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Woojin was unpredictable. While he could be the biggest prankster, laughing the loudest at his own jokes, he also had the ability to stare, blank faced, at anyone for the longest time, just trying to unsettle them. But it was all in good fun. He liked seeing people squirm - not because he was mean, but because it was just cute to watch. He eventually decided it was particularly cute when it was Woong.
Woong was adorable. Not just cute, adorable, with emphasis on every syllable. He gave some of the best reactions, too. His laughter was so unique, so... Woong-like, that it was impossible not to smile when you heard it, even if you didn't know why he was laughing. He laughed when he was embarrassed, when things were funny, when things weren't funny. This was apparent within just a few weeks of knowing the guy.
Therefore, Woong quickly became Woojin's favorite target.
---
"And one, two, three, four, boom, boom, boom, boom!" Woojin stood in front of the practice room mirror, demonstrating the last part of the choreography Woong needed to learn.
They had been at it for a while today, and this was their third lesson this week, but Woong was doing well. Woojin didn't want to give too much praise yet, though. Every good teacher knew that you have to start lessons off a bit strict and then show a warmer side. Have to keep the students on their toes, at least for a bit.
Woong was standing behind him and to the side, mimicking the steps with small movements, committing them to muscle memory. The other members were busy with their own work today, so Woojin gave him a little bit of solo practice time.
He was glad that it was just the two of them. Surprisingly, it was more awkward for the pair if the others were around. Well, that could mostly be blamed on the filming for the reality show, where he had to act like Woong was a total stranger despite already knowing the guy for at least a month. It made for a weird dynamic between the two, but they were getting over it the more they spent their own time together.
Woojin walked over to the computer once he felt Woong had had enough time to practice. "Ready?" he asked, but started playing the music without waiting for an answer.
Unsurprisingly, Woong missed the first beat, but quickly recovered and completed the rest of the choreography with ease. Woojin smiled to himself before pausing the audio and heading to Woong. He was a quick learner.
"Looks good to me," Woojin said as he approached Woong. "How do you-" He paused when he saw blood under Woong's nose.
Woong just looked at him and cocked his head to the side. "How do I what?" He started to ask for clarification, but suddenly Woojin was heading back to the computer desk and grabbing a box of tissues.
"You're bleeding," Woojin said matter-of-factly as he returned to Woong, pulling a couple of tissues out of the box.
"Oh?" Woong started to bring his fingers up to his face, but was stopped by Woojin who pushed his hand away and started dabbing the tissues under his nose.
"Did I push you too hard?" Woojin asked with a small smirk. He leaned closer to check if Woong's nose was bleeding and was pleased to see that there was no more blood. He stepped back and kept watching Woong.
His ridiculous laugh rang out in the practice room as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I think I scratched myself. I'll have to be more careful."
Woong looked at the floor and Woojin could see a faint blush on the tips of his ears. Interesting, he thought to himself.
"Wait, let me double check." Woojin reached forward and grabbed Woong's shoulders.
He laughed again and Woojin noticed Woong's blush deepen as he raised his head to meet Woojin's gaze.
"Let us see," Woojin said quietly as he moved one hand under Woong's chin in order to turn his head left, right, up, and down. The blush spread to Woong's cheeks. Interesting and cute, Woojin thought to himself again.
"Good news! Looks like you're in the clear," Woojin said as he released Woong's chin and clapped his shoulder.
"Do you treat all of your students so kindly?" Woong asked with another ridiculous(ly cute) laugh. He smiled as he looked at Woojin, his eyes crinkling at the sides.
When Woojin didn't reply, Woong shrugged, still smiling, and started walking past Woojin and towards the desk.
"Nope," Woojin answered when he looked in the mirror and saw Woong was at the computer, about to restart the audio.
Woong turned around and met Woojin's gaze in the mirror, his hand hovering over the keyboard. He raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for Woojin to say something.
"I don't usually treat my students that kindly." He paused for a beat and turned around to face Woong, watching the small smile forming on his face. "Only the cute ones," Woojin concluded with a wink and snaggletooth-bearing smile, inciting yet another laugh out of Woong.
"Cheesy," Woong replied, shaking his head with a chuckle. "But I like it. Do you use that line often?" Woong asked. As Woojin opened his mouth to answer, a self-satisfied smirk starting to form on his face, Woong started up the audio again, turned the volume up even higher, and came back to the front to practice.
Woojin shook his head and walked off to the side to watch Woong, telling himself that it was his job to watch him and check for mistakes. He certainly wasn't watching him because he enjoyed it. And he certainly wasn't also blushing from his ears.
---
In as much as Woojin was unpredictable, he had a hard time dealing with other unpredictable people. He had really pegged Woong as an easy-to-laugh, easily embarrassed kind of guy. Well, the laughing part was true, at least. But the embarrassment? Besides the blushing, Woong hadn't seemed fazed at all.
This was new territory for Woojin. He hadn't expected his childish antics to be called out. He was used to having his teasing quickly brushed off with an eye roll or a playful shove. He wasn't used to someone playing along or being so receptive.
Why didn't he pull away? Why didn't he just ignore my corny line? What is Jeon Woong playing at?
All those thoughts were passing through his mind as Woojin walked back into the practice room. It had been a few hours since he told Woong that they were done for the day, but there he sat, slumped over in the computer chair, forehead resting on the desk. Either his hyung was dead or he lacked the energy to react at all to the door opening and closing with a thud.
"You're still here?" Woojin asked from the doorway. "I told you two hours ago that you should go get some rest."
"I am resting! See," Woong said, lifting up one hand and pointing towards his head which was still plastered to the desk. As he turned to rest on his cheek, Woojin chuckled and walked towards the sofa next to the desk. He set the black plastic bag he brought with him on the floor as he sat down.
"What's in there?" Woong asked, voice slightly muffled as he still couldn't be bothered to sit up in the chair.
Woojin bent over and started pulling items out of the bag. First was a double package of sausages on a stick, then a small carton of chocolate milk, and then another, slightly larger carton of chocolate milk. Woojin arranged the food and drinks on the floor, then also moved to sit cross-legged on the floor.
"It's 7 o'clock you know. Join me for dinner?" Woojin asked, gesturing grandly with his hands towards the sausage and chocolate milk, as if he was presenting a five-course meal. "I... would've cooked for you but that would've taken longer and I didn't want to come back and find you bleeding more than before." Woojin sat expressionless but his fingers were drumming a nervous pattern on his knees.
Woong glanced briefly at Woojin's restless fingers then smiled and finally stood up from the chair. He sat down rather ungracefully, before deciding to lie down on his stomach, placing his elbows on the floor and his head in his hands.
Woojin stifled a laugh while reaching behind him to grab a small cushion off the sofa. "At least get comfortable," he said as he passed the cushion to Woong.
"Oh, the star treatment continues," Woong said with a smirk, positioning the cushion under his elbows.
Woojin scoffed, feeling his ears start to heat up. Why am I being challenged at my own game? he thought.
"I told you, this is only for the cute students," Woojin said as he reached for the sausages and began opening the package. Anything to keep his nervous hands busy.
Woong stared at Woojin but just shrugged and waited for him to finish opening the sausages. "Which one is mine?" Woong asked, turning his attention to the two cartons of chocolate milk in front of him.
"You have to ask? The big one, obviously. You do realize you leave these cartons in our room constantly, don't you?"
"Oh! Well, thank you!" Woong said with a laugh, and Woojin felt butterflies in his stomach. Pull it together, Park Woojin.
He wordlessly handed Woong a sausage and they ate their gourmet dinner in silence. Woojin watched him as he ate, and then as he carefully opened his milk and put in the straw, and then as he cutely drank the milk, closing his eyes every so often, enjoying the drink.
Of course he made sure to glance around the room from time to time so it didn't seem like he was staring. Because he definitely wasn't and he definitely didn't want to.
"Woojin," Woong suddenly broke the silence after they had both finished their food. He lifted himself off the floor and stood, extending his hand out and helping Woojin off the floor as well. "Thank you for the food. Meal's on me next time."
Woong then pulled him into a tight bear hug, the kind he could often be seen giving Donghyun or Daehwi but had never given Woojin. He initially tensed up but then relaxed and repositioned himself so he could give Woong an even tighter hug, pinning his arms to his sides. Gotta show dominance, he told himself, as if he wasn't just being childish.
"Ow, ow! Park Woojin!!" Woong yelped in pain but that quickly turned to laughter when he saw how ridiculous they looked in the mirror. Woojin lifted Woong off the ground slightly for one more show of strength before finally letting go of his hyung.
"You started it," Woojin said gruffly with a blank face, willing the blush he felt rising to keep itself in check.
"Affection isn't a war!" Woong raised his voice and stomped his feet once, turning his back to Woojin. How are you the second oldest?? Woojin laughed to himself at his own thought.
"Oh?"
Before Woong could react, Woojin was wrapping his arms around his waist, picking him up, and twirling him around this way and that. He felt Woong's hands wrap around his wrists, gripping tightly, probably to keep himself from falling. As if I'd let that happen.
Woong started laughing loudly, making Woojin want to never let him go. He felt Woong go limp in his arms, and he looked like a paper doll being tossed around. Woojin swung him around a few more times before finally letting go, laughing as Woong stumbled to the side.
He turned to face Woong, who had fallen into a kneeling position on the floor, hands on his hips with a wide smile on his face. Woojin crouched in front of him, looking him in the eye.
"Affection can be a war if you try hard enough."
Woong laughed until his eyes disappeared and Woojin hoped he would remember that look for as long as he lived.