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Soobin stood still as his stylist noona fluffed and flounced his hair until it was basically hair-sprayed into place. He did his best not to puff his cheeks out, a habit of his that he had yet to ever break. He closed his eyes as he got a dusting of eyeshadow, and then finally he was free. He walked over to the set, looking closely at all of the little details. They had placed several easter eggs within it, and he was positive the fans would pick up on them in no time.
He loved the new theme, absolutely adored it, really. The pixelated video game retro theme was right up his alley, and when they got the approval months ago he was over the moon. He spent hours helping with the mock-ups, brainstorming with his members and figuring out just exactly how they wanted to present their newest EP. But seeing it on paper and seeing it in real life were two entirely different things.
He wandered through each respective set, not touching anything, just observing and admiring. Each member had a solo set, and then there were some shared ones. The staff must have spent ages putting them all together, and Soobin made a note to personally thank them after the photoshoot was over. The others were still getting dressed, their own stylists making sure the clothes fit perfectly. They were all wearing semi-matching shirts for the first part of the shoot, and as Soobin looked down at his feet, he couldn’t help but smile at how cute his crocs looked. He had decorated them himself, and he hoped he could maybe keep them after the shoot.
He wasn’t sure what the others were going to look like exactly, he wasn’t a fashion expert and he left Beomgyu and Yeonjun to that aspect of the comeback. He trusted their eye for fashion much more than his own. And Kai thought the last word in fashion was pajama pants and a hoodie, so he was out too. If Taehyun hadn’t been so busy actually physically drawing the logo designs, he probably would’ve helped too. They were a well-rounded group, each building upon each other and contributing in the best ways they knew how. Soobin was beyond excited for the new era, and he couldn’t wait for the fans to see everything.
He finished examining all of the sets, took a few selcas, and then rounded back to the snack table. He ate a few crackers, careful not to ruin his makeup. He heard some movement, and when he looked up he saw Taehyun and Beomgyu walking in, wearing matching black shirts. The shirts had the same logo as Soobin’s, but Soobin’s was white in colour. The alternating styles would look good together. Soobin smiled, walking up to them. “You both look so cute,” he cooed, reaching out to pinch Beomgyu’s cheeks. The younger swatted his hand away, rolling his eyes. “Where’s hyung and Hyuka?” Taehyun asked, shaking a strand of hair out of his eyes.
Soobin shrugged, looking past them and over his shoulder in his search. “Probably getting some last minute touch-ups before we start,” he suggested. Taehyun seemed to accept his answer, but Beomgyu just gave him a little smirk. Soobin scrunched his nose at him, before going and getting another handful of crackers. He tossed them into his mouth, and as he turned around he almost choked at what he saw. Yeonjun and Hueningkai were walking into the studio, their arms looped and Yeonjun laughing at something Kai was saying. But to be honest, that’s not what Soobin could focus on because holy fuck Yeonjun was wearing a crop top.
It wasn’t a crop top over an undershirt like Taehyun. It wasn’t a crop top over a long-sleeved sheer camisole like Soobin’s second outfit. No. It was an actual cropped top. As in, Soobin could see the soft, bare skin of Yeonjun’s stomach. He could see his bellybutton, the subtle ridges of his abs, and the sharp lines of his hipbones. And suddenly his mouth was way too dry and it was really hard to swallow the crackers he had just ate and now he suddenly understood why Beomgyu had been smirking. The little demon, he knew exactly what was coming and didn’t have the decency to warn Soobin beforehand.
He remedied his situation by quickly turning around and picking up a bottle of water, washing down the crackers and dryness and doing his best to clear his face of any blush. Not because he was embarrassed for Yeonjun to see (he had learned long ago that the boy found it very cute and it usually got Soobin kisses), but because he really didn’t feel like being teased by his dongsaengs. He dealt with enough of that. After finishing the water, he walked over and threw away the bottle, and then had an intense staring contest with the schedule taped to the wall. He wasn’t actually reading it because his mind was stuck on that singular image of Yeonjun in that cursed crop top. He hadn’t even gotten a look close-up, but what he had seen was enough to nearly send him spiralling.
Yeonjun could wear a trash bag and he’d pull it off. He just had that body, that face, and that extroverted personality to make any outfit work. It was the confidence, Soobin supposed. Something that he was getting better at building up, but still was nowhere near Yeonjun’s level. He wouldn’t decline wearing an actual crop top, but he’d most likely struggle to adjust to it. He took another deep breath, willing his heart to slow. He was going to have to stare at Yeonjun the entire shoot, and he needed to control his expressions. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, and he rolled his neck a few times.
He flinched so hard he risked whiplash when a pair of hands pinched his sides. He turned around, and was met with the laughing face of perhaps the prettiest person in the entire world. Yeonjun’s eyes were scrunched up and he smiled obnoxiously, tickling under Soobin’s chin as the younger boy blushed. “Soobinie, what are you doing all the way over here?” he asked, going to pinch his sides again. Soobin bent away, hopping around Yeonjun and blinking fast. Yeonjun only pivoted, following Soobin’s movements easily. He looked ethereal up-close, the different colours of his hair and the light makeup on his eyelids making Soobin’s mind fuzzy. Damn Beomgyu, seriously. Soobin should have been allowed to prepare for this.
He resolutely kept his eyes trained on the space right behind Yeonjun’s shoulder, not trusting himself to look directly at the boy. It was slightly pathetic, and he knew Yeonjun was getting a kick out of it, but he was already a mess and he didn’t want to embarrass himself further. “You look a little red, baby, are you not feeling well?” Yeonjun teased, resting a hand on Soobin’s chest. Soobin’s eyes betrayed him and flitted to meet Yeonjun’s, but when he saw the smug smirk he looked away again. “I feel just fine,” he managed to reply. In the distance he could see his dongsaengs snickering behind their hands, shaking their heads. Kai was making kissy faces at Soobin, and Soobin glared at him.
Yeonjun lifted a hand to touch Soobin’s face, but Soobin dodged it, quickly moving around the older and going over to the photographers. “Are we ready to get started?” he asked politely, bowing to a few of them. They informed him that it would still be a few minutes, and he exhaled loudly through his nose before nodding and going to confront Beomgyu. As he approached, the third-eldest gave him a mocking pout. “Aw, hyung, something wrong?” he whined, tilting his head. Soobin opened his mouth to scold him, when he felt arms lock around his waist and a chin dig into his shoulder. “He’s fine,” Yeonjun said, a bit muffled.
Soobin clenched his jaw, keeping his arms at his sides and not leaning back into Yeonjun’s hold. He hated all of them, really, he did. Kai laughed loudly, pointing at Soobin’s face. “I think you broke him, hyung!” he exclaimed. Taehyun swatted his arm. “Leave him alone,” he said, but he was smiling too. Soobin, frustrated and flustered, removed Yeonjun’s arms from around his waist and walked away. “I think I left my phone in the dressing room,” he mumbled, face hot as he walked away. He needed to collect himself, in private, away from the teasing eyes of his members.
What he and Yeonjun had was still new, they were still navigating things after that heated confession a few weeks ago, and Soobin still hadn’t gotten used to his members knowing. He went to his dressing room, sitting down on the couch and closing his eyes. He groaned, wishing his mind would just shut up and let him work properly. If he couldn’t handle seeing Yeonjun show a little skin he was never going to survive. These feelings were so strong and his reactions were always so pathetic, he doubted he’d ever be anything less than a blushing mess around Yeonjun. And he was kind of afraid the older would stop finding it endearing and would start finding it annoying. After all, he never got this flustered around Soobin.
The door opened, and Soobin knew who it was before he even looked up. Yeonjun closed the door behind him, and went to Soobin, standing in front of him. Soobin sighed, before looking up at his hyung. The boy, in all his otherworldly beauty, peered back at him in mild concern. “Is something actually wrong?” he asked, using careful fingers to brush back Soobin’s bangs. Soobin puffed out his cheeks, before slouching back a bit. “It’s just so embarrassing,” he muttered, studying the fabric of the couch. Yeonjun tilted his head, his knees bumping Soobin’s. “What is?” he inquired, hooking a thumb in his jean pocket.
Soobin’s ears burned, and he kept his gaze down as he explained. “My feelings…they’re still so strong, and I can’t ever control my reactions,” he began, and then looked up at Yeonjun. The boy was listening closely, eyes narrowed slightly in concentration, no trace of teasing on his features. “You seem to be just fine, and it just…I don’t know, I’m afraid you’re going to get annoyed with me never be able to function around you,”. As much as it humiliated him, he knew honesty would be the best policy.
He fell silent then, fiddling with his fingers. He could feel Yeonjun staring at him, and he hoped he hadn’t upset him. “Soobin, look at me,” the boy said quietly. Soobin swallowed, before lifting his chin and fixing his gaze on the older. Yeonjun sighed, before pushing Soobin’s knees apart with his legs and moving to stand between them. The move brought him closer, and Soobin had to tilt his head back further. “Do you seriously think my feelings for you aren’t just as strong as your feelings for me?” he asked.
Soobin blushed, before shrugging. Sure, Yeonjun gave him lots of kisses and initiated a lot of physical contact, but he never lost control of himself. He never got so flustered he couldn’t speak. Yeonjun let out an exasperated chuckle, shaking his hair out. “I have to hold myself back so much, to the point where it’s actually painful sometimes, I’m truly surprised you had no idea,” he explained. Soobin blinked a few times, ingesting the revelation. He knew Yeonjun had excellent self control, but he hadn’t ever thought to apply it to this situation, too. He kind of felt like an idiot. “Oh,” he replied dumbly.
Yeonjun giggled, face brightening and mood lightening considerably. He bent down, pecking Soobin’s lips quickly. “You’re so adorable,” he flirted, standing back up straight. Soobin rolled his eyes, staring openly at the older now. “I’ll be sure to express myself more around you, I never want you to think your feelings are stronger than mine,” Yeonjun promised. Soobin giggled, sitting up a bit straighter. “It’s not a competition, hyung,” he reminded. The boy only hummed, before picking up one of Soobin’s hands.
“You’re allowed to touch, you know,” he said, voice softer. Soobin’s eyes widened as Yeonjun placed his right hand over his hip, and then lifted his left hand and pressed it directly to his exposed stomach. Soobin gulped, feeling the smooth skin under his fingers. Yeonjun chuckled, leaning into it a bit, and Soobin figured what the hell. He slid his hand up under Yeonjun’s shirt, feeling his toned abdomen beneath his palm. Yeonjun went back to brushing Soobin’s hair with his fingers, and the two enjoyed the tender moment for a few seconds.
They gazed at each other, probably looking like the lovesick young adults they were to any outsiders. As much as Soobin would have preferred to just stay where he was, he knew they had to get back. And so he pulled his hands away and pushed off of the couch. Yeonjun stepped back, smiling. Soobin smiled back, a little shy, and held out his hand. Yeonjun took it, and before they left the dressing room he connected their lips again in a sweet but chaste kiss. When they walked out hand-in-hand, Soobin found it much easier to ignore Beomgyu’s smirk, Kai’s teasing, and Taehyun’s hidden smiles.