today ╱ jeongchan

007.

Chan is someone who loves order and routine. He likes everything planned out and he rarely acts on impulses; there are so many things to consider for that matter, he believes. He is not the most uptight person, but he always finds comfort in knowing what and how things would materialize.

But with Jeongin, everything is spontaneous. Every single day with the younger male offered a new experience for Chan. At least something new and different from his monotonous life. Jeongin being unpredictable but exciting. Maybe that's why the older was drawn to him. After all, Chan believes that opposites attract; and if it's another petty excuse to justify the blooming feeling inside his chest, no one has to know.

Cliché as it may sound, for Chan, Jeongin is an escape, a safe haven; away from fame, from pretence. Chan found himself confiding in the male more than he does to any of his long term friends. And as ridiculous and fast as everything sounds, Jeongin managed to take a chunk of his heart and Chan would gladly surrender the whole piece without a second thought.

"Channie Hyung?" Jeongin, who is currently sprawled on the mat, called. The two is currently out for a picnic.

A month already passed with the same thing happening consistently. By consistently, it's almost every other day. It is undeniable that the two have gotten closer throughout the time; with Chan spending most of his days at the café and Jeongin stopping by for a quick talk at his table when he's not too busy attending to the customers or when it's lunchtime. Some days, Chan would drop by for three days straight before some things decided it would fun to get in between his romantic getaway; all in all, everything is going smoothly between the two.

Each time, they learned new things about each other; like how Jeongin prefers scrambled eggs over sunny side ups; how Chan doesn't drink coffee that's why his go-to drink is the iced matcha green tea latte; how Jeongin left his home when he was in high school because his parents didn't accept him, but everything is all right because he has Hyunjin's and Seungmin's parents as his new ones; and how Chan is struggling at producing songs because it is not "marketable" enough.

They have talked about almost everything they could find under the sun.

Except for the growing feelings the older has been trying to desperately bury at the back of his mind.

By then, Jeongin already solidified his spot in Chan's heart, sealed it with locks no one could possibly break. And Jeongin, despite not being able to remember every bit of information about the older male, knew. It's the way Jeongin always felt safe and comfortable around the Chan tells him that the mentioned is someone his heart holds dear.

"What do you think you desperately need the most right now?" Jeongin asked, tilting his head ever so slightly to get a good look at the elder's face. A view that Jeongin would never get tired of.

Chan pondered over the question. Sure, he has his everyday needs but those are trivial things that money can buy. Inspiration? Yeah, he does need that but not desperately. Jeongin? Maybe, but that's something he would not admit to himself, at least not now.

The older emitted a soft hum in thought, letting the comfortable silence fall between them. "Time. I guess time is what I desperately need the most."

"Time? Why?"

"Just because," Chan mumbled, plopping down next to the younger's form. Frankly, he's not entirely sure as to why he answered 'time', of all possible things. "You know how there are days when you wished time would stretch out for you, or that it would stop." Like right now.

"You know, Channie Hyung."Jeongin gingerly took Chan's hand in his, briefly toying with his fingers before tracing the lines on his palm. "One thing I realized, especially with my current situation, is that I should live every single day like it's my last. Because you'll never know what could happen."

Chan didn't answer. Instead, he intertwined their fingers together while letting the pad of his thumb graze over the smooth surface of Jeongin's skin; prompting Jeongin to continue.

"Since I can't remember everything from my yesterdays and I have no idea what's coming for tomorrow, I should at least live my today to the fullest," Jeongin said, his free hand gently patting his chest as if to make his point across.

"If you think you need time, it's because you're not living your today the right way. You're wasting so much time worrying about the things that are naturally out of your control that you're forgetting to enjoy. Loosen up a bit, yeah?"

Chan rolled over to lie on his stomach, facing the younger who is sprawled on his back. The sight of Jeongin's bright grin is enough to make his heart stop and envelop his whole being with the kind of warmth he didn't know he needed. He has never seen someone so breathtaking: eyes turned into crescents, dimples full-on display, cheeks crimson.

Then his eyes landed on the luscious pair of lips.

His breathing hitched. And before Chan knew it, his face is inches away from Jeongin's flustered one; the latter's wide eyes staring back at his dark orbs without any hind of protest or hesitation. Jeongin wants this too just as much as he does. He delicately tilted Jeongin's face, the previously intertwined fingers with the younger now abandoned as Chan encased the former's face in his rather rough palms; leaving Jeongin to cling unto the black fabric of Chan's shirt. 

One beat. 

Chan finally closed the remaining gap between the two; slowly but surely.

The waiting time nearly killing them both.

Chan realized a few things: kissing Jeongin's lips is nothing close to what he imagined; it is far better. He tastes like strawberries they were previously snacking on, with a slight hint of cherry that must have been from the younger's lip balm. His lips are slightly chapped but still soft. And if home and comfort have a distinct taste, it would be Jeongin's mouth.

Chan held Jeongin like he is some kind of porcelain; one that could break anytime if the older is not careful enough. Even then, they found their feelings cascading through the kiss as Chan found himself gliding his tongue across the bitten lower lip of the male he's madly in love with; Jeongin wasted no time to welcome the hot muscle, giving him the permission to explore the deepest part of his cavern; as if it's the last time they will share something as intimate as this. Both knew it's just the start of the many moments they will share together, but they found it impossible to stop as if their life depended on it. Because at the back of their minds, they are terribly aware that they are battling with an enemy they can never defeat.

They only parted when they found it physically taxing to keep going when their lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Both are panting like crazy as if they just ran a marathon. They are breathless but beyond ecstatic.

One beat. Two beats.

When Chan found his heart already calming down, he didn't waste any second to press his lips against Jeongin's pair for a couple of pecks, which the latter welcomed with open arms and a few more in return.

"Channie?"

"Yes, darling?"

"My brain might forget all the tiny details about you but this..." Jeongin gingerly took Chan's hand, placing the elder's palm over his chest, to the spot where his beating heart is situated, "will always remember. You are here. Always."

One beat. Two beats. Three beats.

No one dared say the words; the unspoken truth only their hearts know.

I love you.