jay asked his friend as they were walking on the street heading somewhere. heeseung nodded.
"i didn't need anyone else. she was enough, you know."
"i guess so, you've been doing well," jay said as he put his hand on heeseung's shoulder.
"why are we going to the nursery?" jay asked. heeseung glared at him. "i told you. it's closing soon."
"i know but why's it closing?"
"the plants are dying."
heeseung remembered the colorless rosses and pale branches. isn't it too early? i've tried my best.
this time jay stopped walking. "what? out of nowhere?" heeseung nodded as a reply.
"i thought i was doing fine. i really thought it was gonna turn out well. but i don't know anymore, jay."
"the world's started changing now? what's next?" jay said in a playful manner. but his friend was serious.
heeseung's phone lit up with notifications from steller.
"is it her?"
"yes."
"if i ask you this, will you be honest?" heeseung waited for him ask. "what is it?"
"do you... i- have you started to catch feelings for her?"
heeseung’s eyes flickered to the phone in his hand, the buzzing notifications from steller lighting up his screen. he didn’t answer right away, the weight of jay’s question hanging in the air.
jay watched his friend closely, his eyes narrowing as he noticed the hesitation. "heeseung?"
he stared at the screen for awhile before answering.
the interlinked system, the glitches, everything had to be fixed first. his world—his world—was depending on him not getting attached. and yet, here he was, feeling that pull again. what was he thinking all this time? he was betraying his feelings all along.
"i—" heeseung started, then stopped himself. the words didn’t come out right. "i can’t," he finally said, voice tight. "i can’t afford to."
"what have you done, heeseung? you fell for her?" jay's voice was more urgent this time.
heeseung’s mind raced, trying to come up with something—anything—to make sense of it, to convince jay that this wasn’t it.
"how i wish it wasn't that," a bitter chuckle escaped from his mouth.
"be careful," jay tapped his shoulder.
heeseung's phone buzzed again. seoyun. his heart skipped a beat.
"well, don't get too attached."
oh, how he wished he could do that. because it was already too late.
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