CHERRY BLOSSOM | SOOGYU

EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER

Taehyun bid his goodbyes to the duo after their dinner. Soobin and Beomgyu were quietly walking down the hallway. Soobin wondered if they'd feel awkward being alone with each other in the room, now that it was definite, they liked each other. Both entered the room, Beomgyu set down his guitar on the chair and was the first to freshen up.

Soobin walked out of the bathroom to see Beomgyu sitting on his bed with the towel resting over his shoulders. He felt his heartbeat speeding up, he took a seat on Beomgyu's bed.

"Do you remember the time you asked me why I was changing my room?" Beomgyu asked the boy who was drying his hair.

"Mhm"

"I never answered you," he looked up at Soobin from in between the curtain of his bangs, "My father had gotten a clue that I like boys."

Soobin squinted his eyes to understand.

"I don't like girls. I'm not bi."

"But... y-you said you liked her...?" Soobin thought he would never completely make out the things going on his mind. Beomgyu smiled at the look of confusion on the boy's face,

"He kind of threatened that he would not let me complete my studies. We fought so many times over this. I even started working here and there to save up for myself, if I ever needed to run away. Then I came to know about his disease. It was a mess."

He laughed, "It's so cliché, right?"

Soobin shook his head, and Beomgyu continued, "So, I complied saying he doesn't have to worry about me dating anyone and it was going smooth...," he stood up to sit beside him,

"...until you showed up."

Beomgyu clutched Soobin's hands, "I tried so hard not to fall for you, fearing I could never be together with you. I befriended Soojin thinking maybe I would come to like her eventually; because she is kind and funny and... because I'm trash. I even hurt you so many times. I decided to change rooms, but it was all for nothing."

"I knew I was in trouble. I kept thinking about what my father would do if he ever came to know that I was in love with a guy. I was afraid of making another bad decision just like years ago that tore my family apart. But that day when you confessed to me, all those doubts and fears just vanished. I realized that whatever happened, it was for the better. At least my mom isn't suffering at the hands of my father. I felt brave, and I wanted to give back the love that you poured on me."

Soobin saw Beomgyu's eyes glistening with love just like his. He leaned to rest his forehead against Beomgyu's.

"I love you so much."

"And I love you too," Beomgyu giggled. Soobin too let out a chuckle.

"Soobin?"

"Mhm"

"Can I kiss you?"

Soobin immediately pulled away and jumped down the bed. His face was uncontrollably getting hot, he covered his face with his palm but his red ears easily gave him away. He fumbled to speak, "Umm... I- uh... well-umm..."

Beomgyu loved the way he got him flustered. He held on to his slender fingers and tip-toed to whisper in his ear,

"I'll wait, Soob."

This did not help Soobin at all, he was now flushing over the nickname he was just given.

•🌸•

Beomgyu plopped down on his bed grabbing his notepad, he noticed that he had not taken out his pencil case out of his bag. He asked Soobin who was cleaning up his desk, "Soobin, can you look for my pencil case? It must be in my bag."