Chapter 5
Jiwon didn’t sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he heard Minjun’s voice again. Low. Honest.
I just want to fall in love.
The words curled around his heart like a question he was too afraid to answer.
At practice the next day, everything felt off. The mirrors were too bright. The music too loud. Jiwon caught himself glancing toward Minjun without meaning to, then immediately looking away when their eyes almost met.
Minjun acted normal. Too normal.
He greeted everyone with the same calm nod, stretched in the same corner, moved through choreography with his usual precision. If he remembered what he’d said last night, he didn’t show it.
And somehow, that hurt more than if he had.
During dance practice, the choreographer paired them together without hesitation. “You two – front center. Try the partner section again.”
Jiwon’s breath caught.
Minjun turned to him, expression unreadable. “You okay?”
Jiwon nodded too fast. “Yeah.”
They took their positions. When the music started, everything else faded.
Their bodies moved in sync – closer than before. Jiwon could feel the heat from Minjun’s skin, the exact moment they inhaled together, the way Minjun’s hand hovered just long enough at his waist before pulling away.
Every movement felt loaded.
Every touch lingered too long in Jiwon’s mind.
When the song ended, the room filled with claps and corrections. Jiwon barely heard any of it. His chest was tight, like he’d been holding his breath the entire time.
During break, Minjun finally spoke. “You’re… quiet today.”
Jiwon stared at the floor. “…Am I?”
Minjun nodded. “You usually ramble when you’re nervous.”
The corner of Jiwon’s mouth twitched despite himself. “That’s… not reassuring.”
Minjun hesitated, then lowered his voice. “About last night.”
Jiwon’s heart slammed.
“I don’t remember everything clearly,” Minjun said. “But I remember saying something that probably caught you off guard.”
Jiwon’s hands curled into his sleeves. “You- you did?”
Minjun studied his face carefully, like he was afraid to step wrong. “If it made you uncomfortable-”
“It didn’t,” Jiwon said quickly. Too quickly.
Silence stretched between them, fragile and heavy.
Minjun exhaled slowly. “Then… can we talk later?”
Jiwon nodded.
That evening, they ended up on the rooftop.
The city spread out below them, lights flickering like distant stars. The wind was gentle, brushing against their clothes.
Minjun leaned against the railing.
…
“I meant what I said.”
Jiwon’s heart thudded painfully. “Which… part?”
“All of it,” Minjun replied. “I don’t know who I’ll fall in love with. I just know I want it to be real.”
Jiwon swallowed hard. His chest felt like it might crack open. “What if… what if it complicates things?”
Minjun turned to him. “Does it scare you?”
…
“… Yes,” Jiwon whispered. “But… pretending I don’t feel anything scares me more.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Minjun froze.
Jiwon squeezed his eyes shut. “I- I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”
Minjun stepped closer.
“Jiwon,” he said softly. “Look at me.”
…
Jiwon did.
Minjun’s gaze was steady. Warm. Honest in a way that made Jiwon’s breath shake.
Minjun stepped closer, close enough that Jiwon could feel his warmth.
“Then don’t push it away,” he said quietly. “Don’t pretend you feel nothing just because it’s complicated.”
Jiwon’s breath wavered. His eyes burned as he laughed softly, more overwhelmed than amused.
“You say things like that so easily…” he murmured. “It makes it hard to stay careful.”
Minjun’s lips curved faintly. “I’m serious.”
Their hands brushed – hesitant, searching. Jiwon didn’t pull away this time.
Neither did Minjun.
They stood there, fingers barely touching, hearts racing in the same quiet rhythm.
Not a promise.
Not a confession.
But something beginning. They didn’t say anything more after that.
The city kept breathing beneath them, lights blinking on and off like it was pretending not to listen.
Eventually, Minjun cleared his throat and straightened, hands slipping into his pockets.
“We should go back,” he said, tone carefully casual. “It’s late.”
Jiwon nodded, even though his heart was still pounding far too fast. “Yeah.”
Minjun started walking first, hands in his pockets, heading toward the stairwell door.
Jiwon remained where he was.
He watched Minjun’s back, unable to move, unable to fully believe what had just happened. The confession. The fragile, dangerous thought that maybe they weren’t imagining things alone.
His chest tightened.
Then Minjun stopped.
He stopped a few steps away, the wind tugging lightly at his hair.
He turned around slowly, eyes landing on Jiwon with an unreadable expression.
Jiwon blinked, startled.
Before he could ask why, Minjun walked back toward him.
Then, stopped in front of him.
…
Suddenly, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Jiwon’s lips.
It was brief. Gentle. Warm.
And gone.
Minjun pulled back, eyes bright, a smile breaking free – unrestrained, boyish, real.
“Good night,” he said, almost laughing.
And then he turned around and ran toward the stairs, disappearing through the door.
Jiwon didn’t move.
The wind brushed past him. The city hummed below. The spot where Minjun had been standing felt unbearably empty.
Then his brain caught up.
His face burned.
“Oh-” Jiwon lifted a hand to his mouth, fingers trembling. “Oh…”
Heat rushed all the way to his ears. His heart pounded like it was trying to escape his chest.
He stood there on the rooftop, alone, red as a tomato, staring at the closed stairwell door – smiling helplessly as the realization finally settled in.
This wasn’t a misunderstanding.
This wasn’t one-sided.
And whatever this was between them…
it had already begun.
.
.
.
THE END.
