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The late afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of the lecture hall, casting golden rays onto the rows of students pretending to listen to their professor’s voice drone on about 19th-century literature. Seungmin sat toward the back, a pen in hand, but he wasn’t taking notes on the class. Instead, his hand moved fluidly across the page of his dark blue journal, the one with the faint puppy sticker in the corner.
He wrote:
Changbin wore that black bomber jacket again today. I’m convinced he does it on purpose just to mess with me. It’s unfair how good he looks when he’s not even trying. But whatever. He’s still a dumbass.
Seungmin grinned to himself as he finished the sentence, glancing up just in time to catch said “dumbass”,Seo Changbin,leaning back in his seat a few rows down, stretching his arms like he owned the place.
Seungmin rolled his eyes, then flicked a crumpled piece of paper in Changbin’s direction.
Bullseye.
Changbin turned around sharply. “You trying to start something, Seungmin?”
Seungmin leaned back in his chair, eyes wide with faux innocence. “What? Me? Never. Must’ve been the wind.”
Changbin smirked. “Careful. Keep it up and I’ll have to return the favor.”
“Oh no,” Seungmin deadpanned. “Please don’t throw a paper ball at me. I might cry.”
Classes ended with a groan and stretch from the group of eight that made up their chaotic friend circle. After some discussion and minor arguing about study spots, Changbin casually suggested Seungmin come to his dorm to study.
“I mean, Chan and Jisung won’t be there. You won’t be distracted by their yelling.”
“Right, because you’re known for your calm energy,” Seungmin shot back.
But he agreed.
They actually studied (shockingly) for an hour.
But then the books slowly got pushed aside. The laptop moved from the desk to the floor. One minute they were solving equations, and the next they were yelling over a Mario Kart race.
“DID YOU JUST BLUE SHELL ME?!” Changbin shouted.
“Should’ve driven faster, hyung,” Seungmin snickered, arms crossed smugly.
By the time Seungmin noticed the time, it was already 10 PM.
“Crap. I need to go.”
Changbin walked him to the door, still mock-pouting from his Mario Kart defeat. “You owe me a rematch.”
“In your dreams.” Seungmin smirked as he walked out.
Back inside, Changbin turned around to tidy the chaos they left behind, and that’s when he saw it.
Lying half under the desk was Seungmin’s journal. The familiar dark blue cover, slightly worn edges. He reached down and picked it up. He stared.
He knew he shouldn’t.
But his curiosity, it gnawed at him. After all, Seungmin had flicked a paper ball at his face during class. A little payback was justified... right?
With a guilty sigh, he opened it. His eyes scanned the page—and then froze.
“I know it’s dumb. He probably doesn’t even see me that way. But there’s something about Changbin. He’s annoying and loud and way too good at video games. But he’s also thoughtful. Kind, in his own weird way. He remembers when I’m stressed. He buys me coffee without asking. And every time he smiles, it’s like I forget how to breathe.”
Changbin’s mouth parted slightly, heart thudding in his chest.
Seungmin liked him?
He read the page again, just to be sure.
And then—he smiled.
A real, stupid, giddy smile.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would talk to him.
Morning light streamed through the dorm window, and Seo Changbin was not his usual energetic self. Normally, he’d be halfway through his second protein bar and bothering Jisung about his lack of socks by now.
But today? He was standing frozen in front of the mirror, rehearsing what he was going to say.
“Hey Seungmin, so I might’ve accidentally read your journal and—”
No. That sounded like he read it by accident, which he very much didn’t.
“Listen, I know I shouldn’t have, but I read your journal and—"
Still bad.
He groaned and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Screw it. Wing it.
The walk across campus felt longer than usual, maybe because every step toward Seungmin and Felix’s dorm added about five new heartbeats per second.
He reached the door and knocked before he could change his mind.
The door opened to reveal Felix, fresh out of the shower, hair wet and fluffy.
“Oh hey, Binnie,” he said, tilting his head with a curious smile. “Looking for Seungmin?”
“Yeah. Uh, is he here?”
Felix nodded. “In his room, probably still drowning in his essay drafts. Go ahead.”
Changbin mumbled a thank-you and walked down the short hallway to Seungmin’s room. He took a breath and knocked.
“Come in!” came Seungmin’s familiar voice.
He opened the door—and nearly burst out laughing.
“Did a wild animal tear through here, or did you just lose a war with your notes?”
Books were stacked precariously. Paper was everywhere. A hoodie hung from the back of a chair like it had been thrown in surrender.
Seungmin looked up from his bed, expression flat. “Haha. Hilarious. Want me to throw something at your face again?”
“No need.” Changbin grinned as he stepped inside, letting the door close behind him. “I come bearing gifts.”
Seungmin narrowed his eyes as Changbin swung his backpack off his shoulder and began unzipping it.
“What now?” he asked, only half-joking.
Changbin paused, then slowly pulled out the dark blue journal.
Seungmin’s eyes widened immediately. “Oh crap—I didn’t even realize—”
“I found it under my desk last night, it must've slipped out when you didn't realise.” Changbin said, voice quieter now.
Seungmin reached out quickly, but Changbin didn’t hand it over yet.
“I... I read it,” Changbin admitted.
Seungmin froze. “You what?”
“I know I shouldn’t have,” Changbin said quickly, holding up his hand. “And if you’re mad, I get it. You totally can be. I just— I couldn’t help it. I saw my name, and—”
“Changbin,” Seungmin said, low and sharp.
“I like you too,” Changbin blurted.
Silence.
Seungmin stared at him, journal still outstretched between them. His cheeks were flushed, eyes blinking fast like he was processing the words.
“What?”
Changbin laughed nervously. “I’m saying... I’ve had feelings for you for a while. I just didn’t know how to say it. I thought teasing you would be easier than... you know... this.”
Another beat of silence.
Then—Seungmin launched a pillow at his face.
It smacked Changbin square in the head before falling to the floor.
“Seriously?” Seungmin finally said, a little breathless. “You’re the dumbass.”
“I mean, probably,” Changbin said, still laughing. “But I’m your dumbass, if you’ll let me be.”
Seungmin was on his feet before Changbin could react. And then, without warning, he stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Changbin’s lips.
Soft. Warm. Completely unexpected.
Changbin froze—then melted, kissing him back, his hands finding Seungmin’s waist like they’d done it a hundred times.
When they pulled apart, Seungmin looked dazed but happy.
“I was gonna wait until graduation to tell you,” Seungmin muttered. “So I could avoid all the awkwardness if you didn’t like me back.”
Changbin snorted. “Yeah? Well, I was gonna keep annoying you until you broke down and kissed me first. So I guess we both got what we wanted.”
Seungmin rolled his eyes but grinned. “Come here.”
They collapsed onto Seungmin’s bed, tangled in each other’s arms like they’d done this for years. They put on some random movie, neither of them really watching. Between kisses and soft laughter, it didn’t matter.
Somewhere between the second kiss and the credits, Seungmin whispered, “Don’t lose my journal again, hyung.”
Changbin kissed the top of his head. “Only if you promise to write about me more."
For a week after the confession, the energy between Seungmin and Changbin changed—but only slightly. To everyone else, it looked like their usual banter, the usual teasing. But now, under the surface, there were soft smiles, brushed hands, and late-night calls just to say “goodnight.”
Of course, their friends noticed.
“Okay,” Jisung said, narrowing his eyes at dinner one evening, “you two are being weird.”
“We’ve always been weird,” Seungmin replied with a shrug, not even looking up from his phone.
“No, no, no,” Jeongin cut in, pointing his chopsticks at them. “You’re like... suspiciously normal. Like there’s no yelling today.”
Felix raised a brow from next to Seungmin and leaned in. “Is there something you two aren’t telling us?”
Changbin’s cheeks flushed slightly. He shoved another bite of rice into his mouth and mumbled, “Nope.”
“Are you guys dating?” Hyunjin asked bluntly, eyes wide.
A beat of silence.
Seungmin smirked. “Define dating.”
“Oh my GOD,” Chan groaned. “They’re totally dating.”
Jisung clutched his chest like he’d been betrayed. “You’ve been fake fighting in front of me for months!”
Minho rolled his eyes. “If you didn’t see this coming, that’s on you.”
Later that night, Seungmin and Changbin found themselves once again back in Changbin’s dorm. Jisung was out with Minho again, and Chan had taken Jeongin for a studio session. The place was quiet, dimly lit with a warm desk lamp, and smelled like the popcorn Changbin had made ten minutes ago.
“Movie or Mario Kart?” Changbin asked, flopping onto the couch and tugging Seungmin down with him.
“Movie,” Seungmin replied, curling under Changbin’s arm. “Your ego can’t take another loss.”
“Excuse you,” Changbin said, pretending to be offended. “I let you win that last round.”
“You let me win like you let me kiss you first,” Seungmin said, deadpan.
Changbin blinked. “Wow. Uncalled for. But accurate.”
They both laughed.
As the opening credits rolled, Changbin glanced down at Seungmin, who had already grabbed the popcorn and was munching quietly, his head resting against Changbin’s shoulder.
“Hey,” Changbin said, voice soft.
Seungmin looked up. “Hm?”
“I meant what I said, you know. About liking you.”
“I know,” Seungmin replied, eyes soft behind his usual sarcasm. “And I meant it too.”
They stayed like that—curled into each other, sharing snacks and kisses in between ridiculous scenes of the movie neither of them fully paid attention to.
Somewhere in the middle of the film, Changbin whispered, “You still writing in that journal?”
Seungmin smirked. “Yeah. There’s a whole entry about how bad you are at Mario Kart.”
Changbin rolled his eyes. “Can I read that one too?”
“Nope. You got your one illegal peek. Now you’ve gotta earn the rest.”
“Oh?” Changbin raised a brow. “And how do I do that?”
Seungmin leaned up and kissed him—slow and certain.
“By staying right here.”
They didn’t need big gestures or dramatic speeches. Their love bloomed in the quiet—the playful teasing, the late-night snacks, the accidental confessions in forgotten journals.
It was chaotic. It was soft. It was them.
And it was just the beginning.