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"Taki are you tired?" Maki asks, sitting down next to him in the practice room. Everyone had scattered after their dance practice just ended.
"Yeah" Taki answers, trying to catch his breath. "But i am still in for our plan tonight"
"Really? I am not forcing you to go right?" Maki asks, worried.
Taki shook his head. "It's our best friendeversary! 4 years since we became best friends. Of course we have to go out today"
Maki smiles. Taki was so serious about their best friend agenda. They celebrated their friendeversary every year, by going on a 'friendly date' for BBQ. It was one day, where they ditched all the members, just to be in each others presence.
"Then i am glad" Maki put up a smile.
-
Maki is back in his room, changing to leave for his friendly date with his best friend Taki, who he's totally not in love with.
Nicholas enters his room, singing the wrong lyrics to a song as he skipped around, and then noticed Maki styling his hair in the mirror. He narrows his eyes at him.
"You're putting in way too much effort tonight. Got a date?" Nicholas asks.
"Shut up man" Maki mutters, fixing his hair. "It's my and Taki's 4th friendship anniversary today"
Nicholas snorts. "What the fuck is a friendship anniversary. Y'all in kindergarten?"
"Shut up already, it's serious for us. And specially Taki. He cherishes it very much"
Nicholas shrugs. "Whatever man! Kids these days be doing couple shit and call it a friend thing."
Maki rolls his eyes, before heading over to his closet. "Can you help me decide what to wear?"
Nicholas folds his arms. "Why are you actually treating it like a date?"
"I am not!" Maki panics. "I just want to take some good photos today!"
Nicholas eyed him suspiciously, before he helps him decide on one. Maki finally gets dressed, putting on deodorant.
"When was the last time you even put in this much effort to get ready?" Nicholas asks. "When we go out as a team, you look fucking homeless"
"It's our friendeversary. I can't disappoint Taki" Maki answers.
Nicholas just sighs, shaking his head as Maki leaves the room, shutting the door loudly.
-
Maki and Taki were walking side by side, almost on their way to the BBQ place where they go everyday. Maki couldn't help himself from smiling. He was so excited for this day. It's the one day where he gets Taki's attention all to himself.
They finally sit down facing each other. Maki couldn't take his eyes of Taki. He looked adorable wearing the shirt that he gifted him last year on their 'friendeversary'"
"So what gift will i be getting this year?" Taki asks, putting his elbows up on the table.
"Me" Maki answers shamelessly.
"You say this every year" Taki laughs. "But you always come up with a nice gift. Like this shirt i am wearing right now"
"This time it will be something wearable too" Maki says grinning. "I have ordered it online, but it's still not here yet"
"Don't worry" Taki says. "I haven't even thought of what to gift you yet. I would need another week for that."
"No worries" Maki says. "You spending this time with me is enough actually"
"Ayy that sounded kinda romantic" Taki laughs, slapping his arm. "But sadly i am just your best friend, try that with someone else"
Maki felt his heart drop, but he immediately put up a smile for Taki. Of course. Taki sees him a best friend.
He's the stupid one. He's the one who's in love.
"Oh food is here" Taki says excitedly.
Maki pushes the sinking feeling in his gut away, to delve into the food. He watches Taki, eat with his full heart. The sight was enough to make Maki smile.
-
After they are done with the dinner, they are taking a stroll outside, near their dorms. Taki was clinging onto Maki, his arms around the others.
Maki was trying so hard, to control himself. Taki being this touchy with him, this late at night was driving him insane.
"Maki, we didn't take photos today" Taki suddenly says.
Maki whips his head towards Taki to find it inches away from his own. He glances at his lips, and then back into his eyes, his heart stuttering.
"Should we take now?" Taki asks, pulling out his phone.
Maki clears his throat, pushing away the weird thoughts. Taki leans closer to his cheek, Maki puts his arms around the others waist, as they took several selfies together, leaning their heads close to each other.
"New wallpaper until next year bestie" Taki says, grinning at the photos.
Maki smiles back at him. Taki always had to emphasis that they were 'best friends'.
It often broke Maki's heart. He was tired of being in the friend zone since years.
But he also doesn't know if he will ever make it out of the friend zone.
Since Taki was so hell bent on pushing their best friend agenda.
Maybe he was okay with it. He could live with it. At least they were best friends.
-
Once Maki is back, he waves goodbye to Taki before entering his shared room with Nicholas.
Nicholas was as usual on his phone, giggling like a school girl.
Maki side eyes him laying down next to him. "Who the fuck are you texting"
"My beautiful man, jju chan" Nicholas answers.
Maki was so jealous of Nicholas. He had successfully made it out of the friend zone. And now he was dating their leader.
"He just went to Korea for one day" Maki says. "I wonder how you're surviving"
"He's sending me such cute selfies" Nicholas says, smiling like an idiot, rolling on his bed. "Agh i miss him so much"
Maki wanted whatever they had. But with his best friend.
"How is it though" Maki suddenly asks. "Dating your best friend?"
Nicholas whips his head towards him. "Oh it's the best! Finding a romantic partner in your best friend means you're never going to get bored"
Maki hesitates. He wanted to ask more about how Nicholas ended up with Euijoo, but he was afraid he would be exposing himself.
"I have another question" Maki says.
Nicholas smirks at him. "I can tell. A lot is exploding in your brain. Ask away"
"How did you confess to Euijoo? Like you guys had been best friends since 6 years almost. Weren't you afraid that he would get mad at you? Or reject you? And how your friendship would get affected?"
Nicholas puts his phone aside, sitting up in bed sighing. "Yeah Maki, it wasn't easy. I was afraid. But my feelings got to the point that I could no longer just remain friends with him. That was hurting me more. So I just decided to take the chance."
"You're brave" Maki says, staring into space. "I couldn't do that"
Nicholas stares at him. "Maki, what are you hiding from me"
Maki panics, widening his eyes. "N-n-nothing"
Nicholas narrows his eyes. "Come on! What good would it do to you if you hide it from me? I could give you advice! Specially if you like a best friend"
Maki sighs, hiding his face in his hands. He was frustrated. "Okay..i do like my best friend"
Nicholas smirks. "I mean..which one..you have like 4 best friends in the team..Harua? Jo? Or me? Well definitely not me cause i am taken" He jokes. "And Taki?"
Maki widens his eyes at Taki's name, his heart skipping beats.
"So it is Taki" Nicholas confirms.
"Of course it's Taki" Maki answers. "We literally celebrate our friendeversary! I don't do that with others"
Nicholas snorts. "Just call it anniversary already! You guys act so married."
"But he doesn't know that I'm in love with him!" Maki exhales. "And I don't think I will ever be telling him that..cause I think he will feel weird about it. And then we won't even have friendeversaries"
Nicholas facepalms. "Well, you could have an anniversary if you had some guts. You have to take a chance"
"I really don't wanna risk it" Maki sighs. "I think im okay with being in the friend zone. I don't wanna loose Taki. He's too precious for me. I cannot survive without him"
Nicholas shakes his head. "You're down bad man"
-
Taki stood frozen outside the room, hearing their entire conversation. He had just came to their room to return Maki his charger, but the moment he heard his name, he paused to listen.
Maki, his best friend since 4 years just admitted that he likes him. Taki's heart starts pounding.
He never expected a thing like this to happen. His best friend being in love with him? Holy shit.
He doesn't know, how to face Maki anymore after this. He felt too shy all of a sudden with the whole situation.
He quickly turned around, leaving the charger outside the room before leaving, as his heart thudded loudly against his chest.
-
The next day, Maki smiles at Taki and puts his arm around him when everyone was sitting in the living room. But Taki very subtlety took his hand off.
This made Maki frown. Taki never avoided skinship. Specially with him. His action somehow hurt Maki. He had never done this before.
Maki stands up for a while to head to the kitchen but when he gets back, he sees Taki clinging to Yuma.
Taki just pushed aside Maki a while ago, but he has no problem with Yuma?
Is Maki overthinking or is Taki actually avoiding him on purpose. He thinks he's just overthinking so he lets it go.
-
The group was doing a wewerse live, Maki left a spot beside him for Taki. But when Taki walks over he instead goes to sit between K and Fuma.
Taki started clinging to K, who also embraced him in his arms. Maki couldn't help but frown. Something was definitely wrong. Because why was Taki avoiding his existence all of a sudden? He did nothing.
Maki tries to be positive about it. Maybe Taki just needs space and wants to spend time with other members. So he decided to not cling or push him so much.
Even after the wewerse group live, Taki usually sticked around with either K, Harua or Yuma.
Whenever Maki sat beside him, Taki immediately stood up, and went up to another member starting a conversation with them.
Maki was confused. He couldn't understand why Taki was being avoidant all of a sudden.
Maki nudges Nicholas as he watches Taki mess around with Jo and Yuma, his heart hurting.
"Am I hallucinating shit or is Taki really avoiding me lately" he asks Nicholas.
"I guess he might be?" Nicholas says. "I just pay attention to my jju chan so I don't know"
"You're so fucking annoying" Maki mutters, looking back at Taki laughing around with others.
-
It had been a few days now that Taki wasn't talking to him like usual. And Maki thinks he has probably fucked up something. He did something which Taki ended up disliking. And now Taki doesn't like him too.
Today the friend anniversary gift he had ordered for Taki had arrived. It was a bracelet which had 'MxT forever' engraved on it. He wanted to give it to Taki but he doesn't know how to since they have been a bit awkward since a few days.
He walks over to Taki's room knocking. He knew his roommate Harua would be out somewhere so he thought he could approach him right now.
"Come in" Taki says.
Maki walks inside and Taki immediately stiffens, suddenly unable to breathe.
Maki slowly walks over and sits down in front of him on the bed. He hands him over the bracelet.
"Your gift for this years friendeversary" Maki says, smiling.
Taki forces a smile too, taking the bracket and clutches it in his hand. "Yeah thanks Maki" is all he says. He looks at the bracelet seeing the engraved initials before putting it inside his pocket.
Maki frowns at his reaction. Taki was acting so unlike himself it was driving Maki insane.
He brings his hand forward to grab Taki's who flinched at the contact. Maki felt more hurt than ever now.
"Taki" Maki finally speaks. "Did I offend you in some way? If I did then i am sorry"
Taki looks at him, with guilt. He was hurting his best friend for no reason. "No Maki, you didn't do anything"
"Then-" Maki could feel his voice breaking. "Then why have you been avoiding me after our friendeversary? Did I cross some line that day? Did I say something you didn't like?"
Taki shook his head immediately. He takes a deep breath closing his eyes.
"No Maki..none of that" Taki answers.
"Then why?" Maki cries. "Why are you avoiding me?"
Taki looks down, at their hands. Maki's hand was trembling in Taki's hold.
Taking another deep breath, he finally looks up, slowly into Maki's eyes, which were full of tears by now.
"I accidentally heard your and Nicholas hyung's conversation that night..where you said you..you like me" Taki finally says.
Maki widens his eyes, in pure horror. He slaps a hand to his mouth, regretting everything.
"Oh my god Taki" Maki panics. "You were never supposed to know that. Fuck. I fucked up" he rubbed his eyes, hiding his face in his hands. "Shit I knew it you would hate it. I cant stand this..you hate me oh my god"
"Maki" Taki calls softy.
"You hate me" Maki continues crying. "I knew it you would no longer like me around if you found out. I should have just shut up for good"
"Maki listen" Taki calls him again.
"I am so sorry Taki. Please forgive me" Maki says, still hiding his face in his hands, as he couldn't look at Taki right now. "You felt uncomfortable because of me, I hate it and I hate myself"
"Maki!" Taki calls loudly this time, and grabs his hands to pull them away from his face to find a tear-stricken Maki.
Taki without another word, pulls him close towards himself enveloping him in a hug. Maki widens his eyes once Taki wraps his arms around his back tightly putting his chin on Maki's shoulder.
"First of all, relax because I don't hate you" Taki says.
Maki is frozen, not realising that Taki is holding him so close right now. He breathing was shaky right now.
"And the reason why I was avoiding you.." Taki starts, hesitating. "Was not cause I hate you or that I was uncomfortable"
Maki sniffs, blinking his tears as Taki rubs his hand across his back comfortingly.
"I was avoiding you because I felt..shy. I didn't know to act around you anymore.. because"
"Because?" Maki asks, as Taki hesitated.
"Because I kind of like you..too" Taki confesses.
Maki separates himself from the hug to look at Taki, in utter disbelief. "Did I hear that right?"
Taki breaks into a smile. "Yeah you did. I also like you Maki"
Maki let out the loudest sigh of relief, wiping his tears. "Couldn't you have admitted this earlier? I was losing my shit Taki"
Taki lets out a small laugh, bringing his hand forward to caress Maki's cheek. "I don't know..I was just scared. It's my first time to experience anything like this. I guess I was trying to run away from my feelings but I really couldn't"
Maki melts into his touch smiling. "I have liked you since so long Taki, you have no idea"
"Really?"
"I am so crazy about you" Maki says, smiling at him. "And I hated being stuck in the friend zone since years"
Taki kept his hand on the others face, as he slowly leaned closer which made Maki flinch and widen his eyes at the close proximity.
"Woah! Calm down. This is too much for my heart" Maki says panicking as Taki's face was inches away from him.
Taki smiles before leaning closer and quickly stealing a kiss from Maki, gently pressing his lips onto his for a few seconds.
Maki widens his eyes, and falls back on the bed, still in shock with Taki kissing him like this. "I am no longer alive after that"
Taki laughs at him, slapping his leg. "You're too dramatic "
Maki slowly sits up. "In my defence, I am simply just crazy in love with you"
Taki looks away shyly, before he turns into a blushing mess. Maki once again grabs his hand, caressing it softly.
"Taki" Maki calls.
Taki nods listening to him.
"Will you celebrate our anniversary with me, next year on this date?"
Taki smiles, before looking up at him. "Nice way to propose"
"Yes or no?" Maki asks.
"What about our friendeversary then?" Taki asks.
"We could celebrate that too" Maki says. "This way you will get two presents within a month from me" he winks at Taki.
Taki ends up blushing more. "That actually doesn't sound bad"
"Life with me won't sound bad at all" Maki says. "I just need you to give in"
Taki smiles. "I guess I will, boyfriend"
Maki had the biggest grin on his face after being called that. He pulls Taki towards himself, burrying his face in the others neck. "I love you"
Taki melts into his embrace, smiling too. "I love you too"
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