Eunwoo woke up to the faint smell of tea and the warmth of the sun filtering through his curtains. His body still felt heavy, but the ache in his muscles and fever from the night before had dissipated. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and the soft light in the room blurred at first before his vision adjusted.
He was lying in his bed, under fresh sheets, his body dressed in a new set of clothes—something he didn't remember changing into. His mind started to clear, and he was about to sit up when he heard a soft sound beside him.
Minjae was sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes focused on a steaming cup of tea in his hands. His expression was calm, but there was a quiet intensity in his gaze. His dark hair fell over his forehead, and there was a slight crease between his brows as if he had been lost in thought for some time.
Eunwoo blinked, still processing what had happened the night before.
"You're awake," Minjae's voice was gentle, a soft relief in his tone. "How are you feeling?"
Eunwoo tried to speak, but his throat felt dry. He coughed lightly, then nodded. "Better. Thank you," he managed to say, his voice rough from the fever. His eyes wandered, and he felt the weight of the situation. "What happened? I don't remember much after I got home from work."
Minjae set the cup of tea down and turned to face him. His expression softened, but there was a hint of concern still present. "You had a fever. You were burning up. I just... I couldn't leave you like that." His voice trailed off, as if there were things left unsaid.
Eunwoo swallowed, his chest tight. He didn't know how to feel about the intimacy of it all—how Minjae had cared for him, watched over him all night. It made his heart race, but he knew he shouldn't be feeling this way, especially after everything.
"I didn't mean to make you worry," Eunwoo whispered, his eyes avoiding Minjae's. "I just... I was so tired." He couldn't bring himself to meet Minjae's gaze, the distance between them suddenly feeling too close. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions he couldn't quite contain.
Minjae's gaze lingered on him for a moment before he gave a small, almost sad smile. "It's fine. I'm glad you're okay."
The silence stretched between them, and Eunwoo felt his heart pounding louder with each passing second. He wanted to say something—anything to break the tension—but the words caught in his throat. What could he say? How could he explain what he was feeling when it was so complicated?
Minjae finally spoke again, his tone lighter but still with quiet seriousness. "Look, I'm not trying to make things weird, okay? But you've been avoiding me a lot recently... and I don't know if it's because of what happened last time or if there's something else going on with you, but I need to know. Because it's starting to feel like something's wrong between us."
Eunwoo's heart raced, and he felt his stomach twist. He hadn't expected Minjae to bring it up so directly. The "something" Minjae was talking about—the tension, the lingering looks, the moments that felt too intimate—had been hanging over him for weeks. But how could he say it? How could he admit the truth when it felt like everything he had ever known would come crashing down?
"I..." Eunwoo started but stopped, his voice faltering. He could feel the words forming, but they felt too big to speak. Instead, he clutched the blanket tightly, trying to hold himself together.
Minjae must have sensed the internal struggle because his expression softened. He leaned in a little closer, his voice lower now, almost a whisper. "You don't have to tell me everything right now, Eunwoo. But I need you to stop avoiding me. If you need space, just say it. But don't shut me out. Not when I'm right here."
Eunwoo closed his eyes, the weight of Minjae's words sinking deep into his chest. He didn't know how to respond, how to make sense of everything. He just knew that the feelings he had for Minjae, the things he was trying to push down, were only growing stronger.
"Minjae..." Eunwoo whispered, finally lifting his gaze to meet his eyes. "I don't know what to do with all of this. I just don't. You mean so much to me... and I can't..." His voice broke off, and he felt his heart pounding faster.
Minjae's hand reached out, gently resting on top of his. "Eunwoo, you don't have to carry this alone. Whatever it is... we'll figure it out together."
But deep inside, Eunwoo knew it wasn't that simple. Not when the line between family loyalty and personal desire had already begun to blur beyond repair.