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Chaoze and Dinghao have seen that coming.
By that, it's Lin Yanjun and You Zhangjing's announcement that they're dating each other. It was really easy to guess, because who could not see how Yanjun and Zhangjing wanted each other so bad they had to fight every time they met face to face for the entire year? Everyone knew Zhangjing was a super badass bitch, and he could only be worse when Yanjun was around. Truth be told, it was a way to get Yanjun's attention and with Yanjun didn't actually mind only made it even clearer that they were, and still are, morons.
They also have predicted that the progress of their relationship isn't going to be smooth.
It means, Chaoze and Dinghao's suffers aren't going to go anywhere very soon.
"I can't believe this!" Zhangjing exclaims, lifting a cup of coffee on his hand, instead of meeting his boyfriend who had promised to pick him up around this time for a date. "Where's Yanjun again?" he asks Dinghao and Chaoze, the kind-of-unlucky roommates of Zhangjing but they also can't—and won't—ask to exchange room because their friendship is genuine, despite all the hard rocks along the way.
"Left for his football match," answers Dinghao without looking up from his phone since Chaoze's mental state is currently too damaged to even give a response. "He was sorry he couldn't make the coffee date with you because he'd promised them first, so he bought you coffee beforehand."
Zhangjing huffs and glances at the cup. Yanjun had stuck a post-it note on one side of the cup, so Zhangjing tears it off to read what's written in there.
'I'm so so sorry, beautiful. Let me make up for it next time, okay? My treat! ;)'
Zhangjing rolls his eyes, but he smiles.
"What?" Dinghao looks up, worried. He's been watching Zhangjing's reaction after the coffee's got on his hand and this is the most nervewrecking part on Zhangjing and Yanjun's dramatic love story saga. "Please don't tell me you're going to throw a fit because I have exam tomorrow and Chaoze is in bad mood today, so we don't have time to deal with your melodramatic ass. If you want us to kick Yanjun's ass, we're cool, just don't shout. Or sing a heavy metal song. Please don't do either."
"I won't do either," Zhangjing says, annoyed. He takes a sip of his coffee and sighs, "Vanilla latte."
"Isn't that your favourite?" asks Dinghao.
Zhangjing nods. "Yup, and it's so Yanjun-like because I don't usually make my coffee this sweet. I appreciate his effort, though, and both you and Chaoze don't have to kick his ass."
"Maybe he wants to tell him you're that sweet for him," Chaoze adds from the upper bunk across the room where he's been cuddled under his blanket up to his chin ever since Zhangjing entered their shared room. "Your boyfriend is gross. You two are gross."
"Maybe we wouldn't look gross at all if you didn't come up with such comment out of the blue, but thank you so much, Chaoze. I'll take that as a compliment."
Dinghao stares longingly at Zhangjing. "He's so romantic. I need to have a boyfriend like that."
Zhangjing gives Dinghao a mocking look. "Yanjun? That Lin Yanjun? Romantic? You must be kidding me."
In Zhangjing's perspective, Lin Yanjun is not even close to the description of someone romantic. They barely hold hands when they go out, Yanjun doesn't open the door for him, he doesn't wait for him when he walks (even dares to challenge Zhangjing to catch him for an ice cream treat, that jerk), he doesn't call him by cute nicknames, he doesn't come up with gentle smile and a bouquet of flowers when they meet up like any other boyfriend would do to their lover, and the most annoying thing probably because he rarely says I love you to Zhangjing. Scratch that, Zhangjing has never heard him said I love you or any other similar phrase to him even after dating for over than two years.
Also, Yanjun is very immune to surprises. Zhangjing has given up trying to arrange a birthday surprise party for him because Yanjun would magically appear out of nowhere and surprise him instead. It was funny at the first time, but when it happened again the next year, Zhangjing made a conclusion that maybe romantic surprises weren't made for Yanjun.
(He made the conclusion after several other tries to surprise Yanjun in different occasion and he'd failed embarrassingly at every single attempt, he swore to God.)
Even though that doesn't make Zhangjing love Yanjun less, honestly. It's just, Zhangjing wants Yanjun to appear more as a boyfriend and not just a boy friend. Yanjun is sweet, kind, caring, funny and dependable, the only problem is he's like that to everyone around him and Zhangjing doesn't feel special as his boyfriend. He isn't jealous, ha, it's Yanjun's fangirls that have to be jealous on him, but he just wants Yanjun to show it through the action. That he loves him as much as Zhangjing does, that Zhangjing isn't the only one who gives his all into this.
("You should've asked him, you know." Chaoze had said one time when he and Zhangjing were sitting on Chaoze's bed, Zhangjing complained about his unromantic boyfriend as usual it started to become a habit. "Yanjun is so into you he could walk through hell just to get to you. You can just tell him you want him to be a fucking romantic so people who are already grossed out can puke up rainbow when they're looking at you."
"You're so mean," Zhangjing protested. "You're unhappy with this because you're lonely."
"This isn't about me," Chaoze said. "It's about my and Dinghao's ability to think rationally after we spent too much time hanging out with you and your granny whines about your boyfriend isn't romantic. Let me tell you this, You Zhangjing. Yanjun is The It Guy in our campus and you're probably the only one who disagrees about him being the most romantic creature on this land. You're ridiculous, you know that? You're his boyfriend! You're supposed to know that better than anyone else!"
"It's because Yanjun isn't romantic and I know that better than anyone else!" Zhangjing threw a pillow to Chaoze's face. "The reason I've never asked him is because I know he'd give me whatever I asked, and that's the point. He could just do that to please me, and not because he's naturally romantic. I don't want that, I want him to be romantic because it's his instinct as a boyfriend!"
Chaoze looked at Zhangjing, completely unimpressed. "Go back to your bed," he said after ten seconds pause. "Or go to Yanjun's dorm or go to hell. I don't care. If you fucking say that romantic word once again in front of my face, I'm going to kick you out of this room.")
That's why Zhangjing doesn't see it as romantic when Yanjun joins him on the bed and snuggles with him, after shower scent still evident when he softly removes Zhangjing's hand from the blanket so he can get in. Zhangjing's single bed isn't so big but somehow it accommodates the two of them without having to look like sardines inside a can. It's just a little cramped here and there so Yanjun has to press his chest so close to Zhangjing's back, in which Zhangjing doesn't mind at all.
"Hi," Yanjun says, kissing the back of Zhangjing's head. "Are you still angry?"
"I'm not angry," Zhangjing replies. "Who said I was angry?"
"Dinghao and Chaoze. They said you were sighing all day," Yanjun chuckles. "I'm sorry, I've promised them a week before we agreed to go on a date today. They were waiting for me, so I couldn't turn them down."
Zhangjing sighs, turning around. Yanjun quickly adapts, changing his position so Zhangjing is lying on one of his arms and the other one is carefully sitting on top of Zhangjing's waist.
"See? You're sighing again."
"Just because I can't stand being mad at you for so long," says Zhangjing. "But really, no, I was disappointed but not angry. I know you're so kind and I have no problem with that. Also the coffee was good, so apology accepted."
Yanjun smiles. Even in the dim light, Zhangjing can see how bright Yanjun's eyes are and how they never fail to make him fall in love every other day. Yanjun leans down to kiss the tip of Zhangjing's nose.
"I have cleared all my schedule this week, so I'm completely yours until Sunday, which is still four days from today. We can go on a coffee date and many other dates, if you'd like to."
"Of course I'd like to!" Zhangjing quietly exclaims, he doesn't want Chaoze and Dinghao to wake up to this particular scene, as much as Zhangjing wants to show off his boyfriend to them. "Thank you, where's my good night kiss?"
Yanjun clicks his tongue. Zhangjing fumes and he is more than ready to throw a sharp comment at him, but he shuts up when Yanjun tilts his chin up and presses a soft kiss on his lips. Zhangjing immediately dies but he comes back to life fast enough to hold on Yanjun's side face so he doesn't break the kiss so soon. Yanjun shifts a little to give Zhangjing more room to take the lead of the kiss, and they only pull away because Zhangjing accidentally presses his elbow on Yanjun's torso and the latter chokes a surprised laugh.
"Okay, that's the sign that we should go to sleep." Yanjun presses another kiss on Zhangjing's head and adjusts the blanket for them. "Good night, Zhangjing."
"Good night, Yanjun."
Zhangjing closes his eyes and drifts off with the rhythm of Yanjun's chest rises and falls. Yanjun is still not romantic, but the kisses make up for it. Just for today.
Zhangjing doesn't like parties because they're loud as hell, but of course he has to go to one when he and Yanjun are invited, because who knows what are those people going to do to his boyfriend when he's not around? Zhangjing is aware at how thirsty half of the campus are for his boyfriend, so he doesn't feel like taking a risk.
Yanjun has told him not to go, though.
"It's really okay, Zhangjing. I won't get drunk, obviously, because I drive. And everyone knows I already have a boyfriend, so what are you worrying about?"
"I don't trust them. They know you have a boyfriend, do you know what are they going to do when your boyfriend isn't present at the time? I also got the invitation, so I don't come solely to watch over you. Well, that's my top priority, but they don't have to know about that."
Yanjun smiles even when Zhangjing pulls his tie a little too tight. "Oof, okay, okay, let's go together, then."
Zhangjing shakes his head. "It's okay, I'll go with Dinghao and Chaoze. Chaoze brings a car."
Yanjun cocks his head. "But you're my boyfriend, you should be seen with me at events like this. My car has your favourite Starbucks drink and you can choose the music, how about that?"
Zhangjing grins, "You won."
Yanjun laughs and ruffles Zhangjing's hair softly. "Then get ready, I'll wait for you downstairs."
("I'll go with Yanjun, you guys leave first," Zhangjing tells his friends over the phone.
"You're such a traitor, but of course you'd ditch us for Lin Yanjun. He's nice so I won't fill a complaint," says Dinghao. "I guess Yanjun starts to get a grip of how being romantic is, doesn't he?"
"In your dream," Zhangjing rolls his eyes. "He bribes me with Starbucks and I can choose the music for our ride. I can't say no, and that's not romantic at all."
"That means he wants to go with you, dumbass, use your brain, will you? If that isn't him being romantic then what does he have to do? He can put up with a whiny bitch like you for more than two years is already a big achievement for me. Not everyone can get to that level because you'd have already burned them with your harsh remarks."
"Shut up, you're also a bitch but sadly you don't have a boyfriend," Zhangjing retorts. "Anyway, I'm calling you to tell you that. See you at the party, bitch."
"Sure, bitch.")
The party is great, but the aftermath isn't very good.
Zhangjing doesn't really like alcohol because he's such a lightweight it's ridiculous. Yet he doesn't remember how much he drinks and what he drank, but he kind of remember falls into someone's lap and hugs them, and he feels so comfortable like home. Probably it's Yanjun? Because Zhangjing swears the person looks so handsome with silver hair and black suit, and the last of his dying brain cells tell him that Yanjun is also dressed like that.
To put it simply, Zhangjing has passed out before he can even remember when did the party end and how the hell did he get back home.
When he wakes up, he only sees a glass of water on the nightstand and a note from Yanjun wishing him a fast hangover recovery. Yanjun also texts him saying he'll be busy preparing his exam so he can't call or meet Zhangjing for a while until the hustle dies down a little. Zhangjing is, obviously, disappointed.
"How's your sleep, Princess?" asks Chaoze, snickering when Zhangjing enters the kitchen looking like hell. He and Dinghao look somewhat more decent, and Zhangjing scrunches his nose.
"Nice, but now my head hurts," he replies. "Can someone convince me I didn't do anything mortifying and could probably stain my honour last night? I could not remember anything."
Dinghao hums over his cup of morning coffee. "Hmm, it's safe to say you didn't. You just crashed onto Yanjun's lap, shouting praises at him and yelling how much you loved him several times but he's also very unromantic it's boring, then you smooched him in front of everyone. Pretty much that."
Zhangjing covers his face with his palms. "Oh my fucking God."
Chaoze pats Zhangjing on the shoulder. "Chill, Yanjun is your boyfriend so it's fine. He was a total gentleman last night, he cleaned you up before dragging your drunk ass to the car and gave you a ride home. He said that he had exam week in two days so he couldn't sleep over, and he asked us to tell you this very very gently so you wouldn't get mad over nothing."
Zhangjing lets out a long sigh. "As expected from that person," he says.
"What?" Dinghao and Chaoze ask.
"Yanjun is very far from romantic," Zhangjing whines. "He's so cold. He's like a walking fridge. So, so cold."
"He carried you princess-style to bed last night, put a blanket around you, kissed your forehead and put a glass of water on your nightstand," Dinghao says flatly. "What else do you want from him? You were just happened to be so knocked out to witness that yourself."
Zhangjing snorts. "It's not romantic exactly because I could not witness that myself."
Chaoze and Dinghao give each other a look, and they look so close from smothering Zhangjing with anything they can grab right now.
"I'm so tired," Dinghao groans. "I'll start my mission to snatch Yanjun from Zhangjing if this goes on. Yanjun doesn't deserve you."
"Hey! I'm just confessing my thought!" Zhangjing protests.
"Your thought drives us crazy," Chaoze adds. "Please let me just live peacefully. I didn't sign up to college particularly for suffering like this."
It's not until six days later when Zhangjing can finally have Yanjun cuddling with him in bed, now is in Yanjun's big, comfortable queen size bed on his luxurious dorm. Yanjun is extremely exhausted with everything going on his department, but he also looks very happy that all is done.
"You've lost weight," Zhangjing touches Yanjun's cheek softly. "I'll make you meals three times a day, and make sure you get proper rest before you start another busy week. You look like you might collapse anytime."
Yanjun's smile radiates like a freaking sunlight despite his tired face, and he nuzzles on Zhangjing's neck to embrace him tighter. "I'm so happy I have you."
"Is that supposed to be romantic?"
Yanjun laughs. "Why are you so thirsty about romantic things? I have heard everything from your friends. Am I not good enough?"
Zhangjing pulls away just enough to frown at Yanjun. "Do you think you are romantic enough for me?"
Yanjun shrugs, "What else do you see in me?"
"Well, you're handsome."
Yanjun hums, "Then I think being handsome is enough."
Zhangjing rolls his eyes. "You're handsome but not romantic, Yanjun. I mean? You're nice, sure, and kind, everyone knows that, but that's because you are the same to everyone. You're nice, and kind, and everyone likes you. How am I supposed to believe I am way more special than them?"
Yanjun sighs, he leaps to pull Zhangjing onto his own body so now Zhangjing is on top of him.
"Okay, for starters, I only do this with you. I don't kiss anyone but you, and I don't buy anyone coffee unless they're paying for me too. I also don't call anyone else my boyfriend in front of everyone I know, but you. And I definitely am not sleeping with anyone but you. Is that not romantic?"
Zhangjing can't fight a smile to form on his lips. "Nice try, but you're still far away from my ideal. Have you watched those dramas? All the things the male lead does for the female lead? All the I love yous?"
"I love you," Yanjun suddenly blurts out. Zhangjing's lungs stop working for a millisecond and he feels warm spreading on his face at the sudden confession. "I really love you, why would I be your boyfriend if I don't? I just, I was honestly waiting for you to ask me to say those things, because I'm not sure. I don't want to kill the mood by suddenly saying things like that, I don't think you'll feel comfortable too. So, yeah, the reason I didn't say that out loud very often was because I hoped I showed you enough through my actions. Not so drama-like, though, I don't think I'll ever get to that level."
"...But you were not very succeed at your actions too, I suppose."
Yanjun grins, "I know, right? But I think I know how to fix that." He leans up to meet Zhangjing's lips halfway, kissing him so softly like he's afraid he might break Zhangjing if he were to be any rougher. Zhangjing kisses him back, feeling so happy he thinks he would explode.
"Was that romantic?" Yanjun asks after he pulls away from the kiss and rolls Zhangjing gently to his side again. Zhangjing nods absentmindedly, blissful and dizzy from the kiss.
"You're such a great kisser, oh my God. Please kiss me forever."
Yanjun laughs, peppering Zhangjing's face with small kisses here and there until the latter is out of breath. "Sure, and make sure to take note that every kiss is me saying I love you without saying it to you."
Zhangjing presses his lips into a thin line. "You're such a stubborn fighter," he chuckles. "Can you kiss me again? I need my proof."
Yanjun laughs, and he does.