Chapter Text
If you asked anyone in SEVENTEEN who the clingiest member was, the answer came instantly. Soonyoung.
If you asked who got the most of that clinginess — unprompted, uninvited, unfiltered — it was always Jihoon.
“Why me?” Jihoon asked one morning as Soonyoung flopped down beside him in the practice room, head resting on his thigh like it was the most natural pillow in the world.
Soonyoung peeked up at him. “Why not you?”
Jihoon sighed and resumed using his phone. “That’s not an answer.”
Soonyoung grinned. “Because you’re warm. And grumpy. It’s a good combo.”
“I’m not grumpy.”
“You’re literally frowning right now.”
Jihoon didn’t bother arguing mostly because Soonyoung’s hair was tickling his palm, and for some stupid reason, he didn’t move.
It wasn’t like Soonyoung treated him exactly the same as the others. He still threw his arms around Seungkwan for no reason. He still asked Jeonghan to split snacks and offered back hugs to Dino like he was auditioning for a part-time job as a weighted blanket.
But with Jihoon? He lingered. He stared longer. Sat closer. Always found a reason to “accidentally” brush hands or shoulders. It was constant and obvious and yet no one said anything. Because the most surprising part? Jihoon let him.
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“I think he’s in love with you,” Seungkwan whispered late that night as they all lazed around the dorm’s living room.
Jihoon glanced up from his phone. “Who?”
Seungkwan stared at him. “Seriously?”
Jihoon blinked. “If you’re trying to gossip, at least give me context.”
Seungkwan motioned toward Soonyoung, who was currently lying with his head in Jihoon’s lap, humming quietly to the music playing on his earpiece and playing with the hem of Jihoon’s hoodie sleeve.
“That one,” Seungkwan said. “The tiger. The one making heart eyes at you.”
“He’s always like that.”
“Not with everyone.”
Jihoon hesitated. “…He’s just clingy.”
Seungkwan raised an eyebrow. “And you’re just in denial.”
Jihoon was not in denial, he was just in confusion because no matter how many times Soonyoung smiled at him like he meant it, Jihoon couldn’t figure out why. He wasn’t the easiest person to get along with. He was quiet, picky, emotionally limited, and probably the last person in the group you’d describe as soft.
But Soonyoung never seemed bothered by that. In fact, he seemed to like it.
“You don’t need to talk much,” he’d said once, their legs brushing on the studio couch. “I can hear you just fine even when you’re quiet.”
Jihoon had stared at the computer screen for a full minute after that, unable to focus on anything except the sound of his own heartbeat.
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They’d been preparing for their new comeback, and Jihoon was in the middle of producing the title track.
The concept was “youthful longing.” Fresh, dizzying emotion. That feeling of liking someone so much you can’t stop thinking about them — not in a tortured way, but in a sweet, frustrating, beautiful mess kind of way.
The kind of feeling Jihoon didn’t usually let himself indulge in. But for some reason, the melody came fast this time. The beat was light, catchy, addictive. The lyrics came especially easy to him...
What do I do with you?
I look at you but I think of you even more
You’re my only one
What do I do?
He played the demo for the group during one of their planning meetings. They loved it immediately.
Soonyoung especially. “This is different,” he said, eyes bright. “It really gives of the vibe of someone falling in love.”
Jihoon didn’t meet his eyes. Just muttered soft enough that no one heard him, “Maybe someone did.”
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That night, Jihoon sat in the studio long after the others had left, headphones still perched on his head, looping the instrumental track for what felt like the twentieth time.
It wasn’t like he was writing the song about Soonyoung. That would be stupid.
It was just…
Soonyoung was always around. Always close. Always looking at him like he was worth something more than he’d ever believed himself to be and the more Jihoon tried to ignore it, the more it seeped into the music.
What do I do with you?
What do I do because of you?
Every single day, ah, every day, ah, every day, ah, every day
I like you so much, what do I do?
How about you?
Do you even know my heart?
I can’t go on without you
What do I do?
The lyrics continue to come easily as he slowly finishes up the lyrics of the demo.
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The next morning, Soonyoung brought him breakfast without asking.
“Did you even sleep?” he asked, setting down a coffee and a bag of egg toast in front of him.
Jihoon blinked at the food. “…How’d you know I was here?”
Soonyoung shrugged. “I always know where you are.”
Jihoon’s ears turned pink. He took a sip of the coffee without saying thank you.
Soonyoung didn’t mind. He just smiled — soft and smug — and watched Jihoon chew his sandwich in silence.
“I like the new song,” he said after a while.
Jihoon nodded.
“I think it’s about someone.”
Jihoon froze mid-chew.
Soonyoung leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
“Is it about me?”
Jihoon looked up, startled.
Soonyoung was smiling — not teasingly, not playfully, but gently.
“I mean,” he said, “I hope it is.”
Jihoon stared at him.
And in the quietest voice he’d ever used, said, “I don’t know yet.”
Silence, Soonyoung didn't push it
But maybe he did. Maybe the way his chest fluttered when Soonyoung smiled meant something. Maybe the way his lyrics spilled out faster whenever he thought of Soonyoung wasn’t a coincidence. Maybe he was just scared to admit what everyone already seemed to know.
It was the way Soonyoung stayed up late just to walk him home from the studio. The way he always picked the seat next to him without hesitation. The way he knew when Jihoon needed silence — and when he needed someone to talk over it.
Maybe he was writing about realizing it had already happened.
And Soonyoung, ever patient, didn’t push.
He just smiled again — like he could wait forever.