The days that followed felt suspended in time. Eunwoo found himself caught in the space between the past and the unknown future, each day blending into the next, filled with the same quiet moments but with a tension lingering in the air that hadn't been there before.
Minjae hadn't pushed him. He had respected Eunwoo's request for time, which, in itself, was both a relief and a source of quiet turmoil. Eunwoo had never been good with uncertainty. He was used to knowing what came next to following the pattern of his life, but with Minjae, everything felt off-balance, unpredictable. And he couldn't decide if that was exciting or terrifying.
At school, things were different. They were still friends, still laughing in the hallways and sharing their usual inside jokes, but now there was a weight to their interactions, something unspoken yet undeniable. Minjae would catch his eye from across the classroom, a slight smile tugging at his lips, and Eunwoo's heart would race without him understanding why.
It wasn't just the way Minjae looked at him, though. It was how everything seemed to change in his presence. The little things. The way their shoulders brushed when they passed in the hall, the accidental touch of their hands as they reached for the same book. It was like every moment between them had become amplified, but still, neither of them was ready to give voice to what hung between them.
Eunwoo spent more time thinking about it, pacing through his own mind like a maze. He had never been one to overthink, but with Minjae, he couldn't help it. What did this mean? What were they supposed to do now? Was there even a path forward, or were they simply standing still, pretending they didn't see what was right in front of them?
He knew he had to talk to Minjae again. The silence was starting to feel heavier than any conversation could have. But each time he thought he was ready, the doubt crept in again.
"Are you okay?"
Eunwoo jumped slightly, snapping out of his thoughts. He turned to see Hyunwoo standing next to him, his expression unusually concerned. Eunwoo quickly composed himself, offering a smile that felt a little too forced.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... tired," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I guess school's catching up with me."
Hyunwoo didn't seem convinced. He studied him for a moment, his gaze shifting in a way that made Eunwoo nervous, like he was trying to read something between the lines.
"You sure? You've been kind of distant lately," Hyunwoo remarked. "I mean, we're still good, right?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken layers. Eunwoo hesitated, unsure how to respond. He didn't want to lie, but he didn't know how to explain the confusion he was feeling. How could he? Hyunwoo wouldn't understand.
"Yeah, we're good," Eunwoo finally said, though the words felt hollow.
Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow, unconvinced, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he clapped Eunwoo on the back and smiled. "Alright, just... don't shut me out, okay? You know I'm here if you need to talk."
Eunwoo nodded, even though he wasn't sure if that was the truth. Lately, it seemed like the person he needed to talk to most was Minjae, and yet, he still couldn't bring himself to open up.
Later that afternoon, after school let out, Eunwoo found himself walking to the park again. It was almost like a pull, like the place had become a magnet, drawing him in. He didn't know if Minjae would be there—if he even wanted to see him—but he went anyway, as though some part of him already knew the answer.
As he arrived at the familiar spot by the swings, he saw Minjae sitting on the same bench they had shared just a few days ago, looking out at the horizon. The light from the setting sun painted everything in a soft, golden glow, casting long shadows and bathing the park in a quiet, peaceful warmth. Minjae's face was turned slightly away, but Eunwoo could still see the way his lips pressed together in concentration, as if he was trying to work something out.
For a moment, Eunwoo hesitated. Maybe it wasn't the right time. Maybe he wasn't ready. But before he could convince himself to walk away, Minjae turned his head, their eyes meeting across the distance between them. His face softened, and he stood up, stepping forward as if he had been waiting for Eunwoo.
"Eunwoo," Minjae said, his voice gentle but with an underlying urgency. "I've been thinking."
Eunwoo swallowed hard. He had expected this. But hearing Minjae say it, hearing the tension in his voice made everything feel real.
"I don't want to keep avoiding this," Minjae continued. "I know you need time, and I respect that. But I can't keep pretending like nothing's happening. I... I need to know, Eunwoo. Do you feel this, too?"
Eunwoo's heart skipped again. The question was simple, but the weight of it nearly crushed him. Did he feel it, too? Of course he did. The problem was that he didn't know what to do with it.
"I... I don't know," Eunwoo admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've been trying to figure it out, but I don't have the answers. I don't know what any of this means. And I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Minjae stepped closer, his presence grounding yet unsettling at the same time. "You don't have to have all the answers. Not right now. I just... need to know if you're willing to try. If you're willing to figure it out with me."
Eunwoo closed his eyes for a moment, the weight of Minjae's words sinking in. He wasn't sure of anything anymore, but there was something in Minjae's voice, in his eyes, that made him believe this could be something worth trying.
"I... I want to try," Eunwoo said, finally. "I don't know where this will go, but I want to figure it out with you."
Minjae's face lit up with a small, hopeful smile. "That's all I needed to hear."
The unspoken things between them hadn't disappeared, but for the first time, Eunwoo felt like he wasn't carrying that weight alone anymore. The uncertainty was still there, but so was the possibility of something more.
And maybe that was enough for now.