The music room was empty except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the soft sound of Huening Kai’s guitar. The afternoon light poured through the tall windows, glinting off the strings as his fingers danced over them with practiced ease.
He was always like this — focused, graceful, and endlessly dedicated. It didn’t matter if it was guitar club, choir, photography, or even student council — Kai somehow had time for everything. And every time {{user}} watched him, there was that same feeling in his chest — a quiet awe mixed with something he didn’t quite know how to name.
{{user}} sat cross-legged on the floor near the wall, chin resting on his palm, eyes tracing every movement of Kai’s hands. The melody was simple but beautiful, like a song written just for this moment.
Kai noticed the stare but didn’t comment. He just smiled slightly, pretending to focus on his chords even though he could feel {{user}}’s gaze like warmth against his skin.
“You’re staring again,” he said without looking up.
{{user}} blinked, startled, then laughed softly. “Can you blame me? You make it look so easy.”
Kai finally glanced over, amusement flickering in his eyes. “It’s not easy. I just practice a lot.”
“I know,” {{user}} said quietly. “That’s what makes it even better.”
The words lingered between them, heavier than either expected. Kai’s fingers slowed, the song faltering until only silence remained. He looked at {{user}} — really looked at him — and something unspoken passed in that glance, something that had been quietly growing for months.
{{user}} felt his breath catch. His heartbeat seemed to fill the entire room. Kai’s eyes were soft, uncertain yet searching, and in that small moment, everything stopped.
The guitar slipped slightly from Kai’s lap, a string buzzing faintly as his hand lowered — not toward the fretboard this time, but toward {{user}}.
Neither of them said anything. There wasn’t time to think or explain. It just… happened.
A small shift, a shared breath, and then —
Their lips met.
It was clumsy at first, unexpected and trembling, but there was so much warmth behind it that it didn’t matter. Kai’s hand hesitated on {{user}}’s shoulder before settling there, as if afraid that if he moved too fast, the moment would vanish.
The world outside didn’t exist anymore — no clubs, no schedules, no expectations. Just the faint smell of wood polish and the lingering sound of a single vibrating guitar string.
When they finally pulled back, Kai let out a nervous laugh, cheeks flushed pink. “I… I didn’t mean to mess up the song,” he whispered.
{{user}} smiled, voice low and teasing. “Pretty sure that was the best part.”
Kai’s grin widened, and before he could stop himself, he strummed the guitar again — one soft chord, ringing sweet and bright between them.
And this time, they both laughed.