Falling Petals (songkim; completed)

c h a p t e r s i x .

The call the two friends thought was a simple call wasn't all that. After only a minute, Jinhwan followed Jinwoo to his room, crying.

"What happened?" he asked his friend worriedly.

"I need to be in the hospital right now."

Jinhwan's half brother called him, he said their father had a heart attack. Chanwoo told him to be there at once.

The thing is Jinhwan went back to Korea to patch things up with his dad. He left three years ago and hadn't since contacted his father and his family, let alone come home to him.

So Jinwoo drove his friend to the hospital. It was hard for him to watch Jinhwan break down, he was his rock. Jinwoo knew it was the moment he had to return all the favor the younger had given him.

And the morning came.

Jinwoo took the initiative and got breakfast for Jinhwan and his brother. They didn't sleep a wink nor ate a bite since their dad's operation. The doctor said it went well, but Mr. Kim has yet to wake up.

When he returned, he found Jinhwan seated at the bench outside his dad's room. He sat beside him. "Nan, you should eat something. You and Chanwoo."

Without a word, Jinhwan pressed his head on his shoulder, and held his hand.

When Jinwoo turned to him, he found him closing his eyes. So this is what it feels like, he thought to himself. Between the two of them, Jinhwan was the tough one. But that time, he was the needing one and Jinwoo wanted him to rely to him as much as he needed to.

"Are you leaving today?" Jinhwan asked him softly after a while.

"No. I'll stay. I'll stay until your dad gets better."

"Thank you, babe."

"Hmm. Go, have some sleep."

It was morning too for Mino, of course.

And he, too, wasn't able to sleep well. How can he?

The love of his life was so close to him, albeit he didn't know his exact location. He was the one who came up to him, albeit he wanted to talk to him so badly too and would do so if not for Seunghoon.

It was driving him insane how he wasn't able to tell him the words he'd been planning to tell him the next time they cross paths again since three years ago. Jinwoo, I still love you. Please forgive me and come back to me. Those were the exact words.

All he mustered was ask him to read Rose Tattoos, his reason was - he knew - very lame.

Mino finished up his packing. One thing that he loved about being a freelance is he has a hold of his time. He can do whatever he pleased, whenever. And that day, that morning, the thing he wanted and will do...

Fly to Japan.

Because Jinwoo said he would be returning that day.

Mino was determined to get him back. He would earn his second chance, and make sure to keep Jinwoo by his side after.

Tears...

Jinwoo was amazed at how his tears doesn't run out. He'd been crying for a good hour, yet he still has more tears to let out.

Aside from that, he was all broken.

An hour ago, he was at Mino's house, watching him and some girl kissing. The girl was on top of Mino. Mino's shirt was all crinkled, and the strap of the girl's top slid down her arm.

He shouted at them, and Mino looked at him with wide eyes. He pushed the girl away when he realized what was happening. "Who's this, babe?" He heard the damn girl asked.

"Jinwoo, let me explain."

He wanted to laugh when Mino said that because what else must be explained? He saw him cheating with his own eyes, he couldn't deny it anymore.

Funny how he went there that night, even if it was the middle of the night, to apologize to him for believing Jennie instead of him. But on the second thought, he was glad he went there.

"The wedding's off. We're over, Mino."

Mino grabbed his wrist when he turned around from him. "No, please, love, don't do this to me. Please listen to me, Jinwoo. This is all a mistake."

He didn't look at him. He wouldn't let Mino see the tears on his eyes. He didn't deserve to see the pain he'd caused him. Jinwoo pulled away his wrist from Mino. "You screw us up." Then he ran.

He knew Mino was so close behind him, but he heard the girl he was kissing blocked his way and asked him what was happening. He took that as his chance to escape.

And how Jinwoo wished he could truly escape. He held his chest as he got out of the elevator. He was afraid to drive, he felt like he was going to screw himself. But there weren't any taxis that time of the day.

Jinwoo bit his lips to prevent himself from crying, yet after he left Mino's building, the water works started.

He walked, ran, walked again with no destination. His mind was filled yet empty. He felt like he'd gone insane. He just wanted to forget everything, including the happy memories he shared with Mino.

How dare Mino?! How dare Mino break his heart? All in one day, he thought. Mino threw away five years worth of memories, of love for only one day, all in one freaking day.

"Ah!" He exclaimed when he fell on the ground. His knees betrayed him, the weight of the pain Mino pushed to his back was too much for him to bear. And there on the ground, Jinwoo kept on crying.

He stood up and realized he was at a bridge. He walked to the railings, held onto it like his life depends on it. "Ahhh!" he shouted. "Why aren't you running out?" Jinwoo spoke to himself - to his tears.

"It's over. What's the point of crying?"

It was almost pitch dark where he was, no person or car was passing by. If he was to jump on that bridge, no one would find out. He would just disappear in thin air, and maybe that would be the best revenge he can give Mino.

But his parents' face flashed in his mind, and his friends'. Jinwoo knew there was another way to disappear from Mino without hurting himself.

"I'm tired. I'm so exhausted." He turned to the road and wait for a car to drive where he was.

Fifteen minutes later, someone arrived. Jinwoo waved his hand to the car and fortunately, it stopped for him. The window of the passenger's seat rolled down.

"Hi," Jinwoo started. "I'm not really sure where I am, this isn't the way I usually go to. If it's not too much to ask, can I hitch just until where I parked my car? It's not far from here, just, it's just I don't think I can walk anymore and..." The waterworks resumed. "I'm just really so tired. I wanna go home so bad."

The driver smiled at him. "Sure, hop in. Tell me where you parked your car."

Jinwoo's tears doubled, yes it was still possible. He felt like he met a good samaritan. He was comforted by his warm smile.

"I'm Jinhwan," the owner of the car told him.

"Thank you, Jinhwan. I'm Jinwoo."

And that was how their precious friendship started.