UNSPOKEN LOVE | GYURAE (GYUVIN & TAERAE)

05.

After a long day playing in the arcade, Taerae sat quietly in the car, their hands still resting on the steering wheel, they couldn’t shake the strange feeling that lingered. Gyuvin was rarely quiet, and the silence between them on the ride home felt heavy... unnatural. Taerae replayed the day in their head... the games, the laughter, the moments when Gyuvin had been his usual, playful self. Everything seemed fine until now.

"Maybe he’s just tired," Taerae murmured to themselves, though the sight of Gyuvin walking away without a glance stung more than they wanted to admit. Usually, Gyuvin would flash a grin, wave enthusiastically, or shout something goofy before disappearing inside. Tonight, though, he vanished through the door like a shadow, leaving Taerae sitting in the car alone, staring after him.

Taerae sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Did I do something wrong? The thought gnawed at them as they drove home, the once fun memories of the arcade now overshadowed by the odd tension that had settled between them.

After a long, exciting day at the arcade, Taerae finally reached his home, which was just a short distance away. He parked the car and stepped out, feeling the exhaustion from the day settling into his bones.

Walking inside, he quickly peeled off his clothes, glad to be home, and took a refreshing, quick shower. The warm water washed away the fatigue, and for a moment, he could just relax and let his mind wander. But as he towel-dried his hair, his thoughts kept drifting back to Gyuvin.

That sudden silence, the way Gyuvin didn't say anything as he left, the way he didn't even look back... it was unusual. Gyuvin was never the quiet type, always playful and chatty when they hung out. Something felt off, and Taerae couldn’t shake the feeling that he had somehow missed something.

He flopped onto his bed, feeling the softness of the mattress but not quite able to relax. He grabbed his phone, unlocking it and staring at the screen for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he should overthink it, but the silence was too much for him to ignore. He quickly typed out a message:

Hey, Gyuvin. I’ve been thinking... You seemed off earlier. Is everything okay? If you need space, I get it, but if something’s bothering you, I’m here for you. Just wanted to check in.

He read it over, making sure it sounded just right, then hit "send."

Taerae stared at his phone for a few moments, waiting for the reply that might put his mind at ease. But deep down, he wasn’t sure if his worries would disappear just like that.

Taerae kept his phone in hand, watching the screen, waiting for a response from Gyuvin. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours, but still, there was no reply. He refreshed the screen once more, just in case he missed something, but it remained unchanged. The silence gnawed at him, and his thoughts spiraled into overdrive.

Maybe he’s just busy… or maybe he really does need some space. Taerae reasoned, trying to calm himself. But the uncertainty lingered, tugging at him.

His eyelids grew heavier as the exhaustion from the day finally caught up with him. The weight of everything.. the arcade, the worries about Gyuvin, and the emotional rollercoaster.. was too much. Slowly, he placed his phone on the bed beside him and let his head sink into the pillow.

He stared at the ceiling for a moment, but the gentle hum of the night and the comfort of his bed began to pull him under. Taerae felt himself drifting into a deep sleep, the quiet tension in his chest slowly easing as his mind faded into dreams, leaving Gyuvin’s unread message unanswered for now.

THE NEXT DAY

The next morning, Taerae drove over to Gyuvin’s house to pick him up, hoping things would feel normal again. As he pulled up, he saw Gyuvin step out of the house, his usual cheerful energy completely absent. His face looked almost distant, a clear contrast to the lively, talkative Gyuvin Taerae was so used to.