Only You (YeonGyu)

Chapter 9: Sense of Foreboding

Everything was white.
Yeonjun stood in the middle of an empty space, surrounded by nothing. The absence of color made him question where he was, but with no answers in sight, he began walking forward. With each step, his reflection on the ground rippled. The atmosphere felt serene at first, but as he moved further, it grew heavier, sadder. The white around him began to darken. Should I stop? he thought. Something inside him urged him to continue, so he pushed forward.

Then, a dulcet voice reached his ears, faint at first, but growing clearer with every step he took. It was soothing, yet laced with sadness. The voice sounded familiar. As he walked closer, the voice became louder and clearer—a man’s voice. His mind raced as he tried to place it.

And then, just ahead of him, he saw a figure.

His brows furrowed in confusion as he recognized who it was.

“Beomgyu?” Yeonjun mumbled.

He approached the figure, not knowing what was happening. Beomgyu stood with his back to him, quietly sniffing. Why is he crying? Yeonjun wondered, his heart sinking.

“Beomgyu?” he called again.

Yeonjun placed a hand on Beomgyu's shoulder, urging him to turn around. A chill swept over him as the temperature seemed to drop. Slowly, Beomgyu turned to face him, tears streaming down his cheeks. The pain in Beomgyu’s eyes was piercing, like a raw wound, and Yeonjun felt it deep within his own chest.

"Why are you crying? A-Are you alright?" Yeonjun asked, his voice full of concern as he cupped Beomgyu's face, gently wiping away his tears.

The more Yeonjun stared into Beomgyu's eyes, the more the weight of his suffering pressed down on him. The sorrow was overwhelming, and Yeonjun, unable to stand seeing him in so much pain, pulled him into a warm hug.

"It's okay. Shhhh… Everything is going to be fine," Yeonjun whispered, gently rubbing Beomgyu's back. "I’m here. Just tell me what’s wrong, alright?"

Beomgyu spoke, but his words were indistinct, impossible to make out. Yeonjun leaned in closer, trying to understand, but before he could, Beomgyu disappeared. One moment, he was in his arms, the next—gone. Yeonjun's heart skipped a beat, and he called out for him.

“Beomgyu? Where are you?”

His voice echoed in the void, but there was no answer. A cold breeze swept through the empty space, sending a chill down Yeonjun’s spine. Tears started to well in his eyes, and he couldn’t hold them back. Why was he crying? Why was this happening? He staggered as the ground beneath him began to tremble, shaking violently. Cracks appeared in the air, fissures spreading across the white void until—

Yeonjun gasped, his eyes snapping open, his body jolting awake. His heart was racing, his chest tight with anxiety. What was that? What did it mean?

His mind replayed the scene from his dream, and the unease lingered, gnawing at him. Why had he dreamed of Beomgyu like that? Was Beomgyu okay? He thought back to last night, when they’d had dinner with Soobin. Beomgyu had been quiet, withdrawn at first, but as the evening went on, he seemed to relax—just a little. Yeonjun couldn't shake the feeling that there was more beneath the surface. Something was off with Beomgyu. He seemed like someone who had been carrying a heavy burden.

“I hope he’s doing alright,” Yeonjun murmured to himself, rubbing his temples. "I can't stop thinking about him. That dream... it feels like a warning."

Yeonjun checked the time, realizing he was running late for work. Another day of teaching awaited him.

+×+

Class had ended an hour ago. Beomgyu found himself sitting in a cozy café near school, enjoying a moment of peace with Kai. Despite the warm atmosphere, Beomgyu couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Kai’s energy was overwhelming, and his loud voice seemed to draw all eyes in the café. People stared at them with confused expressions, and Beomgyu felt his face heat up. At least Kai was confident enough to be himself, something Beomgyu couldn’t seem to manage. Maybe that’s what he admired about Kai—his complete lack of inhibition.