Every little moment, however simple, for Hyukjae was always something else. Whether it was a great trip or a spontaneous moment in the cafeteria with his friends, for he would always have a place in his memory and precisely for that reason it seemed that sometimes he suffered from mental lacunae, there were so many memories he had that he sometimes was forced to do some of them aside and leave them stored in some remote part of his mind. He liked to call it a great skill, sometimes by initiative he decided to forget certain things and only until he himself wanted to remember them, he remembered them. He didn't know how he could do that, simply if there was something unpleasant or painful that he preferred not to have so present, he mentalised and left it behind.

Lately, he felt that more memories were missing, he felt in a kind of limbo that was too nice to be true and he knew it was due to his growing relationship with Jongwoon and the memories that were slowly beginning to form. Like every singing lesson, which had gone from being formal to a little more friendly or the times they were in the corridors, despite being nothing too intimate, he made sure to analyse even the smallest detail of that man who called his attention.

Right at that moment he was on a bench taking advantage of the free time he had to review some singing things for his exam.

“Do not forget that this note is sustained,” Jongwoon recalled. “And I think that with that is more than enough for you to go excellent.”

“I don't want to trust myself and end up with a bad note,” Hyukjae replied. “I'm nervous.”

“You don't have to be,” the dark haired man tried to assure him by looking straight into his eyes as he had begun to do after the first week of talking. “I have seen that you are good at everything you do.”

“Uhm-” he was going to interrupt.

“Do not waste air trying to contradict me, it should be a sin to be so modest. I have confirmed that you are good at what you swear to be horrible,” he then turned away, placing his gaze in his hands. “You should see how I'm doing with the dance so that you understand what it is to in a discipline.”

“You didn't tell me,” said Hyukjae, narrowing his eyes as he focused his eyes more intensely on his tutor, reading his expression and his words. “I can help you.”

“Oh no,” he shook his head frantically. “You're too good at that, I'd die of embarrassment if you saw me.”

“As if with me it would have been different,” he rolled his eyes.

“The difference is that you are good at singing, I'm not at dancing at all.”

“It doesn't matter, I'll help you, Woonie hyung,” Jongwoon shot his gaze in his direction, noticing that it was the first time Hyukjae had called him that.

“Thanks, but I don't want to disturb you,” he forced himself to hide his reaction and Hyukjae shook his head, bringing his hand close to his.

“You would not bother at all,” he assured him and dared to lay his hand on the major's, causing his nerves to reappear.

“Are you sure?” He questioned, stirring.

“Completely,” he smiled and Jongwoon relaxed visibly.

“Okay...” They heard from far away that the bell was ringing, indicating the end of the class and giving way to the few minutes that were granted between classes. “Come on, you'll do great.”

Hyukjae nodded trying to convince himself and stood up at the same time that Jongwoon separated his hands and taking his things to cross the campus and reach the halls.

“Thank you,” Hyukjae repeated as he had been doing to excess lately. “I'll tell you how it goes.”

“I'll wait.”

***

“I got a nine!” Hyukjae exclaimed ecstatically, running towards Jongwoon, who was waiting for him at the bottom of some stairs near Ryeowook and Kyuhyun.

“Congratulations!” He exclaimed back, celebrating his victory. “It wasn't that bad, was it?”

He would be lying if he said that he didn't feel that way while they were examining him, he feared, once inside the classroom ready to present his exam, that his voice would fail him and all his effort was thrown away along with Jongwoon's classes, and he was afraid to disappoint him. However, when he was told his rating he felt a huge relief, he had not screwed up after all.

“It was all thanks to you,” and without thinking, Hyukjae wrapped his arm around the raven haired man's torso wrapping him in an innocent and spontaneous embrace. He felt Jongwoon tense slightly at his touch and seconds later, he felt him put his arm around his shoulders as well, returning the gesture.

He had noticed, during all the hours they had spent together, that there really had not been so many, and the times they came to speak by message, that Jongwoon was somewhat unexpressive and not because he was one of those people who 'have no feelings' , but because he seemed to be very withdrawn and therefore had difficulty expressing himself with others.

He saw from the corner of his eye how his friends shot them a quick, curious, surprised and mysterious look, and he understood that it was due to his demonstration of affection. It had been some time that none of them saw him trying to make friends with anyone other than them, much less had they seen him interested in someone for something else.

Not after Donghae.

But something good must have meant that Jongwoon was reciprocating his affection and interest. This time it seemed to be different. It did not seem to be something without an exit or unrequited feelings.

It seemed that he could win his affection and, for once, he thought he could actually have a chance.