𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊 ✎ 𝐠𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐠 『zerobaseone』

E I G H T E E N

When the next day arrived, Ricky was woken up from his slumber by the warm and radiant rays of sunshine streaming through his open windows. As he groggily rose from his bed, he noticed that someone had placed an additional fan in his room. Perplexed by this unexpected scene, he couldn't help but wonder if Gyuvin had taken the time to check on him. The mere thought of Gyuvin's possible concern caused Ricky's cheeks to involuntarily flush a deep shade of red. Since it was Sunday, he had no lectures to attend to, allowing him the luxury of a leisurely day ahead. After tidying up his disheveled bed, Ricky made his way to the bathroom, eager to refresh himself.

After he had fixed himself up, he decided to purchase a little something for Gyuvin as a token of his gratitude towards his lover. Contemplating his options, he wondered, "Should I order food? cold noodles doesn't seem so bad". Then, he decided to conveniently order the food online by reaching for his phone. However, his battery had been completely drained, leaving him with no choice but to buy the food in person. He let out a sigh before he got ready to go out.

In a cheerful and upbeat tone, the blond greeted "Good Morning!" as he placed his order for not just one, but three servings of cold noodles to take away. Despite enduring a night of sweltering heat without the any air-conditioning, he woke up in a good mood mainly because of what Gyuvin did.

'I wonder if he's awake by now'

Once the server received his order from the restaurant, he swiftly made his way back to the building. However, rather than entering his own home, he proceeded directly to the place of his lover. With anticipation bubbling within him, he called out the name "Gyuvin?" while simultaneously knocking at the door three times. Time seemed to stretch as he awaited a response, his heart brimming with excitement, eager for the door to swing open and reveal his cherished lover. As Ricky stood in front of the door, his heart pounded with anticipation. "GYU- vin...?" he whispered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person he yearned for. But as the door swung open, his excitement quickly turned into disbelief. Instead of the familiar face he had been longing for, he was met with a completely unexpected sight. "Jiwoong?" Ricky questioned, his mind filled with confusion and surprise.

"Oh? Ricky!" Jiwoong greeted with a big smile on his face. "Oh, you brought food? Great!" The boy cheered as he grabbed what the blond had brought and placed it on Gyuvin's table.

Gyuvin was abruptly awoken from his sleep by the sound of shuffling noises. In a drowsy state, he groggily rose from his bed and went out of his bedroom, curious to investigate the source of the disturbance. With his eyes still heavy with sleep, "What's with all the shuffli-", but before he could finish his sentence, his gaze was met by the piercing eyes of Ricky. A wave of warmth flooded over him at the sight of his partner "RICKY!", however, his joy quickly dissipated as he noticed the somber expression plastered on Ricky's face, an expression he had never witnessed before. This unexpected sight sent shivers down Gyuvin's spine, even though Ricky remained silent.

"Ricky brought food!", as Jiwoong couldn't help but cheer in sheer delight, completely unaware of the heavy atmosphere. Without wasting a moment, he swiftly arranged the table, "Let's eat!" he said inviting the two. Without hesitation, the couple eagerly joined Jiwoong at the table.

Since Gyuvin had a square table, each occupied one side. They started eating but no one said a word. Silence fell over them, and Jiwoong began to feel the awkward atmosphere around them. In order to break the silence, he decided to speak, "Then..."

Out of the blue, "Jiwoong" Ricky unexpectedly uttered these words, breaking the silence that had enveloped Gyuvin's home since his arrival. Instantly, the other two redirected their focus towards him, intrigued by his sudden call.

"Hm? What's with the serious tone?" Jiwoong's laughter filled the room as he tried to lighten the mood. He couldn't help but wonder what had caused the sudden seriousness in the air.

Ricky released a deep, audible sigh, as he stole a quick glance at Gyuvin, the confused brown-haired boy sitting beside him. Sensing his confusion, Gyuvin instinctively furrowed his eyebrows, silently seeking an explanation from Ricky. Ricky smiled faintly and gathered up his courage before turning his gaze back to Jiwoong. "We're dating", he announced, his words resonating throughout the room and taking both Gyuvin and Jiwoong by complete surprise.

Jiwoong was taken aback by the unexpected news from the couple, his confusion evident in his response. "Wait, what? did I hear that correctly?" he asked, desperately trying to process the information he had just received. "For real? Like, really?" he asked, his disbelief evident in his tone. "I mean, how long has this been going on?" he probed, hoping to gain some clarity on the matter.

'oh...'

"dude calm down-"

Jiwoong exclaimed, "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN?!" causing the couple to burst into laughter, finding his distress amusing.

"We started dating a month ago" Gyuvin revealed, leaving Jiwoong in a state of shock as his eyes widened in disbelief.

"AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?!-"

"THEN WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE DOING NOW?!" Ricky retorted back.

"I can't believe it..." Jiwoong couldn't help but express his disbelief with a heavy sigh. "I can't believe that you were able to scam Gyuvin into dating you-". However, before he could complete his thought, Ricky playfully flicked his forehead, causing him to cry out in pain. Jiwoong persisted, "OUCH- THAT HURTS! Gyuvin look, is this really the type of man you'd date-". Unfazed by his friend's antics, Ricky delivered yet another flick to Jiwoong's forehead.

"Shut up, I'm still a much better option than you" Ricky said earning an eyeroll from the other.

"So that's why you were down earlier...." Jiwoong suddenly mumbled.

"Who wouldn't be if some a-hole slept in your lovers home with you being completely unaware-"

"Unaware? We messaged you though?" Jiwoong said.

"What?-"

"Right? Gyuvin?" Jiwoong asked.

"Yeah, I messaged you last night. But seeing you all dressed up first thing in the morning... Did you buy these yourself? It wasn't delivered?" Gyuvin asked noticing that Ricky was too dressed up first thing in the morning.

"Yeah? Well I was supposed to order delivery but my phone was drained- oh..." Ricky suddenly realized that all of the misunderstanding was partly his fault. "But I'm still at mad at both of you" Ricky suddenly said earning a laugh from the two.

The bickering between them continued throughout their entire meal, not ceasing until they had both emptied their plates. At long last, Jiwoong, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him, decided it was time to bid his farewell and graciously excused himself, allowing the couple to have some uninterrupted time together to "enjoy themselves". With Jiwoong's departure, Ricky and Gyuvin found themselves alone, free to make the most of the day ahead. So they decided to go and enjoy the day with a casual hang out.

The couple went out and explored, engaging in activities such as shopping for clothes, dining at restaurants, and taking photos at a photobooth. Eventually, they concluded the day by enjoying the pleasant summer breeze near a river, while admiring the night sky. They had casual conversations, and Ricky eventually forgave the boy and asked for forgiveness himself, as he had initially misunderstood the situation. At the riverside, they ate convenience store foods and shared a tub of ice cream. They sat close together, with Ricky resting his head on Gyuvin's shoulder, which became his ultimate place of comfort. They experienced another special moment that both of them wished would never end.

'I love you...'

'I'm sorry...'

_______________________________

to be continued...