Stuck!
Title: Stuck!
Rating: PG (or M just because.. you'll know in the end..kekeke)
Length: One Shot
Genre: Fluff, Romance, Fail Humor, Apartment!AU
Pairings: Baekyeol, Kaisoo, (bonus one is a secret..XD)
Summary:
It's raining and it's near midnight and they say anything can happen.
Chanyeol is an awkwardly tall nerd, Baekhyun is the fad, Kyungsoo is an architecture student and Jongin looks like a homeless bum. And there's the two night guards who are up to no good.
It's all about first meetings and not so first meetings... And the things that can happen in 12 minutes.
STUCK!
It was a few minutes to the Magic Hour.
And they say that a lot can happen at midnight. Magic. Madness. Mayhem. And sometimes the elusive thing that is Love. No one knows which one you'll get but if you're lucky enough you'll experience them all.
It was raining hard that October night. Fortunately, it started just as the pedestrians were thinning out because of the lateness of the hour. The few people outside were either hailing cabs or waiting for the bus to arrive. Chanyeol was lucky that he was unluckily chosen to finish the Neimann Project. Since he had to go home late, he was given the keys to the company van so he didn't have to worry about the deluge that was currently drowning the city.
The project was unnecessarily grueling. The specimen needed was prepared weeks ago but the handlers were so incompetent that they got contaminated. No reliable data can be gathered and the experiments had to be done all over again. And that means documentation all over again, too. Chanyeol, being the youngest of the group of chemists, was chosen, or shall he say bullied, to do it. He had no complaints about repeating the paperwork but it meant late nights as they didn't really lessen his workload on top of the project. That meant that he can only get to see him once a day. He who doesn't even know Chanyeol exists.
He sighed as he parked the van on the empty lot near his apartment building. He pushed his thick rimmed glasses up his nose and closed his coat up to his neck before grabbing his bag from the passenger seat. He got out, locked the door and rushed towards the building entrance. He shook the rain water from his thick brown hair as he reached the lobby and walked with long strides towards the elevators.
Chanyeol pushed the down button and waited for the doors to open. The elevator was actually his favorite part of the thirty-floor apartment building. This is where he gets to see him for a few moments and feel the world is a perfect place
He sees little of him as it is but now even less because of his packed schedule. He has been crushing on him for almost a year now but he hasn't even managed to say hello. Not that it mattered anyway because the magnificent one will never ever notice an awkwardly tall nerd like Park Chanyeol.
Finally, the elevator doors open. Chanyeol stepped inside and pushed the button to the twenty-sixth floor. But just as the doors were closing he heard quick footsteps followed by a hand holding onto the doors. "Wait!"
Chanyeol looked up and there he was. His beautiful Byun Baekhyun.
The photo shoot ran late into the night and Baekhyun was already exhausted from putting on too many different clothes and having his makeup done over and over again. But he had to go through it because it was for the winter line of a designer brand and it was his first solo cover for a popular magazine.
It wasn't easy to make it into the modeling world. Not when you're not tall and you had no connections to speak of. But what Baekhyun lacked in those areas he made up for with his natural grace and acting skills. Photographers loved him because he can give them the look that they wanted without being told how. He was never late, never absent. He was a professional.
It didn't hurt too that they find him beautiful. He was one of the top ranked print models this year. Somehow his face was becoming the fad. They said he looked innocent but mysterious. To him, it was just the thick eyeliners and the smoky eye shadows that does the trick. There was nothing really special about his small eyes and thin lips.
He's been working hard for the past three years just to get to where he is right now. He wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. But the people who were supposedly supportive said he wasn't too smart and he just had to find a job that doesn't require him to think. So that's what he did. He left home at seventeen and never looked back.
But sometimes he gets tired of all of it. Sometimes he just wants to get away from the cameras and the fake people who run his world.
Finally, the shoot ended. Baekhyun couldn't wait to go home. He was invited to go out for drinks but he declined. He'd rather wash out the entire makeup on his face, slip on his cotton pajamas and curl up in his bed. He moved in his apartment eleven months ago. It was not that big or luxurious but he loved it.
It was raining hard when he got outside but luckily he was able to hail a cab right away. It was just a few minutes when he finally arrived outside his apartment. He ran to the entrance trying to get as little rain as possible on his expensive coat. He got to the elevators just as one was closing and not wanting to wait for another to come down, Baekhyun ran towards it and stopped the doors with his right hand. "Wait!"
There was only one passenger inside and the guy was gaping at him. He was blocking the floor buttons, too, so Baekhyun said, "Twenty-fourth, please."
The tall guy lightly shook his head and pushed the button to Baekhyun's floor. There was a ting! sound and the elevator doors moved to enclose them both.
----------
Kyungsoo was probably having the worst night of his life. Well, his student life. Because there were many worst nights in his nineteen years of existence he had to categorize them all at least to get everything in perspective. He hasn't gotten any decent sleep for the past four days because the deadline for the scale model assignment was tomorrow. It had taken him half a month to develop the design for a medium sized subdivision and he started to do the scale ten days before the submission. It usually just takes him five days at most to finish one. But he seemed to run out of luck for the past week and a half because here he was bringing this bulky scale model home, still unfinished.
And it just had to rain tonight. As if bringing the model home to his apartment wasn't difficult enough. He already got a dozen or more dirty looks from people he bumped into while carrying the thing. To top it all off his favorite part of the scale, a miniature angel statue near the miniature gates, already lost one of its miniature wings somewhere and is giving him a headache that is not so miniature.
No one even offered him a seat inside the bus. He sighed. Just you wait world, in a few months he'll be Architect Do Kyungsoo, the greatest there is in the city. He'll buy a car, a house and... The bus stopped, halting his musings. He alighted quickly, or as quickly as the model will let him. Good thing he was wearing a large windbreaker and he brought an umbrella today so he managed to keep him and the model relatively dry.
He had to enter the apartment entrance sideways so he can fit. Nearing the elevators, he saw a guy rush after one on the left calling out, "Wait!"
He was about to do the same but then the elevator to his right opened. A man went out and left it empty. All that space. All mine. Kyungsoo thought with a smile as he walked towards it. He tried to get in but he was stopped as the scale hit both sides of the door. He tilted it and tried to enter, again the model won't budge. He shifted sideways like he did earlier but the elevator door was narrower than the main entrance and it didn't do any good.
He can't take the stairs. His apartment was on the twentieth floor! Kyungsoo wanted to stamp his feet in frustration. Knowing that won't get him anywhere, he tried to change tactics. He turned around from the doors and had himself enter the carriage walking backwards. There. He was inside. The scale model still wasn't. With a deep breath, he pulled it hard. Stupid thing. Stupid doors.
Then he felt a sudden push from the outside that made him stumble backwards, the scale model hitting him in the stomach. Bewildered, he looked up and saw a familiar smirk. He should've known. Stupid Kim Jongin.
He was drenched from head to toe and his knees were already shaking from the cold. His baseball cap and jacket offered little protection against the downpour. But he forgot all about it as he looked into Kyungsoo's wide dismayed eyes. "You were in the way."
The shorter boy glared at him and he chuckled. He went in the elevator and pushed the button to the twentieth and the twenty-seventh floor. From behind him Kyungsoo said, "Can you hit the twentieth?"
He smiled to himself. The short boy had no idea. He knows where Kyungsoo's floor is. He knows he was an architecture student. He knows he rides Bus no. 9 everyday to go to school. And he knows that every Friday, Kyungsoo comes home an hour later than usual because for some reason he does his groceries on Friday nights.
Jongin wasn't a stalker. On second thought, he probably was but not in a bad way. He doesn't really go out of his way to follow him. He was just always there. Which was not surprising since they lived in the same apartment building and they both had regular student hours.
Jongin was attending a premier performing arts school but no one looking at him would think so at first. He was always wearing faded torn jeans and old dark sweaters and shirts, angling more on comfort than style. He's been mistaken countless of times for a homeless bum by everyone including Kyungsoo. He smiled at the memory.
He rubbed his hand at the back of his neck, feeling a little stiff after a long day of dance practice. He could have been in his room this time of the night but he was waiting for almost two hours outside. It was just Thursday. The boy shooting death glares at his back was late coming home. And he was worried.
He turned to face Kyungsoo. His left hand absently jiggling the coins in his pocket. A light ting! signaled the closing of the doors. And for the next few minutes that it will take to reach their floors, they'll be alone. He smirked.
The hands of the huge wall clock at the apartment lobby struck twelve.
Chanyeol was nervous as he stole glances at the guy beside him. It was the first time he was riding the elevator alone with Baekhyun. Usually, there were more than a handful of tenants separating them and it was only Chanyeol's height that enabled him to see the shorter boy amidst all the elevator passengers.
He was awestruck the first time he saw Baekhyun step into the elevator. And he had been awestruck ever since. To Chanyeol, who's life revolved around hard scientific data, Baekhyun was a miracle.
He was pretty sure he had a speech prepared eleven months ago for when an opportunity like this arrives. He even practiced it more than a dozen times. But he never had the confidence to use it and now he can't seem to remember a word. How did it go about again?
Hi, I'm Park Chanyeol. You probably don't know me but I know you.
Creepy, Chanyeol, just creepy.
Hi, I'm park Chanyeol. And you're Byun Baekhyun.
You don't say?
Hi, I'm Park Chanyeol. You're so beautiful. Can I keep you?
That will get you arrested, dummy.
Hi, I'm Park Chanyeol.
Perfect.
Baekhyun was watching the numbers above the doors when he heard the tall guy beside him mumble to himself. He shifted his head to look at him. He was tall. Even taller than some of the models he knew. He had a shock of thick brown hair and big glasses, the kind that smart people wear. He was familiar although he couldn't pinpoint where he saw him exactly. The guy must have finished his conversation with himself because he nodded determinedly and turned to face him.
He was embarassed to be caught watching but Baekhyun soon forgot about it as he was given a great big, toothy, smile. It would have been a scary grin for most but Baekhyun saw the friendly eagerness in his eyes and he thought the guy was kind of cute.
"Hi, I'm-"
Just then the elevator groaned and shook, unbalancing both of them. The lights inside switched on and off. Baekhyun put his hands against the wall and leaned on it to steady himself. He saw the other guy do the same.
He straightened when the elevator abruptly stopped. Just stopped. The lights were thankfully on. He looked at the boy infront of him. "Apparently, we're stuck."
The tall boy's eyes rounded and his mouth opened into a big O. His eyes darted around the small space they were in. He went to the elevator controls and hit the emergency button. But Baekhyun can see it was no use, the controls were off.
"Okay." The tall guy said. "Let's not panic. Everything's gonna be okay. So Don't panic. Panicking should be the last thing from our minds. Don't worry. I'm here and I promise that we'll be safe. Okay? No panicking!" Baekhyun can hear a certain breathlessness in his deep voice.
"What to do? What should I do? Oh yeah! first, we need to call for help. Let's see..aaah! There's no signal! No, no! Its okay, you shouldn't lose hope, any minute now someone will help us out. The staff will come and help us, yes. But what if they don't know that we're stuck? They should know, right? Right, don't worry, I'll figure out what to do. Just relax okay? Just don't panic. We're not doing that, no. Not panicking here!"
But Baekhyun can see that his breath was turning shallow. His shoulders were heaving and he was sure the other guy was suffering from an anxiety attack. His eyes were getting unfocused.
"Hey." He said, reaching out to him. But the taller boy didn't seem to hear him. He was talking incoherently now. Baekhyun honestly didn't know what to do so he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around the guy's waist.
"Shhh. It's all right. I'm here." He rested his head against the other's chest, against his wildly beating heart. He hugged him tighter and patted his back. "I'm here."
-----------
It was already supposed to be the worst night of his student life but it's turning to be much worse. If that was even possible. How can the worst get worse?
It's because he almost had the elevator to himself, now here was the delinquent Kim Jongin smirking at him and looking as if he was enjoying the worsening of Kyungsoo's night. He didn't really know when he started hating the boy. Maybe it was the first time they shared an elevator ride more than a year ago.
It was a monday morning crush. When Kyungsoo entered the elevator from his floor, there were only three of them inside. An old man with a cane on the left, a skinny, dark skinned boy on the right and him in the middle. But as the elevator collected passengers on its way down, he was pushed further and further to the right until he was almost plastered against the dark skinned boy whom he noticed was half of a head taller than him.
His eyes were level to the boy's chin and he was pretty sure the taller boy can see him blush. He was practically clinging to him. He looked up past the strong jaw, the thick lips, the straight nose and reached the eyes that were staring down at him. Kyungsoo's eyes rounded as he realized he was under the same inspection he was giving the other guy.
More people entered and he was pushed even more closer to the boy's chest. The taller boy's lips widened into a devilish smile. Kyungsoo's mind suddenly blanked out. He didn't notice the elevator reach the ground floor and the people go out, leaving both of them alone.
"I'm flattered, don't get me wrong. But I do have classes and I'm guessing you have, too. We can continue this later if you want." The boy said with an arrogant tilt to his lips.
Kyungsoo finally realized that he was still leaning against him and the elevator was empty except for the two of them. He quickly stepped back, mortified. He went out of the elevator followed by the boy.
"By the way, it's Kim Jongin."
Kyungsoo stopped walking and turned around to gape at him. The nerve. He said it as if Kyungsoo was dying to know his name! He watched as the boy walked pass him while doing that annoying habit of jiggling the coins in his pocket.
He never wanted to see Kim Jongin again but he was there everyday, riding the same elevator.
And now he was there again. Kyungsoo glared in answer to the boy's smirk.
Jongin watched as the dark clouds gathered behind the short boy's eyes. He actually found it endearing. He likes to believe that Kyungsoo reserves that Go to hell! look just for him. It was also cute how the boy was struggling to carry the scale model with both hands while carrying his bag of supplies and a wet umbrella.
He was aware that they got off from the wrong foot when they first met. Or more accurately, when Kyungsoo first met him. It would have been a great first meeting for Jongin since Kyungsoo's body was against his and they were actually staring into each other's eyes but he just had to open his mouth and ruin the moment.
He actually wanted to say something nice and to introduce himself properly. If he had, they could have been friends long ago. And maybe more. But he was never really adept in social niceties and so he said what he said. Now instead of being friends, he was a stalker and Kyungsoo was his stalkee. Yeah, he doesn't even know if the word exists but what was he to call him? His muse? The love of his life? Jongin mentally cringed.
He shook his head and his jacket unaware that he was getting water on Kyungsoo and his precious model.
"I actually managed to stay dry from the rain just to be drowned inside an elevator."
Jongin saw Kyungsoo's steely eyes trained on him and as the cliche goes, if looks could kill he would have been food for the fishes by now.
He was about to say sorry or something snarky depending on what his mouth will blurt out when the elevator lurched and he hit the wall. The lights twitched. He saw Kyungsoo lose his balance and he tried to make a grab for him but he was a second too late. Kyungsoo fell on his backside together with his model, his bag and his trusty umbrella.
Jongin looked around and saw the elevator buttons were dead.
"Oh, my god! Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod!" The boy on the floor sqealed. "Are we stuck?!"
Maybe it was the adrenaline or the worry or just the situation they're in. Jongin slumped on the floor and, braving Kyungsoo's wrath, he laughed.
Let the magic, madness and mayhem begin.
"I'm sorry." Chanyeol said. "I was not supposed to panic but... I'm a mess."
He slid an apologetic look at Baekhyun. He was embarrassed to say the least.
Chanyeol remembered feeling dizzy. He couldn't take an easy breath. It's as if someone was choking him. His heart was running a hundred miles a minute. His brain knew what was happening and what he should do but he couldn't make his body follow. He thought he'll collapse and was about to when felt Baekhyun's arms wrap around his waist and gave him a hug. Surprisingly, his body started to calm down with the shorter guy's warmth.
They were now sitting on the floor with their backs against the wall facing the door. He was still trembling a little from his panic attack. He looked between them at Baekhyun's hand cradling one of his.
"You don't have to say you're sorry. It's a perfectly natural reaction." Baekhyun said as if it was a matter of fact.
Chanyeol has studied science all his life and he was sure he knows what's natural and what's not but he didn't argue the point. Baekhyun was being kind.
He was the one who led Chanyeol to sit on the floor. Baekhyun probably sensed that Chanyeol hasn't fully recovered yet because he took one of his hands and had been holding it since. He had to admit that the connection had relieved him.
"When do you think they'll get us out of here?" Chanyeol asked, his deep voice bouncing off the elevator walls.
"I don't really know but it can't be more than a few minutes."
"I hope so." Chanyeol whispered.
"Have you always been like this? I mean do you always-?"
"Act like a beheaded chicken when I'm trapped in an elevator? I'm not sure. It's my first time." Chanyeol heard Baekhyun laugh softly. "Seriously, I haven't been trapped like this before but the thought of being in a closed space for a long period of time makes me uncomfortable."
Baekhyun gave him a sympathetic look which just emphasized how really beautiful he was.
"I kind of know how you feel. Sometimes I feel so restrained that I can't breathe." For a moment, he looked sad. But then he smiled at him and Chanyeol felt his heart turn to mush. "Enough of this depressing talk. You haven't even told me your name."
"It's... Park Chanyeol."
"Well, hello Park Chanyeol! My name's Byun Baekhyun." He said with a smile.
"I a-actually know who you are." Chanyeol felt his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. He was getting conscious, remembering who he was actually talking with. This was Byun Baekhyun!
"Oh, you do? How?" The shorter boy asked curiously.
"I-I see your pictures a l-lot in magazines.
"Oh. I didn't figure you to be the fashion magazine type."
Chanyeol can feel his ears redden. How can he tell Baekhyun he only buys those kinds of magazines if he's featured in it? He tried for nonchalance. "I don't buy them, just scan through them at the store when I'm bored."
"Okay." There was an awkward silence after. "Uhm, so what do you do?"
"I'm a chemist."
"Really? That's cool!" Chanyeol looked to see if Baekhyun was teasing him but he seemed sincere. Usually when he tells people what he does, they nod disinterestedly and move on to another topic. "So do you have your own lab with like those big machines and those bottled stuff?"
Chanyeol thought of his small cubicle and the tons of paperwork on his desk. "Not exactly."
"Oh, well even if you don't, you're job's still awesome." Baekhyun sounded impressed.
"We're actually working on a new drug. It's on experimental phase but if everything goes well, it will definitely be big. Guaranteed lower mortality rates all over the world." Chanyeol felt proud to be part of the project even though his name won't even appear in any of it.
"That's amazing. It's a crazy and cruel world but its worth saving, right?" Baekhyun said almost to himself.
There was something lurking behind Baekhyun's eyes, a certain sadness Chanyeol would like to take away.
"In any case, you're job still a thousand times more important than mine." Baekhyun looked up at the ceiling. "All I do stand infront of the camera all day, posing to convince people to buy things that are too expensive for their own good."
"But it's pretty important, too." Chanyeol argued. "I save the world with my brains. With your face, you make it smile."
Baekhyun returned his gaze to Chanyeol. That was probabaly the sweetest thing anyone has ever told him. But it wasn't true. He laughed dryly.
"Oh, that's original. From what cheesy novel did you get that?" He asked the boy. He was instantly sorry when he saw the hurt look on Chanyeol's face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.
Chanyeol looked at him intently. "Why did you?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's just because I'm so used to hearing compliments? And I find out that most of them aren't true. Or maybe because I'm tired of being noticed just because of my looks. I'm not beautiful." He shrugged.
"But you are."
"It's just the makeup, you know. Obviously, you haven't seen me on Sundays." Baekhyun muttered. "I'll probably scare you to death."
"Actually, I first saw you on a Sunday. You went to buy newspaper and coffee, I think."
Baekhyun groaned and buried his face in his free hand.
"Yeah." The tall boy smiled and jokingly added, "My knees were shaking with fright."
"And you think I'm beautiful after that?" Baekhyun asked incredulously. He looked like hell on Sundays. It's his ultimate rest day. Meaning no make-up, no combing, and bunny printed pajamas.
"Yes.” Chanyeol looked away looking somewhat shy. "There was a little girl crying because her mom didn't buy her something. The mom was too busy talking on the phone to be bothered. I wanted to comfort her but with my face, I would've creeped her out. I was thinking about what to do when you entered the elevator. You saw her and you bent down to talk to her and gave her a cookie. And then you smiled."
The guy gazed back at him. "It was beautiful. If I was the little girl, I would've definitely smiled back, too."
"It was probably the cookie." Baekhyun can feel a blush coming. He was starting to believe what Chanyeol was saying. And he was feeling all warm inside. "If I was the little girl, you wouldn't have creeped me out."
He felt Chanyeol's hand tighten its hold on his but soon relaxed. "You don't have to say that."
But I do, Baekhyun thought. Because he felt nobody says that to Chanyeol enough.
"Really, it's just those glasses getting in the way." Baekhyun lifted a hand to get the eyeglasses off but Chanyeol dodged. "Come on. Let me see."
"The glasses actually mask the monster within." Chanyeol said. Baekhyun rolled his eyes and the tall guy laughed.
"Me without glasses is like you on a sunday but a thousand times worse." Chanyeol said with his deep voice laced with amusement.
Baekhyun pouted. He saw Chanyeol's eyes travel to his lips and was somehow distracted. Now's his chance. He tried to grab for the glasses again but Chanyeol's height made it easy for him to move his face out of reach.
Frustrated cause for some reason he really wanted to see the tall boy's face, he moved to sit on Chanyeol's lap, straddling him. The action surprised them both as Baekhyun ended up closer than he expected. This time Chanyeol was shocked enough not to stop Baekhyun as he took the glasses off.
His slender hands automatically went to the chemist's face and slowly traced the curves of his cheeks, the length of his nose, the dip of his dimples and the lines of his lips. He knew he was being too bold by running his hands all over Chanyeol's face. He just met him and he doesn't know too much about him but he can't seem to stop.
Baekhyun felt Chanyeol touch his left cheek gently and he wanted to lean in to his hand. He wanted. This is crazy but...
"You're beautiful, too." Baekhyun whispered.
And he meant it.
----------
"This can't be happening!' Kyungsoo wanted to cry. "And it's not funny!"
He also wanted to throw the model, small buildings and all, at the laughing boy infront of him but he needed it tomorrow so he was choosing between his shoe and his umbrella.
"Well, you are.” Jongin said and dissolved again to another fit of laughter. "Man! You’re so unlucky."
"Shut up." He glared for good measure.
"If i didn't ride this elevator with you, I wouldn't be stuck here. I would've reached my room sooner and I would've already been resting on my bed." Jongin said.
"Shut up."
"I would have changed into dry clothes already, but no, I haven't. And if we're stuck here for longer, I'd probably get sick."
"Shut up." Kyungsoo was now thinking that maybe throwing the scale model will be worth it. After all, it is bigger and heavier than a shoe and an umbrella combined.
"I would've-"
"SHUT UP! SHUT. UP. I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T SHUT IT YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH AGAIN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!"
"Oh."
A beat. Two beats.
"Man, you really are unlucky. I would-"
Kyungsoo threw the first thing that he got his hand on to. The one-winged miniature angel flew across the elevator and hit Jongin's shoulder. Poor thing but it was broken anyway.
Jongin looked surprised that he would throw something at him and Kyungsoo was a little surprised himself. He was feeling a bit guilty and was about to apologize when he heard Jongin laugh again.
He was gratified to hear the laughter dissolve into coughs. "Serves you right."
The boy leaned on the wall, drew his legs near his body and placed his arms above them. "Meanie."
Kyungsoo put the scale model down beside him because if he didn't it would lose another house or two and travel the distance between him and Jongin. He didn't have enough time to finish it as it is.
But he got the sudden urge to pick it up again in defense when he saw that Jongin was taking off his jacket. "What are you doing?"
The dark skinned boy raised his brow at him as if saying seriously?
"Hey, put that back on!"
"My dear, as you can see. I'm all wet. And since all of this is your fault, you can afford to put your delicate sensibilities aside for a few minutes."
"The rain is my fault? The elevator being stuck is my fault? You being uncivilized is my fault?" Kyungsoo fumed.
"Uh, yes. Being unlucky and all." Jongin shrugged. Kyungsoo's eyes widened even more as the boy discarded his jacket and slowly got on his hands and knees.
"You're not... you can't possibly.. Stay away!" He said as he watched Jongin crawl to him. "Ya, stop it!"
But Jongin continued on his way and stopped only when he was close enough that Kyungsoo can see the droop of the younger boy's eyes. "Don't worry. I won't do anything to you. It's just... so cold."
The boy came even closer. Kyungsoo tensed and flattened himself against the wall. Jongin's hands are on floor on either side of his hips, his bended knees sandwiching Kyungsoo's. Their noses were almost touching. "I-if you c-come any closer I'll call the p-police!"
"So dramatic... you were always so dramatic. Okay, here." Jongin looked down at his pocket and took the coins out, supporting himself with one hand. He then shifted to the side so he ended up sitting next to Kyungsoo with his back against the wall and their shoulders touching. He lifted Kyungsoo's right hand and Kyungsoo thought his hand was so warm. He was surprised when Jongin dropped the coins in his palm.
"For the trouble..." He said and promptly placed his head on the smaller boy's shoulder.
"Kim Jongin!" Kyungsoo shook his shoulder but the boy won't budge. He looked at him and saw that Jongin's eyes were closed. "Hey."
There was only a mumbled answer. Kyungsoo sighed in resignation. Apparently, the devil is gonna use him as a pillow. Although he told himself that he could easily just move away, he didn't. There was something a little bit comforting in the closeness.
Kyungsoo looked down at the change Jongin paid him with. Only three pieces of ￦100 coins. "I'm worth more than this."
There was something not right with the money in his hand. He looked closer and saw a carving in each of one of them. His heart thumped because they look familiar. He realized they did because he carved them himself. 도.경. 수 - Do. Kyung. Soo. His name.
He made those carvings three years ago. A restless afternoon when he decided he'll leave the countryside and make it big in the city. He had this crazy idea that once he gets to Seoul, he'll let go of the coins there so it will be passed from one hand to another. A part of his name going across the city. It wasn't until a year later that he was able to get on the train to study here.
The last time he saw the coins was on his first day in Seoul, when he reached his apartment building and saw a pauper in ragged jeans and a dark shirt crouching near a lamp post outside. He was facing down and in his hand was a cap facing upward. Deciding it was his chance, Kyungsoo dropped the three coins there. He didn't wait for the beggar to look up or say thank you but he remembered the man being quite thin, long-limbed, and dark-skinned...
Kyungsoo quickly looked at the boy leaning against him. "Oh, my god."
Jongin couldn't help but shiver. It was so cold. His throat felt dry and his head was pounding. He was leaning heavily on the boy on his side and he wanted to ease up but he was feeling weak.
He heard Kyungsoo squeak. "Oh, my god!"
Jongin wanted to ask what was wrong but all that came out was a succession of coughs ripping through his throat. Man, I hate being sick.
He also wanted to open his eyes but they were so heavy. Kyungsoo's hand touched his head and he was sure he was going to push him away when he felt him spread his palm across his forehead. "Oh, my god! You're hot!"
He could've smiled but all he could manage was a little twitch of his lips. I've always been hot. Sexy hot.
"Oh, my god. What do we do? You're fever's so high! Who told you to run around the rain anyway? Such a pain-" Kyungsoo cut himself off. He sounded agitated.
Well, if you had come home sooner instead of making me worry then I wouldn't have "run around" in the rain, Jongin thought. Another shiver racked his body. So cold.
He must have sensed it because suddenly Kyungsoo put an arm around him and pulled him closer all the while grumbling about stupid boys, stupid rain and stupid elevators. Jongin knew there was a reason why he fell for the short boy.
The first time he saw Kyungsoo was more than a year ago while he was waiting for his friend to pick him up outside the apartment building. It was hot and Sehun was taking so long so he sat down for a while and took off his cap. A few moments later, a shadow went by him and he heard a tinkling of coins drop in his cap. He looked up to see a determined looking boy who was probably carrying half of his lifetime with him. His arms were laden with two cardboard boxes, one hand holding onto a big canvass bag while the other is pulling on a large piece of luggage.
He's always wondered how Kyungsoo managed to give him the coins with all that he was carrying. It was funny how he had mistaken him for a beggar of sorts. Jongin stood up and was about to return the change when Sehun arrived with his car and honked at him. Jongin watched the short boy struggle to go inside the building and he shrugged thinking that he'll have plenty of time to return them tomorrow since the boy would live in the same building.
Kyung Do Soo. Soo Kyung Do. Do Soo Kyung. Do Kyung Soo - that was probably it, he thought as he looked at the carving on the coins in his hands while he was on the car with Sehun. Do Kyungsoo.
He wanted to return them he told himself over and over again. He had a lot of opportunities to give it, riding the elevators together every day and all, but he seemed never able to. Maybe because if he did, he'll have no excuse for following Kyungsoo around and waiting for him.
And so tomorrow turned into a week, the week turned into months and the months into a year and Jongin still had them with him. Always in his pocket, waiting for when his idiot self will take a rest so the normal one can finally have a proper conversation with Kyungsoo.
He thought this was the night, the chance he was waiting for. Him, Kyungsoo and the empty elevator. It would've been perfect if it weren't for his fever which is doing a good job of making him lightheaded and incoherent.
I wish we had a better first meeting, he thought but what came out was a hoarse "You're so unlucky."
"I'm not the one dying here." Kyungsoo said.
I like you a lot, please like me, too. "The unluckiest person in the world."
"Yes, you are." He can hear the smirk that must be on the shorter boy's lips.
Kiss me. Jongin felt Kyungsoo freeze and realized he said it out loud.
With all the strength he had left, he lifted his head from Kyungsoo's shoulder and looked into the boy's rounded eyes. He must be shocked.
"Stop messing around with me!"
"I'm not." He said as he moved his face closer. He felt he just had to do it.
"Ya! Don't come any closer!" Kyungsoo scooted sideways but was stayed by Jongin's hand on his thigh. "You said you... you won't do anything!"
"I lied." He was leaning nearer and his nose was grazing Kyungsoo's cheek. So soft.
Jongin felt the boy stiffen with the contact but he stopped moving away. His lips touched the side of Kyungsoo's. I love you.
That was his last thought as he felt himself falling and landing on Kyungsoo's lap.
And the elusive thing that is Love.
Chanyeol was still overwhelmed that Baekhyun was touching him and he was touching Baekhyun. The shorter guy hugged him and held his hand earlier but somehow this was different. It was more intimate. Baekhyun's hand travelled across his face and he forgot that his right eye was a little smaller than the left, that his nose was imperfect and big and that his lips were nothing special.
"You're beautiful, too." Baekhyun said and he could almost believe it's true. He wasn't aware that his hand on Baekhyun's face went lower to his neck and was slowly pulling the smaller guy closer.
Baekhyun wanted to close the distance between him and Chanyeol, to get as close as possible. Everything was going too fast and entirely too slow.
You could make me happy. He stared at Chanyeol's bared eyes. The taller guy's lips parted as if in anticipation for the kiss Baekhyun suddenly want to put there.
"Park Chanyeol." He whispered. He closed his eyes as he leaned nearer. This is madness.
------------
Kyungsoo felt for the forehead of the boy on his lap. Jongin was still burning up and he was worried beyond his wits. He didn't know what to do. He took of his windbreaker, covered Jongin with it and gathered him closer to his body. The boy was still trembling.
He tried to forget that a few seconds earlier Jongin tried, well actually was able to, kiss him. The boy could still wreak havoc even when he's sick.
"How long were you out in the rain anyway? You didn't even bring an umbrella." Kyungsoo said even though Jongin was most likely beyond hearing him at this point. "How can one forget to bring an umbrella?"
"You probably don't even have an umbrella, do you? Such a troublesome kid." Kyungsoo remembered the coins in his hand. "You should have told me, you know. It's not my fault you looked like a homeless beggar that day. And you kept my coins all this time, huh? Here I was thinking that they already spread across the city. You really are-" He paused. He doesn't know what Jongin is exactly.
That first meeting, he had to admit he was attracted to the taller boy. But then he humiliated himself and so he just decided to ignore him while hoping the attraction would go away. Now with Jongin in his lap he realized it didn't. His eyes actually look for him first every time he rides the elevator.
"I shouldn't but I like you." Kyungsoo whispered. Jongin couldn't have heard it but Kyungsoo felt him bury his head closer to his stomach. He brushed the stray bangs from Jongin's forehead and hoped that they could get out soon.
Both the elevators lurched and shook. A startled Chanyeol snatched Baekhyun in his arms and Baekhyun held on to him. Kyungsoo wrapped his arm protectively around Jongin's shoulders. The elevators moved.
The elevator moved just as their noses touched. Baekhyun and Chanyeol disentangled themselves awkwardly. They stood in the closed space without looking at each other, suddenly conscious that they were alone inside. Baekhyun stole a glance at Chanyeol and looked away just a moment before the taller guy did the same, missing each other's eyes within a few seconds.
There was a ting! and the doors opened to Baekhyun's floor.
"Uhm, so this is me." He said. He was somehow reluctant to get out. He didn't know what he was waiting for.
"Okay." Chanyeol answered. He wanted to say something more but his insecure self came back. This was Byun Baekhyun and he was just Park Chanyeol.
Baekhyun took one last look at Chanyeol and stepped out, feeling he lost something in the twelve minutes that they were trapped inside. He didn't wait for the doors to close before walking towards his apartment. A few steps and he heard the familiar ting! signalling the closing of the doors.
"Baekhyun, wait!" He heard Chanyeol's deep voice call out. He turned to see Chanyeol get stuck in between the closing doors before it opened to let him out. Baekhyun felt inexplainably happy, he laughed.
Chanyeol rubbed a hand at the back of his neck as Baekhyun walked to him. He was really going to do this. He just couldn't bear to let Baekhyun go anymore. "So this Sunday..."
"Yes?" Baekhyun asked expectantly.
"Will you have coffee with me? You don't have to change your routine. I could just come with you when you buy your newspaper and coffee. I mean, you can juat wear your usual bunny pajamas." Chanyeol knew he was babbling but he was nervous.
"No way." Baekhyun answered looking horrified. Chanyeol felt his shoulders deflate. He knew it was impossible. He knew it.
"Oh, okay. Uhm, I'll just... go. See you around." Chanyeol did a quick wave and walked back to the elevators.
"No!" Baekhyun held on to Chanyeol's arm. "I meant no way to the bunny pajamas. But yes, to the coffee."
Chanyeol turned back and smiled in relief. "Okay."
"Okay. On Sunday then. It's a date." Baekhyun gave him his special Baekhyun smile.
"Yes! A date. On Sunday."
"Yes."
"Okay."
"Okay."
"Goodnight." They said at the same time. And it was. A good night.
----------
Kyungsoo looked up at the numbers flashing above the elevator controls and it stopped when it reached the twentieth floor. Ting! The doors opened and Kyungsoo can see his apartment from where he was sitting inside the elevator. He had tons to do and he had the scale model to finish. He glanced at his watch and it was already twelve minutes past midnight. He really had no time.
But he looked down at Jongin, still in his arms and he thought some things were just more important. He let the doors close without going out. The elevator continued its ascent.
"Ya, Kim Jongin. Wake up. We're almost to your floor and I can't very well carry you to your apartment." Kyungsoo said near the boy's ear.
"I wasn't asleep." The boy answered. "I was never asleep. I just closed my eyes."
Jongin slowly lifted himself up and had to smile as he heard Kyungsoo sputtering. "What do you mean you weren't asleep?!"
"It means I was awake. The whole time." Jongin was still weak and Kyungsoo helped him stand even through his tirade. He tuned the small boy out and just leaned his head against Kyungsoo's. He was tired.
"I can't believe I let you take advantage of me! I thought you were unconscious! I was worried for nothing! I should have known! You... You're impossible!" Kyungsoo finished.
"But I heard you like me anyway." He whispered in Kyungsoo's ear. "In case you don't know, I like you, too."
It was the first time Jongin saw Kyungsoo at a loss for words. There was a ting! and the doors opened. Kyungsoo gave one last look at the scale model on the floor. He would have to come back for it later. He tightened his hold on Jongin's waist as they stepped outside toward his apartment. "You're gonna pay for this."
"I thought I already did." Jongin said. "￦300 to be exact."
"Excuse me, I'm worth more than that."
"I know."
They bickered their way to Jongin's apartment.
Jongin thought it's okay to hear Kyungsoo nag at him as long as he was in his arms.
Kyungsoo thought Jongin was a devil but he can use one in his life.
The last ting! was heard as the elevators closed its doors for the final time that night.
EPILOGUE
Down at the basement, at the control room...
"Did you think anybody noticed?" Joonmyeon whispered.
"Don't worry. It was only around ten minutes. Besides, no one uses the elevators here this time at night." Yixing answered.
"But still, I told you we shouldn't have done it against the controls."
"Sorry, I got carried away." Yixing said as he nuzzled into his boyfriend's neck. "I think I'm going to get carried away again."
Joonmyeon rolled his eyes but didn't pull away from Yixing’s arms.
A/N: so yeah..Had fun with this.. short but.. oh, ill stop now..