When Jinyoung entered high school, he didn't have very high hopes. He'd always been praised for his amazing grades and popular among the girls in his school for his looks; yet he's never been interested in any of them. There were more important things to deal with than dating and drama and people.

He decided that friends were overrated long ago, anyway, after losing yet another one of his close friends after finally admitting, yes, he liked boys. Jinyoung didn't care all that much, It's not his fault he doesn't like girls, and if his "friends" couldn't accept that, then it's their loss.

That didn't mean it didn't hurt any less; the pain that came with knowing people thought he was gross, just because he liked boys, was hard to deal with. He just got over it quicker.

(That didn't change the fact that Jinyoung had to switch schools in the end of his second year in middle school after his ex-friend told everyone he was gay. There was only so much harassment a middle schooler can take before he breaks.)

That's why, when he was partnered with Im Jaebum on the first day of school, he was ready to snap at him at any chance. Surprisingly, Jaebum would snap back, though his words never held the same type of bite that Jinyoung's had, and he found, two weeks later, the two of them became closer than he thought they would.

They clicked easily, something that hasn't happened to Jinyoung, ever, and he decided that he liked it. Soon enough, Jaebum became the closest thing he held to his heart; he found himself looking forward to seeing his face every day, hearing his smooth voice, even just being near him every day.

It was kind of terrifying, Jinyoung thought, how easily they fit together.

Both of them volatile in their own rights; Jinyoung with words, Jaebum with actions, so it seemed like a recipe for disaster. But even through red-hot arguments and anger, the two of them stayed stronger than they've ever been-- and Jinyoung has never felt more thankful to have a friend like Jaebum.

(He was even more thankful, when, in his second year of highschool, he was able to tell Jaebum he was gay without getting hurt for doing it. In turn, Jaebum had reveled that he, himself, was biual, and it only made Jinyoung's heart swell even more at the fact that Jaebum trusted him.)

He doesn't know when his feelings for Jaebum sprung up. Maybe it was the first time the older boy snapped at him when Jinyoung said something particularly rude, or maybe it was when he skipped school just to nurse Jinyoung when he had a cold, or maybe it was all the times they shared the same pair of earbuds, food, and all the things that couples seem to do.

They were best friends, though, so Jinyoung forced himself to push down his feelings.

That was, until Jaebum started avoiding him near the end of senior year. Every invitation to hang out, every offer to walk home together; all of it, rejected. Jinyoung had never felt more hurt; had he done something to Jaebum?

Had Jaebum found out about his crush?

That had to be the case, Jinyoung thought, he must've found out. There's only a momentary bout of sadness at the thought before it turns to anger; because how dare Jaebum throw away three years of close friendship just because of a crush and then have the gall to avoid Jinyoung instead of confronting the problem?

He spends the next two weeks hunting down Jaebum (who avoids him like the plague), until finally, finally, he corners him on the way home. Jinyoung's hands are pushing into Jaebums shoulders to keep him still, his eyes glaring daggers into Jaebum's own.

His anger grows when Jaebum avoids his eyes, and he demands to know what the hell has gotten into him. Jinyoung knows he's angry because he starts to rant, his eyes start to water; but all of that flies out of his head when Jaebum's lips crash against his.

There's an apology and a question, and Jinyoung presses closer.

A year and a half later, he's holding Jaebum's hand tightly as they walk to meet their newfound friends. There's a smile on his face.

They definitely made the right choice.