Sunshine Shower

Woo Yeonjae’s gaze landed on the jelly that had fallen onto the passenger seat.“Ah.”Moon Seoyoon instinctively picked up the jelly. It had fallen from his cardigan, so his hand reached out without thinking. He had heard something rustling earlier, and now he knew it was this.“What’s with the jelly?”Woo Yeonjae raised an eyebrow, as if he had seen something strange. Since he hadn’t opened the door yet, Moon Seoyoon awkwardly straightened his posture. He turned his head reflexively towards the driver’s seat but their eyes didn’t meet. Woo Yeonjae’s gaze was fixed on the jelly.The jelly that had fallen from his cardigan pocket was a gift from Kim Seonju. He had forgotten about it because it wasn’t a snack he usually ate.“You don’t eat this kind of stuff, do you?”Woo Yeonjae asked while inspecting the back of the jelly packet. His eyes narrowed in confusion, and a faint hint of irritation appeared.“Do you remember almost choking to death on one of these?”It was during their late elementary school years. A fruit-flavored jelly had lodged in his throat, nearly choking him. If Woo Yeonjae, who was nearby, hadn’t reacted quickly, he might have suffocated. The artificial taste on his tongue was still vivid.Moon Seoyoon hadn’t eaten jelly since then. Even though he had grown up and was no longer likely to choke on a small jelly, the trauma lingered, and he didn’t crave it.“I got it as a gift.”Given that his friend had almost witnessed him dying, it was understandable that Woo Yeonjae reacted so strongly. Moon Seoyoon, feeling both grateful and embarrassed by the sharp remark, replied awkwardly.“Who gave it to you?”His friend’s stare made it clear that he needed to explain.“Your girlfriend….”“Seonju?”It was only after noticing Woo Yeonjae’s slowly furrowing brow that he realized his mistake. He should have said Taeeun had given it to him. Most people wouldn’t be pleased to hear that their friend received something from their girlfriend. Realizing his slip, Moon Seoyoon hurriedly explained the situation.“No, I ran into her after work…. On the way to the dormitory, near the art department. She had come out for a break while working on a project, so we went to the convenience store together. She gave it to me as thanks for walking her back.”Every word was cautious. Moon Seoyoon anxiously awaited his friend’s response, replaying his own words. He knew Woo Yeonjae wasn’t one to make unnecessary assumptions, but he couldn’t be sure. He had rarely seen Woo Yeonjae around his girlfriend, so it was hard to predict his reaction.One thing was certain: if Woo Yeonjae got angry, it would bother him a lot.“Why accept something you won’t even eat?”“It felt rude to refuse when she offered. It would’ve been awkward to turn it down.”Woo Yeonjae’s expression was unreadable. The jelly packet crinkled under his fingers, producing an irritable sound. Moon Seoyoon regretted not making up a different excuse. He felt small over a mere jelly.He considered apologizing, hesitating as he wondered if it would sound strange. What exactly would he be apologizing for?For meeting with his girlfriend? For accepting a snack? For not mentioning it earlier? …Or for liking him?“Sorry.”To stop his thoughts from spiraling, Moon Seoyoon blurted out an apology. Woo Yeonjae, taken aback by the suddenness, frowned slightly before breaking into a laugh.“What are you sorry for?”There was a playful tone in his voice. He wasn’t genuinely asking; it was his way of saying there was no need to apologize.“I thought it might upset you. Since it’s from your girlfriend….”“Forget it. It’s no big deal.”Woo Yeonjae tossed the jelly towards the console box. Unsure whether to take it or leave it, Moon Seoyoon awkwardly decided to leave it there and opened the door. Even though he had never seen Woo Yeonjae eat such snacks, he thought it might be different since it was from his girlfriend. People in relationships often made compromises on their preferences.“Seoyoon.”As he was about to step out, Moon Seoyoon turned his head to look at Woo Yeonjae.“Don’t accept stuff like this next time.”His slightly raised lips didn’t look much different from usual, but Moon Seoyoon could easily tell he was upset.“You know I get jealous easily.”His eyes, hidden behind a smile, were chilling.It was difficult for Moon Seoyoon to watch Woo Yeonjae getting jealous over a mere jelly. He bit his tongue and nodded before hastily getting out of the car and heading towards the dormitory without stopping.“Sigh….”It was only after entering the dorm lobby that he could finally exhale. Lack of oxygen made his eyes feel hot. Moon Seoyoon rubbed his eyelids for no reason as he pressed the elevator button.Woo Yeonjae showing jealousy over a trivial matter felt more unfamiliar than seeing him angry.***Woo Yeonjae idly fiddled with his glass, his gaze fixed on it as if he were deep in thought. His eyelids moved slightly when he sensed someone sitting beside him.“Sorry, did you wait long?”Kim Seonju’s eyebrows drooped apologetically.“It’s fine. I didn’t wait long.”“Did you have lunch?”“With the professor.”“The professor?”At the word “professor,” Kim Seonju’s eyes widened. Woo Yeonjae briefly clarified.“Moon Seoyoon’s father.”“Seoyoon’s father? Oh right, you mentioned he’s a professor. So, Seoyoon ate with you too? You both took the last exam together.”“Yeah.”“If you’re having meals with his parents, you two must be really close. I knew you were friends, but that’s surprising.”It’s rare to see guys this close. Kim Seonju added, stirring her straw. The ice clinked softly in the glass.“You met Moon Seoyoon recently, right?”“How did you know? I was planning to tell you today.”Kim Seonju responded with a deliberately coy expression, a playful look spreading across her pale face.“Aren’t you jealous?”“Jealous?”Woo Yeonjae echoed. His expression suggested he didn’t understand why jealousy was even mentioned. Predicting this response, Kim Seonju pouted, tapping her arm on the table.“You don’t get jealous, do you? You don’t mind if I stay out drinking late or meet up with my high school friends without asking who they are.”“Am I your parent? Does a partner need to control those aspects?”Even though he smiled faintly, Kim Seonju puffed out her cheeks in a playful sulk.“My friends are jealous that my boyfriend doesn’t interfere too much, but sometimes it makes me feel neglected. Don’t people usually want to control the ones they like?”“Have you only dated weirdos before?”“You’re the weird one.”The mood was lighthearted. Kim Seonju stirred her drink with a straw, looking at her boyfriend beside her.Woo Yeonjae was a good boyfriend by most standards. Not only was he attractive, but his personality was also great. He was generally kind and accommodating, making the relationship easy. Although he sometimes made her feel upset over trivial matters, it was something she could easily overlook.“By the way, Woo Yeonjae, why did you lie to your girlfriend?”“I’ve never lied to Kim Seonju.”“You said no one could enter your studio apartment, not even your parents. But Seoyoon said he’s been there.”Woo Yeonjae frowned at the sudden topic. He had figured Kim Seonju would ask about various things after hearing he met Moon Seoyoon, but he hadn’t expected the studio apartment to come up. What kind of conversation did they have that brought this up?“Can’t I visit too? I’m curious about how my neat-freak boyfriend lives.”It was a topic he thought they had finished discussing. Feeling a faint irritation rising, Woo Yeonjae called her name.“Seonju.”His voice was gentle.“I thought we agreed not to cross certain lines.”Realizing her mistake, Kim Seonju’s lips twitched.Woo Yeonjae waited briefly to see if she had anything to say. When she stayed silent, he continued.“We haven’t known each other long enough to invade each other’s personal spaces, have we?”His question was gentle and casual.“If someone heard us, they’d think we’ve been dating for years, right?”