#hyeon

The interior of the van was a sensory overload of bright lights from outside and noise from all the chatter. Outside, the streets of the city were a blur of electric blue and building lights , reflecting off the rain coated pavement as the driver drove through the late night traffic. Inside, the air was cold–thanks to the air conditioning, it had the citrusy tang of an energy drink someone had spilled ten minutes ago (Martin but he won't admit it.)

Juhoon and Martin were in the middle of a heated debate, their voices overlapping in the cramped space. They were dissecting the bridge of the new title track, arguing over a missed beat in the second verse that only Martin was annoyed by. 

Seonghyeon, however, was in a different universe.

He leaned his head against the cold glass of the window, his eyes half-closed. To anyone else, he looked exhausted, just another idol drained by a sixteen hour workday. But under the long face, his mind was racing. He wasn't thinking about choreography or vocal recordings. He was thinking about a specific moment from exactly a week ago.

He remembered the way you were standing in front of your mirror, the soft glow of the sun catching the frustration in your eyes. You had been scraping the corners of your favourite lip gloss just to get another use out of it. He had watched from the doorway as your fingers trembled slightly, the applicator bending due to the force you used to get just another use. You were trying to persistently get out the very last breaths of the product, your lower lip caught an unconscious pout.

At that moment, he’d estimated you had about a week left.

He did the math in his head now, the numbers arranging themselves. 8 days. Which meant that tomorrow, as you would be getting ready to leave for school, you would likely hit the bottom of that tube and feel that sharp prick of annoyance that probably ruins your whole day. He also knew you would text him as soon as it runs out– “SEANNN MY LIPGLOSS IS OVER MY DAY IS RUINED” 

A proud smile tugged at his lips because he knew you that well. The others blabbered and called it ‘couple telepathy’ and something about how your brains sync up when you're with a person too long– Seonghyeon didn't pay the blabber much mind. He just knew what he knew. And he knew you.

He leaned forward, tapping the driver’s shoulder. His voice was low, polite, "Pull over at the next pharmacy.”  he said. The van went momentarily quiet. The manager didn't even check the rearview mirror to look at him, he just signaled left. When it came to Seonghyeon’s ‘telepathy’ the manager had learned long ago that it was easier to just follow his words instead of telling him that ‘it's risky’ or ‘you have early practice tomorrow, meet her later’. 

"Again dude?" Keonho said with a  teasy smirk caught on his lips. "What is it this time? did the 'signal' tell you she needs something?" His words caused even the members to giggle a bit.

Seonghyeon didn't even look back. He just put his beanie on, eyes fixed on the cross of the pharmacy sign approaching. "She needs something." he murmured, more to himself than to them. "And she skipped lunch so I know my girls hungry."

The pharmacy was silent– for it was about 11p.m, the atmosphere smelling of antiseptic and dust. The cold white lights overhead, casting a surgical looking white glare over the glass windows of the establishment. Seonghyeon moved with ease, his face sort of hidden with his beanie. He didn't have to roam around. He walked straight to the cosmetics aisle, his eyes scanning the rows of tubes. He found it within seconds. The exact brand. The exact shade. He picked up one tube, turning it over in his hand, feeling the weight of it. Then, remembering the look on your face when the last one ran out, he grabbed a second.

One for the purse. One for your vanity.

He moved to the checkout and grabbed some snacks, the cashier barely looking up from her phone. He paid, the crinkle of the plastic bag sounding like a victory in the quiet store. From there, he directed the van to your house.

By the time the van dropped him off at the entrance of your building, the members were asleep or staring at their phones. Seonghyeon stepped out into the building, waving at the watchman who knew clearly who he was here for. 

The apartment was dark, with barely any lights on. The only light that came in was from the flickering of different coloured lights from the TV in the living room, causing the dark wooden floor to reflect them. Seonghyeon let himself in, he knew the code. His movements were silent—a habit engraved from years of sneaking out of dorms at midnight with Keonho to get food. He kicked off his shoes, the cool air of the apartment rushing to meet him.

He smiled at you before he even saw you. Your scent lingered in the apartment and it felt just like home. Something like jasmine and rain. But beneath that, the air was still, heavy with the lethargy of a day that had lasted too long. 12 hour work days were a staple with the new album coming, everything had to be perfect, everything had to be dissected till it formed perfection. 

He found you on the sofa, it looked as if you were trapped in a jail of a big furry blanket. You were staring at the screen, focused. 

As he settled down next to you, he watched the exact moment you sensed him. Your hands which rested on your knees, suddenly dropped to your sides. Your head turned slowly, your eyes wide with a mix of confusion and a desperate relief that it was just your boyfriend.

"Omg... Hyeon?" your voice was a whisper yet soft.                                        "Why aren't you at the dorm? It's nearly midnight."

"Missed you." he said simply. His voice inducing butterflies in your stomach.

It was the truth, but it was also a cover for the fact that he couldn't breathe properly until he saw for himself. He just wanted to be with you after a long day.  He dropped the bag of food on the floor. Without a word, he opened his arms, and you practically fell into him, burying your face in his chest. He smelled like the rain and that familiar, clean laundry cologne that always signaled you– Hyeons here. He held you tightly, his chin resting on the top of your head, just breathing you in.

After a moment, he reached into the bag resting on the floor. He pulled out the 2 gloss tubes  "For you." he murmured.

You pulled back, your fingers brushing his as you took the tubes. You were again confused with your head tilted to the left. 

A habit of yours he caught-– ‘tilts her head whenever she's lost…noted.’

"I was literally-” a pause and, “ I was just staring at the tube on my vanity five minutes ago, trying to figure out how to get the last bit out of my old one for school tomorrow." you whispered, looking up at him with awe. "I realised I forgot to buy a new one and was literally preparing to have my day ruined."

Seonghyeon didn't answer right away. He just reached out, hands behind you as he pulled you next to him, his face in the crook of your neck. He felt your heartbeat slow down to match his "Because I saw you practically degutting the poor gloss tube last week." he murmured, his voice vibrating against your skin. A small, proud grin spread across his face, and you could feel it against your neck. "I felt the need to restock for my girl."

He shifted then, grabbing the discarded blanket and pulling it up, tucking it around both of your shoulders.

"And there's snacks in the bag." he added, his voice dropping into that stern 'boyfriend' tone he used when he was worried. "Don't think I didn't notice you skipped lunch today. I felt that slump and hunger of yours all the way in the practice room. You have to eat. The 'telepathy' the members blabber about works for hunger too, you know."

You leaned back into him, hiding your blushing face. It wasn't just the lip gloss. It wasn't even the food. It was the fact that in a world where everyone wanted something from you, Seonghyeon was the only one who looked closely enough to see what you were actually missing.

"Stay tonight?" you murmured, your eyes full of glimmer looking at him.

He tightened his grip, pulling you closer until there was no space left between you. He felt your body settle into his as if you were just meant to be there.