Work Text:
It’s a lovely late fall day when Jun arrived at the wedding in a nice suit and tie, his light brown hair swooned to the side as he got out of the car to admire the sceneric view. Behind the tall white house sat a huge tall grass field where Jun dreamed of running through. His lips formed a smirk as he walked through the wooden gate, the walk of roses between two rows of chairs in white below the beautiful twisted cloths wrapped around the high bars where the main event was happening at his right.
He noticed the two lovey doveys at the porch as he made his way into the house. His steps were heard by Soonyoung, who was standing by the front door. When Jun saw his lips beam with the natural lights igniting behind him like he was an angel sent from the heavens, he knew that today was going to be a happy day for everyone.
“There’s my man!” Soonyoung’s fist pointed at Jun with a lean.
“Congratulations!” Jun laughed and pounded him back in the same posture.
They hugged after laughing over their greeting then behind Soonyoung came Wonwoo, who was just finished with his solo photoshoot, fixing his tie when he came back inside from the porch.
“So who’s your man?” Wonwoo asked, nonchalantly as the two turned to him at the sound of his voice.
“This one.” Soonyoung touched Wonwoo’s shoulder, tapping it a little with his cheeky grin. Wonwoo smiled a small one and kissed Soonyoung at his side of his lips before turning to Jun. Jun almost bursted a laugh at the two, not surprised at how easy it was for Wonwoo to be jealous.
There was a good reason why he’d feel that way though and Jun would understand it too because Jun used to date Soonyoung. They ended their relationship on good terms after a few months because of their differences but Wonwoo still felt skeptical about Jun trying to steal him back, which he would never do now that they’re already getting married.
Wonwoo smirked a smile at Jun and shook his hand. “Thanks for coming.” Then he looked behind him before looking back at him. “Where’s Jihoon?”
“He had some things going on back at home so he couldn’t make it today but I’d gladly send his wishes to you both.” Jun lowered his head with a smile.
“Isn’t it a little peaceful? You don’t get to hear him nag you anymore.” Soonyoung said as he looked at Wonwoo with a mocking look though he intended to say it as a joke. “Well, that’s until he comes back.”
Jun nodded with his hand wrapped at his chin. “That’s true but I do miss him sometimes. Like, I’d suddenly do the chores he’d ask me to do without even thinking about it when I’m all alone at home.”
“Well, isn’t that nice? It’s like he never left the place.” Soonyoung giggled seeing Jun’s shrug. “That reminds me, Jihoon should be here to steal the bouquet. How long has he been dating Mingyu?”
Jun’s eyes looked up with his finger pointing the same direction. “Probably almost four years now?”
Soonyoung’s lips widened. “Damn, he should be here and be the next to get married.” Then he saw the host waving at him from the stairs to get ready. He patted Wonwoo’s chest and smiled close to him. “Looks like it’s time to do the walk.”
“You’re right.” Wonwoo looked at Soonyoung so lovingly after the short conversation that it warmed Jun’s eyes. They looked like glares to Jun when Wonwoo turned to look at him but Wonwoo smiled with sincere. “We’ll meet you downstairs. Thanks for coming again.”
----
Jun headed home that evening, walking through the yard of his house that he shared with Jihoon, his best friend since their first year of college together. Even now in graduate school suffering together, they still share their times together. He glanced at the night sky, wondering when it’ll be the first snow that late fall before he entered his home.
Upon entering, he saw a pair of familiar shoes at the foyer in front of the door. His eyes looked up in confusion but somehow, he knew Jihoon was home. Slowly taking his shoes off and locking the door behind him, he walked into the dark living room, finding a small figure resting on the couch.
Jihoon’s face was puffy, as if he didn’t have any sleep for the past few days. Jun came close, tiptoeing until his hand reached for his shoulder without shaking him as he hoped his touch would wake him up. Jihoon’s eyes shot open but not widely.
“Jihoon?” Jun whispered and Jihoon felt at ease as he sighed, closing his eyes again. “When did you get back?”
“About an hour ago.” His voice sounded tired and Jun fixed himself beside him, sitting on the ground while leaning onto the bottom part of the couch, his back facing him.
“I just came back from Wonwoo and Soonyoung’s wedding. They wished you were there so if you’re not that tired then we can go back there. There’s still some time left before the party’s over.” Jun suggested when he looked at his watch. His smile turned to him and he saw that his eyes were still closed.
“I’m good.”
“Really? Okay then.” It became quiet as Jun could only hear Jihoon’s soft breathing. He smiled a small one, realizing how it contradicted the way Jihoon would nag him at every second of the day. It felt weird but Jun knew he was just tired. He turned to gaze at the face he missed though it was only for a few days as he asked. “How was trip back home?”
“It was okay.” Jihoon’s voice was still quiet but at least Jun could still hear him.
“Nothing more? Nothing less?” Jun asked, hoping he’d say more but instead, he got a short nod before Jihoon turned to the other side, his face invisible to Jun.
“I think I want to sleep some more.”
“Okay. I’ll let you do that.” Jun said and he got up to wash up. He took a glance at Jihoon before walking away into the bathroom.
----
“You up for a movie tonight?” Jun asked, stretching from his seat after submitting one of his grad papers about two days later since Jihoon returned. It was the weekend and they both needed a break from all of that grad work they put out the whole day.
“You bet.” Jihoon did the same, his fingers intertwining with his arms stretched in front of him. He yawned and Jun giggled when he walked away with his laptop to the living room. Jihoon got off his seat and checked the cabinets in the kitchen where their snacks were stored. He glanced over the counters to ask, “Want some snacks?”
“Is your snack bar opened for business? Then yes!” Jun yelled from across the room and it made Jihoon laughed with a shook on the head. He took some out and headed to where Jun was.
They sat next to each other and while the movie was playing, Jihoon had his head on Jun’s shoulder. Jun didn’t care as much about the weight there but he smiled a little at the touch in the silence. He could sense Jihoon having a lot in his thoughts, especially since he hadn’t said a word about his trip and just went straight back into his load of work. He thought it would be a good idea to speak about it now.
When Jun turned to Jihoon, about to open his mouth, Jihoon was already staring at him.
“W-what?” Jun flustered as he moved away, letting Jihoon’s head hang in the air. He watched him smirked before he turned back at the movie as he leaned on the couch.
“It’s snowing.” Jihoon’s voice made Jun feel hot, his cheeks burning when he looked to see the snow falling through the window.
It was the first snow of that winter and Jun did not feel cold at all.
----
Jun was done with another deadline as he cheered in across the living room, his feet kicking in the air when he fell back on the couch. He got up, feeling the need to celebrate then he heard the door opening as he turned to look at it.
Jihoon came through wearing his scarf over his lips to keep from the cool weather and closed the door before he saw Jun looking back at him when he walked into the kitchen.
“Professor Lee Jihoon, are you ready for a round?” Jihoon rolled his eyes at Jun’s tease as he wondered when he’ll stop saying that. He’s just an assistant and had yet to become one.
Jihoon could tell Jun got another deadline off his list when he walked to him from the door, leaving his coat and scarf on the edge of the couch. He sat on at the dinner table with Jun setting the drink that he opened for him in front of them.
“Thanks.” Jihoon took a sip and made a fresh sound from his mouth. “Perfect for this kind of weather.”
“Right? I mean, look at me. I’m on a roll today on getting my shit done.” Jun shrugged like he was proud before he bursted a laugh.
“You should of gotten plenty of time when I was gone. Guess you used it wisely.” Jihoon frowned without a care, knowing how he gets so annoyed when he nags too much.
“When you were gone with Mingyu? Of course, I had only a few peaceful days.” Jun said with exaggeration and a roll at his eyes. Jihoon laughed awkwardly and took another sip of his drink, hoping the conversation would end there, but Jun continued. “Say, what did you do with Mingyu? Like give me the details.”
“What details?” Jihoon looked at him weirdly before his eyes looked away. “My gosh, Jun. I didn’t know you were into that.”
“No, that’s not what I meant!” Jun felt like screaming and he did, but only a screech that Jihoon was used to hearing. It made Jihoon laugh as Jun followed him into the living room where Jun’s papers were all over the floor.
“You need to clean this up soon because it’s not going to clean itself.” Jihoon sat on the couch and playfully kicked one paper away from his feet when it wasn’t even touching him.
“How dare you!” Jun gasped set his drink down before tackling Jihoon down on the couch. Their hands fighting each other with their giggles echoing in the room when Jihoon struggled to set his drink down. When he was able to set it away, their bodies rolled over and over until Jihoon was on top of him, only inches from his face.
A moment of silence filled the room as they couldn’t stop looking into each other’s eyes. Jun blinked once and there was a thought in him that Jihoon had something to say when he noticed his mouth opening. Instead, his lips were embraced by Jihoon’s. He was taken as surprise even though they have done this a few times before, but it felt different. Jun couldn’t describe it any other way but he found himself kissing him back. His hand reached Jihoon’s hair behind his ear as he fixed himself on the edge of the couch and turned his head to the side. Jun could taste the drink Jihoon had as theirs mixed in his mouth and that thought made his face turn red before Jihoon suddenly stopped for a second and fell onto Jun’s chest.
Jun froze there, realizing that Jihoon had fallen asleep when he heard him breathing soundly. The only problem in his mind was, what the fuck just happened?
----
A few days went by and Jun could sense something was definitely up since the night Jihoon came back from his hometown and that weird kiss the other night. They were still watching movies on some nights and Jihoon still nagged him around though not as much as before but it felt odd to see Jihoon focusing so much on his grad work that Jun suggested them to have a talk.
“Not right now.” Jihoon’s eyes didn’t leave his screen as he continued to type. He could hear Jun sighing loudly and all he wanted to do was be by himself without bothered from his surroundings.
“No seriously, Jihoon. What is going on?” Jun’s fingers tapped on the kitchen table where he stood in front of. The kiss couldn’t get out of his mind. Jihoon blinked at his screen still, not giving him a look so Jun walked to him and closed his laptop screen, their eyes finally meeting.
There was a sad look in Jihoon’s eyes and it was as if Jun absorbed that into him that his eyes started to become blurry. Jun gulped, somehow regretting on confronting him but if he really knew, Jihoon would probably regretted not telling him in the first place. Maybe he didn’t have to heart to tell him, knowing that he had spoke about his love to Mingyu so many times.
“You really wanna know?” Jihoon asked quietly.
“Tell me so I know how you feel.” His words sounded promising as Jihoon sighed.
“Mingyu cheated. It’s been a few months. I kinda knew because he wasn’t calling or texting like the usual so I visited him and caught him in the act.” Jihoon smiled at Jun, hiding his lingering heart. Jun’s face was struck that he couldn’t say a word, but he let Jihoon continued. “But you know, I’m good at coping even though it’s the first serious relationship I’ve been in and just being with you really helps.”
“I’m glad.” Jun sighed in shock. He didn’t know what to say but be there for Jihoon. “But seriously, if you need to rant about that bitch, then let me know because I’m good at rooting you on.”
“And the kiss. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to do that, like I think I got too drunk and-” Jihoon hid his head in his palms, messing his hair a bit before he confessed, “I probably thought you were hot that night.”
“You what?” Jun’s voice became louder but still shock as ever. “So you like me?”
“No, no. I don’t know.” Jihoon cried in his hair again, denying the question then he took a deep breath and finally looked at Jun, who looked like a lost puppy. “But I don’t think I should be going into a relationship yet.”
“But you like me?” Silence. Jun scribbled his head too then he had his hand up at him, trying to hold all of the words that came out of him. “Jihoon, I need you to be clear with me. Do you like me, like like-like me?”
“I don’t know. We’ve been living with each other for years so I’m very comfortable being with you anywhere. Even cuddling up with you and sharing drinks together when I’m not that good at it.”
“But you like me?”
Jihoon nodded once and sighed. “But I don’t want you to think I’m rebounding you.”
Jun came closer and his voice got into Jihoon’s head more. “But you like me, right? And I don’t think I can date just anyone who I don’t know as much as you.”
“But that’s the point of dating and getting into relationships. Gosh, Jun, you’re so dumb.” Jihoon looked down at his closed laptop and peeked at him when he heard his voice.
“No, wait. Jihoon we’re in a relationship right now though, right?”
“What do you mean?” Jihoon closed his eyes, astonished at the words coming out of Jun’s mouth.
“I mean!!!” Jun’s feet were jumpy, his hands shaking with them like a habit when he’s excited. “We’ve been living together for so long and I know almost everything about you.”
There was a moment of silence before Jihoon broke it. “So are you saying we should get married?”
Jun bursted a cheer and Jihoon walked away from his chair, shaking his head as Jun followed him to the couch in the living room.
“And you’re telling me you’ve been in love with me, even when I was still with Mingyu, for how long?” Jihoon tried to count the months in his head until Jun sat down with him.
“I wouldn’t say I was waiting for you to break up with him but it’s been a while for sure.” Jun was smiling at him and Jihoon could see the snow in his eyes reflected from the window behind him.
Jihoon wouldn’t lie if he had let Mingyu go for a while too and since Jun seemed okay with it, then it wouldn’t hurt to open his heart again, just like the falling snow that would come every winter, bringing warmth into his eyes each time he watched them. Maybe there was a chance that everything was fate for him to be standing beside Jun when he confessed these words:
“Then the kiss the other night, I wasn’t sorry. That was my true feeling for you.”