“I’m telling you Jongup-hyung, my boyfriend is the best.” Zelo smiled widely, feeling like the luckiest guy on Earth.

                Jongup chuckled. “I think I understood when you told me the hundredth time.”

                “I just can’t believe how lucky I got! We practically get to see each other every day too.” Zelo said as they waited at the street light. He shifted his backpack around so he could pull out his cellphone.

                “You don’t get tired of seeing each other that often?” Jongup asked skeptically.

                Zelo thought about it but then smiled. “Nope! In fact knowing I can’t see him today is such a bummer. But, hanging out with friends is important too.”

                “Yeah, they are.” Jongup eyed Zelo’s cellphone. “Are you really about to text him?”

                Zelo stopped and shyly turned to Jongup. “Maybe?”

                Jongup laughed. “Seriously? He is with his friends. I doubt he will check his messages.”

                “Yeah… but I want him to know I was thinking about him when he checks it later.” Zelo pouted.

                Jongup shook his head as Zelo typed away on his phone.  “How does a junior in college have time to be hanging out with a high school senior?”

                “We do our homework together.” Zelo said after putting his phone in his pocket. “We don’t go on real dates too often since we are both busy, but we’ll hang out at his house, the library, or his school and do homework together. We are productive yet still are spending time together.”

                “I suppose that sounds nice.” Jongup hummed.

                “But two whole days without seeing him. Hyung, what am I going to do? I miss him so much already.” Zelo whined.

                “Why don’t we go eat to get your mind off of it?” Jongup patted the younger’s back.

                Zelo brightened up. “Yongguk’s favorite Ramen shop is—“

                “No.”

                “What? Why not?” Zelo pouted.

                “How is going to Yongguk’s favorite ramen shop going to help you stop thinking about him?” Jongup laughed. “Pick somewhere else.”

                Zelo looked around at the shops they were walking by. “I don’t really know, Hyung. What do you want?”

                “Why don’t we try out that new BBQ restaurant?” Jongup asked.

                “It’s been a long time since we’ve been to BBQ.” Zelo said excited.

                Jongup laughed. “Yeah, let’s go have fun while I have you.”

                Zelo scratched his head feeling guilty. “I’ve been neglecting our friendship, haven’t I?”

                “Just a little… I miss you too, Zelo-ah!” Jongup smiled.

                “Oh, that’s it! Wow I didn’t realize it was an All-You-Can-Eat!” Zelo looked at the sign and could feel his mouth watering.

                “What are we waiting for?” Jongup rushed into the shop.

                They looked around for a seat and suddenly Zelo grabbed Jongup’s arm in excitement. “Hyung! It’s destiny!”

                “What are you talking about?”

                “Yongguk-Hyung, is over there.” Zelo pointed. “Let’s go sit by them and then I can surprise him later.”

                “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Jongup skeptically asked.

                “Of course, it is! Come on.” Zelo led the way and sat in the booth on the opposite side of Yongguk.

                Zelo stifled a giggle. “This is going to be so much fun.”

                Jongup happily smiled back at his friend. “I hope so. Honestly, I just want to eat already.”

                The waiter came up to their table to drop off menus and take their drink order, two waters.

                “So when are you going to say something?” Jongup asked.

                “Zelo?!”

                Zelo jumped at the mention of his name being said so loudly and looked around to see who might have said it.

                “I thought you said his name was Junhong?”

                Zelo narrowed his eyes. ‘Who is talking about me?’

                Jongup slyly pointed behind him and Zelo’s eyes widened hearing the next voice.

                “It is Junhong, but he goes by Zelo.” The deep voice carried in the small restaurant.

                Zelo smiled hearing his boyfriend’s voice. To say that Zelo first noticed Yongguk by his voice would not be an exaggeration. Jongup and he had snuck into a club one night to hear some underground rappers perform. In between sets Zelo had started talking to Jongup with his back to the stage when Yongguk’s set started. Zelo didn’t turn around until he heard Yongguk’s voice and through the whole time, he was absolutely mesmerized by the older man. It was that night where they had first met, after Jongup pushed Zelo into Yongguk who was at the bar. Zelo stumbled over his words but Yongguk chuckled showing a huge smile thanking Zelo for his kind words. By the end of the night they had picked a day to meet up again to talk about music which led to another day and another day eventually leading them to where they were now.

                “Alright, I just want to make sure you aren’t two-timing anyone.” Yongguk’s friend mentioned.

                “You really think Yongguk would cheat?” Another friend with a husky voice asked.

                Jongup and Zelo sat there listening to the conversation, completely entranced, and wanting to know what the older boys were saying.

                “Moh, I guhess nawt.” The previous friend said with food in his mouth.

                “Plus, it’s not like he could cheat even if he wasn’t morally against it.”  The husky voice laughed.

                “What is that supposed to mean?” A gentler, politer voice asked.

                Yongguk sighed. “It’s nothing.”

                “Oh Gukkie, please.” Zelo’s eye twitched at the nickname. He definitely was starting to not like the husky voiced guy. “Tell them what you told me. It’s good to complain now and then.”

                “He’s just a bit clingy is all.” Yongguk conceded.

                “A bit? Don’t dress it up pretty just because Daehyun and Youngjae, the seemingly perfect couple, is here.”

                A car honking outside blurred the next part of their conversation from the high school boys.

                “Fine! He is really clingy and I honestly am really getting annoyed with it.” Yongguk said.

                “There’s my Gukkie.”

                “I know high school kids can be clingy, but he can’t be that bad.”

                Yongguk groaned. “We hang out practically every day. Yesterday was the first time in two months we had been separate from each other and do you know how many times he texted me? At least twelve times an hour! If I answered him back he would text back immediately.”

                “That… can be excessive but not too bad. I mean, Daehyun and I text constantly.” The polite sounding one said.

                The one with the husky voice laughed. “That’s not all.”

                “Tell me more!” The one Zelo assumed was Daehyun said.

                “He texts that much even after we’ve seen each other and we spend hours together. When we are together he is always touching me, I have literally no personal space, and the worst thing is if I leave the room for anything, get snacks or go to the bathroom, he texts me saying he misses me.” Yongguk admitted.

                “Okay, yes, that is quite clingy.” Youngjae caved in. “Have you talked to him about it?”

                Daehyun scoffed. “Talk to the kid? Yongguk, I told you when you first thought about asking this kid out, it’s not going to work. Just break up with him.”

                “Hey, that’s a little harsh.” Youngjae said.

                “But it’s true!”

                Yongguk sighed. “I don’t know guys… clingy isn’t always bad.”

                “Don’t lie, it’s driving you crazy. Just drop the kid and find someone more mature.” Daehyun said.

                Zelo was pulled out of the conversation when he felt a tug on his arm. He looked up seeing Jongup standing beside him. “Let’s go.”

                Zelo shakily nodded and got out of the booth. It was only then he realized he had started to cry, so he grabbed a napkin on his way out the door. “Jongup? Do I seem immature to you?” Zelo sniffed.

                Once outside Jongup gave his friend a hug. “Don’t listen to what those guys said. What you need to do is talk to Yongguk about this, okay?”

                Zelo nodded but inside he had doubts. ‘How do I explain eavesdropping on him in a restaurant? I think I can fix this myself. I can change myself for Yongguk.’

                So, weeks past and Zelo tried to change but it proved to be difficult. Even more difficult was just being with Yongguk because he felt so guilty, and so bad about how Yongguk had felt. The more he thought about how he should change, the more he slowly stopped contacting his boyfriend because he didn’t want to annoy him.

                It had been two months since the incident at the BBQ restaurant, a week and a half since he had seen Yongguk, and one week since he had texted him. It was a Saturday so Zelo was left at home with nothing to do sinceJongup was at dance practice and his parents were at work. Normally Zelo would have called Yongguk by now and complained of boredom, but today he was sitting at the kitchen table staring at his cellphone.

                Zelo groaned and planted his head on the table. “I miss him so much! Is it too soon to call him?”

                A knock on the door had Zelo lifting his head and looking at the door in confusion before he stood up. “Maybe Jongup’s practice was cancelled…”

                Zelo opened the door and his eyes widened. “Hyu—hyung!”

                “Can I come in?” Yongguk asked.

                “Of course.” Zelo smiled.

                Zelo moved aside so Yongguk could come in and take his shoes off. As much as Zelo was happy that Yongguk had come to him first finally, he was nervous since this  was the first time Yongguk had ever been inside his house, not to mention his room.

                “Hyung, I’m so happy to see you!” Zelo smiled widely as he led Yongguk to his room. He tried his hardest not to touch the older boy, fighting every urge he had to jump on him and squeeze him.

                “Are you really?” Yongguk asked in an even tone.

                Zelo shut his bedroom door out of habit and looked at Yongguk in confusion. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be happy?”

                “You never come over anymore, hell you barely text me, what else am I supposed to think? Did I do something wrong?”

                Now Zelo could see the annoyed look on Yongguk’s face but, Zelo didn’t know what to say. He was left speechless as he tried to think of where he went wrong.

                Yongguk sighed and ran a hand through his short black hair. “Look, Zelo… if you wanted to break up you should have just said so. You don’t have to fake being happy anymore. I just wish you had told me sooner.”

                Zelo was still processing the news as Yongguk started to walk towards the door. Zelo grabbed Yongguk’s arm, stopping him. “Wait don’t leave! I don’t want to break up; I never wanted to break up! That’s why I’ve been doing all this.”

                Zelo noticed he was grabbing Yongguk’s arm and quickly let go. “Sorry.”

                Yongguk looked between his arm and his boyfriend. “Why would you say sorry for touching me? I’m your boyfriend; you’re allowed to touch me.”

                “But… I don’t want to annoy you.” Zelo looked down.

                “Okay.” Yongguk grabbed Zelo’s hands and directed him to the bed. “We are going to sit and talk this out because I don’t understand exactly what’s wrong. So let’s fix this so that my Junhong doesn’t feel bad about touching me.”

                Zelo looked at their linked hands and rubbed his thumb along Yongguk’s as he thought about what to say. Zelo groaned. “This is really hard because I’ve been trying to act so mature for you but if I start talking everything I’ve worked for will be for nothing.”

                Yongguk frowned. “I never said you were immature Junhong.”

                “You didn’t but your friend did!”

                “My friend? Which friend said that to you?”

                “Not… to me. I might have overheard you talking in a restaurant…”

                “When—“ Yongguk groaned. “Like two months ago at the BBQ buffet? I should have noticed that’s when everything started changing. Why didn’t you tell me?”

                “Hyung, how could I tell you!? That seems even more clingy!”

                It was Yongguk’s turn to look away. “I should have just talked to you about it… I’m sorry.”

                “I thought you would like it if I distanced myself more, but then I wasn’t sure how long to wait to see you again.” Zelo pouted.

                Yongguk laughed.

                Zelo frowned. “Hyung, it’s not funny! I really missed you!”

                “You are just too cute, what am I going to do with you.” Yongguk ruffled Zelo’s hair. “With all this time a part I almost forgot. I guess we’ll just have to hang out more often.”

                Zelo perked up at that. “Really?”

                “Yes.” Yongguk smiled. “I do like that you can be clingy, Zelo. It’s just that sometimes I need a break. So, how about this time when I feel like I need some space, I let you know?”

                Zelo’s whole face brightened up. “Hyung, you really mean it?”

               At Yongguk’s nod Zelo jumped forward pushing Yongguk back on to the bed as he hugged him as tightly as he could. He nuzzled into Yongguk’s neck. “Tomorrow I’ll turn down my clinginess but for now, just don’t leave me.”

                Yongguk’s heart skipped a beat and he remained frozen until he remembered that he was with Zelo, his cute naïve high school boyfriend, who probably didn’t understand what those words could also mean. So, Yongguk relaxed and wrapped his arms around Zelo, bringing him even closer as he chuckled at the giant bundle of cute lying on top of him. “Why would I ever leave?”