“Umm..What’s this even supposed to be?” Minho asked in an adorably confused voice. He lifted up the tiny phone strap, the green cartoon frog with comically huge eyes hanging from it.

Taemin flashed him a child like grin before replying. “It’s a phone strap. It reminded me of you, hyung. Your big frog eyes.” He claimed in that sweet innocent voice he used to get away with things. Minho groaned as if annoyed but took out his cell and strapped it on without a word.

“Weird boy.” Key remarked as he sneaked a glance at the now zoned –out Taemin. “Here frog boy.” He said, using Taemin’s new given nick-name in spite of its apparent weirdness. Minho opened the gift and revealed four different wrist bands, each tag containing a branded label and each of them black. “These should be a good swap for those over used black bands you always have on your left wrist. And I paid for these with my part time job so you better use it.” He continued and finished with a threat.

Minho nodded and Kibum smiled, satisfied. Next was my turn and I pulled out a huge plastic bag with enough for a half year supply of his favourite noodles. “Happy Birthday!” I chimed in as I saw his delighted expression. Clearly I had won this gift giving competition.

And clearly Jonghyun had lost since his idea of a good birthday gift was a bad drawing of Minho. Bad because he didn’t even try with the drawing part, none the less Minho still kept it.

The five of us proceeded with singing and cake cutting until it was time to leave the cafe. Minho went back to school for his extra curricula’s, Kibum went on to his part time job while Jonghyun and I dropped Taemin at his bus stop.

This had become routine ever since Minho joined the track team and stayed back in school. I no longer had his company while I walked back from school after dropping off Taemin. Not that it mattered but Jonghyun had taken up the job of reaching me back to my place. Kibum would tag along on some days but mostly it was just the two of us.

It had been a week since that kiss and yet the tension between us was intense. Enough for the whole school to take notice at least. Like Jonghyun had mentioned, rumours were all up and about with half the school year done. After that day when I left the classroom in a hurry while holding onto Jonghyun’s hand, also the added 3 days of school we missed together, coupled with the secret glances we stole when we thought the other wasn’t looking, had made us a couple in the eyes of our classmates.

But what had surprised me was that Jonghyun did nothing to deny these outlandish rumours. He went along with it, bearing the harsh commentary and rude behaviour with indifference. But I knew there had to have been some damage done with each cruel remark people made, the way all his so-called-friends now acted like he didn’t exist.

My mind couldn’t come up with a logical explanation for why he was doing this, turning from his social and friendly life to an outcast.

We were nearing my house when Jonghyun pulled me to one side of the pavement. It had been the first intentional skin contact since the kiss but he said nothing, so I spoke first. “Why won’t you deny the rumours?” I asked out right, knowing full well that we were incapable of avoiding the topic with small talk like we usually did.

Jonghyun didn’t even blink. It was almost as if he expected the question. We stood there for a while, his hand over mine, our eyes locked with a fierce gaze. “The question goes both ways.” He replied but it still wasn’t good enough for me. I was ready with a retort and to play his mind games if I had to but then he called out my name and I was at his mercy once more.

“Jinki.” He said, my name a whisper caressing his lips. I gulped back as he took a step forward and closed in a little of the space between us.

“I have a selfish request to make.” He claimed and I knew this was going beyond the lines of safety I had drawn, but nodded anyway. “I want to kiss you.” He finally said after he inhaled to calm his nerves.

“Jong.” I started to refuse despite my raging heart that pounded furiously inside my chest.

“Don’t refuse me after saying my name like that. Like it pains you to do it.” He demanded and I fell silent because it did pain me to reject him when his lips on mine were all I could think about in that moment. “You asked me why I didn’t deny those rumours? Well because I decided it was fine if people knew the truth about me. I can’t deny them because it’s the truth, I have feelings for you Jinki and that day, that kiss..it gave me hope. If I could kiss you every day, show you how much I treasure you, then maybe you could fall for me too.”

After that I realized there was nothing I could say that would make any sense, so I closed my eyes and gave him permission. His hand was on the small of my back in seconds, the other cupping my chin as he drew me to him. His fingers pressed into my skin and a jolt of pure happiness and content shot through me. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited until his cool soft lips pressed against my forehead. His lips lingered there as a smile crossed my lips.

Jonghyun drew back as my eyes fluttered open and my expression questioned his actions. My fingers automatically rose to brush against the place he had just laid his lips merely seconds ago. “Don’t look so disappointed Jinki.” He said with a soft chuckle.

I blushed profusely as it became evident that I had presumed he meant ‘kiss on the lips’ when he made his request. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re just a good kisser so-.” I began my accusation without much thought, only to realize what I had said out loud.

Immediately I turned but Jonghyun’s fingers were forcing my face from looking away. “I want to kiss you on the lips but I won’t. Not until you like me the way I have fallen for you. The day you kiss me on the lips, I will know I succeeded. So I will wait till that day Jinki, hoping that maybe you could love me.” He said with complete honesty while brushing away a loose strand of my hair, a carful smirk on his face from my earlier words.

I nodded and he turned and walked back, thankfully missing the opportunity to see me crumple under his touch. He didn’t have to hope I would fall for him, it was far too late for even hope to save me when I was so deeply in love with him.

It was about two hours later and I was alone when the bell rang. Overjoyed I ran to it in the hopes of meeting Jonghyun again for the second time this day. And maybe one of those kisses, well it didn’t hurt to wish.

Surprisingly I was met with a familiar but unexpected person at the door, or rather people. Because I was just not accustomed to my own parents standing at the entrance to the house, it seemed like a bizarre dream.

“Don’t look so shocked son, we told you we were coming, didn’t we?” my mother said in her melodious voice she had obtained from being on stage way too often. She sat down on the couch and kicked off her 6 or was it 8 inch heels? Reducing her height to mine. My Dad walked in after her and tugged at the luggage. It seemed to be packed well enough for a week.

“Ye-yes you did tell me.” I confirmed with reluctance. It was true I received a text from my parents about their stay, but it was also true I received this text every year around my birthday. My parent’s jobs kept them busy on Christmas and Christmas Eve so they used to come by the first week of December when I was a boy. But as years passed I knew they wouldn’t be able to make it ev