Archive of Our Own ^beta

"As expected, only two of you passed the quiz."

Groans echoed inside the room, everyone frustrated — except for two people glaring at each other.

The tension was almost too much for the four walls of the classroom. When the professor eyed them both, they quickly straightened up and listened attentively.

Both tried to ignore the other, but sitting side by side clearly didn’t help.

"The average score for the class was 56 out of 100. Tiwakorn and Davin both scored 95." The class applauded. Even though they’d failed, everyone was happy for their classmates.

Lava only smiled, standing up to bow, making everyone laugh at his antics. Meanwhile, Wave's expression was hard to describe.

"Hey, Maew, your beak's showing," Lava teased, hiding an obvious smirk. He expected Wave to banter back, but he was left dumbfounded when Wave just left as the professor dismissed the class.

“Ohhh, lover’s quarrel?” he snapped his head back when he heard a certain devil making fun of him.

He gave Kratae a look, mentally slashing her face in his mind. Kratae just chuckled, raising her hands in surrender.

"Lava and his duck."

"He's definitely going to beat himself up because of the tie."

"That's not even the right way." Lava frowned as Wave snatched his pen and paper away.

"Relax with the glare, Bokbaek. I've got a pen in hand."

"Okay, Maew."

They fell silent until Wave slid the paper back over. Lava raised his eyebrows at the calculations, his eyes widening when he realized he was wrong.

"Did the prof even cover this?" he asked, glancing at Wave, who was focused on his own work.

"Hmm, you went to the bathroom and came back after class. You basically missed the lecture," Wave replied without looking up.

Lava chuckled before putting his earbuds in and diving into his own world.

"Bokbaek. Bokbaek. Bokbaek." Lava felt a light tap on his shoulder, followed by a tap on his earbuds, cutting off the music.

Wave was standing beside him, holding papers in hand.

"What happened to you?" he asked, seeing sweat on Wave's forehead.

Lava wanted to ask more—he'd never seen Wave like this, but before he could, a string of curse words poured out from the other boy.

"I can't fucking understand this shit. It's been an hour and I'm still fucking stuck. Am I stupid? Why can't I comprehend this topic, it wasn't that hard when the professor explained but now it's just too much—why can't I get this? Am I fucking stupid?" he groaned, clearly frustrated.

"Maew, your beak's out again." Lava cut him off, carefully reaching for the paper in Wave's hand before guiding him back to his seat.

Wave's pout was still visible, and Lava couldn't stop staring at it. It looked soft and—

"Are you going to teach me or what?"

"A-ah, yeah, so—"

He guided the other through the reference book, making sure Wave understood the topic better. He stayed by his side until he was sure Wave had calmed down and could solve the practice problems on his own.

"You really excel at this pre-calculus stuff, I hate it," Wave commented when Lava stood up to return to his seat.

Contrary to their earlier tension, they were best friends. They loved having a healthy competition, but sometimes Wave hated it when Lava was better than him—especially with math, which was supposed to be Wave’s forte.

Lava didn’t even like math, but sometimes, he understood it better than Wave, which only made the other more frustrated than he'd admit.

"Just watch some videos online, that helped me a lot."

"That's your way of learning, I learn better when reading. It’s just that my mind’s been cloudy lately." Wave admitted, and Lava noticed; wanted to ask more, but Wave shrugged it off.

He’d talk about it when he was ready, Lava thought.

"Lava, here's your lunch." Lava's mother handed him a lunchbox, which he immediately put in his bag. He didn't often bring packed lunch, but his mom insisted on packing him one for his basketball practice.

He was about to rush out when his brother pulled him back by the bag.

"Mom's calling you. You forgot something."

Lava looked at his brother with furrowed brows, but he just shrugged.

"Davin’s lunch." Lava rolled his eyes when his mom shoved another lunch bag at him. Of course, his mom had to pack lunch for Wave, too.

He might look a little pissed because he'll be running late for class, but deep inside he appreciated his mom for including Wave in everything she does for him.

Wave was basically part of their family by now, and vice versa. They'd been friends since their first year in high school.

Lava kissed his mom on the cheeks and whispered a soft "thank you, mom" before rushing out the door, only to spot Wave waiting for him.

"What took you so long, Bokbaek?" Wave was pouting, his cheeks flushed from the heat, and his square glasses frame made his face look smaller than it was. He looked pretty.

Lava jogged toward him and handed him the blue lunch bag his mom had prepared.

"Mom packed you some. I think she remembered that you have dance practice today."

Wave's pout turned into a smile—eyes disappearing and dimples poking out of his now well-rounded cheeks. "Too bad we're running late. I can't hug Auntie and thank her for this," he said, hugging the bag to his chest.

Lava smiled before taking Wave's hand, urging him to walk faster.

"Wait, how'd you also remember I have dance practice today?" Wave asked, tugging on his uniform as they walked side by side. Lava held up an umbrella to protect them from the raging sun.

"I have your schedule synced to mine, remember? You have mine, too." Lava showed him his lockscreen, where their schedules were displayed.

Wave mumbled something about how he thought Lava had removed their synced calendar, then looked away.

It didn't take them too long to arrive at school. It was nothing new for their classmates to see them together—they were always together.

Wherever Wave is, Lava was there. And wherever Lava goes, he always drags Wave along with him.

Their classes went by fast, and soon, it was time for their practices and other commitments.

"Let's go, you're going to be late, Bokbaek. Hurry up." Wave urged, standing with his hands on his hips.

"Practice isn't for another two hours, Maew. Why are you so worked up?" Lava asked as he opened two water bottles, handing the first one to Wave. Wave hadn’t even drunk anything after eating, and Lava was worried he might get hiccups.

"Right. I have to work first. Assistant stuff," Wave pouted after drinking.

Lava placed a tissue under his chin to catch the water dripping onto Wave's uniform as he drank from his bottle.

Lava often wondered if Wave was his best friend or his child. Either way, he loved taking care of him. This was how they were when they weren't competing over grades or tests—always together, attached at the hip, and sweet, as if ants were going to crawl around them.

"Do you want me to walk you?" he asked as he cleaned his desk and put his lunch box away. He saw Wave shake his head.

"I can handle it, and I think you need a break from me. Don’t want you getting fed up with me," Wave said, rolling his eyes when he saw Lava smirking.

Lava shook his head. "Yeah, I think so too."

"Bokbaek! I think I need a break from you, bye!" Wave said in a sulky voice, snatching his bag before marching out of the room, making Lava laugh.

"Yah, Maew! I’ll fetch you later after dance!"

Lava's practice ended earlier than usual because Tum sprained his ankle trying to impress a certain Kratae, who was fanning herself on the bleachers the whole time.

Their coach was not impressed, though. Tum was lying on the ground, arm over his eyes, clearly in pain, but was Kratae impressed? Nope.

Lava could only shake his head as he rubbed a towel over his face, sweat dripping.

"You could’ve asked if he was okay," Lava said.

They were the only ones left on the court; his coach and other teammates helped Tum walk to the nurse's room. He even insisted that he could handle it, but Lava smacked him lightly on the head, making him shut his mouth.

"Why would I? He did it to himself. So stupid," Kratae muttered, rubbing her forehead.

Lava packed his things quickly. "Yeah, yeah. I’m going now," Kratae called out as Lava walked away, waving his hand.

Lava wanted a cold shower, but he had to fetch Wave from dance practice. Both of them were athletes, even though they were already academic scholars.

He passed through the music hall to the dance hall where he could hear music playing. Wave was definitely in there. He opened the door quietly, and a few students glanced his way—it wasn’t unusual for him to be there.

One of the dancers walked toward him to greet him, Wut. Besides Wave, Tum, and Kratae, he could count Wut as one of his closest friends. They had the same music interests, and the other one also had consistent communication with him.

"Hi, done with practice?" Wut asked while waving his hand. Usually, they would side hug, but seeing Lava in his jersey with sweat still visible on his forehead, Wut knew that a wave was enough for Lava.

"Yeah, are you guys almost done?" Lava asked, eyes on Wave, who was dancing in the middle. The others were sitting in a circle, giving him space to dance.

He saw Wut nodding from his peripheral vision.

"But we still have to talk for a while, you can wait, right?" He had no choice but to wait, so he nodded. Wut told him to sit while waiting because Wave had just started to freestyle when he came, so it would take a little longer.

Lava didn't have to wait longer than 15 minutes for their meeting because Wave immediately ran towards him after. He scrunched his nose while staring at the older.

"What's wrong with your face? Are you okay?" he asked, head tilted in confusion. Wave giggled at him before opening the door to the dance hall.

"You look like a puppy with your head tilted, Bokbaek." Lava rolled his eyes before lightly tapping Wave's arm with his lunchbox, making the other laugh harder.

"Aggressive like puppies, too!" Wave exclaimed.

Lava stared at him as they walked. Wave's laugh was like music in his ears, and he would do anything to hear him laugh every day. Maybe that's why he stayed by the other's side after they became classmates in their first year.

He likes him. All of his close friends knew that. They said it was obvious, but Wave was a dense brat. Lava could stare at him with heart eyes, and he'd still start bickering just because Lava looked stupid in his eyes.

Lava guessed it was okay. They were young, and he didn't even know if Wave likes boys or girls. They hadn't talked about romantic love yet because they were busy with academic work.

They both have their goals: graduate at the top of their class and get into their dream college— Chulalongkorn University.

"Kratae likes him! Why didn't she check on him after he fell?" Wave asked after Lava told him about what happened on the court. They were on their way home now, but the other wanted ice cream, so they swung by their usual ice cream shop to buy some.

"You know Kratae is a little shit, just like Tum. They love the thrill of running and getting chased after." Lava answered, before handing Wave a napkin when he saw his ice cream melting faster than his.

They talked about Tum and Kratae while walking until they were outside Lava's house.

"Do you want to study inside, or do you want to go home already?" Lava asked while opening the gate. Wave didn't answer. Instead, he sprinted inside as soon as Lava opened their little wooden gate.

"Study it is."

"Do we have the same schedule?" Wave asked, restless on his bed as he lay on his back. He looked at Lava, who was sitting beside his bed, opening an envelope.

"I'm just about to open it, but I think so. We applied at the same time." Both of them were hopeful but also nervous. They had studied so hard over the past few weeks for this entrance exam.

Wave sat down and moved closer until they were sitting next to each other. He peeked over Lava's shoulder as he read the letter.

"Next week, Wednesday," Lava said before they made eye contact.

"We'll take it together!" Wave exclaimed.

When the exam day came, they went together to the university in Lava's family car. Wave couldn’t help but hold Lava’s hand as they walked inside. He was nervous but also excited because he was with Lava.

As for Lava, all of his feelings disappeared the moment Wave held his hand. It felt like even everything he studied was gone, because all he could think about was the fast beating of his heart and their hands held together.

Lava finished his exam first and really waited for Wave at the gate of CU. He just stared at it while smiling, already imagining that they would enter together as freshmen and graduate together as undergraduate degree holders.

Or maybe, they would walk out together as a couple. His smile widened even more, and he felt his cheeks warm up. He really likes Wave.

He was daydreaming when somebody hugged him from behind.

"Maew!" He was about to turn around when Wave hugged him tighter.

"Don't turn around yet, I'm so tired, Bokbaek." For a minute, they just stood there while Wave hugged him.

When he finally turned to face him, he held his friend's cheek. Wave's chubby cheek overflowed from his hands. He's adorable.

"Are you okay?" Lava asked, still staring at Wave.

Wave leaned on his hand and stared at Lava, making the other feel anxious about how he looked at that moment.

"I'm just happy you're here with me. It's been a tough week, Bokbaek. This is tough, but you're here." The way he spoke made Lava feel confused.

Wave didn't have a hard time, knowing he's a genius, but it felt like he was talking about something else.

"Is there something you need to tell me?" Lava asked, but Wave just gave him a tight smile and shook his head.

"I'm okay, Bokbaek. Just be here, okay?" With that, Lava smiled, trying his best not to close the gap between them and kiss him right then and there.

He looked away before letting go of Wave's cheek and holding his hand, squeezing it as if to reassure him.

"Let's go home."

"Hurry up, Lava. I have to check the attendance; I'll mark you absent!" Lava chuckled upon hearing his friend shout his name across the hall. He had just got back after a meeting with the basketball team, and they were having a makeup class for one of their core subjects.

He put his hand in his pocket while chilly walking toward where Wave was waiting for him. The other had a folder in hand while standing in the doorway, already checking the attendance of the people in the room.

He immediately took a seat upon entering the room, while Wave stood in the middle, trying to get the attention of their classmates who were playing on the side. Their professor for this subject was about to arrive, but the others still didn’t seem ready for class.

A few minutes passed after Wave finished checking the attendance when their professor finally arrived. Everyone stood up to greet him, and Wave immediately stepped forward to hand over the attendance folder.

Lava simply watched as Wave spoke with the professor when suddenly, the professor called out to a young man from outside. He looked about the same age as them, wearing a black shirt, cargo pants, and black boots.

"Class, this is Victor. He's a transferee, and I expect you all to behave and treat him nicely," the professor said before turning to Wave and tapping his shoulder. "As the class beadle, I'm assigning you to give him a tour of the campus. Make him feel welcome, Wave."

Wave simply nodded and gave the new transfer a small wave. After that brief introduction, their class officially started. Since it was Wave's duty to introduce Victor to their professors, they ended up sitting next to each other throughout the classes leading up to lunch.

"Hey, Maew. Let's eat, I'm starving. You have dance practice later, right?" Lava asked as he approached. He also gave Victor a quick hi, to which the latter simply responded with a small smile. He seemed quiet and polite.

'In fairness, he's also good-looking,' Lava thought as he started packing up his things.

"Yeah, wait a second… Victor, join us for lunch. We’ll be passing by a lot of places before reaching the cafeteria, so it’s basically a tour too. That’s fine, right, Bokbaek?" Wave said, turning to both of them.

Lava didn’t mind at all. He understood that Victor was new and that Wave had to do his duty, so he just nodded.

"Ahh, I won't be bothering you guys, right? I-I can just wait until after dismissal..." Victor responded quietly, but Lava answered before Wave could.

"It's fine. He won't be able to give you a tour later since he has dance class, so you might as well come with us now."

That’s how the three of them ended up walking to the cafeteria together. Lava stayed on the side while Wave chatted with Victor. He was just listening when his phone suddenly vibrated—it was Tum.

Tum: Hey, Wut and I are at the music hall. Come over.

Lava furrowed his brows after reading the text, then remembered that Wut had asked for his help mixing a song for their dance practice later.

He gently tapped Wave’s shoulder to excuse himself.

"Why? Sorry, I haven’t really talked to you," Wave said softly, also gesturing toward Victor, who was looking around, familiarizing himself with the places Wave had pointed out earlier.

"It’s fine, you’re doing great. I just can’t join you guys for lunch — I need to help Wut mix your song for later. I’ll just meet you back in the classroom after."

Wave simply nodded, though it was obvious he was a bit disappointed. Lava also bid goodbye to Victor, who just nodded with a small smile.

"Sorry, what was I saying again?" Wave said as he turned to Victor. He waited for Lava to be out of sight before speaking to him again.

"Uhm, you were pointing out where the exits and restrooms are in this part of the school," Victor answered while gesturing toward the places Wave had mentioned earlier, making him smile.

"Ah, right. Looks like you're a fast learner — you won’t be getting lost here anymore," Wave joked, remembering how Victor had mentioned earlier that he almost arrived late because he couldn't find the restroom when he first entered the campus.

They chuckled softly and continued chatting until they reached the cafeteria.

"Lava… he's your brother, right?" Victor asked once they had bought their food and sat at Wave and Lava's usual spot.

"Nope. He's my best friend. We’ve known each other since first year. He’s also the one I’m always competing with for the top spot in the rankings, but it’s fine—it’s just him," Wave replied, laughing, which made Victor chuckle as well.

"Just best friends?"

Wave frowned slightly at the question. What else would Lava be? His brother? No way—if that were the case, he'd just end up being bullied even more.

"Just best friends. What about you? Why transfer now when it’s already our last year? Wasn't your old school prestigious? If you don’t mind me asking," Wave said before taking a bite of his burger.

"It was tough there. Everyone was always at the top of everything. I barely had any real friends—they only talked to me when they needed something," Victor said, his voice carrying a hint of sadness, which made Wave feel bad for him.

"Don’t worry about that anymore. Here, it’s only your first day, and you already have a friend—me! And Lava too. He’ll be your friend eventually. You’re both quiet, but once you get to know him, you’ll get along just fine," Wave said, trying to cheer him up.

Victor simply nodded at his words. They’re the same age, that’s why it didn’t feel that different, and Wave had a feeling they were going to be good friends.

After lunch, they headed straight back to the classroom, where Lava was already there, focused on his notes.

"Hi, Bokbaek. What are you doing?" Wave greeted as he walked in, while Victor took the same seat as earlier.

"Hi. Nothing much. How was lunch?"

"It was good, I’m full. What about you? Did you eat?" Wave asked back, but Lava just gave him a mischievous grin.

Wave raised a hand, ready to smack him, but before he could, their professor arrived, so he just sighed and took his seat… next to Victor.

Lava was confused at first, but then he remembered that Wave still needed to introduce Victor to their professors. He just nodded to himself and focused on the lecture. This was their last class before their respective practices.

The day ended with Wave and Lava walking home together after practice.

"The song earlier was amazing, especially in my part. Was it Wut who picked it, or was it you? I feel like it was you. I always play that song when I study, you know. It made dancing even more fun today. Thanks, Bokbaek!" Wave said excitedly, probably still running on adrenaline from practice.

"Wut asked for song suggestions for your part, so I gave that one. Glad you liked it," Lava replied, adjusting the two bags hanging off his shoulders.

He was carrying both his and Wave’s backpacks on one shoulder, while their gym bags rested on the other. Despite the strain, he had taken it upon himself to carry them—especially since Wave was still bouncing around, dancing as they walked. It was tiring, but Lava couldn't help but smile as he watched him laugh at his own stories.

He was happy just seeing Wave happy. If anything, it only made him fall even harder. There wasn’t a single day when he didn’t feel drawn to him. Ever since he admitted to himself that he liked his best friend, his feelings had only grown deeper—to the point where, on one of these days, he felt like he might just confess without even meaning to.

"Bokbaek, are you even listening?"

Lava stopped walking when Wave flicked his forehead. He hadn’t realized he had zoned out—his friend had been talking this whole time, now pouting as if he was about to sulk, only to suddenly burst into laughter.

"What were you saying? Sorry."

"What were you even thinking about, huh? I was saying Victor had it rough at his old school. He told me people only approached him when they needed something. He’s really shy, so he probably just kept saying yes to everything." Wave’s voice carried a hint of sadness, making Lava sigh before lightly tapping the top of his head despite the effort it took.

"Don’t be sad. Let’s just get ice cream."

Wave looked up, a wide grin spreading across his face. Lava already knew he was about to agree to whatever Wave said next—especially since his heart had just started pounding.

"You're paying, right?"

"I never said that."

"Oh. Now I’m sad again."

"Fine, fine."

Maybe Wave knew how weak Lava was for him.

Or maybe he didn’t.

Only Wave had the answer to that.

"Where are you going? Don’t you have office duty today?" Lava asked when he noticed Wave walking in a different direction. Usually, they would go separate ways when Wave had duty and Lava had early practice.

"Library. I'm meeting Victor—he's having a hard time with our calculus since it wasn’t a core subject at his old school, so I’m helping him out," Wave answered, hugging a few books and notes to his chest.

"Okay, but you’re not that great at calculus either? You even ask me for help. And now you're the one tutoring?" Lava teased, though the thought slightly bothered him.

A study date? Just the two of them?

"Ugh, whatever, I’m leaving," Wave huffed, rolling his eyes before turning to climb the stairs. Lava just laughed and waved at him.

He was about to say something else when Wave suddenly turned back around.

"Oh, and don’t wait for me later. I might be home late—Victor said he’ll walk me home. Bye! Take care at practice, okay?"

Lava froze mid-step, watching as Wave disappeared up the stairs.

"Why does he even need a walk home? I could just wait for him..."

It had been weeks since Victor transferred, and he and Wave were almost always together. At first, Lava wasn’t too bothered—sometimes, he was even included in their plans at school. But lately, it was just the two of them.

"Damn, Lava! That pass was way too strong—it hurts!" Tum complained, rubbing his chest after catching the ball that Lava had thrown a little too hard. Luckily, their coach wasn’t looking, so he didn’t get called out for it.

"S-sorry! I just lost control, got too into the game," Lava said as he walked over to his friend, who was still clutching his chest.

"Bro, you’ve been out of it all game. Maybe you should sit out for a bit?" Dao, one of their teammates, suggested. But Lava just shook his head.

"Let’s take a five-minute break," he announced. As team captain, he had the final say, and their professor was still busy chatting with a female professor—probably flirting.

"Oh? Tiwakorn, you’re taking a break?" their coach asked in surprise when he saw Lava sit down on the bench nearby.

"Just five minutes, coach."

"Are you okay? You never act like this," Wut asked as he walked over to the bench, sitting down beside Tum.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don’t you have dance practice today?" Lava asked back, leaning forward to grab a towel and wiping the sweat off his face and arms.

"Wave said he’s skipping practice, so I rescheduled it. No point in having it without him—he's the main for our routine," Wut explained, handing out bottled water to his friends.

"Davin Everett Delroy skipping practice? That’s never happened before. Something’s going on between you two, isn’t it?" Tum teased, raising an eyebrow at Lava.

Lava shot him a glare. What’s going on between us? If anything, shouldn’t the question be about Wave and Victor? But he kept his mouth shut, refusing to react.

"He’s just been busy lately—always studying with Victor. I thought you two were study buddies. You better watch out, he might beat you in the rankings," Wut chimed in when Lava stayed silent.

That was when they both finally put the pieces together.

"Ahh, but maybe rankings aren’t the only thing you should worry about," Tum added with a grin.

Lava’s sharp stare immediately landed on him, making Tum burst into nervous laughter.

"Tum, you hit a sore spot. You’re so dead," Wut chuckled, smacking Tum lightly on the back. Tum’s eyes widened as he realized his mistake and quickly tried to backtrack.

"Kidding! I was just kidding! S‑so… should we get back to the game? Wut, leave already!" he stammered, watching nervously as Lava stood up and walked toward the court — without breaking eye contact.

"Good luck, Tum. Brace yourself," Wut cackled from the bench.

"So, what you’re saying is… Wave doesn’t study with you anymore because he’s always with Victor?" Wut asked before taking a bite of his pizza.

They were at Lava’s house, in his room, eating pizza while taking a break from studying. They had decided to play some video games to relax, but the atmosphere wasn’t exactly lighthearted.

"You’ve said that like ten times already," Lava grumbled, making Wut laugh.

"Chill out, will you? You’re making it way too obvious that you’re jealous."

"I’m not jealous. Why would I be jealous?" Lava scoffed, but Tum just rolled his eyes and kept playing. He had been losing every match so far because Lava kept demolishing his character in the game.

"Maybe because Wave keeps choosing Victor over you?" Wut said casually, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb.

"You’re so annoying—ugh, I lost again! This is your fault, idiot!" Tum groaned as his character got knocked out once more, while Lava clenched his jaw in frustration.

"I don’t want to play anymore." Lava tossed his controller aside and flopped onto his bed with a sigh.

It had been a month, and they were still always together. Lava only really saw Wave in the classroom these days since he always arrived early for basketball practice—his team was preparing for the upcoming interschool intramurals, so their training had been intense.

After school, Wave always stayed late. After dance practice, he would go straight to studying with Victor, making his schedule too packed during weekdays. Lava thought maybe they’d finally get to hang out on the weekend, but when he invited Wave earlier, he turned him down—he was at Victor’s house, studying there instead.

"We all know Wave is really hardworking when it comes to studying, but not this much—and if he is, it's always with you," Tum said once he snapped out of his focus on the game.

"Maybe he thinks you're resting since you've been playing all week. He’s just concerned about you," Wut added, trying to reassure him when he noticed Lava had been silent for a while.

Lava sat up as he processed what his friend just said.

"Should I just drop out as an athlete so we can have time together again?" Both of them gaped at him, and Tum even looked like he wanted to punch him out of shock.

"Are you insane? You're an athletic scholar."

"I'm both an academic and athletic scholar. Even if I stop playing, I'll still have my scholarship," he said, as if he was seriously considering quitting the team just for that.

"Even if you drop out, if Victor is still the one he chooses to be with, you just wasted your scholarship."

"Lava, are they heading home? Bye, boys! Take care!"

Lava and his friends turned to look at his mom as she caught them just as they were about to leave the house.

It was already getting late when they finally decided to head home after spending time teasing Lava about Wave. They said their goodbyes to Lava’s mom and went on their way. He was left standing outside their gate when his gaze shifted toward Wave’s house.

He froze in place when he saw Wave and Victor together. It looked like they had just arrived home as well, but didn’t Wave say they were studying at his place? His brows furrowed at the thought.

He was about to head inside when Wave suddenly turned in his direction. Wave smiled and waved, catching Victor’s attention as well—it seemed like Wave had told him that Lava was there.

Lava waved back before gesturing that he was going inside.

It was already quite late when he heard a knock.

"Come in, it's open," he said, assuming it was just his brother.

"Bokbaek? Were you about to sleep?"

He almost jolted up when he heard Wave's voice. Their houses weren’t far from each other, and they still saw each other in class, but somehow, it felt like forever since he had last heard his voice.

"Wave? It's late. What are you doing here?"

"I have something to tell you. Aren’t you curious why I couldn’t study with you earlier?" Wave had a playful smile, making Lava frown.

"Where did you even go? I thought you were studying at home with Victor, but you actually went out. You didn’t even tell me." His voice made it obvious he was sulking—even if he tried not to.

'Better to sound sulky than jealous,' he thought as Wave sat beside him and lightly bumped their shoulders together.

"We took an exam for Chiang Mai."

Lava turned to look at him, unsure how to react.

'Why did they take an exam at CMU? Weren’t we supposed to go to Chula?'

"Huh? W-why?" was all he managed to say, noticing how Wave seemed to be waiting for his reaction.

"No reason, really. Victor just invited me. He said they offer full scholarships. There's no harm in trying, right? It's a great opportunity." Wave scratched his neck, looking nervous.

Lava reached out and gently pulled Wave's hand away from his neck. He knew it was a habit Wave had whenever he wasn’t sure about what he was saying—something that rarely happened since Wave was usually certain about what he wanted.

"Why didn’t you invite me? I would’ve gone with you."

"It was a last-minute decision. You can still take the exam on another day. I'll go with you—"

"I already took the exam for Chula. I don’t need a backup school," he interrupted, cutting Wave off. He wasn't sure what he was feeling, but there was a strange ache in his chest, as if something was being taken away from him.

"I-I did too. I just wanted to try, Bokbaek. Don’t worry, you won’t miss me too much." Wave laughed and flopped onto his bed, making Lava sigh. Somehow, having Wave here with him eased some of the tension in his chest.

He stared at the ceiling and bit his lip.

'This feeling is getting dangerous.'

It's also been a few weeks since they talked about Wave taking the exam for CMU. He's always sticking close to him now; sometimes Victor joins them, but most of the time it's still just the two of them left together. For Wave, it felt like nothing changed. He still goes to and from school with Lava, especially after their practices.

Even so, Lava couldn't help but think about the possibility that Wave might end up going to a different school—and worse, that he'd be with Victor instead.

He tried to distance himself at first to stop the feelings he felt growing deeper every time he saw his friend, but he couldn’t do it either—because he felt like he’d go crazy whenever he saw Wave alone with Victor.

There were so many things running through his mind, but he chose to push them aside whenever he was alone with Wave. His friends weren’t unaware of the mess in his head, so they often stayed with him so he wouldn’t overthink.

"Didn't you come in with Wave?" Wut asked him when he once saw him eating alone in the cafeteria. He just shrugged and hurried up with his food.

"Lava? What's going on?" Tum asked next, following Wut. Kratae was right behind him, frowning, but her expression quickly changed when she saw Lava’s face.

"He's absent, said it was an emergency." He answered briefly, which made his friends suspicious.

"Absent? How can he be absent, it’s exam week? Since when he ever missed an exam?" Wut fired off questions, and Tum and Kratae nodded in agreement, their brows also furrowed.

Both of them were running for honors, and even though they were friends, Wave never let Lava beat him. So, it was a big question why Wave was absent—their professors rarely gave special exams, so skipping was a serious deal.

“Technically, he already talked to the higher ups and the principal himself guaranteed that he could take a special exam.”

Of course, Lava knows. The moment he realized Wave’s not around, he stood up mid-exam to ask and try to solve a problem that isn’t even his in the first place, but luckily the professor assigned to watch over them knows what’s going on.

“Still, that’s a pretty risky action. What’s happening to him?” Kratae asked, more like to herself, but Lava looked at his food and gulped at nothing. He also doesn’t know what’s happening; Victor came for the exam, looking like nothing was wrong, like everything was okay.

Lava even thinks Victor didn’t realize that Wave is not with them.

As the friend group sat down, wondering and worrying about him, Wave suddenly walked towards them, smiling—not as bright as usual, but still smiling like nothing happened.

“Hi everyone, did you miss me?” he asked cheekily, chuckling as his friends looked at him. Kratae was frowning at him, while Wut and Tum scoffed at his audacity to show up after missing three major exams.

Lava looked at him — eyes worried, confused, and feeling a little pathetic — but the moment he saw Wave’s smile, everything disappeared. All his worries, every dark thought in his head… gone. If his mind was a stormy sky, then one look at Wave was the sun breaking through the clouds.

The effect Wave had on him was dangerous — his heart was thumping in his chest.

Maybe it was a sign. A warning that whatever this feeling was… it was dangerous.

“Where have you been?” Wut asked — saying what everyone else wanted to but couldn’t. No one seemed able to find the right words. This was new to them. This version of Wave was new.

“I had an emergency… sorry, I couldn’t inform you beforehand…”

Wave’s voice was lower than usual, softer, and Lava caught his eyes when he apologized. All of them knew who that apology was truly meant for — but none of them tried to point it out.

Not now.

Exam seasons ended.

People settling in, classes are back. Routines are back.

Intramurals started a week right after exams ended, the dance club and basketball team's schedule are packed, Lava and Wave are tired but being together makes up for it.

Every morning, Lava would do his stretching in front of Wave's house as he waits for the other to come out so they can go to the campus together. Wave would sprint towards him, and they would walk talking about what are they going to do for the day.

They get to lunch with their own teams for each club has their own booths and responsibilities for the intramural's program. Greeting each other with nods and cheeky banters when they walk pass each other makes up for the time they're separated.

And when the day is ending, they'd walk back home together again. Wave's clinging unto Lava as they both try their best to walk properly as their bodies are too tired to even carry themselves home but despite that the laughing and exchanges of stories fuels them to get home and do it everything again the next day.

Lava felt like everything is back to normal, but instead of feeling lighter he felt something heavier in his heart.

As he looks at Wave, laughing while telling a story about how Wut almost kissed a guy in front of his crush because of how nervous he is, his heart thumps again. A little slower like it’s readying itself for something that he doesn’t even know.

Wave is not just someone Lava likes.

He is his best friend.

Someone he treasures more than himself, he could even give up everything if it means Wave would be happy, that Wave would stay by his side.

“You’re here again.”

Lava looked back at Wut when he suddenly tapped his shoulders. Amusement’s all over his friend’s face as he saw Lava sitting down beside a pole outside the dance hall. Not his usual spot because he often barges in but he’s a little late today from practice.

“Are you all done? Where’s Wave?” he asked, tiredness visible in his face. Cheeks red from running and sweat dripping, luckily, he’s not stinky, but the way his body is heating so bad is making him a little anxious.

“We finished way earlier. It’s been like an hour since he disappeared, thought he’d watch you play but…” Wut gestured Lava being in front of here using his two hands, not minding how the other’s brows furrowed.

Why did Wave disappeared and not wait for him?

He fished his phone out of his pocket and check notifications.

No messages from Wave,

No missed calls,

No voice mails,

Or whatever it is.

Mornings are still the same — walking together and spending time with one another. Lava even rarely sees Wave get close with Victor, since the other is already bonding with their classmates and has even gotten himself a new circle of friends.

Everything is normal, at least until Wave suddenly starts disappearing after his dance practices and office duties on some days. Lava tries to wait whenever and wherever he can — in places he knows Wave might go after his commitments — but there is no sign of his best friend anywhere.

Until he stopped waiting — because what are you supposed to do when someone doesn’t want to be found? He tried to ask, but Wave would only say he was busy doing things, and Lava knew when not to push with more questions.

It aches.

His heart aches, because whenever someone asks where Wave is, he no longer knows what to say.

“This assignment isn’t even that hard. Why take it home? That professor really just wants to make my night miserable,” Lava murmured to himself, brows furrowed, frustration overflowing, not knowing the exact reason for it.

He scribbled on his notes, tapped on his calculator, erased some doodles he had made, and even turned off the music when he already felt like his shirt was clinging too tightly to his skin and the collar was suffocating him.

Overwhelmed is an understatement. He’s anxious.

Without anything distracting him, he finished his assignment with ease. Left everything on his desk and dive into his bed. The night is settling in; tiredness is seeping into his bones as they just did a practice game earlier.

His room is quiet, dark and kind of empty. Like there’s something missing, something is not right and as soon as he starts breathing slowly, mind drifting to dreamland a heavy weight suddenly jolts him awake.

“Hmm… so warm…”

Slowly, Wave hugged him, his face still buried in Lava’s shirt. He kept on babbling about how warm Lava was and how much he liked hugging him. Lava felt himself stiffen even after Wave settled at his side.

They stayed like that for minutes until Lava sighed and slowly put his arm under Wave’s neck. As Wave scooted closer, Lava lent his arm so that Wave’s neck wouldn’t get strained, hanging there while hugging him.

This was new for them. They had never cuddled — they usually slept side by side but never tangled together. But even though this was new, no one could deny how naturally their bodies fit together, adjusting perfectly to accommodate each other.

“You’re so tired. Where have you been?” Lava asked, not able to contain himself anymore. He wanted to know.

“I just got off duty,” Wave murmured, eyes closed, still using Lava’s arm as a pillow, his arms and legs thrown over Lava’s straightened body.

Lava was confused. Office duty happened during class hours, and when he glanced at his wall clock, it was near 10 in the evening.

“What duty? Office duty?”

“Library duty. I got a part-time job there, that’s why I disappear after my club commitments,” Wave stated, as if he wasn’t telling Lava something he had been hiding from him for weeks.

Weeks that Lava ended up waiting for him in the ice cream shop, outside the dance hall, in the officer’s quarters, in the classroom—for hours.

“You’re working? You have lots of allowances,” Lava murmured, maybe more to himself, trying to piece it together without meaning to ask Wave, but Wave was in his arms, hearing everything—maybe even how fast and unstable his heartbeat was.

Wave hummed.

He tightened his grip on Lava a little, and Lava felt hot all over his body. The night breeze seeping through the windowsill still didn’t help cool him down.

“It’s okay if you don’t wanna—”

Another good minute passed before Wave helped himself adjust to face Lava. It was awkward.

Their faces were close to each other, their bodies touching, their eyes holding everything they wanted to say but kept in for the sake of the conversation.

Wave chuckled lightly and booped his cheek using the hand that was gripping Lava.

“You’ve been in intense practice for weeks now. We could have part-time jobs together in the summer. I asked that ice cream parlor we often buy from; they said they might accept part-timers in the summer,” Wave told him with a cheerful voice, dimples popping out while he spoke and his eyes somehow glimmering.

Lava couldn’t help but sigh and smile at him.

“As if you’re not busy yourself, but okay. Tell me about it more. What did you do this week? I did…”

And their conversation slowly quieted down as the night deepened. Both of them exchanged stories and bits of what happened in their weeks,

Not realizing that they were still tangled together, arms numbing and cheeks hurting because of how much they smiled while listening to each other.

They fell asleep together and almost didn’t make it to school if it wasn’t for Lava’s mom waking them, almost knocking down the door just to wake them up. They were way too comfortable hugging each other until Wave saw the time and hurriedly ran back home.

Lava missed his morning practice. Wave didn’t miss anything except having the attendance later than the usual time he does, and it was all because of Lava keeping him awake that night, yapping about something.

“It’s your fault, Bokbaek. I’m still sleepy. How am I going to go to my library job now?” Wave pouted, clearly sleepy by the way he lazily forked the meat on his plate.

They were eating lunch together as usual; the only difference now was that Lava felt a little lighter, knowing that Wave wasn’t going to disappear on him later. He knew where he was going to be.

He knew where to find him.

He watched Wave force himself to eat his food, trying his best not to doze off since they still had classes after lunch and other commitments to attend to.

“You chose that job. Finish your food. We’ll be running late again,” Lava chuckled as Wave sighed deeply, still looking at him — lips pouting so much that Lava almost lost his mind and kissed him right there and then.

His heart ached for his entire being. Aching from the overflowing love he had been suppressing for years, simply because he was afraid of what would happen to them.

“What time are you heading out later? I could wait for you,” he chose to say instead, almost blurting out the feelings that were trying so hard to speak for themselves.

Wave looked at him, and for some reason, Lava caught a glimpse of conflict in his eyes. Before Lava could dwell on it, the other slumped back into his seat and shoved food into his mouth.

“No need. Mom will fetch me later.”

Lava wanted to offer to wait for him — even for his mom — but chose not to. He knew him.

If Wave needed to say something, he would say it. Maybe not now, but sooner.

He hoped it would be sooner.

“Mama!”

Wave ran to his mom when he saw her standing outside the library. The lady looked at him and smiled, welcoming him warmly, even lending her arms as if waiting for Wave to crash into her with a hug.

And that he did, even giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before taking the paper bags from her arms and carrying them as they started walking back home, side by side, as if afraid his mom might suddenly disappear.

He had left his library duty earlier than usual, for he really couldn’t function any longer due to sleep deprivation. Lucky for him, Lava had forced him to eat more at lunchtime, or else his body would have collapsed from exhaustion.

“How are you doing? You crashed into Lava’s house again, dear,” his mom started the conversation, an arm wrapped around his shoulder as if straightening him while walking—a gesture that Wave loved as he leaned his head against his mom’s side.

He smiled to himself while remembering the night before, when he had crashed into Lava’s bed instead of going straight home, which was just a few steps away.

“It’s just one night, Mama. I think he’s sulking at me because I didn’t let him in on the secret job, but he doesn’t mind. I hope so.”

He really hoped Lava was okay with this, even though he himself was not.

He felt a lump in his throat, which he immediately covered by coughing a little.

“Lava is a sweet kid. I told you, he even asked for you when you had your first day at the library. He’s concerned about you; he’d understand if—”

“I got the results yesterday, Ma,” he cut her off. He knew where the conversation was heading, and he didn’t know if he could handle it right now.

Not yet. Not today, when he felt everything.

Not when his head was clouded with too many thoughts.

“That’s good to know. How is it? You know that, however the exams went, I’m proud of you, and we’ll work on it if you choose to go with Lava in Chula.”

What his mom said stayed with Wave for the entire night, and even the next day as he saw Lava waiting for him outside the house to walk to school together, even during lunch, even while taking the exams the week before, and even when he saw Lava waiting for him outside the library as his duty finished.

Especially when he was with Lava.

Life kept on happening even if Wave wanted it to pause, even for a minute, just to breathe. To let himself weigh everything before making any decision.

He wanted to stay where he was. He wanted to keep everything as it is, and heaven knows he was trying so hard to hold onto it—he badly wanted to keep this forever.

But as the days went by, with graduation lurking around the corner, it kept on knocking at his senses: he needed to decide, he needed to know what to do, and he needed to do something—right now.

And when another knock came, he was forced to open the door of his senses and move.

“Wave!”

The hardest knock came in the form of Victor. Running after him when he saw him about to enter the door to the officer’s quarters, he was in the middle of office duty and was about to deliver some papers a teacher had requested.

“Oh, Victor, do you need something?” he asked, his voice shaky, as if he already knew what Victor needed but still wanted to be wrong.

He wanted to be wrong. Wanted Victor to ask about something else—maybe help with homework, ask for material he forgot to jot down earlier in class, or even about finding his crush a gift for graduation day.

Anything. He could ask about anything… just not about—

“I received the exam result yesterday. I passed! I was wondering if you received yours too?” The innocence and gentle look in Victor’s eyes made Wave’s insides shatter.

He took a deep breath and smiled at him.

“Yes, but I haven’t checked it yet. That’s good to know you did pass. We worked hard to study for that exam.”

“That we did, and that’s all thanks to you. You’re the best tutor I could ask for, you know?” They laughed at that, knowing Victor wasn’t joking about him being the best tutor, and it made his heart calm down a little.

At least, even amidst everything, he still knew he was the best at something. At least something had stayed the same.

Victor was about to ask something when Wave saw someone walking toward their direction.

Even from afar, Wave recognized him.

The way he walked, the way he carried himself, the way he could turn the empty hallway into a runway just with his presence. The way his eyes turned into crescents when he saw Wave.

It made Wave’s heart flutter and ache at the same time, because him walking toward Wave while smiling was the only thing Wave could beg and cry to heaven to stay the same.

“Wave? Are you okay?” Victor asked, even reaching out to shake his shoulder a little to bring him back to his senses.

“Huh? What are you saying again?” he asked, trying to focus on the person in front of him but continuously failing when Lava stopped beside Victor, still looking at Wave.

“I said some of my friends also received their Chula results. I was wondering if you also received yours. Oh, Lava, have you?” Victor asked them both as soon as he noticed the man beside him.

Lava briefly looked at Victor and nodded before focusing on Wave again.

“Y-yeah. I did too, but just like I said, I still haven’t checked any results. I was busy working.”

“Oh, you really have to chill and rest sometime. You’re working so hard. You must be exhausted and distracted if you haven’t checked your results—you were so excited about the exams for weeks,” Victor said, concern visibly laced in his voice, even reaching out to pat Wave’s hair softly.

Wave only gave him a tight smile, painfully aware of how Lava’s gaze was intently on him and Victor’s hand patting his head. He felt his skin burning at how serious and focused it was, as if Lava could see right through him.

When Victor bid them goodbye, Lava stayed. Still looking at him intently, waiting for him to say something—maybe to tell him what he and Victor had talked about, maybe to answer questions about the exams—but nothing came from him.

Instead, Lava smiled and poked his cheek.

“You should go inside now. Your arm may strain if you keep holding that stance for longer than you already have. I’ll fetch you later, okay?”

He didn’t say anything, but Lava nodded in understanding. He waved at him and turned around to go when Wave found his voice and called for him. Lava turned back, waiting for whatever he was about to say.

His hand felt clammy, and he felt the papers slipping, but he managed to hug them closer to him as if it would help him form the words stuck in his throat.

He wanted to tell him everything, to let him in on the secret he was carrying. He wanted him to hug him through all the ache and confusion he was feeling, but as he saw Lava about to walk toward him, he chose to smile.

“See you later. I’ll wait for you.”

“Davin, I’m going out now. I already checked the back area. You just need to settle the counter and lock the door. You know where to leave the keys, right?”

Wave nodded at the library staff he shared the shift with before the man left him alone. The library was empty except for him and two juniors who were checking the books they probably needed for thesis research, as they had asked Wave about them earlier.

They all still had an hour left before the library finally closed. It was Wave’s third closing day, and he really liked it when he was all alone, for he could scan his own homework and get it done before tidying up and going home.

But tonight was a different scenario. He didn’t have any homework to do, and there were no books to put back on the shelf to distract him. He was all alone at the counter with the library system open on the computer and his thoughts.

When the remaining students checked out their books, the eerie silence slowly crept into his head. It didn’t help that he had two unopened envelopes in front of him, a logo of two different but equally prestigious schools plastered on each one.

He needed to check, even though without checking, he already knew what the results were.

The exam was just for formality at this point in his mindset. Both universities needed high school recommendations, and it wasn’t a secret to him that he was a running candidate for valedictorian alongside his years-long rival and best friend, Lava.

He heaved a deep sigh before ripping the glued part of the envelope and opening it.

If it were him half a year ago, he’d jump in excitement upon seeing the bolded word “Congratulations” on the paper. Two prestigious schools had just accepted him and offered him their services for college; the only difference was that CMU offered him a full scholarship and an in-school dormitory.

It was more practical, more financially wise, but it cost more in some other aspect.

He stared at the papers for longer than he needed to. He was reading them carefully, but no words were registering in his head. All he knew was that he needed to decide.

Chula was his dream school. He built his dreams and planned his years all around the fact that he was going there. The engineering department was great, receiving a lot of praise from students and even outsiders. It was a dream to be there.

He imagined his undergraduate years walking to school with newfound friends in class, joining clubs that aligned with his interests, maybe even continuing dancing for passion, winning some awards and achievements for still being a top student. Ending the day in a dormitory that he’d call home for his entire academic years, then coming home every summer, holiday, or weekend to celebrate with hometown friends and family.

Wave smiled at the thought, thinking how good it was. Maybe he could still do those things if he chose CMU. Well, he couldn’t go home every weekend, but the thought of not coming home often would only build the excitement and longing he’d feel once he saw his loved ones again.

Only one thing would be different. One factor that kept him from accepting the decision he had been trying to establish in his mind before voicing it.

There would be no Lava.

Wave could settle for some other school besides these two, and the plan would still work. Everything would still fall into place; he could do his imagined routine perfectly at any other school—except for the fact that in Chula… there would be Lava in everything he did.

Lava would wait for him after every class and hang out with his new friends. Lava would join clubs just like him so they could go home at the same time. Lava would have awards and achievements like him, just in a different department. Lava would be in the same dormitory, for they would choose to live together. They would talk about their days before drifting off to sleep. They would come home together every holiday to visit their families.

Lava would be there every step of the way. Every cry, every laugh, every day.

He was that one factor that kept him sane. The one he needed to be constant.

He put his head down on the counter, his heart heavy. He wanted to let it all out, but he couldn’t. He was so exhausted he couldn’t even cry, and all he wanted was to be around the scent he was longing for the most.

That fresh sandalwood scent—his favorite perfume, the one he loved spraying all over his body even without a shirt on—the scent that clung to him even more when he was sweaty from basketball practice. He could be a mile away from Wave, but the whiplash of the perfume would let him know he was just around the corner.

And as if the universe had heard his silent wish, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts—and it was the fresh sandalwood that could send his mind haywire.

“Maew?”

Wave chuckled to himself. Lava always sounded like a kitten meowing whenever he called him that. He was so endearing that Wave felt his heart breaking silently.

He looked up and saw Lava peeking his head inside the door, a small smile drawing across his face once he saw Wave looking back at him.

“I’m here. Let me just arrange things, then I’ll head out,” he said. Lava just nodded before closing the door again, probably to sit outside and wait so as not to interrupt Wave’s duties.

Wave moved quickly, shoving the envelopes into his bag and tidying up the counter. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Lava quietly napping on the bench. Wave smiled to himself as he stared at him.

He was always tired after basketball practice, but he made it his responsibility to fetch Wave after duties and walk him home.

Wave walked closer to him, gently sweeping his sweaty hair out of his face to get a clear glimpse of him. Lava was pretty—his cheeks were flushed, making his freckles stand out even more. If it weren’t for Wave’s favorite constellation, he would rather not look at any other stars around.

He wanted to stare longer, but Lava slowly opened his eyes, and right there and then, their faces were closer than usual. Eyes locked into each other, they could feel each other’s breaths. Wave usually would have backed down, straightened up, and told Lava to stand and walk home with him.

Instead, he lifted his hand and traced Lava’s face, connecting each freckle to the next, then cupped his cheek with one hand, the other immediately leaning in.

They were aware of how fast their hearts were beating, their breaths growing frantic as if they had just run a marathon. Their cheeks were turning red from the intensity of holding each other’s gaze, afraid that one wrong move would make the other retreat—but nobody did.

Nobody wanted to break the little intimate scene they were in.

Wave knew whatever he was doing was dangerous. This could lead to something more, with consequences bigger than he realized—but he was willing to take the risk today. He was willing to let something out if it meant his chest would feel lighter.

He leaned in, his eyes slowly drifting down to Lava’s lips, silently asking for permission. Lava nodded—a single nod that led their lips to meet.

It was soft, unfamiliar, and risky, but nobody cared. Lava let Wave set the pace, even if their positions were awkward: Lava was still sitting on the bench hugging his duffle bag, and Wave was standing, leaning down just to kiss him.

Wave’s hand remained on Lava’s cheek, steadying him as he angled his face to kiss him better—to finally taste something he had always wondered about.

It was hot in the literal sense; Lava was sweating more than he already was. Wave’s hand grew clammy as he held Lava’s face. The kiss lasted longer than they realized, and when they separated, nobody spoke. Nobody acknowledged what had happened.

Wave just held Lava’s hand, and they walked home together in the middle of the night. He felt his cheeks throbbing from how red they were, his heart frantically beating. He looked at Lava, whom he was dragging home, but the latter was just staring at the sidewalk, face flushed, still visibly dazed from the kiss.

It felt perfect. It felt like something out of Wave’s dream.

Out of his imagination—the one he often revisited whenever he found the courage to speak and acknowledge whatever it was in his stomach whenever Lava was around.

But as soon as Wave stopped in front of Lava’s house to let go of his hand and watch him enter the vicinity, a splash of cold reality woke him from dreaming.

He looked at their house and noticed the lack of light—the front porch should have at least the nightlight on to keep it bright until the sun rose. And then he felt it: the weight of choosing between something he wanted and something he needed.

Wave heaved a deep sigh before turning to look at Lava, who was also looking at him, confusion visible in his eyes, as if he was waiting for something—a clarification, maybe, of whatever the kiss had meant.

And Wave wanted to say it. Wanted to say what Lava meant to him—not as a friend, but as a person.

His heart grew heavy again, a pool of tears welling in his eyes, and Lava immediately noticed.

“What? Why? It’s okay, you didn’t have to if you don’t—”

“I’m going to CMU for college.” It wasn’t what he meant to say.

It wasn’t what he wanted, but it slipped out of him—like his brain had taken over, because he knew his heart would have said something completely different, something Wave would have regretted afterwards.

“What?” Lava was stunned. He was looking at him, confusion written across his entire face—and Wave saw it. He saw the pain in his eyes.

“I just… I received the papers, and CMU offered greater opportunities. It would be a waste to… to just pass on something practical.” Wave tried to explain, and even he could feel the pain in his own words.

He couldn’t look at Lava—not when he knew he had just kissed him a minute ago, only to break his heart a minute later. It felt like he was playing with Lava’s feelings, and Wave was so guilty that all he wanted was to run away.

He wanted to hide, but he couldn’t. His feet were planted in front of Lava, and he needed to say something—at least something real. This wasn’t the confession he had wanted to give after that kiss, but it was the confession his brain had started spilling.

Wave’s head was spiraling. He didn’t know what Lava would say or what would become of them, but suddenly, an arm wrapped around him.

“I-it’s okay. I understand.”

Wave thought everything was fine. It should really be fine, or maybe he was just forcing himself to be okay.

The truth was, ever since that night when he saw Lava enter their house while he was left outside, wishing that things would be the same between them the next day as they were before…

Things did stay the same—going in together, eating lunch together, going home together—nothing had changed. They were still together, but it felt like they were just together out of habit, together only because if they weren’t, it would be obvious that not everything was actually okay.

It had become like that so there would be nothing to say, nothing to explain.

Wave knew there were consequences to everything, but he didn’t realize he wouldn’t be able to handle it. Every time Lava avoided looking at him, it felt like his heart was slowly breaking.

Wave wanted to make the most of the days before graduation. They even planned to go out together with their friends, but it didn’t push through because Lava said he still had something to do.

They went home together afterward, talking a little about it, but it felt meaningless. No real conversation—if there was, it would have ended quickly anyway.

He knew it was his fault. You’re not supposed to kiss your friend and then say you’re leaving them, breaking the plans, you had together.

He wanted to reach out, but he didn’t know how or what to say.

Lava still smiled at him, keeping things the same on the surface, but it felt completely different. It was always like there was something to say, but he never went through with it.

Graduation came. Everyone was happy, grateful to finally be free from high school, but some were also scared, knowing it meant new challenges ahead.

But there was no one who wanted to stop time and postpone graduation more than Wave.

He wasn’t ready. He didn’t know if he could handle it. If he would even run home instead of staying for just one more day.

He was scared—he often had nightmares of being alone somewhere, with no one by his side.

And the one person he wanted with him the most was the scariest thought of all.

“Davin, dear, your mom told me you’re planning to go to CMU? That’s a huge jump from here. Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Lava’s mom asked during their graduation celebration.

Wave felt his body tense. He almost choked on his food, but luckily Lava handed him some water.

His cheeks reddened with embarrassment as everyone at the table looked at him with concern.

The whole family was there. He sat next to Lava, with his own sister across from him. Lava’s sibling and their parents were there too. The family was very close, which was why the celebration was so big.

“He’ll be great wherever he is, Mom. Maybe Chula wouldn’t be able to handle both of us together,” Lava joked, trying to shift the focus away from Wave and his school plans—and it worked.

Everyone laughed and praised how great the two of them were as students. Despite their extracurricular activities, they still managed to land the top spots—together.

“Oh, but I don’t think Lava could handle not being with Wave,” Lava’s brother teased this time, nudging him as they sat next to each other.

The teasing didn’t stop, even after Lava scowled at his parents for tolerating his brother’s immature antics.

“Lava, baby, if only I knew you’d also take an exam to CMU if you still could. You two can’t be separated,” his mom said. Lava groaned, ears red from the teasing, and Wave just chuckled at him, causing Lava to look at him with squinting eyes.

As if nothing had happened before, they joked with each other in front of their families. But once dinner was over and they were left alone, the familiar silence took over.

No one knew what to say, and maybe it was better that way—because the last time they tried to talk it out, it had ended in heartbreak no one had asked for.

A few days after graduation, Wave felt a shift in the air. Suddenly, Lava was in his room, waking him up.

“Hey, Maew. Come on, come with me to enroll.” He nudged him over and over, stealing the blanket that Wave kept tugging back because it was too comfy to let go.

They were in a tug-of-war over the blanket when Wave rolled over and pulled it harder than he meant to, causing Lava to fall on top of him.

The sudden weight jolted him awake, and there it was—his favorite eyes staring back at him. Just a few inches from his face, he could feel Lava’s breath, and a rewind of that night flashed in his mind.

Lava’s lips on him, the way he had caressed Wave’s cheek when he finally let himself respond to the kiss, his warmth, the glimmer in his eyes as Wave had pulled away—all of it came rushing back. His heart raced so fast his cheeks flushed.

A knock on the door brought them back to reality. Lava jumped off the bed and Wave sat down just as the door swung open.

“Wave, are you awake? Lava’s looking for—oh, Lava, honey, you already woke him up,” his mom exclaimed, seeing the two of them awkwardly staring at her as if caught doing something they shouldn’t.

“Yes, Auntie. He just woke up, what a sleepyhead,” Lava murmured, giving Wave a snicker that made his mom laugh.

“You boys are really comfortable with each other. Wave, go shower now—you must be stinky. Get up, now, now!” Wave groaned at his mom but dove back into his pillow, hiding his embarrassed face as Lava laughed.

“Mama! Yes, I’ll get up now. Get out, you two!” he exclaimed, causing his mom to laugh again and tell Lava to come with her, since Wave was so grumpy when he just woke up.

“I’ll wait for you downstairs, stinky head. Don’t make me come up here and bathe you myself,” was the last thing Lava said before closing Wave’s door and leaving him inside, rethinking all of his life choices.

It had only been a little over a week since graduation, and he had just five more weeks left before he’d have to drive all the way to Chiang Mai and start a life he never thought he’d have.

He was slowly spiraling into anxiety, but he decided that if Lava was the one trying to make this summer feel a little more normal again, then he didn’t have any right to protest.

The drive to Chulalongkorn University felt oddly familiar. The laughter in the car as Lava’s dad joked around while driving, the wind hitting Wave’s face when he asked the window to be down, and Lava being so annoying that Wave had to hit him on the arm and scowl at him for every joke he made.

It felt familiar because months ago, when they took the exam, it had been just like this.

“Lava, you have to get your driver’s license before summer ends, or I’m going to make you commute to school for the rest of the year.”

“Yes, I will get it, Dad. As if I’m not going to rent a dorm somewhere near campus.” Lava groaned, pouting before turning to look out the window.

Wave’s breath hitched. He glanced at the rearview mirror, trying to catch a glimpse of Lava—and to his surprise, Lava was already looking at him through it. Wave smiled, but Lava quickly looked away.

When they finally arrived, Lava’s dad handed them money for the entire campus tour and the taxi fare home—he couldn’t drive them back himself because he needed to attend to work.

They went inside, and Lava was practically giddy, like a puppy excitedly darting his eyes around. All he lacked was a tail, and Wave half-joked that he might need a leash to keep track of him while touring.

The last time they had been here, they didn’t have time to explore because of how nervous they were for the exam. Now, being inside and able to freely see the campus, Wave felt a pang in his chest—happy for Lava, but also sad for himself.

“Let’s check out the Faculty of Psychology. I heard they have some fun booths for interested students. We can also look at the Engineering Department—you’d like that, right?” Lava didn’t wait for a response; he just held Wave’s hand and dragged him toward the faculty of his program.

He wanted to study psychology, and Wave believed he would excel there. Even though he sometimes seemed tough, Wave knew he was just a soft, mushy puppy inside.

“All right, Bokbaek. Let’s go wherever you want.”

They did everything Lava wanted—visited the gym, checked every corner they could—before finally going to the main reason they were there: Lava’s enrollment.

The usher saw them and flashed a smile when he noticed the two giddy, freshly graduated high school students roaming around. He handed them both a paper, but only Lava took it.

“Hey, nongs, what faculty are you interested in?”

“Psychology, phi!” Lava answered, practically bouncing with excitement.

Wave smiled at that, but his smile faltered the moment the usher turned to him, waiting for his answer.

“Ah, I’m just accompanying him, phi,” he said.

“Oh, okay. So, here’s what you need to do…” Wave smiled faintly as the usher nodded in understanding, then turned to explain the enrollment process to Lava. Wave pretended to listen, but all he could do was watch Lava, the lump in his throat growing as he fought to keep from tearing up.

Until the enrollment was finished, Wave stayed by Lava’s side, waiting every time Lava had to go to the counter and process his papers.

Wave could see how happy Lava looked on the surface, but he didn’t know how Lava’s heart broke a little each time he had to leave him sitting behind.

He wanted Wave to come with him. He wanted Wave to enroll too. That’s why he had brought him along, hoping that if Wave saw the place they had both dreamed of, he might change his mind and stay here with him.

Lava tried his best to keep a smile plastered on his face all day, acting giddy at every place they visited, hoping his excitement would rub off on Wave. But it didn’t. So, when the day finally ended, it was as if the heavens sensed his sadness—the rain began to fall gently, mirroring the quiet ache inside him.

They both decided to get on the bus to go home but got off somewhere familiar instead, both knowing they wanted the day to last longer. They knew that once they got home, neither of them would have the courage to talk.

So, they sat in the waiting shed, silent but still hopeful that maybe someone would speak, maybe something would change.

“Let’s walk from here. The rain isn’t stopping anytime soon. Might as well enjoy it,” Lava said. Wave just smiled at him and nodded, and so they walked in the rain, not caring if they got soaked. All that mattered was that they were together, at least for now.

Both had their hearts on their sleeves, painfully aware of each other, a creeping distance between them as they struggled to find something to say. The street was empty—who in their right mind would go walking in the rain?

“So, you’ve decided to go to CMU. That’s a huge change, Wave,” Lava began, glancing at him briefly before focusing on the sidewalk ahead.

“Yeah. It’s a huge change, but change is inevitable, right? We all need change to grow.” Wave tasted the lie on his tongue. He didn’t want change. He didn’t want to leave.

Lava chuckled, as if he could see how much of a lying fool Wave had become.

“Yeah. So… how about us?” he asked.

Bold. Strong. Brave.

As if the rain had given him the courage to finally ask. To finally say what had been running through his mind these past few weeks, aware of the changes in their plans.

“Us? What do you mean?” Wave asked, feigning confusion, though he wasn’t really confused—he just wanted to change the topic, to keep his heart from breaking any further. But when Lava stopped walking and looked at him, he knew the conversation was already over.

Lava chuckled, trying to mask the pain on his face, but even the pouring rain couldn’t hide how much he was hurting.

“I don’t know what happened. Why did you just go away? Why would you leave me?” he asked, not caring that he sounded desperate—because he was.

He understood Wave’s decision, but he couldn’t understand why.

“Lava, I—”

“And you told me after kissing me, Wave. I thought… I thought we were into something.” Lava felt his knees shake, maybe from the cold breeze, maybe from the ache inside him.

Wave just looked at him, not knowing what to say. He felt his heart breaking all over again.

“Why did you kiss me, Wave? Why did you have to kiss me if you were going to leave me?”

The pain in his voice echoed in Wave’s head. He knew why. He knew exactly why. And he knew Lava knew—he just needed to hear it from Wave.

“Why did you have to make it harder for me to let you go? But you kissed me… you kissed the hell out of me! You just couldn’t do that and expect me to say goodbye and let you go!”

Lava wasn’t shouting; his voice was just shaky. He wasn’t touching Wave, but he wasn’t running away either—and that was worse, because Wave could have handled shouts, hurtful words, even watching him walk away.

But he couldn’t do this. He couldn’t tell him things, because this was harder.

“W-why…” Wave stammered as soon as he found his voice, trying to answer. “Why does it matter, Lava? Can’t I just… kiss you because I want to?”

Lava’s mouth went agape, eyes blinking rapidly—maybe to keep the rain out or maybe because he couldn’t stop himself from tearing up—and Wave couldn’t bear to look at him. No, telling him things would have been easier than this. Easier than seeing Lava cry in front of him.

“You just wanted to kiss me? Yes, because that’s how friends are, right? They just kiss when they’re tired from work, they just kiss after a long day because they’re comfortable with each other. They just kiss because they wanted to. So, you did. You kissed me because it was convenient for you.”

The dam finally cracked. In the middle of the empty street, with rain pouring and the sky roaring somewhere above, Lava was full-on crying in front of him. His hands clenched at his sides, unsure whether to push Wave away or pull him closer so he wouldn’t leave.

“Lava, you don’t understand—”

“Make me understand! How am I supposed to understand if you’re not saying a damn thing, Wave?”

“Bokbaek, please.”

“You don’t get to call me that, Davin. Not right now, not when you’re breaking my heart like this. I… I like you so much it’s hurting me. Please.” Lava begged, almost collapsing onto the hard asphalt, his knees trembling as if they might give out.

Wave didn’t have any words left, so he closed the distance between them and held him tight. He wished a hug could convey everything he wanted to say—all the secrets he was keeping.

Lava let himself be held, let himself feel vulnerable in Wave’s arms, crying harder. He wanted Wave to know just how much it hurt, how impossible it was for him to let go.

Two friends crying in each other’s arms.

Lava for his heartbreak, and for the fear that he wasn’t losing his friend to someone else, but to something he didn’t even fully understand.

Wave, holding back his reasons, because if Lava knew he was doing this for his family, he would step up to help—and Wave couldn’t allow that. He didn’t want him to.

His family wasn’t financially well-off, unlike Lava’s. They could manage day-to-day with some extra money for what they wanted, but when a business failure struck, Wave decided he had to step up. He chose to be practical.

No one could understand how much he loved Lava, how much he wanted to be with him, how much it hurt to let his dreams go—but he couldn’t choose himself at the expense of his family.

“I chose this because I needed to. I chose this not because I wanted to hurt you, but because I needed to, Lava.” It’s all he can say—it’s the truth. It’s what Lava needed to hear.

“Why can’t you need me too? Why can’t you choose me too, Wave?”

They held each other, trying to calm down, neither asking or explaining—just holding on until things felt a little lighter, a little better.

Lava pulled back first, steadying himself as he gently turned Wave to face him.

“I’m sorry.”

“Lava…”

“You can choose everything you want, Wave. I’m sorry I let my emotions get the best of me and made you cry. I’m sorry, okay?”

His voice was soft, soothing, and oddly understanding. Wave wanted to cry—not because he wasn’t angry, but because why the hell was Lava apologizing when he was the one hurting more? Why did Lava have to be understanding instead of cursing him out?

“I like you so much. I actually tried to make you change your mind by dragging you to Chula today, but I got frustrated and scared that you’d already made up your mind to leave. I shouldn’t have done that.” He apologized again, tears welling in his eyes, but he still looked Wave straight in the eyes.

Wave couldn’t speak. He couldn’t risk hurting him more with words that might not comfort Lava at all.

“Lava, I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I know you are. But hey, it’s me. You have your reasons, and not every reason is meant to be said—and that’s okay. We’re okay.” Lava cupped his cheeks, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears Wave hadn’t even realized were falling.

Wave bowed his head to Lava’s chest, crying silently, trying to get it all out. But the moment Lava wrapped his arms around him again and kissed his temple, his sobs came back, uncontrollable.

“Let’s go home now.”

It shouldn’t be comforting.

Leaving should be devastating—because what do you do when you leave your heart not in a place, but with someone?

Wave left weeks earlier than he had planned. Not because he needed to, but because he chose to. With nothing to do all summer in their hometown, he decided to drive away and settle into his new dorm at CMU.

He explored the town alone, tried to learn the basic local dialect even though everyone around him could understand and spoke the standard. He looked for summer jobs to keep himself distracted and made friends with some dormmates and fellow students to help him settle in.

The first few months of school were brutal. The transition from high school to university was tough, especially being alone, but he survived. Even halfway through the semester, his name had already become well-known for being an excellent student.

His planned routine went mostly as intended—except he skipped coming home for some holidays, choosing instead to throw himself into work rather than drive all the way back. He needed to get used to the distance before going home, knowing that the homesickness would hit him harder than the first time.

He didn’t pretend he wasn’t hurting—but only within the confines of his dorm room. Luckily, he didn’t have a roommate, because it would have ruined anyone’s sleep if someone cried themselves to sleep, longing for something they had chosen to leave behind. He would cry when the workload became overwhelming, still curses himself when lectures didn’t sink in during review, and even refuse to leave the room on days when he had nothing to do.

For someone who hadn’t been left alone for years, anxiety crept into his bed whenever he was by himself.

Victor visited sometimes with his boyfriend. They often hung out in Wave’s room when there was nothing better to do, and Wave appreciated it. At least someone from back home was there for him.

But somewhere out there, he knows he’s not alone in this miserable state. Because deep in his heart, a tug of a string keeps him aware that he’s mirroring someone he’s longing for.

Lava isn’t alone.

He’s with friends—Kratae, Wut, and Tum. They all got into Chula, in different departments but still in the same vicinity. They often hang out when they have free time, grab drinks when they know there are no exams the next day, and even study together when a big test is coming up.

His dorm room is the smallest in the building. It’s only a five-minute walk from campus, but every step toward his dream school feels like an anchor, keeping him imprisoned.

He loves everything—the department is great, his blockmates are chaotic but welcoming, and his professors are fond of him for always being prepared. He’s an athlete on the side, so his mind is always busy.

He’s not alone—but that doesn’t mean he’s not lonely.

He keeps more to himself now. He laughs at jokes, but the humor never reaches his eyes. He chooses to be alone whenever he can, clinging to the quiet moments he needs—the time to wrestle with the thoughts that constantly bug him, though he always entertains them.

He drives himself now, thanks to a graduation gift from his parents: a car, not brand new, but still efficient for his daily needs. He rarely drives home, though, usually having his brother deliver things he needs under the guise of being too busy with schoolwork.

Both of them were awfully miserable. Leaving on good terms, even exchanging the carefully made graduation gifts for each other, only made everything more painful.

They didn’t talk. They didn’t have the courage to reach out, not even on their birthdays—days they had traditionally spent together, ice cream in hand, playing in the park where they usually hung out. Both were afraid that even a simple greeting would distract or hurt the other.

So, when the summer after their first year of college came, there were no reasons left not to go home.

And right then, Wave’s first glance of Lava happened. He had finally decided to get out of the house, though his mother practically dragged him from his room to get some fresh air. He had arrived two days ago and had been wallowing in bed like he did in his dorm—but his mother wasn’t having any of it.

“Get out, Wave. Socialize or whatever. You’ve been gone for a year, everybody misses you! Take this to your auntie’s house.”

Wave groaned, both annoyed and nervous. He didn’t even know if Lava was home. He hadn’t heard a word from him, or about him, from anyone. He didn’t know if they were aware, but it felt like Lava’s name had become a sore spot in the house.

He walked toward the familiar house he had been going in and out of for years. Now standing at the front door, he didn’t even want to ring the bell or knock—he wasn’t sure he could handle what he might see.

When he finally knocked, a muffled shout answered him, followed by a loud groan, and then footsteps that grew clearer until the door swung open, revealing a very familiar face.

“Phi Anya, Mom says she’s going to—”

And as if they were in a romance novel, the world seemed to slow down. Their widened eyes met, and all they could hear was the loud beating of their own hearts.

“Lava.”

Lava swallowed hard. He’d never heard his name sound more beautiful than when Wave said it. They stared at each other a little longer, trying to memorize the faces they knew they would never forget. His tense shoulders relaxed, and then he smiled.

“Hi, Wave.”

They couldn’t remember who spoke first, or who suggested that they talk or hang out for a bit, but somehow, they found themselves in the same ice cream shop they’d always gone to.

The shop hadn’t changed at all—the same signage, the same vendor, who greeted them with a polite but delighted smile at seeing his loyal customers return. They didn’t even need to say their flavors; the vendor handed them their usual orders, and they happily paid.

They walked in silence to the park they often went to when bored or just wanting to hang out. They sat on the bench and quietly ate their ice cream, saying nothing—just enjoying each other’s presence, the presence they’d longed for over the past year.

When Lava asked about how Wave was doing, Wave told him about his workload and part-time jobs. When Wave asked how things were going for Lava, he talked about his friends still being close and how he was playing basketball for the university.

They shared their stories, listening intently, acutely aware of how excited and eager they were to know what the other had been up to.

And when the sun began to set, they knew it was time to part ways again. Not as far as they had been for a year, but still exactly as far as their houses were apart—and neither of them wanted to move.

Not when they were together again.

Lava let out a deep sigh, trying to stand, but Wave held his wrist gently, looking at him. Just one look, and Lava knew.

This conversation was long overdue, and Wave had already endured enough miserable nights—he wasn’t about to let this one slip by, not without finally saying what needed to be said.

“Do you…?” He started, words catching in his throat, but he cleared it with a cough and tried again. “Are you still…”

Not a full sentence. Not what he meant to say. But he looked at Lava, and the message was clear.

“Wave, you can just forget that.”

Not the answer he wanted—but he’d kind of expected it. This time, though, Lava wasn’t the one confessing, so he tried again. He needed just a little courage, and he knew he could do it. He had imagined it, practiced it in the mirror. It might not be perfect, but he had to say it.

“So… you moved on? Over the year?”

Wave felt like laughing at himself. Of course that was possible.

Lava looked at him, confused, eyebrows furrowed, and Wave could see the hurt in his gaze.

“What? Of course not! I… I like you, okay? Why are we even talking about my feelings? Aren’t you tired already?” Lava said, burying his face in his hands, embarrassed at spilling his confession again.

Wave smiled. His dimple, unseen for over a year, peeked out. He faced Lava and gently moved his hands so he could see his face clearly again.

“Bokbaek… my Bokbaek.”

“Wave…”

“I just…” Wave stuttered. Lava was looking at him now, so he drew a deep breath and continued. “I know this is long overdue, but I… I just needed time to be better for you. And I promised myself I’d get back to you.”

There. He said it. He explained himself. And it was the truth—everything was finally better. His family’s business, his mind, his heart… even just seeing Lava made it feel like he was healing.

“What? Better for me? What are you saying?”

“I… I figured I liked you way before all this happened, and I wanted to be deserving of you. It wasn’t Plan A, but it’s kind of working.” He felt his cheeks burn, eyes welling up, but he kept going. “I know you know about my family now, and things are getting better. I know if I told you before, you would’ve just jumped in to help—but that’s not what I want.”

“I don’t understand, Wave.” Lava smiled, because he did understand, but he wanted Wave to say it clearly, to say it one more time.

“You’re still so annoying.” Wave rolled his eyes in pretense, but Lava just pushed him, insisting he didn’t understand.

“I like you. I’ve always liked you. Hell, I wanted to kiss you again that night, but everything wasn’t right. I’d hurt you, and I couldn’t take care of someone else when I was broken myself. So, I left. But… I’m getting better now. You always take care of me, so I wanted to get better too… so that I could take care of you.”

They stayed looking at each other for a minute, taking their time to register everything that was happening. It felt too fast, yet so long overdue.

Yesterday, they were just lying in their beds, wondering when they would get to see each other again and how they would greet each other. Both were anticipating the reunion, both waiting for one another, and today they had just met, and everything happened in the blink of an eye.

Wave felt his heart aching in the most calming way it ever had for a whole year. It was the ache he had been anticipating, the one he would feel when he finally told him how much he liked him, how much he wished for him too.

Lava’s smile didn’t falter. If anything, it gradually grew bigger. His smile finally reached his eyes for the first time in a year, his eyes turning into crescents as if he couldn’t see Wave anymore, and everything suddenly felt lighter. Everything was good again.

He reached out to Wave and slid closer to close the gap between them on the bench. The park was empty, which was rare because it used to be full of people, especially when the sun rested on the horizon. The golden hour was beautiful, and the way it touched Wave’s skin brought Lava a rush of emotions he couldn’t even comprehend.

He cupped his cheek the way he always did, and Wave immediately leaned into the touch. Lava’s hand was so warm it felt like it was burning against his skin, but the burn was what made Wave love the sensation. Wave wouldn’t trade this warmth for anything else if it meant keeping Lava by his side.

“Do you know what’s also long overdue?” Lava asked, his voice barely a whisper, as if it were meant only for Wave’s ears.

He looked directly into his eyes, and even while sitting down, Wave felt his knees buckle.

“What?”

“This.”

Then Lava crossed the small gap between their faces, and their lips touched. The kiss was softer than ever, their lips sliding against each other as if fitting together like the final pieces of a puzzle. It was passionate, like sealing the promise they had just spoken.

The summer before, under the gloomy, rainy sky, Lava had confessed his love. He asked a question he hoped for an answer to but never received. They walked away with distance not only between their bodies, but in their aching hearts too.

But this summer, under the golden hour, as the rays of the sun touched their skin and their hands found each other, Wave confessed his truth, and they tried to make up for the kisses they should have been giving instead of spending a year apart just healing.

And as they walked home now, the smiles on their faces were bright and glowing. Their eyes said more than their smiles ever could, and they both knew that this summer was different from before.

For Lava and Wave, who kept their hearts longing for each other while learning to find their own rhythms alone, yet somehow still syncing with one another, it felt like growing up and changing was inevitable. But if their love had changed, it had only grown stronger.

They knew they had to grow apart, so they could grow better.