Jongwoon.

He didn't know why but that name sounded delicious in his mind, as if he unconsciously knew to whom it belonged, although in truth he could not see any acquaintance with that name. He probably would have heard it in the hallways or in some other class.

He arrived at the cafeteria where all his friends were already waiting for him and without further ado he took a seat between Jungsoo and Kyuhyun, letting himself fall heavily.

“What's wrong with you?” Heechul asked showing a funny smile.

“I have to find a singing tutor,” he confessed.

“We can help you!” Ryeowook shouted excitedly grabbing Kyuhyun by the hand and lifting it up. Hyukjae smiled.

“Do not be offended guys, but I would prefer someone I don't get along with so that he may say things as they are.”

“Oh...” Ryeowook lowered his head.

“I would,” Kyuhyun commented casually, not paying too much attention.

“Yes, it's clear to me that you do,” laughed Hyukjae, after all Kyuhyun was evil, they had not nicknamed him 'evil maknae' for nothing. The latter shrugged, innocent.

“You miss it.”

Hyukjae nodded lost, he even would miss it. Even with his mind flying somewhere in the vastness of the planet, he leaned to see what Leeteuk ate and as usual stole a little.

“I thought keeping your mind busy was going to keep you from taking my food away from me,” Jungsoo could not finish saying his sentence when Hyukjae had already opened his mouth silently asking for a bite. He gave him some after rolling his eyes.

“What can I say? You are my favorite hyung.”

“Hey!” Heechul exclaimed. “From this moment you lose all your privileges with me.”

Everyone laughed at the drama that would have started to develop if Ryeowook had not interrupted.

“I wanted to see if we can go out on Friday, for my birthday,” he said tenderly, as only he can.

“Of course, that's not even a question,” Siwon said giving him a smile. It was true that Siwon liked to take care of others.

“Count me in,” everyone answered almost in unison.

“Cool!”

Jongwoon.

That name floated back into his mind after briefly forgetting it.

“Does any of you know who Jongwoon is?” He asked suddenly.

“Yes,” Kyuhyun said. “He's in our class,” referring to the one he and Ryeowook attended.

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, the teacher told me he was great vocal, I thought I'd see the option of asking him for help.”

“He sings great,” agreed the eternal maknae.

“Good.”

Excellent.

***

As fast as Ryeowook mentioned the invitation to go out, Friday arrived and Hyukjae was leaving his house after hearing a car outside, a sign that Jungsoo had arrived for him.

“Do not mess anything up,” was what greeted him once he had been inside the car. “Don't touch anything, don't move anything, actually, don't breathe.”

“Don't exaggerate, hyung,” he rolled his eyes, laughing.

“Have you had any luck with your singing lessons?” He asked, getting going.

“I haven't asked, actually," he replied, focused on finding a good song on the radio. “I'm too lazy for it, to tell the truth, besides I do not know who this Jongwoon is.”

“And if you do not investigate, less.”

“I will do it on Monday,” he said as if he promised Jungsoo, but it was more a promise to himself.

“Careful when-” Jungsoo could not finish the sentence when Hyukjae had already hit the door closed, “-you close the door...”

“Ups,” he covered his mouth innocently. “Sorry, hyung.”

“I keep a track of every bad thing you do, huh, Jae,” he cautioned, squinting, but by then Hyukjae knew him well enough to know he was not being serious. It was true that Jungsoo was extremely orderly and perfectionist, but just as Hyukjae had learned to live with his constant reproaches, Jungsoo had learned to live with the disaster that was Hyukjae not only in doing things, but in his life. Neither of them imagined themselves without the friendship of the other.

Both went to the restaurant to which they had decided to go to dinner by unanimous vote. Apparently the rest of the boys were already there because when he put the first foot in the place he was received by a wave of laughter that certainly belonged to his group of friends.

“Hey, Jae!” Heechul received him standing up to embrace him by the shoulders, he could perceive then the slight smell of soju emanating from him.

“Are you drinking already?” The younger inquired returning the hug.

“That's what we came for, right?” He looked confused.

“To have fun!”

Hyukjae turned to see Ryeowook, who just shrugged it off.

“That colour looks good on you,” Siwon complimented, noticing the blonde in his hair. “Closing cycles?”

Hyukjae let out a laugh.

“Only my liking for changing my look.”

“That's a true fashionista,” Jungsoo scoffed.

“I have more fashion sense than you all will ever have together.”

“Keep dreaming,” Kyuhyun said giving the soju a drink.

“Can we order?” Heechul asked and everyone turned to look. “Or are we waiting for someone?”

“As a matter of fact, yes, we are,” Ryeowook replied.

“Jongwoon is coming.”

Hyukjae dropped the menu dry on the table. That name had caused a lingering effect on him since the first time he had heard it and he didn't know why, he could not even put a face to it. Fortunately, nobody noticed his reaction.

“I'll just wait 5 more minutes,” Heechul said.

“Come on, don't be rude,” Jungsoo said. “You don't know the boy.”

“That does not matter, punctuality is primordial.”

Kyuhyun simply shook his head at the last when Hyukjae saw him staring at something behind him and then greeting animatedly.

“Hey, Jongwoon!” He exclaimed, standing up to greet him properly.

“Hi Kyu,” replied the man who answered to the name that had made an impression on Hyukjae.

His voice was serious, not so much as to seem out of the ordinary, it was rather profound. Hyukjae stirred after feeling a current running through him.

“Hello everyone,” the newcomer continued. “Sorry for the delay, I'm new to the city and I didn't know the restaurant.”

“It's okay, don't worry,” Siwon was the next to welcome him.

Then Hyukjae gathered enough courage to turn around.

There was a guy, with pale skin, a heart-shaped face, somewhat angular in the chin, rather thin complexion, black hair combed in a carefree way, combining perfectly with the accessories he wore, and eyes with a tired, serious and mysterious gaze, as if everything around was unimportant, however one could distinguish a hint of emotions in that pair of sad looking orbs.

It was the guy he had seen through the window.