Chapter Text
“Was it all casual when we were each other’s only comfort? Was all of it only your kindness and you thought of me as no more than just a friend?”
Jihoon was getting ready for his class, so far that he'd already worn his neatly ironed uniform. Just when his arms stretched to his backpack, his focus shifted to his roommate who was unusually quiet.
Jihoon swings his backpack onto his back, fixing his uniform and then starts heading for his roommate—Hyunwook.
Hyunwook was an athlete who wakes up just a few minutes before Jihoon finishes taking a shower. Jihoon wouldn’t wake him up because he knew how tiring it was to be an athlete, restless nights, practices, he understood. Which is why Jihoon never tried to wake Hyunwook up.
Both of them had some different classes, which is why sometimes they don’t meet each other.
But this day was a little different, Jihoon already finished preparing himself for class. Yet Hyunwook still wasn’t up, unusual, Jihoon thinks.
Not that he and Hyunwook were close friends, but that doesn’t mean Jihoon didn’t notice him nor cared. Hyunwook was kind, caring, loving, funny, just all the traits you’d expect from a man who is family-oriented.
As Jihoon approaches Hyunwook’s bed, he sees the man sweating so hard. He eased him awake with a light touch, Hyunwook’s eyes slightly opened.
“Hyunwook, you’re sweating so much” Jihoon began, “are you okay?”
Hyunwook nodded, smiling at him as if he’s trying to reassure Jihoon.
But Jihoon wasn’t convinced and placed a hand on his forehead, his brow furrowing.
“You’re burning up… Have you been feeling sick?”
“Ah… It’s nothing, really” Hyunwook tries to not make it seem like a problem, “by the way, it’s almost 7, aren’t you going to class?”
Jihoon scoffs in disbelief, he can’t believe Hyunwook would ask such a question when he hasn’t been doing well.
Jihoon stood up and placed his bag beside Hyunwook’s bed.
“You stay here, I’m going to take the meds and the wet hot cloth” Hyunwook looks at Jihoon, his eyes blinking.
“You aren’t going to class?”
“Take a guess,” Jihoon replies, heading towards their kitchen.
“W-wait… Jihoon! Don’t tell me–” Hyunwook sighs deeply, giving up. Knowing Jihoon wouldn’t listen.
But Hyunwook finds himself smiling, he and Jihoon never really spend time with each other, they are just roommates and friends that talk sometimes. Whether they ask each other about their day or if they’ve eaten.
But they never really engaged in each other’s businesses.
__
Ten minutes later, Jihoon came back with a hot wet cloth with meds and water. Jihoon places all of it down on the nightstand table beside Hyunwook’s bed.
He assists Hyunwook to sit, giving him the medicine for fever and the water afterwards.
Jihoon then proceeds to help Hyunwook back to lay down, a hand of his slides Hyunwook’s hair covering his forehead up. Then he puts the wet cloth over Hyunwook’s forehead.
“Thank you, Jihoon-ah” Hyunwook muttered softly, his voice sounding so soothing that it made Jihoon melt right away.
_
For the next two days, Jihoon stood by Hyunwook’s side, taking care of him despite his absence in class.
Then when Hyunwook finally recovered, he took Jihoon out on a short walk in the Han River.
“Jihoon-ah, I can’t thank you enough for taking care of me for the past two days.” Hyunwook smiled, his eyes looking at the sunset in front of them. The sky is painted in vibrant orange, brushed with hues of blue, red and purple.
Jihoon looks at him, admiring Hyunwook’s side profile. He looks handsome, Sieun thinks.
“It’s nothing,” Jihoon replies, his head now looking at the beautiful scenery in front of them, it’s not always that he sees such a beautiful view. “You’ll always have me”
…
A week later, Jihoon finds himself running from class to a hospital nearby when Hyunwook sprained his ankle during a basketball match.
No one was more worried about Hyunwook than Jihoon, not even Hyunwook’s girlfriend herself. She didn’t even bother showing up at the hospital.
When Jihoon arrived at the reception desk, he wasted no time asking what Hyunwook’s room number was, where he was. He was so damn worried, his mind was occupied by just Hyunwook, he couldn't even think of anything else, only Hyunwook.
As Jihoon approaches Hyunwook’s room, he finds the younger man asleep. A woman who looked like she was in her 40s was sitting beside his bed, Jihoon enters, and the woman looks at him.
“Ah… You must be Jihoon, Hyunwook’s roommate...” The woman says, her voice trembling. She looked so worried too, but tried not to show it.
“Yes… That’s me”
“Hyunwook mentioned that you took care of him when he caught a cold,” The woman looked at her hands caressing Hyunwook’s, her voice was soft. “Thank you so much for being by his side.”
Jihoon looked at her, his expression softening and calmed. “Is he okay?” he asks
“Yes, the doctor said he can go back to your dorm room by later when he wakes up. Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as it would’ve possibly been.”
The woman softly placed Hyunwook’s hand down and stood up from her chair, making her way to Jihoon.
As she stands in front of him, she kneels and holds Jihoon’s hands.
Jihoon who was standing there surprised by what’s happening, also kneels down at the same level as her.
“Can I ask you a favor?” the woman questioned, “Please, take care of him. You’re the only one who I can trust with him.”
Jihoon, who was still processing the moment, then proceeds to stand Hyunwook’s mother up.
“Yes of course, I always will,” Jihoon replies, “you don’t have to worry and you didn’t have to ask.” He gives a reassuring smile to the elderly woman.
“Thank you so much, so so much.” Hyunwook’s mother thanked Jihoon, who hugged him tightly.
She then kissed Hyunwook’s forehead and left.
6:40 PM
2 hours after Hyunwook’s mother left, he woke up from his sleep.
Jihoon was asleep, his head in Hyunwook’s bed.
Hyunwook smiled, then gently woke Jihoon up.
“Wakey-wakey” Hyunwook chuckles, Jihoon swiftly sits up.
“O-oh… Since when were you awake…”
“Just a few minutes ago” Hyunwook replies, smiling brightly at Jihoon, almost as if he was trying to blind him.
“You should’ve woke me up by then, it’s already six forty and we haven’t eaten dinner yet” Jihoon uttered as he slid his phone back into his pocket.
“You looked cute while sleeping” Hyunwook remarks, Jihoon’s face flushed from his cheeks to ears.
“W-what? Y-you can’t just say something like that!” Jihoon covers his face embarrassed.
“Cute” Hyunwook muttered
The older boy became even more flustered.
…
7:30 PM
Hyunwook was discharged from the hospital, but he had to use armpit crutches for a few weeks until his right ankle fully recovered.
They went straight to their dormitory, thank God their university had elevators. Cause it would’ve been a real pain in the back if Jihoon had to carry Hyunwook through the stairs. It’d be Jihoon sent to the hospital next. Thankfully, Jihoon and Hyunwook’s dorm was just on the 3rd floor, it’d be worse if it was on the 6th floor.
When Jihoon and Hyunwook finally arrived at their dorm, Jihoon collapsed to the ground, exhausted by assisting Hyunwook.
“You good?” Hyunwook laughs
“I think you broke my back” Jihoon sarcastically says
“You’re just being dramatic” they both laughed.
Jihoon went to change into his comfortable clothes and headed to the kitchen. They hadn't eaten dinner yet.
Jihoon cooked ramyeon and they also had tteokbokki, it smelled so good.
As they eat, Jihoon looks at Hyunwook.
“How did you sprain your ankle?” He asks, shoving a tteokbokki into his mouth.
“I lost my balance and yeah, it happened” Hyunwook replies, drinking his water.
“You should be more careful,” Jihoon says, genuine concern evident in his voice.
“Yeah yeah, Mr. Worry Pants“ Hyunwook laughs it off, like his ankle wasn’t in pain. Truly hiding the pain through a smile, that’s for sure.
“I’m serious”
“Yeah, I swear, I’m gonna be more careful. Now stop being so worried” Hyunwook reassures, although it didn’t really reassure Jihoon.
The day ends as they watch a drama, it was Saturday and they didn’t have much to do as the end of the academic year is approaching.
…
Another day unfolds, Saturday comes. Flowers bloom, the sun rises.
Jihoon and Hyunwook decided to take another walk in the Han River; they eventually saw the Sun rising, marking another day.
By 6:20, they were back at their dormitory. The rest of the day they planned to only stay at their dorm so Hyunwook could rest and heal.
_
Noon had come, the time of the scorching heat of the sun.
Jihoon and Hyunwook watched another drama, binge watching all of the 8 episodes of the action drama called Weak Hero Class 1.
By the end of the show, all that was left was Jihoon tearing up in which Hyunwook teased.
“Are you seriously crying?” Hyunwook teasingly says
“N-no… Why would I?” Jihoon replies, wiping the tears flowing from his cheeks.
“Well, I can see the tears you know” Hyunwook says chuckling
“Then don’t look” Jihoon glares at him
“I’m sorry, alright” Hyunwook apologizes, but the wide grin didn’t disappear.
…
Night approaches slowly, the sun setting, the lights of the buildings and houses in Seoul now shining bright beneath the night sky.
The night finally comes, covering the sky with darkness but filled with thousands of stars.
Jihoon scrolls over some short videos in TikTok, he checks the time, it was already 8:47 PM.
Hyunwook was in his bed, Jihoon stood up from the couch and made his way to Hyunwook.
He saw the man sitting up in his bed, looking down unblinking at his phone. Just then, a tear fell, followed by another, and the next thing Hyunwook knew, his tears were streaming down his face.
Jihoon ran to Hyunwook
“Hyunwookie! Are you okay? Why are you crying?” Jihoon asked, his voice filled with concern.
Just then, his gaze falls at Hyunwook’s phone. A photo of Hyunwook’s girlfriend kissing another man. She was cheating on him.
Jihoon’s eyes widened, but then he turned to Hyunwook and hugged him tightly.
“Shhh, it’s okay. It’ll be fine” Jihoon says, but he knows nothing is fine.
Hyunwook fell asleep with Jihoon beside him, who was hugging him.
The night drew its cloak around the world. Both men in one bed, under each other’s comfort. This was probably the most peaceful sleep they’ve ever had in years.
…
The academic year ended. You transferred schools, leaving me hanging.
When the academic year ended, Jihoon and Hyunwook spent their days with their friends.
Jihoon’s friends specifically Lee Yeon, Hong Kyung and Bae Nara.
Hyunwook’s friends specifically Ryeoun, Choi Min-young, Lee Minjae and Lee Junyoung.
But when night fell, Jihoon and Hyunwook were in their dormitory. In each other’s arms, was this all casual?
“Are you really transferring schools?” Hyunwook asked, his head shifting as he looked at Jihoon.
“I have to” Jihoon confirmed, he didn’t want to leave Hyunwook too but he had to.
And that night, they spent their longest last hug ever.
And 3 months later, Jihoon transferred from Yonsei University to Seoul National University.
They lived their lives separately after, never having a time for each other again like before.
Two Years Later
Hyunwook and Jihoon finally graduated from College, they’re finally free.
And before Hyunwook leaves the University, he wrote a letter.
To My Once Roommate
When you skipped your classes and took care of me for two days when I had a fever, when you came running from the school to the hospital when I sprained my ankle during a basketball match, when you hugged me ever so tightly when I caught my ex-girlfriend cheating on me. All of the small things you did for me were not some small things for me, it never was. It was something I kept deep in my heart, and I wholeheartedly thank you for doing all of it for me.
I always wondered, was all of it just a part of your kindness? Or did you ever like me? Romantically, not platonically.
I need to know right now because I’ve been wanting to give us a chance. Even though you studied in a different school after we just got to have each other and lived virtually different lives. One time, I caught you kissing my forehead, when you thought I was sleeping. But I was just pretending to be asleep because I liked it. I’m in love with you, and I think I’ll always will