By Zephyria 
Thus, from the very first day of their half-doubtful relationship, they began sleeping together. After finishing his usual bedtime preparations and lying down on the bed, Yeon-jun burrowed into the spot beside Eun-ha. It wasn’t just lying side by side—he tangled their limbs and pulled him into an embrace, prompting Eun-ha to immediately crane his neck and look up. The pupils that met his gaze flickered faintly before a sly, apologetic smile curled at the corners of his eyes.
“……You said you wanted it like this.”
“Who did?”
“Hyung did, yesterday.”
Eun-ha immediately made a sour face. It seemed his drunken self had personally explained how to sleep well. What nonsense did I spout this time? If I drink again, I’m not human but a dog……
A wave of regret washed over him anew, accompanied by a faint headache. Sighing, he straightened his head. Blinking his eyes in the perfect darkness, he felt a ticklish breeze brush against his ear.
Hyung. Sleep well.
At the low, whispering voice, Eun-ha pulled the blanket covering him up to his neck a little more meticulously. A nervous feeling arose, as if his senses had become acutely sharp. For a while, it seemed he was consciously aware and bothered by it.
But he was too exhausted to continue his long train of thought, and deep sleep felt desperately urgent. His body was screaming for rest. And since what reached him was a cozy embrace and warmth, Eun-ha soon felt his consciousness growing hazy.
Then, before he knew it, thud—his consciousness snapped, and he fell into sleep.
The next day. When he woke up, it was just past 7 a.m. Sitting up groggily, Eun-ha sat blankly, clutching the edge of the blanket until his sleepiness faded. He stared vacantly at the faint light seeping through the edges of the blackout curtains. Then, shifting his gaze—
“……Ah.”
Yeon-jun, lying sideways facing him and still asleep, came directly into view. Inside the dim room where light was almost completely blocked. The moderately cool air circulating indoors. The quiet stillness.
Amidst it all, Eun-ha, looking down with subtly changed eyes at the man sleeping quietly beside him in a disheveled state, let out a small, involuntary cough in an instant. Covering his mouth with his fist like someone in an awkward situation, he nonetheless didn’t stop stealing glances at Yeon-jun. As if repeatedly confirming something unbelievable with his own eyes.
What do I do?
This really makes it seem like we’re dating.
“…….”
It was a realization that arrived excruciatingly slowly. Just how flustered was he? He sensed a stirring presence. It didn’t take long before Yeon-jun, who had been rubbing his face into the pillow and fidgeting, slowly lifted his eyelids.
“You’re awake?”
“……Yes……”
The answer came after a slight pause. A weak, drawn-out “Yes.” Adorable beyond words.
Just as Eun-ha was struggling to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching against his will, Yeon-jun, as if the drowsiness hadn’t lifted, closed his eyes again and stretched out an arm. Wrapping it around Eun-ha’s waist, he pulled him close and buried his face against his side. He remained motionless for a while, so Eun-ha thought he might have fallen back asleep, but then—
“Did you sleep well?”
A voice thick with sleep. Slightly scratchy at the end.
“……Yeah.”
Eun-ha answered vaguely while simultaneously lost in thought. Turning his gaze toward the blackout curtains, he pondered his current state for a moment before reaching a conclusion. I really did sleep well. Lately, I don’t think I’ve slept as peacefully, as long, or as deeply as this.
With that, his mind cleared, and he felt refreshed. Carrying something akin to rare vitality in his characteristically dry eyes, Eun-ha spoke again, as if emphasizing.
“I slept well.”
Yeah.
And he really liked that.
In other words, that day marked the beginning of sharing a bed.
One day, two days, three days…… They began sleeping and waking up together every day. The initial awkward stiffness, which felt oddly out of place, was brief, and Eun-ha managed to roughly adapt within just a week. The high quality of life that sound sleep provided made him that way. Sleeping well improved his condition, and that led to an optimistic attitude where anything good was good enough.
While Eun-ha’s mind was clearing up—his unexpectedly acquired, very young same-sex lover showed no intention of leaving his side during that week, sticking to him like glue. The reason for his quick adaptation was also thanks to spending the entire day together, making it impossible not to adapt.
Except for briefly stopping by his family home for dinner and meeting up with high school friends once, Yeon-jun truly stuck by Eun-ha’s side all day long. Sleeping together, waking up together. After lightly having meals together, they went to the café together, and while Eun-ha tended to the plants, Yeon-jun hovered nearby, assisting as if helping out. While Eun-ha briefly handled work, Yeon-jun would settle in a corner of the shop and wait for him. Then, after closing, they would have dinner, naturally go on a date, and return home again.
In the meantime, Yeon-jun’s belongings naturally piled up neatly at Eun-ha’s place. Spare clothes, a toothbrush, the supplies he used for drawing, and other miscellaneous items……
One day, amidst this situation, Eun-ha pondered deeply.
‘Isn’t this cohabitation?’
For some reason, it seemed things were heading in that direction. It wasn’t that he disliked the idea, but it felt premature to go that far yet, so Eun-ha broached the topic indirectly.
“Don’t you have any plans for the break?”
He was genuinely curious too. Lately, Yeon-jun was living the epitome of a carefree college student’s life. It was pure curiosity. Does this kid have no schedule other than me?
It was a weekday morning. While at work as usual, tending to the plants, Yeon-jun, who had recently helped a few times and had become somewhat adept, turned to look at Eun-ha as he assisted beside him.
“Hmm. There seem to be many.”
“If there are many, just say many. What do you mean ‘seem’?”
“There are many things I want to do.”
“Like what?”
“First, getting a driver’s license—”
Eun-ha silently listened, nodding his head. But at the following words, he had to make a bewildered expression as if stumbling. Learning to cook. Increasing alcohol tolerance. Practicing eating spicy food well…… Strangely, they all sounded familiar from somewhere.
Sometime ago. When Yeon-jun had asked him about his ideal type, Eun-ha had deliberately listed traits opposite to Yeon-jun’s characteristics to brush him off. An involuntary, hollow sigh escaped him.
“……You remembered all that until now?”
“I wanted to look good in front of you, Hyung.”
“You know I said those things on purpose.”
“But still, just in case?”
He retorted playfully. Yeah. It seemed half playful, yet also half sincere. To look good in front of me. Just for that reason, he had kept remembering those things all along.
Unsure how to respond, Eun-ha hesitated with an ambiguous expression when Yeon-jun, letting out a slight laugh, opened his mouth first.
“But I do want to get a license. Since you’re always the one driving, Hyung.”
An additional explanation followed, saying it had often bothered him. Such trivial things…… Muttering to himself, Eun-ha let out a small snort and asked again.
“Other than those, what else?”
“Other than those?”
“Things not related to me.”