jongn
in
kaisoommer
(for everyone) Three Kisses
For: Everyone
Title: Three Kisses
Pairings: kai / kyungsoo
Rating: pg - 13
Word Count: 2913 words
Warnings: underage drinking (is this a valid warning? haha)
Summary: (childhood-hs!au) Jongin and Kyungsoo had always come in a pair.
Author’s Note: Thank you to J and friends who tried holding my hand through this, was definitely an interesting experience writing after such a long time, big shout out to mods who did a fantastic job running this exchange, hope you guys like the story
At age 2 and 3 Kim Jongin and Do Kyungsoo were respectively enrolled at Miss Lee’s Daycare for Tots. Kyungsoo, who had attended the daycare for the past summer, bid his parents goodbye and immediately headed towards a pile of his favorite legos. Miss Lee had shown him how to stack the blocks up really really high just last week and he was determined to make the tallest tower he could before the day ended.
Meanwhile at the entrance of their playroom was Kim Jongin, red faced two year old wailing and clinging to his dad for dear life.
“APPA! Don’t leave me, don’t go!” he screamed and buried his face into his dad’s neck while Miss Lee looked on sheepishly. It wasn’t the first time newcomers were reluctant to leave their parents, by now she was kind of an expert on how to get her kids comfortable.
“Jonginah it’s okay, I’ll be back later to pick you up okay?” the man pat his sons back reassuringly, however it did no help to stop his sons crying.
“Jongin? Look at all the kids here why don’t you try meeting some new friends?” Miss Lee tried.
At the sound of her voice, Jongin looked up and scanned around the room, his tears slowing to light sniffles as he plucked his thumb into his mouth. The room was filled with young toddlers fiddling with their respective toys, some running around with each other. His eyes stopped at a small boy in the corner wearing a penguin printed t-shirt. The boy’s eyes were big and round, Jongin thinks he slightly resembles his favorite cartoon that he watches at home.
“Pororo.” Jongin whispers and points to the boy.
Miss Lee leads Jongin by the hand until they’re in front of Kyungsoo and his legos.
“Kyungsoo, we have a new student today, this is Jongin. Why don’t you guys play together until it’s storytime?”
Jongin stares at the boy in front of him, still lightly sucking his thumb. He has really big eyes, and looks just like his favorite Pororo hyung on the t.v. Jongin thinks he already likes this hyung.
Kyungsoo eyes the sleepy eyed boy skeptically, “Do you know what are legos?”
Jongin blinks.
“Well that’s okay, I can teach you…” Kyungsoo pats the space on the floor next to him for Jongin to sit.
And this is how they meet.
-----
At age 11 and 12, Jongin and Kyungsoo had become an inseparable pair. Though young Jongin no longer trailed after Kyungsoo at daycare and despite being in different grades, somehow they managed to stay very good friends. On the weekends they would take turns sleeping at each other’s houses, playing video games and watching the newest action movies.
Occasionally, they would have group sleepovers with their small circle of friends that stayed in contact from Miss Lee’s Daycare. Tonight was one of those nights, everyone was gathered at Kyungsoo’s house, since his parents were the “cool” kind, not minding letting him having a co-ed sleepover.
They all had just finished sitting through a cheesy horror flick where the villain murdered everyone in their sleep. It was around 11p.m and the rest of the house was already quiet, the kids debated on turning in or staying up until the sun comes up, when Krystal suggested they play spin the bottle.
“What’s spin the bottle?” Kyungsoo asked.
“It’s a game my Unni told me about when she came back from America, we all sit in a circle and take turns spinning the bottle. When it lands, we have to kiss the person the bottle is pointing to.” Krystal explained.
“But what if the bottle lands on another boy?” Chanyeol brought up, he had secretly been wanting to kiss Sulli for a while now, but he had second thoughts about kissing someone like Kyungsoo or Baekhyun. He knew for one Baekhyun didn’t like brushing his teeth in the morning.
Krystal all but shrugged, “I guess you have to kiss them too…”
The group looked at each other for a moment.
“Come on guys, my unni says all the cool kids in high school play this nowadays, don’t be chicken.” Krystal stated matter of factly.
The group began to agree one by one, usually whatever Krystal said goes, after all, she was smarter and cooler than the rest of them since she came from America. They all sat down in a circle, and after 7 tiring rounds of rock paper scissors, they finally decided on baekhyun to go first.
The group was rather hesitant first, and Krystal eventually relented saying they were allowed to kiss the cheek instead (not without complaining her friends were a bunch of babies). Everyone relaxed a bit after that, and took turns going around the circle. Eventually Chanyeol did get to kiss Sulli, and Kyungsoo smiled a bit internally, he knew how much Chanyeol had been crushing on her since forever.
When it was Jongin’s turn to spin, somehow Kyungsoo’s heart rate sped up just a little. He noticed he had ended up sitting right across from Jongin, the prospect of kissing his best friend suddenly seemed very possible. But he waved the thoughts away, after all this was Jongin, the kid who called him Pororo hyung the entire first year they knew each other.
It landed on him.
Kyungsoo was so sure Jongin would just peck his cheek and be done with it, but somehow as the room grew quiet, Jongin had crawled over until they were right in front of each other. Kyungsoo’s eyes were just as wide as they zeroed in on Jongin’s lips, he was afraid to make any sound, scared that something embarrassing would give away how nervous he was.
In the background they heard someone groan “get on with it” and Jongin started to lean in. Their friends began cheering and making loud noises, Kyungsoo’s face was so red he could feel the heat radiating off his cheeks, he was so overwhelmed that at the last second he turned his cheek and Jongin’s lips ended up catching the corner of his mouth.
They never talk about this kiss.
------
As time went on, the pair did end up making their own group of friends, Kyungsoo with the kids in his grade, and Jongin in his. Their weekends were no longer spent staying at each other’s houses, as the time for that phase has passed. Even so, they were still friends, best friends even. There was no one Jongin took care of like Kyungsoo and no one else Kyungsoo took care of more than Jongin.
Which is why at 15 and 16, as they sat on the floor at yet another group gathering (their innocent sleepovers involving popcorn flicks and harmless dares evolved into slightly louder parties with alcohol and shameless kissing) Jongin was the first to raise his hand to be Kyungsoo’s black knight when the latter was dared to take shots.
“Again? Jongin why do you have to ruin the fun, I was looking forward to seeing Kyungsoo shitfaced” Baekhyun complained.
“If I got shitfaced who is gonna clean up after all you jerks before tomorrow morning,” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and laughed. “But seriously Jongin, you don’t have to force yourself, I’m not that much of a lightweight.”
Jongin shook his head, “Are you kidding me? Hyung you stopped growing in like middle school I’m pretty sure you’ll go down after just one of these.”
Kyungsoo squawked and lunged for Jongin’s head. This terrible brat.
At the end of the night, Kyungsoo did wind up being the only person left sober enough to clean up (but only because none of his friends let him drink properly he thought). He was just finishing up tucking Baekhyun underneath some blankets on the couch when he heard loud clattering down the hall.
Rushing over, he found Jongin sprawled outside the bathroom pitifully. Kyungsoo sighed.
“I told you not to drink so much,” Kyungsoo shook his head as he hoisted Jongin’s body weight onto himself and lugged him inside the bathroom.
“Heh, but hyung will always take care of me anyway,” Jongin giggled and tried to nuzzle his way into Kyungsoo’s neck.
“Stop that tickles!” Kyungsoo laughs before pushing his head away, “You’re such an idiot.”
“But you still like me best, right hyung?”
“Sure, whatever you say Jongin,” Kyungsoo doesn’t pay attention as he turns the water on, preparing to wipe Jongin off so he can put him to sleep too. He doesn’t notice Jongin staring at him intently until he turns around, freezing at how close their faces were.
“Jongin what---”
Jongin’s eyes are half lidded, his gaze zeroed in on Kyungsoo’s lips and Kyungsoo is speechless, his memories suddenly flash back to 4 years ago and that night. The night he had tried very hard to forget since then, because being dared to kiss your best friend is one thing, but liking the idea of kissing your best friend was something else entirely. He didn’t know how to justify that with himself, and he wouldn’t know how to explain it to Jongin either.
For the same reason, he also decides not to turn away this time around, and Jongin’s lips feel just as nice as he had imagined it to be. He would feel immense guilt for taking advantage of Jongin like this, and he didn’t think to question why Jongin would be like this in the first place, but at the moment, he relished in kissing his best friend that he might have been crushing on for years.
When they part, Jongin’s head collapses into Kyungsoo’s neck, and Kyungsoo himself is too stunned to push him away.
This is their second kiss, they don’t talk about this one either.
-------
A year from that night, Jongin and Kyungsoo are no longer close. At 16 and 17, Jongin and Kyungsoo fell apart just as easily as they came together. Their friendship slowly faded to occasional phones calls, from phone calls to occasional greetings in the hall, and now...this.
It was mostly Kyungsoo’s fault. After that night, even looking at Jongin became difficult, it didn’t seem fair that only he had to burden the memory of their kiss, and to him, it wasn’t fair that only he had to carry the burden of all these feelings. So he avoided them, thinking if he ignored it they would somehow go away, not realizing it would damage their friendship so deeply.
Jongin had tried, he really did. In honesty he was not all that drunk the night they kissed, he remembered every single blissful second of it. He had hoped, it meant that Kyungsoo actually liked him back. What he wasn’t prepared for was the cold treatment Kyungsoo would give him afterwards, avoiding him to the point where he had to take the hint. After so many unanswered calls and failed meetups, he decided it was time to stop.
And so they did.
Their friends had noticed the change before the pair had acknowledged it for themselves, but by that time they were already a lost cause. They didn’t want to admit it, but the only thing keeping them apart was their own dignity.
“What happened to you and Jongin,” Chanyeol decided to bring up at their shared lunch table one day.
“Not this again,” Kyungsoo groaned and dropped his head into his arms. Every so often Chanyeol (being that wonderfully annoying asshole he is) would bring up the fact that once best friends were now ignoring each other, to spite Kyungsoo--to annoy him--whatever the reason, Kyungsoo didn’t particularly appreciate it.
“It’s just curious, you guys were practically attached at the hip at one point.” Chanyeol chewed on his straw obnoxiously.
“We just grew apart I guess,” Kyungsoo shrugged.
“That’s bullshit it was obviously after you guys made--”
“Shhhhhhhhh!” Kyungsoo shushed, “I told you that in confidence!”
“Yeah and now how about take that confidence and go confess?” Chanyeol waved in the general direction across the courtyard where Jongin was goofing around on the lawn with his.
“It’s not that simple Chanyeol, confessing would’ve changed everything, if he didn’t felt the same way...our friendship wouldn’t have been the same.” Kyungsoo sighed and picked at his food.
“Yeah,” Chanyeol scoffed, “and your friendship is so great right now isn’t it?”
“...shut up.” Kyungsoo hated when Chanyeol was right. When he had finally realized what a douchebag he was being, it was already too late.
“Look Kyungsoo, we’re 3rd years now, I just don’t want you to have any regrets when we leave this place.” Chanyeol sighed and pat him on the arm before getting up to throw his tray away.
A few weeks after that conversation, their school had the annual upperclassmen field trip to camp. Of course as luck would have it, Jongin and Kyungsoo end up on the same bus.
Kyungsoo is the one that spots him first, he is sitting at the end of the bus where only a few seats remain and Jongin is headed in his direction. One of those vacancies is the one next to Kyungsoo, when their eyes meet Jongin immediately turns the other direction.
Out of instinct Kyungsoo’s hand reaches for Jongin’s, stopping him in place.
“You don’t have to--you can sit here.” Jongin is silent for a moment, and Kyungsoo adds, “If you want I mean.”
Kyungsoo can’t look at him after that, he opts to stare out the window until he feels the seat beside him dip with Jongin’s weight.
“I thought you didn’t want to talk anymore.”
Kyungsoo turns to him in surprise, “No, that was never my intention I’m sorry.”
“Then what was it hyung, because I don’t get it.” Jongin said. Kyungsoo flinched at the bitterness in his voice.
“I’m sorry...I never wanted to hurt you,” Kyungsoo said slowly, not knowing where he wanted to take this, they had so much to say so much they lost out on.
When Jongin doesn’t respond, he lets the issue drop and stares out the window once again.
Turning back to Jongin, who’s fumbling with an ipod in his hands, he asks quietly, “Jongin...do you remember when we were 12 and Krystal dared us to play spin the bottle?”
Jongin looks up.
“That time...why didn’t you just kiss my cheek?”
Jongin is quiet for a while.
“Honestly, at the time...I don’t know.”
Kyungsoo’s shoulders deflate, that wasn’t the answer he was hoping for.
“But hyung, that’s not the kiss we should be talking about don’t you think?”
Kyungsoo looks up in surprise, “That--last year...you remember that?”
“Of course--hyung, I was hoping you would bring it up so we could talk about it, but you didn’t...instead you avoided me like it was some big mistake. Eventually I just thought you hated it so much, you wouldn’t even look me in the eye.” Jongin looked down into his lap.
Kyungsoo let’s this new information wash over him like a wave of regret, all the times he worried about messing up about giving himself away, all the time he had wasted. With this newfound courage he spoke up.
“I’m sorry Jongin..I was just afraid. I was afraid if you...if you didn’t feel the same way that it would ruin us forever, and I know it doesn’t mean much to say all of this now, with how I treated you but it’s the truth.” Kyungsoo said in one breath, Jongin was still quiet next to him but he ventured and reached for the hand lying next to his own.
They are quiet for the rest of the ride, but Kyungsoo doesn’t let go of Jongin’s hand, not even once.
------
When they got off the bus, Jongin kept his hand clasped over his, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help the small smile that came upon his face, they weren’t perfect yet, and he knew it would take time for them to figure it out, whatever “it” was, but this was definitely a start.
They were given time to unpack and explore on their own, but Jongin seemed to have his own agenda. Without any words, he had led them both to a clearing overlooking a majestic view.
“Hyung...what you just told me on the bus, made me realize how much time we had wasted. I should have tried harder, I shouldn’t have let you get away this year.”
“No Jongin, it wasn’t your fault, it was all me I swear.” Kyungsoo stepped closer, only to realize that Jongin had tears in his eyes.
“No listen hyung, I wasn’t ever clear about this before but I’m going to say it now, I like you hyung. I’ve liked you for a really long time, I can tell you a hundred--no a thousands times if that isn’t enough---”
Kyungsoo cupped Jongin’s face between his palms and leaned up to press a kiss on his lips. They kiss and kiss again, Kyungsoo’s hands eventually travel to clasp behind Jongin’s neck, pushing their mouths together again and again. They kiss until they run out of breath, all the pent up want and longing, passing between them until they are consummed.
At last, this is their third kiss.
As Kyungsoo leans his forehead on Jongin’s, whispering his quiet reassurance and proclamations of his own feelings, he thinks, this is it.
Third time is definitely the charm.
fin.
Title: Three Kisses
Pairings: kai / kyungsoo
Rating: pg - 13
Word Count: 2913 words
Warnings: underage drinking (is this a valid warning? haha)
Summary: (childhood-hs!au) Jongin and Kyungsoo had always come in a pair.
Author’s Note: Thank you to J and friends who tried holding my hand through this, was definitely an interesting experience writing after such a long time, big shout out to mods who did a fantastic job running this exchange, hope you guys like the story
At age 2 and 3 Kim Jongin and Do Kyungsoo were respectively enrolled at Miss Lee’s Daycare for Tots. Kyungsoo, who had attended the daycare for the past summer, bid his parents goodbye and immediately headed towards a pile of his favorite legos. Miss Lee had shown him how to stack the blocks up really really high just last week and he was determined to make the tallest tower he could before the day ended.
Meanwhile at the entrance of their playroom was Kim Jongin, red faced two year old wailing and clinging to his dad for dear life.
“APPA! Don’t leave me, don’t go!” he screamed and buried his face into his dad’s neck while Miss Lee looked on sheepishly. It wasn’t the first time newcomers were reluctant to leave their parents, by now she was kind of an expert on how to get her kids comfortable.
“Jonginah it’s okay, I’ll be back later to pick you up okay?” the man pat his sons back reassuringly, however it did no help to stop his sons crying.
“Jongin? Look at all the kids here why don’t you try meeting some new friends?” Miss Lee tried.
At the sound of her voice, Jongin looked up and scanned around the room, his tears slowing to light sniffles as he plucked his thumb into his mouth. The room was filled with young toddlers fiddling with their respective toys, some running around with each other. His eyes stopped at a small boy in the corner wearing a penguin printed t-shirt. The boy’s eyes were big and round, Jongin thinks he slightly resembles his favorite cartoon that he watches at home.
“Pororo.” Jongin whispers and points to the boy.
Miss Lee leads Jongin by the hand until they’re in front of Kyungsoo and his legos.
“Kyungsoo, we have a new student today, this is Jongin. Why don’t you guys play together until it’s storytime?”
Jongin stares at the boy in front of him, still lightly sucking his thumb. He has really big eyes, and looks just like his favorite Pororo hyung on the t.v. Jongin thinks he already likes this hyung.
Kyungsoo eyes the sleepy eyed boy skeptically, “Do you know what are legos?”
Jongin blinks.
“Well that’s okay, I can teach you…” Kyungsoo pats the space on the floor next to him for Jongin to sit.
And this is how they meet.
-----
At age 11 and 12, Jongin and Kyungsoo had become an inseparable pair. Though young Jongin no longer trailed after Kyungsoo at daycare and despite being in different grades, somehow they managed to stay very good friends. On the weekends they would take turns sleeping at each other’s houses, playing video games and watching the newest action movies.
Occasionally, they would have group sleepovers with their small circle of friends that stayed in contact from Miss Lee’s Daycare. Tonight was one of those nights, everyone was gathered at Kyungsoo’s house, since his parents were the “cool” kind, not minding letting him having a co-ed sleepover.
They all had just finished sitting through a cheesy horror flick where the villain murdered everyone in their sleep. It was around 11p.m and the rest of the house was already quiet, the kids debated on turning in or staying up until the sun comes up, when Krystal suggested they play spin the bottle.
“What’s spin the bottle?” Kyungsoo asked.
“It’s a game my Unni told me about when she came back from America, we all sit in a circle and take turns spinning the bottle. When it lands, we have to kiss the person the bottle is pointing to.” Krystal explained.
“But what if the bottle lands on another boy?” Chanyeol brought up, he had secretly been wanting to kiss Sulli for a while now, but he had second thoughts about kissing someone like Kyungsoo or Baekhyun. He knew for one Baekhyun didn’t like brushing his teeth in the morning.
Krystal all but shrugged, “I guess you have to kiss them too…”
The group looked at each other for a moment.
“Come on guys, my unni says all the cool kids in high school play this nowadays, don’t be chicken.” Krystal stated matter of factly.
The group began to agree one by one, usually whatever Krystal said goes, after all, she was smarter and cooler than the rest of them since she came from America. They all sat down in a circle, and after 7 tiring rounds of rock paper scissors, they finally decided on baekhyun to go first.
The group was rather hesitant first, and Krystal eventually relented saying they were allowed to kiss the cheek instead (not without complaining her friends were a bunch of babies). Everyone relaxed a bit after that, and took turns going around the circle. Eventually Chanyeol did get to kiss Sulli, and Kyungsoo smiled a bit internally, he knew how much Chanyeol had been crushing on her since forever.
When it was Jongin’s turn to spin, somehow Kyungsoo’s heart rate sped up just a little. He noticed he had ended up sitting right across from Jongin, the prospect of kissing his best friend suddenly seemed very possible. But he waved the thoughts away, after all this was Jongin, the kid who called him Pororo hyung the entire first year they knew each other.
It landed on him.
Kyungsoo was so sure Jongin would just peck his cheek and be done with it, but somehow as the room grew quiet, Jongin had crawled over until they were right in front of each other. Kyungsoo’s eyes were just as wide as they zeroed in on Jongin’s lips, he was afraid to make any sound, scared that something embarrassing would give away how nervous he was.
In the background they heard someone groan “get on with it” and Jongin started to lean in. Their friends began cheering and making loud noises, Kyungsoo’s face was so red he could feel the heat radiating off his cheeks, he was so overwhelmed that at the last second he turned his cheek and Jongin’s lips ended up catching the corner of his mouth.
They never talk about this kiss.
------
As time went on, the pair did end up making their own group of friends, Kyungsoo with the kids in his grade, and Jongin in his. Their weekends were no longer spent staying at each other’s houses, as the time for that phase has passed. Even so, they were still friends, best friends even. There was no one Jongin took care of like Kyungsoo and no one else Kyungsoo took care of more than Jongin.
Which is why at 15 and 16, as they sat on the floor at yet another group gathering (their innocent sleepovers involving popcorn flicks and harmless dares evolved into slightly louder parties with alcohol and shameless kissing) Jongin was the first to raise his hand to be Kyungsoo’s black knight when the latter was dared to take shots.
“Again? Jongin why do you have to ruin the fun, I was looking forward to seeing Kyungsoo shitfaced” Baekhyun complained.
“If I got shitfaced who is gonna clean up after all you jerks before tomorrow morning,” Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and laughed. “But seriously Jongin, you don’t have to force yourself, I’m not that much of a lightweight.”
Jongin shook his head, “Are you kidding me? Hyung you stopped growing in like middle school I’m pretty sure you’ll go down after just one of these.”
Kyungsoo squawked and lunged for Jongin’s head. This terrible brat.
At the end of the night, Kyungsoo did wind up being the only person left sober enough to clean up (but only because none of his friends let him drink properly he thought). He was just finishing up tucking Baekhyun underneath some blankets on the couch when he heard loud clattering down the hall.
Rushing over, he found Jongin sprawled outside the bathroom pitifully. Kyungsoo sighed.
“I told you not to drink so much,” Kyungsoo shook his head as he hoisted Jongin’s body weight onto himself and lugged him inside the bathroom.
“Heh, but hyung will always take care of me anyway,” Jongin giggled and tried to nuzzle his way into Kyungsoo’s neck.
“Stop that tickles!” Kyungsoo laughs before pushing his head away, “You’re such an idiot.”
“But you still like me best, right hyung?”
“Sure, whatever you say Jongin,” Kyungsoo doesn’t pay attention as he turns the water on, preparing to wipe Jongin off so he can put him to sleep too. He doesn’t notice Jongin staring at him intently until he turns around, freezing at how close their faces were.
“Jongin what---”
Jongin’s eyes are half lidded, his gaze zeroed in on Kyungsoo’s lips and Kyungsoo is speechless, his memories suddenly flash back to 4 years ago and that night. The night he had tried very hard to forget since then, because being dared to kiss your best friend is one thing, but liking the idea of kissing your best friend was something else entirely. He didn’t know how to justify that with himself, and he wouldn’t know how to explain it to Jongin either.
For the same reason, he also decides not to turn away this time around, and Jongin’s lips feel just as nice as he had imagined it to be. He would feel immense guilt for taking advantage of Jongin like this, and he didn’t think to question why Jongin would be like this in the first place, but at the moment, he relished in kissing his best friend that he might have been crushing on for years.
When they part, Jongin’s head collapses into Kyungsoo’s neck, and Kyungsoo himself is too stunned to push him away.
This is their second kiss, they don’t talk about this one either.
-------
A year from that night, Jongin and Kyungsoo are no longer close. At 16 and 17, Jongin and Kyungsoo fell apart just as easily as they came together. Their friendship slowly faded to occasional phones calls, from phone calls to occasional greetings in the hall, and now...this.
It was mostly Kyungsoo’s fault. After that night, even looking at Jongin became difficult, it didn’t seem fair that only he had to burden the memory of their kiss, and to him, it wasn’t fair that only he had to carry the burden of all these feelings. So he avoided them, thinking if he ignored it they would somehow go away, not realizing it would damage their friendship so deeply.
Jongin had tried, he really did. In honesty he was not all that drunk the night they kissed, he remembered every single blissful second of it. He had hoped, it meant that Kyungsoo actually liked him back. What he wasn’t prepared for was the cold treatment Kyungsoo would give him afterwards, avoiding him to the point where he had to take the hint. After so many unanswered calls and failed meetups, he decided it was time to stop.
And so they did.
Their friends had noticed the change before the pair had acknowledged it for themselves, but by that time they were already a lost cause. They didn’t want to admit it, but the only thing keeping them apart was their own dignity.
“What happened to you and Jongin,” Chanyeol decided to bring up at their shared lunch table one day.
“Not this again,” Kyungsoo groaned and dropped his head into his arms. Every so often Chanyeol (being that wonderfully annoying asshole he is) would bring up the fact that once best friends were now ignoring each other, to spite Kyungsoo--to annoy him--whatever the reason, Kyungsoo didn’t particularly appreciate it.
“It’s just curious, you guys were practically attached at the hip at one point.” Chanyeol chewed on his straw obnoxiously.
“We just grew apart I guess,” Kyungsoo shrugged.
“That’s bullshit it was obviously after you guys made--”
“Shhhhhhhhh!” Kyungsoo shushed, “I told you that in confidence!”
“Yeah and now how about take that confidence and go confess?” Chanyeol waved in the general direction across the courtyard where Jongin was goofing around on the lawn with his.
“It’s not that simple Chanyeol, confessing would’ve changed everything, if he didn’t felt the same way...our friendship wouldn’t have been the same.” Kyungsoo sighed and picked at his food.
“Yeah,” Chanyeol scoffed, “and your friendship is so great right now isn’t it?”
“...shut up.” Kyungsoo hated when Chanyeol was right. When he had finally realized what a douchebag he was being, it was already too late.
“Look Kyungsoo, we’re 3rd years now, I just don’t want you to have any regrets when we leave this place.” Chanyeol sighed and pat him on the arm before getting up to throw his tray away.
A few weeks after that conversation, their school had the annual upperclassmen field trip to camp. Of course as luck would have it, Jongin and Kyungsoo end up on the same bus.
Kyungsoo is the one that spots him first, he is sitting at the end of the bus where only a few seats remain and Jongin is headed in his direction. One of those vacancies is the one next to Kyungsoo, when their eyes meet Jongin immediately turns the other direction.
Out of instinct Kyungsoo’s hand reaches for Jongin’s, stopping him in place.
“You don’t have to--you can sit here.” Jongin is silent for a moment, and Kyungsoo adds, “If you want I mean.”
Kyungsoo can’t look at him after that, he opts to stare out the window until he feels the seat beside him dip with Jongin’s weight.
“I thought you didn’t want to talk anymore.”
Kyungsoo turns to him in surprise, “No, that was never my intention I’m sorry.”
“Then what was it hyung, because I don’t get it.” Jongin said. Kyungsoo flinched at the bitterness in his voice.
“I’m sorry...I never wanted to hurt you,” Kyungsoo said slowly, not knowing where he wanted to take this, they had so much to say so much they lost out on.
When Jongin doesn’t respond, he lets the issue drop and stares out the window once again.
Turning back to Jongin, who’s fumbling with an ipod in his hands, he asks quietly, “Jongin...do you remember when we were 12 and Krystal dared us to play spin the bottle?”
Jongin looks up.
“That time...why didn’t you just kiss my cheek?”
Jongin is quiet for a while.
“Honestly, at the time...I don’t know.”
Kyungsoo’s shoulders deflate, that wasn’t the answer he was hoping for.
“But hyung, that’s not the kiss we should be talking about don’t you think?”
Kyungsoo looks up in surprise, “That--last year...you remember that?”
“Of course--hyung, I was hoping you would bring it up so we could talk about it, but you didn’t...instead you avoided me like it was some big mistake. Eventually I just thought you hated it so much, you wouldn’t even look me in the eye.” Jongin looked down into his lap.
Kyungsoo let’s this new information wash over him like a wave of regret, all the times he worried about messing up about giving himself away, all the time he had wasted. With this newfound courage he spoke up.
“I’m sorry Jongin..I was just afraid. I was afraid if you...if you didn’t feel the same way that it would ruin us forever, and I know it doesn’t mean much to say all of this now, with how I treated you but it’s the truth.” Kyungsoo said in one breath, Jongin was still quiet next to him but he ventured and reached for the hand lying next to his own.
They are quiet for the rest of the ride, but Kyungsoo doesn’t let go of Jongin’s hand, not even once.
------
When they got off the bus, Jongin kept his hand clasped over his, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help the small smile that came upon his face, they weren’t perfect yet, and he knew it would take time for them to figure it out, whatever “it” was, but this was definitely a start.
They were given time to unpack and explore on their own, but Jongin seemed to have his own agenda. Without any words, he had led them both to a clearing overlooking a majestic view.
“Hyung...what you just told me on the bus, made me realize how much time we had wasted. I should have tried harder, I shouldn’t have let you get away this year.”
“No Jongin, it wasn’t your fault, it was all me I swear.” Kyungsoo stepped closer, only to realize that Jongin had tears in his eyes.
“No listen hyung, I wasn’t ever clear about this before but I’m going to say it now, I like you hyung. I’ve liked you for a really long time, I can tell you a hundred--no a thousands times if that isn’t enough---”
Kyungsoo cupped Jongin’s face between his palms and leaned up to press a kiss on his lips. They kiss and kiss again, Kyungsoo’s hands eventually travel to clasp behind Jongin’s neck, pushing their mouths together again and again. They kiss until they run out of breath, all the pent up want and longing, passing between them until they are consummed.
At last, this is their third kiss.
As Kyungsoo leans his forehead on Jongin’s, whispering his quiet reassurance and proclamations of his own feelings, he thinks, this is it.
Third time is definitely the charm.
fin.