Originally, I was supposed to post this yesterday but it just... didn't feel right to. Even as I'm posting this now it still makes me think if it's okay and yet here it is so... yeah. Hoped you like it

It was just two days away before winter break is over so unfortunately, Daniel had to go back to Busan where he left his school stuff and prepare. Seongwoo wouldn’t admit it, but he felt sad that the childlike brunette had to go. Though he should have expected this sooner, it still came sooner than he thought.

The freshmen duo woke up a little earlier than usual since Daniel still needed to fix his things before leaving for the station. Time passed by faster than expected and the next thing they knew, they were now standing in the station waiting for Daniel’s train to arrive. Seongwoo stood beside Daniel while fiddling with his new silver ring on his index finger.

“Now that I think about it, why do you wear a silver ring on your index finger?” Daniel asked out of pure curiosity as he eyes his gift on Seongwoo’s index finger. The bespectacled male shrugged, “It just became a habit of some sorts. It was just a ring I picked up in high school when that trend was still on so I did it to fit in. In the end, it just became a habit.” Since this is ring is from you, I think it has a meaning now. “ Besides, the tapping sound help me think.”

“What tapping sound?” Daniel asked with curiosity written all over his face, “You know,” Seongwoo started, “When you just tap your finger against the table and the ring also hits the surface? That tapping sound.” Daniel hummed at the realization, “That’s something.”

A sudden silence fell upon them and Daniel was confused, the usually animated interaction they had were just not showing up today and he couldn’t help but notice how Seongwoo kept fiddling with his hands. “Is something wrong?” The brunette suddenly inquired but he became worried when he saw the latter flinch in surprise before regaining his composure with a push of his glasses. “Y-Yeah... I mean no! Nothing’s wrong.” Seongwoo replied along with wild flailing of his arms.

Daniel just stared and gently held onto Seongwoo’s hand where the ring was worn, only then did he notice the slight tremor in the older boy’s figure. Seongwoo-yah, what’s wrong?” The bespectacled male looked down and tightened the hold on Daniel’s hand, “I’m not really sure..”

The brunette was suddenly hit with the thought of Seongwoo’s mother and how she mentioned Seongwoo not having a close friend. If his prediction is right, then there’s a chance that Seongwoo doesn’t want him to go just yet. Just the thought is enough to make him feel all happy, who wouldn’t be if you knew your crush was going to miss you?

“Hey,” Daniel called out and Seongwoo looked back up at him, “It’s only a few days.” He said with his signature smile and got another one of Seongwoo’s playful hits in return. “Don’t be so full of yourself.” He said with a pout that Daniel finds incredibly adorable. Just when they were about to fall silent, Seongwoo muttered with a voice that’s borderline inaudible.

“I might feel lonely though, who’s going to rap for me when I sing?” Daniel laughed, just like how he does to the smallest of things. “You can always skip that part and think about me instead~ It’s only a few days and we’ll be back to the dorms. It’s not like I’m off to war or anything.” Seongwoo chuckled, just in time when the train finally arrived and he couldn’t help but feel a little down.

Daniel looked back at the older male who was most probably glaring at the train and raised a hand to ruffle his hair. “Hey!” Seongwoo glared at the taller male and Daniel smiled, “I have to go now.” Seongwoo bit his lower lip and squeezed Daniel’s hand before he finally let go. “I’ll see you in school?” Daniel nodded while taking a few steps back towards the train. The brunette wildly waves at the bespectacled male (probably looking embarrassing) before he turns and enters the train.

The last thing Seongwoo saw was Daniel’s retreating back, peach colored cat keychain hanging by the center of Daniel’s backpack where everyone could see.

~ .oOo. ~
 

Seongwoo was now back home, lounging around with nothing interesting to do but fiddle around with the silver band on his index finger. Thinking of the best way to pass time, he decides to go to the market and see if there’s anything new to distract him with. It does distract him, just not the way he expected it too. It wasn’t long ago when he last visited the market with Daniel so there wasn’t anything he hasn’t seen.

What he does see in the market are various reminders of Daniel. The stall Daniel ditched him for, the seller he found intimidating, and the small accessory shop by the corner where Daniel probably found their sun and moon necklaces. Seongwoo sighed but a small smile crept his way to his lips, it’s like Daniel never left.

“You’re alone today?” Seongwoo flinched, instinctively covering his ears with his hands and turned around faster than he probably should have, “Ah... Ahjummaaaa don’t scare me like that!” The bespectacled male whined before he made his way towards the stall, hands now at his sides. “You were the one zoning out in the middle of the walkway, dear. I only called you out.” Sungha said with a hint of teasing in her tone and Seongwoo scratched his neck with a sheepish laugh. “Y-Yeah, you’re right.”

“My, this is quite rare. Where’s Daniel?” Seongwoo pursed his lips as he pushed back his glasses, “He already left since winter break is almost over.” The elder woman hummed, not failing to notice the disappointment in the young boy’s tone. “You seem a little under the weather today, is it Daniel?”

The younger male felt heat rapidly spread through his cheeks as he readjusted his glasses, “Wha―?! Why is h-he the first thought t-that came to your m-mind? I-I mean… there are other reasons too..” He muttered while unconsciously scratching the side of his neck. Sungha chuckled, “Alright then, other reason like?” No matter how much Seongwoo opens his mouth, no answer seems to come out and he ends up sighing in defeat.

The elder woman smiled and ruffled the young boy’s hair, Seongwoo-yah, there’s nothing wrong with missing people.” The said boy groaned at the ruffling and combed it down afterward, “I know.. It’s just―… I feel like I’m... missing him more than I should?” Sungha didn’t need to think twice, Seongwoo was just really dense.

Ah, young love.

“And why do you think so?” Sungha questioned, Seongwoo only shrugged as he tries to find the right words. “I-I don’t know it’s just… I went here to pass time but... It’s like wherever I look, anything reminds me of Daniel.” Sungha hummed in acknowledgment, “You’ll figure it out, or maybe you already know yet you refuse to acknowledge it.”

“W-What?” Seongwoo questioned, head tilting to the side with a raised eyebrow. Sungha only smiles at the innocent boy and pats the bespectacled male’s head. “Just think about it, dearie.” The said boy blinked, still looking confused as ever while the elder woman goes back to attend the buyers in her stall. With nothing else to do, Seongwoo scratched his neck and decided to go back home.

~ .oOo. ~
 

“Seongwoo-ah, what has you under the weather?” Mrs. Ong inquired as she saw her son zoning out for the nth time for the past hour. “Those carrots aren’t going to cut themselves, dear.” The young male hid his embarrassment through his usual gesture of pushing up his glasses, “N-Nothing, I just… um… thought about my remaining school works?” He almost wanted to slap himself for his uncertainty being blatantly obvious but the elder woman let out a hearty laugh.

“You already told me during the first few days of your break that you already finished everything so you were completely free.” Again, he has never wanted to hit himself so bad. “So what’s really got you all quiet? Usually, you would even sing about the periodic table if you were bored.” Seongwoo groaned at the remark, “Okay, first of all, it actually helped me and second, I was a freshman in high school.”

“Okay okay, so really. What’s bothering you?” The elder woman continued as her son continued to cut the carrots. “...I’m not quite sure. It’s just… I feel so bored like I could do other things but it would just be… a bit lonely.” The elder woman glances over to her son and sees his brows all furrowed like how it usually does when he’s trying to solve a difficult puzzle.

“Does doing things with Daniel make it better?” His mother playfully asked and Seongwoo couldn’t help but feel a sudden warmth spread on his cheeks. “W-Well, I wouldn’t be alone that way now w-would I?” His mom only chuckled at the reply and went back to whatever she was doing to prepare dinner.

“I’ve never seen you so happy.” His mom suddenly interjected amidst the silence of the kitchen. “What do you mean?” He raised an eyebrow in confusion, “Daniel is a pretty bright kid, almost your complete opposite. Yet when he’s around, you would practically mirror his smile.” Seongwoo was confused where this conversation was going.

“That boy has made you happier than all the efforts made by your previous friends combined.” The young boy unconsciously smiled, “I won’t deny that. It’s only been months but it feels like years. Oh! And I was able to sing in front of him too! It was during the karaoke night before the Christmas one!”

The young boy continued to talk, probably not noticing how he was now rambling on about Daniel and how they spent their break as if his mom wasn’t there to notice the whole thing. What made the elder woman interested was the glint of happiness and childlike excitement in Seongwoo’s eyes. Similar to what he used to have when he would tell him about the new star stamp he got from his teacher when he was in preschool.

“He definitely seems like a good friend.” She said with a fond smile on her face as she watches the excitement running wild through Seongwoo’s whole body. “You have no idea,” Seongwoo said with a wide smile that he had to push his glasses back when it almost fell in the midst of his very animated gestures.

“He’s also the friend I told you about who helped me smuggle Niel into the dorms!” The young boy said in excitement as he saw the cat who just entered the kitchen just in time for his lunch. “Here you go boy,” Seongwoo said as he places the food onto Niel’s bowl followed by a scratch on his head. “Oh, but why did you name him Niel? Did you miss Daniel too much?” Mrs. Ong said with a playful smile in which Seongwoo hurried waved his arms in front of him, “N-No! He just uh... Happens to r-respond to Daniel.. So I named him Niel…”

As a woman who has raised the boy for the past 20 years, she has developed a keen eye towards the boy’s body language. The defensiveness in Seongwoo’s voice was enough to tell her he was flustered since he wasn’t much of a liar. “Seongwoo-ah..” His mother warned and Seongwoo’s shoulders sagged in defeat.

“Okay.. so... Maybe I… lied?” The elder woman raised an eyebrow and Seongwoo sighed as he held the cat in his arms after the white furball finished eating. “I just named him Niel on purpose… Daniel helped me with him so I just wanted to remember it well... Though I told him he only responds to the name Daniel and he believed me anyway…”

The elder woman only chuckled and patted Seongwoo’s head similar to what she usually does when he was eight. “That’s not something to be embarrassed about, I’m sure Daniel would understand.” The freshman softly groaned at the fond gesture but he smiled either way, “But he might misunderstand! Like how Minhyun thought I liked him when I couldn’t talk to him properly…”

“That’s what you’re worried about? But you like him don’t you?” Said the elder woman in which Seongwoo absentmindedly nodded in reply. The kitchen became silent after that with Seongwoo playing with Niel when he suddenly jerked in realization. “A-And I mean I like him as a friend, mom! A friend!”

“I haven’t even said anything, why so defensive Seongwoo-ah?” At the realization, the young college student forces himself to look unperturbed and focuses his attention back to Niel. “N-Nothing. Nothing, I was just making sure you don’t... You know… misunderstand?”

The elder woman only laughs as she combs down Seongwoo’s fringe with her fingers. “There is no need for that, dear. I understand completely.” Seongwoo smiled back, looking more relaxed and stood up to get himself a glass of water since his throat felt dry.

“Though Daniel would make a great son-in-law”

Seongwoo sputtered out the water he was drinking followed by a short coughing fit.

~ .oOo. ~
 

Seongwoo slept that night with his mother’s embarrassing comment stuck in his head, always blushing whenever it comes back to him and yet he always unconsciously does a small smile. Around an hour after sleep finally overcame his senses, his phone set on silent made a small ding to indicate he received a new message.

From: Minhyun

Got really big news for you when

We get back to the dorms.

Look forward to it!