chanyeol does not, in fact, go over to kyungsoo's for dinner.
first of all, they didn't exchange phone numbers. there's no way to contact each other aside from randomly meeting up on campus (unlikely) and through their mutual friend, sehun (unreliable). not having any means of social networking doesn't help either–there's too much socialization required to keep up with everyone else for chanyeol to actually create an account–and jongin doesn't seem willing to stalk someone's profile to look for a person his roommate is heads over heels for.
and second because although their first encounter might have gone smoothly according to chanyeol's low standards, he's still too emotionally shaken to go at it again. kyungsoo is amazing and soft and as delightfully intimidating as he had imagined and therefore way out of his league. he isn't sure he can compete with any other studs in this university–hell, he doesn't even know if guys are included in the group of genders kyungsoo is attracted to, or if that group is even existent.
so considering both aspects and also how luck never seems to be on chanyeol's side, he has to admit it's quite unimaginable to ever meet up with kyungsoo again, really.
he does.
"chanyeol?"
at the call of his name he abruptly turns around on his heel, clutching at the bag of chips in his hold so tightly it might as well explode.
kyungsoo is there, in line to buy from the same vending machine chanyeol just cussed at for not giving him back his change, wearing a loose fitting white tee and sweatpants, thick rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. he looked hot yet cute, and it adds up to the list of paradoxes chanyeol has to deal with daily–not as bad as jongin's existencial crises, because this one is hard to top.
"yeah?" he says and his voice sounds a little brusque even for him, but at least it didn't crack. that would've been embarrassing. "uh, hi, kyungsoo."
(if he earned a penny for every time he attempts to be smooth but fails miserably, he would be able to afford more than just cup noodles on a daily basis, that's for sure.)
kyungsoo looks up at him with a smile on his lips. "hey! hey, how's it going?"
he focuses back on the task at hand, straightening a five dollar bill against his thigh in order to buy a snack. chanyeol should warn him about the burglar that is the vending machine, so he does. conversational topics.
"what are you buying?"
"huh?" he quirks an eyebrow, "a snickers bar, why?"
chanyeol pulls out a two dollar bill from his pocket and crouches, carefully inserting it into the machine and then pressing on the button with the candy's label. it takes a while for it to drop but when it does, he's quick to reach for it and hand it to kyungsoo, who looks really confused.
"you didn't have to–i mean, thanks, but you didn't–"
"i used a ten to get my chips and this demon didn't give me the change," chanyeol says, promptly and effectively cutting off the other. one of his weird ways of flirting, perhaps. "you don't need to pay me back, really. it was nothing."
kyungsoo stammers a little on his several thank yous, red at the face. it's adorable, awfully so, and chanyeol wants nothing more than to kiss him and see how flustered he would get. he can experiment that later, of course. the possibility of facing denial doesn't even sound that bad.
"i don't have anything to pay you back with," kyungsoo says then as he unwraps his snickers, then points at chanyeol with the bar and raises a brow. "would my company be enough?"
it's chanyeol's turn to shoot him a knowing look. "do i look that lonely, kyungsoo?"
"maybe," he retorts, the corners of his mouth curling upwards. "can i join you at the popular table then?"
chanyeol opens his mouth, ready to accept it in a heartbeat because kyungsoo just offered to hang out with him, holy shit. jackpot.
but then he glances at the chips in his hand, and his mood immediately drops several notches.
"i actually need to feed jongin now, he's kinda sick," chanyeol says, his voice not sounding nearly as disappointed as he feels inside. "your initiation as a cool kid can happen another time, if you don't mind. i mean, i wouldn't."
"oh, bummer. better give you my number so you won't forget that."
chanyeol struggles to not holler right there and then, but his lips part in a grin nonetheless. "sure thing."
they hand each other their phones then exchange their goodbyes, and chanyeol can't express with coherent words how fucking happy he is when he looks over his shoulder as he leaves to his dorm and finds kyungsoo smiling at him.
🆒🆒
"you're an," sneeze, "you're an idiot."
"am not," chanyeol grumbles as he spreads vaporub over jongin's chest, pinching his nose with his free hand because the smell of it is insufferable.
"you chickened out!" he wheezes. "you had the chance to go out with him sehun-less and you fucking chickened out!"
"you could've died without my care," chanyeol reasons and wonders why did he even tell jongin about what happened when the consequences of going deaf under his scolding were so predictable. "i love you, you know."
"the fact that i love you back doesn't make you any less of a pussy, park. i can take care of myself!"
chanyeol knows jongin's right, he really does, but would never admit it. he wasn't ready to face being alone with the person he's crushing on, and his brain reminding him of failed dates from high school and freshman year helping as much as a punch in the gut.
he wants to impress kyungsoo, just needs to figure out exactly how he's supposed to do that first.
"yeah, right," he scoffs instead of waving the white flag, "at least i scored his number alright, that's. that's progress, right there."
jongin coughs and chanyeol's unsure if that's due to his illness or to make him stop talking. maybe both. "but did he text you? 'cause i know you don't have the guts to text him first."
"i don't know," chanyeol laughs nervously, patting jongin's chest. "funny thing is, i haven't checked my phone since he added his contact there."
"why am i not surprised?" he says, stoic, and reaches for the elder's pockets. "where's your phone, lemme see."
"that's my dick, jongin," chanyeol sighs but reaches for his phone in his back pocket nonetheless, hands the device to jongin. "here you go, don't text anything i wouldn't say."
"aka clever things, gotcha," jongin unlocks his phone with ease since chanyeol's had the same password for four years or five, swipes down on the screen to check his notifications.
"oh my god."
chanyeol's eyes widen, "what?"
"hey, it's kyungsoo, smiley face," jongin reads aloud in a high-pitched voice, "jesus, hop on each other's dicks already."
"shut up and reply with, uh, something smooth."
"hey soo–"
"don't you think it's too early for nicknames?" chanyeol's nervously biting at the inside of his cheek now, vaporub remnants on his fingers long forgotten as he squeezes the edge of the bed. "too intimate? i don't know. i dunno."
"hey soo," jongin repeats in an imitation of chanyeol's low voice, rolling his eyes. "so, what about we hang out on friday?"
"friday? i don't want it to sound like a date. like a date date. or a booty call."
"and," the younger taps at the screen once, "sent."
"motherfucker," chanyeol groans, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "okay, cool, did you. did you add emojis? abbreviations? i don't wanna sound," he pauses, "old."
jongin unceremoneously shoves his phone against his chest, "you're like, three years apart, chill. and yeah i did, don't worry."
"alright," he mumbles more to himself than anything else, "alright. all is right. now i'll just. wait for him to reply, yeah."
"get a life," his friend complains, "you're a mess."
"you bet i am."
🆒🆒
he doesn't get a life.
in fact, he all but grabs his guitar and sits by the open window of their dorm, strumming a few chords and humming a tune that doesn't quite match the melody his fingers create.
and that's when chanyeol hears it,
"you're a part time lover and a full time friend, the monkey on the back is the latest trend."
he has never been quicker to push half his torso out of the window, bracing himself against the frame with unsteady hands, instrument long forgotten as it clatters against the floor. it's dangerous, he knows it, but can't help it.
kyungsoo's voice is soft when he continues, "don't see what anyone can see in anyone else, but you."
"here is a church and here is a steeple," he can't quite help how he sings along, voice cracking at the beginning and far from sounding as good as ellen page's in the movie, but it will do. has to. "we sure are cute for two ugly people–don't see what anyone can see in anyone else, but you."
there's silence and chanyeol is so scared he might have fucked up his hands begin to sweat as he grips the window's frame, swallows thickly.
"we both have shiny happy fits of rage," kyungsoo sings and does his voice sound closer or is chanyeol going mad, he doesn't know. "i want more fans, you want more stage."
chanyeol looks to his left and spots kyungsoo there, the sight of him singing almost as beautiful as his voice itself. he's smiling as he looks up at the sky, but the elder knows he's aware of his presence all too well.
joins him when he continues, "don't see what anyone can see in anyone else, but you."
"go out with me," chanyeol blurts out then, cheeks feeling warm with embarrassment. "be the cera to my page."
kyungsoo cranes his head askew to finally face him, a flush spreading across his cheeks to the very tips of his ears. "she's a lesbian."
"and i'm gay so that's. that's close enough. couldn't ask to be your juno since, well, she's pregnant instead."
he laughs and it's music to chanyeol's ears.
"i thought we were already going on a date, actually," chanyeol resists the urge to facepalm at kyungsoo's statement. is he really that oblivious? "so sure thing, yeol."
"i'll. i'll text you," he says, determined, confident. "as soon as i can, this time."
"good," kyungsoo hums. "and i'm expecting to finish this song with you," he retreats back inside his room before shouting, "so bring your guitar!"
🆒🆒
junos my favorite movie michael cera n ellen page r my fav actors & chanyeol n kyungsoo r my fav people. 2+2=7 this chapter was born
sry fr the late update im binge watching drag race and unfortunately i lov it more than kpop