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“Woonhak-ah, it’s okay. You’ll have plenty of time to date.”
“I’m telling you, hyung, I can date right now! It’s just that I don’t want to!”
“Oh, this baby thinks he’s all grown up now! So cute!”
“Argh! Jaehyun-ie-hyung! Stop pinching my cheeks, we’re about the same age!”
“But, Woonhak-ah, we even had to help you brush your teeth this morning, right, Jaehyun-ie-hyung?”
“That’s right. Our Woonhak-ie can’t even brush his teeth by himself, let alone date.”
“Aah! Enough, Jaehyun-ie-hyung, Taesan-ie-hyung!”
It was always like this… Jaehyun, Taesan, and Woonhak were next-door neighbors, and so they grew up together—always joined at the hip. The same went for school, even though Woonhak was a year younger, he could always be seen with the two of them. Being with them was always fun, but Woonhak had to grow a thick shell over the years to deal with his hyungs’ teasing. They said he was fun to tease, he said they were too much. In the end, they all got along.
But right now, Woonhak’s honor and dignity were at stake. His hyungs couldn’t believe he could get himself a date. To them, he was too much of a child—worse, a baby. Which was ridiculous. He was just one year younger, it wasn’t that big of a difference. But in their eyes, he was a giant baby in diapers.
Usually, he would let the teasing go, like he always did. But Woonhak was a romantic. He loved romance just as much as he loved being cool and hip-hop. He was a cool man! And as such, he could absolutely flirt and go on a date!
I mean, he was tall, handsome, and fun. He was called endearing and cute all the time! Most of the time it was by grandmas, aunts, and, well, his hyungs—but still!
Kim Woonhak was a catch. Never mind getting a date—he could get the date! Not that he needed one, but as a man, he had to prove himself. Imagine Taesan’s and Jaehyun’s faces after seeing him successfully catch a baddie while they were still insufferably single!
That was how Kim Woonhak, a second-year student, a young musician—the next big thing, in his words at least—ended up asking out the Kim Leehan: certified prettiest boy in the whole school, famously known oddball, and father of a couple of fish.
“Uhm, Leehan-sunbae-nim… I called you here because…”
Shame and embarrassment started crawling up Woonhak’s skin. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. He was just going to make a fool of himself—and in front of such an adorable sunbae, too. They were at the school rooftop, just the two of them. He could just say it was a mistake and leave.
That was the new plan. But then Woonhak lifted his head to meet Leehan’s eyes and—wow. They were so big and attentive. He had all of this guy’s attention, and suddenly Woonhak felt bad for interrupting his lunch with his bullshit.
Sensing Woonhak’s nervousness, Leehan broke the silence with his soothing voice.
“Woonhak-ie, right? I’m listening. You can speak when you’re ready.”
Damn it. Woonhak hadn’t even introduced himself—he had just called his sunbae-nim out of nowhere in a hurry.
“Ah! That’s right! I’m Kim Woonhak! I’m a second-year, and I’m also a proud member of our school’s music club—with Taesan-ie-hyung! Nice to meet you, Leehan-sunbae-nim!”
He bowed hurriedly, making his sunbae chuckle in response.
“I know you. Taesan-ah talks a lot about you.”
“Oh! I bet he does. Don’t listen to him, sunbae-nim! He likes teasing me, so he must’ve said bad things about me! They’re all jokes!”
“I don’t know… he said a lot of good things about you.”
“Really? What did he say?”
Leehan-sunbae-nim smiled so brightly you could barely see his eyes. It was absolutely adorable. If Woonhak weren’t so used to seeing Taesan’s and Jaehyun’s handsome faces every day, he might’ve stared like a total weirdo.
“Well, he said you’re very diligent, always coming up with new ideas for the club, and that you work really hard on your songs.”
“Eh? Really? He said that? Wow!”
“Yes. He also said that because of that, you get very tired, so he has to brush your teeth for you.”
“Aaarrgh! Taesan-ie-hyung, really?! He’s always saying that! You don’t believe him, right, sunbae-nim? I’ve been brushing my teeth since I was five! I’m the oldest at home! I taught my sister how to brush her teeth!”
Leehan-sunbae-nim laughed hard at Woonhak’s expense. It was a strange laugh, like he was choking on air—but somehow, the sound made Woonhak laugh too. He totally understood why Taesan and Leehan were friends. They both enjoyed teasing. Well… Leehan-sunbae-nim was cuter while doing it.
“Argh, what else did Taesan-hyung tell you? Actually—don’t tell me!”
“It was just cute things, don’t worry, Woonhak-ie.”
“You say that, but with Taesan-hyung, I can’t help worrying!”
“It’s fine. He only told me about your snowman plushie.”
Leehan-sunbae-nim looked like an angel while chuckling—but he was a devil. Woonhak should’ve known.
“No! Sunbae-nim! It was a gift from my sister! I just keep it by my bed because she’d get mad otherwise! Don’t misunderstand!”
Leehan only looked at him warmly, still laughing. Why was Woonhak so easy to tease?
“Sunbae-nim, you’re just as bad as Taesan-ie-hyung! Thank God I didn’t ask you out. The teasing would be endless!”
…Well. Shit.
Kim Woonhak, second-year student, newbie musician, beloved by his peers—and a complete idiot.
Leehan-sunbae-nim stopped laughing and stared at him.
“You were going to ask me out, Woonhak-ie?”
“Ah—y-yes! I was going to, sunbae, but—w-wait, why are you getting closer?”
“I want to hear it properly. You asking me out, that’s it.”
“Y-you don’t need to be this close!”
They were an arm’s length apart—still space, but barely.
“Of course I do. I need to see you properly too. You look really cute right now, Woonhak.”
People called him cute all the time; he should be numb to that. Instead, he was probably red all over his face.
Woonhak cleared his throat. He needed to end this new way of teasing, or else he would just combust.
“Look, sunbae-nim, I’m not really asking you out—”
“Hm? Why not?”
“Because you’re going to reject me, of course!”
“Hm? I wouldn’t, though?”
“Eh? You said what?”
“Ask me, Woonhak-ie.”
“Eh… sunbae.”
“Go on.”
That damn smirk didn’t leave his sunbae’s face. He was sure it was some kind of teasing—the worst kind. It made his heart beat like a 130 bpm rhythm, and his stomach felt funny, like he was going to throw up, but in a good way. It was just so weird. Leehan-sunbae-nim was so weird. But Woonhak couldn’t help going along with him.
“Leehan-sunbae-nim, would you go on a date with me?”
“Yes. I would, Woonhak-ie—and call me hyung.”
“Uhm, eh… Leehan-nim-hyung?”
“No, that’s not the right way to call your date.”
“Leehan-hyung?”
“Yes?”
“Uhm… I-I think it’s time to head back to class.”
“It is. The bell rang a while ago.”
“Eeh? Leehan-hyung, why didn’t you say so? Let’s go!”
As they were close, somehow their hands got entangled, and that’s how Woonhak ended up running through the halls with Leehan-hyung, holding his hand, trying not to look back—or else his hyung would see that the redness hadn’t gone away. He might not even have to explain that they were going on a date to his hyungs, because now a majority of the school had seen two tall guys running around, looking shy and giggling. Most of the giggling was Leehan’s.
Woonhak was so out of his mind that he managed to circle around instead of reaching his class, and Leehan was just enjoying seeing him so flustered. Their teachers, though, didn’t enjoy it—not one bit. They ended up getting scolded in the teachers’ lounge for messing around, but Woonhak couldn’t even get upset about that. He was now concerned about where to take Leehan.
He was a man of honor—and a cool one.
He couldn’t disappoint his sunb- his hyung!