─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝ I wanted nothing but to make him jealous. Instead, it turned out to be a big mistake. I was selfish, but you're here, always there. I didn't realize you already had my heart until now ❞

☘️

C H A P T E R S I X

"YOU ASKED SOHN YOUNGJAE TO KISS YOU?"

Haknyeon spits out the water he's drinking in the glass clasped in his hand. His ginger-brown eyes widen in amusement similar to a tabby cat. His caramel hair is tousled and his shirt wrinkled as if he just woke up, about to head to his first class in the morning.

He wants to go back to sleep and dream for a little while longer. But he can't think about sleeping anymore the second he hears his best friend exclaim in astonishment.

All he can think about is how he said Youngjae is responsible for Changmin.

And now Youngjae is responsible for him.

Youngjae might have agreed to look after Changmin, but when did going so far as kissing happen?

It wasn't a real kiss and it doesn't mean anything special if it happened suddenly, he thinks.

Though, he wouldn't be surprised if the boys do end up together.

Sunwoo closes the fridge and maneuvers around the kitchen island, holding a juice box in his hand. He shoots Haknyeon a look of concern.

"Why are you more surprised than me? I thought you saw this coming?" He raises a brow and grins mischievously, taking a sip of the juice from the straw.

Haknyeon ignores Sunwoo's question and looks at Changmin, sitting across from him on the sofa. "The universe couldn't have decided to listen to me for our captain of the soccer team to be responsible for you."

There's an air of apprehension floating around the living room, the sound of the clock ticking, and car engines starting from downstairs, but Changmin finds himself remembering Youngjae pressing a delicate kiss on his forehead.

A ghost of a smile traces his lips, the tips of his ears redden, and his heart flutters like butterflies.

Everything after left him speechless, confused, and embarrassed. The younger boy was blushing and just as puzzled.

Stupid, heart, it's just a kiss. You don't like him like that, he thinks.

"Changmin," Haknyeon says, voice soft.

Changmin looks up at Haknyeon, startled, "Yeah, what is it?"

An innocent smile dances on his lips, diamonds glittering like stars in his irises, and warmth spreads inside his chest recalling Youngjae's question he never answered.

"Are you always this cute, or is this how you prepare me for heartbreak?"

I can't answer that, not now. I don't know, he thinks.

"Did you ask Youngjae to kiss you, so you can see Hyunjae's reaction?" Haknyeon's ginger eyes sparkle in concern, tone tentative. He doesn't push the question further, waiting to hear his explanation, and moves to the left as he feels the sofa dip beside him.

"We don't want you to hurt yourself more than you already are," Sunwoo says gently, holding his gaze. "You deserve someone who will love you and not as if you're one of their one nightstands. You're worth more than that."

"It was selfish of me to ask him to help me. If this kiss doesn't make Hyunjae jealous, then it would embarrassing than it already is."

"I think the kiss between both of you turned out to be successful, actually," Haknyeon confirms, showing the clip of Youngjae kissing Changmin on the university's Facebook profile. He smiles noticing a devilish grin of victory appear on his face. 

"There's one thing left to find out." Sunwoo stands up and throws his backpack over his shoulders.

Rising from the sofa, Changmin's heartbeat fastens, hoping the one thing left to find out isn't what he thinks it is because he doesn't think he will ever be ready.

"What do you mean?"

"How Hyunjae feels about this and you."

. . .

THE CAMPUS LIBRARY IS QUIET AND CHANGMIN BREATHES in the silence, mind lost in thoughts of visiting his family during winter break, and spending time with Ghana, his pet dog, and best friend.

He's listening to IU's "Blueming" as he strolls past the bookshelves, earbuds in ears, and stops in his tracks. His eyes land on the brunette boy clad in a white hoodie, holding a book in his hands, flipping through the pages.

Youngjae reads?

Changmin takes a step forward, hand reaching to grab a book for his literature class, but the book against it falls and makes a low thud.

Changmin winces, slowly backing away, and makes an effort to escape, but then he hears Youngjae call him.

"Changmin?"

Shit. What does he want?

Changmin freezes, shoulders rising in tension, and turns around. Youngjae walks toward him, kneeling down to pick up the book, and Changmin quickly kneels down, grabbing it before he does.

Their hands brush lightly, brown eyes make contact, and a shock of electricity travels through his skin, heartbeat thumping.

"I'll see you around," he says, standing up and turning to leave when he feels a hand wrap around his arm. Youngjae pulls him back and pins him against the bookshelf, arms on either side of him, holding the universe spiraling inside his eyes.

He wants to say something, to talk about the situation, ask if he's doing okay. They're not friends or close or anything, but he helped him, and he wants to know if he did his part.

He shouldn't talk about this, about the results, about his feelings, about the kiss, but—

"I'm going to tell Hyunjae how I feel about him today. He has a basketball game at six in the evening. I figure I tell him the truth and explain what happened yesterday." Changmin says, voice low.

He feels his heart breaking, imagining the worst scenario that could occur. A sigh escapes his lips and his eyes are fixated on the floor, rising up to meet Youngjae's cinnamon irises.

Youngjae's eyes aren't glittering in joy like how they light up on the field with the boys but glazed with concern. "What do you think?" Changmin finishes his thought and waits, anxious about his opinion.

"I think it's great that you're being honest with him. I hope it works out for you." Youngjae trails his gaze up, reaching for a book above him.

He's standing so close to him, so close to him that he can hear his heartbeat skip, the thumping sounds like climbing stairs, and a memory jogs in his mind of them running, hiding in a fortress they built, playing hide-and-seek.

"You stole my first kiss, what are you going to do about it?" Youngjae teases, pulling out the romance novel, What If It's Us from the bookshelf behind Changmin.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Our soccer match is tomorrow and it starts at seven," a lump forms in his throat and then falls like a waterfall. "Can you come? I know you're our manager, but it would be great if you can come without thinking that you need to."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His heart races like blood supply races on a highway, with loud sirens, traffic lights, and crowded roads. Apprehension tightens the muscles wrapped around his shoulders, traveling through his veins.

"I can make it. Our team won't lose, do you promise, and agree to that?" Changmin sticks his pinkie finger out, and Youngjae interlocks his pinky finger with him, tugging.

"You got it, manager," Youngjae says, a cheeky grin settling on his mouth.

Changmin smiles and the dimple on his cheek deepens.

Youngjae finds himself drowning in Changmin's warm chocolate eyes shining from the light cascading from above.

His eyes dilate a little, maybe because of the light, or maybe because he's falling for the innocence glowing around him—the endearing dimple on his left cheek, and the way his smile brings back summer.

But he doesn't know he also brings back the summer for the dancer.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A U T H O R 'S N O T E

And she's back in the game! *round of applause* thank you, thank you! No seriously are you listening, this girl has been so busy with her summer classes. Yet she is actually making time to dance, learn how to drive, and write! I have almost learned WEi's "Twilight" choreography and never felt so alive (I haven't danced in a while like almost a year).

LET'S GO HAYUN ❤️✨

Not me hyping myself, anyway—I AM TIRED but that's not stopping me from reaching my dreams.

Also, we got to see some moments between Youngjae and Changmin, as well as the friendship between Haknyeon, Sunwoo, and Changmin. We got to know Youngjae knew Changmin since childhood.

If you guys haven't figured it out, Haknyeon and Sunwoo live together, and so does Eric. I should probably explain it here but I'll also describe it in the other chapters as the story progresses. Also, if you liked reading this chapter, please let me know what you think and vote by tapping the star.

Haknyeon, Sunwoo, and Eric: live in an apartment together

Changmin and Kevin: live in an apartment together

I'm ending my author's note with a small reminder because I believe most of us feel unmotivated sometimes and are lost, but it's okay. We make mistakes, think about life, and suddenly the darkness just consumes the hollowness in our heart.

No, your heart is so amazing. Treat yourself like a queen/king, okay? You're worth more than anything that makes you feel bad, and someone is always there for you. Our health is the top priority and taking care of yourself is productive.