8 pm.
time for everyone, except of wonwoo, to go back home. their goodbye with seokmin seemed a lot more difficult than expected, due to the fact that there was slim to no chance they would be reunited any time soon again. and how much they wanted to bring him along to their hometown, seokmin was bound to stay here to arrange the lodge together with his father.
after junhui, hansol and chan's long lasting hugs, it was mingyu's turn. "i'm going to miss you man." mingyu clearly had a hard time holding back his tears, an expression that was totally new to wonwoo. while seokmin smiled as bright as ever, not displaying any other emotion than his usual happiness.
"i'll miss you too big guy." seokmin chuckled and embraced himself in mingyu's large arms. exactly at that moment, wonwoo thought he caught a glimpse of sorrow on seokmin's face. which disappeared the moment they broke apart.
now here they were, six boys standing outside, enjoying the view of a pinkish orange sunset that peeked through the roof of leaves above their heads, saying their last goodbye. and wonwoo had to admit, even if it wasn't his departure yet, he felt as sad as everyone else.
"we're staying in touch, right?" mingyu asked for assurance for the nth time that evening. "of course we will! i'll text every one of you every day from now on!" seokmin guaranteed him. "make sure to visit me soon again. me and my dad loved to have you guys over, you have been my favorite guests so far!"
"how about we visit you in our winter break?" chan proposed, rising the level of enthusiasm in the group a little. however, seokmin had to disappoint them, sadly. "we're not exactly opened during the winter season, since we didn't have any customers last year at all. but i can always make an exception for you guys! you don't have to pay when we're not even opened, plus you're my friends!"
"of course we are!" hansol exclaimed, wrapping an arm around seokmin's shoulder to delay their departure a little longer. "and even when we're not able to see each other every day, we definitely stay friends!"
and while seokmin was busy making plans with hansol, chan and junhui, mingyu moved closer to wonwoo, wrapping his arms around the bookworm's shoulder out of sudden and burying his nose in the crook of his neck.
"hey, are you okay?" wonwoo asked worriedly, not being used to mingyu acting like this and showing so much emotions. he felt mingyu make a movement that was closer to shaking than to nodding, making wonwoo wrap his arms around mingyu's torso equally as tight, resting his forehead against his shoulder.
"i don't want to go." mingyu whispered, inaudible for the other boys to hear, who apparently didn't even noticed the little moment they were having. his grip on wonwoo tightened a bit, making sure the boy he held wouldn't be able to go anywhere.
"oh gyu.." wonwoo whispered, smiling faintly in the warm hug. "there will be plenty of chances where you can return. they were just discussing a possible winter break-"
"-but i don't want to go. i feel at home here. with you. in this place.."
wonwoo was certain that mingyu wasn't crying, although he appeared to have a hard time holding his feelings back. but he couldn't do anything else than to agree with him, this place indeed felt strangely close to a home. or whatever home would feel like.
it was a place full of warmth, a loving family and friends. a place where love exists like how it does in fairytales. a place with a beautiful coastline, shore stretching out as far as the eye reached. a place with a beautiful green forest that radiated peace and tranquility.
"then how about we make ourselves at home back in our own town?" wonwoo offered, knowing before hand that it would never feel the same as it did here.
"but that's different." mingyu whined, still not able to let go of the place.
"i wish we could stay longer too.." wonwoo whispered, having absolutely no clue on how to reassure a person but trying his best anyways. "but we can't stay here forever, we have to move on at some point."
wonwoo rubbed circular motions on mingyu's back when the taller guy couldn't bring out any form of reply. "didn't you say yourself that we made some beautiful memories here, huh?" mingyu hummed in response, slowly nodding. "if we stay here forever, the place won't be special anymore. eventually the feelings we've felt the past few days will fade away. if we look back on the memories, we will always be reminded of how beautiful this place was."
the word seemed to bring sense into mingyu, who slightly moved back but kept his gaze located to his feet, still unable to bring out the slightest reply. "you're right, i should be thankful for our good moments instead of being sad."
"silly." wonwoo chuckled, one word being enough for mingyu to look up at the boy. it was only then the taller noticed he never pulled his arms back, them still hanging relaxed around his shoulder.
just in the perfect position for the next move mingyu was about to make.
slowly he leaned in, taking a break when his nose brushed over wonwoo's, warm breath ghosting over his soft lips, giving him the choice whether to close the distance or to move back. wonwoo, however, closed his eyes and gently pressed his lips against mingyu's, giving the taller male who initiated the kiss permission to deepen it.
mingyu greedily pulled him closer, moving his lips on a slow pace for wonwoo to follow. but as soon as they noticed they were being watched by the other four boys, they broke apart again, hiding their blush behind each other.
"i should get going now." mingyu smiled apologetic as he pulled his arms back, giving wonwoo a little more space.
"have a safe trip." wonwoo whispered, still at a loss of words after the sudden make out.
the boys exchanged a few more words before getting in the car with mingyu behind the steering wheel and driving off on their journey back to their hometown, leaving wonwoo and seokmin waiting for the vehicle to disappear in the distance, waving until they got out of sight.
"ah.. i'm going to miss them." it was the first time wonwoo saw a rather vulnerable version of the always happy boy. but before he could do or say anything a smile already made its way to his face, wrinkles appearing in the outer corners of his eyes as his eyebrows lifted in delight. "now you're still here! let's grab a cup of hot chocolate, shall we?"
