Jongin stared up at the night sky, vaguely registering the lambent fairy lights that twinkled in the periphery. Kyungsoo and he had reached the end of the esplanade but instead of heading back, they'd both wordlessly agreed to linger there for a while. The cedar railing was dry and smoothed down by years of bare and sleeve-clad arms resting against it, and Jongin loved the way the wood felt beneath his bare arms.  The gentle sea breeze lifted strands of fine jet black hair off his forehead as he leaned forward over the railing, trying to be closer to the water somehow. The scent and taste of salt flavored the breeze as it ghosted across his skin and he inhaled deeply. Everything about this place is perfect, Jongin thought.

But in spite of all the physical beauty that surrounded him, every nerve in his body was tuned in to a single individual's presence just inches to his left. Jongin had to force himself not to turn and look at the older man. It was bad enough that Kyungsoo had caught him staring a few times – although Jongin couldn’t help smiling a little as he belatedly realized that Kyungsoo had probably only caught him staring because he had been stealing glances at him too. He sighed contentedly and resumed staring up at the iridescent, moonless sky.

“Jongin?” the low, velvety voice interrupted Jongin’s distracted stargazing and he turned to face Kyungsoo.

“Thanks for the ice cream. And I’m er … sorry about the sorbet.” Kyungsoo smiled, biting his lower lip cheekily.

“No, you’re not!” Jongin chuckled, trying his best not to stare at Kyungsoo’s mouth. It's such a delectable mouth and oh my God, Kim Jongin, you did not just say he has a delectable mouth, Jongin groaned inwardly.

Kyungsoo didn’t respond to Jongin’s accusation but he rewarded Jongin with an enigmatic smile which drove him to further distraction.

“I’m glad you brought me out here though. It’s just … wow.” Jongin felt his shyness returning all of a sudden and he looked away awkwardly, letting his gaze fall on the water which was studded everywhere with a thousand pinpricks of light. His eyes naturally moved upwards toward the stars that illuminated the dark sky above them. It really was beautiful out here. And as it had done for most of the evening, Jongin’s skin hummed with awareness at Kyungsoo’s proximity.

“Jongin, I …” Kyungsoo began, leaving his sentence unfinished and Jongin turned towards him only to find that there was no longer any kind of distance between them. In fact, if Jongin had leaned forward ever so slightly, they might have bumped noses – although he would have had to stoop a little as he was so much taller than Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo’s almond eyes held an intensity which made Jongin feel all shy again but he forced himself to ask Kyungsoo what was the matter.

“It usually takes me weeks of pondering to get to the point where I'd even start thinking about doing this but I’ve been doing all kinds of things I don’t usually do since I met you. Calling you with some stupid excuse about gardenias, asking you out for dinner and tea which I would never do unless I’ve known someone at last two weeks. You’re just … I've never met anyone who makes me feel so comfortable in my own skin, you know? The books, the music, I just ... I can't even explain what I'm feeling, Jongin. Sorry I'm messing this up completely but just hear me out, ok? I mean I know I've only known you for less than a week and this is really fast for me so it's kind of scaring me, and it's probably going to freak you out completely, but … I think I’m going to kiss you.” Kyungsoo finally said in that earnest, pragmatic but slightly awkward way he had of saying things. Everything had come out in a small rush at first but by the end of his declaration, Kyungsoo's words had been calm and sincere. His emotions in happy turmoil, Jongin had just enough time to blink his eyes shut before a hand curled tentatively around the nape of his neck, and a pair of warm lips covered his own.

Kyungsoo's mouth moved over Jongin's gently, like he was seeking permission - his lips subtly asking if it was all right to deepen their kiss. Jongin exhaled shakily and parted his lips, granting the other man the access he sought. What followed was a tender melding of mouths and tongues - with Kyungsoo reaching up and Jongin bending down to meet him halfway.

The stars, the sky and lights were all forgotten as the two men kissed, their hands shyly and cautiously exploring contours and textures. Kyungsoo's pale skin and Jongin's tanned skin were so different in tone and yet they seemed equally warm in the radiant glow of the fairy lights. Jongin had let Kyungsoo take the lead with their first kiss but he became surprisingly confident and expressive as the seconds passed - one of his hands cupping the back of Kyungsoo’s head while the other held his waist tightly as they shared the sweetest of kisses.

Eventually, they settled in each other’s arms, not saying anything and just enjoying the sensation of clothed bodies pressed together - Kyungsoo’s right cheek resting blissfully on Jongin’s cotton-clad shoulder and Jongin’s face buried in Kyungsoo’s linen-clad one. Only ten minutes earlier, Jongin had been inhaling the scent of briny sea air but now, now his senses were flooded with a heady scent that was one part delicious citrusy aftershave and three parts Kyungsoo. Letting himself get caught in the moment, he nuzzled Kyungsoo’s neck and kissed it – the other man’s skin flushing red as he chuckled, “I’m really ticklish, Jongin.” This admission led to Jongin burying his face in the pale, inviting curve of Kyungsoo’s neck and leaving kisses all over it while the other man laughed and tried to push him away. Smiling fondly, Jongin placed his hands on Kyungsoo’s shoulders and gently turned him so they were both facing the scintillating sea. Standing just behind Kyungsoo, he wrapped his arms around him and rested his chin on his left shoulder.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Jongin’s voice was low and deep beside Kyungsoo’s left ear.

“Yeah, it is. So … I guess it’s ok then? That I kissed you?”

Jongin didn’t answer – merely taking Kyungsoo’s hand in his and squeezing it tightly. Sometimes words weren’t necessary.

* * *

During their walk back to the car, they walked only very slightly apart, their arms and fingers brushing against each other's tantalizingly as they talked about nothing and everything. They’d held hands on the boardwalk but when they’d reached the people-filled, well-lit streets, they’d reluctantly released each other’s hands – still a little self-conscious. But that didn’t stop them from exchanging glances and shy smiles and Jongin felt like his heart was going to burst from happiness.  

He eventually dropped Kyungsoo off at his apartment block at around 11 pm. They’d listened to grunge songs in the car and sung their favourite parts out loud, laughing the first time it happened because of course, neither one of them had ever sung along to the Stone Temple Pilots or Blind Melon or The Lemonheads with another person before that night. By the third song, they were yelling out the words – half laughing, half belting out the lyrics. It was the most fun Jongin had had in the longest time. He walked Kyungsoo to the front of the building and they stood there, facing each other.

“Thanks for the lift, Jongin. And I really am sorry about the sorbet.” Kyungsoo tried to keep a straight face but failed.

“No, you’re not.” Jongin chuckled and Kyungsoo gave him a blinding grin, "Ok, maybe I'm not sorry. Your gelato was reaaaaally good. I don't think I could go back to sorbet now." 

“I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Jongin covered his ears with his palms in jest before saying more seriously, "Thanks for dinner. It really was the best gamjatang. Good luck with work tomorrow, and good luck with your hungover friends.”

“It’ll be fine. I’ll just hide out in the reception area – that’s what I was doing anyway the first time we met.” Kyungsoo reached out and grabbed Jongin’s hand, “I really had a great time tonight, Jongin. I’ll see you on Saturday afternoon, ok?”

“Ok … I had a great time too.” Jongin admitted shyly and the next thing he knew, Kyungsoo was pulling him down for a brief but lingering kiss.   

“I have to get some sleep.” Kyungsoo grimaced regretfully, “I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow. See you Saturday?”

“I can’t wait.” Jongin said quietly as Kyungsoo went through the auto sliding glass doors and turned to wave goodbye. Jongin returned the wave, a wistful smile on his face.

As he made the lonely trek back to his Rio, Jongin’s phone buzzed. He smiled when he saw who the sender was.

Message from Huang Zitao: How’d it go, kiddo?

Message from Kim Jongin: He likes grunge music! Taooooooo!

Message from Huang Zitao: Is that code for you had a good time?

Message from Kim Jongin: GRUNGE! And we had gelato!

Message from Huang Zitao: Happy for you, lol. Tell us everything tomorrow. Claypot rice for dinner. Usual time.

Message from Kim Jongin: OK! :)

A goofy grin etched on his face, Jongin started the car and thought of fairy lights and kisses under starlit skies as he drove home through light traffic … And red peonies, he thought of red peonies. Red peonies would be perfect.

-----

"This ..." Jongdae stabbed ineffectually at the air with his right index finger, "This is ALL on you!" More violent stabbing ensued as Kyungsoo steadfastly refused to look up from the printouts fanned neatly across his uncluttered work desk.

"You do realize you sound completely deranged, don't you?" Kyungsoo stated calmly, casting column after column of figures on his large gray calculator. He did this with an almost nonchalant air that was annoying the hell out of Jongdae.

"What do you mean deranged? I'm being completely logical. If you had joined us at the club, we would never have ordered Sambuca. If we hadn't ordered Sambuca, I wouldn't have drunk any Sambuca. If I hadn't drunk any Sambuca, I wouldn't be in this sorry state. See? Perfectly logical. All. Your. Fault." Stab. Stab.

"I fail to see the logic," Kyungsoo coughed in an attempt to cover up an almost-chuckle.

"I heard that! You were laughing at me!" Jongdae raised his voice before groaning as he was unhappily reminded that loud noises were not his good friend right now. Kyungsoo pencilled in some remarks on the margins of the report, studiously ignoring Jongdae.

"So how was that date of yours?" Jongdae began pursuing an alternative topic since it was blatantly clear he was getting no sympathy from his colleague today.

"None of your business, really." Kyungsoo's face was deadpan but inside he was practically in (uncharacteristic) raptures as he had flashbacks of how well the date had gone and how Jongin loved grunge and how Jongin had eaten his sorbet even though he hated lime, and how Jongin had kissed him and held him in the starlight ... And really, he just rejoiced at Jongin being Jongin. His endearing smile, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, his beautiful jaw and his golden skin, the way he hugged him ...

"DO KYUNGSOO!" Jongdae yelled and instantly regretted it, softly as his head pounded just a fraction harder.

"Hmmm?"

"Who's your ***friend***? Do I know him? There is no way you were thinking about numbers just now - not with that gone look on your face. Spit it out, come on. Who is he?"

"You'll meet him eventually. If he sticks around - and he probably wouldn't if he met you lot too soon." Kyungsoo's fingers started flying over the calculator again, "Seriously, Jongdae, I need to concentrate now? These reports are due at 4. So I'll talk to you later ok? Go to the cafeteria and have some Red Bull or Earl Grey or chai latte or something. Maybe that'll help with the hangover."

"I swear sometimes you make up deadlines just to dodge answering my questions. Intelligence gathering is good for the soul, dontcha know? And my soul is in dire need of redemption. So that's on you too. If I end up going to hell, it's your fault too."

"You're such a drama queen." Baekhyun stated calmly as he appeared unexpectedly. He didn't seem too badly off, Kyungsoo noted. Jongdae's complexion had a decidedly greenish pallor to it but Baek’s clear, pale skin looked pretty much like it usually did.

"Am not." Jongdae growled.

"I did tell you not to order the Sambuca ..."

"You didn't say it loudly enough so I could hear." Jongdae insisted and Baek rolled his eyes.

"I was loud enough, dude. I'm pretty sure everyone in the club heard me yelling, 'DON'T DO IT!', sheesh. Now stop harassing the poor man - some of us do actually have to work. Kyungsoo, I need the Wayfarer Annual Report."

It took Kyungsoo all of 6 seconds to locate the report because he always filed his documents meticulously so that he knew exactly where everything was at all times. He handed the navy blue covered bound report to Baek and to Kyungsoo's great relief, the other man firmly shepherded a tetchy Jongdae out of his workstation so he could wrestle with his reports in peace.

He'd been working continuously for forty minutes when his phone vibrated. It was Jongin on KakaoTalk.

Jongin: Hope work isn't too bad and your friends aren't too hungover.

Kyungsoo couldn't stop his features from cracking into a grin as he began composing his reply: Only one man down and the other is keeping him away from me for now. Work is ... getting done lol. How about you?

Jongin: Sleepy :). Had to get up at 6 for work. Will you be in the office after lunch tomorrow?

Kyungsoo: Yes! Why? And why do you need to be up before the sun rises for work? That’s just cruel.

Jongin: I have to go to the growers' market most mornings. The flowers are prettier the earlier you go. I have a delivery at your building tomorrow and I was thinking I'd drop off that Faith No More CD for you.

Kyungsoo: Sure! I'll be waiting ;)

Jongin: Is 2.30 ok for you?

Kyungsoo: 2.30 is great. Thanks, Jongin. I'm glad I don't have to wait till Saturday.

Jongin: Wait till Saturday?

Kyungsoo: Dying of embarrassment but … I'm glad I don't have to wait till Saturday to see you again.

Jongin: Ohhhh.

There was a pause of about five seconds before Jongin resumed typing – five agonizing seconds too long as Kyungsoo kicked himself for saying too much.

Jongin: Me too. I'm glad too. I really had a great time last night, Kyungsoo. And I'm glad you decided to have a bit of mess in your life and not wait weeks to ... yeah. You know what I mean.

Kyungsoo: No I don't know what you mean. Explain? ;)

Jongin: O.o

Kyungsoo laughed out loud at that:

Ok, I deserved that lol. I'm happy I took Baek's advice too and didn't waste weeks planning and plotting how to get that done. The makgeolli probably helped. And Soundgarden ...

Jongin: Lol. Or maybe you just couldn't resist my charms? Delete that! What am I doing?! I can't believe I said that /facepalm

Kyungsoo: Lol! But it's true though. I really couldn't. I couldn't resist you at all.

There was another brief pause and Kyungsoo held his breath regretfully.  He really needed to stop running off at the mouth.

Jongin: ^_^

Kyungsoo: What happened to that shy guy who delivered flowers to me just days ago? You're impossible!

Jongin: Don’t you mean irresistible?  Just kidding! Go back to your work.

Kyungsoo: I really do have reports due at 4 today though ;(  I'll see you on Friday?

Jongin: Friday :). Bye, hyung!

Hyung. That was the first time Jongin had ever called him that. Kyungsoo rolled the word over his tongue softly and imagined Jongin saying it in his deep voice. He shook his head as if physically gesturing no would somehow stem the tide of warmth filling his chest cavity at thoughts of Kim Jongin and his sinfully beautiful voice.  Stop it. Reports are due in 5 hours. Focus, Do Kyungsoo, focus.

But the desperate mantra didn’t prevent Kyungsoo from revisiting their text thread four to five times as the day progressed – although he did manage to restrain himself from sending any further messages. Damn those deadlines to hell, Kyungsoo found himself cursing repeatedly throughout the afternoon.

________

Kyungsoo rolled the brown paper into a neat, compact little package and dropped it into the stainless steel bin. The organic roast turkey roll he'd bought from CloDeli near the subway station had been nutritious and healthful and ... not very satisfying.  But he rarely cooked on weeknights – usually cooking extra food during weekends so he could pack single meal portions in the freezer for reheating during the week. He had been slack the past weekend though so he’d run out of homecooked on Tuesday. It wasn't the same as eating freshly cooked food every day, but it was a lot more convenient. Cooking a meal from scratch when there was only one person dining was just a lot of bother that Kyungsoo wasn't prepared to deal with after a full day at work, especially when he was just a passable cook. But all that being said, it was still nice to have a steaming hot meal when he could get it - like last night's gamjatang.

This naturally brought his thoughts back to his dinner companion at The Potato Palace. Wandering out of his somber black and steel kitchen and into his marginally less somber white, gray and black sitting room, Kyungsoo moved slowly as images of Jongin serious, smiling, blushing, and intense segued through his mind. He sank onto the black sofa and stared at the two oases of color in his monochromatic home. The white gardenias stood proudly in the center of his oblong black coffee table, while the orange tulips nestled comfortably in the far nook, on a matching square black table. Why did he even have so much black in his apartment anyway?

He’d been apprehensive when he first brought those flowers home but they were now the first things his eyes searched for when he entered the living area. It was kind of nice having some warmth in his cold apartment and he said a little thank you to Jongin for giving them to him. Or at least he thought it was Jongin. It had to be him but why hadn’t the other man brought it up? Maybe he was still shy about the whole secret admirer thing. Kyungsoo decided he wouldn’t ask him about it and let him work it out in his own time. He stared at the exquisite white blooms again. Secret admiration. His gaze panned to the bright orange tulips next. Fascination. He wondered what flowers he’d get next time and what emotion they’d represent. If there was a next time, he told himself not to get his hopes up. He pulled open the drawer in the coffee table and took out a copy of the latest Malazan novel, and carried on reading from where he’d left off. Or at least he tried to. After ten minutes of struggling to concentrate, he flung the book onto the table in frustration. Caving, he took out his phone and rang Jongin.

“Hyung?” Jongin’s husky voice actually saying that word was infinitely better than anything Kyungsoo had imagined earlier.

“Hi Jongin, how was your day?” Kyungsoo settled comfortably on his couch, lying back against the grey cushions and closing his eyes. Really, there was just too much black and gray in his apartment …

-----------

The Faith No More CD safely gripped in his left hand, Kyungsoo waited for Jongin to give him that quirky wave he found so endearing. But Jongin didn’t move from his spot across the counter from where Kyungsoo himself was standing.

“There’s just one more thing,” Jongin’s cheeks were stained a telltale pink as he raised his right arm to reveal tanned fingers curled around a small bouquet of vivid red blooms, “They’re from the same person who gave you the gardenias and the tulips.” Jongin said quietly and as he passed the bouquet over to Kyungsoo, he shyly brushed his fingers against Kyungsoo’s. A litte shaken by that gentlest of touches, Kyungsoo asked if he was sure he couldn’t tell him the sender’s identity and Jongin shook his head, no.

“So I know these aren’t roses … what do they mean, Jongin?”

“They’re red peonies and they represent devotion.” Jongin was only blushing slightly – a lot more comfortable now with Kyungsoo than he had been on the first two deliveries.

“They’re beautiful and I’m really curious to know who’s sending me such beautiful flowers. Will I need to put them in water straight away?”

“You can do that when you get home. There’s enough water in the aqua tube to keep it fresh for a few more hours.”

Somewhere in the background there was a ding as the elevator doors slid open. A slim, handsome young man stepped out with a black drawing tube bag slung over his right shoulder. Although his heart-shaped face looked like it belonged to someone in his mid-twenties, Kyungsoo knew the kind-natured man walking towards them was actually closer to thirty years of age.

“Junmyeon! What are you doing here?”

“I’m due at a site two blocks away at 3pm so I thought I’d drop by and say hi to you guys. Maybe have a quick coffee downstairs?”

“That sounds great!” Kyungsoo grinned. “Oh, let me introduce you to a friend,” he gestured to Jongin, who turned awkwardly to face Junmyeon. His face had gone all shy again, Kyungsoo realized and remembered that Jongin didn't deal well with strangers.

“Jongin?” Junmyeon’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

-----

Hi guys!

Sorry for the long wait but I had the hardest time writing the kissing scenes because I am HOPELESS! And it's Kaisoo so that makes it 800 times harder for me. Idk, I need to go for a boot camp on how to write kissing and love scenes FML. Why am I even writing romance fics? I AM HOPELESS!!!!

That's one of the reasons I was late. The other is that I was putting in some time on another fic! You guys probably don't know this, but I'm a beta on the most amazing Baekyeol/Kaisoo fic called THE SCIENTIST by electricsherlock. If you haven't started reading it, then you should totally check it out. electricsherlock is not only a dear friend, but a really talented writer, and I hope you'll take the time to read her fic. 

I apologize for the embarrassing levels of fluffiness in the last two chapters - don't hate me! As always, COMMENTS ARE LOVED and inspire me to write. I really will come out with a faster update next time now that i've got their first kiss out of the way - promise!

Hugs,

LotusK