𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 & 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 [ꜱᴇᴏᴋꜱᴏᴏ]

8: 𝘔𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯

⸻ ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁 ⸻

The weekend had slipped away too quickly, leaving Seokmin with a sense of dread as Monday rolled around. The morning air was crisp as he walked to the café where he and Joshua had agreed to meet before class. The streets were busy with the usual rush, people hurrying by, lost in their own worlds, but Seokmin barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere, replaying Minghao's advice from the weekend and wondering how he could possibly distance himself from Joshua when they were so deeply intertwined in each other's lives.

The café was warm and inviting, filled with the comforting smell of freshly brewed coffee. Seokmin spotted Joshua almost immediately, sitting at their usual table near the window. The sunlight streamed in, catching the soft brown of Joshua's hair and making it glow. Seokmin's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly pushed the feeling down, reminding himself of the decision he needed to make.

As Seokmin approached, Joshua looked up and smiled, waving him over. The smile was like a punch to the gut, and Seokmin had to force himself to return it, hoping Joshua wouldn't notice how strained it was.

❝Morning, Seokmin!❞ Joshua greeted him cheerfully, sliding a cup of coffee across the table as Seokmin sat down. ❝I got your usual.❞

❝Thanks,❞ Seokmin mumbled, taking a sip to avoid looking directly at Joshua. The warmth of the coffee did little to soothe the unease swirling in his chest.

Joshua leaned back in his chair, his eyes sparkling with excitement. ❝You won't believe how great my date was on Saturday,❞ he began, his voice bubbling with enthusiasm. ❝It was amazing, Seokmin. We went to this cute little bistro downtown, and the food was incredible. But that's not even the best part.❞

Seokmin's heart sank as he listened, each word like a weight pressing down on his chest. He tried to focus on the coffee, the people around them, anything but the growing pain in his heart as Joshua talked. But it was impossible to escape. Joshua's excitement was contagious, and Seokmin hated how much it hurt to see him so happy-happy with someone else.

❝After dinner, we took a walk by the river,❞ Joshua continued, his eyes distant as he relived the memory. ❝The night was perfect, and they were so easy to talk to, you know? We laughed a lot, and... I don't know, Seokmin. It felt really natural. Like, I could really see something happening with Jeonghan.❞

Seokmin forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. ❝That's... that's great, Joshua. I'm happy for you.❞

The words tasted bitter on his tongue, but he knew they were what Joshua wanted to hear. He had always been there to support Joshua, to cheer him on, no matter what. But this-this was different. This felt like he was being torn apart, piece by piece, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Joshua didn't seem to notice Seokmin's discomfort, too wrapped up in his own happiness. ❝I'm thinking of asking them out again, maybe this weekend. There's this gallery opening I've been wanting to check out, and I think they'd really like it.❞

Seokmin nodded absently, his mind racing. Maybe it really was time to move on. Minghao's words echoed in his head, a reminder of the conversation they'd had just a couple of days ago. If he couldn't bring himself to confess his feelings, if he couldn't handle seeing Joshua with someone else, then maybe he needed to let go. But the thought of distancing himself from Joshua, of not being a part of his life, hurt more than anything else.

❝Seokmin?❞ Joshua's voice broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. ❝Are you okay? You seem a little out of it.❞

Seokmin looked up, meeting Joshua's concerned gaze. His heart ached at the sight of Joshua's worry, the way he always noticed when something was wrong. Seokmin wanted so badly to tell him the truth, to explain why he'd been distant, why it was so hard to listen to him talk about someone else. But the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.

❝I'm fine,❞ Seokmin lied, forcing another smile. ❝Just a little tired, that's all. I didn't sleep well last night.❞

Joshua frowned, clearly not convinced, but he didn't press the issue. ❝If you say so. Just let me know if you need anything, okay? You're my best friend, Seokmin. I'm here for you, no matter what.❞

The sincerity in Joshua's voice only made it worse. Seokmin's smile faltered, and he quickly took another sip of his coffee to hide the tears that were threatening to spill over. Best friend. That was all he would ever be to Joshua, and as much as it tore him apart, he had to accept that.

❝Yeah,❞ Seokmin said quietly, staring into his coffee. ❝I know...just best friends.❞

They sat in silence for a moment, the sense of ease that usually filled their conversations replaced by something heavier, more complicated. Seokmin could feel Joshua's eyes on him, could sense the unspoken questions hanging in the air, but he couldn't bring himself to address them. He wasn't ready for that conversation-wasn't sure he'd ever be ready.

After what felt like an eternity, Joshua sighed and reached for his bag, breaking the silence. ❝I should probably get going. I've got a class in a bit, and I still need to grab some books from the library.❞

Seokmin nodded, relieved for the excuse to end the conversation. ❝Yeah, me too. I'll see you later?❞

❝Of course,❞ Joshua said with a smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes this time. He hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something more, but then he just shook his head. ❝Take care, Seokmin. Don't stress too much, okay?❞

❝I won't,❞ Seokmin promised, even though he knew it was a lie. Stress was all he seemed capable of these days.

With a final wave, Joshua turned and left the café, the door swinging shut behind him with a soft jingle. Seokmin watched him go, his heart heavy with the weight of unspoken words and unrealized feelings.

He sat there, alone at the table, the realization hit him like a ton of bricks: Joshua was moving on with his life, and if Seokmin didn't do something soon, he'd be left behind, stuck in the same painful loop of what-ifs and unrequited love. Maybe it really was time to move on-time to protect himself, to find a way to be happy without Joshua at the center of his world.

But how? How did you move on from someone who had been your everything for so long?

⸻ ᶻ 𝘇 𐰁
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[Unedited]