Chapter Text
Jisung is manning the reception in between the next class when someone familiar walks through the door. It’s been 5 long years, yet Jisung’s heart still lurches at the memories.
It’s a moment of extended silence and Jisung can’t find the words. He’s angry, he’s sad, and suddenly all the feelings come rushing back. But above that, Chenle still looks just as pretty, even with the new array of visible piercings and tattoos.
“How’d you get here?,” is what he eventually stammers out. He hasn’t heard from Chenle in years, despite reconnecting with most of his childhood friends, only leaving the most important one behind.
“You know, your mom still loves me,” Chenle cheekily retorts, accompanied by the same gummy smile that Jisung would pay to save. And in that moment, Jisung almost can’t resist telling him that she’s not the only person who still loves him.
But he knows better. He’s learned over the years, with each failed relationship, and each pretty stranger from a crowded nightclub, that good things don’t come without a price.
Jisung’s face visibly falls, and with it Chenle’s does too.
“I’m sorry you know, I really wanted to keep contact but it was hard for me,” Chenle rushes to explain the sudden change of mood. And Jisung knows that, he’s heard from their mutual friends of Chenle dropping out, of the parties, and of the other not-so-acceptable activities.
Jisung just turns around, the AC in the lobby feeling too cold. He doesn’t want to face the past, where every time he felt like something went right, he would wake up to a nightmare instead.
“Sorry, I can’t talk now, I have another class to teach,” and it’s not exactly a lie, Jisung concedes. He does have to teach, just not for another 20 minutes. And with that, he scurries away, old wounds open again.
Maybe if he looked back, he’d see Chenle’s face drop and see the clenched fist he makes as he walks out.
It’s a week later when Jisung meets him again. He’s at the club, enjoying himself with the rest of the instructor’s at his studio, shots of alcohol long downed. It feels good to party and drink legally, where he’s able to escape the same conversations he used to get dragged into.
He’s long changed. Heartbreak makes people timid, and nowadays, only liquid courage can force his hand.
When Chenle appears in front of him, Jisung swears he’s dreaming. There’s no way that his first love is in the club he’s been frequenting since university, filled with cheap shots and too-tired young adults.
They’re at the bar, when Chenle finally siddles up to him.
“Hey, you,” Chenle says softly, eyes reflecting the bright lights with an amused twinkle. There’s something so perfect about the way Chenle is looking at him, like he means the world. And maybe sober Jisung would protest and turn away, but drunk Jisung feels good under the caring expression.
-
Chenle was 20 when he realized why Jisung was so special. University takes its tolls on heartbroken boys who live for nothing in particular. And it’s after his 3rd failed relationship since Jeno that Chenle realized. It comes in bits and pieces after a drunken night but it’s there.
He realizes that maybe those dreams of Jisung’s warm hands through his hair, comforting, as they always were, were more than dreams. Maybe the soft glances meant more than friendship. Maybe the caring outreaches and the joyful moments were more romantic than anything else can measure up. Slowly. Chenle realizes that maybe he’s been in love with his best friend for his entire life.
Chenle can remember the moment he gave up on Jisung the first time. When he realized that his punches would never be enough to match Jisung’s bright future. When he realized that his best friend would always deserve more than what he could give him. Chenle was 16 when he realized that Jisung was more than Chenle could ever afford to stay.
Chenle never did know how to stay, but he reasons to himself that it’s time to learn.
-
Jisung and Chenle are 23 when they reconnect and slowly fall back in love. Just like they were always meant to be, because that’s just how they always fit, ever since the first sandcastle. Fate works in wondrous ways, so maybe it does only take one moment for someone to stay.