Kyungsoo sighs, a bit loud.

Despite the deafening sound of the wind resistance they get by riding the scooter, Chanyeol still catches Kyungsoo’s sigh. But he keeps quiet though, for he knows enough what Kyungsoo is worrying about.

“Jongin will be so upset,” Kyungsoo says loud enough for Chanyeol to hear.

Listening to what the smaller said, Chanyeol snorts and makes a turn to the left. He slows down when they are nearing their destination.

He stops the scooter and both males get off from the two-wheeled vehicle.

Taking off his helmet, Chanyeol looks at Kyungsoo who is already putting down his helmet onto the seat of the  scooter. “Relax, Kyungsoo. This is only for display, okay? Jongin knows.”

Kyungsoo just sighs again. Honestly, he is tired with the company’s strategy to gain more profit by promoting their artists as couples. Playing, complimenting or saying sweet things towards each other; it’s all about the marketing. And this time around, he is told to pair with Chanyeol.

It’s not that Kyungsoo hates Chanyeol. Of course not, they are together as band members  and despite Chanyeol (plus that diva-like Baekhyun) being annoyingly loud most of the time, they are good friends.

However, no matter how good they are with each other, it always irks Kyungsoo when he has to be extra touchy with that taller boy more than what he is comfortable with.

Also, the interaction that they act out always makes Jongin feels a bit sad even if the tanned skin boy never admit it. And Kyungsoo certainly dislikes it when his boyfriend is sad.

A sad Jongin is a sad Kyungsoo.

“So this is my aunt’s bookstore,” Chanyeol’s deep voice bursts Kyungsoo’s bubble of thoughts.

Today, because they have no activities to do, almost everyone in the band goes out somewhere. But their manager specifically suggested that Chanyeol and Kyungsoo go out together, which Kyungsoo unwillingly agreed so that the fans or shippers have something to spazz about. Meanwhile Jongin decided to spend out some time with his mom.

The bookstore is located in a quite secluded area, because it’s a small one targeted just for the residents of the nearest neighbourhood and Kyungsoo is thankful for that. There are just a few high school students who recognize and took a few photos of them earlier. The news about them going out together must be all over the SNS accounts later, Kyungsoo wearily thinks.

Both of the males steps into the bookstore. The place looks nice with wooden bookshelves almost reaching the ceiling and a cozy couch in the corner. It looks rather old but not so. There is just an old couple flipping through some books at the first shelf.

A lady at the counter greets them.

“Oh, Chanyeol! Welcome! It’s been so long,” the lady chimes.

Chanyeol smiles widely. “Yeah, I’ve been busy. Anyway, Aunt Choi, this is Kyungsoo, one of my band members,” he says while gesturing at Kyungsoo.

“Hello,” Kyungsoo greets her with a bow.

Aunt Choi smiles wider. “Ah, yes yes! I think I’ve seen you in the tv,” she says excitedly.

“Of course you have, we’re so popular these days, you know,” Chanyeol says slyly.

Kyungsoo just snorts.

Aunt Choi laughs. “Of course, of course… Anyway, go have a seat and I’ll make you some drinks. Or you can go check out the books… whatever you want.”

“We can have drinks here in this bookstore?” Kyungsoo asks, a little shocked.

“Dear, this store is like my second home, so I might as well make it like one. Also, you guys are my special customers, so yeah,” Aunt Choi smiles again and disappears at the back after calling for a worker to take over the counter.

Chanyeol plops on the couch and fiddles with his phone while Kyungsoo goes over to the bookshelves.

Kyungsoo runs his fingers over a row of books. He’s not the one who reads much, unlike Jongin. Kyungsoo would say that Jongin is one of those hardcore readers who reads books that are hard to read (well, for Kyungsoo they are) at any time given.

He feels his phone vibrates through his pants pocket and he fishes the device out. It’s a text from Jongin.

‘You okay there with Chanyeol?’ - Jongin

Kyungsoo smiles. Jongin always checks on him whenever he’s out somewhere. But now he can sense Jongin’s gloomy mood through his text- no smileys, no heart emoticon; just question. He quickly types his reply.

‘I’m okay. You?’ - Kyungsoo

After Jongin replies with a short ‘yeah’, Kyungsoo puts his phone back inside his pocket. He mindlessly takes out a book from the shelf and flips through it. In no time, surprisingly he is indulged with it and keeps picking out books and flipping through the pages without realizing. He doesn’t realize when Aunt Choi comes back and gives them some warm tea and Chanyeol just lets him be.

After god-knows-how-much time has passed, there are a stack of books besides Kyungsoo who is sitting Indian-style on the floor in front of the bookshelf. He snaps back to reality when a deep voice calls his name.

“Kyungsoo… Kyungsoo, we should go now. It’s getting late,” Chanyeol calls from the couch.

The wide-eyed male reply with an ‘okay’ before standing up, dusting off non-existent dirt on his pants and picking up the pile of books with him.

Chanyeol looks at the books in Kyungsoo’s hold. “Are you going to buy all of those?” he asks and Kyungsoo thinks he hears Chanyeol mutters ‘for real?’

But it’s that question that makes Kyungsoo realizes that he doesn’t have much money with him that moment and he doesn’t want to borrow from Chanyeol either.

So he quickly chooses two titles among the books and puts the rest of them back to the shelf. A small regret fills his heart. He really, really wants to buy all that he already chose earlier.

Kyungsoo drinks the already cold tea in one go before catching up with Chanyeol walking to the counter. He pays for the books and they wave Aunt Choi goodbye.

“Are those for Jongin?” asks Chanyeol as he looks at the plastic bag containing the books. They put on their helmets.

Kyungsoo smiles warmly, a face comes in mind. “Yes.”

-

Yet later Kyungsoo is nervous and worried.

Chanyeol and him are walking to their dorm. And Kyungsoo is suddenly feeling nervous and a bit antsy. He’s worried that the books he bought earlier do not suit Jongin’s liking (even though he knows exactly what genre that Jongin likes), considering he is no expert when it comes to books. Also, this is the first time he has given his boyfriend some reading material because he never really need to as Jongin always buys books by himself. So yes, he’s nervous.

The door is opened by a sleepy Baekhyun and the poor boy plops right back on the couch to continue his sleep after opening the door.

Kyungsoo marches into his shared bedroom with Jongin and Chanyeol, with Chanyeol in tow. Opening the door, he notices Jongin’s phone and shirt scattered on his bed. So Jongin must have been back from his meeting with his mom. But the person himself is nowhere to be found in the room.

Putting the plastic bag containing the books carefully on the bed, Kyungsoo hastily walks out from the room in an attempt to find Jongin. He finds out that Junmyeon and Sehun are still out when he checks their empty room, and his searching finds an end when he hears the shower running inside the bathroom.

He walks back into his bedroom and changes into one of his oversized sweater, not minding to wear any pants. Meanwhile Chanyeol is slumping on his bed, playing this new game which Kyungsoo personally describes as ‘noisy’, ‘trash’ and ‘childish’.

Kyungsoo is just hearing Chanyeol groaning and muttering something like ‘this is hard’ and ‘how to win this’ when Jongin casually strides into the room.

Kyungsoo is somehow flustered looking at Jongin who only wears a sweatpants without any shirt on, hair still wet with water dripping down and a towel draped on his neck. He quickly averts his eyes and hopes that the warmth he feels creeping on his cheek does not show. No matter how many times he has seen Jongin’s bare body and even touched it before, he is still somewhat shy about it. All these times they’ve been together and Jongin still has that effect on Kyungsoo.

“Oh, you guys are back,” Jongin says rather monotonously.

Kyungsoo bites his cheek inside when Jongin proceeds to walk towards his bed, sliding a palm over Kyungsoo’s back for a short moment in the process and not kissing him like he usually does when he greets him home. He is sure Jongin is still in his ‘sulking mood’.

The smaller boy breathes out heavily. “Jongin,” he calls.

“Mom gave you this,” Jongin doesn’t answer and instead hands him a box of packets supplemental drinks. “I told her about that time when you felt your throat dry and sore and she told me to give you this. She said it’s good for your throat.”

And Kyungsoo feels like sobbing. He looks at the box and bites his lower lip.

In the background, the sound of the front door being opened and followed by Sehun’s voice shouting ‘let’s eat! Junmyeon-hyung bought us pizza! Extra large! Extra large!’ are heard.

Both Jongin and Kyungsoo don’t even realize that Chanyeol has went out of the room earlier.

Jongin says nothing and later sits on his bed. He notices the plastic bag and takes a look. “What’s this?”

“Oh, those are… are-“ Kyungsoo stutters. The nervousness he felt earlier comes back.

“Books,” Jongin helpfully finishes his sentence. He looks at the titles.

The smaller looks down on his feet. “For you.” And before Jongin could say anything more, Kyungsoo quickly exclaims, “But first, I’m so sorry if these books don’t suit your liking or maybe you have read this before but hopefully not but you know how I am with books, well, except for recipe books, yes I’m an expert about that but yeah, you-“

“Kyungsoo,” Jongin cuts his boyfriend’s non-fullstop sentence and takes Kyungsoo’s right hand in his. “I love it. I love these. Thank you.”

Looking at Jongin’s honest eyes, relief falls all over Kyungsoo and he lets out a small laughter.

They put the books and the supplemental drinks away and cuddle together on the bed with Kyungsoo on the taller’s lap.

The smaller boy circles his hands around Jongin’s neck. The warmth radiating from Jongin’s bare upper body gives Kyungsoo comfort he couldn’t define. After an intense gaze towards each other, their lips meet in a languid pace.

Parting away, Kyungsoo spots the fond look Jongin has towards him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Jongin’s right hand on Kyungsoo’s hip creeps up under the oversized sweater and feels the soft skin there. His boyfriend’s face is flushed because of the kisses and the touches. “You bought me books. It means that you thought about me even while you were away with other people.”

“And you told your mom about my throat. You were thinking of me too, Jongin,” Kyungsoo gives him a peck and then buries his face in the crook of Jongin’s neck. He kisses the skin there. “I always think of you Jongin. You are always on my mind and I know this is lame but I just want to remind you over and over again that I’m always yours no matter who I’m with at the moment. Trust me, Jongin. I’m always yours as it has always been,” he says, a bit emotional. He knows what he just said is too sudden and maybe makes him sounds like a sap but he just doesn’t care because Jongin has the tendency to feel like Kyungsoo is going to slip away if he doesn’t love hard enough.

And it hurts. It hurts him because he needs Jongin to trust him that he is not going anywhere. But however it is, Kyungsoo doesn’t mind even if he has to deal with a sulking Jongin and that he needs to constantly tells Jongin how much he loves him because that is just how Jongin is; Jongin’s own way to love Kyungsoo.

Jongin kisses the side of Kyungsoo’s forehead. “I know, I’m sorry. I just… it- it irks me to have you spending time with someone else and people seems to like the idea of you and Chanyeol or anyone else together when it should be me. I would love to take a ride on the bike with you and go to the bookstore and kiss you without caring about what people say.”

Kyungsoo tighten his arms around Jongin. “One day, Jongin. One day…”

They kiss again. This time with urgency, like they are continuing to talk and telling all the things they feel towards each other without speaking.

 “I also bought you the takoyaki ingredients. You told me the other day that we run out of them, right? They are in the fridge.” Jongin smiles, bumping their nose together after a few minutes of silence and just relishing in each other’s company.

Kyungsoo looks at Jongin, eyebrows lift together in an amused expression. “You chose the ingredients yourself?”

“No, my mom helped,” Jongin croaks his voice rather shyly. The tips of his ears become red. He knows he is seriously bad at cooking, and although Kyungsoo doesn’t mind a bit, sometimes his petite boyfriend loves to about that.

Kyungsoo chuckles at Jongin’s reaction.

Jongin cups both of Kyungsoo’s cheeks and leans in.

-

A/N: LOL what have I done. I’m sorry I failed.

Also, you can follow me on twitter to spazz about exo or kaisoo or monggu or bubble tea or… yeah you get what I mean. I’m so lonely so pls lol