Between The Line || EstWilliam AU

Nineteen

The day before the camping trip, William had been his usual self, wandering around the school halls during the break, pretending not to care about much. He had been on his way to meet Est, planning to ask for some extra pocket money or maybe just find an excuse to hang around his older brother's class. He wasn't sure why he felt like hanging out with Est more often these days, but something in him craved the comfort of being around him.

As William approached Est's classroom, he slowed his steps when he noticed a group of girls gathered near the doorway. He recognized a few of them—senior girls, popular and well-known, the type who always seemed a little too perfect for William's tastes. He was about to roll his eyes and move along when something caught his attention. Hana, one of the most admired girls in the entire school, was standing directly in front of Est.

William's heart skipped a beat.

He quickly ducked behind a column, positioning himself just out of sight but still close enough to see what was happening. Peeking around the corner, he watched, his stomach churning as Hana stood there, looking up at Est with a shy, almost hesitant smile. She was holding a small envelope in her hand—a clear sign of a confession.

William's breath caught in his throat. 'No way. Not her.'

He had heard about Hana before. Everyone had. She was beautiful, kind, and smart—basically the full package. People respected her not only for her looks but also for her genuine personality and the way she treated everyone with respect. Even William, who normally didn't care about school gossip, couldn't deny that Hana was leagues above anyone else who had ever confessed to Est. And now, she was standing there, inches away from his brother, her eyes full of hope and admiration.

William felt a pang in his chest as he watched Hana extend the envelope to Est. The sight made his blood run cold. He knew Est had turned down confessions before—he'd witnessed it enough times—but this felt different. Hana wasn't just some random girl. She was the kind of girl who could actually fit into Est's life, the kind who wouldn't just be another fleeting crush. If Est were to accept anyone, it would be someone like Hana.

Hana spoke softly, her voice just low enough that William couldn't make out her exact words, but the expression on her face said it all. She was confessing her feelings to Est, telling him how much she admired him, how much she liked him. William felt like he was intruding on something intimate, something personal, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.

'What if Est says yes?' The thought hit William like a punch to the gut. 'What if he accepts her confession? What if he stops cares about me?'

Before he could hear Est's response, William turned on his heel and hurried away from the scene, his heart racing. He couldn't bear to watch any longer. The idea of Est accepting Hana's confession made him feel sick, a knot of anxiety tightening in his chest. He didn't even want to hear what Est would say—whether it was a rejection or not, it felt too painful to witness. All he could think about was how everything might change.

That night, William couldn't shake the image of Hana standing there, confessing to Est. He tossed and turned in bed, his mind spinning with possibilities. What if Est stopped having time for him? What if Est got a girlfriend and no longer needed to hang out with him? William hated how insecure it made him feel, but he couldn't help it. Est had always been the constant in his life, the one person who would always be there. But now, with girls like Hana in the picture, everything felt uncertain.

The next morning, when they left for the camping trip, William stuck close to Est. He couldn't explain why exactly, but the fear from the day before lingered in his chest, making him feel uneasy. Maybe it was stupid, but he didn't want to leave Est's side. The thought of Est being taken away by someone else, of not being important to his brother anymore, gnawed at him.

Throughout the entire camping trip, William barely left Est's side. Wherever Est went, William followed, his usual sarcastic remarks replaced with a quiet, almost subdued presence. Even when Est sat with his friends, laughing and chatting during meals or free time, William stayed right next to him, not saying much but just being there. Some of Est's friends teased him about it, calling him clingy, but William didn't care. Normally, he would have shot back with a snarky comment or rolled his eyes, but this time, he stayed quiet, his mind too preoccupied with the thoughts of Hana.

Est, for his part, seemed amused by William's constant presence but didn't press him about it. If anything, he seemed glad to have his brother close by, even if he didn't understand why William was acting this way.

The camping trip passed by in a blur of activities—night hikes, bonfires, games—but through it all, William stuck close to Est, a silent shadow. Est noticed the change in his brother's behavior, but he chalked it up to William just wanting to spend time with him. He didn't push for an explanation, figuring William would talk when he was ready.

On the last day of the trip, as they packed up their tents and prepared to head back home, William still hadn't said anything about what was really bothering him. Est, though curious, didn't push him, assuming William would open up eventually. The two of them rode home together, sitting quietly in the car as the scenery passed by outside the window.

As they neared home, William finally broke the silence.

"Phi" William's voice was uncharacteristically soft, hesitant.

"Yeah?" Est glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow.

William fidgeted with the strap of his backpack, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Did you... did you reject Hana?"

Est blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. "Hana? What are you talking about?"

"I saw her confess to you... before the camping trip," William muttered, his face flushing slightly. He didn't like admitting that he had been spying, but he couldn't keep it in any longer. "I didn't hear what you said, though."

Est's eyes widened, and then he burst out laughing. William glared at him, confused and annoyed by the reaction.

"What's so funny?" William snapped, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment.

Est shook his head, still chuckling as he reached over to ruffle William's hair. "You were worried about that? Seriously, Will? I rejected her, of course. She's nice and all, but I'm not interested."

William blinked, his anxiety slowly dissipating as relief washed over him. "You... you rejected her?"

"Yeah," Est said, smiling at him. "She's great, but I'm not looking for anything like that right now. And besides..." He trailed off, giving William a knowing look. "I've already had someone way more burdensome for me to take care of."

William rolled his eyes, but there's a slight smile creeped on his lips and he looked away, mumbling under his breath. "Whatever."

Est laughed again, this time pulling his brother into a proper side hug. "You don't need to worry about stuff like that, Will. You're always going to be my number one."

William, though still flustered, couldn't help but smile a little at that.