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Seungkwan liked to think of himself as observant.
Not in the “Sherlock Holmes deducing your life story from a single wrinkle in your shirt” kind of way, but more like a nosy aunt at a family reunion. He noticed things. Little things. Things other people missed while they were too busy being normal human beings with boundaries and self-control.
Like how Seokmin had switched his shampoo (the floral kind, if the cloud of daisies around him was any indication) or how Jeonghan had started ordering tea instead of his usual coffee. “For my throat,” Jeonghan had claimed, as if he were a delicate songbird and not the same guy who once screamed the entire High School Musical 2 soundtrack at karaoke.
But lately, Seungkwan’s hyper-awareness had fixated on something far juicier.
Two of his amazing friends—sweet, annoyingly sassy Chan and effortlessly cool Hansol—were acting… different around each other.
It wasn’t obvious. It wasn’t like they were making heart eyes across the table or serenading each other in the quad. But Seungkwan had caught the subtle things.
Like how Chan always seemed to light up a little when Hansol entered the room, his easygoing expression softening, his snarky remarks just a touch gentler. Or how Hansol’s normally chill demeanor turned a bit more animated when Chan was talking, his laughter a bit louder, his attention sharper.
And, okay, maybe Seungkwan was reading too much into it. Maybe he’d watched one too many romantic dramas with Joshua and was starting to see love stories where there weren’t any.
But.
There had been that time at Minghao’s birthday party, where Chan had draped a blanket over a sleepy Hansol’s shoulders and then immediately pretended he didn’t care, shoving chips into his mouth and avoiding everyone’s eyes. Or the time Hansol had stayed late at Chan’s dance practice, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, chin in hand, watching Chan move like he was watching a live performance of his favorite song.
Which was why, during their usual lunch in the campus cafeteria, Seungkwan found himself side-eyeing the two like they were the finale of a reality dating show.
They sat across from each other, talking about something mundane—probably class or that new movie everyone was obsessed with—but there was a softness to it, a warmth that practically glowed.
Hansol had a speck of rice on his cheek, and before Seungkwan could even react, Chan reached over with a napkin and brushed it away. Casual. Easy. Like it was nothing.
Seungkwan’s eye twitched. It was not nothing.
He elbowed Soonyoung, who was demolishing a bowl of ramen with the grace of a starved raccoon.
“Do you see that?” Seungkwan hissed.
Soonyoung paused, a noodle dangling from his mouth. “See what?”
“Chan and Hansol.”
Soonyoung’s eyes narrowed, and he turned his head so slowly it was almost comical. He watched for a grand total of three seconds before he turned back, unimpressed. “What about them?”
Seungkwan’s voice rose an octave. “Did you not see that? Chan just wiped food off Hansol’s face!”
“So?”
“So?” Seungkwan slapped his forehead. “It was so domestic! Like, couple-y!”
Soonyoung stared at him blankly. “Seungkwan, my mom wipes food off my face. Are you saying she has a crush on me?”
“What—no! That’s not—” Seungkwan took a deep breath. “Okay, look. I’ve been observing them. Chan and Hansol act differently around each other. Softer. And I think—no, I know—there’s something there.”
Soonyoung’s face lit up, interest finally sparking. “Wait, are you saying they like each other?”
“Yes!”
“Like, like-like?”
“Yes!”
Soonyoung’s grin was instant and terrifying. “We should set them up.”
Seungkwan paused. “That’s… exactly what I was thinking.”
“Operation: Get Hansol and Chan to Make Out.”
“No.”
“Operation: Make Chan and Hansol Realize They’re in Love and Then Make Out?”
“Absolutely not.”
Soonyoung pouted. “You’re no fun.”
“We need to be subtle,” Seungkwan insisted.
Soonyoung snorted. “Since when are we subtle?”
Seungkwan opened his mouth, then closed it. “Okay, fair. But we can try, right?”
“Sure.” Soonyoung’s grin widened, and Seungkwan immediately regretted asking. “Subtle.”
If Seungkwan’s life had a soundtrack, there’d be ominous music playing right now.
But he couldn’t back out. Not when he glanced over at Chan and Hansol again—Chan, who was trying not to smile too wide at whatever Hansol had just said, and Hansol, whose eyes were practically sparkling.
This was going to work.
Or, knowing Soonyoung, it was going to end in absolute chaos.
Probably both.
—
Later that day, Seungkwan dragged Soonyoung through the crowded hallway of their dorm building, his grip ironclad around Soonyoung’s wrist.
“Why are you speed-walking like some mom at the mall?” He complained, half-jogging to keep up, his half-empty water bottle sloshing with every step.
“Because this is serious,” Seungkwan shot back. “We need privacy.”
“What, like CIA-level privacy?”
“Exactly.”
They reached Seungkwan’s door, and without hesitation, Seungkwan threw it open. Inside, Seungcheol lay sprawled on his bed, headphones on, textbook open but clearly ignored as he scrolled through his phone.
“Out,” Seungkwan commanded.
Seungcheol blinked up at him. “Uh, excuse me?”
“Out.” Seungkwan pointed to the door like an overzealous bouncer. “We have important business to discuss.”
Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, entirely unbothered. “What kind of business?”
“The kind that doesn’t involve you.”
Soonyoung leaned in, whispering loud enough for the whole floor to hear. “It’s about love.”
Seungcheol’s expression shifted from mildly annoyed to deeply curious. “Oh? Whose?”
“Not yours,” Seungkwan snapped. “Go bother Jeonghan hyung or something.”
Seungcheol groaned but rolled off the bed, slipping on his shoes. “This better be good. And if I come back to find my bed covered in glitter again—”
“That was one time!” Soonyoung protested.
“And I’m still finding glitter in my shoes.”
“Okay okay, now get out.” Seungkwan said, ushering Seungcheol out and slamming the door behind him.
The room fell into silence, only the soft hum of the mini fridge and Soonyoung’s heavy breathing filling the space.
“Alright.” Seungkwan grabbed his notebook off the desk, flipped to a blank page, and wrote at the top: OPERATION: GET HANSOL AND CHAN TOGETHER
Soonyoung squinted at the page. “You should add a heart. It looks kind of like a hostage note.”
Seungkwan drew a tiny heart. “Better?”
“Adorable.”
“Good.” He clicked his pen, the sound sharp in the quiet room. “We need a plan. Something foolproof. Something that’ll get them to realize their feelings for each other.”
Soonyoung rolled onto Seungcheol’s bed, limbs splayed out like a crime scene. “Okay, Cupid. Hit me with your best shot.”
“Step one.” Seungkwan scribbled furiously. “We need to get them to spend more time together. Alone.”
“Classic.” Soonyoung nodded sagely. “Like, ‘Oops, all the seats are taken except next to Hansol’ or ‘Oh no, everyone left and now it’s just you two.’”
“Exactly. And we need to set up situations where they have to rely on each other. Like pairing them up for game nights or projects.”
“What if we stage a crisis?”
Seungkwan paused, mid-scribble. “What kind of crisis?”
“I don’t know.” Soonyoung sat up, eyes glinting with mischief. “Like, ‘Oh no, the library’s on lockdown and only Hansol and Chan are inside!’”
“Soonyoung.”
“What?”
“You cannot fake a lockdown.”
Soonyoung pouted. “Well, not with that attitude.”
Seungkwan pinched the bridge of his nose. “We need normal ideas. Like... like a fake double date! We take them out, make them our ‘dates,’ and then ditch them.”
Hoshi’s face lit up. “Ooh, like a reverse Parent Trap!”
“Exactly.”
“But without the twin thing. Unless... do we know any twins?”
“Soonyoung, focus.”
“Right.” Soonyoung tapped his chin, a noodle of thought unraveling in his head. “What if we drop hints? Like, ‘Hey, Hansol, doesn’t Chan look cute today?’ Or, ‘Wow, Chan, Hansol just said he loves guys who can dance.’”
Seungkwan beamed. “Yes! Planting seeds.”
Soonyoung blinked. “Like a garden.”
“No, in their minds. We get them thinking about each other.”
“Can we also do the umbrella thing?”
Seungkwan squinted. “What umbrella thing?”
“You know, when it rains and they have to share an umbrella and their hands brush and they realize, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m in love!’”
“It’s January.”
“So?”
“There’s no rain.”
“We could make it rain.”
“No.”
Soonyoung sagged dramatically against the pillows. “You’re no fun.”
“We can also sabotage their plans with other people,” Seungkwan offered. “Like, if Hansol wants to hang out with Mingyu, we make Mingyu unavailable.”
“Oh my God.” Soonyoung sat up so fast his water nearly tipped over. “We kidnap Mingyu.”
“No! No kidnapping!”
“A little kidnapping?”
“There is no such thing as a little kidnapping.”
Soonyoung sighed, deflating. “Fine. But if we’re not allowed to commit any minor felonies, how are we supposed to be subtle?”
“By being smart,” Seungkwan said firmly. “We manipulate, we nudge, we suggest. We do not kidnap, start lockdowns, or anything of that sort.”
“So boring,” Soonyoung muttered.
“It’ll work. Trust me.”
Soonyoung’s grin was wide and slightly unhinged. “Oh, I trust you. I just don’t trust us.”
Seungkwan took a deep breath, eyeing his notebook. The plan was solid—well, mostly solid—and with any luck (and minimal property damage), they’d have Hansol and Chan confessing their feelings by the end of the semester.
“Alright.” He nodded, feeling the weight of destiny settle on his shoulders. “Operation: Get Hansol and Chan Together starts tomorrow.”
Soonyoung raised his water bottle in a mock toast. “To love, mild manipulation, and no jail time.”
Seungkwan clinked his—well, imaginary drink—against it. “I’ll drink to that.”
The next day, Seungkwan and Soonyoung entered the dorm lounge like two spies infiltrating enemy territory. Well, Seungkwan walked in with a calm, natural stride. Soonyoung, on the other hand, threw himself onto the couch like a potato sack being hurled off a truck.
Chan, curled up in an armchair with his laptop, didn’t even flinch. “Rough morning?”
Soonyoung groaned, face down in the cushions. “I had a dream I was drowning in cider, and now I’m weirdly craving it.”
“That’s... disturbing,” Chan muttered.
Seungkwan took the armchair next to him, flashing a bright smile. “What’re you working on?”
“Just editing my essay.” Chan adjusted his glasses and squinted at the screen. “The conclusion is fighting for its life.”
“Ah, you’re so responsible.” Seungkwan leaned closer, feigning interest while glancing at Soonyoung. “You look really nice today, by the way.”
Chan shot him a look. “Um, thanks..?”
Soonyoung perked up, his instincts kicking in. “Hansol!” he called to where Hansol sat by the window, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. “Come with me to the vending machine. I need... I need moral support.”
Hansol raised an eyebrow. “For snacks?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Soonyoung rolled off the couch, scrambling to his feet. “I’ll buy you chips.”
Hansol considered it, then stood. “Fine. But if the machine eats your money again, I’m not helping.”
“You’re such a good friend.” Soonyoung looped an arm around Hansol’s shoulders, steering him toward the hallway.
Seungkwan waved them off, his smile sharpening the moment they were gone.
Chan didn’t seem to notice anything off (not yet at least), already back to typing. “Is Soonyoung hyung okay? He’s being weird.”
“He’s always weird.” Seungkwan brushed it off. “Anyway, what’s your essay about?”
“Psychology. Attachment theory and relationships.”
Seungkwan’s mind immediately launched into overdrive. “Oh! You know, speaking of relationships... Have you ever thought about dating anyone lately?”
Chan’s fingers froze over the keyboard. “Uh. Random?”
“Not really.” Seungkwan leaned in, his expression entirely too casual. “I mean, you and Hansol hang out a lot. You guys look cute together.”
Chan’s ears tinged pink. “We... We do?”
“Oh, totally. I mean, you’re both funny, smart, and, like, aesthetically pleasing.”
Chan made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a cough. “Seungkwan, what?”
“I’m just saying.” Seungkwan shrugged, as if he wasn’t absolutely enjoying this. “You guys have a vibe.”
Chan opened his mouth, closed it, then focused way too hard on his laptop screen. “I... hadn’t really thought about it.”
Seungkwan’s internal victory dance remained internal, but only barely. “Well, maybe you should.”
Meanwhile, down the hall, Soonyoung was leaning his entire body weight against the vending machine while Hansol studied the options.
“Do you think they ever refill this thing?” Hansol asked, squinting at a suspiciously old-looking granola bar.
“Probably not.” Soonyoung shoved a few crumpled bills into the machine, which immediately spat them back out. “Come on, you piece of junk.”
Hansol sighed and took over, smoothing the bill before sliding it into the slot. “There. Do you want chips or chocolate?”
“Chips. Oh, hey, by the way—doesn’t Chan look really good today?”
Hansol’s hand hovered over the keypad. “Huh?”
“I mean, he’s cute, right?” Soonyoung’s expression was perfectly innocent, like a puppy trying to steal food off the table. “Like, you’d date him if you were into that sort of thing.”
Hansol pressed the button for chips, the clunk of the snack hitting the tray filling the awkward silence. “I mean, yeah, Chan’s... Chan. He’s always cute.”
Soonyoung’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yeah?” Hansol sounded uncertain, as if he wasn’t sure if he was being tricked. “I guess. I don’t know. Why are you asking?”
Soonyoung grabbed the chips and ripped the bag open. “No reason.” He crunched down on a handful of chips, his mouth too full to hide his smirk.
Hansol just stared, clearly rethinking every decision that had led him to this moment. “You’re being weird.”
“That’s what I do best.”
When they returned to the lounge, Seungkwan was still chatting away with Chan, who looked somewhere between intrigued and mildly uncomfortable. Soonyoung plopped back down on the couch, offering Seungkwan a thumbs-up behind Hansol’s back.
Seungkwan nodded slightly, his expression as casual as ever. “Oh, hey! You guys are back.”
“Yeah,” Hansol sat on the arm of the couch, ripping the bag of chips away from Soonyoung. “What’d we miss?”
“Not much,” Seungkwan said breezily. “Just talking about relationships.”
Chan shot him a glare. “Not this again.”
“What?” Soonyoung asked, stuffing more chips into his mouth. “You talking about how Chan and Hansol would make a cute couple?”
Hansol choked on a chip.
Seungkwan shot Soonyoung a look that read: What part of subtle don’t you understand? but Soonyoung only grinned wider, crumbs on his lips.
Hansol cleared his throat, cheeks dusted pink. “Uh, what?”
Seungkwan’s expression morphed into something innocent, almost sweet. “Oh, you know. Just a little hypothetical.”
Hansol’s eyes darted to Chan, who had suddenly become very invested in his essay. “Hypothetical?”
“Yeah.” Soonyoung leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Like, if you were into each other, it’d be cute.”
Chan’s ears were red, his fingers frozen on the keyboard. Hansol looked like he was contemplating escape routes.
Seungkwan cleared his throat, clapping his hands together. “So, who wants to get coffee?”
The group collectively exhaled, the awkwardness momentarily diffused. But as they gathered their things, Seungkwan couldn’t help but notice the way Chan kept sneaking glances at Hansol—or the way Hansol’s expression softened as he watched Chan.
Soonyoung leaned in, whispering, “We’re so good at this.”
Seungkwan hummed. “If by ‘good’ you mean ‘horribly obvious,’ then yes.”
“But it’s working, right?”
Seungkwan couldn’t argue with that.
Operation: Get Hansol and Chan Together was only just beginning, and if this was how their first move went, Seungkwan couldn’t wait to see what chaos would come next.
—
The campus café buzzed with the lazy chaos of mid-afternoon, filled with the soft clatter of cups and the hiss of milk frothers. In the corner booth, Seungkwan, Soonyoung, Hansol, and Chan sat surrounded by the remains of their drinks—three iced coffees, one green tea latte, and a muffin that Soonyoung had decimated like it owed him money.
“…But I’m just saying, if ducks had teeth, we’d all be screwed,” Soonyoung said, waving his spoon like a conductor’s baton.
Hansol frowned. “Why would ducks need teeth?”
“To assert dominance.”
Chan snorted, nearly spilling his coffee. “You’re thinking of geese.”
“Geese are just ducks with anger issues.”
Seungkwan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can we please talk about something normal for once?”
“I am being normal,” Soonyoung protested. “If you aren’t prepared for a duck revolution, that’s on you.”
Seungkwan took a deep breath. “Anyway,” he said, forcibly dragging the conversation back on track. “Hansol, have you ever thought about dating someone in our group?”
Hansol blinked, his mind clearly still lingering in the dystopian world of fanged waterfowl. “Huh?”
Soonyoung leaned forward, his expression an unsettling mix of innocence and mischief. “Yeah, like, if you had to date someone here, who would it be?”
Hansol’s expression turned blank, and his survival instincts kicked in. “Seungkwan?”
Chan barked out a laugh. “I mean, he is a catch.”
“Obviously,” Seungkwan said, flashing a smile so blinding it could’ve been weaponized. “But no, not me. This isn’t a trick question. I meant, like, hypothetically.”
“Very hypothetically,” Soonyoung added, voice drenched in suggestion. “Like, imagine if you had to pick someone from this group to take on a cute little date. Coffee, walks in the park, the whole shebang.”
Hansol opened his mouth, then closed it. “Uh… I don’t know?”
Seungkwan’s patience wore thin, subtlety unraveling. “Fine. If you had to take Chan on a date, what would you do?”
The question hung in the air, and Hansol’s brain visibly short-circuited.
“Why would I—? I mean, I wouldn’t—not that I wouldn’t, but—”
“Mm-hmm,” Seungkwan hummed, hiding his grin behind his cup. “Interesting.”
Before Hansol could recover, Seokmin appeared, sliding into the booth with a wide smile. “Hey, guys! What’s up?”
“Oh, hi, hyung.” Chan greeted with a wave, and Hansol mirrored him with a quick nod. “Didn’t know you were around.”
“Yeah, just finished class.” Seokmin settled in comfortably. “What are you guys talking about?”
“Ducks,” Soonyoung said without missing a beat.
Seokmin’s eyes lit up. “Ducks? Did you know they can sleep with one eye open? It’s so they can watch out for predators. Kinda wish I could do that in class.”
Seungkwan’s polite smile looked more like a grimace. “Fascinating.”
“Yeah, um,” Soonyoung said, jumping in before Seokmin could launch into a Ted Talk, “We were actually just about to finish up.”
Seokmin tilted his head. “Oh, cool! Mind if I hang out? I’ve got nothing to do until my next class.”
Soonyoung and Seungkwan exchanged a look, filled with the kind of urgency usually reserved for defusing bombs.
Seungkwan leaned in, whispering like he was some sort of movie villain. “We need him gone.”
“Easy, I got this.”
Soonyoung then turns back to Seokmin, a relaxed smile on his face. “Hey, I think Shua was looking for you earlier. Something about needing help with his project?”
Seokmin’s mouth formed a perfect ‘o.’ “Really? I told him I’d help with that. I better find him before he starts stressing out.”
Hansol and Chan both looked up, offering casual waves. “See ya.”
“Good luck, hyung!” Chan added, his smile easy.
As soon as he was gone, Seungkwan slumped back against the booth like he’d just fought a war. “That was too close.”
“Way too close.” Soonyoung took a long sip of his coffee, savoring the temporary victory. “We almost lost them.”
Hansol and Chan shared a look, their confusion palpable.
“Lost who?” Chan asked.
“Uh—our patience,” Seungkwan blurted. “With… ducks.”
“Yeah,” Soonyoung added, nodding sagely. “Menaces, those ducks.”
Hansol raised an eyebrow. “You guys are being weird.”
“No, we’re being—uh, eccentric,” Seungkwan insisted. “Anyway, Hansol, have you heard about that new art exhibit on campus? You could take someone with you. Like, as a date.”
Hansol’s cheeks pinked. “A date? I don’t—”
“Or not a date,” Soonyoung said quickly, then backtracked. “But also, maybe a date.”
Chan, blissfully oblivious, sipped his coffee. Hansol, however, shot him a glance—quick, barely noticeable, but Seungkwan saw it. His lips curled into a knowing smirk.
Hansol opened his mouth to speak, but Seungkwan steamrolled over him. “You know what? I think you and Chan should go. You both like art, right?”
Hansol’s face went blank. “Wait, I never said—”
“Perfect!” Soonyoung clapped, his grin borderline villainous. “We’ll get you tickets. Maybe matching outfits. Should we make a playlist for the walk there?”
Hansol sputtered, but Seungkwan leaned in, his voice sweet and dangerous. “No need to thank us. We just want you two to have a great time.”
Chan looked around the table, clearly a bit suspicious—and confused. “Uh, sure? I’m down.”
Hansol pauses at that, his expression softening just a bit. “Yeah. Okay then.”
Seungkwan and Soonyoung exchanged a victorious glance.
Now, all they had to do was make sure their lovebirds actually confessed.
And if that meant dragging the truth out of them with increasingly absurd scenarios?
Well, Seungkwan thought as he polished off his coffee, he’d never backed down from a challenge before.
.
.
.
Seungkwan was considering backing down.
It wasn’t often that he doubted himself—he was usually a bastion of confidence, armed with quick wit and a borderline alarming amount of stubbornness. But when the art exhibit, the very cornerstone of his matchmaking plan, was miraculously canceled due to “unforeseen plumbing issues” (whatever that meant), he found himself slumped on Soonyoung’s dorm room floor, face buried in a throw pillow.
“This is a sign,” Seungkwan groaned, his voice muffled by polyester. “The universe is against us.”
Soonyoung, perched on his bed with his legs crisscrossed and a bowl of popcorn in his lap, crunched loudly. “Maybe some of the sculptures got up and walked away.”
Seungkwan threw the pillow at him. “Not helping.”
“Okay, okay.” He set the popcorn aside, brushing crumbs off his hoodie. “We just need a new plan. Something fresh. Something bold.”
Seungkwan sat up, his hair a mess of static and despair. “Do you have any ideas?”
“Of course.” Soonyoung’s eyes gleamed, which was rarely a good sign. “I’ll pretend I have amnesia. Then I’ll act like Chan and Hansol are already dating. The confusion will force them into a romantic revelation!”
Seungkwan stared at him, deadpan. “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”
Soonyoung pouted. “Well, do you have a better plan?”
“I—” Seungkwan opened his mouth, then closed it. “Okay, maybe I don’t. But at least I’m not proposing to rewrite reality.”
Soonyoung bit his lip, his expression shifting into something disturbingly thoughtful. “Fine. What if... I pretend I lost my pet hamster?”
Seungkwan blinked. “You don’t have a pet hamster.”
“Exactly!” Soonyoung’s grin widened. “It’s foolproof. I’ll say I lost him, we’ll act like we’ve searched everywhere, and then we’ll ask Chan and Hansol to help us. We’ll lead them to the campus courtyard where the hamster is supposedly lost, and boom! Romance under pressure.”
Seungkwan tapped his chin. “A fake hamster... and a real love story.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s crazy.”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t mean that as a compliment.”
But it was too late. Soonyoung was already digging through his closet, throwing out scarves, textbooks, and an alarming number of tiger plushies in search of... something.
“What are you doing?” Seungkwan asked, dodging a flying sock.
“Looking for a hamster cage. If we’re gonna commit, we need props.”
“You have a hamster cage but not a hamster?”
“Listen, Seungkwan-ah, sometimes life gives you hamster cages, and you just have to roll with it.”
Seungkwan sighed. “This better work.”
The next day, their plan was in full swing.
Seungkwan and Soonyoung gathered the two boys in the dorm lounge, their expressions appropriately distressed. Hansol and Chan sat on the worn-out couch, confusion written on their faces, which only amplified when Soonyoung let out a dramatic gasp.
“It’s terrible!” Soonyoung clutched his chest like a damsel from the 19th century.“He’s gone! My sweet, precious Hammy!”
Chan’s eyes widened. “Hammy?”
“My hamster!” Soonyoung wailed, as he held the hamster cage to his chest tightly. “He’s so small and fragile! We’ve looked everywhere, but he’s nowhere to be found.”
Hansol’s brows knitted together, a mix of confusion and concern. “Wait, since when did you have a hamster?”
Seungkwan stepped in, his face a perfect blend of sympathy and urgency. “We just need help, guys. We’re desperate.”
Chan and Hansol exchanged glances. “Can’t you ask someone else?” Chan asked.
“No!” Soonyoung’s outburst was swift and terrifying. “It has to be you two. You’re the only ones I trust with Hammy’s life.”
Hansol hesitated, but Chan sighed, his resistance already crumbling. “Alright. Where do you think he is?”
“The campus courtyard,” Seungkwan said, his voice solemn. “We will uh, stay here. You know, in case he comes back..”
“Right,” Hansol agreed, determination settling on his face. “We’ll find him.”
Seungkwan nodded, biting back a smirk. “I believe in you.“
—
Twenty minutes later, Chan and Hansol found themselves wandering the campus courtyard, their eyes scanning every bush, every bench, every suspicious patch of grass.
“Hammy?” Hansol called softly, as if he expected the hamster to answer back.
“This is so weird,” Chan muttered, crouching down to peer under a bench. “Why didn’t they just get Wonwoo to help? He’s basically a human encyclopedia. He’d probably just Google ‘how to find a lost hamster’ and be done with it.”
Hansol snorted. “Yeah, but he’d definitely charge them for it.”
They met at the same bench, both empty-handed and bewildered.
“No sign of him,” Chan said, brushing dirt off his hands.
Hansol sighed, slumping onto the bench. “I feel bad for Soonyoung. He seemed so upset.”
Chan joined him, their shoulders nearly touching. “Yeah. But like, how does someone lose a hamster on campus? Did Hammy just... enroll in classes?”
Hansol laughed, the sound soft and warm. “Maybe he’s majoring in scampering.”
Behind a tree, Seungkwan and Soonyoung crouched low, eyes peeking through the leaves.
“It’s perfect,” Seungkwan whispered. “They’re alone, they’re talking, now all we need is—”
A soft melody began to play, drifting through the courtyard. Seungkwan’s head whipped around. “What is that?”
Soonyoung held up a remote, his smile as sharp as a knife. “Phase two.”
“Is that... romantic music?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Where is it coming from?”
Soonyoung pointed to the bushes behind the bench, where a tiny, hidden speaker lay.
Seungkwan’s jaw dropped. “How did you know they’d sit there?”
Soonyoung winked. “A magician never reveals his secrets.”
On the bench, Chan and Hansol paused, the music wrapping around them like a warm blanket.
“Uh, do you hear that?” Chan asked.
“Yeah.” Hansol’s lips curled into a smile. “It’s kinda nice.”
Seungkwan felt a flutter of victory, his nerves tingling with anticipation. “This is it.”
“Just wait,” Soonyoung whispered, eyes gleaming. “There’s more.”
With a click of the remote, the music cut out, replaced by a robotic voice—loud, autotuned, and bizarrely aggressive.
“LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR LOVE.”
Hansol’s face flushed, his laughter bubbling up in surprise. “What the—?”
Chan’s mouth opened and closed, his brain visibly buffering. “What—what is that?”
Behind the tree, Seungkwan smacked Soonyoung’s arm. “Are you insane?!”
Soonyoung shrugged. “No, I’m a genius.”
“IF YOU LOVE SOMEONE, TELL THEM NOW!” the robotic voice blared.
Chan looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole. “Oh my god.”
Soonyoung was grinning ear to ear. “This is perfect. They’re going to confess their feelings, and we’re gonna be heroes.”
Seungkwan rolled his eyes as he snatches the remote away, frantically mashing buttons until the speaker died with a sad little pop.
“What the hell is going on?” Chan asked, his voice strained. “This campus is so weird.”
Hansol shrugged. “Maybe it’s a sign from the universe.”
“Oh, shut up.” But Chan was smiling, his expression caught somewhere between mortification and delight.
Seungkwan and Soonyoung exchanged a look, “We are in so much trouble if they ever find out it was us.” Seunkwan said.
But as Chan and Hansol settled into a more relaxed conversation, the earlier awkwardness dissipating, Seungkwan couldn’t help but think that maybe Soonyoung’s brand of chaos wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
Not that he’d ever admit it.
“Well, we should probably head back and tell them we couldn’t find him.” Hansol hummed.
Shit.
Seungkwan glanced at Soonyoung, “We’ve gotta go. Quick!” He whisper shouts as he began to run, Soonyoung following behind him.
They bolted through the campus pathways, their sneakers slapping against the pavement in frantic rhythm. Every rustle of leaves or distant chatter made Seungkwan’s heart leap into his throat, as if Chan and Hansol might materialize behind them at any moment, demanding answers and hamster-shaped truths.
“Move faster!” Seungkwan hissed, grabbing Soonyoung’s sleeve and yanking him forward.
“I’m trying!” Soonyoung panted, his arms flailing as he stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk. “Why are we running? They didn’t see us!”
“Because if we don’t make it back to the lounge before them, they’ll suspect something!”
“Okay, but what if we run into them on the way? Do we pretend we’re out for a jog? Should I fake an injury?”
Seungkwan shot him a look. “If you fake an injury, I’ll make it real.”
Soonyoung nodded, wisely keeping his mouth shut as they sprinted up the steps to the dorm building.
They slipped through the lounge door, skidding to a stop. The room was blissfully empty, save for the rumble of the vending machine and the hum of fluorescent lights. Seungkwan leaned against the wall, sucking in air like he’d just run a marathon.
“Okay,” he breathed. “We act normal. Nothing happened. No one knows.”
“Right.” Soonyoung straightened his hoodie, giving a solemn nod. “We were here the whole time. Waiting.”
They stared at each other, the silence stretching thin until—
“Pfft.”
“Don’t—”
“Pffft—”
“Hyung, I swear—”
They burst into giggles, clutching their sides as they collapsed onto the couch. It felt ridiculous, like they were little kids, hiding after breaking a window with a baseball.
But their laughter died a quick death when the door swung open.
Chan and Hansol walked in, both looking a little winded, their hair tousled and jackets dusted with leaves.
“There you are!” Seungkwan exclaimed, his voice an octave too high. “How was... um, the courtyard?”
Hansol shook his head, offering a sheepish smile. “We couldn’t find him.”
“Yeah,” Chan added, his expression caught between concern and confusion. “We looked everywhere, but Hammy’s nowhere to be found.”
Seungkwan’s mind spun, grasping for anything to say. He turned to Soonyoung, who was sitting unnaturally stiff beside him, hands folded in his lap like a scolded child.
“H-Hammy?” Soonyoung squeaked.
“Yeah.” Hansol’s brows knitted together. “Your hamster?”
Soonyoung’s eyes widened, a thin sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead. “Hamster? What hamster? Ahaha...”
Seungkwan’s jaw dropped. Is he serious.
Chan took a step closer, his expression sharpening. “The hamster you lost. The one you begged us to find.”
Soonyoung’s laugh came out strangled. “Me? A hamster? No, no, you must be mistaken. I’ve never even seen a hamster in my life. Do they have... wings?”
Hansol’s face morphed from confusion to exasperation. “Soonyoung.”
“Okay, gotta go, bye!” Soonyoung shot up from the couch, his sneakers squeaking against the tile as he darted for the door.
The room fell into stunned silence.
Chan and Hansol stood there, slack-jawed, their brains clearly struggling to catch up with reality.
Seungkwan sat frozen, staring at the door Soonyoung had just disappeared through. His lips parted, words failing him as his brain short-circuited.
“Seungkwan?” Chan asked, his voice cautious.
Seungkwan blinked once. Twice.
Then, without a word, he stood up and ran after Soonyoung, his retreat eerily silent save for the soft patter of his footsteps.
The door swung shut behind him, leaving Chan and Hansol alone in the empty lounge, surrounded by the echoes of chaos.
They stared at the door, then at each other.
“What just happened?” Chan finally asked.
Hansol sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I have no idea.”
And somewhere in the distance, Seungkwan was wondering the exact same thing.
A week had passed, and Chan and Hansol were closer than ever. They shared meals, walked to classes together, and once, Seungkwan even caught them whispering and laughing during a movie night. But despite all the suspiciously couple-like behavior, they still weren’t together. Not officially, not publicly, not in a way that would justify all the work Seungkwan and Soonyoung had put into this scheme.
It was infuriating.
Seungkwan sat at the cafeteria table, listlessly poking his rice with a spoon. The rest of their friend group filled the seats around him, chatting and eating, blissfully unaware of the crisis at hand.
“This is hopeless,” he muttered. “They’re never going to confess.”
Soonyoung, seated beside him, sucked the life out of his juice box and let it crumple in his grip. “We need something big. Something huge.”
“Like what? A flash mob?” Seungkwan said in a sarcastic manner.
Soonyoung’s eyes lit up.
“No.”
“What about a skywriter?”
“Do you have money for a plane?”
“Uh... no.”
Seungkwan let out a dramatic sigh, slumping so low in his seat he was practically under the table. “I’m out of ideas.”
Jeonghan, who had been quietly scrolling through his phone, glanced up. “What are you two talking about?”
“Getting two idiots to confess to each other,” Soonyoung said, zero hesitation.
Jeonghan’s lips curled into a smirk. “Oh, Chan and Hansol?”
Seungkwan jolted upright. “Hypothetically, if it was, do you have any ideas?”
Jeonghan tapped his chin, his expression far too serene for Seungkwan’s liking. “Well, if I had two friends who were clearly into each other but too dense to realize it, I’d probably do something drastic. Like, I dunno, fake a natural disaster.”
Seungkwan blinked. “A natural disaster.”
“Yeah. Like a fire drill or a fake evacuation. Nothing dangerous, just... you know, a little chaos to push them together.”
Seungkwan’s eyes widened. “You’re a genius!”
Jeonghan’s smirk faded. “Wait, I didn’t mean—”
“That’s so crazy, but it just might work!” Seungkwan shot to his feet, grabbing Soonyoung’s wrist and yanking him up. “Come on, we’ve got work to do!”
Soonyoung barely had time to wave goodbye as he was dragged away. “Bye, guys! If we don’t come back, tell my mom I loved her!”
The rest of the table sat in stunned silence.
“Are... are they seriously about to fake a natural disaster?” Mingyu asked, a spoonful of rice halfway to his mouth.
Wonwoo didn’t look up from his book. “Probably.”
“Should we stop them?”
“Nah.”
“Okay,” Seungkwan whispered, peeking around the corner of a bush in the campus courtyard. “Are they in position?”
Soonyoung, who was crouched behind him with a megaphone in hand, nodded. “Yup. Chan’s by the fountain, Hansol’s on the other side of the courtyard.”
“Perfect.”
They had spent the past hour subtly maneuvering their two friends into position, now, all that was left was the execution.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Soonyoung asked, his fingers twitching over the megaphone’s trigger.
“Nope.”
“Cool. I’m ready.”
Seungkwan took a deep breath. “Alright. Do it.”
Soonyoung grinned and lifted the megaphone to his lips.
“ATTENTION, CAMPUS! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!”
Students in the courtyard froze. Heads popped out of windows. A couple of pigeons took flight, scattering into the sky.
“There has been a... uh... A HAMSTER OUTBREAK! I REPEAT, A HAMSTER OUTBREAK!”
Seungkwan slapped a hand over his own mouth to muffle his laughter.
“PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST SAFE ZONE! PREFERABLY NEAR THE BENCHES BY THE FOUNTAIN! STAY CLOSE TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE AND REMAIN CALM!”
Chan and Hansol, who had been blissfully unaware of the chaos, turned in confusion as the courtyard descended into mild hysteria. Hansol begins making his way towards the fountain, walking to Chan.
“What... what’s going on?” Hansol asked, his eyes darting around.
“I have no idea,” Chan said. “Did he say hamsters?”
Before Hansol could respond, a couple of students rushed past them, muttering something about a “furry stampede.” The two exchanged looks, then instinctively moved closer together.
“Maybe we should go to the safe zone?” Hansol suggested.
“Yeah, probably.”
They walked to the benches, taking seats just as Soonyoung’s voice crackled through the megaphone again.
“REMEMBER: IN TIMES OF CRISIS, HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO CONFESS, DO IT NOW!”
Seungkwan and Soonyoung huddled behind the bushes, clutching each other with barely contained glee.
“This is it,” Seungkwan whispered. “They’re gonna do it.”
On the bench, Chan glanced at Hansol, his expression hesitant. “Uh... hey.”
Hansol, just as nervous, bit his lip. “Yeah?”
“If we, uh... if we don’t make it out of this hamster outbreak...”
Hansol snorted. “Pretty sure we’ll survive.”
“Right. Yeah.” Chan rubbed the back of his neck. “But, like... just in case.”
Hansol’s smile softened. “Yeah?”
“I... I like you. Like, a lot.”
Seungkwan’s breath caught in his throat.
Hansol’s eyes widened, his cheeks turning pink. “You do?”
“Yeah. I thought—well, I thought you might not feel the same, but...”
Hansol’s expression melted into something soft and unbelievably fond. “You idiot. Of course I feel the same.”
And as they leaned in—finally, finally—Seungkwan nearly screamed.
“MISSION ACCOMPLISHED,” Soonyoung whispered into the megaphone, though it still echoed across the courtyard.
Chan and Hansol jumped, their faces flushing even more, but neither of them moved away.
In the bushes, Seungkwan and Soonyoung collapsed into a pile of limbs and giggles, their mission complete, their chaos rewarded.
It had been ridiculous. It had been over the top. It had, perhaps, been mildly illegal.
But as Chan and Hansol’s laughter rang out, blending with the confusion of the campus around them, Seungkwan couldn’t help but think it had all been worth it.
A hush had fallen over the courtyard, the confusion palpable as students exchanged bewildered looks. Seungkwan and Soonyoung remained half-hidden behind the bushes, still riding the high of their plan’s success when Soonyoung, ever the showman, raised the megaphone to his lips.
“ATTENTION, EVERYONE!” His voice blared through the speaker, “FALSE ALARM! THERE IS NO HAMSTER OUTBREAK. I REPEAT, NO HAMSTER OUTBREAK.”
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the crowd.
“BUT!” Soonyoung continued, ignoring the way Seungkwan’s eyes bugged out of his skull. “WE DO HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. CONGRATULATIONS TO HANSOL AND CHAN FOR GETTING TOGETHER! EVERYONE, GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE!”
A beat of silence.
And then, because college students were nothing if not susceptible to the power of suggestion, the courtyard erupted into applause.
Some clapped earnestly, others joined in just to feel included, and a few hollered and whistled, making the new couple’s faces turn an even deeper shade of red.
Hansol buried his face in his hands. “Oh my god.”
Chan looked like he wanted to sink into the earth, but despite the embarrassment, a shy smile curled at his lips. “Well... I guess we’re official now?”
Hansol let out a strangled laugh. “Yeah. All thanks to... wait.” He dropped his hands slowly, a suspicious look crossing his face. “Who is making that announcement?”
Chan squinted, finally spotting the two figures huddled behind the bushes. His eyes widened. “Is that—?”
“RUN!” Seungkwan hissed, but Soonyoung was still waving the megaphone in victory, oblivious to the danger.
“You guys.” Hansol’s voice had taken on a deadly calm. “Come out here.”
Chan glared. “Now.”
Soonyoung snapped back to reality, his glee dissolving into panic. “Uh-oh.”
“Abort mission!” Seungkwan yanked Soonyoung to his feet, and they bolted, scrambling out from behind the bushes and weaving through the crowd.
“Get back here!”
The chase that ensued was nothing short of cinematic. Students parted like the Red Sea, some cheering, others recording on their phones. Seungkwan and Soonyoung darted around benches, vaulted over flower beds, and even knocked over a recycling bin in their desperate flight.
“You can’t run forever!” Chan shouted, right on their heels.
“Watch me!” Soonyoung yelled back.
They made it to the entrance of the main building, slamming through the double doors and careening down the hallway. Their shoes squeaked against the tiles as they rounded a corner, nearly crashing into a group of professors.
“Sorry!” Seungkwan called out, not slowing for a second.
Soonyoung skidded to a halt by the stairwell, grabbing Seungkwan’s arm. “This way!”
“No! Up is a death trap!”
“But down is where they’ll expect us to go!”
Seungkwan shook his head. “What does that even mean?”
Before they could debate further, Hansol and Chan burst through the doors at the end of the hallway, eyes blazing.
“Decide, decide, decide!” Soonyoung whispered frantically.
“Up!” Seungkwan yanked the door open, and they flew up the stairs, taking two at a time.
Their breath came in ragged pants, and Hoshi started to wheeze halfway to the third floor. “I—I think I’m dying—”
“If they catch us, you will die!”
Behind them, the sound of heavy footsteps grew louder.
They burst onto the rooftop, the door slamming against the wall. Seungkwan darted to the edge, his eyes wide as he took in the lack of escape routes.
“Oh, fantastic,” he groaned. “We’re cornered.”
Soonyoung doubled over, hands on his knees. “At least... at least the view is nice.”
The door behind them crashed open, and Chan and Hansol stepped out, amused looks on their faces.
“There you are.” Hansol’s voice was deceptively sweet.
Seungkwan plastered on a shaky smile. “Uh, hi! Lovely day, isn’t it?”
“Do you have any idea what you’ve put us through?” Hansol asked, his voice dripping with exasperation.
“In our defense,” Seungkwan started, “it worked?”
Hansol and Chan exchanged a look, the kind of look that made Seungkwan’s stomach twist.
“Oh, it worked,” Chan said, stepping forward. “And now, we’re gonna make sure you two learn your lesson.”
“What—wait!” Soonyoung stumbled back, “We were only trying to help!”
“Help?” Hansol snorted. “You faked a hamster outbreak.”
“It was creative!” Seungkwan argued.
“It was insane.”
“And maybe mildly illegal,” Chan added.
The wind whipped across the rooftop, and for a moment, no one moved.
Then—
“GET THEM!”
Seungkwan and Soonyoung turned and ran, the chase starting anew. They darted around ventilation units, hurdled over stray pipes, and shrieked when Hansol got close enough to snag the back of Seungkwan’s hoodie.
They ended up cornered against the railing, both of them clutching each other as Chan and Hansol advanced.
“This is it,” Soonyoung whispered. “This is how we die.”
Seungkwan gulped. “At least we die as heroes.”
“Heroes?” Chan raised an eyebrow with an amused smile. “Try ‘villains.’”
“Okay, okay!” Seungkwan threw his hands up in surrender. “We’re sorry! We were just trying to get you two together! You were being so stupidly in love and not doing anything about it, and we—”
Hansol held up a hand, and Seungkwan’s words died in his throat.
“Look,” Hansol said, his expression softening just a little. “We get it. You were trying to help. In the weirdest, most chaotic way possible.”
Chan nodded. “But if you ever pull a stunt like that again—”
“Understood!” Soonyoung squeaked. “Loud and clear!”
Hansol sighed, the tension finally ebbing away. “Good.”
For a moment, silence hung between them.
Then Chan smirked. “Now, as for your punishment...”
Seungkwan and Soonyoung exchanged a terrified glance.
“What... punishment?” Seungkwan asked.
Hansol grinned, something wicked in his expression. “You’re on cleanup duty for the courtyard. And you have to explain the ‘hamster outbreak’ to the dean.”
Soonyoung’s knees buckled. “We’re doomed.”
Seungkwan groaned. “This is the worst day of my life.”
But as they were led back inside, still under the watchful eyes of Chan and Hansol, a tiny part of Seungkwan couldn’t help but feel a spark of pride.
Sure, they were in trouble. Sure, they’d be cleaning up sunflower seeds, candy wrappers and apologizing for weeks.
But they had gotten the couple together.
So in his books, it was definitely a win.