Even after the festival ended, the atmosphere between the two had strangely changed.
Every time Myeong Jaehyeon looked at Taesan, he remembered the conversation they’d had at the very end of the festival.
I like being with you.
That was what Taesan had said.
He couldn’t tell whether he meant it simply as liking him as a roommate, or something else.
Myeong Jaehyeon was the same.
Being with Taesan was comfortable.
Even though he was the first person he’d met after coming up to Seoul, at some point he had become the most familiar person of all.
The problem came after that.
He kept wanting more and more.
He wanted Taesan to look only at him.
He wanted him to smile more when he was with him than when he was with anyone else.
He even found himself wanting Taesan to wait for him.
"What is this..."
Lying on his bed, Myeong Jaehyeon muttered to himself.
The next day.
"Jaehyeon."
Taesan called from in front of the desk.
"Hm?"
"You’ve got your presentation for your assignment next week, right."
"Yeah."
"Have you prepared?"
"No."
"Why."
"Because I don’t want to do it."
Taesan sighed.
"Want to do it together?"
Myeong Jaehyeon shot up.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"As expected, you’re the best."
Myeong Jaehyeon pulled a chair over beside Taesan.
The two sat side by side and started on the assignment.
After working for a while, Myeong Jaehyeon said,
"Taesan."
"Yeah."
"I hope we stay roommates until graduation."
Taesan’s hands stopped.
"Why."
"Just because."
Myeong Jaehyeon said with a smile,
"It’s comfortable living with you."
Taesan looked at the screen.
"Me too."
It was a short reply.
But for some reason, Myeong Jaehyeon couldn’t help smiling at those words.
A few days later.
Myeong Jaehyeon had new news.
"Taesan."
"Yeah."
"I might move to another dorm starting next semester."
Taesan looked up.
"Why."
"They say there’s a vacancy in the dorm over by the art college."
"So?"
"I haven’t decided yet."
Taesan said nothing.
But for some reason, his heart dropped.
"What do you think?"
"Do whatever’s most comfortable for you."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Taesan turned his gaze back to the laptop.
Myeong Jaehyeon quietly watched him.
"You don’t mind?"
"...Mind what."
"Me going to another room."
Taesan didn’t answer.
Myeong Jaehyeon didn’t ask any more.
That night.
On the way back from school, Myeong Jaehyeon walked with Seoyoon.
"Are you really going to move dorms?"
"I’m not sure yet."
"I think you should."
"Why?"
"You’d get closer to the art college people."
Myeong Jaehyeon thought for a moment, then said,
"But..."
"Hm?"
"It’d be a little wrong to leave Taesan alone."
Seoyoon snorted.
"You really like Taesan."
Myeong Jaehyeon stopped walking.
"What?"
"As a friend."
Seoyoon continued as if it were nothing.
"You talk about Taesan all the time."
"...I do?"
"Yeah."
Myeong Jaehyeon couldn’t say anything.
Friend.
That word strangely stuck in his heart.
When he got back to the dorm, Taesan was sitting in front of the desk.
"You’re back?"
"Yeah."
Myeong Jaehyeon set down his bag and looked at Taesan.
"Taesan."
"Yeah."
"Today, while I was talking with Seoyoon."
"What."
"He said I might really like you."
Taesan’s expression stiffened.
"...What?"
Myeong Jaehyeon, flustered, added quickly,
"No, as a friend!"
"Oh."
Taesan looked back at the laptop.
Seeing that, Myeong Jaehyeon strangely felt stifled.
Why was he acting like nothing was wrong?
He’d been bothered by those words all day.
"Taesan."
"Yeah."
"How do you see me?"
Taesan still couldn’t answer right away this time.
Myeong Jaehyeon waited.
After a long while.
"A friend."
Those words finally fell.
Myeong Jaehyeon’s expression hardened just a little.
"...Right."
Taesan looked at Myeong Jaehyeon as if only belatedly realizing what he’d said.
But by then, Myeong Jaehyeon was already lying on the bed.
"I’m tired. I’m going to sleep first."
"Jaehyeon."
"Hm?"
"What I said earlier..."
"It’s fine."
Myeong Jaehyeon pulled the blanket over his head.
"Good night."
"...Yeah."
Taesan couldn’t say anything for a long time.
In truth, the word 'friend' was the easiest answer.
He still didn’t know how to explain his feelings.
But seeing Myeong Jaehyeon’s back as he turned away after hearing that word, he could tell.
That he’d said something wrong.
That night.
The two were in the same room, but they didn’t talk like usual.
And then Taesan realized, for the first time.
That 'friend' alone was no longer enough.
The next morning.
Before going to school, Myeong Jaehyeon left a small note on the desk.
Taesan, I’m not coming home today.
Grandma came to Seoul, so I’m going to stay with her.
See you tomorrow.
Taesan stared at the note for a long time.
And for the first time, he picked up his phone without hesitating.
He sent Myeong Jaehyeon a message.
Taesan: Jaehyeon.
A little later, a reply came.
Jaehyeon: Hm?
Taesan stared at the screen for a long time, then finally typed,
Taesan: I want to talk again about what I said yesterday.
Then he pressed send.
This time, he wasn’t going to avoid it.
.
.
.
.
The next chapter is the finale~! I’ll bring another work quickly too haha
