Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

If anyone ever tells you "college is the best years of your life" you have my full permission to laugh in their face and tell them about me.

I came to university thinking I would get a decent roommate — maybe a fellow ordinary human with average social skills and an average sleep schedule. Instead, I got Till.

Till is — how do I put this — Imagine a haunted Victorian doll grew six feet tall, put on a black hoodie, and decided talking was optional.

That's my roommate.

Meeting the Final Boss of Social Awkwardness

The first time I walked into our shared dorm room, he was already there. Sitting on the corner bed, hood up, headphones in, scribbling in a notebook with the kind of focus you usually only see in people dismantling bombs.

I tried a friendly, "Hey, I am Acorn."

He looked up. Just looked.

No smile, no hi, not even a nod. Just a flat stare from behind those bangs like he was sizing me up for a coffin.

Naturally, I thought: Oh great, my roommate is going to kill me in my sleep.

Over the next few weeks, I learned that Till isn’t actually homicidal. He is just awkward.

Painfully awkward.

And because his resting face looks like he is constantly judging your life choices, people tend to keep their distance.

I also learned two other things:

1. Till is ridiculously talented — I have caught him composing music at 2AM that sounds like it belongs in a movie trailer.

2. Till draws. Like, insanely well. Little sketches of people and places, margins filled with doodles. Once I saw him drew our dorm kettle, and I swear the steam looked alive.

Did these talents make him easier to live with? No. They made him harder to hate, which is far more inconvenient.

The Confession Problem

It happened on a Tuesday night. I was halfway through a bag of chips when Till spoke first for the entire day.

"I need your help." He said.

I nearly choked. "With what?"

"Confessing."

I blinked at him. "Confessing what? Murder?"

He glared — which, to be fair, is his default expression — and muttered, "To someone I like."

That got my attention. "Oh. Who's the unlucky soul?"

"Mizi."

Right, Mizi.

The campus cheerleader, sunshine incarnate, and the kind of person who could ask you to help bury a body and you would agree before realizing what you would just signed up for.

She is often paired up with Ivan, the golden boy football captain, but I know for a fact she is dating Sua from the student council.

"Okay." I said slowly. "So what's the plan?"

Till shrugged. "Don't have one. I just want to tell her. Not because I think she will like me back. Just so I don't have to keep it in my head anymore."

He looked so genuinely deflated saying that, I almost — almost — felt bad.

My Terrible Advice

Now, if I had been smart, I would have said "Sorry, not my problem" and gone back to my chips. But unfortunately, I am cursed with a mild sense of human empathy.

So I told him, "Just write her a letter. Make it artsy. Draw some stuff. Slip it into her locker."

Till stared at me like I would just handed him the Rosetta Stone.

"That is... a good idea." He said, almost in awe.

I should have known right then that I would made a terrible, life-altering mistake.

Operation Love Letter

The next morning, Till was up earlier than I would ever seen him, hunched over his desk with pen and paper. I caught glimpses of tiny doodles — stars, flowers, maybe a fox — framing neat, deliberate handwriting.

By the time we left for classes, the letter was sealed in an envelope decorated with a little music note. It was, annoyingly, adorable.

I did not trust him not to somehow mess it up, so I decided to follow him after classes for moral support. By moral support, I mean to prevent a disaster.

Spoiler: I failed.

The Locker Incident

Mizi's locker is in the same row as Ivan's.

This is important.

Till was making his way down the hallway, trying to look casual and failing miserably. I was trailing a few meters back, pretending to scroll my phone.

Then Ivan appeared. Imagine the human embodiment of a golden retriever with a football — all smiles, loud voice, everyone's friend. He spotted Till instantly.

"Yo, goth boy!" Ivan grinned, jogging up. "What'cha hiding there?"

Till immediately went red. "None of your business."

Ivan leaned closer. "Oh, is it for me?"

"No—"

And in that moment, probably just to get away from him faster, Till shoved the envelope into the locker in front of him without looking.

Reader, it was not Mizi's locker.

The Dread

From my vantage point, I saw everything. And I knew. I knew.

That was Ivan's locker.

I had about three seconds to intervene before Ivan opened it, but my brain was too busy screaming.

The Confession That Wasn't

Fast forward to dismissal. The hallway was crowded. I was praying to every deity I could think of that Ivan had not checked his locker yet.

No such luck.

Ivan strode straight toward Till, holding the envelope. "Got your message."

Till blinked. "What?"

Ivan slung an arm around his shoulders, grinning at the growing audience. "I accept. Guess we're dating now."

The hallway erupted into gasps, whispers, and a distant "What the hell?!" from someone who clearly shipped Ivan with someone else.

Till: Frozen in place, red as a stoplight.

Me: Silently considering whether I could fake my own death and transfer schools.

Note to self:

1. Ivan loves chaos.

2. I will never, ever give Till advice again.

Unfortunately, life had other plans.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

If you have never experienced being ground zero for a campus-wide rumor explosion, I don't recommend it.

By the time we got to the cafeteria, I swear the entire school already knew Ivan had confessed to Till — except that's not even what happened, but try telling anyone that when gossip is involved.

The Cafeteria Disaster

Till and I walked in together — well, I walked in. Till shuffled in with the enthusiasm of a man on death row. Immediately, the room buzzed louder.

I heard snippets:

Are they really dating?"

"Never thought Ivan swung that way."

"Is Till even into people?"

"No way he is into Ivan, right?"

Ivan, naturally, was already at the center table like he owned the place.

The football team was gathered around, Mizi sitting a few seats down with Sua.

She looked surprised but not particularly shocked. Probably because Mizi has a talent for rolling with absolutely anything.

When Ivan spotted us, his grin widened like the damn sun. "Till! Babe!"

Till physically stopped walking. "Don't. Call. Me. That."

Ivan ignored him, patting the empty seat next to him. "Come, sit with me."

I whispered, "Just go. Maybe if you humor him, he will drop it faster."

Till shot me a look that could have cut through steel, but he went.

Ivan Being Ivan

Ivan immediately launched into conversation like they had been dating for years. "So, what do you want for dinner tonight? My treat."

Till: What?

"You know, date night." Ivan leaned his chin on his hand, studying Till like he was some puzzle he was determined to solve. "We could do pizza. Or ramen. Or both. I eat a lot."

Till muttered. "You're unbelievable."

Ivan beamed. "You're cute when you are annoyed."

Rumors on Steroids

The whispers in the cafeteria went nuclear. I swear one kid in the corner was already drafting a Top Ten Most Unexpected Campus Couples post for the university thread.

Even Sua from the student council passed by our table, eyebrows raised, murmuring, "So it is true."

Till groaned into his hands. I chewed on my sandwich and decided I was going to haunt my own grave when I died, just to spite Till for dragging me into this mess.

The Bullies

It happened while we were leaving the cafeteria.

A group of guys — not from football, not friends of Ivan — were leaning against the wall near the vending machines. They had that look.

One of them called out, "Yo, Ivan! Didn't know you like emo boys now."

Another added, "Guess football captains will date anyone these days."

Ivan's jaw tightened, but he kept walking. That is Ivan's usual tactic. He is popular, he is used to idiots, so he does not feed them.

Till, however, stopped.

Till Snaps

I had never seen him move so fast. One second he was behind Ivan, the next he was right in front of those guys, staring them down like he was about to summon a thunderstorm.

"Say that again." Till said, voice low and razor-sharp.

The lead guy scoffed. "What, you gonna fight me?"

Till stepped closer, close enough that the air felt heavier. "No. I am going to make sure you regret ever opening your mouth."

There was something about the way he said it. Calm, cold — that made all three of them shut up instantly. One mumbled something about just joking before they scattered.

IVAN'S POV 

Ivan had been ready to brush it off, same as always. But when Till stepped in for him it hit differently.

Till was not smiling, was not grandstanding. He was just there. Unshakable.

Ivan's chest felt weirdly tight, and when Till turned back toward him, the late afternoon light hit his eyes in a way that made Ivan's thoughts go fuzzy.

Oh no, Ivan thought. I'm in trouble.

ACORN'S POV

When Till returned, he muttered "Idiots." like it was nothing. But Ivan was staring at him like he had just seen a shooting star.

And me? I was just wondering how long it would take for this whole thing to turn into an actual relationship.

Spoiler: Not as long as Till would like.

Note to self:

Till might look like he cannot stand Ivan.

Ivan might act like this is all a game.

But if today proved anything, it is that they're both already halfway in deeper than they realize.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

The thing about Ivan is that he does not do things subtly.

So when he invited Till on a date for Saturday, he did it in the middle of the hallway, with at least three people recording on their phones.

"Come on, goth boy." Ivan said, all big smile and mock-pleading eyes. "Dinner and a movie. You pick the movie. I will even buy an overpriced popcorn."

Till, of course, flat-out said, "No."

Till's Reluctance (and Not-So-Secret Softness)

Later that night, Till was pacing our dorm room, muttering under his breath like a man preparing to survive an apocalypse.

"I am not going." He announced finally.

"Great." I said, not looking up from my laptop. "Tell him yourself so he does not camp outside our door."

Till stopped pacing. "What if he actually does?"

I shrugged. "Then he is your problem."

He went quiet for a moment, staring at the floor. That was when I caught it. The shift in his expression. The way his shoulders slumped just slightly, like he had remembered something unpleasant.

Or maybe like he felt guilty.

"He is going to be annoying about it if I don't show." Till grumbled finally. "Might as well go. Get it over with."

I narrowed my eyes. "Uh-huh. Sure. This is not because you are worried he will be sad or anything."

Till did not look at me. "Shut up."

Busted.

Operation "I'm Not Stalking Them"

I told myself I was not going to follow them.

Truly, I meant it.

But then Saturday rolled around, and somehow I was walking about twenty feet behind them, sunglasses on, hoodie up, trying to look inconspicuous.

For the record: I am terrible at looking inconspicuous.

The Venue Twist

Their date destination? A little cafe near campus. Cute, cozy, good coffee.

Also — plot twist — the place where Mizi and Sua work part-time.

I walked in just far enough to see them freeze in recognition. Sua raised an eyebrow, Mizi's grin turned downright mischievous.

"Oh!" Mizi sing-songed, approaching their table with a menu. "Fancy seeing you two here together."

Till glared. "We are just—"

"Dating? Yeah, we heard." She winked, clearly enjoying herself. "What can I get you lovebirds?"

Ivan grinned like it was Christmas. "I will take whatever you recommend, Mizi. Surprise me."

Till muttered something that sounded suspiciously like I regret everything.

The Not-So-Fake Date Vibes

From my booth (Yes, I sat down — don't judge me) I could see everything.

Ivan leaning in when Till talked, like he did not want to miss a single word.

Till pretending to ignore him but not moving away when their shoulders brushed.

Ivan laughing too loud at something that was not even funny, and Till fighting a smile like it was a life-or-death battle.

If this was just for fun, then I am the Queen of England.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan had not expected Till to actually show up. Part of him figured the emo would ghost him, and he would have to spend the day eating pizza alone.

But here he was, sitting across from Ivan, hoodie half-off, eyes darting everywhere but at him.

And Ivan could not stop noticing the little things:

The way Till's fingers tapped against his cup in rhythm.

The faint smudge of pencil on his wrist from drawing earlier.

He told himself he was just teasing. Just having fun. But when Till finally looked up and their eyes met, Ivan felt something warm curl in his chest that had nothing to do with the coffee.

ACORN'S POV

By the time the food arrived, I had completely abandoned the pretense of not stalking and was openly watching.

Mizi even brought me a muffin on the house because, apparently, she was in on the entertainment value.

I have no idea how this whole mess is going to play out, but one thing is certain:

Ivan is in deeper than he thinks, and Till's walls? Yeah, they are not as unshakable as he wants everyone to believe.

Note to self:

If this fake dating keeps going like this, I am going to need popcorn. And maybe a helmet. Because when these two finally figure themselves out, it is either going to be the cutest thing ever or a full-blown explosion.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

By the time they left the cafe, I was convinced two things were true:

1. Till was still pretending this was not a date.

2. Ivan was absolutely not pretending.

I considered going back to the dorm, but then I remembered that they were heading to the movies. And who in their right mind would skip the chance to watch Till suffer through two uninterrupted hours of Ivan's date mode?

So yes, I kept following them.

No, I don't have shame anymore.

The Encounter

They were halfway down the street to the theater when fate — or bad luck, which seems to follow Till like a shadow — decided to spice things up.

Luka and Hyuna stepped out of a little bakery, laughing about something. Luka was holding a paper bag of pastries, Hyuna had her arm looped casually through his.

I was not the only one who noticed.

Ivan: Yo, Luka! Hyuna!

Till (Under his breath): Oh no.

They turned, smiled and then the realization hit all of us at the same time: Luka and Hyuna were holding hands.

Ivan's eyebrows shot up. "Wait. Are you two...?"

Luka blinked. "Uh, yeah?" He glanced at Hyuna like he was not sure if they were supposed to keep it quiet.

Hyuna, bless her chaos-loving heart, grinned. "Yup. We are dating."

There was a beat of awkward silence as everyone processed that. Till actually looked flustered.

Which is rare, because usually he just looks annoyed at the concept of human interaction.

Then Hyuna's grin widened, and she said, "Hey! That means this is a double date!"

I swear Till almost choked on air. "It's not—"

Ivan cut in with a sunny, "Guess it is now."

Luka smirked at Till. "Didn't know you two were official."

Till: We are not.

Ivan: We are.

I was going to explode from secondhand embarrassment.

The Theater

By some unholy coincidence, Luka and Hyuna were also heading to the movies. And, because apparently the universe hates Till, they all ended up in the same row.

The movie was some cheesy action-comedy hybrid — Ivan's choice, obviously.

From my stealth seat a few rows back, I had a perfect view of Ivan leaning toward Till before the trailers even started.

"You scared of jump scares, goth boy?" He whispered.

"No." Till deadpanned.

Ivan smirked. "Good. Means I can grab your hand without you running away."

Till glared at him, but the tips of his ears went pink.

Ivan's Date Mode

It started with subtle things:

Offering Till popcorn (which he pretended to refuse but still took).

Leaning close to point out ridiculous plot holes.

Whisper-laughing at the same dumb jokes.

Then the first scary moment hit — a sudden explosion on screen — and Ivan, with all the seriousness of a stage actor, flung his arm across Till's shoulders like he was shielding him from danger.

Till hissed. "Stop it."

Ivan grinned. "Can't. You're in my blast radius now."

Somewhere in front of them, Hyuna whispered something to Luka that made him snort into his drink.

IVAN'S POV

About halfway through, Ivan realized Till was not pulling away anymore. In fact, he was still sitting with Ivan's arm around him, eyes fixed on the screen.

Ivan did not say anything about it. He just kept still, letting the contact feel natural.

When Till shifted slightly, leaning just enough to brush their knees together, Ivan felt his chest tighten in that now-familiar way.

He told himself it was nothing. Just for fun. Just teasing.

He didn't believe himself.

ACORN'S POV

By the time the credits rolled, Luka and Hyuna were already teasing them about date night and offering to grab dessert together. Ivan looked like he was considering it.

Till looked like he was weighing whether murder charges were worth it.

They ended up heading straight back to campus. I trailed behind, ready to duck away if they noticed me.

The Thank You

They paused at the dorm entrance. Ivan was still wearing that easy grin, but it had softened somehow.

"Thanks for coming." He said.

Till shifted his weight. "You're annoying."

"I know."

There was a pause. Till's voice dropped, almost too quiet for me to hear: "But thanks."

Ivan's smile faltered in a good way. Like he was caught off guard by the honesty.

Then Till headed inside without waiting for a response, hoodie pulled up.

Ivan just stood there for a moment, watching him go, before following.

Note to self:

Till does not thank people lightly. And Ivan? Yeah, he heard that loud and clear.

If this is not the start of something real, then I will eat Luka's pastries.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

You ever see two people talking and think:

Oh yeah, that is a ship waiting to happen.

That was me today.

Except the two people were Ivan and Luka (and Luka is obviously dating Hyuna, but well—)

And the person watching them with an unreadable expression was Till.

Yeah. Something's brewing, and for once, it is not my coffee.

The Scene

It started in the student lounge. Ivan had just finished practice, hair still damp, jersey sleeves pushed up.

Luka was there doing some student council paperwork, looking like he stepped out of a campus heartthrob magazine shoot.

Somehow, they ended up side-by-side on the couch, talking and laughing about — I don't know — football strategy? Pastries? Global economic collapse?

From where I was sitting (totally not eavesdropping), it looked comfortable.

Easy. They had the kind of effortless banter that made people assume they had known each other forever.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan hadn't planned to talk to Luka about it. But when Luka brought up the whole double date thing from the weekend, Ivan heard himself say, "I actually like him."

Luka blinked. "Like, actually?"

Ivan nodded, leaning back. "Yeah. At first I thought it would just be funny, you know? Tease him a bit, see how long before he caved. Since he likes me, you know? So, I want to see him figure out himself that I am bad for him. But he is different. The way he sees people. The way he doesn't take crap from anyone."

He rubbed the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly. "Don't tell him I said any of that, though. He would probably disappear into the nearest shadow."

Luka smirked. "Your secret is safe. But you might wanna tell him before he gets the wrong idea about — well, anything.”

Ivan laughed. "Yeah. Guess I should."

TILL'S POV

Till had not meant to linger in the hallway outside the lounge. He had been on his way to grab a drink when he heard Ivan's laugh — that low, warm sound that somehow got under his skin.

He glanced in, and there they were. Ivan and Luka, leaning toward each other, smiling like the world outside did not exist. Luka's hand brushed Ivan's shoulder when he made some point, and Ivan did not move away.

Till felt something.

A pang in his chest, sharp and unwelcome.

It did not make sense. Luka was objectively good-looking. Bright eyes, perfect hair. The kind of person people noticed. And Ivan looked good next to him. Too good.

Till frowned, realizing his hands were curled into fists.

Why do I care?

He did not stick around to find out. He turned and walked away, fast.

ACORN'S POV

By the time Till came back to the dorm, he was quieter than usual. Which, considering his baseline is already barely speaks unless forced, was saying something.

I asked. "You okay?"

He muttered. "Fine."

Translation: Absolutely not fine.

A Silent Evening

The rest of the night was just odd.

Till sat at his desk sketching, but the lines were sharper, more jagged than usual. Ivan did not drop by like he sometimes did.

And every so often, Till would glance at his phone like he was expecting. Or maybe hoping — for a message that never came.

If I did not know better, I would think he was jealous. But that would mean he actually liked Ivan, and there is no way he would admit that, right?

Note to self:

If this turns into a full-blown love triangle misunderstanding, I am buying popcorn in bulk.

Also, Till's sketchbook is starting to look like a crime scene.

That cannot be a good sign.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV 

Dear Diary,

Some people get quiet when they are upset. Till gets quieter.

Which is impressive, considering he already communicates like a haunted house. Minimal sound, unsettling stares, and the occasional door slam.

The Tension

It had been two days since Till saw Ivan and Luka in the lounge.

Two days of short answers, avoiding eye contact, and strategically walking in the opposite direction if he spotted Ivan in the hallway.

Ivan, predictably, didn't take this well.

I caught him outside our dorm one afternoon, leaning against the wall with his practice bag slung over one shoulder. "Is he mad at me?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Probably. Don't ask me why. I just live here."

Luka Gets Involved

Later that day, Luka stopped me in the cafeteria. "So, Till's avoiding Ivan."

I raised an eyebrow. "You noticed too, huh?"

Luka smirked. "I might know why. And I might be able to fix it."

When Luka says things like that, it's hard to tell if he's being helpful or just stirring the pot for entertainment.

Spoiler: This time it was both.

TILL'S POV

Luka found Till in the art room, hunched over his sketchbook.

"You are mad at Ivan." Luka said, because subtlety is for people who aren't Luka.

Till didn't look up. "I'm not mad."

"Right." Luka said, sitting across from him. "You are just ignoring him, which is totally different."

Till's pencil paused mid-line. Luka leaned in, voice casual. "You know, he was talking to me in the lounge the other day because he was telling me how much he likes you."

Till's head snapped up. "What?"

"Yeah." Luka said, shrugging like it was no big deal. "Said you're different. That you see people for who they are. It was weirdly sweet, actually."

Till stared at him for a long moment, then looked away, muttering. "I thought you two were..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Luka grinned. "You thought we were what? Dating? Did you forget that I am dating Hyuna, and very much smitten to her?"

Till did not answer.

Luka chuckled. "Relax, emo boy. Ivan's into you, not me."

Clearing the Air

Till did not go looking for Ivan, but fate (and Luka's subtle "you should go that way" suggestion) put them in the same hallway later that evening.

Ivan perked up immediately. "Hey. You have been avoiding me."

Till shifted uncomfortably. "I thought you and Luka..."

Ivan blinked, then laughed — big, warm, relieved laughter. "Oh my god, were you jealous?"

"I wasn't—" Till started, but Ivan was already grinning like he had won the lottery.

"You were. That is cute."

Till groaned. "Forget I said anything."

But Ivan stepped closer, his voice softer now. "For the record, there is no one else I would rather have a fake relationship with."

Till muttered. "It is not fake." Then immediately looked like he wanted to swallow his own words.

Ivan just smiled. "Exactly."

The Drawing

They walked back to the dorm together, conversation lighter now. When they reached the door, Till hesitated before fishing something out of his bag — a folded sheet of paper.

He handed it to Ivan without meeting his eyes. "I drew this. When I was frustrated."

Ivan unfolded it and nearly forgot how to breathe.

It was him — not just a portrait, but him in a way photos never caught.

The curve of his grin, the messy hair after practice, the kind of detail that only comes from someone paying very close attention.

Before Ivan could say anything, Till muttered, "It's nothing. Just keep it or whatever."

Then he ducked inside and shut the door.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan stared at the drawing for a full minute, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt.

Then, once he was sure no one was in the hallway, he made a sound that could only be described as a high-pitched squeal.

"Holy crap." He whispered, clutching the paper like it was priceless. "He drew me."

He walked away still smiling, already planning exactly where he was going to frame it.

Note to self:

If Ivan's smile gets any bigger, his face is going to split in half.

And Till? Yeah, he is not fooling anyone anymore.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV 

Dear Diary,

There are a lot of things I do not understand about Till.

Why he owns six different hoodies in varying shades of black hole.

Why he likes to eat cereal at exactly 2AM.

And, apparently, why he would willingly wait outside in a thunderstorm for Ivan.

The Setup

Classes were suspended by noon because of the storm. It was not just rain. It was the biblical flood kind, with sideways wind and the occasional tree branch doing aerial tricks.

Most people rushed back to their dorms, but not Till. No, Till stood by the football field entrance, hoodie pulled up, looking like some tragic indie film protagonist.

Why? Because Ivan said he had to check on the football club's storage room.

Me: You could just text him later.

Till: He's going to be carrying stuff. He will need help.

This, for the record, is the same Till who insists he does not care about Ivan like that.

IVAN'S POV

When Ivan saw Till waiting, soaked to the bone, his first thought was, "What the hell is he doing here?" His second thought was, "He looks freezing."

"You are insane." Ivan said, jogging up to him.

"You are late." Till replied, deadpan.

Ivan grinned, shaking water from his hair. "You could have stayed in the dorm."

Till shrugged. "You would just complain later if you had to carry everything yourself."

Ivan did not argue, mostly because his chest felt unreasonably warm despite the cold rain.

The Storage Problem

The football club's storage area was basically a glorified shed with a temperamental lock.

The rain had gotten to it, and now the latch stuck unless they wedged it open with a piece of scrap wood.

Ivan grabbed a couple of gear bags, tossing them inside. "Till, can you hold the door while I—"

The wedge slipped. The door swung shut with a thunk that echoed like doom.

Ivan froze. "Please tell me you have your phone."

Till checked his pockets. "No signal."

Ivan sighed. "Well. Guess we live here now."

Close Quarters

The storage room was not big. Maybe four steps across. There were shelves of helmets and footballs, a faint smell of turf, and now, two soaked college students trying not to shiver.

Ivan leaned back against the wall, watching Till wring out his hoodie. "You are dripping everywhere."

"So are you." Till muttered.

Ivan grinned. "Guess we will just have to share body heat, then."

Till gave him a flat look. "That's not how—"

"It is exactly how survival works." Ivan said, already moving closer.

TILL'S POV

Ivan was ridiculous.

He was all warm hands and casual confidence, leaning into Till's space like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Till told himself it was just for warmth. That the pounding in his ears was from the storm outside, not the way Ivan's arm slid around his shoulders.

But Ivan's breath was warm against his temple, and his heartbeat, steady and strong, was right there if Till shifted just slightly closer.

The Moment

The rain drummed on the roof, drowning out everything else. Ivan was still talking. Something about how "at least the footballs are dry" when Till tilted his head up and kissed him.

It was not planned. It was not even something he'd thought about for more than a second.

One moment he was just there, in Ivan's space, and the next he was leaning in, pressing his mouth to Ivan's like it was inevitable.

Ivan went perfectly still, then kissed him back without hesitation, one hand cupping the side of Till's face like he might disappear if he let go.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan had imagined kissing Till before — not that he'd ever admit it out loud.

But nothing in his daydreams came close to the real thing:

The cool press of rain-damp lips, the faint taste of whatever tea Till always drank, the way Till's shoulders relaxed just enough for Ivan to feel it.

When they finally broke apart, Ivan grinned. "So, was that for warmth, too?"

Till rolled his eyes. "Shut up." But his voice was softer than usual.

ACORN'S POV

By the time they got rescued, which was like, an hour later, both of them looked different.

Not in the obvious "we just kissed" way (though I swear Ivan's grin was suspicious), but in the subtle way two people look when something has shifted between them.

Till did not say anything when they walked back to the dorm. But he also did not flinch when Ivan's hand brushed his.

Note to self:

If the storm was nature's way of playing matchmaker, it's got a better success rate than most dating apps.

Chapter Text

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Did Anyone Else See That in the Hallway?!

🐝 cheerqueen98:

OK so, Ivan??? Just told??? Till??? That he "accepts" and now they're dating??? In front of everyone??

🏈 qb4life:

Confirmed. Was three lockers down. Ivan looked way too pleased for someone being "accidentally confessed to."

🎨 sketchwitch:

Till??? The art major who never talks??? I thought he was allergic to eye contact??

📢 loudandproud:

This is the best thing that's ever happened on campus. Someone please start a ship name thread.

Campus Chatter → Relationships → Dating Advice(?)

Thread: Cafeteria PDA?

📷 candidcam:

Saw Ivan call Till "babe" at lunch. Till told him not to. Ivan ignored him. Are we taking bets on how long before they actually start dating?

🍵 teaspiller:

They're already dating. The rest is just denial.

💅 hyunafan:

Till scared off three dudes by just looking at them today. My money's on Ivan falling harder after that.

Campus Chatter → General → What Did I Just Witness

Thread: Double Date Energy??

🥐 bunlover:

Hyuna and Luka spotted at the movies with... Till and Ivan??? Was this planned???

🎥 movienerd:

Ivan had his arm around Till the whole time. Till didn’t move away.

Do with that what you will.

👀 stealthwatcher:

I swear I heard Till thank Ivan afterward. Soft goth moment confirmed.

Campus Chatter → Art & Media → Found: Mysterious Portrait

Thread: Ivan's got a fanartist?

🖌 pastelpainter:

Someone said Till gave Ivan a drawing of him?? Like... a good one??

🥲 hopelessromantic:

That's basically a love letter in art form. No one can convince me otherwise.

📦 storagegremlin:

Bet it's framed already.

 

Campus Chatter → General → The Storm

Thread: STORM KISS???

⛈ dramaenthusiast:

Two people trapped in the football storage shed during the thunderstorm...

Rumor says they kissed.

🏈 teamcaptainstan:

It is not a rumor. Coach walked in after and Ivan was grinning like a maniac.

🌧 rainfan:

Nature is the ultimate matchmaker.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

I thought the storm drama was peak ridiculousness for Till and Ivan.

Turns out, I was wrong.

Because today, Till did not show up to class. And Ivan noticed.

The Morning

Ivan caught me in the cafeteria before practice.

"Where's Till?" He asked, balancing a tray stacked with enough food for three people.

"In bed." I said. "Fever. Probably from being soaked in that storm with you."

Ivan's expression changed instantly. The easy grin was suddenly gone. "Fever? How bad?"

I shrugged. "Bad enough he skipped class. He's coughing and sneezing like an old man. Should be fine in a day or two."

Ivan did not answer.

He just muttered something about checking on him later.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan told himself he would swing by after practice.

Instead, he showed up at their dorm at 8PM, fresh from a shower, hair still damp, carrying a bag of groceries and a stubborn knot of worry in his chest.

Acorn opened the door. "He is asleep. Or pretending to be."

Ivan slipped past him anyway.

Till, Sick Edition

Till looked — well — sick. His hair was a mess, cheeks flushed from fever, hoodie zipped up to his chin like it might keep the germs in. A half-empty cup of tea sat on the desk beside his bed.

"You look awful." Ivan said, trying to keep his voice light.

Till cracked one eye open. "You look worse."

Ivan grinned. "Nice to see the fever did not kill your attitude."

He set the grocery bag down and pulled out a container of soup. "Eat something. And take your meds."

The Caretaking

At first, Till resisted.

Something about not wanting to be fussed over. But Ivan ignored him, coaxing him to sit up and spooning out soup like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Till muttered. "I can feed myself."

Ivan smirked. "Yeah, but this is more fun for me."

Despite the sarcasm, Till didn't push him away. In fact, he leaned a little into Ivan's side once the food was gone, head resting briefly against his shoulder before he realized what he was doing and straightened.

ACORN'S POV

From my sleeping position on the top bunk, I had a perfect view of this whole Hallmark movie scene.

Ivan wiping crumbs off Till's hoodie.

Till letting it happen without biting his hand off.

Ivan tucking the blanket tighter around him like he was fragile.

I honestly didn't know whether to be impressed or nauseated.

TILL'S POV

The fever made everything hazy. Like the edges of his thoughts were softer than usual.

Normally, he would keep some distance, but tonight, he didn't feel like it.

Ivan was warm, and his voice was low and steady when he asked if Till needed anything. Till didn't, but he still shook his head slowly just to keep Ivan there a little longer.

When Ivan's hand brushed his hair back from his forehead to check his temperature, Till's chest did a strange, uncomfortable flip.

The Almost-Nap

At some point, Ivan shifted so he was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs stretched out. Till ended up leaning against him, half-dozing.

Ivan murmured something he did not quite catch — probably a joke — but the tone was too gentle for teasing.

"Thanks." Till said, surprising himself.

Ivan glanced down, eyebrows raised. "For what?"

Till hesitated. "For being here."

Ivan's smile was small but real. "Always."

ACORN'S POV

(Also, my BREAKING POINT.)

I lasted until Ivan brushed his thumb over Till's cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world.

That was my limit.

"Okay, I am awake." I said loudly, sitting up. "If you are going to start making out, can you at least wait until I am out of the room?"

Till groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. Ivan laughed, but he didn't deny anything.

Note to self:

If this is them when one of them is sick, I am terrified to see them when they are both healthy.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Some things in life you think you will never see.

Bigfoot. A polite group project partner. Till initiating physical affection.

And yet, here we are.

The Quiet Weeks

Ivan's football club had some big competition coming up, which apparently meant "practice until your body gives out and your friends forget what you look like."

Till, of course, claimed it didn't bother him.

"It's not like we are joined at the hip." He said, scrolling through his phone with zero expression.

But I noticed things.

The way he would check his messages when he thought no one was looking.

The way his playlist got sadder.

The way he would sigh, quietly, but enough to be heard when his phone stayed silent.

It wasn't dramatic. It was subtle. Which somehow made it worse.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan didn't mean to ignore him.

He told himself that Till understood.

That they would just pick things up when the competition was over.

Still, he would catch himself glancing at his phone mid-practice, wondering if Till had texted.

Half the time, he almost did.

The other half, he told himself to focus. This was important.

ACORN'S POV

It was a Saturday afternoon, skies overcast, the field muddy from last night's rain. I was walking with Till across campus when we cut near the football field. A shortcut, according to him.

The team was running drills. Ivan was there, hair damp with sweat, jersey streaked with dirt.

He spotted us and jogged over, grinning despite looking like he had just fought a small war. "Hey."

That's when Till did it.

TILL'S POV

He did not plan it.

One moment Ivan was about to run past. The next, Till's fingers hooked into the hem of Ivan's shirt, tugging just enough to stop him.

Ivan blinked. "What—"

Till stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him. Not a quick, awkward pat-on-the-back hug, but a full, stay-there-for-a-second hug.

He felt Ivan freeze for a moment before his arms came up, holding him tight.

And god, it felt good. Too good.

Warm in a way Till had been missing without realizing it.

ACORN'S POV

My brain short-circuited. I literally stopped walking and just stared.

Because here's the thing:

Till does not do that.

Till does not initiate hugs.

Till barely tolerates high fives.

And now here he was, in the middle of the football field, clinging to Ivan like he was the last lifeboat on the Titanic.

Ivan's teammates were definitely watching. Some were pretending not to. Others just grinned like they had been waiting for this moment.

I, meanwhile, stood there with my mouth open like an idiot.

Aftermath

When they finally pulled apart, Ivan was smiling in that way he only does for Till — softer, almost shy.

"You okay?" He asked quietly.

Till nodded. "...Just wanted to."

Ivan didn't tease him for it. Didn't joke. He just reached out, brushed his thumb over Till's sleeve, and said "I am glad you did."

Then he jogged back to practice, leaving Till looking lighter somehow.

Note to self:

I don't know what is happening between them anymore, but I am 90% sure we are past the "fake dating" stage. And maybe — just maybe — Till knows it too.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

There are three things I never thought I'd witness in my college life:

1. Me voluntarily attending a sports event.

2. Till willingly sitting in a crowd.

3. Till yelling loud enough to be heard over a marching band.

Yet here we are.

The Reluctant Supporter

Till claimed he was "just going to watch" Ivan's competition because "he's been practicing for weeks" and "someone should make sure he doesn't break his neck."

Translation: He wanted to be there.

Of course, I got dragged along. "Moral support." Till said.

Which apparently meant "sit next to me so I can pretend I am not here for the actual football."

Mizi's Entrance

We found seats near the middle of the bleachers. Mizi bounced over in her cheer uniform, all smiles and glitter.

"You should cheer for him!" she said, practically glowing.

Till blinked. "That's ridiculous."

Then, realizing how that sounded: "But you're not ridiculous. Just the idea. For me."

Mizi laughed. "Trust me, he'd love it. Even if you just yelled his name once."

Till muttered something that sounded like "not happening" and waved her off.

IVAN'S POV

From the field, Ivan spotted them immediately. Till sitting stiff-backed, Acorn lounging beside him, Mizi chatting away.

It made something in his chest ease, knowing Till was there.

He wanted to play well anyway, but now, yeah, he wanted to show off a little.

The Game — First Half

From kickoff, Ivan was everywhere.

As the team's quarterback, he wasn't just throwing the ball — he was reading the defense, calling quick audibles, and running plays that had the crowd roaring.

First quarter, he faked a handoff and launched a perfect spiral downfield for a touchdown.

His teammates swarmed him, helmets tapping his in celebration.

Till didn't clap, but Ivan caught the way his eyes followed him all the way back to the sideline.

The Hits Start Coming

By the second quarter, the other team figured out the obvious — Ivan was their biggest problem.

They started blitzing hard, sending extra players after him every time he dropped back.

One linebacker came in late, slamming into him after the throw.

The ref's whistle stayed silent. The crowd groaned.

The next play, a defensive end grabbed his facemask just long enough to throw him off balance.

Again, no call.

Ivan got up each time, but slower.

His jersey was streaked with turf, and anyone could see him flexing his shoulder between snaps.

Till Gets Tense

Till's grip on the bleacher railing tightened every time Ivan hit the ground.

He leaned forward just enough to make people think he might jump onto the field if it got worse.

Another late hit. Ivan shook it off, but Acorn saw Till's jaw clench.

The Final Drive

Fourth quarter. Tie game. Less than a minute left.

Ivan lined up in shotgun formation, scanning the field as the ball snapped.

The defense crashed toward him. Two linemen breaking through, a linebacker coming off the edge.

He could have gone down right there.

The Moment

"IVAN!" Till's voice cracked through the stadium noise. "You can do it!"

Ivan kept his eyes downfield, pump-faked once, then tucked the ball and ran — cutting between defenders, stiff-arming one, diving across the goal line as the horn sounded.

TOUCHDOWN.

The stadium exploded. His teammates tackled him in celebration.

ACORN'S POV

The second the game ended, Till sat back down like nothing happened. His ears were red. He looked like he wanted to dig a hole under the bleachers and live there forever.

I turned to him slowly. "Did you just—"

"Shut up." Till muttered, not meeting my eyes.

Note to self:

Ivan's grin when he looked up at the bleachers afterward? Yeah, that wasn't for the win. That was for Till. And Till knows it.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Some people are subtle with romance.

They keep it quiet. Private. Understated.

Ivan is not one of those people.

The Aftermath of the Win

The field was chaos. The scoreboard still flashed the final score. Teammates were hugging, helmets were flying in the air, and the cheer squad was yelling like they had just been given free tuition.

I was busy trying to drag Till toward the exit before the human tidal wave swallowed us, but Ivan had other plans.

IVAN'S POV

The game was great. The win was great.

But honestly? The moment Till shouted his name? That was the highlight.

So when Ivan spotted him trying to sneak away in the bleachers, he did not hesitate. He jogged over, ignoring the pats on his back and the "Nice play, Captain!" calls.

"Till!"

He froze like a cat caught in a flashlight beam.

ACORN'S POV

Ivan was sweaty, muddy, and glowing with victory. Till was — well, Till.

Which is to say: Clearly seconds from bolting.

"Why are you running off so fast?" Ivan asked, grinning.

"Because you are gross." Till said flatly, eyeing the mud on Ivan's jersey.

Ivan leaned in just enough for the crowd to notice. "You cheered for me."

Till's ears turned crimson. "I — That was—"

"Loudly." Ivan added, like he was announcing the weather.

The Public Scene

And then. Then. Ivan decided to ruin my life as a witness.

In front of the entire crowd, he reached out, grabbed Till's hand, and lifted it up like they had just won a couples competition.

"This guy." Ivan said — loudly enough for the marching band to hear — "Is mine."

The bleachers erupted. The football team whistled. The cheer squad squealed.

Mizi yelled "FINALLY!"

Till looked like he had been hit with a stun grenade.

TILL'S POV

His first instinct was to pull his hand back.

His second was to not.

He did not know why, but in that moment, surrounded by noise and chaos, he didn't mind. Not as much as he thought he would.

Still, he muttered. "You are insufferable."

Ivan just grinned. "Yeah, but you like me."

ACORN'S POV

If you think this didn't become the campus gossip within twenty-four hours, you would be wrong.

By the time we got back to the dorm, people were already posting blurry field photos with captions like "FOOTBALL CAPTAIN'S MYSTERY BF" and "WHO IS HE??"

Till tried to bury himself under his blankets. I don't think he realized Ivan posted one of the pictures to his own account with the caption: HE'S NOT A MYSTERY ANYMORE.

Lead-In to the Next Disaster

Just when I thought I might get a break from the circus, the school announced our upcoming three-night trip.

Which means — yes.

A shared bus ride. Shared cabins. Shared activities.

Till groaned when he saw the sign-up sheet. "Three nights. With him."

But I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. Not quite a smile, but dangerously close.

Note to self:

If Ivan managed to make Till cheer for him and hold his hand in public, I am scared to think about what's going to happen on this trip.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Let me paint the scene for you:

It's 6:45 in the morning.

The bus smells faintly of coffee, rubber, and impending drama.

Half the students look dead inside. The other half are way too energetic for this hour.

And then there's me, regretting every choice that led to me being here.

Boarding Chaos

Till and I got to the bus early. I was hoping that meant minimal interaction. Till was wearing his headphones, staring out the window like he was composing an album called Death to Morning People.

Ivan showed up five minutes later, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, grinning like the sun itself. He dropped into the seat beside Till without asking.

The Seat Stealers

Enter: The Mean Girls™ — Two of them, lip gloss shining, whispering behind manicured hands.

"Oh, hey, Till, could you move? We wanted to sit with Ivan." One said, like it was a done deal.

Now, normally, Till would have just shrugged and moved to avoid interaction. But this time?

He didn't even take his headphones off. He just said, flatly: "No."

The girls blinked. "Uh, excuse me?"

Finally, he pulled one earbud out. "You heard me. This is my seat."

Then — and I swear, I almost choked on my coffee — he added: "He's mine."

The girls looked scandalized.

Ivan? Ivan looked like Christmas came early.

IVAN'S POV

Till never says stuff like that. Ever. Hearing him claim Ivan — In front of people? Yeah, Ivan was gone.

He leaned closer. "Say it again."

He shoved Ivan's face away with his palm. "Shut up."

Did that stop Ivan from grinning like an idiot for the next twenty minutes?

Absolutely not.

ACORN'S POV

The girls retreated to the seat behind them, muttering. I could practically feel Ivan's smugness radiating across the aisle.

And of course, he kept leaning in, whispering stuff to Till just to get a reaction:

"C'mon, give me a good luck kiss for the trip."

"No."

"Okay, just a small one."

"Still no."

"Fine, I'll settle for holding your hand—"

"Absolutely not."

Till said no to everything, but I noticed he didn't shove Ivan's hand off when Ivan laced their fingers together anyway.

Group Dynamic Time

Sua and Mizi claimed the seat across from them. Mizi kept making heart hands at Till and Ivan, which he ignored (but I swear his mouth twitched).

Luka and Hyuna sat a few rows up, looking disgustingly wholesome together. I could practically hear the couple energy radiating off them.

Then Hyuna called out. "Hey, Till! This is my brother, Hyunwoo. He is joining us for the trip."

Enter Hyunwoo

Tall. Athletic. Warm smile. Basically the type of guy who makes people want to write love songs.

Hyunwoo gave a little wave. "Hey, you're Till, right? Hyuna told me you're an artist. I would love to see your work sometime."

Till actually looked shy? He mumbled something like, "Maybe." and looked away.

Ivan?

Ivan went from sunshine to thundercloud in about two seconds.

IVAN'S POV

"Who the hell was this guy? And why was he smiling at Till like that?" Ivan thought, dangerously.

He slid an arm around Till's shoulders. "Yeah, he is an artist. My artist."

Till rolled his eyes. "You don't own me."

"You literally said I was yours twenty minutes ago."

"That was different."

"It was better." Ivan muttered.

Hyunwoo chuckled, like he could hear the possessiveness in Ivan's voice.

Great.

Another competitor in the "Annoy Till" Olympics.

ACORN'S POV

From there, the bus ride devolved into a mix of flirting (Ivan), grumbling (Till), meddling (Mizi), and thinly-veiled threats (Ivan at Hyunwoo).

I just sat there, jotting all this down in my mental diary, wondering if three nights on this trip were going to kill me or make me stronger.

Note to self:

If the bus ride alone is this chaotic, I am genuinely afraid of what's going to happen when they are all in the same building overnight.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

If there's one thing I have learned in my short life, it's that fate hates me.

I thought the bus ride was bad. I thought the seat drama was bad.

I was wrong.

Cabin Assignments: The Death Sentence

The moment we arrived at camp, the teacher in charge started calling out cabin arrangements.

"Room 3A: Acorn, Till, Ivan."

I swear I heard the universe laughing.

Ivan's Immediate Chaos

Before I could even groan, Ivan slung an arm around Till and said, "You know, they've got a two-person room option here. We could just kick Acorn out. Have some privacy. Do things."

Till did not even hesitate. He jabbed Ivan in the ribs with enough force to make him yelp.

I have never respected Till more.

Our New Prison

We dumped our bags in the cabin. Two bunk beds, one small desk, and a window that probably would not close properly if it rained.

Ivan threw his bag onto the lower bunk like he owned the place. Till quietly took the desk, pulled out his sketchbook, and started jotting something down.

IVAN'S POV

Till's humming. Ivan doesn't think he even realizes he's doing it.

It's this soft, low tune. The kind that makes one want to close your eyes and just listen.

Ivan leaned against the wall, watching him scribble down notes, erasing, then drawing little symbols in the margins.

"You know you're cute when you are focused, right?" Ivan said.

He didn't look up. "You know you're annoying when you talk, right?"

Still, he did not tell Ivan to go away. Which meant Ivan could keep watching.

ACORN'S POV

I was sitting on my bunk, pretending to scroll through my phone while witnessing a slow-motion romcom happen five feet away.

Till kept pretending to be annoyed. Ivan kept pretending it was a game. And me? I was pretending I wasn't about to puke from the secondhand tension.

Assembly Time

A bell rang outside, signaling we had to gather in the main hall.

The trip coordinator stood on stage with a microphone, grinning like she was about to announce a murder mystery.

"First activity of the trip." She said, "Is our Treasure Hunt Challenge!"

The crowd buzzed.

She continued:

"You'll be in groups of eight. Treasures are hidden all around the forest area. The team that finds the most in an hour wins a prize."

The Group

Mizi immediately claimed her spot next to Till. "We're in the same group." she declared.

Ivan smirked. "Obviously."

Somehow, the group ended up being: Till, Ivan, me (of course), Mizi, Sua, Luka, Hyuna... and Hyunwoo.

Ivan's smile dropped about half a watt at that last one.

TILL'S POV

Hyunwoo caught Till's eye and grinned. "Guess we're teammates."

Till did not miss the way Ivan shifted closer, his arm brushing his. "Yeah. Guess so." I muttered, glancing away.

Ivan leaned down just enough to whisper, "Stay close to me."

Till rolled his eyes, but did not move away.

Note to self:

The forest is big. The treasure hunt will be chaotic. And if Ivan and Hyunwoo end up in a competition over Till during it. I might not make it out alive.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

I should have known the treasure hunt was going to end in disaster.

Not because of the cliffs. Not because of the slippery moss. Not even because Ivan treats any game like the national championship.

No.

The problem was putting Ivan and Hyunwoo in the same team.

The Golden Egg Game

We were given a map of the forest, a vague set of clues, and a big cloth sack for collecting the golden eggs.

Each egg was painted metallic gold and hidden in ridiculous places — under logs, wedged between rocks, hanging from tree branches like nature's weird ornaments.

For the first fifteen minutes, everything was fine.

Till found one near a tree stump. Mizi spotted one dangling from a low branch. Hyuna got one from under a pile of leaves.

The "Helping"

Then I noticed Ivan and Hyunwoo orbiting Till.

"Oh, careful, the ground's uneven there." Hyunwoo said, offering Till his hand.

"I've got him." Ivan said immediately, sliding his arm around Till's shoulders.

Till shrugged them both off with an annoyed noise. "I'm not a child."

"Right." Ivan said, "But if you twist an ankle, who's carrying you? Me."

Hyunwoo smiled. "Or me."

Till muttered something I did not catch, probably something like kill me now.

TILL'S POV

It was ridiculous.

Every time Till bent down to check under a log, one of them was hovering.

Every time Till reached for an egg, they reached too — like it was some weird competition.

Till did not even care about the game anymore. He just wanted them to stop circling him like vultures.

ACORN'S POV

We had five eggs. The timer was ticking.

But instead of searching, Ivan and Hyunwoo were squaring up like we were about to witness the world's dumbest duel.

"Maybe if you stopped crowding him, he could actually look." Hyunwoo said.

"Maybe if you stopped talking to him like you're his best friend, you wouldn't be annoying." Ivan shot back.

"Oh, I am sorry, is that jealousy?"

"Jealous of you? Please."

The Breaking Point

They were chest to chest now.

Hyunwoo had the sack of eggs over one shoulder. Ivan had both fists clenched like he was holding himself back by sheer will.

"Guys." I said, "Maybe—"

Too late. Ivan shoved him lightly in the chest. Hyunwoo shoved back harder.

Till stepped in between them. "Stop acting like idiots—"

The Accident

It happened too fast.

Hyunwoo took a step forward, Ivan took one back, and their combined momentum bumped Till hard enough to send him stumbling.

We were near one of the smaller cliffs — not a sheer drop, but steep enough to be dangerous.

Till's foot hit the wet moss at the edge, slid, and — I heard the thud before I processed the fall.

He tumbled down maybe ten, twelve feet, hitting the slope hard before coming to a stop against a tree.

IVAN'S POV

Ivan didn't remember moving.

One second Till was falling, the next Ivan was at the edge yelling his name.

Till was lying on his side, not moving. Blood was trickling from his temple. His ankle was bent at an angle it should not be.

Ivan's chest felt like it was caving in.

ACORN'S POV

(Who's currently panicking.)

Everyone froze for a second, like we could not quite believe what we saw.

Then chaos erupted.

Mizi gasped. "Oh my god."

Hyuna swore under her breath.

Hyunwoo was already scrambling down the slope.

Ivan jumped down without hesitation, nearly slipping himself.

I followed slower, heart pounding in my ears.

The Scene at the Bottom

Ivan was kneeling beside Till, shaking his shoulder gently. "Hey. Till. Open your eyes. Please."

No response.

Hyunwoo checked his breathing. "He's breathing, but we need to get him back to camp now."

Ivan looked up at us, his face tight. "I'm carrying him. Move."

Note to self:

If I survive this trip, I am going to start telling people I don't know any of them.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

You know, if someone ever makes a movie out of my life, this is the part where the dramatic music plays and the screen fades to black.

Because this? This was the first time I thought: Oh no. I might actually lose him.

Rush to the Clinic

After the fall, we all booked it back to camp. Ivan carried Till bridal-style the whole way, ignoring the mud soaking his jeans and the fact that Till's blood was staining his shirt.

We barreled into the tiny camp clinic — which, by the way, is not designed for actual emergencies. The nurse looked one second away from retiring right there.

She got to work checking Till's head, cleaning the cut, and splinting his ankle.

According to her, Till would be fine after some rest. There's no any major injury, and the blood was just because of the concussion. And head injuries bleed a lot.

That, or she is just being lazy of her work.

Ivan in Self-Destruct Mode

Ivan hovered the entire time. I mean literally hovered — leaning over the nurse's shoulder like he was going to perform surgery himself.

"This is my fault." He muttered under his breath for the 10th time.

Hyunwoo, sitting in the corner, crossed his arms. "No, it's our fault."

Ivan's head snapped up. "No, it's your fault. You shoved him—"

"Not on purpose."

"Doesn't matter—"

The Argument Erupts

They were doing that low, tense arguing thing where you just know it's about to get loud.

And I swear, if Till could hear them, he'd have gotten up just to shove them both into the wall.

The nurse looked at me like: "Do something".

My Big Scene™

So I stood up. And I said the thing I have been wanting to say all trip: "Shut. Up."

They both stared at me.

"You two need to cool your heads outside. Now. Till needs rest, not two idiots shouting about who's more guilty. Out. Both of you."

Ivan blinked like I'd just grown a second head. Hyunwoo raised his brows.

But I kept going:

"No arguments. Go yell at each other under a tree or something. You're not coming back in here until you can act like adults."

And then I did it. I actually kicked them out. Literally shoved them toward the door until they were in the hallway.

You see, this is the first time I have had a real good scene in this fic.

Remember it.

Cherish it.

Frame it.

The Quiet

Once they were gone, the clinic felt way too still. The nurse finished bandaging Till's head, tucked the blanket around him, and left to get supplies.

So it was just me. Me and the quiet hum of the heater.

Till Wakes Up

He stirred after what felt like forever. Eyes fluttering open, unfocused. "Acorn?"

I leaned forward so fast I nearly knocked over the chair. "Hey, you're awake."

He blinked slowly. "My head hurts."

"Yeah, well, you fell off a cliff. Be glad you still have a head."

The Hug

And then it hit me — the relief, the fear I did not want to admit I had. My eyes stung before I could stop it.

Till noticed. "Are you crying?"

"No. Shut up."

He tried to sit up, but winced. "Acorn—"

I cut him off by hugging him.

Hard.

"Don't ever do that again. I mean it."

For a second, he didn't move. Then, slowly, he hugged back.

Note to self:

I have decided something.

Till might be a curse on my life. He might drag me into chaos, drama, and romantic disasters I never asked for.

But he's also my best friend.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

You know when you think you are going back to your room for a peaceful night, only to realize you have walked into the middle of a soap opera?

Yeah. That was me.

The Return to the Cabin

After the nurse cleared Till to rest in his own room, we walked back together. He was limping — slowly, stubbornly — with me carrying his bag.

When we opened the door, Ivan was there. Sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, hands clasped, head down.

He looked up. And wow, yeah, he had been crying. Eyes red, nose red. Like a kicked puppy who could also bench press a car.

The Apology

Ivan stood immediately. "Till, I'm sorry."

Till crossed his arms. "Good. You should be."

Okay, this was going to be fun. I sat on my bunk. Hypothetically eating popcorn.

Till's Lecture

"You acted like an idiot." Till continued. "Fighting with Hyunwoo in the middle of a game? While we're supposed to be working together?"

"He—" Ivan started, but Till cut him off. "Don't. You think I didn't see the way you two were trying to one-up each other? It was ridiculous. And dangerous."

Ivan clenched his jaw. "I was just—"

"What? Just proving who could hover over me more? Just showing off?"

Ivan's voice rose a notch. "I was jealous, okay?!"

The Jealousy Bomb

The room went quiet.

Till blinked. "Jealous?"

Ivan looked away. "Yeah. I hate seeing him around you. Smiling at you. Acting like — like — he could take my place."

The Shift

Till's expression softened. He walked over slowly, limping a little. "Ivan..."

Ivan glanced at him.

And then Till just grabbed him by the collar and kissed him.

Acorn's Movie Moment

Now, I was not expecting that. My imaginary popcorn slipped right out of my hands and onto the imaginary floor.

They were really kissing. Not the quick peck kind — the oh wow I'm in love and I'm not hiding it anymore kind.

I blinked. Stood. And nope'd right out of the cabin.

If they were going to — you know — I was not going to be in the background of that scene.

Note to self:

If those two would continue doing things like this, I am investing in noise-canceling headphones.

Chapter Text

THIRD PARTY'S POV

‎The storm had been building all night.

‎

‎Outside the cabin, the rain came in waves, rattling against the wooden walls like a restless heartbeat.

Every gust of wind bent the trees until their shadows swayed across the window, breaking the moonlight into fragments.

‎

‎Inside, there was only the muffled hiss of rain and the faint creak of the floorboards under their weight.

‎

‎Till sat on the edge of his bed, damp hair falling into his eyes, bandage stark against pale skin. His ankle rested awkwardly, but his posture was taut, guarded. Ivan stood across from him, leaning against the wall like he was holding himself there out of sheer willpower.

They just finished kissing. Acorn left when they started, and now— They are back to square one.

‎

‎"I'm still mad at you." Till said, his voice low, almost swallowed by the rain.

‎

‎Ivan didn't move. "I know."

‎

‎"You're reckless." Till continued. "You fight with people for no reason. You get jealous over nothing. It's exhausting."

‎

‎Ivan's throat bobbed. "It's not nothing. It's you."

‎

‎Till's eyes flicked up sharply.

‎

‎Ivan's words spilled in the space between them, unguarded and raw. "I'm not good at this. I've never — I don't know how to just sit back and not care. And when I saw him looking at you, smiling like he — like he could take you from me."

‎

‎"No one can take me from you."

‎

‎The statement hung heavy in the air.

‎

‎Till's voice softened, though his gaze didn't waver. "I'm only yours. Even if you act like an idiot sometimes."

‎

‎Something in Ivan's shoulders gave way. Not weakness, but release. Like the tension wound around him had finally snapped.

‎

‎

‎

‎The storm pressed harder against the cabin, each gust of wind rattling the walls like it wanted to tear them down. The rain beat in sharp bursts, a wild percussion that seeped into the room until it felt like it lived in their chests.

‎

‎Ivan crossed the space between them, hands catching Till's face, the kiss that followed nothing like the hesitant brush of lips before.

This one carried heat, frustration, desperation. The clash of teeth before it softened into hunger.

Till let himself be dragged into it, fingers knotting into the front of Ivan's shirt like he could bruise the fabric.

‎

‎Their mouths moved fast, almost frantic, breaths sharp and uneven between kisses that left their lips slick.

Ivan pressed closer, forcing Till back until his shoulders hit the wooden wall. The boards creaked beneath the impact, but neither of them cared.

‎

‎Till gasped against his mouth when Ivan’s hand slid down his chest, rough palm skimming over damp fabric before shoving it aside.

Cool air rushed in, immediately chased away by the sear of Ivan's touch against bare skin.

His thumb dragged across a nipple, circling once before pinching, sharp enough to make Till's knees buckle.

‎

‎"Still mine." Ivan muttered, low and ragged, mouth on his throat now. Biting, sucking hard enough that Till knew he'd feel the mark tomorrow.

‎

‎Till's only reply was a sharp breath and a fist in his hair, yanking his head up just enough to crush their mouths together again.

Their kiss was messy, teeth clashing, tongues tangling. The storm outside roared like it was feeding them.

‎

‎Ivan's other hand moved lower, cupping the hard shaft between Till's legs through his trousers. The press was firm, deliberate, dragging a raw sound out of Till's throat.

He ground up against the pressure before he could think better of it, his body betraying him, hungry despite his pride.

‎

‎The storm howled. The room reeked of wet wood, damp clothes, and the heat rising off their bodies.

‎

‎Ivan shoved Till back onto the bed, following him down, bracing himself over him with both hands planted in the mattress. His hair clung damp to his temples, eyes dark and wild in the broken light. Till looked back at him, chest heaving, lips red and swollen, and for a heartbeat neither of them moved.

‎

‎Then Ivan's mouth crashed onto his again, one knee forcing his thighs apart.

Till's hips arched up instinctively, meeting him, pulling a groan from Ivan's throat.

‎

‎Hands roamed without patience now. Shirts shoved up, skin bared in the dim glow. Their heat pressed together through too much fabric.

Every shift of hips, every grind of muscle against muscle drew sharper breaths, rawer sounds.

Their bodies spoke what their mouths couldn't. Anger, need, possession, surrender.

‎

‎When Ivan finally slid his hand beneath Till's waistband, skin met skin, and the heat of it ripped a gasp from him that was swallowed immediately by another kiss.

Ivan stroked him rough, steady, thumb dragging across sensitive flesh with deliberate cruelty.

‎

‎Till clawed at his shoulders, back arching, hips bucking helplessly into the rhythm Ivan forced on him.

He bit at Ivan's lip hard enough to taste iron, and Ivan only growled low, doubling his pace like he wanted to undo him completely.

‎

‎The storm reached its height outside. Wind shrieking, rain lashing — and Till broke with it, release hitting sharp and fast, his whole body jolting beneath Ivan's weight.

Ivan kissed him through it, swallowing every sound, dragging his hand until Till shook with overstimulation.

‎

‎He barely had time to catch breath before Ivan ground against him harder, breath hot against his ear. "Not done." He growled, rough and unrelenting, pressing their bodies flush like he wanted to burn the proof of it into him.

‎

‎Till groaned, half in protest, half in need, nails digging into Ivan's back as the storm raged on.

‎

‎Till's body was still trembling, chest rising in uneven pulls, when Ivan's hand left him.

For a moment, relief shuddered through him — until he realized Ivan wasn't stopping.

‎

‎Ivan shoved the rest of his weight down, grinding their hips together with rough insistence, chasing his own release now.

The drag of damp fabric between them was brutal, unrelenting, the pressure building with each thrust. Till could feel every hard line of him pressing in, demanding, claiming.

‎

‎"Look at me." Ivan rasped, voice breaking as he braced himself above Till. His forehead pressed to Till's, damp hair sticking, breath harsh. "Mine. Say it again."

‎

‎Till swallowed hard, his throat raw, but forced the words out against Ivan's mouth. "I'm yours."

‎

‎That snapped something.

Ivan's pace turned reckless, hips pounding into him, teeth grazing his jaw as if to mark him everywhere at once.

Till clung to him, nails dragging over his back, pulling sounds from Ivan that were half-growl, half-moan, desperate.

‎

‎The storm outside reached a fever pitch — the roof creaking, rain hammering the cabin so hard it blurred into a roar.

Ivan's rhythm faltered, then drove deeper, harder, like he wanted to bury himself past bone.

‎

‎His groan ripped out low and raw, muffled against Till's shoulder as he came, hips stuttering in uneven bursts.

The heat of it spread between them, damp fabric clinging to their skin as he pressed in one last time and held.

‎

‎For a long moment, all Ivan could do was breathe against him, shaking slightly with the aftershocks.

The storm outside finally began to ebb, rain easing into softer waves, the thunder retreating into distance.

‎

‎Till lay beneath him, flushed, wrecked, but steady — one hand still fisted in Ivan's shirt, as though letting go wasn't an option. Ivan buried his face in the curve of Till's neck, laughing quietly, breathless.

‎

‎"You drive me insane." Ivan muttered, half against his skin.

‎

‎Till's voice came back hoarse, but certain. "You deserve it."

‎

‎And when the door creaked and Acorn's horrified voice muttered, "Nope, nope, definitely nope." Before vanishing again.

The two of them only clung tighter, laughter spilling into the tangle of their breaths and the soft rhythm of rain.

‎

‎

ACORN'S POV

‎I just wanted to get my charger — That's it. But now, I am traumatized for the rest of my life. It is all done for me. My innocence is gone.

Do you know how traumatizing it is to see your roommate being — nope, not even writing that down.

Erasing it from my memory immediately.

‎

‎The worst part? Till didn't even look embarrassed. He just groaned into Ivan's shoulder like I was interrupting a nap instead of — well, you know.

‎

‎So yes. I closed the door.

I muttered "nope" about twelve times. And I went back to the camp's pantry, where I am now writing this, and where I will stay, because if I run into them again tonight, I'm moving out.

Permanently.

‎

‎Note to self:

‎1. Knock first.

‎2. Don't share walls with people who are in love but too stubborn to admit it until a thunderstorm forces them into each other's arms.

‎3. Don't forget your charger if you will walk-out. You might witness something life-changing after leaving a heated couple inside a room together.

‎

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

I have seen things.

Things that no mortal soul should have to witness.

I opened the cabin door last night and—

No. No, I am not writing it down. If I write it down, it's permanent. Burned into history. Into my history.

My great-grandkids will find this journal one day and go, "Wow, Great-Grandpa Acorn was a pervert." I am not letting that happen.

Let's just say Till and Ivan were "reconciling".

Yeah. That's the word.

Reconciling.

In ways that would make our school's Code of Conduct spontaneously combust.

I closed the door. I left. I walked away. I muttered "Nope" like a man escaping a crime scene.

And then I camped in the pantry the whole night, staring at the ceiling. Listening to the rain. Trying not to think about—

...You know what, moving on.

Breakfast, Day of My Emotional Funeral

Pantry, 8AM.

Everyone's alive.

Well, they're alive.

I am a hollow shell of a man.

Till walks in first, looking like he got ten hours of the most peaceful sleep of his life.

Ivan follows him, looking smug. Too smug. Like a cat that ate the world's most forbidden canary.

Luka's already there with Hyuna curled up in his lap, sipping tea like he owns the place. Mizi and Sua are at the other end, being so disgustingly adorable that it's a miracle the sun doesn't just implode out of jealousy.

Luka grins the moment he sees Till. "You're looking fresh, even after yesterday's injury."

Till freezes mid-step. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means." Luka says, giving him the most knowing look I have ever seen. "You look recharged."

Hyuna giggles. Ivan smirks. I contemplate stabbing my eardrums with my fork.

Till sits down stiffly. He's definitely blushing. And not the annoyed kind, but the "Oh no, I'm remembering last night" kind.

The Explosion

Sua, who is just calmly buttering her toast like she isn't about to nuke the entire table, glances up at Ivan. "Why do you have scratches on your arm?"

Ivan glances down, like he'd forgotten about them. "Oh, these? Nothing."

Then — then — Sua turns to Till.

"And why do you have marks on your neck?"

Dead. Silence.

Mizi gasps so loudly it echoes. Luka spits his tea. Hyuna bursts out laughing.

Till's face goes red. Ivan's smirk gets even worse. "Guess I'm just lucky." He says, leaning back like he didn't just declare war on my sanity.

Till mutters something and tries to hide behind his plate. I would have helped him if I wasn'tbusy dying inside.

Final Thoughts Before I Fake My Own Death

(aka Self note):

Everyone's loud. The teasing is endless.

Ivan looks like the happiest man alive. Till looks like he's deciding between homicide and digging a hole to live in.

Me? I'm planning my escape. I need earplugs. And sunglasses. And maybe a lobotomy.

Pray for me.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Some higher power wants me dead.

I know that I have said that before, but I mean it this time. Because today, the camp organizers decided to put me, Till, Ivan, and Hyunwoo on the same team for the morning activity.

That's right.

The Emotional Bermuda Triangle.

The romantic equivalent of mixing bleach and vinegar in a plastic bag and shaking it.

I just... I can't.

The Setup

The instructor cheerfully announced that we'd be doing a "friendly" competitive obstacle course relay.

In my mind, friendly and competitive cancel each other out like bad math, leaving just potentially life-threatening.

The course was ridiculous:

A mud pit deep enough to drown my dignity.

Rope walls that looked like they'd been stolen from a military base.

Puzzle stations (because apparently physical humiliation wasn't enough, we also had to feel stupid).

And a river crossing. A river.

Ivan smirked like we'd already won. Hyunwoo looked calm and confident. Till just nodded once, probably calculating the fastest route in his head.

I was busy mentally writing my will.

Round One = Disaster

We started okay. Till was fast and precise, Hyunwoo was strong, Ivan was — well — Ivan. I tried not to slow us down.

Then we hit the rope wall.

"Here." Hyunwoo said, stepping toward Till, "I will give you a boost—"

"I got him." Ivan cut in, moving between them like some human barricade.

Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow. "It's faster if—"

"I said, I got him."

Till sighed like he was two seconds away from shoving them both into the mud.

They bickered through the entire climb. I swear we lost a full minute just watching them passive-aggressively help Till over.

By the time we reached the balance beams, another team had already passed us.

"Come on, guys!" I yelled, tripping over my own feet. "We're not gonna win if you two keep acting like divorced parents fighting over custody of the child!"

They ignored me. Obviously.

The Turning Point

Then came the river crossing.

We had to walk across this narrow plank with ropes on either side. Easy enough — until Till's foot slipped on the slick wood.

"Till!"

Both Ivan and Hyunwoo lunged at the same time, each grabbing one of his arms.

For a second they were locked in this ridiculous tug-of-war over who was going to pull him up, but then Till made this sharp, annoyed sound.

"If you two stopped acting like children, we'd finish faster."

Something in their faces changed.

They pulled him up together. No extra comments. Just action.

Second Half = Miracles

From there, it was weird. In a good way.

Ivan boosted Hyunwoo over a rope climb without sarcasm. Hyunwoo tossed Ivan gear during the puzzle station, their timing perfect. Till looked between them like he was seeing an actual miracle.

Even I was stunned into near silence — near.

We moved like a proper team. We caught up to the others. We hit the last stretch neck-and-neck with another group.

The Win

The final sprint was through a shallow mud pit. Ivan went first, Hyunwoo right behind him, Till following. I came in last, dramatically gasping for air because I like to make an entrance.

We crossed the line just ahead. Cheers. High-fives. Mud everywhere.

Ivan and Hyunwoo stared at each other for a long moment.

Then, without a word, they clasped hands in a truce handshake.

Awkward, sure, but real.

Till gave both of them a small smile. I think that was the real win.

The Closing Moment

Hyunwoo clapped Till on the shoulder. "You did great out there."

Before I could even blink, Ivan was there, sliding his arms around Till from behind like a smug, muddy octopus.

Hyunwoo? He just laughed and walked off. No tension, no challenge. Just genuine amusement.

"If this trip can make those two cooperate..." I wrote in my head as I trudged back toward camp, "Then maybe there's hope for humanity after all. Maybe."

Note to self:

If Ivan and Hyunwoo can stop fighting long enough to actually win a game together, then maybe anything is possible.

World peace? Maybe.

Me surviving this trip without a stress ulcer? Less likely.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

I don't know who decided a campfire night was a good idea, but if I find them, I'm giving them a medal.

Not because I like the smell of smoke or because toasted marshmallows are worth burning my fingers over — no.

It's because I just witnessed Till voluntarily lean on another human being without being forced.

Soft Start

The night was cool, the fire crackled, and Ivan had somehow produced a guitar from thin air.

I swear it was not there five minutes ago. One second he's tossing marshmallows into his mouth, the next he's strumming like he's auditioning for the cover of Hot Guy Serenades His Boyfriend Weekly™.

Till, being Till, didn't say a word. He just sat there, listening. Then — and I can't believe I’m writing this — he rested his head on Ivan's shoulder.

The same Till who reacts to public displays of affection like they're a contagious disease just rested. On. His. Shoulder.

I almost choked on my hot chocolate.

The Peace Shatters

Of course, it couldn't last.

The universe hates me.

"Truth or dare!" Mizi yelled from across the fire pit, her eyes sparkling like she had just spotted fresh gossip.

And just like that, Till and Ivan were yanked into the circle.

Round One — Dares

First target? Me.

"Acorn." Hyuna said sweetly, which meant she was up to no good. "I dare you to lick a rock."

"Why?"

"Because it's there."

Five seconds later I was crouched over a damp, mossy rock, questioning all my life choices as the entire group howled.

Ivan's turn came next.

"I dare you..." Hyunwoo said, smirking, "Not to touch Till for five minutes."

Ivan froze. "What — no. No way."

"You can't do it." Luka goaded.

"I can—" He lasted about twenty seconds before whining audibly. "This is torture. I hate all of you."

Till didn't even look up from roasting his marshmallow. "You're ridiculous."

Then someone dared Till to roast a marshmallow with love for Ivan.

Till stabbed it onto the stick like it had personally wronged him, toasted it, and shoved it into Ivan's hand.

Ivan smiled like he'd just been handed a diamond ring.

Round Two — Truths

The questions were equally stupid.

Mizi: "Hyunwoo, have you ever had a crush on someone here?"

Hyunwoo (smirks): "Maybe."

Cue chaos.

Ivan: "When did you fall for Till?"

Ivan: "Day one. He looked like he hated me. I found it adorable."

Till: Shoves him lightly, but doesn't deny it.

Then it was my turn.

Sua: "Acorn, have you ever been in love?"

Me: "With pizza."

Till Defending Ivan

At some point, someone joked about Ivan being clingy. Till just rolled his eyes and said, "At least, he is not fake."

That shut them up.

And yes, Ivan beamed. Like, blinding smile, dimples, the whole works.

The Luka Bombshell

And then Luka decided to ruin everything.

He leaned forward, smile too casual to be safe. "Truth, Till. Is Ivan the real recipient of the love letter?"

The fire popped. Nobody moved.

Ivan blinked. "Wait. What?"

Till did not answer right away.

I could feel sweat forming on my forehead. This was it. The moment my involvement in this stupid letter scheme came to light.

My obituary would read:

Died from secondhand embarrassment.

Till finally opened his mouth—

Note to self:

If I ever survive this camp, I am banning Truth or Dare from my life forever.

Chapter Text

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: THE HEM GRAB. I REPEAT. THE. HEM. GRAB.

👀 eyewitness99:

Did anyone else just see Till grab Ivan's shirt hem like it was the only thing keeping him alive???

🏈 qb4life:

BRO I WAS RIGHT THERE. Ivan froze for like 0.2 seconds then softened. SOFTENED.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Wait wait wait. Silent art boy initiated CONTACT?? In public?? Are pigs flying??

📢 loudandproud:

That wasn't just a hem grab. That was a statement. Till basically said: "Yes, this golden retriever is mine."

🍵 teaspiller22:

The way the entire hallway went silent and then exploded after they walked away??? ICONIC.

🐝 cheerqueen98:

Petition to rename this move "The Till Tug™".

Campus Chatter → Sports → Game Day Gossip

Thread: DID YOU HEAR TILL??

🏈 qb4life:

Till. Yelled. From the stands. At IVAN. During the game. LOUD.

🐝 cheerqueen98:

He literally shouted his name like he CARED. I think my heart stopped.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Art boy broke his vow of silence for the QB?? Historic moment.

📢 loudandproud:

Ivan played the rest of the quarter like he'd just been proposed to.

🍵 teaspiller22:

Forget the touchdown. The REAL score was Till's voice.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: THEY KISSED. IN PUBLIC. IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.

👀 eyewitness99:

Ivan just grabbed Till and kissed him in the quad. THE QUAD.

🐝 cheerqueen98:

It wasn't even a quick kiss. It was like, "we're making this official" energy.

🏈 qb4life:

Crowd went WILD. I'm talking stadium-cheer levels.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Till didn't shove him away. He leaned IN. My silent goth king.

📢 loudandproud:

MY SHIP IS REAL. REPEAT. MY. SHIP. IS. REAL.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Did Till fall off a CLIFF???

👀 eyewitness99:

Word is during the camp treasure hunt, Ivan + Hyunwoo fought so bad Till got knocked over the edge.

🏈 qb4life:

IVAN CARRIED HIM BACK. BRIDAL STYLE.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Blood. Bandages. Cliffside drama. This is literally a soap opera.

📢 loudandproud:

Calling it: this camp trip is going to kill Acorn first.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Who heard the yelling in the clinic??

🐝 cheerqueen98:

Ivan + Hyunwoo were shouting about whose fault it was. Nearly shook the walls down.

👀 eyewitness99:

Acorn kicked them BOTH out. Legend behavior.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Meanwhile Till was unconscious like "I'll deal with you idiots later."

📢 loudandproud:

Give Acorn an award.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: DID THEY JUST KISS IN THE CABIN??

🏈 qb4life:

Ivan admitted he was jealous. Till kissed him. KISSED HIM.

🐝 cheerqueen98:

Eyewitness: Acorn literally walked out mid-scene. Icon.

🎨 sketchwitch:

So it's official now?? Till kissed first??

📢 loudandproud:

THE TENSION SNAPPED. RIP everyone else in the cabin.

Campus Chatter → Off-Campus Life → Trips

Thread: Ivan + Hyunwoo shook hands??

👀 eyewitness99:

During the camp obstacle course. They actually worked together. No bickering. No drama.

🐝 cheerqueen98:

That's the real miracle.

🏈 qb4life:

Ivan still carried Till out of the mud pit like he won MVP.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Till smiled at BOTH of them. A smile!!

📢 loudandproud:

I don't know what's scarier: cliffs or actual teamwork.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Campfire Truth or Dare got SPICY

🐝 cheerqueen98:

Till leaned on Ivan's shoulder. VOLUNTARILY.

🏈 qb4life:

Ivan failed the "don't touch Till" dare in 20 seconds flat. Pathetic. Iconic.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Till roasted a marshmallow "with love" and gave it to Ivan. He looked like he'd been given a diamond ring.

🍵 teaspiller22:

And then Luka asked the love-letter question. Whole camp went SILENT.

📢 loudandproud:

This is the cliffhanger of my LIFE.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

If there is one thing I have learned from this trip, it's that campfires are where friendships are forged, marshmallows are incinerated, and emotional bombs are dropped without warning.

Case In Point:

Luka, smiling like the human embodiment of chaos, leaned forward and asked, "Truth, Till. Is Ivan the real recipient of the love letter?"

Cue the sound of the entire forest going silent.

Till froze. Ivan blinked. I began sweating like a man who just remembered he'd left his stove on at home, except my "stove" was the fact that I had everything to do with that stupid letter months ago.

Ivan's voice was careful. Too careful. "What does that mean?"

Till opened his mouth. "...No."

There it was. One syllable, and I swear I saw something flicker across Ivan's face. Hurt.

He stood up. "Got it."

"Wait—" Till's voice had more urgency now, but Ivan was already walking away from the firelight.

"I don't need an explanation." Ivan muttered over his shoulder. "You don't owe me anything."

Till got up and followed him into the dark.

And obviously I followed them.

Because one, I needed to know if my mess was about to destroy their relationship, and two, I have no self-preservation instincts.

The Chase

Rain had been threatening all night, and it chose this exact moment to start. Drizzle turned into fat drops that plastered my hoodie to my head as I trailed them at a distance.

Ivan walked fast, hands shoved into his pockets, shoulders tense. Till followed just a few steps behind, looking — well, looking like Till, which meant unreadable, but I could tell by the way he kept opening his mouth and closing it again that he was scrambling for words.

The Confrontation

Ivan finally stopped under the skeletal branches of some tree. "So." He said without turning. "I was never supposed to get that letter."

Till's voice was quiet. "No. But—"

Ivan whipped around, rain dripping off his hair. "But nothing. It was meant for someone else, right? And I was just — what? A mistake? A joke?"

"It wasn't like that."

“Yeah, well, it feels like that." Ivan shot back. "I thought — I thought you liked me."

Till took a breath, slow and deep. "I do."

Ivan laughed, but it was the kind of laugh that hurt to hear. "You know, when we first started this, I thought it was just for fun. That I wanted to try it with you because you seemed so quiet and yet so determined. But then, I started thinking maybe you actually—" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "Guess I was wrong."

The Cheesy Confession™

Till stepped forward. "Ivan."

Ivan didn't move.

"Giving you the letter was a mistake" Till said, each word deliberate. "But I gave you — with no mistake — my time. My art. My hand to hold when you were nervous before your match. I gave you my first kiss."

Ivan's breath caught. Till kept going. "You think I'd give that to just anyone?"

And I swear, Dear Diary, I felt Ivan's walls crumble right there.

His mind must have jumped back — like mine did — to that rainy afternoon weeks ago, when Till had kissed him out of nowhere in the storage room, the storm pounding against the walls.

That was the first time I'd seen Ivan look genuinely stunned and ridiculously happy.

Ivan's voice softened. "You're really bad at talking about feelings."

Till's mouth twitched, almost a smile. "Yeah. That's why I draw."

Ivan stepped closer, closing the last inch between them, and pulled Till into a hug.

It was quiet except for the rain and my internal screaming.

My Personal Hell

From my hiding spot behind the world's most useless shrub, I was in pain.

Not from the rain soaking through my jeans, but from the sheer sugar content in front of me. My pancreas was filing for resignation.

Did I clap? Did I cough? Did I just die here?

Till looked over Ivan's shoulder and spotted me. His gaze was flat, sharp, and deeply judging.

I did what any sane man would do — backed away slowly like I'd just seen a bear.

The Teasing Close

Ivan pulled back just enough to grin at him. "So, should I expect another love letter, or are you just gonna kiss me next time?"

Till groaned, shoved his shoulder, and stalked off toward the cabins.

But he was smiling.

Note to self:

Next time someone suggests a "fun" campfire game, I'm faking food poisoning.

Because apparently "Truth or Dare" in this group translates to "rip open your deepest emotional wounds while I sit here drowning in rain and regret."

On the bright side, if Till and Ivan ever break up now, it won't be my fault. Probably.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

There are many things I expected for the last day of camp.

Peace. Quiet.

Maybe even a full day without drama.

Instead, my roommate woke up at 7AM, stared out the window for ten seconds, muttered "need to go to town" and then announced that I was coming with him.

Me.

Because apparently, I have responsible face written somewhere on my forehead.

Ivan, for the record, did not come.

Not because he had better things to do, but because he was sleeping like an actual corpse in our cabin.

I checked before we left. Dude didn't even roll over when I clapped near his head.

"We're going to get something for my guitar." Till said.

"That's nice. Have fun."

"You're coming."

And here we are.

The Town Adventure™

The little town next to the campsite is basically a row of shops, cafes, and too many souvenir stands selling identical keychains.

Mizi and Sua were already there when we arrived — Mizi with a basket full of matching snacks, Sua carrying the exact same basket but somehow making it look less ridiculous.

Luka and Hyuna were further down, bickering over which T-shirt was "camp trip appropriate" while Hyuna was clearly trying to buy something mildly embarrassing. Luka was holding it out of her reach like a parent confiscating candy.

Till ignored all of them and went straight to the music store. I trailed behind like the loyal hostage I am.

Here's the thing about Till in a music store:

You'd think he was choosing a spouse. He picked up one guitar pick, squinted at it, put it down. Picked up another, ran his thumb over it, sighed. This went on for thirty. Full. Minutes.

"It's just a triangle." I said.

"It's not just a triangle." He said. "It's a sound."

I wanted to sound too — specifically the sound of my forehead hitting the counter.

The Unexpected Purchase

Eventually, Till paid for a guitar pick (finally) and then, as we were leaving, he stopped dead in front of a small rack by the counter.

Hair clips.

Cute hair clips.

There was one shaped like a soft, round bunny. Another shaped like an angry little cat.

Without a word, he picked them up and added them to his purchase.

I didn't ask. I've learned that asking questions about Till's thought process only leads to confusion and headaches.

Back at Camp

The moment we stepped into the cabin area, Ivan was there.

Actually, let me correct that — Ivan was on Till before we were even halfway through the door. Arms wrapped around him, chin hooked over his shoulder, the whole "I haven't seen you in ten years" routine.

"You're back." He said dramatically.

"We were just gone for two hours." Till deadpanned.

Then Ivan turned to me, serious as death.

"Acorn. Did you violate my Till?"

"Yes." I said without missing a beat. "We slow danced in the rain, shared a milkshake with two straws, and got matching tattoos."

Ivan squinted at me like he wasn't sure if I was joking. (I was. Mostly.)

The Clips Incident

Till didn't reply to either of us. Instead, he reached into his bag, pulled out the bunny clip, and — without warning — clipped it into Ivan's bangs.

Ivan froze.

Till then clipped the angry cat onto his own bangs, stepped back to look at them both, and—

He giggled.

Not laughed. Not chuckled.

Giggled.

It was quiet. Small. Soft enough that you could miss it if you weren't right there. But Ivan heard it. I heard it. And I think we both just stopped existing for a second.

"You look cute." Till said simply.

Ivan's jaw literally dropped.

I just stared at Till like he had grown a second head.

Two Simultaneous Collapses

Ivan's brain: My emo boyfriend just giggled and called me cute.

My brain: My emo roommate is capable of giggling and I just heard it with my own ears.

Ivan finally managed to speak.

"You can't just do stuff like that and expect me to behave."

Till smirked, already walking past him.

"Then don't behave."

And that was it.

That was the moment I realized my life is now a live-action romance drama and I am the unwilling side character.

Note to self:

If Till ever giggles again, I need to record it for science.

Also, avoid eye contact with bunny clips from now on. They're clearly cursed artifacts of romance and I refuse to be collateral damage.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

You know those old horror movies where the main character ignores all the warning signs and ends up walking into the haunted house alone?

That's me. Except my haunted house is called Friend Group Activities, and the ghosts are couples.

By "cursed", I mean I was — again — unwillingly dragged into another day of romantic nonsense.

Apparently, after the camp trip, our little gang decided it would be "fun" to go to the theme park.

The ringleader?

Ivan.

Because of course it was Ivan.

"We can all hang out!" He said.

"It'll be good for group bonding!" He said.

"I want to see Till in casual clothes outside campus." He didn't say, but absolutely meant.

And I got pulled along because, quote:

"Acorn's part of the group now!"

No one asked me. I hate rides.

The Arrival

Theme park mornings are the same everywhere:

Sugar-high kids, stressed-out parents, and rides blaring music loud enough to shake your teeth.

Our group was already chaos before we even bought tickets.

Mizi was trying to convince Sua to wear matching Minnie ears with her.

Hyuna was juggling snacks and arguing with Luka about whether to buy a map.

Ivan was hovering around Till like an overprotective golden retriever.

And me? I was calculating how many times I could fake a bathroom break before they noticed I had disappeared.

Ride #1: The Roller Coaster

Somehow, I got stuck next to Hyunwoo for this one. The guy's taller than me by a good head and looked entirely too comfortable for someone about to be thrown around at 90 km/h.

Till sat next to Ivan. Of course. Till looked mildly unimpressed until the first drop, when he suddenly clutched Ivan's sleeve like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Ivan's face? Lit up like a Christmas tree.

Meanwhile, Hyunwoo was laughing through the entire ride while I screamed. Not because I was scared (I totally was), but because my soul was actively trying to escape my body.

When we stopped, Ivan was grinning, Till was fixing his hair, and I was considering suing the park for emotional damages.

Ride #2: The Horror House

This was where things got interesting.

Mizi and Sua? Unfazed. Like, literally walking through a pitch-black corridor with creepy dolls dangling from the ceiling and chatting about lunch plans.

Luka? Yelled once when a prop fell over.

Ivan? Pretended to be fine but actually took a step back when a "ghost" popped out.

Till? Got startled by a jump scare and elbowed Ivan in the ribs. I think that was the real horror for him.

As for me — I got stuck between two costumed "ghosts" who clearly sensed fear and decided I was their target.

Hyuna had to push me forward. She said, "You're welcome!" Like she'd saved me from a war zone.

Ride #3: The Bumper Cars

Absolute carnage.

Luka and Hyuna formed a deadly alliance, cornering anyone who dared get near them.

Ivan drove like he was protecting the President, blocking every hit to Till's car. Till, in turn, used this protection to ram into me twice.

I swear he smirked when he did it.

Nightfall & The Ferris Wheel

By the time the sun went down, the park lights flickered on and the air smelled like cotton candy. Which would have been nice if the couples hadn't decided to pair up for the Ferris wheel.

Ivan & Till.

Mizi & Sua.

Luka & Hyuna.

And me... with Hyunwoo.

I don't even know how that happened.

One moment I was minding my own business, the next Hyunwoo was steering me into the gondola like we were on some kind of date.

Halfway up, I could see everything.

The lights, the rides, and — in the gondola next to ours — Ivan leaning in to kiss Till.

I looked around. Every other gondola near us? Couples. All couples.

I was the only single.

I muttered something under my breath about this being a nightmare.

The Hyunwoo Problem

That's when Hyunwoo laughed. Not in a mean way — in a low, warm way that made me feel like the joke wasn't actually at my expense.

"Your reactions." He said. "They're so noisy, even when you're quiet."

I blinked at him. "Excuse me?"

"It's adorable."

...

...

...

I short-circuited.

Not in a "haha, you're funny" way. But, in a "what do you mean adorable" way.

Because here's the thing — Hyunwoo did not say it like a joke. He said it like he meant it.

And suddenly, the air in the gondola felt a lot warmer, and I was very aware that we were suspended high above the ground with nowhere to run.

So. In conclusion:

1. The group date was a trap.

2. Till and Ivan are still disgustingly cute.

3. I might be in danger of getting dragged into the romcom plot I've been narrating this whole time.

4. I hate it here.

Note to self:

If anyone ever says "group bonding" again, I'm running in the opposite direction.

Also, I need to have a serious talk with my face, because apparently it's "adorable" now and that is a problem I am not emotionally equipped to handle.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Remember last week when I swore the Ferris wheel was the most cursed thing to ever happen to me?

Yeah. Turns out the universe heard that and said, "Bet."

Because now it's midterm week. Which means not only do I have to survive exams but apparently I'm also in some weird romcom side plot with Hyunwoo.

Post-Ferris-Wheel Trauma

It's been three days since Hyunwoo called me "adorable."

Three. Days.

You'd think I would have gotten over it, right?

Nope.

I cannot even walk past him in the hallway without my brain replaying it like some cursed TikTok sound.

And then today, while I was minding my own business and definitely not staring at the vending machine to avoid making eye contact, he smiled at me.

Smiled. At. Me.

Not a friendly smile. A knowing smile.

My fight-or-flight kicked in, but my legs chose "stand there like a malfunctioning Roomba."

The Till Crisis

Meanwhile, Till has decided that midterms are "a capitalist scam designed to destroy young minds." Which, fine, whatever.

But instead of studying like a normal person, he's been pacing the dorm, groaning loudly, and occasionally throwing himself face-first onto his bed as if the sheer drama will erase academic responsibilities.

"I don't want to repeat a year." He mumbled into his pillow.

"Then study." I said.

"Studying sucks." He said.

"So does failure."

This went on for an hour until Ivan burst into our room like some hero in a sports movie.

"Babe, I will help you." He said, walking straight past me to sit on Till's bed.

And just like that, Ivan decided he would be sleeping over for the next few days.

The Extra Baggage

I thought maybe — just maybe — this meant I could enjoy a peaceful study bubble while those two lovebirds did their thing.

Wrong.

The next evening, someone knocked on our door. I opened it and there was Hyunwoo — wearing glasses.

Not the cool kind. The nerdy, "I'm about to lecture you on proper note-taking techniques" kind.

"I heard you needed a study partner." He said, holding up a stack of flashcards and a bag of snacks.

"No, I—"

"Too bad. Let's ace this, partner."

And before I could process, he was at my desk arranging materials like we were about to launch a NASA mission.

Study Session Chaos

So now picture this:

Ivan is tutoring Till on the other side of the room. Ivan speaks, Till doodles him in the margins. Ivan sighs but keeps going.

Hyunwoo is right next to me, leaning over my notes every five minutes to "check my progress." He smells like peppermint and trouble.

I am trying very hard to focus on the periodic table while feeling every neuron in my brain short-circuit.

At one point, Ivan said, "Okay, if you don't understand this, I'll just have to quiz you again."

Till responded, "If you quiz me again, I will throw myself out the window."

Hyunwoo laughed and muttered, "You'd catch him, right?" under his breath, and I think Ivan actually considered it for a second.

Snack Breaks

Halfway through, we took a break. Mizi dropped by with cookies for morale.

Till got frosting on his cheek, and Ivan wiped it off with his thumb like they were in some kind of romance movie. Till muttered something, blushed, and went back to eating.

Meanwhile, Hyunwoo passed me a cookie and said, "You're doing great."

Reader, I almost choked.

Emotional Undercurrents

Till actually started relaxing.

Ivan's patience paid off, and for the first time in days, Till didn't look like he was planning his own funeral over a math problem.

Hyunwoo, on the other hand, was clearly enjoying my slow descent into confusion.

Every time I got an answer right, he'd smile like I'd just done something amazing.

Every time I got one wrong, he'd tilt his head and go, "Cute."

I don't know what game he's playing, but I'm losing.

The Night Ends

When it was finally time to sleep, Ivan stayed on Till's bed (naturally). Hyunwoo lingered at my desk, gathering his stuff, and then — as if he hadn't completely ruined my ability to think — he said:

"You're cute when you're focused."

And left.

It's been two hours. I am lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, and I am still thinking about it.

Conclusion:

1. Till might actually pass his exams.

2. Ivan is a saint for tutoring him.

3. Hyunwoo is going to be the death of me.

Note to self:

Next time I say "I will just study alone." I need to barricade my door.

Because apparently, in this universe, midterms are less about test scores and more about testing my ability not to combust every time Hyunwoo opens his mouth.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

There are certain moments in life when you just know the universe is trying to test you.

Today is one of those days.

It's midterm morning. My brain is already fried, and we have not even opened the test paper yet.

Till's Pre-Exam Ritual (aka Ivan Being Disgustingly Supportive)

Till, to no one's surprise, looked like he wanted to run away and join a traveling circus instead of sitting for his exam.

He was standing in the hallway outside the classroom, hunched over his notes like they were sacred scrolls.

Ivan came up behind him, all casual, leaning against the wall like a magazine cover.

"Hey." Ivan said, nudging his shoulder, "You've got this."

"I do not got this." Till muttered, eyes still scanning his page.

"Babe." Ivan said, voice lower now, "You've been studying for days. You are ready."

And then — because apparently the laws of decency no longer apply in public spaces — Ivan tucked a strand of hair behind Till's ear and kissed his cheek.

In front of everyone.

Till froze for a second, like his brain short-circuited, before muttering something and glaring at the floor. But his ears were red. And when Ivan said, "Good luck." Till actually looked determined.

If this was a movie, this would be the part where the soundtrack swells and the hero walks into battle.

The Reality Check

Five minutes into the exam, I heard the faintest, most pained groan from two rows ahead.

It was Till.

This is the same guy who has been cramming formulas for days, and he was holding his head like the world had betrayed him.

Later, I'd find out the tragedy:

He forgot the answer to the easiest question on the paper.

His words, not mine.

"It was literally the first thing Ivan taught me." Till muttered after.

"Manifest smarter next time." I said.

He glared like he was considering throwing his pencil at me.

Hyunwoo's Pre-Exam Nonsense

Meanwhile, my morning was going fine until he showed up.

Hyunwoo, looking irritatingly confident, strolled right up to me in the hallway. Before I could even say "What?" He ruffled my hair.

"There." He said, "Now you are ready."

"Ready for what? A shampoo commercial?"

"For the exam, obviously."

Then, without warning, he took off his glasses — those same nerdy glasses he wore during our study session — and put them on me.

"Nerdy glasses make you feel smart. And if you feel smart, you are smart. Manifestation, Acorn."

Reader, I have never heard anything so idiotic in my life.

I told him as much.

"That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard."

"You're still wearing them, though." He said, smiling.

He was right. I did wear them.

Mostly because I didn't have the energy to argue. Also because, against my will, I wanted to see if his stupid "manifestation" theory would work.

Spoiler: It didn't.

It just mad me dizzy.

The Midterm Warzone

The exam room was silent except for the sound of scribbling pens and the occasional nervous cough. Till kept biting his lip, erasing and rewriting answers like he was in a dramatic anime scene.

Ivan, across the room, kept sneaking glances at him — yes, I saw it — and every time their eyes met, Till's posture straightened.

Hyunwoo? Oh, he finished early. Naturally. Then he sat there, leaned back in his chair, and grinned at me like he knew I was overthinking question #12. (I was.)

Post-Exam Chaos

As soon as we were dismissed, Till walked out looking like he'd just survived a natural disaster. Ivan was waiting for him at the door, all smiles.

"How was it?"

"Don't ask." Till grumbled.

"That bad, huh?"

"Don't. Ask."

Meanwhile, Hyunwoo caught up to me and snatched the glasses off my face.

"Told you they'd work."

"I think I lost brain cells wearing those."

"Cute." He said, smirking, and walked away.

Cute. Again.

I am starting to think this man has a limited vocabulary when it comes to me.

My Conclusions:

1. Till and Ivan are one cheek-kiss away from causing an actual school-wide meltdown.

2. Hyunwoo is determined to make "manifestation" a personality trait.

3. I am too tired to deal with any of this.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to lie down and will my GPA into existence.

Note to self:

Next semester, I am faking mono during midterms.

At least then I won't have to deal with pep talks, cheek kisses, or Hyunwoo and his cursed vocabulary.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

I prayed.

To God. To Buddha. To Zeus. To the Exam Gods. To anyone who would listen.

Because if we did not pass that final, it wasn't just my doom. Oh no. It would also mean supplementary classes during sembreak.

Which means:

1. No vacation.

2. No mall shopping.

3. No beach trips.

4. And worst of all: No summer dates for Ivan and Till.

And if there's one universal law of the universe, it is that if Till does not get his summer date, I don't get peace.

So yes. I was muttering desperate prayers in our room like a man about to walk into execution.

That's when the door creaked open and — boom — Hyunwoo appeared like a divine messenger.

"The results are posted." He announced.

God-sent. Literally. If he would had a halo and a trumpet, it would have been on brand.

The Ivan Summoning

Till froze. His pencil rolled off the desk. His face went pale like he was about to be executed for tax evasion.

"I need Ivan." He whispered.

Before I could even ask how he planned on finding him, Ivan appeared in the doorway like a loyal golden retriever who had been waiting for the cue.

"Needed me?" He asked.

Till nodded once. Ivan immediately slung an arm over his shoulders like they were marching into war together. Which I guess, technically, they were.

Me, Hyunwoo, Till, and Ivan sprinted down the hall like a bunch of lunatics.

The Results

Crowds. Shoving. Everyone pressing toward the bulletin board like it was the gates of heaven.

Till leaned against Ivan, squinting up at the list. His finger traced down the paper, eyes darting.

"I passed."

Ivan ruffled his hair. "Knew you would."

Till exhaled so hard I thought he'd collapse on the floor. Then he turned to me. "You too."

I shoved forward, checked the list, and—

"I PASSED!" I screamed. The relief nearly knocked me unconscious.

Hyunwoo leaned in close enough to smirk down at me. "Guess you owe me. All that tutoring paid off."

And that was the exact moment my heart forgot how to function.

The Lunchtime Performance

We shuffled into the cafeteria like battle survivors. Food trays, noise, chaos. Typical.

Till, however, looked different. Focused. Dangerous. He slung his guitar over his shoulder — which, by the way, why was his guitar even there? Did he plan this? Did he manifest this?

Then, without warning, he climbed onto the tiny platform at the front of the hall.

Students went quiet. Ivan froze mid-bite.

Till adjusted the strap, plucked the strings, and—

Started singing.

An original. Self-composed. For Ivan.

I knew it was for Ivan because:

1. The lyrics were disgustingly specific.

2. He kept looking at Ivan the entire time.

3. Ivan was turning redder than a ripe tomato.

By the end of the song, Ivan had actual tears in his eyes. Then he covered his face with his hands like he was embarrassed about crying in public, but everyone could see anyway.

And of course the cafeteria ERUPTED in applause.

The Hyunwoo Situation

While everyone was fawning over Till and Ivan's epic love serenade, Hyunwoo leaned closer to me.

"So." He said, voice low enough for me to hear over the noise. "Where's my gift?"

I blinked. "What gift?"

"For helping you pass." His smile was just slightly smug. "You did not think you'd get off that easy, did you?"

And listen, I almost—almost—leaned in and kissed him right then and there. It would have been easy. Too easy.

Instead, I slapped my own cheek like a lunatic.

Hyunwoo laughed. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" I squeaked. "I will bake you cookies."

"Cookies?"

"Yes. Burnt ones. My specialty."

His smile widened. "I'll be waiting."

And just like that, I was finished. Done. Cooked like my cookies.

Note to self:

1. Exams are hell, but at least I passed.

2. Till is a menace who thinks public serenades are normal.

3. Ivan is now made of 70% tears.

4. Hyunwoo wants cookies. I want a new life.

If the Exam Gods are still listening, please let the oven break before I make a fool of myself.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

When Hyunwoo teased me about "my gift" yesterday, I panicked and said I would bake him cookies. Burnt cookies. Which means I needed help.

Enter Till.

Who knew the man could bake?

He's been holding out on us this entire time. Apparently, his grandmother used to run a bakery, so he's got actual skills.

Meanwhile, I once set the microwave on fire reheating pizza.

So this morning he stood in the doorway like some dark angel of competence and said, "I'll help you."

Translation: I will stop you from poisoning Hyunwoo.

Grocery Shopping with Till

The walk to the grocery store was surprisingly normal.

Till had a list, neat handwriting, organized categories. I had vibes and panic.

He asked, "Butter or margarine?" like it was life or death.

"Uh. Whichever one burns slower?"

He gave me a look like he was reconsidering our friendship.

We were halfway debating vanilla extract when — of course — we ran into Mizi and Sua outside the store.

Mizi was carrying three shopping bags, looking as bright as always. Sua hovered close like an overprotective hawk.

"Shopping date?" Mizi asked cheerfully.

"Do you want Ivan to kill me?" I said instantly.

"We're baking cookies." Till explained.

"For who?" Sua narrowed her eyes.

I coughed loudly and stared at a street lamp. "No one."

Mizi laughed. "Acorn, you're terrible at lying."

The Letter Bomb

Then Mizi turned to Till. "By the way, I always wondered — who was that love letter for, anyway?"

Till hesitated. Looked at her. Then, deadpan: "You."

The silence could have been cut with a bread knife.

Mizi blinked, then laughed so hard she had to clutch Sua’s arm. "Oh my god! That whole mess, and it was meant for me? Fate really said nope."

Till blushed — actual pink cheeks. "Yeah, but — I am with Ivan now."

Sua immediately wrapped an arm around Mizi's shoulders, glaring at Till like he was the villain of a k-drama. "Good. Because she is mine."

Till raised his hands in surrender. "Understood."

And me? I was in the background, holding a shopping basket, wondering why every conversation around me sounds like deleted scenes from a romance movie.

Texting Ivan

We finally made it into the store. Till moved like a man on a mission, scanning shelves, tossing ingredients into the cart.

Meanwhile, his phone buzzed every five minutes.

Ivan: "Did you get eggs?"

Ivan: "Don't let Acorn distract you."

Ivan: "Actually, Acorn, if you see this — don't touch my Till."

Ivan: "Protect him."

Yes. He texted me directly too.

What am I, his knight-in-shining-armor babysitter?

I texted back:

"Chill. We're literally buying flour."

He replied:

"Flour can be dangerous."

I give up.

Baking Chaos

Back at the dorm kitchen, Till took control like he'd been waiting his whole life for this moment.

"Measure one cup of sugar." He said.

I poured half the bag into the bowl.

"Not like that." He snapped, grabbing the bag from me. "Do you even know what a cup is?"

"Why are you so good at this?" I demanded. "You play guitar, you draw, you bake. Are you hiding secret ballet lessons too?"

He ignored me, whisking the eggs like his life depended on it.

The smell of cookies actually filled the kitchen. Real cookies. Golden, soft, edible. Miraculous.

The Alley Incident

Just when I thought, hey, maybe today will end without chaos — Till's head snapped toward the window.

"Did you hear that?"

"What? No—"

But he was already jogging out the door, apron still on. I chased after him because apparently I have no survival instinct.

We turned a corner and — of course — there it was.

Two big guys trying to snatch grocery bags from a grandma.

Before I could process, Till charged. Straight into the alley.

"Till!" I shouted. "You're not Batman! You're a guitarist with good hair!"

And that, Dear Diary, is how I found myself holding a spatula in one hand, standing behind my roommate, about to face two full-grown goons in the middle of town.

Note to self:

I just wanted to bake cookies.

Now I might die in an alley because Till thinks he’s a superhero.

If I survive, I’m making Hyunwoo eat every single burnt cookie as compensation.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

So there we were. Till, apron still tied around his waist, standing in front of two very large, very annoyed men.

Me, holding the only "weapon" available — a spatula — because apparently that's my life now.

"Give the groceries back." Till said, voice calm.

The goons blinked at him. Then at me. Then at the spatula.

I don't know what they were thinking, but if it was "wow, terrifying duo" they were dead wrong.

Ivan's Grand Entrance

Before fists could fly, a voice thundered down the street.

"Till!"

Cue Ivan, sprinting like his life depended on it, football cleats still on, jersey streaked with grass. He looked like he'd just abandoned practice mid-drill the second he sensed Till was in danger.

And then he saw the scene:

Two goons, one apron-wearing boyfriend, and me.

Ivan went full linebacker mode. He tackled one guy into a stack of crates, shouting, "Don’t touch him!" like this was a medieval duel for honor.

Till groaned. "I had it under control."

"You were wearing an apron." Ivan snapped. "That is not fighting attire."

Hyunwoo Appears (Because of Course He Does)

And just when I thought things could not get weirder, Hyunwoo strolled in from the corner, holding a bag of chips.

"What's going on?" He asked, crunching calmly.

"Robbery." I said, still brandishing the spatula.

Hyunwoo raised an eyebrow. "And your weapon of choice is a cooking equipment?”

"Shut up."

Then, like some action movie extra, he stepped in and effortlessly restrained the second guy, all while still holding his snack. He looked bored. Like this was just Tuesday for him.

Resolution

Between Ivan's football tackle and Hyunwoo's one-handed restraint, the goons tapped out fast. The grandma got her groceries back, mumbling blessings and calling Till a hero.

Till blushed at that, muttering something about "just doing the right thing." But I saw it — the tiniest, smug little spark in his eye.

Ivan, meanwhile, was practically vibrating with adrenaline, fussing over him. "Are you okay? Did they touch you? Why would you run into an alley alone?!"

Till just shrugged. "She needed help."

Ivan buried his face in his shoulder like Till had just come back from war.

My Hell

Hyunwoo looked at me, smirking. "So. Still planning to bake me those cookies?"

"Don't push your luck." I muttered, cheeks hot.

"Adorable." He said again, like he was testing how many times it would take before I self-combusted.

I nearly hit him with the spatula.

Note to self:

Till is not Batman. Ivan is not subtle. Hyunwoo is not allowed to call me adorable ever again.

And I... really need to stop leaving the dorm.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Cookies. That's how today was supposed to go. Just cookies. Nothing else. Simple. Harmless. Sweet.

But apparently, simple and harmless don't exist in my universe.

The Cookie Gods vs. Me

So here's the thing about baking with Till:

He doesn't just "bake".

He creates.

His batch came out of the oven looking like something Martha Stewart would cry tears of joy over. Golden-brown, perfectly shaped, smelling like heaven opened its oven door.

My batch? Looked like abstract art. Burnt, lumpy, uneven circles of regret. If nightmares had a flavor, it would be my cookies.

I told Hyunwoo — very clearly — not to eat them.

And guess what he did.

He ate one.

And then he smiled. Wide, warm, unfair. "Thanks for the cookies, Acorn."

My heart skipped so violently I thought I was having a medical emergency. Then I slapped myself. Literally slapped myself across the face.

Hyunwoo blinked. "Did you just—"

"Mosquito." I said.

"There are no mosquitoes."

"Shut up."

Puppy Mode Activated

Meanwhile, Ivan was sulking.

Not over cookies, but over the fact that Till nearly got mugged earlier. He sat there, arms crossed, glaring at the floor like it had personally offended him.

Then Till slid the perfect cookies across the table. "Practice batch."

Ivan bit into one.

Instant transformation.

From sulky guard dog to tail-wagging golden retriever. His whole face lit up, eyes wide, like Till had just proposed marriage.

"Till, these are amazing." He mumbled around his mouthful.

Till sighed, but I saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

Hero title + boyfriend in puppy mode = smug satisfaction level 100.

Hyunwoo's New Hobby: Tormenting Me

Of course, Hyunwoo didn't let me off the hook.

"You should learn to bake." He said, popping another one of my burnt disasters into his mouth. "Yours are actually good, in a rustic way."

"Rustic? They look like fossils."

"Edible fossils. That taste good." He leaned closer. "I like them."

Cue my brain short-circuiting.

I considered hitting him with the spatula again. Instead, I muttered something about practicing. Which is insane because I don't practice things. Ever.

The Group Text of Doom

And just when the kitchen had settled into a weird domestic scene — Ivan licking crumbs off his fingers, Till quietly smug, Hyunwoo trying to kill me with compliments — all our phones buzzed at the same time.

One group chat notification.

From Mizi:

Beach trip during sembreak?? Everyone free???

The room erupted in chaos.

Ivan: "Beach? With Till? Yes."

Till: "..." (which I think meant yes)

Hyunwoo: "I'll bring sunscreen."

Me?

I just stared at my phone, already mourning my peaceful summer.

Note to self:

If this beach trip actually happens, I am faking appendicitis. Or chickenpox. Or death.

Because if I survive another group activity with these main-character-coded disasters, it will be a miracle.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Today I learned two things:

1. Some people don't just go to the beach. They own the beach.

2. I should have brought sunglasses, sunscreen, and maybe also a therapist.

Because apparently, Hyuna and Hyunwoo's parents own a private beach.

As In: No strangers, no screaming kids, no suspiciously damp hotdog buns.

Just white sand, glittering waves, and the kind of silence that screams "we have generational wealth."

Meanwhile, me? I felt like a street rat who somehow stumbled into a royal garden party.

The Entrance to Rich People Problems

The moment we arrived, I knew I was doomed. The sand was so clean it looked photoshopped. There were cabanas. Actual cabanas. And loungers lined up like we'd stepped onto the set of a luxury perfume commercial.

I looked around, trying to act normal, while inside I was screaming:

"This is not a beach. This is money laundering with seashells."

Till in Swimwear: The Apocalypse

Then there was Till.

Till, in swimming trunks.

Till, with pale skin catching the sunlight like some gothic sea god who accidentally got invited to a music video shoot.

Ivan, of course, had a crisis. Half of him was openly admiring Till like he'd just witnessed divine art. The other half was trying to glare at the ocean itself for daring to touch Till's skin.

For the record:

Watching Ivan alternate between "horny boyfriend" and "jealous dragon" was the funniest thing I have seen all summer.

Group Chaos: A Compilation

Hyuna decided Luka's inability to swim was the perfect excuse to scoop him up bridal style and carry him straight into the waves. Luka was pinker than a lobster by the time they hit knee-deep water.

Sua casually stabbed the watermelon like she was reenacting a murder scene. Everyone froze like she'd just committed a felony. She blinked, shrugged, and handed out slices. Terrifying.

Ivan and Hyunwoo started a "friendly" game of beach football. By friendly, I mean it immediately devolved into a sand-sumo match where they tackled, shoved, and flexed until we all agreed they were basically trying to mate via brute force.

Mizi set up under an umbrella like an actual normal person. Someone has to keep this group tethered to reality.

Spoiler: Not me.

The Mafia Moment

By lunch, I thought maybe I'd adjusted. Maybe this was fine. Maybe I could pretend I belonged here.

Then the butlers and maids arrived.

Yes. Butlers. And maids. In uniform. Carrying silver trays of food like this was the Versailles summer home. They even bowed.

I stared at Hyuna and Hyunwoo. I stared at the caviar and imported fruit.

And I thought:

"Okay. They're either royalty or mafia heirs. Possibly both. Definitely both."

I ate the food anyway. (Don't look at me like that. It was delicious.)

And Then — Disaster

Just when I was starting to think maybe this day wouldn't implode, it happened.

A sharp smack echoed across the sand.

We all turned just in time to see: Mizi slapping Sua.

Hard.

Sua froze, eyes wide, before bursting into tears and bolting down the beach.

The laughter died instantly. The air went thick, heavy.

Mizi stood there, hand trembling, face unreadable.

Cue chaos. Cue drama. Cue me, wondering if it's too late to swim out to sea and let the waves carry me to a less stressful timeline.

Note to self:

Rich people don't just ruin the economy — they ruin beach trips too.

One second you're eating watermelon in peace, the next second there are butlers, emotional breakdowns, and potential mafia drama.

If tomorrow someone pulls out a yacht, I'm faking a sunburn and going home.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

I don't know who I offended in a past life, but apparently karma keeps receipts. Because after the beach escapes, instead of enjoying a normal, chaos-free morning (as if that even exists anymore), I was greeted with the following news:

The rooms were being shuffled.

Correction: Mizi was shuffling the rooms.

Her official reasoning: "It'll be fun to switch things up! Group bonding!"

My unofficial conclusion: She's still not talking to Sua after The Slap Heard 'Round the Beach and decided mass chaos was better than couple's therapy.

The results of this so-called shuffle:

Room 1: Me, Ivan, and Hyunwoo. (I live in Hell now.)

Room 2: Till and Luka. (Luka, blink twice if you need rescuing.)

Room 3: Mizi and Hyuna. (High chance of spontaneous explosions, but manageable.)

Room 4: Sua. Alone. Like some final boss in a horror game waiting for someone dumb enough to press "continue".

And the terrifying part? No one questioned it.

Not after Sua has been walking around with the aura of a vengeful ghost.

Pale. Silent. Eyes like she's plotting ten murders and a cover-up.

Even the butlers avoided eye contact.

Ivan's Meltdown™

Ivan's reaction to being separated from Till was predictable.

"I'll just sleep in the lounge." He declared, dramatic as always. "On the couch. With Till."

The butlers shut him down before I could even laugh. Firmly. Like, "do that and you're exiled to the garden shed" firmly.

Watching him argue with them was like watching a golden retriever try to fight off two panthers.

He was all bark, zero chance of winning.

"This is inhumane!" He protested.

"This is the rule." Butler #1 said, voice flat as death.

"The rules are law." Butler #2 added, with eyes that could cut steel.

Me? I was just standing there thinking: If these guys aren't mafia, then I’ll eat one of Hyunwoo’s gym socks.

So naturally, I asked Hyunwoo later.

"Hey, random question. Are you guys secretly mafia?"

He just smiled. And didn't answer.

I will be dead by sunrise.

Roommate Chaos

Moving into the room was exactly as bad as I imagined.

Ivan claimed the bed closest to the window. Hyunwoo calmly set his things on the one by the door. I, like the pitiful middle child of this cursed family, got the middle bed.

Middle bed. Between the walking embodiment of Jealousy Issues™ and the walking embodiment of Calm-but-Terrifying.

By hour one, Ivan was already sighing dramatically, scrolling on his phone, and glaring at Hyunwoo every time he breathed near me.

"I should be with Till." He muttered for the 20th time.

"You'll survive one night." Hyunwoo replied without even looking up from his book.

I, meanwhile, was plotting my escape route.

Spoiler: There was none. The butlers patrolled the halls like prison guards.

Bonus Chaos: Midnight Escapade

Around midnight, I woke up to the sound of Ivan sneaking out.

Correction: Stomping out like a baby elephant.

I cracked one eye open. "Where are you going?"

"To Till." He whispered. (Not whispered. Shouted softly.)

Before I could reply, Hyunwoo shut his book with a snap.

"Go back to bed."

Ivan froze in the doorway, caught like a teenager past curfew. "You can't stop me."

"Try me." Hyunwoo said calmly, standing.

I swear, the air temperature dropped ten degrees. Ivan sulked back to bed, muttering about injustice, while I lay there wondering if I'd just witnessed a mafia power play.

Bonus Chaos: Phone Call Suspicion

Later, when Ivan finally passed out (still hugging his phone like a lifeline), I caught Hyunwoo on a hushed phone call by the window.

He was speaking too quietly for me to make out words, but I swear I heard: "No, not tonight. They're watching."

When I asked, "Who's watching?" He just turned, smiled, and said, "Go to sleep, Acorn."

Translation: I am 100% dying in this mansion and they will never find the body.

The Veranda Talk

So of course, I escaped. After both my roommates were finally quiet, I slipped out to the veranda. Fresh air. Peace. Sanity.

Or so I thought.

Till was already out there, leaning against the railing with his sketchbook. Mizi joined a few minutes later, holding her knees to her chest.

We sat there in silence for a while, listening to the night sounds. Crickets. Distant ocean waves. Ivan snoring through the wall.

Then Mizi spoke. Her voice was small. "She's leaving."

I looked at her. "Who?"Like an idiot, as if I didn't already know.

"Sua."

Till lowered his sketchbook. His brows furrowed, quiet but attentive.

Mizi's hands trembled where they clutched her knees. "She — she's planning to go to America after college. She told me like it was no big deal. Like — like I wouldn't care." Her breath hitched. "But I do care. I don't want her to go. I don't want to be left behind."

Her voice cracked on the last word, and she buried her face against her arms.

Till didn't say anything at first, just reached out to gently touch her shoulder. I wanted to say something comforting, but my throat felt tight.

Because that's when it hit me.

College is ending, soon.

This — whatever this chaos is — is going to end too.

The fighting. The laughter. The late-night study sessions that devolve into arguments about snacks.

The way Till barged into my life like a curse and somehow became my best friend. The way Ivan and Hyunwoo keep orbiting, dragging me into dramas I never asked for.

It's all temporary.

And suddenly, that terrified me more than anything.

Note to self:

If I ever figure out how to freeze time, I am using it now. Because graduating, splitting up, growing apart? That's scarier than Sua’s murder-face.

And that's saying something.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

‎Dear Diary,

‎

‎I have officially discovered the worst sound in the world: Ivan snoring.

‎

‎Imagine a dying bear. Now imagine that bear has a head cold, a microphone, and no shame. That's what I have been dealing with since lights out.

‎

‎To make it worse, Hyunwoo is too quiet. He sleeps like an assassin: Perfectly still, no sound, no movement.

It is unsettling. I would rather have two dying bears than one golden retriever and one possible hitman in the same room.

‎

‎I tried to roll over and ignore it, but no. My life is not that merciful.

‎

‎

‎The Balcony Romeo

‎

‎Sometime past midnight, Ivan suddenly shot upright like someone had pressed his "Till radar" button. Without a word, he padded to the door.

‎

‎Of course, I followed.

‎

‎Because apparently, my hobbies now include "ruining my sleep schedule" and "babysitting a love-struck linebacker."

‎

‎We crept through the hall like a pair of burglars. Ivan pushed open the big glass doors leading to the veranda and stepped outside, staring dramatically up at the second floor.

‎

‎And there it was: Till's balcony.

‎

‎Ivan planted himself beneath it like the world's buffest, hottest Romeo. He even spread his arms and, in a stage whisper, declared:

‎"O' Till, Till! Wherefore art thou, Till?"

‎

‎I nearly choked on my own tongue. "That's not even the right line!"

‎

‎God, smite me now. If anyone saw this, I'd have to legally change my name and move to a remote island.

‎

‎"Shh." Ivan hissed. "I am in character."

‎

‎I was ready to start writing my will. Surely the mafia-butlers were already aiming sniper rifles at us.

‎

‎The curtains on Till's balcony shifted. A moment later, Till himself appeared, hair mussed, expression flat.

‎

‎"Go back to your room." Till said.

‎

‎"But—" Ivan began.

‎"Now." Till cut him off, voice sharp in that way that made Ivan freeze like a kid caught stealing cookies.

‎

‎I tugged on Ivan's sleeve. "Come on, before they take us out back."

‎

‎Ivan sulked the entire walk back, mumbling about balconies and fate and how Romeo and Juliet had it easier.

‎

‎And me? I was silently googling "Is it legal to disown your roommate?" in my head.

‎

‎

‎Mafia Talk

‎

‎Back to the room, I couldn't stop myself. Again, I asked.

‎

‎"Hey, Hyunwoo." I said once we were inside.

‎

‎He was sitting up now, clearly awake, scrolling through his phone. "Yeah?"

‎

‎I hesitated. “So, your butlers. Are they mafia?"

‎

‎He looked at me with that calm, unreadable face. Then he smiled faintly. Again.

‎

"Depends what you mean by mafia."

‎

‎EXCUSE ME?!

‎

‎That's not an answer. That's the kind of thing someone says right before handing you cement shoes.

‎

‎I decided I did not want to know.

‎

‎

‎Breakfast With Ghosts

‎

‎The next morning, breakfast was served in the massive dining hall. By massive, I mean "if you yelled from one end, the echo would come back three years later".

‎

‎The food was ridiculous: Pancakes stacked like towers, silver platters of bacon, fruit cut into perfect little shapes. I almost cried.

‎

‎But the atmosphere? Tense.

‎

‎Mizi sat stiffly, avoiding Sua like Sua was a live grenade. Sua, meanwhile, looked like she was a live grenade. Pale, quiet, sharp-eyed. Honestly, she could have passed for a vengeful spirit.

‎

‎Nobody dared mention last night's drama. Nobody dared mention America.

‎

‎Then Luka opened his mouth.

‎

‎"So what's the big deal about America, anyway—"

‎

‎Every single one of us hissed at him like a pack of feral cats.

‎

‎Sua's fork made a sound on her plate that could only be described as death warning. Luka shut up so fast I thought his jaw locked.

‎

‎

‎Mafia Mansion Games

‎

‎After breakfast, Ivan tried once again to negotiate with the butlers about switching rooms.

‎

‎"I'll just sleep in the lounge." He pleaded. "On the couch! I won't bother anyone!"

‎

‎The butler — stone-faced, suit immaculate — shut him down with one sentence.

‎

‎"The rules are not optional, sir."

‎

‎Ivan grumbled all the way back, muttering about how love was being oppressed and freedom was dead.

I thought about asking if the butlers carried guns under those jackets, then decided ignorance was bliss.

‎

‎

‎The Sand Strategy Meeting™

‎

‎Instead of swimming, the six of us (minus the ghost duo of Mizi and Sua) sprawled out on the private beach, sunbathing like we had no exams, no mafia-butlers, and definitely no relationship apocalypse looming over us.

‎

‎But we weren't really relaxing. We were scheming.

‎

‎Hyuna laid back with sunglasses the size of dinner plates and said, "We need a plan to make those two talk."

‎

‎Luka, already half-buried in sand thanks to Hyuna's overenthusiasm, grumbled, "What are we, love counselors?"

‎

‎Ivan sighed, propping himself up on his elbows. "If they don't fix this, Till's going to be sad. And if Till's sad, I'm sad."

‎

‎Till flicked sand at him.

‎

‎Meanwhile, Hyunwoo looked at me with his usual calm smile and said, "You're unusually quiet. Ideas?"

‎

‎Yes. My idea was to build a raft and sail away from this group forever. But instead, I muttered, "Bribe them with ice cream?"

‎

‎Hyuna actually considered it.

‎

‎And that was our morning:

Six idiots, lying in the sun, trying to figure out how to fix a relationship we probably had no business interfering with — but could not bear to watch break.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎If this whole thing doesn't work out, I am opening a side business: "Acorn & Co. — Love Counselors, Sand Edition." Payment accepted in ice cream and sunscreen.

‎

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

‎Dear Diary,

‎

‎College was supposed to be simple.

‎Attend class. Pass exams. Pretend instant ramen counts as a balanced diet. Maybe graduate if the universe wasn't actively plotting against me.

‎

‎Now? I am lying on a (possible) mafia-owned beach, surrounded by five apeople who look like they walked straight out of a drama series, and somehow I have been assigned the role of therapist.

‎

‎This is not what I signed up for.

‎

‎

‎The Sand Council, Part Two

‎

‎We reconvened in the same spot as yesterday: Beach towels, juice boxes, sunglasses, and Luka still half-buried in sand from when Hyuna decided he "looked like a cute fossil."

‎

‎Hyuna was drawing in the sand again, except this time it wasn't flowers or hearts. It was a war map. Literal circles, arrows, and little stick figures labeled "M" and "S".

‎

‎"We need a plan." She said dramatically, sunglasses flashing like she was about to start a coup.

‎

‎Till was sitting cross-legged, drawing absentmindedly in the sand. Ivan leaned over his shoulder like a dog waiting for scraps. From where I sat, it looked like Till was doodling Ivan's face.

‎

‎Of course he was.

‎

‎Ivan's expression? Like a man watching the Sistine Chapel being painted live.

‎

‎Meanwhile, Hyunwoo leaned against his towel like some relaxed prince of darkness, sipping juice from a box like it was wine. He glanced at me.

‎

‎"You're frowning."

‎Of course I was frowning. If I was not, I'd be crying.

‎

‎

‎The First Attempt: Volleyball

‎

‎"Group activity!" Hyuna announced. "Sports bring people together!"

‎

‎Which sounded reasonable — until Ivan decided to treat the volleyball like it had personally insulted Till.

‎

‎On the very first serve, he spiked the ball so hard it ricocheted off Luka's forehead and nearly buried itself in the sand. Luka crumpled, clutching his face, muttering curses in three different languages.

‎

‎Mizi and Sua? Didn't even blink.

‎They stood on opposite sides of the net like rival generals waiting for the other to make the first move.

‎

‎Till sighed. "This is pointless."

‎Ivan huffed. "I was just warming up!"

‎Me? I was already drafting Luka's obituary in my head.

‎

‎

‎The Second Attempt: Forced Small Talk

‎

‎Hyunwoo suggested we all eat lunch together — casually and subtly — sat Mizi and Sua next to each other.

‎

‎I don't know if you have ever experienced a silence so heavy it feels like gravity itself is malfunctioning, but that was what happened at that table.

‎

‎Mizi stared at her plate. Sua poked her rice like it had personally betrayed her. Neither spoke.

‎

‎Meanwhile, Ivan was sulking because Till's attention had briefly drifted to the food.

Hyuna was pouring juice over Luka's head to "cool him off". And I was sandwiched between two girls radiating pure, weaponized tension.

‎

‎My appetite? Dead.

‎My soul? Also dead.

‎

‎

‎The Third Attempt: The Sacrificial Goat

‎

‎Which brings me to Plan C.

‎

‎"Acorn should talk to them." Hyuna said, pointing at me like I was tribute for the Hunger Games.

‎

‎Me: "Why me?"

‎Hyuna: "Because you're neutral."

‎Ivan: "Because no one's jealous of you."

‎Till: "Because you're loud."

‎Hyunwoo (smiling): "Because you're good at listening."

‎

‎Great. I am everyone's emotional punching bag.

‎

‎So, I sat there between Mizi and Sua, sweating like I was in an interrogation room.

‎

‎"Uh — nice weather?" I tried.

‎Mizi stabbed her chicken.

‎Sua took a slow sip of water.

‎Crickets. Literal crickets in the distance.

‎

‎I considered throwing myself into the ocean.

‎

‎

‎Balcony Therapy, Part Two

‎

‎That night, after everyone had given up on Plans A through C, I wandered onto the veranda for some actual peace.

Instead, I found Mizi sitting there, knees tucked to her chest, looking small for the first time since I'd met her.

‎

‎She didn't look at me when she spoke.

‎"I don't want her to leave."

‎

‎Her voice cracked just enough to twist something in my chest.

‎

‎I did not know what to say. I am not good with feelings. I barely handle my own. But I remembered the look on Sua's face this morning — pale, brittle, like she was carrying the whole world on her back.

‎

‎So I just said the obvious. "Then tell her. Before she ghosts you for real."

‎

‎Mizi finally looked at me, eyes glassy, and for once she did not laugh or tease or deflect. She just nodded.

‎

‎And me? I was left wondering why my college life turned into everyone else's therapy arc.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎If this keeps up, I will need hazard pay for babysitting a romance novel. Also, buy earplugs. Ivan snores like a dying bear, and Hyunwoo definitely sleeps like he's plotting my murder.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

You know what's worse than being cursed with friends who all look like K-drama leads?

Being forced to go swimming with them while butlers in tuxedos roam the sand like it is a five-star hotel, carrying trays of lemonade and parasols like we're royalty.

Meanwhile, I am sitting under an umbrella wondering if I should fake appendicitis just to get out of this day.

But of course, the universe hates me.

Till + Ivan: The Flirt Olympics

Till and Ivan have officially stopped pretending they are subtle.

At first it was harmless: 

Splashing water, laughing, Ivan holding Till's hand like the waves might kidnap him. Cute, right?

Then Till smirked, flipped his hair back, and Ivan whistled.

Like a construction worker.

At his boyfriend.

In front of all of us.

If I ever mysteriously disappear, please know it's because I drowned myself out of secondhand embarrassment.

And then — because karma likes to spice things up — Till screamed.

"Something stung me!"

Cue panic. Ivan scooped him up like a dramatic lifeguard. Till pointed at his ankle, wincing, and the butlers rushed over.

Ivan, however, had a different idea.

"Don't worry, babe. I read somewhere that pee helps with jellyfish stings. I'll—"

Till smacked him so hard I swear Ivan saw stars.

"You are not peeing on me."

I had to bite my towel to keep from howling.

The Aftermath

The butlers patched Till up in record time (seriously, do they carry medical kits under those suits?? Mafia confirmed).

But apparently that wasn't enough for Ivan. Because twenty minutes later, I saw the two of them sneak off toward the beach cave.

And you know what?

I did not follow.

Because I value my sanity, and I have zero desire to know what kind of activities were about to happen in that dark, echoey cave.

From where I sat, though, I could hear Ivan's laugh echo faintly out of the rocks, followed by noises. I don't want to describe them.

This is a diary, not an R18 fanfic.

Note to self:

Bleach my imagination. Twice.

Hyuna & Luka: Beachside Comedy Hour

Meanwhile, Hyuna decided it was the perfect time to teach Luka how to swim.

Imagine a grown man, six feet tall, thrashing in the shallows like a baby seal learning how to paddle.

"Kick your legs!" Hyuna shouted, holding him up like a toddler in swim class.

"I am kicking!" Luka yelled back, sputtering water.

From the beach, I could clearly see Luka's black eye from yesterday — courtesy of Ivan's volleyball rage spike. Combined with his wild thrashing, he looked less like a cute fossil and more like an abandoned pirate.

Hyuna, of course, was beaming like he was adorable. She even gave him a thumbs up when he managed three kicks without drowning.

Then, with all the subtlety of a shark, Hyuna dunked him under.

Luka came up sputtering, hair plastered to his forehead, eyes wide with betrayal.

"You're trying to kill me!" He coughed.

Hyuna just laughed.

"Character building."

Love is blind.

And apparently homicidal.

Me & Hyunwoo: Mafia Nap Time

I thought I was safe under my umbrella, just sipping juice and people-watching like the neutral NPC I am.

Then he showed up.

Hyunwoo.

Looking tired. Like someone had pressed the "low battery" sign on his forehead.

He flopped down beside me with a sigh that belonged in a tragic drama OST.

So naturally, I joked:

"Rough day playing mafia boss?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he leaned sideways — and rested his head on my shoulder.

...

...

...

Dear diary, I stopped breathing.

His hair brushed my cheek, his weight was warm against me, and my face immediately went up in flames.

I swear I could hear my own heartbeat louder than the waves.

Me: Internally screaming.

Hyunwoo: Already half-asleep like nothing was happening.

I considered slapping myself awake because surely this was a dream. But nope. Real. Too real.

I sat there stiff as a board for ten minutes straight. The butlers even walked by, one raising an eyebrow at me like they knew something.

I wanted to dig a hole in the sand and bury myself alive.

The Return of Mizi & Sua (Lesbian Edition™)

Just when I thought my soul was already fried, the next plot twist walked in.

Mizi and Sua.

In swimsuits. Holding hands. Laughing.

Like they had not just spent the last two days glaring daggers at each other.

I blinked so hard my eyes nearly popped out.

Mizi spotted me under the umbrella. Her smile softened, and she mouthed, "Thanks." like I was responsible for their reconciliation.

Sua glanced at me, muttered, "You are not bad." And then promptly turned her attention back to Mizi.

Meanwhile, Hyunwoo's head was still on my shoulder. Which meant both girls saw me blushing like a tomato.

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

Lesbian Power Couple Rising

Later, as everyone gathered around the bonfire, Sua casually announced:

"I will try talking to my parents. Maybe they will let me stay."

Cue Mizi practically glowing beside her.

"And if they don't," Sua added, "I will just burn the house down. Without killing anyone, obviously."

Everyone laughed.

Me? Not sure if she was joking.

On one hand, it was clearly sarcasm. On the other hand... this is Sua.

And I wouldn't put arson past her.

So to recap:

1. Till almost got peed on.

2. Luka learned how to paddle like a baby seal and nearly drowned.

3. Hyunwoo took a nap on my shoulder and I aged ten years.

4. Mizi and Sua are holding hands again (and possibly planning arson).

And me? Still stuck in this soap opera against my will.

Note to self:

If Sua really burns her house, I am moving into the ashes just to finally get some peace.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

The Beach Arc is over.

Thank the gods, the spirits, and every higher being, because if I stayed one more day surrounded by rich mafia-butlers, couples flirting in 4K HD, and jellyfish-based medical emergencies, I'd have walked into the ocean voluntarily.

Still... I'm almost gonna miss it. Almost.

Morning Chaos

Breakfast on the last day was like a final boss battle.

The dining hall table looked like something straight out of a five-star hotel brochure: silver trays, fruit carved into swans, pancakes stacked like towers, and orange juice poured into crystal glasses.

You know, the usual for mafia heirs.

Hyuna: "Group selfies before food!"

Luka: already halfway through a croissant

Hyuna: "LU-KA!"

Luka (mouth full): "Whuf—?"

Meanwhile, Ivan sat beside Till, pushing a plate of bacon toward him like some lovesick waiter.

"Eat more protein. You were zapped by a jellyfish yesterday."

Till gave him the flattest look I have ever seen. "Ivan, I was stung, not electrocuted."

Ivan, dead serious: "Same difference. Your body needs recovery fuel."

Till sighed but ate the bacon anyway, which made Ivan smile like he'd just cured cancer.

And Hyunwoo? He was across from me, sipping coffee like a man who had not nearly scared me into thinking he was mafia last night.

He glanced at my plate — third serving of pancakes — and said calmly:

"You eat a lot when you're stressed."

Excuse me? First of all, how dare he. Second of all, he wasn't wrong, but still.

The Beach Finale™

Naturally, everyone wanted to "make memories" before we left.

Hyuna dragged Luka to the water for paddleboarding. Luka screamed like someone was murdering him every time he lost balance. Hyuna called it "romantic encouragement." Luka called it "premeditated drowning."

Ivan and Till, of course, decided to build a sandcastle. Not just any sandcastle — an actual fortress with towers, windows, and what looked suspiciously like a moat system.

Ivan: "It needs defenses."

Till: "It's sand."

Ivan: "Enemies could attack at any time."

Till: "Enemies like… waves?"

Ivan (serious nod): "Exactly."

After an hour of intense engineering, Ivan stomped on it himself, just to see Till's pout.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Mizi and Sua stayed close to the umbrella, holding hands while writing their names in the sand with a giant heart. When the wave erased it, Sua muttered, "Symbolic." Then immediately redrew it bigger.

Meanwhile, I was under the umbrella with juice, sunscreen, and my bad attitude.

Hyunwoo joined me. Of course he did. He always does.

He dropped onto the chair beside me, leaned back, and said, "You look like you're forty years older than the rest of us."

"Thanks." I muttered. "I try."

The Sunset Scene

By evening, everyone gathered to watch the sunset. Cliche, right? But honestly, kind of nice.

The sky turned into melted sherbet — pink, orange, gold. The waves hit the shore in rhythm. For once, nobody was crying, fighting, or threatening questionable medical treatments.

Mizi leaned her head on Sua's shoulder, giggling at something only they knew. Till's hand found Ivan's, and Ivan looked like he had ascended to heaven. Hyuna forced Luka into making a sand angel (for the aesthetic) while Luka complained about sand in his shorts.

And Hyunwoo...

Hyunwoo wasn't watching the sunset. He was watching me.

Me, sweaty, sunburned, and glaring at everyone like the group's designated babysitter.

I looked away so fast I almost gave myself whiplash.

Packing Up

The butlers (still convinced they were mafia hitmen in disguise) helped us pack. Each of them handled luggage like it was top-secret contraband.

Ivan begged Till to let him carry his bag. Till refused. Ivan sulked. Till rolled his eyes. Same routine.

Luka swore he'd never touch a volleyball again. Hyuna promised to "train him harder next time." He almost fainted.

Mizi promised she'd help Sua talk to her parents about America. Sua swore, "If they don't listen, I will just burn the whole house down." Everyone laughed nervously. I did not.

 And me? I was just happy to still be alive.

Note to self:

Beach arc complete. Everyone's in love. Drama temporarily resolved. I still have sunburn, emotional scars, and a growing suspicion Hyunwoo is secretly in the mafia. At least there were pancakes.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

‎Dear Diary,

‎

‎It was the last night of sembreak. The final taste of freedom before classes and exams would swallow us whole again.

‎

‎Naturally, everyone decided to spend it in my dorm room. Not the lounge. Not Hyuna and Hyunwoo's palace-mansion. Not Ivan's disaster of a cave.

‎Nope. My dorm. My sanctuary. My last safe haven — well, not really, since Till is my roommate — but still, you get my point!

‎

‎And now, it's a crime scene.

‎

‎

‎The Couples Zoo

‎

‎Let me paint the horror:

‎Mizi and Sua, curled up on the floor, sharing popcorn like they're starring in their own cheesy drama.

‎Luka and Hyuna tangled on the beanbag chair, wrapped in a blanket like a romcom poster come to life.

‎And Till and Ivan... Oh, God.

Till leaning against the headboard, Ivan sprawled like a human octopus, leg draped across him, tossing popcorn badly on purpose so it lands on Till. Till keeps glaring. Ivan looks like he's winning.

‎

‎And me? I am squished into a corner of my own bed, hugging a pillow like it's the only single person left in the world.

‎

‎Oh — and Hyunwoo's here.

‎I did not even see him arrive. One moment I was setting out chips, the next he was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside me, like he'd always belonged there. Just existing. Permanently.

‎

‎

‎The Movie (aka Ivan's Commentary Hour)

‎

‎Ivan picked an action-comedy. "Explosions and bad one-liners." He said, as if that was a valid reason.

‎

‎We start watching. Immediately, Ivan provides running commentary about how the actors are "holding the weapons wrong." Till keeps telling him to shut up. Everyone else laughs.

‎

‎I try to ignore the avalanche of longing stares happening all around me and focus on the movie.

‎

‎I fail.

‎

‎

‎The Mysterious Disappearance

‎

‎Halfway through, Till and Ivan exchange that look. The look that says "we're definitely not about to sneak off for something questionable."

‎

‎Ivan leans in, whispers something that makes Till blush, and the next thing I know, they're mumbling excuses about "snacks" before disappearing into the hallway.

‎

‎Sure. Snacks. That's what they're doing.

‎Meanwhile, my survival instinct screams "don't investigate."

‎

‎Hyunwoo glances at me knowingly. Which is even scarier.

‎

‎TILL'S POV

‎Till had not planned this.

‎

‎He really had not.

‎

‎But the moment Ivan leaned close during the movie — murmuring something dumb and hot in equal measure — Till found himself walking down the hall like he'd lost control of his own legs.

‎

‎Now they were in the dormitory's shared bathroom.

Romantic, right? The soft hum of fluorescent lighting, faint smell of disinfectant, a dripping faucet in the corner. Perfect setting for whatever this was.

‎

‎Ivan did not seem to care. Ivan never cared. He had Till pressed against the cold tile, kissing him like they were on a timer. Quick. Hungry. Like every second apart had been unbearable.

‎

‎And God help him, Till was kissing back.

‎

‎He hated how easy it was. How natural. Like muscle memory. His hoodie was bunched in Ivan's fist, his pulse was hammering, and all he could think was — "please don't let anyone walk in."

‎

‎It wasn’t graceful. At all. Ivan was all teeth and heat, laughing under his breath when Till made a noise he swore he didn't mean to make.

‎

‎"You're loud." Ivan teased between kisses, grin against his skin.

‎

‎Till glared, breathless. "Shut up."

‎"Make me."

‎

‎Which was how Till ended up tugging him closer instead of pushing him away. His brain was screaming about the very real chance of someone opening the door, but his body? His body had other priorities.

‎

‎It was desperate. Messy. And, annoyingly, satisfying.

‎

‎Later, when Ivan finally let him breathe, Till smoothed down his hoodie and muttered the most Till-like thing possible:

‎

‎"I hate you."

‎

‎Ivan just grinned like he'd won a medal. "Love you too."

‎

‎Till wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

‎

‎But also — maybe not.

‎

‎

ACORN'S POV

‎Time blurs. Mizi gasps at a plot twist, Sua squeals, Luka laughs until Hyuna stuffs popcorn into his mouth.

‎

‎And me? At some point, I fell asleep.

‎

‎On Hyunwoo's chest.

‎

‎Look, it was not intentional. I didn't choose to use him as a pillow. Gravity betrayed me. One second I was sitting upright, the next my head just landed there.

‎

‎When I woke up, the movie was over. And Hyunwoo was still there, unmoving, like he'd held perfectly still just so I wouldn't wake up.

‎

‎"What?" I croaked. Because obviously that's the most romantic thing to say.

‎

‎He looked down, smiled. Soft, not teasing. "You were sleeping."

‎

‎I muttered something about him moving me. He said, "Didn't want to wake you."

‎

‎Excuse me? Who says that in real life? My ears burned so hot I am blaming the room temperature.

‎

‎Before I could short-circuit further, the door creaked open. Till and Ivan were back.

‎Ivan latched onto Till's arm like they'd been separated for years, grinning like an idiot. Till looked flushed. I do not want to know.

‎

‎I dove under the blanket and prayed for the sweet release of unconsciousness.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎Next time someone suggests a pajama party in my room, I am burning the room down. With popcorn.

‎

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

[Prequel Special]

Dear Diary,

This is it.

My first day of college.

My first day of freedom.

My first day of officially becoming an adult, living in a dorm, making lifelong friends, maybe falling in love, maybe starring in my own coming-of-age indie film where I trip over my shoelaces but someone hot catches me and we lock eyes under cherry blossoms.

Yeah. That was the dream.

Reality: I have a roommate who looks like he's going to murder me, I've already embarrassed myself three times, and I think the gods of fate are laughing hysterically while passing popcorn.

So here begins my record. The origin story. The beginning of the curse.

The Roommate

Dorm life! My dream!

I opened the door to my new dorm room with excitement buzzing in my veins. This was it. Independence. Freedom. A chance to reinvent myself.

And then I saw him.

My roommate. Till.

Silver hair falling across sharp cheekbones. Tall, slim, and pale. He looked like he belonged in a horror movie where he plays the misunderstood vampire who kills everyone in act one.

I smiled nervously, raised a hand.

"Hi! I'm Acorn! Looking forward to being roommates!"

Till did not move. Did not blink. Did not smile.

He just stared at me. Long. Menacing.

I swear the fluorescent light flickered. I swear I heard thunder outside, even though the sky was clear.

Me, internally: Oh my god, he's putting a hex on me. He's cursing me right now. I will wake up tomorrow with a centipede in my shoe. Or worse.

Till turned back to his sketchbook without a word.

And that was it.

My grand introduction to college life: My new roommate silently cursing me with his eyes.

I considered sleeping in the hallway.

The Library Incident

Determined to start off strong, I decided to borrow a textbook. Easy task. Low risk. Nothing could go wrong.

So there I was, marching into the library, book in hand, already feeling scholarly. Mature. Responsible.

And then my shoelace betrayed me.

One second I was walking like a future valedictorian. The next second — WHAM — Face flat on the floor. Loud enough that the echo carried through the silent library.

I heard gasps.

Someone whispered. "Is he okay?"

Another voice: "No, he's dead."

I lay there, face squished into the cold tiles, debating whether to ever get up again.

The librarian shuffled over, peered down at me like I was a squashed bug, and said in the driest tone imaginable:

"You can't check out books if you're unconscious."

I wanted to melt into the floor.

I scrambled up, mumbling, "I'm fine! Totally fine!"

My face burned so red it could have powered the library's lights.

First day. First impression. I was officially that guy.

The Cafeteria Tragedy

Lunch. A reset button. Food heals all wounds. Surely the cafeteria would be my safe haven.

Except — when I got there — it was a wasteland.

The trays were empty. The pans scraped clean. The smell of delicious food mocked me, but all that remained was one lonely, wilted piece of lettuce on a plate.

I stared at it. It stared back.

I asked the cafeteria lady. "Um, excuse me, is there—?"

She shook her head with pity in her eyes.

"Kid, you should've come earlier."

Earlier?! It was 12:30! This wasn't a cafeteria. This was a war zone.

So I sat at an empty table with my one lettuce leaf. People walked by with mountains of rice, bowls of soup, fried chicken, laughter echoing in their wake.

And me? I sat there chewing my single lettuce leaf like a depressed rabbit.

I think I died a little inside.

The Quiz Catastrophe

I studied.

I really did.

I highlighted my notes. I made flashcards. I even brewed coffee like a real adult. I was ready.

Then the quiz happened.

NONE of the things I studied were on the paper. None. Zero. Zilch.

It was like the professor invented a new subject just for today.

Everyone else scribbled answers confidently while I stared at the paper like it was ancient alien code.

I wrote my name. Circled C for everything. Sat there for thirty minutes contemplating whether Till's silent curse was to blame.

Spoiler: It was.

Other Casual Disasters 

Because the universe loves variety, here's how else my day spiraled:

1. Mizi & Sua Sighting

Walking across campus, I spotted her. Mizi. The cheerleader. The girl with perfect hair who seemed to live in the spotlight. She was sipping boba with Sua, the quiet, elegant top student everyone worshipped.

Were they dating? Judging from the way Sua wiped tapioca off Mizi's lip and Mizi giggled? Probably.

Two passing students whispered:

"They're definitely dating."

"No, it's just boba."

"No one shares tapioca balls platonically."

I walked faster.

2. Luka & the Fangirl Horde

Near the gym, Luka was being mobbed by fangirls. He looked bored, like this was a routine chore. But then the Volleyball Club manager — Hyuna — walked by. Luka's whole face lit up like a neon sign. He waved, nearly tripped, and called her name. The fangirls screamed louder than a rock concert.

I witnessed an entire K-Drama plot unfold in front of me and kept walking.

3. Ivan the Try-Out Disaster

On the football field, a dark-haired guy — later I'd know him as Ivan — was yelling "GO TEAM!" during tryouts. He tripped over his own feet, rolled twice, popped back up, and shouted, "I MEANT TO DO THAT."

The coach looked like he was both impressed and horrified.

Other players muttered, "He's insane."

He probably was.

Back in the Dorm (aka Till's Final Boss Moment)

By the time I dragged myself back to my dorm, I was ready to collapse.

Till was at his desk, sketching. The room was quiet except for the scratch of pencil. His face was serious, focused.

I thought: He's definitely drawing my obituary.

Then he turned his head. His eyes locked on me. My soul fled my body.

But instead of hexing me again, he whispered, soft, awkward:

"Sorry. I'm bad with people."

...

...

...

I blinked.

He gestured toward my bunk bed.

Pinned there was a massive hand-drawn poster.

Of me.

Well... kind of me. A cartoonish version. Dead center of a crowd of sparkly, dramatic "main characters" — swords, cheer pom-poms, footballs, volleyballs. Everyone looked larger-than-life.

And me? Standing in the middle, blank expression, like the world's most confused NPC.

Scrawled underneath:

"Let's be good roommates."

I... didn't know what to say.

Maybe Till wasn't so bad.

Maybe the curse wasn't a curse.

Maybe this was...

Just... the start of something.

Or maybe I will trip on my shoelace again tomorrow.

Note to self:

If this is the beginning of college, I won't survive four years. Also, never trust lettuce leaves. Ever.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Freshman Week Drama — NPC Guy Edition 🐿️

📚 bookworm42:

I was there. Librarian didn't even HELP. Just said "Sir, this is a library" and went back to stamping books. 💀

😎 shadyGuy101:

Wait isn't that Till's new roommate??

Bro's doomed. Till looks like he hexes ppl for fun.

💖 sparklePom:

EXCUSE ME. Till is ✨mysterious✨ not cursed. Learn the difference.

🏐 volleyGirl24:

I saw NPC Guy in the cafeteria line. Nothing left but one sad lettuce leaf. He picked it up like it was his last meal on earth 😭😭😭

🌸 hyunaFanacc:

No cause he sat down and chewed it like a Studio Ghibli side character in the famine scene.

🔥 memeLord420:

NPC Guy rn: [Metal Gear "why are we still here, just to suffer" gif]

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Freshman Week Drama — The Elites

⚽ footballLover:

Ivan's football tryout >>> comedy show. Bro slipped, rolled like Sonic, then yelled "I meant to do that!!" Coach visibly aged 20 years.

💎 fangirlLuka:

Forget Ivan—LUKA. WAVED. AT. HYUNA.

Ignored fangirls, but Hyuna walked by?? FULL smile. FULL wave. That's love.

🍤 suspiciousShrimp:

Whipped. Absolute shrimped. 🦐

👑 miziNation:

HELLOOO did anyone else see Mizi + Sua sharing boba?? 👀

🧋 bobaWitness:

NOT SHARING. THE. STRAW. That's practically engagement.

🤔 skepticKid:

Maybe it's just boba?

🌪️ everyoneElse:

Shut up. It's Love™.

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: Freshman Week Drama — NPC Guy Edition 2 🐿️

🐣 randomFreshie:

NPC Guy during quiz: studied 200 pages. Test covered exactly 3 sentences he skipped. Man looked ready to drop out.

👻 ghostWatcher:

Rumor: Till DREW A GIANT PORTRAIT of him in their dorm??? With "Let's be good roommates" written on top?? Sir that's either a curse seal or a marriage certificate.

🎨 artsyAnon:

If Till drew you, you're basically in his will. Congrats NPC Guy.

👑 dramaQueenXD:

NPC Guy: exists

Universe: [throws banana peel, shuts cafeteria, deletes quiz topics, Final Destination theme intensifies]

🐀 chaosGremlin:

Petition to make NPC Guy the official campus mascot 🐿️ prey vibes, but make it iconic.

📌 [pinned by mods] NPC Guy = Campus Legend. Misfortune speedruns every category. Protect him at all costs. 🐿️✨

Chapter Text

‎Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

‎Thread: [BREAKING] Ivan spotted with HIS EX 😱

‎🍵 spillthetea22:

‎OKAY so. Not to cause panic but… I literally just saw Ivan (yes, THAT Ivan, football Ivan, chaos Ivan) talking to his ex outside the library??? 👀

‎👟 speedyrunner:

‎WHICH ex?? The hot one from Theater? Or the one from Debate Club who broke a podium??

‎🔥 dramaqueen77:

‎The HOT ONE. Confirmed. Same scarf. Same eyeliner. SAME VIBE.

‎🎨 sketchwitch:

‎Does Till know?? 💀💀💀

‎🏈 qb4life:

‎Bro... Till is literally one skipped eye contact away from summoning a thunderstorm.

‎💀 deadinsideLOL:

‎This is better than Netflix. subscribing to thread

‎

‎

‎ACORN'S POV

‎

‎Dear Diary,

‎

‎I regret to inform you that Ivan's romantic past has come back to haunt us.

‎

‎Not in a fun ghost-story way. Not even in a "haha funny ex drama" way. No.

‎This is real-life soap opera level disaster.

‎

‎Because someone (shoutout to the Campus Chatter, you relentless gremlins) posted about Ivan being seen with his ex.

‎And Till saw it.

‎And now Till has activated Silent Treatment Mode™.

‎

‎Do you know how terrifying it is to share a dorm with Silent Treatment Till?

‎He doesn't yell. He doesn't cry.

‎He just… exists menacingly.

‎

‎Headphones in. Hoodie up. Art supplies spread everywhere like a defensive barrier.

‎When Ivan talks, he doesn't respond.

‎When Ivan breathes too loud, Till sharpens his pencil like he's preparing to stab someone.

‎

‎And me? I am in the middle.

‎Switzerland. Neutral ground. The unwilling emotional babysitter of two grown men.

‎

‎This is not what I signed up for.

‎

‎

‎The Lunch Incident

‎

‎We were all eating lunch. Normal, right?

‎Ivan: "Till, want my fries?"

‎Till: Stands up and leaves.

‎Ivan: "..."

‎Me (chewing slowly): "So, you're dead."

‎Ivan slammed his head into the table so hard the ketchup bottle jumped. Mizi laughed. Luka muttered something about "karma." Sua said nothing but gave Ivan a look of pure judgment. Hyuna patted Ivan's shoulder like she was consoling a widow.

‎

‎I wanted to crawl under the table and never return.

‎

‎

‎The Dorm Disaster

‎

‎Imagine this:

‎Ivan pacing the room like a caged animal.

‎Till sitting at his desk, sketching aggressively.

‎Me on my bed, trying to pretend I don't exist.

‎

‎Ivan: "Hey, Till, come on, talk to me."

‎Till: Silence.

‎Ivan: "I wasn't even doing anything with her!"

‎Till: Eraser squeak intensifies.

‎Ivan: "Babe?"

‎Till: Puts headphones on. No music is playing.

‎

‎Do you know what silence sounds like when it's dripping with rage and jealousy?

It sounds like my impending doom.

‎

‎

‎Gang Gossip Hour

‎

‎Of course, the rest of them had Opinions™.

‎

‎Mizi: "Oh, Till's totally jealous."

‎Sua: "It's obvious. He's sulking like a cat who saw you pet another cat."

‎Luka: "Well, Ivan's ex was hot."

‎Hyuna: Hits Luka with a sandal.

‎Hyunwoo: Just sips his drink and side-eyes me.

‎Me: "STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE I'M TAKING NOTES."

‎

‎Spoiler: I was taking notes.

‎

‎

‎TILL'S POV

‎

‎Till was not ignoring Ivan because he hated him.

‎Oh no. That would be too simple.

‎

‎He was ignoring Ivan because the thought of him smiling at someone else — especially someone he used to love — felt like swallowing glass.

‎

‎He hated himself for it.

‎He hated how his chest tightened when he remembered the scarf, the eyeliner, the fact that Ivan once held that person the way he now held him.

‎

‎So he hid. Behind his sketches. Behind his silence.

‎Because admitting he was jealous?

‎

That would mean admitting he was terrified of losing him.

‎

‎And Till had never been good at saying things out loud.

‎

‎

‎ACORN'S POV

‎

‎Now, Ivan is not the type to sit quietly while being ignored.

‎

‎So what does he do?

‎At midnight, he decides to climb the dorm balcony.

‎

‎Like some football-playing Rapunzel, except instead of "let down your hair" he's whisper-yelling, "Till! Babe! Stop being emo for five minutes!"

‎

‎Till opened the balcony door.

‎Till stared down at him.

‎Till deadpanned:

"You are an idiot."

‎

‎Ivan grinned like a man unbothered by gravity. "Yeah, but I'm YOUR idiot."

‎

‎Did it work?

‎No. Till shut the door in his face.

‎

‎Did Ivan nearly break his neck climbing back down?

‎Yes. Yes, he did.

‎

‎And me?

‎I pretended to be asleep while praying the dorm supervisor wouldn't find out and expel us all.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎If I survive this, I am adding "unlicensed couples therapist" to my resume. Also, next time Ivan tries balcony parkour, I am not calling an ambulance.

‎

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

‎Dear Diary,

‎

‎Till is still ignoring Ivan.

‎Like, "I will sit across the room and pretend you are an inconvenient lamp" levels of ignoring.

‎

‎Ivan, bless his tragic heart, is trying. He sits closer. He asks dumb questions. He even offered Till his fries yesterday — HIS FRIES.

That's practically a marriage proposal.

‎

‎Till? Nothing. Just hoodie, silence, and a glare sharp enough to skin potatoes.

‎

‎

‎The Gang's Totally Useless Help

‎

‎Of course, everyone else decided to "help".

‎Translation: Make it worse.

‎

‎Mizi: "You should write Till a poem."

‎Ivan: "I don't write poems, I write football plays."

‎

‎Luka: "Just kiss him in front of everyone. Works in movies."

‎Till: Glare so deadly Luka physically hid behind Hyuna.

‎

‎Hyuna: "Couples fight. Just buy him boba."

‎Till: "I hate boba."

‎

‎And then Hyunwoo, in his infinite wisdom, dropped this:

‎"They look so messy they might actually break up."

‎

‎Excuse me. WHAT.

‎

‎I nearly threw a juice box at him.

‎"Don't say that!" I snapped.

‎"Why not? It's true." He replied, calm as ever.

‎

‎And that was the moment I realized:

Hyunwoo may be hot, but he has zero bedside manners.

‎

‎

‎Till Vanishes (Again)

‎

‎Later that night, Till slipped out without a word. Again.

‎

‎This time I did not hesitate. I grabbed my jacket and followed him like the loyal best friend/idiot I am.

‎

‎Except — I am terrible at stealth. I stepped on a soda can. I tripped over a cat. I sneezed so loud someone from another dorm yelled "Bless you."

‎

‎Till stopped, turned slowly, and pinned me with the most unimpressed look known to mankind.

‎

‎"You're following me. Again."

‎Me (sweating): "Exercise. Sunlight. Friendship?"

‎He sighed. "I'm buying a voodoo doll. For Ivan."

‎

‎He said it so flatly I almost believed him.

‎

‎

‎TILL'S POV

‎

‎Of course Acorn followed him. Acorn was basically a stray dog who had not realized the leash was invisible.

‎

‎Till muttered about voodoo dolls because, honestly, the thought was comforting. But it was not enough.

The insecurity was gnawing at him. Ivan was trying, yes, but what if it was not real? What if it was just habit?

‎

‎What if Till was just a placeholder until something — or someone — better came along?

‎

‎

‎ACORN'S POV

‎

‎And because fate is a comedian, that's when we saw her.

‎

‎Ivan's ex.

‎

‎She was across the street, scarf fluttering like some tragic K-Drama heroine.

‎

‎My dumb mouth betrayed me again. "Hey, isn't that—"

‎

‎Till froze. His whole body locked. His face went dark in a way I had not seen before.

‎

‎He muttered, almost to himself: ‎"Why is he even with me?"

‎

‎My heart broke a little.

‎

‎

‎Me, Trying (and Failing) to Fix It

‎

‎"Hey, don't think like that." I rushed. "You know that Ivan's obsessed with you. Like — annoyingly obsessed. Remember the love letter incident? He literally chased you across campus—"

‎

‎Till's head whipped toward me. ‎"Don't."

‎

‎Oops. Wrong move.

‎

‎His eyes were red— not crying, but angry, embarrassed, all tangled up in knots I couldn’t untangle.

‎

‎And then—

‎

‎

‎The Call

‎

‎Her phone rang.

‎Till and I both glanced, then froze when we heard the name she said softly into the receiver.

‎

‎"Ivan?"

‎

‎Till went rigid. My stomach dropped.

‎

‎We both stood there, silent, as she lifted her phone to her ear.

‎

‎And then the world tilted.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎Never follow Till at night. Never bring up love letters. Never trust the universe to mind its business.

‎

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

‎

‎Till has not moved in 24 hours.

‎

‎No, literally. He is frozen. Like a sad, brooding statue of misery. On his bed. Staring at the wall. Hoodie hood pulled low. Not crying. Not talking. Not drawing. Not strumming his guitar like a moody background soundtrack.

Just existing.

‎

‎And by existing, I mean — rotting.

‎

‎I poked him earlier. Nothing. Not even a twitch. I put food in front of him. Still nothing. Even Luka offered him his sacred stash of chocolate bars (which is basically like offering your firstborn child) and Till didn't react.

‎

‎At this point, I was wondering if I should call a priest.

‎

‎Official Diagnosis: He and Ivan broke up. And guess what? The whole campus knows. Because of course they do.

‎

‎

‎Campus Chatter → General → BREAKING NEWS

‎Thread: THE CAMPUS SHIP SANK 🚨

‎

‎👀 tea4days:

Till + Ivan = OVER???

‎🏐 volleybae:

my OTP... my heart... my grades are dropping already

‎🎨 sketchwitch:

Till hasn't shown up to studio. this is DEFCON 1.

‎🔥 hotmess99:

Ivan is MIA. Till is ghost mode. Acorn's probably crying.

‎

‎They weren't wrong.

‎

‎We all tried to cheer him up. Me, Mizi, Hyuna, Luka, even Sua (which is terrifying because Sua doesn't cheer — she threatens). Nothing. Nada.

‎

‎Hyunwoo even tried patting his shoulder gently, but Till did not even blink. Which was honestly scarier than when he's glaring at people.

‎

‎Meanwhile, Ivan? Nowhere. Disappeared. Radio silent. Great. Just what we needed.

‎

‎

‎IVAN'S POV 

‎

‎Ivan had no idea what he was doing. Which wasn't new, but this time felt worse.

‎

‎His ex sat across from him at the cafe, blonde hair bright under the light, sipping on her iced latte like this was casual.

‎

‎"So yeah, I asked you to talk to me nowadays because I have some news for you." She said finally, wiggling her left hand. A diamond sparkled on her finger. "I am engaged."

‎Ivan blinked. "Engaged."

‎

‎"Yup. To a woman." She grinned. "Full disclosure? I am a raging lesbian. Dating you was — let's call it an experiment. A bad one. Sorry."

‎

‎Ivan laughed. Actually laughed. "Wow. And here I thought I was your tragic love story."

‎

‎She rolled her eyes. "Please. You were my compulsory heterosexuality phase. Congrats, by the way, you helped me realize I really, REALLY like girls."

‎

‎"Funny." Ivan said, leaning back with a humorless smile. "Because I am realizing I really, REALLY like one boy."

‎

‎Her eyebrows shot up. "Till?"

‎Ivan's throat tightened. "Yeah."

‎

‎The ex softened, something like sympathy flickering in her eyes. "So, what happened?"

‎

‎He told her. The fight. The accusations. The heartbreak. She whistled low when he finished.

‎

‎"Wow. He really thinks you want me back?"

‎

‎"He doesn't believe me." Ivan muttered. His chest ached. "Doesn't believe he's enough."

‎

‎"Idiot." She said fondly. Then, after a pause: "Want me to fix it?"

‎

‎Ivan blinked. "What?"

‎

‎She grinned. "Watch me."

‎

‎

‎ACORN'S POV

‎

‎So picture this:

Wee hours of the morning. Classes are about the start, and the students are practically dragging their asses like "woke-up-like-this" zombies. 

‎Then, suddenly, I hear a voice down the hall. High-pitched. Cheerful. "TILL!!"

‎

‎I turned. Blonde girl. Familiar blonde girl. With scarf. With eyeliner. Running. In. Heels. Waving. Calling Till's name like she was in a drama.

‎

‎Till, sitting two desks away, looked up, saw her— and bolted.

‎

‎Like full sprint. Fight-or-flight, and he chose flight.

‎

‎Cue: Chase Scene Around Campus.

‎

‎I kid you not.

‎

‎Till: Running like his life depended on it.

‎Ex: Sprinting after him in heels.

‎Me: Trailing with popcorn, because what else am I supposed to do?

‎

‎At one point, they passed Luka, who just shouted, "GO, TILL, GO!" like this was a track meet.

‎

‎

‎TILL'S POV

‎

‎Till's lungs burned. His ankle ached. But he could not stop. Not when she was behind him, not when the thought of Ivan still clawed at his chest.

‎

‎He skidded to a halt at a dead end, panting hard. She caught up seconds later, doubled over, gasping for breath.

‎

‎"Holy crap." She wheezed. "You're fast."

‎

‎Till pressed against the wall, glaring, though his face was red more from running than rage. "What do you want?"

‎

‎She held up her hands. "Chill. I just wanted to talk."

‎

‎"I don't."

‎

‎"I am engaged." She blurted. "To a woman. Like, big gay wedding. You are invited, if you want."

‎

‎Till froze. "What?"

‎

‎"And Ivan? He was only talking to me because I was inviting him too. As a friend." She hesitated. "Also, did I mention raging lesbian?"

‎

‎Till stared. His brain short-circuited. "I broke up with him for nothing?"

‎

‎"Yeah."

‎

‎"I want to die."

‎

‎

‎ACORN'S POV

‎

‎I was watching from the corner. Yes, stalking. Yes, eating popcorn. Don't judge me.

‎

‎Till's face right then? Priceless. Pure doom incarnate.

‎

‎He actually said, "I want to die."  and I nearly choked on a kernel.

‎

‎And then — before he could sprint again — someone else appeared.

‎

‎Ivan.

‎

‎

‎IVAN'S POV 

‎

‎Ivan's chest was heaving, not from running, but from everything else. He had heard. He knew. And now, seeing Till — flushed, shaken, eyes wide — he did not waste a second.

‎

‎He dropped to one knee.

‎

‎"Till." He said, voice breaking, "Be my boyfriend. Again. Officially. No more mistakes. Not like the letter. Just us. This time, we both choose it."

‎

‎Till's breath hitched. His eyes stung. He wanted to laugh, wanted to cry, wanted to shove him, kiss him, everything at once.

‎

‎"Idiot." He whispered, trembling. "You're an idiot."

‎

‎Ivan's smile was raw and desperate. "Yours, though."

‎

‎Till's knees buckled. He dropped down too, half-collapsing into Ivan's chest, clutching him like he would drown otherwise.

‎

‎"Yes." He choked out. "Yes. Not a mistake anymore."

‎

‎

‎ACORN'S POV

‎

‎Me: Crying in the hallway.

‎Popcorn: Soggy with tears.

‎This was not even a romcom anymore. This was a full-blown drama finale.

‎

‎But damn if it wasn't the best show I have ever stalked.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎If they break up again, I am throwing myself into the ocean. With snacks.

‎

Campus Chatter → General → Rumors

Thread: [UPDATE] THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER 🚨💍

🍿 dramaeater99:

I just saw Ivan on ONE KNEE in front of Till in the quad??? 

👀 tea4days:

CONFIRMED. Till said yes. I was there. I cried. The janitor cried. Even the vending machine cried.

🏐 volleybae:

THIS IS BETTER THAN ANY K-DRAMA. SOMEBODY GIVE THEM A NETFLIX DEAL.

🎨 sketchwitch:

Till literally ran from her in heels but couldn't run from love 😭✏️🖤

🔥 hotmess99:

From BREAKUP to PROPOSAL in under a week. Speedrun any% WR.

📢 loudandproud:

WHOEVER HAD "campus chase → surprise boyfriend-engagement" on their 2025 bingo card, congrats.

🐝 cheerqueen98:

Ship's not just afloat—it's a CRUISE SHIP now.

💀 deadinsideLOL:

Acorn spotted crying with popcorn in the background. King of third-wheeling.

📌 [pinned by mod]: This thread is officially pinned due to overwhelming student demand. Please keep comments respectful (or at least funny). No spamming, no betting pools on their next breakup. Violators will be sentenced to 3 hours of cafeteria duty.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

‎

‎Remember how I said my life could not get more chaotic?

‎Yeah. About that.

‎

‎Till and Ivan are officially boyfriends now. I know, I know.

They have been unofficially official for months, but now it's real official, like capital letters OFFICIAL.

Meaning Ivan has leveled up from "mildly annoying" to "walking PDA machine."

‎

‎Till's different too.

He's smiling more. Laughing more. Even sketching dumb doodles of Ivan in his notebook instead of skulls and decaying roses. Gross, but also, kind of good? Don't tell him I said that.

‎

‎But here's the kicker: They adopted a cat.

‎Yes. A cat.

‎His name is Ibani. (Combination of Ivan + Till. Because why not curse us all with their couple name AND make the cat part of it?)

‎

‎Problem: Pets are not allowed in dorms.

‎Bigger problem: Ibani is a slippery little demon.

‎Biggest problem: Ibani escaped.

‎

‎

‎Domestic Disaster

‎

‎It started this morning. I was brushing my teeth when I heard Ivan yelling like the dorm was on fire.

‎

‎"IBANI! COME BACK HERE!!"

‎

‎I ran into the room and nearly choked on my toothpaste.

‎

‎Picture this:

Ivan crawling on the floor in his boxers, Till holding a bag of cat treats like it was a holy relic, and Ibani — a tiny ball of black fur — perched smugly on top of the desk lamp.

‎

‎Till: "Why did we think this was a good idea?"

‎Ivan: "Because he is our son."

‎Me: "Because you're both insane."

‎

‎Then, as if possessed by Satan himself, Ibani leapt off the lamp, straight out the open window.

‎

‎Silence.

‎Three horrified stares.

‎

‎Ivan: "He will come back, right?"

‎Till (already grabbing his jacket): "We're going after him."

‎

‎And somehow, I got dragged along too.

‎

‎

‎Campus Chaos

‎

‎So there we were. Me, Till, Ivan, Hyuna, Luka, Mizi, and Sua — running across the campus field like a discount Avengers team.

‎

‎Luka had a butterfly net.

‎Mizi brought boba instead of supplies.

‎Hyuna claimed she had "cat instincts" because she once owned a hamster.

‎Sua said she was only there to make sure Mizi didn't fall into a fountain.

‎Ivan kept yelling "IBANI!" like the cat could actually understand.

‎Till just glared at him.

‎

‎And me? I was questioning every life decision that led me here.

‎

‎

‎The Cat Chase

‎

‎Ibani sprinted across the grass like Usain Bolt in miniature. Every time we got close, he darted away again.

‎

‎At one point, Luka tripped into a bush. Hyuna laughed so hard she forgot she was supposed to help.

‎Mizi tried to lure Ibani with her boba straw. (Spoiler: It didn't work.)

‎Sua actually managed to get close — only for Ibani to hiss and bolt right between her legs.

‎

‎And me? I lunged for him. For a glorious half-second, I thought I had him. Victory! Hero! Savior of the day!

‎

‎But no.

‎Ibani scratched my arm, yeeted himself out of my grip, and sprinted toward the faculty building.

‎

‎If that cat gets caught by a professor, we're all dead.

‎

‎

‎Chaos Multiplies

‎

‎We split up.

Luka (limping from bush injuries) and Hyuna went left. Mizi and Sua went right. Till, Ivan, and I ran straight ahead.

‎

‎Of course, guess who Ibani chose to run toward?

‎Hyunwoo.

‎He was coming out of the library, holding a stack of books like some kind of brooding anime protagonist. Ibani ran straight into his legs, nearly knocking him over.

‎

‎And Hyunwoo? He did not pick the cat up. He did not even look at me. He just crouched down, let Ibani sniff his hand, and the cat climbed into his arms like they had been besties for years.

‎

EXCUSE ME??

‎

‎Till: "HOW—"

‎Ivan: "TEACH ME YOUR WAYS."

‎Me: Staring. Frowning.

‎

‎Because Hyunwoo has not explained why he has been avoiding me.

‎

‎He handed Ibani back to Till without even meeting my eyes, muttered something about being late, and walked away.

‎

‎Diary, it hurt more than the cat scratches.

‎

‎

Mission Complete (Sort Of)

‎

‎We finally got Ibani back into the dorm. He immediately curled up in Till's hoodie like nothing had happened. Ivan declared it "a bonding adventure." Till told him to shut up.

‎

‎The others left, laughing and teasing Luka about his bush dive. Mizi and Sua wandered off holding hands, looking suspiciously giddy. Hyuna said she was proud of her "cat intuition".

‎

‎And me? I kept staring at the door Hyunwoo disappeared through.

‎

‎Why is he avoiding me? What did I do?

‎

‎

‎Dear Diary,

‎

‎On paper, today was about chasing a cat. But the real chase? Figuring out what the hell is going on with Hyunwoo.

‎

‎I don't know which is harder: Catching Ibani or catching a straight answer from him.

‎

‎

‎Note to self:

‎Buy band-aids. Cat scratches hurt more than rejection.

‎

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Hyunwoo is avoiding me.

Not in the "haha he's busy" way. Not in the "oh maybe he's tired" way. No. This is the full "I don't see you, I don't hear you, you don't exist" treatment.

I thought we were fine! Just last week we shared chips while watching a K-drama. He even let me steal the good flavors.

That's trust. That's intimacy. And now? Ghost mode.

I've racked my brain for what I did wrong:

Did I forget his birthday? No.

Did I eat the last dumpling? Yes, but he said it was fine!

Did I accidentally insult his book collection? Okay, maybe once. But in my defense, who reads economics for fun??

Point is, I don't know why he's avoiding me.

So, I decided: If he does not want me in his life, fine. I do not need him either.

Except I do. And it hurts.

But I will just bottle it up and rot quietly like Till used to. That worked for him, right?

Crisis Interrupted

Luka and Sua barged into the dorm lounge looking like they had just seen hell. Which, in their case, meant paperwork.

Luka: "We need help."

Till: "We are broke."

Ivan: "I didn't even do anything this time."

Me: "Is this about Hyunwoo? Because if you know—"

Sua (death glare): "Shut up. This is about the school festival."

Apparently, three student council members are sick. Suspiciously all at once. Rumor says it was food poisoning, but Luka thinks they just didn't want to work.

So, guess who's drafted as temporary student council members?

Yep. Us.

They even gave us armbands. Bright red ones with gold letters.

I almost cried. Took twenty selfies. Sent them to Mom.

Caption: Look, I'm in politics now!

Her reply: "Do they pay you?"

Me: "No, but I have power."

Her: "Power doesn't pay rent."

Mothers.

Planning: Festival Mode

We gathered in the boardroom with snacks (courtesy of Ivan, who thought fried chicken counted as light food).

Luka slammed papers on the table. "We are doing a Japanese-style festival. Yukatas, stalls, games, everything."

Till perked up at "yukata". Ivan perked up at "food stalls". Mizi squealed. Hyuna immediately started sketching lantern designs.

Me? I was already picturing myself in a yukata. I would look majestic. Like an anime main character. Sparkles. Blossoms. Hyunwoo—

—Right. Hyunwoo. He still has not looked me in the eye.

Anyway.

Campus Chatter → General → School Events

Thread: FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT 🎉

🌸 festivalhype99:

YOOOO SCHOOL FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING!!! Yukata time!! 🎉

🍜 noodlelover:

Do we get food stalls?? Please let there be takoyaki 🙏

🎮 gamertrash:

Goldfish scooping pls. I want to redeem myself after last year.

💌 crushhunter:

Imagine seeing your crush in a yukata... I would literally die.

👀 rumorbaby:

Heard the temp council members are the chaotic squad. We're doomed.

🤣 clowncar:

If Acorn's in charge we're getting a clown booth, not a goldfish booth.

📌 [pinned by mod]: Keep hype civil! No spamming or shipping wars (again).

ACORN'S POV

Festival prep is chaos.

Ivan and Till immediately volunteered to man a takoyaki stall because "cooking together is romantic." They burned the practice batch. Twice.

Mizi and Sua started planning matching yukatas. Hyuna was busy designing a photo backdrop for "festival selfies". Luka buried himself in logistics.

And me? I got stuck advertising. Meaning I ran around campus with flyers yelling, "COME TO OUR FESTIVAL OR ELSE."

Some people clapped. Some people ran. A professor told me to shut up.

Also, Hyunwoo walked past. Didn't take a flyer. Didn't even look at me.

I may have died a little inside.

TILL'S POV 

Till watched Acorn collapse dramatically on a bench after flyering for two hours. Ivan was laughing too hard to help him up.

"He's going to give himself a breakdown." Till muttered.

Ivan leaned on his shoulder. "At least he is committed."

Till rolled his eyes. But when he glanced at Acorn, he saw the cracks. The way Acorn kept glancing around, like waiting for someone who was not coming.

Till knew that look. He used to wear it.

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Festival progress report:

• Yukatas rented ✔️
• Stalls planned ✔️
• My will to live ✘

Hyunwoo sat across the boardroom today, flipping through papers, and STILL did not talk to me.

Like, hello?? Am I invisible?? Should I just tape a "NOTICE ME" sign to my forehead??

I decided. I don't care anymore. He can live his broody anime life without me.

Except, when he left early, I stared at the door like a lovesick Victorian widow.

Anyway.

Campus Chatter → General → School Events

Thread: MORE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT  🎉

🎤 dramaqueen77:

Are they doing stage performances this year?? 👀

👑 gossipguru:

I heard YES.

💃 dancerella:

Please tell me we're getting idol covers. I have been training.

🎭 theaternerd:

STAGEPLAY. STAGEPLAY. STAGEPLAY.

🍿 lurkerlol:

I would pay to see Ivan try to act.

🤣 meme4life:

Imagine Till in a love scene LMFAOOO

The Bombshell

It was late. We were drowning in flyers and glue sticks. Luka burst into the boardroom like the herald of doom.

"They want us to perform." He gasped.

We all blinked.

"Who?" Hyuna asked.

"The students. They are demanding it."

"What kind of performance?" Sua narrowed her eyes.

Luka grinned like a man about to ruin lives.

"Stageplay."

...

...

...

Silence.

Ivan: "...Define stageplay."

Luka: "Like theater. Acting. Lines."

Till: Already pale.

Me: Already Googling "how to fake my own death before festival".

Note to self:

We are doomed.

Not by the cat. Not by Hyunwoo. Not even by the fried chicken stall fire hazard.

No. This time we are doomed by ART.

Because we? The clowns? Are putting on a stageplay.

God help us.

Chapter Text

ACORN'S POV

Dear Diary,

Today, we made a decision.

A huge one.

A catastrophic one.

We are putting on a stageplay.

Yes, the temporary student council (aka us, the chaos gang) is apparently ALSO the temporary drama club now. Because the student body demanded "entertainment" and Luka opened his big mouth.

The debate: Do we reenact something safe (like Romeo and Juliet) or do something original?

Till, in his usual "main character aura" just went:

"Original. I'll write it."

And then, like he was possessed by Shakespeare, Studio Ghibli, and the ghost of every angsty Wattpad author ever, he churned out a full draft in one night.

At this point, I am convinced Till is not human.

The Script

Once upon a time, there was a lonely prince.

He wandered the world, searching for the meaning of love.

At his side was a knight — fiercely loyal, foolishly protective, willing to die for him. The prince thought such devotion was reckless.

On their journey, they encountered:

A fox (clever, but loveless).

A mermaid (lonely, but loved by the fisherman who caught her).

A mirror (revealing that no soul is truly empty).

And finally, a dragon (terrifying, but only because it wanted love, too).

The knight fought for the prince through it all, until at last, he sacrificed himself to protect him.

The prince finally understood. Love was not just to be sought, but to be cherished because it could be lost.

Curtain close.

ACORN'S POV

I was sobbing after reading it. Full-on ugly crying. My tears stained the script.

And then came the casting:

Till → Prince (obviously, he wrote it that way).

Ivan → Knight (Till basically wrote Ivan into existence, let's be real).

Mizi → Fox (she hissed, but agreed).

Luka → Mermaid (don't ask, just — don't).

Hyuna → Fisherwoman (she said she will only do it if she gets to whack Luka with a fishing rod).

Sua → Mirror (perfect casting, terrifying elegance).

Hyunwoo → Dragon (irony, thy name is Till).

Me → TREE.

Yes. A tree.

Not even a talking tree. Just scenery.

Life is suffering.