{SS501} Let Me Be the One
Hyungjun sighed. It was the third day that his brother, Kibum, was gone. Kibum had decided to finally move in with his lover, Soohyun. Not out of spite for Hyungjun, just because it was time he did. So, Hyungjun was bored and rather sadly moping around his lonesome apartment. He shuffled some papers which was nothing but song lyrics on the table. After awhile, the sound of the television just annoyed him. It wasn’t the same as hearing his brother composing music in the other room. It wasn’t the same as them sitting side-by-side blasting away competitors together on an online game. It just wasn’t the same without Kibum. After all, Kibum was his “little bro,” the one who’d lived with him essentially forever up until three days ago.
He decided he needed some company, so he called up Kyujong. “Sorry, man. Youngsaeng and I are in Incheon. We’re at the airport picking a friend up and won’t be available until later. Maybe Hyunjoong isn’t busy?” Kyujong told him.
Hyungjun just sighed. “Okay.”
Next, he called Hyunjoong. “Hey there. Uh, what’s up?”
“…Busy working on my solo album stuff. Why?”
“I was just… uh… wondering if maybe you’d wanna hang out or something. Maybe get a drink at the pub. I dunno.”
“Is this about your brother moving out?”
“…No…well…sort of…”
“Hyungjun, how old are you?”
“I’m twenty-three. Why?”
“Stop being a little bitch and suck it up. You’ll be fine,” Hyunjoong snapped before hanging up the phone.
Hyungjun sighed heavily again. “Oh come oooooon.”
He had one last really good option. Jungmin. He was typically the sweet one of the group, so surely he’d be available to do something. Not to mention, Hyungjun had a particular affection for Jungmin. So, he dialed his number slowly and listened to it rang. He almost didn’t think he’d answer until finally…
“Hello? Hyungjun?”
“Hey, Jungmin. I was wondering something… are you free right now?”
Jungmin paused a moment and some murmurs were heard in the background. “For the most part, what is it?”
“If you’re busy I don’t want to interrupt. I was just wondering if you wanted to come over and hang out or something.”
“It can wait,” Hyungjun heard. “Sure thing! I’ll pick up some stuff and we’ll make dinner!”
Hyungjun smiled, hearing, “But your solo, Jungmin ah…” followed by, “I said it could wait.”
“Be there soon!”
Hyungjun felt that grin widen. “Yeah, see you soon.”
=
After about fifteen minutes passed, Jungmin arrived with some market-bought squid and tuna. He also held rice and seaweed. “I figured we could have some sushi and calamari.”
Hyungjun nodded and chuckled, helping him with the bags into the kitchen. “Sounds great. What were you up to?”
“Eh, working on some solo stuff. I figured it could wait anyway. Not like we weren’t almost done.”
“I’m really sorry,” Hyungjun murmured, preparing the squid to stir-fry with some fresh vegetables. “I shouldn’t have called you at work. I just… I really had nothing else to do today and it’s… I dunno. I’m just bored.”
“Let me help you.” Jungmin touched his hand. “Don’t worry about it, Hyungjun. I’d do anything for you. And you know, you can tell me anything right?”
Hyungjun stared at the pan now, face redder than the fire that was going to fry it. “Y-Yeah. I know.”
“I know, you’re… just really lonely now that Kibum’s gone,” Jungmin said softly. “It’s difficult living with someone for so long then not having them around. I know I felt that way with my parents.”
Hyungjun nodded. “Yeah, it’s understandable. I’m just used to having someone around to do things with constantly and… now I don’t have that.”
“Sure you do,” Jungmin said smiling. “I’m just a phone call away. Hell, if you’d like, I’ll stick around here for awhile and help you with the apartment. I’ll keep you company.” That sweet smile of Jungmin’s was gorgeous.
Hyungjun resisted his urge to essentially grab the man and kiss him there. He wasn’t sure how Jungmin felt for him. It could be a brotherly friendship for all he knew. He’d never had the guts to find out. But, he was going to take a chance. “I like you,” he spat out, without thinking.
Jungmin’s smile only widened some. Jungmin chuckled, taking his hand again. “Oh really?”
“I’m stupid, I know. Shouldn’t have said it. Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.” Jungmin pulled him closer and kissed his lips gently. “Because I like you, too.”
Hyungjun wasn’t sure how to feel-other than the obvious relieved and happy. “We should… maybe finish cooking, yeah?” Hyungjun said softly.
“Yeah, we should. Then… we should play some video games after we’re done eating,” Jungmin replied softly.
“Or cuddling on the couch is cool, too.”
“Both?”
“Deal.”
He decided he needed some company, so he called up Kyujong. “Sorry, man. Youngsaeng and I are in Incheon. We’re at the airport picking a friend up and won’t be available until later. Maybe Hyunjoong isn’t busy?” Kyujong told him.
Hyungjun just sighed. “Okay.”
Next, he called Hyunjoong. “Hey there. Uh, what’s up?”
“…Busy working on my solo album stuff. Why?”
“I was just… uh… wondering if maybe you’d wanna hang out or something. Maybe get a drink at the pub. I dunno.”
“Is this about your brother moving out?”
“…No…well…sort of…”
“Hyungjun, how old are you?”
“I’m twenty-three. Why?”
“Stop being a little bitch and suck it up. You’ll be fine,” Hyunjoong snapped before hanging up the phone.
Hyungjun sighed heavily again. “Oh come oooooon.”
He had one last really good option. Jungmin. He was typically the sweet one of the group, so surely he’d be available to do something. Not to mention, Hyungjun had a particular affection for Jungmin. So, he dialed his number slowly and listened to it rang. He almost didn’t think he’d answer until finally…
“Hello? Hyungjun?”
“Hey, Jungmin. I was wondering something… are you free right now?”
Jungmin paused a moment and some murmurs were heard in the background. “For the most part, what is it?”
“If you’re busy I don’t want to interrupt. I was just wondering if you wanted to come over and hang out or something.”
“It can wait,” Hyungjun heard. “Sure thing! I’ll pick up some stuff and we’ll make dinner!”
Hyungjun smiled, hearing, “But your solo, Jungmin ah…” followed by, “I said it could wait.”
“Be there soon!”
Hyungjun felt that grin widen. “Yeah, see you soon.”
=
After about fifteen minutes passed, Jungmin arrived with some market-bought squid and tuna. He also held rice and seaweed. “I figured we could have some sushi and calamari.”
Hyungjun nodded and chuckled, helping him with the bags into the kitchen. “Sounds great. What were you up to?”
“Eh, working on some solo stuff. I figured it could wait anyway. Not like we weren’t almost done.”
“I’m really sorry,” Hyungjun murmured, preparing the squid to stir-fry with some fresh vegetables. “I shouldn’t have called you at work. I just… I really had nothing else to do today and it’s… I dunno. I’m just bored.”
“Let me help you.” Jungmin touched his hand. “Don’t worry about it, Hyungjun. I’d do anything for you. And you know, you can tell me anything right?”
Hyungjun stared at the pan now, face redder than the fire that was going to fry it. “Y-Yeah. I know.”
“I know, you’re… just really lonely now that Kibum’s gone,” Jungmin said softly. “It’s difficult living with someone for so long then not having them around. I know I felt that way with my parents.”
Hyungjun nodded. “Yeah, it’s understandable. I’m just used to having someone around to do things with constantly and… now I don’t have that.”
“Sure you do,” Jungmin said smiling. “I’m just a phone call away. Hell, if you’d like, I’ll stick around here for awhile and help you with the apartment. I’ll keep you company.” That sweet smile of Jungmin’s was gorgeous.
Hyungjun resisted his urge to essentially grab the man and kiss him there. He wasn’t sure how Jungmin felt for him. It could be a brotherly friendship for all he knew. He’d never had the guts to find out. But, he was going to take a chance. “I like you,” he spat out, without thinking.
Jungmin’s smile only widened some. Jungmin chuckled, taking his hand again. “Oh really?”
“I’m stupid, I know. Shouldn’t have said it. Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.” Jungmin pulled him closer and kissed his lips gently. “Because I like you, too.”
Hyungjun wasn’t sure how to feel-other than the obvious relieved and happy. “We should… maybe finish cooking, yeah?” Hyungjun said softly.
“Yeah, we should. Then… we should play some video games after we’re done eating,” Jungmin replied softly.
“Or cuddling on the couch is cool, too.”
“Both?”
“Deal.”