“The timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream.” 

-Kahlil Gibran

It’s been a week and up until now, Kyuhyun is still leaving his life problem free from all those creatures. It is as if, they disappeared from the face of the earth and he couldn’t be more thankful than he is now.

“So Kyuhyun, I’ll pay for our dinner tonight, okay?”

The person in question turned to face the guy walking just beside him. Kyuhyun smirked, as if he’d let him. “Jongwoon, same answer.” He simply said before pinching the smaller guy’s cheek as he pouted. He pulled Jongwoon closer to him as cold wind blew past them. “You lose to our game a while ago; don’t think that I forgot all about it.”

Jongwoon pushed him a bit before slapping him on the shoulder. “Ouch! Why would you do that?!” But Jongwoon only stared at him unrepentantly. “Yah! You’ve been doing that since earlier.”

“It’s your fault.” The older guy sarcastically replied. “You cheated!”

That’s the truth. Earlier, they played a game to decide on who will pay for their dinner tonight and Kyuhyun knew that he will lose so before they could even finish their game, well, he did something that could assure him of his victory. He laughed loudly before facing Jongwoon once again, there’s not much people on the street that’s why only the rustling of the trees and the scrunching under their feet could be heard other than their breathing. “Okay, I’m sorry. What do you want me to do, then?” Kyuhyun asked.

“Let’s play a game, again.” As if he was already prepared on what’s going to happen, Jongwoon answered without thinking twice.

“A game?” Kyuhyun looked around before turning back to the guy standing in front of him. “What game are we going to play in the middle of this street?” He asked nonchalantly.

The raven haired guy smirked at him. “Simple. Let’s race up to that lamp post and if you won then I’ll let you pay for our dinner without hearing any whine from me but if I did,” He said. He’s smile grew bigger and his eyes twinkled in anticipation. “You’ll let me pay.”

Kyuhyun looked ahead up to the lamp post that was standing not too far away from their position. “Okay, so will there be any rules?” He asked as he rolled his eyes. ‘Really childish. But who cares? As long as he has that look on his face then I could be as childish as he wanted me to be.’

Jongwoon pretended that he was thinking first before shaking his head. “No.” then he started running away.

Caught off guard, Kyuhyun started to run behind him. “Hey, wait! That’s not fair.” But as he said that, he could already hear the loud laughter of Jongwoon who was running in front of him. “Really, Jongwoon?”

He watched as the raven guy reached the lamp posts in no time. Laughing hard while clutching his stomach, Jongwoon stared back at him. “So, how does it felt to be cheated?” He asked with the corner of his lips arching upward.

“Alright, alright. You won, but this is only for tonight, remember that.” Kyuhyun finalized. He walked closer to Jongwoon before putting his arms around the latter’s shoulder. “It’s cold; I should have brought my car.” He added in whisper.

He rubbed the older guy’s back to produce some warmth but slowly, Kyuhyun felt the other guy shook his shoulder a bit causing for his arm to fell limply on his side; he stared at him questioningly. “People might see us.” Jongwoon simply answered.

Kyuhyun looked around; there’s none much but there are still a few bystanders loitering on the street. “What of it?” He asked exasperatedly. This is what he hates about Jongwoon, the guy is so selfless.

Jongwoon sighed. “Look at what you’re wearing.” He said before gesturing him from head to toe. “Then look at me.” Kyuhyun took note of the clothes that the other was wearing. The wind that was blowing past through them is freezing yet Jongwoon wore something as thin as that; simple black tee shirt under a jacket and a denim jeans partnered by his high cut rubber shoes.

But he knew that Jongwoon was pointing something deeper than that.

“Hey c’mon.” Kyuhyun said as he tilted Jongwoon’s face towards his. “Look at me.” They were now standing under the light of the lamp post. It feels like they were being given a spotlight or a place just for them or maybe, a moment that is just theirs. In other situation, this could be a very romantic sight but at this moment, with Jongwoon talking like that, Kyuhyun can’t help but think that they were standing at the wrong place and time. “My mom keeps on saying, when I was young, that it is not all about the physical feature of the person… that it is not all about how one appears towards the other; but rather it will always be about on how one really feels.”

But Jongwoon remained quiet and only staring back at him.

“You understand, right? What matters is how I feel.” Kyuhyun insisted. “And I love you.”

With that, a smile slowly lit up Jongwoon’s face before he nodded. “Wait—your mom? This is the first time I heard you talk about your family, Kyuhyun.” Slowly, his confident eyes slid down and lose its certainty. “You don’t want to talk about it?” the smaller pressed. They continued walking with their hands intertwined with one another; never letting go.

Before speaking, Kyuhyun cleared his throat. “Actually, when I was younger; fourteen years old, I think, I lost my mom on a car accident.” He started and immediately, he felt Jongwoon’s hold tightened around his hand. “She left me and my older brother under the care of my father and after that, I never felt the same happiness I did when she was still alive. Then months later, dad died because of too much usage of illegal drugs. Overdose, you know.” Cold wind blew past them and Kyuhyun wonders why he isn’t freezing anymore because of the temperature. He tucked his free hand on the pocket of his coat for the warmth that he doesn’t needed.

“Then a year after my father’s death, my older brother died, he died thinking that we will never heal again because of the loss that we experienced one after another.

 After hyung, people around me thought that I will soon follow them. Of course not.” He said as he laughed a little while remembering the memories. Kyuhyun can’t believe that many years had passed since then. And recalling it now, it makes him feel nostalgic. “I studied well, took up my dad’s business at such a young age and now here I am, at the very top of all those people who thought that I will be a failure like my father and my brother. I have proven them all wrong.” Another set of cold wind blew past them but still, he never shivered and he, himself, wonders why. “Haven’t I?” he whispered.

“Kyuhyun.” Jongwoon tugged him.

Slowly, Kyuhyun turns to face the guy who was standing beside him all this time that he was talking about his damned past and just like that, the biggest question he has was already answered. He wasn’t feeling cold, not anymore because finally, after all those sleepless night, someone was finally standing beside him.

Jongwoon stood next to him, patiently waiting for him to sprout some nonsense again about his past without any whines. All this time, Kyuhyun never felt so complete in his whole life. “But it’s okay now, right?”

The raven haired guy smiled before nodding. “Yes.”

And with that simple word of his, Kyuhyun believed him without any more questions asked. Jongwoon pulled him closer before hugging him tightly. “As long as you’re here, it’s okay.” He whispered against Jongwoon.

Situations like this makes Kyuhyun wonder what valid reasons could Sungmin and the others have to call this thing as a mistake. He wanted them to see, he wanted to slap them with how he felt. How come it is so easy for them to meddle on the things that serve as a remedy for those people who are affected? Kyuhyun wanted to shout at them, to stab them with reality that for him, that plan is of no use because as long as he knows how to feel, he will choose Jongwoon over anything they present him.

“Kyuhyun have you seen my key?”

Kyuhyun looked up from his laptop as he stopped typing his response for another business firm that wanted to merge with his. “Key? What for?”

Jongwoon scratch his head out of pure confusion. “I’m not sure if it’s my house key or the spare key I have for our café.” He said as he lifted some of the throw pillow on the couch searching for his missing key.

While the older male was trying to look for his missing object, Kyuhyun could only sit there on the dining table whilst observing Jongwoon. Something’s wrong with Jongwoon; the younger could feel it. And he couldn’t help but think that he was hiding something from Kyuhyun. Two days ago, when they were at Jongwoon’s flat and the latter was cooking for him, he forgot to turn off the stove even after removing the pot from it and it really alarmed both of them. Good thing that he was there or else, something bad might have already happened with the older.

Also, there will be times when Jongwoon will looked at him without any recognition in his eyes and that it will take a minute or two before he could call him on his name, it’s like he was trying to recall something first. Then there’s an incident where someone was calling him on his mobile phone and he just stood there staring at the device like he doesn’t really know what to do with it. It was like he was completely lost on what to do at the ringing phone to the point that Kyuhyun have to stepped in to answer the call for him.

But what puzzles Kyuhyun most up to this time was what happened to his wallet because whether you believed it or not, Jongwoon was not yet asking questions about it. And to Kyuhyun, it seems like Jongwoon has already forgot all about it.

It seems like Jongwoon keeps on forgetting small details every passing day.

“Kyuhyun?” When his name was called, he was immediately brought back to reality; he stared questioningly at Jongwoon. “So, have you seen it?”

Kyuhyun stared at him intently; aside from the eye bags under his eyes, he looks healthy. Jongwoon still has that glow on his eyes that Kyuhyun loves to stare at and he still has that blush on his cheek whenever he laughed slightly, what, then, is wrong with him?

But then, his forehead creased slightly when he saw some changes in Jongwoon’s physical feature that’s why instead of answering the latter’s question, Kyuhyun asked him back. “Are you on diet?”

Surprised, Jongwoon stared at him blankly for a minute before looking down at himself. “What? I’m not.” He answered instead. “What makes you say that? I’m not – a-anyway, Kyuhyun, have you seen my key?” He once again asked as he lifted both of his hands for emphasis.

Kyuhyun was about to answer ‘no’ when suddenly his eyes found the silver object on Jongwoon’s hands getting sandwich between his palm and his phone over it. Slowly, he lifted his right hand to point the key. “Isn’t that what you’re looking for?”

Jongwoon stared at his hands before laughing so hard. “Oh yeah. I’m sorry I make a fuss out of something as silly as this.” Then he started fixing his things. “Well, Kyuhyun, I must go first, okay?”

He, too, stood up before walking towards Jongwoon, stopping the other from whatever he is doing. “Hey, wait, let me talk to you first.” Kyuhyun said before pulling Jongwoon down on the couch, the latter stared at him in confusion. “You— you’re alright, right?”

Jongwoon’s forehead creased before looking like as if realizing something that answered all of their questions. “Kyuhyun, I know what you’re talking about.” He giggled for a little bit before focusing once again on him. “You’re talking about my diet, right?”

‘What the hell?’ “Jongwoon, Jongwoon I just said that. Yes, I’m talking about your diet. Are you on diet or something? What’s happening to you?”

“Kyuhyun,” Jongwoon replied in a very soft way. He placed his palm on Kyuhyun’s face as if calming the other guy. And without thinking, Kyuhyun leaned in to his touch. “I’m fine, okay. There’s nothing to worry.”

Really? Is there really nothing to worry? Is Jongwoon hiding something? Kyuhyun don’t know. He will do anything, anything even if it’s not within his power just to be with Jongwoon and the only compensation that he wanted to receive is Jongwoon, and then he will not ask for anything anymore.

But why does it feel like he’s aiming for something too much?

Three days after…

“You’ll be appearing on the television, right?”

He smiled a little bit at the sound of anticipation on Jongwoon’s voice. “I will, so be sure to watch, okay? See how handsome I am in front of the camera.” Kyuhyun added in a teasing tone. He chuckled when he heard the other guy on the line laugh sarcastically.

“Sure, sure. Believe in whatever you wanted to believe in.” And Kyuhyun swore that if he was in front of Jongwoon, the latter was already rolling his eyes.

“Hey, admit it. You find me handsome, don’t you? ” He couldn’t help but laugh when he heard a cluttering noise from the other side of the line and a little ‘what the hell are you doing Jongwoon-hyung? Are you planning to break that cup?’ and so he added teasingly, “That’s why you let me kissed you back when we were at the Grand Hotel.”

“S-shut up already!” Jongwoon replied in a hush tone. “Enough with that, I’ll see you later at the cafe, okay?” He finalized.

He laughed once more before answering. “Okay, okay. Later at seven, okay?” When he heard Jongwoon replied with a simple ‘okay’ he bided him good bye: “I love you. Bye.”

There was a short pause from the other line before he heard Jongwoon sighed. “Bye.” That and the line went dead.

It was yesterday that they planned on having a date at their café but because of Kyuhyun’s schedules, he wasn’t able to meet Jongwoon at the planned time and so they decided to have their coffee date at seven in the evening tonight. Kyuhyun find it weird to consume coffee at the evening since he was so sure that it will not help him to get that much needed sleep but since that is what their original plan, then better stick with it.

An hour later…

After an hour of sitting in front of the host for the show that he was invited to attend last week, then answering all the questions that weren’t even business related, Kyuhyun strained his neck to prevent the foreboding head ache that he could slowly feel creeping up his sleeves. He sighed as he took out his phone from his pocket when suddenly a staff from the show approached him and started leading him to his dressing room where his belongings were being kept since his secretary, Kibum, left so suddenly to do something personal, that is at least what was told to him by the staff who was wearing grey tee shirt under a red faded jacket and a bonnet under his big headset.

He mindlessly followed the staff while sending Jongwoon an SMS, reminding him about their date at seven. Kyuhyun was in the middle of sending his message when the staff opened the door of his room for him to which he entered willingly, excited for his next destination after this. But upon glancing up from his phone, he was surprised that instead of mirrors and chairs and lights that were usually seen in the dressing room, he was welcomed by an empty parking lot or maybe a warehouse.

Immediately, instinct told him that as soon as possible he needed to find his way out if he wanted to see Jongwoon again. He tried the door that he used to enter in but it was already stuck, he run to the other side of the warehouse where in another door was located but same as the first, it was jammed. Kyuhyun tried knocking on the door, shouting even, thinking that there might be someone from the other side of the door that might or could hear him but all of it was no use.

He was all alone in the middle of nowhere.

Kyuhyun even checked his phone and noticed that it was already 6:07 in the evening. “Damn,” he breathed out. “Damn it all!” He immediately dialed for Jongwoon’s number but suddenly a red battery appeared on the screen before completely blacking out. His phone automatically shut down.

‘Really, they can really do the impossible.’

For the next few minutes he did nothing but to looked around, he waited for a sound to hear; he waited for someone to come, to tell him how wrong he was living his life now, how much time he is wasting living like this but nothing came. Kyuhyun sat there alone in the slightly lit room waiting for something that never came. He was patient, thinking of what Jongwoon could be doing at the moment, and how he would react if one day he told him about all this that is currently happening.

‘Will he be frightened? Will he be shocked?’

Then he thought that this may, indeed, frighten the older. What if when Jongwoon found out about this, he decided to leave him? Will Kyuhyun be okay with it? What if Jongwoon decided to leave him because he’ll be happier to lead a simple life even if it meant he’s not with Kyuhyun? Can Kyuhyun do the same? Can he let Jongwoon go even after all the sacrifices he made, even after what he went through?

Then slowly, the corner of his mouth stretch upward forming a smile.

Simple: of course he could. All he wanted was for Jongwoon to be happy. He made those sacrifices and chose this path on his own; not thinking that Jongwoon will do the same thing but rather it is for the reason that he loves him. Just seeing him smile is enough for Kyuhyun.

“Frustrating, isn’t?” That deep voice of Sungmin echoed in his ear once again. He knew that that wasn’t the last that he will see the guy. “Hi Kyuhyun, we met once again.”

“Yeah, thanks to you.” When the smaller guy just smirked, Kyuhyun stood up from where he was sprawled on. “What happened now to free will?” He sarcastically asked. From as far as he knows, everyone was given free will to choose and if so, what are they doing now?

Slowly, Sungmin walked towards him, nodding while trying to not smile from his question. “We’ve actually tried that before. You know, after taking you, humans, out from hunting and obliviousness and bringing you in with your culture, we stepped back to see how’re you going to do it all on your own.” Then he stopped walking; he settled on fixing his coat and hat before glancing back to Kyuhyun once again.

“But after that, look at what you gave us in return. Dark Ages, wasn’t? For five centuries in no less.” Kyuhyun took it all in whatever it is that Sungmin was talking all about. And to his surprise, he could now very well understand what he was saying. “Of course the Chairman couldn’t endure it watching you fail in whatever you do, he just couldn’t. So, he thought that maybe we have to step back in once again and try to teach you some more, and so we did. We taught you so many things up to the extent of how to ride a bike; for six hundred years we taught you to control your developing knowledge with reason before the training goes off once again.

 And then in 1910 we stepped back again.” Then he made a motion as if he was retreating from something before halting. “But within fifty years you brought us World War I, fascism, holocaust, famine, and many more to the point that you were already bringing the universe to the brink of destruction. Name it human because certainly; no matter what it is, no matter how gruesome it might be, you’ve already done it anyway. So the decision was made that we will permanently stay in here, just within your reach just before you did something that even we couldn’t fix.”

Slightly, Kyuhyun’s forehead creased. All of those things that the guy in front of him is saying was all about human’s errors and he was speechless because if truth be told, then there’s no more argument against how irresponsible humans really were, are. But all of it that he was talking about was the big things, and he, Kyuhyun, was fighting them against for something so small.

“Face the truth, you don’t have free will. You only have the thought that you have one but Kyuhyun, you are wrong.”

“Really? You are expecting me to believe you? I know how we humans are in the past – even until now,” he reprimanded immediately. “But I make decisions every day.”

Sungmin nodded in understanding. “I know, but we were the ones who make important decisions for all of you.”

“For what then? Your so-called important decisions, what is it for? To make the world a better place?” He scoffed at that. “Haven’t you received the note yet? This world is a pretty much twisted one already.”

But the smaller guy extended his hands out, “but it is still here, isn’t? You’re still breathing, right?” When Kyuhyun remained silent Sungmin bored his eyes back at him. “Because we’re here. Because for so long now, you’ve been following the plan that was laid out in front of you.”

Even with all those things being said to him, he only needed to know one more thing. “Why can’t I be with Jongwoon? I need to have a straight answer. I know that it is not because the plan says so, you changed it; then why did you?” He clenched his fist tightly before adding through gritted teeth. “Tell me why can’t I be with Jongwoon?”

“The truth is, the first time you saw each other on that comfort room back in the years 2013, that wasn’t really chance. That was us.”

With that, Kyuhyun’s forehead creased. ‘What? Is he serious? But Hyukjae didn’t know about this too. He told me that it was just pure accident…’

”Ah yes, the former handler of this case; they weren’t actually informed about that because since we thought that it will never lead to this, we decided to just keep it all in.”

“Then why did you –?”

“We did that because he will inspire you, he will boost your confidence that time to win that proposal.” Sungmin cut him.

“Wait-wait. You want me to win the proposal?”

“And be very successful.” Sungmin finalized. “Yes, we wanted that. You will be very successful. More than to what you are now, you’ll be someone who will everybody will look up to. You will be the person that your mother dreamed you to be; you will be the person that your father wanted your brother to be.” Kyuhyun slowly dropped his gazed on the floor; somehow he does not like the direction that their conversation is taking.

“You will be the person that your brother failed to become. Didn’t you ever wonder why you have that need to be successful? Why you have that need to claim everything that you wanted? Do you ever wonder why that emptiness inside you never subsided even if you already reached this far?”

“Stop it.” He whispered.

“No, Kyuhyun, I will not.” Sungmin pressed even more. “You will be something in this world, you can make something that will benefit many people but you cannot do that with Jongwoon beside you.”

After his words were out of his mouth, Kyuhyun looked back up at Sungmin. “Why do you care whom I love? What is wrong with Jongwoon?”

The smaller guy shook his head. “It is not about Jongwoon. It is about you. What being with that person does and will do to you.”

Kyuhyun was confused. His forehead creased immediately as he tried to make things clearer but nothing was making any sense to him now. “What it does to me?” He asked. “But I am better whenever I am with him. You even told me so a while ago. Didn’t you made us meet years ago so that I could be inspired and win that proposal?”

“There are things that are better for us if we are involved with it for only a small amount but could be dangerous for us if we are to consume it in an even bigger volume. It is the same with people.” Sungmin simply replied.

“And you think I’ll believe you?”

“Kyuhyun he will be your weak link –!”

“Then how come?! How come you could say something like that?! Enlighten me with that twisted reason of yours!” He cut in.

The brown haired guy shook his head very lightly before walking away. “This is your faith.” He simply said. “And you can’t run it on your own. You already saw what we’re capable of doing.”

“Then I disagree with it.” Kyuhyun firmly replied which made Sungmin halt from walking. “You said that this is all about me. Then it is. And I’m not choosing to be the successful person you wanted me to become if it meant that I’m without Jongwoon.” He looked pleadingly at the guy whose back was facing him. “You, you can do anything. Then right now, all I have are the choices that I make. And Sungmin, I choose Kim Jongwoon.” He whispered.

There were a few minutes of silent before Sungmin spoke once again. “It is already 6:55 in the evening and if you leave now, you’ll arrive at the coffee shop by 7:05 and you’ll see that Jongwoon is still waiting for your arrival.” Sungmin finished talking first before he heard the sound of a jammed door being forced open and without thinking twice, he run towards it without wasting any more time.

As if luck was on his side this time, he was able to hitch a ride so easily.

The drive towards the café shop was uneventful. There was no music available which left him on silence once again. He kept on thinking of the possibilities now that was lying ahead of them. Is he really off the hook this time? Did his message got through Sungmin’s stoned heart?

When he arrived at the café shop, the cab actually stopped across the shop, he was about to cross the road when the voice of Sungmin welcomed him once again. “I forgot to tell you one more thing.” He whispered.

They both stood there, in front of the shop across from Jongwoon’s café shop. From his position, Kyuhyun could clearly see Jongwoon sitting at the table beside their floor to ceiling window, and keeps on glancing at the clock just above the counter. “What is it?” He answered in a rush. “I thought I already made myself clear?”

“But you see, it is not just your dream that will be crashed once you two continue on seeing each other.” Sungmin said as he walked and stood beside him. “You will also crash Jongwoon’s. But you know, it is not actually his dream but rather the only thing that he’ll be able to do once his illness fully consumed him.”

Kyuhyun felt his ear rung when he heard Jongwoon’s name and the word ‘illness’ on the same sentence. Immediately, he faced Sungmin who was nonchalantly explaining things with him. “Wh—what do you mean by that?”

“You don’t know?” He sarcastically asked Kyuhyun. “Two months ago, Kim Jongwoon was diagnosed to have an Alzheimer’s disease which will, in the future, be the cause for him to forget all this. I’m sure you can already see the symptoms even now that you’re almost spending his time with him. You should know that already, I gave you enough time to see it on your own.”

He’s lost for words. He couldn’t believe it. Kyuhyun stared intently at Jongwoon as the latter talked to someone from the café. He was smiling and laughing and being himself, so how could someone like him have that kind of disease?

‘No, that’s not true. I’ll only believe at what I could see and hear with my own eyes and ears.’

“But he was already planning to tell it to you tonight. On that date that you’ll be having with him, he was already resolved on telling you that he was diagnosed with that kind of disease—.”

“I’m not—.”

“—and you’ll ruin the only thing that he’ll be able to do when all his memories failed him. And that is to inspire people. Now Kyuhyun, will you be selfish enough to ruin even the only thing that will be left on with Jongwoon? You know how selfless that guy is, and you know how much he loves helping other people.” Sungmin continued as if he didn’t spoke in the first place.

Slowly, Kyuhyun felt Sungmin retreating away from him but something told him to look behind only to see the brown haired guy bore his eyes at Jongwoon ever so slightly before completely vanishing in the darkness of the alley but when he looked back though in the direction of the shop, people were already gathering at the fallen man on the floor of the shop. Kyuhyun even saw Jongjin emerged from the kitchen only to run towards the guy lying limply on the floor and upon realizing who the person is, Kyuhyun felt the blood in him run cold.

Immediately, Kyuhyun run towards the shop. “Jongwoon!” He couldn’t help but to shout.

“How was it?”

Jongwoon looked up at him with a small smile playing his lips. “Just a little bump but I’m okay.” He explained. But no matter what Kyuhyun do, Sungmin’s words keep on echoing inside his brain. “I probably just got tired since the café was jammed pack with customers a while ago and I didn’t get enough sleep last night since I keep on thinking new menu for the shop…”

What will he do now? He could sacrifice his own but he will never forsake Jongwoon’s happiness. Sungmin said that it will be the only thing that Jongwoon will be left to do in the future and if Kyuhyun takes that away from him… if he ever did that… He tightly shut his eyes since he cannot imagine himself depriving Jongwoon of the things that he wanted. Slowly, he felt soft hand brushing his cheeks and upon opening his closed eyes, he was welcomed by two dark orbs that he wished to be drowned in forever.

“You okay? You’ve been spacing out since earlier. Is something bothering you?” Jongwoon asked through that husky voice of his that up until now never failed to make Kyuhyun feel comforted.

He sat at the hospital bed of Jongwoon so that he could be closer to the older guy. Instead of answering his question, he softly pulled Jongwoon towards him before putting his head at the latter’s shoulder. He sighed deeply.

Kyuhyun felt his eyes burned at the only solution that he could think of doing. His breathing deepened as he forced the unshed tears away from his eyes. ‘It will be alright because sooner or later you’ll forget about me and then the pain too will go away as your memories of me disappeared.’ He explained the words that he could never tell Jongwoon verbally. ‘But I will forever remember this; I will keep this all with me. Because Jongwoon, I have to go now. Because if I don’t, I may never have the courage to stay away from you anymore.’

‘You’ll forget me anyway and I think that’s enough to assure me that you won’t always be sad if I leave you suddenly.’

“I waited at the shop.” Kyuhyun’s eyes bolted open when he heard Jongwoon’s husky voice touched his ear. “I didn’t forget. How will I when, whenever I think about this date my heart keeps on beating so fast?” Then he laughed softly, so softly that Kyuhyun felt the tears slowly escaped his eyes. “If I forget, you’ll be there to remind me, right?” Jongwoon tried to push him away so that they could more properly but he refrained the older from doing so. Kyuhyun latched himself to Jongwoon more firmly; not letting go.

He shook his head very lightly. “No,” he whispered. “You're on your own Jongwoon-hyung. I’ll just be here to support you. That is your fight, not mine, but always remember; just this one please, that no matter where I am I will always think of you and will keep on supporting you.”

Jongwoon sighed. “Well, you’re right about that.” Then he laughed loudly and Kyuhyun felt himself burying that sound into his mind to keep forever. “You really are a cunning one.”

“Well, I just have to make a call.” He carefully detached himself from the comfort that Jongwoon was emitting before bringing his lips up on the older guy’s forehead; pressing his eyes tightly as he keeps this moment forever in his memory. “I love you so much.” He whispered before walking away claiming his phone from his pocket so that Jongwoon will not have any suspicion from what he is planning to do.

With a heavy heart, Kyuhyun made his way out of the hospital. And when he is finally out of the sight of any person that might see him, he crumbled down on one of the dark alleys just beside the building. He could hear and feel himself falling apart; he could not see a brighter future ahead of him anymore, none if it’s not with Jongwoon.

He failed Hyukjae, he failed Jongwoon. Kyuhyun cried even more because realized that he didn’t and will never hear an ‘I love you’ from the person that he loves the most.

From his position of being hunched, he could see someone approaching his cell from his peripheral view. And only then a smile was formed on his lips when that familiar warmth enveloped him. ”Hyukjae.” He heard Heechul’s deep voice called him. He looked up to see the face that he has been longing to see.

“Heechul- hyung.” He simply replied. But almost immediately, the smile on his lips slip off when he saw the way Heechul looked like. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s done. Sungmin succeeded.” His shoulder fell from the news that his superior brought him and he could only dropped his gaze once more just to hide his expression from the older guy. “Don’t let it rub too much on you. It’s not your fault.”

But if only Heechul knew what he did just so those two won’t see each other two years ago. If he hadn’t meddled that time they should have been together by now. He was the prime perpetrator, and so he deserved this punishment.

“Damn it Hyukjae, stop blaming yourself!” Heechul said in a hush tone.

“But hyung, they are suffering even more because of me. You are on your own because of me and even Youngwoon was imprisoned because they thought that he's my accomplice. Now tell me why shouldn’t I keep on blaming myself?”

“Because I told you so.” With those simple words of Heechul, Hyukjae felt renewed. Renewed of the vow that he made so many years ago in front of this very same guy standing in front of him. “Show me that you are still following the same promise that you made with me the day that I have found you. Hyukjae, show me how strong you are.”

He lowers down his head before nodding.

“Now stop sulking, you know how I hate that face of yours whenever you sulk. It’s annoying—.”

“Hyung!” He said ashamedly.

But Heechul just smirked at him. “I promised to you too, didn’t I? I’ll help you with this, so count on me.”

Author's Note:

Is it fun to read? No? Okay. :) Comments are highly appreciated. Please do leave a comment so that I'll know if whether you're still there or not.