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He sees the albums when he’s helping Ilya unpack his stuff. He had just opened one of the cardboard boxes labeled “living room” in Ilya’s messy handwriting and now he’s face to face with a collection of a, well, collector, that have left him very confused.
“Wait,” Shane says. “What’s all this?”
“Is K-pop,” Ilya says, coming over to look, matter-of-factly, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “I like the music.”
Shane shuffles through the CD collections and scowl. There must be almost 50 or so albums in this box. BTS…TXT…Stray Kids… Seventeen..Enhypen…Ateez, then there’s groups Shane hasn’t even heard of.
“You like K-Pop,” Shane says. He doesn’t ask. Because what even is going on. He’s shuffled through and now gotten to the solo stuff. He’s processing a hundred times slower, trying to figure out exactly why a picture of Jungkook’s pecs is staring back at him. GOLDEN, reads the cover.
“I’ve been getting into it,” Ilya says. “It came on my TikTok FYP. It was catchy. I didn’t know it was fun. But yeah, I’m enjoying it.”
“How long has this been happening?” Shane asks.
“About a year or so,” Ilya says. “Why, what’s wrong?”
“Why’d you never tell me?” Shane asks.
“You’re not even Korean,” Ilya says, frowning. “Is something wrong? You hate K-pop? You spreading Asian hate?”
“No,” Shane says, shaking his head. “Come, let’s sit.”
Shane is still holding the Jungkook album and Ilya carefully takes it from his hand and puts it back in the box, like it’s precious cargo. They sit on the couch, which they've just built.
“You’re treating it so gently,” Shane starts. “Yeah sure, okay.”
“That one has my favorite photocard,” Ilya says. “Also “Yes or No” is banger.”
“Right,” Shane says.
“Okay Shane, what is problem?” Ilya asks. “Are you being… what is the word… woke? You think I can’t have Asian boyfriend and like Asian boy music?”
Shane laughs.
“No oh my god,” he says. “It’s not that at all. It’s just that… you seem so focused on boy groups.”
“Are you jealous?” Ilya says. “I don’t even look that much at the men. I mean I do. Jungkook very pretty. Felix also. Don’t get me started on Yeonjun. And San.”
“No, I’m not jealous,” Shane says, a little too quickly. “It’s just that… if you had to be indoctrinated like this to K-pop, it should have been to girl groups, that’s where all the fun is at.”
“Girl groups?” Ilya says. “No no, I don’t have time. I feel like the girl music isn’t for me.”
“Ilya,” Shane says, shaking his head. “It’s all K-pop. The girls are nicer even. Pretty. Aren’t you bi?”
“You’re too interested in connecting my love for this music to attraction,” Ilya says. “That’s not what this is. I love this music. “Inception” by Ateez has been my pre-match hype song for months.”
“Okay but have you considered,” Shane says. “Twice?”
“I know who they are,” Ilya says. “Jihyo very pretty. I’ve seen Jeongyeon Jimin beef videos on YouTube.”
“Okay but they’re more than that,” Shane says. “Girl groups need us, Ilya. Like, they tend to be a flash in the pan in the sense that they blow up, and then burn out quick like fireworks. Boy groups have the longevity I guess because people love them, and the industry doesn’t value girl groups and so many girl groups have come and gone because people aren’t valuing them enough.”
“You have the serious presentation voice on,” Ilya says.
“I’m serious about my hyperfixations,” Shane says. “I mean, this is more than that. I love Itzy so much too. I wanted to look like Ryujin a few years ago.”
“Okay,” Ilya says. “I give you fifteen minutes. Give me list or presentation on why I should consider.”
“Okay,” Shane says. “You can unpack this stuff while I do it.”
“Yes,” Ilya says. “I have very specific order to my albums. You won’t get it.”
Shane rolls his eyes.
Fifteen minutes later, he comes back with a list on his phone.
“Okay,” Shane says. “I mean, I consulted reddit a bit. I don’t have a lot of time between hockey and stuff to actually have so much reasoning except, they make me happy. They feel…gender to me. They’re smart, they’re more than just looks. And man, they're so talented, they all work so hard to sing and dance at the same time. How do they maintain this? I also love their voices. Higher pitched voices are great. Anyway according to Reddit users, “Boy groups do more dance heavy EDM/Pop stuff in a way that I’m not fond of. Girl groups tend to dabble more in other genres as far as I can tell. Girl songs have more variety in style and genres in other words.””
“I like boy group genre,” Ilya says. “And your Reddit friend is generalizing a little bit. No one yearns like boy group. Play “I Need U” by BTS, even TXT’s latest stuff - Deja Vu, or the Yeonjun solo song “Ghost Girl.” And “Don’t Wanna Cry” by Seventeen.”
“I’m presenting,” Shane says, feigning annoyance. “Don’t interrupt my presentation.”
“Fine,” Ilya says.
“Girl groups do more adlibs and harmonies. More chords,” Shane says. “I don’t know what that means. But I’ll take it. More interesting music video concepts.”
“BTS invented music video concept,” Ilya says.
“BTS is third generation,” Shane says. “I’m sure there were others before them. Girls’ Generation set the blueprint for so much K-pop.”
"Let me fucking show you," Ilya says, and reaches for the TV remote. "Shit fuck this isn't plugged in, one second."
He walks over and plugs his TV. No TV stand yet, they haven't built it. He sits on the floor, and pulls Shane down. He goes to YouTube and searches "Bangtan Universe"
"I don't have time watch all of these," Shane says. "A whole universe?"
"Okay," Ilya says. "Then let's watch Run."
Ilya looks at him expectantly after.
"It was... interesting," Shane says.
"Now Fire," Ilya says.
"Okay but shouldn't we take turns?" Shane asks.
"Sure," Ilya says, and hands him the remote.
"We're gonna watch Dreamcatcher's "Nightmare" series," Shane says. "Starting with Chasing me Part I."
"Okay," Ilya says.
After the video finishes, Ilya says, "This is fun. I still like BTS better."
"I don't think you can judge just from one song," Shane says.
Ilya takes the remote from him. He pauses for a second. He puts down the remote and smiles.
“What?” Shane asks.
“You’re making your heavily concerned, heavily invested face while you make your argument,” Ilya says. “Is hot. I have boner.”
“Shut up,” Shane says, a blush creeping up his face as he looks down towards Ilya's shorts.
“Look,” Ilya says. “I think there’s a nice way to settle this debate. Why don’t we make a combined playlist? And then I’ll fuck you to it. And we can both enjoy our music.”
“That doesn’t make much sense because we’ll be busy—”
“Are you saying no to sex?” Ilya asks.
“Nope,” Shane says, and grabs his phone to open Spotify.