“Ivan? Ivan? Are you still with me?”
Ivan pulled himself back to reality, where Shawn is sitting right opposite him, with the campfire and the marshmallows between them. The orange light from the fire wraps around Shawn, making him look extra bright and even more welcoming than his usual appearance, luring Ivan to scooch over and embrace him.
Meanwhile, Shawn is a little nervous. Ivan has stared at him for a consistent time now. He is still in his usual poker face, but Shawn always has this feeling that Ivan is smiling at him. Maybe it’s because of the shape of his eyes. Lit by the light, Ivan’s warm brown eyes seem to be as crystal clear as water, exposing some things that are not usually noticed: Shawn can tell that there are emotions churning in Ivan, lingering in his mind.
As Shawn starts to turn his focus on the marshmallows, Ivan suddenly said, “What were you looking at?”
Shawn immediately shifted his attention back to the person in front of him. “Nothing, just wondering what you’re looking at.” Although feeling a little tense, he still inevitably notices and acknowledges for the one thousand and one times his friend is good-looking. Sure, he might not seem attractive when you first meet him, but the more you interact with Ivan, the more heart-warming details you notice; not only his well-proportioned facial features but also his patience and helpfulness, his silent caring, and his subtly. For example, “cool guy” was Shawn’s first impression of Ivan. Yet as time went on, Shawn began to appreciate his friend’s trustworthiness and started to develop a different feeling toward his roommate. As if to prove that he is brave enough, Shawn added, “also looking at you. Why?”
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“Nothing.” Ivan sounds amused. In fact, he is delighted. “Am I that good-looking?” Leaning towards Shawn, Ivan had a mischievous little smile on his face, barely showing through his lips but more through the twinkle in his eyes. He is pleased by Shawn’s courageous confession and decided to proceed with the conversation, maybe even building the atmosphere a little.
“I admire your confidence,” answers his friend, eradicating any possibility of romance. Ivan smiles in a polite fashion, resisting the urge to educate his friend about something called “don’t talk when you have low romantic intelligence”. He pulls back and decides to enjoy one of the marshmallows.
Taking a marshmallow as well, Shawn sighs in relief. He was not sure whether Ivan was just teasing him as usual, or seriously flirting. He had hoped Ivan is showing signs of romantic attraction but made the decision to reply with the usual playful tone, just in case. Maybe just let this affection die, Shawn thought, trying to convince himself to give up. The marshmallow is good though, thanks to Ivan.
The sky is slowly brightening up, with the navy blue descending from the stage and more of a pinkish purple covering the sky, reminding Shawn of a strawberry cream Soufflé. The air is sweet with the scent of roasted marshmallows, blended with the smoke from the campfire. The wind gently passes by, making the trees rustle as if they are whispering and reminding Shawn of his mission. Shawn’s gut begins to twist again. He grabs another marshmallow.