Chapter Text
First day of class, and Chan could barely contain his excitement. Freshman year felt like a brand new chapter—new school, new friends, and a clean slate. No longer stuck in the halls of middle school, this was high school. The high school. The kind of place where everything started to count. What he did here would shape the rest of his life—or so everyone said.
But that wasn’t the only reason his stomach was doing somersaults.
He was going to see him again. Hoshi.
Chan had met him during the first week of summer, back when everything still felt a little scary and unfamiliar. Hoshi had stood front and center during freshman orientation, representing the dance club with a performance so electric it left Chan stunned. He could still remember how his heart had pounded—not just from the music, but from the boy dancing under the spotlight.
They’d talked after. One conversation turned into many. Hoshi had offered to help him with his audition piece for the dance club, and true to his word, he did. Hours in the studio, sweat-soaked shirts, laughter echoing through the mirrors. Thanks to Hoshi, Chan had passed his audition with flying colors.
But somewhere between the choreography and the late-night practices, Chan had fallen. Hard.
Hoshi was everything Chan wanted to be—handsome, talented, warm, and magnetic. A dancer and choreographer with charm to spare, and a smile that made Chan’s chest ache in ways he didn’t yet know how to name. He wasn’t sure where it would lead yet. But he knew one thing: He couldn’t wait to see him again.
Wandering around the hall, he wondered if he could sit with Hoshi during lunch. Maybe. Hopefully. But also—probably not. Hoshi was one of those people. The kind who knew everyone, who lit up rooms just by walking in. A junior, confident and popular, already adored by half the student body. And Chan? He was just a freshman. Practically invisible.
Still… he hoped. Maybe they’d have the same lunch break. Maybe they’d bump into each other in the halls. He didn’t even dare to wish for shared classes—Hoshi was two years above him, but passing glances, brief conversations, or just sitting nearby at lunch would be enough. He was so caught up in his daydream that he didn’t see the person coming until it was too late.
They bumped shoulders hard, causing Chan to stumble. His books slipped from his arms and scattered across the hallway floor.
“Ah, sorry!” he gasped, already crouching to gather them—And froze.
Because it was him, Hoshi stood there, blinking down at him, head tilted slightly. His hair, which had been a soft golden brown during the summer, was now a striking black, tousled like he’d just run his fingers through it.
Chan’s breath caught in his throat. “H-Hi!” he stammered, clutching his books to his chest like a shield. “Did you—did you dye your hair?”
The boy in front of him grinned, dazzling and casual, like they were picking up from yesterday. “Yeah. Looks cool, right?” he said, crouching to grab the last of Chan’s notebooks. “You noticed?”
Of course I did, Chan thought, heart hammering against his ribs. “Y-Yeah,” he managed. “It… looks really good.”
The boy paused, then let out a soft laugh. “I’m kidding. You’ve got the wrong guy.”
Chan blinked. The boy straightened up, smiling brightly and teasing. “I’m Soonyoung. You must’ve mistaken me for my brother.”
Chan’s face went red. Of course.
He’d never met Soonyoung in person, but Hoshi had mentioned him so many times—his twin brother. The nerdy one, according to everyone. The one who was, in Hoshi’s words, “the slightly smarter, kinder, quieter version of me.”
“Sorry!” Chan laughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. “You look so much alike.”
“So I’ve been told,” Soonyoung said with a friendly chuckle. “Though Hoshi would absolutely deny that. He keeps saying he’s the more handsome one, even though we literally share a face.”
“Yeah,” Chan replied before he could stop himself. His eyes widened. His cheeks flushed deep red. “I mean—no! I mean, you’re both—you’re both handsome!” he stammered, waving his hands like it might erase the words. Soonyoung raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Sorry, I’m nervous— I mean I’m Chan, but also very nervous. It’s my first day.”
Soonyoung laughed easily. “Relax, I’m just teasing. Welcome to High School. Anyway, I’ve gotta run, first period’s hell,” Soonyoung said, adjusting his bag as he backed away. “Don’t let my brother boss you around, yeah? See you around, Chan.” And with a wink and a wave, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Chan standing there, dazed, holding his books like a lifeline.
“B-Bye!” Chan called, but before he could take a step, someone grabbed his arm. He turned, and nearly dropped his books all over again. It was him. The love of his life.
Hoshi.
“You’ll never believe what I just confirmed!” Hoshi said, eyes sparkling, breathless like he had just come running. Chan’s heart did a somersault.
What if he found out?
No. No way. Nobody knew. He hadn’t told a soul. But what if he’d been too obvious? What if Hoshi knew?
Chan swallowed. “What?”
“Walk with me,” Hoshi said, already tugging him along. “I think my brother’s in love with his best friend and too dumb to realize it.”
“Oh. Uh. Okay,” Chan said, relieved, trying to match his pace, brain still catching up.
“I have a plan,” Hoshi continued, his voice dropping like they were about to pull off a heist. “And you, little Chan, are going to help me.”
“I’m not little,” Chan muttered, cheeks puffing slightly.
Hoshi laughed—that laugh, the one that always made Chan feel like the sun had come out just for him.
“Of course you’re not,” Hoshi said with a wink. “But meet me at the bleachers during lunch, okay? Just you and me. We’ve got some scheming to do.”
Before Chan could respond—before he could even remember how to speak—Hoshi was already darting off in the opposite direction, a varsity player Chan didn’t recognize jogging to catch up behind him. Chan stood frozen, books clutched tight, heart thudding in his chest like it wanted to escape.
Just you and me.
Lunch couldn’t come fast enough.
xxx
Chan could barely concentrate the whole day, his eyes flicking to the clock every five minutes as he waited for it to strike twelve.
Lunch.
With Hoshi.
Not a date.
Definitely not a date.
Just lunch.
With Hoshi.
Alone.
Which—okay—felt very much like a date. But it wasn’t.
Still, his heart wouldn’t shut up about it.
He’d woken up early that day, too excited to sleep. He’d spent almost all morning fixing his hair and changing outfits three—no, four—times. In the end, he barely had time to pack a decent lunch, just threw a sad sandwich and an apple into his bag, and rushed out the door. He wished he had packed a better lunch to share.
When the bell finally rang, he nearly jumped out of his seat. He followed the signs to the field, getting lost once, maybe twice, before finally spotting the bleachers.
And there he was.
The love of his life.
Hoshi.
Leaning against the railing, laughing about something with one of the varsity players—tall, handsome, broad-shouldered. The kind of guy who probably brought a cooler lunch. Chan slowed, nerves bubbling up again. But then Hoshi turned, saw him, and smiled—bright and easy. He waved goodbye to the varsity player and jogged over to Chan like he’d been waiting all day, too.
“How was your first day?” Hoshi asked.
“It was okay,” Chan said, sitting down on the bleachers as casually as he could manage.
Hoshi plopped down beside him and pulled out his lunch—a sandwich, too. Somehow, that made Chan feel a little better. They sat in easy silence, unwrapping their food, munching in sync.
Then—
“So,” Hoshi said, mouth full of bread, “I think I’m going to ask Wonwoo to the dance.”
Chan choked mid-bite. He coughed, wheezed, and tried to swallow without dying.
“Whoa—hey!” Hoshi quickly handed him his water bottle. “You okay?”
Chan took it and nodded, still trying to recover. “Yeah—yeah, I swallowed wrong. I’m good. Uh—go on?”
His heart was racing. Hoshi was going to ask someone out? Wonwoo?
Hoshi took another bite, like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb. “Wonwoo is Soonyoung’s best friend. And I know he likes my dumb brother, but he’s too chicken crap to ask him out. Y’know, all that ‘but we’re friends, what if it gets weird’ crap.”
Chan blinked. “Wait—so… you’re not…?”
“Ew, no way,” Hoshi said, grinning. “God, no. He’s cute, but he’s basically furniture to me. I’m not into nerds. I’m going to ask him out to make Soonyoung jealous enough to confront his own feelings.”
Chan let out a soft, stunned breath of relief.
“Oh,” he said. “Okay. That’s… kind of brilliant?”
“Right?” Hoshi beamed. “I am brilliant. So, anyways, I need you to help me with the details,” Hoshi said, pointing at Chan with the end of his sandwich.
Chan blinked. “Me?”
“Yes, you. Who else?” Hoshi grinned. “You’re organized, you’re creative, and let’s be honest—you’re a perfectionist. You’d be perfect for this.”
Chan felt heat rise to his cheeks. He wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or a trap, but coming from Hoshi, he’d take it.
“What kind of details?” he asked cautiously.
Like I’d say no, Chan thought. Who am I kidding? I already said yes. I’d probably jump off a building if Hoshi told me to.
He glanced at Hoshi, who was now fully animated, eyes sparkling with excitement, sandwich in one hand, gesturing wildly with the other.
Damn, Chan thought helplessly. He’s so cute.
“Well,” Hoshi said, scooting a little closer, “I’m going to need ideas. But it has to be just right—timing, location, the whole vibe. It has to be the kind of thing that makes my dumb brother notice and make him realize he’s in love and can’t stand seeing someone else with his best friend.”
“Oh,” Chan said. “Okay. That’s… dramatic.”
“Thank you,” Hoshi said proudly. “So. I need help picking the place, the music, what to say—like, should I go cheesy or mysterious? Also, what should I wear? What’s the line between hot and ‘trying too hard’?”
Chan’s brain short-circuited. “You want me to help you plan a fake romantic proposal?”
“Yes,” Hoshi said without missing a beat. “Exactly that.”
Chan blinked. “But… if it’s fake, what if Wonwoo thinks it’s real?”
Hoshi snorted. “Oh, my dearest Chan,” he said dramatically, patting Chan’s knee like they were in a soap opera. “Wonwoo’s in on it. He knows the plan. No worries.”
“Oh.” Chan let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Right. Okay.”
He nodded slowly, like he was convincing himself. I can do this. I can totally do this.
“Yeah. Okay. I can do that.”
Hoshi beamed. “Knew I could count on you.”
He stood, brushing crumbs from his lap, then turned to Chan with a wink.
“Lunch again tomorrow? We start planning then.”
“Y-Yeah,” Chan said, voice a little too high.
“Awesome. It’s a date. Don’t forget your notebook—Project Love Trap is officially in motion.”
A date? Chan’s heart nearly exploded. Hoshi didn’t mean it like that. Obviously. Clearly. Obviously. But still—he said it. It’s a date.
Chan sat frozen on the bleachers, the words echoing in his head on repeat like some kind of romantic curse. His sandwich felt suddenly irrelevant. How am I supposed to survive lunch tomorrow, he thought, when I barely made it through today alive?
Before Chan could say anything else, Hoshi was already jogging away, leaving Chan sitting on the bleachers with a half-eaten sandwich, a whole heart, and no idea how he was going to survive this plan without falling even harder.