Chapter Text
Cute.
Was the first thought that came to Jiyoung's mind the moment his eyes laid on Choi Seunghyun. The new student. He was chubby, one could say, but that didn't take away the fact that he was cute. In fact it only made him so much more adorable. Jiyoung could feel his heart increasing in speed and thumping so loudly in his ears he was scared the whole class could hear it.
And it wasn't any better when Seunghyun was assigned to seat next to him. The way Seunghyun acknowledged his presence was engraved into his mind. He was so sure he would still remember it when he would reach his nineties.
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Choi Seunghyun, hope we can get along." He said with a small, polite smile.
An easy, introduction. The type every parent would teach their kid to say when introducing themselves. A greeting that probably had no meaning behind it whatsoever. Yet, it still had Jiyoung's heart beating like crazy. It took a few seconds for Jiyoung to fully compose himself and respond to his introduction.
"O-oh" He wanted to slap himself. Did he - the great Kwon Jiyoung just stutter?
"It's nice to meet you too. My name is Kwon Jiyoung, hope we can also get along."
An easy yet short conversation between the two of them yet it had Jiyoung tossing and turning in bed. He squealed into his pillow, kicked his feet and giggled to himself all because of an introduction. That's how head over heels he was for him.
Choi Seunghyun was just the cutest!
And the rest of their highschool year went by like that. Jiyoung didn't have the courage to do anything with Seunghyun so when an opportunity arose where he had a chance to talk with him, he took it. But of course it probably meant nothing to Seunghyun, seeing as though the convo would always just be Jiyoung's excuse of asking him if he could borrow a pencil when he had his own. But those moments still had Jiyoung feeling giddy.
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Jiyoung sobbed as his parents finished taking his graduation pictures.
"Why are you taking my graduation pictures while I'm crying hic your embarrassing me..!" Jiyoung just sobbed as his friends rubbed circles on his back and whispered reassuring words to make him feel better. His parents just chuckled at his small tantrum, his mother sneaking another shot at his face and giggling at the picture.
"Why're you crying so much, huh?" His friend, Soohyuk asked him with a gentle tone as he rubbed circles over his back.
"Is it because highschool is ending?"
"No..."
"Is it because your nervous about college?" One of his other friends chirped into the Convo, also curious as to why he's sobbing so much. Other friends also chirped in asking him questions.
"No!"
"Are you scared we might separate when we go to college?"
"hic No..."
"Wow that hurt." Soohyuk commented.
"Is it because there's someone in this school you might not be able to see again?"
That question made Jiyoung pause. He looked up at his friend, Taeyang, who had asked the question. Everyone went silent as they watched his mouth quiver even more and soon, he burst. He cried like never before and everyone freaked out. He sobbed and sobbed despite everyone's best attempts at making him feel better. Despite the chaos the same question remained in everyone's head.
Who is he so upset about not being able to see?!
Unfortunately, all of their curiosity was left unanswered because after that incident Jiyoung refused to answer all of their questions. Even bribing him with his favorite food didn't work. Even his parents were curious but they knew better than to pry any further. None of them knew, but Taeyang. Jiyoung had trusted him enough to tell him and this made Taeyang want to do backflips even though he didn't know how to. Because despite his cool demeanor, even he was dying to know.
So of course, Jiyoung was upset not being able to see Seunghyun again. He still cried himself to sleep weeks after he graduated. Because he was so deeply in love with Seunghyun, and yet, he never made a move because he was too scared and nervous. And of course he regretted it. Seunghyun had moved to their highschool in the middle of Junior year so Jiyoung had like him for basically two and a half years. He had nothing to live off of except eye contact and small meaningless conversation that probably meant nothing to Seunghyun. Somehow he hadn't fell for anyone in the meantime. He still had his eyes on the chubby, dorky, and quiet Choi Seunghyun.
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Jiyoung went through college without Seunghyun. The first few months of college was him both putting in his all in his major and yearning for Seunghyun at the same time. Maybe he might go to the same college as us, you never know. Where Taeyang's reassuring words when Jiyoung had finally told him. Of course, that never happened. The thought of Seunghyun was nothing but a past wound, a memory to Jiyoung by the time he went through the rest of his college years. Jiyoung still thought of him, yes. He wondered what Seunghyun was doing. What he looked like now and if he's doing well. But the thought of him didn't heart Jiyoung as it used to, and this made him believe he had finally moved on his one-sided love. Or so he thought.