A strange feeling came over Lee Chan as he faced Jihoon, staring into his eyes. He felt happy, knowing that Jihoon had admitted that he had missed him. A warm feeling began to spread inside him and he began to smile widely. He didn't miss how Jihoon's mouth slowly began to turn up on one side as well as he continued to gaze intensely at Lee Chan.

    The longer Jihoon stared, the smaller Lee Chan felt, the darkness of the room beginning to close in on him until all he could see and all he could focus on was Jihoon. His breath quickened and his lips began to feel dry. His tongue slipped out to wet them, Jihoon tracking the movement with his eyes. Tension seemed to well up in the small room and Lee Chan unconciously began to lean forward.

    His hands twitched and he reached out, encircling Jihoon into his arms. He softly squeezed Jihoon, feeling his heartbeat with its rhythm almost matching the pace of his own. Jihoon did not stiffen in the hug like Lee Chan had watched him do with others. However, no arms hugged him back, but Lee Chan was just satisfied that Jihoon was letting himself be hugged at all.

    He bent forward more, his face resting by Jihoon's pale ear. He quietly whispered,"I missed you too."

    Abruptly, two arms came up to grasp his back, Jihoon finally returning his hug. They stayed like that for long minutes, huddled together in the darkness and the soft glow of the computer screens. They breathed slowly together, Jihoon lightly squeezing him.

    Suddenly, two fingers came up to gently grip his chin and pull him down to look Jihoon in his eyes. Lee Chan let out a soft sound somewhere between a gasp and a whine at the contact. Gaze roaming around his face, Jihoon said, "Please take care of yourself. I don't want to worry that much again."

    His chin still being held, Lee Chan replied, "I will. I don't want to be the cause of your worry either." 

    Another hand began to rise up at this emission, tracing a slow path up Lee Chan's cheek and beginning to card itself through his hair. He leaned into the touch and his eyes fluttered shut as he relaxed into the soft feeling of Jihoon's fingers. 

    "You should go back to the dorm and rest. You don't have to try to wait for me tonight when you're still sick," Jihoon murmured, still his head.

    Lee Chan felt even more strange than a few minutes before. He couldn't quite figure out his emotions because whatever he was feeling, it was new for him.

    "If I left now would you walk back with me? You could rest," Lee Chan asked quietly. "You should take care of yourself sometimes too."

    Jihoon replied with a soft 'okay' and removed his fingers from Lee Chan's hair, eliciting a barely there noise of disappointment from Lee Chan. He began to move around the studio, packing up his things and shutting his devices off. Lee Chan just watched in silence as he waited outside the doorway.

    A few minutes later, Jihoon grabbed his coat and walked out to join him. They began to walk back to the dorm in silence. At three o'clock in the morning there were few cars on the roadway, so it was very quiet outside. Lee Chan's rapidly beating heart seemed at least ten times louder than it had been in the studio. As they walked, he snuck glances at Jihoon who stared straight ahead.

    Suddenly Jihoon spoke, "You can come tomorrow if you're feeling better. But only if you want to."

    "I always want to."

    At that, Jihoon let out a soft breath. He glanced at Lee Chan but did not say anything more. So, Lee Chan looked ahead at the sparkling lights of the city all around them. It was a nice feeling, walking with someone in the night with no one around. There were barely any sounds, except the quiet crunch of their shoes on the concrete. 

    It was quite comforting for Lee Chan, this silence. 

    Although the air was chilly, he didn't mind. He just felt pleased and happy that Jihoon actually was walking back with him to get the rest he needed and deserved. He had been working so hard all alone in that room, and Lee Chan was surprised that he had made it better for Jihoon, even just a little.

    He thought back to the hug they had shared, the way Jihoon had finally encircled his arms around him, the way they had quietly stood there, the way Jihoon had gently gripped his chin, the way soft fingertips had dragged through his hair. 

    His heart began beating rapidly and his mind was racing, trying to make sense of Jihoon's actions. 

    Jolted out of his thoughts by Jihoon stopping beside him, he realized they had reached the dorm. Jihoon pulled open the door and held it for Lee Chan to walk through. They walked across the kitchen area and then came upon the doors to their rooms.

    An arm came up to gently grip Lee Chan's shoulder. "Goodnight, Chan," Jihoon whispered. "Thank you." 

    Jihoon stared at him for a few moments before turning and walking into the dark room with no further explanation. 

    Lee Chan, frozen, just watched him walk away. Mechanically, he walked to his bed in the darkness and curled into the covers. The strange feeling in his heart came back, but this time he began to realize just what it was he was feeling.

    He was starting to fall in love with Jihoon.