Home With You ⸺ y.jw

O11.⠀Unspoken Feelings

The walk back to the apartment was peaceful. The crisp night air brushed past them, and the streets were quiet except for the occasional rustling of leaves on the ground. Yoorin could still feel the warmth of Jungwon's jacket draped over her shoulders, and it made her heart beat faster than she wanted to admit.

Neither of them said much as they made their way home, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. In fact, it felt... natural, like they didn't need to fill the quiet with words. Yoorin snuck a glance at Jungwon, his usual playful grin replaced by a softer, more thoughtful expression. She wondered what he was thinking—if his thoughts were racing like hers.

Once they reached their apartment, Jungwon fished out his keys, unlocking the door and pushing it open for her. "After you," he said with a small smile.

Yoorin stepped inside, her heart still racing from their earlier conversation. As she slipped off her shoes, she felt a strange urge to say something—anything—to break the tension that had been building between them. But nothing came to mind.

Jungwon walked past her, heading straight to the couch and flopping down onto it. "Man, I'm stuffed," he said, patting his stomach. "That ramen was seriously good."

Yoorin nodded, following him into the living room and sitting down on the floor in front of the couch. "Yeah, it was."

For a few moments, they sat in silence, the only sound the quiet ticking of the clock on the wall. Yoorin wasn't sure if she should bring up their earlier conversation again or just let it slide. Part of her wanted to know what Jungwon really meant, but another part of her was scared to push too hard.

Before she could make up her mind, Jungwon broke the silence.

"Hey, Yoorin," he said softly, his voice different from its usual teasing tone. "Do you think... things between us have changed?"

Yoorin felt her heart skip a beat. There it was again—that unspoken tension that had been hanging in the air for weeks. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "Yeah," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I do."

Jungwon leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking onto hers. "I've been thinking a lot lately. About us. About how we started out as just two people stuck in an awkward situation, but now... I don't know. It feels different, doesn't it?"

Yoorin's pulse quickened, her mind racing to find the right words. She didn't want to ruin whatever was happening between them, but she couldn't deny that things had changed. She had started to care about him in a way that went beyond just being roommates or friends.

"It does feel different," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "I just... I don't really know what to do about it."

Jungwon smiled softly, his usual playful demeanor completely gone. "Neither do I. But I think... maybe that's okay. We don't have to figure it all out right now."

Yoorin felt a wave of relief wash over her. He wasn't pressuring her for answers, and that made everything feel a little less overwhelming.

"Yeah," she agreed, smiling slightly. "We don't."

For a moment, they just sat there, looking at each other. It was one of those rare moments where everything felt calm and easy, even though their feelings were anything but simple.

Jungwon broke the silence with a soft chuckle. "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but... living with you has been kind of nice."

Yoorin raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin creeping onto her face. "Kind of? That's all I get?"

Jungwon laughed, the familiar sparkle returning to his eyes. "Okay, fine. It's been really nice. Happy?"

Yoorin laughed too, her heart feeling lighter than it had all day. "Much better."

The playful atmosphere returned, and for a while, it felt like things were back to normal—like they could ignore the confusing emotions swirling between them. But deep down, Yoorin knew that things were different now. Even if they weren't ready to fully face it yet, something had shifted, and there was no going back.

✦

Later that night, Yoorin lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her mind was still buzzing with everything that had happened, and sleep seemed impossible. She replayed their conversation over and over in her head, trying to make sense of it all.

Do you think... things between us have changed?

She did. Of course, she did. But what scared her wasn't the change—it was how much she didn't mind it. The thought of things changing between her and Jungwon no longer filled her with dread. Instead, it made her heart race with excitement... and something else she wasn't ready to name yet.

Yoorin sighed, rolling over and burying her face in her pillow. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were just supposed to be roommates—two people forced into sharing a space because of a stupid mix-up. She hadn't planned on feeling anything.

But now, it was too late to deny it. Whatever was happening between her and Jungwon, it was real. And it was only a matter of time before they had to face it head-on.