Chapter Text
Jungsu and Jiseok have been roommates for quite some time now. The way they shared snacks, clothes, and moments overtime made the two boys get really close.
Jiseok was always kind, with a big smile on his face. He wasn't scared to ask for help, and luckily for Jungsu, he did both of their laundry and dishes without asking. The two of them helped each other with different things, Jiseok usually helping Jungsu with dyeing his hair, and Jungsu helping Jiseok with his makeup whenever he decided he wanted to do it.
But lately, Jungsu has been feeling different. He feels like Jiseok is ignoring him.
Jiseok does acknowledge him, just in a very weird way. Barely looks at Jungsu, only talking to him when it’s something important.
“Sorry Jungsu, I'm just not feeling well.” Jiseok had said a few days back, without even looking at the other. Jungsu knew it was bullshit, Jiseok would never skip hanging out just because he wasn't feeling well. He would usually want to hang out even while having a fever.
Right? Was Jungsu just going insane? Maybe, but it felt really weird. Why was he feeling like this? Was it him? Or Jiseok?
Either way, Jungsu felt like he needed to talk to the other. Problems don’t solve themselves. You need to communicate. Right..?
“Gaon, we need to-” Jiseok’s room was completely empty. Jungsu doesn't remember seeing him leaving his room. Jungsu checked the whole apartment, no trace of Jiseok. Jungsu texted him.
“Gaonie, where are you?” No answer after a few minutes. Not even after hours.
Jungsu was starting to get worried. Why wasn't Jiseok replying. Jungsu felt like he needed to call him now. It rang for a few seconds, until a familiar voice picked up.
“Hello?”
“Gaon! Where the hell are you!!”
“I’m visiting Hyeongjun,” Jiseok said, not sounding genuine.
“.. Hyeongjuns at his parents house in Ulsan, right?”
“I’m just at his apartment. He told me to take care of his cats.” Jiseok sighed.
“Alright. When are you coming home?” Jungsu asked, his voice coming out more worried than he intended.
“I don't know. Probably soon.” Jiseok said, more quietly than before.
“I was worried about you, don’t just leave the house so suddenly like that..”
“Sorry, I should have sent you a text or something”
“Well yeah, you should’ve! You weren’t answering for hours!” Jungsu said, his voice taking on almost a frustrated tone. It was hard to be mad at Jiseok, but Jungsu had been so worried to the point he could cry.
“Sorry” Jiseok mumbled before hanging up.
Why was Jiseok so.. Locked away?? Jungsu was confused. With a groan, he flopped back onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. Does Jiseok even like him? Is he just messing with him? Why is Jiseok not like he usually is?
The thing is, Jiseok didn’t really open up. Jungsu didn’t know about how Jiseok truly felt, how he viewed himself, or anything. Jungsu knew that even if he tried to talk to Jiseok, he wouldn't even want to explain what was going on.
Jungsu didn’t really know what to do.
The ignoring continued for days, even weeks, and Jungsu was getting frustrated. What was Jiseok even doing? He barely came out of his room, and when he did, he didn't even glance in his direction. Didn't reply when Jungsu asked him what was going on. Leaving his texts on read. Locking his door so Jungsu couldn't even barge in if something happened.
One time, Jungsu had grabbed Jiseok's shoulder while he was trying to get back into his room after ignoring him for multiple days. Jungsu couldn't help but be frustrated, and raise his voice at Jiseok.
“What the hell are you doing! Talk to me, Jiseok, please..” then continuing with Jiseok slapping Jungsu's hand off of him and barging back into his own bedroom. He slammed the door into Jungsu's face before locking it.
They hadn't talked since.
Jungsu knew there was something going on, something that was making Jiseok avoid talking to him. Something that was making it so hard for Jiseok to even glance at Jungsu's direction.
Jungsu tried his best to make Jiseok even seem more happy with him. He bought Jiseok’s favourite food. After knocking and waiting for a while, Jiseok opened the door to his bedroom. His hair looked a bit shorter as if Jiseok had cut it, and the short white stripes were gone, confirming Jungsu's suspicion. The room behind him was dark, the only light being the small strip of the sunlight raying through Jiseok's curtains.
“Hm?” Jiseok mumbled. He was clearly tired, having not slept enough.
“Hey, Gaonie.”
“Hey..?”
“I got you this. Thought it would cheer you up” Jungsu said, handing Jiseok the food. Jiseok looked at the food, then at Jungsu's face for a split second before looking away. For the first time in weeks, probably, Jiseok looked at Jungsu. Jiseok's eyes were a bit puffy, like he’d been crying, but Jungsu didn’t dare to point it out.
“Thanks..” Jiseok said, looking everywhere except Jungsu's face, again.
“But Gaonie, I feel like we need to talk-” the door closed. Jungsu should have expected it, Jiseok always got frustrated when Jungsu demanded to talk to him.
“Come on, Gaonie.. Please, talk to me properly for once.” Jungsu said, knocking on Jiseok's door again.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” Jiseok said, clearly lying.
“No. Just talk to me now, I just want to know what's going on..” Jungsu tried to open the door again. No answer this time.
“Gaon.. Please… “
“You don't have to bribe me with food, Jungsu.” Jiseok mumbled from the other side of the door.
“Oh, so you're just not gonna talk to me except to tell me that it's useless for me to try and cheer you up?” Jungsu almost yelled.
“I never said that. You know how it is, Jungsu.” Jungsu knew it, he knew Jiseok would never open up to him.
At least Jiseok spoke to him. But the way he spoke to Jungsu wasn't helping the situation at all.
“Just leave, I'll talk to you when I'm ready to.” Jiseok said, disappearing further into his room.
˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
“What do I even do! I'm so worried about him, it's driving me crazy!” Jungsu buried his face in his hands.
Talking about his worries to Hyeongjun maybe helped a bit. Hyeongjun was pretty quiet too, so Jungsu thought maybe he could read the room and Hyeongjun could tell him what was happening.
“I don’t think Jiseok is mad at you. I think he might just be overwhelmed,” Hyeongjun thinks, running a hand through his red hair.
“Overwhelmed for a month and a half?”
“I mean maybe.. Maybe he just doesn't like himself and doesn't want you to see him like that. Maybe.” Hyeongjun looks like he knows what's going on, but in reality he's just blurting words out.
“You're not helping,” Jungsu groaned. He didn’t really know what to do. At all.
“No, seriously, that could be it. I still am roommates with Seungmin, he used to do that sometimes, too. Just give him space for a few days but still make sure he knows that you love him. Leave him notes or something.” Hyeongjun says, smiling a bit.
“I don’t love Jiseok. Not like that,” Jungsu says, but still agrees with what Hyeongjun means.
“Yes you do. If he wasn't ignoring you, you would probably have confessed in this period of time,” Hyeongjun smirks.
“That's not true!!” Jungsu groans. “I wouldn’t confess to him, not in a lifetime.”
“Whatever you say, I guess. But still, consider what I said. Give him space, but still make sure he knows you love him. He won't talk to you if you try to barge in his room all the time, you know..?” Hyeongjun's lips curled into a small smile again.
“... I'll try that.” Jungsu says, and Hyeongjun gives him a reassuring smile.
˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
Jungsu returned home to once again a quiet house, with Jiseok's door locked. Jungsu took the cue and listened to Hyeongjun, and didn’t knock on the door.
He went straight to his room, flopping onto his bed. It was already getting late, so he closed his eyes and already started to drift off. Jungsu hoped, that maybe, just maybe, Jiseok would talk to him tomorrow.