5 times Jongdae caught Kyungsoo staring at him and one-time Kyungsoo caught Jongdae staring back.

 

5.

What’s wrong with me? I’m going crazy
It’s because it’s spring
It’s making my heart flutter

♡

Jongdae looks out the window as a flurry of cherry blossoms drop from the nearby tree onto the ground. He plants one of his bony arms onto the table in front of him as he wistfully rests his head on his hand. He loudly sighs as he notices another couple outside the window frolicking oh-so-happily through the spring breeze.

Jongdae hoped that at this time in his life, he’d find his Prince Charming, but all he managed to hunker up so far was an owlish stalker and a dependency on Cheetos.

Jongdae pretends not to notice that today, Kyungsoo had not so subtly settled himself into the one table in this library that was across his. Jongdae looked up and probably for the first time in forever, made eye contact with Kyungsoo, his secret admirer (he’s decided that secret admirer sounds a lot cuter and more romantic than creepy as hell stalker) with the large eyes and soft, really plush looking lips for the first time. Kyungsoo makes a soft choking noise and hurriedly diverts his eyes away to the (upside down) book in front of him, red rapidly spreading over his cheeks.

Jongdae furrows his eyebrows then turns away as he feels his stomach drop. He’s not sure why his heart fluttered this time. He swallows the lump of nervousness in his throat, maybe the spring blues were just making him particularly desperate this time of the year.

1.

Why is it spring again?

I’m allergic to pollen

Who does this benefit?

♡

Jongdae wakes up to a somewhat pleasant surprise on Sunday morning, when the particularly cute delivery man, Park Chanyeol comes to his door with a pretty bouquet full of bright tulips and vibrant ranunculus.

He signs it hastily at Chanyeol’s expectant large, wide-smiled request then drops the bouquet onto his table.

As he impatiently unfolds the envelope, his mood slightly deflates when he realizes the bouquet isn't from the Chinese cutie from Physics 101 that Jongdae thought he had been sharing particularly intense staring battles the past few weeks (then again, his friend had told him his eyebrows had been incredibly off those particular weeks), but from whoever D.K. is.

He appreciates the (romantic?) gesture nonetheless, despite the initials not ringing any sort of bell. He takes action to appreciatively take a whiff of the flowers when his eyes widen a fraction as he feels his throat begin to close up on him.

As Jongdae is wheeled away to the exit of his apartment on a stretcher (Who knew he had a deathly pollen allergy?) he catches sight of large, owlish eyes peeking through his window.

A shiver passes through his spine before he blacks out.

2.

I gained 2 kilograms
It’s because I was only watching cooking shows

♡

“...but, obviously, I decided not to bring it up. Even if it hurts your pride if you think it’s for the benefit of your relationship, just forget it.” Jongdae lets out a soft sigh as he slurps a mouthful of ramen through his mouth as he watches one of his favorite eating show. His favorite mukbanger was currently talking about his relationship troubles, and while Jongdae pretended to relate, he was single... so he really didn't. Quite the depressing sight. He turns his gaze to the window as contemplates closing his curtains. The bright sun was not helping with his depressed mood.

He turns his eyes back to a computer screen and to the particularly bright mukbanger, Byun Baekhyun on the screen who was dramatically retelling the tale of his latest boyfriend as he slurped through a mouthful of noodles.

Jongdae remembers an excerpt from an article he had read not too long ago, “Mukbangs owed its popularity and origins to the loneliness of unmarried or uncoupled Koreans.” Never did such a quote strike him to his core as much as this one did, if he were being completely honest (but he never was.)

He turns his eyes to the bright, blue sky outside, and the trees which swayed gently through the wind. Jongdae believed they were mocking him and his loneliness this particular March afternoon.

Jongdae shoves the last of his noodles into his mouth and stands up for the second time that day (the first time was to make ramyeon and snort half a package of Oreos during the four minutes they needed to cook). He heads to his window to shut the curtains before he closes them, he doesn’t miss the sight of that same boy hiding behind a bush.

Jongdae accidentally spews his ramen all over the textbook he had borrowed from his roommate from the shock of the sight. He hastily shuts his curtains and tries to will himself to forget the sight. He convinces himself that the bush near his bedroom door was probably just a great picnic spot.

Although, when he goes to sleep that night, he likes to overindulge in the fact that his looks and personality may have managed to snag him an (albeit creepy) secret admirer. you ex-boyfriend.

3.

People are finding love here and there
Wearing couple outfits, going out to eat, going crazy with hashtags
I think lovestagram is just petty and boring

♡

Jongdae lets out a loud groan as he scrolls through a particularly cringy lovestagram of his junior, Oh Sehun and not so subtly lovestruck Kim Jongin. His friends pay no mind to him, more focused on their lunch than Jongdae’s relationship blues.

‘Nobody cares about your matching outfits and stupid bubble tea dates…’ Jongdae bitterly thinks aloud as he continues scrolls through his feed. (Even if he did think their matching backpacks was ingenious and adorable. He also had a slight craving for Taro Bubble Tea today.)

He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but Jongdae, in fact, did care. He secretly wanted to be a part of an annoying couple that shamelessly linked arms together through campus and everyone thought was couple goals. Was that too much to ask?

Jongdae impulsively ripped open his bag of Cheetos and stuffed a heinous handful of orange goodness into his mouth, grumbling while he chewed with his mouth open and angrily tapped out of Instagram.

As he chews and gets ready to tap on YouTube, his eyes begin to widen with realization. He looked at the package he had settled into his lap ‘Hot Cheetos’. He stands up abruptly, ready to bolt the nearest water fountain when he spots a water bottle on the empty seat beside him. Before spewing a line of curses at them, Jongdae rips off the cap and chugs the 200mL bottle of water in record time.

He scans around the Cafeteria around him. Obviously, his y friends weren’t the ones who had given him the water if the various -eating grins on their face were any indication. They knew how much he hated spicy food.

Before getting ready his voice to shout at them for their blatant insensitivity to his obviously downcast mood, he catches a familiar mop of dark brown hair on the back of someone leaving the Cafeteria.

Jongdae isn’t sure whether to feel touched and grateful or creeped out and terrified.

4.

Don't look at me in pity
I'm still doing well with my life

♡

“Minseok!” Jongdae pokes his friend and his round cheeks a few times in an attempt to gain his attention.

Said friend looks at him and rolls his eyes, “What?” He turns his cheeks away from Jongdae and looks at him with a curious stare.

He scoots his chair closer to Minseok and looks at him with a particularly scandalous face, “Have you ever had…” He turns around then cups his hands around Minseok’s ear (for emphasis), “A stalker?”

Minseok squints his eyes at him like he’s lost a head (but Jongdae’s crazy antics make him look at Jongdae like this a lot) then slowly shakes his head, “No?” He pauses for a moment then thinks, “Unless you count Luhan during his jealous phases?”

Jongdae nods affirmatively in his attempt to sympathize. (When in reality, he was actually envious) I wouldn’t mind having an overprotective boyfriend. “Well.” He crosses his arms as he tries to tell himself that Minseok isn’t trying to rub in the fact that he has a boyfriend while he was still single, he was just answering a question, “I think I have one.”

Minseok snorts at him, “Do you now?”

Jongdae pouts at him, a bit crestfallen at his obvious disbelief, “Yes! Why would I lie about something like that!?” He points not so subtly at the boy who sits two rows and 1 chair in front of him in their Home Economics classroom. “That’s him.”

Minseok chuckles, wondering if he was in the mood to humor Jongdae today. “That’s Kyungsoo. He has the highest grade in our class, at the moment.” He clicks on his phone then slides over Kyungsoo’s Instagram page, “Here, go stalk him so you’ll be even.”

Jongdae, “Does he, now?” He shrugs, “Well, all I need to know is he’s a creepy stalker.” Minseok looks at him with a dubious expression as Jongdae squints at a particularly delicious food picture Kyungsoo had posted a week ago. His eyes widen in surprise when he scrolls further and sees a picture of a familiar looking set of flowers. The caption was a sad face and ‘Better luck next time…’

“Whatever you say.”

When Jongdae is jotting down notes about the science of baking the perfect brownie, he doesn’t miss it when he sees Kyungsoo (surprise!) staring at him from the corner of his eyes.

This time, he doesn’t recoil in apprehension. At least, not as much as last time.

6.

I’m pretending to make a call in case I look like a loser
Hey, where are you? I'm here, come quickly

♡

Jongdae attempts to look busy, tinkering away on his phone, when he walks into the party.

His friends had pressured him into coming, whining that he was far too depressed lately, and maybe meeting someone would deter him away from the fact that he was going to be forever alone. "It's spring!" They said, "Come out of your depressed hole and find someone to keep you busy!"

Oh, and Minseok joked that it would take his mind away from his “stalker” (emphasis on the quotation marks). To his pleasant surprise, he wasn’t met with grinding couples and pounding music when he proudly stride into the party that night (trying to not make it seem too obvious that he was single and alone)

Then again, it was only 6 pm in the evening. Rather, he was met with very happy looking couples. He huffed. As if Jongdae was gonna find anyone single in this happy lot. He walks to the food area (obviously) where he finds himself scooping from a bowl of Cheetos into his mouth as he scans around the room that just emanated gross, cheesy love. He blanches at his mouthful of food when he sees an unusually handsy couple across him. He looks away but even then he’s met with the sight of another lovesick duo.

It wasn't even February. What was the big deal? Shouldn’t all the couples who got together on Valentine's Day be well past the Honeymoon phase by now? Maybe it was just wishful (bitter) thinking on Jongdae’s part.

He’s about to pop another Cheeto into his mouth when he sees a very familiar brunette with wide eyes and narrow shoulds walk into the door. What a coincidence Kyungsoo came right after Jongdae, wasn’t it?

He shoots a quick text to Minseok ‘my secret admirer is here and he came five min after i did i am not kidding’

He buries his hand into a bowl of Cheetos when he realizes that, those aren’t Cheetos he’s touching. He turns his head and looks over at the bowl of Trojans that were conveniently placed right beside the refreshments.

Jongdae decides that was enough food for him. He walks away from the refreshments table with a wistful gaze then ends up awkwardly swaying in the dance floor which is currently littered with a bunch of slow dancing couples. Huh, a wrong song to slip in. He looks around. Where were his (terrible) friends anyway?

He looks up then makes eye contact with a familiar face as he searches around for the sight of his other rambunctious friends. A not so pleasant to see face, in fact. It’s his ex-boyfriend’s current boyfriend. He freezes in shock for a moment. He then panics and grabs his phone then starts talking into it when the current boyfriend nudges his ex-boyfriend.

“Babe? Hey, where are you? I'm here, come quickly.” Jongdae says, purposely dialing up the tone of his voice more than usual.

He was not going to look like the sorry ex-boyfriend who showed up to a party alone just for the food.

He was not going to look like the lonely ex-boyfriend who’s form of daily socialization was eating with mukbangers.

No, Kim Jongdae would not let that happen today.

Kris (the ex-boyfriend) and Tao (his new boyfriend) walk toward him with grins.

“Hey! Jongdae! Long time no see!” Kris waves his huge hands, long fingers moving happily in his direction.

Jongdae makes a silent ‘tch’ noise in his head. They were obviously just here to gloat and try to subtly rub in their relationship. Jongdae knew their game, he wasn’t an idiot.

Jongdae smiles at them politely (though he wouldn’t be surprised if it came out more like a grimace) and waves back, “Hey. Yep.” He shifts awkwardly on his feet, “I tend not to keep in contact with people who break up with me over one-liner texts. Yup.” He can’t help that it comes out bitter.

Kris laughs awkwardly back at him, “So, did you come here alone?” He asks timidly to offset the awkwardness. His fault for walking up to him and trying to start a conversation, in the first place. Panic starts to fill Jongdae’s head as he tries to think of an aloof way to reply that wouldn’t scream “Yes, I came here alone. I came here because I’m single and need a quick lay to reassure my pained self-esteem!”

“Babe! There you are!” A deep voice calls out from within the crowd. Jongdae resists the urge to widen his eyes when he sees Kyungsoo emerge from the depths of couple hell.

Jongdae smiles, “Here I am! Yup!” He has to admit, that Kyungsoo had a much deeper, and richer voice than he anticipated. Kyungsoo quickly links arms with Jongdae then gives Kris a small smile.

“Hi.”

Jongdae coughs awkwardly, as Kris looks down on his Kyungsoo, probably looking him over and comparing himself to him. He never liked Kris’s imposing height, “Well. Time for me and my babe to go! Bye, nice chat!” He tugs on Kyungsoo’s (impressively built and thick, probably due to all the baking) arms and skips away from his ex.

Jongdae looks over at Kyungsoo with a grateful smile. Kyungsoo looks a lot less creepy in this lighting, Jongdae thinks. Kyungsoo, to say the least, looks a bit shell-shocked at the close proximity of them and Jongdae’s relentless hold on his arm.

Jongdae smiles at him brightly, “Thanks for that, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen (even more, than Jongdae thought they could) as a gasp dies within his throat, “You know my name?”

Jongdae smiles at him and nods happily in response, “I’m Jongdae, by the way.” Jongdae thinks that he won’t bring up Kyungsoo’s (not very good) stalkerish tendencies. At least, not for now. As payment for saving him from the possible humiliation from his ex-boyfriend, of course, “I don’t think we’ve ever talked before.”

♡

Springtime prince charmings don’t make you end up in an ER, nor do they usually make it a habit of creeping through your windows, but Jongdae was happy with his either way.

♡

author's note.

i did this in like 2 hours im

Also i freaking hate cheetos