On Sunday afternoon, because it was a holiday, Luca had just woken up after staying up all night working on a project for his upcoming graduation. Today, he just wanted to relax at home. Luca rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and reached for his phone on the nightstand. 12:43pm. Too late to be considered a decent amount of sleep for a normal person, but still an improvement over the last few nights, which had been filled with far too many all-nighters.
He opened his phone, blinking at the glare of the screen. He had several text messages from Seo-in, asking him to call her or stop by her house and spend some time with her. He hadn't seen her since Tuesday, and he felt guilty, knowing she would probably be disappointed that he had once again put her behind his work, but there was just no time.
Luca replied to Seo-in's message and apologized that he wouldn't be able to visit her until later that afternoon. He felt bad about telling Seo-in that he couldn't see her, but he didn't want to worry her by talking about the state of his apartment. The room was a mess, and the mold growing on the walls was getting worse. The apartment smelled faintly of damp air and instant noodles. The mold on the wall had grown into shapes he didn't remember seeing last week.
He got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. He stared into the mirror. The man looking back had hair thet stuck out in every direction. He poked at the dark cicles under his eyes. As if he checking whether exhaustion has finally taken physical form. Luca grabbed a brush and ran it through his tousled hair, trying to make himself look a little more presentable. He splashed some water on his face, hoping to hide the dark circles under his eyes, but they remained stubborn.
"I guess I should buy some eye cream after that project is done," he muttered to himself.
The bags under his eyes were a permanent fixture on his face nowadays. He had been pushing himself too hard with his studies and the side projects he was working on. It was taking a toll on his physical appearance and his mental health, but he told himself it would be worth it in the end.
The thin little man walked back to his bedroom and started rummaging through his drawers, trying to find a pair of clean clothes. His room was a mess, with clothes and books scattered everywhere. He realized he hadn't done laundry in weeks and most of the clothes he found were dirty.
He ended up putting on a faded, oversized hoodie with a few stains and a pair of jeans that looked and smelled clean enough. He checked his appearance again in the mirror, hoping Seo-in wouldn't notice how much of a mess he was.
Luca was acutely aware of how much more put together Seo-in was compared to him. She was from a wealthy, academic family of medical and business professionals, and she always looked immaculate, with her perfect skin and her tailored clothes. He sometimes wondered why she had fallen for him in the first place.
He sighed and picked up his phone again, scrolling through his texts from Seo-in. He couldn't help but feel like he didn't deserve her. She was too good for him, he thought. He was a mess in every sense of the word, and she was this perfect, sweet, rich, beautiful, and kind girl who had a bright future ahead of her.
The door bell rang, and Luca's heart skipped. Of course, it was her, no one else ever came without warning.
"What was she doing here?" He glanced around the apartment, realizing how much of a mess everything was.
It definitely wasn't in any state to welcome Seo-in in. He walked to the front door and opened it. Seo-in was standing outside, smiling at him. She was just as beautiful as always, dressed in a stylish white summer dress and with her hair falling perfectly over her shoulders. Standing beside her were two large suitcases, which seemed strangely out of place.
"Hase," Luca said, his heart racing. "What are you doing here?" He tried to keep his voice casual, not wanting her to notice the state of his apartment behind him.
"Of course I wanted to see you," she leaned sideways, trying to peek into the apartment. "Don't you miss me, even a little?"
Luca tried to block her view of the apartment. "Of course, I miss you," he said, forcing a smile. "But I was just about to go to see you."
Seo-in looked at him, her eyes scanning his messy appearance.
"You look tired," she said, a hint of concern in her voice.
Luca's heart sank. He knew he looked like a mess right now. The dark circles under his eyes and the rumpled clothes were probably giving away just how exhausted and overwhelmed he felt.
"I'm fine," he tried to brush it off. "Just a few sleepless nights, that's all."
Seo-in's expression softened into one of worry. "That's not fine, Luca. You look like you haven't slept in days. You know that much stress is terrible for you."
Luca sighed, feeling even more guilty. She was right. He was neglecting his health, and it was showing. Suddenly, the young woman wrapped her arms around his thin body.
"But it's okay," she said, smiling. "Because I've decided to stay with you!"
Luca froze as Seo-in enveloped him in a tight hug. He could feel her body pressed against his, and her sweet scent filled his nostrils. His heart felt like it was on the brink of bursting.
"W-what do you mean, you've decided to stay with me?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"Exactly what I said," she murmured, her voice muffled against his chest, "I'm staying here. With you … for now."
Luca pulled back slightly to look at her face. "But, what about your family?" he asked, his mind racing. Her family despised him. They would certainly not be happy with this decision.
"They won't know, they're busy," Seo-in said while looking at her boyfriend's face, "don't worry, I can help you pay the rent too."
Luca's mind was a tangled mess of emotions. The thought of Seo-in staying with him, helping him, was both tantalizing and terrifying. But he couldn't shake the feeling that her family would find out eventually, and when they did, there would be hell to pay.
He took a deep breath. "Hase, I don't know-" he started, but she interrupted him with a finger on his lips.
"Don't think too much," she said softly, her eyes fixed on his. "Just let me stay here with you, alright? I've missed you."
Luca's resistance crumbled under the weight of her gaze. He had missed her too, desperately. Her words and her presence was like a soothing balm to his soul. He felt tired, so tired. And the thought of her being here, taking care of him ... it was too tempting to refuse.
He let out a soft sigh of resignation. "Okay," he said, finally giving in. "You can stay here with me."