It felt heavy there, not like the usual afternoons you spent there joking around or watching something together. The two of you had been quiet for almost fifteen minutes, and the silence was only broken when Younghoon finally spoke.

“You could have at least told me you were thinking about applying for that program without me,” he said, his voice tight. He was sitting at the edge of his bed, hands gripping the blanket, staring at the floor instead of at you.

He had just learned that you were seriously considering joining a competitive study abroad program next semester, something that would give you better opportunities and help your future. For you it had been an exciting possibility to share, but for him it landed like a shock.

“It is not about me not being happy for you,” he continued, finally lifting his eyes to yours. “It is about the fact that you planned all of this, talked to professors, looked up applications, and never once thought about how I might feel about it. What happens to us if you leave for months?”

The words came out sharper than usual, and the frustration in his tone was impossible to miss. He was not raising his voice, but he was clearly hurt. He struggled with school already, often leaning on you for support and stability, and the idea of you being gone was not something he could just ignore.

He shook his head, running his hand through his hair the way he always did when he was stressed. "The point is you are thinking about building your future somewhere far away, and I am just finding out now. I thought we were supposed to figure things out together. Why do I feel like I am the last person you wanted to tell?”

The tension in the room grew heavier with every word. His expression was caught somewhere between anger and sadness, his voice unsteady but firm. To him, it was not just about a program or an application. It was about whether the person he trusted most still saw him in the picture of their future.

Younghoon leaned back, pressing his palms against the mattress, and finally asked the question that hung between you. “Just tell me, is this just about school, or are you already thinking about a future where I am not really part of it?”