STUDY BUDDIES. | hajeongwoo

23.

"you think so?"

jeongwoo looked at the male, meeting his starry eyes once again. they were so addicting, him getting drowned by the ocean filled in his dark-colored eyes.

he could stare at it all day, he thought, as haruto met his gaze for more intimate interaction before nodding in approval.

"teasing you is fun. i had a lot of fun today, and i wasn't even able to treat you to dinner because you did all the work," haruto explained, his voice somewhat guilty after not being able to fulfill his duty to treat him—  because that is the thing he promised in the first place.

jeongwoo, however, did not even bother into digging more about it and pushing all the blame to the guilty male beside him.

what he meant by treating is not by money, but by alloting his time to be with him at this busy day just to have fun. he did not mean getting any more money aside from getting it from his work. not a gold digger, he could say.

"its alright. you don't have to treat me just because you passed your test. that was your effort. congrats again," jeongwoo flashed a smile, a genuine one, making haruto to plaster a little as a response.

after their exchange, silence rose up once again, unable to think of anything to talk about at this time of the day.

haruto looked up at his black, expensive watch to take note of the time. and figuring out that it was time to go, he stood up before looking at jeongwoo for another time. "i'll go home now, i still have things to settle at home."

jeongwoo frowned upon hearing the news, knowing that his apartment will feel really empty once the latter leaves his territory.

but knowing that he had no right to detain, and that the male still had several things to do, he nodded in hesitance. he stood up to lead haruto to the front of his door, then the male was already standing at the outside of his room after a few saunters.

"i really had a lot of fun spending my time with you. cook for me again, 'kay?" haruto smiled after saying his statement to give proof to his sincerity.

jeongwoo, infected by the male's unexpected show of pureness, chuckled as a reply.

am i making you smile, haruto?

"of course i will. you can come anytime, too." jeongwoo responded, leaning his figure to the side of the door as he waited for haruto take his departure.

haruto nodding, he excused himself, bidding his goodbye by waving his hand and jeongwoo doing the same as a reply. he walked away from his door, until he was out of his sight and nowhere to be found around his neighborhood.

frowning upon the loss of his presence, jeongwoo turned around before closing his door, facing his empty apartment.

he stood there for a while, his mind blank but in a state of longing, before sniffing out something unusual that lingers around his room. he continued to inhale the scent, and more, before finally discerning the source.

"haruto's perfume?" jeongwoo asked particularly to no one other than himself. "your perfume is too strong. i'll be having a problem forgetting you, then."

ㅡ

"mom? im home," haruto twisted the knob of the gigantic door looming right above him, pushing the door to open and see a glimpse of the spacious and gigantic estate that his family resides in.

taking a step inside the mansion, maids that were scattered for almost every corner quickly gathered around and bowed after seeing the male step inside the house.

saying a "welcome back, master," in unison as a sign of hospitality. however, haruto never thought of it as one, but rather an robotic response that were uttered out of responsibility rather than being genuine.

ignoring the welcome, haruto frowned before asking his mother's whereabouts. and being told to wait as they get her to who knows where, he took a sit at the expensive couch as the maid fumbled on serving the tea for him to drink.

he never really wanted to come home and sit idle and proper for the rest of the day. after lots of begging, and promises for assurance, he managed to get them an apartment for him to stay in and escape the suffocating atmosphere lingering around the estate for a long time.

and after a long bear of disdain, his mother finally appeared by going down the gigantic glass stairs, sauntering as if being a complete quintessence of elegance and pride.

"haruto! im glad you came. how are you, darling?" haruto stood up to greet and pay respect to the individual higher than him, his mother leaning down to place a peck on his cheek for the warm welcome.

he smiled, but he knew the exact reason why he was called and now here. to discuss something, that matter again.