Noel stood up, pulling on a clean shirt, his movements calm but unreadable.
Luca, still lounging on his bed, peeked over. "Are you still mad at me?"
Noel paused, halfway through buttoning up. "What?"
Luca shifted. "You're leaving?"
"No." Noel glanced at him. "I just want to eat something outside."
There was a beat. Then Luca, in his usual dramatic drawl, sat up straighter. "I just suddenly feel hungry now…"
Noel gave him a blank look, waiting.
"Can I come?" Luca added, like he was offering the biggest peace treaty in history.
Noel didn't answer right away. He grabbed his phone, slid it into his pocket, then finally looked at Luca again.
"You coming because you're actually hungry," he asked, "or because you're scared to be left alone in the room without supervision?"
Luca grinned. "Bit of both?"
Noel rolled his eyes, but his mouth twitched. "Fine. But you're paying."
"What! That's emotional blackmail."
"That's rent for peace and quiet."
Luca grabbed his jacket. "You're evil."
"And you're annoying," Noel said, heading to the door. "Come on before I change my mind."
Luca scrambled after him, muttering under his breath but smiling all the same.
The walk was quiet at first, the soft buzz of campus life in the background.
Luca shoved his hands in his pockets, kicking a pebble. "So… where are we going?"
Noel didn't even glance at him. "There's a ramen spot near the west gate. I go there sometimes."
"Oooh, fancy," Luca teased. "Didn't take you for a noodle guy."
"I'm not," Noel replied dryly. "I'm a hungry guy."
They reached the shop, warm light spilling out the windows. Inside, the hum of low conversation and clinking bowls wrapped around them.
They slid into a booth. Noel immediately picked up a menu. Luca didn't.
He just leaned back and watched him. "You always eat alone?"
Noel didn't look up. "Most times."
"That's kinda sad."
"That's kinda peaceful."
Luca smirked. "Touché."
After ordering, silence fell again. Not awkward—just calm.
When their bowls arrived, steaming and fragrant, Luca dove in dramatically. "Okay, I take it back. Best idea you've had all week."
Noel raised a brow. "I've had a lot of good ideas this week. Like asking you to clean."
Luca groaned. "Why do you always go back to that?"
"Because you always avoid it."
Luca slurped a noodle. "I'm growing. Slowly. Like… emotionally molting."
Noel blinked. "That's disgusting."
"But poetic."
"You're lucky this place is good."
"Or what, you'd have left me back in the room like a lonely plant?"
"More like a feral cat," Noel said flatly, sipping his broth.
Luca laughed, loud and unapologetic. "Okay, that one's fair."
The steam rising from the ramen made a small wall between them, like a veil. Noel focused on his noodles. Luca tapped his chopsticks on the rim of the bowl.
"You still mad?" Luca asked, not looking up.
Noel took his time chewing, then finally said, "You really think snacks fix the way you treat people?"
"I mean…" Luca gave a half-hearted shrug. "It's something."
Noel stirred his broth slowly, watching the swirl of oil float to the edges.
"You're not in high school anymore, Luca. People expect effort, not just convenience store peace offerings."
That stung a little. Luca scoffed and pushed a chunk of pork into his mouth. "I said I'd clean, didn't I?"
Noel didn't reply. He just slurped the last of his broth and set his bowl aside. "You don't get it, do you?"
"Maybe not," Luca muttered. "But I came here, didn't I?"
Noel glanced at him, eyes steady—too steady.
"Yeah. You did."
But the words felt heavier than they should've.
Their eyes held for a beat too long. Luca glanced away first.
They left the restaurant in silence, the warm buzz of ramen replaced by the cool night air.
Outside, Noel checked his phone.
"Alex is heading to the library," he said.
Luca shoved his hands in his hoodie. "Right now?"
"Yeah. Gotta review notes for that quiz."
"You coming back after?"
"Probably late."
Luca blinked, unsure why that bothered him. "Oh. Cool."
Noel glanced sideways at him. "You not coming?"
"To the library?" Luca snorted. "Have you met me?"
"I thought maybe you were trying something different," Noel said, tone neutral.
"I am," Luca replied. "Like... actually eating a meal without leaving a mess."
Noel cracked a small, unwilling smile. "Keep doing that."
Then he walked off toward the library, hands in his pockets, back straight.
Luca watched him go, then sighed.
"Guess I'll just go back and study... the ceiling."
He turned in the opposite direction, but his pace was slower now.
The hallway was unusually still when Luca reached the dorm floor. His steps echoed softly against the tiles as he walked toward their door, keys dangling between his fingers.
He unlocked it quietly, nudging it open with his shoulder. The lights were off, just the faint glow of Noel's desk lamp left on—probably forgotten in the rush to meet Alex.
Luca stepped in, dropped his keys on his bed, and exhaled.
The room smelled faintly like fabric softener and leftover ramen. Noel's side was perfectly arranged. His books were stacked, laptop plugged in, and his shoes aligned near the foot of his bed. In contrast, Luca's hoodie hung over his chair like a dead cat, and his charger was twisted around the leg of the table.
He glanced at the snack bag Noel had left behind—untouched.
Luca sat on his bed, rubbed the back of his neck, and muttered, "At least I tried…"
He leaned back, phone in hand, but didn't unlock it. Just lay there, staring at the ceiling.
Quiet again.
But this time… heavier.
Luca finally unlocked his phone and opened his group chat: "Chaos Fam."
Jordan:
Bro, you disappeared last night. Ezra, huh?
Luca:
Shhh.
He's cute. Chill.
Also, I might be homeless soon lol.
Maya:
What did you do this time?
Luca:
Nothing major.
Just had a tiny war with my roommate.
Jordan:
Tiny war = you didn't clean, you throw snacks as apologize, do you think it's worth it?
Luca:
Why does everyone keep saying that?
He's too serious, man.
Maya:
Maybe he's just used to people respecting their space.
Jordan:
Roommates aren't maids, Luca.
Luca:
Wow, you all are turning against me now?
Maya:
Just saying. You gotta fix it if you want peace.
Or at least don't act like snacks are magical solutions.
Luca rolled his eyes and dropped the phone on his chest, but he smirked a little. Maybe they were right.
He stared up at the ceiling again, then whispered to himself, He closed his eyes.
"Growing up sucks," he muttered.
But maybe… this time, he actually would.