Chapter 2

Tae Min noticed it first — Haru’s shoes.

They were still outside the door.

Placed neatly.

Untouched.

His heartbeat, which had been slowly calming down after returning from the pool, began to rise again.

If Haru went home… why were his shoes still here?

A cold feeling crept into Tae Min’s chest.

He rushed to the living room.

Empty.

Kitchen.

Empty.

Balcony.

Nothing.

His mother and Tae Yeon were out buying dinner. The condominium felt too quiet. Too hollow.

He grabbed his phone and quickly typed:

I am so sorry. I didn’t wake up. I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to you.

He pressed send.

Then he called.

The ringing echoed somewhere nearby.

Not from outside.

Not from downstairs.

From inside.

Tae Min froze.

The sound was coming from his room.

He slowly walked down the hallway and pushed his door open.

There it was.

Haru’s phone.

On the floor beside the bed.

Still ringing.

Tae Min swallowed hard.

“Why would he leave without this…?”

A sudden pressure hit his bladder.

He winced.

“Ah… now?”

He rushed toward the bathroom.

But just as he turned the corner—

The bathroom door swung open.

And Haru stood there.

Dripping wet.

Completely unprepared for Tae Min’s sudden appearance.

They both screamed.

“What are you doing here?!” Haru shouted, grabbing a towel in panic.

“I needed to pee, okay?!” Tae Min shot back, equally flustered.

“Why are you looking at me?! I’m still naked!”

“I didn’t mean to!”

Their faces burned red at the same time.

For a second, neither of them moved.

“Wait outside!” Haru snapped. “I’m still taking a bath!”

“But I really need to go!”

“Can’t you just hold it?!”

“Not anymore! Just— just cover yourself!”

Haru rolled his eyes but pulled the shower curtain around himself.

“Okay, fine! Just wait at the door!”

“Do it faster.”

“Shut up.”

Tae Min turned around, staring at the wall like it contained the secrets of the universe.

“Are you done yet?” he called.

“You’re ruining my bath!”

“Stop talking and hurry!”

After a few tense seconds—

“You can come in now. Don’t peek.”

“Don’t peek at me either,” Tae Min muttered as he untangled his shorts.

The silence inside the bathroom felt suffocating.

Water dripping.

Breathing uneven.

“I thought you left,” Tae Min said quietly.

“Do you think I’m a ghost?” Haru shot back.

Despite everything, Tae Min almost laughed.

“Are you seriously trying to talk right now?” Haru asked.

“I’ll be alone if you leave,” Tae Min said.

That made Haru pause.

But before he could respond—

“Please continue this later. I’m still bathing.”

“Okay,” Tae Min muttered, leaving the bathroom.

But his words lingered in the air long after he stepped out.

Something Unspoken

Haru stayed under the water longer than necessary.

Why is he like that? he thought.

Does he always want me beside him?

When he finished showering, he walked into Tae Min’s room, drying his hair.

Tae Min was already playing video games.

Headset on.

Focused.

“What are you doing?” Haru asked.

No answer.

“Did you just ignore me?”

Tae Min spoke into his microphone instead.

“Hi! What’s your name? Let’s make a good duo!”

Haru stiffened.

“Are you ignoring me because I didn’t want to talk earlier?”

“There’s a guy at your corner!” Tae Min said to the screen.

“Hello? Am I talking to the air?”

Haru grabbed Tae Min’s shoulder.

Tae Min pushed his hand away.

“Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Who is that?”

“She’s not a boy. She’s a girl. You were late.”

“Couldn’t you wait for me?”

“You’re too slow. Stop distracting me.”

The words hit harder than Tae Min intended.

Haru stepped back.

“Oh. Fine. Play with your new playmate. I’m leaving.”

“Go! Why are you even here?” Tae Min snapped, frustration spilling out before he could stop it.

Silence.

Haru’s expression changed.

It wasn’t anger.

It was hurt.

“Tell Mrs. Tae Ha I’ll just go home.”

He packed his bag quickly.

Tae Min kept playing.

But his hands felt heavier.

His focus slipped.

The girl on the microphone started criticizing him.

“You’re so bad. Why can’t you aim properly?”

They lost again.

And again.

And again.

Each defeat made Tae Min more irritated.

More empty.

He removed his headset.

The room felt wrong.

Too quiet.

He stared at the door Haru had just walked through.

“What did I just do…?”

He quit the game.

Left the girl mid-sentence.

Ran outside.

Searching

He checked Haru’s house first.

Aika opened the door.

“Oh, Tae Min! What are you doing here?”

“Is Haru inside?”

“Isn’t he with you?”

Tae Min forced a small smile.

“Oh… maybe my mom brought him somewhere.”

“Alright. Tell him goodnight for me.”

He bowed and left.

He didn’t want to worry Aika.

Not yet.

He searched the fast-food restaurant they loved.

Empty.

He texted again.

Where are you? I can’t find you.

No reply.

Then—

The swimming pool.

Under the dim lights, he saw Haru swimming alone.

“Haru!” he shouted.

No response.

Haru dove underwater.

Seconds passed.

Too many seconds.

Panic surged.

Tae Min jumped into the pool without thinking.

He grabbed Haru and pulled him up.

“What are you doing?!” Haru yelled.

“You were drowning!”

“No I wasn’t!”

“Then why were you at the bottom?!”

“I was holding my breath!”

“What if something happened?!”

“What do you care?! You told me to leave!”

That hurt.

“I’m sorry,” Tae Min said, breath shaking. “I bought your favorite food. I’ll wait.”

“Don’t disturb me.”

But Tae Min didn’t leave immediately.

He stayed nearby.

Watching.

Guarding.

When he looked down at his phone for a moment—

Haru disappeared.

The pool was empty.

Panic returned.

He ran home.

The Plan

He saw Haru’s shoes again.

His heart nearly stopped.

He rushed inside.

His mother and sister were eating.

“Where have you been?” Tae Ha asked.

“I just bought food.”

He forced himself upstairs.

But when he saw Haru’s bag in his room—

He ran back down.

“Where is Haru?”

“I didn’t see him,” Tae Ha said calmly.

“Are you lying?”

“Why would I lie?”

“What if he’s missing?!”

“I’m sure he’s fine.”

“I won’t sleep until he’s here.”

“I’m not stopping you,” she replied.

He stormed back to his room.

“I hate you,” he muttered.

Tae Ha smiled faintly once he disappeared.

Behind the door—

Haru stepped out.

Earlier…

“Hi, Mrs. Tae Ha,” Haru had whispered. “I went swimming. Tae Min kept watching me. So I waited until he wasn’t looking and came back.”

“Why hide?”

“He said it was better if I wasn’t around.”

Tae Ha’s expression darkened.

“I’ll punish him.”

“No! I have a better idea.”

And so they planned.

Now, standing outside Tae Min’s room, Haru felt nervous.

“Thanks for helping me,” Haru said.

“Just don’t let him bully you,” Tae Ha replied softly.

Haru knocked gently and entered.

Tae Min was asleep.

Or pretending.

Haru stepped closer.

His face softened.

“You’re such an idiot,” Haru whispered quietly.

Suddenly—

Tae Min’s hand shot out.

He pulled Haru onto the bed.

Wrapped his arms tightly around him.

Haru gasped.

“T-Tae Min?!”

“You’re here,” Tae Min breathed, voice shaking.

He held Haru like someone afraid of losing something precious.

“Don’t disappear again.”

Haru froze.

“I wasn’t going anywhere.”

“You said you were leaving.”

“You told me to.”

“I didn’t mean it.”

Silence filled the room.

Tae Min’s grip tightened.

“I thought you left for real,” he confessed. “I thought… maybe you got tired of me.”

Haru felt his anger melt.

“You think I’d leave that easily?”

“I don’t know,” Tae Min whispered. “You’re the only one who stays.”

That sentence carried years of fear.

Haru slowly wrapped his arms around Tae Min back.

“You’re annoying,” Haru muttered.

Tae Min laughed weakly.

“But don’t replace me.”

“I won’t.”

“Don’t tell me to leave again.”

“I won’t.”

“Don’t play with someone else like that.”

Haru hesitated.

“…Okay.”

Tae Min finally loosened his grip but didn’t let go completely.

“You scared me.”

“You scared me too,” Haru admitted.

They lay there quietly.

Heartbeats slowly syncing.

Outside the door, Tae Ha smiled faintly before walking away.

But her smile faded when her phone vibrated.

A message from her husband.

We’re leaving sooner. Two weeks.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

Inside the room, the boys had no idea.

Tae Min closed his eyes.

“I meant what I said earlier.”

“What?”

“If you leave… I’ll be alone.”

Haru looked at him.

“Then don’t push me away.”

Tae Min nodded.

“I won’t.”

But fate was already moving.

And neither of them were ready for it.