Hate | Nosung

19

Jeno had hoped and prayed that his sudden and extremely unintended obsession with Park Jisung's dancing would subside as time went on. In a way, his wish came true.

Life continued on, as the two resumed their routine after that particular game; bickering and bantering between class, curriculars, and tutoring. That much had stayed the same. Jeno had finally gotten over his hyperfixation, and the memory of Jisung's dance was't constantly playing in his mind any longer.

Instead, something much more personally unsettling was occurring within the front of Jeno's thoughts.

He started noticing things. About Jisung specifically. Things he didn't really take the time to notice in other people.

The way Jisung was able to hide such a grand talent really put into perspective how little Jeno actually knew about Jisung. The boy could've been hiding entire galaxies away in that complex and intelligent little brain of his, along with secrets, and opinions, and dreams, none of which Jeno had even a sliver of an idea about.

This prospect alone prompted a curious reaction in Jeno. It was as if watching Jisung's performance made Jeno really look at him for the first time. Really look. Jisung had Jeno's full attention, and Jeno couldn't bring himself to look away after that. Metaphorically and literally.

When Jeno next saw him that following Monday after the game, his distracted gaze that usually settled on the ticking clock or the window outside, had contentedly chosen to fall upon the boy sitting next to him.

Thus began his first innocent observation.

Jisung was puffing his cheeks out as he concentrated on the classwork.

Had he always done that? Jeno couldn't recall. Surely he'd witnessed this habit before, but he hadn't taken notice of it until now.

Jeno struggled to pull his gaze away from Jisung, and thankfully succeeded before the dancer could notice the staring. He turned his attention back to the lesson, more for the sake of covering up his act than anything.

Somewhere in the middle of the lesson, the image of Jisung's puffed cheeks floated into Jeno's head. It was quickly dissolved in the hurricane of confusion that raged right after. Dread and exasperation were not far behind.

To his dismay, the frequently intrusive memory of Jisung's dance was replaced by the little things Jeno was noticing about the boy every time he saw him, which were surprisingly more intrusive than the former.

So yes, Jeno's hope for Jisung's dance to cease haunting his mind was granted.

If you tilt your head. And squint a little.

Oh how poor Lee Jeno was perturbed by these unsolicited thoughts, and unfortunately, he couldn't stop noticing little things about Park Jisung.

Like the way his hair fell in front of his eyes when they were working independently in class. Or the way he scrunched his nose so often it must have simply been a general habit, and not a tell for anything. And of course, how he puffed his cheeks out when he was concentrating. He did it quite often, actually, including when he got frustrated as well as when he was embarrassed.

Jisung got embarrassed a lot, contrary to what Jeno had started to believe. Jisung just wasn't ever flustered by what Jeno expected. It was always motivated by something outside of Jeno's actions, like making silly mistakes or navigating awkward situations.

After this discovery, Jeno initiated his usual teasing with the added intent of solidifying or disproving his hypothesis that he couldn't fluster Jisung.

"Waiting for me again, Sweetcheeks?" Jeno poked at the boy who was waiting for him right outside the locker room.

Jisung made a face at him. "You mean like I do every day?" He scrunched his nose before dropping the scowl. "Stupid question, ask a better one."