Dominoes | Tyunning

ice cream

Taehyun’s plan was genius… at least it sounded genius in his head. 
 
“What’s the date today, Kai?”
 
“Um, I don’t know, isn’t it the 12th?” Kai asked absentmindedly, as he stared longingly at Soobin from across the food court, to where he sat at a table, giggling and laughing with Beomgyu and Yeonjun as they ate their lunch. Taehyun’s eyes shifted from Kai’s awestruck face, to the giggling Soobin, then back to Kai again, “Yes it is.”
 
He reached behind him, letting his fingers tenderly curl around his best friend’s wrist, and gently pulled Kai forward as the students in front of them moved up the line. Kai flinched at the sudden contact and movement, immediately breaking his eyes away from Soobin and looking back at Taehyun. 
 
“Stop staring at him like a creep,” Taehyun snickered, “Now, what’s happening in two days?”
 
“I don’t know Hyun, what are you even talking about?”
 
Taehyun sighed exasperatedly and narrowed his eyes at Kai, “Today is the 12th Hyuka, in two days, it would be the 14th of February. Valentine’s day.” He placed both his hands on Kai’s shoulders and shook him, causing the younger boy to yelp out in surprise, “It’s the perfect day for you to make a move.”
 
“What?” Kai squeaked, “So soon?”
 
“I thought this was what you wanted,” Taehyun arched an eyebrow at him, tugging him forward again as the distance between them and the food decreased. 
 
“It is! I don’t know… I guess I’m kind of overthinking it, I really do appreciate you trying to help, Taehyun.”
 
Taehyun giggled, “No problem, it’s what friends are for.” 
 
He paid no attention to the tug he felt in his chest, and instead chose to avert his eyes towards Kai, who had continued his task of staring at Soobin, a soft smile blossoming on the younger boy’s face.
 
“I know he’ll make you happy.”
 
“Yeah,” Kai beamed at him, “So Valentine's Day, what did you have in mind, Taehyun?”
 

Taehyun’s plan was genius, because it was simple. And in Taehyun’s humble opinion, simple plan’s generated the most successful results. 
 
“You and Soobin have work together on the 14th, right?”
 
“Yeah.”
 
“Good. After your shift ends, ask him if he wants to hang out. If he agrees, take him to the ice cream place down the street from where you work. Treat him to some ice cream, assuming he likes ice cream that is, but who wouldn’t, right? Then confess, Hyuka.”
 
Kai gapes at him, his eyes increasing in size, “You want me to confess at the ice cream place? Our ice-cream place?
 
“Yeah, why not? They have the best flavours.”
 
“But Taehyunie, it’s our place,” Kai scratched his nape, “We’ve been going there together ever since we were ten, it doesn’t seem right to confess to Soobin hyung there.”
 
Taehyun sighed, wrapping his arms around Kai and pulling him towards his chest, “I know you love the place, Hyuka, and I know Soobin hyung will love it too.”
 
Except as he thought about the endless conversations and the river of laughter they’ve shared there together for the past ten years, basked under the fluorescent lights of the store, their tongues coated in the rich flavour as they sat near the back, huddled near each other for comfort and warmth, Taehyun felt an odd feeling settle in the pit of his stomach. 
 
The thought that Kai would soon associate the place with memories of someone else left a hollow feeling in his chest. Years from now, would Kai still walk into the store and see Taehyun and himself huddling together at the back, their tiny feet hovering above the ground? Or as the array of flavours embraced and welcomed him, would the only person on his mind be Soobin?
 
“It’s alright, Hyuka. I promise.”

~

“This is the place I’ve been telling you about!” Kai gushed excitedly, as he held the door open for Soobin. Soobin’s gaze flickered around the place, his eyes capturing the delicate decorations hanging from the ceiling, “You’re right. This place looks amazing.”
 
“Right!” Kai inserted his hand into Soobin’s and tugged him towards the counter. “Pick a flavour, any flavour, it’s on me.”
 
“Are you sure?”
 
“Absolutely. You’re always spoiling me, hyung. It’s my turn now.”
 
Soobin chuckled as he wrapped an arm around the younger boy, enveloping him in a side hug. Kai closed his eyes and relished in his warmth. “That's because I like spoiling you.”
 
“Well now it’s my turn, hyung.”
 
“Do you come here a lot?” Soobin asked a little while later, as he bit into his chocolate ice cream cone. They were sitting at the back, where Taehyun and Kai usually sat, near the giant glass window which displayed a dazzling view of the back garden.
 
“Yeah, I always come here with Taehyun. My dad discovered this place and brought me here once, and I ended up bringing Taehyun along a few days later. Been coming here ever since, it’s like our own little place, you know?” 
 
Taehyun. He missed him, despite the fact he saw him just the day before. Even though he was basking in his crush’s presence, he felt a certain emptiness he couldn’t depict. He licked his own sweet treat, before directing his attention to Soobin as he waited for the older boy’s reply. The golden lights hanging from above flickered and sparkled in Soobin’s eyes. It reminded Kai of the first rays of dawn, comforting and warm.
 
“You and Taehyun are really close, huh? You know it’s funny,” Soobin glanced at him, his smile bright and illuminating. “The first time I saw you and Taehyun at uni, I thought you two were dating. You guys looked so happy and comfortable together, like two pieces of a puzzle, perfectly aligned. I remember I even turned to Beomgyu and said, ''Don't they look so cute together.”
 
“What?!” Kai shrieked, surprise flooding him, his sudden outburst capturing the attention of a few nearby customers. The younger boy flushed and sank down in his chair, glaring at a snickering Soobin, “Hyunggg,” he whined. “Me and Taehyunie are just friends, best friends. It's been that way for ten years.”
 
“Perhaps, but I just think you two would make a cute couple.”
 
Kai gaped, because this is not how he planned the night to turn out. He felt uncertainty and doubt creep into him, leaving him more confused than ever. 
 
If your crush starts shipping you with your best friend, that would prove that he has no romantic interest in you at all, right? So asking said crush out at this point would only result in heartbreak and embarrassment, right? 
 
He felt the few ounces of hope he had of Soobin returning his feelings slowly drain away. And why did Soobin shipping him with Taehyun leave him feeling giddy and kind of… happy?
 
“Taehyun and Kai…” Soobin continued, lost in thought. “What would your ship name be? Taekai? Taening? Wait, I got it!... TYUNNING!”
 
“But I want to date you!”
 
“What?”
 
“Fuck.”