incomparable » changki

twenty-two

Changkyun didn't know what to expect the next day.

Were people still talking about the fight? Was Kihyun getting into trouble? Were people laughing about it?

All questions faded from his mind when he spotted Soonyoung waiting at the front gates, and when Soonyoung spotted him, the redhead made no hesitation in running over to Changkyun and practically pouncing on him.

"Changkyun, are you ok?" He asked, and Changkyun smiled as he wrapped his arms around Soonyoung's shoulders, hugging him back.

"I'm ok, Soonyoung," he replied, pulling away from his friend.

"I'm sorry that I always teased you for wearing turtlenecks and long sleeves all the time," the redhead looked down at his feet in shame. "I honestly had no idea what was going on with you, and if I had known I would've never laughed at you or teased you. I'm really sorry, Changkyun."

"Hey, this isn't like you," Changkyun chuckled. "The Soonyoung I know would be making some stupid comment about something not even related to what we're talking about. The Soonyoung I know would be ready to start a fight or something insanely stupid and reckless. There's a reason you didn't know, Soonyoung. No one knew because I didn't want anyone to know. So you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Well, you know I'm always here if you need someone to talk to, or a shoulder to cry on," Soonyoung assured. "I said this on our first day, and I'm saying it again. I'm a friend for life, so there's no getting rid of me, unfortunately."

"Good," Changkyun grinned. "I wouldn't want to get rid of you anyway. Art would be so boring without you."

Soonyoung pressed a hand to his heart, fake sniffling.

"Changkyun, I'm honoured," he replied, and Changkyun smiled even more.

"Come on, we should get to lesson before Steve yells at us again," the hazelnut-haired boy rolled his eyes playfully and Soonyoung laughed loudly.

"If Steve yells at you, I'll dropkick him," the redhead exclaimed, and Changkyun's eyes creased with laughter.

"Changkyun!"

The boy turned around to see Hyungwon and Hoseok jogging to catch up with him, and the first-year smiled at them.

"Hey, guys," he greeted softly, and Soonyoung waved.

"How are you doing? Hoseok asked, Hyungwon wrapping an arm around the younger boy's shoulders. Changkyun ignored how short he felt.

"I'm good, no need to worry," he reassured, and the third-year ruffled his hair lightly. "I've moved in with Jooheon and Kihyun so no more scary boyfriends."

"You moved in with them?" Soonyoung whined. "Dude, I would take you over my roommate any day!"

Changkyun smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Soonie. Maybe next year we can room if the principal lets us?"

"Aww, man, I was hoping you would stay with us until you graduate," Jooheon teased from behind Changkyun, causing the brunette to flinch. "Didn't mean to scare you, pal."

"Hey, leave him alone, Jooheonie," Minhyuk scolded, and Changkyun's head was spinning with confusion at how everyone had suddenly just appeared from nowhere.

Minhyuk opened his arms for Changkyun, not waiting to pull the first-year out of Hyungwon's arm and hug him close to his chest.

"Did you get smaller, Changkyunnie?" The blonde asked. "You're so small, I could just put you in my pocket!"

"Hyung, you said the exact same thing to me when I was a first-year," Kihyun rolled his eyes, and Changkyun couldn't help but swoon inaudibly at the fading bruises on Kihyun's face and how...manly they made him look.

"Yeah, but you're not cute anymore," Minhyuk stuck his tongue out at the pink-haired male. "Especially not with those bruises on your face."

"I happen to think I look pretty hot," Kihyun stated proudly, looking over at Changkyun and winking discreetly.

"Changkyun, we have a lesson!" Soonyoung suddenly reminded him, and Changkyun tore himself out of Minhyuk's grip to stumble over to his best friend. "Steve!"

"Ok, ok, we're going," Changkyun giggled, and before he and Soonyoung could leave, Kihyun reached out and grabbed his arm. For once in his life, Changkyun didn't flinch.

"We're still working on your project later, right?" He asked quietly, and Changkyun smiled warmly at him.

"Of course," he nodded, and the sweet smile Kihyun gave back to him made his heartbeat pick up. "I'll see you later!"

"Bye, cutie!" Minhyuk called out after him as he and Soonyoung ran to their art lesson.

~*~

Rolling up his sleeves, Changkyun smiled slightly at the cold air hitting his arms.

He still wasn't confident enough to walk around college in short sleeves, especially not after pretty much the whole college either saw or heard about the fight between Yungjae and Kihyun. People would probably be able to guess where all the bruises and scars were from if he were to do that.

But at Kihyun and Jooheon's place (he guessed he could call it his place too),he felt like he could walk around without jumpers and long sleeves on because he knew they wouldn't judge him.

Despite the weather growing colder recently, Changkyun still found himself sweating from walking to and from college with all the layers he was wearing, and always looked forward to being able to roll up his sleeves or take his sweaters off when he got home.

And while Kihyun's heart still wept whenever he saw Changkyun's arms, he knew for certain that no more scars or bruises would be making their way onto that skin again - and he would make sure of it.

Dipping his index and middle fingers into the pot of glitter next to him, Changkyun reached up for Kihyun's cheekbone, gently stroking along the soft skin and applying the glitter. He'd already gelled Kihyun's hair up, which was more than what he'd managed to get done the last time they tried this.

"Why did you pick me for your project?" Kihyun suddenly asked quietly, not wanting to break Changkyun's concentration, but he did have to admit that Changkyun looked mesmerising when he was focused.

"Promise you won't laugh?" The brunette asked softly, and Kihyun smiled a little.

"Of course."

"Well, Soonyoung had just spotted Wonwoo and left me at our lunch table on my own so I just had a look at all the people in the cafeteria," he started, Kihyun listening intently. "And I saw you - and your pink hair, and I thought: 'wow, he's really pretty'."

Kihyun smiled.

"I was thinking of asking you before I even knew your name but then I got lost on the second day and you took me to my lesson and I learnt that you were pretty and nice, which is a rare combination. You seemed like just the kind of person I would want to ask, and you were. I just never imagined that I would end up living in your apartment."

Kihyun chuckled softly, and Changkyun pouted.

"You promised you wouldn't laugh," he mumbled, and Kihyun shook his head gently.

"I'm not laughing at you, I promise," he reassured. "I just find that so cute. If I had pink hair, would you still have picked me?"

"Probably not, if I'm honest," the hazelnut-haired boy answered. "But if I hadn't asked you, then I still be in a pretty bad situation. So, pink hair or not, you're amazing. And you're really pretty."

"You're pretty too, you know," Kihyun replied, and Changkyun blushed, sitting up on his knees and getting to work on Kihyun's hair so the older male wouldn't know he was smiling.

~*~

happy birthday to the nation's favourite hamster kihyun! 🥳
and also woozi hbd! 💗💗