Dreaming boys

★Fragile peace

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The following days passed in a fragile peace. Seungmin and I didn't talk much, but the atmosphere was less tense. I focused on my routine, trying to give him space and making small efforts to connect with him. Every day I greeted him with a simple "good morning" or "good night." Sometimes he responded with a nod or a murmur, but it was progress.

One afternoon, while I was in the common room reading a book, Jungsu and Jiseok walked in, laughing and chatting. I couldn't help but smile. Jungsu had kind eyes, but it was clear he was not feeling well. Jiseok, on the other hand, was usually quiet and only joked and laughed with Jungsu. When I joined them, he became more silent and serious. Jungsu noticed me and waved. "Hey, Hyeongjun! Want to come to the courtyard with us?"

I missed going out, but I couldn't do it yet. Having just arrived, I needed to earn the educators' trust. However, I was on the right track.

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, I'd like that."

We headed to the courtyard; the afternoon sun was warm but not too hot. As we walked, Jungsu started talking about his plans for the future and the things he wanted to do once he left the community. Jiseok listened attentively.

"I want to travel," said Jungsu, dreamily. "I imagine going to places like Spain. I'd also like to return to Korea. Maybe with Jiseok."

Jiseok smiled shyly. "Yes, that would be nice. Although any place would be fine as long as I'm with you."

I looked at them, feeling a mix of envy and hope. "How did you two meet?" I asked, wanting to know more about them.

Jungsu laughed. "It's a long story, but let's just say we met here. At first, Jiseok hated me."

Jiseok looked down. "I didn't hate you! I just couldn't understand how you could be so cheerful despite everything."

"Well, then why did you always treat me badly? I was a fan of yours and still am," said Jungsu teasingly.

A fan? What did he mean by a fan? I felt like I had seen Jiseok somewhere before, but I wasn't sure. I didn't ask; I didn't want to be intrusive. Maybe I would find something online.

Jiseok huffed, and we continued walking. I felt more and more comfortable with them, and Jiseok was also starting to open up. When we returned inside, the day was coming to an end. I saw Jungsu talking to an educator after dinner. He hadn't eaten today either. I was worried about him and decided to make another attempt with Seungmin to distract myself.

I found him in our room, sitting on the bed and looking out the window. I hesitated for a moment, then approached him. "Hey, Seungmin. Want to take a walk?"

He looked at me, seemingly surprised by my offer. After a moment of silence, he said, "They still don't let me out."

I smiled. "Well, neither do they let me out. We can go to the courtyard; there's still some time before bedtime."

He looked at me and then nodded.

We walked in silence for a while, but then we started talking. I asked him about his interests, his dreams. I discovered he loved drawing landscapes and that he had no dreams or at least had confused ideas.

As we talked, I felt a connection forming between us. It wasn't a true friendship yet, but I saw him smile, and for me, that was already a lot. He was beautiful, and the smile suited him.

That night, I fell asleep with a sense of hope. I kept thinking about Seungmin and his bright smile. I woke up feeling lighter the next day, ready to start a new chapter of this experience.

During breakfast, I noticed that Seungmin was less gloomy than usual. I sat next to him along with the others. "Good morning," I said, hoping for a positive response.

Seungmin looked at me and murmured a nearly inaudible "Good morning," but it was a sign of progress. I decided to keep the conversation light. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, well enough," Seungmin replied, taking a bite of his food.

"I was thinking of taking a walk in the courtyard after breakfast. Want to come with me?" I proposed, trying to sound casual.

Seungmin seemed to consider the idea for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

After breakfast, we headed to the courtyard. The morning sun was bright, and the fresh air was invigorating. We walked in silence for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence. At one point, we sat on a bench, and Seungmin started to talk.

"I've always loved drawing. It helps me express what I can't say in words," he said, looking at the sky.

"I understand," I replied. "I also find it hard to express myself in words."

Seungmin smiled slightly.

We spent the rest of the morning talking about light topics, like our hobbies and our musical tastes. It was pleasant, and I felt closer to him than I ever had before.

Returning to the room, an educator stopped me. "Hyeongjun, you will have to go back to school." I looked at him silently; I didn't want to go back, I didn't want to feel bad again. "You need to complete at least another year until the end of compulsory education. If you prefer, you can change schools and go with Jungsu, Jiseok, Seungmin, and Jooyeon." I couldn't say no; I was obliged to go. I decided to accept the change, and when I turned 16, I would leave school like Gunil.

When I returned to our room that evening, I felt a mix of tranquility from the chat with Seungmin and fear of school. September was approaching.

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