Chapter Text
It’s been nearly two weeks since the series of events that Doyoung calls “the incident” has happened.
So far, things have actually been calmer than expected, and there’s not a lot of tension, surprisingly. It’s as if the two of them woke up in the morning and just completely forgot about it.
It’s always stuck in the back of his mind, but it feels like he’s being forced to simply leave it, hoping that it’ll eventually simmer away and die down.
Doyoung can’t take it anymore! He’s going to action and finally confront Jaehyun.
He slams his fist on the desk and then realised that he’s just interrupted everyone else at work.
He looks around to see his coworkers giving him confused stares, to which he bowed his head down in apology. He had gotten so used to working alone, cooped up inside that little room of his at the gang’s lair, so the fact that he was in this big open office with loads of other people sometimes escaped him.
Well, some good things have happened at least. Jaehyun seemed to be happier and less tense than usual, seeing him a few times at the coffee shop, enjoying himself, and the job.
Jaehyun probably had his order memorised by heart - a white chocolate mocha with less sugar and more chocolate, something that according to Jaehyun, wasn’t allowed to be done but he did it anyway, just for Doyoung.
Whenever Doyoung accompanied him to school, he could see Jeno rushing to greet the same little group of people, smiling upon seeing each other. He’s glad that the boy still managed to find friends after a rather disastrous first day.
It seems like everyone was doing well these days.
“Hey, what’s up?”
Doyoung turns around to see Taeyong standing by his desk, two cups of warm coffee in hand, made with the stash of instant coffee the office had lying around. It was a poor, bitter replacement for the cafe’s downstairs and an even poorer excuse of coffee.
He places one down onto his table.
“Huh? I’m fine?”
“Is it about your hot mafia boyfriend?” Taeyong prompts, grinning widely, leaning closer.
Doyoung rolls his eyes. “He’s not in the mafia anymore.”
“Oh right... Okay, so it’s about the hot boyfriend?”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“But it is about him?”
“I’m kind of more worried for the kid’s wellbeing than his to be hone-“
Doyoung only realises what he has said until it’s too late. He hears Taeyong choke on his drink, coughing violently.
When he’s finished, he still looks shocked, eyes wide and his face red from nearly busting a lung.
“Kid? What kid?” He asks, shaking Doyoung by the shoulders.
He pushes Taeyong off, away from him. “Did I not tell you?” He asks voice straining, lips upturned painfully and eyes blinking, trying to seem cute and innocent, failing miserably.
Taeyong glares. “Did not- I swear to god if you told Jungwoo first I’ll- Oh dear, you told him first didn’t you?”
Doyoung knows he couldn’t hide his wince when Taeyong started threatening him. “I’m sorry, I had to send him to school somehow.”
“Okay, that doesn’t matter. For now, I want the details. So spill.”
“Well...” Doyoung ponders for a moment to think of a way to explain this properly, in a manner that wouldn’t sound stupid, although there was probably no clever way to put this at all. “I kind of... maybe... sort of... adopted some random teenager off the street.”
“Uh-huh...” Taeyong drags the “u” as he speaks and Doyoung already knows by his expression that he's completely bewildered.
“Jaehyun and I were walking home when some weirdo tried to mug us and it turned out to be that kid and somehow he ended up under my wing.”
He raises his eyebrows, nodding. “Wow. Okay. Why exactly did you take this guy in? You know, a total stranger? A potential mugger? You wouldn’t even do that if you were drunk!”
“He followed us home.”
Doyoung can almost hear Taeyong’s brain frying, trying to comprehend this story. Explaining this bizarre sequence of events was easier for Jungwoo since he was impulsive and a little kooky himself and he might have done the same but with Taeyong, he was too sensible and fretted too much for something like this, and most likely would have taken the boy to the police station. Like a smart, responsible adult would have, but Doyoung and Jaehyun - they were both fools, blindly encouraging each other into doing stupid shit, and Jungwoo was no better (who’s lack of questioning about the whole Jeno situation was a little alarming now that he thinks about it).
Although the decision was brash and probably poorly made in the middle of the night between two tired and alcohol influenced people who knew little of how the world really worked (the mafia was kind of a bubble and Jaehyun was still living in it - Doyoung was simply just not good at functioning in general) and who haven’t quite gotten their shit together, he hasn’t regretted a single decision he’s made since then - He’s brought back to reality by Taeyong lightly whacking him across the back of his head.
“Hello? Earth to Doyoung please!”
“What?”
“Ugh, you weren’t even listening! I said that’s even worse! Why did you let him in? What if he robbed you and ran away?”
“Quiet.” Doyoung hisses and Taeyong chuckles, giving a small apology. “We only took him in because of the circumstances. He had a bad life back in his hometown and Jaehyun was scared he would end up being recruited in the mafia so... I don’t know, here we are... tada!”
Taeyong doesn’t say anything, arms crossed and lips pursed into a thin line.
“Oh come on, it’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be...”
He still remains quiet, simply staring down at Doyoung, and he can’t tell what he’s thinking with that expression.
“It’s... it’s not as bad as it sounds. It wasn’t as if we kidnapped him or something... or did anything illegal - it’s illegal isn’t it?”
“You don’t think?”
“Okay whatever, we’re done talking about the boy! This is conversation meant for Jaehyun and I - speaking of which, I want coffee!”
-
By the time Doyoung and Taeyong manage to persuade their manager to let them go down to the cafe, promising to buy coffee for her, it’s about three in the afternoon. Usually, the cafe wasn’t too busy, the dreaded early morning rush long gone it was the perfect environment to relax his mind from the rigid work environment of the accounting department’s office and all the numbers running through his mind. Plus he gets to talk to Jaehyun which is a win in his book (if he ignores Taeyong’s beady little eyes staring holes into them as Jaehyun tells him about his day).
Today, however, it was packed to the brim with people, specifically young women, so much so that the cafe was having trouble coping, as there were waiters frantically wiping tables clean for more and more new groups of people, who had begun to form a long queue for their orders and seats.
The last time Doyoung had dropped by, it was last Friday, (he meant to drop by more frequently but he was a busy, busy man) and it certainly wasn’t this bad. Besides, he would’ve known what times to avoid going to the cafe because Jaehyun tells him all about the place and when people like to come. He definitely would have mentioned a spike in activity if it happened.
Or maybe not, Doyoung groans internally as yet another group of young women rush past him from where he stands near the entrance.
“Okay...” Taeyong begins. “Maybe we should g-“
“I’m getting my coffee. I’m also going to see what Jaehyun’s been up to.”
“Wait, he works here?”
“Who else did I talk to last Friday?”
“I thought it was some weirdo trying to hit you up!”
“Didn’t I tell you that he works here?”
“No!”
“Oops. Well, now you know.”
“You’re insufferable.” Taeyong sulks.
Doyoung laughs.
Eventually, the cafe begins to grow a little quieter and the two friends waste no time at all. While Taeyong gets a seat, Doyoung goes and waits in line for his turn to order. He knows what they’re going to have anyway, a white chocolate mocha for himself, an iced americano for the manager, and one strawberry milk for Taeyong.
He’s met with Jaehyun’s face by the cash register, neck tattoo fully visible with the maroon coloured v neck shirt he’s wearing, and the sandy brown apron does nothing to hide it.
“Oh, Doyoung hey!” He smiles. “The usual?”
He hears hushed talking behind him, so loud and close he can barely hear Jaehyun. He hates this, but probably not as much as the cafe staff. Oh, how pitiful they seemed as they frantically made drinks, served and cleaned, running around all over the place.
“Yeah, but add in a strawberry milk and iced americano please.” He chips in.
“Yep, alright. Your total is ten thousand and six hundred won. Don’t worry, I’ll make it just the way you like it.” It feels like Jaehyun’s hands linger on his for a moment too long, but he doesn’t know if it’s real or just his imagination.
Jaehyun then gets another girl, who was quite short yet very pretty to man the front, who looks quite unhappy to do so and seemed to sense that Doyoung was the reason behind it, as she purses her lips while giving him a once over. He feels intimidated.
It doesn’t take too long for the drinks to be made and the two start talking for a bit, under Jaehyun’s insistence.
“So how come you’re so busy now?” Doyoung asks, stating the obvious.
“Ugh, the weekend was even worse than this.” Jaehyun rubs his face with his hands, whining in frustration. Then he whips out his phone and starts typing something on it.
“Okay... just a second... there! Check this out. I didn't even know until someone in line showed me this some time ago.”
He shows Doyoung a post on Twitter by some semi-famous wannabe influencer that had gone viral, and in it, was Jaehyun's photo.
It read:
I went to a cafe today and fell in love with the barista. Isn’t he lovely for the eyes? I uploaded his photos, but he’s even better in real life. I think it influenced the coffee taste, I really like it! Come and visit the handsome man!
Along with that text, there were about two photos of Jaehyun, where he did look hot, he’d be lying if he said otherwise. Although this post and all this attention are making him feel a little uneasy, that jarring, churning feeling in his stomach rising.
“So what? Some blogger posted about you and now you’re an ulzzang?”
Jaehyun laughs sharply. “I wouldn’t go that far... but a lot of girls have come here to try the coffee... and take pictures with me...”
“Ooh, should I get a photo with the infamous barista too?” Doyoung teases playfully.
“We can take all the photos you want at home though.”
“I know, I was just joking,” Doyoung says dryly. “By the way, Jeno’s birthday is coming up soon, what should we do?”
“Ooh, we should-“
“Ya! Jaehyun! Stop hiding away with your boyfriend and help me out!” The same pretty barista from before shouts and Jaehyun instantly rushes over.
Doyoung’s face heats up, and he walks away from the counter in shame as he hears a few whispers from other directions.
He finds Taeyong who simply laughs at him.
“Oh my god it’s so funny, I’m levitating.” Doyoung rolls his eyes.
“Okay, okay sorry, now let’s go up before the manager kills us.”
-
Doyoung goes down to the cafe at about six in the evening after he rushed through all his work to meet Jaehyun, just as his shift finishes. The other is already putting his apron away and grabbing his things, running to meet him. He takes note that the cafe had grown much quieter since the last time he popped by.
Before either of them have a chance to talk to each other, a young girl along with a friend, probably no older than eighteen quickly rushes up to Jaehyun, bashfully tucking in her hair as she hands him her phone. Doyoung's heart stops for a moment. He wouldn't know how to feel if he gave her his number. Though his worries are soon soothed as they take a selfie, and the girls scurry away right after.
Jaehyun then comes to him, arm slung around his shoulder like usual.
"So? How was work? How's being a star feel?" He teases, masking his churning feelings of both glee and jealousy.
"Kind of annoying actually. It's so busy. And I hate taking photos."
"Oh really? You took pictures with that girl just fine..." Doyoung hopes he doesn't sound as bitter as he thinks he does. He has no reason whatsoever to feel this way... at least not yet.
Jaehyun just laughs lightly, turning to look at him with a smile as they continue walking across the street. "What? Feel jealous?"
"What?" Doyoung huffs out. "Me? Jealous? No way, never. Why should I be?"
"Just joking..." He says, sounding relaxed. "What do you want for dinner? Is the kid home yet?"
"Hm... probably. You want fried chicken? There's a place nearby that's pretty good."
"Sure. Half spicy, half original?"
-
After a rather uneventful dinner, with lots of fried chicken and pickled radishes, Doyoung and Jaehyun relax by the balcony again, Jeno somewhere inside the apartment.
"Aish, I've got emails to write, numbers to calculate and we gotta clean the apartment soon, it's been nearly a month I think." He groans, pouring himself a glass of soju.
Jaehyun just raises his eyebrows. "Watch how much you drink, you've been good recently."
"I've been busy, that's what." Doyoung takes a sip. "Want some?"
"Meh, a glass or two should be fine." He shrugs. "Also just some food for thought... maybe the reason why you have less time to clean is that you're actually busy now, unlike last time. It's probably why you started drinking less too."
He laughs a little. "Just say you don't want to clean and go."
"Oh come on!" Jaehyun groans. "Once a month, fine I get it, but twice... literally just admit that you were simply bored and lonely back then."
"I... I was not... Alright, perhaps it was a little extreme, but it was a habit, and those are hard to break."
"Totally understand you there. Sometimes I forget that I'm not in the gang anymore, that I'm in real society now. I put my hands inside my pockets and begin to panic because my weapons are gone before I remember that it's illegal to carry unlicensed guns around here."
Doyoung takes another sip. "You're doing great though. Most people just stare at you... but it's probably because you're so amazingly handsome."
Oh, maybe he shouldn't have said that he thinks as Jaehyun chokes on his drink.
"Really?" He asks. "You think so?"
Doyoung rolls his eyes. "Of course you dummy. Didn't you go viral online because some girls thought you were hot?"
The other sighs, finishing off his glass, pouring himself another, and downing that as well, starting to become flushed. "I don't care what anybody thinks, except you. If you tell me I'm handsome then I'll believe it."
"Pfft, it's not hard to believe. You are good looking."
"Is that all?"
"Hm?" Doyoung stares back at Jaehyun, both wide eyed and curious. "What do you mean?"
"Is that all you like about me?"
"What? Of course not, are you fishing for compliments now?" He chuckles but then sucks in a breath. "I don't just like you for your looks thou-"
Once again, Doyoung has accidentally let words slip past his lips, only realizing the implications of what he's saying far too late.
He hopes he doesn't take it in the wrong way. "Jae-"
"You... you like me..? As in-"
Ah. Too late.
"As in what? Tell me what?" Doyoung snaps, mostly a reflex to how flustered and overwhelmed he feels at this moment. Jaehyun doesn't seem too bothered with his sudden fierceness. Instead, he scoots a little closer, leaning down to face level.
"Wha-"
"You like me? Do you really? You said it yourself didn't you?" Jaehyun says eagerly, yet softly, eyes boring into Doyoung's. "Please tell me that you do? I can't take it any longer."
He doesn't know if it's the alcohol or Jaehyun's close proximity but he feels uncomfortably hot, face burning up. He tries to move back and turn away but he's backed into a corner. Jaehyun smirks, biting his lower lip and Doyoung nearly combust right there and then.
"What do you mean?" His breathing begins to grow a little heavier. The alcohol and his heart are telling him to pull him closer, but the more rational part of his mind is warning him, trying to instill some sense into him. Either way, he's starting to feel dizzy, his brain melting into a puddle of mush.
Instantly he's getting flashbacks of what happened the week before - a mess of emotions and unresolved tension, both of them in a haze that was rudely interrupted by Jeno. This time though, there was nobody to get in their way, and Doyoung, he blinks, trying to find some courage and better footing, is determined to figure out their feelings once and for all, so what's a better way than the two of them being too tipsy to care about dignity and pride, allowing themselves to be desperate and shameless?
Words from last week start forming in the back of his mind.
"Don't say things like that."
"They'll get my hopes up. Please don't set me up for disappointment."
"Doyoung, can't you see already? I-"
"Let's not beat around the bush here. I think we both know what is happening." Jaehyun only seems to get closer, his arms trapping him against the cold surface of the wall. "Why continue to deny it? Or are you still playing hard to get like all those years ago?"
Well, it looks like the monkey brain won this time. Doyoung's heart is palpitating, there's sweat running down his temple, and despite the panic building up inside of him, pricking his nerves, there's a particular feeling that begins to rise, simmering in his underbelly and slowly diffusing its way upwards - was it pleasure? Whatever it was, he liked it. Jaehyun's words bore into him, why continue to deny? Wasn't this the confession he has been waiting all this time for?
"Doyoung, I-"
Jaehyun doesn't get a chance to continue because he's interrupted by a pair of lips on his, although with the way he immediately grabs onto Doyoung's waist, it's clear to assume he doesn't mind. His hands are large and warm, holding onto him as if he was going to disappear if he didn't. His kiss is searing and desperate, mouth moving almost aggressively, against his lips, taking Doyoung by surprise, only able to do as much as grip onto his shoulder. It's not like they care, this moment was long awaited and suppressed inside of them for months, maybe even years. Even as his lungs begin to burn, begging for air, they don't stop, or more accurately, Jaehyun doesn't stop. He's like a monster, continuously attacking him, pulling him closer, attempting to pry out any small noises from his throat. Eventually, Jaehyun does stop, pulling away with a breathy groan, his face red and lips wet. Doyoung can only assume that he himself, looks similar, or worse.
"Was... was that enough?" He asks, hands still resting on his shoulder.
"Doyoung... you are going to kill me." He sighs.
Then, they're quiet for a little while, the hustle and bustle of the city night enough to fill in the gaps caused by their silence.
"Jaehyun... so you like me right? It's what you wanted to tell me last week right?" Doyoung says afterwards, pouring the both of them another drink.
"Yeah. I have, for a long time actually, I just... I just couldn't say it, and I thought you never liked me. I still remember all the one sided conversations and scared looks you gave me." Jaehyun replies, and Doyoung remembers the early days too, being slightly afraid of the other until they managed to open up to each other. How things have changed since then.
"Well, it's okay, because I also like you. Though I'm sure you would be able to tell by now." Doyoung says, chuckling dryly a little. "I don't know how or when, but yeah. I didn't think that you liked me until recently."
Jaehyun scoffs. "Recently? Was what I was doing not obvious until I started cornering you?" He sees Doyoung hesitating and he makes another small sound of annoyance, although his face looks more amused than anything. "You know what? Don't answer that."
"I'm sorry." Doyoung says, despite smiling brightly. "I couldn't tell if your gestures were romantic or platonic."
"So moving in, taking in a kid, and walking you home hand in hand together for the past few years was just platonic?" Jaehyun asks, voice flat and his arms crossed.
He blushes, looking down at the floor while bringing a hand up to scratch the back of his neck, feeling terribly embarrassed. "Well, if you put it like that... it makes me sound like an idiot."
Jaehyun simply laughs, voice deep, and he sounds relaxed, weightless... happy.
"Better now than not ever!" Doyoung bites back at him when he didn't stop laughing after a while.
He leans in close again, their noses touching, although this time Doyoung doesn't feel any nervousness like before. The urge to push him away and escape are pretty much gone. Instead, he wants to pull him closer, and this sudden boldness is probably because he knows now that he can, and that he could do it almost whenever he wanted. The thought fills him with much excitement.
"I know."
Then that was it. They sit there continuing to drink their soju, but they stay closer together, Doyoung practically leaning his whole body against Jaehyun, both enjoying the cool concrete and the soft breeze, the faraway colourful lights and bustling noise from the city enough.
He closes his eyes, content, and heart full when Jaehyun reaches over and holds his hand.
Doyoung felt giddy, anxious, and unsure. This was all new and it happened ever so quickly, he didn't know how things would go from here. He and Jaehyun were finally together, making things clear. At least they got that down.
He may not know what was to come next, but he knew that they were good things.
-