At The End Of The World Together Forever // TOMORROW X TOGETHER [BeomJun]

Chapter Five - Bottle of Shampoo

The three of them stood silently before the big structure and weren't sure if that was the feeling of astonishment they should have felt or the feeling of disappointment that suddenly overcame them.

"That is a big-"

"Bottle of shampoo."

Beomgyu was visibly satisfied with what he saw, it was exactly what the brochure was advertising and still it was nothing more than just a large structure built like a bottle of shampoo. Maybe he should have gone with another large structure that looked like something else. Something that would have feasted more on the astonished feeling.

Yeonjun looked over to the boys standing next to him. Soobin had a confused look on his face as he examined the big bottle of shampoo and watched the few little kids being seemingly delighted by the dispenser laid out right next to it. He didn't question their stopover any bit but when he realized that it wasn't just a big joke, and that moment was right now, he was completely amazed that he now stood in front of it.

When Yeonjun looked over to Beomgyu, he met two eyes that sparkled like those from the little kids running around them in joy. His gaze lit up as soon as he saw the building and it still didn't fade away from his face. He suddenly seemed so young and full of excitement, more than before. The corner of Yeonjun's lips slowly went up and he couldn't help but smile at the boy beside him. It made him excited as well when he saw Beomgyu like that.

Soobin caught Yeonjun staring at Beomgyu but didn't say anything to it, instead he looked past him to the souvenir shop. Away from the shop was a run-down wooden table and around it two benches on each side, a resting place for the parents while the kids could run around and play with their own shampoo they got from the dispenser. But the table was rather left empty as the place was in the middle of nowhere and not many people came by to look at a big bottle of shampoo.

Looking around, Soobin could see the parents of the little kids in their own cars taking a break from the constant parenting. But it wasn't the lonely scenery amongst the semi-desert, speckled with cactuses of all sizes and big canyons that could be seen from miles away right next to large mountains, that got Soobin's attention.

There was a boy, seemingly his age, sitting on the worn out wooden table, looking at the sky with a calm gaze. He propped himself up on his palms which rested on the wooden table.

It was the pretty face that quickly caught his attention and the mere fact that out of all the people being here, there was a boy Soobin's age. And on top of that he was seemingly all alone.

The boy sitting on the wooden table lowered his head and looked over to Soobin, meeting his eyes in an instant. A few hair strands fell in front of his eyes but he made no effort in moving them away. It seemed like this boy knew that Soobin was staring at him and the more he thought about it, the more it creeped Soobin out. More or less because the shyness in him took overhand. Soobin looked away with a slight dazed feeling, sensing the boy's gaze still lingering on him examiningly.

"I'm gonna browse around the souvenir shop." Yeonjun announced and walked away from the two with casual steps. Beomgyu followed him with his eyes until he was gone through the door and Soobin noticed another pair of eyes watching Yeonjun going into the shop as well.

"Do you want shampoo, too?" Beomgyu had his head turned to Soobin and looked at him with expectant eyes.

"No, I'm fine." Soobin answered absently, his eyes fixed on the boy again. Beomgyu's gaze turned into a sly smile.

"Still gonna buy you one." He said and stepped away from Soobin, standing all alone now with these persistent eyes fixed on him.

Yeonjun made his way into the souvenir shop, busy looking at his phone and choosing another song to play through his earphones. The shop was rather empty and quiet, only the cashier and another customer behind some shelves were in the room.