Transmigrated into the Extra Chapter as an Extra

Chapter 7 : The Drama of New Beginnings

Hanjun stared at Arzen's face, searching for any hint of the joke he was missing. It wasn't just the words; it was the complete lack of enthusiasm that threw him. The usual Arzen would've been on his feet, packing his bag, ready to head over at the mere mention of his parents.

Arzen blinked, panic flickering behind his eyes. That was a slip. A bad one. He could almost feel the room tilt. Memories of this world's Arzen flooded back—the middle school days spent under Hanjun's parents' roof, the warm meals, and the roof over his head when he had nowhere else to go. They'd even pulled strings to get him into their fancy high school with that crucial recommendation letter. He could practically see this world's Arzen, standing there, grateful yet independent, refusing any financial help despite the offers, insisting on earning his own money.

Hanjun's parents had never once overstepped his boundaries. They treated him like a son but never pushed to adopt him, respecting his need for space and this world's Arzen had always found little ways to show his gratitude: a bouquet of flowers on birthdays, thoughtful gifts during the holidays. It wasn't much, but it was enough to remind them how much he appreciated their kindness.

Hanjun's eyes narrowed as he watched Arzen. His shock was evident—how could Arzen, of all people, say something so out of character?

Arzen, sensing the growing tension, quickly stretched and let out an exaggerated yawn.

"Ah, sorry, man. I'm still half-asleep; didn't catch what you said. What were you saying again?"

Hanjun crossed his arms, tapping his foot like he was waiting for Arzen to confess to some ridiculous crime.

"I said, are you coming home for Golden Week? Mom and Dad miss you."

Arzen let out a forced, casual laugh.

"Oh, that. Yeah, obviously, I'm going. Why do you even ask? Don't be silly."

Hanjun didn't budge, his eyes narrowing as if trying to see if Arzen's brain had temporarily short-circuited.

"Yeah, I'm silly. Of course, you're coming."

He rubbed his forehead, sighing dramatically.

"Almost gave me a heart attack there. I thought you'd been swapped out for some evil twin or something."

Arzen waved him off, letting out another yawn, louder this time, trying to signal the end of the conversation.

"Enough, I'm going to sleep. Night."

Hanjun leaned back in his chair, the smirk on his face a little strained, trying to hide the unease he couldn't quite shake off. He tapped his fingers on the armrest, watching Arzen with a mix of skepticism and mild exasperation.

"Nighty night, dream of me, Zenzen."

Arzen made a dramatic retching noise from under the quilt, muffled but unmistakable, and Hanjun couldn't help but let out a chuckle, though his eyes stayed fixed on the lumpy shape of his friend under the covers. Hanjun scratched his head, eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Under his blanket, Arzen cursed a storm in his mind.

'F*CK! F*CK! F*CK! I ALMOST BLEW IT!!!'

Arzen squeezed his eyes shut, his mind racing with a hundred ways that conversation could have gone south. He'd managed to play it off as sleepiness, but Hanjun's reaction made it clear: he needed to be more careful. Crisis averted—for now.

The morning felt like it took forever to arrive, but when it finally did, it hit Arzen like a rude wake-up call he wasn't ready for. After the mess with Hanjun last night, he'd barely slept, tossing and turning with the awkward replay stuck in his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he could hear Hanjun's shocked voice and see the look of disbelief on his face.