(Youngjae's Perspective)

Had he invited Daehyun down? Yes. Did Daehyun accept? Also yes. Was tea successfully prepared? Of course! Now all Youngjae had to do was wait for the knock that signified Daehyun's arrival.

As much as Youngjae would've liked to get this out yesterday, by the time he'd left Zelo's apartment, Daehyun was already on his way out for work. It was a mixed blessing, and even with the extra time to figure out how to bring it up, all Youngjae had was that decision that he'd speak up. He had zero idea how to go about it!

'With your words, Youngjae. You've done it before-'

A gentle knock interrupted his thoughts. 'Right. Settle down, frantic gay thoughts. It's time to do this!' With a deep breath to calm down the jitters, he gave himself one last mental nudge.

When Youngjae swung open the door, Daehyun flinched at the speed before offering a tiny smile and a little wave. “Um, hi?” Just seeing the slight upturn of his lips had Youngjae's heart speeding up, and he spread into a smile of his own.

“Daehyun, come on in!” Youngjae's grin didn't falter as he enthusiastically motioned him in. “Go ahead and grab yourself a chair!”

As Youngjae scurried about, shutting the door and grabbing their tea from the fresh batch he'd made, Daehyun grabbed a chair from the table and carried it to the usual place he set it before carefully sitting down and fidgeting with his fingers in his lap, eyes trained on them.

'Is it just me, or does he seem more nervous today than usual?' Youngjae worried as he ladled out their tea. Maybe he was just more tuned into it and trying to find a reason to not speak up like he'd told Zelo? 'But I told him I would and I'm a man of my word! So I'm going to do it!'

Youngjae handed Daehyun his cup, and he let out a quiet, “Thank you” before taking a tiny sip. The way he hummed contentment afterwards had Youngjae feeling giddy, and he eagerly sat down in front of the piano.

“Anything in particular you want to hear today?” he asked, pulling out his folder of music sheets and leafing through them to pull out a few different ones.

Daehyun shook his head and took another sip. “So long as I get to hear you play, I'll be happy with anything,” he responded, smile just as soft as his voice.

That fluttery nervousness churned around inside, and Youngjae didn't feel real for a few moments. 'Yeah, I've got it bad. Real bad.'

“That so, huh?” Youngjae didn't bother to stop the upturn of his lips as he slipped the music sheets he'd pulled out into the binder he kept on the music stand. Daehyun nodded gently before hiding his face behind another sip from his tea. “Well, I'm glad you like my playing so much!” After cracking his knuckles, he started to press in the keys to bring out the melody of the first song in his list.

“I'm uh- I'm glad I'm able to listen,” Daehyun said. Then he began to tack more on. “Up close. Um... like this? I mean, I can still hear fine from my apartment, but it's kind of lonely up there- It's, um, nicer when I can be down here with you...”

Youngjae laughed gently at his awkward ramblings, but not in a way that would indicate he was making fun of him. “It's definitely more fun to play when I've got an active audience that likes what I'm doing, so having the company is nice!” he commented lightly as he flipped to the next song in his queue.

This one seemed to be a song Daehyun knew, at least a little bit. Youngjae registered him swaying to the tune while he sipped at his tea.

Youngjae began to rack his brain to come up with how he could bring up the topic of his feelings and desire to date him in a natural manner. But he blanked momentarily when Daehyun began to hum along to the tune.

Then he mentally snapped himself back to because this was something he wanted to get figured out before Daehyun left today. The longer he waited to speak up, the more his nerves would affect his ability to anything!

But he really had no idea how to start that conversation of 'hey, I like you' without being awkward. 'How did I do it in the past? With Jaebeom up until after... He Who Shan't Be Named, I had no problem with it! I spoke my feelings freely and then either had a boyfriend or didn't!'

He guessed it came from the confidence shatter that was his previous break up. That sort of thing sticks with you like those sticky grass plants that cling to your shoes, socks, and pants when you walk through the tall grass. Just when you think you've plucked them all away, surprise! It's now embedded in your skin-

'Wait, I can't let myself get distracted! Focus, Youngjae!' With the flip to the next song, he steeled his brain in figuring this out. While he thought things through, he felt like he was playing the backing instrumental for some kind of fail reel.

If Youngjae just out and said it, quick like ripping off a bandaid, there was no way the sudden out burst wouldn't startle him. Tea would inevitably get flung all over the place! Daehyun was too jumpy a person for that bold approach to work...

He mildly considered flirting, but then recalled his previous attempts to do that had flown right over Daehyun's head. Even when Youngjae had thought he was being direct! So a flirtier approach wouldn't work either...

As he flipped to another song, one that he hoped wouldn't make him feel like his life was one giant fail compilation, a soft giggle hit his eardrums. For a few moments, Youngjae was struck stupid. 'Did... Did Daehyun just giggle?'

“What are you laughing about over there?” Youngjae wondered with an amused smile. Rather than continue playing, he took some gulps from his own cup of tea now that it had cool off enough to not burn his tongue.

“Oh, um- Sorry, it's just... You're very... expressive while you're lost in thought?” Daehyun explained slowly with an awkward chuckle. “Like... you're having a conversation with yourself, and the faces you were pulling were cute- I mean-”

Anything Daehyun rambled after that point didn't register because Youngjae's brain short circuited. He could only blink stupidly as he watched Daehyun's eyes swim from side to side, down to his tea, back to the side again... When Youngjae slapped his brain back to working properly, he was able to recognize that Daehyun was apologizing... for looking at him? Or was it for laughing at him?

“You've got nothing to apologize for, Daehyun. I'm not offended at all!” Youngjae was painfully aware of the way Daehyun brightened at the words, and he wanted to just blurt out his feelings right then and there. But this required tact and grace! So, with tact and grace, he added, “In fact, it's flattering that a man as good looking as you thinks I'm cute.” He punctuated the sentence with a wink, a pleased grin settling on his lips as he carefully took a sip of tea and evaluated Daehyun's reaction.

Youngjae half expected Daehyun to start spluttering, but he was pleasantly surprised by a lack of fumbling. Instead, he shimmied his shoulders and hid his grin by drinking up the rest of his tea. He briefly made eye contact before darting his eyes to look down into his now empty cup, fingertips drumming against the surface.

All his gay thoughts pounded in Youngjae's head and made his heart pick up the pace to the point that he felt it beating in every part of his body. Butterflies were all over the place, and everything Youngjae was feeling filled him with a pleasant warmth that was threatening to boil over.

It all came together in that next moment.

“I like you.”

--

Youngjae shoved his way into the warmth of the coffee shop with pep in his step. The jingle of the bell on the door alerted Yongguk to his presence, and before Youngjae had even stepped up to the counter, he was sliding a just finished drink towards him. “Jieun already ordered and paid for you,” he declared, also placing a plate with a fried egg sandwich next to the drink.

“That was nice of her.” Youngjae glanced around in the hopes of finding his friend, but she was nowhere to be seen among the patrons that were seated.

“She's sitting at that table over there.” Yongguk pointed to a table that was currently vacant, but the half eaten brownie and cup of hot chocolate indicated it was still taken. “She just got up to go to the bathroom and asked me to keep an eye out for you.”

“Of course I'd show up the moment she got up,” Youngjae chuckled, grabbing his drink and food so he could settle at her table.

“Two forewarnings,” Yongguk said just as Youngjae was about to slip away from the counter. He stopped raised a brow to urge his friend to continue. “One, Jieun dyed her hair last night. Two, once my shift is done, I'm going to be joining the two of you.”

“Got it, work well!” Carefully, he took his things and settled down at the table Yongguk had pointed out before digging in. He'd already figured Yongguk would join them, so that wasn't a shock.

What was a shock was when Jieun came around the corner sporting vibrant teal hair!

Youngjae nearly choked on his bite of sandwich. 'No wonder Yongguk thought to warn me!' She was a hairdresser, and she had told Youngjae that she'd been dying and styling her own hair for years. Did that mean she'd ever done anything other than a natural colour?

Now it did!

Jieun's eyes lit up, and she scurried back to her seat happily. “Youngjae, it's nice to see you!” Before she sat, the two of them did that stereotypical double cheek kissing thing where people touch cheeks and make kissy sounds, then she shimmed into her chair.

“Nice colour you've got going on there, Jieun.”

She patted her hair. “It was supposed to be more blue,” she pouted. “But I suppose teal will have to do. Blue can come another time.” Jieun shrugged and sipped away her pout with her hot chocolate.

“So, other than the hair dye thing, how have you been?”

As Youngjae sipped at his drink, he recalled the last time he'd seen her in person was on Christmas Eve at Yongguk's family thing. While the Bangs were smaller and tight knit, he was an honourary member of the family at this point, as was Jieun. Christmas with them was always nicer than being with his own family. Youngjae's older brother and his wife never bothered to come visit, and his parents always invited work friends to their family gathering, which is why Youngjae also didn't bother to go to them.

It was far more convivial when he was around Yongguk's grandparents, brother, sister, and his girlfriend!

“Oh, it's been going, you know? Wasn't able to stay up for New Year's... as usual. Guess that means I'm going to be sleeping the year away, huh? At least I fell asleep in Yongguk's arms,” she chuckled as she tucked some of her teal hair behind her ear. “What about you? What did you end up doing at the strike of midnight? Yongguk said something about a party?”

“I'm not too sure what I was doing once the clock hit midnight,” Youngjae admitted.

According to Jaebeom, Youngjae started his year off strong being a disaster gay for Daehyun and was doomed for the rest of the year. Despite having clear memories of the night, he didn't have any recollection of looking at clocks. So when midnight hit, he was either singing with a drunk Daehyun, or he was comforting drunk Daehyun in the bathroom.

Either way, Daehyun. So Jaebeom wasn't far off.

She nearly choked on her sip of hot chocolate. “Wait, did you drink?”

“What? No,” Youngjae dismissed with a wave of his hand. “I just wasn't focusing on the time, and by the time I made it back to my apartment, it was already past midnight. I didn't even get up there until half past eleven.”

She nodded, making a noise of understanding through a bite of brownie. As he bit more into his sandwich, Jieun piped up, “I'm really sorry about the other day, Youngjae.”

“What? I told you I wasn't mad at you for that,” Youngjae said through chews, covering his mouth so he wouldn't spew food out like some kind of barbarian.

“I know, but I still feel bad about it! That guy has never struck me as the jerk type.”

“Some people are better at hiding it than others. It's not worth my time to be hung up over it, so you shouldn't worry about it either,” Youngjae told her with a shrug. If people declared him not worth their time, then he deemed them not worth his. Simple as that!

Rest in piece to his two year friendship with Hyunsik because of that mindset, but with how dismissive Hyunsik had been of him since he'd moved out, Youngjae figured that the guitarist was no longer interested in being friends. Youngjae had even helped Hyunsik pack, and the thanks he got was being ghosted...

Not worth his time to worry about!

“I know you said you'd never let me set you up on another date again, but I'd like to try and find you someone if you'll let me,” Jieun said hesitantly, like she was expecting her words to be shot down right from the start.

Which they would be. “I know you have good intentions, but that's not necessary,” Youngjae declined, shoving the last bite of his egg sandwich into his awaiting mouth.

She grumbled to herself before letting out a sigh. “I want to do the same kind of thing for you that you did for me. You put in a good word for me with Yongguk and set us up on the first of many dates, and I couldn't be happier with anybody else. I want to do something like that for you, too, Youngjae,” she explained softly, lips curving up into a gentle smile.

Jieun had been a mess at first when it came to Yongguk. If it hadn't been for Youngjae, she probably would've ended up just pining at the coffee shop during her free time, admiring from afar.

“The gesture is appreciated, but it really isn't necessary,” Youngjae declined once more. As she opened to do what he could only assume was argue her point, he interjected, “I have a boyfriend now.”

That's right, Youngjae now had the honour of being able to call Jung Daehyun his boyfriend! Just that thought had him giddy to the point where he couldn't even hide it, but why would he want to?

This sudden news had her widening her eyes and leaning forward with her hands planted firmly on the table. “What? Since when?” she questioned, eyes bright with excitement.

“Yesterday,” he beamed. “It still doesn't feel real...”

Yongguk sauntered up to the table at that moment with a drink and plate of his own. “What's going on over here?” he wondered as he slid into the seat next to Jieun.

“Yongguk, you won't believe this!” Jieun patted his shoulder repeatedly once he set his lunch down. “Youngjae's got a boyfriend!”

He looked over at Youngjae, a knowing glint in his eyes and a grin that said 'told you so'.

“Get that smug look off your face, Yongguk.” He low key wished he hadn't already finished his sandwich, or else he might've torn into it and stared his friend down until fear ripped through every muscle of his body. But Youngjae couldn't do that, so he pouted into his drink instead.

“I was right, wasn't I?”

“You were right.”

“He wasn't straight, was he?”

“He wasn't straight...”

Yongguk's grin was definitely saying that he'd said so now. “So how'd it go? You have to give us the details, you know.”

“I don't actually have to do that,” Youngjae pointed out.

Jieun eagerly looked at Youngjae with badly concealed excitement. “Yeah, you do! Give us those juicy details! What happened?”

“Well...” Youngjae paused, his mind playing out the events of the previous afternoon. 'I'll be doing me and Daehyun both a favour if I'm as vague as possible with this.' Youngjae could always divulge things about details later, when things weren't just starting out. “We both came to the realization that we felt the same about each other. So, we decided to... explore the possibilities together.”

“That was incredibly vague, Youngjae.” Jieun shook her head, disappointed at this lack of details. Youngjae knew that his friend loved to gossip, though, and he wasn't about to let his love life be her her salon gossip topic so soon.

“That means he made a fool of himself,” Yongguk nonchalantly commented before chomping down into his BLT sandwich.

“I did not!”

“If you say so, Youngjae,” Yongguk dismissed, but his tone contradicted his words.

Yongguk wasn't wrong, though. Youngjae had been completely taken off guard when those three words left Daehyun's mouth. To the point that he'd only been able to stammer out the oh so eloquent response of 'what' while Daehyun slapped a hand over his mouth. The gay panic was very real, and Youngjae had the thought that maybe Zelo had been so insistent about Youngjae speaking up because Daehyun had confided in his best friend about his feelings...

But the words had been said. So once Youngjae's gay panic had settled, and Daehyun's frantic attempts at apologizing were subdued by Youngjae assuring him that there was no need to apologize since he felt the same, they spoke through things in a more relaxed manner. As relaxed as they could with the adrenaline rush that came from reciprocated feelings, that is.

“Are we going to get to meet him one day, Youngjae?” Jieun asked.

“One day, yes. I hope so,” Youngjae said. “Things are too new right now for me to just go introducing him to all the important people in my life.”

“That's fair. I imagine it'll be the same way around for him.” She stirred at what was probably now cold chocolate rather than hot chocolate with her index finger. “Unspoken relationship etiquette states that you should be together for a while before being introduced to others like that.”

“I mean, I already have his best friend's stamp of approval, so I've got that going for me.” This was only because Youngjae was friends with Zelo beforehand, so it's not like he was introduced to Zelo through Daehyun. In fact, it had been the other way around with Zelo having been the one to introduce the two of them.

Zelo also once again threatened to throw Youngjae into traffic if he hurt his best friend when he'd messaged Zelo to let him know the news. He got the traffic threat along with the added bonus of being told it would be the busiest highway Zelo could find. Then he punctuated his message with a smiley face.

He at least wished Youngjae luck as well.

“Well, we'll anticipate the day we're able to meet him, whether that's next week or months from now.”

--

A/N:

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Cool Yule to all y'all~ :)

As another present, I'll share with y'all some of the songs from my Harmony playlist. 12 for the 12 days of Christmas.
1) Melted - Akdong Musician
2) Portrait - Bang Yongguk
3) Diphylleia Grayi - Jonghyun
4) Butterfly Effect - EXO
5) Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye
6) Other People - Amber Liu
7) Picking Up The Pieces - Blue October
8) Hope - Yoo Youngjae
9) Way Back Home - Jung Daehyun (Idol Radio cover)
10) Inventing Shadows - Dia Frampton
11) Shiranai Love Oshiete Love - Lily White
12) It's All Too Much - Yui

Introduced: Jieun