Only You (OhmFluke)

8. Goodbye

Ohm paced nervously on the empty lawn, trying to calm the swirl of emotions threatening to overtake him. The sky was clear, a bright, cloudless blue that somehow felt at odds with the heaviness in his chest. 

It was the last day of exams, and the stress of that should have been enough, but today meant something more to him. Today, he was going to confess to Fluke— his Tiny.

Ohm clutched the small cassette in his hand, his sweaty fingers almost slipping over the surface of the plastic. It was a relic of the past, an old-fashioned tape he had used to record not only their favorite song but also his feelings. 

He couldn't bring himself to say the words directly—he had always been better with gestures, moments shared in silence. His confession would be there, hidden between the lines of music they both loved, waiting for Fluke to discover it later.

He glanced around the lawn, the place where they had spent countless afternoons together, studying, talking about nothing and everything, and sharing snacks. 

The space had a quiet, intimate feel to it, like a secret they both owned. It was hardly ever visited by anyone else, making it their special place. Today, it seemed more important than ever that it was just them.

His heart skipped a beat when he saw Fluke walking toward him, his small figure illuminated by the afternoon sun. 

Ohm quickly shoved the cassette behind him, hiding it as if it were a fragile secret. He took a deep breath and put on his best casual smile.

"Tiny!" he greeted, his voice cracking slightly despite his efforts to sound normal. "How did your exam go?"

Fluke smiled back, a little sheepish but warm as always. "Not bad, Giant. I think I survived." His voice was light, but there was something different in his expression. 

Ohm couldn't quite place it.

"Good to hear," Ohm responded, his heart pounding harder. He swallowed. "So, I, uh, I asked you to meet me here because..." His palms felt slick, his mind suddenly a blur despite the countless times he had rehearsed his confession in front of the mirror. He'd gone over every word, every pause, every possible reaction Fluke might have. And yet, now, standing in front of him, all of those plans scattered into pieces. His mouth went dry.

Fluke tilted his head, his eyes curious but calm, as though he wasn't feeling the same storm of emotions. "What is it, Giant? You seem... different."

Ohm let out a nervous chuckle, trying to mask his trembling nerves. "I just, uh, have something important to tell you." His throat tightened, and he clenched the cassette behind his back for courage. But before he could muster up the courage to speak, Fluke cut him off.

"I actually have something to say, too," Fluke said, his tone suddenly serious.

Ohm froze. "You do?" His heart raced even faster. What could it be? Was it something that could change things between them? Did Fluke know? No, that couldn't be.

Fluke nodded, his eyes locking onto Ohm's with an intensity that made the taller boy even more anxious. "Yeah... I have been meaning to tell you for a while, but I didn't know how. Now seems like the right time."

Ohm blinked. "You go first," he said, his voice a bit too quick, almost desperate. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling—a gnawing, instinctual fear. 

Fluke gave a small, sad smile at that and nodded. He took a breath, and what he said next made Ohm's world tilt.

"I have been accepted to a university in Los Angeles," Fluke said quietly. "I applied for a scholarship, and... I got it. I'll be leaving tomorrow."

For a moment, Ohm didn't comprehend the words. They floated in the air between them, heavy and unfamiliar. Tomorrow? Los Angeles? The weight of them didn't hit him immediately. 

He stood there, blinking at Fluke, trying to process the sudden rush of information.

Fluke smiled, but it was a sad one, tinged with hesitation. "It's all happening so fast, I know. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn't want to worry you or distract you during the exams. And now... I have to leave."

Ohm felt like something inside him had cracked, and all the emotions he had kept bottled up—his excitement, his nervousness, his love—came crashing down into a flood of bitterness and confusion. He tried to push it all down, tried to keep his expression neutral. Fluke was leaving... Tomorrow.

"I am... wow, Tiny, that is amazing." Ohm forced a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Congrats! You really did it, huh?"

Fluke's eyes searched his face, looking for something, anything. "You are... okay with this, Giant?"

"Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Ohm lied. The words tasted bitter on his tongue. "You have always talked about studying abroad, and now you are getting the chance. I am really happy for you."

He wasn't. Not really. Deep down, all he could think about was how Fluke had kept this a secret from him, how he hadn't even told him until the very last moment, like Ohm wasn't important enough to share in such a big decision. 

But he buried those thoughts, clamped down on the hurt. He didn't want Fluke to feel guilty, not when this was such a huge opportunity for him.

Fluke hesitated before asking, "But... what did you want to tell me? It seemed important."

Ohm felt the cassette in his hand again, its weight now unbearable. What could he say? How could he confess to Fluke now, knowing that tomorrow he would be gone, flying halfway across the world? How selfish would it be to tell him now, to burden him with that?

He swallowed hard and forced a smile. "Oh, it's nothing," he said, trying to sound light. "I just wanted to ask if we could go out and eat Shabu-shabu, you know, to celebrate finishing the exams."

Fluke's face fell slightly, a flicker of sadness passing over his features. "I would love to, Giant, but... I can't. I have to get back home. There is still packing to do, and I want to spend the evening with my family."

Ohm nodded. "Of course, I get it." His voice was quiet now, the weight of what he hadn't said pressing down on him. "When do you think we will meet again?"

Fluke smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. "I don't know for sure, Giant. Five years, maybe? I will come back for a visit."

Five years. The words echoed in Ohm's mind like a distant, unreachable promise. He knew that five years was a long time—too long, perhaps, to hold onto the hope that things would be the same when Fluke returned. 

But he couldn't say any of that. He couldn't say how much Fluke meant to him, how he had imagined this day going so differently.

Instead, he watched as Fluke waved goodbye, his small figure retreating into the distance. Ohm stood there, clutching the cassette behind his back, feeling its sharp edges dig into his skin.

And as Fluke disappeared from sight, Ohm whispered softly to the empty lawn, "Goodbye, Tiny."