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“Kim Taerae!” A boy, wrapped in a yellow scarf around his neck, whisper-shouts as he enters the library. “Stop messing with my potions book!”
All five of the people at the table immediately look up at him before bursting into quiet laughter when they see fox ears twitching on his head.
That's Matthew, a Hufflepuff. He’s the commentator during Quidditch matches alongside Taerae. They are a great duo, going everywhere together like flock of birds. Where Matthew is, Taerae will be there and vise versa.
“Did it turn your cat into a human?” Taerae asks, stifling a laugh. That’s Taerae, self-explanatory in the above paragraph. Cute guy with dimples though.
Matthew slams his book on the table, puffing his cheeks in frustration. “I swear on Merlin’s name I will take revenge on you.”
A person beside Taerae gasps in realization. “That’s why your face looks similar. I’ve been trying to pinpoint it for years. You look like those foxes near my house,”
Matthew furrows his eyebrows in anger and takes a seat across Taerae. “Shut up, Gunwook.”
That guy right there is Gunwook, a prefect just like him. But the only difference is that he sits on the opposite spectrum. Juniors like him because he's nice, seniors love him because he covers them up. The perfect prefect, people would call him.
“Where's Hao?” Matthew turns to the person beside him, who is playing chess with Gunwook.
“Probably with Hanbin, I don't know.” He shrugs before focusing back on the chess game. Jiwoong is the Head Prefect for this year, tall, handsome, and has a chiselled jawline. The chiselled jawline is the most important part. He probably can cut paper with a jawline that sharp.
“We’ve been waiting here for hours. Where are they?” The youngest of them all groans, lying his head on the table in frustration. Yujin is a Ravenclaw, a year below him. He's cute and undeniably everyone’s favourite Ravenclaw.
Like magic, Hanbin and Hao make their way to them, holding hands together, whispering in each other's ears and laughing like they're in their own world.
“Okay lovebirds, enough loving each other. We have work to do.” Gunwook announces which are ignored by both of them when they see Matthew’s fox ears.
“Is this one of your new cosplays? I thought you said you wanna dress like your cat this time,” Hao says in amusement, leaning in to touch his ears.
Matthew purrs when Hao pets him and immediately swats his hand away. “Hey, stop touching!”
His voice is louder than usual, earning a cough of warning from the librarian and a glare. The group quiets down instantaneously.
“Here let me fix it for you,” Hanbin says, digging his wand in his robe. Pointing at Matthew’s fox ears, he charms, “Finite Incantatem.”
The ears disappear immediately and Matthew heaves a sigh of relief. “Thank you, I don't think I can walk to the class with these ears haunting me,”
Hanbin smiles, showing his pearly bright teeth. “Not a problem at all. You look better with no fox ears after all.”
“I think the fox ears are better though,” Taerae pipes in, earning a hit on his head. He hisses quietly as Hanbin and Hao walk to the end of the table to take a seat while laughing.
Those two are the Golden Couple in Hogwarts. Nobody really says that though, Ricky just gives them that nickname because they look like they're meant to be with each other. Like the main characters in the stories he always read.
“Hey, sorry for coming terribly late late ,” The last person arrives, panting, as he completes the group. His clothes are a mess, wet hair and a crooked necktie, Gyuvin finally comes to complete Ricky's day.
Gyuvin is an embodiment of sunshine, if Hao’s group shines in the eyes of people, then Gyuvin shines more bright than ever in Ricky's eyes.
“Merlin’s beard, where have you been? It's like someone dump a bucket of water on you,” Matthew says, eyeing his dishevelled attire.
And Gyuvin smiles.
Gyuvin smiles. Gyuvin smiles. Gyuvin smiles.
Ricky's heart skips a beat when he sees that smiles at the corner of his eyes. Pretending he doesn't see that smile, pretending he doesn't even care as if he can't write an essay telling the professor that the particular smile makes his world a thousand times better.
“I figure it out,” Gyuvin takes the only seat that's available at the opposite end, directly facing Ricky.
“Wait, you figure what the golden egg means?” Hanbin’s eyes widen, shocked at the newly found information.
The golden egg. This year, Triwizard Tournament has commenced in Hogwarts and with a little bet with Gunwook, Gyuvin secures himself a spot as Hogwarts Champion. He passed the first task easily, impressing everyone with his quick thinking and years of playing Quidditch as he took the egg from the Hungarian Horntail. The egg is supposed to be a clue for the upcoming task.
With triumph on his face, Gyuvin smiles proudly. “Of course,” He points at his head, “this actually has some use, you know.”
“I bet if we knock your head it'll echo,” Yujin turns his head on the table, facing Gyuvin.
“Well, it's not for once,” Gyuvin rolls his eyes, yet smiles at his younger brother’s remark. The others laugh in unison and Ricky thinks that the main characters finally complete.
In those fictional stories he read in the library every evening, there are clear distinctions between main characters and side characters.
All those main characters he’s read have this one big group of friends whom they can call family. People who they can joke around, argue with, prank them, and still trust your whole life with them. He admired the camaraderie and trust they share, a bond that transcends more than friendship.
If Ricky can name one big group that catches his attention, it will be his fellow Slytherin's. He can't help bit draw parallels between the group and the main characters in the fictions he devours. Hao’s big group is probably the one that fits the criteria the most.
It consists of eight people, all shining brightly in their respective areas. Like it's made for them, like they're born to do it.
So he sits a table across them, leaving a table empty in between as he watches the main characters’ tales unfold right before his eyes.
Unlike them, Ricky convinces he's nothing more than a side character. If he were to be more specific, he thinks he's the antagonist that no one actually cares about except the rumours floating around. A figure that stirs whispers and rumours among his peers and the ghosts. The one people would whisper about all the rumours yet none actually dares to confront to know the truth behind.
Try to be a Slytherin’s prefect, and the only son of the Minister of Magic while happened to have the scariest face alive and expect people will not create baseless rumours.
Yeah, not going to happen.
He has heard it all.
Ricky’s wand is woven from the hair of his victims, that's why he keeps it close to him all the time.
Ricky's snake pet has killed people who dared to cross paths with him.
His father abuses him, that's why he's so uptight all the time.
Where did those even come from?
His wand was a cherished gift from his mother. It was far from sinister. Its true origin was steeped in love, not darkness.
And his snake, though fearsome, only eats high quality beef, she surprisingly shows aversion to human meat.
As for his father, that man is a paragon of kindness, he never raises his voice at him even when he makes mistakes.
At first he finds it ridiculous, now he just wants to cry. All those misunderstandings lead him to be socially awkward with people. He has no friends to call his own, mostly just acquaintances that are being polite because of his father's position.
But he tries to convince himself that he's fine.
He's fine really. He's used to it.
“What did you find?” Ricky hears Hao asks, as he pretends to be immersed on a new book he finds in the Defense Against Dark Arts bookshelf.
Gyuvin racks his bags and sets a crumple piece of paper on the table. Quickly, Matthew snatches it and makes a disgust face when he touches the paper, “Ew, it looks like someone just wiped their snot on this,”
He claims before hastily returning it back to Gyuvin. Rolling his eyes, Gyuvin corrects Matthew. “It's water you idiot,”
“Water?”
Gyuvin nods in excitement, “Apparently, the clue in that screeching egg lies in water, Beauxbatons champion spilled the beans, after a little persuasion of course. So I sneaked to prefect’s bathroom —no offense Jiwoong-hyung— and dipped myself and my little son in there and voilà! I managed to decipher the clue.”
Hao takes the wet paper, and proceed to read Gyuvin’s somewhat illegible handwriting aloud for all of them to hear.
“Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching ponder this;
We've taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour, the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.”
Silence blankets the table as Ricky, still pretending to read, mentally grapples with the riddle’s cryptic meaning.
Voice, ground, search, an hour.
What is it about? He can hear the gears in his head turning on, trying to connect the dots.
“We cannot see above the ground,” Hao muses, tapping the table.
“HOLY MERLIN’S BLOOD!” Gunwook gasps, making a loud noise as he stands up. The librarian coughs, louder this time, as Gunwook tries to keep his mouth shut while shaking Taerae in excitement.
“I get it now!” He whispers-shouts as he leans in. The group follows suit and hurdles close to each other, listening to what Gunwook has to say.
Ricky tries to heighten his sense of hearing but he only could make out fragments out of Gunwook, “Lake, things, precious,”
That's it.
Ricky snaps the book shut, stuffing his things into his back as he makes his way out of the library.
He knows what the riddle means now.
It points to merpeople that live in the Black Lake, and they will take something—or someone.
As he looks around at the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang delegates filling the corridor, he can't help but worry for Gyuvin's safety. The riddle suggests that he has one hour to retrieve something from the Black Lake, directly from the merpeople themselves. Will he have to fight those creatures? As much as Ricky trusts Gyuvin, merpeople are no match for him.
What if he gets hurt? Ricky hasn't had the chance to confess his undying love to him, he can't die that early.
“Ricky?” A voice interrupts his thoughts, causing him to stop in his tracks. He turns to see Professor Terivs, smiling warmly at him.
“Yes, Professor?”
In Hogwarts, there's only one person Ricky confides in—Professor Terivs, a young Potions professor he considers his non-biological older brother.
"Do you have any classes after this? If you're free, could you come with me?"
Ricky nods. "Of course, where are we going?"
"That's great!" Professor Terivs clasps his hands together and leads the way. "There has been a mix-up with the potion ingredients for Monday's class. Since the second task is tomorrow, I thought it best to resolve this today."
Ricky inquires, "How did the mix-up happen? I thought the ingredients were sorted by boxes."
They walk into the darker area of the castle. Potions class is usually held in the dungeon, rarely people would come here unless you're Slytherin and obsessed with potions. In this case, Ricky is both so he often goes to the Potions classroom. It's no stranger to him.
He notices Professor Terivs tenses but he quickly dismisses the thought as they arrive at the Potions classroom. Professor Terivs unlocks the door and lets Ricky walk in first into the empty classroom.
"Where should I start, Professor?" Ricky asks, scanning the classroom for the misplaced ingredients.
"I'm really sorry for this," Ricky hears Professor Terivs mutter from behind. He turns around, confusion evident on his face.
"Hm? What do you mean, Professor?"
And that's the last thing he says before his world turns black, a mumble of apology echoing in his ears as he slips into unconsciousness.
The next time he wakes up, he's gasping for air, desperately trying to take so much air as possible to fill up his lungs. He clings to the person who's holding him, his fingers gripping onto that person's neck with a mixture of fear and confusion.
“It…hurts,” Ricky wheezes, the searing pain in his body dominating his senses. The cold water encases him, gnawing at his skin until all he can feel is agonising pain.
“I know, I’m sorry baby, I’m sorry,” The voice that had always seemed distant and out of reach now sounded so close, raw with emotion. The person holding him rubs his back gently, as if seeking to alleviate some of his pain through touch alone.
Ricky's mind swims with confusion and disbelief. He feels like he's trapped in a hallucination, his senses dulled by the overwhelming pain. He's never been good with the cold, and the icy waters surrounding him are an experience beyond his endurance.
Summoning the last shreds of strength within him, Ricky manages to croak, "I'm cold…"
The embrace around him tightens, as if the other person is fervently trying to transfer their warmth to him. But the cold still permeates his bones, unyielding.
“We’ll get you a nice warm blanket once we arrive, okay baby?” The voice—so achingly familiar—assures him once more. Ricky feels the person propelling them both through the water, heading towards the shore.
Ricky's heart begins to race as realisation slowly dawns upon him. It can't be, he thinks, but he can't deny the truth, not when he knows that voice so intimately. He's heard Gyuvin's voice countless times from afar, so he recognises it instantly.
From a distance, he hears the jubilant cacophony of cheers, applause, and screams. The triumphant roar of the crowd, the sound of water splashing, and Gyuvin's unwavering presence embracing him—it all falls into place, like pieces of a puzzle forming a clear picture.
It makes sense now.
Ricky's eyes snapped open with a jolt. Blinking rapidly, he took in his surroundings and let out a sigh of relief as he realised he was in the Hogwarts hospital wing. The softness of the bed beneath him felt comforting and warm, a stark contrast to the cold depths of the Black Lake.
The sun streamed in through the windows, casting a gentle, natural light across the room. It was clearly in the middle of the afternoon, though Ricky has lost track of how many days he'd spent being unconscious. It's evident that he hasn't woken up on the same day as the second task.
A familiar voice pulled his attention away from his thoughts. Ricky turned his head to see Hao standing nearby, concerned in his eyes.
“Hey, you awake?” Hao greets him. Ricky nods slowly, attempting to sit up. With a helping hand, Hao assisted him in sitting onto the bed. The older student then pulled a chair closer to Ricky's bedside and took a seat.
"Hao-sunbae," Ricky greeted him respectfully. However, Hao smiled and shook his head gently.
"Just call me hyung." He suggested.
Ricky fidgeted with his hands, feeling somewhat awkward about someone treating him so kindly. "Hao-hyung," he corrected himself softly, still wary of making direct eye contact, fearing a repeat of his past.
Hao's voice was surprisingly tender as he inquired, "Do you feel any pain?" Ricky found the concern strange; he had never interacted with Hao in such a manner before.
With doubts, Ricky looks up and is completely appalled when Hao’s concerned face greets him instead.
“I’m fine, just a little discomfort,” Ricky replies, his voice still tinged with uncertainty. Hao visibly relaxes, relieves when the patient he's been nursing wakes up without complications.
“It'll get better when you get some more rest, you can go back today or I can write you a slip to let you stay here longer,” Hao suggests in which Ricky shakes his head, declining the offer. He doesn't need to stay here any longer.
Curiosity wells up in Ricky as he asks, “How long have I been asleep?”
“Six days, give and take,” Hao answers calmly. Ricky nods in understanding and Hao continues without a hint of frustration, “Gyuvin has been here every day until I need to ban him from coming because he won't go to class,”
Ricky frowns at the revelation, his thoughts racing.
“You,” Hao begins hesitantly, “You remember what happened right?”
“The riddles,” Ricky says, “Did they take me because…” His face heats up, flushing with embarrassment as he contemplates his next sentence.
Hao's expression turns nervous, unsure of what will come out of Ricky's mouth.
“—because I like him?”
Hao’s anxious demeanour transforms into sheer joy as he bursts into laughter, the sound echoing in the hospital wing. Ricky squirmed at his seat, feeling incredibly exposed for admitting his six-year-long crush on Gyuvin to someone.
“Ricky, no. I think you misunderstood the riddles.” Hao reassures him with a gentle smile.
Ricky furrows his eyebrows in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“We’ve taken what you'll surely miss.” Hao repeats a line from the riddle.
Ricky struggles to understand, “What do you mean by that?”
Hao leans in closer, his eyes earnest, “It means they will take someone the champions will miss forever if they're gone,”
Ricky's eyes widen as he begins to comprehend the true meaning behind the riddle. “You mean…”
“You have no idea how crazy Gyuvin became when you were missing. I think the entire castle knows about you already. He almost didn't make it to the second task because he's too busy searching for you.” Hao says with a knowing smile.
Ricky’s heart swells with a mix of different emotions, how can Gyuvin know him? He never interacts with Gyuvin before let alone be that important for he to miss him dearly.
“Talk to him when you have a chance later, he's pretty traumatised when you don't wake up,” Hao says, patting his thigh before getting up, leaving Ricky alone with his thoughts.
Noticing when someone's eyes are fixed on you isn't all that difficult. It's like an. eerie sensation that starts deep within, a tingling unease that slowly creeps up eventually reaching the nape of your neck. a persistent reminder that someone is watching, whether you like it or not.
And that's precisely how Gyuvin has felt for the past few years.
He has always considered himself a little too observant for his own good. With his keen perception, Gyuvin couldn't help but pick up on the persistent gaze that had been surreptitiously following his friends’ group—or more precisely, him.
Gyuvin doesn't need to guess; he knows it's Ricky.
Ricky is a name that Gyuvin associates with many things. He's the Slytherin’s prefect, the only son of the Minister of Magic, the guy whose eyes can pierce through people, the guy whose juniors are scared of, the individual nobody dares to engage conversation with.
Or—
The stalker who likes to steal glances at him since the first year. The guy whose face flushes beet red after walking past him in the corridor, the guy who is always sitting one table across from him at the library, and the guy who has a crush on him.
At first, Gyuvin finds it weird. He has heard about the rumours surrounding Ricky so in secret, Gyuvin makes sure his path never crosses with Ricky. But somehow, he finds that Ricky is always in his line of sight. Maybe that's when his curiosity about that blonde guy starts.
Gyuvin begins to observe him. It starts small, in the Great Hall, he finds himself searching for Ricky amidst the sea of students, and without fail, he'd find him tucked away in a corner. Never talk to anyone, never look at anyone except for the occasional stolen glances in Gyuvin's direction.
Then at the charm class that they share, turns into hoping that he will bump into Ricky when they go to Hogsmeade, purposely sitting directly across Ricky at the library and suddenly without even knowing it, Gyuvin realises he's in love.
That day, when Ricky was gone from his sight, Gyuvin thought Ricky had merely gone to class. It slipped his mind that he knew Ricky's schedule inside out. Ricky didn't have any class for the rest of the evening.
Gyuvin's anxiety grew as he searched high and low, frantically banging on every door to look for the Slytherin. His friends helped him to look in their respective dorm room, incase Ricky had gone there but they didn't see him at all.
Gyuvin didn't sleep that night. Hanbin and Jiwoong had to practically drag Gyuvin from trespassing Dumbledore’s office to the second task venue.
They reminded him that they had figured out the task when taught him the spell on the way to Black Lake. Reluctantly, he allowed them to lead him to the venue for the second task, his heart heavy with worry for Ricky.
As he stood on the edge of the lake for the Triwizard Tournament's second task, Gyuvin couldn't help but glance back at the castle, praying that Ricky would be safe. He could abandon this tournament at any time, but there are hopeful eyes watching him, believing he would carry Hogwarts’ name.
The whistle blew, signalling the start of the task, he muttered the spell under his breath and he plunged into the water with the other champions.
Beneath the surface, the lake was. Gyuvin swam deeper, searching for the clue that would lead him to the next stage of the competition. But as he swam further, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
He found Ricky there.
Afterwards, everything was like a blur. He had to make sure Ricky was safe, and yet he didn't wake up.
When the fifth day arrived, Gyuvin became scared. He had caused Ricky's harm. So he stopped visiting, haunted by guilt and fear.
Back to the present, it is the sixth day of Ricky being unconscious. Their group is relaxing at the Great Hall as Gyuvin mindlessly stirs his juice with a spell. He's not interested in joining their conversation about cereal and milk because who puts milk first before cereal. But he's too mentally drained to even fight so he just keeps quiet.
A gentle nudge at his waist disrupts his inner monologue. Looking up, he sees Yujin discreetly points at the entrance. Trailing his finger, Gyuvin’s heart leaped into his throat.. There, cladded in his Slytherin's robe, stands Ricky, as alive as he can be.
Without a second thought, Gyuvin does one thing he can do.
He runs.
Ricky arrives at the Great Hall, feeling everyone's curious gaze that seems to follow him. Ignoring the scrutiny, he swept his eyes across the room, searching for that one person who had been occupying his thoughts.
Amidst the sea of students, he spotted the familiar faces that were almost always seen with Gyuvin. Taking a deep breath, Ricky decided to approach them, his heart racing.
With hesitant steps, Ricky made his way toward the group that he had silently observed for years but had never exchanged a word with. He cleared his throat and, with a mixture of anxiety and hope, finally spoke up.
"Um... do you guys happen to know where Gyuvin is?” Ricky inquires, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
The group exchange glances, and there is a moment of silence as if they are deliberating whether to respond. Ricky fidgets with the helm of his robe, his nervousness grows, and he begins to wonder if he has made a mistake by approaching them.
Then, Gunwook, who has been quietly observing Ricky's approach, spoke up with a small smile. "Gyuvin's here just now, but he's... well, he ran."
"He ran?" Ricky's brows furrowed in confusion.
Matthew suppresses a laugh, his eyes dancing with amusement as he nods. "Yeah, he ran."
With a subtle gesture, Matthew points under the table and silently mouthed, "Under here."
Ricky's eyes widen in surprise as he follows Matthew's indication. To his amazement, he sees Gyuvin crouching beneath the long table that stretches across the Great Hall. Gyuvin's face is partially hidden by his arms, and it’s evident that he's attempting to conceal his big frame.
Feeling a mixture of nervousness and fear, Ricky calls out, "Gyuvin, can we talk...?"
But Gyuvin remained unmoved, his body still hidden beneath the table. He silently begs for Ricky to go back to his dorm or somewhere else. He's not ready to meet Ricky physically and mentally.
Then, Jiwoong’s worried voice breaks through, “Hey, are you alright?”
“No, it's just—” Hearing Ricky's strained voice, Gyuvin peeks out cautiously. His eyes widen in alarm when he sees Ricky’s distressed expression.
Without a second thought, Gyuvin crawls out from under the table and hurries over to Ricky, disregarding the surprised looks of the onlookers. He gently holds Ricky's shoulders, his concern evident.
“What's wrong? Are you still in pain? Let's go back to hospital wing. I think Hao-hyung is still there.”
Gyuvin circles his hand around Ricky's wrist and he's about to lead him toward the hospital wing when Ricky remains rooted in place.
“Is me being sick the only to get you to come out?”
Ricky's voice carries a mixture of vulnerability and frustration. Gyuvin's heart aches at the sound, realising the lengths Ricky had gone to just to speak with him. He sighs softly, finally understanding the gravity of the situation.
"Let's go somewhere else, okay baby?" Gyuvin's tone is gentle, as he clasps their hands together. Hearing the nickname, the tips of his ears redden as Ricky nods, allowing Gyuvin to lead him away from the Great Hall.
As they walk through the corridors of Hogwarts, Ricky can't help but stare at their intertwined hands. Ricky's heart races.
He can't believe the reality of the moment, the fact that he’s holding hands with Gyuvin, the one he has admired from afar for so long. The feeling of Gyuvin's warm, firm hand wrapped around his sent shivers down his spine.
The castle's dimly lit hallways seemed to blur in the background as Ricky's gaze remains fixed on their intertwined fingers. He marvels at the stark contrast between their skin tones, his pale hand nestled securely within Gyuvin's slightly larger, tan one.
Ricky has replayed countless scenarios in his mind, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine this moment coming true.
Gyuvin, his usually confident and stoic self, remains silent, but his grip on Ricky's hand spoke volumes.
Ricky can't help but wonder what thoughts are swirling in Gyuvin's mind. Is he as awestruck by this situation as Ricky is?
Finally, they find a secluded spot in the courtyard, away from prying eyes and curious ears. Gyuvin turns to Ricky, his expression a mix of concern and guilt. His hand never lets go of Ricky’s.
"I'm sorry," Gyuvin confesses, his voice a soft murmur filled with genuine remorse.
Ricky's voice escapes in a mere whisper, the intimacy of their proximity almost overwhelming. "Why... why are you saying sorry?"
Gyuvin takes a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "For endangering you," he begins, his words tinged with the weight of responsibility. "I didn't... I didn't know they would take you. When the riddles said they would take something of mine, I didn't know they would take someone so precious to me."
Gyuvin's gaze remains fixed on the ground, unable to meet Ricky's eyes. He braces himself for the worst, preparing to hear Ricky's condemnation or anger.
"It's okay for you to hate me," Gyuvin continues, his voice heavy with self-blame. "Never talk to me again and ignore my existence for your whole life, but I just want to say that I lik—"
Suddenly, Gyuvin's rambling halts as he feels an unexpected warmth press against his cheek. He looks up, dazed and utterly surprised, to find Ricky's lips have planted a tender kiss on his skin.
"I like you too," Ricky confesses, his smile radiant but tinged with tears glistening in his eyes.
“W-wha—”
Gyuvin is at a loss for words. His heart soared as Ricky continues, his voice trembling with emotion.
“I said I like you too,” A drop of tears rolls down on Ricky's cheek.
“I’ve liked you from the moment you helped me to wear my robe on the train.” Ricky confesses. “Other people don't want to help me because they think I’m scary. I didn't know who to ask help from but you showed up and helped me. You might not remember but at the end of the first year, people threw my books into the toilet and you came again to help me. We never really talk to each other so I often wondered why in the hell I like you so much but it's just happened. I like you so much Gyuvin. So so much.”
Ricky says with a sob. Tears streamed down Ricky's cheeks as he poured his heart out, his vulnerability laid bare.
Gyuvin, overwhelmed with his own emotions, finds himself unable to contain his tears either. He cradles Ricky in a warm embrace, their bodies pressed together, hearts beating in perfect harmony.
"I like you too, baby," Gyuvin finally manages to say amid his tears, his voice filled with sincerity and deep affection. “How can someone not adore you? I mean, look at you. You're someone who people fall in love with. My handsome and charming Ricky.”
Ricky, overwhelmed by Gyuvin's words, begins to cry even harder.
All this time, Ricky has lived his life under the weight of a mistaken belief – that he is someone to be feared, someone others would shy away from. He carries the burden of loneliness, the notion that he would always be an outsider, unable to experience the warmth and affection that others seem to take for granted.
But Gyuvin's confession shatters that perception. Since the first day he met Gyuvin, this boy never fails to prove him wrong again and again.
Ricky always thought Gyuvin is a main character. He can't help but draw parallels between him and the lead in the books he always read. There's an invisible line between them. A line he is always afraid to cross. But now that he has crossed it, Ricky never feels happier than ever. Gyuvin is a main character, he can't deny it.
But now, Gyuvin is his main character.
They stay in silence, enjoying each other's warmth before Gyuvin gently separates their embrace, his hands moving to cup Ricky's tear-streaked face. Their foreheads pressed against each other, a gesture of intimacy.
"I've known for a long time already," Gyuvin confesses, his eyes locked with Ricky's. “About your crush on me,”
"Really?" Ricky's smile blossoms through his tears. He feels light for once as he asks, “How?”
Gyuvin chuckles, the sound fills with warmth and affection.
"The page wasn't even flipped," He laughs and Ricky follows suit. Their laughter echoing their newfound happiness.
Ricky still believes he's a side character.
But not in his own story.