Sunshine Shower

“Moon Seoyoon, you’re such a romantic,” Nam Taeun teased, swirling his beer without a hint of drunkenness.“It’s the first time I’ve talked about this, so please stop teasing me.”“From what you’ve said, it sounds like you’ve liked him since you were kids. All that kissing and stuff. Doesn’t he have feelings for you too?”“We’re just friends.”“Yeah, right. Ask your other friends what they think about your relationship.”Despite Moon Seoyoon’s firm denial, Nam Taeun remained skeptical. It made sense since he probably misunderstood and thought Woo Yeonjae was a girl, even with some embellishments. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything. Moon Seoyoon fiddled with his cold beer glass.But he needed someone to confide in.The emotions he had accumulated over seven years had become too heavy to bear alone. Yet, there wasn’t anyone he could easily talk to about it. Besides Woo Yeonjae, his closest friend was Kim Hyunseung, but telling him would inevitably lead to Woo Yeonjae finding out.And Moon Seoyoon didn’t want Woo Yeonjae to know he had a crush. He was terrified of revealing even a sliver of his feelings.So, it seemed safer to confide in Nam Taeun. He was one of the few people in his circle with no connection to Woo Yeonjae, close enough to trust with secrets, and, most importantly, someone who could keep his mouth shut.Using alcohol as an excuse, Moon Seoyoon shared his burdens.“I’m telling you, we’re just friends… He’s even had a girlfriend since he was twenty.”“What? Cough, cough.”Nam Taeun coughed for a while, then swallowed some soju instead of water and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes wandered aimlessly, seemingly at a loss.“Since he was twenty? So, about four years?”“They started dating just before I enlisted, and now it’s spring, so it’s actually been two years. Still, it’s a long time.”Moon Seoyoon responded, touching the beads of water on his beer glass. Speaking about it made him realize how ironic it was.From a very young age, Woo Yeonjae had always been in his memories. Whether by choice or circumstance, the two years he hadn’t seen Woo Yeonjae felt like they had passed by with his girlfriend instead.“Well, two years isn’t short. I’m sorry, man. I thought you two were just fooling around because he keeps calling you his.”“You call me ‘my puppy’ when you tease me too. ‘My Seoyoon’ is just his habit. Other friends call me that too. And calling me ‘his’ has been a habit since we were kids, so our high school friends know it’s just a phrase.”Nam Taeun listened silently, downing soju like it was beer. It made sense to have a possessive streak towards friends as a child, but chanting “My Seoyoon” throughout their teens was a bit odd. Do normal friends say such things? There must have been rumors about them being more than friends. Maybe it’s different with guys.“Does he know you like him and act that way?”Suspicion rose with the alcohol, and Nam Taeun probed cautiously. He knew Moon Seoyoon was perceptive, but even perceptive people could be blinded by their feelings, especially if it was unrequited love. It’s impossible to be objective about someone you love.“No, I know his personality. If he knew, he wouldn’t drag it out.”Moon Seoyoon shook his head firmly, chewing on a pear instead of raw meat. Trying to keep up with Nam Taeun’s drinking had made him dizzy.Even with his mind clouded, he was sure Woo Yeonjae didn’t know. If he did, their relationship would have reached some conclusion by now.‘Cut it out, Seoyoon.’Woo Yeonjae would have said that upon learning his childhood friend had a crush on him. And if he decided to maintain their friendship despite the disgust.Otherwise, they would’ve already drifted apart.Woo Yeonjae wasn’t desperate for human connections and was ruthless in cutting people off. That’s why Moon Seoyoon was sure he didn’t know about his feelings.Moreover, he had harbored this unrequited love alone for seven years. He knew Woo Yeonjae well enough not to reveal his feelings so easily, nor was he weak-hearted. Nam Taeun only found out because of Woo Yeonjae’s unexpected derogatory comment; otherwise, he would have kept it hidden this time too.“If you say so, then that’s how it is… I guess it’s a relief. Or should I not say it’s a relief for you?”Nam Taeun ruffled his bangs, revealing and then hiding his handsome forehead.“Ah, I don’t know. But Seoyoon, you know what?”“What?”“It’s a sin to flirt without understanding people’s feelings. It’s not your fault. The ones who drop hints without any intention to follow through are the problem.”Nam Taeun poured himself another glass of soju. Maybe it was the alcohol dulling his usual sense of restraint, but Moon Seoyoon didn’t refuse and just watched the glass fill to the brim.“Just drink it. It’ll help you forget the pain of rejection.”“Rejection… isn’t exactly…”He was about to argue that he hadn’t been rejected but closed his mouth. Even if it wasn’t a direct rejection, being told that a man liking another man was abnormal felt pretty close to it.“Cheers.”Nam Taeun offered his glass warmly, trying to lift the mood. Moon Seoyoon lightly clinked his beer glass against it and brought it to his lips. Right now, he didn’t want to think about anything.“Wow, how can he get drunk on just two bottles of soju?”After laying Moon Seoyoon on the bed, Nam Taeun exhaled heavily. No matter how strong he was, carrying a drunk, slumped adult male back to the dorm was no easy feat. It was a bad time to try and hail a taxi, so he had to carry Moon Seoyoon all the way.“I didn’t used to be this weak. Why is my stamina so low… ha…”After catching his breath, he carefully tucked the blanket around Moon Seoyoon and looked at his own bed on the opposite side.“When am I going to unpack?”His suitcase was still sitting there. First, he needed to bring in the packages left outside, then sort through the bedding. Even with the heater on, it was too cold to sleep without a blanket.As he roughly pushed his sweaty hair back and prepared to head out, his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was Moon Seoyoon’s phone, which he had taken for safekeeping. Not wanting to keep it in his pocket, Nam Taeun pulled it out.Woo YeonjaeThe name on the screen seemed familiar.“I think that’s the same name as the guy who called earlier. Or not?”The time showed it was past midnight. A call at this hour suggested something urgent, but with Moon Seoyoon asleep, he hesitated to answer. The buzzing stopped before he made a decision. Relieved, he moved to place the phone by Moon Seoyoon’s head when it started buzzing again.“Ugh.”Finally, Nam Taeun answered the call. If it was something ordinary, they wouldn’t have called twice at this hour. If it was urgent, he’d wake Moon Seoyoon.“Hello?”– …Who is this?After a short silence, a low, slightly irritated voice spoke. The hint of annoyance made Nam Taeun wrinkle his nose. Usually, he’d let it slide, but the alcohol made everything seem more irritating.“I’m a close hyung of Seoyoon.”The casual tone of the other person irked him even more.– Ha.The sound of a dry laugh came from the other end. Nam Taeun realized for the first time that laughter could convey contempt so clearly.– Put Moon Seoyoon on.What’s with this guy? The cold, commanding tone made Nam Taeun instinctively pull the phone away to look at the screen. He tried to recall the name from the bar, but all he got was a vague memory of letters. This can’t be the guy Seoyoon likes, can it?Nam Taeun shook his head slightly. Putting aside the fact that it was a guy, he couldn’t imagine Moon Seoyoon liking someone so rude.“He’s sleeping next to me right now, so don’t call.”Feeling the effects of the alcohol, his eyelids grew heavy. Pressing his fingers against them, Nam Taeun let the words spill out.– Fuck, seriously…A quiet curse came through the phone.– So who the hell are you…?The voice was so overly soft that it took a moment for Nam Taeun to realize it was actually a curse.– Are you saying Moon Seoyoon is sleeping next to you?The previously drawn-out tone suddenly turned harsh and biting.