Jongdae knew that he was being childish when he wouldn’t answer any calls from Yixing. He knew he was being difficult when he avoided his “boyfriend” like the plague. He knew that he was being stubborn when he told his parents to send Yixing away whenever he came to the door. He knew he was being immature about it, but he couldn’t help himself.

“You have to talk to him,” Chanyeol had said on the phone when Jongdae feigned illness for the third day that week, “You can’t just keep pretending that you have the flu.”

“I can and I will,” Jongdae fake coughed and nearly rolled his eyes at himself.

Chanyeol had sighed in frustration before hanging up.

There were three weeks left of June and that meant there were only three weeks left of being together. A long distance relationship wouldn’t be the same, he knew that, and he was afraid. It made him toss and turn at night, kept him awake during all hours thinking everything over and over. Nothing seemed to change his mind, it was inevitable - they would in the end, break up. He didn’t want that, he didn’t want to lose Yixing.

But he was angry.

He was angry that Yixing hadn’t told him sooner. Angry at Yixing for pretending like this was never going to come to an end. Angry at himself for being so angry at the person he loved most.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Junmyeon said harshly when Jongdae answered the phone with a weak ‘hello?’

“Hyung,” Jongdae whined into the receiver, “I’m not in the mood.”

“You haven’t been to school in almost a week, Kim Jongdae,” Junmyeon was furious, he could tell. The elder had taken a very similar tone with him once before when he had hurt himself at young age, because he hadn’t listened to his hyung. He knew that the fury was a product of Junmyeon’s affection for him, but it still made him feel awful. It took a lot to get him mad.

“So?”

“SO?!” Junmyeon’s voice cracked and Jongdae knew he was in for it, “Have you no heart?! Your boyfriend has been moping around the school for the past week! He’s cried so much over you that the guidance counsellors sent him home for a destress day. He’s an absolute miserable mess and he hasn’t slept in forever. You NEED to see him at once. That’s an order.”

“Boyfriend…” Jongdae whispered, he was stuck on the word.

Boyfriend. Yixing was his boyfriend. He loved him, loved him so much. He swallowed hard, the feelings becoming too intense for him as the tears spilled down his cheeks and soaked his pillow. He mumbled a quick ‘I have to go,’ to Junmyeon before hanging up quickly. His heart felt like it was at it’s breaking point… He needed to see Yixing before their time together was over.

✐✐✐

Jongdae took a deep breath standing outside of Yixing’s dorm room on campus for the transfer students. He had bumped into Kris just outside who let him in and told him that Yixing hadn’t been looking too well for the past couple of days. The words he had use were something like, ‘he looks like the walking dead.’ It made the guilt in Jongdae’s heart increase to the point that his whole body was shaking with regret and he wanted to fix this problem. Needed to fix this problem, for Yixing.

“Yiyi!” Jongdae called softly outside of the boy’s door, “Please, open up…”

His small knocks echoed in the empty halls of the dormitory, the silence was almost overbearing. There was a small shuffling, he could hear from the other side of the door, of feet scuffing against carpet. Someone cleared their throat and he watched in anxiety as the doorknob slowly turned and the door creaked open just a tad.

“J-Jongdae?” Yixing whimpered, squinting into the brightness of that hall lights.

There stood Zhang Yixing in a pair of boxers and a long-sleeve t-shirt that was much too large on him. His hair was in complete and total disarray and his face was unusually pale. He looked sick. Eyes puffy and red, dark circles stretching just beneath, slumped shoulders and cracked lips greeted him - he really did look like the walking dead. The guilt in Jongdae’s heart only grew at the sight. This was all his fault and he hated himself for it.

“Yixing,” Jongdae gasped and reached with an unsteady hand to caress the elder’s face, “Yixing-hyung…” his voice cracked, tears b in his eyes as Yixing leaned into the touch of his warm hand.

Yixing tried to open his mouth, tried to speak, but his voice cracked and he started sobbing heavily, falling forward and into Jongdae’s arms. Jongdae didn’t hesitate in catching Yixing and holding onto him as the elder cried into his shoulder, trembling fingers onto the front of the younger’s shirt.

“Yixing-hyung, I am so, so sorry,” Jongdae whispered, hands rubbing soothing circles into Yixing’s back, “I didn’t mean to-” he sniffled, “to make you like this…”

Yixing shook his head, “No,” he croaked, “You were upset, I understand,”

Jongdae wiped at the tears in his eyes, “No, Yixing, I should have listened to you, I should have given you a chance to explain…”

There was a creaking down the hall that cut off their words and they both froze in embarrassment. Yixing turned his puffy eyes to see another student smiling awkwardly as he tried to open up his room door. Yixing cleared his throat and stood suddenly, taking Jongdae’s hand in his.

“C-Come in,” he said, leading Jongdae into his room.

As soon as Jongdae entered the room, he turned to look at Yixing. He started speaking, he wanted to apologize over and over again until he earned his boyfriend’s forgiveness. However, a pair of cracked, dried lips met his in a hasty kiss and he gasped as Yixing’s hands pulled him closer and wrapped around his body so they were flush against one another.

“Yiyi…” Jongdae whispered against Yixing’s lips, “What was that for…?”

“You need to stop apologizing, Dae,” Yixing hummed as he closed his eyes and held the younger tight to his body, “I’ve already forgiven you, I was just waiting for you… I missed you…”

“Hyung,” Jongdae’s voice was broken as he tried to accept the easy forgiveness of his boyfriend. He hadn’t been expecting that and it only made him feel worse. He wanted to tell Yixing that he ought to be mad at him, that he ought to make him work for his pardon, but he was so happy to be so loved that he only managed to say, “Hyung, I missed you too.” before Yixing’s lips came crashing down onto his again.

The kiss yelled, ‘I missed you.’

The kiss said, ‘I forgive you.’

The kiss whispered, ‘I love you.’

Everything they wanted to say lay in between the gasps of their lips sliding together.

✐✐✐

The last month of school was filled with studying and exams. There was no issue of The Monarch Times going into print so that the students could all focus on their work. It was a long two weeks filled with reviewing terms in the library, practicing equations while lying on the floor and writing tests in the overly heated gymnasium. It ended faster than it had all started, though, and that was what made Jongdae so upset.

One week. They had one week left before Yixing would return home to China. They spent that time together, fingers laced and smiles plastered on their faces like it was not about to end. They pushed the thought of leaving to the back of their minds, they didn’t want it to ruin their last week with each other.

However, behind the laughter, they both knew. Perhaps that’s why the held each other’s hands tighter, hugged longer and kissed harder.

“I don’t want to go home,” Yixing sighed heavily as they watched the rain from inside a cafe, “I’m going to miss being here too much.”

Jongdae’s fingers played with the ones linked between his as he took a sip of the coffee Yixing had bought for him, “I’m going to miss having you here. It won’t be the same.”

“Change can be good though, right?” Yixing asked, sad eyes turning to look at Jongdae who nodded solemnly.

“It can be good,” he agreed, a loneliness filled his chest as their eyes met, “I’ll still miss you. I’ll still miss the way it was…”

Yixing squeezed Jongdae’s hand, “We’re still going to try and make this work.”

Jongdae smiled, “Of course, hyung.”

“And if it’s too much, well, we can-”

“Shush,” Jongdae hushed him, “That goes without saying, but we don’t need to think about that yet.”

Yixing nodded and smiled shyly, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Time only seemed to fly from that point onwards. The day before Yixing had to depart, the newspaper club held a going away party for him. Chanyeol had shed a few tears, but blamed it on the dust in the ‘godforsaken club room.’ Everyone had laughed and had a genuinely good time, Yixing never let Jongdae leave his side once.

“Let’s take a photograph!” Baekhyun suggested.

He quickly set up his camera on it’s tripod and angled it so that everyone could make it into the shot. With a press of a button he had the timer set and ran to join the group. He pushed himself in between Jongdae and Sehun, throwing his arms around their necks with a toothy grin. Yixing and Jongdae linked their hands together and Sehun leaned against Chanyeol, a soft smile on his face as the taller rested his hand on his shoulder. Minseok and Junmyeon stood at the side, arms wrapped around each other’s waists and the younger managed to hook his free arm with Yixing’s.

“Say ‘Monarch’!” Baekhyun cried as the red light on the camera blinked and the flash went off with a half-yell, half-laugh from all the boys of the word.

The day at the airport was no different from any other day. Yixing checked his luggage in at the counter and returned with his plane ticket in his mouth while trying desperately to carry his guitar in one hand and his bookbag in the other. Jongdae laughed at snatched the ticket from his mouth.

“What will I do without you?” Yixing chuckled.

Jongdae shrugged, “I think I should just go with you.” he said with a wink.

Yixing laughed louder, “Will you come with me?”

“I wish.” Jongdae said trying to pull Yixing in for a hug.

“Me too.” he sighed and dropped his things to his side so he could wrap his arms around the younger, “I’m going to miss this the most,”

“Crushing me?” Jongdae coughed.

Yixing giggled and Jongdae closed his eyes and smiled at the feeling of the elder’s chest rumbling with laughter, “Just you in general.”

Jongdae leaned up and kissed Yixing, it was sweet and airy, but they were unwilling to part. They held onto each other for as long as they could until someone beside them cleared their throat.

“The others are almost done going through security,” it was the teacher in charge of transfer students from China, “You should hurry along now too.”

Yixing nodded and gulped, eyes still glued to Jongdae, “I’ll call you as soon as I land.”

“Promise?” Jongdae asked, hooking their pinkies together.

“I promise.”

Jongdae watched with a heavy heart  as Yixing walked away, guitar clutched in his hands and bookgbang hanging off of his shoulder.

The ‘goodbye, hyung’ that he whispered went unheard, but it was probably better that way.

✐✐✐

Inside a small, dusty room across campus sat a distressed senior student. He had been staring at his laptop’s screen all morning, reading and re-reading his ‘Letter From The Editor.’ He couldn’t suppress the heavy sigh that escaped his lips as he leaned back in his chair, hands stilling on the tops of the keyboard. He wasn’t sure if the words flowed the way he had wanted them to.

A sound startled him, a slight buzzing of his cellphone as it vibrated on the table. He smiled as he saw the caller ID.

“Hello.” his voice was scratchy with sleep.

“Hey, Jun,” Minseok’s voice sounded happy on the other end of the line.

“Are you all settled into your dorm now?” Junmyeon asked, stretching out his legs and using the table as a stool, “Must be nice?”

Minseok chuckled, his voice mildly staticy, “Yeah… Would be nicer if you were here.”

“Mm,” Junmyeon agreed, “I’ll be there next year, hyung.”

“You’d better be here,” Minseok laughed, but Junmyeon could hear the sadness in his voice, “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

There was a pause of crackling before Minseok spoke again, “How is Jongdae doing?”

“Who knows?” Junmyeon shrugged as if the other was in the room with him, “I haven’t heard from him in a while.”

Minseok clucked his tongue, “Should be an interesting school year, don’t you think?”

Junmyeon laughed as he looked back at the article opened on his laptop’s screen. There was a blurry photograph on the front page of a group of seven young boys who looked like they were having the time of their lives. Underneath, the caption read: “The Monarch Times newspaper team 2014-15 (from L-R): Kim Minseok (layout & graphic design), Kim Junmyeon (editor in chief), Zhang Yixing (co-editor), Kim Jongdae (reporter), Byun Baekhyun (photographer), Oh Sehun (journalist), Park Chanyeol (reporter).

“I think you might be right, hyung.”

“Give everyone my best.”

“Of course.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The call ended with a click after an embarrassing game of ‘no, you hang up first,’ that had ended in Minseok’s roommate taking the phone and hanging up for him. Minseok had to text him to apologize. Junmyeon merely chuckled before looking back at the article on his screen. He frowned as he chewed on his bottom lip nervously. He felt a bit of sadness in his heart as he decided that this was it - the last one. He pressed the submit button cautiously and watched as the loading bar filled to 100%, sending the very last issue of The Monarch Times to print.

✐✐✐

Kim Jongdae ♡
Good morning hyung! I hope you have a good first day of school!

Me
Morning Dae ^-^ Thank you!

Kim Jongdae ♡
I miss you :(

Me
I miss you too ╥﹏╥

Kim Jongdae ♡
Call me when you get home, okay? I have a surprise for you

Me
A surprise? lol okay Dae ^o^

Kim Jongdae ♡
I’ll talk to you later… I love you >‿‿◕

Me
Hehehe I love you too ≧◡≦

“Hey, Yixing!” The person calling out his name startled him from his text message.

“Oh, hi Xiumin-ge,” Yixing blinked at his friend, “What’s up?”

“Listen to this kid,” Xiumin chuckled, “I haven’t seen you since junior high and you ask me ‘what’s up?’”

Yixing grinned, “Sorry, hyu - uh - ge. How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been good,” he laughed and sat down next to Yixing, “I heard you were pretty popular on the school newspaper while you were in Korea.”

“Mm,” Yixing nodded, “The newspaper wasn’t as popular, but it was fun.”

“Why don’t you start one at this school?” Xiumin suggested and Yixing almost snorted at the notion.

“Here?” He asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“I’d join!” Xiumin laughed, “I’m pretty good with computers, I could hand the layout work. And I have a few friends who would probably be interested too.”

“Really?” Yixing considered the idea for a moment and then shrugged, “Worth a shot, right?”

“Shall we meet with the director?” Xiumin beamed, hooking his arm around Yixing’s and leading him towards the office, “And then you can tell me all about who Jongdae is.”

Yixing blushed, “Were you reading my messages?!”

Xiumin chuckled and winked, “You can’t hide anything from your ge.”

Mr. Liu, the director of the Arts Institute for boys, smiled when he looked up from the transfer papers on his desk to see Yixing and Xiumin entering his office. They bowed and he pushed his glasses up on his face, gesturing to his chairs for them to take a seat. Mr. Liu sat back and settled his hands on the top of the papers.

“I heard from my secretary that you two boys are looking to start a new club?” The man leaned forward, “Do you have a pitch?”

Yixing nodded, “Sir, we were hoping, if it were at all possible, to start a newspaper…”

“A newspaper?” The man sounded surprised, “I’m afraid I cannot allow that.”

“Oh,” Yixing blinked.

“You see, someone has already asked to start a newspaper here. Just this morning in fact. If you’re interested in a newspaper, it’s best if you talked to him.”

“Where can we find him?” Xiumin asked.

“He’s a new student, he won’t be hard to miss. He’s actually from Korea, so you might be of some assistance to him, Yixing. Since you did the same program as him before. He’s checking out the club room that I gave him the keys to. Room 1004.” Mr. Liu grinned as the two boys thanked them for his time and left the room.

“Shall we go see him then?” Xiumin asked, bumping shoulders with Yixing, ‘If he’s new, he’s going to have a hard time finding people to join him.”

Yixing nodded, “Let’s go, ge!”

Xiumin and Yixing giggled a lot on their way down the hall. They had so many years to catch up on and it seemed like that had so little time in which to do it.  Room 1004 came into view, the numbers were faded on the old wooden door that was left slightly ajar. From within the room, Yixing could hear coughing and the moving of desks and chairs - the new student was definitely in there. Or a janitor of some sort.

It was Xiumin who gently pushed open the door, but Yixing who walked in first, only to stop dead in his tracks. The new student looked up at him as if he’d been caught, a familiar feline smile forming on those sweet lips that Yixing had grown to know so well. The boy straightened out his uniform and bowed.

“Hello,” he said in a hushed tone.

The shock was clear in all the features of Yixing’s face. It was obvious he couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or not, “J-Jongdae?” he stuttered.

Jongdae laughed and ran to Yixing, throwing his arms around the elder, “Surprise, hyung.”

Surprise was an understatement. Nonetheless, Yixing couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face as he wrapped his arms around Jongdae’s waist and fit their lips together in a kiss that neither of them wanted to end ever.

THE END

WOW. Okay, so, I'm sorry that this ending was so rushed and entierly unedited like every other update, but what's new? I don't know what happened there... It's over, I almost cannot believe it. Anyway, /points to the next chapter/ everything I want to say is over there so just go ahead and jump on over ^-^