Leehan sat in silence for a moment, trying to brush off his awkwardness after Jaehyun's teasing. His attempt to appear unaffected only heightened the rush of emotions building inside him. Jaehyun's question about having someone in mind had hit a nerve—one Leehan hadn't expected to be so sensitive. His heart had skipped when the question was asked, and he couldn't quite shake the feeling that something had changed inside him. He felt the warmth in his cheeks, betraying him even as he tried to pretend nothing was wrong.

Jaehyun, being the ever-observant one, noticed the shift but didn't press any further. His smirk lingered, an acknowledgment of something unspoken. "Alright, alright," he said with a teasing laugh. "I'll stop before you get all moody on me."

Woonhak shot Jaehyun a look of exaggerated annoyance. "Too late. I'm already annoyed, hyung."

Leehan managed a small smile, trying to regain his usual ease despite the growing discomfort. He hadn't expected the conversation to take such a turn, but now, his thoughts were racing. The call went on for a little while longer, the familiar banter soothing him, but his mind kept returning to the same place. Taesan. The pull he felt toward him hadn't gone away since that brief, strange interaction in the hallway. It was becoming harder to ignore.

Eventually, Jaehyun wrapped things up with a yawn. "Alright, I'm heading to bed. Don't stay up too late, you two. Enjoy the date, Sungho and Riwoo!" he teased before ending the call.

Leehan set his phone down and stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The weight of his thoughts was a quiet pressure that wouldn't leave him. The noise of his friends' playful chatter had faded into the background, but the unease still lingered. His chest tightened when he thought of Taesan again, his mind drifting back to their brief encounter. That pull. That strange feeling he couldn't explain.

He had to admit, it was unlike anything he'd felt before, and that made it all the more confusing. Was it a crush? Was he just overthinking it? It didn't make sense, and the more he thought about it, the more tangled his feelings became.

The weekend had felt long, but now, the thought of Monday loomed over him. Taesan would be there, and for reasons he couldn't understand, the idea of seeing him again filled him with anticipation and dread in equal measure. He wasn't sure how to handle whatever this was. Not yet.

Leehan sighed and grabbed his phone again, unlocking it to check for any messages. He hovered over Taesan's contact for a moment, wondering if he should say something. But what could he possibly say? He didn't even understand what he was feeling.

He put the phone down with a sigh, the silence in the room almost too loud. Eventually, he switched off the light and let himself drift into sleep, hoping tomorrow would bring clarity. Maybe.

___

The next morning arrived far too quickly. The sunlight crept through the blinds, pulling Leehan from his restless sleep. He stretched groggily, his mind still wrapped in the haze of his previous night's thoughts. Taesan. Again. The pull he felt toward him still hadn't gone away, and now, with a new day beginning, Leehan wondered if it would ever stop.

He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes as he took in the quiet of his room. His usual morning energy was missing, replaced by a heaviness he couldn't shake. It wasn't like him to feel this way, to be so lost in his own thoughts. Usually, he was quick to jump into the day, ready to face whatever came next. But today? Today was different.

Leehan sighed again, this time louder, and ran a hand through his hair. Was this what it felt like when you started developing feelings for someone? Or was this something else entirely? Taesan had barely said two words to him, and yet, everything felt different now. It was frustrating, confusing, and yet, Leehan couldn't help but be drawn back to the thought of him.

He grabbed his backpack, preparing to head out for the day. He smiled half-heartedly at his parents as he passed through the kitchen, their voices a quiet hum in the background. They didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, but Leehan couldn't shake the feeling that something was quietly unraveling within him.

The thought of seeing Taesan again made his chest tighten in a way he didn't know how to interpret. Was it excitement? Anxiety? Maybe both. His heart wasn't sure. He stepped out of the door, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. The world outside seemed to move at its usual pace, while inside him, everything felt suspended, waiting for something to shift.

School felt like it dragged on endlessly. The minutes stretched into hours as Leehan tried, and failed, to focus on anything other than the swirl of thoughts about Taesan. He told himself to focus on the work, to ignore the ache in his chest, but every time his gaze flickered toward the quiet boy, his heart would race, and his mind would go blank.

Taesan didn't seem to notice. He was as detached as ever, absorbed in his own world, rarely engaging with anyone around him. But today, something was different. Leehan noticed the subtle way Taesan sat, his shoulders hunched slightly, his fingers tapping nervously on his desk. His face was soft, distant, but there was something behind it—a hint of vulnerability that Leehan hadn't seen before.

And then their eyes met.

It was just a fleeting moment, a brief glance. But in that instant, everything around Leehan seemed to quiet. It wasn't a simple exchange. There was something more in that gaze, something unspoken that passed between them. Leehan couldn't explain it, but the sensation of being seen, of Taesan looking at him like that, struck him with a force that left his chest aching.

For a moment, Leehan lost his breath. The room around him felt distant, as if the space between them had closed in on itself. Taesan blinked, his gaze dropping away, and just like that, the moment was gone. But the feeling lingered, thrumming in Leehan's chest. What did it mean? Did Taesan feel something too? Or had it all been in Leehan's head?

The bell rang, breaking the stillness, and Leehan quickly gathered his things. He couldn't bring himself to look back at Taesan, but he felt a magnetic pull tugging at him, as if something in that brief moment had set something in motion. He wasn't sure what it was yet, but he knew that whatever it was, it wouldn't be easy to ignore.

___

another chapt completed! (dont trust me when i say "this is my last chapt for today") 😇