Chapter Text
Jihoon is not one to put his feelings so blatantly on the line.
A lot of people think that he is mean, that he would never even think of being kind to someone.
But Jihoon has been the one to shepherd the younger ones back to the dorms when they end practice after midnight. He props up the few that are wobbling and makes sure everyone gets to bed safely. When one of the members is sick, Jihoon is the one to convince Mingyu to make soup (and making the soup himself the few times Mingyu has caught a cold).
Jihoon takes care of them as quietly as he can manage, always making sure that they are alright, double-checking that everyone knows what is expected of them.
He is not mean or distant, he knows a few of the other boys may think that, but Seungcheol doesn’t.
Seungcheol has never thought that of Jihoon.
Although Jihoon is relieved that Seungcheol does not see as him some kind of heartless monster, he also can’t say that he likes the “little brother” mentality Seungcheol treats him with either. Whenever Jihoon is distracted, Seungcheol pinches his cheeks and coos at him, calling him the cutest dongsaeng in the world.
Jihoon only continues to allow this because Seungcheol’s smile is beautiful enough to steal Jihoon’s very breath away.
He’s always been bright, has always done his best to smile in front of the others, but Jihoon still remembers that night they were locked in one of the recording studios and Seungcheol broke down crying. It was hard to see his leader so vulnerable and emotional, a first for Jihoon, but he held his arms out anyway and Seungcheol bulldozed his way in. His large, bulky frame was hard to keep in his hold and Seungcheol did all he could to make himself as small as possible.
Seungcheol has acted differently since then, gaze always lingering on Jihoon now. Jihoon doesn’t know what it means, but as long Seungcheol keeps smiling the way he does, there should not be any problems to come.
Unless the very sun in the sky decided to descend and take Seungcheol with it because his beauty shined too bright, Jihoon doesn’t see how things can go bad for them.
Not until he and Seungcheol are staying late in another recording studio to work on lyrics together when Seungcheol leans over and kisses him does Jihoon think something other than supernatural forces may be able to ruin what they have going on. He disregards his worries and kisses Seungcheol back, much too tired to hide how he feels anymore.