fic: can't wait to chase the fiction home
can’t wait to chase the fiction home
kyungmyeon • pg • neighbors!au • 5.7k
In which Kyungsoo gets caught in a freak storm and a whirlwind of his own feelings, and Junmyeon is his knight in shining armor, armed with his trusty umbrella and a load of mixed signals.
Kyungsoo loves the rain. He loves the way it sounds as it pounds against his windows, pattering on the roof and making outside look cold and grey. He loves the chill it brings, the cold wind and the colder raindrops. He loves the way it smells after a downpour, the petrichor reminding him of summers in the province with his cousins. He loves the calmness it brings, the kind that makes him want to curl up in bed and read a book all day. Kyungsoo loves the rain, loves the feeling of puddles beneath his feet and rivulets of rainwater streaming steadily from his umbrella.
Baekhyun, however, thinks otherwise. That fact becomes clear to him when he opens his door to see his best friend looking murderous and drenched to the bone.
"Um, hi?" Kyungsoo says hesitantly the moment the door swings open. He barely gets acknowledged as Baekhyun all but stomps into his apartment.
"Of all days to get caught in the rain," The music major fumes, dripping wet from the tips of his ink-black hair to his muddy Superstars. "I brought my laptop and my sheet music with me today. I'm just praying I can read my compositions by the time they dry."
"I have a blowdryer, we'll dry and hang them up later, don't worry," Kyungsoo assures him as he goes to get a towel from his drawer. "I'm sure we can save most of them. I'll help you rewrite them if you want?"
"Yeah, that'll be great. Thanks, Soo," Baekhyun sighs, flinging his wet backpack to the side. "I'll worry about them later, I just really need to take a shower first."
"You know where the bathroom is," He gestures vaguely to the direction of his bathroom. "Why did you go here instead of your own apartment, though?"
"My water heater's broken," Baekhyun grumbles, kicking off his shoes and peeling off his socks. He's making a mess on his newly cleaned floor, Kyungsoo notices as he makes his way back to the living room, but he'll kindly refrain from commenting about it. "Don't get me started on that, too. I hate the rain. Why is it even raining? It's almost the end of summer. Ugh."
"Earlier this week you were just wishing for the heat to subside," Kyungsoo points out helpfully, hiding a smile behind the towels that he hands to Baekhyun. "If I remember correctly, you said that staying outside for a few minutes already feels like hell."
"Because it does," The music major huffs. "But I didn't mean freak storms and harsh winds! Maybe a few clouds? A gentle breeze? Delightful things that won't get me drenched to the bone?"
"It's nice, though," He shrugs, moving to grab some rags for his floor. "The rain's very calming. Makes you feel relaxed and at home."
"Not when you're under it, you're not," Baekhyun scoffs, tugging off his drenched hoodie and wincing. "If you're stranded at campus with no other way to go home but to brave the rain, let's see if you still feel relaxed."
"Alright, Baekhyun," Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, chuckling to himself. "Why don't you go take a shower instead? I'll have dinner ready when you're out."
"Make chicken noodle soup," Baekhyun says as he pads towards the kitchen, leaving behind a trail of water and mud in his wake. Kyungsoo shakes his head fondly and goes to clean up the mess his friend made, humming softly to himself as he listens to the rain hit his windows gently. Later, he'll make chicken stock from a pack and put in what's left of his spaghetti noodles, probably fire up his kettle to make some tea, too. He'll bring out his extensive Disney movie collection and set up Mulan for them to watch, and he'll also bring out the extra pillows and blankets he keeps for when Baekhyun sleeps over. Maybe he'll watch Mulan 2 if he doesn't feel sleepy yet. But for now, he'll revel in the sound of the rain and the coolness of the night, a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of his usual work week.
Junmyeon hates the rain.
That fact becomes clear to Kyungsoo the moment he reaches the lobby of their apartment complex. The elder is bundled up in a puffy black jacket, an umbrella in his hand. He seems to be pouting at the rain, probably miffed that he has to change his plans now that it's pouring outside. Cute, he thinks. He expected Junmyeon to love the sun. He's bright and warm, vibrant amidst the monotony of their lives. A little walking sun, maybe. No wonder he hates the rain-it's dreary and grey and gloomy. But Kyungsoo loves the rain, so there's that.
(Opposites attract, his brain supplies, and he quickly dismisses the idea before it consumes him and makes him assume things again.)
"Hey, hyung," He finally speaks up, approaching the petulant elder with a small smile. "What's with the long face?"
"Oh! Hello, Kyungsoo!" Junmyeon turns to him and beams, his smile unwaveringly bright even in the harsh storm. "I'm just a little annoyed at the rain. I'm supposed to go grab some supplies today, but I can't go out because of this downpour."
"I can get them for you, if you want," Kyungsoo offers. "I'm going to the supermarket to grab ingredients for dinner, anyway."
"In this rain?" The elder asks, looking pointedly at the torrents of rainfall outside. "And how are you going to go there?"
"I'll walk," He shrugs, holding up his trusty black umbrella. "It's not that far anyway, so I'll be fine."
"In this rain, though?" Junmyeon repeats, frowning. "You'll be soaked even with your umbrella. And how do you plan on carrying all your groceries?"
"I'm just picking up a few things, I'll be fine," Kyungsoo says. "And if the rain gets stronger I'll just hail a taxi or something."
"Taxis are extremely expensive in bad weather, you know," Junmyeon argues, frown deepening. "Can't you just, I don't know, skip grocery day or something?"
"Hyung, my cupboards are empty and I need to eat," He replies as patiently as he could. Junmyeon's smart on a normal day, sure, but he's not making sense right now. "I've got to go to the supermarket and restock."
"Order takeout, then. I'll pay for it," Junmyeon shoots back.
"Hyung, think about the poor delivery person. He'll be the one to get stranded under this storm," Kyungsoo sighs, pushing his glasses up his nose to disguise his growing annoyance. "Look, I'll be fine. It'll just be a quick trip, I promise."
"What part of there's a freak storm outside don't you understand?" The elder huffs, throwing his hands up in the air. "Fine, if you insist. Stay there. I'll be right back."
"Wait, what? Hyung, where are you going?" Kyungsoo asks, but Junmyeon ignores him and goes up the stairs. Alright, now what? First Junmyeon argues with him about the downsides of going out in this weather, and then he leaves him alone. Seriously? He could be already going back from the supermarket with the time they spent arguing. And what was that argument even about, anyway? That was extremely pointless. It felt like an argument children would make.
(Or an old married couple, his brain interjects helpfully, and Kyungsoo wants to scream.)
The sound of footsteps going down the stairs breaks his internal monologue, and he turns to see Junmyeon now with a black cap covering his soft brown hair, car keys jangling happily in his hand.
"Let's go, then," The elder says, motioning towards the stairs leading to the basement.
"Where are we going, exactly?" Kyungsoo asks, rooted on his spot near the front doors.
"To the supermarket," Junmyeon replies, raising a brow at him. "You have to go, right? Then let's go. The rain looks like it's not going to stop any time soon, anyway."
"You're coming with me?" Kyungsoo asks again confusedly. "But I thought you said you can't go? And why are we going to the basement?"
"I'll drive us both. Now come on," Junmyeon moves towards him and tugs him gently with a hand wrapped around his wrist-firm, but not unkind.
"Hyung, this is really unnecessary. I can walk to the supermarket, no problem," He tries again as they make their way down towards the parking area, their footfalls heavy in the silent stairwell. "You don't have to do this."
"I want to," Junmyeon replies simply as they approach his small silver Jazz, a cute thing big enough to offer carpooling services but small enough to still fit in impossibly small parking spaces. "Now can we please stop arguing and just get in the car? Tell me about your dinner plans instead. What do you plan on making?"
Kyungsoo stares at Junmyeon disbelievingly, wondering why he's doing all of this, trying to see his motives behind them. He comes up with nothing, only meeting Junmyeon's earnest eyes, warm and kind and determined, and finding nothing but sincerity in them. He sighs and relents, files his confusion away for pondering later, and lets Junmyeon open the door for him and makes himself comfortable in the passenger's seat. He has never been good at saying no, anyway. Especially not to people with beautiful eyes and beautiful smiles and beautiful hearts, like Junmyeon. He tries not to dwell on it as they make their way towards the supermarket, filling the car with mindless chatter and the soft sounds of the radio playing some old love songs.
(And when they shop for groceries together, Kyungsoo pushing their shared cart while Junmyeon reaches for the products that they need even if he's not that tall either, and when they unknowingly both know the things they like and what they don't-Junmyeon uses peach shampoo, Kyungsoo hates fresh cilantro-and when friendly ahjumma who owns the quaint supermarket comments offhandedly how cute of a couple they are, making them both blush and stutter, he doesn't dwell on it either.)
Junmyeon carries both of their groceries, going with him inside his apartment and depositing Kyungsoo's bags onto the dining table. He offers to help pack them away, but Kyungsoo shakes his head with a small smile.
"You've already done more than enough. Besides, you have your own groceries to fix," He says. "Thanks again for your help, hyung."
"Anytime, Kyungsoo. I'll be next door if you need me, yeah?" Junmyeon grins at him, and the reminder is wholly unnecessary-of course he knew that, he has been living in the apartment beside Junmyeon's for almost half a year now-but the sentiment warms him up anyway all the same. "Enjoy your dinner."
"You could stay, if you want?" Kyungsoo blurts out. "I mean, uh, it's just grilled cheese and tomato soup, nothing fancy, but, um-"
"I wouldn't want to impose," Junmyeon's smile doesn't wane, but there's something that flits briefly in his eyes that Kyungsoo wasn't able to catch. "I have a ton of stuff to do, anyway. Maybe next time?"
"Sure. Next time," Kyungsoo nods, waving at his departing neighbor. This scenario feels all too familiar, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it, so he sighs and goes to make his dinner, trying his hardest not to dwell on this one, too.
(He fails, but in hindsight, he didn't expect to succeed, anyway.)
Kyungsoo is, for a lack of a better term, fucked.
He left his apartment with the skies overcast, grey but still relatively bright. It's cool enough for Kyungsoo to wear his favorite denim jacket, and sunny enough that he even dons his trusty navy cap to shield his eyes. One would think that Seoul's just transitioning to autumn, the summer heat finally relenting and making way for cooler days.
The rain started around mid-afternoon, just when Kyungsoo was about to head to his last class for the day. At that time, it was still a manageable downpour, so Kyungsoo didn't mind it much. He had his umbrella with him, so it's not a problem. The rain will probably let up in a while. With a skip in his step and the sound of rain as his background music, he makes his way to his art appreciation class.
He has never been so wrong in his life.
Contrary to his belief, the rain did not let up after an hour and a half. Instead, it poured down in harsh torrents, the wind picking up speed and strength along with it. Most of the students have already gone home, but for the unfortunate lot that had evening classes-Kyungsoo included-they're stuck in campus until the storm stops. If the storm stops, that is.
"I really should've cut this class tonight," Someone behind Kyungsoo grumbles as they walk past by him, and he silently agrees as he watches the rain from the corridor. He contemplates just going for it, but he quickly trashes the idea. His umbrella wouldn't stand a chance in this downpour, nor will his jacket provide much coverage. His boat shoes would be flooded in no time, too (oh, the irony). His best bet is to wait it out, because any reckless attempts of braving the storm would be an idiotic move. Fantastic.
If you're stranded at campus with no other way to go home but to brave the rain, let's see if you still feel relaxed, Baekhyun had said to him. He kind of sees where his best friend is coming from now. He does feel a little stressed about the entire thing.
"This storm, though," Another one of Kyungsoo's classmates whistles lowly as he stands beside Kyungsoo, wincing at the rain. He's the tall, friendly Korean-American that sits at the very back and makes funny offhand comments from time to time, but despite being quite friendly, Kyungsoo never did quite catch his name. Oops. "Do you think I'll survive walking back to my dorm?"
"Do you live nearby?" He asks. Small talk, to make up for not knowing his name. It's just been a few weeks, alright? Cut him some slack.
"Yeah. I live in the in-campus dorm," The guy says, flicking his fringe out of his eyes. "It's on the other end of the campus, though, so I'm not so sure about braving this rain. And you?"
"I live off-campus," Kyungsoo replies wryly, earning him a grimace. Same, stranger, same. "I don't have a car, either, so guess I'm stuck here until this storm lets up a bit."
"That blows, man," The guy shakes his head. "It's not much, but do you want to stay at my dorm first or something? Not my room if you feel uncomfy or whatever, we have a common room that guests can usually crash in. You're a university student too, so I'm sure it'll be easier to smuggle you in."
Crashing in someplace warm, dry, and not one of the humanities building lobby benches sounds fantastic, but he'll still have to brave the rain to get there, defeating the purpose of not going home to stay dry. Plus, he still doesn't know this stranger's name, which can make things extremely awkward. "I'll pass," Kyungsoo says instead, smiling. "But thanks for the offer. I really appreciate it."
"S'cool, bro. The offer still stands though, in case you need it. Drop by the dorm if you need a place to stay for a while. I'll talk to the RA about it," The stranger flashes him a thumbs up, kittenish lips curling upwards. "I'll go ahead, I'll try to find a relatively shorter way back. Catch you later, dude. You take care, alright?"
"You too. Thanks again," Kyungsoo bids him goodbye, waving as the guy makes his way towards the other end of the hall. Cool guy, that one. He swears he'll find out his name soon. But for now, his main concern is how to get home without becoming a human sponge, or at least seek solace in a more familiar place with a more familiar face (whose name he hopefully knows).
But perhaps the skies are still listening to him somehow, because a few minutes later his phone starts ringing, the shrill sound almost drowning in the howling winds. Kyungsoo quickly pulls it out of his pocket and squints at the screen to check who's calling him.
Kim Junmyeon.
Familiar place, check. Familiar face, check. And he definitely knows this name, that's for sure. But why would Junmyeon call him, though? With a frown, he swipes his thumb across the screen and accepts the call. "Hey, hyung," He says. "What's up?"
"Kyungsoo? Where are you?" Junmyeon asks, and even with the rain muffling everything else, Kyungsoo can clearly hear the concern in the elder's tone.
"I'm still in school. My class ended late, and I'm stuck here," He explains, frowning at the harsh downpour outside. "It's raining really hard, I can't walk back home."
"Oh my god. No wonder-God. Alright. Where are you?" Junmyeon asks again, and he can't be really sure, but he hears the faint jangling of keys and footfalls in the background. "Which building?"
"Um, humanities building, east lobby," Kyungsoo replies bemusedly. "Why?"
"Stay right there. Don't move, don't go outside, just please stay there, alright?" Junmyeon says firmly, and before Kyungsoo could ask why, he cuts the call short.
Okay, rude. That is the second time Junmyeon asked him to stay wherever he is without any explanation whatsoever. Given, the first one ended up in a nice drive and grocery run together, but this one? What gives? Of course he's going to stay here. Junmyeon can surely see and hear the rain from his apartment, he's not that dumb to assume Kyungsoo's going to brave this storm. On top of that, he also called out of the blue and then cut the call short before Kyungsoo could get answers. Really? Really, Junmyeon? He already gives enough mixed signals as it is, he doesn't need to add more to Kyungsoo's confusion. Crushes suck. They think they can play around with people's emotions, mess with their thoughts. Unfair.
Sadly, he has no other choice but to follow the elder because it's still raining cats and dogs outside-more like the entire animal kingdom, in his opinion-so he sighs and plops down on one of the stone benches. And he waits. And waits. And waits some more. What he's waiting for, he's not so sure, but hey, he has nothing else to do anyway.
Two rounds of Twenty, a quick nap that almost sends him toppling face forward, half an episode of We Bare Bears, and a chapter in his fiscal policies textbook later, Kyungsoo's phone starts ringing again. How many minutes has passed, he's not sure, but he's grateful for the end of the radio silence. Everyone else had disappeared, and it's just him in the lonely lobby, waiting for what seems like nothing. With a scowl, he accepts the call without checking the screen. "Hello?" He says gruffly.
"Hey," Instead of Junmyeon's voice, it's Baekhyun that speaks up, and he instantly feels all annoyance dissipate. "You're not home yet? Where are you?"
"I'm stranded in campus," Kyungsoo mourns. "It's raining too hard for me to walk back home."
"Oh my god," Baekhyun gasps. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm so bored, my ass hurts from sitting in this bench for God knows how many minutes already, and my phone's battery is dangerously low, but I'm alright," Kyungsoo sighs. "I can't really go anywhere, Baekhyun. Plus Junmyeon hyung told me earlier to stay put, which is really dumb because hello, where else am I supposed to go?"
"Junmyeon hyung?" His best friend muses thoughtfully. "Is that why he all but stormed-sorry, bad pun-down the stairs earlier, looking so distraught you think someone’s in the hospital or something?"
"Wait, what?" He sits up, frowning. "Junmyeon hyung did what?"
"Oh, yeah. He slammed his door and went down the stairs so fast, he was like a blur. He had his car keys, you know the puffy jacket he always wears, the black one? And he kept muttering to himself with his brow furrowed," Baekhyun all but happily regales tonight's happenings at the apartment complex, seemingly forgetting that Kyungsoo's still stuck in campus as he chats away happily. Kyungsoo actually hears him flop down his couch, the nerve. "I actually thought he was coming to get you."
"Baekhyun, that's silly. Why would he drive here in this weather to pick me up?" Kyungsoo huffs. "He's not my boyfriend or anything."
"Yet," Baekhyun corrects him smugly. "But think about it, man. Why would he ask you to stay there while he himself rushed out of his perfectly comfy apartment?"
"I don't know, maybe because he has some other place to be and he just called me along the way?" He shrugs, hopping up on his feet and stretching. He continues to speak as he soothes his sore muscles, staring mindlessly at the grey skies outside. "Look, what you're saying is highly improbable, cute as it may sound in theory. He'll not go here and-"
There's a figure approaching the Humanities building. Someone recklessly stupid enough to walk under this rain. He steps forward, still in the shade but closer to the entrance to see just who is this dumb guy who braved the rain for whatever reason. Who'd be willing to get drenched in this storm for anything other than food, maybe? Besides, all of the offices are now closed, all other evening classes-not Kyungsoo's, sadly-are cancelled. There's no rational reason to brave the storm. Squinting, he tries to identify just who dares to get soaked in this weather despite the dark grey surroundings. Someone small, in a puffy black jacket and rain boots. Wait, scratch that, in an awfully familiar puffy black jacket. Could it be...?
"Baek, I've got to go," Kyungsoo frowns, ending the call despite Baekhyun's protests. He moves closer, almost nearing the threshold of the lobby (and consequently, the shade) when the figure speaks up.
"Kyungsoo! Wait!"
It is Junmyeon, half-running, half-wading in the shallow flood that had begun to rise in the time that Kyungsoo waited idly. Like what Baekhyun had said, he's bundled up in his favorite black jacket, his drenched jeans tucked in matching black rain boots. He's holding an umbrella, probably too small for them both, and he looks so winded he actually stops to catch his breath a few steps away from Kyungsoo. Still, his face is etched with concern, and he all but rushes towards the lobby as soon as he is able to breathe again.
All those metaphors about knights in shining armor? Yeah, did anything say about saviors in puffy jackets and rain boots, because Kyungsoo is sure his arrived just now. As to why, he's not so sure, but then again, he's never sure when he's around Junmyeon. Unfortunately.
"Hey, are you alright? Did you have to wait long?" Junmyeon asks worriedly, reaching for his forehead to check his temperature even though Kyungsoo is obviously dry and has no reason whatsoever to get a fever. "I'm sorry, traffic was crazy and the streets were flooded and-oh no, were you cold? Are you hungry? I really tried to get here as fast as I can but-"
"Uh, hyung?" Kyungsoo asks, but the elder continues to babble.
"I cooked samgyetang tonight and I was going to invite you to have dinner with me, but you weren't answering when I tried knocking on your door," Junmyeon rants on, still hellbent on making sure Kyungsoo is safe and dry. "I figured you weren't home yet, so I called you to ask. And here you are."
Whoops. There goes another missed dinner date opportunity. Nice one, Kyungsoo. "Ah, sorry about that," He apologizes sheepishly. "I had art appreciation class at this hour. I thought it was going to stop after my class, but obviously, it didn't."
"Me too, so I wasn't worried at first," Junmyeon sighs, dropping his hands away from where he was smoothing down Kyungsoo's jacket with unfettered anxiety. "But then the rain started intensifying and you haven't gone home yet. I thought you were just hanging out somewhere with friends, I mean it's a Friday so that's fine, but then you told me you were stranded, so I went here immediately."
"Actually, about that," Kyungsoo interrupts, finally getting his chance to speak. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, hyung, but what are you doing here? It's a freak storm out there. You should be back in your apartment, enjoying your samgyetang."
"Bringing you home," Junmyeon answers, like it's the most logical thing in the world. Not. (But it is romantic, he'll give him that. Not that he was expecting it to be the latter's answer, shut up.) "You said you were stranded, right? I'm here to bring you back home in one preferably dry piece."
Wait, what? "You braved the rain for me?" Kyungsoo says incredulously. "But why?" He's not special. He's just his neighbor, for God's sake. He likes Junmyeon, but he probably wouldn't brave this rain for him, maybe even Baekhyun. They just won't survive together.
"What do you mean why? Isn't it obvious? It's because I-" Junmyeon abruptly stops mid-sentence, much to Kyungsoo's frustration, and he shakes his head instead. "Look, it doesn't matter. Let's just go home, alright? The storm might intensify even more later, we should head back. Where's your stuff?"
"Uh, there. Hold on, I'll just fix them," Kyungsoo trails off uncertainly, moving towards the bench he wasted his time on and starts tidying up his things a little more roughly than usual. If there's one thing that Kyungsoo hates, it's being kept in the dark. He couldn't figure out why Junmyeon is doing this, and obviously the latter doesn't want to disclose it, either. Is it a bad motive? What's so special about it that he couldn't say it out loud? Junmyeon is damn attractive and nice and smart and perfect, but God, he's confusing as hell. He sends all these mixed signals like dinner invites and panicked calls and dramatic rainy rescues, but why? At what cost? Kyungsoo's sanity? He likes Junmyeon well enough, more than well enough if he's going to be honest, but damn, it's so tiring to be confused all the time.
He lets out a deep sigh and zips up his backpack, straightening up and going back to the object of his ire (and affection, but he doesn't need to know that. Kyungsoo's more annoyed than enamored right now, thank you). "I'm ready," He announces flatly. "Shall we brave this storm, then?"
"Alright, then. I parked the car near the engineering block, so we have to walk a bit," Junmyeon says grimly, surveying the rising flood in the campus grounds before glancing at Kyungsoo's feet. "And with this flood, your boat shoes won't make it out alive."
And so will my heart, if you keep confusing it with your mixed signals. "It'll be fine," Kyungsoo shrugs. "They're pretty old, anyway."
Junmyeon is obviously not having any of that. With a sigh, he rolls his shoulders before handing his umbrella to Kyungsoo. "Hold this then get on my back," He instructs, squatting in front of him. "I'll carry you to the car."
"You're what?" Kyungsoo splutters. "What are we, reenacting a drama or something? I can walk just fine, thank you-"
"The flood is shin-deep out there. You're wearing leather shoes, I'm wearing rain boots. I am fit to wade in the flood, and you aren't," Junmyeon says, almost like he's presenting a case in court. "Ergo, I have the responsibility to help you cross the flooded areas. Solution? I'll piggyback you to the car, or at least where it's not flooded anymore."
He makes a good point, but Kyungsoo refuses to relent. "I told you, I'm fine," He shakes his head. "I'm not getting on your back, hyung."
"Alright then," Junmyeon concedes, and before Kyungsoo could react, he steps forward and scoops him up into his arms, carrying him bridal style. "Better?"
"What the-Kim Junmyeon, put me down!" Kyungsoo shrieks, flailing his short legs, but the elder pays him no mind as he starts walking, the rain beginning to pelt their shared umbrella harshly. He even had the audacity to whistle a happy tune, the nerve. "Argh, put me down! Junmyeon!"
"You know, I like the sound of that better," Junmyeon grins down at him, and oh hell, Kyungsoo's so annoyed and so, so in love. He hates Junmyeon's smile. Hates it with the burning passion of a thousand suns. "Don't call me hyung anymore. We're just a year apart."
"Put me down," Kyungsoo grits out, and Junmyeon chuckles as he steps back into the solace of the humanities building lobby and sets Kyungsoo down gently. "Fine. You win this round."
"Do I get a prize?" Junmyeon says cheekily, earning him a flick on the ear as Kyungsoo awkwardly clambers up his back, arms tightening around his neck. "I'll take that as a no. Hold on tight, then."
"I don't have any other choice," Kyungsoo grumbles halfheartedly, and Junmyeon laughs again as they set off into the stormy night, pace slow but steady.
Junmyeon is warm. Despite the puffiness of his jacket, his natural body heat seeps into Kyungsoo's bones, warming him up in more ways than one. His back is a solid and sturdy plane, his shoulders steady and unrelenting. Yet his neck is a soft curve, dotted with moles like constellations in the night sky. Junmyeon smells like peach shampoo, his favorite cologne, and coffee. It's a relaxing mixture of scents, a welcome change to the omnipresent scent of rain. He finds himself closing his eyes and just breathing in, taking everything in, letting himself be calmed after a harrowing night.
"Stop sniffing me," Junmyeon says amusedly, and Kyungsoo opens his eyes to glare at him. It's futile, because Junmyeon couldn't really see him. "Are you alright there?"
"I'm good," A beat, then: "Hyung?"
"Hmm?"
Kyungsoo breathes in again, gathers strength in peaches and coffee and expensive cologne and omnipresent warmth. "Thank you. You didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to," The elder replies simply. "Don't worry about it, alright?"
"Alright." Seems like he's really not getting any answers today. Sighing, Kyungsoo just concedes defeat and lets himself be carried away-physically, with Junmyeon carrying him to the car; emotionally, with his thoughts and assumptions and Junmyeon's confusing actions leading his poor heart on. He's used to it, anyway. He has always been more of a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. He doesn't know when his journey with Junmyeon will end, or where will they end up in, but he's willing to just follow where Junmyeon leads his heart, and where his heart takes him. Perhaps the journey might be worth it, in the end.
The sight of Junmyeon's trusty silver Jazz brings him back to reality. Ride's over, he supposes. Junmyeon manages to open the passenger seat for him without dropping him, and he safely, gently deposits him into the warm seat without a fuss, folding their umbrella and setting it near Kyungsoo's feet. He's quite impressive, Kyungsoo muses to himself as the elder scurries to close the door and move towards the driver's seat. He picked a great guy to get confused about.
"Next stop: home sweet home," Junmyeon announces cheerfully as he settles behind the wheel, tugging off his jacket. Some of his hair sticks to his forehead, his shirt sticking onto his torso. Kyungsoo belatedly realizes that: one, the jacket isn't waterproof after all, and two, Junmyeon had to run in the rain because he stupidly kept their umbrella when Kyungsoo boarded the car. And he didn't even realize it. Stupid, reckless little thing.
"You got drenched," He frowns as Junmyeon starts the car. "You kept telling me to stay dry and yet here you are."
"I'll be fine," Junmyeon grins at him as they drive back to the apartment complex. "I didn't know you worry about me, Kyungsoo."
"Of course I worry about you," Kyungsoo blurts out, earning him a surprised glance. "Uh. I mean-"
"Go to sleep," The elder interrupts softly. "You look exhausted. I'll wake you up when we get home, yeah?"
He opens his mouth to retort that their complex is not even far away, but he decides it's a battle he'd rather not fight. With a soft sigh, he closes his eyes and leans against the window, the sound of rain and Junmyeon's gentle humming lulling him to sleep. He's so tired. Tired of waiting, tired of overanalyzing, tired of hoping the most mundane of things meant so much more. He's so, so tired.
Kyungsoo wakes up to Junmyeon gathering him into his arms again. They're back in the apartment, the low humming of the fans in the basement parking all too familiar. He's not sure why the elder is doing this again since they are not in flooded grounds anymore, but he's too tired, too sleep-addled, too weak to protest, so he just lets out a questioning sound from the back of his throat.
"Shh. Go back to sleep, Kyungsoo," Junmyeon whispers gently, sweetly. "I got you. Rest."
And so Kyungsoo does. He curls up against Junmyeon's chest, reveling in the warmth, letting the steady cadence of his footsteps rock him back to unconsciousness.
He wakes up again for brief moments, after that-Junmyeon opening his apartment, the keys jangling noisily in the empty corridor. Junmyeon laying him down gently on the bed, removing his shoes and belt before covering him with the blanket. Quietness, except for the sounds of pencil scratching on paper. A soft touch, brushing the hair off his forehead. A murmured good night, and the closing of his door. He files them all away for later. Tomorrow, he'll scrutinize each move, each word, each laugh with Baekhyun. Tomorrow, he'll bring his hopes up and slowly tug them back down to reality. Tomorrow, he loves again from afar. For now, he tugs the blanket closer to him and lets sleep consume him.
Kyungsoo,
I didn't want to wake you up anymore because you look so tired, so I carried you back to your apartment. I placed the keys-which I got from your backpack, by the way-on the coffee table. Rest well; I'll be next door if you need me. :)
Lo Yours With l
Junmyeon
Two reasons as to why I wrote another fic related to storms:
1. It has been raining quite often from where I am for the past few weeks, and I both love and hate it.
2. I lost one of my closest friends fairly recently, and my skies are quite greyer now that she is gone. I'm trying to cope, but I'm doing a pretty bad job. She has always been the stronger one between us, after all.
Anyway HI it's been a long time and ofc this is what I give y'all. This is so clichéd and much sadder than what I wanted. Whoops. I swear this was supposed to be cute and fluffy, but it turned to this seemingly unrequited pining monster. Idk what happened, either. I'm sorry. They're both still hopeless, though, so there's that. Sighs pls kiss and get it over with we're at part 5?!?!?!!? Also: title is from Feelings by Up Dharma Down.
Side note: part 5 (which is this one) onwards will all be non-sequitur unless stated otherwise, unlike parts 1-4 that are quite connected to one another. Just know that now they are close enough to do...things. Teehee.
Side note 2: In case it wasn't obvious, the unknown classmate is Johnny, because if he can't debut in an NCT unit, he might as well debut in this AU. Love you Jsuh I gotchu
kyungmyeon • pg • neighbors!au • 5.7k
In which Kyungsoo gets caught in a freak storm and a whirlwind of his own feelings, and Junmyeon is his knight in shining armor, armed with his trusty umbrella and a load of mixed signals.
Kyungsoo loves the rain. He loves the way it sounds as it pounds against his windows, pattering on the roof and making outside look cold and grey. He loves the chill it brings, the cold wind and the colder raindrops. He loves the way it smells after a downpour, the petrichor reminding him of summers in the province with his cousins. He loves the calmness it brings, the kind that makes him want to curl up in bed and read a book all day. Kyungsoo loves the rain, loves the feeling of puddles beneath his feet and rivulets of rainwater streaming steadily from his umbrella.
Baekhyun, however, thinks otherwise. That fact becomes clear to him when he opens his door to see his best friend looking murderous and drenched to the bone.
"Um, hi?" Kyungsoo says hesitantly the moment the door swings open. He barely gets acknowledged as Baekhyun all but stomps into his apartment.
"Of all days to get caught in the rain," The music major fumes, dripping wet from the tips of his ink-black hair to his muddy Superstars. "I brought my laptop and my sheet music with me today. I'm just praying I can read my compositions by the time they dry."
"I have a blowdryer, we'll dry and hang them up later, don't worry," Kyungsoo assures him as he goes to get a towel from his drawer. "I'm sure we can save most of them. I'll help you rewrite them if you want?"
"Yeah, that'll be great. Thanks, Soo," Baekhyun sighs, flinging his wet backpack to the side. "I'll worry about them later, I just really need to take a shower first."
"You know where the bathroom is," He gestures vaguely to the direction of his bathroom. "Why did you go here instead of your own apartment, though?"
"My water heater's broken," Baekhyun grumbles, kicking off his shoes and peeling off his socks. He's making a mess on his newly cleaned floor, Kyungsoo notices as he makes his way back to the living room, but he'll kindly refrain from commenting about it. "Don't get me started on that, too. I hate the rain. Why is it even raining? It's almost the end of summer. Ugh."
"Earlier this week you were just wishing for the heat to subside," Kyungsoo points out helpfully, hiding a smile behind the towels that he hands to Baekhyun. "If I remember correctly, you said that staying outside for a few minutes already feels like hell."
"Because it does," The music major huffs. "But I didn't mean freak storms and harsh winds! Maybe a few clouds? A gentle breeze? Delightful things that won't get me drenched to the bone?"
"It's nice, though," He shrugs, moving to grab some rags for his floor. "The rain's very calming. Makes you feel relaxed and at home."
"Not when you're under it, you're not," Baekhyun scoffs, tugging off his drenched hoodie and wincing. "If you're stranded at campus with no other way to go home but to brave the rain, let's see if you still feel relaxed."
"Alright, Baekhyun," Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, chuckling to himself. "Why don't you go take a shower instead? I'll have dinner ready when you're out."
"Make chicken noodle soup," Baekhyun says as he pads towards the kitchen, leaving behind a trail of water and mud in his wake. Kyungsoo shakes his head fondly and goes to clean up the mess his friend made, humming softly to himself as he listens to the rain hit his windows gently. Later, he'll make chicken stock from a pack and put in what's left of his spaghetti noodles, probably fire up his kettle to make some tea, too. He'll bring out his extensive Disney movie collection and set up Mulan for them to watch, and he'll also bring out the extra pillows and blankets he keeps for when Baekhyun sleeps over. Maybe he'll watch Mulan 2 if he doesn't feel sleepy yet. But for now, he'll revel in the sound of the rain and the coolness of the night, a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of his usual work week.
Junmyeon hates the rain.
That fact becomes clear to Kyungsoo the moment he reaches the lobby of their apartment complex. The elder is bundled up in a puffy black jacket, an umbrella in his hand. He seems to be pouting at the rain, probably miffed that he has to change his plans now that it's pouring outside. Cute, he thinks. He expected Junmyeon to love the sun. He's bright and warm, vibrant amidst the monotony of their lives. A little walking sun, maybe. No wonder he hates the rain-it's dreary and grey and gloomy. But Kyungsoo loves the rain, so there's that.
(Opposites attract, his brain supplies, and he quickly dismisses the idea before it consumes him and makes him assume things again.)
"Hey, hyung," He finally speaks up, approaching the petulant elder with a small smile. "What's with the long face?"
"Oh! Hello, Kyungsoo!" Junmyeon turns to him and beams, his smile unwaveringly bright even in the harsh storm. "I'm just a little annoyed at the rain. I'm supposed to go grab some supplies today, but I can't go out because of this downpour."
"I can get them for you, if you want," Kyungsoo offers. "I'm going to the supermarket to grab ingredients for dinner, anyway."
"In this rain?" The elder asks, looking pointedly at the torrents of rainfall outside. "And how are you going to go there?"
"I'll walk," He shrugs, holding up his trusty black umbrella. "It's not that far anyway, so I'll be fine."
"In this rain, though?" Junmyeon repeats, frowning. "You'll be soaked even with your umbrella. And how do you plan on carrying all your groceries?"
"I'm just picking up a few things, I'll be fine," Kyungsoo says. "And if the rain gets stronger I'll just hail a taxi or something."
"Taxis are extremely expensive in bad weather, you know," Junmyeon argues, frown deepening. "Can't you just, I don't know, skip grocery day or something?"
"Hyung, my cupboards are empty and I need to eat," He replies as patiently as he could. Junmyeon's smart on a normal day, sure, but he's not making sense right now. "I've got to go to the supermarket and restock."
"Order takeout, then. I'll pay for it," Junmyeon shoots back.
"Hyung, think about the poor delivery person. He'll be the one to get stranded under this storm," Kyungsoo sighs, pushing his glasses up his nose to disguise his growing annoyance. "Look, I'll be fine. It'll just be a quick trip, I promise."
"What part of there's a freak storm outside don't you understand?" The elder huffs, throwing his hands up in the air. "Fine, if you insist. Stay there. I'll be right back."
"Wait, what? Hyung, where are you going?" Kyungsoo asks, but Junmyeon ignores him and goes up the stairs. Alright, now what? First Junmyeon argues with him about the downsides of going out in this weather, and then he leaves him alone. Seriously? He could be already going back from the supermarket with the time they spent arguing. And what was that argument even about, anyway? That was extremely pointless. It felt like an argument children would make.
(Or an old married couple, his brain interjects helpfully, and Kyungsoo wants to scream.)
The sound of footsteps going down the stairs breaks his internal monologue, and he turns to see Junmyeon now with a black cap covering his soft brown hair, car keys jangling happily in his hand.
"Let's go, then," The elder says, motioning towards the stairs leading to the basement.
"Where are we going, exactly?" Kyungsoo asks, rooted on his spot near the front doors.
"To the supermarket," Junmyeon replies, raising a brow at him. "You have to go, right? Then let's go. The rain looks like it's not going to stop any time soon, anyway."
"You're coming with me?" Kyungsoo asks again confusedly. "But I thought you said you can't go? And why are we going to the basement?"
"I'll drive us both. Now come on," Junmyeon moves towards him and tugs him gently with a hand wrapped around his wrist-firm, but not unkind.
"Hyung, this is really unnecessary. I can walk to the supermarket, no problem," He tries again as they make their way down towards the parking area, their footfalls heavy in the silent stairwell. "You don't have to do this."
"I want to," Junmyeon replies simply as they approach his small silver Jazz, a cute thing big enough to offer carpooling services but small enough to still fit in impossibly small parking spaces. "Now can we please stop arguing and just get in the car? Tell me about your dinner plans instead. What do you plan on making?"
Kyungsoo stares at Junmyeon disbelievingly, wondering why he's doing all of this, trying to see his motives behind them. He comes up with nothing, only meeting Junmyeon's earnest eyes, warm and kind and determined, and finding nothing but sincerity in them. He sighs and relents, files his confusion away for pondering later, and lets Junmyeon open the door for him and makes himself comfortable in the passenger's seat. He has never been good at saying no, anyway. Especially not to people with beautiful eyes and beautiful smiles and beautiful hearts, like Junmyeon. He tries not to dwell on it as they make their way towards the supermarket, filling the car with mindless chatter and the soft sounds of the radio playing some old love songs.
(And when they shop for groceries together, Kyungsoo pushing their shared cart while Junmyeon reaches for the products that they need even if he's not that tall either, and when they unknowingly both know the things they like and what they don't-Junmyeon uses peach shampoo, Kyungsoo hates fresh cilantro-and when friendly ahjumma who owns the quaint supermarket comments offhandedly how cute of a couple they are, making them both blush and stutter, he doesn't dwell on it either.)
Junmyeon carries both of their groceries, going with him inside his apartment and depositing Kyungsoo's bags onto the dining table. He offers to help pack them away, but Kyungsoo shakes his head with a small smile.
"You've already done more than enough. Besides, you have your own groceries to fix," He says. "Thanks again for your help, hyung."
"Anytime, Kyungsoo. I'll be next door if you need me, yeah?" Junmyeon grins at him, and the reminder is wholly unnecessary-of course he knew that, he has been living in the apartment beside Junmyeon's for almost half a year now-but the sentiment warms him up anyway all the same. "Enjoy your dinner."
"You could stay, if you want?" Kyungsoo blurts out. "I mean, uh, it's just grilled cheese and tomato soup, nothing fancy, but, um-"
"I wouldn't want to impose," Junmyeon's smile doesn't wane, but there's something that flits briefly in his eyes that Kyungsoo wasn't able to catch. "I have a ton of stuff to do, anyway. Maybe next time?"
"Sure. Next time," Kyungsoo nods, waving at his departing neighbor. This scenario feels all too familiar, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it, so he sighs and goes to make his dinner, trying his hardest not to dwell on this one, too.
(He fails, but in hindsight, he didn't expect to succeed, anyway.)
Kyungsoo is, for a lack of a better term, fucked.
He left his apartment with the skies overcast, grey but still relatively bright. It's cool enough for Kyungsoo to wear his favorite denim jacket, and sunny enough that he even dons his trusty navy cap to shield his eyes. One would think that Seoul's just transitioning to autumn, the summer heat finally relenting and making way for cooler days.
The rain started around mid-afternoon, just when Kyungsoo was about to head to his last class for the day. At that time, it was still a manageable downpour, so Kyungsoo didn't mind it much. He had his umbrella with him, so it's not a problem. The rain will probably let up in a while. With a skip in his step and the sound of rain as his background music, he makes his way to his art appreciation class.
He has never been so wrong in his life.
Contrary to his belief, the rain did not let up after an hour and a half. Instead, it poured down in harsh torrents, the wind picking up speed and strength along with it. Most of the students have already gone home, but for the unfortunate lot that had evening classes-Kyungsoo included-they're stuck in campus until the storm stops. If the storm stops, that is.
"I really should've cut this class tonight," Someone behind Kyungsoo grumbles as they walk past by him, and he silently agrees as he watches the rain from the corridor. He contemplates just going for it, but he quickly trashes the idea. His umbrella wouldn't stand a chance in this downpour, nor will his jacket provide much coverage. His boat shoes would be flooded in no time, too (oh, the irony). His best bet is to wait it out, because any reckless attempts of braving the storm would be an idiotic move. Fantastic.
If you're stranded at campus with no other way to go home but to brave the rain, let's see if you still feel relaxed, Baekhyun had said to him. He kind of sees where his best friend is coming from now. He does feel a little stressed about the entire thing.
"This storm, though," Another one of Kyungsoo's classmates whistles lowly as he stands beside Kyungsoo, wincing at the rain. He's the tall, friendly Korean-American that sits at the very back and makes funny offhand comments from time to time, but despite being quite friendly, Kyungsoo never did quite catch his name. Oops. "Do you think I'll survive walking back to my dorm?"
"Do you live nearby?" He asks. Small talk, to make up for not knowing his name. It's just been a few weeks, alright? Cut him some slack.
"Yeah. I live in the in-campus dorm," The guy says, flicking his fringe out of his eyes. "It's on the other end of the campus, though, so I'm not so sure about braving this rain. And you?"
"I live off-campus," Kyungsoo replies wryly, earning him a grimace. Same, stranger, same. "I don't have a car, either, so guess I'm stuck here until this storm lets up a bit."
"That blows, man," The guy shakes his head. "It's not much, but do you want to stay at my dorm first or something? Not my room if you feel uncomfy or whatever, we have a common room that guests can usually crash in. You're a university student too, so I'm sure it'll be easier to smuggle you in."
Crashing in someplace warm, dry, and not one of the humanities building lobby benches sounds fantastic, but he'll still have to brave the rain to get there, defeating the purpose of not going home to stay dry. Plus, he still doesn't know this stranger's name, which can make things extremely awkward. "I'll pass," Kyungsoo says instead, smiling. "But thanks for the offer. I really appreciate it."
"S'cool, bro. The offer still stands though, in case you need it. Drop by the dorm if you need a place to stay for a while. I'll talk to the RA about it," The stranger flashes him a thumbs up, kittenish lips curling upwards. "I'll go ahead, I'll try to find a relatively shorter way back. Catch you later, dude. You take care, alright?"
"You too. Thanks again," Kyungsoo bids him goodbye, waving as the guy makes his way towards the other end of the hall. Cool guy, that one. He swears he'll find out his name soon. But for now, his main concern is how to get home without becoming a human sponge, or at least seek solace in a more familiar place with a more familiar face (whose name he hopefully knows).
But perhaps the skies are still listening to him somehow, because a few minutes later his phone starts ringing, the shrill sound almost drowning in the howling winds. Kyungsoo quickly pulls it out of his pocket and squints at the screen to check who's calling him.
Kim Junmyeon.
Familiar place, check. Familiar face, check. And he definitely knows this name, that's for sure. But why would Junmyeon call him, though? With a frown, he swipes his thumb across the screen and accepts the call. "Hey, hyung," He says. "What's up?"
"Kyungsoo? Where are you?" Junmyeon asks, and even with the rain muffling everything else, Kyungsoo can clearly hear the concern in the elder's tone.
"I'm still in school. My class ended late, and I'm stuck here," He explains, frowning at the harsh downpour outside. "It's raining really hard, I can't walk back home."
"Oh my god. No wonder-God. Alright. Where are you?" Junmyeon asks again, and he can't be really sure, but he hears the faint jangling of keys and footfalls in the background. "Which building?"
"Um, humanities building, east lobby," Kyungsoo replies bemusedly. "Why?"
"Stay right there. Don't move, don't go outside, just please stay there, alright?" Junmyeon says firmly, and before Kyungsoo could ask why, he cuts the call short.
Okay, rude. That is the second time Junmyeon asked him to stay wherever he is without any explanation whatsoever. Given, the first one ended up in a nice drive and grocery run together, but this one? What gives? Of course he's going to stay here. Junmyeon can surely see and hear the rain from his apartment, he's not that dumb to assume Kyungsoo's going to brave this storm. On top of that, he also called out of the blue and then cut the call short before Kyungsoo could get answers. Really? Really, Junmyeon? He already gives enough mixed signals as it is, he doesn't need to add more to Kyungsoo's confusion. Crushes suck. They think they can play around with people's emotions, mess with their thoughts. Unfair.
Sadly, he has no other choice but to follow the elder because it's still raining cats and dogs outside-more like the entire animal kingdom, in his opinion-so he sighs and plops down on one of the stone benches. And he waits. And waits. And waits some more. What he's waiting for, he's not so sure, but hey, he has nothing else to do anyway.
Two rounds of Twenty, a quick nap that almost sends him toppling face forward, half an episode of We Bare Bears, and a chapter in his fiscal policies textbook later, Kyungsoo's phone starts ringing again. How many minutes has passed, he's not sure, but he's grateful for the end of the radio silence. Everyone else had disappeared, and it's just him in the lonely lobby, waiting for what seems like nothing. With a scowl, he accepts the call without checking the screen. "Hello?" He says gruffly.
"Hey," Instead of Junmyeon's voice, it's Baekhyun that speaks up, and he instantly feels all annoyance dissipate. "You're not home yet? Where are you?"
"I'm stranded in campus," Kyungsoo mourns. "It's raining too hard for me to walk back home."
"Oh my god," Baekhyun gasps. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm so bored, my ass hurts from sitting in this bench for God knows how many minutes already, and my phone's battery is dangerously low, but I'm alright," Kyungsoo sighs. "I can't really go anywhere, Baekhyun. Plus Junmyeon hyung told me earlier to stay put, which is really dumb because hello, where else am I supposed to go?"
"Junmyeon hyung?" His best friend muses thoughtfully. "Is that why he all but stormed-sorry, bad pun-down the stairs earlier, looking so distraught you think someone’s in the hospital or something?"
"Wait, what?" He sits up, frowning. "Junmyeon hyung did what?"
"Oh, yeah. He slammed his door and went down the stairs so fast, he was like a blur. He had his car keys, you know the puffy jacket he always wears, the black one? And he kept muttering to himself with his brow furrowed," Baekhyun all but happily regales tonight's happenings at the apartment complex, seemingly forgetting that Kyungsoo's still stuck in campus as he chats away happily. Kyungsoo actually hears him flop down his couch, the nerve. "I actually thought he was coming to get you."
"Baekhyun, that's silly. Why would he drive here in this weather to pick me up?" Kyungsoo huffs. "He's not my boyfriend or anything."
"Yet," Baekhyun corrects him smugly. "But think about it, man. Why would he ask you to stay there while he himself rushed out of his perfectly comfy apartment?"
"I don't know, maybe because he has some other place to be and he just called me along the way?" He shrugs, hopping up on his feet and stretching. He continues to speak as he soothes his sore muscles, staring mindlessly at the grey skies outside. "Look, what you're saying is highly improbable, cute as it may sound in theory. He'll not go here and-"
There's a figure approaching the Humanities building. Someone recklessly stupid enough to walk under this rain. He steps forward, still in the shade but closer to the entrance to see just who is this dumb guy who braved the rain for whatever reason. Who'd be willing to get drenched in this storm for anything other than food, maybe? Besides, all of the offices are now closed, all other evening classes-not Kyungsoo's, sadly-are cancelled. There's no rational reason to brave the storm. Squinting, he tries to identify just who dares to get soaked in this weather despite the dark grey surroundings. Someone small, in a puffy black jacket and rain boots. Wait, scratch that, in an awfully familiar puffy black jacket. Could it be...?
"Baek, I've got to go," Kyungsoo frowns, ending the call despite Baekhyun's protests. He moves closer, almost nearing the threshold of the lobby (and consequently, the shade) when the figure speaks up.
"Kyungsoo! Wait!"
It is Junmyeon, half-running, half-wading in the shallow flood that had begun to rise in the time that Kyungsoo waited idly. Like what Baekhyun had said, he's bundled up in his favorite black jacket, his drenched jeans tucked in matching black rain boots. He's holding an umbrella, probably too small for them both, and he looks so winded he actually stops to catch his breath a few steps away from Kyungsoo. Still, his face is etched with concern, and he all but rushes towards the lobby as soon as he is able to breathe again.
All those metaphors about knights in shining armor? Yeah, did anything say about saviors in puffy jackets and rain boots, because Kyungsoo is sure his arrived just now. As to why, he's not so sure, but then again, he's never sure when he's around Junmyeon. Unfortunately.
"Hey, are you alright? Did you have to wait long?" Junmyeon asks worriedly, reaching for his forehead to check his temperature even though Kyungsoo is obviously dry and has no reason whatsoever to get a fever. "I'm sorry, traffic was crazy and the streets were flooded and-oh no, were you cold? Are you hungry? I really tried to get here as fast as I can but-"
"Uh, hyung?" Kyungsoo asks, but the elder continues to babble.
"I cooked samgyetang tonight and I was going to invite you to have dinner with me, but you weren't answering when I tried knocking on your door," Junmyeon rants on, still hellbent on making sure Kyungsoo is safe and dry. "I figured you weren't home yet, so I called you to ask. And here you are."
Whoops. There goes another missed dinner date opportunity. Nice one, Kyungsoo. "Ah, sorry about that," He apologizes sheepishly. "I had art appreciation class at this hour. I thought it was going to stop after my class, but obviously, it didn't."
"Me too, so I wasn't worried at first," Junmyeon sighs, dropping his hands away from where he was smoothing down Kyungsoo's jacket with unfettered anxiety. "But then the rain started intensifying and you haven't gone home yet. I thought you were just hanging out somewhere with friends, I mean it's a Friday so that's fine, but then you told me you were stranded, so I went here immediately."
"Actually, about that," Kyungsoo interrupts, finally getting his chance to speak. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, hyung, but what are you doing here? It's a freak storm out there. You should be back in your apartment, enjoying your samgyetang."
"Bringing you home," Junmyeon answers, like it's the most logical thing in the world. Not. (But it is romantic, he'll give him that. Not that he was expecting it to be the latter's answer, shut up.) "You said you were stranded, right? I'm here to bring you back home in one preferably dry piece."
Wait, what? "You braved the rain for me?" Kyungsoo says incredulously. "But why?" He's not special. He's just his neighbor, for God's sake. He likes Junmyeon, but he probably wouldn't brave this rain for him, maybe even Baekhyun. They just won't survive together.
"What do you mean why? Isn't it obvious? It's because I-" Junmyeon abruptly stops mid-sentence, much to Kyungsoo's frustration, and he shakes his head instead. "Look, it doesn't matter. Let's just go home, alright? The storm might intensify even more later, we should head back. Where's your stuff?"
"Uh, there. Hold on, I'll just fix them," Kyungsoo trails off uncertainly, moving towards the bench he wasted his time on and starts tidying up his things a little more roughly than usual. If there's one thing that Kyungsoo hates, it's being kept in the dark. He couldn't figure out why Junmyeon is doing this, and obviously the latter doesn't want to disclose it, either. Is it a bad motive? What's so special about it that he couldn't say it out loud? Junmyeon is damn attractive and nice and smart and perfect, but God, he's confusing as hell. He sends all these mixed signals like dinner invites and panicked calls and dramatic rainy rescues, but why? At what cost? Kyungsoo's sanity? He likes Junmyeon well enough, more than well enough if he's going to be honest, but damn, it's so tiring to be confused all the time.
He lets out a deep sigh and zips up his backpack, straightening up and going back to the object of his ire (and affection, but he doesn't need to know that. Kyungsoo's more annoyed than enamored right now, thank you). "I'm ready," He announces flatly. "Shall we brave this storm, then?"
"Alright, then. I parked the car near the engineering block, so we have to walk a bit," Junmyeon says grimly, surveying the rising flood in the campus grounds before glancing at Kyungsoo's feet. "And with this flood, your boat shoes won't make it out alive."
And so will my heart, if you keep confusing it with your mixed signals. "It'll be fine," Kyungsoo shrugs. "They're pretty old, anyway."
Junmyeon is obviously not having any of that. With a sigh, he rolls his shoulders before handing his umbrella to Kyungsoo. "Hold this then get on my back," He instructs, squatting in front of him. "I'll carry you to the car."
"You're what?" Kyungsoo splutters. "What are we, reenacting a drama or something? I can walk just fine, thank you-"
"The flood is shin-deep out there. You're wearing leather shoes, I'm wearing rain boots. I am fit to wade in the flood, and you aren't," Junmyeon says, almost like he's presenting a case in court. "Ergo, I have the responsibility to help you cross the flooded areas. Solution? I'll piggyback you to the car, or at least where it's not flooded anymore."
He makes a good point, but Kyungsoo refuses to relent. "I told you, I'm fine," He shakes his head. "I'm not getting on your back, hyung."
"Alright then," Junmyeon concedes, and before Kyungsoo could react, he steps forward and scoops him up into his arms, carrying him bridal style. "Better?"
"What the-Kim Junmyeon, put me down!" Kyungsoo shrieks, flailing his short legs, but the elder pays him no mind as he starts walking, the rain beginning to pelt their shared umbrella harshly. He even had the audacity to whistle a happy tune, the nerve. "Argh, put me down! Junmyeon!"
"You know, I like the sound of that better," Junmyeon grins down at him, and oh hell, Kyungsoo's so annoyed and so, so in love. He hates Junmyeon's smile. Hates it with the burning passion of a thousand suns. "Don't call me hyung anymore. We're just a year apart."
"Put me down," Kyungsoo grits out, and Junmyeon chuckles as he steps back into the solace of the humanities building lobby and sets Kyungsoo down gently. "Fine. You win this round."
"Do I get a prize?" Junmyeon says cheekily, earning him a flick on the ear as Kyungsoo awkwardly clambers up his back, arms tightening around his neck. "I'll take that as a no. Hold on tight, then."
"I don't have any other choice," Kyungsoo grumbles halfheartedly, and Junmyeon laughs again as they set off into the stormy night, pace slow but steady.
Junmyeon is warm. Despite the puffiness of his jacket, his natural body heat seeps into Kyungsoo's bones, warming him up in more ways than one. His back is a solid and sturdy plane, his shoulders steady and unrelenting. Yet his neck is a soft curve, dotted with moles like constellations in the night sky. Junmyeon smells like peach shampoo, his favorite cologne, and coffee. It's a relaxing mixture of scents, a welcome change to the omnipresent scent of rain. He finds himself closing his eyes and just breathing in, taking everything in, letting himself be calmed after a harrowing night.
"Stop sniffing me," Junmyeon says amusedly, and Kyungsoo opens his eyes to glare at him. It's futile, because Junmyeon couldn't really see him. "Are you alright there?"
"I'm good," A beat, then: "Hyung?"
"Hmm?"
Kyungsoo breathes in again, gathers strength in peaches and coffee and expensive cologne and omnipresent warmth. "Thank you. You didn't have to do this."
"I wanted to," The elder replies simply. "Don't worry about it, alright?"
"Alright." Seems like he's really not getting any answers today. Sighing, Kyungsoo just concedes defeat and lets himself be carried away-physically, with Junmyeon carrying him to the car; emotionally, with his thoughts and assumptions and Junmyeon's confusing actions leading his poor heart on. He's used to it, anyway. He has always been more of a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. He doesn't know when his journey with Junmyeon will end, or where will they end up in, but he's willing to just follow where Junmyeon leads his heart, and where his heart takes him. Perhaps the journey might be worth it, in the end.
The sight of Junmyeon's trusty silver Jazz brings him back to reality. Ride's over, he supposes. Junmyeon manages to open the passenger seat for him without dropping him, and he safely, gently deposits him into the warm seat without a fuss, folding their umbrella and setting it near Kyungsoo's feet. He's quite impressive, Kyungsoo muses to himself as the elder scurries to close the door and move towards the driver's seat. He picked a great guy to get confused about.
"Next stop: home sweet home," Junmyeon announces cheerfully as he settles behind the wheel, tugging off his jacket. Some of his hair sticks to his forehead, his shirt sticking onto his torso. Kyungsoo belatedly realizes that: one, the jacket isn't waterproof after all, and two, Junmyeon had to run in the rain because he stupidly kept their umbrella when Kyungsoo boarded the car. And he didn't even realize it. Stupid, reckless little thing.
"You got drenched," He frowns as Junmyeon starts the car. "You kept telling me to stay dry and yet here you are."
"I'll be fine," Junmyeon grins at him as they drive back to the apartment complex. "I didn't know you worry about me, Kyungsoo."
"Of course I worry about you," Kyungsoo blurts out, earning him a surprised glance. "Uh. I mean-"
"Go to sleep," The elder interrupts softly. "You look exhausted. I'll wake you up when we get home, yeah?"
He opens his mouth to retort that their complex is not even far away, but he decides it's a battle he'd rather not fight. With a soft sigh, he closes his eyes and leans against the window, the sound of rain and Junmyeon's gentle humming lulling him to sleep. He's so tired. Tired of waiting, tired of overanalyzing, tired of hoping the most mundane of things meant so much more. He's so, so tired.
Kyungsoo wakes up to Junmyeon gathering him into his arms again. They're back in the apartment, the low humming of the fans in the basement parking all too familiar. He's not sure why the elder is doing this again since they are not in flooded grounds anymore, but he's too tired, too sleep-addled, too weak to protest, so he just lets out a questioning sound from the back of his throat.
"Shh. Go back to sleep, Kyungsoo," Junmyeon whispers gently, sweetly. "I got you. Rest."
And so Kyungsoo does. He curls up against Junmyeon's chest, reveling in the warmth, letting the steady cadence of his footsteps rock him back to unconsciousness.
He wakes up again for brief moments, after that-Junmyeon opening his apartment, the keys jangling noisily in the empty corridor. Junmyeon laying him down gently on the bed, removing his shoes and belt before covering him with the blanket. Quietness, except for the sounds of pencil scratching on paper. A soft touch, brushing the hair off his forehead. A murmured good night, and the closing of his door. He files them all away for later. Tomorrow, he'll scrutinize each move, each word, each laugh with Baekhyun. Tomorrow, he'll bring his hopes up and slowly tug them back down to reality. Tomorrow, he loves again from afar. For now, he tugs the blanket closer to him and lets sleep consume him.
Kyungsoo,
I didn't want to wake you up anymore because you look so tired, so I carried you back to your apartment. I placed the keys-which I got from your backpack, by the way-on the coffee table. Rest well; I'll be next door if you need me. :)
Lo Yours With l
Junmyeon
Two reasons as to why I wrote another fic related to storms:
1. It has been raining quite often from where I am for the past few weeks, and I both love and hate it.
2. I lost one of my closest friends fairly recently, and my skies are quite greyer now that she is gone. I'm trying to cope, but I'm doing a pretty bad job. She has always been the stronger one between us, after all.
Anyway HI it's been a long time and ofc this is what I give y'all. This is so clichéd and much sadder than what I wanted. Whoops. I swear this was supposed to be cute and fluffy, but it turned to this seemingly unrequited pining monster. Idk what happened, either. I'm sorry. They're both still hopeless, though, so there's that. Sighs pls kiss and get it over with we're at part 5?!?!?!!? Also: title is from Feelings by Up Dharma Down.
Side note: part 5 (which is this one) onwards will all be non-sequitur unless stated otherwise, unlike parts 1-4 that are quite connected to one another. Just know that now they are close enough to do...things. Teehee.
Side note 2: In case it wasn't obvious, the unknown classmate is Johnny, because if he can't debut in an NCT unit, he might as well debut in this AU. Love you Jsuh I gotchu