Chapter Text
Kihyun can’t believe he waited till his final semester to take gym class. Not even the good gym class where you get to pick a specific sport your skills are catered towards- the bad gym class where you run and do push ups. Crunches and squats Kihyun can do. He’s been doing a set of those almost daily as they seem to help his dance skills (and give him spectacular abs, if he says so himself) but running, that’s another story. And his arm strength is pretty low too, he thinks as he flexes half heartedly in his sad gym uniform at the full-length mirror.
“Would you stop sulking, it’s time to leave!” Minhyuk, his roommate and best friend chirps, walking into their shared and snapping him out of his state.
“You too!” Minhyuk is poking a pile of covers on his bed that Kihyun hadn’t noticed before. It moves slightly, and a head emerges.
“How long have you been in here!” Kihyun shouts, Jooheon’s eyes going from drowsy to wide open at the sound.
Minhyuk scratches the back of his head bashfully, as Jooheon makes a sulky face and emerges, already in gym clothes. “Honey kinda… sleptover?”
Kihyun rolls his eyes, “Next time, tell me. You know the house rules.”
Minhyuk scurries after the other two out the door. “You were already asleep!”
Jooheon and Minhyuk have been dating for about a month after a long and somewhat flirtatious friendship. Kihyun doesn’t mind him sleeping over, but it is house rules that the other roommate must consent (“No one gets sexiled in this family!” their president had said). Not that Minhyuk and Jooheon were having sex yet, he hoped since he’d been in the room with them. But even if Minhyuk did ask for the room entirely, Kihyun would probably give it to him. It was hard to deny Minhyuk, especially from someone that made him so happy.
Their frat house is silent on this bright Monday morning. Most of their housemates, many of whom are seniors, have avoided taking morning classes this semester. Upperclassmen perks and all that. They’ve almost made it to the front door when there’s a sudden creak at the top of the stairs. Seokjin waves, smiling at them, also wearing a gym uniform.
“Jin!” Minhuk says, louder than he should this early in the morning, “please tell me our honorable president has gym 101 too!” He bounds over to him and baps him on the shoulder excitedly.
Jin laughs, “Yes, sadly.”
“Woohoo!” Minhuk is now bounding out the door. “This is going to be so much fun!”
Kihyun looks at Jooheon, who shrugs and follows Minhyuk. He’s got both hands in his pockets, but when he catches up, Minhuk loops his arm through one of Jooheon’s. Jooheon looks at Minhyuk and his face lightens a little as Minhyuk gazes at the bright morning around him.
Kihyun sighs.
“Don’t worry,” Jin says, “We’ll find ours some day.”
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Jin and Kihyun stop at the water fountain on the way into the gym (and they stop to complain about the members of their fraternity who can’t cook or clean worth a damn) and when they get to class both Minhyuk and Jooheon look grumpy.
“What happened to you two?” Kihyun asks as they set down their bags.
“Not what, but who.” Jooheon pouts.
“You’ll never believe who our TA is.” Minhyuk says exasperated.
Jin’s about to ask, when a loud voice cuts in.
“Alright ladybugs, who is ready to work out!!!!”
All eyes settle on the sculpted bleach blonde standing at the front of the room. Kihyun and Jin’s eyes go wide as they glance to each other and groan.
“My name is Jackson Wang and this is the hardest gym 101 you’ll ever take!” He grins evilly, which Kihyun swears is in his direction, clipboard in hand. They all knew Jackson, all liked Jackson. He was the president of the frat theirs was closest too and neighbors with. He was great at fundraising and even better at parties. But he was intense. And maybe a little insane, Kihyun thought to himself. They were going to get their asses kicked.
“Partner up for warm ups!” Jackson blows his whistle as the actual gym coach just shakes his head.
Minhyuk immediately latches his arms around Jooheon’s neck.
“Like that was a surprise.” Kihyun says aloud, before turning to Jin, but then-
“Jin-hyung, will you be my partner?” A small but confident voice from the behind them says. It’s Jungkook, one of their new brothers and Kihyun knows he’s screwed.
Jin’s eyes soften like a fond mother’s, as he is as much the fraternity mother as president. “Of course my child!” He smiles, throwing an arm around his shoulder.
“I thought we were brothers..” Jungkook mumbles under his breath.
Kihyun just now takes stock of the room filled with other students. There’s a bunch of girls standing at the front, either looking around in anticipation at the boys or holding each other’s hands. There’s a group of boys who look like they don’t do sports to his right, and to his left the most beautiful guy he’s ever seen. WAIT WHAT?
Kihyun’s head does a little snap back to the left as he takes in the structured art sculpture of human form. And that face! Oh my gosh, look away Kihyun look away!
The other guy blinks a few times at him and then, if Kihyun is not mistaken from the corner of his eye, he moves towards him. He moves towards him???
“Hey,” the beautiful guy says softly, “my friends kind of ditched me, do you want to be partners?”
He gestures at the two guys who are with him that Kihyun hadn’t even noticed. Another sculpted man who was grinning at a tall noodle man who seemed to be teasing him.
Kihyun looks into his eyes (his warm chocolate chip cookie brown eyes, stop) and says “Sure, that sounds great.” But he feels like kicking himself the second he remembers that this perfectly proportioned human being is going to be his gym partner and be with him in the gym and see him work out. But he gets to see him work out? Oh shit, oh shit, oh-
“I’m Hyunwoo.” the beautiful guy says, finally giving himself a name other than what Kihyun has been calling him in his head (beautiful guy).
“I’m Kihyun.”
And Kihyun didn’t like to be dramatic, because all hands are warm to the touch, but he swore there was a little extra heat with this one.
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Their first gym class went by without issue, despite Jackson’s warnings, the first class was mostly just about the rules of the equipment with a few demonstrations of form. Kihyun was more than happy to be Hyunwoo’s spotter as he showed off his weight lifting to the class- it meant he got a front row seat.
When they parted ways, Hyunwoo had given him a small wave and said “See you next time.” before returning to his friends. Kihyun just waved back with a smile. And maybe he stared for too long because Jungkook laughed at him. Which earned him a hard glare from Kihyun.
“Maybe he’s the one” Jin whispered sing-songedly as they headed out the door.
“What! No! We only just met!” Kihyun protested, but Jin just shrugged before stopping mid-step. Jungkook almost bumped into him.
“What are you doing, hyung?” Jungkook said, but Jin just shushed him before sashaying (what?) up to the gym’s front desk. Kihyun looked over at Minhyuk, whose eyebrows were clear up his forehead. Jooheon was giggling.
“What’s happening?” Jungkook said as they all watched Jin slide his elbow onto the desk and lean sideways, looking at the desk boy who was reading a book.
Jooheon whispered. “That’s Namjoon. Jin’s in love with him.”
“WHAT!” Minhyuk and Kihyun said loudly, before being shushed by Jooheon.
Jin turned around to give them a stern glare, as this had caused Namjoon to look up from his book.
“He keeps asking him out but Namjoon keeps saying… well he actually doesn’t say no.” Jooheon continued.
“Hey Jin-hyung, can I help you?” Namjoon said blankly.
“I’m just going to give you my gym card, so I can check you out.” Jin said, beaming.
“That’s for the library not the gym, Jin.”
“Dammit!!!” Jin huffed away, meeting up with his friends who stood with eyes wide.
“He says he’ll maybe say yes to me if I think of a good pick up line. But sometimes I just get really nervous around him. I’ll think of one someday.” He said, a little out of breath, as they headed outside.
Kihyun looked over his shoulder to see a grinning Namjoon watching them go. “I think you’ll get him someday soon, Jin-hyung.”