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“You’re gonna poke my fucking eye out, Beomgyu!” Yeonjun shrieked, jerking away from Beomgyu’s hands for the umpteenth time. The younger rolled his eyes, grabbing Yeonjun’s head forcefully and holding him still as he brandished the bobby pin again. “Just stay still hyung, jesus,” he replied. Yeonjun huffed, glaring at his dongsaeng through the intricate mask that was currently being pinned to his head.
The masquerade ball was a local tradition that nearly all of the college students participated in, and Yeonjun was no exception. He always went stag with his best friend—Beomgyu—but this year Beomgyu had to be stupid and get a boyfriend, so Yeonjun was officially a pathetic third wheel. Thankfully, he had no shortage of admirers so he was certain he’d find someone to take home with him later that night.
The ball created a unique atmosphere where people—identities half-hidden—lost some of their composure and insecurities and blossomed into more confident versions of themselves. Yeonjun liked to think he was confident enough, but something about striding into the community centre dressed to the nines with a 200,000 won mask on just made Yeonjun feel like a god.
It wasn't an official fashion competition or anything, but it also kind of was. With so few opportunities to dress up and show off, the students took full advantage and went all out.
This year Yeonjun had jet black hair so he selected a bright red mask, complete with dotted rubies and silk lace. It framed Yeonjun’s face perfectly, highlighting his cheekbones and accentuating his eyes, which were darkened with eyeshadow and mascara. He wore silver lenses and his lips were a dark cherry red.
He looked like an absolute meal and he hadn’t even put on his pinstriped tuxedo yet. Beomgyu finished securing the mask and stepped back, smiling gleefully at his handiwork. “You look fantastic, hyung,” he complimented. Yeonjun gave him a wink, and then disappeared into his closet to get dressed.
The suit was specially tailored to his form, and he shuddered at the coolness of the material as he slipped everything on. His lapel had a simple matching red pocket handkerchief and his shoes were polished and shiny. He button his blazer and then went out to look at himself in the big mirror he and Beomgyu had inserted into the living room.
Beomgyu was examining his own ensemble. His hair was a muted silver and his mask was black, adorned with small silver jewels to match his hair. He wore a long, black pea coat overtop a black button down and black slacks. He looked sophisticated and powerful as well, and Yeonjun knew him and Taehyun were going to draw eyes.
“Do I need to go home with Taehyun tonight?” Beomgyu asked as Yeonjun peered at his reflection. Yeonjun shrugged his shoulders, carefully moving a strand of hair out of his eyes. “Maybe, I’m not sure yet,” he mumbled. Beomgyu giggled, squeezing Yeonjun’s shoulders. “I’ll just go home with Taehyun.”
Yeonjun broke a smile and then turned around, pushing Beomgyu towards the door. “Let’s go!”
When they arrived, the sprawling lawn in front of the community centre was already inhabited by dozens of guests. Cocktail tables were scattered about, lit up with candles, and the inside of the centre was spilling out golden light.
As Yeonjun got out of the car, he immediately stood up straighter and lifted his chin, surveying the people around him. Beomgyu and Taehyun got out next to him, instantly looping their arms together. Taehyun looked striking in his midnight blue mask that was the exact same shade as his hair, and Yeonjun had to admit that they made a ridiculously cute couple.
All three of them walked out of the parking lot, bowing at a few people they recognised. Yeonjun thought they all looked nice, and there were definitely already some people who had caught his eye in a less-than-casual way. He didn’t want to settle on anyone so early though, so he kept his gaze neutral as he walked into the community centre.
It was decorated the way it always was—stringed lights, muted colours, 1940s music. All very thematic, all very classy. It was honestly good practice for those wanting to enter into the corporate world after graduation, where fancy dinners and galas became the norm. Yeonjun wasn’t sure he wanted to go into the corporate world, but he did want to keep going to balls and galas.
Guess he supposed he should marry a businessman or something.
After they signed in, Taehyun turned and gave both Yeonjun and Beomgyu a big smile. “My friend who just moved here—Hueningkai—he should be here soon! I think he’s bringing his friend, too.” Yeonjun returned the smile, remembering Taehyun excitedly telling him about his friend ‘from the big city’ who was going to spend a year studying agriculture in Daegu. He wasn’t sure who the friend was, but he had to be from out of town too. Perhaps from the big city.
Seoul.
The (other) concrete jungle where dreams were made of. It was Yeonjun’s ultimate goal to get out of Daegu and settle in the capital. He had visited a few times and the sheer happiness he felt roaming those streets and interacting with the people was something he had been unable to find in Daegu since. And it was something he desperately needed. He needed the diversity and the different paces and the fresh start.
Maybe meeting Hueningkai and his friend would help sooth some of those unscratchable itches for the time being.
Yeonjun left Taehyun and Beomgyu lingering by the door to go get a plate of hor’dourves and stem of wine. The food was actually always rather good, and Yeonjun took full advantage. After getting his refreshments he returned to where Taehyun and Beomgyu were, and his steps slowed and eyes widened as he stared at the two people who could only be Hueningkai and his friend.
Hueningkai had to be the tall blonde who was hugging Taehyun tightly and jumping up and down, his pink mask nearly slipping off his handsome face. The other boy, who was equally as tall, stood quietly next to them, hands folded in front of him. He was wearing an auburn tuxedo that matched the mask he wore. It sparkled under the light, a golden shimmer coating the dark lace. His hair was black as the night and his skin was a beautiful honeyed gold that Yeonjun just wanted to run his hands all over.
He had round cheeks and sweet, plump lips, surrounded by a chiseled jawline that made Yeonjun’s knees go weak as soon as the kid turned his head a little. His button nose was partially obscured by the mask, as well as his eyes, but Yeonjun could already tell he was beautiful. The most beautiful person in the room.
And then Hueningkai was introducing him to Beomgyu and he smiled and oh jesus christ he had fucking dimples.
Yeonjun was a goner. He quickly abandoned his snack and took only the wine with him, gathering up his courage and trying his best to smooth his face out so Kai’s friend didn’t immediately see right through him. Thankfully, the mask helped.
“Ah, this is Yeonjun-hyung, Beomgyu-hyung’s best friend and roommate,” Taehyun introduced as Yeonjun strode up to them. He braced himself before he looked at the boy. He looked even more handsome up close, his features sharpening and Yeonjun’s heart beating a little faster. Where had this boy been his entire life?
Their gaze caught in a fiery dance, and Yeonjun blinked back stars as the boy bowed to him. “Nice to meet you, Yeonjun-ssi,” he said, voice a lot deeper than Yeonjun was expecting. Fuck everyone else at the ball, Yeonjun couldn’t believe he had ever wasted a second with them when this god of a man was within his reach.
Yeonjun remembered his manners and gave the boy a small bow. “And you are?” he asked as he straightened out. Their gazes met and never wavered, despite the heat Yeonjun could feel flooding his cheeks. “I’m Soobin,” the boy answered. Soobin. Huh. Yeonjun didn’t know what name he would’ve guessed but Soobin was not one of them.
It fit him, and so he offered a dazzling smile, deciding not to dawdle as he held his hand out. “Care to dance, Soobin-ssi?” he asked, ignoring his racing heart and praying that his hand wasn’t sweaty. Soobin’s gaze dropped to Yeonjun’s outstretched hand and instead of giving a shy nod and taking it, the boy turned to Kai, who turned to Taehyun, and then all three of them giggled.
Only Beomgyu appeared to be just as confused as Yeonjun. Yeonjun also felt a touch of embarrassment and slowly withdrew his hand, smile slipping off his face. Was he missing something? What exactly was funny about his delivery?
Yeonjun felt his cheeks heat up as the embarrassment grew and he took a quick step back, worried that he had accidentally offended Soobin with his rash introduction or something. Soobin noticed him back up, however, and quickly reached out toward him. “Wait! Sorry, Yeonjun-ssi,” he said, still unable to keep the smile off his face.
He moved a couple steps and actually grabbed Yeonjun’s hand. Yeonjun snapped his head up to look at the younger, beyond confused at this point, and Soobin softened his smile. “I’d love to dance with you.”
Yeonjun blinked a few times, a little apprehensive if he was being honest, and leaned to look over at Kai and Taehyun, who Yeonjun assumed were informing Beomgyu as to why they had laughed at Yeonjun. He looked back at Soobin, narrowing his eyes a little. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Now it was Soobin’s turn to blush, and his cheeks lit up in a beautiful red that brought the initial intrigue back into Yeonjun’s mind. “I think your friends know you very well,” he said. Yeonjun stared at him, before Soobin realised his answer was extremely vague, and the taller bit his lip, looking down shyly. “They kind of told me to expect you hitting on me,” he murmured.
Yeonjun’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped and he gasped dramatically. His hand was still enveloped in Soobin’s larger one. “I asked you to dance! That’s not hitting on you!” he exclaimed loudly, drawing the eyes of a few people around them. Yeonjun didn’t even notice, too caught up in Soobin’s reaction.
The younger’s entire aura shifted as his gaze sharpened, and he very openly let his eyes rake over Yeonjun’s body in a way that made the blood in Yeonjun’s face burn. When their gazes met again, Soobin gave him a wickedly sweet half-smile and leaned forward until his lips hovered near Yeonjun’s ear.
“So then let’s dance, Yeonjun-ssi,” he whispered. His already deep voice dropped another octave as he uttered the words and it sent a thrill through Yeonjun’s bones. Soobin expertly wove their fingers together from where he still held Yeonjun’s hand, and leaned back to give Yeonjun an intense gaze through his glittering mask. God, Yeonjun wished he could see his entire face.
He swallowed, and then nodded, turning around and pulling Soobin to the dance floor. His heart was beating like crazy in his chest and he was afraid he was going to hyperventilate if he didn’t distract himself quickly. He stopped once he was in the middle of the dancefloor, spinning couples all around them, and he nearly stopped breathing when Soobin spun him around without warning.
Yeonjun’s hands immediately and instinctively grabbed Soobin’s shoulders for balance as Soobin grabbed his waist, steadying him. Yeonjun looked up at him, heart jackhammering at how close they were. “Who are you?” he breathed as he tried to see past the mask. He had long since forgotten he was wearing one—-though it appeared Soobin could read him as easily as if he wasn’t.
Soobin chuckled, starting to move them to the music. “It’s a masquerade ball, Yeonjun-ssi, you’re not supposed to know who I am,” he replied. Yeonjun didn’t even have it in him to give a sarcastic reply, all he could do was stare at Soobin and hope his growing arousal wasn’t evident on his partially obscured face.
Thankfully, the younger only smiled and began to dance more. Yeonjun, nerves still thrumming in his ears, decided to just stop thinking and dance as well. He felt Soobin’s hands on him, but unlike normal, he didn’t mind someone touching him. Soobin’s touches felt gentle, hesitant even, and Yeonjun knew the second he told him to stop he would. But he found himself not wanting Soobin to stop. Soobin, this masked stranger who Yeonjun literally knew nothing about save his name.
No way this kid was from Seoul.