The 1 Rule - haobin

other line

Hao and I walk side by side. He is pointing out at a group of children running in the playground. The sun is already long gone, with the warmth of the last days of summer before us. The feeling wraps around me assuringly. The headlights of the cars passing by blink in traffic, some looking out of their windows, impatiently waiting. Meanwhile, me and Hao walk hand in hand, talking and listening

This is one of our late night walks, where we talk about everything and nothing. Hao talks to me about his paintings. Sometimes, we talk about our friends after we leave the group to hang out alone. Sometimes, I talk about History. He knows how much I love it. We talk about our history, the one of just us two. We talk about what we like, what we hate, and maybe what we want to do in the future.

Sometimes, if we're not walking, we sit on the bench. We talk there as well. Or sometimes, he falls asleep on my shoulders. Sometimes, I fall asleep on his shoulders. Sometimes we play games on our phones together. Sometimes, he tells me about theories of life.

Sometimes, if we're not talking, we're at his house. We stand next to each other in his bed, sometimes lying down whispering to each other until we fall asleep calmly. Sometimes, we're studying. He tries to explain maths to me, but he always ends up getting frustrated. Sometimes, I help him with Chemistry, and he always ends up understanding. Sometimes we're eating food that Cho kindly but not-so-deliciously made for us.

Sometimes, if we're not eating and studying, we are in the small house in which Hao paints, and where we had our first kiss. I watch him paint under the moonlight, eyes glowing under the white light. I watch as his mouth lingers in concentration, his hands brushing paint onto a canvas. All of his paintings are unique. They project feelings of uniqueness. They project his personality.

Sometimes, when I don't watch him paint, he watches me dance. Sometimes, he even joins me. I dance to the music, feeling his eyes on me. I sometimes hold his hand, hauling him up with laughter. I glide him through the room, not getting enough of his smile. I hold onto him, knowing that he is the second half of my heart. My heart dances next to me, and I dance next to it. I don't suppress anything, and neither does he. I know that he's my other half, and even the 1 rule that I stupidly made to myself when I was a child will never separate me from him.

"Hanbin? You're spacing out again" Hao says with a laugh. I blink and look back at him

"Right, sorry"

"It's fine" he says, but turns his head back to me "is something bothering you?" he asks. We both stop walking and I pull my body in front of his. I look into his eyes while I tuck a strand of hair behind his ear

"Nothing is bothering me. I'm just so happy" I reassure. Hao takes my hand from his face to his own hands

"You're happy that school is going to start again?" he asks quizzically. I chuckle before shaking my head

"No. I'm just so happy to have you by my side. I feel like I don't tell you that enough" I say. Hao laughs with a pleased smile

"You tell me that everyday. I think that you do it more than enough times" he says, bringing his lips to my cheek softly. I place my hands around him securely in return, bringing him into a warm hug. He reciprocates the hug, snuggling his face on my shoulder, just like I do his.

We stay like that for a few seconds, or maybe even minutes. We match each other's breathing, our heartbeats also beating at the same time.

The comfortable silence of our embrace is interrupted by a horrible piercing sound of a phone ringing. The sound vobrates on my earbuds, and an unsettling feeling dawns upon me.

 Hao looks at his phone and shakes his head, signalling that it is mine that is making the noise. I sigh and hesitantly take my phone.

The caller ID is unknown.

I bring my phone to my ear, picking the call up carefully, with a small bit of hesitance.

The awful ringing stops

"Hello?" I say. I lock eyes with Hao, who looks as confused as me

"Hello?" the caller calls out from the other line

"Yes, hello. Who is this?" I say. A few seconds pass before the caller speaks out

"Are you Hanbin?"

"Yes?"

"Is your younger sister Jude?"

"Yes? Did something happen?" I ask, nervousness climbing up my throat, my heartbeat unpleasingly being heard even up to my ears. The other line stays silent. I dart my eyes away from Hao's and turn around to look at the street aimlessly

"Hello?" I call out again. I hear rustling from the other line

"Yes, sorry. Your sister is currently in the hospital. She has been in an accident"

- The End -