kiss me, kiss me on the cheek (2/2)
Title: kiss me, kiss me on the cheek
Rating: PG-13
Length: 4.6k
Pairing: Jongin/Kyungsoo
Summary: Jongin's dog just happens to like the same things... and person.
a/n: from this prompt, kind of
( part 1)
Jjangah still stays over and it’s becoming more frequent than before. Kyungsoo’s living room is now filled with her stuff you’ll think he owns her. He’s nothing but glad to have the little furball with him but alongside Jjangah’s frequent visit comes Jongin.
Kyungsoo is happy but at the same time confused. He hasn’t seen Hekyeong for a few weeks now and it makes him wonder why Jongin would still ask him to take care of Jjangah even when she’s not there. His heart stutters every time he thinks of the possibilities but he stops himself in time, not wanting to assume and hurt himself even more.
Jongin visits his apartment - a lot. It’s becoming so frequent that Baekhyun finally ends up meeting Jongin one evening when the latter decides to pop in unannounced for dinner.
“Hi?” Jongin says slowly when a stranger opens the door and not Kyungsoo. “Is Kyungsoo in there?”
“And you are?” Baekhyun counters instead, shamelessly letting his eyes drag from Jongin’s face down to his shoes.
“I’m Jongin, Kyungsoo’s neighb-”
“Oh, come in!” Baekhyun cheerfully ushers the confused male, wincing slightly when a yelp is heard from the bundle on Jongin’s arms.
Jongin smiles sheepishly as Jjangah’s head pokes out from the blanket around her, eyes gazing intently at Baekhyun before yelping again.
Kyungsoo appears from the kitchen, blinking in surprise when he sees Jongin and Baekhyun who keeps rubbing at his cheek while Jjangah barks at him.
“Calm down, girl.” Jongin tries to shush Jjangah who reduces her yelping into soft whining.
“I better go then.” Baekhyun chirps, padding towards Kyungsoo and whispering something to him.
Jongin watches the exchange and shakes his head when Baekhyun faces him. “No, you don’t have to.”
Baekyun only waves him off and grins, already opening the door. “No, I insist.” Quickly glancing at Kyungsoo, Baekhyun waves once more. “I’ll see you Tuesday, Soo!”
Jongin and Kyungsoo watches the door close, turning to meet each other’s gaze at the same time and both quickly pretending to look elsewhere.
“I’m sorry. My best friend tends to be… weird.” Kyungsoo grimaces, fingers wiping at his shirt and grinning awkwardly after. “Dinner?”
Jongin nods and flashes Kyungsoo a shy smile before letting Jjangah down and watching her fondly bound up to Kyungsoo.
They sit in silence while they eat, Kyungsoo whipping up a quick dinner for the both of them while Jjangah munches happily from her place at the corner of the kitchen. It’s different tonight when usually both of them would chatter the time away; now it’s just silent.
“Baekhyun seems fun.” Jongin breaks the silence and Kyungsoo tries hard not to choke on his rice.
“He’s more of an idiot.” he corrects the other, flushing when Jongin laughs; and just like that, the tension ebbs away as Jongin starts to tell him about his day.
“Are you free tomorrow?” Jongin asks out of the blue, eyes and hands focused on toweling the dishes dry. Kyungsoo almost drops the plate on his hand but he saves himself from further shame.
“W-Why?”
“I wanted to try that new patbingsu place that opened outside the university.” Jongin answers softly, grabbing the plate from Kyungsoo’s hand and starting to dry it. “I was wondering if you’d like to come.”
Are you asking me out on a date? “Just us?”
Jongin pauses for a second before nodding. “Just us.”
Kyungsoo looks down at the sink, swallowing in nervousness.
“Unless you want to tag Baekhyun along?”
“Absolutely not.” he answers straightaway making Jongin laugh loudly.
“It’s a date then.”
Kyungsoo fidgets for the nth time, eyes watching every single person walking past him. He waves to a few students he knows, watching them go inside the warm halls of the university while he waits outside the gates for Jongin.
He’s so immersed in watching other people he failed to see the person already walking towards him, a hand raised as he softly taps Kyungsoo’s cheek.
“I’m sorry I took so long. My professor was nagging at me for the future program at uni.” Jongin says apologetically, cheeks tinge with pink from the cold or from rushing Kyungsoo’s not sure.
Kyungsoo stays quiet, eyes wide as he takes in sweet Jongin wearing a simple black coat over a grey sweater and jeans. He looks absolutely nothing short of perfect in Kyungsoo’s eyes.
“Um,” he starts dumbly, wringing his hands in front of him and finally shaking his head. “It’s a-alright. I was not waiting long, anyway.”
Jongin huffs and flashes him a smile before urging him forward to start walking.
Kyungsoo pretends not to notice how close they’re walking alongside each other; how the back of their hands keep bumping against each other from the proximity and how Jongin’s smile never left his face all throughout.
They ended up trying different flavors of Bingsu, comparing tastes and letting their spoons travel from one bowl to the next. Jongin laughs out loud when Kyungsoo accidentally bops his nose with his spoon, making him wince at the cold temperature and Kyungsoo retaliates by grabbing Jongin’s and pressing it hard on his cheek.
They stayed all afternoon, only deciding to leave with regret when dark settles in and the server apologetically informs them that they’re closing soon.
“Man, that was so good.” Jongin sighs as they walk back to their apartment.
Kyungsoo nods, making a pained sound as he clutches both hands on his stomach. “I ate so much I think I’m going to explode.”
Jongin snorts, playfully flicking at Kyungsoo’s nose who’s quick to open his mouth and threatens to bite the taller’s finger off.
“We should do this again.” Jongin mutters when they’re standing outside Kyungsoo’s door.
Kyungsoo nods, smiling shyly, holding his keys on his hand and not knowing what to do with it. He looks up, intending to say goodnight but the words die before it comes out at Jongin’s stare.
Jongin’s gazing at him silently, eyes boring into Kyungsoo’s and he could feel the air thinning as they start to breathe in the same space.
And then a bark echoes loudly on the otherwise silent hallway.
“J-Jjangah.” Kyungsoo mumbles, looking down and away from Jongin’s eyes. He feels the puff of air Jongin lets out before pulling away, a hand rubbing at his hair hair in frustration.
“I guess I gotta feed her.” Jongin mumbles, kicking awkwardly at the floor and sighing once more. “I’ll see you dinner tomorrow?”
Kyungsoo bites back a smile and meets Jongin’s unsure gaze.
“I’ll see you dinner tomorrow.”
Kyungsoo groans loudly, not wanting to wake up from his wonderful dream of eating out with Jongin. He mumbles in contentment before a lazy thought crosses his mind.
One of Jongin and him having dinner.
“Oh my God.” he scrambles up, hands against his chest as he replays last night. He feels his heart thrum wildly at the image of Jongin breathing against his cheek; of how hard he screamed at Baekhyun over the phone and how late he slept after not finding peace with his emotions.
He spends the day thinking of what to cook for dinner even though Jongin would always come eat at his place nowadays. He feels every bit special, not being able to stop himself from thinking that Jongin might actually really like him as well.
A soft, instrumental music echoes across the apartment as Kyungsoo cleans, going about nothing and everything when a knock is heard.
He stops in confusion, knowing it’s too early for Jongin to drop by for dinner. Figuring it was someone else, he opens the door only to be met with Jongin’s weak smile and Jjangan tucked in his arms.
“I was wondering if you could take care of her for a while?” Jongin says unsurely and Kyungsoo’s eyes unconsciously drifts towards the girl standing a bit farther behind Jongin.
Something large lodges up his throat but he swallows it down, silently taking Jjangah in his arms and closing the door softly before Jongin could utter another word.
All thoughts of making something special for dinner disappears as he sets Jjangah down on the floor. The dog doesn’t run inside as usual, as if sending Kyungsoo’s sadness, turns back at him and paws at his leg.
“What’s up, girl?” Kyungsoo mumbles, kneeling down and scratching behind her ear. “Something bothering you?”
Jjangah only whines, staring unblinkingly at him and Kyungsoo sighs.
“Something bothering me.”
It’s already dark when Jongin knows again at Kyungsoo’s door, Jjangah’s barking echoing first before the door opens to reveal Kyungsoo.
“I only ordered pizza, I’m sorry.” Kyungsoo begins in monotone, leaving the door for Jongin who has his eyebrows raised. Kyungsoo dislikes eating take aways.
Jongin follows him towards the kitchen, two boxes of plain cheese pizza sitting on the middle of the table. Kyungsoo opens one box and grabs a slice before padding back towards the living room and turning the television on.
“Someone’s upset.” Jongin whispers to Jjangah, taking a slice for himself and following Kyungsoo out to the living room. He shouldn’t be smiling but if he guesses right then he has all the right reasons to smile for.
“What’s eating you out?” Jongin asks casually, taking a seat at the opposite side of the couch where Kyungsoo is.
Kyungsoo grumbles something, absentmindedly flicking channel after channel while stuffing his mouth with pizza. Jongin stifles a laugh, content with watching how cute Kyungsoo is sulking.
“Hey.” Jongin starts once more but Kyungsoo doesn’t even spare him a glance.
“Kyungsoo.”
“Soo.”
“Listen to me.”
Kyungsoo grunts and Jongin smiles.
“I like you.”
Kyungsoo stiffens at that, cheeks pausing at his munching and Jongin internally whoops in glee.
Swallowing down the food in his mouth, Kyungsoo turns around wide-eyed at Jongin. “What?”
“I like you.” Jongin repeats, setting his half eaten pizza on the small table and scooting closer to Kyungsoo, reaching out and wiping the cheese on the corner of the latter’s mouth. “I really like you.”
Kyungsoo is unsure whether he heard right, the pounding of his heart against his chest loud and drowning everything else. He only settles for staring at Jongin who looks at him in amusement, mouth moving and soundless words coming out.
“Do Kyungsoo.” the taller male calls out once more and it snaps Kyungsoo out from his trance.
Kyungsoo bites his lower lip, the surfacing happiness put on hold as Hekyeong’s image forms in his mind. “What about your girlfriend?”
Jongin blinks, the amusement on his face fading away into confusion.
“Hekyeong…” Kyungsoo trails off, expression going somber as he feels the beginning of something bitter inside his mouth. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be your secret. I don’t want to even like you knowing you have a girlfriend. I’m not going to settle for this and I know she doesn’t deserve-”
Jongin huffs loudly, effectively making Kyungsoo stop his blabbering. The taller male closes his eyes tightly for a quick two seconds before sitting up straight and looking at Kyungsoo.
“Hey, look at me.” Jongin pleads softly, trying to catch Kyungsoo’s eyes who keeps averting from him. “Please.”
Forcing the giddiness of the confession mixed inside Kyungsoo’s misunderstanding, Jongin sighs in relief when Kyungsoo finally meets his gaze with unsure ones.
“Hekyeong… she’s not my girlfriend.” Jongin says slowly, watching Kyungsoo for any reaction. “She’s my cousin and her boyfriend happens to be my best friend.” he continues, lowering his eyes and bravely reaching out to hold Kyungsoo’s hand on his lap. “She’s been having problems with him and since I was closest to her boyfriend, she started coming over to talk about him with me. It’s just… Jjangah doesn’t really like her for a reason we both don’t know.”
Jongin chances a glance at Kyungsoo and purses his lips to stop the smile from coming out when he sees the other’s cheek turn a pretty shade of pink.
“It was totally unexpected when Jjangah warmed up to you and I… I couldn’t resist the opportunity to get close to you.” Jongin confesses, pressing his thumb against the back of Kyungsoo’s hand and letting it linger. “I could have let her stay in my bedroom…or told her to stay in place but I didn’t, mostly because I’ll have no excuse to talk to you anymore._”
The hand on his twitches before shy fingers returns the touch and Jongin couldn’t help the smile from coming up, slowly looking up to meet Kyungsoo’s shy gaze. He loosens his hold on them and allows his fingers to slide in between the gaps of Kyungsoo’s own.
It remains silent after that, Jongin pressing their laced fingers on his lap and waiting for Kyungsoo to say something - anything.
“I was so dumb, right?” Kyungsoo finally says, voice so small it makes Jongin’s inside twist with want. “I kept on assuming things and just.. sorry.”
“You told me you like me, that more than makes up for it.” Jongin answers cheekily, loving the darker shade of red on the other’s skin. “And for the record, it was my fault for not telling you she’s was my cousin in the first place.”
Kyungsoo laughs awkwardly at his, making to pull his hand away only for Jongin to pull it right back, dragging Kyungsoo against him as well.
“You’re not trying to run away from me, are you?” Jongin teases, heart drumming crazy against his chest as he feels Kyungsoo’s breathy sigh against his cheek.
Kyungsoo shakes his head slowly and swallows back another awkward laugh when he feels Jongin press his nose against his once, twice.
This is it, Kyungsoo thinks, as he feels Jongin come even closer. He feels his palms get sweaty and he knows Jongin must be feeling it too but he doesn’t want to pull away. He wants this.
Except Jjangah probably thinks it’s for some other time when she starts yelping, jumping up towards the couch in between them.
Kyungsoo hasn’t tasted pizza this delicious as he allows Jongin to feed him a slice, the television flickering lights from whatever it is that is playing.
They slowly start to slide back to their usual self except Kyungsoo’s cheeks are perpetually red, Jongin keeps feeding him and one of his hand is eternally locked with Jongin’s.
Jjangah bounds up in the middle of the couch again, sniffing her way up to Kyungsoo’s cheek where she starts licking at the stray cheese. Kyungsoo starts laughing, swatting the furry animal away.
“Jjangah, stop.” he half giggles, finally able to push the dog away and turning his head to look at Jongin only for soft lips to press fully against his.
Jongin pulls back, chuckling at the dazed look on Kyungsoo’s face. He picks up Jjangah and nuzzles his nose against hers.
“Who’s my good little girl?”