Stumbling Backward(JOOKYUN✔️)

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Hyungwon's father had finally bought him a tablet. He could not wait to show his best friend last week; he should not have had to go through today alone. He should not be using his tablet for the first time in front of a crowd of people. Especially not when his best friend isn't here to witness him doing it.

His wheelchair doesn't permit him the height he needs to be heard at the microphone before those gathered, so his mother has to hold down the one attached to the dais beside him to keep his tablet's voice audible. Typing like the wind, the automated voice of a man emanates over the crowd and somehow holds them still.

"Changkyun was my best friend. My only friend. And I loved him like a brother." Hyungwon's hands are already tired after just thirty seconds, but he trudges forward, his head leaning against his shoulder to maintain his strength. "He was the one I told my secrets to, and the one that always apologized fist. First," he corrects himself when his typing goes awry.

A flow of laughter touches the top of the crowd, and Hyungwon smiles to himself as so many memories pass his mind's eye. "He was the only person I've ever known that just understood me, even when he didn't truly. He never questioned what I had to say, or how I was feeling, because he was going through the same."

A tear that Hyungwon hadn't even felt welling up hits his left cheek. He lets it drop to his shoulder and soak into the cloth, blinking hard so the others that are sure to come will just drop sooner rather than later. "I'm so scared that I'll never have a friend like Changkyun again. And I'm scared that I'll never forgive the world for taking him away from us." The tears don't stop as he continues typing, going beyond what his own mother would have expected of him on today of all days.

"I hope that one day I'll come across him in another life, and I'll hold onto that hope until the day I die. Im Changkyun was my hero, and I will not live more than one worthless life more without him by my side." Lifting his head, Hyungwon opens his mouth and lets two words escape his chapped and broken lips. "Thank you."

Hyungwon's poor mother sobs as she wheels her son away from the dais and down a small ramp, making room for the next speaker. This one is decidedly less prepared for his speech, none too eager to admit that he misses his employee.

"Im Changkyun was not with us for very long. I only knew him for a short while, yet he has come to brighten my life eternally. He was a silly, and shy young man when he first walked into my office, and within only a week he was talking with me like we were old friends."

Hyunwoo hates being up here in front of this crowd. Most people that had showed up for the vigil didn't know Changkyun. They'd just heard about it through the news reports of a public service for the brother of the serial arsonist. The story had touched hearts all across Seoul, and even beyond the city limits. People from outlying towns and corners had turned up to pay their respects to the fallen young man and his spirit.

Eyes gazing out into the sea of faces, Hyunwoo finds Yoo Kihyun stood next to an equally petite woman, their heads bowed together in respect. A bitter taste fills Hyunwoo's mouth, and he forces his eyes away, determined to finish his speech before Jooheon has to step up to the dais. "Changkyun was a ray of sunshine in our store, too forgiving for this world, and too honest. I know we will all feel a missing piece in our chests for a long time."

Hyunwoo takes a deep breath, his shoulders rising to nearly his ears before they sag again on the exhale. This hurts more than he would have expected. He's never lost anybody before, not like this at least. To old age, of course; and a friendship has ended once or twice, but this is something far worse. This is a stabbing agony that rips itself through his chest every time he closes his eyes. He wishes he could have done something more. Anything more. Anything other than sit in his office and shake.