Work Text:
Ivan woke up to the sound of his phone vibrating itself off his desk. A crash followed, then another vibration. He stared at the ceiling for a moment. His first coherent thought was that whatever emergency was currently occurring could probably survive another thirty seconds. His second thought was that it was probably Till. Unfortunately, he was right. Five notifications waited for him.
Till
7:12 AM
are you awake
7:13 AM
ivan
7:14 AM
IVAN
7:15 AM
if you're asleep i'm leaving without you
7:15 AM
which is a lie because i need your notes
Ivan closed his eyes. Then opened them again. A sixth notification appeared.
Till
7:16 AM
also good morning
Despite himself, Ivan smiled. He typed back.
Ivan: Good morning.
The reply came so quickly it was almost concerning.
Till: FINALLY
Till: library
Till: 9
Till: don't be late
Ivan: I never am.
Till: you literally were last week
Ivan: Two minutes.
Till: history remembers the fallen
Ivan set his phone down. Somehow the day already felt lighter. Which was ridiculous. He hadn't even left bed yet.
The university library was one of the oldest buildings on campus. Tall windows. Dark wood shelves. The perpetual smell of books and coffee. Ivan actually liked it. Till claimed to hate it. Yet somehow Till spent more time there than anyone else Ivan knew. The contradiction wasn't worth pointing out anymore. By the time Ivan arrived, Till was already sitting at their usual table. Of course he was. A half-finished iced coffee sat beside him. Three notebooks were open. A laptop occupied most of the remaining space. And somehow there were already snack wrappers scattered around despite it being barely nine in the morning.
Till looked up immediately.
"You're late."
Ivan checked his watch.
8:58.
"No."
"You arrived after me."
"That isn't how time works."
"It should be."
Ivan sat down.
Till slid something across the table. A coffee. Ivan blinked.
"You bought me coffee."
"Don't sound so surprised."
"You remembered my order."
"Everyone acts like that's impressive."
"It is."
"It's not."
The tips of Till's ears turned pink. Interesting. Ivan decided not to comment. Instead he took a sip. Exactly right. As usual. For roughly twenty minutes they actually studied. Genuinely studied. No distractions. No nonsense. Just notes. Textbooks. Quiet concentration. It was honestly impressive. Then Till spoke.
"I think this professor hates us."
Ivan didn't look up.
"No."
"He does."
"He doesn't."
"Then explain question seven."
Ivan glanced at the worksheet. Question seven looked perfectly reasonable.
"You just have to apply the formula."
"Apply it where?"
"The question."
"That's extremely unhelpful."
Ivan sighed. Then scooted his chair closer. Till immediately shifted his notes over. Making room without thinking about it. The movement felt oddly familiar. Natural. Like something they'd done hundreds of times. Which they probably had. Ivan pointed at the page.
"Look."
Their shoulders brushed. Just slightly. Till didn't move away. Neither did Ivan. For a moment neither of them seemed particularly interested in the worksheet. Then Till cleared his throat. Loudly.
"Oh."
He looked down.
"That's actually really simple."
"It is."
"I hate that."
"You hate being wrong."
"Correct."
An hour later they were making significantly less progress. Mostly because Till had discovered a pigeon outside. A very ordinary pigeon. A completely unremarkable pigeon. Till had been watching it for seven minutes.
"I think he's plotting something."
Ivan continued writing.
"It's a bird."
"He looks suspicious."
"You're projecting."
The pigeon pecked at the ground. Till narrowed his eyes.
"See?"
"I see a pigeon."
"I see criminal intent."
Ivan laughed. The librarian looked up. Till immediately pointed.
"She agrees with me."
"She absolutely doesn't."
"You don't know that."
"I do."
By noon, the library had become crowded. Students filled every table. Half of them looked exhausted. The other half looked worse. Midterms were approaching. Stress lingered in the air like humidity. Till stretched dramatically. A notebook nearly fell off the table. Ivan caught it before it hit the floor.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Till stared at him for a second. Then smiled. Small. Quick. Gone almost immediately. Yet Ivan noticed it anyway. He always noticed. That was the problem. Every expression. Every laugh. Every stupid joke. Every random message sent at two in the morning because Till couldn't sleep. Ivan noticed all of it. And unfortunately he liked noticing. Far more than he should.
Lunch happened at a small food truck parked near the arts building. Mostly because Till insisted.
"The sandwiches are life-changing."
"They're sandwiches."
"You say that every time."
"Because they're sandwiches."
"They're excellent sandwiches."
Ivan considered this. Then took another bite.
"...okay, they're pretty good."
Till looked victorious.
"I know."
"You've become unbearable."
"I've always been unbearable."
Fair.
The weather was unusually nice. Spring had finally settled over campus. Students lounged on the grass. Groups gathered beneath trees. Someone played guitar near the fountain. The entire university felt different when the sun was out. Softer somehow. More alive.
Till walked beside him carrying an iced tea. His backpack hung from one shoulder. His hair was slightly messy from the wind. Ivan looked away before he could stare. Unfortunately, Till caught him anyway.
"What?"
"What?"
"You were looking at me."
"No, I wasn't."
"You absolutely were."
"I wasn't."
Till squinted. Suspicious. Then eventually shrugged.
"Creepy."
"You're impossible."
"I know."
They ended up near the campus fountain. Mainly because Till got distracted. Again.
This time by a dog. The dog was wearing a yellow bandana. Till immediately crouched.
"Hello."
The dog wagged its tail. Traitor. Its owner laughed.
"Looks like you've made a friend."
"I make friends easily."
The dog licked his hand. Ivan watched from nearby. Something warm settled in his chest. Because of course Till was good with animals. Of course. The dog eventually wandered away. Till looked genuinely heartbroken.
"We had something special."
"It lasted thirty seconds."
"It was meaningful."
They spent the next hour wandering. Not intentionally. Neither had plans. Neither seemed particularly eager to leave. So they didn't. They drifted through campus. Past academic buildings. Past flower beds. Past groups of students studying outside. The conversation never stopped. Sometimes serious. Usually ridiculous. One topic flowed naturally into another.
Music. Classes. Movies. Childhood memories. Future plans.
The kind of conversation that only happened between people who knew each other well. Really well. The kind that required no effort. No performance. Just... presence.
At one point they found themselves sitting beneath a tree near the student center. Till was lying in the grass. Ivan sat beside him. The sunlight filtered through the leaves overhead. Everything felt quiet. Comfortable. Till looked up at the sky.
"What do you think we'll be doing in ten years?"
Ivan considered it.
"I don't know."
"Helpful."
"You asked."
"You could've lied."
"I don't usually do that."
"True."
A breeze stirred the branches. For a moment neither spoke. Then Till said quietly,
"I think it'd be nice if everyone stayed friends."
Ivan glanced at him. Till was still looking upward. Not meeting his eyes.
"Yeah."
The answer came easier than expected.
"It would."
Till smiled. Small. Content. The kind of smile he rarely showed anyone. Ivan felt his chest tighten. Just slightly. Enough to be annoying.
Eventually Till sat up.
"We should go."
"Why?"
"The others are meeting later."
"That's hours from now."
"Still."
He stood. Offered a hand. Ivan stared at it briefly. Then took it. The pull was quick. Simple. Normal. Yet neither let go immediately. A second passed. Maybe five. Then Till released him. Both pretended nothing happened. Experts. Absolute experts.
The afternoon sun painted long shadows across the campus pathways as they started walking toward their favorite café. Students passed around them. Conversations drifted through the air. Somewhere nearby music played from an open window. Till walked beside him. Talking about something completely ridiculous. Probably squirrels.
Ivan wasn't entirely listening. Not because he didn't care. Because he did. Far too much. The café appeared at the end of the street. Warm light glowing through the windows. Familiar. Comfortable. Waiting. Neither knew it yet, but before the day was over the rest of their friends would join them there.
For now, though, it was just the two of them walking side by side beneath the spring sunlight. Neither in a hurry to reach their destination. Neither in a hurry for the day to end.
Mizi had decided that studying was best done in a horizontal position. Specifically, upside down on the couch. Sua did not agree with this method. But she also did not stop her. Instead, she sat cross-legged on the floor with a textbook open in front of her, occasionally glancing up to make sure Mizi was still at least in the same general reality.
“So,” Sua said calmly, “are you studying or are you just experiencing the concept of studying?”
Mizi’s voice came from behind a pillow.
“I am absorbing knowledge through osmosis.”
“That’s not how osmosis works.”
“It is in my universe.”
Sua smiled slightly and turned a page. The apartment was quiet in that soft, lived-in way it always was. Sunlight filtered through thin curtains, landing in warm patches across the floor. Plants lined the windowsill, slightly overwatered but still alive. A mug sat forgotten near the sink.
Mizi rolled over dramatically.
“I’ve read the same paragraph five times.”
“And?”
“I still don’t know what it says.”
“That’s impressive consistency.”
“Thank you.”
Sua reached over and gently took the textbook off Mizi’s face. Mizi blinked up at her.
“Oh. Hi.”
“Hi.”
There was a pause. Not awkward. Just slow. Comfortable.
Mizi stretched her arms above her head. “I think my brain is full.”
“You have an exam in two weeks.”
“My brain is full early.”
“That’s proactive.”
“I try.”
Sua laughed softly, and Mizi immediately forgot what she was complaining about. That happened quite often these days.
They did eventually study. Properly. For about twenty minutes. Mizi even wrote notes. Legible ones. Sua checked them once and nodded approvingly.
“This is good.”
Mizi straightened instantly. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“I’m thriving.”
“You’re surviving.”
“That’s basically thriving.”
Sua didn’t argue. It wasn’t worth it. Instead she stood and walked to the kitchen.
“I’m making tea.”
“I love you,” Mizi said automatically.
Sua paused. Turned slightly.
“…what?”
Mizi froze. The silence stretched. Then Mizi buried her face in a cushion.
“I meant- I mean- I love tea. I love tea a lot.”
Sua’s expression softened in a way that didn’t quite hide her amusement.
“I see.”
“I said words in the wrong order.”
“That happens to you often.”
“It does not.”
“It does.”
Mizi groaned.
Tea fixed nothing. But it improved things slightly. They moved to the table after that, textbooks open again, Mizi now sitting properly instead of upside down. For a while, there was actual focus. Quiet pages turning. Soft writing sounds. The occasional question.
“This makes no sense,” Mizi muttered.
Sua leaned over, glanced at the problem, and explained it in under ten seconds. Mizi stared at her.
“…I hate you.”
“You don’t.”
“I do a little.”
“That’s fair.”
Mizi leaned her head onto the table.
“I don’t understand how you’re like this.”
“Like what?”
“Good at everything.”
Sua blinked once.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I just study.”
“That’s illegal.”
“It’s not.”
Mizi sighed dramatically. “Teach me your forbidden knowledge.”
Sua laughed again, and Mizi decided she could live like this forever. Which was inconvenient. Because they had already made plans for later.
Getting ready took significantly longer than studying. Not because they needed time. Because they kept getting distracted. Mizi tried on three outfits. Decided she hated all of them. Put the first one back on. Changed again anyway. Sua leaned against the doorframe watching the entire process with quiet patience.
“You look fine.”
“That’s not helpful.”
“It’s accurate.”
“I need emotional support, Sua.”
“I’m providing emotional stability.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
Sua crossed the room and gently fixed the collar of Mizi’s shirt.
“There.”
Mizi stopped moving.
“…you did that very calmly.”
“Yes.”
“That was unfair.”
“I know.”
Mizi made a small noise of protest and turned away quickly, clearly flustered. Sua pretended not to notice. It was easier that way.
"Ready to go then Mizi?"
"Yeah i'm ready... don't forget to close the door"
The park was loud in a quiet way. Leaves moving in the wind. Distant traffic. A couple of kids arguing near the playground. Somewhere, music leaking from a speaker no one could locate. Hyuna was lying on the grass staring at the sky.
“This one is a dragon,” she said confidently.
Luka, sitting nearby, didn’t even look up. “That is a cloud.”
“It’s a dragon.”
“It looks like a potato.”
Hyun Woo, sitting on a bench with a drink, sighed. “It looks like neither.”
Hyuna pointed at him immediately. “Wrong. It is a dragon potato.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“It is now.”
Luka finally looked up. “If it’s a dragon potato, does it breathe starch or fire?”
Hyuna considered this seriously.
“Both.”
Hyun Woo shook his head. “I’m surrounded by geniuses.”
“That’s correct,” Hyuna said.
Luka laughed under his breath. For a while, they stayed like that. No urgency. No plans. Just time passing by gently. Like a gentle spring breeze
Hyuna rolled onto her side. “We should do something productive.”
Luka glanced at her. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. Something that involves snacks.”
“That’s not productivity.”
“It is emotionally.”
Hyun Woo took a sip of his drink. “We’re not discussing this again.”
“We are always discussing this,” Luka said.
“That’s because you keep being wrong.”
“That’s subjective,” Hyuna added.
Hyun Woo pointed at both of them. “You two enable each other.”
They ignored him.
Eventually, they did move. Not quickly. Not efficiently. But eventually. The idea of meeting everyone at the café had been floating around all day, half-planned in a group chat that mostly consisted of chaos and emojis.
Hyuna checked her phone. “We’re going, right?”
Luka nodded. “Eventually.”
“That’s not a time.”
“It is in spirit.”
Hyun Woo stood first. “We’re going before this turns into another philosophical argument about clouds.”
“It’s already philosophical,” Hyuna said.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Luka stood as well. “We should go before she escalates.”
“I heard that,” Hyuna said.
“You were meant to.”
They walked through the city slowly. The afternoon light was soft, turning buildings gold at the edges. People passed them in small groups, laughing or rushing or both at once. The air smelled faintly of coffee and baked bread from somewhere nearby. Hyuna walked slightly ahead. Luka beside her. Hyun Woo behind them, maintaining what could only be described as “distance for survival.”
Hyuna suddenly stopped. “Race you to the café.”
“No,” Hyun Woo said immediately.
“Yes,” Luka said at the same time.
Hyuna grinned. And then she ran. Luka followed instantly. Hyun Woo stared after them.
“…I hate all of you.”
But he ran anyway.
The café was close now. Close enough that Ivan could see the light spilling through the windows. Close enough that the day was about to shift into something louder. Till was still talking. Something about squirrels again. Ivan had stopped fully processing the content about five minutes ago. Not because it wasn’t interesting. In fact it might have been too interesting.
“That one,” Till said, pointing vaguely across the street, “definitely has a criminal past.”
“It’s a squirrel.”
“All criminals are squirrels in disguise.”
“That’s not true.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
Till bumped his shoulder lightly into Ivan’s. It was accidental. Probably. Ivan didn’t move away. Neither did Till. The café came into full view at the end of the street. Warm light. Familiar shape. The outline of tables inside. Through the window, silhouettes were already visible. People. Friends. The rest of their group arriving in pieces at the same place at the same time without ever coordinating properly. Till slowed slightly.
“…they’re already here.”
“Seems like it.”
“We’re late.”
“We’re exactly on time.”
“That’s too late.”
Ivan glanced at him. Till was looking at the café. Not him. When had he ever? Which was fine. It should have been fine. It was fine.
“Are you nervous?” Ivan asked lightly.
Till scoffed immediately. “No.”
A pause.
“…why would I be nervous?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m never nervous.”
“you are a walking shipwreck.”
Till opened his mouth to argue again. Then closed it. Then opened it again.
“…shut up.”
Ivan smiled.
“Okay.”
They stood there for a second longer than necessary. Outside the café. Before everything got louder. Before everyone else filled the space. Before the day became shared. Till shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Let’s go.”
Ivan nodded.
“Yeah.”
And they walked in. The moment Ivan and Till stepped inside, the noise hit them first. Not loud in a bad way. Just alive. Voices overlapping. Chairs scraping. The soft hiss of the coffee machine. Laughter from somewhere near the window. Till stopped immediately. Ivan almost bumped into him.
“What-”
Till raised a hand slightly.
“Too many people.”
Ivan followed his gaze. The café was fuller than usual. Not crowded enough to be uncomfortable. Just enough that almost every table felt occupied by someone who had a story happening. Near the window, Mizi waved enthusiastically. So enthusiastically she nearly knocked over her drink.
“Over here!” she called.
Sua was already beside her, calm as always, gently moving Mizi’s cup out of danger range. Ivan felt the familiar pull of routine settle in. This was normal. This was theirs.
T
ill exhaled dramatically. “They’re loud.”
“You’re loud.”
“I’m selectively loud.”
“That’s not a thing.”
“It is now.”
They walked over.
Hyuna was already halfway through someone else’s fries. Luka was watching her with resigned acceptance. Hyun Woo looked like he had accepted reality and given up on arguing with it entirely.
Mizi leaned forward immediately. “You’re late.”
“We’re not,” Till said instantly.
Hyuna pointed at them. “You’re emotionally late.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does to me.”
“That’s worrying,” Ivan said quietly.
Hyuna smiled at him. “Hi, Ivan.”
“Hi.”
Till sat down without waiting for permission. Ivan followed. Somehow the table was suddenly too small. Or maybe they were just too many. No one moved. No one wanted to. This was a comfort they didnt get to experience often.
For a few minutes, nothing important happened. Drinks were rearranged. Chairs adjusted. Food was stolen and immediately denied. Till immediately started arguing about something no one understood. Mizi laughed at something unrelated. Sua quietly prevented three separate disasters from happening at once. Hyuna declared that squirrels were objectively superior to pigeons. Luka disagreed on principle.
Hyun Woo looked at Ivan and said, “How do you survive this every day?”
Ivan considered it.
“I don’t think I do.”
Till overheard. “Rude.”
“You started it.”
“I start nothing. I am a victim of circumstances.”
The conversation shifted constantly. Like it always did. Somehow never staying in one place long enough to matter. Movies. Classes. Random campus rumors. The ethics of stealing fries. Whether clouds had personalities. Hyuna insisted they did. Luka refused to engage. Mizi took notes on the argument like it was important research.
“It’s not research,” Sua said gently.
“It is for me,” Mizi replied.
“That’s not a real.”
“It is now.”
Ivan found himself watching the table more than participating. Till was leaning back in his chair, gesturing too much while explaining something about squirrels again. Mizi was laughing so hard she nearly dropped her phone. Hyuna was arguing with Luka like it was a competitive sport. Hyun Woo was quietly surviving. Sua was smiling at everything without saying much. And somehow it all fit together. Not neatly. Not logically. But comfortably.
Till leaned slightly toward Ivan without looking at him.
“You’re quiet.”
“I’m listening.”
“That’s suspicious.”
“Why?”
“You only get quiet when you’re thinking too much.”
Ivan paused.
“…I think normally.”
“No, you don’t.”
“That’s not an argument.”
Ivan exhaled through his nose.
The café light shifted slowly as the afternoon moved forward. Sunlight softened through the windows, turning everything warm at the edges. Someone added music in the background. Low. Unimportant. Just there.
Hyuna eventually leaned back in her chair. “I’m bored.”
“You’ve been talking nonstop for an hour,” Hyun Woo said.
“That doesn’t stop boredom.”
“It should.”
“And yet it doesn’t.”
Luka glanced at her. “We could leave.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because this is peace.”
Nobody could argue with that, this was their peace. This world was their stage and they wanted to fill it with laughter and meaningless banter.
Till was tapping his finger against the table. Ivan noticed. Of course he did.
“You’re nervous,” Ivan said.
“I’m always nervous.”
“That’s not true.”
“It is in spirit.”
Ivan looked at him for a moment. Till avoided his gaze. Which was unusual. Till usually didn’t avoid anything.
“What?” Ivan asked quietly.
“Nothing.”
“That’s not convincing.”
Till clicked his tongue. “It’s just… a lot of people.”
“You know them.”
“I know them loudly.”
Ivan almost smiled.
“That’s the same thing.”
“It isn’t.”
“It is.”
Till huffed. “You’re annoying.”
“You’re here voluntarily.”
“I was pressured.”
“By who?”
“By you asshole.”
Ivan laughed softly. Till finally looked at him. For a second too long. Then quickly looked away again.
Across the table, Mizi had started a new debate about whether desserts counted as a main meal. Hyuna was strongly in favor. Sua was strongly against. Luka wanted both of them to stop speaking. Hyun-woo was quietly drinking his tea like this was all perfectly normal.
Ivan glanced around again. This wasn’t anything special. Not really. Just a random café. Just friends. Just an ordinary day that would be forgotten in pieces. But it didn’t feel ordinary. Not really. Because of the way Till kept bumping his shoulder lightly into Ivan’s every few minutes. Like it meant nothing. Like it meant everything. And the way Ivan didn’t move away.
Eventually, someone suggested they stay longer. No one objected. Of course no one did. Time blurred again. Laughter came and went. Arguments started and ended without resolution. Food disappeared mysteriously. Drinks were refilled. The café slowly emptied around them as evening approached. But their table stayed full. Until it didn’t feel like a table anymore. Just a place they happened to exist together.
When Ivan finally looked out the window again, the sky had turned darker. Streetlights flickered on. The world outside shifted into night without asking permission. Till noticed too.
“Late,” he said.
Hyuna groaned. “No one is leaving.”
“We should,” Hyun Woo said automatically.
No one listened. Mizi was still mid-story. Luka was still arguing. Sua was still smiling. Till leaned back again.
“…we’ll come back tomorrow.”
“That’s not a plan,” Ivan said.
“It's the closest we will ever get to a plan.”
Ivan shook his head slightly. But didn’t disagree. Not really. Because tomorrow would probably look the same. And somehow, that was fine.
It was Hyun Woo who finally stood up first. Not because he wanted to. Because he had accepted responsibility as the only person in the group with a functioning sense of time.
“We’re leaving,” he announced.
Nobody reacted immediately. Hyun Woo sighed.
“I’m serious.”
That got a few reactions. Not many. But enough.
Mizi blinked. “Already?”
“It’s past eight.”
“That’s not late.”
“It is.”
“That’s a suggestion.”
“It’s a fact.”
Hyuna stretched dramatically. “We could stay longer.”
“You say that every time,” Luka said.
“And I mean it every time.”
“That’s the problem.”
Hyun-woo sighed deeply “The café is closing in a couple minutes.”
Eventually, movement happened. Slow. Reluctant. The universal language of people who did not want the day to end but also had no real reason to extend it further. Chairs scraped back. Empty cups were collected. Someone found someone else’s jacket. Someone else claimed they had never lost a jacket in their life and refused to acknowledge reality.
Till was last to stand. Of course. He always was. Ivan noticed him hesitate for half a second before pushing his chair back. Not enough for anyone else to see. But Ivan did. He always did.
Outside, the air was cooler. The city had shifted into evening mode. Lights on in windows. Traffic slower. The faint hum of nightlife beginning somewhere farther away. The group naturally split into smaller clusters as they walked. It always happened like this. No planning. Just gravity.
Mizi and Sua walked slightly ahead, talking quietly about something that made Mizi laugh every few seconds. Hyuna and Luka argued about directions despite both knowing the way. Hyun Woo walked behind all of them, visibly reconsidering his life choices. Ivan and Till ended up side by side again. Not deliberately.
Just… naturally.
Till kicked a small pebble off the sidewalk.
“It was a good day,” he said.
Ivan glanced at him. “Was it?”
“Yes.”
“That’s rare for you.”
“I am generous with my praise.”
“You called the café owner suspicious this morning.”
“She is.”
“She gave you free coffee last week.”
“That’s how they get you.”
Ivan smiled slightly.
“Paranoia is not a personality trait.”
They walked in silence for a while. Not awkward. Just… settled. The kind of silence that only existed between people who didn’t need to fill it. Streetlights passed overhead in steady intervals. Each one briefly illuminating Till’s face as they walked. Ivan looked forward instead. Which was safer. Probably.
“You were quiet today,” Till said eventually.
Ivan hummed. “I was normal.”
“No.”
“That’s not convincing.”
“You were observant.”
Ivan glanced at him.
“And you weren’t?”
Till shrugged.
“I’m always observing. I just do it loudly.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
There was a pause.
Then Till added, a bit more softly, “But it’s fine.”
Ivan didn’t respond immediately. Because that didn’t sound like Till being dramatic. It sounded like him being honest. Which was very rare.
They reached a crossroads where their paths usually separated. A routine moment. One of many. Mizi and Sua had already turned off down another street, still talking. Hyuna waved something vague behind her while dragging Luka along. Hyun Woo nodded once at Ivan and continued straight ahead.
That left just the two of them. As always. For a few seconds, neither moved. Till rocked slightly on his heels.
“…same time tomorrow?”
It wasn’t phrased like a question. It never was. Ivan nodded.
“Same time.”
Till nodded back. Then hesitated again. Just briefly. Like something almost said. Something almost done. But instead, he just shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Don’t be late.”
“I won’t be.”
“You always say that.”
“I mean it.”
Till looked at him for a second longer than necessary. Then turned away.
“Good.”
And started walking.
Ivan watched him go. Just for a moment. Till’s silhouette blended into the streetlights and passing people, becoming just another shape in the city. Normal. Unremarkable to anyone else. But not to him. Ivan exhaled slowly and turned in the opposite direction. His phone buzzed almost immediately. Of course it did. Not like it didn't make him smile.
Till:
8:42 PM
also
you left your notebook at the café
Ivan stopped walking. Stared at the message. Then typed.
Ivan: You mean the notebook you were using more than I was?
Three dots appeared. Paused. Disappeared.
Then:
Till:
shut up
i’ll bring it tomorrow
Ivan smiled to himself.
Ivan: Don’t forget.
Till: i don’t forget things
A pause. Then another message.
Till: just unimportant things
Ivan stared at that for a moment longer than he meant to. Then continued walking home. The night air was cool.The city quiet. Behind him, somewhere, Till was also walking home alone. Ahead of him, tomorrow waited exactly the same as today. And somehow, that idea didn't seem to bother him at all.
The next morning started the same way most mornings did. Too early. Too bright. Too many notifications. Ivan didn’t even fully open his eyes before reaching for his phone. One message. From Till. Of course, who else would text him 7 in the morning.
Till
7:09 AM
you’re late
Ivan blinked at the screen. Then checked the time.
7:09 AM.
He stared at it for a second longer than necessary.
Then typed back.
Ivan: I’m in bed.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Till: that’s not an excuse
Ivan: It is a fact.
Till: be here in an hour
Ivan: At the library?
Till:
obviously
where else would we be
Ivan didn’t respond. Because there wasn’t really anything to respond to. There never was.
By the time he arrived, Till was already there again. Same table. Same iced coffee. Same scattered notebooks. Same posture that suggested he had been awake for too long and was refusing to acknowledge it. Till looked up immediately.
“You’re late.”
Ivan sighed and sat down. Placed his bag on the chair. Opened his notebook. Everything felt exactly like yesterday. And the day before that. And probably tomorrow too.
For a while, they studied properly. Almost suspiciously so. Pages turned. Notes were taken. Questions were answered. Till even stayed focused for a full fifteen minutes without distraction. Ivan noticed. Of course he did.
“Are you okay?” Ivan asked eventually.
Till didn’t look up. “Yes.”
“That was a long time without talking about random animals.”
“I’m evolving.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It is.”
A pause.
Then Till added, quieter, “Exams are close.”
Ivan hummed.
“So that’s what this is.”
“This is discipline.”
“This is panic.”
“I prefer discipline.”
“You would.”
Eventually, focus fractured again. It always did. But differently today. Slower. Less chaotic. Till leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. Ivan watched him. Not obviously. Just enough.
“You’re thinking again,” Till said.
“I always think.”
“Not like that.”
Ivan closed his pen.
“What do you thinking I’m thinking about then?”
Till glanced at him.
Then away.
“Nothing useful.”
That was… not wrong.
The library filled slowly as the morning passed. Students arrived in waves. Stress followed them like a shadow. Till eventually pushed his notebook away.
“I need food.”
“You just ate.”
Ivan stood anyway. Because this was also routine. They always broke first around this time. Always ended up outside. Always wandered without deciding where.
Outside, the campus was loud in a soft way. Wind in trees. Footsteps on pavement. Distant conversations. Life continuing without asking permission. Till walked beside him, hands in pockets.
“You know,” Till said, “we’re going to survive this.”
“Probably.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“It’s honest.”
“I don’t like honest answers.”
“I’ve noticed.”
Till bumped his shoulder lightly into Ivan’s. Just once. Quick. Familiar. Ivan didn’t move away. Neither commented. Again.
They ended up at the small café near campus without discussing it. Again. The same one. The same path. The same table by the window. It was becoming a pattern. Not one either of them acknowledged directly. But both followed anyway. Till dropped into the seat first. Ivan sat across from him. For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Till said, “We should probably stop doing this.”
Ivan raised an eyebrow. “Studying?”
“Existing in the same places.”
“That would be difficult.”
“It would.”
A pause.
Then Till added, “I’d get bored.”
Ivan almost smiled.
“You’d get bored without me?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You implied it.”
“I did not.”
“You did.”
Till looked away.
“…maybe a little.”
The silence after that felt different. Not uncomfortable. Just… noticeable. Ivan looked out the window. People passed by outside. Some alone. Some in groups. None of them aware of the conversation happening at this table.
“Till,” Ivan said.
“Hmm?”
“You’re distracting.”
“I know.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“I know.”
Another pause.
Then Till said, a bit quieter, “You’re not exactly helping either.”
Ivan glanced back at him.Their eyes met properly this time. No jokes. No interruptions. Just a second. Then two. Then Till broke it first.
“Finish your coffee,” he said abruptly.
“We’re going back to studying.”
Ivan nodded slowly.
“Yeah.”
But neither of them moved immediately. Not quite ready to return to normal. Not quite fast enough to ignore the red blush creeping up Till's neck. Not quite willing to leave this moment behind.
Outside, the day continued.
Inside, something stayed still for just a little longer than usual.
And neither of them said what they were thinking.
Because they both already knew. Or maybe they didn’t. Not yet. But they were getting closer to it every day without meaning to.
By the time the final exam period properly arrived, the campus had changed its mood.Not visually. Everything still looked the same. Same buildings. Same paths. Same café near the arts building. But the atmosphere had shifted. People walked faster. Talked less. Carried heavier bags.
Even the air felt slightly more tense, like the entire university was holding its breath at once. Ivan noticed it immediately. Till pretended not to. Which meant he noticed it more than anyone.
“Everyone is dying,” Till announced one morning in the library.
Ivan didn’t look up. “That’s dramatic.”
“It’s accurate.”
“It’s not.”
“I saw a man cry over a calculator.”
“That doesn’t prove anything.”
“It proves everything.”
Ivan finally glanced up. Till looked tired. Not unusually so. Just… exam tired. The kind that didn’t go away with sleep.
“You’re studying less today,” Ivan said.
“I’m pacing myself.”
“You’re panicking.”
“I’m strategically panicking.”
“That’s not a strategy.”
“It is if I believe in it enough.”
Ivan didn’t argue further. Because it was pointless. And because Till was already opening his notebook again like nothing had happened.
The group still met. Of course they did. Less often. More scattered. But they always came back to the same place eventually. The café near campus had become something between habit and refuge. A place where they could exist without thinking too hard about anything else. That afternoon, it was Ivan and Till first again. Same table. Same window seat. Same drinks ordered without discussion. Till slumped slightly in his chair.
“I think my brain is melting.”
“That’s not how brains work.”
“Mine is unique!!!!”
“I’m sure it is...”
“I’m serious!!!!!!”
“I know.”
Ivan pushed a pastry toward him. Till stared at it. Then at Ivan.
“…you’re enabling me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re easier to deal with when you’re fed.”
Till blinked. Then snorted softly.
“That might be the nicest insult you’ve ever given me.”
“I wasn’t trying to insult you.”
“That makes it worse.”
One by one, the others arrived. Mizi first, still talking before she even reached the table.
“I think I failed but in like a confident way,” she announced.
Sua followed, calm as always. “That’s not how exams work.”
Hyuna appeared next, immediately stealing a chair from somewhere that definitely wasn’t hers. Luka followed, looking like he had accepted his fate. Hyun Woo brought up the rear, expression unreadable.
“You all look terrible,” he said.
“Thank you,” Hyuna replied.
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“It felt like one.”
The café filled with their usual noise. Not loud in volume. Loud in presence. Each conversation overlapping the next. Nothing particularly important being said. And somehow that was the point. Till immediately started arguing about something irrelevant. Mizi joined him. Hyuna escalated it. Luka regretted everything. Ivan watched it unfold like he always did. And beside him, Sua quietly adjusted Mizi’s cup before it could tip over. Again.
At some point, the conversation slowed. Not stopped. Just softened. The kind of pause that came when people ran out of things to pretend mattered.
Hyun Woo leaned back. “We’re actually going to survive this, right?”
Silence.
Then Mizi said, “Probably.”
“That’s not reassuring,” Luka said.
“It’s honest,” Ivan replied.
Till nodded. “I like honest answers now.”
“That’s new,” Hyuna said.
“I’m evolving.”
“Dangerous statement,” Hyun Woo muttered.
The sun outside had started to lower. Late afternoon turning toward evening. Golden light spilling across the table. It made everything feel warmer than it was. Ivan noticed Till watching it for a moment. Not speaking. Not joking. Just looking.
“You’re doing it again,” Ivan said quietly.
“Doing what?”
“Thinking.”
Till didn’t deny it this time.
Instead he said, “It’s weird.”
“What is?”
“This.”
He gestured vaguely at the table. At all of them. At everything. Ivan followed his hand. Didn’t answer immediately. Because he understood.
The café noise continued around them. Laughter. Arguments. Soft clinking of cups. But this moment felt slightly separate. Not dramatic. Not important in any obvious way. Just… clear. Till leaned back.
“I think I’d be okay,” he said, “if this stayed like this for a while.”
Ivan glanced at him.
“You don’t like repetition.”
“I don’t.”
“But?”
Till shrugged.
“But I like this repetition.”
Ivan looked down at his drink. Then back at the table. At everyone. At the chaos. At the comfort.
“…yeah,” he said quietly.
“I think I do too.”
No one made a big statement after that. No one needed to. The conversation picked up again naturally. Someone argued about desserts. Someone else defended sleep schedules. Hyuna tried to convince Luka that naps were a human right. Luka refused to respond. Mizi laughed too loudly. Sua smiled at her like she always did. Hyun Woo looked exhausted but present. And Ivan sat there, listening. Till’s shoulder brushed his once. And this time, neither of them pretended it didn’t mean anything. But not enough to change the fact that they both stayed right where they were.
No one tried to leave, because for once, there was no urgency to leave. Not today at least.