The magic school year ended, everyone who passed all the exams was already at home and celebrating. Unlike most, Baekho didn’t feel like celebrating and was still sitting in his dorm room killing time before his family uses force to get him back home, which was inevitably coming.

He was lying in bed, wrapped in covers, contemplating why is marriage even necessary, what is so good about love–which he didn’t believe existed at all. Why is this word even in the vocabulary if the family arranges this so-called love? How to run away from something that is inevitably coming?

“What they do is arrange a meeting, but you can always say no, can’t you?”

His roommate’s voice startled Baekho. He didn’t realize the latter returned and must have heard his monologue. Baekho sat up and ran his hand through his dark brown hair, pushing them off his forehead.

What L said was technically true, but Baekho situation was unique since he couldn’t really talk about it, he remained silent.

L stood by the big window. He set his gaze on the university’s garden, where a few students were practicing their white magic.

“Don’t tell me you are actually excited about marriage!?” Baekho commented sarcastically.

“Well actually, I am.” L, whose face is most of the time stern and expressionless, couldn’t contain his smile. Baekho watched him with interest now. Love was not something they ever talked about since Baekho knew from a young age what lies in his future. Why discuss something that enraged him.

The university switched roommates every semester. With this action, they wanted to encourage students to meet, get to know each other better, and cooperate with one another. L differed from all the other people Baekho got to room with. He never goofed around. If he was not reading books, he was practicing magic. If he was not in class, he was at the library.

Very early on, Baekho figured another major difference, which answered many of his questions. L was mixed blood, only his mother was of pure magic, which meant he was born with a slight chance of possessing white magic power. Baekho, whose parents are both great sorceresses of white magic, made their son using their inner power, which guaranteed their offspring having the same power. This difference strangely brought them together since Baekho respected the hard work L put in his studies, because most students achieved significant results with minimum effort, just because powerful sorcerers made them.

Baekho noticed L eyes following someone outside. The sun illuminated their room and even if L tried to keep his lips from smiling, his eyes gave him away. There was someone he cared for deeply on the other side of the window.

“Don’t ask me to explain, love. I wouldn’t know how.” A small chuckle escaped his lips.

“It’s something you feel. It’s not something you think about or learn in a book.”

His finger followed a person and traced a pattern on the window as he continued in a lower tone, almost as he was speaking just to himself.

“It’s the small things, it’s the eyes you can’t look away from, the lips you’ll do anything for to see them smile, the hands that make magic like no one else is their appearance which sends vibrations through your body. It’s the burning desire to be near them, to talk to them and feel their presence.”

His words were so raw and personal, Baekho felt goosebumps. Two male adults talking about love. He felt embarrassed and tried to lighten the mood.

“To me, it sounds you read too many books.”

“I don’t deny that, but I guess that negates my previous statement.” They both laughed, but then L added:

” Anyway, I don’t think you need to worry about marriage just yet, they say the crowned prince is getting married and since no one is allowed to get married around the same time as the royal family your family won’t nag at you either”

Baekho choked on his own spit a little and forcefully coughed. He stretched and nervously rubbed his neck. “Right, right …”

L was preoccupied to have noticed Baekho’s strange reaction.

The students in the garden finished their class and retrieved inside. L’s face was again expressionless. He turned around and sat down on the wooden chair. On their shared desk, he could see Baekho’s end-of-the-year report.

“I don’t see how there is anything to complain about. Your score is so good you could preposition marriage to anyone you want!?” His voice became smaller as he spoke. His eyes lowered on his own report. Even with all the hard work, he barely reached the bare minimum to pass.

Good grades meant high magic strength, which meant a bigger pool of potential marriage candidates. It was no brainier that powerful families merged with equal or greater powered families. L wouldn’t mind much if he couldn’t marry up and climb the social ladder. However, a heart doesn’t always listen to the mind because he fell for someone whose family ranked high, too high for his grades to match, and that was disheartening.

Baekho stood up, stretched his arms, and used his hands to straighten the white and gold university robe he wore. It made little difference. He approached the table and looked at L’s report card.

“I see, professor Trophs is giving you a hard time, but you still have time to raise your score.”

“I know, but I was excited to go home. I miss my own space.” He realized quickly how that must have sounded wrong and assured Baekho he was a great roommate. Baekho didn’t mind and laughed. It was funny how L got nervous.

L found it a little odd that Bekho during their studies, never went home, or if he did, he went with great resistance and a bad mood. So when again, he would have stayed at the dormitory for the solar eclipse holiday, L invited Baekho to his house. To his surprise, there was no convincing needed. Those two days sparked a genuine friendship.

“If my room was basically a house, with a giant garden separated it from my parents’ house, I would already be home.”

“You’re exaggerating. It’s more like a small cottage,” L said smugly. He never bragged about it, but he appreciated his family and everything they do for him.

“Still, you have your own place in my home I can’t go anywhere without someone following me around it’s suffocating.” Baekho sighed in frustration and walked back to the bed to lie down.

“I would love to switch places with you and stay here for another week…” He mumbled and closed his eyes. Not seconds passed he abruptly sat up, opening his eyes. L jumped a little as his action shot small vibration of magic, electrifying him a bit.

“…or go home instead” Baekho continued mumbling to himself.

“What, what is it?” L was confused as Baekho turned and look at him with mischievous eyes, unlike his roommate Baekho believed rules were set for him to break them.

L was skeptical at first when Baekho explain his crazy scheme, but maybe because they shared such an intimate moment, he agreed and let Baekho do as he pleased. Baeko packed his stuff at lightning speed and left, not risking L changing his mind. Before closing the door he promised to stay in touch.

The sun started fading, and it filled the sky with magenta hues. The university had two major gardens, one for combat and training the other for students to enjoy the greenery and fresh air, they called it the Maze garden because a small portion of the garden was an actual maze, and in its center stood a small fountain.

There on the bench sat Ren, with his legs up, wrapped in a cozy blanket. His gaze turned up. He had his long black hair pinned up away from his face and the colorful evening sky reflected in his green doe eyes. This was his favorite hour of the day.

“Hey, beautiful.” Out of the maze came a familiar figure, and Ren’s face beamed with happiness. It was Aron who Ren has known since childhood. Aron kissed Ren’s cheek and sat down as well. He hugged Ren over the shoulder and continued to kiss his cheeks and neck.

“You look so good with your hair up…” He whispered in his ear.

Ren was squirming, he was very ticklish.

“I invited you here to enjoy the pretty scenery, not for this.” he answered.

“But you are my pretty scenery” Aron didn’t stop and continued to kiss Ren all over.

“Aron please, what if someone sees” Ren lost the smile in his eyes and became a little annoyed. This is all Aron ever wants to do, fool around. Why can’t they just enjoy the moment?

Ren tried to avoid Aron’s touch, he was reluctant to say anything more because last time Aron got mad and stormed off.

Suddenly Aron yelped and jump off Ren and the bench. Startled, Ren opened his eyes.

“It’s this stupid rose bush, it even cut my clothes!” Aron was rubbing and examining his hip and behind. He backed away a few steps and cursed again when his left foot landed in a puddle.

Ren felt a little relieved. Behind the bench, he really saw a big blooming rose bush, which was sort of unusual for this time of year. He then turned to Aron, looking at him as a chuckle escaped his lips. However, Aron didn’t feel like laughing.

“What’s so funny?” His eyes were cold.

“Nothing, I’m sorry.” Ren apologized and motion Aron to sit back down.

“No, I’m not in the mood anymore.” A bug started flying around Aron’s blonde head, irritating him even more. In a swift motion, he caught the little nuisance in his hands.

“I said I was sorry.” Ren tried with a soft voice again.

“I hate bugs…” he murmured and proceed to not just crush the poor creature, he went the extra mile to burn it with his inner rage.

“Why do we always have to meet here, among weeds and bugs? If we have to go out, why don’t we ever go among people for a drink or music?”

Nothing but the dust was left on his hand, which the wind brushed away.

Ren got chills all over his body. He wanted to say the obvious, they can’t go among people since their parents haven’t confirmed their relationship. Technically, they could go as friends, but whenever they are together Aron can’t keep his hands to himself. Ren remained quiet and averted his gaze. He knew he can’t win against Aron’s stubbornness.

“Let’s talk another day.”

Aron sighed loudly, turned around, and left.

Ren watched him leave in sadness, unaware of his exhale of relief.

“All I wanted was to watch this year’s last sunset with you …” he murmured to himself as tears dropped. Looking up the sky was still bright, but the sun was gone.