Another week passed, and this time the blonde first year tried very hard to push the thoughts of the third year out of his head. The semester was starting to progress, and the teachers were starting to give projects for the students to cope with. Wonshik had to concentrate on more than a pretty face right now, but that didn’t mean that it didn’t find its way in between the lyrics of his projects every now and then.

As Thursday came around again, it didn’t start half as well as the blonde would have hoped for. For unknown reasons, which he later found out were the batteries, his alarm failed to wake him up in time for class. Cursing and rushing through his small apartment, he collected his things before sprinting out the door with the left sleeve of his jacket still hanging loose from his side.

He arrived fifteen minutes late for Classical Music, his breath heavy and fast as he sat down on a seat without even looking if anyone sat near. It took him several moments to calm his erratic breath and to be able to concentrate on his surroundings. He looked around the hall, hoping to see a familiar figure hopefully not too far away from him.

When Wonshik turned his head to his left, he almost jumped right out of his seat in surprise. Those black eyes were strained on him, not two seats away, and for some reason the first year felt very under the expectant, almost demanding gaze. He couldn’t pinpoint why, but something about those dark, dark eyes was different today. If possible, they looked even darker, and Wonshik thought he saw something pooling inside of them… anger? Disappointment? Relief? For some reason he felt guilt rise in his chest. But that was ridiculous. He hadn’t done anything wrong, had he? As far as he could remember, the other male had been the one to ignore him the last time. But for some reason, he felt the need to explain himself, no matter how badly funded that need was.

“Sorry, I slept in,” he whispered in the direction of the other student, fully aware that his words might not even reach him. “My alarm didn’t work.”

He thought he saw the other male relax a little bit from the corner of his eyes, as if his words appeased him. It was weird; they weren’t even friends, were they? Wonshik wondered. But for some reason, the elder had reacted as if Wonshik had ditched him. Or was he imagining things?

Flickering his eyes to the dark haired man and back to the front, the blonde mulled over the recent events. Shaking his head in confusion, he told his body to stop the excitement that had started spreading at the thought of them – maybe – being friends. He hadn’t even heard the other speak yet, they couldn’t be friends. Right?

Wonshik didn’t pay the slightest attention to the lecture as it went on, ponding over thoughts after thoughts. The lingering glances he and the other exchanged now and then weren’t of any help to clear things up for the blonde, no help at all. Wonshik knew that if he wanted to find out what this actually was, there was only one way to do this. That didn’t meant that it was easy, oh no. It was probably to hardest part to come yet.

Making up his mind, the first year sat through the rest of the class, trying not to focus too much on the task ahead. His stomach had started making little backflips now and then at the thought, and a nervous feeling of nausea was spreading throughout his body.

As the professor ended the lecture, he felt his heart pounding hard in his chest. Now was the time. He saw the dark haired man stuff his things into his bag, making his way out of the row to the other side. Wonshik felt panic rise as he saw the other retreat, and he before he knew it, he leapt forward and enclosed the other’s slender wrist with his fingers.

The third year froze in his tracks, turning his head towards the blonde. His dark eyes, now wide with incredulity, landed on the hand connected to his wrist in obvious discomfort, and he looked at it, not sure how he was supposed to react. They flickered up to Wonshik’s own, nervous ones, and the first year thought he could see a whirlpool of emotions darkening them.

Clearing his throat, Wonshik let go of the other’s wrist, fidgeting with his hands in his slammed back into his pockets.

“Hey, uhm, I was just, uh,” the blonde started, looking away from those dark, comtemplating eyes staring into his own, “I was wondering if maybe you wanted to grab a cup of tea together? Coffee?” He added in a hurry when he saw the other male starting to turn away at the word ‘tea’.

Wonshik figured he must have said the magic word, because the elder’s eyes jumped back to his face, a gleam of excitement in them the first year hadn’t seen before. It knocked the breath out of his lungs for a second, and he had to remind himself to let out the air he was holding before he fainted.

Much to his surprise (and delight) the other nodded curtly, before turning around and making his way towards the door. Still entranced at what just actually happened, Wonshik just stood there for a couple of seconds, unable to move. Then he remembered he needed to move his legs, and, with a smile spreading on his face, made his way after the older male, who was already patiently waiting for him at the door.

The walk over to the Starbucks closest to the campus passed in silence, Wonshik still much too astonished at them actually going to have a coffee together. They were going to sit together over warm beverages at the same table, having to strike conversation, getting to know each other. Something about this made Wonshik utterly fidgety, but he couldn’t deny that he was growing more curious by the second.

They reached the coffee shop and the third year opened the door to let Wonshik in first. The blonde didn’t know why but a warm, rosy blush flushed over his cheeks at the gesture, and he ducked his head before quickly making his way inside, hoping the other hadn’t seen the color spreading in his face.

Getting in line, Wonshik stood behind the elder, waiting for his turn. When it was the third year’s turn to order, he heard the softest voice fill his ears and couldn’t contain himself from staring at the young man in front of him.

“A caramel macchiato, please.”

The melodic, soft voice that spread out as the other ordered wasn’t what Wonshik had been expecting him to sound like. To be completely honest, the blonde had never thought about what kind of voice the other male would have. But now hearing the melodious ring to the clear tone, he was sure that that wasn’t it.

“What may I get you?”

The words directed at him tore him from his trance, and blinking confusedly a few times, he quickly ordered a simple cafe latte. The first year stepped to the side, waiting for their drinks, looking after the elder who had secured them a table in the corner next to the window. Wonshik let his eyes wander over the fluent movement with which the dark haired man sat down in his chair, discarding his rather thin parka from his shoulders. The younger wondered how he survived without a scarf in this type of weather. He could see the slightly rosy touch to the other’s cheeks, burn marks left behind by the biting breeze outside.

Wonshik thought he looked absolutely breathtaking, now that he was finally able to look at him in the full light of the day, the ordinary surroundings making the other stand out even more.

The coffee shop’s clerk called out their order and, grabbing their drinks, Wonshik made his way over to their shared table. He put the caramel macchiato down, sliding it towards the other who took it almost cheerfully, the excited gleam from earlier back in his eyes as they landed on the hot beverage.

The blonde couldn’t help but smile at the clear giddiness of the older male, an action that didn’t go by unnoticed by the other. He looked at Wonshik questioningly, waiting for him to explain himself. Wonshik chuckled.

“You like coffee, don’t you?” He asked, exhilarated from seeing the other obviously happy about such a small thing.

The older male nodded slowly, a very soft, barely audible ‘yes’ escaping his slightly parted lips, the excited gleam never leaving his eyes. He brought the cup to his lips and let the taste invade his mouth, and Wonshik couldn’t take his eyes away from him. Feeling watched, the other lifted his eyes to meet the younger’s, and an embarrassed laugh left Wonshik’s throat. He took a quick gulp of his own drink, scolding himself mentally to stop acting like a schoolgirl in love. Mostly because he really wasn’t. In love, that is.

Looking back at the other, the first year realized that he didn’t even know his name.

“Hey, what’s your name?” He asked with interest, feeling the wary eyes of the other on him, probably ponding on how he should reply.

Then the soft sound of his voice rung in the air again as he spoke, just as nice as before. “Jung Taekwoon.”

Wonshik smiled. “Nice to meet you, Jung Taekwoon. I’m Kim Wonshik.”

Taekwoon simply nodded slightly, casting his eyes back down onto his drink, his long pale fingers closing around the mug. The silence between them stretched again, and Wonshik didn’t know what he should say. Taekwoon wasn’t the talkative type, he already found out this much. He figured it was best to let him open up at his own pace, rather than forcing him to say or to do anything. Not all people have a way with words, Wonshik concluded.

As the silence went on, Wonshik absentmindedly started to hum a beat that he had listened to earlier, the melody filling the air between them. The blonde looked out of the window, feeling Taekwoon’s eyes on him as he kept going.

He couldn’t really say how long they stayed like this, but it felt comfortable. In fact, Wonshik was surprised at how it didn’t feel awkward at all, them sitting together in silence but for the melody he was humming. There was an ease about this, he reckoned. He liked it.

Minutes passed, the two of them nipping at their drinks, before Wonshik’s melody was interrupted by words again. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t the first year that said them.

“You write.”

It wasn’t a question, not really. Taekwoon’s eyes were fixated on the younger’s own, searching for affirmation. Wonshik shrugged, looking back out of the window.

“Yeah, I do. It’s nothing special though. I’ve done it for a few years now… I just didn’t know what else to do, you know?” He let his eyes wander over the leaves that were being scattered by the wind, words falling from his lips without him thinking. “I guess I’ve always had a way with words. Writing was always the easiest for me in school; it was the thing I learned the fastest. I never really knew why, but,” he shrugged again, looking back over at Taekwoon, “sometimes things are the way they are. There aren’t always words to explain it. Not even for me.” He chuckled at his words.

Taekwoon’s lips formed into a tiny smile at the last words, too, before moving back down to their usual stoic line. But the smile didn’t entirely leave his eyes as it was his turn to look out of the window and at the street that lay in front of them.

The blonde looked at the third year, now curious himself.

“What do you like to do?”

Taekwoon’s eyes darted back to Wonshik’s, clearly not expecting the other to ask a question. His dark orbs flickered down and back up in uncertainty. Wonshik cleared his throat, feeling guilty.

“You don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to.” He said gently, scolding himself mentally. He hadn’t wanted to force the other into a conversation that he didn’t want to take part in. But at his words Taekwoon shook his head gently in a motion that it was okay. Wonshik realized again how unfamiliar with social interactions the other must be, and almost felt a little bit of pity for the dark haired male. Taking a little breath, Taekwoon answered just as softly as he had before.

“I sing.”

Wonshik lifted his eyebrows in surprise. Now, this was something highly unexpected. He thought Taekwoon would be someone who composed music, soft and intense melodies expressing the words he was unable to openly say. It was a surprise that the dark haired man had an interest in something that would force him to let full and sentimental sentences fall from his lips, something he didn’t seem to be too comfortable with at all. It made Wonshik let out a small laugh in disbelief.

Taekwoon’s eyes bored into his confusedly, the question in them as evident as ever.

“Sorry,” the first year still let out an incredulous chuckle, “I didn’t expect that.” The confusion in Taekwoon’s eyes intensified. Wonshik tried to find the right words to explain himself. “I would’ve rather thought you were a person that… composed music, rather than… than articulating it? If that makes sense?” The blonde’s eyes searched for the other’s dark ones, and he saw the elder scrutinizing him, gaze hard. He chuckled again, this time a bit uneasy.

“I didn’t mean that in a bad way, I really didn’t.”

Taekwoon’s eyes seemed to grow softer at the words, and he opted to sip on his drink while looking out of the window. Then his orbs wandered to the clock over the counter, and draining the rest of his drink, he set the cup down and started to put on his parka.

Wonshik, startled by the sudden movements, quickly stood up, scared that he had hurt the other’s feelings.

“Hey, where are you going?”

Taekwoon merely pointed at the clock with a long slender finger. “It’s late.”

The blonde followed the direction in which the other pointed and looked at the hands of the clock. His heart sunk a little at the time displayed on it, not entirely happy to break up just yet. He sighed. “Oh.”

Looking back at Taekwoon, he saw the older male watching him. A small smile spread over Wonshik’s lips, not entirely sure how he should react. I guess that’s it for today, he thought, a slight bitter taste invading his tongue.

“I had a nice time today.” Wonshik said, trying to make his voice free of any disappointment at the sudden break up. Taekwoon nodded at his words, a small gleam returning to his eyes before he made his way past the blonde and out of the coffee shop.

Wonshik sat back down on his chair, face in his hands. There was something up with him. Something not entirely right. He let out a deep shaky breath, finally letting the nerves catch up with him. What was up with him?