Hyung - a word used by Korean males to address their older brothers and other older males whom they are close to
***
Throughout the trip, Min-jun's heart and mind buzzed with a near-painful excitement. It was as if he might burst from the effort of keeping everything bottled up inside — yet he had no choice but to endure it.
Every time Seung-joon called him hyung in that soft, careful voice, Min-jun had to summon every ounce of self-control not to lean over and kiss him.
The first morning after they had fallen asleep together, Min-jun woke early, the faint gray light of dawn filtering through the curtains. His eyes immediately found Seung-joon, curled up against his arm, still lost in peaceful slumber.
Min-jun's gaze roamed over Seung-joon's sleeping face, drinking in every delicate line and feature. His breath caught when he noticed a tiny beauty mark on Seung-joon's bottom lip — a small, perfect detail that seemed to pull him in completely, leaving him utterly captivated.
His heartbeat quickened, thudding so loudly in his ears that for a moment, he feared it might wake Seung-joon. But Seung-joon remained still, breathing softly, unaware of the chaos he stirred in Min-jun's chest.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Min-jun tore his gaze away, forcing himself to calm down.
When Seung-joon finally stirred and gently shook his shoulder, Min-jun, pretending to have just woken up, blinked slowly, hiding the whirlwind of emotions behind a sleepy smile.
"Hyung, how are you feeling?" Seung-joon asked gently, placing his palm against Min-jun's forehead to check his temperature.
In Min-jun's mind, the real answer blared loudly — I almost died of a heart attack — but somehow, he managed to keep his composure.
"I'm alright. Thank you, Joon-ah," he said instead, his voice soft.
Seung-joon blinked, visibly surprised by the sudden familiarity in Min-jun's tone. But then a sweet, genuine smile bloomed across his face, and he gave a small, pleased nod.
"Then it's okay. I'm glad," Seung-joon said warmly. "Hyung, I'll take a quick shower first. Otherwise, we'll be late for breakfast."
Min-jun's gaze lingered on the bathroom door long after it had closed behind Seung-joon. Only then did he finally exhale, the tension he had been holding in his chest slowly bleeding away.
He dropped back onto the bed, cradling his head in his hands, overwhelmed by the weight of emotions he could barely contain. Two more days like this — two more days of pretending, of holding back — could he really survive it?
Rolling onto the sheets with a soft groan, he buried his face into the fabric. That's when he caught it — the faint, delicate scent Seung-joon had left behind. It wrapped around him, subtle and familiar, and a sharp, almost painful wave of longing crashed through his chest.
Min-jun closed his eyes tightly, clinging to the fleeting comfort of the scent, wishing — foolishly, desperately — that time would slow down just a little longer.
After Min-jun finished his shower, he and Seung-joon made their way to breakfast. His spirits lifted immediately when Seung-joon chose the seat next to him, a quiet warmth blooming in Min-jun's chest at the simple gesture.
But the joy was short-lived.
The rest of the day pulled them apart, each occupied with their own scheduled activities. Min-jun found himself moving through the motions, participating where needed, but his heart wasn't in it. A quiet, persistent longing gnawed at him, growing stronger with every hour he spent away from Seung-joon's side.
***
Min-jun was in the middle of drying his hair, a towel loosely slung around his waist, when the door creaked open and Seung-joon stepped into the room.
Panic seized him instantly.
He fumbled to grab a shirt from the hook, nearly tripping over in his haste to cover up. After a clumsy battle with the fabric, he finally gave up, flashing a sheepish smile as he scratched the back of his still-damp hair in embarrassment.
Across the room, Seung-joon stood quietly, his gaze lingering on Min-jun for a moment longer than necessary — a soft, unspoken admiration flickering in his eyes before he looked away, the corners of his mouth lifting in the faintest of smiles.
"Hyung, do you work out a lot?" Seung-joon asked, his gaze flickering briefly over Min-jun's well-toned frame.
"Well, I take part in a lot of sports activities," Min-jun replied, hastily pulling on his shirt — finally managing to wrestle it off the hook after his earlier clumsy struggle.
"Ah, right... You're on the basketball team," Seung-joon said casually, rummaging through his bag for his evening clothes. "I haven't been to many games, but from what I've seen, you play really well."
The sun was dipping low in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow across the room, softening the sharp edges of the day. Min-jun's eyes drifted to the fading light, then back to Seung-joon, his chest fluttering with a sudden, inexplicable tenderness.
Before he could lose his nerve, he blurted out, "Would you like to go for a walk?"
Seung-joon looked up, his gaze drifting toward the glass wall where the orange hues of the sunset stretched over the horizon. A small smile curved his lips.
"That would be great. I'll have a quick wash and come."
"Okay," Min-jun said, relief and excitement bubbling quietly beneath his skin. "Come find me when you're done. I'll wait outside."
Min-jun quickly dressed and made his way to the vending machine. He bought two hot drinks, tucking the warm cans inside his jacket to keep them from losing their heat. Then he headed to the main entrance and waited, shifting on his feet until Seung-joon appeared.
Without needing to say much, they fell into step beside each other, walking toward the ocean.
The sun had almost slipped beneath the horizon, setting the sky ablaze in deep reds, fiery oranges, and molten golds. A soft breeze stirred the air, carrying the faint scent of salt and sand.
In easy, comfortable silence, they wandered down the beach until the resort shrank to a mere speck behind them. They finally settled in a quiet, secluded corner of the shore, where the only sound was the gentle whisper of the waves folding against the sand.
For a while, they simply sat there, the world around them fading, leaving only the rhythm of the ocean and the quiet.
Min-jun gazed up at the sky, watching the ethereal colors melt seamlessly into the vast ocean beyond. His eyes drifted to Seung-joon, sitting quietly beside him — and for a fleeting moment, it was as if Seung-joon belonged to that otherworldly scene, as natural and breathtaking as the sunset itself.
Seung-joon, with his half-closed eyes fixed on the rolling waves, looked serene, almost unreal — like a figure carved out of a dream.
A cool evening breeze swept over the beach, and a slight shiver passed through Seung-joon's slender frame. Reacting instinctively, Min-jun quickly pulled out the hot drinks he had tucked inside his jacket.
Without a word, he held one out in front of Seung-joon's face.
Seung-joon blinked, startled at first, then his face brightened with a radiant smile. His eyes, catching the last light of the sunset, sparkled as he glanced at Min-jun — a look so full of warmth and quiet gratitude that it wrapped around Min-jun's heart, leaving him breathless.
"Thank you, hyung," Seung-joon said softly, accepting the warm drink with both hands, his voice carrying a gentle sincerity that made Min-jun's chest tighten.
Min-jun, though brimming with unspoken questions, chose to let them rest. Instead, he closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the drink — and of Seung-joon's quiet presence — seep deep into his soul.
This was a rare, precious moment, he realized — something fragile and fleeting, almost dreamlike, and he clung to it with silent gratitude, wishing he could freeze time.
"Thank you, Joon-ah," Min-jun murmured, his voice low and sincere.
Seung-joon turned to him, eyes wide and questioning.
Min-jun smiled faintly and added, "Just... I feel grateful for this moment."
For a heartbeat, neither spoke. Then Seung-joon turned his gaze back toward the vast, darkening ocean. A soft breeze tousled his hair, and a serene expression settled across his face, gentle and unguarded.
"I feel the same, too," he said quietly, his words dissolving into the hush of the waves.
That evening, Min-jun thought there was something almost musical about Seung-joon's voice — a sweetness that lingered in the air, wrapping itself around Min-jun's heart.
They eventually made their way back to the resort for dinner, blending in with the other students, chatting and laughing as if the day had been perfectly ordinary. Yet, to Min-jun, everything felt touched by a quiet kind of magic only he could sense.
Later, back in their room, they spoke in soft tones about future club activities and school plans. Their words flowed easily, weaving a gentle connection between them, until the conversation naturally faded into a comfortable silence.
Side by side, they drifted off to sleep, the unspoken closeness between them lingering in the quiet, as steady and soothing as the sound of the waves outside their window.
In the stillness of the night, Min-jun was jolted awake by a faint, unsettling sound.
Blinking against the darkness, he turned toward the source — and his heart clenched at the sight before him.
Seung-joon lay curled up beside him, trembling, silent tears streaming down his cheeks. His hands were pressed tightly against his chest, as if trying to hold himself together against some invisible pain.
For a moment, Min-jun could only stare, frozen by the shock and helplessness gripping him. But instinct quickly took over. He leaned closer, his voice trembling with fear as he called out, "Seung-joon... Joon-ah... wake up."
He shook Seung-joon's shoulder gently, then more urgently, but there was no response. Seung-joon remained trapped in whatever nightmare tormented him, lost to a world of unseen agony.
Min-jun's heart pounded wildly, fear tightening around his throat as he tried again, desperate to pull him back to safety.
"Joon-ah... Joon-ah... Wake up... Please wake up," Min-jun whispered, his voice trembling with fear as he gently shook Seung-joon.
When there was still no response, Min-jun pulled him into a sitting position, wrapping his arms tightly around him in a desperate embrace.
Seung-joon's body continued to tremble, cold and unresponsive, tears soaking into Min-jun's chest as he clung to him.
Heartbroken and helpless, Min-jun pressed tender kisses across Seung-joon's damp cheeks and forehead, murmuring soft reassurances between his choked breaths. He rocked them gently back and forth, clutching Seung-joon as if he could somehow shield him from whatever unseen torment held him captive.
The room was silent except for Min-jun's whispered pleas and the quiet, ragged sounds of Seung-joon's grief — a fragile, heartbreaking struggle against a nightmare that refused to let him go.
"Baby... Baby... Wake up... Please don't scare me like this. Joon-ah... I'm right here. Please, wake up..."
Min-jun clutched Seung-joon tighter, his heart pouring out silent prayers to the heavens, desperation knotting his chest. He was on the verge of calling for help when he suddenly felt Seung-joon's trembling ease.
Carefully, hardly daring to breathe, Min-jun pulled back just enough to examine his face. Relief flooded through him in a crashing wave as he realized Seung-joon had slipped back into a peaceful sleep, his expression soft once more.
With trembling hands, Min-jun gently brushed the lingering tears from Seung-joon's cheeks, then pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, his lips quivering against the warmth of his skin.
He held him for a few moments longer, ensuring he was completely at ease, before slowly easing him back onto the bed and pulling the sheets snugly around him.
Exhausted and emotionally shattered, Min-jun stumbled toward the bathroom. He sank onto the cold floor, his body trembling, feeling almost disconnected from himself, as if everything that had just happened had ripped him from reality.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally found the strength to return to Seung-joon's side. Sinking to the floor beside the bed, Min-jun gently took Seung-joon's hand in his own, clutching it tightly against his chest.
Only then, with the steady rhythm of Seung-joon's breathing anchoring him, did Min-jun allow sleep to finally claim him — his hand never letting go.