The infamous Christmas party the school has been preparing for for ages now, was only a couple of days away from happening. Jongin couldn’t care less really, but Junmyeon made it his mission in life to promote for it passionately, forcing everyone he knew to either put work into decoration, baking or inviting as many as possible of unsuspected victims to fill in the ballroom in order for him to get those satisfying pats of head from his teachers. Jongin admired his dedication, he truly did, but he still avoided his cousin like the plague. A dedication of his own he tried to mirror his cousin’s with.

Deep down Jongin knew that it wasn’t his cousin he was avoiding, but that was to be kept buried for if that weird evening resurfaced up his mind he won’t be able to function properly, so Jongin opted to pretend like that encounter never took place. Zhang Yixing doesn’t exist, as long as he doesn’t come across him again.

He was exaggerating, he knew he was, but the reaction Yixing got out of him of a simple kiss was dangerous. Too dangerous for his simple mind to wrap around and understand. He walked towards his group of friends, mind in turmoil. He was a walking zombie ever since that evening, Jongin barely spoke before but he has gotten worse, way worse, now he barely listens to them let alone talk with them. Hums and nods were enough for his friends, Jongin appreciated that.

“…—ixing obviously got the hot girl, as expected!”

“I was really hoping he swung the other way, but hey, we can’t get everything we want in life.” Baekhyun’s disappointed tone brought Jongin back from his jumbled thoughts only to be slapped by harsh reality. He tried, he really tried his hardest not to let curiosity get the best of him, but Jongin was a mere human and human beings were nothing but weak creatures controlled by their emotions. He couldn’t stop the dumbfounded ‘huh’ from escaping his plump lips.

“Zhang Yixing? Remember him? He’s your cousin’s classmate, Zhang Liyin-ssam’s nephew?” Jongdae elaborated with a raised brow, clearly startled by Jongin’s sudden interest after being dead-quiet and uninterested for days now.

“Baekhyun’s unrequited love interest? Jongin are you even here with us anymore?” Chanyeol said with a chuckle that was soon after followed by a loud cry due to Baekhyun’s punch.

“Don’t think you’re gonna like this Jongin.” Jongin blinked at Chanyeol and Baekhyun for a moment before shifting his gaze towards Sehun.

“Huh? What do you mean…?”

“Zhang Yixing is taking the hottest girl in school to that whack Christmas party this weekend.” Jongin’s heart was about to jump out of his throat, he felt dizzy and sweat covered his forehead and palms in no time, as realization sunk in. Did they know? Did his friends know about what happened that evening? No way. There is absolutely no way they knew. Then again, why would Sehun frame it that way? Why would Sehun think Jongin would care about Zhang Yixing’s dating life? Jongin couldn’t breathe and Jongdae was quick to notice.

“It’s not the end of the world, Jongin-ah.” Jongin blinked at him with a gaping mouth. “You’re hot too, you’ll find someone else in no time.”

“He’s definitely not as hot as Zhang Yixing, but go on lie to the poor kid.” Baekhyun chimed in with a teasing smirk, Chanyeol backing him up with a loud chuckle from behind. Meanwhile, Sehun eyed Jongin as the boy paled and struggled to breathe properly.

“Are you alright, dude?” Jongdae looked concerned as well.

“Hey, Jongin, chill alright!” Baekhyun and Chanyeol finally realized that something was off with their friend and decided jokes and teasing can wait for another time.

“What is it, Jongin? You’re getting us worried?” Chanyeol reached a hand towards Jongin’s shoulder only to get pushed away.

“I thought you got over her after that baking club thing? Remember, the evening we all dipped on you, and so did she?” Baekhyun shared with a raised brow in confusion, and Jongin was quick to catch the ‘her’ in his annoying reminder.

“She? Who?” Jongin questioned in confusion, he almost let out a manic chuckle but thankfully stopped himself in the right time. The last thing he needed was a mental breakdown after the embarrassment he has become. “What are you talking about?”

“Seolhyun, who else?” Sehun eyed him suspiciously.

“Seolhyun…?” Jongin mouthed the name, it felt strange coming out of his lips, like a long forgotten memory that no longer had hold over him, if ever.

“Yes, Kim Seolhyun, who else did you have in mind?” Chanyeol inquired.

“She’s not worth it, man.” Jongin stared at Sehun before shifting his gaze towards Jongdae as he spoke. Lost was the only word anyone could describe Jongin with at that moment. He was lost, looked lost and was lost for words to say.

“Jongin, dude,” Jongdae grabbed his shoulder forcefully this time around, not allowing him to push him away. “Honestly, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” He wasn’t. He was far from being fine.

“Well, Yixing hyung is taking Seolhyun to that party this weekend. We refrained from telling you ‘cause we thought you’ll get hurt.” Sehun explained. “Or worse, heartbroken.”

“However, it seems like you didn’t have her in mind at all.” Baekhyun gave him a weird look, and Jongin decided right then and there that he had had enough.

“I have a class, see you around.” He took his backpack and ignored the confused looks his friends were giving him. He walked fast until his hasty walk turned into a full on run. He run and run and run until he couldn’t breathe, until his mind can no longer focus on that downfall he just experienced. His friends probably thought he was being odd, or was high off his mind.

Jongin couldn’t believe himself, after years of obsessing over Kim Seolhyun he completely forgot about her existence and for some ed up reason thought Zhang Yixing went out there and shared about their encounter with the entire school. His friends were clearly hinting at Seolhyun being the hottest girl in school and all he could think of was none other than Zhang ing Yixing. What was wrong with him?

“Ah!” A screech startled him out of his thoughts making him realize that he bumped into someone without paying attention.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry—“ Jongin brought his gaze up only to lock it with none other than Zhang Yixing, the man’s soft droopy eyes comically widening at his sight. He gulped, hands fastened around Yixing’s shoulders securing him from falling. He couldn’t believe his damned luck, whatever gods out there were clearly having the time of their lives messing with him like that. Of all people he could’ve bumped into it had to be the one and only person he was actively avoiding.

“It’s my fault, Jongin-ssi. I was spacing out, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. Actually, I wasn’t looking myself so…” Jongin trailed, quickly recovering his hands to his sides. Jongin felt his skin burn. He also couldn’t ignore the creeping flush of heat he felt on his tanned face, a pale blush that certainly mirrored Yixing’s one.

“Hey, cousin!” Junmyeon’s cheerful greeting made him realize that Yixing wasn’t alone. Jongin tore his gaze from Yixing and looked around him to find both Junmyeon and Kyungsoo staring at him.

“Hey…” Jongin greeted back with an obvious lack of cheerfulness while wiping the sweat off his forehead.

“We were about to head out for launch actually, we took a break from the preparations. You should come along Jongin-ah, it’s been a while since we last hang out.” Jongin caught Kyungsoo rolling his eyes at Junmyeon’s friendly nature, clearly he wasn’t welcomed in Kyungsoo’s book after dropping the baking club unannounced last time.

“No, thanks!” Jongin declined firmly, avoiding the urge to glance at Yixing at all costs.

“Awe, c’mon cousin! You’ll even the number if you come, four is better than three. You can keep Yixing company as Kyungsoo and I discuss the balloon budget.”

“The what?”

“Balloon budget.” Kyungsoo deadpanned with a glare, daring Jongin to mockingly question Junmyeon again.

Jongin chuckled at that before finally giving in and glancing at Yixing to see his reaction. Yixing smiled at him, and Jongin couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not.

“Fine.” Junmyeon clapped his hands in glee at that, and was about to talk when Jongin interrupted. “But you’re paying.”

“Of course I am!”

♡

They ended up in a nice Coffee Shop that served some good quality sandwiches and lattes, and Jongin for the first time that day could finally breathe properly. The place had a nice vibe with some relaxing indie music blasting in the background, Junmyeon proudly shared that it was his favorite in town, and that the owner knew him personally and always reserved the window wall table for him.

“Besides the sandwiches, they make the best pastry in the area!” Junmyeon shoved the menu against Yixing’s face startling him from his daze. “Check them out, it’s on me!” Yixing blinked at Junmyeon sparkling round eyes. “My treat!”

“Oh…” Jongin couldn’t stop his eyes from lowering to stare at Yixing’s lips forming that ‘oh’. He ignored the creeping memory of that damned kiss they had and quickly shifted his gaze towards Kyungsoo whom he found watching him carefully.

“I thought you hated coffee?”

“I do.” Jongin raised a brow at Kyungsoo’s random remark, specifically at his oddly confronting tone.

“A latte is a type of coffee, Jongin. You’re drinking coffee.”

“No, I’m not!” Jongin’s face heated, he did hate coffee and Kyungsoo should learn to mind his own business. A latte was mostly made of milk, he could handle it, it was the full on bitter taste of coffee that made him gag. He clenched his fists and looked down at the cake menu, done and over with Kyungsoo’s antics. If it was up to him he would’ve ordered a hot choco drink but Yixing was with them, what would he think? That Jongin was an immature child at heart who couldn’t handle a mere hot beverage like coffee? No, thanks, he’d rather chug on that latte like there’s no tomorrow.

Jongin completely ignored that part of him questioning why he even cared about what a stranger like Zhang Yixing would think of him.

“A latte is made of espresso and steamed milk.” Kyungsoo smirked, satisfied with the reaction Jongin was giving him. “Coffee, Jongin.” The doe eyed male deadpanned. “ You’re drinking coffee.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“It’s mostly milk.”

“Err…with coffee?”

“Kyungsoo, give my cousin a break please.” Junmyeon chuckled along with Yixing at the boys’ silly banter. Kyungsoo smiled in victory when Jongin huffed in annoyance before covering his face with both his arms to stifle a groan. He was amused to say the least that Kyungsoo even cared enough to tease Jongin and playfully engage him like that. Odd, Kyungsoo usually would simply ignore people he didn’t know well, if not most, and not even bother with small talk.

Junmyeon watched with a smile as Kyungsoo quietly cut a generous part of his lemon cake and placed it next to Jongin’s latte. It seemed like Kyungsoo had a soft spot for Jongin judging by the look of it.

“So,” Junmyeon stuffed his mouth with some delicious looking butterscotch cake. “Did you guys hang out after leaving the school together that day?” Kyungsoo looked interested as well. “It was storming, you must’ve got drenched using Yixing’s bicycle.” Yixing poked his blueberry cake with a fork, avoiding Jongin’s gaze at all costs.

“Yeah…” Jongin gave a halfhearted chuckle, memories of that day flooding in like the storm Junmyeon mentioned. That bicycle moment was something to be remembered, he smiled at the memory like it was years ago it happened. Jongin was so mad at the time for what the ride Yixing offered turned out to be, but now he found it amusing and kind of adorable if he was to be honest.

“No, we didn’t.” Jongin’s eyes slowly but carefully settled on Yixing as he calmly blurted that lie out of his mouth. “I offered Jongin-ssi a ride, and he politely tuned me down.”

“Oh, I see.” Yixing smiled at Jumyeon, although the smile didn’t reach his eyes for some reason. “Well as long as he wasn’t rude.”

“Nuh, your cousin made sure I didn’t misunderstand him. A gentleman, just like you Junmyeon hyung.” Junmyeon blinked at that before looking back at Jongin who simply shrugged. If Yixing’s words had double meaning it went straight over Jongin’s head, or so it seemed.

“Junmyeon-ah, Mr. Park is here.” Junmyeon eyed Yixing for a moment before looking away and standing to go greet the shop owner he mentioned earlier when they first got in. Kyungsoo followed his suit leaving Jongin and Yixing alone.

Jongin was confused, he really was. He stabbed that lemon cake Kyungsoo left for him with his fork, he stabbed it hard and then smashed it until it no longer was edible. Kim Jongin was confused. Why did Yixing lie, he did give him a lift it was as simple as that. Why lie and say he didn’t? What was the point? He glanced up at Yixing and found him mirroring his action, blueberry cake no longer recognizable.

“Why did you lie, if you don’t mind me asking?” Jongin finally gathered enough courage to question the other man. “I mean, Junmyeon is pretty noisy you know. He was probably watching us from the classroom’s window…”

“I thought we were pretending that evening never happened, Jongin-ssi.” Yixing was still being stubborn, ignoring his gaze while looking at the damaged piece of cake.

“He simply asked if we got drenched using your bike, it means he saw us use it. You could’ve simply said yes and Junmyeon hyung wouldn’t have asked any more questions. Now, he’s probably confusion to why you lied,” Jongin tried his hardest to catch Yixing’s gaze with his own, he couldn’t help but feel his chest tighten knowing the Chinese male noticed his immature attempts to run away from him and ignore his existence. He felt like an .

“You look really nice in pink, Jongin-ssi.” Jongin was taken aback by that, of all the things he expected Yixing to say, a random compliment like that one was the last thing on his mind. Pink. Jongin looked down at his shirt and realized he wore pink. A far cry from the usual dark outfits he sported.

“Thank you?”

Yixing pursed his lips before shifting his focus downwards on the blueberry cake he ruined. Smashed or not, it was still perfectly edible, he reached for a bite and ignored Jongin’s dumbfounded face that watched his every move carefully.

“Are my two favorite people getting along?” Junmyeon’s hand on his shoulder almost made Jongin’s heart jump out of his chest. Yixing simply smiled politely as an answer.

“Who are you bringing to the party, Jongin?” Kyungsoo was curious, he wondered if Jongin had someone in his life.

“What party?”

“What do you mean ‘what party’? The Christmas party Jongin-ah, obviously!” Junmyeon chuckled, Jongin frowned. “My girlfriend is obviously coming as my date, Kyungsoo was asked by a really pretty exchange student, like trust me Jongin, she’s so pretty. If I wasn’t head over heels for my girlfriend, I would’ve totally been jealous!”

“She’s really nice.” Yixing added with a genuine smile that showed his soft dimples. Jongin couldn’t help but stare.

“Well, yeah, she’s pretty but definitely not as pretty as Yixing’s date!” Kyungsoo said with a blush, he clearly was as enamoured with his date as Junmyeon and Yixing were. “You two would make the cutest pair, I bet!”

“Yeah…” Yixing scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Jongin has the biggest crush on your date by the way, xing!” Jongin choked on his latte at that, and Junmyeon simply wiggled his brows absolutely unbothered by Jongin’s mortified expression. “Don’t deny it!”

“Hyung!”

“Really?” Yixing eyed Jongin’s reaction. “How sweet.”

“No, I don’t!” Jongin tried to save what was left of his dignity, and was ready to fight Junmyeon and squish him just like that lemon cake on the table for putting hi