LIVE | MINSUNG

2:00AM

Jisung

Everything was beaming, from the neon signs that made up the city, to the lights that danced fervently from rooftop to rooftop, their pathways capturing everything from window reflections to bar signs, all the way down to Jisung's eyes, which were illuminated in the sparks of an awe so great that he almost forgot he existed in its presence.

Even stronger was the nostalgia that came with it, the feeling managing to soften the tightness of deep lying aches he hadn't even realised had formed while hunching over study desks. Although the feeling was one that bought back old memorises, it surrounded him with a promising lightness, the downtown's unavoidable glow seeming to be its peak of prosperity.

The feeling enveloped him in its benevolence, radiating off the smile that it had also gifted him as the bus slowly came to a halt, sighing in relief due to being able to finally rest for the night — unlike Jisung who suddenly felt perfectly awake.

He was aware. More aware than he had ever been as the cool glass pressed against his sticky skin, heart scrambling to retrieve old memories as his eyes rushed to scan everywhere all at once while Minho's own were on him, their thoughtful, steady gaze making him even more aware that he was not alone and that the confinement of the bus was about to be lifted.

And as if both of them didn't already know that a certain buzz hung in the air and was the cause that they stood side by side, arms almost brushing as they gazed out the window, Minho casually inquired if Jisung had been to this place before.

"It's where my childhood lives," Jisung replied, still staring in amazement at the streets which appeared to have decreased in size but still held the same possibilities.

"Mine's never been away from me." He caught Minho's smile, yet pretended to not have noticed, instead scoffing.

"Clearly."

"I mean it," Minho spoke, acknowledging the reality softly yet without regret, "It would be nice to leave it in one place for a while, tuck it away and see how much of an adult I've become."

Suddenly a bitter thought overpowered Jisung's sweet recollection of memories, "The only problem with that is that you miss it more than you realise."

No sooner than it had made its arrival, the sombre had disappeared into the night, a sudden honk downstairs preventing it from returning and reminding the boys that there were places to see other than just the bus.

It was true that this in no way had been Jisung's planned direction, the normal direction, moreover the right direction to lead him home. Yet somehow Minho had lead him in the direction that he needed, one that if Jisung were to have faced alone, his heart may have swelled to the point of bursting, tender and ripe and so full with the childhood he had come to collect after hastily throwing it away and leaving it behind.

But he wasn't, and it made all the difference.

Minho

"I can't believe they closed the convenience store at this time," the honey haired boy frowned, "Now how am I supposed to buy ice-cream?"

Jisung shook his head, "The city isn't always awake," he glared at Minho from the corner of his eye, "Unlike you I suppose."

"I could say the same for you," Minho observed the younger, who's  yawns had only stopped after increasing on the bus, "Who the fuck stays at school until 12Am."