“What?” Sunggyu stammers, shocked stupid by the unexpected question coming from (Sunggyu realizes) the awfully plump lips of Woohyun. The realization is nothing but a joke to appear now more than ever.

      I shouldn’t have thought that. Sunggyu thinks to himself, as he notices his mouth is weirdly void of spit and pretty much feels like sandpaper lodged in his throat. To his surprise (and secretly, relief,) Woohyun looks as troubled as him by the question himself. The man bites his lower lip, a wont that Sunggyu notices would appear whenever he’s nervous. The bitten part is now reddened, and Sunggyu has this unexplainable feeling deep in his stomach, and the need to remove the teeth from keep digging into the soft flesh arouses. 

      Sunggyu collects himself again after a while and carefully reverts his eyes into Woohyun’s light bronze eyes that seem adamant to avoid him. “What can you possibly mean by that?” He asks Woohyun—probably the stupidest question of the century.

      There’s this other question that he has to suppress deep inside that he vows would never see the light.

      No no, I can never ask him that.

      “W-What?” Woohyun stammers and awkwardly averts his eyes to be anywhere else but Sunggyu. “I mean, you have known me enough and—doesn't that sound more promising than blindly finding my soulmate?” He clasps his hands a bit too tightly and squirms in his seat. “Yea,” he asserts again, “that’s what I meant.” Woohyun says as his final reasoning, and cowers into the plastic chair more. His action is anything but calm. 

      Sunggyu, having noticed the miniscule details, decides not to probe more on the subject. If Woohyun doesn’t want to talk about it, he won’t either, or else that would be very awkward for both of them. 

      “It’s okay,” Sunggyu spouts after being silent for a few seconds, “we don’t have to talk about this if you aren’t comfortable with it.” He smiles to assure the other man, and he meets his eyes for a moment. 

      Woohyun still looks troubled by it however. His eyes dart away from Sunggyu, feigning interest in whatever occurring in front of them. “Of course. What could’ve I meant then?” He chuckles lightly as to hide his nervousness but his eyes flutter at the last sentence. He’s trying hard to mask his emotion at the moment but unfortunately, Sunggyu can read him better now—and this is him lying. 

      Woohyun is very tense at the moment and Sunggyu feels sorry for that, knowing it’s his fault for hiding things from Woohyun. He pats on Woohyun’s head softly. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He says, overlooking the way Woohyun stiffens immediately at the touch. He shrugs Sunggyu’s hand off his head. 

      “Why do you always do this?” Woohyun frowns visibly and rubs his shoulder gingerly, eyes throwing dagger at the culprit.

      “What?” It’s Sunggyu’s turn to be dumbfounded by Woohyun’s sudden question. “I-I don’t know what you could possibly mean by things like this.” 

      Woohyun’s features harden at the answer. He huffs. “Forget it. You won't get it.” He mutters before standing up from the table and leaves without saying anything more. 

      The witch is left bewildered, wondering what it is he’s messed up now for Woohyun to be fuming with him. Again.

===

Woohyun has already showered when Sunggyu enters the room. He's sitting on his table. Reading. Something he rarely did before. At least not what Sunggyu knows of him in the span of knowing him. 

      Woohyun looks up at Sunggyu when the witch opens the door, but only for a mere second before he's back to read whatever it is in his hand, feigning seriousness. Although it is actually a stupid attempt since Sunggyu can sense his every emotion, and at the moment, a turmoil is wrecking havoc in Woohyun.

      Sunggyu sighs dejectedly. Woohyun can be stubborn at times.

      The windows are already shut. The room is a bit hot now—stifling even. But Sunggyu doesn't point that out. Not since Woohyun has gotten weaker lately; even right now he's wearing a too thick hoodie for the season.

      Sunggyu clears his throat with an exaggerated manner—just to plow a reaction from Woohyun but the man doesn't move an inch. He acts like he can't hear him at all, turning page after page calmly, even when it’s clear he’s turning it too quickly for him to read anything.

      Sunggyu holds the urge to chuckle. He doesn’t want to enrage the other man more than this. 

      The silence falls between them again, and it stretches into something overpowering for Sunggyu. He hates it when Woohyun doesn’t talk to him. Sure, he used to pray for time like this, but not anymore. At least, not like this. The cold treatment is something unbearable for him, coming from Woohyun.

      Hence why Sunggyu tries to start a conversation but Woohyun stubbornly sticks with his terrible act. Everytime Sunggyu asks him anything, Woohyun would just spout simple answers:

      "What are you doing?"

      "Reading." 

      "Have you eaten dinner?"

      "Yes."

      Short answer like that. But Sunggyu still doesn't give up. If anything, that fires up his spirit to engage Woohyun in a proper conversation, and consecutively breaking his sullen mood.

      "What did you have?"

      "A sandwich."

      Sunggyu tch-es, "That's not a proper meal."

      "And why do you care?" Woohyun snaps shortly before he turns his attention to the book in his hand again.

      Sunggyu doesn't want to act like he cares, but he does. And he knows, a slight slip on his side would give his feeling away. He knows Woohyun is not the sharpest tool in the shed but Sunggyu doubts something alike would get overlooked, even by Woohyun.