17 DAYS TO GO | KWON SOONYOUNG

9

Hana

I tried not to scoff as his query, "We are friends, I guess" He rose his brows at me as I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at him. Calm down, he's the person you need to save.

Tranquility penetrated the studio, both of us streching the silence.  As I was sat on the couch, my nerves were on edge and my legs couldn't stop bouncing. My eyes kept darting towards the door where Jun had just left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

However, my anxious state was soon interrupted by someone taking a seat beside me. It was him, "I'm not gonna judge you for what you've no part in," he said, breaking the silence. I wasn't one to easily get sentimental over words, but in that moment, his reassurance meant more to me than I could have imagined.

His presence by my side brought a sense of comfort and understanding that I desperately needed. With his words, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders and for the first time since Jun's departure, I was able to relax.

"Thanks..that means a lot" He nodded at my soft input, "Junnie is great boy, he tends to be over friendly and trusting with no boundaries. All of us worry about him alot for that" his chuckle made me look up at him, they were really close, I realised.

"I know" I recalled the time he had apologised for someone's else's grave deeds, "I know that very well" We fell into quietude, though this time it was relaxing. I kept pondering on how to initiate the conversation because I really needed to befriend him.

"I was fascinated by your dance earlier" It wasn't just a topic I had brought up to continue talking to him, I meant it sincerely. Soonyoung really was a great performer.  As his laughter resounded through the studio, I couldn't help but smile. It was infectious and seemed to fill the room with warmth. "I hear that a lot but it feels different coming from you," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"I've never seen you attend any of our performances," he stated, a question laced in his statement. I fiddled with my fingers, unsure of how to answer him. "I enjoy music, but it feels weird to attend them without a friend," I admitted sincerely. It was true, and I felt vulnerable admitting it to him. "We've lived across from each other for years, and this is the first time we're actually talking," he said with a hint of disbelief. It didn't make sense in a way, but it was a fact.

"OH!" he abruptly stood up and headed towards the speaker, "I have set a choreography and I need you to evaluate me and offer some feedback" he clapped his hand, praising himself for generating such an idea. "I know nothing about dance" He swayed his hands, dismissively.

"Just say what you feel towards the routine. Nothing less and nothing more." Ultimately he had turned on the music and I was sat there evaluating his moves. He performed perfectly, just beautifully.

When he was done, Soonyoung stood there with his hands propped on his knees while trying to catch his breath. I passed him the water bottle that was kept on the table near me. "That was great, Soonyoung" I wanted to clap or even pat his back, complimenting him but I knew that would be trespassing the bounds.

"Thanks" he laid down on the floor while I took a seat next to him, my knees close to my chest. "You're lucky. You've got everything so clear. You got the talent, you've got people admiring you and you've got friends who care for you" These words were spurted from the bottom of my heart.

As I listened to the fast rhythm of his breathing, I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with the boy lying beside me. "You know all the displeasing and bad things about me but you've never revealed it to anyone" He spoke with a hint of bitterness, expressing how I knew all his flaws and yet never exposed them to anyone.

In that moment, I realized that even though we weren't close and hardly spoke to each other, living as neighbors meant that we were always aware of each other's lives. Our houses, just a few steps away from each other, seemed to constantly display our personal struggles and happy moments. As I lay on the ground next to him, "They hate you for something you didn't do"he turned to face me with a look of understanding in his eyes, rather than pity.

We stared into each other's eyes until we heard a voice, "I want to introduce you'll to someone" It was Jun, standing at the door with a indescribable expression on his face and behind him stood a larger group of boys.