Written by: “ brighteyes ”
Pairing: MyungYeol (Myungsoo/Sungyeol)
Prompt(s): Coming of Age Highschool AU & Dreaming Alone – Against the Current Ft. Take of One OK Rock
Words: 14,799

 

 

Bright Eyes

 

 

The story starts at the end of junior year, a few weeks into summer when no one has touched their homework yet. But who would, considering that junior year just ended? There are too many exciting things happening in town and Sungyeol doesn’t want to miss any of it. These days he’s busy having fun with his friends, trying new food places and going out for fun. There are parties here and there organized by students from his class but he doesn’t go to many unless his friends go.

So when his friends tell him that there’s a big event to watch some fireworks he gladly agrees to come. It’s for the kids in their grade and from what he knows, it’s supposed to be some sort of symbolic thing to mark their becoming of seniors. The whole class is going and it’s something that he especially doesn’t want to miss.

 “Hey!” Woohyun says upon bursting into his room. Sungyeol is laying in his bed in a cocoon of blankets, scrolling through his phone. “Your mom let me in,” he continues. “I wanted to hang out before going to the field tonight.”

“Field? What field?” Sungyeol asks as Woohyun settles down on his rolling chair. “I thought you said it was happening at school.”

“The football field, you idiot,” Woohyun snickers. “It’s like a picnic for the seniors. The school wanted to do something for us as juniors before we attended senior sunrise.”

“Senior sunrise isn’t until next semester starts.” He scrolls through some comments on the Facebook group for his class. “I don’t see why our student leadership is planning this event. I can’t complain though – it’s kind of exciting.”

Woohyun rolled his eyes, spinning around on the chair at the same time. “Please, you were completely ecstatic last night in our group chat. You were way too excited.”

“No, Dongwoo was excited because he was going to watch fireworks with Hoya,” Sungyeol defends immediately. “I’m only excited for fireworks. While you are excited to kiss up to the leadership captain.”

Woohyun sneered at him, throwing an air punch in his direction. “I do not like Captain Leadership, okay? He’s so pompous.”

“I never said you liked him,” Sungyeol chuckles. “But since you said it first I guess you do.”

“Shut up!” the other exclaims. “Also, why are you underneath blankets, it’s so hot out.”

“I’ve been too lazy to get out of bed.” Sungyeol rolls over, his hair fanning out in every direction. “I haven’t even eaten yet.”

“Yeol, it’s already six.”

“I am quite aware. I’ll just get up when Dongwoo gets here, okay?”

Woohyun groans. “No, you are going to get up and shower right now because we agreed to leave at seven-thirty. Dongwoo is going to get here in ten minutes and I’m pretty sure you would rather have me push you out of bed than him.”

“Fine,” Sungyeol heaves as he rolls out of bed heavily. “But only because this fireworks show is pretty much worth it. Did you read up on the posts on the class page?” he asks as he ruffles his hair and heads to the bathroom that his room is connected to. He doesn’t bother closing the door as he runs the shower. “They said we need to bring blankets and stuff – to sit on and to stay warm.”

“Makes sense,” Woohyun responds as he pulls out his phone to play on. He picks a half-eaten cookie off Sungyeol’s desk and bites into it. “It’s bound to get pretty cold after the sun goes down. Should we bring drinks?”

“Yes!” Woohyun hears Sungyeol shout from the shower. “Text Dongwoo to buy some soda or something.”

“I’ll ask him to buy ginger-ale,” Woohyun says decisively. “I don’t want soda.”

“But I don’t like ginger-ale!” Sungyeol whines. “Tell him to get me soda.”

“You should lay off soda. That’s a lot of sugar, you know.”

“Excuse you, I can have all the sugar I want so long as it’s in moderation.”

“Didn’t you have soda yesterday? I’m telling Dongwoo to buy you apple juice.”

“Apple juice is for kids!”

“Too late, I already texted him.”

“Ugh, you !”

“And you swallow, my friend.”

“I hate you so much.”

“Love you too, Yeollie.” Woohyun blows a kiss towards the bathroom and laughs when he can hear Sungyeol yelling in frustration.

The shower turns off after two more minutes and Sungyeol steps out in wet hair and fresh clothes. He purposely flicks his hair at Woohyun, water droplets smacking against his face.

“Hey!” he cries.

Sungyeol only sticks out his tongue and flops back onto his bed. “You’re a terrible friend,” he says, annoyed. “Could’ve at least told Dongwoo to get me a smoothie.”

“Too late for that – Dongwoo’s already bought the drinks.”

Throwing a pillow in his direction, Sungyeol spits out, “You guys better be nice to me in the field then! No running off to play with your boyfriends!”

“Okay, okay!” Woohyun laughs. “Dongwoo and I won’t run off. We can even share that pink Disney princess blanket you have.”

Sungyeol pouts for a moment and rolls his eyes, but ending up agreeing anyways. As long as he doesn’t end up sitting alone in his blanket on the football field, he is fine.

 

---

 

“What a liar...” Sungyeol grumbles, hugging his blanket to himself. It hadn’t even been half an hour since they had arrived and Woohyun and Dongwoo were already off talking to other people. “They’re already off flirting and the sun hasn’t even set yet.”

The football field is littered with students upon students sitting on their own picnic blankets and eating their own snacks, waiting for the sun to set so their fireworks extravaganza could begin. It’s nearly dusk now and the last of the pink and orange sky is starting to fade to blue. Sungyeol sighs and the sun hasn’t even set yet and he’s all alone.

He usually expects this out of his friends at school events. With Dongwoo’s boyfriend being captain of the dance team and Woohyun constantly flirting with the Leadership captain, he doesn’t see much of them at school events. Usually he has Sungjong to keep him company at the very least but the younger had left with his family for an overseas vacation the previous week. He doesn’t mind his friends leaving him alone but sometimes he wishes that they could at least wait a little before running off in search of their romantic lives.

He sighs to himself and took a sip from his hot apple cider. Dongwoo had been a better friend than Woohyun by surprising him with this drink rather than apple juice. He is glad for that at least. Especially since it’s getting chillier the more the sun disappears. Summer nights are always so cold compared to summer days. He doesn’t understand it. He’s happy for the hot apple cider.

He just sits there for some time, sipping his cider while playing on his phone to pass time. It’s nearly eight-thirty in the evening and the fireworks are supposed to start lighting up the sky at ten. It’s kind of boring but he knows that Woohyun and Dongwoo will join him for the fireworks later.

“Wow, I thought the stars had come out already but I guess it’s just your eyes.”

Sungyeol freezes all movement upon hearing the words and feels confusion seeping through his head. He looks to the side and finds that someone has joined him on his lonely little picnic blanket. The stranger has dark hair and a warm smile framed by dimples and he has a camera strung around his neck as he hugs his knees, looking expectant. Sungyeol stares at him for a moment longer before raising his eyebrow.

“Are you… talking to me?” he questions unsurely.

The other boy laughs lightly and says, “Yeah, I am. I don’t see anyone else here with eyes as bright as yours.”

Sungyeol giggles and shakes his head. “Is this your way of flirting with me? Because I’m not too sure if it’s working.”

“Oh, come on, give a guy a chance! The pick-up line with stars caught your attention though, right?” He smiles cheekily and Sungyeol isn’t really sure if he should laugh or not. “It worked at least a little bit, right?” he asks hopefully with a laugh.

“Not really,” Sungyeol snorts. “It was kind of cheesy, actually.”

“But I’m not lying though – you’re eyes are so bright I practically saw them from across the field. I told my friends and they practically forced me over here,” he says almost sheepishly, as if he is embarrassed. Sungyeol doesn’t know how someone who can shamelessly spring a pick-up line on him can be embarrassed from simply noticing him. It was almost cute.

“So what brings you to my humble picnic blanket?” Sungyeol asks as he sips his steaming drink. Pulling his blanket closer over his shoulders, he says, “I don’t exactly stand out.”

“Aside from your big sparkling eyes? Your pink blanket.”

The loud laugh that comes from Sungyeol is positively radiant and the other boy’s face seems to light up at the sound. It takes him a couple seconds to compose himself but soon he’s nothing but smiles as he asks the other boy what his name is.

“Myungsoo,” he says. “Kim Myungsoo. And you are?”

“Sungyeol,” he replies with a grin.

Biting his lip awkwardly, Myungsoo says, “Well, I’d be really happy if I could grace your evening with my company, Sungyeol.”

“As far as I’m concerned,” Sungyeol answers, “you are welcome to accompany me and my pink blanket for this whole event.”

“Oh, good,” Myungsoo says with a large smile, “I was hoping I would be able to stay.”

So they sit with each other as the sun sets and it becomes dark. They talk for at least an hour about how Myungsoo is president of photography club and how Sungyeol wants to get into a good pre-medical program and become a doctor after graduating. They discuss how Myungsoo wants to go on to be a wedding photographer and that he hates chemistry class but Sungyeol is qualified for AP Chemistry next semester. They find out that they had both signed up for the same calculus class and they somehow end up sharing Sungyeol’s pink blanket while waiting for fireworks to be launched.

“You know,” Myungsoo says, “your eyes get brighter when you talk about your dream to be a doctor. Have you noticed that? Your face practically lights up.”

Sungyeol blushes and denies it immediately. “No, it’s probably just because it’s dark now. My eyes don’t look that bright in normal lighting.”

“I think the fact that they sparkle in the dark should say something on its own,” Myungsoo replies and it is in that moment that Sungyeol realizes that they’re kind of flirting again and Myungsoo is really good at it.

“You’re just saying that,” Sungyeol scoffs playfully. “You can’t mean it – we just met.”

“I can’t really fight that kind of reasoning, can I?” Myungsoo chuckles. “But for what it’s worth, I really do mean it when I say I like your eyes.”

Sungyeol only smiles at him and says his thanks. That’s when a big speaker comes on and a large booming voice tells all of the students on the field to get ready for the fireworks that are about to start. Myungsoo’s face lights up as he looks genuinely excited for the impending event and takes a few snapshots of the full field of teenagers with his camera.

“You won’t mind if I stay with you during the fireworks, right?” he asks suddenly.

“Of course not – I said you were welcome, after all.” Sungyeol smiles at him warmly. “Besides I like talking to you. You’re really easy to talk to.”

Myungsoo smiles, his dimples reappearing, and he says, “I could say the same.”

“I would really like to keep in contact with you,” Sungyeol admits softly. “So let’s exchange numbers later… okay?” He’s never really been good at flirting, and he certainly isn’t doing exceptionally well in this situation either, but he sees Dongwoo and Woohyun approaching out of the corner of his eyes and they stop in their tracks and stare at him in amazement. It’s only seconds before they both cover their mouths and run away giddily and Sungyeol thinks for a moment that maybe he is good at flirting.

Myungsoo only has a chance to nod before the sky starts blooming with fluorescent colors and thundering loudly. They both stare up at the sky in awe, hypnotized by the colorful display that burned against the black skies. Their focus and concentration makes for very little conversation as they just lay there quietly, simply enjoying each other’s company.

And so their story starts laying in the dark with a stranger. But maybe it’s not so strange. They exchange numbers later and Myungsoo saves him as Bright Eyes on his phone and Sungyeol saves him as Dimples.

 

---

 

“Ask him out!”

Sungyeol is coddled in a cocoon of blankets with Woohyun and Dongwoo, sitting in front of a TV at Woohyun’s house. It has been a week since the fireworks extravaganza and if Sungyeol is to be honest, he would admit that he has been texting Myungsoo nonstop. He had wasted no time and texted the other boy the day right after the firework event. They text for hours and hours and never seemed to get bored of it. Once Woohyun and Dongwoo find out, it’s almost impossible to escape their barrage of questions and comments.

Sungyeol shoots an exasperated look at Dongwoo and exclaims, “I’m not going to ask him out, okay?  It’s… too soon.”

“Doesn’t he go to our school?” Woohyun asks, shoving a carrot stick into his mouth. “I think you mentioned that in our group chat or something.”

“Yeah, he’s president of the photography club.” Sungyeol smiles to himself just thinking about the other and it wasn’t missed by his friends.

“Yeol, you totally like him,” Dongwoo laughs, throwing a grape at his friend’s head. “Look, Woohyun – he’s already blushing.”

Sungyeol immediately retorts, “I am not! And I don’t like him, okay! It’s just… just…”

“A crush?” Woohyun finishes mischievously. “Don’t act like you don’t like him, Sungyeol. We’ve been friends since sixth grade – we know when you like someone.”

“Ask him out!” Dongwoo says again excitedly. “Haven’t you guys been flirting back and forth? He’s sure to say yes, I know it.”

“No,” Sungyeol hisses adamantly. “I doubt he likes me that much.”

Woohyun snickers. “Don’t you guys already have pet names for each other? Every time he texts you, your phone lights up with a notification from Dimples,” he says playfully.

“Shut up!”

“Wow, you do that exact same blush when your phone lights up too.”

“Stop!” Sungyeol shouts, nearly dying from the teasing. He’s absolutely sure that his face is pinker than his favorite blanket and he’s absolutely sure that Dongwoo and Woohyun notice it. “I hate you guys,” he mumbles, burying his face into the sofa where Dongwoo is laughing hysterically.

“Aw, Sungyeol is so cute with his little crush.” Woohyun laughs loudly and ruffles Sungyeol’s hair.

Swatting his hand away, Sungyeol bites out, “Whatever! I’m not asking him out, okay! I-I… I don’t have the guts to.”

“Why not?” Dongwoo asks, popping some grapes into his mouth. “If you’ve been flirting back and forth then I don’t see a problem. Ask him out to coffee or something.”

“Nah, he doesn’t like coffee,” Sungyeol replies, resting his head in his arms.

Woohyun’s eyes widen and he exclaims, “He doesn’t like coffee and you’re still into him?! Remember this moment, Dongwoo, Sungyeol likes a boy who’s not into coffee.”

“It’s not that big of a deal!” Sungyeol says in exasperation. “He’s just–! He’s… different, okay?” His cheeks flush into a paler shade of pink as he smiles inevitably at the thought of Myungsoo. “We’re just flirting. And having fun. Nothing serious.”

Woohyun’s mouth drops open in disbelief at Sungyeol’s words and he shakes his head. “So you’re telling me that you two have been flirting nonstop back and forth for a week and neither of you have tried to make a move?”

“Well,” Sungyeol responds slowly, “he did ask if I wanted to catch a movie…”

“And?” Dongwoo pressed.

“I told him I was hanging out with you guys.”

“Give me your phone right now.”

“No!”

“If you’re not going to ask him out then I’m going to do it for you!”

There’s a bit of a scuffle and some wrestling and Sungyeol somehow ends up pinned under Woohyun’s hold as Dongwoo clutches Sungyeol’s phone in his hands, typing away at the keyboard. “If you tell me three good reasons why you don’t want to ask him out,” Dongwoo declares, “then I won’t send it. But if you don’t then this message will be sent.”

“I don’t want to look to eager!” Sungyeol shouts, struggling under Woohyun’s firm grasp. “Won’t it make me look desperate?”

“He asked you to a movie first, didn’t he? On the contrary, it’s more like compensation for missing out on his first date.”

“But…”

Dongwoo raises his eyebrows, a glimmer of disbelief dancing in his eyes. “Do you even have any other oppositions? I’m about to score you a date with your crush.”

Sungyeol’s gaze shifts away and he stares guiltily at the wall. “No…” he admits begrudgingly.

“Okay, I’m sending it! No turning back now!” The little ping that sounds when the message is sent is accompanied by Dongwoo’s overjoyed laughter as he tosses Sungyeol his phone back. “You’ll thank me later, I know you will.”

Sungyeol sits up under Woohyun and pouts as he takes his phone back into possession and pushes Woohyun off his legs. Huffing through his nose, he reads the text he sent and his stomach does a little double flip.

sure thing, bright eyes ;) i would love to.

This time his stomach does a double flip three times before settling and judging by his friend’s laughter, he knows that they can see his obnoxious blush.

 

---

 

Their date goes well – almost too well, it’s like a dream. The movie they watch is some thriller with hints of romance but neither of them are really paying attention to it; not when their arms are brushing so closely. By the end of the movie, Sungyeol isn’t really sure what it’s about and neither does Myungsoo. They try to make conversation about it as Myungsoo drives them away from the theatre, but the conversation is light and dry to their slight disappointment. But the mood is brightened when Myungsoo offers to drive him to one of his favorite diners for dinner.

They stop at some diner that’s tucked into the corners of the busy downtown area they’re in. It’s slightly run down with flickering neon lights in the front and Sungyeol’s never seen it before. It almost looks like it’s from the fifties; it’s nearly out of place in the rush of the downtown. The walls are an aged white and the windows aren’t very clear. But there’s a taste of nostalgia that appears in Sungyeol’s mouth as Myungsoo pulls up.

“I didn’t know this place was here,” he murmured softly.

Myungsoo chuckles. “Not many people do. But it’s one of my favorite places.”

“Really?” Sungyeol asks, his eyes sparkling as they walk towards the door. The door’s hinges are rusted and it looks as though it has seen much better times, but there’s a wonderful aesthetic that radiates from it.

“It’s also quality food for cheap,” Myungsoo adds with a smile. “Which is always nice, you know?” His smile is full of a certain playfulness that Sungyeol can’t discern as naughty or nice. But his dimples distract him momentarily and Sungyeol can only smile back.

“I’m a er for good food,” he jokes. “So you’ve gotten my full attention.”

Myungsoo laughs and opens the door for the both of them and the interior of the diner is almost as run down as the exterior. The booths have seats that are filled with rips and tears and all the tables have mismatched napkin holders. There are only a few people in there at the moment and one waitress standing behind the bar-style counter. The diner is worn with age, but there is grace in its cracks and tears.

“Myungsoo!” the waitress behind the counter exclaims. “I didn’t know you were coming today! Do you want your normal seat at the counter?”

The younger boy just smiles at her and gestures to Sungyeol. “I came with some company today so I’ll be taking the corner booth.”

“Of course, of course,” she says cheerily. “There’s no one here to steal your booth anyways. Get yourself seated; what would you guys like to order?”

Sungyeol glanced at Myungsoo unsurely. “Any ideas?” he asks.

“Leave it to me,” Myungsoo replies with a dimpled grin. “It’ll be great.” Then turning to the waitress, he calls out, “Two colas and one large order of loaded fries to share please!”

“On the way, honey!”

As they seat themselves, Sungyeol sends Myungsoo a glance from across the booth curiously. “Loaded fries?” he asks. “Doesn’t really sound much like a dinner if you ask me.”

“It will be, I swear!” Myungsoo says excitedly. “This place makes the best loaded fries you’ll ever have in your life. I don’t bring a lot of people here, so consider yourself special.” He winks.

Sungyeol blushes and laughs at him. “I’ve been meaning to ask,” he starts. “Why did you choose me?”

“Choose you? For what?”

“That night with the fireworks. There were a lot of people you could have given your number to. So why sit next to me that night?”

Myungsoo giggles like the answer is obvious. And maybe the answer is obvious to him, but to Sungyeol it isn’t. “I told you,” he says, “its cause of your eyes. Their brightness just pulled me in. Like a tractor beam.”

It takes a bigger person than Sungyeol to not guffaw at the comparison to a tractor beam. “Am I some kind of UFO?” he asks, his voice teasing and playful. “Because if anything, it’s more like you abducted me rather than the other way around.”

“I mean you are kind of like an alien – I’ve never seen anyone with limbs as long as yours.”

“Oh come on, there are loads of people taller than me at school.”

“Yeah, but no one has proportions like you. Your legs are really long and pretty.”

Sungyeol snorts once again. “Are you flirting with me by complimenting my proportions? And calling my legs pretty?”

Myungsoo immediately flushes and stammers, “Ah – no! I mean, not that your legs aren’t pretty, it’s just… Um, your proportions really are amazing though. But that’s not what I gave you my number for! I’m not some shallow guy who only exchanged my numbers because I like your body – that is not the kind of guy I am, okay? I just – oh look, our fries are here!”

He seems more than relieved to change the subject at hand and Sungyeol thinks it’s adorable. But he forgets what he’s thinking quickly as soon as the large plate of fries is plunked down in between them. The fries smell fresh and are covered with oozing cheese and sauce and are littered with chunks of meat and caramelized onions. There’s a cooked sunny-side egg right in the center of the delicious chaos and it smells like guilt and regret and Sungyeol can’t wait to dig in.

“This is massive,” he says quietly, almost deterred by the size of the food.

“I told you it would serve as dinner! It’s huge, so we can take our time with it, yeah?”

Sungyeol gave him a glance and smiled. “You didn’t do this just so we could spend some extra time together, did you?”

“I would’ve made you stay either way,” Myungsoo jokes, starting to pick at the fries himself. “That is, if you agreed of course.”

“You act like I would have declined your offer,” Sungyeol giggles as the waitress comes back with their drinks. “I wouldn’t have, by the way,” he adds. “I really like spending time with you.”

“Me too,” Myungsoo replies coyly. “It’s very easy to be comfortable around you, bright eyes.”

“You’re flattering me with that nickname, Myungsoo,” Sungyeol says.

“But it suits you.”

Sungyeol only grins at him, picking up a fry piled with toppings. “Not sure what other kids in our grade will think if you call me bright eyes everywhere.”

“Don’t see how it could be a problem.” Myungsoo shrugs, a coy grin flitting across his face. “I thought you liked it.”

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it,” Sungyeol admits with a giggle. “But I don’t know how other kids from our class will feel about it. They might think we’re… dating, or something.”

Myungsoo smiles this grin where his dimples deepen and his eyes smolder as he rests his cheek in his hand. “Would you oppose to that? Dating, or something? Because I was hoping that we’d be having more dates after this.”

“I was hoping for that too.”

“So, if we go on lots of dates, we’d be dating wouldn’t we?”

Sungyeol looks up at the ceiling as if he’s thinking about it. “Yeah, I think that would qualify us as dating. Maybe even boyfriends, if you play your cards right.”

“Good.” Myungsoo grins. “Because it sounds like a great plan, if you ask me. Dating, I mean.”

Sungyeol smiles at him and the salt off his lips. “How long do you think it will take for our class to find out that we’re dating?”

Myungsoo’s grin is coy and filled with a certain kind of mischief. “Two weeks,” he says. “How many dates do you think we can go on before they figure it out?”

“Three,” Sungyeol says with a small laugh.

 

---

 

They go on two more dates before their entire graduating class knows they’re dating. They go on three more dates after that before they kiss for the first time. And they go on four more after that before Myungsoo takes him to dinner to meet his parents. And then the date after that one, they meet Sungyeol’s. Things seem to be moving so for the two of them but it only feels natural. To Sungyeol, there’s something very comfortable about Myungsoo. There’s a friendliness that exudes from him that makes talking easy and getting close even easier. And Sungyeol is very open to Myungsoo. He talks about a lot and conversations come very easy. It’s needless to say that the two of them are more than comfortable with each other within the span of a month. It’s almost like they have known each other for much longer than that but they haven’t. The two of them progress their relationship fairly quickly despite having only known each other for a month.

 

---

 

“You know you’re not a good cook, right?”

“I believe that I have potential.”

“But… you’re not good.”

“Shh, this will be delicious.”

Sungyeol laughs, hopping up to sit on the counter as Myungsoo stirs something sizzling in a pan. “Myungsoo, it smells like you’re burning the garlic,” Sungyeol chuckles.

“I am not,” Myungsoo retorts with a smile. “It’s going to be great, okay?”

“My parents have been really impressed by you lately so cooking for them may not be in your best interest,” Sungyeol says with another laugh. He raises an eyebrow down at the pan where little pieces of garlic are browning far too quickly. “Babe, I’m pretty sure you’re burning it.”

“I’m not!” Myungsoo insists, pushing the little pieces around with a spatula. “The recipe said to fry the garlic until it was aromatic and I haven’t smelled anything yet!”

“My kitchen smelled like garlic ten minutes ago – I’m pretty sure you’ve burned it. Myungsoo, look, it’s almost black!”

Myungsoo stares at the pan in confusion before shrugging. “I’m sure it’ll end up fine. You can never taste the garlic in the sauce anyways.”

Sungyeol snickers and swings his feet, hitting the cupboards below his feet. Gripping onto the edge of the counter he leans over and places a kiss on Myungsoo’s forehead. “You’re so cute,” he giggles. “But you’re burning the garlic.”

“I am not!” Myungsoo retorts, trying to hide the obvious blush on his cheeks. “Whatever, I can add the sauce now anyways.”

“And then what?” Sungyeol asks. He watches as Myungsoo pours some sort of soy sauce and sugar concoction into the pan and listens as it sizzles loudly. “Are you just going to mix it with your burnt garlic?”

“No.” Myungsoo pokes Sungyeol’s sides playfully and stirs the mixture around with his spatula. “It’s going to reduce and thicken. It’s not going to burn, okay?”

Sungyeol rolls his eyes as he hops down from the counter. “Babe, you nearly set my kitchen on fire last time. You’re lucky my parents are nice enough to let you use it again today. They don’t even let me in the kitchen this often.”

“You don’t even like cooking,” Myungsoo scoffs, turning the heat down to medium low. Wrapping his arms around Sungyeol’s waist, he pulls him closer and kisses him on the nose. “That’s why I’m here to cook for you.”

“Unfortunately for all of us, you can’t cook,” Sungyeol teases once more before he walks off to his freezer to pull out a popsicle. He rips off the wrapper and sticks the white colored bar into his mouth. “And it’s so hot, why are making hot food?”

“Hot dinner is the best kind of dinner,” states Myungsoo assuredly. “And you’re going to spoil your appetite if you eat another popsicle!”

“I already opened it, so it’s not like I can put it back.” Myungsoo rolls his eyes and leans over to bite half of the popsicle off the stick and giggles at Sungyeol’s scandalized expression. “My popsicle!”

“There – now you can’t spoil your appetite,” Myungsoo mumbles around the chunks of cold sugar in his mouth.

Sungyeol pouts at him and pulls out his phone to scroll through absentmindedly. “I hope you get a brain freeze…” He on the last of his icy treat quietly as Myungsoo goes back to stirring his sauce. He taps around on his phone without much interest. “Babe, you want to watch Avatar tonight?”

“The Last Airbender or the one with all the blue people?”

“Airbender,” Sungyeol replies, finishing the popsicle. “The TV series not the y live action movie.”

Myungsoo turns around and pulls Sungyeol into a hug, kissing him hotly against the lips. “You know me so well, bright eyes.” He on Sungyeol’s bottom lip gently, delighting in the giggle that the other lets out.

Sungyeol kisses him back fervently, his hands tangling into Myungsoo’s hair. The way their mouths sync against each other’s have almost become second nature. They’re so caught up in each other’s arm that they don’t even notice Sungyeol’s father come home with his little sister in tow.

“Look out, dad’s home!” his father yells out. Sungyeol and Myungsoo jump apart in surprise and Sungyeol’s father covers up his little sister’s eyes as he tosses his car keys onto the dining table. “Avert your eyes, Mijoo, your brother and his boyfriend are being disgusting.”

“Dad!” Sungyeol whines. “Can you please not!?”

“Sorry!” the older man says, laughing. “Hey, Myungsoo – how are you?”

“I’m good, sir,” Myungsoo replied, snaking his arm around Sungyeol’s waist. “I’m just here to make you guys a surprise dinner.”

Sungyeol’s father chuckles. “Thanks, Myungsoo. Ever since you’ve been around things have been so much brighter around here. Especially Sungyeol.” He winks.

Myungsoo snickers and Sungyeol elbows him in the gut. “Can you please not embarrass me, dad?” Sungyeol flushes red and his little sister laughs.

“You know, Myungsoo,” Mijoo says, “Sungyeol blushes a lot more these days ever since you guys started dating a month ago.”

“Mijoo!”

Mijoo giggles, her smile large and playful and her father smiles along with her. “Myungsoo, you’re taking care of Sungyeol, right?”

“Oh, absolutely sir,” Myungsoo replies swiftly. “I’m feeding him properly and making sure he gets all the care he deserves.”

“Oh, he’s definitely a keeper.” Sungyeol’s father grins at him and continues jokingly, “Sungyeol! Make sure you don’t lose a catch like Myungsoo.”

Sungyeol laughs and hugs Myungsoo closer. “I will, dad, I promise.”

Myungsoo nods with him as Mijoo starts laughing. “Oh yes – we’re going to get married and buy a house to raise puppies in.”

“Lots of puppies,” Sungyeol agrees. “And we’ll open a barbecue restaurant.”

“And I will cook,” Myungsoo exclaims happily.

“I don’t know about that,” Sungyeol says, his eyebrows raised. “How can you cook if you’re not even watching your sauce right now?”

Myungsoo turns around with a roll of his eyes. “My sauce is fine, it’s – wait. What?! Where did it go!?” The way Myungsoo throws his arms up into the air is almost comical as he grips onto the handle of the pan and turns it over, watching in horror as nothing falls out except for his burnt garlic. “What happened!?”

“Babe, you know if you reduce something too long it’ll evaporate, right?”

“…oh.”

 

---

 

“You don’t believe that do you?”

Sungyeol stops in the middle of the hallways and looks to Mijoo, who is poking her head out of her room to look at him. He shoots her a questioning look and asks, “Believe what?”

“All that talk about the puppies and opening a barbecue restaurant and getting married. You can’t believe that’ll really happen.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a cute imagination to have. Why do you ask?”

“I have P.E. class with his sister, Kei–”

“Wait, you mean Jiyeon? Myungsoo’s little sister?”

“Kei, Jiyeon – same person.”

“Oh… I didn’t realize she was a freshman like you.”

Mijoo rolls her eyes. “My point is she says that Myungsoo’s never been more infatuated with someone before. And I told her the same goes for you.”

“Mijoo, what are you talking about.”

“Look – you’ve been dating for nearly two months and you’re practically married. But do you think it’ll last past graduation?”

Sungyeol furrows his eyebrows. “I’m sure it will,” he says, “there’s nothing stopping us.”

“No?” Mijoo shoots him a look of disbelief. “You both have to fill out college applications. You’re application to that hot shot university is due in like… what – a month?”

“Three weeks,” Sungyeol replies.

“Three weeks. Have you even looked at it since you started dating?”

“Mijoo–”

“There’s nothing wrong with dating,” Mijoo continues. “But is your relationship going to be okay if you two are going to be stressing out? College apps are due this semester and then next semester you’re going to be accepted into some schools, but you still have to ace those AP tests or the schools will drop you. Sungyeol, you’re aiming for a pretty prestigious pre-medical program do you know how hard those are to get into?”

“Yeah, I do.” Sungyeol shuffles his feet uncomfortably. “But Myungsoo and I can make it work. A boyfriend can’t screw up my ambitions.”

Mijoo ruffles her hair and goes back into her room. “Whatever you say,” she mutters.

 

---

 

A week and a half later, Sungyeol declines a date with Myungsoo for the first time in their relationship to focus on his college applications.

“Hey, bright eyes.”

“Hi,” Sungyeol mumbles into his phone, his eyes drooping.

“Did you send your app in yet?”

Sungyeol rubs his eyes as he pulls his blanket over his head, the warmth enveloping him soundly. “Yeah,” he responds. “But this application is just for that pre-med program I want to get into. I also need to fill out other applications for other schools and then the common application too. The essays take forever.”

He hears Myungsoo sigh over the phone. “That sounds like a lot of work. How many universities are you applying to?”

“I think four, at least. I need to have a lot of options in case I don’t get into my top school.”

“I’m sure you’ll get into your number one choice.” Myungsoo is chuckling. “You’re really smart, bright eyes.”

“What about you?” Sungyeol asks. “How many schools are you applying to?”

“Two.”

“Just two?”

“Yeah – getting into a visual arts program isn’t too hard. And I’m minoring in marketing.”

“Have you applied yet?”

“No, I still need to get some letters of recommendation from my photography teacher. If everything goes right I should have all my applications sent in a few months.”

Sungyeol lets out a yawn. “That sounds like a solid plan. I still need to make sure I get good grades so schools don’t drop me off their waitlists.” He blinks his eyes, trying to push the sleep away. “And then I have to pass my AP tests…”

“You sound like you’re about to pass out.”

“I might be.” He yawns once again.

Myungsoo laughs over the phone. “I can practically hear your eyes falling closed. Go to sleep, bright eyes. Close your eyes and dream of me.”

Sungyeol cuddles into his pillow and whispers an okay before falling asleep to the sound of Myungsoo’s breathing and soft words.

“Is it me that you see when you close your eyes, bright eyes? Is it me?”

 

---

 

“Okay, class. Let’s do something fun.”

Sungyeol sighs in relief and rests his head on his desk. Since his school works on a block schedule, his classes are nearly two hours long and during the past hour and a half he has written two timed essays on his summer reading. It’s only the third day back to school and the work load already seems so heavy. So as soon as his teacher suggests doing something fun, he feels comforted.

“So, I started this little mini project for the senior class this year. Since it is your last year here at this school, the staff and I tried to make it more memorable. We’re going to be writing letters.”

“Letters?” a voice from the back of the classroom asks.

Sungyeol looks up as the teacher begins handing out pieces of paper. “Letters. We’re not doing that lame time capsule thing because I don’t think guys would really care to write a letter to your future selves. Instead, it’s a letter to your future friends.”

Someone else asks, “Wait, what?”

“I just want you all to write a letter to someone dear to you. Address it to your boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend, enemy – it doesn’t matter. Just make sure it’s someone from your graduating class.”

As he receives a piece of blank stationary paper in front of him, Sungyeol asks, “What is this supposed to accomplish?”

“It can accomplish whatever you want it to accomplish,” his teacher responds as she sits down on a desk. “You can confess or tell anybody whatever you want in these letters. It’ll be like closure. After you’re done writing your letters and sealing them, I’ll take them back and all of the letters will be kept locked in a box. After both semesters are over, they will be sorted and handed out on the night of the graduation party. Every single senior is doing this in their literature classes.”

Murmurs scatter across the classroom – some excited, some unenthusiastic and some just uncaring. Sungyeol sits in his seat and scratches his head. There are nearly five pieces of paper provided in front of him and he’s not too sure what to write down. Of course, he writes messages to Woohyun and Dongwoo respectively. In his letter he thanks them for being such wonderful friends and hopes that Woohyun will pluck up the courage to ask out the guy he likes and that Dongwoo and Hoya will last for a long time and that they will stay friends for as long as they can. He writes some letters to some other kids that he knows also and when he’s on his last piece of paper he decides to write to Myungsoo.

He writes a lot of things for someone he’s only known for about two and half months. He writes about how he really likes him and loves all his habits and that he’s really cute. And then he writes about how yeah, he does kind of dream about Myungsoo at night and he hopes that they have a future together somehow. Besides, it’s the relationships at the beginning of high school that don’t last, right? He and Myungsoo started dating before their senior year – surely they’d last beyond that.

Sungyeol seals up all his letters and hands them to his teacher. He counts down the minutes to lunch to so he can see Myungsoo again.

 

---

 

Its four months into the first semester and Sungyeol is sitting with Myungsoo and his friends at lunch. Myungsoo’s arms are curled around his waist as he talks about upcoming tests.

“Did you study for the Calc test?” Myungsoo asks.

“Not yet,” Woohyun responds, sipping his water. “If I fail that test then even the final exam won’t be able to bring my grade up.”

Sungyeol laughs. “I think you should be studying then. I can let you borrow my notes if you want.”

“Really? That would help so much – thanks Yeol!”

Dongwoo sighs as he rests his head in his palm. “Man, I’m so screwed for the AP Chem final. I was absent for two days and it’s like I missed half of the unit. I hate chemistry, why did I even take it?”

“What teacher do you have?” Sungyeol asks.

“Mr. Jung.”

“Oh, that’s probably why – Mr. Jung teaches at the speed of light. I have Ms. Park and she teaches content a little slower.”

“Lucky,” Dongwoo whines. “And on top of that, Hoya’s being a jerk.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah, we’re kind of fighting right now.”

There’s a quiet pause at the table because Dongwoo and Hoya are never fighting. They’re that perfect couple that always has each other’s back. So the news of them not being on good terms is surprising and shocking. And for some reason, Myungsoo’s arm tightens around Sungyeol’s waist.

“He’s stressed out,” Dongwoo explains. “The idiot decided to take four AP classes and he’s already started studying for finals. There’s another month and a half until finals and he keeps making this huge deal out of them! Then after that he’ll have to focus on his college applications. And now all of a sudden he doesn’t have time for me anymore between his studies and his dance practices. Like, wow I’m so sorry that I can’t fit into your schedule.” There’s a bite to his words as he glares down at his food.

“I’m sure he doesn’t mean it like that,” Woohyun tries to supply helpfully. “He probably just wants to do well so that he has a lot of options for the future. We’re all doing that.”

Dongwoo frowns as he pokes at his salad. “Yeah, but I’m his boyfriend. We haven’t done anything together in a month and he hasn’t texted me back for the past two weeks. I can barely catch him in the hallways. I feel like things are… I don’t know. It’s like everything is starting to fall apart.”

“Don’t say that, I’m sure it’s fine,” Sungyeol states. “I’m taking three AP classes and Myungsoo and I are fine. I practically ignored him for almost a month because I was doing college applications but we’re doing okay.”

“Yeah,” Myungsoo agrees. “Finals is a stressful time, especially in the first semester of senior year. Every grade is final and we don’t want to get lazy senior year and get rejected by colleges. I’m sure that’s all Hoya is worried about.”

“Of course it is…” Dongwoo sighs. “I wonder if he even sees me in his future anymore.”

The bell rings and they all separate their own ways for class. But while walking to their calculus class together, Sungyeol holds Myungsoo’s hand tightly, almost afraid.

“We’re not going to be like that, right?” he asks.

Myungsoo furrows his eyebrows. “Like what? Like Hoya and Dongwoo?”

“Yeah. We talk to each other every day – we’ll always have time for each other, right?”

Myungsoo blinks, then smiles and then kisses his cheek. “Of course we will. I’ll always be able to talk to you, bright eyes.”

“Me too.” Sungyeol smiles and hopes that neither of them are lying.

 

---

 

“What are you studying, bright eyes?”

Myungsoo’s voice is clear over the video call although his image is a little pixelated and lags a bit. Sungyeol smiles at him as he sits at the desk in his room, his pencil pausing over his paper. “AP Government.”

“Oh, boo, you took AP Government? That sounds so hard.”

“It is.”

“Then why’d you take it?”

“More college credits,” Sungyeol answers simply, scrawling something else down on his notes.

Myungsoo laughs over the video call and Sungyeol minimizes the video screen so that he can research something quickly on his laptop. He feels a little bad – he and Myungsoo are supposed to do something together that night but with a week left until finals, Sungyeol ends up declining. Instead, they settle for a video call instead. But they don’t speak much because on both sides of the camera, they’re studying. The both of them are scrawling down notes and flipping through pages of their textbooks and while it doesn’t really count as a study date, it must count as something, right?

“Did you get your letters of recommendation yet?” Sungyeol asks him, his eyes trained on his paper.

“Yeah, my application is due in January, so I have plenty of time.”

Sungyeol chuckles as he opens the video camera again and sees Myungsoo fiddling with his camera. “Babe, January is less than a month away.”

“Yeah, it’ll fine,” Myungsoo reassures. “And then my second application is due in February. I’ve got lots of time.”

“Lucky,” Sungyeol mutters. “I had three apps due in November which was such a hassle because I also had a bunch of projects to do for school. And then I still have two applications left. One’s due in December and one is due in January.”

“Shouldn’t have applied to so many schools.”

“I just want my options open. Nothing wrong with lots of options.”

“No, but you’re over stressing yourself. You shouldn’t do that, babe.”

“Myungsoo, I’m fine.”

“Yeol, you told me the other day that you’ve been going to sleep at two in the morning consecutively for days. That’s not fine.”

Sungyeol pauses and looks up from his papers. Myungsoo actually looks really concerned and his eyes burn brightly even through the screen of Sungyeol’s laptop. Sungyeol puts his pencil down and says, “Myungsoo, don’t worry, okay? Once finals are over my sleep schedule will be back on track.”

“Are you sure? You said you still have applications to do. You’re going to be doing those over the holiday season.”

“Myungsoo, it’s okay.” Sungyeol furrows his brow. “You don’t need to worry too much.”

Myungsoo sighs and replies, “Okay, fine. Whatever you say. I’m going to sleep, okay?”

“Okay. Kisses.” Sungyeol smooches at the camera and Myungsoo laughs before turning off his camera.

It’s only when the clock hits 1:13 AM that Sungyeol realizes that he and Myungsoo haven’t actually kissed for two weeks.

 

---

 

“How did your finals go?” Sungyeol asks. He’s at Myungsoo’s house after the last day of finals. It’s officially winter break and he can’t think of any other way to start it than with Myungsoo.

Myungsoo stretches across his bed and lets out a strangled groan. “They were so tiring. You?”

“Exhausting.” Sungyeol flops down next to him and kisses his nose. “But they’re over now and we’ve got the rest of December to hang out.”

“Plus a little bit of January,” Myungsoo adds with a coy smile, kissing him on the mouth gently. “We can spend this entire winter break together. So what do you want to do first?”

Sungyeol bites his lip mischievously as he abruptly sits up. “Let’s get pizza.”

“…Pizza?” Myungsoo repeats, his eyes deep with confusion.

“Yes, pizza. Let’s get a big whole pizza to ourselves and eat it on your balcony.”

Myungsoo glances at the large terrace that some big glass doors lead to. “Babe, it’s snowing.”

“Then we’ll put on heavy jackets and thick socks. I want to eat some pizza outside.”

“I’m dating a lunatic.”

But they end up with two large combination pizzas for themselves as they sit out on Myungsoo’s balcony bundled up in thick quilts and warm socks and flannel pajama pants are wrapped around their necks like scarves. Myungsoo’s younger sister had sneaked over to steal a couple pieces but they eat most of it together.

It’s kind of magical for some reason. There’s fresh snow blanketed on the ground and on the balcony railings and even though they’re swaddled in thick cloth, it’s still chilly but the hot pizza in their stomachs and bright stars against the black skies make up for it. They’re so busy eating that they don’t talk much and if they do talk, they talk about school. Sungyeol doesn’t realize how bland the conversation topic is until he mulls over it later, but now it’s just easy talking.

Once they’re done eating, they head inside and pass out on top of Myungsoo’s bed. They wake up in the morning, covered in quilts and with a heater warming their feet near the end of the bed. They feel kind of bad because after a week of studying for finals, they’re supposed to use this night to spend together and catch up but it’s spent eating pizza and talking about school. And they don’t really want to admit it, but it feels like a space has been cast between them.

 

---

 

There’s a part of Myungsoo that feels like this should be normal. Every couple must go through a phase like this. He and Sungyeol just need to find that opportunity to get out of it. Winter break should be their way out of it, but it’s not. It’s supposed to be their time to just relax as a couple but for some reason they’re busier than ever. It’s only a week and a half until Christmas and it feels like they haven’t spoken to each other since immediately after their finals.

“Come over.”

Sungyeol laughs over the phone. “What?”

“Come on over, bright eyes.” Myungsoo’s phone is wedged between his shoulder and his ear as he’s stirring something on the stove. “I’m cooking.”

“Again? Not sure if I should go.”

“I swear I can make good chicken wings, I swear,” Myungsoo promises but he’s startled when he pours something into his pan and it starts sizzling loudly.

“Uh, I don’t know if that sound is exactly reassuring me of your cooking skills, babe,” Sungyeol giggles. “And besides I have to e-mail my application by tomorrow.”

“Bring your laptop over and work on it here. E-mail it tonight and we can feast tonight. My parents are out of town and my sister is sleeping over at her friend’s house.”

“It sounds like you’re bribing me.”

Myungsoo snickers. “It’s only a bribe if you take it.”

“Then I’ll see you in a bit.” Myungsoo can already hear Sungyeol’s bright smile through the phone.

So Sungyeol comes over with his laptop and sits at the kitchen counter while watching Myungsoo cook. They don’t talk much because more than half the time, Sungyeol is typing away furiously at his laptop, trying to finish essays and more.

And it is in that moment that Myungsoo starts realizing that their relationship might be slowing down. They were each so busy with their own agendas for the future, they barely had time for each other in the midst of all the stress and studying. And even when they did have time for each other, they didn’t talk much.

It has to be a phase, Myungsoo thinks. Nothing more than a phase.

He wants to say something to Sungyeol but Sungyeol is so focused on his laptop that he doesn’t have the heart to. Myungsoo thinks to himself that if he wants their relationship to hit a new stage he should do something about it. He wants to find a way to relieve the stress that’s been slowly seeping into the two of them. The stress was creating a small rift between them and Myungsoo wants to fix it.

Sungyeol is special to him and he knows that he’s important to Sungyeol as well. He figures that after six months, it’s a good time to elevate the intimacy in their relationship. So once he’s done with the food and they’ve eaten, he wraps his around Sungyeol and kisses his neck, whispering for him to take a break from his application for just a little bit. Sungyeol’s reluctant at first but once Myungsoo’s hands are snaking down after his stomach and to his waist, he starts to give in. He starts returning the kisses and soon Myungsoo has him turned away from his laptop screen.

“You’re almost done with your essay right?” Myungsoo asks between their kisses.

Sungyeol breathes heavily. “Yeah. I just need to conclude it and then send it with the rest of my application.”

Their first night together is awkward. Exhausting, hot and exhilarating – but awkward.

 

---

 

Sungyeol wakes up in panic because he realizes too late that he hasn’t sent in his application and the deadline has passed. Myungsoo does his best to comfort him but they know that they’re both devastated.

 

The next time they’re disappointed comes sooner than they both would have liked. Sungyeol is with Woohyun and Dongwoo, trying to sort out his feelings of what had happened the day before. His friends are doing their best to give their input but Sungyeol still doesn’t really know what to do.

The day before Sungyeol had texted Myungsoo asking him when he’s free for a date. But Myungsoo doesn’t respond until the next morning, saying that he’s busy until next semester. He says things like he’s busy preparing for New Year’s and looking for a job but Sungyeol thinks it sounds like an excuse.

“I know I shouldn’t feel like crap, but is it wrong for me to feel neglected?” he asks, frowning.

Woohyun purses his lips. “I don’t know. I feel like maybe he should have told you that he wasn’t going to be free for the rest of winter break. It seems like something he should have informed you of.”

“But in his defense, you were basically ignoring him when you were doing all of your college applications,” Dongwoo points out. “Maybe he feels like this is fair.”

Sungyeol shakes his head. “Myungsoo isn’t that spiteful. At least I think he isn’t. He can’t be – he’s been nothing but sweet for our whole relationship.”

“Maybe it’s a side of him you’ve never encountered before,” Woohyun suggests.

“We’ve been dating for six months, I think I would have seen it by now.”

Dongwoo shrugs, his eyes bitter as he looks at the floor. “I don’t know – I didn’t find a couple sides of Hoya until a year after we started dating.”

“Like what?” Sungyeol asks hesitantly.

“Like how he won’t have time for me if he’s doing something more important. And how he’ll forget to make it up like he promised. And how things started slipping away the more and more we didn’t talk about it.” Dongwoo bites back a sigh.

Woohyun blinks and continues, “So did you and Hoya ever go through something like Sungyeol and Myungsoo are?”

Dongwoo looks up at them. “You mean that phase where you two don’t talk because you’re busy? And everything starts sounding like an excuse? Yeah. We did.”

“How did you fix it?”

“We didn’t.” Dongwoo’s eyes darken as he says, “The lack of communication took a toll on our relationship. It took a big toll. We started getting into more fights afterwards because we didn’t know what was going on in each other’s lives so we said some crappy stuff to each other.”

“So… how did you get out of that?”

Dongwoo bites back a sound in his throat and forces out, “We didn’t. We broke up last week.”

The news comes as a shock – no, it’s more than a shock to Sungyeol and Woohyun. Hoya and Dongwoo were the epitome of a perfect couple, always together, always knew what the other person wanted. They were always in love with each other. To learn that they broke up is more than shocking. It’s almost like it’s a nightmare.

“What?”

“Yeah,” Dongwoo sniffs. “I guess we just couldn’t get through it. We didn’t have time for each other, we didn’t know what was going on in each other’s lives. So we said so nasty stuff to each other. I guess recently we figured it wouldn’t be healthy to try and stay in a relationship when it wasn’t working out.” His eyes are starting to get misty. “I really wish we could have figured it out.”

Sungyeol and Woohyun envelope him in a warm hug and do their best to comfort him. Dongwoo doesn’t cry but he rests in their embraces nonetheless. They talk about random nothings after that – just things to pass the time and keep the conversation light.

But Sungyeol is kind of worried in his own head because he’s hoping that’s not what he and Myungsoo are going through. 

 

---

 

“What’s on your mind, bright eyes?”

“Nothing much. Just tired. What about you?”

Myungsoo looks tired on the screen, his head buried into his pillow. They’re video calling each other at midnight on their phones and Sungyeol feels dead tired but he wants to talk to Myungsoo. They hadn’t spoken for a week. His eyes are closed though as he listens to Myungsoo’s voice through his earbuds.

“I need to submit my application tomorrow,” he says groggily. “I was running around this week trying to get my transcript because I had forgotten it before winter break.”

Sungyeol mumbles back, “Maybe you shouldn’t have forgotten then.”

“I was too busy thinking about you,” Myungsoo says tiredly. “Maybe if I spent more time thinking about myself I wouldn’t have forgotten. Oh well, not much I can do now.”

Sungyeol’s eyes shoot open as he sits up. He looks into his phone, the video call as clear as day. Myungsoo’s eyes are half opened, staring at the ceiling. “What did you say?”

Myungsoo looks into the camera and at Sungyeol. “What?”

“Are you saying it’s my fault you didn’t remember your transcript?”

“Oh my go– no, that’s not what I said.” Myungsoo rolls his eyes. “Look, it has nothing to do with you, okay?”

“Don’t roll your eyes at me, you just said if you weren’t thinking of me all the time you would have remembered.”

“Sungyeol–”

Sungyeol glares at him. “I’m sorry, did I hear incorrectly?”

“Sungyeol, I don’t want to do this right now, it’s nearly one in the morning. Can we save this for tomorrow?”

“Myungsoo, we haven’t spoken in a week.”

“I know,” Myungsoo retorts sharply, his eyes narrowing. “That’s why I don’t want to fight right now. And since I won’t be able to see you physically until next semester starts, all we have are calls.”

“Why don’t I come visit you then?” Sungyeol asks, trying to change the topic into something lighter.

“Even if you came over, I can’t promise I’ll have time for you. I’m busy with college apps.”

Sungyeol grumbles, “Of course you are.”

Myungsoo scoffs and flops into his pillow. “You know what, I’m going to sleep. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Fine. Talk to you later,” Sungyeol sighs.

“Night, bright eyes. Dream of me.”

“Sure.”

 

---

 

Sungyeol giggles as Myungsoo kisses his neck. They’re sitting on his couch, watching some random movie playing on television. They’re not really paying attention to the screen, opting instead to touch and kiss each other. It feels like they haven’t seen each other in a long time so this time together feels so nice. Sungyeol had slept over the night before with Myungsoo, so the morning after felt relaxing and lovely.

“Myungsoo, stop that tickles!” he laughs, swatting at his boyfriend. But Myungsoo ignores him, still kissing at his neck. “Didn’t you get enough of me last night?”

“No,” Myungsoo whines, latching onto Sungyeol’s body like a koala. “School starts up again tomorrow and I feel like we won’t have as much time together.”

“Sure we will, we eat lunch together every day,” Sungyeol points out.

Myungsoo sighs. “I’m going to be tutoring during lunch a couple days a week for extra credit. I won’t be around at lunch all the time anymore.”

“What do you need extra credit for? Don’t you have good grades?”

“Yeah, but not as good as I would have liked. It’s only because I didn’t do well on our calculus final. I just want my grades to be perfect when the time for acceptance letters starts rolling around. Can’t have colleges rejecting me because of my final grades.”

“Me too,” Sungyeol replies. “I really need to study for AP Chemistry or I won’t be able to get into the university I applied to.”

Myungsoo laughs to himself as he sits up. “I still don’t get why you’re torturing yourself with AP Chemistry. That stuff is torture to learn.”

“Not when I’m trying to go into a medicinal field. I need it if I’m going to get into a good pre-med program.” Sungyeol sighs as he plays with his hands. “I’m still so nervous about getting accepted.”

“I’m sure you’ll get accepted wherever you apply,” Myungsoo reassures him. “Where are you hoping to go?”

Sungyeol bites his bottom lip. “To the United Kingdom.”

The way Myungsoo’s hand tightens around his makes Sungyeol nervous. “The United Kingdom?” he asks. “Where did you apply?”

“Oxford,” Sungyeol says in a quiet voice. “Chances are slim that I will get in but… I have my fingers crossed. What about you?”

“The university I applied to is two hours away,” Myungsoo says, his voice deep. “I thought that way it would be easier to see you on weekends. But I see that’s not the issue.”

Sungyeol sighs, “Myungsoo–”

“Why didn’t you tell me you applied to Oxford?” Myungsoo bursts out, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. “Did you apply to any local schools?”

“A couple,” Sungyeol murmurs. “But most of the universities I applied to are overseas.”

“Did you even think about how we’re supposed to see each other?” Myungsoo questions. “Or how we could go on dates?”

“Well, sorry! I was thinking about my future!” Sungyeol snaps, standing up from the couch. “I have to think ahead and make good choices that go towards my success!”

“What about me?” Myungsoo bites back, standing up to confront him. “Did you even factor me in as part of your future? Did you think about me when you were making all these decisions?”

“We weren’t dating when I made most of these decisions,” Sungyeol retorts. “And I made these decision for myself.”

Myungsoo turns away in a huff. “So that’s just it, isn’t it? All the decisions you make are for yourself – I’m the only one that thinks of us first.”

“Myungsoo, that’s not it and you know it!” Sungyeol seethes. He doesn’t know what’s happening. He doesn’t know why it feels like something has snapped between them, but it does. The atmosphere has turned sour much too quickly.

“But isn’t it?” the other responds sharply. “I feel like I’m the only one dreaming of a future together. I’m the only one that’s trying to make decisions around what I want for the both of us and not just myself.”

“What has been with you lately?!” Sungyeol exclaims in exasperation. “You haven’t had time for me at all and whenever we talk it’s like I’m annoying you. And now, you’re starting a fight. How am I supposed to tell you anything going on in my life if I can’t even talk to you?”

“This has nothing to do with me,” he snaps. “The only thing I’ve been doing is trying to make sure that I get into schools after graduation! If I hadn’t wasted so much time on you last semester I wouldn’t have to cram for my applications!”

“Wasted time on me? I never forced you to spend time with me! Your time management problems are not my fault!” Sungyeol retorts.

“And at the same time, I’ve been thinking trying to come up with ways to make sure that our future together is secure!”

In the heat, Sungyeol shouts, “How do you even know we have a future together? You keep going on about how you’re the only one who cares about our future but how do you know that there’s going to be one?!”

The silence that ensues is suffocating as Myungsoo turns around, his eyes widened in shock. “Sungyeol…” But Sungyeol picks up his jacket and walks away, heading towards the door. “Sungyeol, come back,” Myungsoo says, his voice soft, “you don’t mean that.” He looks hurt as he reaches out for Sungyeol’s arm. “You can’t mean that, bright eyes.”

Sungyeol doesn’t say anything as he storms out.

 

---

 

“I’m sorry.”

Myungsoo sighs as he stares up at the ceiling. It had been three days since their last fight and they hadn’t spoken since. It was only now, when Sungyeol had called that they said anything to each other. Sungyeol was on speaker, his breathing loud and clear in Myungsoo’s dark room.

“Me too,” Myungsoo whispers. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to talk to you more”

“Mm.”

After their apologies and small bits of talk, they just listen to each other breathing in the stark silence. The apologies are comforting at most but they don’t feel closer afterwards. Instead they feel further apart.

 

---

 

Sungyeol knows he shouldn’t stress over something like AP Chemistry. He knows he should just take a few deep breaths and take advantage of the fact that Myungsoo is there to help him relieve his stress. But it’s a little over a month into the last semester of his senior year and while nearly half of the class is taking it easy with simple classes and free periods, AP Chemistry has been kicking his . He doesn’t remember regular chemistry being so hard and if he’s honest, he’s starting to fall behind. And at the same time he’s desperately trying to keep up with Myungsoo and what he’s been doing but between all this studying, it’s hard to find any time.

Things have been getting tense between the two of them as well. Despite promising each other to talk and communicate more, they haven’t been. Time for talking has dwindled to a few minutes after midnight if they’re both awake and also at school whenever they see each other and have time. And even though they have a calculus class together, Myungsoo is struggling with the content so Sungyeol can barely talk to him during class.

For the past two and a half weeks, they haven’t had a full conversation. There have been nothing but a few words of encouragement to each other. It feels unreal that their relationship is nothing but a few words every day – sometimes it isn’t even every day. He wishes they could spend more time together, but doing so would forfeit his precious time for studying. He feels bad for thinking that way but he knows Myungsoo feels the same way.

Sungyeol has been doing homework for three hours straight before he passes out on his textbooks. He doesn’t know how long he has been napping for but when he wakes up it’s from a gentle shake of his shoulder. He jerks up and sighs when he sees that it’s only Myungsoo.

“Hey,” he breathes out, noticing that his room is very dark. It must have already been evening. “What are you doing here?”

Myungsoo looks concerned as he sits down on Sungyeol’s bed. “Your sister let me in… how long have you been asleep?”

“I… I don’t know. I was doing homework for AP Chem and I guess I knocked out,” he sighs. “But why did you come over?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Myungsoo bites his lower lip. “Point is I’m here. How long have you been studying?”

Sungyeol shrugs. “I don’t know – some hours, give or take. I’m super tired from Chem and then I have an essay to write.”

“You sound stressed,” Myungsoo comments, reaching over to caress Sungyeol’s cheek. “You look stressed. Have you been getting sleep?”

“Sort of,” Sungyeol admits. “These days I stay up so we can talk.”

“You shouldn’t be staying up so late, Yeol. It’s not good for your health – especially if you’re studying so much.”

“I just need to last this semester and then I’ll be done,” Sungyeol says, the sound of summer again already sounding sweet. “And don’t worry, half the stress is from school and the rest is just worrying about what I’m going to talk to you about.” Sungyeol smiles but Myungsoo doesn’t. Sungyeol goes back to his books despite Myungsoo looking like he wants to protest. He goes back to scribbling answers to questions about metals and solutions.

“You know, Sungyeol… sometimes I wonder if you have time for a boyfriend.” Myungsoo seems unfazed by the look of confusion and shock that crosses his boyfriend’s face. “It’s just you’re so stressed about classes and this looming idea of the future that keeps you dreaming and I’d hate to think I was in your way.”

“Myungsoo, you’re not in my way,” Sungyeol insists softly. “I love having you by my side, I swear.”

“When you dream of your future,” Myungsoo whispers, “do you dream of me too?”

Sungyeol hesitates and his hesitation is enough giveaway for Myungsoo to guess an answer. But Sungyeol says, “Yeah…”

The way Myungsoo laughs is a little cold. “Don’t lie, bright eyes. Even if it’s you that I dream of, I know it’s not the same the other way around.”

Sungyeol bites his lower lip and murmurs, “Myungsoo, I’m sorry, I just… I think I’m caught up in my own little bubble.”

“You are,” Myungsoo agrees. He pats the spot on the bed next to him and says, “Come here and sleep. I don’t care what you’re studying, tonight you’re sleeping.”

Myungsoo has a sharp gleam in his eyes that leaves no room for protests so Sungyeol gets up and lays down on his bed. He doesn’t realize how much he misses the soft feel of his pillow under his cheek until he’s settled down in bed. Myungsoo is wrapping his arms around him instantly and pressing a kiss to the edge of his ear.

“Go to sleep,” he whispers.

Sungyeol doesn’t want to go to sleep – he wants to stay up and ask Myungsoo what he’s been up to in his life and what he’s doing here and how his family has been. Sungyeol really wants to talk to his boyfriend but he’s falling asleep before he can do so.

 

---

 

When he wakes up the next morning, Myungsoo is gone and in his place is a small box of chocolates and a homemade card. When he opens the card, it reads Happy 10 Month Anniversary! and Sungyeol can feel his heart sink.

 

---

 

A week later, they’re both laying on the grass, in the dark. Their breaths are coming out of their mouths like smoke and dissolving into the black night air like dust. The air is cold, very cold and it bites are their noses and stings their cheeks pink. It’s late February and the winter air is still cruelly chilly. But maybe that’s the kind of weather that is appropriate for their conversation.

“I don’t think we should continue our relationship, Sungyeol. It’s not working.”

“You don’t think we’re working?”

“No, we’re working. Our relationship isn’t. After thinking about it I don’t think it’s healthy for either of us to stay in this relationship.”

“…You’re right. Neither of us have time for a relationship.”

“We should stop seeing each other. It’s only for the best. We’ll both be able to focus better that way and… we won’t need to worry about each other amidst all the stress.”

Their voices are soft – so soft that if they aren’t listening, their voices will disappear with the wind. The taste of the wind is bittersweet as they realize that their relationship is coming to a close. There’s no need for any more explanations – they both know why they’re breaking up. It is only for the best.

“I know you’re stressed, Sungyeol. Your eyes don’t shine the same anymore. I need you to get that brightness back

Even though it’s a mutual decision, it still hurts.

 

---

 

“It’s okay,” Woohyun hushes. “It’s not like you broke up because of fights or cheating. It was mutual, right?”

Sungyeol sniffs, wiping the tears from his eyes. He hates crying. “Yeah, it’s just… I never thought it would happen to me – to us. I should have worked harder to stay in touch with him, I saw all of the signs.”

Dongwoo rubs his back soothingly and whispers, “It’ll be all right. Even if you did something, would it have made a difference?”

Sungyeol chokes back his own sadness and forces it out, “No. It wouldn’t have. Stress would have gotten the better of us anyways.” He buries his face into a blanket and ignores the sappy romance playing on Woohyun’s television. “I wish I could have changed something though…”

“You couldn’t do anything, don’t worry. It was inevitable.” Dongwoo hugs him for comfort and Woohyun turns off his television.

“I don’t want to be crying over him though!” Sungyeol exclaims, muffled by the blankets. “Our breakup was mutual, wasn’t it? It’s not like we hate each other so why am I so sad this ended?” Sungyeol lifts up his face and accepts the tissues Woohyun is handing him.

“Being sad about it isn’t a bad thing,” Woohyun tells him, his hair. “It’s okay to be sad over it. Just because the breakup was mutual doesn’t mean you can’t be sad about it.”

“Yeah,” Dongwoo agrees. “You need to be sad first before you can get over it.”

The break up hurts but Sungyeol has his friends to help him get through it. Right now it feels like the end of the world but he knows it’s not. It can’t be. But until he feels like getting better, right now it just feels like the end of the world.

It takes him a week to get back into the routine of his life before Myungsoo but the feelings still linger. All the crying makes him feel empty and light as a feather and he feels like he can start anew again. He knows a part of him is still madly in love with Myungsoo but he doesn’t have to focus on it.

In that moment he understands that their breakup was so that he doesn’t need to focus on Myungsoo. There’s no obligation of a relationship that will keep him up or stress him out. He realizes that the break up really was for the better in their current situation of college applications, acceptance letters and homework. It’s sad to think that it’s their senior year that instigates the ruin of their relationship but Dongwoo is right – it’s inevitable if he thinks about it.

So he’s okay now. All he does now is anticipate his acceptance letters and graduation. And he’s okay with that.

 

---

 

“Are you going to Grad Night?” Sungyeol asks, biting onto breadsticks.

Dongwoo nods. “Yeah, I am. I already paid the fee. What about you guys?”

“Me too!” Woohyun responds, bringing the spaghetti he had just cooked to the table.

It’s the night of senior prom and the three of them have decided to just stay home and hang out with some of Woohyun’s home cooked spaghetti. They’re slightly disappointed they’re not attending prom mostly due to the fact that their friend Sungjong won the title of Prom King, but they have Woohyun’s cooking to make them feel better. Graduation is only half a month away and the speed of how quickly their senior year is coming to a close is kind of scary. Finals are right around the corner and AP Finals are even closer.

“Graduation is so close!” Dongwoo exclaims. “Did you guys get your acceptance letters yet?”

“Yeah,” Woohyun says happily, sitting down with them at the table. “I was accepted into a great music program, I’m so excited. And the university is only a couple hours away so I’ll be able to come back on weekends and breaks.”

Dongwoo casts a knowing glance towards Sungyeol. “You know he’s sharing a dorm room with Sunggyu? Sunggyu got into the same music program.”

“Shut up!” Woohyun says, smacking Dongwoo’s shoulder. “It’s all coincidence, okay?”

Sungyeol giggles. “Whatever you say, Woohyun. Where are you headed, Dongwoo?”

“A local university accepted me into their psychology program,” Dongwoo says proudly. “They also offered financial aid so I’m all set for a psychology major. What about you, Yeol? Did you get accepted into Oxford?”

Sungyeol smiles at them and replies, “No, I didn’t get in. But I decided on a different school. It’s domestic so I’ll still be around for holidays.”

“That’s great!” Dongwoo says. “I’m so excited for you, Yeol!”

“Yeah, it’s pretty exciting,” Sungyeol responds. “I just need to make sure my grades stay in tip top shape so that they don’t decline me.”

“Oh yeah, AP classes are such a pain right now,” Woohyun comments. “At least once AP Finals are done, it’ll be a breeze.”

Sungyeol laughs. “Most definitely. I think I’m just excited for the graduation party because we’ll get those letters we wrote at the beginning of the semester.”

“Oh yeah! I completely forgot about those!” Woohyun’s face lights up as he cheekily adds, “You guys wrote me something, right?”

“I don’t know,” Dongwoo teases. “Maybe I didn’t feel like writing you a sentimental letter.”

Sungyeol gives him a coy look and says, “And maybe you wouldn’t care about our letters since I heard that Sunggyu wrote you a letter that was four pages long.”

“Oh, shut up you two!”

 

---

 

Sungyeol feels extremely proud of himself. He’s donning his graduation cap and robe and sitting on his school’s football field with the rest of his graduating class. His diploma is in hand and his heart is beating like crazy. The last row of students are up on stage receiving their diplomas and the minutes are ticking down.

A week of graduation rehearsals are worth this moment. All the stress for finals are worth this moment. This moment of pride and excitement, this moment of anticipation and ecstasy – it is worth everything. There are bleachers of people clapping and cheering for every student that receives their diploma and Sungyeol isn’t sure if there’s a better feeling in the world.

The student speeches already made him feel so nostalgic and the principal’s speech nearly made him cry. He definitely teared up at the teacher’s speech though. He laughs to himself because if he had teared up then Dongwoo must be already bawling.

He’s sitting next to Sungjong and holding his hand, the pounding of his heart echoing loudly in his ears. He can’t conceal the gigantic grin on his face as the last student receives their diploma. The cheer sounding in the air is loud and proud and their principal looks more than overjoyed as he takes the podium.

The words “Please rise” echo in across the field as the entire class stands. Sungyeol takes a deep breath and it comes out shakily. The sun is shining down on their class and the anticipation is bubbling up in their stomachs.

“Please move your tassels from the right to the left.”

The cheers get louder as all of the students move their tassels on their cap from the right to the left. This is it. They’re not candidates anymore – they’re graduates. Sungyeol can feels those happy tears well up in his eyes as he holds his head up high.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” their principal speaks, “on behalf of the staff, school and the district, I am honored to present this year’s… graduating class!”

Tears are spilling from eyes and cheers are rising as their graduation caps fly into the air. Across the field, Sungyeol meets Myungsoo’s eyes and they smile.

 

---

 

“Lee Sungyeol!”

Sungyeol runs up to his teacher who hands him a large manila envelope, labeled with his name. His literature teacher smiles at him and says, “Congratulations.”

It is night now and the only thing in the sky is a bright full moon. As soon as their graduation ceremony had ended, all the students went to a beautiful mansion that’s rented out for their party. They’re all partying and having a great time and the literature teachers are there supervising and handing out manila envelopes filled with the letters they wrote from earlier that semester.

Sungyeol holds the envelope tightly in his hands and heads to the backyard of the house. He yells at Woohyun that he’s going to read his letters outside by himself. The backyard of this house is gigantic and beautiful looking. A few couples are out here, dancing to some slow music playing from a stereo and all the trees are dripping with lights. He settles down beneath a tree, using the lights wrapped around its trunk to look at his letters.

He opens the manila envelope with a smile as pulls out a couple smaller sealed envelopes within. He wastes no time opening them to read it to himself. Reading them makes him feel light and happy inside. He laughs at Dongwoo’s letter and Woohyun’s letter makes him feel nostalgic. There's a letter from Sungjong that makes him grin and a few letters from his friends.

The last letter is from Myungsoo. He’s not sure what he’s supposed to expect when he unfolds the papers from the sealed envelope but he starts smiling as soon as he sees the first words.

 

Hi Bright Eyes,

It’s your favorite person in the world! Me, that is. Myungsoo. Your boyfriend. Ha ha, so smooth, am I right? So I’m sitting here in literature class and I guess since everyone in class is doing this, I’m required to do it also. And I know we’ve only been dating for about three months but I want to write a letter to you anyways.

I wasn’t lying to you when I said it was your eyes that attracted me. How could anybody miss those beautiful bright eyes? And I’m so glad I worked up the courage to spring that awful pick-up line on you because you became my boyfriend afterwards. I’m positive that in the three months I’ve known you, I’ve found a million reasons to love you. Love – what a cheesy word, right?

I could go on and on about how much I love you but I won’t because I’m sure I flatter you enough in person. Instead I’ll talk about all the sorts of things you make me feel. Because I can’t get much more romantic than that, can I?

Well, bright eyes, where do I begin… you make me feel like I’m the only person in the universe that you look at and that feels great. You make my heart break dance every time you look at me with those bright eyes. When I kiss you it feels like summer all over again. No, all the time, not just when I kiss you – you give me that feeling of love in the summer that I can’t get enough of.

I know we haven’t known each other a long time compared to how long we could have known each other but it feels like forever. Falling in love with you has probably been the greatest experience of my high school career and I hope to be with you for a long time. It doesn’t matter how long we go for because so long as it’s just you and me, I’ll be happy.

But you know what? It’ll always just be you and me. I’ve never felt this way with any other person before. I love you, Sungyeol, I really do. And if I ever forget to show it in the future, just punch me in the arm and I’ll tell you I love you as many times as you want.

What a corny thing of me to say…

I love you lots, bright eyes. Never lose your brightness. Never lose that feeling of summer in your soul. I know you’re going to be successful, I can just tell. You’re going big places, bright eyes. I hope I’ll always be there for you. And if I’m not, don’t forget to take me with you.

Love your favorite dimpled person in the whole world,

Myungsoo.

 

Sungyeol doesn’t realize he’s crying until he puts the letter down but he’s not crying out of sadness. Maybe they’re happy tears, maybe they’re tears from that feeling of past love but he doesn’t stop crying. He cries with a smile and wipes his face to make sure no one sees him. Without a shaky breath he folds up the letter neatly and places it back into the envelope – he would cherish this letter forever.

“Hey there, bright eyes.”

The way his heart picks up speed as his nickname is called out means that it can only be one person. Sungyeol turns around and delights to find Myungsoo walking towards him slowly, hands in his pockets.

“Myungsoo,” Sungyeol breathes out, his face lighting up.

Myungsoo smiles and laughs softly as he walks up to him. “Fancy finding you out here all by your lonesome.”

“Just wanted to read the letters people wrote me.” Sungyeol smiles at him. “I… Your letter really touched me.”

“Did it now?” Myungsoo asks amusedly, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. “I’m glad. You got the brightness back in your eyes.”

Sungyeol giggles to himself and replies, “Thanks, Myungsoo. For everything.” He takes Myungsoo’s hand in his own, the feeling so nice after so many days of not being able to do it.

“You too,” Myungsoo replies, lifting Sungyeol’s hand up to kiss the back of it. “I wanted to ask you though – where did you decide to go to college?”

“It’s in the country,” Sungyeol responds, smiling. “And you?”

“A couple hours away.” Myungsoo grins at him. “I guess we’ll be able to see each other more often, right?”

Sungyeol nods. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Well, I’m happy for you bright eyes. Congrats to both of us for making it through high school in one piece.”

“Now we’re going onto bigger things, right? We’ll always go on to bigger things.”

Myungsoo’s eyes sparkle. “There’s nothing left to do but move on to better things. Even if it’s not with each other.”

“No, not with each other,” Sungyeol says, a sad sigh in his voice. “But I’ll always dream of you.”

“And I’ll dream of you, bright eyes. Don’t forget me after the summer, all right? Remember to take me with you.”

“Every step of the way,” Sungyeol promises. “And it’ll be you and me for as long as it can be.”

“No,” Myungsoo whispers. “No matter where we end up, no matter what happens – it’ll always be just you and me. Always.”

They don’t know what’s going to happen after this night but that’s the beauty of it. That overwhelming fear of trying to control their future but ultimately not knowing what’s coming; there’s beauty in it. They don’t know if they’re going to be successful and they don’t know if they’re even going to finish college as the same major they entered in. They don’t know who they’ll marry or who they’ll date in the future. Sungyeol and Myungsoo don’t ever know if they are going to get back together.

But perhaps they will.

 

 

---

Admin's comment: Can I just say—I don’t know how to even describe how beautiful this story was. Even though this story is around 14K in words, every bit of it is heartwarming and some parts made me tear up. Good job on writing this, and I hope your receiver loves it! ~ Kyashiikun