"Hyung, what are you doing back here?"
Seung-joon barely had time to react before Min-jun grabbed his hand, tugging him quickly behind the theater curtains. The suddenness of it all made Seung-joon's heart race, but Min-jun pressed a hand over his mouth, silencing any words that might have escaped. For a few tense moments, their breathing filled the small space. Then, just as quietly, Min-jun pulled his hand away and gently placed something in Seung-joon's palm. It was a wolf keychain. Seungjoon recognized it instantly—it was from the set they had seen at the ocean resort, the one with the wolf and the fox. Seung-joon had admired it, and now here it was, resting in his hand, an unexpected gift from Min-jun.
***
After the eventful trip, the day finally came for them to head back home. As they packed up to leave, the group scattered, busily combing through the souvenir shops, eager to find mementos that would keep the happy memories alive. Seung-joon wandered through the aisles, his interest only lukewarm as his eyes skimmed over the displays. In contrast, Min-jun was a whirlwind of excitement, darting from shelf to shelf, his eyes sparkling with determination as he searched for the perfect gifts for his loved ones. His energy was infectious, and Seung-joon couldn't help but smile at the sight of Min-jun's childlike enthusiasm.
Seung-joon couldn't help but marvel at Min-jun's enthusiasm. He was practically overflowing with excitement, eagerly choosing trinkets and small treasures to take home. It amazed Seung-joon how much joy Min-jun could find in even the smallest things. Watching him dart around the store, a bright grin lighting up his face, Seung-joon found himself captivated by Min-jun's boundless energy. There was something irresistible about the way Min-jun embraced every moment with such pure, unfiltered happiness, and it stirred a quiet warmth in Seung-joon as he observed him, feeling unexpectedly drawn to that infectious spirit.
'Wait, is that why he likes me… Because I'm small too…' Seung-joon thought, the idea forming before he realized how absurd it sounded.
'Ha… You've definitely spent too much time with Min-jun.'
It was just like Min-jun to dream up silly, innocent conspiracy theories about the simplest things. Seung-joon couldn't help but smile at the thought, a soft chuckle escaping him. Min-jun had a way of coloring even the most ordinary moments with his playful imagination, and it seemed some of that had rubbed off on Seung-joon.
'But he looks so adorable when he does that,' Seung-joon thought, watching a beaming Min-jun playfully argue with a girl over a rabbit hairband. Min-jun tried to place it on her head while she fought to put it on his. Eventually, she won, and Min-jun reluctantly wore the rabbit ears, his cheeks tinged with embarrassment. Seung-joon observed from across the aisle, unable to look away. Then, Min-jun turned toward him, and their eyes met. In that fleeting moment, time seemed to stretch endlessly. Seung-joon's heart raced, his pulse quickening as if the world had tilted beneath him. He closed his eyes, gripping the aisle to steady himself. When he finally opened them, his gaze fell on a keychain—a cute fox and a proud wolf. Slowly, he picked up the fox, holding it gently in his palm, the weight of the moment still lingering.
"Do you like it?"
Seung-joon looked up in surprise, Min-jun's voice cutting through his thoughts. Min-jun stood on the other side of the aisle, his large eyes gleaming with excitement. The sincerity in his gaze made Seung-joon's heart stutter.
"It's cute," Seung-joon replied automatically, his voice barely steady. Without waiting for a response, he hurried out of the shop, his chest tightening as if the air had been sucked out of the room. He stumbled into a public washroom, sinking down onto a bench. He sat there for what felt like ages, forcing himself to breathe slowly until the dizzying rush of emotions finally began to subside.
"Joon-ah… Joon-ah…"
Min-jun's voice echoed through the hallway as he searched for him. Seung-joon's heart raced, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.
'Han-ah, please don't come in.' He silently begged, clinging to the hope that Min-jun would stay away. His legs trembled as he tried to stand, barely managing to hold himself up against the wall. Stumbling into a cubicle, he locked the door behind him. No matter how hard he tried, the tears spilled over. He collapsed to the floor, sobbing quietly, his fingers tangling in his hair as he fought against the pain tearing through him.
When their eyes had met, Seung-joon realized with a heavy heart what he truly meant to Min-jun—and how deeply Min-jun must be suffering too. But the weight of that knowledge crushed him. To reach Min-jun, Seung-joon would have to fight against the whole world and even death itself. And while he might be able to take on the world, death… death was something else entirely.
Seung-joon slowly rose from the floor, his body heavy, weighed down by the numbness that had settled into his heart. The tears had dried, leaving only the hollow ache in their wake. He leaned against the cold wall for a moment, gathering what little strength he had left.
'Han-ah… would you be disappointed if I fail?' The thought lingered painfully in his mind as he stepped out of the washroom, trying to compose himself.
Outside, Seung-joon spotted Min-jun near the bus, his face clouded with worry. Panic flickered in Min-jun's eyes, but the moment he saw Seung-joon walking toward him, his expression softened with relief, his face lighting up.
"Joon-ah, are you okay? Why did you leave like that?" Min-jun asked, his voice full of concern as he hurried over to meet him.
"I'm sorry, hyung. I had an upset stomach."
"You should have told me before you went," Min-jun complained quietly, ensuring that only Seung-joon could hear.
"I'm really sorry, hyung."
Min-jun settled beside Seungjoon, a gentle silence enveloping them as he placed his bag on his lap. Seung-joon's gaze fell on the fox keychain dangling from one of the zippers of Min-jun's bag, a wave of curiosity washing over him. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the wolf.
***
Seung-joon clutched the wolf keychain with a fierce grip as he walked away from Min-jun, so tight that it left a deep impression on his palm. One of its sharp teeth had even broken the skin, causing a small trickle of blood to stain the floor beneath him. Yet, despite the sharp sting, Seung-joon barely registered the pain. The flood of memories consumed him and each moment and second from the past swirled in his mind, a bittersweet echo of what had been.