The feeling started at the top of Kyungsoo's head. Coldness, discomfort, which slowly moved down his neck, down his torso, all the way to his toes until his entire body felt numb.

This was the worst timing imaginable. How bad of a luck could one person have? Though this was actually his own fault. Kyungsoo was a complete idiot for not asking him out sooner. Why didn't he ask last week? Heck, even this morning he had the perfect opportunity, and he blew it. What a total, absolute moron.

To rub salt in the wound, the bouqet that Sehun was holding was incredibly big and fancy, and Kyungsoo felt stupid for only buying one rose, thinking it was romantic when it just made him look stingy and insincere.

“Y-you have... flowers?” Sehun tilted his head, his expression ambiguous.

“So do you.” Kyungsoo answered simply.

He knew that he should ask who they were from, but he really did not want to listen to the answer. Instead he just started opening his front door. He could feel Sehun's eyes on him, but he ignored them.

This was the worst, absolutely the worst. What had he been thinking? Falling for his neighbor was the stupidest thing he ever could have done. Now he would have to constantly bump into Sehun and his stupid new boyfriend (who was probably some insanely tall and handsome doctor). And every single time Kyungsoo would be reminded of how he had lost the best thing that happened to him in ages.

Then it hit him. Sehun really was the best thing to happen to him for a really, really long time. Kyungsoo hadn't been in a relationship for over a year, and didn't even remember when he had last liked a guy this much. And now he was just going to give up? Just like that? Just because some obnoxious hunk of a doctor had asked Sehun out? When they weren't even formally dating? (Not yet, at least).

At this point Kyungsoo didn't really have anything to lose. It was not like he wanted to remain friends with Sehun when he was in love with someone else. He was not that selfless. So he took a deep breath.

“Sehun-sshi.”

His neighbor turned around in the doorway, looking a bit surprised.

Manning up, Kyungsoo walked over, held out the pink rose and said (somewhat) confidently:

“Actually, I bought it for you.”

“F-for me?” Sehun accepted the rose and smiled so brightly it stopped Kyungsoo's heartbeat. No way, he was ever giving up now, not without a fight.

“I wanted to ask you out.”

“O-on a date?” Still smiling, a hint of blush tinted Sehun's cheeks.

“Yes.”

“W-When?”

“Uhu. Friday?” Kyungsoo had somehow forgotten to plan that part. Once he had said it, he realized that Friday was a very common date night, so maybe Sehun already had plans with the ty doctor, who had the fancy taste in flowers. Awkwardly he blurted out: “Or... any other day is fine.” But then he realized that saying that sounded too desperate. He started to sweat.

Sehun nodded quickly. “Okay.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Kyungsoo was so happy he couldn't stop smiling, and he didn't even try to. Screw that arrogant doctor. Kyungsoo was going to make Sehun his.

But then something unexpected happened. Sehun put out his hand holding the big bouquet.

“I also bought this for you.”

“What?”

“They are for you.”

“Are you... serious?” Kyungsoo accepted the bouquet hesitantly, somehow feeling like this was a prank.

“Yes.”

A sudden chuckle of relief escaped. “I thought someone else had asked you out.”

“What?!? No.” Sehun laughed. “I thought your coworker had bought you that rose.”

It took Kyungsoo a couple of seconds to realize what he was talking about. “Baekhyun hyung?!? No. Just... no.”

“So you don't like him?” He asked shyly.

“Not like that. Never like that.” Even the thought of dating Baekhyun was completely exhausting.

“Good.” Sehun said with a shy smile and looked at him sweetly.

This was like a dream and Kyungsoo felt like he was floating. They had bought each other flowers at the same time! At the same time! And now Sehun was even jealous of Baekhyun (of all people). That must mean that he liked him too. That must mean that they were meant to be together. This was better than a dream.

Now was the time to smoothly say goodbye, so he wouldn't ruin the perfectness of the moment, but there were some problems with that. First of all, as a rule Kyungsoo wasn't particularly smooth when it came to talking. Secondly, he didn't really want to say goodbye. He didn't want the moment to end.

It was Sehun who broke the silence.

“Do you maybe... want to come in for a moment?” He looked at him hopefully. “We could maybe watch a movie or something?”

Kyungsoo smiled. “I would absolutely love that.”

Sehun's apartment was bright, and friendly. Kyungsoo secretly looked for any scrubs lying around (to check the color), but unfortunately there were none. Sehun guided the way to the kitchen. It felt strange, because the layout of the apartment was almost the exact mirror image to Kyungsoo's.

“Do you maybe want some pizza?” Sehun suggested and picked up the phone.

“Sure. Thanks.” Honestly Kyungsoo didn't like pizza as much as most people he knew, but he wasn't a picky eater and when it came from Sehun, he would have accepted anything.

While Sehun made the call, Kyungsoo looked around the kitchen. There were some pizza boxes in the corner, and large packs of ramen on the counter, and he got the feeling that Sehun didn't eat much else. His heart stung a little, and Kyungsoo promised himself that he would cook a proper, healthy meal for him. Someday soon.

After the phone call, Sehun reached up to the top shelf, and brought down a nice looking, tall crystal vase. Very carefully, he removed the wrappings, and then placed the rose in the vase, happily admiring it for a while.

“Wow... It's the most beautiful flower I've ever seen, it's absolutely perfect.” With a smile he moved closer. “And it smells so good. Ah, it's very pretty.”

Clearly Kyungsoo couldn't tell him how much time he had spent in that flower store finding the right one (because that would sound pathetic), so instead he just said: “It reminded me of you.”

Inhaling sharply, Sehun looked up in surprise, his eyes sparkling. Putting up a cheeky smile he then muttered teasingly: “Ah, so you think I'm pretty?”

The answer to that was easy: “Yes.”

Sehun looked down, giggling slightly, looking so cute that Kyungsoo wanted to eat him up.

Glancing over to the flowers that Kyungsoo was holding he then offered:

“I can lend you a vase if you want? Temporarily, while we eat?”

“Thank you.”

He reached back up to the same cupboard, and came down with a white broad vase this time. After filling it with water, he accepted the bouquet and placed it in without removing the plastic. Looking down at it, he frowned a little.

“Sorry the flowers are not as nice... I bought it from the hospital gift shop and didn't know what you liked. So I just picked the one with the most kind of different flowers, because then maybe it would have some that you liked...”

“I love it.”

“You do?”

“Absolutely.”

Honestly, Kyungsoo didn't usually get flowers from his dates (and he was fine with that), but he just loved that Sehun had enough interest to go through the effort of buying something for him. And the bouquet was beautiful. Though not half as beautiful as the smile that Sehun sent him.

Once the pizza arrived, they settled down in the living room. Sehun had a big television, and a gray corner couch with big cushions. At first, they just chatted about their day, while eating. Kyungsoo noticed that Sehun didn't eat so much, he didn't even finish two whole slices. Probably he was sick of only eating pizza and ramen, anyone would be. Kyungsoo was definitely going to cook him a nice dinner soon. Maybe next week, after they had had a proper date on Friday, then it wouldn't sound so lewd to ask him over to his apartment.

Almost like he knew what he was thinking, Sehun said:

“Thanks for coming. I've been wanting to invite you over for a long time.” Then his eyes opened wider, as he realized how that sounded and he panicked a little. “I don't mean for that... Just like, for hanging out. Like now. Not like... Uh... Eh... Do you maybe want to watch a movie?”

Kyungsoo nodded gently. As cute as Sehun was when he was flustered, he didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.

They settled on an anime movie (which Kyungsoo had actually seen before, but that didn't matter so he didn't tell him). Sehun still felt very restless, like he couldn't sit still, and five minutes into the movie he paused it, and turned to face Kyungsoo, pulling his leg up into the couch.

“Actually... Hyung, I kind of need to ask you something?” He looked nervous.

“Yes?”

“Is it okay if maybe we take it a bit slow... I mean... physically?”

“Sure.”

“It is just that my ex was a bit... much.. and I kind of don't...”

“Sure.” Kyungsoo interrupted him gently but firmly. “It's not a problem. I don't mind.”

“Really?” Sehun seemed relieved.

“Really.”

“Thank you.” He said, letting out a big breath, and smiled brightly. Then he started the movie again.

They sat next to each other, and Kyungsoo kept his hands on his own thighs, careful not to overstep any boundaries.

After around one third of the movie, Sehun's hand moved closer, and closer, until it hesitantly touched Kyungsoo's.

Heart jumping in his chest, Kyungsoo took Sehun's hand in his. It was warm and dry, and his fingers were thin and long, like the rest of him. He placed his other hand on top of it.

Although Kyungsoo did his best to focus on the rest of the movie, all that he could think about was how good it felt to hold Sehun's hand.