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"Arghh, darn it," Jay cursed as he lost the game. It's Saturday, and Jay's just chillin', gaming away in his usual spot. With his parents out, he's got the house to himself and passes the time gaming 'cause he's bored.
Suddenly, a loud crash startles him. "Bruukkk!" The sound of something falling echoed through the room. He jumps up and quickly peeks out his window, only to spot a new family moving in next door. Once satisfied with his curiosity, he returns to his game.
In the afternoon, he heard a knock on the door. At first, he ignored it 'cause he was too lazy to get up, but then he remembered his parents weren't home, so he dragged himself to open the door.
"Hi, I'm from next door. Here are some cookies for you and your family. Nice to meet you!"
Before Jay could reply, this guy was already darting off home. "Thanks!" Jay shouted after him, but Sunghoon had already turned away. "What's up with him?" Jay muttered, then headed back inside.
Their houses are next to each other, each with balconies just one meter apart. That night, Jay heard a song playing loudly from the neighbouring house.
Under the moonlight, clenching your jaw
And that's when I saw the fire in your eyes
Clothes on the floor, you stormed out the door
And that's when I knew that I can't live without you
It was sparks at first sight
But it was love at first fight
Jay glanced at the balcony and noticed the light still on in the adjacent room. Suddenly, the room's owner emerged, his wet hair suggesting he had just come from the bathroom.
Their eyes met.
Awkwardly, Jay waved his hand. "Oh, hi?"
The Sagittarius smiled awkwardly in return and turned off the music. "You're bothered, aren't you? I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. Usually, no one plays music, so I'm just curious," Jay replied.
Sunghoon just nodded in understanding.
Both of them were silent, only the sound of the wind whistling could be heard. "Um, I'm sorry I left suddenly earlier... You haven't even said a word," Sunghoon finally dared to break the silence, revealing his shy and quiet nature, making it difficult for him to meet new people.
"Oh, it's alright," Jay scratched his head. "You're new here, right?" Such a rhetorical question.
Sunghoon nodded. "Yes, my father just changed jobs, so I had to move too."
"I see," Jay replied simply. "By the way, we haven't properly introduced ourselves. What's your name?"
"Sunghoon, Park Sunghoon."
"Oh? Our family name is the same. I'm Jongseong, Park Jongseong. Usually, I go by Jay, but you're free to call me whatever you want."
"Ah, okay, Jay." Silence fell again. "Um... I should probably go to bed now. I have class tomorrow. See you tomorrow, I guess?" Sunghoon said with an awkward smile.
"Oh, okay. Good night, Sunghoon," Jay replied.
“Good night.”
With that, they closed their respective balconies and turned off the lights to sleep.
"Mom, I'm waiting for a taxi outside. Bye," said the Sagittarius to his mother. Sunghoon now has to take a taxi to college. Besides, with no one available to give him a ride, Sunghoon, being new here, doesn't yet know the way.
As he stood outside, waiting in vain for an online taxi, Jay emerged from his house, starting his motorbike. Spotting Sunghoon standing alone, he greeted, "Good morning, Sunghoon."
Sunghoon smiled and replied, “Hi, good morning.”
"Why are you standing here?” Jay asked, puzzled. “Where are you headed?”
"Oh, I need to get to college, but I haven't been able to catch a taxi yet," he admitted innocently. "I'd like to go alone, but I'm still unfamiliar with the area."
Jay gestured towards the passenger seat, saying, "Hop in. I've got two helmets, no worries." Sunghoon hesitated, feeling unsure and uncomfortable. “Eh? It's fine, I'll just wait for a taxi.”
Jay chuckled, “If you wait for a taxi, you'll never make it to college. "Taxis are scarce around here; you'll have to walk to the front of the housing complex first."
Sunghoon's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Oh... I didn't know that. Is it okay if I hitch a ride?”
Jay reached for the helmet on the seat of his motorbike, ready to hand it to Sunghoon. "If you don't want it, I'll leave." Jay chuckled.
Sunghoon hurriedly put on the helmet, struggling a bit as he wasn't used to riding motorbikes. Jay chuckled again, helping him adjust it properly. "You're still like a five-year-old, aren't you?" Sunghoon blushed again, quickly getting into the passenger seat.
“You study at HYB University too, right?” Jay asked. Sunghoon simply nodded in response. “Alright then, I'll speed up a bit. Hold onto me, okay?" Confused about where to hold, Sunghoon ended up gripping Jay's jacket, which Jay found adorable.
With that, the two of them headed to college together.
Arriving at college, Jay suggested, "Just come home with me later, or you might get lost and kidnapped."
Sunghoon pouted, feeling offended. "I'm not a little kid, you know."
“Okay, big bro, when you get home, wait for me here, alright?” Jay said jokingly.
"If this is how you act when you've just met someone, you're really annoying," Sunghoon quipped, rolling his eyes.
Jay giggled, "Haha, no, I'm like this because you're cute. Alright then, I'll head off first. See you later."
Sunghoon was silent for a moment as he processed Jay's words.
Since that day, they always went out together without really knowing whose idea it was. Each time they left, they coincidentally met. Whether Sunghoon was strolling in front of the complex and Jay arrived honking his motorbike, or Jay deliberately waited for him every morning. As a result, the initial awkwardness between them slowly faded. They frequently spent time together on their respective balconies, chatting casually each night or listening to songs together. Tonight, they shared the Saturday evening, with Jay strumming his guitar while Sunghoon watched.
"Do you know any LANY songs?" Sunghoon inquired curiously.
Jay replied, "I know LANY, but which song?"
"That's the one I played the first time we met on the balcony," Sunghoon confessed, feeling a tad embarrassed.
After a moment's thought, Jay tuned his guitar and sang it.
Under the moonlight, clenching your jaw
And that's when I saw the fire in your eyes
Clothes on the floor, you stormed out the door
And that's when I knew that I can't live without you
It was sparks at first sight
But it was love at first fight
Sunghoon applauded happily, "Wow, you're really talented! I've always wanted to learn guitar, but I don't know where to start, and I don't have a guitar."
"Why didn't you tell me? I can teach you, and you can use my guitar," Jay offered.
Excitedly, Sunghoon nodded, "Yes, please!"
"Can I come to your balcony? It'd be easier to teach there," Jay suggested.
"Sure, do you want to jump, or...?" Sunghoon trailed off.
Without hesitation, Jay leaped from his balcony to Sunghoon's, the short distance making it easy. Sunghoon chuckled, "You're like a ninja, aren't you?"
Jay laughed in response and fetched his guitar from the adjacent balcony. "Looks like I am."
Subsequently, Jay began teaching Sunghoon basic guitar chords, which Sunghoon quickly memorized. However, he struggled with one chord. "Ah, Jay, I can't quite get this one."
Gladly assisting, Jay took Sunghoon's hand to guide him. The close proximity between them filled the air with tension, and they found themselves locking eyes. Without either realizing who initiated it, their lips met, and they shared a kiss. For a moment, they savored the sensation before realizing what had happened. "I-I'm sorry," Jay stammered.
Sunghoon took a breath before replying, "M-me too." They sat in silence, feeling the weight of the moment. Jay broke the silence, "It's late, we should get some sleep. Goodnight, Sunghoon." With that, he retreated to his balcony, closing the door without waiting for a response.
"G-goodnight, Jay," Sunghoon murmured uncertainly before retreating to his room and closing the door.
It would be a lie if the two said they didn't enjoy their time together. It would be a lie if they both didn't feel the same way. It would be a lie if the two of them didn't enjoy that short kiss. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts, thinking about all the probabilities that would happen, whether it was good or not, neither of them knew.
After what happened that night, it had been three days since Sunghoon always left early to walk to the front of the house complex to look for a taxi, just to avoid Jay. Jay knew that, he, who was also lost in his own thoughts, also allowed Sunghoon to act like that.
At night, both of them always close the door. There were no songs that Sunghoon played on his speakers at night, or the sound of Jay's guitar. It was really quiet like the night Jay always spent before Sunghoon moved into the house next door.
The fifth day. Jay, who always leaves for campus at 8 to 30 minutes, is getting ready to ride his motorbike. After some time he saw Sunghoon leaving the house and quickly ran, he didn't leave early, more precisely he was late. With all that in mind, Jay approached the younger.
"Need a ride?"
Sunghoon knew that voice, he knew it very well. He accelerated his run even more without seeing there was a hole there. He fell. Jay, who saw this, immediately got off his motorbike and helped Sunghoon.
"You were called, why do you keep running?" Jay raised his voice a little, because he was annoyed that Sunghoon didn't listen to him and ended up hurting his knee.
Sunghoon was silent and pursed his lips, "Sorry."
Jay just remained silent and helped Sunghoon stand up then helped him onto the motorbike. Jay pulled Sunghoon's hand to hold on to his waist. Afraid that Jay would scold him again, the younger just obeyed and wrapped his arms around the older's waist. Jay drove on his motorbike, Sunghoon was not familiar with this road, he wanted to ask but he was afraid. After a few minutes it turned out Jay was taking him to the hospital.
"I-I'm okay Jay..." Sunghoon squeaked, a little scared.
Jay snorted, "Okay what? Don't you see your knees keep bleeding like that?"
In the end, both of them missed class and Sunghoon felt guilty about it. Before Sunghoon talked about it, Jay seemed to read his mind, "I don't have class today, I've left your absence with your friend."
Sunghoon went home with several stitches. Jay took him back to the house, because Sunghoon's room was on the second floor, Jay had to carry him on his back because there was only Sunghoon's mom there, it was impossible for his mom to carry him.
After arriving at his room, Jay sat Sunghoon on his bed. "Thanks Jay... I’m sorry I bothered you.”
"Say sorry again, I'll kiss you."
Hearing that, Sunghoon immediately fell silent. He was embarrassed but also scared because Jay's face looked very fierce. "Why did you have to run? look at the results, you're hurt, right?"
Sunghoon shrank and lowered his head, "Sorry. I-," Before Sunghoon could finish his sentence, Jay kissed his cheek. The Sagittarius froze in place and processed what happened.
"I never lie, you know that." Jay said refers to he will kiss him when he said sorry more.
Sunghoon pouted and sighed, “You're scary when you're angry, I'm scared."
The Taurus chuckled and stroked Sunghoon's hair, "Sorry, I was worried you know."
After a few minutes, both of them fell silent again. Suddenly both of them remembered what happened before they became strangers for five whole days. Sunghoon, who felt awkward about the silence, dared to speak, "Um, Jay..." He was a little hesitant to say it.
Jay, who always understands what Sunghoon wants to convey, immediately answered, "I do like you, Sunghoon."
Sunghoon widened his eyes in shock at Jay's confession, "Eh?"
"I'm sorry I haven't contacted you in the past five days, I'm just a little confused..." Jay admitted once again.
Sunghoon, who heard that, also felt guilty because he hadn't taken any initiative in the past five days, "No, it's okay, I'm also honestly afraid to contact or greet you. I thought you weren't happy with my presence."
"No, it’s not like that, sorry for making you think like that, I'm very happy with your presence, Sunghoon. It's just that I'm very stupid and confused about how to express my feelings to you. You never really know someone, ‘til you see the other side of them, right?"
Sunghoon then smiled and nodded. "Actually.. I also liked you from the first time I saw you, that's why I was shy at that time. Also Jay.. would you mind being my.. um.. I don't know.. boyfriend..?" With all his courage Sunghoon said that, after that he covered his face with a pillow because he felt embarrassed.
"Wow, so you're being bold like this?" Jay giggled.
Sunghoon felt even shyer and lightly hit Jay's shoulder. "Shut up, just answer whether you want it or not."
Jay saw that chuckled in amusement and replied, "Who's boyfriend is this, really cute." He pinched Sunghoon's cheek playfully.
Sunghoon pushed away Jay's hand which was on his cheek, "It hurts!!!"
Jay chuckled once again, "Is this okay to kiss you again?"
Sunghoon's face turned red because he was very embarrassed by Jay's very blunt words. However, of course he didn't refuse when Jay's hand wrapped around his cheek and led him into a kiss. Both of them enjoyed the kiss with smiles between the kisses.
“I love you, my boy next door.”
“I love you more.”
Both of them chuckled as they enjoyed their love for each other.