Tomorrow || Changlix [REWRITING/CORRECTING]

Prologue

Hyunjin walked down the street, gripping his backpack, his heart beating fast, the world around him seeming numb and quiet. He knew this wasn't a good idea. He knew he should stop and go back. However, after all these years, after everything he'd been through, he couldn't bring himself to follow what his brain was screaming at him. His heart and body knew better, they remembered better.

The young boy finally arrived in front of a building, and looked up at a particular window, heart tightening ever so slightly, before lowering his gaze to the front doors, and walking towards them. He took a deep breath and with a trembling finger, pressed a button.

"Yes?" A familiar voice said through the intercom.

"It's me." Hyunjin simply said. There was no reply, only the sound of a buzz, and the click of the door. He pushed it open, headed towards the lift and went inside it, pressing the button with the number 3 on it. He stood at the very back of the metal cabin and watched as the doors slowly closed. Trying to ignore the racing of his heart, Hyunjin stared at the floor, hands still gripping his bag, as thoughts started swirling in his mind. How did this all happen? How did it all started? How did they get to this moment? The high-pitched sound of the elevator announcing it had arrived cut the boy's thoughts, and he raised his head, watching the doors opening, before he slowly walked out of the small metal cabin. He turned left, walked down the corridor and stopped in front of a closed door. He softly knocked, and it wasn't long before the door was pulled open, revealing a young boy with dark dishevelled hair, deep dark circles under his brown shining eyes. He looked like a mess and like he had drunk. 

"Hi Changbin hyung," Hyunjin said, shifting from one foot to another and fiddling with his fingers, cheeks slightly flushed. "Can I come in?"

Changbin didn't reply, and shrugged as he stepped back, inviting Hyunjin in, then closed the door behind him. Hyunjin watched him and cleared his throat, gently scratching the tip of his nose. He finally took his shoes off, put his bag down, and walked to the living room, followed by Changbin. They sat on the couch, Hyunjin playing with the sleeves of his hoodie, while Changbin looked at him with a small frown, chewing on his bottom lip.

"What brings you here?" Changbin finally asked, causing the younger boy to slightly jump.

"I wanted to see how you were..." Hyunjin replied, nails digging in his palms. "You haven't been at school for a while now..."

"Well, I am okay," Changbin said, his tone tight and almost defensive.

"You're not," Hyunjin spoke before thinking, and immediately bit the inside of his cheek. Changbin stared at the younger boy, and Hyunjin continued, lowering his gaze. "It's been a year... You keep skipping school, you keep drinking, and hooking up... I- I miss you..." Hyunjin said the last words in a whisper, his eyes riveted on the floor, not daring to meet Changbin's gaze. He took a deep breath. "Look, I know how much you've suffered, and I hate it, no one deserves to go through what you've been through. But I can't let you hurt yourself like that, I can't- I can't watch you fall apart like that, and not do anything about it. Please... we need you, we all miss you, and we're worried about you..."

Changbin scoffed. "I'm surprised Chan hyung let you come see me," Changbin bitterly said, avoiding the subject. Hyunjin tensed, and pain softly contracted his beautiful features. 

"He doesn't know I'm here." The boy said, never meeting Changbin's eyes. He paused, twisting his fingers, and before his brain could scream veto, Hyunjin suddenly grabbed Changbin's hand, causing the other boy to flinch. However, Changbin didn't pull away ; in fact, he was relieved to finally hold Hyunjin's hand, to lace their fingers together. "Hyung," Hyunjin spoke again, cutting Changbin's trail of thoughts. "I still care about you. And seeing you like that... Well it breaks my heart. Please come back. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you, I'm sorry I left you when you needed me..." Hyunjin felt tears fill his eyes, his throat tighten, but he quickly swallowed them back. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I need you in my life, I hate seeing you so miserable, I want you to be happy..."

"I was happy once," Changbin said, eyes lingering on their linked hands, the hint of a smile gently tugging at his lips, but it faded too quickly, his face hardening, and a frown appearing. "But it was taken away from me." Changbin squeezed Hyunjin's fingers, as if the boy was the only thing grounding him.

Hyunjin's heart tightened in pain : he knew what Changbin was referring to. Guilt and sadness slowly spread in his heart, and the tears were back in his eyes. He wished he could take that year back, wished he could take that day back. But he couldn't. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath, eyes on his hand holding Changbin's.

"Happiness is just... moments," he said softly. "You're happy, and you're sad, it comes and goes. If we didn't know what sadness, hardship, heartbreak were, then we wouldn't know what happiness is, don't you think?" Changbin smiled : when did his Jinnie get so wise? "I want you to find your happy ending, your happiness."

"Happy endings don't exist." Changbin replied, eyebrows furrowing. 

"They do!" Hyunjin exclaimed, hope in his heart. "I've always thought that it was your choice, our choice, you know? We decide how we want it to be. Sometimes things don't turn out the way we thought they would, but we can always, eventually, find happiness in them."

Changbin lifted his gaze and stared at Hyunjin. He couldn't help the soft smile slowly dancing on his lips, his heart fluttering when Hyunjin met his eyes. Of course his Jinnie was right. When did he get so wise? When did he grow up like this? Was a year this long? Could things change this fast?

The two boys stared at each other, a soft, gentle, loving smile on their lips, but pain and heartbreak dancing in their eyes, hands linked together, softly trembling. They were hurt, and their broken hearts were beating in unison. Hyunjin was right : things didn't turn out the way he thought they would, but the conversation made Changbin hopeful. Maybe he would find his happiness, and maybe it wasn't with Hyunjin. Maybe he would meet someone that would make him even happier... 

Happiness. As Changbin looked into Hyunjin's eyes that seemed to hold the universe inside them, his thumb gently stroking the younger boy's knuckles, a small flicker of hope lit in his heart.