Beyond This Fucked Up World [choi yeonjun]

Chapter Thirty Seven - Good Friends

[9. September 2022]

We had made out to meet at the skatepark in the evening, when the sun was already engulfed by the horizon and the street lights led the pathway. Being here at a time like this filled my stomach with nostalgic comfort. Barely any people on the street nor the skatepark, only the sound of the ocean waves hitting the beach every now and then. Even the wind was put to rest, but didn't quite quit to rustle the leaves of the trees, lined up next to the promenade.

My work shift today wasn't as long as usual, so I was able to go home earlier. The day before, Yeonjun had stood in front of my apartment door, asking if he could stay overnight. He excused himself by telling me his car ran out of fuel and it happened to be near my apartment.

Of course he was lying. The broad grin on his face was doing his lie no justice, even though he didn't even try to let it seem like something that actually happened. It was just the way he flirted and it wasn't like it worked. Never would I admit that.

We spent the night together and all I can remember is that we lay on my bed and looked at each other as if we were some artistic masterpiece. I cupped his cheek and he cupped mine. I explored his face with my fingers, touched his lips with my thumb and studied the way his eyes examined me. And he did the exact same. He explored my face with his fingers, touched my lips with his thumb, and studied the way my eyes were perceiving him.

I'm still debating if it was the most intimate moment between us ever. Sometimes we don't need words to communicate with each other, let alone keep us entertained while we are together. I think his mere silent attention to me is the love language he likes to give and for my liking it's the love language I need.

When I came home today after work, he was still laying in my bed, occupying himself with his phone. I asked him if he had laid there since early morning, but he declined saying that he got up to buy some food for us.

We ate on the bed, watching some movie on the TV, and then we snuggled together, dozing off to the movie playing in the background. It was still bright outside when we dozed off, not too cold and not too warm. The blanket was weirdly tangled around our feet, but we didn't care.

I felt Yeonjun's arms wrapped around me while mine were wrapped around his waist. I can still sense the fabric of his shirt on my face when I pressed my head into his chest.

After we woke up, we decided to make our way to the skatepark. As we walked from my apartment to the promenade, the sun continued to set until it had disappeared completely when we arrived near the kiosk where I used to buy some fries from time to time.

Yeonjun and I talked about lots of things on the way there, holding each other's hand in the meantime. But through the whole time some unsettling feeling creeped inside my chest that wouldn't go away fully. A fear or a thought of something not being quite right.

"Yeonjun?" I frowned with worry.

"Hm?" He responded with a soft voice.

"What if Soobin will be there? I don't know how I should act, if he would be." Yeonjun squeezed my hand in reassurance, making me look up at him. He had a smile on his face, but his gaze was fixed forward.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

"You say that as if he would be there."

At his non-quitting smile and his silent response, I knew that I was right with my assumption. I instantly stopped walking. Yeonjun also stopped, two steps away from me, and turned to see my distraught look on my face.

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand?!" I whined at him, snatching my hand back to myself.

"Because-" Yeonjun started and took the two steps back to me to take my hand into his own again.