Five minutes until lunch, the clock in the classroom told Vernon. Vernon started tapping his pen against the desk, wondering how much low fat ice cream even cost. Seungkwan had said something about it being in the cafeteria at lunch as they were walking from the cafe to school that morning.

Four minutes. The girl behind him asked him to stop tapping. She was trying to concentrate. Who could concentrate when they had to race to the cafeteria to buy low fat ice cream as soon as the bell went? Maybe she wasn't, but others were. Be considerate, lady.

Did she know how much the low fat ice cream cost?

Three minutes. Vernon could hear her talking to her seatmate and zipping up her pencil case. Concentrating my , maybe on her gossip, Vernon thought. He started tapping again just to spite her. She was probably already packed up, anyway.

Was she potential competition for the last small tub of low fat ice cream? Was that why she was already packed up? Vernon would fight tooth and claw for that last tub, if he had to.

Two minutes. Why was time going by so slowly? Was that someone chewing gum he could hear? Vernon wouldn't fight tooth and nail for the last tub, he'd be the first out the class room and among the first thirty in the cafeteria. But how? He wasn't close to the door.

A minute and a half. Maybe he could convince the teacher to let him out early? But how? Claiming his bladder was going to explode wouldn't work. Nor would just asking, obviously. The girl asked him to stop tapping again. Didn't she understand he was worrying out of his mind?

One minute. His pen had given him an idea. What if he shoved it up his nose? A blood nose would get him sent to the nurse. A small part of his mind told him it was a stupid idea, he wouldn't be able to stand in line to buy the ice cream if he had blood spurting out his nostril.

Forty five seconds. Vernon scrambled to get his stuff packed up. It looked like he was doing this the old fashioned way - running for it. Bolting out the classroom as soon as the bell sounded, ignoring his teacher's "I dismiss you, not the bell!". Probably earn himself detention.

Thirty seconds. His leg started bouncing, anticipation filling his bloodstream. He could do this, detention didn't matter. It'd be worth the look on Seungkwan's face when Vernon presented the small tub of low fat ice cream to him.

Twenty five. Chan cleared his throat.

"Vernon?"

Vernon shook his head. He didn't have time for this. Didn't have time to talk to Chan for the first time since the younger had stopped whatever they were. For the first time since Chan got his girlfriend.

Vernon had to focus on -

Fifteen seconds!

Focus on getting the low fat ice cream for Seungkwan. Focus on being the first out of the classroom.

Ten. "Vernon, can we talk?"

Nine. Vernon shook he head again.

Eight. "I'm over you, really."

Seven. "Minghao wants you to sit with us again."

Six. "He says it doesn't have to be all the time."

Five. Chan sighed.

Four. "I miss having more than one friend at school."

Three. "You can make more."

Two. Vernon may have been too harsh.

One. Vernon tensed his body, ready to leave.

The bell. Vernon pushed back his chair to stand up. He smashed his knees into his desk in his haste, and fell backwards into his chair.

The whole class laughed, and the girl behind him ruffled his hair patronisingly as she walked past. Even the teacher chuckled.

Vernon stood up.

"Not so fast, Mr Chwe. Stay back an extra ten minutes." Vernon fell back down onto his seat ungraciously. His teacher would want an explanation.

Vernon watched Chan erase pencil off his desk. After Chan left, looking dejected, the teacher leaned back on the desk in front of Vernon's.

"Any explanation for your strange actions?"

Vernon's thoughts whirred. Was this something he could actually explain? Would the teacher understand? Vernon decided to just go with it and tell the truth. Surely she'd been a teenager with a boyfriend one time, right?

"I wanted to buy my boyfriend low fat ice cream before it sells out in the cafeteria," he admitted.

Vernon's teacher stood up. "They're probably all gone by now. Next time, just stand up normally and leave swiftly. You can go."

Chan and Minghao were at the bags. Minghao looked very excited, while Chan was shuffling awkwardly, his eyes trained on the floor.

"I've got something to thank you for!" Minghao announced, beaming. Vernon gave a halfhearted smile while he dug through his bag for his lunch. "Jun arranged for him and me to visit our families in China after I've graduated!"

Vernon finally got his lunch, and started walking towards the staircase he sat at for lunch. "Why do you have to thank me for that?"

Minghao bounced as he walked alongside Vernon. Chan was dragging his feet behind them. "He said you told him I was getting kind of desperate to have with him and he booked hotel rooms instead of us staying with our families."

Vernon shrugged. "I told him the truth. No big deal."

"Feel welcome to come sit with us whenever you want - it gets boring being third wheel to Chan and his girlfriend."

Minghao thanked him again before dragging Chan off to the nearest exit. It looked like Jun was dropping food off for him again.

Vernon sighed as he reached the staircase. Dokyeom and Seungkwan were already there. "Seungkwan, will you drop food off for me next year like Jun does for Minghao?"

Seungkwan snorted. "I can't cook and I won't be able to drive here. So no," he said around a plastic spoon. He took it out of his mouth, a small amount of ice cream still on it. At least Seungkwan had been able to get a tub. "Besides, I might not even be in Seoul much of next year, remember? Come here, you have gum in your hair."

Vernon swallowed as he sat down, he hadn't even heard the gum bit. "Right, sorry. I just assumed you'd always be around. I forgot you don't know what you want to do next year."

Dokyeom choked on his noodles. "You were serious about that? I thought it was just uncertainty talking."

Seungkwan shrugged and put another spoonful of ice cream in his mouth, then reached over to try work the gum out of Vernon's hair. "I don't know. It wouldn't be too long - a few months, tops. But I want to find out who I am without Vernon."

Mingyu coughed as he sat down, two trayfuls of food in front of him. "That's going to have to be cut out, Vernon. I'll do it after I've eaten."

Vernon looked to Mingyu, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Get what cut out?"

Mingyu sighed. "A giant wad of gum. Anyway, Seungkwan, you don't need to 'find out who you are without Vernon', you two'll be together forever. You're soulmates." Mingyu wolfed down half of the food on his first tray before speaking again. "Unless you're actually going overseas because you want to fool around with other people?"

Seungkwan looked outraged. "No! I finally have him, why would I want to do that?"

"Can you cut out the gum without needing to cut the rest of my hair?" Vernon piped up.

Mingyu shook his head to Vernon's question, glee in eyes, and chewed quickly to answer Seungkwan's question. "Exactly. You have him, you know he isn't going anywhere. He's kissed other people, maybe you want to even the score? Have you talked to him about how much your lack of experience compared to him bothers you?"

Seungkwan stood up and pulled Mingyu with him.

Vernon stayed seated on the cold step, tempted to follow them. (Suddenly, he'd forgotten about the gum in his hair.) He knew he shouldn't, Mingyu had probably said something he shouldn't have and was getting his ear chewed off about it.

"I'm still stuck at Seungkwan not being around next year. Have you two talked about it?" Dokyeom slurped his noodles.

"There isn't anything to talk about. It's his decision, and I'm just going to support him in whatever he decides to do after you guys graduate."

Dokyeom sighed and put down his noodles. "What if he became a stripper overseas? Would you support that?"

"Seungkwan wouldn't become a stripper." The idea was ridiculous to Vernon, his soulmate dancing around and taking off his clothes for a living. Seungkwan liked attention, sure, but that kind of attention?

"What about if he got into a relationship with someone while he was overseas? Or fell in love with wherever he was and didn't want to leave?"

"I don't think he'd do that first one - he's got me. If he didn't want to leave, I'd follow him. Move wherever he wants."

Dokyeom shook his head. "You have feelings, too. Support him, great. Just remember to tell him what you think and feel about things."

Vernon laughed, how was Dokyeom giving him advice? "How'd you get so wise? Where'd our joking DK go, making puns about horses?"

Dokyeom picked up his noodles and continued eating. "I hear a lot; Junghan's relationship with his soulmates isn't perfect, and Jun knows heaps about relationships - studying to be a soulmate specialist and all. I have my moments."

Seungkwan and Mingyu came back moments later, Seungkwan with his tail between his legs.

"As I was saying," Mingyu picked up a roll of kimbap. "Seungkwan, you need to talk to Vernon about wanting praise, guidance, and reassurance when it comes to your relationship with him. Not now, later."

Vernon cleared his throat loudly. "Kwannie?"

Seungkwan looked at him and hummed.

"Would you ever be a stripper?"

Seungkwan's eyes widened, Dokyeom choked on his noodles, and Mingyu sprayed rice, seaweed, and whatever else was in the wrap all over his other tray of food.

"You aren't supposed to ask," Dokyeom coughed out.

"Why'd you ask with that tone of voice? Is there something wrong with strippers?" Seungkwan asked, eyes narrowed.

Vernon shook his head. "Nothing at all! I just don't like the idea of other people seeing your body like that."

Seungkwan crossed his arms. "It's not something I'd pick for myself, no. Like teaching - I wouldn't do that, either. But I don't think less of strippers than I do anyone else."

"Soonyoung strips every now and then," Dokyeom said conversationally.

"Less about stripping, please. Can we talk about how I can't eat a whole tray of food because there are chunks on everything?"

Seungkwan shot Mingyu a disgusted look. "Ew. No. I want to talk about what we're all doing after school today."

"Middle of the week, so hanging out at the cafe like normal?" Vernon suggested.

Everyone agreed, and decided to meet up at four thirty.

Mingyu pulled a pair of scissors out of nowhere, and motioned for Vernon to move to sit on the step in front of him. Vernon remembered the gum in his hair, and obliged the older boy. "Don't take off too much, please. I'm trusting you." Mingyu giggled, and Vernon heard the foreboding sound of scissors snipping.

("I don't think that's in the list of things we're allowed to do here, actually. How are we going to clean it all up?" Dokyeom mused, all four boys looking at the short locks of hair on the floor.

Mingyu ducked down and picked up a small amount. "Just chuck it in a bin. It can't be the weirdest thing the cleaners'll find today. Just don't get caught."

The other three picked up the rest, Vernon holding the bulk of it - including the bit of gum - and threw it in the closest bin.

"That looks like a lot of hair," Vernim mentioned. Seungkwan patted his shoulder.

"It was too long anyway. It looks fine," he said reassuringly.

"Fine isn't good," Dokyeom snickered.)

***

"Vernon, can we talk?" Chan asked again. The bell signalling the end of school had just rang, and the class had filtered out quite quickly.

"Look, Chan, I don't think we really have anything to talk about. You liked me, I didn't like you but decided to give you a chance because Seungkwan said I should, we dated, I didn't develop feelings for you, I got jealous over Seungkwan, Seungkwan turned out to be my soulmate, you said we should stop seeing each other, you got a girlfriend, I got with Seungkwan." Vernon picked up his pencil case. "See, nothing."

Vernon heard someone clearing their throat pointedly. It sounded suspiciously like Seungkwan. A quick glance to the doorway confirmed it was.

"Kwannie! I was just leaving, Chan wanted to talk but I don't see anyth-"

"Vernon, I don't care if you talk to Chan."

Chan made an indignant noise. "You used to glare at me whenever I tried to talk to him!"

Seungkwan went over and sat on Vernon's desk, and pulled Vernon closer to press a kiss to his cheek. "You were /trying/ to flirt with him, rather badly. I won't mind these days because you have a girlfriend and he's with me." Seungkwan wrapped his arms around Vernon's waist and pulled him so he was sitting on Seungkwan's lap.

"So, Vernon'll sit with you, Minghao, and probably your girlfriend at lunch tomorrow." Vernon started to protest, it wasn't up to Seungkwan to make these decisions for him! "Vernon, you dated him for fun while you got all jealous over me. He deserves an apology and an explanation."

"Boys, school is over. I tolerate you all in here for the first ten minutes of lunch, but you need to leave so I can leave," Vernon's teacher's voice rang through the classroom.

Hurriedly, they got up and rushed out of the room, grabbed their bags, and left the school.

"I'll make sure he sits with you at lunch tomorrow!" Seungkwan called as he and Vernon parted ways with Chan.

Vernon kicked the ground with the toe of his shoe. "Why?"

Seungkwan looped his arm with Vernon's. "He deserves it. And you need a friend I can trust next year, Dokyeom, Mingyu, and I won't be at school. Chan won't try hit on you or try get with you - he knows I'm your soulmate."

"Really?" Vernon linked their hands. "I noticed you showing him I was your territory or something."

Seungkwan shrugged. "I was just showing him you have a boyfriend that loves you."

Vernon stopped. "We agreed on 'adore', Kwannie."

"I do love you, you know. Not, in love, but I still love you."

Vernon continued walking. He didn't want to have this conversation. Seungkwan squeezed his hand. "Mingyu reckons I'm in love with you, though. I thought I was too, but then I saw how selfish I can be, and realised there had to be more balance in our relationship for me to be in love with you."

Vernon didn't answer. (It sounded a little strange, needing balance to be in love but not needing balance to just love.) He just kept walking, trying to figure out if he loved Seungkwan. It was a big word. How did you know if you love someone? If he wasn't in love with Seungkwan (which he wasn't, he adored Seungkwan), then what sort of love would he feel for him?

"You don't have to love me back, or anything. I shouldn't have said it, sorry." Seungkwan forced a chuckle. "What teenagers actually feel love for their boyfriends?"

Vernon pulled his jacket in close. The air suddenly had a bite to it. "Seungkwan, don't. It just shocked me. I think it's stupid when little fourteen year olds throw 'I love you's around thinking their infatuation is love. You," he took a deep breath. "You're my soulmate. If you love me, I can accept that. I probably love you back. Just, not, in love with you. Yet."

Vernon glanced over to see Seungkwan trying to contain a pleased grin. Seungkwan dropped his head and nuzzled into Vernon's shoulder.

"I adore you so much, Hansol Vernon Chwe."

Vernon let out an awkward bark. "I adore you, too, Boo Seungkwan. So much it keeps me up at night."

"So, where are we even going? It's cold and I want to be inside somewhere."

Vernon laughed. Of course Seungkwan had to break a moment like that. "You're bedroom's always a mess, so mine it is."

When they got to Vernon's, nobody seemed to be home. Vernon pulled the spare key out from where they hid it, unlocked the door, and put it back. The two boys took off their shoes and went to the loungeroom. Seungkwan the TV and switched it over to afternoon cartoons.

"What were you talking about with Jihoon yesterday morning?" Vernon asked as he sat down on the couch. Seungkwan had been alone with Jihoon at the cafe, and Vernon was curious if he'd feel comfortable telling him. Seungkwan sat down next to him and put his head on Vernon's shoulder.

"What happened Friday night."

"You told him?" Vernon was embarrassed, why did Seungkwan think he could tell someone what happened?

"Yeah, I was a little confused. I needed to tell somebody and get another take on it. Jihoon won't tell anybody." Seungkwan patted Vernon's knee.

"Why were you confused?"

Seungkwan lifted his head off Vernon's shoulder to face him. "OK, I actually just wanted to tell someone. Better Jihoon than Mingyu, right?" Vernon nodded, Mingyu would tell everyone, he'd let it slip /accidentally.

"I was kinda confused because we stopped being as couple-y as we were before, too," Seungkwan tacked on.

Vernon wrapped an arm around Seungkwan's shoulders. "Sorry, I - I dunno, really. I didn't want everything to be too awkward, so I backed off. We can go back to being like that."

Seungkwan shook his head, and Vernon furrowed his eyebrows. "It felt fake," Seungkwan explained. "I'm not even sure you like me, and you were super clingy and giving me little pecks on my cheek so much. It felt like you were trying to convince both of us that you like me."

"You don't think I like you? Seungkwan what do I have to do to prove that I do? I wa-" Seungkwan placed a finger over Vernon's lips.

"I don't care. The soulmate bond will take care of it, everything we read said that. I'm just going to appreciate that you care about me enough to be like this with me."

Vernon sighed, he felt like his feelings were being invalidated. Erased.

"Kwannie, I like you. I adore you. You mean so much to me, and I don't like that you don't believe me."

Seungkwan laid down and put his head in Vernon's lap. "Can we ignore this? I don't want to talk about it - we'll both just get upset and fight. Can we not talk? Watch cartoons together and pretend everything's perfect? For a few days."

Vernon shook his head and started carding his hands through Seungkwan's hair. Seungkwan closed his eyes and smiled, his features falling into relaxation.

"We should talk about everything when it comes up. We've just started a relationship after you pining after me for years and me being an oblivious idiot who didn't realise my feelings. We have things we should talk about."

Seungkwan groaned. "It's boring and hurts my head. Can't we just push them aside?"

"No, communication's important."

"It feels forced!"

Vernon rolled his eyes. "Sometimes you have to force things."

Seungkwan rolled over to his side, so he was facing the TV instead of Vernon.

"So," Vernon began, "can we talk about what Mingyu said at lunch? You being insecure because I've dated before and you haven't?"

Seungkwan huffed, but otherwise remained silent.

"Kwannie?" Vernon prodded again. Still, Seungkwan pretended to watch the cartoons. "Either we talk or we break up."

Seungkwan let out a noise like a dying cat. "That's not fair!"

"Those are your options," Vernon stayed flatly. He knew he was being cruel, but a relationship needs communication, doesn't it?

"Fine. You're my first boyfriend and I don't know if I'm doing things right. Am I a good kisser? Am I bad? Are we being romantic enough? Are we moving at the right pace?" The words all tumbled out so quickly Vernon was surprised he'd understood.

"We'll go to the most important two, pace and being romantic enough. Are you comfortable with the speed we're progressing at?" Seungkwan nodded. "And are you comfortable with how we are as a couple?" Again Seungkwan nodded. "Then we're fine. We're both comfortable."

Seungkwan rolled over so he was on his back again. "But what about my kissing skills?" Seungkwan asked, teeth worrying at his bottom lip.

Vernon smirked. "Well, I like how you kiss. But, the only way to improve is to practise, right?"

Seungkwan nodded enthusiastically, a smirk pulling at his lips, too.

"Let's go to my room, then. Wouldn't want to get seen by my family or Joshua when they come back."

===========

A/N:

I wrote this chapter in about five or six sittings, when I usually write it in two or three, so sorry if anything seems a little disjointed.