Bongseok and Heesoo were studying in Bongseok's room.
It was the second time Heesoo had come to his house. Bongseok's mother, as usual, had prepared generous portions of Tonkatsu, leaving her feeling full and sleepy.
Bongseok was focused at his desk, meticulously checking the answers to some math problems. Heesoo, on the other hand, sat on his bed with her grammar book open, but her gaze wandered around the room.
Bongseok's bed looked so cozy, and the temptation was too strong to resist. She lay on her side, resting her head on her hand. Although she tried to focus on reading her book, her eyes grew heavier by the second. The sight of Bongseok, with his back to her, the faint sound of the pencil dancing across his notebook, was the last thing she registered before falling asleep.
After correcting his last problem, Bongseok turned excitedly to Heesoo to share his score, only to find his friend fast asleep in his bed. Shock, and then a silly smile appeared on his face.
He stood there for a few moments, observing Heesoo's serene face, hearing her heartbeat with his heightened senses, feeling a deep gratitude for the friendship they shared and for being able to confide his secret to her.
Bongseok picked up the blanket at the foot of the bed and gently placed it over her, making sure Heesoo was comfortable and warm. This gesture was one of the many ways he showed his affection for her.
"Bongseok..." Heesoo murmured softly, hugging the blanket.
The girl he liked was lying in his bed, murmuring his name in her sleep... This would already be challenging for any teenager, but it was even more complicated for Bongseok, with his ability to float being directly affected by his emotions. Normally, he could barely walk without 17 lb weights strapped on his ankles.
Bongseok, with his heart racing, began to float gently until he felt his head touch the foam of the ceiling.
20 minutes... He was stuck on the ceiling for 20 minutes, watching Heesoo sleep with a serene and peaceful expression. Every detail of her, illuminated by the soft room light, made that moment magical, and it was impossible for Bongseok to regain control and come back down.
Heesoo woke up from her nap, stretching and rolling on the bed. When she opened her eyes, she was startled to find Bongseok on the room's ceiling.
"What are you doing?" she asked, holding the blanket against her neck as if it were a shield. "Were you watching me sleep?"
"No... It wasn't exactly that," Bongseok tried to explain, mortified and blushing deeply.
"So, what are you doing up there?" She asked, somewhat bewildered by the situation.
"I was trying to put the blanket over you... And then I started floating and couldn't come down... And..." Bongseok began to stammer.
Heesoo stopped paying attention to his explanation, and her eyes turned to the blanket she was holding, smelling the gentle and familiar aroma of Bongseok. It was incredibly sweet all the things he did for her, and it touched her.
"Um... Thank you," she murmured, with a shy smile, blushing slightly.
Bongseok was surprised by Heesoo's reaction. The possibility that Heesoo might also have feelings for him completely distracted him from the situation, causing him to clumsily fall on top of her.
Any mother of a teenager would, at the very least, feel apprehensive about leaving them alone with a beautiful girl in his room. But Mihyun wasn't just any mother. Even as she worked downstairs, serving portions of tonkatsu in her restaurant, she could hear every whisper and laugh coming from her son's room.
Mihyun, busy slicing cabbage with surgical precision, heard when Huisoo's breathing fell into the characteristic rhythm of deep sleep. She heard Bongseok's light footsteps, the soft sound of the blanket being pulled from the foot of the bed, and Huisoo's whisper when he covered her. Then came the unmistakable sound of Bongseok colliding with the room's ceiling.
Mihyun smiled openly, lowering her head to continue her work. With all the troubles and unusual situations her son put her through, Mihyun felt entitled to laugh at his misadventures. It was a reminder that, even with special abilities, Bongseok was just a teenager with a crush on a beautiful girl.
"Bongseok!" Heesoo exclaimed with a surprised shout, the impact when he fell was much lighter than she expected.
"Sorry!" Bongseok said, somewhat embarrassed, as he quickly rolled to the floor.
Sitting on the bed, Heesoo couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Bongseok lying belly-down on the bedroom floor, arms and legs spread open.
Her laughter filled the room, making Bongseok's embarrassment a little more bearable. He looked at her with a shy smile, sitting cross-legged.
"Sorry for falling on you," Bongseok said, trying to laugh at himself.
Heesoo wiped a tear of laughter from her eyes and shook her head, still smiling.
"It's okay. But you really can't control it when you're near me, can you?"
Bongseok hid his face in his hands.
"Okay, I'll stop," she said gently.
He dared to look at her through his fingers, and they both burst into laughter together.
A short while later, Bongseok accompanied Heesoo to the bus stop, their conversation flowing naturally.
As they talked, Heesoo began to think about all the little things Bongseok did for her. He bought drinks for her when she trained at the school gym, bought food on the 2-for-1 promotion just so he could share it with her, cheered and celebrated when she broke a personal record. He always showed concern for her comfort, like covering her with the blanket on that night. He was really sweet.
When they reached the bus stop, an impulsive idea came over Heesoo. She turned to Bongseok and said, "Hold onto the lamppost."
Bongseok frowned, not quite understanding what she wanted. Impatiently, she made him embrace the lamppost. He watched in surprise as Heesoo leaned in his direction, and before he could process what was happening, she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek.
His heart raced with surprise and the sweetness of the gesture. Heesoo took a step back, a smile playing on her lips, as the bus's engine started, indicating it was about to depart.
She waved to Bongseok, her eyes shining, and quickly boarded the bus as Bongseok, still stunned and clinging tightly to the lamppost, watched it drive away."