Smiley

II

Kyungsoo would never expect that the handsome senior who loves borrowing books would be his new girlfriend's brother. They both look so different. Sohyun could pass more as his sister than Sohyun and Jongin. He shrugged.

Jongin did not seem to take their relationship well. He stormed right in front of them with a glare on his face saying he won't allow his little sister to be in a relationship. Kyungsoo never expected the meet-the-family phase to be so soon right after the confession, but it started raining and Sohyun had no umbrella. She's now his girlfriend and he's now supposed to be responsible for her. They shared his umbrella going there. He was even careful not to make his girlfriend wet from the rain.

Girlfriend, that world was still so foreign for Kyungsoo, but he should get used to it.

"But brother, Kyungsoo is nice. He wouldn’t hurt me." He could hear Sohyun defend their relationship from being rejected right after it just started. Kyungsoo’s saw no use in it though. So what if Jongin would not approve of them, it’s not like he’s in control of what her younger sister should do. He’s not her parent.

"This is not about Kyungsoo, this is about you. You're still too young." Jongin exhaled. He run a palm across his face in frustration. Kyungsoo observed the elder, eyeing him. Jongin and Sohyun kept arguing, Kyungsoo did not want to intrude even though he was the topic at hand. But really, Kyungsoo was just in no mood to argue.

Then their eyes met, Jongin looked at him. He could then see the elder’s eyes softening at him.

"I'm sorry Kyungsoo, but this is really not about you. There’s nothing wrong about you."

The senior smiled at him.

Kyungsoo blinked. He had always find the elder handsome, even more so when he’s smiling. The elder though always smiles at him, and Kyungsoo think it’s weird. It unnerves Kyungsoo. Why would he smile at him right after he vehemently states his disapproval for his relationship with his sister? Kyungsoo had never really been good at reading people’s intention, Jongin specially. He was a walking contradiction.

"You don't like me very much, do you?" Kyungsoo said directed to the elder. Jongin’s mouth went agape. Kyungsoo could see he wanted to say something, but he failed to utter anything. Kyungsoo sighed. Maybe he was right. Jongin does not like him. It’s not like he cares though. They don’t share classes and they barely see each other. He supposed that now that he’s his girlfriend’s brother, he would see more of him. Kyungsoo didn’t know what to make out of that. He’s not looking for a friend and he neither wanted approval.

He looked at his new girlfriend. "Can I have your phone?"

Sohyun nodded and gave his phone to him from her pocket. Sohyun’s phone had a navy blue casing and a baby penguin sticker placed on the back. Kyungsoo inputted his number and saved his contact as "boyfriend". Kyungsoo did not realized that he would be capable of this. Maybe this could really work out.

"I'm gonna see you tomorrow, and if it's okay with you, we could eat lunch together?" Kyungsoo smiled at Sohyun who could not contain a smile of her own as she nodded. Kyungsoo looked at the still quiet Jongin. He was still there in his position, mouth still agape. Kyungsoo tried to be polite again and nodded. Jongin stared at him and then returned it with a nod of his own. It’s as if he was on a trance. Jongin is really weird.

But he’s at least interesting, Kyungsoo would admit.

When Kyungsoo arrived home and flopped down to his bed, he received a text message. He thought that it would be from Sohyun but it was from an unknown number introducing himself as Jongin. He shifted his weight on the bed as he read the message.

"Hey, Kyungsoo. it's me, Jongin. Please don't think that I don't like you. Sorry. I just don't think Sohyun's ready to have a boyfriend and I don't think that because it's you."

Kyungoo closed his phone while wondering if Jongin is telling the truth. It was the same narrative he told him earlier. It wasn’t his fault. It was Sohyun’s. Kyungsoo thought that he’s being too tough on his sister, but he just met Sohyun. Obviously, Jongin knows what’s better for his sister, and Kyungsoo had no hold on a better judgment. He knew though that he wouldn’t harm Sohyun. If anything, he would be a good influence on her. He’s diligent with his studies, responsible with his schedules, and he’s generally a good student if you would believe all the teachers that would praise him.

His phone buzzed again. The message was also from Jongin.

“I like you, okay?”

Kyungsoo barely read the message before another one arrived still from him.

“I mean, not I like you as in I like you in a romantic way. I mean, I like you as in you know, I like you. Does that make sense?”

Yeah, Jongin is really weird.

---

One good thing he got from his sister's new relationship with his crush is that he could at least have Kyungsoo's number. Jongin wondered why Kyungsoo thinks he doesn't like him. Where did he get that absurd idea? He could not even defend himself yesterday because Kyungsoo looked genuinely hurt at the idea that he does not like him. Kyungsoo looked stoic, but Jongin could see a hint of dejection somewhere in his eyes. Is he being delusional? Jongin would like to believe he’s not. If anything though, it would be Kyungsoo that doesn't like him.

He stared at Kyungsoo's reply to his text messages.

"It’s okay. I’m sorry if I was so blunt to you. I just don’t know what you feel about me. :)"

Jongin smiled, reading the message again and again. Kyungsoo uses smileys. He shouldn't think it's cute but he does. Yeah, that’s what he feels for Kyungsoo but Jongin wouldn’t be caught telling that to the younger. He did not reply, not wanting to look desperate. He has to play it cool, he decided. He’s the cool hyung.

Across from his seat, he could see her sister also glued to her phone. Was she texting Kyungsoo? Jongin could feel a tang of jealousy. Sohyun may also be receiving Kyungsoo's smileys. Hope she does not. Kyungsoo’s smileys belonged to him.

In all honesty, Jongin does not really think his sister is ready to be in a relationship. The girl puts her heart on her sleeves. Maybe she just acted on impulse thinking he likes Kyungsoo just because the boy is handsome. He could remember Sohyun crying just because her idol was ousted by the media to be in a relationship with an up and coming actress. There was also that one time when her sister thought she was in love when he brought a classmate home for a school project. She could not stop talking about the boy days after.

Jongin internally grumbled. He would go convince Sohyun that he should break up with Kyungsoo if not for their older brother also eating in the table, oblivious that their little sister already has a boyfriend. Why must his sister like Kyungsoo of all people? Jongin should have acted on his feelings with the library assistant way earlier if he would’ve known her sister would sweep him off so fast when he’s not looking.

Sohyun was smiling on his phone. Jongin could feel his appetite slipping.

It is lunchtime and he was hungry because he barely ate anything at breakfast, but…

"You're stabbing your food." Yixing observed as he was glaring at the table where his sister and Kyungsoo is sitting. Jongin hates it that the two looks cute together. Sohyun was all smiles and Kyungsoo looked so great, it was not fair.

Jongin should tattle to their older brother that Sohyun has a boyfriend. He could be petty like that. He's sure Jinwoo is very overprotective of Sohyun. He would scare Kyungsoo away and maybe, just maybe, Jongin could provide him comfort after the break-up.

Maybe Kyungsoo would like him then. He provides good comfort if you would ask him.

Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

"You don't like your sister's new boyfriend, don't you?"

Jongin looked at Yixing. Yixing was his best friend. He was mostly quiet except for times when he’s curious about something. He hadn't told him about his crush towards the library assistant yet. He would’ve told him if he hadn’t thought it was just a small crush and nothing serious. With the way he’s acting now, maybe it wasn't so small after all.

"No Yixing, I like him." Jongin left it at that.

Kyungsoo was eating lunch with his girlfiend. They weren’t alone on the table. Kyungsoo has Minseok with him while Sohyun has her friend Yerim. If he had known Yerim would be Sohyun’s best friend then he would have think twice before accepting Sohyun’s confession so nonchalantly. Yerim was her rival for grades in their batch, but Kyungsoo knows he’s obviously smarter while Yerim was just a kiss-. Yerim would also look at him with a smirk when the grades would be revealed and she would score higher than him. Of course, Kyungsoo would also smirk at her direction if ever he scores higher. Kyungsoo is rarely a show-off but he would say that more often than not, he scores higher.

“So…you and my dear Sohyun, huh?” Yerim has that damned smirk on. Kyungsoo kept his composure, he’s usually a calm person.

He ignored her. She’s not looking for her approval.

Sohyun cleared . “Don’t like that,” she told her friend.

Yerim was still eyeing him, but Kyungsoo was already a master of ignoring her. Minseok is too busy with his food, and he’s not even trying to break the awkward mood. Some people in school were surprised that he got a girlfriend. “Who would’ve thought that you would get a girlfriend?” Baekhyun, who Kyungsoo barely know at music class, had said. Kyungsoo should feel offended but he’s not. Besides a few of his classmates acknowledging it, it did not make much of a buzz. It’s not like either of them were popular in their school. They’re not like Sohyun’s older brother who was the crush of almost all of the girls and some guys in their school. Jongin getting into a relationship would be the talk of the school or at least to those who are interested him.

Not that Kyungsoo minds.

Those people interested in Jongin are weird, but Kyungsoo thinks Jongin is weirder.

Kyungsoo glanced at Jongin’s usual seat. He’s there. He was looking at their table with a glare. Kyungsoo gulped and returned his attention to his food. Why was Jongin glaring at their table? He had told him he like him but why must he still be so against him? Maybe Jongin was lying. He would not believe that Jongin is that protective of Sohyun. He barely even sees her with him at school. He would’ve known they were siblings if they stick together, but they don’t.

“Is your brother that protective of you?” Kyungsoo asked with a low voice.

“You mean, Jongin?” Sohyun briefly contemplated. “No, he’s more into annoying me. Our older brother Jinwoo would be the more overprotective one. I wonder why Jongin does not like you.”

So Sohyun also thinks that Jongin does not like him. It’s not like Kyungsoo had never thought of it before. Jongin was such a liar. Kyungsoo returned his gaze to Jongin’s table wanting to glare back at him, but the table was already empty.

“Jongin does not like Kyungsoo? I swear Sohyun, you’re brother could not get hotter.”

Yerim said, smirking again to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo should feel offended, but that’s just the Yerim way to rile him up. He’s used to her redundant antics. Yerim likes Jongin? That would make sense since Yerim was dense and weird. They two would make a good couple.

Kyungsoo shuddered. They would make a gross couple. They just fit well.

“Stop talking like that, Yerim. Kyungsoo is a good boy.” Sohyun said to her friend. It’s alright really, Sohyun should not defend him from Yerim. They hate each other’s guts and nothing’s gonna change it.

Minseok was still stuffing his food to his mouth. Seriously, his friend was such a heavy eater.

Kyungsoo grabbed his phone.

“You’re such a liar, idiot.” Kyungsoo hit send.

---

Jongin stared at the message.

Now, what did he do? Why was he a liar? He asked Kyungsoo why, but the freshman did not reply. He was now in class, and the teacher was discussing something, but Jongin could not be bothered. Kyungsoo thinks he’s a liar.

Jongin sighed.

“Mr. Kim, care to say what you are reading now?”

Jongin paused. The entire class and his teacher were looking at him.

“Ummm…it’s nothing, sir. Sorry.” Jongin scratched his head while giving the teacher an apologetic smile, bowing slightly.

“Keep your phone, Mr. Kim. I’m just going to let this slip as a warning.”

Jongin shoulder slumped as he slides his phone to his pocket. This could wait later. It’s not like Kyungsoo is paying attention to him or his feelings.

Jongin thought that he was obvious with his flirting towards Kyungsoo when he was borrowing books, but the younger had thought he hated him. Kyungsoo might have been oblivious to all his advances. He should’ve been more obvious. Jongin had that mental struggle with himself until he went home. He hadn’t even seen Kyungsoo after class. It's not the boy’s shift in the library so he was not there.

Jongin did notice his sigh of relief when he saw Sohyun already home.

Sohyun was on her phone.

“Where’s your boyfriend?” Jongin asked, keeping his tone nonchalant.

“Why are you asking about him?” Sohyun rolled her eyes. Sohyun is sweet to anyone but him.

“Nothing. Just curious.” Jongin whistled. Nope, he does not care at all.

“You don’t even like Kyungsoo”

Jongin did not try or want to correct her. It’s better this way.

“Does Kyungsoo send you smileys?” Jongin voiced as if it was just a passing thought, and not something that has been gnawing on his mind.

Sohyun shook her head. “I don’t think Kyungsoo is that type of guy.”

“Yeah, your boyfriend is boring.” Jongin said in agreement, but was internally celebrating because Kyungsoo had sent him a smiley and not Sohyun.

The celebration however was short lived. Their older brother entered the room. Sohyun and Jongin briefly looked at each other in worry. They’re ed up. Sohyun is ed up. Kyungsoo is ed up.

“Sohyun has a boyfriend?” Jinwoo said calmy, but Jongin and Sohyun know that he was anything but.