Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's been a few weeks, Hyunjin has been working on his painting for the school's art competition every day and night. There's about a week left till the actual showing, so he's been very diligent and consistent with his business. Especially since what he decided to paint, what his muse is, he wanted to make it absolutely perfect. Every time he felt some sort of dissatisfaction, even if it was a single dot or a line, he painted over that mistake and did it again. Usually he would work with any mistake, but this time, he wanted no mistakes to be visible on his canvas.

Not only did he want to win this competition, but he wanted to impress those who know (and don't know) him. He wants everyone to vote for his painting, reveal it's his, and gain a reputation he's dreamt of. And he's going to do it through what he's passion for, not through talking up some people who couldn't care less.

Plus, Y/n will be there. He's sure she's going to hold high expectations for it.

Today was one of those different days, however, as he decided to come early to campus to sneak his canvas into the art room. Working at home is great and all, but he realized he needs a change of environment. Spark his artistry a bit more. Covered with a white cloth, making sure nobody gets to see what he's been making, especially if that somebody is Y/n. He wanted to make it a surprise for her, so of course he is being very careful on who sets eyes on his painting's progress. And if she sees the canvas, she will easily know which is his during the anonymous viewing.

Hyunjin found these gold flakes from the nearby supply store, and he never grabbed a jar quicker than that moment. It was perfect for his painting, and he knew exactly how to liven up this masterpiece. It's going to be perfect.

Headphones in, stained apron on top of his school clothes, he remains seated on his wooden barstool, paintbrush in hand, and focused on the canvas in front of him. If someone were to walk in, they'd assume his painting is already completed. But as Hyunjin describes it, it's far from finished. So he hasn't given himself a break. The only times he away from that canvas is for classes, Y/n wanting to spend time, sleeping (which is barely anything), club meetings, and basic hygiene. Besides that, he's glued.

Hyunjin hums to himself as he continues to work, cracking his back in the seat after being positioned in the same chair for long hours. With his music playing, he doesn't hear the classroom door slide open behind him.

"Oh- someone's in here-" The person enters, noticing the back of Hyunjin's head and realizing she is walking into an occupied room. However, before she turns out the door, she recognizes that back of the head. "Wait - Hyunjin?" She says, putting her things to the side and walking up to him.

Getting a closer look, she realizes he's completely in-tuned with the painting in front of him. Her eyes light up and she smiles. "Woah, what is this?" She speaks, damn near his ear. This causes him to flinch and come out of his zone, realizing someone had entered the room.

"Oh - shit. Chaerin, I didn't hear you come in-" Hyunjin curses, grabbing the canvas and spinning it around, putting it out of the passerby's view. "Don't look.." He says firmly as he calms himself down by the sudden entrance.

The girl, Seo Chaerin, chuckles. "Sorry I scared you. I'm on cleaning duty." Her eyes glanced at the canvas, "Ohhh was that for the art competition?"

"No..." Hyunjin says, his eyes slowly moving towards his canvas, looking away from her. Shit, cleaning duty? It's already that late? I haven't touched my phone since I got here to see the time, I wonder if Y/n texted me.

Chaerin giggles, her laughter being able to be described as single syllables, running her fingers through her curly black hair. "You're so bad at lying, Jinnie." She teases.

Jinnie? That's the same nickname....-

"Fine it is. But pretend you never saw it.. please.." Hyunjin says, relaxing a bit as he adjusts the canvas back to its original position, not wanting to waste another second not painting.

Chaerin comes closer, looking at the painting with better detail, seeing Hyunjin's brush strokes still drying. "It's beautiful... it's so - you.. you can just tell - you made it.. it's breathtaking even.."

Hyunjin feels a small twitch in his body, his eyes flicking towards Chaerin's admiring eyes, then back at his art. For some reason, this whole situation feels eerily similar.

"Thanks." Hyunjin says simply, nodding at her.

"Can I sit and watch?"

"No! - Shit - I mean..." He takes a breath. "No, sorry... This is for the competition, so you can't see it as you're my opponent - plus - only Y/n usually watches me..." Hyunjin explains at a slower pace.

Chaerin suddenly pulls up another wooden barstool and sits beside Hyunjin. Her hands clamped between her legs, tightening up her position, as she tilted her head with a pout. "Aw Y/n?" She looks to the side, "poor girl has a crush on you and is so naive that you don't like her back.." She says.

What?

"Wait what?" Hyunjin speaks out loud, unsure if he misheard Chaerin.

Chaerin quickly turns to face Hyunjin, some strands flipping from the front to the back of her head as she does this. "Aw you're naive too then?" Her voice sounds like she's pitying both parties.

"Wait what?" Hyunjin, baffled, can't think of anything else to say.

"Is that all you say?" Chaerin lightly scoffs and adjusts herself in the stool, clearing her throat. "How is it not obvious? Y/n has a crush on you. I'm shocked you can't tell." She says, acting like it's the most obvious thing.

Hyunjin shakes his head, focusing his eyes back to his canvas. "No, she doesn't, you're funny." He replies, unamused.

Chaerin raises an eyebrow. "Don't you see how she looks at you?- I mean-" She glances around, as if checking if somebody is going to suddenly walk in on this conversation. She leans in closer, her voice just above a whisper. "- She literally left her friend group and chose you over them."

"They were toxic." Hyunjin says, rolling his eyes at the memory.

"Toxic or not, she looks so much happier being friends with you." Chaerin says, shaking her head at Hyunjin's blindness.

Hyunjin, unsure on what to say, just nods his head slowly. "Oh..." His breath settles, lowering his head, rethinking back to when Y/n and him became friends.

"But it's sad for her, really." Chaerin quickly adds.

Hyunjin's posture straightens and he brings his attention back to the girl. "Wait why?" He raises a brow, his ears turning red. What is she on about?

Chaerin raises a brow and looks side to side, giving off an expression of judgment. "Cause... you don't like her..? Duh?" She says, her face contorting as she states 'the obvious.'

"Huh - when did I say that?" Hyunjin says, taken aback, and honestly offended that she would assume something so personal to him. That's his own feelings, nobody needs to tell him how he feels unless he told them explicitly.

"Uhm? - I can just tell?" Chaerin scoffs and chuckles at the same time. Looking at Hyunjin like he missed the completely obvious, "I mean, you're in here with me and not her." She stuffs her hands in her pockets and smirks with pride. Looking at Hyunjin like she can perfectly read him and his thoughts.

Hyunjin raises a brow, the edge of his lips curling downwards. "You walked in here yourself..." He says, now giving the same tone of 'stating the obvious' back to Chaerin. The paintbrush is no longer in his hand, but dropped into his water cup, as he is too taken aback to continue painting.

"You didn't leave, though!" Chaerin exclaims, her voice rising in both pitch and urgency. Her brows knit together, and there's a slight tremble in her tone, as if she's trying to make sense of something that doesn't add up.

"I'm painting..." He says, his voice flat and filled with unamusement. Looking at her with a judgey stare, searching for answers of what she's trying to do here.

Chaerin objects once more. "Y/n isn't here!"

Hyunjin rolls his eyes, looking at Chaerin with a hint of disdain and confusion. How easily she can just accuse and assume, it's odd. "I walked her home earlier." He says, his voice clipped and short, already growing old from this conversation.

"And you're back here?"

"Yeah."

Chaerin's neck ticks back, her chin rising up slightly. "But doesn't she live hella far? And you live in the opposite direction—"

Hyunjin cuts her off. "Yes, and?"

A beat falls between them.

That's when Chaerin's shoulders relax and her eyes widen. Her neck pushes forward as her jaw drops slightly. "Oh... I see what's going on..." She says, a small smirk forming across her lips.

Hyunjin, throwing his hands up and dropping them against his legs, tired of this conversation. "What now?" He drops his head to the side, waiting for what she has to say now.

"You like Y/n..." Chaerin rises from her chair, "... OH MY GOD YOU LIKE HER!"

Hyunjin's eyes widen and he's in even more utter disbelief. "HUH WHAT - HELLO ? - I DO NOT."

Chaerin claps her hands together, giggling to herself. "O-M-G !! Y/n and Hyunjin?? That's so cute!!"

"Shut up - I dont ! - and I thought you liked me, what's with this switch up?" Hyunjin exclaims, his voice growing high and his head shaking side to side.

Chaerin lightly hits him in the arm. "Oh shut up! Now I see how head over heels you are for her - now I can't stop this!" She exclaims, acting like she gossiping with her girl bestie.

"What? - No! - I am not head over heels for her!" Hyunjin tried to defend himself.

Chaerin smirks and crosses her arms over her chest. "Oh really?"

"Yeah, really." Hyunjin says, blush folding over his cheeks.

"Then why are you-"

Hyunjin raises his index finger. "I know what you're going to say. Now shut it." He says firmly, and embarrassed.

Chaerin chuckles. "Don't worry. This is our little secret, hehe." She then takes the wooden seat and moves it back to the original spot, walking over to her cleaning supplies she left when she entered. "You should.. tell her though - before she moves on.."

Hyunjin flicks his head back. "Huh?? Move on? No she won't -!"

"Oh trust me.. If I could move on from the masterpiece you are so quickly, she may too.." She shrugs her shoulders, taking the supplies back into her hands. "I'll see you at the club meeting tomorrow." She says softly, then leaves the room.

Finally... she's gone.

What the hell was that? Y/n likes me? There's no way...

A pause.

Cause if she does...

Hyunjin's heartbeat begins to pick up. His mind is spiraling about all these questions and what ifs. Trying to get everything sorted. Remembering all moments they've had together, trying to read her body language and gather evidence in his head.

Shit.

He glances back up at the canvas in front of him. "Hopefully this will be more than enough to tell her..."