It was during a boring history class when Daehyun felt his cellphone vibrate in his pocket.  He sneakily pulled out his cellphone and read the text message under his desk.  He almost dropped his cellphone in shock when he saw that the text message came from Youngjae, a person who he was comfortable and used to talk a lot with.  A long distance friend whom he hadn't communicated with after that friend confessed to him.

 

 

I'm in Busan right now so I kind of remembered you.

 

 

Daehyun contemplated whether he should reply or not.  It has been more than a year so Youngjae shouldn't have feelings for him anymore, right?  Would it really be okay for them to become friends again?  Then he received another text message.

 

 

Are you not replying because you don't own this number anymore or because you just don't want to have to do anything with me anymore? I wonder...

 

 

After reading that message, Daehyun sent in a reply.

 

 

I'm in the middle of class.

 

 

Then he received no reply from Youngjae.

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

 

Daeyhyun dropped by in the convenience store on the way home because his parents told him they'll be home late so he has to eat dinner by himself which is why he decided to buy some instant noodles in a convenience store.

 

 

While choosing which flavor should he buy, he heard another customer with a Seoul accent said "I'll take these please."  Daehyun instant turned his head to look at the customer.  His brain kept on telling him that he knew that person but at the same time, he didn't really know anyone with blonde hair.

 

 

Then it clicked like a key fitting inside a lock.  It was Youngjae.  The last time he saw Youngjae via webcam and photos last year, Youngjae still had black hair.  He could only assume that Youngjae dyed his hair somewhere along the year and a half that they didn't contact each other.  Besides, Youngjae did text him earlier about being in Busan.

 

 

Youngjae took the plastic bag filled with stuff that he bought from the cashier.  He stepped out of the store when the rain suddenly poured hard down the ground.  Luckily, the outside of the store had a canopy so Youngjae didn't get wet.  Though he wouldn't mind walking under the rain but he had his headphones around his neck which he cared for deeply so he had to wait for the rain to stop instead.  He leaned against the glass wall of the store as he had a feeling that he's going to wait for quite a while.

 

 

Suddenly a hand with a hot coffee was in front of Youngjae.  Youngjae's eyes trailed from the hand to the arm and finally to Daehyun's face.  His mind went like "Oh!' and his body froze in shock.  Although he was in Busan, he really wasn't expecting to see Daehyun or if he saw Daehyun, he wouldn't dare to approach Daehyun.  He thought Daehyun would be thinking of the same thing but apparently not since Daehyun decided to offer him coffee.

 

 

"Thanks."  Youngjae accepted the hot coffee.  It was a perfect drink for the cold rainy weather.  He blew on the coffee and took a small sip.  From his peripheral vision, he could see that Daehyun was staring at him. "So... do you want to know what I'm doing here?"  He asked for the sake of starting a conversation.  He saw Daehyun nodding so he answered his own question.  "My cousin died.  He's a distant relative.  He basically my fourth degree cousin who I only saw twice in my lifetime."

 

 

"Condolence."  That was the only word Daehyun said and then silence wrapped around them for the next ten minutes.  Daehyun was still staring at Youngjae openly.  Youngjae couldn't stare back so he only stole a few glances every now and then while drinking his coffee.

 

 

Until finally Youngjae sighed.  "How awkward can this get? Why did you bother to approach me anyway? I thought you wouldn't want to do anything with me anymore with the way you replied to me earlier and the way you didn't contact me for more than a year."

 

 

"I don't know.  I just felt like you needed something warm while waiting for the rain to stop."  Daehyun shrugged and finished his own cup of coffee before crumpling the cup and shot it to the trashcan which was a few steps away from him.

 

 

"I'm grateful for the coffee but I still think you're a jerk."  Youngjae finished his own cup of coffee and shot it perfectly in the trash bin as well.

 

 

"You think I'm a jerk just because I don't feel the same way?"

 

 

"I think you're a jerk for breaking our friendship.  Even if you didn't feel the same way, I would have been happy to know someone who would accept me for who I am but at the same time, I can't blame you for what you did.  I just wish you didn't give me coffee."  Youngjae gave out another sigh.

 

 

"But you just said earlier that you were grateful for the coffee."

 

 

"Yes and at the same time, it gave me a bit of hope that maybe we can be friends again but you obviously don't want that.  Overall, being in Busan .  I'm never coming here again."  Youngjae kicked a small rock which rolled not quite far but enough to get out from the canopy shelter and get wet under the rain.

 

 

Daehyun felt guilty so he hoped Youngjae became friends with others or else he would feel guiltier if Youngjae remained a loner.  "Have you gotten yourself some friends already?"

 

 

"Yes.  Two gay friends.  They're a couple.  They tried to hook me up with other gay guys but..."  Youngjae shuddered at the thought of being hooked up.  "Anyway, I like a straight guy.  Not you.  I'm over you.  My gay friend just happened to have a straight guy best friend who also became a good friend to me and I kind of like him.  I have the worst luck ever for falling for straight guys."

 

 

"You're over me?"  Daehyun raised an eyebrow.  "So why did you text me earlier?"

 

 

"Because I was hoping we could be friends again and maybe hang out while I'm here in Busan though of course I'm expecting more that you wouldn't want to do anything with me."

 

 

"I know I've been a jerk.  I know I've hurt your feelings and I'm sorry for that."  Daehyun apologized sincerely.  "To be honest, I don't mind that you're gay.  My main issue is that you have feelings for me.  I just thought if I continued to be nice and friends with you, you might fall for me deeper and I also thought that the reason why you had feelings for me was because I was the only person who was always in contact with you and everything just felt like a burden to me so..."

 

 

"So you stopped being friends with me."  Youngjae finished the sentence.

 

 

"But just earlier you said you were over me so..."

 

 

"So you wouldn't mind being friends with me again."

 

 

"The way you know how exactly to complete my sentence is kind of freaky, you know."  Daehyun pointed out.

 

 

As if only waiting for the moment for Daehyun and Youngjae to become friends again, the rain stopped.  

 

 

"I'll call you after dinner and then we'll hang out."  Daehyun said as he stepped out of the canopy.

 

 

"Don't you have homework to do?"  Youngjae asked because he was used to being put aside because of homework or studies even way back then.

 

 

"Homework is always going to be around but you'll be around here for.... how long?"  Daehyun asked as he didn't have any idea.

 

 

"The funeral is tomorrow afternoon.  Then early morning after tomorrow, we'll be leaving back to Seoul."  Somehow, Youngjae felt touched that for once Daehyun is making him a priority instead of homework.

 

 

"Right.  I'll see you later."  Daehyun waved a friendly goodbye before heading off.

 

 

Youngjae waved back and looked forward to later.  Though he was happy, it was laced with guilt as he did lie to Daehyun earlier.

 

 

To be continued...