“So who are you going to prom with?” Jinki asked as he and Kibum made their way through the vacant halls, their footsteps and voices bouncing off the lockers. There were already late for school and rushing wasn’t necessary since the doors were locked.

Kibum’s heart picked up. “No.” He replied quickly. He was operating on a don’t- ask- don’t- tell policy by choosing not to tell Jinki that Jonghyun had been making hints at asking him out. They were so obvious to the ever perceptive Kibum but he couldn’t give Jonghyun a definite answer for he was waiting on one particular person to ask him out, hopefully. “How about you?”

Jinki laughed and shook his head. “No one’s gonna ask me.”

“What makes you think that?”

Jinki stopped walking just as Kibum did. They exchanged stares, their expressions tamed and unnatural giving no opportunity to reveal their true emotional states. “I don’t think that. I know for sure.” Jinki said and resumed walking, having Kibum to jog up to fall into his steps. The air around them suddenly became heavy with tension as they continued to with increased hurried steps. Jinki held his text books closer to his chest while looking forward whereas Kibum sent furtive glances his way.

“This year will be different.” Kibum assured with a small smile, obliterating the silence that cocooned them. Jinki only spared him a curious look before shaking his head and beginning talking about bacon.

***

Kibum was going to ask Jinki out. He wasn’t just going to stand around and probably wait in vain if the other didn’t take the initiative. Come on, they had gotten really close as of late with the constant group projects and with more time spent between themselves, the more  he grew to appreciate the other and the more he realized that he actually had feelings for Jinki. Jinki was too pleasant of a friend and classmate not to like and Kibum was beginning to think that this attraction may possibly, hopefully be mutual and not just mere affections that blossomed out of his control only to wither away. He would be old school and slip the letter into his friend’s locker on Friday.

Jinki on the other hand was torn between putting his invitation in the form of song or just asking Kibum to go out with him when they take the bus home tomorrow. At school Kibum was known as the artistic one, exuding energy and bursting with creativity. Jinki would like to do something that would amaze him but even thinking of such a thing was quite exhausting because each item he thought of sounded mediocre.

***

Jinki hurried to the classroom where he knew Kibum would be finishing up his Biology Lab. It was now or never. An unknown feeling had overcome and he was adamant on asking Kibum to prom irrespective of his potentially unexciting approach. A few minutes elapsed before the bell rang and students began to gather their belonging and file out of the classroom at a pace that make Jinki’s fingers shake with anxiety. Soon there was a rush in the hallway. A few familiar faces from the orchestra were walking briskly with their instruments in hand and he spotted Jonghyun running with a guitar in hand. Their hurried movements garnered attention from some students nearby who in turn fell in step with the music students. They forced through the door pushing Jinki aside in the process almost dropping the box of chocolates in his hold. A wave of hushed whispers and murmurs filled the hallways. The students and classmates were curious and so was Jinki just at the sight on the orchestra on that side of the campus.

“Kim Kibum!” Someone shouted and Jinki managed to peer inside from the window and other students were clustering to see as well.

“This one is for you.” Jinki recognized the voice as Jonghyun’s. His eyes then caught the expression of pure surprise on Kibum’s face amidst the squeals of his female classmates. It was obvious what would happen next and that thought alone made Jinki know that his attempt was fruitless before it was even attempted.

The orchestra members began playing which totally amazed Jinki and soon they came to an abrupt end. The strumming the guitar ensued and Jonghyun’s amazing voice filled the air and satiate the onlooker’s curiosity to an extent.

Then all of a sudden it clicked like a thousand gears in overdrive. Jonghyun was promposing to Kibum.

“Will you go to prom with me, Kim Kibum?”

By that time Kibum had his hand over his mouth amidst the resounding applause, chatter and squealing.

Everyone was chanting say yes say yes and Jinki was unwillingly chanting it in his mind as well because what Jonghyun did was superb and how could he ever top that.

“So what do you say, Kibum?” Jonghyun asked with a grin plastered on his face, confidence oozing from his very being.

Jinki didn’t stick around for the answer. He made his way out to the benches and waited until Kibum would emerge so they could take the bus home. Jinki felt defeated that he procrastinated and that the opportunity to ask Kibum out just slipped through his fingers. It wasn’t like Kibum expected anything from him. It wasn’t like he could conjure the thought of asking anyone to prom in that fashion

Soon Kibum was approaching with a handful of balloons but a glum expression.

“Congratulations.”

Kibum sighed in frustration. “I was basically forced to say ‘yes’.”

“Why so glum? What Jong did was absolutely superb .If he asked me like that I wouldn’t hesitate to accept.”

Kibum eyes snapped up to meet Jinki’s when he processed the other’s last sentence. Kibum looked into Jinki’s eyes for a while without saying anything.

“You wanted to go with Jonghyun.” He asked half-heartedly.

Jinki shook his head immediate and couldn’t help a giggle that escaped. “No. He’s alright but not the one I had in mind but it doesn’t matter now.”

“I just thought…” He didn’t finish, wishing the balloons he had in his grasp would take him  away from everything that happened just now.

**

Kibum cried when he went home. He was totally blindsided. Jinki didn’t even flinch when he told him that Jong asked him out.  Jonghyun overrode the chance of him asking Jinki out and it would have been rude to decline his proposal when he invested so much effort into it and he didn’t want to come across as a diva. Jinki had no interest in him then but he couldn’t have possibly read everything wrong, the movie outing, the bear hugs and the stares. It was absolutely hurtful thinking that someone you like doesn’t feel a fraction of what you feel for them.

***

Prom was two days away and Kibum was still feeling pretty down that he wasn’t going with Jinki, that he didn’t get to ask Jinki and that Jinki didn’t ask him.

“I’m not going.”

Kibum froze mid sip. “What? It’s our last year of high school we might as well enjoy it.”

“Says the person who has a date.” Jinki snapped and Kibum’s eyes widened. He sighed and rubbed his eyebrows. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m being petty.”

Kibum’s heart was hammering against his chest. He only nodded, not knowing how to respond or if he should burst into tears. If it was any one else he would have been mad but he was unexpectedly sad and Jinki’s behavior only made him believe that his friend liked Jonghyun.

***

The music was loud and so were the crazy teenagers littering the dance floor. Jinki was miserable. Kibum was over yonder having a great time with Jonghyun it seemed and that made him jealous. Believe or not, the date he managed to get at the very last minute  managed to ditch him for a classmate of his by the punch bowl. Feeling alone in a room full of people, Jinki advanced to the doors to get some fresh, night air.

Shortly, a familiar warmth engulfed him. Jinki turned around to be faced with a solemn looking Kibum.

“Why are you ditching your date, young man?” Jinki tried at a joke but Kibum silenced him with a kiss.

“I like you. I like you a lot, Jinki.” Kibum whispered never breaking eye contact with Jinki, who was frozen in place by the sudden confession. “I’m not having a great night. I’m not having fun. As a matter of fact I’m upset that I’m not with you on that dance floor in there.”

Jinki moved his hands from where they were awkwardly hanging at his sides and brought them to Kibum’s face. Kibum’s eyes were dancing back and forth in the moonlight filtering through the mesh of trees above them.

“Say something.” Kibum pleaded.

A grin emerged on Jinki’s face and brought his face closer to meet Kibum’s lips in kiss. Jinki felt Kibum relax in his embrace while his heart soared.

“Was that enough?”

Kibum’s face broke out into a wide grin. “Only if you do it again and again.”

When they broke apart, panting lightly they erupted din peals of giggles or how miserable they were for not saying anything the entire time.

“You go in and have the rest of the time with Jonghyun and we’ll have the rest of the winter.”

“Ok.”