Was I Ever There?
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsJIbwWHPK
The rain poured steadily, wrapping the surroundings in a rhythmic hum as droplets splashed against the pavement. Yuen stood outside the university, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, eyes scanning the street for any available ride. He had forgotten his umbrella—again. It wasn’t the first time, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi68Fqi936r
"You don’t have an umbrella, do you?"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtgLhqyf5e
Chase’s voice cut through the sound of the rain. He stood beside Yuen, holding a black umbrella with a slightly worn-out handle, proof of years of use.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5J438lZLJ
Yuen glanced at him and gave a small shrug. "I forgot."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63BySINUdr
Chase sighed, shaking his head slightly before stepping closer, extending the umbrella over Yuen. The rain had grown heavier, and if he didn’t do this, Yuen would be soaked within minutes. Without a word, Chase lifted a hand and placed it gently on Yuen’s shoulder, pulling him slightly closer to keep him dry under the canopy.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60zzEnIWpG
A simple gesture, a small act of care.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm1QO7OlsZ
But to Yuen, it was nothing. He barely reacted—he didn’t flinch, didn’t stiffen under the touch. Instead, all he offered was a neutral, almost dismissive, "Thanks."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM3fniyRfF
Chase let out a soft chuckle, though it was more for himself than anything else. "You’re always like this, Yuen," he murmured, half teasing, half resigned.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTP63G0Al7
Yuen raised a brow. "What?"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdTkIxfarW
Chase hesitated. He wanted to say it—to voice out the emotions he had been suppressing for years. But, as always, he bit back the words. Instead, he simply shook his head and let the silence settle between them as they walked side by side, the rain falling around them like a quiet reminder of things left unsaid.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDq2XnQitS
For years, Chase had been doing this—offering small pieces of himself in ways Yuen never noticed, never acknowledged beyond a simple, indifferent, "Thanks."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJdZFnuOMg
But how much longer could he endure being unnoticed?
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWL0uA1Mv7
The class began soon after. Most students listened attentively—except for Yuen. It was obvious he wasn’t paying attention, though his eyes idly followed the teacher’s movements at the front of the room. The lesson continued, but he remained slouched over his desk, one hand holding a pen while the other rested near his cheek. At a glance, he looked like he was listening, but if one observed closely, a faint smile played on his lips as he quietly hummed along to the music in his earphones.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOx23bn9Orj
When the break came, the students hurried out of the classroom. As always, Yuen stayed behind, scrolling through his playlist, searching for a song to match his mood.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡno0IhP6qCa
Before leaving, Chase glanced at him for a moment. But he didn’t say anything—he simply walked away.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqPB4YtK43
At the cafeteria, Chase’s friends were teasing him about his love life.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLm52vnb171
"Dude, why don’t you have a girlfriend yet? Almost every girl here likes you!" one of them laughed.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sqOTmvNiP
"Yeah! You should just say yes to one of them. You never run out of admirers, bro!"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvT4jnOD6c
Chase smiled but shook his head. "I’m not interested right now, man."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi09Kxdo8xV
Just then, Vivian arrived—effortlessly stunning as always. She confidently walked up to Chase and took the seat beside him, her long hair cascading over her shoulder.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcFd8ET3oX
"Chase, why were you ignoring me earlier? You knew I was waiting for you outside your classroom, right?" she pouted, playfully resting her chin on her palm while looking up at him.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GuftlOjtp
Chase let out a small chuckle. "Sorry, Vivian. I really didn’t notice."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0LjY1mbyE
Vivian leaned in closer, tracing small circles on Chase’s arm. "And now? Do you notice me now?" she asked, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5taAINoC76
Their friends whistled and cheered teasingly, making Vivian giggle. "You know, Chase, you’re so unfair. You make every girl here fall for you, yet you don’t even give anyone a chance."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0W2ESoUuf
"It’s not like that," Chase replied, smiling but not really answering her statement.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ll8922zzv
But Vivian wasn’t about to give up. She moved even closer, almost whispering against his ear. "You know, a lot of people are curious about you, especially... your size." She laughed softly, making Chase raise an eyebrow.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb1vdZ1v3M
"Cut it out, Vivian," he chuckled, clearly unaffected. "You’re thinking too much about the wrong things."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERyNN5TTPO
"Oh? So is there something I should be thinking about, Chase?" Vivian teased, biting her lower lip.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ggxqk8Mwp
Their friends erupted into laughter.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5dKf78Lxz
"Damn, bro. Think you can handle it if Vivian takes the lead? You might not survive!" one of them joked.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMAXi5Mfiz
Chase smirked. "You underestimate me too much."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJe9Y7xxzj
On the other side of the campus, Esreld spotted Yuen sitting alone under a tree, flipping through a book with his earphones still in.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2EGUxaePJ
He approached and tapped Yuen on the shoulder. "Hey, Yuen. What’s that?"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCFrCInNhj
Yuen looked up and immediately turned off his music. "Ah, nothing. Just passing time."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1U9jeaBJ2
"Can we take a picture?" Esreld suddenly asked.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxfwGO4c1J
Yuen frowned. "Why?"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyQhEQxbqC
"So we can put it up on our class door frame. You’re probably the only one left without a picture there," Esreld teased.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXdImK80Ds
Yuen sighed but eventually smiled. "Fine, fine. Let's get this over with."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFMU54lTPz
They walked over to the display of student photos. As Yuen scanned the pictures, his gaze landed on one particular image—Chase, smiling while surrounded by girls, clearly enjoying their attention.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSoUjspvEB
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he mumbled under his breath before turning back to Esreld.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxDSZlIA1h
Esreld took out a polaroid camera, positioning himself beside Yuen. "Let’s go," he said.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFCDYpX8q7
The first shot was a casual pose. The second one, Esreld playfully made bunny ears behind Yuen’s head.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9nwzxoctP
And for the third, Esreld suddenly pulled Yuen closer—close enough that it almost looked like they were about to kiss.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYx9h8rlSJp
Yuen’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t pull away. The camera clicked, capturing the moment perfectly. When Yuen saw the result, he let out a soft laugh.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7ypO9R4jm
"That’s enough, or people might start thinking there’s something between us," he joked, though he didn’t seem to mind too much.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWleIgbfmy
Esreld smirked. "And what if I actually want there to be something between us?"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2claVhy34E
Yuen rolled his eyes playfully. "Don’t go looking for trouble, Esreld."
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGBubPEBvI
After getting the prints, Yuen carefully placed them on the class display.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBG8XfFdVvL
"There. Now I'm officially part of this wall. Happy?"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCxQomwjky
Esreld grinned. "Very. Now, let’s eat!"
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQcZkbbVcG
The two walked off toward the cafeteria.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4ByCDlB30
Later, when the students returned from their break—including Chase and Vivian—the classroom buzzed with excitement.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbM6yAD4Ql
"Is that Yuen?? Sheesh! He’s not even wearing glasses!" one of their classmates gasped.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPceKe7tv9W
Chase turned toward the class display, his eyes landing on the pictures of Yuen and Esreld together. His gaze froze on the last one—the almost-kiss pose.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TGe4siV0W
His grip on his bag strap tightened.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYgmtXpBhy
Something inside him stirred. A feeling he hadn’t quite acknowledged before.
95Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vgvAugH3i
Jealousy.
ns3.14.144.240da2
