-Fireflies' Love- (A JiKyu Fanfiction)

十五: With the First Bridge

Hyunsuk didn't have to take the extra burden of walking Jihoon home, but he had a hunch that if he had not accompanied the depressed guy, Jihoon would probably end up strolling aimlessly till God knows when! Had Jihoon been rich, he'd probably settle with alcohol, but he didn't have the money to waste. So, his coping mechanism was to walk on night streets with nowhere to go. According to Choi Hyunsuk, it's dangerous. And it actually is. So, Jihoon needed to stop.

Hyunsuk walked all the way to his small apartment. It was late, and he'd have to go quite far to reach home. Still, he decided to take a few more minutes to talk some sense in Jihoon.

"Hyung, you can just crash here." Jihoon offered. Hyunsuk didn't agree to it, "I can go back just fine."

"It's late." Said Jihoon, "I don't want anything to happen to you too."

Hyunsuk sighed, "Jihoonie, you need to let him go, okay?" Jihoon only sighed in return. It had been a month already, but the memories of Junkyu was afresh in his head. As if it were yesterday he talked to Junkyu about his feelings. Then the night- the most precious one. Did Junkyu leave because he kissed him without permission?

"Hoonie?" Hyunsuk walked closer to his friend, to hold his arms. Jihoon stared at him with no life in his eyes.

"Look, if what you told me is true, then Junkyu has gone back to his place, right? He must be happy! He went back to his parents, his- his lover, his friends. You don't have to worry about him."

"Even if he did, wouldn't he try to reach out to me?" Jihoon asked, "Was I not important? I was his friend too, right?"

"Maybe he's just- you know.. happy in his own world?"

Jihoon looked hurt by the words, but Hyunsuk had to be harsh. Jihoon couldn't be holding onto false hope. Over a guy who's assumably a connecting link between universes.

"What if he couldn't go back to his place?" Jihoon asked, "What if he's stuck there, and he needs my help, and I'm just- this stupid, good for nothing loser who doesn't know of a way to help him-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Hyunsuk grabbed him harder, "This has got nothing to do with you, okay? He's back to his family and that's it."

"Why didn't he try to talk to me then?" Jihoon's eyes teared up, "I miss him, hyung. He was- he was this sunshine in my life and now he's gone, just like... Her."

"Jihoon," Hyunsuk called, "Junkyu's not Miyoung. He didn't treat you like shit. And I've seen how happy he made you feel."

"But he's gone now." Jihoon sniffed, "And it's just the same. It hurts so bad."

"It's okay, you'll get over him. Hm? We'll find someone better. Now don't cry, okay?"

Jihoon still cried. This was what he could do anyway. Since that night, he cried, felt hurt, and was so damn lonely. He'd spend days with no meaning. Hyunsuk was wrong. How could he ever move on from Junkyu when he didn't even know where the latter could be!

"Did your friend find something?" Jihoon asked after a bit.

"About the dreams? Nope, not yet. He said it's a huge library, so he needs time to check everything out." Hyunsuk replied. After Junkyu's departure, Jihoon asked him to find anything to help the traveller and luckily, Hyunsuk had a friend working in the huge city library. He said that he'd find ancient books about it.

"Can you tell him to hurry up? I can help too if he needs." Jihoon impatiently said.

"Hey, he will. Don't worry. I know Yedam. He's not someone to slack off." Hyunsuk replied. Jihoon did not look too happy, but he shut down. What more could he do anyway?