Like most clichés, Johnny and Kun started out as friends in the most cliched way possible, in a coffee shop near campus. Johnny, the social butterfly ever popular varsity player had a chance encounter with he nerd, and student council representative Kun while the two were at a local coffee shop. The jock had been goofing around with his friends when he bumped into a table where Kun was working on, prompting the americano to spill on the table and soaking the meticulous notes in iced coffee.

 

Johnny was about to apologize, because unlike what people perceived of him, he is a man of manners, when Kun burst out crying, prompting Johnny to panic a little, scoop up the boy into his arms and shield him from the peering eyes of the crowd while Johnny’s friends, who are not s and are actually good people, helped cleaned up and dispersed the crowd to give Kun his privacy.

 

 

“Sorry, that was embarrassing.” Kun sniffed as he wiped his eyes with a tissue.

 

“I’m really sorry.” Johnny had said in reply but Kun shook his head.

 

‘I needed to cry I guess, it’s just too much for me and I ma feeling a little overwhelmed.” Kun took a deep breath. I was on the verge of crying when you hit my table, I guess it just spilled.” Kun took another deep breath.

 

“You must be dealing with something difficult.” Johnny did not want to pry but he would want to assure Kun that he is understood.

 

“Yeah, guess I just miss my mom. I can’t go home for summer.”  Kun shared and Johnny smiled at him.

 

“Ah, understandable. I miss my mom from time to time.” Johnny sighed making Kun look at him. “I’m American by birth.” Johnny explained and Kun’s eyes widened.

 

“How did you even deal with it?” Kun had asked and Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

 

“I don’t know, make friends?” Johnny looked at Kun and Kun slowly smiled and nodded.

 

“I like that, make friends.” Kun muttered to himself.

 

“Hello, I’m Johnny.” Kun turned to look at Johnny who was extending a hand and Kun laughed before shaking it.

 

“I’m Kun.” Kun had replied.

 

 

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Kun and Johnny had been an unlikely duo but their friends did not question it, they were yin and yang, and they balance each other. They had coffee dates, purely platonic but their friends would want to digress otherwise, destressing after a heavy week or to study for exams. It has been like a tradition and that spot where Kun had cried in Johnny’s arm the first time became their unofficial spot. It is also there that Kun had introduced Sicheng, a Chinese transferee and soon became Kun’s boyfriend. Johnny shook his hand and greeted him with a warm smile, happy to welcome the Chinese and gave him the best friend talk aka, hurt my friend and I’ll hurt you. Sicheng laughed but nodded, he did not want to mess with a giant.  It was also on that same spot in the coffee shop that Johnny had introduced Ten, a Thai dancer, to Kun who welcomed him with a hug and a warm smile but no best friend talk because he was sure Johnny can handle himself since he is a giant; it made Ten laugh and the two clicked as friends.

 

It is also the spot where it crumbled down, the relationship did not work primarily because of schedules and the feelings were not as strong as they thought it would be. Sicheng had told Kun that he love him but he didn’t feel the same was given to him. Kun pondered hard but Sicheng had given him a kiss on the temple and a whisper. “I know, deep down, you love Johnny hyung. I am not mad Kun ge, but I want you to stop denying and freely love him, set your self free and be happy.” Sicheng smiled at him and called Johnny to accompany Kun.

 

When Johnny arrived, with Ten, Johnny glared at Sicheng before dashing towards a crying Kun, enveloping him in warmth just like the first time. Ten approached them and placed two cups of coffee in front of them, kissed Johnny’s cheek and left with Sicheng, hand in hand.

 

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Being adults meant that Johnny and Kun became a little dependent on coffee a little too much. Running a radio program and a DJ gigs had kept Johnny busy, while he saved up for his photography studio, and Kun had to intern at one of the popular and not to mention busiest production company in Seoul. With little to their name and bank account, they both moved in a condo as roommates, sharing the bills and expenses. Their friends joke about them being so domestic but they denied yet again, it was all platonic.

 

 

Sicheng had pulled Kun aside one time, and Kun pacified the younger that it was really just that, platonic. Sicheng had rolled his eyes but did not pushed further, he did not want to stir the pot and spill the contents over; they had remained friends after the break up and Kun had accepted the announcement of Sicheng dating Ten later as long as Johnny was all right with it.

 

Johnny and Ten remained friends as well, the break up was understandable. Johnny had his volleyball competitions while Ten had his dance events and neither of them can take of time to spend it with each other. Johnny was also sport about Sicheng ang Ten getting together because when the two danced a duet at one show, Johnny saw the chemistry between them and he knew Sicheng would treat Ten better.

 

“You haven’t made a move?” Ten had asked Johnny as they both caught up with life.

 

“What move?” Johnny asked Ten curiously.

 

“Don’t be silly Johnny, you love Kun.” Ten stated the obvious and Johnny awkwardly laughed. “How long will you wait?” Ten had asked and Johnny sighed, was he even going to make a move?

 

“I am not sure Ten, he’s not showing me any signs that he likes me you know?” Johnny had replied and Ten rubbed his temples.

 

“You two are the most idiotic couple in every cliched story ever written.” Ten muttered in frustration. “Look Johnny hyung, you and I did not work not only because of our schedules but because your heart never belonged to me.” Ten gave Johnny a pointed look. “You look at me like your friend while you look at Kun like he hanged the stars for you, and yes that’s very cliched but that was the only description I could think off.” Ten blurted out making Johnny pout.

 

“But that’s me, not him.” Johnny replied making Ten sigh.

 

“Who in their right mind would attend his best friend’s volleyball match and miss his boyfriend’s dance competition? Who would drop everything and ran to the ER when you got injured at one of your matches, called your mom to update you  and slept in your dorm to take care of you? He’s not your boyfriend but he acted like one.” Ten pointed out. “Look hyung, Sicheng and Kun broke up because Sicheng and I had felt the same thing, we never had your love, kun never loved Sicheng the way he loves you.” Ten stated.

 

“You think I have a chance?” Johnny asked Ten who groaned in frustration.

 

“Idiots! Why are you both idiots!” Ten grumbled making Johnny laugh at his friend. “You two live together and no don’t tell me because you two are saving up because any sane person would not sleep in one bed and consider themselves just roommates!” Ten explained.

 

“Kun needed a studio to compose.” Johnny defended himself.

 

“Does he need your sweaters and jackets to compose?” Ten argued and Johnny was too stunned to speak. “Hyung, please stop being an idiot!” Ten groaned once more.

 

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Johnny thought about it, a lot actually and he may have wanted to act on his feelings that had been on the back of his mind due to the denial that he had imposed on himself. Kun is such a lovely person and he wanted to protect and love him for the rest of his life. It wasn’t a secret to everyone how weak he was for the younger and would give in to Kun’s every whim if he had to, even skipping a gig to spend time with Kun because he was breaking down due to the pressure of submitting a composition but he was left clue less. He was there to play on Kun’s piano and sing for him to make him smile and together, they eventually composed something after n-cups of coffee;  it receive a good feedback from Kun’s supervisor and eventually gave Kun more projects to work with.

 

Johnny would pick up Kun from his work, and they would walk together back to their apartment if Kun would render overtime. Johnny was even mistaken by the staffs as Kun’s boyfriend but he did not correct them, because perhaps he liked the sound of being Kun’s boyfriend.

Should he go for it? Ask Kun to be his boyfriend? He hasn’t even courted Kun yet, would it be too much to ask him to be his boyfriend?

 

It was a rare day off for both Johnny and Kun so they decided to come back to the campus café for nostalgia. There had been changes in the years that passed but Kun and Johnny still felt the same comforting ambience that the café had provided when they were students.

 

“Go save our spot, I’ll order our usual.” Johnny said and Kun nodded before walking towards the spot where it all began.

 

Johnny took a deep breath and proceeded to line up for his order. He smiled kindly to the staff and implemented his plan. The staff smiled wide at him as she wrote on the cup, and she bid Johnny a good luck before she passed the cup towards her colleague who smiled when he read what was written on the cup.

 

“Do you mind if I wait here?” Johnny asked and they both shook their heads.

 

“Here you go sir, good luck.” The staff handed him the order ad Johnny beamed them a smiled and a thank you before he went his way towards their table.

 

Johnny felt nervous now that he was near Kun, who was blissfully unaware of the impending doom of the actions Johnny would be doing in a few seconds. He took a deep breath and sat across from Kun who was still looking at his phone, maybe a chat from work or something, before he pushed the coffee towards the younger.

 

Johnny waited with bated breath as Kun looked away from his phone, then towards the coffee cup before his eyes widened as he read the note on the cup.

 

Kun,

 

Let’s make it official? It’s been exactly seven years since we met, seven years since I looked at the love of my life but was in denial until I lost him. But now I have the courage to ask, can I call you mine.

 

Johnny

08-08-22

 

 

Kun started bursting into tears and made Johnny sit next to him to engulf him once more in his warm embrace.

 

“How could you do this Johnny hyung.” Kun sobbed and Johnny held him tighter.

 

‘you could always say no.” Johnny bit his lip as he waited for Kun’s reply.

 

“Stupid. You’re stupid how can I say no if I have loved you for as long as you have loved me?” Kun had rambled off in Mandarin and Johnny smiled wide and held him impossibly tighter. Johnny had studied mandarin in college to converse with Kun so he won’t get too homesick.

 

“Is that a yes?” Johnny asked in Mandarin and Kun looked up to meet Johnny’s eyes then smiled.

 

“Yes. A lifetime of yes.” Kun answered him in English, something Kun learned in college to converse with Johnny.

 

Johnny smiled wide before leaning in to capture Kun’s lips into a sweet first kiss. Johnny wiped the tears from Kun’s cheeks and kissed him some more, while Kun blushed and shied away. A minute later, a staff placed a cake on their table and informed them that it was on the house as a congratulatory gift from the owner. Kun and Johnny looked at the uncle by the staff door who gave them a thumbs up; the cake had a note, I knew you two will end up together.

 

 

When they broke the news to their friends, Sicheng and Ten were the first to cheer loudly hugging them because finally, the idiots in love are idiots no more, just in love.

 

 

It really was a cliched story when they tell their story, but Johnny and Kun wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

 

 

 

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a/n: August 8 is the posting date of NCT choosing a roommate vlog where my Johnkun ship started, I chose that date to be their anniversary for this story.

 

Have a great week ahead everyone!