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It happens suddenly. The day that Beomgyu meets the boy in his dreams.
For quite a while now, he’s been dreaming of a boy. He and the boy are always seen in different settings—in a castle, on a farm, at a ballroom party in the 50s—and yet never in a modern setting. He’s never met the boy in real life, so it makes Beomgyu wonder whether the boy is real, or just part of his imagination.
But either way, Beomgyu loves the boy in his dreams. Not just because they are usually lovers in the dreams, but also because the boy is so charming and endearing to Beomgyu. He has a beautiful laugh like the ringing of bells, and Beomgyu loves his cute dimples that sometimes pop out when he’s not even smiling.
Beomgyu has a vague picture of the boy in his mind. He remembers dimples and crescent eyes and some fragments of his voice, so he tries his hardest to listen or look out for the boy. If he’s even real, that is.
On Wednesday, Beomgyu and his soccer team head over to the rival university for a practice match. It’s his first time, and he’s more excited to learn new things from their team, as opposed to some of his other teammates who are quite competitive. As they head out to the soccer field to warm up, Beomgyu notices a couple of boys sitting on the bleachers.
“You can do it, Taehyunnie!”
“Show them who the best striker is!”
Beomgyu gasps as he sees those familiar dimples from his dreams.
It’s him. It’s the boy.
Beomgyu walks up the bleachers, ignoring his teammates calling for him.
“Binnie?” He can already feel the tears sliding down his face. “Is that you?”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
Beomgyu’s heart drops and breaks into a million pieces. As he stares into Soobin’s wide eyes, he’s hit with memories of their past lives together.
“Come on, Binnie! We gotta hurry!”
They’re 12 and 13. A prince and his personal guard.
“H-Hey! Gyu! You’re not supposed to be outside the castle! Wait!”
“It’ll be okay! I’ve got you to protect me!”
“Another rough day, huh?” Soobin pulls Beomgyu to lean on his shoulder.
“Yeah. It’s hard working on the farm.” Beomgyu sighs, feeling at ease by Soobin’s side.
They live on neighbouring farms, stargazing every night on their rooftops.
“Rest. I’ve got you.” Soobin smiles at him.
“I must say, you look quite dashing.” Beomgyu winks.
“I’d say the same for yourself. And what might your name be?” Soobin hums.
“Choi Beomgyu.”
“Choi Soobin. Pleased to meet you.”
Two strangers who meet at a party and become entangled in each other’s lives.
“S-Sorry… It’s nothing.” Beomgyu bows and runs to the bathroom, away from his teammates and from Soobin.
Beomgyu locks himself in a cubicle and cries.
Soobin doesn’t remember them. They’ve gone through so many lives together, and yet Soobin doesn’t remember any of them. He has no recollection of himself and Beomgyu being lovers.
In this lifetime, Beomgyu is a stranger to him.
Beomgyu decides to give up on him. He tries and he tries, but he can’t stop thinking about him, and Soobin never stops haunting his dreams, either. He hates it. It’s like the universe is telling him that they’re bound to end up together again.
‘Fat chance.’ Beomgyu sighs.
How are they supposed to spend this lifetime together when Soobin can’t even remember him? It was never a problem before. They’d always found each other, and remembered. Beomgyu never thought there’d be a lifetime where only one of them remembered. Maybe this was where it stopped. Maybe in this lifetime, they just weren’t meant to be.
Maybe in this lifetime, they’re meant to find love elsewhere. Maybe Soobin already has a boyfriend (or a girlfriend), and he doesn’t need Beomgyu to be happy. Beomgyu is glad that Soobin is from another university, saving himself from the pain of meeting him again. Beomgyu sighs, sipping his coffee and willing himself not to cry again. If living with the memories of their past lives and avoiding Soobin is what he needs to do this time, he’ll do it.
“Hey, Binnie, have you ever heard of reincarnation?” 17-year-old Beomgyu asks.
“No… What is it?” Soobin tilts his head.
“Mother said that after we die, we reincarnate and we get to live another life. It could be something completely different, or we could end up in a similar lifestyle.” Beomgyu stares at the stars in awe.
“That sounds… crazy.” Soobin laughs.
“I know, right? Mother said that this could be my first life, or my 100th life, and I could never know. She said that sometimes we remember, and sometimes we don’t.”
“Wow… that sounds cool. Living different lives.”
“Do you think…” Beomgyu takes Soobin’s hand. “That we’ll be together in the next life too?”
“We could be.” Soobin smiles, squeezing his hand. “That’d be nice. I don’t think a life without you would be very fun.”
“I think so too! Hey, let’s make a promise!” Beomgyu giggles. “In our next life, we definitely have to meet each other again.”
Soobin nods. “Whether we’re just friends or we fall in love again.”
“Impossible! I’d fall for you in every lifetime, Binnie.” Beomgyu grins wide and cups Soobin’s cheek.
“So would I, Gyu. I can’t resist your charm.” Soobin kisses his palm tenderly.
“So it’s a promise, then?”
“It’s a promise.”
A promise sealed with a kiss under a host of stars as their witness.
Soobin jolts awake and feels wet tears on his cheeks and a warmth in his chest.
“Beomgyu.”
Soobin runs and runs, as fast as his legs can take him, ignoring the burning in his chest. He runs all over the unfamiliar campus, until he finally, finally finds him .
“Gyu!”
Soobin pants as he stands, hands on his knees as he catches his breath, in front of Beomgyu’s table.
“Soobin?” Beomgyu wipes his tears immediately. “Why are you here?”
“I found you.”
Beomgyu lets the tears run free as he opens his arms and smiles fondly.
“Welcome home.”