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“You’re like the Avatar,” a voice said from somewhere behind Soobin. The boy flinched, the carefully suspended raindrops cascading around him. He heard a chuckle to his left, and then the face of Choi Yeonjun appeared in front of him. Of course Soobin would do something as embarrassing as soaking himself with conjured raindrops right at the very moment the most popular boy on campus decided to make his acquaintance.
He hastily pushed his wet bangs out of his eyes as he looked up at the elder. It always struck Soobin as an illusion, the type of pretty that Yeonjun was. The type of pretty that was so perfectly unique that Soobin oftentimes doubted its authenticity despite the boy being right in front of him, breathing and everything.
His jet black hair was hanging wavy over his forehead, and his plump, reddened lips were pursed together in a gentle smirk. It was obvious as soon as Soobin met his eyes that Yeonjun knew he was checking him out. He made no comment, however, and simply sat down next to Soobin, despite the now-damp bench.
“You know? The Avatar from Avatar the—.”
“—Last Airbender, yeah. I’ve, uh, heard that one a lot before,” Soobin replied, looking at his hands. It was hard for him to look the elder in the eye—his gaze held an intensity that almost wrinkled time itself. Soobin swore he added years to his life by avoiding that ever-luring gaze.
“You don’t seem to use your powers a lot, Soobin-ah,” Yeonjun remarked, leaning back and looking away. As soon as he did, Soobin snuck a glance, fingertips tingling as he stared at the clear-cut profile of the telekinetic next to him. “They’re not that functional, really, not like your powers,” he replied softly.
Yeonjun scoffed, sitting up and catching Soobin’s gaze, a mildly disapproving look on his beautiful face. “Are you kidding me? I would trade my powers for yours right now if I could,” he confessed, sincere. Soobin blushed, smoothing out his shirt just to give his hands something to do. “That wouldn’t be a very fair trade, I’m afraid,” he mumbled.
The elder laughed, a sweet chorus of bells that Soobin wouldn’t mind hearing more often. “You’re silly, Soobin-ah,” he teased, patting his shoulder before he stood up. Soobin tilted his head back to follow his movements, a small part of him afraid that the elder would leave. Not that he was obligated to stay, of course, but Soobin found himself wanting him to stay.
Thankfully, Yeonjun didn’t leave and instead clapped his hands together. “Let’s put it to a vote! We can ask everyone which power they prefer, mine or yours, and whoever gets the most votes is officially crowned the Coolest Person on Campus!”
Soobin felt his eyes widen and his stomach instantly reject the concept of Yeonjun parading him around campus, but then he caught the excited look on Yeonjun’s face and that was it. He was weak for the elder’s happiness, especially because he got to see it so sparingly. He slowly stood up, sighing. “Fine, but don’t be surprised when you win by a landslide,” he replied.
Yeonjun chuckled, grabbing Soobin’s hand and pulling them both to the sidewalk. “You underestimate yourself, Soobinie, just you wait and see,” he promised.
Turns out, Yeonjun had a point.
Soobin had no clue why, but people did find his powers impressive. All he did was conjure a flame in his palm and create a little cyclone using Yeonjun’s water bottle. It was cool, sure, but like he had said, it wasn’t particularly useful. Yeonjun’s ability to fling objects through the air at any velocity and direction he wanted was far more beneficial to self-defence and overall ease of life.
Imagine never having to get up to reach the remote. You could simply summon everything to you with the wave of your fingers.
But still, Soobin received the most amount of votes—from a short survey of only 10 or so students that they happened to run into on the Quad—and Yeonjun was gloating. He cheered loudly, clapping his hands and giving Soobin the biggest ‘I told you so’ smile the younger had ever seen. Soobin pretended to be annoyed, even though he was mildly flattered at how endearing Yeonjun was acting and he could feel the tips of ears burning bright red.
“See? You’re officially the Coolest Person on Campus,” the dancer cooed, wrapping his arms around Soobin’s shoulders from behind. He wasn’t quite tall enough to do anything besides press his forehead to the back of Soobin’s neck, but the contact made Soobin’s skin light on fire, and he swallowed audibly. Yeonjun was so touchy and Soobin found it a little harder to breathe.
He let himself smile a little, patting Yeonjun’s hands. “Okay, okay, you’ve definitely proven your point,” he admonished. Yeonjun giggled, releasing Soobin and moving to stand in front of him, eyes sparkling. Soobin wasn’t really sure where they were gonna go from here—his whole schedule kind of felt off-kilter after Yeonjun’s surprise appearance.
“Do you wanna come over? I haven’t hung out with you properly in such a long time! I can order takeout?” Yeonjun suggested out of the blue. Soobin instantly panicked, insides freezing as Yeonjun looked at him with gentle hope in his eyes. He hadn’t been alone with the elder ever, as far as he could remember.
In fact, it struck Soobin as highly unusual that the boy was giving him this much attention at all. They had a lot of mutual friends and Soobin would consider him an acquaintance, but they hadn’t ever exchanged more than a few sentences before now. Why the sudden change? What made Yeonjun want to spend the afternoon with someone he only knew through other people?
“Um, sure, Yeonjun-ssi, if you want to,” Soobin finally responded, afraid he kept Yeonjun waiting too long. The dancer only smiled though, taking a few steps forward until he was closer to Soobin than he had been earlier. “Do you want to, though?” he asked, voice softer.
Soobin gulped, not missing the way Yeonjun’s eyes darted down to his Adam’s apple briefly before lifting to meet Soobin’s again. His heart was racing, and his mind was spazzing out, too many thoughts firing at once.
Suddenly, he felt something soft hit his eyelashes. He blinked a few times, looking away from Yeonjun to figure out what was obscuring his vision. To his horror, he realised that he had accidentally conjured snow, and it was now gently cascading over himself and Yeonjun. “Shit, sorry! Sorry, sorry,” he panicked, instantly lifting his hands palm up to freeze the snowflakes where they fell.
When he looked back at Yeonjun, the boy’s jaw was dropped in awe, his eyes bright as he looked at the suspended snow. He reached out and touched a few, watching in wonder as it melted against his skin. Soobin bit his lip, carefully closing his hands. The snowflake evaporated into the air, pulling a gasp out of Yeonjun.
He looked back at Soobin quickly, eyes full of reverence. “That was beautiful, Soobin,” he whispered. Soobin ducked his head, rubbing his hands together and taking a few steps back to give himself some room to breathe. “I didn’t mean to get you wet, I’m really sorry,” he stammered, the embarrassment quickly flooding his veins. Yeonjun shook his head, giving Soobin a gentle smile. “I’m glad I got to see that,” he said. He quirked an eyebrow then, holding out a hand. “Now come on, let me feed you. I feel vaguely responsible for you now.”
Soobin scrunched his nose, but reached out and took Yeonjun’s hand anyway. He felt a little hazy, not understanding how he lost control of his powers—something he had never done before. But still, he didn’t want Yeonjun to feel like he had to take care of him or anything. “It’s okay, I’m okay, really. I just need to practice on my control more, I guess,” he remedied. Despite his words, he let Yeonjun continue to pull him along.
“You are top of our class in controlling your powers, Choi Soobin, so I know that what just happened wasn’t normal for you. I want to make sure you’re okay,” he said, giving Soobin a stern look. Soobin found himself nodding before he even processed Yeonjun’s statements, and Yeonjun gave him a big smile in return.
They didn’t say anything more until they were in Yeonjun’s apartment. It was an exact replica of the one Soobin’s friend Beomgyu lived in, except Yeonjun had decorated his a lot differently. There were fairy lights on nearly every surface, strung up around the ceiling and casting everything in a warm glow.
There was nothing on the walls except for a few maps of what looked like New York City. Everything was crisp and clean but still homey. Soobin counted at least four blankets on just the couch alone. The coffee table was stacked high with old magazines, and Yeonjun quickly apologised for them.
“Sorry! I’m in the middle of cataloguing those,” he explained, before flicking his wrist. The magazines lifted into the air of their own accord, floating across the room and stacking themselves neatly on the desk pressed against the window. Soobin blinked a few times, giving Yeonjun a pointed that look that the elder aptly ignored.
“Make yourself at home, I’m going to order the food,” he instructed, walking down the hallway. Soobin stayed where he was, biting his tongue before taking off his shoes and hanging his backpack on the hook near the door. He padded into the living room and sat down on the couch. He looked at the other stuff Yeonjun had spread over his coffee table, including some textbooks on fashion and economics. There were a few notebook pages with half-drawn designs on them, and Soobin wondered if that’s what Yeonjun wanted to do with his life.
He looked around some more and saw a potted snake plant in the corner of the room. It was wilted, a few of its leaves nearly losing all of their colour. Soobin furrowed his brow and went over to the plant, laying his hands over the dirt. After feeling around for a minute, he closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.
After a few seconds, he pulled his hands away and opened his eyes. He smiled softly at the newly refreshed plant. The wilted leaves had perked up, the bright green colour returning and giving them life they hadn’t had before. Soobin gently touched one of the leaves and smiled even more as he felt how healthy they were now.
“You’re stunning.”
Soobin startled, hard enough to topple back onto his ass from where he had been kneeling. His cheeks flushed a bright red and before he could even look over his shoulder, Yeonjun was right there. His hands were on Soobin’s arms, helping keep him balanced. “Shit, sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you!” he apologised, eyes wide in embarrassment and concern. He was so close Soobin could smell the gentle mint of his perfume, and he had to physically stop himself from inhaling deeply.
“No, it’s okay, I scare easily,” Soobin reassured, properly sitting up and brushing the dirt from the pot off of his hands. Yeonjun kept a grip on his arms for a moment longer, and then released Soobin, looking over at the rejuvenated plant. “I didn’t know you could do that,” he murmured, touching the leaves.
Soobin blushed more, biting his lip. “Oh, uh—,” he struggled to find the right response, but thankfully Yeonjun cut him off, whipping his head to stare intensely into Soobin’s eyes. “You’re incredible, Soobin-ah.”
Incredible. Stunning.
Nobody had used those words to describe Soobin’s powers before, and it made Soobin even shyer than he normally was. He never knew how to reply to such compliments, especially when they were directed toward his powers, rather than himself.
“I just practice a lot,” he mumbled, wringing his hands together. He met Yeonjun’s eyes and was slightly surprised to find a disapproving look on his face. He quickly looked away, afraid he had made Yeonjun mad somehow.
The elder stood up then and sat down on the couch. Soobin turned his head to watch him, before deciding that he should probably not just stay sitting in the corner of the living room floor. He got up, sitting a respectable distance from Yeonjun, who was still gazing at him as if he saw something Soobin didn’t. Soobin would be lying if he said it didn’t make him a little uncomfortable, but Yeonjun must’ve picked up on that because the next time Soobin glanced over at him, he was smiling gently.
“This is probably a little weird for you, being alone with me,” he remarked. Soobin blinked, surprised that Yeonjun even pointed out the awkwardness. Yeonjun smiled more, sitting up and patting Soobin’s knee. “I don’t bite, Soobin-ah, you can relax. As soon as you’ve eaten you’re free to go.”
Soobin let out a little laugh, relaxing the line of his shoulders. “So I’m your prisoner until then?” he joked. Yeonjun chuckled, moving a little closer. “Yah! Sue me for wanting to make sure you’re okay,” he shot back. Soobin blushed a little, but boldly reached over and patted Yeonjun’s knee, copying his previous movement. “I promise I’m okay, Yeonjun-ssi,” he replied.
“Call me hyung,” Yeonjun interrupted. Soobin’s eyes popped and an overwhelming sense of warmth washed over him as he shyly nodded. He had never expected to move past formalities with the elder. Was this going to be the start of a new friendship?
Or possibly…something more?
“I promise I really am okay then, hyung,” Soobin whispered. Yeonjun’s face lit up like a Christmas tree when Soobin uttered the honorific, and it sent butterflies swooping through Soobin’s stomach. “Has that ever happened to you before?” Yeonjun asked, moving even closer. Soobin was sure it was imperceptible to anyone else, but he couldn’t help but track Yeonjun’s movements like a hawk.
The elder was waiting for an answer, so Soobin did his best to placate him without making him worry even more than he clearly was. “A few times, it usually happens when I’m really nervous, so I promise it’s something I can deal with,” he reassured. Yeonjun stared at him curiously, before tilting his head.
“Do I make you nervous?” he suddenly asked.
And oh shit. Oh, fuck.
Soobin’s cheeks burned brighter than the sun and he opened and closed his mouth a few times as a small smirk spread across Yeonjun’s face. And nope, Soobin was not doing this. He stood up abruptly, avoiding Yeonjun’s gaze and quickly turning to the door. “I’m just gonna go, Yeonjun-ssi, I’m s-so sorry, I didn’t mean to make things weird,” he babbled, embarrassment leaking through his pores as he pulled his shoes on haphazardly.
“Hey, Soobin-ah, I’m only teasing, don’t go,” Yeonjun called from behind him, getting closer as he approached. Soobin looked over his shoulder, noting the concerned expression on the elder’s face. “It’s really fine,” he began, but Yeonjun cut him off by lifting his hand and flicking his wrist.
Soobin saw his keys zoom past him and for a second he worried that Yeonjun was going to keep him captive, but once they landed in his palm, he held them out to Soobin. Soobin slowly turned, a little confused. He took the keys, doing his best to touch Yeonjun’s skin as least as he could, and Yeonjun looked up at him solemnly. “I totally understand if you want to go, but I really am okay with you staying. At least to enjoy the free food,” he said, dropping a small smile at the end.
And Soobin couldn’t possibly be so rude to skip out on a free meal from someone older than him. It would just be too disrespectful. So he willed himself to calm down, and hesitantly nodded. “Only if you’re sure,” he said quietly. Yeonjun gave him a look that made shivers run down Soobin’s spine.
“I want you to stay.”
And so Soobin stayed. Whatever weird tension that existed between them was muted as they ate the takeout and talked about themselves. It was kind of nice, Soobin thought, to talk about his interests and his goals to someone who actually gave him the time of day. Not that his friends didn’t care about his interests or goals—they’d just already heard it all before. It was refreshing to make a new friend. Even if said friend also came with a side of massive fucking crush.
Yeonjun spoke about his life as well, how old he was when he discovered his powers, what he felt like he could do with them to help people, and his love for dance. That last one surprised Soobin, eyes brows flying up his forehead as he swallowed a piece of beef and did his best not to rake his eyes over Yeonjun’s body again. Yeonjun laughed, saying that most people had the same reaction to him loving dance.
“I know it’s unconventional for us, but I feel like my life doesn’t have to be defined by my powers, you know?” he explained.
Soobin nodded, furrowing his brows as he thought about how his powers had defined him. He supposed they hadn’t really, since he had been taught his whole life that his powers weren’t anything special. He couldn’t save anyone with them, they were cool he guessed, but what did cool ever get him?
He and Yeonjun were so different, on such opposite ends of a very wide spectrum, and Soobin wasn’t sure why they got along as well as they did. But soon, the food was gone, and it was time for Soobin to leave. Yeonjun looked like he wanted Soobin to stay, but he didn’t say anything as the younger put on his shoes.
Soobin gave him a gentle smile, awkwardly shifting on his feet as he stood by the door. “Thank you for feeding me, hyung,” he admonished quietly. Yeonjun smiled. “Thank you for the conversation. I’m glad you stayed, it was nice,” he replied. Soobin blushed, nodding at his feet in agreement.
“I’ll, uh, see you around?” he asked shyly.
Yeonjun stepped forward, holding out his phone. Soobin was pretty sure he had summoned it, but he hesitantly took it anyway. “Send yourself a text, then we’ll have each other’s number,” the elder explained with a smile. Soobin blushed again but punched in his number, sending himself a simple ‘hi’. He felt his phone buzz in his back pocket. “Done,” he said, meeting Yeonjun’s eyes as he returned his phone.
The dancer gave him a sweet smile, and then stepped around him to open the door. Soobin turned, giving a small bow before he slipped out the door and walked down the hallway.
A couple days later, Soobin found himself sitting in the same courtyard where Yeonjun found him, and it was raining. Rain had never bothered Soobin, in fact, it calmed him. He made sure to keep the droplets from hitting him, so to any onlooker it would appear as if an invisible bubble surrounded him. He could still reach out and touch the water if he wanted to, it still condensed on his hair, but he didn’t mind.
He was reading an article on his phone, though he’d be lying if he said he was actually focused on it. How could he be, when Yeonjun kept replying to all of his texts in record speed? It had been that way since he had left Yeonjun’s apartment. Their conversations were mostly mundane. Yeonjun liked to complain about their mandatory classes a lot and Soobin readily indulged him. They exchanged opinions on the current popular animes, and Yeonjun about had an aneurysm when he discovered that Soobin hadn’t seen Death Note.
“We absolutely one hundred percent must watch it together. All thirty-seven episodes over the next three day weekend,” he had insisted. It made Soobin giggle, and he really did feel like he had gained a new friend. It was nice, the constant communication, and it brought to light just how lonely Soobin had been feeling before.
His friends had even noticed a difference, though Soobin had yet to tell them it was Choi Yeonjun who had taken up so much of his time. Yeonjun was still the most popular boy on campus, still had a gaggle of boys and girls who followed him everywhere. Which is why it didn’t make sense that he dedicated so much of his time to Soobin. But Soobin had decided to quit questioning it. If Yeonjun wanted to spend time with him, Soobin would happily let him.
His phone had quieted, and so Soobin actually paid attention to his book for a few moments. That was, until he heard his name through the pouring rain.
He looked up quickly, eyes widening as he saw Yeonjun running across the courtyard. He had a bright smile on his face despite being drenched and Soobin got up before he could think and ran to meet Yeonjun halfway.
“Hyung! You’re getting all wet!” he cried out, moving his hand in an arch around Yeonjun’s head and effectively preventing the rain from touching him anymore. Was this becoming a common theme? Without thinking as well, he sent a gentle current through his hair, drying it out, his bangs settling over his forehead. “There you go,” he muttered, mostly to himself.
Yeonjun had the same awestruck look on his face as the first time Soobin showcased his powers to him, and he looked around himself, jaw dropped. “How did you do that?” he asked breathlessly, touching a few falling raindrops. Soobin chuckled, a little less nervous this time around. “How do you summon things? It’s a mystery,” he replied.
Yeonjun pouted, before turning back to Soobin with a large grin. “Are you busy? Of course not, you’re reading in the middle of a storm. Wanna go to a party with me?” he said, a rush of words. Soobin’s heart sped up a bit at the invitation, and he warmed at the thought of Yeonjun wanting to spend more time with him.
However, he must’ve looked a bit apprehensive because Yeonjun jolted, grabbing both of his hands. Yeah, that wasn’t totally distracting. “Beomgyu-ah and Taehyun-ah will be there!” he said. Soobin relaxed at the mention of his close friends being there, and nodded. “Sure, hyung, that sounds like fun,” he replied, still hyperaware of Yeonjun’s palms against his. His skin was warm, and Soobin tried not to tighten his grip.
If Soobin didn’t know any better, he’d think he was on a date. Though, of course, a party wasn’t the greatest place for a date. But still, Yeonjun had driven to Soobin’s dorm and picked him up and drove over to the frat house where the party was taking place. Soobin hadn’t dressed up that much nicer than he usually did, but he had added a thin choker to his striped shirt and dark denim jacket ensemble.
When he opened the door to greet Yeonjun, he swore the elder’s eyes widened as he took in the choker. It made Soobin a little self-conscious, but then Yeonjun licked his lips and gave Soobin a big smile. He dragged him to the car and started chatting immediately, not giving Soobin a chance to really say anything. He wondered if perhaps it was one of Yeonjun’s new nervous habits.
The party wasn’t too crazy, but it was still overwhelming to Soobin. As soon as they walked in and he registered the volume level and the muted lighting he instantly tensed up. Yeonjun must’ve sensed his hesitance, because he slid his hand into Soobin’s and held tight, giving him an encouraging smile. “I’m not going to leave your side,” he promised.
And embarrassing as it was, Soobin was grateful. Yeonjun began to weave them through the crowd, but it didn’t take long for someone to stop him.
“Yeonjun-ah! My dude, I was wondering when you were going to show up!”
A boy an inch or two shorter than Soobin grabbed Yeonjun’s arm that wasn’t looped with Soobin’s and gave him a side hug. Soobin didn’t recognise the boy, but then again, he didn’t recognise anyone. Was he really that antisocial? Surely not. Yeonjun returned the hug but then pulled Soobin closer to his side.
“This is Soobin-ah, he’s never been to a frat party before so he’s a little shy,” he introduced, flashing Soobin a fond smile. Soobin blushed profusely under the attention and the other boy clapped his shoulder. “Welcome! Yeonjun-ah will make sure you survive, don’t worry,” he said. Yeonjun chuckled, nodding in agreement. “This is San-hyung, he’s a year above me and a fortune teller,” he presented.
San’s eyes widen as he playfully shoves Yeonjun into Soobin’s side, causing the younger to shoot out his other hand and steady the elder. “Yah! I have premonitions, nothing is set in stone,” he explained amusedly. Yeonjun rolled his eyes, holding onto Soobin’s other hand that had landed on his stomach.
Soobin could feel his abdomen underneath his palm and it made his cheeks heat up so much he was afraid San would notice. But he bowed politely when the elder thankfully gave his farewell and disappeared back into the sea of people. Yeonjun directed all his attention back to Soobin and smoothly slid his hands into the his as he turned around to face him. “Do you want something to drink? Or we can try and find Beomgyu and Taehyun?” he suggested, looking gently but seriously up at Soobin.
Soobin relaxed a little at the thought of being with his friends and his reaction must’ve been physical because Yeonjun smiled sweetly and started to pull him through the crowd away from the kitchen. “Let’s find Beomgyu and Taehyun,” he whispered.
They eventually found the couple—and their newest companion, freshman Hueningkai—on the rooftop balcony, trying to start a fire in the fire pit. Soobin felt his shoulders ease up at the cooler air and sight of his friends and he sped up his gait. Now he was the one pulling Yeonjun along. The elder didn’t seem to mind one bit though.
“Hello, Soobin-hyung,” Taehyun said before Soobin could even make their presence known. Taehyun had the power of hyperawareness, meaning his senses were heightened and highly sensitive. Loud noises were physically painful to him, which is why Soobin really didn’t understand how Taehyun was able to be with the loudest person Soobin knew. But maybe he was missing something.
Soobin’s smile grew and he enveloped both Taehyun and Beomgyu in a hug, dropping Yeonjun’s hands to do so. When he released them, he turned back and Yeonjun came forward, giving Taehyun and Beomgyu a friendly smile. “Hey guys!” he greeted.
“I can’t believe you actually managed to get Soobin-hyung to a party,” Beomgyu teased, dropping the box of matches and stepping away from the fire pit. Yeonjun laughed, tickling Soobin’s earlobe. “This is where I always come during parties, I don’t really like all the people either.”
Beomgyu rolled his eyes at that, falling into one of the chairs situated around the fire pit. “You just don’t like being hit on the entire time,” he accused. Soobin’s blood instantly ran a little colder at the mention of Yeonjun’s popularity and…desirability, but Yeonjun played it off well. He shuddered, falling into one of the other chairs. “Who would like that? I’ve expressed literally zero interest in all of them and they still think they have a chance,” he complained.
Soobin bit his lip, not sure if he should contribute something to the conversation, so he just went up to the fire pit. Beomgyu and Yeonjun continued to bicker in the background and it was weird, it was weird that Soobin’s friends had such developed friendships with other people, like Yeonjun. Did Soobin not ask about his friends’ lives enough? He knew Beomgyu and Taehyun were friends with Yeonjun…but why had it taken this long for them to finally all be together?
He did his best to ignore the confusion in his head and instead focused on conjuring a small flame. It lit up and warmed his palm as he draped it carefully over the wooden logs. He gave it a small gust of air, and then it roared to life. He stepped back and felt a pair of arms around him. “Thank you, hyung! I would’ve never gotten it,” Beomgyu praised. Soobin laughed, patting his hand. “It’s what I’m good for,” he replied.
His eyes briefly met Yeonjun’s as he looked for an open chair and he felt his stomach twist a little as he saw a mildly angry expression on Yeonjun’s face. Before Soobin even had time to process it, he realised there were no empty chairs left and Yeonjun was already pulling on his waist. “Sit here, Soobin-ah,” he instructed, not giving Soobin any choice as the younger fell onto Yeonjun’s lap.
Soobin’s face was as red as a tomato and Taehyun’s whole jaw had dropped at Yeonjun’s boldness. Yeonjun carefully adjusted him and Soobin automatically looped his arms around the elder’s neck to make sure he didn’t topple over. Beomgyu made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and Soobin let out an internal groan. Beomgyu’s power was heat vision. He was a horrible person to play hide and seek with as a kid. It made even his ears burn and Beomgyu let out a loud snort of disbelief. Soobin was going to die.
“Can you stop acting like you’re no good for anything? You’re perfect,” Yeonjun said. He said it in a teasing and over exaggerated way that didn’t match the intensity of his gaze or his grip. It made a bubble of affection swell up in him and he looked down, unable to hide his forming smile. “Promise me you’ll never talk down on yourself again,” the dancer demanded.
Soobin lifted his head, meeting Yeonjun’s eyes. His gaze was just as intense, but in a softer way. It made butterflies erupt in Soobin’s stomach and he was so confused. Why was Yeonjun looking at him like that? Why was he acting like…like he’d been in love with Soobin his whole life?
“I promise, hyung,” Soobin replied. Yeonjun gave him the warmest smile, and the world stopped spinning and time stood still and the colours melted away and the only thing that remained was the feeling of Yeonjun’s lips against his cheek.
The touch only lasted a few seconds, or maybe it was a lifetime, Soobin couldn’t tell. He couldn’t hear anything, his eyes were locked on Yeonjun’s lips, and he didn’t know what to do. Slowly, voices began to filter through and Hueningkai’s shrill voice came into focus. “This is cruel, hyungs! Cruel and unusual punishment!” he cried.
“He’s so red! He’s losing it!” Beomgyu laughed loudly, clapping his knees.
“Leave him alone! It’s cute!” Taehyun, scolded.
And Soobin was growing confused, why were his friends acting like they knew something he didn’t? He looked back to Yeonjun, but he wasn’t looking at him. He was sticking his tongue out at Beomgyu and teasing him back. An uncomfortable feeling began to take over Soobin’s senses, and he looked over at Beomgyu.
“W-What’s going on?” he asked, voice quiet and shaky. Almost immediately, the amused look on Beomgyu’s face fell off and one of worry replaced it. “No, hyung, it’s okay! I’m sorry, I—.”
“Soobin-ah, they all know how much of a crush I have on you,” Yeonjun intercepted. Beomgyu’s jaw snapped shut and he sat back, sharing a look with Taehyun. Soobin—who’s cheeks were actually starting to hurt from blushing so much—startled, eyes widening and jaw dropping. “You have a…a what on me?” he asked in disbelief. Surely this was all part of a joke, and Taehyun and Beomgyu were in on it.
But when Soobin looked at Yeonjun, the elder didn’t look like he was joking, and gave him a gentle smile. “A crush, Soobin, when one person likes another person as more than a friend,” he explained. Soobin blinked rapidly, quickly looking over at his friends who were stifling giggles and gave him affirmative nods. He turned back to the telekinetic.
“How long have they known?” he asked incredulously. His body was starting to feel very warm and he was hyperaware of everyone’s eyes on him.
Only then, Yeonjun blushed. At this point, Beomgyu’s eyes must’ve been tired from detecting so much red. “Uh,” he said, carefully looking back at Soobin despite his embarrassment. “Almost six months now?”
Soobin blinked. Six months. Six months? Had he even known Yeonjun for six months? He couldn’t really remember, he’d kind of just always been around, at a distance, always in Soobin’s periphery. “Six months?” he replied weakly.
Yeonjun bit his lip, before nodding, his arm around Soobin’s waist tightening just a little. “I’m kind of shy when I want to be,” he said. Uh, that was an understatement. Soobin didn’t know what to do with the revelation, and he again became hyperaware of everyone else surrounding him.
He looked over at his friends, who gave him encouraging looks, but he still felt a little uncomfortable sitting on Yeonjun’s lap in front of everyone. He carefully disentangled himself and stood up, missing the way Yeonjun’s face fell. “Um, I’m gonna go get something to drink,” he mumbled, moving around Yeonjun’s legs. The elder stood too, worry decorating his features. “Soobin-ah, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything—.”
“No, hyung, it’s okay…I just, uh…I’ll be right back, promise,” Soobin reassured, meeting Yeonjun’s eyes. The boy looked terrified, and it made Soobin’s stomach twist, but he really was quite overwhelmed and he didn’t want to do something stupid like make it snow again. He turned swiftly, exiting the rooftop.
The party was still in full swing as he reentered, and it was so crowded and hot it made Soobin dizzy. He didn’t really want a drink, but he ended up in the kitchen anyway, and there wasn’t really anywhere he could sit down and process the fact that the prettiest and most popular boy on campus liked him.
He was just about to go hide in the bathroom when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun, dropping his gaze as he saw a young man around his age smiling sweetly up at him. “You alright?” he asked, voice like honey. Soobin nodded, trying to figure out who the person was in front of him. He didn’t recognise him. But the boy continued to smile, tilting his head. “Are you sure? Do you want to go sit down somewhere quieter with me?”
Soobin’s brain felt a little foggy as he struggled to identify the boy. “I’m alright, I think I’m just going to go back to my friends,” he replied. He made to walk around the boy, but the boy side-stepped and caught his elbow. Soobin looked at him, about to tell him to let go of him, but as soon as he looked into his eyes, he felt exponentially calmer.
The boy’s eyes were enrapturing, and it was impossible for Soobin to look away. His brain quieted and his body relaxed and he kind of felt like he was floating. “Come with me, I’ll take care of you,” the boy whispered, voice sickeningly sweet and soft. Soobin found himself nodding before he even realised he was, and then he was being lead through the crowd.
Only then, he felt himself harshly yanked back and suddenly all the noise and chaos around him came crashing back down in full force. He stumbled into a pair of arms, and as his vision was clearing he saw the boy on the complete opposite side of the room, splayed out as if he had been pushed, and Yeonjun was standing in front of Soobin, breathing heavily.
“Don’t fucking touch him,” he hissed, entire body tensed. Soobin blinked rapidly, overwhelmed and scared as he struggled to stand up. The crowd went completely silent and Soobin felt himself lifted up. He spooked, trying to get out of the hold, but then he heard Beomgyu’s voice in his ear. “Relax, hyung, it’s just me, you’re okay,” he whispered.
He was so confused. What had happened? Why was Yeonjun so upset? Why was everyone looking at him in shock? What had that boy tried to do to him?
The boy stood up shakily, brushing his arms off and staring wide-eyed at Yeonjun. “Since when could you do that?” he asked, as if he hadn’t just been thrown across the room. “I don’t fucking know, Heeseung, but if you ever try to compel Soobin again I’ll throw you into the lake,” Yeonjun threatened.
The boy, Heeseung, rolled his eyes and walked off. Yeonjun exhaled loudly, turning and going straight up to Soobin. The crowd dispersed around them, and Soobin looked at Yeonjun. The elder stared at him with intense concern, and Soobin couldn’t make sense of it. “Hyung,” he whispered. “What happened?”
Yeonjun moved closer, and Taehyun, Beomgyu, and Kai moved back a little. “Heeseung has the power to compel people to do what he wants them to do,” he explained. Soobin’s eyes widened and he wrapped his arms around himself. “I want to leave,” he said simply.
Yeonjun nodded, reaching out and resting a hand on Soobin’s elbow, guiding him to the door. All five of them filed out, and Soobin remembered that Yeonjun drove them here. Yeonjun seemed to remember too, and stopped walking. “Do you want to ride home with Beomgyu-ah and the others?” he asked.
Soobin looked at his friends, who looked back at him with worry, but something told Soobin to stay with Yeonjun. He shook his head, taking a deep breath. “No, it’s fine, I can ride with you,” he replied.
He exchanged hugs with his dongsaengs, who assured him that everything was okay and he’d be alright, and then he got into Yeonjun’s car.
The ride was tense and awkward, and Soobin kept stealing glances over at his hyung, noting the vice grip he had on the steering wheel. “Hyung, I’m okay, I promise, you can relax,” he tried to comfort. Yeonjun looked over at him, and exhaled, loosening his grip slightly. “You’ll probably feel a little loopy for the rest of the night, but other than that you’ll be okay,” he said, sterile.
It made Soobin uncomfortable, he didn’t like this cold version of Yeonjun. He squirmed in his seat a bit, before reaching over and resting one of his hands on one of Yeonjun’s thighs. The elder jerked a little, but Soobin kept his hand in place. “Hyung, did you lose control of your powers with Heeseung?” he asked softly.
Yeonjun didn’t answer for a few minutes, and Soobin almost regretted asking, but then the elder answered. “I didn’t know I could use my powers on people. I was just…I saw you and I got so angry I couldn’t think straight.”
Soobin bit his lip, before removing his hand and leaning back in his seat. “I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me.”
He wasn’t looking, but he could see Yeonjun’s head turn to face him. “I will do whatever it takes to protect you.”
And, wow, okay, thank God Soobin was sitting down because he would’ve melted into a puddle otherwise. He felt his whole face burn and he shoved his hands under his thighs as he ducked his head. Yeonjun didn’t press for a reply, and after a couple more minutes, they were at Soobin’s apartment.
Yeonjun parked the car, and Soobin hesitantly peeked over at him. The elder was already staring at him, and it made Soobin’s stomach erupt. He didn’t know what he should do, and he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to be alone after the events that had transpired. He was scared of being compelled again, even though San would never be able to find him, and he was also scared of staying with Yeonjun after his confession.
But he’d rather have someone with him. And again, something was telling him that Yeonjun was safe. That he could trust him.
“Um…if it’s not too much to ask…I’m still kind of freaked out by what happened and, uh. Do you mind staying until I fall asleep?” he asked shyly.
Yeonjun’s gaze held something that Soobin couldn’t identify, but it was intense and made Soobin feel like maybe Yeonjun was feeling the same pull to him. The telekinetic nodded and turned off the car.
They both got out and went up to Soobin’s apartment. He didn’t even care that it was slightly messy. He threw his shoes by the rack and then turned to Yeonjun. The boy took his shoes off too, and then looked back at Soobin.
They stared at each other for a moment, and then they both met in the middle and wrapped their arms around each other. It was so confusing but also felt right, and Soobin still had so many questions, there was a lot they needed to talk about, but for now, they just held each other.
And as they held each other, a gentle snow began to fall around them.