The first smile Si-eun had ever shown to others was when Soo-ho was eating.

He gave him such an incredulous look that it was hard not to laugh at it. “What’s with this emotion?” Soo-ho had said, staring up at him with doubt. “I’m getting goosebumps. What’s with you?”

Of course, Si-eun hadn’t really shown any blatant care for him before–so when he bought him Oxtail soup, which Soo-ho had mentioned previously, it was a shock to him.

“You’re so warm-hearted,” he started again. “Your eyes, how you behave, how you speak- and your face. It feels awfully strange.” It took a moment for Si-eun to process before he smiled. His lips curled upwards, and he looked away, nearly laughing at how unexpected the compliment was.

Soo-ho scoffed, completely ignoring Yeong-i– who was busy eating– and staring at Si-eun with such a funnily amazed look that anyone else who witnessed the scene would laugh. Si-eun sat down on the hospital bed beside the other boy’s, the smile fading as quickly as it came. “Go on. Eat up.” Soo-ho could only give him a double-take, stuffing his face with the soup to forget about the incident.

And then it went back to the way it was.

Except something had changed between the two males. Somehow, Si-eun had become a bit softer–more open–and Soo-ho noticed. It was obvious that he now considered Soo-ho a close friend, not just an acquaintance. And it was nice.

Even with Beom-seok by their side, Si-eun and Soo-ho were closer than ever. It was almost odd, how everything changed so quickly. They were inseparable by a long shot, and people noticed that. The fight with the gang members had strengthened their bond. And nothing could ever change that.