Chen and Lay had always been good friends. They understood each others feelings and personalities and they knew each others good sides as well as bad ones.

They knew each others weird habits and even the deepest secrets.

But even so here they were looking up at the brightly shining stars awkwardly, neither of them speaking a word and a thick tension building up between them.

Yixing didn't know why he didn't dare to speak. It wasn't that he didn't have anything to say. In fact, he had a lot he wanted to ask his friend.

Like why didn't he come to him at night anymore, sliding under the blanket and talk all night like he used to.

Why didn't he teach him korean anymore, correct him during interviews or explain to him situations where he didn't understand a thing to the point where his head hurt.

And why wasn't he there to make him feel better when he was feeling down or being moody.

Why did these precious moments he had with his best friend disappear? Did he do something wrong? Was he only being paranoid about it all?

"Yixing ge ge?"

Yixing jumped at the sudden speech from his friend. He had been so deeply in his own thoughts that he had forgotten about the latter sitting beside him.

"What were you thinking about?"

"What? Ehh nothing." He scratched his neck and looked away from Jongdae's moonlit face.

The moon, the stars, everything was perfect tonight but to Yixing something was missing. He missed his friend.

He missed his cute friend that cared for him.

"Yixing, I can read you like an open book. You were practically ranting inside that small brain of yours"

It was true. He had always been bad at hiding his feelings and especially from Jongdae.

He fidgeted awkwardly in his seat, the bench creaking at his leg that he suddenly started bouncing rapidly.

A hand reached for his it and he looked up to Jongdae smiling warmly at him. He lowered his eyes and stared at his lap, not daring to look at his friend.

"I miss you" he mumbled. It was barely audible but the night was silent and he knew Jongdae heard him. "I miss us. I miss how we used to be"

Jongdae's hand was still on his leg, signaling he was listening he gently squeezed it and urged him to continue.

"You never pay any attention to me any longer. We don't speak as much as before or do those things we used to. Like, watching a movie together with Luhan or go shopping in the mall until our feet ache so much we can’t walk. And it hurts, Jongdae. It hurts to see you pay attention to everybody else except me" He took a deep breath as he had ranted everything with barely any breathing pauses and his lungs desired some air. It was hard to stop talking once he had started and he felt like he hadn't succeeded in explaining himself yet but he couldn't find the right words to do so.

“I just...I don’t want to lose you”

Jongdae retreated his hand and sighed.

The small action tored at his heart but he ignored it and anticipated a responce from the latter instead.

He waited but it didn't come and the sudden silence made him nervous. He could hear his own heartbeats against his ribcage and his breaths in the chilly air.

Jongdae shifted in his seat. His thigh brushing against his own and sending a warm, tingling wave through his body.

"I'm sorry" Jongdae was looking at the tree tops as he spoke. The moon reflecting his beautiful features.  

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way" Jongdae's eyes fell to his lap.

Once again silence fell over them. The wind blew and sent a cold shiver throughout their bodies.

"Why?" He spoke after a while.

He knew Jongdae was sorry and that he meant it but what he really wanted to know was why. Why would he do that in the first place. Since when did his best friend drift away so far he could barely see him.

"I need to know, Jongdae. Where did I go wrong?" His voice was a little harsher now. He didn't mean to but the feelings welling up inside of him was a little overwhelming even to him.

"I miss you too"

It wasn’t an answer and it was only a whisper but Yixing heard it. He heard it loud and clear and it made something twist in his chest. A twist of hope and anticipation.

"If you missed me then why? Why did you avoid me? What did I do to lose my best friend?"

When Jongdae told him he had missed him too he was calm and hopeful but now the anger and disappointment started welling up to the surface again.

"I don't understand" Yixing pulled at his hair in frustration, sadness, jealousy and all the emotions that ran through him.

"I like you"

Yixing was stunned. He didn't move and neither did Jongdae. At first he wasn't sure if he had heard right and then he pondered on what the other meant with those simple words.

"What do you mean?" His voice was a little shaky and he cursed in his head at his own weakness.

"I mean I like you. Not as a friend or a work partner but.." Jongdae paused and Yixing lifted his head to look at the latter. "... as something more"

Yixing couldn't open his mouth to respond. He was shocked that his cute and adorable best friend, Kim Jongdae, liked him. He effing liked him.

"I'm sorry. That's why I avoided you, so that I could give these feelings a chance to disappear" Jongdae unconsciously touched his heart with his hand and clutched the fabric of his shirt. "I'm so sorry I destroyed our friendship"

Yixing bit his lip and watched the outstandingly beautiful boy in front of him. In that moment he decided that there are nobody better than that perfection and that he would do anything to keep it.

And when silent tears ran down Jongdae's cheeks, he gently brushed them away with his thumb.

"Please don't cry, Chen Chen" he said and hugged the latter in a tight hug. Jongdae's tears wet his shirt and his back shook as he sobbed.

Yixing builded up all the courage he could manage before he eventually whispered a 'I like you too' in Jongdae's ear.

Making the boy pull out of the hug with a questioning face, his eyes and lips swollen and red from tears. "Do you...? Wha-"

Jongdae never got to finish his sentence as Yixing pressed his lips against his in a gentle kiss.

Yixing smiled and showed his dimples. "Yes, I like you too, Kim Jongdae"

And just like that their argument had gone with the wind and was long forgotten.

With intertwined fingers they sat and watched the star until late at night in the chilly air. Neither of them really grasping the events that had just taken place and neither of them wanting to, afraid that the moment would go away and they would wake up from their dream.

____

Yes, I know, It's the classy "avoiding-each-other-love-story" but really I wanted to try this so let me know what you think about it :)