Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“You’re freaking out.” Riwoo notes as Jaehyun switches lanes on the highway. A car honks behind them, and he nearly hits his head on the ceiling with how hard he jumps.

His knuckles are white with how hard he’s clenching the steering wheel. “Who wouldn’t, with traffic this bad?” Jaehyun asks with a strained laugh. If you can laugh through gritted teeth.

He can feel Riwoo throwing him a look. He pretends he’s incredibly focused on reading the license plate of the car in front of him.

“You know what I mean. You’re nervous.” The other gently pries one of his hands away from the wheel and squeezes it. He feels himself relaxing a little bit. “And I've seen you handle traffic perfectly fine before.” 

He sighs. “I’m not nervous, I’m just -” A few seconds slip by, yet Riwoo doesn’t pry. He hums under his breath, a catchy pop tune that Jaehyun recognizes to be his end-of-year choreography song. 

He’s giving him room to breathe without overwhelming him with silence, Jaehyun notices. Despite the small gesture, he’s touched.

“I just want things to go well.” He eventually settles. “I know my parents love me to death and just want me to be happy. And I feel the same way! Which is why I want to show them that I am.” He breathes. “Happy, I mean.”  

“Hm. You can’t force happiness, though.” The other replies, though it doesn’t sound like he’s chiding him. More like a musing. 

He shakes his head in agreement. “You can’t. Still, it makes me happy to see them happy, you know?”

“But?”

He frowns. “But it’s not like this - ” he slips his hand away from Riwoo’s to gesture at them, “ - is real. It’s a bit late to realize this now, but I’m just essentially lying to them, aren’t I? All because I didn’t want to admit I messed up again.”

At the silent response, Jaehyun throws a quick glance at the other. Riwoo's face is the definition of neutrality - his expression is impassive, but there’s a slow nod to show that he’s listening. So he continues.

“And on top of that, I've dragged you, an innocent bystander, into this web of lies I’ve created. If things go wrong, you’re dealing with something you’ve never asked for.” 

Was that what it was? Was he taking advantage of Riwoo, who must’ve felt pressured to help out his friend, one that looked so pitiful he felt the need to give a hand? Was he really stopping this low? 

Noting that the mood seemed somewhat tense, Jaehyun tries to backtrack. 

“Sorry, I’m not trying to make you feel bad about this either - you’re already doing so much, and I’m just saying all of this cuz I’m nervous and wow, this traffic is really bad-”

“Jaehyun.” Riwoo cuts in, pulling him out of his rambling. They’re at a stoplight. The red phare sears an afterimage in Jaehyun’s head when he blinks. He must’ve kept his eyes opened for too long.

He feels his hand being squeezed and finds that the other has taken hold of it once more.

“Everything’s going to be fine.” Riwoo smiles encouragingly at him. “We’ve practiced this. We’re good at this. I won’t be involved in a mess because there won’t be a mess in the first place. Even Dongmin couldn’t tell!”

“That's just because he's dense! Did you see how he acted back when he was still pining for Leehan? It was like-”

“And,” he interrupts him in the middle of his protest, “Even if we did end up in a mess, do you think I wouldn't be expecting that? Do you think I would panic and start wishing I had left you to fend for yourself?” He deadpans. “You think I don’t know you, Jaehyun-ah? You think this isn’t the first mess you’ve dragged me in?” 

Jaehyun winces. “Getting mixed signals here on whether you’re trying to cheer me up or not.”

“I'm not doing either,” he fires back, “I’m just stating things as it is. Remember the whole fiasco with your music production class last year?”

He winces even harder at the reminder. Of course he remembers.

He had a music production class in the previous year. It was a course that was challenging, but fun. The teacher liked him too, and his easygoing nature and hard work had quickly gained her approval. 

However, he eventually learned that his charming and dazzling attitude wouldn't always work in his favor.

He had a senior; one that was repeating that class. Due to seniority, Jaehyun had always made sure to show his respect to him, to be extra polite, and to smile. 

Smile when the other pulled him away from his work to ask him for help with his tracks, which left him with less time to work on his own. Smile when the other would just up and leave, clap his shoulder harshly, wink, and go “I’ll leave it up to you alright, Jaehyun-ah?”, leaving him alone in the library for the rest of the afternoon. Smile when the other still wasn’t satisfied with the work that Jaehyun was basically doing for him, and asked him to show his instead (“as inspiration”, he would say.)

Smile when the other stole the tracks he’d been working on for months.

“Are you an idiot?!” Sungho had yelled at him back then, pulling at his hair. He often abused his hair whenever he talked to Jaehyun. If he ever goes bald, Jaehyun will know he’s a hundred percent at fault.

“Maybe?” He shrugged, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Can we have a rain check on the yelling though? I’m in the middle of something here.”

Back then, he couldn’t do anything when he saw his senior submitting the files that had seemed incredibly familiar. 

Even more familiar when he heard the teacher playing it out loud - nodding her head approvingly at the melody and beat that he created - now in the hands of someone else. 

During the entire time, Jaehyun stayed frozen in his seat, stupid smile still stuck on his face. Stayed frozen with each student that presented, as his heart sunk, knowing he didn’t have anything to show for himself. Stayed frozen until he felt like throwing up.

He only found himself moving again once all the students started leaving, one by one, until it was just him and the teacher. 

He doesn't even remember how he ended up leaving his seat back then, but it must've been his auto-pilot mode that gave him the strength to beg his teacher for an extension. She’d granted it to him - but he saw the hint of disappointment in her face.

He then walked out of the classroom, went to the nearest bathroom, and hurled.

“Hyung, you can’t just let him get away with this!” Woonhak cried out. “He’s getting all the credit for your work while you’re on the brink of death!”

If Jaehyun had enough energy, he would've taken a slight offense to that. Unfortunately, the other wasn’t wrong. He’d been working for three days and two nights straight.

He did feel like he was on the brink of death. Definitely looked like it too.

That’s what happens when you have to put months worth of effort and cram it into a week. And it would still be impossible for it to sound nearly as good - let alone polished. The most frustrating thing was that he liked the tracks he had created. He had put so much of his emotions into them, different pieces of himself, reflecting his joys, his sorrows, his love. 

The music he was making now felt like a reflection of his current feelings - ugly and resentful. Full of cracks of imperfection.

He blinked back the tears of frustration threatening to spill again. He had cried enough already, perpetually blurring his view for the past few days. By now, he had reached the point where he was too tired, and just wanted to get it over and done with. 

He would give this atrocity back to his teacher while doing his best to avoid looking her in the eye, then he would go back to his dorm room and bawl his eyes out until he fell asleep for the entirety of the following week. And finally, he would wallow in misery for the rest of the summer. 

He had planned it out already. It was on his Google Calendar.

“Can’t you report him to the teacher or something?” Dongmin had asked, eyebrows furrowed. Leehan nodded from behind him, with a worried look on his face.

Which led him to wonder - why were his friends here, actually?  

Sure, he had silenced all of his notifications and made himself impossible to contact - but how did that result in five guys barging into his room? This was awfully starting to feel like some sort of intervention.

“Guys,” he sighed, “I appreciate the support, but it’s too late anyways. The teacher grades everyone's presentation on the spot - I’m the one that’s late. Also, he’s a senior, he’s been around longer. There’s no reason for the teacher to believe me over him.” 

Or maybe he was just scared of fighting back. Maybe he was just scared that he’d try to fight back, and everything would just crumble even further. Maybe he was scared to take that risk.

“Don’t worry guys, it’s fine.” he offered a tired smile that didn’t reach his eyes, mainly because he was struggling to keep them open. “Just a few more days and I’ll be done, promise! And it’s not like I’ll fail this class. My grades from previous projects are good enough, and the teacher likes me.” He grimaces. “Well, maybe a bit less now.” 

“Anyways,” he waved them off, “this will be something that we’ll be able to laugh at in a few years!”

They all looked like they were ready to protest, and unfortunately, Jaehyun didn’t have the energy to deal with them and his botched project. He quickly diverted their attention. 

“Where’s Riwoo, by the way? Thought he’d be here with the rest of you peanut gallery.” He joked, though a part of him was secretly relieved. He didn’t actually want the dance major to see him in such a messy state - not when he couldn’t turn it into a joke or light-hearted banter.

A few of them shrugged, though Donghyun gave an answer. “I think he’s busy with his end-of-year dance show,” he piped in.

Jaehyun gawked at him. 

“Wha- And he didn’t tell any of us about it?!”

At his words, the mood changed quickly, as if the rest of the group was uncomfortable.

“Uh,” Woonhak hesitated, “I received an invitation from him, though?”

Jaehyun felt his heart sink as one by one, the others more or less confirmed the same.

“Am I-”, his voice cracked, “- Am I the only one who didn’t receive an invitation?” 

He felt like the ground was shifting underneath his feet. Like the Earth stopped rotating. Like everything was crumbling around him. He felt like he was suddenly engulfed in darkness. 

Then, he realized it was because he stood up too quickly whilst he was dehydrated and lacking iron. The rest could probably be chalked up to his lack of sleep and sunlight. 

“To be fair, you’ve been locked up in your room for the past few weeks.” Dongmin sniped, though not unkindly. “Hyung was probably planning to, once you were less - uh. Busy.”

That did sound like something Riwoo would do. It was the only string of reason that Jaehyun could cling onto, lest he end up bursting in tears again. That sleep deprivation sure was starting to hit him hard.

“Okay,” He reasoned, “You’re probably right.” 

Eventually, he managed to get the others to leave, though he could tell they didn’t want to, left unsatisfied with the turn of events. He was too, but there wasn’t much else he could do. Just a few more all-nighters and he would finally be done.

Was what he was planning until he woke up in a startle at the sound of knocking. 

In a daze, he blinked slowly, eyes bleary, until the realization settled in. He had accidentally drifted into sleep. 

Before the panic could fully instill, the knocking sound returned. Someone was at the door.

Was it the others again? Did they come back? He was sure he looked even worse than before.

He trudged his way to the door and opened it. It was Riwoo.

Jaehyun cursed in his head.  When the other frowned, he realized he must’ve done it out loud too. Stupid sleep-addled bodily reactions. 

“Um. Hi.” He commented instead, quickly combing his fingers through his hair to make his appearance look minimally presentable. He immediately stopped when he realized how greasy it was, then internally debated on whether he should wipe his hands on his pants or not.

He didn’t even get to make a decision. Riwoo didn’t reply - just popped his head in the doorway to check his surroundings. Jaehyun tried to stop him with a woah, give a guy a warning before you invite yourself in - which was dumb because Riwoo doesn't give up when he's determined about something, and Jaehyun was never one to say no to him.

“I like what you did to your place.” He remarked at the sight of the stacks of ramyun packets and takeout boxes. “Lots of new hiding spots. You down for a game of hide-and-seek?” 

His response throwed Jaehyun off. 

“Uh.” He replied intelligently, “No? Wait - aren’t you supposed to be practicing for your end-of-year performance?”

If the other was surprised at him knowing about it, he didn't show it. “Hm, yeah. I came here to give you this, actually. Oh, and you forgot your charger at Dongmin’s place last time.” 

He handed him the charger and a slip of paper. Plus one was indicated on it. 

“It's an invitation for the performance.” Riwoo explained, rubbing the back of his head, “I wanted to give it to you earlier, but I couldn't get ahold of you. I guess you must've been busy, or something.”

“Or something,” he muttered, but he could feel his lips curling into a smile. 

“Thanks,” he checked the ticket and found the location, though the date was nowhere to be found. 

“I managed to get a spot for a solo part this time,” the other continued.

Jaehyun gasped. “Riwoo, that’s amazing! Congratulations!” He threw himself onto the other, engulfing him in a hug before remembering the hygienic state he was in.

Riwoo still hugged back anyways, a wide grin on his face. “It was hard work, but totally worth it.”

“If there was anyone that deserved it the most, I know it’d be you.” he enthused, then scratched his cheek. “But, uh. When is it, again? I didn’t see it on the ticket.”

“Next Tuesday, at four.”

Jaehyun stilled. That was the day he needed to return his already-late project submission.

Riwoo noticed. Of course he did.

“Oh,” he started, and Jaehyun immediately felt a surge of panic at the idea of disappointing the other, “don’t worry if you can’t come, though. There’s going to be an official recording posted online later, and there’s always next year.”

“No, no- No. It’s just-” he sighed but tried to offer a small smile, “I’ll make sure to come, don’t worry. It’s just that I’ve got a late submission that I’ve been cramming for the past few days. The new due date is on the day of your performance, but I’ll just make sure to finish and return it before.”

His eyebrows flew up at that. It was a first, seeing the other look so surprised. “Late submission? You?” 

“Ugh, it’s- It’s a long story.” He didn't want to repeat the past events again, but he didn’t want the other to feel like he was in the dark either. 

“I’m sorry, I’ll tell you later once I’m done with this,” he promised earnestly, “Or you can just ask anyone in our friend group. They all barged in here earlier without my permission because Woonhak couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”

He nodded. “I needed to go see Woonhak anyway.” He headed towards the door and started leaving, then hesitated.

“You better try and take care of yourself, Myung Jaehyun,” he said, “We’ll be back soon.” 

Then, he closed the door, and Jaehyun was left with silence again, accompanied by a newfound sense of confusion.

___

He finally understood what the other meant when he heard a knock at his door seven hours later, after three more energy drinks, two mental breakdowns, and one active brain cell left. 

“You guys are like those cartoon villains that always promise to come back.” He blurted out when he saw Woonhak, Dongmin, and Riwoo standing in front of him. In his half-delirious state, he found that they kind of look like three meerkats. 

“Well, you better thank these three meerkats for saving your ass.” Dongmin replied, which, again. Sleep-addled brain-to-mouth filter. Did any other human body behave like this when in deficit of basic essential needs? Why was his general lack of sleep and nourishment making him respond like the average drunk person?

His piling thoughts get interrupted by a light shove to his chest - Dongmin’s hand was balled in a fist, like he was holding something. When he took it, he found a USB key.

“Uh - thanks, but I already have my own USB-”

“Hyung, no!” Woonhak interjected, “It’s a compiled proof of your innocence!” 

He wrinkled his forehead. “A what?”

Dongmin had the decency to explain. “We went around talking to a few of your classmates from your class - and listen to this. The fucker that stole your shit? Not the first time he’s done something similar to that. Some victims have proof of it, some of them don’t, but we gathered all the evidence we could find. Sorted alphabetically, and organized chronologically, courtesy of Sungho, of course.”

“And let me tell you,” he sneered, looking all too pleased with himself, “It’s not looking good for him.”

“He’s basically done for!” Woonhak cried excitedly, and slammed his hands on the table. Jaehyun felt another migraine coming.

“Wow,” he rubbed the bridge of his nose, slowly registering the words thrown at him, “This guy really sucks.”

Dongmin snorted. “Understatement of the century.”

“But how's that going to help me? I mean - we're reporting this guy regardless, but it's not like I have evidence of him taking credit for my project.”

“The library.” Riwoo piped in. “You and that sunbaenim were always working in the library. We got footage of it from the cameras.”

“Including him stealing your project!” Woonhak declared, before rubbing his head, “At least, I think so.”

Jaehyun beat the hope swelling in his chest with a baseball bat. He put the USB key down on his table. “It won’t be definitive proof,” he shook his head, “There’s nothing that indicates that his presentation is the file he took from me. And he can always lie.”

“He can lie all he wants,” Dongmin crossed his arms against his chest, “But there’s definitely going to be an investigation opened about this. You know how seriously the school takes plagiarism.”

The hope swelled up. Screw the baseball bat.

“How did you guys even manage to do all of this?” he finally asked, a bit in awe.

“Taesan’s friends with a few people in your class,” Woonhak explained while Dongmin pulled a face and mumbled not friends, just good acquaintances, “And everyone loves you, so they were more than willing to help out!”

“Also, Leehan’s part of the library committee crew. He doesn’t have access to the library’s camera footage, but he knew someone that did. Too bad he’s our friend, and was already onboard with the idea - I’d already found some ways to negotiate with him.” Dongmin said, monotone, but he was smirking. Jaehyun didn’t want to know what that entailed. “Anyways, that other library guy apparently knows you too. You did him a favor once or whatever, so he said he owed it to you.”

“We also went to talk to your teacher.” Riwoo added, “We couldn’t do much since we’re not directly involved or in your class, but she was very receptive to what we said. She has a really positive view of you, and she’s ready to hear you out. When we left, she said she’d reach out to you.”

Ah. He reached out for his phone and quickly rifled through his email. Right there - under a spam message - an email from his teacher.

“It’s fine to allow yourself to hope, Jaehyun.” Riwoo gave a nod towards the USB key. “As long as you’re willing to take a step towards it.”

He stared at it. It stared back.

“Sorry guys, but-” he began, and saw three expressions fall. He tried not to laugh at it. 

“- I think,” he picked up the USB key, “I’ll have to leave for a bit. I’ve got something I need to do.”

“Good luck, hyung!” He heard Woonhak yelling as he went through his door. 

Once he was out of their dorm, he immediately winced at the direct sunlight, and shielded his eyes away, taking a few seconds to adjust. He took a deep breath and enjoyed the brisk wind.

He opened his eyes again. “Alright Myung Jaehyun,” he murmured to himself, “let’s go.”

___

In the end, everything got resolved pretty smoothly, all things considered. His teacher had attentively listened to him ramble on - on 2 hours of sleep, mind you - and took the time to go through the content from the USB key. She couldn’t confirm anything at the time, but his submission got put on hold as the higher-ups would discuss it. An investigation got opened on his classmate, and he confessed quickly to his academic misconduct under the threat of a heavier charge if he withheld any information.

That day, Jaehyun came back to his dorm with a lightheartedness he hadn’t felt in months, along with a fatigue that seeped through his bones. With only one thing in mind, he immediately threw himself onto his bed, took out his phone to write a long paragraph to thank the others, and promised to make it up to them before promptly conking out.

Twelve hours later, he woke up in his newly cleaned room. There was also a bottle of water and a bowl of rice porridge that was somehow still warm on his table, along with a note.

Thought you’d probably want to rest up, so we decided to clean up your room a little earlier. I know you don’t wake up when you’re asleep. Sungho also came over to help out. He was horrified at the state of your room (lol). Anyways, I guessed that you’d be conked out for a while, so I came again later to make you some food that isn’t ramyun. It should still be warm when you wake up, but I gave the rest to Woonhak so he can heat it up if it isn’t. 

Just rest, Myung Jaehyun. Who’s going to be my biggest hype man at my performance otherwise? (I refuse for it to be Woonhak.)

- Riwoo 

---

“Ugh yeah - yeah I remember all too well.” Jaehyun cringes, reliving the past memory with a shudder. Definitely not his proudest moment. One of his least proud, actually. “Why are you bringing this up? I already know I fucked up big time.”

“You didn’t fuck up anything. If anything, he’s the one that fucked things up.” Riwoo scowls, still showing clear distaste at the past situation. He takes on a softer tone. “I just wanted to remind you that we’re all here for you, you know? It’s hard to ask for help sometimes, but we’d all much rather help you than be worried about you. Sure, things aren’t always simple or easy, but you’re worth going through all that trouble for.”

Jaehyun gets what he’s trying to convey. His chest swells up with an undefined emotion - something both heavy and light. He starts going for a joking reply, but stops, remembering how earnest the other was.

“Thank you,” he murmurs instead. “I really needed to hear that.” He squeezes his hand in return.

“You’re strong, Jaehyun,” Riwoo leans his head lightly on his shoulder, “But sometimes it’s too much to carry all your burdens on your own. Let others help you alleviate some of that, yeah? That’s what we’re here for.”

A part of his heart squeezes. He doesn’t know what he’s hoping for when the next words slip out of his mouth. “That’s what you’re here for?” 

He deliberately keeps the pronoun ambiguous, his tone light, but his intention doesn’t go unnoticed. He knows they both know what he meant.

Riwoo stills at that, and Jaehyun immediately starts regretting his words. But the other relaxes again.

“Yeah,” he breathes out, but doesn’t look at him, “That’s what I’m here for.”

___

“Eomma, appa! Your favorite son is home!” Jaehyun declares loudly as Riwoo follows closely behind him. 

Jaehyun places his shoes neatly, pleased when he notices the smell of jajangmyeon and braised ribs wafting in. His stomach rumbles, almost in sync. 

God, he hasn't had good Korean food in a while now, and the fragrance of homemade dishes his mom used to make evokes a deep sentiment of nostalgia within him. Takeout from the local panda express just didn’t hit the same.

His sentimentality quickly gets ruined when he spots his older brother lounging lazily on the nearest couch, snacking on some shrimp crackers. 

“Ddaeng.” He says when he sees Jaehyun staring. He throws a shrimp cracker at him. Jaehyun catches it in his mouth, and the older pulls a disgusted face. “Weirdo. Anyways, you're wrong. We both know I’m the favorite child.”

Jaehyun scoffs. “You don’t even clean up after yourself. I almost tripped on your off-brand Nike shoes just now!”

“Oh, were they off-brand?” He sneers. “I wouldn’t know since you’re the one who bought them for me. It’s fine though, I guess you just couldn’t afford actual ones.”

He then throws him a glance before shaking his head sadly. “Actually, it’s my bad. I should’ve known that just from looking at your haircut. Clearly you couldn’t afford a good barber either.”

Jaehyun squawks indignantly.

Riwoo suddenly pops out next to him. “Jaehyun gets commissions for some of his tracks sometimes. He gets good money from that. He also works a part-time job, and focuses hard on his studies to keep his scholarship.” 

The one in question beams when the other continues to defend him.

“He works hard. He’s definitely got enough money for a good barber.”

He absorbs the praise like a watered plant. 

“So you can’t blame his haircut on his finances. You know it’s his own choice.”

His smile falls. His brother snickers.

“Good one.” He says, and offers the bag of shrimp crackers to Riwoo, who takes it with a crack of a smile while ignoring the betrayed look Jaehyun shoots at him. “Are you Jaehyun’s friend?”

“Boyfriend, actually,” he answers so casually that Jaehyun almost gets whiplash. He needs to start getting used to this, quickly. Before he actually gets a heart attack and dies. Or worse.

His brother grimaces. “You could’ve done so much better.” 

“Hmm,” Riwoo throws a glance at him. 

His stomach lurches, and he finds himself wanting to hear the other’s response too. He hates agreeing with his brother, but he’d hate it even more if the other were to agree too. 

“Maybe,” the blond shrugs, “but it doesn’t matter anyways since he’s the one that I like. Any other possible choice is meaningless to me. To me, he’s the best.”

Whatever expression Jaehyun has on his face makes Riwoo offer a fond smile in return. 

“Have I ever told you you’re the most romantic man alive?” Jaehyun gushes, draping himself over the other’s shoulders.

“Your standards are too low if you think that,” he deadpans, but still leans his head back. Jaehyun slips a quick peck on his forehead.

“Okay,” his brother interrupts. “Not that this isn't cute and all, but I do have opinions on being subjected to PDA and-”

“Jaehyunnie?” A voice calls out from the kitchen, before a head pops out. They must’ve been making a commotion. “Oh darling, what are you doing here so early? Your dad's still at work and I’m not done with the food yet!”

“Eomma!” He sticks out his tongue at his brother before quickly rushing to hug her, who returns it easily. 

He inhales her scent. The fragrance of food clings onto her, but he can still detect a hint of her usual detergent. He missed it. 

“No worries!” He grins at her. “We'll just help you out, then.”

“Aigoo, don't be ridiculous.” She lightly slaps his arm. “What kind of host lets her guests cook?”

“Ah, what are you talking about? How can I be a guest when I’m your son?” He protests, then hesitates before moving aside from where he was hiding the shorter one. His heartbeat starts to quicken a bit.

His mom had seemed perfectly fine when she had heard about his alleged boyfriend, but a part of him still remained tense at the idea of introducing Riwoo to her. 

“Anyways, eomma, meet Lee Sanghyeok. He's my boyfriend - er, the boy I’m dating.” He introduces him. The other plasters a polite smile on his face, but Jaehyun can tell it’s strained. 

Riwoo’s tense, it dawns on him belatedly. With how casual and confident the other had seemed, Jaehyun got used to seeing him like that. But seeing him now on edge - despite how compassionate he was in comforting him just a few minutes ago - suddenly makes him more determined. 

He’s nervous, but this isn’t something that he wants to shy away from. Especially not from someone like Riwoo, who deserves to have someone that can proudly introduce him, fake lover or not. 

He pulls in the other closer by his hand, and kisses the top of his head. “He’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and he’s been there for me through thick and thin. Eomma, he’s a really hard-working person, but that has never stopped him from reminding me to take a break. And he’s really funny too! Though his dad jokes are a bit lame sometimes.” The room goes quiet at his sudden rambling, but it’s as if all of Jaehyun’s anxiety has dissipated. 

“But beyond everything else,” he finishes off, smiling at him, “he’s the person that I adore.”

A small part of him notices how there wasn’t a single lie in what he’s said, but he doesn’t care to dissect that for now, wanting to make sure the other felt more comfortable.

Riwoo’s eyes are slightly widened. His ears are flushed red once again, and it’s something that Jaehyun finds himself wanting more and more to be the reason for it. 

He stammers a bit, before replying with “My jokes aren’t that lame.”

He then whips his head towards Jaehyun’s mom and quickly bows. He doesn’t seem as anxious anymore, but it looks like embarrassment has taken place instead. 

“Hello eomma, I’m Lee Sanghyeok, studying at the same university as your son. It's so nice to be able to meet you. Jaehyun speaks very fondly of you, and I can tell how much you love each other just from how animatedly he tells his stories. I hope you can take care of me as well.”

There’s a twinkle in Jaehyun’s mom’s eye as she smiles warmly. “It seems like Jaehyunnie’s stories might start shifting towards another subject.” She giggles.

Riwoo’s smile becomes more comfortable. “I’m sure it won’t ever replace those about you though -” He gets cut off as he gets enveloped in a tight hug from the older woman. He returns it just as warmly.

“Myung Jaehyun,” his mom calls him over, “you better get in here too!”

“Ah eomma, you’re embarrassing me…” but he reluctantly moves in too.

The sound of a camera shutter goes off. 

“Cute picture.” Jaehyun’s brother smiles, smug. “Hey, can I also-”

“No. No way. Actually, get your lazy ass off the couch and go help cooking instead.”

“Myung Jaehyun, do not swear at your brother!”

___

They all eventually settled down for supper, a bit after Jaehyun’s mom ushered all three of them out when they tried helping her out. Jaehyun’s dad came back from work, and when introductions were done, he seemed just as pleased to meet Riwoo. It turns out, he used to be in a dance club back when he was still in university, and the two shared their own experiences with great enthusiasm.

It was clear that Jaehyun’s mom loved him too, her eyes shining bright when she saw Riwoo devouring the dessert she made. The amount of food she served must’ve been directly proportional to her affection, because she kept refilling the other’s plate, over and over again, until he looked so stuffed that he insisted he couldn’t eat anymore. She still prepared and packed extra side dishes for them to bring back home in a few days, though Jaehyun was starting to think Riwoo might be her actual favorite child, with the two extra containers she put aside for him. 

Everyone chatted animatedly, conversations flowing smoothly, and different topics being exchanged. It’s refreshing for Jaehyun to see Riwoo converse so freely, something that he doesn’t usually see much, but now wishes he saw more of. Even in their usual friend group, the other doesn’t talk that much. He’s more so the type to insert a well-timed quip that makes everyone instantly laugh. But when he actually talks more, he manages to capture everyone’s rapt interest, like a magnet for their attention. 

It’s the same case here, with Riwoo leading different conversations fluidly whilst making sure to give enough space for others to share their thoughts as well. He’s the type that parents absolutely love, Jaehyun’s come to observe. 

Aside from that, they also play the role of a new couple perfectly - Riwoo leaning in conspicuously to whisper some comments or jokes in his ear, and Jaehyun occasionally leaning his head on the other’s shoulder or putting his hand on his waist, fingers tracing lazy circles on it.

At some point, Jaehyun catches his mother’s eye. She was smiling fondly at the both of them.

“You guys are so cute,” she gushes, clasping her hands together with her eyes bright, “How did you guys get together?”

As he plasters the fondest smile on his face, preparing himself for his most convincing performance yet - he gets stopped by none other than Riwoo, who gets ahead of him.

“I liked him first,” he admits bashfully, scratching his flushed cheeks, “before we even met through our friends.”

Jaehyun does a double take at his words. He almost completely breaks character. 

This wasn’t what they planned on saying. Which would usually be fine, because he’s the type that can improvise, but he knows Riwoo isn’t. He sticks to his rules, practices what he plans, and only runs with it when he knows he got it perfectly.

So why is he changing the script now?

His mom gasps in excitement. She tries nudging him, but it comes off as an elbow shove straight into his stomach. “Oh dear! Did you know about that, Jaehyunnie?” He did not.

He chuckles feebly instead, and throws a questioning look at the other in hopes of making eye contact.

Riwoo doesn’t look back at him. He continues. “He’s always been someone I admired from afar, but it was that distance that allowed me to subdue my feelings. To just push it aside as a small infatuation.” He explains as he goes on.

“I was so surprised the first time we met. I thought there was no way he'd be as kind as I imagined. But not only did I stand corrected, he was also funny, and so charming on top of that. The type of guy that’d somehow manage to get the whole room dancing, you know?” 

His voice remains clear, but his tone softens. “I actually didn't know how to react to meeting him in-person, so I don’t think I made a very good first impression. But even then, he took the blame, apologized, and assured me that he’d try to make me feel more comfortable.”

“That’s when I thought, ‘Ah, this guy can’t be left alone, or he’s going to try and resolve the whole world’s problems.’ But I think what I really meant was, ‘He doesn’t deserve to be alone. He doesn’t deserve to shoulder the whole world.’”

“So I decided, ‘I guess I’ll stick by his side when he needs help in sharing the weight of the world. I’ll stick by his side when he needs help piecing himself back after he breaks from that weight. I’ll stick by his side when he needs someone to tell him it’s stupid for him to carry the whole world - because to me, the whole world is him. I guess I’ll just stick by his side forever, then.” Riwoo’s voice trails off for a bit, his eyes unfocused.

He snaps out of it when he hears sniffling coming from Jaehyun’s mom. His father looks touched as well. The emotional genes clearly run in the family.

“Sorry, I got a little sappy there.” Riwoo scratches his cheeks, flustered. “Eomma, please don’t cry.” 

“I’ve just got something in my eye,” she reassures him. She then leans over to Jaehyun and whispers. “Myung Jaehyun, you better never let him go, you hear me?”

But Jaehyun barely registers her words. He feels like he’s been tossed into the cold sea, ears blocked by freezing water. 

Everything Riwoo said was news to him. He’s never heard about any of this before. 

And looking at Riwoo’s face - his expressions, his gestures, his mannerism - Jaehyun knows there’s some truth to what he just said. But how much of it?

___

It must’ve been the same autopilot mode that helped Jaehyun once again - this time in pretending everything was normal for the rest of the supper. Both he and Riwoo then wished everyone goodnight as they headed to Jaehyun’s childhood room.

There’s a moment of silence in which neither addresses the elephant in the room. 

Jaehyun can’t tell if they’re meant to ignore the whole thing. It’s one of those moments where he really wishes he could tell what Riwoo was thinking. 

Or at least be able to see him. The other’s back is facing him, and he doesn’t know if he’s supposed to start talking to it. He attempts anyway.

“You know, about earlier,” he trails off.

Just acknowledge the elephant. Casually.

“That wasn’t what we originally planned on saying. Which is like, totally fine, because it seemed to have worked out well in the end, but um. Was that- I mean. How much of that was true? Uh, you don’t actually have to tell me if you don’t want to though, I was just wondering cuz you don’t - you’re not usually the type to improvise. Not in a bad way, of course! Saying this in a - uh. Factual way.”

Fuck the elephant. He might as well have drawn a huge red circle with red arrows pointing at it.

“Jaehyun, I know how to improvise.” Riwoo’s back replies, but then he turns towards him again and sighs. 

“It’s not about you.” He explains, and a part of Jaehyun relaxes at that. The other part feels apprehensive. “Don’t think about it too much. I’m the one who should apologize for deviating from our plan. I just had a memory blank for a second.”

“Memory blank?” he repeats, unsure.

“Yeah, I-” the blond hesitates, “I just forgot for a second, so I just made up something on the spot.”

He blinks. “Well, no, it wasn't totally made up,” he catches himself. “It was a past experience, actually. With an ex. I thought the story would work out well.”

The information leaves Jaehyun with a sense of puzzlement. In the years they were friends, he’s never seen the other dating anyone. It’s the first time he’s ever heard him mention it, actually. Perhaps he just wasn’t too familiar with his relationship history, but the whole thing just seemed strange. 

He’s not sure what to feel about this.

“An ex?” Jaehyun parrots. Riwoo fidgets under his stare.

“Mhm. A while ago. With other friends.” He clarifies.

Jaehyun’s stomach slightly churns at that. He doesn’t care to know why.

“And uh,” he asks slowly, “how are you with that ex?”

Riwoo seems to know what he’s asking. He shakes his head.

“We broke it off a long time ago. There’s no residual feelings or anything, you don’t need to worry about it.”

Jaehyun nods, but he’s unconvinced. He remembers the look in the other’s eyes when he was talking about the memory. As if it was something fond that he still cherished, that he still thought about.

“Jaehyun.” Riwoo steps closer and looks him in the eye. “It’s all in the past.” He then offers a tentative smile. “Baby, you know you’re the only one in my life now.”

It’s stupid. It’s stupid how uncertain and doubtful Jaehyun is being over this - over the information that Riwoo has had other people in his life, has loved other people in his life before. It’s stupid because they’re not anything, so there’s no reason for him to feel this way. It’s stupid because despite knowing that, there’s still a part of him that does, a twinge of possessiveness stemming from the belief that there’s a special bond between them.

It’s stupid because just this comment makes Jaehyun grin back like a fool.

“You can’t go stealing my lines, now,” he whines, and Riwoo laughs. He leans in, and Jaehyun receives him in his arms, laughing as well. 

“So we’re okay?” He murmurs softly into the other’s hair.

“We’ve never not been okay, darling,” he answers.

Jaehyun wakes up to the comfort of warmth and to the discomfort of his left arm. 

There’s something weighing on it. Something that’s causing a spreading numbness. He blearily cracks an eye open, just to see nothing but a blur of soft yellow. There’s a tuft of blond hair, the short strands tickling his chin. And right under, a head neatly tucked into his chest. It’s Riwoo. 

Despite his grogginess, Jaehyun’s heart can’t help but clench at the soft sight of the other still sleeping. 

He takes advantage of the other’s dormant state to observe him. Despite his usual slim and sharp features, Riwoo’s face softens when he’s asleep, giving him an innocent and sweet expression. Like a giant piece of tofu, but like. A cute and pretty and handsome tofu. 

His eyelashes aren’t very long - nothing like Sungho’s lashes that fan his face, or Dongmin’s lower lashes that look hand-drawn - but they look soft, fluttering slightly from time to time. He resists the urge to pet them because he’s not sure how he can ever look at himself the same way after that.

The next few seconds pass by silently, with Jaehyun doing nothing but watching the other sleep. As if hypnotized, his eyes follow the slight curve of Riwoo’s chest, slowly rising up, and then down. 

Up. Down. Up. 

If he was slightly more unhinged, he might admit to even liking the way he breathes. That instead of these fleeting seconds, he could spend hours staring at him like this. Tranquil. Serene. Whatever other synonyms of ‘calm’ there are.

Thank god he’s a well-adjusted person.

And to pay homage to that statement, Jaehyun decides to finally snap out of it and lock in. He decides to act. Slowly sliding his arm away, he ends up hissing when a sharp sting of pain shoots through him. Riwoo must’ve sapped all the strength from his arm through osmosis or something, because he doesn’t manage to move it one inch. Even worse, it starts to disturb the other from his sleep. The other’s eyelids twitch, and Jaehyun immediately stops, heartbeat fast and holding his breath.

A few moments pass, and Riwoo’s breath steadies once again. He sighs in relief, squeezing his eyes closed with his unoccupied hand clutching his heart.

“Jaehyun? Are you having a stroke?”

Jaehyn yelps as his eyes fly open to the sight of the other staring, blinking slowly at him. His heart is erratically beating out of control, something that’s starting to become a regular pattern when he’s around Riwoo.

“Since when were you awake?” he heaves out. Riwoo’s brows pinch as he squints at him, sleep still clinging onto him.

“Uh, a few seconds ago? I felt a bit of movement.”

“That would be my left arm that you’re currently laying on, actually.”

He startles a bit when realizing that he was, indeed, depriving Jaehyun of his limb. “Oh. Sorry, I’ll just-” He makes a sign of moving away.

“Wait, actually -” he stops him by pulling him back in, “just give me a second.”

Holding the other in his arms, he turns and hoists him up onto his chest. Riwoo lets out a squeal as his arms slip, and lands face first.

Jaehyun cackles as he manages to raise his head up, glaring at him. But it doesn’t take long before he also slips into giggles.

Maybe it’s the morning grogginess still clinging onto him, but the domesticity makes his chest swell up with affection. It’s another moment that he stores into his mind, another sight of Riwoo that he doesn’t see as frequently. He keeps all of them close to his heart.

“I’m glad that I could see such a nice view, first thing in the morning,” he teases, but Riwoo doesn’t seem to get it. He looks up at the window. 

“Yeah,” he agrees, “the view’s great. You have a really nice hometown.” 

Well, this is embarrassing. “Wait, no- I wasn’t actually talking about-”

“But it doesn’t look nearly as good as you.” Jaehyun’s jaw drops, and Riwoo throws him the most shit-eating grin he’s ever seen him adorn.

“Lee Sanghyeok,” he pronounces the words slowly, “I cannot believe you just out-flirted me.”

“Myung Jaehyun,” he imitates him mockingly, “the student surpasses the master.”

“And you did that splendidly.” He nods his head approvingly. “So how do you find your view, from up there?”

“Very handsome,” he replies, and shifts up so that he stares at him from above. “I think I like it from here. It’s the first time I see you from above. Almost feels like I’m taller.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” he simpers, and the other suddenly casts a suspicious glance at him from the sudden change in tone. “I guess you’ll appreciate this, then.”

“Appreciate wh-” he starts, before Jaehyun uses all of his strength to push and fling the other a few inches in the air, while he rolls away from below. He hears Riwoo yelp as he quickly gets up and runs to the bathroom, shutting the door closed.

“Yah- Myung Jaehyun!” He hears Riwoo yell from his bedroom, and he laughs. “Get back here!” 

---

They arrive early at the wedding location. Right upon arrival, Jaehyun’s parents and brother separate from them to go help out the groom, though they suggest he and Riwoo find seats for them.

“Isn’t it impolite to not greet the hosts?” Jaehyun inquires, but his mom waves him off.

“It’ll be more impolite if we end up standing the whole time,” she nags him as she walks away. “Go sit down, there’s no use in overcrowding the future married couple! God knows how stressed they are already.” However, she sends him a very unsubtle wink and nods towards Riwoo, so. 

They find somewhere to sit as they wait for the remaining people to arrive. The weather is nice - the sun is shining, but it’s not hot enough to be uncomfortable, and there’s a slight breeze that carries on a floral scent. 

“The couple chose a good day for the rehearsal,” Riwoo notes as Jaehyun pulls out a leftover sandwich he found in the fridge for lunch. “I checked the weather app, and it’s raining tomorrow.”

“Huh,” he replies, chewing on the bread. “Will it be fine on their wedding day, though?”

“Yeah, it should be. The rain stops towards the evening, and then it’s bright and sunny again the next day.”

“Huh,” Jaehyun repeats. The sandwich isn’t very good. He puts it back into his pocket.

“Aren’t you the eloquent one today,” Riwoo raises an eyebrow. “Got something on your mind?”

He shakes his head. “Not really, it’s just that - I’ve never been to a marriage before. Actually, I’ve never really thought about it either.” His eyes scan the area as more people start filling in. “It’s interesting. It’s a bit more technical than I imagined.” Do couples really do all of this? Do they really meticulously plan out everything? 

“To consider every little thing, down to the weather - it’s kind of complicated, I guess. I wonder if it ever becomes too troublesome in the end.” Do they get tired of it? Do they get tired of each other while doing it? 

He closes his mouth shut, a bit put off by his own gloomy thoughts.

“Never mind, forget about that - I was just wondering things out loud, and -”

“Weddings definitely aren’t for everyone,” the other agrees as he answers him, “Isn’t love complicated as well, though? I’m sure that hard things are normal to go through for any relationship. But isn’t a shared burden easier to carry?”

His answer stuns Jaehyun a bit.

“I guess you’re right,” he says slowly. 

Leave it to Lee Sanghyeok to understand his spiraling thoughts, and to come up with a simple response to answer his millions of questions. 

A large smile takes over his face. He grins at the other. “Does anyone ever tell you that you really just get them?”

Riwoo rolls his eyes, but he looks pleased. “Idiot.” He shoves him lightly. “It's not like I can't guess what you're thinking, Myung Jaehyun. I know you.”

“Oh yeah?” He teases back. “What am I thinking right now, then?” 

“You're thinking ‘There's no way you can actually read my mind, Lee Sanghyeok.’” He mimics his voice by pitching it mockingly low. “‘If you did, that'd actually be creepy as hell because you'd be like Dongmin and Donghyun and their freaky telepathy. Mic drop.’ Which I actually agree with.”

That wasn’t what he was thinking, but he’s almost aggrieved by how in-character it sounds.

“The mic drop or the freaky telepathy part?” He asks instead because he refuses to lose face.

“Maybe you’d know if you could read my mind too.” The other simply shrugs.

“Well you’re wrong anyways. I was actually thinking that I’m so lucky to have the cutest fake-boyfriend in the world!”

Riwoo slightly falters at that, before pulling a face.

“Sap.”

“Adorable.”

“Annoying.”

“Precious.”

“The aggravation of my life.”

“So we’re using terms of endearment now?”

Riwoo giggles at that. “You’re cute, darling.” Jaehyun smiles like he just won the jackpot.

“Not more than you, though!”, he snuggles up to the other, rubbing his face affectionately on his shoulder.

“It’s not a competition, Jaehyun.” Riwoo reproaches, though he loops his arms around his neck.

They spend the next few minutes going back and forth bickering with each other, while simultaneously showing off physical affection. 

“Alright lovebirds, pack up your circus. Everybody can see you guys flirting.” A voice pipes in. It’s Jaehyun’s brother.

It’s only then that Jaehyun realizes the attention they were attracting. There weren't that many people that paid attention to them, but a few glanced at them amusedly. He wasn’t originally planning on creating a commotion - he actually wanted to stay low-key. But there was something about being with Riwoo that got him lighting up and wanting to go back and forth with him endlessly.

“Also, Jaehyun, we need to go. Everyone’s here now, and the groomsmen are being gathered.” His brother claps his back as he gets up. “Sorry Riwoo, I’m gonna have to kidnap this guy for a bit.”

He nods. “Please, get him off my hands for a bit.”

Jaehyun gasps. “I thought you loved me, babe. Do you have to shatter my heart like that?”

The other stands up, hesitates a bit before leaning in and kissing his cheek.

“You’ll have to forgive me this time.” He locks eyes with him and winks, smiling with fangs poking out. 

Jaehyun swoons a bit.

___

Overall, the wedding rehearsal goes well, albeit faster than he expected .

Jaehyun barely gets the chance to congratulate his cousin before everyone gets whisked away into their placement. Within thirty minutes, the entire event is done. It would almost border on banality if there wasn’t that one kid who started hiccuping loudly, triggering someone else’s dog to start barking non-stop at the bride. Who had a fear of dogs. 

Jaehyun managed to calm it down with his remaining sandwich. 

The rest of the rehearsal proceeded without any trouble, and eventually, everyone made their way to the rehearsal diner. It’s a charming family-owned restaurant, of which the groom is closely acquainted with.

So is Jaehyun, actually. He remembers going there often with Bo-Gum when they were kids and were forced by their mothers to get along. He remembers that one wobbly chair he’d always get forced to sit on, the nice hue from the orange-tinted lights, and the smiles of the owners who would always greet them cheerfully.

When he steps in, it’s as if nothing has changed.

“Jaehyun!” Jiseok, one of the owners, and husband to Soon-ja, beams at him the moment he enters and makes eye contact. He happily claps his back. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen you!” 

“Harabeoji, how are you?” He returns his enthusiasm as they greet each other. The old married couple were basically his grandparents at this point. “Where’s halmeoni?” 

“In the back, still preparing the food.” Jiseok chuckles as he shakes his head. “I told her everything she made was perfect, yet she still wasn’t satisfied.”

He then turns towards Riwoo, standing at Jaehyun’s side. 

“And who is this?” He questions kindly. Before he even finds a response, a flash of understanding appears in his eyes, and he sends a sly smile to him. It isn’t until Jaehyun follows his gaze, zeroed onto him and Riwoo’s interlaced hands, that he realizes the old man has already found his answer.

But the conversation ends there because Bo-Gum appears, and the attention is suddenly switched to him instead. Jiseok quickly lets them go with a look that says I’ll ask more about this later as Jaehyun drags Riwoo away.

“Your grandpa?” The other asks as they sit down.

“Nah, my grandparents passed away when I was a kid.” He clarifies. When he sees him starting to look apologetic, he adds, “I don’t really remember them anyways, but I remember Jiseok and Soon-ja. They’re pretty much the people closest to that title.”

Riwoo acquiesces. “I feel like I’m really meeting the entire family here.” He starts laughing nervously. 

Jaehyun traces lines in the palm of his hand. “We can just lay low.” He reassures him softly. “I don’t think anyone’s going to interrogate us, but I’ll make sure to keep the attention away, if that’s what you need.”

The other nods slowly, and shoots him a grateful look. He looks a bit out of his element, and Jaehyun recognizes that the quantity of people bustling around must be overwhelming him by now.

“For what it’s worth though,” he gently pushes a few strands of Riwoo’s hair out of his face, “I know you’d be fine, Riwoo. They would all love you, just like I do.” He lowers his voice to a murmur. “How could they not?”

“You love me?” He whispers back, a coy smile playing at his lips. 

“That’s all you got from that?” He complains, but feels alleviated again when the other breaks into giggles. 

The question still nags at him though, already consuming a part of his brain. 

“Do you?” He asks. It almost comes out as a beg.

“Hm?” Riwoo tilts his head and blinks. “‘Course I do.” He then frowns. “You didn’t even answer though.”

“I do.” He laughs, but his heart tightens, like there’s something wrong. “What other answer could there be?”

He doesn’t want to dwell on it. He doesn’t want to address it.

His escape from his thoughts comes soon through the form of a feast for supper. Everyone joins in, and soon, the loud chatter covers them up. The entire table is busy talking - each sharing news of their own lives, or congratulating the soon-to-be-married couple, who repeatedly thanks them all.

Amidst the raucous conversations, he and Riwoo are practically forgotten, left to appreciate the food on their own. Neither of them talk much, subdued from the sound of their surroundings.

It’s noisy. It’s noisy, which means it’s distracting, which is good. He needs that distraction.

That distraction that keeps him clear-headed enough to remind himself that this isn’t a real relationship. That he shouldn’t feel so pleased to feel so close to Riwoo. That he needs to tamper down his uncontrollable affection that keeps taking hold of him during all the moments they spend together.

Unfortunately, that distraction stabs him in the back when Soon-ja drops by him, a sparkle in her eyes.

“Jaehyun-ah, I’ve been wondering this all night, but who's this charming friend you've brought?” Soon-ja asks, gesturing at Riwoo. He freezes. “Introduce him, why don't you?”

Everyone turns towards them. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Riwoo gulp. So much for promising some space for the introvert.

Alert, Jaehyun tries to take control of the situation.

“Ah, halmeoni, that's Riwoo,” He tries to insert smoothly, hoping to direct the conversation in another direction, “But he's a bit shy, so why don't we -”

“Hello, it's nice to meet you, and everyone.” To his surprise, the other speaks out. 

“I'm Jaehyunnie's boyfriend. Please take good care of me.” He bows his head politely. 

A few whispers and murmurs travel the room while Jaehyun stares at him wide-eyed and worried. Riwoo's face doesn't betray any emotions - which was on par with him, but he wasn’t showing any of his usual telltale signs of tenseness. The only thing betraying his coolness are the tip of his ears - flushed red.

Soon-ja’s eyes crinkles from her smile.

“What a polite young man!” she finally answers. She pinches the shorter's cheeks (a feat that even he hasn't achieved yet). “Yah - you're so pretty, where did Jaehyun hide you this entire time?”

“Halmeoni!” 

“She's just telling the truth!” Someone else interjects. This time, Riwoo adorns a sheepish face, flush traveling down to his cheeks. Jaehyun drinks in the sight before he snaps out of it.

He manages to catch the other's attention. 

Are you okay with this? He mouths. In return, Riwoo reaches out to hold his hand and sends a wink. His own way of confirming.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Jaehyun quickly lets go of his hand to pull his waist to his side instead, and tries not to think about how well they fit together every time. He leans his head on the other's.

“Our Riwoo really is the prettiest, isn't he?” He calls out. “He's all mine though, so no flirting with him! I'm the only one allowed to do that.” He laughs as a variation of both cheers and boos resounds around him. 

“Let’s go to the bathroom, baby,” He pulls him away from the clamoring crowd, “Or we'll steal the spotlight from the actual wedding couple.”

They don’t actually get to the bathroom, stepping into the hallway leading up to it before Jaehyun stops.

His thoughts are going haywire, mind running high with adrenaline. The rush he felt from the acknowledgment of everyone is fuel in his veins - the sense of how completely natural and thrilled he felt at the prospect of he and Riwoo’s relationship. 

He hates how much it feels real. He loves how much it feels real.

There’s an energy thrumming right under his skin, leaving him practically buzzing where he stands. He feels a little unnerved, like he has the urge to just do something. Like, working out. Or going on a run around the whole town. Or tearing his insides out enough to leave space and fit inside the nearest person available.

He looks at Riwoo. 

“Hey,” He starts. The other looks up at the sound of Jaehyun’s voice.

“Wanna go somewhere?”

---

The night isn’t exactly quiet, but it is peaceful. There’s no one around, so the only sounds belong to the cicadas crying loudly, and the sound of their footsteps crunching against the gravel ground.

“So. Where exactly are we going?” Riwoo's voice cuts through for the seventh time. Jaehyun knows because he’s been counting.

“Why are you so intent on knowing? I already told you, it’s a surprise!” He whines, but he isn’t really complaining. He knows the other’s just trying to get on his nerves, what with the way he always cracks a small smile of mischief afterwards. 

Frankly, Jaehyun finds his taunting to be quite childish, and even a bit lame. 

But the biggest oversight on Riwoo’s part? It's that he doesn’t find him annoying, not one bit. The fact that he’s trying to annoy him in the first place makes the whole ordeal silly to him.

If pretending a little is what makes Sanghyeok happy, then so be it. He’ll pout and stomp his foot like a little kid, and watch the other's smile grow, knowing his own reflects it.

“For all I know, this could be a kidnapping. You could be kidnapping me right now. Maybe I should be running away.” He clings onto his arm and looks up at him through the flutter of his eyelashes. He looks so cute. It makes Jaehyun want to die a little. “Should I run away right now, Myung Jaehyun?”

What an evil, cunning man. One that he isn’t planning on losing to. He leans his head down, and whispers in the shorter’s ear, reveling in the way he shivers. “Why don’t you give it a try, Lee Sanghyeok?” 

And then, he actually takes off. Sprints away, leaving him in the dust, flabbergasted. 

The other is already a few meters away when he gets a hold of himself and runs after him.

“Yah! Lee Sanghyeok, come back here right now!” He trails after him. But it was becoming very apparent that his two day gym workout did not hold a candle to the dance major. He even has to slow down to a steady jog because he doesn’t trust himself to not start huffing and puffing. He’s so hitting back the gym after all of this.

He finally spots the familiar sight of short bleached hair and reaches out. Unfortunately, his foot also decides that this is the right moment to have a mind of its own, and he stumbles, sending him flying and hitting the other consequently. 

They both go down, tumbling into the grass with a hard oof. Limbs tangled together, they end up in a laughing mess, each struggling to push the other off to come out on top.

Despite his efforts, Riwoo comes out on top, with a triumphant look on his face. He barely looks affected by their tussling, unlike Jaehyun, who was already out of breath. Damn every dancer's endless stamina. 

He tosses his head back to laugh. Jaehyun immediately stares at the expanse of his exposed throat.

His chest heaves up and down from residual laughter as he observes Riwoo. There’s a few strands of his hair that are tousled, wisps falling in his face. His legs are bracketed around Jaehyun’s arms, his weight on his chest keeping him pinned to the ground. 

Suddenly, Jaehyun feels out of breath for a whole different reason. 

There’s some sort of tension that suddenly imposes itself whilst they stare at each other. There’s nothing but the sound of the summer night - crickets chirping, cicadas crying, and the soft blow of the wind.

And it’s with the wind caressing Riwoo’s hair - messing it up further, ruining his neat appearance - that Jaehyun thinks about how beautiful he is.

Riwoo smiles. Jaehyun gulps audibly.

“I win, Myung Jaehyun.” His grin stretches all the way to his crinkling eyes, mirth dancing in them.

He wants to complain. He wants to say since when was this a competition, or I thought I was supposed to be the one kidnapping you, so why do I feel like you’ve captured me instead, or can you please get off of me before I get a mental breakdown, god knows why? 

Instead, his real thought slips out from his mouth. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

It’s as if a dam is broken. Every moment with an undefined tension, every moment ignoring and repressing certain thoughts, every moment in denial of his heart racing a bit too fast - He can’t stay in denial of the signs, not anymore.

Maybe it’s the sickenly fond way that he said it. Maybe it’s the tender look on his face that he has no doubt he's showing.

Maybe it’s his sweet smile that  Jaehyun’s starting to wish to see if it tastes like sugar.

Whatever the reason, he’s fucked.