“Orange is the happiest color.”

—Frank Sinatra

The first time Seungri saw orange was when Jiyong came over to his house and brought along basket of oranges as a gift. How simple, Seungri thought, oranges are orange. Orange, however, Seungri noticed, was a whole lot less intense than red. Red was piercing, but orange was kind. Orange made Seungri feel warm, red made him feel hot.

“Well? Are you going to invite me in or not?” Jiyong complained at his doorsteps and Seungri quickly welcomed the pink haired man in, apology constantly on his lips.

“It’s okay, Ri. I was joking,” Jiyong chuckled when he saw how flustered Seungri became. “Calm down, sweetheart.” But Seungri only managed to blush harder at Jiyong’s casual flirting. Jiyong felt a bit orange today. He was all gummy smiles and warmth. He was less aggressive and definitely more light-hearted. His sharp eyes curving into thin crescents when he grinned at Seungri. Jiyong could be red, Seungri observed, but also orange. Jiyong was orange today.

“Um, I prepared lunch but it’s okay if you don’t like it. We can go out to eat if you want, I’m sorry, I’m not really good at cooking-” Seungri’s ramblings were cut short by Jiyong’s soft lips on his. At first, Seungri was startled, but he quickly melted into the kiss. The kiss wasn’t like last time’s. Last time was passionate. This time it was… warm. The word danced around in Seungri’s mind. There was no tongue this time, it was really just Jiyong’s lips slid against Seungri’s. Orange. Seungri smiled inside. This kiss was orange. The color he saw today.

“Calm down, Seungri. I’m sure your cooking isn’t half as bad as mine, as long as it’s edible, I’ll be fine.” Pulling away, Jiyong brushed Seungri’s hair out of his eyes and his cheeks lovingly. “Come on, I’m hungry.” He smiled at Seungri and Seungri smiled back, beaming. Orange.

~

Lunch was a joyful meal. Orange, Seungri concluded as he sneaked glances at the basket of fruits during lunch, was bright. Not like red’s bright, though. Orange’s brightness radiated happiness. Seungri felt that one look at the color orange would immediately make a long, tiresome day of typing less burdensome. Orange made him feel warm. And bubbly. Seungri felt like giggling until his stomach hurt.

He offered to eat the oranges together with Jiyong as a dessert, although it was only lunch. Jiyong laughed at him when Seungri threw him one of the fruits.

“I know you’ve been eyeing them,” the edges of Jiyong’s eyes crinkle when he smirks smugly at Seungri and Seungri ditched another orange at Jiyong out of spite. Jiyong caught the round fruit easily with one hand and placed it gently on the table. “Do you like oranges?”

Seungri blinked at the sudden question. “Yes. No, strawberries are my favourite fruit.” Strawberries were always a treat to Seungri, ever since he could eat the fruit, and after seeing red, the fruit only got tastier and tastier. Seungri was actually bingeing strawberries a few days earlier.

“I’ll bring strawberries next time,” Jiyong said while peeling the orange and Seungri quickly shook his head.

“No, you don’t need to bring anything.” He frowned, eyebrows creasing. Both of them ignored the fact that Jiyong had just mentioned ‘next time’. It meant that they will be meeting each other again like this, didn’t it?

“It’s basic courtesy,” Jiyong tutted, stuffing a piece of the orange fruit into his mouth and chewed. “Manners, Seungri, manners.” He added after swallowing.

“And it’s also basic courtesy to tell you not to buy anything for me, Jiyong.” Seungri retorted with a snort and stole a slice of Jiyong’s orange, too lazy to peel his own. The sweetness of the fruit burst inside his mouth and Seungri moaned in delight and swung his legs back and forth like a child on a swing.

“Oh god,” Jiyong groaned, “Don’t moan like that, I might lose control.” Seungri giggled at Jiyong’s drawn out sigh.

“Seungri,” the said man perked up, “Let’s go on a date.”

“When?”

“Now.”

And suddenly, they were walking down to the nearest bus stop with a slight bounce in every step they took.

~

“Tickets for two, please.” Jiyong grinned childishly at the woman at the register counter. The two men stood side by side outside a local theme park. Seungri was wearing a plain shirt with a pair of even more ordinary skinny jeans. His jeans were black and his shirt was white. Seungri doubted himself. He was still the boring old Seungri, right?

Jiyong glanced at him. Seungri’s sudden quietness brought a concerned frown on to his face.

“Seungri…?” He stopped walking, and pulled Seungri’s wrist so he halted in his steps as well.

“No, it’s nothing.” Seungri said bluntly, immediately regretting it as he realised how sharp he sounded. “Sorry.”

“You’re a bit cold, aren’t you?” Jiyong replied and Seungri flinched. “I meant it literally. You are cold, aren’t you. Yep, your tee is too thin.” The older nodded to himself, rubbing the material of Seungri’s shirt between his thumb and index finger.

“Hyung, it’s fine.” Seungri argued and when Jiyong started dragging him again. “Really.” He emphasised when the older wasn’t listening to him.

“