Title: Love Story
Rating: PG in all its glory
Genre: Fluff/High School
Dedicated to: ELbear
Pairing: B-Bomb/U-Kwon
A/N: ELbear, I chose to write for you first because I feel like this is the best I can of for you at the moment as you are truly going through a hard time. Losing a loved one is not easy. I hope you stay strong, I hope you march one, and I hope you know that you are not alone. Fight on and strive for happiness, sweetheart. Lastly, I hope you enjoy!

••••

“Oh my god! There he is! There he is!” Shouted the freshman cheerleader as her friends swarmed around her in the already crowded hallway. The hallway that was always engrossed around break time with females that had exceptionally high hormones as they tried to get a glimpse of that one person.

The one person that males admired and the one person that females desired.

“Wah! He changed his hair color from blonde to red! Oh my god! He looks so good!” Squealed the numerous girls as they keenly kept their eagle-eyes on the red-head as he made his way from the outer hallway and into the main carpeted hallway. As soon as he stepped into the hallway, shouts and screams of girls welcomed him with cries of “Oppa! I love you!” “You are the greatest! iest! Cutest!” “I love your hair! Can I be your hair!?” “Let me have your babies!” “I love you, Oppa! Marry me!”

And so much more.

The girls squealed their hearts out when the red-headed sophomore waved at them with a gentle smile and some almost fainted when he turned towards them. Oh the life of a fangril. How tiresome it is when the person you worship and idol gives you the attention that you can only dream and fantasize about. Only for it to end in a split second as the red-head quickly and briskly made his way out into the massive courtyards of the school. Where most people blend in with one another.

The red-head softly exhaled a sigh as he walked on towards wherever his feet were taking him; he knew break was going to be over in less than five minutes but did not feel like going to class. With a small message-like rub to his aching nape, the red-head found himself at a courtyard that was empty ninety percent of the time. It was one of those old building structures in school that students did not even bother about. And the red-head was no exception.

This was his first time coming to the back of the school where there was only a single building that was obviously older than him; he scanned the courtyard around the building and it was decently good-looking. There was a good amount of green around the whole area as numerous green, yellow, and orange trees touched the sky with their bristle branches and leaves.

After eyeing the old school building for a couple of seconds, the red-head clapped his hands in certainty as he decided that this was going to be the place where he would rest during break; or rather, the place where he was going to get away from those girls. Matter of fact, he doesn’t even like girls.

He has tried to like a female numerous times, in hopes that he may officially have a girlfriend, but each and every time was a disaster. He just cannot click with a girl in a romantic and physical way. He only sees them in a very platonic way as a brother would see his sister.

His interests, both emotionally and physically, lie in males. Since young, he knew that they excited him and that they made him feel butterflies in his stomach. He knew they were something special and that he was different. But unfortunately, there is not a single male in this darn high school that has caught his attention as most of them all want one thing: .

They don’t care if it is with a male or a female, but they just want to settle their raging hormones and he does not want that. He does not want a relationship that is only -based or one that does not even last long. He wants a genuine relationship where there is love, emotions, and feelings involved.

But of course, to have a love story, a true and genuine love story, in high school is nearly impossible.

“Wow. Not bad.” The red-head softly whistled to himself as he scanned the inside of the old building that turned out to be the school’s gym; the very first gym a good thirty years back. It’s basketball court was spotlessly clean with all equipment tucked away to the sides, the bleachers were neatly stacked away, and the second floor seating’s where shrouded over with white cloth.

The building gave off an antique like vibe that was lonely yet subtly calming; a place that the red-head could get used to.  

He slowly made his way towards the narrow and small staircase that led up to the second floor of the bleachers as he loved high and elevated places; he even fought against his older brother for the room on the second floor back home as it had the view of the whole neighborhood.

The red-head cautiously yet curiously stepped onto the upper platform of the second floor as he gazed down onto the glazed-like basketball courts that shined. He leaned onto the railing as he lightly swung his body back and forth in a repetitive rhythm; listening to the silence of the room as small chirping of the birds could be heard here and gust of the wind there. It truly was calming.

“—Ngh.” Came a voice from behind the red-head as he abruptly released the steel railing and turned around. He ran his gaze over the seats and bleachers that had nothing but white cloth over them; his terrified yet curious eyes ran over the area as he tried to find out where that sound came from.

The red head slowly stepped towards a white lump under the cloth that was strangely moving; if it was a ghost, he would be out of the building faster than his short legs can comprehend. The red-head slowly walked past a couple of rows of bleachers before he was right in front of the white lump that was now moving nonstop.

“Ugh—” Came the voice again as the white cloth slowly shifted downwards off the bleacher; the red-head jumped back and watched a person come out from under the white cloth with dilated eyes. He saw a young teen, maybe a year or two older than him, with dark black hair, smooth yet firm features, and long legs that emerged from the cloth. The raven-haired boy stretched his legs as he tiredly yawned awake with arms extending out into the air. He cracked and messaged his neck here and there before he noticed that he was not alone.

The raven-haired boy slowly opened his drowsy eyes only to meet with the eyes of a young boy who had cat-like features; eyes that were mischievous yet delicate. The two silently and motionlessly stared at each other before the raven-haired relaxed his features.

“—If you want the area, you can take it. I was just about to leave.” The raven-haired boy said in a lazy and husky voice that was still enticed with sleep as it sent odd tingles throughout the red-head’s body.  The raven-haired boy stretched a couple of times before he slowly stood up, towering over the younger boy. He slowly stepped down the bleacher stairs as he passed the red-head and rows of chiars with hands in his pockets.

“I am Kim Yoo-Kwon!” The red-headed boy loudly exclaimed as he turned around and watched the older boy stop in his tracks. The older boy cocked his head as he slowly turned around and raised any eyebrow towards Yoo-Kwon whose eyes were gleaming.

“Uh—alright.” The raven-haired boy uneasily said as he scratched his head with light nod to his head. Yoo-Kwon, as he is called, smiled a radiant smile that caught the older boy off guard as he walked forward. The two boys stared at each other; the younger with a smile, the older with pursed lips before he opened them. “Now if you’ll excuse me—”

“Now that you know my name, I'll leave since it is your resting area.” Yoo-Kwon said with that dazzling smile as his eyes crinkled into little stars, “I mean, I am the one who disturbed you. But it wasn’t intentional! I accidently found this place, and saw that it had a second floor, and I love elevated places, so I came up and didn’t see anyone. Or you actually. I didn't see you. So I didn’t know that the noises that I was making disturbed you and woke you up and that—”

“Uh—” The older boy gaped his mouth at Yoo-Kwon as he watched the younger boy just go on and on and on. His small, thin, rosy lips excitedly rambled as his eyes gleamed with excitement and his hands nervously moving here and there. The raven-haired boy was some amused at the sight in front of him before he realized what time it was. “Yoo-Kwon, right?—listen Yoo-Kwon, you don’t need to leave, so don’t worry about it. And this isn’t my area. It belongs to the school.”

“—Uh, well, I didn’t mean it in that sense.” Yoo-Kwon cutely said with a pout as he realized that this older boy was one of those serious and modest people that took things either to the literal extent or that everything they say is blunt and honest. Yoo-Kwon has yet to seen many high schoolers like him and he was truly intrigued by this older boy. In fact, he is sure he has seen this raven-haired boy somewhere yet he can’t put his finger on it. “Never mind that. I just—that is—I don’t know why but I just feel like talking to you. About everything and anything.”

  “—Thank you?” The older boy uneasily said as he raised an eyebrow with obvious confusion and bewilderment that was written across his face. He never was good at hiding his emotions. Maybe that would explain why so many people call him cold, calculating, and blunt. “Listen, Yoo-Kwon, I got to go, so you can take the spot and—”

“Ah! I remember now!” Yoo-Kwon loudly exclaimed as he clapped his hands together that caught the older boy off guard. Yoo-Kwon’s eyes twinkled like little stars as he drew closer to the frozen and stunned older boy. “You are Lee Minhyuk! The school genius!”

“—Uh—That is—Well, that is my name. But I am not so sure about the latter.” Minhyuk, as he is called, uneasily said as he awkwardly drew his head away from the really beautiful Yoo-Kwon. Like, really beautiful as Minhyuk noticed how smooth and clear and perfect and flawless his skin, lips, nose, eyes, cheeks, and everything else was. But that's not the point. “Listen, I am no genius and—.”

“Sure you are!” Yoo-Kwon gleefully exclaimed as he remembered back in freshman year how there was a junior who brought their school to finals of the National Forensics Tournament and won third place.

There was also the time where that same junior, who was enjoying well-deserved popularity, brought the school even more fame and high reputation as he won the State School Chess Championship. It was thanks to Minhyuk that the school was provided extra funds for their extracurricular actives program. He is literally the school’s savior.

“Aside from winning all those titles, you also hold the highest SAT score, the highest GPA, and you are the valedictorian of your class. You are a genius!” Yoo-Kwon exclaimed as if he was promoting a candidate with a wide grin and excited hand movements in the air.

“—Uh—” Minhyuk held his mouth open in the air as he gawked at this little boy, Minhyuk assumed he was younger, who was so full of energy. How is he able to talk so smoothly, endlessly, and comfortably to someone he just met? In fact, Minhyuk is the complete opposite of this kid as Minhyuk would never able to do something like that; he is just not made out for socializing. He is practically anti-social as he hates conversing with people. “You are praising me too much, really. I just—I just worked hard. That is all.”

Minhyuk sincerely and calmly said as he noticed that the eager and excited expression on Yoo-Kwon’s face was now replaced to one of calmness and fondness. The younger boy keenly gazed at Minhyuk as he softly smiled to himself; making Minhyuk feel a tad bit awkward. Why the heck was the kid acting this way towards him?

“—When I first heard about you back in freshman year, I seriously wanted to meet you.” Yoo-Kwon bashfully and softly said with his eyes lingering on a stiff and awkward Minhyuk. “Being a freshman and all in high school, you were truly inspirational. I wanted to meet and ask you about the secrets on how to succeed in high school and stuff. But even more than that, I wanted to get to know you. Uh—in the sense that you seem so modest, humble, and simple. Just like now; I praised you and you say you are just hardworking even though you are a genius. There aren’t many people like you in high school nowadays and because of that, I wanted to meet you. To prove to myself that there are still good, hardworking, genuine, and sincere people around. Mm. Yah. That about sums up everything I've been meaning to tell you if I ever met you.”

“Wow—just wow.” Minhyuk softly whisperedto himself as an overwhelming sensation came over him; a new sensation due to Yoo-Kwon’s words. He knew that teachers and parents praised him for being such bright student, he knew girls were after him because of his looks and intelligence, and he knew other males were jealous of him because of his capability.

Yet, to see genuine praise that was not sugarcoated felt new. It felt good. Yes. A good as it made him somewhat happy to see that there are still simple and sincere people out there; like Yoo-Kwon.

“—Don’t you think you are generalizing me too quickly? I mean, I may be simply acting like a goody two shoe. Or maybe I am not all that amazing as you make me out to be.” Minhyuk said a with mischief in his voice as he challengingly raised an eyebrow. “You just met me and you are praising me to the high heavens. You sure about what you are saying?”

“Positive!” Yoo-Kwon cutely retaliated with squinted eyes to make it seem like he was glaring at Minhyuk even though he failed. He came off as a cute kitten that just wanted to play with a piece of string. “If there is one thing I am good at, it is judging people’s character.”

“Oh really?” Minhyuk asked with a small smirk as he lightly gazed into Yoo-Kwon’s brown and shining orbs. He was truly intrigued by the unique yet simple red-headed sophomore who was so down-to-earth, he felt like he has known the kid for years. And that says something as Minhyuk rarely ever gets along with other males in school.

“Really.” Yoo-Kwon softly said with a self-conscious smile that that was pure yet bashful. He slowly brought his hands to his back and held them together as he rocked back and forth on his heels while gazing at the “genius. ” Yoo-Kwon bit his bottom lip as realized how dumb he was to have completely forgotten about Minhyuk over the year. He seriously gawked over the older boy when he was a newbie in high school; he practically idolized Minhyuk as he was everything the Yoo-Kwon stood for. And everything that Yoo-Kwon wanted in his man. But again, that's besides the point. Sorta.

Due to his sinfully good looks, Yoo-Kwon has had his share of hardships and glory throughout his schools years; how girls were after him only because of his looks, how males hated his guts because he was more popular than them, and how teachers pressured him into giving up his one true love: dancing. He just did not fit in high school nore matter how "perfect" he looked. He personally felt out of place and alone despite all the attention he was getting.

And it was at the those kind of moments in life that Yoo-Kwon remembered Minhyuk and how hard the older boy had worked to get to where he is now. Yoo-Kwon would remember Minhyuk’s speech at the new gym as he encouraged students to work hard, study hard, have hope and faith, and most importantly, never give up. It was thanks to Minhyuk that Yoo-Kwon worked hard to keep his grades up so that he was able to continue dancing.

 Although the two had never met, Yoo-Kwon owed Minhyuk a lot.

“Effort does not betray you.” Yoo-Kwon softly said as his rocking came to a still stop with his eyes slowly running over everything and anything, except Minhyuk’s eyes. Yoo-Kwon bit his bottom lip as he tried to sort out his thoughts that were running around crazy and endlessly. “That was what you said at the freshman orientation and that is what helped me fight on. I mean, high school is really hard for freshman’s and we need support. A lot of it. And you were my support—ah! That sounds weird but what I mean is that—thanks to you, my effort paid off. And— that—um—I just feel like I need to thank you and, and—I talk too much, don’t I? Aish. I seriously have to stop doing that! And talking to myself! Oh my god. Now you think I am weird. I am weird, aren't I?”

“—Sorta. But in a good way!” Minhyuk awkwardly said as he watched a big grin surface on Yoo-Kwon’s face that was really enticing. Minhyuk lamely rubbed his nape as he tried to sort out his thoughts as they were in a mess for the first time in a long time. “I mean, people who talk a lot and people that are wierd are better than those who don’t talk at all and are boring. Like me. I am really horrible at socializing with people.”

“Really? You seem pretty social to me.” Yoo-Kwon cutely said with furrowed brows and pursed lips as he directly gazed into Minhyuk’s awkward and flustered eyes. “Heck, you have been talking to me this whole time! I am sure that counts for something.”

“—Well, true.” Minhyuk slowly admitted with a shy smile as he realized that he was indeed socializing with someone comfortably; a rare feat as he never talks with others as he is too awkward and too anti-social in some ways. He is making improvement. “I—I just feel at ease with you. I guess.”

Minhyuk softly said with a trembling smile that was strangely cute to Yoo-Kwon who bit his bottom lip in happiness. If someone asked him freshman year if he would ever get a chance to actually meet Minhyuk, he would call them crazy. Yet, here was chatting away with the genius himself.

“—Um, do you always come around here during break?” Yoo-Kwon coyly asked as he eagerly watched Minhyuk’s face in anticipation and hope. Although he had always followed Minhyuk through the school newspaper and gossip, Yoo-Kwon really wanted to get to know Minhyuk. On a more personal and close level.

“Yeah. I just like to get away from things at times, you know?” Minhyuk casually said as he dug his hands into his back pockets while Yoo-Kwon nodded his head in understanding. Heck, the reason he was even in this old gym was because of his crazy fangril. “I come here, relax, close my eyes, fall asleep and just let my body drift in serenity and calamity. I also come here during lunch if I find the time.”

“—Mm. I see.” Yoo-Kwon softly murmured with a little smile as he ran his gaze all over the gym that was brightly gleaming with light and shininess. It really was a nice place to come and relax. To get away from everything and everyone. “I-If it isn’t too much trouble, can I come here too when I want to r-relax?”

Yoo-Kwon softly and weakly asked as he hung his head with Minhyuk’s eyes slightly dilating; the older boy gaped at the question as he could not understand why Yoo-Kwon would ask for his permission. It’s not like Minhyuk owned the gym. Even more than that, why was there a flicker of happiness within him at the kid's words?

“I-I don’t own the place, so who am I to stop you?” Minhyuk softly said with that awkward yet shy smile that Yoo-Kwon was seriously becoming attracted to. The two boys silently stared at each other with silence that was neither awkward nor heavy; rather, it was light and happy. “You are more than welcome to come here whenever you like, Yoo-Kwon.”

“—Even when you are here?” Yoo-Kwon bashfully asked as he felt heat rise to his cheeks as he smiled with a small bite to his bottom lip; making a strange lump grow in Minhyuk’s throat that would not go down. How can a smile be so innocent yet so seductive?

“—Uh—Y-Yeah. Of course.” Minhyuk lamely said with a small smile that was weak and flustered as he could not find the answer to that smile question; how can a smile be so pure yet ? What's more, he has never missed a question in all his life. Guess there is always a first for everything.

“Thank you, Minhyuk-shi! Thank you so much! I promise not to bother to you!” Yoo-Kwon happily exclaimed with a wide and sincere grin that was now Minhyuk’s favorite smile as he couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll make sure I don’t ruin your relaxing time!”

••••

“Yah! Kim Yoo-Kwon!” Minhyuk yelled as he watched the red-head run out of the old gym doors with a full steamed-bun in one hand while waving a peace sign with his other hand.

Minhyuk watched the cat-like sophomore disappear through the doors before he exhaled a heavy sigh; how did he get so loud, rowdy, and chaotic when he was such a mannered, calm, and patience a couple of months back?

“Kim Yoo-Kwon.” Minhyuk darkly muttered to himself as he blamed the younger for his drastic change in his personality. Ever since the two had decided to become “relaxing buddies” a couple months back, new sides of Minhyuk’s personality started to appear as he grew more and more accustomed to the loud and mischievous Yoo-Kwon.

The two had made it a habit to always meet up at break in the old gym to hang out for fifteen minutes before unwillingly heading back to class. They would then meet up at the old gym again during lunch and spend all fifty minutes talking, sleeping, goofing around with lame jokes and pranks, eating, and basketball on the old courts. The two would spend every waking second in school together whenever they got the chance seeing as how they were in completely different grades; making it twice as difficult for them to hangout. Heck, they did not even have time afterschool as Minhyuk would go to his prep classes while Yoo-Kwon rushed to his hip-hop dance class.

Also, Minhyuk was a senior whose classes were on the back side of the school while Yoo-Kwon was a sophomore whose classes were in the very front of the school. The two couldn’t be further away from each other even if they tried. And every time they met in their very own little world that was goes by the name of "good ol’ gym", Yoo-Kwon would complain and rant about how it wasn’t fair they didn’t have classes near each other.

And Minhyuk would then console him with candy, sweets, steamed buns, lame jokes, cat jokes, and practically anything else that he would think of. He knew that the smallest things made Yoo-Kwon happy and he truly appreciated that simplicity and modesty of Yoo-Kwon.

Except for today.

Minhyuk was starving practically all day yet Yoo-Kwon ran off with his only snack; that delicious warm steam bun that he has been saving for three periods. Then again, Minhyuk couldn’t bring himself to be mad or upset towards the kid even if he tired.

He just couldn’t hate anything Yoo-Kwon did; rather, he enjoyed and loved—is that even the right word to use?— he loved everything Yoo-Kwon did. He loved Yoo-Kwon’s laugh, smile, crinkled and cat like eyes, dancing that he would shyly yet proudly show, and so much more.

He just loved being with Yoo-Kwon.

••••

“Minnie, look what I got for us—” Yoo-Kwon loudly exclaimed as his voice slowly drowned out into a whisper when he noticed that the handsome genius, that is what Yoo-Kwon nicknamed Minhyuk, was nowhere to be found. He scanned the old gym left and right before he made his way to the second floor as he scanned the upper gallery-like bleachers.

Yoo-Kwon raised his eyebrows in somewhat disappoint and confusion as he could not find the older boy anywhere; was he not able to make today?

Just as Yoo-Kwon was about to turn around and head back to the main campus of the school, he heard a soft grumble that was all too familiar to him. With a knowing and tender smile, Yoo-Kwon slowly made his way towards the lump of white cloth that felt like déjà vu.

Unlike the first time months back, Yoo-Kwon now knew who and what was under the white cloth. He knew that the person under it had unknowingly stolen his heart and doesn’t plan to give it back to him as he was too greedy to keep it all to himself. Yoo-Kwon knew he had fallen for Minhyuk awhile back and he knew he had fallen deep.

And although Yoo-Kwon had promised himself he would not fall for anyone or date anyone in high school, he just couldn’t sustain his feelings for Minhyuk as they were too raw and too powerful to deny. He knew that this isn’t the kind of love story he had always dreamed of as it wasn’t perfect like how he had imagined it to be: he has fallen in love with an anti-social genius in an old school gym. It couldn't get any more romantic than that,can it?

Nonetheless, Yoo-Kwon’s love story might be far from his fantasy and ideal dream but it is the realistic it will ever get as he does not regret a single thing. He has fallen in love and that is more than enough of a love story for him.

Oh, and that small steamed bun with Yoo-Kwon’s name on it that Minhyuk is tightly clutching onto while he is asleep.

•End•