“Lee Daehwi, you like him that much, huh?"

 

Daehwi jolts in surprise in his seat and shoves his phone away and locked it. He glances at Woojin who stares at him mischievously.

 

“Sorry hyung. what did you say? i didn't catch that” well, Daehwi lied. He clearly heard what Woojin asked him.

 

Woojin laughs, “I asked you, you like him that much, don't you?”

 

Daehwi tries as best as he can to keep a straight face and tilts his head innocently, "who likes who?"

 

Woojin opens his mouth slightly and shakes his head in disbelieve then sits down beside Daehwi, "i know that you know i'm talking about you and him right now. Stop being too innocent"

 

Daehwi didn't say anything, instead he tries to avoid eyecontact with Woojin who still stares at him with that curiousness in both of his eyes then so Woojin continues, “you know, I've been standing there for 5 minutes, i was about to ask you to accompany me to the convenience store, but then i found you sit here, giggling slightly while watching something, i thought you were watching some dramas or funny videos on youtube but then i caught you watching Jinyoung's Oh Little Girl fancam.”

 

Daehwi gulps nervously, so I’ve been caught, but he has to calm himself down and try not to look too obvious, "is that something wrong with watching your friend's fancam, hyung?"

 

“Lol, no it's not. But you keep smiling and giggling like a teenager girl having crush on someone," Woojin realized what he just said, then, "oh my god, don't tell me i am actually right???? Oh my god” Woojin said while making some dramatic expression.

 

Daehwi shakes his head in panics, “Ey hyuuuung! it's not like thaaat!! it's just, he looks –“

 

“Cute?" Woojin cuts  Daehwi's words and Daehwi looks even more flustered, “because i heard you murmured something between cute and adorable when you watched his fancam earlier.”

 

“Well, but Jinyoungie hyung is actually cute and adorable though, so –“ Daehwi said before thinking, and when he heard Woojin gasps and laughs annoyingly, he realized he just said something extremely wrong.

 

“SO YOU ADMIT IT THAT HE IS CUTE OH MY GOD, i can't believe this,”

 

Daehwi was about to say something to shut Woojin up, but then his phone pinged loudly, notifying someone just texted him.

 

Daehwi thinks today is not his lucky day, because Jinyoung just texted him after he spent 15 minutes straight watching and rewatching Jinyoung's fancam, in front of Park Woojin who caught him and assumed that Daehwi has a little crush on Jinyoung, and it just makes everything worse.

 

from: Jinyoungie hyung

 

hi daehwi, how's your day?? hope its good!!  don't forget to have some lunch if you haven't!! ;))

 

Daehwi takes a little glances nervously at Woojin after he read the text. Woojin stares back at Daehwi with the same mischievous face.

 

Daehwi rolls his eyes, “It's just a text, hyung. don't overreacting.”

 

“I’m not????  It's you who overreacting, you can't hide that stupid smile plastered in your face, with just a single text.”

 

and then Daehwi's phone pinged loudly once again,

 

from: Jinyoungie hyung

 

when is the time you're done with ur practice today? bcs i want to call u

 

Daehwi honestly is a little bit surprise at this, he never had a thought that Jinyoung gonna call him first. He always the one who call Jinyoung out of nowhere just because he wants to hear his voice, and Daehwi really never had a thought that Jinyoung is truly fine and comfortable with anything going on between them (Daehwi doesn't know what it is, though) because everytime Daehwi asked him, "hyung is it okay if i call you right now? you are not busy, right?" Jinyoung always say the same answer, "i'm not, Daehwi. it's really nice to have a conversation with you, though”, and Daehwi can’t deny that some strange feelings in his deep heart everytime he hears that, he just haven’t figured out what kind of that feelings yet.

 

But that’s not something to be thinking of right now, because Daehwi has something more important: how to get rid off of Park Woojin who keep teasing him.

 

“So, is it true? You like him, that much, don’t you? Like, like him? As a, more than friend?” Woojin asks Daehwi once again, but less annoying and softer this time.

 

Daehwi shifts uncomfortably in his seat and stays silent for awhile, he seriously doesn’t know what to say, so he choose to deny everything that Woojin said to him, “I don’t. Stop saying such weird things, Hyung. We are bestfriends. Case closed.”

 

Woojin hums in response and nods his head repeatedly, “because, almost all trainees, including me, we sometimes gossiping about you and Jinyoung. I mean, both of you are always stick together. Always.  Eventhough you and Jinyoung never be in one team during evaluation except ‘Boy In Luv’, you guys keep sticking together. When we were practicing for ‘Never’ Jinyoung was always in our dance practice room, during our break time too. So, we thought somethings was really going on between both of you.”

 

An uncomfortable silence running between them, Daehwi keep staring at the floor, thinking what Woojin said probably right, but he rethink again ‘so what if it’s true? What should I do then? Coming to Jinyoung hyung tells him that I like him then ruined our friendship?’

 

Woojin, on the other hand, feels a little bit of guilty for being too curious about Daehwi’s love life so suddenly and makes his lovely brother feels uncomfortable, “Hey, Daehwi. I’m sorry for asking and assuming you such things, sorry for asking you such a weird question. Hyung’s sorry.”

 

“Hyung,” Daehwi finally speaks, “Jinyoungie hyung is the only male trainee in his agency, he came to Produce 101 all by himself, he was always by himself. I’m scared those things will affect for his journey in Produce 101 and his dream as a singer, so I wanted to help him, help him to gained some confidences. Because he always said that ‘I  can’t make it, I  won’t make it’ despite all those skills and talents he has. When I saw him danced to ‘Growl’ while looking down because lack of confidence, and he can’t danced to ‘Nayana’ well because he was too shy to asked for help and has no friend. He reminds me of myself when the first time I came back to Korea alone, all by myself to achieve my dream as a singer, leaving my family in US, so I promised to myself, Hyung, I promised to myself ‘I will help him to find his lights’ eventhough I didn’t do much for him, but I also promised this to myself, that I will always be by his side.”

 

“I don’t even know why, Hyung,” Daehwi continues, “I barely knew him before Produce 101. But I want to do so much things for him. I want to debut with him.”

 

Woojin is honestly speechless. He never had a thought, a 17 years-old-Daehwi with that bubbly and bright personality actually had some deep thoughts like that. Having some desire to help and take a good care of someone whom he barely knows, and that someone is actually older than him.

 

“Hyung, I am weird, right?”

 

Woojin shakes his head and ruffles Daehwi’s hair, “You are not, Daehwi-ya. You are the kindest person I’ve ever met. Jinyoung is so lucky to have you as his friend, though. He looks 100% brighter right now, that’s all because of you.”

 

Daehwi smiles, a smile that reaches his eyes, “Thankyou, Hyung.”

 

Woojin returns his smile with the brightest smile he ever had that shown his cute snaggletooth, “You’re welcome, Daehwi. I’m sorry, though”

 

“Hyung, stop saying you are sorry, that’s fine. So, do you still need me to accompany you to the convenience store?”

 

Woojin laughs, “Yeah, c’mmon, we have to hurry, practice starts in 15 minutes then after that you can call your bae. He is waiting for you.”

 

Daehwi pinches Woojin’s shoulder slightly, “We are friends, Hyung. Stop that.” But Daehwi still has some tingling odd feelings in his heart that he doesn’t know what it is, and eventough he knows, he doesn’t want to admit it.

 

♡♡♡♡♡

 

After 3 hours straight practice that feels like 3 years, Daehwi finally flops in one of the couch in the practice room, feeling exhausted. Woojin noticed it and immediately walking through him. He hands him a bottle of cold water then Daehwi mutters some ridiculous ‘thanks hyung seriously can’t live without you’ but Woojin still laughs at that because Daehwi is just too adorable.

 

Daehwi drinks the water in one gulp, and closed his eyes for  a while, that when he realized something. Jinyoung is waiting for him. Daehwi got up immediately and rush outside of the dance practice room, got a questioning look from Youngmin and Donghyun, and Woojin just smirks at that.

 

He found one of the empty room and locked himself there, with a shaky hands, he typed a quick message to Jinyoung.

 

hyung, I’m done with my practice

 

Daehwi got no reply, but a phone call instead. Daehwi gasps in surprise and closed his eyes slightly, he feels so nervous about this, because this is the first time Jinyoung calls him first and the fact that Daehwi just shared his deep thoughts about Jinyoung to anyone else for the first time just makes his heart was about to explode.

 

He gulps and tries to calm his heart ‘you called him a lot of times too before, Daehwi-ya, you can do this’

 

He almost slips his hand when he slides his phone and answer the call, try to use a tone as normal as possible he says, “Hi, Jinyoung Hyung! What’s up?”

Daehwi could senses that Jinyoung is a little bit nervous too, judging by the way Jinyoung released some deep breathes, and Daehwi thinks Jinyoung must be want to talk about something seriously , so he places his phone in a comfortable position, and still trying to calm his damn heart.

"Uhm, nothing... I just want to call you? Is that okay?” Jinyoung said

“That's okay, Hyung. I have a lot of free times before dinner though. How's your practice today?”

Daehwi and Jinyoung surprisingly talk comfortably on the phone. Talking about how's their day so far, what kind of food did they eat today,  what kind food they want to have for dinner later, even jokes about a lot things too. 'this is so nice, having someone to talk to about your day, about things you like, having someone who truly understands you, this feels so nice', that's what Daehwi thinks.

 

"Hey, Daehwi?"

“Yeah?”

“Just a few days to final, time surely flies too fast."

“Oh right! it feels like we just shoot for 1^st episode yesterday, and know we are some steps closer to the finale.”

Daehwi feels like something was odd because Jinyoung stays silent. Doesn't say anything for a minute straight, and it scared Daehwi, a lot.

"What is it, hyung? Do you want to tell me something?” Daehwi chews his lips and asks carefully.

"We can do this, right? Both of us?"

Daehwi sighs, he understands what Jinyoung is talking about, he really does. It's about their final debut. He knows that's what Jinyoung have been worrying the most.

“Hyung, you have no idea how many times I've told you –“

“But your rank dropped a lot in the last elimination, Hwi,” Jinyoung cuts Daehwi words, "That's... I can't stop thinking about that. It keep bothering me for days.  You dropped a lot, Hwi. You… you deserved more, you know that?"

Daehwi doesn't know what to say or how to react to this. Jinyoung suddenly feels so emotional about his rank when it should be him who has to worried about his own rank.

“Hyung, I –I know it was really upsetting to know that I dropped a lot in my rank, but I'm still in the top 11, okay? We still get a few more days till the last day of voting. There’s stil hopes for me, Hyung. I also could show more of my charms on final, stop worrying about me, Hyung. You should worried about yourself.”

 

Daehwi finds himself staring at the ceiling, because it would be a lie if he said he doesn’t worry about his rank. And he feels upset not to anyone but himself, “That was my fault, Hyung. I should’ve work harder on my skills. I should’ve do better on stage. That was my fault that my rank dropped. But, I can do better this time, okay? I could do better on final. There’s still some hopes for me, for you, for both of us. Stop worrying too much, Hyung.”

 

“How can I not worry, Hwi? Y-you are one of the trainees that I really really want to debut with. I can’t even thinking of debuting without you. I really want to do this with you.”

 

Jinyoung’s last word got him shaking. Because Jinyoung has a thought exactly  the same as his. I can’t even thinking of debuting without you. Daehwi tries his best to hold back his tears, afraid if he cries it will make Jinyoung worried even more.

 

“Hyung, I want to do this with you too, more than you know. Let’s just hope and pray that we will make it, okay? Please, stop worrying, it hurts me a lot to see you suffer like that.”

 

“It hurts me more to see your rank dropped a lot.” Daehwi could sense that Jinyoung is pouting right now.

 

Daehwi lets out a bitter laughs this time, “Stop talking about my rank, Hyung! It hurts my pride! Just like when they revealed that I use insoles.” He tries to melts the situation down, he doesn’t want to hear emotional Jinyoung anymore.

 

And he thinks he succeed, because then Jinyoung laughs, laughs so hard that makes Jinyoung crinkles his eyes, a laughs that makes Jinyoung’s cutie little face somehow looks like a rabbit. A laughs that Daehwi likes. A lot.

 

“oh my god, you have no idea how funny your face when you showed them your insoles! Eventhough you dragged me as well, but still, it was funny.”

 

Daehwi smiles, “Thankyou for laughing, Hyung. You’ve been very emotional during this phone call. Eventhough your nickname was ‘deepdark’, I prefer this side of you more, the bright kid, Bae Jinyoung.”

 

“I become this bright was because of you, though. I should be the one who say thankyou. Thankyou so much, Hwi. For helping me a lot, for being my friend all this time. I guess I’m so lucky to have you by my side.” Jinyoung said the last words as low as possible, doesn’t want anyone but Daehwi to hears his honest confession.

 

Daehwi can feel that strange feelings  in his heart back. He grips his heart and he can feel it beats too fast  that it feels like about to explode if it won’t stop, ‘how can he said such a cheesy things as easy as that? Doesn’t he know how much I’m suffering here because of that?’, Daehwi said in his heart.

 

 

“Hey, Daehwi?”

 

‘What again this time..’, “Yeah, Hyung?”

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

Daehwi only hums in response, “Go ahead, Hyung”

 

“Did you really watch my fancam for 15 minutes straight and call me cute?”

 

Daehwi widens his eyes and almost chokes in his own spit ‘that damn woojin hyung’

 

“I –“, Daehwi stutters because how can he explain this situation, it’s already feel embarrassing to get caught by Woojin and now Jinyoung himself knows about it, “I –uhm, yeah, I did.” ‘rip me’

 

Jinyoung laughs, “I thought Woojin hyung lied to me and just pulled me on a prank, but it’s actually true. I’m not surprise though, because I know that I look cute in that fancam”

 

Daehwi still feels anxious because he scared Woojin might have said something else about how he feels toward Jinyoung that could ruins their friendship, “Woojin hyung… he didn’t say anything other than that, did he?”

 

“no? what did exactly that ‘other thing’, huh? Did you guys have some secrets about me?”

 

“No! it’s just… I’m scared he might said something weird to you, because if he did, don’t listen to him, Woojin hyung can be weird, sometimes, y’know”

 

“if he said that you like me, is that a weird thing?”

 

Once again, Daehwi almost chokes in his own spit, he feels his face is reddening, doesn’t know if it’s because the room suddenly feels hot or because Jinyoung knows that Daehwi likes him.

 

Wait, does he?

 

“Uh… Woojin hyung… said that?”

 

Jinyoung laughs again. Daehwi’s head is literally spinning at the fact that Jinyoung is literally seems fine with this, meanwhile Daehwi is already flops at the floor, biting his nails nervously.

 

“he didn’t though. But judging by your reaction, it seems  it’s true? That you like me? Because if it’s true, then it’s really good to hear that.”

 

Daehwi furrows his eyebrows in confusion, “Hyung, what do you mean?”

 

“I like you too.”

 

Daehwi literally can’t feel his heart anymore because it’s just jumped out of his chest, and he doesn’t know long he has been holding his breathe. He doesn’t want to curse but ‘holy  Bae Jinyoung likes me’

 

“so,” Daehwi hears Jinyoung talks again, but this time Daehwi can feel Jinyoung is a little bit nervous, “do you like me too, or… not?”

 

‘it’s now or never’, “I do, Hyung. I do.”

 

Daehwi closes his eyes, can’t bear to hear what Jinyoung might say next, eventhough Jinyoung said that he likes Daehwi too everything could change just in a second, right?

 

“yes good. It’s a date, then?”

 

“Wait, hyung. Are you serious? About this?”

 

Daehwi can hear Jinyoung is laughing again, “of course, I am. I’ve been wanting to say this to you for a very long time, but I wait for the right time, and I think today is the right time, after an emotional phonecall and what Woojin hyung just told me, I can’t hold it anymore, Hwi. I… I like you, so much.”

 

Daehwi then realized why Jinyoung wanted to call him first, why suddenly Jinyoung brought up the topic about final and why Jinyoung said a lot of cheesy things to him (he did it in the past too but not as casual as this), and oh, so that’s why.

 

Daehwi feels butterflies in his stomach knowing someone likes him so much and he can’t stop smiling thinking about dating Bae Jinyoung, a guy that he barely knew 5 months ago but become someone so special in his life.

“it’s a date then, Hyung”

 

Jinyoung can’t help but smiles too, “you should thank Woojin hyung for this. I would have postponed this confession if he didn’t say anything to me about you watching my fancam and caling me cute”

 

Daehwi laughs, “But still! It’s embarrassing to get caught like that!”

 

“no, that’s adorable, though.”

 

Daehwi ducks his head and hides his blushing face, eventhough Jinyoung can’t see his face, he still feels hot and shy to hear Bae Jinyoung compliments him like that.

 

“Hyung, stop saying cheesy things like that, you are adorable too.”

 

“I’m going to say more cheesy things to you in the future, Hwi. Wait for it.”

 

Daehwi pouts, but he also can’t stop smiling like an idiot till his cheeks hurt. Then he hears Woojin is calling for him, and sadly he has to end his phonecall with his bae.

 

“The hyungs are looking for me, I think it’s time for dinner. I guess I should hang this phone up? And talk to you later?”

 

Jinyoung nods, “I’m going to have dinner too, then. I will text you later?”

 

Daehwi hums, “And hyung?”

 

“hmm?”

 

“Stop worrying about my rank, okay? We can do this together. We will debut together. Okay? Promise me?”

 

“yeah, I promise. We will do it. Together.”

 

 

♡♡♡♡♡