Chapter Text
In retrospect, Doyoung thinks he could have never even guessed the things that unfolded in this particular day. Sure, he has a vivid fantasy, plus an unbeatable IQ, but seriously. Who could have guessed that his charmed alarm would decide to develop a life of its own and travel to America? Who could have guessed that the moving stairs in his path changed up, so that he had to take a detour through the whole castle? Who would have guessed that he'd pass his maybe very huge crush Jung Jaehyun in the hallway and spill all his books, as he runs into a post?
That's right: no one.
Which is why, the fact that he is now running through the furthest corner of the castle is to mildly state: Not planned. His pace is rushed and there's already a good amount of sweat building on his brow, because he is trying to at least only be thirty minutes late to class, instead of a whole hour. What a joke. Of course, he could have just given up and sat down in the courtyard to wait for his next class. But this is Kim Doyoung, who we're talking about. THE Kim Doyoung doesn't give up, miss a class or get confronted with unexpected events.
Then again, the latter gets to be proven wrong in the strangest sort of way. He's almost at the plant house, where his next class is supposed to happen. When he turns the corner, with the uncontrollable speed of a stressed teenager, he collides with something. His butt meets the ground and he groans in pain. Except, there's something muffling the sound. It takes him a second, but Doyoung is pretty sure there is a kneazle in his face.
Yes, a kneazle.
"I am SO sorry. Are you hurt?" The kneazle is lifted from his face, wiggling to escape an expert grip.
Doyoung looks up and his eyes almost pop out of his skull. There, above him, with the biggest eyes he's ever seen, stands Lee Taeyong.
Now, for greenhorns, Lee Taeyong is the epitome of the classic school's crush. The one unfairly handsome guy that everyone thirsted after at some point. The one student who always seems to know the answer to absolutely every question thrown his way, no matter if he listened to the teacher or not. Every girl in Hogwarts has at least confessed their undying love to him once and, even if it's not talked about as much, so has every guy (some dude named Chittaphon holds the record with fabled sixteen times). Taeyong somehow managed to become the one perfect character in every bad teenage drama, YangYang ever made him watch instead of studying.
Here's the thing: Perfect boys like Lee Taeyong don't run around with a kneazle in their arms. They should be disgusted with the mere prospect of a magical creature, not to mention; it's absolutely forbidden to keep one within the castle. No, the Taeyong Doyoung knows is distant, always within his circle of friends and absolutely untouchable. The kind of man that wouldn't even glance Doyoung's way (like Taeyong's best friend and Doyoung's maybe very huge crush Jaehyun – thanks for nothing).
"I- I'm fine." The stuttering is only mildly embarrassing, considering Doyoung has a very valid right to be confused, "What do you- when did- wh-" he huffs and gets to his feet, "Why the heck do you have a kneazle?"
"I, uh... found it?" Another thing that manages to convince Doyoung that Taeyong might have a twin; Lee Taeyong NEVER stutters. Never. Ever.
Ever.
"Found it." Doyoung frowns, "Sure."
Taeyong presses the kneazle a bit closer to his chest and it licks over his chin. Doyoung expects the boy to drop the poor thing in disgust right away, but the expected never comes, "He was hiding in... the library! Yeah, the library, I swear."
Like the sassy wizard he likes to pretend he is, Doyoung crosses his arms in front of his chest and pops a hip, "You do realize that the direction of the exit, which leads to a very green and big forest, where you could just set this poor thing free", he points a finger in the opposite direction of where Taeyong was headed from, "is in that direction, right?"
Okay, maybe he's letting his pent up frustration about Jaehyun out on this unlucky guy now, but Doyoung is pretty sure Taeyong's huge ego can shield him from being hurt for longer than a second. At least that's what he thought. The shy blush on Taeyong's cheeks is just as unexpected as the rest of the whole wizard on this day.
"I was just going to... uhm." Taeyong's eyes glance behind Doyoung. Where he knows a direct path to the Slytherin dorms would be.
The realization dawns upon him with all kinds of different emotions. He settles with surprised amusement for a healthy balance; "You... were going to keep it weren't you?"
Taeyong's eyes become unbelievably bigger, "You won't tell anyone, right? Please, promise you won't tell anyone!"
"You're keeping a magical creature in the Slytherin dorms, I don't see a reason NOT to tell anyone."
Taeyong pouts and mumbles: "How about not being a dick?"
"How about being rational?" Doyoung shoots back, "kneazles aren't pets, Lee. He could end up hurting someone."
Taeyong looks down at the little ball of fluff with a frown. His lips are set into a thoughtful pout and Doyoung can almost see the wheels turn in his mind. When he looks up, Doyoung is taken aback. This guy doesn't even look like Lee Taeyong anymore, it's just another fluffy animal with big, pleading eyes. Who would have thought the ever-handsome, mysterious Taeyong could look like a kicked puppy. Doyoung thinks that it's hardly fair for someone to be able to look this hot and cute at the same time. After that, he mentally kicks himself for thinking Taeyong is cute. Then, a second time for thinking he's hot.
After enough silence on Doyoung's part, Taeyong's shoulders deflate visibly and his usual, cool demeanor returns into its place. It's as much relieving as Doyoung realizes it's disappointing, "I should... really let him out, huh?"
"It'd be the best." Doyoung agrees.
He finds that he feels guilty all of a sudden and wonders why. He's done the right thing, Taeyong would be an idiot to keep the poor thing around the castle. Not only is Hogwarts bigger than a shopping mall but there's also the factor of a few hundred students stomping around the grounds. Doyoung would neither want to see one of them being bitten, nor the poor kneazle to be stepped on.
"Will you help me set it free?"
For a moment, Doyoung is too stunned once again by the question to react. Taeyong just keeps surprising him. Then he deadpans: "Why? It's not hard. You go outside. You kneel down. You put it on the ground. You let go. Done."
Taeyong rolls his eyes and in the blink of an eye, he becomes the Taeyong Doyoung knows how to deal with again; egocentric ice prince Taeyong. "I'm not an idiot, Kim. I just..." he huffs and his jaw sharpens impossibly further, as he clenches it. It's frustration, Doyoung realizes. Another expression, he's never seen on Taeyong's face before. "I'm not sure if I can bring myself to go through with... the last step."
It's hard to hold back the disbelieving chuckle that tickles Doyoung's throat, but he manages. This is all very confusing. The person in front of him, feels more foreign to him than a stranger could ever do. He's known Taeyong for the whole five years they've spent together at Hogwarts. They had classes together, crossed paths in the hallways, spotted each other in the dining hall each day. He definitely has had enough time and occasions to build himself an image of Taeyong and this isn´t it.
Admittedly, he doesn't know what to think anymore. Which is unsettling, especially, to a full-blooded Ravenclaw like him. Maybe he's being stubborn but Doyoung refuses to accept that suddenly, after all those years, Taeyong turns out to be a completely different human being. Perhaps, even a decent human being.
He shakes his head. What a joke, "Alright, fine. Just don't force me to actually rip it from your hands."
There's that sleazy grin stretching across Taeyong's lips and Doyoung hates it because, it's that type of smile the Slytherin wears when he gets exactly what he wants. Which is, mind you, way too often the case. Doyoung decides to have mercy in favor of the kneazle still in Taeyong's arms and doesn't punch him in the face.
Together, the two boys rush through the castle. It's still empty and Doyoung realizes belatedly that he just ditched classes in favor of helping Lee Taeyong throw a kneazle into the forest. It's times like these, where he wonders why he's wearing a blue tie in the first place. Then again, there's a reason why Taeyong always gets what he wants. As infuriating as it might be. Doyoung can't pinpoint what it is about the Slytherin but even if you actually hate his guts, one gaze can make you go weak in the knees.
Doyoung musters the boy, as they march down the stone steps in the general direction of Hagrid's. It's ridiculous, how unbothered and serious he manages to look with the most pleased kneazle in the world on his arm. Whenever the small being slips a little from his grip, Taeyong adjusts it in his hold and presses it closer to his chest. Somehow, this is oddly sweet. Another stark contrast to his usual image. Doyoung would like to say he's starting to get used to those surprises, but it still startles him.
They're just reaching the bottom of the stone steps, heading further towards the direction of the lake, when Doyoung speaks up again, "Why did you want to keep it?"
"What makes you think I was going to keep it?"
Doyoung rolls his eyes, "Save it Lee, you're not fooling anyone."
For a moment, it looks like the Slytherin plans to talk back still, but then he huffs and his eyes drop to the kneazle, "I mean, how could you not want to keep it?"
The creature looks up at Taeyong with big eyes, its rosy nose stretching towards the boy's chin. Doyoung has to admit it's one of the cutest things he's ever seen. He can only imagine how soft and warm it would be in one's arms. Like a cat, just a little... better. Still, Doyoung finds the Slytherin's affection towards the kneazle more confusing than endearing. Just a little though. Because, admittedly the way they're staring at each other with equally big eyes is goddamn adorable.
Doyoung shakes his head, averting his eyes, "I suppose you're not wrong, I just..." Taeyong looks up at him and there's that expression again, which Doyoung has yet to figure out, "I didn't think you'd be the kind of guy to be so into cute things."
"Why not?"
Sighing, Doyoung shakes his head and speeds up his steps. Taeyong trails after him with his brows furrowed in confusion, but Doyoung is unwilling to give him the answer that sits in his mind. There is no way Taeyong isn't aware of his reputation. He's probably just asking to hear Doyoung embarrass himself. And Doyoung's pride is anything but small, therefore giving into that, is the last thing he will do.
After several more minutes, they finally reach the lake. Doyoung keeps a safe distance to the edge, careful not to get his uniform full of mud. Taeyong however, doesn't hesitate to step closer to the edge. He's pressing his nose into the kneazle's fur and there's a sound coming from the small creature, which Doyoung can only assume is supposed to resemble a purr. It's obvious how opposed Taeyong is to letting the creature go. For the first time, Doyoung is relieved he came along. Initially, he thought Taeyong being unable to set the kneazle free was a little exaggerated, but looking at him now proves the disturbing truth to him.
"Lee."
"Just touch its fur." Taeyong demands, unfazed by Doyoung's scolding tone.
He steps back to Doyoung, close enough so his arms around the kneazle bump into Doyoung's chest. The Ravenclaw is tempted to step back and whack Taeyong up the head, but instead he regards the boy with a frown. It's then, he realizes, Taeyong wouldn't notice his expression. The boy is way too enraptured in the breathing being in his arms. His eyes are wide with fascination and his lips stretched into a barely visible but fond smile. It breaks Doyoung down and instead of scolding the boy again, he reaches out and runs his fingers over soft fur.
The kneazle is in fact as warm and soft as he had imagined it. Something about feeling its chest move as it breathes beneath his touch has Doyoung's heart flutter. Happiness. A new kind, which he had never felt before.
He looks back up at Taeyong and the understanding seeps into him. Why Taeyong has such a hard time letting his little friend go. Saying goodbye. It's like saying goodbye to an actual new playmate. What Doyoung doesn't understand though, is why he had never had a glimpse of this side of the Slytherin. Because, while Taeyong's usual demeanor equals the kind Doyoung would rather stay away from, this Taeyong seems almost... nice.
Suddenly, as if something broke the spell of calm between them, Taeyong huffs apruptly and steps away from Doyoung. His hand slowly lowering at his side, the Ravenclaw watches as Taeyong kneels down and sets the kneazle down on the ground. It seems confused, looking up at them with perked ears.
Taeyong gets back to his feet and wanders away from the small creature. No hesitation, no regret. Doyoung feels like he's being slapped across the face, as the kneazle makes a small sound and Taeyong doesn't even flinch to look back. The Slytherin merely retraces their steps, back towards the castle.
Doyoung looks at the kneazle, then at Taeyong. He's confused. There's a small urge to call Taeyong back and question him what the hell just happened. Why the hell there seem to be two Taeyong's living in one body. What he is supposed to do with the knowledge of Taeyong's hidden affection. Why the hell he feels so angry all of a sudden, when it was his idea to leave the kneazle here.
Doyoung's fist clench at his sides and as he looks back at the kneazle, it's gone.
--*--
Unsurprisingly, things don't change after that. Taeyong hadn't even waited for Doyoung to catch up, after the kneazle had escaped into the forest and Doyoung hadn't really expected him to. They are back at their old routines. When they cross paths for the first time after the happenings, Doyoung half expects Taeyong to give him a smile. Or even a nod. Any sign of recognition, really. However, all the handsome Slytherin does is walk right past him, never interrupting the story he's telling Jaehyun and Johnny in the process.
Doyoung could say he feels hurt but that's not actually true. He doesn't care what people Lee Taeyong decides to surround himself with, after all he has a lot of assignments to focus on. After two whole weeks pass, without Taeyong even glancing his way, Doyoung even starts to believe this other version of him was just a dream. A very weird and irrelevant dream.
"All I'm saying is that I think three pages of pergament are a little much to assign just for a werewolf's mating cycle." Donghyuck whines, as they make their way to potions class.
Taeil, on Doyoung´s other side, huffs a laugh, "Just you wait until you're in your last year Hyuck. What you're going through right now is child's play."
"Gee, thanks for cheering me on."
"As if you need any cheering from us, when you're in the same building as Mark Lee." Doyoung laughs at his own joke, since no one else does.
Donghyuck's death glare burns a hole into his temple, "It's not funny. This is really getting out of hand."
Doyoung lifts a brow, "Why's that?"
"Well, for one he charmed my bed to grow flowers every morning when I wake up." Donghyuck explains, as they round the last corner on their way.
"But isn't that a cute thing to do?"
"No" Donghyuck deadpans, "Because I have no clue whatsoever, when he was in my dorm room. Much less anywhere near my bed." with the pads of his thumbs rubbing into his temples, Donghyuck gives a tortured wheeze, "He asked me out for the fifth time yesterday and I had to say no again. I have an actual pile of gifts in my closet that I can't get rid of anymore, because no one wants them. On Monday he started singing "I will always love you" in the courtyard, when I just wanted to sit down and read my goddamn books. I just... don't know what to do anymore."
Doyoung purses his lips and shrugs, "You know you could just go out with him."
Donghyuck’s face contorts, as if Doyoung just asked him to run all the way into the forbidden forest and try to make friends with a centaur, "Are you crazy? I can't do that. That's as if Harry Potter went out with Draco Malfoy."
"Listen, just because you're on rivaling Quidditch teams, doesn't mean you have to hate each other." Taeil explains for the umpteenth time.
"That's exactly what it means." They're filtering into the classroom now and Donghyuck’s heated manner draws all the attention of the room to them. Luckily, there's barely anyone here yet, "If I were to date him or anything, I'd feel bad if I smashed him off his broom on the field. My team would suffer and god knows Gryffindor would attack such a weak link like a dog a steak."
Taeil frowns, "Did you just compare yourself to a steak?"
"More like a snack."
Doyoung chuckles and sits down in his usual spot, "It's just a game Donghyuck."
"It's not a game." In that exact moment, Mark Lee enters the classroom and Donghyuck’s ice-cold stare finds him like a radar, "It's war."
"Hyuck!" The boy immediately perks up, "You look so lovely today, have you done something with your hair? It looks so shiny. Oh and the colour of your tie really suits you, good thing you're a Hufflepuff. But I bet you'd fit perfectly in every house, if you tried. Mind if I sit here? Great, thanks."
Doyoung watches with a barely suppressed laughter as Mark keeps blabbing on poor Donghyuck and shoves himself onto the seat next to him. Taeil escapes to his own class, before his own laughter can burst out too loudly and Doyoung is left alone to enjoy the comedy show playing out next to him.
That is, until another figure enters the room. Taeyong looks effortlessly expensive, with his hair styled and his tie loose around his neck. Doyoung notes how the room goes quiet, when he enters and looks around for a seat to take. The indifference he radiates is equal parts infuriating and enticing. Once more, it's so very different from the last time they talked. Maybe Taeyong really hides a second personality under that wild mob of hair.
Unsurprisingly, Taeyong settles in the first row, his usual spot. Just a minute later, Jaehyun enters the room and joins him at his table. The room fills with students and just before the professor enters, Jungwoo slips into the room as well. His hair is disheveled and Doyoung scoffs at the red marks high up on his neck.
"Can you be any more obvious?" Doyoung whisper-shouts, as the Hufflepuff slumps into the seat next to him.
Jungwoo furrows his brows in confusion, but the realization dawns upon him in the form of a deep blush, as Doyoung reaches out to adjust his collar, "Did he-?"
"Is Yukhei some kind of octopus?" Doyoung pokes one of the hickeys and Jungwoo hisses in pain, "These are just getting worse every time."
Jungwoo doesn't get to defend himself, before the teacher shushes them and forces them to pay attention. As the lesson passes, Doyoung falls into full concentration mode, noting down words upon words, until he has several pages filled. Jungwoo gives him a scoffing sound, upon noting his eagerness, but Doyoung ignores him as per usual.
Just when he's in the middle of jotting down the several uses of lavender, a charmed paper bird lands on his page. It's delicate, beautiful magic. As Doyoung eyes it, still stunned, the little thing unfolds, until there's a letter in his lap. Looking around, Doyoung finds Jaehyun look back at him with his infamous smirk. His heart jumps and there's heat climbing to his cheeks. With light speed, his eyes are back on the paper, only to read the words: 'You look cute when you concentrate.'
As if the week hasn't been confusing enough with Lee Taeyong turning out to have several personalities, now Doyoung's crush of three years is sending him such a message? Just like that? He frowns in distrust. Maybe one of his dumb friends slipped and now he knows? That'd probably be the most embarrassing thing ever. Then again, if Jaehyun doesn't start spitting on him in disgust and instead gives him compliments in tiny paper birds, who is he to complain?
Grinning to himself, he takes a piece of pergament of his own. He writes down the lines 'You too, so pay attention ;)' He adds the smiley, just because he's feeling a little more brave than he probably should. Charming the letter into a magical Pegasus, Doyoung leaves out the fact that Jaehyun actually always looks cute and smiles at the Gryffindor, as he receives the note with a tiny laugh.
As Doyoung mirrors the gesture, his eyes catch on Taeyong. He expected the Slytherin to pay focus on class, but his body is turned discreetly, to look at Doyoung as well. When he meets the boy's eyes, Taeyong holds his gaze for an intense second. There is an expression on his face again, something he feels like he recognizes and he's reminded of the way Taeyong had looked at the kneazle in his arms.
However, before he can read too much into it, Taeyong turns back to the front of the class again and Doyoung is left alone, wondering once more.
--*--
"Jaehyun did what?" Donghyuck’s eyes look like they're about to pop out of his skull.
"He flirted with me."
"What the hell."
Doyoung frowns and leans back against the tree, "Don't sound so surprised. I'm a handsome young man, he's a handsome young man. It was only a question of time."
"Only a question of time my ass", Jungwoo giggles, his head comfortably situated in Yukhei's lap, "You've been drooling over this guy ever since his glow up, yet you'd always rather eat a snail than approach him."
"Cause he is completely out of my league, duh." Doyoung explains.
Taeil picks at the grass beneath them, "What was that about 'I'm a handsome young man and he's a handsome young man'?"
After classes finally ended, they had all agreed to gather in the courtyard and spend the afternoon together. Yukhei had joined the group a little later on with an uncharacteristically bashful smile and a handful of hickeys of his own. Jungwoo had only rolled his eyes at the first of many cheeky comments from Donghyuck’s side.
Doyoung eyed the couple with a small smile. He wondered what it would be like to have something like this – a person so close to you, you'd want to spend every minute with them. After class, Jaehyun had immediately approached him, telling Taeyong to go ahead without him. Doyoung had to admit, he was surprised, when Jaehyun left no pickup line unsaid and even made use of his killer smile more often than necessary. He liked to think that the boy really had a special kind of interest in him and that thought made him feel all giddy and warm inside.
This boy would really give him a hard time, in case this works out.
"Man, Lee Taeyong is looking fine as hell again today." Donghyuck comments, unabashedly biting his bottom lip.
Doyoung follows his friend's gaze to find the Slytherin cross the courtyard in quick steps. He seems to be in a hurry, yet his face is blank and controlled. As he passes them by, Taeyong doesn't even lift his gaze. He doesn't greet them. He just ignores everyone. And yes, Doyoung said he didn't mind it, but right now it's making him angry. Maybe, it's because even Jung Jaehyun had tried to talk to him today. Maybe, it's because of that odd look he had sent Doyoung's way today in class. Maybe, it just pisses him off that Taeyong can be so popular despite not making any effort whatsoever.
"Excuse me for a secobd", he mutters, before picking up his bag and taking off after the boy.
His friends' confused eyes are prickling on his nape, but he ignores them in favor of catching up with Taeyong. He seems to be heading for the more abandoned corners of the castle. It's usually a place where couples go to enjoy a little bit of alone time together and Doyoung has the nauseating idea that maybe Taeyong is on his way to a lover of his own. Of course, it would be no surprise if Taeyong turned out to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend. The thing that would be strange though, would be that no one knows about it. Whatever surrounds the tall Slytherin usually fills the gossip of the whole student body (and even some teachers!).
Doyoung hadn't noticed how far he had trailed off into his thoughts, until suddenly, Taeyong turns around a corner and out of sight. The Ravenclaw's eyebrows shoot up and he races down the hallway to catch up. He turns the corner at the same light speed as Taeyong, bumps into a wall and lands on his butt. A warm but still fairly firm wall.
Seems like running into Taeyong is becoming an annoying kind of habit. Although Doyoung wonders whether there is a difference between running into kneazle-Taeyong or ice prince-Taeyong. As he looks up, he decides that there is definitely a difference. Taeyong's eyes are burning down at him and Doyoung momentarily forgets that he's three centimeters taller than the Slytherin. He's not mad, that's relatively sure, this is just Lee Taeyong's default bitchface. Otherwise that would mean that he's pissed 24/7.
"Are you following me?" Taeyong asks then.
Even his voice is different from that time. Somehow, that's the last straw to make Doyoung a little sad. Where Kneazle-Taeyong had been gentle and almost shy, ice prince-Taeyong is cold and arrogant. Even with the excitement-shiver his deep voice sends down Doyoung's back, the Ravenclaw can't help but miss the sweet murmur he had used the other day.
"No. I mean- yeah, kind of?" Doyoung scrambles to get to his feet, "I wanted to talk to you."
Taeyong's brows furrow, "Why?"
Why? Good question Kim Doyoung. Why is he so keen on having a conversation with someone who obviously has no interest in getting to know him at all? He tells himself that it's curiosity. Questions upon questions, all thanks to that day they last talked to each other.
"I've just been wondering, uh", Doyoung fidgets with his sleeves, "why we didn't talk. Afterwards, I mean. I know you've got a busy social life and all, but I guess it would have been nice to at least greet each other in the hallways, you know? I think you can be pretty nice, after all, so I wouldn't mind being friends."
There, he said it. Hearing it out loud right now, is kind of embarrassing but Doyoung decides it would be even worse, if he tried to take it back now. Taeyong musters him in silence. There's something going on in his mind, Doyoung sees it in the way his eyes hush from spot to spot. He's just unsure of what the Slytherin has to contemplate so hard. It's an easy question, right? The more time passes, the more Doyoung wishes he hadn't asked.
Taeyong's voice is dripping with cold indifference, as he finally answers: "I just didn't feel like it was necessary."
Doyoung feels a pang in his heart. It shocks him – that he feels so hurt by the confession, despite not knowing Taeyong at all. He shouldn't care. Should just shrug it off and leave Taeyong stand there on his own, yet all he can do, is bury his nails into his palms and try to calm the fury in his stomach. Who would have thought Taeyong was indeed that fake?
Suddenly, he doesn't care about kneazle-Taeyong anymore. He lowers his head and accepts the bitter truth; namely that this boy, right in front of him, is the actual Taeyong. The Taeyong he would never want to befriend anyways. No, he doesn't even deserve someone like Doyoung. If he wants to continue being on his own, shutting everyone out, then who is Doyoung to stop him? Whatever, let him continue being the ice prince of the castle, no one cares.
He shoulders his bag and straightens up, sniffing back the hurt that flows through him. His eyes lift and Doyoung fixes Taeyong with the steadiest gaze he can muster, "I pity you, Taeyong. You must be really lonely."
Without waiting for any kind of reaction, Doyoung turns away. His legs are wobbly as he strides down the hallways, bringing as much distance between himself and the Slytherin as he can manage. His pulse still thumps in his ears. His heart still weeps, cracked in his ribcage. Kneazle-Taeyong ghosts in his mind, with that small, gentle smile and Doyoung tells him to piss off. He doesn't listen – stays, even as Doyoung returns to his circle of friends in the courtyard and slumps down on the grass. He shouldn't have been so naive. People don't just change in the matter of a day.
Upon spotting the Ravenclaw's expression, Donghyuck pulls him into a hug and Doyoung lets him. Taeil joins them right away, covering Doyoung's open side with warmth as well. Despite everything, Doyoung hopes that Taeyong gets to feel something like this, too, once in a while.