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“Eomma, I’m home!”
His voice rang through the small hall, as he closed the door to the house behind him. He shrugged off his jacket as he heard his mum greet him back from the kitchen just a couple footsteps away, and she came out from it as he was putting his shoes on the rack beneath the hangers.
“Hi, honey”, she said to him, a wide smile on her lips as she rested her body against the door pane. “Did studying go well?”
Sunoo nodded, trying to hide the way his face grew flushed.
“Yes! I think I’m almost ready for next week’s exams”.
She smiled at him, nodding.
“Riki-ya is really clever, helping you out even though he’s a year under you. Don’t forget to thank him, ok?”
Sunoo grinned at her, picking up his backpack from where he had put it against the door.
“I will, I will”.
She smiled, and turned back to the kitchen.
“Food is ready in about half an hour, I’ll call you when it’s done, alright? Your dad isn’t eating with us, so it’ll just be the two of us”.
Sunoo hummed in response, letting out a small “ yes, thank you, eomma ”, as he walked down the hall, ascending the stairway that was on the opposite of the kitchen door. When he got to the top, he opened the first door, and stepped into his room. He closed it behind him, and immediately dropped his bag on the floor. He shrugged off his white button up, dropping it next to his bag, and took quick steps to throw himself onto the bed.
He turned over to his side, and let out a sigh. There hadn’t been much studying going on, which meant he had lied to his mum. He felt bad about that. The “studying session” after school had mostly been him and Riki in the latter’s one-room apartment, on the bed that was way too small for two boys of their age. His face grew hot at the thought of it, Riki hugging him from behind as they watched a Netflix -movie on Sunoo’s phone. The taller boy had even kissed him on the cheek at one point. Sunoo let out a small squeal at the memory, hugging his knees to his stomach. Riki was so daring, it was crazy. He wondered if the taller boy had felt the beating of his heart against his chest. He must’ve, right? He had been hugging him close.
They had been together for about three weeks now. Sunoo had actually liked his dongsaeng ever since he first met him, since the day that his childhood friend Yang Jungwon had brought him along to lunch, introducing the boy as his new classmate who had joined them late in the term, all the way from Japan. The moment Sunoo had seen the boy, Nishimura Riki, his face had grown flustered. He was tall, with dark bangs that fell over his eyes. He had pretty, plum lips and a beauty mark on his chin. Sunoo had fallen in love right then and there. He had collected himself quickly, he was the other’s sunbae after all, Jungwon and Riki being first years, he being a second year, and he didn’t want to be weird.
They had actually gotten along well, and after that Riki joined them more and more. Some days it was just the two of them, and the conversation went smoothly even during their mutual friend’s absence. It wasn’t long before Sunoo considered Riki his friend. He had come to understand that Riki wasn’t actually shy, as he had assumed during those first meetings. The taller boy was just a bit awkward in his Korean, and when he felt comfortable enough, Sunoo found he had a humour that had him completely losing his shit more often than not.
Still, Sunoo did not get over that crush of his, something that Jungwon was quick to catch up on. It was something that brought lots of teasing from his childhood friend, and Sunoo couldn’t even deny it, considering no one knew him better than Jungwon did. Not even his own mother. Still, his best friend was nice about it, never teasing him anywhere someone could overhear. Some days, Sunoo wished he had, because if so it wouldn’t have taken them dancing around each other for a year before Riki finally said anything. The taller boy had actually just blurted it out when they were walking home together, just the two of them since Jungwon had plans with his boyfriend that afternoon.
The memory of said conversation had Sunoo rolling over on his bed.
‘ Hyung ’, the taller boy had simply said, when they reached the intersection where they usually parted their separate ways.
Sunoo had turned to him with a smile, eyes flickering over his handsome face.
‘ Yes, Riki-ya? ’, he had simply responded.
The taller boy hadn’t even looked at him, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. Sunoo remembered how flushed his cheeks had looked, clearly visible even where they were, under the shadows by the trees.
The taller boy had stopped in his tracks, and closed his eyes. Sunoo had stopped too, feeling a bit worried. But before he could get a word out, Riki had spoken again, words coming out in a rush.
‘ I like you, hyung! Please go out with me ’.
Just remembering it made Sunoo’s heartbeats pick up in his chest. He had been so taken aback, unable to do more than just stare at his friend. His friend who, apparently, liked him back. When Sunoo didn’t manage to speak in the next few seconds, Riki had eventually opened his eyes, a look of terror on his face.
‘ I’m- oh god, hyung, I’m so sorry, I thought… please forget I said anything, I just… ’
He hadn’t thought it possible that someone who had grown to reach almost 1.85 centimeters could shrink like Riki seemed to do before him. On impulse, Sunoo had grabbed hold of Riki's hand, his voice coming out rushed.
‘ Riki-ya! I like you too! I have liked you since we met! Yes, yes, of course I want to go out with you! ’
Immediately, Riki’s face had changed, a wide smile blossoming on his lips. Sunoo hadn’t been able to stop a smile just as wide from forming on his own face. And as such, they had become boyfriends.
Sunoo rolled around yet again on his bed, thinking back on it. He tried his best not to squeal, scared his mother might hear him - he was not ready for that conversation yet! - and took a deep breath to collect himself, still in a fetal position. In through his nose, out through his mouth, and repeat… wait .
Sunoo opened his eyes upon the scent he could smell as he breathed in. He let go of his legs, and sat up on his bed. He looked down on his shirt, just a normal striped tee he had worn underneath his school-button up, and with a bated breath, he pulled on the fabric and brought it up to his nose. Oh . His face blossomed. His shirt smelt of Riki. After lying on Riki’s bed for almost two hours, totally caged in by the other's body, his scent had gotten stuck to his clothes. Sunoo let his back fall to the mattress again, bringing it up to his nose once more, breathing it in and then lifted his hips to pull out his phone from the back pocket of his pants. He felt slightly weird, when he unlocked his phone and typed out a message, clicking send before he could change his mind.
[17:56]
Me : Just got home. My shirt smells like you. Miss you. 💖
Riki replied immediately, almost as if he had been waiting on Sunoo to text him. The thought of that made his cheeks hurt from smiling.
[17:56]
Riki💕💞💓💗💖💘💝 : hyuuung.
Sunoo couldn’t help but laugh, finally letting go of the fabric he had been holding up. He hadn’t even begun to type back, when Riki sent a new text.
[17:56]
Riki💕💞💓💗💖💘💝 : did u like when i kissed ur cheek hyung.
Sunoo’s face grew, if possible, beet red. His heart felt like it was gonna beat out of his chest. He took a deep breath, before trying to formulate something comprehensive.
[17:57]
Me : Yes. I liked it a lot…
Again, Sunoo’s mind went back to Riki pressing his soft lips against his cheek, almost nuzzling him. He had to remind himself to breathe evenly.
When Riki’s response came through, he didn’t know whether to curse the other out or feel relieved.
[17:57]
Riki💕💞💓💗💖💘💝 : good hehe <3 i’ll go shower now i’ll ttyl hyung <3
Sunoo just stared at his phone for a few seconds, before groaning and putting it down at the mattress next to him. Riki was mean. Unfair. He blinked up at his ceiling, following the glow-in-the-dark stars he and Jungwon had put up there when they were younger. He licked his lips, and made a decision. He could be daring too. He fiddled with his shirt just thinking about it, eyes still following the constellations above him.
When his mother called him down a couple of minutes later, he allowed himself a small smile. Next time, he would surprise Riki. For their 1-month-anniversary he would do something even more daring than just a kiss on the cheeks. Sunoo scratched on his cheeks, to force down the flush he had built up just thinking about it.
In exactly one week, he would kiss Riki on the lips, just like real lovers do. And he would do a goddamn good job at it too. His first kiss. Riki wouldn't see it coming, and by then they would see just who would become a stuttering mess.