Amaranthine | k.jh

chapter one

"if only you knew the reason."

"are you seriously dragging me out at 3 am to stare at the stars?"

you grin at me. "of course!"

I groan, shaking my head. "what did I sign up for when I became your friend?"

you give me a playful nudge as you force me out of the window and onto the roof. the brisk air is almost enough to send me back inside, but your expression of pure bliss and awe keeps me by your side.

"look at them," you breathe, your eyelids half-closed as you take in the majesty of the sky above, "like an ocean of glitter."

your eyes are on the sky, but I can't take mine off of you. you look perfectly ethereal, almost too much so to be real. I long to reach out and caress your cheek to make sure you really are beside me.

"it is beautiful," I agree at last.

"worth it to crawl out of your blankets at 3:19 in the morning?" you tease lovingly.

I find myself looking to the heavens to avoid your gaze, a shy grin suddenly playing at my lips. "almost. if it were anyone else, they'd be out of my life."

"what makes me different?"

I meet your curious gaze almost reluctantly. "I told you I'd take care of you, didn't I? I don't break promises."

your eyes seem a little remorseful when I speak. I wonder if I may have said the wrong thing.

then you smile ruefully. "at least someone in my life is willing to keep promises."

"is your mom really that bad again?"

"it's not her so much as her new boyfriend. he has me practically at his beck and call and my mom won't correct or stop him."

I gaze at you some more. the starlight is piercing your chestnut eyes and I feel my heart in my throat unexpectedly. I swallow, gathering my thoughts before I answer.

"come live with me for a while. my mom loves you. my dad won't mind. and my brother would love to have another boy in the house."

"are you sure?"

"positive."

you look beyond relieved, and the sight of your relaxation is almost enough to break my self-control. if I could, I would capture your lips in the most beautiful kiss I could offer you at this moment.

instead, I lay my head on your shoulder. "I love you, jongie."

"mm." you hum, wrapping your arms around me in a cradling hug, "I love you even more."

"I love you the most."

-----

"so... are we still on for me moving in with you?"

I raise an eyebrow at you as I rummage through my locker. you always were one for second-guessing.

"why wouldn't we be?"

you flash that adorably embarrassed smile at me. "just checking. you're so good to me."

"because you've done so much for me, jonghyun. don't act like I'm a nice person. only to you."

it's true, I'm not a very kind person. I am polite, but I never go out of my way to do kind deeds for other people. but you... you are different. you've never held my faults against me, but do correct my mistakes when I made them. you helped me become a better me. you showed me what it is to love.

perhaps that's why I want to help you. not just because I want you to be safe and happy, but because I am selfish and I want you as close to me as possible so I don't lose you.

"oh hush, you. you are very good. you volunteer to tutor the younger kids, again and again, every week. why would an unkind person do that?" you counter.

"I only do it for something to do on friday afternoons," I reply simply, closing my locker.

you scoff. "daseul, please. you are kind. you should see that. everyone else does. just because you think you don't care doesn't mean you actually don't. and because you don't think you are kind doesn't mean other people don't see it in you."

"save the poetics," I jest, but secretly I can feel my cheeks heating up at your praise.

"hey!" you pout at me. "I take it back. you are unkind."

"I know."

"wait! no, that was a joke. I didn't mean it."

"I know, jonghyun." I shift the weight of my book bag to my right shoulder. "c'mon. let's get to class."

every day of suffering through classes and other people was worth it just to see your smile every time we see each other. you truly are such a beautiful soul.

if only I had the courage to tell you to your face.

a/n:

hey babes! i'm hoping this story won't take as long as my others, i'm planning for it to be pretty short. but i hope it's sweet nonetheless :')

what are your thoughts so far? <33

-jules♥