[COMPLETE] First Time

TRANSMISSION 13 - YOU

"Something's up. Not giving justice invites negligence. In service, humans express resolute evolution."

Wonpil ended the call immediately and puzzled over his statement before gasping out loud.

Sungjin is here.

I forgot that they were also with Wonpil. Hanging out used to be so much easier before.

I sighed and readjusted my headset as I did my homework in one of our secret spots. It was in one of the Dome Chambers that had been abandoned and converted to a rest house by the SpaceTime and Multiverse Interns that graduated before Wonpil. I stumbled upon it and brought Sungjin here, but that was before this multiverse.

Last year, the two of us spent most of our hours here - Sungjin with his thesis and me with my homework, and now it's only me.

It's been 2 months since I last saw him at Wonpil's lab - 2 months of missing close calls and dodging Sungjin.

2 months of missing Sungjin.

Of course it was hard because all I wanted was to stay by his side.

I rubbed my eyes and decided to sleep for a while. At least in my dreams we get to be together.

A montage of memories.

I dreamt of when we were still together. In my dreams, we walked hand in hand. In my dreams, our place had always been next to each other.  I gave him hugs and he smothered me with kisses, affection that he has only shown and given to me. If he were to fall in love with someone else -

It's his shot at happiness.
Sungjin will live.

Someone else will be looking at the stars  in his eyes, and someone else will make wishes on them too. And damn it all, people have a lot of wishes, but I'll use all my stars for you, Park Sungjin.

The Sungjin in my dream laughed, as if he heard me think that out loud. His voice - how raspy it sounded when he sang, and how gruff he sounded when he talked, but you can hear his kindness and you can hear his heart in his voice.

"Hey."

It sounded just like that.

"You should go back to the dorms, it's getting dark out."

I stirred and slowly sat up, the person in front of me coming into focus. When I saw who it was, I smiled at first. This is such a realistic dream.

But then the Sungjin in front of me laughed.

At that moment my holophone rang.

I heard Wonpil's fingers moving across the motherboard and the warning sounds that accompanied it.

"Pil?"

"I don't know what's happening but the merging percentage suddenly increased and -"

"Pil," I said as calmly as I could, trying to control the shaking in my voice.

"What is it? Where are you? I'm coming to get you," Pil said worriedly.

"Pil. He 's right in front of me. Sungjin found me, Pil."

And then Sungjin ended the call.

"I know we haven't met yet, and there's still months to go but I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Chrono Ball with me," Sungjin said, his eyes crinkling up.

That smile was his real smile, the one that healed broken hearts like mine.

I gave him a shaky smile, gathered my things hurriedly and said, "I'm sorry but I don't plan on going to the Chrono Ball. Thanks for waking me up, I need to go - "

"That's good, I wasn't really planning on  going either. Then let's talk," Sungjin said, blocking my way. His smile has disappeared and his mouth was set in a determined line. This was his I - mean - business look. Funny how I know all these faces he's making but -

"But please don't find this weird. I don't know you but somewhere inside me is screaming that I do. I know you from somewhere... Or is it..." He glanced behind and saw Wonpil breathing hard.

"Some other time. I know you both from some other time," Sungjin said excitedly, but that moment of triumph only lasted for a short while before his face twisted in pain and he knelt to the floor, screaming.