Fateful Encounters (1/1)
It was another day and another audition for yet another role he knew he wouldn't get. Sungyeol had given his everything in front of the casting directors and showed them every bit of his brightness and passion, but as he left he felt it all dissipate to be replaced with his feelings of self doubt. He knew he wasn't going to get a call back. If he did it would be for a second audition at best. He had only scored one of those and unfortunately that hadn't been enough either. When it came to his acting career he was beginning to feel hopeless. Sungyeol made his way downtown to his favorite hang out spot; a cozy cafe near his old high school where he often spent time with his friends both old and new. He was hoping maybe to see a familiar face, one face in particular. When he entered the cafe though, he was disappointed to see none of his friends. He even peeked around all the high backed couches and semi private seating areas, but to no avail. Sungyeol figured this was just his luck today and went to the counter to at least get a beverage out of the excursion. He was standing dejected as he waited for his drink when he heard a familiar and purely blissful sound. His best friend's excited little laugh that he swore could make angels cry rang in his ear just as he felt his warm body press into his back. Slim arms wrapped around his torso in an instant and a chin rested on his shoulder, digging in slightly in a way that could be uncomfortable if the action wasn't full of affection. Sungyeol peeked behind him to see Sungjong's perfect face only mere inches away as he smiled brightly at him. Unlike Sungyeol, his best friend's eyes shined with excitement and delight. His lips were spread in a wide grin as he looked over Sungyeol's face as if he hadn't seen him in a decade rather than just the night before. "Hyung how was the audition?" he asked excitedly, not seeming to pick up on his mood yet. That's when Sungyeol realized that he was actually smiling now despite how rotten he felt only a moment before. Sungjong had simply always had this power over him. "Let's not talk about it," he tried to answer placidly, not wanting to call attention to it and ruin the mood. But of course it didn't work. "What do you mean?" the younger replied with a cute frown now, his eyes unintentionally becoming bigger and sadder as he looked him over with concern now. Sungyeol attempted to use the acting skills he had been honing over the years to show Sungjong a confident face now. "It's just that we're always talking about me. I want to hear what's going on with you." Much to his chagrin Sungjong wasn't falling for it. He backed out of their embrace and Sungyeol instantly felt a little colder. Sungjong merely sighed as he reached for the neglected drink that he had ordered for himself moments before and grabbed Sungyeol's hand with his free one, interlacing their fingers before pulling him towards the back of the cafe. "Jong-ah," Sungyeol complained half heartedly to the younger, but it was no use. When Sungjong had his mind set on something he didn't stop for anyone. "Sit down over here hyung and tell me everything," Sungjong demanded as he brought them over to a large two seater couch that they had spent many hours on over the past years. Sungjong had always liked the red suede fabric of the loveseat and often ran his fingers over it absentmindedly while they talked. It didn't even seem like a thought anymore when he chose this couch. Even though it was a spot where others often sat it felt like it was theirs anytime they were here. Like their own special place. Sungyeol did as he was told and sat down on the left side as usual, his body fitting into it perfectly as he rested back into the cushions wearily. Sungjong took his spot beside him and sat in a way he often did. He turned his body so he was facing Sungyeol and slung his legs over his. Sungjong's slender calves rested on his thighs and his feet were perched on the arm rest beside his elbow. As usual he took his shoes off beside the couch and Sungyeol smiled faintly at the printed socks he wore today, stripes with cupcakes in between; completely sweet just like him. Some others might find their closeness strange, but they had been this way a long time. They were best friends since their second year in high school and they knew each other well. They saw each other every day and these little signs of affection were common and not even thought about. Sungyeol peered over to his friend to see he was waiting expectantly for him to speak while sipping on the drink he had ordered for himself, once again without a second thought. And of course Sungyeol didn't mind. He could never be upset with Sungjong over anything. Even in these times when he was being pushy and insistent with him, he couldn't be mad and he couldn't deny him. The best he could do was whine pathetically and play on his friend's sympathies. "Please Jong-ah can't we just talk about something that isn't miserable?" he complained with a couple foot kicks added in. "Let's talk about you. Are you dating anyone? Tell me about him." "Hyung you're asking me if I'm dating someone since yesterday afternoon when I saw you last?" Sungjong asked incredulously and a little impatiently. "Well... it could happen," Sungyeol mumbled with a frown on his lips. "A day is enough time for things to change. Just one moment is enough time to change everything." "Hyung this isn't the time to practice lines on me," Sungjong responded with an eyeroll as he fidgeted in his seat. "Just tell me what's wrong." Sungyeol wanted to argue that he wasn't just repeating lines from a script and he was dead serious, but it didn't really matter. Sungjong wasn't going to let this go no matter what. "The audition went the same as any other audition," he mumbled and avoided his friend's gaze. "They weren't interested in me. They stopped paying attention to me after the first minute and they even called me by the wrong name when I was leaving." "They're blind fools then," Sungjong said with a snap. Sungyeol peered back over at him to see him practically bristling in his seat. "They clearly aren't good at their jobs and their show will probably fail miserably. You'll be glad they didn't cast you in their joke of a production. I bet it'll even be canceled right after the pilot because they clearly have no eye for talent because they aren't talented themselves." Once again despite his foul mood Sungyeol felt a smile stretching across his face as he eyed his genuinely upset friend. He could see in the set of his narrow shoulders and the way he pressed his lips together that he was angry and now tight with tension. No matter how many auditions Sungyeol failed Sungjong was always like this. He, unlike Sungyeol, full heartedly believed in him. He always had. "How'd I get so lucky to find a best friend like you?" Sungyeol asked quietly. Sungjong's attention was brought back on him and his eyes softened instantly, his anger over his audition fading as he took on a slightly weary look. "I was the lucky one," he replied seriously. "And I've been lucky ever since." Sungyeol remembered clearly the first day they met. It had been only the second week of his second year in high school. He was washing his hands in the bathroom when the door had crashed open and Sungjong had run in closing and locking the door behind him. He had been just a skinny thing at the time. Sungjong was still slim but he was made up of fine curves now and softness that he knew well from all the times they hugged. But when he was just a kid he had been bonier, almost unhealthy looking and Sungyeol had noticed it instantly. But what concerned him more was Sungjong's mental state when they first met. He wouldn't have been able to guess it if he had just met Sungjong today, but when they were younger he was timid and on that first meeting he was scared out of his wits as well. He hadn't even noticed Sungyeol in the room with him at first as his body was taken over with back shuddering gasps for air and quiet, stifled cries. Sungyeol had been terrified himself as he approached the boy that still had his back to him. He had reached out to touch his shoulder to get his attention or to comfort him or both, he couldn't remember. As soon as he had touched the younger though he had let out a frightened cry as he turned around with wide panicked eyes, his whole body shaking. It had taken a moment to calm him down and assure him that he wasn't going to hurt him. But when he did another surprising thing happened. Sungjong had broken down and collapsed into him. The slender arms he was now fully used to wrapping around him had shocked him at the time. The younger had pressed his face into his chest and let his tears and his fear slowly leave his body. Sungyeol could only make shushing sounds and pat this unknown boy's back awkwardly. Eventually Sungjong calmed down and backed away full of apologies. The word sorry had spilled from his mouth over and over. Something about it had driven him crazy. He hated hearing him sound so guilty over nothing but expressing his own human emotions. It hurt him to look at his sad eyes and tear stained cheeks and he didn't even know him. But Sungyeol had felt the need to protect him and keep him close before he even knew his name. He had spent the whole next class period in that bathr