Jaehyun reached for a juice box on the refreshments table at the same time as someone else reached for it. He drew back, apologising softly.

The other person drew back too. "Sorry."

"Oh no," Jaehyun began and then stopped. Right in front of him, stood a breathtakingly beautiful boy. At the back of his mind, he knew that all SM trainees were no doubt talented and beautiful people but this one, in front of him, was still a surprise. If the boy looked awkward, fidgeting with his sleeve slightly, Jaehyun felt no less awkward, feeling his throat go dry.

The boy held out the juice box to him. "Here you go."

"No, it's fine. You can have it. I'll take one of the others," Jaehyun said, gesturing towards the table. He wanted to ask, what's your name? Do you like coffee? But this was his first day as a trainee and he wasn't so courageous as to flirt with the first trainee he saw.

The boy made a face before smiling apologetically. "This is the last mixed fruit one. The others are all grape-flavoured and those taste horrible. You can have this one, it's okay."

"No, you have it," Jaehyun replied a little too hurriedly. "I-I mean, I can have the grape one."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, grape juice is my favourite." He let out a short laugh before telling himself not to lose it.

The boy smiled wider now, nodding. "Okay, then. Here, take a grape one."

"Thank you."

"You're new here?"

"Yes."

"I'm Lee Taeyong."

Jaehyun looked at him and thought, that's a nice name. He repeated it slowly. "Lee. Taeyong." He smiled. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jung Yoonoh."

Taeyong hummed, drinking his juice. He looked away when he caught Jaehyun staring at him. Reddening, he said, "Well, I guess, I'll see you around, Yoonoh."

Jaehyun said, "Yes."

"Okay," Taeyong said.

Later, when he came to know him better, Jaehyun realized that that conversation with Taeyong had been nothing short of a miracle. Taeyong was shy and didn't talk to a lot of people, instead spending hours and hours practicing. But that conversation was special because it gave Jaehyun an opportunity to approach him again, one opportunity producing another and slowly, excrutiatingly slowly, Jaehyun made a place for himself in Taeyong's life.

It didn't take very long for most of the members to figure out something was wrong. When Yuta came to the kitchen to make some toast for himself, he found Taeyong sitting at the table with bloodshot eyes and a blank expression.

"You okay?" he asked.

He didn't answer.

Yuta looked around but there was obviously no one else who could do it so he sighed and sat across Taeyong. "Hey," he said, gently, "what is it?"

He shook Taeyong's shoulder slightly. "You're scaring me. Taeyong!"

Taeyong blinked and looked at him as if he had just realized Yuta was here. He gave a painful smile. "Good morning."

Yuta patted his back. "Wait, I'll get Jaehyun for you, okay?"

Taeyong frowned, blinking rapidly. "No! Uh, I'm going to get ready. Tell Johnny to wake the others. We have to leave after breakfast."

"Taeyong, wait!

"I'm fine, Yuta."

Yuta only found out what had happened when Taeil and Doyoung woke up. "Oh shit, seriously? What are they? Twelve?"

Taeil looked uncomfortable. "They do argue now and then. This will pass too."

Doyoung watched Jaehyun enter the kitchen, grab a mug of coffee and some toast and retreat back to his room. "I hope so."

"Does Johnny know?" Yuta asked in a low voice.

Taeil shrugged. "I didn't see him come home last night."

"He's here now. He's awake. Let's ask him to...you know, extend some sort of olive branch between those two?"

Winwin walked in on the trio whispering on the sofa. "What's up, oldies?" His mischievous smile dropped when he saw the serious faces. "What happened now?"

The car ride to the airport was taut with tension. Jaehyun and Taeyong sat as far away from each other as possible. Jaehyun was listening to Haechan tell him about some animated joke while Taeyong was resting his head on Doyoung's shoulder, eyes closed.

It was only when they were walking through the sea of fans at the airport that Taeyong allowed himself to look in Jaehyun's direction. The younger man was walking ahead of him, conversing happily with Haechan and Taeyong felt his heart clench at how unaffected Jaehyun was. Someone called out his name from the crowd and he smiled in the direction, waving, while inside he felt like he was drowning in gloom.

He sat with Taeil during the flight who after being ignored drifted off to sleep, muttering, "Taeyong, you can't just make stuff go away by ignoring it!"

Sure he could. If he tried very hard and went on playing some phone games, he was sure he would never need to interact with anyone. He must have been on his farm game for over an hour when he decided to go through his Instagram. He frowned as he saw most of his explore page filled with videos of that Johnny-Jaehyun Night Night dare. His frown deepened as he saw them holding hands and running across the floor. He let out a low curse and put away his phone. He raised himself very slightly to see Jaheyun sleeping beside Johnny.

On the way to the hotel, Doyoung said to him, "I'm sure he can feel you staring daggers at his back."

Taeyong coughed self-consciously. "Why would I stare at him? Don't be ridiculous."

Doyoung raised an eyebrow. "Stop fighting with him. It only makes you more irritating. It's not even entertaining anymore."

"I am not fighting with him. He's the one who is downright rude and uncaring and I just—" He sighed. "I promised myself that I am going to give him all the space he wants. So, if you're all feeling awkward because of us, it's his fault."

Doyoung was about to say something but his phone dinged and seeing that it was a message on "Jaeyong Drama Resolution" groupchat, he shielded his phone from an obliviously moping Taeyong.

Johnny: Guys, I have an idea

Ten: Does it involve you and me? ;)

Taeil: Who added Ten here?

Ten: Who added gramps here?

Doyoung: What's the idea because talking isn't helping

Johnny: Yeah, Jaehyun was being mean to me on the plane and told me to mind my own business

Taeil: I had to sit with Taeyong's angsty ass and believe me, you were better off with Jae

Johnny: Exactly so my idea is we mind our business and let them handle it on their own

Johnny: Just the two of them

Johnny: Alone

Winwin: Hyung, you're so lazy

Yuta: That's no help, Johnny

Johnny: Before biting my ass, LISTEN TO MY AMAZING PLAN

Ten: Yes, listen to John, everyone

Ten: Or he'll get upset

Taeil: UpSeT

Johnny: We are going to *drum roll*

Johnny: Give them the same room!!

Yuta: And?

Johnny: They'll be forced to interact with each other and idk kiss and make up and stuff

Taeil: YAS AND IT WORKS IN THE MOVIES

Yuta: What third-grade movies do you two watch?

Doyoung: I'm in...how do we trick them into rooming together

Johnny: I don't know. Aren't you the one with brains?

After Doyoung's elaborate and highly detailed plan and it's somewhat shabby implementation that involved faking allergies and possible ghost sightings, Taeyong found himself entering his designated bedroom really late. He shouldered his backpack and straightening his back, let out a breath. It had been a tough, long day and not having slept much last night either, he was looking forward to a peaceful night.

The bathroom door opened and out stepped a familiar bathrobe-clad figure drying his hair with a towel.

Taeyong couldn't help a surprised cry escape his mouth as he stepped back, banging his head against the door.

Jaehyun looked up at the noise, towel still on his head and let out a nervous, "Oh."

[ this has to be our favourite chapter till now omg :')

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