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On any normal day after classes and work, Jun had his days full of both. It was the same case for Minghao, his roommate and best friend. On those normal days, he usually got home before Minghao and would start on dinner. Minghao would usually join him after he got home. When they finished cooking dinner, they would eat and then get started on homework.
That would be the case if they still had classes, but since they were finally on winter break, all they had on their agenda was work. Their first day of break, Jun had the whole day off while Minghao had an afternoon shift. Since Minghao was normally very tired after work, Jun decided to order takeout for the both of them.
Once the food came, Minghao was home ten minutes later, and instead of tired, he seemed upset; Jun could tell the moment he walked in.
When Minghao got home from work, he slammed the door in frustration, groaning as he set his jacket onto the couch. Jun heard Minghao muttering to himself as he walked into the kitchen and threw himself onto one of the chairs at their kitchen table.
“If you’re going to walk in all angry and grumbly, at least give me a warning,” Jun joked, grabbing plates and chopsticks for the both of them, “You’re ruining the good vibe I had going.”
Minghao sighed.
“Sorry, Jun. It’s just…”
Minghao groaned.
My parents.”
Immediately, the playful smile Jun had on his face dropped, putting the plates and chopsticks on the table.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. They called me while I was on my break today. They’re having this Christmas banquet with all of their rich friends. They asked me to attend, and I said I would. But, of course, they failed to tell me that they’re also inviting Sungho, my jerk ex, and his family, and I know my parents invited them because they still believe in this merger deal.”
“Oh… my god.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Minghao paused, exhaling a breath.
“Which is why… I need a favor from you.”
“Okay… what is it?”
Minghao didn’t reply, as if he was trying to form the right words in his head, but then he finally spoke.
“I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend.”
Jun choked on air in surprise. He violently coughed as Minghao’s words repeated in his head.
“Excuse me?” Jun asked. “Why?”
“Their reputation is too much at stake. Hypothetically, say we went to this party as a couple, and I introduce you as my boyfriend to my parents, knowing they still want this merger to happen, If things get heated, gossip will spread like wildfire during the party and even after, since this’ll be at a Christmas party with all of their closest rich friends. To keep face, they’ll leave it alone for a while, and I can use that time to get out of that situation permanently."
If it were anyone else, Jun would be more skeptical, but Minghao knew the inner workings and thinking of people in the higher class. He knew that Minghao knew what he was talking about; it made sense, the scenario and outcome of this fake dating ploy, but Minghao was practically his brother. How would they display their relationship as something romantic?
“There’s no way we’ll be able to pull this off. Our relationship is nowhere near romantic. They’ll see right through it.”
“We’ll just have to practice being boyfriends,” Minghao assured him, “It’s the last Saturday before Christmas, three weeks from now, so we have some time to figure things out.”
Minghao paused, letting out a sigh.
“I know this is a weird favor, but I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I wasn't desperate. There’s reasons why I left, and I don’t want to get dragged back in. We just have to get through this holiday party; after, I can say we broke up or something, and by then I’ll have figured something out.”
Minghao paused.
“So… are you in?”
Jun was still skeptical. There were so many things that could go wrong, and Jun could bet that, if things really did go horribly wrong, these people had the connections to ruin his life.
But he and Minghao always had each other’s back, ever since they were one of the few foreign students at their school. Whenever either of them needed something, they’d drop what they were doing to help. It was the nature of their friendship. This wasn’t any different from the other times. Minghao still needed him, and Jun didn’t want to let him down, especially since he knew how tired Minghao was of being bothered by his parents and his old life in general.
Jun knew he needed to help Minghao, and he was going to.
He nodded.
“Yeah. I’m in. Let’s fool your parents and everyone at this party.”
Minghao sighed in relief.
“Thanks so much, Jun.”
Jun nodded in reply.
“Of course. I have your back, Hao; there’s no doubt about that.”
___
So for the next few weeks, Jun and Minghao practiced being boyfriends, talking through and doing trials and errors of what worked out well for them and what didn’t. They figured out what was just enough, what was crossing the lines of their fake relationship, and what the two were comfortable with when it came to the little things, such as hand touches, compliments, and forehead kisses. They even went on “dates” to practice being affectionate with each other, everything ranging from sharing food to hand kisses.
It worked out well. In fact, it worked out too well.
Since they had started practicing being boyfriends, Jun started to see Minghao in a different light, as someone more than his brother. Of course, Jun had previously known all of Minghao’s little quirks, the things that made Minghao… well, Minghao, but then he started finding all of those little things incredibly endearing. Jun found himself thinking about just how cute was Minghao was when he giggled at Jun’s dumb jokes, how sweet he was when they stayed with a kid who lost their mom, and how beautiful he looked while taking pictures of the falling snow.
These thoughts have never occurred to him before. Why didn’t he notice these things before? Better yet… why didn’t he feel this way before?
Jun was confused, and now he had to go to a Christmas banquet with Minghao, where they’d have to pretend to be in love. Sure, initially, when Minghao first asked for the favor, Jun agreed to it because he and Minghao were close friends, and that’s what close friends did: they help each other out when they need it. Besides, it was all supposed to be pretend, so they could fool everyone at the party into thinking they were in love. After, they agreed it would be like it never happened, and things would go back to the way it was before.
Three weeks later, Jun wasn’t sure if he was still pretending, or if he wanted it to stop after this banquet.
“Jun?”
Jun pulled himself out of his thoughts. He turned around, seeing Minghao in a black and white tailcoat tuxedo paired with black dress shoes. His brown hair was styled up with gel and away from his forehead.
“How do I look?” Minghao, fiddling with the cuffs of his sleeves.
Jun felt his heart skip a beat.
Beautiful.
“You look good,” Jun said instead, “With us together, looking this good, your parents and your ex won’t have anything on us.”
Minghao smirked.
“You’re right there.”
Jun gave Minghao a knowing look before he turned back to the mirror. He was wearing a classic fit, black and white tuxedo as well as matching dress shoes. His brown hair was gelled up as well.
“How do I look?” Jun asked.
“Good,” Minghao replied, “Except for your bowtie. It’s crooked.”
Minghao walked over and turned Jun away from the mirror. He leaned in, fixing Jun’s bowtie. Jun held a breath in, trying to keep calm with Minghao so close to him.
“There, better.”
Minghao looked up, and their eyes met. Their eyes met. For the past couple of weeks, they barely made eye contact for longer than a few seconds. They were just friends, and anything longer than five seconds was just weird. But now, Jun found himself getting lost in Minghao’s eyes. He couldn’t look away; he was sure it'd been longer than five seconds, but he couldn’t help himself. Minghao’s eyes captivated him.
Then suddenly, Minghao jumped, causing Jun to jump as well. Minghao pulled away, grabbing his phone from his pocket. He seemed to unlock his phone and type something before putting it back in his pocket.
“The limo my parents sent is here,” Minghao informed him.
Jun nervously coughed before he nodded.
“Right, of course. Let’s go,” Jun said, “Did you take your medicine?”
Minghao nodded. And with that, they left Jun’s room before going to the hallway closet and grabbed their jackets. Making sure all the lights were off, they walked out, locking their apartment, and making their way to the ground level. Once they were in the lobby, they could already see the limo in front of the entrance. They walked out, where the driver had already opened the door for them.
“Hello, Lee. Long time no see,” Minghao said with a small bow.
“Nice to see you again, Master Minghao.”
“You can just call me Minghao. There’s no need for formalities between us anymore,” Minghao said, “This is my boyfriend, Junhui.”
“Hello,” Jun greeted, “It’s nice to meet you, Lee. I’ve heard a few things about you, from what Minghao has told me. You’ve been driving him and his family around since he was young?”
“Correct,” Lee said with a nod, “It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, shall we get going? Your parents are expecting you.”
“Yes,” Minghao said, climbing into the limo, with Jun following after.
Once they were inside, Lee closed the door and made his way to the driver’s seat. Jun looked around, amazed at the twinkling ceiling, the black leather, cushion lounge seats, mini fridge, and tinted windows that were lined up and went along the wall.
“You used to ride in this? All the time?” Jun asked.
“Yeah. It’s cool the first hundred times, then after, it’s too much. Too pretentious for me,” Minghao replied.
When they settled in their seat, Lee drove off. Jun continued to explore the different parts of the limo as Minghao texted on his phone. As Jun opened the mini fridge to see what was inside, he could hear Minghao closing the window that separated them and Lee.
Jun looked up at Minghao, a look of determination on his face.
“Game plan?” Minghao asked.
Jun, closing the fridge, nodded. He sat back down.
“Okay, so when we get to the party, we have to be holding hands. That’ll already be a sign that there’s something between us. There’s no doubt that Sungho will be with my parents, so when we see both of them, we have to be extra cuddly when we greet them and when we announce we’re dating, if that’s okay with you.”
“That’s fine,” Jun said with a nod, “Whatever we have to do.”
“Also, I should warn you. People in this social class are…. ah, not the best people. Everything is about money and power, and squishing people below them and putting people in their place. If someone says something that bothers you, just do your best to let it roll off your back. Don’t let it bother you, or else they will have won that battle because that’s what they want: for people to acknowledge that they’re better than you. If you don’t know what to say, or if you feel yourself losing your temper, squeeze my hand, and I’ll cover for you. I’ve been doing it for myself for years before I got out.”
“Okay.”
That saddened Jun, thinking about it, knowing about the life Minghao had lived before he was able to leave.
With Minghao’s father being the CEO of one of Asia’s biggest technology companies, Minghao had grown up to be well off: living in a mansion, having butlers and maids to do everything for him, expensive schooling, and having clothing made of the finest materials. He was in line to inherit the CEO position and the money.
To anyone, it would’ve been the perfect life: sit around, have other people do the dirty work, and inherit the money when it was time. But Minghao absolutely hated it. He hated the tutoring sessions on the school electives he was forced to take (English was useful; Latin was not), the classes on manners, the suits, the parties, the fake face everyone put on for the sake of their reputation. He didn’t like it at all and wanted out, but it was all he knew; he’d have nowhere to go, so he held his tongue, went along with everything, and complied with everything.
With his dad having the status he had, Minghao and his parents were always being watched and talked about by everyone. His life was on display for observation, for everyone to pick at, to say things that weren’t true about him, for everyone to say what they wanted from him, and for his parents to comply with it.
It went as far as his parents introducing him to Sungho, when everyone told his parents they wanted to see their “Xu golden boy happy and falling in love.” After time, they started dating (like his parents intended, unbeknownst to Minghao). Minghao let himself be fooled into thinking he was in love, let himself be in this relationship to protect himself from actually understanding what the true intent of their relationship was.
The worst part of it all was it was watched by everyone. Their relationship was observed by everyone, the couple barely able to have private moments between them. Pictures of them on dates, them holding hands, sharing kisses always surfaced one way or another. People would always say the couple was “so in love” and “soulmates” and “meant to be together," but Minghao never felt that way, especially with the dynamic of his and Sungho’s relationship.
But, always, like everything else in his life, he couldn’t do anything else about it but hold his tongue and comply.
But then Minghao was ready to snap one day when pictures were taken of Sungho leaving the Xu mansion early one morning and surfaced for the community to see. When everyone saw those pictures, they assumed the couple slept together and gossiped about how Sungho was big and handsome and would have no problem “wrecking” their precious golden boy, as if that were the only things he was good for. He hated that assumption they made because he would never. He and Sungho had simply gotten out late from a movie, and after Sungho dropped him off at home, he was too tired to drive home. Minghao let him stay the night, not in the same bed, but on the couch in his room.
That was the real story, but would people care to hear it? No, because they already came up with their own narrative that fit the Minghao they depicted in their head.
When Minghao finally realized why they were even dating in the first place, and that he wasn’t even really in love with Sungho after all, he quietly broke it off, hoping that it would stay under the radar. But Minghao was foolish to think that because Sungho broke the news to everyone he and his family knew. It caused an outcry, for everyone’s beloved “it” couple was no more.
That was when Minghao realized he couldn’t stand to live this life anymore. It’s when he started to hate himself for forcing himself through all of those situations complying for all of those years, making excuses for staying, letting it take a toll on his emotional and mental health, when he should’ve left the moment he was able to.
He hated being a thing for people to play with, to gossip about when they were bored, to control like he was their puppet, and change himself as if he were clay at the mercy of its creator, and god forbid he’d have to live the rest of his life like that.
So, after speaking to his parents and some (a lot of) convincing, his parents allowed him to leave (begrudgingly). Minghao had moved out of the mansion, went to a public college for art, made some new friends, and even rented a small apartment with Jun, a friend he made his first day of class. Minghao now lived a much more humble life, actually enjoying living for the first time in his life instead of dragging himself out of bed and forcing himself to live just for the sake of living.
If there was the chance for Minghao to leave it behind all again, Jun would be more than willing to help. Jun knew what Minghao had already been through and had witnessed firsthand how that life left Minghao when he saw the pill bottles in their medicine cabinet and how the memories and trauma kept him up at night more often than not; it kept him from functioning as a normal human being at times. Jun couldn't believe Minghao’s parents were so willing to attempt to drag him back in, in the middle of what was supposed to be the happiest time of year. That was the main reason why Jun decided to play this part. There was no way he’d let Minghao be dragged back into that hell of a life.
Jun sighed.
“I just hope we can pull it off.”
“We will,” Minghao assured him, “We’ve been practicing for the past couple of weeks, and people have fallen for it. We can do this for one more night. After that, we’ll be able to stop with this charade and move on.”
Jun sighed. Right, this was just pretend.
“Oh my god. Of course it’s here.”
Jun looked out the window and saw that the limo was pulling up to an exquisite skyscraper building. A majority of the skyscraper walls were windows, and reached higher than any of the surrounding buildings.
“Where’s ‘here?’” Jun asked.
“It’s the hotel known to be rented out by people in the same social class as my parents. They always have parties here just flaunt their money.”
“Ah,” Jun said as they drove into the parking garage.
They drove further and further underground until they reached a sparkly, lavish entrance (which was really nice for a parking garage) with a red carpet. Lee got out of the driver’s seat and walked to the back door. He stood up in front of it and opened the door. Jun and Minghao walked out, inside the building, and to a woman who was wearing a headset and holding a clipboard. She was standing in front of a hallway that was roped off.
“Hello!” She greeted them. “Xu Minghao?”
“Yes.”
“And who’s with you?”
“My date.”
She frowned before looking at her clipboard. After flipping through some sheets of paper, she looked up at Minghao apologetically.
“I’m sorry… your parents don’t have you down for a plus one. I’m afraid I can’t let him in.”
“You will, or else I’m not going in either.”
She gasped. She then bit her lip, looking back and forth between Minghao and Jun and her clipboard. She then spoke quietly into her headset as she looked between her clipboard and Jun. She seemed torn, but after a moment, she ended the conversation with the person she was communicating with and quickly nodded.
“Of course. Follow me.”
She unclasped the rope. She walked forward, and Jun and Minghao followed her. They walked further down the hallway and stopped at a pair of elevators. She pressed the button, calling the elevator.
“Take the elevator all the way up to the top. That’s where the banquet is being held.”
“Thank you,” Minghao said with a small bow.
Once the doors opened, the two stepped in and pressed the button for the top floor. Once the doors closed, Jun turned to Minghao and gave him a smirk.
“Abusing your power, aren’t you?”
“Not really,” Minghao said with a shrug, “I just told her the truth. I wasn’t going to walk in without you, and I know how badly my parents want me to be at this banquet. They’ve been calling every day this week just to make sure I would be there.”
“You’re so smart,” Jun teased.
“Just observant.”
Silence fell between them before they looked at the floor number and saw they were quickly ascending.
“We’re almost there,” Minghao said, “Just before the door opens, hold my hand, and keep holding it as we greet people. Word will spread.”
Jun nodded. When they reached the floor, Minghao took a step closer to him.
“Now.”
And with that, Jun held Minghao’s hand in his as the elevator doors opened. Jun’s eyes widened at the room before him. All of the walls were windows, giving a view of Seoul’s skyline, with Christmas lights and garlands hanging on the walls. There was a Christmas tree in the middle of the room, decorated with ornaments, faux snow, and a gold sash wrapped around the tree, folding in and out. The tree was glowing with bright lights and the star on top. There was an orchestra on the side playing Christmas carols. There was another section that had wood flooring and Christmas lights hanging above it. It was roped off, as if it were a dance floor.
People were walking around in ball gowns and tuxedos, all red, gold, or white, and Jun swore he had never gone to a fancier party than this.
“Holy shit, this is… holy shit,” Jun said.
Minghao softly laughed.
“Never been to a Christmas banquet that was this fancy, have you?”
Jun shook his head.
“This is all so… extravagant.,” Jun replied, “It’s almost… too much.”
Jun paused.
“I can see why you left it all behind.”
Minghao sighed.
“Yeah,” he said, “Anyway, do you want something to eat? These things can be a drag, but at least the food is good.”
“Yes, please.”
Continuing to hold hands, they started to make their way to the food table. While doing so, everyone stared at them. Jun could hear their whispers.
“Is that Minghao?”
“Our precious golden boy is back?”
“I thought he left for good!”
“He’s back where he belongs, thank goodness. I was starting to worry he went off to hang out with a bunch of common middle-class people.”
“Who’s that boy with him? Is it a bodyguard?
“No way, they’re holding hands. Is this a new boyfriend?”
“I hope not. He obviously belongs with Sungho. This is probably just a fling to fill his boredom before he goes running back to Sungho.”
Jun looked away, wrinkling his nose.
God, how could people even talk about Minghao this way? Like he’s just a thing for them to talk about? As if he’s not a human being with thoughts and feelings?
Jun looked at Minghao, seeing that Minghao’s breathing became shaky; he could feel Minghao’s hand start to tremble as well.
He looked back up at the crowds and saw that they were all still staring.
Jun tried to keep his composure, tried not to lash out at all of these people. He wanted to tell them to go away and stop staring, but he didn’t want to know what would happen if he did. Besides, helping Minghao was his priority.
He took a deep breath before he led Minghao away from the crowds and took them to a hidden corner. Once they were out of sight from everyone, Minghao leaned into his embrace and hooked his arms under Jun’s. Jun pulled him into a tight hug, holding Minghao in his arms. He could feel Minghao's heart pounding against his chest. He was shaking; his breathing was labored and uneven.
He started rubbing Minghao’s back.
“It’s okay; you’re okay,” Jun gently whispered, “I’m here; I’m here. Take as much time as you need.”
They stood there for a few minutes, with Jun whispering comforting words to Minghao while Minghao let out ragged breaths.
Once Minghao’s breathing and shakiness was noticeably better, and his heart wasn't beating as hard against Jun's chest, Jun looked down at Minghao and met his eyes.
“Is it better now?”
“Y-Yeah,” Minghao said, slowly nodding, “S-Sorry. Everyone saying t-those things… it brought everything back.”
“I understand, and it’s okay,” Jun said, “Those things that those people said about you are horrible. Your reaction was valid.”
Minghao gave him a grateful smile.
“Thank you.”
Jun returned the smile.
“Are you ready?”
Minghao took a deep breath before he nodded. He held Jun’s hand and squeezed it before they headed to the desert table. But before they could make it there, they heard someone say Minghao’s name.
“Minghao?”
“Minghao, darling?”
They turned around, and Jun saw three people standing in front of them. There was a taller, older man in a black suit with his black hair nicely combed through. The woman next to him was wearing a sparkling gold and white dress that fit her body matched with white heels. Her black hair was styled into tight curls. The other man with them was younger, about his and Minghao’s age. He was also wearing a black tuxedo with his black hair gelled up. He had sharp, brown eyes, and he was smirking. Jun didn’t like the vibe he got from that man.
Jun didn’t know who they were, but Minghao seemed to know because he smiled.
“Mother. Father. It’s nice to see you again.”
He gave his mom a hug with one arm and kissed her on her cheeks before he shook hands with his dad. He pulled away, turning to glare to the younger man.
“Sungho. It’s nice seeing you again as well.”
So that’s Sungho.
“You as well, Minghao. You look.. nice,” he replied, rolling his eyes up and down Minghao’s body (making Jun mentally gag), “It’s been a while since we talked. You don’t reply to my calls or messages anymore.”
“Because I blocked your number. I would never keep in touch with someone who’s mentally and emotionally manipulated me to no end and used the excuse of ‘I love you and just want what’s best for you’ to keep doing it.”
“Come on, babe. You know I meant well. I really do want what’s best for you.”
Minghao visibly seemed shaken up again, but Sungho didn’t seem to care as he reached out and tried to hold Minghao’s wrist. Even though Jun had just met Minghao’s jerk ex, he already didn’t like him. Angered, Jun beat him to it and caught his wrist in his hand.
“Keep your hand off of him,” Jun said, almost growling.
Sungho looked at him, taking in Jun’s appearance.
He let out a laugh.
“And who are you?” He asked.
“I’m Junhui,” Jun replied, “I suggest you take your hand away before something happens to it.”
Sungho continued to take another look at Jun. After taking in Jun’s appearance, he let out another laugh before turning to Minghao.
“You went ahead and got yourself a bodyguard for the banquet? You really don’t want to be around me, do you?”
He turned back to Jun.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but Minghao and I go way back. We dated at one point. I think I have a right to talk to him the way I please.”
“I’m not his bodyguard. I’m his current boyfriend, and I won’t allow you to touch him when he’s clearly uncomfortable with it.”
Sungho's eyes widened as he pulled his wrist out of Jun’s hold and took a step back. Minghao’s parents had the same reaction.
“This is who ?” Minghao’s mom asked. “We weren’t expecting you to bring a guest.”
“I know, but… I thought this would be the right time to introduce him to you both,” Minghao replied, “This… is my boyfriend, Wen Junhui. We met at university.”
Minghao turned to look at him.
“Isn’t that right, Junnie?”
Jun, a bit flustered at the nickname, instantly nodded.
“Y-Yeah, that’s right.”
He gave them a bow.
“It’s nice to meet you all.”
It was silent after that, the moment being used for Minghao’s parents and Sungho to examine him and pick him apart, as if they were scientists and he was a specimen under a light. Jun didn’t like that feeling; he almost wanted to take Minghao’s hand and pull him away so they’d stop.
“And how long has this been going on?” His father finally asked.
“For about a year now.”
“And you didn’t bother to tell us?” His mother asked.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew how the two of you would react. I know you want me to be with Sungho and go with this merger deal, but it’s not going to happen. I’m not in love with him. I’m in love with my Junnie.”
Jun knew it was all fake, but still hearing those words come out of Minghao’s mouth warmed his chest.
“But Sungho would be much better for you, the company, and our family. Once people see we have joined two powerful companies, it will be good for our reputation. We will be able to build our brand name. Sungho and his family are very respective and good people: they will fit in well with our family. And you won’t even have to run the company if you don’t want to. You can still do what you want; we just need to be able to build roots for our company and our family,” his mother said.
Respective and good people? That’s not the way Minghao described his ex and his family.
“But I’ll be miserable for the rest of my life. I don’t want to be with him. Don’t you care about my happiness?”
His parents sighed.
“We do, which is why we want what’s best for you. We want to bring you the most happiness as well as what’s best for us and the company,” his father said, “We don’t even know who this Jun is. We don’t know if he’s good enough for you.”
“You just need to trust me on that. I’m not the same little boy who took classes on mannerisms and dressed up in those suits, who you’d tell what to do and what not to do. I’m an adult now, and I know right from wrong and good from bad. I know he’s good for me, and you will just have to believe it,” Minghao replied, “And since I’m happy and in love with him, I absolutely refuse to go along with this merger.”
His parents seemed to want to press on, but then they looked around them. Jun followed and saw that people were (obviously) watching the conversation go down, waiting to see what would happen.
They looked back at each other before they sighed.
“Alright, fine,” his father said, “But we will discuss this later, when the party's over and the talks of it die down. For now, we need to pretend that everything is fine.”
“Okay.”
“Perfect,” his mother said, “Well, we have a table reserved for us and the Kims. Sungho can show you where. You can take a seat; we’ll be eating soon.”
His parents gave him and Minghao one last smile before they walked off.
“Follow me to our table,” Sungho said.
Jun and Minghao hesitantly followed him. Once they reached their table, they sat down as Sungho walked off. As he sat down, Jun saw that even the table was extravagantly decorated. A knife, fork, and spoon were wrapped in a napkin and tied together with a gold ribbon with a wine glass next to it. In the middle of the table was a miniature decorated Christmas tree with a bottle of wine.
“Oh, Minghao dearest. You came!” A voice said.
Jun and Minghao turned around. Jun saw an older woman in a red, sparkling dress that went below her knees. She was wearing white wheels, and her black hair was in a bun. Minghao smiled as he stood up and kissed both her cheeks.
“Hello, Mrs. Kim. It’s been so long,” Minghao greeted.
“Too long. How have you been?” She asked.
“Very well. University has been busy, but I’m enjoying it nonetheless. I’m on winter break, so I have some time to relax.”
“That’s lovely to hear,” she replied, “Have you seen Sungho? Ever since we’ve been discussing the merger with your parents, he’s been talking about you nonstop, talking about wedding plans, mansions on sale, and even starting a family with you. Have you come to rekindle the flame, I hope?”
If Minghao was revolted at the thought, he didn’t show it.
“Actually, I’m here with my boyfriend. My parents were adamant that I come, so I bought my boyfriend along with me to meet my parents.”
“Oh..,” she trailed off, the smile dropping from her face.
She looked at Jun, her eyes narrowing.
“I see,” she said, her voice turning cold, “And this is him, I assume?”
“Yes, this is Jun.”
Jun gave her a smile and a small bow.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she said, the faux kindness lacing her voice, “I hope you’re able to have a fine time with us tonight. I’m sure it’s something your… kind of people aren’t used to.”
Jun wanted to wrinkle his nose, disgusted at the fact that she thought she could say those things to him, just because she had more money.
Don’t let her have this, Jun.
He took a deep breath.
“People like me don’t need elegant parties like this to be happy,” he replied, “We’re happy with the simple things in life.”
Mrs. Kim blinked, surprised at Jun’s answer. Instead of responding, she ignored him and she looked back at Minghao, the smile back on her face.
“Well, it was nice seeing you, dear. I best find my husband. They’re getting ready to serve the food. I’ll see you in a bit.”
She gave Minghao one last smile before she walked off. Minghao let out a sigh of relief before he sat down in his chair.
“She gave me a look, and said those passive things about me” Jun said as she walked off.
“Yeah, I know,” Minghao replied.
He sighed.
“That was Sungho’s mom. After Sungho and I first started dating, she became… obsessed with our relationship, fretting over it, and making sure we were happy and still in love. She believed, still believes, actually, that we were meant to be together. That’s where those labels of our relationship came from. She incited it, and people followed it, so of course she’s not happy that you’re here.”
“I see.”
“Don’t worry about her. She won’t say anything direct to your face because… you know, face and all. If she does, I’ll defend you.”
Jun smiled.
“Thanks.”
“It’s the least I can do, for everything you’ve already done for me.”
Jun then heard chairs being pulled out. He looked away from Minghao and saw his parents, Mrs. Kim, as well as another tall man (who he assumed was Mr. Kim) wearing a tuxedo with his hair combed through, sitting down. They gave a quick hello and bow to him and Minghao, but not without staring at Jun. Jun was sure they were wondering why their “Xu golden boy” brought someone so… not of their class (“At least he’s handsome,” he heard Mr. Kim mumble) before they sat down. Sungho was the last to arrive and sat down in one of the last two chairs at the table.
It came time for dinner, and servers arrived at their table to give them plates of food, course after course. While eating, they all held small conversations while performers would get up on stage to perform Christmas songs. Minghao talked about his schoolwork and his plans for after graduation as well as his projects he did in his free time. After, Sungho’s parents continued to ask Minghao question after question. Minghao answered them while Minghao’s parents and Sungho’s parents listened proudly.
“You’re such a lovely boy, so smart, kind, generous, and sweet,” Mrs. Kim cooed, “You’re perfect for our Sungho.”
She lovingly sighed.
“Ah yes, our lovely Minghao and Sungho. It has a beautiful ring to it.”
She turned to her husband.
“Doesn’t it, dear?”
He nodded. She beamed at his answer before turning her attention back to Minghao.
“It’s such a shame you’re not together anymore. You two are perfect for each other. Hopefully one day you’ll finally realize what’s good for you and come back to where you belong.”
Jun looked down at his food, hiding his look of disgust for the nth time that evening.
God, who gave her the right to talk to Minghao like that?
But Minghao appeared unfazed.
“I have realized what’s good for me. Going to university and living life with Junnie has shown me that. I’m okay with where I am, and I plan to stay there.”
Mrs. Kim raised her eyebrows, but didn’t say anything in return. Jun turned to Minghao and gave him a soft smile, which Minghao accepted and returned.
After Minghao was done speaking, the moms got started talking amongst themselves while the fathers talked about the companies. Jun and Minghao kept up their act, feeding each other, wiping each other’s mouths, and saying sweet things to each other. Sungho continued to stay silent, sitting by himself, eating.
When the conversations didn’t fill the air, Jun could feel eyes on him, the judging stares, all from Minghao’s parents, Sungho’s parents, as well as Sungho himself. It made Jun feel uneasy and nervous; the stares made him feel like he was nothing but the dirt under their shoes, unworthy of even breathing the same air as them. He understood better now why Minghao left: he hated this too. Minghao seemed to sense Jun's discomfort because he leaned in, whispered ‘“it’s okay” before kissing Jun’s cheek. Jun softly smiled: that made him feel better.
Once everyone was done eating, the roped off area opened, and the orchestra started to play slow, ballad Christmas songs.
“The dance floor is now open for those who want to share a dance with their loved one.”
Jun looked at the dance floor then looked at Minghao, who was on his phone while he sipped on a glass of wine. He then looked at Sungho, who was talking with his mom. She nudged him before pointing at Minghao, who was unaware of what was happening, before motioning to the dance floor.
Once it clicked in Jun’s head, he knew he had to do something. As he saw Sungho start to stand up, he quickly turned to Minghao.
“Would you like to share a dance with me?”
Minghao looked up at him, a bit surprised at the question, but nodded nonetheless, putting his empty wine glass on the table. Jun stood up and helped Minghao up as well before holding his hand and leading him to the dance floor. He took a quick glance at Sungho, who slowly sat back down in his seat; Jun sighed in relief. Once they reached the dance floor, Jun put his hands on Minghao’s waist, as Minghao wrapped his arms around Jun’s neck.
“Well… that was unexpected.”
“That jerk Sungho was about to ask you to dance with him. I know you wouldn’t like that,” Jun said, “He and his mom act like they own you.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t,” Minghao replied, “And I know they do. I hate it. And with this merger deal… it doesn’t make this any easier. Sungho grew up thinking he could have whatever he wanted. And his mom thinks he’s entitled to that. She thinks that it was a mistake that I broke up with him, that he’s the best I could have, not knowing how he treated me when we dated.”
Jun sighed.
“I’m sorry it’s like that.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”
Jun met Minghao’s eyes, giving him an empathetic smile.
“But I see even better now why you left,” Jun said, “The people here are so fake; they only care about their image and their money. I’ve only been here for a couple of hours, and I already hate this. I can’t believe you put up with this for twenty-one years.”
Minghao sighed.
“Me neither, and I hate myself for it. It ruined me, and it’ll continue to follow me for the rest of my life. The only thing I can do is take it one day at a time, and hopefully, one day, I’ll be fully free of it.”
Minghao then gave Jun a smile.
“I know I haven’t said this yet tonight, but… thanks for doing this for me. I know… it was a lot to ask for, and that the situation is kind of… weird, but it really helped out a lot. My parents won’t be bothering me about Sungho and the merger for quite some time now.”
“Yeah, of course,” Jun said, “What are friends for, right?”
“Yeah,” Minghao said, a soft smile following, “After this, we can finally breathe easy, and things can go back to the way they were.”
Jun tried not to show his disappointment. Minghao really did just want to forget everything, but Jun knew that he shouldn’t expect more than that because that was the reality of the whole situation. Minghao needed him, as a friend, but would never want him for more than that. Jun would be foolish to believe it would be anything more. It should’ve stayed at that, but if the past few weeks and this evening have proved anything, it’s that Jun was falling for his best friend, and that couldn’t bear pretending anymore. He wanted to see if there could be anything more. Was it worth the risk? Was it worth asking?
Was now when he wished for Christmas magic to do its thing and somehow have Minghao fall in love with him as well?
“Hey, Hao-”
“Jun, they’re staring.”
Jun followed Minghao’s eye line and saw that Sungho and his mom were definitely staring. Jun turned back to Minghao.
“Should we kiss?” Minghao asked.
“Yeah. We definitely should,” Jun quickly replied, "So we try... on the lips?"
Minghao's eyes slightly widened.
“On the lips? We didn’t practice that. We’ve only done hands, forehead, and cheek.”
“Yeah well… we need to look convincing, and a kiss on the lips will do that,” Jun explained, “I mean… if you’re okay with that.”
Minghao seemed unsure, but the look was quickly replaced with determination.
He nodded.
“I am.”
And with that, Jun leaned in, placing his lips on Minghao’s as Minghao, slowly, kissed back. Minghao tasted sweet, and Jun could already feel himself getting addicted, falling deeper into the hole he’s dug himself into; he wanted more. He wanted more of Minghao like this, in his arms, calling him “Junnie,” comforting him, kissing him. He wanted Minghao like this, not just as a friend. He wanted to say “Minghao I’m in love with you and I can only wish that you feel the same way.”
But then he pulled away.
He couldn’t.
He looked at Minghao, who was smiling.
Does he even know how beautiful he is?
“You’re a good kisser. All of those dates must have prepared you for this, hasn’t it?” Minghao teasingly asked.
“Yeah… it has,” Jun said, feigning a smile.
They continued to dance, and Jun continued gazing in Minghao’s eyes, the orchestra playing romantic Christmas songs with a mistletoe now hanging above the dance floor. He knew he was entering dangerous waters, but he didn’t care.
He would take what he could get, real or not, and figure out what to do about it later.