Check This Out (7/?)
Check This Out (7/?)
Pairings: Junseung, Dooseob, Kiwoon
Genre: romance
Rating: pg-13
Summary: Between Yoseob’s complicated relationship with his TA, a vague friend (read: contact) who’s got the eyes for the cute ice cream employee, and working to get his dream job after college, Junhyung wonders why his brain decided it was a good idea to chase after a quirky librarian who just doesn’t seem very interested.
Check This Out (7/?)
by the way: THIS is my inspiration for the fic, check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqTE-ig7NhY
It was dark out, the sun setting well before six. Yoseob felt dinner weighing heavy in his stomach and patted it appreciatingly as he and Junhyung walked, bundled in layers, down the icy pathway. Puffs of warm air blossomed in front of his mouth, and Yoseob made a game of it by breathing out while twisting his mouth in different shapes. Junhyung chuckled at his childish game and shoved his gloved hands further into his pockets.
It was tradition-every so often they would get away from everything by visiting the nearby park. Their last visit had been before Yoseob’s sudden falling out with Doojoon, and Junhyung deemed it necessary to have another ceremonial visit despite the frigid weather. So on the last day of finals Yoseob was unceremoniously dragged to dinner and the park.
“It’s been a while,” the smaller man said, breaking the silence. He looked up at the murky night sky, eyes straining for stars, but one couldn’t expect such a thing in the city.
Junhyung hummed in agreement and despite loving his best friend’s company, wondered what Hyunseung was doing. Making tea? Reading a book? Probably, that man always seemed to have something in his hands. Though lately Junhyung wondered if he was writing something himself, as the thin brunette had been doing something like crazy in a composition book lately.
As Junhyung occupied himself with replaying his and Hyunseung’s recent interactions fondly, Yoseob sniffed and looked around the deserted park. It was late out, and the street lights dimly fought away the black encroaching on its small area of light. The trees were frosted over, bare limbs stretching out and entangling themselves with their neighbors. The winding walkway was deserted and for that Yoseob was glad. Sometimes being around nothing made you appreciate what you had. He hoped so, at least. He thought back to Doojoon’s sweater he still had in his room. It lost the smell of its owner a while ago, and Yoseob wished he could honestly say he didn’t pull it out sometimes. But he did, and he wondered why Doojoon’s wound refused to heal.
Their customary bench presented itself on the horizon, snugly placed off to the right of the pathway between two large trees. A patch of un-frosted land lay under the bench, protected by the large tangle of limbs above. The two men sat themselves on it, thigh-to-thigh for body heat.
Yoseob decided to break the silence, questions weighing heavy on his tongue.
“Junhyung, do you know what love feels like?”
Junhyung shot his friend a knowing look and slouched further into the wooden bench, feeling the cold bite through his jeans. “I don’t know,” he said honestly, staring out at the woods stretching before them. “I mean, I really care about Seung but I can’t tell if it’s love yet.”
Yoseob sat silent for a moment and digested his friend’s words.
“Is it bad,” he finally said, staring at the darkness, “that I think I am in love?”
Junhyung sighed heavily and twisted his head to look at Yoseob’s blank expression. “Doojoon?” he asked, eyes searching for a tell in his best friend’s face.
Yoseob’s eyebrows knitted together. “I can’t stop, Jun,” he said hopelessly, turning to match Junhyung’s gaze. “I want to, but I can’t.”
“Yoseob…” Junhyung trailed off, grasping the smaller man’s large hand in his own and twining their fingers together. Yoseob’s grip was tight and desperate. Junhyung decided to ask one last time. “What happened?”
This time it truly looked like Yoseob was about to cry. “We….” He started, trailing off and staring at their locked hands. Junhyung waited but his stomach dropped as he began formulating his own story.
“It was so random,” Yoseob continued, blinking rapidly, “so random and I thought-” he choked back a sob and Junhyung quickly grabbed his friend and hugged him tightly.
“Yoseob,” Junhyung said against his head, “did you sleep with him?”
Yoseob’s nod and shudders were his answer and Junhyung’s heart sped up, angry and defensive and screaming at him to get retribution.
“Bastard,” he growled and Yoseob hugged him tighter.
“No,” Yoseob said into Junhyung’s shoulder. “It’s my fault too, I mean-”
“Yang Yoseob I swear to god if you finish that sentence I’m going to throw you into the first frozen pond I see.”
Yoseob chuckled wetly and tried to control himself again. He pulled back and smiled tenuously at his best friend. “You wouldn’t,” he said.
Junhyung smiled. “Try me.”
Yoseob laughed weakly and leaned back against the bench. “I’m sorry,” he said, staring up again at the sky.
“Why would you be sorry?” Junhyung responded, matching his friend’s pose.
“That I dumped on you like this.”
‘I don’t care, that’s what I’m here for. It’s kind of my job as best friend, right?”
Yoseob laughed, “Yeah, I guess.”
“Listen,” Junhyung said, fighting the chills that were beginning to shake his body. “I won’t do anything without your permission, but know if you need me, I’ll kick ass and take names, alright?”
“Thanks Rambo,” Yoseob said, still staring at the sky. He looked down and smiled, honestly, at his friend’s shaking figure. “Let’s go get coffee or something,” he said, standing up from the bench and brushing his ass off. “It’s freezing. What idiot decided to come here?”
“Shuttup,” Junhyung teased, standing and attempting to shake warmth back into his arms. As they walked out of the park, debating what twenty-four hour coffee place to go to, Junhyung slung an arm around Yoseob’s shoulders and Yoseob felt warmer than he had in a while.
****
“So where are we going?” Dongwoon asked, leaning against the back of his chair. Kikwang’s voice crackled through the phone.
“You’re coming to my school’s kitchen,” he said.
Dongwoon raised his eyebrows. “You’re school has a kitchen?”
“Yup,” Kikwang chirped, “and tonight it just so happens that it is reserved for us.”
“Why is that?” Dongwoon asked, grinning into the receiver.
“Because my teachers love me and I asked them for a small favor,” Kikwang admitted.
“Of course.”
“I’ll text you the directions. Meet me there at seven, okay?”
“Got it,” Dongwoon said and he pulled a pen and piece of paper from the drawer in his desk. He took down the directions and after a reluctant goodbye to Kikwang, Dongwoon set about dressing for his date.
Seven rolled around surprisingly quickly, and Dongwoon, donned in a grey button down shirt and dark jeans, exited the subway and followed Kikwang’s instructions into the school building (which looked almost like an office building, Dongwoon thought). He walked down the hallway, shoes clicking on the linoleum, and eyed the door plaques. Finally, after several minutes, he came upon double doors with the sign reading 417. That was it. Dongwoon pushed the door open.
And the light from the kitchen almost blinded him. “Ah, I’m blind,” he cried dramatically, throwing an arm over his eyes.
“Wuss,” he heard Kikwang’s voice say, footsteps coming nearer. The radio was playing in the background and Dongwoon recognized the recent song from a popular band. Suddenly his arm was pulled away from his eyes and Dongwoon squinted into Kikwang’s smiling face. “Welcome to my humble kitchen,” he said.
Dongwoon looked past the smiling brunette (which was admittedly hard to do) and glanced around the large room, taking in the silver cooking utensils and myriads of stove tops and ovens.
“Sweet,” he managed to say, overwhelmed from all the…cooking stuff.
Kikwang laughed and patted his hands against the front of his apron that Dongwoon just registered he was wearing. “Come on,” he said, tugging one of Dongwoon’s hands to lead him further into the open room, “you’re just in time to help me toss the salad.”
Dongwoon had a white apron slung over his head and Kikwang whirled him around, tying the strings at his back.
And he was put to work.
As Kikwang was over by the stove whipping up delicious smelling pork, rice, and vegetables, Dongwoon stood at the counter, shopping up tomatoes and ripping the lettuce.
“We don’t normally eat salad,” Dongwoon said, ripping another crisp green leaf. “What inspired you?”
“The fact that we don’t normally eat it,” Kikwang said easily, bouncing between four different jobs without looking rushed at all.
Soon enough they were sitting on stools at one of the counters, plates containing several different side dishes and entrees piled up in front of them. “Dig in,” Kikwang said, picking up his chopsticks and eyeing the food in front of him.
“It looks amazing,” Dongwoon said, mouth watering at the display.
“Let’s hope it tastes as good.”
And it did. Dongwoon all but moaned as he put a piece of tender pork into his mouth. “Oh my god,” he groaned, “this is fantastic.”
Kikwang grinned brightly. “Yay,” he said, putting some kimchi in his mouth. “School pays off!”
The two continued to eat and chat at the counter, and Dongwoon sunk into the comfort that Kikwang’s company brought. He worried he was going to be nervous and awkward, but being with Kikwang was about as relaxing as being with Hyunseung. Other than the fact that Kikwang was not in the least bit sarcastic and Dongwoon had negative desire to kiss Hyunseung.
The date ended just as comfortably; they shared cleaning up dishes and grabbed a coffee at a nearby café. Dongwoon walked Kikwang home after that, and as they stood outside the door to his building, Dongwoon shyly reached forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Kikwang’s mouth.
“Thanks, hyung,” he said after pulled back an inch.
“Silly,” Kikwang said softly, “that’s not how you kiss me,” and he leaned right back in and moved his lips against Dongwoon’s. Dongwoon’s eyes slipped shut and he reveled in the soft plumpness of the chef’s lips, tasting a hint of bitterness from the coffee he’d drunken earlier. After a moment Kikwang stepped away, licking his lips briefly.
“That’s better,” he said a little breathlessly.
“I think so too,” Dongwoon agreed and Kikwang laughed.
“Call me, okay?” he said, stepping backwards to his door and not quite willing to look away from the taller brunette’s face yet.
“Of course,” Dongwoon said, smiling affectionately at the other man. “But uh…Kikwang first I just needed to ask…”
Kikwang stopped walking and stared at Dongwoon expectantly.
“You’ll be my boyfriend, won’t you?”
Kikwang’s grin widened. “I think I’m up for the job. But on one condition.”
Dongwoon’s heart pounded wildly and he swallowed before managing “what’s that?”
“You have to be my taste tester.”
Dongwoon felt like breaking his face from grinning too much, “done. Totally done.”
****
Junhyung lounging on Hyunseung’s couch was nothing new. Hyunseung’s feet on his lap wasn’t really new either. The brunette had, once again, commandeered the whole couch. But Junhyung wasn’t really complaining, since he ran his hands absently along his boyfriend’s thin legs as they watched television together.
What was new, however, was when Hyunseung’s cell phone went off and he actually answered it.
“Sorry,” he said quickly before receiving the call, placing the phone against his ear and swinging his legs off the couch. Junhyung gave him a dismissing wave of the hand and turned back to the TV, intent on not eavesdropping on the conversation and Hyunseung walked into his bedroom and shut the door.
Five minutes later, though, and Junhyung couldn’t help but hear bits of the conversation. Hyunseung’s voice rose in an angry pitch and Junhyung caught “work” and “school” and “don’t tell me to,” but the silence in between those words was more telling.
Junhyung assumed that the person on the phone was who Hyunseung was talking to all the time. But who? His parents? An ex lover? A friend? Junhyung was dying to know, but didn’t want to risk Hyunseung closing up on him. Instead he fought the urge to listen in and decided to just ask when the other man was finished with his call.
Ten minutes passed and the click of the door had Junhyung snapping his head to his boyfriend. Hyunseung looked tired, haggard, and he trudged to the couch before lying across it again, this time with his head in the rapper’s lap. Junhyung immediately placed his hands in the brunette’s soft hair and played gently with the strands. Hyunseung’s eyes closed and he nuzzled his head deeper into Junhyung’s legs.
“Wanna talk about it?” Junhyung asked quietly.
“No,” Hyunseung said. And that was that. Until two hours later when Hyunseung announced that he had to get ready for work.
“But the library is closed for winter break,” Junhyung said dumbly.
“Even if it weren’t closed, it wouldn’t be open this late,” Hyunseung said blandly, moving into the kitchen to grab a water bottle.
“You have another job?” Junhyung asked curiously. “Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Because most of the time I’m just at the library,” Hyunseung said, coming back into the living room, “but during winter break I have to pick up the slack from somewhere else. Bills have to be paid, you know.”
“Where do you work?” Junhyung asked, standing up from the couch and walking to the doorway to put his shoes on.
“Just at a local noraebang,” Hyunseung answered easily, coming up behind Junhyung and slipping his arms around his shoulders. He placed a light kiss on the rapper’s neck. Junhyung turned his head and kissed Hyunseung properly.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Junhyung said. Hyunseung smiled and sent him off with a wave.
Junhyung tried not to let it bother him, but as he walked down the street to his own apartment, he wondered why Hyunseung had so many little secrets.
****
Doojoon, despite what the world thought, was not okay. His feet dragged into the classroom, his mind whirled with orders not to stare at Yoseob, his heart thumped angrily at his cowardice. One small reprieve was that the semester was over, and Doojoon didn’t have to look at Yoseob everyday. Although, that was a double edged sword.
Doojoon was not taking his ass-holish behavior well. He’d like to think his parents raised him better than this, but in fact it was his parents that made him feel the need to be a jerk.
After all, what would they say if he brought Yoseob home? Cute, adorable, amazing, yes…until he said he was in love. Then shit would surely hit the fan.
Doojoon sighed, shifting on the scratchy couch in the small noraebang room. Three of his other friends were jumping around, raucously singing H.O.T. songs and banging on clanging tambourines. He had to smile at their antics before redirecting his gaze back to his knees.
God, he was so stupid.
The others were waiting for Doojoon’s psudo-girlfriend and her friends to show up. A group date. At his father’s insistence, Doojoon had been spending time with Seunghee, and even though she was nice enough, she definitely wasn’t Yoseob. He was pretty sure Seunghee knew he wasn’t interested, but he still tried to be kind. But today Doojoon couldn’t even bring himself to care; for once he hadn’t styled his hair, instead letting it hang limply over his forehead, and he had barely thought to throw on a clean sweater before heading out.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, staring at Seunghee’s name on the screen. He answered the call.
“We’re here,” Seunghee said, hearing loud squeals on the other side of the phone.
“Okay, I’ll come get you,” Doojoon said loudly into the phone, trying to drown out his friends. He hung up quickly and left the small room, clicking the door shut behind him. The voices were muffled, but Doojoon smiled at hearing his friend’s horrible voices leaking out anyway.
He made his way to the main desk and spotted Seunghee and her three friends clumped together. She looked nice, Doojoon supposed. A flowing dress and small heels complimented her pretty, curled hair. A smile grew on her face when she spotted Doojoon, and as she walked over to him, Doojoon spied a familiar face and stopped in his tracks.
His heart thudded in his ears as Yoseob and his friends came into the main room. Yoseob was grinning brightly, face lit up like it should be. He was in yellow, of course, because when was Yoseob not colorful? Doojoon’s breath caught painfully as Yoseob’s gaze met his and the smile shrank.
And at that moment, Doojoon realized he would do anything to rewind time and fix everything. That moment after he and Yoseob had sex in the empty classroom. Doojoon would have wrapped his arms around the smaller man’s waist, kissed him for at least another ten minutes, and told him how much he loved him.
He would.
And then Seunghee’s face clouded his vision as she rose up on her toes and kissed his lips “hello.”
Doojoon, slow to react, didn’t move until she sunk back down to her normal size and tilted her head. “Doojoon, what’s wrong? You look sick.”
Doojoon’s eyes slid past her and stared at Yoseob again. And this time, Yoseob wasn’t smiling at all. Junhyung was at his side, a cautious hand placed on the brunette’s elbow. But Yoseob wasn’t having it.
“You son of a bitch,” he growled, jerking out of Junhyung’s grasp and stalking over to a frozen Doojoon.
Seunghee made a confused cry as Yoseob moved past her and shoved Doojoon hard. “You son of a bitch!” he said again, voice a desperate angry pitch.
Doojoon stabilized himself and put his hands out to grab the smaller man’s. “Yoseob,” he said, “Yoseob it’s not like that.”
“Not like that?!” Yoseob yelled, pulling his arms back away from Doojoon’s reach. “I’ve had it with you! Do you think it’s funny? Do you like flaunting it in front of me? God dammit, do you know how ashamed I am because of you?! If you were going to break my heart, the least you could have done was flat out tell me instead of fucking me first and then going back women! I get it, okay?!”
Doojoon saw the tears forming in Yoseob’s eyes and he rushed forward, anxious and desperate, grabbing Yoseob’s shoulders. “I don’t,” he tried, but Yoseob pushed him again and turned, running past Junhyung and the others and out the door.
At this point Seunghee and her friends were cowering in the corner at the exchange, hands over their mouths at Yoseob’s confrontation. Doojoon looked desperately at them and fought back angry tears as his mind whirled at the situation. Go after him, his mind screamed, and Doojoon was about to move forward when he noticed Junhyung stalking toward him, lips drawn tight. But he was caught off guard when the rapper was pushed out of the way and a smaller brunette walked right up to him.
Pain exploded in his face and Doojoon went down, back slamming against the wall. He reflexidly reached up to grab his face and looked shocked at the angry man in front of him. “You are such a dick,” the smaller man spat.
“Hyunseung!” Junhyung called, reaching the man’s side. Hyunseung, the man towering over his crumpled body, looked as if he wanted to pull Doojoon up and hit him again, but Junhyung pulled him back.
Finally the worker at the noraebang realized he needed to step in, and he yelled out a “Hey! No fighting in here! Get out!”
Hyunseung sneered and whirled around, grabbing Junhyung’s wrist and tugging him after. The other two, still standing by the door, quickly followed the two men out.
Doojoon hauled himself to his feet, every muscle suddenly aching. His head throbbed and he felt a tickling feeling by his nose. He wiped it and pulled his hand away, seeing blood smeared on his palm.
Seunghee stayed back with her friends. “You’re gay?” she asked timidly.
Doojoon looked at her blankly and couldn’t think of words. Instead he left the noraebang, the cold air outside stinging against his face, and walked home.
****
A.N: Okay: PRIYA~ i know you're putting up my wedding fic soon so this chapter is dedicated to you until I get TOP back and can put up YOUR wedding fic! <333 I love you
Candice: bwahahahaaaaaaa~ one day I will get you with a sad fic and you will be sad and regret laughing at angsty dooseob teehee <3 but until then, I promise to write you happy fluffy kiwoon because they make you happy! <33333
weerainbow: dude. dude you know. kkk did you catch your mini reference???? ^___^
and oh my god, you guys that keep commenting on my stuff, I see your names everytime and I seriously get so giddy and happy. You guys are just the best. And you make me keep writing! I live on livejournal because of you <3
*****
Pairings: Junseung, Dooseob, Kiwoon
Genre: romance
Rating: pg-13
Summary: Between Yoseob’s complicated relationship with his TA, a vague friend (read: contact) who’s got the eyes for the cute ice cream employee, and working to get his dream job after college, Junhyung wonders why his brain decided it was a good idea to chase after a quirky librarian who just doesn’t seem very interested.
Check This Out (7/?)
by the way: THIS is my inspiration for the fic, check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqTE-ig7NhY
It was dark out, the sun setting well before six. Yoseob felt dinner weighing heavy in his stomach and patted it appreciatingly as he and Junhyung walked, bundled in layers, down the icy pathway. Puffs of warm air blossomed in front of his mouth, and Yoseob made a game of it by breathing out while twisting his mouth in different shapes. Junhyung chuckled at his childish game and shoved his gloved hands further into his pockets.
It was tradition-every so often they would get away from everything by visiting the nearby park. Their last visit had been before Yoseob’s sudden falling out with Doojoon, and Junhyung deemed it necessary to have another ceremonial visit despite the frigid weather. So on the last day of finals Yoseob was unceremoniously dragged to dinner and the park.
“It’s been a while,” the smaller man said, breaking the silence. He looked up at the murky night sky, eyes straining for stars, but one couldn’t expect such a thing in the city.
Junhyung hummed in agreement and despite loving his best friend’s company, wondered what Hyunseung was doing. Making tea? Reading a book? Probably, that man always seemed to have something in his hands. Though lately Junhyung wondered if he was writing something himself, as the thin brunette had been doing something like crazy in a composition book lately.
As Junhyung occupied himself with replaying his and Hyunseung’s recent interactions fondly, Yoseob sniffed and looked around the deserted park. It was late out, and the street lights dimly fought away the black encroaching on its small area of light. The trees were frosted over, bare limbs stretching out and entangling themselves with their neighbors. The winding walkway was deserted and for that Yoseob was glad. Sometimes being around nothing made you appreciate what you had. He hoped so, at least. He thought back to Doojoon’s sweater he still had in his room. It lost the smell of its owner a while ago, and Yoseob wished he could honestly say he didn’t pull it out sometimes. But he did, and he wondered why Doojoon’s wound refused to heal.
Their customary bench presented itself on the horizon, snugly placed off to the right of the pathway between two large trees. A patch of un-frosted land lay under the bench, protected by the large tangle of limbs above. The two men sat themselves on it, thigh-to-thigh for body heat.
Yoseob decided to break the silence, questions weighing heavy on his tongue.
“Junhyung, do you know what love feels like?”
Junhyung shot his friend a knowing look and slouched further into the wooden bench, feeling the cold bite through his jeans. “I don’t know,” he said honestly, staring out at the woods stretching before them. “I mean, I really care about Seung but I can’t tell if it’s love yet.”
Yoseob sat silent for a moment and digested his friend’s words.
“Is it bad,” he finally said, staring at the darkness, “that I think I am in love?”
Junhyung sighed heavily and twisted his head to look at Yoseob’s blank expression. “Doojoon?” he asked, eyes searching for a tell in his best friend’s face.
Yoseob’s eyebrows knitted together. “I can’t stop, Jun,” he said hopelessly, turning to match Junhyung’s gaze. “I want to, but I can’t.”
“Yoseob…” Junhyung trailed off, grasping the smaller man’s large hand in his own and twining their fingers together. Yoseob’s grip was tight and desperate. Junhyung decided to ask one last time. “What happened?”
This time it truly looked like Yoseob was about to cry. “We….” He started, trailing off and staring at their locked hands. Junhyung waited but his stomach dropped as he began formulating his own story.
“It was so random,” Yoseob continued, blinking rapidly, “so random and I thought-” he choked back a sob and Junhyung quickly grabbed his friend and hugged him tightly.
“Yoseob,” Junhyung said against his head, “did you sleep with him?”
Yoseob’s nod and shudders were his answer and Junhyung’s heart sped up, angry and defensive and screaming at him to get retribution.
“Bastard,” he growled and Yoseob hugged him tighter.
“No,” Yoseob said into Junhyung’s shoulder. “It’s my fault too, I mean-”
“Yang Yoseob I swear to god if you finish that sentence I’m going to throw you into the first frozen pond I see.”
Yoseob chuckled wetly and tried to control himself again. He pulled back and smiled tenuously at his best friend. “You wouldn’t,” he said.
Junhyung smiled. “Try me.”
Yoseob laughed weakly and leaned back against the bench. “I’m sorry,” he said, staring up again at the sky.
“Why would you be sorry?” Junhyung responded, matching his friend’s pose.
“That I dumped on you like this.”
‘I don’t care, that’s what I’m here for. It’s kind of my job as best friend, right?”
Yoseob laughed, “Yeah, I guess.”
“Listen,” Junhyung said, fighting the chills that were beginning to shake his body. “I won’t do anything without your permission, but know if you need me, I’ll kick ass and take names, alright?”
“Thanks Rambo,” Yoseob said, still staring at the sky. He looked down and smiled, honestly, at his friend’s shaking figure. “Let’s go get coffee or something,” he said, standing up from the bench and brushing his ass off. “It’s freezing. What idiot decided to come here?”
“Shuttup,” Junhyung teased, standing and attempting to shake warmth back into his arms. As they walked out of the park, debating what twenty-four hour coffee place to go to, Junhyung slung an arm around Yoseob’s shoulders and Yoseob felt warmer than he had in a while.
****
“So where are we going?” Dongwoon asked, leaning against the back of his chair. Kikwang’s voice crackled through the phone.
“You’re coming to my school’s kitchen,” he said.
Dongwoon raised his eyebrows. “You’re school has a kitchen?”
“Yup,” Kikwang chirped, “and tonight it just so happens that it is reserved for us.”
“Why is that?” Dongwoon asked, grinning into the receiver.
“Because my teachers love me and I asked them for a small favor,” Kikwang admitted.
“Of course.”
“I’ll text you the directions. Meet me there at seven, okay?”
“Got it,” Dongwoon said and he pulled a pen and piece of paper from the drawer in his desk. He took down the directions and after a reluctant goodbye to Kikwang, Dongwoon set about dressing for his date.
Seven rolled around surprisingly quickly, and Dongwoon, donned in a grey button down shirt and dark jeans, exited the subway and followed Kikwang’s instructions into the school building (which looked almost like an office building, Dongwoon thought). He walked down the hallway, shoes clicking on the linoleum, and eyed the door plaques. Finally, after several minutes, he came upon double doors with the sign reading 417. That was it. Dongwoon pushed the door open.
And the light from the kitchen almost blinded him. “Ah, I’m blind,” he cried dramatically, throwing an arm over his eyes.
“Wuss,” he heard Kikwang’s voice say, footsteps coming nearer. The radio was playing in the background and Dongwoon recognized the recent song from a popular band. Suddenly his arm was pulled away from his eyes and Dongwoon squinted into Kikwang’s smiling face. “Welcome to my humble kitchen,” he said.
Dongwoon looked past the smiling brunette (which was admittedly hard to do) and glanced around the large room, taking in the silver cooking utensils and myriads of stove tops and ovens.
“Sweet,” he managed to say, overwhelmed from all the…cooking stuff.
Kikwang laughed and patted his hands against the front of his apron that Dongwoon just registered he was wearing. “Come on,” he said, tugging one of Dongwoon’s hands to lead him further into the open room, “you’re just in time to help me toss the salad.”
Dongwoon had a white apron slung over his head and Kikwang whirled him around, tying the strings at his back.
And he was put to work.
As Kikwang was over by the stove whipping up delicious smelling pork, rice, and vegetables, Dongwoon stood at the counter, shopping up tomatoes and ripping the lettuce.
“We don’t normally eat salad,” Dongwoon said, ripping another crisp green leaf. “What inspired you?”
“The fact that we don’t normally eat it,” Kikwang said easily, bouncing between four different jobs without looking rushed at all.
Soon enough they were sitting on stools at one of the counters, plates containing several different side dishes and entrees piled up in front of them. “Dig in,” Kikwang said, picking up his chopsticks and eyeing the food in front of him.
“It looks amazing,” Dongwoon said, mouth watering at the display.
“Let’s hope it tastes as good.”
And it did. Dongwoon all but moaned as he put a piece of tender pork into his mouth. “Oh my god,” he groaned, “this is fantastic.”
Kikwang grinned brightly. “Yay,” he said, putting some kimchi in his mouth. “School pays off!”
The two continued to eat and chat at the counter, and Dongwoon sunk into the comfort that Kikwang’s company brought. He worried he was going to be nervous and awkward, but being with Kikwang was about as relaxing as being with Hyunseung. Other than the fact that Kikwang was not in the least bit sarcastic and Dongwoon had negative desire to kiss Hyunseung.
The date ended just as comfortably; they shared cleaning up dishes and grabbed a coffee at a nearby café. Dongwoon walked Kikwang home after that, and as they stood outside the door to his building, Dongwoon shyly reached forward and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Kikwang’s mouth.
“Thanks, hyung,” he said after pulled back an inch.
“Silly,” Kikwang said softly, “that’s not how you kiss me,” and he leaned right back in and moved his lips against Dongwoon’s. Dongwoon’s eyes slipped shut and he reveled in the soft plumpness of the chef’s lips, tasting a hint of bitterness from the coffee he’d drunken earlier. After a moment Kikwang stepped away, licking his lips briefly.
“That’s better,” he said a little breathlessly.
“I think so too,” Dongwoon agreed and Kikwang laughed.
“Call me, okay?” he said, stepping backwards to his door and not quite willing to look away from the taller brunette’s face yet.
“Of course,” Dongwoon said, smiling affectionately at the other man. “But uh…Kikwang first I just needed to ask…”
Kikwang stopped walking and stared at Dongwoon expectantly.
“You’ll be my boyfriend, won’t you?”
Kikwang’s grin widened. “I think I’m up for the job. But on one condition.”
Dongwoon’s heart pounded wildly and he swallowed before managing “what’s that?”
“You have to be my taste tester.”
Dongwoon felt like breaking his face from grinning too much, “done. Totally done.”
****
Junhyung lounging on Hyunseung’s couch was nothing new. Hyunseung’s feet on his lap wasn’t really new either. The brunette had, once again, commandeered the whole couch. But Junhyung wasn’t really complaining, since he ran his hands absently along his boyfriend’s thin legs as they watched television together.
What was new, however, was when Hyunseung’s cell phone went off and he actually answered it.
“Sorry,” he said quickly before receiving the call, placing the phone against his ear and swinging his legs off the couch. Junhyung gave him a dismissing wave of the hand and turned back to the TV, intent on not eavesdropping on the conversation and Hyunseung walked into his bedroom and shut the door.
Five minutes later, though, and Junhyung couldn’t help but hear bits of the conversation. Hyunseung’s voice rose in an angry pitch and Junhyung caught “work” and “school” and “don’t tell me to,” but the silence in between those words was more telling.
Junhyung assumed that the person on the phone was who Hyunseung was talking to all the time. But who? His parents? An ex lover? A friend? Junhyung was dying to know, but didn’t want to risk Hyunseung closing up on him. Instead he fought the urge to listen in and decided to just ask when the other man was finished with his call.
Ten minutes passed and the click of the door had Junhyung snapping his head to his boyfriend. Hyunseung looked tired, haggard, and he trudged to the couch before lying across it again, this time with his head in the rapper’s lap. Junhyung immediately placed his hands in the brunette’s soft hair and played gently with the strands. Hyunseung’s eyes closed and he nuzzled his head deeper into Junhyung’s legs.
“Wanna talk about it?” Junhyung asked quietly.
“No,” Hyunseung said. And that was that. Until two hours later when Hyunseung announced that he had to get ready for work.
“But the library is closed for winter break,” Junhyung said dumbly.
“Even if it weren’t closed, it wouldn’t be open this late,” Hyunseung said blandly, moving into the kitchen to grab a water bottle.
“You have another job?” Junhyung asked curiously. “Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Because most of the time I’m just at the library,” Hyunseung said, coming back into the living room, “but during winter break I have to pick up the slack from somewhere else. Bills have to be paid, you know.”
“Where do you work?” Junhyung asked, standing up from the couch and walking to the doorway to put his shoes on.
“Just at a local noraebang,” Hyunseung answered easily, coming up behind Junhyung and slipping his arms around his shoulders. He placed a light kiss on the rapper’s neck. Junhyung turned his head and kissed Hyunseung properly.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Junhyung said. Hyunseung smiled and sent him off with a wave.
Junhyung tried not to let it bother him, but as he walked down the street to his own apartment, he wondered why Hyunseung had so many little secrets.
****
Doojoon, despite what the world thought, was not okay. His feet dragged into the classroom, his mind whirled with orders not to stare at Yoseob, his heart thumped angrily at his cowardice. One small reprieve was that the semester was over, and Doojoon didn’t have to look at Yoseob everyday. Although, that was a double edged sword.
Doojoon was not taking his ass-holish behavior well. He’d like to think his parents raised him better than this, but in fact it was his parents that made him feel the need to be a jerk.
After all, what would they say if he brought Yoseob home? Cute, adorable, amazing, yes…until he said he was in love. Then shit would surely hit the fan.
Doojoon sighed, shifting on the scratchy couch in the small noraebang room. Three of his other friends were jumping around, raucously singing H.O.T. songs and banging on clanging tambourines. He had to smile at their antics before redirecting his gaze back to his knees.
God, he was so stupid.
The others were waiting for Doojoon’s psudo-girlfriend and her friends to show up. A group date. At his father’s insistence, Doojoon had been spending time with Seunghee, and even though she was nice enough, she definitely wasn’t Yoseob. He was pretty sure Seunghee knew he wasn’t interested, but he still tried to be kind. But today Doojoon couldn’t even bring himself to care; for once he hadn’t styled his hair, instead letting it hang limply over his forehead, and he had barely thought to throw on a clean sweater before heading out.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, staring at Seunghee’s name on the screen. He answered the call.
“We’re here,” Seunghee said, hearing loud squeals on the other side of the phone.
“Okay, I’ll come get you,” Doojoon said loudly into the phone, trying to drown out his friends. He hung up quickly and left the small room, clicking the door shut behind him. The voices were muffled, but Doojoon smiled at hearing his friend’s horrible voices leaking out anyway.
He made his way to the main desk and spotted Seunghee and her three friends clumped together. She looked nice, Doojoon supposed. A flowing dress and small heels complimented her pretty, curled hair. A smile grew on her face when she spotted Doojoon, and as she walked over to him, Doojoon spied a familiar face and stopped in his tracks.
His heart thudded in his ears as Yoseob and his friends came into the main room. Yoseob was grinning brightly, face lit up like it should be. He was in yellow, of course, because when was Yoseob not colorful? Doojoon’s breath caught painfully as Yoseob’s gaze met his and the smile shrank.
And at that moment, Doojoon realized he would do anything to rewind time and fix everything. That moment after he and Yoseob had sex in the empty classroom. Doojoon would have wrapped his arms around the smaller man’s waist, kissed him for at least another ten minutes, and told him how much he loved him.
He would.
And then Seunghee’s face clouded his vision as she rose up on her toes and kissed his lips “hello.”
Doojoon, slow to react, didn’t move until she sunk back down to her normal size and tilted her head. “Doojoon, what’s wrong? You look sick.”
Doojoon’s eyes slid past her and stared at Yoseob again. And this time, Yoseob wasn’t smiling at all. Junhyung was at his side, a cautious hand placed on the brunette’s elbow. But Yoseob wasn’t having it.
“You son of a bitch,” he growled, jerking out of Junhyung’s grasp and stalking over to a frozen Doojoon.
Seunghee made a confused cry as Yoseob moved past her and shoved Doojoon hard. “You son of a bitch!” he said again, voice a desperate angry pitch.
Doojoon stabilized himself and put his hands out to grab the smaller man’s. “Yoseob,” he said, “Yoseob it’s not like that.”
“Not like that?!” Yoseob yelled, pulling his arms back away from Doojoon’s reach. “I’ve had it with you! Do you think it’s funny? Do you like flaunting it in front of me? God dammit, do you know how ashamed I am because of you?! If you were going to break my heart, the least you could have done was flat out tell me instead of fucking me first and then going back women! I get it, okay?!”
Doojoon saw the tears forming in Yoseob’s eyes and he rushed forward, anxious and desperate, grabbing Yoseob’s shoulders. “I don’t,” he tried, but Yoseob pushed him again and turned, running past Junhyung and the others and out the door.
At this point Seunghee and her friends were cowering in the corner at the exchange, hands over their mouths at Yoseob’s confrontation. Doojoon looked desperately at them and fought back angry tears as his mind whirled at the situation. Go after him, his mind screamed, and Doojoon was about to move forward when he noticed Junhyung stalking toward him, lips drawn tight. But he was caught off guard when the rapper was pushed out of the way and a smaller brunette walked right up to him.
Pain exploded in his face and Doojoon went down, back slamming against the wall. He reflexidly reached up to grab his face and looked shocked at the angry man in front of him. “You are such a dick,” the smaller man spat.
“Hyunseung!” Junhyung called, reaching the man’s side. Hyunseung, the man towering over his crumpled body, looked as if he wanted to pull Doojoon up and hit him again, but Junhyung pulled him back.
Finally the worker at the noraebang realized he needed to step in, and he yelled out a “Hey! No fighting in here! Get out!”
Hyunseung sneered and whirled around, grabbing Junhyung’s wrist and tugging him after. The other two, still standing by the door, quickly followed the two men out.
Doojoon hauled himself to his feet, every muscle suddenly aching. His head throbbed and he felt a tickling feeling by his nose. He wiped it and pulled his hand away, seeing blood smeared on his palm.
Seunghee stayed back with her friends. “You’re gay?” she asked timidly.
Doojoon looked at her blankly and couldn’t think of words. Instead he left the noraebang, the cold air outside stinging against his face, and walked home.
****
A.N: Okay: PRIYA~ i know you're putting up my wedding fic soon so this chapter is dedicated to you until I get TOP back and can put up YOUR wedding fic! <333 I love you
Candice: bwahahahaaaaaaa~ one day I will get you with a sad fic and you will be sad and regret laughing at angsty dooseob teehee <3 but until then, I promise to write you happy fluffy kiwoon because they make you happy! <33333
weerainbow: dude. dude you know. kkk did you catch your mini reference???? ^___^
and oh my god, you guys that keep commenting on my stuff, I see your names everytime and I seriously get so giddy and happy. You guys are just the best. And you make me keep writing! I live on livejournal because of you <3
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