Hongbin didn’t know much about dating, but he definitely wasn’t expecting to be left on his own while his-.. friend’s team kept going with their training. Yes, friend: he had no idea where they were at this point. Besides, this didn’t even feel like a date at all. Even thinking about the word 'date' made him cringe.

Fixing his framed glasses on his nose: he was there and he had to keep himself busy in a way or another and homework sounded like a very good alternative to watch young lads in shorts chasing a ball.  He took the book due for his English literature class: The picture of Dorian Gray, a classic and without a single doubt one of his favourites. He might or might not have read it four to six times by now, but that really didn't matter: he would gladly go for a seventh or even eighth if that meant understanding the book in its entirety.

“The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it” That was one of his favourite bits of the whole book and Hongbin turned crimson at the thought of his main temptation, at the thought of kissing a certain incredibly attractive football player with raven hair, feline eyes and pouty, pink lips. That’s ridiculous, Lee Hongbin: he mentally scolded himself for acting like a schoolboy dealing with his first crush. Worse: he was treating Oscar Wilde like a two cents author for teens and that was outrageous to say the least. He could’ve slapped himself. 

“You’re not listening to a single word of what I’m saying, aren't you?”

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice interrupting his train of thoughts: there before him, was an exhausted-looking Jung Taekwoon with a towel draped upon his head. Cute.

"You're wrong! I was... Uh-- What were you saying?” Taekwoon snorted.

"Yeah, right” the elder chuckled while patting his hair dry with the towel “I said: would you like to grab something to eat before going to your place? If you’re– still up to it, of course… I made you wait... 'M sorry...”

Taekwoon's voice grew softer as he spoke and that was enough to make the same awkward tension that accompanied them on their way to the soccer field come back in full force. Hongbin mentally groaned in frustration. “If you want to--?" Why couldn't he just say 'yes, I want you to come with me'? "We only have like-- instant noodles at my place. I'm not much of a good cook and Sanghyuk is too lazy to try something more complicated than that.”

“Instant noodles is fine for me.”

“Aren’t you on a diet? I thought you've just had your cheat meal back at the cafe.” Taekwoon just shrugged in response, murmuring something along the line of 'diets are made to be broken'. The words came out so quietly that if Hongbin weren’t by now used to the softer tones of the older boy's voice, he wouldn’t have heard him at all. That was one of the many things Hongbin liked about Taekwoon (he had mental list of those and he was so ashamed of it): the sound of his voice. A brooding, well-built man like Taekwoon shouldn't be allowed to have that kind of voice. 

Hongbin snapped out of his self-induced trance when Taekwoon pushed on one of his shoulder: nodding, he made quick job of gathering his things, taking particular care in hiding the book still in his hands. He’s been teased enough about his literature tastes --apparently too old-- by the other and he’d rather have the rest of their totally friendly date in peace and free from arguing.

Wishful thinking, but one could hope.

“So, uhm...” Taekwoon eloquently started as they made their way out the field, the towel now around his neck as some sort of scarf. “Have you enjoyed yourself? Do you like real football?”

“Uhm-..” Hongbin couldn’t admit he was reading the whole time, could he? “Yeah, it was... Er-- Nice.”

Taekwoon didn’t seem to buy it for a second. “I can, like, feel the sarcasm radiating from you right now.”

Hongbin bit his tongue not to argue back; Taekwoon, realising he wasn't going to reply, continued. “You’re not much of a sport person, are you? I mean, real sport.”

"You know I’m not.”

"Then why... I mean, why have you asked me out?”

Hongbin knew his cheeks were the same colour of his hair at the moment and he glared at his feet, forcing himself to keep the same pace and not just sprint the rest of the way to his dorm. He could have answered in a million way. For example, with another question: 'then why did you accept?'. Or he could have argued that the fact they didn't have a hobby or two in common didn't mean they weren't supposed to be with one another. Instead, when he parted his lips to finally speak, all that came out of his mouth was a quiet, uncertain 'because'.

“That’s not an answer.”

“You asked me, too.”

“You did it first.”

"Just. Because I felt like it, okay?” He didn't mention the thought of asking Taekwoon out has been on his mind for a month straight now. His eyes flicked to Taekwoon's face and he was a bit surprised to find him already staring at him: now he couldn't look away. Not wanting to sound too harsh, Hongbin added in a smaller voice. “Is it wrong?”

It took Taekwoon a moment too long to reply, enough for Hongbin’s heart to pound in his chest and his hands to twitch nervously around the straps of his bag. Then Taekwoon smiled that tiny, sweet smile of his, with only one corner of his lips curled upward and his cute nose wrinkling in the way that made Hongbin’s stomach dance the samba.

"Not at all.” They spent the rest of the way in silence, but the atmosphere between them felt a little less embarrassing than before. 

Hongbin tried to convince himself that he wasn’t wondering how those long fingers folding and putting the towel in the elder's bag would feel like entwined to his own.

"What. Are. You. Doing.”

"...sitting?"

"Why is my personal joystick in your hands?"

"You-- wanted to play, right? So I took one-"

"But not that one!" Hongbin was close to crying: his precious wireless, vibrating Special Golden Platinum Edition baby was in the hands of a guy that called a joystick remote.

Taekwoon, on his side, only looked amused by Hongbin's distress, but for the second time that evening, he didn't fight back, didn't even answer, instead reached for Hongbin's wrist and tugged on it, encouraging the younger one to sit with him on the couch. Hongbin's protests died immediately, too busy trying to keep his heart inside of his chest to keep whining on the matter. Could hearts break out from the ribcage from beating too fast?

It was a moment later than Hongbin realised he was allowing someone else to use his baby. Damn you, Jung Taekwoon.

He didn't dare to look Taekwoon in the eyes: having their knees touching was already a bit too much for Hongbin's nerves, who made the mistake of thinking that it couldn't get much worse than that. Aas soon as he started the game he was proved wrong once more: Taekwoon had successfully shifted on the couch until he was sitting right besides Hongbin. Being one of those proud move-along-with-your-playable-character gamer, it was uncomfortable for Hongbin playing with one of his elbows unable to move like he wanted, though the worst part of it all was having Taekwoon right there, in his apartment, on his couch, sat way too close for personal space standards. 

Awkward. Everything was just so awkward.

He realised he had been spacing out only when Taekwoon playfully nudged his side with an all too prouf grin on his face. "Ah! This is what you get from challenging professional football players."

"What?" Was he overthinking to the point he let Taekwoon shoot the first goal indisturbed? For a guy who claimed to never had been playing to this before, Taekwoon sure was good. Competitive too, but that wasn't a surprise at all: it was Taekwoon.

"Bring it on, Jung."

And with the same speed that it arrived, that awkward feeling around them vanished between their laughs and constant teasing. Some might say it wasn't exactly a romantic date, but Hongbin knew he wouldn't have liked any different. He could only hope Taekwoon felt the same.

"Bye then. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow, Taekwoon." The jitter in Hongbin's knees had left almost two hours ago, them being too busy in their games and constant verbal fighting to realise the actual time. Taekwoon was a really good opponent and in the end he admitted that was not the first time he got to play football on the playstation. He did know the correct name to call a joystick too and Hongbin might or might not have blushed when Taekwoon not so subtly stated he pretended to have no knowledge of the technologic world only for the sake of having a reason to argue with Hongbin. Hongbin found that endearing in a unique, Taekwoon-ish way.

It was no more than two minutes after saying goodnight to Taekwoon that someone knocked on the door. Taekwoon again.

Hongbin was about to ask if the elder had forgotten one of his belongings, or if he wanted to stay a bit longer, but when he opened his mouth to talk he forgot how to even breath, left gaping like a fish our of water.

Taekwoon's lips pressed to his cheek: so brief and yet soft and warm and... Oh. Hongbin decided Taekwoon's smell was nice too.

Then: he was gone without a word and Hongbin stared at the spot where Taekwoon disappeared for longer than necessary before he could bring himself to shut the door.

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At first I was like 'let's make them kiss' but then I got distracted by their innocence.
Sob. Leobin fluff gives me so much life. 
Thank you for  the comments and subscribers I love you all. *wasn't expecting more one comment tbh* IYou guys make me so happy ;u;
This verse is going to have one more chapter, but it might take me longer to sort that one out.