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Chapter Text

"And now, for the last question of our Annual Math-aton, look onto our screen-

Emeka forms a ball of clay with a radius of 3 centimeters. He then reforms the clay into a cylinder of radius 2 cm. What is the height of the cylinder in centimeters, rounded to the nearest tenth?"

The announcer says, and Seungwoo's glasses fall to the bridge of his nose as he works on his scratch paper, pencil moving faster than the speed of his brain and brain working faster than the speed of light. 
'I need to finish before the buzzer-'
BUZZ
His head snaps up to the podium right opposite of him, where stood the confident, intelligent and unbeatable- Kang Seungsik. With his straightened shoulders, and a hand over the buzzer in front of him, "The height of the cylinder is 9 centimeters." 

Silence, and then an uproar of applaud as soon as the large screen changes to a blinding shade of green, leaving Seungwoo in its cast, dumbfounded.

His eyes stay frozen at Seungsik as he moves away from his podium to shake hands with the mighty Kang Seungsik, but he never does. 
In the eyes of his opponent, he didn't find any respect or sportsmanship no matter how much he looked. All he found was, disgust.

Wait, wait, how did Seungwoo even end up in a Math-aton? 

Let's go back a little bit.

The sun was high in the sky, peak of summer when Seungwoo was, as usual, playing soccer with his team members. Sweat dripped down his tank top and through it, as he kicked the ball using his heel towards the back and ran towards the goal. They had a ground of their own, provided by the university, but today it was booked by the basketball team. And with tryouts being right around the corner, some more practise wouldn't kill anyone, right? 
Almost didn't. Because as he sprinted towards the goal, some dumbass idiot decided to come in his way and they both collided so hard that the latter went flying and Seungwoo fell on his back.

His eyes shut on impact and when they open, his butt hurt like hell and someone is groaning in front of him. Seungwoo adjusts to the bright sun, out to literally blind him, hearing distant "Oh my goodness, Kang! Are you okay, bro?" And little whimpers like a dog. Seungwoo looks in front of him on the ground, where a man laid pathetically holding his knee, "Can't you fucking see we are playing? You could see it from, miles away!" He said, and the man just looks up from his scrunched position, crying, "I had an emergency! Can't you see where you're going?" 

"Dude, I'm playing, running. How am I supposed to see some random blind guy coming in my way?"

"Han! Can you not?" His teammate, Byungchan reprirmands as him and Subin, another teammate pick up the damsel in distress and take said 'Kang' to the infirmary.
"Well? What about me?" Seungwoo pointedly looks at his teammates and Seungyoun rushes to pick him up as well, "Sorry, Captain. Just, you're used to falling."
"Are you trying to say I fall often?"
"Only to rise, warrior. Only to rise."

And yet again, they found themselves opposite of each other in the infirmary, on parallel beds where on one, the nurse tended to Seungsik's split knee, and Subin tended to Seungwoo's. "You should apologise to him." Subin said, in response to the winces and hisses coming from opposite of them where Seungsik's face was covered by his long bangs. 
The sun bursts through the curtains, with the subtle noises of dipping into anti-septic and breaths being inhaled, exhaled.

"He should apologise to me for interrupting our game and injuring me. If I can't play tomorrow's game, it's a mess." His voice gets slightly loud with every word and gets Seungsik's attention.
"I should apologise to you? Do you even see what you've done to me? My knee hurts, my back's injured too! I have scratches on my elbows, and my moth-" Seungwoo didn't hear a word after that, because he finally,
Finally,

saw him.

He finally saw his dark brown eyes, the remnant of their field's dust on his cheek, the beautifully sculpted, yet soft face. His hair, that fell almost over his mesmerizing, mountaineous, eyes. As if his favorite americano had been blended into the orbs of this guy, sitting there, with his long legs and strong arms. 

"-who you are, but you are the one that needs to apologise." Seungsik finished when the football team captain snapped out of his daze.

He does not care how pretty Seungsik is, he scoffs and prioritizes his ego. His pride.

"Apologise? My ass." 

The nurse tsk's, and Seungwoo gets the signal. Language. 

He snaps his leg out of Subin's lap, "I'm leaving." And with that, he gets up and walks out the infirmary. 

Kang Seungsik is the sickeningly popular, disgustingly handsome, loathably charming and smart, kind, intelligent and impressive student. He had the looks, the grades, the extracurricular activities. Name it. 
When Seungwoo found that out, he wasn't the least bit surprised about the looks part. But grades? Beauty and brain? 

After losing the tryouts for Nationals, their team simply got downgraded and were scolded by their Head of the Department to focus on grades and add atleast 1 accomplishment to their portfolio to be allowed to participate in next season's tryouts. 

Well, here they were now, fast forward 4 months later of plenty of quizzes and tests- Seungwoo landed into the math-aton. 

In these 4 months, Seungwoo never talked to him again and he tried approaching him again but got ignored nastily. That left Seungwoo's ego wounded, and torn. He grits his teeth and stomps away from Group B celebrating their asses off. Because now this isn't about a math-aton, or a bump, or anything but his goddamn ego! 

"Who does he think he is to ignore me? I'm trying to  show sportmanship and he's acting like I have chicken pox. Enough. Now, it's war." With that thought, he leaves another room, annoyed.

"You lost. This gives you nothing but a participation certificate. There's no first, second and thirds in Math-aton. Find something new." The HoD didn't even look up from his paperwork to reply to Seungwoo, "But-"
"But, nothing. You are dismissed." 
Seungwoo huffs out a sigh, his shoulders dropping as he exits. Why does there have to be so much pain for doing what you want? Sure, he's not excelling but he's still mediocre. That should be enough. 

Right outside the door stood Byungchan, with his arms crossed, leaned against the wall. Seeing Seungwoo, he lets go of his relaxed position to look at him with a curious expression, "What happened?" 
"Nope. Didn't work. What else do I need to do, man?" 
Byungchan rolls his eyes and releases a disappointed sigh, "Uh...you can participate in something that Seungsik already isn't in. Science quiz!" 

"We don't know for sure if he's in that or not."

"Maybe you can apologise to him and get this over with?"

"After, what, 4 months?-" he looks at Byungchan like he just spoke Spanish, "Please be real, Byung. That's so embarrassing."

They begin to walk back to the Pottery club which they took up to add to that extra-curriculars. Just kidding, they got bored of the same old clubs, and clubs in general don't contribute to accomplishments.

"I don't even know why you were so angry that day. Maybe he was wrong, alright. But just, stay calm in such situations, bro."

"StAy CaLm iN SuCh SiTuAtIoNs BrO. You say that because your ass didn't get broke in two from the concrete ground we were forced to practise on. You didn't have the final tryouts on your mind. You didn't think of the consequen-" and someone comes perpendicular to him, bumping into his frame and pushing him backwards but thankfully he stays in his place, keeping his ground. Yet again though, the latter is on the ground.

"Kang?" Byungchan says, and Seungwoo freezes, 
Fuck no.

"Deja fucking vu." Seungwoo says looking down and glooming his tall height over Seungsik who looks up at him from the ground and clicks his tongue, "Are you stalking me?" 

Now, Seungwoo's perturbed at the sentence, he looks behind him at Byungchan or maybe someone else to whom this question could be addressed, "Who, me? Did you hit your head when you fell?" 

"No, I did not. You show up at my club, Math-aton, hallways, everywhere. And now, gosh, you're even trying to touch me just because you couldn't get the chance to at the Math-aton!" 

Seungwoo gapes, and then his brows furrow, as the younger stands up from the ground, even more offended that neither of the guys in front of him offered a hand. "You better get your head checked for a concussion from 4 months ago, then. I'd be damned if I've come to a point as low as stalking you out of everyone." He laughs mockingly, and continues, "And what's with that weak body of yours, huh? Hit the gym before the wind knocks you over." 

"Oh, haha, 'look at me, I touched him finally but now I gotta play cool'. If you're a fan, just bring a pen and paper and I'll give you an autograph."

"An autograph? Have you seen yourself?"

"Ugh, just get out of my way, I need to be at my club right now." Seungsik says and shoves Seungwoo's shoulder with his own as he strides away, in the opposite direction, "Ugh, the pottery club's that way, idiot." Seungwoo calls out to the guy who already somehow walked far away, "I'm taking the long route to avoid bumping into a certain stalker!" Seungsik calls back out.

Byungchan finally looks at Seungwoo, with a smile and his double killer dimples on display,

"The sexual tension there was insane."

Seungwoo fake gags, pretending to vomit, "Please, I can't even stand his face. I can't believe how self-conceited he is."

Chapter Text

In the pottery club sat Seungwoo, taken off his shirt to keep on the tank top and work on a small bowl. Right beside him was Seungsik, with his collared shirt's sleeves folded up to his elbow as he worked on a large bowl. "Byung-" Byungchan hums in response,

"Ask him what he's participating in next so I can try that. I don't wanna associate with him." He said in a low voice to his friend, who was on his left, and Byungchan slows down the speed of his lathe. "I don't think he likes me, honestly."
"Please." 

Byungchan leans forward to look at Seungsik past Seungwoo, "Kang!" 

Seungsik doesn't respond, "Kang!" He yells again, "What?!" He stops his Lathe with an exasperated look on his face, "Speak." He orders and Seungwoo's right ear almost could be seen growing bigger to focus on Seungsik's words,

"What are you participating in next?" 

"Why would I tell you?"

"Because, I'm curious. You're uh, really,"
"Smart." Seungwoo whispers to him subtly, "Smart!" 

"I don't want to tell you. Stop stalking me, geez!" 
On the last sentence, spoke up someone from a bit far away, "Sikkie, is he bothering you?" 3 pair of eyes turn to the voice and its some guy with tattoos and dark black hair and a nice set of biceps, "I'm fine." 'Sikkie' responds.

The other 2 pair of eyes turn into disgusted and confused, "Who the fuck is that?" Seungwoo leaves it at that. Somehow it never works out his way. If he doesn't get to something, anything by this week, he will be left with nothing but regret. As the captain of the team, its his duty to do a good job and currently, he's lacking at it big time.

Upbeat music, lots of people, alchohol and noise- parties have never been Seungsik's thing. But here he was, sitting beside Chan on the most awfully hard wooden chair ever, holding a plastic cup in his hand (it had juice) and his long feet awkwardly legs crossed over one another. "Well, yeah that is true but I feel like someone else being the lead vocalist of the band would feel so strange" He heard Chan say, what was his friend even up to?

"By the way, Kang, right? I heard you can sing as well?" Seungsik snaps his attention into the conversation, "Sorry?" 
"You can sing, right?" 
Seungsik didn't recognize this guy very well but he's from the same faculty, "Not really. Why do you ask?"
"We are looking for a new lead vocalist for our band-" Seungsik listened on, but he doesn't know what to say really. In this kind of situation, he makes a good excuse and leaves it. There is no point in embarrassing yourself in front of an audience.

"-wanna try out our auditions?" Right as he says that, Seungsik notices a familiar guy walk by. And he even makes eye contact with him, only to realize its Han Seungwoo from the other day. Understandably, he rolls his eyes, and looks away, "I'm not interested, actually. I've got academics and club work to do."
"Come on, Seungsik, it's gonna be nice!" That was someone else he didn't remember the name of but he was definitely friends with. 

Struggles of being popular, right? (Not like you would know)

Because by now a lot more than needed people were there, asking him to just try it out once or sing one song. "Please, just sing a little bit of Versace on the Floor!" 
He performed that song once in another private party like this but someone had recorded it and it went....kind of viral.
Explains his popularity, but there's many other factors added to it.

He can't be so full of himself and say no, right? 
So he goes ahead and sings some of it, hitting all the right notes and octaves. The room grows silent at his voice and almost entirely silent by the time he finishes, realizing that people all around him had now gathered and begun staring at his performance. Surprisingly, as soon as he finishes it, the last note easing out his throat, the first person his eyes land on is Han Seungwoo, as if to ask 'Are you impressed?' 
But he was the only person in the room, among several girls and guys, who was staring at the giant TV in the living room, playing some stupid football match.

"That was awesome, Kang! You totally should try the auditions"
"That gave me goosebumps."
"Wow, I never knew he's such a wonderful singer."
"That's some Idol level skills, honestly!" The surge of compliments dusted a slight pink over his cheeks and his eyes disappeared into a big grin, "Please, you guys flatter me!"
"We don't! You really should come try out, yeah?" Seungsik nods, too immersed in pleasing everyone when he hears his phone ring, "I have to take this, excuse me." With that, he gets up and leaves.

"Hey, it's just me or...Kang sounded really bad" Yukei laughs out really loud as he says that, and the small circle of his friends that was still kind of crowded around agrees. Some hum, some nod, one says, "I just complimented because the girls were so into it." 
"I know right? Me too. But really, though, he thought he sounded so good when he sounded like a braying donkey ha-ha!" This one comment gets an outburst of loud laughter and someone hushed them to be discreet.
But Seungwoo heard it.
And sure he didn't compliment him earlier or even looked at him but he thought Seungsik sounded really pretty.

"That's not true." He intervened, gripping the back of the couch where Yukei sat, "Hmm? Who are you?" 
Seungwoo leans in a bit lower, "Han Seungwoo. Captain of the football team. What you," he looks away from Yukei's grey eyes to look at the brown-haired guy sitting opposite of Yukei on a chair, looking taken aback, "and your friends are saying is complete bullshit." 

The friend in question opens his mouth to speak, but Seungwoo straightens his shoulders back to his normal height, cutting him off, "I think Kang has a beautiful voice. If you have nothing good to say at all, shut up." 

Seungwoo turns on his heel and leaves but his presence remains hanging in the air. How someone can be so dominant without showing any signs of even trying to be dominant, Yukei and his friends never understood.

The clock strikes 12, Seungsik's half lidded eyes glare at Chan holding the mic and looking at the TV that displayed lyrics with music blasting off the speakers. 
Karoake, in simple words.
He huffs and leans back into the couch, wanting to go home but Chan has kept the keys in his pocket to their shared room solely so that Seungsik can't go back alone. 

Recently, their dorms have a new, spooky story about a ghost haunting the corridoors. The ghost is a woman wearing a long white dress, with really long black hair and long fingernails- that's typical. But when you look into her eyes, they're bleeding. She's covered in blood head to toe!

Seungsik shivers when he thinks of it, remembering how that story is the exact reason why Chan is so adamant on going back home together. He spots a leather jacket on the couch's armrest, looking around to see who it belonged to. 

'Well, it's big and probably one of my friends. I can put it on and apologise before giving it back' he thinks and shakes the jacket so any dust or dirt is gone. He slips his arms inside and adjusts the collar, feeling the material warm his body, especially his cold back. 

"Kang! Wanna come out at the pool? We're playing games!" One of Seungsik's friend Hosik says and Seungsik gets up, leaving the room to step out into the outdoor area where the large pool was. But to his dismay, there were pretty much no people there. Just Yukei, Hosik and 2 more guys. 
"It's just us?" He asks, confused. The sleepiness is taking a toll on his now, and he breathes in the fresh air. The calmness of the night, the music from inside the house seeming so far away now.

"Just us, hope that's no issue?" Yukei grins and his grin pulls Seungsik into where the rest of them are, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking at the darkened sky once more.
"Not at all, ofcourse. What are we playing?" 
"We are playing....'Can you swim'?" 
Seungsik's brows furrow just a bit at the question, "No...?" 
"Awesome." And his palm pushes Seungsik into the pool harshly. 

Seungsik's arms flail out to hold onto something, and he does-- he catches hold of Hosik's shirt but the latter holds his hand and yanks it off.

That's all Seungsik thinks last before he's bursting into panic.

Chapter Text

A loud splash resonates within the air and Seungsik could only gasp, his body flops into the water with so much force because of his height's difference with the water and the tough push in Yukei's muscled arms. 
He gasps, flails, inhaling water and trying to find the floor of the pool using his height as a possible advantage, but only losing his thoughts of surviv into an array of panicked ones.

He looks at the sky from under the water yet again, the moon right above him-- it shone and Mercury right beside it glittered so beautifully.

 Something about nature always attracts him
And something about him always attracts Seungwoo.

Because he notices someone gasping, flailing hands, drowning almost- and he runs towards the pool, watching the guys walk away ignoring the person inside completely. Seungwoo takes off his shirt and jumps into the pool, dunking his body in and holding the guy in his arms. He takes him out of the water, thankfully it was barely a few moments long of agony before he took the guy out.

"Kang?" Seungwoo exclaimed, pushing his wet black hair out of his own face using his fingers, he slaps his cheek lightly and Seungsik doesn't respond much. Growing worried he embraces his hands for CPR, pushing onto his chest as hard as he can. 
Nothing.
Seungwoo stays calm and he decides its time for CPR but as he leans in, Seungsik chokes out water and gasps, eyes slowly opening and adjusting to the view in front of him.

"Han?" He gasps out and Seungwoo nods, "Why the fuck did you jump in if you can't swim?" Seungwoo asked, confused, worried, heaving breaths,
Seungsik pushes Seungwoo away, eyes dropping to his absolutely jacked torso, the water dripping down Seungwoo's six pack. "I- I was pushed, you dumbass!" He managed, half held in Seungwoo's embrace.

"What? Are you okay?" Upon that question, Seungsik freezes, he had braced himself on the tiled floor with his elbows and with his dripping hair, out of breath, widened eyes look, he stares at Seungwoo. He just, stares.
Then he hears the slow beat of his own heart, and realizes that holy fucking shit, Han Seungwoo is gorgeous. He has such a sleek nose and these puppy eyes and a jacked body and a gentle yet deep voice but not like too deep, just- the right amount. He's the right amount of everything. 

"Kang? Are you deaf? Oh goodness I think water went into your ears-"
"I'm okay. Thanks for saving my life-" getting a bit sentimental, he didn't notice the hand on his waist that he does now. He picks up Seungwoo's hand and gets it off of his waist, "or whatever" he ends, like a really lame person before he gets up to walk away.

"But my-"

"Your what, chance to kiss me? Gone. Perished. Bye!" He runs off, trying to find Chan and ruin his night before he ruins everyone's night in Seoul tonight. 

Meanwhile Seungwoo stays in his place, a hand reaching out to nothingness in front of him, "But, my jacket..." 

Seungsik takes a shower that night, with a million thoughts in his head and all of them being about Han Seungwoo. Even as the shampoo went into his eyes and he shut them, he could only picture Han Seungwoo's worried gaze and beautiful face. 

Chan notices his unususl demanour along with Sejun who was sat on his bed. So when Seungsik steps out they carefully get him to sit between them, "Are you alright, bro?" Sejun asked with a comforting hand on his shoulder and Seungsik nods, "I am, yeah."
"How did you get out of the pool, you can't even swim. And- how did you get in there?" Chan went a little ruthlessly earning a slap on the back of his hand by Sejun.

"It's okay, Sejun. I didn't get out myself. I was saved." He didn't know why he was being so vague about it but he liked how the other two grew more restless with every passing moment.

"By whom?"

"Han Seungwoo." 
Chan gasps so loud and Sejun's inhale was so big that Seungsik flinched a little, looking at Chan like he's lost his mind, "Chill out. He's a human, he exists, he was around. Anyone in his place would've done the same." With that, their expressions grow less horrified for just a second before they share a glance,
Pause,
And before they say something, Seungsik continues, "Except Hosik, Yukei, Adan and Gicheol. They pushed me in."

"What? Why?" Chan asked, for second he couldn't even believe their own friends would do that.

"I don't know. They called me out to play some games then asked if I can swim. When I said no, they pushed me in. It wasn't a- a prank or a joke, Chan, they made sure to make me suffer" they were all Chan's friends more than his, that's why Seungsik's pointed eyes glared at Chan.
"I could've died! None of you would come and find me. None of you even knew where I was! Your shitty friends pushed me-" Chan tried to interject, keeping a hold on Seungsik's arm, "I-"
"No. I grabbed Hosik's arm, and he fucking took it off and continued to push me in. On purpose. I could've died, Chan!" 

The room's eerily silent, the noise of their ceiling fan almost deafening and Chan's embarrassment and shame could be held into your bare hands with how close it was to a physical quantity itself. "I didn't know. And I'm so sorry that because of me, and my friends, you had to go through that. I will cut off with them, and not only because they hurt you-- but because they can be so life threatening out of nowhere too! That shows they're not nice people."

"But Han Seungwoo is." Sejun says and earns another glare from Seungsik.

But no words. "You agree, don't you? He's a good person. Did you thank him properly?"

More silence. 

"You didn't, oh my god, Seungsik!" Sejun lets out exasperatedly and Chan pulls Seungsik into his arms, "I'm sorry, Seungsik-ah! Don't be mad at me!" And there goes Seungsik's front and his smile makes way onto his face, "Alright, alright. But I don't have to thank him!"

"Yes you do! Now you're being egotistical!"
"So what, I said 'Thanks'! What else do I do? Do I suck him off?"

That makes the room seriously silent and Sejun looks at him pointedly, "Uh...no one said anything about sucking him off."
"Seungsik....do you wanna suck him off?"

His ears turn red and he gets up, pushing them away and growing louder, "No! I don't even like him, have you guys lost your mind?! Shuck- Fuc- Sucking is totally. Out. Of. Question!" The fumbling of his words showed more than any of his words did and he yells a Goodnight before flopping into his bed and falling asleep.

Seungwoo stares at his lunch table, and sneezes into his elbow. "Gosh, I need my jacket back." He had to return home wet, with no jacket last night. So sneezes and a little bit of cold was to be expected.
Byungchan chuckles, "Heh, he took it back like Cindrella's shoe."
"Seriously. Who wants to kiss him?" He wonders out loud, making a disgusted face and picking up his chopsticks to begin eating his lunch. 

Kang Seungsik is pretty, Seungwoo knows. But not enough pretty to sacrifice his ego for. He will not approach that idiot of a guy who didn't even thank him properly and removed his hand from his body? Like, who does that? Is he contagious? Does Seungwoo have a disease? 

The lunch area quietens and Seungwoo's used to it, it implies that Kang Seungsik has entered with Chan and Sejun. 

It returns back to normal soon but he gets attention and he gets it naturally. However this particular day, Sejun's last seen running to Yukei and grabbing him by his collar before throwing punches without a word. Everyone's heads turn to the scene, where now Chan was trying to hold him back. "What happened?" Someone asked, "You don't know? Hosik, Yukei, Gicheol and Adan tried to kill Kang Seungsik last night at the party! They tried to drown him."

Cheers for Sejun erupted, as Seungsik just stood and watched the scene. "You motherfucker!" Sejun's usually tender voice yelled and Seungsik cleared his throat, "That's enough, Sejun." 
Like a puppet on strings, he lets go of Yukei's bloodied face, a co-ordinator rushes into the lunch room. "Everybody back! What's going on here?! Lim!"
She grabs Sejun first, blood trickling down his fist to the clean floor and Seungsik rolls his eyes at the woman, "But Yukei tried to drown Kang Seungsik!" A fan of Seungsik, probably, yelled.

"On premises?!" The co-ordinator asked.
"No..."
"But this is on premises." 

She pulls Sejun and looks at someone she knew, "Take Yukei to the infirmary." 

Seungwoo finds Chan near one of their faculty's vending machines, trying to take out his fizzy drink by putting his arm into the vending machine's vent weirdly. He senses someone behind him, the shadow over his own frame and he looks back, "Oh! You wanna use it?"
Seungwoo nods, "Yeah, but I can help you out, if you want." Chan looks at the machine, then to Seungwoo, back again, and retreats his arm,
"That'd be nice, I've been stuck here for 5 whole minutes." 

Seungwoo chuckles, "I get it. Our vending machine's the one at fault." Chan moves over in his squatting position to make room for Seungwoo to sit beside him.
When you're experienced in solving a problem, it takes you really no time at all to solve it. Seungwoo's expert hand goes in, does something and takes the icy can out, "Here you go." Seungwoo hands him the can, "Oooh, that was really cool just now, oh- that reminds me" Seungwoo stands up and so does Chan and the latter has to kind of look up to see Seungwoo in the eye, holding his drink in his hand.

"Thank you, for last night. Seungsik told us, and that was really nice of you."

A smile tugs on Seungwoo's lips and he nods his head in affirmation, "It's my pleasure. How is he doing now?" 

Chan's eyes hold shame still, and he looks away momentarily before replying, "He's alright, just pressed by my ex-friends. He won't admit but he appreciates you."

"It's not a problem at all, but, can you ask him to return my jacket? He took it with him yesterday." He can't help but chuckle at his own words and Chan gapes, "That's your jacket? I'll tell him to give it back, yeah!" Seungwoo looks at his wrist watch, "Thanks, I'll get going, then. See you later." 
"See you!"

"That's Han Seungwoo's jacket? Fuck." Seungsik's very valid and understandable reaction came out shocked and horrified, "He said he wants it back, by the way." 
"If I had known its his, I'd never have taken it." He mutters under his breath, the teacher continuing to teach on the whiteboard about in-depth physics. 

He wouldn't have taken it, sure, but he still liked the perfume. And the jacket was pretty cool, too. So was Han Seungwoo. 
"When will I bump into him again? How do I return the jacket? Do I say 'thank you' again? Do I look into his eyes? Do I smile?"

The door to their classroom opens, and steps inside the man he was daydreaming about, "Sir, may I come in?" 

"Shit, do I look okay? No, it doesn't matter. He won't even look at me. Just like the party." 

Seungsik is proven wrong when Han Seungwoo, with a journal his hand, pen on his ear, plaid jacket over white tee, and handsome face - looks into his eyes, and begins walking towards him.
Their eyes stay locked until Seungwoo's close enough to lean down and sit.

Sit right beside Seungsik. 

The younger looks everywhere around him to notice there were indeed many empty seats and still Han Seungwoo chose to sit beside him.

"You could've sat anywhere." Seungsik said under his breath, and Seungwoo stares at the side of his face as he stubbornly avoided his eyes to stare at the whiteboard ahead. He acted tough, but his heartbeat was audible in his own ears. He could feel his body heat up from Seungwoo so close beside him.

"Why should I? The boy I'm so desperate to kiss, is sitting right here." His voice was automatically an octave lower to make it hushed and Seungsik shivers. He hopes Seungwoo didn't notice it.

"Shut up. The teacher's looking." 

"No, seriously, how did you think I was trying to kiss you? I was literally saving your life." 

"And now you're getting on my nerves. Let me focus." 

"'LeT mE fOcUs'" Seungwoo mimics before turning to open his journal and begin jotting down notes. 
So his next target is the physics quiz, hence why he took up these extra classes to focus on the specific subject and ace it.

And this time, Kang Seungsik better watch the fuck out.

Chapter Text

"Oh, Han Seungwoo's here!" Chan chimed, suddenly getting up to walk over to the tall football captain, wearing such a tight fitted tee and sweats that Seungsik swallowed down the burst of feelings in his chest coming up his throat. "I can't believe he's now friends with that jerk." Seungsik huffed, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms, kind of like a kid throwing a tantrum on the couch. "He's not that bad." Sejun said, leaning over the couch's back to look at Seungwoo, Subin and Byungchan side by side walking in and Chan chatting up with them.

"Heo Chan! Nice to see you here." Seungwoo said, walking over to the pool table in the corner of the room. They all came to play pool at one of their common friend's house. Seungsik notices the sweat glistening on the older's face, his muscly biceps being hugged by the tee's sleeves and his out of breath demeanour. How the little beads shined down the side of his face and Seungsik took a deep breath in. Yet lied to himself that his feelings were just of pure, unfiltered, rage and hatred.

"Nice to see you too, man. What's got you so out of breath?" Chan asks and Seungwoo braces himself against the pool table, his arms flexing, "My gym trainer's out for my blood." He ends his sentence with a low chuckle, shutting his eyes and shaking off his sweat. "Can I get a tissue?" He looks at the host at that who shakes his head, picking up an empty box right beside him, "Just ran out. Get a mini towel from my washroom instead." 
Seungwoo nods, moving to leave to find the restroom and get rid of this sweat but he's swatted by something soft on the way. 

Seungsik had hold out a duo of napkins stacked, "I have these." Seungwoo gladly accepts them but not without turning doe eyes and leaning over the couch to bring their faces closer, "Aw, you're so sweet. I didn't even know you're here!" he cooed. Seungsik turns his head away, cringing visibly on purpose, "Just give them back if you're gonna act like a weirdo."
"Or, I can keep it just like you've kept my jacket. Thief." 
Seungsik's jaw drops, "I am not a thief! I've sent it for laundry. Only if you knew what laundry was, your jacket wouldn't smell like dog shit."
"Don't lie, I saw you sniff it," he leans in closer, involuntarily making Seungsik turn his head and place a firm hand on the latter's chest to keep him away at a safe distance before he got too close, "-as you got off on my scent."
"Fuck off! You're so, disgusting!" Seungsik pushes him and that's Seungwoo's cue to throw his head back and laugh really obnoxiously.

"He's blushing!" He tells Byungchan on his way back, wiping off all the sweat on his face and nape with the newly gifted napkins.

They begin playing pool soon, getting into teams A and B. It worked like this, Team A had 4 players that played with each other to finalize one player, same with team B, and then both finalists played against each other. Not like Seungsik cared, he wasn't a part of it. He was just here because he didn't wanna stay at home alone with the creepy ghost of a murdered woman looming their dorms.

Seungwoo was Team A's finalist, meanwhile Sejun was Team B's. "Gosh, just one more ball to pot." Sejun exclaims, pulling the stick back and striking the white ball so the black one can go in. He misses, though, and Seungwoo smirks, "Told you. This one's mine. All mine." Seungsik knows its a game and he's just being silly but something in his eyes as he said that, some kind of possessiveness and how he stays true to his words as he hits the white one and successfully pots the black one, winning the little tournament. Something about that, drives Seungsik crazy inside.

He shakes hands with Sejun awkwardly and Seungsik wishes he was the one standing instead of Sejun. He's sure he could beat Seungwoo but ever since he's heard the "mine, all mine" he wonders what Seungwoo would look like saying those words to him, for him. 

Snapping out of his thoughts he gives an encouraging smile to Sejun, "You were amazing." He grins and Sejun flops down beside him, holding him by his shoulders and slumping against Seungsik's chest, "Hyung! I sucked." 
"Not at all, you did great." 
Sejun mumbles something into his chest that makes Seungsik chuckle, "Don't sulk, now."

"Alright, let's get going." Chan says and Seungwoo hums, "Yeah I was thinking of it too. You don't mind if we all leave together?" And Chan wastes not a single breath agreeing to it, with Seungsik equally wasting not a single breath in disagreeing,
"Not at all."
"Absolutely yes we do." 

Seungsik's head snaps towards Chan, talking with his eyes and Chan releases a small sigh, "Seungsik-ah. Let's be honest, I'm scared as fuck going alone. Look at you, me and Sejun once." He says in a low voice so their discussion is private. He does as he's told and notices nothing unusual,

"And, what about it?"

"We aren't built for combat and stuff."

"Are you gonna combat a ghost? A female ghost, to be specific."

"I mean-"

"Please be real. Their biceps will be nothing compared to a ghost."

"I think-"

"Are we leaving or not?" Seungwoo's voice holds that authority again and Sejun's getting up, letting go of Seungsik's hug and nodding, holding out a hand so Seungsik holds onto it and has to comply. He has to, right? 

And so they all get going.

"You guys have heard it too? The rumor about a ghost?" Subin asks Chan, somehow they had begun talking on the way and became acquaintances.  "Yeah, that's kind of why we came here together." They were walking side by side, Byungchan beside Subin, Sejun beside Chan with Seungwoo and Seungsik trailing a little behind.

"I don't think it's real." Byungchan states monotonously and Sejun's the one that whines, "Pleaaaase, because of people like you the ghosts come out and challenge us! Don't say that." Seungsik laughs small, walking with no words but beside Seungwoo.

"What, it's true. Ghosts aren't real." 
"Byungchan, don't do it." Seungwoo says, and seemingly the younger is obedient to his words. Unfortunately Subin isn't, because he hasn't been addressed yet so he smiles in his michievous way, 

"If, the ghost is present in the room with us, without harming us, give us a sign!" Sejun's trying to stop him from saying that, moving restlessly and then as if on cue, 

All the lights go off.

Someone yelps, someone screams, someone flings himself into the person beside him, holding tight onto a strong bicep.

Yep. The last someone was Kang Seungsik, holding onto Han Seungwoo. The four in front of them yelp, terrified, grabbing out to each other, "I told you not to fucking say that!" Sejun cusses, half-way to crying.

Meanwhile Seungwoo looks down in the dark where Seungsik's scared breath can be heard, the entire corridoor dark as a moonless night sky, and Seungsik's warm presence in his arms. 

"Scared?" He asks lowly, sliding his arm out of Seungsik's both hands wrapping around it. "N-Not one bit. I'm just making sure your ass isn't shitting from the dark." Seungsik whispers, heart racing, mind a mess, feeling an arm slither around his waist and he gasps, horrified and confused, as he's pulled closer, and even in this darkness, he can feel Seungwoo's head lowering to rest beside his face and talking in his ear, "And since when do you worry about me, thief?" His heart drums in his ears, a shiver runs up his spine. Goodness, Han Seungwoo's embrace is maddening.

"Who said anything about being worried-" he touches his hands around to find Seungwoo's toned shoulders and lightly pushed him away,

"Alright, alright, I'm letting you go." Seungwoo says, and lets the latter's body go, leaving a burning sensation behind where he held Seungsik so firmly and close, only to feel him grab onto his hand.

This time, Seungwoo says nothing. He just lets his palm be held and he squeezes the hand in his, pulling out his mobile phone with the other and turning on the flashlight. Four heads snap back to their direction, "Why didn't I think of that?" Sejun said, too scared to remember Seungwoo's not a friend yet.

"Because I'm the smartest here." Seungwoo throws a cheeky comment, tugging Seungsik along as they walk, now with 2 flashlights. His own, and Chan's. 

Holding hands is intimacy, right? Seungwoo felt like they held hands just because Seungsik was scared and he didn't mind it. Seungsik's the one that always acts like he's disgusting and contagiously ill but Seungwoo never said or did that. Is that why right now, Seungsik longed for the large hand to come from anywhere and lay around his waist. To hold Seungwoo's hand and feel the slender fingers and delicate rings in his masculine hands.

Seungsik's yet to know. 

But for now, he dismisses the topic in his head properly so he doesn't have to think about these feelings, his actions or his thoughts in general.

Physics quiz means loads and loads of brainstorming and spending hours in the library solving derivations. That's what Seungwoo does and has been doing this past week ever since he signed up for the quiz itself. He just needs to win it. Sure, Kang Seungsik also signed up for it but thats not an issue. Because Seungwoo has his past self as the only person he needs to surpass this time. 

And, their opponent University's team.

When Seungsik found out that he and Seungwoo won't be playing against each other but against another college, he felt a little weird. He really wanted to show Seungwoo that no matter what he does, he cannot be better than the ace of everything, Kang Seungsik.

After a lot of mustered up courage had been built, he walked into the library, with Seungwoo's jacket draped over his forearm. 

His library card is slung around his neck, caged in a plastic. He's checked his outfit 10 times before coming, after changing thrice and finally settled on a light grey button up and straight-legged pants. 

Seungwoo's head is creepily super close to the book, a pen in his hand as he scribbled and upon walking closer Seungsik realizes his handwriting is horrid. An absolute nightmare, even.

Surprisingly, Seungwoo is so absorbed in his work that he doesn't notice someone's presence until Seungsik clears his throat

"What?" Seungwoo asks in a hushed voice, "I came to return your jacket." 

"I'm a little surprised." He replies, straightening his back that's been crouched for too long and it cracks. His eyes point towards the chair beside him, "Sit." He meant to offer, eyes raking Seungsik up and down and if you ask Seungsik, the tension between them is thick. Knowing they both hate each other and their guts thoroughly,  Seungsik goes ahead and sits. 

"Preparing for the physics quiz?" Seungsik tilts his head, trying to peek into Seungwoo's notes who slides them over a little bit so he can see clearer. 

"Yeah. Isn't this derivation hard? Or am I just not good at physics?" Seungwoo asks, his eyes stuck to the side of Seungsik's face because its so easy to look at Seungsik and see every single one of the million reasons why people love him. How his bottom lip juts out slightly, eyes reading the paper and trying to comprehend Seungwoo's handwriting. How he breathes through his nose and his sleeves are down to his wrists neatly. 
"I don't even have to see the derivation to know its your fault. I know it already is."

Seungwoo ignores the remark and takes back his jacket and holds it up to his nose, breathing in the freshly washed scent. He hums in content, "This is really good. What laundry did you give it to?" 

"Hm?" Seungsik looks back at him and yeah, now its even more visible how pretty Seungsik is. 

"-Oh, I gave it to the one down the street, "Clean & Fresh". See, you're doing this wrong-" Seungsik begins explaining, start to finish, making corrections as he goes and when he stops, Seungwoo is much more at ease with how much better he understands it now.

Chapter Text

"You're really good at physics. And maths, as we know." Seungwoo initiates a compliment, passing a slight smile and Seungsik rolls his eyes. He does it quite often, and its a bit sassy of him. "Can you not make it so obvious that you're into me?"
Seungwoo chuckles in disbelief, his laugh is almost cocky and he really believes its so absurd that Seungsik thinks that. Yes, he's gorgeous and kind and nice and has an amazing voice but Seungwoo is totally not attracted to him.

"Listen, Kang Seungsik. Look at me," the younger looks at him with the most uninterested look in his eyes ever, "I am not interested in you, attracted to you, or in love with you. How about we pair up for this quiz and bring back the trophy, hm?" His suggestion sparks something unknown in Seungsik's eyes. There's shock, for sure but that's the last thing Seungwoo could make out from his gaze.

What he didn't hear is the sound of Seungsik's heart breaking into pieces because you may strangle him to get this info out of it but he,

Fell for Han Seungwoo.

He gulps down the nerves, looking away trom the sterness in Seungwoo's eyes and how firmly he just said that. The feelings within him are yet to be named, and how much it affected him was unmatched. It has never felt like this before, it has never felt so painful. 

"I-Yeah, got it, sure we can team up." He ends with a smile.

Have you ever felt like someone squeezed your chest so hard that your heart feels like it could jump out anytime? If you have, congrats! You and Kang Seungsik have experienced the same thing. 

His bed feels so cold, his heart feels so weird and its about time that instead of feeling this absolute hell of a rollercoaster, he needs to sift his feelings through and find an answer.

With lots of contemplation and thinking, he has come to the conclusion that when Han Seungwoo smiles, talks, walks, or comes close to him, his heart goes crazy and he gets out of breath and he feels his head spin. Like the day the lights malfunctioned in the corridoors, how Seungwoo touched him and held him, his woody scent so close to his body, his voice running shivers up his spine. 

How can anybody, ever, not be attracted to him? How he teases him, how he saved his life-

"Fuck!" Seungsik cusses, finally realizing it all and feeling like the stupidest man ever.

The notification bell on his phone chimes and he stuffs his head outside of his white duvets to grab his phone and see who it is.

Message from Lee_Jaeyoung

Oh, Seungsik forgot about Jaeyoung.

Hey, there.
Can we talk?

yeah whats up

Heard you and Han Seungwoo are friends now
What was up in pottery the other day?

we are not friends but why do you ask? his friends are friends with my friends so its not a miracle we talk

Oh, that makes sense i guess but i still wanted to tell you something

what is it? 

Han Seungwoo isn't someone you should be friends with.

i literally just said we are not friends, jaeyoung. whats the matter with you???

I know but I still want you to stay safe.
Because I've heard him talk about you.

ok. and? whatd he say?

He, hates you. And not just a little amount of hate.

wdym??

He's friends with Yukei and his group. Yukei told me he told them to do that so he can act like he's gonna save you. 
When he saves you, your heart would come around to like him and hence
In whatever competition you may stand against one another, you would involuntarily lose.
Because you'd be indebted to him.

....are you saying han seungwoo planned for me to drown?

Yes. 

Seungsik leaves his message on seen, letting it all sink in and connecting the dots. Physics quiz, Seungwoo suddenly finding him, trying to be nice after being such a jerk the first time they met, and how it all worked.

It all went according to Han Seungwoo's plan.

Preparations are going head-on in the library with Han Seungwoo, and absolutely fired up with Kang Seungsik as he studied not a single bit. He wanted them to lose. So they don't work as a team, so they don't become friends, so  Han Seungwoo loses even if it meant ruining his own record, so things go his way and not Seungwoo's. He was determined and legend has it that when Seungsik is determined to do something, no one can convince him to do otherwise.

Seungwoo finds him in physics, the teacher is yet to arrive and he slides into the seat beside him casually, "Preparing for the quiz? I'm doing pretty good ever since you taught me" 
Upon recieving no verbal reply and no response at all, he taps Seungsik's shoulder, thinking maybe he had earpods in despite being able to see his entire ear. "Don't touch me." Seungsik says bitterly, perplexing Seungwoo as a million possible reasons run through his mind as to why he could be behaving so coldly out of nowhere.

"What did I do now? I thought we were friends" He sighs, annoyed. "You're the last person I'd ever wanna be friends with." Seungwoo's left to wonder why he's being ignored so blatantly and harshly. He did agree on not compromising his ego for anyone so he leaves Seungsik on his own. The teacher walks in and from there on, the air between them is just like the day they bumped into each other for the first time and sat in the infirmary. Opposite of each other, tense, and completely silent.

The day of the competition arrives and they meet after a long time. Seungwoo stopped taking the extra physics classes and focused on solo study, Seungsik was going to take his revenge. By hook or by crook. Not because Seungwoo traumatized him with the drowning plan, but because he clowned him. He turned him into an utter fool, and probably laughed behind his back with Yukei and his gang. 
Today, Seungsik was unstoppable.

A grand hall that stretches far along, bright lights illuminating it. Two long horizontal podiums were sat on the big stage, the logo of their university on one and their opponent's on the other. 

Even when they stand side by side with their scratch papers, Seungwoo and Seungsik avoid each other. The quiz starts slow and steady, easy questions slowly turn into medium ones and finally into intermediate questions that take up atleast a minute. Sounds of buzzers and pings echo and a question keeps bugging Seungwoo.

How the hell is Seungsik getting every answer wrong?

There's a safe 1 meter distance between him and Seungsik so he can't see much of his scratch paper. What could Seungsik be getting wrong? Is he feeling unwell? Their score keeps dropping because of his wrong answers. Seungwoo is thankful the other team isn't playing super well either. As the opponent takes up a lot of time to find their answer, he leans his body backwards and cranes his neck to the side, peeking into Seungsik's scratch paper.

Only to find his answer.

An absolutely blank sheet. 

Seungsik had only been scribbling on his scratch sheet and nothing else. 

His eyes widen and he holds back his surprised, puzzled stare and regains focus on his own performance. He has no idea what's going on in Seungsik's mind but he can atleast do his own best. 

And so he does. 

"With a tough and close competition, we have come to the conclusion. The perfect scores are not the only way to win, your timing makes a differnce as well. That's why, Annual Physics Quiz' winner is....
 VICTON College!" Seungwoo sighs of relief, slouching onto his podium and hearing his team cheer and exchange high fives. Including Seungsik.

But when Seungwoo looks at him, he scowls and looks away, stomping out of the hall, excusing himself. Seungwoo gets busy in taking the certificate and meeting the HOD.

Meanwhile Seungsik walks away, through the halls and back to his dorms, he'll collect the certificate later. Once again, it all went the way Seungwoo wanted. And he could do nothing for revenge. The anger in him boils, and to fuel it he hears Yukei's voice from around the corner of the corridoor. He slows in his steps, not planning to eavesdrop but still doing it anyways.

"Well, it worked so, I'd call it a success." He hears Yukei laugh in his raspy voice and then, a familiar voice speaks up, "Bro he believed me so quick, too. It was hillarious. You must've been so mad when Seungwoo saved his ass."

Were they talking about me? -Seungsik thought, brows furrowing.

"Hella. He was already on my nerves, defending his ugly ass singing. Probably has a crush on him or something to be so provoked." 

Seungsik knows the voice. Now when it answers, he recognizes,

"Ha-ha! Always felt like he's gay. Just hoping Seungsik loses more friends so we can be free of our own friends chasing after him like a dog." 

Jaeyoung.

It was Jaeyoung.

He lied. 

And Seungsik believed it. Seungwoo defended him that day, and saved his life and this is how he pays back? 

Now he just feels more stupid.

So he turns around and sprints. Sprints to find Seungwoo. What would he say, he doesn't know yet. But he will tell him truth.

Chapter Text

Why do I care so much about what he's thinking? He could be thinking anything, to hell with it. No, not to hell. Not when he looks so heavenly. Not when he's got such an angelic voice. Fuck no, what am I thinking? 

What you just read is a look into Seungwoo's brain. And it's been like this ever since Seungsik gave him the cold shoulder. Every glance at Seungsik's face leaves him breathless, and every glance back from him makes his knees shake (from fear). Being clueless doesn't help, he wishes he knew what he did wrong now but he knows even without doing anything, him and Seungsik can indeed, never be friends.

Seungwoo's standing in front of his dorm room when he hears loud and heavy steps running towards him. Thinking its a burglar he stays on guard but when he looks to his left, its just an out of breath, sweaty Kang Seungsik.

One of his eyebrows raise as if to ask, "What the fuck are you doing here?" But he just unlocks the door and invites him in. First, he offers water in a glass and lets Seungsik balance his breathing. Second, he sits him onto his bed.

"Okay. Relax. What happened?" Seungwoo sits in his feet, getting easier access to the glass and putting it away and wanting to provide support. He hates to admit it but he's worried Seungsik may have been attacked or harrassed.

"What did you say to Yukei on the night of the party?" Seungsik asked in one breath, his palms laying face down beside him on Seungwoo's bedsheet. It's his first time in his room and he looks around, avoiding Seungwoo's eyes to focus anywhere else. The painting hung on the wall of a fruit basket, a guitar hanging against the same wall, opposite of his bed. A hallway leading to kitchen and washroom, and just his small single bed. 

"I told him not to say mean things about you but why do you ask?" 

"What did you say then?" 

"I don't even remember, Seungsik. What's wrong?" He emphasizes on the last word, using his finger to make Seungsik look away from his room and into his eyes. That's when he notices the glazed, deep brown eyes. How the tears had glassed his vision and when he blinks, one drops down his soft cheek, leaving Seungwoo frozen in the silent room.

It takes him a while but when he defrosts, he sits up properly, wiping away the tear albeit frantically, looking around for tissues all while saying, "No, no, no. I'm sorry, I- I really don't remember. How do I make it stop?" He's in a state of concern and slight panic, wanting to make Seungsik stop crying. Seungwoo has never learnt how to help someone who's crying.

Seungsik rubs the back of his hand on his eyes, trying to wipe the waterfalls flowing from his eyes, sniffling and hiccuping, "Why did you save my life? Why were you nice to me! You asshole!" Seungwoo sits dumbfounded, folded tissues in his hand, still trying to help in any way, 

"Do you hate me or do you not? I have no idea. You get angry at me, then nice, then you cry, and get angry again. Tell me clearly, do you hate me?" Seungwoo's voice holds sever unidentified emotions and feelings and he sees the way Seungsik falters before he gulps nervously. He swallows and Seungwoo's eyes drop to his lips. 

Then back into his eyes.

"I don't hate you at all." 

"Then, what's the problem?" It's just the two of them here, and Seungsik is happy with just being alone with him right now. He can use this to his advantage and talk his heart out. To try and word everything he's been feeling.

But it's just so hard when Seungwoo's tapioca eyes are looking up at him from the floor, with concern, worry, innocence??? 

"I, I'm sorry-" 
"Well, that's shocking."
"Shut up. I'm actually sorry for being rude without even knowing you. You were mean to me in my face but never behind my back. You stood up for me behind my back, while my own friends were backstabbing me. I never, knew or realized and blindly believed them again and again. I feel, horrible for doing that."
Seungwoo remained quiet to let Seungsik talk, and then says his own reply, "I felt horrible for not apologising to you after the first time we bumped. You deserved an apology. It's totally okay to me about whatever you did, so don't feel horrible."

"I'm just, so sorry. And I hope we can be friends again."

"Whatever happened to 'you're the last person I'd ever wanna be friends with', hmm?" Seungwoo asks mischievously, drawing closer to Seungsik and emitting a small laugh out of him too. When his laugh simmers away, they're left staring at each other and Seungwoo's gazing at his lips again. "So, if you don't hate me. Do you like me now?" He sits up higher on his heels, on eye level with Seungsik now who's lost in his eyes, and in the ambience of the room, the environment that weirdly felt like home.

And yet again, the disease of a crush was back. His heart began palpating, his palms sweaty and he trembles out an answer in a small whisper, "I've always liked you." 

"Is that so?" 
Is it just Seungsik hallucinating or is Seungwoo drawing closer slowly? His hand has come to cup Seungsik's face, and he looks over the younger's face once more, as if asking for approval. And approval he gets when Seungsik's the one to bridge the gap between them by pressing his lips onto Seungwoo's. 

There's no startlement, no surprise, just Seungwoo returning the kiss, sweet and short-lasting, and detaching them a moment later. "What the fuck?" Seungwoo asks in a whispee against his lips, "What is this supposed to mean, Seungsik? Why the fuck are we kissing?"

"You ask a lot of questions. Can you shut up and kiss me back for now?" 

"No, no, I can't. I need to know. You hated me a few hours ago and now- now this?!" Seungsik rolls his eyes and places his hands on Seungwoo's shoulders in an effort to calm him down,

"Gosh, I'm so sick of your questions. But you want answers, right? I've always found you attractive and lately, my heart wasn't syncing with the mind at all. Everytime," he grips Seungwoo's collar to raise him up completely and sit him on the bed beside him as he turns his entire frame in Seungwoo's direction,

"You came closer, or you touched me. Your hands would leave behind buzzing and a hollow feeling in my chest. As if," he raises Seungwoo's hands from the forearm and places it on his waist, "All the skies combined to put some foreign force into your fingertips." The older doesn't reply at all, so he takes his chance to embarass himself more. Atleast one person is the only one hearing it so he can clown him later all he wants,

"So even if you aren't into me or attracted to me. I wanted to continue being close to you. Just tell me, Han Seungwoo. Do you wanna kiss me or not? You can say No and I'd be okay. I don't wanna force you or anything." He said, allowing Seungwoo to make a decision. But with Seungsik's kissable lips so close, and after having a taste of it too, he doesn't know if being a front up would be lame or reasonable.

He goes with 'lame' and says "I do wanna kiss you. But I don't think I should. Not when I haven't sorted out my own feelings yet." 

"And that's okay. I'll get going now."

He indeed left with that, simply walking out with Seungwoo still being quite in the shock that he kissed Seungsik. For no reason, but attraction. He regrets it not even 1%, but he still feels all over the place mentally. As if Seungsik gave him 100 puzzles in a kiss that lasted barely 10 seconds. Especially because of their competition. He can't just ignore that Seungsik did everything in his power to make them lose just so Seungwoo could suffer more.

Thankfully, that hadn't worked so Seungwoo is now allowed to play football with funding from the college, and enjoy his academics too. 

Phew, that's one problem down in Seungwoo's life.

Byung

hyung, are you free on Tuesday?

What time and why

we have a pottery club meet-up and wanted you to do the photography for it
jae said you wont come for the meet-up but just photography, pleaseee?

Theres a lot of other people to choose from tho

hyung pleeeeeeaaaaaseeee youre the only person that takes good photos of me, tho

Okay

Byungchan behind the screen pumps his fist in the air, and just like that he has convinced Seungwoo, who now had a camera slung sround his neck and sitting right in front of his chest. He's clad in a white tee with a black denim jacket and jeans paired. Jaeyoung, who now Seungwoo recognizes as the guy who spoke up in Seungsik's favor the other day, held the meet-up with all the members, girls and boys.

He has yet to spot Seungsik, though but he does see Byungchan and they both give each other a nod and shake palms halfway hugging and then pulling back, "Do you know Jaeyoung?" 
"I don't but he's friends with your favorite" Byungchan winks at him and Seungwoo looks at him deadpan, "Favorite, my ass."
"Speaking of ass." Byungchan's eyes divert to somewhere on their far left and Seungwoo looks to where his attention is and spots Seungsik. What ass, he doesn't notice, because he's too busy watching Seungsik strut in his dress pants, wearing that peach dress shirt, hair so prettily set above his head and going up to hug Jaeyoung.

He's talking to Jaeyoung - Seungwoo thinks,
And I care. I want to be in Jaeyoung's place. 

For the first time, Seungwoo doesn't reject his thoughts and indulges in it instead. Only to come back to the conclusion that Jaeyoung may have talked to him, but not kissed him.

"Snap a photo of it. It'll last longer." Byungchan says, misunderstanding that Seungwoo was enamored by his ass but the older shakes his head, "I was not looking at his butt. Stop acting perverted."
"He's a man. No homo."
"Can you not say 'no homo' like its 2017?" 

Byungchan laughs and walks away, posing and cueing Seungwoo to pick up his camera, turn it on and get to work. 

Meanwhile Seungsik and Jaeyoung talk, with the eye of a camera stuck on Seungsik and following him around. It looked like a heated conversation, but he couldn't hear much. The lighting of the room is simple and slightly golden but nothing too special.
Special was Seungsik, in that room, on the couch, chatting up with other people as if it was nothing. He got surrounded so quickly you'd think he knew everyone here already, but maybe he didn't. He was just that easy to get along with, and even easier to capture in the viewfinder of his camera, looking breathtaking.

Seungwoo captures photos of him, and his beauty is nothing in the camera compared to the naked eye. And then suddenly, the subject of his photos is looking straight into the camera lens and Seungwoo puts down the device, looking into the screen innocently as if his camera suddenly doesn't work anymore. Then to avoid the latter's eyes, he starts capturing photos of everyone else in the room.

Casually he brings his camera back to where Seungsik was sat to capture some more photos but his subject is missing.

His brows knit and he looks away from the camera to look at where he was sat with his own eyes as if the camera just couldn't detect him but he could. 

"Looking for something?" Seungwoo jumps a little at the voice right behind him and his heart races in his chest, remembering the kiss, their last conversation.

"Your hands would leave behind buzzing and a hollow feeling in my chest. As if, all the skies combined to put some foreign force into your fingertips."

It rings in his head and he takes a deep breath in, "I was, just,"

"Can I see the photos you just took?" 

Seungwoo fumbles and awkwardly avoids his eyes, turning the camera in his hands so Seungsik can crane his neck and look into the screen. Slender fingers hold the camera, his thumb presses the arrow buttons to go through photos and show Seungsik's eventually. He stops his thumb at the last 2 photos so Seungsik can't see how many photos he actually took of him.
"Keep going." The younger orders, into his ear almost and Seungwoo holds himself back from shivering. 

Fuck, the things he does to me. 

And like a puppet strung by his hands, Seungwoo presses it again. And again, and again, until Byungchan's first photos come after arriving at the party. "That's about, 30 pictures. Of me." Seungwoo feels like the room is getting louder and Seungsik is getting closer, he keeps staring into the screen when a finger presses into the left side of his chin and turns his face towards Seungsik,

"Why would you do that when the real thing is right here?" 
Is he flirting with me? 
Seungwoo freezes, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, "I, you, look good on camera. That's all." 
"And I don't look good from your eyes?" Their eyes meet, and Seungwoo looks from one eye to the other, feeling himself get lost in it,

"You look much better-"

"Are you guys arguing again?! Please don't ruin the vibe!" Byungchan cackles out and bursts their little bubble, they blink out of their staring contest and Seungsik rolls his eyes, "I was only checking what your creep friend was doing with so many photos of me."
"Maybe taking photos of that ass." Byungchan comments, earning a click of tongue from Seungwoo, "Have you lost your mind? Don't be impolite, Byung." And he glanced at Seungsik to see his cheeks flushed and then Jaeyoung's also joining in, 

"Why are you two always troubling Sikkie?" 

"It's okay, Jaeyoung." Seungwoo almost gapes because he got approached by Seungsik, not the other way around. 

He's quick to become the victim, huh.

Seungwoo remains unknown to the fact that Seungsik was blushing not over his photos, but over the fact that Seungwoo had no photos of his ass but only of him laughing, talking, being in his circle.