Chapter Text
There's a figure walking his own hall of shame across the cafe - hoodie soaked with Ramen broth, hair looking like a wet Retriever.
“Fuck my life.”
“Well, maybe if you pay enough attention at walking rather than talking, that ramen would finally end up inside your belly instead of-”
“Shut up, Yeonjun! Maybe if you help me, we could've been done sooner.”
“I'm not embarrassing myself picking up noodle strands on the cafe floor. I'm too hot for that!”
Beomgyu almost took it to himself to go and pick up another bowl of ramen just to pour it on Yeonjun’s blonde hair. But he didn't, and he pats himself on the back for that.
Yup, not now. Later.
Though he secretly wishes that, that blonde hair stays fried. That's the price Yeonjun has to pay for being an insufferable bastard.
Choi Beomgyu is a walking disaster. His life was a sitcom, minus the laugh track and the witty one-liners. He tripped over his own feet more often than he could count, spilled his lunch with alarming regularity, and had a knack for finding himself in the most awkward situations.
Once, he accidentally witnessed two of his teachers making out in the janitor’s closet. They shut him up with a packet of Haribo - it was one of his favourites, enough to make him wipe all that disgusting image off his memory.
Like Yeonjun always says,
“You're a magnet-”
“Of disasters, that is.”
Beomgyu couldn't agree more, he managed to attract one of the most unhinged fuckboy in the school, so hard that he became his best friend.
Yeonjun, sigh, has probably slept with everyone in the school, except the two teachers, since you know, they were making out with each other.
He probably witnessed five meltdowns related to Yeonjun during the two years of being his friend. It's fine though, Yeonjun is a good friend and that's all that matters.
‘That’s questionable too.’ he thinks.
And to top it all off, he’d just discovered that he liked guys. It was like adding a new level of chaos to his already chaotic life.
Seventeen years of believing he was straight had been a blissful, if slightly uneventful, existence. But then came the day he realised that the fluttering in his stomach whenever Choi Soobin, the school's official bookworm, the hot librarian as Beomgyu likes to call him, walked by wasn’t just admiration. It was something…more.
Maybe it's the glasses, or maybe the stuck up way of talking, Soobin just appears adorable to Beomgyu's eyes.
He remembers the first time he met him, at the library, checking out reference books.
Soobin was the kindest person he had ever met.
“You cannot borrow this book for more than two days but I'll make an exception for you.”
“Really?”
“Yup, you need it for your Social project, right?”
“Yes, thank you so much.”
“No worries, ummm…”
“Beomgyu.”
“Okay, here you go. Beomgyu.”
That's when realisation hit him like a ton of bricks, or rather, like a clumsy collision with his locker door.
‘Oh- I'm gay.’
He’d spent countless hours questioning his feelings, consulting questionable online quizzes, and even seeking advice from his equally clueless and straight (?) best friend, Yeonjun.
However, in the end, the truth was as clear as the sky on a summer day: he was gay. And he liked Choi Soobin.
Beomgyu plops down next to Yeonjun's sweaty uniform, picking it up, chucking it to its respectful owner.
Unaffected by the throw, Yeonjun continues on with his precious nap.
Beomgyu sighs loudly just to get his attention but to no avail.
“I'm gonna steal your sandwich.”
No movement.
‘Okay, fine.’ Beomgyu's big brain turns to generate more genius ideas on how to wake Yeonjun's up.
“The hot girl from Class 3-1 is looking for you.”
Still. No. Movement.
“I'm gonna confess to Choi Soobin-"
“WHAT?!”
There you go.
“What? Can't I?”
Yeonjun throws his wet uniform aside, approaching Beomgyu on all four, scrambling like a puppy.
“Are you crazy?” He pinches Beomgyu's round cheeks, just to make sure the latter wasn't dreaming or anything.
“Well, it's worth trying, no?”
“Beomgyu- no!”
“Why?”
“What if he's straight and despises homosexuals? You're gonna get hurt!”
Beomgyu groans in frustration.
“Well at least I can get rid of this feeling. It's exhausting having a crush. You wouldn't understand.”
Yeonjun looks at him like he owes him 100,000 won, before flicking his forehead, hard.
“Of course I wouldn't understand, I'm so hot, people were crushing on me instead-”
‘That’s it! I'm jumping off the building.’ Beomgyu thinks.
He walks towards the balcony earning a panicked sorry from Yeonjun.
While Yeonjun slowly pulls him back to the bench, he couldn't help but notice a flyer - a Valentine Day one on top of that.
“I got it!” He shouted.
“I know you'll come to your sense-”
“I'll confess to him on Valentine's Day!”
Beomgyu is a normal homo sapiens, but he can clearly hear Yeonjun's brain dropping to the floor.
Splat!
“God-"
“I'll send a letter to him. To meet me here! On Valentine's Day! How does that sound?”
“Lemme pick up my brain first, Beomgyu-ya.”
Miming, he picks up his invisible brain, pretending to put it back into his (empty) skull.
“Wait..” He pretends to think hard.
“Yup, no. Still can't brain.”
Beomgyu laughs at his friend's comical antics before picking up the flyer. Valentine's Day huh?
Taehyun walks out of the library only to be surprised by his friend’s panic-stricken face.
“Gosh! You scared me!”
“Tae-”
Taehyun studies his face closely, waiting for his next sentence.
“Taehyun-”
“Soobin! Breathe.”
Only by then does the latter take a deep breath and calm himself down.
“Sorry, I'm in a hurry.” Taehyun shrugs.
“It's fine, what's up Soob?”
Well judging from the dark circles clouding his friend's face, he's a hundred percent sure that the latter pulls yet another all-nighter studying.
“I know this isn't like me but can I borrow your Science textbook?”
“You live in the library, and you're borrowing mine?”
Well, fair enough. But Soobin was not expecting it to be out. He just saw one yesterday and suddenly today, everyone has decided to not bring their own textbook. Well him too, but he blames it on his History teacher for pulling a “We’ll be having a quiz tomorrow. Make sure you study beforehand.”
Now, not only does he is sleep deprived, he also forgets his Science textbook at home. Soobin is not the type of person to use lame excuses like “My dog eats my textbook”. Though if explained clearly, his Science teacher might excuse him for once. But he would rather not push it.
“There's no more left in the library. And my class is starting in 5 minutes.”
He sees Taehyun searching for the book inside his expensive, leather, Louis Vuitton backpack.
“Here, just make sure to give it to me after your class. I have Science for the last period.”
“You're a lifesaver, Kang Taehyun! Thanks!” Taehyun nods nonchalantly. He sees Soobin speeds up and scoffs when the latter trips over an invisible bump.
‘That’s so Soobin.’ he thinks to himself before making his way back to his classroom.
“Psst-”
“Psst-”
Whispering, Beomgyu sneaks around the 3-1 Classroom, calling for his friend, Heeseung.
“Oi Beomgyu!”
“Shhhh!”
He signals him to be quiet and walks towards his table - duck style. Fortunately Heeseung sits at the very back so no one actually pays attention to what happens.
“What are you up to?”
Beomgyu looks around the classroom and spots his forever handsome Choi Soobin, reading his book diligently, like always.
He almost cooed at Soobin’s messy fluffy, unstyled hair.
Okay, let's not simp.
He looks up to Heeseung and signals him to bring his head closer so that he can whisper to him his plan.
“So- just create a scene, you say?”
Nods
“Well, since I owe you one. Here we go.” Beomgyu looks at Heeseung expectantly.
You're the master, go ahead.
Beomgyu thinks to himself, if Heeseung managed to get Soobin out of the classroom, maybe he could sneak his letter in his bag or under his desk.
‘Heeseung can ask him to go to the cafe or the toilet with hi-’
“Guys! There's a Jujutsu Kaisen Exhibition downstairs! Who's going with me?!”
Beomgyu physically facepalms himself.
“How does that-”
Swoosh
He swears he saw Choi Soobin fly by.
“It works?!” Not only that, the whole classroom is empty, so is Heeseung’s seat.
“That bastard- where did he go?”
Whatever, this is my only chance.
He approaches Soobin's desk and thinks,
‘This is the closest I've been to him.’
He pulls a pink letter out of his pocket and lays it down gently in Soobin's yellow backpack.
What if it gets crumpled by Soobin's precious books?
Taking it out again, he puts it under his desk.
Well, what if he doesn't notice it and someone else does?
He pulls the letter out again and looks around the table. He spots one of Soobin's textbooks and slips the letter between the pages.
That's safer, I guess.
He hesitated for the last time before running outside as he heard a crowd of collectively angry 3rd graders approaching the classroom.
He sits down beside a sleeping Yeonjun and puts his hand together, praying.
Hope he sees it.
Finally, the day arrives.
The most awaited day in Beomgyu’s life.
Never have he ever thought that he would be expecting Valentine's Day this eagerly.
Well, he woke up, panicking about this. Brushed his teeth, while also panicking about this.
He does manage to receive Yeonjun's blessing in the form of a side eye and a pat on the head.
Wish you luck, Beoms!
He looks up to the clear sky. Seeing that even the weather is on his side today, Beomgyu feels a lot more confident to get this over with.
‘What worse could happen?'
He hums to the loud music coming off of the school broadcasting radio. Beomgyu takes in another deep breath, waiting for his Soobin to come through the door.
Clank
“Oh shit. Here we go.”
Putting his hand in a fist of determination, he turns around, closes his eyes shut and shout,
“I LIKE YOU! PLEASE GO OUT WITH ME!”
Silence
If only Beomgyu had noticed the dark cloud crawling towards him.
If only Beomgyu had opened his eyes before confessing.
If only Beomgyu saw who he was confessing to.
If only.
“Ummm..sure.”
Wait.
That's-
That's not Soobin's voice.
Beomgyu can hear Yeonjun's “You're fvcked.” even though he's not physically there.
He also sees both the devil and the angel at his sides facepalms. He can literally feel the universe mocking him.
Though scared, he opens his eyes and he thinks to himself,
‘Oh God, I might jump off of the roof for real this time.’
He prays for days that the person standing in front of him on this special day would be Choi Soobin, his first love.
But the universe said “Fvck you!”
He sees Kang Taehyun standing in front of him. As nonchalant as ever, just a hint of confusion.
The Kang Taehyun.
Whom everyone called God Taehyun.
The President of the Student Council.
I'm dead.