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Jungwon sat cross-legged on the floor of his shared apartment, his laptop open to a playlist of dance practice videos. He'd been trying to focus for the past hour, but his moves felt stiff, his rhythm slightly off. Frustrated, he grabbed his phone and scrolled to Felix's name, hoping his fellow dancer and upperclassman could give him some pointers.

The phone rang twice before Felix picked up, his warm, accented voice instantly putting Jungwon at ease. "Hey, Wonnie! What's up?"

"Hey, hyung," Jungwon greeted, leaning back against the couch. "I'm trying to clean up some moves for class tomorrow, but something feels... off. Can I run a few ideas by you?"

"Of course! Send me a video, or we can FaceTime if you want to demo it live," Felix said cheerfully.

"Thanks. Give me a sec." Jungwon switched to video call mode, propping his phone up on the coffee table so Felix could see the living room space he used for practice.

"Alright, let me see what you've got," Felix encouraged.

Jungwon stood, rolling his shoulders before launching into a segment of the routine. He nailed the first few counts but stumbled slightly on a spin, his footwork faltering. Annoyed, he stopped and sighed, brushing his hair back from his face.

"Hmm," Felix hummed thoughtfully from the screen. "Your moves are good—really clean, actually—but something's throwing you off. Are you distracted or stressed?"

Jungwon froze, his pulse quickening slightly. "What? No, I'm fine. Just a little off today, that's all."

Felix raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Really? Because you're usually super focused when it comes to dance. Did something happen?"

Jungwon hesitated, debating whether or not to tell Felix what was really on his mind. But Felix was observant—he wasn't going to let it go.

"It's nothing serious," Jungwon finally admitted, sitting back down in front of the camera. "Just... someone I keep running into. It's been distracting me, I guess."

Felix's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Oh, really? Who's this someone?"

"No one important," Jungwon said quickly, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Just a guy."

Felix's grin widened. "A guy, huh? And this guy's got you so distracted that you're stumbling through choreography? He must be something special."

"It's not like that," Jungwon insisted, his tone defensive. "He's just... annoying. He has this stupid smirk and way too much confidence, and he thinks he can charm everyone."

"And yet," Felix teased, "here you are, thinking about him instead of focusing on your routine."

Jungwon groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Why did I even call you?"

"Because you know I'm right," Felix said with a laugh. "So, what's his name?"

"Jay," Jungwon muttered reluctantly.

Felix's eyebrows shot up. "Jay Park? The business major? The one everyone says is a total player?"

"Yeah, him."

"Oh, Wonnie," Felix said, shaking his head with a playful sigh. "You really know how to pick them, don't you?"

"It's not like that," Jungwon repeated, glaring at the screen. "I don't like him. He's just... different. And I can't figure him out."

Felix leaned closer to the camera, his expression softening. "Well, maybe you don't need to figure him out right away. Sometimes, people surprise you. Just don't lose yourself in the process, okay?"

Jungwon nodded, feeling a little lighter after hearing Felix's words. "Thanks, hyung. I'll try to focus more."

"Good," Felix said, flashing a bright smile. "Now, let's go over that routine again. I'll help you nail it this time."

Jungwon smiled back, grateful for Felix's support. For now, he pushed thoughts of Jay aside and focused on the one thing he could control—his dance.

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The cozy, inviting atmosphere of Youthful, the campus's favorite boba shop, buzzed with chatter and the soft hum of lo-fi music. Jungwon adjusted his scarf as he stepped inside, scanning the crowded space for Sunoo. He spotted his friend near the window, already waving enthusiastically with a grin.

"Jungwon! Over here!" Sunoo called, drawing the attention of a few other patrons.

Jungwon hurried over, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're loud, as always."

"Only for you," Sunoo teased, sliding over a menu. "Pick something sweet. You look like you need it."

Jungwon rolled his eyes, but before he could sit down, something—or rather, someone—caught his attention near the counter.

Jay.

He was standing with his usual air of casual confidence, talking to the cashier while leaning against the counter. That trademark smirk was plastered on his face as he chatted, drawing the attention of nearly everyone around him.

Jungwon froze. His instinct was to bolt, but Sunoo tugged him into the seat across from him.

"What's wrong?" Sunoo asked, following Jungwon's gaze. His eyes widened as he saw Jay. "Oh. That's why."

"Shh!" Jungwon hissed, sinking lower in his chair. "Don't look at him!"

Sunoo snorted. "Why are you hiding? He's probably already seen you."

"I'm not hiding," Jungwon muttered unconvincingly, adjusting his scarf to shield more of his face.

Before Sunoo could tease him further, Jay turned—and, of course, his sharp eyes zeroed in on Jungwon almost immediately.

"Shit," Jungwon whispered, sitting upright and trying to act casual.

Jay's smirk deepened as he grabbed his drink and began strolling toward their table.

Sunoo's grin widened. "Well, this just got interesting. Have fun!"

"What?" Jungwon snapped, turning to glare at him. "You're not leaving me!"

But Sunoo's attention had already shifted as someone new walked in—Ni-ki, the younger dance student who'd recently joined their department.

"Ni-ki! Over here!" Sunoo called, his excitement palpable.

The younger boy grinned and jogged over, his energy lighting up the room. "Hey, Sunoo hyung! Jungwon hyung!"

Jungwon barely had time to acknowledge him before Sunoo stood up. "Ni-ki, keep Jungwon company for a bit. I'll grab our drinks."

"Wait—" Jungwon tried to stop him, but Sunoo was already gone, leaving him alone just as Jay reached the table.

Jay's smirk softened into something almost friendly—almost—as he leaned against the edge of the table. "Fancy seeing you here, Jungwon."

Jungwon groaned inwardly, his escape plan thoroughly foiled. Ni-ki, completely unaware of the tension, beamed at Jay.

"Hi! I'm Ni-ki. Are you a friend of Jungwon hyung's?"

Jay chuckled, his gaze never leaving Jungwon. "You could say that. We've run into each other a few times."

Jungwon rolled his eyes, finally looking up at Jay. "What do you want?"

"Just saying hi," Jay said innocently, though his tone carried a teasing edge. "Didn't think you'd be the type to hide from me."

"I wasn't hiding," Jungwon said, crossing his arms.

Ni-ki glanced between them, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "You two seem close."

"We're not," Jungwon said quickly.

Jay tilted his head, clearly amused. "Not yet."

Jungwon glared at him, his cheeks warming despite himself. "Can't you go bother someone else?"

Jay grinned, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Why would I, when you're right here?"

Before Jungwon could come up with a retort, Sunoo returned with their drinks, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Wow, Jay, didn't know you liked boba."

Jay straightened, his smirk never wavering. "Only when the company's good."

Sunoo laughed, handing Jungwon his drink. "Well, don't let us keep you. Jungwon and I have a lot to catch up on."

Jay gave a small nod, his eyes locking with Jungwon's for a moment before he stepped back. "See you around, Jungwon."

As Jay walked away, Sunoo plopped back into his seat, his grin practically splitting his face.

"You like him," Sunoo said, sipping his drink.

"I do not!" Jungwon protested, his voice a little too loud.

Ni-ki nodded enthusiastically. "I think you do, hyung. He's cool."

Jungwon groaned, sinking into his chair. Today was not going as planned.

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Lowkey feel bad for Jungwon if it was me Jay's ball would be non- existent at the amount of times I've kicked them