someone i used to know [2/2]
2023
"Sandeul, get out of the bathroom." Chansik's pleads from behind the door.
"No! Go away, Gongchan! I'm thinking." Junghwan yells back. He's sitting against the bathroom's door, on top of a red mat. The place smells like soap and cologne and something so unmistakably Chansik.
"Well, can't you think somewhere else?"
Junghwan doesn't reply.
There's a sigh, "Did I do something wrong, Deulie?"
"No. You didn't and that's why I'm angry." Junghwan buries his face into his knees and closes his eyes, trying to remember more of what happened in the past.
Junghwan swallows the lump in his throat. He remembers dates, anniversaries, graduation, college, first kisses, first dates, first arguments, and first everythings. His head is spinning.
2012
Sandeul is studying in Chansik's room while the other is napping on the bed. He's still attempting to decipher the emails sent by his future-self and what they could possibly mean. He's so deep in thought he doesn't hear the rustling from the bed behind him.
"Duel, you haven't even started your homework." Chansik observes, his head resting on Sandeul's shoulder and his hands finding its way to his waist. The older male is too out of it to even notice the skinship.
"Hm?" Sandeul hums, breaking from his reverie, "Oh, yeah, sorry. I just have something on my mind."
"Oh," Chansik says lamely, "well, whatever it is, you know you can tell me about it." His voice is genuine and Sandeul feels guilty about keeping Chansik in the dark about everything.
"It's nothing, really... I'm just thinking about-- Baro." Sandeul lies, hoping that it would put Chansik's mind at ease.
"What about him?" He inquires, curious.
Sandeul is thinking hard about how to answer and ends up just saying whatever, "It's just that I've been spending so much time with you that I haven't been able to talk to him in a while." Which was the truth.
“But don’t you like spending time with me?” Gongchan asks a toothy grin on his face.
The brunette thinks about it and says, “The sad thing is I do.”
Chansik laughs through his nose, “And the same goes for me.” His grip on his waist noticeably tightens and he presses his head closer into him. Sandeul shivers from the feeling of Chansik's breath ghosting over the nape of his neck.
Wow. There’s so many things wrong with the image, but he doesn’t care.
2023
“Lee Junghwan, I’m giving you until the count of five to come out of the bathroom.” Chansik warns, his voice causing the door to shake.
Five...
Four...
Three...
Two...
Two and a half...
Junghwan reluctantly opens the door, recalling that the last time he didn’t, Chansik nearly broke down the door.
“Deul, what’s wrong?”
Junghwan just shakes his head, not sure how he’s supposed to explain the mental anguish time and physics has inflicted upon him when he doesn’t understand how it works himself.
Chansik offers a small smile at how meek Junghwan looks at the moment and takes him into his arms. The younger man has grown even taller over the years, to the point where his head is able to lie on top of Junghwan’s brown tresses comfortably. His embrace is warm and familiar, there’s absolutely nothing strange about the position they’re in.
Junghwan’s tense shoulders relax and this is the most at ease he’s felt in the longest time.
And when Chansik’s lips brush against his, it’s the most satisfying feeling ever. Junghwan assumes this is the part where he should pull away and run like hell, but all he can think about is all the years he’s spent with the guy in front of him. Nights spent studying together, among other things. It’s a wave of nostalgia hitting his body and the confusion fades away.
His lips taste like peppermint and to this day, he still makes Junghwan flush a deep crimson.
2012
Whatever it is you’re doing: keep doing it.
2023
Sandeul has a nine to five job at some tourism company where all he does is go out and take photos of exotic places to fill up the company’s website. Sometimes he gets to travel to beautiful places and sometimes he just has to walk around the city.
He lives in a tiny apartment with Chansik who manages a small business firm. The two don’t make that much money, but it’s enough to for them and then some.
The future’s not glamorous or perfect, but Sandeul likes to think it is because he has Chansik. Sometimes he feels guilty thinking back on the rich life Chansik would have lived if he hadn’t got involved in the other’s life, but Chansik tells him every day how happy he is and how miserable studying abroad would have made him; the feeling’s mutual.
2012
Good Job
Is the last text Chansik ever receives from the future.