Archive of Our Own

The library was almost empty by the time the last bell rang. Late afternoon sunlight poured through the tall windows, catching dust in the air and warming the rows of bookshelves. The quiet hum of the air conditioner filled the silence between distant page turns. It smelled like paper and the rain that had fallen earlier.

Sangwon sat at one of the long wooden tables near the back corner, pretending to organize worksheets he had already arranged three times. His fingers were trembling.

God, why was he nervous?

He was literally the class president, top student, and teacher's favorite. Half of the school practically stared at him whenever he walked through the halls. He knew exactly what he looked like. Sharp jawline, pretty lips, dark hair falling perfectly over his forehead no matter how many times he brushed it back. Even in a uniform, he looked unfairly beautiful.

Especially in his school uniform, his white button up was crisp, sleeves rolled neatly to his elbows, exposing slim wrists and pale skin. His tie hung loose enough to look effortless instead of messy, and his fitted black slacks held his legs perfectly. The silver class president pin on his blazer pocket caught the light whenever he moved. He knew people looked at him.

He knew Leo looked at him.

Which somehow made this worse, because Leo was impossible.

Late every morning. Sleeping through half his classes. Smelling faintly like energy drinks and whatever scents from the gaming cafes he spent nights at. Teachers complained about him constantly, but none of them actually hate him because he would just grin lazily and somehow charm his way out of trouble. Apparently, now Sangwon had to “help him improve academically."

Sure.. As if Sangwon hadn't spent the last four months secretly writing his name in the corners of his notebooks with little hearts like a loser in love.

The library door opened.

Sangwon looked up immediately, then regretted it. Leo walked in with his backpack slung over one shoulder, tie hanging completely undone around his neck. His blazer was missing entirely despite dress code rules, sleeves of his shirt rolled unevenly to reveal tan forearms dusted with veins. His dark hair looked soft and messy like he had run his hands through it too many times.

His eyes landed on Sangwon instantly, and smiled. That slow, knowing smile. Sangwon’s stomach flipped so hard he nearly dropped his pen.

Leo walked over lazily, stopping beside the table instead of sitting immediately. Up close, the size difference felt even worse. Leo was taller by enough to make Sangwon tilt his head slightly upward, broader shoulders filling out his uniform in a way that made Sangwon’s brain short circuit.

“You really waited,” Leo said. His voice was lower than expected in the quiet library.

Sangwon swallowed. “You are late.”

“Mm.. but you still waited.” Sangwon hated how smug he sounded. “I’m only here because Ms. Han told me to help you with your grades.” Leo finally pulled out the chair across from him, sitting backward in it with his arms folded over the backrest. “You rehearsed that?”

“No.” Sangwon said immediately. “You definitely rehearsed that.” Sangwon glared at him, cheeks pink. “Do you want help or not?” Leo leaned forward slightly. Sangwon instantly noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. Not enough to make him look tired, somehow it just made him more handsome. More dangerous.. Like someone who lived entirely at night.

“I think,” Leo said slowly, eyes dragging over Sangwon’s face, “You’re too pretty to look this annoyed.” Sangwon nearly choked on air. “Lee Leo.”

“You call everyone by their full name when you’re nervous?” Leo looked at his eyes this time. “I’m not nervous.” Leo simply laughed.. A little laugh. “You have been clicking your pen for the last thirty seconds.” Sangwon froze. The pen was clicking between his fingers. Leo grinned.

“Oh my god,” Sangwon muttered, covering his face for a second. “You are actually unbearable.”

“And you’re blushing.” Leo said, smiling that annoying smile of his. The confidence in his voice made Sangwon look up again. Big mistake. Leo was already staring directly at him, chin resting lazily on his folded arms. Completely relaxed, completely aware.

Aware of everything…. The crush, the staring, the way Sangwon kept glancing at his lips before panicking and looking away. It made Sangwon defensive immediately. So he straightened in his chair, crossing one leg over the other slowly. “Maybe don’t flirt with the person trying to save your grades.” Leo’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

Oh.
Sangwon felt a tiny spark of satisfaction. Because yes, he got shy easily, but he also knew exactly what he looked like when he leaned forward slightly like this, tie loose enough to reveal the curve of his neck. Leo’s gaze dipped there for half a second.

Caught.

Sangwon smiled sweetly. “Problem?” Leo let out a quiet laugh through his nose. “You are such a tease.” Sangwon lifted one of his eyebrows. “And you are failing math.”

“Still got your attention though.” Sangwon bit back another smile, looking down at the worksheets to hide it. Leo watched him for a moment before speaking again, quieter this time. “You know what’s cute? The whole school thinks you’re scary in a way.. You know the class president.” Sangwon blinked. “And then there’s this.” Leo gestured vaguely at him. “You can’t even look at me for more than five seconds.”

“That’s not true.”

“Four seconds, then.” Sangwon finally looked up properly, determined not to back down this time.

One second.

Two.

Theree.

Leo lifted his head slightly, smiling again.

Four.

Sangwon looked away first. “Shut up.” Leo laughed softly, genuinely this time, and the sound made warmth spread through Sangwon’s chest so fast it hurt. Silence settled for a moment. Then Leo reached into his bag lazily. Sangwon frowned. “What are you–” A folded pink paper slid across the table. Sangwon stopped breathing.

No.

No no no no.

Because that was…

“You dropped this in my locker yesterday,” Leo said casually. Sangwon stared at the letter like it was a bomb.

His love letter.

His actual handwritten love letter he had spent two hours rewriting because his handwriting looked ugly the first time.

“...... I”

“I saw you sliding that love letter of yours in my locker,” Leo continued. “I read it.” Sangwon’s soul left his body. He wanted the floor to open beneath him. “Oh my god,” he whispered. “I’m transferring schools.” Leo looked delighted. “Sangwon.”

“Don’t talk to me.”

“You wrote three paragraphs about my smile.”

“Shut up.”

“And my eyes reminded you of the moon.”

“I’m going to die.” Sangwon said. Leo laughed again, softer this time, before his expression shifted into something warmer, gentler. He leaned forward across the table. “Sangwon.” Reluctantly, Sangwon looked up. Leo’s gaze held his for a long second before he asked quietly.

“Will you be my boyfriend?”

Everything stopped. The library, the sunlight, his heartbeat. “What?”

“I figured asking in the library was nicer than yelling it across the hallway.” Sangwon stared at him in complete disbelief. “You’re serious?” Leo looked almost offended. “I stayed awake through the third period thinking about your letter. That’s basically a marriage proposal for me.” A laugh escaped Sangwon before he could stop it, small, breathless.

Leo smiled immediately like he had been waiting for that sound. Sangwon looked down shyly, trying to hide the way happiness was taking over his entire body. “You are so annoying,” he murmured. “Yeah?”
Sangwon finally glanced back up through his lashes, “But…” Teasing again despite the blush burning across his cheeks. “I guess you are cute enough to date me.” Leo stared at him for a second. Then leaned back in his chair, grinning. “There he is.” Sangwon kicked his foot lightly under the table. Leo caught his ankle instantly.. Sangwon froze. Leo’s hand was warm around it, confident, possessive already. “You are blushing again,” Leo murmured. “And you are still failing math.” Sangwon reminded him.

“Good thing my boyfriend is the class president.”

 

ꨄ
- Sangwon’s love letter..

I think it started with your smile, which sounds stupidly simple now that I’m writing it down. Because people smile all the time. At teachers, at jokes, at friends in the hallway. But yours felt unfair somehow. Like you never noticed what it did to people.

You smile with your whole face, slow at first, like you are trying not to, then suddenly bright enough to ruin my concentration for the rest of the day.

I remember the first time you laughed at something I said. You leaned back in your chair, eyes disappearing for a second, lips curved so warmly, it made my heart ache, and I hated you a little for it. Because after that, I started waiting for it. Every morning, every class, every time you turned around in your seat and looked at me like I was someone worth finding in a crowded room.

Your eyes… God.
I don’t know how to describe them normally. Your eyes always reminded me of the moon. Not the full moon people write poems about. Something softer, the kind hanging low at three in the morning when the world is quiet and lonely and silver blue. Beautiful in a way that hurts if you stare too long.

Sometimes you look at people carelessly. Sometimes you look half asleep.
Sometimes you look like you would rather be anywhere else, but when you look at me directly.. It feels like moonlight finding its way through an open window. Gentle, quiet, and impossible to ignore.

You probably never noticed the things I noticed. The way your smile appears when you are trying not to laugh in class. The way your eyes soften when someone says your name softly, the way you tuck your hands into your sleeves when you are tired. The way the entire hallway somehow feels brighter when you walk through it.

I think I liked you long before I understood that I did. Maybe it was the day you lent me your jacket without asking questions or the afternoon you fell asleep at your desk with sunlight across your face…. Or maybe it was simply the fact that every version of my future somehow started including you before I could stop it. Which is embarrassing to admit, but I think if anyone was going to ruin me gently, I’m glad it was you.

ꨄ

Friday nights always felt louder near the arcade. The streets glowed with neon signs and convenience store lights reflecting against damp pavement from an earlier drizzle. Music spilled out every time the arcade doors opened, overlapping sounds of game victories, coin machines, laughter, electronic jingles. Groups of friends wandered the sidewalks in oversized hoodies and uniforms half hidden beneath coats. And in the middle of all of it, Sangwon looked pretty, so pretty.

Leo noticed immediately when he arrived… Of course he did. Sangwon stood beneath the glowing restaurant sign checking his phone, unaware Leo had already arrived. He had traded his school uniform for dark black jeans and a cream knit sweater layered beneath a white coat that hung loosely off his shoulders. His hair was softer tonight, less styled than usual, falling naturally over his forehead whenever the wind touched it. Pretty enough to make people stare twice.. Leo included. Sangwon looked up then, immediately brightening. “There you are.” Leo smiled before he could stop himself, dangerous. Because Sangwon noticed things like that now. “You have been waiting long”

“Three minutes,” Sangwon answered smoothly, then added with a small smile, “You’re improving, usually you are late to everything.” Leo walked closer until they stood almost chest to chest. “You timed me?” He asked, lifting one eyebrow but his smile never left his lips. “Maybe.”

“You are obsessed with me.” Sangwon rolled his eyes, but he was already smiling. “Buy me dinner first before acting smug.” Leo laughed softly and reached down without thinking, fingers brushing against Sangwon’s wrist. Gentle, but enough to guide him forward through the crowd. Sangwon went quieter for half a second at the touch, not nervous exactly. Just aware, aware that this was their first date. Aware that Leo kept touching him like it was instinct already.

The restaurant was small and warm inside, tucked between the arcade building and a karaoke place. Steam fogged the windows, and yellow hanging lights cast everything in gold. People crowded the booths, laughing loudly over shared plates and sodas.

Leo sat across from Sangwon and immediately regretted it. Because now he had to spend the entire meal watching Sangwon smile, which was unfair. Sangwon rested his chin in his palm while talking, sweater sleeves falling over his hands slightly whenever he reached for something. He looked softer outside school.. More warm, though not less dangerous. “You keep staring,” Sangwon said eventually.

Leo blinked once. “Can you blame me?” Sangwon’s lips twitched upward instantly. “Careful,” he said lightly. “You’re sounding romantic.”

“You wrote me a love letter,” Leo said while still looking at him.

“That was anonymous.”

“You compared me to the moonlight.”

“You remember that?”

Leo leaned back in his chair. “I read it twice.” Sangwon hid his face behind the menu he was holding despite the pink creeping across his cheeks. Leo grinned.

Cute.

Way too cute.

After dinner, they crossed into the arcade together, and the noise hit them. Flashing machines, bright screens, overlapping music. Sangwon’s eyes light up immediately. Leo nearly lost his mind over it. Because this was the same boy who walked through school halls like royalty, calm and composed and untouchable.

And now.. He was standing beneath neon lights pointing excitedly at claw machines. “Leo,” he said suddenly, grabbing his sleeve. “Look.” A claw machine filled with bunny headbands blinked brightly near the entrance. Leo followed him over there.

Sangwon crossed his arms. “Win me one.” Leo looked at the bunny headbands.. The thought of Sangwon wearing one made him go for it anyway. He snorted softly, then spent the next five minutes absolutely locked in. Sangwon stood beside him the entire time, occasionally leaning against his shoulder dramatically whenever Leo barely missed. “You are terrible at this.” he said, rolling his eyes. “I literally make money playing games.” Leo said, eyes still focused on the machine. “And yet my bunny ears remain imprisoned.” Leo finally won one after that.

“There,” Leo said, pulling them out. “Happy?” Sangwon looked ridiculously pleased. “Very.” Leo placed it carefully onto Sangwon’s head himself, fingers brushing through his soft hair. Their eyes met for a second too long. Sangwon smiled, before speaking.“What are you looking at?” Leo just kept looking.. Until he said. “You have bunny ears on.”

“And?” Sangwon said, tilting his head slightly. “And I’m trying very hard to behave.” That made Sangwon laugh, bright and giggly enough to disappear beneath the arcade noise. Leo thought he could probably get addicted to that sound.

The rest of the night blurred together in bright colors and soft touches. Basketball machines, racing games, which Sangwon absolutely lost. Except anytime he started whining about wanting to win, Leo’s competitive streak mysteriously vanished.

“You let me win,” Sangwon accused after beating him at air hockey.

“No, you are just talented.”

“You literally stopped defending your side.”

“I got distracted.”

“By what?” Leo looked him up and down slowly. Sangwon nearly missed the puck entirely afterwards. “Lee Leo.” “Lee Sangwon,” Leo said, laughing. “You flirt like an actual menace.” Sangwon huffed. “You like it.” Unfortunately, Sangwon did. A lot..

By the time they left the arcade, the night air felt cold. Sangwon spotted the ice cream machine near the sidewalk. “Oh,” he said brightly, “Wait here.” Leo watched him walk, bunny ears still perched on his head. Actually insane.

Sangwon returned holding a swirl of vanilla ice cream, already eating it. Then, without thinking, he held it close to Leo. “Try it.” Leo looked at him, then at the spoon. Then back at him again. Realization hit Sangwon all at once. “Oh.” His ears turned pink.. He had just accidently offered Leo a bite from the same exact spoon he had used. Leo smiled slowly. “Can I?” Sangwon tried to recover his dignity. “You’re acting like it’s scandalous.” Leo smiled at that and stepped closer. “You’re blushing pretty hard for someone calm.”

“Eat the ice cream before I change my mind.” Leo leaned down slightly and took a bite directly from the spoon without breaking eye contact once. Sangwon stopped functioning for approximately five seconds. “.....was it.. Good?” He asked softly. Leo hummed. “Very.” He absolutely meant Sangwon.

The roller skating rink upstairs was quieter than the arcade below, lights dimmed low beneath glowing colored beams that moved slowly across the floor. Music echoed softly around the rink. Sangwon could skate.. Kind of. Leo discovered this after Sangwon nearly crashed into a railing thirty seconds in. “Okay,” Sangwon laughed breathlessly, grabbing Leo’s arm, “maybe don’t let go yet.” Leo steadied him with both hands on his waist. Warm, firm, and easy. Sangwon looked up, too close. Leo’s hands stayed there. “You are clingy tonight.” Leo murmured.

“You’re warm.”

“That’s your defense?”

“Yes.” Leo laughed softly and guided him forward again. Eventually Sangwon got bolder, skating ahead only to wobble again dramatically until Leo caught him from behind. “Careful,” Leo said against his ear. “You like rescuing me.” Sangwon said, giggling. “You like being rescued.” Sangwon turned slightly in his hold, smiling now. “Maybe only by you.” That one hit harder than expected. Leo looked at him for a long second before pulling him closer by the waist again without a word.

 

10 PM.

By the time they left, the streets had grown quieter. Their breaths fogged faintly in the cold night air while Leo walked Sangwon home. The bunny ears were now hanging from Sangwon’s wrist. Their hands brushed every few steps until Leo finally just intertwined their fingers properly. Like it annoyed him to pretend otherwise.“You’re busy later?” Sangwon asked softly.

Leo nodded once. “Tournament practice tonight.”

“Until late late?”

“Probably.” Sangwon frowned slightly. Leo noticed immediately. “I’ll text you after.” Sangwon smiled softly before saying, “Okay.”

When they finally stopped outside of Sangwon’s house, neither of them moved for a moment. Warm porchlight spilled across the pavement. Sangwon looked happy.. The kind of happiness that softened him completely. Leo reached up first, brushing his thumb gently beneath Sangwon’s eye. “So pretty,” he murmured absentmindedly. Sangwon smiled shyly despite himself. “You say such things so casually.”

“Because they are true.” For once, Sangwon had no teasing response ready. Just pink cheeks, soft eyes, cold fingers tightening slightly around Leo’s hand. “I had fun tonight,” he admitted. Leo stepped closer. “So did I.” Sangwon looked at his lips first then back at his eyes. Leo noticed that too.

“Can I kiss you? Leo asked softly. Sangwon nodded almost immediately.

Leo kissed him gently at first, slow, warm, and careful in a way nobody would ever expect from him. Sangwon melted into it embarrassingly fast. One hand clutching the front of Leo’s jacket, the other brushing lightly against his neck as he kissed him back with small soft breaths.. And then, Leo’s hand slid to his waist again, steadying, pulling him closer until Sangwon made the quietest sound against his lips.

Leo almost lost his mind.

When they finally pulled apart, Sangwon looked dazed. Pretty, kissed, and happy. Leo smiled at the sight in front of him. “Get inside.” he said, voice holding unspoken affection. “Night,” Sangwon said before kissing the side of Leo’s lips. “Night Sangwonie.”

 

2:07 AM.

The entire house was asleep. Rain tapped softly against Sangwon’s bedroom window while warm yellow lights glowed dimly across his walls. His room looked exactly like him, neat and elegant in a quiet way. Books stacked carefully beside the bed. School papers arranged in tidy piles across the desk. The bunny headband Leo won him hanging from the corner of his lamp on the vanity. He had looked at it at least ten times already.

He lay beneath his blankets in an oversized white sleep shirt, one knee tucked up beneath the comforter while a novel rested open against his chest. Except he hadn’t read in almost twenty minutes. Because Leo still wasn’t home. His phone glowed beside him. Still nothing.

Sangwon sighed dramatically into his pillow. “Unbelievale,” he murmured to himself. “My boyfriend values gaming over me.” The second the thought finished his phone glowed with a new notification.

[my leo]
Just got home.

Sangwon sat upright so fast his book slid off the bed. Immediately typing.

[sangwon]
Finally!!
Do you know what time it is????

The typing bubble appeared almost instantly.

[my leo]
Yes baby sorry.

Sangwon giggles quietly into his blanket, actually giggled. His cheeks hurt from smiling today. It felt ridiculous, embarrassing, but wonderful.

[sangwon]
Did it go okay?

[my leo]
Won most of the matches.
Why are you still awake?

Sangwon glanced guiltily at the untouched book beside him.

[sangwon]
I was reading.

[my leo]
At 2am?

[sangwon]
Yes, don’t judge me. It’s part of my night routine.

Three dots appeared, then quickly disappeared.
[my leo]
You missed me?

Sangwon stared at the screen.
Annoying.
Because… yes he missed him, maybe just a little.

[sangwon]
A little.

[my leo]
Liar.

Sangwon buried his face into the pillow, smiling so hard his stomach hurt. He hated how easy Leo made this feel. The care.. The affection and constant attention. As if liking Sangwon was the most natural thing in the world.

His phone buzzed again.

[my leo]
When are u sleeping?

[sangwon]
When are YOU sleeping?

[my leo]
Just got in bed..

[sangwon]
Did you eat anything?

[my leo]
Your little questions are cute

[sangwon]
Answer the question

[my leo]
Ramen.

[sangwon]
That’s not food!

[my leo]
It literally is..

[sangwon]
U survive entirely on caffeine and bad decisions.

[my leo]
And your love

Sangwon froze. Then immediately shoved his burning face into his blanket again.
“Oh my god,” he whispered to himself. His heart genuinely couldn’t handle this

Another text.

[my leo]
Can I call u?

Sangwon answered so fast it was embarrassing. Then, the phone rang almost one second after Sangwon’s reply. He tried to compose himself before answering. FAILED. “Hi,” he said anyway, voice soft and sleepy. And Leo…

God.

Leo went quiet for a second after hearing him. Because Sangwon sounded warm, comfortable and most importantly happy. Like he had been waiting specifically for this call. Leo leaned back against his pillows, exhausted from hours of gaming and felt something unfamiliar settle warmly in his chest. No one had ever waited for him before. Not really. People liked being around him, wanted things from him and they admired him but this..

Sangwon stayed awake at 2am asking whether he had eaten? with his sleepy soft voice. Reading a book while waiting for his text? It felt dangerously domestic. Dangerously precious. “You sound sleepy,” Leo murmured. “I’m not.”

“You just yawned.” Leo said, smiling to himself. Sangwon smiled against his pillow. “Maybe a little.” Leo could practically picture him. Curled beneath blankets, hair messy from lying down, eyes heavy but still stubbornly awake.

Cute.

“You should sleep.”

“And leave you alone?”

“You are clingy.”

“You like it..”

“I do,” Leo admitted easily. Sangwon went quiet for half a second after that. Still not fully used to how openly affectionate Leo could be. “You are very straightforward,” he murmured softly. “You wrote me a love letter.” Leo laughed quietly. His voice sounded rougher late at night, sleepier. Sangwon liked it too much. “So,” Leo said after a moment. “Have you been thinking about our kiss all night or just a normal amount?”

Sangwon nearly dropped his phone. “Lee Leo.” Leo actually laughed. “That’s a yes.” and he laughed again. “You are impossible. Shut up.” Leo stopped laughing a little. “But you liked it.” Sangwon buried half of his face beneath his blanket again, smiling helplessly. Because he liked it. More than like. He’d replayed it more than fifty times already.

The way Leo held his waist.
The softness of his lips, how gentle he had been despite the confidence in his hands.

“I..” Sangwon started quietly, then stopped. Leo’s expression softened. “What?” Sangwon hid his face deeper into the pillow before mumbling, “You kissed me really nicely.” Leo actually smiled at the ceiling of his room, because Sangwon sounded so sincere saying things like that. “So did you,” Leo answered. “No, I was nervous.”

“You were adorable.” Sangwon giggled before saying. “That’s worse.” Leo laughed under his breath “You looked happy.” Sangwon’s chest ached suddenly. “Yes,” he whispered. “I was.” Silence settled after that, comfortable silence. The kind where neither of them wanted to hang up first. Sangwon eventually started rambling sleepily about random things.

A teacher embarrassing herself during class.
A book he wanted Leo to read.
How unfair it was that Leo looked good even when exhausted.
Whether they should go skating again.

Leo listened to all of it, every word. Sometimes responding, sometimes just smiling quietly to himself while hearing Sangwon talk. It felt strangely intimate, this version of Sangwon. Sleepy, soft, unfiltered. Not class president, not composed, just a boy with a pretty voice who liked him too much.

“You still awake?” Leo asked eventually. No answers. “Sangwonie?” Soft breathing answered him instead. Leo smiled instantly. Because somewhere during his rambling, Sangwon had fallen asleep without noticing. Leo could picture it perfectly, phone still tucked near his cheek, book abandoned somewhere in the blankets, mouth slightly parted in sleep. Cute enough to ruin lives.

Leo stayed on the call anyway. For several quiet minutes, he just listened to Sangwon breathing softly through the speaker and for the first time in a long while, exhaustion didn’t feel lonely anymore. Before finally ending the call, Leo spoke quietly enough that only sleeping walls could hear him.

“Goodnight, Sangwonie.”

 

—

 

Lunch breaks at high schools were always loud. The canteen buzzed with overlapping conversations, chairs scraping against floors, trays clattering, students laughing loudly. Sunlight streamed through the huge windows lining the walls, warming the crowded room. Despite all the noise, Sangwon noticed Leo, he always did. Sangwon sat near the middle of the cafeteria with his friend, neatly peeling the wrapper off his milky vanilla carton while pretending to listen to whatever story his friend was telling.

Pretending to listen.. Because the second Leo walked through the cafeteria doors, Sangwon’s brain stopped functioning properly. It’s not like he hadn't seen him earlier in class, but seeing him every time, during different times of the day.. Did something to his heart. Leo entered beside one of his friends, tall and unfairly attractive in the most effortless way imaginable. His uniform blazer hung loose over broad shoulders, tie completely crooked like he had fixed it halfway and given up. His dark hair was messy from the wind outside. He looked tired, but handsome.

Dangerously handsome.

Leo looked up, straight at Sangwon. A smile appeared on his face right away, Sangwon almost stabbed his rice with the wrong end of his chopsticks. “You okay?” His friend asked suspiciously. “Hm..?” Sangwon blinked quickly. “Obviously, why?” He said after taking his eyes off Leo’s direction. “You just zoned out for ten seconds or more.” His friend said after stealing one strawberry from Sangwon’s plate. “I’m just thinking.” Sangwon slapped his friend’s hand lightly after stealing his strawberry. They were laughing lightly “About what?” Sangwon opened his mouth to answer but then.. Leo started walking toward their table.

Oh no.

Oh absolutely not.

Sangwon immediately sat straighter, trying to look normal when his heart betrayed him violently. Leo stopped beside the table casually, one hand in his pocket. “Class president,” he greeted lazily. Sangwon looked up slowly trying not to smile wide. “Lee Leo.” Sangwon’s friend, their classmate looked between them. Everyone knew Sangwon had been tutoring Leo recently in the library. Everyone had noticed they’d gotten strangely close. Still… nobody knew how close.. Yet.

“You came to school early today,” Sangwon said smoothly. Leo tilted his head slightly. “Wanted to see someone.” Sangwon nearly choked on air. His friend narrowed his eyes on him after that. “Oh my god,” Sangwon said quickly before anyone could speak. “Did you finish the history assignment?” Leo kept staring directly at him. “No.”

“Shocking.” Sangwon faked being shocked by that. “You gonna help me later?” The way he asked it sounded far too familiar. Sangwon kicked his shin lightly beneath the table. Leo grinned immediately. Cute.. he was cute when he panicked. “You two flirt like something but I can't name it.” Their classmate said flatly. Sangwon’s ears turned pink instantly. “We do not flirt.” Leo raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Eat your lunch somewhere else.” Sangwon said before drinking his milky vanilla. “That’s not very class president of you.” Sangwon glared at him. Leo looked delighted by it. Then, casually, so casually… Sangwon almost thought he imagined it. Leo reached down and fixed his slightly crooked tie. One quick tug. Gentle fingers against his collar made Sangwon freeze. The table went silent. “Your tie looked weird,” Leo said innocently. Sangwon stared at him in complete disbelief, because this idiot was absolutely trying to kill him. Leo smiled slowly before finally leaving toward another table where his friend was seated.. And Sangwon..

Sangwon could feel everyone staring at him now. His friend looked once. “I’m saying this respectfully,” he started carefully, “but whatever the hell that was it looked illegal.” He started laughing a little after saying that. Sangwon hid his face behind his milky vanilla carton.

—

PE period later that afternoon felt unusually warm. The gym smelled faintly like rubber floors and detergent, students crowding noisily through the changing rooms while lockers slammed open and shut.

Sangwon sat on the wooden bench changing into his PE clothes, carefully folding his blazer beside him while conversations echoed around the room. Gray shorts, school training jacket zipped halfway. Hair slightly messy now from the humidity. Pretty enough to make Leo stop mid conversation. Again… Leo leaned against the locker nearby, already changed, lazily spinning a basketball on one finger while watching Sangwon fix the sleeves of his jacket. Hopeless.. He was actually hopeless. Leo had thought Sangwon was attractive before dating him.

Now it’s worse, because now he knows things. The sound of Sangwon laughing sleepily at 2am, how warm his hands were, the way he smiled after being kissed. It ruined Leo permanently.
Students slowly filtered out toward the gym until only a few remained. Sangwon stood, adjusting his uniform shorts slightly before turning..

And immediately getting pulled backwards.

A startled noise especaed him as Leo grabbed his waist and guided him between the lockers and the wall in one smooth movement. “Leo..” before he could finish his sentences he was interrupted. “Hi.” Sangwon tried not to smile.. Failed instantly. “This is a changing room,” he whispered. “And?” Leo stepped closer anyway, hands resting comfortably on Sangwon’s waist.

Sangwon’s heart did something embarrassing. “What’s with you today,” he murmured. “I miss having you close.” Leo said after resting his head against Sangwon’s neck. Sangwon loved this side of Leo.. maybe a little too much. The changing room felt smaller suddenly. Voices echoed faintly from the gym outside, sneakers squeaking against polished floors somewhere beyond the doors.

Leo looked down at him softly. “You have been smiling all day.” Sangwon’s cheeks flushed even more. “No, I haven’t.” He looked at anything behind Leo but not into his eyes. “You literally giggle at lunch,” Leo said while touching Sangwon’s face to make him look at him again. “I did not giggle,” he said, pouting. It’s fake. “Leo sto–”

“It was cute.” Sangwon rolled his eyes after Leo interrupted him, but his grin gave him away instantly. Leo’s thumb brushed absentmindedly against the fabric at Sangwon’s waist, soft and slow. The kind of touch that said boyfriend without needing words.

“You know everyone’s suspicious now,” Sangwon whispered. Leo looked unbothered. “Mmm.” He brushed strands of hair away from Sangwon’s eyes. “I’m serious.” “You are cute when you panic.” Leo said, smiling fondly at him. “I’m class president,” Sangwon said dramatically, dropping his forehead briefly against Leo’s shoulder. “I should not be hiding behind lockers with my academically failing boyfriend.” Leo’s arms wrapped around him. “Acadrmically struggling,” he corrected. “You got twelve percent on your chemistry quiz.”

“That teacher hates me.” Sangwon laughed quietly against his shoulder.
Leo tightened his hold slightly at the sound. It hit him suddenly, hard enough to ache a little, just how happy he had become these past few weeks. Sangwon liked him so openly, so earnestly. Every smile felt real, every touch felt careful, and every worried text at 2am felt sincere. Leo wasn’t used to being loved gently… and Sangwon loved him gently all the time.

“You are staring again,” Sangwon murmured softly, still tucked against him. “Can you blame me?” Sangon looked up then, close enough for Leo to see the tiny crease in his brow from smiling too much.

Pretty, warm, and his.

“Careful,” Sangwon teased quietly. “You are getting soft.” Leo leaned closer. “You did that to me.” Sangwon’s breath caught slightly. Then Leo squeezed his waist suddenly and effortlessly lifted him half an inch backwards against the lockers. The position brought them so close that Sangwon’s heart wouldn’t stop beating so fast. Sangwon let out a gasp “Lee Leo!” Leo pulled him closer. “You are light.” Sangwon was extremely flushed. “Put me down! Oh my god” Leo simply laughed, a very soft laugh. “You like it.” Unfortunately, Sangwon really, really liked it. His laughter filled the tiny space between them while Leo grinned helplessly right back, completely gone for him.

“Why are you two not in the gym yet?!” A loud voice came from outside.

Sangwon jumped from where he was. “Oh my god,” he whispered in horror. “We are late.” Leo looked very relaxed. Sangwon grabbed his wrist immediately, dragging him toward the door while trying not to laugh again. “This is exactly why your grades are terrible.” He laughed this time. “My grades are terrible because I’m in love with you.” Sangwon nearly walked directly into the wall.

—

1:32 AM.

Sangwon’s room glowed softly in the dark. Only his desk lamp was on, casting warm amber light across scattered notebooks, stacked novels, and the lazy shadows of hanging fairy light along his vanity walls. The rain had stopped hours ago, but the night still felt cold.

Soft Spot by Keshi..

Played quietly through his earbuds, warm enough to sink into.

Sangwon wandered slowly around his room in his white shorts and one of Leo’s hoodies, sleeves much too long for his hands, the fabric smelling faintly like Leo’s cologne. Which was a problem.. Because every time Sangwon wore it, he turned into the world’s most embarrassing boyfriend.

He was reorganizing his bookshelf for absolutely no reason other than the fact he couldn’t sleep. Every two minutes he would stop what he was doing just to smile to himself like an idiot remembering something from earlier.

Leo fixing his tie.
Leo lifting him against the lockers. He couldn’t not think of that especially.
And oh.. Leo saying I’m in love with you so casually it still made his heart beat so fast.

His phone buzzed across the bed.

Sangwon smiled before even checking who it was.

[my leo]
r ur parents asleep?

Sangwon frowned slightly but typed quickly.

[sangwon]
u planning a crime?

The typing bubble appeared instantly.

[my leo]
Answer..

Sangwon bit back a grin.

[sangwon]
Yes.

He waited for a reply from Leo, but there was nothing…
Then,

[my leo]
Open ur window

Sangwon froze. His stomach flipped so violently he almost dropped his phone. “No way,” he whispered to himself. Rushing toward the curtains, pulling one side back and he nearly lost his mind.

Leo stood outside, balanced against the tree near Sangwon’s window, black hoodie pushed up to his elbows, hair messy from the wind while looking entirely too calm for someone literally climbing windows at one in the morning.

“Oh my god,” Sangwon slapped a hand over his mouth. Leo grinned up at him. “Hi.” Sangwon looked at him with wide eyes. “You are insane,” he whisper yelled through the window glass, already fumbling with the lock. The second the window slid open, cold air rushed inside along with Leo’s quiet laugh. “You gonna help me in or just stare?”

Sangwon grabbed his arm immediately, trying not to giggle while Leo climbed through the window and landed softly onto the carpet. The moment he straightened fully inside the room, Sangwon just looked at him.

His boyfriend. Standing in his bedroom at 1:55 in the morning.

“What?” Leo said, after noticing Sangwon’s expression. “You climbed into my room like we’re in a romance movie.” Sangwon said, looking at him with loving but wide eyes. “You liked it?” Sangwon nodded helplessly, which made Leo smile softly. Then, his eyes dropped toward Sangwon’s earbuds. “What are you listening to?” Sangwon looked down at his earbuds. “Keshi.” Leo stepped closer. “Lemme hear.”

Sangwon pulled one earbud out carefully and handed it over, Leo just took the phone gently from his hand instead. “No earbuds,” he murmured a second later. Everything around them felt unbearably intimate. Low music, warm lights… rain scented air drifting through the open window. Leo sat down first against Sangwon’s bed pillows like he belonged there already. Which honestly? He kind of did.

Sangwon climbed onto the bed beside him a second later, legs tangling naturally beneath the blankets while the music continued quietly in the background. For a few moments neither spoke, just listened to the song. Sangwon rested against Leo’s shoulder slowly, hoodie sleeves covering his hands while Leo’s arms settled around his waist. Comfortable already.. Dangerously comfortable. “You smell like my hoodie,” Leo murmured against his hair. “Well it's my hoodie now.” Leo snorted quietly. “Greedy.” Sangwon giggled softly. “You gave it to me.”

Leo looked down at him. Messy hair, sleepy eyes, pink lips curved into the softest smile. Sangwon looked warm, safe, and loved. It hit Leo again, terrifyingly hard.. How much he liked this boy. Not just the flirting, or the kisses.. It was everything about him. The late night texts, the worrying, the way Sangwon looked excited, anytime Leo showed up. It made something inside Leo ache softly. “You are staring again,” Sangwon mumbled, looking up at him. Leo kissed the top of his head, Sangwon giggled softly, embarrassed.

Then Leo’s hand slid slowly beneath the oversized hoodie at his waist. Warm palm against soft skin. “Leo.” Sangwon inhaled. “Hm?” Leo didn’t stop touching him there. “You do that on purpose, touching me like that.” Leo grinned lazily. “And it works every time.” Sangwon’s face warmed immediately while Leo pulled him closer against his chest. Close enough that Sangwon could hear his heartbeat. The music played softly around them. Leo brushed his fingers absentmindedly along Sangwon’s side. “You happy I came?” Sangwon looked up, eyes shining as if he was under the moonlight but he was only looking at Leo. “So happy,” he admitted without hesitation. His expression nearly killed Leo. Because Sangwon looked at him like he was something so precious.

Leo leaned down and kissed him softly, slow at first.. Sweet. Sangwon melted instantly, little sounds slipping from him against Leo’s lips as one hand curled into the front of Leo’s hoodie while kissing him back. And then.. Leo kissed him deeper. Still gentle but deeper, hungrier in the way only teenage boys in love could be. “Ah,” Sangwon made the quietest sound against his lips when Leo pulled him fully into his lap. “Come here.”
Leo’s eyes never left him. Sangwon moved in Leo’s lap, just a little, maybe a little restless. Chasing the warmth between them with no real attempt to hide it. The way he moved made Leo let out a sharp breath. His hands tightened at Sangwon’s waist, pulling the hoodie a little higher. “Careful,” he murmured against Sangwon’s lips, voice lower now. It made Sangwon’s stomach twist. He looked at him through half lidded eyes and moved again, teasing. “Sangwon.” Leo’s hold was firmer now. “What..? I thought you liked me so much.” Sangwon said, pouting. Obviously faking it because he knew what he was doing. He liked Leo’s reaction, the warmth between them, he wanted a little more. Leo kissed him harder this time, controlled despite the heat behind it, his other hand titling Sangwon’s chin up like a warning it didn’t make Sangwon stop though. He did it again. The sound he let out barely lasted a second before Leo started kissing him again, deeper. Leo loved touching him too much to stop.

Sangwon could barely think straight anymore. He sifted again in his lap, slower now, like he wanted Leo to feel every second of it. Not enough to be innocent anymore, but enough to make Leo’s breathing turn uneven. Leo’s eyes were fixed on Sangwon like looking wasn’t even possible anymore. Every small move pulled another reaction out of him, and Sangwon loved it. The way Leo’s hands kept tightening at his waist, the way restraint kept slipping from his expression little by little. “Sangwon,” Leo warned again, voice rough this time. It only made Sangwon move again, deliberate, watching the way Leo’s lips parted on a sharp breath. Then, he leaned close enough for their noses to brush and whispered, “just shut up and watch me.”

Leo actually smirked at that, but he listened anyway. Even while his grip stayed firm on Sangwon’s hips, even while his eyes followed every teasing move like he was trying desperately not to lose control completely. Sangwon kept going anyway, every shift of his hips drew another restless breath from Leo, every quiet reaction making Sangwon want more. He could feel how tense Leo was under him, how hard he was. He was really trying to stay still, because Sangwon told him and that.. That alone made Sangwon dizzy. “That’s,” Sangwon whispered, breathlessly. “Good.” He rested his forehead against Leo’s shoulder while he tried to catch his breath.

He felt warm all over, dizzy from it, from Leo’s hands still tight on his waist, from the way Leo had looked at him the entire time like he was barely holding himself together. Sangwon pulled back just enough to look at him. Leo looked completely gone. Hair messy from Sangwon’s fingers, lips swollen from kissing, chest rising too fast under him. His eyes stayed fixed on Sangwon with something intense, dark and dangerous and still somehow restrained despite everything. Sangwon felt a little proud of himself. A soft teasing smile curved on his lips as he brushed his thumb lightly over Leo’s jaw. “So,”he said softly, still a little breathless. “How did I do?” Leo stared at him for a second and like the question offended him. Then, his hands slid higher against Sangwon’s waist, slow enough to make Sangwon’s stomach twist again. “You wanna know?” Leo asked quietly. Sangwon nodded once, teasing confidence still written all over his face. Leo exhaled sharply through his nose before leaning in close, close enough that Sangwon could feel the heat of his breath against his lips.

“You look like this,” he murmured, looking at Sangwon, “and I haven’t even touched you properly yet.” Sangwon’s breath caught and Leo noticed. One of his hands tightened slightly at Sangwon’s hip while the other tilted his chin up again, forcing him to hold eye contact.
“So tell me,” Leo continued, voice rougher now, restraint barely there anymore, “what exactly do you think is gonna happen when I do?” Sangwon hated how quickly his confidence cracked after that. One sentence, that was all it took. He was the one avoiding Leo’s eyes for a second, breath uneven as Leo kept his hand firm against his hip, thumb slowly touching the edge of his hoodie like he already knew exactly what he was doing to him. “Leo,” Sangwon whispered. Leo’s gaze lifted immediately at the sound of it. “What?” he asked softly, though the look on his face said he already knew. Sangwon swallowed hard. His hands curled against Leo’s shoulders, trying to hold onto whatever composure he had left, but Leo kept looking at him like that.. Steady, intense, patient in the cruelest way possible. “Don’t do that,” Sangwon muttered weakly. “Do what?” Leo’s lips twitched. “Look at me like that.”

“Like what?” Sangwon let out a frustrated breath, face warming under Leo’s obvious amusement. “Like you know I'll give in.” Leo leaned in slowly, just enough for their lips to brush when he spoke. “You already ate.” that nearly destroyed Sangwon, his head rested against Leo’s shoulder with a soft breath, finger gripping tighter in his shirt before he finally whispered, barely audible, “Please.” Leo went completely still under him. “Say that again.” Sangwon could feel his own heartbeat now, embarrassingly fast, but Leo’s hand on his waist softened just slightly, thumb brushing soothing circles against him while he waited, patiently. Completely in control. Sangwon lifted his head enough to look at him again. eyes are half lidded and desperate now despite himself. “Please touch me,” he whispered. Leo shut his eyes for one second like he was genuinely fighting for self control, when he looked at Sangwon again, his expression had gone darker somehow, affection, restraint and want all tangled together. “You have no idea,” he said quietly, “what you sound like right now.”

Sangwon was impossible now that he had started, whiny little breaths slipping out between kisses, hips shifting restlessly against Leo again like he couldn’t help himself anymore. Every little time Leo tried to steady him, Sangwon only chased closer. His lips brushing desperately against Leo’s, kissing him slow one second and needy the next. “Sangwon,” Leo warned softly, already sounding strained again. Sangwon only answered with another kiss, then another against the corner of Leo’s lips, another pressed under his jaw. Tiny moans escaped him every time Leo touched his waist or tightened his grip even a little, like he couldn’t keep them in anymore and that was Leo’s breaking point. “Come here,” he muttered suddenly. Before Sangwon could react, Leo’s hands tightened on him and rolled them over in one smooth move until Sangwon was under him instead, breath catching hard at the sudden weight above him.

Leo hovered over him for half a second, visibly trying to compose himself and failed immediately. “You’re unbelievable,” he said under his breath, leaning down to kiss him again, slower and deeper this time. Like he needed it as much as Sangwon did. Sangown melted into it instantly. Leo’s hand slid up to his sides carefully, and the look on his face when he pulled back slightly made Sangwon’s stomach twist. Completely gone for him. “Look at you,” Leo murmured, thumb brushing along Sangwon’s jaw while he tried to catch his breath. “So pretty when you get needy.” Sangwon made another soft sound at that, chasing Leo’s lips again. Leo laughed quietly against his lips, ruined already. “There he is,” he whispered. “Can’t stop kissing me now?”

Sangwon shook his head weakly before pressing another kiss under Leo’s jaw, then another at his throat, clinging close like he couldn’t get enough. Every tiny sound he made seemed to wreck Leo further. “God,” Leo breathed, resting his forehead briefly against Sangwon’s. “You don’t even realize what you’re doing to me.” Sangwon only whined softly in response, hands sliding into Leo’s hair to pull him back down again and Leo gave in all at once. Sangwon felt it in the way his hands suddenly stopped hesitating. In the way Leo exhaled sharply against his lips before pulling him impossibly closer, forehead resting against his for one brief second like he was trying to steady himself before completely losing whatever control he had left. Then, his hands slid under the hem of Sangwon’s hoodie. Warm palms against bare skin like he wanted to memorize every inch he touched. Sangwon’s breath broke. “That’s what I wanted,” Leo whispered softly, voice rough around the edges.

Sangwon arched instinctively into the touch, another moan leaving him as Leo pushed his shorts lower until it became impossible to ignore the way Sangwon trembled beneath him. “Can I?” Leo asked quietly, finger curling lightly into the fabric. Sangwon nodded too fast. Leo smiled against his lips at that, small, affectionate, ruined. Then, he pulled the shorts and tossed it somewhere neither of them cared enough to notice. For a second Leo just looked at him. Like he couldn’t believe he got to have this. The expression on his face nearly killed Sangwon. His hands returned to Sangwon’s thighs, smoother, more certain, sliding his fingers dangerously close while their breaths kept tangling together in the tiny space between them. They weren’t even really kissing anymore. Just lips brushing, foreheads brushing, breathing each other in.

Leo’s nose skimmed softly against Sangwon’s cheek before he buried another slow kiss under his jaw, hands tightening when Sangwon whimpered for him. “So sensitive,” Leo murmured against his skin. “You feel everything, huh?” Sangwon could only nod weakly, Leo was touching him everywhere and Leo seemed obsessed with every reaction. Every shaky inhale. Every little moan, every time Sangwon chased closer, hips rising, like he couldn’t take it anymore. “Look at me,” Leo whispered at one point, thumb brushing against Sangwon’s cheek until he did. The eye contact almost ruined them both even more. “You’re so beautiful like this,” Leo admitted. Sangwon made the softest sound at that before pulling Leo down again, desperate for closeness, for warmth, for him. Leo gave him everything after that, slow touches turning less careful, breath turning shakier. The room filled with soft moans and lips barely brushing between gasps for air. Until neither of them could think straight anymore. Until Leo was holding Sangwon close through trembling breaths, forehead pressed against his while Sangwon let out a loud moan clung to him like he never wanted him to leave. Even then, Leo kept touching him through it, softly, like he couldn’t stop.

Sangwon was still trembling a little when everything finally slowed and Leo could feel it. In the way Sangwon’s breathing kept catching restlessly against his lips, and the way his fingers clung weakly to Leo’s sleeves. “Hey,” Leo murmured softly, brushing his thumb under Sangwon’s eye when he finally looked up again. “You okay?” Sangwon nodded immediately despite how dazed he looked. Lips swallowed from kissing, chest still rising restlessly while Leo’s hand remained loosely curled against him, evidence of exactly what had just happened.

Leo swore quietly under his breath at the sight. That earned the tiniest laugh from Sangwon. “Don’t look at me like that,” he whispered, embarrassed now despite everything. Leo’s expression softened instantly. "Can't help it.” He leaned down to kiss the corner of Sangwon’s lips, slow and affectionate, completely different from a couple of minutes ago. Then without making a big deal out of it, Leo carefully cleaned him. “Cold?” he asked after noticing the way Sangwon curled slightly into himself. Sangwon shook his head, though Leo still reached for his shorts anyway. He helped him sit up slowly, helped him put his shorts back on with ridiculous care, fingers smoothing his hair back afterward like it was the most natural thing in the world. “You are being weirdly sweet about this.” Leo huffed out a quiet laugh. “Weirdly?” Sangwon smiled. “A little.”

“You just trusted me with all of that,” Leo said softly, thumbs brushing against Sangwon’s waist beneath the hoodie now. “Of course I’m taking care of you.” The sincerity in his voice made Sangwon’s chest ache, which was exactly why even half exhausted, he reached for Leo immediately afterward, fingers tugging lightly at his still perfectly ruined clothes. “Your turn,” Sangwon whispered. Leo smiled instantly, already shaking his head. “Sangwonie–” “No,” Sangwon interrupted softly, leaning close enough for their foreheads to touch again. “I want you to feel good too.” That expression appeared on Leo’s face again, the dangerous one. Except softer now. “You already did,” he admitted. Sangwon frowned like he didn’t believe him.

Leo laughed under his breath before kissing him once, slow enough to make Sangwon melt all over again. “You have no idea,” Leo murmured against his lips, “What hearing you, touching you, taking care of you does to me.” Sangwon still looked unconvinced. Which only made Leo pull him closer to his chest, arms wrapping around him completely now. “Stay here for a little longer,” Sangwon whispered.

“You know,” Sangwon whispered after a while, finger playing lazily with the strings of Leo’s hoodie, “I really like you.” The confession came out small, sleepy, but sincere. Leo’s chest tightened painfully, because Sangwon said things like that so honestly. “I know.” Leo murmured softly. He kissed his forehead slowly, then his cheek. Then the corner of his lips. Sangwon looked genuinely overwhelmed afterward.

Eventually the clock crept toward 2:45.

Sangwon sighed dramatically against Leo’s chest. “You should go before my parents discover you living in my walls.” Leo laughed quietly. “Fine.” Neither moved immediately though. Still curled together beneath the blankets while music continued softly from Sangwon's phone.

Warm, sleepy, young and terribly in love.

Finally Leo stood, pulling Sangwon up with him by the waist effortlessly. Sangwon stumbled directly into his chest. “You do that on purpose too,” he accused. “You’re cute when I move you around.” Sangwon turned pink again.

Then, quietly and carefully they snuck downstairs together. Sangwon held Leo’s wrist while guiding him through the dark hallway, both trying not to laugh whenever the stairs creaked beneath their feet. At one point Leo accidentally bumped into the wall and Sangwon had to bite his sleeve to stop himself from giggling too loudly. “You are terrible at sneaking around,” Sangwon whispered. “You invited me.” Leo said. Holding Sangwon’s hand in his. “I absolutely did not.” Sangwon defended himself. “Window was open.” Sangwon just shook his head in disbelief. “You’re unbelievable.”

At the front door, cold night air drifted inside again. Leo leaned down one last time before leaving, stealing another slow kiss that made Sangwon clutch softly at the front of his hoodie.

Warm lips, sleepy smiles, and quiet breaths shared between them.

“Text me when you get home,” Sangwon whispered. “I will.” Leo brushed his thumb once across Sangwon’s cheek before stepping outside. “See you at school, baby.” Sangwon’s face flushed again. “You know exactly what that does to me.” Leo grinned. “Yeah.”

 

—

 

The last bell rang softly through the school halls. Students poured through the hallways in noisy groups, conversations overlapping with laughter and dragging footsteps. Sangwon stood near the stairwell waiting for Leo to drop some of his books in the locker. He leaned lightly against the wall with his blazer folded over one arm, tie loosened after a long day, dark hair soft from constantly running his fingers through it during class. The sleeves of his white button up were rolled neatly to his elbows., exposing slim wrists and his elegant silver ring catching the sunlight.

Pretty, unfairly pretty.

He checked the time on his phone dramatically. “Took so long,” he muttered under his breath. Then he spotted Leo downstairs near the lockers. His expression softened without permission. Leo looked exhausted in the prettiest way possible. Black hair messy from PE earlier, school tie hanging entirely undone around his neck while talking lazily with another student. That made Sangwon look closely. A girl.. Obviously nervous. Holding an envelope against her chest.

Sangwon blinked once. The girl bowed quickly before holding the letter out toward Leo with visibility shaking hands. Leo looked surprised, then smiled politely. Sangwon’s stomach dropped. It wasn’t dramatic at first.. Just strange. Like someone quietly pulling warmth from beneath your skin. He watched the girl speak too quickly while Leo listened patiently, scratching the back of his neck with a sleepy smile and suddenly, Sangwon hated everything.

The hallway, the sunlight, and the stupid confession letter.

Of course this happened more often. Leo was handsome, funny and effortlessly charming without even trying. People probably fell in love with him constantly. Sangwon knew that, but knowing it and seeing it were two different things. Then Leo accepted the letter briefly and Sangwon looked away immediately. Something ugly twisted unexpectedly in his chest. Not anger, worse. Before he could think about it too hard, he turned and started walking out of school, alone.

 

—

The image stayed in Sangwon’s head the entire walk home. His phone didn’t stop ringing, buzzing, but he didn’t care. Didn’t check it once. The girl, the letter… Leo smiling politely at her. Over and over again.

By the time he reached his house, the uncomfortable feeling inside his chest only worsened in the quiet around him. He wasn’t insecure, that was the frustrating part. He knew exactly what he looked like. He knew people admired him too, knew Leo liked him obsessively enough to climb through windows at one in the morning. That wasn’t the problem.The problem was simpler than this. Sangwon was selfish. Terribly selfish, once he loved something, he wanted it entirely.

And Leo… warm, careless, handsome Leo. Had somehow become the center of every soft thought in Sangwon’s head. So the idea of other people wanting him too made something possessive and ugly bloom inside him.

8 PM.

Leo had texted him multiple times.

[my leo]
Baby

[my leo]
At least answer my calls.

[my leo]
You mad?

 

[my leo]
Sangwonie

[my leo]
Baby I know what you saw I literally rejected her. Will you call me back?

[my leo]
:(

[my leo]
Answer me pls.

Sangwon ignored every single text stubbornly. Instead of answering Leo’s texts he showered, changed clothes, reorganized his bookshelf twice, then dramatically threw himself across his bed only to sit back up again five seconds later because he was still irritated. “Annoying.” Everything about Leo was annoying. Especially how much Sangwon missed him even when jealous.

 

10:35 PM.

Sangwon finally picked up his phone. He stared at the messages for a long moment, there were four missed calls from Leo. He typed one thing.

[sangwon]
Where r u

Three dots appeared immediately.

[my leo]
Finally u answered

[sangwon]
Where r u leo.

Pause.

[leo]
PC cafe. Practice with the team.

Sangwon stared at the message silently then stood up immediately.

Absolutely not.

If Leo lived in his mysterious gamer world every night, then Sangwon was going to see it himself.

—

Ten minutes later, Sangwon stood in front of his mirror fixing the sleeves of his black zip up jacket. Silver necklace resting softly against pale skin, dark jeans hugging long legs perfectly. Hair freshly dried and falling naturally across his forehead.

Dangerously beautiful. The kind of beauty that made people stop speaking for a second or two. Which was exactly what happened when Sangwon walked into the gaming cafe.

The place glowed entirely in blue neon and dim LED lights. Rows and rows of computers stretched across the huge room, keyboards clicking rapidly beneath overlapping game sounds and quiet conversations. The air smelled faintly like instant ramen, energy drinks, and electronics overheating after long hours of use. Players crowded around screens laughing loudly, some wearing headsets pushed halfway off messy hair. It was noisy and chaotic. Nothing like Sangwon’s world and yet..

The second Leo looked up from his computer, his face softened.

There he is.

Leo stood up so fast his headset nearly slipped off. “Sangwon?” several people nearby turned instantly. Sangwon noticed it immediately. The way people here looked at Leo was different from school. At school, Leo was the lazy handsome boy who skipped assignments and slept through classes. Here, people greeted him loudly like he belonged here completely. Then suddenly, “oh.” Sangwon’s stomach twisted sharply. Because sitting two computers away from Leo was the girl from school. The same girl who confessed to Leo earlier. Tonight she wore an oversized hoodie with headphones resting around her neck, laughing at something on her monitor before noticing Sangwon standing there.

Recognition flashed across her face, and Sangwon.. He became dangerously calm. “Hi.” she said awkwardly. Sangwon smiled politely, too politely. “Hello.” Leo immediately sensed something terrible incoming. Because Sangwon’s jealousy wasn’t loud. It was elegant, which somehow made it scarier. “What are you doing here?” Leo asked carefully, stepping closer. Sangwon looked at him sweetly. “You ignored me all day.” Leo lifted an eyebrow at that. “What? I literally texted you all day.” Sangwon stepped closer to him before saying, “And yet here you are spending quality time with your admirer.”

The gamer next to Leo turned away, pretending not to listen. Leo blinked once, then twice. “Sangwon.” Leo tried to hold his hand, but Sangwon cut him off. “What? Am I wrong?” The girl stepped a little closer to where they were, hesitant at first. “Sangwon, I’m really sorry I didn’t know abo–” “It’s okay.” he said, never breaking eye contact with Leo. The girl just left, leaving them alone. She said what she wanted Sangwon to hear from her.

Okay Leo knew two things.
One Sangwon was jealous, jealous, and a terrifying kind.
Two he found it ridiculously adorable.

Sangwon walked closer then set his phone casually beside Leo’s keyboard before naturally fixing the collar of Leo’s hoodie. Possessive and deliberate. Every gamer in the area eventually went silent. “Did you eat dinner?” Sangwon asked softly. Leo stared at him. Because beneath the jealousy, beneath the dramatics, Sangwon was still worrying about him. “No,” Leo admitted quietly. Sangwon frowned “You skipped dinner again?”

Cute.
Actually impossible levels of cute.

Sangwon sat down in Leo’s chair, claiming the spot without hesitation. Leo bit back a smile. “So are you gonna play this round for me?” Leo asked, standing beside him. Sangwon just looked at him unimpressed. “You’re insane.” Leo said, smiling. “You like me.” Leo spun the chair around to face him. He leaned a little forward, Sangwon looked up at him, dark eyes, softening slightly. “No, I love you.”

Sangwon froze.

The entire PC cafe blurred for half a second. Leo blinked too, realizing what he had said.

Silence and an unbreaking eye contact. “What…” Sangwon said with wide eyes. Leo stared back and suddenly it didn’t even feel scary anymore. Sangwon was sitting there in black clothes and silver jewelry looking heartbreakingly beautiful while being jealous enough to march into a gaming cafe at night just because another person looked at him too long. So honestly?

Yeah. Leo loved him.

“I said I love you,” Leo repeated quietly, just enough for Sangwon to hear it. Sangwon’s entire expression shattered, not dramatically but softly. His eyes glossed, Leo’s chest tightened painfully at the sight. “Hey,” he murmured softly. “Baby.” Sangwon looked away when Leo realized he was actually crying. Tiny tears, silent ones. Sangwon was already embarrassed by them. “I hate this,” He whispered. “Come outside with me.” Sangwon tried to argue weakly. “Your practice–”

“Don’t care.” Leo grabbed his hand gently and pulled him out of the cafe before Sangwon could protest further. Cold night air hit them once they were outside. The city glowed around them, neon signs reflecting against wet pavement while distant traffic hummed through the quiet streets.

Sangwon stood there with his arms crossed tightly, refusing to look up. Leo thought he might genuinely be the prettiest person alive. Even when he was jealous, upset, especially like this.
“You cried because someone confessed to me?” Leo asked softly. “I did not cry.” Sangwon looked offended immediately. “You literally have tears on your pretty face.” Sangwon looked away. “That could be rain.” Leo smiled and stepped closer. “It’s not raining baby.” Sangwon glared at him weakly before looking away again. “Sangwon.” No answer. “You know she got rejected, right?” quiet silence.

“You know I came outside because my boyfriend looked sad?” Still nothing. Leo reached forward gently and pulled Sangwon into a hug. This time Sangwon resisted for two seconds before melting against him completely. “I hate when people like you,” Sangwon admitted quietly, head resting on Leo’s shoulder. “Why?” The honesty in his voice nearly destroyed Leo.

“Because you are mine.” Leo actually laughed softly then. Not mocking, just helplessly fond.

God.

This boy.

“You’re crazy jealous,” he said before leaving a small kiss on top of Sangwon’s head. “I know.” Leo left another kiss. “And dramatic.” Sangwon looked up before saying, “Can’t deny it.” Leo smiled at him, nose brushing. “And adorable.” Sangwon groaned, buried his face in Leo’s neck. Leo smiled into his hair before kissing the top of his head slowly this time. “You’re the only one I want,” he murmured. Sangwon’s fingers tightened slightly against the back of his hoodie. “You promise?” Leo pulled back just enough to look at him properly.

Streetlight glow reflected softly in Sangwon’s wet eyes. So beautiful.

“I promise,” Leo whispered. Then he softly added, “I think I fell in love with you a while ago, actually.” Sangwon looked like he stopped breathing. Leo smiled gently then crushed his thumb beneath Sangwon’s eyes, wiping the last tear carefully. “No more jealousy tonight, okay?” Sangwon sniffed quietly. “... I’ll try.”

Cute.

Sangwon was actually the cutest person Leo had ever seen in his life.

 

—

 

Saturday evening always felt slower in Leo’s neighborhood. The streets were quieter than the city center, washed in soft orange from convenience store signs and flickering streetlights. Somewhere nearby, music drifted faintly from an open apartment window while rain threatened in heavy clouds overhead.

Sangwon stood outside Leo’s apartment building holding an overnight bag and trying very hard to act normal. Which was impossible because this was Leo’s place. Leo’s actual home, not school, not the arcade, not stolen moments between classes. This felt different somehow. More intimate, more dangerous. His stomach fluttered embarrassingly while he checked his phone again.

[my leo]
Door’s open.

Sangwon inhaled slowly before stepping inside. Warm yellow apartment lights glowed dimly overhead while he climbed the stairs to the third floor, heartbeat growing louder with every step. Then he reached apartment 304 and there was Leo.

Standing in the doorway wearing gray sweatpants and a white shirt with damp hair falling messily over his forehead. Leo’s expression softened immediately seeing Sangwon there. “Hi.” Sangwon suddenly forgot every prepared sentence in his head. “You look..” he started weakly. Leo grinned. “Good?” Sangwon rolled his eyes before saying. “Annoying.” Before Sangwon could properly step inside, Leo grabbed lightly at the front of his jacket and pulled him forward into a quick kiss. Warm and soft lips, lazy smiles, Leo’s familiar scent surrounding him instantly. Sangwon melted embarrassingly fast. “Missed you too,” Leo murmured against his lips. “You saw me yesterday.” Sangwon giggled. “Still missed you.” He looked into his eyes with a beautiful smile on his face.

Hopeless, really hopeless Lee Leo.

Leo finally pulled him inside, taking the bag from his hand casually before locking the door behind them. Sangwon was inside Leo’s world. The apartment was dim except for the LED lights glowing around the gaming setup near the far wall. Multiple monitors cast soft blue light across the room while a paused game was on the screen. The place looked exactly like Leo. Messy but comfortable, messy. Hoodies draped over chairs, gaming headsets tossed behind keyboards. Energy drink cans tossed near the desk and yet underneath all the clutter, it still felt like home.

Sangwon loved it immediately. “Are you judging me?” Sangwon turned slowly. “No.. I’m observing.” Leo didn’t believe him. “Liar. You’re class president wording my apartment.” Sangwon laughed softly before wandering farther inside. There were tiny details everywhere that made Leo feel suddenly, painfully real.

Sticky notes near the monitor. A half finished manga beside the bed. A charger tangled on the desk. Laundry abandoned in one corner. Sangwon touched the sleeve of one hoodie. “You really live like this?” Leo leaned against the wall watching him. “You say that like you weren’t just crying over me yesterday.” Sangwon gasped dramatically. “That is not how it happened.” Leo took a step closer. “You literally stormed into my gaming cafe.” Sangwon raised a hand to stop him from getting any closer. “Because everyone there was in love with you.” Leo smiled helplessly.

Cute. Everything about Sangwon was cute. Especially here, standing in his apartment looking beautiful enough to ruin lives while quietly inspecting his things like they mattered, and maybe they did now. “You hungry?” Leo asked. Sangwon turned. “Did you eat today?”
Leo blinked once. “... No.” Sangwon sighed so deeply it sounded genuinely disappointed. “Unbeliebable.” He muttered before immediately adding, “Sit down.” Leo laughed softly. “You just got here.” Sangwon rolled his eyes. “And your health is my burden already.” Leo caught his hand before Sangwon could walk past him. “You love me.” Sangwon glared at him briefly. “... Unfortunately.”

The kitchen was too small for both of them to be comfortable, which meant Leo spent most of the time standing directly behind Sangwon while he cooked instant ramen and complained dramatically about Leo’s eating habits. “You had chips for lunch yesterday.” Sangwon said while he stirred the sauce. “That’s basically potatoes.” Sangwon turned around mid sentence looking scandalized. Leo nearly smiled himself to death because Sangwon looked domestic here. Quietly cooking in Leo’s place like he belonged there. Something twisted painfully inside Leo’s chest. “You’re staring,” Sangwon murmured while stirring noodles. “Can you blame me?” Sangwon tried not to smile and failed instantly.

Eventually they ended up sprawled across Leo’s bed afterward, ramen bowls abandoned on the desk while rain finally began tapping softly against the windows. Sangwon sat cross legged near the pillow flipping through one of Leo’s manga volumes while wearing reading glasses. He absolutely did not need them. Leo stared openly from beside him. “You’re beautiful,” he said suddenly. Sangwon smiled, eyes still focused on the manga in his hands. Soft music played from Leo’s speakers while blue LED lights glowed dimly around the room. Sangwon looked over toward the gaming setup. “So this is what you do every night.” Leo followed his gaze. “Pretty much.” Sangwon hummed quietly before setting the manga aside. “Show me.” Leo blinked once. “You wanna play?” Sangwon nodded. “I wanna know more about what you love, how your world is like.”

That sentence hit harder than it should have. Leo swallowed before pulling Sangwon toward the gaming chair with him. The chair was barely large enough for both of them, which apparently didn’t matter because Sangwon immediately settled between Leo’s legs naturally while Leo wrapped one arm around his waist to keep him steady. Sangwon leaned back against his chest while Leo logged into a game.

“This is complicated,” He murmured. “You’re just bad at games.” Sangwon looked at the screen for half a second. “I’m literally class president.” Leo laughed softly. “That has nothing to do with aiming.” Sangwon pouted.

Cute.

Leo rested his chin against Sangwon’s shoulder while guiding his hands over the keyboard. The position made Sangwon’s brain stop functioning. Because Leo’s hands were warm over his own. His chest solid against Sangwon’s back, and his voice low near his ear while explaining controls. Everything smelled like him. “You’re distracting,” Sangwon whispered weakly. Leo smiled against his shoulder. “Good.”

An hour later Sangwon had fully abandoned pretending to care about the game, he was so distracted. Instead he sat comfortably in Leo’s lap while Leo played one handed, the other arm securely around Sangwon’s waist beneath the oversized hoodie Leo had given him earlier. “You’re paying more attention to the game than me,” Sangwon complained softly. “Are you jealous of a computer now?” Leo laughed, eyes still on the screen. “Yes.” Leo laughed quietly this time and titled Sangwon’s chin upward for a kiss.

Sangwon kissed him back, slowly at first, then deeper when Leo’s hand slid beneath the hoodie at his waist. Warm skin, soft lips, and the quiet rain outside. Sangwon melted completely against him. “Leo,” he whispered softly against his lips. “Hm?” Leo looked at him, his hands moving slowly along his waist. “I really like being here.” That confession sounded so sincere Leo nearly stopped breathing. Because suddenly all he could think of was..

Stay longer.
Stay overnight.
Stay tomorrow too.
Stay until this apartment permanently smells like your perfume and strawberry milk and soft laundry.

Instead, Leo only tightened his hold around Sangwon’s waist slightly. “My room feels better with you in it,” he admitted. Sangwon looked up at him softly after that. Like his heart physically hurt.

 

—

The bedroom darkened into soft shadows. Sangwon lay curled against Leo beneath the blankets, one leg tangled with his while absentmindedly tracing shapes against Leo’s chest through his white shirt. “You are warm.” Sangwon said, voice a little sleepy. Leo smiled in the dark before pulling Sangwon closer until their foreheads touched. Sangwon giggled softly and Leo realized that he wanted this all the time. Not just dates or kisses. This. Sangwon sleepy in his bed, wearing his hoodie. Sangwon filling his apartment with soft laughter, concern and warmth. “You know,” Leo whispered , fingers brushing through Sangwon’s hair, “You could make me stay at home every night if you slept over everyday.” Sangwon’s breath caught softly. “Leo..”

“I mean it.” The confession settled warmly between them. Then, Leo looked down at him, Sangwon’s hair had gotten a little messy from lying against pillows for so long. Dark strands falling over sleepy eyes while Leo’s oversized hoodie slipped slightly off one shoulder. “What” Sangwon murmured softly after noticing Leo staring. Leo’s hand slid slowly along Sangwon’s waist. “Nothing.” Sangwon smiled. “That’s a lie.” Leo smiled back, defeated. “You’re just..” He exhaled softly through his nose. “Really pretty.” Sangwon’s smile never left his face, it only grew. “You say that every five minutes.” Leo just looked at him for two seconds. “Because every five minutes you look prettier.” Sangwon started giggling now. “Impossible.” Leo hummed quietly like he disagreed. His hand settled warmly at Sangwon’s waist while his thumb brushed slowly against the soft skin there.

Sangwon inhaled softly at the touch. It was a tiny reaction, but Leo noticed everything. “You get shy so fast,” Leo murmured. “I do not.” Sangwon pretended or at least tried to. “You literally stopped breathing.” Sangwon hid his face briefly against Leo’s chest in embarrassment. Leo laughed quietly before tilting Sangwon’s chin upward gently. “Don’t hide.”

He kissed him, soft at first. Then, Leo's hand slid higher against his back beneath the hoodie, pulling Sangwon closer until their bodies fit together completely beneath the blanket. The kiss deepened slowly. The kind that felt less like desperation and more like wanting to stay close forever. A soft moan escaped Sangwon when Leo’s fingers spread warmly against his thighs.

Leo nearly lost his mind over it. Because Sangwon always sounded soft. Every breath, every tiny sound between kisses. Every sleepy little sigh when Leo touched him gently. Affection ached inside Leo’s chest. “You’re so cute,” Leo whispered against his lips. Sangwon’s cheeks warmed. “Stop calling me cute while kissing me.” Sangwon pouted. Leo smiled lazily before kissing him again anyway.

His fingers curled into the fabric of Leo’s shirt while Leo rolled them carefully until Sangwon ended up under him against the pillows. The movement earned another soft, surprised little sound from Sangwon. “There,” Leo murmured. “Better.” Sangwon’s hands found their way around Leo’s neck. “You just like moving me around.” Leo leaned down slightly, one hand beside Sangown’s head while the other trailed his waist beneath the blankets all the way to his thighs. “You look really good like this,” Sangwon blinked up at him slowly. “And sound really perfect like this.” His hair was messy. His lips were pink from all the kissing and Leo’s hoodie was slipping lower against his pale skin. “Oh my god,” Sangwon whispered, hiding his face immediately. Leo laughed. “No seriously.” Leo’s hand slid a little higher on Sangwon’s thigh. “Leo.” he interrupted softly. “You are making me nervous.” Leo gently pulled Sangwon’s hands away from his face again. “You know what your problem is?” Sangwon blinked. “What?”

“You know people think you’re pretty,” Leo said softly. “But you don’t know what you look like to me.” He brushed his thumb slowly under Sangwon’s jaw, looking into his eyes. “You walk into rooms and people stare, you smile at me and I forget conversations halfway through” he stopped to look at the hoodie Sangwon was wearing, his. “You wear my clothes and suddenly I don’t care about anything else.”

Sangwon’s expression softened more with every sentence. Leo looked at him like he was something precious. Something worth memorizing. Sangwon smiled before reaching up to brush Leo’s hair back gently from his forehead tender and careful. Leo closed his eyes briefly at the touch and suddenly Sangwon understood something important. Leo liked being cared for. Not in a dramatic or loud way but quietly.

Hands in his hair.
Fingers fixing his hood.
Someone reminding him to eat.
Someone touching him gently like he deserved softness too.

The realization filled Sangwon with unbearable fondness. So he kissed him, slow, different, more deliberate.. More loving. Their kisses were warm enough to lose track of time. Sometimes they would stop just to smile at each other. Sometimes Sangwon would giggle because Leo kept staring too long. Sometimes Leo would squeeze lightly at Sangwon’s thigh just to hear those little breathless sounds again.

“You like teasing me,” Sangwon whispered. Leo hummed, too distracted by the way Sangwon moved under him. “You’re evil.” Sangwon said this while wrapping both arms around Leo’s neck, one leg wrapped around Leo’s torso as he pulled him closer trying to chase any kind of friction Leo was taking too long and Sangwon didn’t want to wait anymore. Leo kissed the corner of his lips “I love you.” Sangwon’s heart did a thing or two after that. Then Leo buried his face against Sangwon’s neck with a quiet groan. “You smell so good.” Sangwon tilted his head a little, wanting Leo to do something about it, while his fingers slid through Leo’s hair slowly. Everything about this felt dangerously intimate.

Leo kissed him there, under his ear. Sangwon arched slightly, fingers tracing Leo’s jawline. “Sensitive,” Leo murmured. Then he rested his forehead against Sangwon’s shoulder for a moment before speaking quietly. “You know what’s scary?” Sangwon hummed softly. “I think if you asked me for literally anything right now I would do it.” He lifted his head up to look at Sangwon’s face, and didn’t say a word. Until Sangwon smiled. “That sounds unhealthy but romantic.” Leo smiled. “You think I’m romantic?” “You climbed through my window at one in the morning.” Leo buried his face against Sangwon’s neck again, not kissing yet, teasing. “Leo.” Sangwon said. “Hm?”

“I trust you, you know that,” Sangwon whispered. That nearly destroyed Leo, he already knew it, but hearing it from Sangwon was different. Leo shut his eyes briefly at the words as he breathed him in slowly like he needed the reminder. Then, his hands slid carefully along Sangwon’s thighs, his touch was warm and reassuring and impossibly gentle. “Tell me if anything feels wrong,” Leo murmured quietly. Sangwon nodded immediately, fingers threading through Leo’s hair when he kissed him again.

After that, everything softened, the room, the breaths between them, the slow rhythm they fell into together. Sangwon clung to him through every soft gasp, every moment Leo paused just to look at him, thumb brushing softly over flushed skin, while he whispered praise so sincere it made Sangwon’s heart full. “You are doing so good,” Leo breathes against his lips.Sangwon answered by pulling him impossibly closer and when Leo finally gave in completely. When restraint disappeared from the way he held him, from the rough edge entering his voice, from the desperate way he buried his face against Sangwon’s neck afterward, it still somehow felt tender. Like love first.. Everything else second. Leo wanted all of him now, and somehow despite the intensity of it, he was still gentle.

Still looking at Sangwon every few seconds like nothing mattered more than making sure he was okay. “Tell me if you need me to stop,” Leo whispered against his lips for what felt like the hundredth time. Sangwon answered by pulling him closer, every time he asked. That seemed to undo Leo completely. The breath that left him sounded wrecked as his forehead rested against Sangwon’s shoulders, hands tightening carefully at his waist before sliding lower, holding him steady against the sheets. “You sure?” Leo asked one more time.

Sangwon nodded immediately, fingers brushing through Leo’s hair. “Please.” Leo kissed him after that, slow, deep, and patient enough to make Sangwon take his time. When Leo finally pressed closer fully.. When the distance between them disappeared, Sangwon felt him everywhere at once. “God,” Leo whispered shakily against his lips. Sangwon could barely think, Leo was holding him so carefully despite how gone he already sounded, one hand interwinded with Sangwon’s while the other stayed firm at his waist, grounding him through every trembling inhale. It wasn’t rushed, that was what ruined Sangwon the most. Leo took his time with him like this mattered, like Sangwon mattered.

Their lips kept brushing between breaths, barely there kissing mixing with soft sounds and whispered praise while Leo moved in him slowly enough to feel every reaction he pulled from him. “So good for me,” Leo murmured softly after one particular moan escaped Sangwon’s lips.
Sangwon hid his face against Leo’s neck, immediately overwhelmed. Leo laughed quietly at that, completely in love.”Knew you’d get shy.” he whispered, kissing just under Sangwon’s ear. Every touch after that felt deliberate, intimate in a way that made Sangwon dizzy. Leo looked at him like he couldn’t believe this was real. The room filled around them with uneven breaths, tangled sheets, and the quiet sound of Sangwon saying his name over and over like it meant something sacred.

When they both were close, so close, Leo was still kissing him through in, holding Sangwon close while both of them tried to catch their breath together. Even when his own breathing was still restless, Leo’s first instinct was Sangwon. Hands smoothing carefully through his hair. Lips brushing his forehead, whispering. “Are you okay?” Like nothing in the world mattered more than the answer. Sangwon looked at him, sleepy, tired, but still smiled. “I’m more than okay.” Leo held him closer after leaving a soft deep kiss on his forehead and Sangwon can’t remember when was the last time he slept with a smile on his face like this.

—

 

Morning sunlight slipped softly through the gaps in Leo’s curtains. Warm gold after the rainy night slowly across tangled blankets, abandoned clothes, glowing gaming monitors left asleep overnight, and the quiet shape of two boys curled impossibly close together beneath the covers. Everything felt still, peaceful.

Sangwon woke up first, for a few seconds he stayed perfectly motionless. Still trapped halfway between sleep and reality while warmth surrounded him from every direction. Then he realized.. Leo’s arm was wrapped securely around his waist. His cheek pressed against Leo’s chest. Suddenly every memory from last night came flooding back all at once.

The kisses, the late night whispers. The way Leo said my room feels better with you in it.
Sangwon smiled into the blankets. Carefully he tilted his head upward. Leo looked unfairly beautiful asleep. Messy dark hair falling across closed eyes. Soft breathing, lips slightly parted, and one hand still resting possessively on Sangwon’s waist, even unconscious.

How was he real? Sangwon thought to himself.

The LED lights still glowed faintly around the room, mixing softly with morning sunlight until everything looked like a dream. Leo shifted in his sleep, pulling Sangwon closer than he already was. Sangwon let out the tiniest surprised laugh. “I have a clingy boyfriend even when unconscious, cute,” he whispered softly. Leo made a sleepy noise against Sangwon’s hair before tightening his hold again.

“Don’t move.” He said, with his morning voice. Deep, rough, and heavy with sleep. Sangwon nearly lost his mind. “Oh my god,” he whispered to himself. “What?” Leo opened one eye slowly. “Your voice.” Leo blinked tiredly. “What about it?” He lifted Sangwon’s chin up with his free hand. “That’s insane.” Leo smiled sleepily.

“You’re dramatic in the mornings.” He said after opening his eyes fully now looking at Sangwon. “You sound like a romance novel.” Sangwon said, bringing his face closer to Leo’s. “You read too much.” Sangwon laughed before brushing Leo’s messy hair back carefully from his forehead. That touch made Leo lean forward to kiss him softly. Leo thought he would never get used to this. Waking up and finding Sangwon in his arms.

Leo looked at him so lovingly it almost overwhelmed Sangwon.. “You won’t stop staring at me, will you?” Leo shook his head before saying. “You woke up pretty.” Sangwon smiled. “I always wake up pretty, it’s just your first time seeing it.” Leo laughed softly and leaned forward without warning and buried his face against Sangwon’s neck, leaving warm kisses. Sangwon giggled immediately, squirming slightly beneath him. “Leo–” “You smell good.” Sangwon couldn’t help smiling, fingers sliding slowly through Leo’s hair.

Everything felt soft this morning. Like time itself had slowed down around them. Leo kissed along Sangwon’s jaw lazily before looking up again. “You’re staying here forever.” Sangwon snorted softly. “That sounds unhealthy.” Leo pulled him into his arms. “Don’t care.” Sangwon continued brushing his fingers through Leo’s hair and the back of his neck. “You would get tired of me eventually.” Leo looked genuinely offended. “Sangwon.” Leo rolled on top of him slowly, trapping Sangwon beneath warm blankets. “You’re heavy.” Sangwon laughed softly. “You didn’t say that last night.” Sangwon hit the back of Leo’s head. Leo grinned before kissing him once more. “You spent the night in my bed and now I’m emotionally attached.” Sangwon burst into quiet laughter against his lips. Actually laughing so hard he had to hide his face against Leo’s shoulder. “You’re happy,” Leo murmured softly. Sangwon looked up slowly. “So are you.” Leo didn’t even deny it. Because he was terrifyingly happy, the kind that settled deep in his heart every time Sangwon smiled at him like this.

Eventually they forced themselves out of bed. Sangwon wandered around Leo’s apartment wearing Leo’s oversized shirt and soft gray sweatpants while trying to make breakfast. Leo watched from the kitchen doorway completely mesmerized. Sangwon looked domestic in the most dangerous way possible, one of Leo’s mugs in his hand while quietly scolding him for not owning proper food. “You have no fruits, like at all.” Leo walked up behind him slowly then wrapped both arms around his waist. His chest is warm against Sangwon’s back. Sangwon relaxed into him so naturally. “You’re distracting me.” he murmured softly. “Mm.” Leo tightened his hold. “I’m serious.” Leo kissed the side of his head lazily. “You are cute when you cook.” Sangwon smiled despite himself while Leo held him gently. “I’m literally making toast.” Leo kissed his head again. “Still cute.” Sunlight warmed the place around them softly. Music played low from the speakers, mostly by keshi. Leo noticed it was Sangwon’s favorite.

It felt like home.

 

—

 

Sangwon stood in front of his mirror trying not to panic. “This is ridiculous,” he muttered quietly while adjusting his class president silver pen on his school uniform blazer. His silver bracelet hung around his wrist. He looked at it and smiled. Leo had given it to him only a few days ago, their first matching item. He knew people were going to notice it tonight, which meant tonight was either going to ruin his reputation permanently or become the best night of his life.

Possibly both.

Sangwon stepped back slightly from the mirror.. Black coat hanging open over his school uniform, his hair styled just enough to look effortless. His phone buzzed.

[my leo]
I’m outside.

Sangwon's stomach flipped instantly.

Leo was just standing outside of his house waiting for him. A matching black coat over his school uniform, one hand tucked into his pocket while scrolling through his phone. The first thing Sangwon noticed was their matching bracelets. He smiled before throwing himself into Leo’s arms. Leo wrapped his arms securely around him. “Hi baby.”

 

—

 

The school looked beautiful at night. Warm lantern lights hung across the courtyard in glowing rows, illuminating crowded festival booths, colorful banners, and laughing students weaving through the campus in groups. Music echoed softly from the main stage while the scent of sweet pastries, ramen, and caramel drifted through the cold night air. Everything shimmered gold beneath the evening sky.

When they arrived at the entrance, Leo reached down and intertwined their fingers. Sangwon’s heart nearly stopped. “Leo… people are literally everywhere.” Leo only smiled before lifting their joined hands slightly. “I want them all to see our matching bracelets,” he murmured. Sangwon looked away, cheeks warming. The festival buzzed warmly around them. While students passed by carrying snacks and prizes, warm light glowed softly against happy faces and yet somehow, Leo only looked at Sangwon. Like everyone and everything else blurred away naturally.

They wandered through the festival slowly together after that. Leo’s hand never left Sangwon’s waist for a second. Sometimes guiding him through the crowds, sometimes pulling him closer instinctively whenever someone brushed too near. Possessive Leo, Sangwon secretly loved it.

At one point they stopped at a takoyaki stand, and Leo held the tray while Sangwon ate first because the food was too hot. “Careful,” Leo murmured when Sangwon burned his tongue slightly. “It attacked me.” Sangwon pouted at him. Then Leo smiled softly and brushed sauce carefully from the corner of Sangwon’s lips with his thumb. A nearby student froze mid step, Sangwon noticed immediately. “Leo.. I think we are getting exposed tonight.” Leo looked completely unbothered. “Good.” Sangwon stared at him, but before he could answer, Leo suddenly looked somewhere. “Oh.” he said quietly. Sangwon followed his gaze toward the giant claw machine booth near the gym entrance. Inside it, an enormous white bunny plushie.

Sangwon gasped immediately. “No way.” Leo looked at him once. Then, walked directly toward the booth. “Leo.” Sangwon started laughing before he said. “You absolutely cannot win that.” Leo cracked his knuckles. “Watch me.”

Ten minutes later, Leo had spent an embarrassing amount of money and was fully emotionally invested. Students gathered around the machine laughing every time he barely missed. Meanwhile Sangwon stood beside him trying not to smile too hard. “You are getting competitive,” he teased softly. Leo narrowed his eyes at the machine. “This thing is insulting me personally.” Sangwon laughed. “You are losing to stuffed animals.” Leo only narrowed his eyes even more now. “Be quiet.”

Finally, the giant bunny dropped into the prize slot. The crowd of students nearby erupted immediately. Sangwon actually squealed and Leo nearly lost his mind on the spot. Because Sangwon looked genuinely happy, clutching the giant bunny against his chest beneath glowing festival lights. He was devastatingly cute and pretty. “You really like it,” Leo murmured. Sangwon hugged the plushie tighter. “Maybe.” Leo smiled helplessly.

Whipped.
Completely whipped.

Later, they squeezed into the tiny photobooth near the art building while rain threatened faintly overhead again. The booth barely fit both of them. Sangwon sat first holding the giant bunny while Leo squeezed beside him, one arm settling behind Sangwon’s shoulders. The camera flashed the first photo, normal smiles. In the second photo, Sangwon laughed because Leo kept looking at him instead of the camera. Third photo, Leo kissing Sangwon’s cheek suddenly. “Leo..” Flash. Fourth photo, Sangwon grabbing Leo face and kissing him properly in retaliation.

The machine printed the photos seconds later. Sangwon stared at the final picture silently. Their matching bracelets were visible, Leo smiling into the kiss. “We are actually disgusting,” Sangwon whispered. Leo looked proud. “Mm.”

By the time they reached the ferris wheel, the festival lights glowed beautifully. Music echoed faintly while cold night air curled around them softly. Students crowded the line laughing and taking pictures and still Leo only looked at Sangwon. The ferris wheel cart rocked once they settled inside. Then slowly lifted into the night sky.

Below them, the entire school festival sparkled gold. Tiny moving lights, music, laughter drifting upward, but Leo barely looked at the view. Because Sangwon sat across from his holding the plushie in his lap, cheeks still pink from the cold while soft wind moved strands of dark hair across his forehead… and Leo thought.. I’m never loving anyone after this.

Sangwon noticed him starting. “You haven’t looked at the view once.” Leo answered immediately. “I’m looking at it.” Sangwon froze, then looked away, an embarrassed smile breaking across his face. “You flirt like your life depends on it.” The ferris wheel went higher until eventually the festival became a sea of lights glowing beneath them. Quiet settled softly inside the cart, warm despite the cold air.

Leo reached over first, fingers sliding through Sangwon’s until their matching bracelets touched.
Mine. He thought instinctively, not possessive in an ugly way, just certain. Sangwon belonged beside him. Sangwon looked down at their hands for a moment before speaking. “You know…” He started softly, “I think I loved you long before I understood what was happening to me.” Leo stopped breathing.

Sangwon’s voice turned softer after that. “I think it happened every morning I looked at you entering the class. Every time you smiled at me… every time I waited for your texts at night.” His fingers tightened slightly around Leo’s. “You became important so slowly I didn’t even realize it at first.” Leo looked completely wrecked emotionally.

It’s true that Sangwon fell first but somewhere along the way.. Leo fell harder. Much harder. Hopeless enough to wait outside classrooms. Hopeless enough to climb through windows. Hopeless enough to look at this boy and feel his entire heart ache from it.

Leo leaned closer slowly. “I think,” he whispered softly, “I have been ruining my life over you for months.” Sangwon laughed quietly through the emotion gathering in his eyes. Then Leo kissed him slowly. Warm hands against Sangwon’s face. Sangwon kissed him back like; he already knew this would become one of those memories that stayed forever. Their first festival.. Their first time loving each other so openly beneath the world instead of hiding.

When they finally pulled apart, Sangwon smiled shyly against Leo’s lips. “You know everyone definitely knows we are together now.” Leo brushed his thumb softly under Sangwon’s cheek. “Good,” he said. “Only look at me tonight.” Sangwon laughed softly. “As if I could look anywhere else.”