MY ADDICTION | gongfourz ★

010

"reunited."

Leehan had not felt true happiness in three long years. Since the day he had found out Taesan was gone, the world had turned gray. Every day felt like an endless stretch of nothing, a hollow void that no amount of time or distractions could fill. It wasn't that he hadn't tried—he had. He had gone to therapy, tried to build a life in America, tried to find solace in his work, even attempted to move on, but it all felt like a cruel lie. Every laugh, every smile, every good moment was just an act, a momentary flicker of something he once knew, but could never truly experience again.

Taesan had been the light in his life. He had been the warmth, the hope, the reason for his every breath. And without him, Leehan felt like a ghost, drifting through life without any real sense of direction or purpose. The love they had shared had been everything. It was the kind of love that people read about in stories—so pure, so undeniable, so real. But now it was gone, replaced by a cold emptiness that he couldn't escape.

He had tried to ignore it. He had even bought a pack of cigarettes one night, a desperate attempt to fill the void, to numb the pain. But as soon as he held the cigarette to his lips, he thought of Taesan. He imagined his face, his gentle smile, and how Taesan had always hated the smell of smoke. Taesan had once told him that he wanted them to live a long life together, to grow old and find joy in simple things. He couldn't betray that memory, couldn't bring himself to destroy his own body when Taesan had always taken care of his. So, he had tossed the cigarettes away, walked back into his apartment, and sat in silence. It was the same every night.

But tonight was different. Leehan couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. He didn't know why, but the weight on his chest felt unbearable. The longing for Taesan, the ache in his heart, it all became too much to bear. He knew that he couldn't keep living like this. He had already accepted that the life he had imagined with Taesan would never come to be. That their future together, the dreams they had shared, would always remain broken promises.

But there was a way. There had to be a way for him to finally be with Taesan again.

It was then that Leehan found himself standing on the edge of a bridge, overlooking the dark, flowing river beneath. The wind was cold, biting against his skin, and it tousled his hair as he stood there, staring at the water below. He could hear the distant sounds of the city behind him, but it felt like he was in a different world, a world where nothing else mattered except the desire to be reunited with the person he had lost.

The wind howled louder, as though it was urging him, guiding him, and for a moment, Leehan closed his eyes. The tears that had long been bottled up inside him finally spilled over, but they weren't tears of sorrow anymore. They were tears of release, of acceptance. He wasn't afraid. He didn't feel alone anymore. He knew that once he crossed that line, once he let go of everything he had been holding onto, he would finally be free.

He took a deep breath, and for the first time in years, he felt calm. He stepped forward, the wind carrying his thoughts away, and before he knew it, the world around him darkened. The familiar pull of gravity didn't seem so heavy anymore, and he felt lighter than he had in ages.

But it wasn't painful. It wasn't a violent end, like he'd imagined. Instead, it felt as if he were being gently pulled into a warm embrace, a soft surrender into the unknown. And then, everything faded to black.

The darkness was complete, but it wasn't cold. It was warm. It felt like being wrapped in a blanket of love, and in that moment, Leehan realized he wasn't alone. He wasn't in the void anymore. There was a light, a warmth that filled the space around him, and as he turned, he saw him.

Taesan.

Leehan's breath caught in his throat. His heart raced as he took in the sight of the boy he had loved, the boy who had once been his world. Taesan stood before him, glowing with the same radiant smile that had always made Leehan's heart skip a beat. The smile that had been absent from his life for so long was now back, and it was brighter than he ever remembered.

"Taesan..." Leehan whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief. His hands reached out, and without hesitation, Taesan ran to him, arms wide open.

Before Leehan could even think, Taesan was in his arms, enveloping him in the warmth and safety he had longed for. It felt so real, so tangible, like nothing had ever changed. The familiar scent of Taesan's cologne, the warmth of his skin, the feel of his heartbeat—everything was the same. And for the first time in so long, Leehan felt whole again.

"You silly!" Taesan laughed, his voice so clear and real that Leehan's heart swelled. Taesan pulled back slightly, holding him at arm's length, his eyes sparkling with affection and mischief. "I told you not to do anything stupid."

Leehan couldn't help but laugh, the sound of it echoing through the space around them. He pulled Taesan back into another hug, burying his face in Taesan's neck. "I'm sorry, I just... I missed you so much, Taesan. I couldn't live without you."

Taesan chuckled softly, gently running his fingers through Leehan's hair, as if nothing had ever changed. "You never had to live without me, Leehan. You just forgot for a little while."

Leehan pulled back slightly, looking up into Taesan's eyes, and there it was—the unconditional love he had always known. "But you... you were gone. I couldn't find you anywhere."

Taesan smiled, a bittersweet expression that softened his features. "I was always here, Leehan. Just waiting for you."

And in that moment, Leehan understood. The pain he had carried with him for so long had never been meant to last. He had been living in the wrong world, disconnected from the love that still existed for him. Taesan had never truly left him; it was just that the bond between them had stretched across a different dimension. A world where love transcended time, space, and even death.

Taesan reached out to gently wipe away the tears still streaming down Leehan's face. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered. "You never gave up on us."

Leehan's heart swelled as he hugged Taesan tighter, knowing that, no matter what had happened in the past, they were finally together again. "I'll never give up on you," he whispered back.

They stood there, together in the warmth and the light, as the world around them faded into a peaceful eternity. Leehan knew that they were home now. They were where they belonged, together, in each other's arms, with no more distance, no more pain.

And this time, it was forever.

the end.