Home With You ⸺ y.jw

O12.⠀What Are We?

The next few days passed in a blur of classes, late-night study sessions, and occasional meals shared in comfortable silence. Yoorin and Jungwon had settled into a rhythm, a strange mix of their usual banter with moments that left her heart racing in ways she couldn't quite understand.

One Wednesday evening, Yoorin found herself sitting on the couch with her textbook open, though her eyes weren't really focused on the words. Instead, she kept glancing at Jungwon, who was busy in the kitchen making ramen again.

"You're staring," Jungwon said, his voice teasing, though he didn't turn around. "Not that I mind, but it's a little distracting."

Yoorin's cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked back at her book. "I wasn't staring," she mumbled. "I was... thinking."

Jungwon chuckled, finally turning to face her with a grin. "About what? Ramen? Or maybe my amazing cooking skills?"

Yoorin rolled her eyes, trying to play it cool. "Sure, let's go with that."

Jungwon shook his head, still smiling as he brought the steaming bowls of ramen to the coffee table. "You're such a bad liar, Yoorin. But that's okay. I'll let it slide this time."

They ate in silence for a while, the warm, savory aroma filling the room. Despite his playful teasing, there was an undercurrent of something different between them. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was definitely new. Yoorin couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt like they were balancing on the edge of something—something that neither of them wanted to address just yet.

After they finished eating, Jungwon leaned back on the couch, a satisfied smile on his face. "You know," he said, stretching his arms behind his head, "I think I've become a pretty great cook since we started living together."

Yoorin raised an eyebrow, giving him a mock-serious look. "Don't get ahead of yourself. You've only mastered ramen. Let's not pretend you're some gourmet chef."

Jungwon laughed, the sound light and carefree. "Hey, ramen is a fine art, okay? But I'll take that as a challenge. Next time, I'll surprise you with something amazing."

Yoorin smiled, feeling the usual warmth in their banter. She liked this—the easy conversation, the way they could joke around like nothing had changed. But then, as Jungwon's eyes met hers, something shifted again. The teasing smile faded, and for a brief moment, they just looked at each other, the weight of unspoken feelings hanging in the air.

Yoorin quickly broke the gaze, standing up and grabbing their empty bowls. "I'll do the dishes," she said, trying to shake off the strange tension she was feeling.

Jungwon didn't argue, but she could feel his eyes on her as she moved around the kitchen. It wasn't like before, when they were just roommates navigating their awkward living situation. Now, it felt like there was something more between them—something neither of them knew how to deal with yet.

✦

Later that night, Yoorin lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The quiet of the apartment felt heavier than usual, like the weight of her thoughts was pressing down on her. She couldn't stop replaying the way Jungwon had looked at her earlier, the softness in his eyes that made her chest tighten.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to be just two people sharing an apartment because of a mix-up. But now, everything felt complicated in ways she hadn't expected.

Yoorin sighed, hugging her pillow closer. Maybe she was overthinking things. Maybe it was just the stress of college and the weirdness of living with someone she hadn't known before. But no matter how much she tried to convince herself of that, the truth was undeniable.

Whatever was happening between her and Jungwon, it was more than just friendship. And the scariest part? She didn't mind it.