jo, shut up! | joyuma

27: PATTERNS

Yuma had rewritten the same sentence three times.

The transcript on his screen refused to cooperate. Words blurred. The speaker's voice grated on his nerves. Everything sounded like static.

He blamed Jo.

Not directly.

Jo hadn't knocked in days. Hadn't yelled through the wall. Hadn't hummed that stupid anime song he kept butchering.

It was the silence now.

Too purposeful. Too polite. Too... unnatural.

Like Jo was pulling back.

Like Jo was trying not to exist.

Which, somehow, made him louder.

Yuma exhaled slowly and pushed his chair away from the desk.

He stood. Walked into the kitchen. Boiled water without looking at it.

He made tea automatically. Measured the leaves by muscle memory. Let it steep.

He hated that he noticed Jo wasn't in the hallway.

He hated that he checked.

The kettle clicked.

Yuma poured the water. Took a slow sip.

The warmth didn't help.

Nothing did.

He left the apartment two hours later.

He didn't mean to.

He just... needed something else to look at.

The sky outside looked gray. Like it couldn't decide between storm or sun.

Yuma walked past the stairwell.

Stopped when he saw someone sitting on the bottom step.

Jo.

Back hunched. Hoodie hood over his head. Elbows on knees. Sketchbook open in his lap. Pencil moving.

Yuma knew he should walk away.

He didn't.

He took one step closer.

Jo didn't look up.

Yuma cleared his throat.

Nothing.

"Are you sulking?"

Jo's pencil didn't stop. "Are you spying?"

Yuma crossed his arms. "You haven't bothered anyone in three days."

"Everyone likes me better this way."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

Yuma stared at him.

Jo kept drawing.

"You're not funny today."

"I'm not trying to be."

"You're still failing."

Jo's pencil paused.

He looked up. Only briefly.

"You're still here."

Yuma didn't respond.

Jo tilted his head slightly.

"You want something?"

Yuma's voice came quiet. "No."

"Then why—"

"Do you ever stop talking?"

Jo smiled, small and tired. "Not for you."

Silence fell between them.

Heavy.

Yuma broke it first. "You skipped K's floor inspection yesterday."

Jo nodded. "I know."

"He marked you absent."

"I figured."

"Why?"

Jo shrugged. "Didn't feel like pretending."

Yuma blinked. "Pretending what?"

Jo flipped the page. "That I'm fine."

Yuma didn't answer.

Jo didn't explain.

They sat in the stairwell for several long seconds.

Yuma didn't know what made him stay.

Maybe it was the sketchbook.

Maybe it was the quiet.

Maybe it was the fact that Jo looked... small for once.

"You should tell K."

Jo laughed under his breath. "You'll tell him for me."

"I won't."

Jo looked up. "That's new."

Yuma frowned. "What is?"

"You not interfering."

Yuma bit back his reply.

Instead, he turned.

Walked up the stairs.

Jo didn't stop him.

Didn't call after him.

Didn't knock on the wall that night.

Yuma tried to sleep.

He couldn't.

Group chat later:

Group Chat: Nineblock Chaos

TakiTheSnitch: jo hasn't been annoying in days. I'm scared

HaruaUwU: I saw yuma stare at him for a whole minute

NicholasTheRunway: this is their slowest burn and it's still more dramatic than my last relationship

MakiMukbang: maybe they're just broken

FumaGym: let them spiral. it's free entertainment

EJFromSupport: don't loop me in. I'm emotionally unavailable

Yuma read it.

Muted the chat.

Pressed his head against the wall.

It felt cold.

No sound came from the other side.

Just silence.

Just Jo.

Still ruining everything.

Without saying a word.

—tbc.