Changkyun hides out for a moment in the tiny bathroom, staring at his own reflection in the mirror. He presses his lips together trying to will his heart to calm down.

Just let it go, he tells himself, gripping the sink tightly. You’re here now, so just ignore it. It’ll get in the way otherwise.

It’s already been a week since he’s joined No.Mercy, and things have finally calmed down between himself and the other trainees. They’ve begun to warm up to them, inviting him into conversations and not glaring at him every time he comes into a room. It’s definitely progress, but it’s also caused certain… feelings to come up again.

Back in those blissful days when Changkyun had just been a viewer, he’d never missed an episode. He’d been practically obsessed, only able to imagine to the pain and sorrows the boys had been going through, the pure exhaustion they’d been feeling after every challenge unimaginable… Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he’d been so enraptured.

A certain vocalist had caught his eye, and he’d been watching just to make sure he achieved his dream, and would debut at the end of the show.

He can’t believe his luck now. Not only does he have a pretty good chance at debuting within the year, but he gets to interact with the handsome vocalist.

Well, that’d be a good thing if he knew how to hide how he jumps every time Kihyun touches him, which is a lot considering how touchy the man seems to be…

Changkyun heaves in a breath, and turns to leave the bathroom. No one’s out in the hall, thankfully, so he shuffles through the dorm towards the living room. It’s empty, as well, and Changkyun figures everyone’s gone to their own rooms by now. He sits down on the mattress that’s serving as his bed, for now, and he reaches for the notebook he’d tossed aside when he’d retreated to the bathroom for a breather.

They had all been hanging around the living room, talking every once in a while, but now they’ve all dissipated. Changkyun just hopes he hadn’t looked like such an utter spaz when he’d tried to get away from Kihyun’s small yet endearing hand as it rested absentmindedly on his knee.

He opens the notebook and begins scribbling down some lyrics, pouring his fickle heart out onto the lined pages.

Kihyun huffs out a breath as he stares up at the ceiling from his top bunk. Hoseok’s snores beneath him are already filling the room, and, judging by their breathing, Hyunwoo and Hyungwon aren’t far behind. It isn’t very late yet, but the last challenge had proven more tiresome than any before it.

But, then again, that’s how it always is. Things just get harder and harder, so much so that sometimes it seems as if it’ll never end.

That feeling had only worsened when Changkyun had been thrown into all this mess.

The vocalist has to bite back a groan as he turns his aching body onto its side, remembering how the new guy had practically thrown himself halfway across the room when Kihyun had touched him earlier.

Maybe he isn’t comfortable with physical affection or something, he silently muses, trying to think of a reason as to why Changkyun could possibly have reacted in such a way. Luckily for them both, no one else seems to notice, all too caught up in their own heads to do so. His heart still skips a disappointed beat at the memory.

Kihyun couldn’t help but be taken by the new trainee when the anger concerning his arrival had worn off. He’s entirely too cute to be left alone for any extended period of time, and does his best to not make cleaning the dorm up any harder for Kihyun than it should be. He even helped the vocalist straighten up the living room the other day… without being asked.

I’ll just give him some time, Kihyun thinks. I’ll give him more time to adjust… For now, we can just be friends…

For now, Changkyun mentally sighs, putting his notebook away as he unknowingly mirrors the vocalist’s actions, I’ll just wait. I have a feeling he’s worth the wait…