Sunshine Shower

His tone was playful, as if he was recounting the recent events with the juniors.“Do you think I’m a kid?”“To me, there’s no difference.”Having cried in front of Woo Yeonjae countless times since childhood, Moon Seoyoon couldn’t deny it.“By the way, did the professor ask to see you together?”“How did you know?”“Because if the professor hadn’t brought it up first, you wouldn’t be asking me to go with you.”Was that really the case? Moon Seoyoon thought back and realized that Woo Yeonjae was right. Since becoming adults, the only times he’d invited Woo Yeonjae to his home were when his father asked about him. It was a big change from middle school when he frequently invited him over. Moon Seoyoon hadn’t realized this change himself, but Woo Yeonjae had noticed.“So, when are you going?”Moon Seoyoon was about to ask if they should go this week but changed his mind.“Next month?”Woo Yeonjae knew that Moon Seoyoon had visited his family home last weekend. Mentioning this week would seem suspicious. Since Moon Seoyoon had chosen to live in the dorm to avoid spending too much time at home, going back every weekend would look odd.Though Moon Seoyoon preferred to face issues head-on, he always chose to avoid anything related to his father. Woo Yeonjae probably knew this too, so it seemed better to postpone until next month.“Shall we go after midterms?”Woo Yeonjae lifted his gaze slowly from his mug.“That works. I can use studying as an excuse until then.”“Alright. I’ll let the professor know.”Feeling a sense of relief as the plan was set, Moon Seoyoon realized he had been more tense than he’d thought. He had worried that Woo Yeonjae might refuse due to plans with his girlfriend. It was comforting to know he still had time for him.Moon Seoyoon stood up, planning to return to his duties. Despite the café being quiet, he felt bad leaving Song Jua to handle everything alone.“I’m going back. Stay here.”“Sit for a bit.”As he tried to leave, Woo Yeonjae grabbed his wrist. Instinctively, Moon Seoyoon held onto the sofa with his free hand, trying not to be pulled back. Woo Yeonjae noticed and raised an eyebrow in a displeased expression.Moon Seoyoon quickly made an excuse, realizing his avoidance might be too obvious.“I’m working.”“There aren’t any customers.”Normally, the café would be busy around this time, but today it was unusually quiet.“Still, I’m not working alone.”“Jua.”“Yes?”Woo Yeonjae called out to Song Jua in a familiar tone. Startled, she peeked out from the counter.“Is it busy? I was wondering if it’s okay to keep Seoyoon here for a bit.”“It’s fine. I’ll call him if it gets busy.”“Thanks.”Woo Yeonjae smiled warmly at Song Jua before straightening up and looking at the flustered Moon Seoyoon. He gestured to the seat next to him.“She said it’s fine.”His grip on Moon Seoyoon’s wrist remained firm.“Just for a moment.”Song Jua said it was fine, so Moon Seoyoon reluctantly sat next to Woo Yeonjae. The sofa was wide enough for two adult men to sit comfortably, but it felt uncomfortably narrow, making it hard to breathe.“Why did you call me?”“To talk about the assignment.”Woo Yeonjae turned his laptop slightly and pulled Moon Seoyoon closer, indicating he should sit nearer. The ticklish sensation on his side made Moon Seoyoon flinch and shiver. Startled, even though he had pulled away, Moon Seoyoon anxiously watched Woo Yeonjae’s reaction. Fortunately, Woo Yeonjae seemed focused on the laptop and didn’t notice his oversensitive response.“Look from here.”“Okay.”Moon Seoyoon tried hard to focus on the laptop, but nothing registered, and his mouth felt dry. It was at times like this that he keenly felt the two-year gap. What would have been trivial physical contact before now felt overly significant.He seriously considered keeping some distance for a while.***“Oppa, you worked hard today.”Song Jua, wearing a light jacket, spoke in a tired voice. Moon Seoyoon smiled sympathetically.“You did well too.”“There seem to be so many customers these days.”“Maybe because it’s spring. It’ll get busier during midterms.”“Still, during exams, most people just order Americano, so it’s easier. These days, everyone orders the more complicated drinks.”Time flew by in a blur.The resolution to stay busy was being fulfilled, not by choice but by necessity. Just as Moon Seoyoon got used to school life after a long break, assignments started piling up, and the café was busier than ever. After finishing his part-time job and returning to the dorm, he would be dragged by Nam Taeun to either jog around the school track or grab a late-night snack. Before he knew it, a week had flown by.He didn’t see Woo Yeonjae as much as he expected. They had three classes together a week, occasionally ate lunch together, or sometimes drank with friends.His worries about Woo Yeonjae pestering him with questions about their relationship or feeling neglected were unfounded.Part of him was relieved, but another part felt disappointed, as if Woo Yeonjae’s words about waiting for him were just empty talk.“Thankfully, it’s the weekend tomorrow. I thought about working on the weekend, but it’s best to take a break.”“True.”“You should change quickly and come out. I’ll turn off the lights.”“Got it.”Moon Seoyoon left the rest to Song Jua and went into the supply room to remove his apron. It didn’t take long to change clothes. Thanks to the warmer weather, all he needed was a cardigan.“I’ll lock up.”“Alright. See you next week.”“Take care.”After sending Song Jua off, he locked the café door, looking around the familiar space.Suddenly, this moment overlapped with a day from a few months ago. He was on his way home after finishing his shift when he was pulled by the waist, accompanied by a familiar perfume scent.The only difference now was Woo Yeonjae’s absence.“I’m really something…”Moon Seoyoon let out a self-deprecating laugh. It was ironic to miss Woo Yeonjae’s presence while trying to maintain a distance.He tousled his hair for no reason and started walking towards the dorm. It seemed like the cherry blossoms would bloom soon.“Hey, the puppy’s here.”“What do you mean, puppy?”As Moon Seoyoon entered the room, he saw Nam Taeun looking disheveled, pushing his chair back and waving. It seemed he was busy, probably overwhelmed with assignments.“Let’s go for a smoke.”Nam Taeun clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture, looking quite pitiful.“Never mind. You don’t have to smoke, just come watch me smoke?”“Why do you always ask me to go for a smoke whenever you see me? Don’t you have other friends?”“I don’t have any friends to smoke with at this hour.”Nam Taeun replied cheekily. After a brief hesitation, Moon Seoyoon put his sneakers back on instead of heading further into the room. Nam Taeun, understanding the signal, quickly grabbed his outerwear and approached.“Is it cold outside?”“Not really. I think the cherry blossoms will bloom in a few days.”“Really? Midterms season, huh.”Nam Taeun sighed as he slipped into his slippers. Thus, Moon Seoyoon had to leave the dorm barely five minutes after arriving.“Hey, Moon Seoyoon.”“Yes?”“How’s it going? Your crush.”Cough, cough!Moon Seoyoon choked on the cigarette smoke, caught off guard by the blunt question. The sharp smoke stung his throat.“What?”“What do you mean, ‘what’? You’re glaring at me? Do you think it’s scary to glare at me with tears in your eyes?”Nam Taeun chuckled, exhaling smoke. Slouching on the bench with one leg propped up on his thigh, he looked quite laid-back. His teasing tone matched his casual posture perfectly.“Why bring that up all of a sudden? You didn’t seem interested since you haven’t mentioned it.”“It’s not that I’m curious. I’m just worried about you.”“Worried?”What was there to worry about? Moon Seoyoon frowned.“I don’t remember everything you told me, but I do remember one thing clearly: that person keeps sending signals your way.”“Signals? That’s just how they talk.”“That’s what I mean by signals.”Nam Taeun clicked his tongue and waggled his cigarette-holding fingers.“How are you going to survive in this harsh world being so naive, Moon Seoyoon?”“I’m not naive.”“Anyway, what’s going on? I know it’s none of my business, but I’m asking.”Moon Seoyoon’s lips moved slightly. His chest felt heavy, maybe because of the cigarette.“Nothing’s going on. We’re just friends. We haven’t been in touch much.”“Avoiding them?”Avoiding wasn’t the right word. It was more about keeping boundaries.