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Jinyoung had been in a sour mood since this morning. After sleeping through five of his alarms, forgetting to gel his hair, wearing mismatching socks, spilling his coffee on his favorite cardigan resulting to him freezing in the cold breeze with just a thin shirt on, and missing the first twenty minutes of the same exact test he pulled an all nighter for, the world was clearly against his fate today.
After six stress-filled hours of going in and out of lectures and discussion sections irritated, hungry, and just downright tired, Jinyoung was ready to go back to his dorm and shut off the damned world. But he quickly realized that no, it was only Monday, and he had three more days of Finals left before he can fully relax.
Muttering profanities to himself, Jinyoung ignored the vibration ringing inside his faux leather messenger bag, only gripping the handle tighter than necessary. He couldn’t believe how careless he had let himself be. He’s a recurring dean’s lister, for god’s sake. He can’t let that title be revoked now, together with his scholarship. His pride wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Jinyoung continued to speed walk through the crowd of college students buzzing out and about the campus, too cranky to conduct good manners as he whizzes through every figure colliding in his way. His cap was tightly placed on his head, covering enough unmade hair and dark exhausted eyes for students not to figure out who he was, thinking he can just shove his way rudely around people and not even give them a second glance. He couldn’t afford even letting his clean reputation drop along with his grades.
He was just about to pass the bridge, and a few more blocks away he’d be back inside the solace of his dorm room until someone blocked his path, bringing their arms around Jinyoung’s body with a tight squeeze.
“Jackson, what the--”
“Well, I missed you too, my boyfriend who isn’t picking up his phone,” Jackson greeted with a reprimanding tone, refusing to let go of the slimmer figure enclosed in his strong embrace no matter how much Jinyoung was struggling.
“My phone’s on silent mode,” Jinyoung muttered, defeated with his attempt of escape. They stood on the side of the bridge opening, so they weren’t really blocking people’s way. Jinyoung despised this and wished that they had just met in the middle of the chaos of people in all directions, so he could easily mingle in between and lose sight of Jackson altogether.
But Jackson got lucky.
“Ah, bull, Jin,” Jackson chided, releasing the hug to give his boyfriend a pouty look, hands still firmly grasped around both of Jinyoung’s wrist. “You’re the type of person to sense your phone vibrating before it even does. And besides, we were supposed to meet up at lunch today and you never showed.”
“I got carried away with some stuff.”
“Some stuff? Jin, is something the matter?” Jackson knew once fancy words had been replaced with “stuff,” Jinyoung was preoccupied and anxiety was most likely in his veins. Jinyoung didn’t want to meet his eyes because once he did, Jackson would immediately surmise what had happened to him.
“I just… I’m sorry I missed our lunch date,” Jinyoung murmured, head still quite low. He did feel a bit guilty for forgetting something Jackson had always looked forward to between the two of them, but his annoyance to the world was restraining him to comfort the boy in front of him even further. “I’ll make it up to you next time, alright? I gotta go back to my dorm to study.” Jinyoung tried to grab for one of Jackson’s hand on his, but the other’s strength was just unbeatable.
“I’ll come with. You can tell me when we get there,” Jackson’s voice washed over his anxious nerves temporarily, but he reminded himself that this was his problem alone to solve and Jackson needn’t to carry another one of his burdens for him.
“Really, Jackson. I can handle it. I’ll text you later,” Jinyoung’s tone was firm, and Jackson didn’t have a choice but to release his grip and watch him go without getting even just a quick peck on his cheek. Jinyoung had never been a fan of public skinship, but a short kiss of goodbye whenever they parted for the day was something he excluded from the list of no-no’s, and Jackson was content with that.
Frowning, Jackson started to walk towards his next class, which he was already ten minutes late for (but he didn’t care, unlike Jinyoung, because he didn’t have a final to take for this one) so he decided to just fulfill that (now late) lunch date they were supposed to have in the campus’s local cafe shop.
The cozy little cafe was, as always, bustling with students appearing studious in their seats, laptop on the table with a notebook on one side and an order of their drink of choice on the other. Truth be told, Jackson had already eaten lunch after getting stood up by his boyfriend today. Jackson was just merely hoping to find a particular mutual friend of theirs that could possibly lead him to the reason why Jinyoung was acting extra grumpy today.
Fortunately, he spotted the auburn haired man hunched over with his eyes too close to his laptop, a DSLR sitting idly by the side. Jaebum still had his cafe shirt uniform on, but his name tag had been detached, probably avoiding some girl’s attention on him.
“Hyung,” Jackson chimed in, taking the empty chair in front and making himself comfortable. Peering his eyes forward, Jaebum’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise as he turns the screen of his device slightly down to reveal his face. “Jackson, what are you doing here?”
Jackson shrugged, feeling flustered about asking their friend boyfriend drama. “Ah… did Jinyoung come in to get his morning coffee?”
“Why?” Jaebum asked warily.
“Because if he didn’t, then that’s probably the reason why he’s pissy today,” Jackson’s voice trailed off into a whisper as he looked down on the surface of the wooden table, afraid the blush creeping up onto his cheeks would, in turn, creep out Jaebum. Instead, Jaebum chuckled and told Jackson not to act so shy as it didn’t suit him.
Looking up, Jackson waited for an answer. The cat eyed boy stretched his arms upward as he pondered, “I remember giving him his usual Americano, complimenting how good he still managed to dress up with his black cardigan even if he told me he had an exam he was going to be late for.”
As soon as the words register into his mind, Jackson abruptly stood up from his seat and thanked Jaebum for the relevant information he had relayed to him. Jaebum puffed a breath of confusion before nodding his head once, ending up with Jackson rushing out of the cafe in a breeze.
Jackson noticed right away that Jinyoung wasn’t wearing his cardigan when he saw him, and if his hunch was right, then he had an idea.
That was to be executed, though, after his night classes.
Jinyoung turned over the very last page of the reviewer he had made almost three hours ago, making sure he had memorized the words he had written on there as well as timed himself in constructing some type of explanation for every topic that was part of his Psychology exam the next day. He blinked hard and tears came out of the corners of his eyes, stinging from the strain it had been enduring ever since Jinyoung got back to his dorm.
He gave the last page one final once over, and eventually tossed it to the side, not even caring where it landed on the ground. Hands weaving through unkempt hair, he let his head drop down the surface of his desk with a loud thump. A low and long groan escaped his lips as he stares at the two empty cups of ramen he had devoured half an hour earlier, not bothered to even go out to eat at the nearby food court.
This was Jinyoung’s way of making up for the time he had lost in his Humanities final earlier today. Sure, he was still able to answer all questions within the hour, but he didn’t have a chance to go through them a second time which he had always done in every test no matter what. Not being able to double check his exam had disturbed the flow of his mindset ever since, and so he had been a daze of a shell in his other review classes, as well as forgetting about his usual lunch date with Jackson.
Remembering the incident, Jinyoung further sunk his head as deep as he could into the table, only wounding the side of his forehead in the process. He looked up at his digital clock and it read to be 10:45 PM. Jinyoung had been studying for about roughly five hours straight, and he started to almost feel his brain being fried. He decided it was enough, and began organizing the contents of his messenger bag as well as cleaning his study area before doing his nightly routine.
Jinyoung’s mind is still distracted with the thoughts of not passing his exam enough for his pride to be satisfied, and he debated whether or not to call Jackson for reassurance as he was usually good at saving him from situations like so. Already tucked in bed, Jinyoung shrinks into his place underneath the covers, reminding himself that he let Jackson down today, and it would probably be too selfish of him to even hear his voice on the phone.
Jinyoung sighed, putting back his phone on top of his bedside table, pouting at the fact that he wasn’t able to spend time with his boyfriend today- and it was all because of his own stupid mistakes.
A soft knock pulsated outside his door, and his ears perked up at the pattern of the taps. Jinyoung immediately made a beeline for the door, not even bothering looking at the peep hole for he knew that absurd knocking pattern to figure out it was his boyfriend.
Jackson stood in front of his dorm wearing a grey hoodie and comfortable basketball shorts. A box with an all too familiar logo printed on the center rested on Jackson’s outstretched palm, and it took Jinyoung all he could not to tackle him with kisses right there and then, for they would’ve wasted the chicken Jackson had brought for them to eat.
“Well, hello to you too my boyfriend whose tongue got stuck somewhere in his schoolwork,” Jackson teased him the second time today. Fighting off a grin, Jinyoung rolled his eyes and stepped back to let Jackson in. As he shuffled into the compact dorm, Jinyoung snatches a kiss on his warm cheek, and Jackson immediately knew he had already won him over tonight.
“I was just about to call you,” Jinyoung informed him as they situated themselves on his twin-sized mattress, an opened box of chicken wings, breasts, legs laid out in front of them. They were both leaning towards the headboard, Jinyoung’s legs nestled in the center of Jackson’s crossed legs.
“But you,” Jackson started, picking up a piece of boneless piece of fried chicken with his chopsticks and reaching towards Jinyoung’s parted mouth, “chickened out?” He finished, a short high pitched chuckle at the end of his question.
Jinyoung bit the piece of meat forcefully while shoving the black haired man next to him. He gave him a look, but Jackson retaliated with the same, albeit goofier, version.
“I thought you’d be mad at me for missing our date,” Jinyoung fretted, using his own chopsticks to grab another piece of savory meat. Dipping it into the sauce, he continued, “I’m really sorry about that. I just got too stressed out from missing twenty minutes of my exam.” He doubtedly aimed for Jackson’s mouth, still unsure whether they were in good terms or not. Jackson saw his shaking hand and so with an encouraging pop of the mouth, he gently guided Jinyoung’s arm towards his parted lips before taking a bite.
“I figured what happened. I asked Jaebum if you had your coffee this morning, and I just connected the dots from there when I remembered you weren’t wearing your favorite cardigan,” Jackson explained, his hand caressing the smooth surface of Jinyoung’s calves.
“It’s going to be a bitch to wash the stain off completely,” Jinyoung complained under his breath. Jackson sighed, wishing Jinyoung didn’t get all worked up about such trivial matters.
“You could’ve called me.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Jackson prompted, grazing his thumb over the curve of Jinyoung’s legs. Shaking his head, changes position completely as he squeezes himself in between Jackson’s legs, his back against his chest as his head plops down below Jackson’s collarbone. He sighed in content while bringing his hand up to feel Jackson’s soft hair through his fingers.
“I feel much better already now that you’re here, Jacks,” Jinyoung whispered.
Jackson wrapped one arm around the other’s waist which caused the latter’s stomach to churn and jump in anticipation. Jinyoung appreciated how understanding Jackson was when it comes to them being conservative on showing PDA, but when they were in the security of his room, Jackson definitely goes all out without hesitation. And Jinyoung as well.
“That’s what I’m here for, baby,” Jackson cheered, burying his head against Jinyoung’s neck, kissing the nape with soft lips. Shuddering from the intimate touch, Jinyoung’s eye close to feel him even more, and Jackson complies by spreading the kissed up until his jawline, admiring the sharp features.
“Now my neck will smell like chicken,” Jinyoung stuttered, half focused on mocking his boyfriend and more delighted with the fact that they both dropped their chopsticks on the box and their hands were now occupied around one another.
“Turn your head around,” Jackson suggested. Jinyoung did as he was told, meeting Jackson’s dark gaze with his. Before he could say anything, Jinyoung reaches towards Jackson’s collarbone, his hands twisting to find their place on either side of Jackson’s shoulders. Jinyoung began to suck lightly, earning a gasp from the other which prompted him to dig in deeper with some teeth involved.
“Fuck, baby,” Jackson moaned, chest starting to heave in fast intervals. After a few more seconds, Jinyoung rose up to catch his breath, staring at the faint purple mark he had left just above the bone of Jackson’s collar. Looking up, he catches Jackson biting his lower lip in pleasure, and Jinyoung smirked.
“I thought I was the one who’d make you feel good tonight,” Jackson finally whined, etching his signature pout on his face as Jinyoung chuckles. Giving him one last peck on the lips, he turned back around and grabs Jackson’s hand to fold around his waist yet again, returning them from their previous position before things got too heated.
“You are, and now that play time’s over, time to finish what you bought for me,” Jinyoung commented, digging into his favorite food once again. Jackson laughed at how casual Jinyoung handled the situation, glad that he was back to normal again.
“I’m going to finish all of this, Jackson. I’m not even joking,” Jinyoung teased in between bites and Jackson only nodded in acknowledgement.
“I love you, you nerd,” Jackson said in the midst of their comfortable silence, and Jinyoung’s soft chewing.
Jinyoung whipped his head around to narrow his eyes towards his lover, in which Jackson sported him an innocent grin. Rolling his eyes, Jinyoung returned to his ending feast, but not before muttering almost inaudibly, “I love you too, you dork.”
“What? What was that, babe? I didn’t quite hear you.”
“Make me repeat what I said and I’ll kick you out.”
“Hey! That’s not fair. I bought you the chicken.”
“Yeah, and I’m already eating the last piece.”
“Jiny--” Jackson was cut off with Jinyoung intertwining their free hands together. Bringing it up to his face, Jinyoung relaxes it against his cheek and says, louder this time, “I love you, Jackson.”