A month later Kyungsoo showed up to school with a black sweatshirt over his uniform that had the words Dreamer knitted in white dashed lines. It fitted loose on him, but it was so comfortable that he didn't care just how big it made him look as long as he felt good in it. 

 

Jongin walked through the classroom door with a small brown paper bag clutched in his left hand and a bright smile on his lips when he approached Kyungsoo's desk. "Hey, Kyung," he greeted cheerfully, gently placing the paper bag on his friend's desk. 

 

Kyungsoo looked up from his almost finished sketch of a garden of flowers and smiled brightly, his heart fluttering in his chest at the sight of Jongin standing in front of him. "Hi, Jongin. How did you sleep?" He took note of the bag, eyes trying to make out what it held inside without being too obvious. He patted the seat beside him. 

 

Jongin placed his bag on the floor beside the foot of the desk to sit down next to Kyungsoo where he slid his left hand across Kyungsoo's knee to grab his hand and hold it under the table, gently squeezing and getting a nudge on his shoulder in return. "I slept pretty well last night after you sang to me."

 

A pretty blush made its way onto Kyungsoo's cheeks, and he shyly ducked his head down, dark brown bangs falling over his eyes and causing his glasses to slide down the slope of his nose. "You're too much," he mumbled, shaking his head when he felt Jongin intertwine their fingers together. "What's in the bag?"

 

"Ah!" Jongin exclaimed, still holding Kyungsoo's hand with his left one and using his right hand to take out a small white box from the bag. "I bought this for you on the way to school."

 

"Jongin…" Kyungsoo trailed off, wide eyes looking around the almost filled classroom before slowly peeling away the tape that was keeping the cardboard box closed and lifted up the flaps. He chuckled, shaking his head. "Are those Twinkies?" 

 

"Chocolate Twinkies filled with Nutella."

 

"Cookies and cupcakes, too?" Kyungsoo turned to face Jongin who was blushing, scratching the back of his neck. 

 

"Y-Yeah," he stammered, "I don't want you to cry anymore, so I brought you some sweets to help heal the pain, you know, um, yeah," he mumbled the last part a bit awkwardly. 

 

"Thank you, Jongin," Kyungsoo spoke sincerely, leaning close to press a soft kiss on Jongin's left cheek, "You're very kind."

 

But instead of kissing Jongin's cheek, Kyungsoo was met with soft lips that molded perfectly with his own. A surprised gasp left his lips when he pulled back. They were both blushing, but they were happy, and nothing could take that away from them. 

 

Class began shortly after. 

 

By the time lunch rolled around the corner, Jongin had found himself sitting under Kyungsoo's favorite tangerine tree with a bowl of fruit chopped into cubes and slices and a bottle of cold water resting against the green grass. He was watching Kyungsoo eat his noodles and carrots, occasionally taking a sip of his apple juice. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

 

"You just did."

 

Jongin chuckled, lightly kicking Kyungsoo with his foot. "Come on, Chef, you know what I mean."

 

Kyungsoo lifted his gaze from his food and focused them on Jongin. He looked extra handsome today. Must be the way his hair was styled today or he had always been this cute. "Alright, Messy. What is it?"

 

Jongin leaned forward to place his elbows on his crossed knees, mouth full with kiwi and bananas. He swallowed and smiled. "What do you do to stay so beautiful?"

 

Kyungsoo promptly choked at the question. 

 

Jongin laughed, rushing forward to help Kyungsoo breathe again. 

 

"God, Jongin! You do want to kill me!"

 

Jongin laughed again. "Kill you with my good looks."

 

"I've been dead since you first walked through that door. You are held for murder, Kim Jongin. I suggest you take responsibility."

 

Jongin hummed, nodding his head before placing a quick kiss on Kyungsoo's lips. "There, problem solved."

 

Kyungsoo's eyes were wide; lips parted open in shock. "Y-You can't just steal kisses from me! Th-That's not—!"

 

Jongin cut him off with another kiss on the lips. 

 

Jongin tasted sweet. 

 

Jongin tasted like strawberries, kiwis, and bananas. 

 

"It's completely fair, Chef Kyung."

 

"Like you would know, Messy Jongin," Kyungsoo pointed out, softly poking Jongin's chest before pushing the boy so that he fell on his back, squishing his bookbag. "You only know how to be handsome and drive me crazy."

 

"Chef Kyung thinks I'm handsome?" There was that stupid smirk again. 

 

"Just eat your damn fruits."

 

카디 

 

Music class was up next on their schedule. 

 

The professor took attendance before letting the students play their piano pieces at a low volume. 

 

Jongin sat with Kyungsoo. They shared a piano together. 

 

Kyungsoo taught him pieces that he knew by memory and others that he had learned by ear. 

 

"Hey, I made this song the other day and wrote lyrics for it. Wanna sing it for me while I play?" 

 

A sheet of paper with the title 'My Baby' on top was placed in Kyungsoo's hands. 

 

"You've got an amazing voice, Kyung. You can hum the lyrics if you want while I play."

 

Kyungsoo nodded shyly, determined to do his best despite the room being filled with many students. 

 

"He's my baby~." 

 

By the end of the song, Kyungsoo could hear the students behind him clapping and praising his voice to which he shoved the paper in Jongin's direction and sat down to hide his face in his hands. 

 

Once they were out, Jongin pulled Kyungsoo along the crowded hallways to their last class of the day. 

 

Marine Science. 

 

Possibly their favorite class in their whole schedule. 

 

The professor was tall, had dirty blond curly hair, blue eyes, and glasses. He looked a little bit like Albert Einstein. 

 

Professor Uperco. Best professor ever. 

 

He was an American who had a slight lisp when he spoke, but his classes and lessons were always so fascinating. 

 

Upon entering his class, Kyungsoo and Jongin would make a bee-line toward the back of the course where their assigned seats were located. They passed by a couple of shelves filled with textbooks, novels, and DVDs of planet Earth and animals. They also passed by a tank that held a snake who slept most of the days, barely moving, and a hairy tarantula to which Kyungsoo screamed when he first saw it and jumped when Jongin poked his back. 

 

It was embarrassing, but the professor quietly chuckled and proceeded to wait until his class filled up so that he could take attendance. 

 

The first ten minutes of each class was spent reading a choice of book, each student brought from their homes. It could be about anything they wanted. 

 

Kyungsoo sat in the corner of the room with a thick red book in front of him called Impulse. It was his second time reading it. 

 

To his left, Jongin sat reading a white and teal book called Hold Still. 

 

Kyungsoo had read it before. It was sad. 

 

Once the ten minutes were up, they put their books away and took out their binders with their worksheets in the plastic covers and notes. 

 

Jongin scooted closer to Kyungsoo and nudged the smaller's knee, secretly smiling when he noticed the light blush on Kyungsoo's cheeks. "Stop being cute, Kyung," he muttered as he began to write the date on top of his blank sheet of paper. 

 

"Stop making me blush then, Jong," Kyungsoo whispered back, lightly shoving the tan boy away from him. 

 

Jongin snickered to himself, busying himself by writing the title of the lesson for today. He couldn't hold himself around Kyungsoo. He was just too cute sometimes. 

 

There wasn't much to write that day since the professor spent a good majority of the class showing them videos about the ocean life to which Jongin would point at the screen with his finger when a small white baby seal appeared on the screen. "You look like that white seal," Jongin whispered, stifling his laughter at the reaction Kyungsoo gave him. 

 

"Yeah? Well, you look like that black killer whale."

 

The look they gave each other caused them to break out into a fit of silent laughter, nudging each other playfully until the video ended and the bell rang signaling the end of the day. 

 

카디 

 

They were back at the bakery shop. 

 

The owner had recently hired Jongin, and his shift was usually in the kitchen helping Kyungsoo decorate the cupcakes and cakes. Sometimes even help bake them. 

 

Kyungsoo was making chocolate mousse this time around, having already mastered how to make it look so fluffy and smooth. He worked diligently, hands creating masterpieces right before Jongin's very own eyes. 

 

"See?" A voice was suddenly murmured into his ear, "You are a chef. And a pastry chef at that, too."

 

Kyungsoo almost dropped his whisk and whirled around to flick some flour in Jongin's direction. "Go and finish doing the cannoli's, Jongin."

 

Jongin smiled, eyes glinting under the white lights and saluted Kyungsoo with a "Right away, Captain Kyung," before turning around to head to the ovens. 

 

Kyungsoo couldn't help but smile as he whisked away, his thoughts never straying away from Jongin. 

 

카디 

 

They left the bakery shop right as the sun was beginning to climb down the sky. Pinks and purples greeted them and chilly wind as well. 

 

Jongin did a poor job at trying to be discreet when staring openly at Kyungsoo's side profile. He thought the smaller wouldn't notice but of course, Kyungsoo felt his soft, yet intense gaze boring a hole into the side of his face. 

 

"Stare a little longer, and I'll burst into flames."

 

Kyungsoo faintly recalled hearing, Jongin yell, "I wasn't staring!"

 

"Sure you weren't, Messy Jong."

 

Jongin pouted. "I wasn't."

 

Kyungsoo hummed, nodding his head. "Alright."

 

카디 

 

Jongin's house was empty when they stepped inside of it. The lights were off but the light of the still setting sun illuminated their way, and they managed to make their way to Jongin's bedroom without any incidents. 

 

"As expected."

 

Jongin huffed, dropping his bag on his desk chair before flopping back on his unmade bed. "As expected of what?" He yawned tiredly, kicking off his shoes. 

 

Kyungsoo shook his head, tapping his index finger on his bottom lip. "Your nickname is Messy Jongin, so I would assume your room would be messy as well," he laughed, bounding over to Jongin to check if he was awake. 

 

Jongin was staring up at him with a lazy grin on his lips. "Yeah, so?"

 

"Pick up your room, you whale," he muttered under his breath, looking down at Jongin who only smiled. 

 

"Nah," Jongin shook his head, almond eyes focusing on Kyungsoo's pink lips; they looked so soft. He wanted to kiss them again. "Why don't you…" he trailed off, quickly wrapping his fingers around Kyungsoo's wrist to pull him forward so that he toppled over Jongin in a mess of short and long limbs. 

 

Kyungsoo gasped in surprise when warm lips were being pressed into his own, and strong arms were being wrapped around his waist to turn him over on his back. He slowly relaxed against the messy bed, smiling into the kiss when Jongin peppered his forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin with butterfly kisses. 

 

He didn't know if they were dating or not. 

 

They had only ever shared kisses and held hands under the school table and lunch table. 

 

"Date me," Jongin muttered against Kyungsoo's lips. 

 

"D-Date you?" Kyungsoo stuttered, cheeks heating up as he played with the back of Jongin's brown hair. 

 

Jongin hummed in response. "Yeah, Kyung," he pressed his lips to the corner of Kyungsoo's, lingering there for a few more seconds, a little longer than necessary. 

 

"Go out with me, Chef Kyung."

 

"Okay."

 

카디 

 

More than two months had passed since Kyungsoo agreed to date Jongin. 

 

It was the best decision he had ever made. 

 

Jongin was always so gentle and caring towards him. He was still making him laugh and smile at every second of the day, including at the bakery shop where he was surprised when Jongin brought out a vanilla cake with glistening strawberries adorning the top and the words "Happy Two Months, Chef" and a bunch of messy gel hearts. 

 

Kyungsoo couldn't stop smiling throughout his shift. 

 

Jongin kissed him longer that night. 

 

카디 

 

Kyungsoo was currently in the doctor's office with his mother for a general check-up. 

 

He sighed in boredom, crossing and uncrossing his legs when they became numb. He felt alone since Jongin wasn't around to hold his hand or make him laugh. He took out his phone to shoot his boyfriend a quick text to see how he was doing. 

 

He chuckled when all he received were crying emojis, and lots of I miss you's and hurry up and come back to me's. 

 

Kyungsoo typed out his response that said, "How's it going out there? Lonely I imagine."

 

To which he received a message that read, "Yeah, because my sunshine isn't around :("

 

카디 

 

Kyungsoo quickly excused himself from his house, saying goodbye to his parents and letting them know that he would be back on Sunday since he usually slept over Jongin's house on the weekends. It was an agreement they had agreed upon. Every Saturday they would switch houses. 

 

Kyungsoo didn't even have to knock on the door because Jongin's parents already knew him long enough to leave the front door unlocked whenever they knew he would be coming over. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Kim," Kyungsoo politely bowed, smiling at the older woman. 

 

"Oh, Kyungsoo darling, it's you." She smiled in return, drying her wet hands on her yellow apron. She was glowing today. "How are you, my boy? How is Jongin treating you?"

 

Kyungsoo blushed shyly, gripping the straps of his book bag. "Jongin is the best boyfriend ever," he admitted, cheeks heating up. "I'm doing great, Mrs. Kim. How about you?"

 

"Oh, Kyungsoo. I'm doing and feeling fantastic!"

 

Footsteps were heard as they rushed down the stairs in a hurry. Before Kyungsoo had a chance to turn around, he was being hugged from behind, his body being lifted from the ground a few inches. "God, I missed you so much," Jongin murmured into his ear as he placed a few gentle kisses on Kyungsoo's neck. 

 

"Jongin," Kyungsoo whined, turning around to hide his face in the crook of his boyfriend's neck, "Your mom is watching us."

 

"So? I missed you like a lot."

 

"Like I already know that."

 

"Like no, you don't."

 

Kyungsoo gave Jongin's mother another polite smile before dragging his boyfriend up the stairs, rushing into the bedroom and shutting the door. "How was school today?"

 

"Boring without your radiant smile."

 

Their lips met in a soft press, bodies gravitating towards one another and hands gripping anything they could get to. 

 

"You're so cheesy. What should I do to get rid of all this cheese?"

 

Jongin brought him closer from his waist, a husky voice speaking into his ear, "You can always kiss my strawberry lips if you want."

 

Kyungsoo surprised the both of them by letting out a soft, low moan. "I've been longing to do that all day."

 

Their lips met again, a little harder now. They moved freely, heads tilted to deepen the kiss. Jongin gently pushed his boyfriend back so that he fell on his bed, never breaking the kiss and climbed over him to fit himself in between Kyungsoo's parted legs. 

 

Kyungsoo moaned quietly into Jongin's mouth, lips wrapping around his boyfriend's tongue to gently le on it and bring a low groan out of Jongin's throat. 

 

Things grew heated when Kyungsoo's shirt came off. Jongin was quick to dive down to kiss and on his boyfriend's s, loving all the sounds he let out and the way Kyungsoo would slide his hands through his hair and pull. 

 

The sounds Kyungsoo created were enough for Jongin to harden in his sweatpants quickly. He could also feel Kyungsoo's arousal pressing against the side of his stomach. Jongin then moved down to hickeys on Kyungsoo's soft, perfect belly. A plain canvas for him to leave his markings on. It was perfect. Kyungsoo was perfect. He was beautiful. He was sweet. He was everything Jongin ever wanted. Jongin loved him. He loved him so much. 

 

Kyungsoo was a mess, lips swollen and red, his hair in disarray and his cheeks completely flushed. "J-Jongin," he gasped, leaning up on his elbows to look at his boyfriend who was staring at him with an unknown emotion he had often seen before during school and whenever they were together alone. Kyungsoo was hard. He was feeling too hot. Jongin looked too hot. Jongin looked perfect. He looked gorgeous in the dim lighting. Jongin was sweet. A giant goofball but Kyungsoo loved him anyway. He was everything Kyungsoo wanted. He loved him so much. "What…"

 

He fell back, his head landing on the fluffy pillow when Jongin seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in and continued to paint his chest, ribs, stomach and hip bones in different shades of reds and purples. They looked like a constellation of stars. They contrasted heavily with his fair skin. 

 

Jongin kissed his way back up, bringing his hand down to place it on top of Kyungsoo's hardened arousal and gave it a gentle, yet firm squeeze to which Kyungsoo bucked his hips up, a soft whimper leaving his lips. His kisses were slow and sensual, a wet trail leading up to Kyungsoo's collarbones. Jongin bit and on the juncture between Kyungsoo's neck and shoulder. A hickey that he wouldn't be able to conceal from watchful eyes. 

 

"I'm in love with you," they both said.