to stay Quiet

LA . 2010 _____

9:08 a.m.

Cardboard boxes were scattered around the apartment, some of them still unopened, left sealed and carelessly leaning against the wall.

He sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought for the thousandth time that day, staring into nothingness as his mind replayed the same scenario over and over again.

After the fire that swallowed his old university, he decided to move away, carrying memories that hadn't burned and continued to haunt him against his will.

He had spent the last three years trapped in the same cycle-one ordinary day moving forward, and the next dragging him back to the events of that night.

He stood by the window, watching the movement in his new neighborhood. People came and went. Just like him, they had a past... and pain.

Had they gotten over it?

Or were they still thinking about it?

Had they buried it and moved on with their lives?

Or did guilt still follow them... the way it followed him?

In the end, it all came down to the person themselves. Even if they weren't responsible for what happened, they could still choose whether to move on. And if they chose to live as prisoners of the past... then that was exactly what they would become.

He walked over to the black bag beside the door, grabbed the apartment keys, then headed toward the entrance to put on his sneakers.

He picked up his skateboard, its underside covered in random-looking drawings. But none of them had been drawn without meaning; every shape and symbol carried memories that time had refused to erase.

He left the apartment and rode his skateboard toward the university that was supposed to help him start a new life.

He slowed down and pressed on the tail of the board, catching it in his hand.

Walking quietly among the students with his skateboard tucked under his arm, his eyes scanned the unfamiliar place nervously until he heard his name echo through the hallway.

A familiar voice cut through the crowd.

"Oh my God, Seonghyeon!!"

He turned to find a blond young man throwing his arms around him.

Slightly shorter than him, with messy hair and clothes that reflected the fashion of this era, his smile hadn't changed in years.

"When did you get here? Why didn't you call me?"

Seonghyeon returned the smile after pulling away from the hug, though his own lacked Martin's excitement.

"Sorry, Martin hyung... I arrived this morning."

He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact.

"I was busy organizing my new apartment, so I didn't call."

Martin nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on. I'll introduce you to everyone and show you around so you can get used to the place."

Seonghyeon simply nodded and walked beside him.

While Martin enthusiastically talked to his friends about how close he and Seunghyun were, he sat among them in silence.

He heard their loud laughter and watched their lips moving, yet he couldn't make out a single word.

It felt as if he was sitting beside them...

But his soul wasn't in the same world.

It was trapped somewhere else-

A place he had never left for the past three years.

He flinched when Martin's hand shook his shoulder.

"Seonghyeon, are you still with us?"

He looked up at the older man, as

though waking from a distant dream.

"Hm?"

"The first class is about to start... let's go."

He nodded, picked up his skateboard, and followed them.

After class ended, each of them packed away their notebooks and organized their bags.

"Do you have another lecture now?"

Martin asked.

"No. What about you?"

Martin shook his head.

"I don't either."

"What do you think about visiting one of the restaurants nearby? I don't really like the cafeteria food."

"Sure."

Seonghyeon agreed without hesitation. Even if he had been busy, he wouldn't have refused. Spending time with Martin meant more to him than anything else.

They sat across from each other at a quiet restaurant.

It wasn't crowded.

Soft music played in the background while Martin carefully looked through the menu.

"Oh! They have Korean food too! I haven't had it in such a long time."

The waiter approached with a small notepad and a black pen.

"I'll have Dak-bokkeumtang, a beef sandwich, and a lemon-honey soda... What about you, Seonghyeon?"

For the first time, he glanced at the menu.

He wasn't really interested in what they served.

He already knew he'd end up ordering whatever Martin chose.

"I'll have the same."

"So, two Dak-bokkeumtang dishes, two beef sandwiches, and two bottles of lemon-honey soda. Is that correct?"

Martin nodded, and the waiter left.

"I didn't expect you to still keep it."

The taller man pointed beneath the table.

"I never thought about replacing it."

Seonghyeon replied with a small smile as his fingertips traced the edge of his skateboard.

"Do you still draw on it?"

"No... I just keep it the way it is."

"You really take good care of it."

A few minutes later, the food arrived.

The first thing Martin did was lean closer and inhale its aroma.

Without realizing it, he found himself doing the same.

Small habits that had never changed over the years.

His movements naturally mirrored Martin's.

"By the way..."

Martin set his chopsticks down after swallowing a bite, while Seonghyeon quietly listened.

"I never introduced you to the music club. We'll head there in a bit-you should sign up too."

Leaning back with a wide grin, he added

"So you can be my assistant. I'm putting those vocal ranges of yours to work this time."

"Then let's go."

pushed his plate aside and picked up his bag.

Martin frowned.

"Finish your food first!"

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I'm full... Let's go."

2:18 p.m.

Seonghyeon kept glancing sideways at Martin from behind the microphone as the older man searched for lyrics to match the beat he was working on.

The way Martin hummed random melodies and constantly replaced unfinished words with new ideas made Seonghyeon realize just how difficult making music really was.

"Your turn now. Keep repeating these words when the beat starts."

He adjusted himself and stepped closer to the microphone, placing the headphones over his ears.

When they finished recording, Martin played the song again.

A huge smile spread across his face as he nodded along to the rhythm.

Soon he was jumping around excitedly inside the small studio.

Seonghyeon joined him, messing around with the beat and repeating the lyrics.

The two moved in perfect sync, dancing together.

He became so loud and energetic that Martin collapsed onto the floor laughing.

"I love it when you get noisy, Sean."

Seonghyeon's smile only grew wider as he continued jumping around.

"I missed this, Sean."

Martin whispered softly-