Beneath the Surface

Part 19

The soft morning light filtered through the windows of Yok’s small apartment, casting warm golden hues across the living room. Yok sat sprawled on the couch, one leg tucked beneath him, the other lazily stretched out over the armrest. His sketchbook rested on his lap, the tip of his pencil moving almost absentmindedly across the page. 

He wasn’t really thinking about what he was drawing—at least, not intentionally. His mind was somewhere else, back on the rooftop, back to the moment when Longtai’s lips had pressed against his. 

A slow breath left his lips. 

The lines on his page took shape—a pair of lips, slightly parted, soft, familiar. He stared at them, his fingers tracing over the graphite, before he sighed and leaned back against the couch, tilting his head to stare at the ceiling. 

What did that kiss even mean? 

He had kissed Longtai because—well, because he had wanted to. Because Longtai had looked so damn cute under the moonlight, with his wide, unsure eyes and the way his breath hitched when Yok touched him. It had felt like the right thing to do. But now… now he was stuck with this weird feeling in his chest, something that wouldn’t go away no matter how much he tried to shake it off. 

Across the room, Gram stood by the kitchen counter, phone in one hand, a glass of water in the other. He was lazily scrolling through his feed, still looking half-asleep, his messy bed hair proof that he had just rolled out of bed. 

Yok’s eyes drifted toward him, and before he could even think, the words left his mouth. 

"Hey, if someone kisses someone, does that mean they’re dating or just friends?" 

Gram choked. 

Water went down the wrong pipe, and he immediately coughed, pounding a fist against his chest as he struggled to breathe. 

"What the—" He turned to Yok, eyes wide in disbelief. "Say what now?" 

Yok raised an eyebrow, watching him with mild amusement. "I mean, what’s the deal? If you kiss someone, does that automatically mean you’re dating?" 

Gram narrowed his eyes, setting his glass down with a loud clink before walking over to Yok. "Hold on. Back up. Who the hell did you kiss?" 

Yok exhaled, tilting his head back onto the couch dramatically. "Longtai." 

Gram blinked. 

Then blinked again. 

"You—what?" His voice shot up an octave. "Did you just say Longtai?" 

Yok rolled his eyes, waving a hand. "Yeah, yeah, I kissed him. What’s with that look?" 

"What’s with that look?" Gram’s voice was full of disbelief. "Dude, what the hell are you even saying right now? You just—casually—kissed him? Out of nowhere?!" 

Yok shrugged. "I mean… not out of nowhere exactly. He just looked so damn cute, and I couldn’t help myself." 

Gram gaped at him. "You couldn’t help yourself?" 

"Yeah," Yok nodded, picking up his pencil again and tracing over the lips he had drawn. "You should’ve seen him, Gram. Under the moonlight, all wide-eyed, staring at me with this look—man, it was impossible not to kiss him." 

Gram ran a hand down his face. "Yok, you’re unbelievable." 

Yok smirked. "Thanks. I try." 

Gram groaned, plopping onto the couch beside him. "So, what now? What did he say? Did he slap you? Run away? Cry?"