the theory of relativity | heehoon

three.

nine years later.

"I don't remember the trains ever running this late," Sunghoon says, laughing as the carriage jerks over a bump, sending him falling into Heeseung beside him. "Thank goodness for drivers who don't sleep."

Heeseung and Sunghoon are on the last train back home, returning from a late night concert in inner city Seoul they attended as a celebration after finishing their final examinations. Their train car is occupied by only them, late enough to be empty of the other commuters that usually populate the subway.

"They've always been like this," Heeseung answers, one hand on Sunghoon's shoulder to keep him from losing balance again. "Our station was just closed in the past, that's all."

"Ah, that day we came here in the night all by ourselves," Sunghoon's expression melts into a smile at the memory. "Our parents never found out, did they?"

"I don't want to think about what would have happened if they did," Heeseung counters. "God, you would have been grounded till you were thirty. I would have been disowned."

"It's been nine years since then, I can't believe it's been so long."

"Nothing has changed, has it?" The train speeds through the winter night, silhouettes of cities and houses and trees zipping by outside the windows. "Nine years have passed, but here we are again."

"Next station, Bonghwa Mountain."

Sunghoon looks up and his eyes narrow into a grin. "Here we are again."

The train brakes with a long squeal as it pulls into the old train station near their houses, and the two of them alight when the doors open. Only one out of the four boarding platforms still have their lights on, given it's already past the timing for the last train.

"Do you remember?" Sunghoon asks suddenly, pulling Heeseung to a stop in the middle of their walk.

"Remember what?"

"The conversation we had," Sunghoon continues. "Nine years ago, the last time we snuck out here. Do you remember?"

"The one about love?"

"Yeah! God, we were so stupid back then, weren't we?" Sunghoon laughs, pushing the hair back out of his eyes. "You said you didn't know if you loved me back then. Do you love me now?"

"Of course I do." After all these years, they've spent long enough together that he doesn't even need to stop and think about it before answering.

"Then, let's date."

"Aren't you good at math?" Heeseung sends a questioning look in Sunghoon's direction. "Our promise was for ten years, remember? It's only been nine."

"I know~" Sunghoon interjects. "But ten years was just an estimate. If we start now, it'll be our one-year anniversary by the time we reach ten years! Isn't that better?"

Heeseung is hardly one to argue with Sunghoon over things like this. There isn't anyone in the world he'd be more willing to date than his best friend, and he doesn't really see any harm in giving it a try.

"Okay."

"You can't even bring yourself to say anything else?" Sunghoon immediately laments. "This is the start of our love story, and you're starting it with 'Okay.'? How terrible, I should break up with you right now."

Heeseung laughs, leaning into the younger boy's shoulder as he walks. "We couldn't even last a minute?"

"We'll last a thousand minutes," Sunghoon answers, offering his hand to Heeseung. "And then a thousand more, and a thousand more."

The conversation doesn't continue any further, but the silence is comforting as they walk the familiar route home.

─

"I think we should talk about it." The topic resurfaces in the days that follow the night at the train station, and inwardly they both know it has to be settled at some point. Their conversation at the train station was like lacing up a sneaker and leaving the bunny-ears untied; until they sorted out the knot, nothing could really be done.

"Let's talk about it, then," Sunghoon answers readily. "If you're trying to break up with me I won't listen, though."

Heeseung laughs, but he doesn't let the younger boy's random bantering knock him off course. "Yes, about that. What are we, now?"

"We are together," Sunghoon replies. "Are we not?"

"We are," Heeseung reassures quickly. "So, do you...like me or something? I find it a little hard to believe you're with me because you lack options."

"Lack of options? What a terrible thing to insinuate about me!" Sunghoon looks so galvanized that the older boy immediately has to laugh. "If you just wanted to hear me say 'I like you', you should have just said that. How could you hurt my feelings like this."

"You're so full of shit," is all Heeseung bothers to answer, but he's satisfied with Sunghoon's response.

"I like you, anyway," Sunghoon says quickly, dropping his gaze. "I know you want to hear it, and I thought I should say it to you at least once."

"I like you too."

"You sure?"

"No, I'm not sure. I actually hate you and am planning your step-by-step murder in my head right now," Heeseung deadpans, but he's smiling. "Of course I like you. I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"Good," Sunghoon says, but his mind is wandering. Something else seems to occupy his thoughts as he continues walking next to Heeseung, and the older boy notices.

"Or what?"

"Hm?" He looks up from his reverie, but his expression remains cheerful. "Or I'd be sad. You want me to be sad?"

"Of course not. I want us to be happy, always," Heeseung answers. "Although I suppose that's not entirely possible."

"Maybe if you stay by my side, it'll be more possible than you think" Sunghoon says, swinging their interlocked hands as they turn the corner down the street that leads to both their houses. "So don't leave me, you hear?"

"I won't."

As a matter of fact, he doesn't. As the final few months of high school slip by, the two of them spend any spare time they have seeking each other's company, only ever happy to see the other's face in the midst of the most tiring of school days.