I Like the Way You Move, Part 2/4
Title: I Like the Way You Move, Part 2/4
Author: mimi_oly
Rating: NC-17
Pairing/Focus: Onew/Kyuhyun/Eunhyuk
Word count: Part Two: 2475. Total, 8000.
Genre: Friendship, Smut
Summary: Jinki asks Hyukjae for help with his dancing and gets more of an education than he bargained for. Set in April/May 2010.
Clicky here for the epic pic spam.
Part One.
Jinki and Kyuhyun seemed like opposites, but they had quickly grown close in the few short months they’d trained together. Kyuhyun was reserved and shrewd; Jinki was open and sincere. Even so, they appreciated each other’s weird sense of humor and enjoyed singing the same types of songs. They had been told they’d be the main vocalists of a new group focusing on R&B ballads, with Kyuhyun as the leader. At the last minute, Kyuhyun was torn away to become Super Junior’s maknae, and Jinki was set adrift with the rest of the trainees, later to become the leader of SHINee. Going from almost-leader to maknae grated on Kyuhyun, and his jealousy over Jinki’s eventual promotion was more than he could take at the time.
It was the little hurts that seemed to have driven them further apart. Most recently, Kyuhyun and Jonghyun had been approached to be the core of yet another project group. Jinki had plenty of work outside of SHINee lined up already, almost more than he could handle, but being shut out of a second ballad group really stung. He knew it wasn’t Kyuhyun’s or Jonghyun’s fault, but the hurt was there all the same. Jinki was grateful that Hyukjae had found a way to bring the two younger men together.
Just as he’d promised, Hyukjae had arranged for Jinki to stop by Sukira on his way home from the debut performance of his first musical. Kyuhyun “just happened” to be guest hosting with Hyukjae. Jinki entered the studio and greeted Kyuhyun with a deep bow, and then launched himself into the awaiting arms of his sunbae.
“Rotten kid,” Kyuhyun mumbled affectionately into Jinki’s hair. He couldn’t keep himself from returning the death grip Jinki had around his waist.
“Hyung, it’s really great to see you,” Jinki choked out, trying not to let his emotions get the best of him as he squeezed the taller man. He was still flying high from his earlier performance, and the long-awaited reunion was almost too much to take.
“Jinki-yah, our break’s almost over,” Hyukjae interrupted gently. “PD-nim has some work for you to do before your next guest spot. We’ll see you later, okay?”
Jinki nodded in acknowledgement and bowed his way out of the room.
After recording some spots for a future show, Jinki grabbed a snack and snuck back into the DJ booth with Hyukjae and Kyuhyun. He peeled a few satsumas during a song and offered sections to the two older men, who let Jinki feed them. For the two younger men, it felt just like old times.
Jinki stayed on the floor, crouched between the two DJs, popping fruit into his own mouth in between feeding the older two.
“Such a good dongsaeng,” Hyukjae cooed, shooting a glance at Kyuhyun. “He really knows how to care for his hyung,” he continued, patting Jinki on the head. They continued chatting, and Jinki opened wide and popped a whole satsuma into his mouth.
“You’ve got something on your chin,” Kyuhyun whispered to Jinki, lifting his chin tenderly. “Oh, crap, you’re bleeding,” he informed him quietly. “Stage make-up’s a bitch on your skin, isn’t it?” he commiserated. Kyuhyun poured some water from his cup onto a napkin and gently dabbed at the spot on Jinki’s chin. “There, that’s better,” Kyuhyun said, surveying his handiwork with a grin. “Now get out of here, can’t you see we’re working?”
Jinki scooted out of the DJ booth to wait out the few remaining minutes of the show. He could hardly contain the smile spreading across his face. Whatever resentment had built up between Jinki and Kyuhyun seemed to have resolved with the passage of time, leaving nothing but the fond feelings that they had shared four years earlier, and the ghost of Kyuhyun’s caress on his face.
“We’re kidnapping you,” Hyukjae announced after the show had wrapped.
Jinki tried to protest, but Hyukjae and Kyuhyun each flung an arm around his shoulders and steered him toward the parking garage.
“Don’t worry,” Kyuhyun said. “Your manager knows we’ve got you. Hyung’s our driver tonight, so you and I can get wasted.”
Hyukjae jingled his keys in front of Jinki’s face and let out an evil laugh. “Don’t worry, little dongsaeng. Hyung will make sure you get home in one piece.”
“Eventually,” Kyuhyun added. “But first, we’re celebrating your musical debut,” he finished, giving Jinki a sincere smile.
-----
They had polished off a bottle of wine and were into their first bottle of soju when Kyuhyun blurted out, “So, are you still a virgin, or did you give it up to a noona?”
“N-no!” Jinki sputtered.
“No, you’re not a virgin?” Hyukjae smacked Jinki’s shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows while he made a lewd face.
“Or no, it wasn’t a noona?” Kyuhyun kidded, jostling Jinki’s leg with his own.
“Neither,” Jinki choked out. “I mean, there hasn’t been anyone, so yeah, I still am…” he trailed off, slightly mortified.
“Good boy,” Hyukjae said, patting Jinki’s arm. “You don’t need any scandals at your age.”
Kyuhyun poured for Jinki. Jinki poured for Kyuhyun. Hyukjae sipped his strawberry milk. They sat quietly for a few moments.
“I mean…” Jinki muttered, “ it’s hard to meet people, you know? My life’s complicated. And I don’t have any time for myself.” He looked back and forth between the older men flanking him. “You know what it’s like, right?”
“Sure,” Hyukjae answered, nodding in sympathy as he patted Jinki’s leg. “I’ve had a few girlfriends, but it hasn’t ever worked out. They expect a lot, and you want to be there for them, but work has to come first, and they don’t understand that. You can’t blame them for being upset, though. It’s just the way this business has to work.”
“So that’s why it never works out, hyung, because you’re too busy?” Kyuhyun snorted, causing Hyukjae to blush.
“You don’t need a girlfriend,” Kyuhyun gushed as he opened the second bottle. “I don’t have a girlfriend and I’m perfectly happy. And you’re younger than I am.” Kyuhyun stuffed a piece of chicken in Jinki’s mouth and poured again. He threw his arm around Jinki’s shoulders, and then grabbed a napkin and carefully dabbed at the chicken grease on Jinki’s face before resting his head on Jinki’s shoulder.
The third bottle finally loosened Jinki’s tongue.
“What about sex,” he said, a little too loudly. “Do you guys…ever?”
Kyuhyun and Hyukjae exchanged a naughty glance.
“What exactly do you mean?” Hyukjae asked, feigning innocence.
“I mean, am I still gonna be a virgin when I’m your age?” Jinki pondered miserably.
“Oh, that’s what you meant,” Hyukjae nodded. “Don’t worry, baby boy, things will happen when the time is right.”
“I’ll bet Junsu hyung and Yunho hyung aren’t virgins,” Jinki pouted.
“Hey, don’t compare yourself to older leaders,” Kyuhyun voice was firm, but kind. “Hyung is right. Things’ll happen. No rush.” He picked up another piece of chicken and slowly brought it to Jinki’s lips.
“Yeah, but what am I supposed to do in the meantime…” Jinki muttered with his mouth full.
“In the meantime, you just have to be patient -- and creative,” Hyukjae said, eyeing Kyuhyun, who was at that moment stroking Jinki’s hair.
Hyukjae called an end to their celebration after the other men had downed a fourth bottle of soju. He graciously endured half an hour of drunken duets before convincing his boys that it was time to go home. Luckily, Kyuhyun and Jinki were both “happy” drunks and followed him blithely out to the parking garage as he sent a text to Jinki’s manager.
Hyukjae drove back to the dorm, subjected all the while to more sloppy duets from the back seat. He cajoled the kids out of the car to a chorus of “I missed you, man,” and led them up to the dorm, where they all collapsed in a puppy pile on the sofa.
“Hyung, you forgot to take ‘Leader-ssi’ home,” Kyuhyun slurred, apparently just realizing where they all were.
“Don’t wanna go. Wanna stay with hyung,” Jinki whined, cuddling in between the two older men.
“Relax, aegi, your manager knows you’re staying with us tonight,” Hyukjae wrapped his arm around Jinki and leaned back against the cushy arm of the sofa, creating a domino effect as Jinki slouched into him, followed by the larger Kyuhyun.
Seconds later Hyukjae realized his mistake. “Hold on, you guys weigh a ton! Hyung is getting crushed.”
“Hyung is a shorty,” Kyuhyun confided to Jinki, much too loudly.
“And the maknae is an evil, disrespectful --“
“Hyung, I have to pee,” Jinki interrupted.
“Good idea,” Kyuhyun responded, dragging him off to the toilet.
Freed from the crush of the younger men, Hyukjae went into the kitchen and poured cool water into glasses and portioned out some Tylenol.
“Come here, you maniacs,” he called out when the giggling boys emerged from the bathroom. “I don’t want to deal with two hung-over twerps in the morning. Besides, baby boy has a fansign and a performance tomorrow, remember? You need your sleep.”
“Aw, hyung, I never go to bed before four.” The clock in the kitchen displayed the time as 3:22 a.m.
“That explains why you’re so ugly. You never get enough beauty sleep,” Kyuhyun quipped.
“I told you, he’s evil,” Hyukjae joked to Jinki, handing him a glass. Kyuhyun and Jinki dutifully took their medicine.
“I don’t wanna go to bed,” Jinki moped, enjoying his role as the youngest.
“I’m not reading you a bed time story,” snorted Kyuhyun.
“Then dance for me,” Jinki turned on the aegyo, doing his best imitation of Taemin, who could always get his way. “Hyung said you’re on the dance line now.”
Kyuhyun’s chest just might have puffed out a little. Hyukjae smirked and whispered something to Kyuhyun before darting back into the living room.
Kyuhyun steered Jinki to the sofa. “We’re still working on this one. Hyukjae and Shindong hyung are choreographing it. Let’s see what you think.”
Hyukjae started the music and took his place by Kyuhyun as the aggressive techno introduction played. They strutted around the room and then Kyuhyun began to lip-synch, locking his eyes with Jinki’s as he flaunted his sex-appeal. Jinki heard Donghae and Ryeowook sing their parts as the two men in front of him danced a series of sultry moves, pausing occasionally for gaps in the choreography. Jinki heard the English at the beginning of the chorus as the two older men exchanged a smirk and took their places. Their moves were erotic and suggestive as their legs beat together and their arm movements evoked the push and pull not of a bell ringing or a gong clanging, but of bodies meeting and colliding in the world’s most ancient choreography.
Hyukjae stopped the music after the chorus and looked expectantly at the young man on the sofa. “Well?”
“Hyung’s gonna flash at the end,” Kyuhyun interjected. Hyukjae demonstrated, lifting his shirt and flexing just so to emphasize the definition of his six-pack.
Jinki sat on the sofa, wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and dumb-struck. The two older men exchanged another smirk.
“Let’s show him the other one,” Hyukjae suggested. He fiddled with the sound system and returned to stand at Kyuhyun’s right.
“This is the title track we’re promoting,” Kyuhyun added.
Jinki listened to the song’s strong dance beat and then heard Siwon’s voice over the speakers. He realized that they were repeating the successful formula from their last title track.
Hyukjae and Kyuhyun struck a series of poses that moved fluidly from one into the next. Suddenly they stood next to each other right in front of Jinki and Kyuhyun was lip synching again, his eyes boring into Jinki’s as the two older men thrust their hips suggestively in time to the music. Jinki lost focus for a moment until the chorus when the pair danced powerfully in unison. He startled as they suddenly jumped toward him and began thrusting and performing the moves that Hyukjae had shown Jinki at the radio station.
Just as Donghae’s voice started the next verse, Hyukjae cut the music. He glanced between the two younger men whose eyes were locked on each other, and let out a chuckle.
“Okay, then, I’ll just be go--“
“Hyung,” Jinki called out breathlessly, “teach me to dance like that…please?”
Hyukjae considered his hoobae’s request for a moment. He figured that if his coaching could make a dancer out of awkward Kyuhyun, then there was certainly hope for the singer who had already managed to keep up with his younger band mates in much more challenging choreography.
“Rino noona sent us a video of the choreography for our next title track and it looks impossible,” Jinki agonized pitifully. The giddiness had worn off his buzz, leaving him vulnerable. “Hyung, please?” Jinki looked up at Hyukjae with glistening eyes and the older man felt a tug at his heart.
“Sure, kiddo,” Hyukjae answered gently. “We’ll work something out. I promise.” He patted Jinki’s head affectionately and started to leave the room. He paused long enough to whisper something to Kyuhyun before tossing a quiet “Sleep well” over his shoulder.
Kyuhyun dropped to his knees in front of Jinki and pulled him into a hug. “Jinki-yah, hyung’s right. It’ll be okay. He’s a great teacher.” Jinki’s head was heavy on his shoulder and he thought he felt the shudder of a sob.
Kyuhyun pulled back to look at Jinki and saw tears silently sliding down his face. “What is it, aegi?” he whispered, tenderly thumbing the tears aside.
Jinki stared at his lap and shook his head slowly, working up the courage to spill his guts as he pictured the grueling hours of dance practice that had to be worked in to his already packed schedule. “It’s overwhelming, you know? Don’t get me wrong…I mean, I’m grateful for all the work I’m getting, but there’s just so much on my plate right now, and it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day,” he sniffled. “I just don’t want to let anyone down.”
Kyuhyun gently lifted Jinki’s chin, and softly stole his first kiss…not counting the sheep from “Yunhanam” or the ajusshi from his musical.
Jinki’s eyes flew open. “Hyung,” Jinki blushed. “What was that?”
“Skinship, aegi. You looked so sad.” Jinki couldn’t tell if Kyuhyun was mocking him or being sympathetic.
Stunned, Jinki just stared blankly into Kyuhyun’s grinning face.
Kyuhyun scooted up on the sofa next to Jinki and pulled him down so that they were spooning. He pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and arranged it over them.
“You think you can sleep like this?” Kyuhyun whispered in Jinki’s ear as he wrapped his arm around Jinki’s waist.
“I can sleep anywhere,” Jinki boasted somewhat bitterly.
“Jinki-yah, sleep well,” Kyuhyun murmured.
And Jinki did.
Part Three.
Author: mimi_oly
Rating: NC-17
Pairing/Focus: Onew/Kyuhyun/Eunhyuk
Word count: Part Two: 2475. Total, 8000.
Genre: Friendship, Smut
Summary: Jinki asks Hyukjae for help with his dancing and gets more of an education than he bargained for. Set in April/May 2010.
Clicky here for the epic pic spam.
Part One.
Jinki and Kyuhyun seemed like opposites, but they had quickly grown close in the few short months they’d trained together. Kyuhyun was reserved and shrewd; Jinki was open and sincere. Even so, they appreciated each other’s weird sense of humor and enjoyed singing the same types of songs. They had been told they’d be the main vocalists of a new group focusing on R&B ballads, with Kyuhyun as the leader. At the last minute, Kyuhyun was torn away to become Super Junior’s maknae, and Jinki was set adrift with the rest of the trainees, later to become the leader of SHINee. Going from almost-leader to maknae grated on Kyuhyun, and his jealousy over Jinki’s eventual promotion was more than he could take at the time.
It was the little hurts that seemed to have driven them further apart. Most recently, Kyuhyun and Jonghyun had been approached to be the core of yet another project group. Jinki had plenty of work outside of SHINee lined up already, almost more than he could handle, but being shut out of a second ballad group really stung. He knew it wasn’t Kyuhyun’s or Jonghyun’s fault, but the hurt was there all the same. Jinki was grateful that Hyukjae had found a way to bring the two younger men together.
Just as he’d promised, Hyukjae had arranged for Jinki to stop by Sukira on his way home from the debut performance of his first musical. Kyuhyun “just happened” to be guest hosting with Hyukjae. Jinki entered the studio and greeted Kyuhyun with a deep bow, and then launched himself into the awaiting arms of his sunbae.
“Rotten kid,” Kyuhyun mumbled affectionately into Jinki’s hair. He couldn’t keep himself from returning the death grip Jinki had around his waist.
“Hyung, it’s really great to see you,” Jinki choked out, trying not to let his emotions get the best of him as he squeezed the taller man. He was still flying high from his earlier performance, and the long-awaited reunion was almost too much to take.
“Jinki-yah, our break’s almost over,” Hyukjae interrupted gently. “PD-nim has some work for you to do before your next guest spot. We’ll see you later, okay?”
Jinki nodded in acknowledgement and bowed his way out of the room.
After recording some spots for a future show, Jinki grabbed a snack and snuck back into the DJ booth with Hyukjae and Kyuhyun. He peeled a few satsumas during a song and offered sections to the two older men, who let Jinki feed them. For the two younger men, it felt just like old times.
Jinki stayed on the floor, crouched between the two DJs, popping fruit into his own mouth in between feeding the older two.
“Such a good dongsaeng,” Hyukjae cooed, shooting a glance at Kyuhyun. “He really knows how to care for his hyung,” he continued, patting Jinki on the head. They continued chatting, and Jinki opened wide and popped a whole satsuma into his mouth.
“You’ve got something on your chin,” Kyuhyun whispered to Jinki, lifting his chin tenderly. “Oh, crap, you’re bleeding,” he informed him quietly. “Stage make-up’s a bitch on your skin, isn’t it?” he commiserated. Kyuhyun poured some water from his cup onto a napkin and gently dabbed at the spot on Jinki’s chin. “There, that’s better,” Kyuhyun said, surveying his handiwork with a grin. “Now get out of here, can’t you see we’re working?”
Jinki scooted out of the DJ booth to wait out the few remaining minutes of the show. He could hardly contain the smile spreading across his face. Whatever resentment had built up between Jinki and Kyuhyun seemed to have resolved with the passage of time, leaving nothing but the fond feelings that they had shared four years earlier, and the ghost of Kyuhyun’s caress on his face.
“We’re kidnapping you,” Hyukjae announced after the show had wrapped.
Jinki tried to protest, but Hyukjae and Kyuhyun each flung an arm around his shoulders and steered him toward the parking garage.
“Don’t worry,” Kyuhyun said. “Your manager knows we’ve got you. Hyung’s our driver tonight, so you and I can get wasted.”
Hyukjae jingled his keys in front of Jinki’s face and let out an evil laugh. “Don’t worry, little dongsaeng. Hyung will make sure you get home in one piece.”
“Eventually,” Kyuhyun added. “But first, we’re celebrating your musical debut,” he finished, giving Jinki a sincere smile.
-----
They had polished off a bottle of wine and were into their first bottle of soju when Kyuhyun blurted out, “So, are you still a virgin, or did you give it up to a noona?”
“N-no!” Jinki sputtered.
“No, you’re not a virgin?” Hyukjae smacked Jinki’s shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows while he made a lewd face.
“Or no, it wasn’t a noona?” Kyuhyun kidded, jostling Jinki’s leg with his own.
“Neither,” Jinki choked out. “I mean, there hasn’t been anyone, so yeah, I still am…” he trailed off, slightly mortified.
“Good boy,” Hyukjae said, patting Jinki’s arm. “You don’t need any scandals at your age.”
Kyuhyun poured for Jinki. Jinki poured for Kyuhyun. Hyukjae sipped his strawberry milk. They sat quietly for a few moments.
“I mean…” Jinki muttered, “ it’s hard to meet people, you know? My life’s complicated. And I don’t have any time for myself.” He looked back and forth between the older men flanking him. “You know what it’s like, right?”
“Sure,” Hyukjae answered, nodding in sympathy as he patted Jinki’s leg. “I’ve had a few girlfriends, but it hasn’t ever worked out. They expect a lot, and you want to be there for them, but work has to come first, and they don’t understand that. You can’t blame them for being upset, though. It’s just the way this business has to work.”
“So that’s why it never works out, hyung, because you’re too busy?” Kyuhyun snorted, causing Hyukjae to blush.
“You don’t need a girlfriend,” Kyuhyun gushed as he opened the second bottle. “I don’t have a girlfriend and I’m perfectly happy. And you’re younger than I am.” Kyuhyun stuffed a piece of chicken in Jinki’s mouth and poured again. He threw his arm around Jinki’s shoulders, and then grabbed a napkin and carefully dabbed at the chicken grease on Jinki’s face before resting his head on Jinki’s shoulder.
The third bottle finally loosened Jinki’s tongue.
“What about sex,” he said, a little too loudly. “Do you guys…ever?”
Kyuhyun and Hyukjae exchanged a naughty glance.
“What exactly do you mean?” Hyukjae asked, feigning innocence.
“I mean, am I still gonna be a virgin when I’m your age?” Jinki pondered miserably.
“Oh, that’s what you meant,” Hyukjae nodded. “Don’t worry, baby boy, things will happen when the time is right.”
“I’ll bet Junsu hyung and Yunho hyung aren’t virgins,” Jinki pouted.
“Hey, don’t compare yourself to older leaders,” Kyuhyun voice was firm, but kind. “Hyung is right. Things’ll happen. No rush.” He picked up another piece of chicken and slowly brought it to Jinki’s lips.
“Yeah, but what am I supposed to do in the meantime…” Jinki muttered with his mouth full.
“In the meantime, you just have to be patient -- and creative,” Hyukjae said, eyeing Kyuhyun, who was at that moment stroking Jinki’s hair.
Hyukjae called an end to their celebration after the other men had downed a fourth bottle of soju. He graciously endured half an hour of drunken duets before convincing his boys that it was time to go home. Luckily, Kyuhyun and Jinki were both “happy” drunks and followed him blithely out to the parking garage as he sent a text to Jinki’s manager.
Hyukjae drove back to the dorm, subjected all the while to more sloppy duets from the back seat. He cajoled the kids out of the car to a chorus of “I missed you, man,” and led them up to the dorm, where they all collapsed in a puppy pile on the sofa.
“Hyung, you forgot to take ‘Leader-ssi’ home,” Kyuhyun slurred, apparently just realizing where they all were.
“Don’t wanna go. Wanna stay with hyung,” Jinki whined, cuddling in between the two older men.
“Relax, aegi, your manager knows you’re staying with us tonight,” Hyukjae wrapped his arm around Jinki and leaned back against the cushy arm of the sofa, creating a domino effect as Jinki slouched into him, followed by the larger Kyuhyun.
Seconds later Hyukjae realized his mistake. “Hold on, you guys weigh a ton! Hyung is getting crushed.”
“Hyung is a shorty,” Kyuhyun confided to Jinki, much too loudly.
“And the maknae is an evil, disrespectful --“
“Hyung, I have to pee,” Jinki interrupted.
“Good idea,” Kyuhyun responded, dragging him off to the toilet.
Freed from the crush of the younger men, Hyukjae went into the kitchen and poured cool water into glasses and portioned out some Tylenol.
“Come here, you maniacs,” he called out when the giggling boys emerged from the bathroom. “I don’t want to deal with two hung-over twerps in the morning. Besides, baby boy has a fansign and a performance tomorrow, remember? You need your sleep.”
“Aw, hyung, I never go to bed before four.” The clock in the kitchen displayed the time as 3:22 a.m.
“That explains why you’re so ugly. You never get enough beauty sleep,” Kyuhyun quipped.
“I told you, he’s evil,” Hyukjae joked to Jinki, handing him a glass. Kyuhyun and Jinki dutifully took their medicine.
“I don’t wanna go to bed,” Jinki moped, enjoying his role as the youngest.
“I’m not reading you a bed time story,” snorted Kyuhyun.
“Then dance for me,” Jinki turned on the aegyo, doing his best imitation of Taemin, who could always get his way. “Hyung said you’re on the dance line now.”
Kyuhyun’s chest just might have puffed out a little. Hyukjae smirked and whispered something to Kyuhyun before darting back into the living room.
Kyuhyun steered Jinki to the sofa. “We’re still working on this one. Hyukjae and Shindong hyung are choreographing it. Let’s see what you think.”
Hyukjae started the music and took his place by Kyuhyun as the aggressive techno introduction played. They strutted around the room and then Kyuhyun began to lip-synch, locking his eyes with Jinki’s as he flaunted his sex-appeal. Jinki heard Donghae and Ryeowook sing their parts as the two men in front of him danced a series of sultry moves, pausing occasionally for gaps in the choreography. Jinki heard the English at the beginning of the chorus as the two older men exchanged a smirk and took their places. Their moves were erotic and suggestive as their legs beat together and their arm movements evoked the push and pull not of a bell ringing or a gong clanging, but of bodies meeting and colliding in the world’s most ancient choreography.
Hyukjae stopped the music after the chorus and looked expectantly at the young man on the sofa. “Well?”
“Hyung’s gonna flash at the end,” Kyuhyun interjected. Hyukjae demonstrated, lifting his shirt and flexing just so to emphasize the definition of his six-pack.
Jinki sat on the sofa, wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and dumb-struck. The two older men exchanged another smirk.
“Let’s show him the other one,” Hyukjae suggested. He fiddled with the sound system and returned to stand at Kyuhyun’s right.
“This is the title track we’re promoting,” Kyuhyun added.
Jinki listened to the song’s strong dance beat and then heard Siwon’s voice over the speakers. He realized that they were repeating the successful formula from their last title track.
Hyukjae and Kyuhyun struck a series of poses that moved fluidly from one into the next. Suddenly they stood next to each other right in front of Jinki and Kyuhyun was lip synching again, his eyes boring into Jinki’s as the two older men thrust their hips suggestively in time to the music. Jinki lost focus for a moment until the chorus when the pair danced powerfully in unison. He startled as they suddenly jumped toward him and began thrusting and performing the moves that Hyukjae had shown Jinki at the radio station.
Just as Donghae’s voice started the next verse, Hyukjae cut the music. He glanced between the two younger men whose eyes were locked on each other, and let out a chuckle.
“Okay, then, I’ll just be go--“
“Hyung,” Jinki called out breathlessly, “teach me to dance like that…please?”
Hyukjae considered his hoobae’s request for a moment. He figured that if his coaching could make a dancer out of awkward Kyuhyun, then there was certainly hope for the singer who had already managed to keep up with his younger band mates in much more challenging choreography.
“Rino noona sent us a video of the choreography for our next title track and it looks impossible,” Jinki agonized pitifully. The giddiness had worn off his buzz, leaving him vulnerable. “Hyung, please?” Jinki looked up at Hyukjae with glistening eyes and the older man felt a tug at his heart.
“Sure, kiddo,” Hyukjae answered gently. “We’ll work something out. I promise.” He patted Jinki’s head affectionately and started to leave the room. He paused long enough to whisper something to Kyuhyun before tossing a quiet “Sleep well” over his shoulder.
Kyuhyun dropped to his knees in front of Jinki and pulled him into a hug. “Jinki-yah, hyung’s right. It’ll be okay. He’s a great teacher.” Jinki’s head was heavy on his shoulder and he thought he felt the shudder of a sob.
Kyuhyun pulled back to look at Jinki and saw tears silently sliding down his face. “What is it, aegi?” he whispered, tenderly thumbing the tears aside.
Jinki stared at his lap and shook his head slowly, working up the courage to spill his guts as he pictured the grueling hours of dance practice that had to be worked in to his already packed schedule. “It’s overwhelming, you know? Don’t get me wrong…I mean, I’m grateful for all the work I’m getting, but there’s just so much on my plate right now, and it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day,” he sniffled. “I just don’t want to let anyone down.”
Kyuhyun gently lifted Jinki’s chin, and softly stole his first kiss…not counting the sheep from “Yunhanam” or the ajusshi from his musical.
Jinki’s eyes flew open. “Hyung,” Jinki blushed. “What was that?”
“Skinship, aegi. You looked so sad.” Jinki couldn’t tell if Kyuhyun was mocking him or being sympathetic.
Stunned, Jinki just stared blankly into Kyuhyun’s grinning face.
Kyuhyun scooted up on the sofa next to Jinki and pulled him down so that they were spooning. He pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa and arranged it over them.
“You think you can sleep like this?” Kyuhyun whispered in Jinki’s ear as he wrapped his arm around Jinki’s waist.
“I can sleep anywhere,” Jinki boasted somewhat bitterly.
“Jinki-yah, sleep well,” Kyuhyun murmured.
And Jinki did.
Part Three.