D&M 2
Dreams and Memories
Joonmyeon anticipated this to happen. That someday somewhere in this big wide amazing planet, he will meet Jongdae again.
Some scenarios he came up with like, meeting him in the train station with a son tugging along Jongdae's hand or bumping into him at the mall or probably at the park or in any social functions.
He prepared himself before the inevitable happens. Talking in front of the mirror and practicing lines such as,"Oh hi Jongdae! Its you !" and,"Hi are you? Where have you been? Never felt guilty for leaving me behind without a word? How was life without me?was it that ing Great?"
He kept reminding himself not to look too affective when that dreadful day comes because it had been six years and a lot had happened.
The world is indeed small. But no one told him that the world was shrinking in a steadfast manner these days. And the scenarios that he imagined to come was nothing compared to how the reality works.
Jongdae didn't just become his co-worker this morning. He just met him again after six years today for the very first time and his brain is still adjusting to that seething fact and now the universe throws another ball of joke at him as Jongdae happens to be his boyfriend's best friend's boyfriend.
The usual cold atmosphere of the coffee shop that he loves now felt like a small store in north pole. His tongue was surprisingly shy, saying short comments like"Ahh.." a little but of, "Yeah" and a frequent,"I see," and the longest line he said," You look good together."
"So, how did you two met?" Sipping his cafe latte, Kris eyed the couple in front of him. Yixing's eyes lightened, excited to story tell how their love story unfolded. Jongdae was looking at Yixing, giving him the privilege to tell it with his encouraging nod.
"We met in China." Yixing starts, leaning forward and smiling back at the interested Kris and the quite Joonmyeon.
Joonmyeon couldn't help but grit his teeth mentally.
Taylor swift's song as the background music of the coffee shop was mocking him as the lyrics that sounded more like,"The day you realized the jokes on you! You knew he was trouble when he walks in. Shame on you! Trouble! Trouble!" The background.
Somebody kill that stereo please..
"I was roaming around downtown and went inside a club." Yixing continued.
"Strip club?" Kris joked.
Jongdae boomed laughingly at Kris. Yixing was looking embarrassingly red while Joonmyeon wasn't in the mood to laugh at Kris's seasonal Jokes.
"No!" Yixing rolls his eyes, glaring at Kris and Jongdae. "In a small club. Jongdae was singing up in the stage and I happened to be sitting in the first row."
"Dreamingly staring at your future boyfriend?" Kris adds, receiving another swat from Yixing across the table. Jongdae was just continuously laughing.
Joonmyeon felt like drowning at that particular moment. Hearing Jongdae laughing free spiritedly not minding that the boy he left hanging six years ago was just sitting across him. He just didn't care.
Joonmyeon nibbled his lower lip and looked outside, trying his best to be interested at the people passing by. Ignoring his emotions churning inside his heart begging at Him to stand up and just leave.
"We talked after his performance. And I started complimenting his voice and he said,"Thanks, I love my voice too." Yixing laughs loudly, some people were looking over their table but they didn't care. Kris was shaking his head and Jongdae was smiling at the memory.
No matter how Joonmyeon felt remotely breaking inside, the corner of his lips raised in a simple smirk because Jongdae's cocky response,"Thanks, i love my voice too" is just so him. The Jongdae that used to be his.
"Then we exchanged numbers and after.." Yixing blinks shly at everyone especially Jongdae and Kris. The couple was looking at each other with a hint of something very private and special happened between them after their fateful meeting.
Joonmyeon was pretending to be second guessing in his thoughts but he knew the answer might be ..
"What?! you two slept together on your first meeting? whoe Yixing. " An amazed smirking Kris was clapping his hands together.
Jongdae and Yixing giggled together amusingly. And it struck a wave of pain inside Joonmyeon's heart. His knuckles were white from too much gripping on the side of his chair.
He shut his eyelids closed, his inner self complaining how the world turned even more unfair for him.
He wished he didn't opened his eyes and look at the two because the corners of his eyes stings seeing Jongdae's arm sneakily stretches to reach Yixing, smiling adoringly at him.
Joonmyeon was desperately sending some telepathic SOS message to anyone who could get his out of the place. Because he couldn't stand any of it anymore.
"So, was it good?" Kris teasingly asked his best friend. Yixing threw a crumpled napkin at him and Jongdae was looking at them with amusement.
Before the subject gets into deeper details, Joonmyeon's phone rang and thank God someone heard his calling, could kiss whoever his savior is. When he saw that it was Luhan, he's never been so happy to received a call from his friend.
"Excuse me, i have to take this." Without waiting for any reply he walked in a hurry, breathing in relief once he got out. He tapped his answer button.
"Hell-"
"Hey! Where are you ?! How could you walked out like that? anyways, come and see me for a second. We need to discuss something regarding the matter our head writer had with me and also, the is back. We're at the apartment. Come home will you please?" Luhan said without giving him a chance to interfere.
"Baekhyun's out? That fast?" He couldn't help but ask. It was only a good 30-40 minutes ago when he was in his friend's hospital room.
Luhan sniggered."He wasn't even sick." He replied, getting a background protest of "I was!!" From Baekhyun.
"I'll be there." He finally said, earning a cheerful replies from Luhan.
He slipped his phone inside his pocket. He stood there for another three minutes. His feet refuses to go back inside the coffee shop. He can't afford to look back and just see Jongdae and Yixing again. But he couldn't leave without bidding goodbye. It would be rude.
"Babe?"
Kris's voice pulled him out of his trace. The Chinese-Canadian was poking his head out of the coffee shop's main door and was looking at him anxiously.
"Aren't coming inside?" He asked, slipping his tall body out completely and walking up to him.
"I... Luhan called and he needs to see me." He said, heaving his facial muscles to smile at him. Kris's face crumpled into a frown.
"Is it that important?"
He nods, knowing Kris's can't go up against his beloved work. The blonde boy sighed in a understanding forced nod. Raising a hand and caressing Joonmyeon's left cheek. It's Kris's usual gesture when he's worried.
"Are you okey? you were quite back there. And you look paler." Kris observed, standing closer and Joonmyeon cheek softly as if it could make him feel any better.
"Just a simple headache." He said, pressing his temples together because his head is indeed aching. If anyone warned him that his ex would be showing up that day he could've briefed himself more.
Kris hugged him for a moment before pulling away telling him to wait for a minute and he will inform the other two that they will be leaving.
"No Kris, you don't have to take me home. Just stay with Yixing and.... Jongdae. I can take a cab." He suggested.
It's been a month since he last saw his car. It was all his charming best friend Baekhyun's fault. Taking his car one beautiful night and fortunately crashing it at a post when the eyeliner boy got distracted by a hot guy passing by. He was at the peak of blocking out the moment he saw his car. Baekhyun vowed he will answer all the damages.
Kris gave him a disapproving look.
"Don't joke. I'm driving you home. Wait for me for a sec." Kris insistingly said. Turned and walking back inside leaving Joonmyeon rubbing his stressed face. He senses Yixing's dismayed look from the corner of his peripheral vision.
Kris came out in less than a minute and asked him to wait for awhile again for he will turn the car around. Joonmyeon mouthed an apology to Yixing through the glass window. The dimpled man smiled mouthing back an,"It's okey." smile. Jongdae was just looking at him with a blank expression.
He turned away and hopped inside Kris's car. When he leaned back, he didnt dared himself to look back at Jongdae. He'll just regret it in the end.
"We can drop by the pharmacy to get you some painkillers." Kris said, maneuvering the steering wheel and occasionally glancing at him from time to time.
"It's okey Kris.. Just get me home." He said, voice inaudibly pleading. He felt Kris's warm hand squeezing over his thigh.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah.." He leaned over the glass window and closed his eyes to rest all his mind.
He didn't heard Kris's response after that. All he could hear was the moving vehicle they are in and his mind taking him back in time.
8 years ago.
•••
8 years ago, Gyeongsangnam-do, tongyeong.
"Just go and tell him!" Baekhyun irritatedly shouted, motioning Joonmyeon to walk forward and knock in front of Jongdae's House.
Joonmyeon pouted, stepping from one foot to the other hesitantly looking at the house and back at Baekhyun. His hands were fiddling with his phone. They've been on it for 30 minutes. Arguing in front of Jongdae's home, debating with each other. He couldn't bring himself to walk through their door and see Jongdae no matter how he misses him. He was truly nervous and anxiously biting his plump lip.
"But Baek, what if after tonight he won't speak to me again?" He asks, scratching his head. Baekhyun was losing his patients hearing Joonmyeon's words yet again.
"I'll mourn with you, now go!" Rolling his eyes, Baekhyun the other towards the wall, hitting his friend's head against the brick walls of Jongdae's house. He mumbled an apology after laughing for awhile.
"But Baek-what if he'll get mad?" Joonmyeon said again, caressing his aching forehead, bearing the pain. Because what he was feeling was nothing compared to how Baekhyun accidentally gave him a helpful headbang.
They were currently in front of Jongdae's gates. The boy texted him to see each other that night. The film they've been working on for a month was finally done and Jongdae wanted Joonmyeon to be the first one to see the finished product and give critics.
It was also an important night for Joonmyeon because finally, he decided to confess his undying feelings for the boy. It took him a whole week to come into a conclusion. Finally realizing that what he feels for Jongdae isn't just inside the compounds of friendship.
After that night he met Jongdae, the following days were nothing but fun and endless laughs. They've started hanging out day after day. Texting nonstop with just hilarious things to talk about, Jongdae waiting for him after classes to help him with the film. He said he needs the presence and judgement of the writer around him. He was glad to be of help until he wakes up one morning and he couldn't look at Jongdae the same way again.
No one could give him the answers he needed. Even Baekhyun wasn't helping and just making things worse. His beast friend kept teasing him and asking him how far they've gotten. Which his innocent mind didn't understand. And he couldn't ask Jongdae about it. It will be like murdering his own self.
So when his parents asked him to go on a sick visit to his grandmother, he jumped inside the train with them. He did told Jongdae he will be gone for a matter of four days. Jongdae gave him a come back soon wave at the train station.
When he got inside the train, an idea crossed his mind. He wanted to know his own feelings for the other boy so desperately. If no one could help him then he'll just have to figure it out by himself.
With his phone on hand, he turned his phone off and pulled out the battery. If he have to realize something, he needs no interruptions. It will be a test on how he will feel without any communication with Jongdae. Hopefully, his plan will work.
His first night with his grandmother was torturing him. He couldn't sleep at all. He kept glancing at his phone as if a text from the other boy will come beeping in a powerless device. Shaking his head he lied down, trying hard to get some sleep.
On his second day his family was getting worried. Asking him If he was okey because he dropped 3 plates during breakfast and 2 glasses during dinner. He couldn't focus on anything. He kept thinking about Jongdae, how they met, their exchanged conversations, his smile, his snarky jokes, his voice.
He couldn't close his eyes that night.
On the third day, early morning. He almost fainted seeing a boy with a worse case of panda eyes in front of his mirror. He showered fast and washed all his threatening morning face in history. When he was done, his hands were itching uncomfortably because his phone magically shows up everywhere near him as if telling him,"PUT BACK MY BATTERY AND PICK ME UP YOU!!" still, he fought the urge to do it. He needs some more time. Desperate for fresh air he went outside and roam around the small village.
As if his eyes were mocking him for being a bad human being, depriving his pretty eyes from sleep, he nearly got into an accident when he was walking across the street and came into a halt when he saw someone running down the neighborhood looking exactly like Jongdae. He even stupidly called the boy, and didn't noticed a car almost hitting him.
Thankfully, God wasn't planning on taking him that day. Giving him a second life to stop being a total idiot.
He looked for *Jongdae* and found the boy, not really the boy he was looking for. It was just someone who looks like Jongdae but isn't close to as handsome as Jongdae.
He walked home smiling like a troll, admitting to himself that he's in a deep fallen in like with Jongdae. The answer have always been in front of him. He was just playing blind to see it. When he got home he was shaken seeing the battery was gone.
"MOM? HAVE YOU SEEN MY PHONE's BATTERY?"
"BATTERY? OHH! I THREW IT HONEY."
"WHAAT?! WHY?!" His voice never sounded like a glass breaking in his entire existence.
"I thought it was broken and you don't need it anymore so I threw it."
He will never forget how his cousins were laughing at him while he looked like a garbage man ramping through garbage to garbage. His eyes glittered the moment he saw his battery shinning like a jewel.
He ran upstairs and placed the battery on. The moment he opened his phone, his alert tone never stopped beeping. Numerous texts came in. 10% coming from Baekhyun cursing him how he left without telling him and angrily saying how Jongdae have been like a stupid insane boy asking for him when he suddenly disappeared from the world of social networking. All Baekhyun's messages were all caps.
It made him gulped.
Another 10% from the his classmates giving him some updates, while the rest 80% of the messages were all from Jongdae. He opened it one by one, he couldn't tell why he felt excited somehow. He settled on his couch and read on:
Hi Joonmyeon! arrived yet?
How's your grandma? is she fine?
Hey! what are you doing ?
It's raining in here again. How's the weather there? My mom's looking for you. She misses your company. I told her you were away to visit a relative.
I'm done with the film! I hope you'll come home soon so I can show you! ^___^
Are you eating well in there?
My mom cooked your favorite meal! She Wishes you were here.
Joonmyeon?
Are you busy or something? Am I disturbing you?
Hey.. How are you?
Joonmyeon? why aren't you answering my texts? I can't reach you.
Did you lost your charger or something? -____-
You did, didn't you? 0_o
Are you sick?
Are you mad at me? did I said something that offended you? please tell me...
If I did, i'm sorry.
Was i too annoying? did I irritated you? hey Joonmyeon...
Hey.. C'mon.
please answer at least one of my texts.
Joonmyeon...
Joonmyeon...? :(
Joonmyeon didn't have enough guts to read the rest of them because how Jongdae ended up being worried when he's out to have some soul-searching, he felt guilty and at fault.
But he couldn't hide the churning butterflies twirling inside his stomach. It felt weird because he never felt anything like it before. And he couldn't stop smiling knowing someone (aside from his family and Baekhyun) was worried sick about him.
He contemplated for it for awhile.
When he saw the messages again, he pressed the call button in a blink of an eye. It was no use, he misses Jongdae. It only took a single ring on the other line before Jongdae's Frantic,"JOONMYEON?!" was heard. And a background noise of something heavy stumbled on the ground. It was probably a book, or Jongdae?
"Hi..?"
"Where have you been?! I've been texting and calling you and I'm was worr- I was hoping you were... Okey. I thought you got eaten my a polar bear out there.." He heard Jongdae sounding happy and stuttering.
He bit his lip.
"I'm sorry, my phone got lost. Thankfully, a nice guy gave it back to me." He shamefully lied. Because it sounded more logical than,"I'm sorry, I wanted to figure out my feelings for you so badly and i felt the need to cut all communication. But now I'm back! Hey guess what? I like you!"
"A nice boy huh?"
Joonmeyeon ignored that tiny voice inside his head telling him that Jongdae sounded like his boyfriend getting jealous over an imaginary heroic guy.
"Yeah, he even stayed for awhile since my family insisted for him to stay over dinner."
Joonmyeon could not believe he was lying to Jongdae. If he was still on his assessment phase he'll probably understand himself, but he got over It and now he sounded like.. he wants to see if Jongdae will ever get jealous. And the idea is stupid and impossible. Jongdae likes him as a friend. Nothing more.
"Did you exchanged mobile numbers?"
"Ah.. Yeah. sort of."
He wants to slap himself for letting the evil voice took control.
He heard Jongdae clearing his throat loudly before talking again.
"Do you.. like him?"
Joonmyeon wanted to just come out and tell him he's just playing around, but that domineering voice was shouting at him, stocking some auto reply at the tip of his tongue.
"Like him? Yes. He's nice and really kind."
It took awhile before Jongdae said anything. He sounded less enthusiastic like the usual, like someone just stolen his beloved cam recorder.
"Oh.. I see.. When.. When will you come home?"
Joonmyeon wanted to shout and get all his words back, but his mouth wasn't his at the moment.
"Maybe next week. "
"NEXT WEEK?! But I thought--"
"My grandmother begged us to stay a little longer. I'm about to call Baekhyun to help me with school."
"Oh.. I guess you'll be spending sometime with your family more and .. that nice boy."
Joonmyeon swore he could hear Jongdae's beautiful voice sounding so broken. Now he wanted to apologies.
"Yeah, I guess your right. I'll call you when I get back okey? I need to go. "
"Wait Joonmyeon--!"
"Y-yeah?"
"Could you at least reply to my texts and --"
"I will Jongdae. bye." He immediately ended the call because he couldn't keep up with his lying tongue anymore. He will kneel down in front of Jongdae and plead for his forgiveness the moment he gets back.
"That won't happen okey?!" Baekhyun's high piercing voice snapped him back to his reality. Now he found himself in front of Jongdae's door.
"But Baek, what If --
"What If I'll slap you across the face if you don't stop saying all this negativity?" Baekhyun interjected with a scary glare.
"But Baek --"
"I'm 100% sure he won't okey? I'll bet he'll take you out after tonight." Baekhyun smiled knowingly, giggling and squeezing him.
"What?? I don't know. I'm not really expecting any return of feelings." He honestly said, getting away from Baekhyun's embrace.
"What? Oh god what kind of Brain do you have Inside that skull of yours?" Baekhyun cringes, his eyes widening in every word he gave.
Joonmyeon sighed.
"I'm not really expecting him to date me. I just want to tell him I like him and, I'm not even sure if he's into boys." His shoulders fell because he was sure Jongdae will never like him like he likes the other. He wasn't even interesting while Jongdae have so many charms hiding in his sleeves. Baekhyun even looks more interesting and handsome than himself as he claims.
"Joonmyeon, trust me when I say he is. And that Jongdae is into his own Gender specie. You don't know how he drools just by looking at you when your not paying attention to your environment. How he gapingly strips you inside his head and besides, who in their straight boy mind would text another guy at 12am every weekends and ask him to get some icecream with him?" Baekhyun was walking around in the lawn like a lawyer putting all the evidences down the table in front of a stubborn unbelieving Judge.
"Jongdae does that?" He shockingly asked, cocking his head in doubt.
"You have no idea. My Gaydar is always on high alerts. Now stop being a drama queen and go on Juliet. Get your Romeo.!" Baekhyun literally the door bell vigorously with Joonmyeon wanting to fragged his friend.
"But Baek --"
"Don't make me throw my shoe at you Joonmyeon." Baekhyun screamed, running away waving a fighting hand and leaving him losing all his blood in his circulation when the door opened revealing a pissed off Jongdae. He was wearing a gray sweater, a hoodie poking behind his head, a big print of "THE SWAGGER" on his front. His white cotton pajamas were reaching the floor and he was standing bare footed.
Jongdae's pissed off face disappeared once he saw Joonmyeon awkwardly smiling back at him."Hi..?" Jongdae smiled so widely that Joonmyeon wanted to hug him tightly.
"Joonmyeon! Come inside! MOM!! Joonmyeon's here!" Jongdae shouted, opening the door wide for him to enter. He was welcomed by a warm hug from Jongdae's mother.
"Joonmyeon! I'm so happy to see you again. How's your visit with your grandma? My son here couldn't stop talking about you and-"
"MOM!!" Jongdae furiously interjected. Wrapping a hand around Joonmyeon's elbow and leading him upstairs.
Jongdae's jolly mom placed a hand to cover giggling, and looking falsely guilty. She was asking Joonmyeon to stay over dinner. He gladly accepted the invitation before Jongdae's Mother disappeared from the living room.
It was one of the things Joonmyeon found so endearing about Jongdae. He was raised by a single parent. He said his father left him when he was a baby. His mother brought him up, giving all the love, support and security he needs. He said he wasn't even interested looking for his father. His mother gives him too much that the need for a father isn't necessary at all. He couldn't ask for anything else for he is contended.
And Jongdae's Mother did a great job raising a talented and loving son.
"The cd is on the table. I'll go and brush my teeth real quick okey?" Jongdae looked tense and restless. He even bumped into the wall on his way to his personal comfort room.
Joonmyeon sat there nodding. When Jongdae disappeared from his sight he instantly cried silently. The idea of the other brushing his teeth gave a great favor for him. Jongdae have this obsession over his teeth. He habitually brushes his teeth every time his done eating something be it a candy or a small biscuit. He'll be looking for water and a sink or he'll be indulging himself with a mentol candy or mouth wash he usually have inside his bag. He precisely brushes his teeth more than thrice a day and it even takes him longer time than a normal person would. It's no wonder why he has a well maintained teeth. He's good at taking care of it. He a lot about it and the boy will only shrug, give him a toothy smile and say,"I'm born this way. My mouth is always ready for anything." When asked what his mouth will be ready for, he'll just receive a wide smile from him.
Joonmyeon slapped himself for thinking about Jongdae's perfect teeth.
He wanted to cry. And his worry just escalates hearing Jongdae humming echoes some lovey tunes inside his comfort room.
He stood up and paced around the room hoping Jongdae wouldn't come out until his brain figured something brilliant. When he was running out of time, the cd's on the table caught his attention. Two cd's were lying on the table. He was intending to pick the black covered cd when the green one caught his interest more.
He dumbly picked it up and opened the cover. The shinny cd with a letters of well written KJ came into view.
He wondered. To kill his curiosity, he took the cd out and installed it inside Jongdae's laptop. He sat back on the chair and focused all his attention at the computer screen.
His wait was over when the cd came playing. He was tapping his finger during the opening but when he saw the images playing, he was in great turmoil because why,
He was astonished at the video of him walking around school, him eating at the cafeteria, him laughing along the hallways with Baekhyun, him studying at the library, him-
"Oh gosh.." He heard someone gasped in surprised behind him."You weren't suppose to see.. that." He looked back and saw Jongdae looking pale and motionless on the spot.
Joonmyeon was immediately on his heel. Closing the laptop and looking like a captured criminal in front of Jongdae. His heart was pounding so fast inside his rib cage that it would be nice for anyone to take it out for a moment.
"J-Jongdae, wh-why d-do you have a video filmed of-me?" He spluttered with his words. When he saw how Jongdae's face crumpled in discomfort like he wanted to vomit all over his floor, it made him regret asking.
Until his wonderful brain finally started functioning and giving him a thought.
"Oh! I get it! your working on a new film aren't you? What?nA documentary of a life of an anti-social bookish boy?" He giggled,"You should have told me Jongdae." He said, laughing an obviously dry,"HA-HA-HA!" Grabbing the glass of cold water on the table with his trembling hand.
"Y-yeah..Your r-right. I-m working on a f-film." Jongdae was worser because it was obvious to him that Jongdae was stuttering and struggling with his own words. He kept looking down and rubbing his nape. The current situation was making them both uncomfortable.
Joonmyeon could see themselves a month ago on their first meeting when both of them were awkward towards each other. And he didn't like being awkward with Jongdae so he laughed loudly, saying he was right before taking the rem of the glass into his lips and gulped down some water for his deserted dry throat.
"But you were wrong with the theme though, because the theme sounds something like *The person that I like.* that's the theme." Jongdae shly confessed, bitting his lips and eventually gasping some air when Joonmyeon choked at his water.
"Wet?!" Joonmyeon sprinkled the cold water, steaming down his mouth wetting his shirt. His mouth muscles gave up on him when he was attempting to say a shocked."What?!"
Jongdae rushed into him with a dry towel and a shirt. But Joonmyeon ignored the articles and just looked at Jongdae with a bewildered expression.
"What did you say??" He says, looking at Jongdae who was fumbling with the hem of his thick sweater, his cheeks that were pale earlier looks like crimson red in embarrassment that it even reached his ears. Joonmyeon swore he looked cute.
Jongdae inhaled desperately, gathering his courage to say the next words that will create a big change in their relationship. Joonmyeon Waited, holding his breath and waiting for either his nightmare or a secret wish coming true.
"Joonmyeon... I like you. I've been liking you the moment I met you outside your front gates. You looked cute with all those weird gestures you unawarely threw at me." Jongdae chuckled as if he could see that Joonmyeon he was describing now.
"What......"
Jongdae walked closer to the puzzled Joonmyeon, pinching that red tinge on Joonmyeon's cheeks. He smiled that blinding smile.
"I said, I like you Joonmyeon. And I know this, in some ways shocked you, and I'm sorry if I've been a really annoying person around you and, you might not like me back considering how you like that nice boy- I mean,"
"I don't like that nice boy." He said smiling.
"But you said-"
"I lied about that nice boy," Joonmyeon giggled, covering his shamed face which fazed Jongdae.
"You lied? Wait... what exactly did you lied about?" Jongdae squinted his eyes trying to figure something out. Joonmyeon prepared himself for the revelation his about to pop.
"About the boy. He doesn't even exist really." He wanted to squeal. Jongdae looked even more out of his mind.
"What? Why-I think i get it but I'm not so sure." The doubtful creases on Jongdae's forehead slowly wavered when his brain was slowly getting a clearer view of a pretty picture.
"I was confused, about you and what I feel about you so, I gave myself some time to think about it and-- "
"Wait- so, you ignored me for four days to a week, invented a nice boy that made me successfully jealous so you can think about your feelings for me?" Jongdae's face was indescribable that Joonmyeon ended up laughing down the floor, Jongdae looking down at him amazed.
"Whoe, you really know how to make me insane." Clapping his hands, Jongdae helped him up, with an arm wrapped around his slim waist.
They were just an inch apart and Joonmyeon could smell the minty tooth paste Jongdae used. It smelled refreshing, and if he wasn't in his right mind he probably kissed Jongdae without having second thoughts.
"You made me perfectly worried for disappearing without informing me that you'll be out for awhile to think about your feelings for me. If you told me i could have given you enough time to think about me more." Jongdae smirked, leaning forward and wrapping both his arms around Joonmyeon.
Joonmyeon felt his knees weakening, he couldn't believe what was happening. He-He likes me! His was heart beating wildly in gladness and he was almost breathless but before he chose to collapse, he needs to tell him the end product of his brainstorming. He gingerly ran his pale arms around Jongdae's shoulders.
"Jongdae, I like you." Smilling, he hugged Jongdae completely, all the nervousness and uncertainty disappeared the moment Jongdae embraced him in return. He felt Jongdae's head attempting to pull and look at him."Jongdae, I like you." He repeats as if the other one didn't heard him.
"Jongdae, I like- "
"I get it." Jongdae laughed, his playful giggles booming across the room amusingly. He successfully stared back at Joonmyeon who was equally sharing the same happy feelings as him."Joonmyeon, i can best suggest that you should really date me. I promise you won't regret being with or momentarily without me." He whispered, his cold minty mouth makes Joonmyeon nuzzled closer, sensing Jongdae's sincerity in words and his eyes were blinking the same words.
"I think your right. I should probably consider that idea." Joonmyeon played along, hugging Jongdae again tightly like how he wanted to for weeks, how the other boy felt so warm and relaxing seemed so euphorically casual yet nothing like no other.
"Joonmyeon, they say you're a great public speaker." Joonmyeon's forehead furrowed in a wondering creases.
"It's what they say." He laughed, smiling when he feels Jongdae snuggling closer. His skin smelled so homely and softy huggable that he's willing to hug him until tomorrow ends.
"I want to assess if you are good at something aside from that." Jongdae coed in his husky mischievous voice, pulling away, taking his facial features inside his memory while caressing his cheeks altogether. Joonmyeon who got immune to Jongdae's touches surprisingly fast, was a bit confused but giggled when he saw how Jongdae stared down at his lips. Giving him an idea.
He nodded," I-ll try my-"
His words ended up incomplete when Jongdae closed the gap between them and brushed his thin lips over Joonmyeon, he was tentatively shocked but when he tried tilting his head aside, giving Jongdae more access, he lost all his puzzled thoughts and allowed to get swift away by Jongdae's lips. When he slightly parted his lips, he felt the tip of Jongdae's cold tongue asking for a welcome. When he let him in completely he felt the other boy's cold flexible tongue dance along with his and he never loved the taste of peppermint tooth paste in his entire life until that very moment.
He gave his first kiss to the boy he fell in love so deeply with.
•••
Joonmyeon smiled bittersweetly in his seat. Wishing he wasn't crying seeing that particular memory in his sleep.
"Babe, we're here." Kris said, shaking his knees lightly.
•••
The clicking of the security code made the two guys look at their apartment's main door opening wide. A tired Joonmyeon came in. Removing his shoes and walking inside his shared apartment with his friends. Luhan and Baekhyun were both sitting on their coffee table and gawking at him.
"Hey, why did you walked out like that in the meeting? Mr. Lee was looking for you and i had to answer some question I'm not even aware of." Luhan pouted, crossing his arms over his chest and autocratically telling him to sit down with them.
"I'm sorry Luhan-- I, my stomach ached." Joonmyeon came up with a stupid excuse as he threw himself over the table. His body was collapsing all over him. Luhan looked at him in disbelief while Baekhyun was popping his mouth knowingly.
"What? don't tell me you ate an expired food like the dummy Baekhyun here?" Luhan skeptically wailed pointing at Baekhyun.
"Hey!" The discharged patient Scowled.
"You're here already?" Joonmyeon lifting his sprawled torso and leaning his back against the chair's backrest. Looking at Baekhyun with his tired heavy eyes.
"Yeah, I'm doing fine now and I don't get any call from hell inside my stomach." Baekhyun answers, rubbing his stomach with a healthy smile."Thank God. My nurse was very good in taking care of me thank you."
Joonmyeon saw some unwelcome images of Baekhyun making out with Chanyeol over his bed in the hospital and he had goosebumps all over again.
"If I know, you weren't really sick! just an excuse to get a free day in a hospital with a boy ing over you." Luhan viciously laughed. Looking through his email and smirking. Having the same flashes of unwanted images inside his head.
Baekhyun stood up right away, glancing below the table with his nose sniffing "Guys can you smell that?"
The other two looked around, doing the same as Baekhyun because they got alarmed by their roommates face that speaks emergency. Their house might be burning with them just sitting on their coffee table without knowing.
"Smell what?" Joonmyeon asked.
Baekhyun sit back and leaned over Luhan's side, sniffing his hair like a dog.
"The scent of jealousy. Oh hey it's coming from you Luhan! " He happily chirped that joonmyeon snickered softly.
"Oh spare me! how did you guys even do it when, you were having diarrhea? if that is even true." Luhan questioned. Swooning his friend's sniffing face. Ignoring his stupid remark because he isn't Jealous at all.
"Aside from writing, my hands are just so amazingly beautiful and vitally useful. I just love it." He replied, palming his hand and admiring it like it was the prettiest painting ever been auctioned.
"Of course, Baekhyun." Joonmyeon, face palming himself.
"..." Luhan points out.
"..." Baekhyun pointed out at him.
Joonmyeon frowned seeing his two best friend's looking at him waiting.
"I'm not in the mood to speak our infamous college tag line." The auburn haired boy said Waving the idea away.
They continued chatting. Mostly Luhan and Baekhyun did the talking. Saying they should go out and celebrate for another drama will once again air under their works. Joonmyeon only nods and hummed with them, still zooming in and out whenever Luhan calls his attention.
"You know, this " time stops when i see him," line is way over used. Can't you guys write new lines like,"When I saw him I felt my throbbing like drums. The surroundings suddenly smelled and I received a telepathic message from my crotch that says: I wanna take you down right now boy and bed you till dawn. " Luhan states, his eyes flattering like an actress confessing her deepest feelings. Scrolling down the script on his laptop. Joonmyeon nearly spat on his coffee as Baekhyun stopped typing on his phone.
"If we were writing a o script we probably would. I don't think an innocent highschool love themed drama will match with those lines Lu," Joonmyeon explained. settling the ceramic mug over the table.
"Luhan, why don't you just write it yourself. We'll try our hardest to support you when the company decides to throw you out." Baekhyun chuckled with Luhan nodding at the same time considering the idea.
"Luhan will you stop changing the lines. Especially that. Kay will be screaming in agony. Your destroying the innocence of the story!" snatching the laptop away, Baekhyun checked the lines and edited the words back to its original thought.
"I'm the editor and I have the power to do so. This isn't even true. Time never stops for love." Luhan replied in a shrug. Using his long limb to get his laptop back but to no avail. Baekhyun passed the device to Joonmyeon and Joonmyeon taking the battery out before returning it to Luhan.
"The written lines are true." Baekhyun punctuates out. Pointing his index finger at him.
"So your telling me time stopped when you first met chanyeol is that it?" Luhan retaliates.
"Well, he stopped injecting insulin to his patient when he saw me passing by. He was mesmerized by my beauty."
"And you, homo?" Luhan glanced at the blankly staring Joonmyeon.
"Joonmyeon?"
"Hey!"
"W-what?" Joonmyeon exclaimed, getting lost in his thoughts again, pressing his temples to recall Luhan's question.
"I'm asking you. Did time stopped when you met kris? or something like that?"
Joonmyeon was silent for a while, thinking back."Kris stopped talking in font of his 5 students during his part time job when he saw me sitting at the back." Luhan rolled his eyes in disbelief.
"I told you." Baekhyun laughs, looking at Luhan who was giving Joonmyeon some suspicious looks. Joonmyeon smiled at Luhan to hide his own distress self.
"Let's just tell him!" Baekhyun mouths at Joonmyeon when Luhan wasn't looking at them both.
"No." Joonmyeon mouths back.
"You two are ridiculous." Luhan commented at their experiences. He caught the two exchanging weird faces at each other that made him crinkled his forehead in curiosity.
"What's with you and your never-ending war against love?" Baekhyun asked chucklingly. Thinking how Luhan have never been in a serious relationship. He dismisses the ideals of love and commitment as it wasn't listed in his personal dictionary and vocabulary.
Neither of the two knew Luhan's reasons behind his rally against love relationships. The honey haired boy never shared his sentiments.
"I'm not against it okey? I'm just not the right human being for it." Luhan pouts. Finger combing his hair.
"I agree. I can only imagine you bickering with your boyfriend for a day just Because he was late on your first date. Ha! I'd like to be there when it happens." Baekhyun smirked. Joonmyeon second emotion. Luhan was growling at them in irritation.
For Baekhyun and Joonmyeon, it was fun teasing Luhan rather than the other way around.(because it will always lead to cold war and arguing)
Joonmyeon got up, gathering his things and headed to his room.
"I'm gonna go change guys." He excused, leaving the two bickering. He didn't noticed Luhan giving Baekhyun a tons of questioning gestures while the other tried to shrug Luhan expressions.
He took his clothes off and rushed inside his shower. He couldn't help but think to himself.
•••
He dried his hair and got into a more comfortable clothes. When he was done, he walked out of his room and saw Luhan flouncing out of their apartment. He was sure he just saw one of Luhan's expression that he hates seeing.
"What was that? Where is he going ?" He asked Baekhyun flipping a magazine on their sofa. He stared back at their main door getting powerfully shut Close by Luhan. The loud bang and the clattering sound of the frames falling on the floor startled the both of them.
"A-ah, he said he needs to go meet someone." Sipping his water casually and reading some texts on the magazine on hand. Joonmyeon was getting a bet worried because he knew how Luhan acts when his getting angry. And he just witnessed it again a second ago.
"Who?" His head wasn't giving him a rest.
"A-mm I don't know, he didn'say." Baekhyun replied in a shrug.
"Are you sure? because luhan looks like he wants to kill someon- " Joonmyeon's jaw dropped when he was realizing why Luhan was in his killer mood at the moment.
"Baekhyun, who is he going to meet?" He asked again. Baekhyun appeared as relax as ever. Which intensified his suspicions.
" I told you I don't--"
"BAEKHYUN!" He shouted. Glaring at Baekhyun. He rarely loses him temper and today was one of those rare times. Baekhyun must have figured he wasn't as patient today as he usually is.
"Joonm-yeon.. I--" Baekhyun stuttered, straightening his back and regretfully bit his lips together.
"Don't tell me you told him!" Joonmyeon face palmed himself. Of course he did. Now Jongdae's life is at risk of cutting short if Luhan finds him.
"Well--okey fine i did!" Baekhyun exasperatedly throwing his arm up in thin air, "Because he was choking some informations from me! he knows there's something wrong with you okey?! and we both know Luhan when he's suspiciou, he won't stop."
"Arghhh! I swear I don't know what to do with you! "
He grabbed Baekhyun's car keys and rushed down their apartment with Baekhyun following him behind. He took the initiative to hop on the driver's seat and drove off the moment Baekhyun got in.
Baekhyun tried calling Luhan but their friend isn't picking up. His mind was maybe busy plotting an assassination parade at the moment.
"Baekhyun if he kills Jongdae--"
"What? You'll cry a river again and get Luhan behind bars?!" Baekhyun rolls his eyes."Let him kill him. He deserves it anyway."
Joonmyeon decided to stepped on it rather waste his time talking to Baekhyun. He do Hates Jongdae, but knowing Luhan, he is still capable of feeling sympathy and pity for his ex right?
When he saw Luhan's car driving so fast ahead of their's he tried with all his driving skills to follow the pretty boy. He needs to get wherever Luhan was going first because Luhan is a walking nuclear bomb when he's angry. He remembered Luhan vowing to kill Jongdae when he sees him.
Recalling how Luhan had serious fights when they were still in college. When one Canadian boy bullied him and Luhan happened to witnessed it. He Bickered with the boy and using Mandarin cursing words from time to time. It nearly ended up in a police station. Another scenario was when a middle aged lady accused Luhan of stealing a wallet in a store when in fact it was the lady who stole it. Luhan almost pulled all the woman's hair that they needed to knock him out to get him to stop.
Now what will happen to Jongdae?
***
My suchen feels. hahaha
Thank you so much to those people who took their time reading this update. ^^ I hope you had fun reading!
Thank you to those who left their comments! and the one who upvoted i love you whoever you are! hehe hoping for comments^^
Thanks for all the love guys!
k.
Comments