Before

Do Kyungsoo is proud to say that his life is quite normal.

Going to college, working a part-time job, enjoying life with his friends and his loving boyfriend. He’s pretty damn sure there’s not much else a 22 year old can wish for.

And he’s used to this, to his normal days, to his schedule, to his classes, to the occasional meetings with his friends during lunch break or in some bars at the weekends, to the calm evenings at home with his boyfriend, to the way his eyes shut calmly every night before he falls asleep, because everything is just fine.

Some things he still can’t get accept though. For example, the random calls his best friend would occasionally make just to stress him out with stupid questions and irrelevant facts. Kyungsoo is still learning how to tolerate those. Or Byun Baekhyun, in general.

So when his phone rings that evening and Kyungsoo sees the stupid grin of his best friend flashing on the screen, he is more than ready to just ignore it, but then remembers the fact that Baekhyun would annoy the out of him if he doesn’t answer, so he lets out a sigh and presses the green button.

“I’m starting to feel really old.”

“Oh, no,” Kyungsoo gasps. “Don’t worry Baekhyun, I’m sure Chanyeol should just work a bit harder and then you’ll get it up.”

“Why am I even friends with you?” Baekhyun’s voice sounds entertained over the speaker.

“I’m asking myself that same question every day. So what did you want?”

“Well, you see, these days all I’ve been doing is study and work, work and study, study and work. It’s like...so boring. I’m slowly turning into you and that’s just horrifying.” Kyungsoo opens his mouth to say something, but Baekhyun is faster. “So I was thinking, we should go out this weekend.”

“Alright. And you had to call me, because…?”

“Because I need you to make the reservation. For that same place we went to last time.”

“Why should I? Can’t you do it alone?!”

“Of course not! If I call they’ll just say the bar is full or something after what happened last time.”

Kyungsoo vaguely remembers that evening from a few weeks ago. Chanyeol had dared Baekhyun to get them free drinks and he’d spent the rest of the night frowning when his boyfriend actually succeeded in doing that. The owner of the place, however, had been very clingy until at some point Baekhyun decided it was time to erase that pout of Chanyeol’s by making out with him. The owner hadn’t looked all that pleased.

“Well that’s your own fault, you know.”

“Sure. But did you enjoy those free drinks? You did. So shut up.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll call tomorrow. Happy?”

“Yes. Thanks, Soo. So how’s the song going?”

Kyungsoo lets out a sigh at the question and drops his pencil on the pile of papers in front of him in some sort of light frustration.

“It’s...not. I just can’t seem to get it done, there’s always something missing and it doesn’t sound well and I…I don’t know. I’ll figure it out somehow.”

“Well, I can help you if you want. Or probably Chanyeol?”

“We’ll see. I still have some time left.” Kyungsoo shrugs. “And what do you mean you can help me? Did you finish yours already?”

“Sure, I did. Come on, Soo, it’s not even the final assignment, you don’t have to work that hard. Just go for a ballad, they always work. Write some bull lyrics about heartbreak, then add some badass instrumental break and boom. Done. You have it.”

“Just because you like bullting everything you do…”

“Hey! I’ve survived 23 years by bullting. That’s good enough for me.”

Baekhyun starts talking about the song again but Kyungsoo isn’t listening. Instead, he sits up in the bed when he hears the door unlocking. He feels his lips pulling back in a smile.

“Hey, Jongin’s at home,” he interrupts his best friend. “I’ll call you tomorrow, OK?”

“Yeah, sure. Because Jongin is more important than me and your grade and...fine, fine. Go. Don’t forget about the reservation!”

“I won’t.”

Kyungsoo ends the conversation hurriedly and pushes the stack of papers out of the way, as he rolls out of the bed. He gets up and heads to the hallway, passing by the small living room. And when he does pass through the door, he can’t help but smile at Jongin, who’s hanging up his jacket and pushing off his shoes clumsily, looking amazingly fine in his tight jeans and creamy pullover. Cheeks red from the stinging wind outside.

“Hey,” Kyungsoo says quietly from the side and waits for Jongin to look up and to give him his precious, perfect smile. He doesn’t hesitate to move forward and wrap his hands around his boyfriend’s neck. “You look tired.”

“I am tired,” Jognin laughs quietly and wraps his hands around Kyungsoo’s waist. “I had to teach two classes today. Lay called in sick so I had to get the children’s class.”

“And how did it go?”

“It was amazing. They’re barely standing on their little feet and when they try to dance they’re just wiggling around. It’s really cute. One of them was in a diaper!”

Kyungsoo chuckles quietly at how amazed Jongin looks. His part time job in the dance center is usually with teens and adults and Yixing teaches the classes with the toddlers.

He can’t help himself but raise himself on his tiptoes and peck Jongin’s lips.

“Cold.” he laughs quietly and slides his hands off Jongin’s shoulders. “Go change. I’ll make you a tea.”

Jongin smiles at him again and then moves towards their bedroom. Kyungsoo makes his way to the small kitchen and puts water to boil.

It’s cold outside at his time of the year. It’s the middle of February and there’s snow everywhere and Kyungsoo just dislikes going out unless he has to. He likes staying at home with the heaters on, with a cup of tea in his hands and with Jongin by his side.

They’ve known each other for years now, ever since middle school. They only started dating during Kyungsoo’s senior year in high school, when he finally mustered up the courage to confess his feelings to the sophomore after getting enough of Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s making out during lunch break.

So that’s 4 years together now. Almost five.

And this time, all the time they’ve spent together, is probably the best thing Kyungsoo could have ever wished for. He loves Jongin. And he knows Jongin loves him too. A lot. He can’t imagine life without him, without his soft brown eyes, without his plush lips and tight embrace.

So he doesn’t. Because the way everything is now is just perfect.

He doesn’t hear Jongin coming in the kitchen before he feels him behind himself, wrapping his hands around his middle and resting his chin on his shoulder.

“Are you hungry? There’s some leftover stuff from lunch, but-“

“Don’t worry. I ate out with Sehun.”

“Please don’t tell me you ate junk food,” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes as he pours the water into the cups carefully. However, when he doesn’t get a reply, he looks to the side and sees Jongin’s faint smile. “No…did you eat instant noodles again?!”

“We didn’t have time for anything else, I swear! But we were both so hungry after the second period and then we had to hurry for the last class so-“

“Kim Jongin, do I have to pick you up before and after class like a little child just to make sure you get proper food?!”

Jongin doesn’t reply but instead plants a soft kiss on the side of Kyungsoo’s neck.

“Don’t think this will help you.”

“I won’t eat junk food again. No matter how delicious it is and how convincing Sehun can be.”

“You promise?” Kyungsoo turns around in Jongin’s embrace. The taller one leans forward and plants a kiss on Kyungsoo’s forehead.

“I promise.”

“Good. Tea’s ready.”

Kyungsoo grabs his own cup and heads for the living room, plopping himself on the couch, waiting for Jongin to take the seat next to him. When he does, the shorter one leans on him and closes his eyes.

“Baekhyun called just a while ago. He wants to go out this weekend.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. You are coming, right?”

“Well, I have nothing else planned, so yes. I haven’t seen them in a while anyway, so…”

“OK, good.” Kyungsoo snuggles closer, holding his hot tea cup in his hands, breathing in the scent of Jongin, of his Jongin. So sweet, so familiar. He loves this.

“So how was your day?” Jongin asks him quietly and Kyungsoo shrugs just barely.

“Nothing really interesting. I tried to finish the song, but it just isn’t working out. I still have some time, but it’s irritating, you know.”

“I wish I could help you.” Jongin says and Kyungsoo smiles in his shoulder.

“It’s alright. I’ll figure it out.”

He feels Jongin crouching forward to grab the remote and they spend the evening quietly, just cuddling on the couch, talking about their days and watching the movie playing in front of them on the screen.

Kyungsoo feels like this is all he needs in life.

But when his phone starts ringing, interrupting the silence, Kyungsoo gets startled and pushes Jongin’s hand as he hurries to grab the device. He doesn’t see the cup in the younger one’s hands flip and next thing he knows Jongin is gasping and he is apologizing, while fidgeting with the phone in his hands.

“Oh …! Jongin, I’m sorry, I…”

“It’s fine,” Jongin laughs and the phone is still ringing. “It’s not hot anymore. Won’t you pick up?”

“Ah, right.” Kyungsoo looks down to the phone and the moment he sees Baehyun’s face on the screen, he lets out a groan and answers. “What do you want?”

“Wow, especially friendly, aren’t you?”

“I’ll hang up.”

“Wait! I know Jongin’s at home already and I know you two are probably being nasty now, but Chanyeol says he needs the demo version of the song you two did together and he needs you to send it.”

“And he needs it now?!” Kyungsoo frowns, eyes darting back to Jongin, who is trying to clean the mess from the couch. “Fine. I’ll e-mail it to him. Anything else you want?!”

“Wow, did I really interrupt you two? Why do you sound so pissed off?”

“Jesus Christ…Good ing bye, Baekhyun.”

And as fast as he’d gotten up to answer the call, Kyungsoo ends it and turns back to Jongin, hands reaching out to help. The younger one hands him a paper towel he’d gotten from the kitchen and they start wiping what’s left of the tea from the floor and the couch.

“I’m so sorry, the ringing surprised me and I didn’t see you were holding the cup and-“

“It’s alright, Soo. No harm done.” Jongin stands on his knees beside the couch and smiles at Kyungsoo. And he melts. Just like every time in the past four years they’d been together. He follows Jongin with his eyes as he goes over the trash bin to throw the used paper towels. When he turns back around he pulls at his T-shirt and the wet spot at the front. Kyungsoo lets out a sigh.

“I’ll go get you something dry to change into.”

But as he’s about to turn around