Hyunggu loved having the eyes of others on him. It gave him confidence and motivated him to work more, dance harder, make his music better. The young dancer loved attention, attention has always made him feel good, ever since he was a little kid, usually getting praised for all the good things he did and all the little achievements he accomplished. Hyunggu was a good kid and it wasn’t hard for him to stay that way and only get better at everything he did when he was showered with affection. He was just loveable and people around him didn’t hesitate to show him how loved he was.

That feeling of being cared for paired with his enormous love for the things he was talented in – music and dance were what drove him forward and Hyunggu was an extremely hard-working person. He found joy in his tools of expression to the point that producing music and choreographing were equivalent to breathing, something he lived wholeheartedly, something that became natural and effortless even if it required hard work.

No matter how much those were the things he enjoyed doing for himself, his ways of expression and fulfillment, at the end of the day it was important for Hyunggu to tell those stories wrapped in his music and dances to other people. Letting other people’s eyes settle on his work and on him as he showcased yet another piece of his soul to the world. It brought the familiar feeling of nervous eagerness, hope to be heard, to be listened to, to be seen for who he was, because he was giving it his all.

Like that Hyunggu was used to having the others’ eyes on himself, he craved those looks after all and with time they became an inevitable part of his life. Everything was good, just like it was supposed to be, until he became the focus of a different set of eyes. Eyes that twisted the familiar rush he felt when being watched, bringing change, a strange, new sensation that changed the tempo of Hyunggu’s thrilling dance.

Eyes of his roommate were beautiful. They were warm and adorable, much like their owner, the gaze effortlessly shifting from innocence to playful mischief in a blink. Shinwon was a kind soul that went through a lot during the time they all together formed a family, got to know each other and started living, working, breathing and walking on the same path together. The middle child in their family was gentle, yet much stronger than people gave him credit for – going through all the heartbreak of being pulled away from their family, not being good enough, only to come back to them because of his sincerity, his passion and his love. Hyunggu knew Shinwon was working like crazy, driven by fear of slowing down their group or, even worse, being left behind, alone, back in the darkness he once escaped. They all knew no one will let that happen again, but that still made them all want to protect Shinwon that much more, cherishing the playful glint in those beautiful eyes.

Hyunggu felt Shinwon’s eyes on him a long time ago – ever since they’ve met, the look of childlike wonder easily recognizable in them. The younger boy loved that first look Shinwon directed at him, it was warm and it reminded him of the time he started making friends way back in kindergarden, other kids perhaps drawn in by Hyunggu’s broad inviting smile. Shinwon received that same smile right away, Hyunggu just didn’t have the heart not to give it to him right then and there and like that they comfortably started training together, quickly became friends and eventually roommates. Becoming friends with the older vocalist was as effortless as dancing, both of their personalities making it easy to open up and get along just fine.

The dancer never thought much about it, analyzing his friendship with Shinwon was something completely unnecessary, so it never even crossed his mind. The older boy was just a part of his Pentagon family and an easy going hyung he grew close to. The eyes that followed him around were a part of that growing bond, a friendly gaze making him feel comfortable and reassured, sometimes met with his own and sometimes just feeling it on his skin, spreading warm feeling of appreciation through the dancer’s body.

Hyunggu had no clue when the change happened, but at some point the eyes watching him held a different kind of glint in them. He couldn’t read what was different, what caused it or how it happened, but he felt it as much as he felt the air shift and the rush of adrenaline that hit him along with that gaze.

A sudden new wave of motivation came with that rush – to get better, to shine brighter and give the world even more. Beautiful music, mesmerizing dance – make it spin in trance, drunk on everything Hyunggu had to give. Make his family proud. Keep Shinwon’s eyes on him.

He could feel those eyes on him, following him, supporting him, seemingly always watching him. Hyunggu loved the addiction he had towards that thrill those eyes caused to pump through his veins, loved how they made him get greedy in his hard work. And he was determined. To become amazing, worthy of being looked at – and make sure those eyes never wish to look away.