prologue: autumn; part one: do i know you?; word count: 2,006

Kyungsoo was a simple man. A twenty-three year old barista at local coffee shop in downtown Daejeon. Physically, he didn't believe he was much to look at. He was short and stocky, with big round eyes that didn't see too well without his owl-eye glasses. Though for whatever reason, all the girls who came into the coffee shop were always hemming and hawing over him. Some even attempted to flirt with him. But Kyungsoo was oblivious. Perhaps he wasn't able to notice because he wasn't interested in women. His co-worker, Jongdae tried to bring it to his attention once. "You know almost every single girl who comes in here is trying to flirt with you, right?" But poor oblivious Kyungsoo just shrugged and said,

"They're simply being nice, Jongdae." Jongdae shook his head in disbelief.

"You really are clueless, aren't you Soo?"

"No, I think you're just delusional. They're not flirting with me. Besides, why would they? I'm nothing special. I wouldn't be surprised however if they were flirting with you."

"With me?"

"Yes, with you. Kim Jongdae. The dreamboat of Daejeon."

"No one calls me that." Jongdae laughed.

"Well they should." Kyungsoo muttered under his breath. Jongdae tilted his head.

"Aigoo, you have a crush on me, don't you?" he teased.

"Shut up, don't get cocky. Just because I think you're good looking doesn't mean I have a crush on you." Kyungsoo jested. This had been their relationship for as long as they had known each other. Jongdae would tease or poke fun at Kyungsoo, and Kyungsoo would poke right back.

"Besides," Kyungsoo scoffed, trying to sound as snobbish as he could to carry on the joke. "I don't think you're that good looking." Jongdae covered his mouth and gasped in mock offense.

"But you just called me dreamboat!"

"Well I lied." The two laughed at the scene they'd just played out. It had been like something out of one of those really overly dramatic soap operas.

"Aish, what a pair we are huh?" Jongdae grinned, putting a fresh pot of coffee in the machine to brew.

"Mhmm," Kyungsoo laughed, a bright, heart-shaped smile gracing his lips.

"Well, I've gotta get going. I'll see you tomorrow right Soo?" Jongdae smiled.

"Yup. 9am on the nose," Kyungsoo beamed. Jongdae nodded and hung up his apron, clocking out.

"See ya." And with that, Jongdae left. It was an hour before closing. Kyungsoo always enjoyed this time, because it was his time to be by himself. Not a lot of customers came around at this particular hour, except maybe an occasional few in the first couple of minutes. Kyungsoo went about the usual closing hour duties that he took it upon himself to carry out. He cleaned the coffee pots and put in fresh filters for the next morning. He restocked the styrofoam cups and plastic lids that rested beside the coffee pots.

It wasn't until he was in the middle of cleaning the tables, off in his own little world as he hummed a cheerful little tune, that the bell rang. That little bell that sits above the entrance and rings every time someone enters the shop.

"Are you still open?" a voice asked from the doorway. Kyungsoo turned around to see the face to which the voice belonged. And almost instantly, he felt as though he recognized it. But he couldn't put a finger on exactly how, so he just shrugged it off and told the stranger that, yes, the shop was still open.

"How do you like your coffee?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Two spoonfuls of sugar, a little bit of milk and some whipped cream. I suppose I'm pretty simple." The stranger laughed, and Kyungsoo knew he'd heard his laugh somewhere before.

"Alright, coming right up." Kyungsoo smiled as he brewed coffee for the stranger. He took out a Sharpie to write the stranger's name on his cup, but realized he'd never asked for it.

"It's Jongin," the stranger laughed softly, noticing the pen in Kyungsoo's hand hovering over the white styrofoam cup. "My name's Jongin." There was that feeling of familiarity again. As soon as Jongin told Kyungsoo his name, Kyungsoo knew he'd heard it before. "Hey, why don't you close up early and come join me in the park?"

"Why would I—" Kyungsoo was about to question why on earth he would go out to the park with a total stranger. But then that strange feeling of familiarity crept back to him, and he thought maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. He could finally figure out how the hell he knew Jongin, if he truly did at all.

"It's fine if you don't want to. Don't swe—"

"I'll go," Kyungsoo smiled. "It's almost closing time anyway, so it's no big deal if I close up a little early. Besides, it's beautiful outside. I'll take any and every opportunity to be out there in Mother Nature's masterpiece that we call autumn. Just give me quick second to make a cup for myself okay?" he motioned to the coffee machine and Jongin nodded.

Once Kyungsoo had brewed himself a cup of coffee, he turned the sign on the door to let everyone know the shop was closed. Then, putting on his coat, he followed Jongin outside.

"So Jongin,"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course!"

"Do I… Do I know you?"

Jongin nodded. "Yeah, don't you remember?" he asked. "We were best friends when we were kids. We used to spend nearly every second of every day together. That was of course, until you moved away. I thought I'd never see you again. But when I looked in the window of the coffee shop, I recognized your face immediately. You haven't changed a bit Kyungsoo!"

Kyungsoo was still beyond confused. Jongin knew his name, even though he never told it to him at the coffee shop. This meant that either the story he was telling was true, or, Jongin was a creepy stalker. But if he were a creepy stalker, Kyungsoo probably would have noticed him at some point, leading him to believe the former over the latter. But if that were the case, and he really had been best friends with Jongin in his youth, then how did he not remember? He sat for a moment, pondering in silence until it was broken by Jongin's voice.

"You… really don't remember me?"

"No I'm sorry Jongin, I don't."

"But the day you left, you swore you'd never forget me."

Kyungsoo remembered moving when he was young, but he couldn't remember everyone he said goodbye to. He was young at the time, and currently he didn't have contact with more than half the people he'd known in his youth. But for some reason, he vaguely remembered saying goodbye to one person in particular on the day he left Busan. Was it Jongin? It must've been, if Jongin was telling him all these stories about how close they used to be.

"I-I did?"

"Yeah. You told me you'd never forget me and… you told me you loved me."

Kyungsoo's eyes widened. "Love?" he asked. "I told you that I… loved you?" He was completely dumbfounded. He couldn't even remember knowing this person, let alone telling him that he loved him.

"You really don't remember me?" Jongin asked again, tears welling up in his eyes. Kyungsoo felt horrible for not being able to remember something that clearly meant so much to Jongin. The worst part was that he couldn't even figure out why he couldn't remember.

"Jongin I'm sorry I really don't remem—"

Kyungsoo was cut off by Jongin pressing a sweet, tender kiss to his lips. It was one last desperate attempt to get Kyungsoo to remember him.

"Do you remember me now?"

"I-I…"

"Look, I know we were young, and that's probably why you don't remember me. But—"

"Yes, Jongin that's exactly it. I was young. I was moving around a lot because my father just could not keep a job. I had such a hard time remembering names and faces because by the time I was seven years old I had already lived in five different houses. But when you came into the coffee shop I… I knew I'd seen your face before. When you were telling me all those stories I… I remembered bits and pieces, but all the memories that came to me were so vague. I could see a best friend, you. But I couldn't clearly see your face, or hear your name. But when you said that I told you I loved you, I knew I had to try harder to remember you. And then you kissed me and… and…"

"And what, Kyungsoo?"

"And I realized that a heart just can't forget a love like ours, Jongin. You kissed me, and it all came back. The little boy who I said goodbye in my driveway the day my family packed up and left Busan when I was five. The little boy who I kissed goodbye that day, and told that I loved him and I'd never forget him. That little boy was you, wasn't it?"

Jongin stared at him in awe. "Kyungsoo," he said, tears welling up in his eyes again. But this time they were tears of joy. "Kyungsoo? You remember!" he tightly embraced the shorter male, holding him so tightly that it was almost as if Kyungsoo would disappear into thin air if he let go.

"Jongin. Too tight!" Kyungsoo slapped at the taller male's arms lightly, hoping he would loosen his grip. "Can't breathe."

"Oh sorry! Sorry, I'm sorry!" Jongin rambled a stream of apologies as he released his grip. "I'm just so… for lack of a better word, happy."

"I could give you a few." Kyungsoo laughed.

"What?"

"You said, 'for lack of a better word' so I'm saying I could give you a better word."

"How many words are there in the world that mean 'happy' Kyungsoo?"

"There are so many Jongin. There's ecstatic, overjoyed, thrilled or my personal favorite—"

"On cloud nine?"

"Well yeah, that's a good one too. But I was gonna say that my personal favorite is with you."

A bright blush painted Jongin's cheeks with a sanguine tint that Kyungsoo couldn't help but find beautiful.

"Hey Jongin?"

"Yeah?"

Jongin's lips were quickly met with Kyungsoo's as the shorter male stood on his tiptoes to capture the other's lips in a sweet, tender kiss.

"I love you. And this time, I'm gonna remember it. Damn it Kim Jongin, I promise you this. I'll love you F-O-R-E-V-E, but not R, because that would be the end of forever."

"That's gotta be one of the cheesiest things I've ever heard." Jongin laughed as he held Kyungsoo in his arms. "But it was precious, just like you." Kyungsoo's cheeks were suddenly painted the same crimson color that Jongin's had been only moments ago.

"Thank you, Jongin."

"Hmm? Oh, of course." Jongin beamed and softly kissed Kyungsoo's cheek. "I mean, I call'em like I see'em, and I see you as a really prec—"

"No no, I don't mean the compliment" Kyungsoo shook his head. "Though, that was very sweet of you. Thank you for that too."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Thank you for loving me. For bringing everything back. I can't tell you how much it means to me, knowing that after all this time you still remembered me, even if I didn't remember you. But I've gotta ask, how'd you know it was me in the coffee shop?"

"I told you, you haven't changed a bit. How could I forget those big, bright beautiful eyes? Or that sweet heart-shaped smile? You were a really handsome kid Kyungsoo. And you've grown into an even more handsome young man." Kyungsoo's blush had faded, but Jongin's words made it come crawling back. The shorter male's cheeks were once again painted with a scarlet tint. Jongin grinned as he softly caressed Kyungsoo's bright red cheek. "Hey, Kyungsoo?"

"Yeah?"

"I promise that I'm always gonna love you too."