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Soonyoung still remembers the first time he saw Jihoon, but these days, it feels like a distant memory compared to the way Jihoon looks now—right in front of him, real and warm and his.
Still, he can't forget it completely. How could he? Jihoon had been so striking, so breathtakingly pretty that Soonyoung had briefly thought he was a girl. His skin had been impossibly pale, his long hair falling past his eyes in soft waves, his lips pink and plush. Even now, when Jihoon had chopped his hair short, Soonyoung still thought he was just as beautiful. Fans loved Jihoon’s long hair, always gushing over how good it looked, how it made him look ethereal. Soonyoung agreed—Jihoon was gorgeous no matter what. But to him, Jihoon was pretty whether his hair was long or short, styled or messy, damp from a shower or tousled from sleep.
He was just pretty. Always.
Jihoon is curled up on the couch, Soonyoung’s hoodie swallowing his small frame, sleeves hanging well past his wrists. His bare legs are folded beneath him, soft and smooth under the glow of the apartment lights. He’s lazily scrolling through his phone, oblivious to the way Soonyoung is watching him, utterly mesmerized.
Soonyoung, lying beside him with his head on Jihoon’s lap, sighs dreamily.
“You’re so pretty,” he murmurs, reaching up to poke Jihoon’s cheek.
Jihoon barely glances at him, but his ears tinge pink. “What are you saying now?”
“I mean it,” Soonyoung insists, shifting onto his side to wrap his arms around Jihoon’s waist. “You’re just—ugh. Too pretty. It actually pains me.” He clutches his chest dramatically, making Jihoon roll his eyes.
“You say that every day,” Jihoon mutters, but his fingers twitch slightly where they rest on Soonyoung’s shoulder.
“Because it’s true every day,” Soonyoung huffs. “Every single part of you is beautiful.”
Jihoon hums but doesn’t respond, though he doesn’t push Soonyoung away either. He’s gotten used to this—the endless admiration, the constant stream of compliments. At first, he had dismissed it as typical Soonyoung behavior, but over time, he learned to accept it. Maybe even secretly crave it.
Soonyoung buries his face into Jihoon’s stomach, mumbling something.
“What?” Jihoon asks, threading his fingers through Soonyoung’s hair.
“I said,” Soonyoung lifts his head slightly, “your heart is the most beautiful thing about you.”
Jihoon blinks, caught off guard. “What’s gotten into you today?”
“Nothing. Just thinking.” Soonyoung gazes up at him, expression soft. “You know, people always admire your talent, and they should. Because you’re amazing. But sometimes, I feel like they don’t see how kind you are. You care so much even when you pretend not to. You take care of everyone, even when no one notices.”
Jihoon’s fingers pause in Soonyoung’s hair. His lips part slightly, caught between embarrassment and something else.
“You work so hard for the people you love,” Soonyoung continues, voice quieter now. “And you never ask for anything in return. You don’t even realize how much you do for us.”
Jihoon swallows, gaze flickering to the side. “You’re being dramatic again.”
“I’m not.” Soonyoung tightens his arms around Jihoon’s waist. “I love everything about you, but your heart? That’s what makes you the most beautiful person in the world to me.”
Jihoon presses his lips together, warmth creeping up his neck.
Soonyoung grins. “Are you blushing?”
Jihoon shuts him up with a kiss, firm yet fleeting, his lips warm against Soonyoung’s. When he pulls away, Soonyoung is left grinning, eyes alight with happiness.
⋆｡°✩
It’s late at night when Soonyoung finds Jihoon in the studio.
The only light in the room comes from the computer screen, casting a soft glow on Jihoon’s face. His hair is slightly messy, strands falling over his forehead, and his lips are pursed in concentration. Soonyoung leans against the doorway, watching him with quiet admiration.
Jihoon is beautiful when he’s lost in music. There’s something magical about the way he moves, fingers expertly navigating the keyboard, eyes sharp and focused. Soonyoung doesn’t understand half of what Jihoon does, but he knows that every note, every lyric, is a piece of him.
And Soonyoung loves every single piece.
He often asks Jihoon to teach him, to show him how he creates something from nothing. And every time Jihoon patiently explains—though sometimes with a teasing smirk—Soonyoung is left in awe all over again. He may be Jihoon’s bandmate, but that doesn’t stop him from being his biggest admirer.
Jihoon finally notices him and sighs. “What are you doing?”
“Admiring you,” Soonyoung answers easily, walking over. He leans down, wrapping his arms around Jihoon from behind and resting his chin on his shoulder. “Come home?”
Jihoon hesitates, looking at his screen. “Just a little more—”
“Nope.” Soonyoung presses a kiss to Jihoon’s jaw. “It’s already past midnight. You need sleep.”
Jihoon sighs but doesn’t protest when Soonyoung gently pulls him up.
“You take care of everyone, but who takes care of you?” Soonyoung murmurs, pressing their foreheads together.
Jihoon looks at him for a long moment. Then, very quietly, he says, “You do.”
Soonyoung’s heart swells.
“Exactly,” Soonyoung grins, lacing their fingers together. “So let me take you home, beautiful.”
Jihoon scoffs but lets himself be pulled along.
⋆｡°✩
The next morning, Jihoon wakes up to Soonyoung staring at him.
Jihoon squints, voice still groggy. “Don’t you think you’re being creepy staring at someone when they’re sleeping?”
“Not when it’s my boyfriend, who I’m madly in love with,” Soonyoung replies without hesitation, grinning.
Jihoon blinks, his brain still catching up, and then his ears turn red. “You—ugh.” He pulls the blanket over his face. “Go away.”
Soonyoung just laughs and tugs the blanket down, revealing Jihoon’s flustered face. “Nope. Can’t. You’re too cute when you’re embarrassed.”
“I’m not embarrassed,” Jihoon lies, scowling.
Soonyoung grins wider and suddenly rolls on top of him, trapping him beneath the blankets. “Then why are you blushing?”
Jihoon groans, trying to push him off, but Soonyoung just nuzzles into his neck, arms wrapping around him like a koala.
“Let me admire you,” Soonyoung hums.
“Aren't you sick of my face already? You always do that,” Jihoon grumbles, though he doesn’t actually push Soonyoung off.
“Never,” Soonyoung says, grinning. “Not when it’s the face of the love of my life.”
Jihoon rolls his eyes, but his ears are turning pink. “You’re insufferable.”
Soonyoung props himself up on his elbow, studying Jihoon with a teasing glint in his eyes. “You’re definitely blushing.”
“I am not,” Jihoon huffs, looking away.
Soonyoung hums. “It’s okay. You’re even prettier when you’re flustered.”
Jihoon groans. “Stop.”
Soonyoung just laughs, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Jihoon’s collarbone. “I love you.”
Jihoon closes his eyes, letting out a quiet breath. Then, hesitantly, he lifts a hand and places it over Soonyoung’s.
His fingers curl slightly, holding onto Soonyoung’s hand. Then, after a brief pause, he exhales and says, barely above a whisper, “I love you too.”
Soonyoung’s breath catches, eyes widening slightly before a radiant grin spreads across his face. Jihoon doesn’t always say it with words, and that’s okay, but every time he does, it feels like the first time all over again. It’s magical—like a dream he never wants to wake up from. And in that moment, Soonyoung knows, without a doubt, that he is the luckiest person in the world to be loved by Lee Jihoon. Overcome with emotion, he leans in, capturing Jihoon’s lips in a soft, lingering kiss, as if trying to hold onto the feeling forever.
When they pull apart, Soonyoung cups Jihoon’s face with both hands, his thumbs brushing gently over his cheeks. “You know why I love you?”
Jihoon groans. “I have a feeling you’re about to tell me whether I want to hear it or not.”
Soonyoung grins. “I love your beautiful face, your mind, your heart, your soul. Everything about you. But most of all, I love you because I know you love me, and you always make me feel like it.” He presses a quick kiss to Jihoon’s forehead. “Even when you’re grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy,” Jihoon pouts, crossing his arms as if to prove his point. But the effect is ruined when Soonyoung chuckles and pinches his cheek.
“You’re literally pouting,” Soonyoung teases, grinning. “That’s like, peak grumpy behavior.”
Jihoon opens his mouth to argue, but Soonyoung beats him to it, peppering kisses along his jawline, his cheeks, his nose—anywhere he can reach. “How can you be so cute and so stubborn at the same time? It’s dangerous. God, Jihoon, I love you so much it makes me insane.”
Jihoon rolls his eyes, but the pink dusting his ears betrays him. His fingers curl around Soonyoung’s wrist, holding on, even as he huffs. “What’s gotten into you lately? You’re so cheesy.”
Soonyoung only grins wider, undeterred. He presses a soft kiss to the tip of Jihoon’s nose, watching in delight as Jihoon’s blush deepens.
“I don’t know. Have you been putting love potion in my food?” Soonyoung jokes.
Jihoon groans, burying his face in his hands. “You’re impossible.”
Soonyoung pries Jihoon’s hands away, intertwining their fingers. “You know what’s impossible? Me ever stopping loving you.” He tilts his head, pretending to think. “No, wait. That’s actually beyond impossible. That’s, like, cosmic law or something.”
Jihoon stares at him, half annoyed, half flustered. “Cosmic law?”
“Yes. Like gravity. Like the way the earth orbits the sun. I’m just naturally drawn to you, Jihoon. It’s science.”
Jihoon shakes his head, trying to suppress a smile. “You need to stop.”
“I can’t,” Soonyoung sighs dramatically. “Every time I look at you, I fall in love all over again. It’s exhausting, honestly.”
Jihoon lets out a short laugh, shoving Soonyoung’s shoulder. “You’re unbelievable.”
Soonyoung grins, leaning in to nuzzle Jihoon’s cheek. “And you’re the most breathtaking person in existence.”
Jihoon shifts slightly, his fingers still laced with Soonyoung’s. His heart is pounding embarrassingly fast, but he won’t admit it. “You’re really not gonna stop, huh?”
Soonyoung shakes his head, eyes warm and sincere. “Never. You’re stuck with me forever.”
Jihoon exhales slowly, a tiny smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah. I guess I am.”
Soonyoung beams, squeezing Jihoon’s hand tighter. “Lucky you.”
Jihoon groans, but he doesn’t let go. And he doesn’t stop smiling, either