Everything was white.
Yeonjun stood in the middle of an empty space, surrounded by nothing. The absence of color made him question where he was, but with no answers in sight, he began walking forward. With each step, his reflection on the ground rippled. The atmosphere felt serene at first, but as he moved further, it grew heavier, sadder. The white around him began to darken. Should I stop? he thought. Something inside him urged him to continue, so he pushed forward.
Then, a dulcet voice reached his ears, faint at first, but growing clearer with every step he took. It was soothing, yet laced with sadness. The voice sounded familiar. As he walked closer, the voice became louder and clearer—a man's voice. His mind raced as he tried to place it.
And then, just ahead of him, he saw a figure.
His brows furrowed in confusion as he recognized who it was.
"Beomgyu?" Yeonjun mumbled.
He approached the figure, not knowing what was happening. Beomgyu stood with his back to him, quietly sniffing. Why is he crying? Yeonjun wondered, his heart sinking.
"Beomgyu?" he called again.
Yeonjun placed a hand on Beomgyu's shoulder, urging him to turn around. A chill swept over him as the temperature seemed to drop. Slowly, Beomgyu turned to face him, tears streaming down his cheeks. The pain in Beomgyu's eyes was piercing, like a raw wound, and Yeonjun felt it deep within his own chest.
"Why are you crying? A-Are you alright?" Yeonjun asked, his voice full of concern as he cupped Beomgyu's face, gently wiping away his tears.
The more Yeonjun stared into Beomgyu's eyes, the more the weight of his suffering pressed down on him. The sorrow was overwhelming, and Yeonjun, unable to stand seeing him in so much pain, pulled him into a warm hug.
"It's okay. Shhhh… Everything is going to be fine," Yeonjun whispered, gently rubbing Beomgyu's back. "I'm here. Just tell me what's wrong, alright?"
Beomgyu spoke, but his words were indistinct, impossible to make out. Yeonjun leaned in closer, trying to understand, but before he could, Beomgyu disappeared. One moment, he was in his arms, the next—gone. Yeonjun's heart skipped a beat, and he called out for him.
"Beomgyu? Where are you?"
His voice echoed in the void, but there was no answer. A cold breeze swept through the empty space, sending a chill down Yeonjun's spine. Tears started to well in his eyes, and he couldn't hold them back. Why was he crying? Why was this happening? He staggered as the ground beneath him began to tremble, shaking violently. Cracks appeared in the air, fissures spreading across the white void until—
Yeonjun gasped, his eyes snapping open, his body jolting awake. His heart was racing, his chest tight with anxiety. What was that? What did it mean?
His mind replayed the scene from his dream, and the unease lingered, gnawing at him. Why had he dreamed of Beomgyu like that? Was Beomgyu okay? He thought back to last night, when they'd had dinner with Soobin. Beomgyu had been quiet, withdrawn at first, but as the evening went on, he seemed to relax—just a little. Yeonjun couldn't shake the feeling that there was more beneath the surface. Something was off with Beomgyu. He seemed like someone who had been carrying a heavy burden.
"I hope he's doing alright," Yeonjun murmured to himself, rubbing his temples. "I can't stop thinking about him. That dream... it feels like a warning."
Yeonjun checked the time, realizing he was running late for work. Another day of teaching awaited him.
+×+
Class had ended an hour ago. Beomgyu found himself sitting in a cozy café near school, enjoying a moment of peace with Kai. Despite the warm atmosphere, Beomgyu couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Kai's energy was overwhelming, and his loud voice seemed to draw all eyes in the café. People stared at them with confused expressions, and Beomgyu felt his face heat up. At least Kai was confident enough to be himself, something Beomgyu couldn't seem to manage. Maybe that's what he admired about Kai—his complete lack of inhibition.
"So, what do you do every day? What are your hobbies? What are your favorites?" Kai asked, his mouth full of chocolate cake.
Beomgyu hesitated before responding. "I—I don't really have any hobbies. Just studying and cleaning... that's all."
Kai raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. He tilted his head slightly, his expression one of disbelief. "That's it? You don't go out with your family? You don't travel, or do anything fun?"
Beomgyu shook his head.
"WHAT? That's so uncool! You're just staying at home all the time?" Kai exclaimed, his voice too loud for the café. "You should at least try doing something else, something fun! Go to a concert, watch movies—stuff like that."
"I… can't. My parents are really strict. They won't let me do any of that," Beomgyu replied, feeling the weight of the truth.
Kai frowned, clearly upset. He shook his head in disbelief, tapping his fork against his plate like a petulant child. "Then I'll talk to your parents! You're old enough to be independent, and they shouldn't keep you from having fun. If we're friends, we'll have a blast together! We'll go to the mall, hang out, whatever!"
Beomgyu's heart sank. No, please don't talk to my parents. If only Kai knew how cruel they could be. If they found out, they'd forbid him from hanging out with someone like Kai.
"Please, don't," Beomgyu said quickly. "I appreciate your concern, but you shouldn't talk to my parents. Let's just keep it between us. I don't want to get you in trouble."
Kai went quiet for a moment, then nodded understandingly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to push you."
The silence between them grew thick, and Beomgyu felt the weight of his own awkwardness. Why was he so bad at this? Why was talking to people so difficult? The question hung in his mind, sharp and painful.
Desperate to shift the mood, Beomgyu asked, "Do you have friends? I mean… other friends, besides me?"
Kai froze for a split second, his gaze dropping to his plate. Beomgyu watched, sensing something off, something that made him regret asking. Had he pried too deep?
Kai finally spoke, offering a tight smile. "Oh yeah, I have friends. They're just... really busy, that's all."
Beomgyu could tell he was lying. Kai's smile didn't reach his eyes, but Beomgyu didn't push further. He didn't have the right to. He wasn't a good friend. He wasn't good at this.
"Anyways, let's talk about Sir Yeonjun and Sir Soobin instead!" Kai suddenly chirped. "Are you going to ask Sir Yeonjun out?"
Beomgyu choked on his drink, startled by the sudden question. "W-What? I don't like him!"
Kai grinned mischievously. "Pssh, really? Are you sure? I think you do!"
Beomgyu blinked, confused by Kai's sudden teasing. Kai didn't stop; he was on a roll.
"How about Sir Soobin? I heard he invites students out to dinner sometimes. Maybe he'll invite me!"
"Yeah, he invited me to dinner last night. With Sir Yeonjun, actually. It was a surprise—I didn't expect to see them there."
"WHAT?? You had dinner with them and didn't invite me? That's so unfair!" Kai exclaimed. Then, his voice dropped into a more serious tone. "So, how was it? Was Sir Soobin a gentleman?"
Beomgyu shrugged, trying to act casual. "It was good. I got to know them a bit."
"Sir Yeonjun? Did he have his eyes on you the whole time?" Kai teased, his grin widening.
Beomgyu's face flushed. He couldn't deny that Yeonjun had been watching him the whole evening. It wasn't just his imagination—it was obvious.
Kai, seeing Beomgyu's reaction, squealed. "I knew it! He's probably got a crush on you! You should totally ask him out!"
Beomgyu's heart skipped a beat. This was absurd.
"No, Kai, you're wrong. Yeonjun doesn't like me. And even if he did, it's illegal for teachers to have relationships with their students. I'd never let something like that happen."
Kai rolled his eyes but smiled playfully. "Whatever you say, smarty-pants."
Eventually, Beomgyu checked the time. It was already past five. He stood up, ready to head home. Kai insisted on getting his phone number, and despite his hesitation, Beomgyu handed it over. It seemed inevitable. They were becoming friends, after all.
"I'll text you when I get home. I had fun today!" Kai said, laughing.
As they parted ways, Kai unexpectedly pulled him into a hug. Beomgyu froze for a moment, unsure of what to do, but something in Kai's embrace felt soothing. The tightness in his chest began to loosen.
Kai pulled back, grinning. "It's just a comforting hug, Beomgyu. I do this for my friends when they're feeling down."
"Thanks," Beomgyu said softly.
Kai waved as he left, and Beomgyu watched him go, feeling strangely calm. His phone buzzed, and he checked the notification.
Mom: Where are you? It's already late, and you're not home yet!
Beomgyu sighed, bracing for the scolding that awaited him at home. Here we go again.