Jonghyun told himself it was Fate that Minho happened to be in the courtyard the next day while he was eating lunch.

I’m not stalking him. This isn’t even weird.

“You’re weird,” Taemin said. “You wanted to have lunch out here so you could see Minho again, didn’t you?”

“No! I write better lyrics I’m in an open space with lots of room to breathe,” Jonghyun said defensively.

“Then why isn’t there anything new on your notebook?” Kibum asked. He had eaten his lunch and was now working on painting his nails a bright blue that he had decided was his favoirite color that day.

Jonghyun looked down at his red notebook, covered in old lyrics and crumbs from his sandwich, then looked back at Kibum forlornly.

“If I look at his in those khakis for long amounts of time, I might be inspired to write a song.”

Kibum and Taemin looked at each other, letting out identical snorts.

“You’re hopeless. Though, I must admit: His is something to behold. Bards of the olden days would write ballads about it, well, given, that any of them were gay. They wore a lot of tights back then, so I’m sure his wouldn’t be the only thing they wrote ballads about.”

I am NOT going to think about Minho in tights… Hugging his…

“This is worse than having a celebrity crush. Why don’t you just talk to him? You know, introduce yourself or something, rather than staring at him from long distances? He’s right there.” Taemin poked Jonghyun in the ribs and interrupting his daydream before pointing off in the distance to where Jonghyun supposed Minho was; he was too embarrassed to look.

“Yah! Stop that!” Jonghyun hissed. “How could I? I can’t just walk up to him and say, ‘Hi, I’m Jonghyun, and I like to stare at you when I get the chance because I’m completely in love with you even though I don’t know you.’”

Taemin looked horrified, but Jonghyun wasn’t about to stop now. Kibum rolled his eyes and began examining his nails for imperfections, knowing that Taemin had opened a can of worms; he wanted no part of this.

“No, I know. How about, ‘I like the way your looks in those khakis, and I’d like to take them off of you sometime.’? That’s my personal favorite.”

“Jonghyun, I…”

“Or, ‘I’d really like to write songs about your eyes and the way they crinkle when you smile.’ In what way does that not make me sound creepy? I’m basically obsessed with the guy and I’ve never even met him. I…”

“So that’s what all the staring has been about.”

Three heads snapped to attention. That deep voice…

.

Jonghyun froze, his terrified gaze locked with Taemin’s. Kibum’s sharp intake of breath as he looked up was enough, and Jonghyun could feel his face turning the deepest shade of red it had ever been. Deeper even than the time he had first kissed a boy, and he remembered blushing a lot that day.

Do I turn around? Oh, God bless it, what have I done? That can’t seriously be him. What do I even say? I’ve said too much already. I’mgonnadieIjustwanttogohomewhatthehaveIgottenmyselfinto?

Knowing he couldn’t stay facing Taemin forever, Jonghyun turned his deer-in-the-headlights look to the person behind him, briefly meeting Kibum’s shocked gaze before resolving himself to complete the turn.

The sun was shining, but Minho’s body was blocking a lot of it.

Sitting on the ground, Jonghyun’s eyes stared straight at Minho’s legs, and he allowed himself to wonder how much of Minho’s tallness was just his legs.

Is he really this tall? I’ve never been this close before…

Jonghyun knew he was being a coward, but he sat there on the ground and stared at Minho’s knees for a good thirty seconds.

He has bony-looking knees. What do I do now?

Jonghyun’s thoughts were moving faster than he thought was possible, but he also felt sluggish, as though the world had slowed down around him.

Should I stand up, or stay here on the ground? If I stay here, I don’t have to really look at him, but if I stand up, I can see just how tall he really is.

Jjong’s curiosity won out, and he forced himself to his feet, wondering what he should do if he fainted from all the blood in his face rushing back toward the ground as he stood. From this position, Jonghyun had a good view of Minho’s white-t-shirt-clad chest, and he found it difficult to look any higher.

He’s too tall. This is ridiculous. I’m panicking.

Jonghyun could feel his breathing getting lighter as he looked higher, finally meeting Minho’s gaze.

Am I going to faint? He looks so somber, but not angry. Is he angry? His eyes are better from this perspective. His eyes are going to make me faint.

“I…” Jonghyun began, his voice cracking embarrassingly. He cleared his throat, wanting to start over.

“This is…”

“This is awkward,” Minho finally said, finishing Jonghyun’s sentence.

Jonghyun nodded, absorbing the feeling of Minho’s voice, but dropping his gaze. He couldn’t look Minho in the eye.

He hates me.

“I didn’t… I just…”

“Does this mean…”

Jonghyun looked up sharply, expecting at least a stalker comment, or a homophobic slur.

“…You like me?”

All of the blood drained from Jonghyun’s face, and he did the only sensible thing he could do at that moment.

He ran.