WHILE THE WORLD ISN’T WATCHING

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CHAPTER 2: SHELTER FROM THE RAIN

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The second day of their harmless "disappearance" dawned with a constant drizzle that ended up turning Boom's apartment into the safest place in the world. Out there, on social media, the fandom was already starting to notice their absence: two full days without a single story, without a digital trace, fueling the fans' wildest theories. But inside those four walls, the only theories that mattered were the ones from the K-dramas.
The living room was an improvised camp. They had dragged the softest blankets from the bedroom and thrown them in front of the television, surrounded by cushions.
Boom was sitting on the floor with his back against the sofa, with a plate of popcorn on top of a table and his eyes fixed on the screen. Right next to him, Smart occupied the space stretching his long legs, with his head resting comfortably on Boom's thighs as if it were the most natural and comfortable pillow in the world. Every now and then, Boom's fingers would automatically tangle in Smart's hair, a gesture so everyday and mechanical that neither of them stopped to think about it.
—I told you —Smart teased in a low voice, turning his face up slightly to look at him with a smug smile—. The childhood friend is the secret villain. It was obvious since episode two.
—Don't talk, you're going to ruin the moment for me —Boom protested between laughs, giving him a gentle tap on the shoulder—. I'm trying to concentrate and you just interrupt. Why do you have to analyze every series as if you were in a film class?
—Because I'm observant —Smart replied with a laugh, settling in better against Boom's legs—. Though I admit this actor cries really well.
Smart turned his face a bit more to look at him head-on, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
—You learned to cry like that, didn't you? Watching K-dramas... that's why you cry so pretty in your scenes.
Boom let out a soft laugh, his cheeks slightly flushed at such a sweet compliment, and without saying anything else, he leaned in a little and gave him a tender kiss on the forehead.
When they finally finished the episodes and the screen changed to the main menu, Smart stretched his arms upward with a loud back crack and jumped to his feet.
—Enough series —Smart says—. I challenge you to Mario Kart. I've been thinking about the rematch from last time for two days, you still owe it to me, and my record needs justice. I won't accept you being above me. Besides, that was cheating, you won by cheating and we both know it perfectly well —Smart claimed, standing up with his eyes sparkling from the challenge and a playful smile on his lips.
Boom shook his head, letting out a soft laugh before replying with feigned innocence:
—I never cheat... but I accept the challenge. Get ready to lose again.
Amidst laughter, exaggerated complaints about the controllers, and cross-jokes, the afternoon of the second day faded away without rush. There were no agency calls, no schedules to keep, nor the pressure of having to smile for a camera. It was just the two of them, enjoying the fact that the world, for a few hours, seemed to have forgotten they existed.