jesse's gaze flicked away from the road long enough to catch the way kevin had turned toward the window, the quiet in the car suddenly feeling different than it had only moments ago. it wasn't awkward, exactly. just heavier. he knew that silence well enough to recognize what was sitting behind it, and by the time kevin spoke, jesse had already guessed where his thoughts had gone. a small shake of his head came before kevin had even finished trying to defend him. "no." his answer was gentle but immediate, leaving no room for argument. "don't do that." his fingers tightened around kevin's where their hands were intertwined, his thumb brushing slowly across the other's knuckles. "i decided to lie." his voice remained calm, matter-of-fact rather than frustrated. "you didn't ask me to. you didn't pressure me into it. i could've come downstairs and checked the car the second she texted me, or i could've just told her i wasn't sure where they were. i had about ten different options." a faint, sheepish smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "instead i apparently chose the one that created extra paperwork for future jesse." a quiet laugh escaped him, more at himself than anything else. "so if i look like an idiot because i overcomplicated something that should've taken thirty seconds ..." he gave kevin's hand another gentle squeeze before glancing over at him again. "that's on me. i'm a grown man. i don't get to blame my own decisions on my boyfriend just because he happens to be very distracting." the teasing note at the end was deliberate, offered with an easy smile that softened everything proceeding it. he wanted kevin to hear the joke for what it was: permission to stop carrying the weight of something jesse had never placed on his shoulders in the first place. his smile only warmed when kevin admitted he wanted breakfast food. "breakfast for dinner?" jesse echoed. "i can absolutely get behind that." his brows lifted thoughtfully as his attention returned to the road. then kevin apologized, jesse's smile softened as kevin's lips brushed against the back of his hand. "you're forgiven," he murmured, the words carrying more affection than amusement. "not that there was much to forgive in the first place." the rest of the drive passed comfortably, conversation drifting toward breakfast food as the city lights slipped by outside the windows.
it didn't take long before they pulled up to the familiar apartment complex, the glow from the entrance spilling out across the sidewalk. sure enough, a lone figure stood just outside the front doors with her arms folded tightly against the night air, shifting her weight from one foot to the other while periodically glancing down the street. "there she is," jesse said, easing the car toward the curb. he pulled to a stop a few feet away, putting the car in park before reaching for the key ring resting in the center console. though the windshield, he could already see dayoung looking up, her expression changing almost immediately as she realized it was him. before opening the door, he turned back toward kevin. "you wanna come with me," he asked, lifting the keys slightly between his fingers, "or are you staying in the car?"