Chapter Text
11 years ago
A pleasant morning breeze greets the chaotic pair as they step into their usual hideout—the school rooftop they’ve grown to love over time. No one really frequents the area apart from them, making it the perfect location to sneak away to when they need some time for themselves.
As much as they love their friends, being around them all the time can be quite draining. Some are too loud, some love to start pointless debates just for the sake of it, and all of them successfully drive Saint and Shin insane more often than not.
The incessant teasing they love to subject them to doesn’t help their case, either.
Earlier that day, Kruu Jan had made the mistake to ask Shin to fetch something from the library since she needed it for the class. Saint’s body practically shot out of his chair, the offer to go with him falling from his lips before he could help it. She was kind enough to dismiss them with a flick of her hand and a playful smile that she tried to hide—unlike their classmates, who openly scoffed at the scene—but their friends had other plans. The ambush during recess had totally exceeded their expectations this time.
“You two are inseparable, man.”
“I’m pretty sure that if they try to spend more than two minutes apart they might actually explode…”
“How do you plan on dating anyone when you live attached at the hip? You’re basically a package deal!”
Shin sits down first, his muscle memory betraying him when his hand instinctively reaches for his empty pocket. The pack of cigarettes he used to carry with him everywhere is no longer there and he curses under his breath at the realization. He’s about to start regretting the promise he made to Chadjen when Saint plops down next to him, offering him a sympathetic smile.
“Stressed?”
Shin’s shoulders instantly relax at his presence. It’s almost embarrassing how at ease he feels whenever they’re together. He smiles back at him to reassure him.
“Nah, not really.” He shakes his head. “Old habits die hard, that’s all.”
Saint frowns, clearly not buying it. “Ken and the twins were being annoying earlier.”
Shin clicks his tongue at the reminder. “Well, you know how they are.”
His next words aren’t really a question, but rather a statement. “They made you uncomfortable.”
Shin suddenly wants to laugh.
He’s so dramatic.
“It’s okay, Saint. I don’t mind.”
“I saw the face you were making.”
The accusation makes him purse his lips. “I wasn’t-”
“You were.” He sighs and Saint’s frown deepens. “Just like you are now.”
The fact that Saint knows him so well can be a bit of a double-edged sword, sometimes. Like right now. One look at him is enough for Saint to pinpoint what kind of mood he’s in or if something is bothering him. He can read him like an open book and there’s nothing Shin can do about that.
After a brief moment of silence, Saint resumes the conversation. “They had a point, though.”
That piques Shin’s interest, so he shoots him a curious glance before asking: “How so?”
Saint looks up, suddenly lost in thought.
“I mean, it’s true that we’re always together ever since we made up.” Shin narrows his eyes and Saint immediately backtracks. “Which is great! You know I love being around you.”
Shin raises an inquisitive eyebrow. “But?”
“No buts.” Saint declares. “Not on my end, at least.”
The faintest hint of a smile threatens to spread across Shin’s face and he bites the inside of his cheek in an attempt to hide it. He doesn’t know why but he wants to keep teasing Saint a little longer.
“What’s the problem, then?” Saint’s hand flies to the back of his neck. “Is this about the dating thing?”
His face goes pale in less than a second.
Bingo.
“You think we’re interfering in each other’s love life or something? Because we spend too much time together?”
Saint vehemently shakes his head. “No! Come on, you know that’s not what I mean.”
Shin’s lips twitch and he almost fails to suppress a chuckle.
This is fun.
“Because if it bothers you…”
Saint puts both of his hands over Shin’s mouth, forcing his next words to die in his throat. His face warms up at the contact and he hopes Saint’s current state of panic prevents him from noticing that he’s not doing much better than him now that his fingers are brushing his lips.
“Shin, stop.” He rapidly retreats his hands to run them through his hair. “Look, I don't care about that kind of stuff, okay? Maybe I should- But I don’t!”
If Shin finds the way Saint stumbles over his words adorable, he makes sure to not let it show. He straightens his back and nods, silently urging him to continue.
“But it’s true that we’re not doing well in that department and people are starting to notice.”
Shin feels the urge to protest but ultimately decides to remain silent. He would say his friend is doing more than just well in that department but he knows how to pick his battles.
For a while now, bumping into girls who don’t even bother to conceal their infatuation whenever he passes by has become the norm for them, especially in the school grounds. Even if Saint is too socially inept to pick up on these things, Shin most definitely does. He’s nice to everyone—mostly due to his people-pleasing tendencies—so it’s only natural that their schoolmates can’t help but gravitate towards him.
“So, I've been thinking…" Noticing Shin's raised eyebrows, Saint puts his hand up to make him swallow the snarky remark he's probably itching to make. “It's a good idea, I swear! Hear me out before you start judging me."
Shin crosses his arms, slightly amused at the direction this conversation seems to be taking. "Go on, then."
Saint’s lips curve upwards with a newfound sense of confidence. "If we're still single by the time we reach our thirties, let's get married."
Shin’s smile disappears from his face in an instant. For some reason, Saint’s doesn’t even falter.
He blinks slowly, trying to process what he just heard. By the time he regains the ability to speak, the bastard is grinning from ear to ear and Shin’s heartbeat is completely out of control.
“What?!”
Completely unaware of Shin’s inner turmoil, Saint nods enthusiastically. “If we’re still single-”
“No, I heard you the first time. I just-” The back of his neck starts to feel dangerously warm, “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Saint tilts his head, feigning an innocence Shin knows he doesn’t possess.
“I’ve been looking into it!” His excitement is as sudden as it is disconcerting. “Apparently, plenty of best friends make that kind of pact when their love life starts to look…” He pauses, trying to find the right word to describe it, “Well, hopeless.”
He then proceeds to go on a 10 minute rant about how these people end up coming to terms with the fact that a platonic marriage is better than nothing, especially after they reach a certain age and societal pressure starts to feel suffocating.
Once the monologue is over, Shin abruptly looks away. He’s so embarrassed he doesn’t even know what to do with himself.
“No offense, but that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“None taken.” Saint simply shrugs. “I think it’s kind of cool, though.”
Shin looks bewildered when they lock eyes again, making Saint giggle as a result.
“Spending the rest of your life with the person who knows you the best doesn’t sound so bad, in my opinion.”
Shin’s mouth falls open, visibly offended at how nonchalant Saint appears. As if talking about marriage—about them getting married—so casually is the most normal thing in the world to him. Meanwhile, his stomach is all in knots at the thought of growing old with Saint still by his side. He assumed that would be the case, but the scenario he had always pictured was completely different from the one Saint is suggesting right now.
It’s one thing to remain friends with someone you’ve known your whole life, but marriage? That’s a whole other conversation that he never even thought they’d have.
Shin’s voice catches in his throat when he throws a jab at him: “You’re an idiot, you know that?”
With his gummy smile in full display, Saint ignores the insult and extends his right hand with a determination that Shin can’t help but find intimidating. There’s a certain glow in his eyes and he isn’t sure what to make of it.
“Deal?”
Shin wants to scream, punch his stupidly smug face and run away, all at once. He doesn’t, but he really wants to.
“If this is one of your stupid jokes, you can shove it up your-”
“I mean every word I just said.”
The lack of hesitation in his tone sends shivers down Shin’s spine. Saint might be an airhead but it doesn't feel like he’s playing around this time. He looks—and sounds—committed to the bit, so Shin doubts he’s just trying to mess with him.
“If, by the time we turn 30, we’re not seeing anybody and we have no intention of doing so…” Saint tries to assess the impact of his words by scanning Shin’s face, “Let’s get married, Ai’Shin.”