Blue Spaces Between Us

pt. III: 28 - The Intricacies of Communication

Heyy~! I'm back after a loong break with a new chapter (it's a long one, I promise). Get ready for the current mess that Woosan is on their date- sorry, I meant day meeting up (my bad).

Anyways, buckle up and let me know what you think! *-* Ly🧡

Wooyoung squints his eyes to scrutinize the outfit he laid out on his bed. Behind him, his roommate groans. "I don't know how you can spend ten minutes looking at the same clothes—they're all black anyway. Didn't you say that it isn't a date?"

"It's not," Wooyoung repeats quickly. It really isn't. Or at least, he shouldn't see it as one.

"Then stop staring at your outfit. I could advise you on the hues if you'd use actual colours, but last time I checked, black doesn't clash with black," his roommate deadpans, and Wooyoung rolls his eyes behind his back. "It's not that easy."

"Maybe you're just good at making things difficult." When Wooyoung finally turns around, Yeosang has folded his arms, a smug smile sitting on his lips.

"It's not a date," Wooyoung parrots instead of giving in to the nonverbal provocation. "I'm... I'm meeting a guy." Yeosang only hesitates for a second: "So what?"

Yes – so what? He is right. And apparently aware that there's a whole spectrum beyond being straight. Wooyoung files that information away for later.

He's been rooming with Yeosang for a few months now, but despite his best efforts, Yeosang was at first dead silent except for quiet questions and small Thank Yous. The start-of-the-new-semester party they attended together worked wonders, though. It was the first time Yeosang had seen him drunk, and possibly, he's lost all respect for a Wooyoung when he gave one of their seniors a black eye with his too expansive gestures, and demanded under tears to sing Twenty-Five, Twenty-One one more time.

What started with Yeosang snickering under his breath when Wooyoung awoke with a start and a full-grown hangover pounding in his head, evolved to tentative talks and finally to a healthy dynamic that feels surprisingly close to friendship.

Wooyoung blinks at his roommate. "It's kind of a date," he decides to admit. "But I think I'm more interested in him than he is in me, so I first have to... awaken his interest."

Yeosang raises his eyebrows. "Ah."

"I need to look good," Wooyoung stresses, and, at long last, the teasing look vanishes from Yeosang's face. "I see. Then how about you try it on?"

That sounds reasonable. Wooyoung nods to himself. "Okay. I will." He ignores whatever face Yeosang might make in response to check his chosen outfit one more time for lint or stains. It's still spotless. Good.