Trust

It's a Beautiful Day



"You should really wash your shoes some time soon."

It's an exceptionally beautiful Thursday morning, the trees' leaves are shining in stunning reds and yellows, and it's all so pretty that San can't really bring himself to care about his cousin's reprimand as they walk across campus together.

"It's just coffee." He lifts his left foot for demonstration and wriggles it in the air. "See?"

The dark coffee stain on his green Converse looks kind of mesmerizing. Mesmerizingly unique. And uni appears prettier than usual too – even the gray cube of the hulk building seems kind of... charming as it comes into sight.

"I can almost smell the coffee on it too", Jongho replies, eyeing him weirdly, and slowing down his steps. "What's happened that made you so happy?"

Unable to hide the shy grin on his face, San shrugs. How is he supposed to explain that the mere reason for his good mood is the fact that he tripped over a cup of coffee this morning – a cup of cold coffee that stood in front of his bedroom door? And that there's now a coffee-soaked note in his phone case that says 'You too'?

How can a note and a coffee feel so much more meaningful than a bunch of pretty flowers anyway?

"It's noth-..." San hesitates.

He hasn't told anyone about Wooyoung yet – but now that he's started spending time with his friends again, keeping everything a secret has become twice as hard. "It's... uh... Jongho?"

"Yes?", Jongho replies instantly.

San squirms under his cousin's attentive gaze. Biting down on his bottom lip, he contemplates for a few seconds. Then he decides to go all in: "I like someone."

"Oh." Jongho stops abruptly, his face showing nothing but surprise and – curiosity. "Who?"

San squirms a bit. "Doesn't matter. Promise me you won't tell anyone?"

Narrowing his eyes at San, Jongho takes a few seconds to ponder on the question. "Sure", he eventually says. "Now tell me the details."

"It's... a guy", San starts off and takes a second to wait for Jongho's reaction. When Jongho only nods, encouraging him to go on, San continues: "And... I don't know. He's... I... Okay, you said you wouldn't freak out. We kissed. Two weeks ago. And-"

"What?", Jongho interrupts him, his voice raising a little.

"Heyy, you said you wouldn't freak out", San whines.

"I said I wouldn't tell anyone", Jongho immediately corrects him. "Although I'm starting to regret that now-"

"You promised!"

"I know. And I still won't tell."

"Thanks. Okay, so..." San takes a deep breath. "We also made out..." The taken aback look on Jongho's face makes him hurriedly add: "A little, I mean." And a little bit more than that.

"Okay... wow."

Tilting his head, San furrows his brows. "'Wow' – that's it?"

"I wish you would've told me sooner", Jongho mumbles. When he lifts his head to look up to San again, his eyes seem twice as big as usual, and his bottom lip juts out. He's pouting – for the first time in years. "You could've told me, you know? We've always told each other everything."

"I know... I just wanted to keep it to myself for a little while."

And you'd rip Wooyoung's head off if you knew that he left me the next morning.