“You did not just leave me last night. I actually thought you were starting to have fun, and you said you’d take us home if we got wasted. Well guess what? We did. And you weren’t there.” Baekhyun corners him in the library and grits his teeth in frustration, wanting to scream but mustering enough self-restraint not to.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen in shock because (a) he has never witnessed Baekhyun this livid; and (b) he was pretty surprised he doesn’t look the least bit hung over. “A guy asked me out,” he blurts out of panic.

The anger in the other’s eyes quickly dissipates to be replaced by shock, and then confusion, and then are those tears?

“Oh. My. God.”

“I know; I’m sorry. When I texted last night to inform you I was leaving, I probably should have also given you the reason. But…yeah, I….”

His last words are muffled as he finds himself in a sudden, violent embrace. When Baekhyun pulls back, his eyes are still glistening. Why the hell is he crying?

The teary-eyed male brings a hand to his mouth before exclaiming, “I am so proud of you. Ditching your friends to go out with a stranger is something I would do.”

“So is that supposed to be a compliment? Because you practically just made me out to be a -slash-horrible best friend.”

Baekhyun then wraps his fingers around his wrist to drag him out of the library. “Wait, Baek. What are you doing?”

“You have to spill. And I can’t have you do it here because I’m sure as hell not going to be able to hold myself from squealing.”

They walk a few yards and seat themselves on one of the benches lining the open walkway. Baekhyun has his signature cheeky grin on, and clapping his fingers shrieks, “Ok, spill.”

Kyungsoo is reluctant at first but Baekhyun looks at him with such enthusiasm that he ultimately relents and tries to narrate the events that transpired last night in the least embarrassing way possible. “Well, I’m not sure if you noticed the band members who were playing last night, because you and Chanyeol were sort of making out the entire time…”

“Ok, I get it! Now stop making me out as a . I didn’t notice them but that’s beside the point. Now what about them?”

“Well, I was sitting at the bar and then the guitarist came up to me and we struck a conversation.” Unable to hold himself back, he adds, “And he was so frickin’ gorgeous! His name is Kim Jongin, by the way. He asked me out for coffee and we got to talking about just these random facts on ourselves. And we switched numbers and I want to see him again, but I know it wouldn’t be appropriate to call him the next day. So when do you suggest I ask to meet him again? Because I don’t want to seem desperate but I also don’t want him to think I’m not interested.”

“Wow. My little Kyungie has a boyfriend!”

“What? No! We haven’t even gone on a second date yet.”

“I’m not being technical here! You know what I mean. Anyway, to answer your question, I usually wait three days before contacting the guy. So the day after tomorrow would be apt.”

“I have to wait until then?!”

“Geez you’re excited. So is he really that good-looking? On a scale of one to Chanyeol, where would you place him?”

One to Chanyeol? “Uhm…definitely above Chanyeol?”

That earns him a huff and a smack on the head from this hyung. “I mean seriously, what scale is that? He’s not as tall as Chanyeol; he’s slightly tanned; he’s super lean but not scrawny; and he has such an adorable, boyish smile. And you know what? Remember a couple of months ago when you called me out for wearing the same sweater for two consecutive days? When I was on the bus the previous night, I didn’t get to see the guy who sat next to me but his cologne stuck to my sweater and it smelled so freakin’ good. Jongin smelled exactly like that. Although I didn’t need to tell him that.”

“Well yeah, because that story was creepy as hell. But really, I am so thrilled for you. He seems like a nice guy and I hope it works out.”

And it really hits him then how he may be on to his very first boyfriend. Up to this point, Kyungsoo’s only contented himself with one-sided crushes and faraway glares, but this right here looks like the makings of love. He can’t help the smile that’s spreading across his face.

---

Kyungsoo summons all his willpower as his finger hovers over Jongin’s number on his phone. He knows he shouldn’t contact him until after two more days, but embarrassing as it is to admit to himself, he can’t wait to see the guitarist again.

The heavens seem to decide for him because his phone suddenly vibrates to notify of an incoming call, from no other than Kim Jongin. He is about to press the green button when he hesitates; he didn’t want Jongin to know that he’d been staring at his phone all this time, waiting for the guy to make a move. He counts to five before finally answering.

“Hi,” they sputter at the same time, inducing a chuckle from both ends of the line.

“Yeah, hi. Am I too clingy? Calling this soon? I don’t really know what’s considered the appropriate window of time, but I just wanted to hear from you again.”

“Definitely not too clingy. I actually just got home from school.”

“You have classes on a weekend?”

“, right? And you probably have a gig later? Being that it is a Saturday and all.”

“Actually, we don’t. So I was wondering if you’d like to go out. Like right now, maybe?”

“Yeah, sure. Where should we meet?”

“How about the park? By the swing set.”

“Hell yes! I mean…uhm, sure, the swing set. I haven’t been there for a while because of school. I miss the ducks.”

“Haha. I guess I’ll see you there?”

“Fifteen minutes.” Kyungsoo ends the call, fishes for his keys, and then dashes out of his apartment. Forget Baekhyun’s three-day rule.

---

Kyungsoo is already swinging feverishly when Jongin reaches the park. He feels slightly guilty that he made the other wait, but the smaller boy obviously doesn’t seem to mind so Jongin spares a few minutes to stare at the adorable sight in front of him: specifically that of a boy grinning wildly, hair flying delicately with the wind, legs stretched out and swinging in the air. Really cute, thinks Jongin. He finally approaches Kyungsoo and flashes him his most genuine of smiles. “Hey! Glad you could make it. Have you been waiting long?”

“Not really. And I was having tons of fun, anyway. The swing set has always been my favorite playground fixture. Even now that I’m a twenty-something, I still make sure to ride it when I come here. This is one of the rare instances when I’m actually glad for my short stature, because then I don’t attract too many stares from the ahjummas. Except only when their kids want a turn and I hesitate before getting off.” He is still donning that heart-shaped smile on his face and Jongin can’t help but reciprocate with his own cheeky grin.

“I don’t see many kids right now, so let’s keep at it?”

“As a response, Kyungsoo only pushes his feet off the ground and resumes swinging. It does not take long before an unspoken challenge is between them to see who could swing higher. It’s actually pretty risky stuff and Jongin finds his heart beating rapidly in fear that he’d fly right off and onto the ground. Kyungsoo on the other hand looks fueled by adrenaline and an ample stock of fearlessness. They don’t remember how long it takes but they eventually halt their movement due to overexertion.

“You definitely win,” quips the taller boy.

“You had no chance of beating me. Didn’t I just say I never stopped playing on swing sets?”

“Why do you like it so much, anyway? I mean it’s a lot of fun, but you seem to have this unparalleled zest for swinging.”

“I think it’s the closest I can get to flying. Thank you for suggesting we meet here.”

“No problem. I’m glad you were free.”

“I’m glad you were free. And to be completely frank, I’m glad you called. My friend, the one I ditched last night, told me I shouldn’t be contacting you until after three days. I’ve never really been subject to such a predicament before so I took his advice. It was really difficult though.”

“It was really difficult for me too. But what the heck, right?”

“Preach.”

They stay quiet for a while to calm their still racing hearts and heavy breathing. It dawns on both boys that as reserved individuals, neither of them really mind the silence. What others may perceive as awkward or stifling is actually comforting for introverts like Kyungsoo and Jongin. But they were on a date, and it isn’t long before one of them has to speak up. “Kyungsoo-ah, I brought bread. Feed the ducks with me?”

---

“When I was little – and don’t make any jokes about me still being little – because trust me I’ve heard more than my fair share of that rebuttal, my grandpa used to take me here a lot to feed the ducks. I was terrified of them for the longest time before I eased into it. But even then I still kept a respectable distance.” A wave of excitement passes over Kyungsoo as he reminisces of fond childhood memories, but his expression morphs into one of longing at the end of his story. Jongin doesn’t have to ask to know that Kyungsoo had lost his grandfather somewhere along the line.

“I started coming here in high school, around the time we’d just moved into the city. I would ride my bike around the area to familiarize myself and heard loud quacking when I rounded the park. Since then, I’ve snuck a few slices of bread from time to time to feed the ducks. I guess I stopped when a particularly hungry one bit my fingers. Ungrateful jerk.”

“How old are you by the way, Jongin?”

“Twenty. Why?”

“Ooooh, so it seems I’m your hyung.”

“Do I have to call you hyung then?”

“Nah. I don’t really mind. It was just a thought I had in passing.”

“I think I will though. Kyung hyung sounds cute.”

“Don’t you even try, mister.”

“Kyung hyung!”

Kyungsoo has to admit that the nickname does sound charming. Or maybe it’s just the way that it rolls off of Jongin’s tongue so naturally; like he’d always been meant to say it. He blushes at the thought. “Have you always wanted to be in a band?”

“As a career? Not particularly. It just happened, I guess. But I’m fairly happy with what I do.”

“Fairly?”

“I enjoy playing music, but I can’t help but wonder what it’d be like if things actually went according to plan; if I actually got to pursue my original goal. I guess that’s why I can’t be fully happy being a musician: I have to know what else I could have been.”

“What did you always want to be, anyway?”

“Can we talk about this over dinner?”

“Oh, ok. But if it’s too personal, I don’t need you to press on.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m just really hungry right now.” He laughs a little – that innocent, boyish laugh of his – and suddenly the tension lifts as quickly as it settled. “And I have a feeling I’d tell you eventually anyway.”

And the look he gives Kyungsoo: that glint in his eye, makes it absolutely certain to the older boy that Jongin is already looking forward to a future with them together.

They’re in this for the long run.

---

The sun is already setting as they make their way to a small café near the park. It’s one that is familiar to the both of them but have not visited for quite some time now. They engage in conversations outside of Jongin’s history; it apparently is too personal that he fully intends to only talk about it once they’re seated and relaxed. For now, both men decide to push the topic to the back of their minds.

Kyungsoo animatedly recounts to Jongin how Baekhyun had reacted when he told him about last night – to distract him from serious and possibly somber thoughts. When Jongin chuckles and then full on laughs, Kyungsoo knows his plan had been successful.

“Your friend is quite a character. I don’t think I’ve ever heard about someone crying tears of joy after they’ve been ditched the night previous. How are you friends again?”

“Our friendship remains to this day one of the greatest puzzles in my life. You know how they say opposites attract? I think how that works is the other person brings out the opposite, less prominent side of you. I’m an inherently shy person – a loner – but I also have a silly side that people don’t usually see. And Baekhyun draws that out of me. I guess having a crush on him before may also have contributed to us becoming friends. You wouldn’t push away your crush when he wants to get close to you, right?”

“Oh. So you fancied him then?”

“For a while. He’s really beautiful for one. And his meddlesome nature often annoys the out of me, but for what it’s worth it only tells me that he cares. What Baekhyun drags me into usually isn’t something I want to do, but he knows it’s something I need to do. And I’m never going to admit this to the guy, but at the end of it I always realize he was right and I’ll be thankful he pushed me.”

“Like dragging you to his boyfriend’s birthday party?”

Kyungsoo looks up to register the suggestive quirking of Jongin’s eyebrow and the playful tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, like dragging me to his boyfriend’s birthday party.”

They’re about to enter the restaurant when Jongin’s head turns to the glass windows and his eyes catch sight of a familiar woman eating alone at one of the booths: the same woman who’d always brought him here befire when he was younger. The words “freak” and “leave” resonate in his mind like they still do at night. He freezes, panics, and then it isn’t long before his head meets the sidewalk.

---

A/N: Hi! Sorry for the late upload. I've been busy preparing for my internship in the next two weeks, and also penning other fics (which you could read here under my stories btw). What do you think of the cliffhanger? As always, I'll try not to keep you hanging for too long. Jongin's backstory is up next! Mild(?) sekai coming up too. :)