Chapter Text
sunghoon’s always noticed it—the way heeseung’s laughter fills the room when he's with everyone else, easy and natural. but whenever it’s just the two of them, heeseung falls quiet, like there’s some invisible distance between them. sunghoon can’t help but wonder if he’s done something wrong, or if maybe heeseung just doesn’t like him as much as he does the others. the thought stings more than he’d ever admit.
what sunghoon doesn’t realize is that heeseung’s silence is from nerves, not distance. there’s something about sunghoon—his quiet focus, the way he’s so observant—that makes heeseung feel like he’s under a spotlight, always second-guessing his words. it’s… different, somehow.
one late night, sunghoon finds him alone in the practice room, running through a routine he’s already nailed a hundred times. lingering in the doorway, sunghoon finally speaks up. “heeseung hyung,” he says softly, almost hesitant, “you don’t have to be quiet around me, you know.”
heeseung’s movements still. he looks up, surprised, before offering a small, almost shy smile. “i know. it’s just…” he trails off, his gaze shifting, clearly trying to play it off. “it’s nothing, really. i’m just focused, you know? it’s no big deal.”
sunghoon doesn’t buy it. something about heeseung’s tone, the way he’s avoiding eye contact, feels off. he steps into the room, closing the distance between them. “you don’t have to pretend it’s nothing. i can tell something’s different when it’s just us.”
heeseung shifts uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck again. he gives a small, forced laugh, but it’s too quiet to be convincing. “nah, it’s fine. you’re just overthinking it, sunghoon-ah.”
sunghoon frowns, not buying it at all. “hyung,” he says, his voice softer now, “i know you’re not like this with the others. so why are you like this with me?”
heeseung’s heart skips a beat. he feels cornered, and for a moment, his mind goes blank. it’s not like he wants to push sunghoon away, or act like everything’s fine when it’s not. he just… doesn’t know how to explain it without sounding foolish.
there’s a long pause before heeseung sighs, running a hand through his hair. “i don’t know how to say it,” he admits, his voice quieter than before. “but… you make me nervous, sunghoon.”
the words hang in the air between them, and sunghoon is taken aback. he’s not sure what to say. nervous? heeseung, of all people, nervous around him?
heeseung quickly tries to cover up the confession with a nervous chuckle. “but hey, it’s not a big deal, right? it’s just… you’re so good at everything, and i just get caught up thinking too much, that’s all. nothing to worry about.”
sunghoon blinks, taken aback by heeseung's words. "me? nervous?" he repeats, a quiet laugh escaping him. it feels surreal—heeseung is always so confident, always in control. "hyung, i’ve always thought you were the one who had it together."
heeseung looks away, a little embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck. "it’s just... you’re so... i don’t know, perfect, i guess? everything you do seems so effortless, and then i start thinking too much about it."
sunghoon can’t help but smile at that, a warmth spreading through him. he steps into the room, a bit closer now, though still cautious. "hyung," he says softly, voice almost teasing. "i've always admired you. i never thought you’d feel that way."
heeseung glances up, his cheeks tinged pink. "well, now you know," he mumbles, feeling a little awkward. "i guess i just... i’m not good at showing it."
sunghoon’s heart races as the silence between them stretches. he wants to say something, but all he can manage is a gentle "hyung..." as he steps forward, closer than before. their gazes lock, and for a moment, it’s like neither of them knows what to do with the space between them.
"maybe," sunghoon says, his voice quieter now, "we don’t have to be so nervous anymore."
heeseung swallows, nodding slowly, his eyes softening. "maybe not."
sunghoon hesitates, his hand twitching slightly as if unsure whether to reach out or not. there’s a soft pressure in his chest, an unfamiliar kind of warmth. the silence hangs there between them, thick and heavy, but not uncomfortable. maybe, for once, heeseung doesn’t need to be the one with all the answers.
"hyung," sunghoon says again, his voice a little more confident this time, "i… i don't want things to be weird between us."
heeseung’s eyes flicker with something softer, and for a moment, sunghoon wonders if he feels the same. "me neither," heeseung finally admits, his voice quiet but clear. "i just... i didn’t know how to say it before."
sunghoon takes another small step forward, his breath steady. "then, how about this—let’s just be ourselves, yeah?" his smile is a little shy but sincere. "no pressure."
heeseung meets his gaze for a long moment, his lips curving up in a way that feels more like a relief than anything else. "yeah," he says, a little lighter now. "no pressure."
and just like that, the space between them doesn’t feel so heavy anymore. their shared laughter fills the room, not loud or brash, but easy, the kind that comes from understanding something unspoken. for the first time, they both feel like maybe, just maybe, this nervousness is the start of something new.