“Don’t eat my fries!”
“Let's sit in that fountain.”
“Hey, I know its late but, can you take me for a ride?”
“Don’t ing tell me what to do.”
“Will you get me that?”
“I want to try smoking.”
“Let's get a matching tattoo.”
“I hate you.”
“I want to see a butterfly up close.”

Jongin never said no.

If Jongin were to ever write a book, it would be titled, ‘10 reasons why I love Do Kyung Soo’. The other has been his best friend since they were 8 and he has been his love interest since they were 14. Jongin never expected himself to swing that way but life is an interesting road full of twists and turns.

Over the years, he had kept his feelings for Kyungsoo locked up deep in his heart and never told a single soul. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, had jumped from relationships to relationships, always turning up at the other’s house in tears after a heart break. And no matter how many times he did that in the middle of the night, Jongin never said no.

10.

One day after school, I met Kyungsoo outside of his faculty building. He majored in accounting and finance and I, in the arts. Although our faculty buildings were on different ends of the campus but I did not mind walking under the blistering summer sun to meet him for lunch. 

According to my ballet instructor, I had to maintain a certain weight but Kyungsoo said he wanted fast food.

I didn't say no. 

We walked through the air-conditioned concourse of the business faculty with barely any words exchanged. Kyungsoo had a bad day. We entered a fast food restaurant that had a branch in the art faculty too. The queue was long as it was lunch time for the business students. I didn’t complain as Kyungsoo told me what he wanted and then proceeded to take a seat first. I would queue and pay for him because I will never say no to Kyungsoo.

After ordering, I balanced the tray on my hands, squeezed my way through the crowded restaurant and somehow made it to the table that Kyungsoo was seated at. He frowned a little but said nothing. I apologized for the wait.

We started eating and Kyungsoo took his first bite without waiting for me – we had a tradition of sharing the first bite at the same moment. It must have slipped his mind. I let that pass as we (mostly Kyungsoo) talked over the meal, he told me what ruined his day and absent-mindedly, I picked up his fries and put it into my mouth. He slapped my hand with his greasy fingers and exclaimed, “Don’t eat my fries!”

I smiled sheepishly.

“You know I’m just helping you watch your weight.”

I nodded. He was lying.

Kyungsoo just really liked his fries.

9.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon and we were cycling at a park. I was drenched in sweat as I pedalled up a small hill with Kyungsoo riding pillion. He was humming softly with the cicadas while I was panting loudly like the waves crashing on a nearby beach.

“Why are you even so tired?” He asked with a slight snicker and swept his hair back from his face.
“Well,  it is a little hot.” I got off the bicycle and leaned it against a nearby tree and stood under it’s shade for awhile before Kyungsoo called out from a little away.
“Since its so hot, let's sit in that fountain.”
Any normal person would go “Are you ing kidding me?” But all I did was complied, I never said no.

Sitting in a fountain on a hot summer day in a busy park was a refreshing experience.

Kyungsoo was a genius.

8.

It was the mid-semester exam week and yes, art students do have exams too. I was up late trying to finish the last bit of my coursework before the exam the next day when my phone’s vibration shattered my concentration.
Do Kyung Soo, the caller ID read. I picked it up without hesistation, I would never miss a chance to hear his soothing voice.

“Hey, I know its late but, can you take me for a ride?”
“Okay. I’ll pick you up in a few.”
“I’m outside your house already.”
“Be right there.”

It was common for Kyungsoo to turn up at my place unexpectedly in the middle of the night but his request to take him out for a ride was a first.

Kyungsoo was full of surprises.

7.

On my bicycle, I rode him around the neighbourhood as I listened to him talk about nothing of consequence. He spoke in this carefree manner as if it was not the exam week and his grades did not matter.

“Maybe I should drop you off at home and you should get ready for your papers. I don’t know, man. But Soo, I think you should focus more on your studies then fooling around. This isn't the right time.”

“What are you? My mother? Don’t ing tell me what to do.”

Kyungsoo had a way with his words.

6.

The exam week was long over and Kyungsoo and I have yet to have a proper conversation. We went about our daily routines, our days ending with me sending Kyungsoo home in silence. We were on the way to Kyungsoo house, on the normal route that we take habitually, when he stopped in front of a homely flower shop that I had never paid attention to.

“Will you get me that?” He mumbled under his mouth as he pointed to a potted plant – apparently geraniums.

“In a breath.” I replied with curved lips, glad that he was speaking to me again.

We parted in front of his house with him hugging the potted plant almost childishly as he waved me goodbye.

Kyungsoo had this childlike innocence in him.

5.

Kyungsoo was wearing a beanie that day when we went out. He had his fringe out of the way, his bright round eyes looking around curiously. We were heading out to a museum as I wanted to check out an artist’s work when Kyungsoo stopped at the mouth of an alley.
“C’mon, let's go Kyungsoo.” Tugging his wrist, I peered into the suspicious alley with a few teens smoking along the walls. He allowed himself to be tugged along but of course, he did not remain silent.
“Y’know, I’ve never tried smoking before.”
“Are you kidding me right now, Do Kyungsoo?”
“I’m serious. I want to give it a shot. Since we are all going to die any way. Doesn’t matter if it’s sooner or later, right?”
As usual, I complied, watching him choke on his first puff as I toyed with the cigarette in between my fingers, subsequently throwing it onto the floor.

Kyungsoo was always trying out new things, never stagnant.

4.

I was napping at home when Kyungsoo dropped by.
“Jongin-ah!” He shook me by my shoulder, “wake up!”
I groaned and frowned at him with sleep in my eyes. With a hoarse voice I mumbled, “What do you want?”
“Let's get a matching tattoo!”
“What????”
“Temporary tattoos! I got this at a gachapon machine!” He waved a small capsule in front of my face excitedly.
Groaning, I got dragged out of bed by Kyungsoo and into the toilet beside my room. We sat on the dry floor as he cracked open the capsule, spilling the different tiny tattoo designs onto the tiled floor.

“Choose one!”
I sifted through the many pieces and pointed to one I liked.
“Nah, that isn’t as nice as this.” Kyungsoo slid me a matching design to one he was holding in his palm and I shrugged. I didn’t mind doing what he wanted.

In 10 minutes, we had the same designs stuck on at the exact same spot on our shoulder.

Kyungsoo made me feel like I was special.

3.

“Hey,  Kyungsoo. I have something to tell you.” We were standing on his porch after school when I finally had the courage to raise the topic. 
“Yeah?” He answered curiously, all decked out in black and topped with a beanie.
“I have someone that I like.”
“Oh, relationship advice?”
“Not really… This person that I like, is…”
“Please complete your sentences or I’m going in already.”
“I like… I like you, Kyungsoo.”

The silence settled around us so heavily, I felt my heart stop beating for awhile.
“You…” He started off quietly but his whole body began to shake, “you’re disgusting. I HATE YOU. Get out of my sight.”
I left. 

Kyungsoo never held back with his sharp words.

2.

Kyungsoo stood by the hospital window, watering his potterd geranium, dressed in the standard hospital thin mint pajamas.  He looked slightly bloated and his eyes didn’t sparkle like always.
“Hi.” He said rather monotonously.
“Hi. How are you?”
“Fine, I guess.” He walked to the middle of the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “Jongin, will you bring me out to the garden?

I wheeled Kyungsoo out to the garden behind the hospital, with the sun shining on his pale - almost translucent - skin and the skies clear, I thought I couldn’t ask for a better day.
“Wow! Butterflies!” Kyungsoo smiled as I wheeled him to a stop.  I sat on the bench beside his chair and we spoke again of everything under the sky, none of which had enough significance for me to remember.
“Hey, Jongin-ah. I want to see a butterfly up close. Will you catch me one?”
I pushed myself off the stone bench, slowly stalking towards the brightest coloured one.  Trying to catch a butterfly was tougher than I thought and by the time I was exhausted, I returned with empty hands.
“Sorry, Kyungsoo. I didn’t ge-“

With the sun still shining brightly on his pale face and the skies still an azure blue, Kyungsoo was no longer and I was not there during his last seconds.

Kyungsoo had always been considerate towards the people he loved.

1.

Kyungsoo was not a person you can love. He was difficult and more so during his last days. Demanding, unreasonable and rude, Kyungsoo was not lovable. No, he was not. He was pitiful and pathetic. The last reason to love Kyungsoo?

The cancer that took his last breath away, gave mine back.

His death taught me how to breathe again. 

A/N: And yup. That is about it. A pretty short fic as I was just trying out writing in this style. If you liked it, give it an upvote and drop me a comment and it wouldn't hurt to hit the subscribe button, would it?

In the meantime, enjoy this. Credits to owner :)

Till next time,
❤️Meg