Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Junghwan was lying on his bed, one arm tucked behind his head while the other lazily held his phone above his face.

The dorm room was unusually quiet.

Youngjae had gone out earlier, no idea where he’s heading to.

Leaving Junghwan with the room all to himself.

With nothing better to do, he absentmindedly opened the university forum.

As expected, it was the same as always.

Posts about club recruitments.

Photos from campus.

Students complaining about assignments.

He scrolled past them one by one without much interest.

Then a newly uploaded post caught his eye.

"Football Club's New Star Striker Is Back From Semester Break."

Junghwan clicked it almost without thinking.

The first photo loaded.

Dohoon was sprinting across the football field, his jersey slightly lifted by the wind as he chased after the ball. Another picture captured the exact moment he struck it, his posture balanced and confident.

The final photo showed him laughing with his teammates during a break, sweat running down the side of his face.

Junghwan stared at the screen for a few seconds longer than he intended.

"..."

He zoomed in on one of the photos before realizing what he was doing.

"...What am I doing?"

He immediately zoomed back out.

The comment section below was already active.

“He's handsome.”

“Which department is he from?”

“Isn't that the Social Study freshman?”

“His football skills are crazy.”

“He smiles completely differently when he's playing.”

Junghwan frowned slightly.

"...They really comment on everything."

He continued scrolling.

“I heard he's going to be the next football club president after Mingyu graduates.”

“Makes sense. Everyone in the club seems to trust him.”

Junghwan quietly stared at that comment.

"...President already..."

He couldn't help remembering the day Dohoon had told him about it, the day when Dohoon got drunk.

"They chose me to be the next president."

At the time, Dohoon had looked genuinely happy.

...Good for him.

The corner of Junghwan's lips lifted ever so slightly.

Then another comment appeared.

“Someone should ask him out before another department steals him.”

Junghwan's smile disappeared instantly.

"..."

Why was he suddenly annoyed?

It wasn't any of his business who asked Dohoon out.

He locked his phone with a quiet click.

"...Ridiculous."

A few seconds later...

He unlocked it again.

"...Just one more look."

He reopened the same post.

"..."

"...He's smiling like an idiot."

Even so...

Junghwan found himself staring at that smile for far longer than he intended.

Junghwan glanced at the time on his phone.

5:30 p.m.

Dohoon's football practice should be ending soon.

He put his phone down and stretched before getting off the bed.

"I should probably get ready now."

He quietly opened the wardrobe, grabbed a hoodie and a light jacket, then headed into the bathroom.

A warm shower washed away the laziness from spending the afternoon lying around.

About fifteen minutes later, he stepped out, towel-drying his hair before slipping on his jacket.

The autumn air had become noticeably cooler, especially once the sun started setting.

"...It's getting chilly."

After grabbing his phone and wallet, he left the dorm.

—

It didn't take long for Junghwan to reach the football field.

From a distance, he could already hear whistles, laughter, and the sound of footballs being kicked across the grass.

His eyes naturally searched the field.

Dohoon was easy to spot.

Even among dozens of players, he somehow stood out.

He was sprinting down the wing before sending a clean cross into the penalty area.

"..."

Without realizing it, Junghwan watched until the play ended.

Only then did he walk toward the bleachers.

As expected, two familiar figures were already sitting there.

"Oh."

"So this is where you went, Youngjae."

Youngjae looked up from his phone.

"Wasn't my original plan."

He pointed toward the person beside him.

"Hanjin dragged me here."

"I merely invited you," Hanjin corrected with a laugh while adjusting the camera hanging around his neck.

He noticed Junghwan approaching and waved enthusiastically.

"Hi, Junghwan."

"You're here too?"

Junghwan nodded.

"Mhm."

Hanjin looked toward the football field before looking back at him with a teasing smile.

"Are you here to watch Dohoon?"

Junghwan followed his gaze.

On the field, Dohoon had just stolen the ball from another player and was already running toward the goal.

"...Not really."

"I'm waiting for him."

Youngjae slowly turned to look at him.

"...Waiting for him?"

Junghwan met his gaze calmly.

"Why?"

Youngjae blinked once.

"...That's... not what I expected to hear."

Junghwan raised an eyebrow.

"And what were you expecting?"

"I don't know."

Youngjae shrugged.

"You two spend more time arguing than talking normally."

"You keep provoking him every chance you get."

"I still don't understand why."

Junghwan leaned casually against the railing overlooking the field.

"...Actually."

"Me neither."

Youngjae stared at him.

"...You're unbelievable."

Junghwan let out a quiet chuckle.

"Heard that before."

"Not the first time."

Youngjae sighed dramatically.

"Whatever."

"I'm too tired to figure you out."

He stood up, slinging his backpack over one shoulder.

"I should get going."

"Competition's getting closer."

"If I don't practice enough, Hoshi-hyung is going to lecture me again."

Hanjin laughed.

"Good luck."

Youngjae waved without looking back.

"See you guys."

As Youngjae disappeared down the stairs, Junghwan shifted his attention to Hanjin.

Hanjin had already raised his camera again, completely focused on the players below.

The shutter clicked several times in quick succession.

Junghwan looked at him curiously.

"...Do you really enjoy taking photos that much?"

Hanjin lowered the camera and smiled.

"I do."

"It's my favorite way to keep memories."

He looked through the photos he had just taken.

"Moments only happen once."

"But if you capture them..."

"...you can look back at them years later."

Junghwan quietly listened.

Hanjin continued with a sheepish grin.

"My room's full of photo albums."

"I even have boxes filled with printed pictures."

Junghwan imagined stacks upon stacks of photographs.

"...I'll pass."

Hanjin laughed.

"I figured you'd say that."

"But one day, I'll secretly take a really good picture of you."

Junghwan immediately frowned.

"Delete it."

"I haven't even taken it yet."

"Delete it in advance."

Hanjin burst into laughter.

"...You're impossible."

Junghwan simply shrugged.

"I've heard that before too."

As the two continued chatting, a loud whistle echoed across the football field.

The practice match had finally come to an end.

Almost instinctively, Junghwan's gaze drifted back toward the field.

His eyes found Dohoon almost immediately. He was standing with his teammates, laughing brightly at something someone had said.

Without realizing it...

Junghwan smiled too.

—

The final whistle echoed across the football field.

Players began gathering their bags, chatting and laughing as they left the pitch.

Hanjin already left, but Junghwan remained seated on the bleachers, one leg crossed over the other, patiently waiting.

A few moments later, Dohoon jogged over, still wearing his football jersey, a towel draped around his neck. Sweat clung to his hair, and his breathing was still slightly uneven from the match.

He stopped in front of Junghwan.

"Junghwan? You're already here?"

Junghwan looked up lazily.

"I've been waiting so long I think I'm starting to rot."

Dohoon blinked.

"...What?"

"It's not my fault you're so early."

"I still have to shower first."

Junghwan slowly looked Dohoon up and down.

His jersey was soaked with sweat, bits of grass still stuck to his socks.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You stink."

He waved a hand dramatically in front of his nose.

"Stay at least five meters away."

"I think I can smell the entire football field."

Dohoon's eye twitched.

"...Well then don't smell it."

"That isn't even possible."

Junghwan replied with a perfectly straight face.

"The smell is attacking me."

"I don't know," Dohoon shrugged.

"You're the one complaining."

Junghwan sighed dramatically.

"My poor nose..."

But the truth is, Dohoon definitely smells like nature, but definitely does not smell bad.

"You should apologize to it."

Dohoon deadpanned.

"I'm apologizing to absolutely no one."

Junghwan chuckled.

"Go take your shower."

"And don't make me wait too long."

Dohoon folded his arms.

"Then I'm going to take my sweet time showering."

"...I'll still be waiting."

Dohoon paused.

He looked at Junghwan with genuine confusion.

"...Why don't you just wait back at your dorm?"

"It's warmer."

"And at least you'll have somewhere to sit."

Junghwan was silent for a second.

...He had a point.

He had been so focused on waiting that the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

"...Okay."

Dohoon stared at him.

"...Just like that?"

Junghwan raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You actually said something reasonable."

"So why wouldn't I listen?"

Dohoon looked almost disappointed that Junghwan hadn't argued back.

"...Whatever."

"I'm going."

He turned toward the locker room before glancing over his shoulder.

"Don't disappear."

Junghwan smirked.

"I'll think about it."

"Tsk."

Dohoon clicked his tongue.

"...You're annoying."

"And yet you're the one telling me where to wait."

Junghwan shot back.

Dohoon didn't bother replying.

Instead, he simply waved without turning around as he walked toward the changing room.

Junghwan watched him disappear into the building before quietly getting up from the bleachers.

"...Guess I'll wait in the dorm."

With his hands tucked into his jacket pockets, he slowly made his way back toward the dormitory, the cool autumn breeze following him across the now-empty football field.

—

About twenty minutes later, a knock echoed through the room.

Knock. Knock.

"It's me, Dohoon."

Junghwan got up from his bed and walked to the door.

The moment he opened it, Dohoon came into view.

He had already changed into a blue hoodie and black jeans. His hair was still slightly damp from the shower, a few messy strands falling over his forehead.

Junghwan stared for a second.

...

...He looks kind of cute with his hair like that.

The thought slipped into his mind before he could stop it.

...What am I thinking?

Snap out of it.

He immediately looked away and cleared his throat.

"Took you long enough."

Dohoon frowned.

"I only took twenty minutes."

"You were acting like I disappeared for two hours."

"Felt like two hours."

Junghwan replied with a completely straight face.

Dohoon rolled his eyes.

"So..."

"Where are we going?"

Junghwan paused.

He hadn't actually planned that far ahead.

After thinking for a moment, he shrugged.

"Let's get fried chicken."

"The restaurant near the campus."

Dohoon's eyes lit up slightly.

"...Sounds good."

—

The evening air was pleasantly cool.

Unlike the unbearable summer heat from a month ago, autumn had finally settled over the campus.

Golden leaves occasionally drifted down from the trees as students walked past, chatting with friends after class.

Junghwan walked beside Dohoon with his hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

After several minutes, he noticed something.

Dohoon was smiling.

Not broadly.

Just a small, content smile.

Every now and then, he'd glance up at the orange trees lining the pathway before looking ahead again.

"...You're in a good mood."

Dohoon didn't deny it.

"Yeah."

"So don't ruin it."

Junghwan smirked.

"Hmm..."

"I'll think about it."

"Tsk."

Dohoon nudged him lightly with his elbow.

"What?"

Junghwan looked sideways at him.

"What put you in such a good mood anyway?"

Dohoon looked up at the canopy of amber leaves above them.

"I like autumn."

"It's my favorite season."

"The weather's cool."

"The leaves turn orange."

"The whole campus looks different."

He watched another leaf drift lazily onto the path.

"...It's beautiful."

Junghwan quietly listened.

Then, without missing a beat—

"Then I hope autumn ends quickly."

Dohoon stopped walking.

"...What?"

Junghwan stopped a few steps ahead and turned around.

"What?"

For a second, Dohoon simply stared at him.

Then—

"Pfft..."

A laugh escaped him.

It quickly grew louder.

"Hahaha..."

Junghwan blinked.

"...What are you laughing at?"

Dohoon tried to answer, but another laugh interrupted him.

"You..."

"You sounded so childish just now."

Junghwan frowned.

"I only said that because winter is my favorite season."

"So?"

"So naturally I'd rather skip autumn."

Dohoon shook his head, still laughing.

"I know."

"But the way you said it..."

"'I hope autumn ends quickly.'"

He mimicked Junghwan's flat tone almost perfectly.

"It sounded like a kid who got upset because someone liked a different season."

Junghwan stared at him for a long moment before clicking his tongue.

"...You're exaggerating."

"I'm not."

"You absolutely are."

"I'm definitely not."

Junghwan sighed dramatically.

"...Fine."

"Then I hope every autumn leaf lands on your head."

Dohoon burst into laughter again.

"See?"

"You're proving my point."

"You are childish."

Junghwan looked away with an expression that was somewhere between annoyed and amused.

"...You're impossible."

"And yet you still invited me to dinner."

Dohoon grinned.

Junghwan paused for a second before muttering quietly,

"...Unfortunately."

"Hey, I heard that."

"I wanted you to."

Their usual bickering continued all the way to the fried chicken restaurant, drawing a few curious glances from passing students.

Neither of them realized that, despite all the arguing...

Neither had stopped smiling.

—

Junghwan slid the menu back toward the center of the table and leaned against his chair.

"Yah, place your order already."

Across from him, Dohoon was still staring at the menu with a conflicted expression.

"...There are way too many things I want to try."

He frowned at the pictures.

"I can't decide."

Without another word, Junghwan reached over and snatched the menu from his hands.

"Hey!"

"I'll order for you."

Dohoon narrowed his eyes.

"What if I don't like it?"

"You will."

Junghwan didn't even hesitate.

"I come here almost every week."

"...You're that confident?"

"I am."

Dohoon looked at him for a few seconds before letting out a defeated sigh.

"...Fine."

Junghwan couldn't help raising an eyebrow.

"You actually listened."

"Don't make me regret it."

"I probably will."

As Junghwan placed the order, he noticed something unusual.

Dohoon had gone quiet.

Far too quiet.

Normally, he would have complained at least five more times by now.

Instead, he was absentmindedly tracing circles on the table with his finger, seemingly lost in thought.

Junghwan rested his chin on one hand.

"You're strangely quiet."

"So?"

"You talk too much."

"...Can't I be tired for once?"

"You can."

Junghwan studied him for another moment.

"But that's not what's happening."

Dohoon didn't answer.

Junghwan leaned forward slightly.

"So."

He tilted his head.

"What's bothering you?"

Dohoon instinctively wanted to deny it.

"...Nothing."

"Liar."

"..."

"I can literally see it on your face."

Dohoon clicked his tongue.

"...You're annoying."

"I know."

"..."

After a few more seconds of silence, Dohoon finally sighed.

"...Actually..."

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"A lot."

Junghwan waited.

"The football club..."

"They chose me as the next president."

Junghwan blinked once.

"Oh."

"I forgot I haven't said anything about that yet, but congratulations."

"...Thanks."

Dohoon didn't sound particularly happy.

Junghwan noticed that immediately.

"But?"

Dohoon lowered his gaze.

"They all trust me."

"They think I can lead the club."

"...What if I disappoint them?"

For a second...

Junghwan simply stared at him.

Then—

He laughed.

Not a loud laugh.

Just a quiet chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?"

Dohoon frowned.

"This is the first time I've seen you worry about something that's almost impossible."

"What do you mean impossible?"

"I've watched you play."

Junghwan shrugged casually.

"You naturally take charge."

"The others listen to you."

"You don't even realize you're doing it."

Dohoon looked genuinely surprised.

"...When did you watch me?"

Junghwan picked up his cup of water.

"You remember that inter-university friendly match?"

"I think Hanjin was there taking photos."

Dohoon's eyes widened slightly.

"...That was you?"

"I caught a glimpse of someone standing near the fence."

"I thought I imagined it."

"No."

Junghwan took another sip.

"It was me."

Dohoon stared at him.

"...You never told me."

"You never asked."

"..."

Junghwan set the cup down.

"So stop overthinking."

"If I'm saying you'll do fine..."

He gave Dohoon a small shrug.

"...Then you'll probably do fine."

For a brief moment...

Dohoon forgot to answer.

"...That's..."

He scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"...Kind of weird coming from you."

"But..."

"...Thanks."

Junghwan smirked immediately.

"Although..."

"It would be pretty funny watching you drown in paperwork."

Dohoon deadpanned.

"...I take back my thanks."

"Too late."

"I already accepted it."

Dohoon sighed dramatically.

"Sometimes I seriously don't understand you."

"Hm?"

"One second you're actually helping me..."

"The next second you're back to being unbelievably annoying."

Junghwan felt the corner of his lips curl upward.

"...Makes things more interesting."

He said it so quietly that it was almost carried away by the noise inside the restaurant.

"What?"

Dohoon looked up.

"What did you say?"

Junghwan blinked.

"I said..."

He rested his chin on his hand again.

"...You're probably hearing me silently wishing you fail as club president."

"...Wow."

Dohoon gave him a flat look.

"You're unbelievable."

"I've been told that before."

Before Dohoon could fire back another retort, a waiter arrived carrying two large plates.

"Cheese powder fried chicken and soy garlic fried chicken."

"Please enjoy."

Junghwan immediately pushed one plate toward Dohoon.

"Try it."

Dohoon picked up a piece skeptically.

"Cheese powder?"

"It's good."

"I picked it."

"...That doesn't exactly reassure me."

"Just eat."

Dohoon took a bite.

The crispy coating shattered beneath his teeth, followed by the rich sweetness of the cheese powder.

His eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

"..."

Junghwan noticed immediately.

"Well?"

"...It's actually really good."

"I know."

"Told you."

"...Don't get smug."

"I've already become smug."

Dohoon clicked his tongue before reaching for another piece anyway.

Junghwan quietly smiled to himself.

The rest of dinner passed more peacefully than either of them expected.

There were still occasional sarcastic remarks, small arguments over who had eaten more chicken, and several complaints about the amount of cheese powder coating Dohoon's fingers.

But compared to before...

It almost felt comfortable.

—

By the time they stepped outside the restaurant, the sun had completely disappeared beyond the horizon.

The autumn night welcomed them with cool air and a gentle breeze.

Streetlights illuminated the sidewalks, while golden leaves occasionally drifted down from the trees above.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

They simply walked side by side toward campus.

Junghwan looked up at the rows of maple trees lining the street.

"...I think I understand it now."

"Hm?"

"Why you like autumn."

Dohoon glanced at him.

"The weather?"

"It's nice."

"Not hot."

"Not freezing."

"You can actually walk without sweating."

Dohoon shook his head.

"You're missing the best part."

"The leaves?"

Junghwan looked around.

"They're... alright."

Dohoon stopped walking.

"...Just alright?"

Junghwan stopped as well.

"What?"

"Those are the best part!"

"They make the whole campus look different."

"They're beautiful."

Junghwan looked around once more before shrugging.

"I still prefer winter."

"Everything's cleaner."

"And I don't have to worry about pollen."

Dohoon stared at him.

"...That's your reason?"

"It's a perfectly valid reason."

"No."

"It isn't."

"It absolutely is."

Dohoon laughed.

"You really have terrible taste."

Junghwan scoffed.

"Says the guy whose favorite drink tastes like coffee mixed with regret."

"My ashotchu is amazing."

"Your taste buds are broken."

"And yours only work because everything strawberry tricks them."

Junghwan looked genuinely offended.

"Don't insult strawberries."

"They've done nothing wrong."

"Oh?"

"So strawberries are where you draw the line?"

"Exactly."

"Everything else is negotiable."

Dohoon burst into laughter.

"...You're seriously impossible."

"And yet you keep having dinner with me."

Junghwan replied without thinking.

The words slipped out so naturally that both of them paused.

"..."

"..."

Dohoon cleared his throat first.

"...It's because I still owe you."

"That's all."

Junghwan looked away toward the road ahead.

"Sure."

"If that's what helps you sleep at night."

"Oh, shut up."

They resumed walking.

The familiar bickering returned almost immediately, blending with the sound of rustling autumn leaves.

Neither of them noticed that, somewhere along the way, walking beside each other had started to feel... natural.

—

When Junghwan returned to his dorm, the first thing he did was place his wallet on the desk before reaching for his tennis bag.

He checked that his racket, towel, water bottle, and extra grip tape were all inside.

As expected.

Everything was ready.

"Going to practice again?"

Youngjae's voice came from across the room. He was sprawled across his bed with one earbud in, absentmindedly watching dance videos on his phone.

"Yeah."

Junghwan slung the bag over his shoulder.

"My usual routine."

Youngjae glanced toward the window.

"But it's autumn now."

"The nights are getting chilly."

Junghwan zipped up his jacket.

"It's still fine."

"It's not that cold yet."

Youngjae sighed dramatically.

"Just don't catch a cold."

"I don't want to end up taking care of you."

Junghwan smirked.

"You won't have to."

"I'm not as weak as someone we know."

Youngjae looked up from his phone.

"...You're talking about Dohoon again, aren't you?"

Junghwan paused for half a second before clicking his tongue.

"I didn't say any names."

"You didn't have to."

Youngjae rolled his eyes.

"I've known you long enough."

Junghwan ignored the comment and headed for the door.

"I'm leaving."

"Lock the door if you come back late."

"Mhm."

Youngjae waved lazily without looking away from his phone.

"Have fun."

—

The cool autumn air greeted Junghwan the moment he stepped outside.

Unlike the humid summer nights, tonight's breeze was crisp and refreshing.

The campus was much quieter now.

Streetlights illuminated the paths between rows of trees whose leaves had already begun turning shades of gold and orange.

Junghwan adjusted the strap on his tennis bag.

"...This weather isn't bad."

Even he had to admit it.

No wonder Dohoon liked autumn so much.

"..."

He immediately shook his head.

Why am I thinking about him again?

With a quiet sigh, he continued toward the tennis courts.

—

By the time he arrived, several club members were warming up under the floodlights.

The rhythmic sound of tennis balls striking rackets echoed throughout the court.

One of the members noticed him first.

"Hey, Junghwan!"

Junghwan raised a hand in greeting.

"Doing your usual night practice?"

"Yeah."

He set his bag down beside the bench.

"Gotta keep practicing."

The older student laughed.

"Practicing to keep up with everyone?"

"Come on."

"Who are you trying to fool?"

"You're the best player in the club."

Several nearby members nodded in agreement.

"Seriously."

"If anything, we're the ones trying to keep up with you."

Junghwan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Being the best right now doesn't mean I'll stay that way."

"If I stop practicing..."

"Someone else will overtake me eventually."

Another member chuckled.

"That's exactly why you're the best."

"You never get complacent."

Junghwan simply smiled.

"I just don't like losing."

"That's the Junghwan we know."

One of the club members spun his racket in his hand before pointing it toward Junghwan.

"Speaking of practice..."

He walked onto the court.

"Want to be my opponent?"

Junghwan picked up his own racket and twirled it once in his hand.

A familiar competitive spark appeared in his eyes.

"Sure."

The other student grinned.

"I've been wanting another match with our strongest player."

Junghwan stepped behind the baseline and bounced the tennis ball against the ground a few times.

"Then don't complain if you lose."

The student laughed as he moved into position.

"I was about to say the same thing."

The two of them exchanged confident smiles.

A moment later—

Pop!

Junghwan tossed the ball into the air.

The match began.

The rally lasted less than fifteen minutes.

Thwack!

Junghwan's forehand landed neatly on the baseline.

His opponent barely managed to return it before Junghwan stepped forward, cutting the angle with a crisp volley.

Point.

The score continued to widen.

Whenever his opponent aimed for a corner, Junghwan was already there.

Whenever he tried to change the pace, Junghwan adjusted effortlessly.

There was no wasted movement.

Every step was efficient.

Every swing was clean.

"...Match point."

Junghwan bounced the ball twice before serving.

His opponent braced himself.

Bang!

The serve shot toward the T-line.

The return floated slightly too high.

Junghwan immediately moved in.

Smash!

The ball struck the court with a loud pop before bouncing into the fence.

Silence.

Then laughter.

"...Again."

"I lost again."

The other club member rested both hands on his knees, breathing heavily.

"I swear you're getting even better."

Junghwan twirled his racket once before offering a hand.

"You played well."

His opponent accepted the hand and stood up.

"Don't comfort me."

"You completely destroyed me."

Another member who had been watching from the sidelines whistled.

"I don't think he even broke a sweat."

"Seriously."

"Junghwan's footwork is ridiculous."

Junghwan only smiled awkwardly.

"I still made a few mistakes."

The others stared at him.

"..."

"...You're impossible."

—

After putting away his racket, Junghwan sat down on one of the benches beside the court.

He twisted open his water bottle and drank nearly half of it in one go.

The cool water washed away the dryness in his throat.

"...Ah."

"That's refreshing."

The member he had just played against dropped onto the bench beside him.

"I've been meaning to ask."

"Hm?"

"You're really good at tennis."

He looked toward the court where a few first-years were still practicing.

"I wonder how you got this good."

Junghwan looked at his racket resting against the bench.

"...I've loved tennis since I was little."

"So..."

"I spent a lot of my childhood practicing."

"My parents enrolled me in lessons pretty early."

"And somewhere along the way..."

He smiled faintly.

"I just fell in love with the sport."

The older student nodded.

"That makes sense."

"It shows."

"You don't practice because you have to."

"You practice because you genuinely enjoy it."

Junghwan looked toward the court again.

"...Yeah."

"I guess that's true."

For a while, the two of them simply watched the others rally beneath the floodlights.

The cool autumn breeze rustled the leaves overhead.

Junghwan leaned back slightly.

Then...

Something caught his eye.

A familiar figure was walking along the path beside the courts.

Blue hoodie.

Hands tucked into the pockets.

Messy black hair.

"..."

Junghwan narrowed his eyes.

Dohoon?

He stood up.

"Give me a moment."

"Hm?"

"I'll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, Junghwan jogged toward the path.

"Dohoon?"

The figure stopped walking and slowly turned around.

"...Junghwan?"

"What are you doing here this late?"

Dohoon blinked once before pointing vaguely down the path.

"Uh..."

"I was just passing by."

"I'm going to the convenience store."

Junghwan instinctively looked in the direction Dohoon had pointed.

Then toward the opposite side of campus.

He frowned.

"...Isn't the convenience store over there?"

He pointed behind Dohoon.

There was a brief silence.

"..."

"..."

Dohoon looked where Junghwan was pointing.

"...Right."

Then he cleared his throat.

"I felt like taking the longer route."

"The weather's nice."

"So..."

"I decided to enjoy the cool night air."

Junghwan stared at him for another second.

"...Okay?"

Dohoon scratched the back of his neck.

"...Anyway."

"You should get back to your practice."

"I'll... continue walking."

Before Junghwan could say anything else, Dohoon gave an awkward wave and quickly walked away.

Junghwan watched his retreating figure until it disappeared behind a row of maple trees.

"..."

He stood there for another moment.

Then slowly turned back toward the courts.

His clubmate immediately looked over.

"So?"

"What did he want?"

Junghwan picked up his water bottle again.

"...Nothing."

"He said he was going to the convenience store."

"But..."

Junghwan frowned slightly.

"...He's acting weird."

He couldn't quite explain why.

The excuse had been clumsy.

The timing had been strange.

And for some reason...

It almost felt like Dohoon had been wandering near the tennis courts before Junghwan called out to him.

Junghwan shook his head.

"...Nah."

"I'm probably overthinking it."

Still...

Even as practice resumed, Junghwan found himself glancing toward the path every now and then, half-expecting the familiar blue hoodie to appear again.

—

Junghwan let out a long breath as he dropped onto one of the benches beside the tennis court. Tilting his head back, he unscrewed his bottle and emptied nearly half of it in one go.

Cold autumn air brushed against his sweat-soaked skin, sending a slight shiver through him.

"...It's getting cold."

"Yeah." One of his clubmates zipped up his jacket. "Let's call it a day."

"See you next practice."

"See you."

After saying goodbye, Junghwan slung his racket bag over his shoulder and started walking toward the campus exit.

His stomach growled.

"...I'm hungry."

There was a convenience store only a few minutes away.

That was a good enough excuse.

...

Could he be there?

The thought appeared so naturally that Junghwan frowned at himself.

His mind drifted back to several months ago.

The convenience store.

Dohoon had walked right up beside him despite Junghwan telling him not to come closer.

Then the idiot had reached behind him to grab a bag of chips, completely invading his personal space without realizing it.

Junghwan couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh.

"...He's probably back in his dorm already."

Still...

His feet continued toward the convenience store anyway.

Five minutes later, the automatic doors slid open.

A blast of freezing air-conditioning greeted him.

"...It's autumn already."

"Why are they still blasting the AC like it's the middle of summer..."

He rubbed his arms before wandering toward the snack aisle, grabbing a small pack of mixed nuts.

Then he headed for the drinks refrigerator.

The moment he turned the corner—

A familiar blue hoodie entered his view.

Junghwan blinked.

"...Dohoon?"

"Huh?"

Dohoon turned around, an iced ashotchu already in his hand.

"...Coffee?" Junghwan raised an eyebrow. "At this hour?"

"What?" Dohoon looked at him defensively. "You have a problem with that?"

"No."

Junghwan reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of sports drink.

"But what if you can't sleep?"

Dohoon snorted.

"I've been drinking coffee at night since high school."

"I sleep just fine."

"...Then you're weird."

"Says the guy who practices tennis at ten at night."

"...Fair point."

They walked toward the cashier together without another word.

As the cashier began scanning Junghwan's items, Junghwan casually reached over and took the ashotchu from Dohoon's hand.

"Hey!"

Before Dohoon could react, Junghwan placed it on the counter.

"I'll pay for this too."

The cashier scanned it.

"That'll be 5,900 won."

Junghwan tapped his card.

Beep.

The payment went through.

Once outside the store, he handed the drink back.

Dohoon stared at it for a moment.

"...What's this for?"

"Nothing."

Junghwan shrugged as if it wasn't worth mentioning.

"I just felt like it."

"..."

Dohoon accepted the cup.

"...I guess..."

"...Thanks."

Junghwan grimaced dramatically.

"Don't thank me."

"It sounds weird."

"It doesn't suit us."

Dohoon immediately rolled his eyes.

"I was actually being nice."

"And this is what I get?"

"I did it on purpose."

"...You're unbelievable."

"I've heard that before."

Junghwan chuckled.

They continued walking side by side beneath rows of trees painted in shades of orange and gold.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then Junghwan glanced sideways.

"...Still thinking about the football club president thing?"

Dohoon's footsteps slowed slightly.

"..."

"I knew it."

Junghwan shoved both hands into his jacket pockets.

"No wonder you're wandering around campus this late."

"Trying to clear your head?"

After a brief silence, Dohoon gave a small nod.

"...Yeah."

"I'm happy they trust me."

"But..."

He let out a quiet sigh.

"I've never led something this big before."

"What if I mess it up?"

Junghwan looked ahead instead of at him.

"You will."

Dohoon immediately frowned.

"...Excuse me?"

"You'll mess up."

"You'll make mistakes."

"There'll probably be paperwork piled higher than your desk."

"You'll get blamed when the team loses."

"And you'll get stressed."

Dohoon stared at him.

"...Thanks."

"You're really encouraging."

Junghwan smirked.

"I'm not finished."

He looked over.

"But if they chose you unanimously..."

"...then it means everyone already believes you can handle it."

"They've been watching you longer than you realize."

"So stop worrying about whether you're good enough."

"You already convinced them."

For a brief second, Dohoon fell silent.

"..."

"...You actually said something decent."

Junghwan clicked his tongue.

"Don't get used to it."

"I won't."

Dohoon looked down at the coffee in his hand.

"...Still."

"...Thanks."

Junghwan sighed dramatically.

"There you go again."

"Didn't I tell you not to thank me?"

"What? You bought me coffee."

"You gave me advice."

"What else am I supposed to say?"

"...Annoy me less."

"Hah."

"Impossible."

A small laugh escaped Dohoon before he could stop it.

"...You're still annoying."

"And you're still stubborn."

"Good."

"That means nothing's changed."

The two continued walking back toward the dormitories.

For once, there were no arguments.

No childish insults.

Just the sound of their footsteps crunching softly over fallen autumn leaves.

Neither of them noticed it.

But somehow...

Walking beside each other like this had started to feel strangely natural.

—

A month passed after that evening at the convenience store.

During that time, Junghwan barely interacted with Dohoon.

The start of the new semester had scattered everyone into different class schedules, and unlike their first semester, they no longer shared any general education courses.

Sometimes, Junghwan would catch sight of Dohoon across campus.

Crossing the courtyard.

Walking toward the engineering building.

Jogging across campus with a football tucked under one arm.

But every single time—

The other boy always looked like he was rushing somewhere.

"...Busy."

That was the only impression Junghwan had.

It took another week before they actually spoke again.

Ironically...

It happened in the convenience store.

Again.

Junghwan had just finished his afternoon class and decided to grab a drink before heading back to his dorm.

As he opened the refrigerator door—

He spotted a familiar figure standing beside it.

Blue hoodie.

Black backpack.

Holding an ashotchu.

Junghwan couldn't help smiling.

"Oh, look who I found."

"The busy future football club president."

Dohoon turned around.

The moment he saw who it was, he let out an exhausted sigh.

"...What do you want this time?"

"Nothing."

Junghwan leaned casually against the shelf and crossed his arms.

"I just felt like annoying you."

"...Of course you did."

"So."

Junghwan tilted his head.

"What's been going on recently?"

"You look like you've been running around campus every day."

Dohoon rubbed the back of his neck.

"I have been."

"Classes are already killing me."

"And Mingyu-hyung has started handing club work over to me."

Junghwan blinked.

"...Already?"

"It's only September."

"I know."

Dohoon sighed for what felt like the tenth time.

"He said he wants me to learn everything before he's busy with his final year project."

"So now every few days he'll suddenly call me over."

"'Dohoon, come learn this.'"

"'Dohoon, remember how to submit this form.'"

"'Dohoon, watch how I organize training schedules.'"

Junghwan laughed.

"Sounds miserable."

"It is."

Dohoon grabbed his drink from the refrigerator.

"Anyway."

"I've got football practice."

"If I'm late again, Mingyu-hyung is going to lecture me."

Junghwan nodded.

"Go."

"I'll annoy you another day."

"...How thoughtful."

Dohoon deadpanned before walking toward the cashier.

Without another word, he paid for his drink and left the convenience store.

Junghwan watched him disappear through the automatic doors.

"..."

The store suddenly felt strangely quiet.

He frowned slightly.

"...Why does it feel boring all of a sudden?"

The thought came and went.

Junghwan immediately shook his head.

"...What am I even thinking?"

He grabbed his own drink, paid at the counter, and headed back toward the dormitory.

—

When he entered the room, Youngjae was already there.

His laptop sat open on the desk, a game running while music quietly played through his speakers.

Youngjae glanced over his shoulder.

"...Alright."

"What happened?"

"You look like me."

Junghwan raised an eyebrow.

"...Should I be offended?"

"I mean..."

Youngjae looked him up and down.

"You've got the same exhausted expression I usually have."

"Tired of life."

"Which is unusual for you."

Junghwan tossed himself onto his bed.

"...Nothing."

"I'm just bored."

Youngjae paused the game.

"...Bored?"

"Why?"

Junghwan stared at the ceiling.

"I don't know."

"...Maybe because I haven't had the chance to piss Dohoon off in a while."

"..."

Youngjae slowly turned his chair to face him.

"...Seriously."

"What exactly is your vendetta against him?"

Junghwan shrugged.

"I don't know."

"It just... happens."

Youngjae stared at him for several seconds.

"...I genuinely can't believe Dohoon has tolerated you for this long."

"If I were him, I would've punched you months ago."

Junghwan chuckled.

"He actually said something similar once."

Youngjae blinked.

"...He did?"

"Mhm."

"He said if I wasn't good-looking, he would've punched me a long time ago."

"..."

Youngjae's eyes widened.

"Wait."

"...Dohoon actually admitted you're good-looking?"

"When he was drunk."

Junghwan answered casually.

"I carried him back to his dorm."

Youngjae froze.

"...Hold on."

"...What did you just say?"

Junghwan looked over.

"Oh."

"Last semester."

"He got completely drunk after celebrating with the football club."

"Mingyu-sunbaenim called me and asked if I could take him back."

"And you went?"

Youngjae asked without hesitation.

Junghwan nodded.

"I was nearby."

"So I went."

Youngjae continued staring at him.

"...Immediately?"

"...Yeah."

Silence filled the room.

Youngjae slowly leaned back in his chair.

"...I refuse to understand the two of you."

"You spend every conversation arguing."

"You keep provoking him."

"He keeps threatening to punch you."

"But the moment something happens to him..."

Youngjae gestured helplessly.

"...You run over immediately."

Junghwan didn't answer.

Because...

Youngjae wasn't wrong.

Even now, the memory remained surprisingly vivid.

Dohoon refusing to get on his back.

Biting his shoulder.

Grumbling incoherently all the way back to the dorm.

And the burning up with a fever a few weeks prior to that.

The expression on Dohoon's face when he opened the dorm room door.

The way he'd stayed awake the entire night, changing the cold towel over and over.

Those memories felt far clearer than they should have.

"..."

Junghwan quietly lowered his gaze.

"...Yeah."

"I don't really understand it either."

Youngjae sighed one last time.

"...You're hopeless."

He reached for his earphones and put them in.

"I'm done trying to figure you out."

Junghwan let out a quiet laugh.

"...Me too."

After Youngjae returned to his game, the room fell silent again.

Junghwan leaned back against the wall, absentmindedly turning the unopened bottle of sports drink in his hand.

For some reason...

Whenever it came to Dohoon...

His actions always moved before his brain had the chance to stop them.

Before Junghwan even realized it, the corner of his lips had lifted ever so slightly.

"..."

He blinked.

"...Why am I smiling?"

Almost as if trying to erase the expression, he suddenly stood up and walked over to his wardrobe.

He pulled out his sportswear and began changing.

The sudden movement caught Youngjae's attention.

He paused his game and looked over.

"...What are you doing now?"

Junghwan zipped up his sports jacket.

"Since I'm bored..."

He slung his racket bag over one shoulder.

"...I might as well go practice."

Youngjae glanced at the clock.

"...Now?"

"It's barely three."

"Mhm."

Junghwan nodded casually.

"I'll practice in the afternoon instead of tonight."

Youngjae stared at him for a few seconds.

"...That's weird coming from you."

Junghwan looked over.

"What is?"

"You've been refusing to practice in the afternoon since the beginning of the semester."

"You always said the courts were too crowded."

Junghwan shrugged.

"I have nothing better to do."

"And..."

He looked outside the window.

"...Autumn nights are getting colder."

"I might change my training schedule."

"...Sure."

Youngjae narrowed his eyes.

He looked at Junghwan.

Then at the racket bag.

Then back at Junghwan again.

"...What's with that look?"

Junghwan frowned.

Youngjae rested his chin on one hand.

"...Nothing."

"You just look suspicious."

"...Suspicious?"

"Mhm."

Youngjae nodded slowly.

"Are you sure..."

He deliberately dragged out the sentence.

"...it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Dohoon's football practice is in the afternoon?"

Junghwan froze.

"..."

"...N-No."

He answered a little too quickly.

"What gave you that idea?"

Youngjae didn't reply immediately.

Instead, he quietly watched Junghwan's reaction.

Then...

A knowing smile slowly appeared on his face.

"...Just an intrusive thought."

"Don't mind it."

He turned back toward his laptop and resumed playing his game as if nothing had happened.

"..."

Junghwan remained standing there.

He stared at Youngjae's back for several long seconds.

"...You're overthinking."

"...Am I?"

Youngjae replied without even turning around.

Junghwan clicked his tongue.

"I'm leaving."

"Have fun."

Youngjae waved absentmindedly while keeping his eyes on the screen.

"Try not to accidentally wander near the football field."

"..."

Junghwan's hand paused on the doorknob.

"...You're unbelievable."

"And look who’s talking."

Youngjae grinned.

Junghwan let out a defeated sigh before opening the door.

"...See you later."

The door closed behind him.

Silence returned to the room.

Youngjae slowly lowered his headphones.

"...He's definitely going to the football field first."

He laughed to himself.

"Well, they’re something else."

Shaking his head with amusement, he put his headphones back on and returned to his game, already looking forward to whatever strange story Junghwan and Dohoon would unknowingly create next.

—

When Junghwan arrived at the tennis courts, several club members were already rallying with one another.

The crisp autumn breeze made the weather far more comfortable than the scorching afternoons of summer.

The moment he stepped through the gate, one of the senior members looked over in surprise.

"...Junghwan?"

Jungkook blinked.

"What brings you here?"

Junghwan rested his racket bag on a nearby bench before taking out his racket.

"Nothing."

"I just felt like practicing now instead of at night."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

"...Really?"

"Mhm."

Junghwan began stretching his shoulders.

"It's getting too chilly once the sun goes down."

"I might switch to afternoon practice for a while."

"Well..."

Jungkook laughed.

"I never thought I'd hear those words from you."

"You practically owned the courts at night."

Junghwan simply shrugged.

"People change."

As he spoke, his gaze drifted almost instinctively beyond the fence.

The football field.

Practice was already underway.

Dohoon was sprinting down the wing with the ball at his feet before cutting inside, effortlessly slipping past another defender.

"..."

Junghwan watched for a brief moment.

Still fast.

Jungkook noticed where Junghwan was looking and glanced toward the football field as well.

"...Watching football?"

"Hm?"

Junghwan immediately looked away.

"No."

"I was just looking around."

"...Sure."

Jungkook smiled but didn't press the matter.

Instead, he picked up his own racket.

"Since you're here anyway..."

He spun the racket once in his hand.

"Let's play."

Junghwan looked at him.

"...Against you?"

"Mhm."

"It's a rare chance."

"You usually finish practice before I even arrive."

Junghwan let out a helpless laugh.

"...Do I really have to?"

"You're just going to destroy me."

Jungkook burst into laughter.

"You're exaggerating."

"You're one of the strongest players in the club."

"I just happen to be slightly stronger."

"Slightly?"

Junghwan scoffed.

"You've beaten me in straight sets every single time."

"And you still call that 'slightly?'"

Jungkook scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.

"...Fair enough."

"But if you want to improve..."

"You should play against stronger opponents."

Junghwan twirled his racket thoughtfully before nodding.

"...Alright."

"I'm in."

"But go easy on me."

"No promises."

Jungkook grinned as they walked toward opposite baselines.

"Ready?"

Junghwan bounced the tennis ball a few times before settling into position.

"...Whenever you are."

The match began.

The first serve flew across the court.

Junghwan reacted instantly, sending a clean return deep into the baseline.

Back and forth.

The rally continued.

Even while fully focused on the match...

There were moments when Junghwan's eyes unconsciously wandered toward the football field between points.

Only for a split second.

Just enough to catch sight of a familiar figure chasing after a football before forcing himself to look back at the tennis court.

Jungkook noticed it once.

Then twice.

By the third time, he couldn't help smiling to himself.

"...Something's definitely different about him lately."

But he kept the observation to himself and simply served the next ball.

—

The match turned out to be far more competitive than either of them had expected.

The sound of tennis balls echoed across the court.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Junghwan slid across the baseline, returning another powerful forehand deep into the corner.

Jungkook barely managed to reach it before sending back a high defensive lob.

Junghwan retreated a step.

He timed his swing perfectly.

Smash.

The ball landed cleanly inside the line.

"Game."

Junghwan exhaled, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

A few club members who had stopped to watch let out impressed whistles.

"Nice shot."

"That angle was crazy."

Jungkook walked back to the baseline with a grin.

"...You've improved."

The match continued for another twenty minutes.

Neither player was willing to give an inch.

Every game was closely contested.

Eventually, they reached another changeover.

Jungkook glanced at the scoreboard.

"...Five-all."

He looked back at Junghwan with genuine surprise.

"I honestly didn't expect this."

Junghwan chuckled while catching his breath.

"What?"

"You thought I'd lose six-love?"

"I was thinking six-two."

"...That's even worse."

Jungkook laughed.

"I'm serious."

"You've gotten a lot better these past few months."

"Your footwork's faster."

"Your backhand is much more stable."

"And..."

He pointed his racket toward Junghwan.

"You're reading my serves now."

Junghwan took a sip from his water bottle.

"I've just been practicing."

"It shows."

Jungkook nodded approvingly.

"Keep this up and you'll be a nightmare to play against."

Junghwan smiled faintly.

"...I'll take that as a compliment."

The two finished the final few games with the same intensity.

By the end of the match, both of them were drenched in sweat.

Jungkook won.

But only by the narrowest margin.

"Seven-five."

Junghwan let out a long breath before dropping onto a nearby bench.

"...I'm exhausted."

"You pushed me more than I expected."

Jungkook admitted as he sat down beside him.

He reached into his bag, pulled out another unopened bottle of water, and tossed it over.

Junghwan caught it with one hand.

"Thanks."

He twisted open the cap and drank nearly half the bottle in one go.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Only the sounds of tennis practice and the occasional cheers from the football field filled the air.

Jungkook casually followed Junghwan's line of sight.

The football field.

Again.

He smiled knowingly.

"...You've been staring at the football field for quite a while now."

Junghwan paused mid-drink.

"Hm?"

Jungkook leaned back against the bench.

"Anyone catch your interest?"

The question made Junghwan react almost instantly.

"Nope."

He answered a little too quickly.

"No one."

Jungkook blinked.

Then burst into laughter.

"Hahaha..."

"Whatever you say."

Junghwan frowned.

"...What's so funny?"

Jungkook shook his head.

"I've been watching you this entire match."

"Every changeover."

"Every break between points."

"Your eyes keep drifting toward the football field."

"...Unconsciously."

Junghwan froze.

"...Did they?"

"Mhm."

Jungkook nodded with complete confidence.

"You'd look over there for a second..."

"...then immediately force yourself to look back."

Junghwan looked away.

"...You're imagining things."

"Am I?"

Jungkook smiled.

"I've known you for few months now."

"I can usually tell when something's distracting you."

"..."

Junghwan stayed silent.

Jungkook didn't press any further.

Instead, he stood up and slung his racket bag over his shoulder.

"Well..."

"I'm heading home."

He looked once more toward the football field before turning back to Junghwan with a teasing grin.

"If you ever figure out who—or what—keeps stealing your attention..."

"...Let me know."

Junghwan rolled his eyes.

"There's nothing to figure out."

"Sure."

Jungkook chuckled.

"I'll pretend I believe that."

With a wave, he left the tennis courts.

Junghwan remained seated on the bench, absentmindedly spinning the now half-empty water bottle in his hand.

"...My eyes kept drifting over there?"

He frowned.

"...No way."

Almost to prove himself wrong, he deliberately looked straight ahead.

Three seconds later...

His gaze unconsciously wandered back toward the football field.

There, among the players in blue training bibs, Dohoon laughed after scoring another goal, immediately getting swarmed by his teammates.

Junghwan watched the scene for a brief moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

"...Seriously."

"...What is wrong with me?"

—

Junghwan leaned back against the bench, letting Jungkook's words replay in his head.

"Your eyes keep drifting toward the football field."

"Unconsciously."

He frowned.

"...That's ridiculous."

Yet...

The more he denied it, the more his thoughts wandered.

Back to the very beginning.

Their first meeting.

—

The orientation day.

Junghwan had just finished looking at the campus map when someone suddenly crashed into him.

"...Ah."

"Sorry."

A slightly flustered voice apologized immediately.

Junghwan had looked up.

Standing in front of him was a boy with messy hair, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

Junghwan still remembered his own first thought.

He's... kind of cute.

The realization had caught him completely off guard.

He had wanted to smile.

He had wanted to tell the other boy it was fine.

Instead...

"...Watch where you're going."

The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

He still remembered the brief look of confusion on Dohoon's face before walked away.

...Why did I say that?

That wasn't what he wanted to say at all.

—

Then at the same day,

At the convenience store,

Dohoon had walked over.

"Hey."

"I'm the guy who bumped into you earlier."

"Sorry about that."

"I'm Kim Dohoon."

"I also live on the same floor as you."

He extended his hand with a friendly smile.

"Let's start over?"

Junghwan remembered staring at that outstretched hand.

He had genuinely wanted to shake it.

Just take his hand.

His brain had already made the decision.

But somehow...

His body didn't listen.

Instead, he glanced at the hand and replied coldly,

"...Shin Junghwan."

Totally ignoring the hand.

He then took the milk and walked away.

On the way back to his dorm,

The same question had echoed through his mind.

...Why did I do that?

—

After that...

Everything only became worse.

Every time they crossed paths...

Junghwan would somehow find a way to tease him.

Comment on his coffee.

Argue over the smallest things.

Throw little insults that weren't even necessary.

Every single time, it happened before he had the chance to think.

It was almost...

Automatic.

"..."

Junghwan rested his elbows on his knees.

"...Why?"

He genuinely didn't know.

If anything...

He should have treated Dohoon the same way he treated everyone else.

Polite.

Calm.

Easygoing.

That was how most people described him.

Yet the moment Dohoon appeared...

It was like someone flipped a switch.

He became childish.

Petty.

Annoying.

Almost as if provoking Dohoon had become second nature.

"..."

Junghwan let out a quiet laugh at himself.

"...I'm unbelievable."

Youngjae had been right.

Even he couldn't explain his own behavior.

The strange part wasn't that he enjoyed arguing with Dohoon.

It was...

How disappointed he felt whenever they didn't argue.

The past month had been unusually quiet.

They rarely bumped into each other.

Rarely exchanged messages.

Rarely spoke.

And somehow...

Campus had started to feel just a little more boring.

Junghwan lowered his head, staring absentmindedly at the tennis racket resting beside him.

"...Have I..."

He stopped himself before finishing the sentence.

"...No."

He immediately shook his head.

"That's impossible."

He stood up abruptly, slinging his racket bag over his shoulder.

"...I'm just used to annoying him."

"That's all."

It was the only explanation that made sense.

At least...

It was the only explanation Junghwan was willing to accept.

—

Oddly enough, as the days passed...

The number of interactions between Junghwan and Dohoon only continued to decrease.

A few days became a week.

A week became nearly two.

Despite living on the same floor of the same dormitory, Junghwan barely caught sight of him anymore.

Their schedules no longer overlapped, there were no more general classes.

When Junghwan returned from class, Dohoon was usually already out.

When Dohoon came back from football practice, Junghwan was either in class or on the tennis courts.

Sometimes, Junghwan would hear a door closing somewhere down the hallway.

By the time he looked outside—

No one was there.

The only place he could reliably catch a glimpse of Dohoon now...

Was the football field.

Every afternoon, while warming up before tennis practice, he'd unconsciously glance toward the neighboring pitch.

Sometimes he'd see Dohoon leading drills.

Sometimes laughing with his teammates.

Sometimes staying behind after everyone else had left, practicing his shots alone.

Those brief glimpses were strangely becoming the only times Junghwan saw him.

Junghwan frowned to himself.

...Is he really that busy lately?

The question lingered in his mind.

Then another thought quietly surfaced.

...Or...

Is he avoiding me?

Junghwan immediately shook his head.

"...I'm overthinking."

"It's probably nothing."

Dohoon had always been busy.

Classes.

Football.

Club responsibilities.

Becoming the next club president.

It wasn't unusual.

...

Right?

"Junghwan."

A voice suddenly pulled him back to reality.

One of the tennis club members waved a hand in front of him.

"You're spacing out again."

Junghwan blinked.

"Oh."

"Sorry."

"I had something on my mind."

Not far away, Jungkook had been watching the exchange.

He walked over, racket resting on his shoulder.

"...Junghwan."

"Hm?"

"You okay?"

Junghwan looked at him.

Jungkook folded his arms.

"You've been spacing out a lot lately."

Junghwan forced a small smile.

"I'm fine."

"I guess I'm just..."

He looked around the court.

"...Still not used to practicing in the afternoon."

"I'll get used to it."

Jungkook studied him carefully.

"...Are you sure?"

"Mhm."

Junghwan nodded.

"I'm sure."

After a brief pause, Jungkook finally sighed.

"...Alright."

"If you say so."

Practice resumed.

The first rally started.

Jungkook served.

Junghwan returned.

The rally lasted only four shots before Junghwan hit the ball into the net.

"...Out."

He clicked his tongue.

Focus.

The next point.

This time, he mistimed an easy forehand.

The ball flew long.

"...Sorry."

Another rally.

He hesitated for half a second.

The ball bounced twice before he reached it.

Throughout the entire session...

Mistake after mistake piled up.

Footwork that was usually precise became sluggish.

His timing felt off.

Even simple shots looked uncomfortable.

And every few minutes...

His eyes drifted toward the football field.

Only for an instant.

But it happened again.

And again.

And again.

Jungkook noticed every single time.

Eventually, he blew his whistle.

"Alright."

"Let's stop here."

Everyone gathered around.

After the others dispersed to grab water, Jungkook walked over to Junghwan.

He didn't say anything at first.

Instead, he handed him a bottle of water.

Junghwan accepted it quietly.

"...Thanks."

Jungkook leaned against the fence.

"...Junghwan."

"Hm?"

"I don't know what's going on."

"But..."

He gestured toward the court.

"That wasn't you today."

Junghwan lowered his gaze.

"..."

"You've made more unforced errors today than I've seen you make all semester."

"You kept losing focus."

"And..."

Jungkook smiled knowingly.

"...Your eyes spent more time on the football field than on the tennis court."

Junghwan rubbed the back of his neck.

"...Sorry."

Jungkook shook his head.

"Don't apologize to me."

"If something's bothering you..."

"Figure it out."

"Because whatever it is..."

"It's affecting your game."

Junghwan stared silently at the water bottle in his hands.

After several seconds, he finally nodded.

"...You're right."

He let out a quiet sigh.

"...I think..."

"I'll take a break from practice for a week."

Jungkook looked surprised.

"A week?"

"I just need some time to clear my head."

Junghwan smiled faintly.

"If I keep practicing like this..."

"I won't improve."

"I'll only develop bad habits."

Jungkook was quiet for a moment before nodding.

"...That's fair."

"But promise me one thing."

Junghwan looked up.

"Make sure to clear whatever's on your mind."

"..."

"Figure out what it is."

Junghwan didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his gaze unconsciously wandered across the fence once more.

The football field.

Today's practice had already ended.

The field was empty.

For some reason...

Seeing it empty left an odd feeling in his chest.

"...I'll try."

That was all he could say.

—

For 6 days, Junghwan stayed away from tennis practice trying to clear whatever was bothering his mind, but he couldn’t.

Instead, he found himself wandering to places where Dohoon might be.

The café near campus where Dohoon always ordered his favorite ashotchu.

The library where Dohoon liked to study.

Even the convenience store where they somehow always ended up running into each other.

Each time, Junghwan unconsciously searched the crowd.

Only to find nothing.

"...Not here either."

He clicked his tongue before leaving the café, hands shoved into his jacket pockets.

It almost felt as if Dohoon had disappeared from campus altogether.

The only place Junghwan could reliably see him...

...was the football field.

Sometimes after finishing class, Junghwan would sit alone on the bleachers, pretending to scroll through his phone while the football club practiced below.

His gaze would always drift toward the familiar number.

Dohoon.

Running across the field with the ball at his feet.

Laughing with his teammates.

Completely immersed in football.

Once or twice, Dohoon noticed him.

Their eyes met for barely a second.

Then Dohoon simply looked away and continued training as if Junghwan wasn't there.

"..."

Junghwan frowned.

He was being ignored.

Completely.

For some reason...

...it irritated him far more than it should.

—

Today marked the last day of the week-long break he had promised Jungkook.

Yet he had solved absolutely nothing.

If anything...

...his mood had only gotten worse.

Back in the dorm room, Junghwan lay on his bed, absentmindedly tapping away at a game on his phone.

"...Seriously?"

"You call that aiming?"

"Tsk."

"Useless."

Youngjae, who was sitting at his desk looking at dance practice video, slowly lowered one side of his headphones.

"...Yah, Shin Junghwan."

"What?"

"What happened to you?"

Youngjae looked at him suspiciously.

"You've been grumbling at your phone for the past twenty minutes."

Junghwan let out a sigh.

"I'm just in a bad mood."

Youngjae wasn't convinced.

"Just a bad mood?"

"Yes."

"You sure it's not because of someone?"

Junghwan's thumb paused for half a second.

"...No."

Youngjae narrowed his eyes.

"Hm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You look exactly like someone who had an argument."

"I didn't."

"...Then someone ignored you?"

Junghwan immediately looked over.

"...What makes you think that?"

Youngjae blinked.

"...I was just guessing."

"..."

Junghwan immediately looked away.

"...Forget it."

Youngjae quietly watched him for another moment before putting his headphones back on.

"...Weird."

—

If he wants to ignore me...

...then fine.

I don't care.

Junghwan tossed his phone onto the bed before standing up.

"I'll just go practice."

Youngjae looked over again as Junghwan started changing into his sportswear.

"Going already?"

"Mhm."

"You said you wanted a week's rest."

"I did."

"But resting is boring."

Youngjae laughed quietly.

"Sure..."

"Have fun."

Without another word, Junghwan grabbed his racket bag and left the room.

—

The autumn breeze greeted him the moment he stepped outside.

The air was noticeably colder than before.

By the time he reached the tennis court, only a few members were already warming up.

One of them looked surprised.

"Junghwan?"

"You're back?"

"I thought you said you were taking the whole week off."

Junghwan placed his racket bag on the bench.

"I changed my mind."

"I got bored."

The member laughed.

"Well, welcome back."

"Jungkook-hyung isn't here today though."

"I know."

Junghwan stretched his shoulders.

"Today I'll just practice alone."

"No matches?"

"...Not today."

"Alright."

—

The familiar sound of tennis balls echoed across the court.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Junghwan struck each ball harder than usual.

His footwork was sharp.

Every swing carried far more force than necessary.

Bang!

The ball shot straight into the deep corner.

If he wants to ignore me...

...then so be it.

Bang!

Another forehand.

The ball clipped the baseline perfectly.

It's not like I wanted to see you anyway.

Bang!

A stronger swing this time.

The ball flew past the practice target completely.

"...Tsk."

Junghwan clicked his tongue and picked up another ball.

We're supposed to be nothing more than classmates.

Bang!

Just strangers who happen to know each other.

Another powerful shot.

This time the ball slammed against the fence with a loud metallic clang.

One of the club members instinctively turned around.

"...Junghwan?"

"You okay?"

Junghwan froze for a brief moment before forcing a small smile.

"Yeah."

"My bad."

"I hit that a little too hard."

The member chuckled.

"I can tell."

"Whoever made you this angry..."

"...I feel bad for them."

Junghwan looked down at the racket in his hand.

"...Me too."

He quietly muttered under his breath before tossing another ball into the air and swinging again.

The crack of the racket echoed across the empty court.

Yet no matter how many balls he hit...

...the frustration sitting inside his chest refused to disappear.

—

The afternoon practice finally came to an end.

Junghwan wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel before taking a long drink from his water bottle. 

His muscles were sore, but at least the constant hitting had calmed him down... a little.

"Good work, everyone!"

"See you tomorrow!"

The members began packing their rackets one after another.

Usually, this was the part where Junghwan would sling his racket bag over his shoulder, wave goodbye, and head straight back to the dorm.

But today...

"...Anyone going for dinner?" Junghwan suddenly asked.

The entire tennis club went silent.

Several heads slowly turned toward him.

"...Huh?"

One member blinked twice.

"Junghwan?"

"You... want to eat with us?"

Even Jungkook, who had just arrived after finishing something with the department office, looked surprised.

"I thought I heard wrong."

Junghwan looked at all of them with a confused expression.

"...What?"

"It's just dinner."

Another member burst out laughing.

"You've rejected us every single time."

"We've invited you for months!"

"And every time your answer was..."

The member lowered his voice to imitate Junghwan.

"No."

"I still have practice."

"Too noisy."

"Maybe next time."

Everyone immediately laughed.

Junghwan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"...Did I really reject that many times?"

"You did."

"Every. Single. Time."

Jungkook crossed his arms with an amused smile.

"So..."

"Are you sure?"

Junghwan shrugged casually.

"There's a first time for everything."

The members exchanged glances.

"...Did someone replace Junghwan with another person?"

"I think so."

"Check if he's running a fever."

Junghwan rolled his eyes.

"I'm perfectly healthy."

"Can we go now?"

The group laughed before gathering their things.

—

About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at one of the barbecue restaurants near campus.

As expected, it was packed.

The place was filled with students celebrating after classes and club activities.

The sizzling sound of meat mixed together with loud conversations and laughter.

One of the members looked around.

"Looks like we got lucky."

"There's an empty table over there."

Everyone quickly walked over before someone else could take it.

Junghwan casually pulled out a chair—

Then his eyes stopped.

Just a few tables away...

A familiar figure sat with a group of football players.

Kim Dohoon.

Hair still wet from the shower, wearing a hoodie, sleeves rolled slightly above his wrists, laughing at something one of his teammates had just said.

Mingyu was there too, grilling meat while the others kept talking over one another.

"..."

Junghwan stared for a second longer than he intended.

So...

He's not too busy to come eat with everyone.

He just doesn't have time for me.

The thought surfaced before he could stop it.

Immediately, his jaw tightened.

"..."

Without another glance, he deliberately looked away.

Don't look at him.

Just ignore him.

Isn't that exactly what he's been doing to you?

Junghwan reached for the menu a little harder than necessary.

The laminated pages made a soft snapping sound.

One of the tennis club members noticed.

"Junghwan?"

"Hm?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You suddenly looked... scary."

Junghwan blinked before forcing a small smile.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Mhm."

He lowered his eyes back to the menu, pretending to study it carefully.

"...Let's just order."

"What are you guys getting?"

The conversation immediately shifted to food.

"Pork belly?"

"We should definitely get pork belly."

"And beef."

"Don't forget kimchi stew."

While everyone happily discussed what to order, Junghwan silently listened.

His eyes never wandered toward the football team's table again.

At least...

He forced himself not to.

Even though, against his own will, he could still hear Dohoon's laughter from across the restaurant.

For some reason...

It bothered him far more than it should have.

—

Junghwan had been quietly eating ever since the food arrived.

Slice after slice of grilled pork disappeared from the plate and into his bowl.

Without realizing it, he had already eaten far more than everyone else.

One of the club members stared at him in disbelief.

"...Yah, Junghwan."

"Hm?"

"How do you eat so much..."

The member pointed at the growing stack of empty plates beside him.

"...and still have a body like that?"

Junghwan calmly chewed his food before swallowing.

"This is called being gifted."

The table immediately erupted into groans.

"...Cocky."

"I regret asking."

"You really have no shame saying that with a straight face."

Junghwan simply shrugged.

"You asked."

Jungkook, who was sitting opposite him, couldn't help laughing.

"Well..."

"He's not entirely wrong."

The others looked over.

"What do you mean?"

Jungkook picked up another piece of meat before answering.

"Maybe you guys don't know this..."

"But Junghwan practices more than anyone here."

"He finishes club practice..."

"...then goes back out again at night to practice by himself."

Several members widened their eyes.

"...Seriously?"

"No wonder."

"I thought he was just naturally talented."

Junghwan shook his head.

"Talent only gets you so far."

"If I don't practice, someone else will eventually surpass me."

Jungkook nodded in agreement.

"Exactly."

"That's why he's one of our strongest players."

Another member looked at Junghwan.

"So you still practice every night?"

Junghwan reached for another piece of grilled meat before answering.

"I used to."

"But not anymore."

"Huh?"

"Why?"

"It's autumn."

"The nights are getting too cold."

"I'd rather practice in the afternoon now."

One of the members nodded in understanding.

"That's true."

"The temperature drops really fast after sunset nowadays."

"I tried jogging last week and nearly froze."

Laughter spread around the table.

Jungkook glanced at Junghwan with a teasing smile.

"Although..."

"I still think your real reason isn't because of the weather."

Junghwan looked up.

"What else would it be?"

Jungkook only grinned while taking a sip of his drink.

"...Nothing."

"I just have a feeling."

Junghwan narrowed his eyes.

"...Hyung."

"What?"

"You're smiling suspiciously."

Jungkook laughed.

"Am I?"

"Must be your imagination."

Junghwan clicked his tongue and returned to eating.

"...Weirdo."

From the corner of his eye, however, he caught movement from the football team's table.

Without thinking, his gaze drifted over.

Dohoon was laughing again, arguing with one of his teammates over who had burned the meat.

"..."

Junghwan looked away almost immediately.

"..."

He stabbed another piece of pork with his chopsticks a little harder than necessary.

One of the members noticed.

"...Junghwan."

"What?"

"...You've been eating very aggressively today."

Junghwan looked down at the slightly flattened piece of meat between his chopsticks.

"...Have I?"

"You have."

The member laughed awkwardly.

At exactly the same moment, every member at the table nodded.

"..."

Junghwan looked around at their unanimous reaction before letting out a small sigh.

"I'm just in a bad mood."

"It'll go away in no time."

Jungkook gave a quiet chuckle, shaking his head.

"If you say so."

"Just don't let it affect your performance."

"It won't."

Junghwan picked up his glass and took a sip of water.

"I promise."

"Good."

The conversation gradually shifted to upcoming tournaments and club activities.

Junghwan listened absentmindedly, only responding every now and then.

Before he knew it...

...his eyes wandered toward the football team's table again.

Dohoon was still there.

Still smiling.

Still laughing at something one of his teammates had said.

The expression on his face was relaxed—something Junghwan rarely ever saw whenever they were together.

For some reason...

...that smile felt strangely distant.

As if it belonged to a version of Dohoon that Junghwan never got to see.

Almost on instinct, Dohoon turned his head.

Their eyes met across the crowded restaurant.

For only a second.

The smile on Dohoon's face immediately faded.

His expression became unreadable.

Neither warm nor cold.

He simply looked at Junghwan for a brief moment...

...before turning back to his teammates as though nothing had happened.

"..."

Junghwan lowered his gaze to the table.

His fingers tightened unconsciously around his chopsticks.

...He really hates me that much?

The thought slipped into his mind before he could stop it.

Over the past month...

Dohoon had barely spoken to him.

Barely looked at him.

When they happened to cross paths, it was only a quick greeting before walking away.

Even today...

After making eye contact...

He didn't even acknowledge him.

It was almost as though Junghwan had become part of the restaurant's background.

Just another stranger sitting a few tables away.

"...Tsk."

The quiet click of his tongue almost went unnoticed beneath the restaurant's chatter.

An unfamiliar irritation slowly built inside his chest.

He had been the one who constantly teased Dohoon.

The one who purposely got on his nerves.

The one who always started their arguments.

So why...

...did being ignored bother him this much?

Junghwan couldn't answer that question.

He only knew that every time Dohoon laughed with someone else...

...and every time Dohoon acted as though he wasn't even there...

...the feeling in his chest became just a little heavier.

"...What's wrong?"

Jungkook's voice pulled him back to reality.

"You've been spacing out again."

Junghwan blinked before forcing a small smile.

"...It's nothing."

Jungkook followed Junghwan's line of sight for a split second before quietly looking back at him.

"...If you say so."

This time...

...he wasn't entirely convinced.

—

Another month passed after that night at the barbecue restaurant.

And during that entire month...

Junghwan and Dohoon barely exchanged a single proper conversation.

It was almost as if Dohoon knew Junghwan's daily routine by heart.

Whenever Junghwan finished class and headed toward the convenience store...

Dohoon was nowhere to be seen.

When Junghwan stopped by the café after practice...

Dohoon had either already left or hadn't arrived yet.

Even around the dormitory, they somehow never ran into each other.

"..."

Junghwan found it ridiculous.

Yet every now and then, he would still catch a glimpse of the familiar figure from afar.

Walking across campus with his football teammates.

Carrying books toward the lecture hall.

Jogging toward the football field.

Each time, Junghwan instinctively wanted to walk over.

Ask him what he was doing.

Tease him about something.

Anything.

But every single time...

Dohoon left before he had the chance to.

And somehow...

That irritated him.

—

October arrived.

The last traces of summer had finally disappeared.

A cool autumn breeze swept across campus every afternoon, carrying crimson and golden leaves through the air.

The university grounds looked completely different from just a month ago.

Today was also the beginning of the autumn club recruitment.

Just like during the spring intake...

The tennis club booth was set up directly beside the football club's booth.

Junghwan sat behind the registration table, absentmindedly spinning a pen between his fingers.

His eyes unconsciously drifted toward the neighboring booth.

...

No Dohoon.

Only Mingyu was there, arranging brochures and greeting interested freshmen.

...Will he be here?

He should be, right?

He's the football club's future president.

Junghwan waited another ten minutes.

Then another.

Still no sign of him.

"..."

Should I just ask Mingyu-hyung?

He should know where Dohoon is.

Just as Junghwan was about to stand up...

Jungkook beat him to it.

"Yo, Mingyu!"

Jungkook waved from the tennis booth.

"Where's your future president today?"

Mingyu looked up before letting out a tired sigh.

"That idiot?"

"He's sick."

"Been resting in his dorm for the past two days."

Jungkook blinked.

"Again?"

"Yeah."

"I was planning to drag him here today too."

Mingyu scratched the back of his head.

"Come to think of it..."

"I still don't even know which room he stays in."

The moment Junghwan heard the word sick...

He immediately stood up.

"Hyung..."

Both Mingyu and Jungkook turned toward him.

"Did you say Dohoon is sick?"

"Oh, Junghwan."

Mingyu nodded.

"Yeah."

"He's been having a fever for two days already."

Junghwan frowned slightly.

"..."

Mingyu hesitated before speaking again.

"You know where he lives, right?"

Junghwan nodded.

"...Yeah."

"Could you check on him after recruitment ends?"

"I wanted to..."

"...but I still have to stay here until evening."

“...and I don’t know where his dorm is.”

Junghwan looked toward the football booth for a brief second.

"...I guess I can."

Mingyu smiled in relief.

"Thanks."

"I'm counting on you."

He gave Junghwan a light pat on the shoulder before returning to greeting another freshman.

Junghwan quietly walked back to the tennis booth.

...

So he's sick again.

He clicked his tongue under his breath.

"...Idiot."

Whether he was calling Dohoon an idiot...

...or himself...

Even he wasn't sure.

Maybe it was both.

—

As the afternoon went on, more and more freshmen gathered around the recruitment booths.

Junghwan returned to his usual routine.

Sitting behind the table.

Scrolling through his phone.

Whenever someone approached, he would stand up, explain the registration process, then sit back down again.

Nothing particularly interesting happened.

Until—

A brown-haired boy stopped in front of the booth.

"Excuse me."

"I'd like to join the tennis club."

Junghwan immediately stood up.

"Sure."

He pointed toward the QR code displayed on the table.

"You can scan this and fill in your information."

"We'll be holding tryouts this Thursday."

"If you pass, you'll officially become a member."

The boy smiled confidently.

"I don't think the tryout will be a problem."

"I'm more interested in the training schedule."

That caught Junghwan's attention.

"We have general practice every Wednesday at 3 p.m."

"But someone is usually practicing at the courts almost every day."

"I see."

The boy nodded before taking out his phone.

"Oh."

"May I know your name, sunbaenim?"

"I'm Shin Junghwan."

The boy smiled politely.

"Nice to meet you."

"I'm Lee Kyungmin."

"Business major."

Junghwan gave a small nod.

"Kyungmin..."

"I'll be looking forward to seeing you on Thursday."

"I won't disappoint you."

After finishing his registration, Kyungmin bowed politely before leaving.

Junghwan watched him disappear into the crowd.

...Confident.

We'll see if he can back that confidence up.

—

Nearly two more hours passed.

The once-crowded campus field gradually became quieter.

Seeing there were enough members at the booth, Junghwan stood up.

"I'm going to walk around for a bit."

"I'll be back."

"No problem."

One of the club members took over his seat.

—

As he wandered across the recruitment area, he eventually arrived at the dance club booth.

Youngjae was sitting behind the table with his head resting on both arms.

He looked absolutely exhausted.

Junghwan pulled over an empty chair and sat beside him.

"...Did you come here just to slack off?"

Youngjae didn't even lift his head.

"Technically..."

"Yes."

Junghwan chuckled.

"I found someone to replace me."

"And I'm bored."

Youngjae let out another long sigh.

"Ever since..."

He slowly turned to look at Junghwan.

"...whatever happened between you and Dohoon..."

"You've been bothering me a lot more."

Junghwan dramatically placed a hand over his chest.

"Ouch."

"Youngjae-ah."

"That hurts."

Youngjae stared at him blankly.

"Quit acting."

"So."

"What actually happened between you two?"

Junghwan shrugged.

"I honestly don't know."

"One day..."

"He just started avoiding me."

"At all costs."

"..."

Youngjae looked at him for several seconds.

"...You sure you didn't do something?"

Junghwan thought seriously for a moment.

"...Probably."

Youngjae rolled his eyes.

"I don't even want to know."

He let his head fall back onto the table again.

"I'm too tired to care."

Junghwan laughed quietly before changing the subject.

"Any promising recruits?"

Youngjae finally perked up a little.

"Actually."

"Yeah."

"One."

"Han Yujin."

"He has previous dance experience."

Junghwan nodded.

"Same here."

"I met someone called Lee Kyungmin."

"He seems pretty confident."

"But I'll wait until Thursday before deciding."

Just then—

"Youngjae!"

A voice called from another side of the booth.

"Can you help me for a second?"

Youngjae sighed for what felt like the hundredth time today.

"Hoshi-hyung is calling me."

He slowly stood up.

"If you want to keep slacking off..."

"Just go back to your dorm."

Junghwan smiled.

"...I might actually do that."

—

Leaving the dance booth behind, Junghwan continued strolling around campus.

Eventually, he spotted the photography club booth.

Unlike the others...

It was unusually quiet.

Hanjin was busy arranging printed photographs on a display board.

When he noticed Junghwan approaching, he immediately smiled and waved.

"Junghwan!"

"Come over!"

"Want me to take a picture for you?"

Junghwan laughed.

"Sure."

He casually leaned against a nearby tree.

"How's recruitment?"

Hanjin raised his camera.

"Pretty good!"

"There are actually quite a lot of people interested this intake."

Click.

Click.

After snapping several photos, Hanjin lowered his camera and showed him the results.

"...Not bad."

Junghwan nodded honestly.

"You're getting better."

Hanjin grinned proudly.

"I know."

"One day I'll have an exhibition."

"I'll come if you actually do."

"Deal!"

Junghwan chuckled before taking a step back.

"Well..."

"I'm done for today."

"I'm heading back."

"See you, Hanjin."

"Bye!"

—

The autumn breeze grew colder as Junghwan walked back toward the dormitory.

The once lively campus gradually quieted as clubs began packing up their booths.

His hands rested inside his jacket pockets.

For a while...

The only sound was the crunch of fallen leaves beneath his shoes.

Then...

Mingyu's words resurfaced in his mind.

"Could you check on him after recruitment ends?"

Junghwan let out a quiet sigh.

"...Do I really have to?"

His footsteps slowed.

Another thought followed immediately afterward.

...Would he even want to see me?

After all...

For the past two months...

Dohoon had done everything he could to avoid him.

Maybe...

Seeing Junghwan standing outside his dorm room would only make him more annoyed.

Junghwan stared quietly at the path ahead.

"..."

—

It didn't take long for Junghwan to reach the dormitory.

Standing in the quiet corridor, he looked toward the familiar room.

His footsteps gradually slowed.

...

Let's just knock and see if he's okay.

Nothing more.

He stopped in front of the door and hesitated for a brief moment before raising his hand.

Knock. Knock.

Silence.

Then—

A muffled cough came from inside.

Junghwan frowned slightly.

...Still coughing.

A few seconds later, the doorknob turned.

The door slowly opened, revealing Dohoon.

His hair was slightly messy, and a cooling patch rested across his forehead. His complexion was noticeably paler than usual, and his hoodie hung loosely over him.

The moment he saw who was standing outside...

His eyes widened slightly.

"...Oh."

"Junghwan..."

The surprise in his voice was obvious.

Junghwan crossed his arms.

"...I'm just checking whether you're dead or not."

"Mingyu-hyung said you've been sick."

"He asked me to come check on you."

His eyes swept over Dohoon from head to toe before clicking his tongue.

"Looks like you're still alive."

"...Unfortunately."

Dohoon gave a weak reply.

Neither of them spoke after that.

The hallway fell into an awkward silence.

Dohoon lowered his gaze instead of looking at Junghwan.

Then...

He slowly started pushing the door shut.

Before it could close—

Junghwan reached out and caught it with one hand.

"..."

Dohoon looked up briefly.

"...What do you want?"

His voice was quieter than usual.

His eyes never met Junghwan's.

Junghwan stared at him for a moment.

The usual sarcastic comeback never came.

Instead, he simply asked,

"...Nothing."

"...Did you take your medicine?"

Dohoon gave a small nod.

"...Mhm."

"You ate?"

"...Yeah."

Junghwan wasn't sure whether to believe him.

But he didn't press the matter.

"...Okay."

"I'll leave then."

"Get some proper rest."

He turned to leave.

Then stopped.

Almost instinctively...

He reached out.

The back of his hand moved toward Dohoon's forehead, wanting to check whether the fever had gone down.

Just before his hand could touch the cooling patch—

Dohoon turned his head away.

Avoiding his touch.

"..."

Junghwan's hand froze in midair.

For a split second...

Neither of them moved.

Dohoon kept his eyes lowered.

Junghwan slowly withdrew his hand.

"..."

Something tightened uncomfortably inside his chest.

He couldn't explain why.

It wasn't anger.

Nor disappointment.

Just...

An unpleasant feeling.

Without another word, Junghwan lowered his hand completely.

"...Take care."

His voice sounded noticeably flatter than before.

He turned around and walked away.

The sound of his footsteps echoed down the corridor until they gradually disappeared.

Dohoon quietly watched his back disappear around the corner before slowly closing the door.

...

Meanwhile, Junghwan kept walking without looking back.

Fine then.

If that's what you want...

I'll stop bothering you.

His jaw tightened slightly.

I'll ignore you too.

Even as he told himself that...

The image of Dohoon avoiding his touch lingered stubbornly in his mind, refusing to leave.

Junghwan returned to his dorm room. Immediately, the exhaustion from the long day finally caught up to him.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Youngjae was still busy with the dance club's recruitment.

The room was unusually quiet.

Junghwan didn't even bother taking off his jacket.

He walked straight to his bed before throwing himself face-first onto the mattress.

Flop.

"...Ughhh..."

He buried his face deep into the pillow and let out a long, muffled groan.

"I'm tired..."

"I want some rest..."

His voice was barely audible beneath the pillow.

For several seconds, he simply lay there without moving.

His body was exhausted.

But unfortunately...

His mind refused to cooperate.

"..."

Why did I get so irritated...

...just because Dohoon was avoiding me?

The question echoed inside his head again.

He rolled onto his back and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"..."

Almost immediately, the scene from earlier replayed itself.

His hand reaching toward Dohoon's forehead.

And...

Dohoon instinctively turning his head away.

Avoiding his touch.

"...Tsk."

Junghwan clicked his tongue in annoyance.

He couldn't even tell whether he was annoyed at Dohoon...

...or at himself.

"He probably just doesn't want anything to do with me."

"I've annoyed him for months."

"So this shouldn't be surprising."

"..."

Yet somehow...

Knowing the reason didn't make him feel any better.

Junghwan grabbed another pillow and covered his face with it.

"...Whatever."

"I'm thinking too much."

"He wants to avoid me."

"So let him."

"I'll stop bothering him too."

He repeated those words quietly, almost as if trying to convince himself.

After a while, he finally closed his eyes.

"...Just sleep."

"Everything will probably feel less annoying tomorrow."

Whether he actually believed that...

Even Junghwan wasn't sure.

Still, with the room remaining peacefully silent, fatigue gradually won over his restless thoughts.

Before long, his breathing became slow and steady as he drifted into a light sleep, leaving all those unanswered questions for another day.

—

Junghwan woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed.

He reached for his phone on the bedside table.

8:03 PM.

He looked around the room. Youngjae still wasn't back.

He remembered that the dance club's competition was only a few weeks away.

He's probably still practicing.

Junghwan stretched his arms above his head and let out a satisfying yawn.

Almost immediately, his stomach growled.

"...I'm starving."

He got out of bed, splashed some water on his face, and changed into a hoodie before leaving the dorm.

The moment he stepped outside, a cold gust of autumn wind hit him.

Junghwan instinctively tucked his hands into his pockets.

"...It's getting colder."

While walking down the hallway, he pulled out his phone and texted Youngjae.

Junghwan:
Need me to get you dinner?

The reply came almost instantly.

Youngjae:
Yes please. Anything is fine. I'm starving.

Junghwan chuckled.

"As expected."

Just as he was about to put away his phone, another chat caught his eye.

Kim Dohoon.

His finger hovered over it.

The last message was from months ago.

Junghwan:
Free today?

It still wasn't marked as read.

So Dohoon hadn't even opened the chat.

Junghwan frowned.

He clicked his tongue before exiting the conversation.

Then another thought crossed his mind.

He's sick.

Mingyu-hyung said he'd been sick for two days.

Knowing him... he probably isn't eating properly again.

His thumb hovered over the keyboard.

"Did you eat?"

He stared at the unfinished message for several seconds before deleting it.

"...Forget it."

"He'll manage."

Although...

Junghwan glanced toward the direction of Dohoon's dorm.

"...He should."

Shaking the thought away, he stuffed his phone back into his pocket and headed toward the restaurant district.

—

The campus was noticeably quieter than usual.

Most students were either in class or staying inside because of the cold evening.

As Junghwan walked past the central plaza, he noticed someone standing in front of the restaurant directory.

"...Kyungmin?"

The brown-haired freshman looked up.

"Oh, Junghwan-sunbae!"

"What are you doing here?"

Kyungmin laughed awkwardly.

"I wanted to get dinner, but... there are too many restaurants."

"I can't decide."

Junghwan glanced around before shrugging.

"Come with me."

"Huh?"

"I'll show you the places students usually go."

Kyungmin smiled.

"Really? That would help a lot."

"And..."

Junghwan pointed at him.

"Just call me hyung."

"'Sunbae' sounds a little cringe."

Kyungmin burst into laughter.

"Okay then... Junghwan-hyung."

"Much better."

—

As they walked together, Junghwan casually introduced the area.

"That café over there?"

"Their coffee is pretty good."

"I usually buy drinks there."

Kyungmin nodded while memorizing the location.

"And that convenience store."

Junghwan pointed across the street.

"That's where every midnight incident somehow happens."

"...Midnight incident?"

Junghwan thought for a second.

"...Never mind."

Kyungmin laughed.

"I feel like there's a story behind that."

"There is."

"I'm not telling you."

Junghwan can see that Kyungmin is snickering.

“And it doesn’t involve me.”

Kyungmin raised his hand, “I didn’t say anything yet.”

A few more minutes later, they passed the barbecue restaurant.

"As expected."

"It hasn't changed."

Kyungmin peeked inside.

"It's packed."

"It always is."

Eventually, they arrived at Junghwan's usual Korean restaurant.

Just like always, it was bustling with students.

The aroma of grilled meat and hot soup filled the air.

"Looks like we'll have to wait."

Kyungmin looked around in amazement.

"Wow..."

"There are so many people."

Junghwan nodded.

"The food's good."

"And the price is student-friendly."

Kyungmin then nodded as well.

"No wonder everyone's here."

After waiting for several minutes, they were finally shown to a table.

Kyungmin picked up the menu and immediately looked overwhelmed.

"...There are way too many choices."

Junghwan laughed.

"If you can't decide..."

"I recommend the kimbap."

"It's simple, but it's really good."

Just then, a waiter approached.

"What can I get for you?"

Kyungmin closed the menu.

"I'll trust your recommendation."

"One kimbap, please."

The waiter nodded before turning to Junghwan.

"And for you?"

Junghwan scanned the menu briefly.

"One budae jjigae."

"...One kimbap takeaway."

He paused for a moment.

Then, almost without thinking—

"And..."

"One dakjuk takeaway as well."

The waiter wrote it down.

"No problem."

"We'll prepare the takeaway when you're almost finished eating."

"Sounds good."

—

While waiting for their food, Junghwan leaned back in his chair.

"So."

"When did you start playing tennis?"

Kyungmin smiled.

"I started when I was thirteen."

"I thought it looked fun."

"Turns out I was right."

"It became my favourite sport."

Junghwan nodded.

"Did you compete?"

"Yeah."

"I joined quite a few tournaments during high school."

"I even won a couple."

"Getting those trophies felt amazing."

"That's pretty impressive."

Kyungmin grinned.

"What about you, hyung?"

Junghwan rested his chin on one hand.

"...Honestly?"

"I don't even remember when I started, I had long forgotten."

"I was really little."

"As for tournaments..."

He thought for a moment.

"I think..."

"I've won every tournament I've entered."

Kyungmin blinked.

"...Hyung."

"That's insane."

Junghwan laughed quietly.

"It didn't come for free."

"I practiced a lot."

—

The waiter returned with their food.

"Your budae jjigae and kimbap."

"Enjoy."

"Thank you."

Steam rose from the bubbling stew.

Kyungmin picked up his first piece of kimbap and took a bite.

His eyes immediately widened.

"...Wow."

Junghwan smirked.

"I told you."

"So good."

"Told you."

The two continued eating while chatting about campus life.

"So..."

Kyungmin asked.

"How often do you actually practice?"

Junghwan thought for a second.

"...Almost every day."

Kyungmin nearly choked.

"Seriously?"

Junghwan shrugged.

"I don't really know what to do if I'm free."

"No wonder everyone keeps talking about you."

"Hm?"

"They say you're always the last person to leave the court, I heard it earlier this afternoon when I passed by the tennis court.."

Junghwan smiled faintly.

"That's probably true."

"You really love tennis."

"I do."

His answer came without hesitation.

"It never gets boring."

Kyungmin looked at him with admiration.

"I hope one day I can become as good as you."

Junghwan shook his head.

"You don't need to become me."

"Huh?"

"Become a better version of yourself."

"If you spend your whole time copying someone else..."

"You'll never discover your own strengths."

Kyungmin nodded seriously.

"...I'll remember that."

—

By the time they finished eating, the waiter returned carrying two paper bags.

"Your takeaways."

"Thank you."

Junghwan paid the bill before picking them up.

Kyungmin pointed at one of the bags.

"That's for your roommate?"

"Yeah."

"And the dakjuk?"

Junghwan glanced down at the second bag.

"...Someone's sick."

Kyungmin tilted his head.

"A friend?"

Junghwan hesitated.

"...Something like that."

He didn't explain further.

—

The two stepped back outside.

The autumn air felt even colder than before.

Kyungmin pulled his jacket tighter.

"It's getting colder every day."

Junghwan nodded.

"Winter isn't far away."

"I actually prefer autumn."

Junghwan let out a small laugh.

"I know someone who'd completely agree with you."

"Hm?"

"...Nothing."

Without warning, Dohoon's smiling face appeared in his mind.

"I love autumn. It's my favourite season."

Junghwan clicked his tongue softly.

...Why am I thinking about him again?

He looked down at the warm paper bag in his hand.

The dakjuk was still giving off heat.

...Since I already bought it...

He let out a quiet sigh.

"...I might as well bring it over."

—

"Alright, Kyungmin."

Junghwan adjusted the paper bags in his hand before giving the freshman a small nod.

"I'll see you this Thursday."

"I'm looking forward to your tryout, so don't disappoint me."

Kyungmin grinned confidently.

"You don't have to worry, hyung."

"I'll do my best."

"Good."

Kyungmin waved as they reached the intersection.

"See you!"

"See you."

The two went their separate ways.

As soon as Kyungmin disappeared around the corner, Junghwan's gaze dropped to the paper bag in his right hand.

The warm dakjuk was still giving off a faint warmth.

"..."

Why did I even buy this again?

He stared at it for a few seconds.

...Right.

Because an idiot got sick and refuses to take care of himself.

Junghwan clicked his tongue.

"...Seriously."

He let out a quiet sigh and continued walking toward the dormitory.

—

The campus was much quieter now, more quiet than when Junghwan left for dinner.

The streetlights cast a warm glow over the stone pathways, while the chilly autumn wind carried fallen leaves across the ground.

It only took a few minutes before Junghwan arrived outside Dohoon's dorm room.

He stopped in front of the familiar door.

The paper bag rustled softly in his hand.

Junghwan slowly raised his fist, ready to knock.

But just before his knuckles touched the wood...

He froze.

His mind replayed what had happened that afternoon.

Dohoon avoiding his gaze.

Dohoon turning his head away from his touch.

"..."

He doesn't even want to look at me.

Junghwan lowered his hand.

"...Forget it."

He crouched down and carefully placed the warm dakjuk in front of the door.

"...At least eat something."

He muttered the words so quietly that even he barely heard them himself.

Standing up again, he knocked on the door three times.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Without waiting for a response, Junghwan turned around immediately.

His footsteps echoed softly through the hallway as he walked away.

By the time the door inside the room began to open...

Junghwan had already disappeared, heading back toward his own dorm.

Leaving Dohoon who looked around trying to figure out who left this in front of his dorm.

—

When Junghwan returned to his dorm, he was greeted by a rather tragic sight.

Youngjae was lying flat on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling with both arms hanging lifelessly over the edge.

He looked like his soul had already left his body.

Junghwan stopped at the doorway.

"...You look dead."

Youngjae didn't even turn his head.

"...Thanks."

"That wasn't a compliment."

Junghwan walked over and placed the takeaway kimbap on Youngjae's desk.

"Go eat."

"And remember to pay me back."

"...Okay."

Youngjae's answer was weak, yet he made absolutely no effort to move.

Junghwan raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously..."

"How hard did you guys practice?"

"You look like a dead fish."

Youngjae let out a long, exhausted groan.

"We danced..."

"...for four hours."

"Without stopping."

"My legs are gone."

"My soul is gone."

"I don't think I'm human anymore."

Junghwan couldn't help letting out a short laugh.

"...That bad?"

"Hoshi-hyung just kept saying, 'One more time.'"

"And then another one."

"And another one."

"It's like his stamina bar never runs out."

Youngjae covered his face with one arm.

"The more we practiced..."

"...the more excited he became."

Junghwan winced.

"...That actually sounds like hell."

"It is hell."

Youngjae replied without hesitation.

"I swear dance majors survive on pure determination."

Junghwan shook his head before sitting down on his own bed.

"Well."

"Go eat before it gets cold."

"I paid for that."

"...I can't."

Junghwan looked over.

Youngjae was still lying completely motionless.

"...Why?"

"I can't feel my arms anymore."

Youngjae slowly turned his head.

"Pull me up."

Junghwan stared at him for a second.

"...No."

"Get up yourself, you lazy ass."

Youngjae looked genuinely offended.

"Aren't you my best friend?"

"I am."

"But that doesn't mean I'm your personal caretaker."

Youngjae sighed dramatically.

"What a cruel world."

Junghwan rolled his eyes.

"You'll recover the moment you smell food."

Youngjae stayed silent for a moment before a mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face.

"...That's funny."

"What?"

"You say that..."

"...but you had no problem taking care of Dohoon."

Junghwan froze.

"..."

Youngjae turned his head just enough to catch Junghwan's expression.

"You even bought him dakjuk again, didn't you?"

"...Shut up."

“How did you even know?”

“Oh I saw you from the window, you came from the direction of Dohoon’s dorm, I just made guesses based on that.”

Junghwan looked away, pretending to organize the things on his desk.

"What does he have to do with this?"

Youngjae only chuckled.

"Nothing."

"I just think your standards are... very inconsistent."

Junghwan clicked his tongue.

"I said shut up."

"Fine, fine."

Youngjae finally pushed himself upright with visible effort, groaning dramatically as every muscle protested.

"I'm getting old."

"You're twenty."

"Exactly."

"I've peaked."

Junghwan snorted.

"...Idiot."

"Look who's talking."

For the first time that evening, the room was filled with quiet laughter, and the tense thoughts that had occupied Junghwan's mind eased—if only for a little while.