Affection - Chapter One
Synopis: Being in love with your childhood friend wasn’t the best feeling ever, even more so now that he got himself a girlfriend. Moving in with him didn’t seem like the best idea either, but life always brings us the most unexpected gifts.
Content info: Chan x afab reader, Changbin x afab reader, angst/fluff, best friend Chan, brother Felix, roommates Minho and Changbin, Minho x Jisung
To me, happiness always felt like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the further it will be from you, but if you take a moment to look at your surroundings, it might just gently come and sit on your hand. You’ll be startled for a moment, but eventually will become fond of it and just when you start to realize how beautiful its wings are, resembling the color of a campfire going out, it will spread them and fly away. And you will miss it, even before knowing what it is to miss something. Just like a first love. Just like Christopher.
- It's always been you, hasn't it?
I freezed. A boy, probably a little older than I was, stood at the door of the big white house situated just beside my own.
- I'm so sorry! - I said, guiltily, trying to find an excuse inside that little brain of mine - She's just SO cute, I just couldn't help...
- Hey, it's fine, really. - He laughed softly, showing his adorable smiled adorned with a dimple - I'm pretty sure Berry appreciates the daily treats a lot.
Let me explain the situation: It had been just a couple of weeks since me and my brother, Felix Lee, had moved into a cute yellow house, when I met the cutest dog to have stepped paw in this world: Berry. Still being really young, I was mesmerized by the pure existence of her, and, naturally, I developed the habit of leaving a treat (anonymously, or so I thought) for the little puppy every single day at my neighbor's front door.
- I'm Chris, by the way! - The boy stated, still smiling - Christopher Bang. Or just Chan, you can pick and choose!
- I'm Y/N! - I couldn't help but relax and smile around his presence - I just moved here with my little brother Felix, but he's a little sick so mum said he should rest... Grandpa calls him Yongbok!
That's when it all started. That's when I met Christopher Bang, the one I truly believed was my soulmate.
Me and my brother were so little back then, and Chan, despite being just a little tiny bit older, took care of us like we were his own children. Old habits really do die hard, I must say.
I never seem to remember the exact moment Chris became so close to us. It happened such a long time ago that I have never even bothered to recall the memory and then, before I could realize, his presence felt so familiar that it would feel weird to not have him around.
So, when he left for college, it did.
First, I missed his smile. Just his smile and nothing more. Then, I started to miss the bouncing of his shoulders combined with his undying laugh, the one that lasted until you couldn’t recollect what you were even laughing about.
I only missed the movie nights on Sundays, until I remembered all my other days that were all filled with him, and then the longing grew bigger and bigger until it took over the lightness of the summer.
I lost my summer.
The longing, then, consumed me inside and out, because everything I missed about him made me read, paint, write, or do anything that would occupy my thoughts until I passed out on the bed from tiredness. The body knows how tiring it is to miss someone. Being inexperienced and emotionally immature didn’t help one bit.
That was the first time I cried over Christopher Bang.
Obviously, Chris, being the most caring and amazing person he was, texted me daily and called me whenever I felt like crying over missing him again. He was devasted when Felix told him about my emotional downfall. That little snitch.
- I’m sorry I left, my little sunset... – He always apologized, taking the blame when he’s done nothing wrong, as he usually does – But you’ll be here with me soon enough, just like we planned, alright? Besides, college isn’t even that great, I promise.
His affection toward us made sure that, even though we only saw him on holidays, nothing ever changed. He still felt like home, like Chris.
And then, sometime after, I finally realized I was romantically in love with him.
It was really difficult to accept my feelings at first, since Chan almost felt like part of my own family, it almost felt wrong. Almost. But Felix seemed to have noticed my feelings for the older boy a long time before that.
- Took you long enough! – He exclaimed, looking quite incredulous – You’re so slow, aren’t you? You look at him like he puts the stars in the fucking sky, really.
- Oh, shut up Mr. Know-It-All. – I nudged him – Anyhow, I'm too late. He probably sees me as a little sister at this point.
- You’ll never know if you don’t try! - Felix laid his head on my shoulder – And for the record, I think you’d make a really really really cute couple, ok? He’s more than approved to be my brother-in-law.
My brother always had the talent to make me cheerful regardless of the situation. Felix just has this effect on people. He always, and I repeat, always lightens the room. He is the type of person to make everyone happy anywhere he goes and, as if that wasn’t enough, the boy is also extraordinarily talented in every single thing he does. Lixie glows. He has the ability to adapt naturally to any environment ever. At parties, he was the light of it, extremely outgoing and a terrible dancer (only when he was exceptionally drunk), but, at home, he was comforting and cozy. Little details like these made leaving him even harder than it already was.
I was torn. Sure, it would be great to start college and move in with Chan, but... Was I ready? Ready to leave Felix? To leave mum and dad? Was I really choosing the right major? Honestly, I had no idea, but it wasn’t like I had a Plan B.
- Guys, I have great news! - Chan had called us one month prior to me moving in with him.
- I’m actually quite scared of what I’m about to hear, but go on... - Felix giggled, getting closer to the phone.
- Ok, this might sound weird, but... - He paused, and I swear I never saw him smiling so hard before – I got a girlfriend!
Great. Just awesome. Fucking marvelous.
- Oh, - Felix didn’t know how to react, I could see it in his tight smile – That's great! Congrats, mate!
- Geez, this sure sounds weird... – I forced myself to laugh lightly, and even to me it sounded fake – I’m really happy for you, Chris!
- Wow, you guys are so dumbstruck right now. - His smile faltered for just a split second, and then he was laughing – Is it really that hard to believe someone fell for my undying charms?
- No, not hard at all... - I answered, lowly. Felix let out a soft scoff.
The silent remained for a while, until he decided to break it again. Chan does not deal well with awkwardness.
- So... Y/N, are you excited about moving in with the, oh so great, Christopher Bang? - He was still smiling, showing that fucking adorable dimple of his.
As soon as I was given the opportunity, I left the room. My head, my heart and even my breath didn’t feel right at that moment. I couldn't recollect my thoughts at all.
- Hey, are you alright? - Lix entered my bedroom a few minutes later with a look of pity I didn’t appreciate – Sorry, scratch that, of course you’re not.
The moment he hugged me was the moment the first tear scaped. That was the second time I cried over Christopher Bang.
- Lix, why does it hurt this much? - At that point I was sobbing, bawling my fucking eyes out. I’m definitely an ugly crier.
- That’s obvious... You love him, little loon. - He smiled with adoration – It's as simple as that.
- Is love supposed to hurt this much? - I hid my face in his neck, poor thing.
At that moment, he stayed quiet. I’m guessing he didn’t know the answer back then, and I’m not sure if any of us do, even now.