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Seo Kyoungbae never thought that a competition could bring someone so important in his life. Project 7 was the biggest challenge he ever had: choreographies, very tiring practices, and cameras that always caught every mistake, every yawn, every strange moment.
And in the middle of all this, there was Song Seungho.
Seungho was only one year older, but he looked like a leader. Not because he wanted, but because he was like that. He always remembered small things. He liked ramen very spicy, he tied his shoes too strong, and he always forgot his water bottle. Kyoungbae was different, more like chaos. They were opposites. Kyoungbae was full of energy and loud, Seungho was serious and tried to control him, but many times he couldn’t.
One time, during break, Seungho pushed a water bottle on Kyoungbae’s chest.
“You will fall if you keep running like this.”
“I’m fine, hyung.”
“You breathe like a dog.” His face was serious, but his lips moved like he wanted to laugh.
Moments like this made everything easier.
When Kyoungbae didn’t eat, because of nerves or because he forgot, Seungho always appeared. He brought ramyeon and chopsticks. “Eat. I don’t want to carry you to the stage.” Kyoungbae always ended eating.
The nights were special. After the long practices, when everybody in the dorm was already sleeping, Kyoungbae sat on the cold floor near the window. Seungho always came too, throwing a sweatshirt on his head like a brother that didn’t know how to say I care.
“You are always here, hyung,” Kyoungbae said one night, looking at the city lights.
“Because you are always here too,” Seungho answered. His voice was simple, but in the dark it sounded like a promise.
Kyoungbae started to notice small things. How Seungho’s fingers stayed a little longer on his wrist when he fixed a dance pose. How his eyes always searched for Kyoungbae during roll call, like he wanted to check he was still there.
Other boys also noticed.
“You two are like married,” someone said at lunch, laughing when Kyoungbae’s face got red.
“Yeah, right,” Kyoungbae answered fast, putting rice in his mouth to hide the smile.
Seungho only smiled a little. Jiwoon rolled his eyes, Minseo nudged Kyoungbae and said, “Just say it. Everybody knows you like him too much.”
There were also quiet moments. During one practice, Kyoungbae fell again and again. Finally, he sat on the floor and said, “I give up. Leave me here to die.”
Seungho sat near him. “Okay. But I will make sure they write your name correct when you get eliminated.”
Kyoungbae laughed so hard, even if it wasn’t really funny. But Seungho always could make him laugh.
That night, when they were in bed, Kyoungbae asked, “Hyung… what are we?”
There was silence. Only the noise of the heater and some snores in the room.
“What do you think we are?” Seungho said finally.
Kyoungbae’s heart beat fast, but he scoffed. “We are just two guys suffering in a competition.”
“I think you are stupid,” Seungho answered. But his voice was soft, and when Kyoungbae turned, Seungho was already looking at him with a little smile.
It wasn’t much, but it was enough.
The first time Seungho really surprised him was in practice.
Kyoungbae failed a spin many times and sat on the floor. “I can’t do it anymore, hyung. My body is against me.”
Seungho gave him his hand. “Get up. You cannot quit.”
Kyoungbae took his hand, waiting for a scold. But instead, Seungho said, “You know I love you, right?”
Kyoungbae almost fell back. “What?”
“I said I love you. Now focus. Try again.”
Kyoungbae’s face got red. “You can’t just say things like that!”
“Why not? It’s true,” Seungho said calm.
Kyoungbae hit his arm weakly. “Stop joking.”
Seungho smiled. Kyoungbae pretended he didn’t like it, but he did.
After that, Kyoungbae noticed everything about him. The extra water bottle, the way his hands touched him a little longer during practice. And the teasing never stopped.
One night, eating ramyeon in the dorm, Kyoungbae was slurping loudly. Seungho looked at him with a small smile.
“What?” Kyoungbae asked.
“You are cute when you eat like that,” Seungho said serious.
Kyoungbae started to choke, coughing hard while Seungho laughed.
“Hyung!”
“I’m just saying. It’s not my fault you are easy to tease.”
The days passed, and the final stage was closer. Everybody was nervous and tired, but Kyoungbae and Seungho worked together well. They practiced at night, talked quietly when others couldn’t hear, sat close until their shoulders touched.
“You’re always here,” Kyoungbae said one night, lying on the floor, looking at the mirrored ceiling.
“Because without me you would fall apart,” Seungho answered.
“That’s not true.”
Seungho smiled. “Okay, maybe I would fall apart without you too.”
The night before the last stage, everyone went to bed early. Kyoungbae couldn’t sleep. He found Seungho near the window, watching the city.
“You can’t sleep too?” Kyoungbae asked.
“Too many thoughts.”
They stayed quiet for some time until Kyoungbae spoke.
“What happens after this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean us. Everything. What happens when this ends?”
Seungho was quiet, then looked at him. “That depends on you.”
Kyoungbae’s chest tightened. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… I don’t want this to end. Not us. Not this.”
Kyoungbae swallowed hard. “Hyung…”
“I love you, Kyoungbae. And I’m not joking now,” Seungho said softly.
Kyoungbae felt his face hot. “I love you too,” he whispered.
Seungho lifted his chin until their eyes met. He waited just a second, then kissed him. It was soft and quick, hidden in the shadows of the dorm, but it made Kyoungbae’s heart beat faster than ever. When they pulled apart, Seungho smiled brighter than Kyoungbae had ever seen.
✷
The next day was the final stage. The lights were strong, the audience was loud, and everybody was nervous. But when Kyoungbae looked to the side, Seungho was there. Just one look and his heart calmed down.
They danced with all the energy they had. Every move was sharp, every smile real. For Kyoungbae, it didn’t matter if he won or lost. What mattered was that Seungho was next to him.
When the music ended, the crowd screamed. Kyoungbae was sweating and breathing fast, but Seungho put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, “See? We made it.”
After the stage, when they were finally alone in the hallway, Kyoungbae laughed weakly. “Hyung… we survived.”
Seungho smiled and answered, “We don’t only survive. We go together, after this too.”
Kyoungbae felt his chest warm. For the first time, he believed it. The competition could end, the cameras could stop, but them *Seungho and him* would continue.