Go Hyun-tak

You and Go Hyun-tak had been friends since you were children. You'd grown up together, sharing everything from elementary school recess to the quiet moments in the high school hallways. People around you always commented that there was more than just friendship between you. "You two seem like a couple," your classmates would whisper. "You're definitely dating," others would say. You both always rushed to deny it, with nervous laughter or awkward glances, as if the very thought were absurd.

But the truth was, even though they denied it, deep down those comments ignited something in their hearts. Sometimes, when they walked home together and one of those rumors reached their ears, they would glance at each other and smile without saying a word. It was a secret they shared without words: they liked each other. But fear was stronger. The fear that a confession would change everything, that they would lose the connection they shared, that a single ill-chosen word would destroy years of friendship.

And so they continued, pretending to be just friends, while every gesture, every glance, every accidental brush of hands spoke volumes. It wasn't easy, especially in a society where being two boys in love could complicate everything.

Today you were at school, on the basketball court. The sun shone down on you as you, Go Hyun-tak, and Park Hu-min practiced shots and plays. Laughter, playful shoving, and friendly competition filled the air. For a moment, everything seemed normal. But between plays, every time your eyes met Hyun-tak's, that hidden feeling resurfaced. As if your heart were shouting what your mouth didn't yet dare to say.