ALL HE CAN GIVE.

Our Saturdays.

Seo Do Yoon's POV

"So, Saturday?" Ju Ha's voice stopped me mid-step as we approached my home's gate.

He had walked me home again I couldn't help but wonder if he no longer worries that someone will see us. The sky darkened with each step, no words were exchanged between us, just the rhythmic sound of our steady footsteps against the concrete pathways, a comforting sound that filled the silence. My heart was still racing; I doubted I could string together a steady word even if we tried to talk. But now, turning back to give him an answer...

"Yes... yeah. Same time. If that's okay with you," I responded quickly, trying to hide the slight squeak in my voice.

We'll spend most Saturdays together, maybe even some days after school. Away from prying eyes, a world with just us. I used to detest my father's absence, but who knew it would turn out to be a blessing in disguise? With Ju Ha here, the empty house will no longer feel hollow—it'll be our bubble. Bubbles eventually burst, a split-second thought I quickly shook away, bringing my attention back to Ju Ha.

We stood close to the wall, and the shadow of a streetlamp a few meters away cast a faint glow over us. I could only see his silhouette, the darkness hiding us. Ju Ha was standing close, but it still felt like he was far away. I wanted to step closer, but instead, I leaned back against the cold surface of the gate, inhaling silently as it made contact with my back. In movies, this is where they kiss—hidden by the darkness, a secret between two people. But he wouldn't. It's too open, too uncertain.

Ju Ha stepped forward, and as he got closer, I could finally make out his features. His eyes were on me, but I couldn't read them. Sweat trickled down my neck as I tried to guess what he was thinking. He drew nearer, towering over me, forcing me to crane my neck upward. Is he about to kiss me? The thought made me gasp, and I froze as Ju Ha's hand reached out slowly, settling on my shoulder for a few seconds before moving to my head.

"It's okay with me," he said, patting my head.

With that, he turned and walked away. What does he mean by okay? Smacking my head, I marveled at how easily I'd forgotten my question. Wait, he said yes?

"Don't go back on your word!" I shouted at his retreating form.

Leaning against the gate, I could feel my legs weakening as I gasped, my chest struggling to contain the excitement. A smile spread across my face as I fumbled to unlock the gate, sneaking one last look at him even though he was already gone. Satisfied, I locked the gate behind me. Taking steady steps toward the front door, I keyed in the code, hurried inside, and finally, my legs gave out, and I sank to the floor.

The events of the day replayed in my mind. I kissed Ju Ha today. I breathed out, saying it aloud to make it feel real. And it was real. But the thought that he didn't push me away—that was harder to grasp. Everything could've gone wrong in so many ways, but it didn't. Covering my mouth to stifle a chuckle, I stood up and turned on the lights. No one's home—my dad won't be back until Thursday—but who cares? I kissed Ju Ha today, I thought, finally letting out a laugh.

In the kitchen, I grabbed one of the frozendinners the housekeeper prepared every Sunday and heated it. Sitting by thecounter, I absentmindedly scrolled through my phone, opening and closing socialapps as I ate. My thoughts drifted back to how it felt having Ju Ha's lipsagainst mine—soft, warm, but demanding. My cheeks grew hot as I placed my phonedown, gently dabbing my face to cool down. I need to get my thoughts out of thegutter, I mused, smiling to myself.

The weeks passed, with me always looking forward to Saturdays.

At school, our interactions remained minimal—stolen glances in hallways, basketball after school, and music practice in the old building with Se Heon and Tae Yi, who have become quite obvious about their relationship. Around just us four, they barely even bother hiding it. Se Heon once mentioned how comfortable I seemed around Ju Ha, hinting that I might be keeping something from him. I brushed it off, saying we were just friends, bound to get closer. Thankfully, he dropped it.

On Saturdays, Ju Ha and I started by watching movies. There was always a pillow between us—an unspoken rule that slowly disappeared with each visit. Ju Ha always nodded off, no matter how interesting the show was. He's woken up on my shoulder several times, but he never runs away. He just apologizes, sits up straight, and pretends to keep watching the movie, which I find adorable since he clearly doesn't understand anything after missing half of it.

As the days grew hotter and the air more humid, we moved outside, laying a mat under the tree in the yard. We spent afternoons reading comics or just talking about nothing and everything. One hot afternoon, Ju Ha was reading a novel, his back against the tree, while I lay on my stomach next to him with a comic in hand. The atmosphere was perfect for a nap. I put down my book and shifted to lay my head on his lap.

"I want to take a nap, and there's no pillow here," I said, moving to find a comfortable position. His legs stiffened under me.

"Then go get one," he said, his tone bored, but he didn't move.

"Too far. I'm too lazy."

"Also, you're way more comfortable," I added, closing my eyes and settling down.

I waited for him to push me away, but he didn't. Slowly, his muscles relaxed, and soon the soft sound of pages flipping above me and his steady breathing lulled me to sleep. By the time I woke up, the sky was a dark shade of purple, and the air was still and cool. Soon after, he had to leave, and as he walked away, I noticed the limp in his step. His legs had gone numb from me lying on him for so long. Knowing he'd rather cramp up than wake me filled me with warmth.

Comics, movies, and games were replaced with study materials. Ju Ha had mock exams coming up, and I had end-of-semester exams. I learned he was much more disciplined with studying than I'd thought—he followed a schedule and stuck to it. Naturally, I followed along, and I can't lie—it worked. However, I often got distracted by how handsome he looked when he was focused. He also had to constantly wake me up, but sometimes he'd let me be, and I'd wake up with a shawl over me and a note saying he'd left because it was getting late. He doesn't like to leave Joo He alone at night for too long.

Surprisingly, my grades improved. I made a mental note to keep studying with him or borrow his study materials. As the school break neared, excitement buzzed through the halls, and I couldn't help but worry about what it meant for us. On the last day of school before the break, Ju Ha walked me home. Right before I went inside, he stopped me, briefly holding my hand before letting go and pocketing it.

"So, I guess I'm going to be seeing you more?" he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"Yeah... totally," I replied, my voice louder than I intended, probably loud enough for someone across the street to hear.

"Okay, then. Just text me." With that, he turned and walked away.

Just as I was about to shout goodbye, he turned back.

"Goodnight, Yoon," he shouted, taking a few steps in reverse before turning and walking away normally.

With just two words, everything had changed.