There He Goes Again; Minho/Key
In which Kibum realises his mind has been occupied by the same person all along.
Author's Note: just another alternate universe of Kibum and Minho in high school. title inspired by this song. i would leave the prompt here but it'll spoil the story so i decided to share it at the end instead... basically, i'm back with more fluff to hopefully get you smiling! thank you for giving this story a read~ hope you'll enjoy it and have a marvellous March ahead! (^▿^)♡
There he goes… there he goes again. Racing through his brain, and Kim Kibum just can't contain this feeling that remains. Alright, fine, Kibum knows the original lyrics to the song is directed to a girl but he can’t help that he is infatuated with the soccer captain of his high school who just so happens to be a guy. Wait. Scratch that. Kibum isn’t just infatuated; it has been months since he first watched Choi Minho on the soccer field and began admiring the charismatic athlete so this is definitely more than just a short-lived attraction towards his same aged high school mate. Kibum admits he’s in love, hopelessly in love, and yet, he is no fool. He isn’t that irrational. Because, if Kibum is indeed a fool that rushes in, Minho will have known about his existence, and for that matter, his feelings for him too.
Come to think of it, it’s actually odd how Kibum even crosses paths with Minho. They come from two different backgrounds, have no similar classes and have interests that are poles apart. Although Kibum and Minho are in the same school and of the same grade, they never once were in the same class. That’s probably enough to prove how their chances of meeting is actually rather small when they spend most of the time in two separate classrooms. But of course, on one fateful day, Kibum is walking around campus when he suddenly finds a ticket to the championship match of the national inter-school soccer tournament stuffed into his hand by a cheerleader.
“Come watch our soccer team tonight! It’s the finals!” She exclaims in an annoyingly chirpy voice, skipping along the corridor and stuffing more tickets to everyone who walks by, “We need all the support we can get!”
With nothing better to do, Kibum finds himself following the crowd and watching the finals of the soccer competition. And the next thing he knows, his eyes can see only Choi Minho. But no, it’s not then that Kibum is attracted to Minho. Minho only catches his attention at the match because of two main reasons. One, his height; and two, he is the star striker of the team. So who else can Kibum look at when Minho is the one who brings his team to victory as he scores the decisive goal that wins the championship for their high school? Well, at least that is when Kibum comes to know about Minho’s existence.
The moment Kibum is actually attracted to Minho is when he stumbles upon Minho interacting with kids at an orphanage. As part of their school’s community outreach project, all seniors of their high school are out on a visit to a local orphanage to be volunteers for a day. Each class has a duty assigned to them and Kibum’s class is in charge of cleaning the place. As Kibum walks outside to throw out the rubbish, he comes across Minho’s class who is playing with the children outdoors. Kibum quickly spots Minho among the kids and can’t help but stop and watch the athlete teach a group of young boys some basic soccer skills. Truth be told, it isn’t something extraordinary since Minho isn’t the only one playing sports with the kids but the soccer captain stands out because Kibum can see how passionate Minho is. He can tell how Minho truly wants to help the young boys learn and goes all out to ensure the learning experience is an enjoyable one. If anything, the look of adoration in the young boys’ eyes prove that Minho truly cares about these kids. When one of the boys miskicks the ball, loses his balance and consequently falls down, Minho is there in an instant. It is in that exact moment that Kibum knows his heart is stolen.
It isn’t difficult to find out more about Minho after and fall even more in love with the seemingly perfect guy but it is one heck of a challenge for Kibum to find the courage to approach him. That’s why Kibum can only use the time between classes to sneak peeks at Minho as he purposely walks by his class and gets his weekly fix of his crush. Either that or he will sit at the most inconspicuous spot on the bleachers and pretend he is busy doing everything else except watching the soccer captain as he trains. Sometimes, it gets obvious when Minho looks to his direction and Kibum, in a moment of panic, instantly ducks and looks anywhere but him; the movement so noticeable that Kibum knows for sure he has failed in being discreet. Still, he takes comfort in the fact that Minho never acknowledges him, because that gives him the courage to sit at the bleachers time after time.
Kibum likes the way things are - his heart stolen but still in one piece, because god knows how his heart will be broken if Minho is to reject him and burst his bubble of happiness. It’s his secret to keep and no one, not even Minho, has to know. Kibum simply likes how he is lucky enough to come across someone like Minho and fall in love with him. He likes having his mind occupied with Minho, wondering what the athlete is up to and imagining about the possibilities of being together with him, not just in a relationship but also being simply friends. Kibum is honestly satisfied with this, thinking about the what ifs, could bes and if onlys, and although he craves more, Kibum doesn’t have the courage to chase after his dream. A dream is a dream for a reason. And Kibum doesn’t mind staying in this blissful safety zone of his.
But of course, life is full of surprises; and Kibum’s is no exception.
It is like any other day that Kibum comes to class and settles down at his designated table. About half the class has yet to arrive and those already in class are either busy rushing through the homework that is due that day or catching forty winks especially since it’s a Monday. Kibum usually just likes to space out in class until the first lesson begins but this time, his plan is ruined as he finds a post-it stuck on his desk.
Kibum doesn’t pick it up but he does stare at it for a tad too long. Eventually, he shrugs it off and decides that the person who left the note probably got the wrong table. Choosing to ignore it, Kibum leaves it where it is, even goes on to place his pencil case on top of the note, while he endures a day of classes and leaves school without thinking much about the post-it.
The next day, Kibum returns to class and is greeted with not only the same post-it but another post-it stuck beside it.
Kibum frowns at the note, doesn’t even bother checking if there’s anyone acting suspicious in class, because he is even more certain that the person is indeed getting the messages directed to the wrong recipient. And so, he takes out his own post-it pad and writes a note in reply to the person.
When he’s done, Kibum also reminds himself to leave one of his books he doesn’t need to bring home on the table, placing it on top of the post-its to cover the messages, before he goes home. He really doesn’t need any unwanted attention from busybodies especially his classmates.
On Wednesday, Kibum makes the effort to get to class earlier than usual, admittedly curious about the reply he knows he will get from the sender. He walks towards his desk and finds that his book is still there but now has two post-its stuck on its cover.
Kibum’s eyes widen upon seeing his name, heart beating just that little bit faster. Thankful he is the only one in class this morning, Kibum quickly picks up his textbook and sees another surprise waiting for him. Under the book is yet another post-it that joins the previous three.
Kibum’s heart stops for a split second. He anxiously removes all the post-its from his desk and the book before sticking them together in a messy pile. Kibum is in a daze as he sits down and slumps in his seat, trying to soak in the fact that he has got himself a secret admirer. Just staring at the latest post-it he has received is enough to make his whole body heat up. To stop a blush from rising on his cheeks, Kibum keeps the post-its away before he folds his arms on the table, leans forward and rests his forehead against his arms, pretending to sleep when in actual fact, he’s trying to calm himself down. A thousand thoughts are running through his mind but the most important of them all is the identity of his secret admirer.
Kibum has no clue who the person can be. Actually, he doesn’t even care who the person is. The fact that he can be loved as well, that someone out there actually likes him for who he is, strikes him more. Knowing this just makes Kibum so happy that he can’t stop the smile on his face throughout the entire day. Even after class, when he heads to the bleachers to watch Minho on the soccer field, Kibum remains in such a good mood that he continues smiling instead of the usual blank, emotionless, almost bored expression he makes conscious effort to maintain on usual days. He ends up distracted as he spends most of the time staring at the post-its that are now stuck in his schedule book. When soccer training is about to end and it’s the best time for Kibum to leave, he goes home with regrets because it hits him that he didn’t pay much attention to Minho.
Bothered by the fact that his secret admirer is distracting him from Minho, Kibum doesn’t get a good night’s sleep and is a little on the grumpy side when he attends school the next day. He finds no post-its left on his desk and can’t help but feel disappointed. In the next second though, his spirits are lifted once he pulls out his chair and sees a message stuck on his seat.
Kibum removes the post-it from his seat as a smile tugs on the corner of his lips. He then looks around his class just to check if anyone is acting suspiciously but all his classmates are busy doing their own stuff. He wonders if anyone is putting up an act. But the thing is, Kibum has been in the same class for almost a year. Why would anyone wait this long to start leaving him messages? Still, anything is possible so Kibum decides not to rule anyone out. Yet, he still isn't too curious about who his secret admirer is and so, Kibum tells himself to let nature take its course and simply appreciate the efforts his admirer is putting in for him. He shall enjoy it while it lasts and trust that his secret admirer will reveal himself when the time comes.
Day after day, Kibum comes to class with new post-its to start his day off right.
The latest message he receives comes in two post-its and together, they frighten Kibum more than he admits. It’s the final statement that makes his heart drop because it sounds so certain and borderline creepy. Kibum knows he can't let this go on forever... Sure, he enjoys receiving these daily messages from his secret admirer and isn't obliged to reciprocate but how long can they keep this up? For all he knows, Kibum may just keep receiving post-its after post-its, day after day, and things will be going nowhere at this rate as long as he doesn't take the initiative to do something about it. And so, Kibum finally takes out his own yellow post-its once again and leaves a reply for his secret admirer - one that will definitely change what is currently going on between them.
That marks the start of their first conversation through post-its.
Kibum takes his time to ponder over the reply he gets but ends up suffering through the weekend as his mind is occupied with the identity of his secret admirer. He wants to be nonchalant about the matter but when he has absolutely no inkling of who the person can be, Kibum returns to school on Monday feeling more annoyed than ever. This explains his sudden irrational decision to leave a direct message that clearly shows his frustration.
On Tuesday, Kibum gets an annoying reply that frustrates him even more.
Kibum doesn’t care if he doesn’t sound polite anymore when he writes a reply and sticks it on the center of his desk. His secret admirer should feel lucky that he doesn’t add exclamation marks or more question marks to the end of his question.
Finally feeling as if he is getting somewhere, Kibum does what he is told. He spends whatever free time he has in between classes flipping through the post-its his secret admirer has left him but his efforts are to no avail.
Kibum stays back after class, unable to wait until he gets home to start deciphering the hints that the secret admirer claims have been left for him. When the class is finally empty and he’s left by himself, Kibum takes out all 16 post-its he has received so far and pastes them in sequence on his table. Now that the post-its form a perfect huge square that almost covers his entire desk, Kibum is all ready to crack this mystery. He stares long and hard at each and every post-it and also scrutinises them as a whole. At first glance, Kibum thinks it has something to do with the colours of the post-its but grouping the post-its by colour gets him nowhere. He then spends a good amount of time just looking at the last light blue post-it and trying to figure out why it is the most important but once again, Kibum is left lost and confused.
Almost half an hour has passed and Kibum is starting to wonder if he’s stupid or the hints are just really not obvious at all. Of course, he refuses to admit that he is dumb and so, Kibum takes in a deep breath, clearing his mind, before he starts again. With his new found determination, Kibum suddenly notices a pattern in the last five post-its. He realises that the first letter on each of the post-its has been bolded and made more defined with a black marker. When he puts the letters together, Kibum gets a word, or should he say, a name that has always been on his mind.
MINHO
It is then Kibum completely freaks out. His heart is in his throat. Alarms are going off in his head. Kibum wants to convince himself that it can be any other Minho that exists in his school but he knows for sure that he’ll just be lying to himself.
I know you like me…
I know you know me…
You’ve seen me around in school.
All of a sudden, these messages sound too confident for Kibum’s liking. It’s as if Minho has already noticed Kibum looking at him and for that matter, figured out Kibum’s feelings for him right from the start. Now that the truth is staring at his face, Kibum decides he is stupid, and such a fool. So flustered at his discovery that his crush actually likes him too, Kibum hastily keeps the post-its, throwing everything into his backpack, and quickly leaves the classroom. This is just all too much for him to take.
Kibum is in a complete mess, his mind in a whirl, that he doesn’t watch where he is going as he speeds through the quiet hallway. The next thing he knows, someone is holding on to him firmly by the arms and preventing them from colliding. When Kibum looks up and is about to apologise, he finds himself looking at the very reason that has reduced him to his current state.
There, less than an arm’s length away from him, is Choi Minho looking right back at him with both surprise and amusement written all over his face.
“Hi.” Minho breathes out, breaking into a warm smile as he continues, “Kibum.”
Kibum can only blink as his face heats up the same time he reminds himself to breathe. Why, of all times, must he bump into Minho now?
Minho’s smile turns embarrassed as he slowly lets go of Kibum and clears his throat to explain himself, as if reading Kibum’s thoughts.
“I was just about to head to your classroom and-”
Kibum doesn’t give Minho a chance to complete his sentence because in the next moment, he quickly steps back, bows and runs away.
Kibum may regret his decision later but at that moment, he is just so relieved to be out of school, away from Minho, and heading back to the safety of his own home. He knows it is going to be a long night ahead but it’s definitely something he needs right now.
Kibum is afraid to come to class the day after and purposely arrives only five minutes before class begins but don't judge him, he has reason to be. It honestly isn't that noticeable when he has a secret admirer who sticks post-its on his desk daily but it definitely becomes a little more obvious when said admirer is openly waiting for him outside his classroom. As he walks down the hallway, Kibum easily spots Minho standing there even though he is still a distance away. Minho doesn’t notice him yet though, seemingly distracted at something at his feet, so Kibum actually has both the time and the option to run away a second time. But he doesn't, and instead, even walks towards Minho, determined to say his peace to his crush.
Kibum is nearing his destination when Minho, as if feeling his presence, suddenly looks up and meets his gaze. At that moment, it takes all of Kibum to force his two feet to stand firmly in front of Minho as he clears his throat and says what he has planned to say.
“Sorry about yesterday…” Kibum smiles weakly as he discreetly avoids Minho’s intense gaze and stares at Minho’s chin instead, “And umm, thank you… for leaving me all those messages… but you really didn’t have to. I think… it’s better if you stop.”
“What do you mean?” Minho sounds as confused as he looks.
“I just-”
The bell rings at that moment and Kibum shifts awkwardly in his position as he shakes his head.
“Please just stop sticking post-its on my desk.” Kibum says in one breath before he finally meets Minho’s eyes and points to the back, “I should get to class… you too.”
“Kibum…” Minho calls out but Kibum ignores him and doesn’t reply.
He simply bows and turns around, heading straight into class, while Minho can only watch him walk to his desk. As he settles into his seat, Kibum is thankful his teacher arrives soon after and gives Minho a questioning look that leaves the soccer captain with no choice but to return to his own class.
It honestly hurts Kibum to not only watch Minho walk away just like that, but it also hurts to have to say those words to Minho. Even so, Kibum decides it’s something he has to do. After thinking about it the whole night, Kibum concludes that Minho is only doing this because he knows how Kibum feels about him. He probably only managed to get Minho’s attention because he started “stalking” him. Kibum trusts that Minho is only reciprocating his feelings because he is too nice to reject him. Besides that, he just doesn’t feel like he’s worth Minho’s effort to come to his class earlier than him every single day just to leave him such sweet messages that never fail to warm his heart. Kibum doubts that Minho would have come to like him if he hadn’t been so obvious about his feelings for him. After all, there isn’t anything outstanding about him that gives reason for someone so perfect like Minho to like him.
Minho has done enough for him, and Kibum knows he should be happy with the post-its he has collected but when he realises he can’t go about his usual routine to secretly admire Minho from afar anymore, Kibum can’t help but feel glum. When lunch break arrives, Kibum finds himself actually feeling disappointed that he has to stop himself from walking past Minho’s class. And when class is over, Kibum can’t go anywhere near the bleachers to watch Minho train. He is forced to go straight home and that just makes him feel so miserable.
Right from the start, Kibum doesn’t expect anything to happen between Minho and him but never has he imagined his crush on Minho to end like this. It honestly isn’t the way Kibum wants to remember his crush on Minho but he reminds himself that it is also his decision to push Minho away. And so, as conflicted as Kibum feels, he knows there’s no turning back. Right now, Kibum takes solace in the fact that he has the weekend to sort himself out and make sure he forgets about Minho so he can close this chapter of his life and move on.
When Monday arrives, Kibum enters his class feeling just about ready to take on anything that may come his way. However, a feeling is only just a feeling. The moment he walks closer to his desk and isn’t greeted with any post-its stuck on his desk, Kibum still can’t stop himself from feeling upset. Minho has listened to his request but a part of Kibum wishes Minho will prove him wrong and not back away so easily. Now, Kibum is more certain that he’ll never be able to get any happy ending he may have wished for. If he had any hopes before, Kibum now has none left and can finally put a full stop to this one-sided love.
Life goes back to being dull and boring. And for once, Kibum doesn’t have anywhere to rush off during lunch break. He sticks with his group of friends (what he calls his 91line that includes Woohyun, Dongwoon, Jaejin and Mir) and eats his lunch so quietly that all of them start nudging each another to get someone to step up and talk to Kibum. They think they’re being discreet with their actions but Kibum sees everything. Once he looks up from his tray of food, they instantly stop all movement and busy themselves with stuffing food into their mouths.
Kibum sighs out loud as he pokes at his food, “You guys are so obvious.”
Taking a quick look at the others, Woohyun realises that no one seems to have the guts to confront Kibum and so, he decides to step up.
“Kibum, we’re just worried… you seem like you have a lot on your mind nowadays.”
Kibum flashes his closest friend an apologetic smile, “I’m fine, sorry guys, but don’t worry about me.”
“Do you, maybe, want to talk about it?” Woohyun asks, concerned about his close friend.
Kibum shakes his head and is about to reply when Dongwoon butts in.
“Umm guys… is it me or is Choi Minho coming towards us?”
Everyone’s attention, including Kibum’s, turns towards where Dongwoon is looking at. True enough, Minho is indeed walking towards them with, what Kibum notices, a fierce determination in his eyes.
Kibum panics and wants to leave the cafeteria, knowing very well that Minho is looking for him, but his body refuses to cooperate with his brain. Their whole table falls quiet as Minho reaches them and comes to stand behind Kibum, all eyes now on the both of them. When Minho’s hand lands on his shoulder, Kibum almost jumps out of his seat. Thankfully, he only jolts a little and naturally turns around to look at the soccer captain.
“Kibum, we need to talk.”
Kibum doesn’t have to look back at his friends to know they are all staring at him with wide eyes. Yet, he knows they are the least of his worries when Minho’s grip on his shoulder tightens, as if he is afraid Kibum will really run away once more.
Kibum swallows nervously before he takes in a deep breath and say, “We don’t know each other that well to-”
“Alright, fine, I’ll just do the talking then.” Minho decides, already expecting Kibum to be uncooperative, “All you have to do is listen carefully to every word I’m about to say.”
Kibum’s intuition tells him this isn’t going to be something he wants everyone to hear so he instantly stands up and wants to pull Minho out of the cafeteria and avoid all the curious stares they are starting to get but Minho is one step ahead of him as he forces Kibum to sit down and begins speaking in the very next second.
“Every single message I sent to you through the post-its is true. I really like you, Kibum. And it hurts that you’re pushing me away without even giving me a chance to explain myself. Why aren’t you giving us a chance? All I ask is for you to go out with me once… or maybe a few times more before you make a decision about what you want us to be. Please just… let me take you out on a date? We can do whatever you want… I just want us to spend some time together so you can get to know more about who I really am. And hey, if it doesn’t work out, we can still be friends-”
“No.” Kibum says decisively as he looks up into Minho’s eyes, not caring one bit about all the attention that is on them because Minho is all he sees right now, “I can’t be friends with you, Minho.”
Minho can’t hide how heartbroken he feels but that doesn’t mean he is going to give up just like that.
He takes in a deep breath and tries even harder as he pleads, “Kibum, just give me a chance and we’ll-”
Unable to care that Minho is still speaking, Kibum looks down and mumbles to himself, “I like you too much to be just friends with you.”
Still, it’s enough for Minho to stop midway through his sentence as he questions instead.
“What?” Not catching what Kibum has said, Minho bends down to Kibum’s level and comes a little too close for comfort (in Kibum’s opinion) so he can hear Kibum clearly, “Did you say something?”
With Minho’s voice right at his ear, Kibum naturally shrinks in his seat and leans away, almost falling out of the chair if not for Minho’s arm around his waist.
“Kibum?” Minho, confused, checks on his object of affection, “Are you alright?”
“Can you please…” Kibum begs but stops because he realises it’s no point asking Minho anything when all he wants are answers and so, he gently pushes Minho away and adjusts his balance on his seat before he finally picks up the courage to say his answer in one breath, “Look, I like you too so yes, I would love to go out with you but can we please, please please please, not do this in front of the entire school?”
When Minho gets the answer he has been wanting to hear, he is spilling over with happiness that he pays no regard to the rest of Kibum’s sentence and ends up doing otherwise.
In the next moment, Minho pulls Kibum out of his seat and brings his soon-to-be boyfriend into his arms in front of the entire cohort.
“I know we’re supposed to date first before I let you decide what you want us to be but I still think everyone should know you’re taken at this point in time.” Minho says into Kibum’s ear as he hugs him tightly, “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to do this…”
Knowing it’ll be useless to fight against the athlete, Kibum can only allow Minho to hug him and quickly uses the opportunity to hide his flushed face in Minho’s shoulder.
“Minho…” Kibum mutters into Minho’s shirt.
“Yeah?” Minho doesn’t release Kibum from the hug but he pulls away just enough to see the top of Kibum’s head.
“Can we leave the cafeteria once you let me go so I don’t have to face all the embarrassment you’ve put me in?”
Minho laughs but accepts Kibum’s request, “Sure, why not?”
True enough, as soon as he lets go of Kibum, Minho wastes no time in taking his hand and leading him straight out of the cafeteria.
Kibum’s heart is pounding loudly as he stares at their intertwined hands. It is then he tells himself to send a thank you note to Post-It for bringing him one step closer to his happy ending with Minho. And yes, he’ll also remember to reward Minho, maybe on their first date, for being so persistent.
A/N: prompt is as follows, "I want you to write a high-school oneshot where Key is this shy adorable boy who has a crush on the soccer captain; Minho. One day Key starts getting letters from an anonymous person, and they're all such cute things like 'i think your pretty and stuff'. He keeps on dropping hints and in the end it's Minho who was sending them. He asks Kibum out in the school cafeteria in front of everyone. Something cliché and cheesy but Kibum loves it anyway. He blushes and all and he gets so cute and adorable. And then make up your own ending." hope i did the prompt justice! :)
Author's Note: just another alternate universe of Kibum and Minho in high school. title inspired by this song. i would leave the prompt here but it'll spoil the story so i decided to share it at the end instead... basically, i'm back with more fluff to hopefully get you smiling! thank you for giving this story a read~ hope you'll enjoy it and have a marvellous March ahead! (^▿^)♡
There he goes… there he goes again. Racing through his brain, and Kim Kibum just can't contain this feeling that remains. Alright, fine, Kibum knows the original lyrics to the song is directed to a girl but he can’t help that he is infatuated with the soccer captain of his high school who just so happens to be a guy. Wait. Scratch that. Kibum isn’t just infatuated; it has been months since he first watched Choi Minho on the soccer field and began admiring the charismatic athlete so this is definitely more than just a short-lived attraction towards his same aged high school mate. Kibum admits he’s in love, hopelessly in love, and yet, he is no fool. He isn’t that irrational. Because, if Kibum is indeed a fool that rushes in, Minho will have known about his existence, and for that matter, his feelings for him too.
Come to think of it, it’s actually odd how Kibum even crosses paths with Minho. They come from two different backgrounds, have no similar classes and have interests that are poles apart. Although Kibum and Minho are in the same school and of the same grade, they never once were in the same class. That’s probably enough to prove how their chances of meeting is actually rather small when they spend most of the time in two separate classrooms. But of course, on one fateful day, Kibum is walking around campus when he suddenly finds a ticket to the championship match of the national inter-school soccer tournament stuffed into his hand by a cheerleader.
“Come watch our soccer team tonight! It’s the finals!” She exclaims in an annoyingly chirpy voice, skipping along the corridor and stuffing more tickets to everyone who walks by, “We need all the support we can get!”
With nothing better to do, Kibum finds himself following the crowd and watching the finals of the soccer competition. And the next thing he knows, his eyes can see only Choi Minho. But no, it’s not then that Kibum is attracted to Minho. Minho only catches his attention at the match because of two main reasons. One, his height; and two, he is the star striker of the team. So who else can Kibum look at when Minho is the one who brings his team to victory as he scores the decisive goal that wins the championship for their high school? Well, at least that is when Kibum comes to know about Minho’s existence.
The moment Kibum is actually attracted to Minho is when he stumbles upon Minho interacting with kids at an orphanage. As part of their school’s community outreach project, all seniors of their high school are out on a visit to a local orphanage to be volunteers for a day. Each class has a duty assigned to them and Kibum’s class is in charge of cleaning the place. As Kibum walks outside to throw out the rubbish, he comes across Minho’s class who is playing with the children outdoors. Kibum quickly spots Minho among the kids and can’t help but stop and watch the athlete teach a group of young boys some basic soccer skills. Truth be told, it isn’t something extraordinary since Minho isn’t the only one playing sports with the kids but the soccer captain stands out because Kibum can see how passionate Minho is. He can tell how Minho truly wants to help the young boys learn and goes all out to ensure the learning experience is an enjoyable one. If anything, the look of adoration in the young boys’ eyes prove that Minho truly cares about these kids. When one of the boys miskicks the ball, loses his balance and consequently falls down, Minho is there in an instant. It is in that exact moment that Kibum knows his heart is stolen.
It isn’t difficult to find out more about Minho after and fall even more in love with the seemingly perfect guy but it is one heck of a challenge for Kibum to find the courage to approach him. That’s why Kibum can only use the time between classes to sneak peeks at Minho as he purposely walks by his class and gets his weekly fix of his crush. Either that or he will sit at the most inconspicuous spot on the bleachers and pretend he is busy doing everything else except watching the soccer captain as he trains. Sometimes, it gets obvious when Minho looks to his direction and Kibum, in a moment of panic, instantly ducks and looks anywhere but him; the movement so noticeable that Kibum knows for sure he has failed in being discreet. Still, he takes comfort in the fact that Minho never acknowledges him, because that gives him the courage to sit at the bleachers time after time.
Kibum likes the way things are - his heart stolen but still in one piece, because god knows how his heart will be broken if Minho is to reject him and burst his bubble of happiness. It’s his secret to keep and no one, not even Minho, has to know. Kibum simply likes how he is lucky enough to come across someone like Minho and fall in love with him. He likes having his mind occupied with Minho, wondering what the athlete is up to and imagining about the possibilities of being together with him, not just in a relationship but also being simply friends. Kibum is honestly satisfied with this, thinking about the what ifs, could bes and if onlys, and although he craves more, Kibum doesn’t have the courage to chase after his dream. A dream is a dream for a reason. And Kibum doesn’t mind staying in this blissful safety zone of his.
But of course, life is full of surprises; and Kibum’s is no exception.
It is like any other day that Kibum comes to class and settles down at his designated table. About half the class has yet to arrive and those already in class are either busy rushing through the homework that is due that day or catching forty winks especially since it’s a Monday. Kibum usually just likes to space out in class until the first lesson begins but this time, his plan is ruined as he finds a post-it stuck on his desk.
Kibum doesn’t pick it up but he does stare at it for a tad too long. Eventually, he shrugs it off and decides that the person who left the note probably got the wrong table. Choosing to ignore it, Kibum leaves it where it is, even goes on to place his pencil case on top of the note, while he endures a day of classes and leaves school without thinking much about the post-it.
The next day, Kibum returns to class and is greeted with not only the same post-it but another post-it stuck beside it.
Kibum frowns at the note, doesn’t even bother checking if there’s anyone acting suspicious in class, because he is even more certain that the person is indeed getting the messages directed to the wrong recipient. And so, he takes out his own post-it pad and writes a note in reply to the person.
When he’s done, Kibum also reminds himself to leave one of his books he doesn’t need to bring home on the table, placing it on top of the post-its to cover the messages, before he goes home. He really doesn’t need any unwanted attention from busybodies especially his classmates.
On Wednesday, Kibum makes the effort to get to class earlier than usual, admittedly curious about the reply he knows he will get from the sender. He walks towards his desk and finds that his book is still there but now has two post-its stuck on its cover.
Kibum’s eyes widen upon seeing his name, heart beating just that little bit faster. Thankful he is the only one in class this morning, Kibum quickly picks up his textbook and sees another surprise waiting for him. Under the book is yet another post-it that joins the previous three.
Kibum’s heart stops for a split second. He anxiously removes all the post-its from his desk and the book before sticking them together in a messy pile. Kibum is in a daze as he sits down and slumps in his seat, trying to soak in the fact that he has got himself a secret admirer. Just staring at the latest post-it he has received is enough to make his whole body heat up. To stop a blush from rising on his cheeks, Kibum keeps the post-its away before he folds his arms on the table, leans forward and rests his forehead against his arms, pretending to sleep when in actual fact, he’s trying to calm himself down. A thousand thoughts are running through his mind but the most important of them all is the identity of his secret admirer.
Kibum has no clue who the person can be. Actually, he doesn’t even care who the person is. The fact that he can be loved as well, that someone out there actually likes him for who he is, strikes him more. Knowing this just makes Kibum so happy that he can’t stop the smile on his face throughout the entire day. Even after class, when he heads to the bleachers to watch Minho on the soccer field, Kibum remains in such a good mood that he continues smiling instead of the usual blank, emotionless, almost bored expression he makes conscious effort to maintain on usual days. He ends up distracted as he spends most of the time staring at the post-its that are now stuck in his schedule book. When soccer training is about to end and it’s the best time for Kibum to leave, he goes home with regrets because it hits him that he didn’t pay much attention to Minho.
Bothered by the fact that his secret admirer is distracting him from Minho, Kibum doesn’t get a good night’s sleep and is a little on the grumpy side when he attends school the next day. He finds no post-its left on his desk and can’t help but feel disappointed. In the next second though, his spirits are lifted once he pulls out his chair and sees a message stuck on his seat.
Kibum removes the post-it from his seat as a smile tugs on the corner of his lips. He then looks around his class just to check if anyone is acting suspiciously but all his classmates are busy doing their own stuff. He wonders if anyone is putting up an act. But the thing is, Kibum has been in the same class for almost a year. Why would anyone wait this long to start leaving him messages? Still, anything is possible so Kibum decides not to rule anyone out. Yet, he still isn't too curious about who his secret admirer is and so, Kibum tells himself to let nature take its course and simply appreciate the efforts his admirer is putting in for him. He shall enjoy it while it lasts and trust that his secret admirer will reveal himself when the time comes.
Day after day, Kibum comes to class with new post-its to start his day off right.
The latest message he receives comes in two post-its and together, they frighten Kibum more than he admits. It’s the final statement that makes his heart drop because it sounds so certain and borderline creepy. Kibum knows he can't let this go on forever... Sure, he enjoys receiving these daily messages from his secret admirer and isn't obliged to reciprocate but how long can they keep this up? For all he knows, Kibum may just keep receiving post-its after post-its, day after day, and things will be going nowhere at this rate as long as he doesn't take the initiative to do something about it. And so, Kibum finally takes out his own yellow post-its once again and leaves a reply for his secret admirer - one that will definitely change what is currently going on between them.
That marks the start of their first conversation through post-its.
Kibum takes his time to ponder over the reply he gets but ends up suffering through the weekend as his mind is occupied with the identity of his secret admirer. He wants to be nonchalant about the matter but when he has absolutely no inkling of who the person can be, Kibum returns to school on Monday feeling more annoyed than ever. This explains his sudden irrational decision to leave a direct message that clearly shows his frustration.
On Tuesday, Kibum gets an annoying reply that frustrates him even more.
Kibum doesn’t care if he doesn’t sound polite anymore when he writes a reply and sticks it on the center of his desk. His secret admirer should feel lucky that he doesn’t add exclamation marks or more question marks to the end of his question.
Finally feeling as if he is getting somewhere, Kibum does what he is told. He spends whatever free time he has in between classes flipping through the post-its his secret admirer has left him but his efforts are to no avail.
Kibum stays back after class, unable to wait until he gets home to start deciphering the hints that the secret admirer claims have been left for him. When the class is finally empty and he’s left by himself, Kibum takes out all 16 post-its he has received so far and pastes them in sequence on his table. Now that the post-its form a perfect huge square that almost covers his entire desk, Kibum is all ready to crack this mystery. He stares long and hard at each and every post-it and also scrutinises them as a whole. At first glance, Kibum thinks it has something to do with the colours of the post-its but grouping the post-its by colour gets him nowhere. He then spends a good amount of time just looking at the last light blue post-it and trying to figure out why it is the most important but once again, Kibum is left lost and confused.
Almost half an hour has passed and Kibum is starting to wonder if he’s stupid or the hints are just really not obvious at all. Of course, he refuses to admit that he is dumb and so, Kibum takes in a deep breath, clearing his mind, before he starts again. With his new found determination, Kibum suddenly notices a pattern in the last five post-its. He realises that the first letter on each of the post-its has been bolded and made more defined with a black marker. When he puts the letters together, Kibum gets a word, or should he say, a name that has always been on his mind.
MINHO
It is then Kibum completely freaks out. His heart is in his throat. Alarms are going off in his head. Kibum wants to convince himself that it can be any other Minho that exists in his school but he knows for sure that he’ll just be lying to himself.
I know you like me…
I know you know me…
You’ve seen me around in school.
All of a sudden, these messages sound too confident for Kibum’s liking. It’s as if Minho has already noticed Kibum looking at him and for that matter, figured out Kibum’s feelings for him right from the start. Now that the truth is staring at his face, Kibum decides he is stupid, and such a fool. So flustered at his discovery that his crush actually likes him too, Kibum hastily keeps the post-its, throwing everything into his backpack, and quickly leaves the classroom. This is just all too much for him to take.
Kibum is in a complete mess, his mind in a whirl, that he doesn’t watch where he is going as he speeds through the quiet hallway. The next thing he knows, someone is holding on to him firmly by the arms and preventing them from colliding. When Kibum looks up and is about to apologise, he finds himself looking at the very reason that has reduced him to his current state.
There, less than an arm’s length away from him, is Choi Minho looking right back at him with both surprise and amusement written all over his face.
“Hi.” Minho breathes out, breaking into a warm smile as he continues, “Kibum.”
Kibum can only blink as his face heats up the same time he reminds himself to breathe. Why, of all times, must he bump into Minho now?
Minho’s smile turns embarrassed as he slowly lets go of Kibum and clears his throat to explain himself, as if reading Kibum’s thoughts.
“I was just about to head to your classroom and-”
Kibum doesn’t give Minho a chance to complete his sentence because in the next moment, he quickly steps back, bows and runs away.
Kibum may regret his decision later but at that moment, he is just so relieved to be out of school, away from Minho, and heading back to the safety of his own home. He knows it is going to be a long night ahead but it’s definitely something he needs right now.
Kibum is afraid to come to class the day after and purposely arrives only five minutes before class begins but don't judge him, he has reason to be. It honestly isn't that noticeable when he has a secret admirer who sticks post-its on his desk daily but it definitely becomes a little more obvious when said admirer is openly waiting for him outside his classroom. As he walks down the hallway, Kibum easily spots Minho standing there even though he is still a distance away. Minho doesn’t notice him yet though, seemingly distracted at something at his feet, so Kibum actually has both the time and the option to run away a second time. But he doesn't, and instead, even walks towards Minho, determined to say his peace to his crush.
Kibum is nearing his destination when Minho, as if feeling his presence, suddenly looks up and meets his gaze. At that moment, it takes all of Kibum to force his two feet to stand firmly in front of Minho as he clears his throat and says what he has planned to say.
“Sorry about yesterday…” Kibum smiles weakly as he discreetly avoids Minho’s intense gaze and stares at Minho’s chin instead, “And umm, thank you… for leaving me all those messages… but you really didn’t have to. I think… it’s better if you stop.”
“What do you mean?” Minho sounds as confused as he looks.
“I just-”
The bell rings at that moment and Kibum shifts awkwardly in his position as he shakes his head.
“Please just stop sticking post-its on my desk.” Kibum says in one breath before he finally meets Minho’s eyes and points to the back, “I should get to class… you too.”
“Kibum…” Minho calls out but Kibum ignores him and doesn’t reply.
He simply bows and turns around, heading straight into class, while Minho can only watch him walk to his desk. As he settles into his seat, Kibum is thankful his teacher arrives soon after and gives Minho a questioning look that leaves the soccer captain with no choice but to return to his own class.
It honestly hurts Kibum to not only watch Minho walk away just like that, but it also hurts to have to say those words to Minho. Even so, Kibum decides it’s something he has to do. After thinking about it the whole night, Kibum concludes that Minho is only doing this because he knows how Kibum feels about him. He probably only managed to get Minho’s attention because he started “stalking” him. Kibum trusts that Minho is only reciprocating his feelings because he is too nice to reject him. Besides that, he just doesn’t feel like he’s worth Minho’s effort to come to his class earlier than him every single day just to leave him such sweet messages that never fail to warm his heart. Kibum doubts that Minho would have come to like him if he hadn’t been so obvious about his feelings for him. After all, there isn’t anything outstanding about him that gives reason for someone so perfect like Minho to like him.
Minho has done enough for him, and Kibum knows he should be happy with the post-its he has collected but when he realises he can’t go about his usual routine to secretly admire Minho from afar anymore, Kibum can’t help but feel glum. When lunch break arrives, Kibum finds himself actually feeling disappointed that he has to stop himself from walking past Minho’s class. And when class is over, Kibum can’t go anywhere near the bleachers to watch Minho train. He is forced to go straight home and that just makes him feel so miserable.
Right from the start, Kibum doesn’t expect anything to happen between Minho and him but never has he imagined his crush on Minho to end like this. It honestly isn’t the way Kibum wants to remember his crush on Minho but he reminds himself that it is also his decision to push Minho away. And so, as conflicted as Kibum feels, he knows there’s no turning back. Right now, Kibum takes solace in the fact that he has the weekend to sort himself out and make sure he forgets about Minho so he can close this chapter of his life and move on.
When Monday arrives, Kibum enters his class feeling just about ready to take on anything that may come his way. However, a feeling is only just a feeling. The moment he walks closer to his desk and isn’t greeted with any post-its stuck on his desk, Kibum still can’t stop himself from feeling upset. Minho has listened to his request but a part of Kibum wishes Minho will prove him wrong and not back away so easily. Now, Kibum is more certain that he’ll never be able to get any happy ending he may have wished for. If he had any hopes before, Kibum now has none left and can finally put a full stop to this one-sided love.
Life goes back to being dull and boring. And for once, Kibum doesn’t have anywhere to rush off during lunch break. He sticks with his group of friends (what he calls his 91line that includes Woohyun, Dongwoon, Jaejin and Mir) and eats his lunch so quietly that all of them start nudging each another to get someone to step up and talk to Kibum. They think they’re being discreet with their actions but Kibum sees everything. Once he looks up from his tray of food, they instantly stop all movement and busy themselves with stuffing food into their mouths.
Kibum sighs out loud as he pokes at his food, “You guys are so obvious.”
Taking a quick look at the others, Woohyun realises that no one seems to have the guts to confront Kibum and so, he decides to step up.
“Kibum, we’re just worried… you seem like you have a lot on your mind nowadays.”
Kibum flashes his closest friend an apologetic smile, “I’m fine, sorry guys, but don’t worry about me.”
“Do you, maybe, want to talk about it?” Woohyun asks, concerned about his close friend.
Kibum shakes his head and is about to reply when Dongwoon butts in.
“Umm guys… is it me or is Choi Minho coming towards us?”
Everyone’s attention, including Kibum’s, turns towards where Dongwoon is looking at. True enough, Minho is indeed walking towards them with, what Kibum notices, a fierce determination in his eyes.
Kibum panics and wants to leave the cafeteria, knowing very well that Minho is looking for him, but his body refuses to cooperate with his brain. Their whole table falls quiet as Minho reaches them and comes to stand behind Kibum, all eyes now on the both of them. When Minho’s hand lands on his shoulder, Kibum almost jumps out of his seat. Thankfully, he only jolts a little and naturally turns around to look at the soccer captain.
“Kibum, we need to talk.”
Kibum doesn’t have to look back at his friends to know they are all staring at him with wide eyes. Yet, he knows they are the least of his worries when Minho’s grip on his shoulder tightens, as if he is afraid Kibum will really run away once more.
Kibum swallows nervously before he takes in a deep breath and say, “We don’t know each other that well to-”
“Alright, fine, I’ll just do the talking then.” Minho decides, already expecting Kibum to be uncooperative, “All you have to do is listen carefully to every word I’m about to say.”
Kibum’s intuition tells him this isn’t going to be something he wants everyone to hear so he instantly stands up and wants to pull Minho out of the cafeteria and avoid all the curious stares they are starting to get but Minho is one step ahead of him as he forces Kibum to sit down and begins speaking in the very next second.
“Every single message I sent to you through the post-its is true. I really like you, Kibum. And it hurts that you’re pushing me away without even giving me a chance to explain myself. Why aren’t you giving us a chance? All I ask is for you to go out with me once… or maybe a few times more before you make a decision about what you want us to be. Please just… let me take you out on a date? We can do whatever you want… I just want us to spend some time together so you can get to know more about who I really am. And hey, if it doesn’t work out, we can still be friends-”
“No.” Kibum says decisively as he looks up into Minho’s eyes, not caring one bit about all the attention that is on them because Minho is all he sees right now, “I can’t be friends with you, Minho.”
Minho can’t hide how heartbroken he feels but that doesn’t mean he is going to give up just like that.
He takes in a deep breath and tries even harder as he pleads, “Kibum, just give me a chance and we’ll-”
Unable to care that Minho is still speaking, Kibum looks down and mumbles to himself, “I like you too much to be just friends with you.”
Still, it’s enough for Minho to stop midway through his sentence as he questions instead.
“What?” Not catching what Kibum has said, Minho bends down to Kibum’s level and comes a little too close for comfort (in Kibum’s opinion) so he can hear Kibum clearly, “Did you say something?”
With Minho’s voice right at his ear, Kibum naturally shrinks in his seat and leans away, almost falling out of the chair if not for Minho’s arm around his waist.
“Kibum?” Minho, confused, checks on his object of affection, “Are you alright?”
“Can you please…” Kibum begs but stops because he realises it’s no point asking Minho anything when all he wants are answers and so, he gently pushes Minho away and adjusts his balance on his seat before he finally picks up the courage to say his answer in one breath, “Look, I like you too so yes, I would love to go out with you but can we please, please please please, not do this in front of the entire school?”
When Minho gets the answer he has been wanting to hear, he is spilling over with happiness that he pays no regard to the rest of Kibum’s sentence and ends up doing otherwise.
In the next moment, Minho pulls Kibum out of his seat and brings his soon-to-be boyfriend into his arms in front of the entire cohort.
“I know we’re supposed to date first before I let you decide what you want us to be but I still think everyone should know you’re taken at this point in time.” Minho says into Kibum’s ear as he hugs him tightly, “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to do this…”
Knowing it’ll be useless to fight against the athlete, Kibum can only allow Minho to hug him and quickly uses the opportunity to hide his flushed face in Minho’s shoulder.
“Minho…” Kibum mutters into Minho’s shirt.
“Yeah?” Minho doesn’t release Kibum from the hug but he pulls away just enough to see the top of Kibum’s head.
“Can we leave the cafeteria once you let me go so I don’t have to face all the embarrassment you’ve put me in?”
Minho laughs but accepts Kibum’s request, “Sure, why not?”
True enough, as soon as he lets go of Kibum, Minho wastes no time in taking his hand and leading him straight out of the cafeteria.
Kibum’s heart is pounding loudly as he stares at their intertwined hands. It is then he tells himself to send a thank you note to Post-It for bringing him one step closer to his happy ending with Minho. And yes, he’ll also remember to reward Minho, maybe on their first date, for being so persistent.
A/N: prompt is as follows, "I want you to write a high-school oneshot where Key is this shy adorable boy who has a crush on the soccer captain; Minho. One day Key starts getting letters from an anonymous person, and they're all such cute things like 'i think your pretty and stuff'. He keeps on dropping hints and in the end it's Minho who was sending them. He asks Kibum out in the school cafeteria in front of everyone. Something cliché and cheesy but Kibum loves it anyway. He blushes and all and he gets so cute and adorable. And then make up your own ending." hope i did the prompt justice! :)