Syncopation | Yeongyu TXT

25

The hallway smells like instant noodles and the faint hum of Taehyun's speaker setup. By the time Beomgyu's key clicks, he already knows the lecture's waiting for him.

Taehyun's sprawled on the couch, phone in hand, scrolling like a surgeon examining a wound. He doesn't even look up. "You're trending again."

Beomgyu exhales through his nose, the kind of sigh that's half laugh, half surrender. He drops his guitar bag with a soft thud. "Yeah, no kidding."

"The holding hands shot's everywhere." Taehyun's voice sharpens, but it's laced with dry amusement. "I recognized your veins. Congratulations, the internet just declared you canon."

Beomgyu pulls off his hoodie and tosses it somewhere near his chair. "That bastard's fast. He probably posted before I even turned around."

Taehyun sets the phone down, finally looking up. His expression could curdle milk. "You're just gonna let that slide?"

Beomgyu shrugs. "What am I supposed to do? He's Yeonjun. Publicity stunts are his cardio."

There's a pause. Then, very slowly, Taehyun tilts his head. "So... it's real now?"

Beomgyu raises an eyebrow. "It's a contract. Two weeks. That's it."

Taehyun blinks once. Twice. Then, with the kind of faux gravity reserved for reality show confessions, says, "Are you sure you're straight?"

Beomgyu's jaw drops. "What?"

"I'm serious." Taehyun leans back into the couch, dramatic as hell, and inches away like Beomgyu just confessed to a felony. "I don't feel safe in this dorm if you've got hidden intentions to seduce me."

Beomgyu throws his hands up. "Oh my god, you think you're that attractive? Hello?"

Taehyun gasps—loud, performative, clutching his chest like he's been shot. "The disrespect! You've been living with this face for years and that's your take?"

"You're the one who started this!" Beomgyu fires back, moving toward the kitchenette. He grabs a water bottle and gestures with it like it's evidence. "You're literally more touchy than I am! You lean on me, steal my pillow, invade my personal space like it's your hobby—"

"That's called survival," Taehyun interrupts coolly. "And excuse me, you're clingier. Don't rewrite history just because you're embarrassed."

Beomgyu glares. "Clingier? Based on what exactly?"

Taehyun smirks, eyes glinting. "The hospital incident. Ring a bell?"

Beomgyu freezes mid-sip. "Don't you dare."

"Oh, I dare," Taehyun says, sitting forward now. "You climbed into my bed when I was sick. I remember waking up and you were just—there. Like a concerned koala."

"I was eleven," Beomgyu snaps, cheeks burning. "You collapsed and scared the crap out of me! That wasn't clingy, that was—" He cuts himself off. "Forget it."

Taehyun leans back, victorious. "Mmhm. Keep telling yourself that, hyung."

Beomgyu hurls the empty water bottle at him—not hard, but enough to make it thunk off the armrest. "I swear, if you don't shut up—"

"What?" Taehyun says, grinning. "You'll strangle me? Go ahead. What's next, thinking about kissing me?"

Beomgyu nearly chokes. "You're disgusting."

"And you're defensive," Taehyun says brightly. "Classic case."

"Classic case of me being stuck with a gremlin," Beomgyu mutters, dragging a hand down his face.