"Hey, Ji, look at that."
Seungcheol points at the couple who’s sitting diagonally from them, entirely cuddly without a care in the world that they’re actually in a public place.
"Five bucks and they wouldn’t last til the end of the month." Seungcheol smirks before returning his attention to the melting popsicle on his hand.
"Why are you always so bitter?" Jihoon replies non-committedly. Seungcheol's been so attentive in scrutinizing every couple they see lately. He attributes it to the fact that Seungcheol's last relationship had been a while, perhaps a year already, and that his best friend is pouring his frustrations on other couples for his lack thereof.
"You could get a date any day, you know. If that could lessen your saltiness."
"Nah," Seungcheol chomps on his popsicle and Jihoon wonders if his teeth didn’t ache from the cold, "no use, I'm already waiting for someone."
Seungcheol has been mentioning it a lot lately, how he actually likes someone and is just waiting for the right time to confess. Jihoon doesn’t probe him about it, he's not the type to stick his own nose on other people's business.
"Aren’t you going to ask? Aren’t you the bit curious about it?"
Jihoon turns to look at his best friend. He's got this giddy expression on his face and he knows if he's going to give in, he'll have his ears fall off with Seungcheol's endless barrage about his crush.
"Nah, wouldn’t risk my ears to hear your lovesick puppy stories." He goes back to eating his popsicle, eyes flitting back to the bench occupied by the couple only to find it empty now.
He fails to see how Seungcheol's face fall on his apparent disinterest about his feelings.
"Your loss." Seungcheol whispers so close that Jihoon felt the fleeting touch of the other's lips against the shell of his ear.
He shivers, whether from the fact that Seungcheol might’ve kissed his ear or due to coldness of Seungcheol's breath when he whispered to him. He decides it's the latter and suspends all other possibilities pilling at the back of his mind.

"Oh hey, you're early today."
Jihoon stops momentarily in his studying to see his best friend dump himself beside him, hair ruffled and few top buttons ed as usual.
"Practice was cancelled. Coach caught a bug."
Jihoon hums understandingly before picking up his pen once again and continue his note taking.
It's been a habit. Seungcheol coming to Jihoon at the library after soccer practice or Jihoon watching Seungcheol practice by the bench if he wasn’t busy studying. Amidst their difficult and differing schedules being in different year levels, they always manage to find time to meet by the end of the day and go home together. Jihoon supposes it's a common thing for best friends to put an effort to see each other. He doesn’t dwell on it too much.
"Don’t you ever get tired of writing notes down? I mean, you can always read it in the book."
"I remember things easily when I write them down."
"Well, it’s more time consuming though."
"Yeah it is, but it helps me study better, so." He drops his pen to examine his hand, the juncture in between his thumb and index fingers already reddening from writing too much. "Though my hand hurts at times when I write too much."
Seungcheol tsks beside him and grabs his hand to examine it personally. "Don’t overdo it then," he then proceeds to knead the reddening area with his thumb and Jihoon's left to stare at his best friend’s concentrated face. "Thanks, Cheol."
Seungcheol hums and momentarily stops to bring Jihoon's hand against his nose, "Using moisturizer?"
Jihoon hastily retracts his hand from Seungcheol's hold, cheeks flushed because his best friend will most definitely about this. "Y-yeah. But it’s just because the pads of my fingers have been rough lately. From playing guitar, I guess."
Jihoon waited for a laugh or a smirk but none came. Instead, he felt Seungcheol taking ahold of his hand again, bringing it close to his nose again.
"It's lavender scented." Seungcheol mutters and Jihoon stutters out a confirmation.
He feels a patch of his skin burn when he felt the other's lips plant against the back of his hand.
Jihoon almost stops breathing.
"I like it, the scent reminds me of you." Jihoon doesn’t know if he used too much of the hand moisturizer that the scent is now invading his nostrils and making his head swirl, or the fact that Seungcheol still hasn’t moved from kissing the back of his hand.
He's only pulled out of his thoughts when Seungcheol asks him if they should go home already since the library's closing soon. Jihoon manages to regain himself and collect his things.
They fall side by side as they leave the library. Jihoon belatedly realizes his hand still in Seungcheol's hold.

On board the crowded bus on the way home, Seungcheol presses against Jihoon's back to protect him from being bumped by other people. With the top of Jihoon's head reaching only his eyes, Seungcheol conveniently presses his lips against the others hair, butterflies inside his stomach yet rumbling again. Jihoon's hair smells of lavender too and it makes Seungcheol smile.
Jihoon didn’t seem to mind the proximity.

It’s the second Saturday of the month, which means, monthly gathering/sleepover with their friends. Tonight they're over Junhui's house, the house all to themselves with Junhui's parents away for a medical mission. Somehow they managed to get booze aside from the liquors Junhui has procured from his parents' stash.
Nothing ever comes good with the guys intoxicated. Jihoon can already feel the impending headache coming. They were playing spin the bottle (how unique), and it would have been bearable, Jihoon thinks, if it weren’t for the fact that half of their friends were dating each other and the consequences of the game doesn’t entirely involve kissing each other.
The bottle spun and came to a stop pointing at Wonwoo. Seokmin giddily instructs him to kiss the neck of the person he finds the most beautiful in the room. Without hesitation, Wonwoo crawls towards Junhui and kisses the latter's neck. It was no surprise since the two had already started dating each other for the past month but that didn’t stop the guys from hollering, especially when Wonwoo takes it upon himself to proceed and kiss Junhui deeply, out of intoxication or not.
Jihoon pretends to gag and proceeds to cover his face with a pillow. He didn’t want to defile his eyes, much more for his friends to be the cause of it.
He doesn’t resurface from behind the pillow were it not for the sloppy kiss planted against his cheek. He immediately throws the pillow against his assaulter and finds Seungcheol hit square on the face.
"Aw, Jihoonie. No need to be violent." Jisoo says, helping Seungcheol from the floor and guiding the other back to his spot on the floor.
Jihoon's cheeks are flushed. It feels like the spot where Seungcheol kissed him had left a spark of fire that's now slowly traveling all over his body, enflaming him.
Jihoon opts not to look at Seungcheol and casts his eyes on the bottle that's spinning again. He reminds himself that there's nothing to mind about the kiss. They're best friends and kissing can be normal. Right? Jihoon tries to convince himself over and over again until the guys decide to go to sleep. It was already a quarter past 2.
When Jihoon's settled on the floor next to Seungkwan and ready to sleep, he asks the other in hushed whisper why Seungcheol suddenly kissed him earlier during the game.
Seungkwan sleepily answers him that Seungcheol was tasked to kiss the person he deemed cutest within the room.
Seungcheol thought Jihoon was the cutest.

cheol: hey u coming tonight, right?
me: of course, wouldnt miss it for the world.
cheol: great. see u there be sure to bring pompoms
me: shut up seungcheol, i'll never be your cheer leader.
cheol: aw u wound me :(
cheol: but I still expect u to scream for me
cheol: i mean for the game
me: sure. just make sure you dont flop.
cheol: HEY I NEVER FLOP. im the captain for a reason
me: yeah sure
cheol: y u always doubting me :( anyways, u alr have a date for the annual dance?
me: uh not yet. i dont think i'll even attend
cheol: whAT
cheol: WHYYY U SHOULD COME
cheol: its my last dance bfor i graduate
me: you can still go without me u .
me: by the way you alr asked someone?
cheol: hmm im planning to ask them tonight
me: uh well goodluck
me: go practice now, i'll see you later
cheol: ok jihoonieee see you my cheerleader
me: idiot
cheol: <3

Jihoon did not bring pompoms for Seungcheol’s game but he did make sure to cheer for the latter at the top of his lungs. It was a close fight, the contender being last year's runner up, and Seungcheol's team had to play tough to defend their title as champion. For the last quarter, the rival team were ahead by one point, but by some work of miracle (read: Kim Mingyu) their team were able to catch up and eventually score one more point ahead of the other before the time's over.
Everyone is celebrating and Jihoon cannot help but feel proud of Seungcheol. The team couldn’t have done it without his leadership.
Seungcheol's eyes scan the benches and when it found Jihoon's, he shoots him a wink which Jihoon rolls his eyes at before they’re both laughing.
When the hype's finally down and Seungcheol's able to meet Jihoon by the gate of the field, he lifts him off the ground and twirls them both around. Seungcheol is ecstatic and Jihoon can feel it through the vibrations against his chest when he laughs.
When he finally puts Jihoon down, he swoops down a kiss to the other's forehead before locking him to his chest in a hug.
Jihoon is beyond surprised but he didn’t know how to react. He pats his best friend on the back instead, saying you did really great cheol, really great.
"I’m relieved now. I can graduate without regrets." Seungcheol laughs heartily, "now I just need to do one more thing.
He holds Jihoon arm’s length away and smiles softly at him, "Ji, will you--"
Seungcheol was cut mid-sentence when his phone suddenly rang. He seethes a curse under his breath before he pulls out his phone and answer it, "What?", he almost shouts and Jihoon snickers at his best friend's frustrated face.
"Uh —I almost forgot! Wait I’ll come meet you." He ended the call abruptly and chucks it to his pocket.
"Ji, I just have to go to see Jeonghan a bit, okay? Stay here and wait for me." He scampers off back to the field before Jihoon could even reply.

Jihoon’s chest deflates. For a moment there, he thought Seungcheol was actually going to ask him to the dance. Apparently he’s wrong. He might’ve gone to see Jeonghan to ask him out.

Jihoon berates himself for hoping.

You’re just his best friend, Jihoon. Don’t get your hopes up. See? You just get hurt.

Jihoon sighs and leans against the gate. He has to collect himself and act normal again before Seungcheol comes back.

“Um, Jihoon?”

Jihoon turns to see Mingyu, hair still damp possibly from shower and a shy smile adorning his lips, his canines showing.

“Oh hey, Mingyu. You did an amazing job out there. Totally saved the game.”

Mingyu laughs softly, eyes casted on his sneakers-clad feet as he rubs the back of his neck shyly. “Ah, it’s not just me. The whole team really poured everything into it.”

Jihoon returns the smile and pats Mingyu’s right arm, “But still, those two goals you made in the last minute really saved it.”

Mingyu laughs again and hoists his backpack in his shoulder, “Anyways, what are you still doing here?”

“I’m waiting for Seungcheol, actually. I guess he had to meet Jeonghan for something?”

Mingyu’s mouth forms an ‘o’ and snaps his finger as a thought clicks in his mind, “Ah, maybe that’s why Jeonghan hyung had a bouquet? Those two are really sappy.”

Jihoon freezes in his spot, the pain that’s gnawing on his heart earlier resurfaces again.

“Uh, what?”

“I’m not sure but I think Jeonghan hyung plans to ask Cap to the dance? That might be what the flowers he was carrying in the lockers earlier were for.”

Jihoon wanted to cry but he can’t. He had to stop his feelings from consuming him. He clenches his fists instead and bite on his lower lip to keep the tears at bay. He’s so hurt and there’s no point in denying that the cause is his best friend. There’s no point denying that he’s actually fallen for his best friend. Otherwise he won’t be feeling this kind of pain from assuming that his best friend might have liked him too.

He was wrong, so wrong.

“Jihoon?”

Jihoon chokes on the itch in his throat before he regards Mingyu, “Y-yeah?”

“I know this might be out of the blue, and we’re… not that close but,” Mingyu takes one step forward and looks at Jihoon a little less shy, “would you like to go to the dance with me?”

Jihoon’s mind is in a haywire and he doesn’t control the words coming out of his mouth, “Why would you even want to go with me?”

“Well for starters, you’re really really cute.” Mingyu takes one of his hand to his own and gives him a pleading look. “Please, Jihoon?”

There’s a voice at the back of his mind that tells him to say no. But the pain that’s burning his heart prompts Jihoon to take this chance, to try divert his heart and mind away from Seungcheol. It wouldn’t hurt to chance at this, right?”

“Okay.”

“Really?” Mingyu’s eyes alight and his grasp on Jihoon’s hand tightens. “Wow—just. Thank you, Ji. I promise we’ll both have fun that night!”

Mingyu’s smile is like that of a child and it somehow makes him smile, even just a little. But the sound of Mingyu’s voice calling him Ji resonates at the back of his mind. He’s so used that only one person calls him like that.

“Ji?”

Jihoon turns to see Seungcheol, chest heaving up and down like he just ran a mile. He notes of the bouquet Seungcheol is holding and the pain in his heart starts gnawing again. So Mingyu was right.

Seungcheol’s eyes flit on the two’s joined hands and his look hardens. Jihoon, upon noticing it, tried to retract his hand from Mingyu’s hold but the other holds him into it.

“Hyung, guess what?” Mingyu holds up their hands for Seungcheol to see, “Jihoon’s going to the dance with me!”

Seungcheol’s jaw visibly ticks and he inhales deeply before prying his eyes away from their hands to look at Jihoon. “Is it true?”

“Um, yeah—since nobody else asked me and the dance is already on Wed—“

“I told you to—“ Seungcheol half screams and Jihoon’s taken aback. Seungcheol ruffles his hair seemingly in frustration before swinging his hand holding the bouquet like he’s going to throw it down the ground. He breathes loudly through his nose before he regards Mingyu with a stern look, “Well, congrats.” He then turns to walk away from the two.

“Wait, Cheol!”

Mingyu holds him back by the hand and fishes his phone out of his pocket and hands it to Jihoon, “Your phone number please. So I can text you.”

Jihoon hurriedly punches his number in and leaves Mingyu without much goodbye before he’s sprinting after Seungcheol.

“Cheol, wait! Seungcheol!”

Seungcheol stops by a garbage bin and unceremoniously throws the bouquet in. Jihoon managed to catch up him on the spot.

“Why did you throw it?! It seemed expensive!”

“No use.”

“What? Jeonghan hyung could’ve spent so much just to give those to you!”

“What?” Seungcheol turns to look at him, brows furrowed. Jihoon’s not used to a Seungcheol like this. His best friend was always smiling and almost never gets angry. “What are you talking about?”

“Uh, um, Jeonghan hyung asked you to the dance, right? That’s what the flowers were for.”

Seungcheol laughs incredulously, and Jihoon’s left bewildered. Seungcheol continued to laugh, but there’s a shallow tone in it, as he walked in circles.

“For someone so intelligent,” there are tears in Seungcheol’s eyes but Jihoon doesn’t know if it was because of the excessive laughter or Seungcheol’s genuinely broken inside, “you sure are dense when it comes to feelings, Lee Jihoon.”

They don’t talk for the succeeding days.

It’s the day of the dance. Jihoon feels stuffy in his suit and he doesn’t feel good. Well he’s not running a fever, but a broken heart maybe? It’s been days since he and Seungcheol last talked. Jihoon’s been trying to contact him but Seungcheol never answered.

He thought about it a lot, what Seungcheol said about how he was dense when it comes to feelings. Jihoon had entertained the idea that Seungcheol might actually like him, but he instantly berates himself for thinking so. It only fuels his hope and he doesn’t want that. He wanted confirmation and so he wanted to talk with Seungcheol. But the other guy has been so difficult, he has successfully avoided Jihoon for three straight days.

He doesn’t even know if Seungcheol attended the dance with Jeonghan. He hasn’t seen him around the hall.

“Hey, Ji. You okay?”

Mingyu looks dashing tonight, Jihoon couldn’t deny that, especially with his hair gelled up. He feels guilty for acting so distant with his date, especially that he can see through Mingyu’s efforts to make him enjoy the night.

“I’m fine, just a headache.”

Mingyu places his hand against the other’s forehead to check his temperature, “Well, you’re not that warm to run a fever.”

“I’m fine, Mingyu. Maybe somebody spiked the punch?” he tried to joke and Mingyu gladly buys it.

“Well then, you have to shake that off,” Mingyu stands and offers a hand to Jihoon, “dance with me.”

“Uh I cant—I don’t—“

“C’mon,” Mingyu pulls him to his feet despite his resistance, “dancing will clear your head.”

Jihoon let’s himself be dragged to the dance floor and Mingyu holds his hands to make him sway with the music. Jihoon laughs at Mingyu’s attempt, but eventually finds himself swaying to the music. They’ve danced crazily for a few songs before it suddenly shifts to a slow song.

Mingyu looks at Jihoon as if asking for permission before snaking a hand around the latter’s waist, bringing him closer to his chest. Jihoon, who’s not so comfortable and used with such proximity and skinship, merely holds onto the fabric of the side of Mingyu’s suit.

Mingyu leans down and whispers against Jihoon’s ear, “Thank you for coming with me tonight, I’m really having fun with you.” Jihoon cranes his neck to look at Mingyu and mouths a ‘no problem’. Mingyu smiles toothily before it fades into a soft smile, there’s also a glint in his eyes that Jihoon barely notices because of the dim lights.

Mingyu is suddenly leaning down, eyes fluttering to a close. Jihoon is mentally panicking, he doesn’t know whether he wants to be kissed by Mingyu, whether he should push the other away or duck his head. But Mingyu’s hold on him is secured and Jihoon can’t move. He’s rendered immobile and so he unwillingly closes his eyes and awaits for his first kiss to be taken by a person other than his best friend whom he’s in love with.

But the kiss never came and Jihoon suddenly felt the cold air around him upon realizing that he’s no longer enclosed by strong arms. He opens his eyes to see a broad back before him.

He knows this back. He knows it very well.

“Seungcheol?”

“Sorry, Mingyu.” Seungcheol laces his fingers with Jihoon’s so easily and tugs him to his side. "But I’m the only one who’s allowed to kiss him.”

Seungcheol then tugs on their locked hands and drags Jihoon out of the hall. Jihoon only managed to throw Mingyu an apologetic look before he’s lead out of the venue.

Seungcheol doesn’t stop when they exited the door and proceeded to drag Jihoon to the garden at the back of the venue hall. There’s no one else aside them and Jihoon’s suddenly hyper aware of the emotions rushing through his veins with Seungcheol’s hand in his.

They came to an abrupt stop, Seungcheol suddenly turning around to engulf Jihoon in a bone crushing hug. “Please tell me you don’t like him. Please, Jihoon.”

He hugs Jihoon tighter and it squeezes the latter’s waist, making it hard for him to breathe.

“Cheol, I can’t breathe.”

Seungcheol belatedly realizes that he’s been squeezing the other too much and apologizes. He lets go of Jihoon but places his head on the other’s shoulder.

“To answer your question,” Jihoon starts shakily, “no, I don’t like Mingyu. Not the like that I think you’re supposing, but I do like him as a friend.”

Seungcheol visibly relaxes, breathing out a long exhale against Jihoon’s neck.

He feels a pair of lips come in contact with his neck and he almost melts. “I’m glad. I thought I was losing you.”

Like a child, Seungcheol burrows his face deeper into the other’s neck, filling his senses with the lavender scent he loves so much.

“I was so frustrated and so afraid,” Seungcheol’s voice is soft and small but Jihoon pays his utmost attention to the boy in his arms, “that night after the match, I was supposed to ask you out to the dance. I only went to catch the bouquet I was supposed to give you from Jeonghan but when I came back you already agreed to go with Mingyu.”

It finally settled in Jihoon’s brain what Seungcheol meant that he was so dense. Apparently the bouquet was for him, and Seungcheol intentionally wanted to ask him to the dance, but his presumptions and insecurities got ahead of him and rendered him unable to see beyond his own cloud of misconceptions.

“I was so angry that somebody got ahead of me for you. I’m sorry I didn’t reply to your texts and answer your calls, I had to calm myself first.”

Seungcheol finally detaches himself from Jihoon to look at him in the eyes. Seungcheol’s eyes are soft and they’re sparkling under the moonlight. Jihoon thinks he’s fallen deeper in love with his best friend.

“But when I saw you about to get kissed by a guy who’s not me, I lost all of my control. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t let anybody touch you, Ji. I love you too much that I can’t bear the sight of you being with someone else other than me.”

The moment the word love flowed out from Seungcheol’s mouth, Jihoon’s world has come to a stop.

Seungcheol loves him.

Seungcheol just said he loves him.

“You love…me?” Jihoon asks in disbelief, wide eyes never leaving Seungcheol’s.

“Yeah,” Seungcheol confirms bashfully, “I do. I love you, Ji.”

At that moment, Jihoon loses his sense of self restraint and throws himself at Seungcheol. Seungcheol oomfs as he was caught off guard by Jihoon’s sudden launch.

“God, I love you too, Seungcheol. So much, too much.”

Seungcheol laughs and it’s entirely different from the last laugh Jihoon has heard from him that fateful night. Seungcheol laughs heartily now and it warms Jihoon’s heart. Finally. Finally, he can let the love overflow from his heart.

They hug for a few minutes more before Seungcheol pulls back to look at him lovingly. He cups Jihoon’s face and thumbs the blushing cheeks. He leans, slowly, and their lips touch softly. They both see fireworks behind their closed eyelids and feel the chaotic rumbling of the butterflies inside their stomachs. They pull away with equally lovesick look and sweet smile, hearts bursting with love they’ve held contained for a long time.

“So, I guess I can finally call you mine now?” Seungcheol asks, eyes gleaming with happiness.

Jihoon tiptoes to kiss him again on the lips.

It’s the start of the kisses Seungcheol no longer has to steal.

“Yeah,” Jihoon answers breathlessly against the other’s lips, “I’m all yours.”