Gwangsoo sighed heavily as he sank down onto the cold floor of the fire escape, leaning his head back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling listlessly.

His courage was diminishing the more he thought about confronting Jongkook, even if Jaesuk and Joongki’s encouragement had been welcome and helpful. He just didn’t know how he would even begin to explain himself, why he had been such a jerk and why he had changed his mind. It all sounded so unbelievable and weird in his own head, he wouldn’t be surprised if Jongkook thought he was lying or had gone insane.

But he would still try to understand, right? He wouldn’t be mad at him or hate him.

Gwangsoo sighed again.

Jongkook. He needed to find Jongkook. Now, before he chickened out.

His thoughts must have been some spell because the door to the fire escape flew open and, lo and behold, there Jongkook was, frazzled and agitated. His eyes found Gwangsoo on the floor, and he immediately sat up a little straighter.

“Hyung,” he breathed incredulously, his hands starting to tremble lightly. “Hi.”

Jongkook’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized him and Gwangsoo squirmed. This was his moment to confess, he knew that, but it was easier said than done. How in the world had Jongkook done it? Gwangsoo couldn’t even begin to form the right words in his mind, let alone transfer them to his lips.

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no sound came out.

Maybe he should wait until they were in private and not somewhere where anyone could walk in on them. Yeah, that sounded like a great idea. And then he could take his time and not worry about filming or being interrupted. He just needed to get Jongkook to agree to meet after they wrapped up.

“Uhm,” he started eloquently, racking his brain for a good conversation topic. “W-what are you doing here?”

Jongkook took a step closer and Gwangsoo pressed back against the wall, looking anywhere but at the older’s face. God, he was nervous.

“What the hell is up with you?” Jongkook asked in a low murmur.

“Ah, well, you know,” Gwangsoo gave an awkward and shaky laugh. “Stressed and tired with all the work and everything.”

Jongkook didn’t look convinced so he tried to give him a reassuring smile.

“Hyung, we should grab something to eat later!” he said in a chipper tone, attempting to ease his own nervousness with fake cheer as he started to get up. “Maybe invite some of the members too? It’s been a while since we did something like that! Oh, and also, do you wanna hang out in-”

“This ends now!” Jongkook growled as he crouched down and slammed his hand to the wall to prevent him from standing up and running away. “Don’t pretend with me. Exactly what have you been doing this entire time?”

Gwangsoo swallowed, pressing his back closer to the wall while forcing his eyes to meet Jongkook's and his hands to stop trembling.

“Uh, nothing Hyung,” he tried to say with confidence, only a slight tremor to his voice. “Just the mission.”

Jongkook narrowed his eyes at him.

“Why did Jaesuk-Hyung just tell me you had been crying?”

“Oh, he did?” he laughed nervously. It died out at the unamused expression on the other’s face and he sighed.

This was it. This was the time. Jongkook wouldn’t let him go without an honest answer and Gwangsoo really didn’t have a good enough excuse to derail him until later.

“I’m an idiot,” he muttered.

Jongkook blinked at him in confusion.

“What?”

Gwangsoo didn’t answer him. Instead he decided to throw caution to the wind and cupped the other’s face, pulling his lips down on his own into a soft kiss.

Jongkook completely froze and he pulled back worriedly, watching the older man with apprehension. Maybe he actually was far too late and had just screwed everything up again. What would he do then? His heart clenched at the thought of having to let the other go when he finally had come to realize what he actually felt for him.

Jongkook was still for so long Gwangsoo started worrying he had broken him. He moved his hands from his face to his shoulders and shook him lightly.

“Hyung,” he whispered. Jongkook continued to stare at him blankly, looking like his mind was light-years away. “Hyung, please say something.”

Jongkook blinked, his eyes focusing again, and he cleared his throat.

“What… what do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know,” Gwangsoo groaned. He wasn’t being pushed away, which he counted as a small victory. Did that mean Jongkook still felt the same? “Just… did you like it?”

“Did you like it?”

“Hyung, stop answering me with your own questions, dammit!”

Jongkook just stared at him, clearly beyond confused.

“How? I - you… what?”

“Kiss me,” Gwangsoo ordered helpfully when he realized words were out of the other’s field of capacity at the moment.

Jongkook tensed.

“I already did.”

“No,” he argued. “I was the only one doing the kissing. Kiss me, Hyung.”

“You want to?” Jongkook asked with an uncertainty that was so out of character it made Gwangsoo’s heart ache, knowing it was because of him.

But he also knew he could make it go away, so he cupped the other’s face again and pulled him in.

“Yes, I do. Kiss me,” he managed to mumble just before their lips met a second time.

And this time, Jongkook did.

He raised one hand to cradle the back of Gwangsoo's head, the other still pressed against the wall in order for him to not fall on top of him as he leaned in closer, tilting his head and kissing him back eagerly. Gwangsoo moved his hands from the other’s cheeks up into his hair to pull him in, kissing him deeper.

It was warm and tingly and wonderful and Gwangsoo wondered why he had never noticed how his heart swelled at the thought of Jongkook, because now it was humming with love, nearly bursting into a million tiny pieces of confetti and threatening to beat out of his chest all at the same time.

He smiled and pecked Jongkook’s lips before claiming them properly again, his arms falling to curl around the other’s shoulders and hug him closer, and Jongkook’s hand moved from his neck down to the small of his back, his fingers twisting in the fabric of his shirt.

“Gary, out. Gary, out.”

The two of them jumped apart with a gasp and looked around wildly, breaths quick, eyes glowing, and red lips glistening.

Thankfully, they were still very much alone since they weren’t even supposed to be where they were and they breathed a sigh of relief. After making completely sure no one had seen them they stared at each other in wonder for a moment, as if it was their first time seeing each other clearly.

Then Jongkook gave a small smile and stood up, holding out a hand. Gwangsoo took it with a tiny smile of his own, feeling warm and fluffy inside as their fingers interlaced instead of letting go when he had gotten to his feet. It felt so right he wanted to burst.

“I think we should get back to the mission,” Jongkook murmured, looking a little dazed and utterly overwhelmed. “Before our VJs and PD go crazy.”

Gwangsoo nodded, but tightened his grip on the other’s hand when he started to move away, making the older look back at him questioningly.

They needed to talk. Really talk. Gwangsoo had to make sure Jongkook understood he actually meant the kiss this time. Even if he was fairly certain he had gotten the message across. But they had been so out of tune with each other lately, he couldn’t take it for granted that Jongkook would understand.

“Hyung…” he started hesitantly, but then thought he didn’t really have anything to be hesitant of. “Take me home after we wrap up tonight,” he finished confidently.

He heard Jongkook’s breath hitch and looked up to see him swallow harshly.

“By taking home, you mean…?”

Gwangsoo’s eyes widened at the implication and he blushed, clearing his throat awkwardly.

“I-I didn’t mean take me to bed. I just wanted to spend the night with you like we used to… and talk,” he waved a hand between them, “about us.”

Jongkook seemed to relax at that, letting out a small, relieved breath.

“Okay.”

“Okay,” Gwangsoo echoed with a small smile. “Although, it won’t be entirely like we used to anyway, right?”

Jongkook shook his head incredulously before giving an amused snort. Then he reached a hesitant hand up to caress Gwangsoo’s cheekbone. Gwangsoo closed his eyes, feeling warm and tingly all over again, and he couldn’t help the giddy sensation racing through his veins and putting a smile on his face.

He opened his eyes to see Jongkook stare at him in awe and grabbed the hand on his cheek, pressing the palm to his face.

“We really should get going now, Hyung,” he mumbled after a moment of silent staring.

“Mhm,” the other hummed, letting his hand fall away from Gwangsoo’s face.

They parted ways on the third floor, Gwangsoo making his way down to the second floor to find his long lost VJ and Jongkook staying to look for clues as he waited for his own VJ to catch up.

Both had silly smiles on their faces and slightly rosy cheeks the rest of the day, but they couldn’t help it. Jaesuk gave him a knowing looks whenever they bumped into each other and Gwangsoo just pretended he was red-faced from running around instead of floating on pink clouds.

He was sure not much of him would be aired on this episode but he couldn’t care less because what he was feeling at the moment was worth so much more than getting time on screen.