Chapter Text
The cafeteria buzzed with its usual midday fervor—an amalgamation of chatter, clinking trays, and the occasional shriek of laughter. But the loudest commotion was centered around one particular table.
“Dohwa, you have to come!”
“Are you entering the contest? You’d definitely win.”
“Come on, it’s not the same without you!”
Dohwa Baek sighed, propping his chin on his palm as the crowd around him swelled like a wave refusing to recede. It was always like this. He had a reputation—whether he wanted it or not—as the golden boy with the perfect face, the effortless charm, the one who could make girls giggle just by raising an eyebrow.
“Look, I’d love to,” he drawled, voice honeyed with the kind of nonchalance that made people lean in closer, “but I have—uh—prior engagements. You know, very important stuff. Super secret.”
A blatant lie. He could barely afford lunch today, let alone a costume for some overpriced event. The last thing he wanted was to parade around in something cheap and half-assed while everyone else showed up in elaborate outfits.
Dohwa opened his mouth to weave a more convincing excuse when a familiar voice cut through the din.
“Dohwa!”
And just like that, the entire room seemed to shrink to the sound of her voice.
Sooae.
Bright. Effervescent. Sunlight in human form.
She bounded over to his table, the mere sight of her sending his heartbeat into a discordant rhythm. Her hair swayed with the motion, her smile a radiant beam that somehow made the sterile school cafeteria feel warm.
“You have to come,” she said, practically bouncing on her heels.
Dohwa swallowed. Hard.
It wasn’t just the fact that she was beautiful—it was the way she looked at him, like she believed in him. Like she genuinely wanted him there, and not just because of his face or his reputation.
And really, how the hell was he supposed to say no to that?
“…Fine,” he relented, exhaling as if he were doing them all a great favor. “I’ll go.”
The cafeteria erupted in cheers, and Sooae beamed at him, completely oblivious to the internal war waging in his chest.
He was so, so screwed.
⸻
Dohwa had never been above working hard, but juggling two jobs and school just to afford a damn costume was a new low.
The evening air was thick with the scent of fried food and exhaust fumes as he adjusted the strap of his delivery bag and checked the next address. His legs ached from running orders all day, and his fingers were raw from counting crumpled bills that barely added up to anything substantial.
And then he saw him.
Eunhyuk.
Standing on the other side of the street, leaning against his bicycle like he had all the time in the world. His eyes—dark, cool, unreadable—flickered toward Dohwa just as he slipped his phone into his pocket.
Dohwa’s stomach twisted.
Something about that look set him on edge, like Eunhyuk had just set a trap and was waiting for him to walk right into it.
The delivery app buzzed.
New order.
His next stop was Eunhyuk’s house.
Dohwa clenched his teeth. That smug bastard had definitely done this on purpose.
Still, money was money. He had no room to refuse.
By the time he arrived at Eunhyuk’s doorstep, the sky had turned ominously dark. He barely managed to ring the doorbell before the heavens opened up, sending sheets of rain cascading down. His uniform was soaked through within seconds, strands of wet hair sticking to his forehead as he scowled at the storm.
The door creaked open.
Eunhyuk stood there, annoyingly dry in his oversized hoodie, one hand in his pocket as he scanned Dohwa’s drenched figure.
A slow smirk curled on his lips.
“Didn’t know delivery service included a free shower,” he mused.
Dohwa glared at him, shoving the bag toward his chest. “Just take your food and—”
A sharp crack of thunder rattled the sky.
The wind howled, sending the rain slashing sideways.
Eunhyuk sighed, as if this was all just a mild inconvenience. “You’re going to catch a cold.”
“Not your problem,” Dohwa bit out.
Eunhyuk tilted his head. “Come inside.”
Dohwa hesitated. The warmth of the house practically radiated from the doorway, promising dry clothes, maybe even a hot drink.
But this was Eunhyuk.
He didn’t owe him anything. And he sure as hell didn’t need his charity.
“This is stupid,” Dohwa muttered under his breath, half to himself, half to the universe for putting him in this situation.
He knew he’d regret this.
And yet—
He stepped inside.