𝔟𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔶 𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔢𝔠𝔞𝔶.

You stepped out of the car already holding your phone, checking if this was really the place of the so-called party. A whistle coming from above startled you; as you looked up, you noticed him with his usual smile, waving at you from the balcony of an apartment. Beside him were three other boys: one slightly taller with a wide smile on his lips, one wearing glasses who was much shorter than the other two, and another with a somewhat unenthusiastic expression — all pairs of eyes curiously fixed on you.

— Hey, are you dressed as a bride? — Hyuntak asked, noticing your costume.

— Oh, no! I’m Christine Daae!

— Who’s this Cristina? — The tall boy asked.

— From Phantom of the Opera… You don't know it?

The boys let out small chuckles together, shaking their heads.

— Come up, I’ll open the gate for you. — Hyuntak said, already disappearing from the balcony.

You walked, still slightly uncertain, toward the gate, which with a sharp buzz from the intercom, opened. A few steps ahead, you saw him again — this time up close, able to notice his casual clothes and his slightly flushed expression. He gave you a sly smile, looking you up and down, almost impressed by your effort to look ridiculously beautiful in white.

— Christine Daae, the opera singer that the phantom becomes obsessed with. Where’s your phantom?

— I left him at home today. — You laughed softly. — So, are you dressed as a guy who hates Halloween parties?

— Exactly. You’re the first one to get my costume, actually.

For a brief moment, the two of you simply stared at each other. The soft breeze from the building’s cold walls made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up — or maybe it was the intensity, masked by curiosity, in the boy’s gaze in front of you. The small, crooked smile on his lips was almost magnetic, even as you resisted the urge to stare at them.

— Are you going to invite me in or…? — He laughed nervously, scratching his hair.

— Of course, sorry, come in. I’ll introduce you to everyone.

Inside the apartment, you felt like you were stepping into a small piece of his mind. The white walls, with a few hanging pictures and some medals pinned up, felt strangely familiar — as if this place reminded you of home. A safe, peaceful place. It had an atmosphere that smelled like his cologne.

The boys were quick to introduce themselves, treating you as if you had been friends for years. Park Hu Min, or Baku as he liked to be called, was the most extroverted among them; his loud voice echoed easily through the cold walls, but not in a bad way — in an almost warm one. Yeon Si Eun was quieter, but just as polite. And Seo Jun Tae was as sweet as a puppy, with a soft voice and bright eyes.

The night passed effortlessly. As the hours stretched on and the moon shone brighter in the sky, you found yourself on the balcony, contemplating the feelings growing in your chest — unsure whether they were the effect of the many glasses of wine or something reserved especially for that night. You didn’t notice Hyuntak’s lingering glances on your back, much less his silent steps as he stopped right beside you.

The dark-haired boy admired you under the moonlight, noticing every detail of your face and watching the wind mess with your hair. He felt incredibly at peace — well, not entirely, because you wandered through his mind, stirring thoughts and feelings he had forgotten what they felt like.

Jun Tae appeared suddenly, catching both of you off guard. He placed himself between your bodies, looking up at the moon with a content smile on his lips. It was only then that you noticed Hyuntak’s eyes fixed on you, and he made sure to offer you a shy smile before turning back to the moon once again.

As you lay side by side, under the soft moonlight filtering through the window and the cool breeze brushing against your skin, you feel a kind of peace you once thought was impossible. But it’s in the quietest nights that your mind begins to plant cruel doubts - and before you can stop the words from slipping out, you confess in a painful whisper.

"I don't like touching my own skin… and I hate the thought of someone else touching it even more. It feels like there’s something rotten inside me, and sometimes it spills over onto my body. I’m scared that one day someone will feel it and realize it’s just another thing that’s wrong with me."

"Can I touch you?"

"Only if you promise not to lie."

"I never lie."

His fingers move with quiet reverence as they trace your skin. With the lightest touch, he follows every small bump along your arm, feeling the way you shiver beneath him.

Slowly, he maps the traces of time on your face — the faint lines left by laughter and pain, the tip of your nose, your warm cheeks, your faded brows, your dry lips. Then, gently, his hands come to rest in yours.

"Your skin has texture. Is that what you're afraid of?"

"It feels like more than that."

"Then you're not feeling it right."

⤷ little fish (.1)

── .✦ WEAK HERO CLASS;

⤷ bf!baku.

⤷ fwb!seong-je.

⤷ they text you while you're at work.

⤷ jealousy (go hyuntak).

⤷ oh beomseok as your boyfriend.

⤷ his friend asks if you miss him.

⤷ random texts with the boys.

⤷ one night stand.

⤷ dealing with a struggling partner.

── .✦ BRAVE CITIZEN;