Chapter Text
“Hyung! Is it true?!”
Taeyong winces and pulls his phone away from his ear. Morning light peeks through his curtains and spills in stripes against the wooden floor of his studio apartment. Mark’s voice tones down into a muffled sound, his shrieks mixing with the familiar tunes of the busy streets of Seoul from outside where chaos stems. Thick, gray sheets pool at the edge of his bed. He blinks once, twice, thinking whether to drop the call on Mark or put him on loud speaker and force another headache onto himself first thing in the morning. On a different day, he would let himself succumb to his cousin’s inquiries that occur at least once a week. He wonders if Mark only called him to fish out more information about the new releases for the month. Would his questions be about soloists this time? He’s only talked to Kim Doyoung twice yet.
“What?” Taeyong grumbles through the phone after a short moment of hesitation. He puts the call on loud speaker, and he lets out another groan when Mark’s screaming pierced right through his eyeballs and into his head. Jesus fuck.
“Is it true?! Hyung?! You’re dating him?!”
Taeyong turns onto his side and plops his face onto his pillows. He doesn’t think he has enough energy for this. He thinks of dropping the call on him, but knowing Mark and just how persistent the kid is, it would probably be a futile attempt to keep his cousin contained on his side of the story. He slaps a hand onto his pillow, palming at the fabric repeatedly until he feels satisfied enough to croak a definite answer.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Mark?”
Light thuds. Mark sounds breathless when he answers again, and Taeyong assumes he must be running (or maybe even sprinting?), “The pictures!”
“What pictures?”
“With Jung Jaehyun!”
“Jung Jaeh— what? What are you talking about?”
“It’s all over the internet!”
Groaning, he turns onto his back, one hand reaching for the tablet hiding underneath one of his pillows. He frowns at the sight of his notifications before swiping up the screen and going straight to Twitter. It seemed normal at first—an excessive amount of cat photos, tweets about plants and how to take care of them properly, a few announcements from the artists he’s previously worked before, and a picture of him and Jung Jaehyun kissing—wait.
He sits up abruptly, gaping at the images flooding his timeline the more he scrolls down.
“Oh, my god,” he says.
“Oh, my god!” Mark repeats, now breathing heavily through the phone. Is he still running?
Taeyong scrolls through his timeline again, and he continues to refresh and refresh and refresh, but all the same pictures kept on popping up the more he drags down. He tries to refresh the tweets again, hoping for a notification to pop up telling him that the photos are photoshopped or that it’s all just a prank. He clicks on one particular image and zooms into it, his fingers pinching closer to see the faces more clearly, gasping when he realizes that it is indeed him who is straddling someone’s lap. Oh. My god.
“Jung Jaehyun’s agency confirmed the it was him in the picture, hyung! But they’re still waiting for his official statement before they say more! Hyung, are you dating him?!”
Taeyong hisses a curse, mutters a string of words that would make his mother smother his face with alcohol. He refreshes his timeline again, and a new set of tweets with the same set of pictures pop up. Jung Jaehyun’s face is barely seen in the photos, but Taeyong could definitely be recognized in one glance with the way his flaming red hair stood out. The people who knew him probably are already losing their marbles over these pictures.
“Where did these come from?” he exclaims. He runs a hand through his hair, fingers working through the tangled mess as he continues to stare at the photographs. He mutters another curse under his breath, dropping his hand onto his side only to hit his fingers against the edge of his thigh in frustration. He glides a finger against his tablet’s screen, swiping and clicking repeatedly in the hopes of convincing himself that the person in the picture is not him. Surely, if he stares hard enough, his face would disappear and it would all make sense.
“I don’t know!” Mark responds from the other line. Taeyong pushes his tablet off his lap and gingerly picks up his phone. “I only saw the articles a few minutes ago. Some insiders also said that you two spent most of the night together? Is it true?”
“What?” Taeyong almost spat. “Fuck, wait, I don’t remember anything from last night, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t hook up.”
“But you made out with him?!”
“Maybe? I don’t know!”
Taeyong swings his feet over the edge of his bed, a flicker of sunlight licking his knees in bright hues as his feet scramble to get ahold of his missing house slippers. He manages to find one when he decided to pull his curtains close and let the breeze inside his room permeate throughout the walls and onto the floor. He shivers slightly.
“I attended a house party last night, but I don’t remember meeting him there!” he says, approaching his desk in long strides and muttering another curse when he spots a light mark blooming near the dip of his collarbone. Seriously?
“Are you sure? Hyung, your name’s already being published on some articles! You should probably talk to your agency before making a statement.”
Taeyong groans. He can’t afford to get in trouble! Not when his project with Kim Doyoung is not yet finalized. Fuck. What if he pulls out from the project because of this?
“Can I call you later, Mark? I need to talk to my agency first about this.”
“Okay! Update me!”
“I will.”
Taeyong ends the call with a tap of his finger before setting the device down his desk and picking up random documents to set aside. He swipes at his table, dust clinging at the edge of his hand, particles of dirt swirling into the air where a strobe of light peeks through. He glances at himself at the mirror again, sneering at the mark near his collarbone. Would a coin work? It would probably irritate his skin, but he would rather sacrifice his comfort now than show his face inside their building with a kiss mark sitting loud and proud on his skin. His mother would probably scream at him if she sees the news. The mere thought of it sends a chill down his spine. He shivers on his spot, arms breaking into goosebumps, and he hopes to settle this matter soon or else he would lose his marbles.
His phone blares with his obnoxious ringtone not even a minute later. When he spares a glance at the screen, he visibly shudders at the contact name flashed across the screen in bold letters. The decline button screams at him in temptation, and he actually hesitates for a moment as one finger hovered over the button. Would he get fired if he ends the call so soon? Probably.
Taeyong manages a deep breath before answering. “Hello, noona—“
“Get to the office now,” Boa’s voice is sharp over the line. He winces once, bites down on his lower lip, and lets out a sigh.
Taeyong cowers on his spot. “Okay,” he says. He waits for a response, but the line only went silent after that. He swallows thickly and shifts on his feet. “Uh, I’ll be there soon.”
“30 minutes, Taeyong.”
“Wait, noona—“
The line goes dead with a click. Taeyong sighs, mutters another curse under his breath, and assumes his permanent spot in hell. Damn that stupid picture!
“Noona! Noona, listen,” Taeyong leans against the table, splaying his arms in front as he tries to get the company director’s attention. “Why can’t his agency just deny it? His face wasn’t even seen in the photo! We could all just move on and pretend that it never happened!”
“Taeyong, please be quiet,” Boa sighs and starts pinching the bridge of her nose. “I need to discuss with you about a different matter.”
“About what?”
“Jung Jaehyun-“
“Him again?” Taeyong groans. He plants his face onto the table and starts to mutter about the highly acclaimed actor. What’s with him, anyway? He could have just told his agency to deny the rumors right off the bat. Why does he need to prolong the issue? It doesn’t even make any sense!
“His agency reached out and offered a proposal, Taeyong.”
Taeyong lifts his head to stare at her. “Noona, I really respect you and the work you put into your career, but why, and I repeat, why do I still need to associate myself with him?”
Boah looks at him sternly and raises an eyebrow. “In case you are forgetting, Taeyong, you also have a part in this problem. You kow how notorious his paparazzis are!”
Taeyong raises his hands in defense and says, “I was drunk.”
“That’s besides the point! What I’m trying to say here is, you’re still a rookie in the industry, and you should have known better than to make out with him on broad daylight. If you want to give your name a boost, the offer they have for you might just help.”
“And that is?”
“Both parties will admit to the speculations and you two will have to act as a couple for a period of time.”
“Noona!”
“Listen to me first when I’m talking.”
Taeyong sits up straight. Boa slowly approaches him on his seat, the fabric of her blazer fit snug against her shoulders and making her look much more intimidating than she already does. She leans down, one hand coming over to rest on top of the circular wooden table, her slender fingers tapping gently against the surface with light thuds. Taeyong spares a swift glance to see her new manicure, his attention divided by the little gems glinting over her index finger.
“This is a good opportunity for both parties to gain more publicity, but,” Boa pauses and points a finger at him. Taeyong raises both of his eyebrows, blinking unevenly when she starts to shake her hand, “you will gain more than Jaehyun since your name is still fairly new to the industry. You already have Kim Doyoung under your wing right now, but with Jung Jaehyun’s name stuck to you for a period of time, people in and outside of the industry will stay curious. It is not difficult to like your works, Taeyong, but talent is not enough, and you of all people should know that. You need to learn how to play the game, too.”
Taeyong raises an eyebrow. “Game of Thrones?”
“Taeyong.”
“Okay, okay,” he raises his arms in surrender. “What you just said sounds a bit terrible, but I get your point. Still, I don’t think it’s enough for Jung Jaehyun to actually agree to this. He already has the fame.”
“Well, he has an upcoming movie, let’s start with that,” Boa states, leaning away from the table, “and it’s his first scandal—“ Taeyong snorts, “people are obviously going to make a big deal out of it. While the news is still fresh, it’s better if we take advantage of it, Taeyong.”
Taeyong tilts his head to the side, contemplating. The idea sounds tempting to him—his name being considered as one of the most promising young producers to ever grace the industry. He would like that very much. But faking a relationship for it? Is it honestly worth it? He shifts on his seat, the back of his knee hitting the edge of his chair, rubbing against the fabric of his pants and poking againt his skin. He lifts a hand to play with his earrings, the tip of his index finger grazing the circular tip of his industrial piercing.
“I’ll give you time to think it through, Taeyong. You don’t have to do it, but I’m encouraging you to at least think about it. It’ll be good for you.”
“How much time do I have?”
“Until tomorrow—“
“Tomorrow?!” Taeyong throws his head back, whining. “Noona, I thought I have at least a week!”
Boa smiles at her, looking sheepish at their realization. “The media is already demanding for a statement…”
He runs his palms over his face, groaning. “I hate this. I’m never drinking again.”
Boa throws him a glare, and he finds himself physically cowering under her gaze. “Next time, bring a friend to look after you. We can’t afford another issue like this, Taeyong.”
“I just said I’m never drinking again, noona.”
“I doubt that. Are you willing to give up smoking as well, then?”
“That’s a different topic.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Taeyong pouts at her. “Noona, do I really have to do it?”
“You can always decline, Taeyong. It’s all up to you.”
“But,” he slumps on his seat, one hand going up to grab a fistful of his hair. The strands are rough and dry against his fingertips, the color a contrast to his pale skin, “the opportunities sound so tempting!”
“Then, take it. You’ve dated other people before, right? It shouldn’t be too hard to keep up the act for half a year or so.”
“I barely know the guy!”
“That didn’t stop you from sitting on his lap and kissing him, didn’t it?”
Taeyong’s cheeks grow a deeper shade of red almost similar to his hair. “I wouldn’t have done that if I was sober.” She stares at him. He lets a sheepish smile and admits, “Well, maybe I still would have, but that’s not the point, noona.”
“You still have until tonight to think about it, Yong,” Boa sighs. Carefully, she walks over to one of the desks situated near the back of the room and pulls out a document from the drawer. Taeyong leans over the table, curious. When she returns to his spot, she pushes the documents across the wooden surface. “If you agree, make sure to read all of that and sign it.”
Taeyong flips open the document. “What is this?”
“It’s a Non-Disclosure Agreement.”
Oh. Taeyong flips through the pages, an eyebrow raising in suspicion. There are a total of three copies of the file. He wonders if it’s necessary to have that many copies of the document when there’s only one of him to sign all of them. He’s never come across an NDA contract before.
“Think about it, Taeyong. Whatever you decide with, you know we can always handle it for you.”
“This is a gamble, noona.”
“Yes, sort of. But we’re definitely at an advantage.”
Taeyong runs a fingers across the paper, still deep in thought.
Jaehyun’s head dips, the tip of his index finger drumming against the surface of his kitchen sink. He stares at the faucet, watching as small droplets of glistening water hits the stainless sink with a clink. It is quiet when he sighs, his breathing calm and even against the air permeating throughout the walls of his own personal space. He wants to stay inside his own bubble longer—just him and his thoughts alone with each other, away from the chaos of the media and the industry.
The ringing of his phone blares through the kitchen. He sighs again, heavier this time, before pushing himself away from the kitchen counter to reach out for his phone resting atop the island from behind him. He feels the edges of the device, fingers running down at the sides, before accepting incoming call from his manager.
“Hyung,” he greets.
“We just received a word from Lee Taeyong’s agency.”
Jaehyun freezes, his breath hitching in his throat. He grows rigid, and he waits. He stares at the small spot on top of his kitchen island where a shadow hung underneath one of his decorative light. He traces the lines with his gaze, squinting ever so lightly as he continues to wait. “And?”
“He already signed the NDA contract.”
Dust falls from the ceiling and hits the floor in quiet. Jaehyun smiles.
“What a bright company,” Boa mumbles as they step past the company’s doors for the first time. Taeyong hums in agreement. SM Entertainment surely is bright even from the inside. The hues of pink that surround his vision is somewhat becoming more and more blinding the more they roam around the area. He spares a swift glance to his side and sees a large flat screen TV hanging by the wall, playing a video of a girl group dancing to their new release.
“Too much pink,” he muses, shivering from the cold. He squints his eyes and blatantly ignores Jung Jaehyun’s standee they just passed by. Boa snickers at his reaction, muttering something about keeping it natural, when one of SM’s staff approached them. They were then led to a nearby secret room close to the building’s cafeteria. Taeyong dips his head and lets himself be guided inside, mumbling incoherently.
“Good morning,” Boa greets upon arriving inside. Taeyong follows quietly behind her, still adamant to the new environment he is currently in.
“Ah, welcome! Come in, come in! Make yourselves comfortable!” Jung Jaehyun’s manager calls for another staff to help them with the chairs.
Taeyong refused to acknowledge the other presence in the room all throughout the private meeting they had. Yunho, Jaehyun’s manager, took the responsibility of talking for the most part, while Boa was the one to raise her concerns in between the discussions to spare Taeyong the humiliation of saying something dumb. He might need to treat her to something nice after this. God knows how stressful the current situation is for all of them, but she’s been taking all the blunt force of the issue and taking the initiative to handle it behind the scenes.
“We can lay low after Jaehyun’s movie release,” Yunho states. “Once his promotion for the film ends, we can slowly ease into having less exposure until we can release a statement about the break up.”
“So, until then, we’ll just have to milk everything dry? Taeyong has an upcoming project with Kim Doyoung, but he has no more offers after that.”
“Well, we can arrange something about that if that’s what you’re worried about. There are a few artists here in SM that are interested to work with him, too. Would you mind if you come with me to the other room, Miss Kwon?”
“Oh,” Boa spares a glance at Taeyong. He tells her off with a firm nod. “Alright!”
Yunho turns to look at Jaehyun, “We’ll be back, Jaehyun-ah. You know what to do.”
Shit. Taeyong grips the sides of his chair. If he exits through the nearest window, would he get caught by a taxicab and get hospitalized for a really long time? The idea sounds much better than staying alone inside a room with Jung Jaehyun. He’s never felt more embarrassed in his life, and this one, this definitely takes the cake.
He shifts on his seat, swallows thickly to try and at least calm his nerves. His right leg continues to bounce from underneath the table. Up, down, up, down, up, down, up–
Jaehyun smiles when they lock gazes. He mutters a curse and dips his head to stare at his lap. He tries to memorize every single loose thread clinging onto the rips on his pants. He knows they would feel rough against his fingers if he were to touch them, but at the heat of the moment, despite already knowing, he still clings onto them, wraps them around his fingers before pulling hard enough to rip some of them off. Jaehyun only stares.
“So...” he trails off
“So,” Taeyong lifts his gaze and shifts on his seat, the office chair squeaking under his weight. Jaehyun is still smiling at him, and he finds that he wants to wipe that stupid smile away from his face, “it’s nice to, uhm, formally meet you.”
“Likewise,” Jaehyun’s grin grows wider. Taeyong shifts against his seat once again, and he notices that Jung Jaehyun looks a bit more different in real life than he does on the big screen. Nice eye shape, pretty nose, decent sized lips, and his dimples. Goddamn, those dimples are fucking insane. It’s no wonder the nation goes apeshit whenever he releases a new drama or movie. Everything about him is so pleasing to the eyes!
“How are we going to do this again?” Taeyong furrows his eyebrows. “Sorry, I’m still kind of lost with this whole... thing.”
“It’s alright, hyung,” Jaehyun chuckles. Taeyong’s fingers start to twitch. The room grows colder, or maybe it’s just the silence hanging in between them like a loose thread. “We just have to pretend. You know, the simple stuff.”
Taeyong snorts at that. Simple?
“Do we have to make out in public again or what?”
“I mean, if that’s what you would prefer to do, then I don’t mind.”
Taeyong mutters a curse, feeling his cheeks grow warmer at the statement, and Jung Jaehyun has the audacity to laugh at him. Damn that good looking guy and his stupid dimples and eyesmile. How is he supposed to survive this?
“No, thanks,” Taeyong frowns at him. “I’d rather keep it, uh, lowkey.”
“Then, that’s fine with me as well.”
“What about you? What do you want to do?”
Jaehyun shrugs nonchalantly. “Anything. As long as it keeps the people talking. I have an upcoming movie soon, and it’d be nice if the media frenzy would continue until then. The general public’s curiosity could fuel my project, and it would also boost both of our careers.”
“Wow, you’re really good at this,” Taeyong tells him, earning a chuckle from the actor.
“It’s what we do, hyung,” Jaehyun grins.
Taeyong raises an eyebrow at that. “You’ve done this before?”
“Dating for publicity?”
“Yeah?”
Jaehyun shakes his head at him. “No, I haven’t,” he states. “It’s my first time.”
“Oh,” Taeyong quips. “Me too.”
“I figured.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing? It is what it is, hyung.”
Taeyong squints, lips turning into a frown as he continues to watch the man from across the table. Jaehyun remains seated, his figure lax and evidently comfortable despite the thick air hanging in between the two of them. Taeyong’s frown deepens when he notices Jaehyun’s dimples again. Instinctively, he lifts a hand to play with his earrings again. Jaehyun’s eyes flicker onto the piercings decorating the producer’s left ear, fascinated by the silver and gold accessories against his skin.
“Can we establish some rules?” Taeyong asks, shifting on his seat. “Just to make sure we don’t do anything weird with… whatever this is.”
“Sure, hyung,” Jaehyun nods. “You can start. I’m fine with anything.”
“Okay,” Taeyong breathes, nodding. “Can we, uh, not kiss in public? Or at least, limit it if it can’t be helped? Is that okay?”
Jaehyun purses his lips at that, eyebrows furrowing at his statement. Seriously? No kissing? “Wouldn’t that be weird?”
“Well, we can put a limit. Say, two per day?”
“Only two? What about five?”
“That’s too much!”
“Five should be the minimum, though?”
“Fine,” Taeyong groans. “Only five.”
Jaehyun shrugs indefinitely. Taeyong takes that as a yes.
“What else?” the actor leans back further on his seat. “No skinship?”
“Skinship is fine, I think,” Taeyong mutters. “No spontaneous activities, though. We have to plan everything a few days prior.”
“Alright. Anything else?”
“No pet names, too. And you can’t buy me expensive gifts even it’s just for show.”
“Okay…”
“You’re being weirdly compliant,” Taeyong squints his eyes in suspicion. Jaehyun breaks into another smile. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
Jaehyun shakes his head and says, “No. I’m fine with anything.”
“Are you sure?” Taeyong presses.
Jaehyun tries to think of something for a while. Should he?
“Actually, I have one,” he says, grinning. “I don’t know if you’d like it, though.”
“What?” Taeyong raises an eyebrow.
“You can’t date anyone else while we’re in this arrangement.”
“Uh, okay?” Taeyong tilts his head to the side. “That’s fine for me, but that has to apply to you, too. You can’t date anyone else while we’re still in this arrangement.”
“That’s easy.”
Taeyong snorts and rolls his eyes. “Sure.”
“Why? You don’t believe me?”
“I just don’t think a guy your type can manage to keep it in his pants.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, hyung?”
“Nothing,” Taeyong flashes a toothy grin. “It is what it is.”
Jaehyun raises an eyebrow at him, but Taeyong only laughs. He shifts on his seat, lets his eyes travel onto the edge of Taeyong’s face, before letting out a quiet sigh. There is something with the way light frames the red head’s face from above his head, dust particles swimming in circles against the streaks, and he thinks, albeit only for a moment, if these stupid rules are binding enough for him to stay true to it all. He hopes they are just as much of a joke as he is.
He thinks back to the first time he saw him, when his hair was still of a natural shade and a bit more reserved (or perhaps he was just shy that night, having to come from an unknown company surrounded by people he barely knows). The memory makes him smile, and figures it would be a good story to talk about once they finally get to know each other. It would probably a surprise to Taeyong when he finds out. For now though, they would have to make do with what they currently have. If Jaehyun is brave enough, he would probably have enough courage to tell his own side of the story, and maybe, just maybe, Taeyong would be kind enough to him. Until then, he will wait.
A smile breaks away from his lips. “It’s a pleasure to work with you, Taeyong hyung.”
Taeyong groans.
The articles all tell the same story.
“Actor Jung Jaehyun met the producer at a mutual friend’s party,” Mark starts, and Taeyong visibly shudders on his seat. “Jung Jaehyun has known Lee Taeyong prior to their first meeting and has always found him appealing. He already had a crush on the producer even before they met, and not long after their encounter, they started to date and became official shortly after that. They have been dating for almost a year now, and their colleagues have come out to say that they are both very supportive of each other’s career. Taeyong even visits Jaehyun on set whenever he is filming and is said to be a very affectionate lover towards the actor.”
Taeyong slaps a hand to his mouth to stifle a yelp. He lets himself fall against the mattress, his back hitting the soft surface with a light thud. He wants to gag and scream. Seriously? That’s the best story they could come up with? Jaehyun having a crush on him even before they met sounds so…fake. Taeyong shudders at the thought. Who would believe that?
“Most of the comments are only talking about how Jung Jaehyun’s off the market now,” Mark states as he scrolls through his cousin’s tablet. “Oh! Here’s one about you!”
Taeyong pushes himself using his elbows. “What does it say?”
“Oh,” Mark winces. “It says you’re probably just leeching off of his fame to have your name get recognized in the industry.”
“I mean, they’re not wrong,” Taeyong muses. “I am technically doing this for my career.”
Mark shrugs and continues to scroll through the comments. “Have you seen what his fans are saying about you online?”
Taeyong shakes his head. “No. I don’t want to waste my energy on that. Why? Are they all negative?”
“Mostly,” Mark sighs and proceeds to read another comment from the article. “At least Lee Taeyong is pretty enough. Jaehyunnie’s a pretty man, so his boyfriend should also be pretty like him.”
“Ew,” Taeyong lets himself fall against the mattress again. He stretches one hand above his head and stares at the ceiling. “I don’t really care about what they think. I’m just here to do my job.”
“I would still be bothered if I were you.”
“Which is why I don’t go online that often, you know? It’s too troublesome for me.”
“Are you comfortable at least?” Mark turns to him. “He’s not an asshole, right? There are rumors about him being a douchebag.”
“He’s alright,” Taeyong shrugs. “A bit smug, but he seems good. We have rules, by the way.”
“Rules for what?”
“To establish boundaries. You know, to avoid getting into conflict.”
Mark hums, “I still can’t believe you got yourself into this mess, hyung. I mean, what even happened?”
Taeyong shrugs again. Honestly, he still has no recollection of what happened that night. He got too wasted to even remember that.
When Mark leaves for university later that day, he distracts himself by working on a recent track he and Kim Doyoung have been working on for the past few days. It was already nearing midnight when he receives a text message from Jaehyun.
Jung JH [11:34PM]
Wear something nice tomorrow. Don’t be late!
He sighs and leaves him on read.
“You couldn’t even pick a better view than this?”
Taeyong frowns at the huge billboard facing the balcony they are currently seated in. Jaehyun’s recent Nature Republic promotional campaign is plastered right across from where they are. Taeyong’s frown grows deeper when he hears Jaehyun laugh from beside him. He squirms in his seat, growing uncomfortable at the lack of space in between them. The morning breeze is cold against their skin. Seriously, who in the world would eat brunch on a balcony? Only rich people.
“What? It’s not like it’s disturbing our breakfast, hyung.”
Taeyong continues to stare at the picture. It’s not even that special to begin with! He’s just wearing a simple button down t-shirt while posing in front of the beach. “Oh, it’s definitely disturbing. I don’t need to see your big face on a billboard when you’re already with me.”
Jaehyun pouts at him. Taeyong turns to spare him a quick glance, leaning back slightly when he notices they’re a bit too close for his liking. Boundaries!
“My face is not big,” Jaehyun says.
“Yes, it is,” Taeyong deadpans.
The actor throws an arm over his chair. Taeyong sneers at him, muttering a string of curses under his breath when Jaehyun starts to lean in closer. Not even a day in this stupid arrangement and he already wants out. Seriously, what did he get himself into?
“Kiss me, then?”
“What?” Taeyong’s eyes widen in shock. “What the fuck are you on?”
“Hyung,” Jaehyun whispers. “Someone’s hiding in the other building. They’re taking pictures of us.”
“Huh?” Taeyong starts to crane his head to look behind him but Jaehyun places a hand on top of his cheek to stop him.
“Shh, they’ll know that we know.”
Taeyong furrows his eyebrows, swallowing thickly. “Then, what do we do?”
“Can I kiss you?”
“W-what?”
“Just once.”
Jaehyun leans in and captures his lips in a firm kiss. Taeyong blinks a few times, listening to the quiet whistle of the wind blowing from above where they sit. He relaxes against Jaehyun’s palm, closes his eyes in concentration, and tries his best not to think of it too much. There is a distinct flash from the other building’s rooftop followed by a few more, and Jaehyun relishes at the fact. He swipes his tongue over Taeyong’s lower lip, coaxing him to open up a bit more. A gasp escapes the latter.
Grunting, Taeyong pushes him away. “Hey,” he says, scowling. “That’s too much.”
Jaehyun’s lips are swollen and red when he speaks. “Huh? I said one kiss, right? That’s only one. I still have four left.”
“Fou– what?”
“Minimum of five, right?”
Taeyong grabs a spoon from the table and hits him on the head with its handle. “You’re abusing it.”
“I’m just enjoying my privilege, hyung.”
“You’re stupid!”
“Just a little bit.”
“You’re so annoying. We came here for breakfast, not to make out!”
“We can do both.”
Taeyong flashes him another glare. Jaehyun chuckles at his reaction, lifting a hand to pinch his cheek. Taeyong tries to swat away the actor’s hand when he remembers about the lurking paparazzi. “You know,” he says through gritted teeth, “you’re really annoying.”
“And yet you’re still here.”
Taeyong huffs. “I hate you.”
“It’s okay,” Jaehyun smiles. “I’m quite enjoying this arrangement. Aren’t you?”
“Do I look like I’m enjoying myself?” Taeyong rolls his eyes and sets the spoon down on the table. “You’re annoying.”
Jeahyun leans back, still smiling an him. Taeyong raises an eyebrow and tries his best to ignore the dimples. Those damn dimples! They look even better in person and up close. If he pokes his fingers right through them, would he make a hole against his cheek? He wonders if Jaehyun’s face is insured. He spares another glance at the billboard amd tries to compare Jaehyun’s dimples there and the ones he’s seeing now in person. It’s definitely better to see it up close.
“That’s not what you told me the night of the party,” Jaehyun lilts. “You were the one who initiated the kiss, you know?”
Taeyong grows feverish on his seat. Is this the first time they’re about to talk about the incident?
“You remember what happened?”
“Of course, hyung. I wasn’t too drunk that night.”
Taeyong shivers on his chair. Jaehyun lifts a hand to fix a loose strand of the producer’s hair, still ignoring the camera flash from the other building. “You were really cute when you first approached me. I didn’t know you would be a lightweight.”
Taeyong raises an eyebrow at him. He lets Jaehyun run his fingers against the loose strands of his hair, still hyper aware of the lurking presence from behind him. “Do I look like someone who can handle his alcohol?”
“Yeah,” Jaehyun pulls back with a smile. “I thought you’d be a heavy drinker the first time I saw you.”
Taeyong thinks back to the night of the party. Does he look like a heavy drinker? Is it because he looks intimidating at first glance that people would assume he can handle his alcohol?
“I don’t really drink that often,” he shrugs. “It makes me do dumb shit.”
“Like the kiss?” Jaehyun raises an eyebrow.
“Well, duh! Look at us now. We’re in this weird situation even though we barely know each other.”
“But we can always work on that, right? We’re colleagues now.”
“Sure,” Taeyong shrugs. “Can you tell me the full story to what happened in the party, then?”
“No,” Jaehyun shakes his head. Taeyong frowns at him. “You have to achieve friendship level 20 to unlock that story.”
Taeyong grabs the spoon and hits him on the head again. “Are you a child?!”
Jaehyun yelps and presses a hand on the side of his head. “I was just joking!”
Taeyong glares at him. “Then, tell me!”
“I can’t. As I’ve said, you have to achieve friendship level–“
Taeyong raises the spoon again and was about to hit him on the shoulder when their food finally arrived on a trolley. He stops midway and stares at the lady delivering their food.
“Uh,” he croaks, glancing at Jaehyun.
The actor gently takes away the spoon from him with a smile. “Sorry about that,” he tells the lady. “He likes to do weird stuff.”
“Yeah,” Taeyong chuckles and shifts uncomfortably on his seat.
The lady only smiles at them. Taeyong starts to kick Jaehyun’s foot underneath the table when the actor starts to cover half of his face with his hand to suppress his laugh. Stupid dimples!
They eat in complete silence after that. Taeyong would occasionally hum to himself whenever he would take a bite, relishing the free food despite being unfamiliar with most of the dishes. At one point, Jaehyun took out his phone from his pocket to snap a picture of the producer eating.
“Hey,” Taeyong mumbled with his mouth full. “Delete that.”
“What?” Jaehyun says as he continues to take photos.
Taeyong chews on his food before swallowing and saying, “I said delete that.”
“No,” Jaehyun shakes his head with a smile. Dimples! “I’m going to post them on my Instagram.”
Taeyong frowns at him but doesn’t say another word. When they finally finish eating, noon was already approaching. Taeyong pats a hand on his bloated stomach, groaning.
“That was nice.”
“Would you like some more of the bread? You managed to eat almost all of them.”
“Is take out allowed in here?” Taeyong leans against his chair. “This place is so fancy.”
“Of course,” Jaehyun smiles. “We can buy a new batch on our way out.”
“Okay. How much is it?”
“It’s fine. I’ll pay for it, hyung.”
“Huh? That’s not fair.”
“It’s alright–“
“Hey,” Taeyong points a finger at him. “Didn’t I tell you to not buy me expensive shit?”
“Hyung, it’s just bread,” Jaehyun chuckles. He raises his hands in surrender when Taeyong shoots him a glare. “Okay, okay,” he says, still laughing. “I won’t. You can buy it for yourself.”
“Good.”
The bread was expensive. What the fuck. Taeyong clutches the paper bag close to his chest as they walk out the building. Jaehyun slides an arm around his waist and leans in to his ear.
“How’s your bread?”
“Shut the fuck up,” he grumbles.
What a delightful day!
-
“Are you really not going to tell me what happened in the party?”
“We just kissed, hyung. Did you not see the pictures?”
Taeyong pulls his seatbelt over his shoulder, grunting under his breath as Jaehyun puts the car in reverse. He squints his eyes when a streak of sunlight hits the side of his face.
“I did, but I still want to know the full story!”
“What’s there to know? It’s nothing interesting, really.”
Jaehyun lowers his window to thank the staff with a nod. Taeyong frowns at him. He watches as the car slowly speeds towards the freeway, still deep in thought. He clutches his bread closer to him.
“I didn’t do anything weird, right?” he asks. “I mean, aside from the kiss?”
“No, not really,” Jaehyun shakes his head. “Hyung, don’t worry about it. It’s alright.”
“Maybe for you, but it’s embarrassing for me,” Taeyong groans. “I barely even know you. Hell, I’m not even a fan of you! I just don’t understand why of all people, I would end up making out with you. No offense, by the way.”
“None taken.”
“I didn’t even know you were in the party, too.”
“I came in late,” Jaehyun states. He has his one hand on the steering wheel, and the other resting on top of the joystick. “Johnny forced me to attend,” he says with a timid smile.
Taeyong raises an eyebrow at him. “You’re friends with him, too?”
“Sort of? SM always hires him as the DJ during their exclusive parties. I met him during one from a couple of years ago.”
“Oh,” Taeyong nods. “You already arrived at the party while I was drunk?”
Jaehyun pauses on his seat, shifting slightly as he leans forward to look at the stoplight. “Not really,” he mutters. He speeds away right before the light turned red. “I think I saw you by the entrance when I got there? But you didn’t notice me.”
“Really? That’s weird.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah. I thought people would make a big deal out of your arrival since you’re an A-list celebrity or something.”
Jaehyun chuckles at him and shakes his head. “That rarely happens. And there were also a few more public figures invited that night. Did you not know?”
“Like who?”
“Park Sooyoung, Cha Eu–“
“Park Sooyoung?!” Taeyong shrieks. “As in the actress Park Sooyoung?!”
“Yes–“
Taeyong leans his head against the headrest, groaning. “Why did nobody tell me?”
“Why? Are you a fan?” Jaehyun tears his gaze away from the road to look at him.
“No, but I really enjoyed her most recent drama. I was hoping to produce at least one of the OST for it, but we had conflicts in schedule when our company received the offer,” Taeyong sighs. He turns to look down on his bread and starts pinching the paper bag. “That would have been so cool.”
“But you’re producing for Doyoung’s album now, right? That’s so much better if you ask me.”
“Yeah,” Taeyong agrees. “I was actually surprised when he reached out. He said a friend of his recommended me to him, but I still don’t know which friend it is. I wanted to thank them at least.”
Jaehyun hums before taking a left turn. Taeyong yelps in surprise when he spots their company’s building from afar, the silver windows glimmering against the morning heat. He clutches his bread against his torso and says, “We’re here?”
Jaehyun nods and slowly pulls up near the company’s driveway. Taeyong lets out a sigh of his relief, his shoulders relaxing at the familiar sight of the building’s entrance.
“I’ll escort you inside, hyung,” Jaehyun tells him while removing his seatbelt. Taeyong raises an eyebrow in question. “There’s a car following us. It must be a paparazzi.”
Taeyong spares a quick glance at the rear view mirror. “Really?” he asks. He didn’t even notice it.
“Yup. Wait here, please.”
Jaehyun pushes his door open with a grunt, and Taeyong watches as Jaehyun walks over to his side of the car to open the door for him. Dimples!
“Wow, you’re really true to your role, huh?” Taeyong snickers before accepting his extended hand. He grips his bread with his free hand.
“I’m an actor, hyung.”
“I know that, Mr. Obvious.”
Jaehyun accompanies him to the entrance. Taeyong swipes his company card in silence and waits for the doors to open for him. He shifts against Jaehyun’s hold, feeling the warmth of his arm seeping into the thick fabric of his coat.
“I’ll see you next time, hyung,” Jaehyun tells him with a smile. He doesn’t remove his arm around Taeyong’s waist when he starts to lean in.
“What are you doing?” Taeyong mutters through gritted teeth.
“Goodbye kiss for the camera?”
Oh. “You’re annoying.”
“Limit of five remember?” Jaehyun chuckles as he presses his lips onto Taeyong’s mouth. Taeyong sucks in a deep breath and closes his eyes. Stupid dimples! Stupid fucking dimples.
“I hate you,” Taeyong murmurs when Jaehyun finally pulls away.
“I’ll see you soon?”
“Whatever.”
Jaehyun chuckles at him, shakes his head, and proceeds to pinch his cheek. “Enjoy your bread, hyung.”
“I saw the pictures.”
Jaehyun chuckles through the phone as he leans back against his car seat. He flips through the pages of his script, mentally noting certain pages to look back to once he returns home, before carefully reclining his seat. He lets out a sigh, soft and quiet against the space of his car.
“Already?”
“They were posted just a minute ago, Jae,” Johnny’s voice is muffled from the other line. “How was it?”
“It was fine,” Jaehyun peeks through his bangs, lets himself stare at the dim light from outside his car. He wonders why SM’s underground parking light is always so ominously lit. “He was great to talk to.”
Johnny lets out a breathy laugh. “You’re enjoying this,” he states. Jaehyun could already the teasing smile forming on his friend’s face. He figured it was good that Johnny isn’t here with him at this exact moment. He would definitely refuse to ignore the way Jaehyun’s ears are growing a deeper shade of red by the seconds. “You’re definitely enjoying this, you bastard!”
“It’s not what I expected,” Jaehyun lilts. His voice is quiet, much softer at the edges. He thinks of Taeyong and the way he grips his bread, wonders all to himself if he would get to experience being in his arms even for just a split second in the near future. He smiles and wonders why he’s jealous of bread. “I didn’t know we’d be stuck in this kind of situation.”
“But it’s cool, right? At least you get to live out you fantasies!” Johnny snorts. “Imagine being roped into a scandal with your crush? That’s the dream.”
“You make it sound like I’m a lovesick fool, John.”
“But you are,” Johnny says. “You definitely are.”
Jaehyun shifts on his seat and re-adjusts the phone pressed on his ear. “It was just a crush. I’m too old for that.”
“Dude, you’re twenty five years old.”
“Whatever.”
“Well, what’s your plan now? You know your reputation’s not exactly the best right now, right? Have you seen the comments?”
Jaehyun hears a shuffling from the other line. He wonders if Johnny is inside his bedroom right now, lounging on his bed, or if he’s with a few of their acquaintances. Is there anyone else listening to their conversation? He trusts Johnny enough not to doubt him.
“I don’t know, honestly,” he sighs, running a hand through his hair. “The movie’s premiering in three months. We just need to keep the act until that’s over with. I can worry about my reputation then.”
“That sucks,” Johnny muses. “You’re not planning on making a move on him? Tell him about your crush on him, Jae. Fuck the netizens.”
“And why would I do that? I’ll sound creepy,” Jaehyun flips through his script again and tries to read some of his highlighted lines. “And besides, I don’t think he’ll appreciate if I do that. I also wasn’t expecting to get caught by the paparazzis, so I feel guilty for roping him into this mess. The industry is too harsh as it is.”
“Well, yeah, you have a point,” Johnny’s padding footsteps can be heard through the phone. Jaehyun lifts his gaze and sees his manager walking towards his car.
“I gotta go,” he says, “ Yunho hyung’s here.”
“Oh. Bye, then.”
“Bye.”
Jaehyun throws his phone onto his passenger seat before lowering the window of his car. Yunho leans down to take a good look at him. “How’s your first day with him?” he asks.
“Good,” Jaehyun says, shrugging as he pulls his seat back to its original place. He puts his script back inside his compartment before turning back to look at his manager. “Did you see the pictures yet?”
“Yes, they were sent to us before they released it.”
“Can I go home now, then? I don’t have a schedule until tomorrow afternoon.”
Yunho heaves out a sigh. “Alright. Call me when you get home.”
“I will. Thanks, hyung.”
As he drives away from the building, he thinks about Taeyong again. Would he be able to handle the criticism? He seems to be a tough nut to crack, but the idea of him taking the blunt force of the backlash makes him feel guilty. He knows it’s not his fault for getting caught, but what if he was more responsible that night? But if he was, he definitely wouldn’t be in this situation. He groans at the thought and slams a hand over his steering wheel. He shouldn’t be thinking that way.
“Nice going, Jae,” he whispers to himself.
He didn’t expect to get roped into a dating scandal at the peak of his career, much less with Taeyong of all people. He sighs through his nose and loosens his grip around the wheel. He doesn’t want to burden Taeyong, yet he also can’t help but to think of the reason why he agreed to the proposal. Is it solely because of his career or something more?
He barely knows you, he thinks to himself.
Sighing, he steps harder on the gas and breaks the speed limit.
Taeyong raises a hand above his head before speaking into the microphone. “Can we do that line again? It was a bit flat.”
Kim Doyoung lowers his headphone, bashful as he gently massaged the sides of his throat. “Yeah, sorry, I’ll do it again.”
“No worries,” Taeyong smiles. “You can make the note longer if that’ll help you. Just make sure to emphasize every syllable leading up to the end.”
“Got it!”
Taeyong leans back on his chair as Doyoung proceeds to sing his lines again. He tilts his head to the side, careful with analyzing every note. He sighs when Doyoung finishes, smiling as he finds himself quite satisfied with the end result. Finally.
“That was good,” he tells him with a thumbs up. Doyoung visibly relaxes from the booth. “Let’s take a short break and then we’ll proceed with the next lines.”
He grabs a nearby water bottle and chugs its remains. Doyoung exits the booth with a tired smile as he pushes back his glasses onto the bridge of his nose. “That was difficult,” he tells Taeyong. “I wasn’t expecting it to be a bit difficult.”
“We can play with the pitch if you’re not comfortable. Are you going to dance while singing this song?” Taeyong pushes himself off his chair before grabbing his own lyrics sheet. Doyoung runs a hand through his hair, and the two of them head out while discussing about the recent track they’re working on.
“Yeah, but I’m only performing it during concerts, anyway. I think I can manage. I’m just worried about losing my voice this week since I still have to do a few guest appearances on some shows.”
Taeyong turns to him. “Happy Together, right?”
Doyoung nods. “How did you know?”
“I saw Jaehyun’s schedule and your name’s there, too.”
“Oh?” Doyoung grins at him. “What a thoughtful boyfriend!”
Taeyong felt his cheeks grow warmer at his jab. They enter the cafeteria and greets some of the staff inside. “I just happened to see it…” he muses.
Doyoung goes up to the glass shelves with a skip on his steps. Taeyong scans the menu quietly, reading some of the snacks available, while tugging at the hem of his pullover. He wonders if he should buy a latte now or later. Would it be better if he drinks it now? He’s still a bit full from the lunch he had earlier, anyway.
“You know, I was actually a bit surprised when the news came out last week,” Doyoung says as he leans back to scan the rest of the menu. Taeyong turns to look at him. “But I guess it makes sense.”
Taeyong raises an eyebrow. “Makes sense how?”
Doyoung takes a step back, tearing his gaze away from the food before unscrewing the cap of his watter bottle. Taeyong watches as his slender fingers wrap around the plastic, slightly enamored with his gentleness. He lifts his gaze to look back at him as sees him grinning. There is a knowing look on his face, something that says I know something that you don’t, and it almost sends him over the edge.
“Well, he wouldn’t recommend you to me if you’re not someone special,” Doyoung shrugs. Taeyong blinks once, twice. “Now that I’m thinking about it, it actually makes sense. You’re his boyfriend!”
Taeyong’s lips part in surprise. Doyoung continues to talk over him, mentioning a thing or two about Jaehyun previously talking about a small time producer he recently met at a party. Taeyong tried to rack his brain, reaching out in corners where only his fingertips would meet cobwebs. As far as he remembers, he’s never met Jaehyun prior to the scandal. Before that, he’s never had an encounter with him. He grips the bottle in his hand, growing dizzy at the sudden information. Jaehyun is the one who recommended him to Doyoung?
“At a party?” Taeyong repeats.
“Yep! It was way before the news of your relationship came out. If I had known you were already dating him then, I would have reached out myself. He’s quite a private guy, so most of us weren’t aware that he’s dating…”
Taeyong dips his head and stares at the floor. He follows the small cracks beneath his feet and wonders if the surface would easily break underneath his weight. He shifts—careful with the way he pulls his feet away from each other. He takes a step back. Doyoung continues to talk over him, but his voice is muffled by the realization that Jaehyun is the one who recommended him. But why?
He thinks nothing of it. Even when Doyoung had already left the studio later that day, and he is left alone with himself and no one else, he still thinks nothing of it. The industry is big is what he tells himself instead. Of course there is still a sliver of chance that Jaehyun actually already knew about him prior to their pictures being spread around. He shouldn’t think too much of it.
When midnight breaks, he finds himself staring at the studio’s lights attached to the ceiling as he laid on his back against the cold floor. He always does this—spends the rest of his night inside the studio, working himself to the bone until he finds his work satisfying enough to listen to, but tonight, tonight is definitely different. He thinks about texting Jaehyun. If he raises the question, would he be given a definite answer?
He thinks nothing of it. He doesn’t think of calling Jaehyun in the middle of the night to thank him for what he’s done, and he also doesn’t think about the ringing in his ears and the way his chest would soar by leaps and bounds when thinking about the mere thought of Jaehyun. Jaehyun with his deep set of dimples. Jaehyun who is a cheeky guy but still manages to act like a gentleman. Jaehyun who is immensely dedicated to his craft. Jaehyun who is kind enough to recommend him to a well known soloist to help boost his career. He doesn’t think of him. Instead, he closes his eyes and forces himself to drift off into sleep. He sees Jaehyun in his dreams and he wonders if there is much more to it other than the fact that the industry is big, and maybe, just maybe, Jaehyun already knew him and his works prior to the scandal.
He tries to shake away his thoughts. He heaves out a heavy sigh and lets the coldness of the floor swallow his limbs and cover them with ice. He is afraid to move. If he does, would he break? Would his fingers crack along with his skin? If he moves on his spot, would he slowly find himself unable to be fixed? He stays unmoving.
He falls asleep to the thought of Jaehyun and his kindness that managed to make his chest shiver just enough to wake something from within him.
Taeyong feels like he’s got more to lose between the two of them. He’s never been someone to easily develop feelings for a person he barely knows. In fact, he hates feelings. He wants to grab them in his hands and crush them with his own fingers. Who the hell would willingly develop feelings for a stranger?
“Smile for the camera, hyung,” Jaehyun whispers as he leans in. Taeyong swallows thickly. Somewhere from across the street, a paparazzi is doing a really weak job at hiding.
“I hate you.”
Jaehyun’s lips feel the same against his. Soft and warm and moist. He figures they’re getting a bit too comfortable at kissing now that they’ve been going at it for more than a week. He presses closer to him, parting his lips when Jaehyun starts to cup his jaw in his hand. Jaehyun tastes like coffee, he thinks to himself. A bit bitter, yet somehow still fueling.
“More,” Jaehyun murmurs.
Taeyong gently pushes him away, which served as futile considering how they’re both inside a car. “We’re in a public place. Have some shame, you monster.”
“That didn’t stop us before,” Jaehyun grins. “And the windows are tinted.”
Dimples, Taeyong thinks. My god, those dimples!
Taeyong squints his eyes at him before leaning in again with a frown. “I hate that you’re enjoying this too much,” he mutters.
“Who wouldn’t enjoy this, hyung?” Jaehyun grabs a fistful of Taeyong’s hair and gently pulls at his head, baring his neck and exposing them against the cold.
Taeyong gasps when he feels Jaehyun’s tongue lapping against the corner of his jaw. He closes his eyes and grips his shoulders. Stupid dimples, stupid dimples, stupid dimples–
He groans internally. Something is definitely wrong with him.
When the pictures were published the next day, all Taeyong could think of was the fact that he cannot wait to feel Jaehyun’s lips on his again, and he takes his sweet time to reevaluate his thoughts after that. Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with him? What the hell did he get himself into? Jaehyun is an actor, and he has to remind himself of that over and over again the more he finds himself slowly spiraling out of control. Jaehyun is an actor, they have an agreement, and this is all just an act. Nothing is real.
Nothing is real. Taeyong buries his face into his pillows and lets out a muffled scream. If it’s all just an act, then why would Jaehyun recommend him to Kim Doyoung even before personally knowing each other? That must mean something else, right?
Stupid Taeyong! Of course it doesn’t!
But what if it does? He lifts his head from his pillow and stares at his bed’s headboard. He lets his eyes traces over the wooden structure, counting the lines running along the frame and only stopping when he reaches thirty six. He thinks of what Kim Doyoung told him during one of their sessions.
He wonders why Jaehyun didn’t tell him about it when he mentioned it to him after their first date. If he was the “friend” Doyoung has talked about, why did he say nothing when they formally met?
Should he thank him? Oh, my god, he probably should. But would that make a strain in their relationship? He feels indebted now. Is that why Jaehyun didn’t tell him? Because he didn’t want him to feel inferior especially since they’re in a weird arrangement?
He groans again. He pulls his his blanket over his head and he stays underneath for a couple of minutes. He stares at the white fabric hovering over his face, letting his fingers trace incoherent lines against the thick cloth as he continues to get lost in his own thoughts. He knows he shouldn’t be overthinking it, but he cannot help but to wonder what Jaehyun’s intentions are. And perhaps, he’s also somewhat curious. He places a hand on top of his chest and starts to count every heart beat that passes by. They drum against his ribs and reverberate through his palm, caressing his veins and pumping against them like a despicable beat. He thinks of Jaehyun again, and his heartbeat grows faster. He removes his hand on his chest and covers his face with his palms.
“What the fuck,” he mumbles against his hands. He keeps his eyes closed when he thinks of texting Jaehyun again. Should he?
He pulls the covers away from his body and swings his feet over the edge of the bed. He searches for his house slippers quietly, and when he doesn’t find them after a few minutes of searching, he opted to walk around his cold apartment with freezing feet. He grabs his phone from his nightstand and proceeds to push open one of his windows to look outside and get some fresh air.
“You’ve got to be fucking joking me,” he grumbles when the café from across the street has one of Jaehyun’s standees displayed in front of their shop. A cupsleeve? Right at this exact moment?
His phone buzzes from his hand. When he takes a look to see the caller ID, he lets out a string of curses under his breath. He pulls his window closed along with his curtains before answering Jaehyun’s call with a groan.
“Hello?” he says through the phone.
“Hey, hyung,” Jaehyun greets him from the other line.
Taeyong clenches his hand, curling his fingers into his palm and letting his nails dig into his skin, before letting them relax at his side. “Hey! What’s up?”
“Nothing, I just thought I’d call you since you haven’t texted me since last night.”
“Oh,” Taeyong walks over his bed and sits at the edge. “Sorry, I was busy.”
“I figured,” Jaehyun chuckles. “Anyway, that’s it. I just called to check up on you.”
Taeyong breaks out into a smile. Then, he frowns when he catches himself. “Uh, don’t worry,” he says. “I’m good.”
“Okay! I’ll see soon? I miss you, hyung.”
Taeyong’s breath hitches in his throat. He coughs once, covering his mouth with his hand. “Y-yeah,” he stammers. “I’ll see you soon.”
He ends the call with a groan. Damn those dimples!
From his penthouse, Jaehyun stands in front of a mirror in his pajamas. He is staring at his phone with a smile, grinning down at Taeyong’s contact name right after the call ended.
He runs his fingers through his hair and realizes that Johnny might be right this time around.