Maybe We Could Happen | seoksoon

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Maybe, We Could Happen.

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It was break time at school when Seokmin was on the rooftop, texting his boyfriend to come upstairs. Tears fell freely down his face after his parents kicked him out of their house upon discovering he was gay and currently in a relationship with another guy.

But his boyfriend neither replied nor read his messages until now. Calls went unanswered, leaving him feeling even more distraught.

Feeling the breeze, he let out a deep sigh. He hated what he was feeling right now; he felt unimportant, and it was swallowing his entire system. Failed attempts to shrug off his thoughts led to more tears spilling down his cheeks. All that could be heard were his sniffing and small hiccups.

"Uh-uhg," someone cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

Seokmin jerked his head up to see where the voice came from, only to have a handkerchief thrust into his face, obscuring the person offering it.

"Y-yes, I'm okay. Don't mind me," he stammered, refusing the handkerchief and tucking his head onto his knees, praying the person would leave.

But no footsteps echoed. Instead, he felt someone sit next to him, rubbing his back in a calming gesture that gradually eased his sobs. Seokmin looked up, blinking to clear his vision, and saw his classmate Soonyoung, who rarely spoke to him.

"Teacher Choi is calling for you in his office," Soonyoung said nonchalantly, removing his hand from Seokmin's back.

"How did you know I was here?" Seokmin asked, curiosity piqued.

"Um... I saw you going upstairs while I was on my way to the canteen(?)" Soonyoung replied, uncertainty evident in his tone but still Seokmin nodded, satisfied with the answer, and stood up, wiping his tears. "Thank you, Soonyoung," he said with a small smile before heading downstairs.

---

Seokmin put down his heavy backpack full of his belongings and stood outside the gate, hopefully waiting for his boyfriend.

But no one, even those who looked like him, made an appearance until darkness began to spread.

Disappointed, he started wandering, looking for a place to stay for the night. He searched for a bench or an abandoned space where he could rest. He had enough money to pay for a cheap hotel nearby, but he didn't want to spend it without his boyfriend's advice first. For now, he just needed to think about how to survive the night.

A sudden idea popped into his head: he had the key to their studio theater. Maybe sleeping at school wasn't that bad. He didn't have the luxury to be scared, given his situation.

As he walked towards the direction of his school, he saw Soonyoung walking towards his direction, wearing a hoodie and earphones, humming to a song and slightly dancing.

Their eyes met as they passed each other, with Seokmin's hopelessness, shock, and fear evident.

He was about to walk past his classmate when he heard his name being called.

"Why are you still wearing a uniform at this hour?" Soonyoung frowned, making Seokmin stop.

Did he really need to explain? Maybe he should ask for help, but Seokmin felt too ashamed. Instead, he fiddled with the hem of his uniform, uncomfortable. They weren't close, and earlier was probably their first real conversation.

"You seem lost. Do you need help? Or maybe someone to talk to?" Soonyoung asked with a concern.

Seokmin felt a throb of hope inside him. He didn't know how to respond without sounding desperate.

Should I smile or cry? he wondered. In the end he only nodded.

"Oh.. Okay then, can you follow me first? Let's talk somewhere more private."

And they end up in a convenience store, Soonyoung then handed him a popsicle, something to ease the tension visible from his classmate.

"So, are you okay?" Soonyoung asked, looking straight into his eyes.

"I just got caught in a situation. Sorry for being a bother."

"It's okay, feel at ease. I offered to help, so don't think you're a bother, okay? Can you explain a bit about your situation?

Feeling uneasy, Seokmin muttered, "Um... just... for a night... you know." He looked at his bag doesn't know how to start, unable to articulate his need.

"It's okay Seokmin." Soonyoung assured.

"Ineedsomespacetostayforthenight," he courageously said, almost hiding his face in his bag after. And despite his quick and small response, Soonyoung seemed to understand him, adoring how his classmate looking so shy. Clasping Seokmin's cold hand, Soonyoung led him down the road to his apartment.

"Where are your parents?" Seokmin asked as Soonyoung welcomed him inside.

"Working in the States," Soonyoung replied. "I insisted on living alone in this small apartment rather than in our house where I'd feel lonely. You know, the urge to live independently?"

Soonyoung explained trying not to sound arrogant because he clearly wasn't. The latter him seemed to understand him especially about the 'independent' part so he smiled as a respond.

Walking inside Seokmin couldn't help but to be impressed by Soonyoung's place. It was spacious, with a separate living room, kitchen area, two rooms, and a bathroom. It was his dream apartment, but he couldn't afford a boarding house yet. Not realizing his mouth was agape, Soonyoung gently closed it, chuckling again. Seokmin murmured an apology then embarrassment enveloping.

Soonyoung led him to a room where everything was pink.

"You can sleep here," Soonyoung said. "Oh! I forgot to tell you, this room belongs to my little sister who always visits me, but she's with my parents now. Sorry if it's too bright and girlish for you."

Seokmin shook his head vigorously. Why would Soonyoung apologize? Smiling thankfully, Seokmin walked inside. Soonyoung then left, closing the door to give him space and time to rest.

---

An hour of lying down, shifting, and rolling, Seokmin couldn't seem to rest. He couldn't stop sighing and staring at the white ceiling. He pulled out his phone and tried calling his boyfriend again, but there was no answer. Then another attempt, but it failed until a tear rolled down his cheek.

Maybe choosing his personal desire wasn't the right choice. Maybe giving up was the answer. But no, he shouldn't think like that.

They were each other's first love. Through ups and downs, they had become each other's home.

Maybe his boyfriend was having a hard time, given that his boyfriend was the breadwinner of his family. Maybe he just needed to sleep and talk to him tomorrow.

Maybe...

A lot of maybes just to calm his paranoid thoughts.

Seokmin didn't know when his eyelids slowly closed, and he drifted into a dreamland.

---

"Seokmin?" Soonyoung gently knocked. "Are you asleep?" When no one answered, he assumed that Seokmin was already asleep. "Guess I will have dinner by myself," he mumbled as he walked away.