six | tease

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the first time we hung out was monumental to me. all my life i'd been so trapped within the depths of my own head, so wrapped up in myself and my tiny bubble and so oblivious. hyuck was the total opposite and almost desired to be a part of anything else that couldn't be his. he once told me that he liked how hard i was to deal with, and it instantly offended me...although i take pride in being a challenge now. i never settled for second best or mediocre treatment, and he didn't seem too fussed on simplistic or easy people.

so, taking me to the small, stone bridge that actually held an awful lot of history that i didn't care about seemed a bit odd at the time. but the activity he had in mind (or made up on the spot) actually added a lot to the atmosphere. it was so dark out by the time we got there, and it had already been a stuffy twenty minute walk. my ankles rubbed against my sandals irritatingly, but i didn't complain...i always kept that to a minimum.

"okay, it takes a few minutes but just wait," he hummed beside me once we were comfortably settled side by side, looking out over the tiny brook passing underneath. i sort of held my breath back then in anticipation, which was admittedly stupid. he too giggled at my antics and probably assumed i was prepared to be scared.

"it's not that bad," he had scoffed, and god was the sweat shining again his sun-kissed skin so alluring. i wanted to touch it, but my hormones also played a large part back when i was merely seventeen. sort of embarrassing to be honest, and it was hard not to think about that sort of thing all the damn time. if i'm completely honest now, i still do.

my eyes were forever trying to lay on his perfect entirety when in his presence, so in order to not be super creepy that night, i followed his gaze to rest on the horizon beyond the hillsides. the moon was up already so it wasn't as though we were waiting for nature's marvellous display of the changing of the day.

eventually, however, something did come. the trees all slowly lit up as if set on random timers, small and floating orbs of light drifted out from the leaves tentatively. they all looked uncertain, wavering on their air-born routes across the river. i'd never seen something so incredible before in my life, and it showed in my eyes apparently as they reflected the scene.

"fireflies," my silly neighbour explained as if i had no concept of something so obvious. "i discovered this place once when i was on a walk with an acquaintance, but they didn't care about this sort of thing. you give me the vibes of a guy who actually appreciates the small things in life, like fireflies."

"you calling me simple? easy-to-please?"

"why is everything a fight, huh?" he giggled. i regret being so hostile at the beginning. he was always trying to flirt and be nice, and i was too darn stubborn to accept it. my cheeks did blush then and there though, so flicking my gaze down was the only solution available.

i remember standing there in silence for longer than should've been necessary. i don't think he knew what to say, and my antisocial nature wasn't much wiser to it either. in the end, he just stared at the fleeting specs of light as well and contemplated something; maybe even blaming himself for making this awkward. it was not his fault though...

it was never his fault.

in the end, i tapped my sticky finger from the ice-cream earlier against the edge of the bridge and sucked in another deep breath. i wanted this to work more than anything because i could feel his insecurity back then, and maybe i knew i would hate myself forever for pushing him away. "they're pretty...." i'd mumbled quietly. what a silly thing to make peace with.

"hm?" donghyuck gushed afterwards only to set my anxiety on fire again. i stifled a stutter and shifted my irises to peer at him once more.

"i said they look pretty."

"oh," he had grinned like a cute puppy, nodding enthusiastically and leaning back off the stone-stacked rail. "i know, right?"

"thank you for showing me."

i think that was where he found himself in a similar state to me. the pink cheeks we always blamed on heat, the doe eyes wide with surprise for the answer. "no problem. thank you for coming?"

we fell into that quiet again for a moment, albeit while staring at each other this time. it wasn't until we both finished recapping his ridiculous response that we burst into fits of giggles and rested our arms and chests against the edge of the bridge. "what was that?" i remember chuckling playfully and looking off ahead once more. "obviously i'd come, you dragged me here."

"that's not what i meant," he blushed. he blushed. god he was so cute. "anyway, i'm glad you accompanied me."

i purposely didn't answer at the time to make him feel all insecure. his face was confident as always, although i'm certain he always put it on in order to hide his fears. when he grazed his nails over the stone surface softly, that was when i playfully nudged him with my shoulder. his expression lit up only slightly...but i could see it.

"donghyuck," i murmured against the passing breeze sweeping my fringe off my face.

"mhm?"

"are you planning on taking me out again?"

"depends," he yawned to install worry into my already weak heart. he always did that, to be honest.

"wait, on what?"

"on whether you'll agree." his wink definitely tied that smooth line together, and i swear to god i was so close to smacking his shoulder and storming off.

"no."

"shame. i was looking forward to it."

i didn't dare look at him. i'd crumble from his appearance alone if i did. yet after thinking and thinking and wondering how dumb it was to agree to this — to leave myself vulnerable and open to his unknown ways — i still did. i was a golden ore inside a mine that he was working his way towards...and i didn't mind feeling so precious for a little while. "donghyuck."

"yeah?"

"i'm free all day everyday."

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