Thursday

The next morning, Jaehyun woke to the soft warmth of sunlight streaming through the window and landing on his face. He stretched his limbs with a groan, blinking his eyes open lazily. Turning his head toward the nightstand, he glanced at the clock.

09:53.

His eyes shot open. Panic jolted through him—he had already missed the first two periods! Shit, why didn’t my alarm go off?! He was about to jump out of bed when he suddenly remembered the message from school he got the day before:

All students were excused from classes for the remaining two days of the school week due to a heating pipe explosion that knocked out the electricity and damaged the heating system.

With a relieved sigh, Jaehyun sank back into his pillow, exhaling loudly. He closed his eyes for a moment, memories of last night flooding his mind.

After he and Woonhak finished watching Paddington, the sky had turned dark. Woonhak decided it was time to go home. Before he left, Jaehyun asked him to send a text once he arrived, just so he’d know Woonhak got home safely—and so he’d finally have the youngers number.

Woonhak had said his quiet goodbyes to Japchae and Jaehyun before stepping out into the night.

Jaehyun returned to the couch, phone in hand, waiting both for his mom to come home and for Woonhak’s message.

About twenty minutes later, his phone buzzed. A message popped up from an unknown number:

Unknown Number:
I’m home now :)

A smile tugged at Jaehyun’s lips at the little smiley face. He quickly saved the number in his contacts.

Jaehyun:
Good! Sleep well, Woonhak!😊

Woonhak🧸:
You too :)

***

Back in the present, Jaehyun stared up at the ceiling above his bed. Little glow-in-the-dark stars were scattered across it. He remembered sticking them there with his mom when he was six, just after they moved into this house. The memory brought a soft smile to his face, tinged with nostalgia.

A quiet rustling broke his reverie, and he turned his head toward the dresser where the hamster cage sat. One of the tiny golden creatures scurried through the bedding, its whiskers twitching as it searched for food. Jaehyun read hamsters were nocturnal, but apparently sometimes they were also active during the day. He watched the little hamster's movements with mild amusement, as his thoughts soon drifted to Woonhak once again.

They hadn’t started the project yet. Woonhak hadn’t even met the hamsters. Jaehyun had picked them up and brought them home alone, and yesterday, they’d stayed in the living room the whole time.

The assignment required them to give the hamsters temporary names, take care of them, and document their observations to submit the required essay in two weeks.

With the unexpected school break, these next two days were a perfect chance to get started. But Jaehyun hesitated. Woonhak had seemed more at ease yesterday night, even if he was still quiet and a little bit reserved. Jaehyun didn’t want to risk pushing him too hard or making him uncomfortable.

He sighed, running his fingers through his tousled hair. It’s probably better to ask, he thought. Woonhak could always say no if he didn't want to. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed his phone and opened his messenger app. His thumbs hovered over the keyboard before he began typing.

Jaehyun:
Good morning!☀️ I wondered if you maybe would want to come over? You still haven’t met the hamsters yet, and we should start with the project… only if you want to tho! We can figure out smth else if you don’t

He hit send and leaned back against the headboard, his heart beating just a bit faster than usual. A part of him was anxious about the reply. What if Woonhak didn’t want to come? What if yesterday was a fluke, and Woonhak decided he didn’t feel comfortable after all?

His phone buzzed in his hand, and he quickly checked the screen.

Woonhak🧸:
I could come

Woonhak🧸:
Right now?

Jaehyun grinned, feeling a warmth spread through his chest.

Jaehyun:
Great^^ You can come whenever you like, I’m free all day! :))

The response was almost immediate:

Woonhak🧸:
Okay, I’ll be there in 30 then

Jaehyun’s smile widened as he set his phone down on the bed, his mind already racing through ideas. He’d make sure everything was ready — maybe get some snacks and check the hamster cage.

He felt a sense of excitement bubbling up. Maybe today would be another step toward helping Woonhak feel more at home, not just in Jaehyun’s house, but maybe even in his life.

"Thirty minutes," he murmured, springing out of bed and towards the bathroom with newfound energy.

---

Word count: 796

Random unterrated song recommendations:

~ My Way (Trendz)
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