지금, 당신이 어디에 있든 (Now, Wherever You Are)

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Sob after sob, his shoulders jumped up then dropped down. Su Hyeok patted his arm with the hand he was embracing Cheong San with and caressed his head with the other. "Oh Sanyeong, what's up with you," Su Hyeok said softly, almost whispering, in a manner of someone who talks alone with oneself.

Cheong San could see the worry in his best friend's voice and he was mad at himself for being the cause of that worry. He wanted to say Don't you worry, you did nothing wrong, but he just couldn't speak. "Su Hyeok," he said again, his voice still failing to sound steady.

"I'm gonna grab you some water," Su Hyeok said and, at his slightest mention of motion, Cheong San instinctively hugged him tighter, grabbing his friend's shirt.

"I'm afraid to lose you," he managed to say.

"What? In the crowd?" Su Hyeok smiled. "I'll find my way back, don't worry, buddy."

"No. Su Hyeok. I'm afraid I'm gonna lose you." Cheong San's voice was choppy at moments. He wanted to explain further, but he was stricken by yet another surge of sobs. "Stay, please," he managed to put out in between sobs.

"Okay, okay, buddy, don't worry, I'm here. I'm not leaving." Eventually, the sobs were lessening and were reduced to a weeping. Cheong San's body started to relax. "You wanna lie down?" Su Hyeok proposed. They let their bodies fall back without moving from the spot they were sitting on, just letting their bodies relax and lie down.

They were lying side by side. Su Hyeok turned his head and looked at his friend, he had his eyes closed and his cheek wet. Su Hyeok reached for the wet cheek and wiped his finger in a feeble attempt at drying it. Cheong San opened his eyes and turned his head, they were looking at each other. Su Hyeok put his hand back down, giving up on the drying. They stayed there for a while, half a minute, one minute, two minutes. It felt like five seconds. Their breathing pace began to equalize and soon they were breathing in and out together, in and out, in and out. None of them noticed getting nearer to each other, suddenly their noses were almost touching. Touching. Their lips were almost touching. Eyes closed. Touched.

Cheong San saw nothing and felt everything. He felt his chest go up and down and felt the movement of Su Hyeok's chest moving at the same time as his. He felt Su Hyeok's breathing on his face as they kissed. He noticed the temperature of the room, felt the cool air around him, noticed the warmness that emanated from the person beside him.

Their lips parted. Cheong San wanted to say a million things, he could say none. He wanted to say Sorry, but he wasn't sure what for. He wanted to say Everything is fine now, and Don't worry, I'll tell you what was wrong. The hurricane of things he wanted to say going on in his mind must have translated into his eyes, because Su Hyeok smiled and said, "Don't worry. It's okay."