"exquisite night out, isn't it?" seungmin's dad glanced over to his son, then turned his eyes back on the road.
"yeah. i haven't seen the sky so... clear? if that even makes sense. woah, you can actually see the stars!" seungmin was amazed, "it's always so cloudy or something!"
"that made sense," seungmin's dad chuckled, "especially in a city like seoul. it's so rare to see the sky so clear because of all the light pollution."
"yeah. i started being more mindful of electricity now."
"that's good," seungmin's dad ruffled seungmin's hair, "by the way, how are you and hyunjin? are you guys doing well?"
seungmin sighed, "ah, well... you see, he's changed a lot ever since middle school... it's like he's not the hyunjin i used to know anymore."
"really? how so?"
"i'm pretty sure the people he hung out with influenced him."
"that's too unfortunate. are you at all affected by this?"
seungmin scoffed, "nah. i have other things to worry about," he clarified.
"that's good. you should never let yourself get affected by things like this. remember, friends always come and go. only the true ones will stay by your side."
seungmin giggled softly, "thanks for the motivational words dad."
"you're welcome," he laughed.
seungmin and his dad eventually reached the hwang's house. it was a 30 minute drive away from seoul. they lived on the countryside, which was the opposite to where seungmin's house was. some people would find a 30 minute drive too long, but for seungmin, it felt like a 5 minute drive just cause he's been here so many times.
"mr. kim!" mr. hwang rushed over as seungmin's dad parked the car.
"hello, mr hwang. how good it is to see you again," seungmin's dad held out his hand to shake hands with mr. hwang.
seungmin stood beside his dad as he quietly observed his surroundings.
"pleasure to see you, mate. i've been looking forward to you and seungmin's arrival," mr. hwang held out his hand to shake hands with seungmin and his dad.
"how is hyunjin doing, by the way? i haven't seen him and heard from him in such a long time," seungmin's dad added.
mr. hwang laughed, "he's been doing so awful on his studies. heck, his teacher even called me this morning that she quit!"
"oh my," seungmin's dad was surprised. he had always thought hyunjin was a bright kid, "that is too unfortunate."
"yeah, i'm trying to look for a better tutor for him but it's just so hard to find one nowadays," mr. hwang sighed, "anyhow, shall we go inside now?"
seungmin's dad nodded his head in agreement, "seungmin? do you wanna stay in the car or do you wanna come inside?"
"i'll come inside," seungmin answered, "mr. hwang, may i use the washroom, please?"
mr. hwang smiled, "yes for sure, dear. you don't even have to ask me!"
seungmin knew his way around the house fairly well. the house was humongous, but it was no problem for him. seungmin's dad and mr. hwang have been the bestest friends ever since he was born, so he'd always spend most of his time here.
"let's see... the washroom should be down this hallway," seungmin spoke to himself, "ah! here it is!"
just as seungmin was about to open the door, a shirtless tall figure appeared right in front of him. he slowly looked up to lock eyes with the one and only hwang hyunjin, who had just finished taking a shower.
[ chapter one fin. ]
[ 23 mar. 2020 ]
