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1999
Junmyeon: 9 Years Old
Tao: 7 Years old
Around two years had passed since little Yifan had first seen his angel in the park, and for all that time the said angel had no idea that somewhere in Incheon, a boy a year his senior had promised to marry him. To be fair, Yifan had forgotten all about his apparent betrothed by the time lunch rolled around that day. Besides, Yifan also promised to marry his mother when he was around 5 and everyone took that proposal just as seriously, despite the engagement onion ring that Yifan went through all the trouble of saving from his lunch at his friend’s house. So it was safe to say that although Wu Yifan had noticed Kim Junmyeon long before the ‘angel’ even knew that he existed, he does have one thing going for him. Wu Yifan has never in his life pined over Kim Junmyeon on his own.
***
“Son, come greet our guests!”
“Yes Dad!” Junmyeon answers like the dutiful son that he is, but internally wishes that he was spending his Saturday at a hagwon studying like his older brother was. The last thing that he wants to be doing is playing the role as the perfect son for some random colleague or potential client that his father has invited. Hopefully his mother is not in too much of a braggy mood today and will not treat him like a human jukebox. He still remembers how hoarse his voice was after spending an afternoon taking requests from some people to do with some merger or whatever at his dad’s company. Junmyeon wasn’t really listening that much - the perks of being the second-born.
Junmyeon makes sure to plaster on a pleasant smile just before he comes into view of his parents and their guests. The guests turn out to be two men, a woman - all likely around his parents’ age - and a boy - definitely younger than him. The adults are all speaking in Manderin and laughing at his father’s every joke, while the boy quietly stands next to the woman, loosely holding her hand. The boy’s presence means that his mother will not make him sing but Junmyeon does not think he can handle an afternoon keeping some unknown kid entertained with his terrible Manderin. His brother is the one who is good at languages and usually is nice enough to play translator, on the rare occasion that one of his father’s foreign guests has their child tag along. For the second time that day, Junmyeon wishes that he did not have a rare day off hagwon and was out studying like his brother was.
Junmyeon waits for a lull in the conversation to make his presence known and greets the guests with a perfect bow and some just passable Manderin. Junmyeon’s cheeks turn slightly pink when he sees the amused looks on their faces as they answer back in Korean.
“Myeon-ah, why don’t you show Tao here to your room? I’m sure that you two have lots to talk about.” His mother says making it sound like a suggestion but Junmyeon has lived as her son long enough to know that it’s anything but. Junmyeon and Tao leave the adults to talk business and spend the rest of the afternoon playing games and chatting in his room. Tao’s an alright kid, Junmyeon decides, despite him casually bringing up his friends in their conversation as if Junmyeon was supposed to know who those people were.
***
“We look forward to having you join us.” Junmyeon overhears his father saying as he and Tao return a couple hours later when it is time for the guests to leave. Tao’s mother is busy taking turns shaking everyone’s hands and Mr Kim has his triumphant grin on his face. The youngest Kim comes to the conclusion that Tao’s mother must be a big deal.
“Bye-bye Myeonie Hyung! Next time you can come play at my house and meet Yifan Gē!”
“Sure.” Junmyeon agrees with a fond smile, too flustered by the sudden affectionate nickname. It is unlikely that they’ll be seeing each other - other than in passing - in the future though.
2001
Junmyeon: 11 Years Old
Yifan: 12 Years old
Yixing: 11 Year old
Luhan: 12 Years old
Kim Junmyeon first saw Wu Yifan on a Monday. It was a crisp November morning and Junmyeon was with Yixing using the weather as an excuse to buy some street food. They were still a couple people ahead of them so the pair were checking out Junmyeon’s brand new Game Boy while they waited. While Yixing was absorbed in the game, Junmyeon couldn’t help but notice the boys behind him conversing in Chinese despite their uniforms not being from one of the international schools in town. Junmyeon’s Manderin was improved over the years but he is still nowhere near fluent. He can make out one of them mentioning an upcoming birthday before turning his full attention back to Yixing handing back his Game Boy.
The preteens are so absorbed in the console that they do not notice when it is finally their turn until Junmyeon feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns around and one of the boys quickly indicates that they can order, making Junmyeon rush forward, pulling Yixing along. The youngest Kim will forever blame the cold for the red tinge on his cheeks when he turns to the strangers and quickly thanks them. The one who tapped Junmyeon’s shoulder gives a brief smile and nod of acknowledgement, while his friend - the taller of the two - just gives a terse nod before continuing his conversation with his friend. Something about the taller boy’s intimidating gaze has Junmyeon quickly snap his head back to Yixing, who is now talking about how he is thinking about asking his parents to get him some music lessons along with his dance lessons but is worried that they will say no. Junmyeon does not know why he keeps sneaking glances at the tall boy behind him while he waits for their order to be ready. Or why his heart flutters in his chest when he thinks of his brief gaze later on the walk home. Except Junmyeon does know. He knows perfectly well… He is just not ready to acknowledge it yet.
2005
Junmyeon: 15 Years old
Yifan: 16 Year old
Chanyeol: 14 Years old
“Hyung!” The elder Kim sibling quickly slams the laptop shut at the sound of his younger brother’s voice.
“I didn’t see anything!” Is the first thing that he thinks to say, an obvious lie.
“It was just a prank!” Junmyeon blunts out the first excuse that comes to his head and instantly hates himself for it. Why can’t he just tell his brother the truth?
“Oh really?” Junmyeon sees the way his brother’s shoulders relax at his lie and thinks to himself That’s why. He just can’t stand disappointing him. Especially not about this.
“Yeah. Chanyeol thinks that he’s funny these days.”
The older brother chuckles, starting to believe the lie but then he looks at Junmyeon’s face. A face just like his own but delayed about 5 years. He thinks about how for a year little Junmyeon wasn’t far whenever his friend Taeoh came over. He thinks about how Junmyeon never seemed interested in any girls. He thinks about how Junmyeon sometimes looks like he has something to say but just can’t get it out.
“I guess that I should finally stop calling you Aga now huh?” He thinks aloud and Junmyeon lets out a whiney groan.
“Hyung! Please! It's so embarrassing!”
“Just so you know… if what I just saw on your laptop wasn't a prank… it would be okay.” Junmyeon tenses at his brother’s words, unable to meet his gaze.
“Really?” He asks barely a whisper, quickly wiping a runaway tear from his eye in hopes that his brother doesn’t notice. He does.
“Really.” He says with a conviction in his voice strong enough to get Junmyeon to lift his head.
“Thank you, Hyung.”
“Don’t mention it.” He responded with an easy smile, happy to see the smile back on his little brother’s face.
“Sooo… Do you have a boyfriend?”
“I’m leaving.”
“This is your room!” He stops Junmyeon from leaving by quickly grabbing hold of his wrist while laughing.
“We are NOT having this conversation!”
“Why is that not a no?” Junmyeon just rolls his eyes and breaks free from his brother’s grip.
“Who dares corrupt our Aga?!” Junmyeon is already halfway out the front door by the time his brother thinks to get up and chase after him.
“Ya! Kim Junmyeon!” He yells after his brother who is breaking into a jog down the street without a look back.
“I can’t believe some punk thinks that he can date my little brother.” Is the last thing the protective Kim sibling grumbles to himself before going back to Junmyeon’s room to get the thing that he needed from his brother’s laptop in the first place. Having forgotten what was on the screen, he almost throws the laptop out of the window in shock but something about one of the men on screen catches his attention.
“Wait why does this person look like...No way!”
“What are you doing?”
“Mom!” For the second time that day the laptop is quickly slammed shut.
“I left my laptop at Taeoh’s house so I was just using Aga’s.”
“You found his porn didn’t you?” She guesses amused by her son’s scandalised look on his face.
“You know?!”
“Of course I know.” she says in a tone that says What do you take me for?
“Mom you don't think that Aga has a crush on Taeoh by any chance do you?” He asks as she goes about her business and grabs the laundry basket, thinking about how familiar one of the men on screen looked. He is surprised when his mother lets out a loud laugh.
“Sorry Son, I’m not laughing at you.” She quickly reassures as she gains her composure. “I can see why you would think that. Myeonie does have a type.” The last part was said more to herself but it was heard all the same and not for the first time he wonders how his mother just seems to know everything.
“Lets just say that the only reason that you think that is because you have never seen your brother around the one he really likes.”
“Mom! Who does he really like? What don’t I know?”
“How to do the dishes before they pile up.”
“Mom! This is serious!”
“So am I. Go do them while I’m still being nice.”
“Nice would be if i didn't have to do them” he grumbles to himself.
“Want to say that again?”
“I love you Mom.”
“Mhm.”
2011
Yifan: 22 Years Old
Junmyeon: 21 Years Old
Minseok: 22 Years old
Baekhyun: 20 Years old
Luhan: 22 Years Old
“Hyung! Where are you taking me?” Junmyeon asks for the umpteenth time as he’s being dragged along by Minseok across campus. Minseok just ignores him as he keeps looking in each of the rooms and moving onto the next one when they come up empty.
“I thought that you were going to help me with my musicology paper? The library is the other way.” Minseok seems to find what he is looking for in the fourth room and pulls Junmyeon by the wrist inside. Junmyeon starts actively resisting when he sees who is in the room. Wu Yifan and two of his friends.
“Hyung! What are you doing? I’m sorry for whatever it is that I did, please let me go!” Junmyeon whisper pleads to no avail. Minseok is not spending another day listening to Junmyeon pine over a guy who is so obviously interested. Junmyeon is mentally figuring out how to flee the country in shame when all this is over when he hears Baekhyun, one of Yifan’s friends speak up.
“Well look who it is Luhan Hyung!” Luhan is about to say something as well but is silenced by Yifan’s elbow in his side. It does stop either of the peanut gallery from sniggering and Baekhyun from subtly pulling out his phone to film whatever is about to go down. He and Luhan are just as surprised to see Minseok dragging a blushing Kim Junmyeon into the room but Yifan clearly does not think so, if the glare their way is anything to go by. Whatever this is, Baekhyun knows that the guys are going to love it, especially Tao.
“Hello. I’m Kim Minseok.”
“I’m W…”
“I know who you are.” Minseok interrupts, much to Junmyeon’s embarrassment. “You see I couldn’t help but notice that you quite often look at Myeonie here when you think that nobody is looking and I thought that is it would interest you to know that my friend is gay and Very interested.” Minseok says before practically shoving a red Junmyeon into a stunned Yifan’s arms.
“Here he’s yours now.” Minseok announces before promptly leaving the room.
“I’m SO sorry. Ignore him, he thinks ruining my life is helpful.” Junmyeon rambles as he escapes from Yifan’s arms, feeling a little less warm once he is free.
“I’ll leave you guys to it.” Junmyeon says before turning around to rush out of the room as quickly as possible while trying to retain his dignity as the son of a CEO.
“Baby where are you going? I thought that you were mine now.” Yifan says with all the confidence that he did not have this last year of pining.
“That is the worst line that I have ever heard.” Junmyeon says, his face still a furious red and his heart pounding harder than ever.
“Then why are you holding my hand?” The room then erupts with Luhan’s and Baekhyun’s voices as the three of them all realise at the same time that at some point Junmyeon’s fingers somehow found themselves interlaced with Yifan’s. Junmyeon drops Yifan’s hand and rushes out of the room. He can hear Baekhyun yelling about how Tao is never going to believe this as he slams the door shut behind him.
“Dibs on best man!” Junmyeon hears Luhan shout from outside the room where he takes a moment to process what just happened. He is busy staring at the hand that just held the hand of the boy that he has been obsessed with for about a decade when he hears said boy speak up.
“Sorry I already promised Tao when I was like 11.”