you're not so bad | [hoonki]

[seven]

things changed very quickly over the week that followed.

for starters, sunghoon didn't go anywhere without seeing nishimura riki, he didn't mean that literally. for example, he'd be at work, helping a customer at check-out and then suddenly, his mind would go, 'oh ni-ki would love this drink'. he could be doing his assignments then, all of as sudden, his mind would conjure up an image of ni-ki smiling while telling him to come to take a break with him. he was gonna lose his damn mind.

not to mention that he's also quite literally seeing him everywhere. he ran into him in the halls between lectures – the boy would smile and discreetly squeeze his hand as he walked by.

ni-ki stuck to his side as if the two were glue during dance practice, earning weird glances from his friends and hoseok. the younger even went as far as to join the '02z' trio for lunch, dragging along his best friend kim sunoo, who was an absolute joy to be around so they didn't mind too much. heck, sunghoon had even taken him to meet jungwon after one of his check-ups – it was astonishing considering it'd taken him ages to introduce him to jake.

but what changed the most was sunghoon himself. the man who was once buried with responsibility and walked around like a shell of who he used to be, had started to regain his shine. he felt lighter every day, his smiles more and more genuine with each passing day. he wasn't an idiot – he knew ni-ki was the reason.

the younger made him feel safe in a way no one else did.

he made him feel like it was okay to have time to breathe, like it was okay to care for your own well-being as well. it was strange how much of an effect ni-ki had on him, but sunghoon wasn't complaining.

"sunghoonie hyung, hi~!"

what's the saying, speak of the devil or whatever it was, but as if right on cue – ni-ki waltzed into the convenience store dressed in a hoodie that was way too large on him and a pair of baggy jeans. he looked adorable. sunghoon felt his heart lurch in his chest, but he ignored it as he waved at the boy from behind the counter.

"hi riki."

ni-ki beamed brightly at the name before disappearing behind the aisles, returning a few minutes later with two energy drinks and a lollipop. "oh are you new here?" the younger suddenly asked, quite obviously putting on an act as sunghoon scanned his items.

"no i'm not. i've been working here for a few months." the older of the two chuckled, glancing down at the items in his hand.

"that's impossible. i come here all the time, i would've noticed a cutie like you from miles away," the other hummed nonchalantly, holding his credit card out for sunghoon to take.

the older boy raised a brow as he took the card, tilting his head curiously as he asked, "are you flirting with me right now?"

"hmm maybe," ni-ki grinned cheekily, his fingers quickly unwrapping the lollipop as he spoke. "what's it to you?"

"nothing considering you of all people blush from the lightest of touches," sunghoon teased, handing the boy his card. "but it was nice seeing you. come again."

"who said i'm leaving? i'm hanging out with you for the rest of your shift," ni-ki announced, quickly rounding the counter before holding the lollipop to sunghoon's lips. "for you."

sunghoon glanced down at the candy, then up at ni-ki with a raised brow. "thank you. but don't you have anything better to do than to stay with me?"

the younger shook his head, taking a seat on sunghoon's stool leaning forward to rest his chin against the older's stomach, a smile on his lips. "i'm happy right here."