You Light Up My World (Sungtaro) [Completed]

Chapter 2: pines over taro in potions

The next day does not start out well. Sungchan forgets his textbooks in their shared room and has to practically force Shotaro to stay at the breakfast table while he runs through the castle up to their tower. Breathless and chest burning, Sungchan slides into his seat next to Shotaro just as Professor Malfoy waltzes through the door, floating a cauldron full of something that smells like literal death in front of him.

"Good morning class, guess what we're doing today!" He plops the cauldron onto his desk, grinning gleefully as the classroom is filled with groans of disgust.

Sungchan tries to resist the urge to bang his head onto the table. Next to him, Shotaro looks mostly unbothered. The only sign of any reaction he gives to the awful smell quickly spreading throughout the room is a slight wrinkle of his nose. Sungchan can only stare fondly.

He doesn't want it to sound like his crush is shallow or anything, but Shotaro is genuinely the most beautiful person he has ever seen. He reminds Sungchan of the bunnies that used to hop through his grandmother's yard in the summer. He had tried to hug the fluffy creatures many times as a child, but they always hopped away before he could touch their soft fur. That's where Shotaro differs from them: Sungchan doesn't have to chase after him. He always seems to know exactly when Sungchan needs him.

Shotaro steps in front of Sungchan to peer into the cauldron in front of them, and Sungchan can't resist leaning forward to rest his chin on top of the older's head for just a second. The soft hair tickles his face as he pulls away quickly and he can feel himself blushing. Surely Shotaro will think he's weird for this, might even suspect Sungchan has a crush on him. He knows he isn't subtle by a large margin, and Shotaro wasn't Sorted Ravenclaw for nothing. He braces himself, scrambling to come up with some sort of excuse or explanation.

Shotaro turns around, looking up at him with a puzzled expression. As Sungchan stares down at him, waiting for some sort of condemnation, the corner of his mind that never stops being whipped for Shotaro informs him that the boy looks exactly like a Samoyed puppy. Shotaro tilts his head to the side, studying Sungchan's face, before his own expression melts into a much fonder one.

Sungchan holds his breath as Shotaro leans forward and wraps his arms around the younger, holding his waist gently as he settles into Sungchan's chest. He feels himself wrap his own arms around Shotaro as if in a dream. The boy's hair is soft against his face and he smells sweet, like vanilla and sugar cookies.

Shotaro takes a step back and beams up at Sungchan. "Come on, Sungchannie. We have to do the potion now. I'll go get the supplies."

As Shotaro leaves to go to the supply cabinet, Sungchan mentally gives himself a shake. The ambient background noise of the busy Potions classroom slowly filters back into his awareness, and he realizes his cheeks are burning. He takes a deep breath and immediately regrets it. The stench of whatever potion they're brewing today fills his lungs and he coughs, chest burning. The force of his coughing makes him crouch down on the floor, and he tries to breathe without inhaling more of the foul odour.

Shotaro chooses that exact moment to reappear, hovering over his hunched figure with concern. He dumps the stuff he's carrying onto their lab table and then turns to Sungchan.

"Sungchan, what happened? Are you alright?" He places a comforting hand on Sungchan's back as the younger boy continues coughing.

The noise grabs the attention of Professor Malfoy, who comes over. "Jung, I told you this would happen," he tuts. With a wave of his wand, he casts a Bubble-Air charm over Sungchan's head. "Next time, pay attention to the board. Now get going on your potion, you still have most of the period left." Professor Malfoy's robes swish out of view before Sungchan can manage to choke out a 'thank you'.