The first thing that popped into Sungyeol's head was that the view before him looked like a painting. The colorful flowerbeds, the sounds from nearby birds, the sparkles dancing across the blue pond; everything around seemed created to be a background for the person that undeniably had to be the protagonist of the painting. Myungsoo could be nothing other than the main character and the hero of the story as he stood absentmindedly gazing at the pond. Sungyeol's chest swelled with emotion. There was no denying it: he was utterly in love with the older. Yet this did not need to be a source of pain any longer. Sungyeol smiled happily. 

"Sunbae!" he said loudly from where he stood at the entrance of the garden. 

Myungsoo's head whipped in the direction where Sungyeol was standing. The blackhaired boy gave a little start, and his shoulders tensed. In that moment, he reminded Sungyeol of a scared and cornered cat. 

"Sungyeol-ah," Myungsoo said at last, his tone apologetic and awkward. 

Without saying another word, Sungyeol crossed the little garden, eliminating the distance between them. Myungsoo looked as if he wanted to move away from the younger, but wasn't quite sure where to escape to. 

"I can see what you're thinking, sunbae," Sungyeol said, now standing in front of the older. "But don't run away, please." 

"I-" Myungsoo opened his mouth, but clearly didn't know what to say. 

"I've been looking for you," Sungyeol continued. "Have you been avoiding me?"

Myungsoo nodded slowly, looking away. 

"Why?" 

"What do you mean, why? Shouldn't that be obvious?" the older said, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm giving you space. I'm keeping away from you so you don't have to see my creepy face anymore." 

"I never said I didn't want to see your face anymore," Sungyeol retorted. 

Myungsoo looked at Sungyeol then, and his eyes were filled with mixed emotions. "So you're going to forgive me just like that, are you?"

"And if I said yes, I am?"

"I would call you stupid." 

"I think sunbae is the stupid one." 

Myungsoo laughed once then, a short and sharp laugh. "I totally agree with you, hoobae. I am very stupid indeed." 

"But do you know why you are stupid, sunbae?" Sungyeol inquired, looking probingly into the older's eyes. They were standing close, so close that Sungyeol could have kissed Myungsoo if he wanted to. And he did want to.

"Of course I know," Myungsoo replied, his voice sad. "I'm stupid because I forced you to go along with all of my dirty tricks. Because I demanded your attention and affection. Because I pushed my feelings onto you without your consent." The older hung his head in shame. 

"I can hear you've reflected on your wrongdoings," Sungyeol said, a small smile forming on his lips. Myungsoo, whose eyes were looking down, did not catch this expression. 

"Like I said last time, you can give me any punishment you want," Myungsoo said quietly. He wasn't leaning on the fence any longer, but instead had his hands reverently folded in front of himself. 

"In that case, I would like you to close your eyes, sunbae," Sungyeol declared. 

"Close my eyes?" the older echoed, confusion clear on his face. Then, as if in sudden realization, he nodded. "Hit me however many times you like." He proceeded to close his eyes and stand stiffly up and down, not moving a single muscle. 

The older had never seemed more adorable to Sungyeol than in that moment. With his closed eyes and tense expression, he suddenly didn't look older at all, but rather like a young child who was bracing himself to be scolded. With butterflies in his stomach, Sungyeol reached up to take the older's face in his hands. Myungsoo jumped a little at the sudden contact, but remained still with his eyes closed. Sungyeol wasn't sure where this bravery had come from, but he knew he needed to act before his embarrassment got the better of him. So he leant forward and pressed his lips to the older's unprepared ones. Myungsoo not only jumped, but also made a startled sound at this turn of events. His eyes flew open, and finally the two locked eyes. Myungsoo's eyes were round and surprised and utterly confused, while Sungyeol's eyes were shy yet victorious. The older pulled away from the kiss and demanded, "What in the world are you doing?"

"Kissing you," Sungyeol answered, trying to keep his bravery from leaving him. 

"Why in the world would you do that?" Myungsoo said, his voice loud. 

"Why do you think?" Sungyeol shot back.

"I have no idea!" 

"Why did you kiss me the other day, sunbae?" Sungyeol asked.

"Because I like you, obviously," Myungsoo replied. 

"Well then, my reason is the same as yours," Sungyeol explained, his voice losing volume as he finished his sentence. The embarrassment was slowly starting to seep in. He could feel his face turning red. 

"What do you mea-" Myungsoo began, but then his eyes widened as understanding hit him. He stared at the younger with a shocked expression. Sungyeol, on the other hand, was having a hard time looking at the older. He could feel the urge to run away and hide, but he refused to let himself be swayed. There would be no more mistakes. No more misunderstandings. 

"Sunbae," Sungyeol mumbled, looking at his feet. "I like you. I've liked you for a long time now. When you kissed me the other day, it wasn't forced at all. I was really happy." 

Silence. Unendurable silence. Not a sound came from Myungsoo's lips, and, finding the silence unbearable, Sungyeol finally looked up from the ground. The older was looking at him in amazement. 

"Say something," Sungyeol mumbled, feeling more and more awkward as the seconds passed. 

"I... I don't know what to say," the blackhaired boy said, furrowing his brow. "I can't believe this." 

"Why can't you believe it?"

"Because it's too good to be true." 

"It's true, sunbae," Sungyeol said, looking directly at the older. "I like you. Please let me be your boyfriend." 

"B-boyfriend?" Myungsoo sputtered. 

Sungyeol nodded shyly. 

Myungsoo pulled his hand through his hair in bewilderment. His dark eyes scanned Sungyeol's face questioningly. Sungyeol stared back, heart beating wildly in his chest. A sudden tension had appeared between the two, as if electricity was traveling back and forth in the air around them. Myungsoo's gaze went slowly from Sungyeol's eyes to his hands to his lips to his eyes again. Sungyeol held his breath. Without a word, the blackhaired boy slowly reached out to take Sungyeol's hand. He let his fingers wrap gently around the younger's, softly the back of Sungyeol's hand with his thumb. Sungyeol felt involuntary shivers go down his spine. 

"I hope you know that once you become mine, there's no escape. No turning back. No backing out," Myungsoo murmured, his thumb still caressing Sungyeol's hand. 

"I know," Sungyeol replied faintly, feeling his insides tingle with glee and exhilaration. 

Myungsoo had seemingly gotten over the shock of Sungyeol's confession, and a playful smile was now back on his face. His hand slowly traveled upwards from Sungyeol's hand to his arm, finally stopping at the younger's neck. "Well, this is an unexpected but welcome development," he smiled. Deliberately and gradually, Myungsoo leaned towards Sungyeol, never taking his eyes off the younger. "This is your last chance to back away," he whispered, and Sungyeol could smell the older's scent all around him. It was making his mind go fuzzy. Myungsoo's hand slid further up, now entwining his fingers in Sungyeol's hair. Sungyeol's breath caught, and it was all he could do to remain still where he was. Slowly, ever so slowly, the blackhaired boy who was so undeniably and totally perfect to him, leaned forward until his lips touched the younger's. 

"You're mine now. And there's no turning back," the older purred against Sungyeol's lips before he deepened the kiss. 

Author's Note: Hello everyone! Thank you all for sticking with this story and reading it <3 Hope you liked this chappie, I sure liked writing it hehe