"Why would he do that..?"

Yes, why would Seungri suddenly refuse to let Daesung know about his first tutoring session with Jiyong..? Why would he hide about it..?

"I have no idea.. You should know the reason, right..? You're his only friend for years..!" Youngbae supplied, and munched on the chocolate cake they ordered just now. 

Both guys were lounging at a cafe near Daesung's house. He got a call from Youngbae gushing about having an important issue to tell him and later he was rushing out of his tangled duvet and speeding to the bathroom. As soon as he arrived and sat his bums on the chair, he was greeted with a 'Morning, having trouble getting up..?' and an ordered breakfast and later was receiving this shocking news -- Seungri inviting Jiyong to his house without Daesung's knowledge.

"Yes, as his bestfriend, I always get my hands on his plans first and foremost. But there are things that we keep from each other.. It's called privacy, Mr. Dong.." Yes, perhaps Daesung was trying to make himself feel better, but it was the truth. There are little private things that Seungri never tells him, and although it disturbs Daesung not knowing about them, he respects Seungri's rights to keep his secrets.

But inviting Jiyong to his house is a vital information, and Seungri chose to keep something that big from his bestfriend. Daesung suddenly felt less important. 

"Privacy, you say..? So it's similar to how you hide your feelings for Seungri's stepbrother from him..?" 

Daesung nearly choked on the cake as Youngbae smirked at him with teasing eyes. How.. How did he..

"How did you--?" 

"What..? How did I know..?" Youngbae cut him off, and when Daesung timidly nodded, he continued, "By watching you two, it's hard not to see your overpouring feelings when you interact with each other.."

 Daesung perked up at this, "Wait.. Do you mean.. Seunghyun likes me too--?"

Youngbae raised a hand as he used the other one to wipe his mouth with a napkin, "I'm not in the place to say anything, and your love lives are not in my concern.. We're here to discuss on the improvements of our idiotic bestfriends' relationship, remember..?"

Daesung nodded with red ears as he sipped on his iced americano. "I could see that they're doing extremely well, Seungri wasn't one to leisurely invite someone to his house only after months knowing them.." Humming to himself, he quickly corrected his facts, "Correction, he actually never invites anyone.."

Because usually Daesung was the one who invites himself to Seungri's house, and not the latter. Huh.. Now Daesung felt very unimportant.

"I'm getting more confident on Seungri's feelings for Jiyong more than when I see them at the infirmary, but I still don't think Seungri would admit his feelings in the mean time.. Even though I'm not close to him, everyone literally knows the fact that feelings are like aliens to the Ice Prince.."

Daesung nodded thoughtfully, but he was actually disagree with Youngbae, "Yes, but don't you realise that he turns into an entirely different person when Jiyong is near him..? Who knows if Jiyong might be able to make him spell out the 'L' word really soon..?"

"Well, that's not impossible.. But, I still am sure that Jiyong's gonna be the one to confess first," 

Daesung rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever.. But if Seungri even care to hide about their first tutoring session, it means that he does care for whatever he is having with Jiyong.. Because, he only hides anything that is personal to him from me, so.."

Youngbae gets it now, "What's important wasn't who confessed first, but the fact that both of them are taking their feelings seriously, and we should be happy for them.." 

Both men silently agreed as they took sips from their drinks and observed the scenery outside, of people taking their dogs on a walk, of children running around and of an old couple walking down the street hand in hand. 

"But seriously.. Do you think Seunghyun--"

"I'll pretend that I've never told you anything,"

Jiyong didn't want to leave, no. And Seungri looked as if he didn't want him to leave either. 

Jiyong stood by the front door, waiting for Seungri who was on the phone. His father called, and although he initially didn't want to be even a foot away from Jiyong, his new not-boyfriend had insisted that the Ice Prince was not to make the big man wait.

Hanging up, he put down the phone and walked towards Jiyong with a sour face. "Do you really need to go home now..?"

They had spent the day lying around doing nothing except for some stupid senseless talk -- where Jiyong's the only one doing the talking, while Seungri listens fondly to the chatter mouth. 

"So you've never known how it feels like to be happy..?" Jiyong had asked at some point after he finished blabbering about the moment he first met Youngbae. Seungri pondered a bit before answering, his brunette locks being caressed by Jiyong's thin fingers in a relaxing way.

"I think I did, but it seemed to be a long long long time ago.. So I can't exactly remember.." He was a mere child when his mother died, leaving him with a scar that remains in his heart until some boy with fluffy adorableness stumbled into him. Jiyong sighed sympathetically, as he stared at his new not-boyfriend with adoring eyes.

"There must be anything that gives you the will to wake up everyday, can't you possibly think of anything..?"

"Like what, exactly..?"

Jiyong tapped on his chin, humming to himself when a light bulb flashed on his head, "What about the golden rays of sunlight shining through the curtains every morning..? Doesn't it feel so refreshing and--"

"No. I hate the bright light every morning I see it, my eyes hurt when they tried to adjust with it,"

"Oh.. Then what about the school we study in..? All your friends and--"

"They're never my friends, Daesung was the only one. And you.. But you're more than a friend, so.."

Seungri dragged his words as he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, but still he maintained his poker face. He took in some satisfaction when he saw Jiyong blushing hard. It was cute that a radiant person like Jiyong could turn into a tomato by just a few words from him..

Jiyong saw his satisfied face and pouted at the Ice Prince, "You said that on purpose, right..?" Seungri shook his head no and fixed the position of his head on Jiyong's legs. Jiyong only huffed childishly and grumbled.

"You cold . Fine. So what about spring..?"

"Spring is boring. What's so great about the season anyway..?"

"Chocolate and candies..?"

"I hate them,"

"What about winter then..?

"Loath it,"

"Wow.. You need serious help.. Isn't there anything that makes you feel that life is worth living..?

"Well.. There's.. some actually.."

"Really..? What are they..? Come on, just tell me..!!"

Seungri took a deep breath before shutting his eyes close, "I've forgotten the feeling of happiness, until that one day when you suddenly smiled your blinding smile at me," He tried to speak in a monotone, but the slight waver in his voice totally ruined his attempt. "And somehow, everything about you, every single thing you do.. Kind of makes me happy,"

Jiyong felt as if he just choked on candies, but he's still fine and all he could taste was the sweetness of life, "Seungri.. That's.. So--"

"Cheesy..? Absolutely. Yes, I'd very much vomit on myself right now,"

Put simply, this day was filled with pointless chatting and successful attempts to make Jiyong blush on Seungri's behalf. It feels as if they've known each other for years, despite only having met each other three months ago. Fall is going to be replaced with winter soon, and the month of December had just started.

Even so, when they are with each other, time seemed to be passing by so slowly that they are both very aware of each other's presence. Seungri had always realised this, but he refused to acknowledge it until today. The day where he dared to confess that Jiyong was indeed special to him. So he didn't want Jiyong to go home yet. Not now.

"It's already 5, Seungri.. I promised my sister that I'll be home by 4, she'll roast me when I arrive.." 

"You're really going to defy me in order to obey your sister..? You're still my servant, remember..?"

Jiyong scoffed, this guy was unbelievably childish. Who'd have thought that the Ice Prince was actually like this..? 

"Lee Seungri, are you seriously pulling the Master card..? What happened to the whole 'Yes you're special to me'  thing..? I can't wait to let those at school to know about--"

Seungri quickly fixed his eyes on Jiyong, his pupils wide with uncertainty, "Those at school..? Are you going to tell them about.. Us..?"

"Well, I don't see the harm in doing so--"

Seungri cut him off, his cold eyes making its comeback as they froze Jiyong's insides, "And I don't see the reason you need to do so. Nobody is to know about us, not even your bestfriend,"

Wait. Jiyong would be lying if he said that he's not shocked by Seungri's sudden changing demeanor. Just now Seungri was acting fine, why was he suddenly becoming the Ice Prince..? Perhaps.. Is it because..

Jiyong scoffed, his mouth felt bitter as he started speaking, "Is this all about the Reputation System..? Seriously you still care about statuses and all that..?"

Jiyong felt like crying. Yes, it was true that Seungri hadn't said the 'L' word yet, but didn't he at least care for Jiyong more than the orders of the society..? Jiyong thought he had managed to change the Ice Prince into a normal human. So he had failed..

Seungri's eyes quivered, as he stared at an upset Jiyong. "No, it's.. It's not just about the system, it's also about me. I told you I'm not ready right..?"

Seungri crossed his arms in front of his chest, his eyes found their solace by staring at the expensive carpet Seunghyun's mother brought from her trip to Europe, as he waited for Jiyong's response.

He didn't want to lose his reputation this quick, if everyone finds out that the Ice Prince had broken the system he himself had been so strongly holding on to, by falling in lo--, scratch that, by having a relationship with an Averager, he's so gonna get mocked and hated by the others.

The rich cool kids will deny his power and authority and no doubt they'll kick him down his throne.

The lower classes will scorn at him, mock him for treating them in a very bad way and insulting their status before, only to be in a relationship with someone from their class. Someone who he always describes as 'way below his league', and is 'not worth his time at all'..

It wasn't that hard for him to admit, that Seungri is in a relationship with a commoner. However, although he had came to fully accept their different statuses, others hadn't. 

Seungri had been setting his high goals since a long time ago -- he is to be someone with knowledge, influence and power, so he should stay the way he was, the intimidating Ice Prince who's respected by the fellow teachers and students, until he achieved those objectives. That's the only way his late mother will rest in peace.

So everything else has to wait before they get to see the light of day. Jiyong..

Jiyong has to wait until Seungri managed to have a stable life, and everything he had ever wanted. And when the time comes, he won't even care if Jiyong wants to announce about them in the television, the newspaper, the magazines. He can even announce to the other universes about them.

Just.. Not now.

Jiyong watched wordlessly as Seungri kept on staring down at the floor, his stance unsure and full with doubts. Seungri looked so vulnerable at this moment, and somehow Jiyong could read what was circulating inside the Ice Prince's mind. He's afraid.

Seungri was not only afraid of the idea of being in love, but he's more terrified to face everyone and admit about his relationship without getting negative reactions. Jiyong couldn't actually assure him anything about that..

Because who could Jiyong lie..? Of course they won't get any positive reactions.. Aside from Daesung, Youngbae and Seunghyun, Jiyong bet that the whole school will go on fire at the news. All Hell will break loose. Why..? Because some things are just unacceptable in the society.

Plus, homoual relationships are still not so fully approved by the korean netizens. Although they are no longer being frowned upon too much, they