Work Text:
It had been years and years and years of longing. Stolen glances from across the board meetings, fingers brushing against fingers when a document was handed over, the feel of the older man's hands as he helped the younger into his jacket, smoothing the collar and scanning his eyes from head to toe for a final check. Late nights and early mornings, always together. Ji Young Hoon and Nam Shin had been in each other's almost constant company ever since Young Hoon had been eighteen, just enrolled in college. Shin had been fourteen, and the arrogance he had for such a young boy left Young Hoon stunned. Shin was rude to almost everybody he met, had a toxic relationship with his grandfather and other family members, and despite being rich and having all he could want... he was lonely.
Young Hoon was excellent at his job, did as he was hired to do: teach Shin. He was there to tutor him in his classes, teach him the business world - as well as learning it himself - and to be a guide, someone Shin could depend on, look up to, trust. The two grew as a pair, Shin growing up more cocky and at times unbearable, Young Hoon maturing into the calm, collected man he was today. Shin's grandfather always knew he had made the right choice in hiring the poor orphan. Somebody with nothing to lose.
It wasn't long before sparks began to fly between them. Shin had turned sixteen, was raging with hormones and the weight of his future on his shoulders. He yelled at Young Hoon, taking his anger out because he was there. Shin threw something - a signed baseball that had been on his bedside table - and it had hit Young Hoon right in the eye. The older blinked in pain and cursed under his breath. He glared at Shin. 'You could have taken my eye out,' he said with baited breath.
'One less way my Grandfather can spy on me then,' Shin spat. He looked Young Hoon up and down with a scowl.
'What did you say?'
'You heard me. I didn't hit your ear.' Young Hoon's eyes burned into Shin's, but he said nothing further. It wasn't his place, after all. Young Hoon left before the situation got out of hand, and retired to his own room... right next door to Shin's.
Later that evening, there was a knock at the door. Young Hoon had been in the shower, trying - ironically - to cool down. He hadn't heard, so naturally, he didn't think twice about walking out of the bathroom into his bedroom with just a plain white towel wrapped around his waist. He didn't see Shin at first, staring like a rabbit in headlights, frozen. Shin's eyes were staring hard but he wasn't looking at Young Hoon's face. The older man was seemingly thin built but no. He had an amazing body, not too far off Shin's, with subtle muscle definition and a tiny trail of hair from his navel going south. Shin swallowed hard, felt the heat rising to his cheeks, matching his face with his lips.
'S-Shin. What are you d-?'
'I wanted to say... I'm sorry.'
Young Hoon frowned. 'What?'
'Earlier. It was my grandfather. I'm sorry for lashing out at you. I... I didn't mean it.'
'I know.' Young Hoon gave him a tender smile. That poor boy, anybody would have grown up the same living in the same house as that evil Chairman. Young Hoon didn't blame him.
Shin had felt bad as soon as Young Hoon had left. He defeated his own arrogance for once and let the guilt envelop him. He remembered back to all the times Young Hoon had taken a beating because of something Shin had done. The older had always been there to bear the weight for Shin, was always quick to defend him and sing his praise when the Chairman - and most others - couldn't see it.
'I know you think I'm probably a bit of a brat,' Shin said.
'A bit of,' Young Hoon scoffed, and Shin stared at his lips for a good minute before his own curled into a smirk.
'But I do appreciate you. Your... help. To be honest,' Shin had felt his feet moving before he had time to stop them. He slowly walked over to Young Hoon, who was still in just his towel. 'You are the closest thing to a friend I've got.'
'I'm... happy to help,' Young Hoon's voice was not too far off being breathless. 'Shin.' The younger cocked his head to the side, eyebrow raised in anticipation. 'I'm in a towel.'
'I know.' Young Hoon's eyes found Shin's and the two looked at each other, their eyes revealing words their mouths weren't quite ready to speak...
Shin took two more steps, closing the gap that had been between them. He could see the droplets of water trickling down Young Hoon's neck, his chest, going deeper all the way down his side... Young Hoon gulped. 'Shin.'
'What?' Shin wasn't looking at Young Hoon's face, too busy watching the way Young Hoon's chest was rising and falling as he became more and more aware of the situation.
'I need to get dressed. Get out.'
The next few months were the same, mad moments where both of them pushed the other a little further. When they were together, they were the epitome of professional. Shin, the future CEO, filthy rich and downright rude; Young Hoon the fiercely loyal secretary, assistant, Shin's right hand man.
**
Both of them remembered Shin's eighteenth birthday.
An extravagant, over the top party had been thrown. Hundreds of people had turned up, to a private high-rise building in the heart of Seoul. Many of the guests were business men and women, people the Chairman had in his pocket. Girls from established families had been invited, the Chairman hoping to find a suitable match for his grandson. Models, actresses, even future heiresses themselves were introduced to Shin. All received a quick 'Hello' and were sent on their way. Shin had taken the fact it was his birthday to go hard on the alcohol. Thankfully, his Grandfather didn't stay too late, and as the Chairman left so did most of the guests. Young Hoon had been by Shin's side all night, trying his best to hide his feelings when all of these pretty women tried their hardest to flirt with Shin,
Young Hoon listened to them bragging about how wealthy they were, or that they knew such and such famous Kpop star, and he shook his head. He doesn't care about that you morons. The club had many private booths and little side rooms, and Shin had taken himself off into one right at the very end. The room was big enough, with a table and a sofa, which he was now lying back on, and a connecting patio with a birds eye view of the city. Namsan Tower was visible, lights glistening like stars thanks to the clear air for once.
His head was spinning, partly due to the countless bottles of expensive whisky he had drained. He stood and leaned against the balcony of the patio, staring out into the night. He heard the door close so he turned and saw a shadow. 'Young Hoon-ah,' he said. 'Out of... what? Two hundred people, say? You were the only one who I wanted to see.'
'Shin.'
The older man came and stood next to him, looking at the lights below. 'Such a beautiful city,' Shin said. 'You never really appreciate something until you really see it.'
'You need to come away from the edge,' Young Hoon warned. 'You've had too much to drink, it isn't safe.'
'I'm not going to fall to my death,' Shin laughed. 'We're safe up here. Would you catch me?'
'What?'
'If I fell, would you catch me and save me?' Young Hoon told Shin the answer without speaking a word. 'Let's stay up here, Young Hoon-ah.'
'We can for a little bit,' Young Hoon said. 'Your Grandfather said -'
'I don't care what he said.' Shin placed a finger on Young Hoon's lips, which had silenced the older man instantly. Shin felt his lips trembling under his touch. 'Tonight isn't about him.'
'Shin...'
'I can tell you, can't I? I'm right, I know it. I've known it since the first time we met...'
'Tell me - what?'
'Those girls tonight,' Shin said coldly. 'None of them stood a chance.' Young Hoon just blinked. 'Every single woman on the earth could have spoken to me tonight, and I wouldn't have looked at any of them twice.'
'Why?'
'I wouldn't have cared if they had been men either,' Shin said, answering a question that hadn't been asked.
'Why, then?'
'Because none of them were you.'
Young Hoon felt his heart drop to his feet and he felt Shin's finger press against his lips a little more.
'Shin...'
'I'm waiting for you to give me what I want.' Shin raised an eyebrow and stared at Young Hoon, eyes glinting.
'What?'
'My present,' Shin said simply. 'It's long overdue.'
Before Young Hoon could do anything to respond, Shin slowly removed his finger from the older man's lips. Shin's breath was hot on Young Hoon's face. Shin stroked his soft face, caressing his fingers over the high cheekbones. He ran his fingers across Young Hoon's lips and Shin laughed as Young Hoon flinched as it had tickled. 'Young Hoon-ah...'
'Sh-'
Shin's lips were poison disguised as honey. So so sweet and yet deadly.
Young Hoon's eyes closed as he allowed the sensation to overwhelm him. Shin's soft lips were the home he had always been searching for. They broke apart, naturally. Shin looked at Young Hoon and smiled. Young Hoon had his eyes closed. 'Young Hoon-ah...' Shin spoke slowly. 'What's wrong?'
'I'm sorry,' he said.
'Sorry. Why?' Shin went to kiss him again, but Young Hoon held out his hand to stop him from getting close again.
'You don't want this,' Young Hoon said. 'It's not a good idea.'
'I do want this,' he said. 'I want you.'
'You're drunk, Shin.' Young Hoon knew that had been a lame excuse. Shin hadn't believed it for a second.
'I am drunk,' he said. 'I felt this way long before I had any alcohol. I felt this way ever since I saw you.'
'Shin...'
'I haven't thought about another person since the day we first met. I like you, Young Hoon-ah. I want you.'
'Shin, stop this at once.'
'I know you want me too...' Young Hoon's mouth formed a thin line and then he licked his lips and Shin nearly threw his glass against the wall.
'Don't be ridiculous, Shin.' This time Shin did throw his glass against the wall, and then the entire bottle of vodka that had been on a chair outside. He had hoped to share it with Young Hoon, but now...
'Call the cars,' Shin ordered, shrugging past the older man. 'I'm going home.'
Young Hoon had grabbed Shin's wrist without thinking. Shin's eyes flashed down at the hand that was now tight around him. 'Let me go.' Shin breathed slow, dangerous. 'I'm warning you.'
The pair looked at each other for a solid minute, the air super charged with their gaze. Shin felt Young Hoon release his grip and his wrist fell free, dropping to his side. 'Consider me warned.'
Young Hoon took his phone to dial the private car to pick them up. Shin snatched it from the older man's hands and threw into the main room. It landed expertly on the table. Young Hoon's eyes shot to his face again. 'What are you playing at? You could have broken it.'
'It's only a machine,' Shin scowled. 'It's not like I couldn't afford to buy you another one.'
'That's not the point,' he said. 'When will you learn?'
It was the turn of Shin to do the wrist-grabbing. He was like a vice round Young Hoon's slender wrist, taking care not to press where his watch lay.
'I'm not playing this time,' Young Hoon breathed. 'You need to let me go.'
Shin always had to have the final say, always had to push people that extra step further... He was stronger than Young Hoon, and so he walked forwards until the older was pressed up against the wall. He had felt something pressing against him and had grinned. Young Hoon knew he was done for.
'You still sure this is a mistake?'
Young Hoon was shaking, his voice weak as he spoke. 'Shin-ah...'
Their mouths met and, after years of almost, it made them both dizzy. Young Hoon had allowed himself a drink or two, to celebrate Shin's birthday, but all the alcohol in the world couldn't make him feel the way he did right now. He wanted to drink Shin in until he exploded.
Shin was hot and young and eager, biting down on Young Hoon's lip and causing the older man to grunt. Shin's tongue was snaking into Young Hoon's mouth, his hands now cupping his face. Young Hoon had rested a hand on the back of Shin's head, fingers locking onto his black shiny hair. His other hand was on Shin's side, grazing him tight, pulling him closer...
Shin felt his own arousal and so did Young Hoon. The older man pulled away and Shin groaned in frustration. He knew... for Young Hoon, at a club wasn't the right place.
When they returned to the house... it had been a different story. In that big house, Shin basically ruled over the entire top floor. Nobody ever came up there, much like the West Wing in Beauty and the Beast. It was Shin's area, forbidden to all others: except, of course, for Ji Young Hoon.
Still on their high, the two sat in the back of the private car and allowed their fingers to just rest, not moving at all until they got out of the car. They walked up to where their rooms were as if their lives depended on it. In that moment, it had.
**
The two had kept a secret... thing between them ever since that night. The Chairman had found Seo Ye Na, an obsessive girl with a rich father, as a love match for Shin. Young Hoon hadn't been worried, Shin had told him there was never anything to worry about. And Young Hoon trusted him.
Over the years, more of the same happened: secret rendezvous late at night, sneaking into empty rooms when they went away on business together. They laughed, they cried, they argued and they fought. Shin continued to throw things at Young Hoon and apologise hours, days, weeks later. Young Hoon kept Shin grounded, most of the time, and was there for him when he needed, regardless. He liked being by Shin's side.
Years had passed, and now Shin was twenty seven and Young Hoon was in his thirties. They had changed in many ways, while remaining very much the same. In essence, they were just two people who shared a connection.
It was a hot, hot summer in Seoul. Shin and Young Hoon had done the daily meetings and sitting through presentations and shaking people's hands over Japanese lunches. The Chairman had been away in Dubai on a business trip, so thankfully the two had the entire house to themselves. They made the most of the expensive house they shared and were sat by the pool.
Shin had the body of a God, toned and tanned and beautiful. Young Hoon had maintained his slight yet muscled build over the years. Shin particularly loved his thighs, especially when he was gripping the back of them.
'You're staring again.'
'Can you blame me? How often do we get a day together like this?' Shin grinned. He stood up and dived into the deep pool. Young Hoon sat on the edge and dangled his feet in, closing his eyes in relief at the cool water. He smiled as he watched Shin swim a few laps. Shin slowly stalked towards him in the water, a shark after its pray. Young Hoon watched him, burst into laughter as he realised Shin was attempting to hum the Jaws theme. Shin grabbed Young Hoon's foot and dragged him into the water.
'Shin!' Young Hoon came back to the surface and spluttered. 'You idiot.'
'I'm your idiot,' he grinned. 'I caught you.'
'Stop being ridiculous,' Young Hoon warned.
'Young Hoon-ah...' Shin stood up and waded closer. 'Close your eyes.' Young Hoon narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
'Why?'
'Just do it,' Shin ordered. Young Hoon scoffed at him before shutting his eyes. He felt Shin's hands near his eyes, and he pulled away.
'What?'
'You had an eyelash,' Shin said. He held it out on his finger. 'Make a wish.' Young Hoon humoured Shin, and he closed his eyes and wished. Never let this end.
The afternoon passed by slowly, and the two men splashed around in the pool and Shin took a back seat and watched as Young Hoon swam thirty laps, getting his exercise in.
'I have to keep fit,' Young Hoon sassed as he expertly jumped up out of the pool. Shin's jaw was on the floor. 'It's no easy task looking after you.'
'You've gotten better at it,' Shin smirked. 'I can still be a brat though, if you want me to.'
'When are you ever not?' Young Hoon sat down at the foot of Shin's lounge chair and his eyes travelled upwards, from Shin's toes to his face. He kissed his lips, still wet, and grinned into the kiss. Shin sighed, unable to remember a time he had ever felt so happy.
'Young Hoon-ah,' Shin said, a while later. The sun had set and a warm breeze was gently blowing the tufts of Shin's hair. The two men were lying together, legs intwined, on the decking. It was one of Young Hoon's favourite places, his old sanctuary for when things were so unclear and tense between them... nothing like now. The fact he was sharing his special space with Shin, with him, made the older's heart burst.
'Yes, Shin?'
'What did you wish for?'
'I can't tell you,' Young Hoon said, laughing as Shin tightened his arms around his chest. 'It won't come true if I tell you.'
'And... this thing you wished for. You want it to come true?'
Young Hoon gave no verbal reply, he just smiled and pulled Shin closer to him, holding the young heir's face in his hands as he placed a tender, loving kiss on his forehead. Of course he did.