Tired Lines; Soonhoon

15

☽

10:48 pm.

"What's your number?"

"What?"

"Your number? So I can text you to make plans - you wanted to see me dance, didn't you?"

"Oh - Oh, right, yeah. Uh, here."

It's a quick exchange, no more than fifteen seconds, and Soonyoung's expression doesn't shift from neutral, not even once.

Jihoon's heart beats so hard, he can feel it in his cheeks.

5:02 pm.

He nearly jumps when his phone goes off, scrambling to pick it up and ignoring the strange look Mingyu shoots him from across the room. When he hits answer, he breathes, trying to compose himself as best as he can during the one second of silence before Soonyoung starts speaking.

"Jihoonie! Did I surprise you?" Jihoon's chest tightens at the nickname, and he tries to keep his tone as casual as possible. It's hard, though, when he's got his heart lodged where his vocal chords should be.

"Surprise me? I-I mean, yeah, I'm not used to getting calls from people who aren't Mingyu or my mom." Immediately, Mingyu crumples on his bed, clutching his pillow and holding a fist to his mouth in a dramatic show of holding back laughter. Jihoon burns and mouths for him to go fuck himself; he burns hotter when Soonyoung's giggle travels down the line.

"I'm not bothering you, am I? I know the studio's usually pretty empty around now, and I thought - I mean, it's short notice, so if you can't - "

"I'm free right now," Jihoon interrupts, sounding just a little too eager. 

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"A-Awesome, I'll text you the directions? Or, no, actually - tell me where your dorm is, I'll pick you up."

"You don't have to go out of your way - "

"I'm not," he insists, "I really don't mind."

"If you say so ... "

Jihoon texts him the address, and less than twenty minutes later he's out the door.

5:27 pm.

The drive to Soonyoung's dance studio isn't as silent as Jihoon had feared it might be, because Soonyoung, he's learned, is talkative enough for the both of them; he doesn't seem to mind that Jihoon's a little quiet.

"Come on," he says at one point, "there's got to be other things you enjoy besides making music."

Jihoon shrugs, "I don't really do that much."

"I don't believe that. Seriously? Favorite books, movies - " movies.

"I like Marvel," Jihoon says without thinking. Soonyoung's eyes widen, flickering towards Jihoon momentarily before focusing back on the road.

"Yes! I knew there was something! See, you're an interesting person, Jihoonie, with all sorts of puzzle pieces. You're just making it difficult for me to figure out what each piece means."

"Ah, you overthink these things, Soonyoung. All I did was say I like Marvel," Jihoon laughs shyly. He turns his head to look out the window so that the other can't see his face. His smile is too small and too odd to not risk giving himself away.