Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Heeseung knew it was coming, his father had been in the business for 45 years - starting his own company at a young age and building it from the ground up had taken a toll on him. The man deserved to rest and enjoy his retirement. 

Heeseung knew that which is why he wasn’t shocked when he was dragged into his father's office to begin the process of handing the company over to his son. He’d been working by his father’s side as soon as he step foot out of university, everything he’d been taught was preparing him for this day. 

Heeseung knew he was more than capable yet still couldn’t help the bounce in his leg as his father talked him through the seemingly endless piles of paperwork.

Heeseung looked at his father’s face - a solemn air surrounding the man. He sighed as he handed a fresh batch of papers over to the younger man for him to begin reading through and signing. 

Heeseung knew he was ready despite the nerves, which is why the next words from his father’s mouth halted his actions.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this son?”, the man looked up at the boy sitting across from him with a concerned look that had fallen across his face.

“Yes of course I am?” Heeseung replied with an airy giggle, questioning where his father’s concern was stemming from, “I’ve been to school for this, you’ve also taught me everything I need to know. I’m ready I promise.” His father let a small smile appear out of fondness for his son. 

“I know son. I know, but…”, he paused, seeming hesitant to continue his train of thought.

“But what?” Heeseung had no idea where his father was going with this.

“...but I’m just concerned about your home life son.” Heeseung stared at his father with a quirked brow, questioning him yet urging him to continue. “I know you don’t want to son but I think it’s time you settle down. I know the rumors that fly around the office about you, I’ve also seen you leaving work with a different person every other week. You’re their boss now son, you need to have a better impression on them as it’s going to reflect on your company.”

Heeseung couldn’t even begin to find the words to say, he just stared at the man - mouth slightly ajar. The paperwork beneath his fingertips had been long forgotten. Was his current lifestyle that bad? Surely not. He thought to himself, he was not going to let this of all things stand between him and becoming the owner of this company.

His father could feel the disbelief radiating from his son. “I’m sorry Heeseung but it’s true, you’re almost 30 I think it would be best to settle down. Remember the Kim family? Kim Seojun? He used to visit with his son when you were younger. The man’s son Kim Sunoo is single and I reached out to him about it, we would be more than happy to set you two up for marriage.” 

Heeseung’s jaw dropped open impossibly further, not believing for a second what his father was proposing. “He’s in the hospital now, Seojun is, and Sunoo is still in university since he took a gap year. He was going to drop out since he doesn’t have the funds anymore and he wants to support his mother and father, but he said he would wait until he heard back from me. It would be beneficial to you both Heeseung.”

Heeseung closed his jaw, silently processing what his father had said to him. “I can’t believe you spoke to them before even talking to me about this. You’ve gone and got their hopes up. Now they’re expecting me to swoop in and save their family? So what he’s just going to marry me for money? That’s it?” He couldn’t control the anger that built inside of him. After everything he has done? The amount of effort he’s put into working towards being deserving of this position? And the only thing stopping him is the fact his father wants him to marry some random man’s son he can’t even remember.

“I know it’s a lot to process son but I think it would be beneficial to you. Plus Kim Seojun is one of my lifelong friends, he helped me get where I am today it is the least I could do for him.” His father began an attempt to calm him down.

“If you’re that bothered about them then why can’t you just give them money and support them?” His voice rose, he didn’t want to shout at his father but he just couldn’t understand the man’s thought process.

“Because I’m looking out for you son, it would do you good to have someone to come home to, someone to look after you.” His father spoke with a soft voice. Heeseung let his mind wander, I guess it wouldn’t be so bad…  

A little voice in the back of his head, more like the devil on his shoulder, spoke - and I guess I wouldn't have to settle down either, just marry the boy to keep the old man happy and keep up the nice little act that I’m settled.

He couldn’t control the smirk that appeared on his face for a second, “Fine, I’ll marry him. But I’m not having some big fancy reception. We can just sign the papers that’s more than enough.”

“Thank you, I’ll let him know as soon as possible. He can move into your apartment next week,” Heeseung’s eyes rolled, “I’ve got a feeling you two are going to get along well. Now, back to the papers. This company is going to be yours by the end of this week.”

He smiled at the thought whilst he continued signing away until his hand cramped up.

— — — — —

Sunoo met Heeseung for the first time when he was 3 and the other boy was 8, according to his father. They met again when he was 7 and the older boy was 12. He doesn’t remember much about him though since he was so young, plus the two never talked. Sunoo always stuck to his dad’s side when the visited the Lee residence. Heeseung’s father was far too intimidating for young Sunoo, plus it’s never like Heeseung tried to interact with him.

They met again when Sunoo was 23 and Heeseung was 27, this time at the registration office on their wedding day. It seemed like a huge jump for the two, yet not much had changed. Sunoo wished he could tell the story of how they’d fallen in love after meeting at a family gathering, or a romantic story of how Heeseung proposed to him with a promise of a magical wedding day. But reality hit whilst, after a quick greeting, the two stood beside each other in silence signing the papers that declared them married.

Sunoo hadn’t had much time to prepare, only receiving confirmation of the plans a few days ago. And here he stood, as the new Lee Sunoo. He knew he was greedy, doing this for money, but Heeseung’s father had been the one to suggest it. Even though Sunoo yearned for love, he also wanted a stable life. Maybe he would be happy with Heeseung, it was nice to dream.

The following Monday, Sunoo had all his things packed. Heeseung’s father had sent a driver for him to ease the strain of the move into the new apartment. However, the move was still grueling. Sunoo was dragging the second round of boxes into the lift of his new apartment building, cursing Heeseung out for being at work and unable to help him, when he heard a voice speak up from behind him, “Hey do you need any help with that?” Sunoo turned to behind him where the voice came from and saw two men who looked similar in age to him.

Sunoo let out a sigh of relief, “Oh my god yes please, thank you so much.” He smiled at the two boys who happily took some of Sunoo’s belongings from him, easing the load. 

“I’m Jay, by the way,” his head nodded towards the boy standing next to him, “this is my boyfriend Jungwon.” 

Jungwon gave Sunoo a welcoming smile before speaking, “Which floor are you going to?” He eyed the numbered buttons.

“The top floor.” Sunoo reciprocated the smile.

“Oh cool same as us! So Heeseung hyung has moved out?” Jungwon looked over towards Jay, directing his question towards him.

Sunoo felt heat on his cheeks at the thought of the conversation he was about to have, “Oh, well actually I’m moving in with him- we’re married.” Sunoo stared at them both as their faces dropped in shock, the doors of the lift opened at that moment. Sunoo left first carrying his belongings to his apartment. Jungwon and Jay hesitantly followed the other boy, still eyeing each other - seemingly communicating with just their eyes.

The boys eased into casual conversation after that, Sunoo finding out Jungwon was a year younger than him but also in his final year of university due to the older one having taken a gap year. Jay was older than Sunoo - a year younger than Heeseung to be exact. He also worked at the same company, quite high up in the ranks, hence being able to afford one of the bigger apartments. He felt comfortable talking with his neighbors, he was thankful he was able to meet them now rather than later. 

Once they were finally done moving all of Sunoo’s belongings in, Jungwon invited Sunoo over for food. However, the younger declined whilst looking at the pile he had to unpack. “I will definitely have to take you up on that offer another time though!” He smiled at the two.

“Of course hyung anytime,” Jungwon smiled back, “Sorry about before hyung, we didn’t mean to act so surprised when you told us you and Heeseung hyung were married, we’re happy for you both.”

Jay continued before Sunoo had the chance to speak, “Yeah Sunoo I’m sorry, we just didn’t expect Heeseung hyung to have settled down. Also, I need to have a word with him for not inviting us to the wedding.” Jay and Jungwon looked at each other as they laughed. Sunoo felt jealousy blooming in his chest, he could feel the love radiating between the two of them.

“It’s okay honestly Jay hyung, we didn’t actually have a ceremony.” The two boys now looked at Sunoo in confusion, he felt comfortable enough with the other two already to tell them the truth, “It was kinda an arranged marriage, Heeseung hyung’s dad arranged it all. My dad is a childhood friend of his hence why it was me. I completely understand why you’d be shocked, we did only meet properly on Saturday and that was our wedding day.” He let out a light giggle as it felt like he confessed his sins. He didn’t bring up the fact he did it for money, he still felt the guilt eating away at him for it.

The two boys fidgeted, shuffling their feet on the spot, “Oh I see, well as long as you’re content Sunoo hyung.” Jungwon let out the brightest smile, and Sunoo couldn’t help but lean out for a hug.

“Thank you Jungwon,” Jungwon hugged back, “And thank you so much to you both for the help with the move! I couldn’t have done it without you two seriously!” 

Sunoo felt another pair of arms wrap around him and Jungwon, “Of course Sunoo, if you ever need anything we’re just across the hall. Now we’ll leave you be and let you get some rest. Come on wonie let’s go get some food.” Jay removed his arms from the younger boys and Jungwon soon followed. 

“See you later hyung!” Sunoo watched the door of his new apartment close behind his neighbors as he left. 

He felt the tiredness of the day wash over his body as he flopped onto the sofa, he took some time to eye the new environment. The kitchen and living room were open plan with a large breakfast bar separating the two. The sofa he was currently on was set in the middle of the room with a large tv placed on the wall in front of him. He could spot multiple different brands of gaming consoles placed within the stand that sat beneath the tv. Great , Sunoo thought.

He pushed himself from the sofa to walk across the room. Of course there is no decoration. He knew he could add some more beauty to the plain white walls, it was obvious Heeseung didn’t spend much time here. He approached the glass sliding doors and allowed himself out onto the balcony where he found two metal seats and a small table. He took a seat and allowed himself to enjoy Seoul’s afternoon breeze.

After lounging around for a little while longer, he slowly dragged himself back inside - wanting to unpack before his new roommate arrived home.

— — — — —

Sunoo felt, and heard, his stomach complain at the lack of food after finishing putting away the last of his belongings in his and Heeseung’s shared bedroom. At least he was done now. He trudged to the kitchen to find something to appease his hunger.

Rooting through the cupboards he figured he definitely had to do some shopping, there was nothing but cup noodles and ramen within them. He begrudgingly took a packet of spicy ramen and started heating up the water for it in a pot. At least I can eat soon.

Sunoo was carrying his bowl of ramen to the table when the door opened and Heeseung entered their apartment. Sunoo looked up and gave Heeseung a small smile, the favor was not returned. 

He let it go as he understood that he’d probably had a long day. Sunoo knew it was his first day as the new CEO of the company, his dad had explained everything to him the other day during one of his visits to the hospital. Heeseung must be under a lot of pressure right now.

Feeling bad for the older one, he offered him food, “Hey do you want me to make you something to eat?” 

Heeseung shook his head, “I ate already.”

“Oh okay, no worries.” Sunoo turned back to his food as the other made his way to the bedroom, probably to take a shower he assumed.

What he didn’t expect was to hear footsteps heading back toward him. Sunoo jumped at the sound as he seemed angry, he slowly turned to face the older and the look on his face confirmed his suspicions.

“Sunoo why the fuck is all of your shit in my room.” Sunoo jumped again after hearing the anger and volume of his voice, he couldn’t help but begin to fidget in his seat due to his nerves.

“Um I just assumed that we’d be sharing, I’m sorry I didn’t realise-” Heeseung cut him off with a look of offence plastered on his face.

“Well you shouldn’t just assume these things, you have your own room. Also, let’s set some ground rules whilst we’re here.” He couldn’t find his voice to reply so he just opted for a nod instead. “Stick to your room, keep all your things in your own room. The same goes for the bathroom too, yours is the one in the hall.” Sunoo nodded along, thankful he hadn’t realised there was another bathroom so he didn’t have to move all of his belongings again, “Secondly don’t touch any of my food,” Heeseung shot a glance at the bowl of ramen Sunoo was eating before he was interrupted, “We’ll set you up with your own card, I’ll give you money to buy food just stick to your own stuff. Third, I don’t care what you do, or if you have people over just let me know beforehand.”

Sunoo let out a noise signalling agreement before Heeseung continued, “Just because I was forced to marry you doesn’t mean we’re going to be a happy couple. I don’t like you. I’ll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine.” He left for his own room, slamming the door on his way in.

He slowly returned to his half-eaten bowl of ramen, not feeling that hungry anymore. The noodles ended up in the bin, they were probably soggy by now anyways, he justified to himself.

He found himself making his way back to his own room and collapsing on the bed. Guilt and embarrassment took over his body as he let himself cry into the pillows, curling in on himself. He couldn’t believe his stupidity, thinking they could actually work. Heeseung’s last statement echoed around his mind until he drifted into a deep sleep, tears drying on his face. 

Just because I was forced to marry you doesn’t mean we’re going to be a happy couple. 

I don’t like you.

Chapter Text

Sunoo woke up the next day in the same clothes he’d worn the day before, a tear-stained pillow and a puffy face. He sighed as he reached for his phone, checking the time. It was almost noon. A couple of text notifications from Jungwon sat at the bottom of his screen.

From Jungwon:

hey hyung! 

I’m not in uni today so we should definitely do something

lmk when ur free :D 

He couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto his face at the younger boy's request. With memories from last night still fresh in his mind, it was nice to know that at least someone wanted him around. Speaking of, he still needed to move everything from Heeseung’s room into his own.

The memory almost made another lump appear in his throat, but he swallowed it down and refocused on the phone in his hand.

To Jungwon:

I’d love to Jungwon but I have to move everything into my room :( 

This weekend instead?

Sunoo let out another small sigh as he pushed himself out of bed, making his way across the hall into his bathroom. He let his eyes roll at the thought, not understanding why Heeseung had to be so aggressive when it came to establishing his boundaries. 

He appeared in front of the bathroom mirror whilst his thoughts were still running wild. He brought a hand to his face allowing his brown bangs to be lifted from his forehead, letting him get a clear view of how swollen his face was. The cold water he splashed on his face didn’t do much to calm to swelling. Sunoo brushed it off, knowing that at least the shower he was about to step into would make him feel cleaner and a lot less puffy.

Once emerged from the bathroom, feeling a lot lighter than when he had woken up, Sunoo reached for his phone yet again which displayed multiple texts and a missed call from his neighbor.

From Jungwon:

what?

but i thought we did that yesterday?

I’m confused

at least let me help you with the move

Sunoo couldn’t help but giggle at the other’s confusion, yet his smile faded when he realised he didn’t know if he had it in him to tell the younger his reason for needing to move. He needed the help, knowing it was going to take him the rest of the day otherwise. But would he be able to withstand Jungwons quizzing? Well, he was just going to have to find out.

To Jungwon:

yeah…

long story

come over and help me in 10, ill explain

He felt like all he could do today was sigh, his chest felt heavy. However, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact feeling. It wasn’t a crushing pressure that came hand in hand with the burden of anxiety. It wasn’t the sharp pain that caused his breaths to fall short during a panic attack. It wasn’t the sinking filling of his heart that was caused by disappointment.

It just felt like nothing. There was a gaping hole in his chest - one that seemed as though it could never be filled.

As the door was opened for Jungwon, he could sense the sour nature of Sunoo’s mood floating through the air. Sunoo tried to give the younger a reassuring smile as he looked at him with pity.

“Hyung…”, Jungwon’s arms opened for a hug - the older of the two collapsing into him. The two stayed silent for what felt like hours, just enjoying the embrace. It was the younger of them who pulled away first, not before giving the brunette's hair a stroke (or two).

“Come on let’s get started, I do not want to be moving boxes all day.” Sunoo laughed at the younger’s request, dragging him by the arm to Heeseung’s room to begin the move. Again .

He knew Jungwon was itching to get him to talk, but neither of them knew how to start. They had only met each other the day before - there were still hints of awkwardness between the two. 

Maybe it would be best to just spill it in one go. It’s like ripping off a plaster, you just have to do it as quickly as possible then you don’t feel the pain. Sunoo was so lost in his thought that Jungwon’s calls were lost before they could reach his ears.

“Hey, Sunoo hyung!”, Jungwon grabbed his shoulders this time, shaking the older one from his endless track of thoughts. Sunoo blinked more times than the youngest could count before he turned his head to reply.

“What? Sorry Won, I totally zoned out there.” Jungwon giggled at the oldest’s cuteness, he shook his head repeating the question.

“It’s okay hyung. I was asking if you’re ever going to explain what’s going on. Why are we moving everything again?” The last line came out as a whine as if the boy didn’t offer to help Sunoo.

“Well, it happened last night when Heeseung hyung came home.” Jungwon nodded at him, urging him to continue.

“He basically just set some boundaries, but he was like, way too harsh about it.” Sunoo rolled his eyes, showing an obvious upset with his husband.

“What do you mean?” Jungwon replied, practically begging for more details.

“As soon as he got in from work he went straight into his room, not even a minute later he was storming back down that hallway. Raising his voice at me yelling about how I have my own room and that I should stay out of his way. Telling me that we’re never gonna be a real couple. I’m telling you Won, he was screaming at me like this was all my fault - like I had any choice in this.” The last part came out as a soft mumble. 

During his rant, both Jungwon and himself had paused their actions, Sunoo’s hands found their way to each other and he had begun to fiddle with his fingers.

Jungwon let out a sigh, at least Sunoo wasn’t the only one feeling like that today. He took a seat on the other’s bed, pulling the boy down to sit with him. 

The brunette leaned into him, and Jungwon allowed him to - sensing that he needed the comfort. “It’ll be okay hyung, I promise it’ll work out.” He let his finger run through the older boy's hair.

Sunoo hummed, not believing the words but not wanting to put up a fight to disagree. The younger continued to talk, “He’s probably just angry and tired and taking it out on you because that’s the easiest thing for him to do at the moment. Trust me, Jay hyung has known Heeseung hyung longer than me but I still know him quite well. It takes him a while to trust people and let people in, he never wants to let people see past his walls which is why he lashes out.” 

Jungwon sighed again, “I know it’s not an excuse, he was being an asshole hyung - I’ll get Jay to kick his ass.” Sunoo let out an airy laugh, “I just hope it gives you some reassurance. Don’t be too hard on yourself about it hyung.” 

Sunoo pulled the younger one into a hug, silently thanking him for the reassurance. The weight on his shoulder’s now seemed a bit easier to carry. 

“Yah you’re so wise Jungwon, are you sure you’re not secretly a grandpa?” The two burst out into a fit of giggles.

Jungwon could have sworn he saw the air change, it was brighter now that the older boy seemed happier.

“Let’s finish this up hyung, when we finish I’ll make Jay hyung take us out for tteokbokki - his treat. He literally can’t say no to me when I give him puppy dog eyes.” Sunoo was pulled from the bed and dragged back to face yet another pile of his belongings.

— — — — —

After that day, Jungwon’s reassurance and Jay’s kind heart (and his wallet) put a spring back in Sunoo’s step. He fell into a routine surrounding both his and Jungwon’s uni schedule, the two becoming almost inseparable. He liked to call Jungwon his platonic soulmate. Jay spent most of his time laughing at the - and I quote - cute pair.

He was growing to love the two with his entire heart yet, being around them could be draining. Seeing the way Jay stared at his boyfriend with the utmost adoration? Watching Jungwon jump into his lover's arms and smother him with kisses? Sunoo needed a break every now and again, before he went blind with jealousy, since he knew that happiness like theirs was nowhere in his near future.

Speaking of, he was still tiptoeing around his beloved husband. He avoided the older like the plague - which wasn’t the hardest thing to do. The older was rarely even home, and when he was he was holed up in his room. Sunoo started to suspect the older having ramen cups and a kettle in his room because when else would he eat? 

They never even greeted each other. When the two were in the same room, the tension seemed to freeze the air solid - it was so thick you could practically cut it with a knife.

Heeseung did apologise for how he acted during Sunoo’s first night in the apartment. However, you couldn’t say he’d be winning the award for most sincere and believable apology any time soon…

It was two days after their argument when he spotted a post-it note and a bank card left on the breakfast bar. He wandered over to the note and stared, allowing what was written to be processed in his mind.

Sorry

Here’s your new card, buy yourself some food

The pin is xxxx

• Heeseung

Sunoo slowly slotted the card into his wallet along with the note containing the pin. He only kept the note in case the four-digit number slipped his mind. No other reason. None at all.

It’s not because the apology had made his cheeks heat up and turn a soft pink… will you stop suggesting ridiculous ideas?

He’d done his shopping that day, absolutely in awe of having his own money. Being able to buy himself his favourite snacks seemed like a luxury to Sunoo. A week or two after his shopping trip, he smiled at the reminder that he had a pint of mint chocolate ice cream sitting in the freezer calling his name.

For the past couple of weeks, he’d been okay living with Heeseung to put it simply. It wasn’t the most amazing experience of his life yet it had not been awful so it was okay - to say the least.

However, it was lonely. Sunoo couldn’t help but get bored on days when Jungwon was in uni, Jay was at work so it’s not like he could bother him either. He had a few other acquaintances from uni but none were really close enough to be considered friends to him. 

The days seemed to grow longer as he sat around, he didn’t dare touch Heeseung’s gaming consoles but he wished he could so he at least had something to keep him entertained.

The loneliness he felt was only encouraged by the blank stares from Heeseung, the lack of any emotion on the elder's face sent chills down his spine. Sunoo hoped that one day he would smile down at the younger boy or greet him happily. But it was evident that was going to happen anytime soon.

All Sunoo had left was the lingering feeling of hope.

As he went to push himself off the bed to retrieve the minty treat he had been daydreaming about, he heard the door to the apartment open. His brows furrowed in confusion, he hadn’t even realised Heeseung had left.

Sunoo grabbed his phone to double-check the day and time. He was right, it was a Saturday - which seemed to be his husband's day off. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the time, it was 1:30 am. The brunette hadn’t even noticed how late it was, too lost in whatever he had been doing before. However, the realisation only caused his confusion to deepen. 

Where had Heeseung been? Why was he coming back so late?

Sunoo shook his head, physically trying to remove the thoughts from his brain. It wasn’t really any of his business and it’s not like he even cared anyways. That was until he heard him.

He felt his whole body tense at the volume of Heeseung’s voice. Was he drunk? He could hear the older man bumping into what seemed like every single piece of furniture on his way past Sunoo’s room and into the other’s. Sunoo wanted to check on him, the man was clearly drunk out of his mind can you blame him for being worried?

That’s when he heard her giggle . That’s when it clicked.

Heeseung wasn’t alone, he’d brought a girl home.

Sunoo couldn’t explain why the emptiness in his chest seemed to grow - like a black hole had emerged, devouring him from the inside out. He clutched his shirt ignoring the sting of the tears forming in his eyes.

Heeseung’s door slammed and he could hear the springs of the bed located next door begin to bounce.

Sunoo didn’t care. He didn’t know why he was crying. He tried to blame it on every other thing he could, not willing to look for a reasonable explanation for his reaction.

I’m just tired.

I’m still mad at him

I don’t care

I didn’t have hope for us, I really didn’t

The whirring of his mind combined with the sound of the headboard shaking the wall of the room adjacent to his was too much for him.

It was overwhelming, how was he just supposed to sit there and deal with this? 

He couldn’t.

That’s how he ended up building up enough courage to run from his room, across the hall to the safety of Jungwon and Jay’s apartment - begging them to let him stay.

“Wonie, Jay hyung I’m so sorry to wake you up I know it’s the middle of the night I just can’t- I can’t stay there Wonie please let me stay here I’m begging please let me stay.” Jungwon’s eyes were filled with worry as he watched his new best friend cling to his arms as tears fell from his eyes.

He didn’t say anything as he wrapped one arm around the boy, Jay followed his lead and allowed his arm to support the other side of the sobbing figure. They guided him toward their bedroom, placing him on the bed. The eldest of the three left to grab Sunoo a drink. Jungwon provided Sunoo with some comfy clothes, cuddling him into bed once the boy was changed.

Sunoo wasn’t sure what he did to deserve to be here, between his two friends. He was so thankful they didn’t question his tears or his need for a place to stay. They just provided hushed whispers of comforting words which subdued his hysteric state and began to lull him into a deep slumber.

Jungwon’s pinky was linked with his own accompanied by the occasional swipe of a thumb across his palm, Jay’s hand was smoothing its way through his soft brown hair. It was so gentle and relaxing that it almost allowed Sunoo to forget why he ended up in the pair’s bed in the first place.

Almost. 

Chapter Text

After the initial incident - as Sunoo liked to call it - Heeseung only got worse. It was obvious he was spending every second of his free time away from their shared apartment, in clubs grinding up against the closest girl that would let him.

He’d spoken to Jay and Jungwon the day after and tried to explain why his reaction had been so extreme. He couldn’t admit the jealousy, wishing he was loved or at least wanted by the older. He couldn’t even admit it to himself.

It was driving Sunoo insane. He joked that he may as well move in with Jungwon and Jay since he was practically spending all of his time there - the pair had even given him a spare key. He had gotten sick of being woken up by the sound of the headboard threatening to punch a hole through his wall, plus some of the girls he brought back knew how to scream.

Jungwon was also losing his mind (and a lot of sleep) because of the commotion Sunoo would eventually end up creating outside of his front door every time Heeseung came stumbling home from the club with a new girl on his arm. Jungwon had noticed how it was taking a toll on Sunoo mentally, in his eyes it was cheating.

His new husband was slipping away every night just to pick up girls and bring them back for a fuck that he then had to sit there and listen to? It was unfair, which is why Jungwon did not hesitate to give the older boy his spare key.

That’s how they ended up here, on a Friday night. Jay sat between the two younger boys, no longer paying much attention to the movie - his eyes had instead fallen upon his boyfriend's lips.

Jungwon knew he was looking at him, Jay knew it. But the younger had started to become a lot warier around Sunoo, not wanting to cause the other boy pain. Jay sighed and turned back to the movie. He loves Sunoo he truly does, but that man was being one hell of a cock block right now. He sympathised with the youngest, but he was simply dying for a kiss from his boyfriend.

He pushed himself off of the sofa, having mentally tired himself out doing laps in his head with his thoughts. “I’m heading to bed,” He paused, flicking his eyes between the two left seated, “Are you coming babe?” He reached out for his lover.

Jungwon knew, he knew what he wanted and he wanted it too. He’d been putting it off, having considered his best friend, but he couldn’t do it much longer. He flashed Jay a dark look before wrapping his hand around his and letting himself be pulled from his seat.

“I’m gonna head to bed too hyung, sleep well!” Sunoo didn’t even get the chance to think of a reply before the eldest of the three had Jungwon flung over his shoulder, the youngest’s laughter growing more distant as he was carried to the bedroom.

Now Sunoo wasn’t stupid, he knew what was going on. He found himself too exhausted to care.

He pushed his legs out onto the sofa, thankful he now had it all to himself. The movie became a quiet hum of background noise guiding him to sleep. Sunoo was thankful for the peace, letting his heavy lids fall shut and his breathing even out.

He was content. He was content until the loud slapping of skin ripped through the apartment.

Sunoo bolted up, it felt like he was stuck listening to Heeseung again. He was prepared to turn the tv volume up and deal with it until a moan - no, a scream - echoed down the hall. He couldn’t sleep like this, he sighed and prayed that the same noises weren’t going to be bouncing around his apartment.

He gathered the small handful of his belongings and rushed his way out of the door, not wanting to hear more of where that noise came from.

He shuffled a couple of steps across the hall to his door, unlocking it and slowly pushing it open. His eyes were squeezed shut as if he was bracing for impact, yet nothing hit him.

No screams, no moans, no headboard, and thank god for no drunk Heeseung walking into every single piece of furniture he owned. Sunoo let out a sigh of relief, it felt like he could finally breathe again.

After the initial excitement of finding himself in a quiet home, the exhaustion kicked in. Sunoo had been working hard, with his final exams coming up in a month or two he’d been studying like hell. He needed the sleep that’s for sure.

He found his room in the dark, too lazy to reach for a light. He was so thankful to have his own space back. He crawled under the covers and pressed his eyes closed. As much as he loved the two across the hall and spending time with them, he missed Sunoo time (as he liked to call it). He was suddenly so appreciative of being alone for once.

The bed in the room next to his creaked. Sunoo let out an airy laugh, of course, he wasn’t really alone. Down the hall was his husband, who he’d spoken to twice within a month or two, who ignored him in the halls, who didn’t even dare be in the same house as him. He felt his gut twist.

Sunoo was foolish, he knew that much. 

When he’d received the text asking him to marry Heeseung, he’d accepted because yes, he did need the money and yes, he wanted to support his family but - he remembered Heeseung.

He remembered when they were kids and how Sunoo had been so flustered by Heeseung’s perfect smile. How he desperately wished to be friends with the boy yet couldn’t bring himself to talk. All he had was the adoring stares from afar, the longing, the occasional social media stalk…

He was hoping he would be able to act on the little crush that he’s had for years. He was hoping for love at first sight, he was hoping Heeseung wanted him too.

But obviously, he was wrong, Sunoo was foolish.

He’d got so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t realise that the creak of Heeseung moving around in his bed now had a rhythm.

Sunoo’s heart clenched as he recognised the familiarity of the situation. His throat burnt with the taste of bile itching to escape from his throat.

Here he was again, hoping for love with Heeseung yet all that man did was make him feel even fucking worse. He felt so lonely and it was all the older boy's fault. 

Fuck Heeseung and fuck whichever ugly bitch he’s fucking tonight.

Sunoo just thanked the lords that it wasn’t so loud this time, the sound was actually able to be concealed with his headphones. 

A thousand what-ifs ran through his head that night, so much questioning on how he ended up here, so much guilt and nausea, so many tears wishing Heeseung would pay attention to him instead.

— — — — —

Sunoo felt like he was constantly waking up to the feeling of swollen eyes and dried tears, all he wished for was one normal night - one night of rest.

He was coming to his senses when he heard movement in the hallway, ending up in the kitchen. His eyebrow furrowed in confusion when the previous set of footsteps was followed by another. Then he realised, Heeseung.

Sunoo noted that he’d never stayed around long enough to find out if Heeseung’s drunk one-night stands were kicked out after they were done, but it still shocked him to find out that they hung around until morning. 

He rubbed his eyes, trying to force the feeling of sleep and puffiness out of them whilst reaching for his phone which had found its way to the floor whilst he’d slept.

Of course, there were multiple messages from Jungwon apologising profusely.

From Jungwon

OMG Sunoo hyung I’m so sorry if we were too loud last night!!!

You didn’t have to leave you could’ve stayed!!

I understand if we made you uncomfortable though me and Jay hyung are so sorry :( 

How’s things with hubby heeseung ;) ?

Sunoo smiled at his phone, seeing the younger one apologise made him chuckle. He could never be mad at Jungwon.

To Jungwon

there is no need to apologise won!!

I just left because i wanted to give you guys some space and i felt like i was invading ur privacy… T_T

Still haven't seen him lol !! he had another girl round last night tho… luckily wasn’t too loud this time thank GOD

He shut his phone off in favour of returning his head to the pillow, but groaned and forced himself up knowing he needed a shower. He walked towards the door, reaching for the handle when he heard the footsteps padding down the corridor again.

Sunoo felt his blood boil, Heeseung had no shame. Bringing other women into their apartment whilst he was sitting lonely next door, begging for a single interaction with the older. He knew he felt attraction toward the man - but he didn’t want to admit it. He didn’t want to admit he had feelings for a man that could treat him so badly.

He decided the most logical reasoning was that he was lonely and desperate for attention. Plus Heeseung was technically cheating on him, and not even trying to hide it, he had every right to be angry. 

He felt a wave of nausea passing through his stomach, the anger burning his insides. In a rash heat-of-the-moment decision, Sunoo decided to throw his door open. 

He came face to face with Heeseung and his one-night stand. Except, it wasn’t just another one of the drunk girls he’d picked up in the club, it was a boy. 

Sunoo felt his face twist in confusion, he assumed that Heeseung must’ve had some attraction towards men since he did agree to marry him after all - yet as far as he was aware he’d never brought one back after a night out before.

The jealousy inside him burned an aching hole into his chest, and his eyes narrowed. He locked his attention on Heeseung, who seemed nervous. Out of character for the boy since he seemingly had no shame clearly fucking whoever he felt like right next door to Sunoo, loud enough to cause many sleepless nice.

The one-night stand seemed to perk up and smiled at the brunette who’d just emerged from his room. “Oh hey! I’m Jake, you must be Heeseung hyung’s roommate, right? Sunoo was it?” That’s when it clicked.

Sunoo swallowed the lump that was growing in his throat, his eyes never faltering away from Heeseung who was now giving him a look that was daring him to say something. It all fell into place, Heeseung had been bringing people back to their shared apartment under the guise that he was simply just a roommate. Nothing more.

Sunoo’s head whipped towards Jake’s, a bright yet clearly fake smile appearing on his face. “Oh hi! So lovely to meet you,” he shot a glance towards the older boy who was staring daggers into his skull. “Actually no, I’m not his roommate,” 

Heeseung’s expression turned sour, and Jake’s smile faltered in confusion, “My name is Lee Sunoo, I’m actually his husband.” Sunoo finished, never once letting his smile drop.

He felt fucking proud of himself, hoping that would show Heeseung he was fed up with him cantering around, thinking he can do whatever the fuck he wants. Two can play that game.

Jake let out an airy giggle, clearly expecting it to be some kind of a weird joke between the two. However, the look on Heeseung’s face gave it away. Jake’s face dropped, it looked like he’d seen a ghost.

He forced his way past Sunoo, running to the bedroom that was located at the end of the corridor - clearly scrambling to grab his stuff and get out of here. Heeseung shot the younger boy with another glare before rushing down the hall after Jake.

“Wait Jake please, I can explain, I swear…” Sunoo watched as the door to Heeseung’s room slammed. A sense of satisfaction coursed through his body, he finally reached the bathroom - locking himself in.

He stared at the tub, deciding to fill it up and use one of his nicer bath bombs - as a little celebration for himself. He couldn’t believe he stood up to Heeseung, he slipped into the now purple, glittery bath - submerging his head underwater to silence the yelling coming from the corridor.

— — — — —

Not long after the door slammed, signaling that Heeseung’s late-night hookup had left, Sunoo’s peaceful bath was disturbed by pounding on the bathroom door. “Sunoo you better open this door right now and explain yourself!” Sunoo sank his head under the water again, choosing to ignore the older in favour of his relaxation time.

The banging on the door continued, he figured if he ignored it for long enough he would give up - and he did.

That was until he heard the lock click.

“DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST PICK THE FUCKING LOCK? I'M IN THE BATH?” Sunoo lost it, he couldn’t believe the levels this man would stoop to just to throw a hissy fit or yell at the younger boy.

He saw Heeseung panic, “Oh shit, what the fuck I thought you’d just locked yourself in here, shit.” He didn’t know where to look, he tried to cover his eyes. He considered just leaving but he seriously needed to talk to the brunette and it couldn’t wait any longer as his anger levels had risen so high he feared he might burst a blood vessel.

Yet all his anger seemed to dissipate when his gaze fell upon the boy lying in the bath, his knees curled to his chest in a last-minute attempt to cover himself. Heeseung had to admit, he was beautiful.

The way his wet, brown hair fell over his eyes made his heart skip a beat. The pigmented sparkling water seemed to swirl around his skin, highlighting his perfect pale complexion. His thighs were the star of the show, he wanted to reach out and grab the boy's skin, hard. The pink tint that rose from his chest to the tips of his ears made his knees want to buckle beneath him. Was he always this beautiful? How could I have not noticed before?

“So? Are you gonna get this over with or just stand there looking like a fucking idiot?” Sunoo snapped at the older man, his embarrassment getting the best of him. Why was Heeseung looking at him like that? His eyes raked up and down Sunoo’s naked body.

Heeseung snapped out of whatever trance he was stuck in, “Fuck,” He whispered to himself. He was trying to remember the reason he’d even barged in on Sunoo in the first place when he was interrupted by the buzzing of his phone.

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the bathroom, answering his phone in the process.

Sunoo sighed, finally relaxing back into the warmth of his bath. He had a sneaking suspicion that the burn on his cheeks was no longer from the heart radiating off the water, but instead from the way Heeseung had frozen and admired his body so openly. He splashed water on his face before pushing himself from the tub and wrapping himself in his new bathrobe. Thanks for the money, Heeseung.

He picked up his clothes from the floor and began to make his way toward his room when Heeseung called for him. “Sunoo, you’re gonna wanna come and see this,” Sunoo’s heart sank, he sounded so concerned. 

Sunoo just hoped and prayed he wasn’t going to bring up what happened 5 minutes prior. He threw his clothes hastily into his room before making his way down the hall into the living space.

He could see Heeseung’s eyes glued to the TV, his phone still on call to whoever had phoned him before - clearly in too much of a shock to hang up or carry on their conversation.

Sunoo followed Heeseung’s eyes and turned his head towards the tv. That’s when his heart sank.

A Lockdown? He had heard news flying around about covid but he had no idea it was this serious. How the fuck was he supposed to survive, trapped in an apartment with Lee Heeseung? His husband who just so happens to hate his guts and was on the verge of breaking a door down to scream at him no longer than 10 minutes ago. 

Sunoo’s stomach twisted at the thought of his dad in the hospital, would he even be able to visit? What about his mother? Could he even see Jungwon and Jay anymore? What did this mean for his university course? What was he going to do?

The panic was causing his chest to tighten, he wanted to scream, he wanted to cry. It felt as though even the deepest breaths couldn’t supply him with enough oxygen. His head began to sway due to his mind running nonstop. He could barely hold on.

Heeseung’s head whipped around to stare at the younger, panic and worry written all over his face. That was the final straw for Sunoo, he used whatever strength he had left to force himself back towards his room. His quick departure was met with calls of protest from Heeseung but he didn’t have enough in him to care.

As soon as the door was locked behind him he let himself fall to the floor. He reached for his phone in a rush, ignoring the multiple missed calls from Jungwon for now and immediately dialing his mother.

He didn’t even have to say anything, he was greeted by her calming tone and reassurances.

“Don’t worry now my sunshine, everything’s going to work out just fine. It’ll be okay I promise.”

Yet no matter how hard he tried, not a single part of him could believe it was going to be okay. Not whilst he was stuck with him.

Chapter Text

The beginning of the lockdown hadn’t been as half bad as he thought it would’ve been. Of course, Sunoo had cried over the fact he was officially a graduate now, not even having been able to sit a single one of his exams or say a final goodbye to his classmates. He’d finished university, just like that. He felt as though an opportunity to prove himself had been ripped from right under his feet.

He spoke on the phone to his parents almost every day, wanting to check in on them to reassure himself they were okay - which they were.

Sunoo still also managed to see Jungwon. Since both their apartments were located on the top floor, they had easy access to the roof, where they would drag blankets a minimum of three times a week to sit and talk about anything and everything. Sunoo was thankful for the younger boy, and his Jay hyung who would join them occasionally when he wasn’t working. 

Him and Jungwon both felt bored out of their minds since they’d both finished education, and no jobs lined up since nowhere was hiring. Luckily for them, their partners had enough money to support the younger boys. Sunoo had never been more thankful for his arranged marriage. 

Speaking of his husband. Sunoo had been so grateful he’d been able to have so many peaceful nights of deep sleep. Due to the bars and clubs being closed, Heeseung could no longer barge in at god knows what time in the morning bringing along a new partner for a quick (and loud) fuck.

He hadn’t seen much of the elder though. Occasionally bumping into him in their shared apartment, receiving a quick nod before his husband quickly scurried back into his office - where he spent most of his time. He was the CEO of one of the biggest companies in Korea after all, he was busy.

Sunoo was confused at first, it seemed as though all the hatred Heeseung had harbored for him had disappeared overnight the day the lockdown was announced. He was confused as to why he’d never again brought up the fact Sunoo had scared off that Jake boy by confessing to him that his hookup was a cheater.

Maybe it was because of the way he looked at me when he saw me naked in the bath.

However, Sunoo didn’t allow himself to entertain that thought for long. He laughed at himself for even thinking the older man could have an ounce of attraction towards him when he clearly resented the younger. 

He moved past his confusion and grew thankful that the elder was no longer shooting him dirty looks every time they locked eyes. At least he finally had some peace and quiet. He drew the conclusion that Heeseung no longer argued with him due to the fact they were stuck in the same apartment and he no longer had his work, or a club, to run off to.

The boredom generated by the lack of things to do was growing tiresome. There were only so many times he could drag Jungwon to the roof, and he could only leave the apartment building for his daily shopping trip - which he had already done today.

Sunoo’s eyes drifted down the hall. From where he was seated on the sofa, he could just about catch a look at the closed door that was home to Heeseung’s office. The room had previously just been storage space, but it didn’t take long for the elder to transform it into a room that accommodated his needs - since he was now having to do all of his work from home.

Sunoo checked the time, 5 pm. Heeseung had been locked in that room since 9 o’clock this morning. The younger boy hadn’t even heard a peep from him since then. Concern and worry for the elder suddenly filled his chest. Had he even eaten?

He had a lot of hate for the man, sure, but he wasn’t just going to sit there and let his husband starve. He pushed himself up from the sofa, whatever movie was playing on the tv had lost his attention too long ago.

He reached the cupboard in which Heeseung stored his food, rooting around until he pulled out a packet of ramen. He scanned his eyes over the instructions on the back of the packet briefly before pulling out a pan to begin boiling some water.

It seemed as though no time had passed as soon enough he was depositing the noodles in a bowl and pulling a pair of chopsticks out of their cutlery drawer.

His socked feet padded down the hallway towards the elders' study, yet he found himself frozen in place once he reached the door. He tried to shake the nerves from his body, feeling ridiculous at getting so worked up over knocking on a door.

Hurry up Sunoo, the noodles will go soggy.

He took one last breath in before pushing his worries to the side and raising a hand to knock on the door.

He waited for a reply yet, it never came. Sunoo shook his head in annoyance before knocking again, putting more force into it this time which caused the sound to echo down the hallway behind him. 

“What?” Heeseung snapped from inside the room, Sunoo’s body froze in place - his previous annoyance being replaced with anxiety due to the boy behind the door raising his voice.

The shock of the shout caused him to forget how to formulate a response, the lack of an explanation caused Heeseung to be pulled from his desk - whipping open the door to the room in no time.

Sunoo’s eyes met the elders, anger clearly evident within the stare which sent a quick shiver down his spine. Yet, his gaze seemed to soften when he saw the bowl of food the younger was holding. His shoulders relaxed and the anger behind his eyes seemed to transform into an apologetic look.

“Well, I just noticed that you’d been in here all day and I didn’t know if you’d eaten or not so I just made you some of your ramen. I hope it’s okay.” Sunoo’s words seemed to tumble out of his mouth, almost stumbling over a few of the syllables.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, just, I’m just stressed with work. Thank you for making me food.” Heeseung apologised whilst slipping the bowl out of Sunoo’s hands and into his own. A small smile crept onto his face. 

Sunoo couldn’t help the fact that his heart fluttered. It was the first time he’d had a smile from Heeseung directed at him since he’d moved in. He much preferred his soft smile over the dark glare which was usually aimed in his direction.

“It’s okay I understand, uh yeah enjoy, and good luck with your work.” Embarrassment coursed through his veins, what was up with him and the word vomits today? He turned on his heels and walked as quickly as he could back towards the living room, the movie he’d previously lost interest in suddenly seemed so captivating and he just couldn’t miss another second of it.

Heeseung let out a soft giggle as he watched the boy practically run away from him. He was too cute for his own good. He stared down at the noodles in his hands as guilt washed over him. The boy was sweet and clearly caring. He’d been way too harsh on him, that’s for sure.

That’s when he made a mental note to apologise to Sunoo when he was next free. He was married to him after all, they should at least try to have some kind of relationship - even if it wasn’t romantic. Plus, neither of them had any idea how long they’d be trapped in this lockdown. May as well get to know each other a little more.  

Heeseung thought it would be beneficial to them both, no more running away and hiding. He was going to fix this.

— — — — —

It was a couple of days later when Heeseung finally found the time, and courage, to apologise to Sunoo. He’d lost count of how many times he’d practiced his apology speech over and over again in his head. He’d even taken to jotting it down on a scrap piece of paper once or twice whilst he was locked away in his office.

Sunoo was once again sitting on the sofa, scrolling on his phone while paying no attention to whatever he’d begun to play on the tv. Heeseung slowly approached from the hallway, placing himself on the end opposite Sunoo. He cleared his throat, alerting the younger boy of his presence.

“Um, Sunoo, can we talk?” Heeseung looked like a kicked puppy. Sunoo corrected his posture, sitting up straight as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion due to the sudden request from the elder.

“Yeah, sure.” His words were lined with a hint of confusion.

Heeseung allowed himself to take a deep breath in, unsure of where all of his nerves were coming from in regard to the younger boy who was now staring at him with curiosity.

He recalled the speech in his head once more before continuing.

“I wanted to apologise to you. I know I’ve acted harshly and I’ve said some mean things which you definitely didn’t deserve to hear. This arrangement was all just so sudden for me and I was angry at my father for not discussing it with me beforehand. Unfortunately for you, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and I ended up taking my anger out on you instead, I am truly sorry. I want you to feel comfortable here and I want you to not have to feel like you can’t be around me. I want to be friends with you Sunoo so I was hoping you would accept my apology so we can start fresh.” Heeseung directed a soft smile at the younger, trying to read his facial expressions.

Sunoo couldn’t help but take note of the fact Heeseung had still managed to avoid the topic of his one-night stands and the many sleepless nights he caused him. Yet, at that moment, the way Sunoo’s heart fluttered allowed him to forget about it. He knew it would always be in the back of his mind plaguing his thoughts, but the ache caused by the hole in his chest seemed to ease at the sound of his apology.

“Thank you for apologising. I was hurt by what you said, but I didn’t take much time to think of it from your point of view. I can understand how it was frustrating for you. I would gladly like to start again, I’ll be your friend Heeseung. Can I call you hyung?” Sunoo gave the elder a gummy smile.

“Of course you can Sunoo-ya.” Heeseung felt his heart flutter whilst looking at the younger boy but he didn’t want to think about that right now. He’d just managed to mend his relationship with the younger and form a friendship. He didn’t want to ruin it all over again.

Plus, it’s not like Sunoo would ever like him back anyways. At the end of the day he’d just married him for money, he was just supporting his family that's all. He felt his heart sting but tried not to dwell on it.

“Do you wanna watch this movie with me hyung? I’m about half an hour in but I wasn’t paying much attention so I can just restart it if you want.” Sunoo was happy, it was like he was talking to a completely different person. The man he’d been introduced with had seemingly been replaced with a very similar but much softer and kinder version that caused butterflied to dance around his stomach.

“Sure, I’ll grab some snacks for us. Do you want anything specific?”

“Mint chocolate! It’s in my cupboard!!” Sunoo’s voice seemed to go higher in pitch at the thought of his favorite snack. Heeseung felt his cheeks warm at the sight of the younger one so happy. 

And to think I was the one preventing this happiness these past couple of months.

Heeseung’s smile faded at the thought, quickly moving to the kitchen to hide the frown that had appeared on his face. 

Sunoo deserves so much better than someone like me.

He pulled the snacks from their places in the cupboards and soon made his way back to the younger who had restarted the movie, waiting for the elder to arrive. He passed Sunoo his mint chocolate, who then hummed a thank you and began to hum a tune whilst opening the snack.

Heeseung smiled at the sight, “I don’t know how you can eat that stuff, that shit is disgusting.”

Sunoo looked at him as though he’d just insulted his entire family line and more, “Hyung!!” He whined, “You’re missing out, mint choco is the best.” He smiled to himself, rolling his eyes at his Heeseung hyung.

The movie soon began to play and the husbands fell into a comfortable silence, their attention turning to the movie.

Sunoo stole one last glance at the elder before sinking into the sofa, he was more than content.

Maybe this lockdown won’t be so bad, maybe I actually do have a chance with him.

Sunoo smiled at his thoughts, letting his imagination run wild with ideas about the elder liking him back. For now, he was content with being his friend, thankful the arguments were over.

That night, both boys went to sleep with thoughts of the other floating through their heads. A wall still separated them, although now it felt so much thinner. The wall no longer felt like a curse trapping them in. It became a window, and both Heeseung and Sunoo wished it was clear enough for the other to see through so their developing feelings for each other could be acknowledged. 

The beginning of the lockdown hadn’t been half as bad as Sunoo thought it would’ve been, happier living with Heeseung than he had ever expected after their first encounter. 

However, it didn’t take much time at all for Heeseung to fuck up again, ruining the peace between them that the two of them had newly found.