Falling in love was the last thing Changkyun expected as he made his way down the hall that fateful day. However, in hindsight, he’s admittedly done for as soon as he hears the upperclassman’s voice.

Changkyun rushes down the unfamiliar hallway, eyes glued to his information sheet. He still hasn’t managed to find his stupid locker yet, much to his own dismay. It’s left him to carry around all the catch-up materials his teachers have kindly bestowed upon him throughout the week. It was bad enough that the office workers didn’t assign him a locker until today, but now he’s had a hell of a time finding it all day.

The third-year transfer glances up at last, puffing out an aggravated breath. His eyes flit across the line of lockers. His heart leaps at seeing the numbers there, how close they are to the one he was assigned. He rushes over to the lockers, nearly tripping over his own feet due to his excitement and relief. He follows the numbers until he finds his own. He sighs at seeing it’s a locker on the bottom half of the set, and kneels down to try out his combination.

He breathes deeply in relief as his locker opens, glad the office worker had copied down the combination correctly. He quickly the shoves the books and binders into the locker, knowing he should hurry to get back before break time is over. He straightens up, and moves to leave the way he had come.

A wondrous three-part harmony suddenly breaks through the silent air, freezing Changkyun where he stands. He can’t help but smile at the tones flooding the hall. He’s always loved music, and, because of this, can’t help but satiate his curiosity. He turns in the direction of the voices, all thoughts about getting back on time thrown from his mind in an instant.

He pokes his head into the nearby classroom, eyes darting around to find the source. He spots it, a group of students of varying heights and ages.

Of course, Changkyun realizes, it’s the school choir.

The track they’re singing with picks up in beat, and Changkyun can’t help but tap his foot along with the rhythm. He watches as a boy, shorter than the others around him, steps away from the pack.

He parts his lips, and Changkyun forgets how to breathe.

The soloist’s voice is like honey to the boy’s ears, and completely melts everything around him save for them. He knows he must look like as idiot, peering into the room with a slack jaw and wide eyes, but he doesn’t care. He’s too hypnotized by the vocalist standing before him, belting it out, that he doesn’t have the capacity to care.

As the brunette before him begins to sway to the beat, Changkyun finds himself mirroring his movements. He feels himself beginning to smile, unable to help it. The boy’s voice has instantly made him into a dimwit, after all.

Suddenly, the bell begins to ring, shaking Changkyun from his trance. He glances around wildly, gulping as he rushes off towards his classroom. His first day and he’s late coming back from break. Maybe he can use the “Sorry, I got lost” excuse this time. He might as well, for there’s only so long that excuse is useful. He shakes his head in an attempt to clear it, wondering just who that vocalist was.

Unbeknownst to the second-year, a pair of eyes are curiously watching him hurry down the hall, an intrigued smirk playing across the owner’s lips.

Jooheon watches as his seatmate, Changkyun, runs into the classroom. He seems out of breath, panting as he apologizes to the teacher, and a blush dusting his cheeks. He chuckles amusedly at the second-year, who merely gives him a small smile before focusing on the lesson. Changkyun taps his pencil against his paper, his lips moving soundlessly. Jooheon is intrigued by this, wondering why the younger is suddenly in such a mood.

You get lost on your way back? Jooheon scribbles down, and taps his new friend on the shoulder. Changkyun conspicuously glances down at the note. He bites on his lip thoughtfully, and goes to write a reply, blinking rapidly.

Actually, I got distracted…

You met someone already, Kyunnie?? Well, not that I’m too surprised. The girls here are all fascinated with you, already chatting up a storm about the exotic transfer student that started classes this week.

Changkyun reads this while taking a drink of water, choking on the beverage as he reads the word ‘exotic’. The teacher glances back at them, to which Jooheon gives her a wide smile to distract her with his dimples as he slaps the younger’s back.

Exotic?? I only lived abroad for a few years, hyung.

More than most kids here have, Jooheon writes back. Now come on, tell me who it is.

I didn’t meet anyone, Changkyun admits. I got distracted watching the choir practice. Jooheon can’t help but sigh disappointedly at this, shaking his head at his friend.

That’s it? God, Kyunnie, don’t get your hyung’s hopes up for nothing.

You’re the one that assumed what you did, hyung! Jooheon merely shrugs at Changkyun, smirking at the younger as he puffs out an annoyed breath. He chuckles behind his hand, tapping his pencil against his notes to refocus himself.

Changkyun looks over at his friend, wondering if he’d know just who that vocalist was. Surely someone with such a voice is popular among the students, so Jooheon could very well be able to give Changkyun a name to the talent. He bites his lip, only hesitating a moment before writing down the question.

Hyung, are there any popular students in the choir?

Jooheon gives Changkyun a confused frown, but moves to answer the question, anyway.

A few, why?

There was this one soloist that—

Jooheon quickly moves the paper closer to himself while Changkyun while he’s writing his reply, already knowing who Changkyun must be talking about.

There’s three main soloists in the choir: Shin Hoseok, Lee Minhyuk, and Yoo Kihyun. They’re all fourth-years, I think. They’re also all really talented, but Kihyun-hyung is by far the best. The choir director uses him the most for competitions and performances. He even performs on his own during the school festival every year.

Yoo Kihyun, Changkyun thinks, nodding to himself. He smiles gratefully over at Jooheon, crumpling up the spare piece of paper to signify the end of the conversation. Changkyun then returns his attention fully to the teacher, hurrying to copy down the notes he had missed.

He had been admitted to this school as a third-year based off his past grades and entrance exam, though he should only be a first-year if they admitted him based off age alone. He had been allowed to skip two grades on a probationary period, and he shudders to think what his father would do if he were to be denied to continue in the third-year course of studies after it.