Pure #9: I Hate You (I Like You) [Part 2/2]
7a.m.
The sound of birds chirping wakes Junmyeon up from his sleep and when he turns to his opposite side, he only sees blankets and pillows. He takes his jacket and tries to make his way outside to make some coffee for everyone, but his eyes widen when he spots Kyungsoo and Jongin sleeping next to each other.
"What the hell happened? Did I miss something?" Junmyeon whispers then he walks quickly towards Sehun's tent and opens it quietly. "Sehun. Sehun. Wake up." Junmyeon slightly pokes Sehun on the arm. "Hey, you need to see what's outside. You'll get the shock of your life, I swear! Hey! Wake up!"
"What is it? Is it really that important to wake me up? It's too early." Sehun whines.
"Yah! Wake up or I'll drag you."
"Chill, bro. I'm awake now, can't you see? My eyes are now open, okay?" Sehun says as he gets up. "Is it really so important that it cannot wait?"
"This can’t wait! Move faster!"
"As you say so."
Junmyeon follows Sehun as they stepped out of the tent. He sees how shocked Sehun was after he witnesses the sleeping pair. "Holy macarons! What happened? What did we miss? Did anything happen last night? Why are they outside sleeping next to each other?!" Sehun asks without taking his eyes off the two.
"I don't know! I had the same reaction as you when I saw them earlier!"
"Tsk. We missed something, really." Sehun takes out his cellphone and captures a picture of the two.
"Smart." Junmyeon smiles to Sehun.
"I know." Sehun smiles widely. "We'll go home with a new couple."
-----
Kyungsoo wakes up to Jongin by his side. He was startled to see the guy sleeping beside him so he rises quickly before anyone could see them. He went over to the table to get the kettle to boil some water for their coffee, but he stops when he sees Junmyeon and Sehun coming out from their tent.
“Ahh, good morning. I didn’t notice Sehun went over to our tent.” Kyungsoo says as he avoids looking at the two.
“I woke up early and I couldn’t go back to sleep so I went over to your tent to see if the both of you were up already. It just so happened that Junmyeon hyung was, so I stayed inside.” Sehun smiles at Kyungsoo while waggling his eyebrows teasingly.
"I see." Kyungsoo says as he stirs his coffee. "Hyung, do you want coffee? And Sehun-ah, milk or coffee?"
"Yes please." Junmyeon smiles.
"Tsk. What do you think of me? A baby? I'm a grown-up man now. Milk is only for babies." Sehun whines, looking over at Kyungsoo.
"Milk is not only for babies." Kyungsoo chuckles at Sehun's reaction. "I also drink milk every night unless I forget to."
Sehun pouts. "Eeehhhh. I want black coffee, but please make it a little sweet hehehehe." Sehun gives Kyungsoo his best impression of 'puppy eyes'.
"Okay, okay." Kyungsoo replies. He was pouring coffee into the cups when he hears Jongin’s voice.
"Aren't you going to ask me if I want coffee as well?"
"Ohhh, we didn't notice you were awake." Sehun tells Jongin.
"Ahhh. Yes, he's right. We didn't know you were awake." Kyungsoo continues stirring the coffee, avoiding looking at Jongin.
"Kyungsoo woke up early and said he was going to make coffee for us. Do you want one?" Junmyeon adds.
"If it's okay with Soo, then yes. But I won't force him if he doesn't want to because he might throw the cup at me."
"It's still early yet, but you're already saying nonsense." Kyungsoo comments without looking at Jongin. "How do you want your coffee?"
"Just like yours." Jongin winks at Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo's ears are turning red and his cheeks are starting to heat up. "Tsk. Let's see what will happen to you if I put lots of coffee with no sugar." Kyungsoo whispers.
"Did you say something?" Jongin asks.
"I said I'll jab this stirrer at your eyes if you keep winking at me."
"Is that your way of flirting?" Sehun gives the two a sharp look and points at them. "Are you guys flirting in front of us?"
"Hell no!" Kyungsoo yells with his eyes wide open. "I'm not crazy enough to flirt with him."
"What? You called that flirting?" Jongin faces Sehun and Junmyeon in surprise.
"Why? Is there any other reason you were winking at him?" Junmyeon asks Jongin with a playful look on his face. "And you even called him Soo. Why is that?"
"Why? Am I not allowed to call him by that name?"
"Alright." Sehun faces Junmyeon. "Bro, don't force them to admit it. It'll happen in no time, trust me." Sehun winks at Junmyeon.
"Gross."
"It's funny, guys, really." Kyungsoo hands Sehun and Junmyeon their coffee before turning to Jongin. "Yours is on the table. Use your own hands to get it."
"Yes, Boss!" Jongin salutes at Kyungsoo, but the latter just rolls his eyes and sits down beside Junmyeon.
No one speaks among them. They just cherished the beauty of nature as they embrace the warmth of the coffee slipping down their throat. Kyungsoo looks over at Jongin, who was sitting beside the table. He hasn't seen someone as beautiful as Jongin as the sunlight starts to touch his skin.
"Woah. He looks like a demigod." This was what Kyungsoo had in mind. He wasn’t blinking for almost a full minute as he stares at Jongin, even if the sunlight was slightly touching his face, only stopping when he feels Sehun's arm on his shoulder.
"It's okay. It's just a crush right? No big deal. You can tell it to him, y'know? Who knows? Maybe the feelings are mutual. You won't lose anything by trying." Sehun whispers and gives Kyungsoo a thumbs up.
Kyungsoo couldn’t take his eyes off Jongin. He still wonders how everything had happened; where and when his feelings for the other had begun. He was falling for Jongin without any reassurance of the other catching him when he falls.
"You okay?" Jongin asks Kyungsoo when he notices the latter staring at him. He doesn’t receive a reply though
"Do you have a problem? You're spacing out." Still, Jongin receives no answer.
Sehun waves his hand in front of Kyungsoo’s face, but nothing happened so he snaps his finger right in front of it, which finally startles the boy. "Are you okay?"
"Jongin was right. He was spacing out. Hahaha" Junmyeon looks over at Kyungsoo.
"Ah - I was just thinking of something." Kyungsoo explains as he looked away from Jongin. "I better start cooking our breakfast."
"Kyungsoo was fine earlier. What happened to him?" Jongin asks Junmyeon and Sehun.
"Let me ask you this. How would you feel when your crush is in front of you, looking so beautiful that you can't even help yourself but to stare?" Junmyeon teasingly smiles at Jongin.
"Yeah. That's what exactly Kyungsoo hyung is feeling right now." Sehun adds, then he turns to look at Kyungsoo who's now beating some eggs.
"I don't get it. Can you speak clearly please."
"I didn't know you are that dense. I thought you got what we just said. I'm not expecting you to be that clueless. Tsk Tsk poor Kyungsoo hyung." Sehun sighs.
Jongin was left alone when the two walked towards the table to help Kyungsoo. He looks at Kyungsoo and tries to gather all the words Sehun and Junmyeon had left him.
"Kyungsoo likes me? Tsk, I bet he'd choose to stay single until he is old, rather than go out on a date with me." He mutters as he fixes his gaze on the guy. He was startled when he sees Kyungsoo looking back, but the other looks away eventually.
"Ahhh! I'm getting crazy!" Jongin covers his face with his hands and tries not to draw the other boys’ attention. "It's our last night here and I won't let this end without confessing my feelings to Kyungsoo. You can do it, Jongin. Believe in yourself."
--
Time has passed quickly and the sky soon starts to darken as night approaches. The boys were gathered around the bonfire, while the elders were sitting on stools nearby, busy chatting with each other about life.
Kyungsoo was sitting with crossed legs beside Sehun and Junmyeon, and Jongin was in front of him. They were listening to Sehun’s story.
"He fell into the creek because he was too busy texting he didn't even notice it! Hahahaha" Sehun laughs.
"The problem with people nowadays is that they're so busy with their gadgets that they even use it while walking, not knowing the possible risks." Junmyeon says.
"I don't know... Maybe it was something important so he needed to respond right away?" Jongin tries to defend the boy.
"Why? He could have walked on the sidewalk or at least stop walking so he won't get into accident." Kyungsoo argues.
"Maybe the text was so urgent and he needed to go somewhere at the same time so he continued texting?"
"If there was a vehicle nearby at that time, he could have been hit."
"But no vehicle was passing by the street at that time."
"You should always look at the consequences before doing such reckless actions."
"Maybe he did. It was just his choice not to stop walking and to continue texting." Jongin rebuts.
Kyungsoo looks straight at Jongin just then, and the latter was quick to return his stare. No one dared to cut the tension between them until Sehun interrupts.
"Okay. I'm sorry to tell you this, guys, but that was from a movie." Sehun says to Kyungsoo and Jongin.
"What?!" Kyungsoo and Jongin yells in unison.
"Uh yeah? Are you mad? Look, I was about to say that, but you guys started throwing your own opinion about the situation and I didn’t know when to interrupt so that's that. Hehehehe" Sehun makes a V sign and flashes it at them.
"If you could see yourselves earlier... it looked like you guys were on an actual debate. No one wanted to give way. Hahahahahaha. You two were acting like kids." Junmyeon points at Kyungsoo and Jongin. "Too cute."
"So, let's end this before we end up fighting." Sehun stands up and goes over to the table before returning with an empty bottle of water. "Let's play a game! Truth or dare!" The excitement in him was evident through the way Sehun's eyes sparkled. Junmyeon agreed to join as he knows this kid’s reason for playing this game.
Kyungsoo and Jongin move closer to the other two before Sehun starts explaining the mechanics of the game. "Okay. If the cap of the bottle points at you, you're the one who will be asked. Understand?"
All of them nod. Sehun spins the bottle first, and when it stopped, it pointed directly at Junmyeon. Sehun smirks, while shock is evident on Junmyeon’s face.
"Okay, okay. Hyung, truth or dare?" Sehun asks. "There's no turning back once you choose one."
"Uhh, dare?"
"We have our first dare! Hyung, I just want you to know that you made the wrong decision." Junmyeon's eyes widen as soon as he hears it.
"Hmmm. What about run back and forth from here to our tent one hundred times?" Sehun rubs his chin and smirks when he sees Junmyeon glaring at him. "Don't give me that look. How about just standing here in the center and dancing ballet. I want you to look as if you're really flying."
"That's it?" Junmyeon stands up and brushes off his pants.
"Who said I was done? Do it while singing to a hip-hop song. Hahahahahaha" Sehun bursts out in laughter.
"What?! I'd look like a dumb idiot!" Junmyeon whines.
"Just do it for 15 seconds then." Sehun concedes.
Junmyeon really did start dancing (or at least he tried) ballet while singing to Dawin's dessert. The boys can't stop laughing at Junmyeon, as well as he himself, because what he's dancing and singing to were totally opposite genres. Sehun and Jongin couldn’t help but stand and dance along with Junmyeon, and they keep on cheering him to dance more and harder while Kyungsoo just watches on happily.
After a minute, Sehun gestures for Junmyeon to stop. The three of them all sit again to continue the game.
"Kyungsoo hyung, you're just quietly laughing there. I'm thinking about what to ask you if you do get caught." Sehun winks at Kyungsoo.
Sehun's luck must be good tonight as the bottle stops pointing at Kyungsoo. He immediately gives Kyungsoo a sly smile.
"Truth or Dare?"
"Dare."
"Woah! You're brave, young man. Here's your dare. Kiss the person to your right." Sehun lets out a devilish smile.
"Are you serious? With this? I'm going to kiss him?" Kyungsoo's eyes widen as he points his finger at Jongin.
"I didn't say to your immediate right... Why did you single out Jongin?"
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Of course not! What's wrong with kissing him? It's not like you have a crush on him right? It's just a simple dare." Sehun says to Kyungsoo and then he gives Junmyeon a meaningful look.
"So, Soo, where do you want to kiss me? I'm fine with on the lips." Jongin teases Kyungsoo with a wink.
"I'll claw your eyes out of their sockets." Kyungsoo's cheeks and ears were starting to heat up. He doesn't know what thought is running in Sehun's mind to make him kiss Jongin.
"Just kiss him already, then it's done." Junmyeon smiles at Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo seemed uneasy as he moves closer to Jongin. His knees were on the ground as he extends his face up to Jongin's, his eyes fixed on the other’s cheeks. Kyungsoo puckered his lips a bit and then he kisses Jongin's cheeks for two whole seconds.
Kyungsoo felt like his head was about to blow up by the heat climbing up his face. He cannot look straight at the other three boys because they will surely see how shy and embarrassed he is.
"I-I did it. Now spin the bottle!" Kyungsoo passes the bottle over to Sehun who just smiles widely. The younger then turns to look at Jongin who was smiling the widest he has ever seen him.
"Okay. Time to get it spinnin'." Sehun spins the bottle again. This time, it stops while pointing at Jongin and Junmyeon.
"Yes! So, Jongin, is it truth or is it a dare?" Junmyeon wiggles his eyebrows.
"Dare!"
"Okay. I dare you to spill one of the greatest secrets in your life." Junmyeon says.
Sehun moves to Junmyeon and whispers into his ear. "Hyung! That's too simple. Try something that would make him confess to Kyungsoo hyung."
"Just relax. I’ve got you." Junmyeon whispers back.
"Hmm. There's this special person in my life that I have liked for many years. No, I actually think love him, really. Too bad for me that he likes someone else. If only I had the courage to speak up on my feelings for him, maybe we could have been together by now. Sad, right?" Jongin smiles bitterly as he looks at Kyungsoo who was looking back at him.
Junmyeon leans closer to Sehun's ears. "Told you."
"Cheer up, Hyung! I'm sure he likes you too! You just need to compose yourself and ask him out on a date." Sehun gives Jongin a thumbs up as he readies himself to spin the bottle again.
"Sehun's right. All you have to do is to be brave enough. You wouldn't want another man to snatch the love of your life. Am I right, Kyungsoo?" Junmyeon turns to Kyungsoo.
"Huh? Ahh - yeah. Go speak up on your feelings for him." Kyungsoo coughs. "Sehun-ah, spin the bottle."
"Soo, truth or dare?" Jongin asks Kyungsoo, looking straight into the latter’s eyes.
"A-All of you chose dare and I learned my lesson earlier so… t-truth." Kyungsoo avoids looking at Jongin.
"Remember what you asked me last night? You asked me how am I going to know if I already like someone. Do you remember my answer?" Calmness surrounds Jongin's aura.
"Hmm." Kyungsoo nods.
"Okay. How about the words you should tell him for him to know that you like him? Remember that?”
"Hmm." Kyungsoo nods again.
"This is my question then." Jongin breathes in deeply before speaking. He looks at Kyungsoo as he says, "I like you, Soo. Do you like me too?"
Kyungsoo is surprised by Jongin's sudden confession. He can feel his blood running up to his head, his cheeks and ears must surely be as red as tomatoes. He could even feel butterflies fluttering inside his tummy.
Kyungsoo can't see anyone else except for Jongin. It felt like they were the only ones together in their own world, and he doesn't know how to respond. He wants to pull Jongin into a hug, and cry for not confessing a long time ago; to shower him in kisses.
Kyungsoo looks over at Sehun and Junmyeon who were intensely watching the two of them as if they were in some kind of a Korean drama. He sees them giving him a look to answer Jongin's question, but they dare not speak in order to not break the atmosphere.
Kyungsoo looks back at Jongin. He can see the sincerity in his eyes and smile. He doesn't want to hurt the person he likes, yet, at the same time, he's too nervous to answer.
"Uhh, call a friend?" Kyungsoo smiles awkwardly.
Jongin chuckles. "That's why I love you. You look cute in everything you do." Jongin holds Kyungsoo's hands then looked straight at him. "You can't call a friend because your friend cannot give me the answer that I would want to hear."
Kyungsoo's running out of breath with Jongin's sweet words and gestures but despite that, he's ready to answer Jongin's question with all his heart. He likes Jongin and fortunately, maybe he wasn't that unlucky for his angel did hear his wish, Jongin likes him too. There's no way he'll let this pass.
"Uhh, can you please repeat that?" Kyungsoo smiles.
"I like you, Soo. Do you like me too?"
"Thank you for that wonderful question. I believe a chance like this is rare. A guy named Kim Jongin is asking me if I like him right in front of our siblings. Who am I to say no?" Kyungsoo looks down at his hands held by Jongin and smiles. "I like you too."
Jongin's eyes got 10x wider when he hears Kyungsoo's answer. He immediately pulls Kyungsoo into a tight hug. "You don't know how happy you made me tonight!" He whispers into Kyungsoo's ear.
"Me too. I'm so happy tonight." Kyungsoo replies back.
Kyungsoo is still wrapped inside Jongin's arms when they hear loud claps. "Oh my god, Hyung! I thought I was watching a drama." Sehun feints wiping a tear from his eyes as he faces Junmyeon. "I'm in pain. Don't touch me!"
"You're overreacting, Sehun!" Junmyeon says. "I'm so happy for you, guys. Finally, you're together after many years of being in denial." He adds.
"He's right! You two were so obvious, y'know?" Sehun exclaims. "Both of you always fight over petty things when in fact you just want to talk to each other every time. Don't look at me like that. I know what I saw and I can feel what you can't. HAHAHAHAHAHA" Sehun stands up and lets out a creepy laugh.
Junmyeon pulls Sehun to sit down. "Be quiet! You're going to wake up our parents!"
"Oops, sorry hehehehe"
"Sehun and I will be heading inside the tent now. We'll give you time to talk." Junmyeon says to the two before he starts to drag Sehun away.
"What?! No! I'm staying here! I want to hear what they're gonna say to each other! I need to be always updated!" Sehun rants as he tries to escape from Junmyeon. “I have a picture of the both of you sleeping next to each other! Hyung! Let go of me!”
"Come on now. We need to sleep early because we'll go home tomorrow." Junmyeon was still dragging Sehun to the tent.
"Hyungs! Junmyeon's being a granny again. Don't forget to tell me what you have talked about! I want it in fine details!" Sehun shouts before entering the tent.
Kyungsoo laughs at Sehun and Junmyeon. He's happy to have them because they've always been there for him and Jongin. He looks at Jongin smiling, realizing that their faces are only a few inches apart. He can feel Jongin's breath and he can see his lips which look like a strawberry.
Jongin can't stop smiling as he holds Kyungsoo's waist pulling the latter closer to him. "I started liking you since we were still kids and I didn't expect I'd love you this much till now." Jongin's looking at Kyungsoo's heart-shaped lips.
"Uh - Me too? I'm not sure when I started to have this kind of feeling, but I like you, really." Kyungsoo flashes a smile at Jongin.
"Can you repeat your dare earlier?" Jongin asks Kyungsoo teasingly.
"Are you crazy? I don't want to."
"Then I'll do it." Jongin gives Kyungsoo a peck on the lips.
Kyungsoo was so shocked he covers his mouth with both his hands. "Hey! That’s not fair! That was so sudden!" Kyungsoo pouts.
Jongin removes Kyungsoo's hand on his mouth and gives Kyungsoo another peck on the lips.
"Yah! That was too much! I'm not that easy!" Kyungsoo frowns.
"Hahahahaha. I'm just making up for all the time I’ve missed. I should have done it a long time ago but I was scared. And now that you're by my side, I'd cherish every moment with you." Jongin pulls Kyungsoo closer. "I love you, Soo."
Kyungsoo buries his head on Jongin's chest because he was too shy to face him right now. He can't take all the sweet words coming out from the other’s mouth as he wasn't used to it. "Ahhh don't be like that. You're making me shy."
"You're really cute. I never thought I'd see this side of yours. You're making me love you even more." Jongin kisses the top of Kyungsoo's head.
"Ehhhhh. I love you too!" Kyungsoo still can’t look at Jongin. "Ahhhh I'm too shy to face you."
"It's okay. My love for you won't get less."
"By the way, your best friend Chanyeol asked Baekhyun out. Do you know anything about it?" Kyungsoo asks.
"Really? Woah. Chanyeol finally asked him out. Hahahaha."
"What do you mean?"
"He has liked Baekhyun ever since we were freshmen."
"Baekhyun too! Woah, things are going well." Kyungsoo smiles.
"Yeah. I don't mind having a double date with them but being alone with you sounds better." Jongin teases Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo looks up at Jongin and punches him weakly on the chest. "Pervert!"
"What? I haven't said anything? Hahahaha"
"Hmph!" Kyungsoo buries his head on Jongin’s chest again. He doesn't want this night to end because he feels safe with Jongin.
"I love you, Kyungsoo." Jongin whispers to Kyungsoo.
"I love you too, Jongin."
-----
Meanwhile inside the tent.
Sehun and Junmyeon were peeking from the hole they made in their tent. They were watching what Kyungsoo and Jongin were doing after they left them to have time to talk in private.
"They just kissed! They fvcking kissed! Oh my gods! I need air! I can't breathe! THEY KISSEEED!" Sehun screams in a low voice.
"Stop screaming! They might hear us!" Junmyeon exclaims.
"Yes! Our efforts weren't wasted! I'm so happy for the both of us!"
"Me too! Imagine being together after a long period of time that were spent for fighting? Kyungsoo and Jongin really deserve each other." Junmyeon states.
"Junmyeon's word of wisdom."
"Do you want me to beat you up right now?"
"Chill, bro! What we need is a celebration." Sehun crosses his arms.
"You're right!"
"I told you we weren’t going to leave this place without a new couple."