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if there’s one word to describe yang jungwon, it would be adorable.
riki thinks everything jungwon does is adorable. the way he lets him hold his hand, hug him, prank him, tease him… all adorable. but the thing that he adores the most about jungwon is the way that he cares for him.
maybe because jungwon is a student leader that it’s natural for him to be caring but riki always felt loved and safe when he’s with jungwon.
in his first few weeks in korea, he got to know more about the culture thanks to jungwon. he’s currently living with his jake hyung, a family friend. but jake had a roommate, which was jay hyung. and of course, who would forget about jake’s love interest, heeseung hyung.
the four of them quickly got a long. they treated him so nicely, but there’s still a gap between them. don’t get him wrong, he absolutely loves his hyungs. but… there’s an age gap. although not much, but he still wants someone of his age. he feels a bit left out as he’s still in high school while they are already in college.
that’s why he loves spending time with jungwon, he never felt left out. it was just like magic, instant connection, almost as if they were destined to be friends.
today was laundry day, riki was helping with heeseung and jay. he was getting the soap when heeseung tapped his shoulder and asked, “is this yours? jay said this isn’t his. jake doesn’t have a hoodie like this one.”
“it’s wonie’s… i must have forgot to give it back.”
“you and jungwon are so cute. nobody would believe that you two just met two months ago.” jay says while putting their clothes in the washing machine.
“you two are actual soulmates, i’m kind of envious.” heeseung says.
“huh? you and jake hyung are the most adorable couple i’ve met!”
“we are not yet a couple, riki.”
“yeah and excuse you! what about me and sunghoon?” jay sulks.
“you two are too expensive. you literally go on dates in hotels!” riki argues.
“and? we are still qualified to be adorable!” jay sulks further.
“jake hyung’s eyes glow differently when he’s with heeseung hyung.”
“just like you with jungwon.” jake chimes in.
“eh?”
“you seem happier ever since you met jungwon. he’s literally the sunshine of your life.”
“so when are you going to confess to riki?” sunoo casually asks, he was sleeping over today as it was a long weekend.
“what are you talking about?” jungwon asks, almost choking on his lunch.
“oh come on. everybody and their grandmothers know you two have eyes on each other.”
“we met a month ago.”
“correction, 2 months ago.”
“woah, it’s really been that long? it seems like i’ve known him for years.”
“you two have been hanging out everyday. the only reason you two aren’t with each other 24/7 is that you two go to different schools.”
“what do you think about riki? is he sunoo approved?”
“of course. i’ve never seen you that happy ever before. he’s also teaching you to relax more, to be more laid back. you might be a student leader, but you need to relax too, you know?”
sunoo’s words stuck to jungwon. there’s something with riki that makes it so carefree, so fun, and honestly… happy. being a student leader meant he always needed to be composed and calm, but at the same time not be careless. it required a lot of pressure and self-control. sometimes he wants to cut classes too, you know? after all, he’s still a student and a teenager.
riki helped him be more laid back, sometimes even not worrying about his homework. he always did his work extra early, even if it stressed him out. riki was always there to give him a back hug, or a back massage, or just be by his side.
“you’re daydreaming.” sunoo interrupts.
“what should i do?”
“ask him on a date.” sunoo answers straightforwardly.
“look, i love you, jungwon. i’ve never seen you this happy. you’re literally glowing. i’ve met riki a few times too, he’s literally your soulmate.”
“but..”
“your eyes never lie, jungwon. did you notice that you always find yourself smiling whenever you’re with him?”
“what if something goes wrong?”
“that’s just how life works. you can’t stop things from happening. the important thing is that you tried.”
“what if i’m going too fast?”
“personally, i don’t believe that you should have a correct pace in love. it’s different for everybody.”
“but what if—”
“but what if you’re wrong? sometimes in life, you need to take risks. you need to have fun too.”
jungwon was silent. he’s not used to just taking risks, he’s not carefree. he always needs to plan and analyze situations. he was never the one to go with the flow.
but for some reason, riki makes him more relaxed. a version of himself that he’s slowly liking.
“if this goes wrong, i’m never buying you mint chocolate ever again.” jungwon jokes.
“oh it’s on! i’m positive he likes you too!”
wonie, you want to hang out later?
jungwon received a text from riki. of course, he was quick to reply.
sunoo is sleeping over at ours, but i am. why?
i was thinking of inviting you to an arcade, i’ll show you my skills. i’ll get you a plushie from the claw machine!
alright, i’m in. bring it on, i’m winning you a plushie too.
it’s a competition then, game on.
game on. pick me up in thirty?
yes, see you wonie!
see you, riki :)
“sunoo…”
“yeah?” sunoo answers while laying down, he’s not doing anything, just scrolling thru tiktok.
“riki and i will hang out later…”
“go. don’t mind me, i’ll entertain myself with maeumi.”
“are you sure?”
“of course. go with your man! just bring me dinner.”
“you got it. dinner is on me.”
“wear something nice!”
jungwon looked at his closet, he doesn’t know what to wear. a hoodie? a shirt? he wanted to look good in front of riki.
“wear a sweater, and…. this bucket hat. you would look good in this. thank heavens i’m your cousin.” sunoo says.
“what would i do without you? thank you so much!”
and so jungwon followed sunoo’s advice. while getting ready, he was feeling quite… happy? it was like what they did in the movies when they were preparing to go on a date.
suddenly, the doorbell rings. riki was there. jungwon was feeling all kind of emotions, he was excited, nervous, happy, every possible good emotion.
“oh wonie! you look good!” riki greets.
“you look handsome…” jungwon says while staring at him, riki is wearing an all-black outfit, his tall figure highlighted.
“oh really? i wanted to look good for you hehe.”
“you did? you look good, really good!”
sunoo was standing in the kitchen, listening to their conversation. it was so obvious they both liked each other.
“are you ready to go?”
“yep. bye sunoo!”
“bye sunoo hyung!”
jungwon and riki walked to the mall as it was a bit close to his house too. jungwon unconsciously held riki’s hand, it was like second nature to him.
“hey, you should walk on this side of the road.” riki says and gently pushes jungwon to the inner side of the road.
jungwon wanted to scream, that was very attractive. that was very boyfriend material of riki to do.
“you know, this was a very spur-of-the-moment hang out. but i’ll make sure you’ll enjoy it.”
“nonsense. you don’t need to do anything. i’m always enjoying myself when i’m with you.”
“ah! you’re making me blush, stop it!”
jungwon giggled, everything riki did was cute.
they reached the mall and immediately went to the arcade, their main agenda.
“watch me win you a plushie.”
“bring it on!”
jungwon took out his phone and started recording riki trying to win him a plushie. if riki actually did get him, he should have a video to remember it.
to his surprise, riki actually did! no wonder he was really boosting his skills, he was able to do it on his first try. he won him a cat plushie!
“see, i told you! i used to play claw machines all the time in japan. i would win my sisters’ plushies all the time. he’s yours.”
jungwon was quick to hug the plushie, “thank you so much. this is our child now.”
“our child? what’s his name?”
“uhm… what about let’s mix our names together?”
“hmm… wonki?”
“wonki!”
“come on, i’ll show you my boxing skills too.”
and so the two enjoyed their time in the arcade. their hangout was filled with smiles, giggles, hugs, holding hands, you name it.
“let’s go to a photo booth?” jungwon offered.
“sure. i’m quite hungry. let’s eat afterward!”
“of course, you are. we literally did everything. come on, let’s go to the photo booth!”
they reached the photobooth as per jungwon’s request, they take decent photos, silly and goofy ones. but suddenly, riki kissed jungwon’s cheek for the last one.
“oh shit! i’m so sorry! i didn’t mean to! i don’t know-” riki was cut off by jungwon giving a cheek kiss too.
“don’t worry about it. i’m sure that picture will be my favorite. let’s eat? do you want japanese food?”
riki feels like he’s going to combust. jungwon always made sure that riki will feel at home when he’s with him.
“yes. let’s go, i know a place.”
jungwon just took a leap of faith. he has never done that before. all his life, he was always the one who calculated everything, he never just did this just because he wanted to, he always planned everything. him kissing riki on his cheek wasn’t planned at all.
“hey, something on your mind?” riki interrupted his thoughts. their meals together were usually quiet as riki was raised to not talk while eating.
“you. i’m thinking about you.” fuck it, jungwon thinks. for once in his life, he’s going to act like a teenager, a happy and carefree teenager.
“huh? do i have something on my face?”
“yeah. you’re so handsome.”
riki was flustered, “huh?”
“you’re handsome.”
“suddenly…?”
“riki… i… i like you.”
“yeah, i like you too. you’re fun.”
“silly. i like you more than as a friend.”
“oh.”
“oh?”
“i understand if it’s too sudden but… you know. you changed my life for the better, i’ve never been happier. you bring out this… side in me. you make me enjoy my youth.”
“well i’m glad that you feel that way because i feel the same.”
they both smiled at each other.
“...are we boyfriends now? is that how this works?”
“i think? i don’t know. let’s just enjoy.”
“gladly. i like you. you’re my favorite.”
“you’re my favorite too. don’t tell sunghoon hyung that i said that.”