Chapter Text
Minseok was either an angel sent from Heaven to guide him, or the devil on his shoulder leading him to temptation. As for now though, he needed to thank him with front row tickets and a VIP experience for a NewJeans concert, because somehow, he was at Haidilao with Sanghyeok. Just the two of them.
Minseok had given him a wink behind Wooje’s back, feigning sick as his fellow omega fussed over him. Sanghyeok had looked on worryingly then, and it seemed like he was close to cancelling going to Haidilao altogether. But Minseok had somehow convinced Sanghyeok to go, citing that it would lessen the stress on him knowing Sanghyeok would have some food in his belly.
Jihoon received a text on the way to Haidilao that he should make good use of this opportunity, because Minseok would never refuse the chance to eat Haidilao on Sanghyeok’s dime ever again.
Jaehyuk had also refused their offer, and in turn so had Kanavi. Probably because he hadn’t actually texted either of them, but what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. Plus, he’d make it up to Jaehyuk and Kanavi another time. Maybe.
“It’s unfortunate no one else could come.” Sanghyeok sighed. “It would’ve been nice we could come together as a team.”
“You don’t have to sound so disappointed to come here with me.” He joked. They’d just arrived at Haidilao, able to secure a private spot in a corner of the restaurant with a quick signature. Jihoon wasn’t the type to pull the Pro-Player card, but it was a busy night, and the hostess seemed to realize who they were fairly quickly anyways.
Sanghyeok shook his head and smiled. “I didn’t mean to make it sound like that. I’m glad to be here with just you too, Jihoon-ah.”
Jihoon leaned back against the soft cushions of his seat, observing the fast flutters of Sanghyeok’s long eyelashes and the upturned curve of his lips. The yellow lights bathed him in a softness Jihoon was unfamiliar with, a warmth he wanted for himself.
He returned Sanghyeok’s smile. “I’m excited to finally be here with you. I know a whole list of people who’d pay to be here right now.”
Sanghyeok rolled his eyes. “Who says I’m not going to be charging you? It’ll be a thousand won per second.”
“Hyung, are you giving me a discount? I heard it was ten thousand won per minute.~ I didn’t know you were that fond of me already.”
“Well, I’ve heard you only own one pair of pants, black plaid pajamas. I was just looking out for my fellow midlaner.”
Jihoon broke first. “Hyung! Those pants are super comfy. And I don’t only own one pair! That’d be gross.”
“You’ll have to let me borrow a pair then.”
Jihoon immediately blushed, the image of Sanghyeok in his clothes causing his heart to do somersaults. The way they’d be oversized, his pants hanging low and loose on the omega’s hips-- Jihoon shook his brain back in order.
“They’re just normal pajama pants, hyung. Nothing crazy special. Plus, we’re more alike than you think. I know you only wear T1 merch everywhere.” He pouted.
“Like you said, they’re comfy. I definitely recommend any of the sweatpants or sweaters. They’re great quality and incredibly soft.” Sanghyeok explained robotically, so much so Jihoon suspected he was actually advertising them.
“If you say so, I’ll have to buy something. Maybe having Faker on my back will lead me to a Worlds title.”
Sanghyeok smiled gently. “You’ll definitely get there, with just your pure talent and honed skills. There are some things in the world that are inevitable.”
Jihoon’s words got caught in his throat,
At some point, Jihoon had started to believe that no matter how much tried, how much he practiced, or how much he wanted to lift that trophy above his head, that it was something he’d never have. Yes, even without the title of World Champion, he was already regarded as one of the greatest players to be, his mechanical prowess and oppressive playstyle let dominate others and carry his teammates. But as his time in the league grew and grew, he worried that his dream would one day get tired of waiting and sprout legs, running faster than he could catch up.
But Sanghyeok’s simple belief in him, said with such calm certainty--. Jihoon took a deep breath. It only made sense that the person who lit the fire inside him would be the same one who would keep it alive, breathing life into its flickering flame.
“Thanks, hyung. I appreciate it.” More than you know. “Are you about ready to order?”
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Jihoon was somewhat cute.
Sanghyeok had always thought that the snaggleteeth had suited him well, even if they weren’t socially seen as good-looking. They were mischievous and boyish, and if Sanghyeok could describe Jihoon’s personality in two words, it would be just that.
He was slightly disappointed to no longer see the teeth poking out of the alpha’s mouth, a kind of testament to how much he’d grown in his time in the LCK. But he couldn’t complain much either, because Jihoon’s post-braces smile matched his handsome face well.
The other seemed much too preoccupied in finishing the last bites of the meats they’d ordered, beaming brightly once he’d finished. Maybe Jihoon was much too handsome, he mused, as the alpha somehow managed to pull off a piece of lettuce stuck in between his teeth.
“Jihoon-ah.” Once the alpha looked up, he lifted a slim finger and pointed to his teeth.
Jihoon’s face reddened slowly, and he quickly picked his phone up. The red spread down his neck and he picked the lettuce out cleanly, coughing into his fist.
Cute.
“Just so you know, when I go out to eat, I’m usually not embarrassing myself by having food stuck in my teeth.”
Sanghyeok held his hands up in a calming way. “No judgment from me. Anyways, good to go?”
“Mhm, I just gotta run to the bathroom real quick. Do you mind ordering me a chocolate ice cream?”
“Good choice. I like chocolate too.” He nodded approvingly.
Jihoon grinned cheekily. “Great minds think alike. I’ll be right back!”
The alpha’s tall figure disappeared quickly from his sight, whispers arising from the tables around them as he passed by. He could hear them talk of how handsome he was, with a great smile and striking eyes, of how lucky anyone would be to be with him.
Sanghyeok wondered if there was anyone in Jihoon’s life, if there was someone that he cherished and loved, someone who he had to keep secret because of their line of work. He wouldn’t be surprised if the alpha did, he wouldn’t be the first nor the last. Even Sanghyeok himself had someone who he loved more than anything, whose image he thought of first thing in the morning, who he dreamt of every night.
“Excuse me, sir.” A waitress cleared her throat, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Would you like to order any more meats?”
“We’re okay, but could we please get two chocolate ice creams?”
“Perfect, and are you ready for your check?”
“Please. Here’s my card.”
The waitress clicked on her tablet, sliding his card before taking a deep breath. “Also.. Faker-nim, you can say no, of course, but I was wondering if it was possible to get your signature? Just on my phone case? I’ve been your fan for years now, and I couldn’t miss this opportunity.” She rushed out.
“Of course, I’d be more than happy to.” She brightened at his approval, her trembling hands offering him a marker and his card back. “Your Korean is quite good, did you learn it when you were younger or lived there before?”
“Ah, thank you! Hearing that from you makes me happy,” She blushed. “But I’m actually half Korean. Every summer when I was younger, I would be sent to live with my grandparents in Incheon. Plus, my mom spoke it with me when I was here, since my parents wanted me to learn both Mandarin and Korean.” He scribbled a Faker on her case as she talked, handing it back to her with a smile when she finished.
“Thank you so much, Faker-nim! I’ll frame this for my future kids to see.” She said seriously, clutching her phone tight to her chest.
He chuckled, “Thank you for supporting me for many years. I hope you support me for many more.”
“Hey, I want a Faker autograph too. What do I have to do to get one of those, hyung?” Jihoon’s voice came from behind their waitress..
“Don’t be ridiculous. What would you do with my signature anyways?”
“Sell it to pay for your time, of course.” Jihoon grinned mischievously. “Or hang it up in my room to sell a tourist attraction.”
Sanghyeok let out a huff of air mixed with disbelief and laughter as Jihoon slid back into his seat. “Who was that, hyung? A fan?”
“She’s a waitress here, and she just asked for a signature. She said she was a big fan.”
Jihoon hummed. “People are quick to recognize you nowadays. The hostess earlier recognized us quite fast.”
Sanghyeok raised his eyebrow. “‘Recognized us?’”
“Yeah hyung, didn’t you notice? She looked shocked, and couldn’t really look us in the eyes. I figured she was a fan, and that’s why I gave her a signature.”
Sanghyeok let out a snort of laughter, covering his face to muffle the noise. Really cute. And naive.
“What? What is it?” When he didn’t answer because of his giggles, Jihoon gasped in horror. “Was she not a fan after all?”
“No, no, I’m sure she was a fan.” Sanghyeok finally responded, taking a sip of his water to calm down. She was a fan alright, just not in the way you think.
“Here are those ice creams for you.” The waitress returned, placing two bowls of chocolate ice creams in front of them. Sanghyeok licked his lips in anticipation, taking a bite of his favorite treat.
“Thank you,” Jihoon said, smiling at their waitress. “We’re also ready for the check, here’s my card for it.”
She blushed, glancing at Sanghyeok then back to Jihoon. “Ah.. he already paid for it earlier. So you don’t need to worry.”
Jihoon gaped at him. “Hyung, are you serious?! You’re so sneaky.”
“I asked you out, so I should be the one treating you out too.” Sanghyeok replied coolly.
He seemed to protest, opening his mouth before the waitress spoke up. “Um, excuse me.. Sorry to interrupt, but, Chovy-nim… I was wondering if you would--!”
“I don’t mind giving a signature, where would you like me to sign?” Jihoon tilted his head, hand outstretched.
The waitress deflated, handing over her phone seemingly in defeat. She pointed at the spot on her case, right above Sanghyeok’s own handwriting. After the alpha had scribbled and gave the case back, she left so fast that when he blinked, she was gone.
Sanghyeok found it amusing how naive and oblivious Jihoon was. The alpha was so confident in his abilities, rightfully so, often coming off as cocky and arrogant in interviews and streams. To top it off, he was good-looking and tall, so he had expected it to get to his head, even a little bit.
So to see a side of him that wasn’t that, was just adorable.
“In return for paying, take my ice cream.” Jihoon slid the bowl right in front of him, head resting his hand with a pout on his lips.
“Jihoon, I don’t mind paying. Like I said, I invited you out, so I paid.” Sanghyeok slid it right back to him, but he pushed it right back again. “Is this a game of air hockey?”
“I insist. I’m allergic to chocolate, so you really should eat it.”
“You’re allergic?” Sanghyeok asked alarmed, holding the dessert closer to him.
“Yeah. It was always the plan to give it to you, and paying was too, until you snuck behind my back and paid anyways.” He huffed.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry for paying.” Sanghyeok surrendered, rapidly stuffing his face with ice cream. “How’d you know I liked chocolate?”
“You mentioned it in an interview,” Jihoon said offhandedly, standing up to offer Sanghyeok a hand.
He hummed, taking the hand the alpha offered, briefly feeling the formations of hardened skin on his hands. “Oh, you should take better care of your hands. The buildup of calluses can lead to a change in your grip and sensitivity.”
“Really?” Jihoon asked, stroking the palm of his hands. “I don’t really feel them.”
“Really. I had problems playing because of them years ago, so I’ve learned to treat them when they start to form. Here,” He grabbed Jihoon’s hands, rubbing his thumbs over where he had felt hard skin.
“Feel this? Once they start feeling like this, I like to soak them in hot water with salts for five to ten minutes, then peel whatever skin is coming off. It can take a couple sessions even if it’s not severe, so occasionally, I use pumice stone if I let it get too bad.” He let go of the alpha’s hands, looking up to meet his eyes.
Jihoon had a different look in his eyes, one that deviated from the usual playfulness and ease that Sanghyeok was familiar with. The street lights drew streaks of dark and light across his face, highlighting all of Jihoon’s sharp angles in just the right way.
Handsome .
“..Jihoon?” Sanghyeok waved a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance.
“Ah, thanks, hyung!” Jihoon shook his head. “But I didn’t think you’d be the type to give advice to your number one rival~.”
“Out of self interest. The best games to play are the ones against you, after all.”
“Ditto.” Jihoon smiled, almost shyly. “Now that we’re on the same team, we’ll be unstoppable.”
“Unstoppable.” Sanghyeok confirmed.
Jihoon’s smile grew larger at that. “Hold on, hyung. There’s a little.. bit of ice cream still left, right here.” He took a thumb and swiped at the corner of Sanghyeok’s mouth, popping it into his mouth.
“Yum, I love chocolate.”
Sanghyeok gaped at him, “Aren’t you allergic?!”
“Nah. I lied.” Jihoon began walking away from him, turning around to call to him when he didn’t move. “C’mon, hyung! We’re gonna miss the last train!”
“Right. The train.” Sanghyeok willed his feet to move forward, heart beating so hard in his chest that it was dizzying.
What was that?
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@hyyhjannie
chovy’s sooo handsome in his new story post >__< i just know he’s the type to cook for you~~
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@notwasting
why r they so boyfriends coded #killme
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@yisavowel
Faker at Haidilao
[Image].
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↳ @heIIoookittie
fork spotted in a kitchen c’mon now
🗨 3 ↻ 0 ♡109