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Minghao hated goodbyes. Having to leave his childhood town when everything in his life seemed settled and when all he needed was to finish his last year of high school, he didn’t enjoy the idea of making new friends at the new school or neighborhood. He felt that he had to choose one of the other and luckily, there was someone who was both.
Upon moving into his new home, he met Vernon, who was also a senior at his new school and the neighbor next door. He was quite tall, probably as tall as Minghao himself, and the way of his words were ‘new’ but unique to Minghao’s ears. Minghao couldn’t seem to explain it to himself too, but it sounded very welcoming, so welcoming that he would smile whenever Vernon looked at him.
They quickly became friends with Vernon showing him around town and introducing him to some of his friends when school started.
Vernon found Minghao reserved and tried a few attempts to keep him interested. It was one day in the library where they both would be at right after school before walking home together when Vernon asked, “What is your dream?”
Minghao looked at him with a blank face, his eyes blinking twice at the sudden question. He was tapping his pencil on the table before he scratched his head with it, leaning back on his chair to think. Vernon was smiling, almost grinning. He was anticipating after seeing how funny his reaction was.
“I don’t know yet.” Minghao finally said as his shoulders gave up at his side.
Vernon nodded with the smile still on his face, understanding his expected answer. He leaned over the table with his crossed arms and looked out the window at their side. He sighed softly and told Minghao, “I never told anyone this but for me, I want to take over outer space.”
“Is that even possible?” Minghao asked and Vernon turned to look at him. When their eyes met, Minghao knew it was somehow when they ended up giggling together in that quiet library.
Minghao thought it was quite funny after that conversation because he just realized Vernon had always been making weird noises when they were studying together quietly. Again, he couldn’t explain it but it sounded like space objects moving or opening and closing, or sometimes, it sounded like human interactions with aliens on some unknown planet. Having to witness it from afar behind a bookshelf in that same library influenced Minghao to get involved in that world.
Vernon was pretending to walk his human lego out of an empty milk carton disguised as a spacecraft when a paper airplane landed behind it. He looked up and saw Minghao standing there.
“An unknown object has landed onto the new discovered land. What will Vernon do?” Minghao concluded the chapter before they stay in the silent as if there was a credit song playing in the background. They burst into laughs as Minghao sat down in front of him, and they started to get lost into their own childhood stories.
---
Vernon had always wanted to be an astronaut since he was little. He would dash to the playground every day right after school to play space stories with his little creative mind and over the summer, he would always sneak out there during the afternoon when his parents kept him inside from getting burn from the heated sun. There was nothing wrong with being adventurous.
Minghao liked being adventurous too, but he had always wondered if it was possible without it being only on the outside. There could be days where he just wanted to stay inside and write stories that were adventurous even though he couldn’t as he was still learning to write back then. Everything was in his head and words came out whenever he was playing with his toys.
Even now, he was still praised by his teachers. That’s probably why he was sitting in the library earlier than he should as he waited for Vernon. His dream question still lingered in his mind since it was first mentioned when Minghao finally realized what his dream was.
When Vernon came and sat in front of Minghao, Minghao flashed a smile at him.
Dreams were only meant to be dreamed of, not pursued. But dreams could be reached if it is believed in the infinite possibilities of our mind and the spaces around us. That was where Minghao was heading for.
---
Winter came. Their space stories continued into the dark snowy night at their first sleepover at Minghao’s place, sharing hot chocolate drinks. When the episode ended, they lay on the ground on their sleeping bags, grabbing fantasy books that Minghao grew fond after meeting Vernon. Vernon was interested in them first before he got Minghao into it, which he didn’t regret.
“Have you decided which university you’re going to go to?” Vernon asked, catching Minghao’s little smile from reading. Minghao’s eyebrow raised when he heard his voice.
“I’m thinking about the one in town. I’m planning to stay close to home here.” Minghao smiled, seeing Vernon nodding and cooing. “What about you?”
“I’m going to go far.” Minghao looked at him confusingly, his face filled with curiosity as his eyes were lighting up at him. Vernon grinned, closing his book and rolling over to his back before he closed his eyes. “You know how I wanted to be an astronaut. An Aerospace Engineering School offered a full scholarship for me to attend their school. I feel excited but also nervous.”
Minghao set his book down and rolled on his back too. Vernon looked at him after hearing him move and Minghao smiled at him. “One step closer to your dream.”
---
Spring was biking season but Minghao didn’t own one. Minghao was walking down the hill below his neighborhood with his bag hanged on his side. He was enjoying the spring breeze, watching a plane create a streamline in the morning sky. He wondered where it was heading. He took out a lego of himself that he hadn’t showed to Vernon yet. He placed it above the plane in the air in front of him and closed on eye to focus on it. Perhaps, he was heading to a destination with a purpose that was once a dream.
He heard Vernon calling for him from behind and turned his head around to see him on a bike, heading to him. Minghao smiled like he would always do as he hoped to sit on the back of Vernon’s bike. He anticipated but Vernon stopped at Minghao and got off his bike.
“You didn’t wait for me.” Vernon proclaimed, almost frowning.
Minghao shrugged and turned away as they started to walk together. “I waited outside of your house for twenty minutes but you didn’t come out.”
“But I’m out now.” Minghao gave him a serious glare and Vernon giggled. His voice was light. It almost felt like it was a perfect sound for spring. Minghao would probably describe it as the songs birds sing in the morning. “Fine, I’m at fault. How can I fix this habit?”
Minghao sneakily smirked and Vernon followed his eyes to his bike. The only solution was to let Minghao ride it with him to school until graduation. Vernon didn’t mind, as long as it could help him with waking up on time. Actually, it didn’t really matter. Just knowing that Minghao would always be waiting there was enough to get himself up in the morning, even if he was going to be a little late.
---
“Does it rain in space?” Minghao asked while they had their two human legos and spacecrafts out on the table to accompany them. They were in the middle of doing their school work in the library when it was raining. Minghao was distracted because of how beautiful it sounded. Vernon had noticed when Minghao kept looking out the window instead of the papers in front of him.
“Did you feel that, MingMing?” Vernon acted in voice with his fingers holding onto his lego toward Minghao’s. “It’s the invisible rain. You can’t see it but you can feel it. Is there such a thing as rain in your planet?”
Minghao looked at Vernon and his entire body stopped moving for a long second before Minghao bursted into a laugh. Vernon grinned, blushing in embarrassment as his ears turned red.
Minghao moved his lego toward Vernon’s too and replied with a different voice. “Verson, there is such a thing in my world but why is it called rain? We call it falling water.”
Vernon laughed loudly too and as if they could hear the shush in their minds, they both died down their noises as they covered the mumbling giggles behind their hands.
Later, walking in the rain wasn’t as bad as they thought. Vernon suggested they should try riding his bike back but Minghao thought they should leave it at school until tomorrow when it’s all dried up. Minghao didn’t like the feeling of having his pants wet from it and Vernon agreed. That was another thing Vernon would note about their similarities.
They both hid under one umbrella, one side of their shoulders wet from the edge of the cover. They didn’t spoke a word on the way home. It was new, but it might grow into a fresher level in their friendship that they could enjoy themselves in silence, not just in a quiet place. At least for Minghao, he would write out this moment with Vernon in his mind.
---
Summer came along with post-graduation depression. Vernon and Minghao were spending more time together than during the school year. The warm sun was beaming through the windows in the living room as August was still hot. It wasn’t odd for Minghao and Vernon to be up already in Minghao’s home. His parents were out of town for the weekend so he invited him to sleep over, because he needed company, not because he was scared of being all by himself. Vernon had teased but he came over anyway.
Minghao was making breakfast in the kitchen. The AC wasn’t on and there wasn’t a need to raise the bills as Minghao was in his boxers with an apron on.
Vernon came out of the bathroom from washing up. He was in a sweater when he felt steamy already, his hand waving the warm air at his face. He then looked over and laughed when he saw Minghao. Minghao’s back was facing Vernon and he turned his head back at the sound and smirked.
“Hey. Omelet with rice and a side of mixed fruits.” Minghao said and Vernon gave him a thumbs up before he turned back to the eggs he was frying. The sizzling sound satisfied him as he flipped it, using the pan handle.
“Why do you keep making breakfast in your boxers?” Vernon asked when he walked to the island counter behind Minghao. His fingers fiddled the plant leaves of the small pots on the center when he looked up at Minghao’s bareback. He giggled back at the soft green leaf that rested on his palm, distracted at how cute it felt against his skin.
“It’s my summer outfit. You know that.” Minghao pointed the spatula in his hand at Vernon from turning back again. He wondered how Vernon became so comfortable in saying that, but he just giggled quietly to himself.
Vernon frowned carelessly and left the leaves hanging when he turned to the side with his elbow leaning on the counter. “You should put some clothes on.” His eyes pretended to look at his figure from down and up with his lips perking at him. “Not that you’ll ever be as hot as me… Or the egg you’re frying.”
Minghao scoffed and didn’t look back when he replied. “Yeah, yeah. Go away before I’ll only give you a grain of rice.”
“Oh- Okay.” Vernon laughed and backed away with his defeated arms in the air. He walked into the living room and sat down on the floor with his back leaning against the couch. He grinned at Minghao, whose back was still facing him, before he sighed in front of him. Sitting on the floor was cooling for him but not cool enough that he had to take off his sweater. At least his baggy t-shirt gave his skin some room to breath.
Vernon fixed himself toward the table in front of him, hiding his crossed legs under it before he took a look at the new fantasy books Minghao had bought throughout the summer on the table. Vernon hadn’t read some of them and thought he could take some with him. He was sure Minghao wouldn’t even notice or care since they had always share their books.
Minghao glanced over to see Vernon skimming through them as his face formed a soft smile. There was something special about today despite it being a routine of their summer. It was beautifully quiet, the entire day of just chilling together. For Vernon, it was meaningful, but for Minghao it was heavy-hearted.
Minghao kept looking at Vernon throughout the day and there was a chance of asking him to stay, but he couldn’t bring himself to it. It couldn’t be helped.
The next day came after Vernon left his house the night before. Minghao was collecting his fantasy books he had bought into a box. Memories of reading them with Vernon made him smile. He never knew how much fantasy could bring out his own world on Vernon, but he was glad. Opening to each of their worlds was a valid way to be closer to each other. Minghao wouldn’t regret doing so.
He walked to his front door when he heard the bell rang. There stood Vernon, smiling. It was filled with sadness and Minghao did the same back. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Vernon said back. “I’m about to leave town right now so I’m just here to tell you that.”
“I know.” Minghao handed him the box as Vernon took it. He gave a confused look and Minghao smiled bigger. “It’s some books in case you get bored of reading big textbooks.”
“Thank you, Minghao. I don’t have anything to give back to you.” Vernon blushed and frowned a little. Minghao laughed at his expression and had his hand covering over his mouth.
“It’s okay. Your friendship was great enough.” Minghao assured him and there was silence again. It was still sincere as they looked into each other’s eyes, sending messages of hope and happiness, even if they were not going to be able to hang out anymore.
“I’m going to miss you.” Vernon whispered, begging his wet eyes to not drop a tear.
“Me too.” Minghao said back then he took out his lego out of his pockets and handed it to Vernon. “Here, you can’t leave me on Earth while you’re travelling in space.” Minghao smiled at him. “The story must go on.”
Minghao watched Vernon staring at him sadly in the moving car. He waved at him to assure him again that he was going to be okay. Vernon finally waved back with his last smiling face that Minghao’s going to ever see until he visits again. Minghao sighed when the car disappeared in the distant. He looked into the sky and ironically, an airplane flew by. He imagined Vernon and his legoes gliding onto it as if they were exploring a new planet. He let out another sigh and smiled to himself. Minghao still hated goodbyes, but he knew they were only one call away.