Prompt by mongji10

“Can you do Bobby’s album in relation to Hanbin?”

———

Bobby fell in love with Hanbin two weeks after their first meeting, late at night in a practice room as the three of them, Hanbin, Bobby, and Jinhwan, laid on the ground in exhaustion. 

Bobby was sweating profusely and had his head angled to the ground when a cool water bottle touched against his forehead, causing him to flinch away before he looked up. 

His breath caught when Hanbin smiled at him, beautifully shy and proud at the same time. “Good job, Bobby-hyung,” he had said, voice rough from shouting but sweet all the same. 

“You, too,” Bobby mumbled back, grabbing the bottle and downing half of it as he watched Hanbin watch him, their stares unfaltering. 

It was then that Bobby fell into Hanbin’s dark eyes and never came back.

-

Hanbin had no time for romance in his life, Bobby knew that. The younger trainee was too busy writing, too busy choreographing, too busy forcing himself into perfection for YG. 

That still didn’t stop Bobby’s heart from racing with every affectionate touch Hanbin freely gave him, every time Hanbin was willingly pliant in his arms. 

Even as their little world of three gradually grew to six, then seven, Bobby was the one Hanbin came to for comfort and rest, even if the rest of the boys got equal amounts of their leader’s affection, Bobby was the one Hanbin was most carefree with and he took pride in that. 

Though he did sometimes get jealous when the members got a little too touchy with Hanbin. But it was fine. Really. He had most of Hanbin’s love and he was content. 

Until Jaewon entered the company, that is.

-

It seemed like they did everything together, Bobby once thought bitterly.

Each night Hanbin usually slipped into his bed to cuddle was suddenly replaced with Hanbin taking late night walks with Jaewon. Where Hanbin used to stick close to him with a casual arm over his shoulder, he was in the embrace of Jaewon, the duo often spotted giggling and talking with one another. 

Well, at least heartbreak and jealousy made great muses. 

Bobby distracted himself from their growing bond and his fading friendship by throwing himself into writing songs for the album he was supposed to have released after winning Show Me the Money, but of course didn’t. 

Granted, they were more songs about unrequited love than the expected hard rap people expected from him, but Bobby didn’t care. It helped him to release all his hurt and smitten feelings about Hanbin. 

He ended up writing an entire album in the span of a year, his notebook filled with crossed out scribbles and spilt ink from him digging the pen into the paper with too much pressure. 

The first person he let listen to it was Hanbin, though it was less him letting than Hanbin forcing himself into Bobby’s studio and sitting down next to Bobby like he belonged there. 

“Let’s listen together, hyung!” Hanbin chirped cheerfully, hair fluffy and the too-long sleeves of his hoodie flopping over his hands as he clapped. 

God, he was so cute it made Bobby’s heart hurt. 

“Okay,” Bobby replied as casually as he could, reaching out to press the play button on his computer. 

He watched Hanbin’s face with bated breath as the first song, I Love You, started up, praying the younger wouldn’t realize it was about him. 

Hanbin’s initial expression of eager happiness slowly faded into an unreadable look as his smile strained with each song they went through. 

Bobby felt his heart stutter to a stop as the last of the notes of the final song faded out and he swallowed dryly.

“What’d you think?” He croaked out, rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans in nervousness. 

Hanbin looked at him, eyes dark and oddly sad. “It’s good,” he replied softly, smiling more genuinely when Bobby looked at him in disbelief. “I’m serious! My favorite is Swim!”

Bobby huffed breathlessly. Hanbin hadn’t noticed, thank god. “Thanks,” he said, running a hand through his messy hair. “I’m calling my album Love & Fall, creative, isn’t it?” 

Hanbin laughed lightly, still sounding slightly off-kilter. Bobby furrowed his eyebrows in worry. “Bin?” He asked, reaching over to gently wrap his hand around Hanbin’s thin wrist, “What’s wrong?”

Hanbin shook his head. “Nothing,” he answered vaguely, tugging his hand out of Bobby’s grip. “Um,” he stuttered out, “I promised to meet with Jaewon for lunch, I’ll see you later, Bobby-hyung.”

He quickly stood up and scrambled out the door, leaving Bobby behind. 

Bobby felt his mood drop low at the mention of Jaewon. “…Bye,” he said to an empty room.

-

After the listen, Hanbin started acting so awkwardly with him. Bobby would often turn his head to see Hanbin staring at him, though he quickly diverted his gaze when their eyes met. Every time Bobby tried to touch him, Hanbin seemed to skitter away, ducking his hugs and affectionate choke-holds. 

It got to the point where their group noticed, Jinhwan’s sharp eyes capturing Hanbin’s avoidance. 

“What’s wrong with you guys?” Jinhwan asked incredulously after he cornered Bobby in his room. 

Bobby feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?” Jinhwan looked at him so flatly Bobby flinched. 

He sighed, “I honestly don’t know.” His voice must’ve sounded so miserable because Jinhwan visibly softened, coming over to sit next to Bobby and pat his head. 

“After I let him listen to my album, he’s been acting so weird,” Bobby confided in his best friend mournfully. 

“You mean the album that you poured all your heartbreak from him into?” Bobby looked at Jinhwan with wide eyes. 

“How’d you know?!” 

Jinhwan snorted. “It’s pretty obvious you’re in love with Hanbin, you know?”

Bobby slumped down, “To everyone but Hanbin it seems.”

The older gently his head and opened his mouth to comfort his sad friend when the door to Bobby’s room burst open suddenly and the very boy they were talking about entered into the room, looking frazzled and shocked. 

“Bobby-hyung, you’re in love with me?” Hanbin asked in shock, seemingly genuinely oblivious. 

Bobby looked incredulously confused. “Didn’t you know? Isn’t that why you’ve been avoiding me so obviously these past few weeks?”

Hanbin winced before he pouted. “I thought you loved someone else and I was sad!”

“Why were you sad?!” Bobby exclaimed back, neither of the two noticing Jinhwan quietly slipping out of the room and closing the door with an extremely amused expression at his two dumb little brothers. 

“Because I like you!” Hanbin burst out before looking mortified. 

Bobby was stunned into silence. “What?” He croaked out in shock. 

Hanbin’s entire face was red as he repeated, “I like you.”

“I thought you were dating Jaewon-hyung!” Bobby sputtered, squeezing himself against his headboard as Hanbin suddenly took determined steps toward him. 

“Jaewon-hyung and I are just friends,” Hanbin said dismissively, “besides, he’s straight as a pole.”

The younger crawled onto Bobby’s bed and stopped when they were face to face. “I like you, hyung,” Hanbin repeated sweetly, waiting patiently for Bobby’s response. 

“Me, too,” Bobby squeaked out, unable stop himself from pulling Hanbin onto his lap and wrapping his arms around him, like they used to do. 

“So…” Hanbin started, “…are we dating now?”

“Only if you want to,” Bobby replied shyly, feeling his heart flutter when Hanbin smiled that smile. 

“I want to.” Bobby grinned at him, feeling a little daring as he leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to Hanbin’s lips.

The flush and responding peck made all his heartache worth it.