In the fall of 2011, the leaves had just accepted their new colors of rustic maroon and orange. A slight crimson hint blushed cheeks and it was a fresh start for most. Kim Jongin had finally enough saved for college. The apartment was a gift from his favorite high school teacher. The long tedious hours at Denny's scrubbing tables and night shifts at Walgreen's had sufficied and he could wave farewell to the life he had from before.

His teacher advised him that Jongin split the apartment, the modest two bedroom was quite empty as to only Jongin occupied one of the rooms and the sparse kitchen contained a box of Ziploc bags and an orange. Jongin posted ads throughout the college campus and to his surprise, he got many offers. But when bound in gray cashmere and a large grin, Kim Jongdae leaped into the apartment, Jongin mentally dropped all the submissions. He knew he was the one. 

Jongdae was a first year as well and was extremely bright. Jongin intently watched the small caramel haired boy hang rosy pink and white lanterns throughout the tiny living room and post various pictures of vibrant paintings and tapestries. Kim Jongdae admired the simplicity and coziness of the small apartment and was happy to find a place to stay as well. 

They both traveled the college campus together, searching for different classes. The warm currents of wind were spiked with hints of cold as it blew and created a nice rosiness to Jongdae's cheeks making Jongin laugh. Awkward as they looked with one another, Jongin being tall and long figure and all, he saw Jongdae as an adorable elf as he was tinier in size but his talkativeness made up for it. Jongdae was naturally talkative as Jongin was naturally taciturn, and he enjoyed it. Instead of engaging a lot in the conversation, he listened about Jongdae's stories that were interesting. Jongin was genuinely intrigued by the lively caramel haired boy. From Jongdae's point of view, he also enjoyed Jongin's company as he liked talking and Jongin's laughs made him smile.

"So what are you majoring in?" Jongin glanced down at Jongdae's eyes shyly and he returned a small grin.

"Marketing and Business," Jongin was a little embarassed that his interests weren't as abstract and eccentric as the majors Jongdae was doing, Art History and Architecture. 

As ecstatic in the moment as he was, he couldn't help but feel like he wasn't putting enough effort into the conversations as he should. He wasn't used to having people that would meander with as he didn't have much friends growing up. But Jongdae made him feel comfortable in his own skin, creating a beam on his face. 

 

________

 

After two months of living with one another, Jongin's feelings only progressed as he would lay in bed watching the clock tick to 7:35 a.m. The ringing of electric blues encountered and hummed Jongin's ears delightfully with Jongdae's early bird yawn. He also discovered new things about the caramel haired boy making him more extroadinary than anyone he had ever met. 

First of all, he didn't like his coffee bland. He added, in Jongin's eyes, an absurd amount of sugar and an excessive pour of vanilla coated milk into his steaming mug of coffee. Sometimes, if he was being especially remarkable that morning, he would amplify the already sugar coated drink with hints of nutmeg or cinnamon. Jongin would smirk as he sipped his mundane French roast with an exception of maybe a bag of brown sugar as he watched Jongdae stir his sweetened drink aorund with a spoon. 

"Ridiculous, is it even called coffee anymore?" Jongin mumbled playfully as Jongdae returned a scowl. 

"It's good," Jongdae shot back sweetly. "Happy things are always sweet."

Jongin rolled his eyes heaving a dramatic sigh as he genuinely thought to himself. Are they always? 

Dropping his half finished mug into the sink, he crept over and poked Jongin's stomach with amusement and glanced up at his face.

"Are you sleeping enough? Look at those dark circles, you look like a panda," Jongdae worried as he pointed to Jongin's deep eyebags. He tisked as Jongin swatted his hands away.

"I'm fine Jongdae, hurry up or else you'll be late to class," Jongin retorted, having it coming out more harshly than he expected. Jongdae held up his hands in defense and scrambled to his room to change as he glanced as the wall clock. A few minutes later, the small caramel haired boy rushed out the door with a brief goodbye and paced out to his morning routine. 

It was painful to be living under the same roof with the unrequited love, but concurrently, Jongin loved every second of it.

_______

 

On the first Monday of November, Jongdae proposed that they should skip a day of school.

"And why is that?" Jongin had replied with a chuckle as they both sat around their compact kitchen table.

"Let's go to the beach." Jongdae had responded back. He gazed out the window and rare beams of sunlight brushed against his caramel hair creating a glowing effect making Jongin's lips quiver. He was beautiful.

"Fine," he sipped his coffee and waiting for a reply as a large smile spread across Jongdae's ivory face. 

"Really? It's just that I've never been before," he laughed lightly. Jongin was surprised how this cheerful boy could have never been to the beach before. He had only been there once, but he had remembered every moment of it. A small grin made its way onto Jongin and Jongdae raised his eyebrows. Grabbing Jongin's hands, he pulled him out the door.

"Tell me all about it, your first time at the beach," Jongdae skipped excitedly to the passenger seat of Jongin's car. He rolled his eyes amusingly at Jongdae's ecstatic behavior but snagged his car keys and in a few mintues, they were down the highway gazing out into the side windows. 

"So, enlighten me please," Jongdae peered at Jongin with immense puppy eyes and he laughed with delight. 

"Well, I've only been once,' Jongin started but Jongdae urged for more details. "It was with my family. I was maybe five, or something like that." 

Jongin stuttered embarassingly as to no one was ever genuinely interested in what he had to say. 

"So we went to the beach. It was in the summer and I was scared of going in the water. I watched shows where, you know, sharks and stuff. My dad said it was okay and he kinda pushed me in so I fell over and I remember my mom screaming. A huge wave like washed over me and for a few seconds, I couldn't breathe, I just remember thinking I was going to die. But the wave eventually went away, and I took like this huge big breath of air and- I guess, it felt good. And my mom and dad, rushed over to me, and they asked if I was alright. " 

Glancing over to Jongdae, he saw Jongdae with his head leaned onto the headrest looking at him intensely. 

"How did it feel when you took that big breath, besides it being good, was it relief?" Jongdae asked softly. Jongin pretended to focus on the road ahead of him, but he was engulfed in the thoughts. 

"It wasn't the relief that was after the wave," Jongin whispered. "It was when my parents came up to me, they haven't gave a about me in years. But it's not like I need to bore anyone with this type of stuff."

The three words that came after out of Jongdae's mouth made Jongin bite his lip and forced the tears in.

"Then bore me."