Jay x Daniel - You Came With the Spring

Chapter 10: this is fair (Jay)

It was difficult. Extremely difficult.

Ever since Jay decided to hide his affection from Daniel, the boy seemed to pop out of nowhere more and more often. If he let his guard down for one moment, there he was: standing with his dark, sensual eyes and biting on his god damn lip.

Why does he always have to bite on his lip? Why - why - why?

It was unfair. So completely unfair.

And when he got the order from his father to go to America for two weeks- he was happy. Finally he wouldn't run into Daniel so often.

But then he wasn't happy. He wouldn't be able to see him.

That was even more unfair.

What's the most unfair of all is that at the last moment -his moment of weakness- Daniel shows up.

". . .I know your father is the one who wants you there but could you ask him to reconsider? . . . You've already asked him? Oh, I understand but. . ."

Daniel stands behind the doorway, body plastered against the frame and eyebrows flung up in worried.

The old woman's words click away, clacking like her keyboard. Daniel opens his mouth, about to say something, when Jay presses his finger to his lips.

Before the blonde knows it, he's dragging Daniel away.

"J- Jay. . .where are we going? Oh. . .the janitor's closet. . .why?"

Jay stops, closing his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts.

This is the part where I reconsider. Where I apologize to Daniel and leave him be. Where I go to America and come back with no more feelings.

But no. Jay just had to reconsider something else.

He wrapped his hand around Daniel's, giving it a firm squeeze.

"We're not going to the janitor's closet any more? Oh, it's a secret. . . ?"

Jay strides outside, Daniel dangling along, confused but wordless.

They walk to the back of the school - a small playing field stretches on a flat plain. Thick trees choke the outside of the landscape, flowering with new buds, winding around little footpaths.

Jay slows down, calming his breath. But he doesn't let go of Daniel's hand.

The sun glides through the trees, speckling the ground with swaying lights. Birds swoon through the air and the boy's pair of footsteps pound on the path.

"Jay, what are we doing here?"

Jay looks up at the trees, vision fuzzy through his hair.

He doesn't answer, he only squeezes Daniel's hand again. Everything in his control, in his power, stretches to make him look like he isn't aware. Isn't aware of his sweating palms, of his fluttering stomach, of his dry throat. That he isn't aware of holding Daniel Park's hand.

"Jay?"

Jay sits down beside the path and Daniel follows.

Off in the distance the 5th bell sounds and everything turns into a surreal sway.

They sit in silence before Daniel breathes out, "Why have you been avoiding me? I thought we were friends?"

Jay looks to the side and shrugs.

"Why won't you look at me?" he says after a few moments. "Am I that horrible to look at?"

The blonde shakes his head, turning around.