Yunho found himself standing outside the same café again, the one his neighbor had dragged him to just yesterday. He wasn't sure why he was here, or why he even bothered to come back.
The café wasn't exactly on his way home, yet somehow, his feet had carried him back, like some part of him expected to see Wonho lounging at a table, acting like he didn't have a single responsibility in the world. It had only been a day since their lunch, but the conversation still lingered in Yunho's head.
"You don't have to kill yourself working every single day just to get by. . ."
What did Wonho even know about that? He probably had his whole life figured out, money, support, things Yunho didn't have the luxury of depending on. Still, Yunho couldn't deny that it had been… nice. The free food. The company. The fact that, for once, someone had acted like he wasn't just another exhausted college student barely keeping up with life.
Shaking his head, Yunho sighed and turned away from the café. He wasn't here for anything, and standing around like an idiot wasn't going to do him any favors.
"Yo."
Yunho closed his eyes, already regretting stopping in the first place.
"You again?" he muttered, turning around to find Wonho leaning against a nearby lamp-post, hands shoved into his hoodie pockets. He looked amused, like he had been watching Yunho debate with himself for a solid minute.
"Didn't think I'd see you back here so soon." Wonho smirked. "What, missed me already?"
Yunho scoffed. "You wish."
"Damn. And here I thought we had something special," Wonho said, dramatically clutching his chest like he was heartbroken.
Yunho rolled his eyes, but for some reason, he didn't walk away.
Wonho tilted his head, studying him. "You busy?"
Yunho hesitated. "Why?"
"Because," Wonho said, pushing himself off the lamppost. "I was gonna grab some food, and since you're here, might as well come with me."
Yunho frowned. "You just assume I wanna eat with you?"
"Well, you look like you could use another free meal." Wonho raised an eyebrow. "Or are you actually planning to buy your own this time?"
Yunho glared at him, but the truth was, he hadn't eaten since that morning. His wallet was looking pretty empty too, but he wasn't about to admit that.
"…Fine. But I'm not your charity case."
"Never said you were," Wonho said easily, turning toward the café. "Come on, before you change your mind."
Yunho sighed, following after him.
They ended up at a booth near the window again. The place wasn't too crowded, just the usual mix of students and office workers looking for an afternoon caffeine fix. Wonho didn't even glance at the menu before ordering, like he was already familiar with everything. Yunho, on the other hand, barely glanced at it before deciding on the cheapest thing available.
Wonho raised an eyebrow. "That's all you're getting?"
"It's fine."
"Dude, you eat like a bird." Wonho shook his head before turning to the cashier. "Throw in a sandwich too."
Yunho opened his mouth to protest, but Wonho just shot him a look that basically said shut up and eat.
When their food arrived, Yunho begrudgingly accepted the extra sandwich, too hungry to argue further. They ate in silence for a bit, but it wasn't awkward. If anything, Yunho found himself getting used to Wonho's presence, like they had some sort of unspoken understanding.
"So," Wonho said after a while. "What's your deal?"
Yunho blinked. "Huh?"
"You're always stressed out, always busy, and you look like you barely sleep. What's the story?"
Yunho exhaled sharply, not really in the mood to talk about himself. "It's not that deep."
"Everything's deep when you actually talk about it."
Yunho gave him a flat look. "You a therapist now?"
"Nah, but I like figuring people out," Wonho said, grinning. "And you? You're interesting."
Yunho wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult.
He took another bite of his sandwich, chewing slowly. Normally, he'd shut a conversation like this down, but for some reason, he answered.
"My parents are kinda… out of the picture," he admitted, staring at his cup. "I've been on my own for a while now. School, work… it's all on me."
Wonho didn't say anything at first. No pitying looks, no awkward responses. Just a small nod, like he actually heard him.
"That sucks."
Yunho snorted. "Yeah. Pretty much."
"You ever think about getting out of here?" Wonho asked, tapping his fingers against the table. "Like, actually leaving this place?"
Yunho looked at him, confused. "What?"
Wonho leaned back, stretching his arms. "I dunno. Just seems like you're stuck. Maybe you need a change."
Yunho frowned. "And where exactly am I supposed to go?"
Wonho just shrugged, that usual grin creeping back onto his face. "Dunno. Guess you'll figure it out when the time comes."
Yunho scoffed. "You talk like life's that easy."
"It can be," Wonho said, finishing the last of his drink. "If you stop making it harder on yourself."
Yunho had no idea what to make of that. But as he sat there, eating food he hadn't paid for, in a café he never would've gone to on his own, he started wondering if maybe, just maybe, Wonho had a point.
Then, something struck him.
"You're always so casual," Yunho commented, half-joking. "How old are you, anyway?"
Wonho looked at him, surprised for a moment, before leaning back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head. "I'm twenty," he said. "Why?"
Yunho blinked. "Twenty? Really? You seem… older."
Wonho chuckled, clearly amused. "You think I look that old?"
Yunho thought about it for a second. "Well, yeah. You act like you don't have a care in the world. Kinda makes sense."
Wonho shrugged, unfazed by the comment. "I just don't take things too seriously, I guess."
Yunho smirked. "I guess."
There was a pause before Wonho hesitated. "Hey, can I… can I call you hyung?"
Yunho blinked, looking genuinely surprised, then smiled. "You wanna call me hyung, huh?"
Wonho shrugged, feeling a bit awkward all of a sudden. "I mean, you're older. Feels right, I guess."
Yunho laughed softly but feels shy. "That's so sudden. . . but if it makes you feel better. I'm cool with it. . ."
Wonho gave a small nod, a little embarrassed at his own awkwardness. But the moment passed, and they went back to eating in a more comfortable silence.
Yunho shifted in his seat, trying not to let his mind linger too much on how close they were sitting. There was something disarming about Wonho's casual confidence, the way he made everything seem so easy, so light. Yunho wasn't used to that. He was always the serious one, always working, always burdened with responsibility.
But here was Wonho, a little younger, but somehow more carefree, and Yunho couldn't help but feel an odd pull toward him.
Wonho's smirk didn't help matters. "You know," he said, his voice taking on a teasing edge, "you really don't have to be so shy, Yunho."
Yunho's brows furrowed as he looked up at him. "Shy?"
Wonho leaned back in his chair, the grin on his face broadening. "Yeah, you've been acting all tense since I told you to call me hyung. I thought older guys were supposed to be confident, but you're acting like I'm asking you to do something weird."
Yunho gave him a flat look. "It's not weird. Just feels… unnecessary."
"Unnecessary?" Wonho raised an eyebrow. "You really don't want me to call you hyung? I mean, I am twenty. You're the older one here, after all."
Yunho's mind raced for a moment, trying to steady himself. "I'm twenty-three. It's not like there's a huge gap."
Wonho chuckled. "Still, you're the older one, so I guess I should listen to you, huh?"
"Maybe," Yunho said, though he wasn't sure where this conversation was headed. He wasn't used to this kind of dynamic, being the older one and still feeling like the one who was being toyed with.
Wonho's expression softened slightly, his playful tone shifting. "You know, it's not about the age. It's about the respect. I don't mind it, really. Don't you like it when I call you hyung hmm?"
Yunho blinked, his heart giving a small, strange jolt. "Is this some kind of game to you?"
Wonho smiled, and this time it wasn't playful, it was genuine, almost soft. "Maybe. But I think I just like a challenge. You're not as simple as you seem, hyung. There's more to you than you show."
Yunho opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure of how to respond. His mind was racing. This whole thing, Wonho calling him hyung—had thrown him off more than he'd like to admit. He was used to being the one in charge, the one who didn't have to answer to anyone. And now, here was this younger guy, making him feel like he was… well, the one being noticed.
"Alright, alright," Yunho finally said, his voice rougher than he intended. "Call me hyung if it makes you happy."
Wonho leaned forward again, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I knew you'd come around," he said, his voice lowering slightly. "It just sounds nice when you say it, hyung."
Yunho felt his chest tighten. There was something about the way Wonho said it, so casual, so confident—that made it feel... different. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not.
"Don't get used to it," Yunho muttered, though he didn't have the heart to argue further. There was something disarming about Wonho's attention, his ease with everything.
Wonho just laughed, as if he'd won some small victory, before taking another sip of his drink. "I think I'll call you hyung all the time from now on. You're the only one who makes it this hard to get used to, anyway."
Yunho couldn't help but laugh along with him, though his heart was still racing, unsure of where this was going. For once, he wasn't trying to keep everything in check, and maybe, just maybe—that wasn't such a bad thing.
END OF CHAPTER 4