By The Window | YeonBin

three

Yeonjun fell into a deep silence after the last time Soobin visited. The guilt is eating at him, the memory of how he had coldly asked Soobin to leave replaying in his mind.

He hadn't meant to push him away—not really. Soobin had been nothing but kind, and he hadn't even mocked Yeonjun's drawings, even when he'd had the chance.

It's always like this... why do I keep sabotaging myself?

He spent the next few days lost in thought, doing some serious introspection. Maybe Soobin wasn't so bad after all. Maybe he had overreacted.

One day at school, during lunch break, Yeonjun found himself wandering the halls, his mind still preoccupied. Before he knew it, he was standing near Soobin's locker. The other boy was busy getting his stuff, oblivious to Yeonjun's presence at first.

With a deep breath, Yeonjun walked up to him, feeling a bit awkward but determined. He quietly pulled out a small packet of bread from his bag—a simple milk bread, nothing fancy—and held it out to Soobin.

Soobin has now noticed the presence beside him. He blinked in surprise and full of curiosity. His eyes were wide as he took the bread. "What's this for?" he asked, a smile already creeping up at the corners of his mouth.

Yeonjun shrugged, looking down at his shoes. "Just... an apology. For, you know... the other night." The longer haired boy said quietly, not wanting to face Soobin directly.

Soobin's face lit up, and he let out a small laugh. "You don't have to apologize! I should be the one saying sorry. I didn't mean to be so intrusive. I was just... curious." His voice going softer as he apologizes.

Yeonjun glanced up at him, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's fine. Really."

As they stood there, exchanging small talk, Yeonjun couldn't help but notice the stares. People were watching them, whispering. He wasn't used to this kind of attention. He wasn't a social person—far from it. Seeing him talk to someone other than Taehyun was probably making everyone wonder what was going on.

The overwhelming attention made Yeonjun uncomfortable. His heart started to race, and he could feel the tension building inside him. Without thinking, he mumbled a quick excuse and hurried away, leaving Soobin standing by his locker with the bread still in his hands.

Soobin watched as Yeonjun disappeared down the hall, confusion and a touch of disappointment crossing his face. He was about to tuck the bread into his bag when Hueningkai and Beomgyu appeared, both looking at him with curiosity.

"What was that all about?" Beomgyu asked, raising an eyebrow as he glanced down the hall where Yeonjun had just fled.

"Yeah, I've never seen Yeonjun talk to anyone but Taehyun," Hueningkai added, his voice soft but filled with questions.

Soobin shrugged, still staring at the bread in his hand. "I don't know," he said, his voice quiet. "He just... gave me this and then ran off."

Beomgyu exchanged a look with Huening before turning back to Soobin, his sarcasm softened by genuine interest. "You must have really made an impression, huh?"

Soobin chuckled, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Maybe... or maybe I'm just reading too much into it." He didn't realize it at the time, but the hues on his face started to shift into a warmer tone.

Hueningkai smiled gently, placing a hand on Soobin's shoulder. "Don't worry about it too much. Maybe he just needs some time."

Soobin nodded, tucking the bread into his bag. "Yeah... maybe."

Later that night, Yeonjun sat in his room, headphones on but no music playing. The silence in the house was unusual; his parents weren't fighting for once, giving him a rare moment of peace. But despite the quiet, something else was bothering him.

His eyes kept drifting to the window, half-expecting to see Soobin there. But the window remained empty. The knock never came.

A strange feeling settled in Yeonjun's chest—something that felt a lot like worry.

Had I scared him off for good? Is Soobin tired of me already?

The thought made his stomach twist. He'd never cared before if someone didn't stick around. But now, with Soobin, it felt different. He wasn't sure why, but the idea of Soobin not showing up again bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

With a sigh, Yeonjun turned away from the window and pulled the covers over his head, trying to push the thoughts away. But the question lingered in the back of his mind, refusing to let him rest.