Kyungsoo walked out of the school building, crossing a path that leads to the exit gate of the lot, walking through the grass instead, and slowly strolling to the back yard where his friends were already waiting for him. The "Lee Soo-man High-school" in the upstate of South Korea was one of the best schools for each and everyone who was either rich or smart.

And Do Kyungsoo was both.

He was born into a rich family, with one older brother, who was the apple of the parents' eyes, striking an honest and serious career in advertisement and economics. He was there to polish and, if not erase, then alleviate all of the younger son's mistakes and outbursts. And judging by Kyungsoo's reputation as the bad boy of the most famous school in SK—or the black sheep of the family, as his parents joked at the parties, seeing it as something funny and quite appropriate to tease their younger son—he was there to prove them all right. As much as he wanted and beyond dared.

"Hey, get your head out of your , and get over here!" His best friend, Byun Baekhyun joked, leaning down on his boyfriend Park Chanyeol, who was already too tall to sit at the bench that was pushed to the wall along some wrecked table to match the seat. Kyungsoo approached his group of friends with a little teasing smile and sat down. Everybody knew that smile—when his lips stretched just a bit, corner on the right pulling upwards and emphasizing his plump lips even more. That was the smirk that was he accustomed to being worn around the school.

He got used to them—to the clique of five, knowing damn well that this was the closest to having actual feelings and care for other people. He was closest to Baekhyun, who was being glued to his boyfriend Chanyeol of two years like he always was. His giant of a boyfriend would and was doing everything and anything for his petite boyfriend whom he loved deeply even though half of the school thought they were just a fling, while the rest considered them being in an open kind of relationship. 

The lovebirds were accompanied by Kim Jongdae, a well-known prankster of their school, with a lot of emotional and family baggage that was currently dating their star-athlete Kim Minseok. Neither of the school, including his friends, knew how exactly had he landed the most popular soccer player in their school even for a date, let alone a relationship.

And last by not least, Zhang Yixing, a Chinese exchange student that was pinning after the top student of the school and also the most unapproachable male there is—Kim Joonmyun. 

It was a different kind of group, with a lot of characteristics and an odd way of showing affection. Kyungsoo was somehow blending into it really well, having enough stories with each and everyone to write some kind of novel, but rate it R since the five of them were known as the group to avoid or report for all kind of that was going on in the school. Whether they were guilty or not. 

And Kyungsoo loved when the mass feared him.

Do Kyungsoo was a different kind of short and fragile-looking boy. If you could ask any soul that was walking or are yet to walk the halls of where he was stuck for three years now, mostly everyone would ignore the question as simple as that—'Who is Do Kyungsoo?'. And the other half would probably whisper something along 'don't ask about that ', and quickly walk away. 

Kyungsoo wasn't a regular bully if you want to call it that. Or a whole-time jock that had chosen smoking behind the school building or ing some lucky girl in the storage room to pass his classes. He picked a different way to intimidate and make everyone too indifferent to even think about Kyungsoo and his friends. But mostly him.

No, he was feared because he could snap a neck quickly as you can say 'big bad wolf' and not even flinch whilst doing it. Everyone in the school had an intrigue for his matches with players from different schools or their students, competing in the only sports that he ever showed interest in—wrestling. 

So the school gym was always full when their main wrestling champion was there, winning another finale and adding some gold to his already full shell of medals and golden cups. Girls were there to fan themselves when onyx hair bounced under the florescent light of the hall, cherry lips being pulled up with perfect rows of white teeth in concentration, and buffed arms shifting another bulky male over his head and down to the mat. And boys were just there—too scared to challenge him to the match and too jealous to watch it 'till the end ceremony. 

"Do you have what I need or not?" Kyungsoo sat down beside Baekhyun, distress visibly showing on his face. He learned in biology class that the human face uses more muscles to frown than to smile, and he was pleased to know that his face couldn't smile altogether. 

"Get off your high horse, and light it up." Chanyeol handed the stash to the robust male, sitting at the far end of the bench, eyes of everyone else lightening up when Kyungsoo started rolling it up. Once he was satisfied with the product, he fetched his lighter from the back pocket and took one smoke from the cigarette once it was inflamed. The joint passed from hand to hand, everyone, staying silent while huffing out different shapes of the smoke, then snickering when it turned out better than planned. 

Soon after the third round, the was back in Kyungsoo's hands, all nice and warm, stopping at his lips when Baekhyun broke the comfortable silence.

"Either I'm too high, or that kid doesn't go to our school?!" 

Everyone turned around and fixated their eyes on the tall male that looked back at them with wide eyes covered behind thick-rimmed glasses. He was wearing one ugly gray sweater that was rather too big on him, topped with khaki pants that reached over his calves. But the funniest part of his appearance wasn't his unruly dark honey hair or his dress shoes that made him look like a kid walking in his father's shoes... but his face. Kyungsoo could see tongue peeking out at the corner of peach lips and brows furrowed at the scene before him. And eyes hiding behind those black glasses, looking perplexed with the cigarette that was still smoking at the tip of Kyungsoo's lips, a breath away from his mouth. 

But before they could ask the newcomer anything or shoo him away since the small yard behind the school was prohibited for students, the kid with the shocked face was gone. 

"Who the hell was that?" Yixing opened his eyes even wider, addressing his question to Kyungsoo, who just shrugged and took another whiff of the aromatic stick that was slowly burning in his hand. Even when everyone started talking about something other than the kid who stopped their little middle-of-the-day celebration, Kyungsoo's eyes were fixed at the spot that the mop of brown hair occupied just minutes ago, suddenly feeling the urge to go and burn that ugly- gray sweater to ashes. 

***

"Hey, Kyung," Baekhyun poked him in the arm, pulling one of his earbuds out and then pointing to the door once Kyungsoo was aware that the class has started and their math teacher walked in. "Isn't that the kid that walked in on us smoking this morning?", his friend whispered, making Kyungsoo stop and stare at the gray sweater that was back in his field of vision.

The tawny pants stretched and folded over the long legs when the owner of the frisky brown hair shifted from one foot to another, obviously nervous for standing in front of the new class. He was biting his lower lip so hard, making it white around the edges of his teeth, one hand in another, chewed-up nails showing.

"Class, this is our new student, and your new friend," Kyungsoo cringed at the choice of words their teacher used, but not adverting his eyes of the tall form standing by the blackboard. "And please, introduce yourself properly." The man showed to the glasses boy to step up and say his name to the silent room full of lingering eyes. Kyungsoo was at the edge of his seat, waiting for the new student to speak, and he didn't even realize the breath he was holding behind his teeth.

"H-Hi... Um, my name is Jongin—Kim Jongin, and.. well, nice to meet you!" He bowed down too much, almost toppling over, but quickly standing up and looking past the students and at the wall at the back again. 

Jongin

It was a nice name, and Kyungsoo wanted so badly to repeat it out loud.

"Very well, Jongin-shi. Please take a seat in the back." Jongin eyed the room for the free seat their teacher referred to before his eyes stopped at the familiar face. There was only one free spot for him to take, all the way at the back, wood of the backrest almost scrapping the wall behind it. But on the seat next to the free one, was that angry-looking boy he saw with his friends at the back of the schoolyard this morning, when he'd got lost trying to find the main entrance. Jongin didn't want to sit there, the boy dressed in all black looked intimidating enough to scare him away just by locking his eyes with his own, but the rest of the classroom was silent, waiting for him to move his legs. 

"He's kinda cute, don't you think?" Baekhyun whispered to Kyungsoo, once Jongin was seated beside Kyungsoo and then turning away with a hiss when his friend smacked him on the arm. Kyungsoo didn't even need to check whether Jongin has heard his big-mouthed friend, judging by the blush that creeped out on the newcomer's face, hidden by his big glasses. But his eyes didn't even spare the second glance to the new student before focusing back on his phone, which was still blasting some rock music through the earbuds. 

And he wanted to look back again to that ugly sweater so bad.

***

"Mr. Do, would you like to show our new student around the school?" The bell has ringed for the end of the class, and all the other students were hurrying up and out of the classroom, the only couple of them standing still and watching the scene that enrolled in front of them.

"With all due respect, Sir, I think I don't have enough time to waste on others." Kyungsoo picked up his bag from the chair, ignoring flinching Jongin that was still seated beside him, and walked up to the professor. He tried too hard not to smirk at the new student and his eyes that were downcast at his words, and instead offered one of his glares to the teacher that looked too smug at his next words.

"You don't have the next class, Mr. Do. You know that I know that. But what you're not aware of is that you're this close to failing my class, and some extracurricular could look good on your final grade," Their teacher showed his final step from failing math with the proximity of his thumb and forefinger, smiling wider, before continuing, "So, please, without further ado, Mr. Kim on a tour around the school!" 

So that's how Kyungsoo found himself on an empty corridor, with a fidgeting Jongin by his side. He ignored some taken-aback looks from his peers, and wooing and whistles from his friends and just walked out of the classroom with a loud thud of the closing door. Jongin was behind him by the time their teacher patted him on the back and locked the classroom behind them, waiting for Kyungsoo to speak first.

"Follow me!" It was small and strict, but Jongin heard it loud and clear, almost tripping on his legs on his way to catch up with the smaller male. 

Kyungsoo was walking fast and sharply, but Jongin wasn't able to maintain his walking pace—although his legs were longer than the other shorter one who was busy pointing to the different classrooms and explaining all of them with a hushed voice and short sentences. 

"This is history class.." He pointed to the closed door, not even glancing at it, before walking away, not even stopping for Jongin to remember the door's number. 

"Biology, chemistry, geography and at the end is music room.." Kyungsoo walked all the way to the end, before turning around and walking back in the direction where they came from.

"Wait..." Jongin whispered, standing in front of the music room as Kyungsoo explained, thinking that the other didn't even hear his small voice, but surprisingly, Kyungsoo turned around in his step.

"What?" 

"Can-can you show me where canteen and... um— science room is?" Kyungsoo huffed when the other boy stopped him from walking away, but soon relaxed, pointing Jongin to follow him. He didn't miss when the other boy dropped his bag on the floor from walking too fast, or when he almost fell over it.

They walked down to the first floor, for Kyungsoo to show him the said canteen, and then back up to the second floor. Something about the other's smile when they reached the science cabinet was mesmerizing and Kyungsoo had to clear his throat for the boy to pay attention to him again.

"Thank you, um..?"

"Kyungsoo. But you can call me Dyo." Kyungsoo whispered, eyeing Jongin like he had two heads rising from his neck. The other boy had this stupid smile plastered on his handsome face, and it was enough for Kyungsoo to break their little excursion here and there. Wait, handsome?

"Thank you, Kyungsoo, for..."

"Didn't I tell you to call me Dyo?! Or better yet, don't call me at all, I don't need another clumsy idiot in my life!" And with that, Kyungsoo turned around, walking away from the scene, leaving dumbfounded Jongin behind. He tried way too hard to swallow back the apology his mouth kept, but he was at the other end of the hall, already far away from the boy who made him giddy and out of his normal self.

***

A few weeks had passed, since Jongin joined their class. Kyungsoo has learned that he was younger than him and that his parents got divorced, so he had to move from Suncheon to Seoul with his strict father, and rolled in the new school in his third year of high school. He heard that he was the only child, but having a couple of dogs as pets back where he used to live. And all thanks to his friend that goes by the name Byun-shut-the--up-already, who couldn't keep it quiet with his gossips and new tales of the new student. He was practically being bombarded with new information about Jongin every day, and he couldn't turn deaf ear to it.

Not that Kyungsoo could care less about him anyways.

"Oh please, I see the way you glance at him once and awhile. You have your hots for the new kid and don't even deny it!" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at the antics of his friend, too tired and even more uninterested to reply. So he just kept it quiet, watching as Baekhyun huffed and turned around to talk with Jongin once his friend ignored him. Again.

"So, Nini. Have you made any new friends here yet?" Kyungsoo was all ears by now, imagining Jongin biting his lower lip, fidgeting in his seat.

He should've been offended when Jongin stopped looking at him, rather glancing at him with a scared look in his eyes. He should've asked him what was the problem, but remembering how he snapped at him a couple of weeks before, Kyungsoo knew that Jongin must've heard from other students about who Kyungsoo really was.

Something made him irritated when he thought about Jongin picking up a habit the rest of the school had when it came down to avoid him, and for the first time, he didn't want Jongin to follow that custom too.

"Um, well... Sehun is nice to me, and... um—" Jongin tried to form any coherent sentence, but his mouth was dry as always when he tried to talk to someone outside of his comfort zone. He exchanged some small talk with Baekhyun over the time he's been here, not finding the other boy even the slightest bit intimidating or dangerous like his best friend turned out to be. Despite that, he still wasn't that close to him to speak normally. 

"And?" Baekhyun's eyes were glistening, waiting for Jongin to finish. He was casually leaning down on the younger's table, waiting for Kyungsoo's reaction, who was still ignoring them and instead played with his phone.

"And Krystal offered to be my friend, so that's that.." Jongin scratched his nape uncomfortably, remembering when the long-haired girl walked up to him and introduced herself. This was the first time for Jongin to talk comfortably with a girl, and a pretty one to add. 

"Krystal? Oh yeah, she was after our Kyungsoo last year, but he turned her down quickly," Baekhyun pointed to the said boy with his thumb, still waiting patiently for his reaction. When there was none, he looked back to Jongin who was busy staring at his friend, lower lip caught between his teeth.

"Nini?" Jongin blushed all the way to his ears when Baekhyun called him, averting his eyes from Kyungsoo back to Baekhyun and then choosing to stare down at the table. He missed Kyungsoo's eyes that only glanced at him. Baekhyun giggled silently, watching the whole scene with sincere eyes, before clearing his throat.

"Well, I'm leaving to find my loving boyfriend, and you two could talk and clear this awkward silence! Bye, losers." And with that, Baekhyun was gone, but not before sending a wink to his best friend. Kyungsoo glared at him, sensing that Jongin was looking at him attentively. Both of them realized what Baekhyun meant, judging by the thick atmosphere that you could practically slice up.

"Um, Kyun— Do?" 

"What!?" 

Okay, he shouldn't be such a nerve when it comes to the new student, but he couldn't help it. Jongin was so innocent for this world, and everyone could see it. These past weeks, he proved to the whole school how clumsy he was when he tripped in the canteen, sending all of his lunch to the floor. Or how he shut down when somebody had picked on him, teasing him for his grown-up clothes, and thick glasses that were too heavy on his nose.

Jongin was the opposite of Kyungsoo, and that got on his nerves so much. Why couldn't he defend himself, fight those students that loved to hide his stuff and toilet-paper his locker ever once and while? Why couldn't he just shout at everyone to stop laughing at him when his pencil case ripped open and his pens fell out, rolling in all directions on the floor. Or why he couldn't stay away from the science room, spending his lunches and breaks at the dusty room, hiding from every other soul in the school. 

And why couldn't he stop ignoring Kyungsoo?!

But before he could answer, Kyungsoo was met with an empty chair, his eyes quickly catching up with the tall boy that ran away from him and probably back to his precious science room.

Stupid Jongin and his stupid thick glasses. 

***

It was yet another Monday morning, with students walking up and down the corridors, all of them glancing up at Kyungsoo's form and then walking away, not even meeting his eyes. Not that they could, since he walked with his head held up high, like he could see his goal at the end of the hall, walking down to his first-class that was unfortunately math. 

He was alone, which was somehow normal for the infamous D-Ice as some girls came up with the nickname for their coldest and most absent student. He was trying hard not to lower his eyes down to look at the others, wanting to meet those brown orbs that always shied away behind thick glasses. And considering himself lucky that only a couple of whispers followed him to the classroom when he found out that one boy wasn't so lucky with being cornered by other students.

"Well, well, nerd, are you going to my shoe clean or what?" Kyungsoo pushed around the group of people that made a crowd in the corner where his class' lockers were and walked closer upon hearing the voice of the guy he absolutely despised. But once he was in the clear, in front of the people that let him pass, his eyes didn't stop on the said guy, but rather at his classmate that was again not fighting for himself.

"I'm talking to you, scum!" Mark had said, before pushing Jongin back to the lockers, almost tripping him down. 

The famous nemesis of Kyungsoo, with his errand boy Junior, who was holding Jongin down. He was so close to winning last year's wrestling championship of all high schools of South Korea but still lost it in the end when Kyungsoo finished the match in record time. And even closer for Kyungsoo to snap his neck in two. He was this smug fellow who tried to befriend Kyungsoo back in the first year and then tried to win over him, not being able to come to the terms that Kyungsoo was cold and frightening for everyone. Mark wanted that space, an honorary seat in the hall of fame their high school reserved for bullies. 

"I-I'm sorry... I didn't want to, I'm s-sorry.." Jongin spoke up, still looking at the floor, and biting his lower lip like he always did when being nervous. His voice was as always quiet and fearsome. Kyungsoo looked around the scene, seeing his classmate holding half a cup of bubble tea, the rest of it laying on the floor. Some of the substance was spilled over Mark's shoe, and Kyungsoo connected the dots.

"'I'm s-s-s-sorry, I-I-I di-didn't—'" Mark tried to imitate Jongin in this high-pitched voice, making half of the crowd snicker at his antics. Kyungsoo was not amused.

"You're gonna it off, or else—"

"Or else what?" Before he could realize it, Kyungsoo was stepping into the scene, holding his ground strong. All the eyes fell on him, only one of them smirking at the sight.

"Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo ccc.. Why do you interfere in something that's not your goddamn business?" Mark sneered, pushing Jongin down to the floor and then marching up to Kyungsoo's personal space. 

"Leave the kid alone, and clean yourself up!" Kyungsoo was not backing down, not even thinking about what this looked like or people started to whisper around him about what that nerd meant to him.

"Ohh, I see what's going on here.." Mark started laughing, going around the crowd to see if he's got everyone's attention. 

"Our little Kyungpoo is having a gay crush on this little nerd, right?" Mark asked, looking back to Kyungsoo while pointing to Jongin who was still crouching on the floor, being manhandled by Junior to stay down. Kyungsoo didn't even flinch at his words, only growling at the back of his throat.

"Oh, please. Like you don't your friend over there every lunch break in Mr. Lee's supply closet?!" He was still holding him, guard, watching as the crowd started cheering and Junior blushing at the back, pushing Jongin down even harsher. 

"What do you know, huh? Like you didn't think about stretching this er's with your tiny . Don't play all mighty and tall, when you're nothing but the little, still in the closet, gay er!" Mark sneered, pushing Junior away, and taking Jongin by his collar. The said boy was quickly on his feet, not being able to even look anyone else in the eyes, still being awestruck with Mark's words, and trying not to stare in Kyungsoo's eyes that were at him. 

"Is that the best you can do? You're really pathetic!" Kyungsoo's voice was thicker with annoyance by now, trying to speak normally and not like Mark has hit a nerve. 

"Well, you wouldn't mind if I touch up your boyfriend's face a bit, right?" Mark pulled Jongin's collar even more, almost toppling him over. Kyungsoo tried to breathe properly, ignoring Jongin's scared, wide eyes, and weighing his options. 

He couldn't care about Jongin any less, right? He shouldn't even think about trying to help Jongin when he didn't mean anything to him. His world was one hell of a drama already, even before Jongin showed up, so he couldn't allow anyone else to occupy a place in it anyway. Jongin was just a student that was too stupid to stand up for himself, too clumsy to stand properly on his own feet, and too annoying for Kyungsoo to befriend. 

So why did he care?

"No... I wouldn't mind!" Kyungsoo sneered through his teeth, and before he could change his answer, Mark's fist collided with Jongin's face, shoving him back to the metal lockers. 

Jongin was on the floor, holding his broken nose in his hands, hyperventilating at the blood that was coming out of it, when Mark was pushed by Kyungsoo harshly and went away from the scene. None of them dared to say anything or help the poor student off the floor, whilst Kyungsoo stood there, too shocked to even move from his spot. 

Sehun walked through the crowd, pushing everyone out of the way, coming closer to Jongin, and pulling him up and away from the scene. He was quick, pulling Jongin through the crowd of students, and up the stairs to the infirmary, when Kyungsoo woke up from his daze, heading after them. He hesitated after two steps, going over in his head through what even made him start walking after them, and then quickly turning around and leaving the crowd with his eyes directed downcast.

***

"Are you really fine?" Sehun asked once again, holding Jongin's face in his two hands, looking at the broken nose that had been taken care of by the school nurse. Jongin nodded even with two strong hands holding him in place, and lightly pushed Sehun away.

"I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me, and please go to your next class!" Jongin smiled slightly, hissing at the wound that was still opened up behind the gauze but still smiling nonetheless.

"Alright, if you need me or anything—"

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm gonna find you." 

Sehun was already at the door, still not being totally convinced of leaving Jongin alone, when the said boy called after him.

"Yeah, Jongin?" He tried to walk back to where the other boy has been sitting for quite some time by now, but Jongin's words assured him to move along to his next class, "Thank you for taking care of me!"

Jongin lied down on the bed he was previously sitting on, huffing loudly through his mouth. He wasn't even surprised when the bubble tea was spilled from his own shaky hands, or when the liquid fell directly on someone else's shoes. He was so used to being bullied, even in his previous school, thinking that some things would change with the new surroundings. 

But what made him nervous and curious was Kyungsoo. 

He didn't know much of the other boy, other than the stuff he'd heard from other students talking about him. That he was thick-skinned, always looking gloomy, and with a permanent furrow between his brows. Everyone knew him like that, neither trying to get to know him better, maybe realize what his problem was, and what they could do to help him. 

But he wasn't afraid of him, honestly.

Sure, Kyungsoo was nothing but mean and irritated with him, but Jongin couldn't hate him. He's kinda got used to having someone glaring at him, or tsking when he dropped his book from the table or tripped over his own legs. 

But still, he couldn't hate him. His chubby face with plump lips was too cute, even cuter than his button nose that was sometimes lifted when he spoke. 

And there wasn't any explanation of why Kyungsoo interfered with the scene that enrolled a couple of hours before, or whether he wanted to join his bully, but stopped when he saw how pathetic Jongin was being. Jongin sighed for dozen times already, when a knock broke his little thinking bubble.

"Yes?" Kyungsoo walked in, holding his stare-down with the floor, only looking at Jongin for a moment. He closed the door behind him, checking if they were alone, but still not meeting Jongin at the bed. Or even closer than their current proximity.

"Y-You can come closer..." Jongin whispered, sitting straight up on the bed, holding his breath as Kyungsoo started walking closer, still not meeting his eyes. When there were a few inches between Kyungsoo and the bed, did he dare to speak up?

"I'm sorry... For what happened, and me meddling in.." 

Kyungsoo—as in the most notorious person in the school—was apologizing, and Jongin almost fell off the bed.

"Y-You don't—" But he couldn't finish, not knowing how to, and instead allowed an awkward silence to cover the atmosphere. 

Kyungsoo was still staring at the floor with his wide eyes, and Jongin was sitting at the bed at a loss for words.

"Well.." Kyungsoo spoke up, taking the initiative and sitting next to Jongin, "Does it hurt?" He looked up, catching Jongin already staring back at him, before both of them ducked their heads lower, not keeping eye contact.

"No, it doesn't... Thank you for c-coming here, and—" 

"No, there's no problem, really... I was the one to—"

"It wasn't your fault, please! Don't—" Jongin started to reason why Kyungsoo wasn't the one to blame here, but Kyungsoo's hand on his thigh stopped him.

"Jongin," And the way his name spilled over those plump lips were doing all kinds of things to Jongin's stomach, "I wanted to apologize, since if I didn't interfere and anger Mark, neither of this would've happened, and I'm sorry." These were the most words Jongin has ever heard by Kyungsoo speaking to him or anyone for that matter, and he was glad that they were alone.

"If I wasn't so clumsy in the f-first place..." Jongin started, but that warm hand on his thigh was gone, and he missed the warmth of it.

"I think it's kinda cute..." Kyungsoo whispered, but quickly composed him up, and stared at the other side of the room. Jongin's jaw was hanging loose, face burning up over his cheeks all the way to the tip of his ears, and back down. 

Kyungsoo just called him cute. 

Cute! 

Him, Kim Jongin. 

He must've been dreaming by now, and his annoying alarm was going to wake him up any time soon.

"I'm sorry again!" Kyungsoo nodded to himself and scurried off the bed and out of the door before Jongin could ask anything at all, or see his rose-tinted cheeks under the florescent lights of the infirmary. 

***

Jongin's nose wasn't broken after all, as his family doctor examined it and gave him some drugs for the pain. He was back at school once again, after a day of absence, his mother going in a frantic meltdown when Jongin went home after the day of the accident, as he liked to call it. 

He was nervous to be back at school again, not because of meeting Mark and his obnoxious friend again—though a small part of him was scared of having another accident with him—but rather being scared of meeting Kyungsoo again. 

There wasn't any contact between them after that time when Kyungsoo called him cute, and Jongin was beyond nervous when he walked into his classroom, seeing the other boy already seated on his seat, with pair of speakers dangling from his ears. He expected some kind of greeting from him, once their eyes locked in a silent gaze, but Kyungsoo's brows furrowed, as his body turned away from Jongin. It was like he shielded away from the taller boy, and Jongin didn't know what was wrong.

"Hello, class!" Their history teacher walked in, writing the title of today's lecture and the date on the board at the front. His arrival made Kyungsoo turn his music off, but his eyes weren't meeting Jongin's any time soon.

"Before we start today's lesson, I want you to pair up, and I'll choose a theme for you to do. This assignment is half of your final grade, and I expect you all to work hard to bring out only the best to the table. Now, chop-chop, pick your partner." Their teacher sat down, picking up the massive history book from the desk, and flipped through it, turning to the chattering classroom, "And remember that this assignment is due to 13th next month, so please, give your best!"

Everyone looked around, standing up and choosing their partner, and before Kyungsoo could smack Baekhyun on his head and say to come over to his house after school for their project, the petite boy was seated on Chanyeol's lap, ignoring the fuming teacher that recited school rules of not allowing PDA on the school grounds.

"Do-Do you want us to... work... maybe?" Jongin whispered, slightly leaning towards him, and Kyungsoo didn't need to turn around to realize that he didn't have a partner either. Everyone was back at their respective seats after a minute or so, once their teacher succeeded to calm them down, smirking Baekhyun pointing to Jongin with his eyes before meeting his again. And Kyungsoo was done.

"Come to my place after school. And don't be late!"

***

To say that he was nervous, was an understatement. He was fidgeting in front of a big, luxurious house, that he has only seen in magazines and TV shows, and that wasn't even the beginning of why his insides turned into turmoil.

"Hello, how can I help you?" A young woman opened up the door for him, looking at him with worried brows. 

"Um, hi!" Jongin smiled sheepishly, clearing his throat, "I'm here to see Do Kyungsoo?" It wasn't supposed to come out as a question, but there he was, standing awkwardly in front of a mansion, with a lady in her thirties, probably a maid as he assumed, looking at him like he swallowed his whole tongue in one go. She stepped aside, showing him to come in, before picking up something that looked like a receiver, putting it to her ear once she pushed the middle button.

"And who is waiting for him, if I may ask?" 

"... Me? Oh yes, sorry, Kim Jongin." He wanted to smack himself on the head, but stayed there, blushing all the way to his ears, listening to the woman repeating his name in the headphone and telling him to wait there. 

Kyungsoo looked at his reflection once again, before sighing and leaving to fetch Jongin from the ground floor. Why was he nervous, he didn't know. It wasn't like Jongin was the first one to visit his house. Hell, Baekhyun was more here than his own house, and Yixing was crashing here for about a month after arriving in Korea, so that reason was out of the picture. 

Jongin was coming over as an acquaintance, for they had a school project to work on. And there he was, checking his hair once again before giving up on a stubborn lock that couldn't stay put.

"Up here." Jongin stopped looking around the house—well, as much as he could see from this spot, where he didn't dare to move from ever since the maid left him alone—looking up to see Kyungsoo standing at the top of the stairs. He started climbing them with calculated steps, trying not to trip and make a fool out of himself in front of a classmate.

"Do you want to drink anything?" Kyungsoo asked him, once they were in his room, Jongin looking around with shining eyes. Kyungsoo could snicker and maybe laugh at the other's antics, but quickly dialed up the maid and ordering a pitcher of coffee and some juicy if Jongin wasn't a dark beans lover.

"Your room is really dope!" Jongin sat down at Kyungsoo's table, but not before Kyungsoo himself pointed at the chair for Jongin to take.

"Dope? Is that what kids today say instead of nice or cool?" Kyungsoo tried to joke, wanting to ease the atmosphere, but only frowned when Jongin looked at his hands, biting his lower lip hard.

He sat down in front of Jongin, on the other side of the mahogany table, sipping his coffee that the maid left just minutes ago.

It was... tough. He could at least say that. The thick tension between them was suffocating and Kyungsoo hated his teacher for giving the stupid task in the first place.

"Um, you can drink your coffee, and then we can start with the project if you want..."

If you want?! 

Seriously Kyungsoo? When did you start considering other people's feelings and wants?

"I-I don't really like coffee. I'm sorry.." Jongin's voice was soft and tender, almost sounding as he was on a verge of crying. And something made Kyungsoo defensive.

"Have you ever even tried it?" 

"Well... no. But I don't like the smell of it." Good job, Jongin, you didn't stutter. Kyungsoo was quiet after that, and Jongin decided to just watch his perplexed appearance, but once he locked his eyes with Kyungsoo's, his breath hitched.

"Try it!" Kyungsoo picked up a cup, pouring the bitterly liquid into it, before adding a teaspoon of sugar and pushing it into Jongin's hands over the table. Nobody could say that they hated coffee in his company, and not even having a good excuse to why exactly.

Jongin took a gulp too large under Kyungsoo's questioning gaze, before scowling at the sour taste that lingered on his tongue. He still hated it.

"You got little something..." Kyungsoo could see his eyes that sulked in when he swallowed his favorite beverage and then catching some of it on his upper lip. Before he could stop himself, his hand was pushing forward and wiping the excess coffee off Jongin's lip. 

"We better start with this... um—project! Right, with this project!" Kyungsoo cleared his throat, clearing the table in front of him and pulling his book out of his bag that was at his feet. He could see Jongin's eyes bulging out at his deed and then ignoring little pink tongue getting out to where his finger was just a moment ago. 

***

Their school project was coming done pretty well if you asked them. They were currently sitting in Jongin's house this time, with a few books scattered around the floor and two plates of chocolate chip cookies that Kyungsoo brought with him.

"And that's why the army attacked the first time?" Jongin plopped another cookie in his mouth, scribbling on his laptop what Kyungsoo has been reading for the past two hours. He needed a break from typing, his knuckles snapping once he stretched his hands, and once Kyungsoo nodded and sighed loudly, closing the book with his foot and standing up to stretch too. Jongin pointed to the small balcony outside of his room, whispering 'let's take a break'. 

There were only two chairs, along a deep red table sitting on the tiled surface, both choosing one to sit down and bring their drinks and cookies to place on top of the table. 

It was comfortable.

Kyungsoo could say that. These past weeks of them working together every day after school made them somehow—not necessarily closer—but at least at ease with each other. Jongin wasn't blushing anymore when their eyes met, or stuttering when speaking and Kyungsoo wasn't fuming whenever Jongin would trip over his own legs or even over the flat floor. 

Some things were left unsaid, lingering touches left untouched and cheeks burning when the other one wasn't watching. It was nice, and Kyungsoo found himself leaning down to speak with Jongin who was sitting mere an inch away.

"Where's your dad?" Jongin shrugged at the other's question, taking another cookie from the table and shoving it in his mouth to keep them from answering. He didn't even question how did Kyungsoo remember that he was living only with his dad since his parents got divorced a couple of months back when Jongin only mentioned it the first time that Kyungsoo came over. 

"Probably work, right?" Kyungsoo asked again, counting stars that appeared in the sky that turned into a dark one over the hours they spent lounging on the floor of the small but cozy room. When Jongin didn't answer again, he turned to look at the other male.

"I-Is everything okay, Jongin?" 

"Dunno..." It was short and almost sounding fragile.

"Do you want to talk—?" Before Kyungsoo could ask, Jongin shook his head, fumbling with a strap on his sweatpants. 

"Okay... umm, sorry for asking in the first place..." 

There was a thick silence afterward, a lot different than the one from before, when Kyungsoo was reading yet another chapter of the history book and Jongin was browsing the internet for their project. This was one of those things that were left unsaid, with neither of them brave enough to start first. Kyungsoo could see that this particular subject was painful for Jongin to talk about, and his own family wasn't roses and daisies either. So he just left it be, allowing Jongin to talk about something else instead.

"I don't know what has been happening with him for some time now..." Jongin whispered, pulling at the string harsher. Kyungsoo turned around, studying his features and the way the slope on his nose protruded even more above the thick lips that glistened under the moonlight.

"With your dad?" Kyungsoo asked slowly, seeing Jongin nodding before his lips again.

"He's been coming home later than usual... Smelling like cigars and hard liquor..." Jongin was really beautiful, Kyungsoo wasn't seeing it just now, but only now admiring his face for the first time freely, allowing Jongin to continue.

"There were even some girls with him, late at night.. when he thought I was sleeping in my room.." Kyungsoo planted his hand, palm first on Jongin's hand on his thigh, offering some kind of reassurance even though he didn't know-how. 

Jongin's eyes raked from their jointed hands to Kyungsoo's face, then back down to the hands, squeezing Kyungsoo's for no apparent reason.

"He used to be such a good dad, coming to my award shows and taking time to speak to me about everything I was ever interested in, but now..." Jongin shook his head, wiping unshed tears that burned at the edge of his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, before placing his glasses back on his face. 

"It's okay if you don't want to—"

"No, I trust you!" It was short, but it meant the world to Kyungsoo. He couldn't even comprehend what those three little words did to his insides, making him nervous and exposed, more than he's ever been. And he was scared. So frightened to even accept that Jongin was there, crawling closer and closer to his heart, considering that he'd taken his mind months ago.

It was a new feeling of being there with someone, caring for someone even though you didn't know how, and following someone's words and tics, remembering the way their voice was thick with honesty, pouring the innocence out. 

And Kyungsoo was sweating, his clammy hand letting go of Jongin's scarred one, trying to connect his overly-beating heart and ants dancing under his skin. Jongin was close, closer than anyone has been before, and Kyungsoo couldn't let him in. He couldn't meet his eyes, couldn't breathe properly.

Jongin was making him panic.

"After he and mom got divorced," Jongin could see that Kyungsoo was different after his confession, but kept talking, "He stopped caring for me altogether... And I wanted to be there for him after what happened, but— Kyungsoo, are you okay?" The asked boy only nodded, still not meeting his eyes and then turning around when Jongin apologized for making him bored with his talk.

"I think you just struck a nerve, that's all..." When Jongin stayed quiet, silently waiting for him to say more, he continued.

"... Um.. well, my parents don't find pride in me, or anything I do, to be honest.."

"They raised me the same way as my older brother, but something was different. Somewhere along the way, I stopped being their good and well-behaved son and started being this brat that didn't care for anybody... And they hated that; they hated that they couldn't control me like they could with my brother..." Kyungsoo smiled through the bitter taste that the words created in his mouth, eyeing the stars.

"Kyung— ha-have you ever said this to anyone?" It was an honest question, waiting there to be asked, but Kyungsoo didn't get offended, shaking his head sheepishly.

"I didn't want to bother anyone— It's pathetic, you know. Big bad Do Kyungsoo having family problems and being something he wasn't supposed to be just to get on his parent's nerves, even though he had everything he ever wanted an