Onew felt as if he was melting.

The SM practice room in which all five members of SHINee were currently practicing in was overwhelmed with body heat and sweat. They had been perfecting the choreography for their next comeback for the past few hours without rest and were currently suffering the consequences due to the lack of windows and poor ventilation.

He knew everybody was exhausted and pushing themselves to the limit. He also knew that no one would dare to call for a break first. He observed their resident dancing machine Taemin, whose movements were just as sharp as ever, but Onew could see slightly unfocused gaze in his eyes. Key’s eyes always became more focused when he was tired, Onew knew from experience, because his pride wouldn’t allow him to show his weakness. Minho’s steps were an eighth of a beat off, and Jonghyun was sweating up a storm. Onew knew that if he didn’t stop them, they wouldn’t stop.

After one more run through of the song, Onew brought his hands together in a loud clap. After announcing an hour-long break, which was celebrated with hoots and cheers, he waited for all the members to scatter before grabbing his bag and leaving the room himself.

His feet automatically took him straight to the building’s rooftop, where a few miscellaneous plants and stone ledges were scattered around. It was pretty late at this time, and the sole source of lighting on the roof came from the moon, stars, and the many houses in the distance. They had started practice a little while after dinner and it was now just an hour until midnight.

With a deep intake of breath, he dropped his bag on the floor and lied down, using it as a pillow. It was neither cold nor hot, and with only the star-dusted sky in his view, he felt calmed and relaxed.

He began to sing, making sure that his voice could reach the sky. He had spent many days as a trainee and even after their debut singing on this roof. Other people rarely went to the roof, as there were so many practice rooms for them to use.

It was towards the end of his second song when he heard the door creak open and close, and soft footsteps approaching.

“Oppa,”

Ah, he would know that voice anywhere.

“Sunyoung-ah.”

He watched as she walked over with a plate of food in hand. Even from the ground she looked tiny. She sat down beside him and placed the plate, which he could now see was full of sliced watermelon, between them.

“Vic-umma sliced some fruit up for us and Taemin said I’d be able to find you up here.” She handed him a skewer as he sat up eagerly. “What are you doing up here, oppa?” Her brown eyes blinked at him curiously, hands folded on her lap.

“Just singing.” He smiled at her. Her brown hair was getting long now, so it was currently bound at the top of her head in a ponytail. She was wearing loose clothes for practice and minimal make-up, but Onew thought she still looked very pretty.

“Singing up here?” She nodded and hummed, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging them. “There is a really great view.”

He broke his gaze and stared back up at the sky. “It’s almost always too overcast to see many stars, but it’s still nice.”

“Yeah, still nice.”

They enjoyed a comfortable silence together before he spoke up.

“I used to come up here when I was a trainee—before I even knew I’d be in SHINee—and just sing to the sky. I would practice everyday as hard as I could and try to make my voice reach the heavens so they could hear my song.” Onew laughed a bit and resumed eating. “I know it’s kind of silly.”

Luna reached out and touched his shoulder slightly before withdrawing her hand, eyes bright with a slight smile on her face. She always did things like that and it drove him a little wild inside. “I don’t think it’s silly, oppa. You sound quite charming, actually.” She teased, making that squinty, nose wrinkly face that he always thought was cute. “And I’m 100% sure that they could hear you in the heavens. You must be singing ballads every time it rains, huh?”

She always complimented him a lot, Onew noticed—on and off broadcasts. He knew he probably shouldn’t feel special, since she seemed to like praising everybody, but he did. And he liked it.

“Of course I am,” He replied seriously. “I sat up here every day of the winter season and sung one of Sung Si Kyung-sunbaenim’s songs to start the day.”

She did that thing where she laughed while touching his shoulder again and he could feel his heart start to get excited.

He finished up the last piece of watermelon and scooted back until he was leaning against a stone ledge, motioning Luna over to join him.

“Can you make it rain now, oppa? So Vic-umma doesn’t have to water the plants tomorrow.” She requested with a faux-serious expression. She already knew he wouldn’t refuse, and leaned her head back, closing her eyes with a satisfied smile.

He hummed and stared straight at her relaxed face, mimicking her position. Her head barely reached his shoulder.

“Ji geum gyeot  seo ttan saeng gag e jam gyeo, geot go it neun geudae…” He heard her make a sound of approval and watched as her smiled lifted a bit higher. “Seol le neun maeum emol lae geudae moseub, barabomyeon seo nae ane damayo…”

[* Right now, as you are next to me daydreaming / With an excited heart, I quietly take a peek at you and remember you in my heart / It may be love, or otherwise it’s inexplicable / This road that we are walking together, not just ending again as a memory, but will be preserved like today forever ]

She scooted closer to him and hesitantly leaned her head against his shoulder. He froze. His singing halted, and he could see in her expression that she was about to withdraw in embarrassment.

They weren’t new to this position, but this was different. They weren’t practicing for a duet or doing any kind of performance. This was real.

Before he could say anything, her eyes flashed open and she scooted away. “Sorry, I don’t know what—“

He cut her off. “I’m sorry, I’m probably really smelly from practice.”

“No, no—I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—“

“Oh. Well if I don’t smell, then it’s okay.” With a burst of courage he didn’t know he had, he scooted until their bodies were right next to each other and lightly placed his hand on her opposite cheek.

Their eyes met and his whole body felt as if it were on fire. She was the first to break the gaze and she looked down at her hands, which had been wringing each other in her nerves. “Oppa…”

Onew softly pushed her head onto his shoulder and resumed singing. It took her one verse to finally relax again, and by the next one she had made herself comfortable. He hoped she knew that he was never like this towards any other girl. He knew how often he wondered whether Luna was treating him differently than other guys, so he always assumed she would have similar thoughts towards him.

Everyone knew there was something going on between him and Luna. It wasn’t anything concrete or easy to describe, but it could be seen and felt whenever they were together.

“Sarangha su it nayo, naega dagagan mankeum, I jen naegewa jwoyo, naege gi daen maeuml sarangi ani rahae do, gwaenchanha yo geudaer bolsuiss eu  ni…”

[* Can you love / as much as I have approached? / Now, come to me / Your heart depending on mine / It’s okay although it isn’t “love” / Because I see you / It’s okay / I love you ]

The song drew to a close and he tilted his head towards her to read her expression. A soft smile rested on her face and she gave a light applause.

“You didn’t make it rain, oppa.”

He laughed and hesitantly found her hand with his own. They weren’t on stage. They weren’t in the practice room. They weren’t playing rock, paper, scissors. It fit perfectly into his and felt warm in his palm. He swung their linked hands around once before resting them in between the two of them.

“I guess it didn’t.” He smiled at their joined hands. “But I wasn’t singing to the heavens.”

Her cheeks rose and tinged a slight pink.

“I was singing to you.” Onew said. He laughed as her fingers curled and she lightly pushed him.

“So cheesy.” Luna teased.

“But you like it?”

“Only because I like you, oppa.” Her cheeks became even darker and she quickly requested another song.

If it were possible, it felt like every part of him was smiling. Without missing a beat, he began to sing Jason Mraz’s I Won’t Give Up.

She sighed and played with their hands. “I wish I understood more of what you were singing about.” She joked. “It sounds beautiful regardless, though. Do you know what you’re singing about, oppa?”

Onew nodded. “And even the stars, they burn. Some even fall to the earth. We got a lot to learn, still looking up,”

“Oh! I understood that part!” Luna laughed excitedly and Onew had to stop singing to admire her affectionately. “I think you’re one of them, oppa.” She said with a serious face.

He looked at her, confused. “Eh?”

“A star on earth. That’s you, isn’t it?” They held gazes for a few seconds before they both began laughing. Luna squealed, fingers curling.

“Sunyoung-ah, you’re just as bad as me.” Onew teased. On the inside, he accepted the compliment giddily.

“You know you like it.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Only because I like you.” He repeated her earlier words shyly with a smile.

Luna grinned back at him and he lightly squeezed her hand.

For now, this was enough.