Love Contract | haobin

Twenty-Six

"So how've you been after your breakup with Jiwoong?" Gyuvin asks Ricky once they get to Gyuvin's house. Ricky had walked him home from work. "I heard you two broke up."

"How did you find out?" Ricky asks him. "But yeah, we did." He nods. "It just wasn't working out. It was a mutual breakup, so it wasn't that bad. I'm feeling better now."

"That's good." Gyuvin smiles. "I mean... that it was mutual." He clarifies and Ricky just laughs.

"Yeah, I understand what you mean." He nods. "How about you?"

"What about me?" Gyuvin asks, a little confused.

"Is there anyone you like?" Ricky gets the courage to ask him. He impatiently waits for him to answer, not knowing what to expect.

Gyuvin stays quiet for a while, but then answers. "Yeah." He says, honestly, but ends up mentally facepalming himself. Why would he say that? What if Ricky asks him who he likes? There's no way he's confessing right now. He's not ready.

"Who is it?" Ricky asks him, as if he read his mind. "Do I know them?"

"Yeah... you do."

Ricky forces a smile, trying to hide his sad expression. Why would he even ask him this? He already knows he's not the one Gyuvin likes. "Is it... Taerae?"

"Taerae?" Gyuvin asks, confused. "What? Why do you think it's Taerae?"

"You've just... been really close to him lately. I know you're close to Hanbin and Matthew too, but it seems kind of different with Taerae."

"What? No. Taerae's just a friend. Of course I've gotten closer to him that you have, but that's because he starts his shift after you leave."

"Oh." Ricky just nods, trying to hide his smile... but after he realizes something, he frowns. Just because Taerae isn't the one Gyuvin likes, doesn't take away the fact that Gyuvin does have a crush on someone. "Wait... but you said it's someone I know, right? Who else could it be?" Ricky starts thinking. "Don't tell me it's Hanbin... I know the marriage thing was fake at first, but they actually really like each other now."

Gyuvin starts laughing as Ricky starts panicking. "Don't worry, Ricky. It's not Hanbin." He shakes his head. "We've been friends for a long time and I have never had feelings for him. He's like a brother to me."

"So then?" Ricky asks, confused, then gasps. "Matthew?"

"It's not Matthew." Gyuvin shakes his head.

At this point, Ricky's even more confused. Who else does he know that Gyuvin could have a crush on? Gyuvin just stands there, panicking on the inside. What if Ricky realizes he's talking about him?

But then again, Hanbin's right. Gyuvin was able to give him some really good advice. It's time for Gyuvin to take his own.

But it's easier said than done. He was able to give Hanbin such good advice because he didn't put himself in his place. Now that he's in front of Ricky, it's hard for him to actually tell him how he feels about him.

"Gyuvin... I've been meaning to ask you something." Ricky starts, getting the courage to finally ask him.

"What is it?"

"Did you ever get... the letter I sent you?"

Gyuvin stays quiet for a while, feeling dumbfounded. "The letter? You sent me a letter?"

"What? You really didn't get it?"

"Honestly, I don't pick up the mail. My parents are the ones who do that and then they leave my mail in my room... but what letter are you talking about?"