A ride to Love - 1/1 - (Onew x Kibum)
Title: A ride to Love
Paring: Onew/Kibum
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, humor, AU
Chapter: 1/1
Warnings: -
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine except from the plot.
Beta: kpoppets
Summary: A boy with chocolate brown hair and narrow dark eyes makes Jinki's bus ride to school a little less horrible.
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A ride to Love
The bus ride from Jinki's home to school takes almost forty minutes. School starts at 8 a.m, and Jinki always leaves his house at seven, to take the bus that arrives eight minutes later, at 7:08 a.m.
When the blue bus picks him up it's barely half full, so Jinki doesn't need to look that carefully for an empty seat. He likes to sit in the back of the bus close to the door, that way he doesn't have to struggle so much when it's time to get off.
After fifteen minutes the bus is full; jammed wall to wall with stressful, unpleasant people where all that matters to them is to make sure you're in time. People force their way in and out of the bus, mercilessly elbowing whoever happens to be in their way.
To say the least, the bus ride is not only boring but painful and nasty as well. It's sweaty and awkward, hot and stinky. A few times - a little too often, honestly - a person who would sweat a little more than normal, forget to brush their teeth or use unwashed clothes would take the seat next to Jinki, and Jinki would spend the rest of the ride trying to concentrate on holding his breath. But even without a smelly person beside him the ride is horrible. After twenty minutes his butt starts hurting and he mentally groans to himself because there is still twenty minutes left. Sleeping had been his escape the first few months, until he one day realized someone had taken advantage of his unconsciousness and woke up with his cellphone gone.
But one day, a random Tuesday morning in August, a boy with chocolate brown hair and narrow dark eyes stepped inside the blue bus. His uniform, one Jinki still can't recognize, was put on properly; the collar being carefully folded, the tie nicely knotted and all buttons being buttoned. Even though the boy had been pretty far away Jinki had no problems in taking in the boy's features, his high cheekbones, his well defined jaw and his pink (...lip glossed?) plump lips.
And so, Jinki stopped thinking that the bus ride from his home to school was as horrible as he first had told himself.
~ * ~
Today Key almost missed the bus. He had to run and wave at the driver to not leave just yet and when he finally joins the crowd inside he's panting.
Jinki calls the boy Key because the first time he had seen him, he had been wearing a long necklace with a big, sparkling key on. He usually wears accessories with keys on, so Jinki figured he likes them.
Even though Jinki has never seen Key with his casual clothes on, but just the school uniform, he knows Key is the type of guy that knows what he is wearing, one that takes his good time dressing himself in the morning. Jinki can see it in the way Key always walks into the bus with his hair styled to the left, bangs covering his forehead, and the small details - rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces - that suddenly doesn't make him look the the regular student he is.
Even now, he is looking as relaxed and comfortable as ever, leaning casually against one of the bus poles, when he had been running for his life just minutes earlier.
Key's bus stop is the sixth one, he enters the bus twenty-one, twenty-two minutes after Jinki. The bus is always filled with people by then, so Key always ends up without a seat. Once, Jinki has considered getting up and offer him his seat - or actually, he has considered that a lot more than just once - but it never happens. Key is always so far away, he almost always stands in the front of the bus. The few times he hasn't, Jinki finds himself sitting against the window, being trapped between the window and another person, so getting up and offer Key his seat wouldn't be nice but just weird.
In other words, Key doesn't know anything about his creepy admirer and honestly, Jinki prefers it that way. He knows he and Key come from two complete different worlds.
Jinki is one of the best students in his class. That obviously has its price; Jinki doesn't go out that often. He doesn't have too many friends, just a few close ones. Ones that he won't hang out with after school, because after school Jinki doesn't hang out with anyone.
He knows Key isn't like that, because Key simply doesn't look like the typical nerd. He looks more like the type that doesn't care much about school because he is busy being young. He probably doesn't spend too much time on his homework because there are tons of other things a lot more interesting, friends, parties... girls? In the bus he always look so careless compared to Jinki and he is almost always texting someone, sometimes he spends the whole ride to school looking at nothing but the phone in his hands. He must have a lot of friends, Jinki thinks.
But that doesn't change the fact that Jinki thinks Key is beautiful; that it makes the new born butterflies in his stomach to go wild whenever Key does something as simple as turn his head to flip his hair or just look up from his cellphone at Jinki's direction.
~ * ~
Today the butterflies in his stomach were killed by a huge stone. Jinki had been waiting for Key just like he has these two past months, only to feel a heavy knot build in his stomach when he realizes Key isn't alone today.
A thin girl in a matching uniform is keeping him company. The bus is full and so they both end up standing, sandwiched in the small crowd of people. They are close friends, neither of them seem to be nervous in the others presence. Her hand is on Key's shoulder, supporting herself to not lose her balance, and Jinki finds himself stretching his neck to make sure Key's hands aren't touching her. He isn't, one hand is holding the seat to his right for support and the other is inside his pants pocket. Jinki lets out a low sigh of relief.
Till he realizes that maybe Key doesn't need to touch the girl next to him, maybe they're that close. Jinki has never seen this girl before, so she can't live nearby and that only leaves the conclusion that... Did she sleep at Key's house? Is she his girlfriend?
Once again Jinki stretches his neck, this time almost standing up a little and gains suspicious looks from the man next to him. In that exact moment Key laughs, mouth wide open and his peering eyes looking like two lines on his face from Jinki's distance, at something inaudible the short haired brunette said. Key's laugh is contagious and Jinki feels one of the butterflies surviving the big rock, as it slowly starts fluttering it's wings.
~ * ~
Today Key isn't alone this time either, he has two friends with him; a tall male in dark brown hair, almost black, and a the same girl from three weeks ago.
The girl is just a clingy as she had been then, if not worse, and Jinki seriously considers throwing something at them "by accident". Be it a piece of paper, his bag, a shoe. He almost does when Key says something that makes the girl laugh and she leans forward to give him a quick peck on his cheek.
But before his body can react faster than his mind (something it does way too often) the dark haired male saves Jinki's heart and life and soul and whatever else there is to save, when he lets out an almost audible “Yah!” and pouts. The girl laughs even more before giving the tall boy a peck too, this time being a lot shyer, her own cheeks suddenly looking a little redder. The boy blushes too and Key rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
Thank you, tall, dark haired dude. Jinki thinks with a smile. Thank you.
~ * ~
Today Jinki realizes he's getting to know Key. Almost four months have passed and in his own weird way, he's slowly getting to know him.
He knows Key likes sarcasm, sometimes when he's talking on the phone he rolls his eyes or chuckles. He knows Key is cocky, sometimes whenever someone with (what Key considers) ugly clothes enters the bus Key eyes them from head to toe, one eyebrow raised. He knows Key is a perfectionist, whenever he gets the chance he raises his hand to fix a few misplaces strands of hair or to adjust his uniform. He knows Key likes himself, whenever he can he checks himself out in the window reflection, probably a little longer than most people.
He also knows Key makes him happy, even though Key has never even once looked at him.
~ * ~
Today Jinki realizes that he is a bigger creep than he first thought. It took him six months to gather enough courage to intentionally not take a seat, but remain standing. Yes, he is waiting, or at least hoping, that Key will miraculously stand beside him. And if he does Jinki has promised himself he will talk to him. Just a cool “hi” and a handsome smile will do the trick.
The ride to Key's bus stop has never felt so long. Everything is going in slow motion, Jinki's heartbeat included. In his mind he is counting down the stops.
Three.
Two.
One.
When the bus finally stops, Jinki's heart does too. And when the doors finally opens he loses it. I can't do this. What are you doing, Jinki? God, I can't do this.
Key gets on the bus like all other days, pays and starts scanning the bus for an empty seat. Jinki thinks he does it by habit, because there are never any empty seats left when Key enters the bus. Except from today.
Of course.
Key quickly makes his may past Jinki and some other standing passengers, so fast Jinki barely has time to react. When he sits down, crosses his legs and starts playing with his phone, Jinki almost get this sudden urge to cry.
Of fucking course.
He had almost even started believing that he actually was going to get chance to talk to Key. Maybe not a calm “hi” and a charming smile, but at least something. Whatever would gain Key's attention even for just a split second, and let him know that Jinki exists. Just one second of his time, that's all Jinki wants.
But no.
He sighs heavily, one hand running over his face. He can't even let himself look at Key during the whole ride because just fuck! Why the heck do things like this happen to him? Jinki is a nice guy, everyone says that, that's he's the type that genuinely cares for people. He does what he's told to do, he always tries his best, he never asks for anything. Why do things like this happen to him.
The rest of the ride Jinki is pissed. He has never felt so frustrated before, and he isn't even sure why he is feeling like this. It isn't anyone's fault except from his own, no one told him to create false hopes, to picture a scene of him and Key so detailed it almost seemed real.
He doesn't turn to look at Key till the bus stops thirteen minutes later because this is where Key gets off. With little struggle Key snakes his way through the crowd and get off the bus. With a lot more struggle Jinki get off the bus too.
It isn't till the sound of the bus driving away behind him, till a cold winter breeze slaps him across the face, that Jinki realizes what he just has done.
Key is walking in front of him, his bag casually slung over his right shoulder, thankfully unaware of the creepy stalker a few feet behind him. Jinki's feet are acting on their own, forcing him to walk at Key's direction but still keeping a socially acceptable distance between them.
What is he supposed to say? If he ends up (Dear Lord, no) catching up with him, what the heck is he supposed to say? “Hi, my name is Jinki and I kind of like you even though I don't really know you, so I decided to, you know, follow you to school. By the way, I've been watching you these past six months”?
Jinki stops walking. He is genuinely starting to worry himself.
Sighing to himself for the second time this morning he slowly turns around and walks back to the bus stop. Now he is going to be late for school too. Wonderful.
~ * ~
Today Key doesn't show up and Jinki slowly but surely starts to panic. Did Key see him yesterday? Oh God, what if he did and is scared to death now because Jinki totally freaked him out and what if he calls the police or - worse - starts taking another bus to school. What if he even quit school, because he's so terrified of leaving the house now thanks to Jinki?
Jinki, you're the biggest idiot there is. You're the idiot of the idiots.
Or, maybe Key just overslept, like any other normal person.
Jinki even laughs a little at himself.
~ * ~
The following day Key still hasn't shown up. It's Friday, tomorrow Jinki won't be taking this bus.
Instead of seriously starting to consider that maybe Jinki really did scare the shit out of Key, he decides to be a little more realistic: Key is probably sick and staying home from school.
His chest starts hurting a little.
Hopefully, it's just a cold. It's February, lots of people get sick around this time of the year. No need to be worried. Jinki even tries to cheer himself up in thinking that if Key really is sick then he's surely going to recover during the weekend. On Monday everything will be back to normal, Key will return in his flawless old self and Jinki can go back to being his creepy old self.
Jinki spends the rest of the ride imagining himself taking care of Key, Key who he just knows looks adorable even with a runny nose and red cheeks and tired eyes.
~ * ~
Key is still gone. Just like yesterday and the day before that. Jinki hasn't seen even a glimpse of him, even when he has lingered his eyes at Key's bus stop, hoping to see a skinny male in gorgeous hair running towards the bus.
With a pained chest and a lump in his throat Jinki faces the fact that Key has moved.
Maybe it's for the best. It's better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. Besides, Jinki never got to really make a fool out of himself and that surely is for the best. Key has simply just been a temporary distraction anyway.
The most beautiful temporary distraction Jinki has ever had the chance to experience.
The bus ride goes back to being horrible again, just like it had been six months ago. Smelly and sweaty people, a numb butt, the lack of air... in a split second it's all back. And it hurt more than it ever had before.
~ * ~
Today Jinki almost dies of a heart attack. No, seriously, he almost died. If not by a heart attack then by his own spit choking him. That's what happens when way too many mixed feelings collides in a violent crash.
Today it happened. Jinki's dreams (almost) came true. Today Jinki wants to disappear from the face of earth.
After being gone for more than a week, Key is back and he is sitting next to him.
The seat next to Jinki had been free and as soon as the (smelly) man next to him walked out Key quickly makes his way to him, like a goddamn cat because Jinki genuinely hadn't noticed him.
And now, he is sitting next to him and Jinki has his cellphone in his hands and is pressing random buttons and is feeling the sweat build on his neck and upper lip and his hands shaking and just oh god.
He has to say something. This is destiny, this won't happen again, not in a century. A opportunity from God has just been presented right in front of his eyes and Jinki has to do something. Key is sitting right next to him, so close Jinki can feel his sweet (slightly feminine, actually) perfume.
Taking a silent deep breath, Jinki dares to slowly look away from his phone, over to Key. He starts by looking down at the boy's hands on his lap, taking in details he hasn't discovered yet, even though he had spent half a year looking, observing, admiring him. Key's hands are just like Jinki imagined them to be - elegant. Long and slender fingers, his nails short and... manicured?
Jinki frowns a little unconsciously. He looks at his own fingers.
Sure, his own nails aren't as pretty and well taken care off as Key's but, really, manicured? Manicure is for girls, their nails are longer. Just cutting them is enough for a guy because who pays any attention to a guy's nails anyway? Of course, Jinki won't deny that-
Wait.
Why the hell is he thinking about Key's nails at a time like this, when Key in his almighty self is sitting right freaking next him, when he finally has him this close, just inches away from him. Yes, dammit, he is sitting right next to him! And Jinki won't let this pass, or else he will never, ever forgive himself. God probably won't either.
The brilliant idea of asking for the time crosses his mind. That's a common question and doesn't take that much courage. Or brain capacity for that matter. It will be subtle, but still enough to gain Key's attention at least for a little while. He will even get to hear Key's voice, and Key will never know what kind of creep Jinki actually is. Not even Jinki can screw up a question like that.
He takes today's second silent deep breath.
“Excuse me,” he says and Key immediately turns his head.
Holy fuck. He is gorgeous.
Suddenly, the connection between Jinki's brain and mouth doesn't seem to work properly because he doesn't continue speaking. The boy's eyes are beautiful, curiosity obviously in them, waiting for Jinki to continue. He is looking at Jinki in the eyes.
He slowly raises one eyebrow because Jinki is taking way too long to say something.
“Time,” Jinki manages to say and fuck, he must think Jinki is retarded. “D-do you, do you have the time?” he finally says. Asking for the time has never been this difficult.
This time the boy raises both his eyebrows. His eyes goes down to Jinki's cellphone in his hands, before going up to look at Jinki again. At first Jinki doesn't understand what that is supposed to mean. Then he realizes all cell phones in South Korea - all cell phones in the world - have a clock.
Shit.
“M-mine doesn't work,” Jinki says and laughs awkwardly. Yep, he most likely thinks Jinki is retarded.
The suspicious/awkward/surprised look never leaves Key's face. He slowly raises his hand and points at Jinki's wrist. Or not really at his wrist, but at the watch around Jinki's wrist.
All his chances, the chances he didn't even have in the first place, are lost. Completely ruined. Even more than they originally were, because seriously, who spends half a year stalking a guy on a bus?
God, why is Jinki so weird? Why can't he be a normal teenager, get a girlfriend, masturbate to big breasted porn actresses, go out with the friends he should have, skip doing his homework every once in a while.
“Right,” Jinki forces himself to say. “I-I forgot.” And the fact that Key offers him a fake smile out of politeness just makes everything so much worse.
Why can't he be someone... who isn't Lee Jinki. Someone who Key would want to stalk on a bus, and not the other way around. Someone who is actually worthy Key's attention.
~ * ~
Today it's Sunday and Jinki is on his way home from a friend. He isn't sure if this is some lame attempt to act a little more normal, a little more not Jinki-like. Even Jonghyun, his supposed best friend (Jonghyun likes to entitle himself that, because that way he won't feel so bad the many times he asks to copy Jinki's homework), had been surprised when Jinki had called and asked if he wanted to hang out.
They had a good time; Jonghyun had actually done some homework on his own.
It's almost eleven, but Jinki knows he won't get scolded for staying out this late. If anything, his mom is the one complaining that Jinki never leaves the house after school. A few times she has even gotten worried over her son not having any friends. Jinki does have friends, he just likes to spend most afternoons in his room.
He is sitting on a bench waiting for the bus home. It's eight minutes late, but it's alright. Mid March evenings aren't that cold.
The streets are empty of people, even the road is. Once in a while a car drives past, for a moment breaking nature's silence. Jinki is too busy playing with his own fingers to look up when he hears steps walking towards the bus stop.
“Do you to have the time?” a low, sightly nasal, voice suddenly asks. When Jinki raises his head he almost chokes on his own spit.
“A watch,” Key says and Jinki doesn't fail to notice the suppressed smile on his lips when Jinki quickly closes his mouth when realizing (perhaps a little too late) that he is staring at Key with his mouth wide open. “Do you have one?”
“Y-yes, yes. Right, sorry. I was just... Yeah, the time,” Jinki says in one breath, a breath he doesn't realize he had been holding. It's so sudden that he completely forgets he has a watch around his wrist and starts looking for his cellphone in his bag, so clumsily that he ends up dropping the bag and the phone and some books. Great.
A small part of him is thankful his tongue can work without the brain's approval. At least he said something. But a big part of him hates it because it didn't give him time to say something decent.
Finally, he finds his cellphone and looks up at Key with this stupid, proud smile without even realizing it but when Key smiles back, his head tilting just a little, Jinki completely forgets what he is supposed to do. It isn't till Key's smile fades that he remembers. Right, the time.
“10:50.” he says and mentally praises himself for at least not screwing that sentence up. He hadn't even stuttered!
“Alright, thanks,” Key says and it takes a split second for Jinki to panic, because he realizes that was it. Key, appearing out of nowhere again, is talking to him, and now that he got his answer there is nothing left to say.
Jinki's inner voice starts screaming like a maniac, yelling at him to say something to stop Key from leaving. Say something, dammit, say something, say something! But of course, nothing good ever comes out of his mouth like that, under pressure. Especially when you're Lee Jinki.
“P.M.” he says.
Key arches one eyebrow, Jinki doesn't blame him.
“9:50 P.M.” he adds, and asks himself what his point is. Is he trying to fix what he just said, or something?
A few seconds pass in silence and for some reason Jinki seems to be the only one thinking it's awkward. Key looks thoughtful, a slight frown visible on his forehead, as he scans Jinki from head to toe. Jinki can't even manage himself to look back at him. He swallows.
“I'm Kim Kibum,” he finally says and sits down beside Jinki. That single action makes the much needed blood for mental work to make a detour before it reaches Jinki's brain.
Kibum.
The most beautiful name Jinki has ever heard. Even though there is a really annoying guy in Jinki's class named Kibum. But it doesn't matter, because that name coming from him is just perfect.
“Jinki,” Jinki says and after a couple of seconds in uncomfortable silence he adds “Lee Jinki. That's my, uh, name.”
They sit like that, without saying a word, waiting for the bus that was supposed to be here twelve minutes ago and then, Jinki sees the silver colored watch around Kibum's left wrist peeking out form under Kibum's floral jacket. It reads 10:56 p.m.
Confused, he looks up at Key only to realize that Key's looking back at him. He smiles, not a forced smile, not a mocking smile, but just... a smile. He shrugs his shoulders a little, killing yet a few more of Jinki's much needed brain cells.
Jinki would have smiled too if it isn't for the fact that he's trying to figure out how to skillfully hide the unnaturally red color his face has.
But despite the embarrassingly obvious blush and despite Jinki making himself look like a total fool, today Jinki thinks that maybe it's not that bad to be Lee Jinki after all.
the end
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A/N: I know, I know, I haven't posted anything in forever. OTL But I'm back! fomr now. This is kind of like my 3984728934934th comeback ever since I started writing fanfictions /slaps self. I'll really try to update what I'm supposed to update ASAP.
Thanks everyone who still read my stuff and put up with my ridiculously late updates. I ♥ you gaiz~