“AARRRGHH” Changbin suddenly groaned angrily, taking his working headphones off. “I can’t do this! It’s not coming out right. That’s not my sound!”

 

From their own desk, Jisung and Chris threw a quick knowing look at each other over their respective computers. This had been going on for weeks and they were both slowly reaching the end of their patience with this whole situation.

 

“Didn’t we tell you already? Just freaking talk to him!” Chris said, also taking his headphones off.

 

“Worst case scenario: you are embarrassed for a couple hours. Best case scenario: you actually befriend the guy and freaking get off our nerves once and for all!” Jisung completed with no tact whatsoever. Tact wasn’t an option here. Not when Chris and him already tried every possible solution to get Changbin over his stupid crush.

 

“You can’t know that. I mean, I’ve never seen him hang out with anyone before.”

 

“Yet, all this time, you could have hung out with him and had an actual earth to earth conversation instead of daydreaming and raging over a perfectly fine track.” Jisung retorted, raising an eyebrow.

 

This, Changbin couldn’t exactly contradict. He snorted, then leaned back in his chair, stretching. “… Fine. I’ll do it. I’ll talk to him.”

 

“ing finally!” Jisung whispered with relief. He didn’t have to look at Chris to know that he was thinking the exact same thing.

 

See, Changbin wasn’t always so whiney.

 

No, he usually was someone very hard working, great with sounds and rhythms. Chris, Jisung and him were in their second year of the music program at a local college. From different hometown, they had met at the beginning of the previous year and immediately connected like they knew each other all their lives. From then on, creating music was second nature to them. Their chemistry allowed them to accomplish anything. Whereas Chris was making one with the mixing program, Jisung was good with words: it was like they streamed out of him. Changbin, for his part, had somewhat a mix of both their abilities, making their team as balanced as could be.

 

First year was relatively easy with introductory courses. Then came second year, and its unexpected workload. was real and as much as the three of them were good at making music, the amount of it they had to create often left them as drained as strained noodles.

 

Fall session was hard. Although they all passed, they saw a few of their classmates drop out and it kindda made them realise how much they liked creating music, in solo as much as in group.

 

Winter session came along, and that’s when hit the fan for Changbin.

 

It’s common knowledge that everyone’s creation takes the flavour of their creators. Changbin always had a very rhythmical but a little aggressive vibe to his songs, as if every note, every word had to change the world.

 

Overall, his music was a perfect mirror of his personality.

 

But then, he saw that person.

 

See, Changbin was usually very friendly and talkative. He was always the first to go towards people, the first to include newcomers. He was a first step kind of guy.

 

This time, he couldn’t.

 

And it bugged him.

 

A lot.

 

A.

 

WHOLE.

 

LOT.

 

It happened at the start of Winter’s term. During the first few weeks, they usually get to see new faces, new groups form, and new hang out habits take place according to people’s schedules. Changbin, Jisung and Chris were passing by the cafeteria after their late morning class. At a table near the door, a boy was having lunch by himself. Earphones on, he was eating with one hand and sketching with the other.

 

It wasn’t rare to see people cram or complete last minute projects in the cafeteria, but this boy wasn’t in any hurry. He was just enjoying himself and his lunch, lightly bobbing his head to the rhythm of the music he was listening to.  

 

The twinkle of sunlight on metal from the stranger’s glasses caught Changbin’s eye. He looked at the boy, and at the same time, as some spider-sense, the boy looked up in their direction. Politely, probably as a reflex because their eyes met, the boy sent a half-smile towards him, then refocused on his sketch.

 

He was wearing old school clothes: a denim jacket, white shirt, dark Converse and these big round thin-framed-yet-eye-catching silver accessory glasses. Combined with his relatively short dark hair and plump bottom lip, one could say that this boy was attractive. At least, Changbin could. And he did, as soon as the three of them had walked past the cafeteria.

 

“Who WAS that?” he asked, interrupting Jisung mid-sentence.

 

“Huh? Where?” Chris was confused. He had been carefully listening to Jisung who was talking about the group project the teacher had just announced, oblivious to the half-second eye contact that had just happened between Changbin and the stranger.

 

“Back in the cafeteria. The guy who was sketching.” Changbin clarified.

 

“I didn’t quite see. Sorry Binnie.” Chris apologised as Jisung shrugged.

 

“Nevermind”, Changbin brushed off with a discarding hand gesture and took on discussing the group project.

 

After that incident, it seemed that wherever Changbin walked, he saw this cute stranger. The first week, it wasn’t so bad. But then, as days passed and he got used to his own schedule, he started to notice that this stranger was often at the same time at the same place. Unintentionally, Changbin started to look out for him whenever he walked by the hallways.

 

Changbin had no reason to act like this and he knew it, but it was stronger than him. Like a magnet attracted to metal, he HAD to look at this man’s face. Something made him want to look at him all day. Changbin noticed that he had quite a pouty mouth when he was focused. He liked the old school vibe of his clothes and accessories.

 

Unconsciously, his music was affected by this whole thing. What he produced was never to his taste: too soft, with an old-school vibe he never quite was a fan of. This, combined with the weird longing feeling in the pit of his stomach, was becoming a bit overwhelming. Jisung and Chris were totally aware of his obsession with this stranger and tried to convince him to finally make a move in a thousand ways. To no avail.

 

 Until today, when Changbin finally couldn’t take it anymore.

 

Still rather irritated, Changbin stood up and grabbed his bag, swinging it nonchalantly over his shoulder.

 

“Okay I’m doing this. See you later in class,” he announced, and then took off before he could change his mind, slamming the door shut behind him.

 

As quickly as his resolution came, he still had no clue of what he would say when he would finally stand in front of the guy. It wasn’t in his habits to get nervous in front of people and it enraged him a little bit more than it should.

 

Instinctively, he walked towards the cafeteria, because he knew that today, a Wednesday, at this hour, he would be more likely to find the person he was looking for hanging around the fist table by the cafeteria’s entrance. Before he knew it, Changbin was pulling a chair in front of the stranger’s discarded lunch tray.

 

The sudden movement made the stranger’s eyes shift from the thick theory book he was currently taking notes from. With a raised eyebrow, he took off one of his earbuds as Changbin sat, backpack still over one shoulder. Changbin (nervously) cleared his throat.

 

“Hi!” he started, smiling his cutest bashful side-smile.

 

“Hello?” The stranger’s tone was not hostile, just intrigued, and maybe a little bit amused. His eyes flashed this interrogative look and Changbin’s breath caught a little at the back of his throat. A second passed, and the stranger tilted his head on the side, expecting Changbin to go on with his sentence. Only when he saw the move Changbin realised that he had frozen for a second. He cleared his throat again.

 

“Hi.” He repeated in a quick breath. And then mentally cursed at himself for being so silly. “I was wondering if maybe you’d like to hang out sometime?”

 

The guy smiled an ambiguous smile, like he was still trying to decide whether he was aware of the effect he had on people or laughing at him (or both.)

 

“Are you always this direct, or do I make you nervous?” the guy retorted, blunt, mischievous. Yeah, definitively both. Luckily, Changbin was good at improv and going with the flow. So he did.

 

“Alright, I won’t lie; both, actually.” Changbin admitted, scratching the hair behind his ear to give himself a tad of moral support. There was no use in lying to people with this kind of personality, he decided. “Let me rephrase that, will ya’? Hello, I’m Changbin. I saw you eating alone for the past few weeks. Mind if I join you?”

 

The stranger blinked and then couldn’t stop the bright, carefree, unfiltered burst of laughter that escaped what seemed to be the depth of his belly. “Hello Changbin. I’m Hyunjin,” he answered. “You are welcome to join me, although I have class in 20 minutes.”

 

“’it's alright. I also have class.” Changbin admitted as Hyunjin took out his remaining earbud. “May I ask what this gigantic book you are reading is about?”

 

“Oh, this?” Hyunjin said, shutting the volume shut using his notebook as a bookmark. “Just the Art History textbook.”

 

“Oh, a fellow art student. That makes so much sense now.” 

 

“What’d you mean? How does it make sense? I never saw you in any of my classes.” If Hyunjin was making fun of him just 2 minutes ago, he was now utterly confused.

 

“Ah sorry, sorry. I’m not an art student. I’m in the music program. Which is also a form of art, mind you. But that’s besides the point… It’s just that I saw you draw a couple times…?” Honest and direct, as always.

 

“Oh. Okay. Yes, that’s my specialty, actually.” For a quick second, Hyunjin looked a little surprised.

 

“So, why are you hanging out by yourself? You seem like a nice guy.”

 

“I could ask you the same. Aren’t you hanging out with your sidekicks today? They kicked you out?” Hyunjin teased, totally ignoring Changbin’s question.

 

“My sidek…?! So, you DO know me!?” Changbin’s insides made a little wave.

 

“Hard not to when you three have such a reputation.” Hyunjin stated, matter-of-factly.

 

“What’d you mean?” If Changbin was happy just 30 seconds ago, he was getting more and more confused.

 

“What’d you mean: “what’d you mean”? You mean you don’t know?”

 

“Don’t know about what, exactly?” Yep. Confused.

 

“About the reputation your friends and you have all around campus. You were the ones who made the soundtrack for last year’s end of term musical, right? Most girls in my student association are still listening to the tracks. Even I, who wasn’t even in school at the time, know it by heart by now. Plus, they just go on and on about every Insta post you guys make. That’s mostly why I hang out here.”

 

“You are kidding me, right?” Was this why everyone was so nice to Chris, Jisung and him since last term? Maybe he should pay more attention to his surroundings. Or maybe he should just get out of their studio more often.

 

“No, I’m serious.” Hyunjin insisted.

 

“Man, that’s embarrassing.” Truly, it was. It’s not like Changbin wanted this in the first place.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Sorry.” Changbin said, still a little under shock.

 

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s not your fault, I guess. It’s not like you were flashing your popularity all around school.” Hyunjin reassured.

 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I don’t even get out of the studio much. I only ever go to class.” Changbin went on pensively.

 

“Yeah, I noticed.” Hyunjin answered nonchalantly.

 

“What?”

 

“I said I noticed.” Hyunjin repeated, eyes locking with Changbin’s. Changbin didn’t answer this last statement. He let it sink for a second.

 

Someone’s alarm went on, breaking the visual contact they were locked in.

 

“That’s me,” Hyunjin said, stopping the alarm as he started picking up his stuff. “Gotta go to class. Didn’t you also have class?” he asked.

 

“Oh , I have to reach the other building.” Changbin remembered and sprung to his feet. “Good talk! See you tomorrow, Hyunjin.” He concluded with quick finger guns.

 

As he half-ran across campus to the other building, Changbin mentally slapped himself, scoffing. “Seriously? Finger guns? Stupid, stupid Binnie!”

 

He was still a little out of breath when the teacher arrived in class, only a tiny minute after him. Chris and Jisung were already in their usual spot on the left of the class, waiting for him with triumphant grins plastered on their faces.

 

“So, did you two kiss?” Jisung asked cockily.

 

“Shut up.” Changbin intelligently countered.

 

“Seriously though,” Chris went on, his tone more serious, “did you at least talk to him?”

 

“Yes, I did.”

 

“… So?!” Jisung pressured.

 

“So, his name is Hyunjin, he’s in the art program and he hangs out in the cafeteria because of us.” Changbin said quickly while the teacher got his stuff ready to give that day’s lecture.

 

“Because of us? We don’t even know him.” Chris argued, confused.

 

“He said the girls from the art program won’t shut up about us and he got tired of it, so he hangs out in the cafeteria instead.” Changbin answered, shrugging.

 

“About us? What’d we do? We don’t ever hang out with anybody apart from the three of us.” Jisung wondered, matter-of-factly.  

 

“That’s what I said, but Hyunjin said it might be because of last year’s musical?”

 

“It’s true that most of the cast were art students.” Chris recalled.

 

“Yeah. Apparently, we are celebrities.” Changbin concluded as the professor called out for everyone’s attention. “Let’s talk about this after class.”

 

 

////

 

 

Changbin found himself having lunch with Hyunjin almost every day during the following week. Turned out that Hyunjin was especially good at multitasking: he ate, took notes out of his usual massive textbook, and could entertain a coherent conversation with Changbin all at the same time, which Changbin found greatly fascinating.

 

“Did anyone ever tell you that you are a fascinating person?” he asked on a random Friday.

 

Changbin’s comment was so out of the blue. Hyunjin almost choked on his salad.

 

“I’m sorry, what?” Hyunjin asked, sipping on some water. “Why would you say that all of a sudden?”

 

Realizing what he just said, Changbin scratched the hair at the back of his ear. “I mean, we’ve been having lunch all week, and yet you manage to stay on top of your homework, and your outfits are always top notch. I can’t do that. All honours to you.”

 

“Well, it’s not like I can allow myself to fall behind. My scholarship is on the line here. But thanks, I guess.”  

 

“You’re on scholarship?”

 

“Yeah. Artistic Youths’.”

 

“Woah that’s… I heard they only choose 3 candidates each term.” If Changbin was impressed with Hyunjin before, he was even more so now.

 

“Yeah, the selection process was savage.” Hyunjin chuckled dryly like someone remembering a bad memory.

 

“See, I was right: fascinating.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

“I do say so. Does that mean you are some kind of art genius, or something?”

 

“That’s a very subjective question, y’know? Graphic arts hit everyone differently. Like : I like what I do, but it doesn’t mean you or anyone else will.”

 

“That sounds familiar, somehow.”

 

“You make music. That’s the same principle. You like what you create, but it doesn’t mean I, for example, would.”

 

“Wanna hear some pieces to test out that theory?” Changbin proposed playfully.

 

“Yeah, why not?” Hyunjin agreed easily.

 

“You’ll have to come over to the work room though.”

 

“Are you sure your sidekicks will let me in there?” Hyunjin teased.

 

“Ha! Stop calling them that. If anything, Jisung and I are the sidekicks here.” Changbin laughed at his own answer, as if he was in on a good inside joke.

 

“Oh, are you, now? I thought you didn’t let anyone dictate you how to live your life.”

 

“And I truly don’t, mind you!! You’ll see what I mean when you officially meet them.”

 

“Okay, I believe you, for now.”

 

And as if on cue, Hyunjin’s alarm went on as a reminder to attend class in the next few minutes. They both picked up their stuff and said goodbye.

 

When Changbin entered the workroom, he found Chris alone, headphones on, eyes shut, reviewing his most recent track as he always did. Changbin sat at his usual desk and rummaged through his saved files to select a few tracks to show Hyunjin in the next few days.

 

“Hey, welcome back. Didn’t hear you come in.” Chris said once his track ended.

 

“Yeah, didn’t want to interrupt… Where’s Jisung?”

 

“Teacher appointment. He should be back soon. More seriously, though. How was your date?” As much as he could , Chris was usually quite serious with this kind of subject.

 

“Date? What date?”

 

“Didn’t you have lunch with Hyunjin today?”

 

“Yeah, but it wasn’t a date.”

 

“Okay, call it whatever you like, you were eating, alone, while having a conversation: that’s the exact definition of a date.”

 

“Yeah, whatever. It was alright… Oh, did I tell you that he calls you guys my sidekicks?”

 

“Me? Your sidekick? Don’t make me laugh. If anything, you and Jisung are my sidekicks.” Chris laughed, totally aware of this peculiar attitude he sometimes had naturally.

 

“That’s exactly what I said! And then I invited him over to hear some tracks.”

 

“And you said it wasn’t a date. I’m surprised you two didn’t kiss goodbye when you parted ways. Seriously dude. No wonder you are still single.”

 

“Aw come on! I’ve known the guy for, like, two minutes.”

 

“And?”

 

“And I don’t think he likes me that way.”

 

“Binnie. If he agreed to meet you here, with two strangers he never met, that’s at least the beginning of some interest.”

 

“… I guess you are right.”

 

They both fell into a comfortable silence and went on with their respective tasks. Changbin couldn’t help but go over Chris’ words in his head. Did he really like Hyunjin that way? It’s true that he was probably the most attractive person he even met. Plus, he liked the way he wasn’t afraid to speak up anything that was on his mind. It was very refreshing in this rigid environment where nobody truly ever reveals its real colors. Some people could call their banter flirting, but Changbin was a man of honor and didn’t like to read too much into things…

 

Maybe he should start, though, because if Chris was right, it could mean that he had a chance. If he was very honest with himself, he did like that idea very much.

 

The idea hung at the back of his head the whole weekend as he worked on yet another track that became too old-school for his liking. Even his lyrics were mushy. So yeah. Maybe Jisung and Chris were right. Maybe he had the biggest crush ever and maybe he had a chance. Who knows?

 

It’s with these rather intrusive thoughts that Changbin led Hyunjin to the work room on Wednesday afternoon after both their classes.

 

“Welcome to the Batcave,” he announced, as he swung the door open. “Hi guys.”

 

“Hey, Binnie.” Chris called out from his desk.

 

“We have a problem,” Jisung announced without any form of warning.

 

“What? Why? What’d I miss?” Changbin reacted immediately. Jisung wasn’t the type of person to be alarmed easily.

 

“Prof Choi emailed all of us after class. He wrote that he made changes in the syllabus and that our tracks were due in two weeks.” Chris explained.

 

“You’re kidding, right?” Changbin’s stress level skyrocketed : he had to press his palms down his desk in order to ground himself.  

 

“No. We’re as surprised as you, man.” Jisung commented, raising an eyebrow.

 

“We were supposed to have a whole month! This can’t be allowed, can it?” Changbin objected angrily, neglecting throwing his backpack on his chair, furiously shaking his hair.

 

“Huh. I can come back later if now’s not a good time.” Hyunjin awkwardly said, still standing by the door. For a second, Changbin had forgotten his presence, still unused to having a fourth person in the room.

 

“Oh god. Sorry, let me introduce you.” He said, moving in a way that invited Hyunjin to come forward into the room. “Guys, this is Hyunjin. Hyunjin, the guys.”

 

“Nice to finally meet you, Hyunjin. I’m Chris.” Chris said with a nod.

 

“Hey, I’m Jisung. Welcome.” Jisung introduced himself because Changbin wouldn’t.

 

“Nice to meet you, guys.” Hyunjin said. “Are you sure I’m not interrupting? I’m serious, I can come back later.”

 

“Don’t sweat it. We’re just a little surprised, that’s all,” Chris reassured with a smile. And with the tone he used, Hyunjin could perceive a little bit of what Changbin meant when he said he was the one being a sidekick.

 

“Alright. I’ll stay, then. I have homework to do anyways, so I’ll just sit here and give you some space to sort it out.” Hyunjin announced, taking place at an empty table beside Changbin’s working station.

 

With that, Changbin, Jisung and Chris went on about their group assignment. They played the track over and over again, correcting rhythms, tonalities and effects. They had already started with the project, but this shortening of the delay made them a little anxious about the results.

 

“You should make this part an octave higher.” Hyunjin said, out of the blue. They had almost forgotten his presence. He was quietly sketching, feet popped up on the table he was doing homework on only a few minutes earlier.

 

Changbin, Jisung and Chris turned in unison to look at him, a little surprised.

 

“He’s right, though.” Chris said, making the changes in the program. “That’s what was weird with this part. Thanks, Hyunjin.”

 

“No problem,” the latter answered, totally unbothered.

 

If Changbin was more impulsive, he’d go over there and kiss the hell out of Hyunjin out of gratitude, but there were some witnesses and Changbin wasn’t that much into PDA. So, instead, he put in his most thankful smile and directed it at Hyunjin, who, in turn, sent back a playful smile and a wink.

 

Caught off guard, Changbin’s eyebrows jumped up and his gaze fled back to the computer screen, as if intimidated. He wasn’t, though. He just didn’t quite know what to make out of this teasing. He heard Hyunjin chuckle under his breath, and looked back at him. He was clearly enjoying making fun of him. Changbin refrained from groaning.

 

None of these exchanges were missed by Jisung and Chris, who abstained from commenting. That didn’t stop them from exchanging knowing looks every time. After this one, though, Chris judged that Changbin deserved a break.

 

“Okay, let’s call it a day, guys. I’m hungry and my eyes are getting itchy,” he proposed once the track stopped for the thousandth time that day.

 

“Thank god. I’m about to die of starvation.” Jisung whined. “Wanna get an americano on the way back?” he offered.

 

“Yeah, if you want to.” Chris agreed. “You coming, Binnie?”

 

“Yeah, you guys go first, I’ll join you in a few.”

 

“Alright. See ya. Bye, Hyunjin!” Jisung waved and followed Chris out the door, leaving both Changbin and Hyunjin in the wide, empty, silent room.

 

“So…” Changbin started.

 

“Your sidekicks are nice.” Hyunjin teased, interrupting him.

 

“Yeah, they’re the best.” Changbin agreed. “Sorry for today. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I hope you weren’t too bored.”

 

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t.” Hyunjin reassured. “In fact, I was able to hear your music as was initially planned, it just didn’t happen in the way we thought it would. Plus, I completed an assignment that was giving me trouble. Wanna see how it turned out?” he proposed, confident.

 

“If you feel like showing me, I’d like to,” Changbin replied. He wasn’t the kind of person to push people into doing things they weren’t comfortable with, and he knew that some people were sensitive when it came to their art.

 

“So, I have this class that is about setting the subject of the painting into context to give it more importance, right? Like a composition class, of sorts.” Hyunjin started, flipping through pages of this sketchpad. Changbin didn’t quite understand everything, but he rolled with it. “I was struggling to find a subject to practice with. See, I usually draw small things, daily objects. But I thought what happened this afternoon was appropriate for this assignment.” He went on, standing up and handing out his sketchbook to Changbin.

 

Changbin took it and looked at the sketch. If he was the blushing type, he surely would have combusted on the spot. Hyunjin kept on talking.

 

“You once told me that I was a fascinating person,” he said, looking straight at Changbin.

 

“Yeah, I remember.” Changbin recalled, voice dry, looking straight back at Hyunjin.

 

“I think you’re a fascinating person too. See, I usually draw or paint things that make people feel warm, and you are a warm person, Changbin. As much as you try to conceal it with this carefree attitude and dark concept of yours, it shows in the way you interact with your friends and the things around you. I could see that very clearly this evening.”

 

Changbin was speechless. How Hyunjin knew about his dark concept was out of his comprehension, but the way he looked at him at that precise moment made all thoughts fly out of his head with the speed of a tropical windstorm.

 

Hyunjin took back his sketchbook and gently dropped it on the table. Changbin still couldn’t articulate any coherent words: he was mesmerized by the person standing right in front of him, with his bright, creative mind, with his big, intense, perceptive eyes, his pink plump lips.

 

God.

 

His lips.

 

“Do it,” Hyunjin whispered. And this small push was all that it took for Changbin to dive headfirst.

 

He took the one step that was keeping them apart. His right hand slipped into the soft hair on Hyunjin’s nape; his left naturally took place on Hyunjin’s hip, pulling him even closer. Changbin’s eyes fluttered shut, head slightly tilting to the side, and he felt Hyunjin’s breath hit his cheek, breezy. His lips hovered over Hunjin’s for half of a second, until Hyunjin closed the slight gap between them.

 

The rush of adrenaline that ran through Changbin’s veins was dizzying. His pulse quickened, he breathed in, had to refrain himself from pulling Hyunjin’s hair in a delighted reflex.

 

He couldn’t remember the last time he kissed someone. Hell, he couldn’t remember the last time he had such an intention. And the fact that apparently Hyunjin wanted this as much as he did made him want to yell in victory. For the time being, he smiled against Hyunjin’s lips, his second hand joining the first against Hyunjin’s nape.

 

“What?” Hyunjin asked, whispering, puzzled, when he felt Changbin smile.

 

“Nothing,” Changbin chuckled. “I just really wanted this,” he admitted, eyes still shut.

 

“Good. Me too.” Hyunjin confessed before he was once again pulled into another unhurried kiss.

 

 

 

---

I am so sorry for the mess that is this fic. I wrote it over 3 sessions and one of them consisted in me hiding my gay fluff from my boyfriend. lolz.

Feedback is welcome! Tell me how to make it better. Or just drop a tiny hello. Talk to me! :D <3 I love to read you guys!