Doodlebug | Beomjun, yeongyu |

Chapter no.8

The hostel lounge bustled with the morning routine. Soobin sat at a table, munching on cereal, glancing at the doorway as Yeonjun joined him.

"Is Beomgyu coming with us today?" Soobin asked, his mouth half full.

Yeonjun sighed. "I guess... He hasn't been out of his dorm room since yesterday."

Soobin frowned. "He must be stressed for finals." There was a moment of silence, then a grin spread across Soobin's face. "Actually, you know what? He's not as bad as I thought. I kind of like having him around. Let's keep him with us, what do you say?"

Yeonjun tried to hide a flicker of excitement. Beomgyu had confided in him about the stolen pictures and Taehyun's bizarre proposition. While Yeonjun was wary of trusting Taehyun, having Beomgyu with them felt safer. But revealing that would blow their cover. "Oh yeah, well..." he started, trying to sound casual.

Just then, a voice cut through their conversation. "I don't support this idea," Wooyoung drawled, appearing behind them like a specter.

Yeonjun shot him a side-eye, while Soobin chuckled. "Come on, man," he said playfully. "He's not that bad. We barely know him, but he seems alright."

Wooyoung wrinkled his nose. "Whatever," he mumbled, clearly unconvinced.

The tension eased as Yeonjun turned his attention back to Wooyoung's attire. He couldn't resist a playful jab. "Ew," he said, "you haven't changed those sweatpants since yesterday?"

Wooyoung swatted at him jokingly. "Keep your eyes away from my crotch, Yeonjun," he retorted with a laugh.

Yeonjun shot him a side-eye, his gaze lingering a beat too long on the worn line at the crotch of Wooyoung's sweatpants. Yeonjun knew he shouldn't. It always led to playful arguments. But Wooyoung was his home, a secret language only they understood. To outsiders, they were eternal enemies, bickering and teasing constantly. But beneath the surface, there was a connection, a silent understanding that transcended words.

 Heesung and Yuna burst into the room with their usual infectious energy, pulling everyone into a warm hug. Yeonjun's eyes sparkled despite himself. He loved his friends, even if he didn't always show it in the most conventional ways.

His gaze drifted across the room, searching for a familiar mop of shiny brown hair. A pang of longing tightened his chest. Beomgyu. The idiot he'd secretly loved for years was now his unlikely partner in crime, not in the fun, lighthearted way, but in a way that bound them together by a shared, terrifying secret. It was a strange twist of fate that had brought them closer, but Yeonjun couldn't shake the worry gnawing at him.

As everyone settled in, the familiar routine of breakfast chatter filled the air. Wooyoung, however, remained uncharacteristically silent. Suddenly, he popped up from the sofa, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Alright, guys," he declared. "I'm gonna get ready today. Big date."

A collective shrug met his announcement. Wooyoung was notorious for his revolving door of girlfriends. There wasn't a girl in their school he hadn't dated, at least once.

"Who's the lucky lady this time?" Yuna finally asked, more out of habit than genuine curiosity.

Wooyoung puffed out his chest, a proud smile spreading across his face. "Miss Natalia," he announced.

The room fell silent. Jaws dropped. Even the normally unflappable Heesung choked on his cereal.

"Miss Natalia?" Yuna repeated, her voice barely a whisper. Miss Natalia was the new, stunningly beautiful art teacher who had all the boys (and some of the girls) smitten. Wooyoung, known for his less-than-stellar academic record, had never even spoken a word to her, let alone scored a date.