Chapter Text
Tick.
Jisung’s eyes narrowed in irritation as the second hand of the clock seemed to drag slower than usual, each movement mocking him. The class felt like it would never end, and the dull ache of boredom was setting in.
He absentmindedly crumpled up a piece of paper, rolling it in his fingers before aiming with exaggerated precision. A smirk tugged at his lips as the balled-up paper landed squarely on his target’s back. Minho, however, didn’t even flinch. Still fixated on the lecture, he was completely unfazed by Jisung’s antics.
Not one to give up so easily, Jisung crumpled another piece of paper, his eyes narrowing as he launched it at the exact same spot.
“Yah! Han Jisung, what’s your problem?” Minho hissed, turning in his seat.
“I’m dying of boredom here! When does this class end?” Jisung whined, resting his head dramatically on his desk.
Minho sighed, shaking his head. “4:30. It’s written in the schedule. Now quit bothering me,” he muttered, turning back around.
Jisung slumped further into his chair, rolling his eyes in response. This was going to be a long day.
Their professor, Park Seonsaengnim, was a strange man. He had a habit of inserting philosophical rants in the middle of his advanced theoretical physics lectures, and today was no different. Jisung didn’t understand why a class on quantum mechanics and string theory needed to be laced with random life lessons, but it was exactly why he couldn’t bring himself to pay attention. All that preachy nonsense just grated on his nerves.
Minho, however, was the exact opposite. Diligent as ever, he sat with perfect posture, taking notes with laser-like focus. It made sense, though, Minho wasn’t just at the top of their class, he was top of the entire university. The fact that he paid attention to even the most mundane and rambling lectures was no surprise to Jisung.
Still, academic excellence aside, Jisung was bored. And more than that, he wanted Minho’s attention.
Jisung leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as Park Seonsaengnim’s voice droned on and on in the background. His mind wandered, drifting from one thought to another, but mostly, it landed on Minho. How could he just sit there, so focused, when this class was draining the literal life out of him?
Tick.
Jisung glanced at the clock again. Ten minutes left. Ten long minutes.
He tried to distract himself by doodling in the corner of his notebook, drawing little stick figures until the bell finally rang. The room filled with the sound of chairs scraping and students packing their bags. Jisung shoved his notebook into his backpack and shot out of his seat, quickly catching up to Minho, who was already halfway down the hallway.
“Hey! Want to grab something to eat?” Jisung asked, slightly out of breath as he fell into step beside him. He hoped for one of their usual hangouts. A quick bite, some mindless banter, and maybe… just maybe, he could convince Minho to spend the night with him at his dorm. It had been a while since they had their last movie night.
Minho glanced at him with an apologetic smile. “Can’t. I’ve got dance practice with Hyunjin and Felix,” he said, slipping his bag over his shoulder.
Jisung’s face fell. He tried not to show it, but the disappointment was hard to hide. “Oh. Right,” he muttered, his voice quieter than before.
Minho glanced at him, his brow furrowing. “You can come with me if you want,” he offered.
Jisung perked up at the offer but quickly tried to play it cool. “Really? I mean... I don’t want to get in the way,” he mumbled, though the thought of being close to Minho tugged at him.
“You won’t. Felix and Hyunjin won’t mind, and you’ve joined in on practice before,” Minho said, his voice warm as he nudged Jisung’s shoulder with his own.
Jisung hesitated. It wasn’t that he didn’t like dancing; he just wasn’t as good as Minho, Felix, or Hyunjin. But he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to spend more time with Minho. “Fine. But I’m just watching.”
“Deal,” Minho said, flashing him a quick smile.
The dance studio was quiet when they arrived, the only sound being the hum of the air conditioner. Felix and Hyunjin were already stretching when Jisung and Minho walked in. Felix waved cheerfully, while Hyunjin, ever the perfectionist, was focused on his form in the mirror.
“Sung-ah!” Felix grinned. “You’re joining us today?”
Jisung waved back, dropping his bag near the wall. “Not really. I’m just here to watch. You guys can do all the hard work.”
Hyunjin finally tore his gaze away from the mirror and raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to dance? Come on, it’ll be fun.”
Jisung gave Hyunjin a sheepish smile. “Nah I’m good, I’ll probably twist my ankle trying to keep up with you guys.”
Hyunjin scoffed, crossing his arms as he turned fully to face Jisung. “Excuses, excuses. One of these days, I’m going to drag you onto this floor, and you’ll have no choice but to dance.”
Jisung chuckled nervously, shaking his head. “Well, I’ll deal with that when that day arrives.”
Hyunjin narrowed his eyes playfully. “You’d better. I won’t go easy on you.”
As the music kicked in, the three fell into their routine, moving with a natural synchronicity that Jisung couldn’t help but admire. Minho led the routine, every step sharp and fluid, the lines of his body perfect with each beat. Felix brought a playful energy to the dance, his movements fluid and free, while Hyunjin’s gaze never left the mirror, perfecting every move with the intensity that defined him.
Jisung couldn’t tear his eyes away from Minho. Every movement was mesmerizing, the way his body flowed effortlessly from one step to the next, the sharpness in his turns, the fluidity in his limbs. Minho danced with a precision that was almost too perfect, each beat of the music seemingly coursing through him. It wasn’t just the skill that captivated Jisung; it was the way Minho’s face would soften into focus, his usual mischievous smirk replaced with an intense determination.
Jisung found himself biting his lip, trying to snap out of it, but his gaze kept drifting back to Minho. He couldn’t help it. The way his body moved, the way he seemed to command the space around him, it was magnetic.
As the song came to an end, Minho slowed to a stop, breathing heavily but still composed. Felix and Hyunjin flopped onto the floor, laughing and catching their breath, but Minho stayed standing, rolling his neck out and stretching his arms.
“Wow,” Jisung muttered under his breath, still half in a trance from watching. "You guys are insane. How do you do that?"
Felix grinned from where he lay sprawled on the floor. “Lots of practice, Sungie. Lots and lots of practice.”
Hyunjin sat up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “You could totally do it too, if you joined us.”
Jisung raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall. “Next thing you’re gonna say is I should join your dance group or something.”
Minho, finally catching his breath, smirked and raised an eyebrow in response. “Why not? We could use someone like you.”
Jisung let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “No thanks I’m good, I’ve already got my hands full with 3RACHA.”
Felix chuckled, sitting up. “Fair point. You guys are always working on something new. How’s it going, by the way?”
Jisung grinned, always excited to talk about their endeavours. “Good, actually. Chan’s been on this insane creative streak lately, so we’ve been recording non-stop. I’m barely sleeping.”
Felix nodded, impressed. “Sounds intense. Can’t wait to hear what you guys come up with.”
Hyunjin leaned back, stretching out his legs. “Yeah, I can’t imagine the kind of crazy tracks you guys are cooking up.”
Jisung chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, we’re always experimenting, trying new sounds. It's a lot, but it’s worth it.”
Minho, who had been quietly sipping his water, chimed in casually, “You work too hard, Sung-ah. Maybe you should let me take you out sometime, help you relax a bit.” He said it with such nonchalance that it felt like a regular suggestion as if he didn’t even realise the undertone of what he was saying.
Jisung blinked, thrown off by the comment, his mind immediately overanalyzing. Did Minho just...? “Uh... take me out?”
Minho raised an eyebrow, completely oblivious to the flustered reaction. “Yeah, you know. A break. You’re always locked in the studio with Chan and Changbin. You need to do something fun for a change.”
Felix and Hyunjin exchanged knowing glances but kept quiet, amused by the interaction.
Jisung’s heart raced, and he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, trying to play it cool. “R-right. Fun. Yeah. Totally.”
Minho, still oblivious, just shrugged and added, “Exactly. I could even take you to a new spot I found for cheesecake. You’ll love it.”
Jisung felt his face heat up, and before he could embarrass himself further, he jumped up from his spot on the floor. “W-well, would you look at the time!” He glanced at his watch, even though he wasn’t wearing one. “I, uh... I gotta go! Changbin’s gonna kill me for being late. We’ve got a thing. A… music thing.”
Felix blinked up at him, confused. “But you said you weren’t meeting-”
“Yep! Gotta go!” Jisung cut him off, scrambling to gather his things as quickly as possible. He could feel the sweat on the back of his neck, his skin tingling under Minho’s gaze. “I’ll see you guys later. Great practice! You’re all amazing. Bye!”
Before anyone could say anything else, Jisung bolted for the door, his heart pounding in his chest as he all but fled the studio.
He took out his phone opening up the group chat with Chan and Changbin.
3RACHA
J.ONE : studio in 20?
SPEAR B: Weren’t you the one who said we should get out of the studio and take a break sometimes?
J.ONE: well it’s an emergency
CB97: Be there in ten.
Jisung practically sprinted down the street, his mind still buzzing from the awkward exchange in the dance studio. He needed to get out of there, and fast. The small recording studio Chan’s dad owned was the perfect escape. It was quiet, familiar, and, most importantly, away from the mess he’d just left behind with Minho.
Pushing open the door to the studio, Jisung was greeted by the familiar scent of old equipment and a faint hint of coffee. The place had been like a second home to 3RACHA, their creative haven whenever they needed to blow off steam or experiment with new tracks. As expected, Chan and Changbin were already inside, hunched over the soundboard, clearly deep into something.
Chan looked up first, raising his eyebrows. “Well what’s the emergency?” he said, pausing the track playing softly in the background.
Jisung quickly took a seat, trying to steady his breathing. “Oh, you know, nothing major,” he said, his voice coming out a bit more strained than he intended. “Just needed to get away from... uh something.”
Changbin glanced over too, immediately squinting at Jisung like he was trying to read his mind. “Wait a minute... something’s up with you. You look weird.”
Jisung blinked, trying to shake off the remaining heat from his earlier flustered state. “Weird? I’m fine. Just... felt like getting some work done.” He threw his bag down onto the couch and busied himself with unzipping it, avoiding eye contact.
“Uh-huh,” Changbin muttered, unconvinced. “You ran all the way here or something? You’re still out of breath.”
Chan smirked, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t look fine, Sung. You look like you saw a ghost.”
Jisung hesitated, glancing between his two friends. Of course, they’d pick up on his weird mood. He should’ve known better. These guys knew him too well for him to hide anything. “It’s nothing,” he mumbled, trying to dismiss it as he dug through his bag.
Changbin wasn’t having it. “Liar. You look like you just ran from something. Spill it, or I’ll make you.”
Jisung sighed heavily, slumping onto the couch, knowing there was no way he’d get away without explaining. He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s stupid. I just— I came from the dance studio. Minho, Felix, and Hyunjin were there. And... Minho said something.”
The moment he mentioned Minho’s name, Changbin raised an eyebrow knowingly, while Chan’s smirk widened. “Minho, huh? What’d he say? Something cute? Did he flirt with you again?” Chan teased, leaning forward with a gleam in his eye.
Jisung groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “I don’t think it was supposed to be flirting! He doesn’t even realise what he’s doing!” He lifted his head, his face flushed as the words spilled out. “He just—he said I work too hard and offered to take me out sometime to help me relax. Like, super casual, like it was nothing! And then he mentioned a place for cheesecake, and I just... freaked out.”
Chan snorted, trying to hold back his laughter. “Cheesecake? Of course, that’s what he suggested. He knows you well ”
Changbin cackled, leaning back in his chair. “That’s so Minho. He probably has no idea he said anything remotely suggestive.”
Jisung groaned again, sinking deeper into the couch. “Exactly! He’s just so... ugh! He says stuff like that all the time, and it messes me up, but he’s completely oblivious.”
Chan was trying, and failing, not to laugh outright. “So let me get this straight. Minho, being the smooth criminal that he is, unintentionally flirted with you, and you panicked and ran away?”
Jisung glared at him, face still red. “It wasn’t like that.”
Changbin leaned forward, grinning mischievously. “Oh, it totally was. You bolted out of there like your life depended on it. What are you so scared of?”
Jisung let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. “I don’t know! I just... when he says stuff like that, I overthink everything. I don’t even know if he means it, or if he’s just being friendly. And I end up making a fool out of myself every time.”
Chan nodded thoughtfully, though his smile was still teasing. “You know Minho better than anyone. He probably doesn’t even realise the effect he has on you. But maybe you should, like, I don’t know, talk to him ?”
Jisung frowned. “And say what? ‘Hey Minho, remember that time you asked me out for cheesecake? Did you mean it romantically or were you just trying to be nice?’ That’s insane.”
Changbin shrugged, looking unbothered. “Or you could just... you know, go. See what happens. Maybe you’ll figure it out once you’re there. If it’s just cheesecake, then it’s just cheesecake.”
Jisung sighed. “Yeah, or I’ll end up embarrassing myself even more.”
Chan clapped him on the back. “Either way, you’re gonna drive yourself crazy if you keep overthinking. Just take it one step at a time. You’re overcomplicating it, man.”
Jisung glanced between the two, feeling slightly reassured by their teasing yet supportive words. “Yeah... I guess you’re right.”
Changbin smirked, crossing his arms. “Of course, I’m right. Now, let’s get to work before you start spiralling again.”
After a couple of hours in the studio, the air felt heavy with the sound of unfinished tracks and the comforting hum of equipment. Jisung had successfully thrown himself into work, allowing the tension from earlier to dissolve as they lost track of time.
"Alright, I think that’s it for today," Chan finally said, cracking his knuckles and stretching his arms above his head. "We’ve got enough to work with."
Changbin let out a tired groan, spinning in his chair. “I need food. I’m hungry”
Jisung chuckled, but his mind was already wandering, the earlier encounter with Minho creeping back into his thoughts. He pushed his headphones off and glanced at the time. It was late, much later than he had expected.
“Yeah, I think I’m done too,” Jisung said, gathering his things as the others began wrapping up.
“You heading back?” Chan asked, his voice distant as he saved their work.
Jisung nodded, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Yeah, I should get some rest. Pretty exhausted”
“Don’t forget about that cheesecake date with Minho,” Changbin teased with a wink, earning a groan from Jisung.
"Not happening," Jisung mumbled, shaking his head as he waved them off and headed out.
The walk back to his dorm was quiet, his footsteps echoing in the empty streets. The air had that late-night chill, making him pull his hoodie tighter around himself as he turned down a dim alley. It was his usual shortcut, a path he’d taken hundreds of times, so familiar it was almost second nature to him.
The buildings loomed above him, casting long shadows that made the space between seem darker, quieter. But tonight, something felt off. Jisung couldn’t place it, maybe it was the way the wind rustled or the flicker of the streetlight, but it made his skin prickle. He kept walking, trying to shake off the feeling.
Suddenly, he felt something brush against his cheek, soft and barely there. His hand shot up instinctively, thinking it was a strand of hair, but when he looked down, he saw it. A small, faintly glowing spider hanging on an invisible thread, swaying lightly in the breeze.
Jisung froze, staring at the spider as it hovered in front of him. It was unlike anything he’d ever seen before, its body was a metallic, iridescent red, legs sleek and black, and it seemed to shimmer in the dim light.
"What the..." he muttered, squinting at it, but before he could react, the spider dropped onto his hand.
The bite came fast, a sharp, burning sensation shot up his arm.
"Ow!" Jisung yelped, flicking the spider off instinctively, his heart racing as he watched it scurry away into the shadows. His hand throbbed where it had bitten him, a strange tingling spreading through his veins. He swore under his breath, shaking his hand to try and ease the stinging, but it only grew worse.
His head started to feel light, the world around him blurring slightly as the pain intensified, creeping through his arm, his chest, his whole body. His breath hitched, and he stumbled against the alley wall, his legs feeling weak beneath him.
"What...what the hell..." he gasped, pressing his back to the wall for support as his vision swam. The bite mark on his hand was glowing faintly, the skin around it red and pulsing. He blinked hard, trying to focus, but the world was spinning.
With a final burst of adrenaline, he pushed himself off the wall, staggering forward. He had to get back to the dorm—had to lie down, had to figure out what was happening to him. But his body was failing him, the tingling giving way to a strange strength that surged through his limbs, making his head pound.
Jisung barely made it out of the alley before everything went black.
***