The blue light of his phone screen was the only thing keeping the dark at bay. Ni-ki leaned back against the cool leather of the couch, his long legs stretched out ahead of him, staring blankly at the glowing glass as it cast a cold, pale wash over the sharp edges of his jaw and caught the heavy, empty look in his eyes. He had been staring at the screen for three hours, desperately trying to drown out his own thoughts. For a little while, hanging out with Eunchae had worked. She was a good distraction. But the very second his key turned in the dorm lock and he stepped into the pitch-black hallway, the quiet had swallowed him whole. His thumb flicked upward in a mechanical rhythm, scrolling through TikTok in search of a lifeline. He was looking for any passing video or stray meme that might break the monotony and coax out the laughter that usually came so easily. But the screen offered only a blur of flashing lights and noise. Nothing resonated. Instead, his thoughts remained stubbornly snagged on a loop, replaying the friction of the afternoon.
It was becoming a pattern. They had always been the pair that clashed and recovered, their bond built on banter and affectionate provocation. But recently, the lines had started to blur.
Then, a soft voice broke the quiet.
Ni-ki didn't answer right away. He slowly lowered his phone, his dark eyes finding Jake’s through the gloom. He offered no welcoming smile, nor did he glare; he merely gave a single nod, letting the gesture serve as a quiet invitation. He sat frozen, watching as Jake began to speak, his apology coming out in quiet, broken pieces. Whenever things got too heavy, his brain did what it always did: it locked up and shut down. He didn't want to cry, and he absolutely did not want to have a massive, tearful talk in the dead of night. But he was also too stubborn to just pretend nothing had happened, and way too tired to keep carrying the anger. "It's fine." His voice was low, devoid of the sharp attitude from earlier, but guarded as he shrugged, a quick, jerky movement of his shoulder, dismissing it. "It's whatever, I guess."
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