february 28, 2022

in, and out. he breathed in the air that he missed so dearly. his hometown had never felt more like home than it had in that moment.

two years. it had almost been two years that beomgyu was gone. but he was back. he was finally back home.

he was finally back to yue— well, almost.

if everything went according to plan, yue would be with kai and yeonjun at the gate, and he would be seeing her in less than five minutes. that thought alone was crazy to him. he hadn't heard from her since he left, but he had a feeling that she'd be there. he knew she would, because yue always kept her word.

"kai!" beomgyu greeted, bringing his old friend into a hug. "yeonjun," he nodded, holding out his hand for a shake.

yeonjun placed his hand in his, smiling brightly, "it's good to see you again, beom."

"where's yue?"

the two men scratched their heads, while awkwardly looking around.

"listen," kai placed a hand on his shoulder, "i didn't know how to tell you this before, but... yue left."

beomgyu's face dropped as he stared at kai. she's gone? just like that?

"ha! gotcha!" kai slapped his knee, laughing loudly, "she just went to the bathroom. she should be back any minute now—"

"beomgyu?"

he knew that voice. it was her voice. his favorite one.

he turned, and set his eyes on a girl—a woman even more beautiful than he remembered. her black hair was no longer short, now reaching mid-back, and her bangs had grown out to frame her face. her once slightly chubby cheeks had slimmed, and her lips were fuller. but her eyes were still the same. they were still bright and teeming with emotion, just how he had remembered.

she stepped closer, examining him.

his once chestnut hair was now a sophisticated black, and he no longer had a boyish look to him. he had grown up, and suddenly there wasn't a boy standing in front of her, but a man.

"it's really you?"

"it's really me," beomgyu continued to just stare. he couldn't stop, even if he tried. he was just so in awe.

yue smiled that beautiful eye smile of her's, "i missed you."

he smiled, just as bright, "i missed you too."

-

as much as he hated to admit it, beomgyu couldn't help the warm feeling that crept up on him once his home had come into sight. the sense of familiarity was overwhelming as he walked up the steps of the porch.

kai slapped his hands together once he and beomgyu entered beomgyu's old home, "so, what's the plan?"

"what do you mean?"

"how are you and yue gonna get back together?"

beomgyu scratched his nape, looking down, "aren't we already back together?"

"you call that awkward interaction at the airport back together?" kai asked incredulously, before shaking his head, "okay, you're clueless. this needs to be meaningful, man."

"well, how do i make it meaningful?"

"try thinking of somewhere that has significance for you two," kai explained, "anything come to mind?"

beomgyu furrowed his brows, running a hand through his black hair, "yeah, but," he sighed, "it was destroyed a long time ago."

"where was it?"

"the park," he told kai, "yue showed me something really important to her there."

"didn't yue tell you?"

beomgyu quickly looked over at him, "tell me what?"

kai looked at him oddly, thinking he was playing dumb, "that she helped rebuild the park.. are you sure she didn't tell you? i swear she said she did in one of the letters she sent you—"

"she sent me letters?"

"she sent you a bunch, man.."

beomgyu looked around quickly, a plan quickly forming in his mind, "okay, i know what i'm gonna do- just have yue at the park by 10 tonight, okay?"

kai furrowed his eyebrows, "wait, i wanna know the plan though—"

"just do it! i'll tell you once it's done," beomgyu quickly shooed him out.

"but—" kai was cut off as the door slammed in his face. he sneered, "rude."

beomgyu breathed in deeply, rubbing his hands together, "let's get started."

-

everything was almost ready. beomgyu had been at the park for hours now— he wanted every last detail to be perfect, because yue deserved only the best. he looked up at the decorations, wondering if they were good enough. he knew they weren't the same, but he was hoping that she'd still appreciate them. he was trying his hardest, and he wanted her to know that.

he checked his watch, seeing that it was almost 10. his stomach began to twist, as he picked nervously at his clothes. it was all done. now all he could do was wait.

"why are you bringing me to the park so late? i have classes tomorrow."

beomgyu's stomach did another twirl at the sound of her voice.

"kai!" yue yelled after her friend as he started running down the hill, and out of the park. she heard the sound of his car being turned on, and watched in shock as it drove away.

"fancy seeing you here."

"beomgyu?" yue tilted her head, barely able to make out his form in the dark.

he smiled, and though she couldn't exactly see, she could hear it in his voice, "close your eyes."

she hesitated— what was he planning?

"just trust me," he moved closer, staring deeply into her eyes, "you can do that, right?"

a sense of deja vu fell over her, as she slowly let her eyelids close. she trusted him. she always had.

"one,"

he whispered, his hands over her eyes.

"two,"

her heartbeat quickened with each second.

"three."

his hands slowly were removed, revealing a sight she hadn't seen for years.

"i know they aren't the same— i spent all afternoon looking for them, but none of them looked the same. i hope these work—"

yue wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to hold back her tears, "thank you so much."

a bit shocked by the sudden hug, he froze. but beomgyu melted into the hug after a few seconds, inhaling her scent. warm cinnamon and apples; he missed it. he missed her.

"you're welcome."

"but why did you set this all up?" yue pulled away from their embrace, looking up at him and observing him. he had grown taller, and even more handsome.

"yue," he began, grabbing ahold of her hands, "i don't think there's been a moment within these last four years that you haven't continuously been on my mind. i even thought about you when we first met. i thought you were weird for trying to be my friend. but i'm glad you did," he paused as she squeezed his hands tighter, "if you hadn't of, i don't know where i'd be. i wouldn't be me, though. i wouldn't have learned what jealousy was, what it was like to miss someone, or to love someone.

"it's all because of you."

he stepped closer.

"i love you, yue."

she didn't know what to say. she was speechless. so beomgyu took his chance to lean in, placing his lips on her's. as her lips moved in sync with his own, the moment felt perfect. the serene lights, the gentle breeze that brushed by, the twinkling stars, and her. she was what made the moment.

as they parted, yue looked up at him, and smiled a smile just as beautiful as he remembered, "i love you too, beomgyu."

he chuckled, pulling her closer, "i know."

as they held each other, looking out at the lights, beomgyu searched for the feeling that he had felt a long time ago.

and looking down at her happy expression, he found it.

he found exactly what he was searching for, after all this time.

her warmth.