Chapter Text
Taesan remembers everything.
He remembers the exact Thursday afternoon when he and Leehan, armed with brand new student IDs and slightly misplaced confidence, made their way across campus toward the stretch of club booths lined under neat rows of white tents. The sun was high, the air sticky with humidity, and the second week of classes was buzzing with first years trying to figure out how they wanted their college life to look.
Some wandered around with clear intentions and highlighted brochures. Others, like them, just followed whatever felt right.
“This is kind of overwhelming,” Leehan said, pausing to take in the sheer number of signs, balloons, and overly enthusiastic upperclassmen waving flyers.
“No one warned us there’d be yelling,” Taesan replied, adjusting the strap on his backpack.
Leehan smirked. “You mean energy.”
“Same thing.”
"Photography?" Leehan asked.
"Hard pass," Taesan replied. "What about the cooking one?"
"You burn water."
"I burn one pot and suddenly..." Leehan laughs at him.
Taesan had known two things for sure.
One: He didn’t want to join any club remotely related to music. Not because he didn’t love it. Music was his major, his life. But that was exactly why. It filled every part of his academic schedule, every credit, every project. He was constantly being asked to perform, to critique, to perfect. He needed something that wasn’t measured by tempo or technical execution.
And, two: He still wanted something to be good at. Something that felt like his. Just his. So, he picked soccer.
Even before walking through the booths with Leehan, and heck even before uni, he'd already set his mind on soccer. He'd just always been kicking balls for as long as he could remember.
He picked soccer not because he thought he was a natural. In fact, he distinctly remembered the day his elementary school coach turned to his dad after a summer match and said, "Your oldest son doesn't have the talent. You should push his brother Seunghoon, instead. I can see the potential.”
That car ride home was filled with silence and the muffled sound of Taesan crying into his sleeves. But he never quit. Not once. Because soccer was his space. A way to move, to sweat, to exist outside the expectations academics wrapped around him. No one was grading him on a field. No one cared how his foot connected with the ball, only that he kept trying. Soccer was breath of fresh air. It was just a hobby anyway.
--
The two walked side by side, scanning the different club booths. Taesan glanced at his friend. Leehan looked effortlessly cool, even in the heat. Perfect posture, perfect hair, perfect everything. It made sense. Leehan was studying microbiology on a full academic scholarship, after all. He had always been brilliant. But he also danced like a dream and had the sort of composure Taesan envied.
They'd met back in middle school. Two awkward boys in an after-school dance class, where Leehan was the first to talk to him and pull him into a group. They became friends quickly, quietly. Then Taesan moved to Seoul, and that was that. Until freshman orientation at university.
Taesan had been standing alone near the auditorium entrance, feeling completely out of place, when Leehan spotted him across the crowd and waved like no time had passed. Since then, they’d been inseparable.
They had not really plan to stop.
That’s what Leehan thought, anyway.
He had been lazily drifting through the maze of club booths with Taesan, half-listening to the flyer pitches and rating snack tables out of ten. His iced Americano was almost gone. His brain was already checked out. He wasn’t looking for anything... not really. He had his microbio major, and the dance club had basically recruited him during the first campus tour.
Honestly, he was just along for the walk.
So when Taesan came to a full stop in front of the boys’ soccer booth, Leehan blinked and slowed beside him, puzzled.
“This one?” he asked.
Taesan didn’t answer immediately. His eyes were already locked on the setup. Banner flapping in the breeze, soccer balls stacked in a net bag, and a couple of boys kicking casually at the side.
“Yeah,” Taesan said quietly. “I think so.”
Leehan raised an eyebrow. “You serious?”
Taesan nodded.
Leehan exhaled, amused. “Alright then, lead on, athlete.”
They stepped forward together.
"Hi! We’d like to try out for the soccer team, please," Leehan said brightly, tossing his empty cup into the bin nearby.
The guy behind the table looked up. And- oh.
Taesan didn’t believe in love at first sight, but wow, this guy's really attractive.
He had warm, tanned skin and eyes that looked like they’d seen too much and still found it hilarious. His black hair was damp with sweat, strands stuck to his forehead in an annoyingly perfect way. He wore a fitted white tee with the team logo and a name sticker on his chest that read: Intak :)
Intak gave Leehan a polite nod, then looked straight at Taesan.
“Perfect timing,” he said, lips curling into a smirk. “We’re packing up soon. Tryouts start in less than an hour. Wanna tag along with me?”
Leehan didn’t even hesitate. “Sure!” he said, with a grin that was probably too eager for someone who wasn’t even serious about joining.
Taesan nodded, trying to ignore the way his pulse jumped.
“Great,” Intak continued, handing them clipboards. “Fill these out. Once you’re done, wait by the benches. I’ll finalize the tryout groups, then we can walk over together.”
As soon as Intak walked off, Leehan leaned in, voice low and amused. “We’re not actually doing this just because he’s hot, right?”
Taesan scoffed. “Wow. Bold of you to assume I’m that shallow.”
Leehan grinned. “Relax, I’m kidding. I would have followed him too.”
Taesan nudged him with an elbow. “Please. You were ready to sign up before he even smiled.”
“Guilty,” Leehan said breezily. “What can I say? Pretty face. Good energy.”
They both laughed, the kind of easy, familiar laugh that came from years of being around each other. The crush didn’t mean much. Just a quick spark, a nice view. Something about the moment had just clicked.
And besides, they were here now. Might as well see it through.
--
They made the team. Barely.
Keeho, a loud fourth-year with mismatched socks, a headband that looked like it belonged to a pirate, and an effortlessly hot sense of fashion, was one of the senior players leading tryouts. He had biceps that could crush a watermelon, a booming voice that startled birds from trees, and a style that somehow made even the most chaotic outfits look runway-ready.
"I’m not your captain yet," he declared, pointing at them with his water bottle, "but spiritually, I am."
Taesan didn’t know whether to be afraid or impressed.
“You’ll learn to love him,” one of the sophomores muttered as they started their drills.
And they did. Keeho was hilarious and chaotic. He cracked jokes mid-sprint and somehow still managed to terrify people into trying harder. Leehan was convinced he was a gym god.
That impression only intensified when Keeho took the newbies out for barbecue after their first scrimmage.
“So,” Keeho said, slapping a plate of samgyeopsal on the grill. “You guys survived week one. Welcome to the most intense club on campus that technically doesn’t count for credits.”
Everyone laughed. It was loud and warm and smelled like smoke and meat.
Halfway through the meal, the restaurant door opened.
A boy walked in who looked like he stepped off a drama set. Long blonde hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck, soft waves framing a face so perfectly proportioned it looked sculpted. His features were delicate yet striking. Skin smooth and glowing even under the restaurant’s dim lights. He wore a plain white shirt tucked into dark jeans and scuffed sneakers, but somehow he looked like a celebrity.
His hair was blonde, but not bleached to dryness. Shone in the light, healthy and effortless. He looked high-maintenance, like someone who only drank oat milk and wore silk to bed, but when he smiled and walked over with a lazy wave, there was nothing flashy about him. Just warmth and simplicity.
Keeho grinned. "You made it!"
The boy leaned down to kiss his cheek. "Sorry I’m late. Music production went long."
Leehan gawked. "He's real?"
Taesan, who recognized him instantly, whispered, "He sat in front of me during our orientation. Smelled amazing."
"Keeho's boyfriend," one of the other teammates said with a fond sigh.
"Of course," Leehan mumbled. "Of course he is."
Keeho beamed at everyone. "Guys, this is Theo."
Theo gave a lazy wave, then slipped into the seat beside Keeho like he’d always belonged there.
Taesan elbowed Leehan. "Focus."
"Right, right," Leehan said, eyes never leaving Theo. "I'm totally focusing."
They shared a look. Crush on Intak? Forgotten. Keeho and Theo? The new obsession.
Three weeks had passed.
Practices were usually every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. The drills had started to settle into his body, muscle memory filling in where instinct used to fumble. Names came easier now. Voices had personalities behind them.
Taesan didn’t talk much, but he listened, watched and absorbed.
Today, the field was busier than usual. A handful of second-years had finally returned after finalizing their majors, and the sudden surge in energy was hard to ignore. Keeho was already barking instructions across the grass like he was leading a boot camp instead of a club scrimmage.
Taesan bent into a stretch by the sideline just as Leehan arrived, out of breath and muttering about nearly missing practice.
“I had to fake-limp past my TA so he wouldn’t make me stay behind,” Leehan said, collapsing next to him.
Taesan gave a faint snort. “Creative.”
Leehan only grinned. “Desperate.”
Intak passed by with a box of pinnies, tossing one at each of them with pinpoint accuracy. “Warm up properly today. I’m not fixing another pulled hamstring.”
Taesan caught his without thinking.
“Yes, Vice Captain,” Leehan called, with a cheeky salute.
That’s when it happened- an unfamiliar voice called out across the field.
“Sorry I’m late!”
Someone jogged up. Hoodie sleeves pushed up, hair disheveled, backpack slipping off one shoulder like it was always on the verge of falling. He looked like he’d just run from another department entirely.
The guy dropped his bag and scanned the field, eyes catching on Leehan.
He lit up. “No way! Leehan?”
Leehan blinked in surprise. Then grinned. “Oh. You're here.”
“You never said you were on the team!”
“You never said you did sports,” Leehan shot back.
“I don’t. I survive them.”
They shared a chaotic sort of handshake. Half elbow bump, half dramatic flair and then Leehan turned to Taesan.
“This is my bestfriend, Taesan,” he said, already amused. “Taesan, meet Jaehyun. He's in the same dance club as me. Theatre kid. Probably also applying for mayor.”
Jaehyun gave a dramatic bow. “Charmed.”
Taesan, unsure what to say to all of that, simply nodded. “Hey.”
“Stretch or get benched!” Keeho shouted from the sideline before anything else could be exchanged.
Jaehyun dropped to the grass beside them like a sack of potatoes. “I feel like I'm dying."
As Intak walked past with the last of the cones, he glanced down at him. “If you’re going to be late, at least stretch properly.”
“Intak, I was emotionally stretching,” Jaehyun said, throwing an arm over his eyes.
Intak rolled his eyes but didn’t stop walking. “Emotions won’t keep you from cramping.”
Taesan watched the exchange quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips.
--
At first, Jaehyun felt like a storm.
He wasn’t at every practice. His schedule clashed too often, but when he showed up, the entire mood shifted. Scrimmages turned into stage plays. Sprint drills came with commentary.
“Number 17 passes to Number 12, who is tragically unaware of his teammate’s lactose intolerance!”
And for some reason, he took a particular liking to Taesan.
One day, Jaehyun flopped beside him after drills, breathing hard.
“You,” he said, pointing. “You’re the soccer team's giant baby cat.”
Taesan blinked. “What?”
“Taetnyangie. You’ve got that soft-polite energy, but if anyone gets too close, you disappear. Taekitty.”
“Please don’t say that out loud.”
Too late.
“Taekitty! Stretch with us!”
“Baby Cat, where’s your water bottle?”
It spread like wildfire, like everything Jaehyun said. But it wasn’t mean. Not cruel. Just… familiar.
That’s when Taesan realized... Somewhere along the way, they’d all started treating him like the baby of the team. Surprisingly, it didn’t feel bad. It felt like they’d made space for him.
And strangely, Jaehyun had helped carve that space. Loudly. Shamelessly. With no regard for peace and quiet.
Meanwhile, Leehan and Jaehyun clicked almost too well. They bickered constantly. Jaehyun teasing, Leehan dry as sandpaper but it balanced. Somehow, Leehan even started showing up to more practices again.
“Let me guess,” Leehan said one afternoon, stretching beside him. “You have no idea how we became a trio.”
Taesan exhaled through his nose. “Not really.”
“It just kind of happened,” Leehan said, shrugging.
And it had.
Between convenience store snack runs, dumb debates about which ramyeon brand deserved first place, and a playlist Jaehyun insisted they all add to, they had become… a thing. A trio.
Leehan grounded him. Jaehyun stirred him up.
Taesan smiled more.
In the middle of second semester, the balance had started to shift.
Not all at once. Just slowly, like the way spring turns to summer. Days stretched longer, shadows softened. Practice still happened in the afternoons, but Taesan often found himself warming up alone.
Leehan was missing more often, buried under group projects, lab deadlines, and late-night rehearsals for the upcoming dance showcase. Taesan didn’t blame him. He could see it. The protein bar in hand, the shuffle in his steps, the constant tug of exhaustion behind his grin.
One Thursday, Leehan showed up mid warmup, hair damp from a rushed shower and shoes barely laced.
“Sorry,” he said, breathless. “Rehearsal ran late. Stage blocking’s a nightmare.”
Jaehyun arrived not even a minute later, equally winded. “Nightmare is generous. The choreo is actually cursed.”
“You choreographed half of it with Riwoo hyung,” Leehan muttered.
“Exactly. I know what I’m talking about.”
Taesan smiled to himself, adjusting his shin guards as he watched them bicker. It was familiar now. How easily they synced, even when tired, like their rhythm had shifted into something that didn’t need soccer to hold it together.
Then Leehan stood up with a wince, stretching out his back. “By the way… I’m quitting after this semester.”
There was a pause.
“Soccer, I mean.”
Jaehyun nudged him gently. “Makes sense. You’re basically living at the dance studio anyway.”
Leehan gave a sheepish shrug. “I wanted to tell you guys first.”
Taesan nodded, gaze lowered to the field. “Thanks for still coming,” he said softly.
He meant it. Leehan had always been the practical one. Organized, busy, always planning five steps ahead. It made sense. But that didn’t make it easier to let go.
Their final practice before summer break came with more laughter than drills. Keeho called it 'light conditioning', but no one took it seriously. It was more chaos than soccer, with half hearted passes, dramatic dives, and too many snack breaks.
--
The grill hissed and spat as someone flipped the pork belly too fast, sending a sharp sizzle of oil into the air. Plates clinked. Soda bottles cracked open. One of the younger players shouted something unintelligible, and everyone roared like it was the funniest thing in the world.
It was the end of semester barbecue at the team's favorite BBQ place. The one with the wobbly stools, sticky metal tables, and vents that rattled when the smoke got too thick. Half the team still wore their soccer jerseys. The sun was going down, turning everything outside a soft gold. It felt like summer had already started.
Taesan sat with Jaehyun and Leehan, chopsticks poised, eyes dancing over the sizzling slices.
“Careful, it’s hot,” Jaehyun teased, passing a plate to Taesan.
Taesan caught it with a grin. “Thanks, drama king.”
Leehan turned to him, “Want the spicy wrap? I saved you the last one.”
Taesan shook his head. “You know me too well. thanks though.”
Across the table, Intak leaned in to hear Keeho’s story about missed practice, swapping matching laughs with second year teammates. Occasionally, he darted glances at Taesan. Just enough to light his expression before looking away.
It was Taesan’s turn to watch the meat now. Just quietly flipping pork belly like it was a full-time job. He looked relaxed, the corners of his mouth tugged up, like he didn’t mind being there. Like he belonged.
Intak watched the way he leaned back a little when Jaehyun teased him, the way he smiled slower than everyone else, like he needed an extra second to take it all in.
Someone beside him nudged his arm. "Eat, Intak. You're falling behind."
He blinked, nodded, and turned back to his plate.
Taesan leaned back in his seat, eyes starting to droop, his smile soft and slow. He wasn’t quiet, just clearly tired in that full, warm way that came after a long day and too much food.
Jaehyun nudged him. "Sleepy?"
"A little."
"Meat coma?"
Taesan nodded.
"Taenyangie always gets sleepy after meat," Jaehyun said, petting the top of Taesan’s head.
"Shut up, Jaehyun," Taesan muttered, swatting his hand away.
The way he said it, flat but fond, made everyone laugh. The whole table was running on that kind of easy chaos now... teasing, stealing bites off each other's plates, leaning too close just to yell something dumb.
Someone shoved a lettuce wrap into Taesan’s hand. Another tried to pour him a drink. Someone else waved a piece of grilled mushroom under his nose. He accepted them all with a long-suffering sigh, as if they were all too much to deal with, but he didn’t push any of it away.
"You guys act like I’m a child!" he mumbled, chewing.
"That’s because you are," Jaehyun said, flicking his arm.
"He’s still growing," Leehan added with a grin.
The laughter rolled on.
--
Keeho wiped sauce off his cheek with the back of their hand and grinned. "Okay team, we’re definitely doing something stupid tonight."
"Like what? Eating more of Leehan’s surprise wraps?" someone joked.
“Nope,” Keeho said, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Something dumber. Like... truth or dare!”
A mix of groans and cheers exploded around the table.
“Oh my god, we’re not twelve”
“Exactly why it’s perfect!”
“Shut up and play, hyung!”
“Leehan first!” someone called.
Leehan emptied his plate, wiped his hands, and grinned. “Truth.”
Keeho folded his arms. “You’re leaving soon. Why’d you join us, only to leave and break our hearts?” The group nudged forward, waiting for the answer.
Leehan tapped his chin. “Well…” He looked at Taesan, gathered mock-drama breath. “Taesan and I saw Intak at soccer booth at the start of semester… and, uh, may have had a very happy little crush on him.”
Chaos exploded. “Say what?!”
“Vice captain crush?!”
“Baby cat alert!”
Intak’s cheeks turned bright. He choked on his soda.
Leehan didn’t stop there. “And since I’m leaving soon… let’s be honest. Me and Taesan also crushed on Keeho! And Theo, too, but that’s a separate tragedy.”
Taesan felt betrayed, “KIM LEEHAN”
More uproar. Keeho covered his face, laughing. Jaehyun squeezed Leehan’s shoulder.
When everyone settled, they looked at Intak. “Your turn. Truth or dare, vice-captain?”
He hesitated, gaze locking with Taesan’s. Then quietly, “Dare.”
Smirks appeared around the table. “Piggyback Taesan and do five squats.”
“What?!” Intak blurted, straightening.
Taesan sputtered, eyebrows shooting up. “Why am I involved? I didn’t ask for this!”
The room cheered.
Jaehyun, grinning like a menace. “Because you're the baby. Everything’s supposed to be about you.”
“That doesn’t even make sense. This is going to be more embarrassing for me!”
“You’re light Taesan,” Leehan deadpanned. “Intak hyung will be fine.”
“Exactly!” someone shouted. “Intak hyung’s strong!”
Taesan slumped, defeated, as the team pounded the table in encouragement. “Why do you all sound so excited about this?”
Intak stood slowly, eyes wide but smiling through it, and held out his hands.
“Fine, fine,” Taesan muttered, getting up. “If I fall, I’m suing all of you.”
That just made everyone cheer louder.
Intak crouched, and Taesan awkwardly clambered on, his arms looped loosely around Intak’s shoulders.
“Go, go, go!” the team chanted.
“One…”
“Two…”
“Three!”
By the fourth squat, Intak was red-faced but laughing, and Taesan’s complaints had dissolved into flustered laughter. After the fifth, he practically jumped off Intak’s back and swatted at the air.
“Never again,” Taesan huffed, trying not to smile.
“Hyung, your face is as red as the grill,” someone pointed at Intak, who ducked behind a soda bottle.
“Okay,” Keeho wheezed, fanning himself. “That was worth everything.”
Taesan tried to hide behind Jaehyun. Jaehyun, of course, immediately sold him out “Our baby’s all grown up. Already collecting dares with the older boys!”
“Awww,” the team cooed. “Baby Taesan knows how to crush and get carried now!”
“I hate all of you,” Taesan grumbled, face buried in his hands, but he was smiling under it.
--
For a while, everything was warm. The kind of warmth that settled into your shirt and your chest and stayed there. Smoke drifted upward. The sky deepened to navy, stars blinking one by one
Eventually, the tables cleared. Someone declared an emergency popsicle run. People started packing up. A few drifted outside in groups, complaining about homework or ramen or someone’s smelly roommate.
Taesan stayed a little longer, standing just outside the restaurant, arms folded as he leaned back against the wall. The night breeze was warm on his face, and carried the scent of grilled meat and lemon soda. He could still hear Leehan’s voice trailing down the street, and Jaehyun shouting something about taking the leftover meat.
It would’ve been easy to walk with them. But Taesan lingered, eyes flicking up to the stars.
Intak had walked out with the others but stayed just a little behind. He turned once, looked back at Taesan leaning against the wall, and for a moment, just stood there. Watching.
He didn’t say anything. Just tucked his hands into his pockets and followed the others down the street.
Taesan walked home alone. Slowly. Letting his thoughts stretch out behind him like shadows. The street was quiet, his sneakers soft on the pavement. He didn’t rush. Just let the silence stretch.
Not sadness. Just a feeling he didn’t have a name for yet.
The next morning, Taesan packed his bags. Summer break had officially started, and he was heading home. The suitcase wheels clicked against the tile as he rolled them down to the curb. A car waited outside his dorm. He guessed it was his parents’. The trunk was already open.
Across the courtyard, tucked beside a vending machine in front of another building, Intak sat with a half-eaten melona bar in one hand. He had no reason to be out that early except that he’d woken up too hot and restless. Most of his own packing was already done. He still had some final submissions to drop off in the afternoon, but for now, he had time.
So he sat there, legs stretched out in front of him, back against the concrete wall, trying not to think too hard about anything. The popsicle was already starting to drip.
Someone passed through the open space between the dorms. He looked up, squinting a little.
Oh. Taesan.
Right. Taesan was from the other building.
He watched him adjust the straps on his backpack like he always did. Like he never rushed for anything, even when he was late.
He looked rumpled with hair mussed, hoodie a bit wrinkled, dragging his suitcase behind him like it was a part of him. There was something sleepy in his face still, like his mind hadn’t caught up to the day yet.
He didn’t glance around, and didn’t look up. Just opened the car door, climbed in, and disappeared behind the tinted glass. A second later, the trunk shut with a low thud. Then the car pulled away.
Intak didn’t wave nor call out. He just watched.
The melona bar had melted past the halfway mark. He took one last bite and let the wooden stick hang loosely between his fingers.
The courtyard was quiet. A few birds in the trees. The low hum of summer rising in the air.
He stayed like that a little while longer, even after the car was gone.
Just sitting. Still chilled from the popsicle, and warm in the face from the morning sun. Thinking about nothing in particular. And maybe a little about Taesan.
Second year began quietly.
Keeho had graduated. Off doing post grad things now. He landed a full-time job pretty quickly., and between deadlines and meetings, he barely had time to reply to messages that weren’t urgent. His name still sat in the group chat, but his replies came slow these days, usually with a few exclamation points to make up for the silence.
Leehan was off the roster, too. Still around, just not here. His updates showed up mostly on Instagram. Grainy studio mirror selfies, iced coffee towers, and blurry snaps with Jaehyun and the choreo crew. He didn’t text much anymore. He didn’t have to. He and Jaehyun were together almost every day anyway.
Jaehyun stayed in the soccer club, though. Still juggling theatre, classes, and practices like sleep was optional. Taesan leaned into that.
They stretched together. Ran laps side by side. Paired up during drills and stuck around after, just to argue over which playlist should win the cooldown. Jaehyun still called him Taenyangie, still cracked jokes mid-scrimmage, still had that warm, weightless energy that made things feel easier than they probably should.
Sometimes Taesan stayed behind just to walk back with him.
And somewhere along the way, he found himself watching a little longer. Laughing a little more. Holding onto small things like the way Jaehyun pushed his hair back with his hoodie sleeve, or how he bit his lower lip when he was thinking.
He never said anything. Never planned to. Jaehyun liked Leehan. And Leehan liked him back. Everyone could tell.
So Taesan smiled through it.
And the person who noticed… was Intak.
At first, Taesan didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t like he went looking for Intak. He just kept showing up. After practice, when the others drifted off, Intak would still be around, finishing a drink or packing up cones. He always seemed to have a spare water bottle when Taesan forgot his, always passed it over without a word.
Sometimes they walked part of the way back together. No plan. No reason. It just happened.
They didn’t talk much, especially at first. But the quiet never felt awkward. Intak had this calm way of being nearby without expecting anything. No questions. No pressure.
So when Jaehyun and Leehan got busier with dance rehearsals, competitions, and late-night showcases, Taesan didn’t feel the absence as sharply as he thought he would.
Because somehow, Intak had filled that space.
Not loudly nor deliberately. Just… naturally. Like gravity. Like routine. Like a quiet constant he didn’t realize he’d come to rely on until it was already there.
After practice, most of the team had cleared out. The sky was dimming into that blue-grey dusk, soft and warm. Somewhere across campus, music floated faintly through a dorm window. Someone’s speaker turned up too loud, a lazy end of day mood.
Taesan lingered behind, kicking at a cone with his foot before scooping it into the bag. His arms ached. And so did his calves.
Near the gate, Intak was crouched, tying his shoe slower than necessary.
Taesan hesitated, then wandered over. “Hyung, you’re still here.”
Intak looked up, gave a small shrug. “Guess I am.”
Taesan dropped the bag next to him. “I thought your brother was picking you up.”
“He is. Just… running late, I think.”
Taesan nodded. He sat down, a bit stiff, stretching his legs out in front of him. They were quiet for a bit.
Intak leaned back on his palms. “You’ve been busy.”
Taesan rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. Forgot break was this week.”
Intak hummed. “You heading home?”
“Probably around Wednesday. I still got some compositions due.” Taesan’s voice was low. “Didn’t really plan anything yet.”
Intak just nodded.
They sat like that a while longer. The sky kept fading, and the gate light buzzed on overhead.
Then Intak stood, brushing off his pants, “I was gonna grab some takeout before they get here.”
He glanced down at him, “You want some?”
Taesan blinked. “I -- uh. Sure?”
They didn’t talk much on the way. Just ordered at the counter, waited in line, stood side by side with their bags of food.
When they got back to the gate, a white car was already pulling up. The back door swung open before it even stopped.
A kid, probably in high school, popped out, waving both arms. “Hyung!”
Intak blinked. “Wait. What??”
His mom leaned out from the driver’s side window, smiling wide. “Surprise! We all came!”
Taesan stood back as Intak laughed softly, caught off guard. He tossed his duffel into the trunk while his dad reached over from the passenger seat to adjust something.
The whole car was packed with pillows, bags of fruit, snacks. The kind of chaotic family trip that looked loud and warm.
Intak turned to Taesan, one hand on the open door. “Guess I’ll see you Taesan”
Taesan nodded. “Yeah. Safe trip.”
Intak hesitated like he might say something else, but didn’t. He just smiled, small and soft, then got in.
The door shut and the car pulled off slowly.
Taesan stood there a little longer than he needed to.
Then, without quite meaning to, smiled to himself.