As opposed to the majority, Yixing enjoyed Mondays. They were always calm and productive, beneficiating from all the energy renewed over the weekend. They were sort of the introduction to a new story, a story that didn’t always need to be the sequel to the previous week. They were inspiring, to say the least.

Like every Monday, Yixing sat in front of his computer, typing away the product of his wild and spontaneous imagination. Despite the environment being circumstantially different this particular week, the process was the same, generating that same liberating feeling.

Today, the young writer was hoping to finish the fifth chapter of a police novel he didn’t yet have a title for. Yixing much preferred writing on topics that were far away from his reality and the various disappointments it brought him. Getting away from his issues instead of seriously trying to get over them was a path he often seemed to take.

The writer was in the midst of a very detailed description of the atmosphere emitted from a dark alley when the house phone rang, bringing him back to the boringness of his own non-fictional universe.

“Hello.”

“Hi. May I speak to Mrs. Oh please?” A pleasant man’s voice spoke.

“She’s not here right now, can I take a message?”

“Do you know when she’ll back? This is Mr. Kim, Sehun’s teacher.” This piece of information threw Yixing off guard for a few seconds. Why would Sehun’s teacher be calling? Had something serious happened?

“Er… she’ll be back in a week, on Wednesday more precisely.”

“Oh, okay. Then are you the person in charge of Oh Sehun?” the man asked, tone incredulous.

“Ah, yes, that would be me. I should’ve mentionned that earlier, right? I’m sorry.” Yixing let out an awkward laugh.

As it turned out, Sehun had gotten himself into a playground fight, which was very surprising to Yixing since he knew Sehun as a calm and reserved kid. When Yixing’s good friend had asked him to be the six-year-old’s guardian for a week, he had no idea that his duties would include a visit to the school and the witnessing of a speech on the unnecessary use of violence.

~

Sehun’s classroom came into view way too quickly for Yixing’s liking. He had just finished walking up the stairs when he spotted the classroom number that Mr. Kim had given him over the phone.

It wasn’t in Yixing’s nature to be nervous, but in that moment he definitely was. He wasn’t a parent, and therefore wasn’t used to the responsibilities that came with it. He’d only accepted his friend’s request because she was a very good friend, and he didn’t actually have any good excuse to refuse.

It was passed class hours by then and the hallways were empty except for a janitor passing by with cleaning supplies. The door to Mr. Kim’s classroom was open, but both the latter and Sehun were bustling at their respective desks, focused, so Yixing knocked on the door frame for good measure. He was so obviously out of his element.

“Oh, Mr. Zhang, right? Come in, we were waiting for you.” The teacher got up from his chair and gestured to another one which was situated next to his desk. “Sehun, please put your pencil down and come join us.” At that point, Yixing should’ve paid attention to Sehun’s pout and slumped shoulders, but he was too entranced by the beauty that was Mr. Kim. Handsome didn’t even begin to describe how blessed this man’s features were. They were delicate, yet very masculine, and complimented by rich and soft-looking brown hair.

Once they were all seated, the teacher began, “Well, first of all, thank you for coming, I’m sure you have other important things to attend to, and I sure don’t enjoy requesting you here, but I thought it’d be better to talk this through with Sehun as soon as possible.”

“Of course, it’s only natural.” Yixing assured, keeping the professionalism.

Mr. Kim’s sweet smile seemed genuine, but faltered a bit when he spoke up again, “So as I told you over the phone, something quite serious happened with Sehun during lunch break. I didn’t witness it firsthand, but the supervisor told me everything she knew about it. Can you please tell us your version of the story, Sehun?”

For the first time since he’d come in, Yixing focused his attention on the little boy. Sehun’s response came very spontaneously. “He made fun of my lisp! He kept making fun of it since this morning! I told him to stop but he wouldn’t!”

“And you thought hitting him was the best solution to make him stop?” Yixing asked calmly, on the spur of the moment.

“I… He was so mean! And so annoying!,” the boy exclaimed, his lips turning into a pout.

Mr. Kim spoke up next. “I can understand that, Sehun, but I’m asking you again, why didn’t you come to me when he first made the comment?”

Sehun just shrugged.

Mr. Kim sighed and turned his attention to Yixing. “As you can see, I’ve had this conversation with Sehun earlier. As frustrating as the situation might be, resorting to violence is never the solution, and I suppose you would agree on that?“ Mr. Kim asked rhetorically, intending on showing Sehun the unanimity of this statement.

"Yes, of course.” Yixing answered with conviction.

Mr. Kim nodded once in approval, smiling subtly. “So in the end I’ve had to tell Sehun that he’d have to stay indoors and work for the next couple of recesses, and he also won’t be allowed to take part in this Friday’s schooltrip activity.”

Seeing Sehun on the verge of tears, Yixing thought that this was kind of a harsh punishment, but he supposed the teacher knew what he was doing, so he nodded in understanding.

"Of course I’ve had a talk with the other student too and there was a considerably smaller punishment for him as well”.

Another nod.

At this point, the teacher’s voice and features turned even softer. “Now, I know this doesn’t make you happy, Sehun, and I won’t keep you here for long, but it’s just important that you understand how wrong what you did was, no matter what Baekhyun said to you. Hitting someone, anyone, is wrong.”

There was a silence, so Yixing took it as his cue. “That’s right Sehunnie, you’ve got to be the mature one in those situations and not solve meanness by meanness.”

Mr. Kim smiled brightly at him again, which made Yixing quiclkly wonder if this was even appropriate in the situation they were in. “Very well said.” Could it be… flirting lacing the teacher’s grin and voice? Or was Yixing’s imagination so developped that he was starting to see and hear connotations that weren’t actually there? His fairly new single state was slightly aggravating him, but he wasn’t that desperate. 

Mr. Kim turned his attention to the child again, looking apologetic, “Also I suppose Mr. Zhang here will have to inform your mom of what happened.”

Yixing only noticed a teardrop on Sehun’s cheek then. Mr. Kim approached the child and gently patted his small back, “I know this is disappointing, but if you don’t want to be punished in the future, you know what you need to do, right Sehun?”

“Y-yeah…” Sehun all but whispered.

“All right, that’s good, then I guess you can go get your stuff now.”

Sehun immediately got up to go put his books and pencilcase in his backpack, and Yixing stood up as well, feeling slightly awkward, like he needed to say something, some sort of conclusion.

“Well thank you very much for keeping me updated, I’ll be sure to inform his mom of everything,” he said, giving a small bow that Mr. Kim immediately returned.

“Perfect, thank you again for coming.” The teacher’s lips curled, eyes forming cute crescents as a result. “Are you a friend of the family, if that’s not too intrusive?”

“Yes yes, I am. I’ve known Sehun since he was- I was about to say since he was young but he’s still pretty young,” Yixing laughed, feeling stupid at first, but then glad that his silliness generated such a precious laugh from the teacher. The latter appeared all serious and professional just seconds ago, but at that exact moment he actually looked like an innocent schoolboy himself. He looked so incredibly young. He couldn’t had been a teacher for very long. “I mean I’ve basically known him since he was born.”

“Oh I see. Do you have any children yourself?” Mr. Kim asked, interested.

Yixing let out a spontaneous chuckle, before realizing that this wasn’t supposed to be a funny question. “No, far from it,” Mr. Kim raised a curious eyebrow at him, “how about you?”

“No, same,” the teacher was still smiling that serene smile of his.

And, for some reason, Yixing couldn’t help the compliment. “You seem really great with kids though!”

“Well, I would hope so, it’s my job after all,” he cracked up, then added as an afterthought, “I like the word vocation more than job though.”

There was something so incredibly sweet about this man, Yixing couldn’t quite pinpoint what, but there was without a doubt a very pleasant aura that emanated from him. In that moment, the Chinese man couldn’t help but to grin back at him, secretly charmed. “I love kids as well. How not to love them? But taking care of Sehun made me realize that there’s a big difference between loving kids and having actual parenting experience. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really know what I’m doing half of the time,“ he laughed shyly. "And about that, I was actually wondering, what attitude do you suggest I adopt this evening with Sehun? Should we talk about the issue again or should I just let him reflect on his own?” Yixing questioned, surprising even himself by how fluent his Korean sounded right then.

Mr. Kim humed in thought, considering the question, “Sehun’s a good kid, it’s not like him to do something like that, and I think he regrets it already. If I were you, I’d leave it at that for now and his mom can decide later on if she wants to have another talk with him, which she probably will.” Yixing nodded, agreeing. Mr. Kim looked deep in thought for a moment, putting both of his hands in his trousers’ pockets. “I don’t normally do this but maybe I could… leave you my number in case something comes up? I’d be glad to help if you’re insecure about any of this parenting stuff.”

Yixing had to blink a couple of times at that offer. Okay, he was definitely flirting with him. The realization thrilled him more than he’d like to admit. "Oh, erm, that’s really nice, I wouldn’t ask so much of you, it’s not really part of your task, but if you offer…”

“Of course, I’m offering!” He said enthusiastically, before adding, “for Sehun’s well-being.” A cheeky grin appeared on his face then. Yixing wouldn’t have presumed that Mr. Kim was such a bold person, but he undeniably—and logically—still had a lot to learn about the young-looking teacher.

~

For the next couple of days, Yixing was left to try to come up with an excuse to see Junmyeon (Sehun had said this was his name) again. He could literally not stop thinking about Sehun’s teacher, and it freaked him out a bit, to be perfectly honest. Not because Junmyeon was a man, no, Yixing had long come to terms with his uality. It was simply the fact that he hadn’t felt such immediate attraction to someone in a very long time. He’d left such a strong impression on Yixing that the latter was sort of at a loss on what to do next.

He was not going to fake needing Junmyeon’s advice, though, this much was certain. Yixing had several artistic talents, but acting was decidedly not one of them. Instead, he was going to act on the sheer will of seeing Junmyeon, and ask him out. This was what people did when they were interested in getting to know someone, right?

It’d been so long, but Yixing thought he could manage it. He wasn’t in a hurry to start dating again, in fact he had told himself that he should wait for a while, considering what happened with his previous relationship, but Junmyeon seemed so… right, and so willing, and Yixing couldn’t just let that opportunity slip through his fingers, despite his reserves. He had to try, see how compatible they were.

And so he waited for his duty as Sehun’s guardian to officially be over before contacting Junmyeon, who seemed absolutely delighted to hear from the Chinese man again, and gladly accepted to meet him at a French restaurant nearby, suggestion of Yixing. Said restaurant turned out to be a little too fancy for comfort, and Yixing soon learned that Junmyeon wasn’t the type to care about such stuff when, just like Yixing himself, he wasn’t sure what utensils to use for what food.

Yixing was the first one to comment on it. “This is a kind of ridiculous,” they both laughed, both unconsciously hiding their mouth with their right hand, eyes glinting at each other.

“Next time, how about we have dinner somewhere a little more casual?” Junmyeon suggested, giggling some more before finally taking a bite of his salad with a random fork.

Yixing smiled softly at the promise of a next time, “Not a bad idea.”

“Please don’t feel like you have to impress me in any way,” Junmyeon precised, voice soft, “If anything, I’m already intimidated by the fact that you’re only 27 and already have two published novels to your credit.”

Typically humble Yixing denied the compliment, teasing, “Oh but that’s not necessarily impressive. They might have been flops.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know since I’ll admit to not being a connoisseur of police novels, but they must’ve been minimally good to be published in the first place,” he reasoned, taking a quick sip of wine, “Plus they must’ve been fairly successful if you can manage to live solely off that income.”

Junmyeon had a point, but Yixing was quick to extend the joking, putting on his best serious face, “You don’t know, I might’ve inherited a very large amount of money after my parents’ death.”

Junmyeon whitened in the span of two seconds. “Did…did you?” he asked carefully.

Yixing waited a reasonable three seconds before answering, “Of course not, my parents are still very much alive,” he laughed, “And they’re not even very wealthy anyway.”

Junmyeon let out a sigh, “Zhang Yixing, that was mean,” Junmyeon frowned, his pout falsely intensifying when he noticed Yixing still giggling, “Would you mind telling me why you’re still laughing?”

“Firstly because you’re very gullible, and secondly because the way you pronounced my name was highly amusing,” the Chinese man continued, not a hint of malice in his tone.

Junmyeon, again, faked offense, and then retaliated, “Because you think thatyour accent isn’t funny?” he dared say, and Yixing mentally pinched himself for finding his boldness so attractive. “Oh believe me, it is, only I have the decency not to laugh at it on the first date.”

And in that moment Yixing knew that this was indeed going to be the first of many, many dates. He had an excellent feeling about Junmyeon. The shift from the formality of their first meeting to this casualness and comfort had been almost instinctive. It was as if they’d known each other for much longer than a couple of days. Hopefully Junmyeon felt similarly.

On top of that, Junmyeon was exactly the type of person that Yixing had told himself he should date. The guy was kind, funny, caring and simple. Yixing had the habit of unintentionally associating himself with manipulators, but this title seemed far from matching Junmyeon’s personality. Everything about Junmyeon seemed different, reassuring, and honestly it made Yixing want to give love a chance again.

~

And so he let himself fall. Slowly, but surely. He and Junmyeon started meeting regularly after that first dinner. From cinema dates to coffeeshop dates, Yixing found himself feeling even more comfortable with Junmyeon than he was at first. There was no denying that Yixing was an awkward person, but, honestly, so was Junmyeon. Their ability to laugh at each other, however, was what made things so easy.

One second they would talk about their guilty pleasures, and playfully tease each other because of them, and the next they would address their passions and get absorbed in the way the other’s eyes shone with ethusiasm at every description, every explanation delivered.

Finding time to meet up was not particularly hard, Junmyeon having a fixed work schedule and Yixing deciding on his own schedule as a self-employed worker.

Judging from Junmyeon’s personality, Yixing sort of expected his first time visiting Junmyeon’s place to occur under the motive of a nice homecooked meal or a movie night. He was far from expecting Junmyeon’s invitation to crash at his apartment on a late Friday night, after they’d spent hours dicussing their complicated teenage years, among other lighter subjects, around glasses of maekju. Nothing compared to the disinhibiting effect of alcohol when attempting to get to know someone.

At this point during the night, however, Junmyeon was no where near drunk. He didn’t even look tipsy, which further puzzled Yixing about his suggestive offer. People didn’t just offer to sleepover for the sake of it, especially not at their age. But apart from light touches on thighs and goodbye kisses on cheeks, they hadn’t really done anything yet, the moment never quite being opportune. Besides, it wasn’t that Yixing was insecure about this mutual interest that they shared, but, to be frank, he’d always been awful at making the first move, lacking the confidence still. And so they were still at the very early stage of their relationship.

“So this is it. It’s not much, but it’s home.” Junmyeon said, inviting Yixing inside the apartment before closing the door behind him.

From the front door, Yixing could see both the living room and the kitchen. The decoration was simple, but classy. From the big gold-framed mirror placed just above the sofa to the thick plant in the corner of the room or the decorative pillows, the care put into making this place pretty and welcoming was obvious. “It’s lovely,” he paused, contemplating whether he should say what he was about to say next, “Just like everything that’s yours.” He added cheekily, gauging Junmyeon’s reaction.

Junmyeon shook his head in slight disbelief, taking a step towards Yixing, “Oh my god. You’re so-”

“Cheesy?” Yixing offered. Junmyeon was barely a foot away from him then, the proximity and the way Junmyeon was smiling fondly at him and staring directly into his eyes making Yixing’s heart rate quicken.

Still, the visibly shrinking distance between them could not have prepared Yixing for was Junmyeon did next. The Korean man took the remaining step separating him from his guest, placing a confident hand on Yixing’s hip in the process, and kissed him, right then and there, the fondness that he felt easily translating in the delicate way their lips touched. “Yes,” he whispered, his lips still only a centimeter away from Yixing’s, before pressing back with an urge and determination that could not be sensed before. Yixing had been too stunned to do much at the first touch of lips, but now that he was given another chance, he was resolved to show Junmyeon just how much he wanted this as well.

The languid and surprisingly sensual exchange lasted a long minute, with Junmyeon’s right hand still pressed on Yixing’s hip while the other held onto his neck, fingers making small goosebump-inducing movements, and Yixing’s palm resting safely on Junmyeon’s chest. They eventually broke the kiss, but only shortly enough to catch their breath and for Junmyeon to confess, “And I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I laid eyes on you,” before leaning in again, pressing strongly enough for Yixing to be backed against the apartment’s front door, leaving him no time to even process that this was finally happening.

Junmyeon’s mouth tasted different from everthing he’d known.

Junmyeon tasted like hope.

~

Yixing woke up the next morning feeling lighter than ever, and not just because of the lack of clothes on his body. The sheets under him felt foreign to the touch, but it wasn’t unpleasant at all.

Taking in the surroundings, he quickly noticed a book on Junmyeon's bedside table, one whose cover looked awfully familiar. Junmyeon had assured him that he would buy his book, but that could've very well been just an empty promise. Yixing smiled to himself, the realization that he cared enough to do this pleasing him more than he'd dare to admit. He'd have to autograph the novel later, and make sure to make the inscription special. 

Junmyeon was currently no where to be seen, however, which got Yixing feeling slightly disappointed. This was his apartment, though, meaning he couldn’t be very far.

And so Yixing got up to go find him, and easily did so by following the sound made by the stove fan. From entering the kitchen, he could see Junmyeon at the stove, seemingly preparing food. He had his back turned to Yixing, and was sporting checkered pajama pants and a loose grey t-shirt. Yixing unconsciously smiled at the endearing sight.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” He asked, only two meters away from Junmyeon now. The latter jumped at the question, probably not having heard him come in.

He then turned to face him, “Oh, you’re up,” he noted, smiling sweetly, “Well, you just looked too peaceful in your sleep, and besides, I wanted to cook you breakfast.” Yixing was starting to think that Junmyeon wasn't real, what with his obvious lack of flaws. But then again, he’d only known him for a little over three weeks, even though it felt like much longer.  "How about you go take a quick shower while I finish this and we can eat together when you’re done?“ he suggested, cheeks pinkening.

Following Junmyeon’s gaze, Yixing looked down at his body, only now noticing that he was wearing nothing but tight boxers. A sense of self-consciousness filled him then, and he made a quick leave for the bathroom.

When he came back, Junmyeon was placing a share of rice in what appeared to be Yixing’s plate. "Thank you so much for preparing this, it’s really sweet of you”, Yixing remarked as he sat down, taking in the different dishes.

“Oh but it’s actually quite salty,” Junmyeon smiled sheepishly at his awful joke, unfazed by Yixing’s face-palm. He resumed, “But of course, it’s nothing. I’d be a really bad host if I didn’t offer you anything for breakfast,” he laughed, serving tea for the both of them. He then paused, looking pensive for a few seconds, before adding, “You know, it’s been a really long time since I had anyone sleepover here. It’s not… something I often do. Just so you know.”

By specifying that, Junmyeon probably intended on making sure Yixing didn’t have the wrong impression of him, but frankly all Yixing could think about was how incredibly lucky he was to be the exception. “Oh. Well it’s been a really long time for me, too,” Of course, having been in a relationship with the same person for four years didn’t exactly favor such sleeping out anyway, but Yixing didn’t feel like voicing that comment now. He’d told Junmyeon about his previous relationship quite early on, maybe even on their first date, if he remembered correctly, but had remained vague about it, not wanting Junmyeon to be put off or intimidated by the recency or the length of that relationship. That and because that topic was far from being Yixing’s favourite anyway.

“Really?” Junmyeon seemed surprised. “A young artist as gorgeous as yourself?” he smirked, teasing.

“Oh please,” Yixing scoffed and briefly hoped that Junmyeon didn’t notice him blush.

The atmosphere was light as they ate and exchanged a couple more pleasantries. When Junmyeon got up to start washing the dishes, Yixing stood up as well and joined him by the sink, spontaneously stopping behind him to take him in a backhug and place a delicate kiss on his nape, right under his ear. This was somewhat bold, somewhat new, but it felt so right. Junmyeon impulsively relaxed in his arms before turning around and pecking Yixing’s mouth, “You know what? I could definitely get used to this,” he beamed, his crescent-shaped eyes doing weird things to Yixing’s stomach.

It was almost scary how easily he could see this becoming routine, how perfectly everything seemed to fit into place.

~

The few following weeks were just as Yixing had hoped. Coming out of a recent relationship, Yixing found himself being very comfortable with the pace at which his and Junmyeon’s was evolving. They saw each other every few days and spoke very frequently in between dates. Although the feeling of having known each other forever was as present as ever, they were generally both introverted and rational people who knew better than to jump into each other’s lives too quickly and agressively. For the time-being, this was their relationship and getting friends involved in the news didn’t feel necessary. At least that’s what they told themselves.

If Yixing was being completely honest, however, he mostly wasn’t in a hurry to let his friends know because he was scared of them seeing Junmyeon as his rebound. Describing Junmyeon as such would be an offense to what he truly represented to Yixing. Junmyeon was a breath of fresh air, sure, a complete blessing to Yixing’s life, definitely, but Yixing was absolutely not dating him to forget or to avoid.

On the opposite, through the comparisons Yixing would make despite himself, Junmyeon managed to make him rethink everything he had believed in the past. Everything he thought he’d known. Because Junmyeon was different; different in the way he respected him, different in the way he cared for him, and different in the way he didn’t seem to mind being vulnerable in front of him. And Yixing felt extremely different, too. He couldn’t even quite find the right words to describe whatever this was, but he felt it. He felt it already, and it was scary, because what if that ended up getting him hurt?

The secret went on for three more weeks before Yixing’s few close friends became suspicious of how unusually happy he had seemed recently. One of said close friends was Sehun’s mother, Sumin, and so her specific relation to Junmyeon actually gave Yixing a good-enough excuse for not having told her about it at first.

When he did admit to having met someone and to that someone being her son’s teacher, however, Sumin turned out to be unexpectedly very enthusiastic about it, despite the initial surprise. She’d exclaimed, “What! Oh my, are you serious? That’s so exciting. But wait it’s also funny because he’s really made a good impression on me the few times I’ve spoken to him and I remember telling myself how good of a partner he’d make. Didn’t know he was gay though!,” to which Yixing had laughed before boasting about being the chosen one.

From then on, Sumin’s positive reaction only served as an encouragement for Yixing to expose his current love-life to his other friends. Soon enough, Yixing invited both his very good friend Jongdae and Junmyeon to his apartment so that the two could meet and discuss around some home-cooked Chinese dishes.

True to his usual self, Jongdae made sure to embarrass Yixing as much as he could, telling stories of how the Chinese male made a fool of himself daily when he first came to Korea and barely knew any Korean. At the time, Jondgae had been an intern at the publishing house offering to translate and distribute Yixing’s first book in Korea, and had taken upon himself to show the author around Seoul, the two young men having immediately hit it off from the moment Jongdae had picked him up at the airport.

Since then, Jongdae had been there for him, through good and bad, and Yixing supposed this light teasing was his punishment for not telling him about Junmyeon earlier. He probably deserved it, considering that the thought of his best friend not being supportive of his relationship had even, for a second, crossed his mind.

As the dinner progressed, Jongdae seemed like he was truly enjoying Junmyeon’s company, an asumption that he later confirmed when Junmyeon left the two others alone for a minute to use the bathroom. “I approve of him, Yixing. You did well,” he decided, half-seriously, as if this were the result of a rational decision on Yixing’s part.

The latter let out a chuckle. “Thanks, man. I’m glad you like him. Not that I was worried,” he teased, then looked down at his plate, smiling pensively, “But seriously Jongdae, this is going to sound cheesy as hell, but I’m so happy. Like, what have I done to deserve this?”

Jongdae barely had time to return his friend’s smile before they heard Junmyeon’s footsteps in the hallway and both opted to stay silent.

“Why are you guys so quiet? Don’t tell me you were talking behind my back,” he joked, not really suspicious, stopping behind his boyfriend’s chair, resting his arms on Yixing’s shoulders and eyeing Jongdae.

“Actually, we were. And I was about to tell Yixing how absolutely disgustingly sweet you two look together,” Jongdae lied, grinning unwillingly.

Yixing humed, bringing his hands to Junmyeon’s on his shoulders. “I sense some jealousy in your tone, Jongdae. I like it. Please do go on.”

“Me? As if,” Jongdae scoffed, “I’ve got the most amazing boyfriend waiting for me at home. Actually, on that note, I think I’m gonna leave you two to- well to whatever it is you’re gonna do after I leave,” he decided while standing up and going to put some left over plates on the counter. “Do you need help cleaning up?” he asked to Yixing’s intention.

The two others stood up as well and Yixing spoke up, “I think we’ll manage.”

Soon, Jongdae was gone, and the cleaning up was long forgotten in favor of more pleasurable activities.

~

Not a week later, Jongdae suggested that they all go on a double date, convinced that his boyfriend Jongin would get along amazingly well with Junmyeon, seeing as the former also worked with kids as both a drama and a dance teacher. Jongdae wasn’t mistaken; the conversation between them was so fluid and jovial that it almost got their respective boyfriends jealous. Almost. Because Yixing was generally just really pleased with the turn of events, with the fact that their lives were starting to blend together considerably well. Seeing Junmyeon getting along and having chemistry with his own close friends somehow made him feel closer to Junmyeon himself.

He couldn’t wait to get to know Junmyeon’s friends and family in turn. He’d heard about them, seen photos of them, but now he felt like he was totally ready to meet them, or at the very least Junmyeon’s best friend, Chanyeol. He really did feel ready to move forward in his and Junmyeon’s relationship, but when he asked Junmyeon when that would happen, his boyfriend always replied with a vague “soon, I’ll organize something,” smiling sweetly and pecking his cheek before they changed subject or got back to what they were previously doing.

The weeks went by and, soon, Junmyeon became busier with exam correction and parents meetings. He still made time to talk with Yixing a little bit every day, but they couldn’t meet up much, which also gave Yixing the opportunity to focus on his current novel without procrastinating too much, as well as to stop and reflect more seriously on his feelings.

Sumin’s parent meeting at the school was on a Wednesday evening and, as per usual, Yixing accepted to babysit Sehun while Sumin had to be absent from home.

Sehun didn’t know about his teacher having become Yixing’s boyfriend, and they’d agreed it would be best not to tell him before the end of the school year. Throughout the evening, however, Yixing subtly questionned Sehun on how things were going in class, dying to know more about the teacher side of Junmyeon. Sehun unfortunately wasn’t very cooperative, busying himself with his video game instead while Yixing watched him, a fond expression on his features.

When Sumin came back, Yixing questionned her about the meeting, mostly wanting to know if they’d talked about him. “Yeah, I told Mr. Kim—I mean Junmyeon—that I was really happy for you two, that you were a great guy and that he should make sure to treat you well.”

Yixing rolled his eyes at that piece of information. “Min, that was unnecessary… Of course he’s treating me well.”

Sumin smiled then, but the expression didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I know, but I just felt like saying it. Like, your relationship’s still pretty new.”

“What do you even mean by that?” Yixing asked, raising an eyebrow, suddenly getting unnerved.

“Nothing. Nothing at all. It’s just an automatism. I just- I want to look out for you,” she explained honestly, “Make sure you don’t get hurt again.”

Yixing let out a long sigh. It was nice of Sumin to care for him like that, obviously, but in that moment, Yixing was particularly annoyed at her for letting the slightest of doubts fill his mind once again. She knew how fragile he was. He didn’t need to hear this kind of stuff, not when everything had been going so well.

For weeks now, Yixing had been trying to build up his confidence, trying to convince himself that he was worthy of such a sane relationship, that Junmyeon was not too good to be true. It would’ve been easy to fall into that assumption, but he didn’t want to. He needed not to.

Besides, Junmyeon had given him no reason to doubt him.

Or almost no reason. There was still that bothering thought at the very back of his mind suggesting that Junmyeon’s attitude concerning the meeting between his own friends and Yixing was weird. It genuinely seemed like he wanted to postpone the moment, which perplexed Yixing greatly as well as making him feel insecure. If that was the truth, Junmyeon probably had his reasons, but at this point in time, Yixing didn’t know them, and so he could imagine aboely anything he wanted.

Yixing’s thoughts were running wild as he was lying in his bed that same night, eyes wide open, unable to fall asleep. One thought always led to another, each one more disturbing than the last. He really needed to stop doing that.

~

Imagination was one of Yixing’s best qualities, but also one of his biggest flaws. Indeed, although he didn’t know any psycopath personally, and was far from being one himself, he could write about the most twisted murder plans carried out by the most deranged people, and thus manage to trigger the curiosity of a vast public of readers. On the other hand, friends in the past had accused him of over-analyzing things and seeing signs in situations where there was essentially nothing to be seen.

He could just never help his mind wonder about everything and anything. It seemed as though his relationship with Junmyeon wasn’t about to bypass the over-analysis, no matter how much he wanted it to.

It was Friday and Yixing was currently alone in his appartment, attempting to get some work done, but being exceptionally unproductive. He and Junmyeon were supposed to meet up and go the Lantern Festival that same evening. Yixing was looking forward to seeing his boyfriend for the first time in a week, of course, but apprehended the possibility of noticing behavior in Junmyeon that would corroborate his newfound negative thoughts.

Junmyeon wasn’t ashamed of him, that couldn’t be it. He’d showed absolutely no signs of being ashamed during all of the times they’d spent together in public. But then what was it?

Just yesterday, Yixing had commented, by text, on how glad he was that Junmyeon had met for the first time three of his best friends in the span of a week and a half, curious as to what Junmyeon’s reply would be. He’d only said something along the lines of ‘Oh well I’m happy too! they all seem like really nice people!’, before adding ’I miss you xing-ah, I wish tomorrow would come sooner <3’, and Yixing hated himself for wondering, for the briefest of moments, if Junmyeon’s words were genuine.

He should’ve probably addressed the topic that bothered him so much with Junmyeon, heard out what his boyfriend had to say, but Yixing was under the impression that his insecurities were too silly to even be voiced out, which wasn’t a pleasant thing to be feeling at all.

~

Yixing was a bad actor, but a very persistant one at that. And so when he failed to act completely normally around Junmyeon that evening, he only feigned fatigue, hoping to appear convincing enough. It seemed to worked, the night ending at the Korean’s appartment, with Junmyeon prompting Yixing to go to bed early, making him tea before tucking him snugly into his bed.

It hurt Yixing to see Junmyeon being so utterly perfect, but still be unable to trust him completely. Seriously, what would it take? Not long ago, Yixing had thought that he’d reached an important level of trust with Junmyeon, but apparently he hadn’t. How could things turn around so quickly and irrationally?

At this point, Yixing wasn’t just referring to the friends situation. Everything he’d thought to be true a couple of days ago seemed to have been distorted somehow; by fear, by insecurity, by unwanted memories. Right now, every single thing seemed to be worth questionning.

Had he done the right thing by allowing himself to fall into this so soon? Should he have waited until he was more… emotionally stable? Would his feelings for Junmyeon end up hurting the Korean?

Life was messed-up. So messed up that one’s worst enemy was far too often their own damaged mind.

Yixing had never been like that before meeting his ex-boyfriend, had never been so paranoid and pessimistic. But being played constantly could have that effect on people. Remaining rational and balanced appeared harder by the day.

The line between self-preservation and masochism was so slim at times that one could easily mix up one for the other.

Yixing yet again did not sleep well that night. Junmyeon’s arms around his waist doing nothing to will the self-depreciative thoughts away, or to refrain the tears from falling silently on his cheeks.

~

The next morning arrived quickly still, and soon Yixing was taking a hot shower in Junmyeon’s bathroom, attempting to apease his anxiety, pondering on what to do next. He had half a mind to leave the appartment as quickly as possible because he was hurting too much, and half a mind to stay and try to talk to Junmyeon, precisely because he was hurting too much. Obviously, he would rather not have that talk with Junmyeon. He didn’t even know what he would say, though he felt like he would have to say something, whether it be now or later. Junmyeon wasn’t dense.

In the end, Yixing didn’t have to take the initiative because Junmyeon did.

Yixing was absent-mindedly watching an afternoon drama in Junmyeon’s living room while waiting for the other to finish his phone conversation with Chanyeol. When Junmyeon finished, he sat down next to Yixing on the sofa, leaving a good two feet between them. “Xing, can you turn it off?” He asked gently, head motionning towards the TV.

Yixing did as he was asked, without even an answer of 'sure’ or 'OK’. He then turned his gaze towards Junmyeon, immediately regretting it from noticing the seriousness marking the other’s features. Looking down at his own hands and waiting for Junmyeon to speak seemed like a better idea for now. The quietness didn’t last.

“Look, I’m sorry to be so straight-forward, but is something wrong?” There it was, the question Yixing had been dreading to hear. He wanted so bad for things be simple again that the prospect of admitting that something was wrong was anything but appealing. “Have I done something wrong?” You could tell Junmyeon was scared to ask, didn’t particularly want to have this conversation either, but whatever he had detected in Yixing’s attitude seemed to be weighting heavy on his shoulders.

Yixing’s first thought was to deny the question, because it was mostly his own fault if he was feeling so down and anxious, but then again Junmyeon wasn’t entirely innocent either. He’d been acting a little strangely, too. Strangely enough to revive very, very dark memories anyway. “Are you ashamed of me?” Yixing demanded suddenly, his tone more apprehensive than challenging, looking briefly at Junmyeon then, long enough to observe the other’s eyes widen considerably.

“Of course not! Why would I be?” Junmyeon looked and sounded genuinely shocked, there was no denying that. “What made you think that?” he asked, rightly sounding even more alarmed than he did before.

Before saying anything, Yixing challenged himself to look Junmyeon in the eyes. He deserved it, and Yixing would be no better than the cowards he wrote about in his novels if he didn’t properly face his issues when the rare moment called for it. He bit his lower lip nervously and started at once. He could do it. “I- We’ve been dating for what, almost two months? In those two months, I haven’t met even one of your friends, even Chanyeol who you apparently spend so much time with. I know we said we’d take things slowly, but you don’t even seem like you want it to happen. What am I supposed to think?” He paused, feeling tears starting to well up in his eyes. The longer he spoke, the more painful it got, but he wasn’t quite done yet. Yixing was aware that what he was about to say was likely just exaggerated speculation, but he needed to get that poisoning thought out his mind, “It’s like you want me be present in some part of your life, but not in the others. You could be dating two people at once and I wouldn’t even know.”

Somewhere along Yixing’s speech, Junmyeon had gaped, either from astonishment or because he badly wanted to retort, Yixing wasn’t quite sure. Anyhow, he looked like he was thunderstruck by Yixing’s passive accusation, and Yixing was starting to think he’d been too harsh. Junmyeon closed his mouth at last and breathed in deeply. “Yixing… I’m- I’m not, there’s obviously only you, and I’ll try to explain if you’ll let me.” That was honestly all Yixing wanted, for Junmyeon to reassure him. He wasn’t actually angry at him, was mostly just feeling dejected and strangely pessimistic. Junmyeon looked like he wasn’t quite sure how to phrase his explanation, though. “So about Chanyeol… I do really want you two to meet, but the situation’s a little complicated, and I’m scared. Why? Because I really don’t want anything or anyone to get in the way of our relationship and, well,” he hesitated before resuming, “Let’s just say that Chanyeol has ruined things for me in the past,” he finished, looking down at his knees before his disheartened eyes fell back on his partner’s.

Yixing was silent for a moment, taking this new information in. “He has?” He then repeated, incredublous. “How?”

“Where should I even start,” Junmyeon sighed, pushing his hair back. “Chanyeol is… possessive. There’s no other way to put it. He hasn’t had it easy in life, and he’s generally afraid that the people he loves most are gonna end up leaving him,” he began explaining, anxiously biting his lower lip. “We were young when I first met him, and I thought he’d grow out of it, but he didn’t. Apparently it was inked deeper in him than I’d thought.”

Yixing fidgeted in his seat, still intently listening to Junmyeon’s story. “Anyway, so two years ago, I started dating a guy who had great qualities, but who also happened to be possessive, maybe even more than Chanyeol. I won’t go into details, maybe some other time, but it didn’t end well,” he paused, looking serious and deep in thought, before continuing, “It got to the point where I was scared to lose Chanyeol’s friendship if I stayed with the guy, even though Chanyeol hadn’t exactly worded his warning in that way. Despite everything, I’m not mad at him, the guy I was dating wasn’t right for me anyway, but that whole thing… it does leave me… worried?” He tried, eyeing Yixing’s reaction carefully, before correcting himself, “Well, not worried, but apprehensive.”

Something caught in Yixing’s throat then. He wasn’t expecting that; wasn’t even sure what to think of Junmyeon’s friendship with that Chanyeol guy now. Still, he let Junmyeon, who still looked hesitant and uneasy, finish explaining, “As for the rest of my small circle of friends, I just- well honestly, Chanyeol would kill me if he knew that he was the last one to meet you. I know right now it sounds like everything is about him, but I swear it’s not. It’s about you being everything I’ve ever wished for, and me being… scared and insecure,” that sounded strangely like Yixing’s own feelings, and the latter’s heart warmed considerably at those words. It wasn’t often that Junmyeon opened up like this. “That being said, I didn’t realize I was hurting you so much by doing that, and I should’ve shared all of that stuff with you. I’m sorry,” there were visibly tears threatening to escape Junmyeon’s eyes, the same kind that was altering Yixing’s own sight, “I guess I was so fixed on wanting things to stay simple and perfect between us that I forgot how important communication is. Things won’t stay like this, I promise I’ll fix them. I’m sorry for making you feel that way,” he finished, carefully reaching out to hold Yixing’s moist hand.

Junmyeon tended to talk about his insecurities and emotions in a distant manner, as if referring to someone else’s, but he sounded so vulnerable then, so sincere that Yixing could do nothing but nod and give him a small reassuring smile, despite the tons of questions he still had. If this was the actual explanation behind Junmyeon’s actions, then it was not nearly as bad as he’d thought. “It’s okay, I think I get it,” he assured, squeezing his boyfriend’s hand lightly, “Though it makes me wonder if I should be worried about Chanyeol too… ”

“Actually, Chanyeol has really evolved in the last two years, since he also got into a serious relationship. He’s learned a lot, and I’m pretty sure that his attitude will be different this time around. You’re different, too, and he’ll love you,” he nodded to himself, wiping away a remainder of tear with his index finger, “I don’t know exactly what I was thinking… I guess I just preferred taking things slowly. Surprise him when I’d tell him that I’ve had a boyfriend for two months, so that he’ll realize that this doesn’t change anything between us.”

This made a lot sense, except that Yixing couldn’t help but feel a bit unimportant, like he wasn’t completely good enough. Old habits die hard. “So you still haven’t told him about us?” he asked, trying to sound as casual as he could manage.

“Actually I did recently, only I didn’t go into details about how long it’s been or how serious I am about us. I did tell him quite a bit about who you are and what you do though. I didn’t intend on bragging or anything, but that’s probably what it ended up sounding like anyway,” he revealed as an afterthought, smirking shyly at Yixing from the corner of his mouth and intertwining their fingers in Yixing’s lap. At that, the latter was unable to mask his own shy grin. With each one of his genuine words, Junmyeon managed to further appease Yixing’s worries. The Korean’s expression turned serious again, and he finished,“But I should’ve told you these things already, god I’m so sorry. It’s not usually my type to be so secretive.”

Yixing had never been one to hold gruges anyway. “It’s okay, I know it’s not. I know you had good intentions. And while we’re at it… It’s not like I’ve told you everything either,” he started, knowing full well that he was going to have to tell Junmyeon eventually, but not feeling in a hurry to do it at all. Junmyeon probably sensed that, because he narrowed the space between them and gazed at Yixing in that attentive, encouraging manner.

After what sounded like a distressed sigh, Yixing began. There was no use in postponing it. “I know I come across as really insecure sometimes, like today, but that’s because I actually am… I’m sorry for saying what I said, it was out of line, I just- I get very paranoid sometimes. My last relationship probably messed me up more than I’d like to admit,” he explained, glancing at Junmyeon every once in a while. “I’ve told you about my ex, but I didn’t explain much about what happened between us. We actually stayed together for close to four years,” he admitted unenthusiastically, not surprised by the look of barely hidden shock on Junmyeon’s face. “I met him not long after coming to Korea through the publishing company. He was Chinese too, working as a translator. We were friends for months before we started dating. Things went well for a while, until his bad sides started showing,” Yixing’s voice was quiet, but firm, Junmyeon’s presence beside him especially soothing, although the worst was still to come.

He started slowly, the lump in his throat restraining him from speaking any faster, even if he’d wanted to, “He would get really secretive about his whereabouts and blame me for being paranoid and not leaving him enough space. Then one day, I end up learning that he’s been seeing some mysterious guy friend behind my back, but he assures me that nothing’s happened between them, and I believe him because, well, I’m stupid like that,” he paused, sniffling the sadness away and lifting his right hand in resign. He hadn’t talked about this in so long. “Then of course, without me knowing, he continued to see him, and to manipulate me. Eventually, all of his secrets blew up in his face, and,” there was another pause, this time longer and punctuated by Junmyeon’s hand coming up on his back, “I learned that the guy he’d been cheating on me with was actually one of our mutual friends. That was… a tough blow.” The last two words came out particularly high-pitched, Yixing’s voice evidently struggling. He coughed once.

Junmyeon was looking directly into his boyfriend’s eyes, something he’d been doing for the entire duration of the story. His own were still just as wet as Yixing’s, likely indicating his own chagrin at discovering that the person he loved had been hurt in such a dreadful way. He looked like he had a million things to say, yet nothing was coming out. “Yixing…”

“But that’s when I finally plucked up the courage to leave him,” Yixing finished with conviction, nodding feebly for a few seconds after, managing not to look away from Junmyeon’s gaze.

The other let go of Yixing’s hand then, opting for taking him in his arms instead. The grip rapidly tightened on both ends. Nothing was said for a moment, until Junmyeon spoke up, voice buried in his lover’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry Yixing,” he started, before noticing that his voice was muffled and slightly pulling away. “That’s just… there’s no word for it,” he looked down then, trying to find the right qualificative, “That’s just disgusting. You deserve so, so much better.”

“I do,” Yixing uttered, still somewhat in a daze.

Junmyeon quickly pushed his fringe out of his face, thin lips pinched together. “I- I don’t know if I should ask, don’t know if the moment is right, but… where exactly were your feelings for him when you left him? Did you still love him?” It was evident that Junmyeon would’ve rather not asked, but Yixing entirely understood why he was doing so. After all, the break-up was not particularly long ago.

Yixing didn’t have to contemplate the question for long. He coughed once quietly before speaking up, “Love? No. To be frank, my feelings for him had been changing for a really long time, and I just felt so disgusted when I found out what kind of person he really was. How little he cared about me.” At that point, Yixing looked more resentful than sad. Junmyeon could clearly see how done he was with everything regarding his ex, how much he wanted to put that behind him. Yixing was faintly shaking his head when he spoke again, “You can’t love someone like that”, Yixing paused for a moment to emphasize his point. “Though Sumin really helped knock some sense into me. After that, the only regret I had was to have wasted so much time with him, and allowed my self-respect to drop so low. Never again, that’s what I told myself,” Yixing all but whispered, an interesting contrast with the confidence in his tone. He made a meaningful eye contact with his partner before lowering his gaze again. “But the whole thing did play on my self-confidence. And my trust in people, too, I guess.”

The amount of love and empathy conveying through Junmyeon’s gaze in that moment was so high that Yixing couldn’t help a powerful feeling of gratitude from filling up his entire mind and body. “Of course, that’s absolutely understandable,” Junmyeon whispered, trying to find the perfect thing to say next, but not quite being able to pinpoint it. “Yixing…” he started, taking both of Yixing’s hands in his and firmly holding on to them. “I feel so awful for making you doubt me… But now that I’m aware of what you’ve been through, I feel like we’re going to be able to understand each other better. And I’ll do everything I can to gain your complete trust, you’ll see,” Junmyeon sounded extremely sincere, yet somewhat anxious to hear Yixing’s reply. “If you want me to, that is.”

Yixing could do nothing but smile softly at this honest and heartfelt offer, eyes shining with something more than the remainder of tears.

Moments ago, Yixing had doubted their relationship, doubted himself for not feeling exactly as he thought he should have. Nevertheless, as he was finally realizing, Junmyeon had never been the problem, and Yixing was starting to believe that he would never be.

That simple thought was precisely what the writer needed, what he had needed all along. Junmyeon was patient, understanding and real. He could be the answer to everything else, if Yixing was willing to let him. In that moment, the prospect had never seemed more accessible and effortless.

“Of course, silly,” Yixing teased, his right hand finding its way to Junmyeon’s chest and settling there, while the other was still held by Junmyeon. His next words came out surprisingly casually, despite never having been pronounced before, “I love you.”

The way Junmyeon’s lips curled and eyes narrowed instantly lit up his entire a face, despite the movement being considerably subtle. He looked like he’d just been offered the world. “I love you too, so much,” he expressed earnestly, staring into his lover’s eyes. Both of their sitting bodies were facing each other when Junmyeon laid his right hand on the other’s neck, keeping it there for a long moment, before leaning in to capture Yixing’s lips, hoping to convey the sincerity of his previous words. The press of lips was firm, and much longer than Junmyeon had planned, both of them sort of lost in the moment. Yixing hadn’t felt so complete in a long, long time. Eventually, Junmyeon pulled back slightly, and let out his relief in the form of an exhale. “I got so scared when I couldn’t understand you earlier,” he admitted, emotions still on edge.

“I know, me too…” Yixing nodded, bending forward to wrap solid arms around his boyfriend’s neck. “But I feel so much lighter now, like I can finally breathe,” he exhaled, chin pressed securely into Junmyeon’s shoulder.

The latter tightened his hold then, and both stayed silent for a minute, coming down from the rush of emotions. Then, spontaneously, Junmyeon decided to lay light kisses on the side of Yixing’s neck, consequently changing the mood in an instant.

Yixing jerked away at the affectionate gesture, “Yah Junmyeon! My neck! What did I tell you about my neck?!” he laughed unrestrainedly, voice even higher than usual.

But Junmyeon’s grip was tight enough that Yixing couldn’t get away. “Hm. I can’t remember,” Junmyeon muttered, still terribly focused on the task at hand.

~

Yixing really enjoyed the fact that every day passing seemed to shed light on new aspects of Junmyeon’s personality. He knew very well that Junmyeon could be motherly and leader-like with the kids in his class and with Yixing himself, and he also knew how cheeky and funny he could get with his lover, but it appeared that being with Chanyeol brought out a much more goofy and dorky side to Junmyeon, one that amused and charmed Yixing to no end.

As the two friends were half-seriously arguing on which character of the board game they were currently playing was the coolest, Yixing thought back to his previous conversation with Junmyeon and to how worried Junmyeon had been in the past over the possibility of hurting Chanyeol or simply the sake their friendship. Yixing had never doubted the truth in Junmyeon’s words, if anything they’d made him feel slightly jealous, but he was beginning to understand better what Junmyeon had meant. He and Chanyeol had been friends for the longest time, and it clearly showed on this carefree Monday evening.

“Yixing, will you please tell him that having the power to control fire is way scarier than controlling water?” Chanyeol demanded, putting emphasis on the last word to judge its inferiority. “I mean come on, you’ll agree that this is common sense?”

Yixing, who was sitting opposite to Chanyeol at the table, paused to seriously ponder the question. “Well, depends. Realistically speaking, I’m pretty sure more people die of drowning than they do of burning,” he remarked, noticing Chanyeol quickly lifting both of his hands in indignance.

“See?” Junmyeon teased his friend, gently squeezing his boyfriend’s thigh under the table.

But Yixing wasn’t done. He laughed, and offered instead, “On the other hand, you can’t hurt yourself with a bit of water, but you definitely can with fire.” That was the truth and, to be honest, he couldn’t risk getting on Chanyeol’s bad side so soon. Seeing Junmyeon’s exaggerately shocked expression was worth the change of mind.

~

“So, what’s the verdict?” Yixing asked, approaching Junmyeon who was finishing up washing the dishes, and picking up some plate to start drying.

Junmyeon faked cluelessness. “Verdict? What do you mean?” He knew very well of Yixing’s earlier apprehension to finally meeting Chanyeol, although that concern was easy to forget considering the current relaxed mood.

“You know what I mean,” Yixing reprimanded as he casually slapped Junmyeon’s shoulder. “Did Chanyeol make any comment about me at all when I left?”

“Hum, wait, let me see. I think he said you were really nice and handsome,” Junmyeon smirked, handing Yixing another wet plate. The latter eyed him suspiciously, and Junmyeon persisted, “I’m being serious. Oh and he also said something about us having a lot of chemistry or something.”

Yixing grinned to himself. “Do we though?”

Junmyeon considered the question for a little too long. “Well, if by chemistry you mean feeling comfortable doing the most disgusting and embarrassing stuff in front of each other without any sense of repulse or shame and laughing at stuff that no one else finds funny, then yeah, I’d say we have chemistry.”

Yixing beamed at his boyfriend’s cheesiness, both eyes then blinking forcefully at the excessive cuteness of it all. Out of the blue, he then proceeded to take a step forward and peck Junmyeon’s lips, consequently taking the latter by surprise.

Junmyeon could not seem to stop acting cutely, as he was now making big eyes at Yixing. “What was that for?”

“Felt like it?” Yixing offered, still beaming.

Junmyeon chuckled. “And how would you feel about staying for the night?” he proposed, eyes suggestive. The dishes had been forgotten by now.

“Again?”

“What do you mean again?” Junmyeon faked offense and justified himself, not a trace of embarrassment in his tone, “You better get used to it, because I can feel myself getting slightly dependent on you already.”

Yixing giggled, putting the towel back where he’d taken it. “What happened to taking things slowly?”

Junmyeon’s answer came cheekily, “Well, that was before. And let’s be real, it was never that good of an idea to begin with.”

Decidedly, Yixing enjoyed the novelty that came with Mondays.