beneath your dust-piled crown | yeongyu

;chapter 4

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

[ 🚩 ]
Sorted it out, you're in group 3 now
Better vibe there, trust me :P

[ Beomgyu ]
wait what??
what did you do?
hello????

It was just before his Music Marketing class when Beomgyu stared at the message, a complex knot of irritation and reluctant gratitude tightening in his stomach. The ease with which Yeonjun maneuvered situations — apparently playing the generous savior again — irked him. Why bother? What would he gain from it?

Pushing these thoughts aside, he headed to class, where he spotted group 3. The familiar figure of Kang Taehyun caught his eye, not just for his noticeable smaller yet muscular stature, but also for his large, striking eyes that seemed to always hold a sparkle to them. Beomgyu recalled watching him in their Advanced Vocal Techniques course, where Taehyun's voice had a clarity that cut through the usual classroom murmur.

"Taehyun, right?" Beomgyu approached with a cautious smile, extending a hand in greeting. "We're together now for the project. My name is Beomgyu. Heard you in Vocal Techniques last week — you nailed that ballad."

Taehyun looked up, a flicker of surprise passing over his features before a warm smile took over. "Thanks, Beomgyu. I've heard your guitar work during sessions, pretty impressive fingerstyle you've got."

They sat down, quickly diving into the project plans after Beomgyu had introduced himself to the other members. The fact that they'd already progressed so much further in such a short amount of time than he had in his old group, made Beomgyu finally feel in the right place. That was until their conversation inevitably shifted toward the topic Beomgyu had been avoiding.

"So, swapping away from Yeonjun's group," Taehyun mused, looking curiously at Beomgyu. "That's a move not many would dare or even want to make. Any reason?"

Beomgyu was surprised for a second by the fact that Yeonjun had made it seem like he swapped the group himself, without any of his involvement. Yeah, couldn't possibly make people find out he'd help me, huh? Whatever, I prefer it this way too. He ran his hand through his hair as he let out a breath. "It's hard to focus on any actual work when every conversation circles back to Yeonjun. It's like... I don't know, as if there's nothing else to talk about but him."

Taehyun chuckled lightly, a knowing look in his eyes. "Sounds exhausting. Everyone's just so whipped for him, huh? Idolizing someone they barely know — never really understood that."

"Exactly," Beomgyu agreed, surprised to find someone to share the same sentiment. "It's weird, right? They don't see that he might be a very different person underneath, they just see what they want to see. And I can't work like that, constantly overshadowed by some... curated persona everyone's obsessed with."

Taehyun nodded thoughtfully, his expression turning contemplative as he leaned back in his chair. "People choose the version of others that suits them best. It's easier, I guess."

As they turned their attention back to the project, Beomgyu felt a certain bond forming. Working with Taehyun was straightforward, uncomplicated — how it should be. But as they focused on their work, Beomgyu's mind wandered, overtaken by the unresolved thoughts about Yeonjun that refused to settle.

Later, as the sun began to set, Beomgyu found his way back to the rooftop, his fingers dancing across the strings of his guitar. The city's noise faded to a distant murmur, unable to drown out the whirl of his internal storm as he kept circling back to the same person. It was this easy to just get along and co-exist with Taehyun. That's how it should be. And if it isn't – it's someone that I should avoid. The thought was rational, straightforward, yet his heart clenched oddly at the idea. His gaze wandered to the silver crown that was still in the same place it landed a few weeks ago. So why is Yeonjun making this so hard? What's going on with me lately?