ordinary love

[chansoo / fluff / 950 words / yeolstagram inspired]

Kyungsoo woke in the early morning of his birthday to a phone screen full of notifications. Groaning at the bright backlight beaming directly on his face, he squinted at the many well-wishing messages from families and friends. As he scrolled through the list, a small smile slowly bloomed on his sleepy face, and when he reached the last notification, his lips stretched into a full heart-shape.

12:00 a.m. Missed Call: Chanyeol (2)

Glancing at the time, 3:37 a.m., Kyungsoo decided to reply to Chanyeol by text rather than calling. With his cheek pressed into his pillow and his arms tucked beneath his comforter, only the phone and his fingers peeking out in the chilly night air, he fumbled with the keypad while squinting harder at the screen. He should really be wearing his glasses, but they were too far away for him to fetch without abandoning the warmth of his bed.

As soon he sent a reply, Chanyeol answered right away. Kyungsoo chuckled quietly and shook his head upon reading the other’s responses. The taller man has made a mistake about his schedule, but Kyungsoo didn’t mind much because he had never expected Chanyeol to remember his agendas anyway. ‘Why would he,’ he used to ask Jongdae, ‘it’s my work, he doesn’t need to remember both of our schedules. It’s just confusing, isn’t it?’

Jongdae simply smiled at him in the ‘I-know-something-you-don’t’ way and told him that he’s a thick-headed fool before walking away giggling to himself. It was only after Kyungsoo has received various heartening calls and random yet funny text messages from Chanyeol, each timed perfectly in between his jam-packed and stifling agenda, did it occurred to him why the gentle giant has tried so hard to keep his schedule in mind.

Really, it’s almost silly what people would do when they are in love.

Despite the clumsy method Chanyeol has chosen to show his love, it deeply touched Kyungsoo. Since then no matter how tired he was or how late he finished, Kyungsoo made sure to return all the calls and answer all the messages from Chanyeol, regardless how trivial sometimes their contents may be. Because he too loves Chanyeol, although he was even worse at expressing those affections, but his love is just as true.

The phone suddenly buzzed in Kyungsoo’s hands, making him twitch in surprise, and he picked up. A doting smile tangled off the corner of his lips as he spoke in a low husky voice, fatigue and sleepiness echoing in his words.

“It’s almost 4 in the morning, Chanyeol, why ar-”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYUNGSOO!!” the lanky man screamed loudly, and Kyungsoo cringed while pulling the phone away from his ears.

“It’s almost 4 in the morning, you idiot, tone your voice down!” Kyungsoo reprimanded his boyfriend in mild annoyance, but forgave the laughing man in a heartbeat, “why are you calling so late?”

“Well, I wanted to wish you a happy birthday of course!” Chanyeol chirped energetically despite the late hour, “and I wanted to hear your voice. I want to be the first person you talk to on your birthday because I want to be special to you.”

A fond smile re Kyungsoo’s face as he shifted to lying on his back. He pressed phone close to his ear as he listened to the faint inhales and exhales on the other end of the line. In the soft darkness, he could almost see Chanyeol’s grinning face before him, of how small crinkles would form beneath the taller man’s mirthful eyes and how his double rows of pearly whites would bedazzle the world with happiness.

“You are special,” Kyungsoo mumbled, flustered by his love’s honest words and his own confession. Chanyeol simply chuckled in reply, a deep and velvety rumble from the depth of his being, and they fall into a comfortable silence. Everything unsaid they’ve already understood. It has always been like this between them.

For a long while afterwards, they stayed on the phone, chatting about anything and everything that came to mind. It was mostly Chanyeol who talked while Kyungsoo hummed and listened, occasionally scoffing as well as laughing at the absurdity and wonderment that is Park Chanyeol. Into the early dawn, Kyungsoo let the taller man’s soothing voice cradle his mind and ease his fatigue until his eye lids are heavy with sleep again. Then as his consciousness drifted off to dreamland, Chanyeol’s voice resounded by his side. Soft and comforting, the gentle giant whispered: 

“Sweet dream, Kyungsoo. Have an awesome birthday.”

---

Sometimes, love is rather ordinary. It’s not always embellished by romantic words or promises of a lifetime. It’s concealed in a lingering look, a tender smile, a fleeting touch, and a brief exchange. It’s silent yet loud, hidden yet plain to the sight, only if you know how to listen and where to look. The sentiments and affections are entrenched in every moment of the life shared by the two people in love, each second, minute, hour, day and year they hold the other in endearing regards.

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol’s love is like that, rather ordinary. It’s not measured and valued by how many times they’ve said ‘I love you’, or how the world perceives of their relationship. They don’t need pretentious judgements and superfluous expectations to tell them just what they mean to each other. They already know: they mean the world to each other. Their love may be plain and humble, but it is also constant and timeless, and it will continue to carry them through their lives as best friends, trusted lovers, kindred spirits, and lasting companions.

Because that’s just how love is. That’s just how Kyungsoo and Chanyeol’s love is.

FIN. 

A/N: FFFFFFFFFFFF I feel so embarrassed writing this. I'm going to go bury myself now. Please remember to put that yeolstagram on my gravestone. Goodbye world!