Hakyeon moves as quickly as possible down the street. It’s a precaution, just in case it turns out that Taekwoon is simply an illusion, a trick of the light. He knows in the back of his mind that Taekwoon is real, that Taekwoon is really there before him sitting in the gutter, but in his heart, he isn’t all too sure. When Hakyeon reaches him, he flings his arms around him. His grip is tight around Taekwoon’s shoulders, pulling himself closer to the younger in case he attempts to move.

He is crying, just a few tears leaving his eyes and rolling down his cheeks to soak into Taekwoon’s shirt. He is shaking, he isn’t sure why he is shaking, maybe it’s due to the adrenalin that is coursing through his body right now, or simply because the cool air is soaking into his skin. His face is pressed into the crook of Taekwoon’s neck, his lips stretched into a sad smile. He is just so relieved that Taekwoon is okay. That Taekwoon is here, that Taekwoon is real, that Taekwoon hasn’t left.

Taekwoon is stiff in Hakyeon’s arms. He doesn’t know what to do. His head is racing, his heart pounding confusing thoughts rushing through his mind. Was this really happening? Why is Hakyeon holding him so close? Hadn’t he been rejected? Why was Hakyeon crying?

It didn’t make sense. If Hakyeon rejected him, if Hakyeon were disgusted by him, he wouldn’t be hugging him right now… So just what was going through Hakyeon’s head?

“I’m so relieved you’re okay…” Hakyeon whispers in his ear, relaxing his hold on Taekwoon’s shoulders, he sinks closer to the other closing his eyes. “You shouldn’t run off without hearing what I had to say.”

No sound or movement comes from Taekwoon. His head is a mess. Hakyeon was worried. Worried about him? About him… that was so strange. He was rejected… Wasn’t he?

Sighing, Hakyeon slowly lets go of Taekwoon, his hands lingering longer than they normally would. “You need to hear me out okay?”

Nodding, Taekwoon continues to stare at the ground. He has a strong sting in his eyes and attempts to brush it away with continuous blinks. Hakyeon is going to say it. He might not send him away, he might not tell him that they can’t be friends. But deep in his gut, within the nervous twists and tumbles his stomach is currently doing, Taekwoon knows he is going to be rejected.

“Firstly,” Hakyeon says, manoeuvring to sit facing the same direction as Taekwoon. “Although I’m not the best at translating your expressions and actions, I can read you rather well. I know that you think I hate you that I think you are disgusting because you like me. I know that you think that I think that way because that is how we have grown up, thinking that way. Thinking that liking someone of the same is wrong.”

Shifting closer to Taekwoon, Hakyeon rests his chin on his knees. “I don’t blame you for believing that’s how I would think. I thought that way for a long time. I cried about it for a long time… I worried you thought that way too. For such a long time I thought you did.”

Taekwoon’s eyes widen. Hakyeon had worried he thought that way. He knew he never really stressed that he did think that way, but he never mentioned that he didn’t either. It was obvious, with the town that Hakyeon grew up in, that it was a general belief. That being gay was wrong. It was the main reason Taekwoon assumed that Hakyeon had instantly hated him.

“But I really don’t hate you.” Hakyeon continues, now picking at some dirt on his shoe. His stomach is doing backflips and his heart is going at a marathon pace but he had to tell Taekwoon everything even if it made him faint, even if it killed him. “I could never hate you. I fought too hard to get this close to you Taekwoon, I don’t care if you are straight, gay, into anime characters or nothing at all. You are my friend. I am not losing you…”

There is silence, in which both feel like their hearts can be heard. Their minds are running in circles. Taekwoon wondering if that is all Hakyeon had to say and why his said it the way he did. While Hakyeon is running around his mind chasing his tail trying to work out how to tell Taekwoon that he loves him for real.

The last few rays of the sun are finally leaving the sky when Taekwoon attempts to use his voice. It comes out softer than normal, and there is an obvious strain to it.

“So… You don’t hate me…?” He asks the asphalt.

Hakyeon sits up straighter, turning his gaze to Taekwoon, trying to read if he has gotten through to him enough to make a believable confession. But from the way the other’s shoulders are hunched… the way his arms are wrapped around his legs, hugging them so tightly… He can tell that even if he did tell Taekwoon that he was deeply desperately in love with him his words would not be believed.

“Even though… I suggested that…?” Taekwoon continues.

Hakyeon shakes his head furiously. “No. Never. I…” he sighs again.

Instantly, Taekwoon relaxes. Even if it is only slightly, he still relaxes. Because Hakyeon doesn’t hate him. He may not feel the same way, but he doesn’t hate him.

“Taekwoon…” Hakyeon shifts to face Taekwoon completely. “Look at me, please…”

The younger turns, loosening his grip on his legs in order to face Hakyeon better. His face is as expressionless as ever, and no one would be able to tell the difference if it weren’t for the red his eyes that gave away the fact he had cried. That he still wanted to cry.

“You have to trust me. Okay?” Hakyeon mutters, his eyes flickering for a split second. He has finally settled on a plan of action. Finally knows how he needs to communicate to Taekwoon to let him know exactly what he is saying is the truth. That he does indeed feel the same way.

Biting his lip, Taekwoon nods. He trusts Hakyeon a lot. No matter how much it hurts knowing that he doesn’t feel the same, he trusts him.

“Close your eyes.”

Giving a slight nod, Taekwoon does as instructed. Closing his eyes slowly, giving one last sceptical look to Hakyeon as he shifts ever closer to him.

Taekwoon can hear Hakyeon moving, he can feel his every shifting movement. He focuses on his own breathing, felling his chest rise and fall slowly as he anticipates what Hakyeon has in store. After his fourth of fifth breath in, Hakyeon rests a hand on his shoulder, whispering to him not to open his eyes just yet.

The heat of Hakyeon’s hand burns, in a good way, through his shirt. Although it is comforting and warm, it stings as a reminder that they are still and forever will be just friends.

He is unsure of the moment when his breath started to become intertwined with Hakyeon’s. Taekwoon knows that it was a slow process, and but when Hakyeon rests his forehead against his, he becomes overly aware of it. He wishes that he could open his eyes, just seeing Hakyeon so close would keep him satisfied until the day the memory faded, but he promised. He put his trust in Hakyeon and he will continue to do so until told otherwise.

“You have to believe me…” Hakyeon breathes, their foreheads still glued together. He presses one hand to Taekwoon’s jaw, gently rubbing his thumb over Taekwoon’s cheek. It’s only a fraction of a second later that Taekwoon understands what it is he needs to believe.

As Hakyeon presses his lips ever so softly against Taekwoon’s, the younger finally understands why Hakyeon wanted to find him so desperately. He in a breath, and Hakyeon starts to pull away.

Taekwoon instantly wraps his arms around Hakyeon’s neck. He refuses to let him go, he presses his lips back to Hakyeon’s. He kisses him back because he knows what Hakyeon is saying. He knows that actions speak louder than words for Taekwoon, and he used that to convey exactly what he wanted to. And Taekwoon refuses to let go because he trusts Hakyeon, and because of that trust he knows exactly what the kiss means.

A/N:: This is actually slowly drawing to a close now. I feel like there is only a few more chapters to go. 

Finally a confession. Finally a proper kiss. FINALLY~~~~~!!!!!!!!

This chapter took three attempts to even start. But I got there in the end~!

Until next time (I'm aiming for Thursday-ish) <3

Also many thanks to all my new lovely subs and commenters~! I apologise if I haven't replied to all your message, I do read them and it gives me loads of confendence to continue this even when I feel like I should just drop it. Thank you for sticking with me, thank you for joining me.