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It's early, too early for Jisung to be outside in the world, too early for him to even be out of bed. He doesn't have any classes until 11, and the clock hanging on the wall of his favourite coffee shop is showing that it's not even 08:30 yet. Which means he'll be here soon.
Jisung has seen him walk into this same coffee shop a few times already and it's always before his 9 am class, so that means he'll be here in the next few minutes.
This isn't creepy. Jisung is not stalking anyone. He wouldn't stalk a boy he only saw a few times and simply thought was really cute. He wouldn't stalk anyone dammit! This was Jisung's favourite coffee shop first, he has every right to be here two and a half hours before his class starts! And if just so happens that the cute sophomore also likes to come here before his unnecessarily early class, well that's not Jisung's problem.
Looking around himself, he notices only a few people sitting beside him, most of them here before their classes, engrossed in their notes or laptops. Nerds. Jisung takes out his phone and sees a couple of messages from Sicheng and one from Donghyuck.
from: Sicheng
How is my baby doing on his second week?
Is high school treating him well?
Jisung rolls his eyes. Sicheng could be really dramatic when he wanted to.
to: Sicheng
Same as last week when you asked
Everything's good don't worry
The bell on the door rings and he walks in, laughing.
to: Sicheng
Talk to you later
He's not alone, a boy around their age is with him, but Jisung can't see his face. They're talking loudly, laughing even louder, too loud for 08:45 in the morning, and the cute boy is constantly touching the other boy. Jisung snorts. It's just his luck that the first boy he likes (?) is already taken.
The two boys then turn around to look at him, probably having heard his loud snort. Fuck. Fuck, the other boy is Chenle and now he's smiling at him and both of them are coming over.
"Jisungie, what are you doing here, you don't have any classes until later?" Chenle asks, after he sits down right next to Jisung and not across from him like a normal person would. In the three months of knowing him, he's pretty much used to the other boy not respecting his personal space. Like ever. It doesn't really bother him anymore, but sometimes, when Chenle gets really close and maybe touches Jisung's arm in the process, it feels weird in his tummy.
"Hey, Chenle," he says, looking at the boy next to him, hoping his friend will get a hint and introduce them. "Oh, I just came here to study a little before my classes."
Chenle laughs loudly. "It's only the second week, what do you possibly need to study for?" Before Jisung has the time to come up with a lie, Chenle seems to notice the other boy awkwardly standing next to him. "Oh, this is Xiao Jun" he says, motioning to the cute boy. "He moved here from China this summer, our moms were friends when they were in college."
Xiao Jun then looks at Jisung properly for the first time and, fuck, he's even prettier up close.
"Hi, nice to meet you," he says, extending his hand to greet Jisung. He gives him a little smile too, and Jisung dies.
"Okay, I need to go now, my class's starting soon, but we'll talk later," he says, looking at Chenle and pats him on the shoulder. Then, he looks at him. "See you later, Jisung," he says and with that, he's gone.
Next to him, Chenle squeals. "Oh, you got ice chocolate, my favourite! Gimme!" he shrieks, taking Jisung's drink without waiting for the other to actually says it's okay. Jisung doesn't like when people just take his food or drink and he usually doesn't allow it.
"Sure, go ahead, just drink it all," he says sarcastically, finding that he doesn't really mind, but he's not about to let Chenle know that. His friend giggles in return, booping him on the nose annoyingly. "You're so cute Jisungie," he says and then proceeds to drink half of Jisung's ice chocolate in one big gulp. Jisung scrunches his nose in distaste.
"Anyway, what are you working on? Do you need help with anything?"
Jisung snorts. "Right, like you'll be able to help me. You might be a grade above, but I'm smarter," he says confidently, mostly just to annoy Chenle.
"Take that back, you brat! You might be book smart, but I'm street smart," he says dead serious and then ruins it all with an obnoxious wink. Jisung thinks he looks like a big puppy trying to seem bad ass. Cute, but ridiculous.
Maybe now's the time to subtly ask him about Xiao Jun. He clears his throat. "So, are you and that boy, what's his name again, close friends?"
Chenle looks up from Jisung's ice chocolate, licking his lips before answering. "Xiao Jun, and no, we're not that close. Our moms only recently got in touch again, when Jun and his mom moved here this summer. We didn't even know each other before."
Jisung's brows furrow. "But, you seemed really close and you were laughing like you were remembering your childhood adventures or something." He can't help but feel a little jealous, which doesn't make sense, since Chenle and Xiao Jun are clearly just friends and he doesn't want to be just friends with Xiao Jun.
"Well, I've only known you for three months and you're already my best friend," Chenle replies casually, like talking about feelings with your friend of three months is a normal thing for teenage boys to do. But, that's Chenle. Jisung has long accepted there was nothing normal or typical about him and he even grew to like that about the other boy. Maybe that's why he is his best friend too.
Without waiting for Jisung to say something in return, probably already knowing him well enough to know he wasn't as open about his emotions like he was, Chenle continues. "Anyway, I'm going to his place later today, we're going to play games. His boyfriend is also coming, he's cool, I think you would like him. Do you wanna come? I'm sure Jun wouldn't mind."
Of course Xiao Jun has a boyfriend, why wouldn't he? Why would Jisung be so lucky to actually be with the first boy he likes? He looks up at Chenle, hoping that the disappointment he's feeling isn't visible on his face. The other boy is looking at him hopefully, like he really wants him to come, like Jisung's presence there would make it so much better, and Jisung finds himself not really caring much anymore about the fact that Xiao Jun has a boyfriend.
"Sure, I'll come."
Chenle beams at him in return, and there it is, there's that feeling again and Chenle isn't even touching him this time.
Later that night, when he's come back from Xiao Jun and he's in his room all by himself, he opens his chat with Donghyuck, ignoring all the massages from the boy he still hasn't answered and starts typing.
to: Donghyuck
How to know if you have a crush on a friend?
from: Donghyuck
If this is about me and Mark
I don’t like him like that !!
to: Donghyuck
It’s not
But good to know you’re thinking about him all the time
I think I like Chenle