Time After Time [Will be known as TAT after this chapter] (1/?)
Title: Time after time
Pairing: JongKey
Genre: hs!AU, Romance, Drama, Love
Summary: No longer the freshman, but, sophomore Kim Kibum. Kibum has been in love with his best friend ever since the first day of his first year of high school, but he never knew it would be this complicated.
A/N: Made from the wonderful inspiration of thinkingfood unnie’s ‘A diary of a freshmeat’. I want to thank her again for dedicating it for my first day!
1
It’s nothing… or is it?
Imagine a gated community, flourishing with bright wild flowers and bright green grass- plastic is preferred. The usual lovely mellow plants are turning into light auburn and orange-ish shades for the new season. The neighbors are starting to wear light sweaters and cardigans from Abercrombie and Fitch, fresh with the matching scent. This was the suburban area of a lovely neighborhood smack in the middle of a small town.
It was their town.
Kibum swirled his spoon around his cereal- sugar free of course- with a hint of skim milk soaking into the plain mess. He gobbled down the last few spoonfuls and placed it in the sink, running the water so the leftover pieces wouldn’t crust up when he got home later that day. He ran a hand over his new hair, smiling with overflowing confidence as he grabbed his bag off the handle and opened the front door.
He breathed in the all too familiar oaky aroma that filed from his neighbor’s garage a few doors down. He walked down the steps as glanced at his new shoes, the ones he’s wanted forever; Louis Vuitton sneakers with the straw tan laces. He grinned as he walked down the pathway.
“I forgot how long it took you to escape your cave, my love.” The slightly shorter boy chirped happily.
Kibum nodded, his hand brushing against his tingling cheek as his head was pulled up. “You ‘kay? You seem a little flushed.” The brunette nodded, swatting the hand down to its original spot. But like magic, their hand closed together, like magnets. Kibum actually had no idea why they were like this. Best friends are close, but, not intimate like they were.
Most best friends knew when was a good time to joke around. They knew when they were serious and being completely stupid and silly. But, they never really knew what the other was thinking, like someone built a wall halfway up their bodies, hiding their deepest secrets and thoughts from each other. There was even a time when Kibum was sure Jonghyun was kidding; at least that’s what he hoped.
They had lain on the floor for a good two hours, basking in the cool air that filled the room from the cracked window. They were working on their project for health class; the one with the useless egg and a written report. Well Kibum was lying down a good distance away from his partner when he came closer. He nervously caressed the egg in the little milk carton with pink cloth sticking out. He tugged a little at the soft fabric and cleared his throat, knowing there were eyes on him. He shifted away, trying to be as subtle as possible he rolled on his sides repeatedly, getting the space he wanted. But to his dismay, Jonghyun took it as a game and copied him until his arms were next to the boy’s head and his body was hovering over him.
“One day I’m going to make you my wife.” And that’s all he said before going back to work; the pencil sticking out of his mouth and a smile playing along his lips. What was Kibum supposed to think?
You don’t usually change in front of your friend while he was studying in your room. Friends don’t usually hold hands while they walked down the street, oh so casually. It never really bothered Kibum that every time he didn’t occupy his hands it would become latched and connected into his friend’s pocket. It also wasn’t anything big when they were studying and the elder made it into a secret exchange session.
When you beg to show your friend the new dance you’ve been working on they usually clap and woot, not tell you that a pair of boobs would go perfectly with your body structure. It just wasn’t, the things they did together weren’t friendly friend things. Sometimes it felt more like friends with benefits.
But what did matter was that he started developing feelings, and he was sure it wasn’t a good sign.
Jonghyun nudged him in the ribs. “You sure you’re fine? I’ll stay home and we can eat some popcorn and watch those corny old movies you like.”
“For one, they’re classics. Two, popcorn is disgusting. And three, it’s the first day of school, I’m not going to miss it.” he seemed to cut his point short as he strided ahead. He grinned professionally and toyed with his own fingers, rubbing the pad of his thumb over his neatly cut cuticles.
It does sound like a good idea, he thinks to himself. He shrugs it off and stuffs his hands down into his True Religion jeans. He turns around slightly to see what the other is doing. He walks backwards and crouches next to him, looking where he is, and touching what he is. The pretty daisies were growing out of someone’s lawn and Jonghyun was picking at them with interest.
Jonghyun cupped his hands and it was like he told Kibum to copy him. He started placing the delicate flowers in by the middle of their stems, making sure that they don’t fall out or get crushed. Jonghyun had a thing for flowers ever since he was little. It brushed off on Kibum, too, as they started hanging out more.
Jonghyun wiped his hands on the back of his jeans as he picked one out of the bucket hands. He started working with it, wrapping it around his own finger for size and starting his construction. Kibum walked on as each flower was being lifted out, one by one, and that was five times to be exact. He thought the obvious, one for each friend, he was right… right?
Jonghyun held onto the snowy white hand and slid on the flower ring. Kibum studied it, sizing it up to his expectation as he flashed a fabulous pose. The petals were shaking in the wind and Jonghyun wrapped his fingers around it, like a protection shield. The pretty glint in his eyes was glorious as he watched for an answer.
“I love it. Thank you macho grande, senior Jonghyun.” He let out a small laugh.
Jonghyun’s face incorporated small patches of red. “I’m not taking Spanish as my foreign language this year, but I’m sure it’s ‘Thank you mucho grande.’ Kibum, you crack me up, really!”
Kibum rolled his eyes around the socket a few times before turning back to the other finished flowers. He cocked his head slightly. “Are those for the others?”
Jonghyun gazed at the fragile pieces of nature and smiling uneasily. He slowly nodded his head as he let out a slow chuckle,” Yeah… for the guys, of course.” He watched his friend nod a couple of times before letting his eyes wander elsewhere. They were for your other four fingers…
He looked at the bare face, taken back completely as he spun his friend around to do a look over. He gave all of his upmost respect to the boy. “You aren’t wearing eyeliner. You look better without makeup. You are so much prettier.”
Kibum sighed, wishing he was in the pool when he said that so he could just float away in a stream of chemical indorsed water. He nodded, a gorgeous eye smile turning up the tiny corners of his lashes and mouth. He loved compliments, so much he gobbled them up like his favorite-ex-favorite- cookies and cream Hershey’s bar.
He slung an arm around his friend’s waist and they walked past the few street signs before entering. The closure between them seizing instantly as a younger boy walked out, his usual puffy hair turned into a longer, straightened version.
“I kinda, almost, barely forgot to feed Tinkle. But I’m here now! Let’s get to school.” He rapidly clapped his hands as they walked down exactly twenty meters to the next house. The first day of school was never complete unless they drove in with their cars; Minho and Taemin in one, Jonghyun and Kibum in the other. They all liked having the front seats and it was always a situation before, so, they eventually bought another Volvo.
They all came from very wealthy families so buying a car every now and then-every year- wasn’t a problem.
Kibum got into the car, he’s missed it. He slung his backpack in the back seat and pulled his seatbelt over his torso. The car zoomed onto the road.
“I can’t believe I have swimming practice after school. It’s only the first day!” Kibum muttered under his breath.
Jonghyun cocked his eyebrow. “I made the team, too, dear. Do you think I’m satisfied with going?”
“No.”
“I am, just because I get to see you more. After that we can go over my house and study.”
“We should go to my house instead. Remember, I have to make a cake for the rookie teacher? You can help me with that.”
“Aren’t you in about ten clubs already? Who made you the king of welcoming committee anyways? How dare they over work my dear.”
Kibum wasn’t sure it was over working, he actually liked being busy. He pulled the mirror down with his index finger and started adjusting his hair. He turned the ear flaps on his handmade beanie hat thingy and grinned; it was from his granny, granny Hollister - the company if you don’t already know that. If you don’t, then, he is going to bring you shopping.
Once Jonghyun hit a stoplight he turned his torso to face the fidgeting boy. His fingers roamed over the puffy chocolate brown vest and pulled the zipper down; dangerously close to a certain area. Kibum held the sides of his cover closed, as if he didn’t want the older one to see what kind of shirt he was wearing; and he didn’t.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Kibum seemed to squeak a little.
“I wanted to see what kind of shirt you were wearing.”
“Is asking too hard for you? Seriously, two months ago you were touchy; I would’ve thought that separation would put your weirdness to a clause.”
“I will always be touchy when it’s with you. Now, let me see that shirt!”
Kibum shook his head, gripping tightly onto his overpriced winter vest. “You won’t like it!”
Jonghyun persisted even when the round green bulb on the streetlight blurred. He squeezed over onto the other side and took the younger one out of the corner and turned him around. He tore the marshmallow padding off and gulped, jealousy rising up in his throat.
“Why are you wearing that?”
Kibum shrugged, slowly zipping his jacket up. “Mir and I wanted to match. I told you that you wouldn’t like it. Now, look, the good mood is long gone.” He let out a pure pout and slouched in his cushioned seat, his thumb playing along the seat heater button.
“Of course I wouldn’t like it. Why do you insist on hanging out with that loser anyways?” Jonghyun snapped as the humming from the sports car increased with his voice. “You don’t even know him. When did you guys start hanging out?”
Kibum shrugged. “He’s not a loser, he’s my friend. You are too!”
“I’ve been with you ever since the first day of school, I shouldn’t be grouped with that thing.” Jonghyun simply rubbed a hand over the inside of Kibum’s thigh. “He has nothing on us. Take off the shirt.”
Kibum looked at him in shock, his feline eyes shockingly round. “W-what? Take it off? No! I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”
Jonghyun slid his hand into the back seat and took out a varsity hoodie. He gracefully placed it next to him. “Wear this for the whole day.” Kibum ignorantly looked out the window as if he didn’t hear anything. Jonghyun sighed. “Kibum, I swear, if you don’t put it on and leave that twenty dollar piece of last season rag on I will cry. And not to mention go into your house and ruin all your Lacoste polos.”
“You wouldn’t!” Kibum pulled at the hem of the shirt to examine the social damage it could’ve done. Wearing his best friend’s prized possession wouldn’t be so bad, considering that he never let anyone wear it, let alone touch it.
Jonghyun kept his eyes on the road and laughed. “Try me, babe.”
At that moment the younger one pulled off the shirt, revealing a tight flat stomach and an edible happy trail. Jonghyun tried not to look. He really did. The urge was so strong; he slyly looked through his rear mirror, getting a small glimpse of the sketchy hairs. “Trying to seduce me?”
“Trying to get hit?” Kibum slapped him playfully. “I actually thought that you wouldn’t look this time. Foolish me. Hey, you don’t need to walk me to class today; I’m stopping by Coach Hwang’s.”
Jonghyun pulled into the school parking lot and frown as he tried to move in at the right angle. “Oh? It’s alright, I want to see Coach too.”
“No, really, I want to go by myself.” It was silent for a moment and then he finally thought of something to add on. “You know, to get a head start on my backstrokes.”
Jonghyun shook his head in disbelief. “Are you sure you aren’t going to whore around the ’91 line again? That’s bad.”
“It’s not whoring, Jonghyun! They’re my friends. You can’t be my only best friend, you know. Mir, Seunghyun, Jinwoon, and all the others don’t act like you do. I need to be able to breathe, alright? Just… can you leave me alone?” he stepped out of the car and slung his bag over his left shoulder hastily. He started walking and put up a hand with his first two fingers up as a sign of goodbye.
“See you at practice!”
A/N: I have got to say.. the first two chapters are pretty sucky. But after those, it meets my expectations.