The One Who Waited. ✔

I Will Wait For You.

Summer of 2023

Han's voice quivered as he spoke to his friend, "I am telling the truth, Hyunjin. Don't call me a liar." His eyes welled up with salty water, and his heart raced with anxiety.

Hyunjin gave a scoffing laugh, "I am not saying that you are lying, Hannie. I am telling you that it is hard to believe that one person has waited for so long! You are too sensitive, Hannie. I need proof!" Han's heart sank as he heard his friend's words. He knew that this story was unbelievable, but it was the truth, and he had hoped that his friend would believe him.

"If you want proof, I will get proof for you. Minho knows the story as well. The person in question was his ancestor. I will bring him to you, and you will see that what I am saying is true," Han stated, pausing momentarily to take a deep breath before continuing. "He may also know his name. I know that he was a Lee as well, but I can't remember his name. It starts with a Y, and it's on the tip of my tongue, but it's just out of reach." Han said before sprinting up the stairs to where his boyfriend was unpacking his belongings.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Han ran through the hallways of their new home, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the almost empty house. He had just moved in with his best friend, Hwang Hyunjin, and his boyfriend, Lee Minho, and he was still getting used to the unfamiliar surroundings.

Finally, he reached the door he had been searching for and burst inside, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he tried to catch his breath. Turning to face his boyfriend, he asked, "Do you remember him?"

Minho looked at Han quizzically, unsure of who he was referring to. "Remember who?" He asked. Han's heart was still racing from all the running, and he panted as he tried to explain.

Han Jisung was sharing the story of a strange man who would stand at the dock and gaze out at the horizon every day without fail. The man never spoke or acknowledged anyone around him but would simply stand there from sunrise to sundown. This is what Han Jisung's grandfather used to tell him.

He then came to learn that the same man from the story he was told when he was a child- that he loved so much- was related to his boyfriend when he repeated the story on their first sleepover. He thought that it was just a legend that his grandfather used to tell him just to keep him from sneaking out to the docks, but it was all true.

Han's face lit up as he remembered the day that Minho showed him that one picture that corroborated the story and he was relieved to finally place a face to the poor man. He then lifted his gaze from the ground as he tried to catch up with his breath until the eyes reached his boyfriend's gaze and with a raspy voice he exclaimed, "The guy from the dock!" before taking another -so needed - deep breath.

Minho's face scrunched up. "Oh yeah, I remember him," he finally said, his voice tinged with sadness. "That story really gets to me. It's just too sad. Please don't tell it again," Minho pleaded as he covered his ears with his hands.

Han had a great passion for the story, and he couldn't help but share it with anyone he met. Meanwhile, Minho was surprised that his friend Hyunjin hadn't already heard about the story, considering they had been friends for years.

He was deeply moved by the beautiful love story and was heartbroken by the tragic ending. "Oh, come on, Minho! Hyunjin is dying to hear the whole story. Please bring the box, and let's head downstairs. I want to show him the picture of the guy to him," Han said, clutching his right arm tightly as soon as Minho handed him the little box. Han seemed eager to share more details about the story and showcase the picture to Hyunjin.

"Why are you going to do this to me again?" Minho whined as he was dragged out of his bedroom toward the living room, where Hyunjin waited siting on the floor as he scrolled on his phone with a bored look.