Dreaming boys

★Fallen iceskater

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Anyway, every time I talked to Jungsu and Jiseok, I always remembered what Jungsu had said about being a fan of Jiseok.
After breakfast, I headed to the common room, where there was a computer available for the boys. I sat down and started searching for information about Jiseok. I didn't know where to start, so I simply typed his name.

After a few minutes of searching, I came across an article about a young figure skating talent, Jiseok. There was a photo of him; he looked different yet the same as now, with a focused expression while performing a jump on the ice. There was a light in his eyes that seemed to have dimmed.

I continued reading the article and discovered that Jiseok had been a figure skating prodigy, reaching nationals despite his young age. But then, a severe injury ended his career. No one knew exactly what happened afterward; he had completely disappeared, but there were rumors of depression and difficulties in recovering from the incident.

I felt moved by what I had read. I would never have imagined that behind the quiet and reserved boy I knew was such an intense and painful story. I thought about how I could approach him and make him feel comfortable; I didn't know if skating brought him nostalgia or happiness. I found myself reflecting on how to address the topic with Jiseok. I didn't want him to think I had invaded his privacy, but I felt that getting to know him better could help us become friends.

In the evening, after dinner, I decided to talk to Seungmin. I found him in our room, busy drawing. I sat next to him and watched his work for a while.

"That's really beautiful," I said, trying to break the ice.

Seungmin looked up and smiled slightly. "Thanks."

"I found out something interesting today," I continued. "You know, I was wondering who Jiseok really was, and I found some information about him online."

Seungmin looked at me, curious. "Really? What did you find?"

"Well, it seems Jiseok was a figure skating prodigy. He competed nationally, but then he had a bad injury and stopped."

Seungmin nodded slowly. "Yeah, he told me about it..."

"Do you know anything else?" I asked. "I'm sorry, but if you want to know more, you'll have to ask him," Seungmin said, looking at me seriously.

"I don't want to be intrusive," I confessed. "I don't know how to address the topic without making him uncomfortable."

"You could simply ask him about his current interests without mentioning his past right away," Seungmin suggested. "Maybe he'll open up on his own."

I nodded, recognizing the wisdom of his advice. "You're right. Thanks, I love you." Seungmin looked at me puzzled, and I immediately realized what had just come out of my mouth. "Sorry... I meant as a friend," I chuckled embarrassedly. He didn't respond and went back to what he was doing.

During a break in the courtyard, I approached Jiseok. He was sitting under a tree, staring into space. I sat next to him in silence for a while, waiting for the right moment.

"Hey Jiseok, isn't Jungsu here today?" I asked. He looked at me, lost. "He stopped eating again. He's talking to the psychologist now. If you want, I can tell him you were looking for him when he returns."

Jungsu had stopped eating... again... "Actually, I wanted to talk to you. Can I sit?" I started, trying to sound as casual as possible.

He looked at me, a bit surprised by my question. "Sure."

"Do you still like skating?" I asked. No... I shouldn't have asked him that. I had completely forgotten everything Seungmin had advised me to do. I slapped my forehead, and Jiseok noticed my mistake. He looked at me intensely for a moment, then lowered his gaze. "I haven't skated for a long time," he finally replied, with a note of sadness in his voice.

"I understand," I said gently. "But have you ever thought of skating again? Just for yourself, I mean."

Jiseok remained silent for a while, then shook his head. "I can't. The injury prevents me from even running." I lowered my gaze, and Jiseok continued, "Did you do research on me?"

"Shouldn't I have?" I asked. "You could have asked," he said. "Sorry, you're right. I didn't actually mean to ask you that question directly," I said, playing with a tuft of grass. He smiled slightly. "I understood."

"I'm here if you ever want to talk or need someone to share your memories with. I'm not good with words, but I can listen," I said, chuckling to lighten the mood.

Jiseok looked at me again, and this time, instead of a small smile, he gave me a wide one. "Thanks, Hyeongjun. I really appreciate it." I returned the smile.

I was starting to understand the people around me better and felt that I was building meaningful connections. The road was still long, but I felt I was heading in the right direction.

In the following weeks, I noticed that Jiseok seemed more relaxed around me. Sometimes he would mention something about skating, small fragments of memories he shared with me. I never forced the conversation but was always there, ready to listen. Meanwhile, Jungsu was withdrawing and was no longer the cheerful boy he used to be.

My relationship with Seungmin was also improving. We continued to walk in the courtyard and talk about everything and nothing. I felt lucky to have these people in my life, even though the circumstances that brought us together were not the best.

One afternoon, while we were all sitting in a circle in the common room, Jungsu suggested a board game to pass the time. "How about a game to get to know each other better? It could be fun," he said.

We all agreed. I was happy because I would finally get to know Jooyeon as well. It was funny how every time he opened his mouth to tell something about his life, everyone would automatically shout in unison, "Really?" and in the end, it was never true. We spent the afternoon laughing and joking, sharing anecdotes from our lives. I felt that, little by little, we were all becoming a small family.

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