unrequited

30

"Is it fun in there?" Changmin asked.

"Mm. So fun I was waiting outside the doors instead of inside," I answered.

"Is that not just because you're antisocial?" Changmin grinned down at me.

I narrowed my eyes at him and I put my hand on the doorknob. "We should probably go in right?"

"Right." Changmin said, though he didn't budge. "Or...."

"Or?" I asked.

"We could not."

"Tempting. This is your last prom though, are you sure you want to miss it?" I asked. "You got all dressed up for it too."

Changmin took my hand off the door. "I didn't get dressed up for that, I got dressed up to impress you."

I smiled up at him.

"Doah I don't really give a shit about prom to be honest. Why don't we just go home?"

I nodded. "Sure. Which home?" I asked.

Changmin opened his mouth, and I saw his lip quiver for a split second. He was holding back something.

"You know what? I hid a bag of jellies in my room earlier, let's go to my house," I said quickly.

"Okay," Changmin nodded.

We began walking off campus. It felt like a scene from a movie. Like it was just us two against the world, and nobody else was out here at night. He took his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders.

As we walked along the sidewalk, he gently grasped my wrist and pulled me to the other side so he'd be walking near the cars. He's done that plenty of times before, but this time felt different. It wasn't like he was taking care of me as a little sibling. It was romantic.

He didn't let go of my wrist, he held it gently as we continued. I slid my hand into his and his eyes flickered towards me.

"Is this okay?" Changmin asked, and he squeezed my hand once.

I nodded, "Why wouldn't it be?"

There was a moment of silence and suddenly he stopped walking. "It's just.... I didn't want to cross boundaries. The whole reason I was a dumbass before I left and told you I was sorry after we almost kissed was because I didn't want to come off as a pervert or something."

I snorted. "You? A pervert? Changmin that's not possible."

"Okay well, it's just because all our lives I treated you as a younger person and obviously--I don't see you in that way anymore I just.... now I'm not making any sense. But do you see where I'm getting at? I didn't want to move too fast and make you uncomfortable."

I shook my head and I pulled him to continue walking. "You could never." I said firmly. "Plus we've already kissed at the airport, I think the boundary has been crossed."

"Point, but if it ever happens or you start to feel weird about it please tell me." Changmin said.

"The only weird thing I can think of is how we're going to tell Chanhee." I said.

Changmin hummed . "Applications were turned in already right?" He said. "Maybe he'll be less stressed?"

"This is Chanhee we're talking about. He's always stressed," I said.

Changmin ran a hand through his messy hair. "Let's just not think about it right now."

"Agreed," I answered.

We made it back to my house, and Chanhee wasn't back from his interview yet so we safely went into my room.

"My parents are out." I shut my door and Changmin sat on the edge of my bed.