Work Text:
A little blue glitter here. Oh! A few bunny stickers over there! With a jelly strawberry! Do I have any Bambi stickers?
“Hyung, you're talking to yourself.” Jeonghan hears from the person sitting on his right, Soonyoung, accompanying him on the kitchen table in the presence of many loose colored construction papers, colored pencils, glue sticks, and tubes of glitter that has spilled onto the floor and coated both Jeonghan’s shirt and thighs.
He’s totally not telling his mom about any of this.
“Keep doing your homework,” Jeonghan huffs, regretting it as his bangs fall into his eyes. He tucks them behind his ears as best as he can, quickly resuming to doodle an American flag, “I really need to focus, Soonyoungie.”
It’s true. Jeonghan really needs to make sure there are to be no mistakes on the Valentines Day card he has been working his little butt on for the past hour, after boredly crossing out each of his classmates name when he had written them out on the Hello Kitty and Lego themed cards his mom picked up for him the other day.
Jeonghan may or may not have misspelled a few names, due to how eager he was to get to work on a special hand-made card. But Soonyong, his best friend, made sure to correct them for him as time passed.
The mentioned boy, Kwon Soonyoung, sneakily peers over to examine Jeonghan’s work so far, eyebrows raising with a teasing, cheeky smile, noticing how his best friend certainly did not misspell Hong Jisoo at all.
The name is hard to miss, too, as it's written out with a glue stick, then coated with thick, chunky layers of blue
A glitter disaster, if you ask him. But he’ll keep the comment to himself, reminiscing the other times his words have caused him to earn a smack or two from the older.
“Are you sure you don't like him?~” The 4th grader taunts jokingly, shaking his head playfully and returning to his homework. His own stack of Valentines cards are already completed, which were a bunch of different colored tigers and such. His specialty.
Soonyoung expected that he and Jeonghan would both be working together on their homework by now, helping one another since they’re in different grades and such, after being scolded to do it or they won't be allowed to play outside..
Rather, instead, Soonyoung had watched his hyung scatter out of his seat the second he finished writing Seungcheol , which were missing both e ’s, disappear down the hall, and return with a shoebox; filled with all glitters and other crafts galore, probably stolen from his younger sister's bedroom.
Soonyoung swears he heard Jeonghan giggle evilly in excitement, legs swinging back and forth as he gets to work on the card for the person whose name is last to be crossed off.
Hong Jisoo.
“I don’t like him!” Jeonghan bites in response, a tone of assurity within the statement. He doesn’t bother lifting his head to get his point across, which would have failed either way since he feels the warmth enveloping the apples of his cheeks.
He won’t dare give Soonyoung another thing to tease him about.
Jeonghan doesn’t like Hong Jisoo at all.
Hong Jisoo, the new student who came all the way from America. Los Angeles, he thinks.
To be quite honest, Jeonghan isn’t sure, failing to pay precise attention to Jisoo's self introduction to their entire 5th grade glass, too occupied staring at the way Jisoo’s fluffy eyes would brighten whenever he talked about his home and what he grew up around. Something about church. Another about a dog named Biscuit? He also admired Jisoo’s fluffy hair, sighing dreamily as he placed his chin on his hands, soaking in his soft voice like a lullaby. The last time he’s ever been this remotely focused was– Hmm? When, honestly?
Seungcheol, his seatmate, had to nudge him harshly to get Jeonghan to focus again. And with pink cheeks, Jeonghan straightens up and focuses.
“Yeah, I don't like him..,” Jeonghan snorted, careful to fill in the pink heart he drew in the corner of Jisoo’s card, “I want to make his first Valentine’s Day in South Korea a memorable one, all thanks to me .”
Soonyoung sets his pencil down, putting his math homework on pause to speak further more of the topic. Plus, he wants a break from solving any more fractions– he swears his brain is vibrating.
“So memorable that you’re doodling hearts around Jisoo’s blue glitter name? Surrounded with stickers, too?” He brings up, menatlly taking note of his hyung’s grip on the crayon becoming tighter. One more squeeze and it oughta snap in two.
Refusing to meet his best friend's gaze, Jeonghan opts to switch out his pink crayon for a red one, unconsciously proving the point by doodling even more hearts surrounding the sticker of an angel. He likes to think it's him. “I asked you to come over after school to give me company, not tease me!”
“You called me over before telling me to make sure to bring my book of stickers.” Soonyoung deadpans.
Jeonghan winks playfully, sitting straight. He didn’t realize how long he had been hovering over his work until he felt a sharp pain on his shoulder. Ow.
“And thank you, Hoshingie~”
The said boy rolls his eyes, tossing his gaze to the messily, but prettily decorated Valentines card. His hyung really did work hard on it based on how straight the lines and drawings all came out. Impressive.
He totally likes Hong Jisoo.
“Do you think he’ll like it? What do you think?” Jeonghan asks moments later, carefully picking up his masterpiece after assuring the glue has dried up. He couldn’t contain his smile the more he inspected, proud to have outlined the card with festive colors. He wanted to leave a good impression on Jisoo.
Jisoo is kinda— scratch that. Jisoo is difficult to talk to.
Actually, Jeonghan is the reason why talking to Jisoo is difficult.
The reason being he has no clue what to talk to the foreigner about, hands becoming sweaty and brain turning into a jumbled mess when Jisoo is anywhere near him, or when he wants some answers to a question, to which his seatmate, Seungcheol, would tell him as Jeonghan stares at him with big, wide eyes and slack jaw.
At this rate, Jeonghan ponders if Jisoo would forget his existence as human, much more resembling a puffer fish straight out of water.
Soonyoung hums for a few seconds, causing Jeonghan to feel a little insecure whether his card isn’t up to its potential. Soonyoung should know, too, he and Jisoo sharing the same friend group afterall.
“I think it’s really good, hyung!” Jeonghan sighs in relief, soaking up the praise and finds it enough for him to safely tuck the card into his backpack, not bothered how the glitter will become a problem for now on every time he takes something out.
“I’ll give it to Jisoo first thing in the morning.”
* * *
Jeonghan didn’t give it to Jisoo first thing in the morning.
Instead, Jeonghan stood outside the entrance of his school and nervously gripped the straps of his backpack, his uniform sweater vest feeling as if it's the reason why he feels beads of sweat gather on the back of his neck and travel down his spine.
Either that, or the sun is particularly very bright today, amping up the specialty of Valentines Day. As if the sight of his classmates passing out colorful cards and achingly sweet candies is not enough.
“Hannie hyung!” Upon hearing his name, Jeonghan slaps on a grin as Soonyoung is running towards him with another classmate following behind, stumbling a few times with arms full of cards, “Did you give him your card? What did he say? Hm?”
Jeonghan bites the inside of his cheek, staring at his feet and shakes his head in response.
He can't just go and exchange the special Valentine's card he spent more than an hour on for Hong Jisoo. It's not as easy as people make it out to be, too.
It’s more difficult because Jeonghan is a boy.
And boys don't spend eating five packs of gummy candies and more than an hour making a hand-made card for another boy, who he finds worth all the hard work, stomach ache, and glitter mess, for.
Not to mention it's why his mom confiscated his video games after walking in on the shiny disaster, earning him an earful that night. Also from his little sister, mentioning that she will never allow for him to touch her crayons ever again.
And besides, gifting cards really must be a girls kind of thing, he supposes, eyeing all of the skirt wearing girls gifting cards to some boys before class had even started.
Don't get him wrong. Jeonghan is all about stepping outside of the box and taking on a new challenge, and it's not that he’s embarrassed, either. It’s just... he’s kind of shy to do it, not witnessing another boy do such an action before. What step should he take? What is the approach?
As shy as Jeonghan is to admit, Jisoo causes him to question a lot of things.
One thing he is sure of, is that Jisoo is very interesting, cute, and very difficult to look away from.
“I didn't give it to him.” Jeonghan responds to Soonyoung, glancing up to properly answer his best friend and greet the person beside him, Jeon Wonwoo, who stares back at him with a glint in his eyes. Jeonghan wondered if Soonyoung really opened his big mouth and ranted to his group of friends about his plans, with the possibility of the news reaching Jisoo. His biggest fear.
Wait! Does he know!? Did he-
“Give who a card?” Wonwoo cuts in and Jeonghan immediately calms down, saving the butt-kicking for Hoshi for another event, “Hyung made someone a card?”
“No, it's nothing...” He starts to reply, toeing the ground, the card starting to feel like a ton of bricks in his backpack, “It’s no one, a friend, is all..”
Normally, students would pass out cards during a certain time their teacher would announce to be appropriate, putting their daily doing on pause, and all of them scrambling out of their chairs to drop off the charms in the individually crafted boxes on their designated desks.
With that in mind, Jeonghan predicts an even better time for him to do it, uninterested in having his card exposed infront of all his classmates to see.
“I’ll give it to the person after lunch.”
* * *
Jeonghan didn’t give it to Jisoo after lunch.
The only thing on his mind as he stood next to the swirly slide, where Soonyoung is sitting, was how Jisoo’s desk happened to be the one mountained with the most cards and gifts, even a few of them lingering in his hand as they were personally brought to him by their female classmates, who appear to be much more bolder than Jeonghan was as he hugged his backpack against his chest, watching the many scenes unfold.
He, too, was given a couple of cards. But sourly watching Song Daeun become a giggly mess with pink cheeks in the presence of Jisoo occupied his attention more.
Now, as they had finished lunch and were excused to start recess, Jeonghan debates whether he should just have Hoshi deliver the card for him, hands already shaking at the thought of having to look Jisoo in the eyes and watch the foul expression he might make upon inspecting it.
Maybe Jeonghan should wait till next Valentines Day, when they will be in 6th grade. He’ll probably be much bolder by then.
“You're a coward,” Soonyoung grumbled below, still seated on the slide as they both watched the soccer game happening on the field. Jeonghan would have joined Seungcheol’s team if he could, but Jisoo joined in before Jeonghan said a word and quickly scurried off in search for his best friend, who had taken a break from playing tag.
“You're a sissy,” Jeonghan scoffs back, arms crossed and with a look of admiration at how easily Jisoo was able to steal the ball from Xu Minghao’s possession, running away quickly with Lee Seokmin and Chwe Hansol right behind him.
Soonyoung gloats, to which Jeonghan lifts his chin away from with a hefty load of self-pride for rambling up the other so easily, a specialty of his, “And you're a bitc- OW!” And down the baby tiger fell, knocked over by the person coming down the slide, Jeonghan laughing as his best friend sprawled into a fetal position on the playgrounds floor of soft wood chips, “THAT HURT!”
The culprit, and Jeonghan’s hero, Boo Seungkwan, rolls his eyes as he sits criss crossed and makes no move to return the seat to Soonyoung, and has not a single ounce of guilt written on that cute face. Jeonghan admired him in silence.
“You're not allowed to say bad bad words when you're in the kiddy playground, hyung.”
“Oh, yeah? What are you gonna do, Boo? Snitch?” Jeonghan is the second to roll his eyes, sensing a fight Soonyoung is commencing once again. As for Seungkwan, he's too smart to understand how there's no point in feeding into the tiger's ambition any more, so he purses his lips.
“So,” Seungkwan drags, directing his attention to him, ignoring Soonyoung, “from what I heard earlier and sitting near you two at lunch, Hannie hyung, give Shua hyung the card. It’ll be even worse if you give it to him a different day, too!”
At this, Jeonghan only sighs and focuses on the soccer game again, trying to calm his breathing as he takes in his friend's words.
Seungkwan’s right.
If he gives Jisoo the card at another point in time, what exactly is he supposed to say? What kind of excuse could he whip up to explain the numerous amounts of doodled hearts and sweet messages and glitter? And on a random weekday, too??
Jeonghan is so tangled up in his thoughts he doesn't even realize Seungkwan knew about the card for Jisoo, and is grateful that the younger one doesn't question him any more about it.
Jeonghan is so tangled up in his thoughts that he missed Jisoo waving at him, unable to wave in return as the boy went back to chasing after the ball.
“I’ll give it to Jisoo after school.”
* * *
Jeonghan didn’t give it to Jisoo after school.
Not yet , actually.
There were a few minutes remaining till the bell will ring, not only announcing the end of the school day, but the end of Jeonghan’s young life as the nerves continued to eat him alive the more he sat in his seat and stares at the big hand from the clock on the wall slowly move around and around and arou–
“You've been quiet all day,” Inputs a recognizable voice, coming from the person sitting on Jeonghan’s right— Seungcheol, “you ok?”
Jeonghan wiggles in his seat uncomfortably to pay his attention to his seatmate, swallowing a lump in his throat before choosing what words he will project to the curious other.
“Why wouldn't I be?” He responds, trying to maintain a sharp, confident smile, “Are you alright?”
“You're changing the whole conversation to be about me.”
“Maybe you're the one changing the whole conversation to be about you.”
“Am not.”
“Are, too!”
“Am not!
“Are, too!”
“Am no–”
Ding! Dong! Dang!
Jeonghan’s soul jumps out of his body at the familiar sound of their school’s bell going off, exciting all the kids, who scatter out the classroom door with newfound energy, arms and bags full of holiday goodies, ignoring the happy calls of their teacher about being careful and to have a good day.
“Are you coming or what, hyung?!” Jeonghan’s eyes open another size wider as he captures the sigh of his best friend squeezing through the doorway, backpack dangling loosely, daring to slip off due to his eagerness written in his body language.
Right as Hoshi shoved in, Joshua and Seungcheol had joined together and walked out, leaving Jeonghan calculating how deep in thought he was to miss any movement or sound going down all around him.
Now or never.
Removing the object in question out of his bag, swinging it over his shoulder, Jeonghan slaps on a look of determination and firmly, sharply walks to his best friend's direction.
“Have a good day, kiddos!”
Soonyoung eyes weirdly at his hyung as he glides right past him, eyebrow raised in suspicion before happily waving at the 5thth grade teacher and runs to catch up with the older boy down the hall. Shoulders high and pace fast, Soonyoung swallows nervously, wondering as to where the sudden confidence in Jeonghan had erupted from, and what the outcome will be.
They’ll both find out in a few, once Jeonghan is able to locate where in the parking lot Jisoo is.
Easily enough, thanks to Seungcheol’s familiar loud laughs, Jeonghan spots the duo not too far off by the bus lanes, where they seem to be on their way to group up with the same students they were playing soccer with during recess. Jeonghan walks faster, crinkling the hard paper in his hand in the process.
“Jeonghan hyung, Hoshi hyung, hey!” One of the faces amongst the group greets first, a puppy-like smile belonging to no one else but Kim Mingyu, “Wanna join us? We’re on our way to the park to play more soccer!”
“Yeah! We could use two more players!” Dino grins with a toothy smile, cheeks bunching up as he holds up a soccer ball in one hand.
Jeonghan would have answered with acceptance to the invitation without a stutter if he wasn't in the position he is currently in, shakily inhaling under Hong Jisoo’s gaze, seeming interested in whether or not Jeonghan will be tagging along.
“I- Uhm, y-no! No, I, actually, Jis-Jisoo?” Jeonghan couldn't believe how nervous he felt, stomach bubbling up and knees growing weak, too distracted to see them all wondering as to why the sudden call of attention to the foreigner. If he focuses, he may be able to mentally count the amount of sweat beads that formed in the back of his neck.
Jisoo looks over a shoulder to the others, facing forward again and points at himself, head tilted, “Me?”
Jeonghan nods, a little too furiously, staring at the ground, card hidden behind his back, “I, um,” Wow, his first time initiating with the other and he's already at loss of words, as far as not making eye contact either.
Jeonghan is so flabbergasted he has not realized a crowd is beginning to form, wondering what was the holdup next to the main sidewalk.
As best as he could, behind Jeonghan, Hoshi comedically tries to wave off the curious students, yelling in silence for them to go away, that this is none of their business, that they have nothing to see here, so move it!
Sadly, they ignored him and inched closer.
“I, I made you somethi-thing,” Jeonghan starts, knees buckling together and shoulders meeting his cheeks, “I spent a.. a l-lot of ti-time, uhm, a lot of tim-time to mmak-”
“No way!” A voice yells, startling not only the group of friends— who were so entranced watching their once full-driven, confident hyung become a mess of nerves and stutters and pink cheeks— but the loud voice also captures the boy himself, “Is Yoon Jeonghan giving another boy a Valentines Day card?! What are you?! A girl?!!”
Jeonghan’s head snaps up, breath caught in his throat as he sees the nature around him, a million eyes it feels burning his skin in the most vulnerable state he's possibly ever been in.
No! No, no, no! What was he thinking?!
“Card making is for girls!!” Another kid yells, laughs increasing in volume through his muffled ears.
“Only girls give boys cards!”
“Jeonghan is a little girl!”
Everything is so fast and hectic in Jeonghan’s mind. He’s unable to detect where he was, only voicing in the teasing words thrown at him like hard rocks, voicing out the yells Hoshi, Seungkwan, and the others are growling in his defense.
Tears well up in his eyes, vision growing blurry, yet is able to see the way Jisoo is helplessly staring at him. His head is whipping side to side, just as caught up as he was. All he did was stand there and wait for what Jeonghan called him for, and now he, too, is part of the laughing stock.
“Jisoo! He’s a boy! He made you a card, haha!”
Kids are so cruel.
“Shut your dumb faces up!” Jihoon yells, stomping a foot, “Leave hyung alone!”
The tears fell down Jeonghan’s red face, unable to bear the embarrassment and guilt any longer.
All he wanted to do was to give a classmate, a boy, a Valentine's Day card.
Now here he is, crying because he’s being made fun of. And he can't pinpoint why his heart is hurting so much.
There are emotions he can't describe, doesn't know how to handle, or even identity, and everything is corrupting at the same time as a hiccuped cough released out of his tight throat.
This is all too much. What’s wrong with a boy delivering another boy a card? Why is he, a boy, even wanting to make him a card? Why not Hoshi? Or any of the others? Why Jisoo?
With a sniffle, Jeonghan shoves the large card he spent hours on messily against the boy's chest, crinkling it in the process, furious because his young brain isn't mature to handle this situation, and the weird feelings, and decides in that moment to run away from everything as fast as he could, ignoring the laughter as he travels further down the road.
“Hannie hyung!” He hears Hoshi yell, faintly, “Please! It’s ok! Wait for me!”
Jeonghan doesn't wait for him.
He runs faster, the wind messing up his hair and helping the non-stop tears travel faster down his soaked face.
* * *
Jisoo blinked mutely, watching everything in slow motion as the teachers ran out to investigate what the ruckus is all about, a sharp whistle silencing everyone like the snap of the fingers, laughter dying.
He is still frozen as Seokmin and Jun go to report everything to the nearest staff, mentioning the words bullying, some student names, and composing a story so there wouldn't be a need for either Jeonghan or Jisoo to come into the principal's office.
“Hurry! Go, go, go!” Jun seethes through teeth, returning with Seokmin, “Before they ask us to stay behind!” And quickly, Joshua is tugged with the others and they escape in time as buses have arrived, ready to whisk away some of those punch-in-the-face worthy kids.
By the time Jisoo gains a sense of reality in the middle of their walk, everyone is silent.
Some throw worried glances his way, wondering what must be happening in that head of his. Another minute passes, and Jisoo also gains a sense of feeling at something his thumb and pointer are tightly clasping like his life depended on it.
The group of friends allow the foreigner to fall a few steps behind, providing space for him to collect himself.
Jisoo scans the corner ripped– and very sparkly– big Valentine’s day card infront of him, taking every scribble and design on the front cover. There were pink and red hearts surrounding the biggest heart in the middle, topped off with his full name written in thick glitter right over the red heavy wax.
It looked like Cupid threw up all over it. The evidence staining his fingers.
If Jisoo thought the cover was a handful, then he really wasn't prepared for when he opened it up, greeted with loads of a variety of things.
A baby cupid, deers, strawberries, bunnies, angels, an American flag, South Korea flag, and even more colorful hearts. A heart overload.
♡♡♡ HAPPY VALENTINES DAY HONG JISOO ♡♡♡
I HOPE THIS IS THE BEST CARD YOU'VE EVER GOTTEN
WELCOME TO SOUTH KOREA !! ♡♡
FROM: ANGEL HANNIE !! ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶
And underneath the words, drawn in black crayon, were two small stick figures with a heart drawn around them. One with a halo and wings, the other bunny ears.
Between them, their hands were linked together.
“Oh, Jeonghan..” Jisoo admires, thumb trying to smooth out the wrinkles, capturing glitter in the crevices in the skin. He feels his heart swell up, a smile ghosting his lips.
This really is the best card he’s ever gotten.
* * *
“A-A-And they laughed at me! They called me-me mean names, momma!” Jeonghan sniffled in the arms of his mother, little shoulders slightly jumping with every inhale of air.
He melts into the familiar touch, falling calmer the more her fingers raked through his hair and rubbed his back. He burrows deeper in her chest, craving more assurance and protection.
“It’s okay, baby.” His mom shushes, “You were trying to be nice. Such a sweet, nice boy you are. I bet they were jealous because you didn’t make them a card, hm?.”
Within half an hour more of head kisses, soft words, and a promise of baked cookies, Jeonghan is left slumping in the vacant space where his mom previously seated in on the couch.
The sound of the kitchen aid whirring dry ingredients and assuring coo’s in the background helped distract him for the time being, though Jeonghan’s bottom lip remained jutted out in a furious pout, rubbing his eyes with a fist. There was no need for a mirror to detect a series of redness not just around his eyes, but also on the tip of his button nose.
Jisoo probably thinks I’m weird now. A freak. He could not resist the thought, energy drained out.
“Oppa!” Jeonghan flickers his vision, his younger sister appearing around the corner. It seemed she wasn't in any sort of mood to make fun of her big brothers crying, a simple pointed look from their mother and the sad sound of Jeonghan’s sniffles were enough to tame her.
“Hm?” He replies, blinking tiredly. He hopes his mother allows him to stay home tomorrow. Or for the rest of the year. Maybe he can be home schooled, if he’s lucky.
“I was playing outside and a boy showed up saying he’s here to see you,” She informs, high pigtails waving with the movement of her head as she spoke, “he’s waiting outside.”
Jeonghan snuggles his head deeper in the cushions, shaking his head, “Tell Hoshi I don't wanna play today.”
“It’s not Soonyoung oppa.” And that alone was enough to drag Jeonghan off of the couch with deeply furrowed eyebrows, hands tangling together like the bundle of nerves growing tighter in his belly as he followed his sister.
Usually, around this time, Soonoyoung would appear at his door and propose either a game of basketball, video games, whatever it is where the two can spend the rest of the day without any worries or care for their vacant homework assignments in their backpacks. Until they are scolded to do it, of course.
Jisoo stood at his doorstep, instead.
Chills ran up Jeonghan’s arms at the sight of the boy through the wide open door, his sister walking past him, possibly thinking he’s just one other of his brother's friends wanting to hang out.
But really, Jisoo is more of a boy who caused Jeonghan to experience, do, and feel so many new things that he couldn't handle, crying infront of half of the school and running away like a baby because of it..
“Hey..” Jisoo waved, Jeonghan unable to comprehend what was even happening, wondering if this was his mothers own doing. The woman can do so many things, especially when the situation comes down to either of her babies.
On instinct, Jeonghan swipes his arm across his face, hoping there were no tracks left for Jisoo to confirm how much of a crybaby he really is. The redness gave it away though, Jisoo frowning slightly at the sight of him.
“H-Hi,” Jeonghan sniffles, tangling his fingers again. How much time is left until the cookies are done baking, until his mothers comes and tells him to come back inside and eat them before they turn cold.
Jisoo felt sympathy bloom in his chest at the sight in the doorway, the smaller boy going at all lengths to avoid any eye contact with him. His shoulders also remained high alert, possibly waiting for a moment to run inside and slam the door shut.
“Can I help y-you?” His classmate continues, toeing the ground and staring at his undone laces.
Jisoo focuses on the task again and clears his throat, seeing no need for eye contact in order to communicate. He can guess how troubled Jeonghan must be feeling.
“I wanted to..” Jisoo draws, trying to find the right words. All that preparation he had done before coming here seemed to fly out the window, “... I wanted to see how you are.”
Yeah, that works.
“Oh, I’m fine.” Jeonghan easily lies, using the response nearly every person tells even when they're not doing good, to avoid any further conversation on the matter.
“And to tell you thank you– for the card. No one had ever made me one like that before, and, so, it seemed you spent a lot of time making it.”
“And a lot of stickers and glitter.”
The response draws a laugh out of Jisoo, glad the older felt better enough to crack a joke, but not enough to meet his eyes, “Right. Oh, yeah, I brought this for… you. I, uhm, I hope you like it..”
Finally, Jeonghan lifts his head and zeroes in what's in the fist Jisoo holds up.
Flowers.
Hand-picked daisies, to be exact. A half blown dandelion in the batch, and fresh dirt sprinkling off at the end of its roots.
Looking past the flowers, Jeonghan is surprised to see a shy Jisoo staring back at him.
Cheeks pink, lips pulled in a thin line, and determination written in his eyebrows. Jeonghan has to swallow down his giggles in order to continue staying as composed as he is right now.
“I picked them up at the nearby park. I wanted to get prettier ones, but my mom says the pretty ones are not in season right now..”
Jeonghan steps forward to take the daisies out of Jisoo’s hand, no need to lean and take a sniff as a waft of beeswax immediately hits his nose. He wrinkles it, unaware how warm his own cheeks are turning to match Jisoo’s.
“Thank yo–”
“And I think you're prettier than all the flowers!!”
What?
Now Jeonghan feels warmth enveloping his whole body. He needed a few seconds to register what Jisoo actually said, his gaze flickering between the flowers and at Jisoo’s embarrassed, shy gaze.
Jisoo thinks he’s pretty?
Jisoo thinks he’s more pretty than the colorful things earth blooms from the ground up? More pretty than the bunch his mother spends time growing in the garden?
Jeonghan peers at Jisoo through his eyelashes, chin unwilling to lift up with the courage he lost all over again. It appears Jisoo lost some too, hands burrowing harder in the middle pocket of his oversized GAP hoodie.
“I hope you're okay with me saying that. Mom says I should be careful with what I say because everything here isn't the same as they are in the States. I don’t know what she means by that, telling me I'm too young to understand right now.” Jisoo quickly injects, turning his face away, staring at a nearby bush as it wiggles due to the wind.
Jeonghan, too, was unsure of what the foreigner was referring to, seeing nothing wrong with what he was told. If anything, his young-self thinks it's good, because his heart hasn't stopped fluttering and his lips won't stop threatening to smile big. Smiles are good.
“Thank you, Jisoo.” Jeonghan whispers.
They stand there for a minute in pure silence.
Jeonghan hears a sharp ding go off, but it was not powerful enough to make him step back inside as he planned onto earlier, when he was full of nerves. He didn't want to separate from Jisoo, who liked his card a lot, who gave him flowers, who called him pretty, who, too, saw no wrong in what he did.
“Do you.. wanna play soccer with us at the park? They're still waiting for me.. Hoshi, too” Jisoo explains, a thumb thrown over his shoulder to pinpoint the direction of the neighborhood park.
But it appears Jeonghan’s mother had other plans.
“Hannie honey, the cookies are done! Hurry before they turn cold!”
Jeonghan nervously grins, turning in on himself more as Jisoo laughs at the announcement. Now that he noticed it, due to the open door, the air smelled of freshly baked cookies.
“Did you want to..” Jeonghan starts, shoulders high again, “come in and have some?” He isn't sure if he can handle staying calm for longer with Jisoo. He could have not invited the foreigner, but his mother said to always offer goods to others before yourself. She raised him and his sister right.
Jisoo ponders for a moment, wondering if he should accept and snag a cookie or two.
Just as he was going to take up the offer, he recalls his friends, who are still waiting for him at the park. He also spent too much time looking for Jeonghan’s house as it is, Hoshi’s drawing in the sand pit of their neighborhood not serving him any justice.
“I’m fine, but thank you.. I guess I'll see you at school?” Jisoo informs.
Jeonghan nods, “Tomorrow.”
“Okay. If anyone teases you, for, you know… me and Hoshi and everyone else will beat them up.”
Jeonghan giggles, “Okay.”
“Okay.” Jisoo repeats, “Bye, Jeongh-”
Jeonghan jumps forward, lifting himself at the tips of his tippy toes to plant a kiss on the tallers soft, warm cheek.
“Bye, Jisoo.” And he shuts the door, shrieking for a few seconds before calming himself, beginning his journey to the kitchen to enjoy warm cookies.
“Momma! Look! The boy gave me flowers!”
As Jeonghan ate cookies with his sister and mother, Jisoo still standing outside with a blushed face and awestruck expression, the two boys weren't aware this was the start of not just a beautiful friendship, but also, in the future, a beautiful relationship.