once the boys arrived at their destination, they were all put right to work.

they hardly saw eachother throughout the day, far too focused on the tasks their teacher had assigned them.

when the day was finally over, hyunjin and changbin went into their assigned room.

when they walked in the both paused and stared at the king sized bed in the middle of it.

"one bed?" changbin questioned.

"looks like it." hyunjin responded as he walked over and laid down on top of it.

changbin slowly walked over and laid beside the boy.

"i can sleep on the floor." changbin offered.

"why would you do that? we can just share the bed." hyunjin suggested.

"are you sure you're okay with that?" changbin asked, not knowing how hyunjin would feel about it since changbin had admitted he liked the boy.

"yeah, why wouldn't i be?" hyunjin questioned as he stared up at the ceiling.

"because... because of what you found out." changbin said shyly.

"what? your feelings for me?" hyunjin asked nonchalantly as he then turned towards changbin.

"y-yeah." changbin stuttered out.

"are you sure you like me?" hyunjin questioned, finally getting changbin to look at him.

"why wouldn't i be sure?" changbin responded, but wasn't exactly answering hyunjins question.

"i don't know, i just feel like you don't actually have feelings for me." hyunjin shrugged as he then climbed off the bed.

"im going to get read to go to sleep now, are you tired?" hyunjin asked.

"a little... i guess i should get ready too then." changbin said as he then got up and started getting his stuff together to go to sleep.

once the boys were changed into their pajamas and were all ready for bed, they awkwardly climbed into bed, laying side by side.

silence fell upon them in the darkness of their room. hyunjin laid there trying to think of something to say, anything that would kill the tension between them.

"hey changbin," hyunjin started and earned nothing but a hum in response, "did i do something wrong?"

"no, why would you think that?" changbin asked as he turned towards hyunjin. he was only able to see the outline of the boy in the pitch black room.

"i just feel like things have been different for us since i found out you have feelings for me. i don't want things to be different." hyunjin said softly.

"they're not. i'm sorry, i've been acting different. it's me, not you." changbin explained.

"did something happen?" hyunjin questioned, but all that followed was silence, "does it have to do with felix?"

"it does." changbin admitted, his voice being nothing above a whisper.

"the day in the cafeteria when he fell... what happened to his legs?"

"hyunjin... i not really my place to talk about. just know i still can't save him." changbin sighed.

"what do you mean you still can't save him? is that really why you broke up with him?" hyunjin questioned.

"no..."

"yes it is changbin! i remember you telling me how you couldn't make him happy like chan did, but clearly you were oblivious! he smiled the most around you. he adored you changbin, no one else."

"that's not why i ended it!" changbin shouted, but he knew deep down he was lying.

"then tell me, why did you end it?"

"it wasn't fair to be with him when i was attracted to you!" changbin responded.

hyunjin stayed silent, in shock of changbins words.

"changbin... attraction and feelings are two different things. you do know that, right?" hyunjin asked.

"i know."

"don't use feelings for me as an excuse for the truth."

"please hyunjin, it's easier this way." changbin begged.

"but bin, i know you. i know you love felix even if you claim to have feelings for me."

"stop it hyunjin! just stop! i don't want to love him anymore, im not good enough for him." changbin said as he felt the tears prick at his eyes.

"you are more than enough changbin, you don't understand how much you mean to him." hyunjin stated.

"hyunjin, i didn't treat him right. i wasn't enough for him. i stared at you like you were the one i liked, felix told me that himself!"

"so what are you trying to do, prove him right? i know you didn't like me. the reason we're so close is because you refuse to tell anyone else about ryujin. maybe if you opened up to felix—"

"goddamit hyunjin just accept the fact i like you!" changbin shouted as he leaned in and placed his lips against hyunjins.

hyunjin immediately froze, but ultimately caved in and mirrored the boys movements.

"im sorry... i shouldn't have done that." changbin apologized as he pulled away.

"is it weird if i say im glad you did it?" hyunjin asked, completely taking changbin by surprise.

a.n.

oh me oh my

also the matching rings on minsung 🥲🥺