It is the day after their showcase and Daehyun is sitting in a café, dark glasses perched on his nose as he nursed a cup of warm water. After the curtains drew to a close and the spectators went back to their respective homes, all the legal students went to a club in order to celebrate. Youngjae, still high on their amazing performance, cajoled and begged him to go with.

They had sat together, wedged between other sweaty bodies, sipping from the drinks that they had ordered. Somewhere along the line Youngjae had shed his jackets and loosened his tie, ruffling his hair even more until it stood up and flopped in his face. Daehyun had laughed, fixing it slightly before he too removed his jacket in order to roll up his sleeves and pop the first two buttons of his shirt. Pressed pants were traded for tight jeans, feet shoved into converse and the formal shoes thrown into the bags.

Neither of them were very good dancers, but somewhere along the line they passed their second drink and then their group moved towards the dance floor. Crowds never really appealed to Daehyun – especially when he was in the middle of them. Drunk bodies swayed, sweaty hands pressing on his back and chest. A few even ventured towards his , but he quickly brushed those off and tugged Youngjae somewhere else. Once the third man had been scared off from where he had tried to pull Daehyun towards one of the back rooms, his friend wrapped a strong arm around his waist. It was both a protective and possessive gesture, preventing them from being separated and discouraging any potential suitors. Daehyun had laughed and placed a kiss to the youngers neck, laughing harder as Youngjae shoved his palm onto his lips and pushed him away.

After his third drink, the responsible one between them decided that they should get back to their apartments before it really began to get sloppy. Youngjae plucked his drink from his hand and placed it on the table, ignoring Daehyun’s whines of protest. The same arm that had supported him now hauled him out of the club, grabbing their bags and his intoxicated friend’s hand.

They stumbled through the streets and although Youngjae was not as drunk as he was, Daehyun swept the other up in infectious laughter. When they reached his apartment, he didn’t think twice about inviting the younger to sleep over for the night. Collapsing down on his bed, he pulled off his uncomfortable clothing until he was dressed in his boxers. He pulled on a loose t-shirt as Youngjae took the liberty of rifling through his closet and choosing a pair of sweatpants and a crumpled shirt to wear. Neither of them commented when the bed dipped under the weight of two bodies and a warm arm found its way around his waist, holding him in the same kind of position as they had been in the club.

. . .

The drowsy warmth of last night had disappeared when Daehyun opened his eyes. It felt like his head had been split open and cold ice water had been poured into his brain. Every movement sent spikes of pain through his body. Instinctively reaching for his friend in order to complain and whine, his fingers touched cold sheets and curled around a crisp piece of paper that lay where Youngjae’s head used to be.

It took several blinks and rubbing of his eyes before the scrawled letters fell into place and he was able to read the writing, distinctly the penmanship of his best friend.

Dae,

Went back to my apartment to get clothing. Water on the bedside table and Advil. Meet me at the café at 10? I’ll pay for you.

Jae

Reaching blindly for the glass of water, his hand touched the lukewarm cup and the two small pills. He washed it down with a grimace, swigging the rest of the water to try and get the vile taste from his mouth. There was only one café that they went to together and he had about an hour before ten o’clock rolled around. That gave him enough time to shower and try to look slightly presentable.

Hot water rolled down his shoulders and his back, the gentle thrumming against his skin enough to help loosen tight muscles. Daehyun felt a newfound freedom, reaching up to touch the ceiling and elongate his body with an exaggerated sigh. No more long hours spent in the practice room, rushing from school to practice and then to his apartment only to start the cycle again. The next showcase was in a few months and although it was worth as much as the previous night, it was less formal and more of a fun event. They were required to partner with someone that they hadn’t performed with before and simply come up with a song or a dance. Everyone was almost always guaranteed to pass that event, which added more pressure onto the one that did count. Now that it was over, Daehyun could feel the stress rolling away with the water and draining down the tub.

When he stepped out, scrubbed pink and clean, he took a few leisurely minutes to stand in front of his full sized mirror and assess his body. Daehyun had not yet reached a height that he was satisfied with – 178 cm was too short for him – but his muscular physique was at the point where if he grew a bit more, his body would become lanky and the toned arms and stomach that he had worked so hard for would be over looked. Raising one arm, he pinched his bicep, feeling the hard evidence of muscles. After being bullied into going to the gym, he had finally began to build some definition. His stomach still lacked concrete abs but when he flexed, the outline stood out against his flat tummy. On an abstract though, he admired his . Youngjae seemed to like slapping it and the people at the bar had no problem with squeezing the flesh between their palms, but from his eyes, there wasn’t much to look at. His skin was tanned despite the fact that there wasn’t a lot of sun at the moment. Sometimes he wished that he had pale, clear skin like how some of the boys and girls at school did, but Youngjae said it made him look ‘exotic’ and ‘unique’. The compliments had been delivered as the younger squeezed his cheeks and ruffled his hair so he didn’t take them very seriously, but afterward he didn’t hate his skin colour as much. There was nothing very distinguishing about his body; no tattoos, scars, piercings. Daehyun had toyed with the idea of getting a small tattoo somewhere on his hip, but he didn’t have much money to spare and he had no idea what he would permanently mark his skin with.

Ruffling his hair, recently dyed a light blue silver, he wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped outside of the humid bathroom. His room was in the same condition as it had been when he woke up, blankets strewn everywhere, the clothing that Youngjae had worn were messily folded on a chair. A glimpse of white caught his eye and directed it towards the single white rose that lay in a glass of water. Already the leaves were drooping, some of the vibrant colour turning brown around the edges. When he put it to his nose, the petals still retained the musky cologne that made him think of forests and warm fires. It was strong but not overpowering, leaving Daehyun feeling pleasantly happy. He dropped it back into the glass of water and reminded himself to get some of that powder that helped plants last longer.

{text from: Youngjae Pabo} get your moving. I told you not to drink so much last night

Scoffing quietly, his fingers tapped against the screen until he was satisfied with his reply and then sent it, kicking clothing out of his way in order to find something casual to wear.

{text to: Youngjae Pabo} you too

He got a taunting sticker in response and then he set his phone into hibernate, shoving it into the pocket of the jeans he had just pulled on. Topping it with a black t-shirt and then zipping one of his favourite sweaters up to his neck, he ruffled his hair and placed a cap over since the long locks hadn’t completely dried and there was no time to style it. Grabbing his wallet, he exited his apartment and made his way to the café.

That had been twenty minutes ago. Youngjae, that bastard, hadn’t showed up and down Daehyun was looking like a loser sitting by himself. The waitress had already come once and asked him if he was going to buy anything and when he replied that he was waiting for a friend, she had given him a once over and then walked off in a huff. The door opened and Daehyun twisted around to look at the person who had just entered. It wasn’t Youngjae, but the person behind him was and a scowl set itself on his lips as his friend casually strolled towards his booth, flopping himself down in the opposite end and offering a smile.

“Where the have you been?” His tone was whining, aiming a kick under the table. Youngjae knew him well enough to have already moved his legs out of harm’s way. His glass of water was stolen and the remaining liquid was drained, disappearing into the youngers mouth without a pause. When the cup was completely drained, Daehyun’s lips were pursed unhappily, pushed out into a childish pout. The younger took in his expression and then reached across the table to brush hair out of his face, fixing his cap and squeezing his hand in apology.

“My mom phoned and she refused to get off the phone. I had to tell her I was going on a date before she hung up.” A wink was directed at him, the word ‘date’ hanging heavy in the air. He scoffed.

“No one would want to date you.” An indignant yelp came from his friend who placed a hand over his heart, acting offended.

“Anyone would be lucky to date me! I would be the perfect boyfriend.” Youngjae paused, narrowing his eyes and pointing in finger in his face. “After all, I dragged your drunk back home. I could have left you with all those erted men.”

“Have you forgotten the fact,” Daehyun stopped to slap the accusing fingers away from his nose. “That you also then climbed into my bed and spent the night with me?”

His voice was a little louder than he thought and there was one of those unexpected silences where no one spoke and everyone could hear the words he had just proclaimed. Youngjae buried his face in his hands and slunk further down in his seat as an elderly couple glared at them and a mother covered her daughter’s ears. His own ears must have been bright red, so he pulled his cap lower on his face. How embarrassing. Coughing a little bit, he signaled for the unimpressed waitress to come over.

She took orders without much more problem and then they settled down in the comfortable seats to talk. Before they managed to get into anything deep, the waitress was back and she was carrying a single cup of a hot drink. A rose lay on the saucer and Daehyun’s heart rate picked up as it was set in front of him.

“Someone came in and bought this for you. The rose is for you as well.” She left without a word, leaving Daehyun to pick up the long stemmed flower. This one was almost identical to the one that he had received yesterday, with the exception of the colour. It was light yellow on the outer petals, transitioning into a deeper pink orange at the very center of the rose. On instinct, he brought it to his nose. The scent of cologne was there again and it brought a smile to his lips. Pinching the card between his fingers, he lifted it to see the words. Cream is for appreciation. Flipping it over, he expected the same blankness, but this time there were a few scrawled words. Your voice was magnificent last night.

Youngjae was peering curiously at him and then made a swipe at the small present. Jerking back, Daehyun shielded the rose from the younger. For some reason, he didn’t want anyone else to see it. He wanted to keep it to himself and hide the secret admirer from those who would judge. But it was Youngjae, what was the worst that could happen? As his friend began to make grabby hands, he reluctantly passed it over so that he could inspect it. As the other turned it over in his hands, glancing at the white tag, he could see the small frown that began to pull on the edges of Youngjae’s lips. For some reason, he didn’t seem overly happy with the small gift that had come with the coffee. Daehyun lifted the drink to his lips, taking a small sip. Hot chocolate. A little too sweet for his tastes, but it had a nice tang of cinnamon that reminded him of the scent that clung to the soft petals. The rose was passed over to him and Youngjae was beginning to look sulky.

“Who is it from?” The tone was sullen. He looked up in surprise, again pressing the center of the flower to his nose so that he could inhale the manly scent that clung to it. His shoulders lifted and then fell in a shrug.

“I dunno. I got one yesterday at my house, but I don’t know who would have been sending them to me. It isn’t like I talk to a lot of people, other than you.” Daehyun took another sip of his free chocolate, finding that the taste was growing on him. Maybe he would order it next time.

“You mean that the person knows where you live?” Youngjae’s eyebrows raised and he had to admit that he hadn’t thought of that. Obviously, this admirer knew a lot more about him than he knew about the stranger. It wasn’t a cause for panic though; his door was locked and he lived in a busy apartment. It wouldn’t be that easy to break in.

“I guess. I’ve told people my address before, and it’s in the books at the academy. It would be easy for someone to search me up.” Shrugging again in a blasé movement, Daehyun placed the rose to the side and drained his cup just in time for their real orders to come. Like always, Youngjae had ordered a cappuccino and he had asked for a caramel latte with a slice of cheesecake. Thanking the waitress and immediately diving into the sweet dessert, he smiled wryly and flicked his fingers in the youngers direction. “Are you sure that it wasn’t you who sent it to me? We all know that deep down you love me.” He was only teasing, but Youngjae’s face darkened and he turned away. Daehyun pouted and it elicited a response, the way he knew it would.

“They probably sent it to me, but just got our apartments mixed up.” A teasing smirk accompanied his words as Youngjae leaned across the table to ruffle and tousle with his hair. He hated it when people touched his hair, no matter how messed up it was. Whining quietly, he slapped away the hand and stuck out his tongue.

“Don’t be jealous. Maybe this person has a sister that you can date.” Daehyun laughed, holding out a piece of cheesecake for the younger. It was taken and they waited in comfortable silence as Youngjae swallowed.

“What if he is old? Or a hobo? Or he is really, really ugly?” Daehyun laughed as his friend pointed out all the wrongs that could happen with this anonymous relationship. Truthfully, he hadn’t had time to fully process the events of roses showing up, but it didn’t concern him much. He was just glad that someone seemed to appreciate him enough to send him little gifts and brighten his day.

“I’m not gonna date him, I don’t even know who he is. Seriously Jae, don’t worry too much about it.” He laughed again and after a few seconds Youngjae joined in, albeit a little reluctantly. Although he couldn’t tell exactly why, he could see that it made his friend uncomfortable. Placing the rose to the side, he grabbed onto the youngers hand and pulled him closer, almost yanking his arm out of the socket. “Do you like anyone Jae? I’ve never seen you date anyone anyway.”

Daehyun had been expecting a roll of the eyes and maybe a smack on the back of his head, but what he didn’t foresee was for Youngjae to grab onto his hand tightly, pulling him the other way so that he had to rise from his seat and bend across the table. A slender finger ran down his neck, tickling sensitive nerves and he shivered, still too surprised to move as the boy leaned forward until their noses touched.

“I like you.” 

Youngjae smelled like mint soap and the slightly spicy, herby cologne that they had picked out together. It was a scent that he had become accustomed to, one that he could recognize anywhere.

Neither of them moved, simply staring into each others eyes as they waited for a response. Gradually, the idea that he should say something came to his mind, but it was difficult when the blunt nail was still dragging over his neck and tracing random patterns on the sensitive skin. Damn Youngjae and knowing his weak spots. When the younger was bored, his favourite way to entertain himself was to blow on the back of his neck until he was shivering and fighting off arousal.

“Are you speechless, Daehyunnie?” The sweet voice broke through his dazed thoughts and he turned his attention towards Youngjae, lips already forming a snarky come back as he slapped the hand away from his neck.

“I knew you couldn’t resist my charms.” He offered a lazy smile and it was returned before fingers slipped around his throat and created a vice grip. His breath stuttered as Youngjae cinched the claws tighter, pressing against his adams apple. And then he was let go and the man was leaning back, a satisfied smirk on his lips.

“Don’t flatter yourself, hyung. But I must say, you look nice when your mouth is open like that.” A wink was sent in his direction as Daehyun rubbed his neck, pouting slightly. It wasn’t fair that his best friend knew all his kinks and what turned him on, especially since he seemed to only utilize them when they were in public. Youngjae seemed to read his mind. “Don’t look at me like that, Dae. It isn’t my fault that you suddenly decided to spill your dirty ideas to me that night.”

“I was drunk and you asked!”

“I didn’t expect you to have a ton of kinks like that. Jesus. Ropes, toys, chok-“

Daehyun would always deny the very unmanly squeal that left his lips as he launched himself across the table, fighting to smother that stupid mouth. They struggled for a few seconds as Youngjae got a grip on his wrist and as currently attempting to pry him off while he tried to strangle the younger.

A throat was cleared.

“If you two are done, my manager has requested that you leave. You are creating a scene.” The same waitress stared down at them, lip curled in disgust. From where he was bent over the table, straining to keep the youngers lips pressed together, Daehyun’s ears flushed red and he quickly retreated to his half of the booth. Youngjae, forever the smooth one, flashed a sweet smile that did nothing to melt off the unamused look on the womans face. They quickly got the idea and rushed to finish food and drink under her watchful gaze and then scurried out, not before the rose was picked up and tucked into a backpack pocket.

. . .

There was another problem, as they huddled under the sparse shelter provided by the eves of the café. The once sunny sky had made way for dark clouds and sheets of rain that fell increasingly harder with every second that passed. Neither of them had thought to bring an umbrella, and they were expected to be at the academy within twenty minutes. Daehyun shivered, burying his face into the others shoulder and groaning.

“I hate the rain! We’re gonna get so wet and we don’t have spare clothing!” He complained, eyeing the downpour with an unhappy pout. Today, they were supposed to choose partners for the summer showcase, and he didn’t think that he presented a very mature image if he was soaking from head to toe. Youngjae thought for a few seconds and then proceeded to take off his jacket, stuffing it into his backpack before ushering him to do the same.

“We have spare pants at the academy. If we take off our sweaters, we can run to the academy and then change out of them and put the jackets on over it. No one will know that we don’t have under shirts on.” The younger explained, helping Daehyun remove his hoodie and shove it into the training back slung over his shoulder. As an afterthought, he added the slim rose, making sure it wasn’t going to be crushed, and then zipped it up.

The goal was to run as fast as possible, staying on the side walks so that cars wouldn’t hit them. Already, the cold air was pricking at his skin and raising goose bumps, leaving him to shiver and cringe closer to the other male who was now dressed in a black tshirt. He had a similar set of clothing on, but he was the only one that was cold. Youngjae had some sort of internal temperature heater that always kept him warm. An arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him closer and allowing him into this bubble of heat and holding their bodies close together. Daehyun leeched it all in, pressing cold fingers against strong biceps and rubbing his chilled face against the crook of the youngers neck.

“C’mon. We’re gonna be late, especially if we need to get changed and everything.” Gently pushed away, a strong hand clasped his as they sprinted out from the shelter.

The rain was cold and it slid down his neck, soaking his thin tank top and wetting his skin. Every step that he took, water splashed up and spattered his jeans. Dampened locks of hair stuck to his face, rendering him almost blind. Daehyun pushed them back, slicking them against his head and blinking furiously to clear his eyelashes of the pesky droplets. Beside him, Youngjae tugged on his hand and did most of the guiding, feet pounding against pavement. They ran almost on pure muscle memory, strides lengthening when they knew there was a straight stretch and slowing down as they approached intersections.

A few minutes later and Daehyun’s ribs are burning. Despite the cold air, he can’t get enough oxygen into his lungs and his legs had become numb. Slowing to a stop, pulling on the youngers hand to ease them to a walk, he wiped rain off of his forehead and took a deep breath. All of his muscles are burning, chest heaving and throat sore. Youngjae is in a similar state, panting hard and groaning. The academy was still ten minutes away and they weren’t going to make it.

“Jae…I can’t run any more…” Tilting his head up to the sky, Daehyun stuck out his tongue and let the drops fall into his dry mouth. It did nothing to sate his thirst, most of the drops landing on his closed eyelids and flushed cheeks. The younger was doubled over, hands on knees and in oxygen.

“I can’t either. But it’s kind of nice in the rain, isn’t it?” A wide grin had spread over his friends face and he couldn’t help but mirror it. Now that he thought about it, the soft drops that hit his exposed skin and rolled over his body didn’t feel so cold anymore. Laughing suddenly, Daehyun flung his arms out wide and twirled, face to the grey clouds.

The rain fell down in sheets, covering him in the cool liquid. Sticking out his tongue again, he laughed again at the sky and grabbed onto his bemused friend, pulling him closer and twirling him in a circle. A song that they had practiced came to the top of his mind.

“We’re just dancing in the rain~” Daehyun giggled as Youngjae looked at him, recognition filling his features. “Your eyes that look at me are so hot.” Stepping closer to his friend, he grinned and raised a hand to brush long strands from the others face.

Already, I’m ready. You’re very tipsy baby. You want me too. Already, I’m ready. You’re very y baby. Raise me up, love me tonight.

A hand grabbed onto his and they began running again, revitalized as they belted out the lyrics.

. . .

They arrived at the academy soaking wet, out of breath and laughing like maniacs.

Bursting through the doors of the main practice room, Daehyun was extremely surprised to see that there were people. Not just a few people, but many people. Who were all staring at them, dripping wet and flushed faces.

Hyosung, a notorious bagel girl with an unfortunate habit of squeezing his cheeks, was the first to say something.

“Yah! You’re making the floor all wet! What are you two even thinking, running around outside in the rain like that? You’re going to get sick and then your pretty voices aren’t gonna be that great, huh? Tsk tsk. Do you have spare clothing? Go get changed and dry off before you end up dying!” A small hand pressed against his back and he was none too gently shoved in the direction of the male change rooms.

Youngjae was attempting to soothe her as they were hustled down the hallways and he stayed quiet, allowing the chilled feeling to finally seep into his bones. Daehyun shivered once, and Hyosung was off on another rant.

“Look at this, Yoo Youngjae! You can’t take care of your boyfriend and now he’s shivering. What kind of person are you?” Her voice climbed with every word until it echoed through the hall, bouncing back eerily. Youngjae responded by wrapping a strong arm around his waist, pulling him close and smirking at the woman.

“I’ll warm him up right away, noona.”

They were left as Hyosung went back, tutting under her breath and muttering about stupid boys who couldn’t take care of themselves. Chuckling under his breath, Daehyun gently pulled the arm from around him and crossed to his locker, spinning the lock a few times and pulling out a spare pair of jeans. They were a little bit too small, tight around the crotch and thighs, but they were better than his soaked pants. Beside him, Youngjae was busy peeling off his jeans and soaked tshirt.

“You’re going commando?” Daehyun raised his eyebrows as his friend stripped out of his boxers as well, tossing them to the side. The younger looked up at him with a smirk, shaking his head wildly and scattering drops of water everywhere.

“It’s going to be uncomfortable in wet boxers, Dae. And you might get a rash. You should do it as well.” Looking at his pair of skinny jeans and grimacing at the thought of having to wear them without boxers, or the alternative of wearing wet underwear, he finally sighed and slowly pulled off the cotton piece of clothing. Cold air chilled his already frozen body and he shivered, whimpering quietly as the rough fabric slid over his legs. His shirt was thrown on just as quickly. Daehyun shivered in delight, glad to be warm and dry again. Again, Youngjae wrapped his arm around his waist and ruffled the wet strands of hair, pushing them out of his face.

“Ready to go, Dae?” Nodding in reply, Daehyun grinned and they stepped out of the change room, heading back to the room.

. . .

The second time that they burst through, everyone was crowded in the center of the room, looking at a piece of paper.

“Hurry up, we’re deciding partners.” Hyosung called them from the center of the pack, where she had used her elbows and knees to secure a spot. They hurried over, slowly worming their way towards the list. Most of the names were already crossed off, about ten or so left. Youngjae already knew that he was going with Jongup, a dancer at their academy, but Daehyun hadn’t had time to secure himself a partner. Scanning down the list, he chose the first name that he knew.

“Tiffany?” The said girl looked over, brushing her hair out of her face and securing it with a pink headband.

“Sorry. I’m going with Nichkhun.” Of course. He had forgotten that the two of them had gotten together recently.

“Um…Sunhwa?” He chose her next, a noona that had helped him get used to the academy when he first arrived. She shook her head, pointing at Hyosung.

That eliminated half of the choices, and he could tell that people were quickly claiming the last of the remainders. . Youngjae wrapped an arm around his waist, looking at the list as well.

“There is only one person left, Dae.” The younger was right – each name other than his and one other student had a neat line crossed through. Bang Yongguk.

He knew the name well enough. Top student at his school, top rapper at the academy. Composer, rapper, leader. Rumors had it that he was part of some underground group that were working their way up the hierarchy. Daehyun had never really paid attention to him; they were part of different groups, they never had classes together, Yongguk was a good two years older than he was. And now they would had six months to work together.

A heavy hand fell on his shoulder, eliciting an unmanly squeal. Daehyun turned around to face his new partner who had his arms bared, showing off a large tattoo on his bicep. The general aura from the elder scared him – tousled black hair, a small frown, dressed head to toe in black gangster clothing. He had heard that when Yongguk smiled, he looked like a shark. (Not that he had ever seen him smile).

“So you’re the left over.” Jesus Christ, his voice was like listening to the earth split open. Daehyun was too scared to even be offended. Youngjae jumped in for him.

“Yah, don’t call him that-“ Jongup appeared at their side, grabbing onto his friends hand and pulling him away to talk about their performance. Daehyun was left alone with the elder man, who watched him blankly.

“Uhm-“ He his lips nervously, bowing low. “I’m Daehyun. I guess we’re partners, right? Hahaha.” Everything that was coming out of his mouth sounded stupid.

“Come with me.” Yongguk turned around and walked out of the room. Daehyun shot a panicked glance at Youngjae, who was too busy scribbling on a piece of paper to notice.

. . .

He was led towards the recording studios, a hallways with a series of small soundproof rooms. They passed the bigger ones that were used for official recordings or tests, heading down a hallway that he had never explored.

“We’re going to my studio.” Daehyun almost jumped as he heard the deep voice again. He didn’t know that students were given recording rooms, but perhaps the elder meant it in the same way that he and Youngjae called the practice room ‘theirs’.

They reached a room, identical to the many others except for the number 2944 emblazoned in the center of the wood. None of the numbers followed chronogical order, Daehyun realized. The one to his left had the number 10 on it.

“What does the number 2944 mean?” He asked, watching as Yongguk pulled a key ring from his pocket and used one of them to unlock the door.

“Nothing important.” That was the end of that conversation.

The inside of the studio was dark and cluttered. Papers were taped to the walls, notebooks strewn everywhere and at least ten different headphones lying around. Four speakers were stationed in each corner of the room, hooked up to a fancy looking keyboard thing and a computer. Daehyun didn’t want to touch anything in case he broke it.

Yongguk swept sheets up and shoved them into a binder, pushing pens and other clutter out of the way and onto the floor to clear a seat. He gestured to it and Daehyun sat down. The elder pulled one of those comfortable wheeling chairs towards the desk, sitting across from him.

“So.” An awkward pause.

“Um. You rap, right?” Daehyun asked, playing with his fingers. He could smell the others cologne, spicy and earthy. It triggered memories in his mind, but he couldn’t identify where.

“Yeah.” Another long and heavy silence. He is beginning to feel uncomfortable, glancing at the door and phone, begging for some reason to leave. Yongguk must have sensed the excruciatingly painful quietness, because he cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. “I suggest we write a song to perform.”

Daehyun crinkled his brow. “I’ve never written a song before,” he replied truthfully, leaning forward onto his elbows that rested on the table, “is it easy?”

“No. But I’m sure that we could figure something out, we just need to think of something to write about. We can write it in a month and then practice for the next five months.”

He nodded happily, kicking his feet under the table. It would be fun to write a song. Something that would tailor to his voice; a kind of music that he wanted to sing.

“Okay.” Daehyun flashed a dazzling smile, watching as Yongguk offer up a flimsy one in return.

“Well, let’s meet tomorrow and we can think of something.” The elder stood up and opened the door. He followed, stepping out into the abandoned hallways.

“Here?”

“Here.”