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"Hey, I'm leaving now," Hongbin said. He was wearing a casual outfit with a white t-shirt, a grey hoodie on top of it, and a pair of jeans. He appeared to be getting ready to go out. He grabbed his backpack from the sofa where Wonshik was laying on. Wonshik raised his head, "Bean, be careful out there, it's going to be a busy night."
"I am a good rider, Shik. I never got into an accident," Hongbin assured him. Wonshik sighed and sat up, "That I am aware of. But seriously, why are you doing this job again? As far as I know, both of us are financially stable. Come on, you can quit the job now."
Hongbin shrugged him off. He simply sat next to Wonshik and kissed him on the cheek. It was a small act of affection, but Hongbin noticed Wonshik, who was dressed in a grey sleeveless shirt and shorts, turning red from head to toe. Hongbin was amused by how he could make his boyfriend flustered with just a small gesture. "Now I'm going to be late. Don't do anything stupid."
He smiled before getting up and walking to the front door. He heard a distant "I love you" from Wonshik before closing the door. Wonshik sighed again and sat back on the sofa as the door closed. He looked nervous and worried. His mind was racing with thoughts.
Their sixth anniversary was approaching quickly. He considered getting something special for Hongbin, but he always felt like it wouldn't be good enough. He should have stepped up his game and come up with something new and exciting to woo Hongbin.
'But what is it that can woo a painter? His drawing isn't the only thing that's perfect; everything about him is a little too perfect,' Wonshik thought to himself.
Yes, Hongbin is a painter by day and a delivery boy by night. Hongbin is a freelance painter who draws both traditionally and digitally for a variety of commissions, whether for personal or commercial use. Nonetheless, Hongbin excels at his job, even if he occasionally questions his own drawing.
"Why would anyone consider buying something like this Shik? I don't think it's right to display it anywhere," Hongbin said while erasing the 'mistakes' he had made. Wonshik believes that his art is more than ready to be displayed anywhere in the world. "Bean, I think it's lovely. Anyone would give anything to have this painting in their home," he claimed.
'You too are lovely in your own right, my love. Everyone fought for you back then, I don't know how I got so lucky,' Wonshik smiled to himself.
However, Wonshik wasn't quite sure why Hongbin insisted on having two jobs when they first met, but he had been so supportive of Hongbin's career. He assumed it was because Hongbin was on a tight budget, but now that they were both financially secure, Hongbin could have quit his job as a food rider.
Oh well, as long as his lover is content, he should be happy for him.
"Maybe I should invite Sanghyuk over for suggestions. He always has the most creative, out-of-the-box ideas."
***
"Please! I don't know anything!"
A limping man backed up towards a dark alley. Another man took a step towards him. He was dressed in an all black outfit and a bunny mask that covered only the top half of his face. He took another step, but this time he pulled out a gun.
"Please! Let me live! I'll give you anything! What do you want!? Money!? Fame!? I can give you that if you just spare my life-"
A bullet pierced through his head. The last thing that man saw before dying was a shark-like grin with dimples. The man in the bunny mask walked out of the alley and into another dark alley, where he parked his motorcycle. He sighed as he removed the mask.
"God... that man wasn't easy. I hope Wonshik isn't waiting for me at home," Hongbin said as he ruffled his hair. 'Tonight will be a busy night as well'
Hongbin lied. He lied to Wonshik about his side job for 6 years. By day, he is a painter; by night, he is an assassin. Legally speaking, he wasn't lying about the delivery because he did deliver a bullet through someone's head. On the other hand, Wonshik is a supportive boyfriend, so he never questioned or suspected anything strange about Hongbin having blood stains on his hands; he simply assumed Hongbin had visited his studio briefly before returning home.
Hongbin considered telling Wonshik about this before he became suspicious, because Hongbin puts his life at risk every day. However, Wonshik would talk about another topic with a big smile on his face every time Hongbin was about to open his mouth about it.
His heart swells when he sees that smile; it is, after all, his favourite thing in the world. He didn't want to wipe Wonshik's smile away when he explained it. So he kept putting it off as long as he could to keep Wonshik's sanity and innocence.
Hongbin shook off his thoughts and put on his helmet.
'On to the next one.'
***
Wonshik had invited Sanghyuk over, and they had drunk some of Wonshik's stashes of alcohol. They started off by spewing gift ideas and then decided whether or not it was suitable. Nothing was decided in the three hours since Sanghyuk's arrival. They were too tipsy to think by this point, but Wonshik wasn't about to give up.
"Why would you work so hard to find a gift for Hongbinnie hyung? You know, he just wants to eat and relax." Sanghyuk's words came out slurred. Surprisingly, they seem to be able to communicate.
"No, we did it last year and the year before that. I want to impress the hell out of him," Wonshik fumbled his hands around to 'prove a point.' Sanghyuk scoffed, "You've already impressed him by being yourself, and I'm not sure what he's attracted to. But, you know, you do you."
Wonshik attempted to smack Sanghyuk, but instead missed and fell to the floor. As he hit his head on the floor, he had an idea for what to give Hongbin. 'A headshot painting of Bean! Yes! That might impress him, right?' Wonshik pondered. He sat up, wobbling, and finally managed to smack Sanghyuk on the arm.
"Dude, I'd like someone to draw a headshot for me," Wonshik exclaimed with delight. He believed that Hongbin could now see himself through Wonshik's eyes. He was prepared to ensure that the painting turned out as well as Hongbin's. Perhaps Hongbin will appreciate his appearance more as a result!
Hongbin had frequently commented on his appearance, despite Wonshik's assurance that he looked fine. 'Definitely more than fine, he's hot as fuck,' Wonshik thought. Of course, Hongbin wasn't ready for this conversation, but Wonshik was about to show him that he's flawlessly beautiful just the way he is.
Sanghyuk arched his brow. A headshot? "You'd have to search the deep web for that kind of shit, you know? Don't worry, I'll help you get access to it" Sanghyuk said, totally ignoring the 'draw' part. He struggled to stand, but he did so and proceeded to Hongbin's computer. Wonshik, who was overjoyed, ran after Sanghyuk, nearly falling in the process. "Really!? Do you know where I can get a headshot?" Wonshik grinned, completely forgetting about the 'draw' part.
As he turned on the computer, Sanghyuk nodded, "Don't worry, hyung. I know exactly where to send a request for a headshot. I'm familiar with a website where we can easily request one" He got a thumbs-up from Sanghyuk. Wonshik was now stomping his feet, "Ah man, you are a lifesaver! You always come up with the best solutions!"
Little did he know, the said website wasn't like the website that he had known his entire life.
***
Hongbin changed clothes in a public restroom. He was washing his hands to remove the blood as he had killed 5 people just tonight. He wasn't supposed to do it, but his client made an urgent request with an enticing offer, so he did it anyway. He finished quite late, it was past midnight.
"Wonshik should be sleeping by now. I should get going before he gets worried."
Hongbin was about to leave when he suddenly received a phone call. It was from Jaehwan. Why the hell would he call him at this hour?
"Hey hyung, what's up? It's getting late."
"Sanghyuk hasn't returned yet, Kong-ah. Is he not at your house? Can you please tell him to come home?"
"Sanghyuk? Sanghyuk came over? Wait, I didn't know this."
"Oh you didn't know? Wonshik called and asked him to come over, I'm not sure why though. You aren't home?"
"No? I'm outside right now. Wonshik didn't tell me about his visit. Whatever, I'm about to head home. I'll call you back if anything happens."
"Thanks Kong! I'm counting on you!" Jaehwan hung up the phone.
"O...kay... I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this..." Hongbin shook his head. Nothing could go wrong between Wonshik and Sanghyuk, right?
He needs to get home as soon as possible.
***
"Well, that was simple," Sanghyuk said as he gained access to a website. Wonshik blinked sleepily at the computer screen and rubbed his eyes. 'Not now, sleep,' he said, fighting off his sleepiness, 'I need Hongbin's gift right now.'
"What is it again that you want?"
"I want a headshot of my Bean." Wonshik swayed, a stupid grin on his face. The mere thought of Hongbin and the reaction he will have when he sees the gift fills and swells his heart, giving him butterflies in the process.
A similarly inebriated Sanghyuk, assisted him in browsing for the request because his hyung was preoccupied with his thoughts. "Here's the list of the people who do headshots," Sanghyuk said as he tried to grab Wonshik's arm so he could focus on the screen, "Simply select one and write the details."
"Details as in what?"
"For example, name, picture, deadline for the headshot, location, and address. That kind of twaddle. Simply fill out the form there."
"Okay, fine. I'll just go with the first one because they're well-known."
"Which one is it?"
Sanghyuk picked the first profile that appeared in the search results. There was no name, just a picture of a bunny mask with the lower half of the face excluded and a black background. "Wow!" Wonshik shouted, pointing to the number of clients the person had, "This man has over 3 million customers! His art must be of high quality."
Wonshik immediately requested the guy and filled out the form. Sanghyuk, on the other hand, had already fallen asleep when Wonshik was done. However, the price of the 'headshot' caught his attention.
"Yow dude, why is it a million?"
"Huh? What?" Sanghyuk, who was still a little buzzed, opened his eyes and looked at the screen. "That's just the original price, it's the normal price for a headshot," Sanghyuk simply brushed, "There's no need to second guess yourself; just pay now."
Wonshik shrugged and paid for it, thinking, 'Hmm, maybe not 2D art, maybe a sculpture. That's even better, a sculpture of my Beannie's head.' Wonshik smiled. He can't wait for the day the said 'sculpture' arrives. "Can't wait to see his priceless face, hehe," he says, setting it a day before their anniversary so he can surprise Hongbin.
***
Hongbin wasted no time in opening the front door as quickly as he could. He prayed to God that none of them would do anything stupid. There was never a time when they met that nothing happened. The three of them are always the ones who cause havoc within the group, but the combination of naive Wonshik and Satan's spawn never sounds good, even to Hongbin.
He checked the house as soon as he removed his shoes. Kitchen? Not destroyed. Furniture? Still intact. Hongbin's eyes darted around the room, restless. So far, nothing had burned, nothing had been broken, and everything was in its proper place. No, he can't loosen up just yet.
Hongbin entered the living room. The strong smell of alcohol irked his nose. He found both of the guys passed out on the floor. Wonshik was hugging Sanghyuk's leg like a koala, and Sanghyuk's hands were raised, as if he was trying to reach for the pillows. Hongbin let out a huge sigh of relief and shook his head. After all, they were only drinking.
Hongbin cast a glance over at the bottles of liquor on the coffee table. That's a bitch to get rid of. Before cleaning up the mess, Hongbin called Jaehwan to come and get Sanghyuk's drunken ass. It seems like they drank to forget something; Hongbin should ask Wonshik about it tomorrow.
Jaehwan arrived after a while and carried Sanghyuk. "No, he never told me why Wonshik called." To be honest, I'm just relieved that nothing bad has happened. It looks like they drank a lot, so we have to be grateful here," Jaehwan said. He had a feeling something was going to happen between Wonshik and Hongbin because Wonshik was always calling Sanghyuk for advice or anything. He's relieved that it's just the two of them drinking. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?
They said their goodbyes. Before carrying Wonshik to bed, Hongbin cleaned up the mess. Luckily, none of them ordered takeout or anything, so it was easier to clean. He took a shower before climbing into their bed. Wonshik groaned as he felt the bed shift and blinked sleepily at Hongbin.
"Ah, you're back? When did you return?"
"It doesn't matter. It's late, babe. Go to sleep."
They cuddled each other to sleep. Wonshik's head was cradled in Hongbin's arms as Hongbin brushed his hair. Hongbin reassured himself that he had nothing to be concerned about.
***
Hongbin woke up earlier than expected. He had intended to go to his studio to prepare for another art commission, but he was too tired, so he decided to use the art studio Wonshik had set up for him when he first moved in. He will be forever grateful to Wonshik for preparing one at their home because after a rough night, Hongbin feels as if his limbs are about to fall off. Although he prefers his original studio, he finds that the one in their home is more convenient for starting a new art project or finishing details.
'Wait a minute, I need to know if I have another request for tonight,' thought Hongbin. So he went to his computer and turned it on,leaving Wonshik sleeping soundly. He immediately went to a website and checked for requests. Fortunately, he only has one request, so he can concentrate on the commission. He went to look into the request's specifics.
"Wait... wait a fucking second."
His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He truly can not believe what he is seeing right now.
"Why is my fucking name in there?!?"
"Hongbin?"
Hongbin quickly closed the tab and turned to face the source of the noise. It was Wonshik. His heart was pounding so hard it almost burst through his ribcage. Wonshik was puzzled because Hongbin's shocked expression remained.
"Hey, is everything all right?"
"Yeah, everything is fine. It's just- It's just another ridiculous art commission for me."
Wonshik cocked his brow and tilted his head. Hongbin was already sweating, hoping that Wonshik had just fallen for another one of his lies.
"Are you sure? Because you were screaming quite loudly, so I assumed something had happened."
"No! Nothing happened. Nothing happened… I'm perfectly fine."
Wonshik was still curious, but he dismissed it and walked past Hongbin to the kitchen. Hongbin exhaled a sigh of relief. He checked Wonshik's location to ensure the line was clear. He reopened the tab and double-checked the information, "It's me. It really is me. Who the fuck wants to kill me? I'm just a fucking painter, man. I never do anything," he said, not thinking how hypocritical the statement was.
Hongbin was determined to get to the bottom of this. So he began hacking the account that made the request in order to get the IP address of the device that made the request. He doesn't spend much time hacking because he's good at it.
"Hey, Bean! I made pancakes, which thankfully did not burn. Come on in and eat!" Wonshik screamed from the kitchen. Oh, it took awhile. "Wait a second!" Hongbin screamed in response. He eventually got the IP address. He read the IP address several times because it seemed familiar to him.
"No way... no fucking way," he uttered repeatedly as he opened his computer's settings to check his IP address. The IP address was the same! Hongbin was taken aback. He covered his mouth with his hand as he read it again and again. It still has the same IP address. Who wanted to kill him? He double-checked the request details, which stated that it would be "delivered" on the 17th of February at 12 am, including the house address. A week from now.
"Hongbin! The pancakes are getting cold!" Wonshik screamed once more from the kitchen. Hongbin shook his head and switched off the computer. He can make up his own mind later. He went into the kitchen, where thankfully, nothing was on fire or destroyed. The pancakes looked decent too.
'Of course it does, Wonshik used a pre-made batter.'
"Oh, I almost forgot. I've got a surprise for you, babe. You're going to absolutely love this one. Someone as enticing as you should be preserved in a museum," Wonshik blushed slightly. He was elated because he had finally found the perfect gift for Hongbin.
"Preserved in a museum? Stop being so dramatic; I'm not that attractive," Hongbin said as he took a bite of the pancakes. For once, Wonshik does not burn their food. Wonshik shook his head and said, "No way! I said what I had to say. You're going to absolutely love this gift."
Hongbin did nothing but hum and nod. He didn't give it much thought until he was in the shower and remembered Wonshik's words, 'preserved in a museum.' What exactly does he mean by that? It only took a minute longer for everything to click. 'Someone as beautiful as you should be kept in a museum.' 'Headshot request from his computer.'
"Fuck, it's Wonshik. Wonshik was the one who made the fucking request." Hongbin almost slipped in the shower, but he quickly regained his balance. 'This bitch told me last night that he loves me, and now he's trying to kill me?'
***
It's been 3 days since the request was made. Hongbin continued to remain suspicious and perplexed as to why Wonshik wanted him dead. It confused him even more when Wonshik goes on and on about this gift, this surprise that he had prepared for Hongbin. Wonshik's face lit up with joy every time he mentioned it. Knowing it was Wonshik who wanted to put a bullet through his head made him even more cautious and frightened.
Hongbin considered the reasons Wonshik might want him dead, but he couldn't come up with any. They had fought before, but it wasn't all that bad. They reconciled within 24 hours after the fight. Wonshik doesn't hold grudges either, and he has no beef with his boyfriend because they always talk it out. So he doesn't understand the whole situation at all.
Hongbin accepted the request after much deliberation because the payment had already been made. He had no way of refunding the money. But he had another plan: he wanted to find out why Wonshik wanted him dead. Nonetheless, he was still concerned about it,
"Shikkie, are you serious? You just gave a complete stranger our address?"
***
Today is February 17th, and Wonshik woke up in a more cheerful mood than he had been the day before, which made Hongbin more terrified and disappointed, 'He's that happy since I'm going to die today?' Wonshik noticed Hongbin had awoken as well, greeted him, "Good morning, my sweet, sweet Beannie. I am so excited today!" Wonshik wrapped his arms around Hongbin and kissed him. Hongbin was blushing, but despite his disappointment, he smiled brightly, making Wonshik's heart flutter.
"Really? What made you so cheerful today? Is something going on?" He pretended to be intrigued, despite the fact that he already knew the answer. Wonshik smiled and nodded, "Your present will be delivered today! Could you please come home earlier today? I can't wait to see your reaction when you see it!" Wonshik smiles joyfully. Hongbin's suspicions were growing, yet he really wanted to know what Wonshik had in mind, so he just went along with it. Why? Because he had also planned a present for Wonshik.
Hongbin spent the entire day in his usual art studio, planning something for Wonshik. It's his last chance to find out why Wonshik made that request. He did arrive home earlier and even informed Wonshik that he had taken a day off from his 'delivery' job. At 10 p.m. , he asked Wonshik if he could go out for a short while. Wonshik let him without any suspicions because he was so smitten by him and would do anything for his lover. It was like 2 hours before the promised time, so he just let Hongbin do whatever he needed to do. 'It's fine, it'll be here anyway when he gets home,' a clueless Wonshik thought.
After a few hours, Wonshik began to wonder why Hongbin hadn't returned home. But, before he dialled his boyfriend's number, he heard a noise inside his and Hongbin's shared bedroom. He was scared, but he went to check for an intruder. When he opened the bedroom door, he saw a man dressed in black and wearing a bunny mask sitting at the edge of the bed. He furrowed his brows, puzzled as to why a stranger had appeared out of nowhere. He looked around and noticed that a window was open. Wonshik began to panic, 'Fuck, did I forget to lock the window? What should I do? Hongbin isn't here!'
"W-who are you? What are you doing in my room?" Wonshik didn't have anything to use as a weapon, so he pretended to be intimidating by making his voice deeper. He couldn't see who he was facing because the bedroom was dark. The stranger was unfazed, and it frightened him. Wonshik grabbed a nearby stool to threaten the stranger. The stranger cocked his head to one side, as if to say, 'You're going to threaten me with that?' Fuck, the stranger frightened him even more.
"Seriously, w-what do you want?" Wonshik was practically trembling with fear. A bag was thrown at Wonshik's feet by the stranger. He was terrified and befuddled at this point.
"Your headshot request," The mask around the mouth had a voice filter, so Wonshik couldn't recognise the voice. Wonshik was relieved that the stranger had arrived for the request, but he was still wary of this stranger. He knelt down to pick up the bag and slowly opened it, hoping to see a sculpture of his boyfriend's head inside. It was, in fact, his boyfriend's head, but covered in blood. He gasped and dropped the bag, resulting in the head rolled out of it. Wonshik collapsed onto the floor, his mouth agape.
"H-H-Hongbin?" he was trembling uncontrollably. He was at a loss for words and emotions. He was breathing heavily by now. He began to blame himself for allowing Hongbin to leave, only to return with only his head. The stranger laughed and removed the mask around his mouth. Wonshik noticed him grinning as he looked at Wonshik's stunned expression. "How do you rate my service, darling?" said the stranger, casually lounging at the edge of the bed, crossing his legs and twirling a gun in his left hand.
As he looked up at the stranger, Wonshik was speechless. He squinted as he examined the shark-like grin with dimples. "Wait, I knew that smile from somewhere," he said carefully, frightened that the stranger would blast his head as well. The stranger decided that enough was enough and removed his mask and dropped it on the floor. Wonshik was horrified by what he was seeing right now as the moonlight shone on the stranger's face.
"HOLY FUCK WHO ARE YOU!? WHY DO YOU HAVE THE SAME FACE AS MY BOYFRIEND!?"
The stranger, who turned out to be Hongbin, facepalmed so hard that he left a red mark on his face. Hongbin walked past Wonshik and switched on the light. Wonshik was somewhat blinded by it, but he still looked up to see his face. Hongbin exhaled a sigh, "Babe, it is me. Your boyfriend." Wonshik had too many questions at this point, but nothing else matters. He got up to his feet and hugged Hongbin tightly.
"HONGBIN!? WHAT THE FUCK!? I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! WHY WOULD YOU-"
"Why did you want to kill me?" Wonshik's words were cut off by Hongbin's. His voice clearly conveys a sense of dejection and betrayal. Wonshik pulled himself away from the hug, his face muddled, "KILL YOU? WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS FOR SOMEONE TO PAINT A HEADSHOT OF YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE!"
Hongbin was bewildered, "Huh what? A headshot of my face?"
"Oh! Now that's why it's 1 million! I mistook it for a sculpture of your head…"
"WHY DID YOU EVEN SEARCH FOR A HEADSHOT PAINTING ON DEEP WEB!?"
"I DON'T KNOW! SANGHYUK SUGGESTS THAT I DO IT!"
That's it. That was the answer. Hongbin held his head in his hands and walked towards the bed to sit down because he really needed to sit the fuck down and process what the fuck he just heard, 'Of course… of course something like this can happen.'
"WHY DID YOU LISTEN TO SANGHYUK!? YOU KNOW HE'S OUT TO PRANK YOU EVERYTIME HE GETS THE CHANCE! TO TAKE AN ADVICE FROM A SPAWN OF SATAN!? I COULD'VE DIED FOR REAL WONSHIK!"
"WE WERE DRUNK! I HAD NO IDEA HE HAD MISHEARD WHAT I SAID!"
Hongbin buried his face in his hands. 'Of course… of course something like this, too, can happen,' he sighed, processing the information he had just heard. Wonshik felt guilty and went over to sit next to Hongbin. He dropped down beside him. "I just wanted to surprise you for our 6th anniversary, Bean. I never wanted any of this to happen," he murmured.
"I know Shik. Seriously, I thought we were done with this? You don't need to give me anything; just the two of us hanging out and lazing around is enough."
"You know how I am; you deserve anything in this world."
Hongbin blushed at his words. However, he really can't grasp the fact that all of this is happening because his boyfriend is a nincompoop. Wonshik sat up after a few minutes and asked, "But wait, how did you find out about the request? What exactly did you do!?"
Hongbin stared in disbelief at his boyfriend, "Really!? You haven't caught up with the situation yet!? Did I seriously manage to snag an idiot for a boyfriend!?" Of course, that doesn't answer the question, so Hongbin had no choice except to explain everything.
"I swear your lucky ass better be grateful because I AM the one that YOU requested to KILL ME. Imagine how messy it would have been if someone else got your request!". Wonshik pouted and mumbled 'I'm sorry' to him. He's trying to make Hongbin feel better by hugging him and doing aegyo in hopes that he'll melt. Fortunately for Wonshik, it worked.
"So where did you get the head?"
"Oh, I had Taekwoon hyung make it for me. You know how much of an expert he is in body props."
"Yeah it looks so real. But why the fuck would you give me that? Fuck, I was so fucking terrified that you were dead because of me."
"Technically I almost died because of you. I just wanted to see how you reacted, if you were happy to see my decapitated head," Hongbin said. That was his plan to know Wonshik's motive. He wasn't sure if Wonshik truly wanted him dead, so he was curious about Wonshik's reaction to his severed head. When he saw Wonshik's horrified expressions, his thoughts completely changed.
"Oh baby, I would never want you dead," Wonshik said as he kissed his cheek again and caressed his hair. Hongbin raised an eyebrow in disbelief "Oh really? Because that's the message I've been getting for the past few days." Wonshik pouted, "Please understand how stupid I can be; I had no idea! I apologised already."
Hongbin giggled at how adorable he was. Of course he had forgiven him; how could he be mad at his cute and dumb boyfriend? Wonshik was intrigued by the bunny mask and picked it up, "The mask is so cool, love! Woah look at the design," Wonshik said as he examined the mask. Hongbin took the mask and put it on Wonshik.
"You know what? It suits you well, bunny."
"Hmm?" said Wonshik as he lifted the mask.
Hongbin, filled with adoration, pinched his cheek, "Cutie."
***
"Now that I think about it, how did Sanghyuk know where to hire an assassin?" As both of them looked at each other, chills went over their spines.