Work Text:
She was also from Virginia.
The last time Hanbin had been this insecure was when someone from Kindergarten pointed out that his teeth was slightly crooked. It wasn't even that bad but he remembered crying about it asking his Mom to get him braces. His Mom, of course, paid him no mind saying it'll get better once they all fall off.
He hated his teeth still when he grew up. Then he met Bobby. And the guy smiled like he had the most perfect set of teeth and it was true. It was very charming and adorable. Bobby never said anything about being insecure with his teeth. He even said it made him unique, memorable even. That was enough for Hanbin.
This time though, he was dealing with something much bigger than slightly crooked teeth. A whole different entity. A girl.
It was a fine Monday morning when she was introduced in front of the class as a transfer student from America. Hanbin and Bobby weren't even remotely listening, too immersed on their made up tic-tac-toe battle on a piece of paper. Hanbin was winning, of course.
It wasn't until the mention of Virginia that Bobby's head turned to the front, attention caught. Hanbin glanced too, both looking at the girl in front of the class.
"Bin, she's from Virginia." Bobby whispers.
"Oh? Maybe half Korean? She looks Asian to me." Hanbin shrugs, urging Bobby to play with him again. It was his turn.
"That's so cool. I'll talk to her later." Bobby crosses out the second box and Hanbin giggles. Bobby lost again.
"You're so bad at this."
///////
Her name was Krystal. 100% Korean but she lived in Virginia for so long that she found it hard to speak their native language fluently.
Thankfully, Bobby was there to help.
Or not.
Hanbin crosses his arms again, blowing off his bangs from his forehead. Donghyuk nudges him by the shoulder. It was lunch.
"Is Bobby not gonna eat with us?" Donghyuk asks, taking his sweet time cutting up meat to feed Yunhyeong. The guy broke his dominant arm playing Football (which was funny 'cause it's Football. How the hell do you break your arm playing Football?) and now all they hear is how useless he felt. Which, to be honest, is not true. As long as Donghyuk is by his side.
"Saw him in the library with Krystal playing house." Chanwoo winks at him and he rolls his eyes in detest.
"They're not playing house, Chanwoo. They're partners for a project. Krystal picked him." Hanbin huffs once more, remembering how he was supposed to call dibs on Bobby but Krystal beat him to it.
Hell, he wasn't even supposed to call dibs on his own boyfriend. It was an unwritten rule.
"Don't worry, Bin. It's just for this one subject." Bobby had told him when he complained one time. And he had the audacity to call him cute.
Chanwoo shrugs. "Sounds like playing house to me." He kicks him under the table and he mutters a silent ow.
"He'll be here in a minute." Hanbin says with finality. "You guys can start eating. I'll wait for him."
Like he said, Bobby was running towards them after a few minutes. He gives Hanbin a peck on the cheek before he sits beside him.
"How's playing house?" Chanwoo jokes and Hanbin eyes him sternly. Bobby seems to be confused for a moment, but he laughs when he finally gets it.
"Oh, it was fine." He smiles. Chanwoo looks at Hanbin, scandalized and Hanbin just rolls his eyes. Trust Bobby to ruin his statement in just a matter of seconds.
"Shall we eat?" Every word he said was pointed but it didn't pierce Bobby as the latter nods happily. Sometimes, he wishes his boyfriend wasn't as dense.
"Anyway, why are you asking about Krys?" Bobby points his fork at Chanwoo, mouth still half full. "You got a crush on her?" Bobby gasps. "Are you cheating on Chae?"
Chanwoo makes a face at him, not being able to defend himself as he would choke if he talks.
Hanbin wanted to elbow Bobby for not being able to wait to speak until his mouth was empty but something about what Bobby said catches his attention more.
"Krys?" he asks.
"Krystal. Our new classmate." Bobby says matter-of-factly.
Hanbin scoffs. "Yeah, I know. But is the Krys necessary? Do you find it hard to pronounce the Tal?"
Donghyuk clears his throat, faking a cough. Chanwoo doesn't fake it though, he chokes on his food and Yunhyeong manages to nudge a glass of water on his table.
Bobby's eyebrows knit. "It's a nickname?" He says innocently.
"Yeah right, Hanbin. It's a nickname. Even Bobby calls you Bin. Do you think it's hard for him to pronounce the Han?" Chanwoo snickers. He receives another glare from Hanbin as the latter ignores his boyfriend's confusion.
"What's going on?" Bobby asks, lost eyes looking at Hanbin for answers.
Before Chanwoo could spill, Junhoe and Jinhwan arrive, causing more ruckus in their booth.
Chanwoo still spills though.
Hanbin ignores Bobby all throughout.
Okay, so maybe he was a little immature.
///////
"Does Krystal know that you're my boyfriend?" Hanbin asks him while they were on their way home. He hugs himself through Bobby's varsity jacket. He loves it so much that Bobby decided to just give it to him. It has Kim Bobby in cursive embroidered on the back and the colors were navy blue and beige. Bobby got in trouble for giving it to him though. He said it was worth it 'cause it looked better on Hanbin than him.
"That's like common knowledge. Everybody knows I'm your boyfriend." Bobby answers, kicking a can of Sprite out of his way.
"Did you tell her though?" Hanbin asks once more.
It's just eating him up. His insecurities that is. He was very gay. He never liked girls romantically and Bobby was bisexual. He had a girlfriend before him and Hanbin knows it's ridiculous to bring up Bobby's sexuality just because he's a little jealous of something Bobby doesn't even acknowledge but there were times when he's scared Bobby would find someone more suitable. More in line with his religious belief. Certainly not him. Or a he at that matter.
"Not directly but I talk about you all the time so maybe she gets the idea? Why?" Bobby turns his head to face him. Hanbin shakes his head.
"Nothing. Just curious." He gives him a smile.
Bobby pulls him close to his side and they walk hand in hand.
No more questions were asked.
Hanbin's mother invited Bobby to come inside for coffee. It wasn't very late yet so he still got time before his curfew. Bobby doesn't refuse, helping his mother brew some for the both of them as he waits in the living room with his younger sister, Hanbyul.
His mother likes Bobby, so much that he even trusts Hanbyul with him and would sometimes ask Bobby to take care of his sister whenever he and Hanbin gets groceries. It was a relief especially how strict his mother was with suitors. She said there's just something charming about Bobby, too pure for this world. Hanbin agrees.
"Coffee for two and a hot cocoa for this cute little girl." Bobby places the small tray on the coffee table. Hanbyul comes up to settle herself on Bobby's lap. He somehow managed to charm his little sister too.
"Finish early. Your mom's gonna be looking for you anytime soon." Hanbin says.
"Yeah, I think she knows where I'm at by now." Bobby winks, sipping lightly on his coffee as he wraps his big arms around Hanbyul. The latter mirroring Bobby and sipping on her hot cocoa too.
Hanbin's heart warms at the sight. He looks away from them and onto the television.
"Please watch my game tomorrow." Bobby blurts out. Hanbyul was called by his mom for bedtime and they were all alone now. He scoots over to his side.
"I can't understand shit there." Bobby pouts at him. He made it a point to never miss any of Bobby's games for support. It's enjoyable since he gets to see his boyfriend play but not much since he doesn't particularly like the field's atmosphere. "And I still have to rewrite my notes." He adds.
Bobby rolls his eyes. "Come on." He whines. "You can rewrite notes after. I need to see you there. You're like my inspiration." Bobby wiggles his eyebrows.
"Corny." Hanbin scrunches his nose. He closes the distance between their body so that their thighs are touching, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on Bobby's jaw.
"Is this your way of saying yes?" Bobby asks enthusiastically, smiling from ear to ear and Hanbin moves his lips, now onto his neck.
"If you really can't make it, at least show up for practice. You have to see Chanwoo trying his best to impress Chae 'cause she will be there as part of the new cheerleading squad line up." Hanbin ignores him, working on a very light hickey on the soft skin of Bobby's neck and his boyfriend giggles, ticklish. "Oh and Krystal too."
The hickey turned out to be very dark.
///////
There was a commotion before Hanbin even managed to get to the fields. As promised (not verbally though but he was sure he made it clear that he'll be there after their short make-out session on the couch), he was on his way to show up to Bobby's practice game. He was wearing Bobby's varsity jacket for bragging purposes even though it was scorching hot outside.
Yunhyeong runs towards him, not directly to him but he catches his arm (the one not broken) to ask what was happening.
"Hey there, neck-ravisher." Yunhyeong smirks at him.
"What?"
"Don't play dumb with me. I know you're the one responsible for the very interesting mark on Bobby's neck." Hanbin blushes, he taps Yunhyeong's bandaged arm out of annoyance and he scrunches his face in pain.
"Anyway, what's happening out there?" Hanbin points at the field. Yunhyeong looks back and shrugs.
"A cheerleader fell. They're taking her to the hospital. I think it's not that bad but she was unconscious so..." he shrugs again.
Hanbin's eyes widen in shock. "Was it Chae?" He tries to have a look at the crowd.
"Why would I call Chae 'a cheerleader' and not Chae like I don't personally know her?" Yunhyeong scoffs, looking at him ridiculously. He has a point.
Hanbin leaves him to dive in to the commotion. He found out that the said cheerleader has been taken to the hospital already and that the crowd was pretty much useless. He tries to find Bobby but there was also no luck. He removes himself from the sea of people as it was getting really hot.
He sighs once he was out, spotting Junhoe on his way back to their classroom, walking urgently.
"Where are you going?" He catches up to him. Junhoe seems surprised to see him as his eyes were more focused on the way.
"The hospital. To check up on the new kid." Hanbin forgot Junhoe was the student council president. He wonders if it was really part of his duty or if he's just curious too.
Also, new kid. "You mean, Krystal?" Hanbin deducts.
"If that's her name." Junhoe nods. "Now, normally I would ask Jinhwan to go with me 'cause he's my secretary," he winks at the word. "But since Bobby is also there, would you want to come?"
"Wait, why is Ji there?" Hanbin tilts his head. He has a hunch but why would Bobby miss practice just to personally make sure someone is safe? Not that it's a bad thing but she was already taken to the hospital. What the heck would Bobby do there?
"Uh 'cause he accompanied her to the hospital?" Junhoe looks at him like he was being dumb.
"Was that necessary? Is he the doctor?" Hanbin asks more, getting aggressive, also worried.
"Dude, I don't know. Let's just go there and you ask him." Junhoe drags him to the school van and they both head to the hospital.
Hanbin hides his cold hands inside the pockets of Bobby's jacket. He immediately spots Bobby outside what he assumes is Krystal's room, sitting on the vacant seat there like a husband waiting for his wife to give birth. Except things were very much different.
Bobby was fiddling with his phone and Hanbin fishes for his when he feels it vibrate.
Bobby had texted him.
'@ da hospital dw im not dead'
Hanbin frowns as he reads it, thankful that Bobby remembered to text him, disappointed that there weren't much details. He sits beside Bobby and the guy was startled to see him, arms wrapping around him immediately, going in for a hug.
"Krystal is inside." Bobby murmurs on his neck. Hanbin wonders if Bobby would cry. Or why his heart is so big to worry about other people not even that close to him. Well, Bobby and Krystal became close very fast though. They had so many common denominators.
"I know." He says, rubbing Bobby's back to calm him. He can feel his heartbeat pounding. It was scary.
"God, that was horrifying. She fell from above and when I saw it I ran as fast as I can thinking I could catch her." Bobby rambles. Hanbin listens. "It wasn't particularly any cheerleader's fault. It was too hot outside, she fainted. Mom was even texting me so much 'cause she was worried too. I think she's on her way here but I told her not to."
Hanbin creases her forehead at the mention of Bobby's Mom. "Wait, hold on. Your Mom knows Krystal?" He raises a brow, letting go of Bobby and his boyfriend looks at him, confused as to why he was being pushed away a little.
"Yeah, they met at a grocery store when we were buying fruits. I introduced her as my lab partner. Mom invited her for lunch." Bobby says like it was nothing.
Hanbin scoffs. "Of course. Fuck, of course your mom would love her."
Bobby stares at him, wide-eyed at his sudden curse. "What's wrong with that? Can't my Mom like my friend?"
Hanbin laughs at him bitterly, remembering the way Bobby's Mom looked at him when Bobby introduced him as his boyfriend. It was as if she was waiting for him to say sike. Her gaze scrutinizing every move he made and whenever he held Bobby's hand, she would eye him like he was a poisonous snake ready to take his precious son. He never visited Bobby's house after that.
"Tell Junhoe I already went back." He stands up suddenly, removing the varsity jacket and putting it on Bobby's lap. "For Krystal. When she's cold or whatever."
Then he walks away, fast enough to not let Bobby catch him.
Bobby wasn't following though.
Hanbin thinks it's a shame.
///////
It hasn't even been a few hours. He got home safely, walking with Donghyuk and Yunhyeong until their house, and then alone.
His mother looked for Bobby outside but he just shrugged. Obviously, Hanbin thinks it's a fight. On the other hand, Bobby thinks it's just a little misunderstanding. There were a few texts from him saying he'll go home first and then stop by to talk. A few pls be safe.
He and Bobby never fight. Save from petty ones which would be resolved in a matter of hours but aside from that, despite them being immature and young, they don't really claw at each other that much.
Jinhwan had said that it's boring but Bobby said he wouldn't last a day without smoothing things out with Hanbin and he agreed so they vowed to always, always talk about it.
Hanbin argued with himself, thinking about what he did a while ago. If it was right to go off like that to Bobby at the mere mention of his Mom liking Bobby's girl friend. Bobby probably had no idea how much it saddens him that his boyfriend's mother is against him and right now, could possibly be plotting Bobby's very own straight Christian wedding.
Then he said, fuck it, stood up and grabbed his jacket to head to Bobby's house, for the second time in like forever.
"Where are you going?" His mother catches him before he comes down, zipping up his jacket, and pulling up the hood.
"To Ji's." He says with a straight face.
She immediately meets him halfway to stop him, "No, you're not. His Mom's gonna skin you alive and tell you to rot in hell. And all in that order."
Hanbin rolls his eyes. "Yeah, but I kinda acted out on Ji so I gotta apologize."
Before she could let her go, the doorbell rings. They both look at the door. Hanbin walks towards it slowly. Bobby had beat him to it.
"Good evening, Mrs. Kim." Bobby smiles at the woman behind him and his mother waves hospitably before leaving them alone. "Hey, Bin." His smile falters a little, but his expression still warm. He's holding the jacket Hanbin left him. His jacket.
"Come inside." Hanbin says. They went upstairs to Hanbin's bedroom, both still silent until Bobby clears his throat after he closed the door.
"So, you were jealous." Hanbin glares at him. Bobby giggles. "Believe me, I only figured out today." He says with pride.
"That's not something to be proud of. And no, I'm not jealous." He huffs.
"Bin, Krystal was my friend. We talked about Virginia most of the time, it was so boring but it's fun to reminisce since we both miss the city." Bobby explains. "And there's absolutely no reason to be jealous of because she already has a boyfriend. He's cute by the way." Hanbin rolls his eyes, throwing a pillow at Bobby's direction. He notices that he did do Bobby good by the look of the hickey on his neck. His boyfriend's dumb ass didn't even bother to cover it up and now he's embarrassed.
"I'm not jealous because you're friends with a girl, Ji. I'm not actually that immature. I was just thinking about your Mom. I know she would like for you to get rid of me immediately." He confesses, playing with the velvet bedsheet, avoiding Bobby's eyes.
"Oh, Bin." He sits down beside him. "Who cares about what Mom would think? As long as you have me." He kisses the side of his forehead. "She would have to wait longer because I don't plan on getting rid of you anytime soon." He chuckles as Hanbin punches his chest lightly, content, loved.
"How's Krystal?" Hanbin asks, trudging back on the topic.
"With her boyfriend. Just like I am now with mine."
Bobby sure knows how to make someone feel special.
///////
"Awww, that was quick and boring. I was expecting a physical fight." Chanwoo slumps his back on the chair of their booth when he sees Bobby trying to feed Hanbin some fries while the latter plays with his phone.
"Shut your mouth, Jung Chanwoo." Hanbin says noncommittally.
Bobby chortles. "Hanbin would obviously lose 'cause Krystal takes Jiu Jitsu." His boyfriend glares at him. "Well, you would obviously win my heart." He adds.
Chanwoo pretends to barf, and Donghyuk smacks him lightly on the forehead.
"Sup, losers."
"Why are you guys always late to lunch?" Bobby asks Jinhwan and the guy shrugs.
"They fuck in Junhoe's office. I just know it." Yunhyeong wiggles his eyebrows and Junhoe throws his middle finger at him. In secret though, because he has a reputation to uphold.
Bobby scrunches his face and makes an eww sound alongside with Chanwoo.
"Mind your own business."
They eat lunch while talking about trivial things until Bobby notices Hanbin still focused on his phone.
"Who keeps on texting you?" Bobby asks.
Hanbin lifts his head up to look at his boyfriend. "Mom."
"What'd she say?"
"That we got a visitor and I have to go home early." Hanbin pouts. Bobby kisses his lips quickly.
"Sucks. I was about to ask you to eat dinner out with me."
"Eat dinner with me at home, then. I'm sure Mom wouldn't mind having you around." Hanbin gives him an assuring smile and Bobby shrugs.
"Of course, she wouldn't. I'm like her favorite." He beams.
The said visitor was in fact, Hanbin's childhood friend, Jaewon.
And damn, the way Bobby's grip tightened on his waist when Jaewon kissed his cheek, when he saw how Hanbin blushed and smiled from ear to ear. Hanbin figures he likes it.
Even more when the possessive hand continued to claim his thigh during dinner while they were talking about their childhood experiences.
"Why do your eyes sparkle whenever you talk to him, Bin?" Bobby tells him once they were left alone in the kitchen, closing the gap between them, pulling lightly from the hem of his varsity jacket he just got back.
"My eyes are perfectly fine, Ji. What are you talking about?" He bites the inside of his cheeks when Bobby whines, rolling his eyes irritably.
Hanbin smiles victoriously to himself. Feels good to give Bobby a taste of his own medicine.
Although, the revenge hickey on Hanbin's neck took too long to be covered up.