[January 15, 202X, PM 09:08]

After finishing his shower, Woo-young glanced at the phone lying on his desk. It didn’t seem like it was going to ring anytime soon—everyone must be busy.

Eighteen. It was already winter vacation. For the past few years, Tae-seong had spent his vacations abroad with his mother. The destination seemed to change every year, but this time he was in Auckland, New Zealand. To Woo-young, who had never even been to Jeju Island, it sounded like a completely unfamiliar world, but that didn’t matter. It had already been nearly two weeks since he last saw Tae-seong.

Ah… I really miss him.

Sitting down heavily on the floor, Woo-young leaned his head against the wall. Two weeks felt so long. His everyday life felt empty, like a balloon with no air. Now, it seemed like he couldn’t even go a day without seeing his face, or it was like thorns were growing in his mouth.

Woo-young picked up his phone and opened the chat room. The group had four members: Tae-seong, Nam Ki-hyuk, Lee Soo-hwa, and Woo-young himself. Originally, it had been just the three of them, but a few months ago, Tae-seong had invited Woo-young after discovering that he had been messaging Soo-hwa separately.

What a funny guy. Looks like he really likes Soo-hwa.

[21:09 Tae-seong: When are you coming?]

Lost in his thoughts, Woo-young couldn’t hold back and sent a message to the group chat. The time difference was about three hours, so he probably hadn’t gone to sleep yet.

[Tae-seong: Next Monday? 21:09]

As expected, a precise reply came back. It was just a text, but Woo-young’s lips curled up slightly. He lay face down on the bed, hugging the pillow, and wrote a message with a serious face, only to delete it and rewrite it repeatedly.

[21:11 Hurry up and come back, babe^^ I’m so bored without you haha (emoji)]

He sent the playful message, but there was more genuine feeling in it than usual. It had been several days since he last saw Tae-seong’s face, and it felt like his energy was draining away.

[Tae-seong: Yeah. Should I get you a gift? Is there anything you want? 21:12]

When Woo-young read the words, he could automatically hear Tae-seong’s soft voice. He imagined Tae-seong’s long eyelashes fluttering as he looked down at the screen, and the slight upward curve of his lips. Just thinking about it made Woo-young feel like he might die from how badly he missed him.

[Nam Ki-hyeok: I want something too! Whittaker’s chocolate~~~~ They say it’s really famous there, haha 21:12]

[Tae-seong: Shut the fuck up 21:12]

[21:13 hahahahahahahahahahaha]

A few seconds after that, Woo-young couldn’t help but laugh. Tae-seong was definitely going to get mad again. Nam Ki-hyuk, who looked like the coolest guy in the world, was actually a bit of a drama queen when it came to things like this. It was easier to avoid making him upset.

[Nam Ki-hyeok: ——— Fuck, is this really necessary??? Why are you always like this to me? It really hurts, fuck 21:13]

[21:13 Haha, hey hey, stop it, or he’s going to cry again;;; Forget about the souvenir and just hurry up and come back haha]

[Tae-seong: Yeah. I’ll come back soon, Woo-young. (heart) 21:14]

Nam Ki-hyuk has left the chat. –
“Ah, this bastard, I told him to stop…”

With a look on his face as if he couldn’t be stopped, Woo-young swiped his face and invited Nam Ki-hyuk back into the chat. As soon as he pressed the button, a call came through.

[Nam Ki-hyuk]

“Yeah.”

– Fuck!

“Why are you suddenly cursing?”

Woo-young chuckled at the highly agitated voice on the other end of the phone.

– Go Tae-seong, you fucking bastard! You fucking hate me, don’t you! Ah! I’m so pissed off. Ha… Seriously, hey, Woo-young. How many years have we spent together? Huh? Why is it only like this with me? Fuck, isn’t this too much?”

The shouting voice from the other side of the receiver started to become louder. Woo-young lay down, turning his face toward the ceiling and running his hand through his hair.

“What’s with you, always making a fuss over jokes, you little shit.”

– Jokes have their limits, fuck! Ah!

“You’re just reacting like an idiot, that’s why it’s fun. Have you ever experienced it just once?”

– What the fuck are you saying again! Don’t you know that Go Tae-seong discriminates against everyone except you? Fuck! I swear, the whole school probably knows by now! Aren’t you guys dating or something?”

Woo-young’s face, which had been grinning at the loud voice, slowly lost its smile.

“Oh, you’re talking nonsense again.”

– Seriously, hey. Be honest. Do you two have something going on? Because otherwise, how can this kind of blatant, clear-cut discrimination make sense? Fuck, even Go Tae-seong, that asshole, has known me longer than you!”

The relentless shouting made Woo-young press his palm against his eyes.

“Shut up… it’s so noisy. Can you talk quieter?”

– So what should I do then?!

Woo-young tilted his head slightly and pulled the phone away from his ear.

I also want to date him, you little shit…

“You’re saying all this crap and that’s why Go Tae-seong is pissed. If you’re going to keep talking nonsense, I’ll hang up. I’m busy.”

– Ah! Why hang up?! I even went outside to call you!”

Woo-young exhaled sharply at the whining voice. His eyes were slightly narrowed.

“Just go back inside. Did you run away from home or something?”

– No… Ah! You guys are such heartless assholes. Why are you guys excluding me like this? Ah, I’m seriously hurt, I’m going to cry… Why am I always the one getting left out, fuck.”

Woo-young let out a hollow laugh at the whining. Tae-seong had always been like this since they were kids, so Woo-young just let it slide. But Nam Ki-hyuk was genuinely upset. He had sulked like this a few times in the past for the same reasons, and Woo-young had to coax him back, making it a huge hassle.

“What the hell, how are we excluding you? You’re such an idiot. Lee Soo-hwa is here too, you know.”

– What, Lee Soo-hwa and I are the same level?! You’ve only known her for a year? Are you really trying to hurt me like this?”

The shouting continued, and Woo-young could hear the sound of someone exhaling sharply in the background. It seemed like it was pretty cold outside.

– Hey, and Go Tae-seong doesn’t even care about Lee Soo-hwa, you know? He only takes care of you! Don’t you ever notice that whenever you see him, your eyes turn all soft and romantic? Ugh, seriously, it gave me chills. Wait, no, I’m not being biased or anything, it’s just… be honest. I’m serious. I won’t tell grandma. Ah, it’s really cold.”

The rapid-fire words made Woo-young’s face twist in frustration.

“Ki-hyuk, your nonsense is a problem. A big problem.”

– What? It’s not true? Really?”

“I don’t take garbage questions.”

A sigh escaped Woo-young’s lips as he spoke in a low voice. Ki-hyuk fell silent at his annoyed tone. The words, whether sincere or just teasing, were making Woo-young uncomfortable. A sudden wave of exhaustion hit him. After a brief pause, Woo-young spoke again.

“You’re whining so much that Go Tae-seong probably thinks it’s easy to mess with you. He’s been acting out like this since elementary school, so how many years do you think I’ve been putting up with it? If you keep talking nonsense, go study or something. Don’t fail again and cry to your mom for being a failure, okay?”

“- Ah, that was because I rushed my answers during the exam!”

The complaining voice returned, even louder, as if protesting. Woo-young’s head throbbed.

“Then practice writing answers without rushing. If you’ve said everything you wanted, I’m hanging up now.”

– Seriously, Kwon Woo-young!”

“What?”

With a somewhat annoyed voice, Woo-young heard Nam Ki-hyuk mumble in a defeated tone.

– Just stay on the phone with me for a bit…

“Why?”

– Ah… I got caught by my older sister about dating Da-hee. Right now, my whole family’s gathered in the living room eating fruit, and if I go in, I’m dead. I’m so scared. My sisters are scarier than my parents…

Woo-young sighed lightly and closed his eyes. The topic naturally shifted. Since he had been watching the two of them closely for a long time, he had to be careful.

“You’re the one who has no secrets, huh? Your parents must love having a transparent son like you.”

– Fuck, that sounds weird.

At the retort, Woo-young let out a small laugh. Nam Ki-hyuk was the youngest son among three sisters and one brother, and he had grown up receiving a lot of love. Woo-young vaguely remembered the warm, caring older sisters who would treat him kindly whenever he visited their house. He had never seen a family as close-knit and cheerful as theirs.

“So, what, did Ki-joo noona say anything?”

– No, it’s not that, it’s just that she keeps asking me to bring her along, asking to see pictures, and bothering me… What if she gets jealous and says Da-hee’s way prettier than her? I don’t want to give her any reason to find fault. I might even marry Da-hee one day, so I shouldn’t do anything that could cause trouble.”

“Seriously… What the hell… you crazy bastard.”

Woo-young burst into laughter, incredulous. It hadn’t even been ten days since they started dating, and he was already talking about marriage.

– Hey, seriously. These days, women don’t like it if you have too many older sisters when you’re getting married. Fuck, what should I do? I can’t pretend I don’t have any…

“Stop fantasizing about things that won’t happen in less than a week. You’re just going to break up anyway, Nam Ki-hyuk.”

– Fuck, do you have to be such a realist? Hurry up and spit, you bastard!

With a sigh, Woo-young lay down while still holding the phone. He lifted his gaze to the graduation picture in the frame on his desk. There was a smiling Kwon Woo-young and Go Tae-seong, both beaming with joy. Their smiles were as beautiful as a bouquet of flowers in full bloom. Staring at the photo, his chest felt heavy, as if he had swallowed a lump of metal.

– So Da-hee told me she’s happy to have a boyfriend like me…

Nam Ki-hyuk continued enthusiastically about his girlfriend. Woo-young laughed and chimed in, occasionally agreeing with him. Since Ki-hyuk had a normal, straightforward relationship with a woman, it was easy for him to think like that. Woo-young couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. He knew that such things were beyond his reach, even as an adult.

After hanging up, he looked at his now-warm phone. ‘58 minutes 35 seconds.’ The conversation had been so long-winded that he had wasted all his free time before going to sleep.

[ Chopa
★Manner Call★
You’ve received a call.
12/13 21:55]
[ Tae-seong
★Manner Call★
You’ve received a call.
12/13 21:56]

On the heated screen, two missed call records were displayed. Woo-young, who had squinted, opened the chat room. A message from Lee Su-hwa, who had been silent for a while, appeared late.

[Chopa: Woo-young, can you talk now? 21:54]
[Chopa: Never mind! I found it! Good night! (emoticon) 21:57]

Woo-young, who had been scrolling absentmindedly, immediately called the seemingly urgent Lee Soo-hwa. The call connected with a click after about two rings.

“Yeah. Why did you call?”

Ah, um! Actually… there was something I needed to check, but the September mock exam papers disappeared… But it’s okay, I found them right away!
“Really careless. Be more careful.”
Uh-huh. Thanks.
“Do you have any other questions?”
Uh…
“Alright, I’m hanging up now.”
Uh, have you had dinner?
At Soo-hwa’s hurried question, Woo-young glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
“Isn’t it a bit strange to ask that at 10:30?”

…Sorry.
“There’s no need to apologize. Just stop studying and go to bed early.”
Uh-huh…
“Don’t just answer me, go lie down now. You’re really not going to grow taller at this rate, you know? Take care of yourself before you end up being a shortie in college.”
…But I’ve grown 0.5 centimeters in a month…
Woo-young chuckled at Soo-hwa’s mumbled excuse. Soo-hwa always felt like a child left by the shore, causing Woo-young to nag.
“Did you measure yourself every morning?”

…
“Alright, just do some stretching before bed, drink a glass of milk, and then sleep. You remember what I told you last time, right?” Woo-young yawned softly and spoke quietly.
After listening to Nam Ki-hyuk’s complaints, he was feeling drained, and sleepiness was starting to set in.
Uh-huh… Okay. I’ll sleep well.
“Good. Sleep well.”
Uh-huh, good night… Woo-young.
“Yeah. Dream of me.”
Just as he was about to hang up, a hiccup sound came from the receiver. Woo-young let out a soft laugh, not paying much attention, and ended the call. He needed to contact Go Tae-seong next. Reaching over while lying down, just as he was about to press the screen, a new message notification popped up.

[Tae-seong ★Manner Call★ A call has been received from the customer. 01/15 10:27]
[Tae-seong ★Manner Call★ A call has been received from the customer. 01/15 10:28]
[Tae-seong ★Manner Call★]

A call has been received from the customer.
01/15 10:29

“What the…?”
Woo-young raised his eyebrows at the consecutive incoming messages. He pressed the call button, and before the first ring even finished, the call connected.

“Yeah. Why the call…?”

Woo-young.
“Hmm?”
The firm tone made him flinch for a moment. Normally, Go Tae-seong disliked it when he couldn’t reach him.
Can you answer your calls properly?
There was a hint of irritation in his voice, and a sigh followed, barely audible through the low, husky tone.
“Ah, sorry. I was on another call.”
I told you to set up a waiting tone when you’re on the phone. Damn it, you never listen to what I say.
“Sorry, sorry, I spaced out. What’s up?”
Woo-young scratched his head awkwardly. He was so used to not talking on the phone that he kept forgetting about it.
…Who were you talking to for so long? Was it Lee Soo-hwa?
There was a brief pause as Go Tae-seong quietly asked. The silence on the other end of the line made it feel as though he was alone in his room. Woo-young got up and trudged over to the light switch, turning it off, and then lay back down. The room went completely dark.

“No, it wasn’t Lee Soo-hwa. It was just a quick call with her, but I was talking to Nam Ki-hyuk.”

…
“Why are you calling, though?”
Another deep sigh came through, heavier this time. It almost felt as though his breath was right beside Woo-young. The strange atmosphere made Woo-young squint slightly.

“What’s going on? Is something wrong?”

…No.
“Then why did you call?”
Plopping back down onto the bed, Woo-young increased the volume and pressed the phone closer to his ear. He wanted to hear that sweet voice more clearly.
Do we have to have a reason to call each other?
“No… Well, not exactly.”
…

“You said there’s a three-hour time difference there. It’s not really a good time for you to be up, is it?”

After listening to Nam Ki-hyuk’s complaints for a while, it was already eleven o’clock. Where Go Tae-seong was, it must have been well past two in the morning.

I can’t sleep, Woo-young.
“…?”
That’s why I called. I wanted to hear your voice.
His voice, lower than usual, sounded tired. Woo-young, who had frozen for a moment at the bluntness of the words, let out a weary laugh.
…Seriously, this guy is so thoughtless. Saying something like that in the middle of the night is kind of unfair, don’t you think?
The reason he was feeling this way was definitely because of that guy. He kept pulling him in like this, and there was no way he could resist.
Lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, Woo-young sighed. He rubbed his face with his palm, as though it was all inevitable, then opened his mouth.
“Why can’t you sleep? Are you hungry? Is the food not good there?”

…
“Why did you even go there, knowing you’re picky with food? You should’ve just stayed here.”
Woo-young grumbled with his eyes closed. The only thing he could do was look at his face, but since that wasn’t even an option, he was getting frustrated. He turned over and buried his face in the pillow. His chest, pressed into the hard floor, felt suffocated.
“Go Tae-seong.”

Yeah.
“When are you coming back?”
Next week.
“Ugh, that’s so far away…”
Woo-young muttered sullenly, narrowing his brows. A whole week still left. The time felt impossibly long.
“Hey… come back soon.”

Woo-young, with his cheek pressed against the pillow, whined weakly. The more he thought about missing him, the more drained he felt. He even considered making a video call, but decided against it, thinking it would just make him miss him more.

Why?
“Why? Because, of course, I miss you…”
He was more surprised by his own words than anything.
“…Yeah.”

He trailed off, the sentence unfinished. There was a short silence, heavy and awkward. Damn. Damn it. He clenched his eyes shut even harder, cursing himself silently.
“…I mean, it’s just that… I haven’t seen your face in a while… and… I really miss you.”

His heart thudded, still pressed against the floor, but he forced a playful smile. He almost got dizzy from the shock of what he had just said.

You miss me?
To his surprise, the response was soft and gentle, not at all what he expected.
Suddenly, his heart started pounding uncontrollably. He was at a loss for words and couldn’t immediately reply. As he thought about how he used to speak casually with Go Tae-seong, he felt ridiculous for suddenly getting so dramatic over something so trivial.
“…Yeah.”

A low sincerity slipped out quietly. In the unusually still atmosphere, it felt like his heartbeat might be audible through the receiver.

Yeah… me too.
“…?”
I miss you, Woo-young. I’ll come as soon as I can.
The voice, filled with a hint of laughter, softly mingled in his ear.
“Crazy bastard.”

The playful tone made the tense expression at the corner of his mouth soften. It felt like a phone call shared just before sleep between lovers who had just started dating. Woo-young, squinting, found himself squeezing and releasing the end of his pillow, almost absentmindedly.
Ah… I really want to date this guy.

Even though he knew he had to be content with the current situation, the thought that Go Tae-seong might feel the same way kept pushing its way into his mind. The trigger for his impulses was always Go Tae-seong’s behavior, acting like a sweet, affectionate lover. Once he started thinking about it, his mind began to wander again.

Woo-young turned his body toward the ceiling. He could hear Go Tae-seong’s faint breath on the other side of the phone. Sweet romances like the ones in dramas could never happen in real life. He knew that better than anyone, but still, the desire kept creeping up. The more time passed, the deeper his feelings for him grew, and he could feel that himself.

He took a deep breath, feeling the suffocating weight of it all. With an impatient hand, he ran it through his hair and sighed.
“Fine, go to sleep quickly.”

No.
Go Tae-seong whined, and Woo-young turned onto his side, adjusting his phone. The image of Go Tae-seong’s pouting face flashed in his mind. Aside from the sound of his voice, the room felt eerily quiet, like a mouse had died.
“Are you not going to sleep?”

…Yeah.
“What are you going to do then?”
Talk nonsense with Woo-young.
Woo-young sighed, brushing his face with one hand as a wry smile tugged at his lips. He liked hearing his voice after so long, and the whispered calls in the early hours, with everyone else asleep, were strangely comforting. Even the most meaningless words felt uplifting when shared with Go Tae-seong. Everything felt right, maybe even too perfect to be true.

Ah, I really like him, don’t I? I like him so much. Seriously.

“Bullshit, I need to sleep. I have a match tomorrow.”

He didn’t want to end the call, but at the same time, he felt the urge to. It was almost midnight, and his overly sensitive emotions were bubbling up, ready to overflow. He could feel the weight of it in his chest, as if his heart might burst. If he kept listening to his voice in the pitch-black room, he might stay awake until dawn, lost in endless thoughts.

A match?
“Yeah. It’s an afternoon match, but it’s a tournament, so I have to head out in the morning. Oh, by the way, the Round of 16 is at the Handae Sports Complex, right?”
…
“Yeah, I’m going there first to check out the Korean air. It’s going to be pretty amazing.”
You’re going tomorrow?
“Yeah. Why?”

…Fuck, you should’ve told me that earlier.
“What? Why?”
I wanted to go with you, at first.
The sharp tone in Go Tae-seong’s voice made Woo-young furrow his brow. He had often talked about wanting to go to Korea, but he hadn’t known Go Tae-seong had been thinking that way. Come to think of it, Go Tae-seong had a tendency to be a bit obsessive when it came to new experiences.
“Ah… I didn’t say anything because you’re in New Zealand. You wouldn’t be able to come anyway.”

Do you have someone else going with you?
“What? No, just the team members, coaches, and the manager.”
In the silence that followed, Woo-young absently fiddled with the edge of his cotton blanket.

Tell me in advance, Woo-young. It’d be nice to go together, right? I like watching you play… I enjoy it.
“You want to go, huh?”
Ah, this is fucking annoying…
The frustrated tone made Woo-young chuckle softly. Cute bastard. Sometimes, his behavior made him seem like a child.
“I’ll tell you next time. Why are you getting annoyed? Did you fall for me watching me play or something?”

Yeah, I fell for you, so tell me before I start obsessing over you like this. Don’t make me cling to you like this.
At the blunt response, Woo-young couldn’t help but smile, his lips curling slightly. It felt like ants were crawling up his arm, a tickling sensation. He knew it was just a strange kind of obsession between best friends, but every time Go Tae-seong acted like this, it made Woo-young feel good.
“Actually, I was planning to quit soon, starting next year, anyway.”

Why?
“I’m not applying through the football track, and I heard the physical education exam has less weight these days… I’ve pretty much learned the basics. It feels like I’m just occupying space now, and I feel bad about it. I think it’d be better to focus more on grades now.”
So tomorrow is your last match?
“Yeah… I guess so.”
Is it going to be the last one? Since it’s a tournament, there was a chance. While he was thinking, Go Tae-seong muttered quietly.

Do what you want. You’ll get in no matter what.
“Yeah, of course.”
No matter what. There was an overwhelming sense of blind trust in his words. It was just a simple statement, but it made Woo-young feel strangely reassured. Knowing that someone was on his side, supporting him without hesitation, felt really good. If he could just sort out his feelings, their bond would be a strong one, like gears meshing together for life.

Despite the small satisfaction, a tinge of bitterness followed. There was no way to sort things out, not even a single piece of it could be let go of, so for now, the only option was to bury it and hide it away. If he endured, maybe things would get better eventually. That was the one thought he could hold on to. He could still bear it now, and it seemed like he could keep going.

When we get to college, want to live together?
Woo-young’s eyelids blinked slowly.

I’ll find the place, you just need to show up.
“…?”
Huh? Let’s live together, Woo-young.
The sudden words made his heart drop. Thump, thump. Thump. To stop the emotions from bouncing around like a ping-pong ball, Woo-young tightly clenched his fist.
Ah, fuck…

Suddenly, his eyes stung, and he squeezed them shut. The soft, warm voice made him want to say he liked him right then and there. This agonizing, frustrating feeling felt like the worst kind of curse.
“Crazy. What, are you proposing to me? You’ve got some nerve.”

His dry reply was followed by a gentle laugh on the other end. It felt like the dark, silent room was suddenly filled with a sweet energy.

Why? Do you want to marry me?
“…?”
Well, I’ll think about it. If you want to handle what I eat…
“Hey, hey, you must be tired, talking nonsense like that.”

At the grumpy tone, Go Tae-seong burst into laughter again. Woo-young couldn’t help but smile too, though his face remained serious.
“Okay, hang up now, you bastard.”

Yeah, sleep well, Woo-young.
“Yeah, you too.”
Have a good match tomorrow.
“Yeah.”

Fearing the conversation might continue, Woo-young quickly hung up the phone. The soft voice and quiet laughter made his heart ache. Damn it, this ridiculous affliction was getting worse with each passing day.

Woo-young exhaled slowly, his arm resting on his forehead as he closed his eyes again. Then, in a soft mutter, almost like a moan, he murmured to himself.

“Ah… this is so fucking annoying…”

If unrequited love had a beginning, middle, and end, I would probably still be stuck in the “beginning.” A never-ending “beginning,” one that reaches a peak but never, ever reaches a conclusion.

‘Korea University’

The first time Woo-young set foot on Korea University, it was as impressive as expected from a top-tier university. After getting off the bus, he stood still and stared at the main gate.

In about a year, this would be a place he would come and go from countless times. Even though he hadn’t been accepted yet, he felt like he was going on a school trip. He took out his phone, snapped a big photo of the entrance, and sent it to the chat with Go Tae-seong.

The campus, with its well-kept landscaping, was busy despite it being the vacation season. Woo-young’s gaze was drawn to two men walking past him, chatting cheerfully. One was a flamboyant man with bleached blonde hair and black piercings, while the other was a well-groomed handsome man with dark black hair.

They were good-looking. Though they weren’t on the same level as Go Tae-seong, Woo-young couldn’t help but be impressed. It seemed like, as expected from a prestigious university, there were many people who were good-looking, too.

Staring blankly at them, Woo-young imagined himself and Go Tae-seong walking through the campus in matching “HANKUK UNIVERSITY” athletic jackets, talking and laughing, with Tae-seong carrying a bottle of soju. Just the thought made him feel giddy.

He had said they would live together when they went to university.

Though they would be in different departments, living together would mean they would spend a lot more time together than they did now. Living together would also mean they would start to resemble each other in their daily routines—they would wake up at the same time and fall asleep at roughly the same time.

They would have to cook, so they’d probably mess up some simple dishes since neither of them could cook very well. Maybe they’d put on their favorite movie and end up falling asleep on the couch together. It would be an ordinary, comfortable life like that of a long-term couple. Though it wasn’t exactly the kind of relationship he envisioned, it was more than enough for him.

The thought of it all kept spiraling in his mind.

Once they were adults, they’d drink together. They’d be tipsy and have fun. After their classes ended, they’d walk home together, never having to part ways at the familiar sunset-lit crossroads. Because he had said they would live in the same house.

Of course, Woo-young couldn’t only ask for help, so during his free time, he would work part-time to earn pocket money. He already felt excited thinking about buying things Tae-seong liked with money he earned himself. Even if he didn’t get a scholarship, he could always use student loans. After all, that’s how most people managed. Besides, once he graduated from such a prestigious university, he would get a good job, and he could pay off the debt slowly while working in a stable position. At that point, he wouldn’t need to ask his grandmother for help or feel bad about it anymore.

After leaving Unil-dong, he would need to make a more detailed plan for his life. It would be difficult, but it also seemed like it would be fun. Because Go Tae-seong would always be there by his side. With him, Woo-young could complete the perfect life plan.

[Tae-song: Woo-young. Don’t get hurt, do well, and come back. 14:05]
[Tae-song: (emoticon) 14:05]

Woo-young chuckled softly as he looked at the lion character holding a tambourine and dancing a hip-shake. Tae-seong had collected various lion emoticons, and somehow, his large build didn’t match the cute things he did, but it was endearing.

“Woo-young. Are you ready?”

At the coach’s voice, Woo-young put his phone back into the pocket of his jacket. Sitting on the grass of the field, he tightened the laces of his cleats.

The cool air was pierced by the harsh sunlight. As he stood up, his sun-kissed skin and tall, sturdy frame were visible beneath the white uniform. The back of his jersey had the name “Kwon Woo-young” in black letters, with the number 9.

Woo-young jogged lightly in place before stepping forward with a determined look in his eyes. For some reason, he had a good feeling about this game.

Beep! A sharp whistle blew, signaling the start of the match.

The game proceeded smoothly, with the opposing team scoring a goal within the first ten minutes. Every time Woo-young had the chance to shoot, he darted forward, easily bypassing the opposing players and scoring a goal. Although the atmosphere became more aggressive at times, with the referee blowing the whistle several times, Unil High School made no mistakes.

In the second half, the opposing team made several substitutions, and they managed to score a goal. The momentum seemed to shift, but thanks to Woo-young’s offensive play, they managed to recover and secure a win.

The final score was 4:2. Unil High School had a clean victory. The loud cheers from the team and the coach’s excited shouts filled the soccer field of Hankuk University. Woo-young, who had been laughing and encouraging his teammates, was intoxicated by the victory for the first time in a while.

“Hey! Great job, everyone! Well done!”

Woo-young was the MVP of the day. Unlike the strict training sessions, he was now receiving praise from all directions, and he couldn’t help but smile. Compliments like “He has a natural sense for the game” and “No one can beat him” were overwhelming, and the excited atmosphere brought him a sense of overwhelming emotion.

“Hey, Woo-young! Why are you so good? Our coach’s shoulders are going to be sky-high!”

Coach Park, who approached in a dramatic way, messed up Woo-young’s wet hair. Woo-young, who was still catching his breath, laughed playfully.

“Ah, it’s all thanks to you, Coach, for teaching me so well.”

“This guy already knows how to socialize, huh?”

“Was it okay?”

Laughing with his eyes wide, Coach Park gave Woo-young’s back a playful tap. Woo-young, with a mischievous smile, lightly jogged to where his bag was. He couldn’t wait to tell Go Tae-seong about his performance today.

“By the way, Woo-young. Did you see your friend?”

“Huh?”

Turning his head, Woo-young looked up from rummaging through the pockets of his jacket. Coach Park, who was following behind, grinned broadly, like the mask of a traditional Korean dancer.

“He came around the start of the game. That tall guy in a white long padded jacket. Said he was your friend and wanted to watch. He was standing over there, yeah, right there. His face? He could totally be a celebrity.”

Surprised, Woo-young’s gaze followed Coach Park’s finger to the stairs. He finally spotted In-young sitting a little further off, looking toward him. Woo-young’s eyes widened, and his lips, which had been firmly pressed together, naturally curved into a smile.

Even from a distance, he was a person who seemed to shine brightly. He was the kind of person you could recognize anywhere.

“Go Tae-seong!”

Woo-young, with a wide smile, shouted and ran toward him. Go Tae-seong, who had slowly stood up from his seat, waved slowly in Woo-young’s direction. Even from far away, his neat smile was radiant. Woo-young, having just sprinted from the field, felt his face light up with joy as he approached him.

“Hey! What the hell! You could’ve said you were coming!”

Woo-young, panting, punched Go Tae-seong lightly in the chest. Startled by the unexpected punch, Go Tae-seong smiled with a chuckle.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”

“Well, when did you come? You had to take a flight for over ten hours, didn’t you?”

“I came this morning, right after hearing you talk about the game.”

A chill ran down Woo-young’s spine at the unexpected revelation, and he rubbed his arms. A smile crept across his face, and it didn’t leave. He was much happier now than when he had scored the comeback goal.

“Wow… Damn. Really? I never even thought of that.”

Go Tae-seong’s cheeks were slightly red, likely from sitting in the cold for a long time. Thinking about how sensitive he was to the cold, Woo-young felt his heart soften. It seemed like Go Tae-seong was touched by the effort.

“Isn’t it cold? Should I give you my jacket? Did you come without sleeping? What? Should I cry now because I’m so moved?”

“Yeah. If you’re going to cry, at least do it loudly.”

Go Tae-seong, with his hands in his pockets, tilted his head slightly. Woo-young, with a silly smile, stared at his pretty face. There was no one else who looked so good in a white padded jacket. He looked like the first snow of winter.

“Ah, you’re such a freak… Did you watch the whole game? How was I? I played really well today, right?”

“Yeah, you were amazing, hyung.”

Go Tae-seong smiled faintly. Then, unexpectedly, he pulled out his large hand from his pocket and opened it in front of Woo-young. Woo-young’s gaze focused on the long, smooth fingers.

“Sign for me.”

“Crazy.”

Woo-young, glancing sideways, playfully laughed and gave Go Tae-seong’s hand a light tap with his fist. His heart fluttered again. He couldn’t bring himself to grab his hand casually, so he averted his gaze and pretended not to notice.

“Are we done with the schedule now?”

“Huh? Yeah. Today’s over.”

“Then let’s go eat. You’ve worked hard, so I’ll treat you.”

“In this?”

Woo-young raised his eyebrows and pointed to himself with his fingers. He was still wearing a white uniform, soccer shoes, and the only things he had with him were a black long padded jacket and a black backpack.

Go Tae-seong’s gaze slowly scanned Woo-young from head to toe. His eyes lingered over him slowly, without missing anything, and Woo-young subconsciously stiffened. For some reason, he felt embarrassed.

“What’s wrong? I think it’s fine.”

Go Tae-seong smiled slightly as he spoke.

“Hold on, I’ll go tell them.”

Woo-young turned his head and ran back to his seat in a hurry. Normally, they would have to take the team bus back to school, but with the right explanation, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Standing in front of the coach, Woo-young gestured as he explained. The coach had started to give a long speech about the importance of sticking together as a team, but after hearing the story of an old friend who had come all the way from New Zealand on a red-eye flight, he gave the okay. The fact that Woo-young had performed exceptionally well in the game and that the overall mood in the team was positive also made it easier to approve.

“Fuck. I didn’t expect this. I really didn’t.”

“Yeah, I bet.”

“You’re fucking amazing. Did you really want to see me play that badly? Flying all the way here from New Zealand without even sleeping.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re a fucking crazy guy.”

Woo-young chuckled and lightly tapped Go Tae-seong on the waist. Just looking at his face made Woo-young laugh. He couldn’t even begin to explain how much he had missed him over the past two weeks. His insides, which had been drying up, were now feeling full and warm.

“First time, we should do it together.”

Out of the blue, Go Tae-seong spoke in a flat tone as they were walking down the road.

“What?”

“I said, let’s do it together for the first time.”

“What are you talking about?”

Woo-young scratched his cheek, confused by the sudden remark. The conversation he had had with Go Tae-seong the night before suddenly came to mind.

“I wanted to go together, for the first time.”

His voice had been sharp and abrupt.

So, he came because he wanted to go to Hankuk University with me for the first time?

As Woo-young pondered this, Go Tae-seong, who had glanced down for a moment, now looked directly at him.

“Woo-young. Don’t you know what ‘first time’ means? First time seeing something, first time going somewhere, first time doing something… first…”

“Hey, hey. Fuck, I know what ‘first time’ means, stop saying that.”

“…”

“God, this guy, he’s so fixated on weird things.”

Woo-young glanced sideways at Go Tae-seong, laughing lightly. It didn’t matter what his intentions were. The guy he had missed like crazy was standing right in front of him. Just looking at him felt like enough.

“Woo-young, you’re the only one for me.”

Go Tae-seong exhaled sharply, his face quickly turning serious. His sharp jawline followed the curve of his prominent nose.

“Yeah. You’re the only one.”

Woo-young smiled faintly at the calm question, nodding casually. He was getting pretty good at playing it cool now. Both he and Go Tae-seong were funny guys—Go Tae-seong casually dropping lines like that, and Woo-young accepting them without batting an eye.

“I mean, how fucking devoted are you? Fuck, a guy like me, you couldn’t even buy with money, you really need to know that.”

Go Tae-seong muttered in a low voice as they kept walking.

“Yeah, yeah. Superstar Go Tae-seong has graced this humble place with his presence, how could I not know? Wow, ten-hour flight, I’m so moved I’m about to cry.”

“Actually, it was eleven and a half hours.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, look, my eyes are all red now.”

Woo-young squinted his eyes, playfully smiling as he looked at Go Tae-seong, who shot him a quick glance with a deadpan expression before turning his gaze back ahead.

“From now on, you need to tell me in advance. No, just tell me everything. Why do you keep hiding stuff? If you had just told me from the start that you were going to the game at Hankuk University, I wouldn’t have had to fly all the way here without sleeping. Why the hell do you make me suffer like this?”

With his voice suddenly speeding up, Go Tae-seong turned to look at him. His brows were furrowed, as if frustrated.

“Does it always have to go this way?”

“Yeah.”

With the firm and expressionless response, Woo-young shrugged his shoulders.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m the great sinner.”

“….”

“They say young people should suffer, right? Pain is part of youth, didn’t you know? You should think of it as your youth too.”

Go Tae-seong shot him an annoyed look at the nonsensical statement. Woo-young, laughing awkwardly, spun his eyes and grabbed his arm.

“Okay, okay. It was just a joke. I won’t do it again. So, what are we eating?”

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Hmm. What about you?”

“Let’s go eat meat. You worked hard running, so you need some protein.”

“Okay. Sounds good. I’m going to eat a ton.”

Woo-young joked with a laugh, mumbling under his breath. He had run for hours, but it hadn’t been hard at all. In fact, he felt surprisingly refreshed. He could live without food, but he couldn’t live without Go Tae-seong. He laughed to himself at the thought, even though he knew it was a bit of a cheesy sentiment. It was embarrassing, but he couldn’t help it.

The two figures, dressed in black and white padded jackets, left the wide sports field behind them. As they climbed the hill, the gate of Hankuk University, which Woo-young had seen earlier alone, came into view. Woo-young rummaged through his pocket and pulled out his phone.

“Hey, let’s take a commemorative photo here. It’s going to feel weird when we see each other again after we get into school.”

Without waiting for a response, he turned on the camera. It was a thought he had earlier, when he was standing alone—how nice it would have been if Go Tae-seong had been there to take a photo with him. It felt like it would become a cherished memory.

“Are we taking a picture?”

As Woo-young stretched out his arm, Go Tae-seong naturally leaned in, entering the frame. Behind the two of them, the gate of Hankuk University and its sculptures could be seen. Woo-young, looking at Go Tae-seong and the university in the screen, gave a playful smile.

Go Tae-seong, Hankuk University.

In that one photo, all of his hopes were contained.