home | munhyeok

16

about a minute had passed before mun broke from his trance, shaking his head lightly and looking around the room. he then approached the basement door, pulled it open, and went upstairs.

for some reason he had expected to see hyeok waiting for him in the shop. but, as he pulled the door open and looked around, he only saw the same three people that were always there.

he only stared at them, only just then becoming aware of how his hands shook ever so slightly, and how his face was tensed up, along with the majority of his body.

ha-na was the first to do anything. reluctantly, as walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "do yo i want to go on a walk?" she asked lightly, looking into his eyes.

he nodded. he felt suffocated in the middle shop, and fresh air was something he thought would help.

he wouldn't fully let himself believe that what would make him feel better was hyeok.

he followed ha-na out of the shop and they began walking. it was silent for the most part, besides the few people they passed and the light buzzing that always filled the streets.

"are you okay?" ha-na finally asked, briefly glancing over to the boy before looking ahead again.

mun stayed silent, looking at the concrete sidewalk as they passed over a bridge. was he? he didn't know. and that's just what he told ha-na.

"i'm not sure," he said simply, looking over to her just as she looked to him.

she smiled lightly and turned back forward. they walked a few paces, in silence again, though the light sound of water hitting the shore hit their ears from below the bridge. mun spoke again.

"i kissed him"

ha-na stopped walking, looking to the boy. he stopped as well. "what?" she asked, her eyes slightly wide as they looked over the boy. "kissed?"

mun nodded. "actually he kissed me"

ha-na scoffed and tilted her head to the side, audibly cracking it, a scowl coming across her face. "why would he do that?"

"i let him"

now ha-na went silent again, her face softening.

mun started to walk again and ha-na quickly followed him, her eyes staying on the boy.

"i told him i needed time," mun admitted as they walked. "because i do... like him. but my mind thinks it's wrong and i hate it, but i know it's still somewhat right"

ha-na nodded her head lightly as they walked. and before mun knew it, he was standing in front of his house, ha-na just beside him. he was too lost in his thoughts about hyeok to notice she had led him home.

"go inside, rest," she said lightly, placing. a hand on his shoulder. "and don't forget we open tomorrow!" she added before jogging away, leaving mun. 

he watched her for a moment before reluctantly stepping inside. he knew it was inevitable to think about the one person who he wished he could stop thinking about. the more he thought about him, the more he wanted him back, and the harder it was to keep him away. mun felt like he was just torturing himself at this point, but he knew it was best for him. it would be best for hyeok too.

he stepped inside the house, and found his theory too. he remembered that night hyeok had come to him so late. he remembered letting him sleep in his room, sitting at the table with him.

the whole place was full of memories of hyeok.

he shook his head lightly and began to move towards his room, but his grandpa quickly emerged from his room. "mun!" he exclaimed. "you're home!"

mun smiled weakly and walked into his grandpa's arms, embracing him. "i'm home"

his grandpa pulled back. "your friend was just here! too bad you missed him"

mun perked up, stepping back slightly. "my friend? who?"

there were only 6 possibilities of who it could have been. three were immediately knocked out, ha-na, mo-tak and ms. chu, seeing as they were back at the noodle shop, and ha-na had just been with mun. the other two, ung-min and ju-yeong, were likely at school right now, considering it was a wednesday. that left one person.

"hyeok was here"

mun felt himself smile. "why?"

"he was telling us about a trip he was going on. it's too bad he won't be visiting for a while, he's a real nice boy"

mun's smile widened ever so slightly, but he quickly got rid of that smile. "i have to go to my room," mun said, stepping past him and quickly moving. "love you!" he added, before shutting the door behind him.

mun spent the rest of the night thinking. it was something he usually hated to do, considering most of his life had been hell.

but for the first time forever, he felt a sliver of happiness. just from thinking about hyeok.