With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them.

 

A smile linger a little longer on Seungcheol’s face as he closes his book. He just finished re-reading his favorite book.

 

It made his heart flutter every time he read Pride and Prejudice or even just any other book that always ends up happy. Tho he doesn’t really mind reading tragedy and other novels, but a love story with a great plot line and promising characters would always make his inside swirl and dance.

 

It was a beautiful day. A lazy Sunday morning in his dictionary.

 

He rose from lying to his bed and toss his blanket off him. As much as he wanted to slouch and re-watch the movie adaptation of the book, he needed to prepare. He promised his friends that he will join them to the mall this time. After a thousand of times of rejection, they just would not let him off the hook. Well, in his defense, it was more interesting to read and lie down on his bed instead of doing any possible human interaction.

 

”Hyung! Where are you?!” he distanced his phone away from his ear to avoid a possible damage. Thank Mingyu for that.

 

”You need not to shout Mr. Kim. I heard you just fine.” The older replied while putting on his black converse.

 

”Hyung, stop trying to sound like 1800’s. Where are you?” Seungcheol can just roll his eyes. Why did he agree to meet up again?

 

”Just wait there. I’m coming.” He hanged the phone up and went straight downstairs to kiss his mom goodbye.

 

”Thank God you decided to come out from your cave.” Jeonghan is the first to snap at him when he reached his friend outside the cinema house.

He was late. That, he was aware. But it is not like he intended to come in the first place.

 

”Hyung is here. Let’s go.” Mingyu signaled them to walk, waving the ticket in the air. His friends cheered because finally. He was about to tell them to go first so he can buy a popcorn and a drink when a large red with yellow stripes cup was pushed into him gently.

 

He traced the presence of the person in front of him and saw a pale guy still handing him the cup.

”The movie is about to start.” the male said. His voice is a mixture of confidence and authority while his face remains blank. If that is even possible. Lee jihoon is the only guy who could pull that emotion and make Seungcheol want to run back to his home.

 

He mentally heaved a sigh and accept the offered drink. Jihoon walked pass him after. He closed his eyes and let out a breathe he has been holding in that short moment before walking to the entrance too. What else could he do but follow the guy and his friends inside.

 

The day is just starting and yet, he badly wanted to go home as early as possible.

 

Seungcheol is never an outside person. He would rather read books or watch movies. In other occasions, he would play with his computer or with his dog. But his friends are not having any of it. Well, he used to hang out with them in their favorite coffee house or just ride with their crazy antics. That was then. Before Mingyu got a boyfriend and their little squad got to meet the other party’s allies. So is a certain guy who will make him run and hide and never look back every time their eyes meet: Lee Jihoon. It was not even five months since.

 

It was not love at first sight. Like how prince charming got enticed by Cinderella’s beauty when he saw him entered the ballroom or how Cupid had struck himself his own arrow the moment he saw Psyche. It is nothing like that. It was more like trouble at first sight.

 

Lee Jihoon possesses this kind of aura that would not go unnoticed by others. He is like Mr. Darcy at first glance. He screams power and intimidation. But as Seungcheol observes him, the former is more like Colonel Brandon. He is silent and grave but is a gentleman. A mixture of logic and feeling. He is cold and yet warm in his own way which in the older’s opinion, would make him the mixture of both characters.

 

”Excuse me sir” his thoughts were interrupted by a girl sitting just behind him. He realized he was still standing. He bowed to apologize right away before he settled down. And what are the odds because he was seated beside Jihoon, which is not that amusing for Seungcheol. He mentally groaned and prayed for the clock to tick fast so the day could end sooner.

 

As the film rolled on, he just fixated his focus on the wide screen to actually watch. At least that way he won’t notice the cold sweat forming in his forehead despite the low temperature. Being too engrossed in the film where his eyes glitter in anticipation of what will happen next, he was not that aware hat he was already sharing the popcorn with the guy beside him. Not that Jihoon mind. He was busy admiring the older’s side profile. Had not for a short touch of their fingers inside the popcorn’s paper bowl.

 

He looked at Jihoon in daze and fear before retracting his hand off the paper container in such a rush. He mouthed a ‘sorry’ before ducking his head down seeing the other nod in response. That was awkward.

Why is he seated beside this guy in the first place?

 

Don’t get him wrong. It is not that he hated Jihoon. He hated himself rather. He hates that he feels nervous whenever the younger is around. He hates the thing that circling his flat stomach when Jihoon does something that is completely platonic. He hated himself because he doesn’t understand his own feelings or why he feels like that.

 

Jihoon confuses him. Big time. One minute he does not care about Seungcheol. He remembered when they first met. The younger did not even offer him a single glance. In another word, he has no interest in getting to know him. He seems pretty close to everyone. Except for him. That’s why it is a mystery to Seungcheol why Jihoon bought him a drink and even lets him share his popcorn. Well, that’s not the only thing that makes him wonder. There are far many incidents that made him find the logic. Like that one time when Jihoon held his hand so suddenly he was shocked. The younger said he was walking way too slow before guiding him in his own pace. There were also times where the guy would just look at him blankly before walking away leaving him there to ask why’s and what’s.

Maybe Jihoon is just like that to all of his friends.Well That is if he considers him a friend. He just shrugged the thought away. But what really made him hide away and never look at the younger was after the guy ing kissed him out of the blue, one time when they had a slumber party at Jisoo’s flat.

 

The kiss was quick. It was a feeling like how Alice fell into a rabbit hole. It was so suddenly that Alice did not have a moment to think about stopping herself before she found herself falling down to what seemed to be a very deep well. The same goes for him. It was too quick that he did not even get a chance to respond or blink his eyes. Before he realized what was going on, the younger stormed out the kitchen where they were in.

 

Seungcheol never believes in sparks and soul mates because that was all a concept he reads in the confines of his book or the thin frame of his laptop’s screen. Falling in love is not that easy. You cannot just walk beside each other then suddenly your fingers brush that made the two of you look at each other’s eyes and before you knew it, you two are lip-locking. That was too cliche. Sure it was fun reading that scene but let us be real, People. The world does not work like that. Nothing is that easy. Yet, jihoon is giving him weird ideas. Since that accident happened, he found himself thinking about the younger from time to time.

 

You can’t blame him. It was his first kiss.

 

 

”Why are you seem so afraid of me?” His being too engrossed reading The Best of Me was put into a stop when a subject of his endless stress and confusion sat beside him, handing him a perfectly wrapped burger.

 

It was their lunchtime and he was supposed to be with his friends in the cafeteria but he told them he was not hungry and he has something to do. By that something, he meant reading his book in a quiet area like the open field.

 

Partly, that was true. He wanted to have a peace of mind and the cafeteria would not give him that. Especially if he knows that Jihoon is eating with the rest of the squad. So what the hell is he doing sitting beside the older now?

 

”You keep on avoiding me.” Jihoon stated after he said his thanks. It was not a question. It was a statement.

 

”Sorry.” Seunghcheol just muttered in a low tone, ducking his head down. How the hell he should react? That was the truth, after all.

 

”What are you reading?” Jihoon tried to lighten the atmosphere.

 

”uhm, Just. Just a romance novel. Nothing interesting.” he replied in doubt. Well, not all people find the pleasure in reading romantic books. Hell, he was used being called hopeless romantic and corny by the people who call themselves cool. As if.

 

”Don’t say that. It’s interesting if you like it.” the younger said pointing to the now closed book that was lying on the elder’s lap.

 

”Tell me why you like them. Here.” Jihoon added after. He gave Seungcheol the now unwrapped burger he was handing earlier.

 

Upon hearing Jihoon take interest in what he likes, he found himself beaming. Like how one’s face will light up when talking about their favorites.

 

Why?

 

Why does he like reading them in the first place? Why does the idea of romantic books or films excite him that much?

 

Why does he feel giddy when thinking about happy ever after? Why does he like to bawl his eyes out in every bitter ending that John Green came up to? Or feel the unspoken regret when thinking about the tragic end of Romeo and Juliette?

 

He loves to think of how love can be so powerful that a single kiss could wake someone from a cursed slumber. How it can make you change yourself just like Petruchio tamed Katharina. How can love be so powerful that it makes you lose your sanity and bring you to your own end. How can love be so great yet so dangerous.

 

”Maybe because I don’t think I can feel love as strong as what the movie or my favorite book tries to portray so I content myself to just watch or read.” Seungcheol said bitterly.

 

As much as he loves the idea of it. He knows what should be kept inside the books and what should be out of the reality. He was aware there is an exaggeration in every line in the sonnets.

 

People shallows the idea of love nowadays. And he did not like that.

 

He likes the idea of happily ever after. Not a relationship that could last in only a span of two months. He wants real feelings. Not just for the sake of having someone by your side because everyone is doing so. He wanted the real thing. Just like in books. Sad that only books and films can provide him that.

 

”I can love you like that.” his internal reasoning took a break when the guy beside him muttered something beyond his understanding at that moment.

 

”huh?” He asked not understanding what the younger meant by that. Is he joking? Not funny for a chaos is now happening inside Seungcheol.

 

He watched wide-eyed as Jihoon inched closer to him and cupped his face in one hand.

 

”I can love you like that. If you’ll just let me.” Jihoon repeated what he has said but this time, he is looking at Seungcheol straight in the eye.

 

”Jihoon” Seungcheol gulped. He can’t bring himself to say something aside from the younger’s name. He feels like his heart might jump out off his chest with this close proximity. Nevermind the students who are lurking around the open field.

 

”I hate it when you ignore me. I’ve been dropping hints but you always ignore me.” Jihoon said fixing the older’s fringe.

 

”You’re kidding.” Seungcheol could not believe it. He was so sure Jihoon is not interested in him. Their first encounter proved him that. But what the hell is happening right now?

 

”I’m not kidding a bit Cheol. I’ve been dying to kiss you the moment we met that I have to restrain myself not to and ignore you. “ He just looked at the man in front of him. But he already kissed me. He thought.

 

“So Choi Seungcheol, will you go out with me? I can’t promise I can give you the perfect love story you have always wanted. But I can love you more than the sun loves the moon.” Jihoon moved his hands down to hold his stilled hand. He even heard the younger say ‘ that was corny’ before anxiously looking at him with expectation.

 

Seungcheol chuckled at that before nodding his head and smiling at the younger.

 

What Jihoon don’t know is, Seungcheol admired books and novels but he hates reading fin or the end whenever he flips the last page. He does not want a perfect love story. Just a person whom he can make his beautiful story with. No happy endings. They can be happy and sad or fluffy and angst without them ending it.

-----------------------------------------------

AN: 

I know how Seungcheol love Dan Brown and he probably does not like romance novel like this hahahaha. Anyway, this is a fiction for a reason.

I hope you enjoy this piece of my thoughts. 

Again, comments are much appreciated :)

Thank You for reading.