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It was the infamous Valentine’s Day and he was anxious. He didn’t know why he felt like this. Or well, he did, but he didn’t want to admit it aloud. There's various opinions about this date: there’s the ones that like it and the ones that don't like it. And even if he wanted to deny it to himself, it mattered ‘a little bit’ to Beomgyu.
He was nervous because he had this hope that this year someone would give him a gift. He had never received anything, not even in primary school. And even though it made him sad for a long time, he hoped that this very year would be different and that someone would finally break his curse once and for all.
He was walking towards his classroom, his hands holding tightly the straps of his backpack. There were a lot of people in the corridors, bunches of girls gossiping and giggling with their high-pitched voices, Beomgyu turned his head grimacing. There were also boys planning their perfect confession, with roses and teddy bears on their hands, Beomgyu sighed.
He bought a rose too, but it was something silly. When he first entered high school he had no friends nor acquaintances whom he could hang out with, his classmates avoided him almost all the time and he didn’t know why. It was at the start of his sophomore year when he met him, when he had his first crush. He never did something about it, he never reached out to him, never spoke to him, he just greeted kind of shyly with his head when he ran into him. But he had bought him a rose that was hidden in his backpack and he knew it was something silly.
He’s actually always been reserved, kind of quiet and even timid, he didn't socialize that well and maybe that’s why he didn't have friends. Even so he was holding into that tiny bit of hope that someone would give him something this Valentine’s Day.
Classes were not cancelled and all his periods were the same, as if it was a regular day, only that it wasn’t. It was torture to have to listen to the squeals of the girls of his class and to have to see the victory on some boys’ faces when they succeed in their goal.
There was this little activity, it consisted that before lunchtime everyone in the classroom had to gift a little sweet to another classmate. Maybe that’s why Beomgyu thought this year would be different, at least someone from his class had to give him something, right?
It wasn’t like that.
Beomgyu was on his desk, completely alone in the classroom. He was thoughtfully looking at his decorated little bag where his classmates were supposed to put their gift there. Because it was also a friendship day, right?
His gaze never leaving the small object before him, to be completely honest, he felt a bit dumb. He let out a humorless chuckle, and the feeling he always felt was installing in his chest again. It was excepted, he supposes. Beomgyu heard the classroom door opening with doubt. Lunchtime wasn’t over yet so he simply thought someone just forgot something and would leave soon again. When no one was walking in Beomgyu made himself smaller on his chair and looked down, he didn’t want anyone to see his glassed eyes.
Suddenly some slow steps started to walk behind him and he just wanted it all to end. Those steps got closer until they slowly stopped and he heard a deafening sound just before him. More specifically on the little bag that was on his desk.
It was a boy, he was wearing the uniform pants and a pair of worn out Converse with some doodles on the white sole. Beomgyu opened his eyes and quickly perked to see what was put in his bag. It was a pink envelope.
He was scared. He didn’t want to look up and see that it was a classmate making fun of him for not getting anything. With doubt he guided his hand to the colored paper, feeling nervous because he knew the person before him was watching directly at him. The little envelope had nothing more than a plain ‘Choi Beomgyu’ handwritten on it. He took it and there was another paper inside. Just after finishing reading what was written Beomgyu looked up. And he wanted to laugh because it just couldn’t be true.
Kang Taehyun had his ears red and his eyes were avoiding him.
‘Bee my Valentine? or whatever…
I like you, I guess.
Do I really have to write a heart?
♡̶♡
—Kang Taehyun
2019/02/14’
Beomgyu stood up and looked directly into the boy that was standing before him.
“Kang Taehyun…”
“Y-Yah, that’s all you’re gonna say?”
The brown-haired boy in front of him looked at him for a second and brushed his nose with the back of his hand, trying to look nonchalant.
“No- I… is this- is this a joke?” Beomgyu said a little dejected, looking at the floor now.
“A joke? What are you talking about?”
Beomgyu didn’t answer. He stood up and tried to exit the classroom, but he only got to walk a few steps because the other boy gripped the sleeve of his uniform jacket. It couldn’t be true. It just couldn’t.
Tears were starting to form in his eyes, startling the other boy. He felt stupid for wanting to cry in front of him. The next thing he knew was that a pair of soft hands cupped his face making him look up.
And Beomgyu started to mumble. “This isn’t funny, Kang Taehyun. You shouldn’t play with other people’s feelings like that because it’s cruel. It’s cruel and annoying that you make this kind of jokes that aren’t funny, you just hurt-”
Kang Taehyun’s pink and soft lips smashed against his, cutting him off on his babbling. With his eyes open due to the surprise he got to see the younger boy’s cheeks and ears, they were still red. He then let it be and allowed himself to melt in those arms that were holding him.
To contrast with the quiet and kind of cold appearance of the younger boy, the kiss was soft and sweet.
After a few seconds he let him go but didn’t make any space between them.
“I like you, Beomgyu sunbae. And it isn’t a joke.”
Beomgyu could see in his big round eyes that he wasn’t lying, and it somehow made him want to actually cry.
“Are you being really serious?”
“Yah Beomgyu sunbae, what do I have to do for you to believe me?” Beomgyu looked away again, but Taehyun didn’t let him do it for a long time because he placed a hand on his face and made him look back at him.
“I’m being really serious Choi Beomgyu. Is it so hard to believe that someone likes you? That I like you? Do you not feel the same-”
“No! I mean- Yes! Ugh so dumb. I’m a mess.”
“You’re not a mess. You’re just a bit silly if you don’t believe that what I’m saying is true.” Taehyun chucked and only then Beomgyu allowed himself to smile.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I never thought that I… that someone would like me that way. It felt like something impossible until…”
“Until…”
“Until… you kissed me.”
“So all I have to do for you to actually accept it is to kiss you again.”
“Maybe.”
“Well, that’s not a problem for me.”
Taehyun was getting closer again and Beomgyu closed his eyes expecting what was about to come. He just let himself be with all that was happening at that moment, with what Taehyung had said and for his own racing heart beating like a maniac too.
When they pulled apart they both were pink all over their faces.
“I like you too, Kang Taehyun.”
“Hey, quit that whole-name thing already. Just call me Taehyunie once and for all.”
“Taehyunie…”
“Yah but say it together all over again.” Beomgyu snorted embarrassed but he had no choice.
“I like you too, Taehyunie.”
“Help this feels so good.” Taehyun was smiling big, his little fangs showing.
At that moment the bell rung and they both jumped in surprise. “Shit, they all will get in here, I have to go now-”
“Taehyunie,” Beomgyu stopped him before he said anything else.” “What if we get out of here.”
“I like the way you think.”
They both smiled at each other. Beomgyu took his bag and pulled Taehyun by the arm to start running out of the school without being seen. They had a dummy smile on their faces, as if they were doing the greatest mischief of all times.
But it felt good because they were together.
They stopped running just after leaving the institution, catching their breath but with the silly smiles still on their faces. They were standing in front of each other, just looking at each other, red from the exercise and from something else too, but then Beomgyu remembered.
“Ah, Taehyun! I also have something for you," he began to rummage through his backpack, he just hoped that it hadn't ruined too much. When he found it he smiled a little more and turned his gaze from it to the younger boy, “Close your eyes.”
“That’s cheesy, Beomgyu hyung.”
“Shh, you don’t get to say that after giving me a note that said-”
“Fine, fine I’ll close them.”
Beomgyu smiled. “When I count to three you can open them. One. Two. Three.”
He opened his eyes and saw what was in his hands. Taehyun wasn’t saying anything and Beomgyu was starting to feel anxious.
“I know it’s a bit ruined, it's just that I had it in my backpack all day and I didn't have time to fix it but it still smells nice and it's for you, so…”
Beomgyu fell silent; Taehyun wasn’t saying anything yet, but he raised one of his hands and took the rose; His cheeks were so pink that he looked so cute. Even with that haircut, his earrings and his bad boy demeanor he looked so cute at that moment. Beomgyu smiled.
“Th-Thank you,” Taehyun cleared his throat before speaking. “If it was for me, were you planning to give it to me at some point?”
“Truth is, I bought it but I had no intention of giving it to you, I couldn’t. But now I’m glad I did.”
He smiled. He took a little courage and this time it was him who approached the younger boy, giving him a tender kiss.
They both giggled. Taehyun then took his hand. “Do you want to go for some ice cream?”
"I want to," they started walking towards one of the cheap ice cream shops that was further down the street. Their joined hands swung between them. Beomgyu smiled, he was happy.
“By the way Tyunie, it's not spelled ’Bee’, that means bee in English, it's just with one 'e'.”
Taehyun turned red again, embarrassed by his mistake. “Damn Hyuka, I told him to help me, now I look like a fool,” Taehyun continued cursing his best friend in his low voice.
“Don’t worry, Tyun. It’s cute”
Taehyun snorted at the qualifier, but he didn't say anything else, he just squeezed their hands gently.
After all, Beomgyu was right, and this Valentine's Day was completely different. A boy younger and shorter than him, with brown hair, a scruffy uniform, piercings in his ears, and striped Converse, was the one who broke his curse.
ੈ♡‧₊˚ੈ♡‧₊˚ੈ♡‧₊
The decoration of the school was ridiculously cheesy, he wished they put as much budget into the music workshop as they do to buy so much unnecessary ornament that would only last five days at most.
He didn't have time, he had to go now once and for all before lunchtime was over. He walked at a brisk pace, trying to dispel the nerves that were eating away at him. He had prepared all week to do it, but just when he opened the door to the classroom and found him alone, all the tranquility he had gathered had vanished.
He was sad, but happy at the same time. He thought the boy would be with someone else and there would be his chance going away. He hesitated as he entered the classroom, because he was right there in front of him, completely alone and he did have a chance.
Hueningkai had convinced him of everything. After seeing him drool over the elder boy whenever he looked at him in the cafeteria or on the patios, he couldn't stand it anymore and told him to take a risk on Valentine's Day.
At first he thought his friend was crazy, but then he reconsidered. He had nothing to lose, and he really liked the older boy a lot, so why not?
He took one last breath, gathering enough courage to take the first step into the room. He walked up to him and left his letter and his feelings in the boy's empty bag.
Although, he surely should have checked what he wrote first.