concept: ten wraps the wrong gift.
ten threw open the drawers of his nightstand, panicked. "no, no, no," he muttered, digging through the contents and moving on to the next drawer. "where is it?" he scoured over his bookshelf next, tossing books onto his bed.
"gege?" yangyang asked, narrowly getting missed with the book of poetry ten threw next. "what are you looking for?"
"my diary. i can't find it," he said, still tossing books aside. "where is it?" he whined.
"i haven't seen it, but have you asked hendery? he's usually good at finding stuff," yangyang said, dodging the novel tossed aimlessly toward him.
ten nodded, pausing his book-throwing. "thanks, yangyang." he headed toward the living room, where hendery was sitting in a chair, scrolling through his phone. "hendery."
the younger jumped, throwing his phone. he caught it before it landed on the floor. "do you have to scare me like that?" he asked.
"yes. i'm looking for my diary. have you seen it?" ten asked.
"hmm, not today, no." the younger shook his head. "where'd you leave it?"
"i don't remember, i thought i put it back under my pillow like i always do," ten explained, now more anxious than before.
"did you check—"
"hey, ten-ge?" lucas asked, coming out of his room with a small black book in his hand. "xiaojun and i were helping yangyang clean up and we found this poetry book on your bed. would it be okay if i borrowed it?"
ten's heart stopped. "p-poetry book?" he asked. "what's it called?"
"uh..." lucas turned the book over. "'the princess saves herself in this one'," he read.
ten's face went red as he realized what he had done. "i know exactly where my diary is now." he rushed into the kitchen where kun was making dinner. "kun-ge, i need a ride," he said, his heart racing.
"can it wait until after dinner?" he asked, stirring something that smelled delicious in a pot. ten's stomach was in too many knots to even think of eating at the moment.
he saw the package being transferred to taeyong's hands as he handed the nct leader his best friend's birthday present. "not really," ten said, his eyes darting toward the door. "i need to get my diary back."
kun stopped to look over at him after that statement. "your diary? but you always keep that under your pillow," he said.
"i know, but i had it on my desk while i was wrapping johnny's birthday present and i wrapped the wrong book by mistake, so i have to get it back before he opens it," ten explained, his heart climbing into his throat. he'd written too many words about johnny in that book. and he would have to read it to find out what it was since there was no external identification. if johnny read any of that...
"yeah, okay, i'll give you a ride," kun said, breaking ten from his thoughts. "grab his real present and let's go." he looked over to lucas standing in the hallway, looking very confused. "lucas, you're in charge while we're gone. dinner is already ready, just be careful when serving it."
lucas nodded, letting ten take the book from his hands. both of them slipped on their shoes, kun grabbing his keys before they headed out to the car.
~~~~~~~~
jaehyun nudged the final gift toward him. it was a small rectangular gift with gold wrapping and a blue ribbon. "this is the last one," the younger said.
johnny looked at the tag beneath the ribbon. to johnny, love ten. johnny smiled down at it, carefully pulling the ribbon off before tearing the paper off.
it was a plain black book, a journal of some sort. he figured he could use it to organize photos or write down lists to keep track of things. he leafed through the pages, expecting them to be blank. he was surprised to find at least half of the book contained neat black handwriting.
huh, he thought, flipping through the pages. maybe ten wrote me a book of letters. as he skimmed the text, he noticed the names of members from all of nct. but there was one that made him stop. it was actually a particular sentence that caught his attention.
i can't believe i'm saying this because he's been my best friend for so long, but i think i'm in love with johnny.
his heart skipped a beat and he felt his face flush. his eyes drifted to the top of the page and his face went bright red before he slammed the cover. he was possibly the worst best friend ever.
dear diary,
this wasn't meant for him. he wasn't supposed to see any of it. unless ten meant to give him the outlet holding his deepest secrets. but why would he? his mouth felt dry.
"what?" donghyuck asked, leaning forward. "what is it?"
"it's nothing. it-it's not—" johnny was never usually flustered, but this definitely got to him. he couldn't tell if it was because he had just completely space invaded ten's privacy, because he found out his best friend was in love with him, or because the feeling was mutual and he didn't know how to admit it. he would have pushed the book aside, but the fear that the other members would grab it stopped him. he held it close to him, gripping it so tight, he was afraid he might break it.
"what's wrong? did he already write in it or something?" jungwoo asked with a laugh.
"even if he did, it's not like it's his diary or anything, right?" yuta asked.
johnny didn't answer or make eye contact with any of his members. he then heard taeyong say, "oh."
"i gotta go," johnny said, getting up and heading for the door. he stepped outside, hoping the fresh air would actually let him breathe. it did, but only for a moment.
a car pulled up in the driveway, someone getting out of the passengers seat before it even stopped.
"i have to get it before he—" the person stopped, looking over to meet johnny's eyes and stopping. "johnny."
"ten, i-i'm sorry," he said.
"you opened it."
"yeah."
"and you read it."
"not much of it, just like, a-a sentence." the two of them stood there looking at each other. johnny noticed his eyes glimmering from the streetlights.
"you know," ten said softly, so low that he almost didn't hear it. johnny nodded. "but you don't."
"what?" the older asked.
"you don't feel the same way as i do. and that's fine, i just—" he handed johnny another book. "happy birthday, johnny." he turned to go.
"ten, wait," johnny said, grabbing the thai male's wrist. "can i at least have a chance to explain?"
ten turned back to face johnny, practically willing him to let go. so johnny released his wrist. "i feel like a shitty best friend. i never should have read it—any of it—but i just thought maybe they were things you'd written for me, and at first i thought it was blank. but it wasn't my place to invade your privacy like that, and i'm sorry." ten looked down, not meeting his eyes. "but if you really do feel that way about me, i'd like to kiss you. if you'll let me."
ten looked up at johnny, eyes wide. "y-you're serious? even after—"
"ten, it doesn't matter. even if i didn't like you, you're always going to be my best friend." he gently grabbed one of ten's hands.
johnny took the few moments of silence to place a hand on the side of ten's face and caress his cheek with his thumb. ten was the one who first placed his lips against johnny's, though, standing on the balls of his feet to reach the taller. it was a kiss that was pure and full of love, and anyone could tell that the two of them were happy.
"cute," johnny said once they pulled away, brushing a strand of hair behind the smaller male's ear.
"i get that you're tall. you don't have to rub it in."
"i'm actually the perfect height to do this," johnny said. he then wrapped his arms around ten in a hug, placing his chin at rest on top of the younger's head. ten soaked in the feeling, wanting to stay like that forever.
they were interrupted by kun reminding ten that dinner was waiting for them at home. ten giggled, looking up at johnny. "we'll continue this tomorrow?" he asked.
"i'd like that." ten smiled, reluctantly pulling himself out of johnny's embrace. "oh, and ten?"
"hm?"
"here." johnny handed ten his diary. "thanks for the best birthday present."
ten grinned widely. "you're welcome." he then made his way back to the car, where his proud mom friend was waiting for him to tell him everything.