It was the second week of kindergarten. Suho watched with usual distaste as the other children pushed each other into the mud over recess and fought over a football.  Sighing, he took out his towel and spread it onto the bench, before reaching into his Pokemon backpack for the book his brother had lent him and the healthy snack his mother had packed.  As Suho munched happily on his baby carrots, his attention was diverted by a worrying sight.  There was another boy sitting alone on the playground, seemingly fascinated by the woodchips at his feet. He didn’t appear to have any friends, nor any concern that his pants were getting dirty from the germs on the ground.

Well, that just wouldn’t do!  Suho finished his carrots, carefully wiped his mouth with his monogrammed handkerchief, folded up his towel, and marched over to the hunched figure.

“Hi! Do you want to join my book club?”

The boy lifted his head.  He had the largest pair of eyes Suho had ever seen. He also, inexplicably, had a pair of matches in one hand and a lighter in the other.

“No. I’m busy.”

Suho smiled understandingly. He knew how important it was for people to stick to their schedules.

“It’s okay, I can wait.  How about in fifteen minutes?”

“No.”

“It’s okay, take your time!”  Suho unfolded his towel and set it on the ground next to the boy.  He then sat cross-legged on the fluffy cloth and pulled out his current bit of light reading recommended by his brother--How to Form Interpersonal Skills. “I’ll wait right here!  Tell me when you’re done.”

Suho happily busied himself with Chapter 12, missing the incredulous glare the other boy was shooting him.

That afternoon, a beautiful friendship was born.

Ten years later, Suho and Kyungsoo’s friendship was still going strong.

“Kyungsooooo,” Suho whined, burying his face into Kyungsoo’s back.  Kyungsoo barely reacted.  His eyes were fixed on the computer screen in front of him as he attacked an army of goblins with a well-aimed Earthquaking spell.

“Get off of me. I’m in the middle of something.”

“Kyungsooooo, I don’t know what to dooooo.”

“Did you get a 99 on your test or something?” Kyungsoo sighed, still engrossed in Goblinscape.

Suho gasped.  “Of course not.”  Suho had not scored double-digits since that traumatic day in junior high, when the “95” in red ink glared up at him through his blurry vision.  He had spent half an hour crying over the disappointment in the bathroom closet, until Kyungsoo had picked the lock, stormed in and stood next to him with folded arms, staring down at him until Suho was too creeped out to cry any longer.

“Then what is it?  Damn!  Die!  Die, you stupid--”

“I’m in love.”

Now that got Kyungsoo's attention.  His hand slipped on the mouse. “What?”

“She’s perfect, Kyungsoo."  Suho sighed.  "She has long hair, excellent grades—not as good as mine, of course—and a similar appreciation of literature.  I definitely love her.”   Kyungsoo remained strangely silent; even the click-clicking of his mouse had stopped. “But of course, I would like your advice before I rush into any hasty decisions. Dating is a big step, after all. What do you think about Seohyun—“

Kyungsoo suddenly pushed Suho off his shoulder. Game forgotten, he jumped out of his seat and bolted out of the room without a word.

Suho stared after him, hurt.  He had just poured out his heart to his best friend, and as usual Kyungsoo reacted by pouring a metaphoric bucket of cold water over his feelings.

“Stupid Kyungsoo,” Suho almost grumbled, before he caught himself.  That wasn’t a nice thing to say. Suho Kim was a nice person.

“Kyungsoo, I am very mad at you.”

No, too strong.  Suho Kim did not get mad; that was for people who lacked self-discipline.

 “Kyungsoo, I am slightly disappointed in your behavior.”

Better.

“I had hoped that nine years and ten months of friendship would make you sympathetic to my plight, but I can see that I have misplaced my trust.”

Good.  Excellent.  Taking a deep breath, Suho knocked firmly on Kyungsoo’s bedroom door.

“M-Mom?”  Kyungsoo’s voice sounded off, but Suho was too fired up with indignation to notice.  He marched in.

“Actually, it’s me.  Kyungsoo, I—“ His carefully-planned speech collapsed.

Kyungsoo was curled up on his bed, facing away, sniffling into his shirtsleeves.  Suho gasped, his heart twisting at the sight of his friend’s distress. He had never seen Kyungsoo cry before. Suho suddenly felt a strange bubbling rage directed at whatever monster had caused this, and he had to remind himself that it wasn't nice to have murderous thoughts.

“Soo?  Soo, what’s wrong?”

“Suho?!  Wha--go away!” Kyungsoo’s muffled voice yelled between sniffles.

“Why?  What happened?  Did someone hurt you?  Tell me.  My father is the principal.  He can suspend the jerk!" Suho rubbed Kyungsoo's arm; it only served to fuel more crying.  "Kyungsoo, come on, please, talk to me.”

“No. You’ll hate me.”

“Of course I won’t!  You can tell me anything.”

Kyungsoo mumbled. Suho had to learn in to hear better.  “…S-Seohyun…”

Seohyun? Who...oh, right.  The woman Suho was madly in love with.  “Yes, yes, what about Seohyun?”

Kyungsoo didn’t answer.  He buried his face into his sheets.  Suho spent the rest of the afternoon patting and cajoling and hugging his limp friend, but Kyungsoo still refused to tell him what was wrong.

It was only later at home, as Suho stumbled upon his older sister bawling over the current episode of a heartwrenching drama--the heroine was currently caught between two equally attractive lovers--that Suho realized the source of his friend’s distress.

It was so obvious!

Kyungsoo was also in love with Seohyun.  How could Suho have not recognized this universal coming-of-age trope playing out in his own life?

As Hot Dark-Haired Lover exchanged glares with Hot Childhood Friend onscreen to the backdrop of dramatic music, Suho decided that he had to fix things.

Suho presented his concerns to Kyungsoo the next day, making sure to maintain firm eye contact.  How to Form Interpersonal Skills had stressed the importance of open communication in the face of conflict. Suho recognized this was an awkward situation, but he didn’t want this roadbump to end their precious friendship.  He hoped Kyungsoo agreed.

Kyungsoo listened to Suho’s earnest speech without a word, his eyes downcast.  Suho trailed off as he stared anxiously at Kyungsoo.

“Well…you’re a better person than I am,” said Kyungsoo finally, dully.  “So it’s okay.  I won’t stand in your way.”

Suho exhaled in relief and beamed smugly, pleased that hours of poring over his brother’s book had paid off.  But then he took one look at Kyungsoo’s listless expression and hesitated.  No, this wouldn’t do!  Suho Kim was a nice person.  If Kyungsoo was willing to give up the woman he loved, then Suho couldn’t possibly not do the same.  What would people say if they knew?

“No, I won’t stand in your way either,” Suho said firmly, keeping the disappointment out of his voice.  Good-bye, Seohyun.  Goodbye, perfectly matched GPA. “Y-you’re a n-nice person too.”  But not as nice as me--wait, no, that's not a nice thought. “You should ask her out, Soo.”

“No, you should. You're nicer."

“No, you're nicer." Suho was not to be outdone.  "I insist.”

“No, you are.”

“You are.”

“No.”

“Yes."

"No."

"Yes--this is childish.”  Suho gave a frustrated sigh. 

Kyungsoo bit his lip, observing Suho carefully out of the corner of his eye. To Suho’s astonishment, Kyungsoo suddenly flung himself into Suho's arms and hugged tightly, burying his face into Suho’s neck.  Suho’s arms came naturally to circle Kyungsoo’s torso.  He sputtered in shock at Kyungsoo’s uncharacteristic behavior.

"Suho," Kyungsoo mumbled into Suho's neck.  "We should date."

"Yes, of course--wait--what--I--"

“You want to date her.  I want to date her.  So, we should obviously date."

Suho was confused. (It was not a feeling he particularly enjoyed.) He was sure there was something logically unsound about Kyungsoo’s proposition, but he didn’t want to sound stupid—not when Kyungsoo was speaking as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.  Suho Kim hated sounding stupid.

It was also somehow difficult to think properly when the other boy was practially cuddling into him.

“Well…uh, I guess that seems practical…I think…”

Suho’s confusion grew as Kyungsoo drew back to give Suho a wide-eyed smile, his eyes sparkling and his mouth forming into a heart shape that Suho loved so much.

Wait, love?

“Great.”  Kyungsoo leaned in to kiss him on the cheek.  Suho’s heart flip-flopped. “Then let’s go watch a movie together tomorrow.  I was thinking Chainsaw Killer Grudge 3, if that’s okay?”

“S-sure…”  Suho stared after Kyungsoo as his friend--wait, or boyfriend? Suho wasn’t sure anymore--walked off, feeling strangely like he had been tricked somehow…but no, that was impossible.  Suho Kim was too smart to be tricked, especially not by his nice best friend.

Back home and in the safety of his bedroom, Kyungsoo sat down on his bed to review the day’s events.  He allowed himself only one minute to squeal and flail into his pillow, before sitting up and reassuming his stoic expression.  Reaching underneath his mattress, he pulled out his journal, unlocking it and flipping it to a carefully bookmarked page.  On it was the list of things Kyungsoo aspired to complete by the age of thirty-five, from ruling Goblinscape to beating stupid Baekhyun for the solo.

With satisfaction, he crossed out item #21: getting Suho to date me.

The next item read, #22: making Suho fall in love with me.

Kyungsoo smirked.  That shouldn’t be too hard.