Seungyoon was face drunk. So they decided to stay a bit longer and went back when he could walk by himself. But their plan backfired when Seungyoon fell asleep instead on Mino.

Mino looked down at the boy who was passed out blissfully on his lap. Lips part and lightly snoring.

He gently moved away the bang that was covering Seungyoon’s eyes. He looked so peaceful sleeping like this.

So serene and so beautiful.

Mino was startled when Zico broke the silence.

“Stop eye ing a sleeping boy and tell me what happened already. What does that ‘break my heart’ thing even mean? I’ve never seen him this broken Mino. What happened?”

Mino hesitantly replied. That was the part he had been dreading all day.

“He… he confessed to me hyung. He said that he liked me.”

“So??”

“So I turned him down. I.. I can’t..”

Zico looked even more confused now. He knitted his brows questioningly.

“But you love him?”

Mino bit the inside of his cheek.

“Look at him hyung. Like really look at him. Ain’t he just so perfect.”

Mino continued_ “But me? I’m a mess. I don’t deserve him. And he deserves someone way better than me.”

Zico took in a long breath, then let out frustratingly.

“Mino I want you to see how lovesick you look right now. The same goes for seungyoon. But he took his chance and opened his heart out to you. Dude’s done his part. Now it’s up to you.”

Mino glanced at the sleeping boy again and traced his parting lips with thumb gently.

“I can’t do relationship hyung. I’ll end up ing things up and lose him. I can’t afford that.”

Zico put his hands up as if he was surrendering.

“I don’t really understand you Mino. I don’t think I ever will. You are always a deep and mysterious kiddo with so many crazy thoughts. From what I see, it’s a good thing. But don’t always overuse your brain Mino. Listen to your heart at times too.”

Mino went silent.

After that eventful night, Seungyoon diligently started avoiding Mino although they were still roommates. He completely understood of course, with everything that had happened, how much Seungyoon must want to avoid him.

Yet, he didn’t want him to.                                              

Seungyoon left for lecture so early in the morning and stayed till late at the library. So when he came back, Mino was already asleep.

It had been Seungyoon’s routine for a whole week. Mino’s heart ached whenever his eyes reached the empty bed across the room.

He missed him..  immensely and utterly..

One night, there was a sudden downpour and Seungyoon was still not back yet. Mino became edgy and anxious for his friend.

He tried calling but Seungyoon was not picking up.

So he grabbed an umbrella, two rain coats and headed for the school library.

Since it was not exam season and already too late, there were only a few students in the library and Mino easily found him in the corner of 1^st floor where they both frequent.

Seungyoon was actually falling asleep on the desk. Mino walked closer to his friend.

“Seungyoon~ Seungyoon! Don’t sleep here. Let’s go back.”

He gently nudged his shoulder and softly called out.

Seungyoon rubbed his eyes dazedly and realized he fell asleep at the library. His arm felt numb as he laid his head on his elbow.

“Mino? What are you doing here?” He questioned. In small tone, Mino replied_

“I um..come to pick you up. It’s raining outside. So. I umm.”

Mino didn’t think this through before he came. How could he forget Seungyoon might not want him to pick up? “You’re an idiot Mino!” He cursed at himself inwardly, looking small and nervous. Seungyoon replied, sounding nonchalant on purpose just to ease Mino’s nervousness_

“You come to pick me up? Let’s go then.”

Mino’s surprised at his answer. His face beams instantly.

“Yeah! Let’s go.”

Seungyoon stood from his seat but ended up stumbling. Mino quickly grabbed his arms and steadied him in time so he didn’t fall down. Turned out, he folded his legs on the chair for so long that his legs were numb due to poor circulation.

“Arghh~” Seungyoon let out a weak whine and to his surprise, Mino turned his back to him and knelt down.

“Come hop on.” Mino looked over his shoulder and invited him with a hopeful smile on his face.

“But..”

“No but. It’s ok. I’m ok. Hop on.”

Seungyoon had no heart to deny those hopeful eyes. So he leaned down and let Mino piggy backed him.

When they reached the front door, they found that the rain had already stopped.

Seungyoon was too tired and Mino’s back was warm. So he rested his head down, putting his cheek flat against him. He felt cozy and sleepy. But as much as he felt comfortable and content right now, Seungyoon remembered it was not his place. He was already rejected.

He felt surge of emotions, overwhelmed by profound sadness, he mumbled into his back_

“Why are you so cruel Mino?”

Mino stopped walking but said nothing back. So he continued_

“You said you don’t like me. But how can I move on from you if you are so good to me like this? Aren’t you being too cruel to me Mino?”

Seungyoon’s voice started trembling with emotions. So he stopped before he broke down into teary mess.

After a long silence, Mino only came back with a barely audible_ “I’m sorry.”

Although the words sounded gentle to the ears, Seungyoon’s heart thought otherwise.

Because it broke violently into shatters under those words.

None of them said another word the remaining way back. At some point, Seungyoon fell asleep on his back. Mino could feel the soft thudding of Seungyoon’s heartbeat through his back that was pressed against his friend’s chest.

Although he was the one carrying him but strangely, Mino felt warm and protected when Seungyoon was around. He felt safe and he never wanted to let it go.

As they arrive back to dorm, Seungyoon was still soundly asleep. So Mino just carried him straight to bed. Mino’s heart ached when he saw tear stains on Seungyoon’s cheeks.

“Please don’t cry for me.” Mino whispered as he unfolded the blanket and tucked him carefully into bed.

On a whim, he bent down and placed a soft kiss on Seungyoon’s forehead murmuring a soft “Good night.”

Seungyoon mumbled something and rolled over in his sleep, turning his back on him. Mino turned off the light and went back to his bed quietly.

What he didn’t realize was that Seungyoon turned his face away from Mino so that he won’t see his tears. Seungyoon cried in silent sobs while facing the wall.

And that was the last night he saw Seungyoon.

The next morning when he woke up, Seungyoon was gone.

First Mino thought he went to early morning class as usual.

But then he realized it was Saturday. He stayed in the dorm preparing hangover soup, hoping Seungyoon would come back at one point of day. But he didn’t and his phone was off.

So next day, Mino decided to go look for him. He went to the library and walked around the campus hoping to run into Seungyoon. Then he realized how stupid his idea was.

So he changed his direction to the café Seungyoon part-times at. As he walked in, he was welcome by the smug faced guy called Seunghoon. He remembered Seunghoon also part-timed here. He was Seungyoon’s senior from their department. He thought the guy was too touchy with Seungyoon. He didn’t like him one bit and he believed the feeling’s mutual. Even now, the guy was glaring at him.

“Are you gonna order? Be quick!” Seunghoon asked him in not so patient tone. There were not even many customers in the café and only Mino in front of the counter.

“Iced Americano one please!” Mino replied, his eyes searching around the café for any trace of Seungyoon. 

“Stop looking. He’s not here.” Seunghoon retorted as if he knew exactly why Mino came here. Mino hated that a guy he didn’t know that well could read him so accurately.

His face turned hot with embarrassment. But he decided to just go with it and ask openly since he seemed to know Seungyoon’s whereabouts.

“So umm.. Do you know where Seungyoon..”

The guy interrupted rather impatiently this time also_

“He goes back to Busan. I guess you don’t know yet. He submitted request for semester break. I don’t think he would come back anytime within this year.”

Mino’s eyes widened in shock. Seungyoon suspended school without telling a word to him. And worse, it could even take a year to see him again.

“But.. but why?”

“I think some jerk broke his heart. He said it was too painful he needed to run away.”

Mino felt like the world stopped spinning. He hurt Seungyoon and made him run away when all he wanted was the polar opposite of it.  

He was terrified by the idea that there was a chance he might never see Seungyoon again.