536 Haruto
"Wait, what will I say to the other members?" Jisung asked as Haruki and June cornered him in the restroom.
From an outsider's point of view, it appeared like the two were bullying Jisung. However, they were only coaxing him to fool Jay and the other members into thinking that June had somewhere important to be.
That was the only way that June could go with Haruki without Jay breathing down his neck.
He knew that their manager was just concerned for his well-
being, but June genuinely believed that this would be the key to him finally getting a good rest.
"Tell them I went to Minjun's and Grandma's," June said. Despite not being too fond of Haruki, he couldn't deny that they needed to have this awaited conversation.
"But I would be lying to them," Jisung innocently said.
June sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
This little guy.
"I'm going to be visiting them too," June said. "I'm just going to speak with Haruki for a while."
Well, June was going to visit them. Just not today.
"Oh," Jisung said, instantly brightening up.
"Sure, then! I'll tell the others. Greet Grandma and Minjun for me," he happily said.
"I will," June responded. "Now, go ahead. They must be waiting for you. I'll be back by the evening for our practice, so don't worry too much."
"Alright," Jisung smiled. "We'll be waiting for you then!"
With that, the youngest member of EVE waved goodbye and skipped out of the room.
As soon as the bright guy left the restroom, the atmosphere suddenly turned cold—like how it always was with June and Haruki.
"Let's go," Haruki said, throwing June a black hoodie similar to his.
"What's this?" June asked. "Matching hoodies?"
"Just wear it," Haruki sighed impatiently. "I don't want anyone discovering that we're hanging out."
June shook his head as he wore the hoodie. "Who was the one who invited me in the first place?"
Haruki stopped walking and glared at him.
"Are you coming or not?"
"I'm coming," June said, throwing his hood up before following Haruki to the underground parking lot. He had a lot of questions in mind, and he wanted all of them answered today. He had a hunch that Haruki was the only person who could satiate his curiosity.
The two of them entered Haruki's tinted luxury car. June looked around the fancy exterior and shook his head.
"If you wanted us to stay out of the public's eye, you should have bought a less fancy car," June pointed out.
Haruki clicked his tongue as he started the engine.
"It doesn't matter. We're not going to a crowded place anyway. Just be thankful you get to ride in a car like this," he deadpanned.
June shook his head. "How did you even know that I'm here? Do you just know other people's schedules or things like that?"
"No," Haruki quickly denied. "I learned from Gideon. He's been chatting with Jisung after filming 'The King's Joker,' and he told us over dinner."
June silently nodded in understanding.
"You know, you have an awful lot of questions for someone who willingly followed after me," Haruki deadpanned. "Just tell me if you don't want to talk."
June scratched the back of his neck.
"It's not that," June muttered, knowing that he had some fault in how their relationship turned out to be.
"I'm just curious why you suddenly wanted to talk when you hate me," June said.
Haruki scoffed. "How do you know that I hate you?"
"It's obvious," June said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You don't need to say it out loud for me to know it."
Haruki chuckled coldly. "You're right—I do hate you. I wouldn't even allow you inside of my car if he didn't ask me to bring you there."
"He?" June muttered.
Could it be Haruto?
But then again, who else could it be?
Then, why did Haruki talk about him like he was still a living person?
Or maybe he was still in denial that his brother was gone, and he wanted to use him as an excuse to call June over and finally have some closure?
As Haruki pulled up to a grassy field with raised white figures above the ground, his second thought was confirmed.
"A cemetery," June said.
"Congrats," Haruki said as he turned off the car. "You've got eyes."
Was Haruto buried here?
June sat there for a moment. It finally hit him that he was going to see the grave of one of his most precious friends in his past lifetime.
The pain in his chest returned.
No—it was never even removed in the first place.
It just intensified.
He had been feeling this pain—this void—for quite some time now, but he didn't speak or act on it. Instead, he got used to it. He got used to the pain, and it just felt like a normal part of his life.
However, June knew that it wasn't normal.
And hopefully, just hopefully, this pain will ease after meeting Haruto.
"Well, are you just going to sit there like an idiot?" Haruki called out, already standing outside of the car.
"Come out here, and let's have a talk, you idiot."
June pursed his lips and didn't bother correcting Haruki for calling him an idiot.
Instead, he silently got out of the car and followed after the more experienced idol.
The two of them were silent as they kept walking further away from the parking lot.
June glanced at the gravestones as he walked by, seeing if any of them belonged to Haruto.
Then, Haruki finally stopped walking. However, since June was too busy looking around the place, he didn't notice Haruki's sudden halt.
As a result, he bumped into his back.
Haruki clicked his tongue.
"I thought you've changed a lot," he muttered. "But it turns out you're still the clumsy trainee I know."
June's eyebrows furrowed as Haruki sat on the ground, leaning against the raised tombstone.
However, even if Haruki occluded some of the letters on the stone, June still read its letters clearly.
'Haruto Abe'
