Epilogue: "Peacemaker for the Day"
Do Yoon sat on the bench in front of the school's basketball court, his head resting in his hands. Tae Yi and Seo Heon had been arguing for the past fifteen minutes—again. This time, it was about something as trivial as where to meet for lunch, but the tension between them had only escalated from there. The heated exchange between his best friend Tae Yi and his boyfriend Seo Heon was starting to draw a few curious glances from nearby students. Do Yoon sighed; he was caught right in the middle, yet again.
From across the courtyard, Do Yoon noticed Ju Ha walking toward them, hands stuffed in his pockets and a slight frown creasing his brow. As Ju Ha got closer, he raised an eyebrow at Do Yoon, silently asking what was going on.
"They've been going at it for a while," Do Yoon whispered to Ju Ha, managing a faint smile. "It's exhausting."
Ju Ha rolled his eyes slightly. "Over what now?"
"Lunch plans," Do Yoon said, suppressing a laugh. "They can't decide if they want to try the new café or just stick with the usual place in town."
Ju Ha let out a low chuckle. "And here I thought they were arguing about something serious."
Do Yoon grinned up at Ju Ha, appreciating his calm presence. Ju Ha had a way of grounding him, even when everything felt like it was spiraling. And, today, Do Yoon really needed that reassurance.
Finally, after listening to Tae Yi and Seo Heon argue back and forth, Do Yoon stood up and stepped between them, holding his hands out as if trying to separate two feuding animals. "Alright, enough!" he said firmly. Both Tae Yi and Seo Heon looked at him, momentarily stunned into silence.
"Look, you're both upset, but this whole argument started over something simple, right?" Do Yoon said, keeping his voice calm but steady. "You both want to spend time together, so maybe we don't have to make it a huge deal over where to go."
Tae Yi crossed his arms, his glare softening. "I just don't understand why he won't listen to what I want sometimes."
Seo Heon sighed, looking away. "I do listen. I just thought it'd be nice to try something different for a change."
Before either of them could dive back into their complaints, Ju Ha stepped in, standing beside Do Yoon and giving both Tae Yi and Seo Heon a look that immediately quieted them.
"Listen up," Ju Ha began, his voice calm but commanding, "You're both acting like it's the end of the world over where to eat. Do Yoon's right—this isn't worth fighting over. Besides, it's not fair to drag him into the middle of it every time."
Do Yoon felt a surge of gratitude toward Ju Ha, whose mere presence seemed to calm both Tae Yi and Seo Heon down a little. Ju Ha had a way of cutting through the noise and making things simple, and Do Yoon was grateful that his boyfriend was willing to step in when things got messy.
After a moment, Tae Yi sighed and dropped his arms. "Fine. Let's go to the café, if that's what you want."
Seo Heon blinked, clearly surprised by Tae Yi's sudden shift. He looked at Do Yoon and then at Ju Ha before nodding slowly. "The café it is, then."
The tension in the air seemed to ease, and Do Yoon couldn't help but let out a small sigh of relief. It wasn't the first time he'd played the role of peacemaker for his friends, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. But knowing Ju Ha was there with him made it all a little easier to handle.
As the four of them started to walk toward the school gates, Ju Ha wrapped a comforting arm around Do Yoon's shoulders, pulling him close.
"You've got a lot of patience, you know that?" Ju Ha murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I don't know how you manage to keep the peace between those two every time."
Do Yoon shrugged, his smile soft. "I guess I just don't like seeing them upset. And...I like being there for my friends."
Ju Ha chuckled, his gaze warm as he looked at Do Yoon. "Well, I think you're doing a great job at it. You're like the glue that keeps everyone together."
Do Yoon felt a blush rise to his cheeks, but he didn't look away. He was grateful for Ju Ha's words, and even more grateful for his presence. As they walked alongside Tae Yi and Seo Heon—who were, at last, holding hands and exchanging small smiles—Do Yoon felt a sense of peace settle over him.
And with Ju Ha by his side, he felt more ready than ever to keep bringing his friends back together, no matter what.
