I didn’t switch dorms. My RA rolled her eyes
when I told her, clearly annoyed by my
indecisiveness. Jason and I started dating. He
wanted us to do everything together
go to
<
classes, study at the library, grab boba. We kept it low–key, though. I was worried about
what people would think. The only time I
dared show affection was while playing
League. As support, I stuck to Jason like glue,
which he seemed to enjoy. He hated it when I
played Yuumi and attached to anyone else. It
was pure hypocrisy. He used to say there’s no
room for love in esports. Double standards,
much?… One evening, the four of us were
having dinner in the dining hall. I instinctively
picked out the scallions and ginger from
Jason’s food. He gently tilted my chin up and
wiped a smudge off my lip with a napkin.
“What are you, five?” he teased, his eyes
sparkling. I froze, my ears burning. I wasn’t
used to him being so affectionate. I looked up
to find Liam and Mike staring at us,
dumbfounded. Mike’s meatball slipped from
his chopsticks, splashing back into his soup.
L
“Whoa, since when did you two get so…
couple–y?” Liam asked. “Recently,” Jason
replied with a wink, deliberately vague.
“Roommates should look out for each other,
right?” He nudged my knee under the table. I
quickly pulled my legs together, sitting up
straight. Mike waved a dismissive hand. “Nah,
I almost thought you two were dating or
something.” Famous last words. I choked on
my food. Jason patted my back, whispering,
“Scaredy cat.”
One afternoon, Jason claimed he needed help
with a group project, insisting on sitting right
next to me. As I researched, I felt him leaning
closer. “Find anything yet?” he murmured, his
arm draped over my shoulder, his breath.
tickling my ear. “Not yet, hold on.” I stiffened,
then felt his hand slide down to my waist.
“Ethan, why won’t you look at me?” “I am, I’m
<
just busy,” I mumbled, trying to focus. “Look
at me.” His voice was low and seductive. I
had a feeling I knew what was coming.
Nervous but excited, I turned to face him. Our
eyes met for a second before he leaned in.
Before his lips touched mine, I instinctively
pushed him away, my face burning. “What?
You were pretty bold when you were
pretending to be a girl. Calling me ‘oppa‘ and
everything. Now I can’t even touch you?”
Jason pouted, bringing up my past again. “I
don’t want anyone to see,” I whispered,
glancing at the door, paranoid that our
roommates would walk in. “Relax, they’re
playing basketball. They won’t be back for a
while,” he assured me. “Then… just one kiss.”
He grinned, cupping my chin and leaning in. It
was our first kiss – awkward, clumsy, and
sweet. It lasted a little longer than “one kiss,
though. When we finally pulled away, we were
<
Lately, Jason had been restless. He wanted to
hold my hand during class, put his arm
around me while walking – anything to let the
world know we were together. I worried about
judgment and how it might affect his studies,
constantly persuading him to keep our
relationship private. One afternoon, he asked.
me to bring him water at the basketball court.
I arrived to find a girl handing him a bottle,
her face flushed. I watched the scene unfold,
amused. Suddenly, Jason turned and pointed
at me. The girl’s face fell, and she quickly walked away. The other guys, who’d probably
overheard something, all looked at me. My
jaw dropped. I turned to leave, but Jason
caught up to me in a few strides. “Why are you running? I haven’t even had my water yet.” He gulped down half the bottle, then, with everyone watching, took my hand and
led me away. I tried to pull away, but he
く
tightened his grip. “What? Are you ashamed
to be seen with me?” “No, you know that’s
not what I meant.” He pulled me closer,
preventing my escape. “What’s there to be
afraid of? We’re not hurting anyone. If people
have a problem with it, that’s their problem.”
His confidence was reassuring. With him by
my side, I felt like I could handle anything. He
looked down at me, his eyes intense. “You’re
making me want to kiss you.” “Don’t even
think about it.” I quickly looked away, but I
could hear his chuckle. “Let’s get back to the
dorm. I can’t hold back much longer.”
Someone had taken a picture of us at the
basketball court. It ended up on the university
forum and quickly became a hot topic. Chloe
sent me the link after class. The comments
were mixed. I even saw posts from our
roommates. Liam: Whoa, woke up to find my
roommates trending because they’re dating?
Mike: OMG, there were gay people among us
this whole time?! Student A: All the hot guys
are taken! Student B: Dude, they’re totally
a couple! They’re even in the same
department as me. I’m shipping them so hard!
Student C: Be careful what you wish for.
…
scrolled through the comments, then saw
Liam’s message in our dorm group chat.
Liam: You two were secretly dating and didn’t
even tell us? Do you even consider us bros?
Mike: Seriously! So uncool. You owe us
dinner. Liam: An expensive one! Jason: Okay.
We went to a hot pot place near campus.
Liam and Mike ordered a mountain of meat.
Jason made me a dipping sauce, and it was
delicious. He kept piling food into my bowl,
making sure I got the first bite of everything,
and even ordered me a coconut milk tea.
Liam put on a dramatic expression.
“Seriously, am I here for dinner or a free
couples therapy session?” Mike, unfazed, just
kept eating. “Whatever, free food!” Liam
stared at us, then lowered his voice. “So, be
honest. How long has this been going on?
And have you two been doing… stuff in our
dorm?” “About a month,” I mumbled, ignoring
the second part of his question. Mike wasn’t
letting it go. “So, you’re telling me you
haven’t been doing anything… inappropriate
behind our backs?” Liam smirked. “Maybe
they’re keeping it PG.” “Ooh…” they both
chired. I blushed, unsure if it was from the
spicy food or embarrassment. “Are you two
done? Can you let us eat in peace?” Jason
glared at them, changing the subject.
