CALL ME • MYUNG JAEHYUN - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

EUNHYE
Time passed.
The whispers dulled, faded. Not all at once, not overnight, but gradually—like ink washing off in the rain. Maybe they got bored. Maybe Jaehyun had scared them into silence without me noticing.
Or maybe it was because of the way he stayed.
Somehow, without either of us meaning to, we started spending more time together.
It was subtle at first. A shared space in the classroom, walking side by side in the halls, an unspoken understanding that whenever people stared, he would make it easier for me to ignore them.
And in turn, I let him in. A little.
Late-night calls became normal. Some nights, we didn’t say much. Others, he talked, and I listened. Sometimes, I talked, and he let me.
It was a strange kind of comfort. A tether in the quiet.
One night
The phone rang once. Twice.
Then—
"You're calling me this time?"
Jaehyun's voice was light, laced with amusement. I could hear the rustling of his sheets, the quiet hum of the night behind him.
I pulled my blanket closer. "Should I not have?"
"No," he said. "I was just about to sleep, though. So if you don't have anything important to say—"
I scoffed. "Then go to sleep."
There was a pause, then a low chuckle. "You called me first, and now you're kicking me out?"
I smiled slightly. "Maybe."
Silence settled between us again.
Then, almost absentmindedly, I murmured, "Things are getting blurry."
Jaehyun paused. "...What?"
I blinked, realizing I'd said it aloud. A soft laugh slipped out.
"Jaehyun…" I hesitated for a second before continuing, "I think I need to buy glasses."
"Get your eyes checked."
I hummed. "Maybe."
"Not maybe. Do it," he insisted.
I closed my eyes, the weight of the day settling into my bones. "I'll think about it."
He sighed, and I could almost imagine him running a hand through his hair.
"...Don't wait too long," he muttered.
I didn't answer. Just listened to his breathing, steady on the other end of the line.
The silence stretched, filled only by the soft hum of our breathing over the call. I was already half-asleep when Jaehyun suddenly spoke again.
"Come to my house."
My eyes fluttered open. "...Huh?"
"For my birthday," he clarified. "I want you to come."
I stared at the ceiling, blinking slowly. "Your birthday?"
"Yeah."
I could hear the shift of his pillow as he adjusted his position. There was something different about his tone—lighter, more expectant, like he already knew what I would say.
But I hesitated.
A part of me wanted to. It wasn’t that I didn’t care—I did. More than I should. But there was something about stepping into his world, into a space that belonged to him, that felt... too close.
"Jaehyun—"
"Don't say no," he cut in before I could finish.
I bit my lip.
"You always have excuses," he continued, and though his voice was casual, there was something else beneath it. Something I couldn’t quite place. "Just come this time."
A breath passed between us.
Then, barely above a whisper, he added, "I want you to be there."
I swallowed. His words lingered, hanging in the quiet between us.
He wanted me to be there.
Something about the way he said it—soft, but certain—made my chest tighten.
"I'll think about it," I murmured.
Jaehyun huffed, unimpressed. "That means no."
"It doesn't."
"It does."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Why do you even want me there?"
"Because it's my birthday," he said simply. "And I want you there."
There it was again. That certainty.
I turned on my side, staring at the wall. "I don't think I'd fit in."
He scoffed. "Since when do I care about that?"
I exhaled a soft laugh. He had a point. Jaehyun was Jaehyun—he did what he wanted, cared for who he cared for, and never bothered justifying it to anyone.
But still.
"I'll think about it," I repeated, quieter this time.
Jaehyun didn’t push. Instead, he let out a breath, as if he already knew I wouldn't come but still wanted to ask anyway.
"You should sleep," he muttered.
"You too."
"Mm."
Neither of us hung up.
Minutes passed. Maybe longer.
I listened to the sound of his breathing—steady, quiet. It was oddly comforting. Familiar. Like something solid in a world that never stopped shifting.
And maybe it was selfish, but I didn’t want to let go of that just yet.
The next day
The morning light was too bright.
I groaned, pressing a hand against my forehead as I sat up. My head throbbed—a dull, persistent ache that made my vision swim for a second.
Weird.
I blinked a few times, trying to shake it off. Maybe I had stayed up too late. Maybe the stress was finally catching up.
I swung my legs over the bed, pausing when a faint dizziness made the edges of my sight blur. It only lasted a second, though, and I exhaled, pushing myself up.
It was nothing. Probably just exhaustion.
Still, the headache didn’t go away even as I got ready. It sat at the back of my skull like an unwelcome weight, making everything feel heavier than usual.
By the time I got to school, the hallways were already buzzing.
I walked through them like I always did—quiet, unnoticed for the most part.
But my head.
The lights overhead felt harsh. I squinted, trying to focus on the lockers in front of me.
I rubbed my eyes.
Was I really that tired?
I barely noticed when someone stepped in front of me.
"You okay?"
I blinked up—Jaehyun.
His brows were slightly furrowed, studying me like he was trying to figure something out.
I forced a small smile. "Yeah. Just a headache."
Jaehyun didn’t look convinced. His eyes flickered to my hand, which was still rubbing lightly at my temple.
"Didn't sleep?" he asked.
I hesitated. "A little late."
He made a small noise, like he didn't believe me but wasn't going to push.
"C'mon," he said, nudging my shoulder. "Let's go before you run into a wall."
I rolled my eyes, but followed him anyway.