KNOWING YOU

KY 2

2: Unexpected.

Minho sat at the edge of the stream, the gentle sound of water flowing soothing his troubled mind. The pebble he tossed into the stream created ripples that danced across the surface, momentarily distracting him from his thoughts. He sighed, picking up another small pebble that lay beside him, throwing it into the stream, as he continued watching it disappear.

He had safely reached his grandparents' house, who at first were a bit sceptical about his arrival, wondering why a young-looking man was standing in front of their doorstep.

Arriving at his grandparents' house had been a mix of emotions for Minho, it always was but the difference was that it happened when he would even get to hear a bit about them. The scepticism in their eyes upon seeing Minho, a stranger to them, stirred old wounds inflicted by his distant parents.

His parents practically disowned his grandparents; he doesn't even know where his father's side lives.

However, one thing he was sure about was that his grandparents looked after him like a little prince—not in the sense that they bought him expensive things, but in the sense that they would always talk to him and make him feel like a free bird. Amidst the uncertainty, Minho found solace in the genuine warmth his grandparents extended towards him.

To him, he was loving every little thing he was experiencing. Even though the other part of Munsu was a tourist attraction, the place he was staying wasn't much of a crowded village. The tranquillity of Munsu, far removed from the chaos of his privileged life, offered Minho a rare sense of peace. The absence of crowds and noise allowed him to appreciate the simple beauty of his surroundings—the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the gentle rush of the stream.

One thing he missed were his small group of  friends; Hyunjin, Seungmin and Chan. It would have been extra fun and adventurous if they were here, a source of joy and companionship in an otherwise stifling existence. However it was just another wishful thought. The thought of them brought a pang of longing, a reminder of the freedom and camaraderie they shared

But Minho knew better than to involve them in his family's drama. He had chosen to escape alone, to spare his friends from the burdens of his privileged yet suffocating life.

He has been friends with them for god knows since when, but the four clicked with each other pretty fast.

The only time he could go with his buddies was on weekends since they lived down the street while Minho lived at the villa where rich people lived.

He would always sneak out on weekends to meet with his friends without any bodyguards, and it was his routine until one day his parents magically found out that their son went missing when he was in fact with his friends.

They warned him not to meet his friends, but he ignored them. Being a rebellious son, his parents always found excuses to make him stay at home. However, one day Minho had enough, so he waited for a good opportunity to escape from there, and it came in the form of his university vacation.

Now here he was.

He picked another pebble from the ground and threw it, his leg getting wet from the water as he was sitting on the edge of the stream bank. He let his body fall over the grass, which was covered by dew. As he reclined on the dew-covered grass, Minho's gaze drifted upwards, drawn to the fading hues of the setting sun painting the sky in warm tones of orange and gold. It was a sight that never failed to captivate him, a fleeting moment of beauty amidst life's chaos.

As he was lost in thoughts, the peaceful silence was shattered by the sound of splashing water, pulling Minho back to reality. He rose to his feet,curiosity piqued by the sight of a young man by the stream, seemingly engrossed in his own world by throwing pebbles at the once undisturbed stream.

But it wasn't the man's presence that caught Minho off guard—it was the peculiar sight of pebbles falling into the water as if by magic, defying gravity with each gentle descent.

Maybe… I'm seeing things.

He slowly stood up, not to alert the other man, and slowly started approaching him, giving slight pressure with each step he took. Approaching the young man cautiously, Minho couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder mingled with trepidation. His heart raced as he drew nearer, unsure of what to expect from this encounter.

And then their eyes met, and Minho felt as though he had been transported to another realm. The young man's ethereal presence was mesmerising, his gaze both captivating and unnerving in its intensity.

Ethereal. That was the only word that came to Minho's mind when he saw the boy wearing a floral white shirt and blue jeans. His raven hair swept sideways as it was fluttered gently by the blowing wind, some hair strands covering his beautiful almond eyes and puffy red cheeks.

The boy stared at him casually, making Minho self-conscious about his presence. Minho didn't expect the boy to straight-down stare at him so casually, like it was part of his daily routine.

Despite the strangeness of the situation, Minho summoned his courage and extended a friendly greeting, hoping to bridge the gap between them. But as the words left his lips, he couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter was anything but ordinary. He gave out a small friendly smile, but the other looked at him with frowning eyebrows, which made Minho take a quick glance at his appearance by looking at the reflection from the water.

Thank goodness, I'm looking presentable. He thought, then waved his hands.

“Hi, I'm Lee Minho."  As Minho uttered his introduction, he couldn't help but notice the subtle shift in the atmosphere. The young man's reaction was far from what he expected—it was as if Minho's mere presence had caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily bewildered.

The young man's gaze darted behind him, as if searching for someone else to whom Minho might have been addressing. Then, with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, he turned back to Minho, his expression a mixture of disbelief and astonishment.

Minho's heart quickened as he watched the young man's reaction unfold before him. It was as if they were both caught in a surreal moment, suspended in time as they grappled with the reality of their encounter.

"You are able to see me!?" The young man's voice was tinged with incredulity, his words hanging in the air like a question mark.