“Jaebum-ah?” 

    “What?”

    “Why are we walking?” 

    “Because I want to.”

    “But your bike?”

    “It’s okay. I’ve already made sure nothing could happen to it. Besides, even if something did, it’ll be fine, since I’ve got enough money to buy another new one.” 

    Youngjae didn’t ask more. These past days Jaebum seemed off. Youngjae doesn’t know what exactly is going on with his best friend, but he’s worried. The bad boy wasn’t himself, and it starts to concern a certain blind boy. Jaebum had been more and more quiet and secluded. It’s like he found no interest in talking to Youngjae. Usually, they would go on and on about all kinds of topics without a break. But now, afternoons of Jaebum hanging around at Youngjae’s place were nothing but stillness. There were a few short conversations here and there, but it’s mostly about whether Jaebum was hungry or not. There were many times Youngjae had tried to involve his best friend in a talk about what assumed to be Jaebum’s most experted subject: . That didn’t go so well. Because after a, quite enthusiastic, “how do you , Jaebum,” this awkward silence just hung itself on the room’s ceiling. And for the rest of that evening, Youngjae couldn’t even hear Jaebum breathing. So they left it at that. 

    “H-hey,” Youngjae squeezed Jaebum’s hand as their fingers were intertwined like always. 

    “Hmm?” Jaebum’s hummed in response, glancing over at his best friend. 

    Youngjae sighed, “I thought you wouldn’t answer.” 

    “Why wouldn’t I?”

    “What is going on with you lately, Bum?” 

    The said male tore his gaze from his blind best friend’s face and stared off into the long distance ahead instead. He knew exactly what’s going on with him. And because he knew that’s why he tried to restrict himself. Jaebum wasn’t confident of what would come out of his mouth if he talks. After that eventful incident of Jaebum losing his mind for a minute and let his heart acted on its own, the bad boy knew what boundary he had overstepped and probably will never be able to make it back. These past days had been tortuous. For Jaebum, it wasn’t his first. But it was his first with someone he really likes, or even loves. He took the only chance he’ll have and flew with it. Only if he knew that he’ll fall right after. There hasn’t been a single second that Jaebum’s mind wouldn’t rewind the feeling of his best friend’s lips against his in that cold wind. What he had done kept him up at night, shamelessly thinking about it, and for a split second, he didn’t regret it. But the next morning, it comes around and bite him in the , teasing and provoking him to do and say many sinful things. 

    “Nothing,” Jaebum replied. “Don’t worry about it.” 

    “Stop lying, you’re horrible at it,” Youngjae pointed out, disappointed at his best friend’s constant lies and petty ways of dodging answers-needed questions. 

    The bad boy lets out a heavy sigh. He wished Youngjae wouldn’t pressed the matter on any further. Jaebum wasn’t exactly in the mood for butterflies and embarrassment. He already had enough when Youngjae had asked about his life the other day. If there was anything more embarrassing than Jaebum’s secret soft personality, it’ll be Youngjae’s casual question of how the bad boy s. God, have mercy. 

    Youngjae wasn’t going to put up with it anymore. Fine, if Jaebum doesn’t want to voice out his worries, then whatever. Youngjae would have to find another way for Jaebum to open his mouth for more than twenty seconds. Something popped up. Youngjae bites down on his lip, battling within himself if he should tell his best friend. Eventually, with the warmth of Jaebum’s secured hand, Youngjae decided to just wing it and sees what happens. 

    “Do you remember that day Minji-ssi called me out?” The boy’s voice was soft and wary as if he’s going through a lot of pressure. 

    Jaebum nodded, swallowing down the uncomfortable lump in his throat. “Yes, what about it?” He asked about four seconds later, remembering that Youngjae couldn’t see his nod. 

    “Well, um, I…” The probability of Jaebum’s reaction is weighing down on Youngjae again. But why should Youngjae care how his best friend is going to react? And what reaction from Jaebum is Youngjae scared of? 

    “Go on,” Jaebum encouraged, even though he already knew what the blind boy is going to confess. 

    “So, um, I’m not jumping into any weird conclusions or anything like that, you know, I’m not saying she did it…” 

    Of course she didn’t, because I did. Jaebum admitted to himself. 

    The smaller male unconsciously gripped tighter onto his taller best friend’s hand. Jaebum bit his lower lip, rethinking if he should stop holding Youngjae’s hand because every time the blind boy squeezes or holds back, a part of Jaebum dies silently inside. But then again, only by holding Youngjae’s hand could Jaebum sleeps well at night. Plus, he has the perfect excuse to hold his crush’s hand so why not.

    “S-she, u-um, well, it also could-could not be her, but I w-was, I was, uh, I,” Youngjae is doing an awful job at getting his words out in the calmest way possible. The boy was stuttering left and right. His crimson cheeks weren’t helping a great deal either. 

    “What is it, Jae, come on. I don’t got all day.” 

    “I… Um… I-“

    “Youngjae-“

    “I WAS KISSED!” Youngjae shouted in the moment of rush; Jaebum was pressuring him and now he just loses it. “There. I said it. I was kissed. Someone kissed me. Okay?” 

    Jaebum’s face turned red as he tried to hide it by looking down, but the way his entire body was reacting, he knew he’s ed. But this is Im Jaebum. “Where?” He asked, voice completely neutral and casual despite the turmoil inside his stomach that’s gradually making him sick. 

    “L-l-lips…” A shy Youngjae is a cute Youngjae. “It wasn’t s-short, too. L-lasted about, um, a-about a good thirty sec-seconds… I g-guess?” 

    Holding back the urge to reached over and pulled his best friend’s embarrassed face closer for another advantageous lip lock, Jaebum cleared his throat coolly and managed to chuckle. “So did you like it?” Might as well finds out how Youngjae honestly felt now that they’re on the topic of this mysterious kisser.

    Jaebum found the act of Youngjae’s tongue tentatively swiped over his bottom lip a bit distracting and such a turn-on. The blind male let out a puff of air, trying to relax himself. “I m-mean, it was my fi-first kiss, s-so I don’t k-know… It felt kind of rough? Are girls’ lips that rough? Like, the k-kiss was pretty soft and s-sweet, but at the same time, rushed and rough. You know?” 

    “Yeah, I know,” Jaebum said, eyes straining on Youngjae’s plump lips, “you said it was soft and sweet?” 

    As on cue, the blind boy’s face colored itself a deeper scarlet, masking over whatever conscience and self-control he had left, “y-yeah. In f-fact, I think I… I think I liked it v-very much…” 

    The smile on Jaebum’s face had never been brighter these past days. He wasn’t just happy. He’s ecstatic, overwhelmed by the way Youngjae blushed and admitted that kiss did have some effect on him. That Jaebum did have some effect on him without him knowing. 

    “J-Jaebum?” 

    “Yes?” 

    “It’s not Minji, isn’t it?” 

    Jaebum stopped in his track, causing Youngjae to also halted. Jaebum’s hand never left Youngjae’s. “Why do you think so?” 

    Youngjae sighed, “I don’t know. It’s just something’s telling me that it’s not her. And plus, it wouldn’t make sense. She doesn’t like me-“

    “She likes you, Youngjae,” Jaebum deadpanned, annoyed and upset at the mention of the potential kisser. 

    The blind boy stayed silent for a while. Jaebum waited. Jaebum hated how he could get so jealous so easily. It’s so lame. But Youngjae is his to begin with. He has rights to be irritated and possessive. 

    “Oh,” was all Youngjae said before the latter lets go of his best friend’s hand. Jaebum furrowed his eyebrow, questioning the blind boy’s sudden action and vexed because he wanted to keep holding on longer. Youngjae slowly reached out, waving his hand until it came in contact with a firm chest. With a small smile, Youngjae said, “I could draw someone’s face in my mind and pictures how they look like. Isn’t that cool?” 

    Jaebum’s eyes lit up in excitement. “Really? How accurate is it? Could you-“

    “Yes, I could. I don’t know how accurate, but I know it works even if it’s a teeny tiny bit. The least I could get is how someone could be looking like. I just need to feel the sculpt of that person’s-“

    Before Youngjae could finish explaining, he felt himself being dragged by his hand. The blind boy desperately tried to keep up with his best friend’s fast pace. Any form of protest was ignored. Jaebum, apparently, was very enthusiastic and eager. Youngjae could finally see him. Even if it’s not entirely literal, Youngjae could see him in a sense. Jaebum settled his best friend down on that familiar bench, the one that they always sat whenever eating ice cream together. The bad boy then sets himself next to the blind boy, eyes shining and glistening joyfully. “Try it on me,” Jaebum said, voice soft, laced with affection and care. 

    Smiling, Youngjae couldn’t help but imagine how cute Jaebum must be right now. His Jaebum is back. Slowly reaching out, Youngjae tried to find Jaebum’s face through his best ability of waving around in midair. Laughing, Jaebum gently took a hold of the blind boy’s hands and placed them softly upon his rosy cheeks. The warmth that’s radiated off of Youngjae’s hands fed the miles of roses within Jaebum. He leaned into the innocent touch, closing his eyes in content. 

     Jaebum’s cheeks, Youngjae’s frown broke into a kind smile. Jaebum was like a kitten, he realized. Moving both of his hand upwards, Youngjae allowed the tip of his cold fingers to ghost over the hollows of Jaebum’s closed eyes and the softness of his silk-like eyebrows. Youngjae then traced over the bridge of Jaebum’s nose, feathery and slowly running down the curve. The last destination was plump and a bit crusty, yet still mush with tender as Youngjae’s finger tips mapped out Jaebum’s lips. His hands stopped moving as his fingers rest themselves on the bad boy’s bottom lip. Lightly running his fingers over from the corner to the other corner, Youngjae found a sense of familiarity that’s rotting itself on Jaebum’s ridiculously luscious lips. Cupping Jaebum’s cheeks in his the palms of his hands, Youngjae beamed. 

    The blind boy didn’t have to draw out his best friend in his mind. Because there’s no picture or image that could possibly describe what he had mapped with his own touches. However, there’s a word, though. 

    Beautiful. 

    Youngjae thought. Now he understands. Now he understands so many things that he hadn’t before. 

    “What do you think? How’d I look?” Jaebum asked, curiosity danced in his dark chocolate brown orbs as he opened his eyes. Anything Youngjae say would effortlessly make the bad boy’s heart flutters like mad. 

    The blind boy smiled, his eyes gleaming like the sun setting on the horizon of the romantic ocean waves, his hands still and patting the flaming cheeks of his best friend, his heart skipping a beat. “You’re just as handsome as I’ve heard! No wonder you’re so popular, Jaebum-ah~ You look so so so good~” 

    Jaebum blushed harder, biting down on his bottom lip, feeling giddy and pleased. But played it off cool. “I told you, didn’t I? You didn’t believe me.” 

    That act drew an amusing laugh out of Youngjae, whose hands now removed from Jaebum’s face (despite the bad boy’s internal whining) to playfully hit the bad boy’s chest repeatedly. Jaebum grinned cutely as he grabbed a hold of his best friend’s hands. “Stop it. That hurts~” He cooed. 

    Shaking his head, Youngjae gave up on attacking, “okay, okay, okay, let’s go home now. I’m hungry and Grandma’s number one beef soup and kimchi fried rice recipes would be great right now.”

    “Can I sleep over?” Jaebum got up on his feet and pulled Youngjae along. The taller tangled their fingers together. 

    “You don’t have to ask, Bum. My house is your house.”

    “I know that. Was just trying to be mannered and considerate.” 

    “Whatever.” 

    They walked hand in hand back to Youngjae’s house. On the way, though, Youngjae felt bad for taking advantage of his best friend. But without doing so, Youngjae wouldn’t know. Without touching, Youngjae wouldn’t know.

    It was you, wasn’t it? Jaebum, you were the one, right? 

    What good does it do if he knows?

    What good does it do if he finally realized that his own best friend is deeply in love with him? 

    What good?