This Friend | Yeonbin

65

Soobin P.O.V

Yeonjun is coming over today.

I can’t wait.

It’s been nearly two weeks since I saw him at work, and we’ve spent basically every spare minute together.

Now that I’m out, there’s nothing stopping us from hanging out as much as we want.

He’s never actually been to my house, though, which is why I’m excited. I want him to see what my new life is like.

I’m in my room now, trying to make sure it’s as clean as possible. I know I’ve cleaned a bunch, and I can’t see any mess, but still, I feel like there’s more I should be doing.

This moment has been a long time coming, and I want it to be totally perfect.

“Look at you,” says Beomgyu, my new roommate, and he stops in my doorway. “What’s got you all stress-y?”

I turn and face him.

“Nothing,” I say. “But I look good, right?”

“You look great. But if you want to impress whoever is coming over, why don’t you wear that shirt I like?”

“The red one?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not too dressy?”

He shakes her head. “Wear it with jeans, you’ll be fine.”

He’s in school for fashion design, so I figure he knows this stuff.

and a lot of other things as well.

“Okay. Noted. Thanks.”

He smiles and then heads off down the hall.

I pull off my shirt and switch into the red shirt. I button it up and then check myself out in the mirror.

He was right.

I roll the sleeves up so it’s a little less formal. And then I fix my hair.

The doorbell rings.

Okay.

He’s here.

I jog down the steps, and see Beomgyu partner, open the door.  stands beside them, grinning eagerly.

“Hi,” he says. He scratches the back of the neck. It’s so adorable.

“You must be the boyfriend,” they say. “Soobin told us a lot about you.”

well.

So, I have talked with them about Yeonjun. But I’ve never called him my boyfriend. Because he’s not my boyfriend.

Why would he say that?

“We’re just friends,” I say, saving Yeonjun from this epic crap storm of awkwardness.

“Yeah,” he says.

“Oh,” he says. “I thought”

“Just stop,” I say, and I grab Yeonjun by the wrist. “You’ve done enough.”

I throw him an eyeroll, and he smiles. He’s kind of known for talking a lot and making things awkward accidentally.

I know if we stick around, he’ll just make it worse.

We reach my bedroom, and I shut the door behind us. I lock it for good measure.

Yeonjun is grinning.

“Shut up,” I say. “Seriously, not a word.”

He smiles and looks around. My room is pretty similar to my old one. He walks up to my Mulholland Drive poster.

“Your roommate seems nice.”

I nod. “I got lucky, that’s for sure.”

It’s the truth.

“Well, I’m glad,” he says. “You deserve the best.”

“Thanks. So, what’s new?”

It’s a joke, as we’ve been basically inseparable.

He looks up. “Mum called.”

“Oh damn, what’d she say?”

“Same as always. She thinks studying game design is a waste of time, and I’m ruining my life. I think she’s just mad I’m not in Florida anymore so she can’t control my every move.”

“And what do you think?”

“I think I’m exactly where I should be.”

He smiles. “Anyway, I think we should circle back to your roommate thinking we’re boyfriends.”

I start blushing. “It’s ridiculous, right?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say that.” His voice is shaking.

“It’s complicated,” I say.

He looks into my eyes. “Does it have to be?”

He touches my arm.

“Does it?” I ask.

My voice has gone thick. “Because- because I’ve thought about it a lot. And I think I’d really like it. I just didn’t think you wanted that. It’d be really complicated.”

“It would be,” he says, laughing. “But I think it’s worth a shot.”

I can’t believe this is happening.

It’s so perfect.

I want this moment captured on film.

“So, boyfriends?” he asks.

“Boyfriends”