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"Jinyoung?" Jihoon's small, fading voice reaches Jinyoung's ears.
The older scoots in closer to Jinyoung's arms, sniffling his scent and diving himself to his clothes for some comfort. "Jinyoung, can Jihoon... ask you something?" he questions, a bit hesitant. Jinyoung puts his book down on the table as he feels another tight clutch on his shirt, seeing Jihoon so small beside him, bright eyes staring up at him innocently. He melts at that, before ruffling his hyung's tangled hair with a small smile on his face.
"What is it?"
Ever since Jinyoung became Jihoon's unofficial babysitter, the older would always ask him questions out-of-the-blue ㅡ questions that either make sense to him or none at all. Jinyoung doesn't pay no heed at that, though, just as long as it'd make his hyung happy. Albeit, sometimes, it can get annoying but seeing Jihoon beaming so bright whenever his questions are answered makes the irritation Jinyoung feels die out.
He sees Jihoon through the corner of his eyes, staring up at the sky through the windows of their small apartment Jinyoung had rented himself a few years ago. He takes note of the way Jihoon's eyes resemble the varying hues of blue etched on the sky. The sunlight trickled through the glass, feigning the light blonde accent on Jihoon's hair Jinyoung had insisted for him to dye a few weeks ago.
"Why is the sky blue?" Jihoon inquires curiously, pointing his chubby index finger towards the sky while numbling his soft pinkish pair of lips in mild curiosity.
Jinyoung sighs before draping his arm around Jihoon's shoulders, a cheap attempt to cuddle with him. But as usual, he gets ignored. Jihoon's too innocent for his breezy moves.
"It's because God painted it."
Jihoon gapes his mouth at that, seemmingly finding the new information very interesting.
"Is that so?" he pauses. "God must be really amazing!" he ponders on, eyes widening in pure wonder as his gaze is glued to the sky.
Jinyoung chuckles at that, the crinkles on his eyes are slightly formed and Jihoon likes it everytime it does. He pokes Jinyoung's eyes, making the younger caught off guard.
"Jihoon hyung...?"
He sees Jihoon giving him a small smile before his lips come protrude into a pout, finally leaning in to kiss his eyes. Jihoon's eyes are pressed close as he does that, and it's always been a habit whenever he kisses Jinyoung.
"I like Jinyoung-ie's eyes." Jihoon says as he stares at Jinyoung's pair of orbs. "They're so pretty." he giggles right after and directly indulges himself in his arms.
Jinyoung only smiles as he takes all of his hyung's cuddles on him, whiffing off his hair scented of mixed cherries and strawberries as he receives bone-crushing hugs from Jihoon that Jinyoung has been used for years already.
"You're pretty too, hyung." he whispers against the older's ears. Jihoon giggles again at that and Jinyoung sees the blush that crept up on his cheeks.
And also cute.
"Jinyoungggg..."
A tug on his shirt.
"Jinyoung-ieeee..."
Another tug.
"What?"
"Jinyoung-ie, can Jihoon ask you something?"
Jinyoung puts two cartons of milk inside the tray as he lets out a hum. They move on to the next lane of dairy products with Jihoon trailing behind him.
"Why is a cheese colored yellow?" he asks as he sees Jinyoung getting a box of cheese from the aisle of goodies.
"It's because," Jinyoung gets Jihoon's favorite banana milk behind. "The cows want it yellow."
Jihoon whines. "But why not blue?! Blue is the color of the sky! Blue is the color of Jinyoung's shirt! Blue is Jihoon's favorite color!" he rumbles on, a heavy frown is tugged on his lips.
"It's because cows love yellow and they chose yellow because it's the color of the sun and the sun gives them light." Jinyoung answers nonchalantly as they move on to the counter. They're almost done buying groceries for the day and Jinyoung can only sigh in utter exasperation.
"Oh," comes his short reply. "Jihoon's favorite color is yellow now."
"You don't like blue anymore?"
Jihoon shakes his head at that with a Cheshire cat-like grin. "Not anymore."
Once they were done paying for their items, they immediately headed outside. The warmth and freshness of the air solely greet them, making the fringes of their hairs sway a little. Their apartment was just near so they decided it'd be good if they only walk their way home.
"Jinyounggg..." Jihoon calls Jinyoung's name once again as they walk through a narrow, almost empty alley.
"Yes?"
"Jinyoung, can Jihoon ask you something again?"
Jinyoung doesn't respond as he fixes the plastic bags he's carrying in hand.
"Does Jinyoung like someone?"
Jinyoung takes a short glance at Jihoon who's only watching at him innocently. Though, he's kind of confused why Jihoon would ask such question, he just nods at that.
"Yes, I do like someone."
"Can Jinyoung tell it to Jihoon?"
Jinyoung only pinches his cheeks whilst scrunching his nose at that. Jihoon would like it, the way Jinyoung cutely scrunches his nose at the most random way and would tiptoe to give his nose a kiss if only he hadn't realize it's the first time Jinyoung doesn't answer his question.
"Jinyoung, can Jihoon ask you something?" Jihoon asks for the day as he plops down on the couch, innocently staring at Jinyoung who's busy organizing his things for school.
Jinyoung raises him a brow as he scans his school supplies inside, carefully checking if he's forgotten anything. "Hm?"
"Why can Jinyoung go to school but not Jihoon?"
Jinyoung sighs at that as he finishes placing his things inside his backpack. He dishevels his hair for a while before walking towards Jihoon, who's carefully watching him in an innocent yet cautious way. He faces him as he sits down on the couch.
He traces Jihoon's apple-like cheeks with his dainty fingers and notices an eyelash that fell. He quickly wipes it away with a blow of air as Jihoon quietly and cutely blinks at that.
"Didn't I tell you already, hyung? It's more fun here, trust me. School... is so stressful. School is so hard. School is so... unpredictable it'll make your mind go crazy. I'm sure you wouldn't want that."
"I-Is that so? But, why would Jinyoung need to go to school if it causes him to stress then?"
"Because this is also for the both of us, hyung. If I go to school, then I'd have a good job in the future that will help us for our living."
Jihoon stares at the vacuousness of the white ceiling above him as he contemplates deeply at that, his lips pouting more and more that has the boy beside him stopping the urge to steal a kiss at.
Jihoon is so fucking irresistible Jinyoung is having a silent war within himself.
He's too innocent, too innocent, Jinyoung, back off.
"Is that so? But... Jihoon wants to help Jinyoung. Jihoon, wants to go to school too!" Jihoon answers, voice slowly dying out of enthusiasm as his eyes dilate back on the floor.
Jinyoung senses the sadness in Jihoon's voice and he can't help but to feel melancholic about it too. If only the world's fair, Jihoon wouldn't have to suffer like this, not experiencing what a normal teenager should have been.
But then again, Jinyoung doesn't even know what a normal teenager really does. His wide range of friends has him questioning that. Samuel and Daehwi are a couple who like to party hard they always end up knocked out on the couches of Samuel's abode. Woojin and Hyungseob are the nerdy type of a couple, their dates and talks are always involved of Algebraic equations and William Shakespeare's books they always bring around. Whereas Daniel and Seongwoo, they are just the normalest, typical best friends-turned-into-lovers type of a couple.
(But if Jinyoung had known better, the two's sexual tensions for each other are so damn high but no one really needs to elaborate that.)
Jinyoung has his eyes pressed close as he pinches his nose in faint frustration. Here goes Jihoon's stubbornness again that he sometimes doesn't like. (But if he has to admit, it's one of the few things that he likes about Jihoon too. He's confusing, he knows.)
"Jihoon hyung, you can't. Listen to Jinyoung-ie alright? Guanlin and Seonho are going here to babysit you for a while okay? Don't you have so much fun when you're with them?"
Jihoon hesitatingly nods as his small, almost unnoticed grip under Jinyoung's uniform tightens. "Jihoon does have fun but..." his voice trails off. "...Jihoon likes it when he's with Jinyoung-ie more..."
Jinyoung finally faces him straight in the face, giving him a cheeky smile before kissing him on the cheeks. Jihoon can only faintly blush at that.
"Jinyoung-ie will be back for Jihoon hyung later, okay? Wait for me."
Jinyoung then hears a knock coming from the door. He immediately stands up, slowly leaving the warmth Jihoon provides before twisting the knob. The door reveals Guanlin and Seonho outside, holding a box of cake in hand.
"Jinyoung hyung, we're here!" Guanlin is the first one to greet.
"And we brought a cake!" Seonho continues before leaving their shoes off the shoes rack near the doorway.
Jinyoung welcomes them warmly as they let them sit on the couch, just across where Jihoon is sitting.
"Hey, Jihoon-ie." Guanlin greets as he ruffles his hyung's hair.
Jihoon lets out a lopsided smile like a puppy, liking the way Guanlin ruffles his hair. Seonho is silent when he sits down, still traumatized from yesterday's event where he had attempted to call Jihoon "hyung" even though Jinyoung clearly warned him not to. He ended up getting bitten on the hand (courtesy of Jihoon), that made him scream and squeal in so much pain. Even until now, his hand still stings from the bite. (Jihoon had excused that he just loves Seonho hyung so much that's why he bit him. "I do that to Jinyoung too, Seonho hyung!") Jinyoung had once explained to the two that Jihoon only likes being called hyung by Jinyoung himself, no one else. The two snickered at that, finding the information adorable and kind of, too possessive(?). Jinyoung doesn't know how could be that possessive in the first place.
"Okay, I'm leaving you to these two, Jihoon hyung. Take care and please, I hope you don't bite Seonho anymore. I know you like Guanlin but if you hurt Seonho, he won't like you anymore." Jinyoung threatens, making Jihoon's eyes shift in fear, like a puppy cowering in one corner of a dark alley.
"Jihoon promises, Jinyoung-ie." Jihoon turns around to face Seonho and holds his hand. Seonho quietly flinches at that but he lets Jihoon anyway. "Sorry, Seonho hyung."
Jinyoung sheepishly grins as he slings his bag off his shoulder. Seonho is not even Jihoon's hyung but he just lets it off like that.
"Okay, Seonho and Guanlin, please take care of him. I'm out."
Jinyoung suddenly receives a quick peck on the cheeks.
"Jihoon wishes Jinyoung-ie to take care."
Jinyoung pats his cheeks as he nods. Jihoon closes his eyes, always finding himself leaning into the younger's touches.
"Jinyoung-ie will."
Jinyoung goes home that day with a girl behind him, Jihoon notices. He feels his stomach churn as the ugly feeling doesn't stop bothering him. The girl is so pretty, having glossy lips, snow-kissed skintone, and a heaven-like pair of brown caramel orbs, that Jihoon knows it's Jinyoung's type when it comes to women.
Maybe, she's the one Jinyoung likes then?
The thought pinches Jihoon's heart and he's oblivious of the fact why.
He watches the girl trailing behind Jinyoung, following to wherever he was going like a lost puppy. Jinyoung drops his shoes on the shoes rack and comes inside with plastic bags in hand. Guanlin and Seonho help him with that as Jihoon sits still, quietly observing the scene. He deems not talking than usual today.
The apartment was messy, with all the playing pieces and game boards the three boys have used scattered on the floor. Jihoon doesn't lie when he tells Jinyoung Guanlin and Seonho were the ones who caused the whole mess. He did take part for a little, though.
"Okay, I'll just clean up the mess I guess. Guanlin and Seonho, you can go now. Thank you for your time!" Jinyoung says as he picks the cards and Monopoly pieces up on the floor.
Guanlin and Seonho leave eventually, with their laughters echoing outside the apartment.
Jihoon feels burdened when he sees Jinyoung cleaning all the mess they did. At least for once, he wanted to help him even if he knows Jinyoung wouldn't let him for the latter doesn't want to "let the dirt taint Jihoon-ie's soft, baby hands".
He still wants to try, though.
As an attempt, Jihoon tries opening his mouth when the girl earlier had beaten him to it.
"Let me help you with that, Jinyoung-ie."
The girl ducks her head down as she helps Jinyoung pick up all the pieces. Jihoon immediately shuts his mouth up before he can even utter a word, silently watching the scene folding infront of him.
He sees the way Jinyoung's lips curling up into a smile as his eyes are fixed on the girl. Jinyoung never smiles like that but only to him. Jinyoung is never gentle like how he had told the girl to be careful but only to him. Jinyoung never holds the girl's hands so delicate and is heeded of concern but only to him.
Jihoon feels the gradual churning of his insides, and he doesn't like it.
"Thank you, Kyulkyung-ah."
Jihoon immediately leaves the two of them alone as he hastily runs his way to his and Jinyoung's shared room. He plops himself down on the bed, face facing the comforts of his blankets, as he feels sick in a way he could not describe.
Jinyoung has disappointed him a lot of times today, and that's for sure. Jihoon feels the slightest hurt when Jinyoung doesn't kiss him on the forehead like what he usually does the moment he gets home from school. Jinyoung didn't even bother buying his favorite banana milk from the market today! (As he had managed to finish the carton of banana milk they had bought yesterday so fast in hopes of receiving another one. He then quietly regrets he shouldn't have.)
His lips turn downward into a frown when he hears Kyulkyung's laughs radiating inside their apartment and frowns even deeper when he realized Jinyoung joined her laughing. His heart feels heavy for reasons he could not decipher.
Jihoon doesn't feel like asking questions to Jinyoung anymore.
Jinyoung waits for the umpteenth time and he's already getting crazy at how much he's been anticipating for Jihoon to ask him at least one question for the day.
He takes him out into a little date, guessing that he may be able to drift Jihoon's mind off a bit. Jihoon looks sad and gloomy for reasons Jinyoung isn't aware of and it's the first time he's put into a situation like this, not knowing what might have been the trigger for Jihoon to act like that.
Jinyoung waits as he scoops their hands inside his warm palm, walking around the little reservoir in the nearby park while feeling the brisk whisper of the thin air on their skins.
"Jihoon hyung, are you okay?"
Jihoon nods once again and Jinyoung is frustrated over the lack of response he always gets. He knows Jihoon is not okay and he has to know why.
They take a seat at a nearby bench, casually diving in the sight of the fountain that's only meters away from them.
"Hyung, you haven't asked me anything today."
Jihoon looks at him for a brief moment before shaking his head.
"But why?"
"Jihoon has nothing to ask."
Jinyoung frowns over Jihoon's hostility. He comes in closer to him before locking him in his arms.
"Is there something wrong? Do you hate Jinyoung-ie?"
Jihoon shakes his head again. "Jihoon will never hate Jinyoung-ie." Jihoon's voice is firm as he says that, like he's coming up to a conclusion.
"If you don't hate Jinyoung-ie, then kindly ask him a question pretty please?"
Jihoon is hesitant for a while, avoiding the younger's stares and feeds his eyes off with the sight of the fountain instead. But moments later, Jinyoung could hear a loud defeated sigh before Jihoon breaks away from the hug.
"Jinyoung..." He waits for Jihoon to speak. "Jinyoung-ie... is the girl pretty?"
"What?"
"Is the girl pretty?"
Jinyoung furrows his brows at that. "Who?"
"The girl from last night..."
Jinyoung nods as he suddenly remembers Kyulkyung had pay him a visit for a project last night. "Kyulkyung? Yes, she is."
He notices Jihoon's brows furrow even more. Wait, was he...?
"The girl is pretty so does that mean Jinyoung-ie likes the girl?"
Jinyoung immediately shakes his head, only realizing why Jihoon's acting like this.
"I don't like her."
"But why? Jinyoung-ie told Jihoon the girl is pretty."
Jinyoung squeezes Jihoon's small hands as a sign of reassurance. He glances at the lights under the fountain changing from red to blue to purple.
"Because as I've said, I like someone already." he answers as he looks straight at his eyes, wishing the telepathy in him worked to Jihoon. (And he's dumb, he knows too.)
"Then would Jinyoung care to tell Jihoon who is it?"
Their faces are so near as Jihoon doesn't stop leaning in. Jinyoung smiles as he stares right into his eyes.
"Let's get you home now, hyung."
Boisterous laughs echo inside Jinyoung and Jihoon's shared room. The lights flicker above them, solely wanting to join in their game.
"Jinyoung-ie! Stop that tickles!"
Jihoon laughs once again when Jinyoung doesn't stop tickling his tummy. They're already dripping in sweat from the tickling session they've been doing nonstop for the past twenty minutes and it's one of the best nights and quality moments they've shared so far.
Jinyoung stops as he feels Jihoon is already running out of breath. They dive on to their bed, as their heads are drowning on the huge pillows behind them. Jinyoung closes his eyes as he takes in the amounts of strawberries and cherries Jihoon is wearing in his nostrils like it's a form of addiction already.
"Jinyounggg..."
"Hm?"
"Why is a pillow so soft?"
"For Jihoon to sleep peacefully."
"Why is a blanket warm?"
"To keep Jihoon warm when he's asleep."
"Why is Jinyoung's smile softer and his hug warmer though?"
Jinyoung pauses as his hug on Jihoon tightens, warmly securing him in his arms. "It's because..."
Jihoon looks up at him adorably like a child and Jinyoung can feel himself melting. "Because?"
"It's because... I love Jihoon, that's why."
He sees the edges of Jihoon's lips curling up as a faint blush is displayed on the both of his cheeks. Jihoon tries to hide his face because of the tingling sensation he could not understand.
"Jihoon hyung?"
"Yes, Jinyoung?"
"Can Jinyoung-ie ask Jihoon something too?" he asks in the tone which Jihoon always uses.
Jihoon quietly chuckles at that and nods as he stares up at Jinyoung who's slightly hovering above him.
"Does Jihoon love Jinyoung too?"
Jihoon smiles so brightly as he doesn't nod hesitatingly but in a way that he's never been so sure about his answer before.
"Yes, Jihoon loves Jinyoung so much."