Work Text:
**
[TRANSCRIPT: EXCERPT OF POCKET RADIO, MARCH]
Jungwon: …and that was Candyfloss by Nayeon, a song Sunoo begged me to add—for anyone listening and not watching, he just rolled his eyes at me—it wasn’t even a lie!
Sunoo: You wanted this song as much as me, Jungwonie.
[ Jungwon laughs. ]
Sunoo: We have time for one more song, but before we get to it, we have a few announcements: club registrations open Friday; new students can check out what clubs we have online if you didn’t get a chance to during orientation. This semester’s student musical will be Beetlejuice , directed and produced by Huh Yunjin, so make sure to sign up for auditions soon for that, too! And finally, after a semester away, Fearless radio with Sakura and Chaewon will be returning this Friday! We know you all missed them, and they’ve got some exciting surprises in store for anyone who tunes in!
Jungwon: And if any new students are listening, we’re here every Monday evening to kickstart your week! You can send us questions and stories to share to our email, and we’ll try to get through as many as possible.
Sunoo: We’re going to end tonight with Second Life by Seventeen. This is one I like to listen to when I can’t sleep, but it’s also nice to listen to with the person you like the most.
Jungwon: Do you like me the most?
Sunoo: Don’t ask stupid questions, Jungwonie. Obviously I do.
[ Silence for five seconds. ]
Jungwon ( muffled) : Sunoo. Please.
[ Sunoo laughs. ]
Sunoo: Thanks for listening to Pocket Radio, the only show hosted by the cutest duo on campus!
Jungwon: We’ll see you next week!
[ Their voices fade out, as the opening beats of second life begin to play. ]
“Do you think this dress is too gaudy?”
Jungwon looks up from his laptop before Wonyoung can decide to just shove her phone in his face. He’s been going through the radio club’s email, checking over any directed to him or Sunoo and marking any that look interesting as important so he can go through them properly later. Usually this would be a job for Jay and Taehyun, who field letters and questions for the radio to make sure none are inappropriate, but Jungwon likes doing it himself sometimes, whenever he has the time.
Which isn’t right now anymore, so he pushes his laptop to the side and grabs Wonyoung’s phone to look at the dress she’s been considering.
“I thought you were just meeting Yujin’s parents? Does the dress need to be that fancy?”
Wonyoung stares at Jungwon in abject horror, snatching her phone back. “ Just? My entire relationship hinges on impressing them.”
“I really don’t think that’s true,” Jungwon says, and Wonyoung glares at him.
“You really don’t get it, do you? Jungwon. Do Sunoo’s parents like you?”
“Yes, but we aren’t—”
“You aren’t dating, I know that already, but if you were, wouldn’t it be more difficult if they hated you?”
Jungwon tries to think about it, but it’s difficult to imagine Sunoo’s parents hating anyone, let alone the kid they practically helped raise. In a similar vein, it’s also hard to imagine anyone hating Wonyoung, let alone Yujin’s parents, who Jungwon has never met but has heard tales of the things they let her get up to as a kid.
“Yujin’s parents aren’t going to hate you. Everyone loves you. Even my parents love you.”
“Well now you’re just being facetious.” She sighs, burying her face in her hands. “I’ve never been more nervous about anything in my life .”
Jungwon squeezes her arm reassuringly. “Everything will be fine. And if it’s not, Yujin will still like you, right?”
Wonyoung just sighs again, collapsing against the table and staring despondently into nothing. Jungwon pats her arm one more time before he returns to his work. He gets through about two more emails (one is someone asking for advice on how to study, the other a story about an ex, and Jungwon saves both of them) before his phone starts buzzing incessantly with incoming messages.
sunoo
sos
help me
twopark have kidnapped me and i dont know where theyre taking me
[ sunoo has shared his location]
please come save me
before they kill me
or worse
make me work out
jungwon
!!
coming!!
“Is that Sunoo?” Wonyoung says, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of Jungwon’s phone screen, her mental anguish momentarily forgotten.
“Yeah. Can you watch my stuff?” Jungwon asks, shutting his laptop and pushing it towards Wonyoung. “Sunoo needs me to rescue him. Maybe he’ll convince you you’re stressing over nothing.”
“I can’t believe you’re abandoning me.” Wonyoung pouts, but doesn’t move from her seat.
“I’ll be back!” Jungwon stresses. “Or do you want to come to the gym with me?”
Her nose wrinkles in disgust. “Ew. Nevermind, I’ll wait here. Just be quick.”
**
“Oh thank god,” Sunoo exclaims, his eyes meeting Jungwon’s from across the room.
He’s been dragged off campus to a nearby gym, one that Sunghoon and Jay like to frequent, one that Jungwon is almost intimately familiar with for how much they also like to drag him with them for their weird male bonding activities. Exercise isn’t even among the top three reasons why they like the gym so much, Jungwon thinks.
Speak of the devils, Sunghoon and Jay are currently clinging to Sunoo like limpets, trying to tug him over to an exercise machine that looks a little too much like a medieval torture method for Jungwon’s liking. At the sight of Jungwon, their grips loosen just enough that Sunoo is able to slip free, speeding towards Jungwon.
“Jungwonie! You should join us,” Jay says, entirely too enthusiastically.
“I would rather die.” Jungwon grimaces, grabbing Sunoo’s sleeve and pressing closer to him before either Sunghoon or Jay can try to wrestle him back. Sunoo usually only begrudgingly accepts Jungwon’s affection, but today he clings right back, wrapping himself around Jungwon.
“They want me dead, Jungwon,” Sunoo stage whispers, loud enough that Jay and Sunghoon can clearly hear everything. “Did you see that thing? I haven’t even had lunch yet and they wanted to put me on that. ”
Sunoo’s breath tickles Jungwon’s ear, and he feels himself flush, praying it’s not obvious to anyone.
“You’re so dramatic,” Sunghoon retorts.
“It’s really not that bad when you get used to it,” Jay says. “You should give it a try.”
“Sorry, Jay,” Jungwon replies, not at all sorry. “I need Sunoo for something anyway. Wonyoung’s having an emergency.”
Sunoo gasps, drawing back from Jungwon. “Is it serious?”
“She thinks it is,” Jungwon says, then adds, “She’s meeting Yujin’s parents soon. Properly, for dinner.”
“So it is serious,” Sunoo replies, already turning to leave the gym with Jungwon’s wrist in his grasp. He pauses briefly, turning back to face Jay and Sunghoon. “Sorry Jay, we really do have to go.”
“You’re not sorry for me?” Sunghoon calls after them, sounding thoroughly wounded.
**
[TRANSCRIPT: EXCERPT OF POCKET RADIO, APRIL]
Sunoo: …our next question comes from a first year student. They said, “There’s this person in one of my classes who I really like. We sit near each other in lectures and have talked a few times, but never anything more than surface level conversations or things related to the lecture. How can I try to get close to them without being awkward about it?” Well, I think the fact you two talk is good! It shouldn’t be too much effort to just greet them at the beginning of class.
Jungwon: Find common ground so you can talk to them about something that isn’t related to your class! Like if they listen to music, ask them what it is, and if you haven’t heard the song go listen to it, and come back the next class with your own recommendation.
Sunoo: This is just what you did with me.
Jungwon: It worked, didn’t it? Aren’t we close?
Sunoo: Are we?
[Laughter is heard from the rest of the crew.]
Jungwon, gasping: Do you guys hear that? Sunoo is so mean sometimes. I bet he doesn’t even remember the song he was listening to that day.
Sunoo: Of course I do! Who do you take me for?
Jungwon: Good. Because the next song we have for you is Nobody by Wonder Girls. I pity anyone who’s never heard this before.
[Sunoo laughs.]
Sunoo: You only know it because of me!
Jungwon: I would have listened to it even if you hadn’t recommended it to me.
Sunoo: That doesn’t change anything.
Jungwon: It totally does!
[Their bickering fades out as Nobody plays.]
**
There’s a dance studio nearby that Jungwon frequents. It’s the only place Sunoo point-blank refuses to enter (despite Jungwon’s pleas) because despite being musically inclined he has, quote, “zero interest in being around that many sweaty men.” It doesn’t matter how often Jungwon tries to tell Sunoo that it's not as bad as the gym, or that he would really get along with some of the dance crew Jungwon’s a part of, Sunoo refuses to be swayed. He comes to pick Jungwon up sometimes, though, so Jungwon is at least grateful for that.
Right now, they’re in the middle of practicing a song their leader, Lee Chan, has been working on with some of his producer friends for a while with the intention to showcase it next month, and Jungwon’s starting to feel the pressure. He’s always been confident in dance; even when he was new he had a solid background in martial arts that made him naturally inclined to certain styles, but even with the more frequent practices they’ve done, he still finds this particular choreography difficult.
“Can we go over the final chorus one more time?” Jungwon asks. “I don’t think I’m as confident as I want to be.”
From somewhere behind Jungwon, Riki groans. Jungwon gets him, he really does; Chan had just given them time to rest before moving on, but this particular part of the choreography has been irritating Jungwon for a while now, and he needs to grab any opportunity to try to nail it (passable isn’t enough) before he can psych himself out and end up doing worse.
Chan laughs, ruffling Jungwon’s hair. “Yeah, once more before we take a break shouldn’t hurt.” He claps his hand, rousing everyone else and signaling to Seungkwan (who doesn’t actually dance with them, but likes to call out playful jabs Chan’s way to motivate them) to play the song from the last chorus.
Everything goes smoothly until around halfway through, when Jungwon lands badly after a jump, stumbling. It doesn’t hurt, and he rights himself easily, but he can feel Seungkwan’s eyes sticking to him until the end of the song. He’s the one who calls it out when they finish, walking up to Jungwon after stopping the song from playing on loop.
“Are you okay, Jungwonie?” Seungkwan’s question attracts the attention of Chan, who moves closer to Jungwon. “You stumbled pretty badly there. Did you hurt anything?”
“I’m fine,” Jungwon says, flexing his foot. A dull ache has settled in, but it should go away soon–it usually does. “I just landed on it wrong. I can walk it off.”
He steps forward to prove his point, and is instantly met with biting pain and his ankle giving way underneath him, almost sending him toppling to the ground without Chan in front of him to catch him. Maybe walking it off isn’t a good idea right now.
“You should have just stopped us when it happened,” Chan chides. “You could have injured yourself more continuing to dance, you know that.”
“It felt fine then!” Jungwon protests, but a spike of anxiety surges through him as he’s lowered carefully to the ground by Chan, keeping his leg outstretched so as not to jostle his ankle too much.
Chan tugs Jungwon’s shoe off, inspecting his ankle with careful hands. Jungwon flinches when it’s pushed too far in the wrong direction, sending a sharp pain through his calf, and Chan seems to take notice, taking greater care when he moves it again.
“I don’t think it’s broken, or even sprained that much,” he says, and Jungwon feels the tension flood out of him. “Twisted, yes, and you probably shouldn’t walk on it for a few hours. Is your boyfriend coming to pick you up today?”
“Sunoo isn’t my boyfriend.”
“Really?” Chan asks, staring at Jungwon for a moment. “Are you sure?”
“Wait. Seriously?” Riki asks, sitting up straight from where he’d been lying, watching. “Does that mean I can ask him out?”
“What? No. ”
“Riki, behave,” Seungkwan says, and Riki flops back to the ground with an eye roll.
“I wasn’t going to, anyway.”
Seungkwan ignores him, passing Jungwon an icepack he’s procured from the freezer they keep in the practice room for this exact reason. Jungwon rests it on his ankle, wincing at how cold it is.
“So is Sunoo picking you up?” Seungkwan asks. “Otherwise Channie and I can drop you home.”
“I’ll be fine to walk soon! But Sunoo is coming today,” Jungwon adds hastily when Seungkwan glares at him.
jungwon
don’t get mad at me
i might have injured myself lightly during practice today
chan and seungkwan say i shouldnt walk on it
sunoo
youre hopeless
i’ll pick you up in 20
jay’s coming too
jungwon
??
sunoo
we have a project due tonight lol
Sunoo ends up arriving in fifteen, Jay by his side. Jungwon’s ankle aches a little less, though he hasn’t tried to walk on it again yet, still huddled up in the corner with the ice pack numbing his leg while everyone else finishes up their break.
“I brought Jay with me so he can carry you,” Sunoo says, helping Jungwon to his feet.
“I don’t need to be carried, ” Jungwon replies. “I just need help walking.”
“Actually, it would put less strain on your ankle to be carried,” Chan says, then proceeds to introduce himself to Jay, who responds in kind.
“Seriously?” Jungwon whines, pouting when Sunoo laughs at him.
Jay laughs, crouching down, and Jungwon has no choice but to comply, wrapping his arms around Jay’s shoulders and letting Jay hook his hands under Jungwon’s thighs, hoisting him up.
“If you’re not fine tomorrow don’t come in, okay? You’ll only make it worse if you strain it more.”
“Yes, I’ll let you know,” Jungwon responds dutifully, sighing afterwards. The thought of spending longer than a few hours unable to dance when he wants to, especially now, when this is so important to Chan and, by extension, Jungwon, makes his insides twist with all kinds of emotions, none of them positive. Sunoo reaches out and grabs Jungwon’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
“You’ll be fine,” Sunoo says, then, addressing Chan and Seungkwan, adds, “thanks for taking care of him. I’ll make sure he doesn’t strain himself.”
**
“You know, if you worked out you would be able to do this yourself,” Jay says, depositing Jungwon on the couch. He had brought his car with him, which had turned a twenty minute walk into a three minute drive, and then continued to carry Jungwon into their apartment. Jungwon stretches out, and Sunoo is quick to grab one of the cushions to rest under his foot. “Isn’t it more romantic?”
“Romantic?” Jungwon frowns. “I’m injured. ”
“No, like–carrying your lover when they’re injured, even if it would be better for you to just leave them, but life’s only worth living if you both stay alive.”
Jungwon stares at Jay, incredulous. “ Lover? ”
Sunoo looks at Jay with pity. “Have you been reading Jane Austen again? You know she’s not good for your mental health.”
“No? Wait–is there something I’m missing here?” Jay says, looking between Jungwon and Sunoo. “Are you two not–”
Jungwon suddenly realizes what Jay means. “ No, ” he says, his face growing warm. “We’re not.”
“Huh.”
Sunoo pats Jay’s hands, a serene smile on his face. “You’re silly, sometimes,” he says, before he shuffles Jay back to the front door, shutting it in his face.
**
“Did you want to get lunch with me for a reason?” Jake asks, setting Jungwon’s drink down in front of him.
“Yeah, kind of,” Jungwon says, gratefully taking a sip.
Jake isn’t usually Jungwon’s go-to for hanging out (the ranking goes Sunoo then Wonyoung before almost everyone else) but he’s sweet and earnest in ways Jungwon’s other friends (Park Sunghoon) are not. Jungwon had taken one unit with him last year, and they had soon realized they could only rely on each other for group assignments, Jake all but adopting Jungwon in the process.
Jake also happens to be easy to talk to, and keeps secrets well, so it’s Jake that Jungwon goes to when he can’t stop thinking about something.
“Why does everyone think Sunoo hyung and I are dating?”
Jake blinks at Jungwon, setting down his hot chocolate carefully, like he’s just been dealt with a load of information he wasn’t prepared for.
“You’re not dating?” Jake asks.
“No!” Jungwon huffs. “I want to know why everyone thinks we are .”
“Well, you live together—”
“Lots of friends live together,” Jungwon interrupts. “Seriously, you’ve got to think of something better than that.”
“I was getting to it,” Jake says. “You’re always together, for one. You two are clingy, which is normal for you but Sunoo isn’t clingy with anyone else.
“Those are still friend things.”
“If you say so,” Jake says, then gasps like something’s just come to him. “But aren’t those songs you recommend on the radio for each other?”
“What?”
“I listened last week. Like A Fool? The last time I listened to that song was because I couldn’t stop thinking about–” he cuts himself off with an awkward cough. “Anyway,
“I just like that song. And I didn’t dedicate it to anyone.”
“Sunoo asked if you thought of anyone while listening to it and you got all flustered. That means yes. You think of Sunoo, right?”
“We’re not dating.”
Jungwon is pretty sure Jake’s stopped listening to him altogether.
“Sunoo definitely was thinking of you when he played Give Me the Future. It was so obvious. That’s why everyone thinks you’re dating. It’s like your whole radio show is just an excuse to publicly dedicate music to each other.”
Jungwon stares at Jake, before standing up abruptly. “You’re crazy. I’m gonna find someone else to have lunch with.”
“Sunoo, right?”
“Shut up.”
He’s still thinking about Jake’s words when he eventually does find Sunoo, stewing over them silently while Sunoo talks his head off about his last class.
**
[TRANSCRIPT: EXCERPT OF POCKET RADIO, JUNE]
Jungwon: Welcome back to our final broadcast of Pocket Radio for this semester! Everyone will be about to start exams, or finishing up their final assignments, so we hope our voices give the motivation you need to study hard!
Sunoo: This month is also very special for us, right, Jungwonie?
Jungwon: Ah, is it? Let me think… oh, I don’t think I remember. Are you sure you’re not just thinking of exams?
[ Sunoo scoffs. Jungwon giggles. ]
Jungwon: I’m kidding. Sunoo’s birthday is later this month! We’re taking a break until next semester, so we’re celebrating it tonight instead!
[ There is a smattering of applause from the studio. ]
Jungwon: Our first song for today is Happy Birthday! Just kidding. It’s Shinee’s Juliette.
Sunoo: If you were here last year you’ll know this is the first song I listen to every year on my birthday.
Jungwon: Sunoo says it gives him luck, but he didn’t even listen to it until we met.
Sunoo: That’s why it gives me luck, obviously.
[ Juliette begins to play. ]
**
Jungwon wakes up early on Sunoo’s birthday, when he knows Sunoo won’t be awake. He’s careful making his way downstairs, still groggy from sleep, and stumbles into the kitchen, slapping his hands against the lights until they turn on. The lights almost blind him, and he blinks until his vision adjusts, already feeling more awake.
It’s now that he starts digging through their drawers, searching for the waffle iron he knows exists somewhere while trying to make as little noise as possible. Two pans crash together before he finally spots it in the back, and Jungwon slides it out with the most caution he’s ever exercised in his life, careful not to wake Sunoo too early. He sets the waffle iron carefully on the counter, plugs it in, and calls Jay.
“I need you to walk me through making waffles,” Jungwon says. “Right now.”
“Good morning to you too,” Jay replies, voice rough with sleep. “It’s not even seven. Are these for Sunoo?”
“Yes. Obviously.”
“Do you have everything you need?”
“I think so.”
“Okay, well we’ll start by making the batter…”
Jungwon follows Jay’s recipe diligently, keeping him on speaker while he mixes everything together until he’s left with a batter that looks like it definitely could be turned into waffles. The difficult part is actually cooking the waffles themselves. The first one is gross, somehow half burnt but raw in the middle, and the next few are only marginally better. Some stick to the sides of the waffle maker and Jungwon uses an astronomical amount of paper towel before he finally makes a few decent ones, piling them on a plate and collecting toppings from the fridge right when Sunoo comes down, roused from his sleep by the smell of cooking (and burnt) waffles.
He’s still in his pajamas, his hair tousled from sleep when he pads into the kitchen. When he reaches up to stretch, his shirt rides up a little, revealing the smooth skin beneath, and Jungwon’s heart stops.
Wow. He might be in love with Sunoo.
“Are you cooking breakfast?” Sunoo asks. “Is it ready yet?”
Jungwon feels a little dazed when he nods, eyes still fixed on Sunoo for a moment before he shakes himself out of it. It’s too early for revelations, he thinks, praying Sunoo can’t see the way his cheeks flush when he turns around, pulling the last waffle from the iron and plating it up.
“Go sit at the table,” Jungwon says, when Sunoo moves like he wants to help. It takes a few moments, but shooting Sunoo wide pleading eyes does the trick, sending him to their small table where he waits, patiently, for Jungwon to arrange the waffles and berries artfully, pouring syrup over them before he finally sets the plate, and cutlery, in front of him.
“Happy birthday,” Jungwon says. He had planned to say more, but Sunoo’s eyes shine so much when he looks up at Jungwon that all thoughts fly out of his head completely, and he just sits across from him, resting his chin in his palm.
“Wow,” Sunoo marvels. “Did you make them from scratch?”
“Jay helped,” Jungwon confesses. “But I didn’t use a box mix, so that counts for something, right?”
Sunoo grins wide, so bright Jungwon feels like he needs to shield his eyes from it. “Thank you, Jungwonie. I love them.”
“So I don’t need to give you your present then?” Jungwon replies, and when Sunoo pouts at him he quickly adds, “you know I’m kidding. I spent way too long looking for something to not give it to you.”
“I would have been happy just with these,” Sunoo says, spearing another piece of waffle with his fork.
Jungwon elects to ignore the way his heart is beating too fast, too hard all of a sudden.
**
[TRANSCRIPT: EXCERPT OF POCKET RADIO, AUGUST]
Sunoo: We hope everyone enjoyed their Winter break. Exams weren’t too hard, were they?
Jungwon: Our next question from one of our listeners is actually related to that! They asked, “How do I keep my parents from badgering me about my exam results? Even when I tell them what score I got, they still insist on looking at it, and I don’t want to show them.”
Sunoo: Oh, that’s a tough one. It might be difficult, but sometimes the best thing to do is just talk to them. Ask them why they want to see your results so bad–if it’s a trust thing, or if they really just want to feel proud for you.
Jungwon: I know it’s difficult to talk to your parents about boundaries, but if you think you can, it’ll help you a lot. Otherwise, see if you can promise them something else–like, tell them if you achieve something in the future you’ll let them see it then. It sounds silly, but if it gets them off your back there’s a chance they’ll have forgotten about it by the time you actually get round to it.
Sunoo: And if all else fails, you can just deal with it until you’re able to leave. Which isn’t very helpful, but at least it’s something to look forward to.
Jungwon: Really, eventually they’ll forget about it. It’s just about hanging on. Don’t give up!
Sunoo: The next song we have for you is Exo’s Heaven. It’s Jungwonie’s favorite Exo song, so it’s been stuck in my head for weeks now, and it’s only fair that everyone else listens to it too.
Jungwon: You’re the one who kept playing it, so I don’t know why you brought me into this.
Sunoo: I played it for you.
[ Jungwon’s reply is obscured by the opening lyrics of Heaven. ]
**
Jungwon is walking out of his lecture hall when someone taps him on the shoulder, startling him. He turns to find Heeseung standing in front of him. The two stare at each other for a few moments, neither one saying anything. Jungwon’s barely spoken to Heeseung before; they share this class together, and he sees Heeseung around Jake and Jay pretty often, but the most they’ve said to each other has been acknowledgments of each others’ existences, and the one time they were paired up for a class discussion where Heeseung kept finding ways to veer the conversation towards the games he played, rather than any actual schoolwork.
“Did you want something?”
Heeseung makes a few odd movements before he finally speaks. “Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime. We could get, like, drinks or something.”
Jungwon raises his eyebrows. “Like on a date?”
“Yes? Jake said you were single, so...” Heeseung’s eyes shift to the side, locking onto someone nearby. Jungwon turns and sees Sunoo heading towards them–he had promised to meet Sunoo outside his class, but clearly Sunoo had gotten impatient and just came to Jungwon instead.
“Hey, what’s up?” Sunoo asks, nodding at Heeseung politely.
“Heeseung asked me out for drinks,” Jungwon says, and Sunoo’s whole demeanor shifts, immediately turning stony towards Heeseung.
“Aren’t you too old for him?” he says, voice verging on icy.
Heeseung blinks at him. “It’s only three years?”
“Exactly.”
Jungwon pulls Sunoo to the side, a few steps away from Heeseung, who continues to stand there, watching them like he’s not sure what he should do. “What are you doing?”
Sunoo huffs, switching to Korean. “He doesn’t deserve you. You don’t even like him like that.”
“I wasn’t going to say yes, you know.”
“You guys know I can speak Korean too, right?” Heeseung says, flinching when Sunoo and Jungwon shoot him twin glares. “Oh-kay… I can leave now.”
“Goodbye!” Sunoo says brightly, before dragging Jungwon away. Heeseung takes a few steps, realizes he’s following them, and makes a few aborted movements before walking hurriedly off in the opposite direction from them.
“Were you jealous?”
Sunoo huffs, his ears turning red. “No. I just think you deserve better than someone like Heeseung.”
“You were totally jealous.” Jungwon pauses, making Sunoo come to a stop with him. “You know you’ll still be the most important person to me regardless of who I date, right?”
This time Sunoo’s whole face turns red. Jungwon feels himself warming, too, when Sunoo tries to glare at Jungwon, obviously too pleased to do so properly. “You like being annoying, don’t you.”
Jungwon giggles, bumping into Sunoo’s side. “Let’s get lunch. Without Heeseung.”
**
“Why are you on my bed?”
Jungwon doesn’t look up from where he’s buried his head in Chaewon’s sheets. “I’m having a crisis.”
He’s been having multiple crises for a while now, all relating to the same general topic, but it had been Sunoo making him a smoothie that morning that had really broken him, and it had only been a few hours later that Jungwon had found himself hovering by Chaewon’s door. He has a key for her apartment, so he had let himself in, beelining for her bed.
“Is this about Sunoo?” Chaewon asks. Jungwon feels the bed dip when she sits down. He looks up.
“How did you know?”
Chaewon laughs. “It’s always about Sunoo with you, isn’t it?”
“Ugh.” He buries his face in Chaewon’s sheets again, before rolling onto his back and staring listlessly at the ceiling. “I want to… confess, but I’m scared.”
“What, of rejection?”
He shrugs. “I guess.”
There’s a lot more, probably, but all of it kind of ties back to that one thing. Jungwon tries not to think about it.
Chaewon ruffles Jungwon’s hair. “Do you wanna know what I think?”
“Do I?”
“I think that you two are like My Melody and Kuromi,”
Jungwon blinks at Chaewon. “Aren’t they rivals?”
“Who are in love with each other.”
“I think that’s just in your head.”
“Are you calling your noona crazy? I thought you were taught better than that, Jungwonie.” Jungwon rolls his eyes, dodging the punch Chaewon aims at him before she suddenly turns serious. “You know, even if Sunoo doesn’t like you back, he’s not the kind of person to end your friendship if you confess.”
“It’ll still be humiliating.” Especially if people know.
“It won’t be, because Sunoo loves you. Did you even pay attention to the last song he said reminded him of you? I always need you, you’re the only one who understands me, if there’s an eternal love then you’re that person, seriously, he’s obsessed with you. Look, let me tell you something no one else knows yet.” Chaewon leans forward, Jungwon pushing himself up onto his elbows to hear her better. “The radio club has officially been approved for a beach holiday in a few weeks. Fully funded by the school and everything. ”
Jungwon groans, flopping back. “That’s awesome, but what does it have to do with literally anything we were just talking about?”
Chaewon flicks Jungwon in the head. “Think for one second, will you? This can be your chance . I’ll make sure you two room together and give you one of the rooms with a queen. And when you finally confess to him you can tell everyone how your Chaewon noona is the reason you two got together.”
“You’re insane.”
“Just think about it, Jungwonie. If you want separate beds I’ll give you one of those rooms, but seriously. I think it’ll be perfect. And don’t tell anyone about this, okay! I’ll make an official announcement at next week’s meeting.”
“Okay, noona .”
(He tells Sunoo the second he steps foot in their apartment, toeing off his shoes while Sunoo greets him from the couch where he’s been watching Love Island.
“We’re rooming together, right?” Sunoo asks.
“Chaewon’s organizing who sleeps where. But yes. Obviously.”)
**
Chaewon had shown the whole radio club the accommodation they would be staying in, but Jungwon still hadn’t realized just how large it was until Jay had parked in front of it, hopping out to unload their luggage. They’ve been given their room assignments already; Chaewon had made sure everyone knew exactly where they were staying a week ago, so after Jungwon and Sunoo have their bags, they immediately head into the house, climbing up the stairs with only some difficulty.
Their room is on the third floor. Sunoo finds it first, pushing the door open and pausing in the doorway, looking back at Jungwon.
“Is this room correct? There’s only one bed,” he says. Jungwon peers over his shoulder. The room is fairly spacious, with a double bed in the middle and plenty of room for suitcases and other furniture.
“Chaewon organized the rooms,” Jungwon replies, shrugging. He doesn’t mention that only a few days after she had told him about her plan he had come to her to ask for the double bed, if only because he had hoped it would give him more courage. He jumps back on the bed, relaxing into the plush bedding, before he looks at Sunoo, who’s starting to unpack his suitcase already.
“Do you wanna check out the beach before we settle in?” he asks. “The sun’s setting soon. It’ll be pretty, and I don’t think anyone else is out there right now.”
Sunoo lights up at the thought, rummaging in his bag to pull out an extra coat. “Let’s go now,” he says, tugging Jungwon off the bed.
Jungwon can’t stop the smile that spreads across his face as they race down the stairs, walking out into the cool air and trekking down to the beach. It’s not far at all, the house only a hundred meters or so from the sand, and Jungwon toes off his shoes when they reach it, kicking them under a bush to pick up later. Sunoo follows him quickly after. A breeze picks up as they approach the waters edge, not close enough to get wet yet, and Jungwon starts regretting not grabbing an extra jacket like Sunoo did.
“I was hoping it would be warmer by now,” Jungwon says, shivering. He presses closer to Sunoo, who accepts his affection gracefully, circling his arms around Jungwon’s waist. He's not sure what makes him warmer: Sunoo's presence or the way he can feel himself blushing under his touch.
“It’s always cooler by the water,” Sunoo replies. “Why didn’t you bring another jacket?”
You pulled me out before I could, Jungwon doesn't say. Instead, he says without thinking, “Maybe I want you to keep me warm.”
Sunoo giggles, tightening his hold. “How so?”
When their eyes meet, Jungwon's heart seizes. “Can I kiss you?”
Sunoo gasps, but the way he presses his mouth to Jungwon's right after answers everything. It's a short kiss, soft and sweet, and it settles into Jungwon's bones, comforting and warm.
"I like you so much," Jungwon says, breathless.
Sunoo draws a hand up to cradle Jungwon's jaw, pressing his thumb into Jungwon's dimple. His smile turns into a laugh, and he leans in to kiss Jungwon again, deeper this time, setting Jungwon alight. Hi whole body feels warm, hotter where Sunoo is pressed against him, hands and torso and lips. He pulls back for a moment to catch his breath, and Sunoo's forehead presses to Jungwon's.
"I've been waiting for you to say it," he murmurs, voice soft. "I almost thought you never would."
"How long?" Jungwon asks, still trying to catch his breath. He thinks, maybe, he never will.
Sunoo hums, drawing away slightly to think. "I don't know. Months? Years? Since we met?"
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
This time, it's Jungwon who initiates, drawing Sunoo in to kiss him again.
**
[TRANSCRIPT: EXCERPT OF POCKET RADIO, NOVEMBER]
Jungwon: Before we take our break for the summer, we have one final song for you all.
Sunoo: This one goes out to anyone who needs that little push to confess to someone.
Jungwon: Or maybe a little courage to put yourself out there these holidays!
Sunoo: Our last song of the year is I Like You by Day6. We’ve been listening to it a lot recently, and we hope all of you do too. Maybe this summer you’ll find your true love!
Jungwon: Thank you for listening to Pocket Radio this year! We’ll be back next year at the beginning of semester, like always, so keep an eye out for more information in the coming months!
Sunoo: As always, we’ve been Pocket Radio: the only show hosted by the cutest couple on campus!
[I Like You begins to play.]
**