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Jiseok has been acting strange lately. He's strange on a daily basis already, Jooyeon is well aware of that, but now he's even weirder than usual.
Jooyeon, as Jiseok's best friend and roommate, has no say in what Jiseok does or how long he stays out, of course. But Jiseok has been staying out later and later every friday, coming home way past midnight every time. And he's always at least a little buzzed, but this time he's clearly drunk, and he's wrapping around Jooyeon like a vine and nuzzling his face in Jooyeon's neck.
Not that Jooyeon is complaining, absolutely not. He loves Jiseok, more than he probably should when he's only Jiseok's best friend. He feels guilty about the fact that he's savouring every moment that Jiseok presses close to him, pretending like there's something more between them than just friendship. Even with the guilt he feels, Jooyeon can never reject Jiseok, so he takes what Jiseok gives him and doesn't say a word about it the next day.
Jiseok never mentions it either. They slip back into their normal dynamic easily, as if it hadn't shifted at all. They laugh over bowls of cereal and Jooyeon almost forgets how Jiseok acted the previous night.
It was weird, sure, he can admit that. Jiseok is a touchy person, but never to this point, so Jooyeon suspects something might've happened. He's not one to pry, but Jiseok has been hanging out more with Jungsu lately, so he thinks they might be dating. Or, with how Jiseok was acting last night, might have been dating. He's not sure, but it's the only explanation he can come up with.
Why else would Jiseok press so close to Jooyeon, almost melting into him, if not to pretend that it was someone else, someone he wanted, instead of his best friend?
But, again, Jooyeon is not one to pry, so he doesn't bring it up. And, just to be careful, he doesn't mention Jungsu at all while they talk over breakfast. It's not his place and he doesn't want to hurt Jiseok if his suspicions do end up being correct.
☆
More strange things keep occurring over the next week.
On sunday, Jooyeon wakes up to the smell of freshly cooked eggs. Realistically, he knows Jiseok is cooking for himself only so he won't be getting any eggs unless he also cooks for himself, but he can at least eat cereal while Jiseok eats his eggs. He makes the short trek to their small kitchen and sees Jiseok wearing the pink apron that technically belongs to Jooyeon.
"Morning, Joo," Jiseok chirps, way too awake for how early it is. (It's 11am.)
"Morning," Jooyeon mumbles and yawns. "What's with the apron? I thought you said it was too pink for you."
"Wanted to surprise you, I guess," Jiseok turns back around to check on the eggs. "Sit down, the eggs are almost done."
"You cooked breakfast for me?" Jooyeon asks while sitting down and Jiseok nods. "Did I die in my sleep? Am I in heaven?"
"No, you're very much alive," Jooyeon can't see Jiseok roll his eyes but he can feel it happen. "Can't I do something nice for my best friend for once?"
"You can! You can. It's just unexpected, is all."
Jiseok plates the eggs and sets the plates on their tiny kitchen table.
"Bone apple teeth, or whatever the french say," Jooyeon says.
"It's bon appétit, dumbass," Jiseok resists the urge to smack Jooyeon.
"Who cares, neither of us is french," Jooyeon takes a bite of his eggs.
☆
On tuesday, Jooyeon comes home from classes to a small box tied with pink ribbon on his bed. Jiseok is already in his room, so Jooyeon picks up the box and wanders over to Jiseok.
"What's this?" Jooyeon asks while entering Jiseok's room.
"Open it, open it!" Jiseok exclaims, smile so blinding Jooyeon almost forgets what he came here for.
Jooyeon sits down next to Jiseok on the bed and removes the ribbon before opening the small box. Inside it lies a very cute, very pink phonecase. Jooyeon looks at Jiseok in confusion.
"What's this for?"
"I noticed your phonecase was looking a little beat up," Jiseok explains. "So I got us matching ones!" Only then does Jooyeon notice the pink phonecase on Jiseok's phone.
"Thank you, but... why?" Jooyeon asks, still as confused as ever about Jiseok's actions.
"Oh, you know... Saw a good deal, couldn't pass it up," Jiseok shrugs.
"Okay, but why matching ones then?"
"The deal was for phonecases of the same colour, and I know you love pink, so pink it was," Jiseok says while fiddling with his own phonecase.
"Alright," Jooyeon says. "Seriously though, thank you for thinking about me and getting me this, Jiseokie." He gives Jiseok a sidehug and gets up to leave the room.
Maybe his ears are playing a trick on him, but Jooyeon swears he can hear Jiseok mumble "I always think about you" as he leaves. The thought makes him giggle and kick his feet when he flops onto his own bed.
☆
Friday brings more surprises.
The morning starts as usual for Jooyeon and Jiseok. They get up, eat something, get dressed and part ways once they reach the university campus.
Jooyeon has two lectures on fridays, so he gets to go home at around 2pm, while (if his memory serves him right) Jiseok has three lectures and he's home after 4pm.
Despite that, Jooyeon doesn't come home to an empty apartment. As soon as he opens the front door, he can hear Green Day blasting from somewhere inside. He removes his shoes and starts making his way to his room when suddenly the bathroom door bursts open.
And there stands Jiseok. With his previously silver hair dyed light pink.
Why the fuck is his hair pink?
"Why the fuck is your hair pink?" is the first thing that Jooyeon manages to say.
"Only my first class happened, the other two got cancelled and I decided dyeing my hair would be a great way to pass the time while I wait for you to come home," Jiseok says it so casually, as if he's unaware of the effect he has on Jooyeon, especially now that his hair is literally dyed Jooyeon's favourite colour.
Jooyeon steps closer to examine Jiseok's hair more thoroughly and has to resist the urge to run his fingers through the pink strands.
Jiseok looks up at him. "You can touch it if you want, Jooyeonie."
Jooyeon is going to fucking die from a Kwak Jiseok induced heart-attack.
He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and brings one hand up to Jiseok's hair. His hair is surprisingly soft to the touch. Jooyeon twirls a strand around his finger and feels like he could do this forever. He certainly wouldn't mind that.
Jooyeon opens his mouth to speak, but his mind draws blank and no words come out. Jiseok's phone rings and the moment shatters. Jooyeon was close, so close to just giving into the urge and kissing Jiseok despite all his doubts, but the moment passes and Jiseok moves away to pick up his phone with a cheerful "Hey, Jungsu!"
Jooyeon sighs and goes to his room. He changes into something more comfortable before going to the living room to watch something. Maybe youtube can distract him from the frustration he feels about the moment between him and Jiseok being ruined.
He's been letting youtube autoplay videos for the past hour while he lays comfortably on the couch and dozes off. He can feel someone poking his arm but he doesn't care and keeps his eyes shut.
"Jooyeon! Jooyeonie," Jiseok keeps poking him, "wake up, we have to get ready to go out tonight."
"Huh, what," Jooyeon rubs his eyes. He opens them to see Jiseok leaning way too close to his face and blushes from the proximity.
"Gunil is finally free tonight and Hyeongjun said he will come too if everyone else is going, you have no choice!" Jiseok exclaims. "I already picked some clothes for you and I even brought my lipglosses if you want to put on any."
Jooyeon's brain is trying very hard to catch up with all the information Jiseok throws his way. "Okay so Gunil's coming, Hyeongjun too, does that mean Seungmin and Jungsu will also be there?"
Jiseok nods.
"Then why do I need to dress up? We're just meeting our friends."
"But we're going to the clubbbbbbb," Jiseok drawls. "You have to be dressed appropriately."
"You're starting to sound like Seungmin," Jooyeon says as he walks away to his bedroom to change into whatever Jiseok picked out for him.
"You say that like it's a bad thing!" Jiseok yells after him. "Come back when you're done changing, I wanna put some glitter on your face!"
"Alright, boss!" Jooyeon yells back and disappears into his room. He emerges a few minutes later in a pair of black jeans and a flowy long sleeve shirt that shows off his collarbones. "I didn't even know I had this in my closet."
"I think Seungmin gifted you the shirt, there is no way you'd buy that yourself," Jiseok snickers. "You look good, though."
"Thanks," Jooyeon wills for his blush to not show.
"Now come here, I still have to glitterify you," Jiseok motions for Jooyeon to sit down on the couch.
"Glitterify? That's not a word," Jooyeon says as he sits down.
"Since when does Mr. Bone-apple-teeth care about which words are in which languages and which aren't?" Jiseok expertly dodges the smack Jooyeon tries to land.
"Ugh, whatever," Jooyeon rolls his eyes, "glitterify me if you must."
Jiseok's eyes light up and he gets out his glitter eyeshadows. "I'm thinking pink glitter, don't you agree?" Jooyeon nods. "Okay, close your eyes now so I can apply it."
Jiseok leans closer and Jooyeon lets his mouth run while his eyes are closed. "You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you've been trying to seduce me for this past week."
"Yeah?" Jiseok prompts him to continue.
"Yeah, with the hugging, cooking me breakfast, getting stuff for me, this..." Jooyeon continues. "But I'm aware that you and Jungsu have something going on between you so I know you're just being nicer and friendlier than usual."
"Hold on. Me and Jungsu?" Jiseok bursts out laughing.
"Well yes, didn't something happen with Jungsu last friday that made you clingier than usual?"
"Oh my god, no," Jiseok is still laughing. "I've never been romantically involved with Jungsu, Joo."
That makes Jooyeon open his eyes. "Then- then what about the fridays? I thought you were going on dates with him!"
"No, just regular hangouts," Jiseok clarifies. "Hangouts during which he was actually helping me come up with ways to get you to like me, but I guess seducing is also an alright way to put it."
"You like me?"
"Yes, I like you, Jooyeonie," Jiseok cups Jooyeon's jaw with one hand.
"Ilikeyoutoopleasekissme," Jooyeon blurts out in a single breath.
Jiseok leans in and their lips touch softly. The kiss doesn't get to last very long because soon enough Jiseok is trailing kisses down Jooyeon's neck and exposed collarbones. He doesn't make any marks, not yet. Instead, he pulls away to look at Jooyeon who is flushed and so, so beautiful like this.
"Be my boyfriend, please," Jiseok asks, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Jooyeon's ear.
"Of course I'll be your boyfriend," Jooyeon answers, pulling Jiseok closer by his shirt and kissing him.