Common past || Markhyuck

2.

For an hour I was sitting over math tasks, looking blankly at cards filled with numbers. My thoughts, however, were far from all these equations. I went on holiday activities to catch up with all my backlogs, but since Minhyung returned to Ansan, I couldn't focus on anything. The boy has taken every single one of my least thoughts.

The day was bleak. Rain had been pouring down since the morning, crushing the plants with the weight of its drops. Sky covered with clouds negated the existence of life outside. People were sitting in the houses, the birds stopped singing, and the sleepy aura surrounded the whole neighborhood.

We were going home from school in a stuffy afternoon. The air was heavy and unpleasant; Our moods were ruined. We slowly pulled our foot behind our feet, lengthening the route as much as we could. We didn't have a mood to talk with each other at all.

Minhyung stared at the sky as if he saw something extraordinary there. In the last few days he didn't talk much. He was just spending time with me. I knew that lately his home was not the best place to live. People scolded his father. They made a rumor that he was abusing alcohol and tormented his family. Minhyung did not mention anything to me, but once I saw the bruises on his body. He remained silent on this matter. Like all the rest in many other cases. I, in turn, pretended that I didn't know anything and continued beeing in this strange agreement, ignoring the mutual need for sincere conversation.

"Did you feel it?" The boy asked suddenly, sending me a puzzled look. Before I could answer him anything, rain came from the sky. My body went through an unpleasant shiver that was caused by the cold water crashing with my sun-warmed skin . I was dumbstruck.

Minhyung's hand gently wrapped mine and after a while we both ran forward. I had no idea where my friend was pulling me, but I trusted him enough that I didn't even ask anything. I let myself beeing lead between high grass fields, ignoring the rapid heartbeat that was triggered by our intertwined fingers.

I have felt it for a long time - that something is wrong with me, as it shouldn't be that way. When we were with Minhyung close together, I felt much different from before. I thought I would say something stupid, that I was immature, childish and too young to hang around with him. My heart dangerously accelerated when our shoulders accidentally rubbed each other, and my cheeks flushed blushes whenever our eyes met each other for longer time span. I didn't know what was going on with me. I've been thinking about this for a long time, but I denied a similar opportunity.

It wasn't normal.

It couldn't click.

After a moment we hid under the tree, panting hard. Minhyung laughed under his breath, leaning his arm on the trunk. I involuntarily responded to him the same way, ignoring the fact of our still intertwined hands. When the boy looked me in the eyes, I looked down. Almost immediately, however, I felt his finger lifting my chin up. Minhyung's eyes were exuberant, as something opposite to the present weather. For the first time in a long time he showed me his sincere smile.

"You'll get cold," he whispered, embracing my shoulders.

It was the time when I first looked at Minhyung differently than a friend.

A week later, Minhyung disappeared.

///

Since the morning it was raining, and unpleasant shade lay on the ground, closing the world on external stimuli. I liked this weather. The area was filled with silence and calmness. No one was walking in the streets, no one was making a noise, everyone was falling asleep, absorbing the gloomy mood. Such  conjuncture perfectly reflected my general sensation, complemented me - it nourished my need for seclusion and silence filled with contradictory emotions of the soul.