He was never into this kind of stuff. But then again, he discovered and did a lot of things for the first time because of Daehyun, and he wasn't sure he liked it.

It was almost scary how the younger boy managed to turn him into a hopeless romantic, which one would never associate with Bang Yongguk, the fierce and charismatic leader with the y deep voice. He hadn't seen it coming, either. But he'd enjoyed every step of the way, mostly because he had shared countless joyous moments with Daehyun - moments that he didn't realize he'd soon have to cherish even more than ever.

Smiling that wide smile of his, he thanked the lady at the counter, causing her to blush. Taking a whiff of the fragrant flowers he'd just bought, he practically skipped out of the small shop and into the bright streets of South Korea. There was hardly anyone out on the streets, as most people were either in school or starting their work day, but he seemed to be filming a music video. His pearlescent teeth sparkled, blinding, and he couldn't hide how giddy he felt. His excitement overshadowed his anxiety as he thought about the future recipient of the flowers in his arms: Jung Daehyun.

He'd never thought that - in all his life - he'd be skipping down the streets of Seoul not caring about the curious and skeptical stares he earned. He felt so free, and he certainly didn't give a damn about whether or not he looked like a complete idiot.

Because today was the day he was going to confess.

His feelings had been kept under wraps for quite some time now, and today was the perfect opportunity to finally make them known. How had he managed to wait until this day to do so? He was even amazed at himself. In truth, he even felt kind of proud of this major accomplishment.

He thought about how Daehyun would react. Would he turn him down? Would he laugh? No, he wasn't cruel. Would he reciprocate his feelings? But then what would happen? Would he cry? Would he smile in the way he loved? His eyes - he wanted to see those beautiful bright eyes.

Taking out his cell phone, he dialed Daehyun's number from memory, not thinking twice about how going through his contacts might have been just slightly easier. When the call went straight to his adorable voicemail, he frowned. He tapped his foot, awaiting the 'beep.' It came seven seconds later. "Daehyun-ah, it's, uh...it's me, Yongguk hyung. Listen, I...I have something important to tell you. Meet me at the park behind the tree in twenty minutes, okay? Or you can just...y'know...call me back when you get the chance." He paused briefly, contemplating whether or not to say more. "Dae-ah." He took a deep breath. "I really hope you come."

--

Shifting from foot to foot, he glanced at his watch. Five minutes. Five minutes until he expected Daehyun to show up.

It was shady behind the tree, which was so tall and full of leaves and whose trunk was so thick that people couldn't clearly see what was going on over there. It was risky to confess out in the open like this, yes, but it was also the best place he could think of. With his heart beating twice as fast as it usually did, he continued taking deep breaths to ease his nervousness, which had eventually crept up on him. After slamming the back of his head against the trunk a few times, he allowed his eyes to linger, instantly spotting a tree at the opposite end of the vacant park. Had that always been there? His eyes narrowed into thin slits, squinting in the morning sun. He could just barely make out two figures - two boys around his age. His eyes widened when it hit him.

Daehyun had his back facing him, and he could see Jongup clearly now. The younger of the two boys had a bouquet of dazzling red roses and a small pouch of seemingly homemade chocolates. Smiling, he pushed the gifts into Daehyun's chest, who - albeit unsurely - wrapped his arms around them. Daehyun's shy gaze was directed at the flowers when Jongup's lips moved. "I love you, Daehyun hyung. Will you be my Valentine?" At this, Daehyun's head shot up to look the other in the eyes, but was met instead with a pair of lips gently pressed against his. Because he was in shock, he made no effort to move.

Mere seconds had passed, and yet, in that short span of time, Yongguk's entire world crumbled. There was a sudden pang in his heart when just a moment ago, it had been fluttering with hopeful expectations.

Jongup finally pulled away, keeping his eyes locked on Daehyun's face to see his reaction. What he got was something Yongguk had always dreamed of receiving: a genuine smile. The smile that was supposed to be for him.

Now that he looked back, none of this should be surprising to him in the least. He vaguely recalled a conversation he and Jongup shared the week before, all the pieces fitting together perfectly now.

"Hyung!"

Yongguk turned, his mouth full. Without bothering to swallow, he managed to utter a nearly incomprehensible "What?"

Jongup plopped onto the chair across from him, resting his elbows on the table as he stared seriously into Yongguk's curious eyes. "Where's the best place to go to confess to someone?"

Yongguk swallowed, then shrugged. "Why? You have someone you like? Tell me who it is and I'll consider telling you."

"Eh, hyung!" Jongup made a shushing motion with his finger. "It's. A. Secret."

Rolling his eyes, Yongguk put down his chopsticks and leaned forward. "Fine, I'll tell you. But it's only because you're my inexperienced dongsaeng, and as an experienced hyung, I feel responsible for helping you in the love department." Jongup began to say something when Yongguk cut him off. "So there's this tree in the park we used to always go to before we debuted. It's really tall and thick - you can't miss it. Take whoever it is you like behind that tree. No one will be able to see you in the shade."

Grinning widely, Jongup bounced up from his seat. "Thanks, hyung! I'll remember everything you just told me!"

When the younger boy went back into his room, Yongguk scoffed and picked up his chopsticks. "Hope it works out for you, kid."

From the corner of his eye, he saw a bright white flash. Without even turning, he could tell it was a camera.

"Idiot." Yongguk was well aware of the tears streaming down his face, but he didn't care at the moment. "It was this tree. Everyone can see you two over there at that one." Disappointment and anger rushed through his veins as he threw the flowers at the thick bark of the tree, watching the petals come loose and fly off one by one until the whole thing crashed onto the ground soon after. He glanced once more at the snickering photographer, who had yet to find out about his presence. "Serves you right for stealing him from me." With his hands buried deep in his pockets, he his heels and started to walk home before realizing that Daehyun would be hurt, too.