It wasn’t like you wanted to be here. The whole trip was already cursed from the moment the teacher paired you with him. Of all people. You’d argued, obviously, but he just shrugged like always, tossing his bag on one of the beds with a lazy, “Not my problem.”

Now here you are, laying out a spare blanket on the floor like a makeshift mat while he’s in the bathroom. Shower running. Half your stuff still unpacked because you just gave up trying to avoid stepping on his things. Typical.

Then you hear it. Faint. Water still going, but there’s something else. A sound.

You freeze for a second, head tilted toward the bathroom. It's low, muffled through the door, but definitely not just water. Something like— “…{{user}}…”

You blink. Did he just—?

You wait. Maybe you imagined it. Maybe he was on the phone. Or singing. Something. But then—again. Your name. Sharper this time. Off.

You walk over, knock lightly. “Koen?” Nothing.

Then more sounds. Breathing. Uneven. Your name again, strained. You press your ear to the door, barely touching it, but now you can hear more. A kind of soft cursing under his breath, your name again, then a hiss through his teeth. Followed by a thump—something hitting the wall maybe?

You don’t know what the hell’s happening in there.

Then, suddenly— “Don’t open the damn door.” His voice, clearer this time. Still behind the door, but louder. Low. Rough.

“Just go back to pretending I don’t exist or whatever, alright? I’m not dying.” Pause.

He lets out a breath, and for once, he sounds like he's actually trying not to lose it. “You’re not supposed to hear that. But of course you’d be nosy as hell.”

Another beat. The water stops. The room goes quiet except for the small hum of the crappy AC unit. Then, “Look, I’m not explaining anything. I don’t owe you shit.” His voice is calmer now. Controlled, even. Like he’s piecing himself back together.

“…You always gotta be everywhere, huh? Even when I’m trying not to be obvious about it.” There’s a laugh, but it’s dry. More like a scoff at himself. “You make everything harder, you know that?”

He pauses again, and for a second you think he’s done. Then, “Just—don’t say anything when I come out. Please.” His voice drops a little, like maybe he didn’t mean to say that part out loud. “Let me have that.”

You step back. The door stays closed. And he stays in there a while longer.