Three years later.
Siwoo stood in the midst of a beautiful spectacle of lights.
Ocean, the members’ names, and his own name flowed from countless people’s mouths.
Cheers and heat. His heart pounded as if it would burst at the songs and choreography that continued without end.
“Nemo! I love you!”
When Yechan brought the microphone to his mouth and shouted, even louder words of “I love you” rolled in like waves.
Standing at the edge of the stage, Siwoo was entranced, pressing all these moments into his heart.
The spectacular stage was coming to an end. The main stage was over, and this was the final encore stage.
Round tears rolled down Siwoo’s cheeks from his eyes. But Siwoo couldn’t cover his face or close his eyes. He didn’t want to miss even a bit of this scene that blurred hazily and then became clear again.
This is the last time. Everything he had dreamed of had come true like magic.
That’s why he didn’t want to miss a single thing from this moment. With a loud sound, fireworks burst and flower petals floated like snow.
Twenty-three-year-old Siwoo had been on an overseas tour as a member of Ocean for seven months.
And today was the last day of the long overseas tour.
It was the last day of the overseas tour, and also the end and beginning of his repeatedly cycling life. Tonight at midnight. He couldn’t know what kind of change would occur.
To the music playing like a background, the members were freely moving across the stage.
Feeling like he was about to burst into tears, Siwoo covered his mouth with one hand. The song that he and Evan had written lyrics for together was flowing out. It was his part, but he couldn’t bring himself to sing it.
Instead of his voice, the song the fans sang for him filled the concert hall.
It’s okay, don’t cry. Various words rang out, and with another resounding cheer, Siwoo noticed someone approaching from behind him.
Turning his head slightly, his crying face was being broadcast as is on the huge electronic screen. And seeing that, Evan was running across the stage toward him.
Even in that situation, Evan was perfectly handling his part.
*’Now let’s only love each other.
It’s our destiny
baby, I love you.’*
Feeling embarrassed, he lowered his head and patted his soaking wet face with the end of his sleeve.
He didn’t know this song was in the encore. Either way, it was really time to come down from the stage now.
Time to wake from the dream and return to reality.
“……”
Waving his hand and smiling as he tried to turn around, Siwoo chuckled at Evan’s action of hugging him from behind. At the same time, ear-splitting cheers burst out.
Now it was neither public nor private—who knows. He just knew for certain that the fans liked seeing this kind of thing.
“Uh. Um. This place……”
Since all the other members were going down from the stage, he thought Evan had come to go down together, but when Evan suddenly started speaking, the fans’ voices gradually got quieter.
“For Siwoo and me, this is a place with many memories.”
When Evan brought up something out of the blue, Siwoo lifted his lowered head.
“When I first came here with Coco, he said he wanted to see the night view very late at night when there was no one around. He said he wanted to cross the bridge receiving soft lighting.”
Understanding what Evan was bringing up, Siwoo quickly turned around to look at Evan. And tried to escape his embrace and stop him from saying more.
He raised his hand to cover Evan’s mouth, but as soon as they faced each other, Evan lightly kissed Siwoo’s forehead. And that situation was broadcast live on the large electronic screen.
Evan, waiting for the fans’ cheers—reacting loudly even to this small action—to die down, continued speaking.
“But we crossed that bridge together at dawn yesterday. If I’d known Coco would be that happy, I would have snuck out back then too. I felt a bit regretful.”
‘Don’t do this.’
Unable to stop what Evan was saying, Siwoo moved his lips to convey his will.
“Today is the last day, so please tell Siwoo you love him.”
As soon as his words ended, the concert hall filled with words of “I love you.” Siwoo, who had been trying to stop Evan’s impulsive action, turned his body toward the audience again. At the light created by the light sticks and those voices telling him they loved him, the tears that had barely stopped flowed again.
They don’t know what meaning is contained in the song just sung, and the true meaning of “today is the last day” that Evan just said.
“……”
Evan opened his mouth again, but it was drowned out by the fans’ voices.
“Shh!”
At Evan’s small action of raising his index finger and lightly touching it to his lips, the concert hall instantly became quiet.
“I love Siwoo more.”
Why don’t you just announce you’re dating. But this kind of talk from Evan had now become common. The words of love and affection exchanged between members sometimes sounded like light greetings.
“……ma……”
When Evan’s words were devoured by cheers again, silence quickly returned.
“Coco, Would you marry me if I asked?”
Siwoo’s eyes widened as he replayed the words he’d just heard.
You’ve really gone crazy, Evan Lewis.
Shouldn’t there be cheers at a time like this too? The concert hall became frighteningly quiet, and tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on Siwoo.
Even the staff below the stage were staring at this place with flustered expressions.
Gradually escaping from Evan’s embrace, Siwoo glanced back. Looking at the electronic screen showing his face enlarged, he grinned. The method to turn the documentary Evan had created into a variety show was simple.
“Not yet.”
Leaving a short answer, Siwoo ran with all his might toward the waiting room.
* * *
When Evan, sitting on a large single-person sofa, grabbed Siwoo’s waist, Siwoo obediently sat on his thighs. Draining all the strength from his body and leaning against him, Siwoo kept his gaze outside the window.
As soon as they came down from the stage, they had to face Myunghun with furious eyes. Though everyone didn’t voice it, they sent looks demanding an explanation.
‘Let’s talk tomorrow. I’m tired.’
Calmly ignoring the persistently clinging gazes, Evan took him and left the concert hall.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going back anyway.”
At those words, Siwoo pulled Evan’s left hand and looked at the watch on his wrist.
11:50.
The time of destined fate was approaching.
“It was different last time.”
“……You remember what I said?”
Siwoo nodded at Evan’s words whispering with his lips against his head.
“I’ll call your phone. If by any chance it doesn’t connect, I’ll call the butler.”
He didn’t know what time period or situation he’d return to. If it was as usual, it would be the semi-basement studio apartment at eighteen years old, but even if it was different, there was a way to meet.
“And?”
“Even if I can’t reach you, I’ll live my life diligently for now. Because you’ll come find me.”
“Right. That’s enough.”
The two hearts touching were beating at the same speed.
Feeling Evan’s pheromones, Siwoo closed his eyes. Evan still had his lips against his head and was hugging him tightly.
“I love you.”
In a moment that seemed like time had stopped, Evan’s whisper resonated in Siwoo’s chest. But Siwoo couldn’t readily open his eyes. Because if he opened them, it felt like everything would really disappear.
Evan’s hand grabbed his chin, and soon moist lips found Siwoo’s lips. It wasn’t a light kiss nor a kiss filled with deep heat.
Their breaths gently mingled, and their pheromones harmonized as if becoming one.
Siwoo, who had been falling into a kiss that made him forget everything, opened his eyes wide at a strange feeling and grabbed Evan’s left hand again.
“12:08.”
“12:10.”
“12:16.”
In the continuing silence, time passed, and occasionally the sound of Siwoo reading the time resonated in the space.
Escaping from Evan’s embrace, Siwoo roughly swept back his hair and glared at him still sitting on the sofa.
“……Fuck. We’re screwed.”
It was time to deal with what Evan had caused.
-fin-
