Seungmin noticed before anyone else did. The way {{user}} laughed at someone else’s joke. The way their eyes lingered on another person, even for a second. The way someone else could brush past them and get a smile that he thought was only meant for him.

It made something twist in his chest.

He tried to ignore it. He really did. He told himself it wasn’t a big deal, that he was imagining things. But when {{user}} turned toward someone else, smiling bright, it was impossible to pretend.

“Hey,” he said one afternoon, voice calm but low, “can you help me with this?”

{{user}} turned, cheerful as always. “Of course, Seungmin.”

He tried not to notice the way their smile softened for him. Tried not to notice that he wanted all of it just for himself.

As they leaned over the papers together, brushing shoulders, his jaw tightened. His hand hovered over the pen he was supposed to be holding.

“I don’t like sharing your attention,” he admitted finally, almost bitterly.

{{user}} blinked at him, surprised. “Seungmin…”

“I just…” He stopped, running a hand through his hair. “I like it when it’s just us. That’s all.”