chapter two; {strawberry}

 

"How was it?" Yixing asked as Miyoung walked out of the theater room. Their school was doing a modified version of Sleeping Beauty, and both of them were trying out for the musical.

"I think it went okay," she said with a smile, reaching for Yixing's hand by habit. He laced their fingers together, tilting his head. Miyoung was now twelve, Yixing thirteen, and he was becoming aware of the electric feeling holding her hand gave him. But he didn't mind it; in fact, he loved it.

"Only okay?" he repeated. "I'm sure it went better than 'okay'. When we were singing our duet, he loved you." Nodding, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Your acting is wonderful too. I guarentee you got Sleeping Beauty." He smiled.

"But if I get Sleeping Beauty, you have to get the Prince!" Miyoung declared with a firm nod. "I might have to kiss someone else if you don't get that part..." She sighed. Yixing bit his lip, smiling slightly at the idea of sharing a kiss with her. "That's true," he said. "If you have to kiss anyone, I'd prefer you kiss me." Smiling crookedly, he ruffled her hair.

Miyoung rolled her eyes playfully and shrugged. "Either way, my first kiss is going to be taken by someone during this musical." She sighed. "I kind of wish I had a choice in it though...ah well. I just won't count it I guess."

Yixing softened, his thumb caressing the back of Miyoung's hand gently. "I'm sorry. I know a first kiss is important for girls. It's something special, and you should share it with the one you love. And now you might not be able to." He hummed. "Unless you somehow fall in love with whoever plays the prince."

"Maybe," she agreed with a laugh as they walked out of school. "Where should we go now?" she inquired.

"How about...the park?" Yixing smiled with a tilt of his head.

Miyoung tightened her grip on Yixing's hand. "Sounds perfect."

 

* * * * *

 

Yixing pushed Miyoung on the swings for a little bit before sitting on the swing next to her, both of them looking out at the sky. The sun was lowering past the curve of the earth, the sky's colors fading to indigo and light oranges and pinks closer to the sun. 

"Pretty," Miyoung murmured, rocking back and forth on the swing, her head resting on one of the chains.

"It is," Yixing agreed with a nod, reaching for her hand absentmindedly, tugging her closer. She smiled at him and raised an eyebrow. He only laughed and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Miyoung...do you remember a few years ago on our birthday?"

Miyoung blinked. "What about it?"

Yixing turned light pink. "When we said we'd get married...do you still want to?" He swallowed nervously. At this point, he was beginning to think he might actually have real, solid feelings for Miyoung that went beyond the bounds of childhood affection and friendship.

"Married," she repeated in wonder. "Hm...if it means we can be together forever, of course I still want to get married." Miyoung smiled softly at Yixing, biting her lower lip. Yixing smiled back, squeezing her hand. He couldn't imagine being married to anyone else. Nor could he imagine Miyoung with anyone else. That thought hurt too much.

"So technically, we're kind of engaged," Yixing joked. "I just haven't given you a proper proposal. Just...one day, I guess." He smiled softly at Miyoung, who nodded shyly. "Yeah. One day."

 

* * * * *

 

"Ready?" Miyoung asked, gripping Yixing's hand tightly. "The results for the musical are out." She looked up at him, worried. "What if I didn't get the part?"

"You'll be fine," he promised in a soft whisper. He gently held her arms before cupping her cheeks, looking into her eyes. "Think it over, think it under," he whispered, quoting Winnie the Pooh at her, his thumb gently gliding over her cheek.

She nodded, placing her hands over Yixing's and closing her eyes. "I hope you got the prince too," she murmured. "I don't want to kiss anyone else."

Yixing smiled warmly, feeling his heart melt. "I'm sure everything will be fine," he said, kissing her forehead. "Now let's go look." He laced his fingers through hers, going to look at the paper.

"Sleeping Beauty, Sleeping Beauty..." she murmured, finding it at the top of the list. Her eyes widened. "Yixing," she whispered in shock.

"You got the part," he said with a wide smile. "Told you so." He laughed happily, before both of them looked at the list again.

"Yixing," she squealed. "You got the Prince!" She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. Yixing smiled, picking her up and spinning her around. "Mm! We got the leads, Piglet."

She laughed happily, pulling back and looking at him. Both of them just smiled, looking into each other's eyes. Slowly though, their eyes dimmed, both of them inching closer to each other. Just as thier lips were about to brush, a voice broke their trance. "Oh look, the happy couple got the leads. How lovely."

Miyoung blushed. She realized she and Yixing probably did seem like a couple with the way they always held hands, Yixing kissing Miyoung's cheeks and forehead once in a while. "Don't mind them," Yixing whispered, cupping her cheeks. "They don't know anything. We don't need any titles. We are who we are. What our relationship is doesn't matter."

Miyoung nodded and closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Yixing's, which was harder since he was getting a lot taller than her. She smiled affectionately. "Pooh, you haven't any brain."

Yixing chuckled. "I know," he murmured humbly, holding her close. "Now let's go find the director." He smiled and pulled her away from the crowd.

 

* * * * *

 

Yixing and Miyoung were at musical practice. They went scene-by-scene, and today was the scene that Miyoung was anticipating the most, mostly because she was nervous about it.

"The kiss scene is today," Miyoung said with a nervous swallow, rubbing her hands on her skirt to get rid of the sweat. "Yixing~" she complained. "I'm nervous. Even if I'm kissing you."

Yixing softened. "It will be okay," he promised. "Just relax. It's just me." He nodded, squeezing her hand. Miyoung took a deep breath and nodded, smiling softly at him.

Eventually, it was time for the Prince to wake Sleeping Beauty up with his kiss. Miyoung was laying on the bed with her eyes closed, anticipating every second coming.

"So beautiful," Yixing said softly, reciting his lines. "What a beautiful princess hidden away from the world," he continued. "But..how do I awake her?" There was a pause. "True love's first kiss," he concluded.

The pause that followed felt like forever to Miyoung. She anticipated Yixing's lips on hers, but when she felt them brush hers, she turned her head with a quiet squeak. It seemed like she just couldn't lose her first kiss this way, even if it was with her best friend.

Yixing sighed softly as she opened her eyes. He kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I understand, Piglet."

Later, they decided to do the scene without the kiss for the moment, skipping over it to have it added in later. "The chemistry's there, but you need to show it!" the director complained to them both. "Get over being shy! This is a musical for goodness sake!"

When they got out, all Miyoung was was disappointed in herself, sighing softly and hitting the side of her head. Yixing held her hands tightly, bringing them down. "Stop. It's okay, Piglet. It's okay. I was hesitating a lot too." He smiled softly.

"I need to get over it," she sighed. "I was just...nervous."

"I understand," said Yixing with a nod. "But...I think you need to get used to kissing me, is all." He shyly looked at her. "On the lips. It's just a peck after all."

Miyoung swallowed. "Wh-what do you propose?"

Yixing cupped her cheeks with a soft smile. "Piglet...is it okay if I kiss you?" He leaned closer to her as she nodded slowly, her cheeks burning red. Yixing's smile widened as their eyes fluttered close. Soon enough, their lips met softly, pressing together, electricity coursing through their bodies at the simple, yet romantic touch. It was a very brief kiss, and their lips only moved together for only a few seconds before they both parted.

"Your first kiss," he murmured softly. "Now can you kiss me in the musical?" She nodded and bit her lip. Yixing chuckled, brushing his thumb over her lower lip. "You want to know something?"

Miyoung tilted her head. "What?"

"The moment I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen. You know what else?" He smiled teasingly. "You taste like strawberries."