it's a quarter after [three], i'm [not] alone [but] i need you now
title: it’s a quarter after [three], i’m [not] alone [but] i need you now
for: originally posted for reLAY fic fest
pairing: layhun/slight!hunhan/side pairing: kaisoo
rating: nc-17
warnings: really fail smut-not-really-smut, semi-rushed endings, awful writing, typos bc of shit
genre: angst, fluff, bad humor
summary: “A drunk proposal from a complete stranger over the phone at 3 in the morning isn't exactly what Yixing would describe as romantic.”
-
Yixing lives on a routine.
He’s got morals and ethics--he’s a pretty good person, he’ll believe. That’s about it though. His secretary job to Wu Yifan practically screams routine because Yifan is an orderly person 23% of the time and Yixing has to clean up after his messes like a fucking servant signed to servitude for life. This includes punching in the code to his house so he can wake the giant up and get his ass to work, promptly stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth and shoving him to the closet to get him dressed.
Yixing loves Yifan to death, no matter how stressful he makes his life be. He owes Yifan a lot for this job, but YIfan waves it off as, “No one can put up with me besides you, apparently, so it’s a win-win.” And while Yixing manages Yifan’s busy CEO schedule, he makes his way down to the dance studio he works at on the weekend just to get a look at his schedule and which kids he’s going to teach. The teaching schedule switches up every month--why, he’ll never know. To him, it’s not really a good idea for the students, but they still have a good number of students. Their reputation as one of the better dance schools in Seoul makes up for it, he assumes.
Today’s been a particularly long day, if anything. It took him twice the effort to get Yifan up and out, somehow still being able to weave through traffic and be on time for his meeting with Joonmyun’s company. Another worker in the finance department decided not to show up to work without calling in sick and Yixing had to (calmly) stomp past lines of cubicles to somehow find a way to get the documents the missing employee failed to share. (all it takes is literally two seconds to upload it to the department’s dropbox!) And to top all that off with Yifan’s uncharacteristically busy schedule, Jongin had to call in sick at the studio and begged him over the phone to take his shift. Yixing sighed and agreed, mentally thinking that Jongin just probably wants to spend the day with Kyungsoo because he just got back from a business trip (yes, he does remember his friends’ important days).
But that doesn’t stop him from doting on the students, teaching like it’s any other weekend and doesn’t realize how extremely exhausted he is until he stands in front of his apartment door in Gangnam. Yifan pays him well.
By this time, it’s only 9PM, early enough for Yixing to cook up something really quick because anything is healthier than ramen, and flicks on the television to watch the news for the day, taking extra special time on the Bloomberg channel, relying strictly on the stock names and numbers than on what the people are actually saying because, well, his English isn’t exactly on part with Yifan’s.
Again, he’s had a long day, so he crashes slouched against the couch in a way that isn’t really good for his back, mouth probably gaping open unattractively and hand open with his cellphone resting in it. It has the obnoxious combination of a loud ringtone and hard vibrations, so when it buzzes and shakes in his hand, he sits up alarmed and instinctively slides his thumb to pick up the call.
“Yifan it’s--” Yixing pulls back his phone to stare at the time and puts it back to his ear. “3 in the morning, by god, what do you need?”
“...”
“...hello? Are you okay? Did you get drunk again?”
“Iiii haaaaaate youuu,”an unfamiliar voice that’s not Yifan’s slurs over the phone. Yixing is severely confused and pulls his phone back to notice that it’s an unknown number and definitely not Yifan’s.
“I think you have the wrong number?” Yixing quips, ready to hang up.
“nO!”The voice on the other end belts, prompting Yixing to jump in his position.“Loook, I knowww you have a gir-gi-girlfriieennnddd but--”There’s sniffling on the other end,“--like, I love you, Lulu, ok? I just really reeallllyy like you and I have for a reaalllyy long time but like oh goddd being gay fucking SUCKS andI thought you were BI and WHY diDn’T you SAY anything and--”
The man on the other end is full on sobbing by this point and Yixing’s heart cracks a little for the poor kid. He sounds like a child over the phone--for all he knows, it could be a thirty year old man sitting in a shady bar with beer bottles on the table in front of him.
“I’ve liked you for soooo lonnnggg, hyuunnggg and just whhyyy,”the guy bawls. Yixing is sincerely about to hang up when there’s sounds of shifting coming from the other end and another voice enters his ear.“Hey man, sorry about that. He got the wrong number so--”
“Wait,Jongin?” Yixing says, even more confused now because if Jongin begged him to take off a day to deal with this child, then what about Kyungsoo? “Yah, what the hell are you doing up at 3AM?! You have class to teach at 10!”
“...Yixing-hyung? Oh shit, you’re who he called? This is awkward as fuck,”Jongin deadpans and Yixing pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I thought you asked the day off to spend time with Kyungsoo.”
“Well, I did the whole day, but--wait, you weren’t supposed to know that--anyways, nah, Sehun over here needed some help late into the night so here I am. I’m a good friend, no?”
“Yeah yeah,” Yixing sighs tiredly and lets his head roll back against the couch cushion. “Just get home soon. It’s late. Make sure this...Sehun doesn’t do anything rash.”
“Got it, hyung. Thanks!”
“G’night, Jongin.
And even if Yixing is a man of routine, it doesn’t mean he’s any less emotional or sentimental. From the basic rundown of this Sehun’s drunk confession of love for someone named Lulu, which he can deduce is a nickname because no parent in China would ever officially and legally name their child Lulu, the poor child is hurt and heartbroken and he can do nothing but just feel sorry for him.
But what’s more important is that he get to a proper sleeping place, like the bed, and be prepared for his next hectic day with Yifan.
-
“Yifan, you have a meeting with the analyst from Samsung in an hour and a half, so God help me, get your ass out of bed,” Yixing spits over the speaker of his Bluetooth, right foot putting more pressure on the gas pedal.
“Fine fine,” Yifan grumbles, the rustling of sheets evident in Yixing’s ear before he hears a telltale thump, signalling that Yifan is still uncoordinated as fuck and still can’t get out of bed like a normal person.
“Yifan, you are 26 and are a full grown adult who could at least get out of bed without falling and making a fool of yourself,” Yixing scolds, shaking his head while stopping at a red light. “I’ll be there in seven. You better be ready or may someone help you.”
His finger taps the “end call” button on the screen of his car, the corner of his lips twitching up because only Yifan can provide this much amusement at 8:30 in the morning. As the light turns green, he checks both ways before making a right and continuing on his way to Yifan’s place.
Being Yifan’s assistant also includes knowing his door passcode (pathcode), which means his fingers instinctively punch the buttons on the door to Yifan’s condo, plastic bag with hot breakfast still slightly giving off steam in his other hand. “I hope you’re up!” Yixing belts loudly, letting the door close behind him and locking automatically. The electronic whirs and beeps aren’t loud enough to cover Yifan’s loud retaliation of “I’m up, I’m up!”
Yixing sets the breakfast on the counter in the middle of the kitchen and fishes his phone out from his pocket when it vibrates twice, signalling a text message. It’s just a text from Jongin, thanking him for covering his shift yesterday and also dealing with Sehun’s drunken antics. Yixing types in a curt, polite reply and doesn’t forget to add a wishing-well for Sehun’s future romantic endeavours. It's as simple as that - no complications, no hard feelings.
Frankly, Yixing doesn't feel like he has time for romantic adventures. Being a secretary isn't hard, only when people call and demand for meetings with Yifan at times that he's not available and his patience is slightly tested. Clients scream at him over the phone, to which Yifan will sometimes take the headset from Yixing's head and speak calmly to whichever partner or client is on the phone, "Sir, hello--yes, yes this is he. My secretary clearly told you that I am not available at those times, is that clear? It is not his fault, but mine, and I do not appreciate you technologically harassing my secretary. Are we in agreement on that? If so, I will be returning the phone to my secretary. Yes, yes, I will see you soon."
It's an 8AM-7PM job, but Yixing is truly content. He's a little lonely, but with friends and the dance school, there's no need for a partner. At least, not yet.
-
Yixing arrives about an hour early to his shift at the dance studio, preparing by doing some stretches and letting the music quietly bounce against the walls. He takes out his notebook and goes over what they last did in class, making sure of which students to work on and look out for throughout the lesson. Today is his intermediate ballet class at 2PM and then his intermediate/advanced hip-hop class at 5PM. The hip-hop class is at a really awkward time, stuck between wanting to eat dinner but not wanting stomach cramps during class. In return for the bad timing, he encourages them to eat snacks before class and even gives them ten extra minutes into class if they need it.
The dance studio offers three sections of ballet: one for just boys, another for just girls, and one with a mixed group of genders. Originally, there was only one but then a couple of parents expressed their dislike for having both boys and girls in the same ballet class (idiots and imbeciles, Yixing thinks, but doesn’t say because, well, the parentsarepaying for the classes) and so they created another class just for girls. However, when more boys came interested but scared of being judge, they opened up another section just for the boys to feel safe, unjudged, and at a second home.
Class goes well, some elementary school girls cutely blush (he thinks it’s cute because tiny children are adorable, not in a pedophilic way at all) whenever he addresses (nicer word for critiques) or compliments them, his dimples adding to the effect. He’s drinking some coffee from the cafe down the street when his studio door opens an hour before class should start and someone completely unfamiliar stands in the doorway.
He’s a tall lanky child, looks around his early-twenties at most and Yixing has to crane his neck to get a good look at the boy’s face. His hair is a dark brown, a thin line of black eyeliner on his eyelids, face angular and incredibly structured and Yixing has to stop himself from staring too long.
“Is this the hip-hop class at 5?” The boy asks, nervousness and hesitation evident in his voice and Yixing has to bite his tongue to stop himself from chuckling.
“Ah, yes, but you’re a little early. It’s only 4:07. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“I don’t know if Jongin mentioned it to you, but he said that someone was going to come in and observe teaching styles and well, that’s me. Did he say anything about it?” He titters, hand clenching the doorknob tightly.
“I must’ve been zoning out when he said something. Please, feel free to come in,” Yixing motions towards him, fingers grabbing onto a shrimp chip from a nearby bag and makes note to grab some more before heading home today. He should buy this stuff in bulk.
The boy is a lot closer but is now standing awkwardly in the middle of the dance floor between the two extra bars set out on both left and right sides. Frankly, there isn’t enough space on the wall bars to fit all the students (the all-girls section was today) so they got extra metal bars in the center. The thing about dancers is that they enjoy attention to some extent. The middle bars have turned into some sort of incentive because only the best are allowed there, and that inspires the students to try harder. However, the girls in the center can’t be too egotistical -- dance is about helping, practicing, and working hard with humility. If any of the instructors catch any wind of the girls being unfair, turning their noses up at the other girls, they’re back on the wall bars.
“Please, sit,” Yixing smiles. “What’s your name?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is Oh Sehun and I’m a friend of Jongin’s,” Sehun bows while moving to sit with his legs in a criss-cross style. “You are..?”
Oh Sehun. Yixing nearly chokes on his shrimp chip because he’s pretty sure Jongin doesn’t have more than one friend named Oh Sehun. This is definitely the Oh Sehun from that 3AM call that one fateful night and also the Oh Sehun that he feels so badly for. “Ah, I’m--”
“Hyung, have you--” Jongin interrupts, opening the door without knocking. “You’ve met Sehun! Great, now I don’t need to do introductions. Sehun, this is Zhang Yixing, the teacher you’ll be observing.”
The mischievous glint in Jongin’s eyes can only mean one thing, that this entire meeting was totally on purpose and that he definitely left out a couple of key details when briefing Sehun a couple of days ago about this. And now that the cat’s out of the bag…
“Yixing. As in Zhang Yixing. As in the Yixing I accidentally called while drunk when Luhan told me he got a girlfriend?” Sehun asks in disbelief and the horror can be seen sinking into his face. Jongin cackles and nods while Sehun scrambles out of his seat. At first, Yixing thinks he’s going make a run for it, but instead, he’s greeted with a ninety-degree bow from the younger boy and has to blink his surprise away.
“I’m sorry I called at 3AM in the morning complaining about my stupid lack of love life I hope we can still be friends like you have no idea I really didn’t mean to and I don’t even know how I dialed your number out of all numbers and just I’m so sorry please don’t hate me please I mean I’m already avoiding Luhan I can’t lose anymore people in my life and oh my god--”
“Dude, shut the fuck up and stop rambling. Yixing’s fine and he forgave you like eons ago,” Jongin slaps his back and grumbles, flashing an apologetic smile at boy in subject, not realizing that Sehun has lost his balance last minute and is currently spiralling to the floor with a yelp. Instinctively, Yixing reaches out to attempt to catch the kid but instead crumples under all the sudden weight hitting him full force and he falls to the ground painfully.
There are a couple of pained, muffled groans before the body weight off of Yixing’s chest disappears and his ears listen to the constant apologies falling from Sehun’s tongue. The apologies are clouded over by the pain in the back of his head (and his butt) and by this time, Sehun thinks he's gone and killed his temporary mentor on accident so Yixing quickly sits up, rubbing the back of his nape.
“Oh my god are you okay I'm so sorry--”
“I'm fine, promise,” Yixing chuckles and flashes a smile at him. Sehun gradually quiets and realizes that things are okay and that Yixing is not out to get him for multiple reasons.
Jongin claps his hands together. “Alright, now that introductions are over, I'll leave Yixing to explain the art of teaching. Learn well, Sehuna,” he wishes with a hand on his shoulder. Sehun nods, evidently still nervous and returns to sitting next to Yixing as Jongin exits.
Yixing gives a few pointers to Sehun before his students start piling into class (“Don't be blunt with them--always compliment first and then offer a suggestion or nicely critique one of their techniques.”). The students are definitely curious at the new person looking kind of chummy with their teacher, a couple of girls even staring at Sehun and in disbelief that there are now two extremely hot guys in the same room.
He starts class normally and introduces Sehun to all his students, to which he gestures to the kid on the far left in the back row to start short introductions. Each kid says their name, grade, and how long they've been dancing and Sehun thanks each one, bowing respectfully.
Sehun joins them in their stretches and exercises before he stands back to observe their routine for this year’s hip-hop festival, quietly admiring Yixing’s choreography skills. He walks around and observes each student just like Yixing told him to, keeping mental notes and eventually makes his way back up next to the teacher.
Eventually Yixing tells them to get in place to run the dance from the top and the kids scramble into their starting positions as he fiddles with the stereo. As they're dancing, Yixing keeps his eyes on them while asking Sehun what he's noticed in the past forty minutes, keeping his hand in front of his mouth. Sehun points out a few details and Yixing nods, impressed at how quick of a learner he is.
After starting and stopping the routine along with running the complete number, class ends and all the students yell their thanks while filing out the door.
“Hey Yixing?”
“Yes?”
Sehun rubs the back of his nape. “We didn't exactly start on the right note and well, um, I'd like to take you out for coffee as an apology. And well, um I think you're really attractive, too,” he adds in a rushed voice and his eyes flit towards anywhere but Yixing.
Yixing flashes a true smile, dimples deeper and teeth showing more than ever and Sehun wants to squeal at how incrediblycutehe looks, but even more so when Yixing nods and offers to exchange numbers to set a date.
-
Sehun hates that while he's all awkward and stuttering, Yixing is the epitome of perfection. He's suave, smooth, polite, courteous, every good adjective out there in the dictionary and Sehun is in a daze when Yixing drops him off after their fifth date.
Sometimes, he's scared that he sees Yixing as a rebound. Has he truly moved on from Luhan? Or was Yixing just someone to replace Luhan because of all the similarities in their personalities? Luhan was also polite, somewhat quiet, charismatic and such. The only big difference is that they don't look the same.
On some nights, both Luhan and Yixing appear in his dreams that do nothing but result in him abruptly sitting up in bed, lungs searching for air and bangs matted with sweat. Yixing's smart and fully aware of Sehun’s situation, which in Sehun’s opinion, makes everything worse because Yixing doesn't deserve to seen as just a rebound.
But then when he looks at Yixing, he sees a future. He sees them growing old, having fun, Yixing still walking around trying to get Yifan to do his work, maybe adopting a kid or two, him working side by side with Yixing on a new dance choreo, just...a future. With Luhan, he had seen them growing old together sometimes, but there were more times of him just seeing Luhan still looking as flawlessly as he always does at the age of 40 and going back to China.
Perhaps it's too early to say anything of the sort. Perhaps Sehun's too entirely ready to jump off the Luhan boat and onboard Yixing’s. But if there's anything that he's 300% sure about, it's that he really, really,reallylikes Yixing.
-
“So...Oh Sehun, huh?” Yifan smirked at Yixing when his phone vibrates every two minutes with texts rather than emails. Yixing waves him off and promptly replies before setting it back in his coat pocket. “Yes, what about him?”
Yifan motions cracking a whip, makes the sound along with it, and Yixing would smack him upside the head if the head financial analyst hadn't just walked into the conference room. Yixing thought he was entirely content with his life, but Sehun now in it, he feels even happier to share part of his time with a special someone.
He makes most of the moves, holding Sehun’s hand on dates, reaching over to buckle his seatbelt, walking Sehun to his door like a gentleman and leaving a chaste kiss before turning back to leave. He understands the hesitation laced in the boy’s eyes since he was in love with his best friend for so many years.
Until one night, it got steamy. Sehun had dragged him into his apartment when Yixing thought he was content with a longer-than-average kiss but for whatever reason, Sehun just wantedmore.
Clothes were thrown to the side, ties yanked loose and breaths filling the space of the apartment. Sehun instinctively ground against Yixing's crotch and Yixing hissed, deciding to attach his lips to the younger’s neck.
And before anyone knew it, Yixing was spreading lube over his cock and slowly inserting himself into Sehun after having fingered him loose. It was an incredible night for the both of them and left both wanting and wishing for more nights (or days) like this.
Instead of the regular telltale two short vibrations that signal a text, the vibrations are longer and more constant and Yixing fishes his phone out, smiling at seeing Sehun’s name on the screen. “Yes, Sehunnie?” he hums into the speaker, ignoring Yifan’s catcalls and stepping out of the conference room for privacy.
“Do you want fish pancakes of fish balls?”Sehun asks over the phone and Yixing can hear the sounds of the grocery store.
“Fish balls, please. Are we still on for hot pot tonight?”
“Yeah, I went ahead and grabbed some thinly sliced beef and pork along with some of that vermicelli thing you like to eat and vegetables.”
And as Sehun rambles on about what else he's bought for tonight, Yixing can't help but grin a secret smile to himself. He's happy, so much happier than he ever thought he could be, just by stepping a little bit out of routine.