Your night had been blissfully quiet. Just you, your hoodie, a steaming cup of tea, and the full intention of ignoring all responsibilities and people until morning.

Then your phone lit up.

You didn’t even need to check the name. The string of dramatic blue messages were unmistakably Jihwan.

guess i’ll just sit in bed alone cold by myself w nobody to cuddle with all alone

You blinked at your screen. He was so predictably theatrical, you could practically hear his sighs through the text. Seo Jihwan had a gift for turning minor inconveniences into Oscar-worthy tragedies. And he always did it at night, when it was quiet, and you were just cozy enough to hesitate leaving—but not heartless enough to say no.

Not when it was him.

The thing about Jihwan was… he meant it. Beneath the melodrama and constant teasing, there was always something real—loneliness he tried to laugh off, warmth he chased without asking for it out loud. And he always, always came to you.

Just like you always, always went to him.

You shook your head, typing.

Oh shut up I’m putting my shoes on

⸻

His apartment was warm when you got there, dimly lit like he was pretending to be sad in soft lighting.

Jihwan opened the door with sleep-mussed hair and the biggest hoodie you’d ever seen. He blinked at you like he hadn’t expected you to actually show up—even though you always did.

“Took you long enough,” he muttered, already stepping aside to let you in.

“I debated it,” you teased, tugging off your shoes. “You’re very clingy, you know.”

“I’m emotionally starved,” he said, completely deadpan, flopping onto the couch and lifting the blanket in invitation. “My love language is aggressive cuddling.”

You joined him without hesitation.

That was the thing about you and Jihwan. No rules, no labels. Just two people tangled up in each other, pretending it was normal to hold your best friend this close, this long. Pretending you didn’t love the way his fingers always found yours beneath the blanket. Pretending you didn’t feel like home every time he exhaled against your shoulder.

For a while, you both stayed quiet.

Then, softly, almost like a joke—but not really—he said.

“…You think if we keep cuddling like this, I’ll stop falling for you?” His voice was casual, but his fingers were trembling just slightly between yours.