•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•

Jungwon had spent a little extra time choosing his outfit that morning, not that he'd admit it to anyone—not even himself. Settling on a black sweatshirt and baggy jeans, he figured it was casual enough not to seem like he cared but still decent enough to feel confident.

When Jay arrived to pick him up, Jungwon almost regretted his decision. Jay was leaning casually against his sleek black car, wearing a simple black top that hugged his frame just right, paired with dark jeans. His nonchalant stance and the way his muscles filled out the shirt made Jungwon's throat go dry.

"Morning," Jay greeted, opening the passenger door for him with a smirk.

Jungwon mumbled a quick "thanks" and slid in, determined to keep his cool.

As Jay started driving, the silence between them was heavy, but it wasn't awkward. Jungwon stole a few glances at Jay, only to catch Jay doing the same.

The problem was, Jay's focus wasn't entirely on the road. His eyes kept darting to Jungwon's figure, lingering just a little too long on how the sweatshirt draped over his shoulders and the casual way his jeans fit.

"You should really keep your eyes on the road," Jungwon said flatly, trying to ignore the way his heart was thumping.

Jay chuckled, but his hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Can't help it. Someone's distracting me this morning."

Jungwon turned his head to hide the flush creeping up his neck. "Just drive."

The rest of the ride passed with Jungwon staring out the window, pretending not to notice Jay's occasional side-eyes. By the time they pulled into the school parking lot, Jungwon was ready to bolt.

"Thanks for the ride," he said quickly, unbuckling his seatbelt.

Before Jay could say anything, Jungwon grabbed his bag and practically sprinted toward the main building, leaving a very amused Jay behind.

Jay leaned back in his seat, watching Jungwon's retreating figure with a grin. "This is going to be fun."

Meanwhile, Jungwon rushed through the hallways, his face still warm from the entire car ride. "Stupid deal," he muttered under his breath, trying to shake off the image of Jay's smirk and the way his muscles had looked under that shirt.

                          •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•

Later that day, Jungwon found himself in the dance studio, stretching alongside Ni-ki, Felix, and Sowon. It was their scheduled group practice for the upcoming showcase, and despite everything on his mind, Jungwon was determined to focus.

Unfortunately, the moment the music started, it became clear that his mind wasn't cooperating with his body.

"Jungwon, that's the third time you've gone left instead of right," Felix pointed out gently, pausing mid-spin to watch him with a concerned expression.

"Sorry," Jungwon muttered, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Let's go again."

They reset their positions, and the music started up once more. Jungwon was fine for the first few counts, but as they moved into the next sequence, he stumbled over his own feet, nearly colliding with Ni-ki.

"Whoa, careful!" Ni-ki exclaimed, catching him before he could fall.

Sowon sighed dramatically, crossing her arms. "Jungwon, what's up with you today? You're usually one of the best in the group."

Jungwon shot her a glare. "I'm fine. Let's just keep going."

But as they worked through the choreography again and again, Jungwon's mistakes only piled up. Felix finally called for a break, and everyone collapsed onto the studio floor.

"You're distracted," Ni-ki said bluntly, looking at Jungwon as he sipped from his water bottle.

"No, I'm not," Jungwon replied quickly, though his flushed cheeks said otherwise.

Felix raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Jungwon. We all have off days, but this isn't like you. What's going on?"

Jungwon hesitated, glancing at Sowon, who was busy fixing her hair and not paying attention to the conversation. He debated whether to come clean but decided against it.

"Just didn't sleep well last night," he said instead, hoping they'd buy it.

Ni-ki didn't look convinced but didn't press further. "Well, whatever it is, sort it out before the showcase. We need everyone sharp."

Sowon chimed in with a teasing smile. "Or maybe you've got something—or someone—on your mind, hmm?"

Jungwon's head snapped toward her, his heart skipping a beat. "What are you talking about?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, you tell me. You've been zoning out a lot lately."

Felix laughed lightly, trying to ease the tension. "Alright, let's not grill him too hard. Everyone has their moments."

Jungwon nodded gratefully at Felix before standing up. "I'll get it together. Let's go again."

But as the music started for what felt like the hundredth time, Jungwon couldn't shake the image of Jay's teasing grin from his mind. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried to focus, Jay had somehow managed to occupy a space in his thoughts—and it was starting to drive him crazy.

                         •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•☾☼☽•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•