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“How did you know that you’re in love with me?”
The question hangs in the air as Jisoo stares at Seungcheol who is currently fiddling with his hair as he lies on his boyfriend’s lap. Hearing the question, the older of the two stops and stares at the strawberry-haired boy, tilting his head as if asking why he was asking the question in the middle of watching a scary movie.
Jisoo clicks his tongue and sits upright. He furrows his eyebrows, reiterating the question as he stares down at his lover. “Cheol, when did you realize that you love me?”
Feeling a bit confused, Seungcheol blinks twice before answering, “Soo, where is this coming from?”
The younger smiles mischievously, eyes turning into crescents before pursing his lips and jumping into Seungcheol’s arms for a hug this time, the latter stumbling at the suddenness, tightening his hold on the deer-like boy to prevent himself from falling back. He tries to regain his balance by trying to use his elbows as support, but fails eventually and ends up lying on their sofa, his strawberry-haired lover settling down on his lap to straddle him.
“The movie’s a bit boring so.. Come on, babe. Humor me.” Jisoo grins and the only thought that comes to Seungcheol’s mind is ‘Pretty, pretty, pretty.’
His boyfriend is unreal. Can you blame him?
Grunting, he tries to lift up his lover by his waist to get him off of him. “Okay, but if we’re having this conversation again can we do it with us not in this position? I don’t think I can profess my undying love for you with you one move away from humping me.”
Jisoo huffs, rolling his eyes at his boyfriend jokingly. He throws the older one a nasty side-eye and a playful pout before leaning in for a quick kiss and getting off of Seungcheol’s lap to sit on the carpet, watching as the other gets up and settles comfortably on their sofa.
Humming, “That’s kinda a hard question, don’t you think, my baby?” Seungcheol asks while smiling teasingly, tucking in his lover’s stray hair behind his ears as the deer-like boy glares at his answer.
A small “Shut up” was muttered by the younger before Seungcheol’s hands move to caress Jisoo’s cheeks softly, the latter leaning into his touch, closing his eyes as he moves a bit nearer to prop his chin on his beloved’s knees.
As Jisoo opens his eyes, he smiles at the older who is staring at him fondly. “So how did you know?”
Seungcheol lets go of his face, leaning back into the couch as if to think deeply. He didn’t need to, really. The love of his life is Hong Jisoo, need he say more?
He sees a mop of soft strawberry hair getting up through his peripheral vision mid-thought. The beauty that is his boyfriend makes his way again to his lap, straddling him while lying on his chest.
Seungcheol can’t help but smile at the younger’s clinginess, his one hand holding him by the waist while the other is slowly drawing patterns at the other’s back.
He sees Jisoo looking up at him, smiling at him softly while waiting for his response.
“Would it be too cheesy if I say that it was when I felt different when you smiled at me?” Jisoo giggles while nodding, doing the thing with his nose where he scrunches it.
The older continues, “I mean, I always loved you as a friend, that’s for sure. Did I treat you differently? Yeah, but mostly I think I figured it out when I was sure that the peace I felt with you was different from the peace I felt with my— our friends. You’re you. I don’t know how to explain it but it’s just you, you know? Then suddenly, I can’t see myself growing old with anyone else but you. It’s suddenly you or nobody else in my mind. ”
Pausing, he turns to look at his lover who’s smiling at him. He adjusts his position for a bit to lift the younger a bit, cupping his face and leaning in to kiss his nose softly before kissing the sides of his lips and finally, his lips.
He lets go of his strawberry-haired boy’s lips to continue, “I love you. I may not have the exact answer, but I know that I know love because of you. I loved being your friend but I knew that I wouldn’t forgive myself if I didn’t take the risk with you. You’re what love looks like, Jisoo.”
His lover gives him a nose scrunch, lips visibly trembling from trying to keep his tears from falling.
He laughs for a bit before asking, “Why are you crying?”
Jisoo glares at him before playfully hitting his chest, mumbling a small “You’re making me cry!” before moving up to put his face on the junction of Seungcheol’s neck and shoulder, whispering a small “I love you.”
If you ask Hong Jisoo what love looks like, he’ll say the same, too: Love looks like Choi Seungcheol.