Effect

⑱Maybe It's Already Too Late

 
"So what do you guys want to do?" Mirae asked as she continued taking the plates from the table.

"Well, it's after nine thirty, so I think I will head home," Taehyung said after checking the time.

"Oh, you sleep early, Taehyung?"

"Usually no, but lately I have been sleeping quite early."

"Don't tell me you used to sleep around three in the morning like Jeongguk," she snickered.

"Kind of," he replied, chuckling.

"Now that I think about it, Jeongguk started sleeping earlier this week too." A concentrated frown cocooned her face as if she were reflecting on possible reasons.

And she was right. After befriending Taehyung, he found himself sleeping around midnight for some reason. It was like he wanted the night to pass quickly so he could see the older. But even if that was the case, he would never admit it.

"Well, I can't play video games now and I can't draw, so I don't have anything better to do." Jeongguk shrugged — an action made to secrete his nervousness.

"Hmm, of course," Mirae sneered, seeing right through him and his rather lame excuses.

Silence ticked on, and Taehyung made use of it to rise from his seat. "Well, I should get going."

"Nonsense," Mirae protested. "We have a guest room, and you're more than welcome to sleep here tonight!"

The proposition took him by surprise, and the awkward air between him and Jeongguk only added to his discomfort. "Um, I don't think I should."

"I'll make you the best breakfast you have ever eaten."

The second tempting offer had him smiling, almost forgetting about a certain boy. "How can I say no to your cooking?"

"Great, I'll take that as a yes! So, I'll go get the guest room ready, and you two find a movie to watch together."

Jeongguk dragged his feet towards the living room without sparing even a glance at him once his mother took off. He wilted on the couch and grabbed the remote control, searching through Netflix to find a movie.

Taehyung's shoulders sank with unreasonable sulkiness as he followed him seconds later. He perched next to him, eyes fixed on him, observing his wooden expression tinged with something somber and unknown — something he couldn't acknowledge.

"What do you prefer?" His voice came across dull and near-silent, eyes still glued to the screen in front of him.

"I don't mind," Taehyung uttered. A fresh loop of silence nestled between them as Jeongguk didn't respond in any way. "You know what I do mind?"

Jeongguk averted his gaze from the TV and gave him a questioning look.

"Not knowing what you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking about anything."

"I'm not talking about now specifically."

"Okay, everything is set!" Mirae chirped as she scuttled closer. "You still haven't found a movie?"

The younger ripped his gaze away, filling his lungs with much-needed air. "Um, no, I don't know what to pick."

Mirae snorted as she settled down on the other small couch alone. She swiftly found an action movie that had good ratings, and they sat comfortably as the movie began.

Although Jeongguk was staring at the screen in front of him, his mind was occupied by a jumble of thoughts. Why does Taehyung want to know what I'm thinking about so suddenly? And why does he seem affected by the lack of my answers?