San and Wooyoung have been inseparable best friends for as long as they can remember, their lives intertwined through high school rebellions and the pursuit of their shared dreams.
But what happens when unspoken feelings start to surface; they say...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
✯CHOI SAN✯
Lying there in the comfort of the bed, the covers a soft barrier against the world outside, I found my attention intermittently drifting from the drama unfolding on the screen to Wooyoung beside me. His lips caught between his teeth, a sure sign of his deep focus on the series, and the casual way he held the soju bottle, all drew my gaze almost magnetically.
It was a new and delicate understanding for me, knowing his attraction to guys, and it changed nothing about how I saw him — he was my friend, first and foremost. Yet, as I watched him, a new awareness settled in, an unfamiliar sensation that sent a faint warmth to my cheeks.
There was no judgment in my mind, for love was love, simple and uncomplicated in my view. But this stirring, this subtle shift in the dynamic of our friendship, was unexpected.
It was a testament to the complexity of human connections, how they can evolve and take forms we never anticipated. And as I lay there, contemplating this new inner turmoil, I realized that our friendship might be on the cusp of something deeper, challenging the boundaries I had always known.
I felt this weird warmth in my stomach whenever he smiled or laughed. I loved watching him so happy and carefree despite no one apart from our group knowing. These feelings were scary because I have never looked at guys this way but he was different and I couldn't say anything about it.
These feelings were new and intimidating. I had never experienced them towards another guy before, and certainly not towards a friend like Wooyoung. He was different, though, and these emotions were as undeniable as they were silent.
Wooyoung's voice pulled me from my reverie. "Okay, that's it for tonight. We can finish the rest tomorrow since it's the weekend," he said softly, his suggestion both a relief and a disappointment.
Wooyoung's smirk was almost triumphant as he caught the look of feigned annoyance on my face. The playful poke to my cheek was a challenge, an invitation to drop the pretense and admit my growing interest in the series.
"Can we pull an all-nighter? I really want to finish watching it," I found myself asking, my voice betraying a hint of eagerness I hadn't intended to show.
He propped himself up on one elbow, the softness of his smile disarming. It was clear he understood my reluctance to end the night, and with a nod, he gave his silent assent.
The series had become more than just a show to us; it was a shared experience, a journey into stories that, while fictional, stirred something real within us. As we settled back under the covers, the characters' lives continuing to unfold before us.
His nod was all the encouragement I needed. The digital clock on the bedside table glowed with the late hour, but the night felt young, charged with the energy of shared secrets and the warmth of friendship.
"Great, because I'm not ready to let go of this world just yet," I admitted, my eyes returning to the screen, where the rain-soaked lovers reconciled in a passionate embrace.
