Let me know if you see any errors, I edited quickly! Thanks~

Yongguk’s body feels oddly out of place as he comes to on a Monday morning. He blinks awake and freezes.

This is not his room.

It isn’t entirely unfamiliar either, he thinks, taking in walls he was sure he had seen somewhere. When he sits up and turns his head to the side, frantically searching for clue, he spots two stuffed animals he vividly remembers seeing in their dorms and pictures on the side table that cements the answer in place: Daehyun, with his family, his friends, and s.

Was he in Daehyun’s room? In Busan? And where was Daehyun? Last night had been the vocalist’s birthday and Yongguk had messaged with him briefly before going to bed. He hadn’t even gone out, much less done something that would make him forget a ride to Busan in the middle of the night.

He pulls himself out from under a pile of blankets with a groan, stopping short as he passes the mirror on the far end of the wall.

“Holy .”

*             *             *

Daehyun wakes to someone jumping on him and it nearly makes him scream intruder. When he struggles out from under his sheets, yelling, he squeaks once again when he sees the face in front of him.

“What the was that noise?” The familiar-but-not face says, laughing.

Daehyun’s mouth opens and closes like a fish until he croaks out a few words, “I…Yongnam-hyung?”

Yongnam raises a brow, “What’s with you? Why are you calling me that? Anyway, come on, you said you’d come with to hang out with the guys from the band.”

Daehyun blinks rapidly before looking down at his hands in his lap, elegant and tapered fingers and thin wrists. He runs a hand through his cut hair and down sharp collarbones before croaking,

“I think I’m…sick. You should go without me.”

Yongnam frowns, an almost-pout on his face as he presses a hand roughly to his (Yongguk’s, Daehyun reminds himself) forehead.

“You don’t feel feverish. You do kinda look like though. But then I am the handsome twin,” he teases, before sliding off the bed, “Fine, you want anything while I’m out?”

Daehyun shakes his head slowly, flopping onto his back as Yongnam heads to the door with a wave. As soon as he hears the front door lock, he slides out of bed and heads outside, searching for the bathroom.

He splashes himself with cold water, slapping his cheeks to wake up before staring into the mirror. Yongguk stares back at him, wide-eyed and brow furrowed. Briefly, he thinks he’s never seen the elder look so young. He runs his hand down the face in front of him, squeezing his eyes shut before opening them to the same sight.  He stumbles back to the bedroom in a daze, sitting himself down on Yongguk’s small bed before burying his head into the pillow there and groaning. He tries to slow his breath as he feels himself head into a panic, the subtle scent from the sheets grounding him as he calm himself with deep breaths.

A ringtone sounds and he snaps his head up, finding a phone buried beneath the pillow and flashing “Daehyunnie” on the screen. He answers quickly with shaky fingers.

“Hyung?” he whispers.

“Daehyun? It’s…yeah, it’s me,” his voice answers with a note of relief.

*             *             *

The first thing Yongguk does after going to the bathroom while trying not to look (too much) at Daehyun’s junk is try and call him. He picks up the phone on the nightstand and stares at the lock screen. He thinks on combos before deciding on the only one he can guess at that isn’t Daehyun’s birthday.

The numbers 0126 grant him access and he shakes his head with a fond smile, reminding himself to change it for the younger lest an overzealous fan get a hold of his phone one day. He finds his own number under “Guk-hyung” and hits dial.

“Hyung?”

He shuts his eyes with relief, his own voice sounding scared on the other end.

“Daehyun? It’s…yeah, it’s me.”

“Are you in Busan? At my house?”

His voice is softer than he’s used to hearing it, like he’d gone mute again and is just learning how to reuse it.

“Looks like it. Daehyunnie, how…what the hell happened?”

“I don’t know, hyung, how would I?” The younger answers, sounding distressed.

Fair enough, he thinks. This wasn’t something that would have an easy explanation as much as they needed one. They’d have to figure something out though, and there was little way they could do that apart.

“Do you think I could leave for Seoul? I mean, is there anything you need to be here for? You were gonna come up in a week or so anyway, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s…that should be fine. Just. You need to talk to hyung. I don’t want him to think I’m leaving because of yesterday.”

He knows which hyung Daehyun is referring to because Himchan had filled him in late last night, half angry on Daehyun’s behalf and half resigned. Yongguk had felt irritation curl in his veins too but knew Daehyun could handle himself. Daehyun would always be theirs, but he was his own person too and becoming a stronger one at that.

i watched your performances by the way, all of them. the older ones too, he’d sent, always do what you love, daehyun-ah. you know you have our support.

He hangs up with a promise to head to the academy before leaving and a script of what to say. He showers speedily and makes himself look presentable. It’s easier as Daehyun, he thinks, eyeing the handsome face in the mirror. Something about the vocalist always seemed sweet, even with his own hard eyes staring back at him. He puts on a simple outfit and packs a list of things Daehyun had given him into a duffle.  Tugging on a mask and hat, he heads down into the small kitchen and living area, peeking around for signs of anyone else. There is only one set of shoes by the door, Daehyun’s, and he assumes everyone else had gone to work already.

“Just leave a note,” Daehyun had said, “Say I’ll call when I get here, it’ll be fine.”

He writes slowly, in as close of a mimicry of Daehyun’s neater script as he can, and leaves for the academy. It’s only a bus ride away and following Daehyun’s directions he finds the building without trouble. Slipping in quietly, he thanks the early hour for the fact that there isn’t anyone around. When he gets to the small office in the back he knocks lightly and enters when a tired voice sounds.

Yongguk is familiar with Daehyun’s beloved teacher, he’d come to all their concerts in Seoul and even some of their other public performances. He’d been so glad that Daehyun at least had this, the academy and its members, while separated from the rest of them. Hakssem greets him with a soft smile but his normally jovial face is subdued.

“Daehyunnie, it’s early. You should rest today, what are you doing here?” he eyes the duffle with a frown and understanding dawn on his face, “Is it because of-“

“No,” Yongguk says firmly, “Hyung, the members are just worried. And I figured since I was planning on heading up there next week, I’d just go a little early. Maybe it’ll be easier on the others here too…to give them some space.”

“You don’t have to do that Daehyunnie; you know we love having you here. We knew we’d have to deal with some…extra scrutiny,” Hakssem sighs here, shaking his head, “I’ll take full responsibility.”

“Hyung…” Yongguk doesn’t know what to say here, already feeling like an interloper in a conversation he clearly was never meant to be a part of. He tries to put himself in Daehyun’s shoes, speaking slowly.

“You don’t have to take this on. It’s my issue.  Just…know that I don’t blame you, okay? For anything.”

Hakssem blinks rapidly, brushing his eyes briefly before standing with a nod.

“I know you don’t. You’re a sweet kid, always have been. Come on, I’ll take you to the station.”

He sits beside the elder man, texting Daehyun and repeating his given lines, slowly watching Hakssem’s face soften and the stress lines smooth out. When they arrive at the station, the elder man kills the engine and gets out with him, pointing out the schedule before Yongguk heads to the counter to buy his ticket.

They are quiet and though Yongguk is thankful he doesn’t need to feign knowledge he doesn’t have, he’s upset he can’t do more to comfort one of the people Daehyun holds so dear. When the train begins to pull in and Hakssem gives him a parting hug, he puts as much affection as he can into the embrace. He has a lot to thank the elder man for, too.

*             *             *

Yongguk knocks on his door and it only takes a few seconds for it to open. He rushes in, Daehyun stepping aside before shutting and locking it once more.

Yongguk stares at himself, his face and Daehyun’s soul, and the strangeness of the whole situation comes rushing back to him.

“This is…insane.”

Daehyun twists his hands, foot taping nervously and feels a swell of affection for the younger member and the turmoil he must be feeling today already. He pulls the now taller man into a hug, ignoring the unsettling feeling of his own body in his arms.

“We’ll figure it out.”

“Hyung,” his deep voice says, “it’s all my fault. I maybe…wished for it…”

“What?” he pulls back.

Daehyun shakes his head quickly, gripping Yongguk’s new biceps, “Not…not this exactly! I just kind of thought it might be nice to switch places for a bit…after what happened. And then I kind of- I wanted to be close to you. I wanted to call you last night, I was going to but I didn’t…Who would’ve thought it could actually happen?”

“Why? I mean, why did you want to switch?”

Daehyun turns away, dropping to the couch as he runs a hand frantically though his hair, “I don’t know. I just wanted to be less, invested I guess. It hurts now, loving B.A.P, the fans. Needing it all so much, it just hurts. I wanted to be less me.”

His head snaps up, frown etching itself onto his face. He’s almost angry.

“You don’t think we’re invested?”

It’s strange, so strange, to see the very Daehyun-esque pout and misty eyes on his face but that is outweighed by the feelings he was learning Daehyun had been carrying all this while.

“Himchan’s almost halfway to becoming a wine importer, you tell me.”

He turns fully to the younger man, “Hey, look, none of us are any less committed than we were, okay? And we know you are, too. You know that. Don’t let what they said get into your head. I don’t need to shout it from the rooftops for the same reason you don’t need to stop doing what you love while this mess gets sorted. Us? B.A.P, our team? We’re stronger than that.”

“I know, hyung. I just miss you guys,” Daehyun murmurs, “A lot.”

There is silence for a moment as they sit there. Yongguk fidgets in Daehyun’s limbs, semi-shy as he allows himself to open up.

“I didn’t like the idea of you being so far away from everyone. But I was happy you had them. You know no matter what anyone else says we’d never want to take you away from that.”

Daehyun nods, pulling the long sleeves of Yongguk’s shirt over his fists and shuffling slightly closer.

“I know I shouldn’t care about people like that so much. I’m trying. To be less afraid and stronger. I’m trying to take more chances, too.”

Yongguk squeezes Daehyun’s knee, marvelling at how knobby it is before he remembers it’s his own. The twilight-zone feeling settles back in until Daehyun cautiously speaks once more.

“Should we tell them?”

Yongguk ponders this before shaking his head no, “Either it’ll freak them out or they’ll wanna make our lives hard and we don’t need that. We should probably tell them you’re in town though, in case someone saw me on my way here.”

They trade phones and Daehyun sends a message on the group chat saying he’s come to Seoul a little earlier than planned and was staying with a friend. He sets it down then, turning to Yongguk with a frown.

“So…what do we do?”

“Maybe we can try and wish ourselves back?”

It doesn’t work.

Neither does running into each other enough to leave bruises, holding hands and praying, and staring into each other’s eyes to make contact with their souls.

“This is magic hyung; we can’t get back without magic either.”

That certainly wasn’t going to help them and as far as he knew there weren’t any magical beings living around them. Then again, as far as he knew yesterday there wasn’t any magic to begin with.

“Maybe there’s a time limit. And we just have to live with this until it runs out,” he shifts to look at the younger man occupying his form, “It won’t be so bad, right? We’ll just lie low.”

There is a little explaining to do when Yongnam comes home later that evening but he settles in soon enough, acting like his usual boisterous and flirty self. Yongguk has to constantly remind himself he’s in Daehyun’s body when he feels the urge to smack his twin across the head while Daehyun looks at the elder twin interacting with “him” with apprehension.

Nearly a week goes by, Daehyun sleeping in his bed while he takes a futon on the floor. Some things hadn’t changed; the younger still wakes up fairly early though he also spends more time up at odd hours of the night with Yongguk. Yongguk also starts eating better; Daehyun making simple snacks after he gets bored of the endless stock of ramen and packet snacks.

Living with Daehyun is easy. He’s the light to Yongguk’s dark, the neat to his clutter, the morning to his night and the sound to his silence.

Daehyun will sing sometimes, as he helps Yongguk around the house or when Yongguk brings up a track he’s composing. It’s strange hearing Daehyun’s skill come through in his voice, so different, the range much lower and limited but every note clear and crisp. It gets to a point where the outer appearance no longer seems to matter; Daehyun is in every expression and action, every laugh. He wonders if Daehyun sees the same in him.

Eventually, they meet the rest of the members at a small restaurant and they agree to continue keep the swap a secret. They manage to stay relatively in character and the members chalk Daehyun’s subdued aura to the happening of the previous week. Jongup snaps a picture at the end and posts it and he shares a small smile with Daehyun when they see it. Souls switched indeed.

They wait with Himchan for his cab, the others having left for trains already, making small talk. Daehyun had ducked back inside to use the bathroom and Himchan eyes him curiously before speaking.

“You’ve been staying with Yongguk?”

“Yeah,” Yongguk says casually, “Why?”

“Is that working out well?”

“Is there a reason it wouldn’t?” he asks cautiously. He isn’t sure what Himchan’s implying and whether it should offend him yet, “We lived together for years.”

“I mean, it must be a little different one-on-one. Isn’t it a little hard functioning with all your blood in your face all the time?” Himchan grins, shark-like.

He feels himself get flustered, already feeling the mentioned heat head straight to his cheeks, “What?”

Himchan laughs.

“Hopeless,” he says as Daehyun walks out again.

Himchan sidles over to the younger man then, speaking in quick syllables and soft tones as the cab pulls up to the curb.

“See? I told you Daehyun would be fine with you. I don’t know what you were so worried about. That kid worships the ground you walk on, he’ll never be bored with you even if you are a boring night owl with the taste buds of a seventy year old.”

They walk to the bus stop awkwardly after he leaves, Yongguk pretending he hadn’t perfectly heard the last of Himchan’s whispered assurance. Daehyun is going through Instagram on his phone, pausing at Jongup’s latest upload and grinning slightly.

“I actually look really hot with resting mad face. The hat ruins it though,” he says, breaking the silence.

Yongguk feigns being affronted, “Hey, I like that hat.”

When they settle into sleep that night Yongguk slides into the small space beside Daehyun as the younger peers at him curiously.

“I know I never say it,” Yongguk begins, expression the same as the one he sported when lecturing the members even with Daehyun’s features, the one he uses when he wants to make sure they get what he’s saying, “But I love you, you know.”

It’s his face, tinged pink and half hidden by the pillow, but the smile is Daehyun’s through and through.

*             *             *

Daehyun wakes with hair tickling his nose and shifts as he mumbles, warmth surrounding him. When he blinks his eyes open and looks to the side he comes face to face with Yongguk’s crown resting on his shoulder and yells. Yongguk shoots up in panic, frantic after being jolted out of his sleep.

“What? What happened, are you okay?”

Daehyun is overjoyed to hear Yongguk’s soothing voice, coming from a body he isn’t in. He throws himself into Yongguk’s arms and they fall back to the bed.

“We’re back, we’re back,” he whispers against the elder’s neck.

He feels Yongguk’s hand settle in his hair, fingers moving slowly as a voice breathes out in shock.

“We are…”

Beginning the day as themselves is almost euphoric. Yongguk feels like running a marathon, diving off a cliff into clear water, feeling his body and his mind merge as one again. It had been a nice vacation of sorts to live as Daehyun, his body different and beautiful in many ways. But home is where the heart is.

“We should celebrate,” he suggests over breakfast.

“Yeah?” Daehyun answers with a smile and oh, how Yongguk had missed seeing it where it belonged. He could never quite get Daehyun’s cheeks to crinkle like that, his eyes to sparkle with quite the same light.

“Mhmm. Hey, remember you were saying you wanted to take more chances? I have just the idea.”

*             *             *

“Hyung, no!”

Daehyun looks up at the tall structure with a frown and Yongguk slides an arm around his shoulder, tugging him into his side.

“We don’t have to…but, if we do, it’ll be fine. I promise nothing will happen. I’ll be there the whole time.”

They get up to the top, the glass floor sitting there unassumingly. Daehyun bumps into his side as he sticks close.

“Ah, hyung it’s scary…”

“You wanna stay here while I do it first?”

Daehyun peers at the glass taking a deep breath before shaking his head.

“I’ll do it. Myself. Just…stay right here, okay?”

Daehyun asks an employee to record as he steps out, hands tucked into fists as he walks slowly. He laughs nervously and Yongguk speaks from the end, talking so Daehyun would forget his fear. The younger dashes back to him after a few seconds.

“Come on,” Yongguk gently places a hand on the small of Daehyun’s back, feeling the younger lean into the touch, “Let’s do it together.”

Thanks for reading!