Chapter 21

The next day, a beautiful Wednesday morning in Hangbyul.

Jin's eyes flutter open. His lashes bat against the warm sunlight from the opened curtains of the window of his room. His red-tinted lips part as he breathes in the sweet and familiar scent of cologne spreading out within his room through his nose and exhales through his mouth.

His cheeks and pale white skin were flushed against the cold sheets beneath him. His arm loosens from hugging the pillow in his chest, letting it bounce back to its original shape as he lies down on his back, his face confronting the same plain grey ceiling in his room for years. The bangs of his hair were slowly slipping off to his temple, exposing his spotless forehead.

It's still Wednesday. How many more days until the weekend comes?

Jin raises his arm and plays with the strands of his hair above the pillowcase as he slowly shut his eyes close.

As expected, he had a good sleep knowing someone was accompanying him in the same room, but it still took him some time to fall into a deep slumber.

"Bomi."

Hearing the door creak followed by the heavy footsteps inside his room and the scent of sweet cologne getting stronger as seconds go by, he does not need to question the person intruding on his personal space.

"Bom, you need to get up," Jihyuk's voice was filled with melancholy, causing the edge of Jin's lips to lift as he felt the space beside his bed sink.

"I skipped my first subject waiting on you."

Jin tosses his body to the side, his back facing his dear friend, and once again clung to the pillow just as he did earlier, feigning ignorance.

If only he could open his eyes and see the visible frown on his lips.

Jihyuk sighs. He must be tired. He was not upset about skipping his class. He'd be disappointed if his professor wouldn't question him regarding his first absence, despite always coming to class on time.

But what bothers him the most is what Jin is wearing.

He tugs the edge of Jin's thin sleeveless shirt down after seeing the cloth lifted when he moved, exposing his unbelievably small and pale waist.

"…" Jihyuk dashes out of the room while panting heavily as if he's been chased by a mile. His face was never been redder.

While his heart anxiously palpitates inside his chest, he stared down at his trembling hand. He felt them burning with an intense itching sensation as he recalls his fingers brushing against the skin of Jin's waist.

It was softer than he expected…smoother than he anticipated.

He snapped out of his delirious thoughts, feeling a pang of immense guilt eating him up as he leans his weakened body to the nearest wall. Despite holding it in successfully for a few years, how could he avoid acting rashly aside from seeing it in clear vision, he also felt it with his own fingers.

He slides down the cream-painted wall, his hand covering his flustered face.

Thin arms, delicate shoulders, slender neck, soft collarbone…

"Oh my!" Asami jumps in shock, startled by the figure of a person crumbling in the corner. Goodness. She massaged her chest, frightened to death, "You scared me, child. Aigoo, I told you it's pointless to wake him up."

She placed the two bento boxes she packed on the table. One was blue and circle while the other one was green and square. After placing the boxes inside an eco-bag, her eyes glimpsed at the man from the entrance of her kitchen. He was currently sitting on the floor doing nothing but staring at his hand with a dumbfounded face.

She sighs and smiles. After cleaning the area twice as she can do within a day, it looks like dust can't really escape this boy's line of sight.

Aigoo, but what is this child doing on the floor?

A faint yawn they heard from the distance had caused their heads to snap towards Jin's room. The door was open, revealing Jin in his still messy bedroom hair. He was rubbing his eyes while looking at them, half-awake as it seems.

Flicking his lashes whilst trying to blink his drowsiness away, Jin walks towards the table, unaware of the eyes following his movements.

As he surveyed the table, there was only one serving left. Everyone must have eaten aside from him.

Jin glances at the stiff person who went to sit beside him, feeling his piercing stares. First thing in the morning and he had yet to receive the blinding limelight of one blessed godlike physique from the person beside him.

Jihyuk looked fresh.

He was all dressed up and ready to attend the university while he was there, sitting calmly while still in his pink pajama. Jin picked up his chopsticks and finally decided to touch his food. He started with a few small bites and took his time chewing them inside his mouth. As seconds passed, it was no use, his morning sickness was kicking in, and it seems like his stomach was not pleased as well.

His morning ailment was the main reason he refrains eating heavy meals during breakfast, and thus he can only do a few bites from a sandwich, if not, he'll start puking it all out.

He leans his head on Jihyuk's sturdy shoulders, trying hard to swallow the food in his mouth. His heart was starting to feel heavy from the worried stares he received from his mother.

"Here," said Jihyuk, placing his open palms in front of him.

Jin paused from chewing his food and looked up at him in curiosity.

"It's okay, you don't need to force yourself," said Jihyuk, "Spit it out," he continues. He had the same worried smile as his mother.

Jin's eyebrows met. Spit where? In his hands? He looks back at his friend as if he was a foreign person.

Asami touched the side of her face, smiling as she looked at the youngsters in front of her. Aigoo, they're really different in terms of behavior, yet they're still so compatible together. What a sight.

"Don't be silly," Jin managed to speak with his mouth full before brushing Jihyuk's hand down. He felt like he's forgetting something.

After successfully swallowing his food, he opens his lips, "Eomma (mom), where's mochi?"