❗ CHAPTER 07 :: ❗

The dorm felt too quiet that night.

Sunoo sat on the floor by his bed, hugging a pillow to his chest, staring at the dark ceiling like it held all the answers he couldn't find.

Jake hadn't said much after holding him. He just left the room quietly, gently, like always. No pressure. No questions. And somehow, that made it worse.

Sunghoon didn't message at all. Not even a single dot.

That silence was louder than anything.

His heart was screaming with guilt. Two people he cared about, both hurting in their own way, because of one person's confusion.

His.

Sunoo's.

He hated it.

He hated that he was the reason behind the distance in Sunghoon's eyes. The reason Jake smiled with sadness buried behind it. The reason he couldn't sleep without his chest tightening.

He reached for his phone and opened his notes app.

He typed, slowly.

> "What if I never choose?

What if I stay stuck in the middle forever?

Will they both walk away?

Or worse...

Will they stay and keep breaking quietly, just to keep me happy?"

He stared at the words for a long time before locking the phone again.

His fingers trembled.

Maybe he should leave. Maybe if he disappeared for a while, they'd be able to breathe. Maybe he'd stop ruining everything.

But as soon as that thought crossed his mind, a knock came at the door.

Sunoo stood up slowly, heart pounding.

He opened it.

Sunghoon.

His eyes were tired, darker than usual, but his posture was firm.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Sunoo nodded and stepped aside, letting him in. The silence between them was thick, but not angry - just heavy.

Sunghoon sat on the edge of the bed, staring down at his hands.

"I shouldn't have walked out like that," he started. "It wasn't fair to you."

Sunoo shook his head.

"No. It was fair. You were honest. I wasn't."

Sunghoon looked up at him, eyes sharp but soft.

"I've been thinking. About everything. About you. About us."

Sunoo's throat felt dry.

"I know you're not ready to choose," Sunghoon continued. "And maybe you never will. And maybe that should make me give up."

Sunoo's heart dropped.

"But I don't want to," Sunghoon whispered. "Because I don't love you any less, even now."

That confession hit like a wave.

"I don't expect you to give me an answer tonight," Sunghoon said. "I just needed to tell you that I'm still here. Even if it hurts. Even if I hate that you dream about him. Even if I hate that I'm not the only one."

Tears filled Sunoo's eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I know," Sunghoon replied gently.

There was a long pause, and then Sunoo did something he hadn't done in days.

He reached out and took Sunghoon's hand.

Warm. Familiar. Shaking slightly.

And Sunghoon didn't pull away.

They sat there like that, two souls bruised by choices that hadn't been made yet. Two hearts afraid to let go but too full of love to walk away.

And deep down, Sunoo knew...

This wasn't just about choosing between Jake or Sunghoon.

This was about choosing to face the truth.

The truth that no matter who he ended up with - someone would always carry the shadow of the other.

But maybe, just maybe...

The person he truly needed to choose first was himself.