Jongin wasn’t exactly the playboy prince social media and college rumors make him. He was just a simple guy, who would rather cuddle with his three poodles, eat chicken or skate till his heart’s content, than go to clubs, pose for ads, and have ladies fawn over him. Sadly, people believe what they want to believe, leaving him with a persona that he never thought about having.

Truthfully, he just wanted to skate, it was an added bonus that he’s gifted and hard working that he became one of the youngest top senior figure skaters in this generation. He didn’t think he would go to this career path, but he had no complaints.

Originally, he had wanted to become a danseur. When his parents took him to watch a ballet performance, his little self was mesmerized by the way the dancer’s bodies move so elegantly. Each twirl and jump was like looking at a dream right in front of his eyes. He asked his parents if they could apply him to ballet lessons and the couple wasted no time to enroll their youngest son.

It was all fun and all, he really liked the way he was improving, and that his teachers seemed to see potential in him to become a Premier Danseur. But his favorite teacher, Madame Jo, saw potential in him in a different area. Madame Jo was the Prima in their school, and she had awards given all over the world to back it up. She’s a stern and strict woman, at first glance student’s think she has an ever resting face on, but when practice is over she becomes the mother of the whole school, teasing, and lovable.

She told his eight year old self if he had ever thought about pursuing figure skating. Jongin was surprised at the least, almost all of his teachers told him he could become a Premier, but the Prima herself told him to take a different path. At first he thought if she thought he had no future in ballet, but the woman quickly explained that he looked fitting in skating more than ballet when she saw his almost crying face.

Jongin considered this and after a few weeks -with the permission from his parents- Madame Jo took him to the skating rink where her husband is coaching. The small boy almost peed his pants when the grumpy looking man came to view. But, the scowl on his face melted away when Madame Jo kissed his cheek in surprise, morphing into a small tender look as he gives her a peck on the lips.

His ballet teacher soon introduced him to her husband, to which the man ruffled his hair a bit in greeting. They gave him a helmet, laced him up in rental shoes his size and took him to the ice. Jongin was very afraid at first, clutching on his ballet teacher’s and the man’s hands. Coach MinHyung, as what he told Jongin to call him, gave some advice and tips on how to glide on his own. When the boy thinks he can do it on his own, let’s go of the couple’s hands and wobbly glided on the surface.

He can hear the words of encouragement the couple is giving him. He can feel his grin on his face, even though he thinks that the cold is numbing his face in a good way. His palms were becoming red, his nose was runny, but he can only feel excitement and joy as he listens to his skates scraping the ice and how light he feels. The tanned boy thinks he got the hang of it, but slipped on his way to the wall to rest. He heard his teacher yell in worry and the skates frantically skating towards him.

But he can’t take the goofy smile off his face.

Long story short, Coach Minhyung offered to enroll him to some skating classes, to which he accepted -again with the go signal from his parents- and a few years later, he is now predicted as going to be a huge phenomenon in the skating community.

Well, he did win his first Grand Prix with gold in his senior debut, and then dominated Four Continents then the Worlds, and so on. Recently, he obtained another gold in the Korean Nationals.

“I swear Jongin, I’ll beat you in the next Nationals and Four continents!” His self-proclaimed rival, and best friend, playfully scowled when they sat down at the cafeteria with their diet friendly meals at hand.

Jongin can only shake his head with a smile. He is competitive, but it is comical how Sehun is proclaiming that he challenges him every time. Even if they’re at the same age, the other is sometimes a brat and can be obnoxious but he means well and is actually a baby at heart.

“What ever you say, Korea’s Hero.” He knows Sehun prided the nickname his fans called him. “But make sure you don’t drool over China’s Ice fairy at Continents.”

“You do enjoy making YOI references huh?” Sehun glared at him but the pink tinting his cheeks gave away his embarrassment.

“I love Yuri on Ice as much as you love Luhan.” He got a pea thrown at him, and the tanned male only laughed at his friend’s flustered face. It was no secret that Sehun likes the fairy like transferee from China and is helplessly pining over him, and the Chinese transferee claims that he’s straight but you can clearly see the longing look on his face towards Sehun whenever the taller is concentrating on practice.

A cough then sneeze interrupted Jongin’s laugh-fest, they turned to see their friend Chanyeol holding a tray with a bowl of chicken soup, and Orange Juice. He looked terrible at the least, wearing a face mask, bags under his normally joyful eyes, and his ears are red from the assuming fever.

“You look horrible.” Sehun said bluntly as he moved his tray a bit to give the giant a bit of space to sit on and maybe distance himself a bit so he wouldn’t get infected.

“What happened to you?” Jongin at least sound concerned for his friend’s well being.

“Doctor said it’s a flu,” Chanyeol started, voice muffled a bit by the mask and snot. His already deep voice became lower with a bit of rasp “Caused by the cold that I ignored and exhaustion from practice.”

“Kind of ironic because you’re a hockey player.” Sehun snickered at the misfortune of his friend. Jongin hushed the younger.

“What about practice? I’m sure your coach would be understanding that his star player, goalee and captain is sick right?”

“That’s the thing, he’s sick too so practice is postponed for today.” The hockey player sniffled and pulled down his mask to began eating his soup. “You can take the sched, I’m sure Joonmyun hyung would be okay with it since he already notify the public that the rink would be occupied.”

Jongin smirked when Sehun was already hastily eating. “You do know you still have classes right?” Sehun paused mid chew when he heard that. The tanned male let out another series of laughter at his friend’s sudden realization and slowly ate his food -without choking.

“I can skip it!”

“You can’t, Coach MinHyun would have your head if you skip a class.”

“Damn it!”

Chanyeol chuckled at that, but then saw a certain puppy like boy in the crowd of the cafeteria. That love struck face gave away what he felt and everyone can see it except the boy himself.

“Why don’t you go talk to him hyung?” Sehun tilted his head towards the boy’s direction.

“We do talk.” Chanyeol defended himself with a sniffle, returning to his soup. “We had a project together and it was fun.”

“What Sehun means, is that why don’t you ask him out?” Jongin helped, looking at -what’s his name? Baek something Baekmyun? Ah, wait it’s Baekhyun- where the boy was getting some food that is not part of the three athletes’ diet.

Chanyeol’s reaction was even more comical than Sehun’s competitiveness. He fumbled with his spoon, sputtering and almost choking on his food when Jongin dropped the bomb as bluntly as he can. The tallest looked at Baekhyun’s way, an alarmed look as if the boy heard their conversation from across the room.

The Byun boy caught his gaze and waved with -what Chanyeol deemed- the most beautiful smile at them before going towards the exit with his take out food at hand, leaving Chanyeol swooning.

“I just can’t guys, theatrical majors with musical minors will never be interested in hokey players. He probably is straight with a girlfriend or a crush on a beautiful ex-sunbae…”

“I’d say bull, but whatever floats your boat.” Sehun snorted, but then Chanyeol raised an eyebrow. “I’d ask Baek out if you have the guts to do that on Luhan hyung.”

“ you.”

Jongin only laughed at his friends, which in turn made them glare at him. “Alright we get it Mr. I-can-get-whoever-I-want-cause-I’m-so-goddamn-gorgeous-that-I-don’t-need-to-pine.” Sehun glared at his tanned friend, who couldn’t stop laughing.

Oh, how wrong the younger was. He is helplessly falling for someone who might be too afraid of him. As he is too afraid to approach him because of that. Whenever he goes to that person, he seem to have seen a ghost and stutter an excuse to get away.

That is what exactly what happened when Kyungsoo saw him at the rink. He was too stunned to catch up to the elder, who already dashed out of the vicinity as fast as you can say ‘Aria’. His friend, Baekhyun, seemed to be on the same boat as Jongin as he held his friend’s skate in his hands.

When Jongin walked into the rink he thought he would get the rink all to himself, but Junmyeon told him that there are already two skaters inside and if he wouldn’t mind if he could share with them. It was no problem for Jongin of course -he’s used to skating with a team after all- but what he didn’t count for was the two skaters were actually his schoolmates that he didn’t know skated.

He had to admit, Baekhyun was great in doing the routine. The boy really did bring the ‘Phichit’ aura when he skated to the program. Each flick of the wrist and turn was just as energetic and fun filled as the character.

His breath hitched when Kyungsoo was left on the ice and ‘Stammi Vicino’ started playing. He didn’t hear the conversation clearly, but he heard the ‘Duetto’ in a teasing voice.

When Kyungsoo took the stance and began to do skate, Jongin felt drawn to it. It was surprising because his classmate was as clumsy as Marinette from Miraculous Ladybug when they were on land. But on the ice, he was as graceful as a professional figure skater. The emotion on his face, the step sequence, and each spin was beautiful.

Kyungsoo’s beautiful.

A bit of jealousy flared inside him when Kyungsoo directed the step to Baekhyun, but it simmered when the puppy like boy gave him a low-five with a laugh.

Jongin can’t be blamed for clapping at the end of the performance.

“Hey, Jongin!” Jongin was pulled out of his reverie as Baekhyun glided towards him. “I thought no one knew the rink was available.”

“Oh, Uh… Chanyeol told me, he and his Coach is sick so the whole team practice was canceled.” Baekhyun seemed to perk up at the name.

“What? I thought the captain was sick, Chanyeol’s the goalee right?”

“He’s both?”

Baekhyun clicked his tounge. “That giant didn’t tell me he’s sick. So that’s why he looked so horrible.” With a determined nod to himself Baekhyun said. “Alright, I’m going to take care of that idiot, you can have the rest of the practice time Jongin.” He glided out of the ice, put on his skate guards and sat on one of the benches to change shoes.

As Jongin laced in his golden blades skates, Baekhyun already stood up on his sneakers and waved at him goodbye, leaving Kyungsoo’s skates.

“Hey, wait hyung his skates!”

“Oh,” Baekhyun blink but he looked as if he got something brewing up on his mind. “Can you bring those to him? I really need to go to the drug store first and it’ll look awkward to hold skates since it can’t fit my bag anymore.”

The tanned one seemed to not trust his grin but nodded anyways.

With a thanks, Baekhyun left the rink with a shrewd grin on his face.

‘Well’ Jongin thinks as he warmed up on the ice. ‘If it means I get to talk to Kyungsoo then I’ll do it.’

Jongin really likes Kyungsoo. He never really said it to anyone yet, because they assume he’d end up with Krystal -an attractive female figure skater in their school. The said girl had been dropping hints that they should do pair skating together and everyone seems to be on board on that. She said that it can get very lonely on the ice and that could lessen their loneliness. Jongin agreed that it can get lonely sometimes, but he pretended to not take the hints and casually brush it off so as to not hurt anyone’s feelings.

Back to his uncontrollable fond to Kyungsoo, he had ever told this to his dogs, and it seemed that Monggu was the only one who listened while his brother and sister get easily distracted. The dog would huff on his lap as he gushes about Kyungsoo, how he looked as he concentrated at some of the classes they’ve shared, how cute the way he furrows his eyebrows, how he had a unique way of walking, and so on and so forth. And he can’t believe it all started at the old music room.

It was the aftermath of another gold at the Grand Prix, and he was already getting a head start for the next season. He’d still do his current routine at Nationals, Four Continents, and Worlds but he wanted to contact a composer as soon as possible to get his music done. He wanted them to not get pressured and for him to get the feel of it better if they had excess time.

He decided to follow his Coach’s suggestion and look for at the Art Department at his college. He may major on dance but he never did explore the other majors before. The skater asked a lot of people, most of them either swooned or very star-struck at first. He was beginning to get tired when a theatrical major -now that he remembers correctly it was Baekhyun- told him that he knows someone who is very gifted in making music, and they are the perfect person to do the job.

The brunette gave him directions and it led him to an eerie corridor, at first he thought the boy was messing with him -an ugly part of him thinks that the boy was jealous but he decided to ignore that monster. He was about to go back to where he came when he heard melodious singing accompanied by a piano in one of the rooms.

Jongin was cautious as he approached the room -it could be haunted and he could possibly be dumb enough to go there and get himself killed- he peeked at the ajar door where the music was coming from. It was the old music room, he heard that the faculty would just use it as a storage room and he can see the various instruments stored there.

However what caught his eye was the figure at the piano, they were wearing an out-dated hoodie, and some washed out jeans and sneakers. They had dark hair flopping on top of their forehead just right above the thick eyebrows.

Jongin’s breath got caught in his throat. He knows this person. Do Kyungsoo, his classmate and the ever quiet student. He looked so serene, as if he was in his own world as he plays the piano so meticulously and sang so beautifully. Jongin didn’t do anything but slide down on the wall next to the door, as he closed his eyes and listen at the melody Kyungsoo was singing.

The skater felt his heart beat gradually increasing, a blush creeping on his neck, as a tumble made it’s way to his stomach.

It stopped all too quickly, though it was already minutes since he got there. An alarm broke through the calm as it snapped Jongin out of his dream like state. The door slid open and Kyungsoo emerged from the room with his backpack already on his shoulders. He went to the other direction, missing Jongin sitting on the wall.

Jongin didn’t try to stop him, he didn’t follow him as the boy already rounded up the corner and went down the stairs. He didn’t know why he was too stunned to move.

All he knew is that Kyungsoo should compose his Free program next season.