Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

And with that, Universe League finally comes to an end. Kairi's memory of last night's live broadcast is hazy, and he's still processing all the emotions from the finale. That’s right, he thought, it’s all over now. Woongki was the only one from Team Beat who joined the winning team. His heart started to ache again, knowing that he was so close to debuting again but wasn’t lucky enough to. Worst of all, he won’t ever get to perform with his teammates again, who he has started to call his family.

The sunlight starts seeping through the curtains and he decides to finally wake up. He rubs his eyes and shook off any tears that were starting to form. He looked over to Woongki, still asleep on his bed.

"Woongki, it's time to wake up. We need to start packing up and move out of the hotel room today," Kairi went up to him and nudged him gently. 

"Mmm, just five more minutes," Woongki groans, turning away from the sunlight.

Kairi chuckles. This will be the last time I'll see Woongki like this, he thinks. He looks around the room, all their things scattered around together. Realization sinks in that soon, they won't be living together anymore. Soon, he won't even get to see Woongki anymore.

He fixes Woongki's duvet and tucks him back in. He was just about to stand up when he felt a hand tug on his sleeve. "Stay with me, please?" Woongki muttered groggily. 

Kairi smiled. He immediately laid down beside Woongki and put his arm over him. He hummed lightly, gently patting the other back to sleep. This will be the last time I get to be with Woongki like this, he thinks as he pulls him closer. Kairi didn’t want to let go of him, knowing that soon they’ll finally part ways.

He stopped dwelling on those thoughts otherwise he might break down again. He just tried to focus on everything else–the weight of Woongki’s body in his arms, the lingering scent of his shampoo on the pillow, the quiet sound of his breathing. 

Cuddling Woongki always felt like the most comforting thing in the world. As he tried to calm his heart and shut down his thoughts, Kairi slowly drifted back to sleep.

After the results of the first round, Kairi had successfully become a member of the starting lineup. Their managers had just announced that the rooming assignment will be changed to match the new team lineups. Kairi was then assigned to share a room with Woongki.

Fast forward to two weeks later and it was the night of the second round battle. Once they have wrapped up the recording for that night, the trainees retreated to their respective rooms to rest. 

Kairi and Woongki were both quiet when they returned to their room. Team BEAT placed last once again and five of their teammates were eliminated. Feeling hopeless, Woongki can't help but get emotional again. Kairi noticed it with the way Woongki was sniffling, trying to stop himself from bursting into tears. 

"Hey, are you okay?" Kairi asked, sitting beside Woongki on his bed. He offered his shoulder to Woongki who eagerly accepted as he clung to his shirt. 

"This day has just been too much. I can't believe we lost again. Maybe I'm not doing good enough..." Woongki sobbed.

"Don't be like that, Woongki," Kairi turned to comfort him and pull him closer. "You're the most hardworking person I know, and I've seen you put in extra effort these past weeks to also help the rest of our team improve. We did the best that we could so don't ever blame yourself for what happened tonight." 

Tears uncontrollably ran down Woongki's cheeks as he sobbed into Kairi's chest. Kairi can't do anything but console the other as he lets everything out. He was also starting to get teary-eyed again when Woongki mumbled something.

"Still, I can't believe we lost our song to Kyungho and the rest of his team. I really thought we'd win this time."

Kairi bit his lip, curiosity overcoming him. "That thing with Kyungho earlier... In the past, were the two of you..." he trailed off before completing his sentence. He suddenly decided against prying into it. 

"What?" Woongki pulled back from Kairi's embrace and was puzzled, confused as to why he had to bring that up. Though it makes sense he'd be curious after all the tension that happened earlier after they announced the winners for Mamma Mia, still he didn't expect Kairi of all people to ask about it. "Kyungho and I were just in the same group before, that's it. And whatever happened in the past, I'd rather not think about it now."

Kairi felt like a fool. He didn't even know what came over him that pushed him to ask what their relationship was. It's not like he even had any feelings for Woongki...did he? Sure, he likes Woongki and he has always admired how beautiful Woongki was when performing onstage, but they're just friends, roommates. Kairi was certain he didn't have any feelings for his teammate...right? 

The next morning, an alarm started to go off inside the room. Kairi tried to reach for his phone to turn the sound off when he noticed his left arm felt heavy, almost numb. He jolted awake when he realized he was cradling Woongki between his arms. Was I cuddling him the entire night? All Kairi could remember was comforting a crying Woongki until he fell asleep. He didn’t notice that they had both fallen asleep on the same bed.

Woongki started to shift around but just snuggled closer to Kairi, presumably still asleep. With how close he was, Kairi could practically hear Woongki's breathing. He became hyper aware of everything: the weight of Woongki's head on his arm, the smell of his shampoo, the tear stains on Woongki’s cheeks. 

Kairi felt skittish about spending the night cuddling his roommate but Woongki didn't seem to mind. In fact, Woongki even seemed energized again and happy when he woke up, this despite the puffy eyes he had developed from crying too much last night.

“Sorry, I ended up sleeping beside you last night,” Kairi said sheepishly. 

“What are you apologizing for?” Woongki chuckled. “It’s completely fine! You’re free to use my bed anytime. Also, thank you for comforting me last night and staying beside me.”

“Of course, you can lean on me anytime Woongki,” Kairi replied with a smile.

In the weeks that followed, Kairi and Woongki only became closer and would occasionally share the same bed. Sometimes Woongki would quietly creep on Kairi's bed while they’re watching a show, sometimes Kairi would lie down on Woongki’s mattress while listening to him gossip about their friends. Either way, they'd somehow wake up in each other’s arms in the morning. Cuddling at nighttime and sleeping on the same bed soon became their routine.

Kairi would act like everything was normal but deep inside, he was dealing with an emotional turmoil. Each night that they would fall asleep together, feelings he was never aware of would slowly creep into his heart. And each time he'd push those thoughts away, the butterflies in his stomach just grew more restless. Even during daytime, he'd subconsciously seek Woongki's warmth and he'd cling to him when they're not busy practicing. Having his roommate always this close made him scared of acknowledging the truth–that maybe, he has already fallen for Woongki.

Chapter Text

Kairi went out with some of the members from the Groove team a few days after UL ended since he was also quite close to a lot of them. They were hanging out at a cafe when they started talking about AHOF. They’d been chatting about their funny memories with each of the members and how excited they were for their friends’ debut. Not long after, the subject fell on Woongki. 

“So what’s going to happen to you and Woongki now?” Kyungho turned to Kairi, curious about his ex co-member. Since Kyungho and Woongki patched things up last month, he’s been more comfortable talking about Woongki to their other friends.

Kairi looked puzzled. “What do you mean? There’s nothing going on between us.”

Joohyoung chuckled. “With how close the two of you are, everyone already thinks you’re dating.” 

Kairi blushed. “We’re just friends!” he said, burying his face inside his jacket.  

The others around the table laughed. Joohyoung continued to tease Kairi. “Friends don’t really hold hands the way you guys do. You’re both practically inseparable, always clinging to each other whenever we see you two together.”

Kyungho chimed in, “Have you ever told Woongki about your feelings yet?”

Kairi was shocked. Was I that obvious? He’s been trying hard not to let his feelings show but he just can’t help but stick to Woongki whenever they’re together. 

“No, I haven’t told him yet,” Kairi sighed. “I haven’t seen him much since the show ended. If I meet him now, I don’t even know what I should tell him.”

Kyungho stopped to think for a second then placed his hand on Kairi’s shoulder. “You should at least say something to him before you leave, Kairi. Don’t overthink it and just be honest with Woongki. And if things don’t work out, I’m sure he’ll still understand.”

Kairi felt reassured with Kyungho’s encouragement. When he got back to his hotel that night, he finally steeled his resolve and decided to tell Woongki his feelings soon.

The static noise of the television echoed throughout the hotel room. Kairi has been staring at his phone for the past half hour. He’s been thinking about what Kyungho said to him and is now contemplating about how he’ll confess to Woongki. There’s a lot of things he wants to tell him, but Kairi thinks it’s best to say everything in-person instead.

He opens Woongki’s contact on his phone and hits the call button. The phone rings for a few seconds before it’s picked up.

“Kairi!! How are you?”

“Hi Woongki! I’m doing okay, just staying here at the hotel. Any chance you’re free later? I wanted to tell you something.”

“Of course! What is it? I’ll always make time for you, you know.”

“Oh, we can just talk about it later, you’re probably busy now. There’s actually a restaurant on the rooftop of the hotel I’m staying at if you’re okay with having dinner here. It’ll be my treat.”

“Sounds good! It’s a date then. Oh wait, I have to go now, Kairi. They’re calling us back in for another discussion with our managers. See you!!”

“Okay, Woongki, see you later.”

Kairi ended the call and caught himself smiling. Woongki has been busy with contract meetings and preparations for their group’s debut so it’s been a few days since they got to really hang out with each other. He had already missed Woongki this much, and it’s only the first time they’ve been apart for so long since they first met during the competition.

Kairi glanced at the vanity mirror and noticed the bags that had formed under his eyes. Oh no, I should make sure to conceal these before I meet up with Woongki. The past week has been tough on him. Thoughts about Woongki and the recently-concluded competition kept him up at night. He never knew how vast and empty the bed feels now that he no longer shares a room with Woongki. He never noticed how loud silence can be now that he’s back to being all alone.

Okay, Kairi thought to himself, snap out of it. It’s time to fix yourself. You still have a date tonight.

Kairi watched as a taxi rolled into the hotel lobby’s driveway. When he opened the door to the passenger seat, an excited Woongki hurriedly went out of the car and leaped into his arms.

“Kairi, I missed you so much! Our schedule’s been so hectic since the show ended, we’ve had meetings and photoshoots all day,” Woongki sighed while keeping Kairi in a tight hug. This caused butterflies to form in Kairi’s stomach, especially with how much he missed Woongki’s warmth. 

“I missed you too,” Kairi replied, wrapping his arms even tighter around the other’s waist.

They stood there hugging each other for a few moments before Woongki pulled back and moved to hold Kairi’s hand instead. He then started walking to the direction of the elevator. 

“Come on, let’s head up already. You still owe me a nice dinner date,” Woongki said with a grin on his face. 

Chapter Text

Woongki and Kairi were sitting at a table right next to a window offering them a panoramic view of the city. They started digging into their meal while mindlessly chatting with each other. Woongki would talk about what he’s been doing recently with the other AHOF members while Kairi showed pictures of him hanging out with the Groove team members when they celebrated Kenta’s birthday. Behind them, the sun slowly began to set.

“By the way, you mentioned earlier that you have something to tell me. What is it, Kairi?” Woongki looked over at him expectantly.

Kairi stopped and pondered for a minute. There’s so many things he wanted to tell Woongki that he didn’t know which one to talk about first. Ah, Kairi thought, there’s one important thing I forgot to tell him earlier. He took a deep breath. 

“Actually, Woongki, I forgot to mention this before but I’ve already talked to my family. The agency has already booked my flight…I’m going back to Japan soon.” 

“When are you leaving?”

Kairi looked down, his face suddenly gloomy. “In three days.”

Woongki dropped his fork on his plate with a loud clang, his mouth agape with shock. “You’re leaving so soon?!”

Kairi looked back at a visibly upset Woongki and started to explain. “Woongki, Universe League is already over… There’s really no reason for me to stay here anymore. I have to go back home.” 

Woongki sat in silence for a few minutes. He then stood up and went out to the restaurant’s viewing deck. Below, the soft glow of the city lights started to come to life. Kairi quietly followed after Woongki, the cool winter wind blowing in his face as he approached the railing. He looked over at Woongki, face dimly illuminated by the last few traces of the setting sun. He seemed to be lost deep in thought.

“You’re leaving me,” Woongki said quietly, almost as if he was merely whispering to the night sky. 

After hearing those words, Kairi’s heart broke into a million pieces. Oh no, I screwed up, Kairi thought. He was supposed to tell Woongki how he felt, not make him sad again.

"Woongki…” Kairi tried to reach for the other’s arm, but Woongki just looked away from him.

Silence filled the air as they both let reality sink in. Their lives are now about to head into separate directions. They’ve become so used to being with each other that the thought of having to live separately and not being able to see each other has now become unimaginable for both of them.

“I’m sorry,” Woongki said somberly. “I’ve been so busy lately I completely forgot that you’d have to leave soon. I don’t know why I’m so dumb, assuming that you’ll continue to stay here for a while longer. If I would’ve known earlier, I would’ve made sure to spend more time with you.”

Kairi noticed the glint of tears forming in Woongki’s eyes. He reached out to wipe them.

“I’m sorry, too, for not telling you sooner. And don’t worry, Woongki, I promise I’ll stay in touch with you even when I’m far away,” he said with a soft smile. “For now, just focus on preparing for your debut, okay?” 

Woongki gave a small pout then hugged Kairi. “I’ll give it my all, for both of us. Promise me you’ll come cheer for me when we debut?”

Kairi hugged him tightly. “I’ll come back, I promise. I’ll shout your name and cheer for you as hard as I can from the audience seat.”

“I’ll miss you so much, I really don’t want you to leave,” Woongki sighed. “I wish I can stay with you until you go.”

A cool breeze rushes past them. Kairi hugged Woongki tighter, not wanting to let warmth they’re sharing slip away.

“Do you…want to stay with me tonight?” Kairi blurted out. He wasn’t intending on spending the night with the person he likes but he knew he didn’t want to let go of him yet.

Woongki’s eyes widened in excitement. “Really, can I?” 

Kairi can’t help but smile at how cute Woongki was acting. “Yes, you can stay here with me,” he replied as he reached out to hold Woongki’s hand.

The faint glow of the moon illuminated their path as they hurriedly went back inside the building, hand in hand.

Woongki struts out of the bathroom wearing one of Kairi’s oversized hoodies and a pair of his pajamas. “How do I look? Am I cute?”

So cute, Kairi thought. Seeing the person he likes wear his clothes made his heart flutter. He couldn’t look away from the person in front of him, captivated by Woongki’s charm and beauty. 

Woongki then sat down on the edge of the bed and snuggled up right beside Kairi. “Mmm, and this hoodie even smells just like you.” 

Kairi’s ears turned red. It was an unexpected attack of cuteness from Woongki that struck him straight to his heart. He found himself impulsively reaching for Woongki’s head to pat him while also fixing tufts of hair that had tangled while he was changing. 

“What is it, is my hair all messy?” Woongki asked worriedly.

Kairi smiled. “Yeah, let me fix it for you.” He continued to comb Woongki’s hair with his fingers, tucking away a stray strand of hair behind his ear. 

Kairi stopped, his hand hovering over Woongki’s cheeks for a few seconds. Then, he caught Woongki staring at him.

They both locked eyes for a while, Kairi’s fingertips still lingering near Woongki’s neck. Woongki's cheek felt really warm against Kairi’s cold hands. He suddenly became aware of what he was doing and felt bashful. He was just about to pull back his hand when he felt Woongki stop him, their fingers intertwining.

“Kairi, do you like me?” 

Time suddenly stood still for Kairi. He could hear his heartbeat thumping in his chest with the unexpected question coming from Woongki. He never expected that he’d have to confront his feelings like this.

When UL first started, Kairi wasn’t planning in getting too close with any of the other trainees. His group had just disbanded a few months prior and he was so scared of hurting again. Overtime, things started to change and he slowly opened up to the others. One person, however, abruptly came in and completely altered the trajectory of his life–Cha Woongki. Before he knew it, he had already fallen for Woongki and was smitten by everything he did. He never thought that this moment would come but he knew for sure that he had to confess everything now or else he’ll regret it later. 

Kairi cupped Woongki’s face, gazed at his deep brown eyes, and took a deep breath. 

“I do, Woongki, I like you. I like you a lot,” Kairi let out. He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words to tell the other exactly how he felt. “I have liked you for a long time now. When I first saw you perform onstage, I thought you were beautiful. Whenever the spotlight’s on you, you’d glow. I just find myself captivated by your charm every time I watch you dance.

“Woongki, I never told you before but you mean so much to me. You believed in me from the very start, and you always pushed me forward. We’ve been through so much together and you were always my anchor through it all.

“I love you so so much, and everyday I’d wake up with you in my arms, I always wished we could be something more. I love you, Woongki, and I don’t know if you feel the same way but there’s no one else in the entire universe I’d rather be with than you.”

Woongki was stunned. He stood there in silence for a few seconds. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Woongki gently pulled Kairi in for a kiss.

Kairi has always tried to imagine what it felt like to kiss the person you love. Whatever he fantasized before could not compare to the real thing. He felt Woongki’s soft lips press against his. Kairi reached for Woongki’s waist and pulled him closer, kissing him deeper. All that yearning he felt in the past months came over him like a cold shower. He had always wanted to kiss Woongki like there’s no tomorrow.

Woongki pulled away to gasp for air, and he let out a small chuckle. He turned to face Kairi properly and gently caressed his cheek.

“Oh Kairi, I love you too. I already had a crush on you when we first became roommates and I only fell even harder for you as we got closer. You’d always take good care of me and reassure me, somehow I just felt so safe when I’m with you.”

Woongki looked tenderly at Kairi and brushed his fingers along the outline of his face. 

“Out of everyone in the competition, I honestly wanted to debut with you the most,” Woongki admitted as a small tear started to fall from his eye. “You’re so brilliant and cute, and you always find a way to make me smile. You’re always so determined and would never give up. I know you’re someone reliable, someone I can really depend on, and that’s what I like so much about you.

“That’s why I really don’t want you to go, Kairi,” Woongki sobbed, tears streaming down his face. “Can’t you just stay by my side forever?” 

Kairi leaned in and gave Woongki a kiss on his forehead before wiping away the teardrops on his cheeks. He then pulled Woongki into his arms and embraced him tightly. “One day, I’ll stay with you for good. But for now, let’s just spend our remaining time together. For the next three days before I leave for Japan, let’s go out and do everything you wanna do. Would that be good enough?”

Woongki slowly smiles and wraps his arm around Kairi. “Fine, as long as you’re with me, then I’m happy.”

The hours pass and the two lovers now wait for sleep to overcome them while in each other’s arms. In the dark, Woongki snuggles closer to his partner for warmth. He starts yawning and his eyelids start to droop. 

“Kairi, promise me you’ll never give up on your dream, okay? I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.”

Kairi simply smiled at Woongki and quietly placed a delicate kiss on his lips.

“I promise.”