The antiseptic chill of the university hospital seeped into everything — the pale green walls, the silent corners, even the backs of the hard plastic chairs.
It had been hours since Evan had been taken in. The bleeding had stopped. The gash was deep but clean — no tendon damage. A miracle, they said. But he'd needed stitches and monitoring for shock, and there was still swelling in the ankle from the bad landing.
Now he was resting, out of danger, but still being kept overnight for observation.
Outside his room, the hallway lights dimmed slightly for night mode. The clock over the reception desk glowed 2:17 a.m.
Noel sat between Ren and Jun in the waiting area, gripping a paper cup of water he hadn't sipped once. His shoulders were slumped. His fingers twitching every so often like they were searching for something to hold that wouldn't disappear.
Across the room, Evan's friends — Levi, Minsoo, and Tariq — had just returned from talking with hospital security.
Minsoo exhaled heavily as he slumped beside the vending machine. "It's official. The screws on the diving board were tampered with."
Levi's jaw tightened. "They're launching a full investigation. The footage is being reviewed by both universities."
"They think it was some upperclassman on their team," Tariq added, arms crossed. "Possibly in coordination with someone not officially on the roster."
Ren leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Blondie?"
"Very likely," Tariq muttered. "Apparently he's a donor's son. Thinks he can get away with anything."
Noel barely moved. "He almost died," he whispered. "He almost—"
Jun reached over and gently placed a hand over his.
Ren, watching Noel carefully, leaned in. "Noel… you okay?"
Noel swallowed hard and shook his head. "Not really."
He looked up, eyes glassy but not quite crying.
And then, as if something in him cracked open, he said softly, "I've liked him since first year."
Silence.
Ren blinked. "Wait—what?"
Jun didn't move. Just quietly squeezed his hand once.
Noel stared at the floor. "We were in the same intro physics elective. I remember because he was wearing a hoodie with the university logo but it was like—three sizes too big and he kept yawning but still got every question right."
Levi tilted his head, slowly walking closer with Tariq and Minsoo at his sides.
"I sat two rows behind him for a whole semester. Never spoke to him. Never thought I could."
"Why?" Tariq asked quietly.
Noel gave a humorless smile. "Because he was light. And I was… gravitational pull."
Jun raised an eyebrow. "Pretty poetic for a science guy."
Noel's hands gripped the cup tighter. "And then this year, he started talking to me. Sitting next to me. Following me to observatories. And I— I kept thinking it was some joke or maybe he was just bored."
His voice cracked then, soft and trembling. "But I liked him. I like him. So much it hurts. And tonight when he didn't come up from the water…"
He stopped.
The room held its breath.
Evan's friends looked at each other, and something shifted in their expressions — surprise softening into understanding, then quiet warmth.
Levi smiled first. "So… it wasn't just us thinking there was something between you two."
Tariq nodded. "He talks about you, too, you know."
Noel blinked. "He does?"
Minsoo grinned. "Yeah. More than you'd think."
Ren leaned back smugly. "I told you he liked you."
Jun gave a thoughtful nod. "It's just chemistry. The emotional kind."
Just then, the door to Evan's room cracked open.
A sleepy nurse peeked out. "He's awake if one of you wants to sit with him."
Levi gestured at Noel. "He should go."
Noel stood, knees a little unsteady.
As he moved toward the door, Evan's voice, rough but amused, floated from the room:
"…He loves me?"
Noel froze.
The door creaked open wider.
Evan lay there, propped up slightly, foot bandaged and elevated, an IV in his arm and an oxygen clip on his finger — but his eyes were bright. Alert. Focused.
"Noel?" he asked, like he wasn't sure if this was a dream.
Noel stepped in, swallowing the lump in his throat. "You weren't supposed to hear all that."
Evan gave a half-smile. "Kind of glad I did."
Noel stood at the foot of the bed for a moment, unsure what to do with his hands. Then softly, "How much did you hear?"
"Enough to know you noticed the hoodie," Evan said.
A pause.
Then:
"…Did you mean it?"
Noel nodded.
Evan reached out, slowly. "Come here."
Noel came, folding into the chair beside the bed, their hands barely touching.
"You scared me," Noel whispered.
Evan smiled, eyes fluttering closed. "You scared me right back."
And in the quiet between IV beeps and distant hospital shoes squeaking down linoleum halls, something deep and gentle settled between them.
Love. Finally named.
Not spoken in fireworks.
But whispered like a secret the stars had known all along.