Legend of Love
❤♡ One Shot Collection ♡❤
STARRING
Song Hyeongjun (Produce X 101) x Han Seojin (OC)
WORD COUNT
7,207 words
WRITTEN BY
Blu3Wind
Song Hyeongjun (Produce X 101) x Han Seojin (OC)
WORD COUNT
7,207 words
WRITTEN BY
Blu3Wind
“The school’s gonna have a festival to promote unity among our students. We need a representative from each class to be in charge. Are there any volunteers from class 1-A?”
Song Hyeongjun awkwardly looked around, his doe eyes scanning the room for any raised hands, but there weren’t any. Taking on the leader position was a difficult task, he would know since he had stupidly volunteered himself in the dance club one time, but ended up crying because he didn’t think himself to be good enough. Hopefully, he never had to experience it ever again.
“Since Hyeongjun has done it before, how about we let him do it again?” One of his classmates, Ham Wonjin, spoke up.
“Yes!”
“Eh?” Hyeongjun glared at his friend before fear and panic settled in him. He then noticed every student staring back with pleading eyes, depending on him to become the sacrificial lamb. When they put their hope in him, he really didn’t have the heart to reject them.
And so, Hyeongjun became the representative of class 2-A.
***
All representative was asked to stay longer after class to have their first meeting. Hyeongjun quietly peeked inside the classroom, his jaw dropping at the unfamiliar faces. He wondered whether they got chosen by force like he did, or volunteered. Would anyone ever volunteer themselves for such a terrifying position?
Mr. Lee walked into the room, and Hyeongjun silently watched from the seat he had chosen at the far end near the window. The classroom was halfway filled with around sixteen students. These brave souls. Hyeongjun admired them already.
“I would like to thank all of you for your willingness to take care of the festival. Is there anyone among you who would like to be in charge?” The teacher asked.
As Hyeongjun was about to laugh at the silly thought—who would volunteer for that position anyway—one girl at the very front seat shot her hand in the air with bullet speed, afraid someone would take that position from her.
Mr. Lee smiled in delight, motioning his hand to call the girl forward. And she did, walking with such eagerness and determination in every step.
“Hello, everyone! My name is Han Seojin, the representative of class 4-D. Let’s work together to make this the greatest school festival of the year!”
Hyeongjun mouthed an audible “wow” under his breath, one that was loud enough to catch her attention amidst the unresponsive and silent classroom. The girl shot him a look, her shoulder length black hair falling off her shoulders. Then she smiled, and Hyeongjun felt his cheeks heating up at the direct attention.
He didn’t mean to stand out in class. But he was truly amazed by Seojin’s passion. Plus, she willingly volunteered herself to be a leader. Such people were admirable. And for the rest of their meeting, he found himself nodding or clapping along to everything she said, her fire rubbing off on him.
By the time the meeting was adjourned, Hyeongjun calmly tidied his notes up. He wasn’t the type to rush out of the classroom like the rest. His friends, like Wonjin who had volunteered him to be here in the first place, had already gone home.
“Hey, Song Hyeongjun, right?”
Hyeongjun flinched a little when he saw a feminine hand with slender fingers and glazing nails lean on his desk. He looked up, his curly hair bouncing with the movement, and he gulped down his saliva.
“Y-Yes?” He pressed his lips together, wondering why Han Seojin approached him when the rest of the students had left. It was just the two of them, and the observation made his cheeks flush.
“I saw you taking notes during the meeting, and you seemed very enthusiastic about this event as well,” Seojin spoke, her voice already fluctuating with excitement to find someone as passionate as herself.
Seeing her growing smile and twinkling eyes, he couldn’t possibly confess that his diligent participation was only because he admired her attitude, and not so much the event itself. Besides, he was actually scribbling several dance formations.
“Therefore I believe you’ll be my perfect partner,” Seojin declared.
“Eh?”
“Yes! You must have some good ideas, right? Let me see them,” Seojin said, her eyes fixed on Hyeongjun’s notebook.
“But… But…”
Seojin wasn’t the type to really mind other people’s privacy, and within seconds, her arms shot out to take the notebook. But Hyeongjun was just as quick, shifting the book to the end of the table while his other hand fend off Seojin’s movements.
Oh my God, I’m holding her hands!
The thought made him dizzy with bashfulness. A girl’s hand was so small and soft to his touch. He probably shouldn’t be analyzing the experience, but no encounter had ever made his heart race as quick as a good dance session.
Eventually, he lost his focus on his defense and felt the book slip away from beneath his fingers as Seojin bellowed a loud “aha!”
Hyeongjun started brooding some cold sweat, whimpering to himself as he made another attempt to take it back. But Seojin turned her back on him to shield the book, and realizing his arms almost hugged her, he nearly fainted. His parents had not raised him to be that kind of man.
“Oh, what are these?” Seojin asked, flipping to the page where he had drawn numerous circles to represent people.
“D-dance formations.”
“You’re a dancer?” Seojin looked up to him with newfound amazement. Seeing Hyeongjun’s blushing face made her smile in amusement. “Can you show me your moves?”
“Eh?” Hyeongjun’s eyes widened in shock, stupefied by her sudden request. He really didn’t want to do it, but he couldn’t deny a girl’s request. It wouldn’t be very gentleman-like of him. “Uhm… What kind of music would you like me to dance to?”
Seojin eyed him sideways with a crooked smirk, seeing him bite his lip anxiously. The sight made her laugh. “I can’t believe you actually wanted to go along with that. I was just kidding.”
“Oh…” He shyly looked down, fiddling with his fingers. His sister and friends had always told him to work on his sense of humor, to better differentiate between a jest and a serious moment. He still had much to learn.
“Though if one day you decide to show me your dance, I wouldn’t object,” she said cheerfully and handed him his book back. “So your idea is for every student to dance together, huh?”
Hyeongjun’s lips parted, wondering how she came up with that conclusion. He wanted to tell her she had it wrong and that those formations were meant for his dance class, but he was also afraid of offending her by pointing out her mistake.
“I think that’s a brilliant idea!” She said, placing a hand on his shoulder like he was about to be knighted. “Song Hyeongjun, I now officially promote you to be my second in command.”
“But, I…”
“And you don’t get to reject it cause I am older than you, so you’ll have to accept it.”
Hyeongjun didn’t understand how she could flash such a sweet smile along to her dictating words. He really didn’t have it in him to complain. Either that, or her touch was distracting him again. His tumultuous heartbeats certainly were.
“Alright, now give me your phone,” she continued, holding her palm out.
“My phone?” Hyeongjun wondered when her requests would ever stop, but he found himself obeying to every single one of them. To his surprise—and slight delight—she angeld the phone to herself, smiled, and snapped a selfie. Hyeongjun blinked his eyes in confusion as she typed her number in.
“Here, now you have my number,” she said, giving herself a missed call before handing him his phone back.
“But…”
“Smile!”
Hyeongjun was caught offguard when she held her phone in front of his face, taking a shot while he was in the midst of talking. He must not have looked good, because Seojin ended up chuckling when checking his picture. When he peeked along, he saw his eyes halfway blinking and his mouth forming a weird lopsided shape like a chewing camel.
“It’s bad,” he commented, more so about himself than her photography skills.
“It’s cute,” Seojin said, and to his dismay, saved that derpy photo. “Now, I expect you to be on standby when I call or text you, okay?”
Hyeongjun supposed the question was rhetorical. If he said no, would she have allowed it? He wasn’t looking forward to it, knowing that his ugly photo would appear on her phone screen if she called him. But what could he do? She was older after all.
***
That night, Hyeongjun expected a call from her. He even brought his phone to the bathroom as he showered, knowing it would be ill mannered not to pick up her call. But even as he finished drying his hair with a towel and returned it to its fluffy state, she still hadn’t called.
Maybe he was expecting too much. So he distracted himself by watching the latest Produce 101 shows when his phone began to ring. He jumped up in his seat, wondering what to do when Seojin’s smiling photo appeared full screen on his phone. He took a deep breath first before picking up, but the first thing greeting him was Seojin’s lighthearted chuckle.
“Sorry, your photo just popped up and I…” she continued laughing more, and Hyeongjun placed a hand over his face in embarrassment.
“I think you should delete it,” he suggested, his tone very shy and polite even though it was a cause he strongly believed in.
“And not see your cute face? You’ll just have to deal with it, Hyeongjun,” she said, of course not giving in that easily.
Hyeongjun set her on loudspeaker and let himself fall on his bed, burying his embarrassment underneath his pillow. He couldn’t bear to look at her smiling selfie, imagining how she looked like when she laughed at his photo. Though he wasn’t fond of being laughed at, he imagined she still looked pretty.
“So, I’ve been thinking, what kind of dance do you think would be easy enough for the entire school to dance to?” She asked, having calmed down.
So she was really going to go along with the mass dance mob idea. Hyeongjun turned around to face the ceiling. “It can’t be a performance kind of choreography. It needs to be simple enough for everyone to follow along to while also being fun.”
Seojin was silent for a while, and he didn’t detect a hum or the calm sound of her breathing. Suddenly he was worried.
“Hello?”
“Yeah, I was just surprised since you suddenly spoke so enthusiastically,” Seojin bluntly revealed, which made him blush in response. “It sounds like you have something in mind.”
“What if we take a traditional folk dance and add some twist to it so that it’s easy to follow?” He suggested, his voice raising with excitement when they talked about something he loved doong.
“I would need to see a sample of it,” Seojin said. “Come by my class tomorrow, 4-D.”
“But I’d need a partner.”
“I’ll be your partner,” she spoke, and he could visualize her grinning. “During lunch time. I’ll see you then.”
She hung up, and Hyeongjun blankly stared at his phone. It seemed he was going to sleep late tonight having to come up with a choreography.
***
Hyeongjun felt bad for ditching his friends when they asked him to go for lunch. All day when they talked to him, he couldn’t find the courage to look them in the eye. So when he eventually confessed that he had to attend a meeting, the others were eager to let him go. But when he added that the meeting was with Han Seojin, they held him back again.
“Are you close to her?” Wonjin asked, poking Hyeongjun’s cheeks affectionately. “I heard she’s the prettiest girl in her year, but her attitude is a little demanding.”
“Uhm…” Hyeongjun blushed, unsure what to say. She was pretty yes, but then again, he didn’t think any of God’s creation as ugly. Except for the photo she had saved of him. Also, he considered her demanding attitude was a good thing.
“Oh, look at our little Hyeongjun growing up. You finally have a girlfriend!” Wonjin continued teasing, tousling his signature curly hair, to which he whined at.
“No, it’s not like that. We’re only discussing the school event,” Hyeongjun said. This was strictly business. But when he told them he’d have to meet her, they replied with suggestive grins, believing there was more to his words.
Hyeongjun quietly strolled through the corridors, mouthing her classroom to himself as he read the sign boards hung above the doors. He had never gone to this section of the school building before, the big kids section. Finally, he found class 4-D.
Hyeongjun took a peek inside, scanning around to find Seojin. Finally, he spotted her leaning against a desk, surrounded by several girls who all laughed at something she said.
Wow, she’s the type to make people laugh.
It was yet another trait that Hyeongjun admired about her, and for several seconds, he was just staring openmouthed.
“Excuse me, but do you need something?” A girl suddenly tapped him on the back.
Hyeongjun gulped, flashing an awkward smile. How embarrassing. Someone busted him in the midst of his awestruck staring. “Uhm.. I need.. Seojin noona.”
“Oooh,” the girl cooed, her gaze suddenly resembling Wonjin and the other guys. She loudly knocked on the classroom door and cleared . “Seojin noona, you have a guest.”
Hyeongjun tucked his lips, seeing Seojin’s expression brightened up when her eyes fell on him. She excused herself from her friends and approached him.
“Have you been standing here all this time? You should’ve called me,” she spoke, grinning radiantly.
“Y-You seemed busy.”
“I was occupying myself while waiting for you,” she corrected and pulled him by the hand, leading him to the back of the class where some of her friends were gathered.
“Who is this? He’s cute,” one of her friends said.
His cheeks flushed red again, and he humbly lowered his head while fiddling his hands together. “T-Thank you.”
“This is Song Hyeongjun, a first year student. He’s helping me prepare for the school event,” Seojin said, a hint of pride laced in her voice. Then she folded her arms and stared him down. “So, show me the dance.”
“Eh? Right here? In front of everyone?” Hyeongjun felt his head becoming dizzy, wishing to run away from their attention. He could even feel the tears well into his eyes. He couldn’t do this.
“Seojin, this is why you don’t have a boyfriend. You shouldn’t order the poor boy around,” one of her friends spoke teasingly.
Hyeongjun gasped, throwing a worried look at Seojin. The smile faded from her face, and he began to panic. Were her friends making her sad because they considered her frontal personality a bad thing? If they were only joking, why did she look so forlorn?
“I… I don’t mind being ordered around,” he spoke up, stuttering messily through his words. “I mean… She’s just giving me a small push so I won’t hesitate.”
The girls stared at him like he was some foreign creature, but soon, an impressed smile lifted their lips. But all he cared about was Seojin’s, hoping she was no longer frowning because of her friends’ teasing. So when he met her eyes, he was glad to see her smiling back, though not as bright as before.
“Alright, now, show us your moves,” Seojin said, completely erasing the sentimental emotion she kept hidden inside.
“I need a partner,” Hyeongjun said, holding his hand out to her, waiting as she hesitantly raised her hand toward him.
“Seojin is a terrible dancer though.” Her friend laughed.
“I can change that,” Hyeongjun said, a sudden confidence entering his demeanor. Once Seojin carefully placed her hand in his, he wrapped his fingers around hers, and smiled. No, not smiled, but smirked.
He pulled her closer, their hands still entwined together. The traditional folk dance he talked about turned into easy morning exercise routines. Since the dance was supposed to promote unity, he thought it’d be a good idea to make it into a semi couple dance. He made sure to make everything as easy and fun as possible, but seeing how well she glided her body along to him, he suddenly had the desire to show off a little. So he let go and added some pops, some locks, some girlgroup dance routines, and body waves.
Seojin stepped back to stand with her friends, everyone was cheering him on like he was doing a one man show. By the time be struck the last pose, they applauded louder. Seojin even threw in a wolf whistle, her gaze doting with pride.
Now that the dance routine was finished, Hyeongjun quickly placed his feet together, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. Only now did he remember that he had held Seojin’s hands a little too friendly and intimate. Tracing back the moves in his head, his entire face exploded with red splashes.
“He is good!” A friend spoke, imitating some of his dance moves. “It’s like he turned into a completely different person.”
“His gaze was so manly,” another one spoke.
Hyeongjun was b with pride now. He often heard people tell he was cute, but when he danced, he could finally get rid of the cute image and became a cooler version of himself. He wondered what Seojin would think, and when he dared himself to take a peek, she was staring with an expression he was all too familiar with. Admiration. The same way he looked at her.
“Hello, Seojin? Have you fallen for his moves?” A friend teased, waving her hand in front of Seojin’s face.
“No, I-I was just thinking,” she immediately snapped at them and cleared . “Hyeongjun, let’s have a meeting later. Be sure to attend.”
“O-okay!”
***
“I heard everything’s going well?” Wonjin asked when Hyeongjun finally ate with them again instead of visiting class 4-D. He was no longer required to show his dance, but Seojin’s friends kept asking him to come over during break time. Considering Seojin was always there, he had no reason to object.
“Yes. Everyone’s going to dance together. It’ll be fun!” Hyeongjun smiled, his mouth slightly open, creating an adorable look that even awed his friends.
“So it’ll be like a flashmob?”
“No, you would have to dance in pairs. We thought it’d be a better way for everyone to bond,” Hyeongjun explained, taking a bite from his sandwich. He was glad that the rest of the committee agreed with the main idea. Now they had to take care of the details.
“Ah, is that a good way for students to bond or for you and Seojin noona to bond?” Wonjin was teasing him again, pinching his cheeks.
Hyeongjun nearly choked on his sandwich, and quickly hit his own chest to regain his breath. He was never a good liar, so he chose to keep silent while his reddening face said it all.
He liked spending time with her, as outspoken and commanding as she could be. He liked that her neverending talks compensated for his silence. Sometimes, he was even secretly glad that other representatives didn’t show up to the meeting. Most of the time it was just the two of them, and the idea itself made him giddy.
“I overheard the girls say something the other day,” Koo Jungmo suddenly said. “Apparently there’s a legend at our school that if you and your partner dance three times around a bonfire and one of you confesses to the other, the feeling will be reciprocated.”
Hyeongjun and Wonjin both stared at him with mixed expressions, one skeptical, and the other amazed.
“That sounds stupid! Who would actually believe in that?” Wonjin yelled, rolling over in laughter, mocking his friend for actually believing it.
“It’s true! You know our school is famous for its legends. A lot of couples got together because it,” Jungmo insisted, even as Wonjin was slapping his back
As the two continued debating, Hyeongjun calmly took a bite from his sandwich.
***
“A bonfire?” Seojin asked when Hyeongjun decided to walk her to class.
He nodded, hoping she would consider the idea. Maybe the legend was stupid, but a part of him was fascinated by such whimsical ideals. Besides, it wouldn't be for him, but for all those students who believed in the legend. Yes, he was helping them.
“That would make the event really festive!” She was quick to accept new ideas and always turned it into something grand. “We shall add a gigantic bonfire and everyone will be able to dance around it.”
“A gigantic one?” He repeated, wondering if they’d even have enough raw materials or budget to afford it. Then again, how gigantic was she talking about here? The bigger it was, the longer it’d take to circle around the bonfire three times. Again, not for him, but for those other students.
“Yes! I shall arrange it! This is a great idea. You always come up with the best ideas, Hyeongjun!” She complimented, and he bashfully munched on his lips.
“This event will turn out great because you led it,” he said, feeling his heart race as he toughened up to compliment her back.
“And because you’re my second in command,” she was quick to add, flashing a smile, similar to the photo saved on his phone.
The day of the festival was approaching, but Hyeongjun believed everything will work out just fine.
***
“How do you know if you like someone?” He asked his older sister one night.
She dropped the cotton pad from her hand, halted her nightly skincare routine, and hugged her little brother with indescribable joy. “Oh, Hyeongjunie, has the time finally come for you? Do you like a girl?”
“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking you for insight,” he answered honestly, letting his sister squish his cheeks until she was satisfied and sat back in her place, resuming her routine.
“Well, do you think about her a lot?”
“Yes, but it may be because we’re the only ones actually working on the school event.”
“Mhmm, and how do you feel when you think of her?”
Hyeongjun thought back of their time together, which wasn’t even that long to begin with. It had been a month or so since they first met, and after that, they had intensely stayed in touch to coordinate the event. Once in a while, they’d trail off topic and talk a little about themselves and ask questions about the other.
“I feel happy,” he told his sister, smiling to himself while he tried to keep his fingers busy by twirling it around the hem of his shirt.
“Do you wanna hold her hand?”
“Eh?” Hyeongjun’s face turned red again, perplexed by his sister’s scandalous question. Technically, he had done it before, twice. And both times, it made his insides flutter, striking him with a panic he didn’t know how to deal with. It was quite a pleasant experience. So for that reason, he shyly nodded.
“Oh, my brother has a crush!” She concluded, flinging her arms around him again.
Hyeongjun felt his heart race at her confirmation, suddenly understanding a lot of his odd actions lately. He had furtively looked for moments to walk with her between classes. He made sure to be the first person to arrive to their meetings, hoping to catch some alone time with her. He had invited her to watch his dance practice, and found himself wanting to show off again when she attended. And when she applauded and complimented him on his dancing, he had never felt happier.
He liked her.
Should he relay the news to her? Was that how it worked? With excitement filling his bouncy footsteps, he returned to his room and decided to give her a call. Their constant communication helped him to be at ease with such advances.
“Yes?” She asked, stifling a little bit of her giggles. He knew it was probably because of his photo, something she still hadn’t changed.
“Where are you right now?”
“I'm at school.”
Hyeongjun gasped, quickly lowering the phone from his ear to look at the time. It was a half hour past eight. “Why?”
“There were some things for the event I still needed to take care of. I’m almost done though.”
Hyeongjun felt the strength leave his arm, wanting to cry. Knowing she stayed these few hours alone at school while he could’ve accompanied her saddened him. Why hadn’t she asked for his help? Didn’t she know he’d be more than willing to help her? Besides, it was late. It wasn’t safe.
“Stay there and don’t go anywhere,” he then said, giving out the command for once.
“What? I’m almost done though.”
“Mmmm,” he shook his head, frowning in frustration. “Stay there. I’m coming.”
And with that, he hung up, announced to his sister that he’d be out, and quickly grabbed his bike.
***
Seojin was already waiting outside the school building, her presence being the only ray of sunshine amidst the dark sky. He didn’t like seeing her so vulnerable and out in the open, so he sped up to reach her before something might happen.
He screeched to a halt, his chest huffing with exhaustion. With the aim to protect her, he exerted more speed in his cycling. The wind pushed all his curly hair backward into a mushroom like bush.
Seeing that made Seojin laugh. “You’ve always wanted me to change your photo on my phone. I think it is about time,” she teased getting her phone ready, but he whined cutely as a sign of protest, even adding a pout, and she aborted her mission.
“Take a picture where I look charming,” he suggested in the most innocent manner possible, his lips hinged in a slightly open smile. So much purity was contained in what could’ve been a cocky statement.
“Then you’re asking me to do a photo burst. You look charming all the time,” Seojin said, cooing him like a little kid.
Hyeongjun was torn at moments this. He loved being complimented by her, but he also dreaded being treated like a child. Perhaps he needed the legend’s help more than he knew.
He puffed his chest up in an attempt to look manlier. “I’ll take you home.”
Seojin blinked and chuckled again. “You don’t have to. I can perfectly well walk home on my own.”
Her rejection dejected him, and his shoulders slipped down with disappointment. He wasn’t the type who could fight for what he believed in, but he really didn’t want her to walk home on her own. What if something happened? He would never forgive himself for it. Thinking about how he’d failed to save her made his eyes tear up, ready to cry at his failure.
“Okay, okay, I’ll come with you,” Seojin gave in.
Immediately, Hyeongjun’s face brightened up, a wide smile taking over half his face. He waited for her to hop on the backseat, feeling her hand clinging on to the side of his shirt.
He gulped down more saliva, realizing this was the most intimate they had gotten. With this jolly buzz in his chest, he began to pedal away from the school ground.
“Can you help me direct the way to your home?” He asked politely.
“What if I said no?”
Hyeongjun’s eyes widened with shock, his face exploding in a blush. “You want me to take you to my house?”
“What? No! That’s not what I meant. I was joking,” she corrected herself, laughing out loud at Hyeongjun’s mental breakdown. He was so easy and fun to tease. “Go left here.”
He obeyed her, like always, making gentle turns to ensure she wouldn’t fall off. During the entire ride, he kept asking if she was feeling okay, if he was going too fast or not.
“You’re going too slow, actually,” she commented, and so he picked up his pace. With her hands still clung to him, she stared at his backside, realizing how broad his shoulders were despite his cute appearance. She could even feel his muscles flexing every time his arms came in contact with hers.
“What were you working on?” He asked, starting to make small talk.
“I was making lots for the students to draw. It’s easier to pair people up this way.”
Hyeongjun was devastated again, stopping his pedaling as the bike continued gliding. “We can’t choose our own partner?”
“Well, it’s because I know that people would be too shy to ask someone to be their partner.”
“Not me!”
Seojin was surprised by his upfront remark, which was really rare for the shy Song Hyeongjun. “You sound like you already have someone you’d like to ask.”
“I do.”
“Oh?” Seojin tucked her lips, meaning to ask it as casual as possible without giving away her curiosity. “Who?”
“You.”
Seojin was definitely not used to his direct proclamations, especially when she couldn’t see his expression and determine whether he was blushing or showing an expression she had never seen before.
“You asked me to be your partner. So I’d like to be your partner until the end,” Hyeongjun spoke politely, his words too innocent for what else it could indicate.
“How loyal of you,” Seojin teased, grateful for Hyeongjun’s inability to see her face right now, or else he might notice he had caused her to blush. “That can be arranged. Since we’re the representatives, we don’t have to draw lots.”
She heard him cheer to himself, and that made her smile along, his joy rubbing off on her. When they arrived at her front door, they had gone through more details about the bonfire event.
“Well, thanks for the ride, partner,” she said, giving him a thumbs up. But when he smiled in such an innocent and radiant way, she felt like reaching out to him, to give him a pat on the back or do something more intimate.
“If you don’t have anyone to take you home next time, I’ll do it. My parents told me a girl isn’t supposed to walk alone at night,” Hyeongjun said, dead serious.
Seojin opened to say something, but decided against it. She settled on a smile. “My knight on his steel bike.”
“Would you like me to use the car next time?” Hyeongjun asked, blinking in confusion. If she’d be more comfortable that way, he wouldn’t mind asking his parents for permission.
“Do you even have a driver’s license?” She teased.
“Not an official one, but my dad taught me to drive.” He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck.
Seojin laughed again. “I like the bike. It’s very you.”
“Eh?”
“It’s charming,” she said, then waved at him and entered her house.
That night, when Hyeongjun returned home, he made sure to check himself in the mirror. His signature curly hair was still well styled despite the windy ride outside. It was good enough. So he took his phone and took a nice selfie. The photo captured his big round eyes, and the way his mouth slightly hung open when smiling. So he send that to Seojin along with the message:
My charming photo.
***
The big school event was approaching, meaning that soon, Hyeongjun would have no excuse to spend more time with his Seojin noona. Several times he had stayed at school to accompany her, then brought her home like a good gentleman would. His sister said he did the right thing, and that made him happy.
He’d also visit her class more often, always being greeted by Seojin’s friends. They had gotten braver, asking if they could touch his fluffy hair. Knowing how impolite it was to decline their request, he let them, but they cooed him like a baby. And during such moments, Seojin always turned her back on them. He wondered why.
Hyeongjun was already seated in his usual seat during the meeting, welcoming Seojin and everyone else with his cheerful smile. When Seojin took up the space in front and began dividing the final tasks, Hyeongjun was smitten with admiration.
“That is a stupid idea! I don’t wanna do it,” a fellow representative suddenly said. He was sloppily placing his feet on the table just because the teacher in charge was absent.
“Excuse me?” Seojin asked, narrowing her eyes.
Hyeongjun turned to the guy, giving him a death glare. He felt his frustration building up while his hands began to sweat. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like seeing that hurt expression on Seojin’s face.
“No one in the school would go along with this. You’re only wasting everyone’s time. You’re a terrible leader.” He had the audacity to laugh with his friends after blatantly attacking Seojin in front of everyone, bringing everyone’s morale down.
Hyeongjun couldn’t stand this, so he gathered all his courage to get up from his seat. He was mad, but couldn’t channel it properly. The hesitance embedded in his deep lines, the watering eyes, and the frightened lip was far from someone who was ready to be a knight.
“Y-you shouldn’t say mean things to her,” he began, knowing that Seojin and everyone else now turned to him. Oh, he didn’t like such attention, but he loathed that guy’s derision even more. “She worked ten times harder than any of you. And she… She cares about this event so much thay it’s admirable. Being a leader is hard, and she willingly put that burden on herself. And… And… She stays at school until nine because no one is helping her. So...”
Oh no, Hyeongjun didn’t mean to cry, but the tears were rolling down his cheek and snot stuffed his nose. But he wasn’t done with his speech yet, so despite his croaking voice and his hiccups, he continued defending her. “Y-You shouldn’t treat her like that. She… She doesn’t deserve it. We should all be thanking her...”
He began to wail at this time and was drenched with ugly tears as he sat back down in his chair.
“Meeting dismissed. You may all leave,” Seojin ordered with her booming voice. She even motioned the others to exit the room before she approached Hyeongjun, and knelt down beside his seat. Seeing him cry like that lifted her lips into a smile.
“You defended me,” she said, gently patting his knees. “You always do.”
“Because… You… You’re a good person,” he hiccuped.
Seojin was inwardly in awe, and it showed through her growing smile. She got up on her feet and used the side of her sleeves to wipe away his tear stained face. “No one has ever considered me worthy enough to be defended like that.”
“You deserve everything nice in this world,” Hyeongjun spoke, still sniffing as he stared at her with his big red eyes. Even in a mess, he looked adorable.
“You’re everything nice in this world, Hyeongjun,” she said, raising her hand midair to trail her fingers through his fluffy hair, to rub the tear away from his shining eyes, to hold his hand, or to pull him closer. But she did none of it, afraid she’d drive him away. So she curled her fingers into a fist, and regretfully retracted it back to her side. “Thank you.”
Hyeongjun blinked, absorbing her words in his head. He was nice. Just nice. He wanted to be more than just nice. He was starting to get desperate now, knowing the dance would be his last chance. Whether the legend was real or not, he’d try it out. He’d have to, or he’d live the rest of his life in regret.
***
Finally, the long awaited day had arrived. Everything they had been planning for the past few months led down to this. Hyeongjun opted to wear an all black outfit today with a flashy red belt in order to appear more manly. He knew people saw him as cute and adorable, but on the day he’d test out the legend, he wanted to be called handsome.
“Seojin noona!” He called out when he spotted her giving out last minute orders to the crew members. She stood close to the large bonfire, but the freezing night balanced the temperature against the skin.
She paused her discussion and turned to the younger boy, her eyes gleaming in surprise at his new look. He emitted a different aura, but his wide and innocent smile remained the same.
“Look at you. Have we met before?” She asked playfully.
“It’s me, Hyeongjun.” He said this so gleefully, thinking his transformation had really made him unrecognizable.
She laughed. “You look handsome tonight.”
That was the compliment he had been waiting for, and he couldn’t help but widen his grin, even if it made him look as cute as usual.
They watched people being too bashful to even talk to one another. Luckily, Seojin had foreseen this, and the lot drawing helped to bridge the gap. Everyone was paired up as they circled around the bonfire. The music began to play all through the huge announcement speakers.
Hyeongjun turned to her and stretched a hand out. “Will you dance with me?”
“Of course. You have no other partner but me.” She put her hand in his, just like the first time when he had asked her to dance together.
Ever since Jungmo told him about the legend, Hyeongjun had modified the choreography to involve movement. Instead of staying still in one place, they were now required to keep moving sideways like a waltz, brilliantly circling the bonfire.
Two more rounds.
“I’m glad that the event is a huge success. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,” Seojin said, content seeing her surroundings. Everyone was dancing in pairs, laughing and blushing at the same time. This included the guy who had spoken back to her during the meeting.
“That’s because you were in charge, so I knew it would’ve turned out amazing,” Hyeongjun spoke honestly, beaming his snaggletooth.
“It’s because I had you helping me,” she said, letting him lead her move. Staring up at him, the flickering fire illuminated his sharp features. His gaze was in the far off distance, and when he maintained the serious gaze on his face, he didn’t look like a boy three years younger than her.
In fact, aside from his adorable looks and shy demeanor, he was quite manly. He offered to take her home because he didn’t want her walking out on her own. He defended her when someone was against her, even if he had to fight his own discomfort and ended up in tears. Not many could stand her bossy and direct personality, but he seemed to be drawn to it. She couldn’t imagine how different things would be now that their meetings would come to an end.
One more round.
“I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me,” she said.
“Eh? Don’t say that. That sounds like a farewell,” Hyeongjun protested, frowning his eyebrow.
“I’m only being polite since you’re always so polite.”
“Oh, well, then I thank you too,” he spoke, struggling with the word’s enunciation. “I think you made me into a better person.”
“How so?”
“I’m manly now, now just when I’m dancing,” he grinned proudly, like it was an incredible achievement.
Seojin laughed even harder, finding it adorable how obsessed he was about getting rid of his cute image.
Hyeongjun suddenly gasped, realizing they had danced three full circles around the bonfire by now. His grip around her hand tightened. He heard his heartbeat ringing in his head. “Uhm… Seojin noona, could I talk to you? But in p-private.”
She cocked her head sideways. “Sure.”
Hyeongjun felt his heart about to burst out of his chest as he led her away from the dancing students. He even saw Jungmo and Wonjin watching him with growing grins, giving him a thumbs up. Oh, it was only making him more nervous.
“What is so important that we’d need to get away from everyone? Are you gonna confess to me?” Seojin asked bluntly and laughed. But then she saw Hyeongjun jolt up, his face visibly drenched in red even in the surrounding darkness.
“W-Wait, I have a speech,” he stuttered, suddenly fiddling with his hands and wiggling his body. “So.. These past few months, I’m really happy that we could work together. I’m really happy being with you. And I hope that even after this ends, I can still be with you.”
“Hyeongjun…”
He held his hands up, swallowing his saliva to gather another ounce of courage. “I know that I am much younger than you, but I read that boys age faster, so I can catch up. I am also learning to be more manly everyday so that I can always protect you. So what I’m saying is that… Uhm… I.. I like…”
Seojin wanted to hear him say those words, but knowing his shy personality, she could be the one to extract the courage from him.
“I like you, too,” she confessed.
“Eh?”
“Well, I can’t wait the entire night for you to say it, so I said it first,” she shrugged playfully.
“But… That’s not how it went in my head. I was supposed to say it first,” he whined.
“Too late,” she stuck her tongue out and grinned. But seeing him stare at her with that pure expression of elation and admiration, she blushed a little. “What?”
“I’m happy that I can hold your hand whenever I want to now,” he said, displaying a sudden bold side when he acted on his words, lacing his fingers with her. “And I don’t have to call you noona anymore.”
“I never agreed on that.”
“Too late,” he mimicked, sticking his tongue out as well. “I like you, Seojin.”
Just when her heart was about to skip a beat, Hyeongjun suddenly let out a whiny cry and swayed his entire body in embarrassment. “I just cringed at myself. Hehe.”
Seojin blinked and soon laughed, running her hand through his fluffy hair, something she had always wanted to do. Whether he was manly or cute, she’d like him either way.
“Actually, I need to check on something,” Hyeongjun suddenly said, taking his phone. He called her and focused on her phone screen. To his surprise, she had already changed to the charming selfie he had taken for her.
“It’s good,” he commented, less on himself, but on her willingness to change it.
“I made your other selfie my laptop’s wallpaper, so it’s definitely good,” Seojin teased, watching with amusement as his smile turned into a panicked jaw drop. She laughed, running back to the bonfire where she’d resume her position as the one in charge.
Hyeongjun trailed after her with a playful glare. If it meant she’d kept staring at him even when they were apart, he supposed he shouldn’t complain. Besides, they could take new photos now, together.
In the end, Hyeongjun was thankful that the legend really worked.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I hope Hyeongjun was portrayed as cute and adorable as he is~ I know the story and legend is super random, but this is the result of my insomniac brainstorming. A girl like Seojin would fit well with the shy Hyeongjun~ I hope you enjoyed reading it. And if you wanna contribute a story or a legend, please let me know! :D
EDIT:
Decided to put the oneshot here and delete the Legend of Love thread since no one seemed to be interested in adding more stories to it XD
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