[Nyongtory] [GRI]Reunion

Chapter 28: Counting Down

It's raining. It's started around 3 a.m.. He knows because he couldn't sleep. The temperature went down and he's been counting sheep for God knows how many hours. Under his blanket is warm but outside world is pain he cannot bear to face. Not today, at least.

Jiyong supposes there's a day to mourn, to lie down and not moving so that the world will stop spinning even once. What's the name of something you know exactly where but you're not supposed to find it?

His phone vibrates.

It's raining, bring your umbrella.

He dials the number.

"I don't have umbrella, I don't even live here."

"Well, good morning to you too, Kwon Jiyong. I'm on my way already so get your ass up from that bed."

"Seungri," the name tickles his tongue, in a good way. "I'm not moving."

"I'm not dragging you out."

"It's raining outside, Seungri."

"I miss you too," Seungri hangs up.

Jiyong thinks there shouldn't be a day to mourn. Because even if his world stops, Seungri's shouldn't.

***

There's a part of memory he can't tell if it's true : He was walking downstairs when he heard Jiyong hummed a melody he'd never heard before.

"Is it a new song?"

Jiyong, who wore nothing but boxer short and his left sock –yes, only the left one –shook his head. "Yes. No. I don't know, it's like I've heard it somewhere but I can't recall."

"Well, I never heard it anywhere before," he walked up to him. Now that they're closer, he could see Jiyong's hair color clearly. It was dark blue with yellow in the root, not light green he thought. "Maybe it's –"

Jiyong abruptly pulled him into a hug and words left his lungs in a form of breath.

"That's it," Jiyong smiled against his shoulder. They're standing in the living room, chest to chest. "It's you."

"What me?"

"The melody. That song."

He never asked about it because he heard a melody too, a different one, came from Jiyong eventhough Jiyong didn't sing at all.

***

"I thought we're going out."

Seungri lifts the lid of his cup to smell the drink. "It's raining outside. What is this? Didn't I order tea?"

"You told me to get dressed and come out from under my blanket to have breakfast in a café across my hotel?"

"Do you want my tea? Or is this a lemon soap..."

"Why don't we just stay inside my room and order anything they have in their menu?"

"Because this café is popular for this drink and now I'm seriously disappointed."

Jiyong sighs. "Switch with mine."

"What's yours?"

"The same."

"Then what's the point of switching it, genius?"

"So that you know we're on the same fucking boat, Seungri. What the heck is this anyway? Why is it so freaking blue?"

"Try it."

"Excuse you, you try it."

"What if I die?"

Jiyong rolls his eyes. "I'll call ambulance."

"Funny. Seriously though, it smelled like the soap my mom uses for the dishes."

"Drink it. I'll die after you, Juliet."

Seungri holds his pinky out. "Promise?"

***

Sometimes to have is to give out.

Sometimes to feel is to be blind.

Sometimes to fight is waiting.

Sometimes to be able to hold is to let go.

***

"Youngbae–hyung will be here tomorrow morning."

"Why did he tell you instead of me?"

"Maybe because he thought you're busy."

"Well, I'm not."

The frown on Jiyong's face makes Seungri laughs.

"Jealous that I might be Youngbae–hyung's new bestfriend forever?"

"Jealous that he might steal you. You're mine."

It's Jiyong's usual joke, it's always been his way to coax Seungri up, to entertain them both; Seungri to smile and himself to be pleased.

"I'm sorry," Jiyong whispers because losing tastes like salt, so strong you'll go numb. "I shouldn't say that."

Seungri doesn't say anything so Jiyong walks a little faster, creating a distance until he's sure he won't run after Seungri.

***

They said you have to keep walking to keep you from falling down. That if you stopped running, you'd stumble down against the pavements.

But what if you fly and you'd still fall?

***

"So hyung, I forget."

"About what?"

"Tomorrow," Daesung sighs. "Help me."

"You forget your own solo concert?" Jiyong raises his tone and Seungri mutter a silent what from his driver seat. "The hell with you, Kang Daesung?!"

"I forget it's Seunghyun–hyung's birthday, hyung. Well, I still remember it last week and I thought I'd get him something later but then –no, you're not allowed to laugh because you really have to help me," the frustration sounds so real Jiyong has to keep himself from grinning.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Get him something and I'll pay you?"

"No way. Go suffer with Seungri later."

"Whom? What?" Seungri chimes in as the light flashes red. "Daesung–hyung?"

"He forgets about the November fourth," Jiyong tells him and from the other end, Daesung makes a sound like a dying whale. "Maknaes combo, Seunghyun will be so mad. Good thing the party is after your concert or he'll ruin it."

Seungri sneers and drives left, past a car that colors so red even Jiyong hates it. "What will he do? Rolling on the stage crying?"

Jiyong can hear Daesung laughs. "You guys figure it out yourself, I'm not helping."

"Oh seriously, I can't go anywhere, hyung," Daesung's voice comes back to begging. "At least give me idea, guys!"

"I've been thinking about giving him you," Seungri speaks to the phone Jiyong presses on his ear. "'Here's Seunghyun–hyung, a babysitter for a lifetime'."

"No, thank you," Daesung sounds like he's torn between laughing and crying.

"I didn't say you have to agree," Seungri grins and Jiyong ruffles his hair, putting back the phone on his own ear.

"Go get him a cake, he'll forgive you."

"How? I told you I can't go anywhere!"

"That is your problem, sweetheart. Bye!"

Seungri watches Jiyong's smile, counting silently in his head minutes to their own goodbye.

***