Gyuvin attentively checked the map on his phone, carefully following the directions to Ricky's location. His excitement built with each stepâfinally, he'd get to talk to Ricky. But as he reached the designated point, he raised his head, expecting an apartment building...
Instead, he was standing in front of a circus.
Bright neon lights flashed above a massive striped tent. A man on stilts strutted past him, juggling flaming batons. Somewhere in the distance, a trumpet blared a cheerful yet somehow ominous tune. A tiny monkey in a vest stared directly into his soul.
Gyuvin blinked. Then blinked again. What. The. Hell.
Thinking he must have made a mistake, he walked back and forth, squinting at the surrounding buildings. Maybe the apartment entrance was just nearby? He double-checked the pinned location. 100% correct. This was the spot. He looked back up. A clown riding a unicycle waved at him.
Gyuvin slowly exhaled through his nose. His eye twitched. That son of aâ
Realization hit him like a slap in the face. Ricky had tricked him. Again.
Grinding his teeth, Gyuvin muttered a string of curses under his breath, shooting one last glare at the circus before stomping off. Somewhere in the distance, a honking clown horn seemed to mock him.
"Ricky, you absolute jerk," he hissed to himself.
Gyuvin was in disbeliefâno, outright offendedâthat Ricky didn't want to talk to him that much. What the hell? He wasn't just some random guy; they had history! The realization stung more than he wanted to admit. And that? That hurt his pride.
At this point, giving up wasn't an option. If Ricky wouldn't talk to him, then Gyuvin would find a way.
His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. Then, like a lightbulb flickering on, an idea hit him.
Hao.
Ricky's closest friend. The one person Ricky actually kept in contact with even after he left. If anyone knew Ricky's address, it had to be Hao.
Without wasting another second, Gyuvin grabbed his things and marched straight to Hao's campus, his determination burning like a wildfire.
Hao stood near the window, the sunlight catching in his hair and making its subtle red undertones glow. He looked almost ethereal, poised and graceful as he practiced the violin.
But just as he was getting lost in the music, a loud, obnoxious sound interrupted him.
A hair dryer.
Hao clenched his jaw, exhaled sharply, and rolled his eyes.
"Taerae!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the screeching noise. "I'm practicing!"
From the bathroom, Taerae screamed back without hesitation.
"Yeah, well, I don't care! I have to leave soon!"
Hao sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He attempted to tune out the noise and focus, bringing his bow back to the stringsâ
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Hao paused, frowning.
The knocking was faint at first, almost ignorable. He decided to do just that. If it was important, they'd go away, right?
Knock. Knock. KNOCK.
...Apparently not.
The knocks grew louder, more insistent.
Hao waited. Taerae wasn't busyâhe could get it.
Except Taerae clearly had no intention of doing so.
The banging on the door only got worse, like whoever was outside had absolutely no sense of shame or patience.
Hao snapped.
He slammed his violin down, stormed toward the door with murder in his eyes, and yanked it open with enough force to rip it off its hinges.
"WHATâ"
But before he could unleash hell, Gyuvin tilted his head, smiled, and softly said,
"Hi."
Hao froze.
For a split second, his brain short-circuited. But thenâjust as quickly as the flustered moment arrived, it was gone. His expression hardened.
"Do you have a death wish?" Hao snapped, crossing his arms. "What is wrong with you?! Why were you knocking like a lunatic?"
Gyuvin just laughed, completely unbothered.
Hao groaned, running a hand through his hair. "What do you want?"
"Ricky's address."
Hao stiffened. His face remained neutral, but the way his fingers tightened slightly on his sleeve was telling.
"I don't know it," Hao said smoothly.
Gyuvin's eyes narrowed.
Then, he grinned.
"So, you do know Ricky's back."
Hao's entire body betrayed himâhis shoulders tensed, and he let out a small, almost inaudible breath.
"Iâ" He paused, then tried again. "I never said that."
"But you didn't deny it."
Hao cursed internally.
Gyuvin stepped forward, lowering his voice just slightly, his tone almost playfulâbut not quite.
"Come on, Hao. Just give it to me. It'll be easier for both of us."
Hao's jaw tightened.
"No."
Gyuvin's eyes flickered to Hao's desk. There, neatly placed on top of some sheet music, was something that caught his eyeâa pair of pristine, carefully stored GOT7 concert tickets.
Then, in one smooth motion, he lunged forward, snatched the tickets off the desk, and sprinted towards the window.
Hao didn't even have time to react. One second, he was watching Gyuvin stand there like an idiot, and the nextâ
"YAHâWHAT THE HELL?!" Hao shrieked, leaping after him.
But Gyuvin was already at the window, dramatically holding the tickets over the edge.
"Give me Ricky's address," Gyuvin said, his voice dead serious.
Hao gasped so hard it sounded like he just got stabbed. "YOU WOULDN'Tâ"
Gyuvin tilted his head. "Wouldn't I?"
"THOSE ARE FLOOR SEATS."
"I know."
"I WAITED SIX HOURS IN A QUEUE FOR THOSE."
Gyuvin pretended to think about it. "Wow. Six hours? That's really impressive."
"IT WAS TRAUMATIZING, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND."
"You're right. I don't understand." Gyuvin held the tickets even further out. "You know what I do understand, though? Gravity."
"Gyuvin. Listen to me," he said, hands up like he was trying to calm down a hostage situation. "Weâwe can talk about this. Let's be rational."
"I am being rational. Either you give me the address, or your tickets go flying."
Hao was sweating. He couldn't lose them.
"Okay. OKAY!" Hao practically collapsed, ripping open his notes app. "I'LL GIVE YOU THE ADDRESS. JUSTâJUST GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOW."
Gyuvin smirked. "See? That wasn't so hard."
As soon as he got the address, he grinned, tossed the tickets back onto the desk, and patted Hao's shoulder like he just taught him an important life lesson.
Hao, still shaking, clutched his tickets like they were his firstborn children.
"You're a terrible person," he muttered.
"Maybe," Gyuvin said. "But at least I'm a terrible person with Ricky's address."
Just as Gyuvin was about to leave, Taerae appeared out of nowhereâwearing bright pink hair rollers like it was the most normal thing in the world.
He blinked at the scene before him. Hao was still clutching his GOT7 tickets like a war survivor, and Gyuvin looked way too smug for someone who had just held them hostage over a window.
"...What the hell is going on?" Taerae asked.
Hao wildly pointed at Gyuvin.
"He's a PSYCHO."
Gyuvin, completely unfazed, smiled sweetly and waved.
"Bye, Taerae~" he said in the cutest voice possible before skipping out the door.
Gyuvin double-checked the address on his phone, his heart pounding with anticipation. This was definitely the right place. Apartment 66, 10th floorâexactly what Hao had told him. He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes as if that would somehow make Ricky more likely to welcome him, and pressed the doorbell.
No answer.
He frowned and pressed it again. Then again. And again.
Nothing.
Gyuvin stepped back, staring at the door as if he could will it to open. Maybe Ricky was in the shower? Maybe he was asleep? Maybe he was deliberately ignoring him?
He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. There was no way Hao had tricked him. Right? No, definitely not. Ricky was probably out. That was fineâGyuvin could wait.
With a sigh, he slid down to the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of the door. His back pressed against the wall, and he stretched his legs out with another sigh. This was fine. He was patient. He could totally sit here for however long it took.
He pulled out his phone to kill time, scrolling through social media mindlessly. Every few minutes, he glanced up, half-expecting the door to swing open.
Gyuvin had no idea how long he had been out, but when he woke up, his whole body ached. His butt was numb from sitting on the cold, hard floor, and his neck felt stiff from the awkward position he had dozed off in. Groggily, he blinked his eyes open, feeling disoriented.
The first thing he registered was the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps approaching.
Then, a shadow loomed over him.
Gyuvin squinted up, his vision still blurry from sleep. A tall figure stood in front of him, looking down at him with a familiar smirk.
"Took you long enough to come here," Ricky said, his voice smooth and amused.
Gyuvin, still half-asleep and grumpy from being woken up, let out an irritated groan. He stretched his sore limbs and rubbed his eyes before grumbling, "Not my fault you tricked me and gave me the wrong address." His tone was laced with annoyance, which only seemed to amuse Ricky more.
Ricky chuckled, kneeling down in front of Gyuvin so their faces were at the same level. His gaze was sharp, but there was something teasing in the way he tilted his head. Slowly, he reached out, cupping Gyuvin's chin between his fingers, tilting it slightly upward.
"I can't believe you really sat here waiting for me like a loyal puppy," Ricky mused, his tone dripping with amusement.
Gyuvin scowled, swatting Ricky's hand away. "You're unbelievable," he muttered, feeling his face heat up despite himself.
Unexpectedly, Ricky stood back up, brushing imaginary dust off his pants. "Let's go," he said casually.
Gyuvin blinked up at him. "Huh?"
Ricky smirked, slipping his hands into his pockets. "If you wanted to talk to me this bad, I might as well make your waiting worth it."
Gyuvin stared for a moment before huffing and pushing himself off the floor, brushing off his clothes. He wasn't sure whether to be mad, relieved, or just plain exhausted. But one thing was certainâRicky was still as insufferable as ever.
As they stepped out of the apartment building, a crisp autumn breeze brushed against Gyuvin's skin, making him shiver slightly. The night air smelled like fallen leaves.
Ricky walked ahead without a word, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, moving with effortless grace. Gyuvin followed without question, not even knowing where they were headed. The air felt still, the quiet hum of the city filling the space between them.
Gyuvin found himself watching Ricky's figure as he walkedâhow his movements were smooth, deliberate, like he belonged perfectly in this late-night atmosphere. The way the lights reflected off his blonde hair made him look almost unreal, as if he was part of a movie scene Gyuvin had accidentally stepped into.
After what felt like an eternity of silent wandering, Ricky finally stopped. He turned toward a small restaurant. Without a word, Ricky pushed the door open and gestured for Gyuvin to step inside first.
The moment he entered, he was met with the soft hum of a jazz melody playing in the background. The place was nearly empty, only a couple of tables occupied by lone diners who seemed lost in their own worlds.
The lighting was warm, dim but cozy, casting a golden glow over the wooden furniture and the small framed pictures hanging on the walls.
Ricky followed him in, casually shrugging off his coat before choosing a table near the window. Gyuvin sat across from him.
As soon as they settled into their seats, a waiter approached them with a wide, friendly grin. He barely glanced at the menu before greeting Ricky enthusiastically.
"Oh, Quanrui! The usual?"
Ricky, completely unfazed, nodded. "Yeah."
Gyuvin cleared his throat and quickly placed his order. The waiter scribbled it down, and disappeared into the kitchen.
"You come here often?"
"Almost every day after work," Ricky replied smoothly, resting his chin on his hand.
Silence crept between them again, the soft jazz filling the space. Gyuvin shifted uncomfortably, not used to this kind of atmosphere between them.
Ricky was the one to break it. "So? What did you want to talk about?"
Gyuvin was caught off guard. He had a lot to sayâthings that had been brewing in his mind ever since Ricky left. But putting them into words? That was harder than he thought.
Still, he went with the first question that popped into his head. "How long have you been in Seoul?"
Ricky took a sip of his water before answering, "A few months."
Gyuvin's eyes widened. "A few months? And you didn't tell me?"
Ricky shrugged. "Didn't feel necessary."
Gyuvin felt a rush of frustration. "Are you seriousâ"
Before he could finish, the waiter returned, placing Ricky's espresso martini in front of him and setting down Gyuvin's Coke Zero and a plate of fries.
The interruption stalled the argument for a moment. Gyuvin took a sip of his drink, trying to compose himself, but the second the waiter left, he gave Ricky an expectant glare.
Ricky finally responded to Gyuvin's complaints, stirring the olive in his drink with a slow, deliberate motion. "I mean... I left on an awkward note."
Gyuvin frowned. "What do youâ" Then it hit him. Oh. The confession.
He suddenly felt like sinking into his seat.
Ricky tilted his head slightly, watching Gyuvin's expression change. "See? Even now, it makes you uncomfortable."
Gyuvin leaned back in his chair, gripping his drink like it was the only thing keeping him from completely losing his mind. His voice was quieter now, but the emotion was unmistakable.
"You didn't even tell me you were leaving," he said. "No text. No call. You just... disappeared."
Ricky stirred his martini with his finger, watching the liquid ripple. "Yeah. It was...sudden."
Gyuvin scoffed. "No kidding. Why?"
Ricky tilted his head slightly, as if the question had never occurred to him before. "Because I wanted to."
Gyuvin blinked. "That's it?"
"Pretty much."
Gyuvin let out a short laugh, rubbing his temples. "So you just felt like it? No reason?"
Ricky finally looked at him, his eyes sharp but unreadable. "I was tired of everything. So I left."
"You could've at least said something," Gyuvin muttered.
Ricky hummed, considering it. "I thought about it."
"And?"
"Decided against it."
Gyuvin groaned, slumping against the table. "You're so difficult."
Ricky smirked faintly. "Well, you're the one who wanted to talk."
Gyuvin ignored that. "Fine. Whatever. What are you even doing in Seoul?"
Ricky swirled his martini absentmindedly. "I intern at the university now."
Gyuvin, who was in the middle of eating a fry, nearly dropped it. "Waitâthe same university I volunteer at?"
Ricky nodded. "Yeah. They just have me helping teachers and students. Nothing too complicated."
Gyuvin tilted his head. "I saw your painting, by the way. The one with the deer and the bird."
Ricky's fingers twitched slightly around his glass, and Gyuvin swore he saw his ears turn pink for half a second. But Ricky quickly masked it, setting his drink down with a small clink.
Ricky changed the topic. "How's your studying going?"
Gyuvin immediately choked on his fry. He reached for his drink in a panic, coughing into his sleeve. Ricky watched, unimpressed, and slid a napkin across the table.
When Gyuvin finally stopped dying, he shot Ricky an irritated look. "Not good."
Ricky sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "Figures. You're going to end up unemployed, roaming the streets like a stray dog."
"Heyâ"
Ricky smirked. "It's okay. I'll make sure to toss you some food when I pass by."
Gyuvin narrowed his eyes. "You know what? I actually do have a career plan. I'm gonna be rich and successful and rub it in your face."
Ricky scoffed. "Doing what?"
Gyuvin shrugged. "I dunno. Scamming people? Selling feet pics? Something easy."
Ricky's face twitched. "You're disgusting."
"You're just mad because no one would buy your feet pics."
Ricky's jaw dropped slightly. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Ricky pointed a finger at him, looking ready to argue, but Gyuvin suddenly started laughing.
Ricky frowned. "Why are you laughing?"
"Because it's funny. You try so hard to act nonchalant, but you're actually just as easy to mess with as before."
Ricky clicked his tongue and looked away, sipping his drink to hide his expression.
Ricky leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he studied Gyuvin with an amused expression. "You're still a dumbass."
Gyuvin scowled. "Wow. Thanks. Really missed hearing that."
Ignoring him, Ricky raised a hand to call the waiter over and asked for the bill. When it arrived, he didn't hesitate before sliding his card into the tray.
Gyuvin's eyes widened. "Wait, I should've paidâ"
Ricky cut him off with a smirk. "It's fine. I don't mind paying for broke high school students."
Gyuvin's jaw dropped in offense. "Excuse me?! First of all, I'm not brokeâ"
"âYou are."
The waiter returned with his receipt, and Ricky stood up, leaving no room for further argument.
The moment they stepped out, the crisp autumn air wrapped around them, making Gyuvin instinctively tuck his hands into his pockets. He was still muttering about how he totally could've paid when he noticed Ricky stopping just a few steps ahead.
Ricky casually pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, shaking one loose with practiced ease.
Gyuvin's eyes widened in pure shock. "Since when the hell do you smoke?"
Ricky exhaled a slow stream of smoke, watching it curl into the cold air before disappearing.
Ricky took another drag before glancing at him. "Since I left. Want one?"
Gyuvin recoiled dramatically, raising both hands. "Hell no. My lungs are innocent."
Ricky chuckled. "You still act like a kid."
Gyuvin huffed. "And you act too grown."
They stood in silence for a moment, the warm glow of a streetlamp casting long shadows at their feet. Gyuvin watched Ricky closelyâthe way his fingers held the cigarette with effortless ease, the way his face stayed unreadable as he stared off into the distance. With the dim city lights behind him, he really did look like something out of a magazine. Some kind of tragic, straight from a Lana Del Rey music video.
Ricky exhaled a slow stream of smoke, watching it curl into the night air before suddenly asking, "Do I disgust you?"
Gyuvin, who had been side-eyeing him the entire time, almost choked on his own spit. "Huh? What kind of question is that? Yeah, well, I don't like that you smoke. But don't worry, I'll break this habit of yours."
Ricky chuckled, finally turning his gaze to Gyuvin. "That's not what I meant."
Gyuvin blinked in confusion. "Then whatâ"
"I'm talking about my confession."
Gyuvin's brain short-circuited. His whole body tensed, his mouth opened slightly like he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He looked like someone just threw a bucket of cold water over his head.
Ricky watched him struggle with mild amusement before shaking his head knowingly. "It's fine," he said, turning away as if he already had his answer.
But thenâ
"No."
Ricky stopped.
"No? What do you mean, no?"
Gyuvin's face was burning now, but his voice came out firmâalmost angry. "How the hell could I be disgusted? Why would I be? What kind of messed-up thinking is that?"
Ricky raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Gyuvin kept going. "Seriously, why would you even think that? That's so stupid. You're stupid. You're so weird for thinking stuff like that."
Ricky took one last drag from his cigarette before tossing it onto the pavement and pressing it out with his shoe. Then, he looked at Gyuvin with that same unreadable expression.
"Stop calling me stupid."
Gyuvin scoffed, crossing his arms. "I'm calling you stupid because you are stupid."
Ricky smirked at that, his expression unreadable, before suddenly asking, "Isn't the idea of two men together disgusting?"
Gyuvin's entire body tensed. "Are you serious right now?"
Ricky just raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.
Gyuvin groaned, rubbing his temples like he was about to lose his mind. "Oh my God, Ricky, no. What is wrong with you? Do you seriously think I would ever think that? You're literally my friendâno, scratch thatâyou're one of the most amazing people I've ever met. You're smart, you're talented, and none of that changes just because you, you know, like guys or whatever. You're still you. Why the hell would that ever be disgusting to me?"
Ricky just stared at him for a long moment, his face blank. Then, after a beat, he said, "This is why I didn't want to talk to you."
Gyuvin blinked, caught off guard. "...What?"
Ricky burned out the end of his cigarette on the pavement, his gaze unreadable. He didn't answer.
Gyuvin sighed, shaking his head before softening his tone. "...Can we be friends again?"
Ricky turned to look at him. "You promised last time that you'd stop bothering me after this conversation."
Gyuvin narrowed his eyes. "And you promised to give me your address."
Ricky exhaled through his nose, the corner of his lips twitching up in something that wasn't quite a smile. "Touché."