三年.

Aaron rolled his eyes followed by a smile as he looked back over at the other. Nodding in understanding, he was trying to think of any advice he could give the younger, but most of it he’d probably already given at this point. “You have something in common then, a-at least? Maybe it would be a good idea to try and talk to him there, you’d a-around others too so it would be a little -more normal.” Aaron shook his head. “Not really– but you do tend to talk a-a lot more once someone or somethings gotten your interest.” It made him think to all the times when Aaron had sat and listened to Yejun talking on and on about fashion or fabrics of all kind. He didn’t mind it at all, he liked hearing what the younger had to say despite maybe not understanding it.

“Well I think you’ve done it.” Aaron’s smile was smaller this time, still there but small and soft. In relation to the topic they’d just gotten away from, it didn’t feel right to really smile at it, though he was more smiling at the others words and his own. He just wanted Yejun to know that he was important enough to him to have Aaron go to him when he needed to, if he needed to. Along with the fact Aaron trusted him with this kind of thing; he hoped the younger understood that.

If Aaron had noticed any changes of shock in the younger at the hand holding gesture, his mind hadn’t fully registered it; or he just hadn’t been paying attention. The only thing his attention had really been on was the sweetness of the gesture, how nice it felt to hold the others hand while he didn’t feel that with others when he did– dwelling on it later definitely seemed like a good idea. He was too tired, definitely too tired to understand anything happening right now. “I think we b-both are.” The elder shook his head in agreement. Tiredness was the main factor here in how they were acting, feeling, probably.

The pair’s closeness to each other showed in many ways, probably mostly through the fact Aaron knew nearly all the time where the elder would be and what he’d be up to (which sounded creepy but really he just knew the others schedule too well), or by the fact he liked to sit in with Yejun whenever he as working on something. They had their mutual silence at that, both working on their own things but enjoying the company of each other. It was the kind of friendship the elder liked the most, the slightly more subtle one but they both knew what they meant to each other. Aaron couldn’t deny the underlying worry of when Yejun moved up to the university though; more the worry of it affecting their friendship despite the fact it really shouldn’t. Aaron just didn’t want to lose the younger. He nodded, keeping his secure grip as he headed towards the dorm, a grin spreading over his features because now they were close and soon they could sleep. “Okay– which room?” He hummed, walking slower now but still holding the other up on his back. “Writing things down? Ah.. see, I a-already forgot about that, at least I have you see.”

“Are you rolling your eyes at me? What did I do to deserve that?” The younger shoots a disappointed look at Aaron, followed by a laugh. “I guess you have a point. Having other people around would probably make things a little less awkward...” He could see that the elder was trying very hard to help him out, and Yejun was glad--except it would take a lot for the younger to feel comfortable with following through. “Yeah, I can be a complete chatterbox if I’m close with someone. I can be the complete opposite, who would’ve known?” Sometimes Yejun would remember that most of Mokwon’s general population had no idea, or didn’t care about the things he enjoyed talking about, and then go on wondering why Aaron kept putting up with it.

“Mission accomplished!” It felt strange to smile, but it was better than awkwardly looking around with all the tension that could so easily be felt. reassuring--that’s what Aaron was often times. The elder always showed that he had meant what he said. As for Aaron caring, Yejun definitely could see that--why else would he willingly check on him almost every day? The younger’s lack of friendship experience tended to rear it’s ugly head at times like this, and made Yejun doubt himself sometimes.

The artisan had given up trying to find the logic in why he’d grabbed Aaron’s hand--it would be much better to ponder later. He’d try not to forget about it (but how could he?), and hopefully figure out what had happened on his own. All that came to mind was that at the time, it seemed like the best thing to do. His mind practically told him to do it, and why did this feel so nice? The warmth, the warmth of the elder’s hand was what felt so nice. Perhaps he’d done it out of tiredness? That would also explain a lot. Looking down, he decided not to confront the subject out loud. “You’re...probably right.” And with that, the air got all tense again, and once more, it was all Yejun’s fault.

“You’re so impatient.” The elder shook his head, but he was only teasing. He already knew how impatient that other was. “M-Maybe he’s just not a talker– but if you have any similar interests, you could a-always try strike up a conversation about them?” He was offering for Yejun’s benefit, taking sympathy on him for his dorm situation. Aaron couldn’t deny that the pout placed on the younger’s lips was absolutely adorable though, but the grin replacing it brought out his own once more. “And so a-am I.”

Yejun probably wanted answers, more answers despite the questions the younger had already asked, and Aaron would love to give them if he had them. That was one thing that came with this topic of conversation. The answers he wanted to give, they were in his memory somewhere but he couldn’t dig them out, couldn’t find the words to place them together from the blank spots. That’s what led him to the explanation of it just being a normal occurrence, not one that happened all too often, but still normal to Aaron so much as he’d led himself to believe. All he really wanted though was for Yejun to understand that, or at least understand that he was the closest person he had in this place and he would probably be the first he’d turn to if anything were to happen. Normally his brother would have that spot, but the other was still in Taiwan, so that didn’t work out all that well as an option. “Mhm.. you’re helpful for things when I need it– so of course you’d b-be the first I’d go to.”

The hand holding wasn’t a foreign gesture to Aaron, maybe that was why he didn’t feel so affected by it; he couldn’t deny it didn’t feel nice though. He couldn’t place the feelings on that, but the youngers hand was surprisingly soft, that was the first thing he’d noted weirdly, but it just felt nice feeling the others hand in his. It was weird, but nice. Aaron chose to dwell later on it rather than now, and stay quiet about it. “Ah.. I’ve got you now. That m-makes sense, the way you worded it first just sounded funny.” Aaron grinned with a nod, the explanation making more sense than Yejun’s first suggestion of it.

Having someone to remind you about important or small, minor things, that was a good feeling, and a good friend. That’s what Yejun was. He was more than Aaron could ask for really, along with the fact he actually put up with him despite the mass amount of times others would’ve probably ditched him. That’s why he probably felt such a strong connection to the younger now than with others he’d known just as long. “I wouldn’t dream of dropping you– then I’d hurt you and I don’t want to do that.” Aaron nodded, grip tightening a little around the other to secure him more as if to show he was being serious about that, which he was because dropping Yejun was definitely on his last list of things to do with the other. Following the given directions, the male let out a relieved sigh upon approaching the others dorm now. Yejun wasn’t really heavy, especially with the short walk, but the elder was definitely tired and getting to the dorm now was a relief– but it did make the tiredness feel like it was beginning to sneak up on him more so than before.

“That’s what I just said.” The younger laughs. “Well, we have photography together, but I honestly feel to weird about it to go talk to him then. I don’t know, maybe that would be a good start. I feel like he’s less of a talker than I am, but that doesn’t mean too much, does it?” Aaron’s bright smile just made Yejun more excited, and made him want to get even more into the competitive spirit. How should he one-up him anyways?

Despite the artisan’s impatience, he knew that waiting for Aaron would be absolutely necessary. Yejun didn’t want to pry, and because the elder hadn’t known what had happened anyways, it seemed pointless to ask. Of course the younger would have questions in his mind--but like most times, he would just wait and not bring them up for a while. Aaron was truthful with his words, even if he had a tendency to be forgetful. “I’m glad you think so, because that’s what I was trying to do.”

Yejun wasn’t the type to be touchy with just anyone--and the reason that the younger had felt shocked when he’d grabbed Aaron’s hand was because he’d remembered the last time he’d done something like that. That time, it was because he was seeing someone, because he had feelings for them. His mind was confused about this time--he couldn’t figure out why he had done it in the first place. Comfort? Feelings? Both? He promised himself that he’d ponder it later, but it was too late. His thoughts were already swirling. “Sorry, I’m too tired to say things that make real sense.” And he didn’t add, and now I have one more thing to think about.

* Summer ‘11 Playlist *