It all started when Kyungsoo was beginning his second year in high school. A new year meant new teachers and new classes. Kyungsoo kept to himself for the first few days, huddling in the corner with a book in his hand and a pair of earphones in his ears, before someone new joined his class. Someone would walk into Kyungsoo’s life and change everything without him ever knowing. That, someone, was Kim Jongin.

 

The hallways were bustling with lively chatter and noises of lockers closing. People bumped into each other as they walked hurriedly to their first class. “Did you see the new kid?” A girl with short hair said. One of her friends joined in on the conversation and added, “Yeah, he looks so cool!” The two girls squealed and continued on their way. Kyungsoo listened to their conversation, pushing his glasses up as he walked by them, his steps slow and his heart heavy in his chest. A new student coming in a month after school began? Kyungsoo thought to himself, as he pushed open the door to the classroom and walked inside.

 

Kyungsoo adverted his eyes from the students in the front and lowered his head, keeping them on the ground as he walked to his desk located at the back and sat down. He took out his notebook and pencil, opening the blue notebook before picking up the wooden pencil and sketching little lines across the paper, filling in the eyebrows and moving down to the nose, where he shaded lightly beneath it. Kyungsoo forgot where he was and focused on the drawing in front of him. He moved on to the lips, lightly shading and darker when needed. The lips were plump and full, a little smirk at the end of those lips. Kyungsoo worked at a leisurely pace, taking his time to shade where he thought the sun would hit and where shadows might appear. Kyungsoo left the hair and eyes for last as always. 

 

Someone cleared their throat, and Kyungsoo blinked twice, coming back to his surroundings. The class was beginning, and Kyungsoo sighed, flipping the page to a blank one and took out a black pen. School had always been annoying to Kyungsoo. He didn't want to be there. Not when everyone around him was stupid and thought they were better than everyone else.

 

People were told to stand up and give a short introduction about themselves. Kyungsoo always dreaded this part. He waited for his turn to be called. Kyungsoo tapped the tips of his fingertips on his blue notebook in the meantime, his eyes flicking towards the window to look out at the sad scene outside where the sun was nowhere to be seen, and a soft drizzle fell from the heavy gray clouds. Where the grass began to get wet, and the earth soaked up all the water. Where the leaves started to turn greener the more, it rained. 

 

"Doh Kyungsoo?"

 

Kyungsoo quickly turned his head away from the window to look at his professor and students patiently waiting for him to stand up and introduce himself. Kyungsoo swallowed, hands becoming clammy as he scrambled out of his chair to speak. "H-Hello, my name is Doh Kyungsoo. I am sixteen years old, and I like to draw and read." He nodded as if satisfied with his introduction and sat back down where he shyly folded his hands over his lap and kept his eyes glued to the desk in front of him. 

 

The professor nodded his head in approval and moved on to the few students that were left. After introductions had been made, before the professor began his class, the door slid open, and the principal walked in with a male student trailing behind him with his backpack resting on his shoulders, hands tucked inside his school pants, and head tilted down to the ground. 

 

Kyungsoo lifted his eyes from his desk to look to the front where he saw the new student that everyone had been talking about in the morning. Though he couldn't see the boy's features well enough, Kyungsoo knew he was handsome. His ears perked up when he heard the professor say his name and point his finger at him. The new student then looked up, following where the professor was pointing. 

 

Their eyes met. Kyungsoo's cheeks became warm. The new student smiled. 

 

"Doh Kyungsoo? Please raise your hand."

 

Kyungsoo shyly raised his hand, ignoring all the looks of jealousy he was getting. Once the student crossed the room and took a seat in the vacant seat next to Kyungsoo, the professor finally began his class. 

 

The light drizzle had turned into a thunderstorm that with each boom the windows rattled and with each loud noise, the boy beside Kyungsoo flinched. 

 

Kyungsoo looked up to check if the professor's back was turned to the students and stealthily passed a small note to the boy who wouldn't stop flinching. 

 

Hello. 

 

Kyungsoo received a questioning look from the boy, but he nodded his chin towards the paper, motioning with his hand to answer the note. 

 

The male chuckled under his breath before scribbling something and passing the note back. 

 

Hey. 

 

Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows, thinking about what he should say next. 

 

I'm Kyungsoo; oh wait, you probably already know that sorry, um, are you afraid of thunderstorms?

 

Another soft chuckle before a note landed on Kyungsoo's desk. 

 

I am, why do you ask?

 

A smile spread on Kyungsoo's lips. 

 

No reason. Just thought you should know that it can't get to you as long as you're under some shelter. 

 

It was the third time Kyungsoo heard him laugh. 

 

Okay, well, I'm Jongin. 

 

Just Jongin?

 

Kim Jongin. Hey, what's the food like in your cafeteria?

 

It was Kyungsoo's turn to laugh, quietly of course. 

 

Um, it's pretty decent from what I hear, but I wouldn't know since I don't eat the school's lunch. 

 

Why not? Is it expensive?

 

No, because I cook my food. 

 

Jongin let out a low, "Wah, amazing," under his breath as he hurriedly scribbled something. 

 

So, are you some chef?

 

Haha, not really, but if that's what you want to think then hey, I don't mind. 

 

Beside him, Jongin shook his head. 

 

They spent the rest of the class passing notes to each other and occasionally listening to the professor drone about history. 

 

By the time the bell rang signaling the end of class, all the students had stood up to leave, collecting their belongings and checking their schedule to see where their next class was going to be located. 

 

A tan hand came into Kyungsoo's view, and he looked up to see that it connected to Jongin's tall form. He stared at it for a few seconds, pushing up his glasses that had slid down his nose before extending his hand out to shake it with Jongin's. "I'm Kim Jongin, I'm sixteen, and I like to people watch and read books." He smiled down at Kyungsoo whose cheeks had become stained with red. 

 

"A-Ah. Hello, my name is Doh Kyungsoo. I am sixteen years old, and I like to draw and read." He nodded shyly, giving Jongin a closed smile when said boy squeezed their hands tightly. 

 

"Want to be friends? Everyone keeps staring at me like they want to eat me or something."

 

"You want to be friends with someone like me?" Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip, surprise swimming in his brown eyes. 

 

"Yeah? Why is that a surprise to you?"

 

"Because no one has ever wanted to be my friend."

 

Jongin had a look of determination painted on his features. He looked around the empty room and helped Kyungsoo out of his chair. "Who wouldn't want to be friends with you? From the hour we spent passing notes to each other, you seem friendly and cool. for them, though, cause they're missing out on an awesome person like you." He tugged on Kyungsoo's hand and gently led him out of the classroom. "Now come on, Chef Kyungsoo. Help me find my next class."

 

Kyungsoo couldn't stop the laughter from spilling through his sweet mouth. "Wait, Jongin! You have to tell me what class you have next!" He allowed his new friend to drag him, knowing full well that Jongin had no idea where he was going. 

 

Their hands were still entwined. 

 

"Uh," Jongin began as he took out his crumpled schedule from the back pocket of his pants. 

 

"Messy," Kyungsoo muttered under his breath. 

 

"I heard that. So, um, math is up next for me." Jongin stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to face Kyungsoo. "What's your next class, Chef Kyung?"

 

"I'm not a chef, Messy Jongin," Kyungsoo snickered to himself, grinning when Jongin rolled his eyes in response. "I also have math next so come on, let's get going, or we're going to be late."

 

카디

 

By the time lunchtime rolled around, Kyungsoo couldn't wipe away the broad smile on his lips, and he couldn't stop laughing either. Jongin was really funny and quite the charmer as well. Kyungsoo had to bite his bottom lip often to keep himself from making any strange noises in class. Jongin wouldn't stop making funny faces at him. 

 

The canteen was filled with loud students as always. Although Kyungsoo spent his lunch under a tangerine tree with his can of peach juice and bento box, he tagged along with Jongin to help him pick something to eat. 

 

"Uh, Kyungsoo? Is that edible?" Jongin asked, pointing at something suspicious hiding behind the glass window. It was a blob of green. "Didn't you say the food here was edible?"

 

Kyungsoo's eyes strayed away from the carton of chocolate milk to bring his attention to what Jongin was pointing at entirely. He chuckled when seeing the look of disgust on Jongin's face. "If you want to live another day then I suggest we share my lunch."

 

"Okay, sounds good but are you sure I won't be taking advantage of you?"

 

Kyungsoo shook his head as he plucked a carton of chocolate milk from the ice it was seated on and tossed it to Jongin who quickly caught it. "Mother always told me to share my food. Anyway, I wouldn't let you starve. I can't just do that."

 

"You're so nice, Chef Kyung."

 

"Stop calling me that, Messy Jongin." He then led them out of the cafeteria to head outside to sit under the blossoming tangerine tree where they shared Kyungsoo's large bento box. Where they talked about little things like what kind of pets did they own and what kind of books did they read. Where they laughed out loud at stupid jokes; where they agreed on certain things and disagreed on others. Where they slowly inched closer to each other, connecting to one another like never before. 

 

Where they slowly fell. 

 

Deeper and deeper. 

 

카디

 

Psychology was up next on their schedules. They were assigned seats at the same desk where they would remain for the rest of the year. It was a massive plus for Kyungsoo, and he thanked his professor mentally for having seated Jongin next to him. He would have someone to talk to during their class projects and lessons. 

 

"Hey Kyung, do you think fate wrote our schedules?"

 

Kyungsoo tapped the tip of his pencil against the worksheet he was currently working on. Only ten more questions left to answer. "What makes you say that, Jong?" His voice was distracted as he tried to explain why people lost their minds. Like he would know. 

 

"Well," his hand appeared beside Kyungsoo's page where he drew a little bear hugging a tub of honey, "we have all the same classes and the same lunch. Do you think we were meant to meet?"

 

"Mm, I suppose so," Kyungsoo agreed, pushing the hand away from doodling anymore on his paper. 

 

"Yeah, I thought so too."

 

Class went by quite fast that day and by the time the bell rang once again, the school had just ended for the day. Everyone rushed out of class to leave to their homes. They all went in a hurry seeing as how the sky started to darken again, and it began to flash. 

 

Kyungsoo took his time at his locker. Putting away books he didn't need and grabbing the ones he had to take home. As he shut his locker, he let out a surprised yelp when Jongin was standing on the other side with a smile on his lips. "God, Jongin!" He huffed, placing his hand on his chest to calm his rapidly beating heart. 

 

Jongin let out a peel of laughter, eyes crinkling as he held his stomach. "I'm sorry, Kyungsoo! I thought you heard my footsteps." He leaned forward, closer to see the blush spreading on Kyungsoo's cheeks. 

 

"Invasion of privacy," Kyungsoo mumbled, sticking his hand out to push away Jongin's smiling face. "Get out of my bubble."

 

"Wanna hang after school? Maybe you can show me around town if you're not busy." Jongin suggested as he and Kyungsoo left the boy's locker behind them and left the high school building where students were still milling around the stairs with candy in their mouths. 

 

"Um," Kyungsoo ran through his schedule in his head. He had to be at the bakery shop around four in the afternoon and the time right now was 2:20 PM. "Well, I have work around four so, I don't know?"

 

Jongin nodded in understanding, chewing on the inside of his cheek before smiling brightly. "Er if it would be okay with you, can I tag along? I won't bother you!"

 

And that was how Kyungsoo found himself all flustered while putting the icing on red velvet cupcakes while Jongin stood beside him with an apron and flour in his brown hair. The owner wasn't available at the time and left Kyungsoo in charge of the shop for a few days until she came back from her trip. Kyungsoo thought Jongin would be rather lonely sitting in the booth all by himself, so he invited the boy to the back to help him. Jongin was surprisingly good at baking to which Kyungsoo couldn't believe it. 

 

"Why are you staring at me like that? I'm not always messy you know," Jongin said as he placed another perfectly iced chocolate cupcake on a separate tray. 

 

The air smelled like sugar. The room was toasty. Jongin looked handsome even with white flour in his hair, and Kyungsoo stood beside him with a pink piping bag and some vanilla frosting on his fingers. 

 

"Hey, you know what that looks like?" Jongin said as he pointed at the piping bag in Kyungsoo's hand and the frosting, staining his pretty fingers. 

 

"Um," Kyungsoo bit his bottom lip, wide eyes blinking up at his friend, "uh, what?"

 

"That," Jongin pointed once again at the bag, making Kyungsoo look down at his hand, "looks like a that just came."

 

It was quiet in the kitchen. Jongin thought he had somehow managed to break Kyungsoo. 

 

"Jongin," Kyungsoo's voice was soft, "What the ?" He blinked twice, stopping his cheeks from heating up. "What, why…why would you say that?" He slowly began to react, letting the blood rise to his neck and cheeks. 

 

Jongin couldn't hold in his laughter. He accidentally held the bag too tight that it popped and splashed everywhere. "S-Sorry!" He chuckled, doubling over to place his hands on the messy counter, fingers becoming sticky with red and pink frosting. 

 

"Hey!" Kyungsoo groaned low in his throat, sighing as he shook his head. "You're so messy, Jongin!"

 

He gave Kyungsoo a smirk, cleaned his hands in the sink and brought up a damp towel to clean a bit of sweetness from the corner of Kyungsoo's lip. "Yeah, but do you know what that means?"

 

“Um, n-no.”

 

"You are neat, and I am messy. We make the perfect couple."

 

Kyungsoo shook his head as he helped the taller male help clean up their workstation. "You're so ridiculous."

 

"Ridiculously funny."

 

"Stop and help me clean up this mess."

 

They ended up closing the bakery store much earlier than anticipated. A few dozen orders were placed that needed to be completed by next week. Maybe Kyungsoo would get in a kind word for Jongin so that they could work together side by side. 

 

"Hey, where do you live?"

 

"You sure do ask a lot of questions."

 

They were walking together under an umbrella since it had started to rain yet again. Jongin was glad it wasn't thundering this time. 

 

"Just answer, Kyung."

 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, lightly nudging the boy walking beside him. "I live down this block in a white two-story home. Why do you ask?"

 

"Do you have a bright yellow mailbox in your front yard?"

 

"Um, yeah?"

 

"Cool! I live next door to you and just happened to notice the mailbox and uh, I also saw you leaving your house the other day?" Now he was babbling out of nervousness. Kyungsoo probably thought he was a creep now. 

 

They were standing in front of Kyungsoo's house now. The two boys were standing way too close under the umbrella. 

 

"Oh, um, I was probably heading to work that day."

 

"You were, uh, you were crying."

 

Kyungsoo's heart dropped. Jongin noticed. 

 

"It's okay, Kyungsoo. I'm not going to make fun of you or anything."

 

A shy blush appeared on his cheeks. "Thanks, Jongin."

 

A few seconds later after awkward shuffling around under the wet umbrella and staring at each other a little too long, they somehow managed to exchange numbers, promising each other that they would text one another as soon as they arrived at their rooms. 

 

They departed with a shy talk to you soon. 

 

There was no need to say goodbye when they would be seeing each other the next day.