Visuals: FreeFall Beomgyu and GBGB Huening Kai

 

Kai was always fond of Beomgyu, his best friend who always managed to make him smile and laugh until his head, mouth, and stomach hurts. They’ve known each other for years, ever since middle school actually. Beomgyu was the loud and comedic type while Kai was just as loud and chaotic. They always worked off of each other’s energies and got along pretty well. In no time they were becoming the best of friends. And such as life, it’s been a lot of ups and downs for the both of them, but the one thing that always remained constant and unscathed through life’s challenges was their friendship. 

 

Between high school drama, the stress of college and becoming hard working adults, Kai never thought they’d get to where they are now in the midst of their twenties. Beomgyu was always his biggest supporter when it came to his dream of pursuing music, even when Kai decided maybe the spotlight wasn’t for him, he still believed in him. Instead, Kai decided he wanted to help others shine, so he became a music teacher at their old middle school while Beomgyu continued his job as a barista at MOA Cafe downtown. 

 

On the side, Beomgyu sometimes plays some open mic gigs with his guitar and it’s something Kai tries not to miss.

 

Unfortunately, sometimes work has Kai swamped with planning lessons and he’s missed a few shows, particularly last night’s show. He felt incredibly guilty for not being able to send off a message to Beomgyu that he couldn’t make it, not when he was occupied with a faculty meeting. There’s a strict no phone policy during those meetings and he’s sure Beomgyu understands, but today the older’s replies have been a bit short and dry. It’s only now after work did Kai ask if they could meet in person and talk. 

 

Strapped for time, the most they could manage was Beomgyu driving over to Kai’s father’s house where Kai comes out to sit in the car with him. The driver seat and passenger seat were too stiff and restricting, making it a bit awkward to face each other and they agreed to sit in the back seat where it felt more free and comfortable, like if they had met in the park and sat on the bench. Or perhaps lounging on a living room couch. Kai would have invited him inside, but his father currently has guests over.

 

Typically at Kai’s age, he should have moved out by now, but he honestly didn’t like the idea of leaving his father behind after his sister’s moved out to pursue their own lives. It’s easier for Kai to stay with his father who still helps look after him when Kai gets too busy with work and forgets to eat. Or when he’s in need of some advice on life and his career as a music teacher because his father too was his music teacher back in middle school. You could say Kai followed in his father’s footsteps closely. 

 

Funnily enough, Kai replaced his father’s position at their middle school when he decided to retire. He likes to think it’s like keeping up a family tradition in a way, and maybe someday down the road if Kai has kids, maybe they’ll also continue the tradition by being his replacement too. But maybe he’s getting a little ahead of himself daydreaming like that when he’s supposed to be focused on Beomgyu. 

 

Once they’re comfortable, they make small talk for a bit, clearly noticing the slight tension between them until Kai can’t take it anymore and apologizes profusely about what happened and how he didn’t mean to hurt Beomgyu like that. 

 

“It’s okay, I wasn’t hurt,” Beomgyu mumbles, fiddling with a frayed piece on his ripped jeans. “I was just disappointed but hey, it happens. It’s not like I’d make you ditch a work meeting just to watch me play guitar in a small coffee shop.” The only reason it was so upsetting for Kai is because he knows Beomgyu doesn’t really have many others who support him like he does for a variety of reasons. 

 

They only have three other mutual friends before the counting pretty much stops. Despite Beomgyu being such a social butterfly in the past, things have changed greatly. It was hard for Beomgyu to keep friends after those changes and honestly, Kai thinks it was for the best. He doesn’t want Beomgyu to keep around fake friends with ulterior motives. But Kai can see how lonely it must make Beomgyu and it’s why he wants to be there every chance he gets.

 

“I would definitely ditch a work meeting to watch you play if I could,” Kai blurts, making a cute pouty face that has Beomgyu chuckling quietly. 

 

“You’re cute,” Beomgyu says sweetly, flashing Kai a genuine smile. 

 

Suddenly Kai’s heart skips a beat and he’s a little tongue tied now, stumbling and stuttering over his words. It just makes Beomgyu laugh a little more before reaching out and tugging Kai’s arm, hinting he wants him to sit closer. So he does, but he looks away into the invisible camera with a “holy what is happening” expression while at the same time trying to play it cool. 

 

Kai’s a bit flustered, and normally he wouldn’t think much of it, understanding they’re both very much the affectionate type and cuddly, but tonight feels different now that Beomgyu’s staring into his eyes. And if Kai’s honest, he thinks he might be falling in love right now.

 

“How can you say that and not even do it?” Beomgyu asks with a hint of a frown. 

 

“I mean… if they didn’t really need me I would have asked to leave early, but it was a very involved meeting for all departments so,” Kai mutters, trying not to bite his tongue with how fast he’s talking.

 

“Relax, I’m just teasing,” Beomgyu says, giving the back of Kai’s head a gentle pat before resting his arm around the younger’s shoulders. Again, Kai’s heart starts doing somersaults in his chest and he can feel the heat rising in his face. “Don’t skip work meetings for me, I don’t want you to get fired from your dream job over me.”

 

“One day… I might,” Kai says softly. “Maybe before I’m about to quit, I mean.”

 

“You? Quitting? I doubt it,” Beomgyu says with a cute laugh, now playing with Kai’s hair, as if that’s the most absurd thing Kai’s ever said and Kai’s said a lot of things in the past. Like trying wasabi oreos. To be fair, Kai was kinda drunk that night, but still. “Your hair is getting long again, are you going to cut it?” 

 

“I suppose it’s about time,” Kai mumbles, reaching back to measure the length between his fingers, but in doing so, his hand bumps into Beomgyu’s. “Sorry,” he blurts out quietly.

 

“It’s fine,” Beomgyu says, stopping Kai from retracting his hand and holding onto his fingers, his thumb gently smoothing over Kai’s knuckles. “Don’t cut your hair, I like it… it’s pretty.”

 

Kai isn’t sure how much more he can take from Beomgyu at this point. He really can’t tell if this is their usual friend flirting or maybe something’s changed? No, something’s definitely changed. Beomgyu’s hung his arm around Kai’s shoulders many times before and it was friendly and platonic. Same with playing with his hair because they had talked about it before, if Kai should grow it out like Beomgyu did with his. It was something Kai wanted to try, but by the time it gets to that awkward stage of growing it out, he ends up cutting it anyway. 

 

But this has to be the first time Beomgyu’s actually said something about Kai’s hair like this, let alone while domestically his fingers like they’re a young couple in love. Usually he’d say Kai should do whatever he wants and is comfortable with when it comes to his appearance, but this is new, especially when Beomgyu expressed his fondness for men with long hair before. It’s difficult for Kai not to feel a little delusional and think this is Beomgyu’s way of telling him something. It could be a mere compliment and he’s overthinking it now. 

 

Compliment or a sign, Kai can’t help but feel himself swooning a little and falling deeper and deeper for his best friend which honestly feels a bit cliche, but does he care? Not really. There’s many reasons why he’s falling for him now, it’s not just how close Beomgyu’s been getting with him, but all the small things over the past few years. The deep talks they’ve had about life, leaning on each other when they felt like life was just testing them and pushing them to their limits. Celebrating their little milestones in adulthood like Beomgyu buying his first car and Kai landing his dream job. Fun birthday dinners and mini summer vacations with friends. 

 

Despite Beomgyu’s had his fair share of drama and struggles, he was always right there for Kai when he needed him most. Even tonight, he came straight over when Kai asked and he really loves that about Beomgyu, always showing up and teaching Kai what it means to be a great friend and what it truly means to… love someone. 

 

Love was a strong word at first, but Kai thinks it perfectly describes how he feels now. 

 

“What is it?” Beomgyu asks when Kai ends up staring at him. “Falling for me or something?” Of course Beomgyu would ing say that. 

 

“And if I am?” Kai asks instead, curious what kind of reaction that would get him?

 

He can see the way that makes Beomgyu pause, seeming a bit surprised and thankfully in a good way when he smiles again and lets out a quiet chuckle, raising his brow and shrugging. “I wouldn’t blame you,” he says, doing a little hair flip with his long amber locks. “I mean look at me.” Beomgyu has always been like that, taking pride in his beauty and it was something Kai admired a lot about him when he often felt insecure about his own appearance. “But you’re just as beautiful as me.”

 

All Kai can do is roll his eyes fondly with a little chuckle before Beomgyu reaches out and cups the right side of his face, guiding him to look back at the older. Kai’s a little surprised but relaxes, practically melting and swooning. He leans into the older’s touch, resting his hand over the back of Beomgyu’s and letting him know this feeling is mutual. Perhaps Kai wasn’t overthinking it at all as Beomgyu’s thumb smooths over his cheek bone, gently and with such a loving look in his eyes. 

 

“Try not to miss my next gig,” Beomgyu says softly. “Or else you owe me a dinner date.” 

 

“Well, wouldn’t I already owe you one now for missing last night’s?” Kai asks with a growing smile. “Did you eat before coming here?” Beomgyu quietly shakes his head and Kai pouts, pulling Beomgyu’s arm down so he can turn to take a look at his phone for the time. It’s a bit late now, the time reading 9:34pm, but Kai thinks there’s still time to grab a late dinner since he didn’t eat much earlier after he got home from work before his fathers guests arrived. 

 

He went straight up to his room to relax but his thoughts of Beomgyu got the best of him, and maybe it was good it happened now that they’re here in this moment together. 

 

“You were more important than stopping to eat,” Beomgyu says lovingly, fixing Kai’s hair out of his eyes, running his hand through the length again before stopping at the nape of his neck. He gently pulls him close again. “Can we kiss already, please? Usually that’s what people do after confessing, right?”

 

“All you did was ask me out on a date,” Kai says with a small laugh.

 

“Same thing,” Beomgyu huffs. “But if you want to hear it so bad… I like you, Kai, and I hope you like me too? I mean… it’s obvious but I want to hear you say it now too.”

 

Seeing the way Beomgyu’s expression softens, his voice gentle and melodic makes Kai’s heart swell with warmth and adoration. This is definitely a side of Beomgyu only he gets to see, which is quite the opposite of his loud and energetic nature everyone else sees on the daily. And of course there’s a side of Kai that only Beomgyu gets to see, even if it’s also something that comes naturally to Kai, that being cute. But he’s extra cute around Beomgyu for sure. 

 

“I guess I like you,” Kai says with a little smirk, giggling at the way Beomgyu scowls at him. “Maybe I like you a lot, and maybe I’ve liked you for a long time too. But that’s just a maybe.”

 

“Liar,” Beomgyu mutters, tugging Kai closer. “Just kiss me now.” 

 

“What’s the rush?” Kai asks teasingly. “It’s not like I’m going anywhere–” before he can finish his sentence, Beomgyu leans in and shuts him up with a long awaited kiss. Honestly Kai is too busy enjoying it to be bothered by the interruption as he leans in to kiss him back, his arms snaking their way up and around Beomgyu’s neck.

 

This time, Kai is pulling Beomgyu close in the back seat, and Beomgyu is definitely falling in love too if you’re asking.

 

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SCREAMS INTO THE VOID

(Accurate footage of me after finishing this, oh my gaa- gasp, shocked, disbelief. Crying screaming throwing up lol)

THE ONLY FLUFF(?) I ACTUALLY ENJOYED WRITING WTF… Where’s my gut wrenching angst… who am I? Pffft.

The song that inspired this: Want Me - Stephen Dawes

The urge to turn all my one shots into long chaptered fics is painful… 

THE POTENTIAL… Seems an awful waste… Seems a downright shame LOL