Chapter Text
Keen was trying very hard to walk like a normal person.
This was difficult.
Because someone had just yelled—
“Keen?!”
He stopped.
Slowly turned.
“…Rio?”
Rio grinned like he’d just spotted free entertainment. “You look like you’ve been through emotional warfare.”
Keen stared at him. Then exhaled.
“You have no idea.”
And that’s when it hit him—properly.
Rio had recognized him instantly. No hesitation. No second glance. Like all the years, the height change, the face change… none of it mattered. Like he was still the same kid from back then.
Keen blinked once. Then again, slower this time, like his brain was trying to catch up with something oddly disorienting. He hadn’t expected that. Not recognition—certainty.
“…You actually knew it was me,” Keen said under his breath, more to himself than anything.
Rio shrugged like it was obvious. “Of course I did.”
A beat.
Then Rio added, almost amused, “You were the only one who looked like you were permanently overthinking recess.”
That got something close to a laugh out of Keen, brief and reluctant.
Rio tilted his head. “You look different though.”
Keen looked him over too, finally letting himself do it properly. “Yeah. So do you.”
A pause. Then, at the same time—
“You got taller,” Rio said.
“You got louder,” Keen replied.
Rio laughed. “Fair.”
There was another pause, softer this time. The kind that sits between people who are remembering without meaning to.
Rio leaned back slightly. “Do you remember science class?”
Keen frowned faintly. “Which part?”
Rio smirked. “Reading aloud from the textbook.”
Something flickered in Keen’s expression. “No.”
“Oh yes,” Rio said, already enjoying this. “You were reading, and you mispronounced ‘organism’ as—” he paused dramatically, “—‘orgasm.’”
Keen went completely still.
Rio continued, unbothered. “Everyone lost it. The whole class. Even the kid who never laughs. And the teacher—” he gestured vaguely, “—went red like a tomato.”
Keen slowly covered part of his face with his hand.
“I was twelve,” he muttered.
“That’s the best part,” Rio said. “You didn’t even know why everyone was laughing.”
Keen let out a quiet breath through his nose. “I didn’t.”
Rio nodded, pleased with himself. “You also used to call teachers ‘mom’ by accident.”
Keen snapped his head up. “That happened once.”
“Three times,” Rio corrected immediately.
A pause.
Then Keen pointed at him. “You fell asleep in class and said ‘yes mom’ to the math teacher.”
Rio didn’t even deny it. He just leaned back, laughing. “Okay, that one might’ve been fair.”
For a moment, it felt lighter—like the distance between who they were and who they’d become had shrunk without either of them noticing.
Rio tilted his head again. “Weird seeing you like this though.”
Keen glanced at him. “Like what?”
Rio shrugged. “Like you grew up and forgot you were supposed to stay annoying.”
Keen huffed once. “You didn’t forget.”
“Never said I did,” Rio said, smiling.
Then, as if the memory had just loosened something, they both fell into the present again.
---
Ten minutes later, they were sitting in a café Keen didn’t even remember agreeing to enter.
Rio hadn’t even ordered yet.
Keen was already talking.
“He’s everywhere.”
Rio blinked. “Who?”
Keen looked at him like he’d just asked what oxygen was.
“…Sea.”
“Oh,” Rio said. “The one you’ve been attached to since middle school?”
“I’m not attached,” Keen snapped.
“Mm.”
“He’s just—there.”
“Consistently?”
“Annoyingly,” Keen corrected.
Rio smiled into his drink.
Keen leaned forward, lowering his voice like he was exposing a crime.
“He has a girlfriend now.”
“Congratulations to him.”
“That should reduce his presence in my life.”
“Logically.”
“Incorrect,” Keen said flatly. “He’s worse.”
Rio laughed.
Keen didn’t.
“He texts me during dates,” Keen continued. “During. Dates. Sends me frog memes like I’m emotionally invested in amphibians.”
“Maybe you are.”
“I’m not.”
“You sound defensive.”
“I sound tired.”
Rio rested his chin on his hand. “Go on.”
Keen narrowed his eyes slightly. He was enjoying this more than he should.
“He suggests horror movies,” he said. “He cannot handle horror movies. He knows this. I know this. And yet—he insists.”
“Why?”
“Because then he ‘can’t sleep alone’,” Keen air-quoted, “and suddenly he’s at my apartment.”
Rio snorted.
“And I can’t even throw him out,” Keen added. “Because he brings snacks.”
“Tragic.”
“Deeply.”
There was a pause.
Rio watched him carefully.
“You’ve always let him do that,” he said.
Keen frowned. “I don’t let him. He just—shows up.”
“For years.”
“Uninvited.”
“Since middle school.”
Keen looked away.
“…We had a project,” he muttered.
Rio raised an eyebrow. “We all had projects.”
“He couldn’t speak proper English,” Keen said. “Still followed me around.”
“And you helped him.”
“Someone had to.”
“You changed schools.”
Keen didn’t respond.
“And he followed you there too,” Rio added.
Keen clicked his tongue. “Coincidence.”
Rio smiled. “Sure.”
“Then university,” Keen went on, now fully committed. “Same department. Same classes. Same—everything.”
“Consistency,” Rio said.
“Stalking,” Keen corrected.
Rio laughed again.
Keen leaned back, arms crossed. “I just need space.”
Rio tilted his head. “From him?”
“Yes.”
“Or from whatever this is?”
Keen squinted. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” Rio said lightly. “Just interesting how the guy’s been in your life forever and suddenly now he’s the problem.”
“He’s always been the problem.”
“You didn’t sound like that five minutes ago.”
Keen opened his mouth.
Closed it.
“…He’s just more noticeable now,” he said finally.
Rio hummed.
Then, casually—
“There’s an exchange program this semester.”
Keen blinked.
“…What?”
“Partner universities abroad,” Rio said. “You apply through the uni. If they approve you, they nominate you. Then you go.”
Keen sat up slightly.
“Abroad?”
“Yeah. One semester.”
Keen narrowed his eyes. “He’ll follow.”
Rio shrugged. “Not if you don’t tell him.”
Silence.
Then—
Keen sat upright.
Very slowly.
A smile spread across his face.
Bright.
Unhinged.
“…You’re so right.”
Rio laughed. “That’s a terrible idea.”
“It’s a great idea.”
“You’re running away.”
“I’m expanding globally.”
“You’re avoiding him.”
“I’m prioritizing my growth.”
Rio pointed at him. “You’re going to regret this.”
Keen was already pulling out his phone.
“Probably,” he said. “But at least I’ll regret it internationally.”
---
Keen applied that night.
On a whim.
No overthinking.
No discussion.
Just a form, a short statement, and a very questionable decision.
Applications usually took weeks to process—internal approval first, then nomination to a partner university.
Keen didn’t think much of it.
He forgot about it, actually.
Mostly because—
Sea was still everywhere.
---
Three weeks later, Keen was in the middle of studying for his final exam when his email pinged.
He ignored it.
Then it pinged again.
And again.
Keen sighed, reached for his phone, and opened it.
Paused.
Scrolled back up.
Read it again.
“…What.”
His application had been approved.
Conditionally cleared.
Nominated. He just needed to submit the remaining documents, and the university would begin the student visa application process on his behalf.
Departure: 2 days after the final exams.
One semester.
Abroad.
Keen stared at the screen.
Then leaned back in his chair.
Slowly.
“…Oh.”
That was real.
That was… happening.
He glanced at his messages.
Sea had sent him three memes, two complaints about class, and a blurry picture of something that might have been food.
Keen locked his phone.
Set it down.
Stared at the ceiling.
“…This is fine,” he said out loud.
It did not sound convincing.