#deersovereign

Jinwoo and Myungjun had been bestfriends since the day Myungjun moved in next door. He greeted Jinwoowith a grin and a squeaky, “My name is Kim Myungjun and let's bebest friends!”

Jinwoo couldn't really reject Myungjun,especially not when Myungjun informed him of his birthday and Jinwoorealized how much older and cooler Myungjun was.

Even when he was in high school, hestill liked to boast that hisbest friend was a university student,and his classmates were in awe over the fact that he was actuallyable to friend someone so much wiser than all of them were.

Ofcourse, that wasn't really the case. Myungjun was just Myungjun– he was outgoing and loud and sometimes obnoxious, and honestlynot much taller than Jinwoo himself.

He wasthe loudest one in the crowd when Jinwoo finally graduated fromschool, outdoing Jinwoo's own parents, much to their chagrin. And hewas the first one to run up at Jinwoo and scoop him in a tightembrace, ruffling his hair and exclaiming how proud he was of Jinwoofor graduating.

“Haveyou given much thought to college?” he asked cheerfully.

Jinwoohad smiled right back. “Wherever you are, Hyung.”

Somepeople called it romantic, but Jinwoo laughed and waved them off.There was absolutely nothing romantic about his and Myungjun'srelationship. They were close, but they were friends,and Jinwoo prided himself on having a friend as amazing as Myungjunwas.

Forhis coming of age, Myungjun even took him to a bar, using his lowlycoffee shop paycheck to buy Jinwoo whatever he wanted.

“It'sall on me!” Myungjun had exclaimed, waving the bartender over. “Formy best friend in the whole world, Park Jinwoo!”

“You'retalking too loud, Hyung,” Jinwoo responded, though he was holdingback a grin as Myungjun passed over the drink menu.

“Nope,I'll never talk too loud about how awesome you are. Everyone needs toknow.”

“No oneneeds to know.”

Myungjunstared at him for a few seconds before clearing his throat andcalling out, “My best friend Jinwoo is so a-”

Jinwoograbbed him before he could finish that, shoving a hand overMyungjun's mouth. A heavy blush fell across his cheeks as he triedshushing his friend. “Myungjun!”he whispered, but Myungjun was giggling at Jinwoo's embarrassment.“Stop it, Hyung! You're humiliating me!”

Inresponse to that, Myungjun licked at Jinwoo's palm, still stiflinghis voice, and Jinwoo gave a slight yelp as he jerked away. “Gross!”he exclaimed, then proceeded to wipe his hand on Myungjun's shirt.The giggles had turned into loud laughter, and Jinwoo scowled as hetried cleaning his hand. “Why are we even friends? I wonder thatsometimes.”

“Becauseyou liiiiiike me,”Myungjun drawled. “Because you loooooveme.”

“No.”

Myungjungave him a fake pout before sipping at his drink. “Even after I'vetaken you out for Jinwoo's big day? Even aftereverything I've done.”

Jinwooshook his head. “Even after everything you've done.” He smirkedinto his own drink as he heard Myungjun whine, and then he reachedover to pat Myungjun's back. “If you want to make it up to me, youcan go and try out the karaoke they have here.”

Myungjunglanced over at the small, empty stage and grimaced. “Everyone willlook at me. It'll be embarrassing.”

“Seriously?Everyone already looked at you when you started yelling.”

“You'renot wrong.”

Jinwooshoved his friend. “If you want me to love you, you have to gosing.”

“Ican't sing, though! You know that, I've never been a good singer.”

“I'venever heard you sing,”Jinwoo pointed out. “Besides, if you're reallybad, you can just – I don't know – pretend you're drunk. You'regreat at doing that.”

Myungjunwas quiet for a few seconds before muttering, “If I sing, will youlove me?”

“I'lllove you if you sing,” Jinwoo confirmed.

Myungjun'ssmile was incredibly bright all of a sudden, and he slapped Jinwoo'sback. “You'll have to love me, then,” he said, then stood up and hurried off to the stage.

Jinwoowatched curiously. He hadn't thought Myungjun would truly go forthis. It didn't really seem like a Myungjun thing to do; while he wasoutgoing, he wasn't an attention-seeker. He lacked self-confidencewhen it came to performing or showcasing talents.

(Jinwoorecalled one fine example during an art showcase, where Myungjun tookhis gorgeous paintings off the wall and left after ten minutes, toonervous to have his art appraised in fear he learned they were lessthan Jinwoo told him they were.)

SoJinwoo did feelslightly bad when he saw Myungjun shaking, hands trembling to grab atthe microphone. Still, his gaze was steady and full of determination– but when the microphone fell, Myungjun halted for a second.

Jinwootook that second to push his drink aside and rush forward. He reachedfor the microphone at the same time Myungjun did – their handsbrushed, fingers lightly trailing across skin, and Myungjun glancedup with flushed cheeks.

“Here,let me-” Jinwoo started.

“I'vegot it,” Myungjun muttered quietly, and he certainly did. He pickedthe microphone up and offered a soft smile to Jinwoo. “You'll loveme if I sing?”

Hedidn't know why Myungjun needed such assurance of that, but Jinwoonodded anyway, then stepped back to allow the older boy to pick outwhich song it was that he would be singing.

Themusic started as Jinwoo found his way back to the table.

Andthen Myungjun's singing started.

Jinwoowas certain that every eye in the bar was turned to him, that everybreath had stopped, that every single second on the planet had beengearing up for this point, for Myungjun's angelic voice. It was likehoney pouring forth from his mouth; the words came so naturally, thetone moved along so steadily.

Thedim lights in the bar didn't offer much in terms of spotlight, butMyungjun seemed to grab everyone's attention regardless.

And,most of all, he managed to grab Jinwoo's attention. Jinwoo forgotwhere he was and forgot that other people were around him; he wassolely focused on Myungjun.

Thesong came to a close, and people started to cheer. Myungjun smiledshyly at the faces in the crowd, but his eyes sought out Jinwoo's.

Stilltrembling, he put the microphone back on the stand and rushed over tohis friend. And, just like that, life moved on for everyone else.Only a few made comments on how nice Myungjun's voice was; to them,though, he was just another voice among all the other amateur singersout there.

But toJinwoo, Myungjun was the only one who mattered. He was the only onewho had captivated Jinwoo, utterly and completely.

“So?”Myungjun sat down again, clearing his throat.

Jinwooblinked. “S-So?”

“So,how was that?”

Howwas that? It was the best thing Jinwoo had heard in his life, and hestammered, “I-I-I mean, I thought...it, um, it-”

Myungjungiggled slightly before nervously grabbing at his drink. “And?”

“And?”

“Andaren't you supposed to tell me something now?”

Jinwoofell silent. He had to remember if he had made any promises toMyungjun, anything that he had to say once Myungjun was done singing.Myungjun stared at him with warm, brown eyes and an anxious smile.His fingers tapped at the glass of whatever it was he had beendrinking, displaying his anxiety, and then Jinwoo recalled what hehad to say.

Maybeit was the alcohol, maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was hisdamn affection for Kim Myungjun,but Jinwoo couldn't stop himself from leaning forward suddenly andplanting a kiss on Myungjun's cheek.

Myungjun'seyes widened, and he stared at Jinwoo in shock.

“Ah,”Jinwoo started, and he stood from his seat. “S-So, yeah, that waspretty, um, pretty good.”

Hemade a dash to get out, but Myungjun followed close behind. “Jinwoo!Jinwoo, you liiiiiikeme?”

Jinwoodidn't answer, and so Myungjun grabbed his arm and spun him around.When they stood face to face, Myungjun's lips were pulled back in abreathtaking grin.

“Jinwoo?”he questioned again. “Jinwoo, do you loooooveme?”

Jinwoobit down on his lip before nodding his head.

“Jinwoo?”Myungjun was closer now, and his voice little more than a whisper.“Jinwoo, I loooooveyou, too.”

(Jinwoogot kisses that night, which was exactly one-third of what he wassupposed to get forhis coming-of-age day. He mentioned this to Myungjun after they werebreathless and barely standing.

Myungjun'sresponse was bumping his nose into Jinwoo's cheek and murmuring, “Ifyou want to forgo those gifts, I can kiss you exactly thirty-seventimes.”

“Mm.Sure. Why thirty-seven?”