“So what did you tell him?”

 

“That I’ll think about it.”

 

If Jongin could, he’ll definitely hide from the piercing stare Sehun’s giving him. Rather, he looks away and allows his eyes to wander away from the obvious question in the younger’s eyes, hoping they would do the same with his mind. He sees Baekhyun approaching them waving something in his hand, an unfamiliar bounce in his step. Jongin quirks a brow, Baekhyun looks too excited running under the heat of the sun. He sends a questioning look at Sehun.

 

The latter shrugs his shoulders and scoots over the bench.

 

“I got us invited to Jongdae’s party this weekend.”

 

Jongin takes the information carefully. Jongdae’s parties always house the most outrageous goers, anyone knowing anybody but not everybody. Jongin hated them after his first attendance. He went with fresh new clothes and escaped the jungle not only smelling of smoke but sweat and drenched in alcohol with a messily written number tattooed in his palm.

 

He sighed.

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“At least try to be a little enthusiastic, or just show some life in that face.”

 

He shows Sehun a smile.

 

“Okay… just, I need a drink.”

 

The smile dissolves easily. “Sorry.”

 

“No,” Sehun offers him a small smile, reassuring the problem at hand. “I shouldn’t have forced you to come. Say it and we’ll leave.”

 

“Baekhyun would’ve hauled me here either way,” Jongin pats his shoulder and turns him around. He pushes Sehun in the crowd and whispers, “Stop baby-ing me and enjoy for a while,” just before his voice gets drowned by the distance.

 

When he turns around, he gets into familiar arms. The smell of alcohol is strong and underneath the layers of clothes separating them both, Jongin can feel the layer of sweat beneath. Small hands started familiarizing themselves in his back, running up and down, in circular motion, lingering over a little too long and disappearing within an instant of getting too attached. He clenches his fist. The shivers were bearable but the sensations were too strong for his own good.

 

Jongin likes them.

 

“Are you trying to leave me here, Jongin?”

 

He opens his mouth but fails to utter a sound, Sehun’s offer were ringing in his head.

 

“Dance with me Jongin.”

 

He inhales the fading scent of mixed citrus fruits and ocean and holds onto the smaller hand offered right in front of him.

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“He drove you home.”

 

Sehun states, arms crossed over lean chest. Jongin sits up from his bed and tries to adjust his eyes from the blinding light. He hears the faint sound of Baekhyun singing all the way across from the bathroom. “What time is it?”

 

“You told him he’s beautiful right in front of him and me,” Jongin sighs and looks for his phone. Ten twelve is glaring at him. “You need to tell him before he finds out about Kyungsoo.”

 

The mention of the latter’s name wakes Jongin up at full speed. He stares at Sehun, long and brooding. “He’s dangerous Sehun.”

 

“You think I didn’t know already?”

 

“But I really like him.”

 

“He literally chases Chanyeol away whenever he’s at a five meter distance. Baekhyun won’t tell you, but he’s hurt each time Chanyeol does as he’s told. Hyung wants his boyfriend and best friends to get along Jongin.”

 

“He scares me,” Jongin leans against the headboard, eyes trailing at the opened curtain. “Sehun,” he stops, Baekhyun’s voice gets muffled by the wailing siren of ambulance in the distance. “I think he likes me a little too much.”

 

“Then talk to him.”

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

Kyungsoo had always been kind, understanding, and patient. He carries himself with such gentleness even when he walks along the hallway, and Jongin hates himself for causing the bright smile fade within a blink of an eye.

 

 “I see,” the older tells him, eyes casted down and fingers fiddling for distraction.

 

“I’m really sorry hyung,” the familiarity in the atmosphere was suffocating. Jongin wasn’t into any dramas to begin with. “But this is for the best. I don’t want to hurt you and further mislead you. I don’t think you’ll ever want me to be your friend after this and I would like that, but hyung, you’ll always be my friend.”

 

He walks away and feels his stomach turning upside down as he steps on the broken pieces of red scattered in the way.

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“Why I never heard of Kyungsoo?” He stiffens on his seat and feels the blood lacing with the sweet inducing voice.

 

Jongin tries to school his expression. There’s not much people in the library but Jongin would never want to get caught. “You wouldn’t want to meet him anyway.”

 

“True.”

 

A soft patch of blonde grazes his cheek and Jongin feels the weight in his shoulder. The fingers slipping in between his, relaxes the tension away. He looks around, their closeness is nothing foreign. But with Kyungsoo out of the picture, it feels a little more intimate.

 

“Be mine Jongin.”

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“Sehun told me,” Baekhyun says, sitting beside him.

 

They watch silently, occasionally clearing their throats for something unspoken. Baekhyun’s never silent unless he feels uncertain of himself, of where he stands. He hasn’t seen Baekhyun this uncomfortable around him and Jongin swallows the words back down each time they knock for some freedom. He laughs when Baekhyun does, the sound echoing in the room. Sehun missed a great movie and Baekhyun missed the audible apology Jongin bravely said in between the former’s laughter.

 

“You said something?”

 

The traces were still hanging around Baekhyun’s lips, making him look a lot younger than Jongin. “Let’s watch another movie,” he smiles softly at the older and perhaps, Baekhyun already knew what he really said.

 

“Wait here, I’ll call Chanyeol.”

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“Are you afraid of me Jongin?”

 

He shakes his head, calculating the other’s movements as he slowly approaches him. Jongin sees himself a little clearer in his eyes, unmoving and rigid. He reaches for his chin and takes initiative for the first time.

 

“I’m not afraid of you Luhan.”

 

“Really?”

 

His eyes were taunting, preying on Jongin like a meal he haven’t had. They were beautiful and deadly, Jongin had lost himself a couple of times in them already, but still goes after them for some unknown addictive pleasure he can’t get enough of. Luhan secures a hand around his nape, bringing their faces to a close gap like second nature.

 

“I’m not,” he says, crashing their lips roughly right after. The grip in his waist tightens and Jongin pushes back harder. He pries the sealed lips open and dives in for the pastry within.

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“You crossed the line,” Sehun’s eyeing him with something akin to disappointment in them. “I thought he scares you?”

 

He stops writing and stares back at his essay. “Yes. He’s very possessive, Sehun.”

 

“Then why?”

 

“Because I really like him. I want him.”

 

 

 

----

 

 

 

“Be mine, Jongin,” Luhan breathes in his ears. He stops for a moment and stares hard at the sheets. Luhan’s hold on him was tight, leaving no room for excuses. His heart is beating twice as fast and Jongin can feel the layer of sweat in between their bare skin.

 

“Okay.”

 

Luhan pulls back, eyes widening at the unexpected turn of events. “Are you sure?”

 

Jongin smiles down at him and moves in for a simple kiss. “I’m sure.”

 

He gets pulled down into another kiss, more heated, more dominating. He moves his free hand from underneath and trails a memory to Luhan’s jaw. He caresses a spot with his thumb, sliding his wet muscle inside the elder’s awaiting cavern. Luhan meets him in the middle with an appreciative groan, lips curving at the tip.

 

“But Jongin,” he says, easing the tension at the tips of their lips with an inch in between. “Once you’re mine, there’s no going back.”