Chapter Text
Joshua has had a crush on Seokmin ever since the beginning of the semester. It all started on the first day of class when people were getting in the lecture hall and settled themselves for the morning lesson. Joshua had heard a few rumors about his new professor where he would lock the doors for whoever that arrived late in his class so he took a mental reminder to always come early in order to avoid that. Just as the professor was about to start teaching, the door suddenly banged open, revealing a tall dark-haired figure who seemed out of breath. Everyone’s attention was shifted to the man, including the professor.
“Class, have I told you about my rules yet?” The professor asked. A few murmurs of yes could be heard but the man looked pretty confused. Joshua felt bad for him especially since it’s only the first day. “Doors are usually locked to make sure nobody interrupts my lesson if they’re not on time. However, since this is the first day, I am letting you off the hook,” he added while looking straight at the man that was still frozen by the door.
“Do you understand Mr..?”
“Lee Seokmin, sir,” the man finally said.
“Do you understand Mr Lee? Now go take a seat and it’s best if you don’t repeat this mistake again,” the professor said as he turned his back towards the audience to continue teaching.
Lee Seokmin. Such a nice name. Joshua thought. His eyes followed Seokmin where he sat besides his friends, he assumed as they gave teasing smiles and small hits to Seokmin as he sat down. Seokmin smiles at them and that’s exactly when Joshua felt a thump in his heart. His smile was so bright and pretty he felt like he could stare at it all day long. For the whole lesson, Joshua tried to focus on the lecture while stealing glances at Seokmin every once in a while and he couldn’t stop admiring how charming he looked.
Finally, class was over and as Joshua gathered his belongings, he contemplated whether or not he should approach Seokmin. He wanted to be friends with him or at least having his existence acknowledged but as he turned to the spot that Seokmin and his friends sat earlier, they were already gone. Truth be told, he was kind of disappointed but he vowed to try again next class.
The whole day went by in a flash and Joshua learned that he only had that one class with Seokmin and he actually felt sad. Wait, why am I feeling so sad? I don’t even know him except for his name. He thought. So he tried brushing off the thought of having less chances to be friends with Seokmin and went straight to his house which he shared with his roommates, Seungcheol and Jeonghan.
“How were classes?” Jeonghan asked just as soon as Joshua stepped into their shared apartment. Seungcheol was in the kitchen opening himself a bag of chips before joining them.
“Great, I guess? Well during Chemistry there’s this one guy that almost made a scene cause he was late,” Joshua stated.
“Chemistry? Aren’t you with Professor Park?” Seungcheol chimed in and Joshua nodded.
“Yeah but it’s the first day so he cut the boy some slack,” he added. Joshua wanted to ask the two if they knew Seokmin but he was afraid if they would tease that Joshua had a crush on that boy. Although it was partly true, he didn’t want to admit it yet. So they continued sharing about their day and ordered dinner together. Joshua was very grateful to have them as roommates since coincidentally, the three of them are the same age and although they’re in different majors their personalities match well which made living there much enjoyable.
So the first few weeks went by just like that with Joshua making absolutely zero effort to approach Seokmin and only stare at him from afar during Chemistry. Even until now.
The week goes on as usual but since the middle of the semester is approaching, assignments are piling up and Joshua is starting to feel the stress and burden. He’s usually in his room, studying or finishing up his assignments and often rejects Seungcheol’s and Jeonghan’s offers to any parties. Party pooper. Oh he knows but he can’t help it. All the times he blanked out during Chemistry for staring at Seokmin has to be paid sooner or later and he is not going to fail the subject considering he’s under a scholarship.
The three roommates are eating dinner together when Seungcheol suddenly speaks up. “Hey, remember that one party that I went to last Saturday?” He asked, eyeing the other two. Jeonghan and Joshua glance at each other for a while before nodding.
“So I met a couple of guys that day and it turns out they’re twitch streamers! They play games most of the time and they actually invite me to join them tonight,” he adds enthusiastically.
“Wow, good for you! But why do you need to tell us though?” Jeonghan asks in a teasing tone.
“Can’t I share that with my roommates? I thought we’re friends,” Seungcheol pouts. “Also, it’s actually because I want you guys to watch that stream to, you know, support me, I guess?”
“Are you going to be famous?” Joshua beams. “Does that mean we’re friends with a famous person now? Ayy make sure you don’t forget about us,” he teases and the room fills with laughter.
“I wouldn’t say I’m going to be famous or anything but I’m thrilled to join them. I’ve always watched game streamers, so to actually be one is interesting I must say,” Seungcheol states.
“Sure, just send us the link to your stream and we’ll watch it. Be ready though cause I might record your embarrassing moments and share them on the internet,” Jeonghan sticks out his tongue and Seungcheol immediately hits him on the arm. They all laugh as they continue the silly banterings before slowly settling down to finish eating.
Later that night, Seungcheol sends the link of his stream to their group chat and Joshua immediately goes towards his laptop. He decides to watch the stream while finishing up his calculus homework so he sets up all the necessary things on the study table. Just as he clicks on the link, a video of the stream pops up but he immediately gasps when he sees someone particularly familiar in the stream.
No way. No fucking way.
“Hi guys it’s Dokyeom here and as promised me and my squad are going to play Pico Park tonight. Oh and tonight is a little special cause we invited one of our new friends to join our stream. Please say hi to the viewers,” the boy on the screen starts, flashing a bright smile that Joshua has been far familiar with.
Dokyeom? But isn’t that Seokmin? I mean he looks exactly like him and sounds like him as well?
“Hello! I am Scoups and this is my first time joining a stream so I hope I don’t embarrass myself,” Seungcheol says as he laughs and everyone joins him as well.
Scoups? As if a light bulb is suddenly ignited on top of Joshua’s head, he finally understands that they are using fake names for the stream to avoid leaking their real ones. Upon knowing that Seokmin is playing with Seungcheol and he is the only one with a face camera, Joshua’s attention is immediately drawn to him. Throughout the gameplay the squad talks with each other in order to get to know Seungcheol better since they just met a few days ago and Joshua takes that as an opportunity to learn things about Seokmin as well. As far as he knows, Seokmin is two years younger than him, likes the colour blue, observing from the way Seokmin whines whenever his character isn’t blue, and was born in February. Also he discovers that Seokmin is a very bright and outgoing person considering how loud and engaging he is throughout the stream. Joshua oftens finds himself smiling and laughing along with Seokmin's jokes and anyone can tell that he’s extremely whipped for the boy. As soon as the stream ends, he immediately rushes over Seungcheol’s room.
“You didn’t tell me you’re playing with Seokmin,” he says as he sits on the side of Seungcheol’s bed. Seungcheol looks rather confused with Joshua’s interrogation.
“I didn’t know that you’re friends with him?”
Oh right. I didn’t tell them.
“I mean, I’m not exactly friends with him or anything but I kinda know him,” Joshua tries to defend himself, acting as unsuspecting as possible.
“Okay? But why should I tell you that I was going to play with him? Wait a minute. You like him don’t you?” A smirk plasters on Seungcheol’s face and Joshua instantly regrets asking that question earlier. Now he feels like sinking on his bed and never wants to come out again.
“No I don’t. I was just…asking,” Joshua states but he starts to blush and his eyes try to avoid Seungcheol by looking anywhere but straight into him.
“Oooh someone is having a crush!” Seungcheol sings and he jumps around a flustered Joshua when his bedroom door suddenly opens. “What’s all the noise?” Jeonghan asks as his head peeks through the doorway.
“Someone is having a crush on one of my stream-mates,” Seungcheol says with the biggest smile on his face while pointing fingers at the boy beside him.
“So that’s why you were laughing loudly in your room just now. I bet it’s because of that someone huh?” As if being teased by Seungcheol isn’t enough, here comes Jeonghan, adding fuel to the fire. “Who is it? I wanna know?”
“No you don’t. I don’t have a crush, that’s why,” Joshua finally speaks up but the way the other two are smirking at him, he knows they’re not gonna stop until he tells them.
“Fine, it’s that guy that’s on the face cam just now. Dokyeom? I think? His real name is Seokmin and he’s actually the guy that almost made a scene during my first Chemistry class,” he blurts out. He can sense two pairs of eyes that are piercing through him and he never wishes to disappear so much, not even when he was called out by a professor one time for handing in the wrong file.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve got you hooked up by now or something,” Seungcheol says as he drags Joshua and puts him under his arms in a headlock. Feeling suffocated, Joshua squirms and pushes himself out of his grip before answering the latter. “I’m not even sure if I have a crush on him actually. We only have one class together and I barely know him. He just seems fun to hang out with, that’s all,”
“Whatever you say, Shua. We are so going to help you get him,” Jeonghan adds and Seungcheol nods along. As if having his two best friends knowing who his crush is not embarrassing enough, now they want to help him? Joshua would rather be called to the discipline office compared to this. He gives the two a worrying look and they can sense that Joshua feels troubled with their eagerness.
“Fine, I guess you can help. Please don’t embarrass me though and if the first few times don't work well, I’m seriously going to stop, okay?” Joshua finally gives in. As if on cue, both Seungcheol and Jeonghan embrace Joshua and utter lots and lots of encouraging words on how they will succeed or how he will have a boyfriend by the end of the month to the youngest of the three.
I couldn’t possibly embarrass myself too much trying this, right?