Fallen for him

Part 40

Everything was normal since the morning but joong was continuously flirting with dunk and during the break time in the school courtyard. Students are chatting in groups, walking between classes. Joong is walking toward his friend Tay, who’s sitting on a bench near the school’s entrance, casually flipping through a textbook.)

Joong: (approaching with a grin, a little out of breath from running between classes)
Hey, Tay! You won’t believe what happened last night.

Tay: (looking up,  giving Joong a curious look)
Oh? What happened?

Joong: (sitting down next to Tay, his excitement palpable)
So, last night, I finally asked Dunk if he’d be my boyfriend!

Tay: (his expression flickers, a slight surprise in his eyes, but he quickly masks it with a casual smile)
Oh? That’s… big. And what did he say?

Joong: (shrugging, his grin faltering slightly as he remembers Dunk’s response)
Well, not exactly what I wanted to hear. He said he needed time to think about it, but I’m not giving up. I’m just gonna keep hitting on him until he can’t say no.

Tay: (forcing a chuckle, but there's a hint of discomfort in his voice)
Heh, I bet that’ll work. You’re pretty persistent.

Joong: (grinning widely, unaware of the tension in Tay’s voice)
Right? It’s kind of a challenge at this point, but I know he likes me. I just need him to admit it.

Tay: (looking away, trying to hide the small pang in his chest, his voice quieter than usual)
Yeah, I’m sure you’ll get him to admit it eventually.

Joong: (oblivious to Tay’s inner conflict, still excited about the possibility of being with Dunk)
Yeah, anyway… speaking of Dunk, we’ve got that group project next week, right? You’re gonna be in the same group as us, right?

Tay: (pausing for a moment, then forcing a smile)
Yeah, I’ll be there. Can’t wait to work with you guys.

Joong: (clapping Tay on the back, his energy high)
It’s gonna be great! We’re gonna crush that project. Dunk and I will make sure we get all the work done—though he’ll probably try to slack off a little, but that’s fine, I’ll make him work.

Tay: (his smile falters, his gaze drifting toward the group of students walking by, but his words are still calm)
You really like him, huh?

Joong: (nodding enthusiastically)
Yeah, I do. He’s great. I can’t believe I’ve spent so much time just being friends with him. I should’ve asked him out sooner.

Tay: (his voice tinged with something deeper, though he keeps his tone neutral)
I can tell. You guys are always together.

Joong: (not noticing the shift in Tay’s mood, still talking excitedly about Dunk)
Yeah, I don’t think I could spend a day without him now. He’s so easy to be around, and… I don’t know. I just feel like we’d be a perfect match, you know?

Tay: (swallowing the words he really wants to say, smiling weakly)
Yeah, I get it.

(Joong, oblivious to the change in Tay’s demeanor, continues chatting about Dunk, their plans, and the things they’ll do together. But Tay sits there, his smile fading a little with every word Joong says. He’s been hiding his feelings for Dunk for a while now, and hearing Joong talk about him so openly—without knowing what Tay feels—makes him realize just how much he’s been holding back.)

Joong: (finally pausing, noticing the quietness in Tay’s responses)
Hey, you okay? You seem a little off today.

Tay: (shaking his head, trying to mask his feelings with a shrug)
Yeah, just tired. It’s been a long week, that’s all.