When Minjun opened the door to Hyuk's apartment, he was immediately greeted by the aroma of warm food and the soft light of a lamp. Plates were already neatly set on the table: braised vegetables, a bowl of rice, and a sweet and spicy kimchi. The domestic smells mixed with Hyuk's subtle, barely perceptible pheromones, creating a sense of calm, as if he had been expected right there.
"Come on in," Hyuk said, turning from the stove. His gaze was gentle, and his smile was so familiar that Minjun's chest immediately felt warmer. "I thought you should have a proper meal after a long day."
Minjun felt shy, but a smile involuntarily touched his lips. They sat at the table, and dinner passed unhurriedly, with short remarks and quiet laughter. Hyuk pushed the plates toward him, adding more rice, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Minjun noticed that the food tasted better precisely because he was sitting next to him. Each bite was filled with warmth, and his heart clenched with a strange gratitude.
When dinner was over, Minjun took notebooks and books out of his backpack.
"I have... an assignment," he confessed, lowering his gaze slightly. "I tried to do it myself, but it's just not working out."
"Show me," Hyuk said calmly, sitting down next to him at the low table.
The pages were covered in formulas, lines of numbers, and incomprehensible diagrams. Minjun nervously tapped his fingers on the edge of the notebook, as if afraid to make another mistake.
Hyuk leaned in closer, their shoulders touching.
"Right here," his finger touched a line, "you mixed up the sign. That's why everything went wrong. Try recalculating."
Minjun took a deep breath and did as Hyuk said. The mistake was corrected, but doubt remained in his eyes.
"I'm not sure..." he mumbled.
Hyuk gently pushed the pencil in his hand, as if guiding him.
"You did it right. Just trust yourself."
Minjun looked up and met Hyuk's eyes. There was no hint of judgment - only calm confidence. His heart clenched, and his lips trembled in a grateful smile.
The study session continued. Hyuk patiently explained step by step, sometimes making a joke, sometimes correcting Minjun's hand. Every touch - a light brush of the shoulder, the tips of his fingers, leaning in closer than necessary - sent a tremor through Minjun's body.
"You catch on quickly," Hyuk noted when the next problem was solved. "You just doubt yourself too much sometimes."
Minjun smiled at the corner of his mouth. "I guess so..."
Soon, the last formula came out correctly. Minjun sighed with relief, leaning back.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I couldn't have done it alone."
"Yes, you could have," Hyuk countered. "I just showed you the way."
He said it calmly, without extra words, but in those words, there was a belief that made Minjun's chest feel warm.
They moved to the couch. Hyuk turned on some soft music, and the atmosphere became gentle, almost intimate. Minjun sat next to him, and then, as if without even realizing it, leaned his head on his shoulder.
Hyuk didn't pull away. Instead, his arm went around Minjun's waist, supporting him. The movement was natural, but it made everything inside Minjun tremble.
The silence between them wasn't awkward. It was rich: with the sound of their breathing, the beating of their hearts, the muffled noise of the street outside the window. Minjun felt he could allow himself to relax, and this sense of freedom was sweet and new.
"You're amazing," Hyuk said quietly after a long pause. "Even when you're tired, you still try so hard."
Minjun became shy, blushing, but he didn't pull away. His lips trembled in a barely noticeable smile.
The evening smoothly transitioned into night. Minjun yawned, and Hyuk smiled a little.
"Time to rest," he said gently. "Tomorrow will be a new day."
Minjun nodded, allowing himself to lean back more. His fingers found Hyuk's palm, and he intertwined them with a light confidence.
Everything inside Minjun froze and then immediately filled with warmth. He closed his eyes, listening to the rhythm of the breathing next to him. And in that moment, he realized: next to this person, even the most tiring day turns into a quiet, calm miracle.