Their little meeting at lunch that day goes on like normal, with Kyungsoo eating his fried rice quietly and Jongin resting peacefully on his back, reveling in the warmth of the sun and Kyungsoo’s company. The heat is much more bearable compared to a couple of weeks ago, in fact, it has gotten significantly cooler these past few days, seeing as summer term this year is nearing an end.

Jongin doesn’t flinch or say anything when Kyungsoo had appeared at the rooftop a couple of minutes ago, acting all calm and normal as if he had never sent the grey letter earlier this morning. Kyungsoo lets him be. The younger merely cracks open an eye, gaze following Kyungsoo’s every movement as the older sits down and unpacks his lunch, and then flutters his eyes close again once Kyungsoo is settled.

Kyungsoo sighs contentedly as the wind blows coolly against his hot neck. It’s twenty seven degrees today, two digits lower than the temperature two days prior.

Jongin chortles suddenly and Kyungsoo stops mid-chew and turns to the younger. Jongin is looking up at him, eyes glinting and there’s an amused smile on his lips. Kyungsoo looks at him strangely and Jongin just shrugs and only goes back to his nap when the older gives him a questioning look. Out of instinct, Kyungsoo prods the sides of his lips and finds crumbs of rice there. Lots of crumbs. Well . He blinks, and then finally the embarrassment settles, making his face turn red.

He must’ve looked completely ridiculous before and Kyungsoo thinks why bad things must happen to good people, and literally scolds himself. Jongin was laughing at him just then and Kyungsoo wants to burry himself somewhere deep where he can just die from embarrassment.

--*--

Jongin is already there when Kyungsoo turns up at the school’s back gate. There are a few girls from the third year that seems to be harassing Jongin, and from this far, Kyungsoo  can barely make out what they are saying, but he knows that Jongin is holding back his temper by how tight his fists are clenched by his sides. Jongin’s eyes are dark and full of resentment, but he does nothing to fight the girls off, despite them continuously throwing hateful remarks at him.

 When Kyungsoo approaches, the girls feign innocence, coming up to him even. They bat their lashes at him and cling to his arms and Kyungsoo brushes them off easily. They look disappointed, and if it weren’t for the situation, Kyungsoo would’ve apologize to them and bow a couple of times for ignoring them, even though their y demeanor leaves him uncomfortable at times.

He walks towards Jongin and the other boy smiles stiffly at him. Kyungsoo grabs Jongin’s hand and runs his fingers along red crescents that are formed from his nails that were digging to his palm when he had clenched his fists before. The touch sends small ripples of what Jongin assumes feels like electricity. Kyungsoo opens his mouth to ask about what the girls had said before but Jongin cuts him off quickly.

“Let’s not talk about it, okay?” and it sounds a little pleading, a little beaten and Kyungsoo sees sadness in his warm brown eyes, before it is quickly whipped away by a small eager glimmer and Jongin smiles lazily at him.

“Ramen?” he asks. The older nods and Jongin leads the way to the ramen bar.

The walk there is silent, but considerably pleasant. Kyungsoo doesn’t fill the quietness between them with his loud chatting. Truthfully, he likes talking about anything really. He’s the type of person you can quickly get along with while Jongin is the contrary. But Kyungsoo sees no need in filling (possibly ruining) the tranquility with his talking, and Jongin seems just as comfortable with the silence between them, so Kyungsoo opts to shut his mouth this time.

The ramen bar is not as crowded as Kyungsoo had expected it to be when they arrive. Jongin takes Kyungsoo to the farthest end of the long table and pulls a stool next to him. He orders two big sized portions of spicy ramen.

Kyungsoo briefly observes the little bar. The place is small and a little secluded, not as big as those western restaurants Kyungsoo’s parents had frequently brought him to when he was thirteen. But then again, it isn’t like this is a date where they would choose a much better and fancy diner like in sappy typical romance movies, Kyungsoo thinks (and the thought leaves him surprisingly disappointed and sad. This is not a date, this is not a date, he chimes in his head).

Somewhere along their meal, Kyungsoo reveals almost proudly that he could probably cook way better ramen than this bland one, smiling all smug and confident. Jongin an eyebrow as if saying really? and Kyungsoo promises him he would bring his self-made Ramen to school tomorrow.

When they are half way down their meal, Kyungsoo suddenly remembers the topic of the student council meeting Minseok had told him yesterday. He swallows down the food in his mouth, placing his chopsticks down and turns to face Jongin who’s still busy slurping his noodles.

“Jongin,” Kyungsoo says, and the boy shifts his attention at him immediately. Kyungsoo smiles and clears his throat and Jongin knows by the way Kyungsoo’s fidgeting nervously, that this is going to be a somewhat serious talk.

“Our school’s going to open up a new dance club next week. We’re currently recruiting members and promoting them and since you said yesterday that you really liked dancing, would you consider in joining?” Kyungsoo asks hopefully.

Jongin stays still for a few seconds, before he settles down the chopsticks besides the bowl and gulps down the water from the glass, smacking his lips.

“I don’t dance with people,” Jongin says slowly, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. Kyungsoo pulls Jongin’s arm away hurriedly, trying to prevent the sleeves from getting dirtied by the soup’s oil on Jongin’s lips and throws a napkin to his lap (that’s what the napkins are there for you dumb-dumb Kyungsoo thinks). “But why?”

Jongin shrugs and takes the napkin, absently pulling some loose threads from it.

“I just don’t. I only dance alone. Maybe it’s because I don’t get along well with others,” he murmurs, now taking full interest in the little activity of pulling-the-strings-out-the-napkin.

Kyungsoo places a hand on top of Jongin’s because godammit stop fiddling with the napkin and look at me. Jongin stiffens from the touch and looks up at Kyungsoo, finally.

“If those kids are the reasons why you’re stopping yourself from doing what you like, I’ll speak to them. I won’t let them interfere with everything that you’re doing,” Kyungsoo says softly, sincerely.

Jongin’s eyes suddenly darken and he scoffs. “Stop making me look so ridiculous and weak like I can't take care of myself. I know what I'm doing and what's best for me, so stop trying to be so overly caring. Don't you realize already? You're the one who's starting to intefere, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo scowls in confusion and retreats his hand from Jongin’s. “But I do care. Jongin just let me—“

“I’m not a kid! I’m not a kid, okay?! I can take care of my goddamn self!”

 Jongin isn’t aware of how his voice had raised and some people from the bar glance at them curiously, the owner even shot him a look to be quiet from behind the counter. Kyungsoo bows at them awkwardly from his seat to let them know that everything’s alright. He pulls Jongin back down to sit on the stool, who doesn’t even realize he’s been standing somewhere along the rant.

Jongin catches himself immediately and sits back down, but his gaze is still steely hard. They fall silent after that, eating their food quietly and Kyungsoo hates how tense the air is around them. But he isn’t the type of person that would easily back down. Kyungsoo is stubborn, with a rock for a head, and he’s not intending to let the matter drop just like that.

“We’re planning on renovating the old music room at the third floor of the west building into a decent dance studio. You can come any time there, Jongin, even if you’re not a part of the club. I’ll talk to the new coach about it.”

Jongin snaps his head up quickly to Kyungsoo at the mention of the old music room. They’re going to renovate it? That’s going to be the place for the club? No. Jongin won’t let this happen. That room is the only place Jongin can find peace in by dancing his heart out. It maybe dark and smell strongly of antique furniture, but to Jongin, it’s like his own little haven. The place is the only place where Jongin can drown in his ever lost dreams and build his own world of illusion by the sweet beat of music; the only place where he let all the burden cave in on him; the only place where he can delude of stages and audience and blinding white lights in his tiny little head.

He won’t let this happen.

“Don’t,” he says slowly, voice low.

Kyungsoo blinks and stares at him, “If you’re trying to tell me to not treat you like a kid again, well I’m not. I—“

“I’m not going to let you. I’m not going to let anyone touch that place! Don’t let anyone go near that music room!”

Jongin sounds frantic and angry now, and his voice had raised once more, earning them another unamused look from the owner.

“What’s with that music room? Why are you so afraid, Jongin-ah?” Kyungsoo asks confusedly. Jongin glares at him, looking furious and cold, but Kyungsoo can see that beneath it all, Jongin is deeply upset.

“Just no. No one’s renovating that room.”

And with that, Jongin pushes his chair back and strides outside the ramen shop, the door closing behind him with a loud bang. Everyone in the shop steals glances at him, all looking curious as to what had happen. Kyungsoo is still too stunned to chase after Jongin, still too confused with Jongin’s behavior, so he sits there, wondering what could possibly make Jongin feel so protective over an old abandoned music room.

He leaves the ramen bar minutes later, handing the bills to the cashier and apologizing repeatedly for causing a scene and heads home with an uneasy feeling lodged to his very core.