Sunshine Shower Chapter 117

It was much later when Woo Yeonjae finally checked the message.

[I’m back at the dorm.]

He was sitting blankly on a bed that no longer belonged to him.

“Hah.”

With a short, bitter laugh, Woo Yeonjae bit down on his tongue. The veins on the back of his hand, gripping the phone, stood out starkly.

He hadn’t expected Moon Seoyoon to stay at the officetel forever, knowing his personality. But he thought at least they’d finish their unfinished conversation before he left, not that he’d disappear without a word.

Woo Yeonjae knew Moon Seoyoon well. Even though Seoyoon was naturally gentle, he wasn’t the type to settle for an ambiguous relationship. The Seoyoon Woo Yeonjae knew would have done something to clarify things between them.

That’s why, when he left the officetel in the morning, as if giving Seoyoon some time, he hadn’t anticipated that Seoyoon would simply leave without a word.

And now, he was running away.

“Ah…”

A sudden surge of heat continued to burn through Woo Yeonjae’s mind, making his nerves even more sensitive. He bent over, cupping his cheek with one hand as if to muffle himself. The combination of a pounding headache and nausea made him feel like he was going to throw up.

At the same time, the strength drained from the hand that wasn’t holding his cheek. The phone he had been gripping as if it were a lifeline slipped out of his hand and rolled across the floor.

Keeping track of Moon Seoyoon’s schedule was no big deal. All it took was a talkative, nosy junior, and the rest was easy. But Woo Yeonjae had deliberately avoided meeting Seoyoon for one simple reason: a vague gut feeling that he shouldn’t.

He didn’t trust himself not to do something reckless if he confronted Moon Seoyoon in his current state.

So, he had decided to wait for the right moment.

The problem was, he didn’t know when—or if—that moment would ever come.

He never expected Seoyoon to quit the café too.

Woo Yeonjae frowned as he suddenly came to a stop. It was the same day he had been stuck at school late because a professor had held him up. He had been taking taxis instead of driving due to his relentless headaches, and this day was no exception.

In a place he hadn’t anticipated, Woo Yeonjae spotted his one and only childhood friend. Perhaps it was a habit formed over years of knowing Seoyoon, but no matter how far away, Seoyoon always seemed to stand out to him.

Next to Seoyoon was someone else, sticking close. Though his hair color had changed, Woo Yeonjae immediately recognized Nam Taeun.

Seoyoon, his face flushed, drank the water Taeun handed him without a second thought. Woo Yeonjae didn’t take his eyes off the scene, watching as the bottle Seoyoon had sipped from passed back to Taeun, who then drank from it before tossing it into the trash. Taeun laughed and slung an arm around Seoyoon’s shoulder.

“…”

Woo Yeonjae’s legs twitched as if ready to bolt forward at any moment. If Seoyoon hadn’t cringed and pushed Taeun’s arm away in disgust, Woo Yeonjae would have rushed over and ripped that arm off Seoyoon’s shoulder.

He watched as the two entered a convenience store before he slowly began walking again. By the time he passed by the store, they were both standing at the checkout counter.

He saw two bottles of blue sports drink and a mysterious, square box.

“Hah.”

His lips curled up in a twisted smile, but his cheeks felt rigid. It was as if there was a ringing in his ears.

Woo Yeonjae almost stepped inside the convenience store but managed to hold himself back. He didn’t worry about the consequences of causing a scene, but the fact that Seoyoon was there gave him pause.

‘If I screw things up now, it’ll push him even further away.’

His mind raced, imagining the worst possible outcome.

In the end, Woo Yeonjae passed by the store. A metallic taste filled his mouth as he bit down on his tongue.

“Hah…”

He barely managed to suppress the hand that had been itching to reach out and grab something—anything. When he clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his hand bulged even more.

No matter how angry he got, he had never been the type to throw things. He wasn’t immune to those urges, but he’d made a conscious effort to suppress them. He knew that once he started indulging them, the next time would be easier. So, he always tried to keep such impulses under control.

Even though he knew he wouldn’t lose control in front of Seoyoon, it was better to be cautious. The last thing he wanted was for Seoyoon to notice his violent tendencies and be scared of him.

“Shit.”

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t suppress the burning emotion that was turning his mind red.

The sight of Seoyoon with another man replayed in his head over and over, refusing to fade away.

Unlike him, Moon Seoyoon appeared completely fine, as if nothing had happened. He kept talking, smiling brightly—even in Woo Yeonjae’s absence.

If they drifted apart like this, other guys would soon latch onto him. Once that thought took root, Woo Yeonjae’s imagination started filling in the details, painting a vivid picture. The image of Moon Seoyoon, leaving him and going to someone else, constantly hovered in his mind.

Chatting happily, laughing, then kissing, and finally lying beneath some guy whose background was a complete mystery…

Feeling like he might throw up, Woo Yeonjae barely swallowed a curse. His mind, once ablaze with black thoughts, had long since turned to ash.

I can’t stand this much longer, he thought.

…Is there really any reason not to see him?

The instinct that told him to avoid meeting Moon Seoyoon had burned away with the remnants of his blackened thoughts.

Moon Seoyoon was naturally soft-hearted. There would surely be no shortage of guys who would pick up on that and cling to him. Sooner or later, someone would find a way into his vulnerable heart and steal him away.

Woo Yeonjae lowered his eyelids. His eyes, now cold and settled, gleamed faintly even in the dark, unlit hallway.

There was no way he would let someone take his only childhood friend.

Though entering the dorm had been a coincidence, his intention was clear.

Woo Yeonjae knew exactly who was calling him, but instead of checking his phone, he pretended to listen intently to Kang Sooha.

“Hyung, I’m really sorry. I invited some of our classmates, but they’re all at the PC café and won’t be here for another two hours. I have to head to my part-time job now!”

Kang Sooha rattled off a detailed explanation. Apparently, Seo Jieun had given him some work, and it seemed urgent, requiring extra help.

“It’s fine. It’s not that difficult anyway.”

Considering all the information he had gathered about Moon Seoyoon through Kang Sooha, a small favor like this wasn’t hard to offer.

“Thank you so much! By the way, have you seen the dorms? They’re nicer than you’d expect, right?”

“Yeah, they’re nice. I’ve been here before since Moon Seoyoon lives here.”

“Oh? That’s right! Sometimes we even have breakfast together.”

“Really? You eat breakfast?”

Woo Yeonjae asked lightly.

“Me or him? I eat every day, and I think hyung does too since I see him sometimes. But lately, Seoyoon hyung hasn’t been looking well, has he?”

Kang Sooha pressed the elevator button as he asked. The sudden question made Woo Yeonjae frown slightly. Not knowing whether Seoyoon’s poor condition was due to their relationship or just seasonal depression irritated him. He’d rather it be the former.

“Why?”

“I’m not sure, but last time when we ate together, he didn’t seem to be in great shape. He said he was fine, but it didn’t look like it.”

“Maybe he’s sensitive to summer.”

“Yeah, it’s September, but it still feels like summer. So, are you going to see Seoyoon hyung?”

The reason Woo Yeonjae had taken the time to help Kang Sooha was to create an excuse to enter the dorm.

Still, it wasn’t necessarily just to see Moon Seoyoon. For all he knew, Seoyoon might not even be there.

He had chosen this option to increase his choices, nothing more.

If he wanted to, he could probably see him. After a short internal debate, Woo Yeonjae spoke casually.

“I’m thinking of seeing him for a bit since you said he hasn’t been feeling well.”

Even if he left without knocking, there was no need to waste the opportunity.

“Oh, then I’ll press the floor for you.”

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Kang Sooha quickly stepped inside and pressed the button for Moon Seoyoon’s floor.

“But I’m an outsider. Is it okay for me to just walk around like this?”

Even though he had already nagged Seoyoon into letting him into the dorm before, Woo Yeonjae asked with feigned innocence.

“Nah, I brought you in! And if you’re meeting Seoyoon hyung, as long as his roommate’s okay with it, it should be fine. Plenty of non-residents come here. There’s even a restaurant in the basement.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

If other people came and went regularly, he wouldn’t stand out too much.

Finally, the elevator reached its destination and opened its doors.

“Go on in! Thanks for today!”

“Goodbye.”

Woo Yeonjae waved at Kang Sooha, who bowed deeply, then walked away without looking back.

He had only visited the dorm once before, but his memory wasn’t bad enough to forget where Moon Seoyoon lived. Soon, his steps came to a halt in front of his destination. He had no way of knowing whether the person he was looking for was inside or not.

Woo Yeonjae stood still, lowering his gaze. The door lock came into view. It was secured with a passcode that he couldn’t unlock, one Moon Seoyoon had likely set with his roommate.

Feeling irritated all of a sudden, Woo Yeonjae’s fingers twitched involuntarily.

What should he do?

He still wasn’t sure if he could act rationally when he finally met Moon Seoyoon.

Emotions, like everything else, were supposed to fade over time, and he had thought that if he waited long enough, it would get easier. But he had been mistaken. Instead, the longer time passed, the more it felt like the feelings he had been suppressing were rising to the surface, threatening to overflow.

This is bad.

He had been waiting to regain his composure, not to let his emotions build up to this breaking point.

As he was debating whether it might be better to just leave, the door suddenly opened.

Woo Yeonjae didn’t move. He knew exactly who had opened it.

Through the slowly widening gap, the figure on the other side hesitated, then froze. Without blinking, Woo Yeonjae stared at his childhood friend.

“Seoyoon-ah.”

When he called his name, Moon Seoyoon, who had been standing rigid, slowly lifted his head.

“And now…”

You’re running away from me.

“Are you okay without me?”

Are you happy?