Song Ji-hu was walking toward the corner café. 

He kept his hoodie zipped up all the way to his chin because he was still fighting a terrible hangover from too much soju. He was also completely exhausted from listening to Seojun’s three-hour rant about "architecture guys acting deep just because they don't talk much, especially the straight one I'm dumb enough to like."

He yawned loudly and did not even try to cover his mouth. His jet-black hair was tied in a messy high bun. He was wearing loose sweatpants and an oversized hoodie, but he still looked completely effortless.

He was reaching for the café door when someone inside pushed it open from the other direction. A second later, hot coffee spilled all over his chest and soaked right through his clothes.

"Damn it!" Ji-hu said.

He took a step backward while the hot liquid seeped into his shirt.

"I'm so sorry!" a voice said.

Ji-hu took a quick breath because the heat was spreading across his skin.

"Are you burned?" the guy asked.

Ji-hu shook his head as he tried to steady his feet.

"No, no, it's just my hoodie. I'm fine," Ji-hu said. "Wait… what?"

They looked at each other, and Ji-hu finally recognized the blond architecture student. It was the exact same straight guy Seojun kept talking about non-stop. Yeonjun stopped moving completely. Ji-hu stood there in shock as well.

"Oh… hey," Yeonjun said.

"Hey," Ji-hu said.

Yeonjun was looking down at the empty paper cup in his hands while his cheeks turned completely red.

"I'm really sorry. That was all my fault," Yeonjun said. "I'll pay to get it cleaned or buy you a new hoodie. I promise."

Ji-hu looked down at his soaked clothes before he exhaled loudly. A genuinely amused smile appeared on his face.

"Don't worry about it. I've got a change of clothes in my bag," Ji-hu said. "But while I'm changing, get me a coffee. Iced mocha. Extra whipped cream and chocolate syrup."

Yeonjun stared at him for a second.

How can anyone drink something that sweet so early? he thought.

"Right away," he said as he turned around and walked straight toward the counter. Ji-hu was already walking toward the bathroom door, and he did not bother looking back.

—

Inside the café bathroom, Ji-hu pulled his soaked hoodie over his head. He looked at his reflection in the mirror because his face looked completely exhausted. His hair was messy, and his collarbones were visible above the neckline of his ruined shirt. He grabbed a fresh, oversized T-shirt from his backpack and slipped it on before he fixed his bun. He looked at himself one last time and laughed quietly.

"You really owe me for this, Seojun," Ji-hu said.

When he finally stepped out of the bathroom, Yeonjun was waiting right by the door. The architecture student was holding a massive iced mocha in his hand.

"I've got my car," Yeonjun said. "If you're heading to school, wanna go together?"

—

A few minutes later, they were sitting in Yeonjun's car while they drove toward the campus. The inside of the vehicle was quiet and warm.They were both sipping their drinks in the quiet car. Ji-hu leaned back in his seat and looked completely satisfied as the heavy dose of sugar and chocolate finally hit his system.

"Do you live around here?" he asked.

"I've been staying at a hotel nearby," Yeonjun said. "I used to live with a friend, but I broke up with them."

Ji-hu turned his head and looked at the driver.

"So you're not originally from Seoul?" Ji-hu asked.

Yeonjun kept his eyes on the road for a long moment before he finally answered.

"Do you always carry a change of clothes with you?" Yeonjun asked.

Ji-hu noticed the sudden subject change, but he decided not to push it.

"Whenever we have painting workshops, yeah," Ji-hu said. "Aprons don't always protect your clothes. I've ruined enough shirts to figure that out."

"Smart," Yeonjun said.

"I'm Song Ji-hu, by the way," Ji-hu said. "Technically, we've met before, but you looked pretty busy that day."

Yeonjun smiled.

"Yeah, you could say that," he said. "I'm Han Yeonjun."

They continued sipping their drinks in comfortable silence while the car passed smoothly through the main campus gate.

—

When they finally parked the car, Ji-hu stepped out first and pulled his backpack over his shoulder. Yeonjun got out right after him. They were walking together across the plaza toward the Fine Arts building while they talked about their morning classes.

Seojun was standing near the entrance of the building. 

He was watching them walk together, and his face was completely blank. He did not move a single muscle because he was trying to understand what he was seeing.

"Hyung!" Ji-hu said.

Yeonjun gave a polite nod before he walked away toward his own department. Seojun immediately grabbed Ji-hu by the arm the second the architecture student was out of earshot.

"What the fuck?" he asked. "What were you doing with him?"

"He spilled coffee on me," Ji-hu said. "I had to change my shirt, and he gave me a ride. That's all."

Seojun stared at his friend's new oversized T-shirt.

"What do you mean you changed your shirt?" he asked.

His voice cracked slightly, and his eyes were completely wild. Ji-hu threw his head back and laughed loudly.

"I really like this unhinged side of you," he said. "If we weren't friends, I'd probably go out with you."

"Unless you want me to actually hit you, start explaining right now," Seojun said. "Everything."

Ji-hu adjusted the strap of his bag and tilted his head toward the door.

"I'll fill you in during class," Ji-hu said. "Let's go, we're already late."

—

As classes ended for the day, Ji-a caught up to Yeonjun near the back exit of the Fine Arts building. She was no longer screaming like she had been in the courtyard. She walked up to him and kept her voice incredibly soft.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

Yeonjun nodded. They walked together in complete silence until they reached a quiet corner of the campus. A stone bench was sitting under the shade of a tall tree, and they were far away from the noise of the other students. Yeonjun refused to sit down. He stood next to the bench and kept his hands shoved deep into his pockets while he stared at the ground.

"If you're going to ask when I'll pick up my stuff, I'll come by once I find a new place," Yeonjun said.

"No," Ji-a said. "That's not why I came."

Yeonjun finally looked up at her. His face was pale and tired.

"So, what do you wanna talk about?" Yeonjun asked.

"I want you back," Ji-a said. "Don't you think this break-up has lasted long enough? You don't reply to my texts or calls anymore. You're just dragging it out, and it's not that serious."

Yeonjun stared at her face for a long moment before he slowly shook his head.

"I don't wanna be with you anymore, Ji-a," Yeonjun said.

"Do you really think you'll find someone better?" Ji-a asked. "What did you even tell your dad? You've been at his place for a week. Didn't he ask why you're not coming home?"

"Ji-a, shut up!" Yeonjun yelled. "You hit me! Everyone saw it."

His entire body started shaking uncontrollably. He was pulling short, uneven breaths into his lungs because the air felt too thin. His hands turned freezing cold, and his fingers twitched against his sides. The ground beneath his feet felt unsteady.

"I'll get my stuff soon," he said. "I don't even want to talk to you anymore."

He took a step backward and forced himself to stand straight.

"By the way, I haven't been staying at my dad's place for a week." 

He turned around and walked away without looking back. 

Ji-a stayed completely still next to the bench. Her eyes watered as she watched him leave, but she was not crying out of sadness. Her nails dug deeply into her palms because she was furious about losing control over him.

—

Yeonjun was sitting in the driver's seat of his car. He held the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned completely white. His legs were trembling against the floor mats, and his breathing was fast and uneven.

"Stay calm," he said to himself. "Just stay calm."

He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against the cool leather of the wheel. He closed his eyes and tried to force air into his lungs. After a few long minutes, he finally sat back up.

"Fuck. I need a drink."

He started the engine immediately. He put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot without another thought.

—

When Yeonjun walked into the crowded bar, loud music and the sound of overlapping conversations filled the dark room. 

He looked across the crowd because he hoped to spot someone from the campus, but every single face belonged to a stranger. People were standing around with drinks in their hands, and they all looked completely relaxed. He walked straight toward the bar counter. He did not even care what he was going to order; he just desperately needed something to drink.

He was standing in line when someone suddenly bumped into his shoulder. 

Yeonjun turned around, and he immediately recognized the guy standing behind him. 

It was the punk student who had stepped in right after Ji-a slapped him in the courtyard. They had not spoken a single word that day, but Yeonjun clearly remembered how the guy handled the chaos.

For a long moment, neither of them said anything. 

Seojun opened his eyes a little wider before a genuine smile appeared on his face. The art student looked surprised but completely comfortable, almost like he had been waiting for this exact encounter to happen.

Yeonjun stared right back at him. His own eyes were incredibly tired. He slowly pulled his slumped shoulders back and stood a little taller while he faced Seojun.

They stood perfectly still in the middle of the crowd. The bar was loud and chaotic all around them, but the background noise faded away completely. In that exact moment, only the space between them felt real.