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Black—the colour of his eyes, ebony orbs poured into midnight skies, seemingly infinite in all its vastness. Hanbin finds himself subconsciously drowning within them, unable to escape, caught like a mouse in a trap. Not that he’s complaining.

Because being caught feels like a blessing.

They say that eyes are the windows to one’s soul, but his are so unfathomably deep that once you submerge yourself, you won’t be able to swim back out.

His name is Koo Junhoe.

‘Junhoe ah’.

The syllables roll melodiously off Hanbin’s tongue, thick but sweet like honey. He’s the mysterious boy living next door in their apartment compound. Junhoe moved in not too long ago, but when, Hanbin isn't really sure, though what he is sure of is that Junhoe’s eyes are extremely captivating, and his smile, albeit rare, makes Hanbin’s heart bloom in its cage. More often than not, he would catch himself staring, curious about the boy’s actions, and sometimes getting caught in the act. Junhoe would stare back, and Hanbin would turn his head sharply away because the gaze they share is suffocating. It unfalteringly shatters Hanbin’s usually stern demeanour.

Hanbin thinks he’s met Junhoe before he moved here, perhaps in school, but there’s no way he can overlook Junhoe’s presence. There’s something about Junhoe that just captures people’s attention and Hanbin relishes in the fact that he can see him everyday.

He doesn't understand why Junhoe makes him feel that way, just that Junhoe is so, so addictive, like a drug, experiencing withdrawal in his absence. It’s funny how Hanbin obsesses over a guy he barely knows, and has never spoken with, yet he’s so drawn in that it doesn’t really matter to him anymore.

Hanbin doesn’t realize it, but he’s fallen, he’s fallen so far and so fast that the emotions can’t be explained by innocent curiosity, or affection. He’s simply infatuated.

✧

White—the first snowfall, fluffy flakes mixed with frigid wind, and Hanbin stands outside, watching it dribble and float onto his coat. He’s not that fond of snow, or the cold in general, but his heart warms in an instant when he sees Junhoe plodding through the thick blankets of white, towards his direction. It’s the first snowfall they share together, the first conversation, and Hanbin smiles, revealing his dimples.

“Hey.” Junhoe’s eyes sparkle as he speaks, and Hanbin composes himself, forcing his head up to meet the other’s benign gaze.

“Hey.” He replies simply, uncertain what to say next because he’s falling, again, into those eyes, hypnotized, entranced.

“I’m Junhoe.”

“…I know.” Hanbin’s face tints with pink and he looks away, afraid of the other’s eyes, afraid that Junhoe will see right through him. “I’m Hanbin.” His voice is small but Junhoe listens, and the corners of the taller male’s mouth lifts up into a smile.

A smile he shows to Hanbin.

Only Hanbin.

“I know.” Junhoe’s eyes are crescents, and Hanbin doesn’t think he’s seen anything more beautiful. “We go to the same school. You’re my upperclassman.”

“Oh.”

“Can I call you hyung?”

Hanbin is caught off guard by the question but he nods timidly, acknowledging the title. There’s a nice ring to the word hyung when Junhoe says it, and Hanbin might be enjoying it a little more than he would like to admit.

"Alright hyung, I'll see you around!"

He ambles into the apartment, and Hanbin waves, gesturing his goodbyes. Junhoe's silhouette gradually disappears out of view and Hanbin smiles behind him, enjoying the feeling of the conversation lingering on his tongue.

Hanbin gently places a hand on his chest and steadies his rocky heartbeats. The biting chill doesn’t seem to bother him anymore, instead replaced with searing heat spreading across his face and throughout his body. He looks in Junhoe’s direction once more.

It's a warm winter for Hanbin this year.
 

✧

Purple—the bruises staining Hanbin's knee melds with patches of green and red rivulets of blood, and dirt on the edges. There was a fissure in the cement and Hanbin managed to stub his feet into it simply from walking.

He sits up and looks at the mess, cringing. Hanbin's always been careless, and the carelessness brings about these kinds of tragedies. Sometimes Hanbin wonders if the Gods are forsaking him, but dismisses that thought immediately because if they mean to do that, Junhoe wouldn't be here, with him. Hanbin wouldn't be graced with the tall boy's presence so often. So he thanks the heavens and settles with being unfortunate.

His leg begins swelling and the pain kicks in, shooting up through his nerves as he tries to push himself off the concrete. Hanbin struggles, fails, and gives up, heaving out a sigh of frustration. There's no doubt that his leg is broken, but nobody is around to help. This isn’t a very good start to the beginning of a beautiful spring.

He leans back on his elbows, defeated.

"Need some help?"

Hanbin bends his head back and looks up to see Junhoe towering over him, with an outstretched arm.

"Yeah, thanks. I needed that." He reaches up and grabs Junhoe's hand, larger than his own but fitting perfectly around his. Junhoe's palms are warm, and Hanbin's are icy cold.

"You have really cold hands." Junhoe states, as he pulls Hanbin up and wraps an arm around Hanbin’s back to support him.

"You know, Junhoe.” Hanbin cranes his neck to face the taller male. “People with cold hands have warm hearts."

“Then I’m sure you have the warmest heart in all of Seoul.” Junhoe chuckles, a small silvery laugh that Hanbin wouldn’t mind listening to over and over again, one that’s exceptionally contagious. Hanbin laughs too.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“I love the sound of your laughter.”

Hanbin blushes, cheeks flushed bright pink, and he stammers out his next word. “T-thanks…” He looks away, heartbeat quickening.

“Your ears are red, Hanbin hyung.” Junhoe is beaming but Hanbin doesn’t see because his face is buried too deep into his shoulder, and he doesn’t dare look back up.

‘He’s cute when he’s embarrassed.’ Junhoe thinks, but doesn’t say it aloud and smiles wider, eyes gleaming.

Hanbin doesn’t know how much Junhoe likes him, and Junhoe is also completely oblivious to Hanbin’s feelings, but the two are content, being the way that they are.

✧

Blue—the colossal body of water shrouded by a boundless sky, salty, tangy, and perfect on a hot summer’s day. It’s the first time Hanbin’s been to the ocean and his excitement can’t be masked no matter how hard he tries to keep it in. The school trip lasts one week, and that’s more than enough time for Hanbin to enjoy himself, fooling around with Bobby and pulling pranks together on Jinhwan. What’s even better is that the lower graders are coming along, meaning that Junhoe will be there. He’ll share his first time at the beach with Junhoe.

“Hanbin ah~” No answer. Bobby tries again. “Yah Kim Hanbin!”

Hanbin awakes with a start, rubbing at the ear where Bobby mercilessly bellowed into, most likely breaking his eardrums. He fell asleep on the 3-hour train ride from Seoul to Busan halfway, and had told Bobby earlier to wake him up if they arrive. This is not how he imagined the wakeup call to be.

“Bobby, I’m gonna go deaf from your obnoxious screaming.”

“You’re the one that told me to wake you up.” Bobby grinned, eyes crinkling at the edges.

“I’ll legit kill you if you do that again.”

“Come on, Hanbin, you know you love me too much for that.”

Hanbin sighs and stands from his seat to grab his luggage, squeezing his way through the narrow corridor of the train to reach the exit. Bobby follows closely behind, along with a sleepy Jinhwan who’s barely able to keep on his feet.

“Guys, walk slower…”

“You slept through the entire train ride Jinan hyung, how are you still tired?” Bobby asks, scoffing. “You’re like an old man.”

“Yah!” Jinhwan slaps Bobby on the back painfully. Hanbin can hear the crisp sound of impact all the way from the front, and he shakes his head as Bobby screams again.

“Hyung that hurts like hell!”

“You deserved it, to be honest…” Hanbin mumbles and steps out of the compartment coach. The briny smell of saltwater greets his nostrils as soon as he leaves the train and Hanbin takes in a deep breath, enjoying the unfamiliar yet calming ambience. Busan is famous for its seafood products, and he’s glad that he isn’t allergic to it, although Jinhwan isn’t so lucky. Hanbin laughs as he recollects the memory of the time when Bobby got crab cakes and Jinhwan stuffed his face with them, unaware of its deadly contents. They had to send Jinhwan to the hospital that day, and the swelling on the elder’s face didn’t go down for an entire two days.

Hanbin shakes off the memory and hastily looks left and right as he walks beside the train tracks, hoping to catch a glance of Junhoe, and hopefully exchanging some words if he’s lucky enough. ‘I’m not obsessed’, he reassures himself and sighs, because he knows that’s not true. Obsession would be too mild a word to describe his feelings towards the younger male.

“Hyung.” A rich and vibrant sound, smooth like silk, enters Hanbin’s ears, and he knows instantly that owner of the voice is Junhoe.

Hanbin spins around on his heels so fast that he loses his balance and falls forward. Junhoe catches him.

“You have to be more careful, geez. It’s as if you haven’t broken enough bones in your body already, Hanbin hyung.”

“Sorry.” Hanbin chuckles sheepishly, looking up at the taller male.

“You should be sorry to your poor limbs. Enduring all the torture its owner gives them every single day.” Junhoe has on a cheeky grin, as he pulls Hanbin closer with his arms. ‘His hair smells nice.’ Even closer, and Hanbin realizes the provocative position they’re in and flusters, face heating up.

“Ewww, get a room you two.” Bobby speaks up as he enters their view, and smirks. Hanbin pushes himself off Junhoe and fumbles with the handle of his suitcase.

“S-shut up.” Hanbin stumbles on his words and shoots a glare in Bobby’s direction. Junhoe smiles.

“Actually, I rather like that suggestion.” Bobby wears a full face of disgust as he cringes horrifically at Junhoe’s words, and Hanbin wants to curl into a ball and die. He’s already dying of embarrassment anyways.

‘He needs to stop joking around and getting my hopes up like that.’  

✧

Red—the thumping of nervous heartbeats and the bright vermillion rushing through his veins, scattering across his features, and dusting it in shades of pink and red. Hanbin feels like his heart is about to burst from the accelerating palpitations and clutches it, closing his eyes.

He opens them again, slowly, and stares ahead at Junhoe, who quietly awaits his response.

“…What?”

“You heard me, Hanbin hyung. I like you. For a long time, I’ve liked you.” The confession is simple, but meaningful, and Junhoe’s hands are shaking as he tries hard to not show it. Hanbin notices and a small smile creeps up his face. “Your cold hands, your dimples when you smile, the way you’re so clumsy but it’s so cute and I-I just can’t help but feel happy when you’re around. I like you a lot. I really do.”

“Junhoe ah, I…” Hanbin’s at a loss for words as he searches for something to say, but he can’t, because Junhoe already said it all.

“Y-you don’t have to say anything, I just needed to get that off my chest. Just, don’t worry about it hyung. Forget what I said.” It’s the first time Hanbin’s heard Junhoe stutter. Junhoe never stutters. He’s always confident about everything he does and says, and that unperturbed charisma is part of what Hanbin loves about the younger male. But Hanbin also thinks that a flustered Junhoe is extremely cute.

Junhoe turns to walk away and Hanbin reaches out to grip his arm, stopping him.

“Junhoe, wait. Why won’t you let me finish?” Hanbin starts, and pauses, waiting for the younger male to look at him. Junhoe turns around with a bashful expression on his features.

“You idiot, I like you too. Longer than you’d think, actually, ever since the first time I talked with you. I think I’m obsessed and it frustrates me to think about how hard I’ve fallen.”

“…Really?” Junhoe’s eyes are sparkling again as he paints rays of sunshine with his broad smile, and Hanbin’s heart skips a beat.

“Yes. Really.”

There’s nobody around them in the schoolyard since it’s lunchtime, and the time seems to stop for a second as they stare into each other’s eyes, both smiling. Hanbin wishes that time would stop forever in that instant. He wishes for many things, but he’s never dreamed of hearing those words from Junhoe. ‘So this is what bliss feels like’. He thinks, and engraves the memory of this moment into his heart.

✧

Orange—the crucial hue in autumn’s abundance of colours, sprinkled along the streets and on the blades of the leaves. Orange is also the colour of the ugly shirt Hanbin is wearing to his first date with Junhoe that day, since his normal clothes are either drying on the clothesline or currently in the washing machine. He grimaces as he looks down at the hideous fluorescent fabric with the words ‘swag’ written clear across it in capital letters. ‘Well this is better than wearing nothing I guess.’ It’s a good thing there’s not a lot of people around, otherwise Hanbin would be too ashamed to show his face.

“Nice shirt.”

The first thing he hears that cool autumn morning is Junhoe’s comment on his shirt, which he knows is anything but nice. Hanbin looks at Junhoe, scanning him from head to toe. Junhoe’s hair is slicked back, handsomely, and he dons a black overcoat and pants, topped off with a white button up shirt.

Perfect, would be the word to describe him. Cheeky and annoying would fit too because he’s excessively well dressed and groomed, while Hanbin looks stupid.

“Koo Junhoe. We’re not going to a fancy masquerade, why on earth are you dressed like that?” Hanbin interrogates the taller male, his voice laced with irritation.

“Because I wanted to look my best for our first date, hyung.” Junhoe answers smoothly, and Hanbin blushes at those words. “Is it not good? Maybe I should go back and change…”

“No, no. You look fine. More than fine, actually.” Hanbin walks ahead, attempting to hide his embarrassment. “Y-you’re really attractive today.” Junhoe almost doesn’t catch the second sentence from Hanbin’s mumbling, and he chuckles as he reaches out to hold Hanbin’s hand.

“And you’re exceptionally handsome today, too. You look good in anything.” Junhoe’s steps fall in pace with Hanbin’s and their fingers intertwine. “Although I bet you’d look even better in nothing…” He earns a playful slap on the arm.

“I didn’t know you were this erted, Junhoe. I misjudged you.” Hanbin feigns hurt and his mouth tilts down into an exaggerated frown.

“I’m a normal teenage boy, of course I’d have these thoughts hyung~”

They continue walking down the streets in smiles and laughter, and Hanbin is ecstatic, almost like a child tasting the sugary sweetness of candy for the first time in his life. It’s a wonderful feeling, and Hanbin cherishes it.

✧

Yellow—the eyes of a billion twinkling stars, some faint but others glowing silvery gold like scattered moondust across the sable skies, limitless, and breathtaking. They fill the jet-black void with its brilliance, and it’s something that the glaring city lights of Seoul are incomparable to, something that will be remembered for a lifetime. Hanbin shares these stars with Junhoe, as they lie side by side with each other in front of their tent, savouring these moments.

They watch the night sky in a comfortable silence on their first road trip together.

These moments are infinitely better with Junhoe to accompany him, and this is among the many firsts they’ve shared together. It’s not ideal, however, because Bobby insists on travelling with them and drags Jinhwan with him, who’s against the idea but tags along anyways. The two troublemakers are asleep in their tents and Hanbin’s glad for the alone time he gets to spend with Junhoe.

“Junhoe?” Hanbin speaks up in a small whisper, his eyes still fixated on the stars. “Do you believe in destiny?”

Junhoe chuckles at that, and sits up, affectionately gazing down at Hanbin. The older male props himself up too, and waits.

“No, not really.” Junhoe bends in close and presses a passionate kiss on Hanbin’s lips, and Hanbin leans into it, his eyes fluttering shut. This is different from their first kiss, and Hanbin can feel all the unsaid emotions persisting on their lips, dancing along as he leans further into it, breathless. Junhoe breaks the kiss, holding Hanbin’s cheeks in his hands, and he looks into Hanbin’s eyes.

“But I believe that it was my destiny to fall in love with you, Kim Hanbin.”

✧

A/N: Sorry if this is too tacky and cheesy lol. I was feeling emotional for some reason today and decided to write this mess of a oneshot. Probs a lot of mistakes but I'll edit it out later :D Leave a comment if you like it (or don't like it, because I enjoy criticisms as well). Subscribers and upvoters are much appreciated!