2..
Too Cool to be True
There comes a time in every man's life where he'll need to man up and just get things done. Kyungsoo doesn't believe that he's ready for it, but Jongin actually turns up for the party that Saturday and now he's standing across the living room, watching girls crowd his prize.
Jealousy boils inside his gut, rearing the green monster than he's been trying to control for the past one hour since the party started. The whole place is already crowded with people by then, rave music blaring in the background, people grinding against each other as they bounce along to the beat in the living room, and from the corner, Kyungsoo could see his roommate kissing the life out of the party's host. Ew. "Gawd, get a room, guys..." Kyungsoo mutters under his breath.
Then his eyes are back at the tanned male sitting on the couch, noticing the way Jongin helplessly tries to avoid those girls but they're just climbing all over him; on his lap, against his biceps, breathing down his neck. Kyungsoo vows to stay sober that night, but apparently, sober isn't going to man him up anytime soon. He takes a can of beer, downs the whole content before making his way over to the couch. Jongin looks up in surprise when Kyungsoo suddenly appears before him, halting the girls' fruitless attempts to get the male's attention. "Jongin, wanna go out for some air?"
They've never spoken before, not even in class, so it's surprising for Kyungsoo when Jongin agrees, following after the shorter male while the girls whine over their loss. The both of them leave through the kitchen door, where there's a pool because Zhang Yixing actually comes from a rather well-to-do family. Kyungsoo steers Jongin away from the other partygoers crowding the pool, knowing where to bring him so that they could talk in private.
It's just a small garden at the darker side of the backyard, where Mrs Zhang grows her vegetables. Kyungsoo has been there before when Yixing invited him to the house one time because Jongdae's too busy with club meetings to join along. "We can talk here. It's peaceful."
Jongin lets out an airy laugh, sitting down beside Kyungsoo on the grass. "What cha wanna talk about?"
"Why did you come, Jongin?"
Jongin is quiet for a second, eyes never leaving Kyungsoo, before he answers, "I wanted to see someone."
No, Jongin, don't you dare break my heart right now. Kyungsoo lets out a groan, not expecting to hear that answer. If he's sober right now, he would have thought of a witty remark to cover up the fact that the green monster inside him has finally resurfaced. The thought of Jongin liking someone besides him is a painful truth. Yet, it's never been Kyungsoo's character to just give in without a fight. He's been pining after Jongin for so long, he should at least say something, right? Jongin waits for him to say something, watches him intently from the side when Kyungsoo closes the distance between them, leaning in until their faces are just inches away from one another.
Silence.
Kyungsoo's the first to break it, "Jongin, could I ask you something?"
He notices Jongin's adam's apple bobbing, their faces inching closer until they could literally feel each other's breath. "I was wondering if you wanna --" This is it. He's going to ask Jongin to be his prom, and they'll start dating after that, kiss and make out every night, graduate high school and then get married or something. Kyungsoo already has his life planned out for him, with Jongin in it. He can't mess this up now.
Unfortunately, life never goes the way he wanted. As soon as the last word leaves his mouth, it's drained away by a very loud guttural sound that could only resemble a burp, followed by an airy "-- !" from Kyungsoo as Jongin immediately draws back out of reflex, pinching his nose shut because the smell of alcohol in Kyungsoo's breath had been strong. Kyungsoo has never felt so embarrased in his life, cheeks flushing red when he remembers why alcohol and Do Kyungsoo is never a good combination. His stomach tends to get a little gassy when alcohol mixes into his system. Ah, he should have stayed sober after all.
He can't even look at Jongin after that, drawing his knees up to hide his face.
"Uh, Kyungsoo, were you just asking me if I wanted to f- earlier?" Jongin asks after a while, when the smell in the air has settled and Kyungsoo still couldn't bring himself up to face the tanned male.
Kyungsoo's attention immediately perks up when he recalls what he said. "W-wait, it's not what I wanted to ask!"
"Oh. Ok then."
They're awkward. Kyungsoo doesn't think he could ask Jongin about prom after what he did, so instead he settled for an apology. "Hey, I'm sorry for burping at your face earlier. I had some beer before we came out and... uh, it gives me gas."
"Does it only go one direction?" Jongin returns a loopy smirk. If Kyungsoo doesn't know the male well enough, he would have died on the spot. Jongin's smirks are probably the second reason why he's still breathing in this world (Changmin's abs takes the prize for now). Regardless, he still blushes deep red over the remark.
"W-what do you mean by that?"
Jongin shrugs. "Do I have to prepare myself for a fart bomb?"
"A f-fart bomb?!" Jongin couldn't but laugh at the entire ridiculous conversation they're currently having, watching the way Kyungsoo stutters over his words. "I-I would never do that!"
"Good to know then." Kyungsoo couldn't believe they're even having this conversation, about the gassy state of his body. Yet, he's not mad at the lanky male for bringing it up. At least they're not awkward anymore, and Jongin's eyes actually form crescents when he laughs. It's just so adorable, so different from his usual persona in school. As far as everyone knows, Kim Jongin has never laughed so dorkishly before.
"You're cute, you know." Kyungsoo says as an afterthought, thinking it's just his monologue talking again when Jongin suddenly stops. He stares at the shorter male with wide eyes. "... did I just say that? Uh... forget about it. I don't want to creep you out." Kyungsoo blushes again.
"I'm not too creeped out over it. I mean... I just don't get creeped out over anything anymore." Jongin trails off, somehow giving Kyungsoo the impression that there's more to that statement than what Kyungsoo had just spouted. He doesn't ask about it though.
"Come on, let's get back inside before Jongdae and Yixing wonder where we went."
He could ask Jongin about prom another day.
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