Junkyu had been staying home for a week. In that week, he’d grown his youtube channel further than he thought it’d go in a year. His LeeHi cover had gotten some traction, gaining 10k views in that week. It wasn’t much to some, but Junkyu felt like he was on Cloud 9. From that, he’d gained nearly 500 subscribers.

However, aside from his YouTube success, all he had done was rot in his room. His parents were worried, understandably, but they knew he needed space. His daily routine went something like this:

Wake up, consider taking a shower, not taking the shower, checking his phone every 5 minutes for YouTube notifications, sitting in bed for hours, going to get food only when his mother insisted repeatedly, going back to hid bed, watching a random drama, ignoring his friend's texts, and at some point in the night he’d get so bored he fell asleep. Nothing changed for a week. 

That was until he got a text he couldn’t ignore.

 

[12:05pm] Mashiho School Project: hey

 

Junkyu shot up from his bed, staring down at his phone in shock. He held his phone as if it would catch fire if he looked at it too closely. Why was Mashiho , of all people, texting him ?  , he thought. The project . He’d completely disregarded most things, especially school. 

 

Hi sorry, I haven’t been able to work on the project. 

I’ll make up for what I missed, don't worry.

 

[12:10pm] Mashiho School Project: what? 

 

Isn’t that why you texted?

 

[12:11pm] Mashiho School Project: no, i just wanted to talk.

 

Falling back on his bed, Junkyu looked up at the phone he held above his face. He was confused. And nervous. And everything in between all at once. 

 

Oh, alright. Why?

[12:14pm] Mashiho School Project: you’re impossible kim junkyu. 

 

What??

You’re really confusing.

 

[12:16pm] Mashiho School Project: are you doing alright? 

[12:18pm] Mashiho School Project: that’s all i want to know. then ill leave you alone.

[12:22pm] Mashiho School Project: hello??

I’m ok

i’ve been better

 

[12:25pm] Mashiho School Project: do you want to talk about it?

Not particularly

[12:26pm] Mashiho School Project: okay

      Mashiho School Project: thanks for replying 

 

 

–

 

 

Junkyu returns to school the next week. Everyone had since forgotten, and something had gotten through to Haruto because he’d left Junkyu alone all morning. Now, he was at lunch with his friends, who also all pretended as if nothing happened aside from a few angry comments from Hyunsuk and Yedam, who were trying to reach him all week. 

 

It was nice to not worry about Haruto’s constant comments, but he had something new poking at his brain. He couldn’t get his conversation with Mashiho out of his mind. It has haunted him all weekend and into the school day. They didn’t have their shared morning class today, so he hadn’t seen him yet, which was honestly a relief. It took a lot of self-control to not look at Mashiho’s table, especially when he felt a pair of eyes on him the whole lunch period. 

 

“-- Are you even listening, Junkyu?” Doyoung asks from across the table. Junky looks up, confused.

 

“What, sorry? I was gone for a second..”

 

“A second?! You’ve looked lifeless the entire period!” Doyoung joked, getting a few chuckles from the others. “I was saying that Yedam and I got invited to a party a few weeks from now, it’s right before summer break. What do you think? Want to go? All of us are.”

 

Junkyu glanced at Hyunsuk at his side, and then the rest of the eyes at the table and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

 

“Well, we thought you might not want to because Har-” Yedam was cut off by a new presence at the table, tapping on Junkyu’s shoulder.

 

Junkyu turned his gaze in the direction of the touch on his shoulder and looked up to be met with– Mashiho?

 

“Hi, sorry to interrupt. Come with me?” Mashiho asked, eyes locked on Junkyu’s. Junkyu gulped and looked around his table for some sort of confirmation. But, no one gave it, just shrugged. It was his choice, anyway.

 

So, Junkyu nodded and got up. He waved to his friends and followed the other boy. Mashiho walked quickly, almost too quickly. Junkyu found it hard to keep up with the boy, but he had an idea of where they were going. The two ascended up the many flights of stairs in the school building until they got to the roof of the school. Mashiho held the door for Junkyu and shut it carefully behind them. 

 

Junkyu leaned up against the wall, letting out a large exhale after the shut of the door. He didn’t know what to say. 

 

“I didn’t expect you to come back so soon..” Mashiho says lowly, uncharacteristic for him.

 

“I can’t miss any more school,” Junkyu replies, shortly. 

 

“Are you better?”

 

“Define better,” it comes out harsher than intended, but Mahsiho doesn’t seem to be bothered.

 

“Better than when I texted you?” he suggests.

 

Junkyu’s breath hitches at the thought of it. How could Mashiho bring that up so casually?

 

“S-sure..” Junkyu replies, his voice gradually losing its edge. 

 

“I’ll take that as a yes-”

 

“Why did you bring me up here?” Junkyu interrupts him, “and why did you text me that day?”

 

Now it was Mashiho’s turn to be taken aback, but not for too long. “I was worried? Is that a crime, Kim Junkyu?”

 

“Well– no but-” Junkyu hesitates, “we.. aren’t friends? And you’re friends with Haruto. It doesn’t make sense.”

 

“Just because I’m friends with Haruto doesn’t mean I agree with him being a . If anything I should’ve stopped him sooner. And as for you, why not? We should be friends. We’re doing a project together.”

 

“Well be that logic, we don’t need to be friends just because we’re doing a project together…”

 

“Okay well, what if I want to be?”

 

Junkyu looks over at him confused, “Why? Why with me?”

 

Mashiho shrugs, a smile threatening to shine through his nonchalant facade. “Why do you question everything Junkyu, live a little. And a thank you would be nice,” Mashiho responds playfully.

 

“A thank you?! For what?” Junkyu responds in disbelief.

 

“Try this, ‘Thank you Takata Mashiho for being my most attractive and talented friend. Also for caring about me even though I refuse to acknowledge it no matter how hard you try to-” Mashiho is cut off by a light punch in the arm from Junkyu.

 

“Yah! Okay okay, I get it. You’re so great and I'm so thankful,” he says sarcastically. Mashiho smiles, satisfied with his response. 

 

“But for real-” Mashiho begins but is cut off by the loud screech of the school bell, signaling the end of the lunch period.

 

“, we have to go!” Junkyu says, panicked. He starts to run for the door, but Mashiho grabs his wrist. 

 

“Hey! We have the same class, you’re not getting rid of me that easily. We’re friends, remember?”

 

Junkyu groans, but waits for Mashiho.

He was happy.