“Stop that.”

Taeil’s expression stills in contrast, and despite his hands are gripping on the ones that are linked around his waist in a threatening manner, he doesn’t pull them away. The chin hooked on his shoulder is sharp and heavy but for some reason the way it weighs feels just right, Taeil can’t help but succumb to the comfort.

“Stop what,” Jaehyun's voice comes out a bit too low, and it blows warmth on Taeil’s nape.

“This. You’re being clingy,” he replies, turning his head to look at Jaehyun, and the younger just breathes out a laugh, the faint dimple on his right cheek showing just slightly and Taeil lightly shrugs to get him off of his shoulder.

The arms chaining his waist loosen a bit and Taeil misses the comfort almost too immediately as his hands tightens around Jaehyun’s wrists, keeping them secure. The younger laughs again and Taeil hates how the sound makes his heart fails to keep a steady tempo.

“Maybe consider telling yourself that, Hyung,” Jaehyun mumbles against his blade, closing the gap between their bodies once again.

Taeil’s lips curl into a smile, shy as he catches the younger leering at him. Jaehyun has been doing this a lot lately—backhugging him, holding onto him and leaving a lot of touches when they walk pass each other—and while Taeil is not one to complain, he’s uncomfortable with the fact that Jaehyun is able to manipulate him like this. 

Manipulate his feelings like this.

Ever since that night when he let his weakness show as Jaehyun returned his confession in front of everyone, when he failed to conceal his feelings as he let more than one tear escape hearing those three words being said back to him, Jaehyun has never let him live it down (yep, Jaehyun can be a little sometimes but that doesn’t make him less charming, to Taeil’s liking at least). From then on, his mornings start with the same words he last hears before he sleeps.

“If I knew you’d react like that, I’d tell you sooner,” Jaehyun said the following morning (with a smile so stupidly enchanting it made his cheeks warm with blush).

“You know I can’t help it. You should’ve expected that from me,” Taeil said softly, allowing the younger to take his hand and link their fingers together. “Especially when you knew how I feel.”

Their lips touched after that, as Jaehyun leaned in and gave him a peck. He could see the younger’s cheeks grow red and Taeil was utterly relieved, assured that he wasn’t the only one who was feeling this way.

Who is feeling this way.

“Hyung,” Jaehyun reverts him back to the present, his finger poking Taeil’s cheek and Taeil responds with a hum. “You’re thinking again.”

“That’s what adults do, Jaehyun. We think.”

Jaehyun raises one eyebrow upon Taeil’s sudden sass, but places his chin back on the older’s shoulder. “I guess I’m one step closer to being an adult then.”

Taeil tilts his head questioningly and he feels Jaehyun’s arms hugging him tighter, one of his hands slides up and stops on the left side of Taeil's chest, feeling his heart beat with his palm. And as if on cue, Taeil’s heart jumps when he hears another of Jaehyun’s confession.

“I was thinking about how much I love you.”