They'd been saying it since then ... quietly, almost in mumbles ... as if saying it too loudly would make it less real. But he was happy it was finally out there. He was happy that he could finally say it without trying to swallow it down because it felt too soon.

In their time together, he began to realize that there aren't really any formals to the way one composes romantic affairs. There isn't a rule-book or a guideline and one can go as fast or slow as they choose.

Such a simple phrase, but it packed so much meaning.

'Saranghae'

The best part though had to be how often Kyungsoo would say it; even though Kai had introduced the phrase to their relationship, it was as if the older had been longing for it the whole time. It unlocked a final freedom for them and maybe that's why Soo seemed to celebrate it so much. Now there was only one thing standing in their way.

Park Chanyeol.

He was the final challenger to unadulterated, full commitment. Kyungsoo had been very careful not to utter his love when Chanyeol wasn't around and that made things hard. It often became restricted to when they were on campus or when they were studying or cooking or doing something that the giant wasn't involved in.

Even the one time he wanted to hear it most, right before going to bed at night, was robbed of him by Yeol's presence. They still all three slept in their little sandwich with Chanyeol & Kai buns and a Kyungsoo patty.

The only progress that had been made at getting the giant out was how much Kai had weaned the older's stream of intimacy with the giant down to a trickle. It was maybe once or twice a week now which was a far cry from how often it had been when Yeol first got there.

But progress is progress and this budge did seem like a big deal. He was getting some time with Kyungsoo too ... wonderful, wonderful intimate time as well that he truly adored. Maybe his jealousy should be completely gone by now, but it wasn't.

He couldn't help the intrinsic desire to have Kyungsoo as his own and while he didn't consider the older property, his instincts certainly wanted to defend him in such a way. It wasn't something he was proud of, but it was something that he felt in the very core of his being.

Sehun's words were burning into his skin, tendrils of smoke assaulting him in their assent; his friend hadn't just hit the nail on the head, he'd pile-drived it through the wood.

Saranghae with Kyungsoo had made him clear, as had their lovemaking, or the dates he'd taken him on, or any of the other gestures. But that didn't swipe the insecurity out from his anxieties.

Because for all of that, Chanyeol was still more charming ... Chanyeol was still quicker with his filthy wit and had more cash by the day. The giant just had that aura about him, as if you'd known each other forever, and he was exploiting it to get ahead with Kyungsoo as he had been the whole time.

Maybe Kai was frustrating that crusade, but that didn't mean his 'competition' had lost yet; maybe he'd retreated from a battle, but there was still a war raging on.

This was oddly one of his favorite things to do, to lie in bed and think like this and let his mind spin all of it's complicatedness out while he just let his body rest and recharge. All of the craziness drained away in time for him to be himself and it usually helped to get him out of his head.

In the past he'd always done this to get ready for dancing, as he needed complete and total focus to land something that was usually so complicated, but he'd begun applying it to everday life since he'd gotten to Seoul. And in matters of Kyungsoo, he found it very helpful in getting him over all his love sickness and placing him back in the real world.

Of course he often drifted off back in this realm of romanticism, as it is hard to escape thoughts of the older, but surprisingly this little method lessened the burden from what it could have been.

Softly he ran his fingers through Kyungsoo's hair, felt the smooth strands brush against his skin, a sea of red eating his touch before finally spitting them back out. Another favorite thing of his to do since he'd began sleeping in the same bed as the older ... he'd loved just looking at Kyungsoo and analyzing every inch of his skin.

It was as if he was memorizing all the features in front of him, all the curve of the lips to the tip of the cute nose. The messy hair, the pretty lids, the soft skin of the older's beautiful body.

Kyungsoo was the most beautiful person he'd ever met in his entire life and he was so naturally this way that it baffled Jongin.

Sure he went through some pruning routines as even the most stunning must; of course, his were a little more unconventional than any other boy, but the older wasn't just a boy, was he.

Where other men Kai had dated went through appearance care motions that consisted of slicking up hair with gel, musky after-shave, or any of the other assortment of things that guys had to do, Kyungsoo took things a step forward. As he did in life, he mingled bits of masculine and chunks of feminine.

For instance, he shaved his face (which barely needed to happen in the first place), but he also shaved his legs. It was a long time before he figured out why the older kept women's razors in t