The slow, agonizing exam week just passed by and it’s about time for the homeroom teachers to distribute their students’ report card for the second quarter of the year. Jongin frowned, not that disappointed, when his eyes traced down a column of his report card, comparing his grades which mostly dropped by two points for each subject. Nevertheless, he’s still in top 10.

His seatmate, or should he claim the love of his life according to his obsessive and possessive vocabulary, shifted next to him to peep over his report card. “You could still be in top 5 if you don’t spend too much of your time playing video games at home.”

Jongin dropped his report card on his desk with a sigh and covered it with both hands. “For your information, shortie, playing computer games doesn’t have anything to do with my grades.” He gave his seatmate the love of his life his mastered threatening glare, making the other move away to the other side. "I have been playing since 5th grade.”

“Then you could have at least maintained your grades, gamer.”

“Unlike you, Kyungsoo, I am not running for top 1.”

The love of his life, named Kyungsoo, rested his head over his folded arms on top of his desk, facing Jongin. “Honestly, Jonginnie, you’re attractive.”

Jongin almost jumped from his seat from the compliment. Could it be he likes me too? He held the urge to pounce on his seatmate and shower him with kisses simply because they are just friends, or are they? They are classmates, slash, seatmates. “Really? I say so myself.” He grinned, hiding the fact that his heart was about to explode and most importantly, he had to keep his cool image.

“I can’t deny it but too bad, you’re not responsible enough to keep your grades intact. It’s sort of a downside of yours.” His face was unreadable like he was talking to the air. “If I’m a girl, I’ll date you but then again, too bad, I’m a boy.”

You made me gay, idiot! He mentally screamed trying to keep his expression which took him a lot of effort by the fact that Kyungsoo indirectly rejected his hidden feelings for him. “Just to let you know, if you’re actually a girl you’d probably a boring one. I mean, look at yourself.” He pointed a finger to the other from the hair down to the shoes. “So creepily nerdy. I would never date a nerd like you unless you’re pretty and without those thick rimmed glasses.”

The shorter male was surprised but didn’t show it. Jongin just made fun of his geeky nature like always for years. “You have mocked my physical appearance countless of times. I suppose you could do better than that, Jongin. It’s already sickening to hear the same mockery all over again.” He sounded calm like it was just nothing and turned his head to the other side, forgetting the existence of someone called Kim Jongin.

He sighed, cursing men’s natural pride for ruining every chance he had to be with the love of his life.

Lunch came and still there was not a single word exchanged between the subjects of the one-sided love. Not surprising, it’s the usual. The two barely talk to each other putting them merely in the status of being classmates, slash, seatmates. Jongin plopped down on his seat across his best friend, Sehun, and darted his eyes towards the other side of the cafeteria where Kyungsoo was seated with a classmate, the Chinese guy, Luhan. If stares could kill, the poor Chinese guy was already dead a long time ago. He loathed every single person who stays close to his love no matter who they are.

“And you’re always telling me you don’t like him?” Sehun said, more like a question, following his friend’s lethal gaze towards the innocent Chinese boy who is in fact his seatmate. “And will you stop staring at Luhan? He’s innocent.”

Jongin closed his eyes and let out a frustrated groan. “I don’t like him, okay?” He snapped his eyes open down to his cafeteria food and added, “His clothes are just disturbing! Every Wednesday he gives me the pain of having to see his terrible, boring clothes next to me the whole day.”

Sehun started eating kimchi, giving his friend an unconvinced look. He secretly knows by heart that Jongin was more than just head over heels for Kyungsoo. They were best of friends for a good seven years. He knew Jongin started having an interest to the new student since they were in 6^th grade, the moment Do Kyungsoo stepped in their classroom. “It’s been more than four years, Jongin.”

The other boy looked at the messy eater with the kimchi sauce all over his chin. “Of what?”

“I’m not stupid, Mr. Kim Jongin. You like Kyungsoo.”

Jongin gave him a disbelieving look; after all he can’t just underestimate Sehun’s observation skills that are just above normal. Sehun never left the top 5 in class, and obviously smarter than him. “Fine.”

“You’ve always been so full of yourself. You can’t even have a decent conversation with him.” The other muttered under a mouthful of rice.

“He’s the one provoking me.” Jongin defended.

“You’re forgetting it, Jongin. Remember when you first approached him?” Jongin nodded, clearly knowing what happened that day and Sehun was pleased to know his friend didn’t deny it. “What did you tell him?”

“You look ugly with your eyeglasses.” He muttered like a scolded puppy. He’s really cute though.

“See? You started it.” Sehun pointed out. “Then you started blabbering over how he tucks his gym shirt under his shorts, over how neat his hair was gelled to the side, over how he keeps his books neat and clean, over how he always brings a hand sanitizer, over how sensitive he is when his shoes get dirty, over how punctual he is, over how he does his home works in school during his free time, over how much time he spends his time in the library, over how--.”

“Okay, I get it! I know that.” He cut off his friend’s never ending ‘over hows’ but Sehun continued anyway.

“…he looks at other people but you.”

“Man,” Jongin sighed, defeated. “I never thought I’d be gay for that nerd.”

“Jongin.” Sehun, with his usual poker face, tapped the other’s shoulder. “You better start throwing your pride out the window and talk to Kyungsoo. I’m not sure but I heard Jongdae saying something Junmyeon having hots for your boy.”

The tanned boy’s jaw hung as low as it can, trying to believe nothing from the other’s words. He slammed his palms hard on the table, “WHAT?!” Sure, it gained a lot of attention but Jongin couldn’t care.

The whole afternoon was spent throwing deadly glares on Junmyeon’s back, who was seated four rows in front of him and seated on Luhan’s left with an aisle separating the desks. He only stopped when he heard Kyungsoo calling his name. “W-What?” He turned to his left with a surprised look on his face.

“You’ve been staring at Junmyeon for more than an hour. Do you like him?” Kyungsoo gave him a confused yet curious look and waited for an answer.

“I…” Jongin’s mind completely stopped working for a second. He didn’t even understand any word that Kyungsoo said. “…what?”

A hint of interest occupied Kyungsoo as he leaned closer. “Are you gay?”

Jongin’s blood rushed up north to his cheeks and it didn’t go unnoticed by the doe-eyed.

“Goodness, you are.” A smile crept into the shorter male’s lips but it was neither sly nor malicious, rather, it was sweet and sincere. “I didn’t see that coming. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody.”

When Kyungsoo went back listening to the discussion, it took Jongin a moment to realize that the shorter male thought he was gay (well, he is) but that smile kept flashing on the back of his mind. He secretly smiled to himself, not offended that the love of his life called him gay (but he wouldn’t admit it either, he thought), his eyes shifted back to the front. In an instant, he was again shooting holes at the back of his so-called love rival until the class ended.

The next day, Jongin was unusually early. He’s not the typical morning person and Sehun found it really weird the moment he stepped in the room.

“You’re early.” Sehun commented and watched the other pass by him.

“I’m inspired.” He smiled, walking towards his seat and was surprised to see that Kyungsoo’s seat was empty as well. “He’s still not here?” He asked to no one in particular but Sehun answered on someone’s behalf.

“He probably knew you’d be early and decided to show up late.” He laughed and the tanned boy didn’t find it funny.

Jongin frustratingly sat down on his seat and patiently waited for his seatmate to arrive though he never planned to have a conversation with him. He just wanted to see him. To his disappointment, the bell rang and there was no sign of Kyungsoo. He decided to ask Luhan just in case he knows but frowned when the seat next to Sehun was empty as well. “Weird.”

The teacher came in followed by the Chinese boy who went straight to the back, to Kyungsoo’s seat and sat down silently.

“What are you doing here?” Jongin asked, confused.

Luhan looked at him with his usual sparkling eyes, which gave Jongin the impression that he’s always about to tear up at any moment. “Exchanging seats with Kyungsoo.”

The tanned boy’s eyes darted towards the seat next to Sehun and true enough, Kyungsoo just got in and sat next to his best friend and most infuriatingly, an aisle apart from his rival. “No way.” He muttered, noticing his new seatmate looking at Kyungsoo’s direction. “Hey, I’d be happy not to strangle you.”

Without looking back at the tanned boy, Luhan sighed. “I know you like Kyungsoo, I never thought a manly-looking boy like you would be gay, but you’re not the only one who likes him.”

Jongin’s eyes widened, “Do you like him too?”

“No, I’m more interested with your friend.”

“I’m happy for two reasons. First, I’m not the only gay here. Second, I don’t have to kill you.” He sighed in relief. “I, myself, am not sure if Sehun’s gay too.”

Luhan looked at him with a wicked smile, one that Jongin never thought a cute Chinese boy could have. “It’s the same for me with Kyungsoo.”

. He never thought of that for a span of almost five years admiring the doe-eyed boy. “Is he?” He asked, more like pleading Luhan to say that Kyungsoo is gay as well but the Chinese boy just shrugged it off.

The view in front wasn’t pleasing to Jongin’s eyes anymore. Junmyeon scooted closer to Kyungsoo, an arm around his boy’s shoulders, and both were laughing at something the teacher was telling them. Sehun was laughing as well but the distance was good enough from Kyungsoo.

“Luhan.” He groaned, gathering his seatmate’s attention from his best friend. “Why did you let Kyungsoo exchange seats with you? You were just next to your love and yet you had to bear being away from him. I’m suffering too!”

Luhan smiled softly. “Kyungsoo had a reason I can’t reject.”

“Is it about me?”

“Stupid, no. It’s about his grades.”

“What about it? He’s perfectly doing well next to me.”

“You won’t understand a genius’ mind.”

“Whatever.” He muttered and prepared himself to suffer for the rest of the year, watching his love flirted by some other rich boy in his class.

The teacher tapped the chalkboard with her hand to gather the students’ attention. “Class, I have proposed an idea to the faculty staff on how to improve this class' average grade increase. So for the whole quarter, I would be pairing you together with your seatmates to study together. Now, listen, as a pair your grades will be added together to get the average and that will be your final grades for the quarter.” A groan was the only response the teacher received from her class. “Good luck and study well!”

Jongin felt like screaming in frustration. “Can’t this life be harder than this?” He muttered, clenching his fists on top of his desk. “I lost a seatmate and now I’m partnered with a hopeless romantic Chinese boy who’s in love with my best friend who sits next to my love who is an aisle apart from my rival!”

Luhan tapped his shoulder to calm him down. “Good luck.” Well, that didn’t seem to be comforting at all.

Jongin secretly followed Kyungsoo to his locker before meeting with Sehun for lunch. “Kyungsoo.”

The shorter male looked back at him as he opened his locker. “What do you want?”

Watching the other place his books in the locker, he asked, “Why did you change seats with Luhan?”

“I believe it’s none of your business.”

“You’re…” He pursed his lips and walked towards the nearest window and muttered, “…calm down, Jongin. Calm down.”

Kyungsoo looked at him, confused, and started getting the books he needed for the whole afternoon. “What are you doing?”

“Throwing my pride out the window.” He answered, making his way back to Kyungsoo. He gained a weird look from the other. “Look, I don’t want to be paired up with Luhan.”

“Too bad, I want Sehun though, because he’s smarter than you and I don’t have to worry about my grades.” Kyungsoo said, missing the pain on Jongin’s face as he started walking away to the cafeteria to meet Luhan.

Not satisfied of the result of the conversation, Jongin grabbed the shorter boy’s arm and dragged him away from the cafeteria. Feeling the other trying to get out from his grip, he didn’t bother letting go but tightened his grasp instead.

“Kim Jongin! I don’t have time for useless conversations!” Kyungsoo yelled.

It took the tanned boy by surprise. It was the first time he heard Kyungsoo yell at him with an angry tone in his voice. He instantly halted and let go of the other’s arm. “I’m sorry.”

“What do you want?” Kyungsoo furrowed his eyesbrows.

Jongin panicked. “I… you…” Looking at his love’s annoyed face made him lose focus. “Kyungsoo… is it... is it because I’m gay?”

The doe-eyed boy’s expression changed from annoyed to confused to surprised. “So you’re really gay?”

“N-No.”

“It’s not that I mind, Jongin. I was just joking yesterday.” He looked sorry this time with an apologetic smile. “I don’t have anything against gays but seriously, it’s not about that. I have my reasons.”

Jongin’s lips turned ‘o’, realizing that he just admitted his hidden uality to Kyungsoo. Could there be more embarrassing than that? “Kyungsoo…are you gay?”

The shorter male looked even more confused.

I offended him! He’s not gay! I’m going to live with this one-sided love forever! I’ve been living a lie! I--!

“Yeah, why?”

Jongin was expressionless, mixed with hidden emotions of shock, happiness and embarrassment.

Kyungsoo waved his hands in front of the frozen tanned boy. “Earth to Jongin.”

He’s gay!

When he didn’t receive any response, he turned his back and started heading towards the cafeteria to meet Luhan.

“Dude, where did you go?” Sehun asked, digging through his food when a spacing out Jongin appeared with an idiotic smile plastered on his face. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

Sitting down across Sehun, he grabbed the other’s chopsticks and food tray. “He’s gay, Sehun. He’s gay.”

The fact of Kyungsoo being gay was enough for Jongin to ignore Junmyeon who was actually chatting with his love. All he could think of the afternoon was how to ask Kyungsoo out. The bell rang for dismissal and everyone hurried out, celebrating in the hallways as they left, leaving Kyungsoo and Jongin alone in the room.

Kyungsoo took his glasses off and placed it on his desk as he searched for a piece of cloth to clean the glasses. When he found it, he reached out for his glasses on the desk but it wasn’t there anymore. He was oblivious to Jongin’s presence and due to his bad eye sight, all he managed to see was a blurred figure of someone in front of him.

Jongin held the glasses in front of the other boy’s face, amused that Kyungsoo seemed to look through him. “You can’t see me?”

“Jongin?” He asked to make sure though he’s a hundred and one percent sure the voice belongs to Kim Jongin. “I have very bad eye sight, idiot. Give me back my glasses.”

“A moment.” He said, trying on the glasses and groaned painfully at the sight. “Man, you really have a very bad eye sight.” He removed the glasses and hesitated to give it to the owner when he found a piece of cotton cloth in the owner’s hand. “Let me clean it for you.” He grabbed the cloth away and wiped the lenses carefully.

Kyungsoo sighed, knowing he had no choice but wait. “Jongin, you’re really weird today. What’s up with you?” He inquired.

“Inspired and in-love.”

The doe-eyed sneered.   “In-love?”

Jongin beamed, aware that Kyungsoo can’t see it. “Interested?”

“Quite, yes. I never expected a douche like Kim Jongin would be in-love.” He laughed, reaching his hands out to the front, searching for his galsses.

The tanned boy froze, his heart beat was unstable again. His heart-shaped lips. He’s laughing so warmly only for me. He flinched when he felt a pair of hands in his, taking the glasses from his grip.

Wearing his eyeglasses back, he was stopped midway when a hand held his wrist. Again, his eyeglasses were taken away. “Hey! Give that back! My eyes hurt!”

“Close your eyes for a while.” Jongin commanded, silently placing the accessory on top of Sehun’s empty desk, and kneeled down in front of Kyungsoo’s.

The doe-eyed was left with no choice but to close his eyes. Feeling a pair of hands cupping his face, he quickly moved away but failed. He opened his eyes and can barely distinguish the sight. “Stop taking advantage of my eye sight.” He whimpered, holding Jongin’s wrists and pulled them away, earning a chuckle from the other. “Is my disability funny to you?”

“No.”

He swore he just felt something brush against his lips.

“I should have done this a long time ago.”

He can feel Jongin’s warm breath against his face. One slight move and he’ll be touching the other’s face with his. He felt his hands guided towards Jongin’s face. “What are you doing?”

“Asking you out.”

“What?”

“I like you, Kyungsoo.”

Disbelieving, Kyungsoo closed his eyes to ease the pain from his eyes. “Just because you knew I’m gay you’re making fun of me again.”

“I’m gay too, Kyungsoo. That’s why I like you.” He cupped his love’s face with his hands once again, letting Kyungsoo’s hands slip down his face, and the moment he had been waiting for came. Claiming those heart-shaped lips with his was one of the best things he had been craving for years. He didn’t feel the other respond to the kiss nor made any rejection from it. When he pulled away, Kyungsoo was frozen yet his face was flushed with bright red. “You like it?”

“I… m-my glasses.” He stuttered, moving his hands carefully everywhere.

“I’ll give it to you if you agree to have a date with me.”

“You’re leaving me no choice, Jongin.”

The tanned boy victoriously smiled and gave Kyungsoo back his eyeglasses.

“Aish…” Kyungsoo winced as he wore his eyeglasses back and glared at the person in front of him who was still smiling. “You abused me.”

“Whatever, let’s go.” He stood up and grabbed the other’s bag and headed out the door.

The doe-eyed frustratingly sighed and trailed behind Jongin. “I don’t mind dating you, Jongin, but please don’t take advantage of my weaknesses.”

Jongin looked back, slinging Kyungsoo’s bag in his shoulder, and reached out his free arm to wrap it around the shorter male’s waist. “No promises, Kyungsoo.” He jokingly said, earning a harsh nudge on his rib. “Ouch! I was just kidding but man, I have underestimated your strength.”

Kyungsoo was pleased and smiled warmly at him.