Chapter Text
december 14, 2019
"you'd never guess who i'm planning to kiss on this year's party." jungwon practically hops towards sunoo's locker as he fails to suppress the bright grin on his face.
"good morning to you too."
"yeah, good morning. so listen... about the new year's kiss." the younger's grin resembles a cheshire cat while he's visibly vibrating with glee.
"should we think about christmas first?" as a way to rile jungwon up, sunoo continues to ask.
"yeah, well i've decided about new year's already."
sunoo smiles at his bestfriend's excitement though he isn't able to hide the confusion on his face. "that's nice but i thought you weren't going to attend."
he recalls how the younger boy said a few days ago that he has no plan of attending shim jake's annual new year's party because he deems it 'too crowdy and loud'.
sunoo knows the real reason was because his crush will be attending with his girlfriend.
jungwon shrugs. "changed my mind. so, have any ideas?" he bumps sunoo lightly, causing the boy to almost drop his chemistry book and resulting in his sling pouch where he keeps his lip balm and face powder to fall. that wouldn't have been possible but jungwon has a stronger build compared to sunoo.
"oops, sorry, hyung~" jungwon winces while he helps sunoo pick up the fallen material.
the older boy shakes his head with a smile.
"thanks." he adjusts the book in his arms as he slides the sling pouch over his shoulder, grunting.
"i really have no idea who you're planning on kissing though."
jungwon looks like he's going to burst if he's not able to spit it out right now. "i'm planning to kiss lee heeseung."
that is something sunoo did not expect from his dongsaeng. "the lee heeseung? good luck with that, jungwon."
jake's new year's party has the traditional midnight kiss for good luck. somehow, this tradition ends up an opportunity for people to force themselves on golden boy lee heeseung since no matter how people try in the past two years he's in highschool, he would never let anyone kiss him. not even the countless boyfriends and girlfriends he had.
when sunoo heard about it last year, he can't help but find their game on heeseung really stupid.
the guy doesn't want to be kissed yet people never stop trying to. he probably has hygienic issues or something.
there had been countless bets that exceed level of absurdities like betting their own dog or whatever but nothing works.
even with his reputation as the school's goody two shoes, lee leeseung lets no one try and kiss him. sunoo didn't know why but that doesn't change the fact that people are literally trying to invade someone's space just to satisfy their sick egos.
he guesses they think no one having done it yet makes kissing heeseung even more worth it. their popularity depends on his. who doesn't want to take a chance on the star player in the basketball team and the popular good guy that sunoo thought only existed in young adult novels?
he's not even sure they want to kiss him because they genuinely like to or they just want to make a record of being able to kiss heeseung. he finds it pathetic for those shallow people, and sad for heeseung.
"now what makes you say that, sunoo-hyung?" jungwon shakes his head, clicking his tongue.
"the long history of past and, not to mention, stupid attempts to kiss Lee heeseung is enough evidence for your inevitable failure."
as the two of them walk towards their first class of the day, sunoo's eyes sweep over multiple faces that all have one thing in common: they all tried to kiss heeseung.
k, the japanese exchange student who pretended to have hurt his knees while running on the track field near where heeseung is sitting during recess last semester. rumors said a 400,000 won worth watch was on the line there.
one thing that everyone should know when you try to make a move on heeseung is his younger brother, euijoo, is almost always by his side.
fun fact: euijoo is a great fencer.
boy, no one expected tame looking euijoo to look so intimidating, especially during fencing matches.
rumors also claimed that 6 feet tall k cowered in euijoo's presence. the boy has a thing of protecting his brother especially when the bets started. he won't hesitate in demonstrating his skills to shun people who try to hurt heeseung.
sunoo heard that this year, k is still planning on taking his shot since euijoo is possibly going to be occupied with his girlfriend at the party.
sunoo's eyes fall on a tall, model-like guy laughing at what he deems funny from the magazine he's reading.
choi seon. he tried to jump on the 'kiss heeseung' bandwagon too for his reputation as the school's flirt.
that guy has a way with words he could make anyone swoon with probably a few syllables. that tactic of his would have worked if heeseung wasn't smart enough to know about his motives. who doesn't, really? literally anyone who tries to even show a bit of interest on heeseung doesn't have pure intentions. heeseung probably has trust issues already.
"jungwon-ah, don't tell me you're taking on a bet now." he narrows his eyes at the younger boy who proceeds to trip over his own words.
"i- i would never, sunoo-hyung! i swear." jungwon seems to be telling the truth but sunoo suspects there is something he's probably hiding that is making him this jittery and nervous.
he hides an amused grin at his dongsaeng's awkwardness. "then, why would you want to kiss heeseung if it weren't for a coupon or something?"
"hey, kim sunoo-hyung! i happen to have a thing for good guys with pretty eyes. though i don't exactly want to kiss him because i like him..."
"and the truth comes out. poor heeseung-ssi," sunoo comments, earning him a glare from jungwon.
"it's not that. i just want ni-ki to notice me. i figured if i try and kiss heeseung..." trails off jungwon, crimson coating his cheeks.
so, it is about his crush.
"hey, i love you but don't you think heeseung deserves better than being a plot device for your love life? the guy never gets a break..."
jungwon purses his lips together in thought before a defeated groan escapes him. "ugh. fine. then, i won't do it anymore."
the only thing sunoo can do is give jungwon a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. jungwon only pouts in return.
then, a sly look crosses the younger's face. "changing topics. how about you, hyung? do you have any plans? who do you want to kiss?"
sunoo winces as the conversation falls on him. "you know i don't do that. besides, this is the first time i'm attending."
since their first year entering high school last year, jungwon always tries to set sunoo up with someone every chance he gets and he fails every time. even now that they're second years, who said things are going to be any different?
"oh, come on! you still haven't moved on from-"
a single withering gaze from him has the younger boy shutting up.
"geez... with that bright and pretty face of yours, i would never expect you to be able to look so murderous."
sunoo can't help but laugh, hand covering his mouth.
"let's not talk about the party. i'm just glad the holidays are starting soon so we can take a break from all this stress."
"i guess you're right," jungwon sighs as they take their respective seats in mr. bang's homeroom.
sunoo shakes his head. he tries to not think much of the party but throughout the day, all he could think about was jungwon's question.
'who do you want to kiss?'
even when it irritates him so, there's only one person that comes in sunoo's mind.
"are you going to get that or are you just going to stare at it?" he snaps back to reality when he feels a presence beside him.
"oh!" sunoo flushes upon realizing that he's taking too long in the queue and the lunch lady is staring at him.
"sorry about that." he bows apologetically at the annoyed lady who just shakes her head.
embarrassment fills sunoo from head toe and it has him feeling like everyone is staring at him. he didn't even give a care to what was put in his tray as long as he gets it over with so he could go back to their table.
a chuckle sounds from behind him while he hastily searches with his eyes for his dongsaeng in the canteen.
"you seemed to be deep in thought, huh?" his breath gets stuck in his throat and he chokes on air. his grip on the tray tightens.
why, of all times, would he talk to me now when i was just thinking about him a few seconds ago? sunoo internally curses.
wishing he looks decent, sunoo takes a look at the speaker, craning his neck upwards. he can feel himself tremble through his smile.
park sunghoon never fails to send his heart somersaulting with just looking at his face. his pale skin and dark hair compliment him so much. and his face! gosh his face is just so handsome and aristocratic. he reminds sunoo of a greek god.
"hello." the most basic word in human communication and he can't even say it properly without feeling like crying. his tongue feels like it is made of lead.
sunghoon smiles at him, his cute fangs showing. sunoo thinks he's going to faint.
"how are you, sunoo? we haven't spoken since..." he trails off, a short moment of awkwardness settling between them which the younger quickly shakes off with a feigned cough.
"i'm great, sunghoon-hyung!" sunoo fights the urge to cringe at how high and squeaky his voice reached.
sunghoon nods uneasily, reaching a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "that's... uh... nice to hear." his eyes flitter towards something or someone behind sunoo and an unreadable expression crosses his face.
their gazes meet and sunoo faintly recognizes that look on sunghoon's face. something he has seen before.
he breaks contact first, suddenly feeling like crap. "i'll see you around, hyung. bye." before the older boy can utter a word, sunoo's fleeing to the other side of the room, where jungwon is.
"stupid, stupid, stupid," he mutters angrily to himself, slamming the tray down on the table and taking his bestfriend by surprise.
jungwon's forehead creases. "hey, you okay?"
sunoo grabs the chair with more force than necessary and sits on it a little harshly. "i feel peachy. absolutely wonderful," he says through gritted teeth as he stabs the cup of iced tea with the straw.
"hyung, calm down," warns jungwon at sunoo who's aggressively sipping from his cup, eyes blazing.
why, why, why would he talk to me again after that? and really? in front of freaking everyone? in front of freaking-
"you know if you really like sunghoon-hyung, try and make a move on him on this year's party," suggests jungwon, taking a bite from the food on sunoo's tray.
sunoo pauses and shoots a look of disbelief at the younger boy who looks unbothered. "no offense, jungwon, but I know to stop pursuing a person when they're already with somebody else."
just his freaking luck. the only guy he decides to like is in a relationship.
jungwon raises his arms in defeat. "okay, fine. chill."
the two of them lapse into a semi comfortable silence, leaving sunoo in his mess of thoughts.
'sunoo...'
'hyung, why not?'
he shuts his eyes to block out the memory, shame and regret resurfacing in his chest.
but even when he got home, all sunoo could think about was that night.
sunghoon's birthday last year.