Kim Jongin usually didn’t pay much attention to other boys, but there was one who kept catching his eye. A small boy with big eyes called Do Kyungsoo.

 

Jongin was the definition of popular if he dare say so himself, but this boy didn’t seem to pay any attention to him.

 

He started by casually eaves dropping into conversations in the cafeteria or during home economics. Then he sometimes ran into Kyungsoo at town and observed him from afar. Kyungsoo was funny and clever and really, really cute. Jongin always had a short temper and with every passing day he felt an urge to get Kyungsoo to notice him, by any means.

 

Of course, being a teenager and having a low amount of patience he didn’t think of talking to him or looking for something in common. It all started one day when Jongin purposely blocked the other’s path but Kyungsoo just dodge him, not even looking up. Without thinking, Jongin put his hand out and pulled Kyungsoo’s backpack making him fall to the ground.

 

That was the first time he met Kyungsoo’s eyes. The other was so confused but he was finally looking back at him.

 

“Be careful where you step.”

 

Jongin said and then walked away. Be careful where you step? That must be the most un-clever line ever said by anyone. His nerves had gotten the best of him. Anyhow, that’s how it all started. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to stop.

 

Everything got worst. Jongin was constantly looking at Kyungsoo and it was obvious when the smaller boy got a crush in Park Chanyeol, a music geek. How could he compete with a musician?

 

Everytime he caught Kyungsoo near Chanyeol his temper was gone. Just like today, Jongin was making the food line and he saw as Chanyeol gave Kyungsoo the last milk box of the tray. Kyungsoo was seeing hearts floating and Jongin couldn’t stand it. Again, without thinking much he hit the milk box that Kyungsoo was drinking, spilling it all over the other.

 

“What’s that? You hadn’t finished that? That’s your problem dumb face!”

 

Gosh, he needed better lines. Well, at least Kyungsoo was far away from Chanyeol.

 

Jongin did some things to Kyungsoo that he wasn’t proud of. His friends even questioned him as to why he did it but he wasn’t sure how to answer.

 

It was Luhan, Sehun’s boyfriend who noticed first.

 

“You like him don’t you?”

 

“What?”

 

Jongin had been caught one day at lunchtime before the others arrived.

 

“Why don’t you ask him out?”

 

“I don’t know if he would want to talk to me.”

 

“Well, bring a peace offering or something. He looks nice, maybe he’ll say yes.”

 

Jongin thought about it and decided to take Luhan’s advise. He snatched a chocolate milk box (since he knew Kyungsoo liked it) and was preparing a speech during the rest of the day.

 

In the afternoon, he made his way towards Kyungsoo’s locker and saw how the other was getting ready to make his way towards Chanyeol.

 

“You are still around here? Good because I got you something.”

 

Jongin was holding the chocolate milk box as he opened Kyungsoo’s bag and emptied it inside. All of Kyungsoo’s books and notes were getting wet and brown from the milk.

 

Kyungsoo pulled with all his might out of Sehun’s grip. This took Sehun by surprise since Kyungsoo never fought back before. Jongin felt as Kyungsoo shoved him hard against the lockers.

 

“What? Do you have something to say?”

 

Jongin once more.

 

“I’m sick and tired of all your ! Let’s fight! You and me, one on one!”

 

Jongin laughed.

 

“So you want to fight? Ok, let’s do it. I’ll wait for you in the basketball court in 10 minutes. But if you bail you are dead.”

 

Jongin left towards the basketball court. Maybe this whole situation could work to his advantage.

 

He saw Kyungsoo arrive, followed by his friends and challenged him to a basketball game. Jongin wasn’t stupid; he wasn’t going to get into a fistfight and get suspended or expelled. Besides he was good at basketball and had noticed Kyungsoo wasn’t. He had been watching the other for a long time after all.

 

“We should set some rules.”

 

He heard Kyungsoo say.

 

“Alright, first to put 10 hoops in wins. That simple.”

 

“What? I thought we were going to fight.”

 

He just laughed.

 

“What? You don’t want to do it anymore?”

 

Jongin saw him hesitate.

 

“O…ok, but then you will stop bothering me at school!”

 

“I will stop bothering you…if you win.”

 

“And if I lose?”

 

“If you do, you will be my boyfriend.”

 

It was quite a bold move on his part but he really wanted to be close to Kyungsoo.

 

Of course Jongin won the game easily.

 

“See you tomorrow.”

 

Jongin said to Kyungsoo and left.

 

He did it. He finally did it. It wasn’t the best way, but Kyungsoo was his boyfriend now. They had placed a bet and Jongin had won.

 

Kyungsoo missed school the following day and was ignoring him the next one. He was clearly running away from Jongin. Agh! It was so frustrating!

 

He could make Kyungsoo sit with him at lunch or pair with him on home economics but Kyungsoo still looked at him with hatred. He really liked Kyungsoo! Why couldn’t the other see that? He didn’t even let Jongin walk him home.

 

His friends were being very supportive of him, after he explained that he liked Kyungsoo for real they promised they helped in every way they could. So, they made sure that Kyungsoo would join them for lunch and to include him in the conversations. At least Kyungsoo seemed to like Luhan and they would talk to each other. Jongin couldn’t help but smile, he really liked having him here, even if Tao was stealing Kyungsoo’s tatter tots.

 

Jongin made sure they exchanged phone numbers. He took a picture of Kyungsoo in which the other looked confused and his eyes looked really big. It was funny but also perfect. He saved him as ‘My Kyungsoo <3 <3’.

 

Sadly Kyungsoo kept trying to avoid him at all costs. One day Jongin confronted him.

 

“You are trying to avoid me again?”

 

“Look, I have a life you know. I have classes and club and my own friends. I still don’t understand this game you are playing but this is school and I’ll take a hundred beatings before letting you ruin my grades. I need a scholarship to get into college.”

 

Jongin hadn’t tought about that. Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone.

 

After school he made Kyungsoo carry his bag for two reasons, that was what couples were supposed to do and to make sure Kyungsoo wouldn’t run away. They stopped by the convenience store and then he took Kyungsoo to the warehouse where everyone hung out after school. They all helped each other with the homework and that way they could also spend more time together.

 

When they bought snacks Jongin had especially gotten a chocolate ice cream for Kyungsoo. He had overheard a conversation between him and his friends during home economics and knew this was Kyungsoo’s favorite. He almost lost it to Yifan but managed to get it back. At least he saw Kyungsoo enjoy it. He sat down to do his homework and purposely asked some questions to Kyungsoo, even when he knew the answer.

 

Jongin texted him that night and at least he got a reply from Kyungsoo. Maybe the boy had started to look at him differently.

 

 

The next day, much to his surprise he got his first text from Kyungsoo.

 

My Kyungsoo <3 <3: I need to go to the library.

My Kyungsoo <3 <3: Got lots of work to do.

 

Jongin: Ok, see you later.

 

Bummer! Well, he had to be supportive and at least he had told him. The only problem was that Kyungsoo did that the two following days. He was tired of not seeing him so he joined him at the library.

 

“Why do you keep staring?”

 

“Because this is boring.”

 

“Well you can go to the cafeteria, you don’t need to be here.”

 

“Then I don’t get to spent time with you.”

 

He was being completely honest with Kyungsoo, maybe that way he would understand that he was being serious about this relationship.

 

The following day Kyungsoo joined the table on his own. Minseok also joined them. He liked Minseok, he was cool and was welcomed in the table anytime. He had seen him with Kyungsoo before so it wasn’t strange when he started going about missing his friend and some kind of party they had been planning for a while. Jongin was making plans to spend that Friday afternoon with Kyungsoo but he felt terrible that he just disconnected the other completely from his friends. But lucky for Jongin, Minseok invited him! He said yes instantly and spent the afternoon playing video games with Kyungsoo’s friends.

 

It was really nice, getting to see Kyungsoo so happy and just being himself. His friends were really nice too, they were even funny and Jongin liked video games so he fit right in.

 

Jongin could feel the change of mood and attitude from Kyungsoo towards him.

 

“It was nice today.”

 

Jongin ventured when it was only him and Kyungsoo walking together.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’m sorry I kept you from them.” “Hey, do you want to meet tomorrow?”

 

Jongin asked Kyungsoo.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I have to take some pictures for my photography club.”

 

He was trying to brush him off again, but Jongin was determined to change things.

 

“Oh… how about I’ll be your model?”

 

Kyungsoo thought for a moment and Jongin was sure his offer was going to get turned down.

 

“Ok.”

 

Jongin was so happy at Kyungsoo’s answer that he just kept smiling.

 

 

The next day they met at a park. It was sort of nerve wrecking. He had never ‘modelled’ before and all he could see of Kyungsoo was his camera. Every once in a while the smaller boy would give him a direction, but other than that it was only clicks. Jongin decided to try some funny poses, mainly because he felt so nervous. To his relief Kyungsoo laughed at every one of them and they became closer because of it.

 

After what seemed to him like a very long time they finished the session. To his surprise Kyungsoo proclaimed that they had finished early.

 

Jongin took advantage of that and asked Kyungsoo to go see a movie. Kyungsoo accepted and they even had burgers after that. It was night by the time they finished eating, he saw as Kyungsoo turned to him, that he was ready to go home.

 

“Well, thank you for today. It was nice and you were a lot of help.”

 

“Anytime.”

 

Jongin sensed the farewell tone but he wasn’t ready for the day to finish. It was the first time that Kyungsoo didn’t seem so reluctant to be with him.

 

“Let me walk you closer to your home.”

 

Jongin saw the doubt in Kyungsoo’s eyes and he said the first thing that got into his mind.

 

“It’s dark and you have your camera. Someone might try to rob you.”

 

Jongin saw the immediate change on Kyungsoo’s demeanour and his answer followed quickly.

 

“Ok.”

 

Jackpot!! Finally he could walk Kyungsoo home!

 

Jongin should have known better. When it came to Kyungsoo, he was always greedy. He got the chance to walk him home, but now that they were so close and Kyungsoo’s hand was just there, next to his, he just wanted to walk hand by hand with his boyfriend. He wasn’t sure if he should press his luck. Kyungsoo might not like it and set their relationship back when he had barely gain some points.

 

It felt more like an impulse, rather than rational thinking but Jongin grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand. It was so warm and it fitted perfectly with his. He was expecting a hit from Kyungsoo anytime, but it never came.  Kyungsoo accepted his hand and allowed them like that until they were near his home.

 

 

The happier Kyungsoo was the more he accepted Jongin. That’s why he and his friends started eating together with Kyungsoo’s friends. Everyone was cool so they got used to each other extremely quick.

 

Jongin still wondered about Saturday night and holding Kyungsoo’s hand. Was it a fluke? They were sitting next to each other. Jongin reached for Kyungsoo’s hand under the table without gathering attention from the others. Kyungsoo looked at him when their hands touched but he didn’t pull away.

 

So it wasn’t a fluke! Kyungsoo was warming towards him!