Kyungsoo walks through the hallway of his school, nose an inch deep into the book he’s currently obsessed with. He expertly maneuvers his way around his peers standing at their lockers, chatting about the latest episode of 13 Reasons Why or whatever kids these days are obsessed with. There’s also talk about the upcoming football game on Friday, but Kyungsoo blocks all that out as he reads on.

He’s just about made it to his Physics classroom before he finds himself colliding with a firm back, book falling to the floor in surprise, and his thick, black-framed glasses following right after. Kyungsoo squints at the person who he’s ran into, throwing out a hasty apology as he bends down to retrieve his eyes—he’s practically blind without his prescribed glasses.

He can make out the blurry outline of the person still standing in front of him as he wipes his glasses on his shirt. Throwing them on once he deems them clean, he grabs his book and stands up to face the male who he now recognizes.

Kyungsoo can’t help but feel the way his heart increases its pace just slightly, because the male he comes face to face with is none other than Jongin, his fellow classmate and also the school’s beloved running back on the football team.

“Sorry, um,” Kyungsoo starts, wishing with all his might that a stupid blush isn’t making its way across his cheeks right about now. “I wasn’t looking.”

He waits for a response, even a grunt that would let him know that Jongin acknowledges his presence, but the taller male merely spares him a glance before turning away and quickly walking into the classroom.

Kyungsoo’s shoulders slump visibly before he adjusts his glasses with a quirk of his fingers, following in right after and taking a seat at his designated desk. He pulls out his homework and looks over it before setting it to the side and waiting for class to start.

As he waits, Kyungsoo feels the small ache of disappointment beginning to settle in the pit of his stomach. The little bubble of hope he’s held out for Jongin expands just a little, stretching its boundaries and becoming that much closer to bursting.

As the teacher walks in and jumps straight into lecture mode, Kyungsoo finds himself unable to distract his thoughts away from his little run-in earlier. It’s the first time he’s ever had contact with Jongin in any form since the latter first transferred to their school a little over three months ago.

At first, Kyungsoo didn’t care much for the new student, typical 10/10, sports prodigy, probably the son of a rich business owner—the whole nine yards. But their school is crawling with the same type of people in the same league as Jongin, so what’s another one?

It wasn’t until Kyungsoo first saw him walk into his advanced Calculus course and take a seat in the back of the room that he began to pay attention. He then noticed the same bronze-skinned boy placing himself at a desk in the back of his Physics class, and then his Honors English, and then so on and so forth until it piqued Kyungsoo’s curiosity.

What was rich, pretty boy doing in all of his advanced placement courses?

However, Kyungsoo was most taken aback when he found out Jongin scored higher than him on their latest Physics exam, and that’s when he really started noticing the boy. He noticed how Jongin would quickly shuffle into the room and head straight for the desks in the back. He noticed how Jongin never answered a single question or even made a sound, even when called upon.

Especially when called upon. He once made the decision to turn around and look at Jongin when the teacher asked him a question, and he couldn’t help but observe the way Jongin looked down at his desk, the tip of his ears reddening immediately.

Kyungsoo somehow found it endearing in a way, and the rest was history.

“Earth to Kyungsoo—”

Kyungsoo jerks out of his thoughts, looking up at his teacher who is blinking at him expectantly. He looks around and notices the other students with their gazes upon him, and realizes they’re waiting on him for something.

Glancing at the board, he sees an equation ready to be solved. He quickly calculates the torque in his head and gives the answer, breathing a sigh of relief when the teacher smiles at him. As the lecture continues, Kyungsoo ducks his own head, kind of embarrassed to be caught like a deer in headlights in front of everyone like that. In front of him.

Kyungsoo can still feel eyes on him. It doesn’t help the fact that he sits at the very front of class, and everyone has good access to his back. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, something he does when he’s embarrassed or anxious to calm down his racing pulse.

His mind is telling him to turn around and look, but he fights the urge. He doesn’t want to seem obvious when there’s no reason for him to look behind in the first place, but he finds it hard to ignore the nagging feeling.

After a few minutes pass, Kyungsoo’s head is twisting back over his shoulder to throw a glance at the boy in the back of class, only to freeze in his spot. He meets a pair of chocolate, brown eyes staring back into his own, and Kyungsoo suddenly finds it hard to breathe.

He whips himself back around as fast as he can, slouching in his seat so that he would be hidden by the kids behind him, feeling warmth burn up his neck and ears. He feels so dumb because Jongin definitely saw him, and who knows what the other is probably thinking of him. Kyungsoo simply wants to melt into the plastic of his chair.

However, what Kyungsoo fails to see is how fast Jongin averts his own gaze back to his desk.

***

“You’re going to the game tomorrow, right?” Baekhyun asks with his mouth full of cafeteria food, cheeks puffed out and spitting little bits everywhere on the lunch table.

Kyungsoo watches with mild disgust as Baekhyun stuffs another spoonful into his mouth before taking a bite of his own sandwich.

“It’s the state championships. The school has never made it this far in the league before,” says Chanyeol, patting Baekhyun’s back who is now somewhat choking and turning red.

Kyungsoo has been considering going to the game, definitely because he has school pride and not because he would get to watch a certain someone on the field the whole night, but there’s an English essay waiting to be written on the motifs in The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.

“Maybe the next one,” he answers while the other two give him a look.

“It’s the final game of the season.”

“Yeah, at least come to the last one. You never come out with us.”

Kyungsoo glances at his watch, gauging the time he has left in his lunch break to perhaps get to the library to start on the essay. If he can get at least one page written, he’ll feel less guilty about attending the game.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

The two cheer as Kyungsoo excuses himself and makes his way to his favorite place in the school. In the past three years he’s been attending the high school, he’s pretty much read all the books on the shelves. For Kyungsoo, books have always provided comfort and an escape. He has explored the river streets of Venice and sailed to find treasure with pirates, he has been a star athlete and even an award winning scientist.

Kyungsoo knows he doesn’t have many talents going for him to begin with, but nothing is impossible in the world as long as he has his imagination. It has always kept him safe from bullies who used to enjoy calling him names to the girls and guys who rejected him for being too quiet, too weird. Anytime Kyungsoo needs an escape, he just has to occupy himself in a good book.

Kyungsoo feels the calm that spreads through him as he walks to a secluded table by the wall in the back. It’s hidden behind shelves and shelves of his most beloved books, and he settles down quietly. He takes out his thick literature book and his laptop, adjusting his glasses before flipping it open to the awaiting short story that he has so carefully dissected.

Once his fingers begin clicking away on the keys, Kyungsoo’s mind becomes a whirlwind of ideas connecting one symbol to another. He breaks apart what the child in the cellar means to the citizens of Omelas, and how a depicted Utopian society rears its ugly head. Kyungsoo is so absorbed in his essay that he misses the first few snickers that come floating his way from behind a shelf.

After a good ten minutes of consistently writing, Kyungsoo takes a break to adjust in his seat, and that’s when he hears it. It sounds like a muffled laugh, as if someone doesn’t want to disturb the peace of the library by laughing obnoxiously. Kyungsoo ignores it in favor of returning back to his essay, but now the laughter has successfully derailed his train of thought as he finds himself unable to concentrate.

Curious, Kyungsoo stands from his chair and silently makes his way toward the source of the giggling, ducking down to peer behind some books. The scene he registers makes him stand still in shock, because sitting on the floor cross legged and laughing at something he read in the book he’s holding is Kim Jongin, and it has Kyungsoo flushing profusely.

Because the smile on Jongin’s lips takes his breath away and the soft laughter reaching his ears is like music, and Kyungsoo continues to watch as Jongin eagerly reads page after page. His reactions are so captivating that Kyungsoo finds himself smiling, his heart lifting at the sight of Jongin enjoying the book, something so unlike his usual cold, standoffish persona. He seems so relatable, so approachable.

“What’re you reading?”

The words leave Kyungsoo’s mouth without his permission, and he doesn’t realize how creepy he appears standing behind the shelf of books, peering through the gaps, watching the other read a book until Jongin lifts his head to look up at him.

Their gazes meet and Kyungsoo feels so betrayed at the way his mind and body have seemed to have lost their connection because his mind is screaming at him to escape—like, an actual escape from the library—while his body remains stuck in its place, looking back at Jongin with incredibly wide eyes.

Jongin’s eyes seem to match his own as they appear questioning, almost vulnerable at having been caught in a private moment that Kyungsoo has trespassed on.

Kyungsoo wishes the ground would open beneath his feet and swallow him whole because he feels so incredibly embarrassed. He has just been caught staring at the handsome football player by the football player himself, and no amount of book reading will ever help him escape this situation.

“Uh, s-sorry,” Kyungsoo supplies, waving his hands idiotically. “Go back to reading, don’t mind me. I was just…”

He wants to kick his own as he backs off, still looking at Jongin as the latter never removes his own gaze, until he collides into the shelf behind him. A few books shake and fall, one particularly heavy one landing right on his head and Kyungsoo curses out loud.

“Ouch,” he whines, kneeling down and clutching his head in pain. He seriously just wants to die now. How could a book betray him like that? After all Kyungsoo and they have been through?

“Are…you okay?” comes a soft whisper, and Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin, who is now standing above him, glancing at him with an expression closely resembling concern.

“I’m fine,” Kyungsoo answers, although the pained expression on his features would say otherwise. “I barely even felt it.”

Kyungsoo is pretty sure he imagines it, but the corner of Jongin’s lips twitch just the slightest before they’re parting again. “Do you, um, need to go to the nurse?”

Kyungsoo guesses he has a mild concussion by the way his vision goes in and out of focus, but he doesn’t want to burden Jongin with his health problems. He’s already done enough damage to his ego for one lifetime, and he’d rather not let Jongin see another pitiful side of him.

“I think I’ll be okay,” Kyungsoo manages a smile at the other, although still incredibly embarrassed at the situation.

Maybe it’s the way the lighting is hitting Jongin, but the taller boy’s face seems to be red as he slowly extends out his hand for Kyungsoo to take. “A-Are you sure?” he asks, voice barely audible but Kyungsoo hears it loud and clear in the tranquility of the library.  

Kyungsoo feels a raging blush marring his own features as he takes the warm hand with his own, grasping it tightly before pulling himself up. He feels weak in his knees and he’s slightly dizzy on his feet, but Kyungsoo decides it’s because of the book falling on his head and not the way his heart seems to be pounding beneath his rib cage.

“Yes,” he says, pulling his hand back although he very much wants to keep it enclosed in Jongin’s larger one. “But thank you, Jongin.”

He gives the football player one last smile before turning away and walking back to his study table in a daze. He can’t believe what just happened.

“Three Men In a Boat,” he hears Jongin say from behind, and Kyungsoo turns around to see Jongin holding up a book. “The book I was reading,” he says, scratching the back of his neck timidly before turning and walking the opposite way of Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo looks on even after Jongin turns the corner and disappears from sight, a goofy smile resting on his lips.

***

The next day in Physics class, the teacher announces a partner project to end the semester.

“Okay guys, pair up with anyone you want. We’ll be having a little competition between groups to see who can drop this,” says the teacher holding up one egg, “From a certain height and keep it from cracking. You can use any materials you want, just make it really creative. Whichever teams wins, they will get the prize!”

Kyungsoo looks around at his classmates, watching them all get into pairs and already coming up with ideas. He’s about to ask the girl sitting a few desks away before he feels a tap on his shoulder. The last thing in the world he expects to see is Kim Jongin standing by his desk, looking down at him expectantly, yet there he is in all his tanned skinned glory.

“Would you…” Kyungsoo watches Jongin shift uncomfortably before speaking again. “Would you be my partner?”

Kyungsoo’s mind goes blank because he really cannot believe what’s taking place. He almost pinches himself because in what alternative reality would football star Jongin be asking four-eyed wonder Kyungsoo to be his partner for a project? Jongin could have anybody yet he’s standing there in front of Kyungsoo, looking very uncomfortable as if he wants to bolt from the room.

“I-If you don’t…that’s okay, um—”

Kyungsoo then realizes he’s been silently gaping at Jongin instead of giving him an answer, and he almost smacks himself for it.

“Yes!” he says a little too enthusiastically, toning down the eagerness as he coughs into his fist. “Uh, yeah, let’s be partners, Jongin.”

The small smile on Jongin’s lips has Kyungsoo staring again, but he quickly shakes his head, motioning for the other to sit down at the now empty desk beside his.

Kyungsoo, not wanting to make things any more awkward than he already has—taking into account the events in the library yesterday, pulls out a blank sheet of paper and immediately begins jotting down ideas for project Save the Egg. He goes off on a rambling tangent, wanting to fill the quiet space between them with something other than awkward silence.

It’s been three months since Kyungsoo has been quietly crushing on Jongin, and the automatic need to watch and observe the little things he does has him making assumptions about the other. Such as, Jongin doesn’t talk much. Jongin doesn’t smile much. Jongin doesn’t make good eye contact. So on and so forth, to the point where Kyungsoo has conjured up small prejudices about him.

Maybe Jongin thinks he’s too good to speak to others, maybe Jongin doesn’t want to waste his time on people not on his level, perhaps he’s too self-absorbed to pay attention to anyone but himself.

But as Kyungsoo continues talking, he notices how Jongin seems to pay attention to everything he’s saying. The little nod of his head, the small blush pooling in his cheeks, the way his eyes seem mesmerized by whatever Kyungsoo is saying, maybe Kyungsoo imagines all of it because he so desperately wants Jongin to pay attention to him.

His imagination is going into overdrive because he wants Jongin.

“So, any other ideas?” Kyungsoo finally asks after pretty much listing every idea that could ever be thought of.

Jongin continues to look at him, his gaze steady and fixed as if he didn’t hear Kyungsoo.

“Jongin?” he calls again, and recognition seems to light up in Jongin’s eyes as the other quickly glances down at the list.

Jongin is silent for another few seconds as he moves his eyes over the paper, before finally meeting Kyungsoo’s eyes, albeit a bit shyly. “I-I think that’s good.”

The soft-spoken way in which Jongin answers is so endearing that Kyungsoo feels his stomach flip, unknowingly scooting in closer until their shoulders touch. A spark shoots through Kyungsoo at the close proximity, but neither of them move away.

“Do you think you’ll have time to work on this later?” Kyungsoo asks, glancing up between them, almost gasping at how close their faces are right now. He can feel his breath coming out in shallow spurts as he struggles to regulate it, and Jongin looks up at him.

There’s a fleeting moment of silence between them, nothing like the ones they’ve had earlier. This one is tense, thick with something Kyungsoo can’t put a name to but Jongin quickly interrupts it.

“The game is tonight,” he says, and Kyungsoo remembers that it’s Friday and that tonight is the biggest game of the season.

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot,” he says, glancing down slightly disappointed. He was looking forward to spending time building their little egg fort together.

Jongin shifts in his seat, their knees brushing under the table which brings Kyungsoo out of his thoughts. “You’ll come and watch, right?”

Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin again, who’s smiling down at the list instead of at him, and Kyungsoo finds himself saying yes before any other thought can cross his mind.

***

Kyungsoo finds himself squished between Chanyeol and Baekhyun, and hundreds of his classmates screaming all around him. The sun is on its way to set behind the horizon and Kyungsoo is sitting on the bleachers in his Sunday best. Judging from the attire of his classmates around him, apparently a light blue cotton button up is an odd sight, clashing against the sea of fierce black and red—otherwise known as his school colors. In fact, the other team is blue and yellow, which makes Kyungsoo feel even more idiotic.

Luckily, he doesn’t have time to dwell on it further because the next thing he knows, their football team is making their way out of the locker room and onto the field, and the crowd is going absolutely insane. The adrenaline all around him gets him somewhat hyped, and he finds himself clapping as the team heads over to their head coach for some pre-game pep talk.

Kyungsoo’s trained eyes immediately locate Jongin, the bright red 88 standing out from the huddle. He can’t see much since Jongin’s covered in his helmet and football gear, but he’s excited just the same. As they break and head out onto the field again to get the game started, Kyungsoo feels nervous butterflies in his stomach, as if he’s the one playing.

His heart almost skips a beat when he sees Jongin turning his head to look at the crowd, scanning it until his eyes land on the section Kyungsoo is sitting in. Even though Kyungsoo knows he isn’t looking at him specifically, just the feeling of Jongin maybe searching for him has him smiling.

He takes out his phone, pulling up his messages and typing in Jongin’s name. Ever since they exchanged numbers earlier for the project, Kyungsoo has repeated the same step countless times, but never actually sent a text to the other boy. He’s chickened out each time, not knowing if Jongin would be okay with getting a random message from him.

But this time, he types in a quick Good Luck, Jongin :] and hits send before he can back down again. His heart is pounding maddeningly, and he looks up just in time for the kickoff to start.

***

Kyungsoo stands up with the rest of the crowd, ready to head home after an adrenaline-filled game. Their team won, with Jongin running the length of the whole football field to the final touchdown of the game.

He replays the scene in his mind over and over, watching the whole school chant Jongin’s name as the male dodged tacklers and side stepped past the other players. Kyungsoo is in a daze, unbelieving that someone could be so absolutely talented, so swift, so glorious.

Till now, Kyungsoo has only known Jongin for his smarts. He has only seen the side of Jongin that’s always sitting at the back of class and quietly acing exams. And Kyungsoo fell for his brilliant mind. The beautiful boy who rivals him in education, something he cherishes so much.

But tonight he has seen the other side of Jongin, the one that has hearts pumping and girls and boys screaming. The one who captures everyone’s eyes—someone others cherish so much.

And Kyungsoo realizes he’s not the only one in the school that has fallen for Jongin. He’s but a small fish in the vast ocean crawling with equally talented, beautiful people.

And who is Kyungsoo? He is nothing, he has nothing. There’s nothing special about him that would make him stand out from anybody else. He’s always been a little too obsessed with books, his thick glasses are a permanent part of his face, and his quiet way about him distances him from those around him.

So how could Kyungsoo ever think Jongin would notice him of all people? The thought is disheartening as the realization hits him, and Kyungsoo simply wants to return home to the comfort of his quiet bedroom. He sees some people storming the field to cheer on the winning team, but Kyungsoo looks the other way. He doesn’t want to see any of it.

***

It’s mid-afternoon on a lazy Saturday. Kyungsoo is finishing up his English essay before he has to meet up with Jongin for their project. It had definitely slipped his mind after the pity party he threw for himself last night after the game. He forgot that they were meeting up today.

After the whole epiphany thing where Kyungsoo realized Jongin would never give him the time of day, especially when he’s surrounded by so many people better than Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo may or may not have cried himself to sleep. He was just hurt, and knowing he would never be good enough burst his tiny Jongin bubble.

Kyungsoo supposes now he can move on and focus on his school work without distractions. He knows he’ll have that slight heartache every time he sees Jongin from now on, but at least he won’t make a fool out of himself in hopes of impressing the other.

Editing a few minor mistakes here and there, Kyungsoo submits his paper online before shutting off his laptop and getting ready for the day. Jongin is supposed to be arriving at his house soon, and he doesn’t want the other to see him look like a complete hobo. His room is clean for the most part, just a few books scattered about that shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Pretty soon, the doorbell is ringing and Kyungsoo goes to open it.

“Hey,” Jongin greets timidly, and Kyungsoo feels a slight pang beneath his ribcage. He hopes his eyes aren’t too puffy from the previous night.

“Hey, come in,” Kyungsoo says, stepping aside to let Jongin in his house.

He’s not going to lie, it’s weird seeing Jongin in his house. Almost as if a celebrity has graced him with his presence. He tries not to dwell on it though, nudging his glasses as he leads Jongin to his room.

Upon seeing his room from Jongin’s point of view, he decides it definitely looks like a disaster. There are books upon books littering every corner of his room. His study table is stacked with textbooks and papers, and his bookshelf is threatening to snap under the weight of his novels.

“Um, sorry about the mess…” he murmurs, face now red as he goes to pick up some of them, making room for Jongin to maneuver around his floor and take a seat on his bed.

“It’s okay,” he hears Jongin say, amusement in his voice. “I like it.”

Kyungsoo spares him a glance, watching Jongin look around his room with marveled eyes. He can’t be too sure though, he could just be surprised at his terrible hoarding habits.

To distract the other from the mess, he decides to fill the silence. “So…the game. You guys won.”

Jongin looks at him, and Kyungsoo wants to smack himself because, duh, they clearly did.

Jongin simply sends him a smile. “Yeah, and you were rooting for the other team.”

Kyungsoo is caught off guard. “Huh?”

“You were wearing blue,” says Jongin, chuckling at the way Kyungsoo’s mouth hangs open.

“You saw me?”

“Kind of hard to miss,” replies Jongin, the ghost of his smile still on his lips. He averts his eyes, choosing to pick up a book lying beside him instead. “I like this one…”

Kyungsoo watches Jongin flip through the book of short poems, reading a few as he goes. Meanwhile, his own face is a deep shade of pink. How does he never fail to embarrass himself in front of the other?

“You like reading?”

Jongin nods, still flipping through the pages. “Helps me see things from a different perspective.”

After a few moments, Jongin places the book down and looks at Kyungsoo expectantly.

“We should start,” Kyungsoo says, moving to grab some supplies he bought for their egg project.

Jongin reaches into his own bag and pulls out some stuff, settling it on Kyungsoo’s bed as the other joins him.

“I was thinking, um, we could make something like a mini parachute,” he starts.

“And something to encapsulate the egg in to resorb the shock of impact,” adds Kyungsoo, holding up a roll of bubble wrap.

“Perfect,” Jongin smiles, eyes curved up and warmth radiating as if he were the sun.

Kyungsoo mentally kicks himself to get his breathing back on track.

Before long, they’re both working on putting together their first prototype, building a safe haven for their little egg to descend slowly down to Earth. As much as he doesn’t want to, Kyungsoo can’t help but admire the way Jongin’s hands expertly craft the small shell which would house the fragile egg. The way Jongin’ bites his bottom lip as he focuses, the line of concentration that appears between his eyebrows, even the way his eyes soften when he finishes gluing two pieces together, Kyungsoo notices all of it.

And he can’t help but fall for Jongin just slightly again. His mind has no control over what his heart feels for the other, no matter how unattainable he is. He doesn’t like it, but he also can’t deny it.

Their hands brush together, and Kyungsoo feels his body warm up. He continues holding down the apparatus as Jongin fixates the little parachute above it.

“It looks good,” he hears Jongin say and Kyungsoo nods his head, mind running a hundred thoughts a second, all about the gorgeous boy sitting in front of him brushing their fingers occasionally. Oh, how badly Kyungsoo wants to lace his fingers with Jongin’s own.

“Let’s test it now?”

They both stand by Kyungsoo’s bedroom window side by side, looking up at each other with determination. Kyungsoo pushes his glasses once with his hand for good luck, and Jongin smiles at the action.

“Ready?”

Kyungsoo nods, holding their project with both hands as Jongin does the same on the other end. They both lean out the window, breaths held as they slowly remove their support. They watch their egg slowly descend down, the parachute holding strong against the wind as it falls.

Kyungsoo hops in his place excitedly as Jongin grabs his hand, holding it tightly out of nervousness. Kyungsoo doesn’t think much of it, watching as the egg has made it halfway down.

“It’s workin—”

Before the words leave Kyungsoo’s mouth, one of the sticks holding the parachute in place snaps, sending the whole thing crashing to the ground.

They both freeze in place, eyes wide and unbelieving as their egg lays splattered on the grass below, the apparatus mutilated by the force of gravity. They look at each other for a split second before Kyungsoo’s lips curl upward and a bubble of laughter escapes his mouth. Soon, Jongin is joining him and they’re both keeled over, laughing at their failure, hands still clasped together in each other’s.

“That was horrible,” chokes out Kyungsoo, trying to calm down from laughing so hard while Jongin nods in agreement, smiling as wide as he can.

They both calm down eventually, Kyungsoo reaching up to adjust his glasses, but Jongin beats him to it. The taller pushes them up the bridge of his nose gently, looking at Kyungsoo with an expression he can’t read.

Kyungsoo holds his gaze, pink dusting his cheeks as they remain standing there, looking at each other. Kyungsoo isn’t sure if he should move or wait for Jongin to move. He watches Jongin lean in closer, and he feels like he’s about to combust. He can feel Jongin’s breath, lips ghosting over his until the taller closes the gap.

A soft pair of lips touch his, and a surge of electricity shoots down his spine. He feels his heart beating faster than it has ever before because Kyungsoo can’t believe what’s happening in that moment. He’s about to pull away from shock but Jongin presses him closer, and Kyungsoo can’t help but close his eyes as well, leaning forward into the kiss.

It’s a soft, timid kiss, and it has Kyungsoo weak in the knees. He feels Jongin wrap his arms around his waist, and he stands up on his tip toes to reach him better, wrapping his own arms around Jongin’s neck. Butterflies and fireworks are throwing a party in his stomach, and when they eventually part, Kyungsoo can still feel the effects.

Jongin smiles bashfully, looking down at their hands linking once more, and Kyungsoo falls for Jongin completely all over again.

And when Jongin texts him later that night, telling him how sorry he is for not helping him when he fell earlier that week, Kyungsoo forgives him immediately, internally squealing because Jongin said he was shy and embarrassed that Kyungsoo finally noticed him.

And when they meet up together for their first date and Jongin explains how homesick he felt when he first moved to town, Kyungsoo sends him home with his favorite book that has his favorite quote. Home is where you want to be. You lost your heart in a different city and I know you miss watching the sunrise there, but the sun also rises here. Don’t let old feelings hinder you from moving forward.

The more Kyungsoo discovers about Jongin, the more he’s proved wrong about his assumptions. Jongin doesn’t talk to people because of his shy nature. Jongin plays football because it makes his dad happy, and the popularity and love from fans only burdens him further. Jongin has been noticing Kyungsoo since the moment he stepped into class on the first day, and the latter was reading his favorite novel, Three Men In a Boat.

From everything he’s learned to everything he’s still learning about Jongin, Kyungsoo figures he should apply the biggest lesson he’s ever learned.

Never judge a book by its cover.



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a/n - ahh i hope you liked it!! Like I said, Kwangri, you better send me all your lovin (but seriously, i really hope it matched exactly what you wanted T^T). Not the best one shot--i at one shots lol--but i hope all the feels are there :]