Celebrities--a different kind of alien.
Title: Celebrities (A different kind of alien)
Length: Chaptered; Series. (1/10?)
Author: intricateorchid
Rating: PG-13 for swearing. [This chapter] Will progress.
Pairing: Kihae [Hyuksu in this chapter if you squint]
Genre: Romance, Drama, a dash of failed humor.
Disclaimer: All I own is my poor imagination.
Summary: Lee Donghae works for the most prosperous magazine in South Korea. Although he hates celebrities with a passion, he's willing to enter actor Kim Kibum's life for the sake of a good article.
The pounding of footsteps. The bright flashing lights. Snap! There goes one picture. Snap! There goes another. “Excuse me! Excuse me! Kim Kibum! Do you have any comments on your next drama?” “I heard you have an actual off-screen romance with your co-star! What do you have to say?” “Kim Kibum!” “Mr. Kim!” “Come back! We still have to ask you!”
A figure, shrouded by his cap and dark sunglasses, pushed his way through the paparazzi. Two bulky men accompanied him, their hands full with screaming girls and meddlesome reporters. You could taste the sweat on the man’s skin; you can feel his haste to get to the limo--his only safe sanctuary away from the crowd. He could hear the cameras’ shutters, the reporters’ questions, the girls’ chants of his name. He didn’t care for this. He wanted to get away. The man stared at his feet as he increased his pace, not daring to look up at the crowd. God, reporters made him sick to the stomach.. Faster, faster; run away from these people. They don’t know you. They only know your character on the screen. They only know your words, your looks, and your so-called “relationships“.
He gave a brief glance up. Bingo! The car door. He stuck his hand out to grab the handle, but was it just his imagination, or did it seem further away? No. That’s not it. He was being blocked by the hordes of girls around him; grabbing, pulling every inch of him like he was a lab animal. “Oh my god! I just touched Kim Kibum!” He heard the girls’ shrieks.
I’m the one that should be screaming, he thought. He hated this. He hated it. If there was a way you can be an actor without being famous, tell him now or he’ll shoot someone. Of course he appreciated the fans. Of course he knows that the reporters are here to make a living. But does he care at the moment? No. Not when they stare at him like he’s in a freak show. Not when they’re treating him like he’s not even human, like he doesn’t understand what it’s like to be normal.
People were tugging on his clothes; touching his skin. No matter how close he tried to get to the limo, his attempts failed. The persistent reporters still bombarded him with questions, and he gritted his teeth, reassuring himself not to punch them in the face. Just as he managed to do so, one of his fangirls grabbed his cap. “Gimme that! That’s mine!” said another. “No! I saw it first! It’s rightfully mine!” “No! He planned on giving it to me from the start!” “Whatever, bitch! It’s mine!”
The yowls and screeches caught the cameras’ attention, the flashes switching quickly over to the melee. . All of his fangirls were tumbling around on the concrete, pulling and yanking on each other’s hair. Though he didn’t care to look, he knows his cap is being torn to shreds. What lies will they fabricate this time, he wonders. What will the next headline be? And then he thinks to himself,
Damn, I don’t have time for this.
He ran in the opposite direction, not bothering to look back to see whether or not he was being chased. He hated this life. Sure, the money was good. Sure, the work was nice. But he didn’t think it would be a packaged deal-money and fame.
The man let his feet take him away. He didn’t care where they led him to; he just wanted to escape. He ran and ran until he felt himself slow down his pace to a steady jog, finally stopping completely. His sweaty hands grabbed his sunglasses and tore them off. What was the point of wearing them anyways? It wasn’t as if it made him completely unrecognizable. Besides, there was no sun, and here, there was nobody in sight. After cautiously looking around and finally acknowledging the lack of people, the man smiled a bit to himself.
“Kim Kibum! Wait!”
The actor’s face instantly turned into a scowl once he saw the camera. After 15 minutes of running, they still managed to track him down?! Unbelievable! These people are relentless! He was glad though, for there was only one reporter which meant only one person to deal with. He assumed the rest gave up after the first block. To his dismay however, the man was from the most renowned of all magazines. Shit, can’t they leave him alone?
“Can you tell me about your next drama, sir? And what about your co-star? I heard you two were together, can you confirm this sir?” That was it. He broke.
“Fuck! Can’t a guy live in peace?! I hate people like you! What do you get out of this, anyways? The joy of having other people’s lives posted on the board for others to see? I have my life and you have yours! I have a right to privacy! Just because I’m in some damn drama doesn’t mean that gives you permission to prod around in my life! Celebrities aren’t fucking aliens! We’re just as human as you!”
The reporter stood there in shock. Even the man himself was surprised at his outburst. Was he too harsh? No, it was the reporter’s fault anyways. This was bad. He slipped up and showed the real him. Well, it’s not as if the guy has proof he said that, right? No microphones, no video cameras, no tape recorders.
He ran away before allowing the man--and himself--to come to his senses. There was no time for that. He needed to go and live his “prosperous” life as a celebrity. Oh yes. He loved this.
“Celebrities. They think they’re ‘all that’ just because they’re famous. No difference between this and high school if you ask me,” Donghae muttered to himself, wiping his camera lenses with the hem of his shirt as he walked to the bus station. He’s been in the journalism business for six years and nothing ever changes. The names may change and the faces may change-“plastic surgery,” he sings-but the celebrities are all the same. They’re all fake, like those Barbie and Ken dolls. Aliens! They’re aliens sent to brainwash us and use horrible entertainment to make us suffer! Aliensss!
He stops at the bus station and sits next to an old lady on the bench, smiling and whispering a small “thank you”. You see, he thinks to himself, do you think celebrities would do this? They would probably throw her in front of a bus for all they care. Tch, charities, maybe. But that's just for show.
When his thoughts start straying, his eyes land on a gigantic billboard of Dong Bang Shin Ki towering over the city. This time, they were advertising cell phones and surely enough, soon, the entire female population (including a couple men) would have the exact same brand. Man, if only they really knew about DBSK, he thinks, with a sneer. But then again, compared to other cocky celebrities, they’re not all that bad. A bit psychotic maybe, but… not bad. Well, as much as he hates celebrities, they’re the people that keep food on his table, so he’s not gonna complain. Not much, anyways.
“Donghae! Lee Donghae!”
Donghae tears his eyes away from the billboard to see Eunhyuk race towards him and he stumbles up from his seat in order to greet his friend. Although Eunhyuk was older, he was a newbie in this business so he was sent to work under Donghae for a couple of months. Right when they met, Donghae knew that he could not work with this person. And surely enough, he couldn’t. They argued like cats and dogs over celebrities. Donghae hates their guts and believes that they’re just normal people who were brainwashed to believe that they’re “better”.
“Acting and singing is just a job,” he says. “I’m a journalist, but I don’t get that fame. Plumbers don’t get that fame. So why the hell do they get it?”
Eunhyuk however, treats celebrities like an entirely different species.
“They’re talented and so, they’re born to be elite.”
To which Donghae replies, “Bull shit.”
Those few months of pain were over, but they still hung out in and outside of work. Even now, he has no idea how or why he became best friends with Eunhyuk. He figures it’s just one of those things you have to accept in life.
“You forgot your belt at my apartment last night, baby,” Eunhyuk says loudly, adding a toothy grin and a sly wink. The people around them glanced at them weirdly for a second and the old lady that sat next to Donghae scooted back. The crowd took a moment to double-guess their relationship-Friends? Lovers? Friends with benefits? Bingo. Friends with benefits.
“What the hell! Stop making it sound so wrong,” Donghae shrieked hysterically, grabbing the belt from Eunhyuk’s hands and whacking him on the back. Eunhyuk screamed with laughter and jumped around the station, bumping into a few people in the process. After standing a good distance away from Donghae, he scolded coolly, “We’re in public, darling. Don’t swear. It’s H-E-double hockey sticks.”
“Oh yeah? Keep talking and I’ll kick your A-double snakes,” Donghae muttered bitterly, looping the belt through his jeans with irritation. Just as he was about to fasten the belt, he noticed it was a bit… different. His belt should have been broken in a lot by now, since he doesn’t throw anything away and rarely buys anything either. Years of loyalty to this belt meant it would be old and worn. He might have money to buy new things, but that doesn't mean he does.
Donghae checked the area near the buckle for his name. Yeah, he happens to have an unhealthy obsession with labeling things also. You know, it’s just in case someone like Eunhyuk steals it or some aliens take it or something. And yes, as a matter of fact, he labels his underwear too. His name’s embroidered on it, actually.
“Eunhyuk! You bastard! This isn’t even mine!” He chucked the belt back at his friend, who quickly dodged. Years of soccer certainly did Eunhyuk some justice, especially when you had a friend that couldn’t take a joke.
“Aww, I didn’t think I’d be caught that fast.” Eunhyuk smiled wickedly, brushing some imaginary dirt off his shoulders. He picked up the leather belt and stuffed it into his pink bag, earning a grimace from his friend. Eunhyuk gave that customary “I like it-deal with it” look which had Donghae scoffing in reply.
“Oh! I do happen to have something of yours, though.”
“What? My heart? Are you finally giving it back, you jerk?” Donghae mocked.
“Ha ha. Hilaaaaarious. But no, I won’t give it back. How about I give you this instead?” He whips out a big yellow pad out of his man purse and waves it in the air.
“Great stuff, by the way. I would have taken some of your stories, but y’know, I just love you too much.” Eunhyuk grinned cheekily. “You love me too, right honey?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Donghae muttered. “Give me that!” He yanked the book away from Eunhyuk and stuffed it in his back pocket with relief. Thank god, oh thank god. A reporter is nothing without his pen and paper. He found it just in time too, seeing as how the bus is pulling up to a stop.
“Hey! Where are you going?” 2 years as an Eunhyuk-interpreter taught him that it really meant “Don’t leave me!” This guy… he was like a 5-year-old. Well, Donghae acted like one too. More like 5 ½, actually but you know, he was never one for details.
“The chief called me for a new project or something.” A moment of awkward silence ensued and Eunhyuk took that moment to plead with his big watery eyes like a kicked puppy. Donghae was about to step on the bus when he turned and sighed, “What… wanna come with?”
Eunhyuk’s face brightened instantly.
“Well, if you insist,” Eunhyuk giggled, jabbing at him with his elbow. Donghae scoffed. As if it’s not obvious, he thinks to himself. But honestly, Donghae couldn’t blame him. I mean, it’s not everyday you get to ride a bus with a guy this hot. Man, if I was a celebrity, the world would be a better place. Better yet, it’d be alien-free! I would be like… a modern superhero. Without leotards, of course. I would have a theme song, a costume, and an awesome name that incites fear. A name… I need to think of a catchy name…
“Donghae!” No way, what kind of a suggestion is that? What kind of hero uses their own name?!
“Hey! Donghae! Hurry up and get on the bus! The driver’s waiting!” Donghae snapped out of his thoughts when he felt someone kick his rear.
“Right... uhh… sorry.”
As soon as they stepped onto the bus, they headed towards the farthest seat. There were only 7 people on the bus, but reporters always needed to be careful. Letting someone hear your story before it’s published is like suicide. News spreads like wildfire. All reporters want their name to be published first, to be the cause and create the effect. They want big headlines, glossy photos, and juicy information. The magazine business is an endless competition to see who gets the story first. Donghae loved it.
After they sat down, Donghae opened conversation.
“So, is there anything you have for me?”
“No,” Eunhyuk frowned, shaking his head, “not much. All the good stuff is gone. I swear, sometimes, I just want to sell the celebrities drugs or something just to get some news. If you can’t find some news, you gotta make it, am I right or am I right?” He joked. “But there’s not much new stuff. Kim Ryeowook is releasing a new single soon. It features that one guy… uhh… Yesung?”
Donghae raised an eyebrow.
“That crazy singer who has a weird fetish for philtrums?”
Eunhyuk grabbed a notebook out of his bag to check his sources.
“Yeah,” he nodded, “that’s it. And that hotshot actor, Kim Kibum is gonna film another drama soon.”
He laughed cruelly while Donghae choked on his spit.
“Whoa there, boy. I know you have a crush on him and all, but no need to kill yourself over it,” he uttered with that irritating smugness in his voice.
“Shut up, hyung. That guy has gotta be the bitch of the century,” Donghae seethes, crossing his arms sullenly.
“What, are you still holding a grudge against him? After two years? Come on, that guy’s a lady-killer with his million-dollar smile. Damn, I’d kill for that smile,” Eunhyuk mutters, sulking in his self-proclaimed ugliness. “Heck, I’d kill just to have him as a friend. I mean, all the ladies would come rushing.”
He took a moment to stare at Donghae disdainfully from head to toe. “But no, instead I have someone like him,” Eunhyuk grumbles to himself, just loud enough for Donghae to hear.
“Don’t look at me,” he glared. “I’m not the one they’re running from.”
Donghae hears an unconcerned “sure, sure”.
He clears throat loudly and stares at his nails, feigning disinterest. “Oh, that reminds me,” he starts, “I saw your boyfriend a while ago.”
Eunhyuk bursts with excitement, “WHERE? WHERE?!”
Donghae tried stifling his laughter after the excited expression on his friend’s face darkened. Gotcha.
“What the hell?! BOYFRIEND?!”
“Hyukkie-baby, don’t swear. It’s H-E-double hockey sticks,” he laughs haughtily. “Your boyfriend was advertising cell phones on that billboard. Huhh.. I wonder how big his ---“
“EWW, DONGHAE,” Eunhyuk screams as he clasps Donghae’s mouth shut with his hands. “Just because you can’t get any doesn’t mean it’s right to check out a billboard.”
He hears Eunhyuk scold him but he pays no heed because the bus has reached the last stop. Donghae jerks Eunhyuk’s hands off his mouth and runs off the bus, shouting a loud “thank you” to the bus driver while ignoring his friend’s frantic cries pleading for Donghae to wait. They both knew Donghae wouldn’t leave him, but it was fun to tease.
Once Eunhyuk appeared, pink man-purse and all, the two quickly strode over to the corner of the street. The air was familiar, a bit stuffy yet cold and drenched in the sounds of conversation and car horns. Donghae and Eunhyuk have been down this street far too many times. It was murky and grey, but to him, it was full of life.
“One copy of SM Town, please,” Donghae requested to the clerk.
The man handed the magazine to Donghae and politely declined the money. “No need for money, Donghae sir! You’re a frequent customer, so it’s on me. Have a great day!”
Donghae rolled up the issue with a smile and went on his way.
“We’re here,” he heard Eunhyuk call.
Donghae looked up and surely enough, they were. The building was tall and modern with a slight antique feel. Through the glass windows, he could see the bustling environment inside. Even from out here, he can taste that warm scent of freshly printed paper. This was it. This place was the celebrities’ kryptonite.
This was his home away from home.
A/N: Holy moly, first ever Kihae fic. This is my second time writing and I'm still really rusty. I can hear my joints creaking in pain. :( I would REALLY appreciate constructive criticism because I know there's a lot of room for improvement. This plot was written for Yunjae/Jaeho before (under the title "Writer's Block), but I discontinued it because I thought it didn't really fit the characters well. I'm having more fun with this one, hahaha. The prologue is similar but the story will be completely different from what I had planned. I hope you enjoyed!! Comments make me happy! :D
Length: Chaptered; Series. (1/10?)
Author: intricateorchid
Rating: PG-13 for swearing. [This chapter] Will progress.
Pairing: Kihae [Hyuksu in this chapter if you squint]
Genre: Romance, Drama, a dash of failed humor.
Disclaimer: All I own is my poor imagination.
Summary: Lee Donghae works for the most prosperous magazine in South Korea. Although he hates celebrities with a passion, he's willing to enter actor Kim Kibum's life for the sake of a good article.
The pounding of footsteps. The bright flashing lights. Snap! There goes one picture. Snap! There goes another. “Excuse me! Excuse me! Kim Kibum! Do you have any comments on your next drama?” “I heard you have an actual off-screen romance with your co-star! What do you have to say?” “Kim Kibum!” “Mr. Kim!” “Come back! We still have to ask you!”
A figure, shrouded by his cap and dark sunglasses, pushed his way through the paparazzi. Two bulky men accompanied him, their hands full with screaming girls and meddlesome reporters. You could taste the sweat on the man’s skin; you can feel his haste to get to the limo--his only safe sanctuary away from the crowd. He could hear the cameras’ shutters, the reporters’ questions, the girls’ chants of his name. He didn’t care for this. He wanted to get away. The man stared at his feet as he increased his pace, not daring to look up at the crowd. God, reporters made him sick to the stomach.. Faster, faster; run away from these people. They don’t know you. They only know your character on the screen. They only know your words, your looks, and your so-called “relationships“.
He gave a brief glance up. Bingo! The car door. He stuck his hand out to grab the handle, but was it just his imagination, or did it seem further away? No. That’s not it. He was being blocked by the hordes of girls around him; grabbing, pulling every inch of him like he was a lab animal. “Oh my god! I just touched Kim Kibum!” He heard the girls’ shrieks.
I’m the one that should be screaming, he thought. He hated this. He hated it. If there was a way you can be an actor without being famous, tell him now or he’ll shoot someone. Of course he appreciated the fans. Of course he knows that the reporters are here to make a living. But does he care at the moment? No. Not when they stare at him like he’s in a freak show. Not when they’re treating him like he’s not even human, like he doesn’t understand what it’s like to be normal.
People were tugging on his clothes; touching his skin. No matter how close he tried to get to the limo, his attempts failed. The persistent reporters still bombarded him with questions, and he gritted his teeth, reassuring himself not to punch them in the face. Just as he managed to do so, one of his fangirls grabbed his cap. “Gimme that! That’s mine!” said another. “No! I saw it first! It’s rightfully mine!” “No! He planned on giving it to me from the start!” “Whatever, bitch! It’s mine!”
The yowls and screeches caught the cameras’ attention, the flashes switching quickly over to the melee. . All of his fangirls were tumbling around on the concrete, pulling and yanking on each other’s hair. Though he didn’t care to look, he knows his cap is being torn to shreds. What lies will they fabricate this time, he wonders. What will the next headline be? And then he thinks to himself,
Damn, I don’t have time for this.
He ran in the opposite direction, not bothering to look back to see whether or not he was being chased. He hated this life. Sure, the money was good. Sure, the work was nice. But he didn’t think it would be a packaged deal-money and fame.
The man let his feet take him away. He didn’t care where they led him to; he just wanted to escape. He ran and ran until he felt himself slow down his pace to a steady jog, finally stopping completely. His sweaty hands grabbed his sunglasses and tore them off. What was the point of wearing them anyways? It wasn’t as if it made him completely unrecognizable. Besides, there was no sun, and here, there was nobody in sight. After cautiously looking around and finally acknowledging the lack of people, the man smiled a bit to himself.
“Kim Kibum! Wait!”
The actor’s face instantly turned into a scowl once he saw the camera. After 15 minutes of running, they still managed to track him down?! Unbelievable! These people are relentless! He was glad though, for there was only one reporter which meant only one person to deal with. He assumed the rest gave up after the first block. To his dismay however, the man was from the most renowned of all magazines. Shit, can’t they leave him alone?
“Can you tell me about your next drama, sir? And what about your co-star? I heard you two were together, can you confirm this sir?” That was it. He broke.
“Fuck! Can’t a guy live in peace?! I hate people like you! What do you get out of this, anyways? The joy of having other people’s lives posted on the board for others to see? I have my life and you have yours! I have a right to privacy! Just because I’m in some damn drama doesn’t mean that gives you permission to prod around in my life! Celebrities aren’t fucking aliens! We’re just as human as you!”
The reporter stood there in shock. Even the man himself was surprised at his outburst. Was he too harsh? No, it was the reporter’s fault anyways. This was bad. He slipped up and showed the real him. Well, it’s not as if the guy has proof he said that, right? No microphones, no video cameras, no tape recorders.
He ran away before allowing the man--and himself--to come to his senses. There was no time for that. He needed to go and live his “prosperous” life as a celebrity. Oh yes. He loved this.
“Celebrities. They think they’re ‘all that’ just because they’re famous. No difference between this and high school if you ask me,” Donghae muttered to himself, wiping his camera lenses with the hem of his shirt as he walked to the bus station. He’s been in the journalism business for six years and nothing ever changes. The names may change and the faces may change-“plastic surgery,” he sings-but the celebrities are all the same. They’re all fake, like those Barbie and Ken dolls. Aliens! They’re aliens sent to brainwash us and use horrible entertainment to make us suffer! Aliensss!
He stops at the bus station and sits next to an old lady on the bench, smiling and whispering a small “thank you”. You see, he thinks to himself, do you think celebrities would do this? They would probably throw her in front of a bus for all they care. Tch, charities, maybe. But that's just for show.
When his thoughts start straying, his eyes land on a gigantic billboard of Dong Bang Shin Ki towering over the city. This time, they were advertising cell phones and surely enough, soon, the entire female population (including a couple men) would have the exact same brand. Man, if only they really knew about DBSK, he thinks, with a sneer. But then again, compared to other cocky celebrities, they’re not all that bad. A bit psychotic maybe, but… not bad. Well, as much as he hates celebrities, they’re the people that keep food on his table, so he’s not gonna complain. Not much, anyways.
“Donghae! Lee Donghae!”
Donghae tears his eyes away from the billboard to see Eunhyuk race towards him and he stumbles up from his seat in order to greet his friend. Although Eunhyuk was older, he was a newbie in this business so he was sent to work under Donghae for a couple of months. Right when they met, Donghae knew that he could not work with this person. And surely enough, he couldn’t. They argued like cats and dogs over celebrities. Donghae hates their guts and believes that they’re just normal people who were brainwashed to believe that they’re “better”.
“Acting and singing is just a job,” he says. “I’m a journalist, but I don’t get that fame. Plumbers don’t get that fame. So why the hell do they get it?”
Eunhyuk however, treats celebrities like an entirely different species.
“They’re talented and so, they’re born to be elite.”
To which Donghae replies, “Bull shit.”
Those few months of pain were over, but they still hung out in and outside of work. Even now, he has no idea how or why he became best friends with Eunhyuk. He figures it’s just one of those things you have to accept in life.
“You forgot your belt at my apartment last night, baby,” Eunhyuk says loudly, adding a toothy grin and a sly wink. The people around them glanced at them weirdly for a second and the old lady that sat next to Donghae scooted back. The crowd took a moment to double-guess their relationship-Friends? Lovers? Friends with benefits? Bingo. Friends with benefits.
“What the hell! Stop making it sound so wrong,” Donghae shrieked hysterically, grabbing the belt from Eunhyuk’s hands and whacking him on the back. Eunhyuk screamed with laughter and jumped around the station, bumping into a few people in the process. After standing a good distance away from Donghae, he scolded coolly, “We’re in public, darling. Don’t swear. It’s H-E-double hockey sticks.”
“Oh yeah? Keep talking and I’ll kick your A-double snakes,” Donghae muttered bitterly, looping the belt through his jeans with irritation. Just as he was about to fasten the belt, he noticed it was a bit… different. His belt should have been broken in a lot by now, since he doesn’t throw anything away and rarely buys anything either. Years of loyalty to this belt meant it would be old and worn. He might have money to buy new things, but that doesn't mean he does.
Donghae checked the area near the buckle for his name. Yeah, he happens to have an unhealthy obsession with labeling things also. You know, it’s just in case someone like Eunhyuk steals it or some aliens take it or something. And yes, as a matter of fact, he labels his underwear too. His name’s embroidered on it, actually.
“Eunhyuk! You bastard! This isn’t even mine!” He chucked the belt back at his friend, who quickly dodged. Years of soccer certainly did Eunhyuk some justice, especially when you had a friend that couldn’t take a joke.
“Aww, I didn’t think I’d be caught that fast.” Eunhyuk smiled wickedly, brushing some imaginary dirt off his shoulders. He picked up the leather belt and stuffed it into his pink bag, earning a grimace from his friend. Eunhyuk gave that customary “I like it-deal with it” look which had Donghae scoffing in reply.
“Oh! I do happen to have something of yours, though.”
“What? My heart? Are you finally giving it back, you jerk?” Donghae mocked.
“Ha ha. Hilaaaaarious. But no, I won’t give it back. How about I give you this instead?” He whips out a big yellow pad out of his man purse and waves it in the air.
“Great stuff, by the way. I would have taken some of your stories, but y’know, I just love you too much.” Eunhyuk grinned cheekily. “You love me too, right honey?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Donghae muttered. “Give me that!” He yanked the book away from Eunhyuk and stuffed it in his back pocket with relief. Thank god, oh thank god. A reporter is nothing without his pen and paper. He found it just in time too, seeing as how the bus is pulling up to a stop.
“Hey! Where are you going?” 2 years as an Eunhyuk-interpreter taught him that it really meant “Don’t leave me!” This guy… he was like a 5-year-old. Well, Donghae acted like one too. More like 5 ½, actually but you know, he was never one for details.
“The chief called me for a new project or something.” A moment of awkward silence ensued and Eunhyuk took that moment to plead with his big watery eyes like a kicked puppy. Donghae was about to step on the bus when he turned and sighed, “What… wanna come with?”
Eunhyuk’s face brightened instantly.
“Well, if you insist,” Eunhyuk giggled, jabbing at him with his elbow. Donghae scoffed. As if it’s not obvious, he thinks to himself. But honestly, Donghae couldn’t blame him. I mean, it’s not everyday you get to ride a bus with a guy this hot. Man, if I was a celebrity, the world would be a better place. Better yet, it’d be alien-free! I would be like… a modern superhero. Without leotards, of course. I would have a theme song, a costume, and an awesome name that incites fear. A name… I need to think of a catchy name…
“Donghae!” No way, what kind of a suggestion is that? What kind of hero uses their own name?!
“Hey! Donghae! Hurry up and get on the bus! The driver’s waiting!” Donghae snapped out of his thoughts when he felt someone kick his rear.
“Right... uhh… sorry.”
As soon as they stepped onto the bus, they headed towards the farthest seat. There were only 7 people on the bus, but reporters always needed to be careful. Letting someone hear your story before it’s published is like suicide. News spreads like wildfire. All reporters want their name to be published first, to be the cause and create the effect. They want big headlines, glossy photos, and juicy information. The magazine business is an endless competition to see who gets the story first. Donghae loved it.
After they sat down, Donghae opened conversation.
“So, is there anything you have for me?”
“No,” Eunhyuk frowned, shaking his head, “not much. All the good stuff is gone. I swear, sometimes, I just want to sell the celebrities drugs or something just to get some news. If you can’t find some news, you gotta make it, am I right or am I right?” He joked. “But there’s not much new stuff. Kim Ryeowook is releasing a new single soon. It features that one guy… uhh… Yesung?”
Donghae raised an eyebrow.
“That crazy singer who has a weird fetish for philtrums?”
Eunhyuk grabbed a notebook out of his bag to check his sources.
“Yeah,” he nodded, “that’s it. And that hotshot actor, Kim Kibum is gonna film another drama soon.”
He laughed cruelly while Donghae choked on his spit.
“Whoa there, boy. I know you have a crush on him and all, but no need to kill yourself over it,” he uttered with that irritating smugness in his voice.
“Shut up, hyung. That guy has gotta be the bitch of the century,” Donghae seethes, crossing his arms sullenly.
“What, are you still holding a grudge against him? After two years? Come on, that guy’s a lady-killer with his million-dollar smile. Damn, I’d kill for that smile,” Eunhyuk mutters, sulking in his self-proclaimed ugliness. “Heck, I’d kill just to have him as a friend. I mean, all the ladies would come rushing.”
He took a moment to stare at Donghae disdainfully from head to toe. “But no, instead I have someone like him,” Eunhyuk grumbles to himself, just loud enough for Donghae to hear.
“Don’t look at me,” he glared. “I’m not the one they’re running from.”
Donghae hears an unconcerned “sure, sure”.
He clears throat loudly and stares at his nails, feigning disinterest. “Oh, that reminds me,” he starts, “I saw your boyfriend a while ago.”
Eunhyuk bursts with excitement, “WHERE? WHERE?!”
Donghae tried stifling his laughter after the excited expression on his friend’s face darkened. Gotcha.
“What the hell?! BOYFRIEND?!”
“Hyukkie-baby, don’t swear. It’s H-E-double hockey sticks,” he laughs haughtily. “Your boyfriend was advertising cell phones on that billboard. Huhh.. I wonder how big his ---“
“EWW, DONGHAE,” Eunhyuk screams as he clasps Donghae’s mouth shut with his hands. “Just because you can’t get any doesn’t mean it’s right to check out a billboard.”
He hears Eunhyuk scold him but he pays no heed because the bus has reached the last stop. Donghae jerks Eunhyuk’s hands off his mouth and runs off the bus, shouting a loud “thank you” to the bus driver while ignoring his friend’s frantic cries pleading for Donghae to wait. They both knew Donghae wouldn’t leave him, but it was fun to tease.
Once Eunhyuk appeared, pink man-purse and all, the two quickly strode over to the corner of the street. The air was familiar, a bit stuffy yet cold and drenched in the sounds of conversation and car horns. Donghae and Eunhyuk have been down this street far too many times. It was murky and grey, but to him, it was full of life.
“One copy of SM Town, please,” Donghae requested to the clerk.
The man handed the magazine to Donghae and politely declined the money. “No need for money, Donghae sir! You’re a frequent customer, so it’s on me. Have a great day!”
Donghae rolled up the issue with a smile and went on his way.
“We’re here,” he heard Eunhyuk call.
Donghae looked up and surely enough, they were. The building was tall and modern with a slight antique feel. Through the glass windows, he could see the bustling environment inside. Even from out here, he can taste that warm scent of freshly printed paper. This was it. This place was the celebrities’ kryptonite.
This was his home away from home.
A/N: Holy moly, first ever Kihae fic. This is my second time writing and I'm still really rusty. I can hear my joints creaking in pain. :( I would REALLY appreciate constructive criticism because I know there's a lot of room for improvement. This plot was written for Yunjae/Jaeho before (under the title "Writer's Block), but I discontinued it because I thought it didn't really fit the characters well. I'm having more fun with this one, hahaha. The prologue is similar but the story will be completely different from what I had planned. I hope you enjoyed!! Comments make me happy! :D