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Today’s schedule had been long. It was one of those days where the studio lights hummed long after the sun had finally set. The only thing keeping them upright was the rhythm that lived in their bones.
Intak was still scrolling through the last set of notes the choreographer had thrown their way. He had his earbuds in, tapping his thumb against his phone screen.
Theo found him that way more often than not, half fading into the soft quiet he built for himself after practice.
“Still awake?” Theo’s voice was low.
Intak tugged one earbud out and tilted his head, “You’re one to talk.”
Theo laughed softly and dropped down beside him on the dorm couch, shoulders brushing for a moment before either of them acknowledged it.
It wasn’t new. The closeness, that is.
They’d slipped into it somewhere between late night ramen runs and shared bruises from choreography that left them aching for days.
“You know what I like about nights like this?” Theo asked, leaning his head back against the couch.
“What’s that?” Intak asked, the corners of his mouth twitching like he already knew where Theo was going.
“That you stop pretending you’re not exhausted.” Theo said. “You always act like you can go one more round, one more rehearsal, one more take…”
He paused, thinking about his next words carefully.
“But then it’s just us, and you let it drop.”
Intak snorted softly. “And what, you like that?”
Theo turned his head just enough to look at him. Really look. “I like when you’re real with me.”
There was a flicker in Intak eyes that said everything. They softened, an easy grin tugging at the edge of something quieter.
“You’re gonna make me sound soft.” Intak tried.
Theo’s lips twitched. “You are. Just not for everyone.”
And maybe that was why Theo liked this so much. Why he liked him so much.
Intak had a way of being everyone’s energy, everyone’s bright pulse, but when it came to Theo… his gaze stilled. His laugh lowered.
His entire presence narrowed in like Theo was the only thing in the room worth focusing on.
And Theo loved that.
Intak adjusted himself on the couch until he was practically kneeling on the cushions, front facing Theo.
Theo eyed him suspiciously. “What are you doing.” It was more like a statement than a question. Theo already had an idea.
Intak’s mouth tugged upward at the corner. He didn’t reply. Only shrugged his shoulders.
Theo studied him for a moment, then reached out and tugged lightly at the sleeve of his hoodie.
“You look like you wanna say something.” Theo said knowingly.
The same sideways grin never left Intak’s face. “Maybe.”
And then, like it had become a routine. A language without words almost. Intak leaned in and pressed a kiss to the corner of Theo’s mouth.
It wasn’t anything deep. It wasn’t even slow. It was just a kiss, a simple touch of lips.
Theo turned into it, caught his lower lip against Intak’s.
For a moment the dorm faded. The hum of the fridge, the muted sounds of the others in their rooms, the way their breath mingled between them.
When they pulled back, it wasn’t awkward. It never really was.
Intak’s fingers rested easily around Theo’s neck. “Wanna know something?”
“Sure, whatever.” Theo said playfully.
Intak hesitated, studying Theo for a moment. His heart thudded too loud for the silence they were sitting in.
Then his gaze softened, “I think you’re the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen.”
That statement alone would’ve made Theo’s heart skip a beat. But when it left Intak’s mouth, he’s pretty sure he almost experienced heart failure.
Theo’s eyes widened and his lips parted immediately. Then his face turned a deep shade of pink. It was almost comical.
He turned his head away from Intak, embarrassment setting in deep.
“You can’t just say that to me so casually.” He sputtered out.
Intak didn’t reply. He just reached out to cup Theo’s face and pull him into another kiss.
It was slow this time. Deliberate even. The kind of kiss that doesn’t rush, just presses in, deepens, parts lips and tastes the breath between them.
Theo just sighed into it, hands tangling into Intak’s soft black hair, while Intak’s fingers gripped Theo’s shirt. They kissed like they’d been holding back too long.
When they finally parted, breaths mingling, Theo whispered, “We’re not nothing, you know. Especially not after that.”
Intak’s eyes crinkled. “You’re right. We’re almost everything.”
Theo smiled, forehead resting against Intak’s. “Almost, always.”
And just like that, it became their rhythm: almost, always.
They don’t label it. They don’t need to. Idol life didn’t leave room for labels, not when their lives were mapped out in beats and call times.
But there were moments. Moments like these, just them in the dark of their shared dorm. Where silence took over, the only sound being the beat of their hearts.
And for now, that was enough.