Chapter Text
It's been two months since Shotaro met Sungchan, and they've gotten much more comfortable with each other than they were before.
Sungchan was like a rainbow whenever Shotaro was feeling down, and a vibrant burst of color when things were gray. Things like this made Shotaro realize how screwed he was, because it started to feel less like a crush, and more like a four-letter word beginning with L.
They started hanging out more often and Shotaro made sure he showed up early to Donghyuck's parties, much to the boy's suspicion.
Shotaro was always late, so him showing up a couple of minutes before everyone else was definitely strange. Donghyuck just couldn't figure out why.
On the other hand, Shotaro didn't want anyone to know about his crush yet, especially not Donghyuck. They lived together, and if Donghyuck were to somehow accidentally tell Sungchan about Shotaro's crush, he'd have to leave the country and go into hiding.
So he tried to make it less obvious around others.
Keyword: Tried.
Shotaro stayed later than the others after a long night of yelling at each other over Monopoly to watch a scary movie that Donghyuck was really insisting they watch for some reason. Renjun was there too, sitting next to Donghyuck as the movie started.
And then Sungchan walked out from the kitchen, holding a huge bowl of popcorn. His arm brushed past Shotaro's as he sat down next to him, and Shotaro felt his heart begin to race. Sungchan's arm remained in that spot, though it didn't seem like it was affecting Sungchan the way it was affecting Shotaro.
Sungchan held the bowl out for both of them to share, their hands occasionally bumping as they both reached for popcorn.
"This movie is kind of boring," Sungchan whispered to Shotaro. And yeah, it really was. Shotaro was beyond tired as well but didn't want to lose the warmth of Sungchan while being so close to him. "He only picked it because he has a crush on Renjun and wants him to hold his hand when he gets scared."
Shotaro froze, Donghyuck had never mentioned anything about a crush, and he sure as hell didn't notice it on his own. He turned to Sungchan, who looked completely unfazed. "When did he tell you?" He whisper-yelled. "Wait, you can't tell? He's so obviously in love with him. He didn't have to say anything to me."
Shotaro was bummed that he hadn't really noticed and continued watching the boring movie playing on the tv until what Sungchan said actually registered in his mind.
If Sungchan can tell when someone likes someone else, does that mean Sungchan knows that he likes him?
"Can you always tell when someone has a crush on someone?" Shotaro whispered again. Sungchan put the now empty popcorn bowl on the floor and yawned. "Of course. People always make it too obvious." He said, as he pulled the large blanket they were sharing over him some more and rested his head on Shotaro's shoulder.
Shotaro wonders if his heartbeat is loud enough for Sungchan to hear.
As it turned out, scary movies don't phase Renjun the way Donghyuck had hoped, so they had basically watched an hour of cheap jumpscares for no reason. Sungchan had fallen asleep on Shotaro's shoulder by the time the movie ended and the older boy hoped nobody would wake him up.
"I can't believe you made us watch that shit," Renjun complained as he smacked Donghyuck with a pillow. Donghyuck picked up the pillow beside him and hit him back. "Nobody said you had to stay and watch the whole thing." Renjun hit him once again, and then said something Shotaro was glad Sungchan didn't hear. "If I didn't, you'd be third wheeling." Donghyuck paused, looked over at Sungchan who was sleeping peacefully on Shotaro, and then at the Japanese boy who was madly blushing.
Shotaro could practically see the gears turning in Donghyuck's head.
Renjun smacked him again before he could say anything else and soon the two broke into a loud pillow fight that woke Sungchan up. Shotaro's heart fluttered at the way Sungchan yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Those two don't ever shut up." Donghyuck and Renjun continued pillow fighting even as Sungchan got up and extended his hand out to Shotaro.
Shotaro wasted no time grabbing Sungchan's hand as he pulled them into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.
"You're staying here tonight, right?" Shotaro nodded his head quickly. That wasn't his plan, but when Jung Sungchan is asking if you're staying, you're staying.
Sungchan let Shotaro borrow sweatpants and a shirt that was just a little bit too big on him. Which is basically the most cliche thing that's ever happened to Shotaro. He realized this meant he'd have to sleep next to Sungchan, in Sungchan's bed. In Sungchan's clothes.
In Sungchan's room, in his dorm, under his blankets, on his pillows.
His mind was racing at this point, only thoughts of possibly being even closer to Sungchan than he had been before pooling in his mind, making it a bit harder to breathe and opening a bottomless pit in his stomach.
After Sungchan came back from the bathroom, he climbed into bed next to Shotaro and then turned his lamp off. It was just the two of them, in the dark, in Sungchan's bed as Taro's mind kept reminding him.
Sungchan shuffled around next to him before finding a comfortable spot, which just so happened to be resting his head on Shotaro's chest. While Sungchan was definitely half asleep and probably somehow mistook him for a pillow, Shotaro hoped that there was a small chance Sungchan liked him back.
And he really, really hoped that the boy couldn't hear his heartbeat again.