#soobs

Though both of you were awkward at first, you slowly became more comfortable in each other's presence. You'd share a hot drink or maybe some snacks and discuss the details of what you'd have to do, and once you were done for the day, you'd talk about other random stuff — favorite food, favorite music, movies that made you cry, places you'd like to visit, etc.

The problem is that you've always been absolutely lovable in Soobin's eyes, and the more he learned about you, the more he felt that way. He's been paying more attention to small details lately, such as how you always keep your pencil case extremely organized with all the tips of your pens turned to the same side, and how you pout and furrow your eyebrows without even noticing when you're deep in your thoughts, and how your notes are all color-coded in a way he's tried to do a million times before but never managed to maintain such tidiness as yours, and how you always bite your lips while reading the menu and trying to decide what type of coffee you wanna order today, and how you always feel the need to stop and say hi in a baby voice to any dog that crosses your path when you're outside. He loves the passion you feel for your own dreams, and how you like taking walks in the park at night, and how sometimes you just text him a random fact about anything at all for no reason other than wanting to share something interesting with him, and when you say you've found a song that reminds you of him. He loves your eyes, your smile, your hair, and the way your voice sounds when you're excited about something. He could hear you talking nonstop for a whole week and he still wouldn't get tired of it. There's so much more to admire, too, and he feels like every day he finds something new to add to this list.

Talking to each other until late at night has become something natural, a part of your routine. Sometimes you'd be on video with him, other times it would be just a regular voice call, but you'd always be the last person he'd talk to before falling asleep. And more often than not, he'd fight his drowsiness just to listen to your voice for a little longer, because he couldn't get enough of you.

Tonight, though, it seems to be the other way around. He's sitting on his bed with his earbuds on, telling you about some ideas he's had for his own upcoming presentation for another class when he hears you yawn for the sixth time in a span of about ten minutes.

"Are you sleepy? Do you wanna go to bed?"

"No," you mumble in a sleepy tone, "please keep going. I like to hear your voice."

He's thankful he doesn't have his camera on, because the heat rising to his face would probably give away the fact that his heart has just skipped a beat. He tries to swallow his own nervousness and acts as casual as he can.

"Okay."

A few more ideas are shared, and when he asks for your opinion and you simply hum in response and yawn once again, he concludes you're not even properly awake anymore, and maybe it's time to say goodbye, unfortunately.

"You should really get some sleep, Y/N," he tells you in a sweet voice. "I'm gonna hang up now, 'kay? I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Wait, no…" You whine.

"You've yawned a million times and you sound really, really tired. You need to get some rest…" He reasons, and you groan softly. "I'll still be here tomorrow, you don't need to worry."

"It's just–" Another yawn comes from your end of the line and Soobin smiles to himself. He really wishes you weren't so damn cute, but it's just so hard not to be absolutely smitten with you. "I like talking to you. I don't wanna say goodbye yet."

He chuckles and lies back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"And I like talking to you too," he says, "but it doesn't mean we don't need sleep."

"No, you don't get it." He can almost hear you pouting when you say that, and it makes him want to squish your face and boop your nose, but you're not within his reach right now.

"Explain it to me, then," he prompts you, trying to understand what you mean.

A long sigh comes out of your lips, and the silence that follows makes him think you might've fallen asleep. However, when he's about to hang up, your voice can be heard again.

"I like you, Soobin," you confess, dragging out the words. "Like, like you like you."

And that's when his whole body seems to malfunction. His heart is racing, his cheeks are red, his brain is frozen, and his stomach is invaded by those familiar butterflies, except now they're a million times stronger and more aggressive than ever before.

"No, you don't," he blurts out and immediately widens his eyes and covers his mouth in regret, as if that would help.

What the hell? Why would that be his answer? He's been dying to hear you say that and his first reaction is to deny it? Is he an idiot? Why is he so bad at this? Why do you have this effect over him?

"Um." You're taken aback by his response, immediately feeling your heart being filled with regret. Maybe you should've stayed quiet. You should never act on the decisions your brain makes when it's barely conscious. "Yeah, uh, maybe we should hang up."

"No, I– Sorry, I just, I'm– I panicked," he explains himself hurriedly, tripping over his own words, and there's quietness for a few seconds again. "I really like you too. Like, like you like you. A lot, actually," he finally admits, earning a drowsy giggle from you.

"Oh. That's– That's good to hear."

A sigh of relief leaves his lips when you say that. Maybe he hasn't completely ruined this for himself. However, there's another long moment of silence he needs to face now.

"So, uh, you… We– Maybe we could, you know, um–"

"Lunch date tomorrow, maybe?" You sheepishly help him as he stammers, which makes him laugh awkwardly.

"Yeah, that's– that's what I wanted to say," he agrees. "Lunch date. No project stuff, just– you and me. And whatever you wanna eat."

"Okay." You sound like you're smiling, and that's a good thing, because Soobin has probably never smiled as widely as he's smiling right now. "I guess I should actually sleep, then. Don't wanna look like a panda, you know, on our first… date."

He laughs quietly at that. "Yeah, I guess I… should go too."

"Sleep well, Binnie. I hope you have sweet dreams."

Only if I dream about you, he thinks to himself.

"You too. Good night, Y/N."