Work Text:
The Day After Valentine’s; February 15
Spending Valentine’s Day alone always leaves negative feelings on some. It’s a day that is supposed to be spent with the people you love, and spending it alone makes you realize how much you feel alone. And Jihoon doesn’t really mind Valentine’s day festivities. He had always spent it with someone else, with his friends and his family. He thinks it's not so bad, he loves them anyway so it’s practically the same, and he rather enjoys it. But he can’t say the same with the day after Valentine's.
The day after Valentine’s has always left him feeling a little bitter. Having to go out and see all those heart-themed designs that no one has yet bothered to take down, and seeing all those couples who are catching up on a post-Valentine date, make him wonder how it feels to have a special someone that he can spend holidays like this with. But as he’s sitting in a cafe on the day after Valentine’s while never-ending love songs continue to play, this becomes a passing thought.
So he’s there drinking his first cup of coffee for the day, scrolling through his phone to pass some time before he needs to leave to go to his studio and get started with his day. After finishing his coffee and endlessly scrolling in his phone, he picks up his things, deciding to just head to his studio early and maybe draft some random lyrics instead of sitting there doing nothing, when someone suddenly approaches his table.
The said man has a happy-go-lucky personality surrounding him and beams a vibrant smile as he approaches Jihoon. “Hi! Jihoon, right? Is it okay if I talk to you for a while?”
Now Jihoon is confused. How did the man, a complete stranger to him, know his name? “Yeah… Sure I guess? How do you know me first? You can sit by the way.”
“Well, first of all, I’m Soonyoung.” He said as he stretched his hands in front of him and Jihoon shakes his hand with the other. “I’m actually a dance instructor in a nearby dance academy, but I was hired as a new choreographer in your company. You were introduced to me when I was hired, and I was told that I’d be working with you a lot. I was meant to talk to you today, and I didn’t know how, but I saw you here so… I’m here talking to you.”
Jihoon stared, blinking at the other. “Wow, you did explain everything.” He chuckled. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“I haven’t thought about that,” Soonyoung admitted as he shyly rubbed his neck. “But I wanted to get close with you since we’re going to be working together a lot. If that’s fine with you?”
“Sure, I’d love that as well. Anything I should know about you then?”
“Well…-”
They continued talking about the most random stuff about themselves. They were so comfortable with each other that it seems like they’ve been close for a long time when in reality, they had just met. They kept talking for an hour or two and ended up being almost an hour late to their work and had to rush to go to their company together.
---
It’s been weeks since that encounter and their friendship has blossomed pretty quickly. No one expected that the two of them would be close since even though Soonyoung was friendly, Jihoon preferred to be alone and only worked with the people he was close to. He was even picky when choosing clients to the point that he rejected even the biggest artist just because he was not comfortable with them. So imagine everyone’s surprise when the two of them entered the building at the same time during Soonyoung’s first day.
But that was weeks ago, now everyone was used to seeing Jihoon and Soonyoung together like they’re joined in the hip. They enter the building and even go home together. One of them would always wait for the other before they eat. They would always know where the other is if they’re not together. They might be surprised before, but they got used to it, and no one was complaining. Not when their best producer and choreographer are happy.
---
As months passed by, they became the best of friends. They spent time together and had their fair share of fights, but they worked through it. They were inseparable and it’s not as if someone would try to separate them. They were there for each other. They even celebrated Christmas and New Year together. And maybe, they’re not just best friends anymore, but that’s still unknown, even for them.
It’s now a week before Valentine’s day. Almost a year after the day they’ve met. They had nothing planned because everyone has been focused on their plans for Valentine’s day. Jihoon wanted to spend that day with Soonyoung, but the latter seems to have plans of his own. He’s been at the receiving end of Soonyoung’s questions who seems to be planning for a date. He’s been asked about flowers, stuff toys, chocolates, and other types of gifts. And honestly, he felt hurt. The other wanted to spend that day with another person and not with him, so he did what he does best. He wrote a song.
He wrote a song about what he felt. He poured all his emotions into the song until he felt numb and was left satisfied with the song he wrote. He might have been feeling hurt, but at least he ended up with a good song.
This song took him days. He ate and was well-rested, but only a few saw him during those days, and everyone was worried. They didn’t even see Soonyoung and Jihoon together, which made them even more worried. They might have fought, and no one could’ve comforted them.
But Soonyoung was busy as well. Besides his choreographies, he was planning something. No one knew what it was but him. He seemed alright, even if he wasn’t spending time with Jihoon. So maybe, they’re both okay. Maybe, they just needed time for themselves and haven’t noticed that they weren’t spending time together.
The day before Valentine's, everyone found it hard to believe that they found Jihoon spending time with his fellow producers. Soonyoung was still busy, and Jihoon was spending time with other people. And they didn’t know what to think, but they’re not in the place to interfere, so they decided to let it go. And just like that, the day passed with the two still neither talking nor seeing each other.
The next day, though Jihoon was sad that he couldn't spend Valentine's day with Soonyoung, he spent the day just like he always did. He ate lunch with their friends and planned to eat dinner with his family. And as he waited for work hours to end, he decided to polish some of his tracks, including the ones he recently wrote. He was in the middle of re-listening to those songs when someone suddenly entered the room and tapped his shoulders.
“Hi Ji!” Soonyoung beamed as Jihoon faced him.
“Hi, Soonyoung. Long time no see,” Jihoon teased.
“Sorry I got busy.” Soonyoung was dragging Jihoon to the sofa in his studio and he had no choice but to follow.
When they were already both sitting down, Jihoon faced Soonyoung before talking. “That’s alright. Where have you been by the way?”
“I was busy working on some choreographies and some other stuff, I guess. How about you?”
“Ohh, that’s nice, I think. But I was also busy with writing some songs. You know, the usual.”
“I hope you were able to write good songs even if I wasn’t there with you.”
Jihoon playfully punched Soonyoung’s shoulder and they both laughed. “Hey! I’ve been writing good songs even before you came.”
“Fine, fine. I know that. You’re a great producer Jihoonie.” Jihoon blushed. “Anyway, you want to go out with me?”
Jihoon was startled and blushed even more. “What- What? What do you mean to go out?”
“Well, from what I’ve heard, you have a tradition of spending Valentine’s with your friends. And since we haven’t really spent time together… Let’s go out?”
“Oh. That. Okay then? But don’t you have a date? You’ve been asking about flowers and other gifts the week before?”
“That was for a friend Jihoonie. I was helping someone out. Don’t be jealous.”
“I’m sorry- I mean I’m not!” Jihoon stuttered.
“If that’s what you want.”
“Forget about that. Where’d you wanna go anyway?”
“Anywhere is fine. Let’s decide on that later, but can we watch a movie first?”
“Alright then. Let’s choose a movie.”
Jihoon and Soonyoung sat on the studio sofa as they comfortably cuddled each other and watched a movie. They ate the food that Soonyoung brought, though Jihoon didn’t notice that before, and spent time as if they weren’t even apart for the whole week.
After watching a movie, both of them decided to eat at a restaurant nearby, and Jihoon might have been a little expectant, but nothing happened. Soonyoung was probably really just helping a friend. They ate dinner and had a few laughs, and they decided to roam around a bit before going home together.
---
It was the day after Valentine’s again. And instead of feeling a little bitter like before, Jihoon felt happy and content. He doesn’t know why he’s like this, but he likes it. He was heading to his studio earlier than usual so that he can try and ask Soonyoung to get coffee with him before working hours start. A little re-enactment of how they met. But as he was about to enter their company, his phone vibrated, and Soonyoung was calling him.
“Hey, Jihoon! You in the studio already?”
“I’m about to enter the building? Why?”
“Good. Can you go to the cafe where we met?”
“Sure. I was supposed to invite you anyway? Are we going to do something or go somewhere else though?”
“Secret. I’ll tell you later. Just go here first.”
“Ok then. I’m on my way.”
After ending the call, Jihoon started walking towards the said cafe. He was smiling all the way there and was thinking about what Soonyoung was up to. He started to look back at all the time they’ve spent with each other during the year that’s passed. And before he knows it, he can already see the cafe and starts running to it.
When he arrived, the cafe looks empty, but still goes inside since Soonyoung said that he’s already there. And he’s glad that he did. When he enters, he was surprised, and he was in awe. The place was decorated beautifully, and Soonyoung stands at the center. He was holding a bouquet of his favorite flowers and was holding the gifts he was asking about before.
Soonyung was beaming at him as he walked towards Jihoon. The latter was speechless and wasn’t able to move, but he let Soonyoung drag him towards the table where they first sat. Soonyoung gives him the gifts he was holding, and Jihoon accepted all of them.
“Hi, Jihoon!”
“Hi, Soonyoung. What’re all these for.”
“Happy Friendversary!” Soonyong says teasingly.
“Happy Friendversary to you too then. You planned all of this just for that?”
“Not really. I’ll tell you later.”
Jihoon holds Soonyoung’s hand and mutters, “Okay, later.” They sat there and ate together, talking about everything that has happened between them. When it was time for dessert, a whole cake was delivered to their table with something written on it.
“I like you Jihoon. A lot.” Jihoon reads loudly with tears forming in his eyes. “Soonyoung. I- Is this true?”
“Yes, Jihoon. I like you a lot. And I’d like it if you’d be my boyfriend. But that’s up to you of course.” Soonyoung holds Jihoon’s hand and kisses it.
“I- I like you a lot too. You don’t know how much this means to me. And yes, I’d love to be your boyfriend.”
Jihoon is now crying and Soonyoung couldn’t help but laugh. He sits beside the other before holding his face in his hands. He placed kisses on Jihoon’s forehead, cheeks, before kissing him softly on the lips.
---
Maybe the day after Valentine’s is not so sad just like how Jihoon thought before. Because this time around, that day gave Jihoon someone that he’d love for a long time. And maybe Soonyoung finds out about the songs a few days later, but he promises that he won’t ever hurt Jihoon like that again, and they’d have the rest of their lives to make up for it.