Tae-san stood there for a while, watching Myung Jae-hyun run toward Seo-yoon.
"Come with us!"
A voice calling from afar.
Myung Jae-hyun was walking side by side with Seo-yoon, smiling.
Tae-san averted his gaze for no reason.
'What's there to care about.'
It had nothing to do with him.
What was so strange about a roommate meeting a friend and smiling?
Thinking that, Tae-san went back to the dorm.
But strangely, the room was quiet.
Normally, it would have been time for Myung Jae-hyun to be lying on his bed looking at his phone, or chatting away to himself about what happened today.
"Who'd you meet today?"
"A friend from class."
"What'd you do?"
"Just ate."
Without the voice that used to fill the room with pointless chatter, it felt oddly empty.
Tae-san sat down at his desk and turned on his laptop.
He meant to do his assignment, but he couldn't focus.
In the end, he picked up his phone.
The time was 6 PM.
No messages.
'What is he doing.'
Just as the thought was about to continue, Tae-san put his phone back down on the desk.
'Why do I care.'
.
.
.
"Tae-san."
The next morning.
At Myung Jae-hyun's voice, Tae-san opened his eyes.
"Wake up."
"...What time is it."
"8 o'clock."
Tae-san sat up right away.
"Class starts at 9."
"I know."
"Then why didn't you wake me?"
"Because you weren't getting up."
Myung Jae-hyun made a dumbfounded face.
"No, isn't that what roommates are supposed to do? Wake each other up?"
"Am I your mom?"
"Still."
As Tae-san got up to wash his face, he asked,
"Why are you already up?"
"I have a photo shoot today."
"So."
"Come with me."
"...No."
"You haven't even asked where I'm going yet."
"I don't need to ask to know I don't want to go."
Myung Jae-hyun puckered his lips.
"You're seriously no fun."
Just as Tae-san was opening the bathroom door, he paused.
"Where are you going."
"Hangang Park behind school."
"...Until what time?"
"Only until before class."
After thinking for a moment, Tae-san nodded.
"Go."
"Really?"
"But if you're late, you're going by yourself."
Myung Jae-hyun's face lit up at once.
"Got it!"
Tae-san watched him, then looked away.
Until yesterday, being alone had felt more comfortable.
But now, a room without Myung Jae-hyun felt strangely quiet.
When they arrived at Hangang Park, Myung Jae-hyun took out his camera.
"Wow, this place is really pretty."
"Yeah."
"Want me to take your picture?"
"No."
"Why not."
"I don't really like getting my picture taken."
"Then I'll take it."
Myung Jae-hyun wandered around here and there with the camera.
Tae-san sat on a bench and watched him.
The way he naturally struck up conversations as he moved among people.
The way the corners of his eyes would crease a little when he smiled.
The way he became close with anyone in no time.
'That's just the kind of person he is.'
Of course he'd have lots of friends.
But since yesterday, something had felt off.
Myung Jae-hyun being with someone else.
It kept bothering him for no reason.
Then all of a sudden, Myung Jae-hyun pointed the camera at Tae-san.
Click.
"Hey."
"What?"
"I said don't take pictures of me."
"When did you say that?"
"Just now."
"I don't remember hearing that."
Tae-san laughed in disbelief.
Myung Jae-hyun immediately checked the camera screen.
"See?"
Tae-san peered at the screen.
In the photo, he was smiling.
Very naturally.
"Delete it."
"Nope."
"Why."
"It looks good."
"It doesn't."
"It's the best one I've taken of you."
Tae-san didn't answer.
Myung Jae-hyun looked down at the camera, then let out a small laugh.
"So you can smile."
"I always smile."
"You'd never shown me before."
At that, Tae-san looked at Myung Jae-hyun for a moment.
For some reason, those words lingered.
On the way back to school.
Myung Jae-hyun's phone rang.
"Huh?"
After checking the message, Myung Jae-hyun smiled.
"It's Seo-yoon."
Tae-san's steps slowed just a little.
"Who."
"Someone from my major."
"Oh."
As he read the message, Myung Jae-hyun said,
"He says he's drinking with people from the major tonight."
"Okay."
"Wanna come too?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I don't like alcohol."
"Then I'll just go by myself."
"...Okay."
It was a name he'd seen yesterday too.
Seo-yoon.
Tae-san nodded as if it was nothing.
But one corner of his heart felt strangely uneasy.
"Why."
Myung Jae-hyun asked.
"Why what."
"You seem in a bad mood."
"No."
"Then why are you answering like that?"
"Just because."
Myung Jae-hyun stared at Tae-san for a long moment, then turned his head away.
"Got it."
A brief, awkward silence passed between them.
That night.
The dorm room was quiet.
Tae-san sat at his desk with his laptop on, but the screen had stayed frozen in the same place for a long time.
The clock had already passed 11 PM.
Myung Jae-hyun still hadn't come back.
Tae-san checked his phone.
No messages.
'He's late.'
He looked back at the laptop.
A few minutes later.
He checked his phone again.
11:40 PM.
12:00.
12:20.
In the end, Tae-san stood up from his seat.
'Why am I so worked up.'
Just then, the front door opened.
"Tae-san."
A slightly drunk Myung Jae-hyun poked his face through the crack in the door.
"You're not asleep?"
Tae-san sighed.
"What time is it now."
"No idea."
"And you didn't call."
"Ah..."
Myung Jae-hyun checked his phone.
"My battery died."
"So you didn't even 연락."
"Sorry."
Tae-san said no more.
But as Myung Jae-hyun was taking off his shoes, he wobbled.
"Oh."
Tae-san quickly grabbed his arm.
"Be careful."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
Tae-san even took his bag from him.
"Get in the room."
"Tae-san."
"What."
"Were you waiting for me?"
"..."
"You were waiting, weren't you?"
"No."
"Liar."
Myung Jae-hyun laughed playfully.
"It's all over your face."
Tae-san said nothing.
He just took Myung Jae-hyun to the bed.
"Drink some water."
"Yeah."
"And sleep."
"Tae-san."
"What now."
Myung Jae-hyun looked at Tae-san for a moment.
Then he said quietly,
"I had fun today."
"Yeah."
"But..."
"What."
"I think being with you is more comfortable."
Tae-san's hand stopped.
Myung Jae-hyun had already closed his eyes.
"Good night..."
"...Yeah."
Tae-san stared at him for a long time.
Then he murmured very softly,
"So stop making people worry."
It was so quiet that the sleeping Myung Jae-hyun couldn't have heard it.
Tae-san lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
He thought about why he'd been so sensitive all day.
About how Seo-yoon's name had kept bothering him.
About how he hated seeing Myung Jae-hyun smiling with someone else.
About how he'd gotten annoyed waiting for him to come back late.
But when he tried to find the reason, no answer came.
Only one thing was clear.
If Myung Jae-hyun seemed even a little farther away from him, he got anxious.
He didn't like him getting close to other people either.
And the sight of him smiling comfortably beside him like this was nice.
Too nice.
Tae-san closed his eyes.
He still didn't know the name of that feeling.
But now, one thing was clear about Myung Jae-hyun.
He was no mere roommate.
