Dear Roommate Please Stop Being Hot [BL]-Chapter 302: Before We Scatter

The student center was crowded—end of finals meant everyone celebrating, groups clustering around tables, laughter echoing off high ceilings.

They found their usual spot near the windows.

Emily was already there, laptop open, looking simultaneously exhausted and wired.

"Hey," she said, looking up. "Please tell me you brought caffeine."

"We just got here," Luca said, dropping into a chair beside her.

"Then go get caffeine. I’m dying."

Noel headed to the coffee counter without being asked. Luca glanced at Emily’s laptop screen—job listings, application portals, several tabs open.

"Starting already?" he asked.

"My dad’s starting already." Emily gestured at her email inbox. "He’s sent me twelve different positions since yesterday. Twelve. I haven’t even graduated yet."

"What kind of positions?"

"Consulting firms mostly. McKinsey, Bain, Deloitte. All the places he thinks are ’appropriate for someone with my credentials.’" She made air quotes, voice tight. "Never mind asking what I actually want to do."

"What do you want to do?"

Emily closed her laptop. "I have no idea. That’s the problem. I just know I don’t want to jump straight into consulting hell."

George arrived then, backpack slung over one shoulder, looking more relaxed than Luca had seen him all semester.

"Freedom," George announced, dropping into a chair. "It tastes like not studying."

"Poetic," Emily said.

"I’m a poet now. Didn’t you know?"

"Since when?"

"Since thirty seconds ago. I’m versatile."

Noel returned with coffee for everyone, distributed cups with quiet efficiency. Emily grabbed hers immediately, took a long drink, sighed with relief.

"You’re a saint," she told Noel.

"I know."

Alex and Lina appeared together, hand in hand, looking comfortable in a way they hadn’t a month ago. Alex had paint stains on his jeans, Lina wore a dress she’d probably designed herself—clean lines, interesting construction.

"Sorry we’re late," Alex said, pulling out chairs. "Lost track of time at the studio."

"Working on your portfolio?" Emily asked.

"Always." Alex settled in, Lina beside him. "Trying to build enough pieces for freelance work."

"You’re going freelance?" George asked.

"That’s the plan. Work for myself, take commissions, figure out what kind of art I actually want to make." Alex shrugged. "My parents hate the idea, but it feels right."

"Brave," Emily said.

"Or stupid. Time will tell."

"What about you?" Noel asked Lina. "Any plans?"

She considered, fingers tracing the rim of her cup. "I’ve been thinking about starting my own line. Small scale initially, see if it works. There’s a studio space downtown that rents to emerging designers."

"That’s amazing," Emily said, and she sounded genuinely happy. No bitterness, no awkwardness. Just support.

"It’s terrifying," Lina admitted. "But I want to try."

"You should," Alex said, squeezing her hand. "Your work is incredible."

The way he looked at her—steady, certain, proud—made something warm settle in Luca’s chest. They were going to be okay. Both of them.

"What about you?" Emily turned to George. "Any grand plans?"

George’s expression shifted, became more serious. "I’m going back to China."

Emily’s smile faltered. "What?"

"My family’s business. They want me back there, working with them. It makes sense—I interned there, I know the operation, and honestly?" He paused. "I miss it. The work, the country, all of it."

"When?" Emily’s voice had gone quiet.

"Probably mid-July. Give myself a month to pack up, say goodbyes."

"George—"

"I know." He reached over, squeezed her shoulder. "I’ll miss you too."

"Who’s going to help me tease Luca if you leave?" Emily’s tone was light, but her eyes were a little too bright.

"Hey," Luca protested.

"You’ll find someone else," George said. "I have faith in your ability to be annoying."

"Thanks so much."

"Anytime."

Emily swallowed hard, then nodded. "Okay. China. That’s... that’s actually really good for you."

"Yeah. It is."

They sat with that for a moment, the reality of scattering settling over them. Four years together, and now everyone heading in different directions.

"What about you two?" Alex asked, looking at Luca and Noel. "Any plans?"

Luca felt Noel’s eyes on him. They hadn’t really talked about this with the group yet. Hadn’t talked about it much between themselves, honestly.

"I’ve gotten some offers," Noel said carefully. "Couple of consulting firms, one research position, a few corporate roles. Still deciding."

"Translation: he’s overthinking it," Luca added.

"I’m not overthinking."

"You made a spreadsheet comparing benefits packages."

"That’s called being thorough."

"That’s called overthinking."

Emily laughed. "You guys are the same person sometimes."

"We’re nothing alike," they said simultaneously, then stopped, looked at each other.

"Point proven," George said.

"What about you, Luca?" Lina asked. "You’ve been quiet about post-graduation plans."

Luca shifted in his chair. "Still figuring it out."

"Your dad’s company, right?" Emily said. "That’s the obvious choice."

"Maybe." Luca kept his voice neutral. "It’s an option."

"But?" Noel prompted gently.

"But I don’t know if it’s my option. Or just the expected one." Luca wrapped his hands around his coffee cup. "I want to make sure I’m choosing something because I want it, not because it’s convenient."

"That’s fair," Alex said. "Better to take time figuring it out than rush into something wrong."

"My dad doesn’t see it that way."

"Parents rarely do," George said. "Mine spent six months trying to convince me to stay here, work for an American company. They only accepted the China plan once they realized it meant I’d be closer to family."

"At least yours came around," Emily muttered.

"Yours will too. Eventually."

"Unlikely. But thanks for the optimism."

Noel’s hand found Luca’s under the table, fingers lacing together. The touch was grounding, reassuring.

"You’ll figure it out," Noel said quietly, meant only for him.

"We’ll figure it out," Luca corrected.

"Right. We will."

Emily caught the exchange, rolled her eyes. "You two are disgustingly cute."

"Jealous?" Luca asked.

"Extremely. George, be cute with me."

"I’m not cute. I’m ruggedly handsome."

"You’re a dork."

"A ruggedly handsome dork."

"That’s not a thing."

"It is now. I’m defining new categories."

Their banter continued, easy and familiar.

Alex and Lina watched with amused expressions, occasionally adding their own commentary.

Noel’s thumb traced circles on the back of Luca’s hand, steady and constant.

"Seriously though," Emily said, when the laughter died down. "We’re all going to stay in touch, right? This isn’t one of those things where we promise to keep talking and then everyone disappears?"

"We’re not disappearing," George said firmly. "I’ll be in a different time zone, but I’ll still text. Probably at weird hours, but still."

"I’ll be freelancing from home," Alex added. "Which means I’ll have too much time and will definitely bother all of you."

"I’m not going anywhere," Emily said. "Probably stuck in this city dealing with whatever job my dad forces on me."

"He can’t force you," George pointed out.

"You don’t know my dad."

"Fair point."

"We’ll make it work," Luca said, addressing the group. "Distance doesn’t have to mean disconnection. We’ve been through too much together to just drift apart."

"Look at Luca being sentimental," Emily teased, but her voice was soft. "Who are you and what did you do with the emotionally constipated guy I met freshman year?"

"He’s still here. Just learned to pretend I have feelings occasionally."

"Character growth."

"Something like that."

They stayed at the student center for hours, talking about everything and nothing.

Reminiscing about freshman year disasters, that group project that had nearly destroyed them, the professor who’d made them all question their life choices.

Around five, people started drifting away. Alex and Lina had studio plans, George needed to call his family in China, Emily had another job application her dad wanted her to review.

"Tomorrow?" Emily asked as she packed up her laptop.

"Tomorrow," Luca agreed.

"Same time?"

"Sure. Why not."

She hugged him impulsively, quick and tight. "I’m going to miss this. All of us together."

"We’re not going anywhere yet. Still have a week."

"I know. Just... practicing for when we do."

George hugged her next, then Noel, then Luca. "See you guys tomorrow. Try not to be too cute without me around to make fun of you."

"No promises," Luca said.

Alex and Lina waved goodbye.

Then it was just Luca and Noel, the student center quieter now, late afternoon sun streaming through the windows.

"That went well," Noel said.

"Yeah. It did."

"You okay? About the job stuff?"

"I don’t know. Ask me again after I figure out what I’m doing."

"Fair enough." Noel stood, offered his hand. "Come on. Let’s go home."

Luca took it, let himself be pulled up.

"Do you ever think," Luca said, walking slower, "that we’ll miss this version of ourselves the most?"

Noel glanced at him. "Which version?"

"The one that doesn’t know what’s coming yet."

Noel stopped, gentle but certain. "I don’t think we lose him."

"No?"

"No. I think he just grows teeth."

Luca laughed, breath puffing out. "That’s... unsettling."

"Life usually is."

Noel squeezed his hand. "Still worth it. Especially with you."

They walked out together, the campus golden in the fading light.

One week left. Then everything scattered.

But right now, they were still here. Still together.

And that was enough.