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they like you.
those three words played on repeat in sungyoon’s head. he wanted to think that jangjun was joking, playing one of his elaborate pranks as he sometimes did.
sungyoon only interacted with you once a week for tutoring sessions. there’s no way you had gained an interest in him through those. the two of you never talked about anything more than chromatic scales and enharmonics.
he did know, however, that you and jangjun were close friends. and if that meant anything, sungyoon thought he could assume you were both in on it.
so he decided he wouldn’t address it at all.
sungyoon arrived at the music room early to compose his own thoughts more than anything. he was supposed to go over minor scales with you ― you had a performance assessment coming up, and it was worth 30% of your grade.
he reviewed the scales by himself, ensuring he was comfortable enough to teach you. his hands danced gracefully across the keys of the piano, years of experience making this easy for him.
you walked in as he was practicing harmonic minors. sungyoon kept his eyes trained on the keys in front of him but mumbled a quick "hello." he continued to play as you got yourself settled, missing a key as your bag hit the ground with a thud!
"fuck," he muttered, wiping his hands along the side of his pants. he didn't usually get clammy when he played ― in fact, sungyoon was doing just fine until you arrived. he refused to believe that you were the reason he'd made a mistake. "did you want to get started?" he asked.
he saw you nod out of the corner of his eye. "i'm having trouble remembering which notes i need to play for a melodic minor scale," you started. you always came in with questions, and sungyoon appreciated that. he didn't like to lesson-plan. "the prof said that it's a natural minor with a raised sixth and seventh note, but i can barely remember the natural minor scale anyway."
"they still teach it that way?" sungyoon laughed, finally daring to look at you. you were smiling at him, your eyes sparkling. he'd never noticed it before, but when the light hit your eyes just right, they looked like they had entire universes inside them. sungyoon hadn't realized until now that you had this much of an effect on him.
"yeah," you sighed, planting yourself next to him on the piano bench. you were close enough that your shoulders were brushing, but neither of you attempted to move.
"i found an easier way to remember it. i don't know why they don't teach it like this in class." he placed his hands back on the piano. "you know a c major scale?"
you nodded, placing your hands on the piano's lower register and quickly playing one.
"now flatten the third," he continued, playing the following scale with you.
you looked at him expectantly.
"that is the c melodic minor," he grinned.
"you're kidding me."
"nope. all you gotta do is lower the third of a major scale."
"no wonder you've got the best grades. you know all of the tricks." your hands trailed over the keyboard. "meanwhile, i can only play a few basic chords."
"we all start somewhere," he said, not missing when your hands brushed against his that were, for some reason, still resting on the piano.
sungyoon didn't want you to like him. he didn't want the awkwardness this would cause during your tutoring sessions or the relentless teasing he would receive from jangjun if, for some reason, he liked you back. if.
sungyoon swallowed.
he liked you back.
and he didn't even know if you actually liked him or if you and jangjun were just scheming to get him to embarrass himself. he didn't know what he would do if it was the latter.
"did you want to practice some scales?" he stuttered. "you play, and i can tell you if you've made any mistakes. it'll be just like your performance assessment, except i won't be grading you. major scales first."
he pulled his hands off the piano and placed them in his lap. he watched as you played, making your way through major and natural minor scales flawlessly. you took on the harmonic and melodic minors with minimal mistakes.
he started to worry that maybe you wouldn't need his help anymore, that you'd ace your next test and tell him that you'd like to cancel your next tutoring session.
"sungyoon?" your voice broke through his thoughts, and his attention snapped to you.
"yeah?"
"i think i'm okay with the school stuff, but can i ask you another music question? it's okay if not. i don't want to waste-"
"no, it's fine," he cut you off, immediately cursing himself. do i seem too obvious?
you giggled, running a hand through your hair. "i've been trying to learn a new song, but the chords are giving me trouble. i can't get the positioning right."
sungyoon nodded as you rattled off a list of chords to him. he placed his hands back on the piano, running through them himself.
you attempted to copy him, succeeding for the first section of the song but stumbling when the two of you hit the chorus. sungyoon could see your frustration growing as you struggled to move from one chord to the next in a timely manner.
instinct took over, and he moved to stand behind you, placing his hands over yours to guide you into the correct chordal position. it didn't take long for sungyoon to clue into what he had done.
he jumped away from you, apologizing profusely. "i should have asked before i got that close to you, i'-"
"sungyoon."
"-m sorry! i'm sure i'm overstepping boun-"
"sungyoon."
"-daries because i don't even know you that well and-"
"sungyoon!"
he fell silent, looking at his feet. "yeah?"
"you don't need to be sorry," you reassured.
sungyoon's face blanked in confusion. "i don't…?"
he was sure that he had overstepped, acting on instinct because, in the back of his mind, he still heard the words 'they like you.’
you shook your head, smiling once again and sending another ray of sunlight into sungyoon's heart. "didn't jangjun tell you?"
sungyoon exhaled. "i thought he was kidding." there was no way you put him up to this.
"i was scared to tell you myself, but with how he said you reacted ― i thought that maybe…" you trailed off. "i mean, unless you're not interested."
do i not look interested enough?
"no, i am!" sungyoon sputtered.
your face brightened. "then how about tomorrow? lunch?" you started collecting your belongings as you spoke.
sungyoon nodded.
"i'll text you," you promised, waving as you exited the music room, leaving sungyoon dumbfounded.
he pulled out his phone and reluctantly sent jangjun a text: you were right.
jangjun responded not even a minute later: of course i was, loser. when are you going to figure out i always am.