Yun told himself it was nothing.
Just another morning. Another routine. Another attempt to quiet the strange pull that had settled into his chest ever since he met Aran.
Still—when he stepped out of his apartment building and nearly bumped into someone holding the door open, he froze.
"Morning."
Aran's voice was calm, familiar already.
Yun blinked. "You—"
"I live nearby," Aran said easily, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "I thought I recognized you."
That was a lie.
But a gentle one.
"Oh," Yun replied, unsure what else to say. He shifted his bag on his shoulder. "I didn't know."
"You wouldn't." Aran smiled faintly. "You keep to yourself."
There it was again.
That quiet knowing.
Yun hesitated, then asked, "Are you… following me?"
The question came out softer than he intended.
Aran didn't look offended. If anything, he seemed relieved by the honesty.
"No," he said. "But I won't pretend I don't look for you."
Yun's heart stuttered.
"That sounds worse when you say it like that," Yun muttered.
Aran chuckled under his breath. "Fair."
They walked together toward the main road, an awkward but not uncomfortable silence settling between them. Yun noticed how Aran matched his pace without thinking—never too close, never lagging behind.
As if he already knew how Yun walked.
"You work at the cafe on Jun Street," Aran said casually.
Yun stopped.
"…How do you know that?"
Aran halted too. For a split second, the carefully built calm cracked.
"I pass by often," he said, slower now. "You're easy to recognize."
Yun searched his face, trying to find something unsettling.
He didn't.
Instead, he found patience. Restraint. Something that felt almost… protective.
"I don't like being watched," Yun said quietly.
"I know," Aran replied at once. Then he corrected himself. "I understand."
Another careful adjustment.
Yun exhaled. "Then don't."
Aran nodded without hesitation. "Alright."
That answer surprised Yun more than anything else.
They reached the intersection where their paths would separate. Yun gestured toward the cafe. "This is me."
"I know," Aran said—then stopped himself. "I mean… have a good day."
Yun smiled despite himself. "You too."
As Yun walked away, he felt it again—that sensation of being watched.
But this time, it didn't make him uneasy.
Behind him, Aran remained where he was, hands clenched lightly at his sides.
He had promised.
And Aran always kept his promises.
Even the ones that hurt.
To be continued....