The campus was buzzing. From the banners fluttering at the gates to the LED display scrolling "URBAN MINIMALISM FASHION NIGHT," the energy was electric. Seona sunbae stood backstage, clipboard in hand, dressed sharply in a structured linen co-ord set that whispered power and poise. Her gaze flicked between models, staff, and the growing crowd in the auditorium.
But something, or rather someone, was still missing.
"Si-hun?" she asked into her earpiece.
"I'm on it, sunbae!" Na-ri squeaked, dashing into the corridor that led to the green rooms, her ponytail bobbing with every step. As one of the junior event managers, she took pride in handling backstage tasks though this particular mission had her heart racing for a completely different reason.
It had started with a text.
[Si-hun → Seo-woon]"Hey... uh… could you come to the auditorium green room? I need help with my outfit. I'm seriously losing it."
Seo-woon blinked at the screen, still half-wrapped in his blanket. It was a weekend and he hadn't planned on leaving his dorm unless someone set fire to it.
Yet twenty minutes later, he was inside the green room: uncombed hair, black hoodie and that irritated look he reserved for Si-hun's panic mode.
Si-hun was alone, standing in front of the mirror, looking like a lost child. His sleeveless sand-toned mock neck was on, but he was struggling to figure out how to layer the cropped black blazer over it without looking like he was suffocating. The matching straight pants weren't helping either. Everything was sharp, sculpted, too cool for his soft energy.
"You're early," Si-hun mumbled.
"You look like a mannequin that gave up halfway," Seo-woon said flatly.
Si-hun pouted. "You're not helping."
"You dragged me here to style you. Not soothe your ego."
Still, Seo-woon stepped closer, picked up the structured blazer from the hanger, and helped Si-hun into it. As he adjusted the shoulder pads, their eyes met briefly in the mirror.
"You're trembling," Seo-woon murmured.
"It's nerves," Si-hun whispered back. "And… maybe because you're here."
Seo-woon scoffed under his breath, but his hands slowed at the collar. "Hold still."
After a lot of struggles, Seo-woon said, "I don't think this will fit you. Do you have any other outfit as a backup?"
"Yes, I do. Let me ask Sunbae first-"
Na-ri stopped outside Green Room 2 - the one marked for male models. The door was shut. And then, she heard it.
"You trust me right? Let's do it."
"It's...too tight...," Si-hun's voice murmured from within, low and desperate. "Not getting in."
Na-ri's eyes widened. That voice... why does it sound so seductive?!
Inside, Seo-woon struggled to zip up the outfit on Si-hun's body. The outfit, now, a fitted, high-waisted matte black trouser paired with a tucked-in oversized slate-gray blouse, slit at the neck with metal accents, looked stunning but was hellishly snug.
"You need to hold your breath," Seo-woon muttered, focused. "It won't zip otherwise."
"I am holding my breath," Si-hun complained, shirtless. "But your hand's cold------- ah AAAHHHHHH!"
"Sorry!" Seo-woon yanked his hand back instinctively, fingers brushing against Si-hun's side.
Outside the door, Na-ri gasped. Hand? Cold? Brushing?! Oh God. Her nose twitched.
And then came the sentence that made her BLEED.
"I'll lift you up," Seo-woon grumbled, nudging Si-hun toward the low dressing table to give him leverage.
Before Si-hun could object, he found himself scooped up effortlessly and seated on the table's edge.
"You... you could've just told me to sit!" he said, half-laughing, half-blushing.
She slapped her clipboard to her face. "OH MY GOD-W-WAIST GRAB-TABLE-THEY'RE-"
But it was Seo-woon's next line that sealed Na-ri's fate.
"Stop squirming, or I won't be able to finish from behind."
Na-ri clutched her nose, the scene inside playing like a forbidden K-drama in her head. A small stream of blood dripped from her nostril. She clutched the wall for support.
Just then, one of the tech girls from backstage walked by, raising an eyebrow. "You good?"
Na-ri, still wide-eyed and clutching her nose, said, "I... I think I should start filming this. For educational purposes."
The girl laughed, "Don't let Seona sunbae catch you."
Back in the room, Si-hun stood now, fully dressed. Seo-woon handed him a chunky silver belt to finish the look.
"Isn't this too much?" Si-hun asked, wrapping it around his slim waist.
"It balances the silhouette," Seo-woon replied
Outside in the hallway, as at one side whispers flew as Si-hun had gave a test walk with Seona sunbae. She wore a structured dove grey trench dress cinched with a metal belt, paired with a soft beige turtleneck underneath. It was minimalist, chic and Si-hun looked like her moody intern boyfriend walking beside her in his neutral-toned fit.
"They match so well," a girl whispered. "Is something going on between them?"
"They look like a Calvin Klein shoot!," another said.
On the other hand, Na-ri was crouched like a fangirl in pain. "Why is no one else reacting?! They're clearly- DOING THINGS! INSIDE!"
Minji peeked around the corner. "Seona sunbae is pairing Si-hun with a model from Design Dept. Duh. Not Seo-woon."
"Unless," Jiae added, nudging Na-ri, "something happens to that partner."
Then disaster struck. Si-hun's runway partner, the male model in charge of walking the finale couple look, twisted his ankle backstage. The lineup shattered.
"Crap," Sunbae muttered. "We can't leave the final set empty."
And as if summoned by chaos herself, Seona sunbae walked toward the green room, her expression unreadable. She gave a single knock and pushed the door open.
Si-hun and Seo-woon froze. Si-hun was adjusting the collar on Seo-woon's shirt.
After a pause of solid thirty seconds to process what was actually going on. "Seo-woon," she said calmly. "You're walking with Si-hun."
Seo-woon stiffened. "What? No-"
"You two already look like a concept shoot. Just walk it like one."
"I don't do stages."
"You two," she said, "follow me."
Seona's eyes scanned the floor. Then to Seo-woon.
"You're walking," she said.
Seo-woon blinked. "NO!"
"You fit the aesthetic. You've got chemistry. I trust you."
"I-no, I'm not confident about the stage. I've never done this," he said, panicked.
"Si-hun," Seona turned to him, "convince him. You have five minutes."
And just like that, she walked off.
Si-hun turned to Seo-woon. "Hey..."
"I can't- what if I trip or ruin the timing?"
"You won't," Si-hun said gently, gripping his arm. "You look better than anyone here. And I trust you. Besides... sunbae trusts me to end the show well. I want to do this with you."
"Please," he continued, softly but earnestly. "Just this once. Even if you hate it… just walk with me."
Seo-woon stared, caught off guard.
"Why me?"
Si-hun's voice barely held. "Because when I'm next to you, the crowd disappears."
Seo-woon hesitated, staring at him. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
Their hands brushed. Seo-woon exhaled.
"Okay."
The runway was a black tile catwalk shaped like a square spiral. Industrial lights flickered above. The theme: "Concrete Soul." Models walked out, crisp, clean, detached: a statement of detachment in an overly designed world.
The music pounded. Heavy synth, distorted vocals, the kind of track that made your teeth buzz.
And then, the last pair emerged: Si-hun and Seo-woon at the backstage.
Si-hun walked and took his position slightly ahead, Seo-woon trailing into his own outfit: minimalist monochrome layering: black cigarette pants, a crisp off-white turtleneck, and a half-length structured coat with asymmetrical zippers. He looked like he'd stepped out of a Seoul fashion mag.
Si-hun whistled. "Wow..."
Seo-woon paused. "What?"
"Nothing," Si-hun said quickly, looking away, "Get ready, it's our turn now. Don't panic, I know you can do it! Hwaiting!"
Their clothes were sharp, androgynous, clean. Minimalist cuts that made their bone structures stand out, every line emphasized.
As the spotlights fell on them, the girls in the audience squealed. Even the professors murmured at the final aesthetic.
Si-hun slowed just as they reached the first turn so they'd walk side-by-side.
Seo-woon's hand brushed his for half a second. Neither flinched.
The music intensified.
And then.
It stopped.
A split second of awkward silence and then:
"You are my everything..."
Gummy's unmistakable ballad filled the auditorium.
Gasps. Snickers. Even the lighting guy looked like he was about to faint.
"What the-?" Jiae whispered backstage.
The music tech scrambled to change the track. Nothing worked. "It's... stuck!Some system glitch!"
On stage, Si-hun looked at Seo-woon, whose eyes were wide.
"We can stop-" Seo-woon started.
"No," Si-hun whispered. "Let's give them a finale."
They turned the corner. Walked slowly. Together. The contrast was jarring. From techno to love ballad, from androgyny to intimacy.
As the chorus swelled, Si-hun turned to Seo-woon. Whispered:
"Walk with me. Like you mean it."
And Seo-woon did.
Backstage, Na-ri was crying. "It's a wedding walk... I swear... this is canon now."
Minji grabbed her phone. "I'm filming this."
Si-hun extended his hand as they approached the final stretch. Seo-woon paused , then took it.
Their hands clasped, they turned toward the audience as the spotlight narrowed. And then as an extra act-
He reached behind, took and pulled it around his own waist.
Seo-woon froze for half a beat. Then, he let it happen.
Si-hun leaned back, resting lightly against him. The pose was subtle but screamed relationship tease. Seo-woon's head lowered a little. Cheek brushing Si-hun's temple, their profiles aligned in the light.
Na-ri's scream could probably be heard across campus.
"HE- PULLED- THE WAIST-"
The backstage girl didn't even blink. "Okay. That was not straight. No way."
She kept filming. "Captioning this 'Better than any BL debut. Don't argue."
And then slowly, dramatically, they separated with a quiet turn. As they reached the end of the runway, Si-hun turned slightly.
The audience burst into applause.
Seona sunbae exhaled behind the curtain. She smiled. "Perfect."
Back in the green room, post-show chaos reigned. Models were chatting, eating, removing makeup.
Si-hun flopped onto the couch beside Seo-woon.
"You did amazing," Si-hun said, chest still rising and falling.
Seo-woon gave a tired smile. "You dragged me into this."
"And you killed it."
Si-hun leaned closer. "I couldn't have done it without you."
For a second, there was silence. Their legs touched. Seo-woon looked at him.
Then suddenly,
"OH MY GOD," Na-ri screamed from outside the room.
Both boys jumped.
"Why are you everywhere?!" Seo-woon groaned.
"I'm an event manager! I'm supposed to be here!" she said, peeking through the door. "Anyway... great job, married couple."
"We are NOT-" Seo-woon began.
"You literally held hands and waists under a love song. That's dating in K-drama language."
Si-hun laughed. "Well, if you edit the right clips, we're probably already a couple on TikTok."
Na-ri's eyes sparkled. "Challenge accepted."
As she disappeared squealing down the corridor, Seo-woon turned back to Si-hun.
"I still don't get how this happened."
Si-hun leaned back, his fingers brushing against Seo-woon's wrist.
"Sometimes... you just end up walking with the right person."
Seo-woon looked away, hiding a smile.