The end of term dance recital came quicker than Junhong felt prepared for. He and Jongup had worked tirelessly on their routines, in between going over and over the backflip techniques. They'd by this point managed to land one or two each, but it wasn't consistent. Their whole class and even tutor were insisting that it wasn't necessary to do at this stage and that a front flip was more than acceptable, but they were determined. Junhong especially was set on making it perfect; it was his last chance to really impress Youngjae, which he'd realised meant a lot more to him than he thought it did.

He and Youngjae hadn't had time to meet up but caught glimpses of each other around the campus. Instead they had exchanged texts almost non-stop, learning more about each other with each message. Junhong was finding that everything he learned, he loved. Not loved-loved, though. That's a bit dramatic. Like, regular loved. He's just really great and totally boyfriend material.

Jongup had been mostly supportive of the whole ordeal until Junhong had shown him some messages and asked, “This is flirting right?”

In response the older boy had squashed the younger's face in his hands and said, “I'm too aro for this. Please seek help, you awkward mess.”

Junhong had pouted for almost an hour until Taehyung had to assure him that yes, Youngjae was in indeed flirting very openly in every message. And also that Junhong was adorable.

The dance hall was well lit, spacious and had a few rows of seats lined up at the furthest wall. The dance class waited nervously as friends and family filed in and took their seats. Junhong tried not to panic too much when Youngjae sat himself in the front row.

The music began, echoing around the room. They fell into their routine easily, mostly trying to pretend they didn't have an audience. It went mostly smoothly, but Junhong could feel the nerves building up inside him as they got nearer and nearer his and Jongup's flips.

The two friends looked at each other, sharing the worry, before splitting off to either side. Junhong, alone, glanced to the audience and saw Youngjae smiling. The photographer gave him an encouraging thumbs up. His heart jumped a beat.

As he and Jongup got closer to each other, he counted each beat and breath, readying himself. He swallowed, breathed out, and pushed himself off the ground.

In the air, knees tucked, breath held.

He landed the backflip neatly, letting out a small gasp. His eyes met Jongup's who stared at him, impressed. The room around them broke into applause as the routine ended and the music stopped.

Junhong and Jongup stood by each other as they bowed, and then glanced at each other.

“You nailed the backflip?” Jongup asked, amazed.

“Yeah, I think so.” Junhong nodded and laughed awkwardly, “did you?”

“I went for a double frontflip in the end.”

Junhong stared at him in silent awe.

As the class slowly broke off to be with their friends and family, Youngjae approached Junhong with a wide smile. “That was amazing! I'm really impressed,” he half laughed out.

“Really?” Junhong felt his heart leap into his throat.

“Yeah, I don't think I realised what it was like seeing one first hand. You're really talented! I bet you'll do some amazing things in the future.”

Junhong's face heated up. “Th-thank you. I, um...” He took a deep breath “Would you like go with to some time a date me with?”

Youngjae blinked. “What?
Junhong hid his face in his hands. “Um. Sorry. Um. Would you like to go on a date with me?” His voice went quieter as he spoke.

“Yes, I would love to.” Youngjae smiled and gently took Junhong's hands from his face “You need to stop being so shy all the time”

“Sorry. I'm working on it.” He looked down at their hands and felt his face heat up.

“I need to work on my next project. How about you come for a walk with me next time it's a nice day and help me take some photos?”

Junhong nodded quickly. “That sounds great!”

Taehyung had barely stepped out of the building before he was accosted by Daehyun and Baehyun.

“How are your classes?” Baekhyun asked, shuffling close and resting his chin on Taehyung's shoulder, “Any funny stories? Any crushes?”

“Actually, there is a story.” Taehyung pointed his notebook accusingly at Daehyun. “You mislead and betrayed me.”

Daehyun blinked and spread his hands out questioningly. “What did I do?”

“You didn't introduce me to your best friend and so I got confused about the two Youngjaes that live together, and ended up causing a fuss for my housemate.”

“I... Don't see how I'm at fault here.”

“It's okay Daehyun, I forgive you.”

“But I didn't...” Daehyun trailed off and sighed.

Baekhyun tutted. “Terrible behaviour. You're tearing the family apart, Dae.”

“Not actually a family,” Daehyun grumbled, before spotting someone, “Okay, fine, 'll do it now. Hey! Youngjae! Over here!”

Yoo Youngjae jogged over, eyebrows raised and holding onto his bag.

“Taehyung, this is my best friend, Youngjae.”

Youngjae compliantly shook Taehyung's hand. “We've met a few times but never been formally introduced. I'm Youngjae, I'm Daehyun's best friend but he's not my best friend.”

“Stop telling people that!”

“Nah.”

“Uh...” Taehyung inspected Youngjaes face. “You really do meet the description. Please treat my housemate Junhong nicely. He seems weird but he's a really good guy.”

“You can't call people weird,” Baekhyun teased.

“Ah, of course. You're Youngjae's friend. Sorry if he pestered you a little. I... May have asked him to as you about Junhong?” Youngjae laughed awkwardly.

“Then you're also to blame for the confusion. But it's okay, I forgive you.” Taehyung smiled.

“Thanks?” Youngjae glanced at Daehyun as though asking for explanation.

“Are you two love birds seeing each other soon?” Baekhyun asked, thoroughly interested.

“I'm actually meeting him shortly, we're going out today,” Youngjae said with a smile.

“He's over there.” Taehyung pointed at the two young dancers just a short distance away.

Baehyun followed the direction of his finger but his gaze wandered and he straightened up. “I'd love to stick around and watch you guys be adorable, but I've just spotted Kyungsoo and he hasn't noticed me yet, so I have to go and scare him.”

“Good luck,” Daehyun called after the small boy's retreating back. “He'll need it. That guy is scary sometimes.”

The two dancers slowly approached, watching Baekhyun rush off.

“Are you ready to head out?” Youngjae asked, smiling.

“Yeah, I'm good to go.” Junhong smiled back, and couldn't help the way his cheeks immediately reddened when Youngjae grabbed his hand.

“See you guys around!” Youngjae called over his shoulder, pulling Junhong away for their date.

“Ah, so cute.” Daehyun held a hand to his chest, “So beautiful seeing our best friends dating.”

“It's nice seeing them so happy,” Jongup agreed.

“But doesn't it make you feel lonely?” Daehyun sighed.

“Not if he's still going to lose at Mario Kart to me.”

“Maybe we should date,” Daehyun said, voice sickly flirtatious.

“No.” Jongup immediately shut him down with a disgusted look. “But if you want you can lose to me at Mario Kart.”

“Actually, I'm really good at that game so I expect you'll be the loser.”

“You're dead, bro.”

The date turned out to be a little bit less what Junhong was expecting. It involved a lot of walking around the city and stopping while Youngjae took a photo, occasionally holding something in or out of shot and occasionally pointing out things he thought were worth taking a picture of.

At one point they turned a corner down the side of a bar, hoping to get some urban shots, and stumbled upon a young couple almost devouring each other's faces. Junhong had been mortified to realise that they were Himchan and Yongguk, and was pulled away by Youngjae far too late for the image not to be burned into his memory.

When they got drinks, they just got ones in paper cups to take away, which he pretended didn't disappoint him as they walked along the street. He'd really wanted to talk to Youngjae properly, sat down somewhere nice and warm. While the older definitely kept the conversation up, it was mostly about photography and his projects and wasn't quite what Junhong wanted to talk about.

“Okay, we're here!” Youngjae exclaimed, stopping in his tracks.

Junhong nearly bumped into him, having been staring at his drink the entire walk. He blinked and glanced up, and jolted in surprise when he saw the doors of the beautiful European house in front of him. “We're at your house?”

“Yeah, you're going to help me pick which pictures to edit,” Youngjae explained, unlocking the door and letting Junhong inside before stepping in himself.

Junhong barely had time to glance around before he was ushered up the old steps towards Youngjae's bedroom. His heart hammered in his chest.

The room was a little smaller than he expected, but spacious in the way Youngjae had chosen to decorate it. It wasn't tidy but it was navigable and everything had it's place, and there was a definite colour scheme that kept with the style of the house that worked with the scruffiness.

Youngjae stepped into his room and spread his arms. “Welcome to my crib,” he sang, and laughed loudly, then turned to Junhong and raised his eyebrows. “You're staring.”

“Oh! Sorry!” Junhong dropped his gaze to look around at the walls, admiring the photographs pinned up.

Youngjae snorted. “You were looking out the window, right? You can go and look at the view if you want.”

“You are the view,” Junhong said before he could stop himself.

The colour Youngjae's face turned made Junhong think of berries and roses.

“W-what are you saying? Just look out the window, jees.” Youngjae looked away, pretending his face wasn't glowing.

Junhong found some confidence in the cute way Youngjae's speech faltered, and stepped over the window to gaze out.

The city spread out before him, layers of homes slowly sloping down a gentle hill and the river splitting roads down the middle. Long shadows stretched along the ground, and the low sun made the edges of the buildings shimmer, window reflections shining. The streets moved with life, people walking around and cars criss-crossing everywhere. Shadows of families moved around inside buildings.

“Wow,” he breathed.

“You can come out on the balcony if you want.” Youngjae opened the small door next to the huge bay windows and stepped out onto the tiny walled ledge. The gentle breeze ruffled his hair and the light cast him in a soft glow.

Junhong stepped out behind him, enraptured.

“There it is, it's pretty beautiful up here.” Youngjae turned to find Junhong gazing at him.

“I know,” Junhong whispered.

Youngjae's face coloured again. “So are you just going to stand there staring at me or what?” He asked, more confrontationally than he meant it to be.

Junhong smiled, unbothered by his tone, and reached out to cup Youngjae's face in his hands. “You're the most beautiful view I could have asked for,” he said gently, before leaning down and pressing their lips together in a soft kiss.

Youngjae curled his fingers into the material of Junhong's jacket, pushing himself up onto his toes to kiss back, eyes closed.

When they broke apart, Junhong turned Youngjae around in his arms so they could both look over the city, the younger resting his chin on the older's shoulder. They stood there for some time, pressed close, warmed by each other's presence, and watched the city move beneath them.