"so, did you and your friends have fun?"
seokmin had finally disappeared out of sight when wonwoo's mother spoke up, the excitement he felt earlier now completely dying down. it was sickening how enthusiast she sounded for someone who stole away the fun of her four year old daughter every year again, yet here they were on their way back home.
"it was great." wonwoo lied in his usual monotone voice. of course it wasn't just great, he might've had the best vacation he ever experienced. to him it hadn't been just a trip, it had been an experience of coming home to him. something he could barely describe with words, despite his knowledge of literature.
"i'm glad you had a great time my boy." wonwoo sighed on the typical reply he earned from his father as he nonchalantly unrolled his earphones, knowing exactly that his sentence would be followed by the apologize he received every vacation, which would most likely been requested by his mother. "i wish we could have stayed longer, but your mom and i have an important job to do in busan. i'm sorry son." and there it was.
wonwoo rolled his eyes, too bothered to reply. instead he turned to his little sister who had been suspiciously quiet through their five minutes car drive. just when he was about to ask how her vacation was and if she and euki had fun building sandcastles, he found out the little girl had her head resting against the car door, an obnoxious pink headset resting on top of her head as it was connected to the little television screen in the drivers seat.
without having the need to communicate with his parents more, wonwoo plugged in his earphones as he put his 'slow songs' playlist on shuffle, getting lost in the landscape that still consisted of large trees and miles of green forest.
until he noticed the small weight of the gift box that had been laying in his lap the entire time. wonwoo remembered the words seokmin's father had said to him, about how he had to wait to open the box until he got in the car. he contemplated whether to open it now or wait till he fully got home. his curiosity, however, soon took over once he started wondering whatever could be inside the little box that had a shining blue ribbon tied around it.
with gentle hands he undid the decorative piece of tape and took the cover off the box, revealing what had been inside all the time. it was a bracelet, completely decorated with little shells that made him think of the ones he'd seen on the beach, together with a tiny note next to it. he first opened the piece of paper, which automatically made his lips curl up.
hey buddy!
i had my dad give you this gift to keep it a little surprise that it was actually mine! i know a bracelet might not be the most 'boyish' gift, but isn't that why we're both gay after all?;)
i hope to see you soon!
seokmin
without thinking twice wonwoo put back the little paper and wrapped the bracelet around his wrist. he reminded himself to wear it everyday as a memory to the beautiful friendship they had build up in the wooden house in the forest, next to the sea.
right when he put down the box, the screen of his phone lit up, a message from his group popping up.
toe cult
seungtoe
good news!
i just opened the cafe!!
i decided to keep it small but i'm sharing it on my socials in a minute. you're stopping by today, right?;)
my treat!
soontoe
I AIN'T MISSING THIS!
FREE COFFEE
jeongtoes
no seriously, stop by
i've never seen something more hot than cheol in his barista outfit
holy fuck
americatoe
istg if i find out the two of you had sex in that cafe..
jeongtoes
😳
jeon wontoes
what the actual fuck
jeongtoes
WONWOO YOU'RE ALIVE
jeon wontoes
right now i wish i wasn't-
but yes, i'm still alive
soontoe
how about we go all together?
and JEONGHAN WHY
americatoe
how about, we don't even want to fucking know
jeongtoes
LANGUAGE
americatoe
YOU LITERALLY JUST
i give up
soonyoung i think it's a good plan!
seungtoe
so you're all coming over later?:)
wontoes
i was actually already planning something else..
soontoe
WONWOO NO WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU ALL WEEK
k.mingyu
hey guys!
my bad! i asked wonwoo out for tonight, we actually wanted to stop by at your cafe seungcheol!
but i guess we can join you guys, if wonwoo's okay with that?:)
jeongtoes
Y'ALL SEEING THAT
WONWOO
DATE
MINGYU
MY BOY IS GROWING UP SO FAST
jeon wontoes
just because i'm a few months younger doesn't mean you can baby me
soontoe
only mingyu can do that🥰
jeon wontoes
die🥰
k.mingyu
perhaps he's right though:)
jeongtoes
YES YES
soontoes
IM GONNA SCREAM
jeongtoes
THEY'RE GROWING UP SO FAST
seungtoe
i hate to admit it
but it was kinda cute though
americatoe
who added me to this group again?
jeon wontoes
now how about everyone shuts the fuck up or else mingyu and i won't join you?
jeongtoes
i'll be silent
but i won't forget😌
with a content smile, wonwoo turned his phone off, eyeing the landscape outside the car window that had now turned into beautiful green meadows instead of the large trees they had been surrounded with up until now. and when he realized he would be reunited with his friends again, he started accepting the fact that he had to leave the miraculous place in the past.
how hard it was to leave seokmin and the wooden lodge behind, he had to face reality and move on with his life back in his hometown. the memories they had made would stay with him forever, and one day he would be satisfied with just the thought of the place and the feelings he'd felt there.
