Tired Lines; Soonhoon

03

☽

12:42 am.

"What are you writing?"

Jihoon's hand instinctively moves to cover the page, his eyes snapping up to see Soonyoung, whose arm is stretched out to lean against the table and head tilted in questioning. Jihoon, much to his own chagrin, feels his cheeks heat up.

"Er, nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah. Nothing."

"Like, the word 'nothing?' Or is your pen out of ink?" Jihoon's blush burns even hotter, and he swallows, insisting that it's nothing important.

"Oh, it doesn't have to be important," Soonyoung says, slipping into the seat across Jihoon. The latter quickly glances around the café to find maybe one or two other customers, but none who look ready to place an order, and his heart rate picks up when he notices the barista watching him expectantly. "I'm just curious," he adds. Jihoon hates the way his breath shakes when he exhales.

"Just, song lyrics." Soonyoung's eyes widen, and Jihoon finds it really hard to breathe with his heart lodged in his throat the way it is.

"Wait, are you a songwriter?" Jihoon nods, but just barely, and Soonyoung leans forward with a kind of impress that's almost comical. "That's so cool, that's - wow, wow - "

"It's really nothing," Jihoon interrupts before Soonyoung has the chance to say anymore - before he has the chance to combust.

"I don't think it really is."

Jihoon falls quiet, then, not knowing what to say. He isn't good at talking to people, he doesn't know how to carry the conversation or make people laugh, he isn't fluid like that. He's stiff and reserved and awkward - and try as he might, he can never seem to force himself to be anything else. Mingyu says he just needs to warm up to people, but Mingyu seems to be one of the few people Jihoon has actually warmed up to.

"I like choreographing," Soonyoung offers, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I don't do it like, professionally or anything, but it's a hobby of mine."

"Same. With songwriting, I mean."

"There, see? We have something in common."

"We do?" Soonyoung breathes out a laugh, and Jihoon's heart skips a beat for every rise and fall in its tone. 

"Yeah. And I'm sure there are other things, too."

Which, frankly, Jihoon doubts. He doesn't know Soonyoung, he knows that, but Jihoon thinks he's a good judge of character. Soonyoung had the confidence to approach him, Soonyoung is comfortable offering up information, pulling Jihoon out into conversational waters with him - Soonyoung, so far, has proven to be what Jihoon can't. He can't see the similarities.

"But, I mean, who knows?" Soonyoung says. "I'll only be able to figure that out if you let me."

1:26 am.

Jihoon has never felt more conflicted. On the one hand, he hates regular human interaction and doesn't know how to function in any sort of social situation - on the other, Soonyoung is the prettiest boy he's ever met, and he's never been so inclined to get to know someone who's practically a stranger. Thankfully - thankfully? - Soonyoung seems to feel the same regarding that last bit.

He has to go, at some point, to actually do his job, but every now and then he passes Jihoon's table to make some comment or another about how that woman ordered a latte but I made it decaf because caffeine at this hour isn't healthy, or this is the fifth time I've seen that guy this week.

"I mean, I've been coming here every day for over a week," Jihoon deadpans.

"But you're different, I actually like seeing you," Soonyoung says, his elbows propped against the counter and his chin in his hands as he eyes Jihoon.

"Why's that?" Jihoon tries to ignore the way his fingertips tingle and his throat tickles, because it's stupid, it really is, that he should get so worked up over something so small.

"That guy's kind of an asshole," the barista continues. "I messed up his order once and he gave me a hard time for it."

"That's dumb."

"Mm-hmm," Soonyoung nods, "it is."

Jihoon's pretending to be focused on his notepad - still no progress - but every now and then, he glances out of the corner of his eye in Soonyoung's direction. Every now and then, a blush creeps onto his face, dusting his cheeks and the tip of his nose when he catches Soonyoung glancing, too.