𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 jaeyong

2: time moved too fast

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They say you never realise what you've got until it's gone. You never notice you're experiencing the best moments of your life until you're looking back on them.

Lee Taeyong, aged twenty two, was only now understanding the weight of those words. Sighing to himself every now and then, he sat on a kitchen stool by the window of his shared apartment.

Out of the right window, you could see the huge college campus buildings, looming overhead like skyscrapers due to their proximity. The view out of the left window was a pretty little park, with cafés and small businesses dotted here and there.

Before Taeyong knew it, he was lost in a trance, too deep in thought to remember why and how he ended up in the kitchen.

"Bye Yongie! Call me every day on the holidays! I don't care if they say there's no reception on the farm, I'll find a way!"

"Can you believe we're going into middle school already? Mom bought me my own phone yesterday! I'm baking your mommy cookies right now so she'll give you one too, and then we can text all the time!"

"Lee Taeyong, academic high distinction - this young man is the top student out of all the sixth graders in Seoul. Please give him a warm round of applause!"

"Taeyong you're so handsome... please go out with me... what do you mean you can't?!"

"Hey Yong, my place this weekend, we went to yours last week - wouldn't want to stress your mom out too much! Nah, you don't need stuff. You can just borrow my clothes, I probably own half your wardrobe by now anyways."

"I can't believe we get to go out by ourselves now! It feels like a dream. OH MY GOD WAIT LOOK YONGIE THERE'S AN ARCADE!!"

"Welcome to senior year."

"Congrats on getting your license Yong!"

"Farewell, graduating class of 2020."

"Happy 18th to my best friend, who saved me from fourth grade humiliation. I don't know what I'd do without this idiot."

"Shh, don't cry Tae! I'm sure we'll get in! It says we should receive an email within the next week or so. Here, have some ice cream."

"OH MY GOD YOU GOT IN TOO? WE'RE GOING TO NCIT!! OKAY START PACKING IMMEDIATELY! I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL MOM!"

"Woah... this is our place? It's so pretty Tae, how'd you find it? And so close to campus too? You're a magician, you really are."

"Are you nervous? Yeah, me too."

In the blink of an eye, Lee Taeyong and Jeong Jaehyun were no longer ten, biking through the neighborhood and singing at the top of their lungs.

They were no longer mischievous thirteen-year-olds, running around the school yet avoiding the consequences due to being the top of their class.

They were no longer sixteen and worrying about the countless girls who followed them around.

No longer eighteen and worrying about driving themselves places and external exams and which college to go to.

Time had indeed slipped right out of their grasp, like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. As Taeyong sat, still knee-deep in his childhood memories, a small jingling of keys was heard in the background, before Jaehyun burst through the door with an armful of groceries.

"Tae, what's up? You alright?" He quizzed, immediately sensing something was off. After getting no response, he sighed a little before beginning to put the food away.

"Jae?"

"Hm?"

"Do you remember that day by the gates? When I dragged you into school and you were so shy you didn't speak to me for a good hour or more? I remember being so excited when you asked me to pass you some glue in history class..."

"Of course I remember, that was the best day of my life. It seems like forever's passed honestly, 'cause look where we are now. Sometimes I wake up and I think I'm back in my aunt's house and then I realize I'm an adult, living with my best friend and I'm in college."

"Oh... you feel that way too?"

"Of course I do idiot, everyone gets nostalgic sometimes. Stop moping around and help me find space in the fridge for this container. "

It took a little convincing but Jaehyun managed to make Taeyong leave the apartment, bribing him with the promise of coffee and cake in the park.

The latter sighed as he watched Jaehyun go up to the counter, remembering exactly how he took his coffee and exactly what cakes he liked.

Jaehyun was soon walking out with coffee and cake in hand, grinning at Taeyong the way he always had. But something was different, Taeyong knew it. It's like he only just noticed there was something there that wasn't quite visible before. 

And something in him stirred awake and began to grow.

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