At The End of The Day

Part 1

"Jaehyun!" Taeyong called out, his familiar voice stopping Jaehyun just as he stepped out of his apartment. Turning, Jaehyun saw that sweet smile he could never get enough of. He knew he’d never grow tired of seeing Taeyong like this, no matter how many times it happened.

College was draining for both of them, leaving little time to actually hang out, and that made every moment they did spend together feel fleeting. Between the stress and exhaustion of their schedules, they needed to find some way to breathe, to unwind—even if it was just for a little while. Seeing each other, no matter how brief, was never a waste of time.

They lived in the same building, just one room apart, and whenever they had free time, Jaehyun and Taeyong made sure to spend it together. It worked because they shared the same interests and were always up for trying new things, as long as they were together.

"Morning!" Jaehyun greeted, flashing a warm smile at Taeyong. The older's soft hair was slightly messy, and without thinking, Jaehyun reached out to fix it, earning an even bigger smile from Taeyong. "Did you finish your design?" he asked.

Taeyong nodded enthusiastically, pulling out his phone to show Jaehyun the design he’d just finished sketching the night before. He studied arts and fashion design, while Jaehyun was focused on entrepreneurship.

"See? I told you you could do it," Jaehyun said. "You just needed to take a break and relax for a bit."

"Yeah, and thanks for sticking by me, Jae. I was really stressed yesterday." Taeyong pouted, earning a soft laugh from Jaehyun, who reached out to gently pinch his cheek.

"Silly," Jaehyun smiled. "Just remember, I’m always here for you."

Taeyong laughed softly, slipping his arm around Jaehyun's as they walked. This kind of closeness had always been normal for them, and Jaehyun didn’t mind—it was Taeyong, after all. Taeyong was the clingy type, always enjoying physical affection, but only with people he truly trusted.

Their bond stretched all the way back to sixth grade, when Jaehyun had transferred to their school. Back then, Taeyong was often bullied and mocked, but Jaehyun stepped in the moment he saw it, defending him and never leaving his side. From that day on, no one dared to mess with Taeyong.

As they grew closer, they started dreaming together, setting goals for their future. Jaehyun, with his natural good looks, often became the subject of Taeyong's teasing. Taeyong would joke that one day Jaehyun would become a model, and he would be the designer, with Jaehyun showcasing his fashion line. It was a playful idea, but somehow it always felt a little too perfect.

People often mistook them for a couple, and honestly, who could blame them?

Taeyong had been there for every important moment in Jaehyun’s life, and Jaehyun for his. Whether it was celebrating their successes or comforting each other through the hardest days, they never missed a chance to be by each other’s side. They'd seen one another at their most vulnerable, at their worst, and somehow, that only brought them closer.

Their families were close too, always spending Christmas and New Year's together. And of course, with family came the endless teasing—when were they finally going to stop being just best friends and start dating?

The funny thing was, Taeyong found himself wondering the same thing.

"I'll stop here. See you later," Taeyong said as they came to a stop in front of their department building, conveniently close to the Entrepreneurship building. It made it easy for them to run into each other between classes.

"Yeah. Lunch later—and please, no Ten this time," Jaehyun pouted, his expression so endearing that Taeyong couldn't help but giggle.

"Silly, you weren’t even free yesterday," Taeyong teased with a smile.