Tuesday

Jaehyun woke up to the soft light streaming through his curtains, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days. The memories of the previous night came rushing back, and he found himself smiling at the ceiling.

Woonhak likes me back.

It was still hard to believe, even now. They'd both confessed.

And when they had crawled back into bed afterward, everything had felt... right. Woonhak had curled up next to him, just like before, and Jaehyun had draped an arm over him, his heart racing but his mind at ease.

Now, glancing over at Woonhak, who was still sleeping soundly beside him, Jaehyun felt a wave of warmth wash over him. The younger looked so peaceful, his face half-buried in the pillow and his soft breaths the only sound in the room. Jaehyun fought the urge to reach out and brush the slightly messy hair away from Woonhak's face.

Instead, he simply lay there for a moment, letting himself take it all in. This was real. They liked each other, and nothing felt more perfect than this.

"Woonie," he finally murmured, giving the younger a gentle nudge.

Woonhak stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he looked up at Jaehyun with a drowsy, half-asleep smile. "Morning," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.

Jaehyun chuckled softly, his heart fluttering at the sight. "Good morning," he replied, his voice warm.

Though they didn't say much, the atmosphere between them was light, lighter than it had been in what felt like a long time.

***

At school, the change between them didn't go unnoticed. When they sat with their friends at lunch, the usual teasing banter was overshadowed by the knowing glances their friends exchanged.

Donghyun was the first to break the silence, leaning forward with a sly grin. "Okay, so... what's going on with you two?" he asked, pointing between them.

"What do you mean?" Jaehyun replied, though the faint blush creeping onto cheeks betrayed him.

"I mean, yesterday, it was like walking on eggshells around you guys," Donghyun said. "And now you're all smiles and... googly eyes at each other."

"G- googly eyes?" Woonhak stammered, his face turning a deep shade of pink.

"Yes, googly eyes," Sanghyuk added, smirking. "Come on, just admit it. Did something happen?"

Jaehyun fidgeted with the bracelet Woonhak had made him, glancing sideways at the younger. "Nothing happened," he said, far too quickly to sound convincing.

"Liar," Sungho teased, leaning back in his seat with a knowing grin.

"It's... nothing serious," Woonhak mumbled, looking anywhere but at their friends.

"You're both terrible liars," Donghyun said, shaking his head. "But fine, keep your little secrets. Just know we're onto you."

Jaehyun sighed in relief as the conversation shifted, though his heart was still racing. He glanced at Woonhak, who met his gaze for just a moment before quickly looking away. But despite the awkwardness, Jaehyun couldn't help but smile.

***

The days following the tension felt quieter but warmer in a strange way. When the awkwardness that had lingered between Jaehyun and Woonhak had dissipated, it was replaced by a deeper understanding neither of them could quite put into words. Their interactions returned to normal -or almost normal. They walked to school together, sat shoulder to shoulder at lunch, and laughed at their friends' jokes, but now there was something else. Something unspoken.

Jaehyun couldn't stop glancing at Woonhak whenever the younger wasn't looking, noticing the subtle curve of his lips when he smiled or the way his eyes lit up at even the smallest joys. He didn't fully understand what they were now, but he felt closer to Woonhak than ever.

Friday

In the evening, Woonhak came home with Jaehyun's mom after a meeting at the office regarding his custody. It had gone smoothly, and Jaehyun's mom seemed relieved as she told him about it. Woonhak trailed behind her into the living room, his now usual smile in place as he caught Jaehyun's gaze.

"It went well," Jaehyun's mom said with a bright smile. "Everything's falling into place."

Jaehyun felt an overwhelming sense of relief, and before he could think twice about it, he strode over to Woonhak. "You did great, Woonie," he said, his voice soft yet earnest. Then, without hesitation, he leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to Woonhak's cheek.

The action surprised even Jaehyun himself. He pulled back, his heart pounding as he searched Woonhak's face for a reaction.

Woonhak froze, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed a deep pink. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly snapped it shut, his hand brushing against his cheek as if he could still feel the warmth of Jaehyun's lips.

"Uh... thanks," Woonhak murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He quickly ducked his head and shuffled past Jaehyun toward the stairs, mumbling something about putting his things away.

Jaehyun stood there for a moment, stunned by his own boldness. His mom raised an eyebrow but said nothing, a small knowing smile tugging at her lips.

(a/n real life Jaehyun just casually kisses Woonagi all the time lol)

***

That night, the two of them settled back into Jaehyun's bed together.

Woonhak hesitated before slipping under the blanket beside Jaehyun, his movements careful, almost shy. When Jaehyun offered his hand, palm up, Woonhak stared at it for a moment before slowly intertwining their fingers.

"Goodnight, Woonie," Jaehyun whispered, his voice tinged with an unfamiliar softness.

"Goodnight, hyung," Woonhak replied, his own voice equally quiet.

The room fell silent except for the sound of their breathing, but Jaehyun's thoughts refused to quiet.

What are we now?

They hadn't talked about it -about the kiss, the touches, the lingering gazes that spoke louder than words.

Jaehyun stared at the ceiling, his thumb absently brushing over the back of Woonhak's hand. His chest felt heavy with emotions he couldn't quite name. Was this what it meant to be in love? He didn't know, but he was certain of one thing: whatever they were now, he didn't want to lose it.

Eventually, Woonhak's soft breaths evened out, signaling that he had fallen asleep. Jaehyun turned his head to look at him, the faint glow of moonlight highlighting the peaceful curve of his face. He smiled faintly, his heart swelling with an affection that was almost too much to bear.

"We'll figure it out," Jaehyun whispered, more to himself than to the sleeping boy beside him.

With that, he let his eyes close, his hand still holding onto Woonhak's as they drifted into dreams.

---

Word count: 1088