Thirteen: The Actors II (Ocean's Eleven AU)
Title: The Actors II (Background story of Thirteen Series)
Author: himawarixxsandz
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): U-Bomb
Summary: Minhyuk wasn't always bored
A/N: block b came back. i cried and sobbed and bled and sacrificed virgins on the altar i keep in my basement with my ping pong table. college apps are still killing me i think imma be a snail instead. homecoming weekend so i have tons of shit to do and will not be here at aLL tmrw bc getting ready takes like 74 hours and will not really be here sunday either bc hmwrk so yeAH you guys see how shit is going lately. but rest assured bc of blockbap comeback periods, imma be all up into this au and prob will get back to exo stuff once they come back. or sooner. idk. we'll see.
Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3
Somehow, they end up talking through the rest of the evening-somehow, Minhyuk ends up from the chair across from Yukwon to sitting right beside the younger man, arms and shoulders touching as Minhyuk demonstrates with his hands exactly how he’d managed to get down from a tree the pet cat of one of his past employers. At the time, Minhyuk had been bored-had simply netted the ropes together and thrown it for a loop, vaguely hoping it would work and not really caring if didn’t because he could always resign and get another job easily.
But when he’s telling the story to Yukwon, when he finds himself having to pause because Yukwon is laughing too hard from one part of the story to hear the next part-when Minhyuk finds himself grinning too widely to go on anyway-when Yukwon collapses into Minhyuk’s side in a burst of breathless and helpless laughter. When Minhyuk has Yukwon by his side, abundant with comments thrown in at every turn and corner of the stories Minhyuk has to tell, full of remarks that have Minhyuk rethinking the entire memory because he swears it hadn’t been that funny when it’d happened but somehow now it was hilarious.
Memories that Minhyuk absolutely, surely, certainly swears had been in black and white when they’d happen-black and white when he remembered them-are now swathed in color, vibrant and bold and he isn’t sure why. All he knows is that everything seems infinitely brighter, and that might be because Yukwon’s smiles are positively blinding-smiles laced with teasing, with playfulness, with brilliance, with mysteriousness, with flirtatiousness, with cheerfulness, and everything is just bright.
“You just pretending that I’m interesting?” Minhyuk asks, leaning back on his palms and raising an eyebrow.
Yukwon grins. “Why’d I do that?”
“So it’d distract me from asking you about yourself,” Minhyuk supposes aloud. He meets Yukwon’s eyes.
The younger man gets to his feet then and steps between Minhyuk’s legs, regarding him with an indecipherable little smile. Standing, Yukwon’s hips are eyelevel with Minhyuk and at this distance, Minhyuk can feel the body heat without even touching Yukwon. Minhyuk’s arms itch to wrap themselves around Yukwon’s waist and pull their bodies together. And he has to remind himself that that’s most likely what Yukwon wants-what Yukwon intends. The younger man doesn’t have to distract Minhyuk with laughs and smiles. Kim Yukwon just stands at dangerous proximity and Minhyuk is already lightheaded just being surrounded by the younger man’s scent (fresh as though Yukwon just finished showering-the soft smell of soap and shampoo and warmth).
It doesn’t help that the folds of the bathrobe have loosened, falling away enough that it’s nearly open past Yukwon’s chest and onto the hard angles of his stomach.
“Is it working?” Yukwon shrugs, and Minhyuk isn’t sure if that’s the cue for the older man to kiss Yukwon or punch him in the face.
First thing’s first, and Minhyuk jumps to his feet, scrambling back a good few meters and there’s amusement immediately spreading across Yukwon’s face. “Why,” Minhyuk says, a little desperate and plenty confused (and considerably horny), “are you so-”
“Thanks,” Yukwon grins again.
“It’s not a compliment,” Minhyuk huffs.
“I’ll take it as one,” Yukwon smiles.
Minhyuk stuffs his hands into his pockets irritably. “You’re not going to tell me what the hell you were doing those past times I caught you?”
For the first time this evening-possibly for the first time since Minhyuk has ever seen Yukwon-some sort of uncertainty, a little bit of doubt and debate, shows in the younger man’s eyes and he hesitates. “Ask me another question,” Yukwon says firmly.
Minhyuk sighs. “How come you haven’t been out of the house in two weeks?”
Yukwon’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh,” and a tiny laugh accompanies that, “that’s an easy one-okay-I mean-I got caught up so I really just-I don’t know-haven’t thought about doing anything out of the house in a while.”
It’s terribly difficult to keep the skepticism off of Minhyuk’s face because that was the singularly most unhelpful and unconvincing explanation he really does believe he has ever heard and ever will hear.
“I’m serious,” Yukwon laughs at Minhyuk’s expression. “If it’ll turn that frown upside down though,” Yukwon teases, folding his arms over his chest, “you can drive me out downtown tomorrow since I need to get some clothes and I haven’t had fries in like a month.”
Tomorrow’s schedule for Minhyuk is basically a blank as Dongsun would be entertaining his guests the entire day-long hours of lazing around with late brunches and tea and conversations in the gardens-and he supposes that Yukwon won’t be needed for anything until the actual dinner since Dongsun never seemed to really want Yukwon around to show off when the older man had actual business to do. “What time?” Minhyuk asks.
“I have to be back in time to get ready and shit, so,” Yukwon purses his lips thoughtfully, “early, I guess. Have the car come around six?”
Minhyuk blinks. “That’s really early,” he says.
“Got a lot of things to buy,” Yukwon shrugs. He grins. “So it’s a go? Set your alarm clock, hyung.”
And with a pat to Minhyuk’s cheek, the younger man straightens and walks away.
Minhyuk has never been a deep sleeper, but neither is he a restless sleeper. He’s a safe middle ground-able to fall asleep easily enough that he’s never lacking rest during his work hours during the day, but also capable of sleeping lightly when duty called for that too. And he certainly isn’t the sort to have nightmares-to wake up in the middle of the night imagining things, sweating cold and confused.
So he is rather bewildered when he bolts upright in the darkness, looking around his room with the pull of sleep still heavy on his senses, because he swears he heard something-footsteps, rustling-right outside his door. His eyes narrow at the slight between the bottom of the closed door and the outside hallway and there’s no indication of light shining through, no shadow of feet padding by.
He listens for a few more moments, and when he’s rewarded (mocked) by complete and total silence, Minhyuk lies back down and falls asleep still bewildered (because he swears he heard something).
Minhyuk sets his alarm clock for four to make sure that he’s ready and down by five-thirty. That only gives him around six hours of sleep which means that Dongsun catches him in a wide yawn when Minhyuk bounds down the stairs with the car keys in hand. Dongsun looks partially amused, partially bored, and partially irritated when Minhyuk locks gazes with him at the foot of the stairs. “Where’re you headed?” Dongsun asks, and Minhyuk notices that the older man hasn’t dressed or showered-still clearly fresh out of bed.
“Yukwon-shii wanted to go out today,” Minhyuk says. “He asked me to drive him.”
Dongsun shrugs. “Make sure he’s back in time to get ready for dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” Minhyuk licks his lips. “Why are you up so early?”
“One of my guests,” Dongsun makes a face, “had to leave in a panic. He was checking his emails and all that on his phone at around three this morning because he was waiting in on some international project and it turns out someone’s just taken a pretty-quite-sizable-amount from one of his new accounts. And I’ve told him again and again to keep everything on more than just one phone-I’ve told him to keep it in a secured building-harder to search entirely, you know-instead of on his phone that he takes everywhere.” Dongsun shakes his head. “Idiot.”
Minhyuk is silent.
“Anyway,” Dongsun sighs. “I don’t think he’s going to get any of it back-pretty untraceable whoever did it. They’re getting smarter these days. Shame, though, y’know? He’s had a huge break recently-got a lot of land around here, uprooting those tiny useless old businesses-built a mall-that kind of thing.”
“Is it,” Minhyuk begins slowly, “common to keep all your account entries on your phone?”
Dongsun blinks. “No,” he says. “I definitely don’t. I keep it in the main system of my offices. They’re all linked, but I wouldn’t ever keep it on my phone,” he spits out the last word as though Minhyuk has just accused him of the same idiocy as the guest. “It’s just him because he’s a downright moron.”
“He comes here often though?” Minhyuk asks indifferently.
Dongsun’s eyes narrow. “Are you fucking deaf?” he shoots back. “I just said he was into international shit. I’m lucky if I get to squeeze any money out of him once a year-he only comes into Korea every few months.”
Clearly, Dongsun isn’t a morning person-and even less so when an opportunity has just left his premises to attend to emergency matters. Thankfully, Minhyuk is saved the obligation of apologizing and bowing out by Yukwon coming down the stairs, looking appropriately sleepy and dressed more casually (or just dressed more) than Minhyuk has yet to see him dress. Yukwon’s jeans are wrinkled and scruffy, and the sleeves of his shirt are rolled up to his elbows. His hair is damp, freshly showered, and his face is still slightly puffy with sleep.
(Minhyuk still thinks the younger man is terribly beautiful)
“I know you’re only going out for some errands,” Dongsun says, face etched with disapproval and disappointment as he swings Yukwon around by the hips possessively and kisses the younger man’s lips. “But-Jesus,” and Dongsun shakes his head as his thumb strokes beneath Yukwon’s eyes. “Eyeliner or something?” Dongsun also tugs at Yukwon’s shirt and sighs. “Kwon-ah, for dinner, I’m warning you-”
“For dinner, I promise,” Yukwon says earnestly, blinking and twining his arms around Dongsun’s neck, pressing their bodies together.
Minhyuk isn’t sure if maybe it’s just because he hasn’t had any breakfast yet-any coffee, especially-or if he feels like gagging because he just feels like gagging. He coughs pointedly, and Yukwon lets go of Dongsun with a last kiss, following Minhyuk out to the courtyard where the car is parked.
Once they’re on the main road, a ways away from the house, Minhyuk glances over at Yukwon sitting in the passenger seat. The younger man has earphones plugged in, staring aimlessly out the window. Minhyuk takes a hand off the steering wheel just long enough to gut one of the earphones out, and Yukwon looks over curiously in response. “What?”
“How can you stand him?” Minhyuk sighs, and winces inwardly in surprise because he hadn’t meant-really-for his tone to come out so irritated. He doesn’t remember the last time he was irritated-when you’re bored, you rarely ever are.
Yukwon grins slightly. “You get used to it,” he shrugs, “after a while, I mean-a pretty long while, but y’know-it becomes whatever and you learn to stop listening.”
Minhyuk lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
The younger man laughs. “What,” Yukwon raises his eyebrows and Minhyuk supposes he should’ve let out a quieter breath, “you thought I’d be like all insecure and shit with all these little issues because Dongsun likes taking a stab at me whenever I don’t look like a stripper?” Yukwon’s voice is full of amusement and while it clearly doesn’t bother Yukwon, for some reason, it greatly bothers Minhyuk.
Minhyuk grips the steering wheel just a bit more tightly as he frowns out at the roads.
“Look,” Yukwon says, because clearly today just isn’t the day Minhyuk’s subtlety would be winning any awards, “Minhyuk-shii, Dongsun’s a jackass, right? Then that’s all there is to it-I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to be bothered by what a little shit says.”
Minhyuk lets himself peek over at Yukwon’s expression. “What kind of guy are you?” he asks, and isn’t quite sure what exactly it is he’s trying to find out-doesn’t know why he’s asking at all.
“You can take a left here,” Yukwon directs mildly, and Minhyuk swerves the car in irritation. The older man turns into the parking garage, traveling up and up as he searches for an empty spot. Yukwon remains silent until Minhyuk finally parks on the ground level after having gone up to the third and back down again on the other side.
The younger man opens his door the moment Minhyuk kills the engine and unlocks the car. “It’s really not appreciated, y’know,” Minhyuk says as they get out of the car. He slams his door and walks around, meeting Yukwon out behind the van.
“What?” Yukwon raises his eyebrows, hands in his pockets.
“Being cryptic,” Minhyuk says. “If you think it makes you look mysterious and cute and shit-”
“But I am cute,” Yukwon gives a shit-eating grin and Minhyuk tries his hardest to swallow down a returning grin but it doesn’t quite work. The smile stretches his mouth from ear to ear even as he rolls his eyes at the younger man. He shoves Yukwon into one of the cement columns holding up the garage, and the younger man lets out a peal of laughter-bright and melodious.
The sunlight is fresh and warm when they finally walk out from the shade of the underground parking building and into downtown. Yukwon instantly leads Minhyuk into this shop and that shop-this department store, that shoe store, this boutique, that pharmacy, this skin store, that make-up shop. The younger man buys everything he lays eyes on, and Minhyuk is midway through asking Yukwon if maybe that even makes sense until the older man remembers that Yukwon is using Dongsun’s credit card and Dongsun is the sort of person that deserves to have a few million won whittled away from his bank account.
The only downside is that Minhyuk is piled with bags upon bags upon boxes upon a few more bags by the time they decide to break for lunch. Yukwon only offers to help carry the load when it becomes clear that Minhyuk’s blind tottering begins to endanger others as much as himself.
“So,” Yukwon says conversationally, as they wait for the streetlight to change, “lunch. Ideas?”
Minhyuk shrugs. “Don’t know the area. Your call.”
The traffic light turns red and the sign for pedestrians turns green. They begin to walk, and Yukwon tilts his head. “What’re you in the mood for?”
“Anything as long as it’s good,” Minhyuk shrugs as best he can with pounds upon pounds of merchandise weighing down both arms.
Something flits across Yukwon’s face-a ripple of an expression that Minhyuk instantly instinctively knows was probably not meant for him, for anybody, to see but that Minhyuk does see anyway (however briefly) because it was too strong for even someone as talented as Yukwon to suppress. The younger man is silent as they walk past a block of cafes, and Yukwon’s pace oddly quickens until they cross the street again and the cafes slowly turn back into a steady stream of shops and boutiques.
“Nothing good back there?” Minhyuk blinks, confused.
“I know a better place up ahead,” is all Yukwon will say tightly as he speeds up even further until he’s ahead of Minhyuk-until the older man can’t see Yukwon’s face until they reach a restaurant on the next block over, until Yukwon seems to have covered with a graceful smile everything that ever could’ve given Minhyuk even a hint of what he wants to know.
They return with plenty of time before the dinner, and Yukwon says nothing more to Minhyuk other than directions on how he wants all of the new clothes and shoes and products arranged in his room. The younger man says all this in front of Dongsun, and gratingly, Dongsun looks strangely appeased to watch Yukwon ordering a silent Minhyuk around on useless tasks. Yukwon barely looks at Minhyuk as well, before heading upstairs.
Minhyuk spends the rest of the night patrolling and organizing the staff in the guest house and the main house throughout the partying, making sure the dishes come out on time, having all of the luggage brought down for the guests who have to leave straight away for midnight flights or trains. He catches glimpses of Yukwon now and again through the dinner, seated or standing constantly beside Dongsun, smiling and acting in a plainly, horribly unrecognizable manner.
The older man heads upstairs early to sleep when it’s clear that the staff can handle finishing things up without him and Dongsun gives him a permitting nod when they pass each other. Yukwon doesn’t spare Minhyuk even a glance, and honestly, Minhyuk understands why and thinks it’s smarter that way anyway. They’re still merely two people with jobs to do and it wouldn’t be well if Minhyuk distracts Yukwon from his.
The next morning, Dongsun is off to his Busan office for a few days and leaves everything to Minhyuk until he returns.
Minhyuk is surprisingly not bored.
He doesn’t see Yukwon until late afternoon, and from the way Yukwon is yawning as he ambles out in boxers and nothing else, it’s clear that the reason for being nonexistent until late afternoon is because the younger man was sleeping in from a late, late, late night. Yukwon strolls into where Minhyuk is seated at Dongsun’s desk, sorting through the files of Dongsun’s computer as he’d been asked to finish before Dongsun returns midweek.
“Put on some clothes,” Minhyuk says without looking up from the screen.
Yukwon takes a seat on the edge of the desk, and lies down halfway on the cleared space so that he’s looking upside down at Minhyuk with his head tilted back-pale neck stretched and exposed. “You busy tonight?” Yukwon smiles, tone daring and mysterious.
And whether it’s because Dongsun isn’t here-or whether it’s because of something else entirely that seems to have been decided upon by Minhyuk, a decision that’s come about after the thoughts that filled recent nights, a choice that’s been made after seeing completely fake and yet completely believable coy blankness in eyes that are otherwise known to be capable of brightness and wit so quick Minhyuk can hardly keep up himself-whether it’s any of those is left to be determined.
But the action is still what it is, and Minhyuk finds himself leaning in rather than backing away as he had times before. He finds his face hovering inches away from Yukwon’s own-still angled and opposites with Yukwon’s upside down and Minhyuk’s right side up, but their lips are still only moments from touching. “Depends,” Minhyuk murmurs. “What’ve you got in mind?”
Yukwon’s smile broadens.
Minhyuk leaves the jacket, unbuttons a few buttons, lowers his pants, tightens his belt, ruffles his hair, and thinks that that should be enough until he meets Yukwon up front by the car and clearly there is something that Minhyuk isn’t doing enough of when it comes to getting ready for whatever sort of club Yukwon seems so eager to take him to. The younger man is just in dark jeans and something loose and black and sleeveless with netting on the sides. There’s liner cupping his eyes and his hair stands straight on end. It’s possibly everything Dongsun most likely ever wants Yukwon to look like and more, but it’s different this way because it’s a different Yukwon wearing these clothes. On Hwang Dongsun’s Kim Yukwon, these clothes, this feel, would give off something giggling and trashy. On Kim Yukwon, it just sends heat spreading through Minhyuk’s body from head to toe.
“Don’t stare too hard,” Yukwon says easily as they slip into the car. “You’ll melt my make-up.”
Minhyuk rolls his eyes through his laughter as he starts the car up. Even in the semi-darkness of early evening, it’s clear that there’s nothing on Yukwon’s face but perfect, glowing, lightly flushed skin. “What if I told you you’re not even that hot?” Minhyuk says, pulling out of the courtyard and turning onto the road.
Yukwon grins at him. “I wouldn’t believe you.”
“Your ego,” Minhyuk shakes his head.
“It’s fact, though,” Yukwon counters with a playful shrug, punching Minhyuk’s shoulder and the older man just smiles.
They drive in silence for a few minutes, reaching the highway and Minhyuk quietly follows the GPS’s directions until they turn into a smaller road-until they turn into downtown, yet another unfamiliar part, newer and clearly alive with nightlife despite being so near to the business part of the city where Dongsun’s headquarters operate.
“So what kind of club is this?” Minhyuk asks casually.
“Just a club,” Yukwon answers simply. “Drinking, dancing, no drugs-pretty wholesome night of fun.”
Minhyuk takes his eyes from the road for a spare second to glance disbelievingly at Yukwon. “Then why are we going there?”
“You don’t want to have wholesome fun?” Yukwon counters innocently.
“You don’t want to have wholesome fun,” Minhyuk corrects with a grin aimed at the roads.
Yukwon points as the GPS announces that they’ve arrived at their destination. “You can park here,” he says. “It’s cheaper and closer.” He meets Minhyuk’s eyes as the older man turns into the parking lot and instantly backs into the first empty spot on the right. “Wholesome is boring anyway-right?”
Minhyuk doesn’t say anything.
The club is nestled in between two far larger buildings-nearly skyscrapers, and on closer inspection, they turn out to be heavy duty department stores-and for the most part, the exterior is fairly nondescript. It has standard club-fare-the neon lights, the bouncers, the stumbling girls and young men with drinks still in hand as they fall into their cars for a messy night, the line curving out from the entrance, and intensely loud music booming from every orifice of the building.
“Do you dance?” Yukwon asks, as he leads Minhyuk immediately to the front of the line, slipping in as the bouncers hold the doors open for them. The way the word dance even falls from Yukwon’s lips is already filled with excitement and reverence and Minhyuk-after all these years-can still know a dancer when he sees one.
“Used to,” Minhyuk says, and he has to raise his voice in order to speak once they’re in the club. “You?”
Another smile spreads Yukwon’s lips and he takes Minhyuk’s hand, loosely intertwining their fingers as he tugs Minhyuk towards a certain direction. “I’ll show you in a bit,” the younger man-rather than shouting like Minhyuk had-whispers right against the shell of Minhyuk’s ear, breath ghosting on Minhyuk’s cheek. “But I have some business first.”
Minhyuk frowns, meeting Yukwon’s eyes.
“C’mon,” Yukwon gives another tug and starts leading Minhyuk towards the back of club-towards what looks like the private rooms. “You said you wanted to know what I do, right?”
The backrooms are plush and luscious-separate closed off booths filled with asymmetric soft orange pillows in a spherical room with only a single glass table fitted at the center. Everything is white and orange and dimmed, music muted by the acoustics of the material of the walls. Minhyuk gingerly sits beside Yukwon, following the younger man’s lead and staring suspiciously with wide eyes at the two young men already occupying this room-and seated right across from them.
They look younger than Minhyuk and he supposes they look around Yukwon’s own age. They also look horribly friendly with each other-friendly enough to have limbs draped across laps and necks and shoulders and intertwined and not an inch of space between them as they sit on the cushions and Minhyuk feels like beneath the table, hands are in inappropriate places and they’re both fairly attractive but not in the most inviting way possible. Both are dressed in tieless suits and the one with round eyes (deep eyes, deep eyelids) and a wide grin, the slighter one, is looking at Minhyuk with thinly veiled amusement. “New money tree, Kwon-ah?” he asks without taking his eyes off of Minhyuk.
The taller one (too clearly, too obviously the other one’s partner) laughs, eyes turning into crescents and a mouth full of white teeth wide open. Minhyuk isn’t flustered-he can’t remember the last time he was ever flustered-but he’s curious. He meets the slighter young man’s gaze-large dark eyes, that inexplicable grin that stretches from ear to ear and it holds as much beaming brightness as Yukwon’s.
“Leave him alone, Kyung-ah,” Yukwon smiles, slipping a hand into his pocket, grasping onto something tiny and fragile, before pulling his hand back out and reaching across the table to give it to Kyung’s partner.
The two immediately stand up and at that Minhyuk blinks a little in surprise. Already?
“Can’t hang around,” Kyung says suddenly as if hearing Minhyuk’s thoughts. Their gazes meet again and this time Minhyuk grins back for reasons he can’t exactly name.
“D’you want us to give you a call when it’s done?” Kyung’s partner asks Yukwon with raised eyebrows.
Yukwon shakes his head with shrug. “Nah,” he says, “same as always. Just call me if there’s a problem. And if it can’t happen then just-”
“Got it,” Kyung nods, and his partner is already halfway out the door. Kyung slaps Yukwon’s arm lightly across the table before following the taller one out, leaving Minhyuk and Yukwon alone in the small room.
There’s hardly a beat of silence before Minhyuk turns to Yukwon with his mouth open and ready to fire questions but Yukwon is already on his feet, tugging Minhyuk to follow suit. The look in Yukwon’s eyes makes it absolutely clear that there aren’t to be any questions tonight-that Yukwon already has the rest of their time here planned out and nowhere on the agenda is there a Q&A session.
“C’mon,” Yukwon says. “Let’s dance.”
Author: himawarixxsandz
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): U-Bomb
Summary: Minhyuk wasn't always bored
A/N: block b came back. i cried and sobbed and bled and sacrificed virgins on the altar i keep in my basement with my ping pong table. college apps are still killing me i think imma be a snail instead. homecoming weekend so i have tons of shit to do and will not be here at aLL tmrw bc getting ready takes like 74 hours and will not really be here sunday either bc hmwrk so yeAH you guys see how shit is going lately. but rest assured bc of blockbap comeback periods, imma be all up into this au and prob will get back to exo stuff once they come back. or sooner. idk. we'll see.
Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3
Somehow, they end up talking through the rest of the evening-somehow, Minhyuk ends up from the chair across from Yukwon to sitting right beside the younger man, arms and shoulders touching as Minhyuk demonstrates with his hands exactly how he’d managed to get down from a tree the pet cat of one of his past employers. At the time, Minhyuk had been bored-had simply netted the ropes together and thrown it for a loop, vaguely hoping it would work and not really caring if didn’t because he could always resign and get another job easily.
But when he’s telling the story to Yukwon, when he finds himself having to pause because Yukwon is laughing too hard from one part of the story to hear the next part-when Minhyuk finds himself grinning too widely to go on anyway-when Yukwon collapses into Minhyuk’s side in a burst of breathless and helpless laughter. When Minhyuk has Yukwon by his side, abundant with comments thrown in at every turn and corner of the stories Minhyuk has to tell, full of remarks that have Minhyuk rethinking the entire memory because he swears it hadn’t been that funny when it’d happened but somehow now it was hilarious.
Memories that Minhyuk absolutely, surely, certainly swears had been in black and white when they’d happen-black and white when he remembered them-are now swathed in color, vibrant and bold and he isn’t sure why. All he knows is that everything seems infinitely brighter, and that might be because Yukwon’s smiles are positively blinding-smiles laced with teasing, with playfulness, with brilliance, with mysteriousness, with flirtatiousness, with cheerfulness, and everything is just bright.
“You just pretending that I’m interesting?” Minhyuk asks, leaning back on his palms and raising an eyebrow.
Yukwon grins. “Why’d I do that?”
“So it’d distract me from asking you about yourself,” Minhyuk supposes aloud. He meets Yukwon’s eyes.
The younger man gets to his feet then and steps between Minhyuk’s legs, regarding him with an indecipherable little smile. Standing, Yukwon’s hips are eyelevel with Minhyuk and at this distance, Minhyuk can feel the body heat without even touching Yukwon. Minhyuk’s arms itch to wrap themselves around Yukwon’s waist and pull their bodies together. And he has to remind himself that that’s most likely what Yukwon wants-what Yukwon intends. The younger man doesn’t have to distract Minhyuk with laughs and smiles. Kim Yukwon just stands at dangerous proximity and Minhyuk is already lightheaded just being surrounded by the younger man’s scent (fresh as though Yukwon just finished showering-the soft smell of soap and shampoo and warmth).
It doesn’t help that the folds of the bathrobe have loosened, falling away enough that it’s nearly open past Yukwon’s chest and onto the hard angles of his stomach.
“Is it working?” Yukwon shrugs, and Minhyuk isn’t sure if that’s the cue for the older man to kiss Yukwon or punch him in the face.
First thing’s first, and Minhyuk jumps to his feet, scrambling back a good few meters and there’s amusement immediately spreading across Yukwon’s face. “Why,” Minhyuk says, a little desperate and plenty confused (and considerably horny), “are you so-”
“Thanks,” Yukwon grins again.
“It’s not a compliment,” Minhyuk huffs.
“I’ll take it as one,” Yukwon smiles.
Minhyuk stuffs his hands into his pockets irritably. “You’re not going to tell me what the hell you were doing those past times I caught you?”
For the first time this evening-possibly for the first time since Minhyuk has ever seen Yukwon-some sort of uncertainty, a little bit of doubt and debate, shows in the younger man’s eyes and he hesitates. “Ask me another question,” Yukwon says firmly.
Minhyuk sighs. “How come you haven’t been out of the house in two weeks?”
Yukwon’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh,” and a tiny laugh accompanies that, “that’s an easy one-okay-I mean-I got caught up so I really just-I don’t know-haven’t thought about doing anything out of the house in a while.”
It’s terribly difficult to keep the skepticism off of Minhyuk’s face because that was the singularly most unhelpful and unconvincing explanation he really does believe he has ever heard and ever will hear.
“I’m serious,” Yukwon laughs at Minhyuk’s expression. “If it’ll turn that frown upside down though,” Yukwon teases, folding his arms over his chest, “you can drive me out downtown tomorrow since I need to get some clothes and I haven’t had fries in like a month.”
Tomorrow’s schedule for Minhyuk is basically a blank as Dongsun would be entertaining his guests the entire day-long hours of lazing around with late brunches and tea and conversations in the gardens-and he supposes that Yukwon won’t be needed for anything until the actual dinner since Dongsun never seemed to really want Yukwon around to show off when the older man had actual business to do. “What time?” Minhyuk asks.
“I have to be back in time to get ready and shit, so,” Yukwon purses his lips thoughtfully, “early, I guess. Have the car come around six?”
Minhyuk blinks. “That’s really early,” he says.
“Got a lot of things to buy,” Yukwon shrugs. He grins. “So it’s a go? Set your alarm clock, hyung.”
And with a pat to Minhyuk’s cheek, the younger man straightens and walks away.
Minhyuk has never been a deep sleeper, but neither is he a restless sleeper. He’s a safe middle ground-able to fall asleep easily enough that he’s never lacking rest during his work hours during the day, but also capable of sleeping lightly when duty called for that too. And he certainly isn’t the sort to have nightmares-to wake up in the middle of the night imagining things, sweating cold and confused.
So he is rather bewildered when he bolts upright in the darkness, looking around his room with the pull of sleep still heavy on his senses, because he swears he heard something-footsteps, rustling-right outside his door. His eyes narrow at the slight between the bottom of the closed door and the outside hallway and there’s no indication of light shining through, no shadow of feet padding by.
He listens for a few more moments, and when he’s rewarded (mocked) by complete and total silence, Minhyuk lies back down and falls asleep still bewildered (because he swears he heard something).
Minhyuk sets his alarm clock for four to make sure that he’s ready and down by five-thirty. That only gives him around six hours of sleep which means that Dongsun catches him in a wide yawn when Minhyuk bounds down the stairs with the car keys in hand. Dongsun looks partially amused, partially bored, and partially irritated when Minhyuk locks gazes with him at the foot of the stairs. “Where’re you headed?” Dongsun asks, and Minhyuk notices that the older man hasn’t dressed or showered-still clearly fresh out of bed.
“Yukwon-shii wanted to go out today,” Minhyuk says. “He asked me to drive him.”
Dongsun shrugs. “Make sure he’s back in time to get ready for dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” Minhyuk licks his lips. “Why are you up so early?”
“One of my guests,” Dongsun makes a face, “had to leave in a panic. He was checking his emails and all that on his phone at around three this morning because he was waiting in on some international project and it turns out someone’s just taken a pretty-quite-sizable-amount from one of his new accounts. And I’ve told him again and again to keep everything on more than just one phone-I’ve told him to keep it in a secured building-harder to search entirely, you know-instead of on his phone that he takes everywhere.” Dongsun shakes his head. “Idiot.”
Minhyuk is silent.
“Anyway,” Dongsun sighs. “I don’t think he’s going to get any of it back-pretty untraceable whoever did it. They’re getting smarter these days. Shame, though, y’know? He’s had a huge break recently-got a lot of land around here, uprooting those tiny useless old businesses-built a mall-that kind of thing.”
“Is it,” Minhyuk begins slowly, “common to keep all your account entries on your phone?”
Dongsun blinks. “No,” he says. “I definitely don’t. I keep it in the main system of my offices. They’re all linked, but I wouldn’t ever keep it on my phone,” he spits out the last word as though Minhyuk has just accused him of the same idiocy as the guest. “It’s just him because he’s a downright moron.”
“He comes here often though?” Minhyuk asks indifferently.
Dongsun’s eyes narrow. “Are you fucking deaf?” he shoots back. “I just said he was into international shit. I’m lucky if I get to squeeze any money out of him once a year-he only comes into Korea every few months.”
Clearly, Dongsun isn’t a morning person-and even less so when an opportunity has just left his premises to attend to emergency matters. Thankfully, Minhyuk is saved the obligation of apologizing and bowing out by Yukwon coming down the stairs, looking appropriately sleepy and dressed more casually (or just dressed more) than Minhyuk has yet to see him dress. Yukwon’s jeans are wrinkled and scruffy, and the sleeves of his shirt are rolled up to his elbows. His hair is damp, freshly showered, and his face is still slightly puffy with sleep.
(Minhyuk still thinks the younger man is terribly beautiful)
“I know you’re only going out for some errands,” Dongsun says, face etched with disapproval and disappointment as he swings Yukwon around by the hips possessively and kisses the younger man’s lips. “But-Jesus,” and Dongsun shakes his head as his thumb strokes beneath Yukwon’s eyes. “Eyeliner or something?” Dongsun also tugs at Yukwon’s shirt and sighs. “Kwon-ah, for dinner, I’m warning you-”
“For dinner, I promise,” Yukwon says earnestly, blinking and twining his arms around Dongsun’s neck, pressing their bodies together.
Minhyuk isn’t sure if maybe it’s just because he hasn’t had any breakfast yet-any coffee, especially-or if he feels like gagging because he just feels like gagging. He coughs pointedly, and Yukwon lets go of Dongsun with a last kiss, following Minhyuk out to the courtyard where the car is parked.
Once they’re on the main road, a ways away from the house, Minhyuk glances over at Yukwon sitting in the passenger seat. The younger man has earphones plugged in, staring aimlessly out the window. Minhyuk takes a hand off the steering wheel just long enough to gut one of the earphones out, and Yukwon looks over curiously in response. “What?”
“How can you stand him?” Minhyuk sighs, and winces inwardly in surprise because he hadn’t meant-really-for his tone to come out so irritated. He doesn’t remember the last time he was irritated-when you’re bored, you rarely ever are.
Yukwon grins slightly. “You get used to it,” he shrugs, “after a while, I mean-a pretty long while, but y’know-it becomes whatever and you learn to stop listening.”
Minhyuk lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
The younger man laughs. “What,” Yukwon raises his eyebrows and Minhyuk supposes he should’ve let out a quieter breath, “you thought I’d be like all insecure and shit with all these little issues because Dongsun likes taking a stab at me whenever I don’t look like a stripper?” Yukwon’s voice is full of amusement and while it clearly doesn’t bother Yukwon, for some reason, it greatly bothers Minhyuk.
Minhyuk grips the steering wheel just a bit more tightly as he frowns out at the roads.
“Look,” Yukwon says, because clearly today just isn’t the day Minhyuk’s subtlety would be winning any awards, “Minhyuk-shii, Dongsun’s a jackass, right? Then that’s all there is to it-I’m not the kind of guy who’s going to be bothered by what a little shit says.”
Minhyuk lets himself peek over at Yukwon’s expression. “What kind of guy are you?” he asks, and isn’t quite sure what exactly it is he’s trying to find out-doesn’t know why he’s asking at all.
“You can take a left here,” Yukwon directs mildly, and Minhyuk swerves the car in irritation. The older man turns into the parking garage, traveling up and up as he searches for an empty spot. Yukwon remains silent until Minhyuk finally parks on the ground level after having gone up to the third and back down again on the other side.
The younger man opens his door the moment Minhyuk kills the engine and unlocks the car. “It’s really not appreciated, y’know,” Minhyuk says as they get out of the car. He slams his door and walks around, meeting Yukwon out behind the van.
“What?” Yukwon raises his eyebrows, hands in his pockets.
“Being cryptic,” Minhyuk says. “If you think it makes you look mysterious and cute and shit-”
“But I am cute,” Yukwon gives a shit-eating grin and Minhyuk tries his hardest to swallow down a returning grin but it doesn’t quite work. The smile stretches his mouth from ear to ear even as he rolls his eyes at the younger man. He shoves Yukwon into one of the cement columns holding up the garage, and the younger man lets out a peal of laughter-bright and melodious.
The sunlight is fresh and warm when they finally walk out from the shade of the underground parking building and into downtown. Yukwon instantly leads Minhyuk into this shop and that shop-this department store, that shoe store, this boutique, that pharmacy, this skin store, that make-up shop. The younger man buys everything he lays eyes on, and Minhyuk is midway through asking Yukwon if maybe that even makes sense until the older man remembers that Yukwon is using Dongsun’s credit card and Dongsun is the sort of person that deserves to have a few million won whittled away from his bank account.
The only downside is that Minhyuk is piled with bags upon bags upon boxes upon a few more bags by the time they decide to break for lunch. Yukwon only offers to help carry the load when it becomes clear that Minhyuk’s blind tottering begins to endanger others as much as himself.
“So,” Yukwon says conversationally, as they wait for the streetlight to change, “lunch. Ideas?”
Minhyuk shrugs. “Don’t know the area. Your call.”
The traffic light turns red and the sign for pedestrians turns green. They begin to walk, and Yukwon tilts his head. “What’re you in the mood for?”
“Anything as long as it’s good,” Minhyuk shrugs as best he can with pounds upon pounds of merchandise weighing down both arms.
Something flits across Yukwon’s face-a ripple of an expression that Minhyuk instantly instinctively knows was probably not meant for him, for anybody, to see but that Minhyuk does see anyway (however briefly) because it was too strong for even someone as talented as Yukwon to suppress. The younger man is silent as they walk past a block of cafes, and Yukwon’s pace oddly quickens until they cross the street again and the cafes slowly turn back into a steady stream of shops and boutiques.
“Nothing good back there?” Minhyuk blinks, confused.
“I know a better place up ahead,” is all Yukwon will say tightly as he speeds up even further until he’s ahead of Minhyuk-until the older man can’t see Yukwon’s face until they reach a restaurant on the next block over, until Yukwon seems to have covered with a graceful smile everything that ever could’ve given Minhyuk even a hint of what he wants to know.
They return with plenty of time before the dinner, and Yukwon says nothing more to Minhyuk other than directions on how he wants all of the new clothes and shoes and products arranged in his room. The younger man says all this in front of Dongsun, and gratingly, Dongsun looks strangely appeased to watch Yukwon ordering a silent Minhyuk around on useless tasks. Yukwon barely looks at Minhyuk as well, before heading upstairs.
Minhyuk spends the rest of the night patrolling and organizing the staff in the guest house and the main house throughout the partying, making sure the dishes come out on time, having all of the luggage brought down for the guests who have to leave straight away for midnight flights or trains. He catches glimpses of Yukwon now and again through the dinner, seated or standing constantly beside Dongsun, smiling and acting in a plainly, horribly unrecognizable manner.
The older man heads upstairs early to sleep when it’s clear that the staff can handle finishing things up without him and Dongsun gives him a permitting nod when they pass each other. Yukwon doesn’t spare Minhyuk even a glance, and honestly, Minhyuk understands why and thinks it’s smarter that way anyway. They’re still merely two people with jobs to do and it wouldn’t be well if Minhyuk distracts Yukwon from his.
The next morning, Dongsun is off to his Busan office for a few days and leaves everything to Minhyuk until he returns.
Minhyuk is surprisingly not bored.
He doesn’t see Yukwon until late afternoon, and from the way Yukwon is yawning as he ambles out in boxers and nothing else, it’s clear that the reason for being nonexistent until late afternoon is because the younger man was sleeping in from a late, late, late night. Yukwon strolls into where Minhyuk is seated at Dongsun’s desk, sorting through the files of Dongsun’s computer as he’d been asked to finish before Dongsun returns midweek.
“Put on some clothes,” Minhyuk says without looking up from the screen.
Yukwon takes a seat on the edge of the desk, and lies down halfway on the cleared space so that he’s looking upside down at Minhyuk with his head tilted back-pale neck stretched and exposed. “You busy tonight?” Yukwon smiles, tone daring and mysterious.
And whether it’s because Dongsun isn’t here-or whether it’s because of something else entirely that seems to have been decided upon by Minhyuk, a decision that’s come about after the thoughts that filled recent nights, a choice that’s been made after seeing completely fake and yet completely believable coy blankness in eyes that are otherwise known to be capable of brightness and wit so quick Minhyuk can hardly keep up himself-whether it’s any of those is left to be determined.
But the action is still what it is, and Minhyuk finds himself leaning in rather than backing away as he had times before. He finds his face hovering inches away from Yukwon’s own-still angled and opposites with Yukwon’s upside down and Minhyuk’s right side up, but their lips are still only moments from touching. “Depends,” Minhyuk murmurs. “What’ve you got in mind?”
Yukwon’s smile broadens.
Minhyuk leaves the jacket, unbuttons a few buttons, lowers his pants, tightens his belt, ruffles his hair, and thinks that that should be enough until he meets Yukwon up front by the car and clearly there is something that Minhyuk isn’t doing enough of when it comes to getting ready for whatever sort of club Yukwon seems so eager to take him to. The younger man is just in dark jeans and something loose and black and sleeveless with netting on the sides. There’s liner cupping his eyes and his hair stands straight on end. It’s possibly everything Dongsun most likely ever wants Yukwon to look like and more, but it’s different this way because it’s a different Yukwon wearing these clothes. On Hwang Dongsun’s Kim Yukwon, these clothes, this feel, would give off something giggling and trashy. On Kim Yukwon, it just sends heat spreading through Minhyuk’s body from head to toe.
“Don’t stare too hard,” Yukwon says easily as they slip into the car. “You’ll melt my make-up.”
Minhyuk rolls his eyes through his laughter as he starts the car up. Even in the semi-darkness of early evening, it’s clear that there’s nothing on Yukwon’s face but perfect, glowing, lightly flushed skin. “What if I told you you’re not even that hot?” Minhyuk says, pulling out of the courtyard and turning onto the road.
Yukwon grins at him. “I wouldn’t believe you.”
“Your ego,” Minhyuk shakes his head.
“It’s fact, though,” Yukwon counters with a playful shrug, punching Minhyuk’s shoulder and the older man just smiles.
They drive in silence for a few minutes, reaching the highway and Minhyuk quietly follows the GPS’s directions until they turn into a smaller road-until they turn into downtown, yet another unfamiliar part, newer and clearly alive with nightlife despite being so near to the business part of the city where Dongsun’s headquarters operate.
“So what kind of club is this?” Minhyuk asks casually.
“Just a club,” Yukwon answers simply. “Drinking, dancing, no drugs-pretty wholesome night of fun.”
Minhyuk takes his eyes from the road for a spare second to glance disbelievingly at Yukwon. “Then why are we going there?”
“You don’t want to have wholesome fun?” Yukwon counters innocently.
“You don’t want to have wholesome fun,” Minhyuk corrects with a grin aimed at the roads.
Yukwon points as the GPS announces that they’ve arrived at their destination. “You can park here,” he says. “It’s cheaper and closer.” He meets Minhyuk’s eyes as the older man turns into the parking lot and instantly backs into the first empty spot on the right. “Wholesome is boring anyway-right?”
Minhyuk doesn’t say anything.
The club is nestled in between two far larger buildings-nearly skyscrapers, and on closer inspection, they turn out to be heavy duty department stores-and for the most part, the exterior is fairly nondescript. It has standard club-fare-the neon lights, the bouncers, the stumbling girls and young men with drinks still in hand as they fall into their cars for a messy night, the line curving out from the entrance, and intensely loud music booming from every orifice of the building.
“Do you dance?” Yukwon asks, as he leads Minhyuk immediately to the front of the line, slipping in as the bouncers hold the doors open for them. The way the word dance even falls from Yukwon’s lips is already filled with excitement and reverence and Minhyuk-after all these years-can still know a dancer when he sees one.
“Used to,” Minhyuk says, and he has to raise his voice in order to speak once they’re in the club. “You?”
Another smile spreads Yukwon’s lips and he takes Minhyuk’s hand, loosely intertwining their fingers as he tugs Minhyuk towards a certain direction. “I’ll show you in a bit,” the younger man-rather than shouting like Minhyuk had-whispers right against the shell of Minhyuk’s ear, breath ghosting on Minhyuk’s cheek. “But I have some business first.”
Minhyuk frowns, meeting Yukwon’s eyes.
“C’mon,” Yukwon gives another tug and starts leading Minhyuk towards the back of club-towards what looks like the private rooms. “You said you wanted to know what I do, right?”
The backrooms are plush and luscious-separate closed off booths filled with asymmetric soft orange pillows in a spherical room with only a single glass table fitted at the center. Everything is white and orange and dimmed, music muted by the acoustics of the material of the walls. Minhyuk gingerly sits beside Yukwon, following the younger man’s lead and staring suspiciously with wide eyes at the two young men already occupying this room-and seated right across from them.
They look younger than Minhyuk and he supposes they look around Yukwon’s own age. They also look horribly friendly with each other-friendly enough to have limbs draped across laps and necks and shoulders and intertwined and not an inch of space between them as they sit on the cushions and Minhyuk feels like beneath the table, hands are in inappropriate places and they’re both fairly attractive but not in the most inviting way possible. Both are dressed in tieless suits and the one with round eyes (deep eyes, deep eyelids) and a wide grin, the slighter one, is looking at Minhyuk with thinly veiled amusement. “New money tree, Kwon-ah?” he asks without taking his eyes off of Minhyuk.
The taller one (too clearly, too obviously the other one’s partner) laughs, eyes turning into crescents and a mouth full of white teeth wide open. Minhyuk isn’t flustered-he can’t remember the last time he was ever flustered-but he’s curious. He meets the slighter young man’s gaze-large dark eyes, that inexplicable grin that stretches from ear to ear and it holds as much beaming brightness as Yukwon’s.
“Leave him alone, Kyung-ah,” Yukwon smiles, slipping a hand into his pocket, grasping onto something tiny and fragile, before pulling his hand back out and reaching across the table to give it to Kyung’s partner.
The two immediately stand up and at that Minhyuk blinks a little in surprise. Already?
“Can’t hang around,” Kyung says suddenly as if hearing Minhyuk’s thoughts. Their gazes meet again and this time Minhyuk grins back for reasons he can’t exactly name.
“D’you want us to give you a call when it’s done?” Kyung’s partner asks Yukwon with raised eyebrows.
Yukwon shakes his head with shrug. “Nah,” he says, “same as always. Just call me if there’s a problem. And if it can’t happen then just-”
“Got it,” Kyung nods, and his partner is already halfway out the door. Kyung slaps Yukwon’s arm lightly across the table before following the taller one out, leaving Minhyuk and Yukwon alone in the small room.
There’s hardly a beat of silence before Minhyuk turns to Yukwon with his mouth open and ready to fire questions but Yukwon is already on his feet, tugging Minhyuk to follow suit. The look in Yukwon’s eyes makes it absolutely clear that there aren’t to be any questions tonight-that Yukwon already has the rest of their time here planned out and nowhere on the agenda is there a Q&A session.
“C’mon,” Yukwon says. “Let’s dance.”