Bobby was lost in thought, homework far from his worries at the moment. He was in his dorm room dreading when Hanbin would come back. He like likes me? This is so sudden. Why did he tell me now? Questions circled through his mind as he lay in bed with his laptop on his chest. There was a knock at the door, opening it revealed Donghyuk and Yunhyeong.

“Hey! We need help with a lab assignment. You took this last year right?” Donghyuk started, walking into the dorm room without a formal invitation in. Yunhyeong was close behind, making himself comfortable at Bobby’s desk. Donghyuk sat down at Hanbin’s desk and started going through the lab question with Bobby, who wasn’t paying much attention.

“Earth to Bobby! Are you listening?” Yunhyeong asked, waving his hand in front of Bobby’s face.

“Yeah, sorry. I just… I have a lot on my mind.” Bobby tried to focus on the question his friends needed help with but he kept coming back to what Hanbin said. “Hanbin told me he has a crush on me today.” Bobby said all of a sudden. Yunhyeong and Donghyuk shared a confused and shocked glance. Throughout the past years knowing the two, they both had their suspicions about Hanbin crushing on Bobby.

“What did you say to him?” Donghyuk asked, closing his computer and textbook.

“I told him the truth. I don’t feel that way towards him and I don’t see our friendship becoming anything more than that.” Bobby shrugged slightly, not sure what else he even could have said.

“It’s getting late.” Yunhyeong said out of nowhere. “Let’s go get something to eat.” He threw his stuff into his backpack and got up, gesturing for Donghyuk and Bobby to follow. They went to a small family run restaurant right by campus.

“I hope Hanbin is okay, he’s been gone a really long time.” Bobby checked his phone for the time and realized it was past midnight. They were the only ones in this restaurant and they had finished eating almost an hour ago. The three friends spent their time filling silences with idle chatter and memories. “I should go back and see if he’s home yet. Right?”

“Do you think he’s going to want to talk to you?” Donghyuk asked.

“You can stay at our dorm if you want.” Yunhyeong was quick to provide alternatives. “Maybe I can stop by your dorm to see if he made it back?”

“No that’s okay. I’ll just go back and make sure he’s okay. This was a nice talk guys. I’ll text you tomorrow.” Bobby left some money with his friends and got up to head back to his dorm room.

Coming into the small dorm, Bobby saw Hanbin sprawled awkwardly across his bed scrolling through his phone. Hanbin tried not to pay attention to his roommate, but it was hard to think through the many shots he had taken with Jennie. Dropping his phone on his bed, he got up and stood right in front of Bobby.

“Are you okay dude? You don’t look so great…” Bobby trailed off as he saw Hanbin’s brow furrow.

“Why would I be okay? I tell you that I like you. And you - you just …” Hanbin struggled to find the words, stuttering and stringing together half thoughts. “Ugh! Why? Why can’t you just like me?”

“I just don’t Hanbin, jeez. I’ve never thought of you in that way. It’s not like I can control that kind of thing.” Bobby felt a little tense, not sure how to deal with a very sad, angry, and drunk Hanbin.

“Why can’t you try? Am I not worth that? You think you’re so much better than me?”

“Because Hanbin that’s not how this works! I can’t just tell myself that I’m in love with you and it happens.” Bobby was trying not to be angry with his friend. He was clearly hurting inside. “And, of course I don’t think I’m better than you. Why would you even think that?”

“This is college man! Live a little.” Hanbin sank down into his bed and pretended to be occupied with his phone.

“Hey!” Bobby said light heartedly, sitting down next to his friend. “I know how to have fun. But you just … it’s like you’re eating dessert for every meal. Somethings just aren’t fun. But we have to do them anyway.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“It’s your last day. Don’t screw it up.” June’s voice rang in Hanbin’s ears as he woke up the next morning. His last day in the past. And somehow, he felt more lost than when he got to the past.

For a change, Hanbin actually got himself to class. Not quite on time, but sitting at a desk at all was a big accomplishment. Yunhyeong was surprised when he saw his friend in their shared Intro to Biology class. Hanbin spent most of class scrolling on Instagram. After class ended he and Yunhyeong went to grab a bite to eat. Sitting down at a table in the dining hall, Hanbin asked Yunhyeong what to do with the whole Jennie Bobby situation.

“Look man, you told him how you feel and that’s the best you can do. And if you do like this Jennie girl then there you go. It seems like a simple solution to me.” Yunhyeong got up to head to his next class, leaving Hanbin alone at their table.