S58: sunsets (with you)
Title: sunsets (with you)
For: S58
Rating: PG-13
Length: 3156 words
Summary: when the sun sets, you turn a page
Warnings: none
Author's note: This fic has a special place in my heart, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)
For the first time in 2 weeks, Sehun finds himself in the university’s dance hall. He has been avoiding the place at all cost. Which was quite easy since it was term break, so they didn’t have any classes. Although it was difficult to contain the constant urge to practice old and new routines in the comforts of the practice area, he managed to steer away. Because being in the hall would only remind him of the tragedy that was his dance finals.
He cringes every single time he recalls the memory of the day the gods, the universe, turned against him and decided to embarrass him in front of his instructor and the entire class.
His performance started out smoothly, his moves flowing in sync with the music. He was confident in his routine; Jongin, his dance partner and best friend, had complimented it one time when they were practicing their routines together. According to the boy, it was a good combination of lyrical dance and hip-hop, which was the kind of mix their instructor favored. He was nervous, but at the same time he knew that he was capable of executing the routine with very minimal errors. He practiced diligently, because his scholarship would be on the line if he doesn’t perform well.
Everything was going great, until he did a particular low quick drop near the end of the routine that caused a huge rip in his jeans. The entire room erupted in laughter, and something inside him just died.
His pride was crushed and trampled on, and he honestly wanted to die. He actually wanted the ground to swallow him whole and never spit him out, if only it were possible. And the tragedy happened because he thought that it was a good idea to wear his lucky jeans, which, according to Jongin, showed more that is needed to be by the public. (They were the skinniest jeans that he owned.)
When he asked to be excused for the rest of the period, his instructor had allowed him, understanding his situation but at the same time trying to holding in his laughter. (But he would later find out that his instructor had given him the highest score, which made him the first person ever to beat Jongin’s score in a dance exam.)
He immediately went back to the dorms, with his jacket tied to his waist to cover the gaping hole in his jeans. He wanted to lock himself in his room forever and never come out, the embarrassment eating him alive. He just wanted to be alone, like forever. But when he unlocked the door, he’s reminded that he had a roommate.
And his Minseok hyung instantly noticed his sulking state, “I’m not even going to ask.”
Despite the fact that the other was in the midst of finishing a very important paper, his thesis, the last requirement he has left before graduation, he left his work and went to the kitchen.
Sehun plopped himself down on the couch and buried himself underneath the pillows. He knew he was being immature, but really, who wouldn’t be this embarrassed after an episode like that?
Minutes later, Minseok came out of the kitchen with a huge bowl of popcorn on one hand and a tub of ice cream and two spoons on the other.
“So now tell me what is it this time?”
He narrated to Minseok the tragedy that was his life while devouring the huge tub of chocolate ice cream, while Minseok ate the buttered popcorn.
Minseok mostly nodded and snickered, but Sehun knew he was listening like he always does.
That night, much to his delight, his Minseok hyung set aside his paperwork, “it can wait another day” he said.
Sehun knows he’s very lucky to have someone like Minseok in his life. He honestly wouldn’t have the guts to go back to the dance hall if not for the older boy’s persistent nagging. He would probably have stayed in his room until the term break ended, looking for an excuse to change his dance class or something, not wanting to face his classmates and instructor ever again.
But there he was. In the dance hall. And he’s okay with it. Sure he still hears the laughter in his head sometimes. And he still refuses to wear jeans, going for harem pants or jogger pants instead. But he’s okay. Minseok had done a great job in getting some sense into him, and he’s just glad his hyung isn’t tired of him yet.
“Sehun?”
He turns around and sees a very flustered and worried looking Luhan with Yixing behind him sporting a very similar look.
“Oh, Luhan hyung, what are you doing here?” he asks, confused as to what the economics major is doing in the dance room with the business administration major.
“Minseok isn’t with you?”
From the look on the older boy’s face, Sehun could easily tell that there’s something wrong. And he’s all of a sudden worried, “I haven’t seen Minseok hyung since he left the dorm this morning.”
It was already 5 in the afternoon, and Minseok left the dorm at 7 in the morning. Sehun remembers because Minseok had complained about the cruelty of early morning mid-term classes. And he hasn’t heard from him since then.
“I- we planned on taking the same internship. We’ve been planning on taking it together since we were sophomores. We just submitted our applications last month. You know that right, the one Minseok’s been talking about?” Luhan explained, his voice quivering a bit, hinting that something bad really must’ve happened.
Sehun nods, of course he knows which internship that was. It’s the one that’s very important to Minseok, and it’s the only one he applied for. Sehun remembers Minseok sticking post-its with ‘for the internship!’ scribbled on them on all his textbooks and notebooks. Everyone who was close to Minseok pretty much knew how much he wanted to get the prized internship in one of the most prestigious firms in Seoul.
Minseok majors in Finance. He met Luhan and Yixing in an Accounting class in their freshman year. The two were both foreigners, and Minseok, being true to his kind and selfless nature, helped them adjust to life in Seoul. And they have been his best friends since. At first they found difficulty in properly communicating with each other because of the language barrier, but the three of them had similarities that kept them together. Minseok and Luhan both loved football and coffee. Minseok and Yixing both found comfort in weird jokes and good food. Luhan and Yixing both shared the burden of studying in a foreign country and leaving families behind. And the three of them just click, like pieces of a puzzle. Minseok explained that to him a year ago when he asked how he became best friends with the Chinese exchange students.
For the past week, like Luhan mentioned, Minseok talked about the internship a lot. Aside from his thesis, Sehun hasn’t heard anything else from him. And they only talk about others things when Sehun mentions them. Otherwise he just listens to Sehun rant about shallow things that shouldn’t really be talked about much.
Luhan clears his throat, and Sehun sees his eyes glint with worry, “He really wanted us to go together, but both Yixing and I got offers from firms in Beijing. And we haven’t told him, but we accepted the offers.”
“We were supposed to meet up for lunch, so Luhan and I can tell him, but we think he found out before we got the chance to talk.” Yixing adds, staring down at his feet and refusing to look Sehun in the eye.
Sehun could feel the anxiety and guilt radiating from the two. Although he understands why they opted to take the offers in Beijing, he couldn’t get why they hid it from Minseok, “Why didn’t you just tell him? You’re his best friends, he would support you no matter what.”
“I know, but we didn’t want to add to the burden. I mean, his thesis adviser gives him enough stress. We’re already finalizing ours, but he still has a lot of revisions to make. And he’s running out of time, graduation is in a month and a half.”
Sehun’s eyes go wide at the mention of Minseok’s thesis. Because it’s the thing that’s keeping Minseok up ‘til 2 in the morning. It’s the thing that takes up all of Minseok’s time now, stealing the time he used to reserve for football (the only thing he claims to be keeping him sane despite his endless school work). And it’s the thing he’s been setting aside for Sehun.
Sehun is suddenly hit with a strong wave of guilt and shame. While drowning himself in a pool of self-pity, he didn’t realize that Minseok had been sacrificing a lot of his time for him. He appreciates every bit of it, but he doesn’t quite understand why Minseok would chose him over his responsibilities. Minseok is a naturally kind person, but wasn’t this too much?
“We’ve been looking for him all afternoon, but he’s not answering our calls.”
Luhan nods in agreement, showing his call log which show that he’s tried calling Minseok about sixty times in the last 4 hours.
“And we looked for you, because you might know some places he might go that he hasn’t told us about.”
Sehun chews on his lower lip, because he doesn’t even need to think about it. He knows where Minseok would go at a time like this. And if he’s actually right, in this 1 degree celsius weather, Minseok would already be freezing himself to death.
“Uh, I think I might know where Minseok hyung is. I’ll just text one of you hyungs when I find him, okay?”
The two agree, and they walk out of the dance hall together. Before they go separate ways, Sehun gives Luhan and Yixing a genuine smile, hoping that it’ll assure them that everything will be okay.
But if he were to be honest, he’s not ever sure what he’ll do when he finds Minseok. Because in the two years he’s been in the university, the two years he’s been roommates with the boy, it’s always been him in the receiving end of the comforting. And as far as he can remember, he has never seen Minseok upset to the point of needing someone to console him. (Something at the back of his mind tells him that he just probably missed out on those moments.)
Minseok is strong and independent, but now Sehun sees that even the strongest people have moments of weakness. That a person can only take in so much. That everyone has a breaking point. While he often had mini-breakdowns that he could easily move on from, he could see that Minseok has been bottling up his stress and frustrations for so long. And he can only hope that he can be the same person Minseok has always been for him.
So he runs, as fast as he can without tripping, falling, or bumping into other people. He runs past other students to the other side of the campus where the dorms are. He knows where Minseok would be because Minseok brought him there when he broke his leg back in freshman year. He had felt so lost then, thinking that the 1-month healing time would cause him to be left behind and that he’d end up losing his scholarship.
But before anything, he runs back to their room. And he’s right, he needs to hurry up, because even though Minseok is a very caring person, he doesn’t really take care of himself well. His coat in hanging on the rack again; it’s a bad habit of Minseok’s that Sehun is been trying to get rid of. He refuses to wear his coat when he goes out, but he ends up complaining about how cold it is. And at some point, reminding Minseok to bring his coat became part of Sehun’s routine during winter and early spring time.
He remembers Minseok wearing it when they left that morning, which only meant that Minseok had stopped by their room. And this sort of assures him that he’s going to the right place.
Before he goes, he rummages their kitchen cabinets for a thermos and a couple packet of hot chocolate. Minseok prefers coffee, but he’s been overloading himself with caffeine for the past few months, and hot chocolate had always calmed Sehun’s nerves. The thermos is a bit old, but it’s still usable. He remembers his mother insisting that he brings the Pororo thermos, refusing to buy him a new one. He fills it with hot water, careful not to spill any on himself. He stashes the packs into the pocket of his coat and grabs Minseok’s green coat from the rack.
He runs again, across the hallway to where the elevators and staircases are located. He curses his luck and the dorm management, because the elevators have been broken since last week. Which only means he has to climb 18 flights of steep stairs to get to where Minseok could be.
His legs start hurting by the time he finishes climbing 12 flights, but stopping would only be more painful. So he tries to forget the throbbing in his thighs and just continues. He’s visibly exhausted by the time he reaches the 20th floor, but for him it’s okay, because he’s finally reached the rooftop.
The door is slightly ajar, and he’s immediately hit by a gust of cold wind. The air isn’t that cold, but it still bites. He pushes the door, and he’s greeted by the view of a clear sky, with orange and pink hues. The sun will be setting in thirty minutes or so, and he’s now absolutely sure.
Because Minseok loved sunsets. He said that there was something utterly beautiful about them and what they represent. To him, when the sun sets, a person turns another page in his or her life. All the troubles one faced during the day can be buried and forgotten. It’s the end of a chapter and the start of a new one. It’s a promise of a better tomorrow, or it at least could be the start of something new. It’s simply a wonderful and magical thing that can make a person forget all his troubles.
When Minseok brought him here back when he was hopeless and depressed about his injury, he was very skeptical. How could something very ordinary like watching the sunset make him feel better? But when the time came, and skies turned into shades into orange and pink, he had felt the magic the older boy had described to him countless times. He was awed how something that occurs every single day can be something beautiful and breath-taking.
And he clearly remembers Minseok saying, “You what I love the most about sunsets though? I love how I never would get tired of waiting, because it’s different every single time. And it happens every day, but it’s still special. It’s beautiful. And it makes you realize that there are a lot of things in this world that you should be happy and thankful for, even though things are difficult.”
And he’s right, because things would pass, and there are a lot of things he should be happy about.
Minseok was the one who made him realize those things. And Minseok was the one who’s always been there for him, even when he’s just whining about the stupidest things.
And he’s right too, because Minseok is there. Bundled up in his comforter, staring at the skies, waiting for the sunset.
“Hyung!”
Minseok shots up and stares at him with glassy eyes. He was crying. And Sehun’s heart aches, because Minseok never cries. If he did now, then there must be something really bothering him.
“Sehun-ah? What are you doing here?”
Sehun doesn’t know if he should laugh because he should be the one asking Minseok that or just heave a sigh of relief because he found Minseok, whose lips are already turning blue.
He looks cozy though, for once he wore gloves and a beanie. And when he shuffled a bit, Sehun sees that Minseok even took his comforter for extra warmth. Which he doesn’t mind, even though it’s his favorite one.
“Luhan hyung and Yixing hyung have been looking for you, why aren’t you answering your phone?”
Minseok’s eyes noticeably sadden at the mention of best friends. Which only confirms that he knows that the two are taking an internship somewhere else.
“I- I- I just don’t think I can face them yet, I mean I’m not mad. Why would I be? They just want to be closer to their families. But I’m just really upset, at myself, at everything. It’s as if nothing’s going right, and I’m so stressed. I might not graduate this spring, and I was- I was looking forward to the internship a lot-”
Minseok’s voice quivers, and he starts sobbing uncontrollably. Sehun is in shock, but he immediately runs to Minseok’s side, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy.
“Hyung, they’re really worried about you. And I am too. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“I didn’t want to burden anyone. I honestly thought I could handle everything on my own…”
“But you can always tell me, because I know I’ve been burdening you a lot. I’ve been bratty and immature, so much that I didn’t even notice your worries!”
“It’s okay, Sehunnie. I know you have your own troubles, and I’m your hyung, I should be the one taking care of you.”
“I can take care of you too though!”
“I know but-”
“No buts, because just say it hyung, I’ll be there no matter what.”
He lets go of Minseok and lies down on the comforters, pulling the boy down so they can snuggle. Sehun places his arms around Minseok’s shoulder, and he’s happy that his Minseok hyung comes even close, even wrapping his arms around Sehun’s waist. Both of them just lay there, enjoying the breeze and each other’s company. Completely forgetting about everything else.
Sehun loves how their bodies fit together, how he can rest his chin on top of Minseok’s head, how Minseok’s arms feel secure around his waist, how their legs tangled together naturally. But most of all, he loves how he feels warmth and comfort every single time they cuddle like this. It’s perfect, and Sehun wouldn’t want this euphoria to end.
In front of them, the sun is slowly setting, kissing the horizon and making its leave for the day. It’s a beautiful sight, but Sehun thinks that the smile on Minseok’s face is much more beautiful.
“Minseok hyung?”
“Hm?”
“You know I love you right?”
“I know, Sehunnie. Even if you don’t tell me, I know.”
For: S58
Rating: PG-13
Length: 3156 words
Summary: when the sun sets, you turn a page
Warnings: none
Author's note: This fic has a special place in my heart, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)
For the first time in 2 weeks, Sehun finds himself in the university’s dance hall. He has been avoiding the place at all cost. Which was quite easy since it was term break, so they didn’t have any classes. Although it was difficult to contain the constant urge to practice old and new routines in the comforts of the practice area, he managed to steer away. Because being in the hall would only remind him of the tragedy that was his dance finals.
He cringes every single time he recalls the memory of the day the gods, the universe, turned against him and decided to embarrass him in front of his instructor and the entire class.
His performance started out smoothly, his moves flowing in sync with the music. He was confident in his routine; Jongin, his dance partner and best friend, had complimented it one time when they were practicing their routines together. According to the boy, it was a good combination of lyrical dance and hip-hop, which was the kind of mix their instructor favored. He was nervous, but at the same time he knew that he was capable of executing the routine with very minimal errors. He practiced diligently, because his scholarship would be on the line if he doesn’t perform well.
Everything was going great, until he did a particular low quick drop near the end of the routine that caused a huge rip in his jeans. The entire room erupted in laughter, and something inside him just died.
His pride was crushed and trampled on, and he honestly wanted to die. He actually wanted the ground to swallow him whole and never spit him out, if only it were possible. And the tragedy happened because he thought that it was a good idea to wear his lucky jeans, which, according to Jongin, showed more that is needed to be by the public. (They were the skinniest jeans that he owned.)
When he asked to be excused for the rest of the period, his instructor had allowed him, understanding his situation but at the same time trying to holding in his laughter. (But he would later find out that his instructor had given him the highest score, which made him the first person ever to beat Jongin’s score in a dance exam.)
He immediately went back to the dorms, with his jacket tied to his waist to cover the gaping hole in his jeans. He wanted to lock himself in his room forever and never come out, the embarrassment eating him alive. He just wanted to be alone, like forever. But when he unlocked the door, he’s reminded that he had a roommate.
And his Minseok hyung instantly noticed his sulking state, “I’m not even going to ask.”
Despite the fact that the other was in the midst of finishing a very important paper, his thesis, the last requirement he has left before graduation, he left his work and went to the kitchen.
Sehun plopped himself down on the couch and buried himself underneath the pillows. He knew he was being immature, but really, who wouldn’t be this embarrassed after an episode like that?
Minutes later, Minseok came out of the kitchen with a huge bowl of popcorn on one hand and a tub of ice cream and two spoons on the other.
“So now tell me what is it this time?”
He narrated to Minseok the tragedy that was his life while devouring the huge tub of chocolate ice cream, while Minseok ate the buttered popcorn.
Minseok mostly nodded and snickered, but Sehun knew he was listening like he always does.
That night, much to his delight, his Minseok hyung set aside his paperwork, “it can wait another day” he said.
Sehun knows he’s very lucky to have someone like Minseok in his life. He honestly wouldn’t have the guts to go back to the dance hall if not for the older boy’s persistent nagging. He would probably have stayed in his room until the term break ended, looking for an excuse to change his dance class or something, not wanting to face his classmates and instructor ever again.
But there he was. In the dance hall. And he’s okay with it. Sure he still hears the laughter in his head sometimes. And he still refuses to wear jeans, going for harem pants or jogger pants instead. But he’s okay. Minseok had done a great job in getting some sense into him, and he’s just glad his hyung isn’t tired of him yet.
“Sehun?”
He turns around and sees a very flustered and worried looking Luhan with Yixing behind him sporting a very similar look.
“Oh, Luhan hyung, what are you doing here?” he asks, confused as to what the economics major is doing in the dance room with the business administration major.
“Minseok isn’t with you?”
From the look on the older boy’s face, Sehun could easily tell that there’s something wrong. And he’s all of a sudden worried, “I haven’t seen Minseok hyung since he left the dorm this morning.”
It was already 5 in the afternoon, and Minseok left the dorm at 7 in the morning. Sehun remembers because Minseok had complained about the cruelty of early morning mid-term classes. And he hasn’t heard from him since then.
“I- we planned on taking the same internship. We’ve been planning on taking it together since we were sophomores. We just submitted our applications last month. You know that right, the one Minseok’s been talking about?” Luhan explained, his voice quivering a bit, hinting that something bad really must’ve happened.
Sehun nods, of course he knows which internship that was. It’s the one that’s very important to Minseok, and it’s the only one he applied for. Sehun remembers Minseok sticking post-its with ‘for the internship!’ scribbled on them on all his textbooks and notebooks. Everyone who was close to Minseok pretty much knew how much he wanted to get the prized internship in one of the most prestigious firms in Seoul.
Minseok majors in Finance. He met Luhan and Yixing in an Accounting class in their freshman year. The two were both foreigners, and Minseok, being true to his kind and selfless nature, helped them adjust to life in Seoul. And they have been his best friends since. At first they found difficulty in properly communicating with each other because of the language barrier, but the three of them had similarities that kept them together. Minseok and Luhan both loved football and coffee. Minseok and Yixing both found comfort in weird jokes and good food. Luhan and Yixing both shared the burden of studying in a foreign country and leaving families behind. And the three of them just click, like pieces of a puzzle. Minseok explained that to him a year ago when he asked how he became best friends with the Chinese exchange students.
For the past week, like Luhan mentioned, Minseok talked about the internship a lot. Aside from his thesis, Sehun hasn’t heard anything else from him. And they only talk about others things when Sehun mentions them. Otherwise he just listens to Sehun rant about shallow things that shouldn’t really be talked about much.
Luhan clears his throat, and Sehun sees his eyes glint with worry, “He really wanted us to go together, but both Yixing and I got offers from firms in Beijing. And we haven’t told him, but we accepted the offers.”
“We were supposed to meet up for lunch, so Luhan and I can tell him, but we think he found out before we got the chance to talk.” Yixing adds, staring down at his feet and refusing to look Sehun in the eye.
Sehun could feel the anxiety and guilt radiating from the two. Although he understands why they opted to take the offers in Beijing, he couldn’t get why they hid it from Minseok, “Why didn’t you just tell him? You’re his best friends, he would support you no matter what.”
“I know, but we didn’t want to add to the burden. I mean, his thesis adviser gives him enough stress. We’re already finalizing ours, but he still has a lot of revisions to make. And he’s running out of time, graduation is in a month and a half.”
Sehun’s eyes go wide at the mention of Minseok’s thesis. Because it’s the thing that’s keeping Minseok up ‘til 2 in the morning. It’s the thing that takes up all of Minseok’s time now, stealing the time he used to reserve for football (the only thing he claims to be keeping him sane despite his endless school work). And it’s the thing he’s been setting aside for Sehun.
Sehun is suddenly hit with a strong wave of guilt and shame. While drowning himself in a pool of self-pity, he didn’t realize that Minseok had been sacrificing a lot of his time for him. He appreciates every bit of it, but he doesn’t quite understand why Minseok would chose him over his responsibilities. Minseok is a naturally kind person, but wasn’t this too much?
“We’ve been looking for him all afternoon, but he’s not answering our calls.”
Luhan nods in agreement, showing his call log which show that he’s tried calling Minseok about sixty times in the last 4 hours.
“And we looked for you, because you might know some places he might go that he hasn’t told us about.”
Sehun chews on his lower lip, because he doesn’t even need to think about it. He knows where Minseok would go at a time like this. And if he’s actually right, in this 1 degree celsius weather, Minseok would already be freezing himself to death.
“Uh, I think I might know where Minseok hyung is. I’ll just text one of you hyungs when I find him, okay?”
The two agree, and they walk out of the dance hall together. Before they go separate ways, Sehun gives Luhan and Yixing a genuine smile, hoping that it’ll assure them that everything will be okay.
But if he were to be honest, he’s not ever sure what he’ll do when he finds Minseok. Because in the two years he’s been in the university, the two years he’s been roommates with the boy, it’s always been him in the receiving end of the comforting. And as far as he can remember, he has never seen Minseok upset to the point of needing someone to console him. (Something at the back of his mind tells him that he just probably missed out on those moments.)
Minseok is strong and independent, but now Sehun sees that even the strongest people have moments of weakness. That a person can only take in so much. That everyone has a breaking point. While he often had mini-breakdowns that he could easily move on from, he could see that Minseok has been bottling up his stress and frustrations for so long. And he can only hope that he can be the same person Minseok has always been for him.
So he runs, as fast as he can without tripping, falling, or bumping into other people. He runs past other students to the other side of the campus where the dorms are. He knows where Minseok would be because Minseok brought him there when he broke his leg back in freshman year. He had felt so lost then, thinking that the 1-month healing time would cause him to be left behind and that he’d end up losing his scholarship.
But before anything, he runs back to their room. And he’s right, he needs to hurry up, because even though Minseok is a very caring person, he doesn’t really take care of himself well. His coat in hanging on the rack again; it’s a bad habit of Minseok’s that Sehun is been trying to get rid of. He refuses to wear his coat when he goes out, but he ends up complaining about how cold it is. And at some point, reminding Minseok to bring his coat became part of Sehun’s routine during winter and early spring time.
He remembers Minseok wearing it when they left that morning, which only meant that Minseok had stopped by their room. And this sort of assures him that he’s going to the right place.
Before he goes, he rummages their kitchen cabinets for a thermos and a couple packet of hot chocolate. Minseok prefers coffee, but he’s been overloading himself with caffeine for the past few months, and hot chocolate had always calmed Sehun’s nerves. The thermos is a bit old, but it’s still usable. He remembers his mother insisting that he brings the Pororo thermos, refusing to buy him a new one. He fills it with hot water, careful not to spill any on himself. He stashes the packs into the pocket of his coat and grabs Minseok’s green coat from the rack.
He runs again, across the hallway to where the elevators and staircases are located. He curses his luck and the dorm management, because the elevators have been broken since last week. Which only means he has to climb 18 flights of steep stairs to get to where Minseok could be.
His legs start hurting by the time he finishes climbing 12 flights, but stopping would only be more painful. So he tries to forget the throbbing in his thighs and just continues. He’s visibly exhausted by the time he reaches the 20th floor, but for him it’s okay, because he’s finally reached the rooftop.
The door is slightly ajar, and he’s immediately hit by a gust of cold wind. The air isn’t that cold, but it still bites. He pushes the door, and he’s greeted by the view of a clear sky, with orange and pink hues. The sun will be setting in thirty minutes or so, and he’s now absolutely sure.
Because Minseok loved sunsets. He said that there was something utterly beautiful about them and what they represent. To him, when the sun sets, a person turns another page in his or her life. All the troubles one faced during the day can be buried and forgotten. It’s the end of a chapter and the start of a new one. It’s a promise of a better tomorrow, or it at least could be the start of something new. It’s simply a wonderful and magical thing that can make a person forget all his troubles.
When Minseok brought him here back when he was hopeless and depressed about his injury, he was very skeptical. How could something very ordinary like watching the sunset make him feel better? But when the time came, and skies turned into shades into orange and pink, he had felt the magic the older boy had described to him countless times. He was awed how something that occurs every single day can be something beautiful and breath-taking.
And he clearly remembers Minseok saying, “You what I love the most about sunsets though? I love how I never would get tired of waiting, because it’s different every single time. And it happens every day, but it’s still special. It’s beautiful. And it makes you realize that there are a lot of things in this world that you should be happy and thankful for, even though things are difficult.”
And he’s right, because things would pass, and there are a lot of things he should be happy about.
Minseok was the one who made him realize those things. And Minseok was the one who’s always been there for him, even when he’s just whining about the stupidest things.
And he’s right too, because Minseok is there. Bundled up in his comforter, staring at the skies, waiting for the sunset.
“Hyung!”
Minseok shots up and stares at him with glassy eyes. He was crying. And Sehun’s heart aches, because Minseok never cries. If he did now, then there must be something really bothering him.
“Sehun-ah? What are you doing here?”
Sehun doesn’t know if he should laugh because he should be the one asking Minseok that or just heave a sigh of relief because he found Minseok, whose lips are already turning blue.
He looks cozy though, for once he wore gloves and a beanie. And when he shuffled a bit, Sehun sees that Minseok even took his comforter for extra warmth. Which he doesn’t mind, even though it’s his favorite one.
“Luhan hyung and Yixing hyung have been looking for you, why aren’t you answering your phone?”
Minseok’s eyes noticeably sadden at the mention of best friends. Which only confirms that he knows that the two are taking an internship somewhere else.
“I- I- I just don’t think I can face them yet, I mean I’m not mad. Why would I be? They just want to be closer to their families. But I’m just really upset, at myself, at everything. It’s as if nothing’s going right, and I’m so stressed. I might not graduate this spring, and I was- I was looking forward to the internship a lot-”
Minseok’s voice quivers, and he starts sobbing uncontrollably. Sehun is in shock, but he immediately runs to Minseok’s side, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy.
“Hyung, they’re really worried about you. And I am too. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“I didn’t want to burden anyone. I honestly thought I could handle everything on my own…”
“But you can always tell me, because I know I’ve been burdening you a lot. I’ve been bratty and immature, so much that I didn’t even notice your worries!”
“It’s okay, Sehunnie. I know you have your own troubles, and I’m your hyung, I should be the one taking care of you.”
“I can take care of you too though!”
“I know but-”
“No buts, because just say it hyung, I’ll be there no matter what.”
He lets go of Minseok and lies down on the comforters, pulling the boy down so they can snuggle. Sehun places his arms around Minseok’s shoulder, and he’s happy that his Minseok hyung comes even close, even wrapping his arms around Sehun’s waist. Both of them just lay there, enjoying the breeze and each other’s company. Completely forgetting about everything else.
Sehun loves how their bodies fit together, how he can rest his chin on top of Minseok’s head, how Minseok’s arms feel secure around his waist, how their legs tangled together naturally. But most of all, he loves how he feels warmth and comfort every single time they cuddle like this. It’s perfect, and Sehun wouldn’t want this euphoria to end.
In front of them, the sun is slowly setting, kissing the horizon and making its leave for the day. It’s a beautiful sight, but Sehun thinks that the smile on Minseok’s face is much more beautiful.
“Minseok hyung?”
“Hm?”
“You know I love you right?”
“I know, Sehunnie. Even if you don’t tell me, I know.”