999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

[ c - soonhoon ] pretty u

TAG: "you think i'm pretty?"

hoky fuck i didn't know this was 2k words 🗿 at least i finally can get smth out with this title i love this song

•••

from the age of ten, jihoon learnt that he wasn't worth it.

he learnt that the next door neighbours' kids were always going to be better, prettier, smarter, more talented than him. he learnt that he would never win to them, or those nobodies his parents called their friends' kids.

jihoon learnt he could never beat anyone.

so he submitted to it in silence, knowing that no matter how hard he worked, someone out there will always be more worthy of his parents' praise. someone who will never be him.

it didn't stop him from working hard though. in fact, he never took a break ever. pushing himself through mock paper after mock paper, he made it out of high school with as perfect a record could be. still, his parents thought that stupid jung eunbin from two doors down was much a much nicer kid, with a couple of music achievements on her plate.

so jihoon pursued music, just to beat her and get his parents to spare a glance his way too.

in university, jihoon met many people. he met all kinds of boisterous loud personalities, quiet and shy ones, studious ones, all-day partiers and so many more.

one of these was a boy called soonyoung.

soonyoung was jihoon first friend in university, but that was because the former picked him from the crowd of other new kids and laid a claim on him. jihoon, ever the introvert, accepted without a word. and so, linking arms with soonyoung everyday, jihoon went to class.

jihoon was starting to like his courses. they were interesting and informative and he was glad he picked something a little more creative. he finished the assigned piece of work and looked excitedly at soonyoung, only to catch him with his brows furrowed and fingers silently knotting his hair.

jihoon's smile dropped, "soonyoung, you okay?"

hearing his worried voice, soonyoung straightened his features. "of course! why?"

jihoon paused, "n-nothing... i was just going to tell you that i'm done! and i'm really happy with it. wanna listen?"

soonyoung usually says 'yes!' so jihoon was already fishing out his earbuds-

"i'm okay, ji. you can go, i... still need to finish this." jihoon stopped, shoving his earbuds back into his bag. he frowned, "are you sure? i can stay to help you."

soonyoung shook his head, clearly frustrated and dejected from not being able to do his work, "no, i'm serious. you can go. don't want your roommate missing you too much." he tried to joke, but it sounded hollow. jihoon couldn't even bring himself to laugh.

he saw soonyoung's eyes look a little more wet than usual, so he thought it was best to go. "alright... but if you need help, just call and i'll help you. no questions, okay?" jihoon reminded softly while packing up his bags.

"bye, soonie. good luck!"

soonyoung gave a sad smile and a weak thumbs up, "bye, ji."

his room door shut, separating them. jihoon sighed at the door before walking off. on the other side, soonyoung burst into tears.

the next day, jihoon didn't see soonyoung in his first class. he didn't even come to walk with him. so jihoon sat alone in class, listening as attentively as he could with soonyoung whirling in his mind.