The time almost strikes 8 am but Kai still has a pillow covering his face. It gets his mother storming into his room with a bucketful of water while yelling words Kai can’t quite make out. Sleeping is more important than anything to him. He doesn’t like it when he’s forced to wake up, even by his own mother.

“Jongin,” his mother squawks.

Kai has the tendency to wince whenever he hears anyone calls him by his real name.

He keeps his eyes shut tightly and pretends to be asleep.

“You have an exam today!” she exclaims. He’s sure her veins are popping out when she says that. He knows, though, that today’s the day. The biggest examination of his high school life. It will determine his fate after studying in high school for three years. Of course, he thinks it’s important, but he just doesn’t have the courage to actually get up from his convenient spot on the bed.

When he only hums in response, his mother grabs a hold of his hand and yanks him up but she fails miserably because he really is still sleepy, damn it. “KIM JONGIN!” she roars and Kai hurriedly sets himself into a sitting position. He looks up at his mother sleepily while rubbing his eyes. They widen when he sees she’s about to pour the water from the bucket over him, so he holds his hands out. “Got it, mom, sheesh.”

Kai is mentally clapping his hands for her mother to actually manage to make him get out of the bed. But it’s partly because he doesn’t want to let himself fail in the exam which will be held for three days. He certainly won’t let that happen. He can’t fail the exam.

His phone starts ringing when he gets out of the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. He thinks he doesn’t need to take a bath. Just a little bit of styling his black, silky hair, he’ll be good to go. Taking the phone into his hand, Kai looks at the caller id. Apparently, Kris is calling. “Yo, nigga,”

Kai rolls his eyes. He takes the phone between his ears and shoulders so he’ll be able to prepare everything he needs to pass the exam. He groans in exasperation when he realizes that his room is so ing messy—like there are comics sprawled across the floor—and his backpack is nowhere to be seen. “Wait, can you stop talking, Kris? I’m trying to find my backpack,” he says to the mouthpiece, breathy and frustrated because Kris won’t stop talking.

“For god’s sake, where it is?!” he mumbles angrily to himself while searching around the messy room. He kicks a rubber duck on his way across the room and thinks Jongdae must’ve left it after having a bath in his bathroom because the electricity in my house went off, Jongin, please let me bathe in your bathroom. I’ll pay! Yes, I’ll pay, don’t worry! But he ended up not paying anyways.

Kai shakes his head and proceeds to look under the bed. He yells when the thing is there. He’s so relieved that it’s still in a good condition. He pulls his black backpack out and starts talking to Kris again. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

And then he hangs up.

***

His friends have been waiting for him in the parking lot, deliberately staying on their motorcycles and flirting with the female students passing by. Jongdae is the first to jump off his bike and waves his arms to him. When he’s about to reach his friends’ spot, the corner of his eyes catches a white Subaru which just pulls over beside a red Toyota Yaris. What catches his attention isn’t the luxurious car, but the person behind the steering wheel. He almost loses his balance when the person opens the door and graciously gets out of the car.

“.”

“No, thank you.”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes and shoves him. Jongdae knocks on his helmet and sniggers. “Look at your face right now, Kim Jong—” Kai turns the machine off and glares at Jongdae. He immediately shuts up but after a second, he laughs. Kris shakes his head and knocks on his helmet just like how Jongdae did a while ago, but it’s harder.

“Who’s he? A new student?” Kris asks, following the line of his vision.

“I don’t care who’s he but he’s definitely hot, man.” Jongdae whistles.

Kai silently agrees. He feels….he doesn’t know, what does he feel right now?

Intoxicated.

Yes, maybe.

Overdosed?

Kai shakes his head to erase all the thoughts. The guy doesn’t seem to be a new student here. Then again, it’s the end of high school year, what kind of person who does such risky thing by moving into another school? Then who is he? Kai keeps on asking those questions to no one in particular. For now, there’s no one who can answer them all.

“You guys saw him too?” he asks his friends who respond to his question with a nod.

“He’s practically an eye-candy, Baby Jongin.” Baekhyun giggles and starts making his way towards the entrance. Kai sees Chanyeol standing in front of the gate, waving to his boyfriend. He always thinks he looks more like flailing his limbs than waving around. One by one, his friends start making their ways to the entrance and he follows them behind silently, thinking.

Why is he feeling so confused all of the sudden?

***

The exam starts promptly at a half past eight and Kai has prepared everything he needs in order to pass this exam. Kai is blessed and was born as a genius. When all of his bike gang buddies need to work their asses off for this exam, Kai only needs to sleep. He’s thankful for that. And he’s hella good looking too.

But he’s a little bit cocky and self-centered.

He has the confidence in everything he does.

He never fails.

No, never. Failing is never one of the words in his dictionary.

“Pst, Kai, it’s him.” Baekhyun whispers from behind him. He coincidentally sits behind Kai so it’s easier for him to ask Kai during the exam. The nudge on his shoulders startles him and yanks him back into the reality. He turns his head towards Baekhyun who’s been whisper-screaming and cursing him for being such an insensitive bastard.

“It’s him, you er.” Baekhyun glares, throwing codes for Kai to turn his head towards the front of the class. Kai doesn’t get who Baekhyun means ‘him’ but when he finally gets the idea, it’s already too late.

“Get your head back in this room, Mister,”

Kai feels a presence next to him and he immediately freezes. It’s him.

He turns his head towards no one but him, the one whom he saw this morning in the parking lot. The one who rode the white Subaru. The one who took over his attention span. .

So, he’s the one who’s going to watch over them during the rest of today’s exam?

What? No one said he was going to be really hot and damn strict.

Kai smirks, daringly looking up and stare into the guy’s eyes. His eyes are sparkling with confidence, challenging him. Then his eyes go down to see his nametag and read it out loud. “Do Kyungsoo.”

The guy—Kyungsoo—raises an eyebrow, eyes equally as challenging as him. “What makes you think you have the right to call my name out loud?” Kai can see he’s gritting his teeth and smiles. Oh, it’s going to be fun.

“What are you doing here asking me questions, Sir? You have to do your work properly, not chattering around with students,”

There’s basically steam coming out of his ears as he slams the answer sheet onto Kai’s table and leaves to distribute them to the rest of the students in the room. He’s mad. Kai knows he’s mad and he doesn’t feel sorry at all. Actually, it’s the first time he’s ever seen a person so uptight like him.

He calls him Sir because he wants to show a thin veneer of politeness he still has in himself.

Having received the test sheet, Kyungsoo begins to read the regulations for the exam. Kai can’t seem to bring himself to listen. He smiles to himself for a chance Kyungsoo meets his eyes and quickly looks away like he’s flustered. Kyungsoo reads away and when he finally finishes he asks them whether any of them wants to go to the toilet because they won’t be allowed to go out during the exam.

“No one? Okay, then, you can start doing your test sheet. Good luck.”

Kai’s eyes follow every movement he makes, from turning over, walking back to his seat and sitting comfortably on his chair. He puts his chin over his palm, still smiling. Kyungsoo is so cute, he thinks. How old is he? He doesn’t look that old, though. Is it his first time of working as a teacher? Is he even a teacher in the first place?

Fifteen minutes has passed since he’s drowning himself in the sea of questions and Kai finds it’s hard to breathe when Kyungsoo’s eyes meet his and he’s ing holding his gaze for like ten seconds, oh my god. That’s the longest they’ve ever been staring at each other. He mentally fangirls.

He immediately reminds himself that he hasn’t done anything to the answer sheet, not even giving it his name and all the required personal data. He facepalms and actually starts to finish whatever it is that needed to be finished. Geography and Korean literature? A piece of cake.

While he’s working on the test, he feels Baekhyun nudging his back. He makes an O.K sign with his hand without turning around and he doesn’t hear Baekhyun’s annoying whispers anymore after that. He actually feels so bad for his friends. He wants them to pass the exam too and graduate from this school without a problem. So, he raises his hand, only for Kyungsoo to look up and raises a brow at him.

“May I go to the toilet?” he asks confidently.

Kyungsoo nods without saying anything. Kai smiles sweetly and starts making his way towards the door. He’s got his phone in his pocket to send all his answers for math to his bike gang buddies. You guys gotta owe me a lot.

He’s humming to a tune when he remembers that the student who goes to the toilet in the middle of the test will be followed and watched carefully to avoid cheating. He turns rigid for a moment before he smirks and not so subtly glances over his shoulders to find Kyungsoo following him quietly behind.

It means that you’re asking for your death, Sir.

Kai continues walking like he doesn’t know anything. As soon as they reach the toilet, he speaks up. “Never thought you’d really follow me, Sir.” he whispers with a smirk without turning around. “I’m just doing my duty properly.” Kyungsoo answered, steady and calm. Kai’s asking himself how someone can be so composed like him. Like he’s not feeling fluttered because of Kai’s charm at all?

“Oh, really?” Kai laughs softly, turning around on his heels. He begins to approach Kyungsoo who doesn’t budge in his place. Kai reaches out to touch Kyungsoo’s smooth hair and the other guy slaps his hand away. “Please don’t do such inappropriate things to an older person.”

“What? Am I not allowed to? You didn’t say anything about doing inappropriate things to you and what I’m doing right now is not inappropriate. It’s still tolerable, isn’t it?”

Kyungsoo scoffs but doesn’t say anything back. That’s when Kai knows he wins. He’s not sure but he feels he has to win over this cold guy’s heart. He’ll make his mask crumble. “Do you want to know what’s inappropriate?” Kai takes a step closer. He smirks when he sees Kyungsoo hesitates whether to step back or not.

“It’s when I kiss you, Sir.”

And with that, Kai pushes Kyungsoo against the tiles and kisses him full on the mouth. He doesn’t get to see the older guy’s reaction because he closes his eyes as soon as he feels Kyungsoo’s lips moving. Is he kissing back? Oh, wait no—

“Ouch!” Kai sputters and throws his head back. “What the ,”

He looks down back at the shorter male and sees him wiping the sleeve of his button-up over his mouth. He looks angry but there’s no real fire in his eyes. And the fact that he has bit his lower lip makes him getting more curious and intrigued “Man, you bite hard.” he breathes, wiping the corner of his mouth using the back of his hand.

It’s bleeding.

Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything. Instead, he fishes out a handkerchief from his trousers’ pocket and puts it on Kai’s hand. He leaves Kai with nothing but admiration (and of course the blue handkerchief).

***

Kai is sitting on his bike and has been looking on his phone screen for the nth time. He’s waiting for Kyungsoo to go to the parking lot. His friends have left, being such understanding friends to let himself have some private time with Kyungsoo. He shakes his head and laughs to himself. Now he sounds like his boyfriend.

His back straightens when he sees the petite male walking out of the school gate towards the parking lot with the keys dangling between his short but delicate fingers. Kai never actually cares about what others do. He only thinks about himself. He only admires someone he acknowledges, not some random stranger who apparently appears so beautiful in his eyes.

“Kyungsoo!” he hollers over the sound of the winter wind blowing.

The older male doesn’t seem to hear him so he leaves it at that. He watches as Kyungsoo climbs into the four-wheeled machine and starts the engine. When the white Subaru leaves the parking lot, he’s still watching, until it disappears into the horizon.

He never sees Kyungsoo for a long time after that.

***

“Merry Christmas!”

Kai winces at how loud his parents sound. He kicks the duvet off his body and crawls off the bed, looking as jaded as ever. His mother frowns upon seeing his spiritless soul and begins to sing random Christmas songs. Kai has to cover his ears because he swears to god, his mother is so annoying.

“Jongin, sing with us!” his father exclaims, grabbing Kai’s hand, making him get up.

“No.” he answers hoarsely.

He’s so damn tired. Seriously. He hasn’t been able to sleep a blink. Even though the exam has long ended, he can’t seem to deny the fact that his heart feels empty. Sure, he’s still hanging out with the guys but it feels different. He can’t tell what’s it the hole in his heart and the emptiness he’s feeling. Is it possibly because of Kyungsoo?

Is he still not over him?

“It’s Christmas and you’re still being all sleepy and lazy,” Jongdae’s loud voice echoing around the room and Kai makes a mental note to kick his later. Then, one by one, his friends start to crowd inside his room, each holding a box of present in their hands and Kai has to smack his forehead because , it’s Christmas and he still hasn’t gotten his friends anything.

Well, he’s just gonna go out and pick random things they sell around the shopping center. It’s as easy as that. He laughs to himself and begins to drag his step towards the bathroom. “You shall all empty my room now because the prince is going to take a bath.” he yells and everyone turns quiet. And with that, he drapes a towel over his shoulders and slams the door to his bathroom shut.

***

“Are you sure you don’t need a company?” his mother asks when he’s about to open the door, after having put his boots on. He shakes his head and sighs. His mother worries about things too much and it sickens him. “What am I? 10?” he asks back. She immediately smacks the back of his head and nags at him for being disrespectful to his parents. “You don’t answer back to your parents like that, Jongin.”

Kai swears he can hear his friends’ snickering in the living room upon hearing his mother says his real name. Oh, they’re asking for their deaths. I’ll grant it, since it’s Christmas. I’m being a nice just for today. He thinks bitterly to himself.

“I’m sorry, mom, okay?” he reaches out and kisses his mother’s cheeks. “Just cook us delicious dishes and desserts. I’ll be back without you know it.”

Her face softens and then she nods. “Alright, take care, sweetheart.”

***

The shopping center is spacious and incredibly sparkling with thousands of Christmas lights here and there. Kai feels happy because most of the seller there holds up Christmas sales which means he doesn’t need to spend a lot of money to buy his friends a present.

A pair of low cut shoes attract his attention and he begins to make his way into the shop. He looks at the price tag and swallows. It’s on a 50% sale but the price is still unbelievably high. He shakes his head and quietly exits the store. He sighs and begins to walk around the street until a small accessories stall catches his eyes.

He thinks it’s good to buy Kris hairpins since his blond hair has grown so long.

He ends up buying his friends various items like a lipbalm for Baekhyun, a pirated cd of Left 4 Dead 2 for Jongdae and a pair of socks for Chanyeol. He can’t think of anything else right now because his mind is occupied by a question. Should he buy a present for Kyungsoo too? But he doesn’t know where he lives and they only met once.

After a long time of contemplating, he ends up buying one for Kyungsoo. One Santa hat for a grumpy looking male. Also, it’s his apology. But Kim Jongin never says sorry and it’ll be the first time he ever buys a present as an apology. It’s just that Kyungsoo has something that triggers him to do something he doesn’t usually do and it makes him losing his mind.

He wraps the Santa hat in a piece of Christmas designed wrapper.

He holds up a bagful of present in his hand and smiles to himself, contented. Buying a present for your friends is really a chore. His legs feel like they’re giving out already and he’s afraid he might fall right there and then in the middle of the crowd so he starts walking towards a coffee shop.

A cup of warm coffee will be nice in such a cold day. He enters the coffee shop and breathes in the scent. Newly brewed happiness for such a coffee addict like him. He goes looking for a seat in the corner of the small but nice 6x5 meters building. It’s a nice spot to look out the window and watching how busy the shopping center gets in Christmas. He puts the plastic bag on the table and makes his way towards the counter to order his favorite.

He doesn’t usually have coffee in this coffee shop but trying something new doesn’t hurt so he tries to call the man who’s standing behind the cashier machine, his back facing him. He thinks he hears him saying about ‘Wait a minute, Costumer’ but he doesn’t even bother to wait.

“Vanilla latte, less sugar.” he tries again.

The man doesn’t budge. He looks like he’s answering a call or whatever it is that has to do with his phone but Kai doesn’t care. “Vanilla latte, less sugar—” he says impatiently.

It’s when the man behind the cashier machine turns his body towards him that the voice gets stuck in his throat even before he can say ‘please’. He feels someone has knocked the wind out of him and he wants to collapse right there.

He tries to compose himself and of course, Kim Jongin always manages to do that. Luckily, he didn’t let his mouth agape earlier so Kyungsoo wouldn’t be able to guess if he’s surprised or not. “Fancy seeing you here, Sir.” he smirks when the shorter male snorts. Playing hard to get, aren’t we?

The look on Kyungsoo’s face clearly states that he doesn’t approve of Kai’s arrival here. But the fact that he is the customer and Kyungsoo’s the worker makes him want to burn the building so that he won’t be able to come here again. “You didn’t say please.” he replies curtly.

Kai turns confused. “Huh?”

“You didn’t say please earlier. I won’t take an order of a customer who doesn’t even know how to behave.” he snaps.

Kai chuckles. “Alright, you got me there, Sir. I apologize,” he leans over and smiles. “Now, please make me a cup of warm vanilla latte with less sugar.”

Kyungsoo feels his face heating up from the proximity. He secretly thanks the machine for covering his face. He won’t admit that Kai is sure intimidating and manages to make him fluttered. Never. Someone like Kai needs to be taught a lesson.

“That’ll be 8,000 won.”

Kai pays for his coffee and goes back to his seat. He watches as Kyungsoo makes his coffee and thinks that maybe, someday, he’ll make him coffee every morning. He unconsciously smiles dreamily like an idiot and the sound of Kyungsoo clearing his throat pulls him back from his reveries.

He glances at the watch circled around his wrist and looks up at Kyungsoo who’s been standing there. “What? Are you actually waiting for me to take the first sip of my coffee?” he raises a brow.

“Don’t say something that doesn’t make sense at all.”

When Kyungsoo’s about to leave, Kai reaches for his hand. “It’s nearing lunch time, why don’t you sit here with me and have a cup of coffee too,”

Did Kim Jongin just ask someone to keep him company?

“I pay.”

But who cares.

“Please?”

Kyungsoo ends up sparing the boy a little bit of his narrow time. And trying to actually have a decent conversation won’t hurt, right?

***

The two hours he had with Kyungsoo chatting about life is making him overexcitedly happy. He’s grinning ear-to-ear as he opens the front door, dusting his shoes before stepping in. Jongdae is always the first to notice his presence and the older guy is already a halfway through the living room to snatch the plastic bag in Kai’s hand.

Kai holds it away from him, annoyed but still grinning. It actually makes his friends scared as hell. There must be something wrong with his brain or—

“Did you fall and hit your heat against the ice on the way home?” Kris shouted worriedly. Baekhyun looked at him curiously, even though he always knows what makes Kai happy like this.

Kai only shakes his head as he makes his way towards where his friends are sprawled around the living room. “I got his phone number.” he confessed and there are various reactions he gets from his friends. Chanyeol’s the only who looks pretty dumb because he’s clueless. Baekhyun nudges his boyfriend to lower his head so he can whisper the answer to his dumbo ear. Chanyeol emits a loud ‘Oh!’ after that.

“Don’t give that creepy grin, you creeper.” Kai rolls his eyes but he’s smiling anyways.

Chanyeol throws a cushion at him but he successfully dodges it.

“Y’know the prince always gets what he wants.” Kai casually says to his friends.

Jongdae snorts. “Yeah, whatever.”

“Are you planning to confess?” Baekhyun elbows the tanned male with a grin plastered over his face.

All his friends’ eyes are focused on him. He smirks and hums. “Maybe? Who knows?”

***

Jongdae’s laughter fills the eerie and quiet dawn air. He’s running ahead of him and the sound of his laughter makes Kai wants to smack his head even though he knows Jongdae is older than him. Jongdae turns to him once in a while just to holler “You’re so slow!” as he sticks his tongue out and turns back to run faster before Kai zooms and catches him.

Kai doesn’t especially like running since his favorite sport is soccer but he doesn’t dislike it either. What he likes about running is…uh, wait, there’s nothing he likes about running. He’s never truly liked something. He’s basically good at anything; nothing has ever literally fascinated him.

Well…

Except for a certain male who’s running with his earphones on, hair tousled like he went running right away after he woke up. Kai can’t help but gape at the sight. Kyungsoo is running around his neighborhood. He looks dayum good in white tee and baggy shorts. Kai honestly thinks he looks rather…hot.

Oh, .

Kai sees Jongdae running away, already too far for him to catch but he doesn’t pay any attention to him. Instead, he runs ahead to catch up with Kyungsoo. Sometimes his limbs work on their own and don’t listen to what his brain says. He thinks that he does it unconsciously too when “Hey,”

Kyungsoo feels he almost snaps his neck as he turns his head towards none other than Kim Jongin who’s been bumping into his life. He rolls his eyes as soon as he sees Kai’s grinning. He thinks his mouth could rip.

When Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything, more like ignoring him, he elbows his ribs. Kyungsoo runs faster ahead and Kai trails after him, catching up. Kyungsoo runs faster and faster, Kai does the same until they practically look like competing against each other when it’s only Kai who really likes bothering other people.

“Yah! Slow down a bit!” he hollers loudly but Kyungsoo doesn’t have any intention to stop.

“Run faster. If you win, I’ll treat you breakfast.”

He hears Kyungsoo’s small voice but he can’t process what he just said.

“Wait—”

“Slowpoke.”

Kai can basically hear the smirk as he says that then speeds away.

He feels his own smirk finds its way to his face. Challenge accepted.

***

Kim Jongin always ends up winning.

No matter how hard the challenge is.

Kyungsoo judges him for that. He side-eyes him as Kai gulps down his third beef burger. Kyungsoo thinks it’s unhealthy to have burgers as breakfast but Kai is the winner and he can’t do anything about it since he promised he’d pay.

“Gross.” The shorter male mutters under his breath.

He doesn’t know why but he finds the sight endearing?

Although he never likes greasy food and people who chew with their mouth open, but Kai is just different. His choice of words doesn’t represent what he is inside. He looks mature and disrespectful when he’s only a kid inside. But Kyungsoo doesn’t know much about him yet. He’s afraid if he falls in love with younger boys, they will only break his heart and leave him drowning in sadness.

He can’t fall in love with the tanned boy in front of him.

“Why?” Kai seems to sense the tenseness in the air. He looks up and nods towards Kyungsoo’s plate. “Aren’t you going to eat?” he asks, chewing slowly.

Instead of answering, Kyungsoo heaves a sigh. “Have you ever fallen in love with younger boys?”

Kai stops chewing altogether and starts to think. He shakes his head and grins. “The last guy I had a crush on was my senior and he moved to Beijing last year,” he answers honestly. “Why? Did you finally realize that you fall in love with me?” he replies jokingly but Kyungsoo doesn’t laugh.

Ouch.

“Sorry,” he mutters.

There’s a long moment of silence and Kai suddenly doesn’t feel like finishing his food.

“I’m gonna ask you something,” Kyungsoo’s soothing voice breaks the silence.

“Ask away.”

“Say, Kai…”

Kai’s heart beats faster upon hearing him calling his name.

“Do you ever think of dating me?” There isn’t any hint of joke in his voice and Kai’s speechless. Is it his time to finally admit already? It’s faster than he’s expected.

“Do you really want to know?” Kai asks back instead.

When he sees the older male nods, he sighs and leans back on his chair. He puts his arms on the back of his head, closing his eyes as he takes a deep breath. “Yes.”

Kyungsoo’s taken aback. “I’m four years older than you, Kai.” he responds.

“Who cares?” he breathes in the scent of fried fries. “I never have a problem with being in a relationship with an older guy.” He shrugs, taking the whole subject easily. He wants to shake the awkwardness away.

“How many times have you been in a relationship before?”

Kai pauses. “Are you…seriously going to talk about it here?”

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with that? I’m asking you here, I want you to answer here.”

“Geez, I got it.” He scoffs, taking a sip of his coke.

“I’m being serious right now. Listen, it’s new year in four days,” Kai starts. Kyungsoo leans over the table to listen at what the younger male is going to say.

“If you like me, then wait for me until new year,” he says softly, reaching for Kyungsoo’s hand. “If you can’t bear to wait, I’m so sorry, I can’t bear to be with you also.”

With a sigh, Kyungsoo nods. “I get it.”

“You get what?”

“I get it. I’ll wait for you.” Kyungsoo says impatiently but he’s looking away to hide his blush. It makes Kai chuckles as he grabs Kyungsoo’s hand tighter.

“From now on up until new year, we won’t be seeing each other. Be prepared, Kyungsoo.”

***

It’s 3 days to new year, Kai and Jongdae are in Kai’s room, lying side to side on the bed. Jongdae is reading a magazine he found in one of the stashes in Kai’s room. He has asked if they’re but Kai swore they’re not so when Jongdae was giving him a knowing smile, he promises to himself that one day, he’ll slap this hyung.

“So, Kyungsoo works part-time at this coffee shop near the shopping center,” he starts mentioning the things about Kyungsoo Kai has learned and told him.

“He’s twenty three years old. Four years older than you,” he continues, glancing over his shoulder to find Kai looking up to the ceiling, face serious and hard.

“He indirectly admitted that he likes you,”

That’s what actually gets Kai thinking over sleepless nights. Night after night, he keeps on dreaming about spending new year with Kyungsoo. He hesitates between calling him, sending him messages or just to keep quiet. He can’t stand being like this but it’s his decision after all. He needs to clear his mind and see if he really likes the older male. When the time finally comes, and he finally knows what he’s feeling, he’ll surely make him his and never lets go.

“…you two have kissed, in the boy’s—”

Jongdae shuts his mouth when Kai abruptly turns his head, glaring. “Why did you have to mention it?” he groans as he feels the urge to choke Jongdae’s getting stronger.

The older boy only sniggers. “That’s the point of being in a relationship, Jongin,” he whispers. “You two aren’t in a relationship, actually, it was the first time you met yet you two kissed and did nasty—”

“I didn’t do anything to him, okay?” Kai rolls his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt him.”

There’s a moment of silence before Jongdae wolf-whistles him. “Y’know,” he starts, putting the magazine over his stomach. “Ever since you saw him, you changed into a better person,”

Kai’s surprised upon hearing this. Jongdae doesn’t usually care about him but he has observed him. “You barely laze around anymore. You start doing something productive and you nearly never talk back to your parents anymore,” Jongdae continues and Kai has to sigh at whatever the feeling that clutches his chest.

His chest feels tight. Has he changed that much?

“But of course,” Jongdae yells loudly. “Of course you’re still being an to me. Show me some respect. I’m your hyung!”

“Tch,” Kai snorts and hits Jongdae’s head with his balled fist. “You only several months older, idiot.”

But they end up laughing anyways.

“So, have you decided something yet?” Jongdae asks him seriously.

Kai nods and smiles genuinely at him for the first time in years.

***

“Alright, all prepared.”

Kai smiles as he reads the text message from Kyungsoo for the nth times. He checks himself out in the mirror and marvels at how beautiful his new blond hair is. He has always wanted to dye his hair since he was in the second year of high school and he still don’t have the idea why he didn’t take a rebellious way of dying his hair that time.

The time reads 10 pm and he’s a nervous wreck.

How could Kim Jongin be possibly nervous?

He almost jumps in his spot when his phone vibrates and a message from Kris pops up.

Good luck, little kid.

He snorts for Kris always calling him little kid.

Then one by one text messages from his friends start crowding his inbox.

Hey, how are you feeling? Don’t be nervous! Everything is going to go smoothly for Kim Jongin~ Ah, I really want to meet him soon! I want to know what kind of guy he is. He seems nice though and of course, I’m saying he’ll be nice for you too. Good luck, Jonginnie <3

Kai smiles at Baekhyun’s text message. He’s the only one who understands him among his bike buddies. He can’t bear to lose a friend like Baekhyun.

He doesn’t text all his friends back. He has decided that it’ll be wise to tell him the result later than to boast around and end up crying. He texts Kyungsoo instead.

Hey, don’t open the Christmas present from me, yet.

A minute later he gets a reply.

I opened it.

Awwww, you’re no fun.

Geez, got it, got it. I haven’t opened it yet.

Kai chuckles. Hahahahah good kid!^^b Alright, I’m going now.

I’m already where you told me to be at.

Wait—what? Okay, I’ll be going now. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t talk to strangers.

What are you? My parents?

I have the right to worry. Now, don’t text me, I’m driving.

It’s hard to leave his eyes off the screen but he has to leave as soon as possible because he doesn’t want Kyungsoo to get mad. He puts his phone inside his pocket and fishes out a bundle of keys from his leather jacket’s pocket.

His parents aren’t home so he supposes he will lock the door and just leaves the keys under the rug. They’ll know what to do when they arrive at home and find the door locked. Kai smiles in content as he goes to his motorbike and begins to ride it through the road to the coffee shop Kyungsoo works at.

What to do? His can hear his own heart hammering in his ears when he sees Kyungsoo’s lean figure standing in front of the coffee shop, waiting for him. Despite the buzzing of the vehicle machines around him and of his own, the only sound he hears is Kyungsoo turning towards him, smiles and “Hey!”

Oh , he thinks he forgot how to breathe.

He pulls up in front of the coffee shop but doesn’t get off from his bike. He tries to say hi but it only comes out like a whisper. Kyungsoo frowns and approaches him. “Are you okay?” he asks, placing his palm on his shoulder.

“Y-yes,” Kim Jongin can’t be nervous. “I meant, yes. Get on.”

Kyungsoo nods and climbs onto the seat behind him.

There’s an annual festival around the shopping center. They will hold a firework show and Kai wants to take Kyungsoo a hill up the town and watch the fireworks together from up there. It’s a perfect place to confess too.

“Hold on tight.” He says over his helmet.

When he feels Kyungsoo’s arms circled around him, he speeds up into the night.

Just a little bit more.

They arrive at the hill and surprised to see there are not so many people around. Kai takes Kyungsoo’s hand and lead him up. When they’re at the peak of the hills, they can see the twinkling city lights. “It’s beautiful.” Kyungsoo awes at the sight. Kai thinks he looks about to cry.

“It is, isn’t it?” he smiles and sits down, telling Kyungsoo to sit beside him.

“Thank you,” Kyungsoo mutters, looking away.

Kai smirks. “It’s too early to thank me.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything.

“Where’s my Christmas present?” Kai asks, shaking the older male’s shoulders.

Kyungsoo turns around abruptly, glaring. “I’m sorry I forgot to buy you a Christmas present,” he holds up a paper bag. “but I bring my Christmas present from you.”

“Aww,” Kai groans. “Okay then,”

“Don’t pout like that. You’re such a kid.” Kyungsoo shakes his head. “So, can I open it now?”

Kai nods. He feels excited all of a sudden.

“Okay, let’s see…” Kyungsoo mutters as he tears the wrapper just to find a Santa Hat inside. He groans. “Seriously?”

Kai gasps. “Why? Do you not like it?”

“I have like five Santa Hats at home.” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes.

“You can keep the one from me. It’s different.” Kai encourages.

“How is it different, you idiot,”

“Because it’s from me. It’s special.”

“Idiot.”

Kyungsoo ends up wearing it anyways.

Several minutes later, they’re laying on the grass in silence. It’s almost midnight and Kai can’t help but feel nervous. He doesn’t know what he feels nervous for. Kyungsoo doesn’t look like he hates him or will he reject him. He just can’t help it.

“Kyungsoo,” he calls.

“Hm,”

“You’ll definitely like this one.”

“What is it?”

“I got you another present.”

“Don’t tell me it’s something ridiculous like rubber gloves.”

Kai laughs loudly. “Nah,”

“Then what is it?”

“You’ll know soon.” Kai smiles.

“10…9…8…7…”

The cheering crowd in the city begins counting. They get up to see that the time flies they don’t realize it’s 10 seconds to midnight.

Kai clears his throat as he turns to face Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo does the same. He goes to grab the shorter male’s hands.

“When I kissed you in the bathroom,” Kai starts, voice shaking. “You know, it’s the first time I’ve ever gotten the urge to kiss someone.” he told him.

“I’ve never seen someone as beautiful as you before.” He reaches for his pocket and fishes something out. Then he goes to open it in front of Kyungsoo’s face for him to see. A silver bracelet. “Therefore, Kyungsoo, please,” he whispers. “Please accept me. I don’t care about . You could be fifteen years older than me and I’d still fall for you,”

Kyungsoo is speechless because Kai looks so serious and sincere right now.

“Because I know you’re the one,” Kai begins carefully to put the bracelet on around Kyungsoo’s wrist. He looks up and sees the older male smiling, tears welling up his eyes. “I love—”

The sound of fireworks explosions cut him off as they turn their heads up to see the chemical explosions into colors and sparkles that fill the sky. Kyungsoo looks back down at Kai who’s still looking up. “That’s how my stomach feels right now.” he confesses and grins.

Kai looks back down. “That’s how my stomach feels too,”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Continue what you were going to say,”

“Ah, right,” Kai rubs the back of his head. “I maybe not the best man for you but you have to know that I’m willing to sacrifice my—”

Kyungsoo pulls him down by his collar and leans closer. “Shut up, tell me you love me,”

“I love—”

This time, Kyungsoo’s the one who cuts him off by kissing him, full on the mouth.

“I love you too, silly.” He breathes into the kiss and it makes Kai smiles contentedly.

 

 

 

THE END