Sunshine Shower

“Still, it’s the first time meeting your friends. Why, back when we just started dating…?”The conversation was muffled by the sound of the wind. No, maybe it wasn’t the wind’s fault. There was a faint ringing in his ears. Feeling unsure if he was managing his expression well, Moon Seoyoon pretended to listen attentively to their conversation. Fortunately, Kim Hyunseung was beside him. He wouldn’t be the only one bombarded with questions.“I’m on my way back from hanging out with my friends. Can you give me a ride?”As the affectionate conversation ended, Kim Sunjoo grabbed Woo Yeonjae’s arm and smiled sweetly.“It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face.”If he was smart, he would’ve slipped away at that moment. As if they shared the same thought, Kim Hyunseung nudged him. Their eyes met, and there was an unspoken agreement. Just as Kim Hyunseung was about to speak, Woo Yeonjae slowly turned his gaze towards Moon Seoyoon.“Um. Moon Seoyoon needs a ride.”Momentarily taken aback, Moon Seoyoon unconsciously licked his lips. But it was difficult to speak up. What kind of reaction should he show in this situation?“Hey, is Moon just your friend? Seriously, that guy.”“You live nearby.”“Wow, can’t even say anything.”Thanks to Kim Hyunseung’s prompt response, the conversation flowed smoothly. Moon Seoyoon glanced at Kim Sunjoo unnecessarily. To his dismay, she seemed to be enjoying the banter between Woo Yeonjae and Kim Hyunseung, finding their argument amusing. She didn’t seem to take Woo Yeonjae’s words too seriously.Everyone was like that. It felt like I was being pricked because I’m a guy, and because Woo Yeonjae is a guy. Initially, people who have unrequited love can’t act confidently, but because we both liked the same guy, I kept overreacting to even trivial matters, unable to react normally.Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion swept over me. It wasn’t the fatigue from unrequited love but the exhaustion from feeling smaller and smaller even in trivial matters.“So, are you telling your girlfriend to go alone?”As the argument ended, Kim Sunjoo furrowed her brows slightly. Rather than expressing disappointment, it was closer to a tone of playfulness when speaking to a lover. Pretending to be angry, she lightly applied pressure to her cheek, stimulating Moon Seoyoon’s guilt with her rounded eyes and puffy cheeks.When with Woo Yeonjae, Moon Seoyoon always felt a sense of guilt. Just the fact that he liked his childhood friend of the same sex made him sorry. But now, encountering his girlfriend as well, it was a mixture of uncomfortable emotions.Moon Seoyoon hoped his voice wouldn’t sound strange as he managed to speak up.“You take your girlfriend home. I’ll hang out a bit more with Hyunseung and then take a taxi back.”Despite wanting to go home due to the sudden surge of discomfort, it seemed better to cleanly part ways with an excuse.“Really, are you sure?”Woo Yeonjae looked at Moon Seoyoon, asking like an innocent puppy waiting for permission, his face showing a kind of naïveté. Moon Seoyoon nodded, managing to force a smile on his strained face.“Go on. Don’t leave your girlfriend waiting in the cold for too long.”Whenever he uttered the words “your girlfriend,” he had to put a bit more strength into his lips.“Okay, then. I’ll go first.”Moon Seoyoon pretended not to see the arm wrapping around his waist over the white coat.“Since we go to the same school, if we happen to run into each other, let’s greet each other! Thanks for letting me tag along, Yeonjae.”Kim Sunjoo shook hands with a seamless smile, naturally linking arms with Woo Yeonjae. Moon Seoyoon made an effort not to look in their direction.“See you later.”With a quick turn of his head, Woo Yeonjae left a brief farewell and started to move away from his girlfriend. If Moon Seoyoon hadn’t encountered her, that would have been the direction he’d walked.“Where do you want to go, Moon?”“Oh, let’s go.”Moon Seoyoon replied with a nonsensical answer, turning his back with Kim Hyunseung. It felt somewhat comical to be retracing their steps, but at this point, it was too late to change direction.‘Thanks for letting me tag along, Yeonjae.’Amidst the harsh sound of the wind and the bustling noise of people, a lively voice suddenly popped out. Unlike me, who had quiet and calm habits, it was an energetic and lovely voice.Yielding. Moon Seoyoon pondered over that word. It meant refusing something and giving it to someone else. If it’s not yielding to an adversary, then that something must be what I desire.I…yielding Woo Yeonjae…Moon Seoyoon had never wanted to yield Woo Yeonjae to anyone. He simply knew that there would be moments when he would have to yield to someone, someday, or occasionally.I’ll have to get used to it more from now on.The fact that there would be moments where he would have to yield was also the same.He would continue to live like that. Yielding Woo Yeonjae to someone else while gradually wearing himself out over an unattainable unrequited love.But still, it was all okay.Emotions would eventually become familiar as they wore down over time.***“Wow. I can’t believe it’s the first day of classes tomorrow.”Song Jua muttered while taking a shot. Moon Seoyoon lightly chuckled at a statement any college student could relate to.“I can’t believe I’m going back to school either.”“Oppa, don’t give off the vibe of being a returning student. Of course, with your face, personality, and wealth, who cares.”“Here you go again with the nonsense.”Furrowing his brow slightly, Moon Seoyoon watched as Song Jua poured the espresso shot into a cup filled with ice. Setting down the tray with cake and iced Americanos on the counter, she suddenly asked a question, as if someone had come to mind.“Lately, your friend hasn’t been coming around much, huh?”“Woo Yeonjae? Must be busy. Maybe because his girlfriend came back to Korea.”Even though it had only been a week since the last time, it already felt like an eternity. What used to be excitement and anticipation when waiting for Woo Yeonjae at the café had gradually turned into a faint sense of disappointment over the past week. Despite knowing that there was nothing to be upset about, Moon Seoyoon couldn’t help but feel disappointed every time Woo Yeonjae wasn’t there after his shift ended. It felt almost inevitable.“He’s more like a lover than a friend, that senior.”“Isn’t it the same for you?”Moon Seoyoon joked, feeling like he might just end up dwelling on unnecessary emotions.“Of course not. You know, if you break up with a lover, you end up losing friends around you, right? Plus, there aren’t many normal people who go all-in when they get a lover.”“You’re doing well.”Moon Seoyoon also tended to think that long-lasting relationships were based more on friendship than on affection.“Oh, by the way, have you moved into the dorm? It’s a new building, right? How is it?”“It’s alright. There’s a convenience store right below and a restaurant in the basement. It has everything. It feels spacious, maybe because of that.”As soon as he was able to move in, he had quickly transferred his belongings.The dormitory was fine. Perhaps because not everyone had moved in yet, it had an overall quiet and tranquil atmosphere. Although it was a double room, it seemed spacious for a dorm, so there wouldn’t be any embarrassing situations with his roommate. The bathroom and toilet were also new and clean since it was a newly built facility.“How’s your roommate?”“I haven’t seen his face yet.”“And tomorrow’s the first day of classes?”“I left my stuff and went out… Looking at his student ID, he’s actually a senior.”“Is Monday the first day of classes? My friend says so, and there seem to be quite a few people who come in on the first day or after orientation ends.”Song Jua unexpectedly provided some information. As someone who had no experience with dormitories and whose close friends had only lived alone, Moon Seoyoon didn’t know this information. He had been slightly puzzled as to why he hadn’t seen his roommate’s face yet, but now the question was resolved.“You’ll eventually see his face as you live together.”“If you ever have trouble with a weird person, you can curse at them too. I’ll curse with you.”“Got it. Thanks.”Moon Seoyoon began to faintly smile as he started taking shots. He wondered if anything would happen because of his roommate.***The luggage on the bed across from him remained unchanged, just as it had been before. Moon Seoyoon, preparing to leave for his major classes, glanced at his suitcase once and then left the dormitory.I’ll pray for Moon Seoyoon to have a shitty roommate.Woo Yeonjae’s voice echoed in his mind, making him feel strangely unsettled.Entering the lecture hall, which felt both unfamiliar and familiar, he chose a seat and sat down. It was a seat positioned somewhere in the middle, neither in the front nor in the back. Having spent his freshman year mostly sticking with Woo Yeonjae, there weren’t any other classmates he felt close enough to sit with, so the lively atmosphere of the classroom felt somewhat awkward.With nothing else to do, he idly played with his phone when he sensed someone sitting down beside him. The scent was similar to Woo Yeonjae’s cologne. Moon Seoyoon thought irrelevantly as he absentmindedly tapped on his tablet.“Oh! Hey, hyung!”A junior sitting in the front row greeted him. Knowing that the greeting wasn’t directed at him, Moon Seoyoon kept his gaze down and pretended to focus on the course syllabus.“Hi.”He lifted his head in surprise when he heard a familiar, gentle voice. When he turned to look, he saw Woo Yeonjae leaning on his hand, looking at him with his cheek pressed against his palm, as if waiting for a response.