everything first.”

Byunghun ignored Chanhee’s retort, tightening the hug more. “Let’s watch the most memorable scene in your life.”

Nodding, Chanhee hummed a faint ‘yes’. He already had captured the most beautiful views in his life. His body was being twirled around by none other than Byunghun. “Hey!” he tried to protest but stopped in the middle of his way when Byunghun was kneeling on one leg in front of him, holding a black satin box with him. “W-what-“

“I don’t know which one of us should do this but sincerely I want to do this first so you could do that other time and now, we’re on the hot air balloon. The sunset beside us would be the proven for this moment that I’m here, confessing my love towards you. Would you be my best in universe friend and much-loved boyfriend?” Byunghun smirked ily. “Chunji?”

Gaping, Chanhee couldn’t do anything except to blink. “Uh-“He spluttered. Glancing back and forth to the sunset and the still kneeling Byunghun, he nodded his head, hesitated at first before slowly turning into the confident bobbing. “Yes, yes, yes!” He exclaimed.

Slipping the ring to Chanhee’s fourth finger, Byunghun heaved a relief. He stood up properly and looked straight into the eyes of Chanhee. “You won’t regret this?”

Chanhee shook his head, “I won’t.” he bit his inner cheek, “Are you?”

“I won’t regret this after all.”

Running from the nearby park to the hospital took him twenty-five minutes. Each seconds passed him seemed faster than before. He blinked, hiding the tears growing on his eyes that slowly flowing, tainting his face. He panted, gasping for air and the breath of his life.

He wanted Chanhee.

He wanted to see Chanhee.

Walking hastily into the dead silence of corridor, along the way CCU section, Byunghun had to hold his breath. Hospital and he would never be in the same part. He hated the hospital and surely, the hospital would hate him.

“Byunghun,” his mother called once she saw the glimpse of her son.

“Mom,” Byunghun weakly replied, his eyes wandering through the small slits of the thick glass, distancing him and his Chunji, his heaven and earth of life.

His mother shook his head, “The doctor is still checking on him.” She caressed Chanhee’s mother gently, whispering nothing but soothing words meanwhile his dad carefully patted Chanhee’s dad’s arm, doing the same as his mother. Chanhee’s parents were worried. His parents were worried. He was worried. All of them were worriedly sick.

Even it was only five minutes passed since Byunghun arrived there but the doctor was still in there. Gingerly, Byunghun put his right palm on his rapid beating heart. He wanted Chanhee to be safe. He wanted Chanhee to live.

The sound of the door being slide made them jolted out from their current place.

“Doctor,” Chanhee’s parents rushed to the mid-aged doctor who still talking with the nurses. “-how’s our son?”

The doctor hesitated, shaking his head remorsefully. “His illness got him. We can’t do anything about it. We’re sorry for the lost.” The doctor affirmed sadly before walking away.

Byunghun stood there, hearing all the rubbish that the doctor had said. His head swiveling around, trying to connect with everything. Illness? Chanhee’s pale face? Cold hands?

“What’s going on?” He snapped, furiously.

Chanhee’s mother looked at him with gloomy expression. “Actually, Chanhee has tuberculosis, critical stage.”

Tuberculosis… in critical stage…

It was funny when Byunghun thought it was a joke from Chanhee’s parents but no, it wasn’t for the real sake. He was alone.

Alone.

He should get familiar with that word but he still felt weird.

Why all the things he had shared with him, why Chunji must hide this? Why couldn’t he tell him about the illness? He has being the best in universe friend for almost seventeen years and a boyfriend for a week.

Why could he-

Or Lee Byunghun wasn’t still the best in universe friend for Lee Chanhee?

“Byunghun-“ a weak voice sipped through his eardrum. Swiveling to the door, Byunghun saw Chanhee’s mother stood in front of his room with a small piece of crumpled paper.

“I found this-“ Chanhee’s mother shifted nervously. “I know this is lame for sending such a small note but I hope you don’t mad for Chanhee’s behavior on hiding his illness. I hope you could forgive him. This is the last thing that he wrote and it was in his hand in that day.”

Smiling weakly, Byunghun shuffled in hesitated towards the doorframe. He picked the paper and sent a small smile once again to the gloomy lady in front of him. He placed his arms on the lady’s shoulder awhile, hugging tenderly and patted softly on her back. “It okay, it is okay.” He whispered the soothing words to the already sobbing lady.

He took a deep breath once he waved a small goodbye to Chanhee’s mother. Walking to his bed, he plopped on it and examined the paper. Tears already grew in his eyes, once again. More and more.

“L.Joe-ah, mianhae,”

Ta-Dah, it finished! Hukhuk. I almost cried and the inspiration was lost at the ‘hospital’ part. Luckily, Kim Kyu Jong – My Precious One saved the day. Oh well. I hope you like this and please give love as much as you give towards my other story. Thank you for reading this! ^^