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There are plenty of nerve-wracking things a person could do: public speaking, interviewing for a job, and asking someone out. The last one, however, was Hyeonjoon’s challenge to face.
It was a week before the Yule Ball, and the corridors of Hogwarts were eager with excitement. Students were frantically adjusting their dress robes, gossiping about who was going with whom, and making plans to sneak extra butterbeer past the prefects.
The Great Hall was bustling with chatter as students filled their plates with food, laughing and teasing each other in the midst of the holiday excitement.
But all Hyeonjoon could think about was Jihoon. He had spent the last ten minutes pacing in the corner, running over his words for the hundredth time. He could barely hear the noise around him—his mind was too focused on the task at hand.
Hyeonjoon, a Hufflepuff with a heart as big as his house’s colors, had wanted to ask Jihoon to the ball for weeks. But every time he saw the Slytherin, his brain seemed to short-circuit. The plan was simple enough: "Jihoon, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?" But saying it out loud? That was the tricky part.
Hyeonjoon felt like he was going to faint, or maybe puke his guts out, or just die on the spot.
The truth was, Hyeonjoon had been in love with Jihoon for longer than he cared to admit—even to himself.
In his defense, Hufflepuffs aren’t exactly known for their bravery like Gryffindors are, so maybe that gave him a pass.
If only he could borrow some courage from a Gryffindor, that would be nice. After all, Hufflepuffs are loyal and hardworking, but they often find it hard to put themselves out there in bold ways, which made this moment all the more challenging.
Every time Jihoon flashed that half-smile, his fangs showed just enough to make Hyeonjoon’s heart do this ridiculous fluttering thing. Every time they crossed paths, Hyeonjoon’s mind went blank. The plan to ask him was simple enough—get him alone, ask him to the ball, and then probably die of embarrassment. Easy, right? But here Hyeonjoon was, still waiting for the "perfect moment." Whatever that meant, or whenever it decided to show up.
"Okay, Hyeonjoon," whispered Siwoo, a fellow Hufflepuff with zero tolerance for Hyeonjoon’s cluelessness, who had been reluctantly roped into this chaotic mission. "You’ve got this. Just go up to him, say the thing, and try not to stutter. Okay?"
Hyeonjoon shot him a panicked look. "What if he says no?"
He had never been this nervous in his life. This wasn’t just any ask-out; this was Jihoon, his Slytherin crush, who was well-liked by students from different houses across Hogwarts.
The one who could make his heart race with a single glance—even if that glance was followed by a raised eyebrow and a quiet, 'What are you staring at, Hufflepuff?' Hyeonjoon had admired Jihoon from afar for months.
And now, he was finally going to do it. He was going to ask him to the Yule Ball.
He knew he needed help. Everyone knew he did.
Siwoo snorted, shaking his head. "Bro, you’re being way too dramatic. Jihoon already thinks you're cute. He just doesn’t know it yet."
Hyeonjoon gulped and gave a half-smile. "Yeah, yeah, of course he thinks I'm cute... in the same way you think you're a Quidditch star—delusional but hopeful. But hey, maybe this time I’ll actually land a goal... or, you know, not trip over my own feet.”
Siwoo gave him a playful slap on the arm. "Hey, don’t sell me short—I could totally be on a Quidditch team. I mean, I might trip over my own broomstick, but I’d still look way cooler than you trying to ask Jihoon out!" He winked. "Now go, before I start recruiting myself for the next match.”
There was a brief pause as Hyeonjoon took deep breaths to calm himself. One moment he was joking with Siwoo, then suddenly he was so goddamn nervous.
“Come on, what are you waiting for?” Siwoo asked enthusiastically. “But from what I’ve heard, he definitely doesn’t think you’re a total loser. And that’s a start.”
Hyeonjoon tried to suppress the urge to puke in his mouth. It wasn’t working.
Siwoo nudged him. “Alright, here’s the plan. You’ll go up to Jihoon when he’s by the door, okay? I’ll keep him distracted, and you can swoop in for the kill. Trust me. You’ll nail this. I’ll even throw in some encouragement from the sidelines.”
Hyeonjoon nodded, wiping his palms against his robes. "Okay. Okay, I can do this."
"Yes, you can!" Siwoo grinned, clapping him on the back.
Behind Hyeonjoon, Wangho—a Slytherin—gave a thumbs-up. He had promised to back him up, though the look in his eyes suggested he was thoroughly enjoying Hyeonjoon’s misery. Wangho had taken one look at Hyeonjoon’s face earlier and immediately seized the opportunity to add his own brand of ‘moral support.’ The fact that he was a Slytherin with a penchant for mischief only made things more complicated.
"No pressure," Hyeonjoon muttered. The words were barely out of his mouth when he spotted Jihoon entering the Great Hall, surrounded by his usual Ravenclaw crew of friends: Hwanjoong and Minseok. Jihoon was casually leaning against a table, his hair perfectly tousled, wearing that nonchalant smirk that Hyeonjoon found impossibly attractive.
It wasn’t just that Jihoon was handsome—he was, of course—it was the way he moved, the way he carried himself, like the world was his personal runway.
The way his eyes always seemed to light up whenever Hyeonjoon was near. Hyeonjoon had noticed it, even if Jihoon hadn’t said anything.
And yet, here he was, still an idiot, just hoping Jihoon might notice him.
Siwoo glanced over at the entrance where Jihoon stood, chatting with a few of his Slytherin friends. "Okay, he's getting ready to head out. This is your chance."
Hyeonjoon took a deep breath.
"What are you waiting for?" Siwoo smirked, taking a step back. "Go get him, idiot."
Hyeonjoon froze. “Wait, what if I mess it up?”
“Stop it. You’re fine. Just… try not to look like you're about to pass out. You'll do great,” Siwoo said, trying to keep a straight face as his eyes darted to the door. "Just focus on the question: 'Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?' And then, uh, try not to implode."
Hyeonjoon gulped. "Right."
Siwoo gave him an encouraging pat on the back. "You’ve got this."
Jihoon, meanwhile, had been avoiding eye contact with Hyeonjoon for the past few minutes. He’d noticed Hyeonjoon staring at him from across the room more than once, and every time their eyes met, Hyeonjoon looked away faster than a Bludger in full flight.
It was impossible to ignore how nervous Hyeonjoon always seemed around him.
But Jihoon liked it.
The way Hyeonjoon would fumble with his sleeve or fix his glasses every time their paths crossed was adorable. And Jihoon wasn’t one to admit it, but he’d been hoping for something like this to happen for weeks.
He just hadn’t expected Hyeonjoon to be quite so… timid.
Right now, Jihoon was engaged in a conversation with Hwanjoong and Minseok, who were giving him subtle but very knowing looks. They’d caught on to Hyeonjoon’s feelings a long time ago—and they couldn’t help but enjoy the little dance of tension between the two.
“So,” Minseok asked, raising an eyebrow and trying not to smile, “What are you going to do when he finally asks?”
Jihoon felt his face heat up. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on, Jihoon. You know exactly what we’re talking about,” Hwanjoong said, trying to keep a straight face. “You’ve been staring at him for weeks. You’re practically begging him to notice you. It’s kind of cute.”
“Shut up,” Jihoon muttered, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “I’m not begging anyone.”
Minseok snorted. “Sure you’re not. Just make sure you don’t faint when he does ask you, though. I’d hate to see you get all dramatic.”
Jihoon glared at them both, trying his best to look unaffected. But deep down, he was secretly freaking out. What if Hyeonjoon was actually going to ask him to the Yule Ball? And what if he did it in the middle of the Great Hall, where everyone would be watching?
His thoughts were interrupted by Siwoo, who casually called out, “Hey, Jihoon, can you come here for a second?”
Jihoon narrowed his eyes. “What is it now, Siwoo?”
Siwoo just grinned. “Nothing. Just—stand there for a sec.”
Jihoon’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t argue. He’d learned long ago that trying to figure out Siwoo’s plans was a lost cause.
As soon as he stood by the door, Jihoon spotted Hyeonjoon in the distance. He looked like he might faint any second, hesitating nervously. Wangho, standing just behind him, was giving him a pep talk—though from Jihoon’s vantage point, it didn’t seem particularly helpful.
Siwoo made eye contact with Hyeonjoon, and with a subtle nod, Hyeonjoon took a deep breath and stepped forward.
It was go-time.
Jihoon raised an eyebrow when he saw Hyeonjoon approaching, clearly trying to suppress a smile. “Hyeonjoon?” he said, a playful, teasing smile tugging at his lips. “What’s up?”
Hyeonjoon swallowed. This was it. “Hey, Jihoon,” he said, trying—and failing—to sound casual. “So... I, uh…” His brain blanked. Of course it did. Why wouldn’t it? This was Jihoon.
“Uh, Jihoon—hey, um, hi! So…” he continued, his words tumbling over each other. It was painfully embarrassing to watch.
“Is something wrong?” Jihoon asked, concern evident in his voice. He was secretly finding Hyeonjoon completely adorable.
“No, no! I mean—uh, yes. Wait, no. There’s nothing wrong, I just…” He took another deep breath. “I was wondering if you’d, uh… maybe want to go to the Yule Ball with me?”
Hyeonjoon was so embarrassed, he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole.
The moment the words left his mouth, Jihoon’s eyes widened. He blinked at Hyeonjoon as if he were seeing him for the first time. The whole room seemed to pause, and even the students who hadn’t been paying attention now turned to see how this would play out.
Jihoon’s smirk slowly turned into an actual smile, and Hyeonjoon’s heart nearly exploded. But then, to Hyeonjoon’s shock, Jihoon stepped closer, closing the gap between them until they were only inches apart. Hyeonjoon’s breath hitched.
"You’re asking me to the Yule Ball?" Jihoon asked, his voice so smooth it made Hyeonjoon’s knees weak.
Hyeonjoon nodded, his face burning. "Yeah. I mean, I figured... if you don’t have a date or anything, maybe... you know... you could go with me?"
Jihoon took a moment to just look at him, and Hyeonjoon could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He was definitely sure he was going to pass out from the sheer mortification.
But then, Jihoon’s expression softened—genuinely, almost affectionately. "You’re such an idiot," Jihoon said softly, his voice full of fondness. "I’ve been waiting for you to ask me for weeks, Hyeonjoon."
Hyeonjoon’s eyes widened. "You—what?"
Hyeonjoon’s entire body went numb with shock. Was Jihoon really just… waiting for him to ask him out?
“Yeah.” Jihoon laughed, and the sound made Hyeonjoon’s stomach do flips. “I wasn’t sure if you were ever going to get the nerve, though.”
Hyeonjoon’s jaw dropped. “You—waited for me?”
“Of course,” Jihoon said, eyes sparkling. “I mean, who else would I want to go with? If you hadn’t asked me, I would’ve asked you.”
Hyeonjoon couldn’t help but shyly laugh and nervously scratch his head from embarrassment.
“Wow, I feel like an idiot,” Hyeonjoon muttered, his face burning.
“You’re... you’re an idiot, but you’re my idiot date, Hyeonjoon,” Jihoon said softly, his gaze warm and affectionate.
Hyeonjoon’s heart did a flip. “You’re... my idiot, too,” he muttered, the words slipping out before he could stop them. “I mean... idiot date.”
Jihoon leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. “Then it’s a date.”
Before Hyeonjoon could reply, Siwoo popped out from behind the door, his grin practically splitting his face. “See? Told you he liked you!” he called, practically bouncing on her feet. “I knew it!”
Wangho slapped Hyeonjoon on the back, grinning ear to ear, causing him to stumble. “Nice work, Joon. Told you you’d nail it.”
Hwanjoong and Minseok, who had been watching the whole thing with barely contained laughter, could only roll their eyes.
“Guess someone’s getting a date,” Hwanjoong muttered, nudging Minseok.
Minseok laughed, the sound echoing across the hall. “I knew it would happen eventually.”
Jihoon chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re lucky you asked when you did, Hyeonjoon. I might’ve gotten fed up and gone with someone else.”
Hyeonjoon grinned, still feeling like he was floating. “It’s about time you admitted it.”
Jihoon shrugged with a teasing smile. “I suppose I do. Can’t really get enough of you, Hufflepuff.”
Surrounded by their friends, who were still trying to suppress their giggles, Hyeonjoon felt like the luckiest idiot in the world.
As he stood there, still trying to process the fact that Jihoon had actually said yes, Hyeonjoon realized that a bit of courage is all one needs—and that sometimes the most awkward moments lead to the best outcomes.
Tonight, more than anything, he’d learned he wasn’t as hopeless as he’d thought.
The noise around him faded away. None of that mattered—not when Jihoon was smiling at him. And for once, that smile wasn’t because Jihoon was being a teasing jerk. It was warm, genuine. Because maybe, just maybe, they really were both idiots in love.