WATERCOLOR || Remake

Had It All

As Changbin returned to his room with the last box of his belongings, he couldn't shake off his disappointment about being paired with a foreign roommate. He wondered if this person would even understand Korean since he had been studying abroad for several years. Upon entering the room and noticing a new pair of Adidas hightops at the entrance, he saw that the washroom light was on and the door to the other room was shut. He let out a sigh, assuming that his new roommate had arrived.

Tossing his belongings onto the nightstand, Changbin stretched his stiff neck and shoulders, feeling the situation's tension. He heard shuffling and a muffled voice from the other room, a voice that sounded oddly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. As the person entered the common area, Changbin's heart skipped a beat. He recognized that voice anywhere, but he tried to dismiss the thought. It couldn't be him. He hadn't seen Jisung, his former lover, in years; why would he suddenly show up now? Changbin felt a pang of sadness, realizing that he was still holding on to the hope of meeting Jisung again despite the way things had ended. He had even tried dating other guys, but nothing compared to Jisung.

He struggled to leave the bedroom and greet his new roommate but paused.

"I don't know yet. I have yet to meet them. They are in their room, I think." Jisung replied as he looked to see the other room was now slightly ajar instead of wide open. He was curious about who his roommate was.

"Look, Aunty Casey, I got to go. I want to tour the campus. Love you, bye!" The man's voice had deepened and became more developed than before, but it still retained the distinctive sound that Changbin could recognize anywhere. He stood in shock, wide-eyed and frozen, as he watched the man turn. His hair was now a striking shade of blue, his cheeks had become more defined, and he appeared taller and more muscular.

"Fuck..." Jisung swore out loud, causing Changbin's own heart to be in a frenzy, feeling like it was about to jump out of his chest. He had no idea what to say or do. He was still thinking it was fake. Maybe it was a different guy, but everything about it screamed Jisung.Changbin's mind was a whirlwind of emotions, from disbelief to hope to fear of rejection.

"Sorry... I wasn't expecting you to be." Jisung hesitated, taking a deep breath before continuing his sentence. He cautiously gazed at the mysterious figure before him. His mind raced with questions—was this really happening, or was it just a figment of his imagination? Changbin staggered backwards, his eyes wide with disbelief as he was convinced that they were playing tricks on him. It felt surreal, almost impossible for this encounter to be taking place in this particular location. Every feature of the figure before him seemed to scream a single name. The phone slipped from the stranger's grasp, but neither of them seemed to notice as they remained locked in a wordless exchange, their eyes meeting in an unspoken understanding.

"Jisung..."

"Changbin..." As they locked eyes, a tense silence filled the air until they both spoke each other's names simultaneously. The sound of their voices broke the trance they were in. Without a moment's hesitation, Jisung made a swift attempt to bolt away, surprised by his speed. However, Changbin was slightly faster and managed to grab Jisung's arm, his heart pounding in his chest, his palms sweaty with nervousness, and his breath caught in his throat.

"Don't run! Please... Not again..." Changbin whispered out. Jisung was taken aback, his movements coming to a sudden halt upon hearing the startlingly low and hushed tone in which the words were spoken. The sound seemed to carry a certain musical quality, yet an underlying unease made Jisung pause.

"Let go. You aren't supposed to be here!" Jisung wriggled away once more, but Changbin drew him in closer. He was determined not to let the younger man slip away again. Three years ago, he had missed his opportunity, but he wasn't going to make the same mistake now, especially not when fate seemed to have brought them together in the same room at the university.

"Changbin... I will hit you if you don't let go!" Jisung growled, clearly frustrated and distressed.

"I will let go, but don't run." Changbin attempted to navigate a compromise between the two conflicting situations. Aware that Jisung was likely to make a sudden dash, Changbin reluctantly released Jisung's arm, allowing some space. However, he observed Jisung's unsteady movements and, concerned that Jisung might collide with a nearby table, Changbin instinctively pulled him closer. This abrupt movement resulted in both of them stumbling and falling to the ground, with Changbin hitting his head on the hard wooden floor and emitting a small groan. At that moment, it felt like history was repeating itself for the two of them.

"Changbin! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... It's fine... Nothing I can't handle." Changbin finally mumbled as Jisung straddled his waist, causing him to sit up and feel the younger man pressing against him. Jisung cradled Changbin's head, searching for any signs of distress. A light chuckle escaped Changbin's lips as he realized that he was still the same guy. He then reached out and gripped Jisung's waist.

"Please don't run again. And don't think us falling was your fault either." Changbin, feeling unsure, slowly released his grip on the younger man's waist, hesitantly shifting his weight onto his hands. He couldn't help but admire the blue-haired male who was seated in front of him. His gaze lingered as if he were in a trance, completely captivated by the sight.

"Jisung..."

"Mhm..." His gaze lingered on the eyes of the individual who had made the decision to depart. Gradually, it dawned on him that Changbin was resolute and did not want to entertain any further thoughts on the subject. He understood that in order to persuade the younger individual to remain, he, too, should refrain from dwelling on it.

"Can you get off me... Please..." Changbin hesitated, turning his head away. "Don't get sucked in, Changbin," he muttered to himself. It just wasn't worth it anymore.

Jisung finally became aware of their awkward sitting position and hastily scrambled to his feet, letting Changbin up before he fled to his bedroom. "Well, at least it wasn't out the door," Changbin sighed, making his way to his own room. The awkwardness of the situation left him feeling thoroughly confused.

He recalled someone mentioning that his roommate was a foreigner, but it dawned on him that their roommate had likely yet to return to Korea. He chuckled to himself, realizing that this was probably why he'd never been able to find Jisung. On top of that, Casey had also moved from her old place, and Changbin needed her new number. He had been kept busy trying to keep up with his scholarships.

Glancing at the time, Changbin realized he had an hour until basketball training. He swiftly grabbed his duffle, preparing to make a hasty exit. However, before leaving, he couldn't resist taking one more glance in the direction of Jisung's room.

This could get interesting...