prologue: kiss; part one: jealous;part two: best friend; word count: 1,959
The next morning, Kyungsoo awoke to find Haesoo still sound asleep, peacefully drifting through her dreams. He gently shook her and her eyes opened slowly.
"Eh?" Haesoo yawned as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Oh, good morning oppa."
"Good morning sweetie," Kyungsoo smiled, softly kissing her cheek. "Did you sleep well?"
"Mhmm, I had a dream about you."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it was about the first time you kissed me. I don't know why, I guess I must've fallen asleep thinking about it."
"Haesoo," Kyungsoo sighed softly. "I know last night was... nice, but we can't be in love like that. We're brother and sister, not boyfriend and girlfriend."
"I know, it's just really complicated you know? Finding out so suddenly that your brother of all people is in romantic love with you; then finding out that you think you might be in romantic love with him too. And this is all happening while Jongin is—" she froze. She hadn't even thought about Jongin until now. How is he going to react to all this? Did he try to come in the tent at all last night?
She shook the questions out of her head and turned to Kyungsoo.
"Oppa, do you think Chanyeol said anything to Jongin?"
"I'm not sure, I know I tried to last night."
"When?!"
"While you were sleeping. I woke up in the middle of the night because Jongin was at the door. He glared at me when I opened it; but he just asked if you were okay. I told him you were fine. Then I briefly remember him asking 'what the hell is wrong with you Kyungsoo?' But I was far too tired to give him the long answer, so I told him we'd talk about it in the morning."
Haesoo sighed, making her way to the tent door and unzipping it.
"I have to go talk to him."
"But he's expe—"
"I know, he's expecting you to come talk to him because you said you would. But he's my boyfriend, it'd be better if I was the one to explain it."
Kyungsoo nodded.
"Go ahead then. Go talk to him."
Haesoo scampered out of the tent and found Jongin sitting at the edge of the lake, wiggling his toes in the water.
"Hey,"
"Haesoo did he hurt you at all last night while I wasn't there?"
"No, Jongin I'm fine. But I... do have something that you and I need to discuss."
"Eh? What is it?" Jongin stared at her, bewildered.
"Well, it's a really long and... complicated story so, just be prepared to be incredibly confused."
"I can't possibly be any more confused than I am right now. Why are you beating around the bush? Are you breaking up with me?" Questions flew one by one from Jongin's lips until Haesoo's own lips gently silenced them.
"Not even in your wildest dreams."
"Then what the hell is going on Haesoo? I'm sure it's not that crazy, just tell me."
"Alright well, here's the thing. When Kyungsoo and I were younger, like eight or so years ago, I asked him what it felt like to kiss someone."
"Has he ever even kissed someone? I've known your brother for five years now, and I don't think he's ever even been in a relationship."
"Well, no. He's never been in a relationship. But he has been in love, and he has kissed someone."
"Oh? Who?" Jongin tilted his head like a puppy that had just been asked if it wanted to go for a walk.
"Me..."
Jongin's jaw dropped as he stared at her in disbelief.
"Jongin? Jongin?" Haesoo waved her hand in front of his face. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Y-you're kidding, right?"
"No Jongin, I'm not kidding. When I asked him what kissing felt like, he taught me the answer by, well, kissing me."
"So you're telling me that your own brother has romantic feelings for you?"
"It would appear that way, yes."
"Do you have any feelings for him?" Jongin was still trying to wrap his brain around the whole situation.
"Well, I didn't think so until last night. When he came into the tent he explained everything and... then I kissed him. But I don't think it meant anything. I kissed him but I didn't feel anything..."
"You didn't?"
"I don't know..." Haesoo stared at her hands and sighed. "I don't think I felt anything, but I might've. Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind."
"So then that whole incident at the lake," Jongin said, coming to a sudden realization. "That was all because he was—"
"Jealous."
"There has to be something we can do for him."
"He thinks he's going insane, Jongin."
"Well, what if we took his mind off it by setting him up with someone else?"
"And who do you suppose that would be? Who could we get to go out with Kyungsoo on such short notice without even getting to know him first?"
Jongin pointed up to a picnic table where Chanyeol sat, organizing the breakfast he had cooked for everyone over the fire.
"Chanyeol? You wanna set my brother up with Chanyeol?"
"Mhmm" Jongin nodded promptly. "I think he's just what Kyungsoo needs."
"What makes you say that?"
"Well have you ever noticed the way Kyungsoo always turns to him? Whenever something goes wrong, the first person Kyungsoo wants comfort from is Chanyeol."
"That's because they're best friends, Jongin."
"Okay sure, that explains that part. Chanyeol is Kyungsoo's confidant and safe place, and Kyungsoo is Chanyeol's. I get that. But riddle me this, why are they so cuddly and touchy? On the ride up here, when Kyungsoo fell asleep he could've rested his head on the window or something. But he rested his head in Chanyeol's lap. And Chanyeol was playing with Kyungsoo's hair the whole time."
Haesoo glanced back up at Chanyeol, who was still sitting at the picnic table putting breakfast together.
"I mean, I don't know about you, but I think Kyungsoo's in love with Chanyeol." Jongin stated matter-of-factly. "And who better than his best friend to be the one to distract him from his feelings for you?"
"Okay, sure. But how can you be sure that Chanyeol has the same feelings for Kyungsoo?"
"Anyone who sees the way they interact can make that assumption."
"Jongin, don't assume. It only makes and ass out of you and me."
"What?"
"Nevermind," Haesoo shook her head. A joke was never funny if you had to explain it. "How do you suppose we go about setting my brother up with Chanyeol?"
"Well, what if the four of us come down to the lake later? I'll suggest racing to that dock out there," he pointed out across the lake to a small dock. "Then you and I will just hang back and watch the magic happen."
"How can we be so sure it will?"
"I don't know, we'll watch them from behind a tree or something."
"You mean like spying? Jongin that's an invasion of privacy!"
"But do you really want your brother to continue having romantic feelings for you?"
"Good point..."
"Then we're gonna have to spy!"
"Alright alright, fine. I'll spy. But only to break this awkwardness between my brother and I."
"Yah! Jongin, Haesoo! Breakfast!" Chanyeol called from the picnic table.
The couple scampered hand in hand up to where Chanyeol had arranged the breakfast he'd spent an hour and a half cooking over the fire.
"I'll be right back. I've gotta go let Kyungsoo know breakfast is ready." Chanyeol made his way to the tent where Kyungsoo was in the process of changing out of his pajamas. Without really thinking, Chanyeol grabbed the zipper of the tent door and started to pull it open.
"Yah!" Kyungsoo shrieked. "Don't you dare open that door Park Chanyeol!"
"Why?"
"I'm changing! Now let go of that goddamn zipper!"
"Sorry!" Chanyeol suddenly grew flustered. "I'm sorry, I was just coming to let you know breakfast is ready."
"I'll be out in a moment." Kyungsoo's face was bright red at the thought of his best friend almost seeing him half naked. Although, he couldn't quite figure out why his face was red. I'm probably just embarrassed, right? he thought, shrugging as he finished dressing and exited the tent.
"I made you a plate," Chanyeol smiled. "I gave you a little bit of everything."
"Thanks Yeol," Kyungsoo smiled, ruffling the taller male's hair. Kyungsoo picked up the small paper cup of orange juice that Chanyeol had poured him. As he sipped from it, a bit of the juice missed his mouth and dribbled down his chin.
"You're making a mess, Kyung" Chanyeol laughed, softly wiping the juice away with his sweater sleeve. Jongin and Haesoo shared a glance and Jongin whispered,
"Love is in the air."
"Hmm?" Kyungsoo tilted his head.
"He said bugs! Bugs are in the air! Lots of bugs!" Kyunghwa said, trying not to let her brother catch on to the plan.
"Haesoo, the only bug I've seen since we got here was that one moth that found its way into mine and Kyungsoo's tent on the first night" Chanyeol laughed. "Other than that, I haven't really noticed any."
"Did I say bugs? I meant—"
"Yah! Why don't we head down the lake after breakfast?" Jongin asked, saving Haesoo from having to try and come up with some other cover up.
"Sounds like a plan!" Kyungsoo grinned, his mouth half full with a piece of sausage.
"Kyung, don't talk with your mouth full!" Chanyeol laughed, poking his friend's cheek softly.
"Sorry," Kyungsoo mumbled as he swallowed his mouthful of food.
Soon enough, the foursome had finished their breakfast and were making their way towards the lake.
"No chicken fights this time," Chanyeol said softly. "We don't need a repeat of last night." He glanced at Kyungsoo who frowned and glanced at Haesoo, worrying that she might still be upset with him.
"Last night was just an accident, it's alright" Haesoo said softly. "Sometimes my brother just doesn't know his own strength." Her words reassured Kyungsoo and brought a smile to his face.
"Yah, I have an idea! You see that little dock out there?" Jongin pointed out across the lake. "Let's have a race to see who can get to it fastest!" The others nodded and Jongin glanced at Haesoo who nodded and gave him a thumbs up. The four of them lined up side by side and prepared to race.
"Ready! Set! Go!" Chanyeol shouted, and the foursome began swimming toward the dock. When they were sure neither Chanyeol nor Kyungsoo would notice, Jongin and Haesoo stopped and swam back to shore.
"And now, we wait." Jongin grinned as he sat beside Haesoo on the lake's edge and watched Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.
Meanwhile, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were neck and neck, completely oblivious to the fact that the other two had pulled out of the race.
"I'm gonna win!" Chanyeol smirked.
"In your dreams slowpoke!" Kyungsoo laughed and started swimming just a little faster in hopes of gaining a lead.
"Hmm, well then I guess dreams really do come true" Chanyeol grinned as he swam past Kyungsoo, paddling as fast as he could and reaching the dock just seconds before his younger pal.
"Damn!" Kyungsoo pouted in defeat. "I thought for sure I'd win!"
"Next time, shorty." Chanyeol laughed as he climbed up on the dock, then hoisted Kyungsoo up too.
"I'm not short! You're just really freaking tall!"
"Sure, whatever you say. Shorty." Chanyeol teased, softly jabbing his finger into Kyungsoo's hip, earning a small giggle from the latter. "Hey Kyungsoo?"
"Yeah?"
Chanyeol softly cupped Kyungsoo's chin and pressed a tender kiss to his lips.
"I love you."