Chapter Text
『••✎••』
Chapter 1:
The human brain is remarkably efficient at recycling useless information, which was why Yang Jeongin had long since discarded the memory of the quiet boy from middle school. He didn’t remember the petty thefts of lunch money disguised as "borrowing," the casual, cruel mockery in the hallways, or the deliberate trip-wires of his feet that left Bang Chan sprawling on the linoleum. To Jeongin, it was just the ambient noise of growing up. He had moved on. He was a high school sophomore now, well-liked, and happily dating Han Jisung.
Chan, however, possessed a flawless memory.
When Chan transferred into the same high school that autumn, taller, broader, and carrying himself with a quiet, lethal confidence that bore no resemblance to the boy Jeongin had once tormented, he recognized Jeongin instantly.
He also recognized an opportunity.
"Hey, Jeongin-ah," Jisung said one afternoon, dropping his backpack onto the library table. A second later, someone else sat down beside him. "This is Chan. He just transferred into my AP Calculus class. The guy is a literal genius. He’s going to help me not fail."
Jeongin looked up from his phone, a polite smile already formed on his lips. "Oh, hi. Nice to—"
The words died in his throat. Chan was looking at him. It wasn’t a blank look, nor was it hostile. It was the look of a man who held all the cards and was thoroughly enjoying the view.
"Nice to meet you, Jeongin," Chan said, his voice a deep, smooth baritone. His eyes crinkled at the corners, a picture of pure friendliness. "Jisung talks about you all the time."
"Yeah?" Jeongin’s throat felt dry. There was a faint, nagging ache in the back of his mind, a phantom scent of a middle school locker room, but he couldn’t piece it together. He just felt an instinctive, primal urge to pull Jisung away.
"Chan is hilarious, seriously," Jisung chattered, completely oblivious to the sudden drop in atmospheric pressure. "You should hear his impression of the vice principal. Go on, Hyung, do it."
Chan chuckled, waving a hand dismissively, but his eyes never left Jeongin's face. "Maybe later. I don’t want to ruin my first impression with your boyfriend."
Over the next three weeks, Chan became a permanent fixture in their lives. Or, more accurately, in Jisung’s life.
It started with study sessions. Jisung, who usually dreaded opening a textbook, suddenly found a newfound passion for mathematics because Chan made it "actually make sense." Then came the shared lunches.
"Chan-hyung bought me this milk," Jisung beamed one Tuesday, holding up a carton of banana milk. "He remembered it’s my favorite."
Jeongin stared at the carton, a strange, tight knot forming in his chest. "I could have bought you milk, Ji."
"But you didn’t," Jisung teased playfully, bopping Jeongin on the nose. "Don't be jealous, Innie. Chan-hyung is just really nice."
*Jealous.* The word tasted bitter on Jeongin’s tongue. He wasn’t a jealous person. He trusted Jisung implicitly. But there was something deeply unsettling about the way Chan looked over Jisung’s shoulder right at that moment, catching Jeongin’s eye from across the cafeteria, and offered a slow, deliberate wink.
The knot in Jeongin's chest tightened.
The breaking point arrived on a rainy Friday. Jeongin had planned a movie night at his apartment, just him and Jisung. He had bought the snacks, picked the film, and waited.
At 7:00 PM, his phone buzzed.
> **Ji 🐿️:** *hey innie, so sorry! got caught up at the arcade with chan-hyung and a few others, lost track of time. can we do tomorrow instead? 🥺*
>
Jeongin stared at the screen, his blood running hot and cold all at once. He didn't reply. Instead, he grabbed his jacket and marched out into the rain, heading straight for the arcade near the school.
When he arrived, the arcade was loud, flashing with neon lights. It didn’t take long to find them. Jisung was doubled over laughing, clapping his hands frantically while Chan stood over a dance machine, effortlessly keeping up with a ridiculous, high-speed track, a brilliant smile on his face.
Jisung looked so happy. He looked comfortable. And Chan looked... perfect.
Jeongin strode over, his sneakers squeaking aggressively against the tile. "Jisung."
Jisung blinked, turning around. "Oh! Innie! What are you doing here? I thought you were at home."
"We had plans," Jeongin said, his voice clipped, entirely devoid of his usual softness.
"Right, I know, I'm so sorry—"
"It's my fault, really," Chan interrupted, stepping off the machine. He wasn't even breathless. He grabbed a towel, wiping his brow as he stepped closer into Jeongin’s personal space. The height difference was more pronounced up close. Chan looked down at him, his expression an agonizing blend of faux-contrition and pure amusement. "I dragged him out. I didn't realize he had a curfew with you, Jeongin-ah."
*Jeongin-ah.* The familiarity felt like a slap.
"He doesn't have a curfew. He has a boyfriend," Jeongin snapped, crossing his arms. He hated how defensive he sounded. He hated how Chan’s eyes gleamed at the outburst.
"Right. Of course," Chan said softly, taking a step closer. He lowered his voice so only Jeongin could hear over the arcade’s din. "My mistake. I'd hate to get between such a... *dedicated* couple."
Jeongin’s jaw clenched. He grabbed Jisung’s wrist. "We’re leaving."
"Jeongin, wait, you're being kind of weird," Jisung muttered, looking embarrassed as he was pulled away, but he followed nonetheless.
As they walked out into the cool night air, Jeongin looked back over his shoulder. Chan was standing by the arcade entrance, hands shoved into his pockets. He wasn't looking at Jisung.
He was staring directly at Jeongin, a sharp, dangerous smirk playing on his lips.
Suddenly, a memory flashed in Jeongin’s mind—vivid, terrifying, and sharp. *A rainy afternoon behind the middle school gym. A younger, skinnier Chan standing in the mud, staring at Jeongin with that exact same intensity after Jeongin had thrown his backpack into a puddle.*
Jeongin froze. The realization hit him like a physical blow.
Chan hadn't forgotten. Chan remembered everything. And this wasn't about Jisung at all.
『••✎••』