Not proofread because I'm lazy and tired as . Sorry.

The walk home is quiet.

Only the sounds of their shoes stepping across dry asphalt, as well as the usual buzz of traffic and the general chatter of the few people in the same street can be heard.

Donghae is looking down, all sorts of nervous. He is chewing on his bottom lip, shoulders slumped and face still feeling rather hot. He doesn’t see it because he’s refusing to lift his gaze, but Hyukjae, who is walking next to him, is pretty much in the same anxious state.

He knows there’s something they need to talk about and yet he couldn’t find the words. However, he couldn’t let this afternoon pass without confirming it, without getting an actual answer. And so, with eyes scrunched close, Donghae blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.

“Um—”

“I—”

They spoke at the same time, and in his surprise, Donghae opens his eyes and turns to glance at Hyukjae. He sees the months-older boy looking at him too, eyes slightly widened, and they automatically laugh—awkward and tense laughter.

“You go first,” Hyukjae says.

Donghae shakes his head. “No, you.”

“Okay,” Hyukjae clears his throat and brings his gaze back to the ground. It takes him a few, long seconds before he speaks again. “Did you…did you mean it? What you said in the note?”

Donghae exhales shallowly.

It’s a little difficult to breathe. How could he, when he’s here, walking home with his crush, and the said crush is trying to confirm his feelings? Feelings he never really planned to reveal in the first place?

“I… I did,” he utters softly, shyly, feeling his face grow hotter at the mere act of voicing it out. “I meant it,” he pauses for a second, contemplating. “D-Did you?”

There’s a breathy exhale—what it meant, he isn’t sure. And then Hyukjae is speaking again. “Yeah, I meant it. I…” A long pause. “I like you, Donghae.”

Hearing those words—not just seeing them scribbled in blue ink on a post-it note—makes him feel almost dizzy.

It’s surreal.

Hyukjae likes him back.

Donghae could hardly believe it, even after hearing it directly from those lips, uttered by that low soothing voice. He blinks furiously, wondering if it’s just a crazy dream. Maybe he fell asleep sometime during class. Maybe if he pinches himself, he’d wake up.

There is no way he would want to wake up from this dream though.

“Donghae?”

He looks up, peeks at Hyukjae through his bangs, and sees the anxiety on that perfect face. Sees the light blush on his cheeks and the hint of fear in his eyes. And seeing him so afraid makes Donghae realize that it isn’t a dream. It isn’t just his imagination. Hyukjae is nervous too. Hyukjae is scared of his answer. Hyukjae might also be thinking that this is a dream.

Hyukjae likes him.

He smiles, diverting his gaze as he utters meekly. “I like you too.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath.

And it’s just so ridiculous.

Here they are—two good friends who suddenly confessed to liking each other. Good friends who were close and comfortable, but are now reduced into nothing but awkward shyness and blushing cheeks.

Donghae couldn’t help the laughter bubbling in his throat.

And soon enough, Hyukjae is laughing too, as if he understood what Donghae was thinking about. Because he’s just too good at reading him like that. And they do nothing but giggle like idiots, taking shy furtive glances at each other, while the people they pass by eye them weirdly.

Oh god.

“I can’t believe this,” Hyukjae says through his giggles, bringing up a hand to cover his smile as his eyes crinkle up.

“Me neither,” Donghae says, feeling his cheeks hurt because of his nonstop giggling.

They continue walking, automatically turning right at an intersection, and Hyukjae’s shoulders are still shaking from the remnants of laughter as he speaks. “So…” he clears his throat, wide grin still plastered on his face. “What now?”

“What?” Donghae returns the question, biting his lower lip to stop the smile from splitting his face.

“What?”

“What!”

And again, they burst out into stupid giggles, the awkwardness in the air around them promptly disappearing as the sounds of their laughter chase it away. Donghae glances to his right and sees gums and teeth and eye-wrinkles, and he feels so giddy he’s sure he’ll combust.

He hears a content sigh.

“I can’t believe you like me,” Hyukjae says quietly, smile still lingering in his voice.

Donghae snorts, although he’s quite relieved they’re walking next to each other, and not facing each other, so the older boy wouldn’t be able to see the unstoppable blush on his cheeks. “I can’t believe you like me. I thought you were straight.”

“I’m sorry,” Hyukjae murmurs softly, and Donghae can see him scratching his nape from his peripheral vision. “I just… I didn’t really mean to hide it from you. I thought I was making myself obvious by inviting you to hang out, and bringing you lunch and all that. But you seemed to think nothing of it. I felt so friendzoned.”

“Well of course, if you told me you weren’t completely straight from the beginning, I would’ve probably taken the hint. You’re clingy as hell,” Donghae rolls his eyes, and he laughs when Hyukjae makes a disgruntled sound in protest.

Suddenly, it feels easier to talk now, and Donghae smiles as he continues, “Seriously though. Knowing I was gay, didn’t you think that would improve your chances? Meanwhile I didn’t think I stood a chance with you because I believed you only liked girls. All your stupid clinginess I had to force myself thinking it was just bromance to you or something, because to me it was impossible that you would like me like that.”

“Bromance,” Hyukjae repeats incredulously, before laughing out loud. “Seriously, Donghae?”

“What do you expect!” Donghae says indignantly, laughing himself, before uttering in a soft voice, “Even now, I still can’t believe you actually like me.”

Hyukjae looks at him, a tender smile adorning his lips. “Donghae, I like you. I know I used to have a girlfriend and all, and you probably never expected this, but… it’s the truth. Ever since I saw you again, there was already something, and after I got to know more about you, I just – I couldn’t really help it. I—” he pauses and looks away, biting his lip before continuing, “I really, really like you.”

Donghae has to bite his lower lip to stop himself from giggling once again. He feels so giddy hearing those words, and it isn’t helping that Hyukjae seems rather shy in voicing them out as well. Suppressing the wide toothy grin threatening to bloom, Donghae answers quietly, “I really like you too.”

Hyukjae grins, all gums and teeth exposed, and Donghae feels his heart hammering madly against his chest at the sight. The older boy moves closer to him, tentatively tugging at the sleeve of his uniform and pulling him close before wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Donghae tries not to squeal in delight.

“Well,” Hyukjae coughs, although the grin is still on that handsome face. He wouldn’t stop smiling, really, but Donghae couldn’t stop either so it’s quite fair, he supposes.

“Am I your boyfriend now?”

Donghae’s eyes widen in surprise. He totally did not expect this question nor did he even bother thinking of what they would become after the mutual confession.

Boyfriend.

The word echoes in his mind, and as he sees Hyukjae’s expectant look, thinks of him as his boyfriend, Donghae couldn’t help the wide grin tugging on the corner of his lips. He nods eagerly, heart palpitating when Hyukjae grins back just as happily.

They become silent for a moment. Not really awkward or uncomfortable, but just basking in the giddiness and warmth.

Hyukjae’s arm feels nice on his shoulders, Donghae thinks. Even though it isn’t really the first time the older has wrapped an arm around him.

“So,” Hyukjae says after a while, a smug tone in his voice and a hint of a teasing smirk playing on his plump lips. “You think I’m hot, huh?”

Donghae splutters, eyes widening as he feels his face grow crimson. “W-Wha – I’m – I don’t—”

“Don’t deny it,” Hyukjae teases, pulling him closer and squeezing his shoulders lightly. “You said so. I have the notes to prove it. So how does it feel like, having such a hot boyfriend, hmm?”

“S-Shut up!” Donghae wails in utter embarrassment.

Hyukjae is laughing, playfully reaching out with his free hand to pinch Donghae’s cheek. “It’s okay. Don’t be shy. I was just teasing. Sorry.”

“I hate you,” Donghae mutters under his breath, pouting unconsciously.

“You must really hate me,” Hyukjae sighs. “Because you’re doing that again.”

“Doing what?”

“Stealing my heart with your cute pouts.”

What the hell.

“Aahhgrh,” Donghae releases a series of incomprehensible garbled noises and he buries his face into his palms. This is too much. Hyukjae went from being shy and awkward to teasing and cheesy, and it’s too much for his poor giddy heart.

Hyukjae laughs heartily and pulls him impossibly closer, half-hugging him from the side. “When you’re being like that, how can I not think of you as the cutest thing in the world?” he asks cheekily, making Donghae even more embarrassed, and he whines as the older shakes him lightly. “Come on now, I’m just teasing. Stop covering your face.”

Peeking at Hyukjae from between his fingers, Donghae narrows his eyes playfully at the gummy grin before sighing and letting his boyfriend pull his hands away.

“There you are,” Hyukjae coos, and Donghae wrinkles his nose cutely in resignation.

Oh well. He might as well accept the fact that Hyukjae really does find him cute. Or the cutest in the world. It does, after all, help him cope with the embarrassment of letting Hyukjae know that he thinks he’s hot. Plus, it his ego a bit, so why the hell not.

Soon enough, they arrive on their street, and Donghae feels a bit surprised that he made it this far without having a seizure or a panic attack due to the things Hyukjae has made him feel so far. They’ve only confessed and confirmed their relationship to be that of above friendship, and he got teased by Hyukjae, and yet he’s already bursting to the seams with feelings he couldn’t comprehend. He couldn’t quite imagine how it would be like from now on when they actually start acting like boyfriends.

They stop in front of Donghae’s house, the sixth house on the right side (Hyukjae’s house is the ninth on the left side), and Hyukjae pulls away and allows their hopeful gazes to meet.

Donghae knows he is thinking the same.

I don’t want to go yet.

But there’s homework to be done, quizzes to study for, and really, they didn’t exactly plan anything for this afternoon…

“I – I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” Donghae asks, unsure and suddenly a bit nervous again.

What if he turns his back and everything disappears? What if it really was just a dream?

Hyukjae chuckles and shakes his head, before he reaches out to gently hold Donghae’s hand. “I’ll call you tonight.”

He gives Donghae’s hand a soft squeeze, adding one to the million reasons Donghae would scream into his pillow that night.

-

“So are you together now?”

Donghae looks up from his dinner, wide-eyed. “What…”

“You and Hyukjae,” his mother croons, an excited grin on her lips.

“Oh dear,” his father rolls his eyes and continues to stab the meat on his plate forlornly.

“W-What are you talking about,” Donghae stammers, unsure of what he’s supposed to say, when his mother is suddenly asking him about his new relationship.

“Oh come on, honey, you two were holding hands earlier,” she giggles, and Donghae’s eye twitches in horror. “Please tell me you’re finally together? Because I’m so sure I won the bet with his mother. She said you would become official during summer break, but I was so sure it would be before the break. I was right, wasn’t I?”

Jesus Christ.

And Donghae marks the day he became Hyukjae’s boyfriend as the day he discovered his mother to be insane.

-

The next morning, Donghae is surprised to see Hyukjae waiting for him outside his gates.

It isn’t really the first time the older has done this throughout their friendship, but it’s the first time as boyfriends, and at that simple thought, Donghae couldn’t help the giddy smile tugging on the corners of his lips.

“Good morning,” Hyukjae greets with a soft smile.

“Morning,” Donghae’s grin widens as he returns the greeting, closing the gates behind him and securing his backpack onto his shoulders before falling into step with Hyukjae.

“Did you sleep well?”

Again, it isn’t the first time Hyukjae is asking him this, but somehow, it sounds so different now that Donghae knows they’re of a different status.

He bites his lips, still feeling a hint of shyness as he nods. “Yeah, I did. You?”

“I slept really well,” Hyukjae says, lips tugging upwards into a gummy grin. “I dreamed of you after all.”

Donghae practically splutters, feeling his face grow crimson as he moves to lightly push Hyukjae by the shoulders. “Stop teasing me.”

“I’m not,” Hyukjae laughs, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers together. “I really did dream of you. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” Donghae makes a face, although he couldn’t quite stop himself from glancing at their linked hands. He couldn’t help the smile blooming on his lips.

“I discovered something interesting last night,” Hyukjae starts conversationally. Donghae hums in question. “Apparently, our mothers were betting on us.”

“Ah! I found out too!” Donghae exclaims indignantly. “I can’t believe them. Why would they even do that?”

“Probably because my mom knew I had a crush on you.”

“S-She did?”

“Yeah. Then she probably gossiped to your mom about it.”

Donghae hums thoughtfully, thinking of Hyukjae’s words. It flatters him to know that the older told his mother about him, although it makes him curious about some things too. He glances at his boyfriend—h