"No, Sehun, no! I can't do this!"

"You are a guy, for God's sake! Grow some balls and give it to him!"

Sehun pushed Jongin forward, losing his balance and tumbling forward. All eyes inside the teachers office darted to Jongin, lasering him with questioning look.

"What are you doing here, Jongin?"

That creepy voice. Changmin-songsaengnim was already standing before him, eyeing him like eagle. Jongin gulped, there was such big lump in his throat.

"I ..., uh, Songsaengnim .... I want to ...."

"He wants to see Kyungsoo-songsaengnim, Songsaengnim."

The frown on their teacher's face was apparent.

"Next time if you want to come and see us, there is no need to barge in and do that lame acrobatic movement. Knock first and use a polite gesture. Do not embarras yourself and especially me as your teacher. Manner, employ that, will you? Next time you do this embarrassing thing again, I'm gonna cut you! Understand?"

Changmin-songsaengnim could be really scary at times. Jongin lowered his head and muttered yes to him, cursing Sehun with all his heart. Changmin-songsaengnim then motioned them to follow him. They walked to the desk where the one whom Jongin was very nervous to meet with was busy writing something on a book. He didn't realize he was approached until Changmin-songsaengnim spoke to him.

"Annyeong, Kyungsoo-ssi."

The greeted man lifted his head, showing round, surprised eyes seeing his senior. He quickly rose up, smiling.

"Ah, annyeong, Changmin-sunbae. I am sorry, I didn't see you back there. I was busy making a list of possible drama we would like to perform in the school festival."

"Wow, that's very hardworking of you! Relax, Kyungsoo-ssi! This is recess time anyway. You should just nibble something, drink or chat for a while. Don't overwork yourself. Keep your pace down a bit, will you? You work too hard."

Kyungsoo smiled sheepishly. "I will, Sunbae."

"Great! Anyway, these two bandits said they wanted to meet you. Here, I'll leve you with them. If they happen to give you any trouble, just shout my name. I will make sure they will examine their behaviour again."

Kyungsoo chuckled lightheartedly, which sounded like tingling bells to Jongin's ears. Changmin-songsaengnim excused himself and walked away, leaving Jongin and Sehun facing a curious Kyungsoo.

"Well, Changmin-sunbaenim said you had something to say? What is it?"

Jongin was just silent with cheeks deep red like roses. Sehun rolled his eyes.

"Pardon me, Songsaengnim, Jongin just wants to give you ...," Sehun snatched something Jongin had been hiding behind his back all the time, "this."

Jongin's eyes bulged. He so was unprepared for this.

"Oh? What is this?"

If giving him that hidden thing was not embarrassing for Jongin already, Kyungsoo unwrapping what he was just given made Jongin want to jump to the lake behind the school. He closed his eyes, afraid to see the reaction from him.

"Wow! This looks delicious!"

Jongin opened his eyes again, watching smiling Kyungsoo smelling the lunch box he had prepared for him. The ends of his lips twitched, heart warming upon listening to his remark.

"Of course it is, Songsaengnim. Jongin's mother made it for you. He had to lie to her that he was having PE test today to make his mother cook double portion for him. As if Jongin could cook anyway. The last time he tried, he almost burned the entire kitchen."

Damn you, Sehun!

Jongin stepped his foot on Sehun's foot, making the latter stop chuckling and howl in pain.

"What, what happened?" Kyungsoo's eyes was bulging like owl's. The other teachers had also raised their heads, trying to figure out what the hell happened to the source of the howling. Luckily Changmin-songsaengnim seemed not to be in the room.

"No, no, nothing happened, Songsaengnim. Sehun just remembered that he had to finish his assignment that is due today. Please excuse us, Kyungsoo-songsaengnim."

Jongin bowed to Kyungsoo and dragged Sehun with him. Sehun pinched Jongin's waist reaaaaaally hard in return, making him hiss in pain. However, they were still in teachers' room and he didn't want to attract more attention by howling like Sehun before. Jongin could only bit his lip in his dire need of retaliation. He tried to just hit Sehun's hand off his body instead, but proved unsuccessful.

"Jongin, wait!"

Jongin stopped abruptly, so did the pinch on his waist.

"Thank you for this. I will return the favor to you!"

It was happiness that nearly blew Jongin into pieces. He was beaming. Bowing ninety degress forward, he flashed Kyungsoo his greatest smile before he returned to drag Sehun out of the teachers' office.

(#V#)   (#V#)   (#V#)

Jongin looked up to the clock on the wall. It was fourteen to seven. He was in a restaurant, waiting for Kyungsoo to come. It was a very fancy, classy restaurant he had never come to in his life before, serving French food that Jongin had also never really tasted in his life. His stomach was churning with anticipation and anxiousness  which granted him the upsetness.

Why should I follow Sehun's plan afterall?

Jongin could remember clearly the event following his handing Kyungsoo lunchbox four days ago. After the bell rang and classed was dismissed, he was walking down the stairs with Sehun when Kyungsoo called him.

"Thank you very much for the food you gave me today. It was beyond delicious. How could I pay for your kindness?"

Jongin was just too nerveous to even reply his question and of course Sehun would grab that opportunity like an eagle snatching a chick.

"Just have dinner with him, Songsaengnim. You could bring him your home made cookies or cake. Jongin will treat you with the main course!"

Jongin just wanted to cut Sehun's tongue into slices.

"Well, that might be a great idea!"

Jongin swore he would just jump into a pitch black hole and bury himself there if there was one before him. However, Kyungsoo had already said goodbye to him, leaving him together with grinning-to-ears Sehun.

"Cckk .... Pathetic boy! I don't know what you would do without me!"

That time, Jongin had to agree with him. If it hadn't because of him, he would probably have never stepped on his position right now. He was just too passive, unable to actively moved forward. He clearly owed Sehun much by now.

Is Kyungsoo really going to come?

Jongin was waiting impatiently on his seat, nervously shifting his position from time to time. The suit Sehun lent him was unusually tight. Jongin pulled his collar a few times in a minute. The cold place just felt like burning now. He took the spoon and flipped it, observing his own image on the back of the spoon. He looked neat but somehow he still felt like he didn't appear great. He just wanted to fix his hair when a waiter approached him.

"Are you ready to order now, young Sonnim?"

Jongin looked at the waiter desperately. That man had been coming back and forth for four times already.

"I'm still waiting for my friend here. He would  be here in an --"

"Jongin!"

Kyungsoo's scream almost made Jongin break his neck, even the waiter cringed upon seeing his unthinkable act. Jongin didn't see it though, for he had just heaved a relieved sigh witnessing Kyungsoo approaching his table at the moment.

"I am really, really sorry! The bus I took got involved in an accident! No," Kyungsoo shook his head when Jongin's face scrunched in shock, "I am fine and not injured at all! It was just the tire slipped and the bus hit a lamp post. I was just examined by the medics before being released. I had to hail a cab here. I'm sorry!"

Jongin shook his head.

"No, that's okay! Thank God you are okay, Hyung!"

A moment later, Jongin was just blushing furiously.

"I'm sorry, Songsaengnim."

"That's fine! Hyung is okay! I don't really like being called songsaengnim anyway. I feel like an old person. I don't, do I?"

Jongin chuckled even though his cheeks were still half burning.

"So, you are ready to order now, aren't you, Sonnim?"

Shoot, Jongin completely forgot the existence of the waiter. He blushed again and bowed to the waiting waiter, who just smiled understandingly, handed them menu book, and excused himself for a moment. A while later, he came back and brought a basket of hot, excruciatingly nice smelling bread.

"Alright, what would you two have, Messiurs?"

"I'd like to have bouillabasse and French Salad please. For the dessert, I'll choose la crème glacée au chocolat, please."

"What a nice pick, Monsieur. And, what would you like to have, jeune Monsieur?"

Jongin's sweat trickled down his forehead. The French written menu was unreadable for him, its letters were ing his eyes. He was getting anxious now for he completely had no idea what to order.

Oh no! I am embarrassing myself now! Oh God!

"Umm ..., Jongin, do you like seafood soup and salad?"

"Y, yes!"

"What about slice of cake with strawberry?"

"I, I'd, I'd love to ...."

"Well, Monsieur," Kyungsoo smiled to the waiter, "why don't you make my order two? And un pouding aux fraises for my friend, please, for his dessert."

The waiter smiled and bowed to both of them. Jongin bit his lips and lowered his head, feeling defeated.

"That's alright Jongin. I once was like you when I first came here. I was even worse, I stuttered when I spelled the name of the food. However, it was all paid off when I finally tasted the food, like it never happened."

Jongin lifted his eyes to see beaming Kyungsoo.

"You, you've been here before?"

"Yeah! This is my favorite restaurant in whole Seoul actually. I come here at least once a month."

Now Jongin groaned. He had observed the best restaurant where he thought he could make grand impression in front of Kyungsoo. He even made it secret from Sehun, as he wanted to make it special. He huffed a sigh.The plan to impress Kyungsoo totally backfired at him.

"I feel like an idiot now."

"I don't think so. To me, your action was perseverant and cute."

Jongin couldn't believe his ears. Did he just say I was cute? His anxiety faded in a flash, replaced by a squirm upon seeing the man of his life beaming before him. For the third time he felt the burning sensation on his cheeks.

"Are you okay, Jongin? You keep flushing all the time? Are you having fever?"

Kyungsoo bent over and put his hand on Jongin's forehead while he pressed his other hand on his own forehead, measuring the temperature. Jongin felt like fainting now for the touch of Kyungsoo's skin on his own.

"You felt a bit warm. Are you sure you are okay? We could just go home if you are not feeling well."

Jongin gulped and shook his head fast. "No! NO! I'm fine! I'm ..., I'm just feeling a bit hot. This suit is really hot."

Kyungsoo still eyed him in slight worry and Jongin decided to quickly ask random question.

"So ..., why does this restaurant become your number one restaurant in whole Seoul?"

The question effectively dissed the awkwardness as Kyungsoo started talking about his past. What started out as simple conversation turned into such a nice, giggling, laughable chat between them two. The food came and they got more involved with the mingle. They shared stories and kept talking until Kyungsoo gasped as his sight accidentally hit his watch.

"Oh, God! It's ten o'clock already! You should be going home by now!"

Jongin looked at his watch too and groaned. Time surely flew so fast when he was having fun. As much as he wanted to spend more time with Kyungsoo, he remembered his mother's warning that he had to be at home by ten thirty or he would sleep outside. Thirty minutes was more than enough to get a bus and arrived at home but he didn't really want to say goodbye to Kyungsoo. However, he would be doomed if he ditched his mother's warning.

"Yeah, I guess so ...." Jongin shrugged. "I guess we should go home."

"Yup. We will have rough day tomorrow, right? Friday, one more day before weekend."

Jongin shrugged his shoulder in defeat, earning him a chuckle from Kyungsoo. Jongin then lifted his arm, calling the waiter to their table.

"Are you both finished the dining already?"

Jongin nodded and requested the bill to the waiter.

"Let me pay this, Hyung." Jongin said in a rather smug way to Kyungsoo.

When the bill finally came, Jongin stunned for a while for he was not expecting the bill would be that much. However, he was more than ready to cover the bill, for he had a secret weapon already. He reached his wallet on his back pocket, ready to pull debit card he had managed to borrow from Sehun. Sehun was very adamant not to lend his precious card to anyone but a promise that Jongin would make him date Yoona made Sehun surrender to Jongin's request. Well, Jongin still had to pay the money he borrowed plus the ten percent interest within two months but he didn't really too much about it. He could use his monthly pocket money to cover it. If required, he would secretly find a part time job.   

And then blood fell from his face.

He lost the card!

He opened his wallet wide, scanning the content thoroughly, trying to spot that white green card that might just be hidden somewhere. Sweats began trickling down as he finished searching the card after three times trying and still couldn't find it.

"Jongin? Are you okay?"

Jongin nodded to Kyungsoo. He looked at the bill again and looked back to his wallet. The bill was 109.000 won and he just had 37.000 won in his wallet.

Jongin considered his option now. He jumped into the conclusion at once: he was doomed.

"Excuse me, can you use my card?"

Jongin's eyes bulged as Kyungsoo handed his card to the waiter who nodded to him. As the waiter left, Jongin wanted to do nothing but disappeared into thin air. They didn't talk until the waiter came back and returned the card to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo smiled to Jongin but Jongin had already been deadpanned by the sudden blow to his wonderful plan tonight. He had no idea that everything would turn bizzare like this.

They walked to a bus station which was empty from people. Kyungsoo's voice was the first breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Thank you, Jongin. That was a very nice dinner for me. It was beyond nice, actually. It was amazing!"

No answer. Jongin was not looking at Kyungsoo.

"Jongin, are you okay? Hey ..., why are you crying?"

Jongin couldn't help it when tears rolled down his cheeks slowly. He tried to wipe them off but they insisted on rolling down. Kyungsoo put his hand on Jongin's forearms and squeezed them.

"Hey, that's okay! That's okay. Don't cry! Are you crying because of what happened in the restaurant? It is okay! Really."

Jongin was still crying in silence. His brows knitted and and he looked away as soft sobs escaped his slightly open mouth. He felt really, really upset to himself for ruining this night. He was mad to himself that he didn't prepare everything thoroughly enough before he left tonight. And more importantly, he was cursing himself for breaking down in front of Kyungsoo. Oh, pride, he lost him all the way.

"Hey ..., that's alright. To be honest, I knew you left your card. Sehun called me when I was in my cab. He said that you forgot your card while you visited him this afternoon.

Jongin's jaws just dropped. "He what?!"

"He tried to contact you to tell you that you had forgotten your card but you were unreachable. He wanted to give you the card but he didn't know where we would meet. Thus, the only option he had was just calling me and told me what happened. He apologized to me for not reminding you about this. It' alright. Don't have to feel bad about this. "

Jongin gritted his teeth. All the upsetness was replaced by frustration and an emergency to strangle Sehun right now. However, a moment later, he just wanted to strangle himself after realizing what he had just uselessly done.

I was crying in front of Kyungsoo! Pabo! Pabo! PABOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

He was considering to hit his own head to the lamp pole by his side when he was feeling something warm wrapped him along with a on his back.

"Come on, stop crying, good boy. A good boy doesn't cry too much nor too long. He will smile everytime to people."

Jongin was nothing but stunned.

It was the same thing he said ten years ago.

"I thank you for everything you have done for me tonight. I was really, really happy, to have dinner with you. I have been wanting to know your condition more since the day I saw you at school after being discharged from hospital. I am glad that you managed to heal well. You are a nice kid, I feel so blessed to be placed into your school and meet you and other great people there."

Jongin was just having difficulty of breathing now. The smell of Kyungsoo's hair was so intoxicating for him.

"Jongin?"

Jongin blinked and he realized that they were no longer enveloped in hug. Kyungsoo now was looking at him with full concern.

"Jongin, are you okay? That's really, really fine. I am not mad or anything at you."

Shaking his head, Jongin formed a smile on his lips.

"I am okay, Hyung. I am so sorry. I just ..., well I was just too happy to have this dinner with you and I was beyond frustrated when I thought I messed up everything. I was just upset with myself. I am sorry, I will pay the bill to you."

"No need to do that. I am the one who is really happy tonight. You don't owe me anything."

"Yes. I owe you for saving me that day. I owe you for saving me today. Jeez, I owe you to many times, don't I?"

"Well, then pay with something else then."

"What? What is that?"

"Treat me somewhere nice on my birthday later."

Jongin couldn't help but beaming his brightest smile to Kyungsoo. He felt his chest free from the roller coaster of emotions he had endured this evening. His heart was puffed, to the point that he was able to fly by its fluffiness right now.

However, the bus came and Jongin had to end his happy time now. Jongin had no other option but riding it to go home. The time limit was decreasing already and if he didn't hurry, his mother and father would really make him grounded for the rest of his life.

"Well, this is my bus. Thank you, Hyung, for tonight. I had a great night. I am sorry for being like ..., this, in front of you. I ...."

"No need to apologize, Jongin. You made my night wonderful."

There was like an explosion of happiness inside his heart. For the second time, he flashed his most wonderful beam he could ever produce to Kyungsoo, before the bus honked and he was forced to come inside and find a seat. He chose the one by the window so he could watch Kyungsoo standing at the bus station, waving at him with slightly weird expression. Jongin returned the wave and kept the eye contact until the bus was turning on the end of the block and Kyungsoo was no longer in sight.

Later at that time, after he had finished his pre-sleeping hygiene sequences he always did every night, after he was safely tucked under his blanket on his bed, after his head comfortably rested on his pillow, Jongin was hit by a realization that Kyungsoo's face was a bit different at the end of their meeting.

Was it sad face for they had to part away? Was it blush, for his pale complexion was slightly blurred on cheeks?

Jongin shrugged. A small smile crept on his face. Though disastrous, this dinner was definitely a success.

Second strategy, checked!

(#V#)   (#V#)   (#V#)   (#V#)   (#V#)

Jongin in suit :D  :

August 2, 2014

Aiya! I don't know why it turned out into something like this! I always want to make Jongin a kind of macho man, but it seems that he is manly soft here. Hahahaha. Puhlease! He is just fifteen years old, for God's sake! Tween and he is in a state where emotion is his staple food every day. Oh, talking about age, you will know how old Kyungsoo is on next chapter. I know it is very trivial and some of you might have known about it but, meh, telling is telling right? :D

Thank you so much for your support! Enjoy the reading and again, drop some words for me, s'il vous plait! :D

PS :

If anyone wants to kindly give me prompt for their next strategy, all suggestion is really appreciated. I have some already but if yours are more squishy than mine, I think I will give it a shot. Just PM so the others won't get spoiled. Thanks :D

Schandelierre