* * *
The two of them awkwardly scratched their cheeks as they returned home, dragging their suitcases behind them.
Then they let out an awkward laugh.
Cha Joobin glanced over at the number of suitcases Gong Yoochan had packed.
Had he really planned to leave for good, taking all of that with him?
Even though he had been sick, he had a surprising amount of energy, and it made Cha Joobin let out a faint laugh.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
Cha Joobin guided the increasingly feverish and breathless Gong Yoochan to the bedroom.
“I’ll do it, just stay still.”
Even though he could sit on the bed himself, Gong Yoochan didn’t resist Cha Joobin’s hands as he gently lifted him and set him down.
After a moment, Cha Joobin stepped out of the room and returned with medicine and water.
He knew from experience that taking the medicine would help alleviate the pain and allow Gong Yoochan to sleep more comfortably.
How grateful he felt.
Gong Yoochan wanted to say thanks, but Cha Joobin’s comment about how he’d been thanking him too often lately came to mind, so he pressed his lips together.
Thinking about it now made him self-conscious, and he felt a little embarrassed.
Growing up constantly under the eyes of others had made them bad at things like this.
Things that others found natural were difficult for them, and even the simplest things that others did with ease felt complicated.
Having grown up with every action being judged, it was no wonder.
Was this too much?
Or was this fine?
In constantly worrying about it, they had lost sight of where the line even was.
Cha Joobin propped Gong Yoochan up as he took his medicine, and afterward, he gently laid him down on the bed.
He quickly removed Gong Yoochan’s clothes and covered him with a blanket, then undressed himself and climbed into bed.
As if it were second nature, Cha Joobin slipped his arm under Gong Yoochan’s neck, pulling him close until his face rested against his chest.
Then he patted his back, gently soothing him.
“…Sorry for what I said earlier. I didn’t mean to be harsh, especially when you were feeling sick.”
Gong Yoochan murmured an “okay” in response to the quiet apology.
Strangely enough, all the tension that had been making him restless earlier seemed to melt away.
Sleep soon followed. Instinctively, Gong Yoochan burrowed deeper into Cha Joobin’s embrace, breathing in his familiar scent.
A warmth he couldn’t find anywhere else slowly spread through his chest.
Because of the time he took off from work, Cha Joobin had a very busy week.
His drama shooting schedule hadn’t been adjusted, so the filming of ‘Romance Diary’ was postponed until next week.
Meanwhile, Gong Yoochan, who had fully recovered, deleted Kim Woosun’s contact number from his phone.
Not only did he erase their message history, but he also blocked him on messenger.
Kim Woosun might think it was cold-hearted, but since they were going to cut ties anyway, it was the right thing to do.
He should’ve done this sooner.
Gong Yoochan sighed, reflecting on his earlier regrets, and before putting his phone down, he sent a message to Cha Joobin, who was likely busy at work.
[Are you coming home today?]
After that, he scrolled through their recent conversations.
Over the past week, they had exchanged more messages than usual.
Though their conversations were mostly reports like “I’m doing this,” “I’m going here,” “I’m about to do that,” it was still something.
After everything, the little exchanges felt like progress.
Gong Yoochan sighed again and reminded himself not to get too anxious.
His top priority now was to do his best for their relationship.
On TV, the second episode of ‘Romance Diary’ was airing, showing them playing bowling together.
The faint, warm feelings he had felt during filming were now being reflected on the screen.
They really had fun together.
Watching it reminded Gong Yoochan of their childhood, and a soft smile appeared on his lips.
Seeing Cha Joobin’s bright smile—one that was so familiar but that he hadn’t always been aware of—made his heart feel warm and fuzzy.
He really had the sweetest smile.
Gong Yoochan bit his lower lip and leaned back with a long sigh.
Maybe I should get back to work.
Even though he had asked for a longer break this time after working non-stop, now that Cha Joobin wasn’t around and their relationship had become strained, his mind wouldn’t stop racing.
It was getting hard to keep up with it all.
Not to mention, he still had doubts about Cha Joobin.
While Cha Joobin had been kind and considerate throughout his illness, Gong Yoochan wasn’t sure what to make of his feelings—probably because of the things he had done.
And it didn’t help that Cha Joobin had been snippy with him before.
It made him wonder if his kindness had only been due to his illness.
[Joobin:
Yeah, I’m getting in the car now]
As soon as he received the message, Gong Yoochan called Cha Joobin.
It only rang for a moment before being picked up.
But there was silence on the other end.
“Hello?”
Gong Yoochan tried speaking, but there was still no response.
Had he picked up by mistake?
Or was he still in a place where he couldn’t talk?
Just as he was running through these thoughts, he noticed the call timer was still counting.
Gong Yoochan called out again, “Joobin-ah?”
Finally, a hesitant voice replied from the other side.
─ …You really called me?
The cautious tone made Gong Yoochan’s mouth go dry.
Had it really been so long since he’d last called that Cha Joobin was doubting it now?
‘The more I thought about our relationship, the heavier my heart felt, as if all I could see were my own mistakes.’
Gong Yoochan straightened his posture from where he had been leaning against the sofa and answered with a more determined tone.
“Of course. Who else would I call but you?”
─ …….
“Did you get in the car?”
─ Yeah, just now.
“Did you put on your sleep mask? Are you going to sleep?”
─ Not sleeping.
As soon as he spoke, a rustling sound came from the other end of the line.
It seemed like he had taken off the sleep mask he had just put on.
But what should I say now?
I had called without much thought, but with nothing specific to say, my lips twitched in hesitation.
“Was the shoot okay?”
I liked the topic I barely managed to bring up.
Feeling relieved inside, Gong Yoochan leaned back into the sofa again.
─ Yeah. I saw too much of Kim Joyoung. I’m tired of him.
Despite his words, his tone was playful.
Kim Joyoung, his co-star, had known Cha Joobin since they were young, and the two of them, whenever they met, would bicker like close friends.
Thinking of him, Gong Yoochan smiled slightly and said, “What, you’re pretty close with Joyoung, aren’t you?”
─ What’s the use of being close? That guy’s got such a bad temper, you know?
“He doesn’t act like that around me.”
─ He respects his elders, you know.
Cha Joobin chuckled quietly.
─ What about you? What’ve you been doing?
“I was thinking of doing some work since I felt too much like a slacker. Now I’m just sitting here, watching some random romance shows.”
─ Ah, so you had time for that? I missed it last time.
“Want to come over and watch it with me? I said we’d watch it together, but we never did.”
─ Is that okay?
Why wouldn’t it be…?
“Of course,” Gong Yoochan replied, turning off the TV that had been showing scenes switching rapidly.
Was he really that happy about watching it together?
Cha Joobin was already listing foods he wanted to order, suggesting this and that.
Most of the things he wanted, though, weren’t exactly light enough for someone managing his weight.
The image of Cha Joobin’s face grimacing while working out after eating all that popped into Gong Yoochan’s mind.
He knew that while Cha Joobin didn’t dislike exercising—actually, he kind of enjoyed it—he wasn’t fond of doing it out of obligation.
Gong Yoochan chuckled softly and said, “If you eat all that, what about your workout?”
─ Ah. I lost my appetite. Let’s just not eat anything.
“Eat, then work out with me.”
─ With you?
Cha Joobin’s voice sounded startled, the surprise clear in his tone.
Gong Yoochan simply answered, “Yeah.”
There was no need to dwell on the things he hadn’t done in the past.
Silence stretched on the other end of the line.
Did he not like the idea of working out together?
That was possible.
So he waited quietly for Cha Joobin’s answer, and after a moment, he heard a short reply, “Okay.”
“When do you think you’ll get here?”
─ I’m just leaving now, so around dinner time.
“Alright, I’ll order food before you arrive. If you think of anything else you want to eat, just leave me a message.”
Considering he had been up filming until dawn yesterday, it felt like a good time to end the call.
─ Should I hang up?
The unexpected reply made him pause.
Sensing a hint of reluctance, Gong Yoochan stretched out on the sofa and answered.
“You sure you don’t need to sleep?”
─ I’m fine.
“Really? Then…”
Then what should we talk about?
Unfortunately, as soon as he heard Cha Joobin’s voice, he started feeling sleepy again.
It was strange.
Talking to him made him drowsy, and whenever they were together, he’d fall asleep without fail.
It wasn’t like he had insomnia or was uncomfortable, but being around Cha Joobin always made him feel like he was sick with something.
Blinking slowly and taking a deep breath, he heard, “Hyung, are you going to sleep?” from the other end.
“No, I’m not.”
─ You sound sleepy, though.
“I’m not. Nothing happened during the shoot?”
Gong Yoochan asked softly, and listening to Cha Joobin’s response, he chuckled quietly.
He said it felt nice because the fans sent a food truck today, and everyone loved it, which made him feel even prouder.
Listening to his light, fluttering voice was like watching a butterfly flit about on a spring day, and it made Gong Yoochan’s heart swell with warmth.
He closed his eyes, feeling content as he listened to Cha Joobin’s cheerful voice.
It was like hearing a kitten meowing softly, endlessly adorable.
* * *
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