"We will be doing a reporting project..." their science teacher, Mr. Lee, said while standing behind the classroom's platform. "...in pairs."

Every single student in the room let out an amazed sort of gasp with that, some feeling happy and some irritated at the thought of doing the project in pairs.

It was the next Monday after Joonmyun's party and they are currently on their 3rd period of the day, lazily waiting for the bell to ring for lunch break.

"I will let you guys choose a partner of your own," Mr. Lee said from the front of the class, and Jongin quirked a smirk in his lips as he started planning something wicked again.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, is completely aware of whatever tricks and plans the guy on his back is thinking and he knows he has to find a way to stay out of it.

The doe eyed boy can't exactly put his finger on it, but he's suddenly feeling irritated of Jongin after discovering his past relationship with Krystal. The guy talked to him during the party last Saturday and he just walked out on the poor guy. Jongin saw him entering the main building just this morning and called out to him, but he ignored the boy and hurried to go upstairs instead. He doesn't know what's wrong with him but he's really annoyed with Jongin; far more annoyed than when the other teases him.

So when Mr. Lee said the students will choose their partners in pairs by alphabetical order, he smiled a little to himself. His surname comes first than Jongin's, meaning he can choose a partner of his own and Jongin won't be able to do anything about it. Now is his chance to annoy him; to pay back to all of his silly teasing (and pay back for having an ex girlfriend, probably).

Their classmates whose surnames start with letters A-C all chose their desired partners one by one, and when it was finally Kyungsoo's turn, he stood up and gazed at his teacher who was waiting for him to speak out his desired partner for the project.

Now the only problem to Kyungsoo's plan is who to choose as a partner. He knows the guy would already figure out that Kyungsoo wouldn't choose him on purpose so picking a different partner wouldn't practically annoy him. Maybe he'll feel disappointed, but not really annoyed.

Should he choose Joonmyun then? That would probably annoy Jongin. But he also knows that Jongin is fully aware of the fact that Joonmyun is just a pure friend to Kyunhsoo, and Jongin already knows that Joonmyun and Kyungsoo are currently the closest in their group so he wouldn't be that shocked to see Kyungsoo choosing Joonmyun. If he really wants to annoy the bronze skinned guy, then he should go with someone unexpected, someone that Jongin knows he isn't exactly that close and comfortable with, someone that Jongin practically considers as a 'threat' or something.

And with that, Kyungsoo fought off a chuckle as he thought of the perfect person to be chosen as a partner. "Kim Minseok, sir."

Both Joonmyun and Jongin shot him an incredulous and surprised look; Joonmyun because he was honestly expecting that Kyungsoo would choose him and Jongin because he was kinda expecting Kyungsoo to choose Joonmyun.

Minseok looked at him confusingly then pointed a finger on his own face then asked, "Me? Why me?"

"Yeah, you," Kyungsoo said while chuckling. He knows it isn't really nice of him to use his friend for his own silly payback, but he's just really that annoyed with Jongin that maybe he's not really thinking clearly about things. He then sat down after their teacher wrote their names down and faced Minseok.

He glanced at Jongin from his back through his peripheral side vision while looking at Minseok. The darker skinned guy was literally furrowing his eyebrows and looking at him with heated stares. Surprisingly though, Kyungsoo didn't fluster under his gaze; it was, in fact, fulfilling to feel.

"We can study later after class Minseok-ah," he purred a little and he can literally feel Jongin burning in the flames of jealousy from his back. "And we can finalize the reporting plans this Saturday at my place too, if you don't mind?"

Jongin had enough. He closed his eyes instead and breathe deeply, trying to calm himself from going ballistic. He already confirmed that Saturday is his exclusive day with Kyungsoo and the other just invited Minseok--the Kim Minseok that he considers as a threat--to come over his house to plan things out about the project? Jongin is losing his cool and he braces himself to calm down.

He is usually all cool and collected and confident whenever he feels that Kyungsoo is playing around with him as well, but when it comes to stuffs like these he knows he can't really control himself yet and remain calm. He frantically scratched his head and wondered why Kyungsoo was acting like that. They've been in pretty good terms already these past days then all of a sudden Kyungsoo was acting weird.

And then he remembered that ex-girlfriend incident last Saturday and sighed to himself. Crap. That must be it, he thought to himself while trying to calm down.

But Jongin was seriously still confused as he wonders why Kyungsoo would get mad at him for having an ex-girlfriend, though. He just sighed in annoyance.

-----

PE class came by 5th period and Kyungsoo suddenly found himself being dragged by Baekhyun on his way to the gymnasium while looking giddy and excited. "Chanyeol and I made up!"

"That's great!" Kyungsoo said as they made their way to the gymnasium.

"Were actually partners in Mr. Lee's pair reporting." he said in his usual cheery voice. "Are your class going to have that project as well?"

"Yeah," Kyungsoo replied. "I'm with Minseok."

"Minseok? Not Joonmyun?" Baekhyun asked the doe eyed boy.

"Yup. Minseok. Joonmyun's doing it with Minah-ssi." Kyungsoo replied while entering the gymnasium entrance.

"I thought Sehun's gonna pick him as a pair or something," Baekhyun said in a teasing tone. "Oh. My class is over there already, I have to catch up with them. Bye Soo!"

"Bye!" Kyungsoo waved back then started walking toward his own class.

Jongin, on the other hand, was walking side by side with Sehun while sulking and muttering tiny curses under his breath. They ended up being partners instead and Sehun's well aware of Jongin's currently foul mood so he made no wrong decisions of teasing and pranking or else he's gonna have a black eye for a whole week. Jongin's a seriously scary guy once he get totally pissed off.

But that doesn't mean that he hates Kyungsoo, though. He still forced the boy to change into his PE uniform inside the showers so no one can see him half or something (Jongin's been doing that ever since entering Shinjae).

They're gonna do dodgeball for today's class, and Jongin was luckily picked to be in Kyungsoo's team. He knows he'll never throw a ball to Kyungsoo if ever they became rivals or something so he was really fortunate to be picked on the same team as Kyungsoo. Joonmyun and Minseok ended up in a different team though, and Sehun was left alone on another different team.

Kyungsoo isn't really athletic or active, but he doesn't find any difficulties in playing a simple game of dodgeball so he really doesn't mind. But when he found out that Jongin was going to be in his team, he suddenly started feeling a little conscious and unfocused again especially after knowing that Jongin's pretty much in a bad mood (courtesy of his own doings).

So when the other team threw a swirling ball to him, he didn't really manage to evade it and the ball hit him in the stomach square. The throw was seriously strong and weakling Kyungsoo literally fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ow!" the doe eyed boy yelled after hitting the ground.

"Soo!" Both Joonmyun and Minseok screamed and ran towards his direction to check on him.

The boy from the other team who threw the ball ran to approach Kyungsoo as well. "Oh my god, Kyungsoo-yah. I'm sorry I--"

But even before he can finish talking, a flying fist hit him directly in his nose and he literally almost flew backwards. The boy lost balance and almost fell down to the ground, luckily he stomped his hands on the floor to support himself from completely falling.

"Stupid! How dare you hit Kyungsoo like that?! You're so freaking stupid!" a deep but loud voice boomed after that and the whole gymnasium literally fell silent. It was Jongin.

When the dizziness caused by the sudden punch faded, the boy stood up with rage and punched Jongin as well, leaving the dark skinned boy's face bruised by the eye area.

By this, the whole class broke into chaos, everyone trying to calm the two raging boys from planting more punches to each other.

"What the heck is wrong with you?!" the boy who threw the ball yelled while being jerked back by their classmates. "It's a freaking dodgeball! It's a game!"

"But you threw it too hard! You hurt him!" Jongin hissed back in annoyance while Joonmyun and Sehun back hug him from behind to prevent him from punching the boy more.

"It's not my fault if he was such a wimp!"

"How dare you--"

"Jongin!" Joonmyun screamed from the other's back to get his attention. "Stop it! Can't you see you're scaring Kyungsoo?!"

And with that, Jongin actually calmed down to look at the doe eyed boy. He was still sitting on the floor, eyes watery and blank while Minseok soothes his back comfortingly.

"You boys!" Their teacher suddenly screamed and appeared in between the two. "Go to the principal's office, now!"

The boy who threw the ball angrily yanked himself away from his friends who were controlling him and wiped the blood running from his broken nose, then sent daggers to Jongin's direction before walking out of the gymnasium.

Jongin, on the other hand, sent him an equally deathly glare before calmly removing himself from Joonmyun and Sehun's grip. He then approached Kyungsoo who was still sitting on the floor who looks like the shock of the sudden incident suddenly made him remember all the traumas he had when he was still little.

"...Kyungsoo." Jongin said while leaning a bit to look at said boy, but Kyungsoo remained motionless and blank.

Jongin sighed. "I'm sorry..." he said in a low whisper before standing up again to follow their teacher to the principal's office.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, remained silent and controlled his tears from falling more. He's not actually crying because he's scared or because he's mad at Jongin. He's crying because he knows it was his fault; the boy lost his cool because he's been in a very foul mood ever since that morning, and Kyungsoo purposely annoyed him to become like that. He didn't know that his silly pay back plan would cause a chaos like this, and he can't help but sulk at the guilt slowly creeping on him.

His other friends slowly approached him one by one to help him stand up, but he yanked their hands away and stood up on his own. He quickly wiped the tears forming at the corners of his eyes and ran himself outside of the gymnasium, leaving a bunch of clueless and confused students inside.

He ran away from the gymnasium without any destination in his mind about where to go. All he knows is that everything that happened was his fault and he has to do something about it before the guilt consume him completely.

-----

"You shouldn't skip class, Kyungsoo..." Jongin said while sitting above his bed. They are currently in the clinic room because Jongin's little bruise needs to be tended by the nurse.

"I have to..." Kyungsoo said in a sad tone while looking down. He's sitting himself on the chair just beside Jongin's bed. "It's my fault you got suspended."

"It's not your fault," Jongin assured. "He's a jerk for calling you a wimp. He deserves that."

"But you shouldn't really have done that, Jongin..." Kyungsoo said in a low voice. "I... I'm fine anyway... You shouldn't--"

"It's not fine!" Jongin hissed in almost a yell. "No one should ever hurt you like that. No one should ever insult you like that."

Kyungsoo remained silent after, eyes still fixed on the tiled white floor of the clinic.

Jongin continued. "When I said I'll change my possessiveness, it doesn't mean that I'll become less protective then. It's two different things, Kyungsoo..." Jongin said while suddenly looking down-spirited.

"I... I love you too much Kyungsoo... I love you so much..."

The next thing that happened though was something Jongin never expected to happen. Kyungsoo suddenly stood up and hugged him tight from the side, burying his face on the crook between Jongin's shoulder and neck.

"K-Kyungsoo?" he said in a confused and surprised manner, eyes wide and mind totally unfocused and unprepared.

Kyungsoo didn't say anything though. He just continued to hug him tighter, sniffing a little as tears uncontrollably escape his eyes.

When Jongin realized that the other was crying, he quickly asked, "Kyungsoo? Why are you crying?"

"Jongin..." the other suddenly said in a muffled voice since his face is still buried in the other's shoulders. "I-I'm sorry..."

Jongin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "For what, Kyungsoo?"

"For purposely pissing you off this morning..." the doe eyed boy said in between sobs. "I... I'm really sorry..."

Jongin smiled a little to himself and started patting the other's back soothingly. "Don't cry. It's okay..."

"Jongin..." the shorter boy said in a low tone, sounding almost like a whisper. "I... I am so close to forgiving you already, Jongin... I'm so close..."

The bronze-skinned guy then stared at his hidden face with wide, shocked eyes. Kyungsoo continued to speak in between muffles. "Just give me more time, Jongin... Give me more time to accept you more, to trust you more..."

Now it is Jongin's time to cry. He suddenly shifted himself to face Kyungsoo and envelop the other in a hug as well. "Oh my god Kyungsoo you're making me cry... I'm so freaking happy right now, you know that?" he said while chuckling a little.

Kyungsoo just hugged him in return and remained silent. For the first time ever since he saw Jongin again, he felt genuinely happy. He felt free; free from his own thoughts, free from all of his own worries, free from all deception.

He knows, deep inside his heart, that he can finally forgive Jongin and accept him fully in his life again. He is well aware of that, but he's also too scared; fearful and confused to put his trust on the guy again. But now that he finally let it all out, now that he finally opened it to Jongin, now that he finally asked for the other to hold on just a little more, he just can't help but smile to himself as well.

And the tears flowing in his eyes is not caused by pain anymore, but by joy.

"I can give you all the time you want, Kyungie..." Jongin said while sniffing a little as well. "I'm not pressuring you or anything, anyway."

"I know..." Kyungsoo said while rubbing the other's back in a comforting way. "Please wait some more, Jongin..."

"Of course..." the other replied with a little chuckle. "And when I said I love you a while ago, I mean it, Kyungsoo. Believe me... I loved you ever since we were little..."

"Yeah right," he said with a playful snort, suddenly remembering the ex-girlfriend matters all of a sudden. "You love me the same amount you love Krystal, huh?"

Jongin's eyes suddenly widened and he pushed Kyungsoo away a little to face the other. "Kyungie! Don't say that!" he said in a panicky tone.

"And why not?" he said accusingly with heavy, half lidded eyes. "It's true anyway, right?"

"That's not true!" Jongin almost yelled. "I never loved her! She's the one who kept on following me around like a freaking stalker and everything! She even begged me to be with her! She even threatened me to hurt herself if I won't date her, so I have no choice but to agree with it even though I don't really want to!" he explained while stammering due to the panic. "I never loved her Kyungie. I only loved you ever since..."

Kyungsoo just laughed and removed Jongin's hands away from his shoulders to distance himself from the other a little, then playfully said, "I'm just kidding, Jongin."

"Yah..." the other said while suddenly looking bashful and uncertain; it's funny how Jongin's personality changes so much when it comes to Kyungsoo. "But you're seriously jealous, huh?"

"I'm not," Kyungsoo said while controlling himself from fidgeting; he was never good in lying anyway.

Jongin, recovering from his feeling of pure bliss, smirked a little and decided to tease the other again. "Aww... C'mere, Kyungie. Let me hug you so you won't be jealous anymore..." he purred while extending his arms to the other to imply a hug.

"I said I'm not jealous!" Kyungsoo half screamed while blushing ear to ear, suddenly converting back to his old, timid self. "I-I'll go back to class now!"

"No! Stay here, Kyungie..." Jongin said with a little hint of beg in his puppy eyes. "Please...?"

And of course, can Kyungsoo really say no to that adorable aegyo? "...Fine."

Jongin beamed him a silly grin, and Kyungsoo spent the rest of the day in the clinic.
 

(NOTE: I am officially dead. This KaiSoo love killed me. I am so done. Ugh.
I can't even write properly. This update has a lot of technical errors. I can't even... ugh.

So Jongin confessed his love and Kyungsoo admitted that he's close to forgiving Jongin already. We're starting to get to the good part people! Kekekeke.

And a little trivia: I purposely planned to wrote this as chapter 13, because 13 is KaiSoo day! Hurray!

Comment. Your. Thoughts. Guys. I'll read them after I finished spazzing OH MY GOD. Saranghajaaaaa.)