* * *
When Jingyeom got home, Jinwoo’s absence felt even bigger.
Jingyeom wasn’t sure how he made it back.
Jingyeom think he just cried endlessly.
“Drink some water.”
Jingyeom nodded weakly.
Even as he drank, the tears refused to stop.
The more he looked around the house, the worse it became.
Since he was planning to move into Soohyuk’s place, Jingyeom had already started packing.
The house was in a state of near-completion for the move, though he’d left the essentials since he planned to stay a few more days.
He’d sorted out things with Jinwoo—what to take and what to leave behind.
They’d piled up everything they wouldn’t need or wanted to keep together.
Furniture and other daily necessities were left in place, thanks to the new landlord’s offer to dispose of them during renovations.
Seeing the items imbued with Jinwoo’s and his shared memories brought the tears rushing back.
Soohyuk reached out, pulling Jingyeom into his arms and patting his back.
There was no use telling him to stop crying—it was better to let him cry his heart out and get it over with.
“You’re such a crybaby.”
“…Sniff.”
“But don’t overdo it, okay? I’m worried you’ll get dehydrated.”
Soohyuk pressed a light kiss to the trail of tears on Jingyeom’s cheek before hugging him tightly again.
Watching Jingyeom sobbing uncontrollably, his small body trembling, made Soohyuk’s chest ache.
Jinwoo’s decision to study abroad had stemmed from Soohyuk’s suggestion.
Partly, it was to separate Jinwoo from Jingyeom, but it was also a promise Soohyuk made to help Jinwoo thrive.
He wanted Jinwoo to pursue his dreams freely and live as he pleased—but honestly, 99% of it was so Soohyuk could have Jingyeom to himself.
After crying for what felt like an eternity, Jingyeom finally calmed down.
More accurately, he was too exhausted to cry anymore.
“Let’s go home.”
“…I want to stay here tonight.”
“Can you? You’ll just cry again if you look around.”
Jingyeom slowly glanced around the house.
The small space was filled with traces of Jinwoo.
Every corner reminded him of Jinwoo’s meticulous organization, compensating for Jingyeom’s lack of tidiness.
Jinwoo’s touch was everywhere, making it even harder to let go.
“See? You’re about to cry again.”
Soohyuk pressed his thumb to the corner of Jingyeom’s eye, catching a tear that had welled up.
His eyes were bloodshot, the skin around them swollen and irritated.
‘I knew he’d cry, but not this much.’
Soohyuk had expected some tears and a tough adjustment, but not hours of nonstop crying.
He was amazed at how much someone so small could cry and worried Jingyeom might collapse from the strain.
“That must sting.”
Soohyuk gently rubbed the reddened area around Jingyeom’s eyes.
The tears continued to flow, trickling down his fingers.
It was clear that when the tears stopped, the swelling and irritation would set in.
“How do you expect to sleep here when you’re crying this much? You’ll just cry all night.”
“…I still want to stay.”
“Then I’ll stay too.”
Jingyeom, sniffling, widened his eyes and shook his head.
“…No. You’ll be uncomfortable.”
“Me? Or you?”
“Of course, you!”
Even with his nose stuffed up from crying, Jingyeom raised his voice.
His nasally tone made him sound pitiful.
As he sniffled again, a fresh trickle of mucus ran down.
Soohyuk chuckled and grabbed a tissue, pressing it to Jingyeom’s nose.
“Here.”
“I’ll do it!”
“Alright, it’s all yours.”
Handing over the tissue, Soohyuk stepped back.
Jingyeom blinked in surprise, having expected Soohyuk to insist on helping.
Feeling awkward, Jingyeom loudly blew his nose and tossed the tissue into the trash can.
But even the trash can held memories of Jinwoo, and the tears threatened to start again.
“…I can’t. Let’s go home.”
But just as Soohyuk reached for him, Jingyeom clung to the trash can, sobbing anew.
“Just one night! Please, just one night!”
Refusing to budge, Jingyeom poured all his strength into staying put.
With a sigh, Soohyuk gave in.
“Fine. Just one night.”
And so, their last night in the rooftop room began.
Since Jinwoo’s bedding was already packed, Soohyuk laid out Jingyeom’s blankets and propped himself up on a pillow.
Jingyeom suggested unpacking some of Jinwoo’s things, but Soohyuk refused.
Having always slept on a bed, Soohyuk struggled to get comfortable on the thin blanket on the floor.
His back ached, and he couldn’t stop fidgeting.
Jingyeom, equally restless, tossed and turned beside him in the darkened room.
After a while, Soohyuk spoke softly.
“Darling, are you awake?”
“…Yeah.”
“Why aren’t you sleeping?”
Jingyeom, facing the wall, turned to look at Soohyuk.
Slowly, he crept to the edge of the bed, resting his face on it and gazing down at Soohyuk.
Their eyes met.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?”
The faint glow of a streetlight filtered through the window, softly illuminating Jingyeom’s face.
Soohyuk clicked his tongue, a mix of fondness and frustration.
The crying had stopped, but its aftermath lingered in Jingyeom’s puffy, swollen eyes.
Soohyuk found it endearing, though he resented that Jinwoo was the cause.
Still, Jinwoo was far away now, and it would be a long time before they’d see each other again.
Jinwoo would be too busy settling in to contact them much.
And Soohyuk?
He’d finally get to live with Jingyeom.
‘Living together.’
The thought melted away Soohyuk’s earlier irritation.
“I can’t sleep. Maybe it’s because we’re sharing a room?”
Jingyeom squinted at him before abruptly turning away. Soohyuk sat up.
“What’s with that reaction?”
“Don’t even think about climbing up here.”
“How’d you know I was going to?”
Jingyeom yanked the blanket over his head without answering.
When the bed dipped under Soohyuk’s weight, Jingyeom let out a groan.
“Ugh… You’re heavy!”
Despite Jingyeom’s protests, Soohyuk made himself comfortable, leaving Jingyeom no choice but to adjust.
“Not tired?”
“Nope.”
Jingyeom, now lying properly, reached out and rubbed Soohyuk’s back absentmindedly.
Soohyuk flinched at the unexpected touch, but Jingyeom continued, marveling at the firm muscles under his hand.
“You work out regularly, huh? Isn’t it tiring?”
“I don’t like it when you don’t move around, that’s why. You should exercise more. Look at this. Hmm, it’s nice and soft.”
Jingyeom kneaded his arm as if he was about to nag, but then Soohyuk slid his hand under the blanket, feeling his thigh, and commented on how much he liked it.
At first, it seemed like Soohyuk was innocently checking whether Jingyeom had any muscle or not, but before he knew it, Soohyuk hand wandered to the inside of Jingyeom thigh.
Startled, Jingyeom pulled his legs together.
“Ah, what are you doing?!”
“Phew, when will you ever grow up, darling?”
“…I’m already fully grown, okay?”
Jingyeom shot him a sharp glare as if asking if he was joking, but Soohyuk just smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips.
The kiss, which started off playful and light, gradually deepened.
Before long, Soohyuk had climbed on top of Jingyeom, leaving him no room to breathe.
The sound of wet kisses mingled with Jingyeom’s strained whimpers.
“Hnn…”
When their lips briefly parted, Jingyeom caught his breath.
But the feel of Soohyuk’s hot breath on his neck sent a shiver down his spine.
Reflexively, he tightened his legs before relaxing them again.
His toes curled and then uncurled on their own.
As Jingyeom braced both hands against Soohyuk’s shoulders and pushed hard, Soohyuk finally straightened up.
From this angle, looking up at him from below, Soohyuk seemed even bigger.
“Haa… Haa…”
Jingyeom’s face, flushed and breathless, was already slack with dazed warmth.
Just from a kiss, his expression was this heated.
Though Soohyuk wanted nothing more than to take things further, he didn’t want Jingyeom’s first time to be here.
Besides, nothing had been prepared.
With a resigned sigh, Soohyuk flopped down next to Jingyeom.
The bed felt noticeably smaller with both of them lying on it.
Jingyeom naturally ended up scooting toward the wall.
“…This is a super single. It’s cramped.”
“That’s even better. Should I switch the bed at home to a super single too? Or maybe just a single? Being this close is nice.”
Soohyuk casually slid an arm under Jingyeom’s head and pulled him close by the waist, pressing their bodies snugly together.
His broad shoulders left his head awkwardly suspended in midair, and Jingyeom, noticing this, chuckled before sliding the pillow under Soohyuk’s head.
That was a bit better.
Their bodies were pressed together so tightly that they could feel each other’s every breath.
“Your eyes are swollen.”
Jingyeom’s double eyelids had loosened slightly.
Soohyuk pressed a firm kiss to his eyelids.
Even with puffy eyes, how could he still look so beautiful?
Jingyeom’s arms slowly moved to wrap around Soohyuk’s waist.
Being held like this felt incredibly secure.
Soohyuk’s heartbeat, steady and loud, was crystal clear.
Jingyeom’s hand, gently stroking his back, lulled him into a drowsiness far different from before.
“…Do you think Jinwoo’s arrived by now?”
“He should’ve gotten there by now.”
“Then why hasn’t he called to say he’s arrived? Do you think something happened?”
When Jingyeom started to worry, Soohyuk hugged him tighter to calm him down.
* * *
