𝐣𝐨𝐤𝐞 - 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐱 ✓

the one with the road trip

Felix woke up to his phone ringing. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he answered and groggily muttered, "Hello?"

Suddenly, his best friend's voice boomed through the phone speaker commanding, "Get out of bed, brush your teeth, and get dressed, because you and I are going on a mini road trip today. Bring a jacket, and don't forget your keys today. I don't want to lift you up to your window again."

Felix chuckled before retorting, "You're not even tall enough to reach my window."

Changbin scoffed. "You're only like... four centimetres taller than me, so shut your mouth and respect your elders." Both boys laughed as the phone call ended and Felix got ready. He glanced out his window and saw Changbin sitting on the hood of his old blue truck, picking at the strings on his ripped jeans. Felix just sighed and continued preparing to leave.

The older boy sat in Felix's driveway, now resting his back on the hood of his car with his eyes closed, just enjoying the sun. He calmly laid there with both hands behind his head as he quietly hummed the tune to a song he knew as a child but had long since forgotten the name of.

His moment of tranquility was ruined when Felix ran outside and began tickling Changbin, who shrieked and pushed Felix. The Australian boy grabbed his friend's hands as he fell, and they both hit the ground with an 'oof' and a small laugh. The pair climbed into Changbin's truck and they left, both enjoying the comfortable silence and the spring breeze flowing through the open windows. Their quiet moment was interrupted when Changbin quietly whispered Felix's name and rested his hand on the younger boy's thigh.

Felix jumped, but didn't move the hand firmly holding onto his leg. "What's up?"

Changbin sighed and rolled up all the windows before coolly saying, "Thanks for coming with me today. This means a lot to me, y'know? You're my best friend and it feels like I never see you anymore. I miss you, stupid." His grip on Felix's thigh tightened.

Felix let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "It's really nice to spend time with you again. I've missed you too, loser." Both boys smiled as Changbin silently turned into a parking lot.

"Ta da! Here's part of today's activity," he declared, making jazz hands toward the building.

"The drive in?! We haven't been here in so long! I didn't even realize this place was still running!"

Changbin smiled silently as he stared at the boy in the passenger seat, admiring the way he acted when he was excited. How his eyes lit up and how his movements became quick and erratic. It's adorable, Changbin thought to himself. Wait, what the hell?

The pair parked in one of the spots, pushed the button, and waited for someone to come outside. They discussed their food plan while they waited.

"If you want fries, then let's just get a large thing of fries," Felix said, "It makes more sense that way."

Changbin whined, "But I just wanna steal your fries and then laugh at your stupid face when you tell me I should've just ordered fries. It's tradition!" Felix rolled his eyes and turned away, trying to hide his smile. The boys ordered their food and then left, back on the streets for Changbin's mini road trip. Felix reached into the bag of food to eat a few fries, but Changbin slapped his hand away and told him, "You can't eat that until we get there." Felix closed his eyes and put his right hand out the window, feeling the cool wind as the truck traveled faster and faster on the empty roads. Eventually, he fell asleep, and Changbin placed his coat over Felix to keep him warm as he napped.

Changbin tried to wake up the Australian boy. "Hey, get up, dork!" He tried shouting and he tried shaking him, but Felix was still asleep. Changbin quickly planted a kiss on Felix's cheek and felt accomplished when the boy's cheeks and nose turned pink. "I know you're awake now. And we're here," Changbin said again, "Let's go!" Felix stepped out of the car slowly and saw his best friend standing in a field on the other side of the street. He cupped one hand around his mouth and shouted, "Grab the food and the case of beer in the backseat!" Felix did as he was told and then followed the older boy into the field.

Changbin laid down a blanket in the grass and they both sat, eating, talking, and slowly getting drunk while watching the golden sunset. As usual, Felix was the one who drank less.

Although he enjoyed laughing at his childhood friend being stupid when he's drunk, Felix was concerned for Changbin as he laughed and his eyelids began to droop. He sighed heavily and placed his hand on top of Felix's. "You know why I brought you out here tonight?" He slurred, turning toward Felix.

He simply responded with, "Why?"

"Because," Changbin giggled before continuing, "I wanted to hang out with you. And we went so far into the middle of nowhere because... well, you'll see it in a few minutes. The stars are so beautiful out here. I like to see them, and I wanted to show you. They remind me of you. It's like your freckles. I could create cute little constellations on your pretty little face." He gently tapped Felix's nose before excitedly pointing at the sky, showing Felix all his favourite stars.

But the younger boy didn't pay much attention to the stars, instead he focused on the elder's speech patterns and how his eyes and nose crinkled when he was happy. He watched his hands as they pointed to different spots in the canopy of stars draped above the pair. He watched his lips, moving slowly as he dragged out each word and phrase he uttered. He was immensely thankful for the dim lighting, because it meant Changbin didn't see his flaming blush when he mentioned 'constellations on your pretty little face.'

Suddenly, Changbin rolled to his right until he collided with Felix. He laid on his stomach and carelessly wrapped his arm over Felix's stomach. He laughed as he whispers, "This might sound weird, but you smell nice. You smell like home. I love being able to hold you until you fall asleep, because I know you have trouble sleeping but somehow you always feel better when I'm holding you. I really... I really love that."

Felix felt his face and ears heat up with embarrassment. He alternated between looking at the sky and looking at Changbin for another hour before he poked the older boy's cheek and asked if he was ready to go home. Changbin nodded and yawned, moving even closer to Felix in the cold night air. They both stood up, and Felix wrapped everything in the blanket, tucking it under one arm. With the other, he held Changbin's hand.

As they got back to the car, Felix helped his friend climb into the passenger seat before he threw the blanket in the backseat. He took the car keys from Changbin's pocket and then draped his jacket over him, the same way he had done for Felix earlier.

Felix drove them both back to the Lee's house, which was still and silent. He carried the drunk boy up the stairs and dropped him onto his bed, sending Changbin's mom a text informing her of where her son was, and then Felix collapsed on the bed next to Changbin, who wrapped his arms around Felix subconsciously. The younger boy slept restfully for the first time in weeks because of the miracle that was Seo Changbin.