Lovesick // TOMORROW X TOGETHER [TaeBin / SooKai]

Chapter 16 - The lake is full of mixed feelings

Song Recommendation for this Chapter: "the lakes" by Taylor Swift

"Come with me." Kai spoke quietly and grabbed Soobin's wrist at which he pulled him off the gold-adorned horse he was sitting on. Soobin was still occupied with his thoughts and the magical trance that quickly turned into a shocked state in which he was trapped in.

His mind was a whole mess, but Kai didn't notice it as he was busy escorting Soobin away from the carousel and along the pathway through the central park. Only Kai's hand squeezing Soobin's palm brought him back to reality, at which he realized that Kai was holding his hand.

"Where are we going?" Soobin asked, disoriented with his thoughts and surroundings. He knew where he was, but the abrupt pull-away from the carousel dazed him. Or was it rather the shocking realization that left him overwhelmed?

"You will see."

They walked along the gravel path past the trees that were glowing in the gleam of the street lights, staying quiet as there was no wind to disturb them. Kai then turned to another pathway that led along next to the lake. The water reflected the dimmed shine of the street lights and the trees surrounding the place got mirrored in the lake.

"I wanted to come here before I saw you at the carousel." Kai explained and dragged Soobin over to the lake.

When Kai found a good spot, he let go of Soobin's hand and sat down in the grass before the lake, placing his skateboard right beside him. Soobin did likewise and sat himself down right next to Kai. He fixed his eyes on the wide lake in front of him and rubbed away the coldness that spread over his hand since Kai let go of it.

Just like the carousel, the lake fully showed its enchantment when it was night. There were tons of aquatic flowers speckled over the whole lake, equipped with lights that glimmered above the water. The large fountain at the further back of the lake was flushing down the water with a calm quietness. The fountain was illuminated with LEDs that changed color in a gentle loop. It looked-

"Beautiful, don't you think?" Kai asked and nudged Soobin at the shoulder lightly. He turned his head to look at Kai and was greeted with his familiar smile. Soobin smiled back at him.

"Do you come here often?" Soobin asked as he figured that Kai knew about the magical sight of the lake that only appeared at nights like such. Kai nodded gently and then fixed his eyes at the lake to observe the view.

"When I moved into my new dorm, I wanted to see what Livermore had to offer. It was night when I wandered through the central park and then I caught sight of this." He explained and nodded to the lake before them. Soobin could see the sparkling of the water reflecting in Kai's eyes.

"That doesn't really answer my question." Soobin then stated as he recalled the things Kai had just said. Kai looked at him with an impish gaze, a spellbound smile playing around his lips.

"I do come here often. But don't you dare use this place for any dates with your boyfriend. I don't want you two to disturb me." Kai spoke at which Soobin had to giggle, completely ignoring the tightening feeling in his chest.

"I thought you liked spending time with us."

"Not if that means I get to watch you two love bombing each other the whole time."

"Are you scared of getting left behind?" Soobin asked teasingly. He never imagined that Kai could ever be left out between the three of them, let alone that Kai could be afraid of such a thing to ever happen. Soobin was astounded by this turn of events. First Taehyun was afraid of feeling like a fifth wheel between Kai and Soobin, and now Kai was afraid of feeling left out between Taehyun and Soobin. Considering that Soobin used to feel left behind between the two once as well.

"No. If it gets too much I will just sit myself between you two. Then you can kiss my feet or whatever. I won't let myself be treated that way." Kai responded jokingly and lifted his feet to demonstrate his plan further.

"Do you also tell that to those you are messing with?" Soobin asked with a widening smile on his face.

"The ones I knock out in under 10 seconds you mean? Sometimes. But only when they have pretty lips."

Soobin hit him on the shoulder with that comment. He was obviously joking, but the level his jokes could turn up to was quite new for Soobin to hear. But he liked that. He found it funny. He found Kai funny. And then he understood the point of Kai's joke and his eyes widened.

"Are you saying that my lips are pretty?"

"And Taehyun's, but he is too uptight for me. So maybe I won't actually allow him to kiss my feet." Kai replied and put his fingers thoughtfully to his chin. Soobin hit him again with an amused smile.

"Stop talking about your feet. That's gross." Soobin chuckled meekly. Kai joined his laughter and then they were both laughing with each other until the magical nighttime brought them to their senses again.

Kai let his body fall back into the grass and put his arm under his head to use as a pillow. He closed his eyes and the only movements Soobin could see from him were the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed calmly into the night.

Soobin again did likewise and laid himself down into the grass as well. He closed his eyes and listened to the quiet rustling of the treetop above him. Soobin could hear the ripple of the water as it got shot in the air from the fountain and landed into the lake again. The air was calm and soothed against his skin softly, like a touch against his cheek.

He then realized that it wasn't the wind brushing against his cheek, but the knuckles of Kai's fingers. Soobin carefully opened his eyes again and turned his head a little to face Kai. His hand didn't back away, but continued to stroke the injured cheek of Soobin. It was a light touch, almost not recognizable. The touch felt gentle and warm. The touch felt caring and loving. And ticklish.

"You are tickling me." Soobin whispered against Kai's hand and he backed away from his cheek, only to put his hand much too close to Soobin's hand. Again.

"Good. Means that everything's gonna be fine with your cheek when it's healed."Kai explained, but it seemed that he wanted to say something different. Or maybe Soobin wanted to say something other than what he had said.

But there should be nothing else to say. There should only be laughter about jokes. Laughter about jokes between friends. Everything that should have been between them should be just friends and nothing more.

But why did Soobin feel something else inside him? Why did he feel the glistening lights of the lake in his chest, swallowing his heart whole? Why did he feel the sparkle of Kai's eyes, like a gentle tickle raining down on his face? Why couldn't he just feel normal? Why couldn't he just be a normal friend?

"I don't mind if you use my secret place occasionally. We can make it our secret."

Maybe because there was no way out of that mess he was driving himself into. Maybe there was no exit, maybe there would never be one. He was destined to fall into disaster. And maybe he would never fall out of it.

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~"And isn't it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?"~

(invisible string - Taylor Swift)

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