Kyungsoo didn't see Chanyeol for three days after the kiss. The latter had said he was busy – with his exams being near – but Kyungsoo knew he was avoiding him. He must regret kissing me, the short boy thought. He knew something like that would happen. And he was scared. What if Chanyeol didn't want to talk to him anymore after what had happened? Kyungsoo was okay – or at least he tried to be – with remaining only friends with Chanyeol and hiding his feelings forever. But he didn't want to lose Chanyeol's friendship. He needed it. He needed him. I should have never asked him to go on a date with me, the boy thought bitterly. Nothing would have happened and he wouldn't be avoiding me now. Of course, Kyungsoo didn't regret that kiss. It was one of his most cherished memories. What he regretted were the consequences.

***

The third day after the kiss, Kyungsoo saw Chanyeol on the street as he was walking home from college. Before thinking twice – and having time to chicken out – he greeted him. “Long time no see.” Chanyeol seemed surprised. “Oh. Hi, Soo.” They started walking together. “Are you done with your exams?” the short boy asked after a minute or so of silence.

“Not yet. There's one left.”

“Great.” When Chanyeol didn't say a word, he added, “Isn't it?”

“Sure.”

They walked silently for about five more minutes until Kyungsoo started to speak once more. “You know... About the other night... I'm sorry.”

“What for?”Chanyeol asked, surprised. “You didn't do anything wrong!”

“I know...” Kyungsoo started, flustered, “It's just... You seem to be avoiding me ever since that night... And... We can forget about it if you want.”

Chanyeol looked shocked. “I don't want to forget about it,” he exclaimed, voice a little too loud.

“But, in that case, why were you avoiding me?” his friend asked him, confused.

“I was embarrassed. And I thought you were too,” the tall male admitted.

Kyungsoo didn't know if he should tell his friend the truth. He finally said, “I was. I didn't think you'd kiss me.”

“Yeah. I didn't plan on doing it either. But, as I was leaving, I remembered I was supposed to be your boyfriend. I thought 'Don't couples kiss?', so I went and kissed you. I know it wasn't clever but it seemed like the right thing to do.”

“I guess you could see it like that.” Kyungsoo tried to seem like he didn't care about it when in reality his friend's words hurt him. Chanyeol had kissed him because he had thought it was what he had to do. Not because he wanted to. The short male felt depressed. Once more, Chanyeol had unknowingly played with his feelings. Maybe it was time for him to just give up on his love.

***

Kyungsoo would have given up if not for the help of an unexpected person. The weekend after his talk with Chanyeol, his mother had sent him grocery shopping. “You can't stay at home all day long,” she had told him before handing him some money and a grocery list. So Kyungsoo had gone to the supermarket. As he was searching for his only item left to buy, he suddenly felt a hand tap him on the shoulder. He turned around. “Kyungsoo. I didn't think I'd see you here. Isn't there a market near your house?”

Kyungsoo sighed. “Hi Baekhyun. Yes, there is. But it's closed today and my mom needed these things,” he pointed at his bags, “so I had to come here.”

“Here. Let me help you,” Baekhyun said as he grabbed two of the bags Kyungsoo was holding.

“Aren't you supposed to be working?” the younger male asked incredulously.

Baekhyun huffed. “I am!”

Kyungsoo didn't argue, although he was sure walking around was not considered as working.

“So, how is it going with Chanyeol?” Baekhyun asked, walking beside him.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Kyungsoo stated, avoiding the other's eyes.

“Oh yes, you know.” The blond haired chuckled. “Does he know you love him?”

Kyungsoo glared at his so-called friend. “Why don't you take a mic, nobody heard you... And no, he doesn't.”

Baekhyun didn't seem to mind the other's harsh words. “Why don't you confess?” he asked.

Kyungsoo was slowly losing his temper. “I tried, okay!” he shouted. Then he lowered his voice when he realized everybody was now staring at them, and added, “I tried several times but he doesn't seem to understand.”

“What is there not to understand in the words 'I love you'?” the boy asked, completely confused.

“Er... I didn't exactly use those words... But I tried different things. I even went on a date with him. He's so blind!” Kyungsoo huffed in annoyance. He didn't know why he was admitting such embarrassing facts to the gossip. Who knew how much time it would take him to tell the whole city about it? Not much, Kyungsoo decided. But he didn't care. He hadn't talked about it with anyone and it weighed on his heart.

“Have you tried being touchy-feely?” the blond male asked him.

“Huh?”

“Chanyeol seems to be the kind of guy who likes skinship,” the older boy stated. Says the one who keeps touching him, Kyungsoo thought. “Try to touch him more. Take his hand. Hug him. Make him feel loved.”

The younger thought about the other's words. “It could work,” he finally said.

“Of course it will work. Trust me.” Baekhyun smiled knowingly at his friend.

“Are you a boy expert or something like that?” the younger boy teased the other one.

“I'm the love expert!” the latter retorted.

“Says the one who has never loved someone in his life.” Kyungsoo couldn't help saying it.

“That doesn't mean I don't understand how it works... And before you ask or make fun of me, yes, I do. Probably even better than you.”

“Yeah...” Kyungsoo started, "But it doesn't mean you're an expert.”

“Okay, okay,” the boy capitulated. “Whatever I'll say, you'll say I'm wrong. But try my advice. It's gonna work for sure.” Kyungsoo reluctantly agreed to try before waving the other male goodbye, paying for his groceries and walking back home.

***

Kyungsoo wasted no time and began to have more skinship with Chanyeol the next day. From that day on, he did his best to touch Chanyeol as much as possible. At first, it was awkward. He usually almost never touched his friend so it was kind of hard to do it. But he soon became used to it. When the both of them were watching TV, he sat close to his tall friend, until their thighs were brushing against each other. He put his head on the other male's shoulder. Sometimes, he just lay down, using the other's thighs as a pillow. He also held his hand. Almost all the time. It turned out Chanyeol really did like skinship. It's not just that he didn't mind. He himself initiated some actions. He seemed to like holding hands. And he had kissed Kyungsoo's cheeks five times – Kyungsoo hadn't counted! Not at all! But what shocked Kyungsoo the most was when his friend had wanted to sleep with him – as in, sleep in the same bed. Since they were kids, they had often slept together. When one of them was scared, when the other didn't want to go home... But they hadn't done it since Kyungsoo had been ten years old. Yet, on a Saturday night, Chanyeol decided to sleep with his friend. “Why can't you go home? You just have to cross the street,” Kyungsoo exclaimed after the tall male had voiced out his idea, totally scared to sleep beside his crush.

“I don't wanna go home. My parents aren't there and I don't wanna be alone.”

“Call someone over then,” Kyungsoo stated. He could have punched himself as soon as the words left his lips. Are you stupid?!? Do you want him to invite a girl over?, he mentally scolded himself.

“Don't wanna. I just wanna stay with you.” The tall male did his best puppy eyes. “Please, Soo~”

Kyungsoo couldn't resist his crush's aegyo. “Okay,” he agreed. “But you sleep on the floor.”

“Why?” Chanyeol pouted.”There's enough space on your bed for two!” he then exclaimed.

“You. Sleep. On. The. Floor.” Kyungsoo repeated, emphasizing each word.

“Okay,” Chanyeol reluctantly agreed, but he started sulking.

After their conversation, the two boys played some more games and finally decided to go to bed. They took a quick shower, brushed their teeth, wore their pajamas and lay down. After wishing each other goodnight, they both soon fell asleep, exhausted as they were. Yet, Kyungsoo woke up in the middle of the night when he felt his bed move. He waited for a moment but felt nothing. He finally decided he must have been dreaming and his side. Not long after, he felt a pair of long arms wrap themselves around him. The short boy jumped up in shock. “Ch-Chanyeol? Is that you?” he whispered. Said boy hummed in agreement. “What do you think you're doing?” Kyungsoo hissed.

“Sleeping,” the other male deadpanned.

“In my bed?!?”

“It's much more comfortable than the floor... And I wanted to sleep with you,” the tall boy stated, his voice heavy with sleep. Kyungsoo didn't know what to retort. He was left speechless. He felt the older male pull him closer, his back now pressed against his crush's chest. He could feel Chanyeol's breath on his neck, his lips slowly grazing against it every time the boy breathed out. He didn't dare to move an inch. I'll just wait until he falls asleep again and then I'll go sleep on the floor, Kyungsoo thought. He was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep in the other male's embrace. When he thought the tall male was sleeping, he carefully tried to wriggle out of his arms. But the grip on his waist tightened. “Stay with me,” Chanyeol whispered in his ear, his voice deeper than usual due to sleep. Kyungsoo shivered. “Are you cold?” the tall boy asked, concerned.

“No, it's okay.”

“Then go back to sleep.”

The younger male finally gave up and breathed out slowly to calm himself down. After some minutes, he started to drift away, Chanyeol's breath like a lullaby helping him to fall asleep. Just before falling completely asleep, he heard a muttered “I like...”

A/N: I'm so sorry guys. It's been a long time since I've updated my story. I've been busy lately and I had no time to write, but now I'm free and I'll try to update sooner. Anyways, there aren't many chapters left. One or two I guess.

Once again, sorry guys. Hope the chapter was worth the wait.

See you next time~