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At first, he'd tried his hand at writing letters; the words ending up either too awkward or too meaningful, and when he did finish a letter, his hand shook so much that he couldn't bring himself to write his own name. When that didn't work, he thought that he could simply just sit back and watch and admire, but that ended up being impossible, too. For while he's used to remaining quiet, the ache in his chest is too strong to be ignored.
Jae Yeol thought that there wouldn't be a way for him to express what he feels for Hyung Suk, felt that even if he wanted to speak, the words would die on his tongue, but then Hyung Suk himself comes up with the solution.
What Jae Yeol can't express with words, he expresses with Milk cartons and algebra.
Jae Yeol had seen Hyung Suk sipping absent-mindedly at a Milk carton, eyes wide and watching as he listened to one of his friends speak. Hyung Suk's strong. Very strong, in fact, but Jae Yeol can see the way he falters for the briefest of moments before those that are larger than him, can see the slight hesitation before he relaxes and sends them the iciest of glares. If Hyung Suk wants to remain strong, then he should be drinking his Milk, and if Jae Yeol can be the one to help him out with that, then he's more than willing.
He'd slip them to Hyung Suk during lunch, watching as he discarded the old Milk carton and picked up the new one from his tray without even noticing that something was odd. Other times, he'd tap Hyung Suk gently on the back during home room and slide him one under the desk, smiling to himself as Hyung Suk gave him a thankful grin. Other times, as Jae Yeol walked home with Hyung Suk - despite it being well out of his way - they'd pass a vending machine and, of course, Jae Yeol would pass Hyung Suk a Milk carton, too.
As for the studying, well, it was hardly something that Jae Yeol came up with on his own: he wouldn't have approached Hyung Suk and asked if he wanted help, wouldn't have known if he had wanted help had Hyung Suk not asked for himself, but when he did, Jae Yeol was more than happy. As both of them huddled around the desk, shoulders pressed together and mind fixed on the paper in front of them, Jae Yeol began to notice the whispers that weren't quiet enough, the scoffs that were meant to be heard. But he didn't mind. For Jae Yeol, there was only him and Hyung Suk - well, and the maths paper in front of them - and as Hyung Suk started solving the problems himself, it only made Hyung Suk smile more. Only made him smile a smile so bright, so beautiful, so radiant, that Jae Yeol found himself smiling, too.
"Thank you for being patient with me," Hyung Suk would say, smiling sheepishly at Jae Yeol, who didn't do anything but nod, and while to other people he would have come off as something other than polite, both Jae Yeol Hyung Suk know that the one, simple nod means the means the world.