“…and the way he moved to the music… and he had these full lips, and his cheeks. Did I mention how cute his cheeks were?”

Junho looked up from his sketchbook, lips curving into a smirk. “You sound like a school girl with her first crush.”

Nichkhun made a face at his friend, but his friend had already turned his attention back to his drawing. The older male let out a sigh in defeat, because Junho was right.

Nichkhun had always had a thing for dancers, but in his defence, this boy had caught his interest even before the Thai found out he danced. There was just something about the way he smiled, something about the way he laughed and joked with his friends. The fact that his unfortunate crush was a dancer was just a huge bonus. Nichkhun couldn’t tear his eyes off the boy— he had been mesmerized, even after the boy had finished dancing and returned to his circle of friends.

Junho’s voice broke his train of thought as not-so-welcomed words reached his ears. “I hope you’re not thinking about something dirty.”

Nichkhun rolled his eyes in response but the younger male’s teasing didn't surprise him. Apparently he’d been going on and on about this mysterious boy for several days now. Nichkhun begged to differ. He only mentioned the boy on occasion so it wasn’t his fault that Junho had selective hearing.

The older male gave the artist an offended look. “I am not.”

Junho snorted, eyes flickering with mirth. “I’ve never seen you like this Khun. You’re usually smooth with the ladies… and gentlemen,” he added after a thought.

“Smooth at turning them down,” Nichkhun corrected under his breath.

“But not all of them fall for your sweet apology.” Junho’s face suddenly lit up and he stuck his pencil in the air. “Remember when I had to pretend to be your boyfriend for a good month or two for that one chick to back off?”

Nichkhun let out a light chuckle. “Yeah, she wouldn’t leave me alone. And I was broke by the end of it,” he pointed accusingly.

Junho looked away as his eyes crinkled into a smile. “Easiest earned dinner ever. I mean dinners. I had to work off all that weight I gained you know,” he responded teasingly, before returning to his drawing.

The Thai quietly watched his friend sketch as memories reappeared in his mind. 

Not the easiest thing ever.

The girl in question had been a little weird, crazy psycho stalker weird even, as Junho had put it. Nichkhun remembered the incident when she had confronted Junho about being his (fake) boyfriend. She had made a huge scene about it, calling him out and then putting him down. The words had been nasty: “You’re not good enough”, “Nichkhun deserves someone of his own caliber, instead of some idol look-a-like like you”. Shock was putting it lightly and his anger hadn’t come fast enough because before Nichkhun could lash out, Junho had cut in a voice so smooth Nichkhun almost thought Junho had missed the whole thing.

Junho had told her that she was right and that Khun deserved someone as beautiful as he was. “True Beauty, which includes both inner and outer beauty”, Nichkhun had remembered his words, remembered cringing yet feeling elated at the same time. Junho had finished by telling her her that she had just proved that she had no inner beauty and that she didn’t and would never get to know the real Nichkhun. Nichkhun himself had been rendered speechless. 

“You’re not thinking about something sad are you? Cause I don’t wanna break my happy mood.”

Nichkhun blinked in surprise and then shook his head. He sometimes disliked the fact that Junho could read him so easily.

“Seriously, Khun. Why so quiet? Not that I mind, but weren’t you just going on about your little crush?” Junho played with the last two words, grinning at a pouting Nichkhun.

“What.” The Thai dragged on the word with a sigh. “I can’t help it ok? I can’t help it if I find his dancing—”

“and him,” Junho interrupted.

“—so attractive,” he finished as he glared at the younger male, who was trying to hide a smile but failing miserably.

Junho snorted before succumbing to laughter in which Nichkhun playfully shoved him, and it took the two of them a few minutes to finally settle down. Sighing, Junho leaned back in his fold-up chair, balancing on its two back legs as he studied his sketch. He didn’t budge when a shadow covered his paper.

“Nice. I like the angle you took on this one,” Nichkhun observed from behind the male. He had leaned over from the bench to peek at the younger’s drawing.

“But it’s missing something,” Junho responded, furrowing his eyebrows as he scratched at his temple with the end of his pencil.

“People. You tend to draw inanimate objects. You need a person. How bout that one?” Nichkhun nodded to a fellow on rollerblades, headed their way.

Junho turned to examine the male who had his eyes on his phone. “Hey Khun, this guy has cute cheeks too.”

Nichkhun looked back over and visibly flinched. “It’s him,” he hissed, abruptly backing up and sitting down hard.

But Junho didn’t respond. Nichkhun’s sudden movements had caught him off guard and unbalanced Junho was sent sprawling on his back, right onto the path. The boy looked up right in time to avoid him, jumping and flailing his arms in an attempt to prevent himself from falling as he grabbed onto a nearby tree for support.

“Are you alright?” Junho croaked, getting up and rubbing his elbows.

The boy laughed. “Me? Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I’m not the one who decided to hit the deck, on his back.”

Junho breathed out a smile. “Lucky for me, you’re quick on your feet. If it’d been Khun I would have been road kill.”

The boy shot him a puzzled look. He was Junho’s height and looked about his age. He had one of those innocent-childlike faces, and Junho could tell why Nichkhun had been going on and on about his cheeks.

“Oh sorry. I’m Junho.” Junho offered his hand.

The boy hobbled over the grass, then skated over to shake his hand. “Wooyoung.”

Wooyoung’s gaze moved to the figure on Junho’s right and he followed his line of sight, waiting for Nichkhun to introduce himself, but the older boy had busied himself with picking up the book and papers that were scattered on the ground. Junho had never seen his friend act like this in front of anyone— Nichkhun was usually charming, having been forced to interact with many individuals attracted to his startling good looks.

“And this is Nichkhun, but you can call him Khun,” Junho added quickly, before the silence became awkward.

“Nice to meet you,” Wooyoung replied, his eyes still on the Thai.

Nichkhun looked up, flashed a polite smile, and proceeded to organize Junho’s papers. 

Seriously, Khunnie? 

Junho inwardly sighed. Interacting with people was more of Nichkhun’s forte than his, but with the said person being too busy cleaning, Junho reluctantly stepped in.

“You look like you could use a drink. We have an extra bottle of water, hasn’t been opened yet.” He gestured to the bench.

“Really? Are you sure?” Wooyoung looked as if he’d feel guilty taking advantage of a stranger’s kindness.

“Absolutely. Take it.”

“Thanks! I forgot my water bottle at home.” Wooyoung sent him a smile and moved over to the bench. As he bent to pick up the bottle, his eyes zeroed in on one of the sketches Nichkhun had yet to put away.

“Hey, this is nice. Did you draw it?” he asked, turning to Nichkhun.

“No. Scenery is Junho’s thing,” Nichkhun replied curtly, before returning to organize Junho’s pencils? He never does that.

Wooyoung turned towards him in question and Junho sighed again. He was hoping he could just leave them be and they’d work some kind of magic or something, but it seemed like his friend was being difficult.

“Uh, yeah. I like sketching the landscape. I’m not that good with drawing people. Nichkhun always tells me I have a thing for inanimate objects,” Junho joked, trying to bring the older boy into the conversation.

“Naw, it’s really good.” Wooyoung picked up another drawing. “This is amazing. I have a friend who’d love this.”

Junho peeked at the drawing in Wooyoung’s hand and raised a brow. “Really? It’s just a bowl of fruit.”

Wooyoung shook his head. “Your drawing looks like a picture taken by one of those expensive cameras. The way you drew the background really makes the foreground pop out… Oh, my friend likes fruits,” he added. “Actually, he likes food in general,” he said with a light chuckle.

Junho mirrored his action and gazed at the sketch he had drawn, seeing it in a new light.

“Oh shoot. I was supposed to meet up with him five minutes ago.” Wooyoung closed his phone. “Thanks for the water. Hey, maybe you guys should come and visit us sometime. We usually hang out at the west end of the park. We tend to freestyle— Dance. Anyway, I’m late. So maybe I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah. It was nice to meet you,” Junho replied with a raised hand.

“It was nice meeting you guys too.” Wooyoung flashed Junho a smile and nodded in Nichkhun’s direction before hopping awkwardly on the grass and skating away smoothly once he hit the pavement. 

Junho heard a groan and glanced over in time to see Nichkhun covering his face with a hand.

“There’s only so much I can do you know,” Junho commented dryly, taking a seat back in his chair.

“I know, I know. It’s just— I was talking about him this morning, and then— he’s here. I never expected to actually see him again.” Nichkhun’s hands were up, the boy unconsciously gesturing as he spoke.

“Well at least now I can put a face, and a name, to your little high school crush.”

The Thai made a face. “Shuddup.” He suddenly perked up and their eyes met. “He’s cute isn’t he?”

Junho couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I guess so. You were right about his cheeks.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Unlike Nichkhun who swung both ways, Junho knew his ual orientation differed from the norm back in highschool, before he met Nichkhun. And he had to admit, Wooyoung was cute plus he was nice, but Nichkhun had seen him first, despite Junho taking the initiative during their first encounter. It didn’t really matter though, there was no way he could compete with the Thai prince, even if he was interested enough to try.

“Here,” he spoke up, fishing through his sketches. “This is the layout. I didn’t put the details in the background yet. You can add the wildlife, or whatever, and when you’re done give it back to me so I can touch it up and hand it in.”

“Sounds good, I’ll—”

A melodious ring went off and Nichkhun reached for his phone, grimacing once he read the caller ID off the screen. He left the phone on the table and grabbed the sheet to place it into his own sketchbook. 

“I gotta go.”

“Where?”

“The mall.”

“With?”

Nichkhun looked down, guilty. “Que-Min.”

Junho raised his brows at the name. “Another date?”

“It’s not a date. I owed her a favor after she posed for my sketch last week,” he replied, scratching the back of his head.

“I would have done it if you asked,” Junho grumbled in reply.

“I know, but don’t you think I have enough sketches of you?” Nichkhun retorted, unable to keep the smile off his lips.

Junho grinned in return. “Never. Besides, at least I don’t ask for favors in return. Maybe I should, since you obviously don’t appreciate my generosity.”

“Are you kidding? You’ll always be my favorite model,” Nichkhun said, his face innocent and as honest as he could make it. 

“Just don’t start talking about Mr. Cute Cheeks. You’ll make her very jealous.”

“Pssh. Lucky you, you’re the only one who gets to hear that stuff.”

“Lucky me,” Junho replied jokingly, studying Nichkhun’s face as the older boy packed up. “And by the way, even while we were talking, he couldn’t stop looking your way.”

Junho was rewarded by the faint blush that appeared on Nichkhun’s cheeks and the tiny smile that tugged the corner of his lips.

“Call you later?” Nichkhun threw back before jogging off, his phone already to his ear to apologize for his tardiness.

Junho shook his head in disbelief. They talked for what, two minutes? 

And he’s already apologizing for being late. What a gentleman. 

Junho went back to his drawing, adding the finer details and shades before checking the time. He put his things away and looked at his two options. Going left would take him home and going right would take him to the conservatory of music, located past the west side of the park. Maybe he’d catch a glimpse of Wooyoung’s dancing. The way Nichkhun described it made him really curious to how well the boy actually danced, or it could prove how infatuated Nichkhun actually was with him. Plus, he needed to get some practice in anyway.

With a perfectly good reason in mind, Junho shouldered his bag and headed off.