“So,” Jonghyun searches about for a topic as the conversation lulls. He scuffs at the gravel on the ground and considers, grasping for words to utter as he doesn’t wish to say goodbye just yet. Jonghyun speaks finally, “You are coming over to the match?”

Jinki is smiling as he waits, used to this and well aware of what Jonghyun is trying to do. It is cute, he thinks, how Jonghyun tries to prolong their time together by filling the space between them with incessant chatter. Although, frankly speaking, in Jinki’s opinion, there really isn’t a need for Jonghyun to do so. Because as far as he is concerned, Jinki is fine with just standing together with Jonghyun when left to their own ends. But he is never going to tell Jonghyun that, because Jinki thinks Jonghyun looks really adorable when he furrows his brows like that.

The down side of this complicated conspiracy he has against Jonghyun is that the conversation tends to get repetitive after a while.

“Yes, I am,” Jinki shakes his head, “Haven’t you asked me 3 times before? And haven’t I answered you 3 times too?”

“Just making sure.” Jonghyun grins.

“Yes, I am going. I have already marked down the date.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Jinki continues, “I would go even if it kills me, alright?”

Jonghyun frowns and stops kicking at the pebbles, “Don’t jinx yourself.”

“Alright,” Jinki jokes, “Now go find something wooden for me to touch.”

“I am being serious. Don’t treat your life so lightly.” Jonghyun says with a determined set of his face.

Pausing for a moment to take in Jonghyun’s demeanour, Jinki asks with a raised eyebrow, “Since when were you that superstitious?”

“I don’t like taking chances.”

“Coming from the guy who wants to go skydiving the moment he hits 21.”

“I don’t like taking chances with anything that’s precious to me.” Jonghyun clarifies.

The words run through Jinki’s mind and he is just about to feel embarrassed for the sap Jonghyun has just said when he realises with a sudden start what Jonghyun has implied. “Wait a moment,” Jinki narrows his eyes, “Did you somehow manage to say that your life isn’t precious; that it’s worth less than mine?”

“What?” Jonghyun’s mind replays what he said previously. He then shakes his head, “Oh, that. No, it just came out the wrong way.”

“Really?”

“Yea, I love myself,” Jonghyun says. When Jinki doesn’t look convinced, he continues, “You know those self-awareness lectures we always get in school? I am a very self-aware person. Very self-loving too.”

Jinki can’t help but to break a smile at the way Jonghyun phrases his sentences. “Good. Because you are very precious to me too.”

And because the moment seems just right and the atmosphere just perfect, Jonghyun leans in and breaches Jinki’s personal space. He forgets about what they have said about keeping this relationship a secret, forgets about how his family (his parents, especially) aren’t supposed to learn about it and takes the risk of them kissing right outside his house, in broad daylight. Because some things, once missed, can never be retrieved and Jonghyun is certain that this is an experience he would never want to let slip through his fingers. It doesn’t matter that they probably kiss at least 10 times a day, because each and every kiss is unique and Jonghyun likes how they make him feel.

Happy and loved. Gorgeous and perfect.

When they finally break loose and Jinki has the sensibility to look around to see if anyone had seen them (although what can he do should he finds the unwelcomed eyewitness, Jonghyun has no idea), Jonghyun finds that they have the heads resting on each other’s shoulders, with arms still encircling each other. He hugs a bit tighter, because he is pretty sure he doesn’t want this moment to end. Ever.

Jonghyun can feel the warm breath of Jinki’s ghosting over his neck as he speaks, “Now that we have settled that we are both extremely previous to each other, can you not go skydiving?”

“Hmmm?”

“It makes me uneasy to have you sign away your life.”

“I won’t be signing my life away. Just the liabilities the skydiving place may have to bear.”

“I don’t like that either.”

“No one ever really dies from skydiving. It’s just a precaution.”

“It’s inauspicious.”

Jonghyun snorts lightly, “And who’s the superstitious one?”

“Tit for tat.” Jinki grins and slowly withdraws his arms around Jonghyun.

“Quid pro quo.” Jonghyun unwillingly lets go.

“An eye for an eye.” Jinki counters as he starts stepping away.

“Like for like.” Jonghyun returns as he follows after Jinki

“I think I have ran out of idioms now,” Jinki says laughingly as he tries to get Jonghyun to stop and return to his gates, “You can’t follow me home, Jonghyun! Go back.”

“Can’t I see you home today?” Jonghyun asks pleadingly, “You are the one who is always sending me home.”

“No, you can’t,” Jinki responds exasperatedly, eyes crinkling in mirth, “We have had this conversation at least twenty times over, Jonghyun. It doesn’t make sense for you to send me home.”

Jonghyun can’t think of anything to say to that and he remains silent as Jinki waves goodbye. It is only when Jinki is about to turn around the corner that Jonghyun finally shouts out, “Love doesn’t make sense!”

Jonghyun can hear Jinki’s laughter even after he has disappeared from his sight.

One of my shortest chapters ever >< And it was written intermittently, with major distractions in between, which doesn't exactly help in ensuring the smooth flow of the story lol.