After Midnight [Yeonbin]

10.✨️𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚✨️

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the park as Soobin and Yeonjun sat on the bench. They didn’t speak much after Yeonjun’s quiet confession, but there was no need to fill the silence with words. The moment itself, the simple act of sitting together, felt more meaningful than any conversation could.

For Soobin, this was new territory. He had never felt so connected to someone in this way, where silence spoke louder than words. There was a sense of calm between them, like the tension that had always lingered around Yeonjun was beginning to dissolve. Soobin could feel it, the shift in their dynamic, and he welcomed it. Yeonjun’s gentleness, which he had only experienced in his dreams, was finally starting to reveal itself in real life.

“Soobin,” Yeonjun said after a long while, his voice soft but steady. “Why do you keep trying with me? I’ve been… difficult. Closed off. But you’re still here.”

Soobin looked at him, slightly taken aback by the question. It wasn’t something he had thought about in detail - why he kept reaching out, why he felt so drawn to Yeonjun - but now that Yeonjun asked, the answer seemed obvious.

“Because I see something in you,” Soobin said, his voice gentle. “You’re not as closed off as you think. There’s kindness, warmth. I see it in your actions, in how you treat people. You just don’t show it to everyone. And I think…” He hesitated for a second before continuing, “I think you want to let someone in, even if it scares you.”

Yeonjun’s gaze softened as he listened, but there was still a flicker of doubt in his eyes. “It’s hard for me to believe that sometimes. I’ve been so used to keeping people at a distance.”

“I know,” Soobin replied. “But you’re doing it - you’re letting me in. Little by little, you’re showing me more of who you really are. And I’m not going anywhere.”

The sincerity in Soobin’s words seemed to reach Yeonjun in a way that nothing else had before. He looked away for a moment, staring at the pond in front of them, his expression thoughtful.

“You’re different, Soobin,” Yeonjun said, almost to himself. “You make me want to try. To be better. To let someone in.”

Soobin’s heart swelled at the admission. He wasn’t sure what to say - what could he say to that? The connection between them felt deeper than anything Soobin had ever experienced before. It wasn’t just attraction; it was understanding, trust, and something more that Soobin couldn’t quite put into words.

Before Soobin could respond, Yeonjun stood up from the bench, his expression soft but resolute. “Come on, let’s walk for a bit.”

Soobin followed without hesitation, falling into step beside him as they walked down the path that wound through the park. The air was cool now, the sky fading from gold to a soft pink as the sun continued to set.

As they walked, Yeonjun spoke again. “There’s something I need to tell you.” His voice was quieter now, more serious, and Soobin could sense that whatever Yeonjun was about to say, it was important.

Soobin’s stomach fluttered with anticipation, but he nodded, encouraging Yeonjun to continue.

Yeonjun took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the path in front of them. “I’ve been having dreams too. Dreams about you.”

Soobin’s heart nearly stopped. His breath caught in his throat as Yeonjun’s words sunk in. Dreams about him? How was that possible?

“What?” Soobin asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Dreams… about me?”

Yeonjun nodded, still not looking directly at him. “Yeah. For a while now. At first, I thought they were just random dreams. But then I met you in real life, and… it felt too strange to be a coincidence. It’s like I’ve known you before I even met you.”

Soobin’s mind raced. How could this be happening? The dreams, the connection they shared - it all made sense now. It wasn’t just one-sided. Yeonjun had been experiencing the same thing. The dream versions of each other had been interacting long before they ever spoke in real life.

“I thought I was the only one,” Soobin admitted, his voice shaky with disbelief. “I’ve been dreaming about you too, for so long. And when I met you… I didn’t know what to think. You were so different in real life. But now…”

Yeonjun finally turned to face him, his eyes intense and filled with a mixture of confusion and understanding. “Now it feels like there’s something more to all of this. Like we were meant to meet, somehow.”

Soobin’s heart raced as he met Yeonjun’s gaze. “Do you believe that?”

Yeonjun’s expression softened. “I don’t know what to believe. But I can’t deny the way I feel when I’m around you. It’s like everything makes sense, even if I don’t understand why.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy with emotion. Soobin couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but at the same time, it all felt right. The connection they shared, the dreams - it was like fate had brought them together, whether they were ready for it or not.

Soobin took a deep breath, trying to steady the rush of emotions inside him. “I feel the same way, Yeonjun. It’s like… we’re connected, somehow. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’ve always felt drawn to you. Even before we met.”

Yeonjun’s eyes softened, a small smile playing on his lips. “I guess we’re both in the same boat then.”

They stood there for a moment, the world around them fading into the background as the weight of their shared revelations settled between them. It was strange, surreal even, but Soobin had never felt more certain of anything in his life.

“So,” Yeonjun said, breaking the silence, “what do we do now?”

Soobin smiled, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days. “I guess we figure it out together. One step at a time.”

Yeonjun chuckled softly, the sound sending a warm shiver down Soobin’s spine. “Yeah. One step at a time.”

And with that, they continued their walk, side by side, the path ahead of them uncertain but filled with the promise of something more. Something that neither of them could fully explain, but both of them were ready to explore - together.