"Gyuvin?" Ricky's eyes widened in disbelief.
Gyuvin's heart raced. He had imagined this moment countless times over the past year, rehearsing scenarios in his mind: what he would say, how he would act, how composed he'd be. But now, standing face to face with Rickyâblonde hair gleaming under the exhibition lights, looking at him
with those eyesâGyuvin was completely defenseless.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out. He stood frozen, words lodged painfully in his throat. Memories flooded backâthe long nights wondering where Ricky was, the ache that never quite went away, the lingering hope he'd hear from him.
Finally, Gyuvin summoned the courage to speak. "Riâ"
Before he could finish, a voice called from across the room. "Quanrui, we're ready for your presentation!"
Ricky blinked, snapping out of whatever trance he'd been in. His gaze shifted sharply away from Gyuvin toward the voice, as if nothing had happenedâas if the past year didn't exist.
Without a word, without even a glance back, Ricky turned on his heel and walked away.
Gyuvin stood there, feeling like someone had knocked the wind out of him. What just happened? The boy he'd waited for, thought about relentlessly, was here. And yet he was slipping away again.
Gyuvin's pulse raced as he watched Ricky disappear into the crowd. No way. This wasn't happening. He hadn't spent an entire year replaying memories and unanswered questions in his mind just to let Ricky vanish without a single word.
Fueled by frustration and disbelief, Gyuvin stormed after him, shoving past volunteers and art displays. "Ricky!" he called, louder than he meant to. Heads turned, curious whispers rising in the room. Ricky kept walking, his posture stiff and unyielding.
In his urgency, Gyuvin's shoulder clipped one of the tables, and in slow-motion horror, he watched as a pyramid of carefully stacked pottery wobbled, teeteredâand then came crashing down.
The shattering sound echoed across the entire floor. Conversations halted, heads snapped toward the chaos. Volunteers gasped, and one staff member's face twisted in sheer disbelief.
"Oh, great," Gyuvin muttered, heart sinking as fragments of what was probably someone's thesis project scattered across the floor. He tried to gather the broken pieces, his ears burning from the attention, but someone sternly waved him off.
"Justâleave it. We'll handle it," a supervisor barked, visibly fuming.
"You've got to be kidding me," Gyuvin groaned, standing up and brushing ceramic dust from his pants.
Ricky, seemingly at the end of his patience, strode back toward him. His expression was unreadable, but his voice was tight. "You're going to destroy the entire exhibit at this rate."
Before Gyuvin could respond, Ricky grabbed his wrist. "Come on," he hissed.
Gyuvin stumbled after him, shock momentarily silencing him. Ricky's grip was firm as he led them through the maze of hallways, past art storage rooms and closed classrooms, until the hum of the event faded into complete silence.
Ricky's voice was sharp, laced with irritation as they stood in the dim, quiet hallway. "Do you even realize what kind of scene you just caused? You broke half the exhibition and embarrassed yourself in front of everyone. I don't know what's gotten into you, but you need to calmâ"
Before Ricky could finish, Gyuvin's hand shot out, grabbing him by the collar. In one swift, forceful motion, he pushed Ricky against the cold wall. The impact echoed through the corridor. Ricky winced, caught off guard by Gyuvin's sudden aggression.
Gyuvin's face was flushed with a mix of frustration and desperation. His breaths were uneven, and his grip on Ricky's shirt trembled with pent-up emotions.
"Where the hell were you?" Gyuvin's voice cracked, raw and furious. "Why didn't you tell me anything? Not a word. Nothing. You just vanished likeâlike we didn't matter at all."
Ricky's expression shifted, his initial shock softening into something unreadable. He opened his mouth to respond, but before any words came, Gyuvin's gaze faltered. The storm in his eyes flickered, turning gentle, almost sorrowful.
His fingers loosened their grip, and he let Ricky go. For a moment, there was only the sound of their breathing, mingling in the quiet hallway. Ricky fixed the collar of his shirt and awkwardly cleared his throat.
"I had my reasons," Ricky muttered, his voice low but firm. "And it doesn't matter now."
Gyuvin's brows furrowed. "Doesn't matter?" he repeated, disbelief coloring his tone. "Of course it matters! You just walked away like nothing happened, Ricky. How can you say that?"
Ricky crossed his arms defensively. "Because it was the right thing to do."
"That's such bullshit," Gyuvin shot back, his voice rising. "You didn't even give me a chance toâ"
Their tense argument was abruptly cut off by a familiar voice echoing down the hallway.
"Hey! There you guys are."
They both turned to see Sullyoon approaching with a clipboard in hand, her brow furrowed in mild confusion. "Ricky, hi! Oh my god, I didn't know you're back."
Gyuvin blinked, stepping back from Ricky as if the air between them had suddenly become too heavy. Ricky's expression was carefully blank, but his fingers twitched at his side, betraying lingering tension.
"Yes," Ricky said quickly, his voice steady. "I'm here for art stuff."
Sullyoon's eyes flickered between them, sensing the awkward energy but choosing not to comment. "Well, Gyuvin, we need more volunteers upstairs. We're behind schedule. Hurry up."
Ricky gave a curt nod, his jaw clenched. Without sparing Gyuvin another glance, he turned on his heel and walked past Sullyoon, his departure abrupt and final.
Gyuvin stood frozen, watching Ricky's retreating figure with a sinking feeling in his chest. His fingers itched to reach out, to grab Ricky and stop him from slipping away againâbut it was too late.
Sullyoon sighed beside him. "You coming?"
Gyuvin swallowed the lump in his throat and forced a nod. "Yeah," he muttered, his voice hollow.
"We should go back to the main floor and help set up the projection screens. They're behind schedule," Sullyoon said with a commanding tone.
With a reluctant nod, Gyuvin turned toward his duties, though Ricky's sudden appearance and their tense encounter replayed in his mind on a loop. His thoughts tangled with confusion and frustration as he carried a roll of cables across the floor. Ricky's cold exit gnawed at him. Why did he have to leave like that again? Was it his fault for pushing too hard?
Lost in his thoughts, Gyuvin barely registered anything around him untilâ
"Surprise!"
Someone jumped on his back, almost knocking the air out of his lungs. "What theâ" Gyuvin sputtered.
Junhyeon cackled from where he was clinging to Gyuvin like a koala. "Yo!"
Gunwook appeared beside them. "We've been looking for you forever, man!"
Gyuvin scoffed, prying Junhyeon off him. "Have you guys ever actually done anything useful?"
Junhyeon gasped dramatically. "Excuse me, we are having our deserved break right now."
Gunwook started. "Seriously, though, the theater department is awesome. They have all this cool equipment, and they let us mess with the lights. We might accidentally blind someone later."
"Oh, and guess what?" Junhyeon added excitedly. "Hao and Hanbin said they're coming soon."
Before he could answer, a voice called out across the hall. "Gyuvin! We need you to help move the sound equipment!"
It was the supervisor, waving him down with a clipboard.
Gyuvin sighed. "Guess that's my cue."
Junhyeon gave him a playful salute. "See you later, Gyub."
"Try not to break anything," Gunwook added with a grin.
"I already did," Gyuvin answered with a sigh.
Gyuvin approached the supervisor, who handed him a neatly packed bundle of materials. "Deliver these to each exhibition section," the supervisor instructed. "Make sure everything's distributed properly."
"Yeah, got it," Gyuvin muttered, securing the load in his arms.
He moved from section to section, his task mechanical, barely registering the sculptures and canvases surrounding him. As he approached the art installation area, something caught his attentionâmore accurately, someone.
Ricky.
He stood near a panel, commanding the space effortlessly, speaking to a group of volunteers. His words were measured, his voice steady, his presence magnetic. But it wasn't just his voice that captivated Gyuvinâit was the way Ricky moved. His hands, long and elegant, gestured with precision. His posture was flawless, every inch exuding confidence and composure.
Even his appearance had shifted dramatically. Loose, oversized clothes were now replaced with a fitted black floral shirt tucked neatly into tailored pants, radiating sophistication. The boy Gyuvin knew had always carried a quiet, icy charm, but the person standing there now had fully embodied it, polished and formidable.
Ricky's gaze drifted across the room and landed on Gyuvin. Ricky's eyes, sharp yet searching, locked onto Gyuvin's, freezing him in place.
Panic surged through Gyuvin, and with a sharp inhale, he tore his gaze away, forcing himself to adjust the materials in his arms as though they were the most important thing in the world.
The event finally drew to a close. Gyuvin wiped sweat from his brow, exhaustion creeping into his limbs.
As he placed the last stack of chairs against the wall, his phone buzzed. A message from Gunwook popped up on the screen: We're at the exit with Hao, Hanbin, and Junhyeon. Hurry up!
Stuffing his phone back in his pocket, Gyuvin exhaled deeply, ready to leave when Sullyoon appeared beside him, her face flushed from the day's work. "Ready to go?" she asked with a gentle smile.
"Yeah, let's get out of here," Gyuvin nodded.
They walked out of the venue together, the cool evening breeze hitting their faces. As they neared the exit, a familiar group came into viewâGunwook, Junhyeon, Hao, and Hanbin, all animatedly chatting with a few unfamiliar faces.
Sullyoon waved at them. "I'll see you all around. Bye!" she said sweetly before walking off into the night.
Gyuvin's gaze flickered back to the group. Alongside his friends were three new faces, each distinct.
The first was Matthewâthe boy who had visited their school before. He was exactly as Gyuvin remembered, he had an impossibly wide smile that seemed permanently etched on his face. "Hey! You were volunteering at the event too?" Matthew greeted cheerfully.
"Yeah," Gyuvin replied, slightly surprised. "You remember me?"
"Of course! You were doodling instead of listening to me at school," Matthew teased. "By the way, Hanbin and I are in the same dance crew. He practically adopted me."
Next to Matthew stood Jiwoong, a man so strikingly handsome that Gyuvin almost did a double take. His features were sharp and elegant. He was the kind of person you'd see on a magazine cover or starring in a movie.
"This is Jiwoong," Hanbin introduced. "He's in the acting major."
"Nice to meet you," Jiwoong said with a smooth, confident tone, extending his hand.
"And this is Taerae," Hanbin added, gesturing toward a shorter guy standing next to Jiwoong. Taerae had a beaming smile and an incredibly large mouth that was impossible not to notice.
"Hey!" Taerae greeted enthusiastically. "I'm in the music department with Hao."
"Nice to meet you too," Gyuvin said.
Gunwook slung an arm around Gyuvin's shoulders. "You have no idea how wild the theater department was, man. We almost set the curtains on fire!"
Junhyeon chimed in, "It was all Gunwook's fault, by the way."
Gyuvin shook his head, laughing. "Why am I not surprised?"
As the group continued chatting, Gyuvin couldn't help but glance back toward the venue, half-expecting to see a familiar figure lingering near the entrance. But there was no sign of Ricky.
Suddenly, a thought struck him like lightningâRicky might still be there.
Hao's words from a few days ago resurfaced in his mind: "But if you care about someone, you'll fix it. You'll want to fix it. And that's what makes it worth everything."
Without thinking, Gyuvin blurted out, "Uhâguys, I forgot something inside. Don't wait for me, okay?"
Gunwook furrowed his brows. "Again? You always sprint off randomly."
Matthew grinned, his bright smile gleaming under the streetlights. "You should really consider track and field, Gyuvin."
But Gyuvin was already halfway down the street, legs pumping as he sprinted back to the venue, ignoring the bewildered stares from his friends.
The cold evening air bit at his skin as he reached the venue and burst through the doors. The space was eerily quiet, the earlier buzz of voices and activity now replaced by an empty, solemn stillness.
Gyuvin's sneakers echoed against the polished floor as he walked through the aisles. His breath caught in disappointmentâRicky was gone. The emptiness of the venue pressed against him, but his feet instinctively carried him toward Ricky's exhibition stand.
He paused in front of the artwork. One particular canvas stood out from the rest, larger and bolder, almost demanding his gaze.
It was a painting of a deer and a bird, surrounded by the chaotic background. The bird's wings were unfurled in sharp, bold strokes of black and crimson, as if it had just tried to take flight but had been pulled back by the storm that enveloped them both. Despite the wild movement surrounding them, the bird and deer leaned toward each otherâclose but not touching.
Gyuvin tilted his head, unable to tear his eyes away.
Ricky's talent had always been evidentâquick sketches in the corners of notebook pages during dull lessonsâbut this was different. This was raw, intentional, and layered with meaning.
He took one last glance, intending to walk away, but a voice beside him shattered the quiet.
"Do you like it?"
Gyuvin flinched, nearly dropping the bag in his hand. He whipped his head around and found Ricky standing there, calm and collected as always. His sudden appearance felt surreal, as if the painting had conjured him into existence.
"God, you scared me!" Gyuvin blurted out, his heart racing.
Ricky didn't respond immediately. Instead, he calmly reached for a folder on the table beside the painting and slid it into his sleek, black bag. His expression was unreadable, the same poised grace Gyuvin had noticed earlier.
"Well, I gotta go now," Ricky said.
Gyuvin watched in disbelief as Ricky turned and began walking toward the exit, his polished shoes tapping against the floor with infuriating composure.
"Wait!" Gyuvin's voice echoed through the empty hall, loud and desperate.
Ricky paused but didn't turn around, his posture tense, as though he were weighing whether to stay or keep walking.
Gyuvin swallowed hard, his chest tightening. He had so many questions, so many things he needed to say, but all he managed was, "Please."
Ricky let out a quiet sigh, his eyes flickering to the clock on the wall. "Fine. Say whatever you need to say, but be quick. I stuff to do." His tone was sharp and detached.
Gyuvin's heart raced, but he nodded, trying to keep his cool. "Alright, give me your number."
Ricky scoffed, his lips twitching in a subtle smirk. "Why would I give you my number?"
"Because I need to talk to you. Wait, wait. No. Give me your address instead. Knowing you, you'd probably block me or just ignore my texts." Gyuvin said with determination.
That wiped the smirk off Ricky's face for a fraction of a second. He blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"Your address. Just one conversation, and if it doesn't work out, I'll disappear forever. I want just one conversation," Gyuvin added, shrugging.
Ricky scoffed, though a flicker of surprise remained in his expression. "You're insane."
"Maybe. But I'm serious."
Ricky arched a brow. "And if I don't? What are you gonna do? Haunt me?"
Gyuvin held his gaze, dead serious. "Yes."
For a second, Ricky looked genuinely flustered. Ricky was caught off guard, the confidence fading from his face. After a long pause, he sighed dramatically. "Fine."
He began listing off his address, and Gyuvin fumbled frantically to pull his phone from his bag, nearly dropping it twice in his rush. "Hold on, hold onâokay, go."
Ricky recited the street name and apartment number in a measured tone.
"You got it?"
"Yeah," Gyuvin confirmed breathlessly, typing in the last number.
Ricky slid his hands into his pockets, his composure back to its usual cool demeanor. "I'm leaving now."
As he turned, Gyuvin grinned widely, his voice content. "See you later, Ricky."
Ricky paused, giving Gyuvin a withering glance over his shoulder. "Don't get your hopes up."