Thank you for all the motivation. It is much needed and appreciated~

Jongin's Perspective 

“You, Kim Jongin, have a crush on a guy?! Out of all the people to choose from, you pick Lee Taemin?!”

“No, it’s not like that. I can’t tell what it is exactly, but it’s something significant enough for me to bring it up.” Jongin was crouched over in his desk, engulfed and overtaken by confusion and frustration. His hand was placed on his forehead, bangs overlapping onto his fingers. Sehun squinted his eyes, and directed his attention elsewhere briefly before further interrogation. “How long has this been going on?” “Since yesterday. We just kind of…like, if I had a choice between touching him or not, I’d choose touching him. But I also wouldn’t mind if I didn’t have that choice at all. Does that make sense?”

Sehun leaned back into his desk and binked at Jongin. “Nope.” He instantly received daggers.

Taemin’s Perspective

“Jonghyun, JONGHYUN! YOU SHOULD’VE SEEN IT! Oh my god, it was beautiful.” Jonghyun placed his fingers to his temples and rubbed therapeutically. “I heard you. For the five-hundredth time. I take back what I said about him being the straightest guy in the world.” Taemin smacked him across the arm, a little harder then he should have actually. “Don’t even joke.”

It was lunch time, yet Taemin’s stomach was much too energetic to care for food. The kids a few seats down were finishing homework, which suddenly reminded Taemin of a textbook he needed for his next class, and told Jonghyun and Kibum he would be right back. It was good for Taemin to walk around anyway, as he attempted to fast-walk the butterflies away. He skipped with each step, and snapped his fingers while humming to the melody in his mind. He rounded the corner to the row of lockers and was instantly greeted by a boy facing inwards to his locker. His hair fell just like Jongin’s; a feather to a pond. His muscles and skin were the same brilliant tone as Jongin’s and as Taemin neared this boy he realized it was indeed Jongin.

This did not help decrease the butterflies in his stomach, and he pretended not to notice Jongin rummaging around in his locker, which Taemin had no idea was so close to his own. After he grabbed his textbook, he couldn’t help but stare at Jongin from the corner of his eye. He had never seen him out during lunch before; his curiosity was overwhelming, yet it did not overpower the desire to be so eminently close to him. Not even a breath would survive between them.

He watched as intimately as he possibly could from the corner of his eye. Jongin made a gesture from his palm to his mouth, and took a few gulps from a water bottle. His adams apple bobbing in an undeniably y rhythm, eyes mostly closed, eyelashes just brushing his cheek bones. It had then finally processed what Jongin was actually doing. Taemin’s outrage and confusion was slowly growing on him, and he feebly choked out a few words overflowing with worry while starting towards Jongin. “Jongin, what was that you just took? Are those pills?”

Jongin was slightly startled; he too believed he was alone. He fastened the cap back on the bottle and placed it into his locker while beginning to smile. “Hey, dancer.” Don’t blush. Taemin swallowed down his infatuation and disguised himself with honest concern. “What were those pills you just took?” Jongin closed his locker and was quiet for a few seconds before answering. “Just pain medicine.” “Jongin, why are you torturing yourself?”

Another silence.

Jongin suddenly advanced onto Taemin. “How’d you know I was down here anyway, eh?” His voice was lower than usual, yet seducing to the point of frightening. He took a step closer. “Have you been spying on me?” Another step closer, forcing Taemin against the lockers without actually touching him. Their legs were now half intertwined due to mid step, breath intakes increasing, unlike the separation between them. Jongin’s chin was tilted downwards, while his hand rested against the lockers, supporting his weight. There was no room or time for Taemin to process anything at all. His chin echoed Jongin’s, tilting his head forwards and focusing on Jongin’s lips while his eyes were open just enough to study the detail and puffiness of them. Whilst thinking of the many things Taemin yearned to do to them, he unintentionally let out a soft whimper that only Taemin himself could hear; hopefully. The hard and overpowering expression Jongin’s lips delineated immediately transformed into a smile, fading into a laugh.

“I’m totally kidding, Taeminie. I know you didn't mean to find me”. He pushed himself off from crowding over Taemin, his entire demeanor transformed back to his usual self. “Sorry to scare you. See you in sixth!” He laughed his usual Jongin laugh and continued down the hallway, as if everything that had just happened was just a joke. He was simply just an older student teasing the younger. Taemin watched him walk, noticing the tiny characteristics in his balletic steps that related to his dancing. He had never noticed them before.

Taemin was left alone, his back against the lockers; panting, petrified, yet mostly embarrassed for how incredibly he was. The thoughts forming rapidly into Taemin’s mind were intangibly jumbled; the only legible emotions were desire, shock, and confusion. He was just joking around though, right? But he didn’t even answer my question. Taemin cupped his face with his hands, and groaned out his frustration and admiration. It was getting harder and harder to deal with their encounters; no matter how miniscule they were in the big picture. Mercilessly, Taemin’s walls were continuously burning down the stronger their relationship grew, resulting in a lustful and broken Taemin.

~~

Taemin and Jonghyun sat in their regular seats in their sixth period, Jonghyun waiting for class to start while Taemin waiting for Jongin to honor him with his presence. Taemin’s spirits were generally raised to a much elated and content state, with a dash of excitement and sprightliness. The memory of Jongin’s body from earlier that day clashed with the memory of said body  provoking the grace of a falling ribbon, leading to a very smiley Teamin.

As the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class, the teacher sat in his overly-comfortable chair and threw a topic out the students. “Over-fishing.” It was a few minutes before anybody made a comment. A young girl towards the front piped up eventually, obviously scared of being shot down by Taemin or Jongin; which she was. “The profits have increased exceptionally in seafood products since the rise in fish production. Many companies are benefitting from the glorious amounts of-“

“So, you’re saying the money invested in scooping out thousands of fish a day is more relevant than the loss of ocean life and the destruction of the reefs? Do you understand just what exactly a marine animal is?” Taemin sat in his seat, legs crossed slightly, emanating an intimidating confidence that was only leaked out during that particular class.

The girl adjusted herself nervously, yet cleared to continue her argument. “There are billions of fish in the sea. That’s even a saying, isn’t it? We humans naturally kill for survival. The natives speared their fish, fisherman catch fish every day, this is much easier and a much more efficient way to capture fish.” Taemin was actually silent for a few seconds, clearly overtaken by stupidity, disbelief, or personal offense due to the apathetic characteristic of his peer. Jongin sensed Taemin’s inner and restrained violence, so he began to speak up and defend Taemin, yet Taemin continued just as Jongin opened his mouth. He began slowly and purposefully, still capturing his undying confidence and rationalism.

“Over fishing is probably one of the most selfish things us humans are capable of doing. Are you aware over fishing is equivalent to animal cruelty? Are you aware fish can feel pain and fright? And are you aware, that by 2048, our oceans will be wiped clean of all the beautiful marine life due to greedy humans fishing not only for fish, but for money. If we continue to kidnap fish at the rate we do currently, there will be no more of your seafood production; or any fish at all. ”

Jongin felt Taemin had nailed most of the horror, yet he spoke up to support Taemin and create a stronger argument. His velvety voice made the discussion all the more intoxicatingly interesting. “Over fishing is the biggest threat to the marine ecosystem. We are capturing them at a faster rate than they can reproduce, which will end in the complete extinction of thousands of species, not to mention the entire food chain and the entire system of the ocean.”

Taemin turned his head towards Jongin, forgetting to care if he seemed to reveal even a fraction of his true feelings; his passion at the absolute maximum. His gaze was surprisingly met and acknowledged by Jongin, yet their attention was then drawn to the teacher, who began talking. “Kim Jongin and Lee Taemin, please see me after class.” Taemin and Jongin quickly exchanged nervous glances yet obliged and approached the teacher as soon as the bell rang. The teacher looked at both of them with a bank expression, then smiled and began his offer. “You boys are the most convincing arguers I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing in my class. In a few weeks, our class is going to participate in a Model United Nations tournament, and I would like you two to be the representatives and main speakers.” The sincerity and hope in his tone was definitely difficult to refuse; not that they would.

Taemin and Jongin both lit up and spoke together, as if they had rehearsed beforehand. “We’d love to!” Taemin’s stomach was about to burst with true happiness and butterflies. The amount of time they were spending together was unreal, and to compete side by side with him would literally reenact his dreams.

As they walked out of the classroom, they began to part their separate ways to their transportation home; Taemin more focused on escaping than Jongin. As he attempted to leave, frightened he was too enhanced by Jongin at that moment, Jongin caught his arm and pulled him back. “Taemin, why are you always trying to leave so early?” The warmth from Jongin’s palm onto his forearm distributed sparks inside of Taemin’s heart, his breathing temporarily stopping. Jongin smiled and shrugged off this mystery of Taemin and continued. “You’re just too good, aren’t you, Taeminie?” He combed his fingers through Taemin’s hair, pausing at a certain patch that was much silkier than the other strands, and it between his fingers. Frozen in time, Taemin’s heart stopped, fixed on the comforting and captivating touch of Jongin, his palms becoming drenched. Their eyes locked, as Jongin’s slowed. This was the limit for Taemin; there was only so much of Jongin he could handle in a day. Within the next heartbeat, Taemin pulled away and began fast-walking towards the exit. He looked over his shoulder at Jongin to reply.“You mean we. I wouldn’t be anything if it wasn’t for you."