I often post songs that are either part of the story or that somehow were an inspiration for the chapter - maybe just when it comes to a tiny line or the mood - but I had forgotten to do so until now for this story. During previous fics I had readers who told me they enjoyed listing to the songs while reading so I decided to add an OST here too. The songs (incl. links) for all chapters so far are now in the foreword in case you want to check them out^^
 

And our minds became a star with one accord. 
Maybe sometimes they still do.

~

“Here...“ Yonghwa handed me one of the cups of instant ramen that he had bought back at the convenience store in the afternoon. Then he sat down next to me with his own.

Jungshin's relatives had a trailer behind the old barn in their green backyard and because they had too many guests over Jungshin had asked us if it were okay for us to stay there that night.

And it was. Because somehow we were glad to get away from the noise inside the house. As much fun as we had with all of the relatives I simply longed for some peace as midnight came and Yonghwa did too. So we got ourselves some hot water in the kitchen for our instant noodles and sat down on the folding chairs right infront of the trailer, switching on the lamp hanging above the door.

“So...“ I said while trying to cool down my ramen a little. “Tell me about that unfinished song that you've mentioned before.“
Yonghwa was taking a sip from the soup in his cup “Ah... well, it's actually not my song, you know... Jonghyun's been writing this track and... He's got the music down and the chorus but he ask me to take a look at the verses. He's kinda stuck there.“
“I see..“ I said as Yonghwa ate a mouthful of noodles before continueing.
“It's... The song's kinda folky, it uses an acoustic guitar. The lyrics equate feelings with stars...it's very simple but quite nice... 'I hope that this feeling can continue shining on forever. Yes, I hope that your and my feelings will surely become a single star.'....kinda like this.“
I let my chopsticks sink down for a moment “Ah...okay, yeah, I get the imagery...“
Yongwha smiled “He starts off with saying he saw a falling star and that he hopes the wish he made of being together can be heard all the way to the sky...you know, back to those stars he mentioned earlier.“
I smiled too “Yeah... well, it...it kinda sounds like lovers who are far from each other, spending their time apart. So when they look up at the stars it's a sight they can share while maybe being reminded of a time spent together.... well at least that's what I get from your description.“
“Mmmh, maybe... not sure if Jonghyun ever experienced something like that though,“ Yonghwa chuckled.
“Does he really need to have experienced it?“ I asked before eating another bite.
Yonghwa furrowed his brows “Well... I mean, to write about something you have to know it, right? I mean... you can't really write good songs if you haven't experienced love, now can you?“
I thought about his words before taking a deep breath “Well...okay for starters...not every song has to be about love... but well, even if it is about love, there's more than romantic love in this world.... Anyway, many writers have written wonderful stories that aren't based on a certain actual event but maybe just a notion. They can write convincingly because imagination can be just as powerful as experience.“ 
But then I stoppend myself “You know what... maybe I'm wrong.... maybe you need to experience love to write good songs about it... maybe that's one of the fundemental experienes that imagination can't gloss over... even though I think that maybe there are people who could but... maybe I'm wrong.. I dunno...“ 
I felt Yonghwa glancing at me from the side while smiling and somehow it made me uneasy.
“What?“
He chuckled “Nothing... your mind's quite... I think your thoughts are interesting, that's all. Maybe I should call you teacher though...“
I turned towards him, pulled a face and pushed his arm “Really now...“
But he just laughed.

When we had finished our ramen, Yonghwa got up to pick up the acoustic guitar he had taken with him after playing for the guests of the party a bit earlier.
I leaned forward in my chair, watching him getting ready to play. I didn't know why but it was a peaceful sight. And only a little bit later he started to strum the strings, playing the unfinished song he had told me about before, singing lyrics where they had been written and filler words were they weren't final. Even though I sometimes had to hold myself back from chuckling at the parts with the spontaniously made up lyrics I had to admit – something had strangely moved me.

The guitar, his voice, the melody, the distant sounds of laughter from the house, the dark backyard, the fairy lights around the windows, the warm feeling from soup and beer – it all played together so nicely that it set a mood that got to me but I couldn't pinpoint why. 
All I knew was that no matter what – I would always like this song. And I would always love watching him play any song.

When Yonghwa finished strumming the guitar, he looked up straight into my eyes expectantly and I smiled at him and nodded. A smile came upon his lips too in an instant and he nodded as well, eyes glistening.
I knew he sensed what I meant.
“Yeah... yeah...I see you like the song too,“ he noted.
“Yeah... obviously,“ I still smiled widely.
“That's music for you... now you don't even need to explain it anymore, I can just tell,“ he grinned.
I laughed “Like reading my thoughts?“He nodded a bit cocky and I shook my head “I see... as if our minds became one through the accords you've just played?“
He widened his eyes a bit “Oh I like that... our mind become one with one accord... Jonghyun should use that.“
“Use that?“ I asked confused.
He nodded again “For the second verse...“
I laughed, pointing to the sky “But what about the stars? Where's the connection to them?“
He pressed his lips together thinking about it. Then he lifted his chair a bit to slide closely next to me. “Let's see...“ and he motioned me to look up into the sky.

And so we sat there right next to each other, arms brushing, looking up into the night sky.
“It's actually a really beautiful starlit night,“ he said with a calm, low voice.
“Mhm..“ I lowered my glace to look at him for a brief moment. But once I realized how close we now were I couldn't anymore and looked back up into the sky.
“That's my favourite,“ Yonghwa suddently proclaimed.
“What?“ I didn't know what he meant at first.
He smiled “Star... I just picked a favourite...“ and he pointed out to me which one he had chosen. I leaned in to see clearly which one he meant. 

And between the beer and soup I faintly smelled his scent as his hair softly brushed my temple when he leaned in closer too.

Then I sighed leaning back in my seat again “Obviously... you've simply picked the brightest one... I should have known.“
Now he turned towards me with raised brows. I still looked up into the night sky but I could see in the corner of my eye how a grin grew on his face.
“Oh come on... of course I'd choose the brightest one... just compliment me... I mean, picking a star is romantic.“
I laughed “Congrats, you are corny...now, anything else?“
Yonghwa smiled “Alright... well... I like what you've said though...about people being in different places looking up to the same glittering sky... about minds becoming one... or maybe a star... with one accord...I think this could make for good lyrics.“
“Hm... well, thanks I guess,“ I said honestly.
“So...“ he leaned back in his chair now too. “Is that something coming from experience? I mean, did you ever have a long distance relationship?“
I shook my head “No... and... I don't really think I would ever do that... at least not long term... if the distance is only temporary...okay...but if it's indefinite or for a very long time...I think it's best to make a clean break before it gets painful. Cause eventually I really think it would.“
Yonghwa nodded “Yeah... clean breaks... I agree. I mean, it's the same when you don't love someone anymore... it's still best and fair to say it and break up cleanly.“
I contemplated it for second, then I wondered out loud “I agree... but I'm not sure if that really happens... to stop loving someone... sounds... I don't know...“ I couldn't find the words to describe what I meant.
Yonghwa looked at me a bit sceptical “But of course it can happen that love ends. Or are you forever hung up on your first love?“ 
I shook my head “No, that's... well, at some point you get over it but do you really just stop loving someone while you're still together? I don't think it works that cleanly.... there are many reasons to break up... but that doesn't mean your love for that person has completely vanished. Even with people who fall in love with someone else and end it because of that... if they truly loved them before, it won't have disappeared entirely. I mean if we exclude situations in which people do really terrible stuff and that's why things end... simply stopping to love someone seems so unlikely.“
Yonghwa raised his brows “Now you surprise me... I would have never thought that you would be so idealistic about this.“
I smiled “No...no, it's not like that. Love can end for many reasons and we can get over it, find someone new... yes. But it's never that clean with love simply being over. I don't think I have ever seen love gone completely when observing relationships where love had been involved. It's usually circumstances and things that make love too hard.“
I sighed, then I continued “I think what actually can pass just like that is not love but infatuation. Infatuation is the stronger feeling on the surface, for sure. But it's one that can go away or go somewhere else or to someone else easily.... not love though... that's different. Usually what I heard from people who really loved... it's that they still have some of it left... that it will remain but that they have to end it after all. Sure even with love you c