꒰🍒꒱ a lil break from the intense plot to introduce our secondary characters!! <3 I don't want ningjunsoob to just be the supporting besties so yes there is a plot for them as well :))!!!! but of course our beloved taegyu are still the mains!

꒰🍒꒱ tell me what you think of the story so far and what are yall's predictions !! :DD

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Kai Kamal Huening jogs down the stairs out his house following the sound of his oldest sister, Lea's nagging.

"You two- how many times do I have to tell you both to clean the dishes after breakfast before you leave?" she points a ladle that she randomly grabbed off the kitchen counter towards Kai, then to his youngest sister, Bahiyyih, back and forth between the two as she tries to look as threatening as possible, which doesn't seem to work for the two siblings.

"Ah right- sorry, sis, but 'm late!" Bahi waves cutely, trying (and unfortunately for Kai, succeeding) to escape from the extra chore, lying through her teeth and running off with a piece of toast between her lips.

"It's literally six in the morning," Kai glares at her to which she returns with a mischievous grin on her way. He slowly tries to walk away as well, only to earn a distant ahem from the older figure.

"Oh come on, you let Bahi leave but not me? That's unfair!" Kai pouts to her, hoping his cuteness would buy him out of the situation as well. He only receives an eye roll.

"She helped make dinner last night. Get back in here," Lea exclaims

He sighs, turning on his heel to stomp back like a child into his house and finish cleaning.

It was a routine for them, ever since their parents passed away. Lea was old enough to work and provide for the two, dropping out of school early just to take care of them so they wouldn't have to stay with any relatives or be sent to the orphanage. It was a huge sacrifice, there had been so much stress on her shoulders that period.

Kai knew his sister had wanted to be a singer, an idol, but the current situation they were in- the need for money- only allows her such little time to train, or none at all, that she ends up giving up her dreams. She now works as a waitress in a popular restaurant an hour's drive from their place that paid just enough for the three. It was hard, but despite that, she had never complained. all she wanted was a great life for the two. Kai was greatly thankful to have someone like her.

"You going somewhere?" Kai questions as he dries his hand on his pants, getting the droplets of water all over his school attire. He glances at his sister who had just left her room wearing decent clothing- for once not in her pajamas and bunny slippers that she always spends the day in. Lounging on the couch and watching TV, waiting for the two to return from school so she could go to work for the night. A daily routine.

"Grocery shopping," She steps into the kitchen, grabbing an apple out of their fruit bowl and fixing her hair in the mirror by the console table.

"You just went shopping yesterday, though..."

"So?" she snaps, turning to him. Kai gives her an odd look.

"Yeesh what's up with you? woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" He looks at her up and down, "You even have your hair done. And makeup? What, got a hot date or something?"

"Just get to school!"

Kai's eyes widened at that, "So you do-!"

"Alright, get out!"

She shoves his bag into his arms and ushers him out the door and he laughs, finding the frantic state of his sister amusing.

the door shuts with a slam and Kai turns around, slinging his bag across his shoulder, humming. what a lovely start to his day.

His feet take him down the familiar path of the sidewalk to the house a little further. he memorized this by now, having walked since he started high-school. He and Taehyun lived in the same neighborhood with the school only outside of it, so taking the bus really weren't necessary.

He stops outside the familiar white-walled house, his eyes following the slight crack on the wall up to Taehyun's room. The curtains in his best friend's room were shut, which was extremely weird. Usually, Taehyun would leave them open until Kai arrives to show that he was going to walk with him. Kai merely shrugs, Taehyun probably had something to do early in school. Kai turns around to walk away.

Whenever Kai walks with the older boy, he always felt like he could let himself be, well, himself. He felt like a nuisance whenever he was with anyone who didn't know him well. He felt as if he had to be wary around certain people just so they wouldn't make fun of him. He had friends other than the short raven, of course, but when he met Taehyun and let all his walls down, Taehyun never gave him a reason to put them back up. He accepted that Kai was weird and wonderful in his own way.

A year after he met Taehyun, Choi Soobin had made himself at home in their little friend group.

The first time Huening Kai met the soft, tall senior was the day Kai had offered to help his Chemistry teacher carry lab equipment to the lab across the building. He had definitely underestimated the weight of the items, struggling to even balance the fragile beakers and their racks in the tub to even look at where he was walking. He had only begun to get the hang of it when he felt his shoulder smack onto a solid chest; someone frantically running, obviously in a hurry. It sent half of the apparatuses flying and shattering towards the ground, shards hitting his skin when he tries to cover himself.

Soobin had felt absolutely guilty that day that, apologizing on the verge of tears that Kai didn't have the heart to hold a grudge against him. He had personally walked into the teacher's staff and took the blame right after he escorted (literally, he acted like Huening Kai was going to die) towards the nurse's office. For a week after that, the tall male had made up with him by buying food from the cafeteria every lunch hour, eventually meeting Taehyun. The two got off immediately, talking about nothing and everything at the same time.

On days Taehyun had to attend extra hours for his music class, Kai spent them with Soobin.

Soobin was different. He was shy and loving, always telling Kai not to skip dinner or offer to take him to a restaurant or cafe nearby for it. He loved to take him to the park with his dog Sean, jokingly saying how they both have the same attributes with being hyper and loud.

He was there for him whenever he doubted himself, in the hours when his insecurities get to him, even when he needed him at days when the sun just peeks above the clouds and the sky spilled with apricot, he knew he could always call his Soobin hyung to talk, and he'd be right there picking up on the first ring.

Soobin was his safe space, just as Taehyun was. But with Soobin, it always felt different. After school with him never lead him straight home, instead brought them to late-night walks to the furthest convenience store they could go to, buying ice cream together when the sun nestled itself behind tall buildings, turning the whole city dark. Soobin consistently tries to pay for the ice cream, never letting Kai even pull out his money. Their nights would lead them to walk around the bustling city, taking the train to different parts and watching street performers, buying random and useless items that always brings a laugh to their faces until they felt tired. Only then they would return home.

Soobin radiates an energy around him. Whenever they were together, Kai always felt included. He felt understood. The way Soobin would comfort him, placing a warm hand on his back and listening to his woes and worries with a deep gaze, warmed something in him. There were times when it was Soobin who was stressed, but wanting to hide it from him because he thought that as the older one, he had to be the one who was comforting him, and not the opposite (Huening Kai scoffs at that; ridiculous)

His smile could cause an entire room to light up. It was like the stars that made a night brighter than it would normally, or like the soft glow of the sunrise over the city. Whenever his dimples made a presence and whenever he covers his face to laugh at a silly joke, Huening Kai felt warm. As if someone had wrapped him in a blanket, he feels his cheeks grow hotter, and his fingers going clammy. The slightest touch sent a feeling of a thousand fireworks alight in him; like a swarm of butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Like he was about to throw up. (in a good way. It felt like he could throw up rainbows, or cupcakes- he felt like the description said for itself)

To be short; Huening Kai may or may not have sliiiight feelings towards the older.

and he knows, oh how he knows.

He doesn't label his sexuality, so he wasn't at all surprised when he realized that what he felt for Soobin was, indeed, a crush. The thought of his adorable bunny hyung made him excited to attend school that day. Sure, Taehyun did ditch him yesterday, but he didn't pick up his phone either. So, he assumes that he had his own matter.

When Kai had thought their friend group was perfect, even at an odd number, another senior by the name of Choi Yeonjun had joined their friend group. A tall, pain strikingly handsome boy with incredibly bright neon hair. At the thought, Kai slows down in his walk a little.

Yeonjun had squeezed himself in their already perfect three friend group the day he entered school. Some people had said he was expelled from his last school due to sleeping with a teacher, but when they asked about it, Yeonjun had merely told them that he was not expelled, but just moved. And a lot of people apparently hated him in that school, so of course, they spread rumors about him. Because what else would you do if you hated someone and they moved? Ruin their chances in another school, of course.

But Yeonjun wasn't anything bad. In fact, Yeonjun was the contrary. He was loud and funny. With his eagerly desperate and failed attempts of cringy dad jokes, he fitted well in their little group of ambiverts. He was an extrovert, a really loud one, and kai liked him a lot. He had dance as his optional subject just like Kai did. Yeonjun was a huge change in their friend group.

What used to be silent group studies in the library turned into studying at the bleachers (on their own accord, of course), to support Yeonjun as he played football, the sport that had turned his reputation that started with the rumor right around. Now, the glances people gave him whenever he walked through the halls weren't a look of disgust, but a look of pure admiration. Months after he moved he had love letters piled up in his lockers to the point the small slot in it had them coming out. Everyone's view on him changed, and of course, the three were glad.

But Yeonjun never left their friend group even when he somehow got popular with the students. Despite being invited to huge groups during lunch, he would always go to the three's table. After school, he would attend hangouts and reject anyone else's offer to hang out with him. And that made Kai realize that Yeonjun was actually, a pretty decent person.

Whenever they studied at the bleachers, Kai could never concentrate. He would lay on his stomach (Taehyun didn't like it when he did this, but he completely ignores the older boy's warnings) and swing his feet, elbows propped on the chair and chins rested on them with his book out in front, highlighters strewn over it. The loud and constant whistling from the players made him forget which line he was reading, and the wind was so fucking cold. And whenever he wears padded jackets, he just feels like falling asleep. Not to mention the fear of the ball being kicked right onto his head and the possibility of him going unconscious and having amnesia.

But that wasn't the only thing that was bothering him about studying there.

Whenever Kai looks up to call Soobin to ask questions, he would see the boy looking up from his notes as well. But not to meet his eyes.

Soobin always had his eyes fixated on the yellow-haired boy fondly. He had a soft, fond expression as he looked at Yeonjun running across the field after he scored another goal for his team, arms out and pretending he was flying. The sun was in the middle of setting, and the light left cast a glow on the older's features. Soobin tilted his head and squinted to take a better look at Yeonjun; and smiled gently. The wind blows his hair into a rumpled mess, but Soobin merely tucks it back into place with a pat to his own head. Kai could've sworn Yeonjun throws flying kisses his way as well.

Yeonjun was like a pebble that interrupted calm water, causing waves to ripple and the surroundings to be affected. Kai sighs as he sees he reached school. There wasn't time for overthinking now.

He feels a vibration from his phone and saw a text message from Soobin, a simple, good morning, ning! Goodluck for your algebra test today ! do you want to meet up after school? let's have bingsu!, and Kai's mood instantly lifted, the offer almost making him cry in happiness. He decides to reply a little later just to make sure Soobin doesn't think he's always on his phone waiting for his text (even if it's probably true).

He sports Taehyun sitting on the bench outside of his school and he releases a breath he didn't realize he held, relief washing over him. He was glad that Taehyun hadn't been kidnapped while waiting for Kai who got released out of class late. He raises his arm, calling out to the boy.

"Taehyunie!" he yells, and Taehyun's eyes shot open. Huening Kai then realizes how tired he looked. There were visible bags under his eyes and his shoulders were slumped, leaning back onto the couch. In his hands was a fresh sandwich and a water bottle; he looked like he got kicked out of his house, "Are you alright, Hyunnie...?"

Taehyun yawns, covering his mouth with the back of his hands and nods. Kai was not convinced.

And that's how they end up sitting on the bench in front of school at after dawn, casually watching as the stars hide themselves when the sun rises, turning the calm, dark sky bright, watching people walking into the school gates on their phones or half asleep.

The bell rings, and Huening Kai runs to class after saying goodbye to his best friend, with a promise of meeting each other after to talk and make up for yesterday's absence.

Soobin's message gets left on read.