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“Wrong answer…” Sangwoo sighed, dropping a flashcard among the pile scattered between him and Gi-Hun. The fluorescent light bulbs buzzed with electricity, accentuating the dead silence in the 24-hour diner. “Really, have you even been studying on your own…” he muttered.
Gi-Hun let out an exasperated whine unfit of a young man studying for his university entrance exams. “Of course I have!” He exclaimed, jabbing a finger against the flashcards. “This is just complicated stuff…” He took a long sip of his orange juice, bashful eyes averting Sangwoo’s gaze.
With a shake of his head Sangwoo took a cautious sip of his still steaming coffee. He silently held up another flash card, staring down Gi-Hun who seemingly guessed at random. Sangwoo let the card fall to the table, knowing his reaction would be enough for even Gi-Hun to surmise the unspoken ‘wrong answer.’
The waitress came back to their table–a young woman with exhaustion written all over face. As expected of a night shift worker, but Gi-Hun’s last minute study session was only able to get squeezed into Sangwoo’s schedule at 2 a.m on a Saturday.
“Would you boys like anything to eat now?” She asked, having been sent away a bit ago so they could concentrate. Gi-Hun clasped his hands together, obviously eager to put off studying for even a couple minutes longer.
“Yes–”
“No.”
The two young men made eye contact, Gi-hun wearing an expression of surprise while Sangwoo, irritated. “We’re not going to eat anything for now, thank you,” Sangwoo said, politely dismissing the server.
Gi-Hun craned his head back at him, a deep frown on his boyish face. “What’s the big deal?” He asked.
Sangwoo glared at him, organizing the flash cards into a neat pile to start again. “You can eat once I think you’ll even remotely pass your entrance exam,” he said sternly. “Or, do you not even want my help?” He held the cards up, raising an eyebrow at his older friend.
Gi-Hun was an open book– unable to hide anything. The subtle twitches of his eyebrows, the direction his eyes laid to rest, it all gave away exactly what he was feeling. “Ah, I won’t be able to do this without you! Okay…” Gi-Hun straightened his back, rubbing his temples like it would help focus his mind. “Let’s study!”
Two more coffees and four more orange juices, over the span of two or three hours, and Gi-Hun was finally at least familiar with the material. Sangwoo’s glasses were cast aside on the table, hair no doubt a ruffled, unkempt mess from many frustrated head scratches.
A small smile graced his lips. “Correct answer…” he said, hand reaching for coffee before he even had the thought to.
Gi-Hun slammed his palms onto the table–a level of enthusiasm uncalled for considering how long it’d taken him to get there. “We can order food now, can’t we? I’ll definitely pass now, after all your help,” Gi-Hun said. Sangwoo wasn’t even paying attention, and when the waitress suddenly appeared at their side he wondered if he had briefly lost consciousness.
“I’ll take some grilled pork belly– can you mix it with a lot of rice?” He asked, handing back the small plastic menu. Sangwoo looked between his own menu that had mysteriously appeared in his hand, the server, and Gi-Hun. He wondered how Gi-Hun could order something so heavy at such an early hour of the morning.
“Uhm, this soup, please.” He said, pointing a finger at a specific dish name. This server was different from the one earlier– Sangwoo guessed they had changed shifts sometime when they were deeply focused. She took their menus, walking away with the soft taps of shoes on hard floors.
Gi-Hun clicked his tongue disapprovingly, pushing all the study materials off to the side with little regard. “Just soup, Sangwoo? I’m starving!” He exclaimed, bringing a hand to rest on his stomach.
Sangwoo rested his elbows on the table, something he’d never get away with in the presence of his mother. He propped his chin up on one palm, the other hand lazily resting halfway across the table. “I’d usually be asleep right now…” he said simply. “Or, maybe just waking up…” He was, plainly put, very tired. If he weren’t so aware of himself, he would be wondering what on earth possessed him to sacrifice a good night’s sleep for assisting a fairly hopeless case. But Sangwoo knew all too well why he couldn’t resist but agree to whatever endeavors Gi-Hun asked of him. His childhood friend was a bumbling idiot–so why did Sangwoo find him genuinely enchanting?
An unexpected warm brush of fingertips nearly sent Sangwoo flying through the ceiling. He forced himself to maintain a level of composure, eyes flicking up to meet the one perpetrator it had to be.
Sure enough, Gi-Hun was innocently looking back at him, completely oblivious to what his hand gently resting on Sangwoo’s did to the heart beating in his chest.
“Thank you, Sangwoo… I know you’ve always done great in school, and I really appreciate you helping me like this.” He had a sincere smile on his face, beautiful brown eyes wet like dissolving sugar, melting Sangwoo’s heart down into his stomach. “I’m going to pass my entrance exam– I promise, tutor!”
He gave a small shake of his fist, what he always did to encourage them since they were boys.
Sangwoo’s lips parted, but his throat was too dry to speak. He licked his lips, trying to surmise the perfect response. “Gi-Hun… I–”
“Here you go, boys!” The waitress shattered his moment with the clattering of plates on the table, sliding a steaming plate of mixed pork belly and rice in front of Gi-Hun. His hand slipped away, so fast Sangwoo couldn’t even savor the last second of it. No, he wanted to say, please, I’ve already forgotten what it feels like, don’t take it away. His soup was presented in front of him, the enticing aroma doing nothing to appease his now soured mood.
“Thank you so much, miss!” Gi-Hun exclaimed. He broke his disposable chopsticks in half, wasting no time digging into his early breakfast. “You were saying?” He prompted with a full mouth.
What he had planned to say was, Gi-Hun, I need to tell you, it’s not just studying, I would do anything for you. I think I’m in love with you. He pressed his lips together, watching the soup fill his spoon before bringing it to his lips. “Oh, I forgot,” he lied. Gi-Hun accepted it without question, and Sangwoo was grateful for his absent minded behavior.
It was for the best. Gi-Hun would go to university, and Sangwoo would finally be rid of the constant distraction from his pointless crush. And after he finally graduated? Well, he didn’t think he’d even talk to Gi-Hun ever again after that.