Jonghyun and Kibum were still playing a game of cat and mouse till someone gave in. 

 

For Jinki and Minho however, things were a bit greener. 

 

"So let me get this straight, he just came up to you in lunch time and asked you to homecoming? Just like that? No previous conversations? Nothing?!" Kibum's voice grew shriller and shriller as he followed Jinki to the student council office.

 

Jinki sighed dreamily while he picked up a few files off his desk, "Isn't it wonderful? Me! A little loner going to homecoming with the supernatural world's finest! He's top rank you know. It's like dating a king!"

 

"Rank? What would that make Jonghyun then?"

 

"Hm," Jinki paused scanning the label of a folder, " A mutt. Lowest of the low. Also considering that he's twelfth in line for alpha meaning he'll never be top rank in his own class. It's like a peasant to the king."

 

 

Kibum grew silent. Now it sort of makes sense why Jonghyun acts the way he does. He always gets a little depressed when he talks about his brothers and how useless he finds any effort in studying. It's actually kind of sad. Kibum cousins imagine being compared to eleven older brothers who are all bigger and stronger than you. It pains him he's just now figuring this out when it had been occurring everyday. 

 

"Anything else exciting?" Kibum asked softly. Jinki shook his head and walked out of the office with Kibum closely in tow. 

 

"Something wrong? You've got quiet all of a sudden."

 

"I'm just thinking about how miserable Jonghyun must feel all the time." The raven haired boy said softly, "I mean imagine having to constantly prove you're not a good for nothing by being the MoonBall team's star player because your grades and family relations aren't strong? I can't even begin to comprehend the emotional damage that must cause."

 

"And yet he's always smiling. Fascinating isn't it? I think despite it all he doesn't let those things drag him down...until you enter the picture." Kibum knitted his brows together from Jinki's words and pressed for more.

 

"What do you mean? I haven't done anything to him." Kibum quickly defended himself. The stitched male shook his head and laughed softly.

 

"No no. I didn't mean it in a negative way. I'm not blind, Kibum. The look of desire in Jonghyun's eyes is hard to miss when they aren't directed at you all the time. He's afraid to get close to you because of what I just told you. He doesn't feel adequate to deserve you. It's foolish but that's how he feels." Jinki walked steadily infront of him looking through the papers he had picked up, most likely club activity stats. 

 

That Jonghyun doesn't deserve him? Now that was absurd. How could he possibly feel that way? So what some stupid social ranking says he's about dirt, Kibum still loved him the same! He was just a diamond waiting to be found, that's all.

 

Jinki turned around, sensing the younger boy was too silent for too long only to find he was completely alone. He grinned and turned back around, humming the tune the band played at last year's homecoming. 

 

"I keep you with me in my heart, you make it easier when life gets hard..."

 

 

 

Kibum's sneakers slapped on the marble flooring as he ran through the hall to his dorm. He needed to tell Jonghyun now. He was done playing these senseless games and waiting for the other to break. He was going to tell him straight up he loved him. Kibum jammed the iron key into its lock and opened the door into the main room. 

 

However he was stopped dead in his tracks. 

 

 

 

There was a dog tangled up, snuggled in his sheets whining.

 

 

 

And no he wasn't talking about Jonghyun this time. It was a literal dog. It was a massively large German Shepard in his dorm. Its tail swung slowly as the dog continued to cry completely unaware of Kibum's presence. What was he supposed to do? He wasn't expecting to find a massive dog in his dorm! He took a step in carefully and the dog's ears pointed upwards. 

 

"N-Nice doggy..." He prompted with a small voice as the Shepard craned his head to look at Kibum. 

 

The dog watched him curiously, almost alarmed at the same time. Something about its eyes though stuck Kibum as familiar. Where had he seen them before. It jumped off the bed and approached Kibum at an alarming pace. He let out a shrill scream and fell back, his hands up in defense in case it decided to eat his face off. 

 

But the attack never came. 

 

In fact, the Shepard sat quietly between Kibum's leg, whining even more. 

 

"Oh...you're not a mean dog at all are you? I still don't get how you ended up in here...are you Jonghyun's?" Kibum petted it's ears. The dog barked at the sound of Jonghyun's name and shook his head. 

 

"Then...who do you belong to?" 

 

The German Shepard suddenly ran into the bathroom, the door closing behind it. Kibum scrambled up and chased after it

 

"Doggy? Come back here!" 

 

 

"Don't call me that! It's embarrassing!" A voice clearly not the dog's yelled back from the other side of the door.

 

 

 

"Jonghyun, is that you?!" Kibum asked with words dripping in utter confusion.

 

"Yes, that was me. I was the dog okay! I didn't think you would be home so soon so I shifted thinking you wouldn't be back for a while! Just...just leave me be! I know you're secretly making fun of me..." It sounded like he was sobbing on the other side of the bathroom door. Kibum's heart fell to the pit of his stomach. 

 

 

He was ashamed of himself. That's why he didn't feel deserving. 

 

 

Kibum swallowed thickly and leant on the door frame, "I'm not making fun of you. I'm more concerned with the fact of why you were crying when I came back...something the matter?"

 

 

 

No response; more sobbing. 

 

 

"Jonghyun...please open up."

 

 

He sniffled, "No! I just want to be alone!"

 

"Please? Locking yourself up in the bathroom crying isn't going to solve anything. And...I have something to tell you. Actually, it's really important." Kibum waited until the door unlocked itself and slowly swung inward. 

 

Jonghyun walked out, his eyes red and puffy from crying. He looked like a mess, an emotional one at that. 

 

"What."

 

"Oh don't be like that. Cmon, let's go sit and I'll tell you okay?" Kibum made the effort to smile and grabbed the shorter boy's hand, guiding him over to sit on his bed. 

 

"Do you want to tell me first why you were crying?"

 

Jonghyun inhaled sharply, wiping away his tears, "Coach kicked me off the team. My science grade is too low to keep me on the team according to the school's requirements...I can't come back till its up to at least a C....Kibum I have a low D in that class! Plus I'm an idiot how am I ever going to bring that up?! I should just drop out..." 

 

"I would never forgive you if you did that. You are not an idiot, in fact you're very smart."

 

"You're just saying that."

 

"No...actually I'm not. Remember when I helped you study for your math test? How easily you understood after I explained just once? Jonghyun you are a genius you just don't have the confidence in you to bring yourself to that level. Which sort of brings me to what I have to say..." Kibum trailed off. 

 

Jonghyun waited, his blood shot eyes waiting for Kibum to speak.

 

This was it, the pause before the shot.

 

"What I wanted to say was... I was talking to Jinki and he told me some things about you--"

 

"Wait," Jonghyun stopped him, "About what?"

 

"Hold on, it isn't bad. He told me some things I was having trouble figuring out on my own. Because I can't read your mind I have a hard time reading you. Why is that so important? Well...it's because I have a huge, huge crush on you, Jonghyun. It literally hurts to sleep in the same room as you and not be able to tell you that. I was really scared to tell you because I thought you would reject me...but after what Jinki told me today I had decided to tell you here and now."

 

Jonghyun blinked slowly as Kibum continued, "I know all about this whole social ranking bull that you're worried about. How you think I would rather have someone who's the pack alpha or someone who's valedictorian. But let me tell you something, I don't care about any of that. I still liked you even when I saw you sleeping in class and drooling and trust me, that takes a lot coming from me. Jonghyun you are so genuine and kind that it's unfair. Heck, you even bought me expensive sunglasses two weeks ago! If anything you're pulling me closer not pushing me further. So please, even if you don't feel the same way, do not feel like you're not worth the ground you stand on because believe me, you are." 

 

 

Kibum inhaled and exhaled deeply waiting for some sort of reaction from the other boy, but received none. Just a blank expression connected to mind he couldn't access. 

 

 

"Even after I made you ate unicorn balls...you say this..." Jonghyun spoke barely above a whisper, his Adam's apple bobbing with a large gulp. 

 

"That's nearly not the problem..." Kibum looked down at his sheets. 

 

Slowly, the werewolf cracked a smile while looking at the raven haired boy before him. 

 

"You are too cute." He cooed and smooched Kibum's cheek loudly. Kibum blinked slowly, was that a yes or no?

 

"Um...thanks..." 

 

"That was a yes by the way. I'm a bit upset that it had to happen this way...I wanted to confess in a grand way but you beat me to it. Oh well! Now come here you big sap you! Such a lovely speech!" Jonghyun pounced on the taller boy, causing Kibum to tell then laugh.

 

"J-JONG! Don't do that! Kyah! I-I'm ticklish!" He said in fits of laughter as he was assaulted with the werewolve's kisses from all angles. Slowly the attack subsided until they lay forehead against forehead in comfortable silence.

 

"I've been dying to say this...but I always thought you were beautiful..." Jonghyun whispered, his breath tickling Kibum's lips. 

 

Kibum internally leaped for joy, only managing to give a bashful giggle in return. 

 

"You're a dork."

 

"Ah yes, but I'm your dork." 

 

•••

 

"How long have they been at it?"

 

Kai glanced at his watch, "Seven minutes and three seconds."

 

"I swear new couples really over do it." Taemin sunk his teeth into a blood cake as he watched Kibum and Jonghyun act all lovely dovey with each other. 

 

"Yeah, but weren't we like that? I kissed you a lot." 

 

"Yeah but we weren't annoying, I think..." Kai laughed softly and watched the two with fond eyes.