Ben was losing his mind.
Not in the way most people lose their minds, like stressing over exams or pulling an all-nighter for a project.
No.
He was losing his mind because Daniel existed.
It wasn't normal, right? The way his chest tightened when Daniel smiled at him? The way his brain felt like scrambled eggs whenever Daniel casually touched him? Or the way his thoughts kept running back to the near-kiss moment… but seriously, was that the cause? Or was it the downpour? The shared dinners? Or the time Daniel dramatically threw his jacket over him like they were in a historical drama?
Whatever the case, it was getting harder for him to pretend that this was just admiration and friendship.
And frankly, that was terrifying.
Forcing his nerves to calm, he face planted on his pillow, willing his brain to shut off.
***
The next evening, after his class bored him half to death, Ben detoured to the Student Affairs Office to submit his official absence form for round two of the NDC. As he walked, half-awake and scrolling through the NDC site, a sudden notification from his student portal lit up his phone screen like a mini heart attack.
Ben groaned.
First Semester Results.
He tapped in his credentials, saw the numbers… and immediately wished he hadn't.
14th place.
Not awful, considering the all-nighters, body aches, and impromptu dance battles, but enough to trigger a passive-aggressive text war from his parents. Top 10 was the family gold standard. Anything less was practically a scandal.
Ben sighed, thumbing back to the NDC page, and mentally shoved the existential crisis aside. He scrolled through updates, messages, and event breakdowns. He was so absorbed that he completely missed the very real and very solid person in front of him.
"Whoa–!" he gasped, his phone slipping.
A hand darted out and caught it before it could hit the floor. Another hand gripped his forearm and pulled him upright. He looked up.
Sean stood there, expression flat as a white wall, headphones draped around his neck and a bag slung over one shoulder.
"Mianhae," Sean muttered. [I am sorry]
Ben let Sean help him stabilize. "No problem," he mumbled, dusting himself off.
He glanced at the site again and then back at Sean. "Sunbae, you totally disappeared after yesterday's audition."
Sean nodded once. "Had work."
Ben tilted his head. "Do you work part-time?"
"No. Family work," Sean said without elaboration, like that explained everything.
It probably did for Sean. Sean was the type of guy who could make "I breathe oxygen" sound like a state secret.
Ben waited for Sean to say something, but silence stretched between them like an awkward third wheel. Ben shifted his weight, acutely aware of the squeaky hallway floor, the distant thuds of basketballs from the college playground, and even the godforsaken hum of the vending machine nearby. He had always considered himself introverted, until now. Apparently, he was a raging extrovert compared to Sean.
Desperate to cut the silence, Ben blurted, "Where are you going?"
"Dance studio," Sean said in that ever-flat tone.
"Same," Ben said quickly, falling into step beside him. He kept glancing back at his phone. "Did you check the NDC site about the second round?"
"No."
Ben blinked. "You're… surprisingly calm."
"I just don't see the point of stressing myself out."
Ben sighed, tucking his phone away. "You're so weird."
Sean didn't even flinch at the comment. "Thanks."
Ben rolled his eyes. "Was not a compliment. Anyway, when do you even practice? Do you have dance as your elective? I never see you around."
Sean answered without pause, "Yes. Dance is my elective. Our majors are different, and so is our class timing. When you guys practice, I'm in class."
Ben smacked his forehead. "Right. You're not an economics major."
"Nope."
Ben could swear the corners of Sean's lips twitched, but it was gone before he could confirm. They were just reaching the studio when a very familiar whirlwind of energy barrelled toward them.
"Hey Bennie!" Kai chirped, guitar bag bouncing behind him like it had a life of its own. "Oh, hey, you're that sunbae from yesterday's dance-off!"
Sean nodded.
Ben eyed the guitar suspiciously. "Are we even allowed to bring personal instruments?"
Kai grinned. "We're not, but I got special permission, courtesy of my dad."
Ben muttered under his breath, "Rich kids and their cheat codes."
Both Sean and Kai turned to him.
Kai pouted dramatically. "Hey! I brought it for Daniel hyung, okay? He's sulking over his ankle. I thought some acoustic magic might lift the mood."
Ben raised a brow. "Daniel hyung actually needs pick-me-up songs?"
Kai gave him a look like he had just asked if the sky was blue. "He can't dance, Ben. That's like… like a dolphin not swimming. Hyung's dying inside."
Sean nodded with uncharacteristic gravity. "He's single-minded. Obsessively so."
Ben squinted, but remembering the night Daniel had tried dancing on his injured ankle and the look on his face, he couldn't deny that Kai was right.
Before Kai could justify his cheat codes further, another voice interrupted, dry and amused.
"Kai, didn't you say Abeoji confiscated your guitar?"
Terrence strolled in, arms crossed, eyebrows arched.
Kai hesitated. "He did. I stole it back."
Ben gawked. "What?"
Sean blinked.
Kai lifted his chin defiantly. "Look, I'm doing this for a noble cause. Why do I feel like none of you believe me?"
"Because we know you," Terrence replied with a snort.
Kai gasped. "How dare–!"
Terrence ignored him and turned to Sean. "Guess you came to practice with the team, huh?"
Sean shrugged. "Class starts in an hour. I thought I'd rehearse a little."
Terrence gave him a rare approving smile. "Perfect timing."
They filed into the studio like clockwork. Kai slumped onto the wooden floor with his back to the mirror, lazily tuning his guitar, while Ben and Sean dropped their bags and started stretching.
Just then, a sharp ring cut through the space.
Terrence frowned at his phone. It was rare for him to get a call, especially when the guy preferred to wage war via text and treated calls like an emotional landmine.
Ben barely glanced over, assuming it was nothing. But then came the unmistakable bark of Terrence's low and exasperated voice,
"Appa, I told you, I can't visit that often! Why don't you ask hyung—"
Ben immediately side-eyed Kai. Kai had been friends with Terrence since middle school and was also a long-suffering keeper of his life updates.
As expected, Kai gave a soft sigh and murmured, "Eomeoni misses him. He hasn't gone home in two months. She thinks he's turned cold."
Sean raised an eyebrow.
Ben tilted his head. "Where's his hometown?"
"Suwon," Kai said with a shrug.
Sean blinked. "Isn't that right outside Seoul?"
"She wants him to come every week," Kai replied flatly.
Ben and Sean exchanged synchronized expressions of disbelief.
"His eldest hyung's in med school. Never home." Kai continued, ticking off imaginary points on his fingers. "Middle hyung's a national-level archer, also never home. So now all the guilt beams are aimed at Terrence."
Ben winced in sympathy. He could understand missing your son, but weekly emotional summons across cities… that's a different level of maternal devotion.
Terrence returned moments later, looking like a man who'd just lost a noble battle. "Fine, fine, I'll come. Eomma, please don't do this. I have studies and competition."
That was followed by a short pause, then a sigh. "Okay, this weekend. Can we please stop the emotional blackmail now?"
Another brief pause, before he added with a helpless smile, "I would, you know that. Take care."
When he hung up, everyone stared at him like he'd grown antlers.
Terrence cleared his throat, the emotional mist evaporating instantly.
He turned to Kai. "Play something electrifying."
Kai saluted like a chaotic bard from a musical. "Aye aye, Captain!"
Terrence looked at Ben and Sean. "Daniel hyung's stuck in class for another hour or so. Let's freestyle till he gets here."
Sean nodded. Ben sighed. Maybe movement would help unscramble the Daniel-filled mess in his head.