CREATURE OF THE SHADOWS

lunch

The scent of cinnamon and clove hung in the air, a sweet, warm welcome that permeated the small cafe. Jin, his usual professorial air softened by a rumpled sweater and a book tucked under his arm, took a seat across from Namjoon. The cafe was usual spot for everyone,a haven of quiet conversations and steaming mugs of tea. But this time, the air crackled with an unspoken tension.

“So, how was your class?” Jin asked, his voice gentle.

Namjoon, usually a whirlwind of energy, seemed subdued. He fiddled with his phone, his gaze flitting around the cafe, anywhere but at Jin. “It was… fine,” he mumbled.

There was a silence, filled only by the soft hum of conversation and the clinking of spoons against mugs. Jin, ever observant, noticed the way Namjoon kept his hands tucked into his sleeves, as if trying to hide them. It was unlike him, his usual boisterous enthusiasm replaced by an awkward hesitation.

“Something wrong, Joon?” Jin asked, his brow furrowing slightly.

Namjoon finally met his gaze, his eyes wide and uncertain. Jin spoke ,“I… I wanted to thank you again for taking care of me when I was sick,” he blurted out, his voice a little too high-pitched.

Namjoon smiled, the warmth reaching his eyes. “ I did because I wanted to!"

“I was really bad in cooking wasn't I?” Namjoon said, his voice dropping to a near whisper. The cafe around them faded away, leaving only the two of them in a bubble of quiet intimacy.

Jin nodded, his gaze softening further. “You were. But it was delicious second time ?"

He watched as Namjoon’s hands, finally out of hiding, intertwined nervously in his lap. He wanted to reach out, to touch the slight tremor in his fingers, but he held back.

Namjoon cleared his throat, his cheeks reddening. “I… I wanted to ask, if maybe we could… maybe have lunch sometime? Just… you and me?”

Jin’s heart skipped a beat. He knew this wasn’t just a casual lunch invitation. There was something more in Namjoon’s hesitant phrasing, in the way he looked at him, a nervous anticipation in his eyes.

“Lunch?” Jin echoed, surprised.

It was true. He had noticed a change in their dynamic since he’d taken care of Namjoon. The usual student-professor barrier had blurred, leaving them with an unspoken connection. He found himself looking forward to their coffee dates, their conversations no longer limited to academic discussions.

“Yeah,” Namjoon stammered, his gaze dropping to his lap once more.

Jin wanted to say yes, to tell him he felt the same unspoken connection, the same desire for something more. But a part of him, the professorial part that held back, the one that understood the dynamics of power, whispered a warning.

He smiled, a small, hesitant smile. “I think, Joon, that we should keep things professional. Right now, at least.”

The words felt cold, even to him. He saw the way Namjoon’s shoulders slumped, the way his hope, so evident just moments ago, drained away. Guilt pricked at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to break the barrier he’d so painstakingly erected. He was a teacher, not a lover. His role was to guide, not to complicate.

“Okay,” Namjoon said, his voice barely above a whisper. There was a finality in his tone, a sense of acceptance.

" I mean we should have a lunch at my house.. with our brothers!". Jin spoke again.

Namjoon felt happy

💝