❝he came in jinyoung's life like the summer solstice and he kept coming back to him each year with the familiar warmth❞
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a small town boy like jinyoung doesn't have the ability to wrap his head around the enigma called jaebeom. all the suggesti...
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The first thing that blooms within Jinyoung after the summer of 1992 is shame, followed by self hatred and fear. He simply can't wrap his head around the fact that Jaebum's departure that year had hurt him so bad that he was unable to get over it for the rest of the months.
He had tried hanging out with his school friends post their graduation, he had tried dating girls but none of that amused him. So he had taken up a part time job at a grocery shop, working at the stocking unit to make a small amount of cash. Not only that, he was straight up uncomfortable while being in public when he'd absent minded think about Jaebum and how his body reacted to it.
Jinyoung wanted to talk to someone so badly but he was not confident enough to confide into someone. What if people start laughing at him or worse, they start hating him for thinking about a boy like he wasn't supposed to?
He'd swim alone and terribly miss Jaebum's company for the rest of the summer and start crying in the dead of the night thinking about how Jaebum might have taunted him openly about his supposed first kiss before leaving.
So this time when Jaebum's routine arrival draws near, Jinyoung makes up his mind to talk to Jaebum about it. He was willing to risk his friendship but if that meant taking the load off his chest, he was ready for it.
But when Jaebum arrives he is struck down by fever. The doctor says it is viral fever and it might take him some time to recover. Jinyoung couldn't get a glimpse of that boy ever since he had shown up.
"Don't get close to Jaebum," his mother said. "Just for a few days darling, then you two can swim and hang out like usual. See, the fever is communicable and being near him might get you sick as well."
His mother was right in her own place but Jinyoung wanted to see it for himself. Under some kind of crazy impulsion, he ended up climbing into Jaebum's room post midnight. It was wrong and whatever he was doing did not make any sense but he just wanted to see Jaebum for once. He peeked in through his window. Using the strong vines growing by the walls of grandma Jiyeon's house, Jinyoung supported himself to reach up. The fiberglass panel was pulled down which was easy to lift up anyway. Praying to god, Jinyoung climbed it as quietly as possible through the window.
He heard Jaebum groaning lowly, hiding somewhere under the covers. Unsure about what he was doing, Jinyoung tiptoed around the bed and crouched down in front of Jaebum's face which was peeking out from under the duvet.
"Jae- Jaebum."
Jinyoung whispered once but the other boy didn't respond. He tried again and this time Jaebum finally parted his eyes open briefly.
"Jinyoung? What..."
"How are you?"
Jaebum just squints at Jinyoung's face with glassy eyes framed by dark circles.
"Am I dreaming?"
"No. I am here. For real. You can check."
And with that, Jinyoung reached out with shaky fingers to touch Jaebum lightly over his burning forehead. A little louder groan escapes his lips upon the contact.
