Ah. Spring.

The season of re-birth and fertility.

A time of blossoming trees and warm winds.

Spring. The season of love.

Of budding sprouts of affection and flourishing desires.

A time of dating. Long walks in the park, holding hands with your loved one. Shy smiles and innocent gazes.

Of romantic dates out in the sun, cuddling close under a blanket to keep warm.

N sighed.

So why was he stuck in the practice room with Ravi? If such a thing as an omnipotent entity existed, N was certain it hated his guts.

"This is an outrage! I'm the leader of VIXX, how come I get stuck in here with you when the other members are getting a day off? Not fair." N was lying spread eagle on the floor of their dance practice room while Ravi was changing into his practice wear. 

"It's your own fault." Ravi said while changing into more comfortable shoes.

N whipped his head furiously at Ravi's direction.

"How can it be my fault!? I had a cold when the choreographer went over the new steps. Is hyung to blame for getting sick?"

Ravi let out a tired huff of air, having gone through this twice already in the dorm before dragging his leader to the practice room.

"In this case, yes. Nobody asked you to run out into the rain to search for Hyuk, everyone else already knew he had dozed off under Leo's blanket after playing games. You should have checked there first."

N pouted and rolled over to his stomach, still watching Ravi get ready.

"So you're saying that Hyuk is to blame for all this? I fully agree. Mischievous maknae. He should be punished, not me. I'm going to text him now." N fished up his cell phone and started to write an angry text.

Ravi rolled his eyes before standing up and stripping out of his top. He faced away from N as he searched his bag for his training shirt. N couldn't tear his eyes away from the way the younger man's back muscles moved.

Whenever the younger man would undress in N's presence, N could not for the life of him concentrate on anything else.

Ravi surely was a work of art. His body was perfectly in shape and his muscles well defined. N rarely had the opportunity to ogle at the other man's handsome physique as Ravi himself, for some odd reason, found it embarrassing to showcase his body.

N didn't understand the other man in that aspect. If he had a body like that, he'd be flaunting it quite profoundly.

Not that he was complaining. Rare occasions such as this when Ravi let his guard down was paradise for the 'straight as a circle' leader.

As Ravi, unfortunately, found his shirt and shoved it on N had to get back to his angry typing so he would not be caught staring at his band member.

It did however bring a question to mind.

"But, hey! If I'm the one being punished, why are you here? Shouldn't you have the day off too?" N eyed Ravi who only shrugged.

"It's all because I accidentally dyed Manager-sshi's clothes pink in the washing machine so he kind of hates me right now. And someone has too teach you the new steps anyway."

N started laughing hysterically as Ravi smirked and went to put the music on.

Quickly brushing the tears from his eyes N erased his previous text and hurriedly wrote a new one to all the other members.

TO: BEAN-PIRE, HYUK-PIRE, KEN-PIRE, LEO-PIRE
FROM: YOU
MESSAGE: I hope you r proud of yourselves, takin a
day off when your hardworking hyung and wonshik are
forced to stay home practicing. hehehe. also why did
u not tell me manager-sshi's clothes are now all
pink??

"C'mon now! I thought you didn't want to be here all day."

"Yes, sir!" N pressed send and threw his phone at the sofa before joining Ravi on the dance floor.

"You are a ruthless teacher, Ravi-ah!"

N had collapsed on the sofa, fighting the urge to faint. he could hear Ravi panting heavily too, but only faintly so over the sound of his own racing heart. N was a good dancer and he loved to learn new things. He held a passion for choreography but this session had been intense and Ravi was more stern than usual.

At first N did some honest mistakes but corrected quickly according to Ravi's directions. Then when he started to get the hang of it Ravi suddenly got harsher.

He'd stop the music for the smallest of things, making N do certain steps over and over again until Ravi gave his approval. The only thing keeping N from scolding his annoying dongsaeng was that Ravi did not look malicious when ordering N to do these things. He looked genuinely concerned and monitored N's steps with a tender yet stern look.

"Why are you like this, ah, really?" N closed his eyes and felt his hunger and fatigue sneak up on him. "I can't believe I spent hours stuck in a training room on a beautiful spring day as this. The flowers, the trees, the warm breeze and couples walking around enjoying it all. Aish, I could have done that too!"

"No, you couldn't have. You don't have anyone to enjoy it with."

N felt embarrassed by the younger man's comment. He couldn't look lesser in front of his dongsaeng, did Wonshik really think so low of him?

"Wait! Y-yeah, well I've got phone numbers from... I mean, I've got plenty of nice girls I could call how could you- Ah, really this punk-!" Before N could finish his angry disorganized rant something soft and sweet pressed against his lips. Surprised N parted his lips and let it pass through and meet his tongue.

His eyes shot open lightening quick seeing a satisfied rapper lean back from close proximity and seat himself next to him on the sofa.

"You talk too much." Ravi said, voice low and filled with amusement while holding a strawberry between his fingers.

N's cheeks reddened as he chewed on the fruit Ravi had so sneakingly put in his mouth. N moved up from his previous lying position and eyed his younger team mate suspiciously.

Ravi had two drinks placed between them on the sofa, as well as a box of fresh strawberries. 

"All of this to shut me up?" N gave Ravi a quizzical look while gesturing to the objects between them.

Ravi did not answer and instead took another strawberry from the box.

Huffing N grabbed one of the bottles of soda, his favorite he noted, and opened it.

"You have to try harder than that. My mouth does not submit easily." Putting the bottle to his lips N gulped down on the refreshing drink, feeling how dehydrated he was as the cold fluid surged down his throat.

"I don't know about that." Ravi turned to his leader with a smirk. "Would you prefer if I took my shirt off?"

In a split second N could feel his cheeks heat up and his breath hitched, which wasn't the best of ideas. Now he was folded over and coughing, his embarrassment only fuelled by Ravi's dorky laugh in the background.

Luckily as N cooled down he felt the vibrate signal of his phone, still lying on the sofa where he left it.

While shooting Ravi a displeased glare he unlocked his cell phone only to be greeted with seven messages.

TO: YOU
FROM: KEN-PIRE
MESSAGE: MANAGER-SSHI HAS PINK CLOTHES?? AAaah,
really, why didn't i think of that, priceless!
SHow me!

TO: YOU
FROM: KEN-PIRE
MESSAGE: hello? hakyeon-hyung! Answer me~~ no picture
no proof!

TO: YOU
FROM: KEN-PIRE
MESSAGE: But- wait, hyung, didn't he leave the dorm in
his usual clothes today?

TO: YOU
FROM: KEN-PIRE
MESSAGE: is this a joke? are you pranking me hyung!

TO: YOU
FROM: HYUK-PIRE
MESSAGE: what r u on about hyung? pink clothes? but
Ravi-hyung got a free day too. I asked him to join
me and Leo but he said he had something special
planned. 

TO: YOU
FROM: BEAN-PIRE
MESSAGE: yes. very proud, keke. also, hyung, Ravi was
told to take a day off too, didn't he tell you?

TO: YOU
FROM: KEN-PIRE
MESSAGE: STop ignoring me! I just met manager-sshi, his
clothes aren't pink, liar liar 메~~롱!

Somewhat surprised N looked away from his phone back to Ravi who was leisurely drinking from his own soda bottle.

N looked at his band mate, the strawberries, and then at their reflection in the big mirror across the room.

Ravi was watching him through it.

Eyes gleaming.

And suddenly it all made sense.

After all, it was still spring.

N did not bother sending any replies, he knew the members didn't really expect any either way.

Instead he turned his phone off and threw it further away on the sofa.

When Ravi dug up a new strawberry from the box, N was quick to steal it from his fingers.

"If this is your take on a romantic spring date then you are way off your mark mister." N swallowed the fruit and leaned back.

Maybe he should be angry, being deceived like this.

But instead he felt serene. A soothing warmth spreading across his body, something that looking back at the smiling rapper only fuelled it further.

"Am I?" Ravi questioned, smirking in a way that was both annoying and arousing as hell. How was that even possible?

N always felt that there was more to VIXX's rapper than meets the eye and today had proven that.

N blushed as Ravi's smirk grew bolder by his silence, leaning in closer.

"Oh, shut up."

(Kiss me.)