Chapter Text
College libraries have a solemn air to them that Seungmin finds reassuring. That dense silence, interrupted only by the smooth turning of the pages, gives him a sense of order in the midst of the chaos of university life. It is his refuge, his safe place.
Except during exam periods.
On those days, the tables are filled with desperate students who try to assimilate in hours what they ignored throughout the semester. Today is no exception. Seungmin sighs at the sight: not a single free seat. He has walked through the three floors of the library and everything is crowded.
The situation should have surprised him less. It's almost an annual ritual: Students who haven't opened a book in weeks camp out in the library as if their lives depended on it, fighting for every inch of table space. Seungmin, who has studied consistently, feels irritated. That's not fair.
While he fits his glasses, he thinks about his options. He can't study in his dorm room—his roommate has an annoying habit of making loud calls—and standing by a table waiting for a free seat seems pathetic.
Then, he remembers a place: The basketball court.
It's a strange idea, he knows. But by now, the team must have finished training, and the stands would be empty. Also, no one would expect to find someone studying advanced statistics there. Perfect. Maybe not so much.
Upon arriving on the court, Seungmin realizes that he has made a miscalculation: The basketball team is still training. The sound of sneakers screeching against the ground and the lively screams of the players fill the air. Despite his doubts, he goes up to the stands. Honestly, Seungmin doesn't have time to look for another place.
He settles in a corner as far away from the field as possible, hoping to go unnoticed. Extend your notebook, textbook, and case with perfectly aligned pens. If you ignore the noise, you can concentrate. And, at first, it works, or at least it does, until you hear it.
“Come on, Chan! One more!”
That name. Chan. It's impossible not to know who he is: Bang Chan, the captain of the basketball team.
Seungmin doesn't know him personally, but anyone who has spent more than a semester in college knows of his existence. He's one of those guys who looks like something out of a movie: popular, outgoing, always surrounded by people. And it doesn't help that he has an easy smile and an infectious laugh that seems to fill any space.
Adjusting his glasses, Seungmin lowers his head, determined not to pay attention. He doesn’t have to be interested. People like Chan have nothing to do with people like him. However, Seungmin's eyes seem to betray him when, for an instant, they rise and find him in the middle of the court.
There he is, with slightly sweaty hair, a tank top that reveals his defined arms and a relaxed posture that suggests he is more than used to being watched. And the worst thing is that... nonchalant smile.
Seungmin looks away immediately. Focus. Statistics. Variables. Not in his arms.
He dives back into his notes, muttering concepts to himself in a desperate attempt to ignore the magnetic presence of the team captain. Everything is going more or less well until, suddenly, everything turns white, and then black, with a few stars.
A sharp, direct blow brings him out of his reverie. The pain erupts on the bridge of his nose, sharp and stabbing. His vision blurs for a moment and, when he blinks, he realizes that... his glasses are missing.
“Fuck!” A voice exclaims from the field.
Quick footsteps echo against the court floor, approaching. Seungmin, still disoriented, blinks in an attempt to focus on the blurred face leaning in front of him. He doesn't have to have perfect eyesight to know who he is.
“Are you okay?” Chan looks at him with a mixture of worry and guilt, clutching a basketball under his arm.
Seungmin blinks several times before answering.
“I'm still alive... I think.”
“Lucky for me, or I would have been kicked off the team for involuntary manslaughter,” Chan jokes, though his voice has a genuine tinge of concern.
Chan bends down to pick up the glasses that are now in two pieces, examines them with a grimace and holds them between his fingers as if they were more fragile than they really are.
“Well... this is a disaster” he murmurs.
Seungmin reaches out to retrieve them, but Chan keeps them out of reach with a swift motion, as if he doesn't trust him to take care of them.
“Let me take you to fix them,” he offers, with that same casual smile he probably uses with everyone.
“It is not necessary. I'm fine.” Seungmin replies dryly, though the stabbing pain in his nose contradicts it.
“Yes, of course. Because walking half-blind around campus sounds super safe.” Chan replies, with an arched eyebrow. “Come on, I don't bite. Well, not without permission.”
The comment catches him so off guard that Seungmin is speechless for a moment. ¿Is Chan... flirting with him? No, it can't be. Surely it is just his way of relieving the discomfort.
“Do you always flirt with people you almost killed?” Seungmin blurts out, with a mixture of sarcasm and skepticism.
“Only the ones I find interesting” Chan replies, shrugging his shoulders as if he hadn't just said something outrageously provocative.
Seungmin sighs and, after a moment of hesitation, accepts Chan's hand to help him up. Even if it is hard for him to admit it, he has no choice. And worst of all, for some reason he doesn't understand, his heart beats a little faster than it should.
Chan watches him as Seungmin takes a couple of seconds to compose himself. The first wave of pain on his face begins to subside, but the discomfort persists, and he still finds it hard to believe that him, of all people, has ended up in this situation.
The ball had shot out so quickly that he couldn't even react in time. For a moment, everything he had known—his own control over his surroundings, his ability to anticipate what would happen—vanished, leaving him there, on the floor, his face throbbing with pain and a pair of broken glasses in his hands.
The sound of the gym can still be heard in his ears, but something else resonates inside him: humiliation.
Seungmin feels silly, vulnerable, and hates that feeling. He's always been the kind of person who stays in control, who hides in his security bubble, behind a pile of books. But today, something as simple as a basketball knocked him down, leaving him exposed. And that bothers him.
“Are you sure you're okay?” Chan's voice jolts him out of his trance. There's genuine concern in his eyes, but, even so, he can't help but notice how relaxed Chan seems.
“Yeah” Seungmin replies, pursing his lips as he takes a deep breath to calm himself. He cannot give the spectacle of being too affected. Not with him.
Chan watches Seungmin for a moment longer, assessing his expression. Then, without warning, he sits next to him in the stands, as if they were in the middle of a normal conversation.
“You know?” He says in a thoughtful tone, as he looks at the court. “I've never seen someone so... quiet, so focused in the midst of chaos.”
Seungmin frowns, still somewhat dazed by the blow, but now feels inclined to respond.
“That's because chaos doesn't affect me, and I like things in order,” he murmurs, looking at his books, which now feel like a bubble of safety that allows him to concentrate and not think about the recent accident.
“Really? I have always been one of those who get carried away by chaos. I've never been afraid of losing control.” Chan smiles nonchalantly, as if that attitude is completely normal for him. “Although... I guess there's something interesting about people who know how to stay in control.”
Seungmin doesn't know if it's the tiredness, the residual pain in his face, or the fact that Chan is so close to him, but something inside him feels like he's letting his guard down faster than he should.
“I don't like to lose control” he replies, a little more quietly, almost like a whisper. “I like to know that I can count on something. I'm not so... free, so to speak.”
The statement remains in the air, floating between them. Seungmin feels vulnerable as he says it out loud, as if he's sharing something personal that he would normally keep tucked away. Still, it's liberating. A small step towards the truth.
Chan watches him, his eyes slightly more serious than Seungmin expected.
“Maybe control is overrated,” he says, after a pause. “It may be that the important thing is not to have everything under control, but to know who to share the moments with when chaos appears.”
Seungmin looks at him, a little bewildered. What does that mean? Is he serious or is he just being Chan? There's something in his words, something that makes him think about what he's saying. But before he can formulate a coherent answer, Chan leans into him, smiling broadly.
“Hey, do you want me to get you a drink? I think that will help you calm down a little after the impact.” he says with a low laugh, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Seungmin can't help but blush a little at the suggestion, but the way Chan looks at him, almost as if he's doing a completely natural favor, makes him feel uncomfortably nervous.
“No, you don't need to...” he begins, but before he can reject the offer completely, Chan is already getting up, not waiting for a response.
“I owe you, don't I?” Chan jokes as he begins to walk towards the stairs. The basketball has already been abandoned, and the atmosphere changes, returning to a relaxed, almost friendly tone.
Seungmin sits there, staring at his books, but with a small spark of doubt in his mind. There's something he can't shake off, something that tells him that this interaction won't be his last.
Chan quickly returns with a bottle of cold water and offers it to Seungmin. Although he still feels a little disoriented by everything that has happened, he takes the bottle in his hands.
“Thank you,” he says, the lower, softer tone he normally uses, though there's something new in his voice. Maybe it's the discomfort of being so close to someone so outgoing, so easy to connect with others.
“There's no need” Chan replies, taking a seat next to him, letting silence fall between them for a moment. But it is not an awkward silence. It's the kind of silence you feel... different. Something is changing.
Seungmin doesn't know if it's the punch to the face, the fact that Chan is still close to him, or the unexpected conversation, but at that instant, everything seems to fall into place a little more than it was before. And, for the first time in a long time, Seungmin is feeling somewhat nervous about what the future might bring.
Chan watches him with a mischievous smile, clearly still noticing how uncomfortable Seungmin looks. The atmosphere between them is changing, and although Seungmin doesn't want to admit it, the tension is something else... light now.
Seungmin is finishing organizing his books, still feeling somewhat dazed by the blow and the situation. When he looks up, he meets Chan's bright eyes, who is closer than he expected.
“You know,” Chan begins, his tone more relaxed, but with a playful look, “I can't let you go like this, with those broken glasses.”
Seungmin looks at him in confusion, still not quite understanding where this is all going.
“What?” He asks, frowning as he adjusts his glasses, now crooked and with a visible crack in the bridge of them.
“You can't go through life with broken glasses, can you? And what if someone else throws you a ball by accident?” Chan smiles as if that's the most normal thing in the world, and for a moment, Seungmin doesn't know if he's joking or serious. He feels a little embarrassed but also surprised by Chan's carefree attitude.
“I don't think anyone else will throw me a ball.” He replies with a slight smile, though he can't help but think that maybe he's exaggerating the situation a bit.
Chan looks at him with a slight bow of his head, his eyes not ceasing to shine with that mischievous light.
“I don't know you well, but I'd say you're a magnet for accidents.” he jokes, and Seungmin can't help but blush a little.
“I'm not a magnet for...” he begins, but stops when he sees Chan's knowing smile, the one that never goes away. And, for some reason, he feels like he can't stay serious for much longer.
“Look,” Chan continues, as if he had a master plan, “why don't you let me accompany you to fix those glasses?" I feel responsible for this... small incident. I don't want you to get into any more trouble, you know?”
Seungmin is surprised by the offer, and for a moment, hesitates. Should he accept? It's not like he really needs it... but the idea of spending more time with someone as trusting and carefree as Chan makes him curious.
“You don't need to, really.” he replies, looking for a quick excuse. But, looking at Chan's lingering gaze, he feels that he can't refuse the offer so easily.
“Come on,” Chan insists, smiling in that carefree way that seems to know no bounds. “Don't worry, I'll make sure there are no more accidents... or if there are more, at least I'll be there to catch you” he says in an almost flirtatious tone, as if the promise was part of a game.
Seungmin, though somewhat reluctant, feels a small knot in his stomach at Chan's closeness, but eventually gives in, shaking his head with a shy smile.
“It's okay, but only because I don't want to go back to my bedroom half-blind,” he replies, and for the first time since they met, his tone softens, accepting without really wanting to admit that deep down, he's enjoying Chan's company.
Chan lets out a triumphant laugh and stands up, reaching out towards Seungmin with a charming smile.
“That's all I wanted to hear. Come on, I don't want you to continue to run the risk of becoming more disarmed than you already are,” he jokes as he begins to walk towards the exit, making sure Seungmin follows.
Seungmin, for a second, stands still, looking at the situation with a mixture of amazement and amusement. Something inside her tells her that this could be the start of something... But he still doesn't know what exactly.
So, as he follows Chan down the gym hallway, his glasses broken and his heart pounding in a completely different way, he decides to just go with the flow. After all, he can't deny that this very eventful encounter has been, in some ways, the most interesting he's had in a long time.
After walking around campus for a few minutes, they both arrived at the optician near the campus. Seungmin felt a little uncomfortable, not so much because of the fact that Chan was accompanying him, but rather because of how everything seemed to have flowed so quickly between them. It was the first time he had spent so much time with a boy like him, someone so outgoing and, apparently, without any filter.
“Here we are.” Chan said with a smile, pushing open the glass door and letting Seungmin in first. The little bell that rang when he opened the door made Seungmin blink a little, blinded by the intense lights of the shop, but even so, he couldn't help but notice how cozy the small shop was. The walls were filled with glasses of all kinds, colors, and styles, making the place have a strange but warm atmosphere.
“Thank you for bringing me here...” Seungmin muttered, looking at his broken glasses in his hand. “You don't need to stay, really.”
Chan raised his hands, smiling broadly and confidently.
“Don't worry, I'm with you to make sure you don't crash into something else. Besides, if I leave so soon, who will continue to make a good impression on you?” He joked, his tone light as always, as he followed Seungmin to the counter.
Seungmin sighed but couldn't help but smile slightly. Something about Chan's carefree attitude made him feel... strange, but in a good way. It was as if he was surrounded by a cool breeze that he didn't know if he should enjoy or distrust a little. Still, he didn't mind that he was there.
The optics were small, with a relaxed and quiet atmosphere. An older lady, apparently the caretaker, welcomed them and took it upon herself to take Seungmin's glasses to start repairing them. While waiting, Seungmin sat down in one of the available chairs, and Chan followed, but not before taking a look at the various glasses on display.
“I can't believe I was hit by a basketball,” Seungmin muttered, scratching his head. “Really, it looks like a comedy movie.”
Chan laughed, nodding excitedly.
“Yes, I felt like a movie villain the moment I saw the ball fly towards you. But don't worry, the important thing is that you are here, safe and with your glasses about to be fixed.” He paused, smiling playfully. “Although I think all this was an excuse to get a little closer.”
Seungmin glanced at Chan quickly, surprising the sincerity in his words, although he said them jokingly. However, before he could answer, Chan leaned into him, his tone softer, almost as if he was sharing a secret.
“To tell you the truth...I don't care if it was an accident. The truth is that it was a perfect excuse to meet you.” He let out a soft laugh and added with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, “I'm not usually so direct, but how can I resist you?”
Seungmin felt a heat rising up his neck, but he tried not to show his discomfort. How could he say anything to such a straightforward boy? And through it all, there was something fascinating about the way Chan spoke, without filters or insecurities. It was refreshing.
“Well... I'm not as exciting as it seems,” he replied, looking for something to say so that the conversation wouldn't die in awkward silence.
Chan, however, didn't seem worried at all.
“You don't need to be 'exciting,' Seungmin. I enjoy the little things, like simple moments like this, when things aren't so complicated.”
Seungmin looked at him, feeling a mixture of warmth and bewilderment at the way Chan saw things. After a couple of minutes of light conversation, the optician lady finished fixing Seungmin's glasses and carefully placed them on the table.
“Ready, young man. They are already as good as new.” The lady said, smiling as Seungmin picked up his glasses.
Chan looked at the glasses, and then looked up at Seungmin, winking at him.
“Now you're ready to face the world without fear of any more 'accidents,'” he said with a deeper smile, as if it were a little private joke between the two.
Seungmin, somewhat embarrassed but amused, put on his glasses again, and although he wasn't entirely used to Chan's spontaneous lifestyle, he had to admit that something about Chan attracted him.
“Thank you, for everything.” He said quietly, but loudly enough for Chan to hear.
Chan looked at him with a genuine smile.
“It's nothing. And, just in case, Seungmin... The next time you need someone to hang out with, let me know. I'll be around here.” He said, winking at him as he got up to leave.
Seungmin, a little stunned, looked at him as he walked away, and for an instant, he felt as if this was all just a game of fate. How had he ended up at this point, where a simple accident led him to meet someone so... unsettling?
“See you” he murmured, knowing that from now on, things wouldn't be the same.
━━━━━━✧❂✧━━━━━━
When Seungmin opened the bedroom door, the familiar buzz of Felix's call ended just at that moment. His friend was sitting at his desk, his mobile phone still in his hand and a satisfied smile curving his lips. Nothing unusual... except for the particular sparkle in his eyes.
“Have you finished your romantic nighttime ritual yet?” Seungmin grumbled, putting his backpack down on the ground and taking off his shoes reluctantly.
“It's not romantic.” Felix replied too quickly. Seungmin raised an eyebrow.
“Sure, and I'm the secret heir to a dynasty of wizards.”
Felix turned in his chair to look at him with an offended air, though not entirely serious.
“He's just a friend. We chat, we laugh... What's so strange about it?”
Seungmin didn't respond right away. He slumped into his bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment, the echoes of the afternoon still bouncing off his head. Chan's voice, his way of speaking as if every word were a light promise, without pressure. The wink. The smile.
“Is something wrong?” Felix asked, crossing his arms.
“Huh?” he murmured, somewhat out of his thoughts.
“You have that face... the one when something shakes you and you don't know how to feel about it.”
Seungmin let out a sigh, covering his eyes with his forearm.
“Today I met a strange guy. Literally. He hit me in the face with a ball.”
Felix let out a loud laugh, amused by his friend's grumpy tone.
“What?" And are you okay?”
“Physically, yes. But I don't know. It was weird. He took me to fix my glasses. He talked with me. He kept saying things like he likes simple moments and letting him know if I ever want to hang out... who does that?”
Felix bit his lip, holding back a wider smile, it was quite clear what was going on here.
“Someone who is trying to make a move on you, obviously.”
“What? No!” Seungmin sat up suddenly, visibly upset.
“Oh, yes. He hit you with a ball and took more than just your broken glasses.”
Seungmin slumped back into bed with a grunt.
“I'm surrounded by chaotic people.”
Felix laughed again, winking at him.
“And you love it.”
Felix straightened up in his chair, his smile turning into a grimace of mischievous amazement.
“So, you're talking about someone who's flirting with you? And you hadn't said it before? Who is it?”
Seungmin muttered something inaudible against the pillow.
“What?” Felix insisted, turning his chair to face him, with his elbows resting on his knees, expectantly.
Seungmin turned half-heartedly, without looking directly at him.
“Chan.”
Silence.
“...Chan?” Felix repeated, in a voice that suddenly sounded almost offended by the surreal nature of the revelation. “Bang Chan?”
Seungmin nodded with a slight movement, still without looking up.
“THE Chan? The basketball team star? The one with half of the campus drooling every time he shows up in class?”
“Yeah, that one.” Seungmin snorted, sitting up a little, visibly uncomfortable. “I know, I know what you're going to say...”
“How the hell did that guy hit you in the face?!" And why did that end in a friendly invitation?”
“I don't know,” Seungmin replied, clenching his jaw, not wanting to give details of how ridiculous the situation was. “It was... strange. He accompanied me to the optician's shop, we chatted. It wasn't unpleasant. What's more, it was... charming.”
Felix stared at him for a few more seconds, then smiled mischievously.
“So Chan, the campus heartthrob, winked at you and spouted lines from a crappy romantic movie. And what did you do? Did you return the intense gaze? Did you give him your number? Did you throw your soul at him?”
“Shut up!” Seungmin exclaimed, throwing a cushion at him that Felix dodged effortlessly.
“Hey, don't be ashamed,” Felix said, holding the cushion and pressing it to his chest like a stuffed animal. “It makes sense. You're all serious and grumpy, and he's... well, the kind of guy that your mom would probably love if she met him.”
“I'm confused,” Seungmin muttered, lying down again. “It's as if I don't know what universe I'm living in. Yesterday I was quiet with my boring life, studying for this semester's final exams, and today I have a Chan winking at me.”
Felix laughed softly.
“Welcome to the chaos, Seungmin. I hope you brought a helmet, because this is just beginning.”
Seungmin let out a long, deep growl against the pillow, burying his face as if he wanted to disappear between the sheets.
“I can't believe this is happening," he murmured, his voice muffled.
Felix laughed, clearly enjoying the situation more than he should.
He got up from the chair and dropped to his knees beside the bed, patting it gently on the back.
“Ah, my poor Seungminnie. Life throws you a ball and you end up trapped in the college drama of the year.”
Seungmin turned his head just a little, just enough to show one eye, full of resignation.
“This is not funny.”
“It is a little,” Felix said, smiling mercilessly. “But I'm on your side. Always.”
Seungmin snorted, surrendered, as Felix continued to pat him affectionately, almost as if he was comforting a cranky cat.
“Do you think I should ignore him?”
Felix shrugged.
“I think you should do what makes you feel good. Honestly, though, if Chan wants to invite you out for a drink... at least take advantage of the fact that he broke your glasses, which is giving you benefits.”
Seungmin let out another groan, and Felix laughed again.
“You keep growling, and I'll be here to document everything and remind you of it at your wedding.”
Seungmin grunted against the pillow again, thanking that Felix wasn't seeing his blush, because otherwise he would tease him for life.
Definitely, Seungmin's life had taken a big change, or rather a big ball.