Chapter Text
Pulling his backpack onto his shoulders, Hyungwon heads toward the classroom door. As he steps into the hallway he bids goodbye to his teacher who gives a smile and a wave in return. The hallways are now empty, but Hyungwon can catch a few sounds from after school clubs from behind classroom doors. It’s not much sound but it’s better than being home alone in complete silence, so Hyungwon slows his pace a little. From behind, someone calls out his name. Hyungwon looks over his shoulder to see Jooheon jogging up to him with Changkyun following at a more leisurely pace.
Once the two younger boys catch up, Jooheon wraps his arm around Hyungwon’s shoulders. Due to their height difference Hyungwon has to lean down a little and Jooheon lifts up onto the balls of his feet. The younger laughs at the scenario and Hyungwon can’t help the smile on his mouth.
“You finally heading home, hyung?” Jooheon asks. Hyungwon can hear the music blasting through the headphones around his neck.
“No. I’ve got practice with Hyunwoo tonight.”
“For the audition, right?” Changkyun asks, pulling Jooheon off the taller male. Hyungwon gives him a grateful look as he nods. Changkyun continues, “How’s it going so far?”
Hyungwon shrugs as he puts his hands into his pockets. “Okay I guess. I know I have three months to work on it, and yet I’m getting nervous. Especially because I’m already having trouble on some moves.”
“You’ll be fine,” Jooheon says, drumming his fingers to the beat of whatever song is playing on his headphones. “You’re a great dancer hyung, and Shownu hyung is a great dancer AND a great teacher. Three months is more than enough time for you to get it down!”
Both Changkyun and Jooheon nod at the latter’s words and turn to flash Hyungwon thumbs up in sync. Hyungwon snorts at their shenanigans. “If I don’t I’m making you treat me to grilled shrimp.”
“We promise!”
The three of them reach the school’s front gates, joking around and playfully shoving each other. However, the playing stops when Jooheon’s face suddenly lights up.
“Hey, hyung, is it true JB and Jinyoung hyungs are soulmates? I heard some girls talking about it earlier.”
“Yeah,” Hyungwon nods. “The bond settled this morning. No one could tell what caused it though.” To be honest, Hyungwon barely paid attention to the event. The idea of soulmates brought him more anxiety than anything else.
“The soulmate bond is so weird,” Changkyun sighs, stretching his hands over his head. “JB and Jinyoung were friends for years, why did it just settle now?”
Hyungwon smirks and nudges the youngest with his elbow. “You jealous because you and Jooheon haven’t settled?”
Changkyun turns beet red and turns away while Jooheon faces Hyungwon, face open in shock. “Hyung!”
Hyungwon laughs and dodges Jooheon’s swat towards his shoulder. He runs ahead of the younger boys before turning around to walk backwards. “I’ll see you two tomorrow!”
They wave him off (it’s more of a middle finger from Changkyun) and Hyungwon continues his jog towards his bus stop.
The ride to the college is uneventful. Hyungwon does his usual and presses his earbuds into his ears before shutting his eyes. Every now and then he feels someone sit in the seat next to him but they don’t bother him. When he reaches his stop, Hyungwon climbs off the bus and shoves his hands into his pockets as he walks through the college campus.
A few students on Hyunwoo’s dance team recognize him and send waves his way which he returns politely. On his way to the dance studios, Hyungwon sees someone running across campus in a frazzled hurry. He dodges other students and throws apologies over his shoulder when he comes close to colliding.
Hyungwon can’t make out the man’s face, only bouncing black hair matching a black track suit, but even from this distance there’s something about him that draws him to the older. Hyungwon can’t help but keep his eye on the moving figure until he’s well out of sight. Paying it no mind, Hyungwon keeps walking.
When he reaches the dance studios, he finds Hyunwoo already in the one they promised to meet in. Hyungwon peeks through the glass in the window and watches for a moment while the older runs through some moves. A wave of admiration goes through Hyungwon – he’s always loved the way Hyunwoo dances. Hyunwoo does a spin and comes to a stop facing the door. When he looks up and meets Hyungwon’s eyes he gives the younger a small smile and then motions him inside.
Hyungwon steps into the studio and places his bag next to Hyunwoo’s before shucking off his jacket. This time he remembered to wear a shirt under his uniform, but as he unbuttons the white blouse, it hits him that he did not bring sweats. Pausing his unbuttoning, Hyungwon releases a sigh and mutters a curse under his breath.
Hyunwoo looks up and shakes his head with a little laugh. “You really should just pack a separate bag with dance clothes in it.”
“I hate carrying the extra weight.”
Hyunwoo shakes his head again and shrugs. “If you rip your pants again, I don’t want to hear any complaints then.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
“Come prepared next time!” Hyunwoo gives him a mock stern look before breaking into a grin.
Hyungwon gives a noncommittal nod as he pulls his water bottle out of his bag – at least he remembered that.
Once he’s ready, Hyungwon joins Hyunwoo in the middle of the dance floor and they immediately begin to work on what Hyungwon needs to improve on. That’s what Hyungwon has always liked about his older friend. They both work in the same mindset making things a lot easier and smoother.
As they go through the motions of the choreography, Hyungwon finds his thoughts drifting back to the man he saw earlier in the quad. Which, Hyungwon thinks is ridiculous, he didn’t even see the man’s face and yet…
Hyungwon lets out a huff of breath as he accidentally bumps into Hyunwoo’s shoulder. The older, caught off guard, instantly reaches his arms out to steady the younger. Hyungwon stumbles but having Hyunwoo’s hands catch him helps to keep him on his feet.
When they’re both sure they’ve regained their balance, Hyunwoo releases his hold and steps back. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah, sorry. I’m just distracted.” Hyungwon makes his way to his water bottle and chugs down a few gulps. Hyungwon goes to ask a question but stops. Shaking his head, he reminds himself he has nothing to be afraid of. He’s known Hyunwoo for years and trusts him deeply. “Uh…hyung?”
“What’s up?” Hyunwoo asks as he sits down near his own bag. Hyungwon waits for the older to finish drinking his water before asking his question.
A question Hyungwon never thought he’d ask slips past his lips. “Do you think your body recognizes your soulmate before you even see their face?”
Thinking about it, it’s the only reasoning Hyungwon can come up with. He’s never been particularly interested in strangers and yet he can’t stop picturing a man who’s face he’s never seen.
Hyunwoo tilts his head in thought. “I don’t see why not. They say it’s ingrained into our cells or whatever, so I could understand if it triggered something in the body. Why do you ask? You’re never interested in soulmate dealings.”
“N-no reason.” Hyungwon pauses but he can feel Hyunwoo’s eyes on him still. Before he can stop himself he says, “I saw someone today, he was running past on campus. Black hair, and an all black track suit. There was something about him that caught my attention and for some reason my body wanted to keep looking at him. And I know that sounds crazy and juvenile and hormonal but…”
He trailed off. Hyungwon didn’t know how to finish the sentence. Looking up at his older friend he found Hyunwoo wasn’t even looking at him anymore but frowning in thought.
“What’s wrong?”
“You said all black track suit? Was he really muscular?”
Hyungwon frowns. “Yeah, looked like he could be shorter than you. Why?”
Hyungwon’s stomach suddenly drops. There’s no way Hyunwoo knows this guy, right? This campus is huge…
Hyunwoo looks up and shakes his head with a smile. But Hyungwon can see uncertainty in the older’s eyes. “No reason. It’s not important. We should get back to it, I only have this room for another 30 minutes.”
The change of topic seems odd but Hyungwon nods and stands up ready to return to dancing.
They only danced for 15 minutes.
Hyungwon was able to work through more of the choreography without any more distractions. Hyunwoo helps him when he’s lacking and under his friend’s tutelage he’s almost doing the dance at the level he wants it to be at.
Hyunwoo stops the music suddenly as if a thought hits him. “Are you staying out late again? You know you can always stay at my place if it’s better for you.”
Tensing slightly, Hyungwon shakes his head. He really has been staying out late but Hyunwoo doesn’t need to know that. Hyungwon doesn’t want to be a burden. “No, it’s fine hyung. Thank you though.”
The older opens his mouth to say more but suddenly the studio door behind Hyungwon bursts open. “Shownu!”
Hyungwon completely freezes at the melodic tone of the new comer’s voice. It’s so pleasing to the ears; it completely catches him off guard. Without looking at him, the black haired stranger, in the all black track suit, from earlier passes Hyungwon and goes straight to Hyunwoo. He holds up a sheet of paper and waves it in the taller boy’s face.
“I passed! Now apologize for stressing me out! I had to run all the way across campus to submit this, and pay 5 cents to print this as proof!”
While the man talks animatedly to Hyunwoo, Hyungwon sneaks towards his bag and starts collecting his things. There’s a sudden tingle and slight burn on his wrist and Hyungwon isn’t for sure, but if it’s what he thinks it is then he needs to leave.
“Um, hang on, Wonho,” Hyunwoo says to the other. Hyungwon hears the older take a few steps towards him. “Hey, Hyungwon, are you sure you don’t want to stay over tonight?”
Hyungwon doesn’t turn to look at him, only continues walking to the door with a shake of his head.
“Oh? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize someone else was here.” Wonho’s voice is directed at him and Hyungwon feels dizzy. He wonders if the other is at all affected like how he is. By his easy going tone of voice it doesn’t sound like it. “You must be Hyunwoo’s dance friend he talks about you a lot!”
Hyungwon knows it’s rude to not face the man, and so with tense and rigid shoulders he turns around.
And instantly regrets it.
When he meets the warm and tender gaze of the man named Wonho, he feels something click in his gut. The burning in his wrist intensifies and he clenches his fist with a low hiss of breath. He watches as Wonho’s eyes go wide in total shock before he’s gripping his own wrist in pain. After a moment of silence, he looks at the new marking on his wrist before looking back up at Hyungwon with a look of complete awe.
Between them Hyunwoo looks at the both of them in a mixture of confusion and shock. Suddenly Wonho takes a step towards Hyungwon and it’s enough to break the younger out of his trance.
Hyungwon backs up and is quick to turn and exit the room, leaving the two older boys alone in the dance studio.