light shines brighter in the dark
Title: light shines brighter in the dark
Fandom: Infinite
Pairing: WooGyu (Woohyun/Sunggyu)
Rating: G
Genre: Friendship, Slice-of-life
Word Count: 3221
Summary: Two broken people meet in the dark and end up finding themselves giving comfort to each other. The coincidental encounter turns out to be more memorable than they had ever thought it would be.
“You didn’t pay the bills and taxes on time? I’ve been toiling out there day and night to earn a living, and you can’t even do a simple thing like this for the family?”
“I was busy!”
“With what, huh? Are you meeting that guy again? Don’t think I didn’t catch you talking on the phone earlier!”
“I want a job, too! That was all I was asking from him! Woohyun needs to go to university; we need more funds!”
“Don’t use the kid as an excuse! You could have discussed with me first!”
Woohyun winces, glancing at his bedroom door. Even with doors closed and music blasting from his earphones, he can hear their ear-piercing screams, which have been ongoing for about an hour. Woohyun lets out a deep sigh and tosses the pencil he is spinning aside. Staying in this house any longer will drain the life out of him. He looks out of the window at the still, quiet city, now engulfed in darkness.
Getting out of here would be really great, he thinks, but I hate the dark.
He goes downstairs to get a drink, but the back door catches his attention, its shiny knob strangely inviting. He turns to look at his parents again, much too absorbed in their quarrel to even notice him in the kitchen.
“If you really can’t stand me, let’s divorce then!”
“You jerk, can that word be spouted out so easily? What about the children?”
“The children are not children anymore. They’re grown up enough to understand.”
“Is marriage something you can take so lightly? Are you in the right mind?”
Woohyun bites his lips and rolls his eyes. He doesn’t understand. It’s Christmas Eve, and while everyone else’s homes are filled with songs and laughter, his own is plagued by unfaltering noise. It’s not like they’ve been married for a year. For a couple together for more than twenty years, why are they only quarreling so madly now?
Unknowingly, his right hand has landed on the back door’s knob, while his left hand grabs a nearby torchlight.
He loathes the dark, but for now, he hates his brightly-lit house even more.
He swiftly turns the knob and hops outside. The air is slightly chilly, but it’s still bearable with the sweater he has on. He switches on the torchlight and navigates himself out from the alley into the open streets.
Thinking about it, he really hasn’t explored the streets in the night. He follows the line of closed shops up the street and finds himself standing in front of a hill. Simply wanting to continue staying outside without wandering too far, he begins his ascent up the small hill. When he is halfway up the hill, he loses his grip of the torchlight. His heart rate accelerates as he looks down in horror at the thin streak of light becoming fainter by the second. He stops climbing and cold sweat begins to form on his forehead as his hands become clammy. He blinks several times as he repeatedly tells himself not to cry.
I hate the dark. I really hate it.
He grabs the grass tightly with both hands as darkness closes in on him from all sides.
I can’t get the torch anyway. I have to go up.
With shivering limbs, Woohyun continues to take cautious steps up the hill. After much difficulty, he reaches the top of the hill and sprawls himself on the ground, chest heaving up and down as puffs of mist emerge from his mouth.
It is silent for about a minute until a voice speaks up from about an arm’s length away, “Who is it? Is someone here?”
Woohyun’s heart almost falls out of his mouth from the shock, but he sits up slowly and steadies himself.
“Yes,” he replies to the stranger and after a pause, “You scared me with the sudden greeting.”
He hears the stranger scoff lightly. “What are you doing here at this time of the night? It’s Christmas Eve too,” the voice says.
“I hate the atmosphere in my house right now,” Woohyun answers honestly. He hears some shuffling as the other adjusts his position.
“Me too,” the stranger named Sunggyu muses, “Also, I just moved over here, so there’s no one I can celebrate with. Sucky first Christmas in this town, if you ask me.”
“There are not many stars tonight,” Woohyun says, looking up at the night sky. He sighs, “I hoped to stargaze.”
“Ah, is that so? That’s too bad. I had a friend who really loves stargazing as well.”
“It’s probably because I can’t do it very often. I don’t like coming out at night, you see. I really hate the dark. It makes me feel so insecure because I can’t see a thing.”
Sunggyu chuckles, “Don’t be. You’ll find ways to get around it, trust me.”
“My ‘way to get around it’ just rolled down the hill just now.”
“Oh, I see…” Sunggyu says, stifling a laughter, and then asks after a moment, “What is it?”
“My torchlight,” Woohyun says as he pats the ground in front of him and cautiously shifts forward so he’s nearer to Sunggyu.
“I can’t see in the dark; what are you wearing?” Woohyun asks, “It’s a little chilly, isn’t it?”
“A blue t-shirt… or was it red? Anyway, it’s t-shirt and jeans.”
Woohyun nods. “How long have you been here? I have a sweater if you need it.”
“About half an hour?” Sunggyu replies thoughtfully. Woohyun can almost hear the smile in his voice as he says the next line, “Thanks, but it’s okay. You’re really nice for someone I just met.”
Woohyun gazes at the grass, even if all he can see is pitch darkness. While his fingers play around with a few strands of grass, Woohyun says, “That compliment is the first I’ve received in some time. Thank you. It’s funny how we met and all, but you feel like a friend already. Let’s exchange numbers when the sun comes up.”
Woohyun only hears Sunggyu’s light breathing as he feels his pockets.
“Oh shoot, I didn’t bring my phone. Hm.”
“We can borrow a pen,” Sunggyu suggests.
“Oh yes, we can.”
A comfortable silence shrouds them once more as a gentle breeze caresses their faces.
“You really want to be friends already? We only talked for barely twenty minutes and you can’t even see my face,” Sunggyu says, “What if I’m actually a really horrible person?”
“Are you?” Woohyun promptly replies, catching Sunggyu off guard.
Sunggyu laughs, “That was a smart response.”
Woohyun’s lips curve upwards as he points out, “It was a genuine question though. You piqued my curiosity by asking that.”
“In some ways, I am. I still feel sorry towards a good friend. I couldn’t fulfill my promise to him, to spend our Christmases together.”
“Why?” Woohyun asks, looking in Sunggyu’s direction, “It’s Christmas tomorrow. Contact him.”
“I lost his contact when I went overseas.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Woohyun mutters and continues in a gentle tone, “You never know what could happen though -- you might find him, somehow.”
“Yes, perhaps. Life does work in mysterious ways.”
Woohyun hears Sunggyu rubbing his hands. He takes off his sweater and extends it in Sunggyu’s direction. “Take it; I’m not cold,” Woohyun says.
“Thanks a lot,” Sunggyu replies as he reaches out and takes the sweater from Woohyun’s hands, “Do tell me if you need it back again, though.”
“Sure thing.”
“Stretch out your hand,” Sunggyu commands after a while.
“Why?”
“I just want to know that I’m actually speaking to a human.”
“You’re hilarious,” Woohyun comments as he places his right hand out. Not long after, he feels another hand cover his own. Sunggyu lightly squeezes Woohyun’s hand and says, “Oh, your hand is still warm even in this weather.”
“I’m hot-blooded,” Woohyun jokes.
“Warm hands are good. They can put people’s hearts at ease sometimes.”
Woohyun snorts lightly at the familiarity he feels from this stranger, “You talk like a friend of mine.”
“Really? Introduce him to me someday then,” Sunggyu grins, “I guess it’d be interesting to meet someone similar.”
“I lost contact with him, too,” Woohyun states, and Sunggyu pouts in return.
“We were a peculiar pair, though,” Woohyun elaborates, “I took the lead when it was bright and he took over when it turned dark. We went stargazing up on hills like this one even if both of us can’t see a thing. I mean, except the stars, of course, because they emit light. I guess we complemented each other in a way.”
“We talked about celebrating our Christmases together too,” Woohyun laughs at how similar they seem to be.
“We’re fulfilling those promises on the behalf of each other’s friend then,” Sunggyu points out.
“That’s an intriguing thought,” Woohyun says, “Perhaps. It’d be really nice to meet that friend again though. I wonder why he didn’t contact me again like he said he would.”
“He probably has his reasons. I want to meet that friend again, too.”
“Is your heart not at ease today?” Woohyun asks, pondering over what Sunggyu said earlier.
“To be honest…” Sunggyu says slowly, “I was contemplating on leaving home when I came up here.”
“Oh. Actually… I kind of did, too.”
Sunggyu chuckles, “We seem to have the same problems.”
“Good to know I’m not alone,” Woohyun smirks lightly.
“Surprisingly, it actually feels nice up here,” Sunggyu says, “I thought it would be creepy, but it isn’t, not in the least.”
Woohyun doesn’t reply for a few minutes, so Sunggyu calls out, “Hello? Are you still there?”
Sunggyu then reaches his hand out again and feels the ground beside him until he touches a warm hand again. “Ah, you are,” he muses.
“Were you afraid that I just left?” Woohyun teases, “I was just thinking; sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Sunggyu lets out a small laugh, “I was just wondering.”
He hears a deep sigh coming from Woohyun.
“Thank you, for being here,” Woohyun says, “It would probably be really scary for me right now if I’m alone up here.”
“Because you’re afraid of the dark?” Sunggyu guesses.
“Yeah,” Woohyun lets out a helpless laugh, “I would be crying by now, to be honest.”
“Haven’t you tried overcoming your fear of the dark?”
“Not really.”
“You just sat in the dark without a torch for over an hour though. Congratulations - you’re one step closer to conquering your fear.”
“You’re right,” Woohyun says with a smile. The sound of a grumbling stomach followed shortly after.
“You’re hungry?” Sunggyu laughs, “We can go for some snacks later when the shops open.”
“You’re making my mouth water!" Woohyun exclaims in return, "Oh, have you tasted gingerbread men?”
“Of course, who wouldn’t have?”
“It’s my favourite.”
Sunggyu raises an eyebrow. The resemblance is uncanny.
“Is that a hint? I’m not giving treats to new friends though!” Sunggyu gives a lagged response after a few moments.
It has been about two hours since Woohyun arrived on the hill. Beginning to feel numb in his limbs, he stretches a little and then lies down on the ground, staring at the lone star in the sky.
“You’re not an accident or a mistake. You’re wonderfully and fearfully made,” Sunggyu says thoughtfully all of a sudden.
A chord strikes in his heart, causing Woohyun's eyes to widen. “Hm?” he makes a sound.
“That was what the pastor said,” Sunggyu begins explaining, “I was bored last night and there was music coming from the church, so I just went in. It wasn’t too bad.”
“I see…”
“That was what caught my attention the most, anyway. I’m not exactly a believer, but it’d be nice if everyone could think in that way, no?”
“Situations make that hard to believe, sometimes.”
“I understand. Situations can twist everything around, but well, the truth still remains. It’s nice to be reminded of that every now and then - that we’re loved.”
Woohyun recalls that evening where he overheard his parents’ conversation and found out, by chance, how they had wanted to abort him before.
That’s why they hit me so often when I was young, huh? He’d thought then, They didn’t want me at all.
Woohyun nods -- He realises how, in the past week, he has forgotten that he has been and could be loved.
“It is, indeed,” Woohyun says in a small voice, and they bask in the silence of the night for a few moments, each engrossed in their own thoughts.
“But, didn’t you come here with thoughts of leaving home too?” Woohyun speaks up after a while.
“I did. I’m trying to convince myself too, probably,” Sunggyu laughs, “But it’s easier to tell others these things. It’s easier to believe them when you’re trying to comfort a friend, rather than yourself. It’s kind of funny, how things work.”
“I think it’s working though,” Sunggyu says, “I don’t feel like leaving home anymore.”
By this time, the night transits into the break of dawn and the sun begins to rise. Woohyun can see a bit more now, albeit not very clearly.
“What do you think about that friend? The one who didn’t contact you,” Sunggyu pops the question out of the blue.
“Why?” Woohyun asks as he stares into the distance, eyes focusing on the tiny ball of blazing orange rising from the horizon.
“Nothing. I’m just curious, that’s all.”
“He may speak harshly, but you can tell when he really cares. I wonder how he’s doing now. He has always been an independent one, but at times I still worry for him, because he’s… different. I’m sure he’s doing fine, though. He does well at almost anything he puts his mind to, you see.”
“Are you upset that he didn’t keep his promises?”
“I was. I really was. But like you said, I’m sure he has his reasons. Now, I just wish to meet him again.”
“Where’s your hometown?”
“Chungcheong. Why do you ask?”
The sun has now fully risen from behind the mountains, spilling light onto the city. Woohyun smiles at the breathtaking sight. It’s bright again, he thinks to himself in relief.
He looks at the familiar stranger and says, “It’s morning now. Thanks for staying with me through the dark night. We can go for snacks now.”
“Woohyun,” Sunggyu calls. At the sound of his name, it suddenly strikes Woohyun that they haven’t exchanged names at all throughout the long conversation.
“H-how do you know my name?” Woohyun stutters, looking intently at the side profile of Sunggyu. His eyebrows begin to furrow as he tries to wrap his mind around the strangely familiar aura of the stranger.
Sunggyu turns to face Woohyun. “Woohyun-ah, it’s me.”
Woohyun’s eyes widen and his lips part slightly.
“Sunggyu hyung?” A mere whisper escapes from his lips.
Sunggyu simply smiles. “Life works in mysterious ways, indeed.”
Woohyun’s orbs fills up with tears before he even realizes it.
“Gyu hyung!” Woohyun exclaims and lets out a chortle, “Despite how weird this may sound, I really missed you!”
“I’ve been looking for you too. Fancy meeting you here. It’s morning now, so you take the lead?”
Woohyun grins as he holds Sunggyu’s hand and helps him up.
“But I’m pretty new to this place, too,” Woohyun says, “We’ll have to explore a bit.”
“That’s fine. Is the sunrise today beautiful?” Sunggyu asks as they walk down the hill step by step with their hands linked.
“Totally. The sky is a light shade of pink, and the sun is a bright golden sphere above the mountains. Can you picture it?”
“Yes, I bet my imagination is prettier than what you see.”
Woohyun laughs and then exclaims excitedly, “Let’s get some gingerbread men!”
Sunggyu shakes his head fondly as memories of them sharing the snack in their childhood come rushing back.
“You didn’t really change much, huh?”
“Hyung, you too; you still speak in the same way.”
“Hey, shouldn’t you go back and greet your parents first? They may be worried about you.”
“As expected, you’re always the responsible one. Fine, we’ll go back first. They should be glad to see you too.”
“Didn’t you say they were quarreling when you came out? Would they really?”
“They can’t quarrel for one whole night! And hyung, you were the one who suggested going back! Did you just change your mind in a split second?”
“No, I’m just giving you different perspectives.”
At this point, they finally reach flat ground and begin to walk towards the row of shops, which is now bustling with the morning crowd.
“Alright, if you say so. You still confuse me with your words, just like you used to,” Woohyun points out with light laughter, “Oh yes, where do you currently stay?”
“Um, it’s right behind the only university in this area.”
“Oh, that’s near to my house!”
“Ah, really?”
“Pretty much. We can hang out quite often then. Oh, we should still exchange numbers though.”
“Woohyun-ah," Sunggyu calls, and continues after brief pause, "I’m sorry I lost your contact. My mum accidentally erased them all - ”
“It’s alright, your friend with the magnanimous heart forgives you.”
Sunggyu laughs and kicks Woohyun lightly on the calf.
“The person on the hill said I was nice!” Woohyun retorted in a childish manner, “I don’t like you; I want him back.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry that he was a lie, just like Santa. Poor Woohyun. I’ll treat you some gingerbread men to comfort you.”
“The person on the hill said he wouldn’t treat a new friend, though.”
“Go find that person on the hill then, go!” Sunggyu folds his arms and pretends to storm away angrily. He only manages to take a few steps before Woohyun calls out, “Hyung!”
Sunggyu smirks.
“It’s this way!” Woohyun shouts, and then grabs Sunggyu by the arm.
“I know,” Sunggyu stubbornly says, “I just didn’t want to go with you.”
“I take the lead when it’s bright, remember?”
“I can navigate myself perfectly well too. I have been living this way since forever, okay? You really don’t have to worry about me.”
“Yes, I know you can, hyung. But you’re new to this place after all. Anyone in that situation would need some guidance. Anyway, you have to continue helping me with my fear of the dark, okay?”
Sunggyu chuckles, "No problem."
“Woohyun,” Sunggyu calls after a while, “Do you want to go to church with me this Sunday?”
“I thought you weren’t a believer?”
“I am willing now. Because He hears my prayers.”
“What did you pray for?”
“That I’d meet you again.”
Silence ensues for a few moments before Woohyun replies, “Sure, I’ll go with you.”
“But, hyung, can I ask you a question?” It’s Woohyun’s turn to speak up.
“Go ahead.”
“Why didn’t you memorise my number?”
Sunggyu narrows his small eyes, stretches one leg out and kicks Woohyun on the calf again.
“Nam Woohyun, please. Like as if you memorise mine.”
“I do! 010-2845… No, I really do!”
Sunggyu simply shakes his head with a wide smile while Woohyun mumbles under his breath, attempting to recall the number.
First Christmas in this town isn’t so bad after all, Sunggyu catches himself thinking as Woohyun turns the lock and exclamations of relief begin to sound from the other side of the door.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” - John 1:5