“Red is the first color of spring. It’s the real color of rebirth. Of beginning.”

—Ally Condie

Red. It was the first color he saw. Different from the normal dark black. Different from the dull white. Different from the numerous shades of grey.

Bright. Red was bright. Crimson. Vibrant. Vivid. Passionate. Red was a passionate color. How did Seungri know? He never saw red. He didn’t know what red was, but the strangely familiar term rolled off his tongue.

“Red.” he whispered, his gaze focused on the lively man blabbering away to his friend next to him. “Red.” he said louder and the man stopped talking and turned his eyes to Seungri. Seungri whipped his head around in another direction.

“Red?” the man asked in confusion. Seungri nodded shyly.

“Red?” the man questioned again. “This is pink. Not red.” He ruffled his hand through his hair and frowned. Seungri’s eyes widened. No, that’s not what he meant. He couldn’t see the color of the man’s hair, it looked like a light shade of grey to him. Seungri didn’t see color.

“Are you colorblind?” the man rudely interrupted. Seungri quickly shook his head. No, he was fine. He wasn’t colorblind, he just couldn’t see the colors. Everything through his eyes just looked like a monotone painting. His world was black and white.

“What do you mean then?” the man cocked his head to a side and jerked his hip out. He seemed annoyed, curious, inviting. Red.

“N-no, I meant your l-lips… they’re red…” Seungri stuttered out, blushing profusely.

“Are you trying to flirt with me?” the man bluntly stated, not batting a single eyelash. Seungri jumped a little. No. Never. “Then what do you want?”

“I’m sorry,” he apologised and bowed his head to avoid any possible eye contact.

“No, look at me,” the man was insensitive, he grabbed Seungri by his chin and tilted his head upwards. “Hey, you’re cute.” But all Seungri could concentrate on was the way the man’s lips moved. Each small movement left a trace in his memories. Bright. Strong. Red. Like the man himself. Seungri whimpered, powerless in the other man’s hold.

Red. Seungri would never forget the word and the color along with it. Red made Seungri feel weak. It stood out too much from the shadows of black and white, creating fiery streaks in his vision. It was a light, attracting Seungri. So he leaned forward, and grasped onto his only source of light. Bright. Passionate. Just like red.

“I’m taking you home,” the man growled, slipping his tongue past his lips, and into Seungri’s mouth. He moaned. Attraction, the color drew him in. Unconsciously, he had kissed the man and the man kissed him back. Passionately. Red, just like the color red.

“Wait—” his friend tried to stop him, “Where are you going?”

“Home.” the man left with a short reply, his slender fingers wrapped tightly around Seungri’s wrist; pulling him through the masses of people dancing in the centre of the club. Red lights flashed above their heads and Seungri smiled. Red. He could see red now and a hot fire brewed in the pit of the stomach. Red. Just like the man. Passionate.

~

“Damn.” the man cursed as they finally squeezed their way out of the packed club. “You’re beautiful.” Seungri blushed again and the man chuckled at him. “Adorable too.” He threw Seungri a gummy grin and Seungri couldn’t help but notice the way the man’s lips stretched around his perfectly white teeth when he smiled. The fullness of his bottom lip, and the elegant curve of his top lip. The redness. Seungri’s eyes could never get used to the vibrant crimson of the man’s lips.

“Hey, I’m Kwon Jiyong,” the man introduced himself and Seungri nodded.

“I’m Lee Seunghyun, but I prefer Seungri.” Jiyong giggled at the name.

“Guess that’s the name I’ll be calling out tonight.” Seungri’s face immediately heated up even more. He loved kissing the man but he was uncomfortable with the thought of sleeping with a stranger.

“Come on, let’s walk back. I hitched a ride with my friend earlier so I didn’t bring my car,” Jiyong said, “I don’t live far away.” Seungri nodded, not having the guts to talk out loud in case he moaned at the tingling feeling of Jiyong’s hand on his waist.

“I-I’m sorry about earlier,” Seungri muttered and Jiyong nuzzled his nose against Seungri’s own, his warm breath fanning over Seungri’s cheeks.

“Don’t be. Red is a nice color, one of my favourites.” He gave a crooked grin, “It’s the start of everything. First color of the rainbow.” Seungri bit his lips. He didn’t know the colors of the rainbow, he couldn’t see them. It all looked grey to him.

“What are the colors of the rainbow?” he inquired. Jiyong looked at him, clearly confused.

Nonetheless, he still answered him, “Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and then violet. I paint.” He lifted his non-occupied arm up in the air and pretended to draw. “I’m an artist. What about you?” Seungri thought for a moment and smiled. “I’m a novelist.”

“Woah, that’s amazing. But isn’t it boring? Just seeing black words and white paper everyday? There’s no color, there’s no fun.” Jiyong declared. Seungri froze. Seungri couldn’t see what Jiyong was rambling about. Not only were the books Seungri wrote were black and white, his whole world was black and white. It was better now, though. He could see the color of Jiyong’s lips. Red. Seungri reached up and stole another kiss.

“Not really.” Seungri replied. Although he didn’t see as much fun as others’, he never thought writing was boring. In reality, writing was what kept Seungri stable.

“Well I guess, because you guys can express all the colors through words,” the pink haired man pecked Seungri’s forehead before joining their lips together again.

“Mm,” Seungri groaned, his hand fisted on to Jiyong’s shirt tightly. “How much longer?”

“Not long.” Jiyong’s answer was brisk and they started to walk faster. Seungri’s heart started to beat faster.

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