Youngjae's fingers were growing unsteady, fiddling with things unnecessarily as the senior students trickled in and out of the classroom. There weren't many Parks or Lees in Daehyun's class and Youngjae could almost put his finger to his name. 

Jung Daehyun. Class of 2020.

It tore a little on Youngjae's insides, to have his feelings ripped from him with just a single phrase as if they were nothing at all. And in a way, they were not much more than letters he wore on his sleeve and the back of his tongue. How would they taste once Daehyun had left, would they leave a rotten stench in his throat? Like regret sinking its unforgivable claws into the flesh.

Youngjae grimaced and stepped closer to the camera as the next student sat down on the chair, brushing every thought aside as he told the guy to sit up straight and give him a nice smile. 

But Youngjae was never one to easily sidestep his thoughts, the growing fear of feeling sorry for himself was haunting his mind and his hands were trembling, and as the older student left the room all Youngjae could wish for was the world away.

He had promised himself he wouldn't cry.

And the stinging in his eyes wasn't over sadness, it was more the shame that had settled down so deeply in Youngjae's bones that he knew he'd never get rid of it. For a moment he wished he'd never fallen for Daehyun, but the footsteps outside in the hallway rang in his ears and he was certain that falling in love had never been the problem.

Youngjae had feared rejection for so long that it had torn him apart little by little over the years, and rejection was what had stopped him from ever acting on even a piece of the feelings he had for Daehyun. Youngjae was afraid, petrified at the thought of not being loved back and that ruled over everything.

Like a wall built from stones and cement, it towered right in front of Youngjae, who could only slouch down and let himself mold into it until they became one. 

How Daehyun had ever managed to get to him without ever having a word spoken to each other was incomprehensible to Youngjae. 

"Youngjae!" 

It was so easy for him, everything had always been so easy for Daehyun and it was so unfair because Youngjae could feel his heart hammering in his chest and his fingers stopped trembling. And there was Daehyun, walking past him with a smile on his face and honey in his eyes and Youngjae's lips parted slightly, his hands fell next to his body and he just looked. For one last time, Youngjae thought, he could allow himself to just let go.

And everything just tumbled down. Youngjae's defenses and fears.

He felt the words breach past his throat and behind his teeth.

He didn't care if he'd be hated and ridiculed.

Youngjae only wanted to selfishly get rid of the pain in his chest. He was sorry for Daehyun because he couldn't have known and it hadn't been his fault and Youngjae wanted to speak and to tell him but there was nothing.

Nothing came out of his mouth.

He could only look at Daehyun and feel the other's eyes look back with such intensity. As if this was their first time looking at each other. Really looking at each other.

And Youngjae was glad that Seungjoon was playing hooky somewhere in the hallways instead of helping him line up the shots of each student. 

They were the only ones in the room and it must have been the first time that Youngjae did not feel like he had to tear his eyes away from Daeyhun as soon as their eyes met.

Youngjae had thought he was all too familiar with the shape of Daehyun's lips and the silhouette of his nose and the color of his eyes but nothing had ever looked like it did now, so raw and so and Youngjae's heart was ripping his chest open, bones breaking beneath the flesh. Youngjae was sure he had never felt so vulnerable in his entire life.

Daehyun's lips slowly parted in an attempt to say something but he closed them a moment later, slowly rising from his chair as his eyes still fixated on Youngjae.

Like a fever dream, Youngjae thought, and he must surely be lying in bed at home and fabricating all that he saw right now, right before his eyes.

But Daehyun stepped closer and was but a step or two away and if Youngjae was dreaming he'd pulled Daehyun closer by now but his limbs were not moving and his body was frozen to the ground, stagnant as time ran by outside in the hallways.

"If I've gotten this wrong-," Daehyun started, his eyebrows pulled together and teeth nibbling at a tiny piece of his lower lip, "I don't think I have but, if I have, tell me to off or- push me away or- just something," Daehyun said, his face so close now that Youngjae could see his eyes flickering up and down from his eyes to his lips and back up to his eyes again.

And Youngjae could only do the same, he breathed in and stepped a little closer, the space between their bodies vanishing and all Youngjae could think of was Daehyun's breath hitting his lips and cheeks. 

Daehyun's hand slowly grasped Youngjae by the shoulder, his pinky trailing along Youngjae's skin as his hand moved up, slowly, as if time had never existed, to hold  Youngjae's face.

Daehyun shuddered and closed his eyes, slowly moving closer until their lips were brushing.

The vibrant fear of rejection vanished all at once and Youngjae grabbed Daehyun's school uniform by the sides, pulling him closer with a sigh on his lips as he felt Daehyun's pair move and push ever so softly closer. 

Their lips moved slowly, gently together, not daring to push too hard and scare the other off.

Lips parted and Daehyun rested his forehead against Youngjae's, in a whisper he said, "I like you," a small, giddy smile appearing on his lips.

Youngjae almost laughed, pure, perfect happiness overcoming him. "Me too."

"I had hoped so."

"Mhh, since when?" Youngjae giggled as Daehyun nuzzled his nose into his neck.

"Hm," Daehyun paused and looked up at Youngjae, a gentle smile pulling at his lips, "since the first day I saw you."

"When was that?"

"The first day you came by the vending machine," Daehyun said, looking Youngjae in the eyes, searching for that spark that told him Youngjae had felt the same ever since.

"That was so long ago, you never said anything," Youngjae said pulling back a little to see Daehyun's face better.

"You never said anything either," Daehyun said and watched the embarrassment slowly creep its way to Youngjae's cheeks, smiling at the other before leaning in and placing a soft peck on his lips. "I think we're both excused for being terrified of being rejected and outed at the same time."

Youngjae nodded, smiling brightly as he gave Daehyun a peck on the lips.

"Before I kiss you again, I think you need to take my photo," Daehyun laughed, Youngjae's hair out of his face, "I think Jung Garam has been out there for like twenty-five minutes already."

Laughter struck the air and Youngjae felt his heart bloom in relief for the first time as Daehyun sat down and smiled at him with so much love in his eyes, Youngjae thought he must have been blind to have missed that look.

__________________________________________________________________________

hello. wow, I can't believe these two have been in love with each other for the past 2 years and thought it was unrequited, shocking. 

hey at least they know now, and it's crazy that I finished this during pride month. happy being queer fellow rainbow people<3

after this has been done (sigh) I might get to some of my other unfinished daejae projects (don't expect too much though), who knows