Pretty Boy Across the Hall

Please, Come In

As he stepped in, Seungcheol just kept staring at him, smiling at his adorable posture and more than slightly flustered demeanor, definitely Seungcheol's type. "This day keeps getting better and better," he thought to himself. Not only was he moving into a better place that was closer to his school, but he had found a cute boy just sitting there, basically waiting for him at his doorstep. The second he saw Jihoon, Seungcheol stopped in his tracks when he noticed his fluffy, pink hair and oddly attractive hands. What hid behind them was even more pleasant. Seungcheol couldn't wipe that shocked look on Jihoon's face out of his head and those dimples that showed up when he subtly smiled. It made his chest leap and his lips tingle, even if on the outside he just stood and laughed. It was times like these that Seungcheol thanked the universe for gifting him with the incredible talent of flawless icebreaking. Not only did it snag him the opportunity to talk to this charming boy-next-door, but it gave him the courage to invite him in.

And as Jihoon made it to the center of the room, Seungcheol watched as he scanned his surroundings, looking up and around. Seungcheol closed the door behind him as Jihoon said, "Nice place."

Turning his attention back to the now-more-comfortable-looking boy, Seungcheol wiped his hands on his jeans as he moved closer. "Yeah, it's a huge step up from where I was staying before. My friend, Jeonghan, and I found it a few weeks ago and he fell in love with the space." Stopping right next to him, Seungcheol shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "But to be honest, what sold me was the apartment number."

Jihoon, noticing how close they were, stepped back a little, blushing ever so slightly, which made Seungcheol smile even more. He looked away and asked, "What? 917?"

"17," Seungcheol clarified, getting a good look at Jihoon's nice physique. That oversized sweatshirt he was wearing made him look sweeter than any teddy bear you would ever find. But for some strange reason, Seungcheol could sense there was something hidden behind all this cuteness, something...tougher? More rigid? Scarier? He had no idea what that feeling was, but it made Jihoon even more intriguing. "It's my lucky number."

"Really?" Jihoon chimed, spinning back around. He chuckled and crossed his arms. "Funny, that's my lucky number, too."

Seungcheol beamed at him and slowly walked backwards. "Then I guess it was meant to be."

Expecting the boy to get all flustered, Seungcheol was surprised when Jihoon just choked on his laughs and he buried his hands into his pockets. "You're very straightforward, aren't you Seungcheol?"

Now it was Seungcheol's turn to blush. Hearing Jihoon say his name made him tingle and stop in his tracks. "Uhhhh..."

But Jihoon just laughed and loosened his arms, clearly pleased that the ball was now in his court. "It's a nice quality."

Seungcheol grinned and shook his head as he headed towards the kitchen fridge. "Sorry there's no real place to sit or anything. Do you want something to drink?"

Jihoon replied, "Thanks, but no, I'm only 18..."

"Oh, I didn't mean alcohol," Seungcheol interjected, his head in the refrigerator. "Don't worry, I'm only 20 so no drinking for me either. I mean do you want any water or anything?"

"Uhh, yeah water would be good," Jihoon said, cautiously sitting down on the hardwood floor, leaning his back against the far wall. "Thanks."

"No problem. So you're 18? You going to school?" Seungcheol asked, making his way back over with two water bottles. But he nearly dropped them upon seeing Jihoon just patiently waiting for him, like a shy puppy at a shelter. His nervousness was irresistible.

Jihoon meekly smiled as Seungcheol sat down next to him, taking the bottle from him without making eye contact. "Yeah, I go to the university just a few blocks from here."