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Yushi thinks he’s gonna die from the heat.
He’s sitting under the shade of a tree on a bench with a lemonade on his hand, waiting for Riku to emerge from their old, but still standing, treehouse. He swats at a nearby fly lurking for the drink in his hand, grumbling as the sun shines down on him, sticky sweat clinging on to his shirt, making him look more rugged than he actually is. On days like this, Yushi doesn’t mind the heat. After all, it is summer and it is a time where people have fun and laze around.
He doesn’t mind the heat but when he sees Kim Daeyoung walking down the street, walkman in hand and a bag of market-bought fruits on the other, he’s fully aware of what he looks like right now. His shirt is sticking to his skin, his lips are chapped, there’s a scrape on his knee from when Sakuya pushed him too hard while playing a game of soccer. He looks away for a moment, hand on his chest as his heart does somersaults and pop pop’s at the mere sight of one Kim Daeyoung.
Kim Daeyoung looked good. A little bit too good.
Was it the sun shining down on him as he looked sideways before crossing the street? Or was it just the heat? Oh god, is the heat finally getting to him?
Scratch that.
The heat won’t be his death.
He thinks he’s gonna die from how fast his heart has been palpitating for the past minute. He’s hearing sirens in his head and suspiciously, a ringing sound that resembles a static-like frequency. He can already picture the headstone. “Here lies: Tokuno Yushi, who was deeply in love with Kim Daeyoung” ––wait, who said that? Yeah, no, it’s definitely the heat talking.
“Hey, Yushi-hyung!”
And he sounds like an absolute angel. Yushi feels like he’s gonna faint once he looks at Daeyoung but when he moves his head to respond, Daeyoung is… already gone . Already halfway down the block like he was someone on a mission. Which is… understandable. It’s hot outside and people are looking for shelter. God, he’s such a loser. And it looks like he wasn’t even bothered by Yushi’s lack of a response. God, why did he have to overthink it? It was just one “Hey!”! He didn’t have to feel like there were pop rocks in his stomach––
“That was pathetic,” Yushi yelps at the sudden interference with his thoughts, lemonade splashing all over the place as he startles. Riku snickers at him as he pulls Yushi up. “And I thought you told Daeyoung you liked him?” Riku asks as they start trekking towards the lake. Yushi scratches his head. How do you even start the process of confessing to someone? Or even start to think of what to say to them? There were countless times Yushi has tried to even think of confessing but there was always an obstacle (read: Riku and Sion’s presence), so he prefers to just keep to himself and not say anything at all. So, Yushi just shakes his head, but his response is received with a distasteful expression on Riku’s face.
“What?”
“One of these days… you’re gonna lose your chance. I heard he’s very popular at the vet shelter. Heard someone is planning on asking him out soon~” Riku says in a sing-songy voice as he sips on his sweet drink.
And for the nth time today, Yushi just thinks he’s gonna die from the heat.
“Okay. Okay! How do I confess?” Yushi stops walking and so does Riku. They’re in the middle of the pathway, surrounded by luscious green bushes and vibrant flowers that Yushi feels like this isn’t the right place to ask for advice. But, oh well, he’s a boy in need.
“You just tell him you like him. Simple as that.”
“You cannot be serious.”
“I am!”
“You only say that because it was Sion who had the guts to confess to you first.”
“Hey, don’t bite the hand that feeds you! I am helping you!” Riku blurts out, face red as he pushes Yushi to start walking again.
“I mean, it’s not easy? I was just honest when I told Sion I liked him.”
Yushi makes a face as they approach the lake. “I get that, but where do I even start? Like, how do I show him that I am sincere about my feelings without looking like a total loser? Plus, it’s not like we’re really friends? We just know each other through people. Acquaintances, you know. ”
Riku stirs him towards the dock. They toe off their shoes, place their drinks next to them before submerging their legs on the water.
“Like I told you, just be honest. Also why are you thinking that, you not being friends with him, is a factor? That’s fine! I don’t think Daeyoung would think that you’re a loser if you were going to confess to him. Leave that to Sakuya.” Riku says, cheekily sipping on his drink. Yushi sighs as he stares at the water. Both boys are silent as they admire the scenery before them. The blue water, the cerulean blue sky and the warm, whispering wind swiping through their hair. The peaceful ambiance is interrupted by Riku’s voice.
“But I will say… what happened earlier was truly pathetic, by the way. 10/10 in Yushi fashion. No thoughts, head empty. This is why you and Sion get along so well.”
Yushi glares at him, “Shut up. Don’t make me push you.”
Riku giggles, “I can’t wait to relay this to Ryo and Saku––”
Riku gets cut off as Yushi launches himself towards him, launching their drinks and shoes onto the lake. Both boys stay frozen, staring at their sinking things before Riku lets out a shrill, “Tokuno!” that even the birds on the lake flee after hearing it.
Yushi situates himself in their tree house as he waits for his clothes to dry.
Riku, grumbling all the way home about being wet, shoves his shoes towards Yushi with a glare. “You need to dry them,” and before he finally leaves, he circles back and points his pointer finger in Yushi’s chest. “And confess.” before turning around and going home. Yushi was supposed to be home but he found out he locked himself out of his house and his parents weren’t even inside, so he pivoted towards the tree house instead. So, now, he’s on the balcony and watching some of the neighborhood kids play tag. His peaceful observation is interrupted when he spots Daeyoung in his peripheral vision, holding two milkshakes from the local diner. He can feel the sweat coming back and his throat going dry.
Oh god. He looks like a wet cat right now.
God forbid Daeyoung sees him like this.
He’s about to move when he sees that Daeyoung has spotted him. Shit. Daeyoung waves up at him and he can’t do anything but to wave back, a painful smile on his face. Pathetic. What will Ryo and Sakuya say about this? Daeyoung starts walking towards the tree house, but is spotted by Mrs. Jung, the kind woman who leaves food for the stray cats in their neighborhood. (Yushi doesn’t personally know her, but Sakuya says she owns a flower shop but Sion corrects him with a sigh and a shake of his head. “She’s a teacher, Saku.”)
The panic through Yushi’s veins starts to settle in when he sees Daeyoung below the tree, a dazzling smile still pasted on his face.
“Hi, Yushi-hyung. Can I come up?”
Yushi’s grip on reality starts to tilt but he feels himself nod. At the confirmation, Daeyoung secures the milkshakes before he lifts himself up the ladder and climbs.
Muscles.
Oh, wow. Daeyoung has muscles. Who knew? The human body is such an interesting thing. Who knew that someone like that would be so––
“Hot.”
“Huh?”
Yushi startles when he realizes that Daeyoung has placed himself next to him.
“Hi, again,” Daeyoung smiles. “You good?”
Yushi nods, looking away. Self-consciousness kicks in as the damp clothes on his body suddenly make themselves aware on his skin. God, he feels like dying. Why has the world forsaken him? What was that thing Sakuya always says? No pain, no gain? Out of sight, out of mind? Yeah, well, Yushi’s losing his mind right now. He can feel Daeyoung staring in amusement, but out of sight, out of mind. Yeah, out of sight, out of mind. Yushi is repeating this mantra in his head when Daeyoung extends his hand, pushing the milkshake against Yushi’s sweaty palms, making their skins come in contact.
Oh, wow. Who knew Kim Daeyoung had such big hands? Not Yushi, apparently.
Yushi can feel himself panicking even more. That mantra is not working. He needs some kind of miracle—a divine intervention—to save him from this madness. Is that too dramatic, or is that okay? Yushi is spiraling but Daeyoung remains by his side, sipping his milkshake.
He looks boyish; hair falling just above his eyes, blue-striped shirt on his toned shoulders, lips wrapped on the straw while staring at the neighborhood kids now playing hide-and-seek. And he looks so god-damn handsome.
Yushi feels the movement first before he hears Daeyoung chuckle.
“Thank you. I think you look pretty, hyung.”
Yushi blinks. “Did I say that out loud?”
Daeyoung nods. Wait––pretty?
“Pretty?”
Daeyoung nods again. “You are. Have been since we were kids.”
Is this the heat talking? Oh, god. May the heavens strike him down now. His ears are still ringing as he formulates a response.
“Sorry? Pretty? Like, right now? I look like a wet cat!”
“And? Still pretty, hyung.”
Yushi suddenly feels like he’s a fish out of water. No way. This isn’t real.
Daeyoung finally looks at him and Yushi sees his charming eyes and charming smile and Yushi feels like he’s won something far better than money.
“Yushi-hyung. I heard from a little birdie that you have something to tell me.”
Yushi scowls. “Does the birdie’s name rhyme suspiciously with doodoo?”
Daeyoung giggles, “Something like that.”
Yushi sighs, staring at the drink in his hand.
“Well, he’s right, I guess? I mean––I have something to say, but like not right now. There’s––like, you know––is now a good idea? It’s hot––oh my god, are you hot? I’m like, so hot, right now—should we go home––”
“Hyung!” Daeyoung interrupts with full blown laughter. “You’re rambling. What did you––”
“I like you!”
They both startle at the outburst. Both boys blink at each other, twin blushes spreading on their cheeks as the sounds of the neighborhood children screaming below become distant. Yushi’s brain short circuits and it dawns on him that he just confessed. Didn’t even do it calmly. Even screamed it.
Good Lord.
Embarrassing.
What would Ryo and Sakuya even say about this? But he already started this, might as well finish this.
“I like you. More than I should. More than I think I should. I don’t know when it started, but when I saw you in school last semester… something just clicked and I couldn’t stop staring at you. Maybe it was because you always smiled? Or because you sing so well? I don’t know. I do know that I wanted to look at you, because if I couldn’t, my day would be dull and I feel like something is amiss. It’s like… you know, you’re so cool and I think not looking at you would be an offense to Aphrodite herself because you’re so handsome and yeah… We’re not really friends but you’re so cool, like, wow… Riku thinks I’m pathetic, but he doesn’t have a say if he can’t even look Sion-hyung in the eye. But, yeah, I like you. Do what you will with that information.”
There’s a minute of silence before Yushi hears a sigh of relief.
“And I thought I was harboring a one-sided crush.”
Yushi looks up to see Daeyoung beaming at him; puppy-like features in full display.
“I like you, too. If it wasn’t evident from me calling you pretty a while ago.”
Yushi can feel himself flush from the words and the attention. He feels like he’s on cloud nine––the heat can’t hurt him now. What heat? Yushi can only feel the summer breeze.
“This is the first time I heard you speak so many sentences in one go.” Yushi playfully hits his arm as Daeyoung laughs.
"How'd you even find me?"
Daeyoung lights up at the question, "Oh! I saw Riku-hyung while I was throwing the trash. Said something about you wanting to say something important and that you were at the tree house because you locked yourself outside. I thought, why not go see him?"
Yushi almost facepalms as he listens to him. Sweet Jesus. He'll get back at Riku... soon. A moment passes and he can feel his insides calming down, and he braces himself to ask an important question.
“So… what now?”
“Well, what do you want to do?”
Yushi ponders for a little bit before replying. Sakuya has always taught him to be more confident and selfish when he wants things for himself. He wants Kim Daeyoung. Now or never, right?
Yushi faces him with a smile, eyes glinting with something hopeful. “It is summer, so how about a date? Tomorrow night?”
Daeyoung returns his smile, brighter than the sun and beaming with cheesiness.
“Why wait tomorrow if we can do it tonight?”