In Dreams (Jayhoon)

Page 5

The dark curtain of night enveloped the streets as Jay stepped out of the car. The soft gush of wind engulfed him in a warm coat of blanket, erasing the unnecessary thoughts. The streetlamps shone through the narrow concrete roads, illuminating the pathway for cars and late-night walkers, It brought a sense of comfort for Jay; roaming through his thoughts, as flashbacks and memories swept him away from the unforgotten events from the day.

His eyes darted to the luxurious car parked beside his, attracting given attention from the passerbys. 'Right, that asshole...' The subtle smile on his lips faltered as he remembered who lived beside him. He fiddled with the keys, dangling them around his index finger as he traced light footsteps up the destructed staircase— dangerous, especially for little children. His head was throbbing due to the lack of medication that he was prescribed, having a pill daily eased his heavy thoughts, clearing his pooled imagination. He climbed the stairs until he reached his floor, the 4th floor.

Clutching on the metal keys, he walked to his door, taking a short glance at Sunghoon's door, ignoring the crowded thoughts forcing onto him. The door chimed as he pulled it open, stepping inside the warm house. It looked abandoned, until the sensor flickered, monitoring his presence and brightened the room with a light yellow hue.

He finally took notice of the cardboard boxes scattered around the living room, and heaved a heavy sigh, placing his shoes by the front door. He noticed the small pocket hanging by the door— he assumed it was for the key, so he paid no mind and placed the key inside the blue pouch, heading straight for his bed. He threw his body on the soft sheets of the mattress, and released a sigh, once again. His first day flew by in a swift motion, and now he lay there, staring at the ceiling, reminiscing over the day.

Jay loosened the tie on his shirt, dropping his hands to the side— hanging off the bed. His thoughts wandered off to the boy next door— and he wondered what the other would be doing at this moment; Did he perhaps bring another woman? Is the girl from yesterday accompanying him today as well? Could he be sleeping?

He was pulled away from his thoughts when he heard a slight thud echo through his walls. Jay's eyes instinctively darted to the wall beside his bed. He lay there, patiently, waiting for another thud— maybe a moan— but it was silent; he could hear his own pulse through the coat of his chest. He shrugged it off since he'd been lying there for a few minutes only. He then remembered the unpacked boxes, awaiting him inside the living room.

🌨

Sunghoon on the other hand, impatiently tapped his foot on the floor while typing briskly. His attention was directed toward the bright computer screen in front of him, pushing his thoughts away, that he proclaimed to be useless. The bedroom was gloomy, dusked pitch-black, the only source of light was the computer screen, which highlighted his pearly features on display. The taps of the keys could be heard all over the room, setting a comfortable yet uneasy feeling. The boy was distraught, once again. It was a habitual occurrence for him at this point; he'd return home and work— work for hours and hours— days til nights— the rays of the moon flashing through his eyes as he typed away.

He stopped tapping his feet on the floor when he heard a low grunt from the other side of the wall. Only then, the grey picture of Jay swirls inside his head. His fingers laid straight on the keyboard as he stared at the beige wall across him. He could overhear some incoherent muffles— shuffling and grunting. He pushed his chair back, standing up discreetly, trodding to the wall and listening in.

Why was he doing this? He had no idea himself. His feet carried him, filling in his curiosity.

"Ah! Fuck!" He heard a groan slip out from the younger through the wall, followed by a loud thud. "Seriously? He told me to keep it down yesterday, and now he's the one doing this?" He muttered, aggravatedly. He pushed himself away from the wall as his eyes traveled to the computer. It hadn't even been a full day, but that Jay guy couldn't seem to get a grip of himself; Sunghoon had no idea why he was thinking about the other so much— even though they had just met. Maybe— just a little— he found him somewhat interesting. The way his lips would curve into a thin, small smile— the way his eyes crinkled when he chuckled lightly with his honey-hushed voice— or maybe it's the way he spoke, his subtle reactions to small details. He managed to charm his way through Sunghoon's heart already.