Junsu listened to Taecyeon’s poem with a passive face. Every word that poured from the bigger man’s lips was like listening to magic. Junsu told himself he couldn’t be angry that Taecyeon had written about someone so beautifully without disclosing the name of said person, even though he was absolutely seething at the prospects. His heart burned as he thought of who Taecyeon could have been thinking about to write something so perfect, so full of depth and love that Junsu felt his own essay written about his little brother Changmin was worth nothing. He forced himself to clap along with the rest of the class when Taecyeon was finished, revealing his displeasure with the small pout of his lips and a furrow in his brow. The teacher called Taecyeon’s friend Wooyoung to the front of the class where the small boy began to talk about his love for his boyfriend. Junsu felt his frown deepen.

Walking around with a frown on his face was something Junsu couldn’t get around, and he ended up with that frown in place all day. At some point, he was cornered by his two friends who were staring at him with little smirks.

“You’re so jealous I can feel it,” Junho accused, laughing when Junsu chose to turn away from the words. The younger male shut his locker closed and followed Junsu down the hall. The day resumed to wind down towards the ending, a calm sky accompanying them as they crossed campus towards physics. Junho and Chansung continued to nag Junsu to death, but the boy refused to agree with either of them. He was not the jealous type, he was sure of that, but something inside of him did not sit well with the thought of Taecyeon harboring feelings for someone else. It made Junsu feel discouraged.

“You’re so jealous a horse could choke on it,” Chansung played along, enjoying tormenting Junsu to the fullest and watching the shorter boy frown even more. Junho peered over at the tall boy through the corner of his eye, shaking his head with his own thoughts filled to the brim with how his own misplaced jealousy would eventually ruin them.

“I’m not jealous,” Junsu murmured weakly, trying to convince himself of that fact, but it was just too obvious not to see how pissed off he was. Who wouldn’t feel a bit peeved over hearing the love of their love practically serenade someone transparent?

“You’re still a terrible liar,” Junho laughed, preparing to steer off to the right for Anthropology 101. He bid Chansung and Junsu goodbye before turning a corner, only looking back to see Chansung unconsciously put his arm around Junsu in a friendly manner. Why couldn’t he still see it as that? Why did his feelings have to change? Junho faced forward and shuffled down the hall, no longer happy that the school day would be over in a single hour.

Junsu shrugged off Chansung’s arm and rolled his eyes. Since they had a class together, the both of them walked side by side. When they reached the classroom, Junsu stepped in first and found his seat in the first row and Chansung sat behind him

“Do you think he saw?” Chansung asked in a hushed voice.

“If you mean you practically trying to kill me with a hug, then yes, Junho saw. You shouldn’t play with his feelings if you’re serious about him.”

“But I am serious! I want to see if he’s jealous, because jealousy proves that you care. Just like how you’re jealous over whoever Taecyeon wrote his paper on.”

“That doesn’t make any-“Junsu thought about it before continuing on. He wasn’t exactly jealous, he was just annoyed. But . . . Chansung did make sense.

“See my point?”

“Yeah.”

“I just want to make sure that before I make a fool out of myself by confessing to him, that he has even an ounce of feelings for me. I do feel bad for making him upset, but I feel worse that the closest person I could use as bait was you.”

“Oh thanks Channie,” Junsu spat Junho’s nickname for Chansung at the tall male, who at that moment pretended to gag, “I’m so sorry I’m not good enough bait for you.”

“You’re forgiven.” 

~

Junsu liked the moment school ended because the sun always shone the brightest during his walks home. He hates taking the bus because it makes him feel scared something might go wrong. A long time ago he had been in a car accident and the fear of something of that caliber happening again made him stiffen in fear. Walking home felt much safer to him, it made him feel at ease and in peace for the first time throughout the day. During his solitary walk, Junsu allows himself to unwind and evaluate who he is and how he can better himself. He always tries to talk himself up and give himself more credit. Junsu prepared himself for one of those walks, when Ok Taecyeon is all of a sudden asking him if he can join him. With a lack of words, Junsu nodded his head and turned to start walking. Taecyeon walked beside him, his aura screaming warmth that rivaled the sun. They walked together in relative silence, and Junsu can’t help but think back to the paper. Who had he written about that was so important? Junsu is too shy to ask, but he wants to know so badly that it truly hurts.

“T-Taecyeon?” Taecyeon turns to him as they pause at a stoplight, his eyes holding peace.

“Yeah Junsu?”

“Uh . . . who- Why did you want to walk with me?” He changed his question quickly, biting his tongue. Why did he always have to take 2 steps back?

“I just- I thought it would be n-nice to s-spend time with you. Aren’t we f-friends?” Friends. Junsu felt his nose wrinkle slightly like it always does when he hears something unfavorable, but dispersed it before Taecyeon could see it. A friend was definitely not something Junsu wanted to be. He wanted to be so much more. He glanced over at Taecyeon, at his side profile, and was baffled by how perfect he looked while staring away. A friend, huh. Junsu didn’t want it, but if it was as good as he could get, why not?

“Oh, of course we’re friends,” Junsu quietly mumbled, staring at his shuffling feet. The light flickered green before turning red once again, and Junsu would have gladly walked into traffic had it not been for Taecyeon pulling him back by the waist. Junsu froze in his tracks, blushing as Taecyeon released him from his grasp. For friends, it was rather touchy, but Junsu couldn’t lie. That moment, as fleeting as it came and left, was perfect.

“Thanks. I’d hate to be road kill.” Could I have said anything more awkward?

“I’d hate to see you die.”I would have no reason to live.

Believe it or not, but Junsu and Taecyeon didn’t have to breath a word and it would still be a pleasant silence around them, they could still feel each other’s every movement, every step, every breath. He seemed to shift and walk to Taecyeon’s every step, moving with him like the flowing of a current. When his house came into view, he stopped walking.

“This is m-my house,” Junsu stated the obvious, and Taecyeon stopped to peer past him to the small, quaint house. Taecyeon thought it fit Junsu’s personality perfectly.

“I see.” They stood in front of Junsu’s house for what felt like hours, staring at each other, searching the other’s eyes for something unknown, grasping at the air before them like they could hold on to the time, the seconds passing that they wished to pause.

“HYUNG! JUNSU HYUNG!” Junsu’s little brother Changmin broke the spell cast on them, and Junsu bit his bottom lip as he realized that he had been staring. He had been doing that a lot lately.

“I-I better go.” He made to turn away, when the soft palm of a hand pressed against his and he was pulled back. Taecyeon’s hand caressed his in a way passed friendly way, or maybe it was all going to Junsu’s head so he couldn’t comprehend that it was what normal friends do too.

“Do me a favor Junsu. Be more careful.” It scares me how easily you can get hurt.

~

Junsu hates his little brother.

This is the reason why.

“JUNSU’S BOYFRIEND WALKED HIM HOME UMMA! YOU SHOULD’VE SEEN THEM, THEY WERE HOLDING HANDS AND HIS BOYFRIEND SAID SOMETHING AND HYUNG’S FACE TURNED INTO A TOMATO AND THEN HE ALMOST TRIPPED COMING INSIDE AND- OWWWWWWWWWW! UMMAAA! HYUNG IS BEING MEAN!”

Aish. I felt like I was loopy in this chapter. I want to rewrite it so bad, but I have no time. Thankfully, there’s only 2 weeks left in school until summer, then I’m home freeeeeee. ! ^^ I hope you guys don’t hate this chapter as much as I did. :< UGHH, I don't know why but really, I think I could've done better.

I’ll be commenting on this chapter next time I get the chance, so please go back to this page before going onto my next update. I can’t wait to reply to you guys again! ^^