Chapter Text
Sangwoo was studying in the library, sitting at a secluded table so he'd be left alone, when Jaeyoung arrived.
He pretended to be irritated, even as a sense of calm washed over him as Jaeyoung sidled into the seat next to him. He was expecting some kind of bothersome interaction, was almost hoping for it, but Jaeyoung just laid his head down on his arms against the table and went to sleep.
Sangwoo tried not to think about the last time they'd been in this position in the library, when he'd irrationally aimed to draw on his face as some ridiculous act of petty revenge. He tried even harder not to think about the last time Jaeyoung had fallen asleep in the same room as him and he'd kissed him for the first time. It didn't do him any good to remember those things, even if they were in a relationship now. His behaviour when it came to Jaeyoung was completely irrational; he wasn't sure what to call it, largely because he was desperately trying not to examine it too closely, even now.
"Stop staring at me and study," Jaeyoung said, burrowing further into the crook of his arm. How he knew, when his eyes were firmly shut, Sangwoo had no idea. Maybe it was a shot in the dark. Maybe he could feel his gaze even through closed lids. Either way, Sangwoo felt exposed.
"Why did you come here then?" He asked petulantly.
"I sleep better next to you," he mumbled.
That definitely didn't make his heart flutter. Not even a little bit.
He forced his attention back onto the books in front of him, and for an hour the time passed peacefully. Annoyingly, he really did find it easier to concentrate when Jaeyoung was around, and he was more productive in that hour than he had been in the two preceding it.
The clock ticked over into a new hour, and he could see the sun's rays beginning to streak as the late afternoon really took hold.
Jaeyoung lifted his head and yawned loudly - bothersome - and stretched enough that the hem of his shirt showed his midriff - distracting - and then got to his feet like he was leaving - unacceptable.
"Where are you going?" He asked, trying his level best to sound unfazed and, judging by Jaeyoung's smirk, completely failing at it.
"Relax, I'm just getting coffee. Do you want anything?"
He thought it over. While he was actually sort of desperate for coffee, he didn't want to owe Jaeyoung. "No."
"Coffee it is."
"I said no."
"Your face said yes," Jaeyoung said, and before Sangwoo could ask what it meant, he grabbed his jacket and leaned down to kiss Sangwoo’s forehead.
He kissed him like it was automatic, like it was a tiny thing, before he strode away through the shelves.
Sangwoo, however, had completely short-circuited.
He kissed my forehead. What does that mean? He tried to run scenarios in his head, to figure out what that said about their dynamic. The only person who had ever kissed his head was his mother. Jaeyoung wasn't particularly maternal, so it wasn't that. He'd seen couples do something like that before, he was sure of it, but he didn't know what that represented in their relationship. Was it casual or serious? Important or not? Did it matter?
He was still sitting like that, staring into the middle distance, when Jihye showed up and, noting the bag on the chair beside him, opted to sit across from him instead. She dropped her books onto the table, startling him from his reverie.
She giggled brightly. "You're distracted today!"
"Hm?" He tried to redirect his attention to her but he wasn't doing a great job.
Her smile faltered. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"
He shook his head slowly. "...no."
She stared at him inquisitively for a long moment. Realisation dawned when Jaeyoung returned with Iced Americanos in hand, putting one in front of Sangwoo before he plonked down in his seat, leaning back contentedly.
"What did you do?" Jihye asked him, accusatory.
Jaeyoung blinked. "Bought coffee? I would have got one for you, but as usual, I didn't know you were showing up here."
"Sangchoo oppa is upset," she glared. "You must have done something."
Immediately, Jaeyoung was sitting up, leaning forward, ghosting his hands around Sangwoo like he could figure out what was wrong by touching his aura or something. His eyes darted all over him, searching his face for something. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
Sangwoo couldn't help but feel amused and a tiny bit touched by his obvious concern. He shook his head. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Jaeyoung frowned. "Did I do something? Did I make a mistake again?"
"No…" he hesitated, but he had his full attention now, so he may as well just say it. "I just- why did you do that?"
Jaeyoung looked like he was trying to remember every single thing he'd done since he arrived. "Do what?"
Sangwoo pointed at his forehead. "That."
"Oh!" Relief flooded Jaeyoung's features, chased almost immediately by that look of concern again. "Sorry, I should have warned you first-"
"No, it's not bad, it just… I'm confused."
Jaeyoung propped his elbow up on the table, giving him his full and undivided attention. He did that a lot. He liked to appear frivolous, but when he was interested in something he became singularly focussed. It was part of why Sangwoo liked him in the first place. It was also incredibly overwhelming when you were the subject of that attention. "What about it is confusing?"
From anyone else, that question would have sounded condescending. From Jaeyoung, it sounded like he was observing some obscure piece of artwork and trying to get to the deeper meaning behind the brushstrokes.
Somehow that felt more exposing than the forehead kiss and now Sangwoo was regretting bringing it up. He ducked his head, avoiding Jaeyoung's gaze and belatedly wishing he hadn't stopped wearing his cap. “I don't know what it means.”
Jaeyoung hummed thoughtfully. “It doesn't really mean anything.”
“What?”
“I don't know, it's sort of… a thing people do.”
“But you don't do it with anyone else.”
“How do you know?” He said teasingly, and for some reason it made Sangwoo’s chest pang with something he didn’t recognise. The idea of Jaeyoung doing that to anyone else was abhorrent to him; he wanted to keep it for himself. Jaeyoung flashed him a flirtatious grin. “Maybe I do it all the time - you’re not with me all day.”
“Do you?” Sangwoo asked, deadly serious.
Jaeyoung faltered. He seemed to realise he wasn’t taking it seriously enough, and straightened his spine a little - Sangwoo wasn’t even sure he knew he was doing it - eyes going wide with earnest emotion. “No.”
Rather than revealing more answers, Sangwoo was only getting more confused, and confusion made him frustrated, and frustration made him irritable. “So it does mean something - you just lied.”
Jaeyoung shook his head immediately. “That’s not what I meant. I meant it doesn’t have any particular significance universally, it’s generally meaningless, it just depends on context.”
“So what was the context for you doing it?” Sangwoo glowered.
“What are you two talking about?” Jihye interjected curiously.
“I… you know the context,” Jaeyoung said, like it was obvious.
Sangwoo’s frown deepened. “No, I don’t, that’s why I asked.”
“Seriously, what is this all about - maybe I can help?” Jihye interrupted, waving a hand between their faces to get their attention.
"Don't worry about it," Jaeyoung muttered.
"He kissed my forehead," Sangwoo said.
Jaeyoung made an unimpressed face at him as Jihye gasped. "Why would you tell her that?"
"You wouldn't react this way if it didn't mean something," he pointed out.
"It means that I like you! You already know that!" Jaeyoung huffed, like somehow Sangwoo was the one who'd done something wrong.
"But you didn't do anything else," Sangwoo said. "Usually you only do stuff like that when you want to do… things." He trailed off, glancing at Jihye, who looked appropriately scandalised, and also no small measure of amused.
Jaeyoung snorted. "I don't always want to sleep with you, Sangwoo."
"Every piece of evidence I have begs to differ," Sangwoo raised an eyebrow.
He shrugged. "You got me there. I mean, like, I don't only want to sleep with you. I like you, so I just like spending time with you."
"And kissing my forehead."
"Yes."
"What do you get out of that?"
"Well, I can't make out with you in the library-"
"I beg to di-"
"-differ, yeah, okay so sometimes we make out in the library, but I mean openly.” Jaeyoung huffed. “Sometimes I just want to kiss you in public.”
Sangwoo felt his ear growing inexplicably red. Why he was so affected by that idea, he had no idea. It wasn’t like they didn’t kiss all the time, it wasn’t like this was news, and yet for some reason it made him want to melt into a puddle. Jaeyoung’s effect on him really was ridiculous. “But it doesn’t mean anything? It’s just… a thing you want to do?”
“Yes,” Jaeyoung swayed closer, eyes dropping to his lips. “Is that okay?”
He swallowed, trying to maintain focus. “Y-yes.”
Jaeyoung smirked. “Why? Do you want something more?”
Jihye sighed loudly. “God, could you two be less in love in front of me? Some of us are single.”
Jaeyoung’s gaze cut across to her and Sangwoo inhaled shakily, moment broken. He wondered when he’d be able to be normal around his boyfriend, but at this point he expected this was probably going to be his new normal. He should probably just accept it.
Jaeyoung smiled over at Jihye. “I could set you up with someone if you want? You’re pretty, and nice, and much as I hate to admit it, you’re very fun to have around - I know people who’d fall over themselves to date you.”
“You’re just saying that because you don’t want me to steal your boyfriend while you’re in France.” Jihye joked.
“I’ll be gone for a month; if you think you can steal him then, you give it your best shot,” he winked at her and she giggled.
“Do I get a say in this?” Sangwoo asked.
“No,” Jaeyoung deadpanned, leaning in to kiss his forehead again, and Jihye threw a rolled up ball of paper at them, complaining loudly despite the smile on her face.