Chapter Text
"You did what?!"
Youngjae was hiding his red face behind his hands. He never liked seeing Jaebum angry and now it was his fault, which made it worse. However, he didn't expect a better reaction from his friend, both sitting in a café casually talking before Youngjae confessed the most stupid thing he did until then. Customers were staring at them now making Youngjae want to hide under the table.
"I'm sorry! She pushed me too far and I said the first thing I could think of"
"What about the truth?!" Jaebum shouted in a whisper and leaned forward making Youngjae sink in the chair. He was truly intimidating.
"The truth sucks! And she had been so annoying these days that I exploded"
"You didn't explode. You lied and dragged me into the mess"
"I'm sorry, hyung. I just- can you please do me this favor? A month, then I'll come up with something. I promise"
"Are you nuts?!"
"Pleaseeee~?" Youngjae knew Jaebum's weak spot for aegyo, specially his aegyo. So he pouted and leaned over the table grabbing his friends hands and squeezing them softly. "I'll owe you a big one. Please, Jaejae. Pleaaaseee~"
"I- " Jaebum bit his lip with a completely confused and worried expression. But Youngjae's eyes were shining bright and his cheeks were pink, he was pouting and- I'll hate myself for this later. "OK. A month" he rested his body on the table, mentally and somehow physically exhausted. I'll definitely hate myself.
Long story short, Younjae's mother didn't have anything better to do than ask his son every day to get a girlfriend. Youngjae was sick of it so he said he was gay. He didn't really lie on that part, thought. However, she didn't consider it an excuse, so Youngjae said the first thing that came to his mind.
"I'm dating Jaebum. We have a relationship" as those words stormed out of his mouth he turned pale. Shit.
However, the funny part was her reaction.
"Oh. That boy. Well, I kind of saw this coming. Bring him tomorrow for dinner"
And that is the story of how two friends who had known each other for 6 years had to start fake-dating. Youngjae was afraid Jaebum would never accept that crazy request and he would have to explain his mother that he was a happy loner. Her 22 year old son had never introduced them any girlfriend or boyfriend, he only studied and sang and even even if any parent would be happy with it, she wanted her baby to have a social life.
Jaebum and Youngjae had gone to the same highschool and became really close. At first Jaebum couldn't stand the over-energized kid but slowly Youngjae became the closest person to him. The younger even made his temper soften down, smile a lot more and encouraged him to follow his dream, ending up in Jaebum majoring in Music Composition and Production. Even if his parents were completely against it.
So even knowing that the little lie could end really badly, he couldn't say no to those eyes. Jaebum wasn't able to reject the idea of getting closer to Youngjae even knowing it was all fake. That greedy little part of his soul was longing for it and even if he tried to shut it down it was too strong. So yeah, Jaebum was angry and pissed because his best friend always did impulsive thing like that without thinking about the consequences, but he was also nervous. So nervous because he would have to control his own feelings not to get hurt at the end.
"Calm down, Jaebum. You're good at lying, you'll be OK"
Jaebum didn't even get out of his room and his heart felt already like exploding. He was beyond nervous, his hand sweating and trembling and he was near of backing down.
Def.S
Do you really think is a good idea? She'll catch us easily
Ars ♡♡
It's not the best idea but it's the only option we have . Please , I will treat you with a real dinner afterwards
(ﾟ∀ﾟ人)
"This kid... Always getting me in trouble"
It didn't take him too long to get ready and finally step outside, cursing at the windy weather.
Youngjae heard the car parking on the driveway and if until then he was accelerated walking around his room like crazy, now he stopped abruptly and got pale as if someone threw flour to his face.
"You're boyfriend is here!" His mother's yell startled him. Youngjae you better put yourself together.
He breathed deeply and checked himself in the mirror once again. Too much. He'll think it's too much. Youngjae sighed and opened the door. He heard his mother opening the front door and inviting Jaebum in. Youngjae gulped and let all the air escape his lungs before heading the living room.
"You want to impress me Jaebum-ah?"
"I- K-kind of" Youngjae froze when Jaebum came in sight. He was wearing a black blazer over a white shirt, non-ripped dark jeans and his new (quite expensive) Jordan Youngjae helped him pick. His hair wasn't the usual mess and instead of weird earrings he changed to simple silver hoops, the ones he didn't want to buy for being too boring. No chains, no rings, no necklaces. Youngjae didn't see Jaebum so formal since his mother's second wedding two years earlier.
"Wow" Youngjae didn't even realized when he let that escape his lips. But it caught Jaebum's attention who turned to him. His eyes widened and a light blush made his cheeks turn a cute pink.
"Wow"
They stared at each other, none of them could find the right words. Youngjae's mother simply grinned and left quietly, humming to a song.
"I- amh... Didn't know you had a choker" Jaebum almost swallowed the last word, still looking at the piece of fine black fabric wrapped round the younger's neck. Actually, looking at the full outfit, Jaebum could swear it was all new. Black boots, dark (tight) skinny jeans, a lightly baggy scarlet shirt, and a thin chocker with a metal heart pressed right under his Adam apple.
"Too much?" Youngjae bit his lip and looked down to his shoes.
"No! I love it- I mean, it looks good on you" Jaebum stepped back and cleared his throat. Control yourself, you idiot.
"Thank you" the younger smiled widely and relaxed a little. It was easier for him to ignore the awkwardness, but Jaebum simply couldn't take that picture out of his mind. "And you look fancy"
"I feel like one of those rich kids from that super expensive university" Jaebum grimaced at his reflection in a window.
"You look really good. A little like one of those young rich bosses from movies, really hot" Jaebum blinked and tilted his head. It's not the first time Youngjae called him hot, or sexy or handsome. Jaebum tried to ignore it each time, failing abruptly.
"So you say in my own style I look bad?" Jaebum tried to make the situation casual because all his body was tensing up to the limit and he wouldn't bare a whole dinner with his friend's mother feeling like throwing up since minute one.
"No. What I say is that this one makes you look specially stunning" Youngjae bit his lip and smirked confusing all what was left of Jaebum's sanity.
"Love birds! Dinner is ready!"
Youngjae turned quickly and headed the dining room not waiting for Jaebum. He needed some seconds for his face to cool down and his heart to stop racing.
They both sit beside each other and Youngjae's mother in front of them. It felt just like one of those grillings where they would end up spilling the truth out before dessert, but surprisingly she didn't ask anything too specific or personal. She just wanted to know the time they've been dating or why did they keep it secret.
It lasted 45 minutes, while she enumerated the reasons why she wasn't surprised about them being in a relationship. In the middle of it they both were holding hands under the table enduring together the embarrassment. They didn't even noticed doing half of the things Youngjae's mother said, like staying too close even if they had enough space for two more people, or stalking the other's social media, or acting jealous when the other was too affectionate with someone else. Or spending an hour picking clothes for a casual hang out.
Most of them were about Youngjae since she didn't know Jaebum that well, but it didn't matter. They both felt extremely confused when she was done.
"And now knowing this I won't talk about that thing from earlier. Because, boys, I'm glad I was there or those pretty outfits would be already destroyed"
Youngjae looked at her mother begging her to stop and Jaebum simply squeezed his friend's hand harder. He was embarrassed, confused, startled, and mostly scared. Because his head was starting to imagine things, like the slight possibility of Youngjae returning his feelings. It was a dangerous subject and Jaebum wasn't ready to face it yet. Ignoring his own feelings was easier, it was safe.
"I'm really really sorry" both of them were sitting in Jaebum's car. Youngjae started apologizing since they stepped outside and didn't stop, mostly because Jaebum didn't say a word.
"Your mother really enjoys talking" Jaebum smiled at last.
"She is always like this, you only knew the kind part of her until now" Youngjae let his body fall leaning on Jaebum. He felt like all the energy he had was sucked out.
"Let's not do this again" Jaebum took out his keys. "Now, you said something about treating me with a dinner"
"Wait, really? You're not mad at me?" Youngjae was really afraid of Jaebum being sick of him. He thought he really screwed up this time and Jaebum would definitely dump him.
"No. I get why you wanted to shut her up" he chuckled trying to fade away the embarrassment. "So let's eat something and relax. Wanna go to my place and chill?"
"You just want to change your clothes, don't you?" Youngjae grinned and poked Jaebum's arm. The other laughed.
"You can take some of mine and get comfy too"
"What? I don't look good in these?" Jaebum was about to chuckle but his eyes met the choker again and it cut his breath.
"If you want to keep those on, I'm not complaining" Jaebum pointed to the skinny jeans Youngjae was wearing. "But I'm not sure how are you able to sit with them on" Change so I can concentrate again, you living tease.
Youngjae looked down and blushed a little. He struggled to put them on and honestly he was longing to take them off.
"Fine, but I pick the food we order"
"You wish"
Luckily, when they were out of those outfits and the food arrived, the tension between them two was almost gone. Jaebum was still dealing with his storm of feelings threatening to come out, but he didn't want that to ruin what started to be a relaxing evening. A movie was playing in the back but the video they were watching in Youngjae's phone was more interesting.
Jackson was in America with the national fencing team. So he managed to sneak off and spend the weekend at Mark's. When the oldest left back to LA after his mother was diagnosed with cancer, Jackson was affected the most. Two years later and Jackson would go there every time he had enough money or free time. Which was suspiciously often.
"Jackson will drown before actually learning to surf" Youngjae burst out laughing.
"Don't worry about that. I know a certain someone who would love to practice first aid on him"
Youngjae was practically laying over the whole couch his legs over Jaebum's lap, recovering from the laughing session. He was still a little uncomfortable because of that conversation but seeing how they were practically back to normal relieved him. Everyone else was gone, Jaebum was the only one that was still permanently in Korea, and he didn't want to ruin his relationship with the only close friend he had there, specially not with Jaebum.
The first one to leave was Mark two years earlier and he never decided if he would come back or not. Jinyoung went to Japan after debuting as an actor. They were filming there and even when he was in Korea they couldn't really meet him much, and he was about to debut as a singer too but non of them was surprised by that, Jinyoung always had an amazing voice. Bambam went back to Thailand where his uncle managed to get Bambam a contract with a small brand as a model, and he was kind of famous for his looks so he was doing pretty fine. Yugyeom entered a dance group and at the time they were in a competition in China. And then he was heading Thailand to visit Bambam, so he would be abroad for like 2 months. Jackson was the leader of the nacional fencing team. They were mostly in Korea and Jackson was actually living with Jaebum, so they couldn't really count him as one of the ones who left. Having him away was more like sending your child to a campsite for summer.
"Youngjae? Yah! Are you even listening?" Jaebum slapped the younger's chest. "I know I'm boring but could you pretend a little?"
"Sorry hyung. I was just thinking" he rubbed his eyes and stretched his limbs making Jaebum chuckle. "Did you ever think of moving away?"
"Hmm... Not really. I like it here"
"Good. Well stick together till the end" Youngjae yawned and curled up.
"That makes me reconsider my last statement" Jaebum smiled at the groggy boy curled on the couch beside him.
"Sush. You have to stand me for the rest of your life" Jaebum's heart skipped a beat and froze. If you don't kill me earlier.
Youngjae fell asleep soon after and even if Jaebum kept trying to wake him up to go to bed it was completely impossible, so he ended up carrying Youngjae to Jackson's room. The older had to run out the room since he was about to lay down beside his friend and cuddle him to sleep. But he couldn't. He shouldn't.
As the days passed the situation turned... Weird. The thing is non of them tried to talk about it for their own reasons. Youngjae was more and more affectionate towards his friends and Jaebum couldn't really understand why. They were already close, but Jaebum wasn't the one comfortable with skin ship and even if hugs and that stuff were normal since Youngjae was a clingy human being, it upgraded to another level.
It started in a subtle way, with Youngjae bored and playing with the other's fingers and Jaebum let him be because it was a way to keep the younger quiet while he was working. But then Youngjae intertwined their fingers and didn't pull away in several minutes. He stayed there, with his cheek pressed against the table and eyes fixed on their hands, not moving for more than 10 minutes and eventually let go when a waitress approached their table. Jaebum couldn't concentrate at all those 10 minutes, nor the rest of the afternoon. But, since then Youngjae started doing the same thing quite often without Jaebum being brave enough to ask for a reason. Youngjae would stare at their hands like it was a math problem he couldn't solve, sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling. But he never said a word about it and simply talk about anything like in a normal conversation.
Then, one day, Youngjae thought it was a good idea to hang out with some friends and drink. His tolerance for alcohol was really low, so with a beer and a glass of something Taehyung ordered for him, he got drunk quickly. Jaebum had to work so he couldn't control him and asked Minhyuk not to let Youngjae drink. But who could trust that crazy boy?
"Jae, is almost two in the morning. Who the fuck is dying?" Jaebum groaned at the other side of the line while the blonde guy was trying to get out of the club so he could talk.
"Your sunshine is out of control. He basically stole my drink and then started dancing around with strangers and-
"Fuck... I told you idiots not to give him alcohol! Isn't there someone who can give him a ride home?"
"Jin disappeared, Hyungwon is drunk and Wonpil said he had enough and left home to sleep"
Just a small list of who were with Youngjae that night :
-Jin, Namjoon and Taehyung from BTS
-Jae and Wonpil from DAY6
-Minhyuk, Hyungwon and Jooheon from Monsta X
Jaebum got out of his warm bed and cursed as his feet touched the cold wood. "Give me the name of the club and get that idiot out before I get there"
He changed into some sweatpants and a hoodie, got his shoes on, took the keys and stormed out the door. He made it to the club in less than 20 minutes. As soon as he got out he heard a voice crying loudly his name.
"Jaebummiiieeee~" He saw Taehyung and Jae holding the drunk Youngjae while walking slowly to the car.
"Who let him drink this much?" Jaebum looked at the two males and then at Youngjae.
"Sorry hyung, I didn't know" Taehyung was sober enough to keep his manners. Jae, on the other hand, was as pissed as Jaebum.
"We're nor his babysitter, he's old enough to buy so he should be old enough to coltrol himself"
"Bummie, don't be mad" Youngjae whined and stepped forwards, getting rid of his friends' holding. "Hyungs were really nice to me. Namjoon hyung helped me with that guy-
"What?!" Jaebum sent a death glare to the two who were intelligent enough to back off.
"We-
"They're waiting for us inside so..."
"Y-yeah... See ya!"
Both walked rapidly towards the door while Jaebum's blood started boiling in anger.
"What guy?" He blurted out while stepping forwards. He knew Youngjae used to get lost and talk with strangers when he was drunk, and that always worried the hell out of him.
"He was nice until he slapped my butt and asked me for my number" Youngjae walked towards Jaebum and wrapped his arms around the other's torso pulling him in a tight hug searching for warmth. "Joon hyung almost broke his hand" he chuckled and got comfortable with his head resting on Jaebum's shoulder.
"I'll thank him later" Jaebum mumbled silently and allowed himself some more seconds embracing his friend. It was cold and he could feel him trembling, so as soon as his worries fade away, he pulled away and walked Youngjae to the back seat of his car. The younger collapsed before Jaebum closed the door and got in the warm car.
"I wouldn't have given him my number" Youngjae spoke some minutes later, already on the way to his house.
"What?"
"I didn't want to give him my number"
"Oh... He was too gross?" Jaebum wasn't paying too much attention to the conversation. He only wanted to get home and sleep.
"Aaaactually, he was hot. But we're dating. I'm not inte- in-te-rested in anyone else"
"We're not dating for real, remember?" even if it hurt saying it out loud, Jaebum had to keep his facade up.
"I knooww... I just like thinking it's real" his voice was losing energy as the boy was slowly falling asleep.
Jaebum pressed the brake pedal quite abruptly, causing on Youngjae almost falling down. It's the alcohol. It's not him. It's the alcohol. Breath in, breath out. He's not thinking straight right now. [Obviously]
"Hyung... Can I stay over tonight? I don't want to face my mom in the morning" Younjae managed to sit up. He leaned forward in between the front seats, looking at the still panicked Jaebum. "What's wrong?"
"Yeah. Let's go to my place" Jaebum didn't want that. He only wanted to get in bed and fall asleep. Forget those words and the pain in his chest. He wanted it all to disappear, but he wasn't able to argue with a drunk stubborn kid at that moment.
"I don't know where I would be without you" Jaebum felt the warm breath on his skin and then Youngjae pressed his lips on his cheek for barely 2 seconds before laying back down.
Jaebum had problems with breathing properly for the next 10 minutes while the other one was asleep in the backseat. Youngjae wasn't completely awake while Jaebum walked him to the front door. He took him straight to Jackson's room where the boy collapsed in bed.
"Stay with me..." Youngjae grabbed the other's hand when he was about to get out.
"I'll be right in the next room" he swallowed the 'OK' that was threatening to escape his lips.
"I've rejected some hot dudes for you. At least you could cuddle with me as a reward"
"What's up with you, Youngjae?"
"I just feel lonely and want to cuddle my best friend. Pleeaasee~"
"I'm not sleeping in here"
"Carry me to your room. I'm too tired to walk"
Jaebum stopped for a second. It was late and the exhaustion made it hard to be fully awake and conscious at that moment. Also, the idea of cuddling up with Youngjae was too tempting. He was being too damn adorable to reject that request. Damn it.
"You giant baby... OK. Come" he gave Youngjae a piggy back ride to his room, and there the younger fell into bed giggling. "The only time we slept together we were both drunk"
"Yeah, yeah. Now get comfortable and sleep. I'll be right back"
"Just... Make it quick, OK?"
"Just sleep already" Jaebum snorted before disappearing in the bathroom. He needed to calm down and clear his mind, convince himself that Youngjae didn't mean any of that. The alcohol... I hate it.
He got back to the bedroom where the younger was already sleeping and Jaebum couldn't fight back a smile that cracked his lips as he approached the bed. He then took Youngjae's shoes off, managed to pull his sweater off without waking him up and cover him with the blanket before turning off the light and sneaking in bed beside him. "Good night, sunshine" he whispered to the darkness and closed his eyes, listening carefully to the soft breathing breaking the silence.
"Cuddle" Jaebum heard a whisper and felt a hand tracing up his chest. Then Youngjae got closer, snuggling his head in Jaebum's chest and wrapping weakly an arm around his waist. Jaebum had to wait some minutes to get used to it and then he managed to calm down and actually enjoy the situation. He pulled the slightly smaller male even closer and pressed his lips against the other's head.
"Sleep tight" he whispered and let his eyes shut close, but wasn't able to fall asleep. So he spent the night caressing Youngjae's hair and enjoying that feeling of being complete for the first time in years.