Fire Flowers
Fire FlowersFire Flowers
Kyungsoo likes the quiet. Where it's quiet, he can think. Where it's quiet, he can relax. Noise is, or at least, from Kyungsoo's experiences, seems to be an inherent part of people, and so it's only natural that Kyungsoo likes to be alone.
Since the greenhouse on the rooftop is the only place in school that fulfills these two requirements (save for the library, but Kyungsoo doesn't think the librarian would take too well to him getting crumbs all over her immaculate tables), it's only logical that Kyungsoo eats there every day for lunch
It doesn't hurt that he also loves nature. Something about having the aromatic fragrances and vibrantly colored blossoms overwhelm his senses helps him clear his mind and get through the last half of the tiresome school day.
So here he is, just like every other day, munching on the lunch his mother packed him while he admires the newly bloomed roses. What isn't the same as every other day, however, is the young male that stumbles into Kyungsoo's sanctuary. With eyes not unlike an owl's, Kyungsoo stares at the intruder, wondering if the boy's lost.
“Hi.” The boy says quickly and Kyungsoo only blinks, not entirely sure what the societal norms dictate in this sort of situation. Kyungsoo supposes that some kind of greeting in return would be considered appropriate, but it's far easier said than done. His tongue refuses to cooperate when his mind registers that he does, in fact, know the intruder. He's Jongin, the boy that sits a couple of desks away from Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo can't fathom what the boy could possibly want from him.
Jongin catches on that Kyungsoo's not planning on replying anytime soon so he takes a different approach. “My name is Jongin. Kim Jongin. I'm in your class. I sit like... A column to your right and three rows up.”
The boy looks visibly surprised when Kyungsoo replies with “I know”. “You do?” Jongin squeaks before clearing his throat a couple of times. “So... Uhm... Tomorrow? Are you free? If so, do you... Do you want to go to that festival with me?”
Kyungsoo stays quiet while he tries to comprehend what just came out of the younger's mouth. “Like...” He starts slowly, drawing out the last part of the word. “Just the two of us?”
Jongin flushes, but Kyungsoo isn't clear as to why. “No no no! Never!” Jongin rushes out and Kyungsoo can't help but feel a little offended. He guesses a bit of that hurt manifests in his features because now Jongin is trying to amend his words. “I didn't mean it like that!” He all but shouts. Kyungsoo flinches at the volume shift and thankfully, Jongin quiets down. “Just... You know Baekhyun and Chanyeol, right?” He does. “It'll just be us four. We'll be going as a group of friends so it's not a date or anything like that. Unless... you want it to be a date. In that case, then you can think of it as a double date because Baekhyun and Chanyeol are sorta dating. Not that you'd want to go on a date with me. No. You probably don't. Oh god. I'm making this really awkward. Forget everything I just said.” He doesn't. “So yeah. Group of friends.” Jongin finalizes and looks at Kyungsoo expectantly.
Kyungsoo takes a moment to mull over the offer. He doesn't particularly like crowded places, and he certainly isn't too fond of fireworks, but Jongin's eyes are pleading and the not-so-slight attraction Kyungsoo feels toward the boy isn't helping. He finds himself accepting Jongin's invitation before he can really think through the decision.
Jongin immediately brightens, and if he had a tail, Kyungsoo is sure it would be wagging with excitement. “That's great! Just meet us there at 5:30. I promise you won't regret it!” He assures as he races out of the door, grinning. Even when the boy has exited the greenhouse, Kyungsoo can hear him yell, “BAEKHYUN! HE SAID YES!!” As well as the collective whoops of Baekhyun and who he can only assume to be Chanyeol. Kyungsoo couldn’t help but smile.
✿ ✿ ✿
The moment Kyungsoo steps off the train and begins the trek over to the park where the festival is being held, he thinks that he might've made a mistake. As he draws closer to the entrance of the event, the population grows denser and before he knows it, personal space is no longer an option. There's people everywhere, pushing and shoving to get in. Noise comes in tow with people, and the millions of conversations meld together. The noise is insufferable and he can't do this. He's suffocating and he can't do this.
Kyungsoo tries to calm himself down by taking a few deep breaths. He glances around him, hoping to find a familiar face, but that doesn't happen. All he sees is a sea of strangers.
He feels stupid. Why didn't he get Jongin's phone number? There's no way he'll be able to find him in this crowd.
Kyungsoo knows from the tears beginning to collect in his eyes that if he takes even a step further, he will break down. So he does the only thing he knows how to do: flee. Escape the dangerous situation.
He backtracks about two or three steps before a hand grabs onto his own. He's being pulled to the side and he can only focus on the tall figure leading him; the unknown people around him become a faceless blur, as insignificant as the background scenery passing through a speeding car's window.
The man in front of him abruptly halts and Kyungsoo has about half a second to stop himself before he crashes into his savior. Once they have come to a stop, Kyungsoo begins to take in the details of his surroundings. He notices a couple of things. The first is that he has been brought to a place with a little less people, and that, he's grateful for. The second is that Baekhyun and Chanyeol are smiling brightly at him, and the third is that it's Jongin's hand that is gently squeezing his.
“You found me...” Kyungsoo whispers without thinking. He doesn't expect anyone to pick up on his mutterings but when Jongin looks him straight in the eyes, he knows the younger had heard him.
“I'll always find you,” He says in a serious tone, but soon he's flustered. “No. Wait. That sounds weird. I just... You're easy to pick out in a crowd because... you... you just are...” To Kyungsoo's disappointment, Jongin quickly lets go of his hand and opts for making a bunch of cryptic hand motions with the intention of aiding his incoherent speech (it doesn’t work).
Baekhyun is squealing about something being cute (Kyungsoo's not sure what exactly he's referring to but the spontaneous actions of Byun Baekhyun has always been a mystery to him) while Chanyeol is letting out some low wolf whistles but Kyungsoo doesn't notice either of them. The eye contact with Jongin has his heart pounding and the blood rushing through his ears blocks out the sounds of everything else. Jongin’s gaze eventually breaks away, a blush coloring his face.
“But I think I should give you my number... You know... Just in case you get lost...or something," Jongin says.
“Or something...” Baekhyun reiterates with a quirked brow and a knowing tone. Baekhyun and Chanyeol snicker.
“Ignore them.” Jongin shakes his head and motions for Kyungsoo to hand over his phone.
Kyungsoo's hand slides into his pocket and begins to rummage around before he suddenly stops. “I... I think I forgot to bring it...” Kyungsoo mumbles sheepishly although internally, he's freaking out. How could he forget his phone?!
“Oh.” Jongin wears a look of worry. “I guess you'll just have to stick close to me so you don't get lost.”
“... Just have to stick close to me," Chanyeol repeats, and both he and Baekhyun collapse into a fit of laughter once again.
“Ignore them. Please.” Jongin grits out, his face a couple shades redder than before and Kyungsoo thinks it's cute. “And if you do get lost, just look for Chanyeol. With his height, pointy ears, and terribly dyed hair, he's pretty easy to spot in a crowd.”
“Hey!” Chanyeol pouts upon hearing Jongin's description of him.
“What? It's true!” Baekhyun laughs and Kyungsoo can't help but giggle.
Jongin's smile only widens when he sees Kyungsoo having fun. It seems it was a good idea to bring him along. “So, where should we go first?” He breaks in eventually.
The three look at Kyungsoo with anticipation. “Uhm. Anywhere's fine with me," Kyungsoo answers.
“Then anywhere we shall go!” Chanyeol announces and bounds off towards the crowded entrance, the others following quickly behind. The masses of people are intimidating as ever, but the fingers Jongin has interlocked with Kyungsoo's are enough of a distraction for the short male.
✿ ✿ ✿
Jongin doesn't let go as they weave between the crowd. Chanyeol leads them through the throng of people with Baekhyun by his side and Kyungsoo and Jongin following close behind. It's a good set-up, really, and Kyungsoo finally gets what Jongin was saying about Chanyeol being easy to find. Even when a wave of people form a rift between the two pairs, Kyungsoo can always see Chanyeol towering above the others and they can easily catch up.
The four of them travel from booth to booth, stopping every now and then to look at a shop's merchandise, pick up a quick snack, or stop to play a game. Chanyeol and Jongin seem to be involved in the latter option, an extremely competitive game of ring toss, as Baekhyun cheers on Chanyeol and Kyungsoo munches on his candied apple, deep in thought. Sooner than later, he finds himself already at the core of the apple so he leans towards Baekhyun. “I'm going to throw this away," He says but he's unsure if the boy heard him through his own enthusiastic shouts. From Baekhyun's slight nod, Kyungsoo can only assume he does.
Kyungsoo hurries over to a nearby trashcan, throws away the sorry remains of the apple, and is about to return to the group when something catches his eye: the goldfish scooping stand. Since he had never been to a festival before, he had never actually played the game before-- but he had always wanted to try. Wordlessly, he bends down into a squat, forks over a dollar, and is given three paper nets in return.
The first two paper nets break pretty easily and Kyungsoo has to admit, this is a lot more difficult than he had originally thought. The third paper net is ready in Kyungsoo's hand when Jongin appears behind him. “So this is where you went...” The boy rests a hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder and Kyungsoo jumps up, surprised by the sudden contact. The paper net falls from Kyungsoo's hands and the two watches as the tool sink to the bottom of the tank.
Kyungsoo turns around to face Jongin whose eyes are wide with what Kyungsoo presumes to be guilt. “Oh crap...” Jongin sputters. “I... Uhm... I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you. I'll catch one for you!”
Before Kyungsoo can protest, Jongin is already handing over money to the vendor and squatting down next to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo tries not to pay too much attention to the fact that their thighs are pressed together and he can feel the heat radiating from Jongin's leg.
If Kyungsoo was bad at this game, Jongin is about a thousand times worse. He burns through his money quickly and it takes quite a lot of pleading from Kyungsoo to stop the stubborn boy from wasting anymore. When Kyungsoo finally manages to drag Jongin away from that stand, the boy only bounds to another. This time around, he's able to beat the game in a single try and receives a goldfish plushie as a reward. Jongin immediately spins around and hands the stuffed animal to Kyungsoo. “For you!” He shoots a dazzling smile that makes Kyungsoo's heart skip a beat or two.
“No no... You won it," Kyungsoo argues and tries to push it back into Jongin's arms.
“I won it for you...” Jongin says sheepishly and Kyungsoo can feel his face heating up. “You know... Since I couldn't win you a real goldfish... Sorry... about that.”
“It's probably for the best that you couldn't get me a real goldfish. With my luck, it'd be dead within a week.”
“Which is why Mr. Goldfish 2.0 is perfect for you!” Jongin chirps and offers the stuffed animal to Kyungsoo once again.
This time, Kyungsoo begrudgingly accepts and he wraps his arms around the plushie, pressing it close to him. He has to say, for a cheap prize won at a festival, the stuffed animal is surprisingly good quality.
“So. What are you gonna name it?” Jongin asks as he watches Kyungsoo snuggle the thing into his chest.
“Isn't Mr. Goldfish 2.0 already his name?”
“Noooo,” Jongin whines quite childishly. “You, the official owner, have to name it something else. It's like the golden rule of stuffed animals!”
“Of course you would know all about the rules of stuffed animals,” Kyungsoo teases and takes great joy in making Jongin blush.
“Just... Name it...” Jongin pouts.
Kyungsoo's eyebrows scrunch cutely as he thinks. “Kai,” He says finally. “I'll name him Kai.”
“Kai? What kind of name is that?” Jongin asks and from the tone of his voice, it seems as if he was genuinely questioning the origins of such a name.
Kyungsoo shrugs. “I don't know. I like how it sounds.”
“I do, too.” Jongin says and their eyes meet once again. Like the first time, Kyungsoo feels his heart rate pick up and he swallows dryly.
Out of nowhere, Baekhyun and Chanyeol appear, effectively ruining their little 'moment'. “Hey!” Baekhyun sing-songs as both Jongin and Kyungsoo look away, blushing. “You guys want to go buy some food? The fireworks are going to be starting soon and I'd rather not watch the show on an empty stomach.”
Kyungsoo nods and he's dragged off to the line of some food booth. He's not exactly sure what food is being sold there nor is he even hungry, but he stands in line with the others anyways because he doesn't want to be alone. Although all four of them are waiting in line, the way they're standing has them paired up; Chanyeol with Jongin and Baekhyun with Kyungsoo. The taller two seem to be caught up in conversation leaving Kyungsoo with Baekhyun. Kyungsoo has never really been alone with Baekhyun, so he's a bit nervous.
“What's that?” Baekhyun asks randomly as the line moves forward. He's pointing to Kai and Kyungsoo suddenly feels very embarrassed about being caught with a stuffed animal. He hugs Kai tighter.
“Nothing...” He mutters. Baekhyun seems to catch onto his embarrassment and smiles softly.
“It's very cute. I wish I had one like that...”
“Oh?” Kyungsoo rips the goldfish away from his chest and holds it out for Baekhyun. “Uhm... Do you want it? I don't have much use for it and... You want it so...”
Baekhyun laughs. “No, I don't mean it like that. And plus, didn't Jongin win that for you? You're going to throw away his feelings just like that?” He teases playfully.
“F-feelings?”
All of a sudden, Baekhyun changes the flow of the conversation to a seemingly random topic. “You know... Chanyeol, Jongin, and I go to this festival every year.” He says slowly. “It's been like that for the past decade or so... It's like a tradition of some sort.”
Kyungsoo makes a small sound with his throat. Was he intruding on something? Is this Baekhyun's way of telling him that he's unwelcome here? Kyungsoo doesn't feel so good as his stomach begins to twist in anticipation of just what Baekhyun’s trying to hint at.
“Jongin... “ Baekhyun pauses, choosing his words carefully. “He's... he's never brought someone with him... before you, I mean...”
Baekhyun changes topics as abruptly as before, leaving Kyungsoo with so many questions about what he was getting at. “What about you? Have you been to this festival before?”
Kyungsoo shakes his head, a little dazed from Baekhyun's speaking style. He doesn't know if Baekhyun is always like this or if it's just the sugar high (from all that cotton candy Kyungsoo had watched him had eat earlier. He’s confused as to how such a small body can pack away so much food but he refrains from saying anything) talking, but the way he's changes subject every five seconds is a bit confusing and extremely hard to keep up with.
“Mm...” Baekhyun hums and then the topic changes once again. “You know, Kyungsoo? I really like you.”
Kyungsoo doesn’t know how to reply. He doesn't know what to say or really where that came from, but his silence doesn't stop Baekhyun from continuing on. “You always eat alone in that rooftop garden... You should come eat with us in the classroom. We're all in the same class anyways, so it makes sense! So how about it? It'll be fun!”
Kyungsoo freezes. Sure he likes the three of them but he can't imagine leaving the greenhouse. The garden was special; his small piece of paradise. It's the only place where he can just sit back and truly let everything go. No worries. No expectations. Nothing except himself and the wonders of nature. There's no way he can just abandon that. But at the same time, there's Jongin. Kyungsoo regrettably admits that his infatuation with the boy has evolved into a full-fledged crush and although his teenage hormones are telling him to spend every waking moment with the perfection named Kim Jongin, he's not sure if he's ready for that kind of change.
To Kyungsoo's relief, Baekhyun doesn't ask for an answer because he's too preoccupied ordering his food. When Baekhyun finishes off his order that's large enough to feed a small village in Africa (Once again, Kyungsoo finds himself wondering about just how much Baekhyun can stomach), he looks back at Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo knows that the boy is waiting for an answer. By some of luck, the countdown for the fireworks begins and distracts Baekhyun from the question at hand. He turns to Chanyeol. “I'm going to take Kyungsoo to see the fireworks. Just pick up my food when it's ready and meet us at the place we always go to watch the show.”
Jongin looks a bit sceptical but Chanyeol is nodding enthusiastically so Baekhyun takes it as a good sign. Baekhyun grapples onto Kyungsoo's wrist and begins to pull him away. Only when Kyungsoo loses sight of Chanyeol does trepidation begin to weigh down on his conscience. With each step they take, the sound of the countdown grows louder and Baekhyun's steps only grow more urgent. “I hope we can make it there before the fireworks begin...” Is what Kyungsoo thinks he hears Baekhyun say but what with all of this noise, he can't be sure.
As the countdown reaches its last couple of counts, Baekhyun slows to a stop and stares up into the darkened night sky, waiting for the pyrotechnics to begin.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
The first firework explodes with a resounding boom and even though Kyungsoo had been expecting it, he can't help but jump at the sound. It's so loud and it hurts his ears. “We have to go.” He sees Baekhyun mouth, the boy’s actual words blocked out by the thundering sounds of fireworks, and soon they're moving again; this time, with a hastened pace.
He's not sure whether it's that his hand is too small or that Baekhyun's grip is simply too loose but he feels his wrist slips from Baekhyun's hand and within seconds, he has lost the petite male in the crowd. Panic begins to set in. His breathing picks up as he scans the crowd for Baekhyun, but he can't concentrate. The fireworks are now being set off in rapid succession and he can't hear anything else save for the dastardly sound of detonating gunpowder. The people around him are now surging forward, hoping to get a better view of the show, but he can't move. His head is spinning and he can't think straight. Before he can think of a better, more sound plan, Kyungsoo runs away.
✿ ✿ ✿
It takes a good bit of time to shoulder through the rushing crowd but he eventually gets through and takes off into a full blown sprint. In time, Kyungsoo finds himself in a secluded area and he settles himself onto the bottom step of some abandoned temple. Although he's quite far away from the festival, he's still close enough to hear the deafening booms of the fireworks. He curls his knees to his chest and uses his hands to cover his ears in an attempt to block out the sounds. With the absence of the crowd, Kyungsoo senses finally begin to orient themselves and with a heavy heart, Kyungsoo realizes that he is lost.
Those words take a while to sink in. He is lost. Completely and utterly lost. He doesn’t have a phone (or even the other three’s numbers, for that matter) to call for help. He doesn’t have human bean pole with superior height, fairy-like ears, and badly bleached hair to point out his location for all to see. He doesn’t even know where he is. He ran too far and too blindly and now he’s surrounded by trees, clueless as to what direction he came from. Usually, being alone in a forest would calm him down, but this time around, it makes him shake with fear.
And now he's crying. Why can't he just learn to deal with crowds? If only he could, things would be a thousand times better. Thanks to his stupid irrational fears, not only has he ruined his own night, but the other’s as well since they are probably freaking out, searching for him high and low. The tears fall more frequently.
Stupid loud fireworks. Stupid huge crowds. Stupid Jongin and his invitation. Stupid Jongin and his charming smile that made him accept said invitation. But most of all, stupid him for agreeing, for thinking that he can actually fit into this kind of environment.
Kyungsoo makes a move to wipe at his eyes but at that exact moment, a particularly loud firework is set off and his hand goes straight back to cover his ears. He cradles his head between his hands, rocking back and forth slowly while humming a comforting song in an attempt to alleviate the dread pooling in his stomach. It doesn’t work. But that doesn’t stop Kyungsoo from trying harder.
He’s almost at the point where he can forget where he is, superimposing himself in his happy place instead, but the feeling of someone’s hand on his shoulder breaks his concentration. With watery eyes, he looks behind him and he laughs bitterly. His mind’s playing tricks on him. Through his blurry vision, he swears he can make out the lanky figure of Kim Jongin.
But that’s impossible.
And yet it’s not. When Kyungsoo’s sight clears just enough to pick out the features of the man hovering behind him, he realizes that it is him. It’s really Jongin. “You found me," He says with a shaky breath.
Jongin simply nods and goes to sit down next to Kyungsoo. He leans into the crook of Kyungsoo’s neck, and Kyungsoo relieves one hand’s pressure on his ear, thinking that Jongin might be trying to say something. He’s right. “I said I’ll always find you," Jongin whispers, his breath ghosting the shell of Kyungsoo's ear. He shivers, and he’s sure that it’s not because he’s cold.
To Kyungsoo’s surprise, the younger doesn’t immediately lean away and opt for more passive means of comforting him. Instead, Jongin bats away the hands Kyungsoo has placed around his ears. He pulls Kyungsoo towards him and uses his own hand to cover one of the older’s ear. The other ear is pressed up flush against his chest.
Despite the slightly awkward position, Kyungsoo finds himself far more relaxed. He’s no longer alone, and the sounds of the fireworks are, for the most part, blocked out by the rapid pounding of Jongin’s heart. Kyungsoo’s own heart rate begins to speed up from being in such close proximity to the younger and soon, the two hearts are synchronized.
Kyungsoo feels Jongin nose at his hair and glances up when he notices the pressure from the hand cupping his ear suddenly abates. “Hey…” Jongin whispers, barely audible. “The fireworks… Don’t you think that they’re kind of like those flowers you like to look at? I mean.. They’re in the sky.. And they’re kind of exploding.. But..”
Jongin trails off, deciding to just show what he’s referring to rather than trying to talk his way through it. With his free hand he begins to trace the basic outline of a flower over the fireworks. “You see?” He points to the trail left behind by an ascending rocket. “That’s the stem. And then this?” He gestures to the general explosion of the firework. “This is the flower itself.”
Kyungsoo tries to nod, but that’s a little hard to do when there’s an arm locking him into place against Jongin’s chest. He settles for humming in agreement.
The two of them watch the fireworks in silence, and Kyungsoo actually finds himself enjoying the explosions of color. They’re beautiful.
But Jongin is far more beautiful.
Kyungsoo manages to shift his head so that he has a clear view of Jongin and he’s left breathless the moment he lays eyes on the other male. Jongin’s face is only slightly illuminated by the brief flashes of light from the firecrackers, but even when obscured by the dark, Kyungsoo can still see that spark in his eyes. That spark of wonder and curiosity. That spark of pure, unadulterated joy.
And now their hearts are out of synch; somehow, Kyungsoo’s has begun to beat even faster than Jongin’s.
The fireworks show ends soon enough and Jongin’s gaze flicks down to look at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo immediately averts his eyes and looks to the sky, pretending that his gaze had been there this whole time. Although he is quick, he’s not quick enough to miss that smile that blooms on Jongin’s face. “Beautiful, right?” Jongin asks and as a force of habit, Kyungsoo turns his head to look at him. Only then does he realizes just how close they are.
“Y-yeah.” Kyungsoo mumbles, praying that Jongin doesn’t notice (or at least doesn’t think too much into) that slight stutter of his.
They stare into each other’s eyes for a while and Kyungsoo feels like he’s going to be into that warm, chocolate brown gaze of Jongin's. Their lips are just mere centimeters away from each other, and Kyungsoo feels the urge to close that gap.
“I’m sorry,” Jongin suddenly blurts out and Kyungsoo’s eyebrows furrow.
“What for?”
“I… Just.. For everything. I know you’d rather be by yourself someplace quiet-”
“What do you mean you know?” Kyungsoo cuts in, not out of anger but more out of curiosity.
“Well. You eat lunch alone every day in the greenhouse. You flinch whenever things get too loud, and you always seem distressed whenever you’re around large groups of people...” Jongin trails off.
Kyungsoo is speechless. He’s amazed that Jongin payed that much attention to someone like him.
Kyungsoo’s lack of response doesn’t seem to affect Jongin as he begins to ramble, “You.. You probably didn’t even want to come here but I made you. You’re too nice of a guy to say no and so despite your obvious distaste for these kind of situations, you tagged along to make me happy. I know how you are around a lot of people and I still forced you to come and I’m so sorry… I just.. I like you so much that I couldn’t help myself and oh crap. I can’t believe I just said that. I just… I’m really sorry and-”
Kyungsoo’s lips silence Jongin and it isn’t like those stupid cliche teen movies at all (not that Kyungsoo watches such things). The kiss is a bit awkward and Kyungsoo bumps his nose against Jongin’s as he goes in. Their teeth clank together at first and neither of them have their eyes closed; Jongin’s eyes are open wide in shock and Kyungsoo’s are busy gauging the other’s reaction, worried that he might’ve made a mistake. As the kiss begins to deepen, Jongin’s eyes droop close and relieved, Kyungsoo let’s his own eyelids slide shut.
From behind the dark of his eyelids, Kyungsoo swears he can see fireworks of his own.
a/n:
I do not know what this is nor where this came from.
All I can say is that the 4th of July does things to you. Inexplicable things...
Shoutout to my lovely beta who helped edit this while it was still a piece of crap. I love you, my baby~
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