the worst date ever (drabble)
the worst date ever
f.cuz, jinchul/yejun, g, 954w
Because I'm pursuing freedom
Pursuing myself; I'm pursuing my own
Pursuing close friends
Pursuing what those days afterward will be like
Pursuing life
-- "Pursuit"
For the new year, Jinchul has but one resolution: to be absolutely honest. Younghak is moved by his hyung's manly spirit when Jinchul makes the announcement, but Yejun rolls his eyes.
"Nothing good comes from being honest," he says. Jinchul raises an eyebrow and approaches with his hands on his hips.
"Really? Nothing at all?"
Yejun puffs out his chest and nods. "Absolutely nothing," he replies solemnly. Jinchul sits on the edge of the couch and regards Yejun with a frown.
"Be ready at 10AM tomorrow."
Yejun glares. "Why? Tomorrow's our day off."
Jinchul smirks. "We're going on a date."
Yejun thinks that Jinchul is joking, so it comes as a rude shock when Jinchul shakes him awake and ushers him into the bathroom to wash up at 9AM. An outfit is laid out for him when he returns to the bedroom, which he pulls on without even opening his eyes. He grumbles at Younghak's sleeping form, envying his happy snores.
"Let's get going!" Jinchul's voice booms from the living room. Yejun trudges out of the bedroom and throws a lazy punch in Jinchul's direction, instead ending up face-first against his friend's shoulder.
"You suck," Yejun grumbles against Jinchul's sweater.
Jinchul mutters something and through his hazy eyes, Yejun watches Jinchul's cheeks turn bright pink. An unusual reaction, but Yejun is far too sleepy to care. He forgets it completely when Jinchul next announces that they will not be taking the car to wherever they're going.
"It'll wake you up," Jinchul explains, pinching Yejun's cheeks. "The date will be no fun if you're comatose."
Fifteen minutes later, Yejun is seated on a bench in the park near their dorm. His mind, while much more awake, is absolutely muddled. Jinchul is standing in line a ways away, getting them breakfast from a street vendor.
When Jinchul had first said they were going on a date, Yejun had, of course, assumed it was a joke. When Jinchul had woken him up this morning for the date, Yejun had assumed that Jinchul was just teasing him. When Jinchul had taken him to the park, Yejun had assumed that Jinchul was just bored or really enjoying making him angry. Then things had gotten weird. Jinchul had attempted nervous small-talk at first, but Yejun's less than enthusiastic response had put a stop to that. As they'd walked through the park, which turned out to be kind of pretty, Jinchul had gotten rather pouty but refused to tell Yejun why. And then he'd left Yejun on a bench while he ran off to get them something to eat.
Yejun can't shake the feeling that this is awfully date-like behavior. Not messing-with-my-friend but actually-trying-date-him behavior. Jinchul brings them back some kind of meat on a stick and Yejun chews on it thoughtfully.
"So, uh, it's nice out," Jinchul says through bites.
"Uh-huh."
"The trees are really... nice."
"Uh-huh."
"You look... nice."
Yejun crushes his napkin in his hand and tosses it at Jinchul's beet-red face. Jinchul yelps and knocks the trash away, gaping at Yejun's suspicious glare. "What the hell was that for?" he demands.
Very slowly, Yejun finishes chewing the food in his mouth and swallows. Eyes narrowed to slits, he asks, "Is this a date?"
Jinchul balks.
"Like a real, actual date?"
There's a long pause before Jinchul gives one hesitant nod. Yejun nods back a few times, rolling his tongue around his mouth and pursing his lips.
"Interesting."
They walk around the park for another hour. Yejun plays on an old swingset they come across, slides down a rusted slide. He waits for Jinchul to say something, but they remain in awkward, unusual silence. In all their years as friends, Yejun never remembers finding it so hard to talk to Jinchul. He tries to hide his pout as they make their way back out of the park.
"That was a strange date," Yejun condludes as they sit at the bottom of the sits which lead up to their dorm.
Jinchul sighs. "You didn't even know it was a date."
Slightly offended, Yejun elbows Jinchul gently in the side. "How was I supposed to know you were serious?" He pouts and Jinchul grins, shaking his head. Yejun smiles at Jinchul's familiar grin and scoots closer, leaning against Jinchul's side for warmth. "You owe me an explanation," Yejun says haughtily.
An arm wraps around Yejun's shoulders and he curls up comfortably. "Too stupid to figure it out by yourself?"
"I figured it out while you were getting breakfast. I just want you to say it."
A cold set of knuckles dig into Yejun's scalp and he growls and knocks away Jinchul's hand. "Why should I say it if you already know?"
"Because," yejun replies snidely, "I'll give you a reward!"
Jinchul raises his eyebrows doubtfully but shrugs. "Fine." He takes a deep breath and grins again. "I like you, Yejun."
Yejun smiles back smugly and pokes Jinchul's side. "Since when?"
"Oh, come on," he whines and tries to stand up. Yejun latches onto Jinchul's ar back down.
"Don't you want your reward?"
"Fine," Jinchul grumbles. His face goes incredibly pink as he speaks. "I've liked you since the moment I met you. I've always liked you. You've just been too stupid to notice."
Yejun's very tempted to smack him at those last words, but Jinchul's face is already red enough. "Good job," he says. "Now close your eyes."
A surprised smile. "You really are an idiot."
"Do it!" Yejun orders, and Jinchul obeys this time, still smiling.
Yejun kisses him, and it doesn't feel like the first time.
"Can I be honest?" Jinchul asks as Yejun returns to snuggling up beside him on the steps.
"No."
"You're a bad kisser."
f.cuz, jinchul/yejun, g, 954w
Because I'm pursuing freedom
Pursuing myself; I'm pursuing my own
Pursuing close friends
Pursuing what those days afterward will be like
Pursuing life
-- "Pursuit"
For the new year, Jinchul has but one resolution: to be absolutely honest. Younghak is moved by his hyung's manly spirit when Jinchul makes the announcement, but Yejun rolls his eyes.
"Nothing good comes from being honest," he says. Jinchul raises an eyebrow and approaches with his hands on his hips.
"Really? Nothing at all?"
Yejun puffs out his chest and nods. "Absolutely nothing," he replies solemnly. Jinchul sits on the edge of the couch and regards Yejun with a frown.
"Be ready at 10AM tomorrow."
Yejun glares. "Why? Tomorrow's our day off."
Jinchul smirks. "We're going on a date."
Yejun thinks that Jinchul is joking, so it comes as a rude shock when Jinchul shakes him awake and ushers him into the bathroom to wash up at 9AM. An outfit is laid out for him when he returns to the bedroom, which he pulls on without even opening his eyes. He grumbles at Younghak's sleeping form, envying his happy snores.
"Let's get going!" Jinchul's voice booms from the living room. Yejun trudges out of the bedroom and throws a lazy punch in Jinchul's direction, instead ending up face-first against his friend's shoulder.
"You suck," Yejun grumbles against Jinchul's sweater.
Jinchul mutters something and through his hazy eyes, Yejun watches Jinchul's cheeks turn bright pink. An unusual reaction, but Yejun is far too sleepy to care. He forgets it completely when Jinchul next announces that they will not be taking the car to wherever they're going.
"It'll wake you up," Jinchul explains, pinching Yejun's cheeks. "The date will be no fun if you're comatose."
Fifteen minutes later, Yejun is seated on a bench in the park near their dorm. His mind, while much more awake, is absolutely muddled. Jinchul is standing in line a ways away, getting them breakfast from a street vendor.
When Jinchul had first said they were going on a date, Yejun had, of course, assumed it was a joke. When Jinchul had woken him up this morning for the date, Yejun had assumed that Jinchul was just teasing him. When Jinchul had taken him to the park, Yejun had assumed that Jinchul was just bored or really enjoying making him angry. Then things had gotten weird. Jinchul had attempted nervous small-talk at first, but Yejun's less than enthusiastic response had put a stop to that. As they'd walked through the park, which turned out to be kind of pretty, Jinchul had gotten rather pouty but refused to tell Yejun why. And then he'd left Yejun on a bench while he ran off to get them something to eat.
Yejun can't shake the feeling that this is awfully date-like behavior. Not messing-with-my-friend but actually-trying-date-him behavior. Jinchul brings them back some kind of meat on a stick and Yejun chews on it thoughtfully.
"So, uh, it's nice out," Jinchul says through bites.
"Uh-huh."
"The trees are really... nice."
"Uh-huh."
"You look... nice."
Yejun crushes his napkin in his hand and tosses it at Jinchul's beet-red face. Jinchul yelps and knocks the trash away, gaping at Yejun's suspicious glare. "What the hell was that for?" he demands.
Very slowly, Yejun finishes chewing the food in his mouth and swallows. Eyes narrowed to slits, he asks, "Is this a date?"
Jinchul balks.
"Like a real, actual date?"
There's a long pause before Jinchul gives one hesitant nod. Yejun nods back a few times, rolling his tongue around his mouth and pursing his lips.
"Interesting."
They walk around the park for another hour. Yejun plays on an old swingset they come across, slides down a rusted slide. He waits for Jinchul to say something, but they remain in awkward, unusual silence. In all their years as friends, Yejun never remembers finding it so hard to talk to Jinchul. He tries to hide his pout as they make their way back out of the park.
"That was a strange date," Yejun condludes as they sit at the bottom of the sits which lead up to their dorm.
Jinchul sighs. "You didn't even know it was a date."
Slightly offended, Yejun elbows Jinchul gently in the side. "How was I supposed to know you were serious?" He pouts and Jinchul grins, shaking his head. Yejun smiles at Jinchul's familiar grin and scoots closer, leaning against Jinchul's side for warmth. "You owe me an explanation," Yejun says haughtily.
An arm wraps around Yejun's shoulders and he curls up comfortably. "Too stupid to figure it out by yourself?"
"I figured it out while you were getting breakfast. I just want you to say it."
A cold set of knuckles dig into Yejun's scalp and he growls and knocks away Jinchul's hand. "Why should I say it if you already know?"
"Because," yejun replies snidely, "I'll give you a reward!"
Jinchul raises his eyebrows doubtfully but shrugs. "Fine." He takes a deep breath and grins again. "I like you, Yejun."
Yejun smiles back smugly and pokes Jinchul's side. "Since when?"
"Oh, come on," he whines and tries to stand up. Yejun latches onto Jinchul's ar back down.
"Don't you want your reward?"
"Fine," Jinchul grumbles. His face goes incredibly pink as he speaks. "I've liked you since the moment I met you. I've always liked you. You've just been too stupid to notice."
Yejun's very tempted to smack him at those last words, but Jinchul's face is already red enough. "Good job," he says. "Now close your eyes."
A surprised smile. "You really are an idiot."
"Do it!" Yejun orders, and Jinchul obeys this time, still smiling.
Yejun kisses him, and it doesn't feel like the first time.
"Can I be honest?" Jinchul asks as Yejun returns to snuggling up beside him on the steps.
"No."
"You're a bad kisser."