step one: Jeonghan mistakes Seungcheol's affection to be directed at Jihoon instead of him.

"YEAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Someone hollers, and dunks a bottle of Heinz barbeque sauce.

Jeonghan ducks his head and tries to drown out the noise from the hammered patrons in the bar. Following the stunt, there's a moment of stunned silence before polite, appraising applause scatters throughout the bar. Jeonghan sniffs in disdain at the bleching sound, and bites his lip nervously. There's a lot of people here - and their presence is magnified by the sheer fact that there are no rules keeping them silent. He can't remember why he's even here, on a Thursday night no less. That holds true, until he hears Jihoon's disgruntled "hmph" somewhere below his shoulder.

The crooning aspiring comedian at the platform is torn away from the microphone and replaced by a much better-looking person. Him. Choi Seungcheol tests the microphone once, twice, a low whisper promising more sultry things to come in the unveiling of the night. The battered microphone shivers under the intensity of a well-learnt charisma. 

Seungcheol plugs in his guitar - acoustic? - and stares ahead like he's looking for someone in the crowd. The swift precision of his fingers is almost arousing, if not for the fact that Jeonghan thinks he might just have caught Seungcheol's wandering eyes. The moment steals him away, an aching lightness piercing his chest. 

But a snide, unimpressed remark from Jihoon about the calibre of the other band members is enough to remind Jeonghan that: Jihoon is the one Seungcheol is trying to impress. Not him. 

Jeonghan swallows, pressing the giddy, gaudy lovesick that had sunk its claws into his ribs down. The unbearable lightness threatens to overwhelm him, croaking its way up his throat in a show of embarrassing indignation. He seals his fingers one by one into a fist, and diminishes his hopes flicker by flicker. Jeonghan thinks he needs a drink. Or two, if Seungcheol starts singing about a short, grumpy man with an extraordinary talent for music.

"Hey, it's S. Coups," Seungcheol says. "Or actually, I'm trying to be Seungcheol today."

There's a rift of amusement, and Jeonghan sighs at the reappearance of the infamous Gummy Smile that has plagued his daydreams since Day One. Jihoon snorts, unamused, and Jeonghan bites down on his lip again.

"So... we're trying to be more acoustic today, because. Let's just say that there's someone - some people who like to keep things classy. Well, as classy as it can get in a place like 'Diamond Edge'," Seungcheol continues, drawing a few more snickers. 

Jeonghan glances at Jihoon, but the latter's face is an unreadable slab of cold, soulless impartiality. Well, Jihoon's always been hard to impress, especially when it came to music. Perhaps trying a different genre on Seungcheol's part was a strategic move. The lengths this man would go to... Jeonghan exhales again, suddenly aware of the bile rising up his throat again. Loud, tacky guilt catches him staring at Seungcheol's biceps for a moment too long. 

"So anyway... here's the Kidney Function with Privilege!" Seungcheol says, then frowns. "We really gotta change our name."

The beat drops, and the bar sinks into awed silence, before a few enthuastic patrons start swaying. Even Jihoon, who has been oddly critical and half-amused since entering the bar, is shutting his eyes in a bid to analyse the music. Not too bad, then. Jeonghan glances at the platform where the band is again, and stares directly into Seungcheol's searching face as he starts singing softly. It's. It's a lot. It's too much.

Jeonghan's eyes dart into safer zones, into Mingyu's blank face instead, and tries to still his racing heart. He barely catches the lyrics of the song, barely pretends to look back at the warm, soft curvature of Seungcheol's lips, barely imagines that he's dedicating this song to him. There's definitely a few comparisons to various love-plagued flowers, classics, and a cynical twist on Romeo and Juliet that Jeonghan - as fluttered as he is - can appreciate. The song is cheesy, gimmicky, and not without the usual rapper's edge, and it shouldn't catch Jeonghan unaware like this, but. One look at Seungcheol's glittering eyes and the genuine generosity of his inviting persona and Jeonghan's cheeks are aching a lot.

By the end of it, Jihoon gazes up, and says accusingly, "You're blushing."

Jeonghan nods. "Yeah, it's kind of. Crowded. Today."

Jihoon frowns. "This was a bad choice, huh."

And - and Jeonghan understands; he should have been comfortably wrapped up in his duvet, bingewatching Game of Thrones, crying his unrequited feelings out, instead of torturing both him and Jihoon by gluing his eyes to Seungcheol and imagining impossibilities. The platform beckons him once more, and the sight of Seungcheol preparing for the second act lulls him like a siren's song. Seungcheol's cheeks are flushed, and there's a certain glow to his skin that anyone else might have dismissed as sweat (which Jeonghan's not denying). The Gummy Smile is honey-pink, stretched in a picture of adrenaline-filled joy on his face, and the dim, violet lights cast an ethereal favour on him. It's illegal, really, to be here.

To be crushing on the guy who's crushing on your roommate who is possibly also reciprocating that crush and. 

"Hey, I'm gonna get a drink," Jeonghan murmurs carelessly in Jihoon's general direction, and escapes into the crowd. 

When he plops down at the bar, Seungcheol's second song is reaching its first chorus, and Jeonghan can just about make out the words "why are you so far away?" He shakes off the nagging feeling that he's just overthinking things when the bartender places a glass of something down in front of him.

"You're new here," the bartender says. "But you need a drink."

"Mm," Jeonghan says. "What's this?"

"Whiskey," and then, "You don't seem like the type to hang around Diamond Edge."

Jeonghan pauses, then really looks at him. "Neither do you... Joshua?"

Joshua grins, a cat-like docility that's vaguely terrifying. For now, though, it's company at least. 

"You're here for S. Coups, aren't you?" Joshua says, and whatever tacit agreement that Jeonghan drafted out in his head flies off the table.

Jeonghan falters, but shrugs it off. Everyone's here for S. Coups. "Um, he kind of invited my friend."

"He invited your friend - oh, you're Jihoon?" Joshua exclaims. "Sorry, it's just that I thought. I thought you'd be shorter."

Jeonghan smiles it off, "No, I'm Jeonghan. Jihoon is the friend that Seungcheol invited."

There's an awkward pause while Joshua narrows his eyes. Jeonghan gazes down at his distorted reflection in the bronze liquid. Of course everyone would know about Greek God Choi Seungcheol and Musical Prodigy Lee Jihoon - Seungcheol's probably already told everyone about his plans to try and win over Jihoon's heart. An ambitious quest, certainly, but not impossible. 

"So, let me get this right," Joshua says slowly, savouring Jeonghan's bitterness. "You're Jeonghan."

Jeonghan nods.

Joshua breaks into a wide grin, and leans forward, his eyes bright with mischief. "The Jeonghan."

"Oi!" Someone shouts.

It's Seungcheol. Jeonghan's heart stills for a moment, and suddenly it's everywhere - traitorously pounding under the collar of his shirt, skipping against his wrist, unapologetically wild under his ribs. Jeonghan downs the whiskey in a shot.

"Jeonghan, you came!" Seungcheol says, a bit too happy. "Yo Josh. I'll have the usual."

There's a warmth he cannot explain spreading under his cheeks. Jeonghan pretends that he's the recipient of Seungcheol's unretrained joy, but then again he's probably like that with everyone else.

"Hey," Jeonghan says, a concerted effort to keep his usual manicured persona on. "Jihoon's in the crowd over there."

Seungcheol nods. "Did you like the songs?"

Jeonghan figures it doesn't really matter if he likes it. "It was pretty nice."

It's not the right answer, and Jeonghan panicks for a moment - Seungcheol's hesitation speaks a thousand words, a hardly subtle expression of disappointment, but one that Jeonghan will die before he sees it blow out in full swing. Was his answer too passive? Did he sound too bored, too sleepy again?

"Oh. Yeah, well, it's pretty cliched," Seungcheol laughs it off, but Jeonghan knows better.

"I meant that it was, what did you say, classy. You know, sweet, but also kind of witty with that whole twist about Romeo and Juliet," Jeonghan blubbers, looking for the light in Seungcheol's eyes. "I liked it."

Seungcheol does perk up at that. "Really?"

"Yeah," Jeonghan breathes, a hush of relief and longing for that look.

Seungcheol flushes, and bites his lower lip in the most adorable, endearing manner. His glossy lips shimmer when he tilts his face away shyly, and Jeonghan has an urge to reach over and smooth a thumb over it. The soft quiet that falls between them is the sweetest pain that Jeonghan allows himself to feel.

Fortunately, Joshua returns with a glass of water. "Here, Coups."

Jeonghan pounces on that. "Water?"

Seungcheol shrugs, "I don't like drinking."

"It makes it all the more entertaining," Joshua interjects, mirthful. "Knowing that he says everything sober. For instance, he was talking about you, Jeonghan-"

"Shut up!" Seungcheol hisses, flushing. "I mean, uh, we talk about you. Like, Jihoon, Mingyu, the boys."

Joshua rolls his eyes. "Right."

Jeonghan exhales shakily while Seungcheol and Joshua exchange looks. Of course. Of course Seungcheol would have extended conversations with Jihoon about anything under the sun. And maybe they'd laugh about Jeonghan's pathetic crush on Seungcheol. And whatever is happening now is some sick joke, or some misplaced pity party. But Jeonghan always smiles, so this is what he does.

"Yea, Jihoon's always complaining about my laziness. He's a really organised person," Jeonghan says cheerfully. 

Seungcheol nods in sympathy, but lets his eyes linger for a moment too long in an expression mimicking... concern? Worry? Jeonghan can't really tell. Right now he's just waiting for someone to rescue him from this awkward position toggling an inside joke between Joshua and Seungcheol. 

"So... you don't really like bars, do you?" Seungcheol says, after shooing Joshua away.

Jeonghan shakes his head, and winces, "It's cool, but I like quieter places."

"He was right," Seungcheol mumbles under his breath. 

Jeonghan takes a cocktail umbrella from the pot on the counter, and plays around with it. He stifles a yawn, and flushes when he realises that Seungcheol's examining him with patient curiosity. He should really get out of here-

And then Seungcheol's broad, flat palm is warm against his shoulder. Jeonghan turns back to look at Seungcheol, carefully blinking away the fuzziness in his vision. But it's hard - Seungcheol looks so distracting under the heavy pulse of the lights.

"I'm really glad you came then," Seungcheol whispers, low and husky.

It makes Jeonghan dizzy. "Ah."

Seungcheol leans forward, and the register of his voice falls a few pitches. Jeonghan smiles inwardly at that, feeling simultaneously removed from this bizzare turn of events and very well trapped in the heat of Seungcheol's gaze. The warmth on his knee and the puff of breath against his cheek has Jeonghan unsteady in his seat.

"You know, Jeonghan," Seungcheol says, sincere and nervous, "You look really... red?"

Jeonghan nods, and everything blurs into technicolour instantly. "Mm."

The last he sees is Seungcheol's worried face doubling like some over-exposed shot before Jeonghan blacks out.