- Continued -

“Who?” slipped out of Minjun’s lips as he turned to the direction of Khun’s line of view. He immediately brightened up upon seeing the person.

“Junho!” Minjun called merrily, causing the said boy to whip his head to his direction and subsequently waved as he recognized Minjun, smiling. Minjun started making his way towards him. Amidst of that, Khun was confused for a second, blurting, “No, not– who?” But he followed Minjun despite that, because he was heading towards that person whom Khun had noticed.

What Khun actually had seen took him off-guard. Sitting not far from the piano, at one of the white round wooden tables, were Wooyoung and Junho, each with their own desserts.

They were feeding each other a spoonful of their ice-cream.

It may be something normal for the twins to be doing, but to Khun, he felt an almost solid pang in his chest, causing him to breathe with much difficulty. It may not be as much as jealousy, but Khun felt his possessive side bubbling inside him all the same. He did not know who Junho was – not before Minjun called out to him, at least. His mind involuntarily took over, making him assume that Wooyoung was Junho’s – gulp – boyfriend. Though beating fast, he felt his heart sinking.

The two juniors scrambled to their feet to greet Minjun when he reached their table. Junho threw his arms around Minjun again happily, which the latter gladly returned. Junho then released his hyung from the brief hug and introduced him to Wooyoung.

“Wooyoungie, Minjun-hyung. Hyung, Wooyoung,” Junho gestured towards them at the mention of their names. Wooyoung hastily bowed to Minjun, saying a formal hello, which the older laughed off casually, telling him there was no need for formality, just like what Khun did the first time they met.

Khun joined them just then, standing instinctively by Wooyoung’s side. “Hey, Wooyoung.”

“Khun-hyung!” Wooyoung bowed slightly and grinned at him, his cheeks now chubbier in Khun’s eyes.

Junho also greeted Khun with a bow, addressing him as “Nichkhun-sunbae,” before asking them both to sit with them. Of course, Minjun delightedly agreed and the four of them sat around the table with their respective treats.

In the midst of the uncountable conversations being exchanged, Khun inconspicuously observed Wooyoung. At one point, Wooyoung had reached over and took a spoonful of Junho’s ice-cream nonchalantly, which led to Junho grabbing Wooyoung’s cup and eating his ice-cream. They easily looked like lifelong brothers rather than a couple, but Khun envied their closeness nonetheless, his desire to be in Junho’s shoes gradually growing.

At another point, Khun asked them when had the piano gotten in.

“Two weeks ago. Junho played it last week,” Wooyoung answered him, a twinkle in his eyes when he mentioned about Junho playing the piano; making Khun wonder if Wooyoung would be as happy if he was the one who had played for him. It somehow significantly piqued his previously absent interest in making a piano comeback. “You can just go over and play, it’s open,” Wooyoung added.

“Minjunnie-hyung, go play it, I wanna hear,” Junho requested him eagerly.

 “Okie, just a sec.” Minjun stood up enthusiastically as soon as he had finished the last drops of his chocolate ice-cream. He strolled towards the platform and took his place at the piano. After opening the cover, he hovered both his hands over the keys, his fingers spread out. Khun watched him in a deep breath through his nose and then letting it out through his mouth, bringing his concentration to the keys in front of him.

Then Minjun brought his fingers in contact with the black and white keys, the vivid and melodious tune began swimming through the entire shop, catching every customers’ attention. Minjun’s expression was calm, smiling as he got lost in the piano piece; his fingers danced across the length of keys as though alive themselves.

Khun recognized that Minjun had mingled two or three classical pieces together, playing professionally without a trace of break or hesitation. He wondered if he had had practices or was it a spontaneous compilation on the spot.

Khun glanced at Wooyoung, who was facing the stage while slightly swaying along the melody; it surprised him how much Wooyoung seemed to enjoy piano music – unexpectedly. He could not help but notice – more than needed – how Junho had leaned over to Wooyoung from the back, his arm draped over Wooyoung’s left shoulder while his chin rested on the other. Junho was whispering something into Wooyoung’s ear, probably about how Minjun had compiled several music pieces together, judging from Wooyoung’s subsequent look of awe. Khun frowned inwardly at the juniors’ closeness – almost intimate even – his heart sinking even more as the possibility of Wooyoung being taken steadily increased.

Minjun’s small performance lasted for about ten minutes, and by that time, almost every audience had their phones out recording. They applauded as he finished and bowed to the crowd.

“Wow, hyung, was the whole play on impulse?” Khun asked as Minjun reached their table, all smiles.

“I guess. I know some classical pieces and I just changed them or go back when I felt like it,” Minjun replied, grinning with satisfaction. “So, how did I do?”

“Hmm…” Junho tapped his chin, pretending to ponder. Then he laughed, “I’d say ten points out of ten. Seriously, hyung, that was awesome!”

Junho’s feedback instantaneously had Minjun leaping onto him, his arms wrapped around the younger one in a grateful embrace. Both Khun and Wooyoung were patting Minjun on his back, showering him with praises.

“Ah,” Minjun turned to Khun as he released Junho from his arms, “Khunnie, go play too.”

“Khun-hyung knows how to play?” Wooyoung asked him, surprised. “No one in the college knew about it, even though you’re so famous.”

“That’s because I’ve not played at all since high school,” Khun told him. “And, I don’t know, hyung,” Khun said, turning to Minjun, “I might’ve gone rusty already.”

“You’ll be fine, Khunnie – a genius like you,” Minjun answered with a small laugh.

Wooyoung placed his elbows on the table and cupped his chin and cheeks with his hands, smiling expectantly, “Khun-hyung, go try it. I’m sure you’ll play well.”

How could Khun refuse Wooyoung’s – his Wooyoung’s – request?

Khun accepted Wooyoung’s request and scooted his chair back, standing up. “I’ll just play one piece,” he announced. He walked towards the platform where the grand piano stood, well, grandly. Khun sat down on the piano stool; the features of his side profile were beautifully illuminated by the stage lights. Along with the whites of the background and his surroundings, he looked just like an angel.

Hushed conversations started arising among the crowd of college students upon the sight of Khun sitting at the piano; a sight that had never, ever crossed their minds before about that particular well-known student.

Khun played.

He himself was amazed that he could still play. He felt that his hands and fingers could move independently, going to the correct note at the correct time, both his feet played at the pedals quite involuntarily as well. Taking his eyes off the keyboard and letting his fingers work, he glanced around at the audience. His eyes naturally fell upon the one and only Wooyoung.

Wooyoung had his full attention on Khun, his eyes were glistening as he watched Khun, his cheeks blushed deep red. A cute sight. Khun hoped against hope that Wooyoung was noticing him more than the piano music at that moment.

***

Woah, Wooyoung thought, bringing his hand to where his heart was pounding, why is my heart beating so fast… Wooyoung felt heat creeping up his cheeks; he did not need a mirror to know that his cheeks were scarlet.

He knew why.

He just could not take his eyes off that pianist. The moment he started playing, Wooyoung sensed the pure difference between that person and Junho as well as Minjun. Perhaps it was merely him and his pitiful mind, though – no, it sure was. He had noticed how Khun was stealing glances at him – the handsome way. Utterly fazed, he did not even know what to think. Aside from that, he also noticed that there was an odd aura around Khun when Junho was being close to him. There had been a brief moment of that aura when he was telling him about his roommate back in the library last time; though he was sure he had never mentioned Junho to him.

Now, Wooyoung watched Khun scanning the crowd from the stage, his eyes eventually settled on him. They made eye contact and Wooyoung’s heart skipped a beat abruptly. He froze. Khun just had to choose that moment to flash a sweet, relaxing smile directly at him, his gaze never breaking from his eyes. He doesn’t even need to look at the keyboard, Wooyoung said in his mind, a feeble – no, futile – attempt at distracting himself from the impact of Khun’s charming smile. His heartbeat was impossibly faster now.

As much as Wooyoung wanted to peel his eyes off the pianist to calm his poor heart, he could not bring himself to. Khun playing the piano – no, Khun himself – was just so captivating… Wooyoung thought he was very messed up to be thinking that but his mind just could not think straight.

[A/N] I was writing and writing and eventually hit 2500+ words for one chapter so I decided to split it into two. I hope you enjoyed the amount of Khun, and of course the other boys in these two chapters keke~ While I'm at it, happy birthday to our Emperor and Smiling Eyes Sunshine, Lee Junho~ <3 <3