The day had come. The project was finally ready to be submitted. Sungho had watched the clock ticking down the hours, each passing minute reminding him that this quiet partnership with Riwoo was coming to an end. The library, once a calm sanctuary where they'd worked side by side, now buzzed with the noise of students submitting their work and preparing to head off to their next tasks. It felt like the end of something important, something he hadn't fully realized he cared about until it was almost over.

Riwoo was packing his things, folding his notebook neatly and slipping it into his bag. His movements were calm, methodical, as always. Sungho watched him for a moment, the weight of the approaching goodbye settling heavily on his chest.

It wasn't like they'd become best friends. Sungho hadn't expected that. But they had shared something—something small and quiet, but still significant. He couldn't pinpoint it, but there had been a shift in the way they interacted, something that made their time together feel more meaningful than just completing a project. They hadn't needed to talk much; the silence between them had never been uncomfortable, never awkward. In fact, it had been comfortable, almost like a rhythm that neither of them had to force.

Now, with the project almost finished, Sungho felt the edges of that rhythm starting to fade. He wasn't ready for it to end. Not yet.

Riwoo glanced up from his bag, meeting Sungho's gaze for a brief moment before returning to his task. "Are you ready to submit it?" he asked quietly, his voice calm as always.

Sungho hesitated, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he admired  Riwoo's voice. "Yeah, I guess," he murmured, though his tone lacked the usual confidence. "I just... I don't know. It doesn't feel like it should end here."

Riwoo raised an eyebrow slightly, a small, unreadable smile tugging at his lips. "End? It's just a project."

Sungho's heart fluttered unexpectedly at the faint smile. "I know, but... I mean, we've been working together for a while now. It's been nice, you know?" His voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat, feeling the words hang in the air awkwardly for a moment.

"I guess I just didn't expect to feel like... well, like I actually wanted to keep working with you."

There it was—he'd said it. The truth, plain and simple. But Sungho didn't feel embarrassed about it. He didn't need to.

Riwoo tilted his head slightly, his eyes softening for a second. "I get it," he said quietly, still not saying much, but in a way, his words spoke volumes. "It's been good working together."

Sungho smiled, feeling a small sense of relief. "Yeah. It really has been. I guess I just didn't want it to be over so soon."

There was a pause, and for a moment, it seemed like neither of them knew quite what to say. Riwoo packed the last of his things into his bag, his expression thoughtful.

"Well," he said, standing up slowly, "we've still got time to submit it. No need to rush the end."

Sungho glanced up, meeting Riwoo's eyes, a subtle understanding passing between them. No promises, no grand declarations—just the unspoken acknowledgment that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't really the end.

Without saying another word, they walked side by side to the submission desk. Sungho glanced at Riwoo once more, and for the first time, he realized how comfortable this quiet understanding between them had become.

It wasn't awkward. It wasn't forced. It was just there, like an invisible thread that neither of them had bothered to pull at too hard.

As they reached the desk, Sungho gave a small, almost imperceptible smile. "Not yet," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

Riwoo didn't respond, but the faint glimmer in his eyes told Sungho everything he needed to know. They were both in the same place—no need to rush, no need to say goodbye just yet.

Not yet.

AUTHORS NOTE: 

okay its lowk awkward and soo short but what are you're thoughts?