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[10:27 pm]

stargazing is like spending time with jisung—the longer you do it, the more you see that you didn’t notice before.

“how many of them do you think are up there?” jisung asks, staring at the open sky.

you scoff. “at least twenty.”

“hey, i’m being serious.”

the playground is bare except for the two of you, sitting on the swings with heads craned towards the sky. you weren’t sure why, but you always found yourself coming back here, to the meeting place jisung had chosen in first grade. or rather, the spot by the swingset where he’d sent a cherry ball flying into the side of your head and begged for your forgiveness.

you like to tease him about it every once in a while.

the two of you used to have competitions to see who could swing the highest. and you sometimes wondered, if you went high enough, could you go up and around the top of the swings in a loop? other times, you would try to be in sync with one another. it never lasted very long, because jisung was heavier than you and reached the ground faster.

you slow yourself down to a mere sway, your sneakers gently brushing the platform below. “then i don’t know. ask google.”

“but i asked what you thought,” he says, sighing. you don’t have to see his face to know he’s pouting.

finally, you comply. “trillions, then. or more. once you get past trillions it doesn’t make much of a difference, does it? it’s just a lot.”

jisung hums, satisfied with your answer. the chains of his swing creak as he slows down to match your pace, and a comfortable silence falls between the two of you as you enjoy the night ambiance.

“look!” he fervently points at some arbitrary spot in the sky.

“what?” your neck cracks as you try to follow the direction of his finger.

“i just saw an asteroid,” he whispers, as if it’s some rare occurrence that he just witnessed, something even supernatural. that’s jisung for you—he notices the smallest details and makes you think about it for a moment. at times, you admit, it still catches you off guard, but that’s one of the things you like about him, how he never seems to lose his sense of wonder.

a smile makes its way across your face. “isn’t it called a meteorite?” you lower your gaze back to earth, back to him, just in time to see him scrunch his nose at you.

“whatever.”

it’s peaceful once more, save for the breeze that blows by your ears. you lean your head against the chains of your swing, pensive. oh, if only your best friend knew that the wonder he has for the world, you have for him.

“what are you thinking about?” jisung whispers. his eyes are swirling with curiosity, his head tilted in genuine interest. it would be so easy for you to lie and say something stupid, like aliens or ramen, but tonight you find yourself unable to ruin the mood. aliens and ramen are uncalled for, so you go with the next best worst option:

“you.”

it’s out, it’s out, and you’d rather move to another planet than deal with the embarrassment you’re experiencing right now. heat creeps up the back of your neck and you struggle to hold your gaze.

jisung’s lips part in surprise. “o-oh.”

“never mind,” you say hurriedly. this is awkward enough as it is. what time must it be? past ten, for sure. it’s late and getting colder, so maybe you should suggest heading home. yet you’re so caught up in your own thoughts that you almost don’t catch his response:

“me too.”

you look up, not sure you heard correctly. “what?”

“i—i just... i guess—i was thinking about you... too.” he fumbles with his words, never meeting your eyes. “because i, um.” he swallows. “i like you.”

“huh?” it’s ridiculous, your immediate reply. it’s stupid, laughable. but here you are, a little dumbstruck yet impressed at his confession.

“i—don’t make me repeat it, please.” he hangs his head in shame, an apology ready on the tip of his tongue, when you speak up.

“no—no, i heard you the first time. i... like you too.” your words trail off, but he hears them all the same. “um—what were you thinking about?” you ask, trying to break the tension.

“me? just—just that, you know... you came out here with me. to look at stars. which is boring. and you listened to me, too, and you’re just so... so...” he tries to find the right word to describe you, but all that keeps coming to his mind is perfect, and he definitely doesn’t want to say that one out loud. not after he just admitted to his long-time best friend about his long-time crush on her. “... understanding?” it comes out as a question, but it makes you laugh, and he can’t help but smile.

you lean back, swinging your legs above the ground. “nothing’s boring with you, jisung.” and you don’t feel bad about how cheesy it makes you sound, because that’s the truth.

“oh, um, thanks... and what were you thinking about?” he asks tentatively.

“i’m not telling you.”

“what!”

“well, it gives me an excuse to tell you another time.”

another time. those words play over and over in jisung’s head. there’s going to be another time. “tomorrow?” he says without thinking. “can we do the same thing tomorrow?” there’s hope in his voice. he’s still so curious about your thoughts, always wanting to learn answers to everything.

“yeah,” you say, smiling softly. “let’s do it.”

jisung is naturally curious about a lot of things. he’s eager to know more about the stars, and why they change, and about the world around him.

and you. you, who is beaming up at him, making warmth bloom from his chest to the tips of his fingers. what about you?

i guess i’ll find out.