CALL ME • MYUNG JAEHYUN - Chapter 7: Chapter 7

The call stretched on in silence, the soft hum of our breathing the only sound between us. Jaehyun didn't ask why I called again. He never pushed.
I wanted to tell him.
But the words stuck, heavy, like they didn't belong to me yet.
"Did you buy them?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Your glasses."
"Oh." I adjusted them slightly. "Yeah."
"And?"
"And what?"
"How do it look?"
I scoffed. "I don't know. I can't see myself."
He laughed. "That's kind of the point of glasses, you know?"
I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me. "They feel weird."
"You'll get used to them."
"Hopefully."
A pause. Then, his voice softened. "You okay?"
The question settled in my chest, pressing against everything I didn’t want to say.
I should have told him.
Instead, I lied.
"Yeah."
Another pause.
Then, Jaehyun sighed. "If you say so."
I could tell he didn’t believe me.
But he let it go.
Somehow, that made my throat tighten even more.
"Hey," he murmured after a while.
"Hm?"
"You still remember what I said, right?"
"What?"
"If you need anything," he said, voice quieter now. "Or just want to hear something… just call me."
Something ached. I gripped my sheets.
"...Okay."
"Good."
Another pause.
"Hey, Eunhye?"
"Yeah?"
"Goodnight."
I exhaled, letting my eyes flutter shut.
"...Goodnight, Jaehyun."
The call didn’t end right away.
But when it did, the silence in my room felt colder than before.
JAEHYUN
The hallway was crowded as usual, but she stood out. Not because she tried to—she never did—but because I noticed her.
Her hair was the same, her expression still unreadable, but the difference was there. The thin frames of her new glasses rested on her nose, making her eyes look sharper. More focused.
I stopped in front of her. She blinked up at me, waiting.
I tilted my head, letting my gaze linger.
"...Looks good on you."
She frowned slightly, adjusting them as if they didn’t fit quite right. "They feel weird."
"You'll get used to them."
She hummed but didn't say anything.
I tapped her forehead lightly. "Told you to get your eyes checked."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, and I caught the smallest hint of amusement in them.
I smirked. "Oh, right." I straightened up. "You didn't forget, did you?"
She blinked. "Forget what?"
"My birthday."
Recognition flickered in her eyes. She hesitated.
I sighed, crossing my arms. "Unbelievable. I reminded you last time, and now I have to do it again?"
She exhaled through her nose. "I didn't forget."
"Then?"
She didn't answer right away.
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. "Are you coming?"
Her fingers curled at her sides. "I don't know yet."
I raised a brow. "Should I take that as a no?"
She shook her head, but the hesitation was still there.
I watched her for a moment, then leaned back with a shrug. "Think about it. But I expect a present if you do."
She let out a soft scoff, but there was no bite to it.
I grinned. "See you in class, Glasses."
As I walked past her, I could still feel her eyes on me.
EUNHYE
Later at lunch, Jaehyun insisted again to join him at the cafeteria. I wanted to refuse. I always wanted to refuse. But he had that tone—that mix of playfulness and quiet concern that always made it hard to say no.
I wasn't used to the noise, the heat, the way everything inside felt so… close. The smell of fried food, the constant murmur of conversation, and the way chairs scraped across the floor—it pressed in on me like water rising in a tank.
Still, I followed him, trailing just a few steps behind.
He found us a seat near the window, away from the middle crowd. “What do you want?” he asked, glancing over.
"I'll get whatever you get," I said, not really thinking about it.
He raised a brow but didn't question it, just turned and walked toward the counter.
I stayed, eyes flicking toward the window where brands and buildings lined the street beyond. My reflection stared back faintly through the glass, glasses perched neatly on my nose. I had them on again. The frame still felt unfamiliar against my skin.
Should I go to the neurologist?
That's what the doctor said.
But… isn't it just because I read too much?
What about the rent?
What about tuition?
Hospital bills aren't something I can just—
"You're seriously zoning out," Jaehyun said, placing a tray between us.
I blinked, the thoughts scattering. "It's nothing."
"Sure," he replied, sliding my share toward me. "But you can tell me anything, you know."
"I said it's nothing," I repeated, but softer now. My voice cracked faintly near the end, and for some reason… he didn’t press.
He only nodded, like he understood what I couldn’t say.
"So," he said, taking a bite, "you're free on Thursday, right?"
I blinked at him.
"Why?"
He rolled his eyes. "Seriously? My birthday?"
Right. That again.
"I told you, I’ll think about it."
"Nope," he said, already smiling. "Thinking about it sounds like a no. I want a yes."
I exhaled, playing with the edge of the napkin. "You're persistent. You asked Me that for the third time in twenty four hours."
"And you're impossible," he grinned. "So that balances us out, I guess."
I didn't answer, but I didn't say no either.