Work Text:
It was already past midnight when Woojin hammered the last nail on the booth they were making. Less than half an hour more for them to paint the booth and consider their work done.
There were six of them in the student council: Lee Euiwoong, a year younger than all of them and probably the best council president in their school’s history; Joo Haknyeon, their hardworking vice president; Jo Yuri, their secretary and also the top student in their level; Choi Yena, their publicity and external affairs officer and a notorious troublemaker; and then the two of them – Park Jihoon is the council’s treasurer while Park Woojin is the auditor.
The school fair is tomorrow, and they are working on the remaining stuff since five in the afternoon, right after their other extracurricular activities. Everything was flowing smoothly, and they were almost finished before nine o’clock except for the kissing booth.
Jihoon and Woojin volunteered to work on it, after all it was their idea. Yena immediately left when they had announced it, telling them she had to pick up the banners and tarpaulins from the printing shop before it closed and Haknyeon volunteered to accompany Yena. Euiwoong also left after the two. They did not ask what the reason was and Euiwoong did not bother to tell them. Everyone knows that he has a private tutor and his lessons start at ten. It was Yuri who insisted on staying and helping them until her father picked her up.
“Let’s just leave it here to dry,” Jihoon said to Woojin, slowly putting down his paint brush. Woojin started to clean the mess they had made while building the booth. Jihoon followed suit right after he secured the surroundings and the booth itself into place.
Trash was discarded, painting materials were hauled back to their proper places, and the floor was swept. Exhaustion and weariness painted the face of the two. Beads of sweat were now on their faces and upper torso. They have long removed their polo uniforms because even with all the fans and windows open, it is not enough to combat the spring night heat.
Woojin heaved a breath and looked at his bulky wrist watch to check the time. Jihoon once called the wristwatch an omnitrix which earned him a smack in the head from Woojin. “Five minutes before two in the morning,” a smile tugged on both of their faces. “We can rest for a while after finalizing and organizing the remaining stuff.”
“Then let’s start. My back already hurts,” Jihoon said, impatiently.
“Old,” Woojin commented, almost inaudible but Jihoon’s ear did not fail to catch the word and jabbed Woojin’s rib with his elbow. “Jihoon!”
Jihoon stuck his tongue out before proceeding to a large table at the other side of the room – the student council’s meeting table. He started sorting out the papers that Yena and Yuri had worked on and printed. Jihoon placed them in plastic envelopes, labeled them – name tags and IDs, script, score sheet, and many more.
Woojin, on the other hand, sorted out the certificates, medals, and trophies. He also did a quick audit of the money that the student council had on hand.
After almost an hour, the two of them considered their work done. They also did not fail to run over everything again to double check if they forgot something. That’s what Euiwoong has always told them.
Jihoon grabbed their uniforms that were hanging on the chair and gave Woojin his. “I’ll pass by the rest room first before going out. I’ll just remove this.” Jihoon stretched out his left arm, a slash of pink paint stark against his fair skin.
Woojin chuckled. “I’ll go with you. Let’s just leave the building together.”
The two of them left the room and walked towards the boys’ restroom at the end of the hallway. Jihoon looked at the empty classrooms as they walked by, moonlight (or light from the lamp posts outside as Woojin argues) shone through the closed windows.
Wordlessly, Woojin took Jihoon’s bag and uniform before the former headed to the sink. Jihoon started scrubbing the paint off his arm with running water and hand soap, whispering thanks to the heavens as the paint slowly disappears. Afterwards, Jihoon proceeded with washing his other arm and even his face. He realized that he cannot stand the sticky feeling due to humidity any second longer.
Woojin just watched him from behind, a towel ready in his hand.
“Thanks,” Jihoon muttered and smiled as Woojin handed the towel to him. Jihoon patted his face and arms gently and Woojin did not fail to tell Jihoon the areas that needed to be dried.
Afterwards, they wore their uniforms again and immediately went down to the building’s door. It is very late, and they must be back at seven in the morning for the school fair. The two of them wanted to have at least a couple of hours of sleep.
“Woojin, keys?” Jihoon asked as he reached for the lock on the building door.
Woojin raised his right eyebrow. “What keys?”
“Keys to open the door?”
Woojin quickly opened his bag to find the keys, searching every pocket. He even checked the pockets of his uniforms. “Did I hand it to you?”
“No?’ Jihoon answered, staring at Woojin.
“Shit,” Woojin cursed. “I think I chucked it inside the vault together with the council’s fund… and my phone.”
“Woojin!”
“I know. I’m sorry!” Woojin sling his backpack back on his shoulders. “Can you contact Haknyeon?”
The school building closes at midnight, with the building manager locking every door for security. The student council has only two duplicates of the building’s main door key and the student council’s room which are kept by Euiwoong and Haknyeon. The keys should be used only for official student council business especially in the case they need to stay at school past midnight. That’s why Euiwoong handed them his duplicate earlier.
Woojin started looking for the keys inside his bag again while Jihoon looked for his phone. “I might have been out of my mind earlier. My pouch, the pouch was not here in my bag. That means my phone, wallet and all the keys were in the vault as well.”
“I’ll let you stay at our house if we get out. Now contact Haknyeon while I search my bag,” Jihoon ordered and handed Woojin his phone.
“Jihoon?” Woojin called but Jihoon ignored him and proceeded with searching. He was silently praying that Woojin had put his pouch or just the keys in his bag and not in the vault. “Your phone’s dead.”
Jihoon turned his head to Woojin, eyes wide. “What?”
Woojin showed the phone to Jihoon, pressing its power button only to show the empty battery icon. Jihoon sighed as a sign of defeat. “Up for a sleepover here at school?”
Woojin smiled. “The dance crew’s room does not have any locks. We have mats there.”
Jihoon grabbed his phone back and smacked Woojin’s head. They have decided to take a few hours nap and wake up at five thirty when the building manager would finally open the building’s doors. By then, they still have ample time to go back to their houses and take a bath before going back to school for the fair.
They started walking towards the dance crew’s room and found that it indeed does not have any locks. Woojin handed his bag to Jihoon as he volunteered to prepare the mats.
Jihoon watches Woojin silently as the other boy pulls two mats from a stack and lays them side by side on the floor. Jihoon stood up and walked towards the mat, carrying both their bags as Woojin removed his uniform and leaving only his black tank top. He placed their bags on the side and Jihoon quickly lay down on the mat without tearing his gaze from Woojin.
“The dance crew’s room doesn’t have any locks and you still leave your locker open. It’s a locker for a reason!” Jihoon exclaimed. He was surprised when Woojin just opened his locker’s door, obviously not locked, and chucked his uniform inside.
“Only the dance crew and of course, you, know that this room does not have any locks,” Woojin reasoned. He pulled a gray hoodie and a bath towel from his locker then closed its door before walking towards the mats, towards Jihoon.
“Wow. I feel honored.” Jihoon rolled his eyes.
Woojin handed him his folded hoodie. “Use this as a pillow. It’s clean, I swear.”
Jihoon muttered a thanks and placed Woojin’s hoodie under his head. It was not as soft as his pillows at home, but it still serves the purpose. Woojin did the same with the bath towel.
“Good night,” Woojin smiled at Jihoon before closing his eyes. The two of them lie side by side, facing each other.
Jihoon returned the smile. “Sweet dreams, Woojin.” Jihoon took a deep breath before closing his eyes, inhaling the faint scent of laundry soap and Woojin’s perfume that clung on the hoodie.
The sun was already high when Jihoon awoke. Sunlight passed through the window, enveloping the two of them in its warmth.
The first thing that Jihoon saw once he opened his eyes was Woojin’s serene face, eyes still closed, and mouth slightly opened for breathing. He almost looks angelic especially with the sunlight creating halos around Woojin's head. Their bodies were too close to each other and Jihoon can almost feel Woojin’s breath against his face. Jihoon tried to move a bit away but Woojin’s legs were slung over his own, preventing him from moving unless he wanted Woojin to wake up.
So Jihoon stayed in that position, his gaze fixed on Woojin’s face.
Jihoon subconsciously reached for Woojin’s hair, lightly touching the former’s hair strands with the tip of his fingers. For a heartbeat, Jihoon hesitated but he continued with combing Woojin’s hair with his fingers, slowly and gently. He smiled at how Woojin’s hair felt beneath his fingers, it was so smooth, as if he was running his finger through silk.
His eyes wandered back to Woojin’s face, to Woojin’s forehead, to his nose. Jihoon noticed how long Woojin's lashes were that it softly brushed his cheeks. Even with imperfections, Jihoon still finds Woojin beautiful. Jihoon’s eyes went lower, to Woojin’s philtrum and then to his slightly parted lips which he really likes. He likes how plump it was, how Woojin’s upper lip has that perfect curve, how the sides of his lips tug upward as if he is always smiling.
Jihoon’s fingers started tracing Woojin’s jawline, then his neck, then his clavicle and shoulders. They were so close that Jihoon could see how Woojin’s muscle tensed and his hair stood with his every touch. The bob of Woojin’s Adam’s apple did not also escape Jihoon’s eyes.
“Woojin,” Jihoon whispered with his almost inaudible voice.
Woojin slowly opened his eyes and meet Jihoon’s own before he nodded. Jihoon took this as a signal to continue.
Woojin was not that muscular but he does not also have those flabby arms like Jihoon (which Jihoon despised and Woojin found cute). Woojin has been dancing ever since Jihoon met him and he has maintained an admirable body through it. Jihoon's fingertips ran through Woojin’s arm so achingly slow and dared to follow it with his eyes. He saw how Woojin’s arm has that groove which gives his arm a slight form. With only his tank top on, Jihoon could say the same for his torso.
Woojin grabbed Jihoon’s waist and pulled him closer which had taken Jihoon by surprise. Jihoon pulled his hand back and bit his lip. A tinge of pink started creeping on his face and ears.
“You’re enjoying it,” Woojin whispered, his voice still hoarse with sleep. Gently, Woojin planted a kiss on top of Jihoon's head, barely registering to Jihoon's senses.
“I’m sorry,” Jihoon said, shyly. “You’re too beautiful and I can’t help it.”
Woojin grinned which made Jihoon blush even more. “Isn’t it you? The word beautiful suits you more. Now, let’s sleep for a few more minutes.”
Woojin did not bother to remove his limbs that were wrapped all over Jihoon’s body. Jihoon did not mind either as he closed his eyes following Woojin, their breaths evening out as they went back to sleep, oblivious with the fair that has already started.