Borderline [Chapter 1]
Title: Borderline
Summary: There's a borderline to everything. To what is wrong and to what is right, but for the two of them, this wrong was a right.
Rating: PG-15/NC-17 (to be safe)
Genre: Angst/Romance
Pairing(s): OnKey (Mentioned! 2min)
Chapter 1: Cracks
Life is a series of pulls back and forth… A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. Most of us live somewhere in the middle. A wrestling match…Which side win? Love wins. Love always wins
--Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie
---
Key hated his life.
Sitting in a room filled with unfinished paintings, sketches stewn everywhere, charcoal in his right calloused hand, Key made up his mind that he did, indeed, hate his life. And all because of one person.
Lee Jinki.
Lee Jinki was the first and only man make Key's heart go haywire, to go totally out of control, and the only man to break his heart. He met Jinki during his high school years. During that time, he had been dating, Kim Jonghyun since the eighth grade, a music lover such as he. Kim Jonghyun loved to sing and did many stage performances, while Key loved to dance. Nevertheless, they made a good pair.
It was all good and dandy, but not until Lee Jinki came along. Lee Jinki was a transfer student that went to their school during their freshmen year. Lee Jinki was a well-mannered individual, sophisticated, but he was too kind for his own good. He was clumsy, and a goof, but maybe that's the thing that made people attracted to him. But it came to a surprise to Key when he found out that Lee Jinki and his boyfriend were actually childhood friends and so the circle of friends that both Key and jonghyun had, Jinki was also included.
During those times, Key had given a name to Lee Jinki, Onew. A nickname Key gave when they were walking in the hallways one day.
"Why Onew?" Jinki had asked him that day.
"Because you're fresh and there's this good aura around you." Kibum reasoned.
During this time of day, Key thinks of the million possible ways why everything went out of the drain. He was underemployed. Being a painter slash artist did pay the bills but it can only cover so much. His friends were leading better lives than he was.
Taemin, he'd often meet up with, followed his dreams to be a dance instructor to one of Korea's most well known performing arts school. Minho, his best friend and Taemin's boyfriend, works as an athelete for the National Team. He was given an invitation two weeks ago inviting him to their wedding. He laughed when he read it. It was hard to believe how the once quiet, nerdy, and shy Minho would be marrying Lee Taemin, the kingka of their high school. Jonghyun, his ex-boyfriend that still managed to have a close relationship with him after a mutual agreement of a breakup, got a scholarship to Juilliard and went off to chase his dreams abroad. While there was Key, graduating in fashion designing but lived his life painting and sketching.
It's been five years then. Five years since he'd last seen him. Last seen the beautiful face of Lee Jinki.
---
"So we were thinking of making a mural on the back of the globe and the many branches of our company on that said globe, can you do it?"
Key was currently conversing with a man in this mid-thirties, tall, lean, and his posture was exceptional, all indicating a high position in the company.
Key nodded nonetheless, this mural would be a piece of cake, "Of course," He smiles.
They shake hands, a firm tight grip that man had, "I'll be counting on it."
Key acknowledges him with a smile and gets up to leave the office room. He bows to the man, who he learned his name was Nagi Hayato, and exits the office messenger bag on his shoulder.
He takes it back.
He doesn't hate his life, nor does he hate other people.
He just hates himself for being so stupid.
And he absolutely despised his life because it felt like everything in his world revolved around Lee Jinki.
---
"Jagi~" A woman cooed him out bed, "Jagiya, wake up."
Onew mumbled something incoherent and the woman giggled at his husband's cute antics.
"Come on Jagi, you'll be late for work," She nagged.
Onew got up, his movement sluggish and slow. Once again he hears laughter.
He does his morning routine, shower, shave, get ready for the rest of the day.
He'd never wanted to be the head of his father's company, but being the only son of Lee Sunghun he was expected to go forth with his father's plan despite the fact that he wanted to be something entirely different from what his father wanted for him. Like the arrange marriage with Park Sunyoung.
Onew couldn't believe how old fashioned his father was, arranged marriage? What could his father possibly be thinking.
But he knew that he could never defy his father. Even if that meant hurting the only person that made his heart beat eratically and uneven.
When he's dressed in his navy blue suit and a cerulean blue tie that wrapped around his neck, he went downstairs to their kitchen and there he was met with a huge stack of pancakes, courtesy of his wife.
"Eat well," She smiled and kissed him on the cheek as she continued to cook some more.
Onew has always been so grateful for her but the thing was he'd never loved her to the extent that she had wanted. She was a great wife, who nutured him and loved him, but Park Sunyoung was no Kim Kibum. She would never be the naggy diva who picked out his mistakes in a picky manner but learned to love him the way that he was, clumsy and dorky.
"Jinki-ssi, what would you like for dinner?" Sunyoung asks happily.
Onew takes a bite of his pancakes and shrugs once she turns to face him. She lets out a huff and shakes her head in amusement. Onew takes the liberty in reading the newspaper.
"You can decide, Sunyoung."
She hummed, “Hmm... how about chicken?”
“Whatever you’d like.”
---
By the time Onew arrived at the new renovated building he immediately goes to his father’s partner’s office to discuss some stocks exchange with the said man and the produce to be shipped away .
"The stocks did increase by 0.8%," Nagi informed, "I also hired a painter for the mural that you requested at the front. We'll see how it is right now Mr. Lee"
Onew spots the said painter crouched down on the floor gathering his tools and packing them on his bag. He's wearing faded skinnies, a loose shirt filled with paints and his hair clipped to keep the bangs away from his face. He knew that person anywhere.
It can't be...
The artist stood up a face where no emotions could be seen on, "You don't need to worry about anything Mr. Nagi, the mural is looking well in my opinion," He says in his monotone voice having heard the duo's exchange of words. He packs the last of his things and puts them inside his bag and immediately stands up, not forgetting to bow down to the two, "I'll be going now, I'll be back tomorrow to continue. Have a nice day, Mr. Nagi, Mr. Lee."
Onew can't beleive it, it's Key, after five whole years he's actually seeing him once again. He doesn't comprehend anything else after that encounter. It seemed that he belonged to the dead with the way he was carrying himself. He walked like a zombie towards his new office, ignoring the calls of Nagi. He might have collapsed on the floor from the utter shock, had he not been able to reach his black swivel chair a second earlier.
He's still as beautiful as ever. Onew thought. His eyes begin to be blurred with unshed tears. The day he cut all ties with Key was the day he'd regretted the most. How ironic it was that he made the person he swore to protect, cry and bring him heartache because he'd broken an oath between the two of them. It was one of Onew's biggest regrets but there was no way he could take it back. Oh god, if he could take it back.
At 5:30 in the afternoon, exactly thirty minutes since his encounter with his past lover, he called it a day and began to walk to his car parked in the parking lot of the company. It was nearing the night and news of a storm was confirmed by the newscaster. He clicks the button to open his car. Swtiches the ignition on and drives away from the company.
Onew loved driving, sometimes he wished that he could drive all day, drive away from all the problems that had been put on his table on a silver platter.
Once he gets out of the covered parking lot, the rain was falling hard, pelting his car with heavy downfall of the water, seemingly like a pattern. He stops when he sees the red light on, his head rested on his hand while the other took the wheel.
He looks out the right side, looking at the cascading water. He thinks that his eyes are playing tricks on him because there was Key under his black umbrella getting soaked in the rain as he waited for a cab to come.
Onew contemplates whether or not to help him, but then he looks forward, his windshield wippers wipping away to let him see, just as the red light turns green. He drives forward.
You shouldn't leave him. His conscience nags him.
You still obviously care for him. Go back. Help him. Are you actually willing to loose him again after five years.
And at that time, Onew finds it so hard to decide between what his mind wanted and what his heart longed for.
---
Key has always admired the rain.
It's like a shower riding you away of the heartache , and you become anew again, but at the same time it was a mask, to hide your true feelings the tears of frustration and pain, a mask that can hide your true emotions into nothingness.
When he imagined meeting Onew again he had to admit he imagined all those cliched things that happened in the movies and the books that he'd be lost on for ages, but from that surprised encounter, none of those actually happened. It was if, Onew didn't even recognize him. Didn't even acknowledege him, it hurt, he had to say, but he was strong. Strong enough to face reality that indeed Onew lead a very successful life, without him.
After graduation, Key had applied for an arts school, while Onew enrolled to Seoul National University. The two lovers made an agreement that they would see each other every weekend. One cancelled date turned to two, three, four, until it had been half a year since he had contact with each other. It was hardly called a relationship anymore.
Jonghyun, his ex-boyfriend and a close friend, warned him about long distance relationships, even though it was at the same country but the distance too far for both of them to accomodate, told him that it was only a matter of time before it would go down the drain. Key, as stubborn that he was, didn't believe anything that Jonghyun told him, despite the closeness, and put all his faith in Onew.
That is until he received at text from Onew.
Let's break up. Sorry.
Four words. The first thing and last thing he'd said to Key until he disappeared from his world completely and shatter his heart into smithereens.
It still hurts him. More than a hundred e-mails sent to him during that time but none of them were ever returned.
"Bullshit," Key murmurs, "Kim Kibum, there is nothing to be upset about. You don't love him anymore, you've moved on. It's done."
Words of wisdom came from the man who blamed it all on his past-lover.
Who was even trying to convince? Even he himself was not.
He stood at the streets, waiting for a cab to come. He's soaked, his hair is a mess, and he's shivering from the cold weather. He smiles bitterly at his luck.
He lets out a long tired sigh and at the corner of his eyes he sees a black car pull over to him. The tinted windows rolled down and revealed the face of the person whose he's been longing to see all these years.
"Would you like a ride home?" That's the first thing that Onew's said to him in five years. So he does remember him, that or he was just being nice. Key was sure he really looked pathetic right now.
"No thanks, I'll just wait for a cab," Key replied.
"In this weather? Kibum-"
"Key, it's Key, " He corrected.
"Key, I don't think you should be waiting on a cab on this weather."
"It's okay, I'll be fi-" The thunder claps and at that time Key's eyes widen, "On a second thought I'll take your offer."
---
When Key gets inside the leather interior of the car he immediately apologized for the mess he was making with his wet clothes.
"Sorry," Key tells Onew.
"It's fine," He pulls down the gear shift to D and drives off to where Key lives.
Onew then reaches for the air conditioning knob and turns it to the red area, heating the car.
"You didn't have to do that," Key commented.
"Better safe than sorry, I don't want you to catch a cold."
The rest of the ride was filled with awkward silence. No one knew how to start a conversation due to their history together so they just opted in doing whatever they needed to do. Key looked outside while Onew looked dead ahaed at the road.
When they arrive, the rain settling down, still pouring but not as hard as it was before. Onew inspects the house that Key's staying. It' not that incredibly big, but it was pretty nonetheless. Key reaches for the car door and unlocks it. He opens the door and steps outside.
"Thanks for the ride," is all he says before heading to the front door only a few meters away.
Onew sighs inside the car, feeling the tension fill out a bit.
Why had he gone back? He asked himself.
He too didn't know the answer.
He doesn't drive off, instead he watches as Key fumbles with his door keys. Onew shook his head and he knew that he was a complete idiot for doing what he was about to do.
He goes out of his car only to be met with the peltering rain.
He reaches where Key is standing as the younger unlocks the door. He pulls him into a back hug and buries his face on his shoulders. He feels Key's whole body tense at the sudden hug.
"What are you-"
"I'm sorry." Onew knew that sorry was not enough to cover for all the things that he'd placed Key into. Nothing was to the amount of sorry's could ever be the same level as the heartache and pain that he put Key through. But in the meantime he had to say these words. These words of apology, to make himself known that he was truly sorry for everything.
"I just... I wanted to protect you," He finally confessed.
Key then laughs bitterly.
"Protect me?" He says all but calm, "What am I five?"
"You don't get it Key, you just don't get it." Onew weakly replies burying his face deeper into Key's shoulder. Key turns his whole body around while Onew lifts his head up.
Onew's eyes were pleading. Pleading for forgiveness. Pleading for understanding.
"Make me get it Onew, because, clearly I don't know."
Onew knew that he was betraying Sunyoung with what he was doing now. Betraying his oath to be her husband the moment he went back to drop Key at his house. The moment that he stepped out his car to talk to Key, but he was so tired. So tired of lying to himself. Tried of being someone he's not. Loving someone who he doesn't love. And so, for once in his life, Onew wanted to be selfish.
He crashes his lips to those of Key's. He feels Key fight back under his grip, he fists Onew's button up shirt trying to push him, but Onew would have none of that. Onew presses his lips to Key's and at that time, he feels Key's grip relax and well as his whole body. He cups Key's cheekbones, oh how he'd missed touching his beautiful face, they're both soaked from the continuously falling rain. Onew feels warm drops of water fall on his fingers and he instantly knew that it wasn't the rain anymore. Key was crying. The younger then begins to kiss back, fingering Onew's now messy brown tresses.
Soft, warm kisses that made Key's stomach flip became sloppy and more needy in an instant, the both of them feel the heat increase between the two of them. This tension between the two of them that they can no longer withdraw from. Key pulls back for a moment to catch his breath as Onew began to suck on his neck, leaving hickey's at his reign. The younger of the two fumbles with his doorknob and opens the door. He pulls Onew in and then closes the door and effectively locks it. The brown haired man then captures lips once more, groping Key's butt. Key moans in delight as he wraps his legs around Onew's waist, wrapping his arms around Onew's neck pulling him closer. Onew groans as hot friction rubbed against his erected manhood.
"Are... do- you want... to stay the... night?," Key asks in between the kisses Onew gave him. Onew chuckles and leads them to the nearest room not even bothering to answer Key's question straightforwardly.
When they reached a bedroom, Onew presumed it to be Key's bedroom because of the pictures on the wall and the unmade bed, he lays Key down on the mattress gently, starts to discard their wet clothing and moves on top of the skinnier more frail man. Not a moment after before they crash their lips again, strange combination of vanilla mocha and cherry was so addicting to the two of them and they just can't have enough of each other. Their teeth gnashing and biting aggressively all the while heavy pants and moans could be heard all throughout the four walls of the bedroom.
Marks would follow the next morning both of them were sure of that.
At this time, they didn't think of anyone but themselves. Onew didn't think about his father nor did he think about his wife that would most likely be asleep now, waiting for him to come home. To Onew there was only Key and he. Jinki and Kibum, no rules or regulations to be followed. No one to separate them. It was only them.
And that couldn't be more than perfect.
---
Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there’s no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again.
--Max Lucado, Every Day Deserves a Chance: Wake Up to the Gift of 24 Hours
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A/N: Thank you to everyone who liked "Forevermore" and commented on that fic, I hope that you also like this. ^^ School is really getting to me right now. XD College Entrance exams are such a bother. :'( *sniffs* Well anyways, again I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter for "Borderline".
<3 Cim
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