NINETEEN | CHANGLIX

YEAR SIX

THE SIXTH YEAR Changbin found himself becoming fond of the window opposite his own.

The bricks of the neighbouring house were interrupted with a reflective glass surface but the sight had never sparked any interest in the six year old. Before Felix's family had moved inside, the window's floral curtains had always been drawn, staying as still as the bricks around it and eventually seeming the same. Changbin remembered his mother mentioning an old man living there, so he figured he probably found somewhere else that he liked better — probably filled with lots of curtains too.

Recent events meant that the window was no longer as dull, with the curtains having been replaced with Felix's astronomy ones. The younger adored everything to do with outer space, which had lead the older being intrigued with the interest too. It wasn't a rare sight to catch them both spending hours constructing their own missions, space rockets and planets. As long as their imagination was endless, so was the list.

That Summer night Changbin was particularly eager; a new idea crafted in his mind and begging to be shared. The excitement made the rapid beating of his heart as he ran up the stairs, seem slow compared to the way it rushed when he thought of his plan.

Hurriedly, he jumped into his bed, his small frame being swallowed by thick bed covers. The sight left his mother grinning and shaking her head in disbelief, "For someone who's always stubborn to stay awake, you're quite eager to go to bed."

Slowly, Changbin lifted his head and peeked from underneath the covers,"I need more time to dream about a new space thing. Only true astronauts would understand it."

His mother smiled, pinching his cheeks lightly before he could hide under the covers once more, "My clever little astronaut better teach me soon then." She left the room after kissing his cheeks and flicking off the lamp.

The young boy waited for the creaking of the stairs to vanish before he hopped out of bed and onto the stool he had already placed by the window. Carefully he drew back his own curtains only to reveal the already opened window opposite his.

"You're late," Felix pouted, leaning on the window sill.

"It's not my fault my bed time's half an hour after yours," Changbin whisper whined in order to not be caught. Truth be told he had begged his mother endlessly the entire of last year to extend the time. At last, after months of persuading, he had managed to gain an extra thirty minutes that just happened to be a loss when it came to nights like these.

Suddenly he remembered his idea, quietly jumping of the stool and retrieving two cups attached together with a large piece of string. Carefully, he threw one of the ends at Felix, who upon catching it, scrunched his nose in confusion at its simplicity.

"Is this your great creation?" the younger asked barely audible.

The elder shook his head, placing the object next to his ear and signalling for Felix to do the same. Once the younger complied, Changbin lowered the cup on his end so it was hovering by his mouth.

"Can you hear me better now?" He giggled through the cup. Immediately Felix's mouth dropped open in awe.

The younger rushed to talk from his end, despite whispering sounding clearly than ever, "Changbin that's insane! How'd you do that?"

"You said you wanted to go to another planet," Changbin said shlyly, overwhelmed in knowing the younger loved it, "I found an experiment online and I figure that our houses would be our planets and the cups would be our space rockets."

"Our planets..." Felix repeated in awe, gazing behind Changbin.

And even though a silence followed, the lack of noise wasn't completely empty. For both boys were illuminated by the faint glow of hundreds of light-in-the-dark stars. The light breeze of the night's cool air brushing against their skins without reducing any of the warmth.

"I bet the man who lived in your house before wouldn't have left if he knew he could stick up an entire universe," Changbin said, yawning. He was sleepy but dreaming couldn't compare to being awake with Felix.

The younger frowned, "He didn't leave."

"Don't be silly," the elder said, "You live in his room."

"Mum said he d-died," Felix whispered, his nose scrunching again as he pronounced the unfamiliar word.

"Died?" Changbin questioned curiously. Despite the unfamiliarity of the word, it created a small sinking feeling in his stomach that he immediately knew he disliked.

"I asked the same thing," the younger said, shrugging at Changbin. "She told me that when people die they go to their own universe."

Changbin pondered for a moment before he spoke confidently, "Well I don't want to die if it means a universe without you."

Felix grinned, lifting the plastic cup close to his mouth and erasing every trace of the doubt inside Changbin, "Me too."

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notes
If you're both happy and sad and still trying to figure out how that could be I feel you.

I'm sorry if this chapter's crappy, I hope to edit my books one day but for now I hope this chapter is good enough ♥️