Jaehyun has a tendency of kissing him goodbye recently; when they stand in front of the security gate of Jaehyun’s house, bidding their goodbyes before they part for the night.

Tonight is not any different as Jaehyun leans down in the slightest, and with a soft press of his lips, colors Taeyong’s cheeks into the darkest shade of pink.

“Goodnight hyung,” Jaehyun says with a small and seemingly self-satisfied smile before turning to let himself into the apartment building, taking a small piece of Taeyong’s heart away with him.

Taeyong had been shocked initially. As much as skinship is common in Korea, friends do not kiss each other, especially not when they’re of the same gender and Taeyong wonders if Jaehyun developed this habit when he went back to America for the summer.

However, the initial shock quickly melts into anticipation and futile yearning as Taeyong wishes that the innocent peck will last a little longer.

“Jaehyun,” Taeyong quickly calls out before the younger boy can close the gate. There is a sudden surge of courage, pushing him to ask Jaehyun if he kisses him out of habit, or could it be something more, something that Taeyong yearns for.

Jaehyun turns around, eyes riddled with confusion. He looks so young, so innocent that as quickly as Taeyong’s courage had appeared, it disapparated, leaving behind a stomachful of guilt and nervousness. He couldn’t do this.

“Nothing,” Taeyong says weakly. He couldn’t ask Jaehyun the question.What if he is overthinking things? What if they can’t be friends after the question? He doesn’t need an answer, he just needs the kisses to last a little longer. “I just wanted to say goodnight again,” Taeyong continues lamely, mustering the most natural smile he can.

“Okay then. Goodnight hyung,” Jaehyun smiles at him, the smile so bright that Taeyong’s heart gives another involuntarily leap.

“Don’t sleep too late,” Taeyong calls after the younger boy’s retreating back. This will do, for now.

Hyung, are you home already?

Taeyong receives a message minutes after he reached home, as if Jaehyun had purposely calculated the time it would take for him to reach home.

Yes, I am. Go to sleep. A kid shouldn’t stay up so late.

He types back quickly, unable to keep the fond smile off his face as he imagines Jaehyun’s reaction to being called a kid. Jaehyun had always hated being called a kid, all the more so when it comes from Taeyong but that doesn’t stop him from teasing the younger boy every now and then.

I’M NOT A KID ANYMORE!!! I’m graduating in a week’s time.

And I’m still your hyung. So you’ll always be a kid to me. Taeyong replies.

Taeyong still remembers the first time he met Jaehyun. His roommate had brought the other boy to their shared apartment, claiming that his younger cousin needed to know more friends since he had just moved back from US.

But after the initial introductions, Johnny had left Jaehyun standing awkwardly in a corner of the living room, choosing to wrestle Ten, a close friend of theirs, for the remote control instead.

“Do you want some drinks?” Taeyong saw Yuta, their friendly Japanese roommate asking Jaehyun.

He had wanted to approach the younger boy even before Yuta got up from his seat, but Taeyong had never been good with people and it was much easier to hide in his corner.

Jaehyun nodded gratefully and proceeded to give Yuta a smile.

Jaehyun was good looking, that much Taeyong realized the moment he stepped into the door. But he didn’t know it was possible for him to fall in love at first sight with eyes that crinkled into crescents the moment Jaehyun smiled.

As much as he hated to admit it, Taeyong didn’t remember much of what happened in between till Jaehyun asked to sit next to him during dinner and he said yes.

It had been three years since then. Jaehyun had grown a lot taller, managed to become the baby of the clique, and Jaehyun’s mum had stopped giving him curfew but Jaehyun still panics about catching the bus home whenever the clock strikes 10 and Taeyong couldn’t help but find that incredibly cute.

“Don’t you need to go home already?” A quick look at his phone tells Taeyong that it is already 10:15PM and they are still at least an hour away from Jaehyun’s house.

“I told my mum that I will be staying out late tonight,” Jaehyun says.

“What’s the special occasion?” Taeyong could easily count the number of times Jaehyun stayed out after 12 in one hand; Johnny’s birthday, Ten’s graduation and that time they were stuck at Paju without a ride home.

“Nothing. Just felt like staying out late today”

“Our Jaehyunnie has grown up,” Taeyong teases, reaching up to ruffle Jaehyun’s hair. “So what does our Jaehyunnie want to do?”

Jaehyun swats his hand away irritably and pushes his mouth into a pout, “I’m not a kid anymore.”

“So what does our adult want to do?”

They ended up at the frontage road next to the river with a few bottles of soju and beer in hand. The traffic on the road has lessened considerably but it doesn’t feel any less exhilarating seeing the cars speed past them as they enjoy the night breeze.

“Jaehyun don’t drink so quickly,” Taeyong shouts over the sound of the traffic. The younger boy had not stopped drinking since Taeyong mixed him the first cup of somaek a couple of minutes ago.

Jaehyun hiccups, giving Taeyong a lopsided smile. “I’m fine, hyung,” His words slur in the slightest and Taeyong knows instantly that it is a bad idea letting the younger boy drink. Jaehyun had barely drank in their previous outings, choosing to stick to soda or a tiny sip of alcohol and drinking so quickly is making him intoxicated incredibly fast.

“Give me your cup,” Taeyong pries Jaehyun’s fingers off the cup with little effort. “What’s wrong with you tonight?” Taeyong asks, letting the younger boy rest his head on his shoulders, “What is our Jaehyunnie thinking about?”

“You,” Jaehyun whispers into his ears, his hot breath tickling Taeyong’s ears, and heart.

Taeyong coos, giving Jaehyun a light pat on his head, “Hyung is always thinking of you too. About how much Jaehyun had grown, how Jaehyun will manage to charm everyone in university.” He doesn’t allow himself to over-think about what Jaehyun’s words might mean. There’s no way Jaehyun’s words carried the same meaning as what Taeyong wished for.

“You know that’s not what I mean,” Jaehyun struggles to push himself into a sitting position, “I like you hyung.”

Taeyong’s heart hammers in his chest, Jaehyun’s sudden confession threatening to close up his throat. Despite his drunkenness, Jaehyun’s eyes remain clear and Taeyong can see himself clearly reflected in the younger boy’s irises.

“Jaehyun, hyung-” Hyung likes you too, that is what Taeyong wanted to say. But he remembers Johnny - how Jaehyun is his close friend’s younger cousin, how Jaehyun chose to say all of these only when he is drunk and Taeyong stops himself in his tracks. There is no way Jaehyun can mean it.

“Stop doubting me,” Jaehyun says, voice surprisingly steady for someone drunk, “I know what I’m talking about.

Hyung, I had a crush on you since the first time I saw you. I don’t go around kissing people too. But,” Jaehyun lets out a low laugh and leans against the barricades.

“Don’t lean against that,” Taeyong pulls the younger boy to his side, “There are still cars driving by. It’s dangerous.”

Taeyong doesn’t say anything after that, letting Jaehyun drape himself all over Taeyong. With him feeling every beat of Jaehyun’s heart, it is easier for him to believe in Jaehyun’s words.

“Hyung,” Jaehyun whines, circling his arms around Taeyong’s waist.

“Hyung,” Taeyong sighs, he needs to stop overthinking, “hyung likes you too.”

“Good,” Jaehyun rubs his face against Taeyong’s neck in something akin to contentment. “Hyung can give me goodnight kisses from now on too.”

Taeyong laughs, a mixture of relief and amusement, “We aren’t supposed to kiss until the third date.”

“But I’ve kissed you so many times already,” Jaehyun mumbles unhappily.

“Your loss, my gain,” Taeyong says, earning a light bite from Jaehyun.

“I hate you hyung.”

“No, you like me.”

“You’re right,” Jaehyun replies and Taeyong’s heart has never felt fuller.

“Jung Jaehyun,” Taeyong nudges the younger boy when he feels the weight on his shoulder getting heavier, “you’re not supposed to fall asleep by the road side.

Jung Jaehyun!”

A/N: I was thinking a lot about bloodtypes and came to the conclusion that Jaehyun wouldn't be able to confess without the help of alcohol which is how the second part happened.