If Jongup was being honest, Halloween wasn’t his favourite holiday. It used to be when he was a younger. But he was no longer a child.

These days, girls his age and even younger than him had the habit of dressing as a y version of anything that wouldn’t have been y otherwise. Hell, they didn’t even try. A fifteen year old throws on a booty shorts with a long belt, a tank top and high heels, draws six lines on her cheeks and says she’s a cat. She might put in the effort to get those stupid cat ears.

It wasn’t all the girls’ fault of course. If you go to a costume store and compare the male and female options, it’s easy to spot which are tier.

Either way, Jongup was tired of it.

He was sitting on his bed in his dorm room, which he shared with Youngjae. Currently scrolling through instagram, Jongup was extremely annoyed by all the “costume preview” posts the girls from campus were posting. It was especially pointless because they would all end up looking the same anyway.

He groaned and closed the app, tossing his phone on the bed beside him.

Youngjae was currently trying out his own costume. He was taking it seriously as every other year. This time Youngjae would be Hawkeye, since he was the protector of all things underrated.

So there he was, in front of the mirror and admiring how his looked in the fitted suit.

“I’m gonna look better than Jennifer Lawrence. I just gotta get my bow and arrows.”

“Uh-huh,” was all Jongup gave in response. Youngjae didn’t mind since he knew the situation.

Jongup had given up on Halloween. Candy and decorations? Sure. But parties and all that holiday spirit? He kept away from that. Not that he could get into the holiday spirit anyway, way too many things were ruining it.

However, Jongup was beginning to change his mind. He had an idea and there was still time to make it reality.

“You know what, I might go with you after all,” Jongup announced.

Youngjae turned, smiling brightly. He had been trying to convince Jongup to go to this big Halloween frat party since August. Youngjae didn’t want to go alone, but Jongup had been persistent. Up until now.

“Really!? What made you change your mind?”

Jongup shrugged. “I had an amazing costume idea.”

Youngjae grinned proudly. “Let me hear it!”

After Jongup had laid out his plan, Youngjae was completely disappointed.

“That’s your brilliant idea? No. Jongup, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do this. If you do it I’m not going with you.”

Jongup just smiled. “It’s just to prove a point. I’m doing it and you’re going with me because you can’t go alone.”

Youngjae was pouting distastefully. “I hate to say it, but that’s true.. Still, I don’t understand why?”

“Because I’m tired of that trend! Halloween has been ruined for me by girls who only take it as an opportunity to dress revealingly and justify it by saying it’s a costume. Girls can wear what they want, but not for the price of ruining Halloween. I’m turning it around and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

Youngjae sighed. “Fine... I mean it could be interesting... Maybe you’ll make those girls so uncomfortable that next year they’ll have an actual costume.” He snickered.

Jongup nudged him. “Shut up, I’m hot. I bet I’ll be more y than all of them combined.”

Youngjae raised his arms in surrender. “Fine, fine! You’re the hottest!” Then something crossed his mind and he smirked, leaning over. “Do you think you’ll get laid?”

This threw Jongup off balance. He blinked at the other in confusion. “What?”

“Well, it’s known that most of those girls dress the way they do to get laid at a party. Do you think you’ll get lucky?”

Jongup’s face involuntarily turned red. “I’ve told you already why I’m doing this and it is not getting laid!”

Youngjae shrugged, smiling knowingly. “Oh, what do I know.... I’ve heard that Jung Daehyun will be there. And rumour has it that he likes hot guys just as much as he likes hot girls.”

Jongup glared at Youngjae. “I’m not getting laid.”

The older raised his arms again and shrugged as if to say ‘we’ll see.’

Halloween rolled around and Jongup was ready to shock people. He wasn’t expecting much from the party, but he was petty enough to go simply to make a statement.

His costume consisted of a dark red crop top, leather booty shorts the same colour, fishnets, black high heels, a black choker with a metal ring and those stupid glowy devil horns.

That’s right, Jongup was going the be a y version of the devil, as stupid as that sounded.

He had done his make up, red lipstick, red and purple eye shadow with a ton of sparkles, winged liner, and, to top it all off, Youngjae’s favourite, very glittery highlighter.

Youngjae still insisted he liked his own costume better, but he was curious about the reactions Jongup would cause.

Jongup, on the other hand, was  confident. He was starting to understand why girls might like to dress this way so much. The outfit itself made him feel powerful. The sound of heels clicking against the pavement even more so. But even more than that the looks he received from the party guests. It started the moment him and Youngjae walked through the door. Jongup enjoyed this attention, but at the same time it was making him a tiny bit uncomfortable.

“Let’s go get a drink or I won’t survive this,” He muttered to Youngjae, linking arms with him.

Youngjae was amused. Considering the fact that he was wearing a tight, fitted suit and a bow and arrow, he was getting a portion of the attention as well and he wasn’t complaining.

The two stuck together, after Jongup had threatened with decapitation if he was ditched.

But even latched to Jongup as he was, Youngjae searched. He wanted to see the guy who everyone was always talking about, that infamous Jung Daehyun.

When he spotted him Youngjae started slapping Jongup’s arm.

“It’s him!”

Jongup threw the guy an unimpressed look from across the room. “That’s him?”

“You sound disappointed,” Youngjae said, raising his eyebrows.

“Well, given how you all talk about him, I expected much more.”

Youngjae gasped.

“Don’t act offended, you don’t know him personally. He’s handsome, that’s all I can give him. So, now that you saw him, what are you gonna do? Ask him for an autograph?” Jongup teased.

The comment earned him a smack to the shoulder. “I’m not like that!” Youngjae turned around, looking Daehyun’s way again. “Besides, you’re right, he’s not all that—”

Suddenly he turned back around and downed his drink.

“What?” Jongup asked, trying to look behind Youngjae to see what got him panicking.

"Don’t look!” Youngjae exclaimed. “He’s looking our way. He’s a hundred percent checking you out.”

“Bull,” Jongup said and, despite Youngjae’s warnings, looked. It seemed that Daehyun truly was looking their way. Jongup was sure of it when the guy smiled his way and raised his glass.

Jongup huffed. “I’m so over this. I wanna get out of here, I don’t want to be looked at by him.”

“You do realize you’ll be looked at either way? If not by him then everyone else,” Youngjae pointed out, but he was already on the task. He took Jongup’s hand and took him to the backyard where there was an area the dancing people have taken over – therefore, a dance floor.

Jongup didn’t respond to the remark. He was content being away from Daehyun and decided to try and have some fun. The backyard was decorated with string lights, giving it a soft glow. Along with those were various Halloween decorations, but the spooky mood could be felt more inside than outside. Inside, people were drunk, yelling, making out and trying to find an empty room for a quickie. Jongup preferred the backyard.

A few songs later, Youngjae and Jongup were approached by a Captain America and a Black Widow.

“Hey,” said the Captain America. “I’m Junhong, this is Himchan. We bumped into each other and now we’re trying to find as many Avengers as we can. You in?”

Even these two were checking Jongup out, but the taller one was more shy about it. He respectfully kept his eyes on Youngjae as he spoke.

Meanwhile Youngjae introduced himself and Jongup.

“Dude, I think half the people here wants to you,” the one called Himchan, dressed as Black Widow, told Jongup.

Junhong covered Himchan’s mouth. “Sorry, he’s a little drunk, I think...”

Jongup chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. It’s kinda what I was going for.”

After a brief conversation, Youngjae turned to Jongup. “You won’t decapitate me if I go search with them?”

Jongup shook his head. “I won’t. I think I’ll just rest for a while. Maybe I’ll allow someone to flirt with me.” He grinned.

Youngjae nudged him. “Getting cocky, are we?”

“Just a little.” Jongup smiled and waved at the three superheroes. “I’ll find you later to see the squad.”

Upon being left alone, he went to get himself another drink, then found an unoccupied corner to sit down.

Not even two songs later, someone made their way over and placed their right beside Jongup, gracefully crossing their legs, a drink in hand.

“I thought they’d never leave.”

Jongup didn’t even want to spare him a glance. He knew who it was, if only by Youngjae’s fangirling.

And he decided to completely ignore the newcomer, dressed as The Joker.

“I’m Jung Daehyun,” The Joker said. “Finally found the prettiest guy in here.”

Jongup was tempted to say something snappy, but decided to bring this guy back to Earth a little.

Instead he said, “Are you talking to me?”

Daehyun flashed a bright smile. “Who else? I didn’t see anyone as pretty as you all night.”

“Then look harder,” Jongup said and sipped his drink.

The reaction he got was not the one he was aiming at. Daehyun laughed.

“I don’t think I’ll find anyone to match your beauty no matter how hard I look.”

Jongup took another sip, still refusing to look at Daehyun. “Will you stop with the empty flattery? I’m sure you can do better.”

Daehyun was now completely turned to Jongup, his head tilted to the side curiously. “What’s your name sweetheart?”

Not that he minded the pet name, but Jongup simply wasn’t having it. For the first time since Daehyun had sat down, he spared him a glance, but it was a sharp one. “You can flirt without knowing my name, sweetheart.”

Daehyun was stunned. For a moment he couldn’t say anything – or rather, he wasn’t sure what to say.

He chuckled, lightly, as if this wasn’t getting to him at all. “You’re really something. Most people get tongue-tied when I talk to them.”

Jongup pressed his lips together and raised his eyebrows at Daehyun, giving him a playfully disapproving look. “Mentioning other people to raise yourself in my eyes? Not a great strategy. Maybe you should play it safe after all and tell me how beautiful my eyes are, or whatever else you were about to say.”

“They’re really beautiful,” Daehyun immediately shot. He hated to admit it, but ‘empty flattery,’ as Jongup had called it, was what he was best at. “And your makeup skills make me jealous. You did it yourself, right?”

Jongup just nodded, wanting him to go on.

“Wow,” Daehyun marvelled, gaze fixed on the younger’s eyes. Jongup didn’t want to give in, but Daehyun’s gaze made him look away. “You have to show me how you do it.. It’s a work of art – just like you.”

Jongup brushed off the cheesy compliment. “Mhm, I would, but we won’t see each other again after this mess of a party.”

“Why not?”

Jongup gave Daehyun a look. “We both know it. You might get cocky enough to ask for my number but I’ll be damned if I even tell you my name, let alone give you a way to keep in touch. Not that you’d ever call, you’ll probably be busy sleeping with someone new.”

There was a moment of silence. When Jongup looked at Daehyun again, his smug smile was replaced with a mildly irritated one.

“Sorry, just keeping it real,” Jongup said and shrugged.

“Well, you’re really quick to assume, aren’t you?”

“You haven’t given me a single reason to think differently,” Jongup snapped.

Daehyun raised his arms. “Okay, okay, I get it. You’re the type that doesn’t like to be complimented or called sweetheart. You don’t like flirting or anything of that sort. My question for you is – what do you like?”

Jongup stared at the other judgementally for a moment then took a sip, looking ahead again. “A meaningful conversation.”

Daehyun huffed. “Those I actively avoid.”

“Why?”

“I dislike serious topics.”

Jongup opened his arms. “Meaningful isn’t the same as serious. Tell me about your favourite song. Meaningful, not serious. And better than small talk or empty compliments.”

“I meant every compliment,” Daehyun said dismissively before thinking about what Jongup had actually said. “My favourite song... There’s this old band that I’ve never truly listened to, only three songs or so. But one of those is the one that really... It left me shaken up. Music doesn’t do that to me often, I usually listen to fun songs that lighten the mood. I don’t like sad lyrics or particularly serious or even meaningful ones. I don’t even know how I came across that song. It spoke to me so much. You know when it feels like the artist looked at you when writing the lyrics? It’s insane,” he chuckled, “It baffles me every time I hear it and it shows exactly why I don’t like meaningful lyrics.”

Jongup listened to this intently, nodding a few times. Somehow, it was now easier to relax around Daehyun.

“Because you’re afraid of feelings?”

Daehyun was about to say something back, but then he seemed to experience a revelation and he was left staring at his glass.

Jongup nudged him to help him snap out of it. “Let’s go find my friend. He ran off with some Avengers, I promised I’d find him later.”

Daehyun nodded and downed his drink, leaving his glass along with Jongup’s on a nearby coffee table. “I should find my friend too. I kinda ditched him to talk to you.”

“Some friend you are,” Jongup said, getting up.

Him and Daehyun walked side by side, chatting as they looked around the house. They only had luck when they went outside. Jongup spotted the three Avengers sitting on the grass, chatting with someone dressed as V, from V for Vendetta.

“Found him,” Jongup and Daehyun said in unison. They exchanged looks and burst out laughing.

Somewhere along the way the two had linked arms. When Youngjae remembered to look up, his eyes widened at the sight.

Daehyun kicked V in the , which made him look up. “What are the odds,” Daehyun said.

V looked between Daehyun and Jongup, then him and Youngjae, who seemed to be communicating with Jongup non-verbally.

“You know each other?” V asked Jongup and Youngjae.

“He’s my best friend,” Jongup said.

Daehyun laughed. “And this is my best friend, Yongguk,” he said. “What are the odds...”

After the rest of the introductions were said, Jongup quickly and swiftly changed the topic to avoid him and Daehyun being questioned,

“Did you find any other Avengers?”

“A Thor and an Iron Man,” Himchan said. “We took some pictures but they were pretty drunk when we found them and they didn’t stick around.”

“Send me the pictures later,” Jongup told him and turned to Youngjae. “I suppose you don’t want to go?”

Youngjae quickly glanced at Yongguk, then Daehyun. “You do?”

“I’m bored.”

Daehyun seemed offended, but said nothing.

“How will I get home?” Youngjae complained.

Yongguk coughed. “I can give you a lift.”

Daehyun kicked him in the again. “We came together, genius.”

Now they were the ones communicating non-verbally.

To resolve this issue, Himchan, who had caught on early on, offered a solution. “Daehyun can go with Jongup.”

Jongup glared at him, while Daehyun smiled gratefully.

“Sounds like a plan.”

“You’re not the type to leave a party early, Dae,” Yongguk pointed out.

This time it was Himcan who kicked him.

Daehyun had a feeling Himchan and him would be good friends.

Yongguk, taught by the pain in his , added, “But you should leave early.”

“Exactly. Well, it was nice meeting you all, see you some other time. Let’s go,” Daehyun hummed.

Jongup said his goodbyes and, still arms intertwined, walked off with Daehyun.

Once in the car, he passed the AUX cord to Daehyun. “Show me that song of yours.”

Daehyun hesitated. “Why...?”

“So I can get to know you better.”

A bit reluctantly, Daehyun hooked his phone up and played the song.

As he drove, Jongup listened to the lyrics. Daehyun hummed along. It was a peaceful four minutes. And the tension between them seemed to drop with every second of the song.

The song finished as they stopped at a red light. Jongup looked at Daehyun for as long as the red light lasted. Another song played, one of those fun ones Daehyun was talking about.

“What?” He asked, noticing Jongup’s gaze.

“Nothing,” he said, looking back ahead as the light changed. The truth was that Jongup was seeing Daehyun a bit differently, but he thought it was too cheesy to say.

When they arrived, Daehyun turned to Jongup and bowed subtly. “Thank you for the ride. I know you’ll reject me, but it’s mine to invite you upstairs.”

“I am rejecting you,” Jongup confirmed.

Daehyun gave a half-smile. “Thought so. Either way, can I at least know your name now?”

It occurred to him then that he still hadn’t told Daehyun. And miraculously so, neither Youngjae, Himchan or Junhong had called his name during their little talk.

He sighed. “I suppose you deserve it,” he admitted. “Moon Jongup,” he said at last.

Just like Jongup had a few moments before, Daehyun now seemed to be looking at him differently.

“I know you said you wouldn’t give me your number... But I have to stay in contact with you, somehow,” Daehyun said.

“Oh, you have to?” Jongup questioned, smiling. “Tell me you’ll die if I disappear from your life.”

“You’re a sadist.”

Jongup’s sweet smile turned into a smirk. “Oh, no. Not a sadist. However, there’s one thing you were wrong about when it comes to me. I do like to be complimented. Now go on.”

Daehyun shook his head, smiling. Then he looked up and reached out carefully, silently asking for consent. Jongup gave it by not moving his hand away. Daehyun held his hand and looked into his eyes.

“Moon Jongup, I know we’ve only met, but I can’t bare to lose you. I can’t let you vanish from my life. If you do, I will die. Because of this, I must ask you for at least your instagram username.”

By the end of this speech, Jongup was smiling widely. He even cracked a chuckle in the end as Daehyun let go of his hand.

“You don’t mean all that, but alright. You’re interesting enough. Although... I’ll give you my friend’s username and you can find me from there. I want you to make an effort to stay in touch, show me that you actually want it. Take it as my glass slipper.” He smiled, taking Daehyun’s pone he had been offered.

“Oh, how you torment me so,” Daehyun said.

Jongup smiled. He found Youngjae and followed him from Daehyun’s account, before handing the phone back.

After receiving his phone, Daehyun slipped it into his pocket and once again took Jongup’s hand and pressed a kiss to it.

“You are so corny,” Jongup accused.

Daehyun smiled, opening the door. “Oh, but I’ve figured you out, Moon Jongup. You like corny.”

“Maybe so.”

And with that, they parted ways. For now.