Between the Walls (4)
Title: Between the Walls (4)
Rating: PG-13/15
Pairing: Yongguk/Himchan, banghim
Summary: Himchan's had a long string of bad luck, and Yongguk's over worked and just looking for a good time. They become fast friends, but each night after work they go home to their apartments and unknowingly wage war against each other. Between the walls of their apartments, all bets are off.
Word-count: 3k+
A/N: I'm going to say that this part should really be rated a tentative soft R in terms of language and sexual humor, or at least pg-15. I don't think it's mentally scarring though.
“What did you say you wanted to buy? A large wine rack? Where are you even going to put that?” Himchan said in to his cell phone, breathless from walking up the stairs in an attempt at getting exercise. “I think you should think this through…hey can I call you back later? I have to take care of some business.”
He stood in front of his apartment and stared at the packaging envelope leaning against his door. He had stepped out for thirty minutes to buy himself some much needed toilet paper and came back to something new that hadn’t been there before he left.
“Thanks bye.” Himchan brought his phone away from his face. Casually, he picked the package up, looked up and down the hallway, unlocked his door, and went in.
It looked normal, but Himchan wasn’t expecting to receive any mail and definitely not any packages. There wasn’t a return label either, only a scribbled address and his apartment number as the recipient. Suspicious.
He shook the envelope - it rattled. Using force to peel back the sticky adhesive keeping the package shut, Himchan thought, what is this? When he pried the sides apart, Himchan stuck his hand inside and pulled out a book.
The book wasn’t new either. It had scuffing along the edges, dents in the cover, and creases in the binding. He must have received the package as a mistake in the mail. Himchan was going to slide it back into the envelope, but a slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. He must have missed it when he was removing the book.
Himchan picked the paper up and was surprised to see that it was a handwritten note, and carefully read it.
Apartment 508,
Enjoy this book as much as I have. It has helped me through many a night. I know that you definitely need all the help you can get.
Your neighbor,
Apartment 510
“The fuck,” Himchan sputtered out, heat rising to his cheeks. “The fuck is this?” He crumpled the letter and threw it on the floor.
He grabbed the book and flipped through it, irritation mounting with each page he turned. Page after page of women and men in bondage outfits and set ups came to light. Women tied up with ropes and men in strange black bodysuits, all of them naked or almost naked.
“That sick fuck,” Himchan commented. He threw the book across the room and it hit his wall, sliding down and landing face down.
Himchan toed out of his shoes and dropped his briefcase on his couch, flopping down beside it, and unearthed his TV remote out of the cushions.
Why the hell would his neighbor send him something so pornographic? Sure, from what Himchan saw the book was pretty hot, but the decency of it all. He didn’t even know they made books on bondage, and if he did he would have bought it himself. Himchan didn’t need anyone’s sloppy seconds.
He angrily flipped through the channels and mulled over when he could have possibly got on his neighbor’s bad side. Apartment 510 was where the elderly woman lived who liked to offer him stale rice cakes. Himchan ate them to make her happy, but hard stale rice cakes were not very appetizing.
No way did Mrs. Lee send him a book on bondage practices that was just wrong on so many levels.
Unless she lived in Apartment 506, and 510 was actually his no good gangster neighbor. Sometimes Himchan got confused on which direction the numbers were decreasing or increasing. He just didn’t pay good enough attention to any apartment that wasn’t his own.
Himchan shrugged his shirt out of his pants and concentrated on the questionable variety show he had chosen, but his confusion over who lived in what apartment kept bugging him.
If thug neighbor was the one sending him artistic pornography, that made a lot more sense.
Wait. That was exactly who sent his the package. Apartment 510 was the one he’d been sticking things under the door.
Himchan’s mouth dropped open and he stared down at his legs. If the person that he thought was the one who sent him the package, that meant that his neighbor must have figured out he was the person who sent him the tentacle porn. His neighbor also might be trying to send him back a message.
And Himchan got the message just fine. A loud and clear warning sign that showed his neighbor was nothing to be messing with. Well, Himchan wasn’t going to back down yet.
He glanced over at the book lying innocently - porn was anything but innocent - on the floor. What had he gotten himself into? Himchan had thought right when he told Jongup he had gotten himself in too deep. Soon he would be digging himself out of this mess, but for now Himchan reasoned that he had to keep up.
May the best man win.
“Himchan hyung what are you doing?” Daehyun said, setting a container of store bought kimbap and a cold noodle salad down on the table in the break room next to Himchan. Daehyun was always wondering around the floors during lunch breaks looking for someone he knew.
“Just organizing some papers I got from the health clinic.” Yeah, Himchan thought, just organizing some non-important papers about STD’s and safe sex practices - nothing to see here.
He was flipping through the pamphlets he’d picked up from his clinic on his way to work (he had to leave early for this) to try and find the most disturbing images. Anything that showed graphic details of genital herpes, warts, crabs, or whatever else you could get down there from who knows who. His motive was to show his neighbor the possible repercussions that having many sex partners could have on his dick.
May it fall off and rot.
Daehyun swiped one from his reject pile before Himchan could complain. “Why are you looking at,” he paused, “gonorrhea awareness? Is there something I should know about?” He pushed his kimbap away from Himchan. “Where would you even get it, and is there a cure for that?”
“No I don’t have gonorrhea and yes there is a cure read the pamphlet dumbass,” Himchan said, shuffling the rest of his work into a neat pile. When he got back from work he was going to slip them under his neighbor’s door, and then run like hell into his apartment.
He felt like a little kid again.
“Wow what bit you in the ass. Is that why you’re looking uglier than normal today?” asked Daehyun. He sat down next to Himchan and Himchan watched as Daehyun insulted his looks while breaking his connected wooden chopsticks in half.
Himchan clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes to the side. “Idiot.”
Daehyun pulled a face and took the plastic lid off his food, “By the way, I gave Yongguk hyung your cell number because he said he only had your work email.”
Himchan was taken back for a beat, remembering that although he had made plans with Yongguk for the coming Saturday, they hadn’t even exchanged their contact information yet. “Oh, he could have asked me.”
“Well, we were talking and you were brought up and it was something to do with him being busy and going somewhere for some meeting and well I just gave it to him.”
“Do you have his number?”
Daehyun spoke while chewing, “Of course.”
“Great, give it to me.”
“It’s in my phone,” - Daehyun leaned over to the side so that his back pants pocket was off his chair - “you can get it yourself.”
Himchan reached forward and plucked the phone out, slapping Daehyun’s butt before Daehyun could lean back. “I swear you only do these types of things because you know I’m gay you tease.”
He flipped through Daehyun’s phone to locate Bang Yongguk’s phone number.
“It’s only because you’re so lonely and that I’m sacrificing myself to keep you happy.”
“You really need to get a girlfriend. Maybe you’d have better luck if you started playing for the other field like me. I’m sure you’d have no problems finding someone to take you off my hands.”
“Hahaha, very funny hyung my ass is off limits to men. Go play with your STD papers,” Daehyun said.
Himchan finished typing Yongguk’s number into his address book, adding a small heart at the end of his name. Nobody had to know but him, so Himchan could be as delusional as he wanted. To be in Yongguk’s presence was enough; Yongguk was like a breath of fresh air and an old comforting presence.
“What are you even doing with those anyway?” asked Daehyun. He scooted his chair closer to Himchan.
Surprised, Himchan tried to shove his hard work back into his briefcase. Himchan hadn’t wanted to get Daehyun involved in his grand scheme because Daehyun was nosey and would blabber his problems to everyone he saw. The best answer was to lie.
“I’m doing some research for a friend.”
Daehyun’s blank stare wasn’t reassuring.
“Sure you are.”
“Yes - it’s for an old friend of mine. You don’t know them.”
Daehyun picked at his almost empty lunch container, “You don’t ever talk about your old friends.”
“Just because I don’t talk about them doesn’t mean I don’t have any. Hey, I’m your hyung stop trying to play twenty questions with me and just believe every word I say.”
“No, that’s giving you too much power. By the way, I found out an interesting tidbit when I was talking to Yongguk hyung today that I think you might be interested in.”
Himchan made a show of packing up his belongings and he began to stand up.
“Hyung, Himchan hyung, whatever you’re thinking of going, forget about it. This you’ve got to hear.”
Setting his briefcase down on the table from where he’d picked it up in his display of leaving Daehyun behind to eat alone, Himchan raised an eyebrow. “Fine, what is it this time? Who slapped who, who cheated on who, who drank themselves into a stupor at a company event this time? Lay it on me.”
“It’s better than that hyung. It’s something big about Yongguk hyung. I didn’t even know this myself until just this morning. He’s good, he’s really good.”
“Then what is it?” Himchan asked, annoyed that Daehyun wasn’t getting to the point. “Does he have an extra toe or only one testicle or so? Because I don’t really care.”
“No, come closer.” Daehyun ushered Himchan to lean in, cupping a hand over Himchan’s ear, giving him the shivers since Daehyun’s breath smelled like spicy tuna roll.
“Yongguk dated a few guys in college. He’s bisexual. He let it slip when I asked him a question about his college and partying days. ”
Oh. Oh, Himchan thought. A few seconds ticked by before the impact of Daehyun’s words sunk in to Himchan’s brain.
“What?” he questioned, jerking his ear away from Daehyun’s mouth. “Are you shitting me?”
“No I kid you not.”
“Shit.” Himchan was speechless. How Daehyun had found out this information was beyond Himchan’s level of comprehension.
Daehyun crossed his legs and leaned back, “I knew you of all people would want to know this. I know I’m a god for finding this out, now hook me up with one of the girls on your floor.”
Himchan collapsed back down in his previous seat. The sky had opened up and rained down the glory of pure revelation. He might be able to make a pass at Yongguk, the previously unobtainable good looking and fun loving same aged friend. Daehyun was right, this was great news. Better than great, it was spectacular news.
Ex-boyfriend who? Himchan wanted to go spit in his face. He had somebody new to chase now, someone nicer, gentler, and overall a better person than his ex ever was. Things were finally looking up in his life.
This changed everything.
Yongguk was in a good mood and nothing could bring him down. Things at work had settled down, production was rolling along smoothly, and he got a free lunch. He also had Himchan’s phone number, and he was going to text him to remind him about Saturday. His day was finally over and it felt great.
Almost too great.
When he opened his door he saw his entry way was littered with papers. They were all over his shoes, his umbrella, and covering the floor. Yongguk shook his head, not this again. He stepped around the clutter and kicked his shoes off from his feet after he loosened his laces.
Taking one sheet off the ground, he spared it a glance before he tossed it in the trash. The words gonorrhea awareness, symptoms and treatment printed in black ink across the top.
Yongguk let it drop into his trashcan after a short pause of indecision, aggravation brewing in his chest. Not only did he now have to pick all these up, they all had disgusting medical pictures of genital diseases. Though he had to give it to his neighbor, he was creative. But if he kept sticking things under his door Yongguk was going to have to go and have a little talk with him face to face.
His neighbor really needed to calm down. Even though he’d had multiple partners for a long time now, he was one of the lucky few that had squeaked by without any infection or disease. He was smart and didn’t mess around with anyone who seemed like they were carrying some extra baggage - or a herpes outbreak on their lip. Condoms had been invented and improved on for a reason.
He had to confess, he was both annoyed and amused. His neighbor seemed to think that he was being funny and righteous by pointing out Yongguk’s sexual activities. As if Yongguk was in danger of harming himself when Yongguk just knew his neighbor was looking out for himself. Yongguk didn’t even want to try to understand his crackpot neighbor’s issues.
What the guy really needed was a self-help book, and Yongguk had plenty of those to give out.
Maybe he could get the guy to move out instead. Yongguk stretched his out arms and took his phone out of his pocket. Smiling, he began to type out a text to Himchan asking where would be best to meet up on Saturday since Himchan had told him that he was meeting family in the afternoon.
To: Kim Himchan
5:16PM
Himchan - this is Bang Yongguk from work. Was wondering where/when we can meet Saturday? Remember?
He set his phone down on his couch and went into his bedroom to change out of his work clothes. His pants were only halfway off before he heard his text tone go off in the other room, so he walked back to retrieve his phone half undone.
5:24PM
Yongguk I heard from Daehyun you got my number ^^ I got yours from him too kekeke I can meet you around 8 outside? It starts at 8:30 right?
Yongguk rolled his eyes; Daehyun was such a gossip.
To: Kim Himchan
5:29PM
That’s good, it’s from 8:30-10PM. I’ll come find you at 8
He would already be at the club since he was planning on helping his friend set up. Plus, he knew the club owner, so he’d be there early anyway. Saturday was still two days away, but he was feeling jittery in a way he couldn’t quite explain. There was an anxious feeling to his thoughts at the idea of showing Himchan his type of music and performance. He’d been to these shows a million times; however, it was rare for him to anticipate one so much.
His restlessness must be due Himchan’s overwhelming enthusiasm about music. That must be it.
The phone lit up again, singing in his palm. “That was quick,” Yongguk mumbled.
5:30PM
You owe me a drink! Don’t forget ;)
Chuckling, Yongguk smiled and walked back into his bedroom to finish changing before he responded to Himchan. He always enjoyed making people squirm while they waited for a reply. Not that Himchan would be sitting around staring at his phone waiting for him to text him back. Yongguk was sure Himchan was humoring him as he was also humoring Himchan.
Slipping into a pair of loose shorts, Yongguk took a glance into the mirror and saw his phone sitting on his bed. His hand was itching to pick it up and reply, but he cleared that idea from his head and focused on changing his clothes.
However, his thoughts kept going back to what he was going to say as he changed out of his shirt, smoothed it out, and hung it back up on a hanger.
He was getting in too deep.
Himchan opened his front door, and then closed it. Thursday morning was not going as he planned.
“Not again,” he said, opening the door back up. He wasn’t awake enough for this. Another small package sat outside his door, and this one wasn’t even trying to pretend it was something else or from someone other than his nemesis, apartment 510.
He needed to get a move on to the bus stop, but Himchan figured he had time to see what attempt his neighbor had made this time at annoying him. Himchan just hoped it wasn’t poison, or knifes, or something illegal that could land him in jail.
Whatever was put into the lumpy beat up brown cardboard box wasn’t likely to be anything Himchan wanted.
He brought the package in, cut the tape with a knife, and then spilled the contents out on to his dining table. Things came tumbling out, dropping out and falling to the floor, and rolling across the wood floors. Himchan’s mouth fell open in shock, the package had contained: neon pink handcuffs, leather straps, a strip of black silk, an unopened bottle of lube, and at least ten condom packets.
Himchan raised his upper lip, besides the unopened bottle of lube the items seemed like they had seen better days. He didn’t know what frightened him more; the fact that his neighbor gave him sex toys, or the fact that his neighbor gave him used sex toys. Who knew if they were disinfected from the last time they were used, they could be carrying any of the diseases Himchan had been studying the other day. He wondered if he had any rubber gloves handy.
Researching sexually transmitted diseases had been a bad idea - rampant paranoid had begun to set in.
He did like the neon pink handcuffs though. Those were sexy. The lube in its unopened state could be used, and for the rest of it, Himchan wasn’t sure he wanted to touch it for fear of contracting something.
On the other hand, the condoms were unopened. Himchan found a tissue and picked one up. The packaging didn’t state anything obvious, so he ripped the top open and squeezed the condom out, letting it flop down on the table. It was strange looking, ribbed and lubricated. He picked it up and it stretched out longer than Himchan was expecting.
I can’t wear this, Himchan thought, the condom was too big. Himchan had always prided himself - in the shower, in the mirror, with his hand - on his rather nice shapely genitals, but this condom was a joke.
Screw you and your large dick apartment 510.
After nearly four days of not checking his mailbox, Yongguk figured that it was probably a good idea to clean out the junk mail piling up. On his way back from work Thursday evening, instead of heading straight up the elevator from the parking garage, he went to the building’s mailroom.
He slid his key into the lock, and opened his small metal mailbox. Exactly as he thought, three magazines and a smattering of junk mail. Yongguk took it all and headed back around to catch an elevator. As he was waiting for the elevator to come down, his phone buzzed in his pocket, and he tipped some of his mail out of his hands onto the floor trying to wrestle it from his pants. He bent over to pick them up just as the ding of the elevator signaled that it had arrived.
“No, I’m not going to be around Saturday night.”
Yongguk’s ears prickled at the familiar voice, it sounded like Himchan. He stood up and glanced around as he made a dash to the elevator, but there wasn’t anyone in sight. The stairwell doors were wide open, so the sound probably was an echo of someone making their way down - that just happened to sound like Himchan.
He shook his head, he was thinking too much about Himchan lately. The buzz in his pocket was probably Himchan bugging him about details on Saturday night if it wasn’t his friend asking him to pick up a case of beer for him. Cheapskate friends.
His junk mail consisted of letters addressed to his apartment under a phony name rather than to his actual name, which stood out as unusual. There wasn’t a Mr. Lee that lived in apartment 510. Yongguk ripped one of them open anyway because he was nosey and there was no return address on the envelope itself to bother sending it back to the post office.
He managed to get the paper out of the envelope by the time the elevator stopped at his floor. Slipping the paper out, he unfolded it and skimmed to see what it was. Unfortunately, he discovered that was a bad idea. The first sentence read, “Thank you for your interest in our Christian church, we would love to talk to you about Jesus.”
Yongguk glared down the hallway. He knew his neighbor was somehow the one behind all of this. In his hands were four more letters that seemed almost identical to the one he had opened, and Yongguk bet they were all from various churches.
Now the bastard was trying to convert him.
Screw his neighbor and his tiny brain.
Himchan's mind was wondering away from him as he was doing his dishes - something he did every four days when the sink started to overflow. I can’t wait until Saturday, Himchan thought, I need something to take my mind off of this asshole. I can use some relaxation, and I might have a chance to make a move.
Yongguk flopped down on his bed and stared at his ceiling. I can’t wait until Saturday night's show. I need a break, and a drink. A large drink. He rolled over and pushed his face into his pillow. But maybe he just wanted to see Himchan.
Rating: PG-13/15
Pairing: Yongguk/Himchan, banghim
Summary: Himchan's had a long string of bad luck, and Yongguk's over worked and just looking for a good time. They become fast friends, but each night after work they go home to their apartments and unknowingly wage war against each other. Between the walls of their apartments, all bets are off.
Word-count: 3k+
A/N: I'm going to say that this part should really be rated a tentative soft R in terms of language and sexual humor, or at least pg-15. I don't think it's mentally scarring though.
“What did you say you wanted to buy? A large wine rack? Where are you even going to put that?” Himchan said in to his cell phone, breathless from walking up the stairs in an attempt at getting exercise. “I think you should think this through…hey can I call you back later? I have to take care of some business.”
He stood in front of his apartment and stared at the packaging envelope leaning against his door. He had stepped out for thirty minutes to buy himself some much needed toilet paper and came back to something new that hadn’t been there before he left.
“Thanks bye.” Himchan brought his phone away from his face. Casually, he picked the package up, looked up and down the hallway, unlocked his door, and went in.
It looked normal, but Himchan wasn’t expecting to receive any mail and definitely not any packages. There wasn’t a return label either, only a scribbled address and his apartment number as the recipient. Suspicious.
He shook the envelope - it rattled. Using force to peel back the sticky adhesive keeping the package shut, Himchan thought, what is this? When he pried the sides apart, Himchan stuck his hand inside and pulled out a book.
The book wasn’t new either. It had scuffing along the edges, dents in the cover, and creases in the binding. He must have received the package as a mistake in the mail. Himchan was going to slide it back into the envelope, but a slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. He must have missed it when he was removing the book.
Himchan picked the paper up and was surprised to see that it was a handwritten note, and carefully read it.
Apartment 508,
Enjoy this book as much as I have. It has helped me through many a night. I know that you definitely need all the help you can get.
Your neighbor,
Apartment 510
“The fuck,” Himchan sputtered out, heat rising to his cheeks. “The fuck is this?” He crumpled the letter and threw it on the floor.
He grabbed the book and flipped through it, irritation mounting with each page he turned. Page after page of women and men in bondage outfits and set ups came to light. Women tied up with ropes and men in strange black bodysuits, all of them naked or almost naked.
“That sick fuck,” Himchan commented. He threw the book across the room and it hit his wall, sliding down and landing face down.
Himchan toed out of his shoes and dropped his briefcase on his couch, flopping down beside it, and unearthed his TV remote out of the cushions.
Why the hell would his neighbor send him something so pornographic? Sure, from what Himchan saw the book was pretty hot, but the decency of it all. He didn’t even know they made books on bondage, and if he did he would have bought it himself. Himchan didn’t need anyone’s sloppy seconds.
He angrily flipped through the channels and mulled over when he could have possibly got on his neighbor’s bad side. Apartment 510 was where the elderly woman lived who liked to offer him stale rice cakes. Himchan ate them to make her happy, but hard stale rice cakes were not very appetizing.
No way did Mrs. Lee send him a book on bondage practices that was just wrong on so many levels.
Unless she lived in Apartment 506, and 510 was actually his no good gangster neighbor. Sometimes Himchan got confused on which direction the numbers were decreasing or increasing. He just didn’t pay good enough attention to any apartment that wasn’t his own.
Himchan shrugged his shirt out of his pants and concentrated on the questionable variety show he had chosen, but his confusion over who lived in what apartment kept bugging him.
If thug neighbor was the one sending him artistic pornography, that made a lot more sense.
Wait. That was exactly who sent his the package. Apartment 510 was the one he’d been sticking things under the door.
Himchan’s mouth dropped open and he stared down at his legs. If the person that he thought was the one who sent him the package, that meant that his neighbor must have figured out he was the person who sent him the tentacle porn. His neighbor also might be trying to send him back a message.
And Himchan got the message just fine. A loud and clear warning sign that showed his neighbor was nothing to be messing with. Well, Himchan wasn’t going to back down yet.
He glanced over at the book lying innocently - porn was anything but innocent - on the floor. What had he gotten himself into? Himchan had thought right when he told Jongup he had gotten himself in too deep. Soon he would be digging himself out of this mess, but for now Himchan reasoned that he had to keep up.
May the best man win.
“Himchan hyung what are you doing?” Daehyun said, setting a container of store bought kimbap and a cold noodle salad down on the table in the break room next to Himchan. Daehyun was always wondering around the floors during lunch breaks looking for someone he knew.
“Just organizing some papers I got from the health clinic.” Yeah, Himchan thought, just organizing some non-important papers about STD’s and safe sex practices - nothing to see here.
He was flipping through the pamphlets he’d picked up from his clinic on his way to work (he had to leave early for this) to try and find the most disturbing images. Anything that showed graphic details of genital herpes, warts, crabs, or whatever else you could get down there from who knows who. His motive was to show his neighbor the possible repercussions that having many sex partners could have on his dick.
May it fall off and rot.
Daehyun swiped one from his reject pile before Himchan could complain. “Why are you looking at,” he paused, “gonorrhea awareness? Is there something I should know about?” He pushed his kimbap away from Himchan. “Where would you even get it, and is there a cure for that?”
“No I don’t have gonorrhea and yes there is a cure read the pamphlet dumbass,” Himchan said, shuffling the rest of his work into a neat pile. When he got back from work he was going to slip them under his neighbor’s door, and then run like hell into his apartment.
He felt like a little kid again.
“Wow what bit you in the ass. Is that why you’re looking uglier than normal today?” asked Daehyun. He sat down next to Himchan and Himchan watched as Daehyun insulted his looks while breaking his connected wooden chopsticks in half.
Himchan clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes to the side. “Idiot.”
Daehyun pulled a face and took the plastic lid off his food, “By the way, I gave Yongguk hyung your cell number because he said he only had your work email.”
Himchan was taken back for a beat, remembering that although he had made plans with Yongguk for the coming Saturday, they hadn’t even exchanged their contact information yet. “Oh, he could have asked me.”
“Well, we were talking and you were brought up and it was something to do with him being busy and going somewhere for some meeting and well I just gave it to him.”
“Do you have his number?”
Daehyun spoke while chewing, “Of course.”
“Great, give it to me.”
“It’s in my phone,” - Daehyun leaned over to the side so that his back pants pocket was off his chair - “you can get it yourself.”
Himchan reached forward and plucked the phone out, slapping Daehyun’s butt before Daehyun could lean back. “I swear you only do these types of things because you know I’m gay you tease.”
He flipped through Daehyun’s phone to locate Bang Yongguk’s phone number.
“It’s only because you’re so lonely and that I’m sacrificing myself to keep you happy.”
“You really need to get a girlfriend. Maybe you’d have better luck if you started playing for the other field like me. I’m sure you’d have no problems finding someone to take you off my hands.”
“Hahaha, very funny hyung my ass is off limits to men. Go play with your STD papers,” Daehyun said.
Himchan finished typing Yongguk’s number into his address book, adding a small heart at the end of his name. Nobody had to know but him, so Himchan could be as delusional as he wanted. To be in Yongguk’s presence was enough; Yongguk was like a breath of fresh air and an old comforting presence.
“What are you even doing with those anyway?” asked Daehyun. He scooted his chair closer to Himchan.
Surprised, Himchan tried to shove his hard work back into his briefcase. Himchan hadn’t wanted to get Daehyun involved in his grand scheme because Daehyun was nosey and would blabber his problems to everyone he saw. The best answer was to lie.
“I’m doing some research for a friend.”
Daehyun’s blank stare wasn’t reassuring.
“Sure you are.”
“Yes - it’s for an old friend of mine. You don’t know them.”
Daehyun picked at his almost empty lunch container, “You don’t ever talk about your old friends.”
“Just because I don’t talk about them doesn’t mean I don’t have any. Hey, I’m your hyung stop trying to play twenty questions with me and just believe every word I say.”
“No, that’s giving you too much power. By the way, I found out an interesting tidbit when I was talking to Yongguk hyung today that I think you might be interested in.”
Himchan made a show of packing up his belongings and he began to stand up.
“Hyung, Himchan hyung, whatever you’re thinking of going, forget about it. This you’ve got to hear.”
Setting his briefcase down on the table from where he’d picked it up in his display of leaving Daehyun behind to eat alone, Himchan raised an eyebrow. “Fine, what is it this time? Who slapped who, who cheated on who, who drank themselves into a stupor at a company event this time? Lay it on me.”
“It’s better than that hyung. It’s something big about Yongguk hyung. I didn’t even know this myself until just this morning. He’s good, he’s really good.”
“Then what is it?” Himchan asked, annoyed that Daehyun wasn’t getting to the point. “Does he have an extra toe or only one testicle or so? Because I don’t really care.”
“No, come closer.” Daehyun ushered Himchan to lean in, cupping a hand over Himchan’s ear, giving him the shivers since Daehyun’s breath smelled like spicy tuna roll.
“Yongguk dated a few guys in college. He’s bisexual. He let it slip when I asked him a question about his college and partying days. ”
Oh. Oh, Himchan thought. A few seconds ticked by before the impact of Daehyun’s words sunk in to Himchan’s brain.
“What?” he questioned, jerking his ear away from Daehyun’s mouth. “Are you shitting me?”
“No I kid you not.”
“Shit.” Himchan was speechless. How Daehyun had found out this information was beyond Himchan’s level of comprehension.
Daehyun crossed his legs and leaned back, “I knew you of all people would want to know this. I know I’m a god for finding this out, now hook me up with one of the girls on your floor.”
Himchan collapsed back down in his previous seat. The sky had opened up and rained down the glory of pure revelation. He might be able to make a pass at Yongguk, the previously unobtainable good looking and fun loving same aged friend. Daehyun was right, this was great news. Better than great, it was spectacular news.
Ex-boyfriend who? Himchan wanted to go spit in his face. He had somebody new to chase now, someone nicer, gentler, and overall a better person than his ex ever was. Things were finally looking up in his life.
This changed everything.
Yongguk was in a good mood and nothing could bring him down. Things at work had settled down, production was rolling along smoothly, and he got a free lunch. He also had Himchan’s phone number, and he was going to text him to remind him about Saturday. His day was finally over and it felt great.
Almost too great.
When he opened his door he saw his entry way was littered with papers. They were all over his shoes, his umbrella, and covering the floor. Yongguk shook his head, not this again. He stepped around the clutter and kicked his shoes off from his feet after he loosened his laces.
Taking one sheet off the ground, he spared it a glance before he tossed it in the trash. The words gonorrhea awareness, symptoms and treatment printed in black ink across the top.
Yongguk let it drop into his trashcan after a short pause of indecision, aggravation brewing in his chest. Not only did he now have to pick all these up, they all had disgusting medical pictures of genital diseases. Though he had to give it to his neighbor, he was creative. But if he kept sticking things under his door Yongguk was going to have to go and have a little talk with him face to face.
His neighbor really needed to calm down. Even though he’d had multiple partners for a long time now, he was one of the lucky few that had squeaked by without any infection or disease. He was smart and didn’t mess around with anyone who seemed like they were carrying some extra baggage - or a herpes outbreak on their lip. Condoms had been invented and improved on for a reason.
He had to confess, he was both annoyed and amused. His neighbor seemed to think that he was being funny and righteous by pointing out Yongguk’s sexual activities. As if Yongguk was in danger of harming himself when Yongguk just knew his neighbor was looking out for himself. Yongguk didn’t even want to try to understand his crackpot neighbor’s issues.
What the guy really needed was a self-help book, and Yongguk had plenty of those to give out.
Maybe he could get the guy to move out instead. Yongguk stretched his out arms and took his phone out of his pocket. Smiling, he began to type out a text to Himchan asking where would be best to meet up on Saturday since Himchan had told him that he was meeting family in the afternoon.
To: Kim Himchan
5:16PM
Himchan - this is Bang Yongguk from work. Was wondering where/when we can meet Saturday? Remember?
He set his phone down on his couch and went into his bedroom to change out of his work clothes. His pants were only halfway off before he heard his text tone go off in the other room, so he walked back to retrieve his phone half undone.
5:24PM
Yongguk I heard from Daehyun you got my number ^^ I got yours from him too kekeke I can meet you around 8 outside? It starts at 8:30 right?
Yongguk rolled his eyes; Daehyun was such a gossip.
To: Kim Himchan
5:29PM
That’s good, it’s from 8:30-10PM. I’ll come find you at 8
He would already be at the club since he was planning on helping his friend set up. Plus, he knew the club owner, so he’d be there early anyway. Saturday was still two days away, but he was feeling jittery in a way he couldn’t quite explain. There was an anxious feeling to his thoughts at the idea of showing Himchan his type of music and performance. He’d been to these shows a million times; however, it was rare for him to anticipate one so much.
His restlessness must be due Himchan’s overwhelming enthusiasm about music. That must be it.
The phone lit up again, singing in his palm. “That was quick,” Yongguk mumbled.
5:30PM
You owe me a drink! Don’t forget ;)
Chuckling, Yongguk smiled and walked back into his bedroom to finish changing before he responded to Himchan. He always enjoyed making people squirm while they waited for a reply. Not that Himchan would be sitting around staring at his phone waiting for him to text him back. Yongguk was sure Himchan was humoring him as he was also humoring Himchan.
Slipping into a pair of loose shorts, Yongguk took a glance into the mirror and saw his phone sitting on his bed. His hand was itching to pick it up and reply, but he cleared that idea from his head and focused on changing his clothes.
However, his thoughts kept going back to what he was going to say as he changed out of his shirt, smoothed it out, and hung it back up on a hanger.
He was getting in too deep.
Himchan opened his front door, and then closed it. Thursday morning was not going as he planned.
“Not again,” he said, opening the door back up. He wasn’t awake enough for this. Another small package sat outside his door, and this one wasn’t even trying to pretend it was something else or from someone other than his nemesis, apartment 510.
He needed to get a move on to the bus stop, but Himchan figured he had time to see what attempt his neighbor had made this time at annoying him. Himchan just hoped it wasn’t poison, or knifes, or something illegal that could land him in jail.
Whatever was put into the lumpy beat up brown cardboard box wasn’t likely to be anything Himchan wanted.
He brought the package in, cut the tape with a knife, and then spilled the contents out on to his dining table. Things came tumbling out, dropping out and falling to the floor, and rolling across the wood floors. Himchan’s mouth fell open in shock, the package had contained: neon pink handcuffs, leather straps, a strip of black silk, an unopened bottle of lube, and at least ten condom packets.
Himchan raised his upper lip, besides the unopened bottle of lube the items seemed like they had seen better days. He didn’t know what frightened him more; the fact that his neighbor gave him sex toys, or the fact that his neighbor gave him used sex toys. Who knew if they were disinfected from the last time they were used, they could be carrying any of the diseases Himchan had been studying the other day. He wondered if he had any rubber gloves handy.
Researching sexually transmitted diseases had been a bad idea - rampant paranoid had begun to set in.
He did like the neon pink handcuffs though. Those were sexy. The lube in its unopened state could be used, and for the rest of it, Himchan wasn’t sure he wanted to touch it for fear of contracting something.
On the other hand, the condoms were unopened. Himchan found a tissue and picked one up. The packaging didn’t state anything obvious, so he ripped the top open and squeezed the condom out, letting it flop down on the table. It was strange looking, ribbed and lubricated. He picked it up and it stretched out longer than Himchan was expecting.
I can’t wear this, Himchan thought, the condom was too big. Himchan had always prided himself - in the shower, in the mirror, with his hand - on his rather nice shapely genitals, but this condom was a joke.
Screw you and your large dick apartment 510.
After nearly four days of not checking his mailbox, Yongguk figured that it was probably a good idea to clean out the junk mail piling up. On his way back from work Thursday evening, instead of heading straight up the elevator from the parking garage, he went to the building’s mailroom.
He slid his key into the lock, and opened his small metal mailbox. Exactly as he thought, three magazines and a smattering of junk mail. Yongguk took it all and headed back around to catch an elevator. As he was waiting for the elevator to come down, his phone buzzed in his pocket, and he tipped some of his mail out of his hands onto the floor trying to wrestle it from his pants. He bent over to pick them up just as the ding of the elevator signaled that it had arrived.
“No, I’m not going to be around Saturday night.”
Yongguk’s ears prickled at the familiar voice, it sounded like Himchan. He stood up and glanced around as he made a dash to the elevator, but there wasn’t anyone in sight. The stairwell doors were wide open, so the sound probably was an echo of someone making their way down - that just happened to sound like Himchan.
He shook his head, he was thinking too much about Himchan lately. The buzz in his pocket was probably Himchan bugging him about details on Saturday night if it wasn’t his friend asking him to pick up a case of beer for him. Cheapskate friends.
His junk mail consisted of letters addressed to his apartment under a phony name rather than to his actual name, which stood out as unusual. There wasn’t a Mr. Lee that lived in apartment 510. Yongguk ripped one of them open anyway because he was nosey and there was no return address on the envelope itself to bother sending it back to the post office.
He managed to get the paper out of the envelope by the time the elevator stopped at his floor. Slipping the paper out, he unfolded it and skimmed to see what it was. Unfortunately, he discovered that was a bad idea. The first sentence read, “Thank you for your interest in our Christian church, we would love to talk to you about Jesus.”
Yongguk glared down the hallway. He knew his neighbor was somehow the one behind all of this. In his hands were four more letters that seemed almost identical to the one he had opened, and Yongguk bet they were all from various churches.
Now the bastard was trying to convert him.
Screw his neighbor and his tiny brain.
Himchan's mind was wondering away from him as he was doing his dishes - something he did every four days when the sink started to overflow. I can’t wait until Saturday, Himchan thought, I need something to take my mind off of this asshole. I can use some relaxation, and I might have a chance to make a move.
Yongguk flopped down on his bed and stared at his ceiling. I can’t wait until Saturday night's show. I need a break, and a drink. A large drink. He rolled over and pushed his face into his pillow. But maybe he just wanted to see Himchan.