They just stayed like that for a while - Jongin resting his cheek on Kyungsoo's shoulder while the older man the back of his head in soothing, rhythmic . Jongin closed his eyes and just allowed himself to bask in the comfort of Kyungsoo's embrace, feeling the knotted frustrations of the evening ebb away slowly - like sea water sinking into grains of sand at the beach. Being with Kyungsoo just felt like acceptance.

 

"Have you eaten? I can fix you something if you're hungry." Kyungsoo's question was flavored with mild concern.

 

Jongin shook his head, burying his face deeper into Kyungsoo's cotton-clad shoulder. "Had dinner," he mumbled into the fabric which was warm from Kyungsoo's skin and smelt deliciously citrusy and minty and male.

 

Kyungsoo sniffed experimentally at Jongin's hair and clothes, "You had barbeque ... from the smell of it ... and ..." He let his nose slide across Jongin's jaw, then chin, stopping only when he reached the outline of his thick lower lip. Jongin's lips formed a smile as the tip of Kyungsoo's nose brushed against the sensitive skin of his lip.

 

"Soju?" Kyungsoo asked quietly and Jongin's smile widened into a grin.

 

"Yes, hyung. Soj-" and before he could finish saying the word, Kyungsoo caught that generous lower lip gently between his teeth and slid his own lips sensually over Jongin's. Their tongues danced shyly with each other, lips creating a delicious friction. Then surprising them both with an unfamiliar boldness, Jongin cupped the back of Kyungsoo's neck and pulled him in closer, deepening the kiss. softly, Kyungsoo's arms tightened around Jongin's waist as they exchanged sometimes tentative and sometimes passionate kisses. 

 

When Kyungsoo eventually stopped kissing Jongin maybe two, maybe three minutes later, his heart was racing and he was a little breathless as he rubbed his nose against Jongin's. Jongin leaned in towards Kyungsoo and pressed his forehead against his, breathing more than a little ragged. His heart must have been racing too, Kyungsoo guessed and the notion made him smile.

 

"What was that for? Not that I'm complaining." Jongin locked gazes with Kyungsoo, their foreheads still touching. The almost tangible sorrow that had overwhelmed him earlier had all but dissipated now that his heart and mind were filled with nothing but Kyungsoo.

 

"I had to do a taste test just to be sure. And yes, it appears you had some soju tonight." Kyungsoo tried his best to keep a straight face and utterly failed as a small laugh escaped his lips.

 

"Hyung, that's so cheesy!" Jongin chuckled - in that deep and throaty way he had of chuckling that always pulled warmly at Kyungsoo's insides.

 

"Cheese is good for you and you looked like you needed some cheese. I know you don't want to talk about it right now but if you ever need to, I'm here ok? I'll even throw in some makgeolli, gelato and Eskimo kisses."

 

"I know." Jongin embraced him tightly, "I know." Then they exchanged a few more tender kisses and hugs and Kyungsoo felt himself fall harder and harder for his Shy Delivery Guy. Surely it couldn't have been only a week since Jongin had walked into his office with that ridiculously large bouquet of flowers and that shy smile.

 

Kyungsoo the wavy strands of Jongin's fringe thoughtfully, "What happened to your hair? It's usually straight."

 

"I had to run in the rain from the car to the restaurant and my hoodie didn't do such a great job of keeping me dry. When my hair gets wet it gets all ... I dunno, not straight? I hate it when it gets like that. So messy."

 

"It's not messy." Kyungsoo argued softly as he played with the soft, wavy hair - combing it with his fingers. Then he guided Jongin to the sofa, "Come sit down for a while."

 

Jongin followed Kyungsoo, his eyes quickly picking out the little reservoirs of color in an otherwise spartan, and overwhelmingly black living room. They sat beside each other on the couch, arms and thighs touching and hands interlocked. Jongin leaned his head against Kyungsoo's slim shoulder and sighed contentedly. Kyungsoo had made everything better and Jongin had somehow known deep down inside that he would. That was probably why he'd driven himself here - like a compass needle drawn to magnetic north.

 

"Hyung! You found a home for the peonies." Jongin couldn't help leaning forward to rearrange the robust scarlet blooms where they stood in what looked like a glass water jug. As Jongin began moving his fingers deftly around, the peonies started to look more elegantly arrayed and as impossible as it sounded, they looked even more beautiful than they had before Jongin's ministrations. Kyungsoo watched pensively as Jongin transformed his rough arrangement into something truly breathtaking.

 

"I didn't have a vase because I've never really kept flowers around the apartment, so I used my water jug. That looks amazing, Jongin, but how did you get so good at arranging flowers?" Kyungsoo's voice was thoughtful and abruptly, Jongin's fingers stopped moving.

 

"I work in a flower shop. You pick up a thing or two, I guess." Kyungsoo could swear he heard traces of guilt in Jongin's voice. But tonight was about cheering him up so Kyungsoo left it alone, distracting him by playing with his hair again. They didn't speak ... just enjoyed the comfort of being with each other.

 

Jongin looked devastatingly handsome tonight in tan chinos and a navy blue button down shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbow to expose those tanned, slim forearms Kyungsoo could never resist staring at. He let his fingers steal slowly across the warm, silky caramel skin of Jongin's arms - smiling as he heard Jongin's breath catch at the contact.

 

"You look really nice tonight." Kyungsoo said, groaning inside at how uninspired the compliment sounded and how 'really nice' was wholly inadequate to describe how attractive Jongin looked that night. 

 

"It's my Appa's birthday today. My elder brother and I have dinner with him every year on his birthday and that's the only time we see him really. We've never been ... close." A shadow flitted across Jongin's features and Kyungsoo knew in that moment that it was Jongin's father who had upset him so profoundly. 

 

"Tell me what you had, was it samgyeopsal?" Kyungsoo tried his best to divert Jongin from thinking of his dad, "I really love samgyeopsal so we have to go for barbecue one of these days, ok?"

 

"Yes, hyung, we had samgyeopsal. And we are definitely going for samgyeopsal soon. And after that, I'm taking you for some real ice cream or some real cake. None of that pretend sorbet ." Jongin laughed, and as he had done two nights before, he nuzzled Kyungsoo's neck and sprinkled him with tickle kisses. He really liked that Kyungsoo could be vulnerable too because he always seemed so capable and just a little bit serious. It was nice to see him laugh and be silly and who was he trying to kid? He loved the way Kyungsoo's neck felt under his lips and the way Kyungsoo's velvety chuckle made him go all warm inside.

 

"Stop! I surrender!" Kyungsoo held his arms up, laughing and Jongin wrapped his arms around him tightly and lay his cheek against Kyungsoo's neck.

 

"Thank you, hyung."

 

"For what?"

 

"For making me forget. For making me feel better. For being ticklish." 

 

Kyungsoo felt Jongin's smile against his skin and he smiled too, Jongin's hair gently, "You can tickle me anytime but I'm charging admission fees from today onwards, ok?"

 

"Ok," Jongin moved back from the security of Kyungsoo's neck to look at him, "I didn't disturb you, did I? When I got here, I mean. What were you doing? Were you doing a Star Wars marathon?" Jongin teased as he traced the letters on Kyungsoo's t-shirt with his fingers. They both laughed and Kyungsoo hoped Jongin hadn't noticed his breath hitching at his touch.

 

"I'm only going to start watching at midnight because I cannot sit through the bad acting and confusing plot line in episodes 1 to 3. Okay and I can't handle Jar Jar Binks. And both Anakins. Cannot do it."

 

"Haha, me too. I only ever watch the real deal. Chewbacca and Obiwan or bust."

 

"So are we doing this?"

 

"This?" Jongin cocked his head curiously.

 

"The marathon, of course. I've got healthy grain snacks, and cheese and crackers,"

 

"Healthy ... grain ... snacks?" Jongin wore the same mortified expression Kyungsoo had seen when he discovered he was eating lime sorbet two nights before. 

 

"I have issues." 

 

"I'm not judging but can we have some decent snacks? Don't you have anything with trans fat in it?"

 

"NO!" Now it was Kyungsoo's turn to look horrified.

 

"We need some chips, hyung. It's not a proper movie marathon without some heart attack food."

 

"But chips are so oily. And salty. And messy."

 

"I saw a 7-11 next door. Let's go. C'mon, it'll be fun. We could even get some caramel popcorn."

 

"NO! I'll get diabetes!" Kyungsoo protested loudly as Jongin pulled him towards the front door. But deep inside, he knew he would gladly eat three bags of chips if it would make Jongin smile. He never wanted to ever see him look so wounded again. Never ever.

 

-----

"Original? Barbeque? Wasabi? Jalapeño? Sour cream and onion? Salt and vinegar?" Jongin's tone was exaggeratedly optimistic and hopeful as he held up glossy foil packet after glossy foil packet.

"No, no, no, no, no and no." 

"It's a Star Wars Marathon! You can't not have chips, hyung."  But despite Jongin's efforts to convince him that one night of indulgence wouldn't completely clog up his arteries, Kyungsoo shook his head firmly, bottom lip in the grip of his teeth.

"The salt and vinegar chips are coming home with us, hyung, I don't care what you say." Jongin was equally firm as he grabbed two bags of Lay's Salt and Vinegar - ignoring Kyungsoo's insistent negative hand signals.

"I'm not having any, all right? You just get your own share because I am not polluting my system with all that fat and sodium. So you can just put one of those bags back on the shelf." Kyungsoo positively shuddered.

"Hyung, two bags IS my share." Jongin chuckled, surprising Kyungsoo with a quick shoulder hug.

"But where does it all go?" Kyungsoo gestured helplessly at Jongin's tall and obviously lean physique. 

"High metabolic rate. And I play basketball with Tao and Kris twice a week. You hafta meet them soon ok? They're like my big brothers. Oh and I play paintball once a month with Luhan and the guys from work - but I'm not playing tomorrow."

"Why not?"

"Because we have a date at 2.30, remember?" Jongin looked just a little self-conscious as he said that, but he continued explaining, "So anyway, I kinda arranged for Junmyeon to take my place because I think he's kinda into my a- ... the guy who does the bouquets and flower arrangements in my shop," Jongin stopped himself just in time before the word 'assistant' escaped his lips.

"His name is Chanyeol and he's quiet and a little moody but he's a good guy. Junmyeon has met him a few times and he seems ... intrigued. So I thought paintball would be a perfect chance for them to ... you know, spend time together and have fun - with lots of people around to break the ice. One on one dates are so much pressure."

Kyungsoo was watching Jongin through his entire explanation, features creased into thoughtful lines.

"I said it the other night and I'm going to say it again. You, Kim Jongin," he gently placed his palm right over Jongin's heart, "are a romantic."

"Hyung, I'm not!" Jongin began denying it and then it suddenly sank in that he'd almost been ... whining. He was both mortified and yet not. Who knew he could feel so comfortable with someone he'd only known for a week? It usually took months for him to trust a person enough to let down his guard and be bratty in front of him. But he supposed Kyungsoo wasn't just any person - he never had been.

"You like your books to have happy endings and you want your friends to be happy. You're a romantic, Jongin, and it's all good. It's good. It's one of things I like best about you." Kyungsoo kept his palm over Jongin's heart and felt the steady rhythm quicken a little under his touch. After some seconds had passed, Jongin placed his own hand over Kyungsoo's, his long, slim, tanned fingers wrapping around Kyungsoo's shorter, paler ones. 

Then they heard a strident male voice asking one of the store assistants if they had any cinnamon rolls for sale, and they were unhappily reminded that they were currently standing in the junk food aisle of the 7-Eleven on the corner of Hawthorne and Maple. 

Reluctantly, Jongin let go of Kyungsoo's hand, but the older man let his hand linger on Jongin's chest for a few more seconds before withdrawing it. They exchanged shy smiles and made their way to the cashier, bumping shoulders and hips.

"Big Gulp?" Jongin pointed at the towering, bright red paper cups.

"My body isn't ready for diabetes." Kyungsoo raised one eyebrow.

"You're no fun." Jongin sighed, grabbing one soda for himself and handing the cashier the rest of the things. 

***

The dimly lit buildings across the street suddenly flashed white as the sky flickered and sparked. The air smelt of ozone as the pavements and streets and nearby trees were illuminated by intermittent flashes of lightning, and the quiet of the night was occasionally pierced by the distant rumbling of thunder.

"Looks like rain." Kyungsoo gazed nervously at the coruscating dark skies. They were still six minutes' walk from the apartment block and had no umbrella.

"We should probably walk faster, hyung," Jongin draped his right arm around Kyungsoo's shoulders comfortably and began setting a brisker pace.

"We'll be just fine." Kyungsoo had barely gotten the words out when a sharp clap of thunder sounded, heralding a cascade of fat, insistent raindrops.

"RUN!" Jongin yelled and they made a break for the apartment, whooping and laughing as the heavy shower drenched them completely. After a few seconds they didn't even bother to run fast anymore as there wasn't much point - as thoroughly soaked as they were. Jongin turned his face up to the rain, laughing as the healing raindrops seemed to wash away his cares ...

***

Jongin's hair had formed wet, inky spikes that were dripping rainwater slowly onto the black rug he was standing on. His clothes stuck to him like cling film and he couldn't wait to get out of them. Kyungsoo emerged from his bedroom with a pile of fabric hugged to his chest. He'd changed into some dry clothes and hastily towel dried his hair, which was currently jutting out at odd angles.

"These are the biggest clothes I could find. You can use the shower in my room while I make us some hot tea." Kyungsoo handed him the navy blue towel, a worn black t-shirt and white drawstring pants which Jongin took gratefully. He tried his best to towel off as much moisture as he could so he wouldn't leave a trail of tiny puddles through the neat and spotless apartment. 

Kyungsoo's bedroom was as tidy as the rest of the apartment. The bed was made and covered with a deep green bedspread; a wooden bedside table and matching closet were the only other pieces of furniture in the room. And there were beige roman blinds obscuring what was most likely a tall, plate glass window. 

The room was tasteful in a minimalist kind of way but Jongin wasn't sure he liked it as he found no real traces of funny, caring Kyungsoo here. He felt a little embarrassed as he thought of his own bedroom which always had a little clutter lying around, and slightly messy bedding as he rarely bothered to make his bed. He made his way quickly to the bathroom, which was beige and equally tidy. After stripping off his ruined clothes he took a quick shower, trying his best not to make a mess. 

As he opened up the faded black t-shirt Kyungsoo had given him, he couldn't help but smile at the cheeky red-lettered slogan: Math geeks do it better. This shirt captured Kyungsoo's personality far better than anything else in the apartment as far as he could tell. He slipped the soft well worn fabric on - comforted by the spring scent of washing detergent and the knowledge that the shirt had been last worn by Kyungsoo. 

***

"Math geeks do it better?" Jongin asked teasingly as he popped his head into the kitchen where Kyungsoo was busy brewing some chamomile tea. 

"Oh! The shirt fits! Don't judge, I got that shirt in high school and it's one of my favorite shirts so treat it with respect, ok? The pants are ... really short, huh?" What Kyungsoo didn't mention was how his heart did a little flip at the sight of Jongin wearing his clothes. 

Jongin stuck his leg out to show how the hem ended just below his calf, "It could be a little longer I guess, but it's comfortable. Thanks, hyung. Can I help with anything?" 

"The tea is almost ready. Can you put these mugs on the coffee table? I'll bring the tea out later." 

Errand done, Jongin went back into the kitchen to find a reticent Kyungsoo leaning against the kitchen counter, staring into space. Quietly, he approached him from behind and wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo's waist, resting his chin on his slim shoulder. Kyungsoo sighed and leaned back. They just stood, not talking, as they waited for the chamomile tea to steep.

***

Kyungsoo had refused to have anything to do with Jongin's potato chips and had given him a huge white bowl for the snacks so he wouldn't spill salt, oil and crumbs all over his sofa. Jongin had laughed but obediently poured his chips into the cavernous bowl which was now balanced on his left thigh. Comfortably ensconced on the leather sofa, Kyungsoo leaned his head against Jongin's broad shoulder as they began watching Star Wars Episode 4. Every now and then they'd comment on a scene or some characters. They both loved R2D2 and agreed that C3PO was a boring old fart; Obiwan Kenobi was one of the coolest Jedis ever; and Mark Hamill was an even worse actor than Hayden Christiansen. Then, during the scene where Luke Skywalker was meeting Obiwan Kenobi for the first time, Kyungsoo opened his mouth to say something and Jongin sneakily pushed in a small sliver of potato chip.

"Hey! That's rude!" Kyungsoo whacked his shoulder playfully ... just before the tangy flavor of salt and vinegar exploded on his tongue. Jongin studied his expression carefully and experimentally placed a chip right in front of his mouth. Kyungsoo made a sound of disgust, closed his eyes and opened his mouth. Jongin laughed as he put the chip in. Then he kissed Kyungsoo on the cheek before moving the bowl of chips closer to him.

"If I get heart disease, you're paying the medical bills."

"You can count on me, hyung." Jongin chuckled. And for the next fifteen minutes, there was nothing but the sound of chips being crunched on and movie dialogue. Then Radiohead's Creep started playing, the morose melody filling the air as Jongin's phone started flashing 'Troll Luhan'. Jongin quickly rejected the call. This happened another three times and Kyungsoo shook his head in amusement. 

"If he's anything like Jongdae, he isn't going to give up. Just answer the call, Jongin."

"Don't. Want. To."

The phone was quiet for the the next three minutes and Jongin released a long breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. But he should have realized Luhan wouldn't give up that easily. His best friend was nothing if not relentless.

Message from Troll Luhan:

Pick up! I know you're awake cos the Star Wars marathon is on and being the geek you are there's no way you aren't sitting in front of the TV stuffing your face with salt and vinegar chips. Tell me I'm wrong? PICK THE HELL UP KIM JONGIN!!! Come join us for paintball and bring your accountant!

Jongin read the message and groaned, "He wants us to join them for paintball."

"Let's go then. I haven't played paintball since high school. I used to play paintball - with other math geeks." Kyungsoo nudged Jongin, "It'll be fun. I'll probably get my kicked but I'm sure it'll be fun."

"Luhan will scare you away and Sehun will annoy you, it'll be horrible!"

"I don't scare that easy and I'm really patient with annoying people." Kyungsoo smiled and Radiohead started singing insistently again. Kyungsoo picked up the phone calmly, swiped the screen and  put it against his ear.

"Hello? Yeah, this is Jongin's phone. He can't talk now because he's hitting his head against my sofa. You must be Luhan? I'm Kyungsoo. Yes, Jongin's accountant. Yes,  we'll be there."

"Nooooooooooo!" Jongin wailed from the sofa.

"Look forward to meeting you too, Luhan. 'Night."

"Hyunggg! What did you just do?!"