Archive of Our Own

Sound, being part of the entertainment industry since he was young, is familiar with every type of romance known to mankind. He has played various roles: a wing man, a second lead, the son of a divorced couple, the son of a very affectionate couple, a third party, an ex whom everyone hates, a lovesick guy, and of course, a main lead who had his happy ending.

He’s an expert at this point. Give him a synopsis of a story, and he can already predict what’s going to happen and how it’s going to end.

He’s a method actor. A rising star. An actor everyone looks forward to whenever his name is listed in the cast.

But one thing about him that nobody really knows is that he’s anti-romantic.

Yes, he has a boyfriend. Yes, he’s happily in a relationship with said boyfriend. Yes, they’re turning a year in a few months. And yes, he’s still anti-romantic.

Romance just isn’t his thing; he has his own way of expressing how he feels.

He makes sure they eat properly, even while bickering with their bandmates. He always checks his helmet strap before he gets on the bike. He often puts snacks in his backpack when he figures he’ll want something to eat in class. He makes sure Win feels loved, even if Sound won’t show it explicitly.

And by “them,” it’s just Win.

Always and only Win.

Win is like a breath of fresh air for him. He’s not like any other typical boyfriends he sees in movies. He’s not often sweet, maybe sometimes when he needs something from Sound. They always curse at each other. Pet names are exclusive to times when they really, really need to be pampered. They bicker, always ready to one-up one another, and nobody wants to lose.

Hugs and kisses are mandatory, though. They both love those, but only in the confines of their own rooms or whenever they know they are safe with the people they are with.

They’ve been together for almost a year now, and they’re happy. They enjoy each other’s company, and they love being attached at the hip. They may argue about their differences, but one thing they both agree on is their opinion about Valentine’s Day.

They hate it. The concept of couples hurting each other daily, then suddenly becoming overly loving during Valentine’s Day, disgusts them the most.

“Stop making me help you hop on that fucking trend, Gun,” Sound said irritably when Gun suddenly showed him a picture of the bouquet he was planning to buy for Tinn.

He even flipped him off when he wouldn’t stop shoving the picture in his face.

“I don’t know why you’re so bitter—you’re in a relationship?!” Gun countered when Sound continued ranting about how Valentine’s Day was the worst day ever.

“Yeah, but unlike you, we’re normal, and we can get by every day without flaunting our relationship.”

And as if on cue, here comes Win, entering the music room with his backpack on one shoulder, smiling brightly at Sound, whose brows still furrowed from his conversation with Gun.

“Hello, Pumpkin,” Win greeted him, his toothy smile giving Sound the hunch that he had done something behind his back.

“What did you do?” he asked, ignoring the sweetness in Win’s tone, sighing as if he was already tired of whatever his boyfriend had gotten up to that morning.

Their classes hadn’t even started yet, and here came his idiot boyfriend, already causing trouble.

Win’s smile faltered. A scowl appeared on his face, his eyes rolling as he looked at Sound as if he had physically wounded him.

“You’re fucking rude. I just greeted you so lovingly, and you just assume I did something? Can’t I just miss you and be sweet for once, asshole?” Win ranted, obviously offended by how he was greeted back. Sound just looked at him and raised his brows, not acknowledging Gun’s comment about them being a ‘normal’ couple.

“What did you do, Win?”

And he knew he was right when Win looked at him with a smile that said, you caught me.

“I did nothing… which is the problem. I forgot to do my assignment. Can I copy yours? Please, Pumpkin.”

“Fuck, no. I reminded you twice before I went home last night. You still have a few minutes to do it right now, or you’ll lose the grade.”

Sound’s brows were furrowed now towards him. Of course, he wouldn’t let him copy his work—Win is a functioning student, and he can do simple mathematics on his own.

Win groaned and snickered at him before slumping on the floor, getting his things from his bag, and starting his homework that’s due for their first class.

When their morning class ended, Sound was left alone with Gun again. Pat was somewhere they didn’t know, maybe out there flirting with some girls again. Por went to the music room to get some of his things, while Yo dragged Win somewhere Sound wasn’t allowed to know yet.

He knew Win would let him in on their little secret because that’s just how they are, they never keep anything from each other. So here he was, patiently waiting for them to get back while Gun yapped about his plan.

“You know Tinn even before, do you think he’d like to go on a picnic?” he asked, genuinely curious. It’s their first Valentine’s as a couple, and he wanted to repay Tinn for all the help he’d done for the band, and also as his boyfriend.

“Yeah, maybe? We don’t know each other like that. I didn’t even notice he likes you,” Sound answered. Because Gun asked as a friend needing help, he didn’t have anything to do, so he’d just indulge him in whatever plan he was coming up with.

Gun rolled his eyes at him and continued searching for the best Valentine’s date plan, then looked at Sound again.

“What’s your plan?”

“What plan?”

“You and Win’s Valentine’s plan? It’s your first Valentine’s together! Of course, you need to have a plan.”

Sound almost started ranting again, but he closed his eyes and reminded himself that this is Gun—and Gun is just an exhibitionist—and he’s better than him. He looked at his friend and tried to explain.

“February 14th is just a normal day. We don’t have—and don’t need—plans for that day. Keep me out of that diabolical concept, please.”

And that’s true. He and Win think that Valentines is just a lame concept, made for people who love to perform for others and not really for the ones they love. Whoever thought of that idea should rethink their life choices.

But what Gun said next made his eyes widen, his stomach twist, and maybe made him rethink his own life choices.

“But it’s your monthly anniversary? Like, what, 10th monthly anniversary? Didn’t you guys always go out every time?”

“What are you doing?”

Sound was in his room, sitting on his bed and playing on his phone, which Por had made him download earlier after class. It was a game he and Tiwson had been bonding over for days, and aside from Win, only Por could convince him to get into something he wasn’t really interested in.

Win just walked up to him and briefly looked at his screen before planting a soft, loud peck on his cheek—something he loved doing ever since they started dating. It was always random kisses all over Sound’s face whenever they were together and he was busy with something else.

His boyfriend was such an attention seeker that he needed to distract him every time he wasn’t giving him any. Sound loved that Win was affectionate toward him; he would literally pamper Sound with kisses until he dropped whatever he was doing and focused his attention on him.

And he did. Win gave Sound more pecks on the face before straddling his lap and hugging him, resting his head on his shoulder and giving him his full weight until they ended up falling onto the bed.

“Sound, baby. I’m here.”

“I know, you’re literally on top of me right now,” he answered, laced with faux sarcasm.

He’s just a weak man for his boyfriend. He closed his phone and wrapped his arms around Win’s waist, who kept leaving kisses on his face, intentionally skipping his lips.

“Stop. You’re tickling me.”

“That’s what you get for not noticing me.”

“I’m noticing you. I’m talking to you.”

“Yeah, you did just now. You were busy with your phone.”

“You’re such a baby. Get off. Lay here.” He pushed Win hard enough to make him lie on his side, which Win did, but he immediately threw his arms and legs over him, snuggling against him like a koala. It made Sound chuckle at his clinginess but he just let him.

They stayed like that for a minute, and Sound knew any minute now that Win would spill whatever it was, he had been doing with Yo earlier that day. He wasn’t wrong because Win started ranting right after.

“He was planning to sing her a song, and he literally wrote Nook one himself. He’s so lovesick,” Win started. Sound took a mental note of that term. He’d make sure to tease Win about calling Yo lovesick while he was literally hugging him so tight they were like one person now.

“And he asked you for help? Wow, that must be a very cringe song,” he chose to say instead, knowing rage-baiting him would work. It always worked with Win. His patience with Sound is thinner than the distance they have right now.

“Fuck you. I can write a song, maybe better than you can.” Win’s brows furrowed, lips pouted, but his hands started playing with the sleeve of Sound’s shirt. It’s his shirt—Sound just stole it from his dresser because, in his words, it suits him better.

Sound rolled his eyes and laughed at him.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever makes you sleep at night.”

“Yes, I can!”

“You can’t even write one verse without pacing all over the room and crashing out for an hour before coming up with another line.”

“It’s because you’re stupidly looking at me with your dumb look.”

“What look, huh?” Sound asked, facing Win and challenging him to continue his words while their faces were only inches apart. Their lips were only an inch apart, and he could see Win’s face flush at the proximity, but he didn’t make an effort to move away.

“That look you always have on your face whenever you look at me,” Win answered, walking into the trap he made himself. His eyes were locked on Sound’s, captivated by how pretty his boyfriend’s eyes are. They’re doe-like, always glimmering and innocent, which contradicts his usual frowning expression.

“You’re so cringe, do you know that?” Sound whispered as if it were a secret only they were allowed to know, and that made a smile creep onto Win’s face.

“You love me cringe.”

“Stupid.” As if it were the sweetest word ever, Sound angled his face to meet Win’s lips.

It was just a peck at first until Win started giggling obviously giddy at the attention, making their lips slide against each other. Then it turned into a loud, passionate kiss, their lips smacking together, the sound echoing in every corner of the room.

Sound anchored his body with one elbow on the bed while the other rested beside Win’s head, his upper body hovering over Win’s as he lay flat on the mattress. Win’s hand was around his nape, pulling him down to keep kissing him, and the other slipped under Sound’s shirt, gripping the warm skin of his waist.

Win pulled him even closer, arms already snaking around his neck. A moan escaped him when Sound snuck his tongue out and let Win suck on it while he shifted to get on top of him. Their bodies pressed together, and Win’s hand wandered over his upper body, gripping every part as if it gave him the strength to keep kissing him, even though his lungs were running out of air.

When they both needed to breathe, Sound trailed kisses from Win’s jaw down to his neck and collarbones, sucking on a spot he knew Win’s uniform could hide. He always made sure to leave at least one mark on him whenever he could, because he knew Win enjoyed being marked by him. It was possessive and claiming, making Win whimper in satisfaction.

And even before things started getting more heated, Win patted him twice, and Sound knew it was time to stop. He gave the fresh bruise under Win’s collarbone a few kitten licks before going back to his lips to give him a quick peck and collapsing entirely on top of him.

He was breathing fast to catch his breath as Win hugged him tight, keeping him steady on top of him.

“You’re a needy asshole,” Sound started as he recovered from losing his breath. Win scoffed and wiggled him a little.

“Says someone who just gave me a hickey. I won’t be able to wear a sando for a week now. It’s almost summer,” he complained, making Sound lift his head and look at him with amusement.

“You can only complain when you don’t whimper while I’m giving you one,” he bantered back before resting his head again in the crook of Win’s neck.

“Whatever. What are we going to do for our 10th?” Win chose to ask instead, ignoring the way his cheeks blushed at being called out for his uncontrolled reactions.

Sound’s body tensed for a moment. Win felt it but patiently waited for him to answer. Nothing came out from Sound, so he tried to peek at him, but Sound just held his face and pinched it like a stress ball, causing his lips to pout.

“Hmm, Sound.”

“We’re not celebrating.”

And as if an earthquake had happened, Sound fell onto the mattress because Win suddenly sat up and looked at him in disbelief. His eyes widened and his mouth fell open, clearly unhappy with what he just heard. His face was full of confusion, but he didn’t have any words to say except for a silent “what” that didn’t even come out.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that? Get back here.” Sound tried to pull him back to the mattress, but Win just swatted his hands away.

“What do you mean? Are you breaking up with me?” was the question Win chose to ask when the words sank in. Sound doesn’t want to celebrate their 10th month, so that basically means they’re breaking up, right? He just received a hickey, and now they’re breaking up. Nothing made sense to him.

Sound also sat up in disbelief at what he just heard, and now they were two boys sitting on the bed, both confused and hurt at the thought of breaking apart.

“What are you talking about?! Why would I break up with you?!”

“You just said we’re not going to celebrate. That means we’re not going to last until our 10th, isn’t it?”

Now it was Sound’s turn for his mouth to fall open. He couldn’t believe that was the conclusion Win drew from what he had just said. Maybe saying that to Win while he was still high from their heated make out session wasn’t the best thing to do. His boyfriend was clearly still dazed from the kisses and not functioning well enough.

“I just said we’re not celebrating. That doesn’t mean we’re breaking up. Don’t put words in my mouth, dumbass.”

“That’s the same thing?! We always celebrate our months. What’s the difference this month? You’re fucking breaking up with me!” Win’s lips pouted, and his eyes grew shaky. He couldn’t bear to look at Sound right now, so he stood up, ready to walk out of the room, when Sound ran after him and grabbed his wrist.

“This is so fucking dramatic. We’re not breaking up. I’m not breaking up with you. Get that into your head. We were literally just making out—why are you jumping to the conclusion that I’m breaking up with you?!” Sound’s voice was frustrated. The first thing on his mind was to make it clear that he wasn’t breaking up with him.

“Then why?”

“Our 10th month is on the 14th, Win—and it’s February. Our 10th is literally on Valentine’s Day. Do you get me now?”

Win was stunned upon realization. He looked at Sound, confused, until he felt his ears and cheeks heat up. He closed the distance between them and gave Sound a loud smack in the chest, causing the other to step backward from the sudden blow.

“I hate you. You just can’t say it like that and expect me not to jump to the conclusion that you’re breaking up with me. You really need to think twice before formulating sentences, you know? Fucking hell, Sound. You gave me a heart attack.” Win’s heart was racing, both from surprise and nervousness. He felt his knees trembling, so he squatted down, trying to calm himself.

A tight smile crept onto Sound’s face, and he also crouched down to be at Win’s level. He held Win’s face with one hand, forcing him to look at him.

“I’m sorry, but what do we talk about saying we hate each other?” he asked, his face all seriousness and business, until Win’s gaze melted at him.

“I don’t hate you, but you’re really getting on my nerves,” Win replied, which made Sound smile.

“Okay. That’ll do. I’ll accept that.”

And for the rest of the day, they forgot about it. Valentines wasn’t until three weeks from then, so they didn’t have to think about it. They lay on the bed, playing with Sound’s phone like kids fighting over whose turn it was.

“Who would’ve thought your monthly anniversary would fall on Valentines? Are you really sure you’re not going to do anything?” Yo asked, sitting on Win’s bed as the latter checked the verses of the song Yo wrote for his girlfriend.

Win hummed along to the made-up tune they had come up with on the first day of the project. He may be someone who doesn’t like celebrating Valentines, but he’s not anti-romantic like his pretty famous actor boyfriend. He could actually call himself a hopeless romantic; he just doesn’t want to show it in public. So, when he and Sound started dating and agreed on not celebrating Valentines, he was over the moon.

Don’t get him wrong—he would love to show off Sound. He’s so proud to have him as his boyfriend, but he just wants to do it on their own terms, not because society coerces them to.

“This is good already. We could start with the bridge or the hook if you already have something in mind.” He turned his swivel chair around to face Yo and passed him the notebook back.

“Yeah, I’m drained right now. Let’s talk about your plans. Come on, I know you’re going to do something.” Yo pushed the topic, and Win just shrugged, giving Yo a knowing look. He didn’t say anything, just stared at the ceiling, thinking over the idea he had in mind.

Originally, he planned to take Sound to that fancy restaurant they’d passed by while strolling at midnight. The vibes of the place suited his boyfriend perfectly—it screamed classic, elegant, beautiful, but also a little chaotic. But since Valentine’s Day would ruin it by filling the place with couples, he decided to dump the idea.

He was planning something more secret and private for them, but it wasn’t easy. They always had sleepovers and did things alone, so doing the usual wouldn’t feel special anymore. It was tricky. He knew what Sound would like and dislike, and anything resembling what other couples would do was definitely off the table.

“I think… I think I’m not going to celebrate this month’s anniversary. It’s freaking Valentine’s Day. I won’t let people drag me into the trend, and you know Sound doesn’t like that either.” he chose to say instead. He was contemplating, weighing his options, but genuinely afraid that they wouldn’t be able to celebrate.

Their monthly anniversary days were something they came up with when they started dating. They knew they weren’t typical boyfriends, and they weren’t good at expressing their feelings. Hence, having even just one day each month when they could be extra vulnerable with each other was important.

It’s what keeps their relationship working, and they wouldn’t want Valentine’s Day to tarnish how special it is for them.

“Man, that’s tough. But you both know that if you ever decide to do something that day, it’ll only be for you and not for anyone else. If you let this Valentines ruin the little tradition you have, maybe you’re giving it too much importance to begin with.”

Win hates that Yo is making sense. His friend is supposed to be just a lovesick guy who can’t even play the guitar right yet still insists on making a whole new love song for his girlfriend.

Love is cute that way, but it is also performative in some aspects, and Win doesn’t want that for himself.

Even before Win tried to come up with words, his room door opened, and there stood Sound, wearing a hoodie a little bigger than him and shorts that were barely visible because of how the hoodie covered them. He looked cozy, and the expression on his face showed he was close to collapsing on the floor.

“Oh, hi, Yo. You’re here,” Sound greeted their friend and immediately walked to the bed to sit down beside Yo. Win just looked at him, trying to study his face and remember the reason Sound was here in the middle of the night when it was literally a school night. They didn’t plan a sleepover today, which is why Yo visited for a quick chat.

“Hi, Sound. Win, you didn’t tell me you’d have a sleepover. I should get going now,” Yo chuckled, already used to seeing the tension between the two of them. But the tension inside the room was different—it was more intense and… intimate in some ways.

They weren’t shouting at each other or calling each other insults that Yo thought translated into the sweetest nicknames ever. They were just coexisting, and the way their eyes looked at each other already made him feel like he was interrupting something.

“Hates Valentines, my ass. Regular day and y’all are having intense heart eyes at each other, ugh,” Yo whispered to himself, not minding if the couple heard him, before making his way out of the situation.

The room door clicked, and Win’s heart almost dropped when he heard a sob come from Sound. He stood up and walked toward him. The sight of his boyfriend with teary eyes, cheeks flushed from trying hard not to cry, and lips trembling from holding back a sob did something to him.

“Pumpkin, what is it?” he asked, cupping Sound’s face with both hands and sweeping away the stray hairs sticking to it. His eyes wandered over his whole face as if it would give him the answer to why he was here in the middle of the night, sobbing.

Sound looked at him, and in just a second, he jumped at Win, engulfing him in a tight hug. The other had no choice but to embrace him back, his hands moving up and down his back, attempting to console him.

“I… I just finished filming a Valentine’s mini play today, and… I just missed you. I called you a few times, and you didn’t answer, so I figured I’d just appear here.”

“Oh, my big baby. I was helping Yo with his song. Come here.” Win didn’t need to tell him twice for Sound to snuggle even closer than he already was.

It was a quiet night, and with Sound in his arms, drawing circles on his chest while Win played with his hair, he realized that Yo was right. Letting that stupid hearts day ruin their monthly tradition—the one that makes the world envious of their love—would only hurt them in the future.

He intends to be with Sound for longer than he lives, and that means they’ll get to celebrate their monthly anniversary every Valentines for years.

February 7, 20xx.

One week exactly before the day of love—as people call it. Some teachers were already joking about students having dates and doing insane public things for their loved ones, and the band just wanted to kick the couple who kept silently grimacing at every statement.

“Hypocrites. I’d be the first one to laugh at the two of you when you do something for that day,” Pat started while they were all having lunch together. It was the band, plus Tiwson and Tinn, sitting beside their boyfriends.

“Not going to happen.”

“Never. Please, let me live.”

The couple said it at the same time, looked at each other, and sighed, as if their eyes meeting wasn’t something that made their hearts flutter all at once.

The band continued chattering while eating, and when it was time to go back to class, Sound and Win’s hands unconsciously found each other and intertwined. Nobody looked twice; it was just typical Sound and Win, walking while holding hands as if one would get lost in the straight corridor they were navigating.

They sat down side by side, and when their professor was announced absent, Yo immediately tapped Win’s shoulder to say they should go to the music room for the song they were working on. Sound stayed behind, playing again with Por and Tiwson while Gun watched them. It’s only them left for their other classmates ran out after the announcement.

“Sound, I’ll be just in the music room, okay?” Win said, and Sound just hummed in acknowledgment without looking up, extremely focused on the game.

Win pouted. He didn’t like it, so he did what he usually does. He held Sound’s cheeks with one hand, forcing him to face him, and planted a soft peck on his mouth. It was just a quick kiss, but Sound puckered his lips to receive it, not even straying his eyes from his phone.

“Ugh, I don’t want to leave,” Win suddenly said, still holding his boyfriend’s cheeks. Their other friends paid them no attention—they were always like that, acting like being sweet would kill them, but still doing things that were absolutely adorable.

“Then fucking stay and shut up,” Sound responded, finally looking at Win and using his eyes to command him to sit down beside him again and watch him play or something. But Win just rolled his eyes at him.

“No. You’re so obsessed with me,” he bantered back, making Sound sigh and return to the game.

“Whatever, go away.”

And Win did. He laughed as he walked with Yo to the music room, glancing at the calendar on his phone and nodding to himself.

“One week. I’ll make you celebrate this Valentines with me whether you like it or not.”

Win is acting different.

It’s been three days since he kissed Sound in the classroom, and it’s been three days since he started doing things that—well, they don’t irritate Sound, but they’re definitely unusual. He’s been extra clingy. Extra affectionate. The kind of affectionate that makes Sound suspicious.

They aren’t much different from what they usually do, though.

“Hop in.” Win commanded, patting the back seat of his motorbike when he saw Sound waiting for him in front of their house. They always go to school together if Sound doesn’t have a morning meeting with his agent, so it’s not much different from their routine, but what’s unusual is what Win did next.

“Where’s your other helmet?” he asked as he approached closer. Win whipped it out from the front and instead of handing it to Sound, who was waiting for it, he put it on for him, making the other’s brows furrow out of confusion.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“You’re a smartass, what do you think I am doing? Putting it on for you, Mr. Obvious?” Win snickered, adjusting the strap tighter until it almost choked him.

“It hurts, fuck you, Win.” Sound slapped his hand away, but Win just laughed and whispered, “maybe, later,” before handing his arm out to help him get on the bike.

And then he did it again when they were going home that afternoon, minus the almost choking part because Sound had his fingers pinching Win’s arm while he put it on for him.

“Chill. I am not going to choke you again. You’re always assuming the worst of me, aren’t you?”

“Because you’re an asshole. Stop pouting.”

“Give me a kiss, maybe?” Win pouted more, and Sound, even if he looked irritated, leaned in to give him a peck on the lips before pushing him away and riding the bike.

The next day brought another unusual shenanigan—not really, because just like the helmet thing, it was also part of their routine, but more like an upgraded level.

The school had announced a surprise Valentines event for the day and asked the music club to play for them, which meant extended practices before and after school hours. Sound, being attached to his guitar, didn’t want to leave it in the club, so he always brought it with him, anywhere.

“Sound, let’s go.” Gun waved his hand to hurry him along; it was lunch break, and they only had an hour to eat. Sound was just finishing jotting down notes from class, copying from Por, who had left the notebook with him. He could have taken it home and written it later, but he knew he’d be tired as hell, so he gave Gun a ‘wait’ sign and wrote even faster.

Win stood beside him, waiting patiently. When Sound finished, he put his things in his bag and reached for his guitar, but before he could, Win had already grabbed it, slung the strap over his shoulder, and carried it for him.

“What? Let’s go, you’re already hungry, right?” he asked, looking at Sound and holding out his hand so his confused boyfriend could intertwine with his.

“Give me my guitar, I’ll carry it,” Sound demanded, but instead of complying, Win just made a face, reached for his hand, and dragged him to the cafeteria, where their bandmates were already waiting with their food served.

“Did you two make out first before coming here?” Pat asked, glaring at them, obviously hungry, but since Gun was a good leader, he kept them from eating until the other two members sat down.

“No. Gross to say that” Win answered before sitting down. He placed the guitar between his legs, using his shoes as leverage so it wouldn’t touch the ground, knowing Sound wouldn’t like that.

Sound just looked at him with a still-confused expression as he also sat down beside him. Win looked back, eyebrows raised, as if asking why he was giving him a dumb look.

“Give it here. You eat messily; you’ll get the bag dirty.” Sound tried again to reach for his guitar, but Win just slapped his hand away and gestured for him to leave it.

“I won’t. I’ll eat carefully. Now, you go eat so you can play better later.”

“I play better than you.”

“Okay, Mr. SoundAbout. Now, eat.” Win even tried to reach for Sound’s spoon, but the latter just snatched his food away from him.

Sound is growing suspicious of him, but it’s all harmless things, so he couldn’t really accuse him of anything. He just let Win do things for him, thinking it was just Win being his usual weird self—more unhinged than usual. He even started patting Sound’s head gently when he dropped him off, giving him a quick peck and saying that Sound did great that day.

It’s all the little things Win does that Sound loves about him. He’s affectionate and observant, but Sound really wonders what’s with the sudden shift—and he doesn’t need to wonder for long when he finds out what his boyfriend is up to.

Win left his phone in Sound’s hand one time when he ran to the bathroom before practice started, shouting that he needed to go and clutching his stomach.

“Serves you right for eating my pork serving earlier,” Sound said loudly, just before Win vanished into the bathroom.

The band decided to wait for him, and knowing Win, he would really take his time, so they just sprawled out inside the room. Sound opened Win’s phone and couldn’t help but smile when he saw the wallpaper—him, a capture of his back while playing guitar. He remembered it had been posted on the music club’s official page.

He unlocked the phone and played some games until he got bored and decided to snoop around. It wasn’t new for either of them to have access to each other’s phones; they trusted each other and knew no one would dare do anything behind the other’s back, so they were open to it.

He remembered that Win liked jotting down lyrics in his notes app and decided to check if there were any new ones. Instead, one new note caught his attention. The title being his name made his heart pound, so he clicked on it out of curiosity—and there it was: Win’s plan.

The subtitle—10th & Valentine’s (yuck) thingy—made his brows raise. It was just a list with checkboxes under different categories: Sound’s wants, Sound’s needs, Sound’s preferences, Sound’s maybe-likes, and Win’s to-do.

His cheeks reddened while reading, and he even felt a little guilty for snooping, but he still scrolled to the bottom and saw a category with nothing under it: 10th month plan.

So, Win was still planning something for their 10th month, even though they had agreed not to do anything because it fell on Valentine’s Day. That made Sound smirk. That’s why Win had been acting extra with him—so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Win suddenly asked him to be his Valentine or whatever. After Win’s actions over the past few days, being his Valentine sounded less annoying and oppositional in Sound’s head, at least for a minute.

A lightbulb went off in his head. If Win was trying to do something for him but still didn’t know what—hence why the last category was empty—he just needed to come up with a plan first and execute it for their monthly anniversary. It was just for their celebration, not for Valentine’s Day, he reminded himself.

February 14th, 20xx.

Valentine’s Day isn’t for the single and weak.

Couples here and there, heart-shaped balloons hanging randomly, flower vendors on every sidewalk even if it’s still early in the morning. It’s a non-holiday that even single people celebrate for the sake of expressing feelings for their loved ones.

Sound and Win aren’t weak, and they’re absolutely not single, but they’re also not the type to openly express their feelings—especially not to each other. So, when their first Valentine’s Day as a couple looms around the corner, both are against the idea of celebrating or joining the trend. It’s just a silly, random day that people choose to make others envious.

Knowing that Win has his own plan keeps Sound’s mind running through possibilities, assuming and expecting something to just appear in front of him when the clock strikes 12, thinking of what will happen if Win fetches him that morning.

He thinks he might refuse to walk into class if suddenly a red carpet is placed in front of him or run away if people start handing him flowers when he steps onto the school grounds. He would blush and have his heart pound, but he would definitely turn his back on that.

When his phone hit midnight, all he received was a single message from his boyfriend: “Good morning, pumpkin. It’s our 10th month. Don’t you dare get bored of me. We’re in this for life. You’re the best, Sound. Really. I love you. Please don’t die on me.”

It sent him into a laughing spree, occasional squeals muffled into his pillow because Win was such a freaking cute menace.

He always started their days with these little annoying, overly cute messages—the kind that reminded Sound, again, why he fell for this bassist who sometimes woke up late and mixed up the days of the week, occasionally making him wear the wrong uniform to school.

Sound, being Sound, composed himself and sent a small video clip of him blowing virtual kisses, captioned, "It's good to know that you know I am the best. I love you, Win," all while smirking, fully aware of how good he looked. Win immediately replied with an eye-roll emoji.

Win peppered Sound’s face with pecks the moment he showed up that morning, even arriving an hour earlier than usual just to sit on his bed and watch Sound get ready for school. Sound half-expected flowers, a gift, a letter—anything that would give away Win’s plan—but all he got was Win’s big puppy eyes while pacing around the room.

At school, everything screamed Valentine’s chaos—corners draped in red and pink, couples who couldn’t keep their hands off each other—but Sound and Win walked side by side, faces straight, hands tucked in their own pockets, refusing to join the public display of affection.

Classes got cut short for the little Valentine’s program, which had the students cheering anyway. The band used the now-empty classroom hours to practice for their performance, though it was short-lived—Gun, Yo, and Por were off doing things for their own partners, leaving Sound and Win together while Pat ranted about how unfair it was that he was the only one without a date, which they completely ignored.

The band’s performance wrapped up after five songs, three of them slow dances. Sound couldn’t help sneaking glances at Win whenever it was his turn to sing, subtle enough that Win noticed and returned a few glances, quietly letting him know he saw him.

Nothing felt out of the ordinary until the program ended. They were left alone on the school grounds while the other couples danced or ate together. Neither of them wanted to stick around any longer than necessary, so when one asked when they should leave, the other immediately agreed.

A night drive wasn’t new for them—they always went on one whenever someone had an errand and wanted company, or when it was too late for Sound to go home alone after a company meeting and Win would go fetch him.

Win handed him a jacket he always keeps just in case for moments like this, and every time, Sound felt his chest swell at the simple, thoughtful gesture.

The ride was breezy as they cruised around the city. When Win asked if he wanted to go somewhere, Sound swallowed hard, excitement fluttering in his chest, and immediately gave him directions.

"What's this?" Win asked when Sound tapped him gently on the shoulder, signaling him to park the bike.

"I don't know, maybe a camping site?" Sound tried to say it cooler, but the giddiness in his voice made Win squint his eyes at him as he removed both their helmets.

"Sound."

"What? Are you scared of the dark? There's lights and cabins around."

Sound left Win for a moment and went straight to one of the cabins not too far where the camping ranger was staying. He talked with him for a while, which bought Win time to look around and spot some scattered tents that probably had people inside or were for decorations.

The site was in an elevated space where you could see the city lights, and the sky was clear with the stars and moon shining brightly. It looked peaceful, quiet, and private—very much to his liking.

When Win looked back at Sound, the latter was already walking back to him with some things in his hands, smiling shyly, but the look in his eyes made Win creep a smile onto his face.

"What are those?" he asked, trying to hide the growing smile on his face, but Sound chuckled.

"You know what these are, you're not an idiot. Come help me build this—I might need your strength and maybe some laughs."

And so, they went to build the camping tent that Sound had gotten. They chose a much more secluded place but still visible to settle down, and as Sound was about to sit down, Win whipped out a picnic blanket from his bag and laid it inside before placing the pillows.

"You're ready," Sound joked, and Win just shrugged at him, obviously showing off.

The first few minutes were full of silence, and some insect sounds that served as their background music as they sat down together, enjoying the overlooking and admiring how the stars twinkled brightly.

Sound looked at Win as he started pointing out some constellations he recognized and even told him that the little circle beside one of them was Mars, visible in the sky. He had always loved that planet and made sure to bring it up whenever he could.

As if Win felt the gaze, he looked at Sound with furrowed brows, but it immediately vanished as he saw the way Sound looked at him—soft, gentle, and full of admiration. When Sound opened his mouth to talk, Win raised his hand to signal “wait” before dashing off to his motorbike.

Sound was confused and about to get alarmed by Win running away when he saw him come back with a plastic bag and a small bouquet of flowers.

“For you. The wrapper’s a little crumpled; I kept it in my under-seat compartment since morning.” he started, handing Sound the flowers and the plastic bag with one hand while scratching the nape of his neck with the other, even though nothing itched.

"You have had this since morning?" was all Sound could ask, surprised, but he still reached out for it and held it closer to his face, which he knew was now flushing red. He could feel his whole body reacting to the gesture.

Heart pounding like crazy, hands starting to sweat out of nervousness, and his whole face heating up.

“It’s your favorite flower—I looked it up on your Wikipedia page.”

And if that wasn’t the funniest and most adorable thing Win had ever said, Sound started laughing until his back hit the ground. He heard Win groan at him, very embarrassed at the situation.

"You're really an asshole. Give it back."

Win tried to snatch the flowers away, but Sound made sure they were safely gripped.

"No, these are my flowers."

"Yeah, not anymore after you laughed at them. Poor flowers, getting laughed at," Win murmured, still trying to snatch them, but Sound just laughed at him more.

"Okay, okay. No more laughing. What are these?" he asked, talking about the plastic bag, navigating the conversation away from his flowers. They weren’t looking very fresh anymore, maybe because they got heated up in the compartment, but they were still pretty, and the fragrance made Sound’s heart swell even more—if that wasn’t already an illness.

"Your favorite snacks," Win replied, opening the bag and dumping the snacks for Sound to see.

"Did you also look at my Wiki page to know this?"

"Ugh, I hate—you're really annoying. You don't even appreciate my surprise."

Win was now pouting, and his brows were furrowed even more, looking at the snacks as if they personally offended him. Sound couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

He always found Win cute, but he didn’t know he could get even cuter than he already was.

"I love it, darling." He picked up each snack, put them back inside the bag, and placed it somewhere far with the flowers before crossing the gap between him and his sulky boyfriend.

"No. You just love laughing at me 'cause you're rude."

As much as Sound liked the visual of Win pouting, he couldn’t help himself. He reached out and kissed the hell out of him—he didn’t even try to stop himself.

He held Win's face and smacked their lips together. He wasn’t used to receiving gifts like this from Win, but he was really grateful, and he hoped his kisses could convey that message instead.

Win returned the favor, holding Sound's face too to pull them even closer. Their lips danced together perfectly—the rhythm of the kiss wasn’t sloppy; it was passionate, full of affection that neither of them could put into words.

As their positions started to get exhausting—Sound leaning in from where he was sitting—no one wanted to pull away. They chose a familiar position, and Win guided Sound as he straddled his lap, their bodies meeting in the middle. If it weren’t for Win's uncontrolled reactions and whimpers, both of their bodies wouldn’t have heated up so much.

The kiss deepened as Win started to explore Sound's body. His hands found the hem of his shirt and tugged at it, silently complaining that it was in the way. The kiss was interrupted when Sound hurriedly took it off and also made Win remove his own. Sound traced Win's body with his hand, pressing the faint bruise he had left weeks ago, causing Win to react.

"Sound."

"It's not really visible anymore. I think you need a new one."

With that, he removed himself from Win's lap and turned away quickly to zip down the mesh and tent cover before pushing Win to lay his head on the pillow and latching his mouth onto the other’s collarbone.

"Fuck, Sound." Win whimpered, closing his eyes from the tingling sensation creeping over his body as his boyfriend sucked another bruise into him. He found Sound's hair and gripped it tightly, causing Sound to whimper at the sudden aggression.

As he finished marking him, he kissed his entire body as if worshipping Win. He intentionally ignored his lower body, since they both knew it wasn’t the place for it and they weren’t ready for that. They hadn’t gone all the way; the closest they’d gotten was grinding against each other, relieving the heat that way.

When he was satisfied with kissing Win, he went back to his lips and kissed him again, but Win gripped his waist firmly enough to leave his handprint as he tried to stop Sound.

"My turn, pumpkin."

In one swift move, Win made Sound lie down, his hand carefully placed at the back of Sound's head to ensure it landed on the pillow, and then kissed him again—not passionately, but aggressive, heated, and with intent. He sucked on his lower lip before tracing kisses down his jaw and licking the sensitive area below Sound's ear.

Sound's hand found his arm and gripped it, testing how much more he could take before slamming Win into the ground and hump him—but Sound was a good boyfriend, so he let Win enjoy his body as much as he was enjoying it.

"I really wonder how your company would react if they saw you covered with marks," Win whispered, his lips ghosting Sound's ear as he asked for permission. "Please, Sound?"

"Okay, darling. As many as you want."

With that, Win kissed him again, silently thanking him before alternately kissing his body and sucking on it until a bruise formed. He repeated this again and again until half of Sound's upper body was covered with red marks that they knew would darken over the next few days.

Win went back to Sound's lips as his whimpers grew louder, and as possessive as he was, he didn’t want anyone—though they were far enough—to hear his boyfriend's sweet sounds.

They kissed again, much softer this time, alternately giving attention to both of their lips, not wanting the other to feel lonely. As the heat died down, Win lay down beside him, catching their breaths together while their hands remained intertwined.

“So,” Sound started, still breathless but determined, “how’s my surprise?”

Win laughed, also breathy, the sound catching as he tried to get more air.

"That's your surprise? Letting me mark you? No wonder you gave in easily."

"Fuck you, I have a photoshoot next week; this will get me hours to cover up." Win laughed harder at him, scooting closer as the night breeze made him shiver. Sound welcomed him into his arms; both used the other's body warmth to fight the cold.

"I love the surprise. It makes you work harder," Win replied, earning a light smack on the arm.

"Really, how did you like my surprise? It's not much better than getting into a Wikipedia page, but—"

"Let that die down, will you? We're having a moment here!"

Win stopped him by squishing his cheeks with one hand, as he always loved Sound's face scrunched up because of his pouty lips.

"I won't. I love that, I love your surprise. So, how's mine?"

"It's good. It's so us, I love it," Win answered truthfully, the idea of them spending the night at a campsite, sleeping together as the moon shone brightly above them as witness to their love, making his heart pound.

He loved how Sound loved him. It was so him.

And as if Sound understood the implication, he hummed, murmuring that he also loved it.

"You sneak in a surprise for me, and here I thought you were anti-romantic."

"I did not say I am anti-romantic, shut up."

Even after a minute, they started bickering again—that was so them, bickering while lying on each other's arms, half-naked, just finished marking each other, and almost shivering in the cold.

"But you act like you are. You don't do things like other boyfriends do, you know? Well, except for writing a song to confess for me."

"Not all other boyfriends can do that… and you are too! You don't do things like others."

"Do you want me to?" Win asked gently, his hand slightly squeezing Sound's arm as the breeze whipped again.

"No, please. God, Win, no." Sound grimaced at the thought of Win doing an overly public display of affection.

"Just what I thought, Mr. Anti-romantic."

"I am not anti-romantic. I just… I just want something for myself that the world doesn’t have to know."

"So, I am your dirty little secret?"

"What? You're dirty, yes, but not my secret, Win. You know what I mean."

"Fuck you, I am not dirty."

Sound cupped Win's face and hovered on top of him again.

"I'm an actor. I act for people. I'm also a band member; I play for people. But this… this is not for people. This is for you. I may be anti-romantic if that's what you want to call it, but I just… I just want you for me and us… for us." Sound spoke gently, locking eyes with Win, meaning every word he said.

Win melted. He knew how Sound felt. He understood him.

"Yes. I love that. I love that you're only like this with me. You're not performing; you're Sound here with me."

Sound smiled and laid his head on Win's chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart.

"And you're also not as bratty as you are with me; you're just a little puppy."

Win rolled his eyes at that but stayed silent, feeling a smile slowly spread across his face.

As the night deepened and the moon reached its peak in the sky, the two of them tangled together under one blanket that they had only just noticed after fighting over who would lay on top of the other. They reminisced about the day.

"Valentine's is nice like this," Sound murmured, suddenly causing Win to hum, asking for more context.

"What? You like performative love now?" Win teased.

"No, shut up. What I mean is, I like how we spent it today. Just the two of us. Nobody needs to know how we celebrated. Maybe it could be our thing."

Win caressed his hair and placed a kiss on Sound's head.

"Yes, let's do this again next year… and the following year, and the next following year, and the other next following year, and the other other next—"

"Okay, okay. Let's do this every year, for our entire years."

Win hummed in agreement, and Sound loved that thought.

Under the moonlight, they spent the rest of their first Valentine's together, away from the eyes of others, with a promise to continue a tradition only they had to know.

Because when you love, you love for that person and not for other people's validation.

And definitely, the way Sound and Win loved each other was just for them—just for them.

Not quite the norm, but exactly what they wanted.