Kyungsoo’s body tenses at Junmyeon’s abrupt confession. While it was perfectly reasonable for long-term friends to use the word like with each other, his addition of “a lot” felt unsettling. Kyungsoo attempts to collect himself but finds himself blushing. Junmyeon raises a brow as he’s bent at the hip over his desk, hands firmly pressed inward, allowing him to reach closer to Kyungsoo. The closer Junmyeon gets, the more gravity pulls his half-buttoned shirt from his chest. Kyungsoo can’t help but stare down the gold chain swinging against Junmyeon’s clavicle

“Kyungsoo? Are you okay? You haven’t said anything in the past 5 minutes.”

Not being able to take his eyes off the exposed skin go Junmyeon’s chest, he stutters a delayed response.

“I’m o-okay!”

Junmyeon retreats to a standing position, crossing his arms over his chest as he walks to and fro. Kyungsoo studies him as his expression shifts in thought.  

“I don’t want you to think I’m expecting anything in return…At least not right away. Perhaps it’s selfish of me to put you on the spot like this; I only thought it fair to explain my feelings but only at the risk of you hating me for it.”

Junmyeon takes a moment to wet his drying lips. The abrupt silence allows Kyungsoo the opportunity to scoot his chair back. Junmyeon halts his frantic pacing. 

“I’ve said too much, haven’t I?”

Kyungsoo wipes his sweaty palms on his pant leg before bunching the fabric into a relaxed fist. He releases a breath through his nostrils, the rest of his face stiff. Kyungsoo acknowledges that freaking out right now might only worsen the situation. 

Junmyeon stands there, awaiting some kind of acknowledgment from Kyungsoo. When Kyungsoo finds it hard to maintain eye contact, Junmyeon ruffles his hair and turns his back to the former. He cracks the window to light a cigarette. The first puff billows up and outward before dissipating into the skyline. The breeze is chilling as it finally hits Kyungsoo, sending a chill through his body.

               “Don’t feel like you have to change anything, I’m still me. I just got ahead of myself the other night. When you got close, I wanted to kiss you.”

At this point, Kyungsoo could gather that Junmyeon was getting frustrated at him and yet nothing logical crossed his mind that would remedy the situation. Instead, he forces a soft smile, bunching the fabric of his shirt as Junmyeon continued. 

“And I know I can’t take it back, but I want you to know that I don’t regret doing so.”

That much was obvious. So much so that once Kyungsoo began picking apart Junmyeon’s habits, it all started to piece together. Before he’d stare a little too long, his eyes lingering on his facial features even from across the room. He’d recall those days when he pressed his arm against Kyungsoo’s as they walked, or even the unforeseen gestures that night. Late last month, Junmyeon had managed to get himself pissed drunk, and for reasons unknown, he’d shown up at Kyungsoo’s door. Junmyeon’s face beat red, from his nose to his ears, as he stood slumped against the side of Kyungsoo’s house, into the night. 

“Kyungsoo…. Kyuuuuuungsoo.”

Inside, Kyungsoo rolled over at the sound of his name. Somehow Junmyeon’s cries did not disturb Chanyeol from his sleep. Naturally, he slipped out to see what the fuss was about without even changing his bedclothes. 

Kyungsoo’s whole body swung out as he opened the front door. Junmyeon, on his left, crouched on his knees, drawing lines in the gravel with his fingers. At the sound of Kyungsoo’s frantic breathing, Junmyeon shifted his full attention to the doorway where the boy stood, flushed.

“Kyungsoo, I knew you were here!”

“This is my house, of course, I would be here. But the better question is, why are you?”

“Hmph,” Junmyeon huffed, “You aren’t happy to see me? That’s a shame because I really wanted to see you.”

At this point, the stench of alcohol wafted Kyungsoo’s way, and he realized that there was no point in arguing. Kyungsoo reached for Junmyeon’s arm, attempting to pull him to his feet, but Junmyeon protested.

“You’re just trying to get rid of me, aren’t you. I’m a nuisance to you.”

“I’m trying to bring you inside before you wake all my neighbors, you idiot. Now come on, I’m not strong enough to pick you up.”

Junmyeon staggered, his knees bump as he is forced upright. Kyungsoo ushered Junmyeon into the living room before dropping him on the couch. Junmyeon legs dangled off while his top half shimmied against the cushions. His dress shirt, already wrinkled, worked its way up to his torso with each squirm, exploding his abdomen. Kyungsoo stood on the other side of the coffee table, his arms crossed across his chest, and he tried to make sense of