Byunghun gulped nervously as the blonde boy in pink moved closer, each hand holding a bottle of water. He bent down and re-tied his shoelace. The boy came closer still. He decided that the knot he has tied was too hasty to be deemed acceptable, and bent down to tie it again. When he straightened up, the archer looked at him from above with a gentle smile on his lips.

Almost tripping on the clean cut grass, Byunghun jerked away apprehensively, wondering what the blonde archer wanted from him. A lukewarm bottle of water was offered to him, and he accepted it timidly. “I saw you running, you must be tired.”

Byunghun didn’t answer, choosing instead to open the bottle and tip its contents into his open mouth. The unrealistic good looks of the other was intimidating him, so much that his chest began to tremble yet his eyes could not draw themselves away. “I’m Chanhee, Lee Chanhee.” Again, he waited for an answer. Again, Byunghun did not supply him with one.

“Will you come watch me compete?” Byunghun shrugged, not trusting his lips to answer. Chanhee laughed weakly, wondering if he had made a fool of himself in front of the smaller boy. When he turned to leave, defeated, small fingers tugged on his sleeve. He turned to see the panicked eyes of the younger, lips quivering as words tried to make themselves audible yet failed again and again.

“I guess that’s a yes?” Byunghun nodded, grateful that Chanhee had spoken for him. Chanhee beamed, showing off his teeth as his eyes glimmered, the liveliness that they held slinking back once more. He ce again, bounding off as he waved to the redhead. “See you there!”

***

Byunghun played with the grass, waiting impatiently for Chanhee to have his turn. His eyes involuntarily turned to the blonde sitting under the shade, fiddling with his bow and polishing his arrows until they gleamed. He turned, spotting Byunghun with a smile and waved. Byunghun curled his fingers into a fist and brought it up into the air. Fighting! He conveyed through the simple message. Chanhee nodded, repeating the gesture and complementing it with a bright smile.

Byunghun tentatively smiled back, earning a victory sign from Chanhee as the marshal called his name. He knelt on the grass in anticipation, admiring the elder’s lean form as he stepped up, closing one eye and calmly observing the target. Byunghun marveled at his beauty as he tested the string of his bow, showing off biceps that even the loose jacket could not hide. His eyes stayed firmly on the target as he leisurely positioned the bow, slipping on an arrow gracefully and pulled on the string until it was stretched taut.

When Chanhee released the arrow, Byunghun inhaled sharply, the expression of hope mirroring that of the blonde’s. When the arrow hit just outside of bulls eye, Byunghun released the breath that he didn’t notice he had been holding and scrambled off the grass with a jubilant yell. Chanhee laughed loudly, running off the platform and sweeping Byunghun into a tight hug, taking his breath away. Byunghun stiffened, but slowly wrapped his arms around Chanhee, hesitantly leaning into the hug.

***

Chanhee collapsed in the chair, disappointed at the results of the match. Byunghun hurried to him with a bottle in his hands, the very bottle he had just taken a sip from. Offering it to the exhausted blonde, Byunghun placed a timid hand on his shoulder, patting it softly. The corner of Chanhee’s eye gleamed as he tried to blink a disobedient teardrop away.

Byunghun let go of the drink bottle and bent down, meeting Chanhee’s eyes as he gently cupped his palms around the other’s fatigued face. He leaned forward, gently pressing soft lips upon the elder’s cheek, brushing away the exhaustion and taking away the tear that trailed its way down Chanhee’s cheek.

When Chanhee opened his eyes to look at him, Byunghun smiled gently.

“It’s nice to meet you, my name is Byunghun. Lee Byunghun.”