Wonsik’s POV

Wonsik didn’t even remember how he felt at that moment.

Was it love at first sight? He didn’t know.

But he could say that the eye contact lasted no longer than two seconds.

And that that time was enough for Leo and his stupid dark, intense eyes that are so much like those of a- (there, his mind digressed completely into a long, detailed analysis of Leo’s every feature) to stop his brain from functioning entirely.

He didn’t remember much of that first rehearsal.

He didn’t recall ever filling out that form.

Or returning to his place for that matter. And although Leo didn’t look into his direction again, the thought of his eyes were all that was on Wonsik’s mind for the next two hours.

Two seconds had been enough for him to fall for – a complete stranger, really.

In the following months, he often found himself analyzing that moment – after breaking their eye contact, wasn’t that a blush spreading on Leo’s face? Very faint but still very noticeable? The more time passed, the surer Wonsik was he’d imagined it.

What he could be sure about, though, was the fact that he should never have joined that particular choir. He presumed it after the second practice session and after reading the description on the college’s webpage, he knew it for sure: ‘A choir for experienced and motivated singers who wish to learn a demanding repertoire that will be performed in concert as well in competitions…’

Well, Wonsik didn’t know how to sing and he didn’t plan on learning it either but he didn’t want to quit since the rehearsals were the only time of the week he could stare at see Leo.

But seeing as the rest of the people seemed to have actually read the requirements beforehand and were, in fact, quite able and ambitious singers (and music majors for the most part as far as he could tell), he had decided to just silently mouth the text along.

I might not be a singer but I’m an artist and I know how annoying it can be to be stuck with incapable people or students who just don’t give a for projects you care about. I’m not going to bring the team down.

During the rehearsals he usually sat next to Hakyeon in the seats nearest to the wall with the rest of the bass singers while Leo had his place somewhere in the middle of the room since he sang tenor – which was good because it meant he could look at his love interest all he wanted without it being too conspicuous as Nick, the conductor, usually stood right in front of the altos and tenors.

Leo himself never caught him staring since he seemingly never spared him even a glance, which made Wonsik wonder.

‘Does he not like me?

–Don’t be silly, he doesn’t even know you.

But what if I accidentally sang aloud one time?

I mean I had a few run-ins with him on campus now and he clearly avoided eye-contact…’

A gentle nudge on his shoulders brought him back to the cold reality that was the tiled floor he was sitting on.

He looked up to see Hakyeon holding out his hands. As he took them and let him pull him on his feet, his friend asked him whether he was ready.

“Our performance starts in four minutes, you know.  Were you asleep? How did you not notice everyone leaving?”

“Actually-”

“If I didn’t realize you weren’t there, you would’ve missed the whole thing – am I right? Geez, you’re really …“

Just then, Wonsik noticed that they really were the only ones left in the basement.

He let himself be pulled up the stairs and out of the church, all the while not taking much notice of the constant nagging that still came from Hakyeon and tried to fix his clothes and hair even if just a little while they were heading over to the hall where the competition was held.

As they approached the building he noticed that someone had come to meet them halfway. Nick.

“There you are!”

The tall, curly haired conductor amiably patted him on his back and accompanied them back to the choir that had assembled in front of the artists’ entrance, already lined up the way they would walk in.

“’I’m glad Hakyeon found you in time. I wanted to ask if it’s ok for you to change positions a little? I just listened to the last performance, which was really good by the way, and since I sat just behind the jury, I could hear them commenting on a soprano’s hair. It was pink and it seems they disapproved… “

Nick looked at him questioningly and Wonsik was quick to respond:

“No sure, it’s no problem! Where would you like me to stand?”

“Well, I think it would be good for you to be somewhere a little farther from the edge of the stage so I was thinking”, at which point he gently pushed Wonsik into the direction of a guy with remarkable dimples whose name he didn’t know or forgot, “you could stand next to Hongbin. That way you’re somewhere a little more to the back but not in the center. I’m sorry I have to do this to you, though. Normally I wouldn’t care but-“

“It’s okay, I don’t mind-“, Wonsik said and put on his most convincing smile.

“Well, then…”

Nick made his way to the door where the sopranos were waiting while muttering something about “those damn stuck-up and narrow-minded judges” although Wonsik couldn’t tell for sure.

Just when he finally turned to greet the Hongbin-guy who must have been wondering how he had earned the honor to have Wonsik perform beside him, the realization, who, too, would be standing next to him, hit him. Who was sending him questioning looks now.

Everything he wanted to say got stuck in his throat while his mind went into overdrive.  He was glad that the conductor announced that it was time to go inside before it got awkward and finally managed to force out a simple ”Good luck” as the people in front started moving. Hongbin broke into a smile that was all teeth and dimples.

“Good luck to you, too! You’re … Wonsik if I remember correctly?”

He forced himself to focus on Hongbin and smiled back.

“Yeah. Nick said it might be better for me to stand somewhere where I’m a little less visible because of … this”; he said and pointed at his hair.

At this point they were almost at the entrance of the building and since a member of the committee had told them to be quiet inside earlier, their conversation came to a halt.

They quietly made their way through a dimly lit hallway; the first singers had already vanished through the door that led to the stage.

He could already hear the spectators clapping politely but shortly before they came into sight, the person walking behind him tapped lightly on his shoulder and then whispered “Good Luck”, very softly.

Wonsik had to hold back a little shriek – Really now? What are you, 12? – when he realized who that must’ve been.

Leo’s POV

Leo had a hard time hearing himself sing over the sound of his heart beating.

It was the first time he was so close to Wonsik; even now their elbows were touching.

Luckily, he knew the music well enough for the right words and melody to come out of his mouth more or less automatically.

He tried to distract himself by taking a closer look at the concert hall. It was quite big and the jury was seated somewhere in the middle of the room, scribbling away on their sheets. He then tilted his head up slightly to look at the details of the baroque ceiling.

As his heart still wasn’t back to normal after five minutes or so, he decided to give it up and just concentrate on singing again and tried to ignore the feeling of Wonsik’s arm against his (to no avail).

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see him singing and it wasn’t until the last song of their program had started that he began to wonder.

Is he really singing?

Hongbin, who stood two places away from him, could be made out without a problem; the guy on his right maybe even was a little too loud.

He turned his head a teeny little bit so that he could see Wonsik a bit better.

Well, he certainly looked like he was singing and it genuinely made him wonder.

Maybe he has a cold…

But then again, I heard him talk just minutes ago and he sounded all right.

After pondering the possibilities for a little while he decided to just ask Wonsik.

If you’re not going to talk to him now, when then?

 Now is the perfect opportunity and you’ll do just fine-

His inner pep talk was interrupted by no other than Wonsik who gently nudged his arm with his elbow.

Their performance had come to an end and the singers were making their exit – the guy he was supposed to follow out was long gone.

This is just great.

He forced his legs to move and hoped that Wonsik didn’t notice the blush he felt creeping on his face. Again.

He managed to get backstage, all the while being painfully aware of the other’s presence behind him.

All the courage he had built up to talk to him before had vanished into thin air when he turned around and found himself face to face with him, only centimeters away from those lips that he had dreamed about so often-

He his heels and stormed out of the backstage area and didn’t stop until he had locked himself in one of the toilet booths.

With a big sigh he rested his forehead on the smooth surface of the door and then let out a small, nervous laugh.

Well done, Leo.

Two hours later

“We won!!!”

The performance hall was filled to the brim; all of the participating choirs had come together for the award ceremony and the air that had tingled with anticipation just moments earlier now exploded with shouting and laughter in Leo’s part of the room.

Before he knew it, he was part of a big group hug and he almost fell over the seat in front of him but it didn’t matter.

Everybody embraced everyone and he was passed from one happy face to the next and to the next – he knew he must look the same; his face felt like it was going to be ripped apart by this huge, unrestrainable grin.

He only snapped out of his euphoric daze when he got to the end of the row and realized who was standing there - Wonsik looked equally surprised.

But after a short moment of insecurity, he thought - It-.

And went in for the hug.