Work Text:
1.
Seonghyeon had never considered himself a jealous person.
Possessive, maybe.
Protective, definitely.
A little territorial when it came to the people he loved?
Fine. Sure.
But jealous?
No.
Absolutely not.
At least, that’s what he kept telling himself as he sat in the second floor study lounge of the university library and watched a blonde girl lean over Martin’s shoulder for the third time in ten minutes.
The lounge was crowded.
Midterms were coming up.
Half the campus seemed to have migrated there carrying energy drinks and laptops and enough anxiety to power a small city.
Normally Seonghyeon liked studying with Martin.
They weren’t one of those couples who needed constant attention from each other. They could sit together for hours without talking, occasionally exchanging snacks or kicking each other’s feet under the table.
Comfortable.
Easy.
The kind of relationship that had taken time to build.
The kind Seonghyeon secretly treasured more than anything.
Today, however, things were not easy.
Because Martin was smiling.
Not at him.
At her.
“Wait, so you’re saying the answer is actually twenty-three?”
The girl laughed.
Martin laughed too.
“No, I’m saying if you write twenty-three on the exam, Professor Harris might actually cry.”
She laughed harder.
Seonghyeon stared at his laptop.
His cursor blinked.
The document remained completely empty.
Beside him, Martin continued explaining statistics with the patience of a saint.
Which was annoying.
Because it wasn’t even Martin’s fault.
That was the worst part.
Martin hadn’t done anything wrong.
A girl from one of his classes had recognized him.
She had asked for help.
Martin, being Martin, had immediately said yes.
Now they had been talking for almost twenty minutes.
Twenty.
Minutes.
Seonghyeon knew because he’d checked.
Twice.
Maybe four times.
Not important.
The point was that she kept touching his arm.
Not dramatically.
Not obviously.
Just little taps whenever she laughed.
Little nudges whenever he explained something.
Tiny casual touches.
The kind people probably didn’t even think about.
Except Seonghyeon was thinking about them.
A lot.
Unfortunately.
Across the table, Martin glanced up.
Their eyes met.
Immediately, Martin smiled.
That soft smile.
The one reserved for him.
The one that always made Seonghyeon’s chest feel weird.
His irritation eased slightly.
Only slightly.
Then the girl touched Martin’s arm again.
And the irritation came back.
Stronger.
Fantastic.
A message appeared on his phone.
James
u look insane rn
Seonghyeon frowned.
Another message.
stop staring
Another.
it’s embarrassing
Without looking up, Seonghyeon typed:
i’m literally studying
The response arrived immediately.
liar
keonho says u look like ur planning a murder
Across the room, James and Keonho were occupying another table.
Both of them were grinning.
Traitors.
Seonghyeon ignored them.
Ten minutes later, the girl finally packed her things.
“Oh my god, thank you.”
“No problem.”
“I would’ve failed without you.”
“You definitely would’ve survived.”
She laughed again.
Seonghyeon nearly developed an eye twitch.
Then she looked at Martin.
And smiled.
A little longer than necessary.
A little brighter than necessary.
“See you around?”
Martin nodded politely.
“Yeah, sure.”
Then she left.
Finally.
Peace.
Silence.
Freedom.
Martin stretched in his chair.
“Sorry.”
Seonghyeon blinked.
“For what?”
“I kind of abandoned our study session.”
“It’s fine.”
Martin looked at him.
“Hm.”
“What?”
“Hm.”
“What does that mean?”
Martin’s smile widened.
“Nothing.”
Seonghyeon narrowed his eyes.
“Martin.”
“Yes?”
“Say it.”
“Say what?”
“The thing you’re thinking.”
Martin leaned closer.
Close enough that Seonghyeon could smell his cologne.
Close enough that the annoyance he’d been nursing for half an hour suddenly felt very stupid.
“You’re cute when you’re jealous.”
Seonghyeon almost choked.
“What?”
“I said—”
“I heard you.”
Martin laughed.
Actually laughed.
The audacity.
“I wasn’t jealous.”
“No?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
“Martin.”
“Okay.”
The idiot looked completely unconvinced.
Then he reached over and squeezed Seonghyeon’s knee beneath the table.
A small gesture.
Simple.
Affectionate.
Dangerously effective.
Because suddenly Seonghyeon couldn’t remember why he’d been annoyed in the first place.
And honestly?
That was almost more irritating.
That evening, the Fratboy house was packed.
The large living room buzzed with conversation.
People moving through hallways.
Music playing from somebody’s speaker.
The usual chaos.
As president, Martin should have been downstairs dealing with fraternity business.
Instead he was sprawled across the couch beside Seonghyeon.
One arm draped behind him.
Looking entirely too comfortable.
James appeared carrying chips.
He took one look at them.
Then burst out laughing.
“Oh my god.”
“What?”
“You got over it.”
“Over what?”
“The library thing.”
“There was no thing.”
“There was absolutely a thing.”
“There wasn’t.”
James dropped onto the couch.
“You looked ready to challenge that girl to a duel.”
Keonho nodded.
“Honestly.”
Juhoon snorted from the floor.
“I thought we’d have to physically restrain him.”
Seonghyeon groaned.
Martin looked delighted.
Which was deeply unfortunate.
Because whenever Martin looked delighted, Seonghyeon found it impossible to stay annoyed.
And if there was one thing he hated
It was being predictable.
2.
The only reason Seonghyeon was sitting in the stands of a college football game on a Saturday afternoon was Martin.
That was it.
There were no other explanations.
He didn’t care about football.
He didn’t understand half the rules.
Every time someone tried to explain them, he’d forget them five minutes later.
But Martin loved this atmosphere.
He loved the campus when it was crowded.
He loved university events.
He loved the noise, the music, the people.
And Seonghyeon loved Martin.
So he was there.
Sitting on the cold stadium bleachers with half the campus.
The Fratboys occupied practically an entire section.
Flags.
Matching hoodies.
Illegal beers stuffed into backpacks.
Someone was already screaming as if the outcome of the game would determine the fate of humanity.
James had lost his voice before the end of the first quarter.
Juhoon was inexplicably invested.
Keonho was eating nachos with the concentration of a surgeon.
Martin, meanwhile, looked completely in his element.
Completely.
Absolutely.
Annoyingly.
“I’m gonna go say hi to a couple people.”
Those had been his last words.
Twenty-seven minutes ago.
Yes.
Seonghyeon had checked.
No.
It wasn’t important.
“Again?”
James glanced down at his phone.
“What.”
“You’re looking for him.”
“I’m not looking for him.”
“You’re absolutely looking for him.”
Seonghyeon scoffed.
Across the stands, Martin was talking to a group of students.
Laughing.
Gesturing.
Smiling.
Like always.
The irritating thing was that Martin never flirted.
Never.
Seonghyeon knew that.
There wasn’t the slightest doubt.
Martin was simply… Martin.
Kind.
Sociable.
Warm.
Easy to love.
And that was exactly the problem.
Because everyone seemed to fall for him within five minutes.
“You’re making that face.”
Keonho said.
Seonghyeon turned.
“What face?”
“The face.”
“There is no face.”
“There is.”
“There isn’t.”
Juhoon burst out laughing.
“The jealous boyfriend face.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“Okay.”
“Excellent argument.”
“Thanks.”
The situation got worse about ten minutes later.
Because Martin wasn’t alone anymore.
A tall guy had appeared beside him.
Very tall.
Too tall.
With a model’s jawline and a university team hoodie.
They were talking.
Laughing.
And the guy kept leaning closer.
Closer.
And closer.
And closer.
“Who is that?”
Seonghyeon asked.
James followed his gaze.
“Oh. Him?”
“Yeah.”
“No idea.”
Perfect.
Fantastic.
Wonderful.
Now there was a mystery guy too.
The problem was that Seonghyeon couldn’t stop looking.
He tried.
He really did.
He even attempted to watch the game.
It lasted thirty seconds.
Then he went right back to watching Martin.
Who was smiling at that guy.
Again.
Again.
Again.
“There it is.”
Juhoon said.
“What.”
“He’s crushing the can now.”
Seonghyeon looked down.
The soda can in his hand was almost deformed.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“Don’t say anything.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“Liar.”
When Martin finally came back, he seemed completely unaware of the psychological drama he’d just caused.
He dropped into the seat beside Seonghyeon.
“Did I miss anything?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
Martin tilted his head slightly.
That look.
That detective look he used whenever he was trying to figure out what was going on inside his boyfriend’s head.
And it worked far too well.
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
“Martin.”
“Yeah?”
“Stop it.”
Martin smiled.
Then, without any warning, he grabbed Seonghyeon’s chin.
And kissed him.
Right there.
In the middle of the stadium.
Brief.
Soft.
Natural.
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Which, for them, it actually was.
When they pulled apart, Seonghyeon just stared at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re adorable.”
“Fuck off.”
Martin laughed.
And that sound alone was enough to make half the jealousy disappear.
Half.
Not all of it.
Because two minutes later, the tall guy walked past their row.
He spotted Martin.
Waved at him.
Martin waved back.
And smiled.
Again.
Seonghyeon closed his eyes.
Slowly.
With the dignity of a man living through his own personal hell.
Later, when the game ended and the crowd began pouring out of the stadium, Martin finally managed to drag him away from the chaos.
The sun was setting.
The air was cooler.
The campus paths were still crowded with students.
“So.”
Martin said.
“Oh no.”
“Oh yes.”
“No.”
“Who was he?”
“Who was who?”
“The guy.”
Martin immediately burst out laughing.
Immediately.
Without a shred of mercy.
“Seonghyeon.”
“No.”
“Seonghyeon.”
“No.”
“He was one of the Fratboys’ younger brothers.”
Silence.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
“Oh.”
Martin laughed even harder.
“You’re impossible.”
“I’m not impossible.”
“You spent an hour staring at him.”
“That’s not true.”
“James took a picture.”
“…”
“Want to see it?”
“James is dead.”
Martin nearly doubled over laughing.
And when he finally managed to recover, he grabbed the collar of Seonghyeon’s hoodie and pulled him closer.
This kiss was slower.
Longer.
Unhurried.
Just the two of them standing in the middle of the path.
Students walking by without paying them any attention.
When they finally pulled apart, Martin rested his forehead against his.
“You wanna know something?”
“What.”
“I like it when you’re jealous.”
Seonghyeon groaned.
“I hate you.”
“No.”
Martin smiled.
“No, you really don’t.”
And unfortunately, he was right.
3.
If there was one thing Seonghyeon hated, it was watching half the university fall in love with his boyfriend in real time.
Unfortunately, Martin had decided to DJ tonight.
Which meant Seonghyeon had spent the last twenty-three minutes standing beside the kitchen island of the Fratboy house with a red plastic cup in his hand, watching hundreds of people scream Martin’s name every time he switched tracks.
It was miserable.
The Fratboy Halloween Party was one of the biggest events of the semester.
Every year the house became completely unrecognizable.
Fake cobwebs hung from the ceilings. Purple and orange lights glowed from every corner. The backyard had been transformed into a dance floor. Somebody had somehow acquired an actual fog machine.
There were costumes everywhere.
Cowboys.
Vampires.
Cheerleaders.
A concerning number of pirates.
And right in the middle of it all, elevated on a platform overlooking the crowd, stood Martin.
Naturally.
Because apparently the universe had decided that simply making him attractive wasn’t enough.
No.
He also had to be charismatic.
Talented.
Funny.
And somehow look unfairly good under colored lights.
“You’re staring again.”
James appeared beside him.
Seonghyeon didn’t look away from the DJ booth.
“I’m literally not.”
“You literally are.”
“I’m looking at the crowd.”
“You’re looking at Martin.”
“I can see both.”
James snorted.
“Sure.”
Across the room, the crowd erupted into cheers.
Martin had switched tracks.
The bass dropped.
People lost their minds.
And Martin—
Martin grinned.
God.
That stupid smile.
The one that always looked effortless.
The one Seonghyeon had seen at eight in the morning when Martin was half asleep and stealing his hoodie.
The one he saw when Martin laughed so hard he couldn’t breathe.
The one he saw when Martin looked at him.
The crowd went absolutely insane for it.
Which was annoying.
Because that smile belonged to him.
At least a little.
…Okay, maybe that sounded crazy.
He kept that thought to himself.
His phone buzzed.
A Snapchat notification.
He glanced down.
Then immediately regretted it.
JAMES SENT A SNAP
Opening it had been a mistake.
The photo was of Martin behind the booth.
Blue lights.
Headphones around his neck.
One hand raised.
The caption read:
ur bf got fanclubs now
Seonghyeon closed the app.
Immediately.
Without replying.
His suffering didn’t need documentation.
The problem wasn’t that people were looking at Martin.
That happened every day.
The problem was that tonight they were doing it openly.
Shamelessly.
A group of girls near the front of the platform had been recording him for the last fifteen minutes.
Not the music.
Him.
Just him.
Another group kept screaming every time he acknowledged them.
Somebody had uploaded a story with the caption:
PRESIDENT MARTIN IS SO HOT WTF
Seonghyeon unfortunately knew this because Juhoon had shown it to him.
Against his will.
Mostly.
“You know he’s dating you, right?”
Keonho’s voice interrupted his thoughts.
Seonghyeon looked up.
Keonho was eating chips.
Again.
The man existed almost entirely on chips.
“Obviously.”
“Then why do you look like you’re preparing for war?”
“I’m not.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I’m standing.”
“Menacingly.”
James nodded.
“Very menacingly.”
“I hate all of you.”
The crowd surged again.
Someone climbed onto the edge of the platform.
A girl dressed as an angel.
She leaned close to Martin to say something.
Too close.
Far too close.
Seonghyeon’s jaw tightened.
Not because he thought Martin would do anything.
That wasn’t the issue.
Martin would never.
The issue was that she was standing approximately three inches from his boyfriend’s face.
Which felt unnecessary.
And frankly offensive.
Martin laughed at something she said.
The girl practically melted.
Fantastic.
Wonderful.
Amazing.
“You need help.”
Juhoon appeared carrying three drinks.
“Why?”
“Because you’re emotionally spiraling.”
“I’m fine.”
“No you’re not.”
“I’m literally fine.”
Juhoon handed him a drink.
“Then explain why you’ve been glaring at that girl for five minutes.”
“…”
“Exactly.”
The thing was Seonghyeon hated feeling like this.
Actually hated it.
Because Martin never gave him a reason to doubt him.
Never.
Not once.
If anything, Martin was embarrassingly devoted.
The kind of boyfriend who remembered every little thing.
The kind who texted him good luck before exams.
Who saved ridiculous photos of them together.
Who fell asleep with one hand tangled in Seonghyeon’s shirt because apparently physical contact was a necessity.
So none of this was rational.
He knew that.
The logical part of his brain knew that.
The emotional part, however
The emotional part was currently watching another student ask Martin for a picture.
Then another.
Then another.
And it was losing the battle.
An hour later, things got worse.
Much worse.
Because Martin had become the center of the entire party.
Again.
Someone started chanting his name.
Actually chanting.
Like he was some kind of celebrity.
People joined in immediately.
The chant spread across the room.
Martin laughed so hard he nearly missed his cue.
And Seonghyeon
Seonghyeon considered moving to another country.
Around midnight, Martin finally finished his set.
The crowd erupted.
Cheers.
Applause.
Whistles.
People immediately rushed toward the booth.
Wanting photos.
Wanting conversations.
Wanting attention.
Wanting Martin.
Seonghyeon hated every second of it.
Not visibly.
Of course not.
He maintained dignity.
Mostly.
“He’s coming.”
James said.
Seonghyeon blinked.
“What?”
“He’s coming over here.”
Immediately, his heart betrayed him.
Because despite all the jealousy.
Despite all the irritation.
Despite the fact that Martin had accidentally driven him insane for three straight hours—
The second Martin appeared, none of that mattered anymore.
Martin crossed the room.
Ignoring multiple people trying to stop him.
Ignoring somebody calling his name.
Ignoring literally everything.
Until he reached Seonghyeon.
And smiled.
There it was.
That smile.
Not the public one.
Not the president-of-the-fraternity smile.
Not the social smile.
Not the DJ smile.
His smile.
The one reserved for Seonghyeon.
The one that always felt different.
“Hey.”
The single word somehow unraveled three hours of frustration.
Seonghyeon hated that.
“Hey.”
Martin studied his face.
A knowing look appearing almost immediately.
“Oh.”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t.”
Martin laughed.
“You were jealous.”
“I was not.”
“You absolutely were.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You literally look offended.”
“I am offended.”
“Why?”
Seonghyeon opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Because explaining that half the campus had spent the evening thirsting after his boyfriend sounded deeply embarrassing.
Martin’s grin widened.
Which meant he’d figured it out anyway.
The traitor.
“Come here.”
Before Seonghyeon could react, Martin stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his waist.
Comfortable.
Automatic.
Like breathing.
Like something he’d done a thousand times before.
The crowd around them blurred.
The noise softened.
Not disappeared.
Just… faded.
Because Martin was close.
Warm.
Real.
Not up on a stage.
Not surrounded by hundreds of students.
Just here.
With him.
“Hi.”
Martin said.
“Hi.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Liar.”
“Martin.”
“I’m serious.”
Seonghyeon sighed.
Martin waited.
Patiently.
The way he always did.
And unfortunately, that patience usually worked.
“…You looked like you were having fun.”
Martin blinked.
Then burst out laughing.
Immediately.
Without mercy.
“Oh my God.”
“Don’t.”
“You were jealous of a DJ set?”
“Don’t.”
“A DJ set.”
“Martin.”
Martin nearly doubled over.
The worst person alive.
Honestly.
Then, still smiling, Martin reached up and cupped his face.
The gesture instantly softened something inside Seonghyeon.
Because Martin only did that when he was being genuine.
When he wanted him to listen.
When he wanted him to know something mattered.
His thumb brushed lightly across Seonghyeon’s cheek.
“I spent the entire night looking for you.”
Seonghyeon blinked.
“What?”
Martin shrugged.
“Every time I looked out at the crowd.”
The noise around them suddenly seemed very far away.
“You were the only person I cared about finding.”
For a second, Seonghyeon forgot how to speak.
Which happened more often than he’d ever admit.
Martin smiled.
Smaller now.
Softer.
Then he leaned forward.
And kissed him.
Not quickly.
Not absentmindedly.
A real kiss.
Gentle.
Unhurried.
The kind that made Seonghyeon’s stomach immediately flip.
The kind that made the crowd disappear completely.
Someone wolf-whistled nearby.
Neither of them paid attention.
When they finally pulled apart, Martin rested his forehead against his.
Still smiling.
Still unfairly beautiful.
Still completely unaware of the damage he caused simply by existing.
“You know,” Martin murmured, “I think it’s cute.”
Seonghyeon groaned immediately.
“No.”
“Very cute.”
“No.”
“Extremely cute.”
“Leave me alone.”
Martin laughed.
Then kissed him again.
And honestly?
That was enough to make the entire terrible night worth it.
4.
By the time November rolled around, Seonghyeon had developed a system.
It wasn’t a good system.
It wasn’t a healthy system, either.
But it was a system.
Whenever Martin attracted attention—which happened constantly—Seonghyeon would internally count to ten, remind himself that his boyfriend was allowed to interact with other human beings, and then complain about it later to James, Keonho, and Juhoon.
This strategy had worked surprisingly well so far.
Not perfectly.
But well enough.
At least until Professor Campbell’s Research Methods course got a new teaching assistant.
Then everything went to hell.
The first time Seonghyeon heard about him was on a Tuesday afternoon.
He was lying upside down across one of the couches in the Fratboy house, half asleep after an awful morning class, while Martin sat on the floor beside him working on an assignment.
The house was unusually quiet.
Most people were still in class.
The television was playing something neither of them were actually watching.
Martin had stolen Seonghyeon’s hoodie.
Again.
Which was especially offensive considering it had originally been his hoodie.
At this point, ownership had become a complicated concept.
Seonghyeon opened one eye.
Martin was typing.
Focused.
Brows slightly furrowed.
Lower lip caught briefly between his teeth.
Cute.
Annoyingly cute.
The worst kind of cute.
Without looking away from his laptop, Martin reached up and absentmindedly rested a hand on Seonghyeon’s knee.
Just because.
Because apparently physical contact was a biological necessity.
Seonghyeon immediately felt better.
“Professor Campbell got a new TA.”
Martin said it casually.
Like it wasn’t information that would later ruin several weeks of Seonghyeon’s life.
“Hm?”
“He transferred from Columbia.”
“Congratulations to him.”
Martin laughed softly.
The sound settled warmly somewhere beneath Seonghyeon’s ribs.
“He actually seems pretty nice.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah.”
The conversation should have ended there.
It should have.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
Three days later, Seonghyeon finally met him.
And immediately disliked him.
Not because the guy had done anything wrong.
That would’ve been easier.
No.
The problem was that Daniel Reynolds was exactly the kind of person Seonghyeon found impossible to compete with.
He was older.
Confident.
Smart.
The kind of graduate student who somehow looked put together even during an eight a.m. lecture.
Perfect hair.
Perfect smile.
Perfect posture.
Everything about him radiated competence.
And, worst of all—
He seemed to find Martin fascinating.
Seonghyeon noticed it immediately.
Because of course he did.
He always noticed.
Even when he desperately wished he wouldn’t.
After class ended, students gathered near the front of the lecture hall with questions.
Martin was one of them.
Normal.
Completely normal.
Except ten minutes later he was still talking to Daniel.
Five minutes after that, he was still talking to Daniel.
And Daniel looked very interested in continuing the conversation.
“You’re doing it again.”
James appeared beside him outside the building.
Seonghyeon frowned.
“Doing what?”
“That thing.”
“What thing?”
“The staring.”
“I’m not staring.”
James looked unconvinced.
Mostly because he had eyes.
Outside, the November air had become colder.
Students crossed the quad wrapped in scarves and university sweatshirts.
Leaves scattered across the sidewalks.
Someone nearby was carrying Starbucks.
Someone else was filming a TikTok.
Normal campus life.
Meanwhile, Seonghyeon was trying very hard not to look in Martin’s direction.
Trying.
Failing.
Trying again.
Failing harder.
The worst part wasn’t that Daniel was talking to him.
The worst part was that Martin genuinely seemed to like him.
Not romantically.
Obviously.
But Martin liked talking to smart people.
Liked asking questions.
Liked hearing about graduate programs and internships and future plans.
And Daniel apparently had endless stories.
By the time Martin finally joined him, nearly twenty minutes had passed.
“Sorry.”
Seonghyeon shrugged.
“No big deal.”
Martin looked suspicious.
“Hm.”
“What?”
“Hm.”
“There it is.”
“There what is?”
“The hm.”
Martin immediately started laughing.
“You know me too well.”
“Unfortunately.”
“Rude.”
“You’ll survive.”
Martin grinned.
Then slid his fingers through Seonghyeon’s as they started walking back toward campus housing.
The simple gesture should have fixed everything.
It usually did.
But unfortunately Daniel’s stupid perfect smile was still stuck in Seonghyeon’s brain.
The next week made things worse.
Much worse.
Because now Daniel seemed to appear everywhere.
Research Methods.
Office hours.
Department events.
Academic panels.
Every time Seonghyeon turned around, there he was.
Talking to Martin.
Laughing with Martin.
Asking Martin questions.
Complimenting Martin’s work.
“Your presentation was excellent.”
Daniel smiled.
Martin looked pleased.
“Thanks.”
“You should seriously consider graduate school.”
“I’ve been thinking about it.”
“I think you’d do incredibly well.”
Seonghyeon hated this conversation so much.
Not because the compliment was inappropriate.
It wasn’t.
Not because Daniel had crossed a line.
He hadn’t.
The problem was that Seonghyeon couldn’t stop imagining possibilities.
What if Martin admired him?
What if Martin looked up to him?
What if Daniel represented some future Seonghyeon couldn’t give him?
Something more impressive.
More accomplished.
More exciting.
The thoughts were ridiculous.
He knew they were ridiculous.
That didn’t stop them.
A week later, James finally snapped.
“Okay.”
The word cut across the group chat dinner.
Everyone looked up.
James pointed directly at Seonghyeon.
“You need to either talk to Martin or stop making that face.”
“What face?”
“That face.”
“Again with the face.”
“You have approximately six expressions and three of them are jealousy.”
Keonho nearly choked on his drink.
Juhoon laughed so hard he had to put his head down.
“I am not jealous.”
“You literally complained about Daniel for forty minutes.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
“I was making observations.”
“Observations.”
“Correct.”
“About his smile.”
“…”
“His hair.”
“…”
“The way he says Martin’s name.”
“…”
James pointed triumphantly.
“Case closed.”
The worst thing was that everyone was right.
And Seonghyeon knew it.
He knew it every time he found himself checking where Martin was during department events.
Every time Daniel appeared.
Every time that stupid knot tightened in his chest.
The breaking point came unexpectedly.
A Friday evening.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing important.
Just a small gathering at the Fratboy house.
Music playing softly.
People spread throughout the living room.
Someone ordering pizza.
Someone arguing over a football game.
The usual.
Seonghyeon was sitting on the couch scrolling through Snapchat when Martin dropped down beside him.
Immediately close.
Their thighs touching.
One arm draped across the back of the couch behind him.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Home.
“Tired?”
Martin asked.
“A little.”
“You look tired.”
“Thanks.”
“That wasn’t an insult.”
“It sounded like one.”
Martin laughed.
Then leaned over and pressed a quick kiss against his temple.
Automatic.
Thoughtless.
Affectionate.
The kind of gesture Martin barely seemed aware he was making anymore.
For some reason, that tiny kiss broke something loose inside him.
All the stupid insecurity.
All the annoyance.
All the overthinking.
Everything.
“Can I ask you something?”
Martin immediately looked concerned.
“Of course.”
The answer came so quickly it almost hurt.
Seonghyeon hesitated.
Then sighed.
“Do you like Daniel?”
Martin blinked.
For a second he looked genuinely confused.
Then realization hit.
Followed immediately by disbelief.
Then amusement.
Then something softer.
Something fond.
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“Oh.”
“Martin.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t laugh.”
“I’m trying.”
“You like talking to him.”
“I do.”
“He compliments you all the time.”
“Yes.”
“You spend a lot of time together.”
“Not really.”
“It feels like a lot.”
Martin’s expression changed.
The amusement faded.
Not completely.
Just enough.
Because suddenly he understood what this was actually about.
Not Daniel.
Not really.
Seonghyeon.
Without saying anything, Martin shifted closer.
Close enough that their knees pressed together.
Close enough that Seonghyeon could feel his warmth.
“Look at me.”
His voice was quiet.
Gentle.
The voice he only used when something mattered.
Reluctantly, Seonghyeon did.
Martin smiled.
Not his public smile.
Not the one everyone loved.
The private one.
The one reserved for late nights and sleepy mornings and moments like this.
“I like talking to Daniel.”
The knot tightened.
Then Martin continued.
“But I love talking to you.”
Seonghyeon’s breath caught.
Just slightly.
“I admire his work.”
Martin’s fingers found his wrist.
Lightly.
Comfortingly.
“But you’re the person I come looking for in every room.”
The living room noise faded.
Not completely.
Just enough.
Martin leaned forward.
Slowly.
Giving him time.
Giving him space.
Giving him the choice.
Just like he always did.
Their kiss was soft.
Unhurried.
Warm.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing desperate.
Just familiar.
Comforting.
The kind of kiss that felt like coming home.
When they pulled apart, Martin rested his forehead against his.
Smiling.
“You’re kind of ridiculous.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Very ridiculous.”
“Yeah.”
“But you’re my ridiculous.”
And unfortunately that was enough to make every single one of Seonghyeon’s arguments disappear.
5.
If there was one thing Seonghyeon had learned after almost two years of dating Martin, it was that being the boyfriend of the Fratboy president came with occupational hazards.
Most of them were manageable.
The endless group chats.
The random people showing up at their table during lunch.
The fact that Martin couldn’t walk across campus without stopping at least five times to talk to someone.
Those things were annoying sometimes, sure.
But they were also part of who Martin was.
And Seonghyeon loved who Martin was.
Which was exactly why nights like this were so difficult.
Because loving Martin had never been the problem.
Sharing him with everyone else was.
The Winter Formal was one of the biggest events organized by the Fratboys every year.
Unlike the Halloween party, this wasn’t chaos.
It was worse.
It was organized.
There were decorations.
A rented ballroom downtown.
Actual catering.
People dressed up in suits and dresses.
Alumni returning to campus.
Faculty members attending.
Photographers wandering around capturing moments for social media.
Everything looked expensive.
Everything felt important.
And Martin, unfortunately, was at the center of all of it.
“You look nice.”
Martin’s voice pulled Seonghyeon from his thoughts.
They were standing together near the entrance while guests continued arriving.
Martin had spent the last twenty minutes greeting people.
Smiling for photos.
Shaking hands.
Introducing himself to parents.
Doing president things.
President things that somehow made him even more attractive.
Which felt deeply unfair.
Seonghyeon looked down at his suit.
“You told me to wear this.”
“And?”
“And if I look nice it’s your fault.”
Martin laughed.
That familiar warmth immediately spread through Seonghyeon’s chest.
The kind that never seemed to get old.
Not even after all this time.
Martin stepped closer.
Close enough that nobody else could hear.
Close enough that Seonghyeon immediately noticed the faint scent of his cologne.
“You always look nice.”
The compliment was delivered casually.
Like it wasn’t capable of completely derailing his train of thought.
Like it wasn’t unfair.
Like Martin wasn’t the single most dangerous person alive when he decided to be sweet.
Seonghyeon rolled his eyes.
Mostly to hide the fact that he was smiling.
Before he could reply, somebody called Martin’s name.
Then somebody else.
Then another person.
And just like that he was gone again.
Pulled back into the crowd.
Back into the role he always seemed born to play.
For a while, Seonghyeon genuinely tried not to let it bother him.
He talked with James.
Made fun of Juhoon’s tie.
Helped Keonho sneak extra desserts from one of the catering tables.
Normal things.
Healthy things.
Things that definitely didn’t involve constantly checking where Martin was.
Unfortunately.
Martin was impossible to miss.
Everywhere Seonghyeon looked, he saw him.
Across the ballroom talking to alumni.
Near the stage discussing something with faculty members.
At another table taking photos with current members.
Then somewhere else entirely.
Always smiling.
Always laughing.
Always surrounded by people.
The thing was nobody understood Martin the way Seonghyeon did.
Not really.
The version everyone else knew wasn’t fake.
But it wasn’t complete.
They saw the confident president.
The social butterfly.
The guy who could command a room without even trying.
Seonghyeon saw the rest.
The sleepy version that stole blankets.
The clingy version that refused to fall asleep without touching him somehow.
The version that sent him blurry selfies during lectures because he was bored.
The version that complained dramatically whenever they ran out of cereal.
The version that existed when nobody else was looking.
And sometimes watching everyone else want Martin felt strangely lonely.
“You’re doing it again.”
James appeared beside him carrying two drinks.
Seonghyeon groaned immediately.
“What now?”
“You’re staring.”
“I hate you.”
“Not my point.”
James handed him a drink.
Then followed his gaze.
Directly toward Martin.
Who was currently trapped in conversation with at least six people.
“You know what’s funny?”
“No.”
“He’s been looking for you all night.”
Seonghyeon blinked.
“What?”
James shrugged.
“I’ve caught him scanning the room like twenty times.”
Before Seonghyeon could respond, a photographer approached Martin.
A group photo.
Then another.
Then another.
Then another.
Martin disappeared into the crowd again.
And something inside Seonghyeon unexpectedly deflated.
Not jealousy.
Not exactly.
Something quieter.
Something worse.
He missed him.
Which felt ridiculous considering Martin was maybe thirty feet away.
Still.
He missed him.
The realization lingered.
Heavy and uncomfortable.
Because suddenly all the irritation of the evening made sense.
It wasn’t about other people.
Not really.
It never had been.
He just wanted Martin.
The ballroom had become louder as the evening progressed.
Music drifted through the room.
Students danced.
Faculty members mingled.
The photographer continued terrorizing innocent guests.
Normal formal things.
Seonghyeon eventually escaped to one of the quieter hallways outside the ballroom.
The silence felt nice.
Necessary.
For a few minutes, he simply leaned against the wall and breathed.
Then a familiar voice appeared.
“There you are.”
Immediately.
Instantly.
Without even looking.
His entire mood improved.
Martin.
Still wearing that stupid suit.
Still looking unfairly attractive.
Still somehow smiling despite spending three hours talking to hundreds of people.
“You disappeared.”
Martin stepped closer.
“You were busy.”
“I was looking for you.”
“No you weren’t.”
“I literally was.”
Seonghyeon laughed softly.
Martin frowned.
Not genuinely upset.
Just enough to show he wasn’t joking.
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
“Then stop acting like I’m not.”
Something warm settled inside his chest.
Dangerously warm.
Martin reached out.
His hand finding Seonghyeon’s almost automatically.
Their fingers intertwined.
Familiar.
Effortless.
Home.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
The hallway remained quiet.
The noise from the ballroom muffled by distance.
Then Martin sighed.
A dramatic, exhausted sigh.
“I’m tired.”
Seonghyeon stared.
“The social king is tired?”
“Don’t.”
“The people’s president?”
“Don’t.”
“The beloved leader of the Fratboys?”
Martin shoved him lightly.
Finally.
There he was.
Not President Martin.
Not Campus Celebrity Martin.
Just Martin.
The one Seonghyeon loved.
“You know,” Martin said quietly, “I’ve barely gotten to spend any time with you tonight.”
The confession surprised him.
Enough that he looked up.
Really looked.
Martin seemed sincere.
Disappointed, even.
And suddenly Seonghyeon felt stupid.
Because maybe he wasn’t the only one who’d been missing someone.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
For a second neither moved.
Then Martin stepped closer.
Close enough that their shoulders touched.
“I hate these events.”
Seonghyeon blinked.
“What?”
Martin groaned.
“I know they’re important.”
“Martin—”
“But every five seconds somebody needs something.”
A smile tugged at Seonghyeon’s mouth.
“And all night I’ve been trying to find a chance to steal you away for ten minutes.”
Something in his chest melted completely.
“You could’ve texted.”
“I did.”
Seonghyeon checked his phone.
Three unread messages.
⸻
Martin
where are u
Martin
save me
Martin
i’m being held hostage by alumni
⸻
A laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
Martin looked deeply offended.
“I’m suffering.”
“You seem okay.”
“I’m not okay.”
“You survived.”
“Barely.”
Then Martin leaned forward.
And kissed him.
Not dramatically.
Not passionately.
Not because anyone was watching.
Just because he’d wanted to all evening.
The realization hit Seonghyeon so hard it almost hurt.
Because after hours of feeling like he had to share Martin with everyone—
This moment belonged entirely to them.
When they pulled apart, Martin rested his forehead against his shoulder for a second.
Exhausted.
Comfortable.
Trusting.
And suddenly Seonghyeon understood.
The entire campus might want Martin.
The entire campus might know his name.
The entire campus might adore him.
But at the end of every night Martin still came looking for him.
And somehow that mattered more than everything else.
+1
The funny thing about jealousy was that Seonghyeon had spent months assuming Martin simply didn’t experience it.
He should have known better.
Really.
He should have.
Because anyone capable of loving as deeply as Martin probably wasn’t immune to jealousy.
He was just better at hiding it.
As it turned out much better.
Until he wasn’t.
And when he finally snapped?
It was spectacular.
The first sign that something was wrong came from James.
Which, in retrospect, should have been enough warning for everyone involved.
James was usually the first person to notice drama.
Not because he looked for it.
Because drama looked for him.
And apparently, on a cold Thursday night in early December, drama had decided to walk directly into the student union wearing a varsity jacket and a smile that immediately made James sit up straighter in his chair.
“Oh, no.”
Across the table, Keonho looked up from his phone.
“What?”
James pointed.
“No.”
“What?”
“Oh, no.”
Juhoon followed his gaze.
Then immediately covered his face.
“Oh, that’s bad.”
At the other end of the student union, Seonghyeon was standing near the coffee counter.
Completely oblivious.
Which somehow made everything worse.
Because Seonghyeon was many things.
Smart.
Observant.
Sometimes annoyingly perceptive.
But when someone flirted with him?
He became completely useless.
The culprit’s name, unfortunately, was Ethan.
A sophomore.
Business major.
Member of another fraternity.
The kind of guy who knew exactly how attractive he was.
The kind of guy who smiled with his entire face.
The kind of guy who made eye contact like he was trying to win a competition.
The kind of guy who was currently leaning against the counter talking to Seonghyeon.
Very enthusiastically.
Meanwhile.
At a table roughly thirty feet away.
Martin had just arrived.
Carrying two coffees.
One for himself.
One for Seonghyeon.
Like always.
He stopped walking.
James saw it happen.
The exact moment.
The precise second.
The instant Martin noticed Ethan.
“Oh, there it is.”
Keonho winced.
“What?”
“The look.”
“What look?”
“The look.”
Martin sat down slowly.
Very slowly.
Suspiciously slowly.
His eyes never leaving the conversation.
“Who’s that?”
The question sounded casual.
Too casual.
Dangerously casual.
James immediately looked away.
The way one might avoid eye contact with an active volcano.
“No idea.”
Lie.
Everybody knew who Ethan was.
Martin hummed.
A small sound.
Barely audible.
Not concerning.
At all.
“Right.”
Silence.
“Martin.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
James sighed.
“You know what.”
Martin smiled.
A perfectly pleasant smile.
A completely normal smile.
A smile that somehow made all three of them nervous.
“Oh, relax.”
Nobody relaxed.
Because the problem wasn’t that Ethan was talking to Seonghyeon.
The problem was that Ethan was very obviously flirting with Seonghyeon.
The problem was that Seonghyeon seemed completely unaware.
And the biggest problem of all?
Martin was noticing every single second of it.
“Jesus.”
Juhoon muttered.
Ethan touched Seonghyeon’s arm.
Briefly.
Casually.
Probably harmless.
Martin’s jaw tightened.
James closed his eyes.
“Oh my God.”
“He’s fine.”
Keonho sounded uncertain.
“He’s absolutely not fine.”
Across the room, Ethan said something that made Seonghyeon laugh.
A real laugh.
Head tilted back slightly.
Eyes crinkling.
Genuine.
Martin looked personally betrayed.
Which would have been ridiculous.
If it weren’t so obvious.
The thing was Martin trusted Seonghyeon completely.
There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind.
Not one.
The issue wasn’t Seonghyeon.
The issue was Ethan.
Because Ethan looked interested.
Very interested.
And Martin hated it.
Not in a rational way.
Not in a mature way.
Certainly not in a way he was proud of.
But there it was.
Jealousy.
Pure.
Immediate.
Unavoidable.
For months, he’d listened to James make fun of Seonghyeon.
He’d laughed every time.
Teased him every time.
Found it adorable every time.
Now he was starting to understand why Seonghyeon always looked miserable.
It was awful.
Absolutely awful.
“Okay. I think that’s enough.”
Martin stood.
All three friends looked up.
“Martin.”
“Yeah?”
“Sit down.”
“No.”
James sighed.
“Please don’t make this weird.”
“I’m not making it weird. I’m just going to make things clear”
The lie was so obvious that nobody bothered responding.
Martin crossed the room.
Ethan was still talking.
Still smiling.
Still leaning far too comfortably into Seonghyeon’s personal space.
Seonghyeon looked up first.
His entire face brightened.
Immediately.
Automatically.
The second he saw Martin.
And somehow that made things worse.
And better.
At the same time.
“Hey babe.”
Seonghyeon’s smile softened.
Martin felt his heart trip over itself.
Like always.
Then he remembered Ethan existed.
Right.
The problem.
“Hi.”
Martin stepped beside him.
Close.
Very close.
Close enough that their shoulders touched, Martin’s hand around Seonghyeon’s waist.
Ethan’s smile faltered.
Slightly.
Good.
“You disappeared.”
Seonghyeon sounded completely normal.
Martin stared at him.
Completely.
Utterly.
Oblivious.
“Was looking for coffee.”
A beat.
Then another.
Ethan cleared his throat.
“I’m Ethan.”
Martin turned.
Slowly.
The smile he produced was polite.
Technically.
“Martin.”
Another pause.
Ethan’s eyes flicked between them.
Realization began to dawn.
Very slowly.
“Oh.”
Finally.
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Martin’s smile sharpened.
Just slightly.
The silence that followed was almost funny.
Almost.
Then Ethan laughed awkwardly.
“Right.”
Right.
Because apparently Ethan had spent twenty minutes flirting with somebody who had been dating the same man for nearly two years.
Unfortunate.
For him.
The conversation ended shortly afterward.
Not dramatically.
Not explosively.
Ethan excused himself.
Politely.
Quickly.
And vanished.
The second he was gone, Seonghyeon turned toward Martin.
“What was that?”
Martin blinked.
“What was what?”
“That.”
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
Martin looked offended.
“I am not.”
“You absolutely are.”
Their eyes met.
And suddenly everything clicked.
Seonghyeon’s mouth fell open.
“No way.”
Martin immediately looked away.
“Oh my God.”
“Stop.”
“Oh my God.”
“Seonghyeon.”
“You were jealous.”
Martin groaned.
Actually groaned.
The sound was so pathetic that Seonghyeon nearly laughed.
“You were jealous.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You absolutely were.”
“Maybe a little.”
“A little?”
“A normal amount.”
“A normal amount?”
Martin covered his face.
Which was basically a confession.
And for some reason that was what finally broke Seonghyeon.
Because for months.
Months.
He had suffered alone.
Now Martin understood.
Now Martin finally got it.
The realization was strangely satisfying.
And incredibly cute.
“You’re adorable.”
Martin looked horrified.
“Don’t.”
“You are.”
“Don’t.”
“You are.”
“Seonghyeon.”
Unfortunately.
The more embarrassed Martin became the cuter he got.
Which was deeply unfair.
Later that night, after the student union had emptied and the campus had gone quiet beneath the glow of streetlights, they walked back toward Martin’s apartment together.
Shoulders brushing.
Hands occasionally bumping.
The familiar rhythm they’d built over years.
The cold air painted their breath white.
December settling over campus.
Finals approaching.
The semester ending.
And Martin was still sulking.
Which was incredible.
“You know,” Seonghyeon said, trying not to smile, “I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you jealous.”
Martin groaned immediately.
“Can we never talk about this again?”
“No.”
“Please.”
“No.”
Martin shot him a look.
Then another.
Then finally stepped closer.
Close enough that Seonghyeon instinctively stopped walking.
The teasing died in his throat.
Because Martin was looking at him with that expression.
That dangerous one.
The one that always made his pulse jump.
The one reserved only for him.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.”
“A little.”
“A little?”
“A normal amount.”
Martin laughed despite himself.
Then reached up.
His fingers catching lightly at the collar of Seonghyeon’s jacket.
Pulling him closer.
The campus around them had gone quiet.
Students already heading home.
Streetlights glowing overhead.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Martin rested his forehead against his.
And sighed.
Softly.
“You drive me insane.”
The words carried no frustration.
No real complaint.
Only affection.
The kind that settled deep.
Warm.
Certain.
Steady.
Seonghyeon’s smile softened.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Martin’s hand slid to the back of his neck.
Comforting.
Familiar.
And then he kissed him.
Slowly.
Without rushing.
Without an audience.
Without anything left to prove.
Just because he’d wanted to all evening.
Just because Seonghyeon was his favorite person.
Just because sometimes love felt so overwhelming that the only thing left to do was move closer.
When they finally pulled apart, neither of them went very far.
Martin’s forehead still rested against his.
Their breaths mingling in the cold air.
And for a second—
Everything else disappeared.
No fraternity.
No campus.
No parties.
No jealousies.
No crowds trying to get Martin’s attention.
Just them.
Exactly where they were supposed to be.