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Apr 25

episode 10.3

wc: 7.2k

note: italics is chinese, normal is korean, bold is english

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meixing collapsed onto one of the beds in the bedroom she and anxin had been temporarily assigned, the mattress dipping under her weight as a quiet sigh left her lips. her suitcase was neatly packed at the foot of the bed while anxin’s laid gaping open across the floor, clothes spilling out in uneven piles as he got himself ready.

they weren’t scheduled to receive official roommate assignments until after they divided into their mission groups, but they still had to film interviews in the dorms beforehand, cameras lingering in various rooms, which left them here for now.

“i’m gonna miss sharing a room with you.” anxin murmured from his place on the floor, seated cross legged in front of the mirror as he worked through his hair, a comb pausing halfway through a strand.

“aww, anxinie,” meixing pouted softly, leaning over from where she lay, her jade bracelet slipping down her wrist as she reached out and threaded her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck in a gentle, absent gesture. “me too, but i bet your next one will be just as great.”

anxin gave a stubborn shake of his head, his reflection frowning back at him. “doubt it.”

meixing bit down on her lip to suppress a smile at his response, her eyes softening as she watched him, quietly moved by how much he’d enjoyed staying with her, more than he probably realized.

she would miss him just as much. she and anxin would stay up late talking long after the lights were supposed to be out, their voices hushed under meixing’s comforter, trading stories. they gave each other fashion advice, arguing over outfits spread across the bed, and always made time to eat together since their schedules were the exact same.

she found herself wishing he could remain her roommate until the show ended, even though she knew they would be reassigned regardless.

“don’t say that—” she started, pushing herself up on her elbows, only to be abruptly cut off by the sharp sound of something colliding with their door, the handle rattling violently and making both of them flinch.

meixing pushed herself upright at once, her heart skipping, and slipped down onto the floor beside anxin, the cool surface touching her knees as she rested a steadying hand on his shoulder. she felt some slight tension there as they listened to the raised voices echoing from outside, muffled but unmistakably heated.

“jiejie, what’s going on?” anxin asked in a hushed voice, his grip tightening slightly around the comb in his hand.

“i don’t know.” meixing answered with a small, uncertain shrug, her brows knitting together as the shouting beyond the door only grew louder, footsteps passing quickly in the hallway.

she gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, her thumb brushing once against the fabric of his shirt, before rising to her feet, brushing her hands against her pants as she stood, aware of his eyes following her every movement.

“i’m gonna go look.” she said, her curiosity and nosiness already taking over, a hint of concern slipping into her voice.

“wait,” anxin said, quickly scrambling up after her, nearly knocking over a bottle on the floor before steadying it, and catching her hand in his, his fingers curling tightly around hers. “lemme come with.” he didn’t want her to get hurt.

meixing didn’t protest, tightening her grip around his hand as she eased the door open just a crack, the hinges giving the faintest creak, and leaned out, her breath held, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever chaos had sparked the noise in the hallway.

she didn’t see anything at first, the hallway stretching out empty, but the yelling hadn’t stopped, only dulled, as if it’d shifted farther away. meixing pushed the door open the rest of the way, and stepped into the hallway, anxin trailing close behind her, his hand still firmly in hers.

they moved cautiously down the corridor, their footsteps light against the floor, exchanging brief glances as the noise guided them forward. when they reached the open space near the stairs, they finally saw it, two figures dressed entirely in black grappling on the ground, limbs tangled as they struggled against each other.

meixing and anxin’s eyes widened at the exact same moment, their grips tightening as they took in the scene. they looked like staff members from the all black outfits and masks, but what they were fighting about was completely unclear.

a cluster of other trainees had already gathered nearby, forming a loose semicircle at a careful distance, unsure whether to intervene or stay out of it. most of them hovered along the stairs, some lingering below, all watching with tense curiosity, none of them willing to get too close.

meixing made sure not to let go of anxin as she carefully guided them around the scuffle, her movements deliberate as she kept a wide gap between them and the two on the floor. she led them toward the staircase where the others stood, weaving through small gaps until they reached the steps. she managed to get them down one flight and onto the landing when a hand suddenly settled, light but firm, against her waist.

“don’t get close again.” jiahao murmured lowly by her ear, his gaze never leaving the scene above.

meixing nodded without a word, her breath catching slightly as her stomach flipped at the unexpected contact. she subtly pulled anxin a fraction closer to her side, trying to steady herself and ignore the lingering warmth.

a few steps away, kangmin hurried up the stairs, nearly taking them two at a time before disappearing down the hallway, likely in search of someone older or in charge.

moments later, he returned with geonwoo at his side, both of them moving quickly, just as the two fighting figures abruptly separated and pushed themselves to their feet. they pulled off their masks in one smooth motion, though they still angled their faces just enough to keep them partially hidden.

meixing let out a quiet sigh, her shoulders dropping as music suddenly blared through the space, the familiar chorus of “energetic” by wanna one filling the stairwell. the two so-called staff members immediately broke into choreography, their movements sharp and synchronized, turning the situation into something entirely different.

“i should’ve known.” she muttered under her breath, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she climbed back up the stairs with anxin and jiahao, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied their faces and recognized them as sungwoon and daehwi.

the trainees gradually gathered closer, forming a circle around the two as the song faded and they came to a stop, a mix of laughter and relief rippling through the group.

“you’ve worked so hard.” daehwi said, standing across from meixing, his expression warm despite the prank. “i know how stressed you are. we wanted you to laugh.”

“but we got stressed instead.” sungwoon added from a few steps away, bending forward slightly with his hands on the wall as he tried to catch his breath, which only made the others laugh louder.

“i thought it was real!” kangmin exclaimed, laughing as he ran a hand through his hair, the tension from earlier finally breaking.

as everyone crowded around the two idols, voices overlapping in excitement and lingering disbelief, meixing let her attention drift, her gaze sliding over to jiahao. she noticed he was casually eating something in the middle of all the chaos, completely unbothered, which made a quiet grin tug at her lips.

“what’s that?” she asked, tilting her head slightly as she gestured toward the container in his hands.

jiahao glanced down at her for a brief moment before scooping up another bite, gathering it neatly onto his spoon. without another word, he lifted it toward her, holding it just in front of her lips, the silent offer clear in his expression.

“try.” he said, nudging the spoon a little closer, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

meixing swallowed the flutter rising in her chest and parted her lips, leaning in just enough to take the bite, carefully avoiding his gaze as he fed her.

“good?” he asked after pulling the spoon back, his eyes still fixed on her face, watching for her reaction.

meixing raised her hand and tilted it side to side in a halfhearted gesture as she chewed, her lips pressing together in thought, which drew a soft laugh out of him.

“not bad.” she admitted after a moment, her attention drifting back toward daehwi as his voice cut through the chatter.

“get along with your teammates when you debut, okay?” he said, his tone light but sincere, before he and sungwoon began to step away, waving slightly as they told everyone they’d see them later.

after they left, the room slowly settled, the trainees dispersing to finish getting ready, conversations fading into smaller pockets as everyone focused on their own tasks. showers were taken, hair was fixed, and one by one they changed into their white all star shirts and black sweatpants, the uniforms reminding them all of the competition ahead of them.

meixing did the same, smoothing down her shirt once she was dressed, but paused when anxin called her over.

seeing what was in his hand, she let him slide a few of her silver hair clips into place, his fingers careful as he adjusted them. he insisted they would look cute, and she couldn’t bring herself to say no, so she let him, smiling softly as she caught a glimpse of herself afterward.

a few hours later, they all made their way to the city hall building, the atmosphere noticeably heavier now that they knew they would be receiving their final mission. conversations were quieter, anticipation settling in as they walked together.

before entering the large, echoing space, they were handed their name tags, each one meant to be placed on the front of their shirts. when meixing received hers, her eyes immediately caught on the number beside her name.

nine, printed in front of a red square, stark against the white of the rest of the name tag, and unlike the deep purple marking the top eight. the difference was small, but impossible to ignore, a quiet reminder of exactly where she stood.

she let out a soft breath through her nose before pressing the tag onto her shirt, smoothing it down with her fingers as if that would make it feel less heavy, then followed behind liyu into the room.

inside, the space opened up wide, two rows of risers already set up. meixing took her place beside liyu in the second row, positioning herself just behind sangwon, her hands loosely clasped in front of her as she waited.

once everyone had settled, shifting into place and adjusting their stances, the door to meixing’s right opened, drawing all attention toward it. sungwoon and daehwi stepped inside, now dressed neatly, their earlier disguises nowhere in sight, their presence immediately commanding the room again.

they moved to the platform across from the trainees, standing side by side as they adjusted the cue cards in their hands, exchanging a brief glance before preparing to speak.

“we met earlier today, but let us introduce ourselves formally.” sungwoon said, his voice steady as he looked over them with a kind expression. “hello, i’m ha sungwoon, the final mission’s planet master.”

“i’m lee daehwi, the planet master. nice to meet you.” daehwi followed smoothly, lifting his microphone closer as he spoke.

the sixteen of them broke into polite applause, the sound echoing lightly through the large room, their anticipation clear as they waited to receive their mission.

“we are very special masters.” sungwoon continued, a hint of amusement in his tone.

“very special.” daehwi echoed with a small nod. “shall we reveal the final mission that you’re dying to find out?”

a chorus of eager yeses filled the space almost immediately, overlapping and uneven, with sanghyeon’s voice ringing out the loudest among them.

at his words, meixing reached down without thinking and squeezed anxin’s shoulder, her fingers pressing lightly through the fabric. in response, he reached up and caught her hand, keeping it there as he held it against his shoulder, as if he was using her touch to comfort himself.

“the final mission before the debut will now be revealed.” sungwoon announced, glancing briefly at his cue cards.

meixing shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she listened closely, her focus flickering for just a second as her eyes drifted to the left in search of jiahao. when she found him, he was already looking at her, his gaze steady, which made her quickly drop her eyes to the floor, a small smile threatening to form despite herself.

“in the final debut battle, two teams of eight members will be judged one last time in order to debut.” sungwoon explained, reading carefully from his cards.

“you have to prove your talents as much as possible.” daehwi continued, his tone growing more serious. “new songs were written for you specifically for this mission, and you already got a preview of them during the last elimination.”

“we’ll reveal the choreography video of the final mission’s new songs now.” sungwoon said, gesturing slightly toward the massive screen mounted above them.

the room dimmed just enough for the screen to stand out as the first track, brat attitude, began to play. meixing’s attention locked in immediately, her eyes following every movement as the dancers moved sharply in sync. the choreography was just as striking as she’d imagined, each formation clean and precise.

several parts caught her interest, especially a short section a sub rapper position held that looked particularly fun, the energy of it pulling at her. a small part of her wished she leaned more into rapping, but even so, she found herself hoping she would be assigned the song.

“does anyone want this song?” sungwoon asked once the video came to an end, his gaze sweeping over them.

without hesitation, hands began to rise, including meixing’s, her arm lifting steadily.

eleven hands in total went up, drawing a visible reaction from sungwoon.

“wow, more than half of you want this song.” he said after quickly counting, a note of surprise slipping into his voice. “you haven’t even heard the second song yet!”

meixing glanced to her left, quietly taking note of everyone who’d raised their hands, her eyes moving from face to face as she counted. she didn’t know how the teams would be decided yet, but she stored the information away in the back of her mind, just in case it ended up mattering.

never been 2 heaven’s video played next, the tone shifting almost instantly. it was bright and refreshing, filled with soft energy and playful movements, exactly what she’d expected. she didn’t even need to look to know how much anxin wanted it, his reaction said enough. his grip around her hand tightened slightly, and she could feel the subtle bounce of his shoulder beneath her palm as he followed along with the rhythm, barely containing his excitement.

“we have now seen the choreography videos for the final mission songs.” sungwoon said once the video ended, the screen fading back to pink. “have you decided which song you want to do?”

meixing nodded immediately, her decision firm, while others hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances as they weighed their options. she was sure about brat attitude, there wasn’t any doubt in her mind, now all she could do was hope she would actually get it.

the cameras cut shortly after, and producers quickly filtered into the space, their movements efficient as they began rearranging things for the next segment. the trainees were gently guided aside, creating space as equipment shifted and new setups were brought in.

meixing found herself standing off to the side with jiahao beside her, absentmindedly picking at the edge of her name tag as she watched two white platforms being rolled into place where sungwoon and daehwi had been standing moments ago. her eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed the labels printed across the front of each one, different positions neatly listed out.

“are we choosing parts right now, too?” she murmured under her breath, crossing her arms loosely as she leaned her weight onto one leg.

jiahao followed her gaze, his eyes scanning the platforms before giving a small nod. “i think you’re right.”

meixing let out a soft huff and tilted sideways, resting her cheek against jiahao’s bicep, her lips forming a small pout as she stared ahead.

“i don’t know what to do.” she whined quietly. she could barely remember the parts clearly now, everything blending together in her head.

jiahao let out a soft laugh and reached up to rub her back in a slow, reassuring motion. “you’ll figure it out.” he said with an easy chuckle.

he had his own thoughts about what position would suit her best, particularly the main vocal part in brat attitude, but he kept them to himself, not wanting to influence her choice in any way.

before long, everything was set, the producers stepping back into place as filming resumed. meixing straightened and stepped away from jiahao, and the two of them returned to their spots on the risers, even if neither of them seemed very eager to separate.

sungwoon and daehwi now stood off to the side on meixing’s right, clearing the view so all sixteen of them could see the platforms in front of them more clearly, the atmosphere shifting once again as anticipation settled over the room.

“we will now tell you what you want to know.” daehwi said, a deliberate hint of suspense laced through his tone. “how will the songs and teammates be chosen?”

the two idols went on to confirm what meixing had already begun to suspect, explaining that they would be choosing both their songs and positions right then and there.

they would start from sixteenth place, each participant stepping forward to claim their song and position by physically standing on it on the platform. the process would continue all the way up to first place, but there was a catch. anyone could push someone out of a spot if they wanted it for themselves.

if you were pushed out, you wouldn’t be able to choose again immediately. instead, you would have to wait until every position had been filled before selecting from whatever remained open.

as she listened, meixing’s fingers found the ring on her hand, twisting it anxiously as the explanation sank in. the thought of being pushed out made her stomach tighten. she didn’t want that happening at all. she would rather settle for a smaller part than risk losing the song she wanted entirely.

her gaze flickered across the room, landing on the trainees who would be choosing after her as she began running through possibilities in her head, quietly calculating.

sitting right in the middle of the ranking put her in an awkward position, not safe, but not entirely at risk either. she could play it safe and choose a smaller part to secure her place in brat attitude, or she could take the risk and go for something bigger, hoping no one would push her out of it.

she wanted the main vocal or sub vocal one part in brat attitude, that much was certain. the only real uncertainty in her mind was leo.

sanghyeon and xinlong leaned heavily toward rap, and she trusted that jiahao wouldn’t push her out. from what she’d seen, geonwoo, anxin, and sangwon all seemed set on never been 2 heaven, which narrowed things down even further.

that left leo as the biggest variable.

junseo was harder to predict, but she had a feeling leo would be far more likely to step in and push her out if he wanted to.

her thoughts spiraled quietly, overlapping one another, until they were cut off by sungwoon’s voice.

“but this is missing something important, isn’t it?” he said, looking over at them expectantly.

“the killing part!” sanghyeon called out immediately.

“that’s right. the killing part is missing.” sungwoon confirmed with a small grin. “the killing part of the final mission’s new songs is not up to you.”

“the killing part for the final mission will be determined through the global star creators’ vote.” daehwi added, his words immediately drawing soft gasps from around the room.

maybe jiahao will finally get it, meixing thought to herself, her eyes flickering toward him for just a second. it was his last chance, and more than anything, she wanted to see him achieve it after trying for it every single mission.

“but not all participants will try out for the killing part.” daehwi continued, raising his eyes to look at them slightly as the room settled again.

he went on to explain that they would conduct self evaluations to narrow it down to two killing part candidates per team. from there, both candidates would record individual videos performing the killing part, and then star creators would vote for the one they believed suited it best.

“let’s now start the song and part assignments.” sungwoon announced, his voice carrying through the room.

“please don’t go to main vocal, hyung.” anxin mumbled under his breath to sangwon, leaning slightly closer to him.

“i won’t.” sangwon reassured easily before turning around, his attention shifting to meixing. “where are you going?”

meixing parted her lips, about to answer, but anxin cut in before she could say anything.

“jiejie, come to never been to heaven.” he said, tilting his head slightly as he looked at her, his expression soft but persuasive.

sangwon nodded along easily. “yeah, you should.” he added, watching her expectantly.

meixing’s gaze moved between the two of them, her expression softening as she took in their hopeful looks, touched that they wanted her there, even as her mind continued weighing her options.

“what if i didn’t, though?” she replied weakly, her voice lacking conviction, which immediately earned her a pout from anxin.

“you don’t wanna be with me?” he asked, his tone dipped in exaggerated sadness.

meixing pressed her teeth lightly into the inside of her cheek, shaking her head as a small, helpless smile tugged at her lips. “i didn’t say that.”

before the conversation could go any further, woojin’s name was called, drawing their attention forward and pulling the three apart as they focused on the selection.

he stepped up and made his choice slowly, taking the never been 2 heaven sub vocal five position. a few of them exchanged glances at that, quietly recognizing the strategy behind it. he clearly valued the song over the size of the part, which was a smart move this early on.

leejeong was called next and followed a similar path, choosing never been 2 heaven as well and stepping into the sub vocal four position beside woojin.

meixing’s brows pulled together slightly at that, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. she’d thought he was leaning toward brat attitude, but she chose not to dwell on it. if anything, it worked in her favor, leaving more positions open for her to choose from. pushing someone out wasn’t something she could see herself doing, so she planned to take whatever was available when her turn came.

she drew in a quiet breath and held it as donggyu stepped forward, her eyes tracking his every move. just as she feared, he headed straight for brat attitude, claiming the sub vocal one position, which made her exhale softly, disappointment settling in her chest.

junmin followed right after him, barely pausing before stepping onto the brat attitude sub rapper one position, further filling the lineup she’d been hoping to join.

however, he didn’t last in that spot for long. kaiwen was called right after him and, after a moment of hesitation, stepped forward and pushed junmin out, taking the position for himself.

when she saw that junmin didn’t seem upset, meixing let out a quiet laugh to herself, the sound barely escaping as she watched the exchange. she hadn’t expected kaiwen to be that bold, but she couldn’t help feeling a flicker of admiration. going after what you wanted like that wasn’t easy.

kangmin stepped up next once the brief commotion settled, adjusting his stance before confidently choosing the never been 2 heaven main rapper position.

liyu’s name was called soon after, and he slipped out from beside meixing, brushing past her shoulder as he moved forward. without much pause, he stepped onto brat attitude and claimed the sub vocal two position, which made meixing silently curse under her breath.

that left her with only two options.

main vocal or sub vocal three.

a big part or a small one, with nothing comfortably in between.

“ninth place, xu meixing. please step forward.” sungwoon called, his voice snapping her out of her thoughts.

she exhaled softly and hopped down from her spot, her shoes landing lightly against the floor as she moved. her decision had already been made. with steady steps, she walked straight toward brat attitude, her posture more confident than she felt.

“i knew it.” leejeong muttered under his breath as he watched her, a faint note of disappointment slipping through his tone.

meixing climbed onto the platform beside kaiwen and made her way down toward the vocal positions, her eyes briefly scanning the spots. she paused just behind donggyu and lifted her hand, placing it lightly on his shoulder.

a ripple of gasps spread through the room almost instantly.

donggyu stiffened under her touch, his heart dropping as he looked up slightly, already bracing himself.

“are you gonna push me?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual, edged with uncertainty.

meixing stayed silent for a beat, letting the tension linger just long enough to make it believable, before slowly removing her hand from his shoulder.

“no.” she said, a playful grin spreading across her face as she stepped past him and took the open spot beside him instead.

“main vocal!” sungwoon called out, his voice bright as he confirmed her position.

donggyu immediately let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, dropping down into a squat as his hands went to his hair in relief.

“i’m sorry!” meixing laughed, reaching over to pat his shoulder lightly, her amusement undeniable.

“meixing, that was mean!” kangmin called from across the room, his voice carrying easily, which only made her laugh harder as she brought a hand up to cover her mouth.

from across the way, jiahao watched the entire thing unfold with a small, quiet smile. he was proud of her for taking the risk and going for main vocal, but a more anxious thought lingered underneath it, hoping no one would push her out and take it away.

sanghyeon went after her, stepping up with a brief hesitation before ultimately pushing kaiwen out and claiming the brat attitude sub vocal one position.

junseo followed soon after and slid into the sub vocal three position, much to meixing’s quiet relief, neatly completing all the vocal slots for their team.

after him, xinlong stepped forward and approached sanghyeon at an unhurried pace, which immediately made him tense up.

“main rapper…” sanghyeon said quietly, pointing toward the open spot beside him, clearly trying to sway xinlong and avoid getting pushed out.

unfortunately for him, it didn’t work. xinlong still chose the position, gently but firmly pushing him out while offering an apologetic look that softened the blow just slightly.

meixing casually rested her hands on her hips as she watched, before her attention shifted as jiahao finally stepped forward. she couldn’t help the small hope blooming in her chest, silently wishing he would end up with her like she’d been expecting.

he hesitated at first, running his hands through his hair as he stood between the remaining rapper positions, clearly torn. his eyes flicked between the options for a moment longer before he finally made his decision, stepping onto main rapper.

meixing’s face lit up immediately. she shot him a bright smile across the space the moment his gaze found hers, and he visibly faltered for a second, his ears turning a faint shade of red as he looked away.

geonwoo went next and claimed never been 2 heaven sub vocal three, settling into place with ease. then leo was called.

“leo, never been to heaven has an open main vocal spot, or you can push meixing out.” daehwi said, his voice calm but deliberate, making the entire room go quiet in an instant.

meixing’s breath caught as tension tightened in her chest. she fidgeted nervously with her hands, eyes fixed on leo as he stood still for a moment, thinking.

the pressure eased slightly when he looked at her, his expression softening as his gaze met hers, silently telling her not to worry.

she let out a quiet breath of relief when he finally stepped onto never been 2 heaven and took the sub vocal one position instead.

anxin hopped down from his spot the moment his name was called and moved straight toward never been 2 heaven’s main vocal position without wavering, determination clear in every movement. meixing watched him with a small, proud smile, warmth settling in her chest as she saw him land the part he’d wanted from the beginning.

“finally, first place, lee sangwon. please step forward.” sungwoon announced.

sangwon nodded and stepped down, walking at an easy pace as he headed straight toward brat attitude. he climbed onto the platform at the end and moved quietly behind the others, weaving through the positions until he reached meixing and stopped directly behind her.

“main vocal?!” someone blurted out, the sudden question making people gasp just as sangwon lightly placed his hands on her shoulders.

meixing brought her hands up to her cheeks, her brain briefly short-circuiting as she mentally panicked. she was sure sangwon wanted never been 2 heaven.

“is he gonna push her?” daehwi said into his microphone, his voice steady but teasing, and the entire room seemed to hold its breath.

meixing dropped her hands and turned around slowly to face sangwon, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“no, go away.” she said, pointing firmly toward never been 2 heaven. “you said you wanted that one.”

sangwon finally broke, unable to keep a straight face any longer, and laughed loudly at her reaction.

“got ya.” he cackled, turning on his heel and casually walking over to take the never been 2 heaven sub vocal two position instead.

“i hate him.” meixing muttered, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, though the corners of her mouth were already lifting.

donggyu let out a quiet chuckle beside her.

“it was karma.” he said with a grin.

meixing scoffed and lightly hit his shoulder in response, though she was smiling now.

after everyone had locked in their positions, the remaining pushed out trainees were finally reassigned. after a bit of discussion, junmin ended up taking the final open spot in never been 2 heaven, while kaiwen and sanghyeon filled the remaining sub rapper positions in brat attitude.

by the time everything was settled, filming wrapped up late into the night. exhaustion settled over the group as they finally dispersed, the first day of practice pushed to tomorrow.

everyone trudged back toward the dorms, gathering near the roommate assignment board posted at the bottom of the stairs, needing to confirm where they would be staying.

meixing scanned the list for her name, eyes moving line by line, before pausing when a warm hand rested lightly on the small of her back.

“you’re with me.” jiahao said, nodding subtly toward the board, his expression soft as he smiled.

“oh?” meixing hummed, her heartbeat immediately picking up at the thought of sharing a room with him. “okay, cool.” she said, trying to sound casual, even as her mind completely betrayed her. internally, she was already spiraling.

she couldn’t tell, but jiahao was going through the exact same thing. he’d been quietly hoping they’d end up sharing a room, wanting a little more time alone with her, but now that it was actually happening, he didn’t quite know what to do with himself.

“come on.” he said, his hand still resting lightly on her back as he guided her up the stairs, pausing only briefly to grab their things along the way.

jiahao took meixing’s suitcase before she could even reach for it, rolling it alongside his own down the hallway without a second thought. when they reached their room, he held the door open for her, stepping aside so she could go in first, and it made meixing’s heart jump again, if that was even possible at this point.

they didn’t waste time settling in. jiahao abandoned his own suitcase almost immediately, choosing instead to help her unpack first, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

the room was dimly lit, the only real light coming from the bathroom. jiahao had noticed weeks ago that meixing preferred it that way, so he’d switched off the harsh overhead light without her having to think about it.

meixing stood in front of her open wardrobe, carefully hanging up shirts one by one, while jiahao sat on the floor beside her suitcase, sorting through it and handing her items as he went.

she was halfway through hanging up the top she’d worn to the pc bang with suren and zihao when she heard him let out a quiet laugh to himself.

she turned slightly just in time to see him holding up one of her shirts, inspecting the front with mild amusement.

“cars?” he chuckled, recognizing the lightning mcqueen and mater design on the gray baby tee he was holding.

“hey!” meixing snapped immediately, stepping over and snatching it out of his hands, clutching it protectively against her chest. “i like it.”

“i wasn’t making fun of it.” he said with a soft smile, standing up from the floor as he watched her. “it’s cute.”

meixing turned away quickly, hiding the heat rising to her face as she focused a little too intensely on putting the shirt onto a hanger.

“uh huh.” she hummed, trying to sound indifferent, though her voice betrayed her slightly.

she glanced over her shoulder just briefly, only to find him leaning casually against the wall, still watching her.

that only made it worse.

she turned back around immediately and bent down toward her suitcase, rifling through it with unnecessary focus as she searched for her toiletries, suddenly very aware of his presence behind her.

grabbing her makeup bag and shower things, she went into the bathroom before she could overthink it any further. she left the door open as she slid herself inside with a quiet breath, setting everything down on the counter.

“hey, is your family coming for sure, now?” jiahao asked from outside the bathroom, his tone noticeably softer, the teasing from earlier completely gone. “i know you said they were when we went out, but, y’know… the finale is definitely happening now so…” he trailed off, a little unsure, like he didn’t want to assume.

meixing smiled to herself as she placed her perfumes neatly by the sink, her heart giving a small skip at his wording. when we went out. she lingered on it for a second longer than she expected.

“yeah, they are. my dad bought plane tickets the second i texted him yesterday.” she replied, letting out a light laugh as she spoke.

she stepped out of the bathroom a moment later and saw jiahao still in the room, now standing closer to the doorway instead of by her wardrobe, like he’d shifted just to stay near her without making it obvious.

“they’re excited to meet you.” she added casually, bending down to grab a pair of pants from her suitcase and refolding them before placing them in a drawer.

jiahao’s eyes widened slightly. “you talked about me?”

“of course i did.” she said without hesitation, glancing up at him briefly. “why wouldn’t i?”

he gave a small, awkward shrug, almost bashful in a way that didn’t quite match how composed he usually tried to be, which made meixing let out a soft laugh.

he’d told his own family about her too, but knowing she’d done the same made something in him tighten and ease at the same time, like nervousness and happiness were colliding all at once.

the room settled into a quiet rhythm again as meixing continued unpacking, folding and sorting through her things while jiahao stayed where he was, simply watching her. he looked almost distant, like he’d slipped into one of those quiet dazes he got into whenever he stared at her for too long without realizing it.

“how do you feel about the mission?” meixing asked suddenly as she shut a drawer that was slightly too full, forcing it closed with a soft push.

the question snapped him out of his thoughts.

“good, i’m excited.” he answered quickly, then glanced down before adding a little quieter, almost like it slipped out on its own. “i think liyu and sanghyeon are excited too.”

his voice dipped even lower at the end, more to himself than to her, like he hadn’t meant for it to be heard at all.

but meixing heard it.

she bit the inside of her lip. “why do you say that?” she asked, stepping away from the dresser and moving to stand in front of him, her head tilting slightly as she studied his expression, even though she already had an idea why.

jiahao gave a small shrug, the gesture weak. “just cause.”

meixing straightened out as she looked at him, silent, reading him in a way that made him shift ever so slightly under her attention.

“… are you jealous?” she asked, fighting back a smile even as her heart kept thudding a little too loudly in her chest.

he let out a breath, something between a sigh and an embarrassed huff.

“… i don’t think i’m hiding it well, am i?” he asked quietly, dragging a hand through his brown hair as if that could reset his composure.

“not really,” she admitted, her voice softer now, though she still looked at him with that same knowing expression. “but it’s okay.”

jiahao finally looked up at her properly, like he was trying to figure out if she meant it.

“i like it.” she added, taking a small step closer without really thinking about it, her own boldness catching even herself off guard.

jiahao’s breath hitched slightly. “yeah?” he asked, quieter now, eyes flicking between hers like he didn’t want to miss a single shift in her expression.

meixing nodded once. the space between them felt different now, tense in a way neither of them fully knew how to deal with.

he leaned forward just a fraction, testing the distance. “then i won’t try to hide it.”

her breath caught at that, her fingers curling faintly at her side as she looked up at him.

his hand lifted, lightly catching the hem of her shirt, not pulling hard, just enough to close a bit of space between them.

“jiahao…” she mumbled, her hand rising naturally to rest on his shoulder, her stomach flipping in a way she couldn’t ignore.

“hm?” he hummed, gaze dropping for the briefest second before returning to her eyes, his expression soft and gentle.

he tugged her even closer, enough that their breaths started to mingle, both of them hovering right at the edge of something that made their stomachs flip.

they both let their eyes fall shut at the same time, too close, too aware of each other, the moment stretching thin like it could break at any second.

and then the door swung open.

“jiejie, have you seen my—” anxin started, walking in unannounced before freezing mid-sentence.

silence hit the room instantly.

his eyes snapped between them, taking in their position in a split second. meixing’s hand on jiahao’s shoulder, jiahao’s hand still gripping her shirt, clearly pulling her in closer to him.

then he noticed jiahao’s expression shift, the way his jaw tightened as he immediately let his hand drop, resting it lazily at his side once again.

anxin went still. completely still.

his brain visibly stalled as he realized exactly what he’d walked into, and very likely, ruined.

“…oh.” he muttered, already half-reaching for the door handle like he was preparing to run out.

meixing straightened up quickly, taking a small step back from jiahao, flustered. “what do you need?”

“i can’t find my glasses.” he said quietly, fiddling with his sleeve. “i think they might’ve gotten mixed in with your things earlier.”

“oh.” she blinked, then immediately crouched back down and turned toward her suitcase. “lemme look.” she added, pressing a hand briefly to her cheek when she realized how warm it felt.

she started rummaging through her things a little too quickly, fabric folding over itself as she searched.

behind her, jiahao pushed himself off the wall, moving toward the bathroom without a word, but not before casting a pointed look toward anxin on his way in. the kind of look that said nice going.

the bathroom door shut a second later.

“i’m sorry!” anxin blurted out, eyes wide and his face completely red as he stood frozen near the doorway.

meixing didn’t look up right away, still searching through her suitcase. “it’s fine.” she said, though her voice was a little strained.

she dug deeper, pushing past a hoodie and a folded shirt before finally finding a glasses case tucked underneath. how it got there, she had no idea.

“here.” she said, standing and walking over to anxin, holding it out to him.

only then did she notice the bathroom door fully closed, and jiahao gone from sight.

“thanks.” anxin said softly, taking it like it weighed a ton. he hesitated, then added again, smaller, “jiejie, i’m really sorry.”

meixing let out a small sigh, the kind that was more exhausted than frustrated. she softened immediately, stepping closer and cupping his face gently between her hands.

“don’t beat yourself up about it.” she said quietly, trying to ease the guilt that was seeping off him.

he nodded slightly, but still looked miserable.

she let go and nudged him lightly toward the door. “it’s late. you should go to bed.”

“okay,” he mumbled, slowly backing out. then, after a beat, he added hopefully, “i really am sorry. you can kiss him after i leave!”

meixing let out a soft, breathy laugh despite everything, shaking her head as warmth crept back into her face. the moment felt both gone and painfully unfinished.

“maybe.” she said weakly, not entirely convincing even to herself.

anxin sighed sadly, kissed meixing on the cheek to say goodnight and left her room after that, his feet dragging him to his own room.

meixing shut the door softly after him, casting one look at the bathroom door, the shower now running, and shook her head to herself.

she went back to putting her things away, her throat hurting as she gripped back tears, needing to finish and go to bed as soon as possible.

she didn’t know why tears were forming, it was just a stupid kiss. but still, she really wanted it and now the chance slipped by her.

who knew when the opportunity would arise again.

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masterlist

a/n: lol sorry. i'm a bitch

#boys 2 planet #boys ii planet #boys planet 2 #boys planet #lee sangwon #he xinlong #zhang jiahao #zhou anxin #lee leo #kim junseo #kim geonwoo #chung sanghyeon #alpha drive one #ald1 #xue suren #harry june #li zihao #ald1 x oc #ald1 x reader #alpha drive one x reader #ald1 imagines #jiahao x reader #jiahao #arno #arno x reader #boys planet 2 x reader #boys planet x reader #boys planet x oc #ald1 jiahao #ald1 arno

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