On his days off, Ma Yuseong always had a plan in mind. He didn't like boredom, and more importantly, he wanted to spend time with Baek Yuseol. So he often invited him out. Sometimes it was to crowded and brightly lit festivals, sometimes he invited him to the suburbs to camp in the wilderness. Sometimes, they simply strolled around the streets, wandering through the bustling stalls, or went to amusement parks together, where laughter and lively sounds surrounded them.

Of course, Yuseol didn't always agree immediately. He was still cautious and wary of Ma Yuseong. He was busy and didn't like to spend time on unnecessary things, sometimes he was even a little reluctant when being dragged into such activities. But strangely, the number of times he refused Ma Yuseong was very small. Perhaps because even if he didn't say it, he needed some time to de-stress from the invisible pressures of the academy and fight

Those outings weren't just for relaxation - they helped the two of them learn more about each other, about the little habits that they normally didn't notice. Yuseol didn't like eating too many sweets, but he could sit for hours sipping a cup of herbal tea. He didn't seem interested in games that were too risky, but he never refused to take on a challenge if provoked. Sometimes, in the middle of the outings, Ma Yuseong would intentionally create some small situations to test how Yuseol would react - just to satisfy his curiosity

There were days when they enjoyed the peace of sitting together on the grass, looking up at the starry sky, not needing to say much but still feeling comfortable. But there were times when their outings turned into a bustling journey, when Ma Yuseong dragged Yuseol into endless fun, leaving him speechless and unable to agree to go along

Occasionally, Aiselle would join them. She made the atmosphere livelier. But even with another companion, Ma Yuseong's attention was always focused more on Yuseol. He was never too obvious or impolite to Aiselle, still talking to her, still being polite, but his subtle actions were all directed towards Yuseol - from adjusting his jacket when it got cold, to choosing the spicy dishes he liked when ordering

Ma Yuseong knew how to give Yuseol his full attention without making anyone feel awkward. And with each passing outing, the bond between them grew stronger - naturally, unforced, but also impossible to ignore

Although Yuseol mostly agreed to go out with Ma Yuseong, there was one time when things didn't go as smoothly as usual.

That afternoon, Ma Yuseong asked Yuseol out to a small cafe in the city. This time, Ma Yuseong had a more specific goal - to find out what kind of person he liked. He didn't hesitate to agree right away, because after all, a relaxing afternoon in a cafe was a pretty good way to relieve stress.

As the two of them sat down, Ma Yuseong rested his chin on his hand and watched Yuseol flip through the menu, the corners of his lips curling up into a meaningful smile.

"What do you usually drink when you go to a cafe?" He asked.

Yuseol didn't think much about it, and randomly pointed to something.

"Black coffee"

Ma Yuseong raised his eyebrows, a little surprised.

"So bitter?"

"Yeah, bitter but refreshing" Yuseol replied, not too concerned.

Ma Yuseong rested his chin on his hand, thinking. It seemed that Yuseol liked strong, uncomplicated things. But then... what kind of person did he like? Thinking of this, he smiled slightly, deciding to ask directly

"Then what about the type of person you like?"

But before Yuseol could answer, the magic stone on his waist suddenly lit up. Seol frowned, pulling it out to listen. On the other end of the line was Aitaishira. Her voice was urgent, asking Yuseol to return quickly because there was something important. He was momentarily stunned, standing up, his expression clearly changing in haste

"Sorry, I have to go now"

"Wait" Ma Yuseong frowned "What's wrong? I'll go with you"

Yuseol immediately shook his head: "No need. I can handle it myself"

Without waiting for Ma Yuseong to say more, Yuseol disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Ma Yuseong sitting alone. He originally intended to take this opportunity to learn more about Yuseol, but unexpectedly the plan was ruined halfway. Furthermore, when he offered to go along to help, Yuseol flatly refused.

His gaze fell on the unfinished cup of coffee in front of him. The steam was still rising, as if its owner had never left in a hurry. He took a sip and chuckled.

"It's quite bitter"

He relaxed, leaning his head back on the chair, his crimson eyes reflecting the warm yellow light of the shop. But his heart was not warm at all.

Why didn't Yuseol want me to go along?

Could it be that he still didn't trust me enough?

Even though we had hung out together many times, even though we could comfortably talk about many things, when it came to important matters, Yuseol still chose to keep his distance. He didn't explain the reason, didn't let me help, and even left without hesitation. Ma Yuseong squeezed his palm lightly

Perhaps, he still hadn't built up enough trust in Yuseol's heart

He smiled slightly, but that smile carried a hint of bitterness, no different from the cup of black coffee in front of him. He told himself that next time he would definitely check Yuseol's schedule carefully before asking him out, to avoid a situation like today happening again.