GLOW-UP

46 | holiday fever

'i really miss moon taeil' was never something johnny seo thought he would ever think to himself on his first day back in seoul after christmas.

times change, as it turns out.

but walking across campus to pick up the stuff he left in the boys locker room, that was the only thought on johnny's mind. what did taeil get up to while he was gone? was someone else making him laugh? did he miss me? all of these questions remained unanswered until he collided with a rather small person (who decided to run smack into his arms).

"whoa...! wait, tae?"

freezing in the chill wind and the snowflakes swirling across the campus courtyard, taeil pried his fingers under the hem of johnny's oversized hoodie and wriggled inside. johnny couldn't hide the smile that lit up his entire face at the unexpected act of affection, holding the shorter boy close as taeil wrapped his arms around johnny's waist.

"didn't realise you missed me this much, moony," johnny smirked down at the face that had appeared close to his, looking through the neck of the hoodie.

"pfft, what? i didn't miss you at all," taeil denied, shaking his head slightly. "i'm just cold, you know?"

"i told you to wrap up warmer, stupid."

"well, did you miss me?" taeil challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"nope," johnny lied, "not one bit."

taeil hit one fist against johnny's chest in silent protest, but didn't let go. "why didn't you call me when you landed?" he complained, "i would've met you at the airport." the way he rested his chin on johnny's chest to look up at him made the american's heart melt.

johnny shrugged. "my flight landed early this morning," he told him. "i figured you'd be sleeping."

"i could've woken up early!"

"i wanted to let you sleep," johnny insisted, "and trust me, sweetheart, you need all the beauty sleep you can get."

"hey!"

johnny laughed and kissed the tip of taeil's nose, which only made taeil hit him harder. the wind picked up around them and johnny pulled up his hood to keep out the snow. inside the warmth of his hoodie, nobody could see who they were or what they were doing. even though the world outside was frosty and cold, johnny's heart had never felt warmer. (geez, he was getting cheesier by the second.)

catching johnny by surprise, taeil stood on his tiptoes and pressed a warm kiss to johnny's parted lips. johnny couldn't stop staring at him - at how pretty he looked with his cheeks pink from the cold, and at the way his eyelashes seemed to dance on his cheeks when he closed his eyes.

johnny wondered if anyone was watching them. if anyone could see.

starting this entire thing with taeil had been easy. continuing it was proving to be a lot harder than johnny had thought. he was faced with a lot of questions he'd never even had to think about before - like what will my mom say? and is gay sex just like straight sex? and other puzzling conundrums.

johnny wondered what other people would say. he wondered if he would care.

(the sex thing had really been preying on his mind recently, though. and he didn't like not knowing. johnny felt like he should do some research. if taeil even wanted to have sex at all, that is.)

"have you worn the butt quack pants yet?" johnny asked, swerving quickly away from his turbulent thoughts to a subject that made taeil roll his eyes.

"no way," taeil scoffed in response. "they're one step away from being thrown in the trash, but i can't quite bring myself to break your heart like that."