congratulations || jeongchan

- 20 - Memories -

I can see it in your eyes

Chan was sure that they would set off soon. They must just be waiting for the last couple of people. He gazed out of the bus window. Through the layer of condensation and to the world outside. As always his eyes caught on the irregularities, the way the cement holding the stones together in a wall  changed colour from a pale, worn sand-brown to a newer beige.

His eyes fell on the reflection of his phone screen in the window and the Apple Music page that was open on it. He smiled at how the reflection changed colours as he tilted it.

He turned up his music to drown out the background noise of the bus, and all the idiots on it.

More than ever he wished Minho and Seungmin has handed in their permission slips on time. Then they could all suffer through this field trip together, rather than just him.

Or that the teachers had let him not go and then he could have stayed behind with his friends.

He looked down at his hands and clenched them tighter in his lap, trying to release his nerves through them.

Voices began to pierce through his music, some stupid conversation about who would sit next to who. He turned his music up and looked back out of the window.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

The person he turned round to find had dark hair that was only the slightest bit curled as it rested on his head in an almost bowl cut. The braces on his teeth, though obvious, did little to detract from his naturally warm smile.

The boys lips were moving and it took Chan a while to realise he had no idea what the boy was saying, slowly he took out an earphone.

"Sorry. What were you saying?"
"Can I sit here? There's no mo-"
"Yeah sure." Chan smiled and patted the seat next to him.

The boy looked surprised.

"Expecting me to say no?"
The boy flushed slightly, "Oh, no um."

They both paused.

"Are you going to sit down?" Chan joked and the boy slid haltingly into his seat.

"D'ya want to chat or can I put my earphone back in?" 

Chan couldn't help but smile at the boy as he became flustered with panic and stumbled over his words.

"Oh I- um no- yeah- I..." The boy flushed an even deeper red and Chan giggled at him.

"You're cute."

Not quite sure what had taken over him Chan winked at the boy, he should probably ask his name at some point, put his earphone in and went back to looking out of the window as the bus begin to move.

He could sense the boy stewing in embarrassment or something like it beside him.

Chan smiled slightly as he felt the familiar itch of writing appearing on his arm. Probably his soulmate replying to the start of a joke he had written that morning.

Chan discreetly pulled a pen out of his pocket and uncapped it, not wanting to draw the attention of the boy next to him.

He started pulling up his sleeve ready to write the shocking punchline to an already shocking joke when he noticed the boy next to him had a felt tip in his hand.

It would be too much of a coincidence, wouldn't it?

But the strokes of the boys pen matched the warm itch of the writing appearing on Chan's arm.

Surely they couldn't have been going to the same school. For years.

But sure enough at the base of the boys thumb Chan saw the tiny question mark dotted with a heart he himself had drawn only hours before.

Rather than excitement his heart clenched with fear.

Every time he blinked he could see Minho's face, contorted in pain.

It was too soon.

He opened his mouth, as anyone would. Trying to force himself to say something.

They were soulmates.

Chan should tell the boy.

He should.

Anyone would.

But nothing came out. No words. No sound. Just his mind full with the memories of how much Minho had hurt.

Memories of Minho's smile dying every time he looked down at his wrist. At the mark that would never let him forget.

And so, Chan pulled down his sleeve, put the pen back in his pocket and went back to looking out of the window.

Hoping the boy next to him wouldn't notice the tears falling from his eyes.

"Channie? Channie please wake up."

Jeongin's desperate voice fell like tears, soothing the aching parts of Chan's mind.

"Channie please." Tears soaked through Chan's shirt.

I knew you wouldn't remember sitting next to me for one day on the bus when we were thirteen.

I knew you wouldn't remember, Jeongin.

If I just waited a bit you wouldn't remember and we could start from falling in love with each other through words.

Rather than being thrust into a relationship neither of us would know enough about.

I wanted to fall in love with you first. Before I told you.

I wanted to be sure you were the one.

At least that's what I told myself.

In reality I think I was just scared.

And I'm sorry Jeongin. I'm sorry lovely Innie - for being scared.

But I want you to know.

I love you now Jeonginnie. And I always will.

"I will always love you too Chan."

"Guess I said all that out loud huh."

Chan's shaking, whispered voice broke and he forced himself to open his eyes.

He opened them just as they started to spill tears down his face.

He sat up, slowly, the pain in his heart overwhelming the pain in his body.

He met Jeongin's eyes and the rawness in them nearly broke Chan's heart all over again.

"Yes silly. You did."

Chan whimpered and pulled Jeongin into a tight hug and let his tears fall freely.

He watched them drip onto the cool pavement and lie there in splatters like exploding stars.

His vision started swimming again. But this time not from tears.

"Innie?"

"Yes Chan?" Jeongin's voice was muffled as his face was pressed into Chan's jumper.

"I think... I think I'm really hungover."

A/N- this... was much later than I meant it to be. But I hope that means it is better than if I had done what I did on the last chapter that I wrote.

By better, I mean I hope it makes more sense.

Since I didn't write this one at four in the morning.

Oops. Anyway here you are.