Twenty-four Hours || k.hj

epilogue

"Hyung!" Yeosang calls, lazing on the couch.  Waiting for the new year's bell, he is wrapped in an assortment of thick pajamas and blankets.

"Hmm?" Yunho steps out from his kitchen. Tiny, hot-oil burns speck across his forearms, seeping through his skin as miniature arrows.

Yeosang simply reaches out his hands toward Yunho with attempted pleading eyes, but the smile he tries to conceal washes away most effort towards saddness.

Yunho looks quizzical. "The noodles will boil over if I come cuddle now."

As Yunho returns to his dishes, television plays as white noise in the background.

Soon, steaming bowls of ramyeon are presented to a bright-eyed Yeosang, who can also now have his cuddles. Yeosang leans forward so Yunho can slide onto the couch behind him.

"I remember we would always get ramyeon after taekwondo tournaments," Yeosang smiles.

Yunho plays with the younger's hair, trying to feel a difference between the black and bleached halves.

"I know you did it like two months ago, but the hair still looks very cool," Yunho compliments. "Did you see it somewhere?"

Yeosang shrugs. "Random inspiration, I guess."

"Do you ever think it's weird we can't remember exactly how we met?" Yeosang asks.

Yunho laughs at the subject change. "Kinda? I mean, you must've just been at the university one day or something..." Yunho thought. "Didn't Hongjoong have something to do with it?"

"Was Hongjoong your friend?" Yeosang plays with Yunho's fingers which rest at his sides.

"Yeah," Yunho wraps an arm around Yeosang's waist, using the other to reach for his dinner. "We were just in the same faculty, didn't know him well, but had projects together, etc."

"I only met him once, I think," Yeosang starts, "but it seems like he would've been a good older brother. Made me wish I had one."

"Yeah," Yunho smiles, rubbing Yeosang's waist. "I think Hongjoong did have a younger sibling."

"Hmm," is all Yeosang replies. He just enjoys the comfort of the older's arms.

After finishing his noodles, Yeosang checks the time: an hour till midnight.

"Do you..." Yeosang hesitates, "have memories that feel like something's missing?" Yeosang asks, unsure.

"Hmm?" Yunho looks down, but just sees a mound of hair. He kisses the black half. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know exactly." Yeosang sets down his bowl. "Like, there was another person whose face you can't place, or the memory was in a different location that you can't picture."

Yunho sorts through a few memories of his own. "I mean, other than meeting you, I don't think so." Yunho hugs him tightly. "Maybe I was the person missing, and now you've found me."

"Cheesy ass." Yeosang rolls his eyes, but Yunho can clearly hear the smile.

That very night, as the ball dropped, Seonghwa was passing by to a house across the street.

He stopped, standing on the cold sidewalk outside the apartments. The street - rather fittingly - was dead, all inhabitants either home or partying.

There was a familiar voice inside that particular apartment. Seonghwa smiled, upon recognition, hoping the boy would be happy.

But, he reminded himself, that was none of his business. He would be back soon enough. Neither contained nor limited, Seonghwa continued along.

And under the blanket of a sparkling sky, Yeosang celebrated the beginning of yet another new year.