Seojun came out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. 

As he brushed his wet hair back with one hand, he took a slow breath. Then he grabbed the deodorant from the desk and sprayed under his arms. The casual routine looked like the most normal thing in the world.

Yeonjun looked at him for a second. The painting major's body was lean but strong, and the defined muscle meant he definitely worked out. Then his eyes caught the metal ring through the left nipple. It did not look good on everyone, but on him, it fit perfectly. A tribal maehwa blossom tattoo rested on his shoulder. The ink looked like the work of a real artist, and it was not the kind of design most guys would choose.

Yeonjun realized he had been staring. He turned his head away quickly, and heat rushed to his face.

Seojun noticed the sudden movement and he saw the way the other boy looked away.

"I'm… sorry," he said. “I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." His voice sounded completely calm.

"No… it's fine, this is your room," Yeonjun said.

Seojun pulled on a hoodie and a pair of shorts without any fuss. He looked up, and a wide grin spread across his face.

"Want a beer?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure."

Seojun opened the mini fridge and grabbed two cans.

"Come on, let's go out to the terrace. There are blankets out there, and we can cover ourselves," he said.

They stepped onto the small terrace and sat down on a pair of cushioned loungers. The seats were angled slightly toward the view. A low black table sat between them, and Seojun placed the two cold cans on the surface.

The lights of Seoul spread out below. The city glowed in the dark like restless stars.

Yeonjun stayed quiet and watched the skyline shimmer. The tension in his shoulders disappeared, but his thoughts kept racing.

Why does it feel easier to breathe here?

Neither of them spoke for a moment, but the quiet carried a comfortable weight.

Seojun opened his can and took a sip. He leaned over to the other lounger without standing up and he grabbed the fabric of Yeonjun's hoodie and pulled the hood up over his wet hair. 

The sudden movement caught the architecture student completely off guard.

"You can't just sit out here with wet hair after a shower," Seojun said. He settled back into his seat.

Yeonjun felt his face grow warmer. He looked over, and the punk next to him already looked completely at ease.

"You seemed a bit down earlier," Seojun said. He kept his eyes fixed on him. "Was it because of your girlfriend?"

Yeonjun waited for a second, and then he tilted his head forward.

"We were together for a year,” he said. "But honestly, most of that time… we just kept trying to make things work. I guess we both knew it wasn't going anywhere."

Seojun did not answer. He just took a slow sip of his beer and waited for the rest.

Yeonjun kept his eyes on the city spread out in front of them and continued.

"Ji-a's not a bad person. I won't say anything against her. But being with her made me feel more alone than I do now."

"Do you feel alone right now?" Seojun asked.

"No, that's not what I meant," Yeonjun said. He turned his head too fast, and the heat returned to his face. "I just… I feel really okay right now."

The words hung in the air with a quiet honesty. Neither of them tried to fill the space with more words. Seojun looked over at him.

"Breakups suck. Even the ones that should've happened sooner," he said.

The corners of Yeonjun's mouth lifted slightly. He did not really know why he was smiling. He looked back at the skyline, and the heavy feeling in his chest started to fade. He turned his head after a moment.

"You dating anyone?" he asked.

"I was, until recently. But things change," Seojun said.

He did not explain any further. He leaned back in his chair and let the words hang there, and he acted like the detail was not worth explaining.

"That surprises me. I figured you were probably seeing someone," Yeonjun said.

"Why? 'Cause I'm charming and mysterious?" Seojun asked as a wide grin appeared on his face.

"No," Yeonjun said. He sounded completely serious. "Because you talk like someone who flirts with the cashier at every convenience store."

They both burst out laughing. The sound was sudden and loud, but it felt completely genuine. The shared joke sliced right through the lingering tension. 

Yeonjun dropped his shoulders completely, and he looked truly at ease for the first time that night. His laughter quieted down, and he spoke again.

"Yaa... That's what our last fight was about,” he said. "You know, the fight that morning when she slapped me. She hit me because I smiled and said 'hi' to a cashier girl."

The alcohol was definitely loosening his tongue.

Seojun looked away toward the city.

"Yeah, sometimes relationships end up in the worst places. It happens," he said.

Yeonjun nodded slowly, and it looked like he was turning the idea over in his mind.

"There must be some girl out there who's a bit more settled. Wouldn't you want a calm, quiet girlfriend who loves you unconditionally?" he asked.

Seojun looked back at him.

"Actually... I wouldn't," he said. He kept his eyes locked on the other boy.

Yeonjun watched him closely, and he waited to hear the reason.

"I'm not really the type who makes time for girls," Seojun said.

Yeonjun smiled.

"You don't seem all that busy tonight," he said.

They both laughed again, and the sound echoed louder this time. The laughter finally died down, and Seojun turned his head. His voice dropped lower.

"Ya… do you believe in love at first sight?" he asked.

"Nah. I don't believe in love," he said. "I don't think anyone can really love someone enough. People always put their own interests first. Love always comes with conditions and expectations." 

"You're depressing, Han Yeonjun," Seojun said.

"It's just realistic," Yeonjun said, and he took another sip of his drink.

Seojun took a deep breath.

"Don't get me wrong, but… there's more sorrow in your eyes than just a breakup," he said.

Yeonjun stared at him. He did not expect the other boy to read him so quickly. He looked away and stayed silent.

"If you ever feel like talking, I'm here," Seojun said. He kept his tone completely steady.

"Maybe another time," Yeonjun said. They both fell silent again. Hardly any sound remained in the cool night air.

Yeonjun let his thoughts swirl for a while, and then he glanced sideways.

"You always seem so unbothered... Are you okay with how things are?" he asked.

"Yeah, you know… I guess being single saves me a lot of headaches," Seojun said as he chuckled. "My parents are pretty cool. My mom went to the States for school and met my dad there. He'd already been living there since he was a kid, so culturally, he's still almost more American than Korean."

Seojun was looking out at the city while he tried to figure out exactly how much to share. He was not talking to another gay guy, so he could not be completely open about his life. The two of them were definitely not close enough for a confession like that. 

A heavy feeling settled in his chest. He forced himself to keep talking anyway, and he used his words to cover the quiet space so his guest would not notice the sudden drop in his energy.

"I was born in the States. Same as my brother and sister. I'm just… the youngest. Kind of spoiled, honestly. My whole family act like I'm still twelve or something," he said. 

He forced a laugh, but it sounded completely hollow. "Though to be fair, I guess they have good reasons to treat me that way."

He fell silent after that. His eyes drifted upward toward the sky, and he looked like he was watching something only he could see.

Yeonjun did not ask any questions. He thought about pushing for more, but the tone in Seojun's voice stopped him. The words sounded casual, but they felt like a heavy cover for something else. It sounded like a truth that was not ready to be spoken.

Whatever the reason was, he knew it was not something to touch in a moment like this.

Seojun spoke again after a long pause, and his voice sounded even quieter.

"My mom's also a painter. She's pretty well known in her field. But she's never once made me feel like I had to live up to her name. She runs a gallery and a couple of visual design studios, actually."

He stopped talking. It hit him that he had just opened up to this near-stranger. He expected his chest to tighten, but he actually felt lighter. There are still things I could tell him, he thought as he looked back down and continued.

"Still, sometimes I can't help but think I'll never be as good as she is. And that gets to me a little," he said.

He smiled, but the expression did not hide the weight in his eyes.

"Sometimes I think I'm too lucky for my own good. Like… maybe that's why I find weird things to worry about."

He looked straight into Yeonjun's eyes as he finished the sentence.

Yeonjun stared back at him. The word 'painter' reminded him of the signature he had seen on the canvases inside.

Shin Mi-yeon… His heart skipped a beat. Wait… she really is his mother?

Yeonjun could not even put a name to what he was feeling. It was not just admiration. It felt fuller than that, and much softer too. The heavy feeling made it hard for him to sit still, but he also wanted to stay right there in that exact spot.

He did not say anything. He just kept looking at the boy next to him, and he wondered how someone like him could even be real.