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Jisung remembers meeting him, from a fever dream far away. Some would call it fate, but to Jisung, it was pure coincidence, a chance encounter that changed his life forever.
That black haired boy sung in the same musical as him, and he remembers the smile he adorned, his laughter high like bells, jiggling into his ears like an unforgettable melody.
“Hi! My name is Chenle, what's yours?” Despite the language barrier, the boy looked directly at him with full confidence, something that was only possible for someone that had something special in them, and Jisung believed it. He could not look away.
“I’m Jisung!” They laughed, doing their best to make small talk with each other and enjoying each other's company.
Jisung would forget this encounter, but it will stay hidden and tucked away in a corner of his heart, recalling a bell-like tune that can’t be ignored.
—
Jisung meets the same black haired boy again several years later, realizing he's the same boy that he talked to years ago at the children's musical they were both a part of. He finds out Chenle has a bit of a struggle communicating with him but that didn't stop Jisung from being fascinated by the boy, desiring to learn all about him.
They quickly hit it off, with their personalities being different from each other but complimenting the other. Chenle was loud and bold, Jisung was shy but patient. It's as if they were meant to be friends, their conversations flowing easily, becoming each other's special person. Jisung admired Chenle for being so adaptable, being able to interact with anyone that approached him and always so comfortable in his own skin. A proud person who holds a smile that radiates golden hues of sunshine, just like Chenle. And Jisung found himself comfortably staying by his side, never once questioning their faith in each other, fitting so easily into a space that only he can fill in Chenle’s colorful life, as his best friend.
They never say they are best friends, but some things don’t need to be said to be known.
—
“Again? How many times are you going to mess this up, Jisung?” Chenle snaps at him, exasperated and not holding back. Chenle is outright glaring at him, his black eyes widening in disbelief before narrowing into slits.
Jisung has to stifle a smile, knowing fully well that Chenle is absolutely done with him but sometimes he cannot help being a problem, in the end it's all lip service, all for show. This is how they show their affection: being an absolute menace to each other.
“What do you mean? I’m pretty sure this is the right way to cook, trust me” he innocently says, and Chenle makes some kind of groan that shows his personal suffering at his friend. Jisung is trying his hardest not to laugh, he mentally pats himself in the back for doing a great job holding his poker face.
“No no, let me handle this. I don’t trust you with the kitchen,” Chenle snaps back, curt like a cat, ready to hiss. Now Jisung can’t help laughing anymore, Chenle forcefully grabs the pot away from Jisung and changes the stove temperature to low heat, before going to chop up the vegetables for their homemade kimchi soup. Chenle then coolly looks back at him, judgmental eyes that look almost condescending at Jisung, “Hey, you should just go wash the dishes. I’ll handle the rest”
Chenle is always like this, looking at him like he's a problem, like he's annoying and he can't stand him, but no one sees how the faintest hint of a smile shows up when he turns his face away, muttering “As expected, Jisung is hopeless without me,”
Jisung is used to these remarks from Chenle, that's just how they are. Formed from years of friendship, close companionship and the security that no matter what they pull at each other, they’ll always come back to each other and have each other’s back.
Jisung can’t help adding cheekily, “And you’re hopeless without me because you’ll lose your personal dishwasher to help you,”
Chenle gives an unimpressed deadpan look that screams “Try me,” and Jisung snickers before going back to doing what he’s told, helping Chenle wash the dishes while continuing to banter with him, simply keeping him company.
—
“You look pretty good,” Jisung says out of nowhere one day, when Chenle comes out with bright green hair, the color so striking to his usual black hair but so fitting for someone free spirited like Chenle. Chenle is like the sky, untamed and free, and Jisung truly believes that no one can chain down his innate born confidence. He’s a natural, something that Jisung is secretly envious about.
Chenle looks at Jisung like he’s grown two heads, before replying without hesitation, “That's the first time I heard you compliment me in all the years we’ve been around each other since debut, I’m actually getting goosebumps,”
Jisung rebuttals “Hey hey, that's a blatant lie. That’s not true,”
Chenle rebuttals back, “Think about it carefully, when you told me those words before, did you actually mean it? I know you didn’t,”
As usual Chenle is being a smartass, always needing to get the last word out of their bickering. Jisung thinks it's a bit annoying to deal with until he notices the way Chenle ears turn pink, so easily missed if you weren't paying attention closely.
But this is Jisung, and Jisung knows Chenle like the back of his hand, even with his eyes closed. He doesn’t need to see to know.
Contrary to expectation, Chenle doesn’t handle compliments very well, and neither does Jisung. This is why the way they banter is so freeing, free from excess formalities and only made possible from their deep rooted closeness with each other.
“But I mean it now, isn’t that what matters?” Jisung tries, unconsciously leaning towards Chenle's proximity and looking directly into his eyes challengingly, conveying his sincerity in those few short seconds.
Chenle is the one that expectedly looks away first as he scoffs, playfully considering Jisung’s words like he’s the one in charge, “Ok, fine, I’ll consider your compliment. Just this once,”
Jisung smirks and knows he’s won, from the way Chenle has his cheeks turning the faintest tint of pink, a color that looks almost endearing on him.
—
“Me or Sungchan? Choose carefully Jisung,”
Chenle looks so smug and relaxed, like he knows the answer already, he thinks it's only obvious that Jisung will choose him, because who else will Jisung choose? Sungchan? There’s no way.
And it's because Chenle looks so comfortable, so confident about Jisung choosing him that Jisung decides to choose the opposite, because he can. A twisted part of him can’t wait to see how Chenle will react, already holding in his mischievous smile from imagining it.
As expected, Chenle’s reaction doesn’t disappoint, his smile instantly turns down into a frown, his eyebrows furrowing for a split second before going back up, as if he couldn’t believe the utter betrayal Jisung just committed, choosing Sungchan over him. Are you kidding me? is what his face is saying, and Jisung can’t hold back his laughter when Chenle instantly walks out of the camera view, affected by Jisung’s choice that he cannot help but spite him at every turn he gets, as if a flip switched within Chenle.
“Ok Jisung, if this is how you want to play, then fine. You will regret this,” he threateningly tells him in a much darker tone, his entire demeanor changing, as if Jisung has actually struck a chord. A part of Jisung is feeling a bit guilty for lying, but he can't help it, not when Chenle gives reactions like this, that shows him exactly how much he cares. He even welcomes this new side of Chenle, he’s admittedly a bit too amused by it, even craving more of Chenle’s newfound possessive nature. When he shows sides like this, Jisung can’t stop teasing, he can’t get enough of Chenle behaving jealous.
Chenle is never jealous, no matter whom Jisung interacts, Chenle has always been the chic one, the calm and composed one, the one even telling him “I stick around with you too much, you should really make some new friends, Jisung,” so seeing Chenle finally lose his cool shows how much Chenle actually values their bond - that no one can get in between them, no matter how many different people they meet, they are each other's person.
It's a known fact.
—
Chenle does this thing where every time he roasts Jisung, he would compliment him in the same sentence. It always has Jisung thrown into a loop. As long as Jisung has known him, Chenle has always been filled with contradictions.
Chic but energetic, cheerful but snarky, competitive but humble, youthful but mature. All these entities make up Chenle, the person he’s proud to call his best friend.
Chenle bluntly tells Jisung that he can’t cook, but then tells him right after that he believes he can become a better cook later on, that he supports him. Chenle being the first one to diss Jisung in a variety show, but also being the first one to compliment his skills in dancing. Jisung was insecure about his singing and it was Chenle who always encouraged him, always bringing to light how much of a treasure his voice really is.
Jisung had to admit to himself that if it weren't for Chenle and his Dream members staying by his side, he wouldn’t be where he is today. Growing up together, shedding tears and experiencing each other's hardships, overcoming hurdles together, dreaming and aiming high, and sharing that happiness. Throughout all that time Jisung has always had Chenle, and Chenle always had Jisung.
They just get each other. Jisung sees him as the same black hair boy with a feline smile like it was yesterday, and Chenle sees that timid boy wishing to become someone amazing when their eyes meet.
No words need to be said. Jisung gets Chenle in a way that's almost on autopilot, from years of knowing the other, Chenle knows Jisung's mannerisms like it's his own skin. Their paths intertwined, always meeting together.
Chenle shines like the singular brightest star in the vast sea of blue, and Jisung is the one person that grounds him.
His best friend is his, the one he can call his own.
—
“Chenle, have you ever felt like you wanted to kiss someone?”
Chenle looks back at Jisung, raising one of his eyebrows in question. “What brought this on all of a sudden?”
“Don’t know. Maybe I’m just wondering about it now, because everyone around me has been getting together and talking about it.” Jisung looks at the sky contemplatively, reaching his hand out, as if reaching for the sky.
If Chenle was the sky, Jisung was the earth. Sometimes Jisung wondered what it would be like, to have the courage to reach out to what he desires. Like the earth yearning to one day reach and kiss the sky, what kind of color would that make? Jisung can’t help but be curious, heart beating and gathering all the courage he can muster to ask,
“Chenle, if I asked you to kiss me, would you do it?”
It's taking all of Jisung’s being to not take back his words and cower in fear, afraid what Chenle’s response would be but knowing full well that he shouldn’t worry because Chenle would never treat him differently no matter if he has feelings for him or not. Their friendship runs deeper than that, romantic feelings wouldn’t get in the way of something they have had and developed for years, they are irreplaceable to each other no matter what.
Chenle has returned to his black hair, exactly like the day he looks from the first time they met. In the sunset rays Chenle looks ethereal, the wind blowing his hair gently as if kissing his locks, and Chenle gazes at him searching for something before he smiles, giving him one of those soft smiles that makes him look utterly and devastatingly beautiful.
Chenle looks at Jisung with a kind of fondness that only Jisung understands, something that Chenle suppresses inside him but Jisung knows it was there, he believed in it. He believed in those fleeting moments where Chenle stares a few seconds longer than usual when he thinks Jisung isn’t looking, he believed when Chenle said in the most fiercely protective voice to everyone that “Jisung is mine, keep your hands off him,” while Jisung was getting bullied at school, and he believed when Chenle told him directly, “If anyone can do it, its you, Jisung. I know you can do it,“
And Jisung feels like it's already set in stone, from the very moment he met him ages ago in that memorable musical, the undeniable truth: He loves Zhong Chenle.
“Kiss you? Why do you think I would do that?”
“I want to kiss you,” Jisung wills himself to spill the words he's been holding in, willing his entire body to cross and close the distance with Chenle. For his best friend, he’ll do it, he’ll meet him halfway. Even if this change scares him, he’s also excited at the prospect of Chenle liking him back.
The moment Chenle was within reach, Chenle surprised him by pressing his lips to Jisung’s mouth first, effectively cutting off all trains of thought from Jisung and forgetting how to breathe. In those few short seconds, Jisung registers that Chenle's lips were soft, fitting perfectly to his own.
The kiss was brief, just as quick as it came, and Chenle reveals a face he has never openly shown to him before, he blushes a beautiful red like the sunset sky, showing how awkward he feels, just like he himself currently feels.
Jisung cannot help blushing from head to toe mirroring Chenle before he laughs again, unable to hold back. Of course Chenle would make him think he's not going to kiss him, and then initiate within a heartbeat after. They really are fools, thinking of the same thing.
“Chenle, what do you think about dating me?” Jisung asks him in a much more confident tone than before, almost borderline smug. Chenle just has that effect on him, uplifting him and making him feel like he’s on top of the world. He really is lucky.
He already knows Chenle’s answer before he hears it, “This is why I said you’re hopeless, it took you long enough to ask me out.”
And he thinks, Ah, this must be how it looks when the earth and sky finally meet, it makes the sunset. What a beautiful red.
It's the most wonderful thing he sees.