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“Beomgyu here is basically the executive producer of the Bachelor and Bachelorette in University.” Yeonjun was attempting to convince three girls of their endeavors, in an attempt to pretend to be a pimp of some sort into the business idea he had four hours ago. 

Beomgyu has always been good at keeping himself in the shadows and listening. This way, he discerns details in such a manner that help him guide and advise people in the right way. This has helped countless people in their class find partners and somewhat convinced Yeonjun that they were bound for life and that he had to pursue this talent that the gods have bestowed on him. 

All he does is notice lingering stares, quick searches on social media and talking with people which is his favorite hobby. There is a lot that can be learned from listening and gathering information, even if sometimes he has to resort himself to unorthodox manners to do so.

“Really?” Yeji, the one in the front, was all bright eyes and excitement. Beomgyu was good at knowing people and quickly making correct assumptions. Yeji was with Yeonjun in the dance club, and she was often the life of every academic even they attended. She clearly yearned for some sort of connection, considering the amount of times she’d dated and got her heart broken. 

He sighed. His body worked in mysterious ways, because despite the fact that all his rational instincts were yelling at him to not do it, that he doesn’t have time for such, his soft heart that yearns for love, couldn’t resist it. 

“What do you need?” 

Yeji squeaked, her friends shaking her with excitement. He was going to regret this. “Girl, I don’t know what I want. All I know is that I am tired of casualness. I want something serious.”

Beomgyu didn’t think he can work with such a low premise, but he could at least try. “Okay, what kind of people are you interested in?”

Yeji seemed to think about it for a while, her friends rationalizing with her about all the ex girlfriends and boyfriends personalities they should avoid in this endless search, while Beomgyu attempted to grab Yeonjun by the neck to stop him from promoting another stupid venture to some other desperate university student. 

“This is the last time I’ll do it,” he muttered to Yeonjun, the other with a fire in his eyes he wasn’t used to seeing. “Don’t you even dare to tell anyone else I can match them with their perfect significant other.”

“Why not?” Yeonjun was an enthusiast, God bless him. “You’re good at this shit, half of our colleagues are happy in relationships! Even the teachers have started to notice how grades are going up and the mood changes. This is some heaven blessing you got from the Gods.”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. He could hardly attribute the rising in grades with being in love, couldn’t seem to find a correlation in any of those factors and yet, what does he know about statistics? He bailed out of his economics degree last year anyways.

“I don’t want to give people high expectations. I can’t do the work for them, they gotta open their hearts to it.”

Yeonjun whistled. “Bro, what life coach did you steal that one from?”

“It was in the sugar packs of the coffee I took this morning.”

“Okay, we got it!” He had forgotten about the girls in front of them. The taller one — Yuna? He thinks. He’s good with faces and he’s sure he had searched her before for another match. “Yeji needs someone who is down to earth. Has to balance her dramatics sometimes but also be responsible, because Yeji would go insane with someone who didn’t understand her strict life routine. She needs stability and kindness and — dude, write that down! I am not going to repeat it.”

Beomgyu often felt intimidated around pretty women, so he took his phone out and started typing. She went on for another 10 minutes, with an extremely detailed profile of someone her friend needs and by the end of it, after he assured Yeji he was going to try to find the perfect match for her, they thanked him and bought him a beer.

It was after that situation that he and Yeonjun found themselves sitting outside the bar every University student in their district frequents, in the cold pavement. The weather was strangely warm for the time of the year, and the night bustled with excitement. It was Beomgyu’s favorite time of the day, the busy night where the laughs and the conversations echo in the streets and there’s nothing but a buzzing in the air that tingles on Beomgyu’s skin.

“Must be nice,” Yeonjun said, less enthusiastic than he was before, eyeing the couple in front of them chuckling at seemingly nothing.

“What?”

“Love. Sounds like a nice thing.”

Beomgyu laughed. He loves love which is a redundancy on his end. But it had always been like that: he was a kid, starry eyes at the romantic movies, the cheesy ones where the happily ever after is guaranteed. The kind of magic that movies portray, that songs lull him to, that books transmit. It’s a fascinating emotion, a result of a lack of rationalization from human beings. 

Many call it scary. Beomgyu thinks the uncertainty is beautiful.

“I thought you had swore off love.”

Yeonjun scoffed, resting his head on Beomgyu’s shoulders. They weren’t close, not yet at least. But there was a pull to each other they’ve felt since the beginning of the school year, and despite the small timeframe that they’ve been in each other's lives, there’s some familiarity. 

“I didn’t swear off love,” Yeonjun states. “I just… I’ve never felt it. I’ve dated and kissed and lived and yet, none of that experience brought something that could be classified as love.”

“I think you can love without it being in a relationship.”

Yeonjun shifted uncomfortably, like opening up was something that didn't come easy to him. “I don’t think I’ve felt it. I know it’s selfish because you’re supposed to love your family or whatever, but I never did. I overcompensate that lack of love in trying to find some excitement with relationships and yet… nothing. Maybe there’s something wrong with me.”

Beomgyu had to think before answering. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, give empty words of comfort without meaning them. He thinks Yeonjun deserves more than that. 

“There’s nothing wrong with you.” Beomgyu began. “Love can be specific and all time consuming. Love can be exciting and headaches all at the same time. But at the end, you’ll know when you feel it. And you can’t stop trying to look for it, because love has to be daunting and unexpected, otherwise where is the fun in it?”

Yeonjun nodded, and despite the weight on his shoulders and despite Beomgyu’s general adversity to personal touch, he had to admit: this was kind of nice. 

In a way, it could become love. 

Everything, if attempted hard enough, and if it feels right, can become love. Perhaps that’s why he was so successful at what he does: he didn’t see a spark, he saw possibilities. Possibilities that could evolve into something more, and he dedicated himself to elevate the probability of it reaching the type of level Yeonjun, like many others, wanted.

An idea sparked in his mind. “I’ll find you a match.”

Yeonjun raised his head so fast they headbutted each other.

“Shit, what the fuck?” Beomgyu eloquently said. The moment was now long gone. “Dude, is your head made of rock? I thought it was empty inside.”

“Ah, ah, funny,” Yeonjun rubbed his own head with his hands. That was definitely going to leave a mark on both of them. “What did you mean?”

Beomgyu shrugged. “You spent the entire night announcing to everyone how good of a matchmaker I was. If you truly believe that, then let me help you.”

Yeonjun seemed to be processing his words at worm speed, which is to say Beomgyu was growing impatient with his silence. “Say something!”

Yeonjun shook off his thoughts. “You serious?”

“Why would I lie about this?”

“Aren’t you finding Yeji a match too?”

Damn, he had forgotten about that. He should probably use the excel skills he learned on his failed economics degree and put it all in a spreadsheet. 

“I can multitask.”

Yeonjun then did something he had seen the other do often but has managed to avoid successfully in the months they’ve known each other: he kissed his face. 

Multiple times.

Had he mentioned he hates skinship?

“Yeonjun, stop!” He tried, but the other boy was taller than him and stronger, and, as Beomgyu suspected, tipsy enough to get away with almost everything. “Dude, what are you, a dog?”

“You’re the fucking best!” Yeonjun looked so giddy and excited, all warm and genuine. Beomgyu couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll tell you what I like.”

Beomgyu had a feeling he was not going to be following any of Yeonjun’s suggestions in this particular quest, as the other babbled for the next 30 minutes about his perfect match. 

✷

He was walking through the hallways in between classes, trying to memorize the lines of his presentation when his always alert ears heard something that made him nearly break his neck while trying to eavesdrop. 

“I just think being in love must be a really fun concept.”

For a second, he had deja vu about the other night with Yeonjun. He would've guessed this was the other if he didn't recognise his voice. 

He sneakily turned around and noticed a group of kids hanging out in front of the auditorium, possibly waiting for the class. The voice seemed to come from a tall guy surrounded by two girls. 

“Soobin, I cannot believe you just watered down love to a concept .” One of the girls said, smacking him carefully on the shoulder.

“I just think it's nice.”

Someone else butted into the conversation. “We’ve got a romantic in our hands.”

And Beomgyu prides himself in the search he does for his matches but he isn't one to deny Destiny when it's handed to him on a silver platter. He spent much of his free time managing his school work and stalking possible candidates on social media for his two matches and he'd boiled down the Yeji search to a talent.

Yeonjuns's search was nowhere showing as many prospects. So, any sign from the gods of above who suspectedly gave him this ability might be able to help. 

He stayed within a normal distance, acting natural. He observed the guy who had uttered the words, and how he went on a tangent about relationships. Soobin. He wished he had more information, something else he could search about. 

The boy towered over every other colleague, so he was clearly taller than the average. He had dark hair that fell into his eyes and his features seemed docile and puppy-like. His voice had a little lisp and he seemed to scream more than attempting to convince his colleagues of the premise he was trying to sell.

It was romantic at heart, if Beomgyu had ever seen one. He thought being a romantic could be showcased in many ways but there was something about this particular one. 

Beomgyu was tempted to introduce himself in the conversation, as he’d done many times before. He lacked shame and had a reputation to uphold, the kind that Yeonjun had been bragging about to the whole faculty and beyond. Half of the secret of making it work was to be brave enough to do things others might not to achieve a final product. The ends justify the means, yadda yadda.

The moment was long gone when everyone started to go into the auditorium. But he wasn’t giving up on this one. 

He had a feeling. 

(Uttered someone, probably, after doing something stupid.)

“I'm sorry,” he tapped on a girl's shoulder who was about to enter the auditorium. “What class is this? I'm new and I still have a hard time figuring out the class number system.”

He should be starring in a movie next, his acting skills get better with age.  His high school drama teacher would be so proud. 

“It’s creative writing! Do you need help figuring out where you need to be or is it this one?” 

She's sweet, he will give her that. “That is so far beyond what I'm supposed to be in. Don't want you to be late though, thank you so much!”

He stored that information for later, as he continued to walk to his class. He ran into Yeonjun falling asleep in class, and he laid his jacket on top of the other and hoped the teacher didn't notice his friend taking what was inarguably a very good nap. 

The rest of the day passed in a blur: they all ate lunch together, complained about teachers and talked a little more. He updated Yeonjun on his Yeji search and he was now down to a couple girls in his search. He didn’t know when the other has become his unofficial assistant but they conceived a plan to be able to talk to all these girls personally for a final assessment. 

He decided  to keep Yeonjun in the dark about his own search. He thought it would give him some sort of unfair advantage. He liked to keep some ethical rules, despite the fact that everything he did could be declared as a little unethical. 

Beomgyu’s skin itched with excitement, as it usually did when he was at the precipice of something meaningful in these love match quests. How peaceful Yeonjun looked, unaware of the developments going behind the scenes. 

Some may argue that he liked playing God.

And some were correct. 

When he got to the dorm, he threw every assignment into the corner of his room and sat in bed with this computer as he opened the University’s website. With a quick search he was able to find the Creative Writing class this semester, how it operated, and thankfully due to their policy to keep everything out in the open, he found the list of students in that class.

With his finger he went through the list in alphabetical order, a big list, until he ran into exactly what he needed. 

Choi Soobin.

Bingo . 

There was only one Soobin in this class, which means this had to be him. By his school ID number he could see the other’s profile and find out he’s a second year literature student. The picture on the school website looked exactly like the boy he had seen today. 

Without closing the tab, he moved to Instagram. There had to be a bunch of Choi Soobins in the country, but he was thankful the app filters his search on people with mutual followers, and not much later he ran into page.soobin’s page. It was public, which made his life easier, and without raising any suspicions, he followed the other. 

There were a lot of candid pictures. He was photogenic, Beomgyu could give him that, which was surprisingly a point in favor, he thought, for the match he was attempting to make. Yeonjun carefully crafts his feed with a precision that could be bottled down to a science, a future partner needed to understand that. 

page.soobin’s following list was a modest 129, with lots of personal accounts that he suspected might be colleagues and a surprising list of kpop idols. Nothing that could be suspicious or a red flag.  He vowed to keep a close eye on his other activity but he was somewhat hopeful that this could be it.

He sent a winky face to Yeonjun, just to keep him on his toes, and opened his essay to continue writing at least another paragraph. After all, he might act like a stalker, but he still needed to pass his classes.

✷

Choi Soobin turned out to be much more of a mystery than he seemed. Beomgyu saw him surrounded by the literature clique often, and guessed the major must have a sort of community energy in the same way his did. When Choi Soobin wasn't surrounded by a bajillion of people, he’s gone from the face of the planet. 

This made the search and the investigation a little harder but Beomgyu personally loves a challenge. 

Yeonjun, on the other hand, was starting to grow impatient. “Can you at least give me a hint? Is it a girl? A boy? None? You know I don’t discriminate.”

But Beomgyu held his ground. He noticed Soobin had a pride pin he carried on his backpack often, which made him avoid the awkward conversation he often had to have beforehand when it came to these matches. 

They were together at another student gathering. Every weekend it was impossible for the bar not to be filled with University students. It was almost like a cleansing ritual. 

Beomgyu and Yeonjun were often present in these events and days. Some people peak in high school and some live long enough to become popular in University and the two of them didn’t shy away from that image. 

That was how his own schemes managed to be as successful as they are.

“I can’t tell you anything. Knowing you, you will jump into something without my stamp of approval.”

Yeonjun faked indignance. “I would never!”

“It’s better this way, yeah? Just trust me.”

“I wouldn’t trust you with a rat, much rather with my love life.”

Beomgyu didn’t take the comment to heart, laughing out loud before noticing Yeji and her friends enter. Perfect, he thought. “Hey, Yeji! Over here!”

“Good way to change the subject,” Yeonjun mutters as the girls approached with hugs. Always so friendly.

“Good to see you guys here,” Yeji was smiley and Beomgyu thought it to be good that she was in a good mood because he was about to make her life even better. 

“I have some good news for you.” Beomgyu announced, and even Yeonjun smirked alongside him, knowing exactly what this was about. “See that girl over there, on the table with the bow?”

Yeji and her friends turned to look, in the direction of a girl with long dark hair and a bow pinned to her hair, holding it down. “Yeah?”

“It’s your match.”

Immediately there’s a shift in the atmosphere: Yeji looked hopeful, her eyes sparkling with shock. Her friends cheered her on and even Yeonjun joined in. “Are you serious?”

“Choi Jisu. Her English name is Julia, so everyone calls her Lia.” Don’t ask how he got that information. A magician never reveals his secrets, does he? “She’s an English major, second year like you. She has a really fluffy ugly dog, she’s part of the debate team, on her way to become captain and she often volunteers at the same food shelter you do.”

“How do you know I volunteer at a food shelter?” Yeji asked. At the same time her friend Yuna shook her shoulders and yelled how exciting this was. “Doesn’t matter, I’m- wow. Beomgyu that was pretty cool of you but how the hell am I going to introduce myself?”

Beomgyu thinks this is his true favorite part of the job. He had noticed the girl get up to approach the bar to refill her drink and he didn't let Yeji finish her sentence or continue her panic before touching Lia’s shoulder. “Hi Lia!”

Yeji tried to stop him, by forcefully grabbing his arm, but he had spent too much time with Yeonjun to be stopped by any form of physical altercation. 

“Beomgyu!” Lia said, a wide smile in her features. He could sense Yeji melting. “Good to see you here.”

“How are you? Did you manage to combat that nasty cold you were developing the other day?”

And if Beomgyu attended one too many debate team events last month for this, it was no one’s business but his. “I am feeling better, thank you for asking!”

Now, the chance to attack comes. “Hey, have you met my friend Yeji? You guys volunteer in the same shelter!”

There was not much he needed to do after this one, as Yeji and Lia happily chatted around next to them before Lia offered to buy her a beer and get to know each other better. Beomgyu thought this was a success, even if it was just the beginning and Yeji’s friends and Yeonjun agreed, as everyone kept sneaking glances at them throughout the night. 

The true prize at the end of the day, the reason he doesn’t do this for money, as a business, is because there’s nothing better than the feeling of community he builds when he extends his network while getting to know people. Yes, he did attend one too many debates for his liking, but he had met and chatted with awesome people and had managed to make friends in ways he hasn’t been able to do before. 

He thinks community is what makes this better, is what makes love possible. 

“You did a good thing, Choi Beomgyu.” Yeji’s other friend, Ryujin, tapped him on the shoulder by the bar as she picked up another drink. “I can see she’s enjoying herself and that’s definitely better than it has been.”

“Maybe I do have a talent,” he wistfully said, as he noticed Yeonjun and Yuna happily participating in a shot game with some kids from the law degree. 

He hoped this wild Soobin chase wouldn’t end in nothing, because he really wanted the Yeonjun match to be his magnum opus , the one he would remember for years to come as they laugh about the insane things he managed to get himself into as a University student. 

“Ryujin, aren’t you in literature?” He remembered something about a Ryujin in the list of names of the creative writing class.

The girl turned to him. “Yeah, I am. Why do you want to know?”

“Do you know Choi Soobin?”

“Yeah, he’s in my year. He’s pretty nice.” Then she thought it over after sipping on her beer. “Is this for another match?”

“Maybe.”

Ryujin laughed, carefully hitting him in the shoulder. “You truly could make a business out of this.”

He could. Or maybe he was just good at noticing coincidences and taking chances when they were presented to him. It’s all about timing. “Is he single?”

“I mean, I think so but…”

He didn’t like the lingering sound in her voice. He had just wanted to confirm his suspicions, not add another detail in the mix that would make it impossible to make it work. 

“But?”

She shifted in her seat. “He’s a pretty mysterious kid. He’s very nice and sweet, don’t get me wrong, sometimes a little naive and when he isn’t with us, he is always hanging out with this freshman named Huening Kai? They seem pretty close.”

Huening Kai … Beomgyu let the name taste on his tongue, a foreign influence that was for sure. He had not once run into this name in his search for Soobin and he’d been pretty good at it, if he’s allowed to brag. He had to dig even deeper than he’d done before, and really needed to disentangle the mystery that Choi Soobin ended up being.

Yeonjun deserved for him to do this right, and not half-assing something that clearly meant something for his friend. They’d been hanging out more and more because of this matchmaking business and Beomgyu had to admit, it had been a great time. 

Ryujin called him back down to earth. “I don’t think they’re dating. He seems pretty protective of the kid, I think that’s the case. But I’m sure you will find something else, you’re like the Sherlock Holmes of romance.”

Beomgyu laughed. “Shit, I’m using that one.”

“It has a trademark!”

✷

Beomgyu wished he hadn’t flunked out of his economics degree, otherwise he would’ve been more confident in his skills to handle the amount of variables that this problem had revealed itself to have. He’d gone through the insanity of starting a thread board, with all their names and information and relationships. He was truly going through the nine circles of hell to make this work. 

Yeonjun better start kissing the floor he walks on when he ends up marrying this guy.

Huening Kai turned out to be the hardest of them to figure out. He was a mystery! He didn’t exist on social media, he couldn’t find him anywhere on the school website or rather, he didn’t even know how to search for it. Every freshman he knew had never heard of him and he was positive at this point he made the boy up.

“Dude, are you going insane?” 

Taehyun and him had been roommates since the beginning of the year, and thankfully it had only been the two of them so far. Taehyun was the perfect roommate for his imperfect self: he was clean, quiet and chill. Beomgyu was far from any of those traits.

“I am.” He said, and he should admit that the circumstances in which he was currently in may have contributed to that conclusion from his roommate. He was laying upside down on the couch, as the thread board hung by his side with all the names and red thread mixing up with each other.

Taehyun took a look around, cleaned the crumbs and the empty soda cans quickly. “You’re going to overdose on sugar from these drinks.”

“How else am I supposed to be energized and awake?”

“Wild guess: what about sleeping?” He didn’t even sound shocked anymore compared to the beginning of the year. You know what they say: live with someone, know someone? “You totally made that up.”

He hadn’t realized he was talking out loud. “Point is! I’m fine!”

Taehyun continued to clean around him. “Why do you have random pictures of boys printed out on your board?”

He lacked the shame to even pretend like that it wasn’t weird. “Because I’m a serial killer who loves killing boys.”

“Should I be worried that my friend is on your psychotic board?”

“Who, Yeonjun?”

Taehyun shakes his head. “No, Kai.”

Beomgyu majestically got off the couch and pinned Taehyun in a rather intimidating way.  

(And by this he means he falls back in the crook between the couch and the coffee table, trips on his million cans of soda and tumbles his way into holding Taehyun’s shoulders with all his might.)

“You. Know. Huening. Kai?” He evoked every word like he was entoning a spell and honestly, considering the methods he’d taken to search for him, he wouldn’t be surprised if he had accidentally ended up summoning him like a demon or something.

Taehyun, thankfully, much like him, didn’t get fazed by much. “He’s in my music club.”

He said it, like he hadn’t shifted Beomgyu’s entire axis. Like he hadn’t dropped a nuclear bomb type of threat on Beomgyu’s day. “Wait, he’s real?”

The other boy nodded. “Very much so. He’s pretty nice and very musically gifted.” Beomgyu immediately noted down music club and turned his computer on to search about the music club in their faculty and the members in it. Taehyun sat beside him, much more curious now then he was before. “What are you even stalking him for?”

“Need to find out if he and Choi Soobin are dating.” He still couldn’t find a Huening Kai on the music club members list. “Why is he not here?”

Taehyun stopped him from punching the keyboard. “New members aren’t listed yet. Also, Choi Soobin, literature student? Second year?”

He nodded, pulling his phone to go to the music club’s instagram and their following list. “That one. Giant, looks like a puppy.”

“I am aware of him,” Taehyun peeked over Beomgyu’s shoulder to his screen. “They’re not dating.”

That stopped him. “How do you know that?”

“I just do,” his roommate shrugged. “Doesn’t give me those vibes. Are you interested in Choi Soobin?”

He thought of the best way to approach this with his roommate, who hadn’t been aware of the details of his underground (not paid) business. He hadn't known the other for too long, but in the same way he always had feelings towards the matches he makes, the same way he had a feeling about Yeonjun, he liked Taehyun, felt comfortable in his skin when he was around the other. 

“No way!” He corrected. “I am trying to make him and Yeonjun happen.”

Taehyun laughs. “They would be cute together.”

“Right? I have a talent.”

That raised his roommate’s eyebrows. “A talent for finding other people’s boyfriends?” 

Beomgyu nodded. “Do you want me to find you one?”

Taehyun laughed. “Let me know how that works out for you in the end.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

 ✷

He ended up not finding anything else on Huening Kai but he trusted Taehyun enough for his opinion (and he had nagged him the entire night afterwards just to confirm how he knew ). Taehyun even ended up finding a picture that the music club took last week where he pointed out a very tall boy, shy in the background, as being the mystery man.

However, perfection takes time and Beomgyu was still not a hundred percent sure on Soobin’s ability to connect with Yeonjun, and how well they could link up outside of the reality he had created in his mind. 

In regular circumstances, he would use University events to spy on people, to check them in more natural environments that aren’t perfectly crafted by social media. But Soobin seemed to be a pretty private person, who only attended his classes and nothing more. 

He was getting frustrated at this point, and he was going to resort to his last strategy: befriending the boy.

Now, this is the part where he offers an explanation on his insane behavior that promotes him to a much better person in your head and not a crazy psycho stalker who manipulates people into friendships with him: he actually loves people. He loves befriending people, loves getting to know others, so using this as an excuse to be more courageous and open his social circles is something he has been thankfully developing since leaving his shy highschool days. 

So, he didn’t mind befriending Choi Soobin. He was even curious about his mysterious demon friend who he was 80% sure to be made up. 

(Yeah, he still thinks that).

However, because this is the kind of story where the main character thrives in his lucky strands, he was entering the cafeteria with these thoughts swimming in his brain, and after a quick wave at a couple people at the tables he turned towards the farthest corner of the cafeteria where he spotted him.

Huening Kai.

The boy sat with his tray, munching on a sandwich and looking at his phone. Beomgyu was happy to know the other had entered the 21st century because if his presence online were to justify it, he wouldn’t have guessed it. 

Beomgyu had no need, absolute none, to talk to Huening Kai. Did the boy make him curious? Yes. Was he still worried about hallucinating a whole person? Probably. But did he actually need to approach him for this business with Yeonjun? No, he should even be quiet about it. 

Nonetheless, Beomgyu isn’t known for thinking things through with rational lenses. Maybe that’s why he’s so good with love.

In the end, he walked in the direction of the table, and in an act of absolute tomfoolery, he slammed his lunch bag right in front of the other. 

Surprisingly enough, that didn’t startle the boy. He just looked worried and slightly confused at a stranger sitting in front of him on the table. “Is this seat taken?” Huening Kai furrowed his eyebrows, looking around, as if Beomgyu could be talking to anyone else but him. “I’m talking to you, yeah.”

He didn’t know what he expected the other to react with, maybe a delighted smile, a happy noise or something. His presence could be considered an absolute blessing to those who seek it. What he didn’t expect was the most deadpanned face and a single “What?” muttered.

“Hello.”

Top 10 most eloquent moments for him. 

“Am I being pranked?”

Huening Kai had a surprising voice, more higher pitched than he expected considering his towering height could even be seen with his knees bumping against the table. Beomgyu nodded. “You’re not being pranked dude.”

“Then why are you sitting here?”

This kid has spunk. “You looked alone. I am allergic to lonely people.”

Huening Kai sighed, as if this whole conversation was tiring to him. Which made no sense, if you ask Beomgyu, he was an amazing company and this boy couldn't judge something without tasting first. “What is this, primary school? I thought we were too old for convenient friendships.”

“Damn, someone has unresolved issues with their childhood trauma.”

“And someone needs to learn personal boundaries.” Huening Kai had to think this attitude would deflect Beomgyu from trying to befriend him, but if anything, it spiked his curiosity even more. He refused to be outwitted! 

“Dude, is that so weird for you that I might just make friends by sitting down and striking a conversation?”

That made Huening Kai lock his phone and finally look at him, which turned out to be a bad idea because this boy was strikingly good looking when he wasn’t hidden in the shadows of a low quality picture in Taehyun’s phone which seemed to have been taken with a microwave.

He had a piercing stare and Beomgyu felt read all over, which wasn’t a sentiment he was used to feeling. “Yeah, it’s pretty weird. Does it usually work?”

“Yeah!” Who the hell did this guy think he is? Beomgyu had skills to prove. “Usually the conversation goes with names and what you study and what you like to do in your free time.”

Huening Kai smirked, as if he had the upper hand. “Good luck finding that information about me.”

Beomgyu thought he had plenty of luck anyways. “Huening Kai right? You’re in education, and you like music. See, I’m well past first base to the point that I know you’re in the music club.” If this were sometime in the past, he would probably have been denounced to the authorities for practicing witchcraft. At this day in age, all it did was leave the boy in front of him frozen in place with a surprised face. “Did I get that right?”

There is something powerful about leaving someone speechless, and he was somewhat celebrating inside for being able to do it with this kid. He expected a shy boy and instead he was speechless first by his reaction, so to have the upperhand back was satisfying.

“You’re like super attracted to me right now, aren’t you?”

That brought the biggest reaction out of the boy, as he choked out of thin air and Beomgyu leaned in to pat him on the back, like the gentleman he is. “I’m definitely being pranked.”

“By who?”

And that voice, Beomgyu noticed, was the voice of the real victory of that day. As they both looked up to the owner of the question, he couldn’t help but break into a wide smile. 

Choi Soobin . In the flesh. 

Bingo. 

The universe truly finds its way, if he manifests it hard enough. He should start paying more attention to those sage witches and the crystals. 

“Soobin.” Huening Kai said, almost like a plea. 

Soobin looked at him and extended his hand. At least someone had manners in this house. “I’m Soobin, hi. Are you friends with Kai?”

“No,” Kai immediately answered at the same time Beomgyu replied. “I’m trying.”

“This psycho just sat in front of me and tried to strike a conversation.”

Beomgyu continued to smile at the words. He must definitely look like a psycho right now. “Dude, relax. I’m just trying to befriend you.”

“That’s nice.” Soobin said, putting down his own lunch. Beomgyu was starting to be sure he had picked the right guy for his friend. 

Kai tripped on his words. “He just sat here and spewed a bunch of things about me! How did you even find out my name and my degree?”

“I was getting into it!” Beomgyu fought back. “I’m roommates with Taehyun.”

Kai, who was ready with his mouth open for a response, immediately shut it down. Soobin chuckled. “You really need to stop watching less true-crime documentaries, Huening. Not everyone has ulterior motives.”

“I don’t even know what ulterior motives are! All I have are vibes.”

Kai sighed, picking his phone back up and muttering “Whatever”, before going back to eating. That deflated Beomgyu’s mood a little bit but, because nothing can discourage a man on a mission, he turned his attention to Soobin. 

“I’m Beomgyu by the way,” He introduced himself. “I promise I wasn’t trying to kidnap your friend, over here.”

“Don’t worry, we need to work on his people’s skills.” Soobin joked and uhm uh, Beomgyu really has an eye for it. 

Kai tried to argue back. “Am I a dog or something?”

However, his spotlight had shifted now. “You’re in literature, right?”

“Do you know everything about everyone?”

Soobin hit Kai. “Yeah, I am!”

“I know Ryujin. Shin Ryujin? Mean lesbian vibes?”

Soobin laughs. “Oh yeah, we are friends. I’m her favorite twink.” Bingo!  

Their conversation was more productive for the duration of lunch, as Kai sulked in between them but Beomgyu was feeling certainly more safe in his schemes now that he was getting to know Soobin. The tingling sensation he had in the beginning was proving itself to be more and more real. 

Soobin was a great match for Yeonjun. And he would make sure of it happening.  

Huening Kai couldn't stop him. Not that he was trying, but Beomgyu had a feeling that getting these two unglued might be an even bigger challenge than finding information about them.

“Hey, you guys know the bar on the 5th?” Beomgyu asked as he was leaving. “The one where students hang out often, with the discount drinks?”

Kai didn’t reply, as expected. But Soobin nods affirmatively. “Never been there.”

Perfect. “You should come by on Friday! This weekend is karaoke night, it will be fun I promise.”

Huening Kai opened his mouth to ruin the fun. “I don't think that's a good ide–”

“We will be there.” Soobin interrupted, a stern look in his face. Him and Kai had a mental argument that Beomgyu wasn’t a part of but could deduce through their stares was something about how awesome he was and how they had to get to know him better. 

(Right?)

“Awesome! See you guys around!” Beomgyu jumped away with excitement. Another job well done, indeed.

✷

 The bar on the 5th was the place Beomgyu felt the most comfortable within the university, which was odd, considering it is not in University and doesn’t belong to it in any manner. But it was a place where he was able to feel his skin tingle with excitement and where he often saw the fruits of his labor. 

Yeji and Lia chatted amicably in a further booth, hands linked on top of the table as their laughs were audible even far away from them. On the bar stools, a guy from his class who he had found a girlfriend for caressed her arm and smiled widely. 

And he knew the next match he would be finding would be for his best friend, who hadn’t stopped complaining about it for the whole night. “I just think you’re spending an awful lot of time on me.”

Beomgyu sipped on his beer as he eyed the door. “You can’t rush perfection.”

“Did you just quote Dean Winchester to me?”

“You’re so gay, I can’t believe you referenced Supernatural.” Beomgyu incredulously replied, as he shoved Yeonjun to almost falling off the stool. 

“Am I truly so unlovable that you can’t find me a match?”

Yeonjun, as he had noticed, tended to joke about things with a hint of truth in his words. It was a self-depreciating technique. A self proclaimed confident guy like Beomgyu couldn't allow the other to practice such things. 

“Even if I didn’t find you a romantic match, there would be someone in this world who loves you.”

Yeonjun mixed his drink with the ridiculous pink flamingo straw he had begged for. “Really, who?”

“Me, dumbass.”

Again, Beomgyu regretted being emotional with a guy who was known for transporting those feelings to the outside, because Yeonjun was suddenly all over him, kissing his face and ruffling his hair. “Dude, that was beautiful. I think you’re my soulmate.”

“Let’s not go this far,” Beomgyu couldn’t help the grin on his face. “Point is, you see why I’m trying to find the perfect match for you.”

The night continued to soar as they said hello to more people, and the karaoke ran through with the most sordid of performances intercalated with awesome reproductions of iconic songs that got everyone singing and having fun. 

For Beomgyu, the night only started to get interesting when he saw Soobin and his new number one enemy entering. He immediately waves to them. “Hey guys, over here!”

Soobin smiled widely when he saw him, dragging Kai to his side on the bar. “Hey, Beomgyu!”

“Hey, you came!” Beomgyu was arguably a little intoxicated already with his drinks, so he rushed to hug Soobin, who chuckled at the gesture. “It’s cool here, right?”

“It smells like alcohol and sweat,” Kai grumbled.

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “Always the life of the party, are you not?”

Soobin laughed nervously. “It’s a pretty nice place. Oh, I even see some of my friends from class,” he waved at a table of girls behind them. “Are you doing karaoke?”

“Haven’t signed up yet but I plan to,” Beomgyu nodded, waiting for the right opportunity to put his plan in action. The conversation didn’t drag much after that, because he caught Yeonjun approaching the bartender for a refill. “Hey, Soobin, have you met my friend Yeonjun?”

Almost as if instantly, sparks flew. Like the scene in many movies that Beomgyu loves to talk about, the feeling he loves to replicate on others. Yeonjun turned, surprised after hearing his name, only for his step to hitch when he saw Soobin. The other boy didn’t look any better, smiling shyly and bowing slightly at him. “Hi.”

Yeonjun widened his eyes, coughing before replying. “Oh, Hi. I — I don’t think I’ve seen you around.”

“Yeah, I’m trying to mingle more, I guess? Beomgyu is pretty convincing, even though I have not known him for a long time.”

“That’s the Beomgyu effect, I guess.” Yeonjun laughed. “First day I met him, he got me to be on the lookout as he attempted to spike the already alcoholic punch we were drinking.”

Beomgyu didn’t even get offended, because watching them chat with one another like they’d been comfortable their whole lives in each other’s presence was the highlight of his day. He even forgot Kai, sighing loudly next to them. 

He had one last job to do to make this work. “Hey, party pooper. Let’s go, let me buy you a drink.”

Kai points at himself. “Me?”

“See any other party pooper in the vicinity?” He didn’t let the other come up with a witty response, before dragging him away and asking the bartender for two beers. “Ready to have fun, Big Head?”

“I regret my life choices,” Kai replied as a drink was shoved into his hand. “Do I need to drink this?”

Beomgyu shrugged. “I’m an asshole but not that much of an asshole. It’s just beer, it's not like I’m purposely trying to get you drunk.”

“Then why are you trying so hard to befriend me?”

“Who said anything about befriending you, pretty boy?” Let this be the reminder that Beomgyu was definitely touched with alcohol at this point, so if he leaned in to say those words and invade Kai’s space, that is no one’s business but his. 

The blush on Kai’s face was enough of a victory for him. “Whatever. I’m just here because Soobin forced me to come.”

“It’s good you leave the house once in a while, you know? It helps with vitamin D or whatever.”

“It’s nighttime.”

He didn't have the opportunity to formulate a dignified response when Doyoung from his class approached him. “Hey Beomgyu, I heard you’ve been cosplaying as cupid these days.”

“It’s what I do,” Beomgyu shrugs. 

“I’m sure you would look cute with a diaper and wings,” Kai whispered in his ear, which made him spill his drink all over the bar. 

He was going to kill this boy.

Through gritted teeth, he turned to Doyoung again. “Why do you ask?”

“What do I need to get you for you to find me a girlfriend?”

He thought about the question. He didn’t usually charge, so it was hard to put a price on something he does out of taste. “I really don’t know, bro…”

“I’ll pay for every drink you have for the rest of the school year.”

“Deal!” He immediately shook hands with the other. He loved rich, desperate people. “No turning back now, Kai is my witness.”

Doyoung raised his eyebrows. “Who’s Kai?”

The other awkwardly shuffled besides him. “I’m Kai.”

“Whatever,” Doyoung said. “Do you want me to pay for your drinks as well?”

Beomgyu replied with “Yes,” at the same time Kai hit him and said “No! I don’t want anything with whatever shady business he has going on.”

After he finished the deal with Doyoung, and got the bartender to become a witness as well for the drink tab situation, he immediately opened instagram to search for possible matches for his colleague. Kai occupied much space beside him, grumbling and not having a good time.

“Dude, you’re ruining the vibes.”

Kai rolled his eyes. “What was even all that about?”

He had nothing to hide, so he told Kai about his talent for making matches and setting people up. He pointed to the many couples around them that he had been able to make happen and identified it as arduous work that many didn’t have the patience to succeed in. 

“Sounds like a load of bullshit.” Kai completely dismissed his talent like it’s nothing.  

“You doubt my skills, pretty boy?”

“Stop calling me that,”

“That’s what you are.” Beomgyu chuckled. What? He has eyes! Kai sighed and Beomgyu felt a little bad about discarding the boy, considering he had been forced (unknowingly) into coming because of his own business. “Look, I can make it work. I know people, I see people and I just help them by pushing them in the right direction.”

He was able to slowly lift the big wall Kai had set around, even if it was just for a little while. “And why do you do it?”

“Just because.”

“No one does anything just because,” Kai mumbled. 

Beomgyu was inclined to agree. But he wasn’t everyone and he had different views and expectations, and besides, he had never needed an exterior factor to pursue some endeavor. “I do. I’m a special cookie, like that.”

“Unbelievable.”

 “Do you sing, pretty boy?”

This time, Kai was the one who spit his drink all over the bar. “What?”

“You’re in the music club, are you not?” Beomgyu argued, chugging his whole drink. “Let’s sign up for karaoke.”

The other boy planted his feet firmly in the ground, stopping any attempt Beomgyu had of pushing him to the small makeshift stage. “No way. There is no way you — or anyone for that matter! — can convince me to sing in public.”

“What do I need to give you for that to happen?” Beomgyu whined. He loved being a nuisance. 

“You have so many friends, why not ask any of them?”

And that was the kind of question Beomgyu couldn’t seem to answer, and had been in the back of his mind for the past few days. Truth was, he loves mystery, loves unraveling secrets and Huening Kai was the biggest secret he had ever run across.

He has never been anything but honest. “Because I want you .”

Kai blushed again, caught by surprise with the words and it allowed Beomgyu an opening to drag him to the stage and convince him to finally sign up and pick a song he was comfortable enough with. 

It took a little convincing, but eventually they made it happen. And Beomgyu had to admit, for someone who was so adamant to not step onto the stage, Huening Kai was not just good at it. 

He was amazing. 

His voice was sweet, slightly high pitched but in all the right ways. They harmonized together, almost like it was planned and Beomgyu thought that in another universe, they could be bandmates or something. 

It was like a scene out of a movie. Like, High School Musical level of the intro scene, Beomgyu didn't remember ever having so much fun and bringing so much joy to people around them.

Suddenly, Kai didn’t seem like much of a mystery anymore. He was opening up as the song went on, he was confident and in his place and suddenly Huening Kai looked rather… good. 

In fact he looked handsome. 

“Confidence suits you.” Beomgyu said, because he is not known for shutting his mouth. 

“What?” Kai had to yell through the noise and the crowd of people who pushed them and congratulated them for the great duet. 

“I said,” Beomgyu held his shoulders to whisper-yell in his ear. “Confidence looks good on you. You look good up there.”

Kai blushed, flustered with the comment but he looked much lovelier than he did thirty minutes ago. His walls breaking down managed to unravel him piece by piece. 

Beomgyu desperately wanted to understand him. For some reason. 

“Thanks. That's the nicest thing you've said to me.”

Beomgyu huffed. “I can be a nice person.”

Kai placed his hands on his arms and squeezed them. “I guess you really are a box full of surprises.”

Beomgyu felt his heart skip a beat, the heat of the bar closing in on him. He had never felt like this, and he couldn't figure out what he had eaten or drunk to have this claustrophobic feeling all around him. 

Kai was mouthing something, but he was out of this plane of existence. “Beomgyu? Are you okay?”

“Peachy,” he said, aware of their close proximity.  “Do you want to drink something? Since I now have free reign on the bar.”

Kai’s smile was intoxicating. “Thirty minutes ago I wouldn’t trust you with my jacket but you know what? Fuck it. What do you recommend?”

“Oof, language, boy. This is not how I raised you.” 

He ordered another beer and asked the bartender for something sweet and not so strong for Kai. “Sweet?”

“Like you,” Beomgyu replied, like an idiot. 

Kai laughed. “You think I'm sweet?”

He chose to ignore that comment, in the same way he chose to ignore the heavy sinking feeling spreading through his whole body every time Kai smiled at him.

✷

“Did you have fun then?” Beomgyu asked after Yeonjun finished retelling in extreme detail how great Soobin is. 

His friend slumped and sighed. It was never a good sign to see Yeonjun so dejected. “I had fun–”

“Don’t say it!” Beomgyu closed his ears with his hands, afraid of what would come next. 

“You don't even know what I'm going to say!”

“You're going to add a but–” Beomgyu replied. “I refuse to let this be my first failure. I worked very hard to find you the perfect guy.”

“But!” Yeonjun said anyways. He sunk into the chair in the cafeteria. “I'm shy.”

“No, you’re not.”

Yeonjun gestured frantically with his hands. “I know I'm not but he makes me shy! He's so soft and well-spoken and so clearly smart and I'm such a loser.”

Beomgyu thought he couldn’t be further away from the truth. Couldn’t even fathom the idea of Yeonjun being anything but the most interesting person in the room. 

Which is what he said. A small smile plagued his friend's expression. “Wow, you’re properly in love with me.”

“In another universe, I think we would've been a bomb couple.”

“Ditto.” Yeonjun agrees and it was nice to be able to be himself and say weird things and have someone reciprocate that energy. “But the Soobin thing, look– I didn’t even ask for his number.”

Beomgyu spat his whole drink on the table. “You're kidding me.”

Yeonjun quickly started to clean it up, and whatever justification he might have had got swallowed by the arrival of the very same protagonist of their tales. 

Yeonjun immediately got starry eyed, which made Beomgyu make a mental note for further teasing. “Soobin.”

Soobin smiled. “I knew it was you guys. Kai noticed Beomgyu like a mile away.”

And suddenly Beomgyu was the one who couldn’t seem to function because Kai noticed him. Kai stepped from behind Soobin, and despite looking annoyed to be called out, there was a shy wave directed to Beomgyu, as well as the blinding smile he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about since that night at the bar. 

“I did not. He was just loud enough to hear.”

Beomgyu pushed him to sit down next to him — in an effort to get Soobin and Yeonjun to sit together, of course! “Are you starting to recognise my voice from far away?”

“I know the voice that haunts my nightmares.”

Soobin and Yeonjun smiled, the latter inviting them to eat lunch with them. It goes without saying that the chemistry between the other two was palpable, and despite the previous conversation, Yeonjun was the least shy out of all of them, always with a topic of conversation ready on the tip of his tongue. 

Beomgyu attempted to leave them mostly alone, while teasing Kai in the same vein. Kai held up strongly against his attempts, as if he was beginning to develop a natural resistance to Beomgyu’s antics. 

“Eat your olives, Kai.” He said, as he noticed the other pluck them out of his salad.

“I hate them.” The other whimpered and Beomgyu didn’t waste the opportunity to grab them and pop them into his mouth, Kai following the movement attentively. “What?” He replied, with his mouth full. 

Kai shook his head.  

Soobin had to leave early for a class and started packing. Beomgyu and Yeonjun had a quick mental conversation about forcing the other boy to ask for his number but all Yeonjun was giving him was the side eye. 

He had to do everything by himself around here. “Hey! Me and Yeonjun, we're thinking about going to the arcade tomorrow after class, what do you say?”

Soobin looked expectantly at Kai and both seemed to have a mental conversation of their own. “Sounds fun. Let's say, at 7?”

Beomgyu nodded and both boys say their goodbyes. He kicked Yeonjun from underneath the table when he was sure the coast was clear. “You're a lost case.”

“He is sooo cute.”

✷

Beomgyu found out about the arcade as it often happens in his life: on accident, without thinking too much. He used to play all those vintage games on his father’s old pc, the old man having a fascination with vintage games and keeping his childhood as intact as possible. As a consequence, he had perfected a skill not many can have.

“And that’s how I became the invincible champion of that stupid shooting game!” Beomgyu explained to Taehyun, as the boy worked his shift at the arcade bar. “If you go there, you can see! The high record! Beomgyu is hot.”

Taehyun wasn’t paying much attention to him, cleaning the drinks machine. “Good job. Bet that wins all the girls over.”

He was not discouraged by such comments. He sipped on his soda that tasted more like sugar than anything and looked around to where Yeonjun was attempting to impress Soobin with his (lack) of video game skills. Beomgyu had noticed that Soobin was an avid gamer and had invited him to play games online a couple times since meeting. 

He didn't tell that to Yeonjun. What is a friendship without letting your friend embarrass themselves in front of their crush?

“Which game is your highest score in?” Kai approached, after playing a round of some boring skiing game on his own. 

“Think you can beat me, pretty boy?”

Taehyun raised his eyebrows at the words. Beomgyu hadn't dropped the nickname since that night in the bar and didn't plan on doing so, considering how affected Kai looked by it every time. 

“I am sure of it.” Kai puffed his chest. “There’s no way you’re that good.”

“I’m good at everything.”

Kai continued to tease him about it until he guided him to the shooting game and showed his name on display there. The other boy didn't spend much time on it, immediately jumping into action and attempting to beat his high score as fast as he could. Beomgyu felt giddy, suddenly, a sort of adrenaline he hadn't felt in years. 

Kai brought this kind of sentiment with him, this competitiveness, this need to outdo someone and prove himself. In normal circumstances it could be seen as something bad or demotivating but Beomgyu likes someone who is able to keep him on his toes.

“See, I could even do this with only one hand.” Kai teased, as he swiftly shoots all the targets.

“I could do it with my eyes closed!” Beomgyu didn't let himself be demotivated by the remark but he had to admit he was growing exponentially more worried as he watched Kai’s numbers rise up.

“Yeah? I could do it with my feet.”

Beomgyu decided to take the higher ground in this argument because arguing is for children and he’s an adult! He was not going to let himself get caught up in ugly words and remarks. 

Instead, he placed himself on Kai’s line of vision. “Oh, what about with me here?”

Kai rolled his eyes, didn't protest and continued to look around for an opening to be able to see the screen. And he couldn't have that, could he? So Beomgyu decided the best way to block it completely was to sit on Kai’s lap and use his whole body.

That froze the boy in his spot, making him miss a couple of important shots. He smiled triumphantly. “What? Can’t you do it now?” He batted his eyelashes for double the effect. 

Kai shook himself out of it quickly, but didn't make an effort to shove him away. “And I will.”

“So will I,” Beomgyu replied, putting his arms on Kai’s shoulders to support himself. “Do I make you nervous?”

He could see how Kai swallowed, how his Adam apples bobbed as he attempted to shoot all the targets in the game in front of him. He didn't reply but Beomgyu thought he didn't need to: his ears were getting progressively redder, he shifted in his seat as he pressured him. 

And that was victory on its own for him, when Kai failed to reach his high score. “Would you look at that!”

Kai rolled his eyes, trying to pick him up out of his lap. “You cheated!”

Beomgyu pouted, planting himself firmly on the spot. Kai swallowed again. “I did not. I just wanted to be close to you.”

“You—” Kai didn't have arguments, opening and closing his mouth without being able to say anything back. “Unbelievable.”

Beomgyu decided to put term to his torture, getting up on his own.  “I thought you liked me.” 

That, out of everything, was what made Kai more nervous. He stumbled away from the chair, stuttered many times before being able to put himself together. “What?”

“The other night, at the bar. You said I was kind of nice.”

That calmed Kai. “Well, clearly I had drunk my conscience away.”

It was not as awkward as it had been momentarily anymore, but he noticed how guarded Kai had become and he hated that. He didn't often think about his actions in the moment, and had stated that he isn’t the best at rationality. 

He guided them to the bar where Taehyun was, who waved at both of them and offered some chips for the both of them. “Thanks, Tae.” Kai whispered, giving him a small smile.

Beomgyu thought his smile was pretty nice.

“Tae? Damn, you guys are proper friends.”

Taehyun hit him with the rag he had in his hand. “I’ve told you. Music club.”

“We get together to badmouth you.” Kai teased, shoving him playfully and Beomgyu was glad the mood from before quickly disappeared. 

What he wasn’t happy about is the high-five these two share afterwards.

“The things I do for Soobin and Yeonjun to be together and get their shit done.” Beomgyu whispered, looking back to see the two other boys giggling at each other.

He complained but it was sweet to watch. He didn't think Yeonjun needed help loving himself, but it couldn't hurt to have someone as loving as Soobin to be the one to give the boy what he yearned for and deserved.

“The things we do,” Kai interjected. And then he realized that the other had probably been busy playing his own games with these two, on par with his own struggles. 

He was surprised their own conversation deviated from that topic afterwards, but as easy as it was to tease Kai, it was easy to talk with him; they went through their classes, and shared funny stories about their teachers. Beomgyu didn't stop teasing him but neither did Kai, and the way he opened up to him during their time allowed him to unmask a version of Kai that he just adored . 

That didn’t surprise him. He always suspected, from the first snarky and witty Kai, that he was going to enjoy his company, but it was still somewhat fun to be with the boy in a comfortable manner and he thought they were growing quite close. 

“How did it go with finding Doyoung a match?” Taehyun interjected their conversation from time to time to cure his own work boredom. 

Beomgyu lit up at that. He loved being asked about what to do. “Amazing! He was a little shocked I ended up finding him a boyfriend, rather than a girlfriend but I was surprised he was so open to it. Someone told me they were all PDA-ing at the frat party.”

“You really have some wicked talent for this.” Kai noted, shoving him playfully. “What is your secret”

And Kai looked genuinely curious, despite having criticized his craft a couple weeks ago. “Being handsome and letting people know that they can never get me, so they have to settle for less.”

Both Taehyun and Kai roll their eyes.

Then Kai, in typical style, shook his world once again. “And what does it take to have you, then?”

Taehyun had enough brains to walk away from their chat, using work as disguise and Beomgyu didn't have enough brains to know he had to shut up before things got too close and personal. “Why do you ask?”

Kai shrugged, but there’s a nice flush to his cheeks, a sort of embarrassment that clicked for Beomgyu just how pretty Kai is: he had the kind of face people go to war for, features that seem sculpted but by far his favorite had to be his eyes: kind, and bright. And now he was hyper-aware of the way they move, his pupils dilated like he was looking at the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

“Your standards seem high.”

Beomgyu wondered if that was true or if that was what he hoped people perceive him as, too afraid to let people in. “I don’t think they’re high. People just don’t have them.”

“That’s the same thing.” Kai laughs. “C’mon, tell me: what does it take to get you?”

“Kindness,” he enumerated without thinking much about it. “Empathy. Need someone who is funny, and can keep up with my pace. I don’t ever want to be boring or stagnant. I want excitement.”

And, his brain, in the process of spewing truths and honesty, yelled something to him, in big bold red letters:

I want you.

You as in Kai.

He wants Kai.

And really, it should not have come as a surprise to anyone. He seeked out Kai, he had been building the boy piece by piece like the perfect mystery he was solving, and he was nowhere close to the answer. That was, by far, the most exciting part. It was everything he wanted.

“And are you actively looking for it?” Kai’s voice was like a whisper, in the swim of his messy thoughts.

I think I have found it, “Wouldn’t you like to know, pretty boy?”

“Maybe I would.”

Taehyun thankfully interrupted them before he was able to do typical irrational actions and say something too prematurely. “That reminds me, I need you to find our music club president a girlfriend ASAP. Like for yesterday.”

Kai chuckles. “You serious?”

“He has been so annoying. If I hear him say something to me about slacking off, I will murder him and hide the body in my fridge.”

“Ew,” Beomgyu replied as Kai agreed. “Do you agree with it?”

“You don’t understand, Minhyuck has been so annoying.” Kai slumped in his seat. “We can’t even freestyle anymore.”

“Worry not, my friends.” Beomgyu puffed his chest, feelings forgotten. However one could argue his fast acceptance to the preposition might have been somewhat related to the fact that Kai had spoken in agreement. Who knows. “I shall help you, like a knight in shining armor.”

“So romantic,” Kai whispered.

✷

He did help, he might add. He had found someone. 

He just wasn’t sure about this girl's attributes, and more importantly, about her choices.

“You dare to judge a woman?” Taehyun kidded, but Beomgyu did not play about women’s rights, let it be known!

“I mean she’s into some shady business,” Beomgyu added, sipping on his beer. He had managed to convince his friend to join him and Yeonjun on Friday for another round of hangouts. He had spent the entire day studying and working on assignments and he needed a break.

Taehyun looked miserable in front of his computer before he got out of the house, so Beomgyu had dragged his friend here.

“Like you’re into shady business?” Yeonjun asked.

He dignified himself not to answer. “But I am working on finding out what she’s been doing in her free time.”

“Sounds like stalker behavior.” The voice that had plagued his thoughts the past weeks entered his line of vision.

“Kai?” He surprised himself by how excited he was to see the boy. He attempted, miserably, might be added, to not look clingy or desperate for Kai’s attention, so the times they’d seen each other and talked with one another had been scarce and sporadic. 

He missed him. “I knew you would be here,” Kai noted, waving at the other boys. “It was Soobin’s idea though.”

And from behind him, Soobin materialized. He made his way to Yeonjun’s side, like they were opposite sides of a magnet. Beomgyu smiled, he couldn't help it. He loved to see genuine connection and attraction. 

“This is the guy Yeonjun has been obse—” Taehyun didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, before Yeonjun kicked him in the shin. 

“This is Taehyun.” Yeonjun introduced, his face reddening by the second. 

Soobin waved. “Yes, we’ve met. He is friends with Kai.”

If throwing daggers out of your eyes was a thing, Beomgyu would’ve been worried for Taehyun by the way Yeonjun was looking at him. He decided to intervene. “Now that this is all out of the way, I have a girl to find.”

“To stalk,” both Yeonjun and Taehyun corrected. He rolled his eyes.

He left them behind as he attempted to locate Seo Jiwon, but he felt a shadow linger behind him. “Who is the stalker now?”

Kai’s laugh was melodic, as it had always been, but Beomgyu has recently developed a sort of Disney animal syndrome, attracted to Kai’s voice like a hopeless critter. 

“I’m curious about your endeavors tonight. It seems like you’re always busy with something.”

“Then come with me, pretty boy. Let’s witness history.” Beomgyu was secretly happy Kai caught the vibes he was sending his way. 

They chatted amicably as Kai picked up a drink and Beomgyu scanned the crowd. Conversation with Kai was easy, flowed naturally and was never once awkward. They talked about school briefly, but the other quickly detected that he felt rather weird about the whole workload and university topic and quickly moved to ask for his plans for the week off they were having the following week.

This is what Kai excelled at, this is what made conversion with him pleasant: he was able to read Beomgyu like others couldn’t, and didn't push him around. 

He was also smart, witty and cracked carefully and slowly as they got to know each other. Huening Kai was less of a mystery than he used to be: he was shy, despite it all; blushed every time Beomgyu called him pretty boy and no one had taught him how to take a compliment, so he looked like a fish out of the water trying to retribute the gesture. 

Beomgyu had too much fun with him. 

This was flirting? Right?

He made a mental note to ask Yeonjun, although with the peacock dance he and Soobin had been doing, he wondered if the other could even be a good help.

Then, he saw her. “There she is. See how she’s whispering about something with that guy?”

Kai stood near his shoulder, and with their height difference he didn’t need to move much to peek at where Beomgyu was pointing. “I mean, that could mean anything really.”

Until he pulled a bill out of his pocket and handed it to her. 

Beomgyu lifted his head to look at Kai. Kai sighed. “Okay, that’s suspicious.”

He realized how close they were, but it wasn’t until Kai turned to look back at him that he understood it . From that distance, he was able to forget what the whole purpose of the night was and began counting all of Kai’s eyelashes and the way they fell onto his cheeks when he blinked; he could see hidden freckles, so light he wouldn’t have noticed if they weren’t standing this close. 

Kai was handsome. 

The kind of face that needs to be seen.  

“You're really something else, Huening.”

Kai, who seemed to have been lost in thought as well, grabbed him and shook his shoulders. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“That I mean it when I call you a pretty boy.” 

The other diverted his stare and suddenly his disposition shifted. “She's leaving.”

“Whatever, I–” He realized he was out of it when he almost asked Kai to kiss him. Then he came back down to earth. “Wait, what?”

They both looked to the door where she was quickly making her way out. Beomgyu promised himself he would find out about her today to finally free Kai and Taehyun from their torment with their music club president. 

So he started walking towards the door. “Where are you going?” Kai whispers-yelled, quickly catching up with him. 

Damn his long legs, how had he never realized Kai had those? 

“We are going to follow her.”

“ We?” Kai's expression would’ve been funny if it weren't hindering Beomgyu’s current pursuit.

So he grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers and dragged him along. Later he would think about how well their fingers fit with one another. 

For now he had other plans. “I need to know what kind of things she's selling. My reputation depends on it.”

“You're insane.” Kai said. “This is insane. We are stalking a woman! That's like… so unethical in so many ways.”

“Calm down, this isn’t my first rodeo.”

“That doesn't calm me at all!” Kai yelled and they saw Jiwon stop in her tracks. 

Beomgyu reacted quickly, pushing Kai to cage him against a wall. He hoped the height difference would be able to hide both of them in the darkness of the night. 

“I'm sorry.” Kai whispered. For the second time that night, their faces were mere centimeters away from each other. So much so that when Kai gulped, Beomgyu could see his Adam's apple move. He was transfixed by the movement.

“It's fine.” Beomgyu replied but all he could think about was Kai's lips, forgetting about finding out whatever is happening and just kissing Kai senseless right there, throwing away inhibitions he didn’t have anyways and asking the question. 

Do I also make your heart skip the way you make mine?

Do I also excite you the way you excite me?

Does it feel a little brighter when you’re with me?

“We should go.” Kai brought him back to reality, with heavy lidded eyes. He licked his lips and Beomgyu felt weak in the knees. “We are going to lose her.”

He nodded, afraid to open his mouth and say something dumb. Kai took the initiative this time and grabbed his hand, continuing their walk in silence. 

They didn’t go far, ending up stumbling onto University grounds. Campus extended a long way around and Beomgyu noticed they were close to the student association building. 

“The music club is here too,” Kai whispered this time, as they both observed behind the gate. 

“She's in the student association, must be why.” Beomgyu replied, but they noticed her make a beeline towards the old storage shed on the grounds.

Kai squeezed his hand. He hadn’t realized they were still holding hands. “I always wondered what was inside. It belongs to the association.”

Beomgyu watched her attentively. She looked around to make sure no one was watching and opened the door, slipping inside. 

They had to wait now, so he pulled Kai to sit down with him. “I told you her behavior was suspicious!”

Kai scrunched his nose. “I don't know, maybe she was dealing with business events or something.”

“At at bar? With cash?” Beomgyu shook his head. “She's hiding something.”

Kai shuffled around. He started playing with Beomgyu’s hands, like a child who couldn’t keep quiet. “I'm sorry I yelled. Almost blew our cover.” 

Beomgyu dismissed him. “I gotta train you for the art of stealth.”

“Should I be worried that you do this so often that you just ace at it?”

Beomgyu smiled. He had to keep reinforcing his brain to relax despite the fact that they were still holding hands.

“It's fun. Don't you feel the thrill, the adrenaline in your veins?”

Kai chuckled. “You're insane.” Then a beat later. “It is pretty fun. I give you that.”

“Told you.” 

The silence between them was comfortable. Despite the fact that he preferred the bustling sounds of conversation, he was rather enjoying the silence that the campus grounds gave him at night. 

“Why do you like this so much?”

Kai's question was sincere, genuine, despite the fact that he had run away from the same questions every time someone else asked it. 

“It makes me feel alive.” Beomgyu released a breath he didn't know he was holding. That he'd probably been holding for years. “Do you know how this started?”

Kai shakes his head.

“I dropped out of my economics degree because I was absolutely miserable,” he started recalling. “And the first day in the new major I felt out of place and just overall saddened that I had no plan for my life. But I started talking with this girl, we became quick friends.”

“Later on I started to befriend other people in classes and realized I had found a really good match for her, so I thought to myself; they could work really well. So I set them up, planned a whole coffee date and pretended to be sick at the last minute so they could hang out with each other. They've been together ever since.”

Kai smiled. “That's cute.”

“It was a feeling I had and for the first time in my life, I acted on it! Suddenly, it didn't matter that I didn’t have a purpose, I made love happen and it had been so easy.”

He still remembered vividly feeling content over it. The easiness that radiated in his bones. 

“It only got more convoluted the more people got involved!” Beomgyu justified. “But it's a nice outlet for me to get to know people and it allows me to dip my toes in this crazy detective work.”

Kai laughed. “I always wanted to be a detective.” Beomgyu urged him to continue, a primal need to know everything about this boy. “Me and my sisters were obsessed with Sherlock Holmes, everything was a case for us.”

“Little Kai wanted to unravel mysteries, eh?”

“He did. Then he grew up. Realized mysteries aren’t as accessible and exciting.”

That had him squeezing Kai’s hands tightly. “They could be. And Kai doesn't need to grow up, at least when he's with me.”

He turned around. They were facing each other, he was sure the gap between them was closing at a tauntingly slow pace. “Beomgyu–”

Kai didn’t get to finish the sentence because the door to the shed opened and Jiwon sneakily left them behind, like they weren’t waiting for her to leave. 

Beomgyu made a crazy decision at the moment. 

(And it wasn’t kissing Kai, no matter how much he wanted that). 

He ran towards the shed. 

“What are you doing?” He had deja vu from the moment earlier in the bar. 

Beomgyu chose to ignore him, tapping around his jeans looking for his wallet, realizing he had only brought his phone. 

Then he turned to Kai, tapping on his own jeans as the other attempted to leave. “Are you trying to feel me up?”

“You wish, pretty boy,” Beomgyu found Kai's wallet in his back pocket and snuck a hand to steal it, trying not to think much about it. “Justice League membership card? You're so adorable.”

“Don't patronize me.” Kai blushed. 

“I'm being honest.” He ended up picking that same card. 

Kai watched him with satisfaction before realizing what he was doing. “You're picking the lock?”

Beomgyu smirked. “One of my many talents.”

“Criminal talents.” 

“Relax, pretty boy.” He concentrated, trying to remember the moves required to unlock it. “I've done this before. I'll teach you.”

It’s the oldest trick in the book, but Beomgyu felt some satisfaction in surprising Kai. 

“This is the craziest night of my life.”

“You're welcome,” Beomgyu replied but it didn’t last long because the door suddenly clicked open and he fell onto the ground. 

The first thing he noticed was the smell. Kai stepped in to turn the small light on but Beomgyu didn’t need to see to figure out what was happening.  

“Holy shit,” Kai said, but there was a hint of laughter in his words. “Is this what I think it is?”

Beomgyu gets up and shook Kai's shoulders, laughing. “She's a fucking girlboss.”

“What?” Kai yelled, eyes wide. “You think this is funny?”

Beomgyu stepped into the room, closing in on the flower pots organized in the corner. He felt giddy all of a sudden. “I personally think this is hilarious. She's so iconic.”

“We just found out she's growing weed in school grounds and you're laughing?” 

And when Kai put it like that, when he voiced it out loud, it made the situation even funnier. The absurdity was catching up to Beomgyu, as he freely laughed loudly. 

Kai, previously serious, seemed unable to contain his own emotions and cracked a smile too. “Holy fuck, this is unbelievable.”

“Should we steal a pot to sell as well?” 

Kai hit him in the shoulder. “Beomgyu!”

“I'm kidding!” Beomgyu smiled, as they continued to explore. 

Kai opened a couple of drawers and boxes. “I guess you were right. She has a shady business.”

“Honestly, I expected worse. This is very girlboss of her, I have to applaud.”

“You're serious?”

Beomgyu felt giddy. “She's perfect for your president. He's a fucking stoner! Can you imagine the perfect pair? Stoner boyfriend and dealer girlfriend.”

“Wait, what? He's a stoner?”

Beomgyu joined him in exploring the boxes. “He reeks of weed.”

Kai shook his head. “What are you going to do now?”

“Talk to her. Plant the seed. Then I will introduce them.” Beomgyu smiled, as he watched Kai open a box in the corner. 

Their eyes widened at the view. “Holy shit. There's a shitton of money here.”

“Maybe I should start selling weed,” Beomgyu joked and Kai hit him, shaking his head and rushing them out of there before they would get caught. 

They made their way to the bar again, both feeling giddy, the feeling burning in their skin. This was what Beomgyu seeks, what he loves: excitement, adventure, adrenaline. 

He could see Kai in it. So clear now. 

The other smiled when he saw the boy behind him at the bar scanning the crowd. “What?”

“What?” Beomgyu shrugged, ashamed of being caught. 

“You were staring at me.” 

“You're handsome Kai. You deserve to be looked at.” Beomgyu had no filter, no shame and with the current feeling in his bones, no fear. “Jiwon is right there, want to help me out with this one?”

Kai nodded, a beautiful flush on his cheeks. “Okay, what do I do?”

“Just talk with her normally.” 

They approached the girl. Beomgyu, previously being friendly with her, starts the conversation but he believed Kai had enough charisma to strike a conversation. He felt rather proud of having a pupil. 

That feeling washed away quickly when Kai opened his mouth. “Do you sell drugs?”

Beomgyu face palmed himself, groaning loudly. He took back everything nice he had ever thought about this boy. 

(Maybe not everything. He still wanted to kiss him.)

But Jiwon, proving to be the girlboss she is, just smiled widely. “You guys interested in buying? I can have a discount for first buyers. You're cute,” she pointed at Kai "What are you looking for? Relaxing? To feel happy? I can hook you up with the good stuff.”

“Ah…” Kai dumbly replied but for some reason, that seems to only pull Jiwon further into the conversation, and by the end of it, he miraculously managed to plant the seed for the future romance while managing to buy a whole bag of weed. 

“What am I going to do with this?” Kai slumped, looking at the bag in his hand. 

Beomgyu stored his own bag in his jeans. “Are you free tomorrow?”

“You're insane.” 

Beomgyu laid his head on his shoulder, feeling rather content. “It's a date then.”

✷

Beomgyu had never been more thankful for a week off the way he was at the moment, as he and Yeonjun sat together rotting on his couch, in a very non-gentleman way. 

“That dress is actually hideous.” Beomgyu mumbled. They recently found out they both adore Say yes to the dress , so it had been a week to simply indulge in their pleasures.

Yeonjun seemed to be in another sphere of thought, as he texted someone with a dopey smile invading his features. Beomgyu could easily guess who that might be.

“You’re not even paying attention,” Beomgyu mumbled again.

“Yeah, yeah, she should’ve married the other guy.” Beomgyu swiftly stole his phone before he had a chance to do anything and noticed the contact name confirming his suspicions. “Hey, give that back!”

“Should’ve known you would be texting your boyfriend .” 

Yeonjun’s smile unfortunately dissipated after that and Beomgyu wasn’t sure what he had said wrong. “We aren’t dating.”

Beomgyu failed to stop his mouth from opening. “Bro, what the fuck!” He elegantly replied as he threw a pillow at him. “You have to be kidding me! Didn’t you guys kiss that night?”

Yeonjun grumbled, yelling into the pillow Beomgyu just threw at him. “I know! I don’t know why I get so shy around the subject, I just can’t seem to act on it.”

A couple months ago he would’ve belittled his friend for that behavior, wouldn't have understood his motivations but there’d been a Beomgyu before Kai and one after Kai. The latter, overcome by the same feelings he suspected Yeonjun harbored, could sympathize.

At least partially. “I can understand that.”

“You can?” Yeonjun’s tone was full of surprise. 

“But it still doesn’t justify that you’re an idiot!” Beomgyu smacked him in the head. “He likes you, like so clearly. If you asked, he would probably be over the moon!”

“I just don’t want things to change.” Yeonjun said. “It’s comfortable and nice nowadays and I can’t even imagine what would happen if Soobin doesn’t want anything serious.”

Beomgyu, the romantic, couldn’t wrap his head around that specific fact. Especially when he saw how Soobin looked at his friend, how his stare lingered when Yeonjun went away, how he smiled at the tiniest and stupidest of jokes from him. 

Besides, that was his own doing! He made that happen, he found Soobin and felt the spark , the one he noticed when he officially decided that someone was perfect for another person.

It’s his talent, his motivation, his purpose. 

He picked up his phone. “I’m going to text Kai. We are going to set the two of you up on a serious date and you can’t say no! And if you don’t confess your feelings for him at the end of the day, I will do it for you. Do you hear me?”

“You don’t sound very threatening sitting down with a bunch of spilled popcorn around you.”

“Oh, shit!” Beomgyu panicked. “Taehyun is going to kill me.”

Kai wasn’t surprised by the absurdity that their friends were pulling, and agreed to Beomgyu’s plan. He didn’t tell Yeonjun many details, just told him to dress up and sent him an address and then just sat down on his couch, enjoying the quiet of the afternoon.

“Where did you send them?” A voice approached, sitting beside him.

Maybe he had called Kai up because of the plan.

Only for the plan.

“The amusement park. I told them we got busy and will meet them later.”

Kai checked him out, raising an eyebrow. “You’re wearing sweatpants.”

“We aren’t going to meet them, of course.”

Kai threw himself back, resting against the couch with a smile on his face. Beomgyu took the opportunity to spread his legs on top of him. “It’s the stupidest excuse you could have come up with.”

“Stupid excuses don’t matter when everyone already thinks you’re an idiot.”

Kai rested his hands on Beomgyu’s legs. The other pretended it didn't burn. “So you admit we are right?”

“Is this what you call flirting? Because I am not feeling hot and bothered.”

Kai threw his legs off his lap. “You’re deeply unserious.”

Beomgyu does admit he enjoys leaving the other speechless. There was a smirk to his expression, he couldn’t erase it. 

“Why did you invite me here then? We didn’t need to be together for this plan to work.”

He knew Kai meant it without any malice but it still stung a little. He chose to bury it deep down and snuggled closer to the other as he scrolled through the movie catalog on whatever streaming services Taehyun was subscribed to.

“Because I missed you,” he said. “Having the week off University means I don’t see your cute little face every day.”

He couldn’t see Kai’s expression, but he was resting his head on his shoulder and could feel him shuffling around, even if just so slightly. “That doesn’t stop you from spamming me every day.”

“How else are you going to know my every single thought?”

Kai chuckled, and his hand came to rest on his back, near his waist. “You’re right, how unthoughtful of me.” A beat passed in their typical comforting silence before Kai whispers. “I like being here with you.”

Beomgyu felt his whole body turn into jelly. Despite being bold and oftentimes speaking his mind, to have Kai reply in such a fond manner was the type of thing fools in love fall asleep too. 

“Do you want to watch something?” He asked, his free hand playing with the ripped seams of Kai’s jeans. 

The boy shrugged, using his own free hand to stop him from destroying his jeans. Instead he grabbed his hand and laced their fingers. “What do you like to watch?”

Beomgyu stared at their hands for a minute too long, smiling. Then turned to look at him, or at least as much as his position allowed him to. “Romance.”

“Really?”

“What part of I play matchmaker for a living didn’t strike you as the romantic type?”

“For a living sounds like a stretch…” Kai teased, smiling. “But I guess you’re right. You don’t seem the kind to watch movies for the heavy romance of it all.”

“I like romantic comedies the most, but anything with love works.” Beomgyu said, scrolling through the catalog. “Don’t you like it?”

“From time to time, maybe.”

“You’re totally lying!” Beomgyu teased. “Bet you’re a romantic in that cold little heart of yours.”

Kai flushed and it was enough of a victory for him. “I’m just embarrassed by it, I guess? I get easily flustered.”

Beomgyu touched his cheeks, squishing them. “I know it baby.”

“Don’t call me baby.”

“Sorry, pretty boy,” Kai shoved him. “Okay, let me pick you a classic then to introduce you to history.”

Beomgyu chose 10 Things I Hate About You , which he considered his favorite romantic comedy. He was a sucker for Shakespeare retellings, and told Kai so. In fact, as they cuddled on the couch and the sun set outside, he talked throughout the whole movie, throwing in all sorts of commentary. 

Never once Kai told him to shut up, or even implied that he was bothering him. At most, the other seemed amused by his reactions despite having seen the movie multiple times. 

It was comfortable. It was not the love he speaks volumes about to the people he finds matches to, it was not the fire he reads about, all burning and consuming; instead it was warm, the kind you turned on in a cold night, the kind that brought you company. 

That’s how Kai feels: comforting. The solace Kai brings to him. 

He had him feeling all jittery, even more energy than he usually had.

“It’s nice, right?” 

Despite being all over Kai, their eyes met. And he melted at the way Kai looked at him, so present, so real. He had never felt like that, despite actively encouraging people to do so. 

“I liked it.” Kai replied. “I think I know why you like them so much.”

“Romantic movies?” Beomgyu wondered.

He nodded. “There’s something about watching other people fall in love.”

“Exactly!” That had him rising up on the couch, in excitement. “It’s just so nice . And it doesn’t matter if it’s cliché, but being able to see just exactly the moment where it clicks to someone else that holy shit I might love this person, it’s…”

“Electrifying.” Kai finished, as he brought Beomgyu back down with a single touch. Beomgyu could swear it sparked when they touched. 

They both startled at that. 

Beomgyu coughed to diffuse the heavy atmosphere that settled afterwards. “I don’t even mind the clichés. They’re pretty cute.”

“It’s a formula, is it not?” Kai asked. “At least all romantic comedies I remember watching follow it.”

Beomgyu nodded. “I guess so. It’s always about that first spark!” He acted out, touching Kai’s shoulder and pretending to feel it. 

Kai’s smile was so worth it. “They ignore it until they find something they must have in common!”

“ Oh, I also love this band! ” Beomgyu imagined the scenario, as many books and movies portray. Got up to act it all out. “ I can’t believe you also like this. ”

“All their friends seem to notice,” Kai played around, pretending to fish out his phone to receive a call. 

Beomgyu was fully laughing now. “Then there’s tension!”

“ I can’t believe you would lie to me about something like this!” Kai exaggerated all his moves, moving his hands around with such force. 

Beomgyu didn’t think he had ever smiled this widely. “It’s usually something so dumb.”

“Yeah,” Kai giggled. “But it’s all good when they finally make up and realize how much they have always loved each other.”

Beomgyu sat back down, closer to Kai. “You can’t forget the kiss.”

He noticed Kai gulping. “You really can’t.”

He followed the movement with his eyes, before getting a little closer. “It usually starts with someone getting closer.”

Kai breathed in. Beomgyu felt his heart ready to leap off his chest. “Yeah?”

“Placing their hands on their face.” Beomgyu replied, as he did the exact thing he narrated. 

Kai’s face was warm, right there . “Then what?”

This time Beomgyu licked his lips, watching Kai follow the movement with his eyes. They were close, insanely so, and it’s not like he’s known to be a rational person, so he replied: “Then they get closer.”

“Again?” Kai whispered, his hands resting on Beomgyu’s waist, doing exactly what he had said, bringing him almost to rest on his lap. 

“Until someone—” He gulped, barely saying the words. “Until someone closes the gap.”

He didn’t realize he was leaning in until he said that; perhaps Kai was the one who was leaning in, it was hard to tell when his mind was fogged with desire to do something, to taste him. The other tightened the grip on his waist, breathing in a madly slow pace, driving him insane.

Beomgyu was ready to throw away all rationality, as he usually did. To finally feel the warm feeling that he was sure Kai would bring to him. To give in to the desire and worry about what’s next after. He was drunk on that feeling.

But when their lips brushed, a feather touch, so close , he was jolted back to reality by Kai’s phone ringing in between them.

“Shit,” Kai said, and his voice was so loud compared to their previous whispers. Beomgyu saw Soobin as the caller ID and urged him to answer, despite the fact that his hand gained a life of its own and came up to touch his lips.

Where he had almost kissed Kai.

“Hey, Soob.” Kai had to cough for his voice to sound remarkably put together. Which Soobin noticed immediately, given Kai’s answer. “No yeah, I’m fine.”

Lord , they hadn't even done anything. How were they both struggling to keep themselves afloat?

“When are we coming?” Kai’s eyes widened and Beomgyu immediately jumped into business mode, gesturing widely. Kai didn’t seem to be catching anything he was trying to communicate, so he just grabbed the phone.

He didn’t trust Kai to not ruin his plan, considering his previous failures as his helper. “Hey Soobin, yeah. Me and Kai aren’t coming.”

Soobin chuckled on the other side of the line. “Oh  yeah, and why’s that?”

“Younger people stuff; you wouldn't get it.”

Kai threw a pillow at him, mouthing young people stuff?

He shrugged. “I don’t even want to know what you two are doing.”

“Just enjoy your time with Yeonjun. Send a kiss for me, will you?”

Then he hung up. “What was that for?” Kai asked, grabbing his phone back. 

“I panicked.”

“I had it under control!” Kai replied. “It’s not like I was going to tell them we set them up.”

Beomgyu rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah? Like you had it under control with Jiwon?”

That shut whatever reply Kai had in mind. “I still have that bag of weed in my jacket from that night.”

“Dude, are you serious? Bring it next time!” 

✷

There was a feeling that had set in his belly since that night with Kai he couldn't erase. And if he was honest about it, he didn’t even want to.

It may be pressuring, and there at all times but everytime Beomgyu thought about how close they were to kissing each other, the feeling grew in a pleasant way. 

For someone who had spent so much time searching and looking for love for other people, to experience it first hand was a kind of sentiment that one could not describe, and rather had to feel.

Beomgyu didn’t regard himself deserving enough to do so.

But there he was, like a fool, pretending to eat his food in the cafeteria as his thoughts diverted back to Kai. It was a disease to feel this way, at all times, but while other people might think of it as uncomfortable, well… he was rather fond of it.

How could he not when the subject of his thoughts was none other than Kai?

“I have amazing news!” Speak of the devil, he materialized in front of him with his lunch tray. 

Beomgyu couldn’t help but smile widely. “Hello to you too, pretty boy.”

“Hey,” Kai dismissed him, and it was nice that the nickname had stuck to their day-to-day conversations. “Soobin just told me the most amazing news, I had to find you immediately.”

“Oh yeah?” Curiosity got the best of him, as he put down his sandwich. “What is it?”

“Soobin and Yeonjun are finally dating! Officially!”

He kicked Kai against the shin accidentally with all the excitement. “You’re kidding me!”

Kai grabbed his hands and shook them, both of them clearly having waited for long for their dumb friends to do something about their obvious feelings. “I’m not! He has just told me. Yeonjun asked him out early this morning.”

Beomgyu felt overcome with emotion. “Oh, Choi Yeonjun. I knew you had the guts.”

“Don’t you feel oddly proud of them?” Kai laughed. “We don’t have to third-wheel anymore.”

Beomgyu supposed that was one of the many good things to come out of it. “I’m going to miss our escapades to try and force those idiots.”

“I’m sure we will continue to hang out.” Kai said, and Beomgyu was more than sure of it. If anything, he would try anything to have it happen. 

“You know, this is so great.” Beomgyu felt motivated suddenly. “My magnum opus, right here.”

Kai, who had been taking long bites of his food, raised his eyebrows. “Your what?”

“Have you never heard of the term?” Kai shook his head. “It means your like… masterpiece! The work you are remembered forever for.”

Kai didn’t seem to get it. “Wait, what?”

“You seriously don’t know this term? We have to educate you more, pretty boy.”

“No,” he interrupted. “Not that. I mean… what do you mean they’re your masterpiece?”

In that moment, it dawned on Beomgyu, something that had not even crossed his mind: Kai didn’t know. He didn’t know Beomgyu was responsible for their friends' relationship. 

“Kai,” he started. “I set them up. I promised Yeonjun I would find him a match because he was going through one very self-deprecating era and I’m all about positivity and loving yourself and shit. Soobin was the perfect match, dare I say the only one.”

The other looked at him with an expression he couldn’t read and that bothers him. He had been able to read the other so easily these days, so used to his reactions and mannerisms that he could almost predict them. He had Kai down to a science, but the way the other looked right now reminded him of how he was at the beginning, the mysterious Huening Kai he tried so hard to unravel.

“You seriously didn’t know?” Beomgyu was feeling rather intimidated by the silence now. 

“Does Soobin know?” Kai asked, which wasn’t what he expected.

“I don’t know?” Beomgyu asked because did it even really matter? “Kai, seriously. You’re freaking me out.”

Kai looked down at his plate, now less enthusiastic about the food. 

“I just assumed they clicked and you saw it and just pushed it in the right direction.” Kai said. “I didn’t know you were behind it the whole time.”

“I mean,” Beomgyu struggled to find the words. “Why do you think I sat next to you that first time?”

And those seemed to be the wrong words to pronounce, because the look Kai gave him was so unlike him: cold, terrifying. 

Then he laughed, but it was nothing like the warm chuckles he was used to hearing from the boy. It was almost like he’s mocking him. “Stupid Kai,” he whispered, picking his backpack and tray up.

Beomgyu caught his arm. “Wait, where are you going?”

Kai forcefully shook his hold off. “Anywhere but here.”

The other bolted off as fast as he could from the cafeteria, and Beomgyu didn’t even bother to grab his lunch or his things as he dashed to follow him.

“Kai wait!” He yelled, almost running against various students. Damn Kai and his long legs.

He managed to catch up to him, trying to grab him again with no success. “Hey, what did I say wrong?”

“Are you kidding me?” Kai looked so different from his usual self. 

“I didn’t think it would’ve mattered this much!” Beomgyu said, face plastered with confusion. “It’s not like I forced them to be together! They’re perfect for each other.”

“You seriously think this is about Yeonjun and Soobin?”

That, effectively, confused him the most. “What else would it be about?”

Kai huffed, the words seemingly escaping him. “I’m — I’m hurt! And embarrassed!”

Beomgyu grabbed his hand. Thankfully the other lets him. “Why would you be hurt about it?”

“Because your interest in me was never genuine!”

“Wait, what?”

Kai continued. “I can’t believe you can’t seem to figure out what you said wrong! I need to be alone right now, if you don't mind.”

But Beomgyu did mind, in fact he still couldn’t understand where this is all coming from. “Kai…”

“Beomgyu, you’re the matchmaker. You figure out what the fuck is wrong with it.”

And just like that, he disappeared in the crowd of students leaving the auditoriums from their classes.

✷

For all his attempts, there wasn’t a successful one where he managed to decipher what he had done wrong. With Yeonjun having repeatedly insulted him for his words. He knew he had, perhaps, to no fault of his own, said the wrong things. 

But he had tried to apologize! Many times! Kai was avoiding him like the plague at University, which he assumed must be easy for the boy considering they knew each other’s schedules minute by minute. He also wasn’t answering his texts and at some point he stopped trying.

He wasn’t that much of a loser.

But it was starting to affect his mood, which only proved how important Kai had been for his well being. Beomgyu is the kind of person who likes to hang out with people, and be out, but he needs his moments alone to recharge and for the past months he had been exclusively recharging with Kai.

To have him gone was the type of torture he never thought would hurt so much.

Yeonjun had advised him to confess, which, granted, despite being an idiot, he was planning to do. But in spite of his stalker tendencies, he wasn’t going to storm Kai’s house and demand him to pay attention to him. He had some standards, for all it was worth.

At least in regards to Kai. That didn't mean he hadn’t been stalking Yeonjun’s boyfriend, Soobin, looking for an opening to act on. 

I mean he had stalked Soobin once before, how different could this be?

The opportunity presented itself when he spotted Soobin eating alone in the cafeteria.

“Are me and Kai fighting?” He asked as soon as he dropped his lunch in front of the boy.

Soobin gave him a very adorably confused face before replying. “You’re asking me?”

“He isn’t speaking to me, so I’m using the next best thing.”

“I love being called a thing.”

“Soobin,” he whined, because desperation was a feeling he wasn’t afraid to show. “I’m going insane! I miss him like hell. I miss him in the morning, when I don’t get his texts; I miss him in the afternoon when I don’t see his cute little butt and I miss him every night when all my thoughts are plagued by him.”

“Wow,” Soobin replied, putting down his fork. “Let me just… wow. That’s bad.”

“I’m a madman.” Beomgyu added.

Soobin seemed to think for a while, like he was considering that this guy in front of him might've broken his best friend’s heart (again, no fault of his own! He had no idea!) but was also confessing his undying love for him or whatever.

Beomgyu wasn’t known for being eloquent. We have established such.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Look, it’s a little bit more complicated than it seems.”

That had Beomgyu roll his eyes. “Gah! Why is everything complicated for you? You and Yeonjun could’ve been boning for months if you turned off the complicated meter and acted on it! I’m trying to do the same but it seems like I’ve been transported to a cliché romcom!”

“Don’t you love those?” Soobin asked.

“Aw, did Kai tell you that?” He swooned because he was nothing but a fool.

That at least had Soobin smiling. “He’s hurt.”

“I know I shouldn’t have said that I only sat with him because of you and Yeonjun— wait, did Kai tell you about it?”

Soobin smiled again. “Beomgyu, he didn’t need to.” That earned him a surprised gasp. “You have a reputation on campus. Everyone knows the minute you try to befriend someone, is because you have a match ready.”

Beomgyu looked around, somehow seeing everyone sitting there in a whole different light. Had his ways really reached everyone else? 

“I knew the moment you introduced me to Yeonjun what you were doing,” Soobin said. 

“And you didn’t say anything?”

“Are you kidding me?” Soobin chuckled. “Yeonjun is hot as fuck . I wasn’t going to waste that opportunity. Also we just had this immediate magnetism, you really know how to make a match.”

“It’s one of my many talents.”

“Your only talent it seems because you can’t seem to decipher why Kai is so upset with you.”

Beomgyu felt like pulling his hair out of his head, strand by strand. “Then please tell me! Word by word!”

“Beomgyu, you weren’t the only one playing matchmaker.” Soobin said.

“Huh?”

“I was as well.” He replied, simple as that. “Kai thought you had approached him that first day because you were interested in him . You kept flirting with him, can you blame him for having that impression?”

Suddenly, all wires connected in Beomgyu’s brain as he recalled that very first meeting, the moments that led to it. He had been fascinated by Huening Kai simply through his name, eager to discover the mystery that laid within. He had acted on a whim, with no real purpose to do so. 

Soobin continued. “He was so smitten by you and happy that someone had found him attractive; so everywhere I went that I knew you would be there, I would bring Kai. I would shove him in your direction because I knew he would never do it on his own.”

“Wait,” Beomgyu stopped him, the information overload clogging his systems. “ Fuck. And I told him that I only did it because of you guys.”

“He was really embarrassed for having misread the situation.”

“But he didn’t!” Beomgyu followed through. “I mean, I was positively obsessed with him, even before. He was such a mystery, I knew nothing of him but I wanted to. Desperately! And well, now—”

Soobin listened to him attentively, “now?”

“Now I like him! Like genuinely, he is the one for me and of that I am sure of. Like I know love matches okay? It doesn’t matter how it started, it matters how it goes.”

Soobin smiled like a proud father, and if the moment didn’t require Beomgyu to be a little serious, he would’ve teased the other. “He is just embarrassed about the whole thing. I’m sure it will pass soon.”

“Or, maybe,” a crazy idea passed through his brain. “Maybe I need to do something even more embarrassing so we can stand on the same ground.”

Soobin raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“It’s an excellent idea.” Beomgyu said, already plotting his plan. 

“Beomgyu, no.”

“Beomgyu, yes!” He felt jittery and excited. He was going to get him back. “Make sure he has lunch here tomorrow. You will see.”

“What are you planning?” Soobin asked, growing worried by the second. 

“Don’t you trust me?”

Soobin shook his head. “Not really.”

“Bring him here tomorrow! I’m counting on you!” He said halfway through the exit.

He had a good feeling about this.

✷

Beomgyu was thankful he isn’t the type of person who gets nervous, otherwise he was sure he would be sweating off his armpits that moment. He trusted Soobin was able to feel his sincerity and abided by his insane plan, even if he hadn’t given the other any details.

If anything, he hoped his feelings for Kai had been enough to convince him of helping.

It’s not like he was asking for much.

He was happy to report that he saw Soobin in the cafeteria when he entered, and right next to him a familiar tall figure. His heart skipped a beat and he wondered if this was really a good idea. If maybe it would be better to just grab Kai and give him a scolding for doubting his feelings, or furiously kissing him right there in front of everyone.

Both worked perfectly well in his brain.

His brain, however, didn’t. So he went further with his plan because second doubts are for losers and he refused to let anyone paint him as anything similar to such.

He looked for an empty table and proceeded to get on top of it. He was hoping he was loud enough, because he hadn’t ended up investing in the megaphone.

“Can I get everyone’s attention, please?” He yelled, and suddenly the cafeteria grew silent. He was aware that there were tons of eyes on him, but all that mattered was when Kai looked straight at him. His breath hitched. 

He noticed the face of panic on the other, which only propelled him further. “Hey, so.. Y’all already know me, probably. I’ve been informed recently that I have quite a reputation around campus.”

Everyone sort of nodded in agreement. At least that made it less embarrassing. “But for those of you who don’t: my name is Beomgyu. I have probably set half of you up with your significant others; I know, I know. No need to thank me.”

Nobody said anything. Not even a single clap. 

Ungrateful people.

He cleared his throat. “Anyways, I’m here because despite the fact that I have been known for preaching about love, like a modern day Jesus or something—” A girl in his vicinity laughed. “I have royally fucked up with my own significant other.”

He saw Kai come to his senses when he said that, and before he had an opening to leave, Soobin grabbed him and made him stay put. He knew he could trust Soobin.

“He genuinely thinks that I am not interested in him,” Beomgyu continued, directly staring at Kai. “Which is bonkers, because not only does he have the most beautiful face sculpted by the Gods themselves but he is also my perfect match. And I need to make sure he knows that, and that he knows loud and clear how much I am obsessed with him because I couldn’t stand seeing him with anyone else.”

He gulped. “Because I need him to know I like him. In fact, I’m almost sure I’m 70% in love with him, but that’s none of y’all’s business—”

That allowed Kai to slip out of Soobin’s hold and bolt to the exit. He didn’t waste an opportunity to follow him, gathering the looks of everyone around them.

“Anyways, if you’re interested in my services,” Beomgyu yelled as he ran. “Let it be known I don’t take bribes but a bitch is broke sometimes, so the highest bid gets the faster service.”

He remembered how fast Kai could get when he wants to run away from something, and he quickly sped up his pace to catch up with the other. He didn’t have to search much for him because suddenly he was being pulled into an empty classroom and heard the door close behind him. 

“What—”

The sentence didn’t get to be finished because all of a sudden he felt a pair of lips touch his and he bumped against the door with the sheer force of the impact.

He hadn’t tasted Kai but somehow he knew. Knew exactly this was him, by the way his hands squeezed his waist and pulled him impossibly close; by the way his hair felt, cascading in his neck, how he reacted when Beomgyu grabbed his neck, aching for every burning point of contact.

He was drunk on the feeling, like he knew he would be. They fit, perfectly so, like he had always bragged about; how he always knew he was able to and he wondered if this was what everyone else thought when they finally kissed someone they were meant to be with because he hadn’t felt something like that before.

Until now.

Until Kai.

Then Kai was laughing, and he was laughing and there were too many teeth but Beomgyu felt giddy and so alive. 

“Holy shit,” he mumbled.

“Yeah,” Kai breathed out, grabbing his face and kissing him again. “Holy shit.”

Beomgyu felt dazed. “I think I’m going insane.”

“You’re insane.” Kai shoved him. “What were you thinking? You’re going to be mocked for the rest of your life on campus.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Beomgyu shook his head. “It doesn’t matter if that means you are here with me, right now, like this.”

He made sure to drill the point into Kai’s head by grabbing him and kissing him again, feeling him melt against him. 

“Did you really have to tell everyone you’re in love with me for it to happen?”

“You weren’t answering my texts and running from me like the plague!” Beomgyu pointed out. “I’m sorry I embarrassed you, I didn’t mean to. So I figured the best course of action was to embarrass myself even further so we could be even.”

“Silly Beom,” and the nickname rolled so easily out of Kai’s mouth; he couldn’t help but smile. “Did you mean that?”

“Every second of it.” Beomgyu nodded. “You’re my favorite mystery, Kai.”

Kai laughed. He could get drunk on that smile alone. “What do you mean?”

“I sat with you because you were a mystery to me. Because I couldn’t deal without knowing. I acted on a feeling I had and let it be known, my feelings are usually symptoms of something big and worth it. Like us.”

“I thought you were an idiot.”

Beomgyu smiled. “But you were so attracted to me, weren’t you?”

“You’re still an idiot.” Kai said but his hand had laced with Beomgyu’s, so who was really losing here?

“Your idiot,” he corrected.

Kai didn’t reply, kissing him instead. “Mine only.”

Beomgyu could get lost in the feeling of kissing the other, but he couldn't ignore that they were currently in an empty classroom, where a teacher or students could get in at any moment. 

“We should go somewhere more private,” Beomgyu whispered onto Kai’s mouth.

“I have a class,” the other replied, which immediately surprised Beomgyu.

“You’re saying your education is more important than this?” He gestured at his own body which Kai only laughs at. 

“You have a class too. We can talk more later.”

Beomgyu pouted but he couldn't resist much when Kai pecked him, multiple times, just because he could . 

They walked hand in hand to Beomgyu’s class when it hit him, like a lightning bolt from the sky. “Wait, this is it!”

Kai raised his eyebrows. He ignored how attractive he looked. “We are my magnum opus !”

“C’mon loverboy, let’s get you to class.”

“No I’m serious— think about it! Kai, where are you going? Come here!”