1. neo

“taekwoon-ah, you still here?” a head peeked into the studio taekwoon hadn’t left since the night before yesterday. there was no reply, but the slumped figure in front of the keyboard told him otherwise. hakyeon smiled to himself, he closed the door behind him and crept up to taekwoon. 

the room was pitch black- only taekwoon’s back illuminated by the light of the computer. hakyeon looked up at the digital clock hanging on the creamy wall. 2.53 am. hakyeon sighed a little as he placed the blankets in his hand over taekwoon’s shoulder. 

taekwoon looked surprised at the intruder, taking off his head phones and turning around to look up at hakyeon. his eyes were red, tired from staring at the monitor for so long, cheeks also sunken a little from skipping meals. hakyeon feels his heart squeeze, “it’s 3, taekwoon-ah.” his voice was gentle, like how a mother would talk to her child. taekwoon feels the stress flowing out of himself. “get some sleep?” his hands massaged at taekwoon’s stiff shoulders, and they stayed there for a while, taekwoon closing his eyes just enjoying the feeling of hakyeon’s talented hands working on his overly strained body.

“I’m just gonna finish up the outro, almost done,” taekwoon peeled his eyes, hand landed on hakyeon ones on his shoulder. he gave the leader a smile, appreciate how he cares for him. “why don’t you head back first? I’ll be back in a few.” 

“nah,” hakyeon shakes his head, “i’ll stay here until you’re done.” he pulls a chair from the corner and sits down next to taekwoon, leaning his head on his crossed arms. 

taekwoon just looked at him for a while. it was obvious that hakyeon isn’t getting much sleep either lately. but he knows that he couldn’t really force the leader into anything. “okay.” he replies softly, and continued working on the unfinished song with only one side of the headphones on. he glances at hakyeon time to time.

hakyeon smiles at the monitor, eyes unfocused. taekwoon thinks that hakyeon is a blessing to his life. for all his life, taekwoon has never met anyone that gives up sleep for him, well, except for his mother, but then again, he thinks, hakyeon is like a mother, so its the same anyway. then he realises that he’s staring.

“what are you looking at?” hakyeon chuckles, deep and tired, but never lacking affection.

“I'm done with the track, just missing a few verses,” taekwoon tries changing the topic. he looks away, “uh... wanna listen to it?” 

hakyeon’s eyes lit up, even if just a little, like he was waiting for that question all along. “can i? can i really?"

“mm, sure," taekwoon nods, “just a second.” plucking his headphones off the computer and turning the volume up. His heart thumps against his ribcage, anxiety building up, hoping that it meets the leader's expectations.

the song starts playing and hakyeon shifts in his seat, nervous and excited.

it was a pop ballad, slow and smooth, but with beats, quiet and calming but just as intresting. hakyeon smiles, just like taekwoon, he thinks. the lyrics weren’t done yet, for a few parts, but taekwoon can work on that tomorrow. 

taekwoon’s perfect and soothing voice bounces against the wall of the small studio, soft but at the same time, bringing out the emotions of the song. hakyeon closed his eyes, he let the melody seep deep into his bones, he feels them. pride swelling in his chest, hakyeon think it was perfect. 

“it's beautiful,” he whispers as the song comes to an end. “great job, composer jung taekwoon. its perfect, really.” he grins widely. the tip of taekwoon’s ears flushed a shade of red, but he’s smiling.

“thanks, hakyeon-ah.” taekwoon says. “for staying with me, and listening to the song, and the blanket, and… everything, thank you.” 

“y’know what?” hakyeon’s lips pressed into a thin line, “i’ve figured that i'll ask about your inspiration for this song tomorrow so that you can eloborate because there's definitely a story behind the lyrics.”

taekwoon groaned. “don’t.” 

hakyeon laughed, “the lyrics are really good, everything is really good, actually. what’s the title?” he asked.

taekwoon thought for a while. then he tugged lightly on the blanket hakyeon put over him just now. he smiled to himself, though hakyeon can’t really see it. “on a cold night.” he says. 

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내 착각인 거니

Why did you have to leave me?
I didn’t even know why as I just blankly stood there

Did you meet someone new?
No, it can’t be
Was that just me being wrong?