Sunoo could barely contain his excitement as he scrolled through the email on his phone, his eyes sparkling. “Hyung, we’re collaborating with T1!” he exclaimed, practically bouncing on his toes.
Heeseung looked up from his gaming setup, his lips twitching into a proud grin. “Of course we are. We’re Enhypen, after all.” But inside, his heart was racing for an entirely different reason. Not only were they about to meet Faker, a legend in League of Legends and a player Heeseung idolized, but Sunoo’s boundless enthusiasm sent his protective instincts into overdrive.
The day of the collaboration came faster than Heeseung had anticipated. As Faker walked into the room, his calm demeanor and legendary status filled the air with an electric excitement. Sunoo, sitting beside Heeseung, clapped his hands like an overjoyed fan.
"Annyeonghaseyo!" Sunoo greeted brightly. “I’ve been a fan for so long! It’s such an honor to meet you.”
Heeseung immediately shifted his chair closer to Sunoo, almost boxing him in. “Same here,” he interjected smoothly, his voice steady but his arm subtly moving to block any chance of Sunoo getting too close.
As the collaboration began, Faker suggested a casual game to break the ice. Teams were quickly formed, and Heeseung made sure that Sunoo was on a different team—with Jungwon placed strategically between Sunoo and Faker.
“Hyung,” Jungwon whispered as Heeseung leaned in, “Are you... gatekeeping Faker from Sunoo?”
“What?” Heeseung’s eyes darted to the side. “I’m just making sure everything is balanced. We can’t have all the best players on one team.”
The game began, but Heeseung couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder every time Faker and Sunoo strategized. Sunoo’s laughter, paired with Faker’s polite nods, made Heeseung’s jaw tighten.
Midway through the game, Jay, sitting nearby, nudged Jake. “Is it just me, or does Heeseung look like he’s about to declare war on Faker?”
Jake snorted. “It’s definitely not just you. He’s acting like Faker’s the final boss in his story.”
Sunghoon, observing from a corner, smirked. “Honestly, it’s kind of cute how possessive he gets. You’d think Faker was trying to recruit Sunoo into T1.”
When the game ended, Faker complimented Sunoo on his skills. “You’re really good. With more practice, you could—”
“He already practices with me,” Heeseung cut in, his tone polite but firm. “I’ve been teaching him.”
Sunoo pouted, poking Heeseung’s arm. “Hyung, you don’t have to monopolize me. Faker-ssi is just being nice!”
Heeseung gave a tight smile, leaning in closer to Sunoo. “I know. But he doesn’t need to know everything.”
As the collaboration wrapped up, Sunoo laughed softly, nudging Heeseung. “You’re acting like I’m going to run away with Faker.”
Heeseung rolled his eyes, his cheeks tinged pink. “I’m just looking out for you, okay? And maybe keeping a little bit of Sunoo to myself.”
The members gathered in the corner afterward, whispering among themselves.
“Honestly, Heeseung’s gatekeeping skills are impressive,” Niki said, stifling a laugh.
“Sunoo doesn’t even realize how lucky he is,” Jungwon added.
Jay chuckled. “Well, if anyone can compete with a League of Legends legend for Sunoo’s attention, it’s definitely Heeseung.”
The collaboration was supposed to end after the friendly game, but Faker surprised everyone by pulling out a box of T1 jackets.
“I wanted to give you these as a token of appreciation,” Faker said with his usual calm smile.
