By The Window | YeonBin

one

Yeonjun sat in the back row, head down, as the teacher droned on about something he didn't care to remember. His notebook lay open in front of him, but the pages were blank, save for a few half-hearted doodles along the edges.

The only thing that kept him somewhat tethered to the moment was the faint buzz of his phone in his pocket, a small escape he was waiting to take advantage of when the bell rang.

Across the room, a familiar burst of energy interrupted the quiet surrounding him.

Choi Soobin.

Yeonjun didn't need to look up to know it was him; the loud, cheerful voice was unmistakable. He was always like this—too loud, too bright, like a firework in the middle of a quiet night. Today, it was no different. Soobin was chatting animatedly with a group of friends, his laughter echoing through the classroom.

Yeonjun sighed and glanced up, just in time to see Soobin practically bouncing on his toes, making exaggerated gestures as he spoke. The boy was a bundle of energy, always moving, never able to sit still for more than a few seconds. It was exhausting just to watch.

Annoying, Yeonjun thought, as he returned to his notebook, pretending to be interested in the half-formed shapes on the paper. But as the minutes ticked by, he found his gaze drifting back to Soobin.

There was something about the way he talked, the way he drew people in with his infectious enthusiasm, that made it hard to look away. Even Yeonjun, who prided himself on being indifferent to the world around him, couldn't help but be a little intrigued.

Not that he would ever admit it.

The bell finally rang, and Yeonjun was the first to stand, shoving his books into his bag with a practiced speed. He was halfway out the door when he heard Soobin's voice again, closer this time.

"Hey, Yeonjun!"

Yeonjun froze for a second, then slowly turned around. Soobin was there, just a few feet away, a wide grin on his face.

"You heading home already?" Soobin asked, tilting his head slightly, his eyes bright with curiosity.

"Yeah," Yeonjun replied, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Why?"

Soobin shrugged. "Just thought you might want to hang out for a bit."

Yeonjun blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected invitation. He was used to being overlooked, slipping through the cracks unnoticed. Soobin, however, seemed intent on pulling him into the spotlight, even if just for a moment.

"Nah, I've got stuff to do," Yeonjun mumbled, turning away before Soobin could say anything else. He didn't have the energy for socializing, not today.

As he walked down the hallway, he could still feel Soobin's gaze on his back, like a persistent itch he couldn't quite reach. It was annoying, but a small part of him—the part he didn't like to acknowledge—was a little amused.

He was just about to turn the corner when he nearly bumped into Taehyun, who was waiting for him by the lockers. Taehyun raised an eyebrow, having caught the tail end of the conversation.

"I didn't know you were close with Soobin," Taehyun remarked, curiosity peeking through his lips.

Yeonjun scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm not."

Taehyun's lips quirked up in a small, knowing smile. "Could've fooled me. He looked pretty eager to hang out."

Yeonjun shot him a look, half-annoyed, half-amused. "He's like that with everyone."

"True," Taehyun agreed, falling into step beside him. "But I don't think I've ever seen him ask you before."

Yeonjun didn't reply, focusing instead on the path ahead. He didn't want to admit it, but Taehyun had a point. Soobin's sudden interest was unexpected, and Yeonjun wasn't sure what to make of it.

As they walked out of the building, the cool breeze of the late afternoon hit them, a welcome relief from the stuffiness of the classroom. Taehyun, ever the observant one, noticed the slight furrow in Yeonjun's brow.

"You okay?" he asked, his tone softer now.

"Yeah," Yeonjun replied, more out of habit than truth. "Just... tired."

Taehyun didn't press further, but Yeonjun could tell he wasn't entirely convinced. Still, Taehyun respected his boundaries, knowing when to let things go. It was one of the reasons why Yeonjun valued his friendship so much.

"Let's get going," Taehyun said after a moment, changing the subject. "We've got that history project to finish."

Yeonjun nodded, grateful for the distraction. As they headed home together, he tried to push thoughts of Soobin to the back of his mind.

____________

The sound of his parents arguing downstairs was a constant backdrop, a harsh reminder that the walls of his house were too thin to block out the reality he didn't want to face. Yeonjun had long learned to drown it out with music, slipping on his earphones and turning up the volume until all he could hear was the pounding rhythm of a bassline.

He sat cross-legged on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his room dark except for the soft glow of his phone screen. The arguments used to bother him, once upon a time, but now they were just background noise—white noise he'd grown accustomed to.

There was a faint tapping sound, barely audible over the music in his ears. Yeonjun ignored it at first, thinking it was just the wind. But then it came again, a little louder this time, more insistent.

Reluctantly, he pulled out one of his earphones and sat up, his brows furrowing in confusion. The tapping continued, steady and rhythmic, coming from... the window?

Who the hell...?

Yeonjun swung his legs off the bed and padded over to the window, cautiously peeking through the curtain. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Soobin standing outside, one hand raised as if to knock again.

"What the..." Yeonjun muttered, quickly unlocking the window and pushing it open. "What are you doing here?"

Soobin grinned, the same wide, infectious smile he always had at school. "Just thought I'd drop by."

"At night? By my window?" Yeonjun couldn't help the skeptical tone in his voice.

Soobin shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"How did you even get up here?" Yeonjun asked, glancing around. There wasn't exactly a clear path to his window—no ladder, no tree, nothing.

Soobin's grin widened. "I have my ways."

Yeonjun shook his head, too tired to argue. "You're insane."

"So I've been told," Soobin replied, still grinning. "Can I come in?"

Yeonjun hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Yeah, sure. Just... don't make any noise." He glanced over his shoulder. "My parents..."

Soobin nodded in understanding, his expression softening just a little. "Got it."

Yeonjun stepped aside, allowing Soobin to climb in. As he did, Yeonjun couldn't help but to think.

How the hell did he climbed to my roof?