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“Make sure to get comfy Tae, it’s gonna be a long night.” Hoseok says as he hunches over and adjusts the blankets & pillows around the back of truck. Tonight was supposed to be one of the clearest nights of the year, and Taehyung had recently picked up an interest in constellations, so Hoseok thought that star-gazing would be a wonderful idea. They had borrowed Jin hyung’s truck, after some persistent begging of course, and drove out to Tae’s hometown in Daegu. Hoseok at the steering wheel and Tae lazily gazing out the window, appreciating the grasslands and livestock they’d passed by. Away from the city, away from all the pollution. Just breathing in the cool fresh air. They had arrived quite later than expected and were attacked by hugs & kisses from Tae’s loving family, who had missed their thriving son. After a huge dinner and embarrassing yet delightful tales of Tae’s childhood, Hoseok had made his way outside towards their truck, keys jingling in one hand, and drove it out to the field where they stood now. Tae climbs up on the back of the truck after rustling through the front seat, searching for his precious satchel that he’d brought along. He approaches his dear hyung and hugs a stunned Hoseok from behind, snuggling his face against his older friend’s back, holding him tight. “Thanks for coming with me hyung. I really do appreciate you coming out here with me.” Tae mumbled against Hoseok’s back, deeply inhaling his comforting scent of cedar & summer nights. Hoseok chuckled, a beautiful sound that rung throughout the field they were in. A brisk gentle wind had come and the stalks of wheat in the field began swaying back and forth, glinting in the moonlight. “Of course silly. You think I’d let you drive Jin hyung’s truck? Alone? To Daegu? When you can barely buy a subway ticket?” Hoseok said, punching Tae lightly on the shoulder. Tae pouted childishly as his hyung walked away from him. “That happened one time Hoseok hyung! Let it go!” he whined. “Alright, hush that pretty mouth already, the news report said that the sky would be clearest around 8:00 p.m. and it is currently…7:48 p.m., so let’s turn the lamp off now.” Hoseok stated, glancing down at his watch. Tae turned around and switched the lamp they’d brought off and took his place in the makeshift bed Hoseok had spread. He rearranged the pillows and took out his sketchbook from the satchel he’d brought along. Hoseok took his place right beside Tae, lying against the pillows with one leg propped up & placing one arm behind his head, turning to glance at Tae’s sketchbook. He had flipped to the page where he’d recreated Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’. “Hyung, do you think Vincent Van Gogh sat out in a field, just like us, when he created this?” Tae questions, glancing up at the sky with that naive youthful wonder ever-present in his wide eyes. Hoseok stared, speculating about how a grown man could look so innocent, so much so that he hadn’t payed much mind to Tae’s question. “Hyung?” “Oh! Um, I don’t think so Tae. I don’t think they had trucks in his time…” Hoseok answered honestly, scratching the back of his head. “I don’t think he did either, I read online that he was alone most of his life, but at least I have you here with me.” Tae breathes out, turning his head to smile at Hoseok, who is taken aback at
his statement. “I thought you came here to gaze at the stars and pinpoint constellations, where did Van Gogh come from?” Hoseok inquires, grinning at Tae. “It’s called multi-tasking. You’re a dancer, shouldn’t you know that by now?” Tae retorts, snickering mischievously to himself. He flips to another section in his sketchbook. This time, the
page is full of various wee drawings of constellations with their names written below. Tae moves the back of his pencil around the page, gently examining the structures. Hoseok catches a glimpse of one structure called ‘The Big Dipper’ and stares up at the sky, trying to find the constellation through the North Star, labelled ‘Polaris’, the brightest of them all. He spots a rather large star that resembles the sketch and connects it with the surrounding stars and sure enough, it forms The Big Dipper. “Look Tae! I found The Big Dipper!” Hoseok exclaims, shaking Tae’s shoulder to grab his attention. “Where hyung!?” Tae cries out, searching the sky. Hoseok guides him with his finger, pointing to the North Star, and connecting the stars to help Tae form the image in his mind. Hoseok had never seen his friend smile so gleefully and it made his heart thump hard against his chest. “Woah hyung, it looks exactly like my drawing! You know, ‘Ursa Major’ is connected to ‘The Big Dipper’, which is a mother bear, and ‘Ursa Minor’ is right near her, which is a baby bear! “Ursa Minor’ is connected to ‘The Little Dipper’ just like the ‘The Big Dipper’ is connected to ‘Ursa Major’…” Tae rambles, his movements are animated and his eyes are twinkling, brighter than the North Star. Hoseok listens, half in amusement and half in fascination. The way Tae talks about his interests with such an endearing passion never fails to remind him why he and the younger man are so similar. “…it’s said that a nymph named Callisto had a son with the god Zeus. To avoid and protect them from his wife Hera’s wrath, he turned the both of them into bears and placed them high up in the heavens. Look, you can see her right there!’’ he points upwards, nudging his hyung, urging him to look up as well. Hoseok doesn’t move an inch, eyes still focused on his beloved friend. “You know Tae, I think I found a new constellation.” Hoseok responds, still staring at Tae. “Really hyung, where?’’ Tae replies, gazing back at Hoseok, who laughs and lifts his finger, gently pointing at the mole above Tae’s lips. “It starts here, and goes from here…” He gingerly drags it up to the mole on his nose, causing Tae’s breath to hitch in his throat. “To here…” and slowly moves his finger below Tae’s sparkling eyes, moving his hand to tenderly caress and cup Tae’s cheek. “And we can’t forget about this cute lil one right here, now can we Tae Tae…” he whispers to a now very mindful & silent Tae. Hoseok is aware of how still he’s become under his touch and chuckles deeply. “This is now my favorite constellation Tae…”