Archive of Our Own

It is said that an invisible red thread connects two souls meant to ‘fall in love.’ 

This is only a guess people made after couples all over the world reported seeing a red string tied around them and their lover.

The colour of the thread changes based on the distance to your soulmate: a darker red indicates they are farther away, while a brighter red shows they are closer. 

Only some people are gifted with the ability to see this thread.

They say the gift can be shared by intertwining pinkies with the person you’re connected to.   

Even if the thread stretches or becomes tangled, the string will never break.

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐇་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘࿐

Harua sits there on the edge of Nico’s bed, dazed, with his heart breaking into countless pieces.

They are in their shared room in their new dorm in Korea.

"So, what do you think?" Nicholas’s deep voice interrupts his trance.

“Could you... repeat that, hyung?” Harua asks, voice slightly trembling, confirming he heard correctly. 

“I said I think I’m ready to ask Juju out. I have a full speech prepared, and I just need your help to plan the rest.”

Harua tries to smile, but it never truly reaches his eyes. His knuckles turn pale as he grips the hem of his shirt too hard. Head down, bangs casting shadows over his eyes. He doesn’t know what to say. Harua knew it was only a matter of time before Nicholas finally asked Euijoo out. He knew Nicholas had been in love with their leader for years. 

He should be happy for his best friend, but how can he be when Harua can clearly see the red, glowing thread between their pinkies?

He wanted to say it—that they were soulmates. Ever since he found out where the string led to, three years ago. 

⊹ ࣪ ˖⏱ ୭˚. ᵎ

Harua is on his way to the room where his dreams of debuting start. His footsteps are heavy, adrenaline rushing through his veins. His heart rate is above 200. He’s been preparing for this every day since he received the email that he was accepted into &AUDITION.

Harua is visibly shaking, and he knows it’s not just because he’s meeting his competition for the first time—partially, maybe—but the real adrenaline comes from the long, thin object wrapped around his pinky. He noticed it as soon as he got out of the taxi. The thread led straight into the Hybe building. His soulmate is inside.

Harua’s eyes widen as the shade of the thread shifts from a dark scarlet to a lighter shade of red. The breeze surprises him from behind, the wind ruffling his perfectly styled hair. His fingers tremble.

"My soulmate…is inside the building?" Harua thinks aloud.

The room where the other trainees sit is in his sight. He swallows, trying to keep his composure. The string is brighter now, leading directly into that room. Just a few more steps, and Harua will finally discover who the universe has destined him to be with. 

As soon as Harua steps inside, he sees him. 

Nicholas Wang. 

The boy was strikingly handsome — Harua realized they had never felt so instantly allured by another guy like this before. His sharp eyes carried a piercing gaze, making the taller trainee look like a fox, in an intimidating yet kind contrast. The studio lights hit the side of his face, making it easier to distinguish his facial features and catching the dark strands of hair in the process. 

He fell in love with him as soon as he walked into the room. It wasn’t some cliché k-drama where Nicholas would have to prove himself to Harua first. Nicholas didn’t even do anything. It was love at first sight for Harua. As soon as he saw where the string led him, he decided that he was in love, and he was. 

Harua introduced himself to the rest of the trainees, but his eyes kept finding Nicholas’s without meaning to. He was magnetized the moment his heart found his match.

After they debuted together, Harua and Nico got even closer after Harua asked Nicholas to tutor him in fashion and photography. Harua used his poor fashion sense as an excuse to constantly cling to the older member.

⊹ ࣪ ˖⏱ ୭˚. ᵎ

“Harua?” Nicholas called after the younger member didn’t respond.

The younger member snaps out of his head. 

“Oh– yes! I think you should go for it, hyung,” says Harua, though his voice sounded like he was mostly trying to convince himself it was genuine.

He looks at the string again, wondering whether the stories of the red string were misinterpreted from what they actually meant. What if the string was nothing more than just an evil concept leading someone to their biggest heartbreak? Harua overthinks. He fidgets with it lightly, threading the red cord around his pointer finger.

He wants to cry. He wants to let it all out. To rant to someone, but the person he goes to for comfort is his problem right now. There’s only one person he goes to rant to. The only person whom Harua told the string about. But that person was out doing photoshoots and other solo schedules. That person was Maki.

He told Maki 3 months ago.

⊹ ࣪ ˖⏱ ୭˚. ᵎ

Maki and Harua were walking home after practice. The clear night sky glittered with countless stars. Cherry blossoms drifted lazily from the trees overhead, carried by a gentle breeze that carried their faint, sweet scent. The wind perfectly cooled their asses off after sweating during practice. Harua skipped in front of Maki, still managing to deliver energy after a grueling practice session. Maki trailed behind him, looking at Harua with nervousness. 

“Harua.” Maki calls out from behind, “Can I… talk to you for a moment?”

Harua halts mid-step and looks back at Maki. “Hm? What is it?”

“I just need to get something off my chest.”

Harua studies him for a moment. “You can tell me anything, Maki.”

They found a quiet bench to talk. The streetlamp illuminated them in the empty street.

Maki leaned forward, elbows on his knees, staring at the ground. "This is gonna sound weird, but... promise you won't tell anyone? No matter what?"

Harua's expression softened. "Maki, you know me. Secrets go to the grave." He nudged him lightly with his shoulder, earning a small laugh.

Maki takes a deep breath, taking in the floral breeze during cherry blossom season, then he blurts, “I like Taki.”

The words hung in the air. Harua's eyes widened, genuine shock flickering across his face. He'd never suspected—not once. Maki and Taki were close, sure, but this? 

"I—" Harua started, then stopped, a smile breaking through. He lunged forward without thinking, wrapping Maki in a tight hug. "Oh my god, Maki! I'm so happy for you!"

Maki stiffened for a split second before melting into it, relief flooding him so fiercely his eyes stung. "You're... not weirded out?"

Harua pulled back, still holding his arms. "Why would I be?"

"You know... guy liking guy. And we're in the group. The whole idol thing. It doesn't bother you?"

Maki's voice was small, vulnerable in a way Harua rarely heard.

Harua hesitated, his own secret pressing against his ribs like a bruise. He glanced around, but no one was nearby. Then slowly lifted his hand, extending his pinky.

Maki's gaze dropped to it, understanding dawning instantly. "Wait. You can see it? The string?"

Harua nodded, a quiet laugh escaping him, relieved, almost giddy. "Yeah. Surprised?"

Maki's eyes softened with empathy. "Have you... found yours?"

"Yes." The word slipped out too fast, laced with years of pent-up longing. "It's Nicholas-kun."

Maki’s jaw dropped, speechless– still trying to process the name Harua blurted out as his soulmate. 

“WAIT?! WHAT?! Did I hear that correctly? Nico? As in, OUR Nico? Wang Yi-freakin-xiang?” That made Harua chuckle. 

“Yes, that’s him. I’m so glad I finally told someone. I’ve been in love with him for so long it hurts to keep it to myself.”

“And I’m glad you trusted me. Wait, but how come Nico doesn’t know? Why not tell him now?”

“NO! He can’t know, Maki. Nico’s in love with someone else.”

“Oh, right, Juju.”

“Wait, you know?”

“He told me when we went to shabu-shabu last month. But forget that. Harua, you should tell him about it. Why are you letting him chase after Juju when you–”

"Please." Harua cut him off, eyes pleading. "Don't say anything. Not to him, not to anyone. If the string means what they say it does... maybe it'll work out. Somehow."

Maki searched his face, concern etching deep lines between his brows. "You're just going to suffer in silence?"

Harua looked away, toward the scattered petals on the ground. "I have to."

Maki sighed, bumping their shoulders together. "Fine. I promise. Lips sealed."

⊹ ࣪ ˖⏱ ୭˚. ᵎ

“So you’ll help me?” Nicholas asks with that soft and gentle tone– the kind he used whenever he was talking about Juju.

“Thank you, Harua! I knew I could count on you. I should tell Maki, too. He might get sulky if I did this without him.” Nicholas leaps up, wrapping his arms around Harua for a tight embrace. “You’re seriously the best friend ever.” ‘Best Friend’, Harua hated being that word to Nicholas. 

Harua buried his face in the crook of Nicholas's neck, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne. "What are friends for..." he mumbled, voice barely a whisper against warm skin.

The shared room was dimly lit by the glow of Nicholas’s laptop screen. Pages of detailed date ideas Nico had for Juju. Nicholas paces around the room, gesturing wildly as he explains his plan in detail. Harua lays there, staring at the screen with fake interest, nodding at whatever Nicholas was saying without even understanding them.

Harua lay propped against the headboard, nodding along with feigned enthusiasm. The words blurred into meaningless noise. His gaze was fixed elsewhere. On the red thread that danced with Nicholas's every movement, shimmering faintly in the dim light, tugging invisibly at his own finger. It was beautiful. Unbreakable. And utterly cruel.

Harua cried silently after Nicholas fell asleep. 

The door opens abruptly, making Harua jolt upright, wiping frantically at his eyes.

“You’re finally here! What took you so long?” Nicholas turns around and welcomes the mystery person.

Maki stepped in, his tall frame filling the doorway. His blonde hair caught the laptop's glow as his gaze immediately locked onto Harua's, knowing, and laced with sympathy.

“Did something happen between you two?” A deafening silence filled the room. 

“What do you mean?” Maki denies.

“We’re fine, hyung,” Harua replies.

Nicholas squinted, suspicion lingering. "Okay... you're both acting super weird right now." He waved it off with a dramatic sigh. "Whatever. Fix it later. Back to the plan—we've got a confession to perfect."

As Nicholas turned to his laptop again, gesturing animatedly, Maki leaned in just enough for Harua to hear his whisper: "You okay?"

Harua didn't answer. He couldn't. Not with the red thread glowing brighter than ever between Nicholas's oblivious fingers, pulling tight in the space where his own heart was quietly breaking.

ִֶָ𓂃 ࣪་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐕་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་༘

The trio had spent the entire day going in and out of shops, hunting for the perfect, meaningful gift for Nico to give to Euijoo. Harua trailed behind, a quiet shadow, while Nicholas's excitement lit up every display case.

Finally, in a small jewelry shop, Nicholas lifted a delicate silver chain, its pendant engraved with a subtle "7997," their intertwined birth dates, a private code only they would understand.

"This," Nicholas breathed, eyes shining. "It's perfect."

Harua forced his lips into a smile, "It looks great, hyung."

Maki's gaze flicked to him again, sharp with concern.

"Nico," Maki cut in smoothly, "Harua and I are gonna grab a spot at the ramen place next door. Meet us there when you're done?"

Nicholas nodded absently, already lost in imagining Euijoo's reaction. "Yeah, sure. Won't be long."

As soon as they walk out, Maki asks Harua, “Are you sure you're ok, Harua?”

The moment they stepped onto the sidewalk, the spring air felt heavier. Maki glanced sideways. "Harua... are you sure you're okay?"

Harua didn't respond. He stared at the cracked pavement, kicking idly at stray pebbles on the sidewalk.

The ramen shop welcomed them with a rich, savory aroma. Tonkotsu broth simmering, green onions sizzling. It was one of those fancy spots with private booths and sliding doors promising seclusion.

"Table for two?" asks the chef from behind the counter.

"Three, please," Maki replied. "And could we get a private room if possible?"

"Of course. This way."

He led them past rows of closed shoji-style doors to the one at the very end, sliding it open with a soft rasp. The small room was warm and intimate. Low table, cushioned seats, a discreet service bell.

Maki thanked him politely as the door clicked shut, sealing them in quiet.

Across the table, Harua's shoulders began to tremble. A faint, choked sob escaped before he could stop it.

Maki froze, menus forgotten in his hands. He said nothing— just watched, giving space.

Harua pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes, trying to laugh it off. "I don't even know why I'm crying," he whispered, voice hiccupping. "It's stupid. I guess... I just expected too much."

"Harua..." Maki reached across the table, gently covering Harua's shaking hand with his own. With his free hand, he pulled a few tissues from the box on the table and pressed them into Harua's palm.

"Thank you," Harua murmured, dabbing at his face. His cheeks were flushed, eyes red-rimmed, the usual brightness dimmed to something fragile.

Silence settled again, broken only by Harua's occasional sniffles.

Finally, Maki spoke, soft but steady. "I know you don't want to hear this again... but you should tell him. Don't you believe in the string?"

Harua lifted his head, tears clinging to his lashes. He stared at their joined hands for a long moment before answering, voice cracking like thin ice.

"But what if it's wrong, Maki?" The words spilled out raw, desperate. "What if the universe tied it just to watch me break?"

With a subtle squeeze, Maki tightened his hold, lending the steady comfort to ease the storm in Harua's heart.

𓂃 ࣪་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐈‍⬛་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ་

“Thank you!” Nicholas’s face lit up with excitement. He could already imagine Juju’s face when he opens the gift– lips parted slightly, eyes wide, silently admiring.

The overhead chimes jingle as Nicholas walks out the door. He’s off to meet Harua and Maki at the ramen shop. Skipping along with his excitement.

He stepped inside, the warm, savory aroma of broth enveloping him like a hug.

“Table for one?” the chef called from behind the counter, wiping his hands on a towel—it was the same man who’d greeted Maki and Harua earlier.

“I think my friends reserved a spot for us.”

The chef’s eyes lit up in recognition. “Oh– you’re with the tall one with the blonde hair and the very pretty brunette boy?”

Nicholas let out a soft giggle. “Yeah, that’s them.”

“They’re in the left booth, down at the end of the hallway.” The chef nodded toward the dim corridor.

“Thank you!” Nicholas said brightly, already heading that way.

His grin widened as he approached the private room, heart light and buzzing. But a few steps from the sliding door, he froze.

Faint, muffled sobs drifted through the wood—soft, broken sounds that Nicholas knew all too well. He’d heard them before, late at night in their shared dorm room, when Harua thought no one was listening during their quiet heart-to-hearts.

His fingers curled lightly around the wooden handle, but before he could slide it open, a trembling voice stopped him cold.

“I love him, Maki. I love him so much.”

Nicholas’s breath caught. His eyes widened. In love with…who…?

He knew he shouldn’t listen. It was wrong—intrusive, shameful. But his hand stayed frozen on the door, and he couldn’t move away.

Harua’s voice cracked as he continued, oblivious to the faint glow of the red string tied around his finger pulsing brighter with every tear he wiped away. “Did you see his face today? He’s so excited to confess to Juju.” He forced a laugh. “I should just let it go. I want hyung to be happy… with the person he actually loves.”

Juju? The name hit Nicholas like a punch to the chest. Is Harua talking about… me?

Nicholas backs away slowly, puzzled. 

Harua likes–no, loves… me.

He stared blankly at the closed door, the lively hum of the restaurant fading into a distant murmur. Everything felt muffled.

His mind was still trying to process everything. He didn’t know how to react.

Nicholas had always teased Harua playfully, flirting just enough to watch those cheeks flush pink, that shy smile bloom. It made something warm spark in his chest every time—like a small victory. But he flirts with all the members, doesn’t he? That’s just who Nicholas is…right?

Nicholas backs against the wall next to Maki and Harua’s booth. He wasn’t listening anymore; he was just standing there, trying to understand what he wants to feel. He looks at the paper bag containing the necklace he bought for Juju, then back at the door where Harua was. His fists tighten around the bag. 

Nicholas was trying to recall the signs he might’ve missed. Times of late-night laughter that stretched for hours, Harua’s eyes shining with quiet admiration whenever Nicholas complimented him. The way Harua leaned into his touch when Nicholas ruffled his hair, or how his whole face lit up when Nicholas helped pick out his outfits.

Nicholas had always been careful with Harua in a way he wasn’t with the others. He called it mentorship, a hyung’s duty. With the rest of the members, his teasing was loud and relentless. Playful jabs that echoed through the practice room until everyone was laughing. But with Harua, it was softer. Gentler. He’d poke fun at the younger boy’s messy hair or his overly serious expression while dancing, but it would always be followed by a quick compliment, a reassuring touch on the shoulder, as if he couldn’t bear the thought of Harua feeling even slightly hurt.

He never wanted Harua to feel bad. Not even for a second.

Now, leaning against the cold wall outside the private booth, Nicholas felt that same instinct surge through him—protective, aching, undeniable.

The paper bag in his hand crumpled further as his back slid down the wall an inch, the delicate necklace inside shifting with a faint metallic whisper. His pulse hammered in his ears, a frantic rhythm that drowned out the low murmur of Harua’s voice behind the door.

He closed his eyes and let the memories flood in.

Harua’s shy, crooked smile whenever Nicholas reached over to ruffle his hair—how the younger boy would duck his head, cheeks warming, but never pull away.

The way Harua’s entire face brightened like sunrise when Nicholas lingered in his room, flipping through clothes and saying, “This one. Definitely this one. You’ll look incredible.” Harua would nod quietly, trusting him completely, eyes flickering up with something soft and unspoken.

And then, it hit him. That one night, when he went a little too far on the flirting, causing Harua to bite back.

⊹ ࣪ ˖⏱ ୭˚. ᵎ

It had been late, after a long schedule. The dorm was quiet; everyone else was asleep. They’d been sprawled on Nicholas’s bed, sharing a blanket, watching a new anime that piqued their interest.

The anime was a slow-burn, boy’s love story– (cliché, I know)-- they’d been watching it mindlessly, almost dozing off mid-episodes because they’ve seen the same plots over and over again, until one scene caught Nico’s attention.

The characters kissed after they finally couldn’t take it anymore. Nico woke up from boredom. A familiar grin spread across his face. The mischievous one that always surfaced when he sensed an opportunity to tease Harua.

Nico glanced sideways. Harua’s lashes cast faint shadows against his cheeks, lips parted just slightly. “If you liked someone that much,” Nico started, tone playful, almost lazy. “Would you wait that long? Or would you just kiss them and get it over with?”

Harua stiffened, just a little. Nico felt it immediately. He turned his head more fully this time, watching the way Harua’s fingers curled into the blanket.

“I– I don’t know,” Harua said after a beat, laughing nervously. “That’s kind of embarrassing to think about.”

Nico chuckled, low and warm. “Why? It’s just a hypothetical.” He leaned closer, their shoulders brushing beneath the blanket. “You’re saying you wouldn’t want to kiss the person you like?” Nicholas grins wider as the younger’s cheeks start to tint pink. “Had our bunny had his first kiss yet~?” Nicholas flashes his eyebrows at Harua, getting too close to Harua’s face, causing the tips of their noses to brush slightly. Harua’s eyes widen at the proximity, cheeks burning at the touch.

His eyes studied the older for a second before turning into an unreadable expression. The slightly flustered cheeks faded into a paler shade, almost as mischievous as Nico’s expression.

 “Why does hyu– gege, want to know that~?” Harua’s voice teases back, eyes confidently cunning.

Nicholas’s heart skipped for a moment. 

Where did you learn that word… 

His teasing grin faltered for half a second before forcing it back on. He wasn’t gonna let Harua win.

“Is that your way of flirting back, Harua-chan~?” Nicholas forced himself to lock his eyes on Harua and smile.

To Nico’s surprise, Harua came up closer, causing Nico to flinch back a little.

“Hah! You flinched. I win.” He flopped back against the headboard with a soft laugh, pleased with himself.

Nicholas stayed frozen for a moment, pulse racing.

That was new.

 His heart was racing. It was the first time Harua flirted back. It dangerously scared him. He never thought the younger would be that bold.

He followed Harua’s lead eventually, sliding down under the blanket and pretending to settle in for the night. But sleep didn’t come.

He barely slept that night.

He watched as Harua’s breathing fell evenly in the bed across the room.

The interaction caused a storm in his mind, but he ultimately decides to push it away, fearing what it would do to him in the future– how it would affect his relationship with Harua.

⊹ ࣪ ˖⏱ ୭˚. ᵎ

The trio went home after eating their ramen.

Nicholas sits on the edge of his bed, mind spiraling after hearing what he heard in the shop.

Harua excused himself to shower first, leaving Nicholas alone in their room.

Nicholas groans into a pillow, cursing himself for the war in his head.

What are you doing, Nico…?, he thinks out loud. You’re in love with Euijoo, aren’t you…?

He wasn’t sure anymore. Euijoo’s always been a safe option for him. They’ve known each other way longer than the other members. The 02z. Nichojoo. Everyone loves them. But as he stares into the bag containing what was supposed to be Euijoo’s gift, he isn’t so sure anymore.

The necklace in the bag suddenly felt heavy. Wrong.

Because the person he really wanted to see wearing it… wasn’t Juju.

The door opens slowly. Harua walks in, hair damp from the shower.

“You might want to heat some water in the kettle if you want to take a bath. There’s no hot water again,” says the boy, visibly shivering from the cold shower.

Nicholas stares at him affectionately. Watching the boy’s dark, damp hair falling dramatically over his lashes. Harua runs a hand through his hair, and Nicholas felt the world slow down, as if he were in a scene of a K-drama.

And that’s when he realized it. 

It hadn’t been casual. None of it had.

The teasing. The protectiveness. The way his chest tightened whenever Harua laughed at one of his jokes.

He hadn’t been mentoring Harua; he’d been falling for him. Slowly, carefully, without even realizing it.

And Harua… Harua had been waiting.

Loving him quietly all this time. 

“Harua,” Nicholas calls out nervously from the bed.

Harua hums a response. 

Nicholas opens his mouth, but the words don’t leave him quite yet.

He hesitates– the boy looked at him soullessly, maybe defeated from the heartbreak he faced.

“Would you…” Nicholas starts, then swallows. “Wanna go for a walk?”

Harua blinks, eyebrow arching slowly. “Right now?”

Nicholas nods. “Only if you want to, of course.”

“Sure, but don’t you wanna shower first? We’ve been out all day.”

“Then after,” Nicholas cuts in, the words tumbling out before he can stop them. “We’ll go after. Just… a walk. You and me.”

Harua tilts his head, expression unreadable. “It’s almost midnight. Why do you suddenly want to go for a walk at this hour?”

Nicholas scrambles for an excuse that doesn’t sound like I overheard you crying over me, and I’ve been unraveling ever since. “I just…” He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding Harua’s eyes. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep yet. Too much in my head.”

Then, because he’s desperate and running out of options, he pulls out the big guns: the pout. Lips pushed out just enough, eyes wide and pleading, head tilted—the full helpless-cat face he knows Harua has never been able to resist. “Do you not wanna go for a walk with me?” he asks, voice small and dramatically wounded.

Harua studies him curiously, wondering if Nicholas’s sudden request had a different motive. “Fine,” Harua mutters in defeat. “You’re acting weird tonight, hyung,” he says, voice stern, as if he had stopped expecting the red string’s magic.

Nicholas forces a lopsided grin, heart hammering. “Weird good or weird bad?”

Harua shrugs, brushing past him into the hallway. “We’ll see.”

𓂃 ࣪་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐈‍⬛ ִֶָ🐇་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ

The midnight air winds through them. Through the quiet streets of Seoul, Nicholas and Harua walked side by side. Awkwardly, but no one wanted to admit it. 

It was too quiet. 

Usually, when they would go out for their spontaneous walks, it would be filled with laughter and teasing, but tonight it was an uncomfortable silence that both of them want to fill.

No one spoke. The sync of their shoes was deafening.

Nicholas stole glances. Harua’s profile was lit faintly by the streetlamps– jaw sharp, hair still curling at the ends from the shower, lashes lowered as he watched the ground. He looked tired. Defeated. Nicholas hated knowing the cause of that look.

“So,” Harua finally said, voice soft but edged with something careful. “You finally have everything you need for your confession.” Harua forces a laugh, “I’m happy for you. Wiju-kun’s lucky.”

Nicholas’s chest tightened. He knew Harua didn’t mean it. The boy’s smile didn’t reach his eyes; his usual light was replaced by a gloomy cloud.

They turned a corner, heading toward the small park nearby.

“Yeah… now I just need to actually ask him out and hope he says yes…” The words didn’t hit right. He doesn’t mean them. He wanted to say something else. Nicholas looked down at the pavement like it betrayed him. The truth he wanted to say was stuck in his throat, suffocating and eating him up. He tried to make small talk about the practice and future schedules, but Harua kept giving one-worded, uninterested responses. 

Until he finally said it.

“I overheard you,” Nicholas said finally. The words felt heavy coming out. “At the ramen shop. Crying. I didn’t mean to, I swear.”

Harua halts. Fists clenching on his sides. ”What’d you hear…?”

“That you liked me,” Nicholas says, “and that you were letting go of me.”

Harua’s expression didn’t change at first. Then something flickered—resignation, maybe embarrassment. He looked away, toward the dark silhouettes of the trees. “Great,” he muttered. “So that’s what this is about.”

Nicholas took a step closer. “I’ve been a mess since that night we watched that stupid anime. I tried to push it away, but then today, hearing you say you were letting go…” His voice cracked slightly. He swallowed. “It felt like the ground disappeared.”

Harua finally looked at him. Eyes searching. “Don’t do this, hyung.”

“Do what?”

“Pity me. Or feel guilty. Or whatever this is.” Harua’s voice was quiet, but firm. “I’m already trying to get over it. Don’t make it harder than it already is. I already came to terms with the fact that you love Juju.”

“That’s not—” Nicholas shook his head, frustrated. “That’s not what this is.”

“Then what is it?” Harua asked, a little sharper now. “Because you’ve spent years teasing me, getting close, acting like— like it meant something. But I’m just the kid you mess with when you’re bored.”

Nicholas flinched. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Then what was it like?” Harua’s eyes were glassy now, but his voice stayed steady. “Because from where I’m standing, it felt pretty real.”

“It was real,” he said, voice low. “All of it. I just– I was just stupid enough to ignore it. I didn’t know what to do with it. Euijoo’s safe. Easy. Everyone expects it. But you…” He let out a shaky breath. “You scare the hell out of me, Harua.”

Harua blinked. “I scare you?”

“Yeah…” Nicholas laughed, “Because I realize it now. Because with you, it’s not just flirting or teasing or whatever I told myself it was. It’s— everything. The way you laugh at my dumb jokes. The way you lean into me when you’re tired. The way you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention.” He paused. “I’ve been falling for you this whole time and didn’t even realize it until I thought I might lose you.”

Harua stared at him. Silent. The wind rustled the bare branches above them.

“Nicholas…” Harua’s tears fell like a storm. 

Nicholas felt his own heart crack open at the sight.

“Harua…” he whispered, stepping forward without thinking. His hand lifted, hesitant, then settled gently on Harua’s arm. “Hey… don’t— please don’t cry.”

Harua laughed once, wet and broken. “Kind of late for that, hyung.”

Nicholas’s thumb brushed a tear from Harua’s cheek.

Harua wiped the other side of his face with the heel of his hand, angry at the tears, angry at himself for falling apart now, of all times.

Harua looked up at him then. Eyes red-rimmed, lashes wet, but searching Nicholas’s face like he was trying to find the lie. The joke. The punchline he’d been waiting for all this time.

He didn’t find it.

Nicholas didn’t look away. Didn’t flinch. Just stood there, close enough that Harua could see the faint tremble in his jaw, the way his own eyes were glassy now.

“Say it again,” Harua said, voice barely above a whisper. “What you said before. About… falling.”

Nicholas swallowed. Took a breath that shook.

“I’m in love with you,” he said clearly. “Not Euijoo. Not anyone else. You. I love you, Shigeta Harua.”

Harua’s breath hitched. Fresh tears welled, but this time they didn’t feel like surrender. They felt relieved.

He stepped forward—small, uncertain—until his forehead rested against Nicholas’s collarbone. Nicholas’s arms came around him immediately, careful at first, then tighter when Harua didn’t pull back.

Harua’s hands fisted in the fabric of Nicholas’s jacket. He didn’t say anything for a long moment. Just breathed him in—warm, familiar, the faint trace of his shampoo and the cold night air clinging to his clothes.

Then, muffled against Nicholas’s chest:

“…You’re such an idiot.”

Nicholas huffed a watery laugh. “Yeah. I know.”

Harua tilted his head up, just enough to meet his eyes. “If you’re lying to me right now…”

“I’m not.”

“If you change your mind tomorrow—”

“I won’t.”

Harua studied him for another beat. Then, quietly, “Kiss me, then. If you mean it.”

Nicholas didn’t hesitate.

He cupped Harua’s cold cheek with one hand, thumb brushing away a tear, and leaned down slowly—giving Harua every chance to stop him.

Harua didn’t. 

Their lips met soft and careful, like neither of them quite believed it was real yet. Nicholas kissed him like an apology. Like a promise.

They both giggled when they finally pulled away.

Harua reached to fix a stray strand of Nico’s hair, and froze when he finally realized the glow of the string was brighter than before. 

“What’s wrong, Harua. Does your hand hurt?” Nicholas says, voice laced with concern.

Harua smiles before laughing softly, “No…” Harua grabs Nicholas's hand, isolating his pinky before intertwining them together.

Nicholas’s eyes widen. The red string finally became visible to him. It wrapped around their fingers like a promise.

“Wait, you were able to see this the entire time? How long have you been waiting for me, Harua?” Nicholas asks.

“Since the first day we met,” Harua answers.

“Wh– Why didn’t you tell me, Harua?”

“I didn’t want you to feel trapped, hyung. When we first met, we were just kids thrown into the same practice room. You were loud and confident and a little intimidating.” He smiled at the memory. “I saw the string the moment you walked in and introduced yourself. My heart literally stopped. And I thought… maybe it was a mistake. Maybe fate got it wrong.”

He let out a breathless laugh, disbelief and wonder mixing in his voice. “Since day one? And you just… carried that alone?”

Harua shrugged, small and shy, cheeks still flushed from crying and from the kiss. “I didn’t want to scare you off. Your debut was already decided, but mine wasn’t. I was just another trainee competing to debut alongside you.”

They stayed like that a while longer—hands linked, string glowing, city quiet around them—two boys who’d finally found the same page after years of circling each other.

“Come on,” Nicholas said, tugging him gently back toward the dorm. “Let’s go home.”

Harua squeezed his hand. “Yeah. Let’s go home.”

𓂃 ࣪་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ🐈‍⬛ ִֶָ🐇🍀་༘𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ

As soon as they entered the dorm, Nicholas pulled on Harua’s wrist, guiding him through the quiet hallway loudly and then closes the distance between them. A kiss resulting from the years of hiding.

Nicholas shut the door with his foot without leaving Harua’s lips—the force too loud in the dorm’s hallway at 3 in the morning. They crashed into the room still fused at the mouth, desperate and messy. 

Harua couldn’t let go of him; he held onto the red string from Nicholas for three years. For three years, he suppressed his feelings for Nicholas, knowing where Nico’s heart truly belonged. During that time, he pretended to be Nico’s personal cheerleader in his pursuit of Juju.

His heart was pounding so hard, he swore the entire dorm heard its echo. He’s thankful that  everyone else was either asleep or pretending to be. The thin walls in the dorm trained them to be good at pretending.

But now he’s here, finally, he thought while still drunk on his hyung’s lips. Their hearts and minds were filled with love and hunger, a mixture of relief and longing swirling inside Harua. Every pulse, every breath felt like a vow he couldn’t break. 

Nicholas shoves Harua against the bedroom door with a loud thud that anyone awake could definitely hear. His hands slide under the hem of Harua’s shirt, palms gliding over the warm skin like he needed to confirm Harua was real. Harua whimpers into Nico’s lips before pushing him back for a break.

“Gege… too much. I almost passed out there.” Harua whispered a breathless giggle despite tears welling in his eyes. 

Nicholas doesn’t answer yet, the word gege rings in his ears; instead, he presses their foreheads together, grabbing Harua’s right arm and pinning it against the door, above Harua’s head. The warm glow of the lamp behind them lets him see the expression on Harua’s face, breathless and overwhelmed. A tear stains down Harua’s cheeks, and Nicholas kisses the damp surface.

“You have to take accountability for hiding this from me for three years,” Nicholas smirks, “you know how much time we lost because of that? We could’ve been like this for years.” Nicholas’s expression soften. He pulls back just a little to admire the mess he made of Harua, a beautiful, sweaty mess. His mess.

“I already said I was sorry.” Harua pouts.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it.” Nicholas’s teasing smirk came back. “You’re gonna make up for it tonight, and you’re gonna be good to gege, right?”

“W-Wha–” Harua starts, but is then interrupted by Nico’s hungry lips.

Nicholas had pulled him in again. This time, deeper and more passionate. His hands slither back up Harua’s shirt, lightly pinching the younger’s warm and stiff nipples, making Harua moan into his lips. Nico moves down to Harua’s jaw, licking and sucking on the boy’s soft, well-cared skin, tasting the saltiness from Harua’s combined sweat and tears. 

Harua tugged at the hem of Nico’s shirt, urging him to take it off. The younger’s plea was answered as Nicholas pulled back and removes the clothing in one quick motion. Harua felt his heart race faster than before. He’s seen Nicholas naked countless times, but this time it felt a lot different. Everything was considerably more intimate now. The older man was looking at him with the eyes of a cunning fox, itching to taste the rabbit. Nicholas stood a few inches away, subtly flexing his abs with a knowing smirk– that annoying, teasing smirk Harua hates but falls for every time. Nicholas’s fingers move to his hips, thumbs going inside the side of his denim jeans. He pushes down slowly, revealing the red and white elastic fabric of his matching Diesel underwear with Harua.

Harua could feel the atmosphere getting warmer. He felt like a thousand needles were poking his body. 

Nicholas’s pants fully drop, revealing a veiny monster beneath them.

Harua’s lips part just a little before visibly gulping from the sight. Harua had always sensed big dick energy from Nico, but this…

THIS IS TOO MUCH- he thought.

“Your turn,” Nico demands, slightly lifting the hem of Harua’s shirt.

Harua hesitates for a moment but ultimately obeys, slowly raising his arms to allow Nico to take it off. The younger man looked beautiful. His petite figure perfectly parallels Nicholas’s defined muscles. 

Nicholas felt his hard jump upon seeing the boy’s naked body. The only thing going through Nicholas’s mind right now is love and lust. Love, because he’s glad he was finally able to realize his crush on the younger member, and lust, because he’s excited just by thinking about how much he’s gonna enjoy rearranging Harua’s insides.

The older member could see Harua’s bashful expression faintly in the dim lighting. The younger wasn’t meeting his eyes. Harua’s cheeks burned a soft pink, the kind of flush that crept all the way to the tips of his ears. Nicholas couldn’t help but chuckle at the boy’s timid expression. He’s so cute.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Nicholas asks.

“N-nothing– let’s keep going.” Harua fidgets around.

“No, not until you tell me what’s wrong,” Nicholas says quietly.

“I said it’s nothi–” Harua starts.

“Harua.” Nicholas interrupts, voice stern. 

“I– fine. It’s just– your body’s so much larger compared to mine.”

Nicholas doesn’t answer; he just looks at him. Nicholas leaned in a little closer, his low voice dropping even softer, almost hesitant, as he met Harua's eyes with that direct, caring intensity he always had around him. “What do you mean? Your body is perfect, Harua. Everything about you is.”

“That’s… not what I meant.” Harua swallows. “I just– don’t know if I can take all that.”

Nicholas laughs– a little too hard. “HAHAHAHA WHAT?!” Harua elbows him.

“IT’S NOT FUNNY, HYUNG! CAN’T YOU SEE I’M ALREADY EMBARRASSED!” Harua yells quietly.

“HAhah WOO! Sorry for laughing too much, that was– wow. So what do you mean by ‘I don’t know if I can take all?” Nicholas wipes a tear from laughing too hard.

“That! Obviously!” Harua points at Nicholas's throbbing cock, visibly annoyed.

Nicholas looks down at his cock and looks back up at Harua. “This? What’s so scary about this?” Nicholas grins.

“Are you serious? Hyung, how is that supposed to fit inside me?!” Harua protests.

Nicholas’s expression softened when he saw the concern on Harua’s face.

“Okay,” he said gently. “We don’t have to do it today if you’re not ready. I know everything’s happening so fast. We can slow down if you want. I’ll wait for you—just like you waited for me.”

Harua felt his breath hitch. His fingers curled around his wrist, eyes dropping for a moment as the words settled into his chest, warm and overwhelming. When he looked back up, his gaze shimmered with something fragile but resolute.

Harua swallows hard. He searched Nicholas’s eyes, finding nothing but patience. No pressure. No disappointment. Just steady affection that made him melt.

You waited three years, Harua. You’ve yearned for the man in front of you now. Watched him love someone else while you watch the string you share brighten and dim as he gets closer and farther. Now, he wants you. He loves you. 

“Nico-ge I– I want to do it…” Harua smiles at him. “I don’t wanna wait any longer, I want this. I want you.” Harua cries, voice trembling as he didn’t want to waste another second. 

“Ge,” Nicholas repeats. “Seriously, where did you learn that word?”

Harua doesn’t answer; instead, he closes the small distance between them. They started slow and tentative, but Nicholas tilted his head slightly, causing their kiss to deepen.

Nicholas’s hand cupped the back of Harua’s neck, thumb brushing gently along the fine hairs there, grounding him. Harua’s fingers trembled as they slid up Nicholas’s bare chest, tracing the hard lines of muscle he’d admired in secret for years. Every touch felt electric, like the red string between them had finally snapped taut, pulling them flush against each other.

Harua’s breath hitched when Nicholas’s tongue slipped past his lips, exploring with a hunger that was somehow still careful. Harua melted into it, his smaller frame pressing closer until there was no space left between them. He could feel Nicholas’s arousal, hot and insistent against his thigh, and it sent a fresh wave of heat pooling low in his belly.

Nicholas broke the kiss just enough to murmur against Harua’s lips, voice rough with restraint. “Tell me if it’s too much, okay? Anytime. I mean it.”

Harua nodded quickly, eyes glassy with want. “I will… but don’t stop. Please.”

That was all Nicholas needed. He guided Harua backward, step by careful step, until the younger’s knees hit the edge of the bed. They tumbled down together in a tangle of limbs, Nicholas catching himself on his elbows so he wouldn’t crush the smaller boy beneath him. Harua let out a soft, surprised laugh that turned into a gasp when Nicholas’s mouth found his neck again, sucking gently at the sensitive spot just below his ear.

Harua’s hands roamed greedily now– over Nicholas’s broad shoulders, down the dip of his spine, clutching at his hips like he was afraid Nico might vanish. Nicholas groaned low in his throat at the touch, shifting to settle between Harua’s thighs. The friction made them both shudder.

“Gege…” Harua whispered, the word slipping out again, shy but deliberate this time. He arched up, seeking more contact, his own hardness straining between them.

Nicholas pulled back just enough to look at him, eyes dark and fond. “You’re gonna kill me with that,” he said, voice husky. He takes a moment to appreciate his lover, “Beautiful,” Nicholas breathed, leaning down to press open-mouthed kisses along Harua’s collarbone, down his chest. He paused at a nipple, swirling his tongue around it until Harua whimpered and squirmed. Every sound Harua made seemed to spur Nicholas on, his hands mapping every inch of skin like he was memorizing it.

When Nicholas’s fingers finally brushed lower, wrapping gently around Harua’s length, the younger cried out softly, hips bucking. Nicholas stroked him slowly, learning what made Harua’s breath catch, what made his thighs tremble.

“Relax for me, baby,” Nicholas murmured, reaching for the bedside drawer. He took out a full bottle of lotion. “Sorry, baby, we don’t have proper lube tonight, but next time, I promise, gege will buy lube.”

Harua’s eyes widened at the bottle in Nicholas’s hand, a soft flush creeping up his neck despite the heat already building between them. “Lotion? Gege, you’re really prepared for everything except the important stuff,” he teased, voice light but breathless, trying to ease the sudden nervousness twisting in his stomach.

Nicholas chuckled, low and warm, setting the bottle aside for a moment to lean down and capture Harua’s lips in a slow, reassuring kiss. “I’ll make it good, I promise. Just trust me.” His fingers traced lazy circles on Harua’s hip, grounding him as he popped the cap open with one hand. The familiar scent of the lotion– something vanilla and clean– filled the air, mixing with the faint sweat and arousal hanging heavy in the room.

He squeezed a generous amount into his palm, warming it between his hands before glancing up at Harua for permission. The younger nodded, biting his lip, legs parting just a little more in silent invitation. Nicholas’s touch was gentle at first, slick fingers gliding along Harua’s length, drawing out a shaky moan that made Nicholas’s own cock twitch in anticipation.

“Feels good?” Nicholas murmured, voice rough as he watched Harua’s face– eyes fluttering shut, mouth parted in quiet gasps.

“Y-Yeah… more,” Harua whispered, hips shifting restlessly.

Nicholas obliged, one hand continuing its slow strokes while the other trailed lower, circling Harua’s entrance with careful pressure. He pressed in slowly, one finger at first, giving Harua time to adjust to the intrusion. The younger tensed for a second, a soft whimper escaping, but Nicholas soothed him with kisses along his jaw, murmuring praises in a mix of English and broken Korean. “So tight, baby… you’re doing so well for me.”

Harua’s hands clutched at Nicholas’s shoulders, nails digging in as the initial discomfort melted into something warmer, deeper. “Gege… It’s okay, keep going,” he breathed, arching into the touch when Nicholas added a second finger, scissoring gently, searching for that spot that would make Harua see stars.

When he found it– curling just right– Harua cried out, back bowing off the bed, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes again from the overwhelming pleasure. “There– right there, please!”

Nicholas groaned at the sight, his restraint fraying as he worked Harua open with deliberate care, adding more lotion when needed, whispering filthy encouragements that contrasted with the tender way he held him. “You’re perfect like this… gonna feel so good around me.”

By the time he added a third finger, Harua was a squirming mess– begging incoherently, pushing back against Nicholas’s hand, the red string of their shared fate feeling more real than ever in the heat of the moment.

Finally, Nicholas withdrew, slicking himself generously with the remaining lotion. He positioned himself between Harua’s thighs, leaning down to press their foreheads together again. “Ready, baby? Look at me.”

Harua’s eyes met his, glassy and full of trust, love, and raw need. “Yes… want you inside me, Nico-ge. Now.”

With a deep breath, Nicholas pushed in slowly—inch by inch—watching every flicker of expression on Harua’s face, pausing whenever the younger winced until he relaxed. It was tight, hot, overwhelming for both of them. Harua’s nails raked down Nicholas’s back, leaving red marks that matched the invisible thread binding them.

“Feel it, Harua.”

Harua did. Every inch. Every roll of Nicholas’s hips pressed them impossibly close together, deeper than before, more precise.

Nicholas rocked into him– not fast, not punishing, just intimate. Savouring every skin, every inch. Eyes locked. Their foreheads touched, breath shared, and in that moment, it wasn’t about teasing. 

“You’re mine, Harua. I have the string to prove it,” Nicholas whispers a laugh into the crook of Harua’s neck, warm and very horny.

Harua nodded, flushed, trembling.

Nicholas sped up, angling just right– pulling a deep groan from Harua’s chest.

Harua’s groan tore through the quiet room, low and broken, his body arching off the bed as Nicholas found that spot again– deliberate, merciless now that he knew exactly where it was. The slow intimacy shattered into something fiercer, hips snapping forward with a rhythm that made the headboard thump softly against the wall.

“Nico-ge—!” Harua gasped, voice cracking, legs wrapping tighter around Nicholas’s waist like he never wanted to let go. His fingers clawed at Nicholas’s shoulders, anchoring himself as each thrust sent sparks exploding behind his eyes.

Nicholas buried his face in Harua’s neck, teeth grazing the sensitive skin there before soothing it with his tongue. “That’s it,” he murmured, voice rough with restraint and want. “Let me hear you. Let me feel how much you need this. Need me.”

Harua couldn’t form words anymore, only breathless moans and whimpers that spilled out with every deep stroke. His body trembled, overwhelmed, clenching around Nicholas in a way that pulled a guttural sound from the older boy’s throat.

“So perfect,” Nicholas breathed, one hand sliding down to grip Harua’s thigh, hitching it higher, opening him more. The angle shifted, and Harua cried out sharply, back bowing as pleasure coiled tight and hot in his stomach.

Close. So close.

Nicholas could feel it too– the way Harua tightened, the desperate roll of his hips chasing more. He reached between them, fingers wrapping around Harua’s leaking length, stroking in time with his thrusts.

“Come for me, baby,” Nicholas whispered against his lips, eyes dark and possessive. “Show me you’re mine.”

Harua shattered with a choked sob, spilling hot over Nicholas’s hand and his own stomach, body pulsing around him in waves that dragged Nicholas right over the edge with him. Nicholas groaned long and low, burying himself deep as he came, hips stuttering, arms trembling as he held Harua through it.

They stayed like that– locked together, breathing ragged, sweat-slick skin pressed close– until the world slowly came back into focus.

Nicholas pressed soft kisses to Harua’s temple, his cheek, the corner of his mouth. “Mine,” he whispered again, softer this time, like a promise.

Harua, boneless and glowing, managed a shaky smile. “Yours,” he echoed, voice raspy but utterly confident.

After a long moment, Nicholas carefully pulled out, drawing a soft whimper from Harua. He pressed a lingering kiss to Harua’s lips, then stood at the foot of the bed, gaze roaming slowly over the younger boy’s flushed, trembling form– hair tousled, skin marked with faint scratches and bites, thighs still parted and glistening.

“Look at you,” Nicholas murmured, voice thick with awe. “Absolutely wrecked… and completely mine.”

Harua flushed deeper, biting his lip as he tried to close his legs. Nicholas gently stopped him, fingers tracing lightly up his inner thigh. “Don’t hide, baby. I want to remember you just like this.”

Harua’s gaze softens as his eyes take in every detail of Nico’s body. Every muscle, every vein, he wanted to engrave them into his brain.

“You like what you see?” Nicholas snaps him back to reality.

“Maybe…” Harua walks forward slowly, locking eyes with Nico before raising his right hand to feel his body. “I’ve wanted you for so long, hyung. I’d see you topless during practices, and it took every ounce of self-discipline I had to keep me from lunging at you.” That earned a giggle from Nicholas.

“You’re so cheesy, you know that.” Nicholas pulls Harua closer. His hands gently caress Harua’s cheek. The younger boy leans into the touch before his own arms wrap around the older’s waist, pulling him into an embrace. “You wouldn’t have had to hold yourself back from me if you told me about the string from the start.” Nicholas still manages to tease the younger boy during all of this.

Harua scoffs, “You’re never gonna let that go, are you…” he presses their foreheads together, his eyes narrowing at Nico’s like a snake eyeing its prey, “...gege?”

Nicholas steals a kiss from Harua before pushing him onto the mattress with a lustful grin, licking his lips from corner to corner.

“No. No I’m not.”