[D06] 5504 MILES (1/2)
Prompt Code: D6
Title: 5504 Miles
Rating: NC17
Side Pairings (if any): Chansoo, mention of Kaistal
Warnings: swearing, sexual content
Word Count: 15.5k
Summary: The now famous Jongin meets his high school sweetheart again after 7 years in the movie set; a place he least expected. And Jongin only has one night to win him back before he goes back to London (again).
AN: I hope I did the prompt justice but I think I went too far? Hehe I hope you enjoy this celebrity x coordi hyung AU, dear prompter! Thanks for the wonderful idea. To the three mods, who have been very helpful, encouraging, and letting me push the deadline for God knows how many times, thank you so much and I love you. This is the longest fic I have written but I enjoyed writing this! To my lovely betas/buddies E, R, and B, you guys are my savior. To you, dear reader, please enjoy! (PS. This fic will remind you to a local movie called ‘What’s With Love?2’ *winks*)
As a good old friend of Oh Sehun, there is nothing that Jongin won’t do-including coming to Sehun’s filming site which is located hours from Seoul, even in the cold wind of October. Just a week ago, Jongin sent a food truck to support Sehun and the crews. Sehun told him that he’s thankful but he’s not satisfied with only a truck of churros; he wants Jongin to come in person-all the way to Gyeongju.
Initially, Jongin wanted to decline Sehun’s invitation but then it’s Gyeongju; the city of ancient in the eastern part of Korea. The town is surrounded by forests; its pathways form a beautiful gradient of autumn color from the fallen leaves. He thinks that it’s a good time to see greeneries after years of working in a busy environment like London.
After four hours of lonely drive, Jongin finally arrives at Gyeongju. Jongin doesn’t regret coming here at all because he gets to see what he wants to see. The leaves, the trees, the air; Gyeongju is as perfect as he imagines. It’s not holiday season so not many tourists come here, making this place more serene and soulful.
He will stroll around Gyeongju later. For now, bro first.
When he finally meets Sehun, the lanky guy hugs him tightly. He cannot believe that Jongin really comes here. The female staffs only giggle seeing the two of them bickering like an old couple-but they mostly cheer because they can see Kim Kai, the returning Korean bae who was once a pretty famous young idol. (He still is, actually.)
It is publicly known that Oh Sehun is a good friend with Kim Kai. The sun-kissed guy appears regularly on Sehun’s SNS account, posing this and that with his silly celebrity best friend. Jongin might leave for London a few years back to pursue his career as a full-time model, but the amount of reporters that Jongin encountered at the airport when he went back to his homeland a week ago proves that he’s still desired and not forgotten by Korean public. Well, there were only two or three-but still.
And now as Sehun pulls back, Jongin’s effortless charm is also caught by none other than the director of Sehun’s movie. Director Hwang is delighted when Sehun introduces him to Jongin. Since director Hwang is a fan of (any) handsome man, she immediately asks whether Jongin wants to appear as a cameo. Jongin cannot say no when somebody who asked him is an award-winning director.
Jongin gets a small role; a traveling nobleman. Jongin doubts himself at first because the only acting gig he has done is for commercials and music videos. Director Hwang only laughs it off and says that there is no way that a charming person like him can’t do proper acting.
“You can do it,” Sehun says lightly when Jongin tells him.
“You’re not helping,” he says.
“Not helping? Hey, I just got you a role.” Sehun’s mouth puckers into a pout. “Just pretend that I’m your lucky charm, okay?”
Jongin titters.
With that, Jongin is required to stay for the night since the scene will be shot tomorrow morning. Jongin doesn’t mind at all because he initially plans to stay for two nights to explore Gyeongju. He already books a room in the same hotel where Sehun stays, anyway.
✈✈✈
Jongin just washed up when somebody knocks the door to his hotel room. He peeps to the hole and finds Sehun in his bathrobe, grinning while lifting two soju bottles.
Jongin hasn’t even said ‘come in’ but Sehun already slides himself into the room. “Need somebody to practice your line?”
Jongin rolls his eyes. “It’s more like, ‘wanna drink with me?’”
Sehun grins. “You know me so well. What time are you going to start shooting tomorrow?”
“Seven in the morning, I suppose?”
Sehun clicks his tongue. “Then you can’t drink too much.”
Jongin shakes his head, “No, I won’t drink at all.”
Sehun facepalms, and then plops himself to the sofa after pouring the Korean liquor to a glass he gets from the counter.
“Seriously though, you are a man of no taste. You don’t know how to enjoy your adulthood, Jongin. I thought living in London for five years would make you less ancient.”
“Ancient? I’m not an artifact!” Jongin pouts. His best friend laughs. Jongin adds, “Also, British beers taste awful. It doesn’t match with the chicken they have there.”
“Oh please, not chicken again. I’m sick of hearing your obsession of fried chicken. Why don’t you tell me about your love life instead?”
“Ha-ha,” Jongin snorts. “As if I have one,”
“But you do! How about your relationship with that Korean-American model? Um, Diamond Jung?”
“You mean Krystal?”
“Yeah, that girl.” Sehun waits for Jongin, but he doesn’t say anything. “What? Was it a set up?”
Jongin shifts in his chair, “Well, it’s not entirely a set up, but the most important thing is that we’re still in good terms although the media has reported our break-up a few months ago.”
Sehun gasps. “So that was a set-up? Do you know how many hearts that you broke with that dating news?”
Jongin beams. “I bet a hundred thousand? Heheh, I have lots of fan, you know.”
Sehun eyes him. “You really are an artifact for some people, then. Long-lost lover. Forgotten lover. Whatever,” Sehun rolls his eyes. “Anyway, tell me, Jongin, why are you coming back?”
“I’m running my sister’s errand, didn’t I tell you?”
“Right, your sister. I know that. But-but there’s something you didn’t tell me.”
Jongin blinks.
“Hey,” Sehun starts softly, “Last week, when you just came back, you barged in to my place looking like a zombie who had died twice. I didn’t ask you what’s wrong back then because I knew you’d tell me someday, so I just let you. You can tell me now. And it’s not about work. You mumbled your ex’s name when you slept, Jongin.”
Jongin sighs. He doesn’t know if having a friend like Sehun is a blessing or a disaster. He knows too much. He knows where to bring Jongin when he’s in a bad mood, knows what to say when Jongin is down, and he knows that Jongin is lying or hiding something right now.
Jongin leans in and reaches the glass, refilling it with the soju. Sehun sneers and gives his best friend a triumphant look.
Jongin sniffs at the unpleasant smell of the liquor, but he swallows it all while scrunching his nose. His throat burns. At least he needs some encouragement.
“So…” he starts.
“So?”
“So, you know I’m an ancient freak who likes to send postcard, right? Just a month ago, I received a letter. It’s a reply to my last postcard that I sent to Korea a year ago.”
Sehun frowns, letting time passes as he digests the information. He then finally opens his mouth, “Don’t tell me it’s that postcard?”
Jongin nods.
“Yeah, it’s the postcard that I should’ve never sent. I accidentally dropped it to the post box, and the recipient actually received the card.”
Sehun suddenly claps. He gets up and randomly dances to celebrate his cleverness.
“I knew it. It’s about Kyungsoo! See? I’m so genius I think I can get my master’s degree without turning in my thesis paper!”
“I didn’t even say a name…”
“Duh, you guys were the only weird couple who send postcard to each other instead of sending e-mails or anything normal in this millennium era. So what does the letter say?”
Jongin’s shoulders sag. “To sum up, ’Fuck off’.”
Sehun gulps. “Holyshit.”
“Indeed.” Jongin lets out a desperate chuckle. “But I’m a rebel; now I want to meet him. He’s been occupying my mind too much lately.”
“What are you gonna do when you meet him?”
Jongin smiles. “To mend things back, of course.”
✈✈✈
Only taking very little soju and nothing more was a nice decision. Jongin wakes up early in the morning without a severe headache, but his head still hurts for the lack of sleep. Sehun kept him awake until two in the morning, draining Jongin until he told him everything.
When Sehun was about to leave Jongin’s room, he said that he needs to settle things real soon. “You’ve been in Korea for a week, Jongin. And you still haven’t talked to Kyungsoo. Gather your courage and go get him tomorrow!”
Jongin scoffed. “I haven’t been idle. The first thing I did when I arrived at the airport is heading to Ilsan. I went to his home, but his family doesn’t live there anymore.”
“Listen to me, Jongin,” Sehun clutched Jongin’s arm, demanding an eye contact from his best friend.
“When I said you have to talk with him tomorrow, I really meant it.” Sehun’s eyes might be red from the alcohol and the tiredness, but the look in his eyes was solemn.
“Not tomorrow, I have filming schedule.”
Sehun squeezed Jongin’s arm and smiles. “Exactly.”
Jongin doesn’t understand what Sehun really meant until he meets Kyungsoo in the very morning.
✈✈✈
“You look so tense, are you okay?” a trenchant voice asks Jongin who’s unconsciously shaking his knees while his face is being polished. The lady smears a pink blusher onto Jongin’s cheeks.
He never likes pink blusher.
He looked at the lady’s name in her nametag, “I’m fine, um, Miss Park Yoora.”
Yoora smiles. “Don’t worry, Director Hwang is a funny person. You’d like working with her,” And then Yoora tells him about how great Director Hwang is, and Jongin is having a hard time keeping his eye contact with Yoora when all of his attention is glued to a short man who’s walking back and forth near the make-up truck, carrying some costumes while yelling to his junior who cannot keep their pace.
It’s Kyungsoo.
Freaking Do Kyungsoo.
Jongin cannot be wrong. It must be him; he’s still short, alright, and his voice remains the same. He’s got piercing on his left ear too, if Jongin is not mistaken but clearly can see something gleaming on his ear.
He refrains to not to ask Yoora about him but then Jongin’s heartbeat won’t slow down forever if he doesn’t.
“Um, excuse me to interrupt, that guy over there…”
Yoora turns her head, “Oh, right, Kyungsoo!”
Jongin swears his blood stops running for a second when Yoora mentioned his name.
It’s really him.
“Kyungsoo!” Yoora yells again, now making Kyungsoo turns his head to their direction. Jongin abruptly grabs make up magazine lying on top of the table to cover his face before Kyungsoo sees him.
“Yes, Noona?” Jongin hears deep, soft voice coming closer.
“Is that the costume for the next scene?” Short pause. “Then wait here, I’m sure that one’s for him. I’m going to finish giving make-up soon.”
“Alright,” the soft voice answers.
Jongin hears Kyungsoo hops in to the truck and pulls the chair near him as it creaks when Kyungsoo sits down. Jongin holds his magazine tighter, and then his heart almost jumps when he realizes that he’s holding the magazine upside down.
“My dear,” Yoora singsongs, “I can’t draw your brow if you cover your face. After this you’re done, I promise.”
Damn.
Throwing his pride, Jongin coughs and slowly pulls down the magazine. Yoora continues to fill his brow with a pencil, meanwhile Jongin tries to look at Kyungsoo from the corner of his eyes.
It is a bad decision because their eyes meet when Jongin’s heart hasn’t prepared for it yet.
If Kyungsoo is shocked, he doesn’t show it. His face doesn’t twitch, but the look in his eyes states that he’s as clueless as Jongin. This makes Jongin more nervous.
“Okay, now you’re good to go,” Yoora says, giving a thumb up before turning her head to Kyungsoo.”Hey, don’t scare him with that glare, will you?” She chuckles before she gets off the truck and leaves.
Now it’s only the two of them in the make-up truck.
Three, with the mannequin in the corner.
The only sound they can hear is the bird’s chirping outside, and maybe their own rapid heartbeats.
Jongin’s eyes skip around the room; left, right, anywhere but Kyungsoo’s direction. He did tell Sehun that he wanted to meet Kyungsoo, but not this soon! And now Jongin’s courage is nowhere to be found.
“Um,” Jongin clears his throat. “The hanbok…”
Kyungsoo still eyes him fiercely, and then half-throwing the outer hanbok to Jongin.
“Why are you here?” Kyungsoo probes.
Jongin doesn’t expect a warm welcome, really. “I-came for Sehun. And, uh, Director Hwang wants me to be a cameo.”
“Then you can do it yourself, can’t you?” Kyungsoo says, referring to the hanbok. His tones are ice-cold, and Jongin cannot bear looking at Kyungsoo who’s now standing while crossing his arms in front of him.
Jongin slowly nods. “I’ll try…”
Jongin thinks that Kyungsoo will go after handing him the hanbok set, but he stays there, sitting while crossing his legs. The frown between his brows hasn’t disappeared, though.
Jongin starts by discarding his jeans, leaving him in white T-shirt and boxer. He quickly wears the satin trousers and then fastens the bands on his waist, and then slips his arms into the jeogori. He sighs in relief when there’s still one piece of thick outer silk robe because it’s pretty cold outside. The robe is light blue and it has some delicate decorations around the collar. This durumagi is the last piece of hanbok, so he’ll just tie the long ribbon and then he’s done.
But Jongin sucks at tying. He tries fastening it but then the tie loses again, and again, and again. This is one sole reason why he doesn’t have any converse in his shoe closet.
Jongin finally looks at Kungsoo helplessly. Kyungsoo sighs and walks slowly towards him. Instead of tying the belt, Kyungsoo opens the robe and then finds that the jeogori, the inner shirt, isn’t properly tied either.
“You haven’t changed,” he mutters softly. After that Kyungsoo’s arms encircles Jongin’s waist to measure the length of the band as the overcoat belt. He then starts to tie it like a pro. The taller man lifts his arms a little to give Kyungsoo easier access to adjust the belt.
And suddenly he’s thankful that at the age of twenty six, he (still) cannot tie anything properly or he won’t get this close to Kyungsoo.
When the distance is only one fist away, Jongin can smell Kyungsoo’s cologne-the same cologne he used during high school.
It’s so him. Kyungsoo tends to use the same thing over and over again like the green pullover, the striped backpack, or the black Nike until they’re worn out, and he’ll use the same brand for years if he really likes it. If Kyungsoo says that he prefers something new to the old, comfortable one, then it’s a lie. His own loyalty betrays it.
Jongin’s heart beats fast and he cannot think straight when he catches a whiff of familiar scent of musk and sandalwood. Jongin’s head starts to recall things from the high school era when he snuggled his nose in Kyungsoo’s neck to inhale the relaxing scent, and then sneaking in to suck some skin until he left a purple mark. And he wouldn’t stop at that. He’d be happy when Kyungsoo smiled and then pulled his nape to draw him into a kiss, his delicate fingers rubbing to his neck and sometimes his chest. They would whisper the word of love to each other until Sehun forcefully pulled them back to earth before they went further.
Except that right now is not high school. The era has been long gone, but it doesn’t stop Jongin from grinning into the memories.
“Why are you laughing?”
Jongin stops grinning and then he stutters. “Um, no. It’s just… years have passed, and you’re still wearing Tamdao. It’s been… five, six years?”
Jongin will regret later because he brought the topic of time.
“You mean seven?” Kyungsoo sneers. He takes one step back and then turns around to rearrange the make-up tools on the table, his back facing Jongin. “Let me do the math. It’s been seven years since we last met. That was at the airport. And then, it’s been five years since you last called. And last year, you finally told me that we’re breaking up.” Kyungsoo puts the make-up into a box, but not gently.
“Do you want some additional explanation? You left me for four years without any explanation.”
Jongin bites his lips hearing the sarcasm in Kyungsoo’s tone. “I’m-I’m sorry.”
His meek apology only gets a shrug from Kyungsoo.
“Oh, no, no, it’s okay,” he says it lightly, a bit over-pitched, even. “Because it has been years, just like you said.” He gives the stress at the word ‘years’ while closing the make-up box with a loud thud.
Well. He’s clearly angry right now.
“And I think it doesn’t matter to you anymore now that years have passed. Doesn’t it, Jongin?”
Before Jongin can answer, Kyungsoo turns around and then busying himself rearranging the make-up tools that are scattered on the desk.
Jongin tries to change the topic. “I-I didn’t expect to see you here, hyung. I thought you’re working in a gallery in Gangnam.”
“I did. I’m still a painter, though. I’m just holding a different brush,” He lifts his ID card and it says ‘Do Kyungsoo - Make-up Department’.
Jongin nods. “Ah, I see. I thought you’re in charge of costume,”
“I’m just helping.” Kyungsoo walks toward Jongin and then fixing Jongin’s collar. He looks up at Jongin’s face and sigh. Jongin goes red in the face because he doesn’t expect this at all. He thinks that Kyungsoo would slap him or something.
“Your lips need some color.” Kyungsoo rummages through tons of lipsticks in the box.
Jongin claps his hands a little too excitedly when he remembers something. “Oh, I remember now. You once helped the girls from drama club to apply their make-ups. They were very satisfied because you did better than them. So, now you’re going pro? Whoa hyung that’s cool!”
Jongin sees Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, making Jongin somehow embarrassed because he is the only one who’s excited to meet again.
Kyungsoo lifts up his chin a little to apply some lip gloss to his lips. Jongin is now sitting in a plastic chair while Kyungsoo stands between his legs to apply the lip gloss. Jongin wants to close his eyes and succumbs to Kyungsoo’s touch, but he wants to count Kyungsoo’s eyelashes as well. They never seem so pretty like this; illuminated by morning rays of sunlight that creeps through the truck’s open door.
He doesn’t care if Kyungsoo isn’t delighted to see him, or angry at him, even, but Jongin is happy. He can’t help himself but chuckles.
“Stop laughing, I can’t apply this properly.”
“Hehe. Sorry. I’m just glad you look healthy, hyung.” Kyungsoo stops coloring Jongin’s lips to let him speak. “And actually, I’ve been looking for you.”
“Why?”
“Well, you replied my letter.”
Kyungsoo sighs. “And I told you to fuck off.”
Somebody knocks the doorframe before Jongin can say anything. It was the assistant director.
“Kyungsoo, Kai has to be ready in five minutes. He can wait in the tent, okay?”
“Alright,” both of them answers.
“Hyung, wait-you’ll be around, right?”
Kyungsoo flips his not-so-long bangs. His hair strands fall slowly onto his forehead. Now he has very short clean haircut, but Jongin still wants to ruffle that hair if he’s given the chance.
“Well, I’m working here.” Kyungsoo answers.
“Does that mean that I can see you again?”
“I’m busy, though. Come on you have to hurry up,”
Jongin catches Kyungsoo’s small wrist before he turns around and gives it a light squeeze. “See you later?”
Kyungsoo looks at Jongin in the eyes. He gives up.
“See you later,”
Jongin nods and smiles. He knows that it’s kind of a good start, but he doesn’t know that the warmth from his hand lingers in his hyung’s skin for the rest of the day.
✈✈✈
The first thing Kyungsoo does after he makes sure that all actors look flawless is looking for Sehun. He finds him resting in the tent, drinking orange juice with his sunglasses on. He doesn’t have any scenes today, but he’s here anyway.
Kyungsoo kicks Sehun’s shin right when he approaches the younger, and the latter just laughs at his hyung’s annoyed expression. The other staffs doesn’t really bother that their main actor is getting kicked (“HYUNG, IT HURTS!”), because they know that Sehun and that small guy from make-up department are best friends prior to Sehun’s dramatic announcement on the first day of filming.
“You little brat, why didn’t you tell me that he’s coming today?” Kyungsoo screeches. He sits beside Sehun and swears softly because if he had known that Jongin would come here today, he would pretend to be sick and not coming to work at all.
The younger friend only laughs it off. “Hyung, listen to me, if I didn’t do that, you guys will never ever meet. Jongin doesn’t know either that you’re here.”
Kyungsoo clicks his tongue. “Still, you should’ve told me.”
“But I think you guys need to talk... Finish what you haven’t finished.”
Kyungsoo still looks troubled, so Sehun keeps talking even though he’s not sure if his hyung really listens. “I know he’s breaking up with you in a very un-cool way. I can’t believe he’s sending a postcard, a freaking Big Ben postcard saying that you’ll be happier without him and that you should forget him and find someone new and blah blah blah. He’s dumb, an asshole, if I may say. But hyung, you have to know that he never forgets you even once. You can check his wallet; I bet he slips your photograph underneath his credit cards.”
Kyungsoo still hasn’t said anything. He looks at his own boots with a frown on his face.
“It’s been too long, Sehun. I forgot him already. I have-” Kyungsoo doesn’t finish the sentence. He breathes the cold air and lets it out with a hard feeling. “I have moved on. And you know exactly why I can’t get back with him.”
Kyungsoo stares at Sehun sternly.
Sehun sighs. “Chanyeol doesn’t have to know that you meet him, hyung. Just give Jongin a chance to explain. I know he has reasons.”
“I don’t think I can bear spending time with him anymore. I was almost furious earlier.”
“Hyung, you don’t need much time. Maybe an hour is enough? Let him explain; you listen to him, and then you guys are done.” Sehun raises his eyebrows. “How’s that sound?”
Kyungsoo contemplates. “Only an hour?”
“Yes. Give him an hour. And then you can go,”
Kyungsoo closes his eyes. Should I?
✈✈✈
In the meantime, Kyungsoo strolls around the set carrying his make-up box and finally sits on the bench with other staff. Currently, Director Hwang is taking Jongin’s scene and Kyungsoo cannot deny that he’s curious about Jongin’s acting. And he is kind of hiding behind a bulky man so Jongin won’t see him.
After several takes, Jongin’s part is done. The staff claps and he’s getting compliments especially from older female staff. Jongin then looks around and catches Kyungsoo sitting on a bench while hugging his make-up box. He waves to his hyung, but Kyungsoo doesn’t flinch. He clearly sees Jongin doing that, but he won’t budge. He is sure Jongin can’t see him. But Jongin waves harder.
Kyungsoo looks around to his right and left but then nobody seems to acknowledge Jongin, so he points his index finger at his own face. He mouths, “Me?”
Jongin nods vigorously. Kyungsoo is taken aback.
Jongin approaches Kyungsoo with light steps, lifting his robe, trying to walk carefully on the stone steps and then whines about how hot it is.
“When can I get off this costume? It’s hot, hyung. The morning sun makes it hotter.”
“The sun’s harmless during this time. You can change that later,” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. Jongin is weird. He’s hot when everyone feels chilly.
Wait, not is hot, but feels hot.
“Should I undress myself? It’s too hot. You would help me undress, right?”
“Yeah yeah I will, now you go back to the set. Director Hwang might need you.”
Jongin grins and chuckles slowly, and that’s when Kyungsoo gets the pun.
Oh dear God.
“I-I mean, I won’t undress you! I’ll just help you take the costume back...”
Jongin laughs. He remembers he always teased Kyungsoo only to trigger his reaction (which is mostly cute, awkward reaction but still cute).
Jongin scouts closer and fanning himself. When the bulky man excuses himself, Jongin sits there.
“Hyung, when is your shift done?” He says it carefully, almost whispering.
“Why? I’m not even sure.”
“If… If you have time, if you’re not tired… Can we talk?”
Kyungsoo looks at Jongin’s pleading eyes, and then looks away before he drowns in the brown of his iris.
“I don’t know… I guess I’ll finish late.”
“I’ll wait?”
“Oh, you guys are here!” Yoora, coming towards them, chuckles. “You’re friend with Kai too, Kyungsoo? I should be aware sooner because Kai is friend with Sehun, and you’re friend with Sehun too.”
Jongin smiles. Yoora sits beside him. “Yes, noona, he’s my high school senior.”
Yoora nods. “So the three of you are high school friends. How was he during high school time?”
“Just the same, only a little smaller,” Jongin answers. He backs off when Kyungsoo glares at him.
Yoora laughs.
“Your senior is cute, isn’t he? Tell him the piercing doesn’t suit him.”
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “My ears are mine so don’t tell me what to do.”
“Wow, look at this kid, trying to be scary.” Yoora eyes him. “Anyway, you’re coming to the gala dinner, aren’t you, Kyungsoo? It’s later tonight.”
“Eh, gala dinner?” Jongin asks.
“Oh, right!” She turns to Jongin. “I guess you’re invited too. That, if you’re still in town. It’s like, a monthly outing.”
“Are you coming too, hyung?”
Yoora answers for him, “Of course! For staff, it’s mandatory. We’ll have a small meeting. Well, kind of.”
Jongin smiles, “Well, let’s see,”
He winks to Kyungsoo when Yoora’s not looking. Kyungsoo covers his face with his palms.
✈✈✈
Apparently, ‘gala dinner’ means squeezing fifty or so people to a small restaurant that serves delicious chicken and beers. Jongin’s overwhelmed by the film crews’ bond; he sees people from different department blend with the others in each table.
Thank God he doesn’t wear anything fancy; only jeans, purple dress shirt and a blazer. He almost wears slacks and bowtie when he heard ‘gala dinner’. Jongin forgets that it’s not the modeling world. In that side of the world, gala dinner means showing off table manner skill and maybe how ‘important’ someone is, according to the table arrangement. And then there’s a party after, preferably with no strings attached to their bodies.
Sehun tells him to eat with him and other actors. After a while, he excuses himself to look for Kyungsoo. Sehun gives him a wink before Jongin responding it by rolling his eyes. Jongin finds Kyungsoo at the table near the entrance with some ladies; probably the rest of make-up department. Yoora is there too. Initially Jongin wants to text him to meet him outside but then he forgot to ask his number.
He tries so hard giving signal to Kyungsoo without really appearing in front of his co-workers. He just doesn’t want Kyungsoo to be gossiped or to be taken advantage just because he’s “friends” with celebrity.
Finally, Kyungsoo notices Jongin’s cue and excuses himself. He grabs his green parka and his bag. Yoora notices Jongin and then the tanned man bows to the head of make-up department.
Kyungsoo follows Jongin to the parking lot, and then Jongin opens the passenger door for Kyungsoo.
Kyungsoo hesitates. “I thought we’re just going to talk.”
“We will. But not here. Let’s go for a drive?”
Kyungsoo sighs. For a split of millisecond, his heart says no but then he won’t be in peace if he doesn’t settle things with Jongin. So he gets in and put the safety belt silently. Kyungsoo texts Yoora saying that he’ll come back late to the motel so the crews don’t have to wait up for him. It’s just Jongin anyway.
He won’t kidnap me… He’s good at driving… He got the driver license earlier than I did...
“Listen to me,” Kyungsoo starts as Jongin ignites the engine. “I’m doing this for Sehun. He wanted us to talk so… I think I should give it a try. I’ll give you one hour.”
Jongin chuckles. “An hour? Hyung, I think I need all day…”
Kyungsoo’s brows crease. “You mean all night? It’s ten o’clock, Jongin.”
“If I have to,”
“Wait, do you really mean it?”
Jongin laughs. He grabs his phone from the dashboard and then punches a voice mail button. “Yah, Oh Sehun, I’m taking Kyungsoo-hyung around, and I promise I’ll keep him safe. If he’s not back by tomorrow, you know who to sue.”
Jongin turns his head to Kyungsoo while smirking. “See? You’ll be safe. At least somebody knows where you are.”
Kyungsoo sighs, his head leans back to the headrest. “I hope you’re taking me to spa or something. My limbs are sore all over.”
The younger gives him a good laugh. “As you wish, your majesty.”
Well, it’s a good start.
✈✈✈
As expected, Kyungsoo falls asleep just after ten minutes of drive. Jongin actually doesn’t mind because he knows Kyungsoo should be resting right now after working all day long. Jongin had rested well after his scene is shot-he somehow got to stroll around Gyeongju to take pictures. He went to Gyochon traditional village and then visited Jungang market.
Jongin is kind of relieved now that Kyungsoo’s sleeping; he can eye him freely without getting a death glare. Kyungsoo still looks pretty. He loses the shape of his jaw, indeed, they’re replaced with the baby fats that actually fits him. He looks healthy; his skin is glowing, and his brows are still bushy. The only prominent change is the piercing on his left ear. The small, round metal earring is gleaming when the city streetlight shines through.
✈✈✈
Kyungsoo finally wakes up when he feels the car isn’t moving anymore. He finds a blazer draped on him like a blanket, but Jongin is no longer in the driver’s seat when he searches him. Kyungsoo opens the door and then wears the blazer. The sleeves cover his fingertips and the tail of the blazer reaches his thighs.
“Where is this…?” his voice is hoarse. He desperately needs water. He grabs his phone from the pocket, squinting his eyes to focus on the too-bright screen to check the time.
00:02 AM.
Dear God, just how far is Jongin taking him?
He looks around, and then he realizes that he is in the parking lot in the rest area of a highway somewhere. But it seems familiar; he has been here before. Probably with the staff. There are food stalls and small restaurants, but most of them are closed. However, the parking lot seems full. He sees some people gather at the coffee stall, talking to each other to kill the sleepiness.
He sees Jongin sitting on the desk in front of the mini market across the car, a cup of coffee in front him. He approaches him while stumbling on his feet.
“Yah, you kidnap me.”
“Oh, you woke up.” Jongin pats the chair beside him, telling Kyungsoo to sit there. “I’m sorry, hyung. I should’ve let you go home. You look so exhausted. I didn’t have the heart to wake you up. So I drove and I went too far…”
“It’s okay.” Kyungsoo puts his head on the table carefully so he won’t knock Jongin’s coffee.
“Hey,” Kyungsoo looks at Jongin. “Since when do you like coffee?”
“It’s not mine.” Jongin moves the coffee cup an inch closer to Kyungsoo. “Tofee nut for you. There’s Starbucks right there.”
Kyungsoo stares at the cup and then sighs. He doesn’t like it when Jongin still remember something of him, even the most trivial one. But then he remembers that Jongin doesn’t like coffee.
“Thanks,” Kyungsoo says. He’ll drink that later. “Hey, Jongin.”
“Hmm?” Jongin smiles. It’s the first time Kyungsoo calls him by name today. And he doesn’t know that his name will sound so good when Kyungsoo is the one who says it.
“I dreamt about the spa. And a good massage.”
Jongin suddenly laughs until his eyes are teary. “You’re so full of surprise, hyung. And actually, that’s why I’m taking you here.”
Kyungsoo makes a ‘what’ face.
“Are you still sleepy? Do you want me to carry you?”
Kyungsoo suddenly gets up. “No. I’m awake. Where’s the spa?”
Jongin grins. He can clearly see Kyungsoo’s ears redden. “Spa? Yeah let’s go to ‘spa’, Mr. Penguin.”
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and then following Jongin to the ‘spa’.
“I am not a penguin.” He says, flapping his sleeve.
✈✈✈
They walk past their car and enter the larger building across the parking lot. Well, it might not be a spa, but it’s as good as spa because Kyungsoo eyes shine brightly when he sees it: a row of massaging chairs.
Kyungsoo closes his eyes when he feels the chair moving softly and punches his back and his calves. He really likes Korean rest areas because they provide free massaging chair. Jongin joins him by taking the seat beside him. Jongin smiles, finally seeing Kyungsoo’s radiant smile after giving him a cold expression all day long. He silently puts his phone and films Kyungsoo enjoying the massage. The elder notices and snaps at Jongin.
“Don’t upload that online, ok-hayy?” his voice vibrates as the chair moves.
“No, this will be my personal collection. Who knows when I’ll be back to Korea again?”
“Oh?” Kyungsoo stares. “You’re not staying?”
Jongin smiles. “Yes. I’ll go back around next week.”
Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything. He leans back to the chair and lets the machine do its work.
✈✈✈
After a good ten minutes, they’re back in the car. Kyungsoo buys another cup of toffee nut to keep him awake, but actually he’s awake enough after he gets a good massage.
Apparently, the rest area isn’t far from the outskirt of Gyeongju. They’ll reach the town in no time, especially at night like this when there are not many vehicles around. Now they’re back to the road with trees at the right and left side, giving signs that they’re close the town.
It’s two in the morning now, and Jongin thinks that it’s the right time to start the ‘real’ conversation. “Hyung, when did you receive my letter?”
“A year ago.”
“Did you read it?”
Kyungsoo eyes him. “I still remember word by word.”
“I… I should’ve never sent that letter. It was a mistake. I know this sound silly, but right then I was frustrated and then wrote the letter. I hesitated when I was about to drop it on the post box, and then I accidentally dropped it.”
“How silly,” Kyungsoo mutters. His eyes look straight to the darkness of the road.
“I’m sorry,” Jongin continues.
“For what?”
“For everything.”
Kyungsoo sneers. ‘Everything’ is too vague. There’s too much in everything, yet too little if you say it so lightly.
Kyungsoo’s eyes lock to the dashboard. “I thought I would never see you again.”
“Yet, here I am…”
“Yet here you are,” Kyungsoo closes his eyes.
Jongin clenches the wheel hard and shifts his sitting position. He coughs. “So, will you forgive me?”
Kyungsoo eyes him, trying so hard not to laugh because, oh my, does Jongin feels uncomfortable because of him?
“Why are you so awkward? It’s your own car.” Kyungsoo tugs Jongin’s left arm, sending signal for him to loosen up. “And you said sorry too many times today. Huh, what kind of atmosphere is this?”
Jongin pouts. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”
Kyungsoo lets out a small chuckle. “I’ll forgive you later.”
Jongin does not drive fast; in fact he is driving very slowly because he doesn’t want to drop Kyungsoo just yet. Kyungsoo’s touch still lingers on his arms, seeping through the fabrics of his shirt, sending sparks to his brain, to his heart, to his memories.
It’s been so long since they’re going on a drive. Kyungsoo, back then, kept Jongin awake by pinching him and talking to him when Jongin starts to doze off. They never traveled far; but Jongin tends to be sleepy when he’s driving. So wherever he went, he needed someone to accompany him.
And his senior Do Kyungsoo had the honor to be his traveling mate even though they’re only going to Goyang for the sake of tasting the famous kimchi bokkeumbap. It was a once-a-month trip, but when Jongin had a full control of his small Toyota because his sister had bought a new one, it became a weekly trip. He lost count how many Saturday nights he had spent with Kyungsoo; and he lost count how many times Kyungsoo mesmerized him.
He confessed to Kyungsoo under the starry night when they went camping with his friends. And Jongin was surprised because Kyungsoo thought that they’re already boyfriends since long time ago.
✈✈✈
Kyungsoo breaks the silence of the night by turning on the radio. “Do you mind?”
“Actually I prefer you to sing instead.”
“Well, I don’t really sing anymore.”
“What a pity, you’re handsome when you sing.”
When Jongin doesn’t receive an answer, he turns his head to his right and then he actually sees Kyungsoo blushing.
Jongin tries so hard not to squirm in his seat.
“You’re… taking me back to the motel, right?” Kyungsoo says softly.
“Well, I came all the way to Gyeongju and then I met you, and all I can do is only to bring you to the rest area? Hyung, please. And you still haven’t forgiven me.” Jongin purses his lips.
Kyungsoo surrenders. “Just bring me home before my shift tomorrow.”
Jongin’s nose flares. “No problem! So, hyung…There’s this place that opens only at night. This place-”
“-Waaaait. If you’re taking me to the red district, I’d better get off here right here, right now. I’ll fetch a cab.”
“Nooo! Not that, hyung. No. Oh gosh. Let me finish!”
Kyungsoo laughs at the passenger seat. “I know, I’m just teasing you. There’s no red district in this area.”
“Huh, you’re making me nervous. And I’m taking you to the observatory, actually.”
Kyungsoo frowns because as far as he knows, observatory is only located in Seoul or Busan. “What observatory?”
✈✈✈
Apparently, the observatory which Jongin refers to is Cheomseongdae Observatory, the ancient one. It is located near Banwolseong Fortress. The observatory is one of South Korea’s national treasures, a heritage of Silla kingdom that existed hundreds of years ago.
Much to Jongin’s delight, the observatory is open. They walk to the stone building over the hill with three other visitors who also just came.
“You should’ve told me… I could bring my camera here.” Says Kyungsoo as he walks on the wet grass under. The path to the observatory is uphill but his energy is close to zero so Jongin has to help him by grabbing his arms and leads the way for him.
“After this, you have to treat me supper. I left the dinner before I finished eating because of you.”
“My bad, my bad. I’ll buy you meat if we find any open restaurant at this hour.”
They climb to the top of the stone structure, hoping to see the stars but the cloud’s too grey. The officer says it’s going to rain soon, that’s why the cloud covers the stars above.
So Jongin and Kyungsoo sit on the cold stone while warming their hands in their own coat pockets. Jongin let Kyungsoo wears his blazer because Kyungsoo’s green parka is too thin for two-in-the-morning air. Kyungsoo refused at first, but Jongin insist. He’s got himself an extra coat from the trunk, anyway.
They talk about their job in the past five years; what they did and what they didn’t. Kyungsoo finally finds out that Jongin couldn’t go home for years because of his strict management and his visa problem. Jongin came back for chuseok back then in 2013 when he had a chance, but he didn’t get to see his friends.
“I was struggling with my English-you know how shitty my pronunciation was, right? But then after a year, I can finally understand their accent without looking into the dictionary. And now I can survive the cinema without any subtitles. And guess what? While I’m gone, my eldest sister has been very productive. I’m uncle Nini now.”
“Uncle Nini?” Kyungsoo cringes at the nickname. “Well, I’m also an uncle of three… Seungsoo-hyung’s married not long after we graduate.”
“Oh, Seungsoo-hyung. I wonder how he’s doing now,”
“Oh, he’s very much alive and kicking. Still has a sly tongue.”
Jongin chuckles. “Yeah I remember him scolding us all the time…”
Kyungsoo is fiddling with his nails. His nails are getting longer and he doesn’t like that. He really needs to cut his nails once he gets home…
“Look, hyung.” Jongin scoots closer to the shorter man. Not seeking warmth, but he’s afraid that Kyungsoo will go away, so he clutches his hand to the hem of the coat, as if to keep him close. “I’m sorry… for staying there longer than what I promised you.”
Kyungsoo holds his breath. He looks down at his boots, and then gets up to make stone rocks on the mossy stone fence. Jongin lets go the fabrics on his hands.
“Do you,” Kyungsoo starts, “do you know why our relationship didn’t work?” He turns to Jongin who’s also looking at him while nodding slowly.
It is a rhetorical question. Both of them already know the reason; the unspoken truth.
After high school graduation, Jongin was scouted by an agency and he’s got casted in some CFs. Soon Jongin became famous, but he wanted to be a model instead. He ditched his university to go to England to pursue his career; and he got accepted into a modeling school.
Kyungsoo sent Jongin to the airport that day, wishing Jongin a blissful life. Jongin promised that he would come back soon after he graduated, but then Jongin ended up getting accepted in Storm, the most prestigious modeling agency in London.
Kyungsoo understood. With that, Jongin had to stay there longer than what he had promised. There was no problem, anyway. They can keep in touch easily now that the internet did its job really well.
One year of their long distance relationship was perfectly fine. They sent e-mails every two days or so, and sometimes make international phone call even though it’s only for saying good night and good morning at the other side. Back then there’s no KakaoTalk or LineCall or such, so the only way to communicate was through letters, emails, and phone calls.
Being the romantic boyfriend, Jongin chose to send Kyungsoo postcards which he got from all around the states. Jongin had always been romantic; and he was really good with words. Sometimes he sent silly puns, sometimes he sent poems. Kyunsoo had become a postcard collector; he pasted all he postcards he got on the fridge door. Kyungsoo replied the message with pictures; of his and his friends, or even with Monggu when Kyungsoo was generous enough to visit Monggu at his house. Kyungsoo was never good with words, so he let Jongin did all the sweet talk.
They were happy.
But then, Jongin sent little postcards after six months; phone calls also became less frequent. And then at the second year, he never sent any. Kyungsoo knew Jongin was busy now that he’s a permanent model showered by tons of job, and Kyungsoo was also busy with his master’s degree so he didn’t really think much about it. He still saw Jongin on TV, though. He still mentioned Jongin’s name on late night prayer, as always. Besides, Jongin would come back in the meantime and they’d be fine.
Or so he thought.
After two years, Jongin didn’t come back. One day in the warmth of spring, Kyungsoo received a package from England. Kyungsoo was the happiest man right then. He walked pass his mother and go straight to the living room where the package lays. He knew it was from Jongin. He was expecting a longer letter, yet what he received was only a piece of postcard from London.
‘Hyung, let’s break up.’
There was more written under the first sentence, but Kyungsoo didn’t bother to read the rest of them. He didn’t come out from his house for a week.
Sehun and his other friends helped him getting back on his feet, and then Kyungsoo finally could forget Jongin when he met Kris, his boss in the gallery he was working at. But when Kyungsoo and Kris didn’t work out anymore, there was Junmyeon but then it didn’t last long either. Not even with Taemin who resembles Jongin so much.
Kyungsoo almost gave up. He laughed at the super cliché quote “first love never dies,” but it kind of hurt when he finally experienced it himself.
But life is a wheel. When a bad thing happened to you, there’s always a good thing following behind. Kyungsoo found his hidden talent; he could make the ugly duckling into a beautiful swan just with the touch of his fingers. He knows how to play with colors and he is a good friend with any kind of brushes. So when his boss decided to close down the gallery, Kyungsoo already knew what he wanted to do. Soon he’s joining some film productions or theaters, thanks to his friends and colleagues.
He knows that choosing this path means that someday, he’ll cross-path with Jongin, but so be it.
And apparently, it took them several years to meet again by fate.
The dawn is coming near, and the wind is getting colder. Jongin and Kyungsoo decide to end their star-hunting. Both of them are drowning in their own memories.
They walk to Jongin’s car in silence.
Part 2