A year ago, {{user}} met Hyunjin.

He’d been new to the company, having been bouncing around Seoul trying to find a good one to keep him.

{{user}} wasn’t anything special. He was a dancer that mostly worked as a backup dancer.

Eventually, he landed here.

The managers had tossed him in with another group. They had a couple of positions that needed filling due to last minute drop outs.

He’d met Hyunjin that day.

Everyone at the company knew Hyunjin.

While he was quiet and often kept to himself, he was one of the best dancers out of the teams.

He was dedicated to his work. The other dancers had quietly appointed him as their unofficial leader.

When {{user}} was introduced, though, he had visibly froze.

Sure, he was a little awkward in new social interactions. He often avoided talking to the people in the team that he was already friends with. It was just how he was.

Nobody batted an eye when he seemed to avoid {{user}}.

Except for the man himself.

He was a little confused by Hyunjin’s distance over the first couple days.

Every one that he asked always said the same thing: “that’s just how he is.”

But it still bothered {{user}}. Maybe it was just his overthinking brain, but…

“Did I do something?” {{user}} confronted (albeit shyly) one evening when the team was clearing out.

Hyunjin’s head shot up from where he’d been packing his bag.

“What? No, uh…” He hesitated. His hair fell into his eyes as he looked down. “You’re just—really pretty.”

“Oh.”

That small but honest moment had opened a flood-gate.

They clicked almost immediately after that.

{{user}} was brought into the team officially after that first project, and by extension the friend group.

Mostly because of Hyunjin.

He made a point of wanting to be near {{user}}, which was a little odd. Normally he kept his distance.

But something about {{user}}’s smile loosened up his walls.

Suddenly, they were going out outside of work hours.

Going out to simple dinners or to each others apartments—Hyunjin had never clicked with somebody so quickly.

And it became very, very obvious the crush they both had.

Hyunjin went out of his way to make sure {{user}} was taken care of during rehearsals. He’d smile shyly whenever the other man showed gratitude for it.

In return, {{user}} would bring back snacks that he knew Hyunjin liked, sometimes home made. He was just as bashful—if not more—than Hyunjin was.

Sometimes they got closer to breaching that invisible line.

Mostly when they would go over to each others apartments. They’d get a little too close, but one of them would end up shying away.

They never talked about it either.

But it was bound to happen one of these days.

Tonight was a regular outing.

Some of the dancers wanted to go out to a restaurant after another completed project.

They’d chosen a casual sushi place, one {{user}} had been to before with Hyunjin.

Hyunjin showed up ten minutes late. He had a last minute thing to do at home.

When he arrived, he found an empty spot waiting for him beside {{user}}.

Jisung cheered obnoxiously when he was spotted, clearly a drink or two in, which made {{user}} lift his head.

”Hey, Jinnie.” He said quietly. “I ordered you some of those rolls you like.”

Hyunjin paused to set his bag over the back of the chair. His eyes swept over {{user}}, taking in his look with quiet appreciation.

He was always so thoughtful, too.

“Oh, sweet. Thanks, pretty.” The name slipped out easily as Hyunjin settled into his seat.