✓LOVER BOY | hwang hyunjin

52. Eyes Speak

Hyunjin was shivering. The evening was cool, but it didn't work into his bones enough to make him feel this way. It was thoughts of reunion with her that made his heart feel as though it was in someone else's grasp. Her grasp.

He was outside the airport, drinking bitter coffee in a café. The messages he had sent for Yeseul were being left undelivered. He was growing worried by every passing second. He had tried reaching out to her a few days ago too, after he passed for his second interview here in New York. He had waited for too long to tell her about it, but now that the time was here, she felt like the thing he was chasing instead.

The door chimed open. In came a searching Yohan. Hyunjin stood up, rushing towards him with open arms.

"What the f–" Yohan was pulled in a hug. He softened, the complaints he had melting away.

"I missed you." Hyunjin held him, taking a good look of his face. Yohan recoiled from the showered affection.

"Okay, don't be weird." Yohan pulled him towards his seat, elbows on table, curious about everything. "What happened? Why are you in New York all of a sudden?"

Hyunjin smiled. His cousin hadn't changed one bit. He felt a weird emotion inside to find so many changes in his face that he couldn't catch from his webcam. "I just... felt like it."

"You're lying." Yohan sat back. "There must be something. Job hunting?"

Hyunjin stretched his neck. "Kind of?"

Yohan smirked. "A girl?"

The small smile from Hyunjin that he had tried so hard to hide made Yohan let out an exaggerated gasp.

"Kinda?"

"This isn't you, Hyunjin. Yohan took a sip of his cousin's coffee. He winced at the lack of sugar. "You surprised me with this sudden appearance."

"People change, Yohan."

Hyunjin said, hoping desperately that what bonded him and Yeseul together didn't change too.

Back in the hotel Hyunjin took a hot shower to ease his nerves. He had sent more messages to Yeseul, but nothing came back in return. It felt as though everything he wrote went into a void. He was in his bed now, replying to Jeongin and Soji in the group they just made.

No signs?
soji

None
hyunjin

She either changed her number or blocked us all
jeongin

I unfortunately agree
soji

why would she block us? it's not as though we fought?
hyunjin

That's your business to sort. Try reading old messages to see if she was acting differently or if YOU did something stupid
soji

I agree. I don't trust hyunjin
jeongin

guys I'm already stressed don't make me feel worse
hyunjin

Hyunjin closed the group chat. He opened Yeseul's messages. He scrolled up, looking for something that stood out.

When he came across the last message of hers, he stopped. There were pictures from a party. He hadn't seen these until four days ago. Yeseul had sent it two weeks ago. He felt a weird feeling in his gut. When he zoomed into her face, she looked lonely. Despite the smile on her face, and her roommate hugging her, she looked... lost.

Despite haven't no answers yet, he pointed the blaming finger towards himself.  "I fucked up, didn't I?"