seven

͙⁺˚*･༓☾

"he's in the group."

sunghoon can hardly believe his ears. is jungwon just messing with him? did he hear the internal struggle he was having two seconds prior?

"uhm...are you gonna say anything?" jungwon asks, cocking a brow.

sunghoon blinks. "sorry, just surprised. i-in a good way! surprised in a good way."

jungwon shakes his head, chuckling. "well, congrats. the love of your life is the newest addition to enhypen."

the blonde scowls at his leader for teasing him, but it's jokingly of course, because he's too thrilled about the news to be serious.

even if this news means hiding his infatuation for kim sunoo as much as he can.

͙⁺˚*･༓☾

"there's absolutely no way. they must have made a mistake," sunoo insists, grasping onto the counter he sat behind for some sort of stability.

ni-ki stands in front of him at the guitar shop sunoo works at, for he wasn't able to wait when it came to delivering sunoo the good news. "why would i lie about this?! there's no mistakes, sun. you're in!"

sunoo's co-worker, daniel, is at the register beside the one sunoo is at. "i believe it. you've got talent, bro. you're my bias already."

sunoo stifles a smile at daniel's comment. he really made it. he truly made it into not only the industry and career path of his dreams, but into the group he's admired the most. it's more than a dream come true.

suddenly, as if the flip of a switch had brought him back to reality, sunoo claps his hands together and gives ni-ki a determined look. "so, what's the next step?" he asks.

ni-ki does a double-take. "uh...lemme see if it says that in the email."

"don't you have to live in a dorm now or something?" daniel pipes up.

sunoo didn't think about that. now that it was all happening, his life is going to change big time. a string tugs at his heart, and he suddenly feels a wave of sadness course through him at the thought of not living with ni-ki anymore. he can't bare to part from his best friend.

"yep, it definitely says that here in the email. it's more of an apartment complex than a dorm. i guess you're to be moving in two days," ni-ki says. he doesn't show it on his face, but there's a tint of sadness in his tone. sunoo can tell not only because he knows his best friend inside and out, but because he's feeling the same way.

ni-ki glances up at the pout his best friend has subconsciously formed upon his lips. it causes him to smirk. "hey, i hope you know i'm not changing a thing about you're room, sun. my home is still your home no matter what."

sunoo lightly smiles at that. "i know, i'm just gonna miss seeing your dumbass everyday."

ni-ki sighs. he doesn't want to think about sunoo moving. so, he changes the subject. "hey, you're off in ten. wanna grab dinner?"

food instantly lightens the atmosphere. sunoo brightens up. "yes please!"

͙⁺˚*･༓☾

two days flew by in the blink of an eye. before sunoo knew it, he was hugging his beanstalk of a best friend goodbye as he moved into the new apartment building he'd be living in for the next...who knows how long.

with a deep breath, sunoo holds onto his luggage (the ones he can carry...the rest was taken by staff) and enters the building. the five boys of enhypen are eagerly waiting for sunoo in the lobby.

"he's here!" a boy with an australian accent suddenly blurts in english.

sunoo can't help his blushed cheeks when the boys approach him. he doesn't understand why he's feeling so nervous. "h-hi everyone."

"sunoo!" a kind voice exclaims, offering a bro-hug sunoo accepts. "nice to really and officially meet you outside of auditions. i'm heeseung if you don't remember."

sunoo learns he's the oldest of the group. although, he already knew that from having stanned the group since their debut–not that he will be sharing that information with them.

"i'm jay. or the mood maker of the group. whichever floats your boat."

at this, sunoo can't stop himself before replying. "you know, because of you, i was inspired to learn to play the guitar and i've loved it ever since. up until now, i've been working at a guitar shop."

instantly, sunoo covers his mouth in embarrassment. so much for not making it seem like he was a crazy fan. yet, much to his surprise, jay isn't weirded out by the comment at all. in fact, his eyes widen in adoration. "really?! that's the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to me. i love this guy already," he says, bringing sunoo in for a quick embrace that sunoo giddily returns.

the boys agree simultaneously at jay's remark. jungwon is next to speak. "should we continue our introductions not in the lobby? sunoo hasn't even seen his room yet."

"you'll be rooming with me!" heeseung informs happily, having previously been the roommateless one with the solo complex.

albeit a bit overwhelmed, sunoo is slowly but surely growing an easy comfort around the five boys. they're easy to talk to and get along with.

well, there's still one boy he hasn't talked to yet. one boy who hasn't said a word to him. one boy who, honestly, sunoo has avoided looking at since arriving.

all six boys cramp together in the elevator ready to take them to the fifth floor. sunoo crunches in with his luggage, which doesn't help with the tight squeeze situation, and winds up getting a bit squished into the back.

he accidentally trips a bit over his own feet, stumbling backward into what should have been the wall, but is instead the chest of the one person who has yet to talk to him.

sunoo knows it's him without having to turn around. his back is pressed against park sunghoon's chest, so much so he can feel the faint beating of the latter's heart.

maybe it's the body heat radiating off the two of them that makes sunoo as hyper aware of the situation as he is, or maybe it's just sunoo's body temperature rising from pure embarrassment. either way, it's getting uncomfortably warm in the tight space and sunoo needs to get out.

his wish is soon granted once they reach the fifth floor.

the boys empty out the elevator, and sunoo quickly turns around to lightly bow in apology to sunghoon, avoiding eye contact. he then picks up his pace just a bit as they trudge over to the apartment he'll be sharing with heeseung.

"i even cleaned the place!" heeseung proudly states, the six boys entering the (indeed) spotless studio.

"wow, he did the bare minimum!" jay teases, his tone laced with fake enthusiasm. he earns a chuckle from jake and a glare from heeseung.

"all my things are already here," sunoo says in surprise, more to himself than anyone else.

"our staff doesn't waste time. they're the best," jake says.

"hey, you," sunoo hears jungwon suddenly start. sunoo follows jungwon's gaze, landing on the blonde boy lingering by the front door. "you haven't said anything this whole time."

park sunghoon freezes being put on the spot. this is the first time sunoo has truly looked at him since arriving. gosh, he isn't sure if he can get used to the visuals of him. even in the weirdly dimmed apartment lights he still looks as handsome as ever. sunoo hopes he isn't blushing. or drooling. or both.

"sorry? what do you want me to say?" sunghoon croaks in reply.

"gee, i dunno. maybe a hello or something?" jay answers, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

although he probably isn't supposed to, sunoo overhears a whisper from behind him coming from jake, the aussie murmuring, "sunghoon's acting cold for no reason again."

again? does sunghoon normally do this? sunoo doesn't peg park sunghoon to be that type of person. in fact, sunoo wouldn't describe his current quiet state to be "cold". he just seems... introverted. maybe he's the type to be that way until really getting to know someone.

but then sunoo remembers the first time they met in the bathroom. he was nowhere near introverted back then. thinking back on that night, sunoo recalls the way he called him "singer boy" or the way he winked to him on stage.

then again, that easily could have been all in his head and nowhere near flirtatious or anything remotely close. he doesn't actually know park sunghoon personally. maybe he just takes some warming up to.

if that is the case though, then why does sunoo feel as if sunghoon is kind of...avoiding him?

"okay. hello," sunghoon deadpans. he flicks his eyes up at sunoo for a brief moment before diverting them. the small move still spikes sunoo's heartbeat.

"uhm, hi," sunoo breathes.

it's quiet for a moment before jay blurts, "well that was awkward as hell."

the mood lightens a bit at that, causing the boys to break into some much needed laughter. now sunoo understands why jay is dubbed the mood maker of the group.

"let's let sunoo settle in. we'll see him for dinner anyways. come on," jungwon decides, leading all but heeseung and sunoo out of the complex.

sunoo shoots sunghoon one last look, hoping the blonde would look back. he doesn't. the four boys leave, closing the door behind them.

heeseung tugs at sunoo's sleeve. "i'll show you your room! it's right next to mine."

sunoo nods, flashing a him smile. sunghoon doesn't leave his mind the whole time heeseung gives him the grand tour.

͙⁺˚*･༓☾

"okay, what the actual fuck was that?" jungwon, who rarely curses, blurts out once the four boys decide to hit jungwon and sunghoon's room after leaving the other two.

"what was what?" sunghoon retorts, playing dumb.

truth be told, sunghoon is only doing what he has to do. and what he has to do is suppress his feelings for kim sunoo, even if that means coming across as a cold jerk.

jungwon places his hands on his hips. "you were being an asshole back there! way to be welcoming."

sunghoon feels a pang of guilt. more than anything, he wishes he could've been sweeter to sunoo. he wishes he could've welcomed him with a hug like heeseung and jay. but the closer he gets to sunoo, the harder it will be to hide his feelings, and it's just to much of a risk.

"i'm sorry, i'm just kind of feeling out of it today. maybe i'll call it a day early."

"but it's only five-thirty!" jake exclaims, incredulously.

"so does that mean you're not coming to dinner?" jay follows up.

sunghoon shrugs. defeated, jay wraps an arm around jake's shoulder with a sigh. "let's go. the ice prince needs a nap or something."

sunghoon rolls his eyes at the nickname, his two friends leaving the room.

jungwon follows behind them, but stops shortly to turn back to sunghoon. "please come to dinner. we can talk after so you can actually tell me what's going on."

and with that, he too leaves sunghoon alone, giving him the room to himself. the blonde falls back onto his bed, laying on his side and hugging his knees to his chest.

ignoring kim sunoo is gonna be much harder than he anticipated.