"Do you want my library card? 'Cause I'm checking–"

"The way you flirt is shameful." Youngjae deadpans. 

Daehyun stops mid-pickup line, slowly turning to Youngjae with a look of disbelief. Youngjae, textbooks in his arms, offers a mocking smile in return at the black-haired boy seated at the library table. The poor girl Daehyun has targeted lets out an awkward laugh, standing up from her seat and steps away from Daehyun, "Excuse me." 

She then strides away, leaving a smug Youngjae and disappointed Daehyun behind.

"Excuse me indeed," Daehyun mutters, dramatically collapsing on the table and releasing a loud groan.

"Excuse me. The library is a place to study, not to pick up girls." Youngjae says, sitting at the seat the girl previously occupied and nudging Daehyun's head. "It's not a place to sleep either."

"Leave me alone, nerd."

"This is why no one wants your ."

Daehyun groans again, drawing the attention of the group of freshmen next to them. Youngjae eyes them until they turn away from the distressed upperclassman before he smacks Daehyun's head.  "The library isn't a place to give birth either." 

Daehyun lifts his head up, shooting Youngjae a glare before he pulls his face until an ugly pout and starts whining.

"I need to get laid, Youngjae. Laid! It's been too long since I've had any action, and I'm dying–"

Youngjae holds a hand up to Daehyun, his expression displeased.

"Nobody gives a , horndog." 

Daehyun slams his head back down on the table, muttering about his miserable life and how horrible of a nerd best friend he has. 

Youngjae doesn't mind. He starts on his notes for music theory. He isn't one to procrastinate, unlike a particular Jung Daehyun. 

-------

" my life I haven't started on my notes," Daehyun announces unceremoniously when he barges into Youngjae's dorm room a few days later, notebook in hand.

Jaebum, Youngjae's roommate, is laying on Youngjae's stomach while they're both browsing on their own phones on Youngjae's bed. Jaebum lifts his head to see Daehyun in the doorway before he lays his head back. Youngjae doesn’t even acknowledge Daehyun's presence.

Needless to say, Daehyun isn't the least bit impressed.

"Youngjae." 

No response.

"Youngjaeeeeeeeeeeee."

Not even a glance.

"yyOOoOooooOOOOOoOUUNGJAAEEEEeeeeee"

Youngjae continues tapping away on his phone.

Only when Daehyun starts stomping and whining like a six-year-old right next to the other two does Youngjae throw a pillow at Daehyun's face. 

"Would you cut it out and let me live my life. Oh my god." 

"What life," Daehyun says.

Jaebum snickers, but Youngjae smacking him on the throat has him rolling off the bed and coughing violently on the ground. 

Daehyun decides to shut up then. Youngjae's glare is scary and he does not want to fall victim to Youngjae's violence.

Youngjae lets out an exasperated sigh and rubs his temples before grabbing his own notebook and getting up from the bed. He takes hold of Daehyun's arm, kicking Jaebum's leg as he steps past and pulls the other outside the dorm.

"Where we going?" Daehyun asks, falling into step beside Youngjae. Youngjae's grip on his arm loosens, and he takes hold of Youngjae's hand instead to lock their fingers together. It's almost natural to do this. As uptight as Youngjae is and as much of a pain in the Daehyun is, they've always been like this. Bromance at its finest, Daehyun thinks.

"To get laid." Youngjae snorts.

Daehyun grins then, lightly swinging their hands as they gradually reach the library doors. "Really?! That's not a bad idea, man. We could find some hot chicks together. But of course, we could just have each other–"

"Do not even suggest that. Oh god, you're disgusting." Youngjae frowns, pushing the doors open and sitting down at the same place they sat a few days prior. Their hands are still linked together. Neither seems to want to let go anytime soon.

"I'm just a hormonal sponge, Youngjae."

Cue Youngjae's signature "what-the-" look, specially reserved for Jung Daehyun.

Daehyun laughs then, pinching the other's cheek with his free hand. "Ah, how adorable. My little hedgehog."

"What the ," Youngjae says as he pushes Daehyun's hand away. It might be the lighting, but Daehyun thinks he sees Youngjae's ears turn a bit red.

"There are no s to question about, and that is the problem."

Youngjae's expression doesn't change. He's at a loss for words, Daehyun could tell. The way Youngjae's soft-looking lips are opened just slightly, and his eyebrows are furrowed adorably.

"Okay? Whatever. Copy my notes." He frees his hand from Daehyun's, flipping his notebook open before sliding it to Daehyun.

"Ugh, you're boring."

"Copy it or I'll you up."

"."

Youngjae rubs his temples again. Daehyun smiles cheekily, blowing a kiss at him and turns to copy the notes. Youngjae's miserable face is pretty.

But. Wait.

"I don't have a pencil."

"There's literally a whole box of them right in front of you."

"Oh. Right. I knew that. Haha. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention."

Youngjae isn't convinced.

Daehyun blames Youngjae for always making him lose focus on his surroundings so easily.

-------

On Saturday night, Daehyun drags Youngjae out to his brother's newly opened noraebang in Seoul.

"We get free food and free beer and a lot of free minutes, come on, you nerd."

Youngjae reluctantly agrees, after a lot more begging and whining on Daehyun's side.

By the time Daehyun is on his fifth beer and Youngjae on his fourth, they're both singing to Crayon Pop's Bar Bar Bar drunkenly, jumping up and down in a fail attempt to imitate the dance.

When the song ends, Daehyun leans over to Youngjae and leaves a wet kiss on the other's cheek. Youngjae sobers just a little bit, the lazy grin leaving his face as he blinks in surprise. Daehyun is already off picking another song, drunken giggles leaving his lips.

Youngjae shrugs it off, downing the rest of his beer and forgets about it.

Several more cans of beer later and several more songs later, they're both drunk out of their minds and Daehyun has Youngjae against the wall, their lips pressed against each other heatedly. The upbeat music in the background is forgotten and drowned out between groans and heavy breaths. 

Nothing special happens. 

Daehyun wakes up the next morning on the floor with the worst hangover and no memory of last night. He groans and sits up to see Youngjae curled against the little sofa, snoring softly. 

A smile finds its way to his lips despite the throbbing in his head. Somehow, he recalls soft lips and his fast beating heart. He waves it off as something he dreamt about after he passed out, despite the strange tugging in his heart. 

-------

Daehyun is just about to fall asleep in the café from staring at nothing if it wasn't for Junhong suddenly appearing and snapping his fingers loudly in his face.

"The heck." Daehyun mutters, rubbing his eyes and blinking at the young giant.

"You like him, don't you?" Junhong says, his eyes boring into Daehyun's. It felt like he was staring into his soul. Creepy, if you ask him. This kid was cute but at the same time he holds some type of terrifying aura that can make anyone break down with a mere look. That could also be because of his height, but it's also because he seems to know everything about everyone one way or another. Daehyun strongly believes it's because of Kim Himchan's teachings.

"I don't like Youngjae!" Daehyun shrieks immediately, all sleepiness gone. 

Junhong raises a brow, a triumphant smirk on his lips. "I didn't say who, though."

"What who?" Daehyun asks, feigning confusion. He feels something stirring in his stomach and something heavy in his heart. His head feels like it's beating too fast, and he kind of wants to bash his head against the table and dump hot coffee down his face. Not that he would. The burns from that are nasty– he learned that the hard way.

"Youngjae hyung. You like him." It's not even a question anymore. Junhong is set on Daehyun liking Youngjae. Unbelievable. Daehyun sputters, scoffing a few times for emphasis.

"Me? Like that nerd? No, no thank you. He doesn't even want to get laid."

"Hm. Really." Junhong says disbelievingly, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Really." Daehyun repeats.

But he thinks about holding Youngjae in his arms, their interlocked fingers, Youngjae's sleeping face, Youngjae's lips, Youngjae's smile, Youngjae's snide remarks, Youngjae, Youngjae, Youngjae.

I don't like him.

It feels like he's convincing himself now.

-------

"I think I'm getting laid," is what Daehyun says into the phone during the dead of midnight. 

"Congratulations," Youngjae says sleepily. He was probably revising an essay. "Now you can stop bothering me about it every second."

Daehyun's smile grows. He can practically see Youngjae, sitting on the small, cramped desk in his dorm room, the laptop light bright compared to the dark room, and Jaebum probably out. Youngjae would have a mug of coffee next to him, piles of paper on the bed, his hair messed up, eyes half opened in sleepiness, and his hand loosely pressing the phone against the ear.

"It's Jieun noona. She called me earlier. Honestly, Himchan hyung would have been better, but. But he's kinda way up there too, y'know."

He hears Youngjae hum. He knows he isn't listening, and Daehyun feels his heart sink a little. "Okay, have fun. Please don't call me at midnight."

The line is dead. Daehyun takes his phone away from his ear and looks at the screen disappointedly. Youngjae was supposed to tell him that he shouldn't sleep with somebody tonight. He was supposed to talk some sense into Daehyun, he was supposed to get Daehyun to come over, Daehyun was supposed to cancel his "plans" for tonight. 

♡ Youngjaejae~. Call Ended: 02:12.

There's a pang in his heart, and he realizes.

He didn't want to get laid with just anyone anymore.

-------

Target: Yoo Youngjae.

Target is currently in the library. Target is studying like the nerd he is. Target's roommate is no where to be seen, thank god, that er.

Daehyun taps his pen on the table impatiently, shamelessly staring at Youngjae's face.

"Would you stop–"

"If you were a pie, you'd be a cutiepie."

Youngjae stares at Daehyun in bewilderment. "Did you just use a pickup line on me?"

"Are you an eggplant, cause I am the only one that likes you." 

"What?! You –"

"Do you like Mexican food? I can wrap you in my arms and you can be my baerrito."

Cue Youngjae's signature "what-the-" look.

Daehyun wiggles his eyebrows, trying what he hopes to be a y smirk on his lips.

"Are you practicing to try to get laid again? God, Daehyun. You're horrible at flirting." 

Daehyun gapes, sitting up straight and shaking his head vigoriously. 

"I'm not practicing! I just–"

"Just want to get laid, got it. Please don't use me to your advantage, I'm not as desperate as you." Youngjae waves him off, turning back to his notes.

Daehyun doesn't know what to say. He doesn't know what to do. All he can feel is that now familiar hammering in his heart when he's around Youngjae, and also the familiar disappointment that burns in the pit of his stomach. He wants to cry just a little bit, and he feels adrenaline runs through his veins. His mind stops working, and everything is on impulse.

He pulls Youngjae back to face him, gently tilting Youngjae's chin and he kisses him. Just a simple press of lips against lips, and it also feels strangely familiar. Youngjae's eyes are wide in shock when Daehyun pulls away. Daehyun's heart stops in realization at what he has done, but at the same time his heart and whole being is filled with warmth and love. It felt so right.

"What. What was that." Youngjae whispers, staring straight into Daehyun's eyes. Daehyun feels a bit creeped and scared, just as he felt when Junhong stared at him. He felt , as if the other could see right through him and into all his deepest, darkest secrets, not that Youngjae didn't know all of them already. He also felt the crash of disappointment and hurt fall upon him, and he breaks the eye contact. It's Junhong's fault. It's all Junhong's fault. He would have gone off happily on his own merry way, living in oblivion on any feelings he may have harbored for Youngjae over the years. Maybe he acted too fast. Acting on impulse is the worst thing you could ever do, Daehyun thinks glumly. He permanently damaged his friendship with Youngjae. There isn't anyone to cuddle with on lonely lights, no one to nag him to study, no one to listen to his whining, and no one to stick by his side without complaint (at least, not a genuine complaint).

"I'm sorry- I'm so sorry. I. I just, I didn't mean to do that, I don't know what I was doing. It was purely an accident," he sees a flash of hurt in Youngjae's eyes, and he panics, "I mean! Not really an accident, I did want to do that, but. But! But, I didn't know how to approach you with this, I mean we're best bros right, and your lips are really nice and I think I like you a lot and–"

His words are muffled when a pair of lips are pressed against his lips, hard but also soothingly. Youngjae's arms are thrown over Daehyun's neck, eyes closed as he pulls the other closer. Daehyun, relaxing from his previous stiff posture, kisses Youngjae back and cups Youngjae's cheeks softly, letting his eyes slip closed also. He tilts his head for a better angle, running his tongue along the other's bottom lip. Just as Youngjae's lips part, somebody clearing their throat loudly causes the two to jump apart from each other, their faces a deep red.

"This is a library. Please take this somewhere else." The librarian says, tsk-ing at them as she turns away and returns to her table. Daehyun looks at Youngjae then, taking the younger's cute, flushed appearance, biting his lips in embarrassment as he looks down at his fingers. Daehyun thinks he has never seen a more adorable sight, and all he wants to do is bite Youngjae and cuddle the out of him.

Somebody whistles from the side, and he looks away from Youngjae to see Junhong winking at him with Jongup, whistling and clapping as silently as possible. Jieun, Hana, and Hyosung are giggling behind their textbooks, Himchan and Yongguk are grinning from their place together at the book shelves, not to mention the rest of the students that are either giving silent claps or wearing large smiles.

For the first time in his life, Daehyun feels embarrassment. 

He coughs awkwardly, picking up his bag and standing up. Youngjae takes his things too, and Daehyun pulls up the younger and exits the library, their paces quickening as they try to avoid everyone's eyes on them.

They stop in front of Youngjae's dorm room. It's then that Daehyun realizes he's still holding Youngjae's hand, and he lets go, uncharacteristically awkward. 

"So..." Daehyun says, looking anywhere but Youngjae. Where was this sudden shame and embarrassment coming from?

"So," Youngjae repeats, a smile growing on his face, "so, you like me."

Daehyun's eyes snap to Youngjae, and the embarrassment only grows.

"Yes! I do, I really do." he chuckles awkwardly, and this time, Youngjae is the one that backs Daehyun up against the wall and kisses him.

Daehyun's hand searches for the doorknob, and he opens it when his hands finally grasp it. The two stumble inside the room and a loud gasp is heard. 

Jaebum's mouth is wide open in complete surprise, "Holy , are you guys–" 

"Get out, dude." Daehyun says. Jaebum only nods quickly, picking up his phone and quickly exits the room, closing the door loudly.

There's no one to interrupt them when Daehyun gently pushes Youngjae on the bed, his lips exploring the other's body, their breaths mingling together, moans and grunts echoing through the small dorm.

Daehyun does end up getting laid, except with someone so so so much more important and special, to his satisfaction. 

"The way you flirt is still shameful as ."