After Midnight [Yeonbin]

11.✨️𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚✨️

After that night in the park, things between Soobin and Yeonjun felt different - more connected, more grounded in reality. The dreams still persisted, but they weren’t just dreams anymore. They were pieces of a puzzle that Soobin and Yeonjun were slowly starting to understand. Every day at school felt like another step toward something deeper, something neither of them had experienced before.

Soobin found himself looking forward to every moment he could spend with Yeonjun. Even though they didn’t talk about their connection openly at school, there was an unspoken understanding between them, like a quiet bond that only they knew about. Soobin’s heart still raced every time he saw Yeonjun in the hallways, but it was different now. The distance that had once been there - the invisible wall between them - was crumbling. Bit by bit, Yeonjun was letting him in.

“Hey, you’re distracted again,” Taehyun’s voice pulled Soobin out of his thoughts during one of their group study sessions in the library.

Soobin blinked, turning his attention back to the open textbook in front of him. “Sorry, I’m just… thinking.”

“Thinking about Yeonjun, I bet,” Beomgyu teased, nudging Soobin’s arm with a grin. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately.”

Soobin’s face heated up, but he tried to play it off. “We’re just getting to know each other.”

Hueningkai leaned over the table, resting his chin on his hand. “It seems like more than that. You two are always together now.”

Soobin sighed, knowing his friends were bound to be curious. He hadn’t told them about the dreams or how deeply his connection with Yeonjun went. It wasn’t something he could easily explain - he barely understood it himself. But it was becoming harder to hide how much Yeonjun meant to him.

“We’re just close,” Soobin said, trying to keep his voice casual. “He’s a good person, even if he doesn’t show it to everyone.”

Taehyun glanced up from his notes, raising an eyebrow. “A good person, huh? You seem pretty sure of that.”

Soobin smiled softly, thinking about all the little moments they had shared - Yeonjun’s quiet kindness, his subtle vulnerability. “Yeah. I am.”

The others exchanged glances, but thankfully they didn’t push further. The study session continued without incident, though Soobin’s mind remained far from the pages of his textbook. He couldn’t stop thinking about Yeonjun, about the way their connection was slowly deepening. Every interaction felt like peeling back another layer of who Yeonjun really was, and Soobin was more than willing to keep peeling, no matter how long it took.

***

Later that week, after school, Soobin found himself standing outside the school gates, waiting for Yeonjun. It had become something of a routine for them to walk home together, and even though neither of them had explicitly planned it, Soobin knew Yeonjun would show up. Sure enough, a few minutes later, he saw Yeonjun’s familiar figure approaching.

“Hey,” Yeonjun greeted him, his voice as calm and steady as always.

“Hey,” Soobin replied, falling into step beside him as they started their walk.

The walk home was quiet at first, the sounds of the city around them creating a gentle background hum. But Soobin could feel the air between them charged with something - anticipation, maybe, or the quiet acknowledgment of how far they had come since that first awkward meeting in the classroom.

“Soobin,” Yeonjun said after a while, his voice thoughtful. “I’ve been thinking about something.”

Soobin glanced at him, curious. “What is it?”

Yeonjun hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. “About the dreams we’ve both been having. Do you think… they mean something? More than just dreams, I mean.”

Soobin’s heart skipped a beat. It was the first time Yeonjun had brought up the dreams outside of that one conversation in the park. Soobin had been waiting for this moment, but now that it was here, he wasn’t sure how to respond.

“I don’t know,” Soobin said honestly. “But I feel like they’re not just random. There’s something about them - about us - that feels… connected.”

Yeonjun nodded, his expression pensive. “I’ve been feeling the same way. It’s like, every time I dream about you, it’s not just a dream. It’s more like… like a memory I didn’t know I had.”

Soobin’s breath caught at the accuracy of Yeonjun’s words. That was exactly how it felt - a familiarity that ran deeper than just meeting someone new. It was as if they had known each other for years, even though they had only met a short while ago.

“Yeah,” Soobin agreed quietly. “It feels like we’re meant to know each other, somehow.”

Yeonjun glanced at him, his eyes softening. “Do you think that’s why we’ve been getting closer? Because of the dreams?”

Soobin hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. “I think the dreams might have brought us together, but… I don’t think that’s the only reason. I think we’re getting closer because we want to. Because we’re choosing to.”

Yeonjun looked at him for a long moment, something unreadable flickering in his gaze. Then, he smiled - a small, genuine smile that made Soobin’s heart race. “I guess you’re right.”

They continued walking, the conversation drifting into more casual topics - school, assignments, their mutual friends. But beneath the surface, the weight of their earlier words lingered. The dreams had played a part in bringing them together, but it was their own choices, their own willingness to connect, that was making their bond stronger.

As they approached Soobin’s house, Yeonjun slowed down, his expression thoughtful again. “Do you want to hang out this weekend? Maybe we could… talk more. About everything.”

Soobin’s heart leaped at the invitation. Yeonjun had never suggested spending time together outside of school, and this felt like a significant step forward. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Cool,” Yeonjun said, his smile widening just a fraction. “I’ll text you later.”

They exchanged goodbyes, and Soobin watched as Yeonjun walked away, his figure gradually disappearing down the street. Soobin’s heart was still racing, a mixture of excitement and nervousness filling his chest. This was real - it was happening. He and Yeonjun were getting closer, and there was no denying the feelings that were growing between them.

As Soobin walked inside his house, he couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. The dreams had been the beginning, but now… now, the real story was starting to unfold.