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“What are you doing here? It's cold!"
Bonggu whips his head to the side, locating the source of the voice. But he doesn't need to look; he already recognizes the owner by the deep but calming quality of their voice.
“Yejun-hyung!" Bonggu tilts his head, fully expecting to hear the sliding balcony door close once more. He assumes Yejun has come to remind him that his birthday party is still in full swing inside. The mixture of laughter, singing, and raucous chatter from the inebriated guests seeps through the open balcony door.
However, he doesn't anticipate the tall figure joining him after the door clicks shut behind him, muffling the ruckus still going on. Bongu catches a glimpse of Yejun’s navy blue hair and equally navy blue knitted cardigan in his peripheral vision.
"Here-" Yejun motions to take off his sweater, prompting Bonggu to face him, waving his hand fervently.
“No, no, no, I'm fine hyung I can’t let our birthday boy catch a cold on his special da-”
Just as those words escape his lips, Bonggu lets out a loud sneeze. His hands instinctively rub his itchy nose and then his arms for warmth, but he quickly stops upon realizing his actions.
“T-this is nothing! Really!” Bonggu desperately tries to convince Yejun but ultimately fails.
Yejun gives Bonggu a knowing look.
“No, no-”
Bonggu's protests quickly fade away as Yejun drapes the piece of clothing over his shoulders, tapping them gently in the process, while his tone is almost commanding as he insists, "Wear it."
A warm feeling blossoms in Bonggu's chest, and he can sense his cheeks reddening. (Un)Fortunately, he drank earlier, so he's already flushed. He hopes that the alcohol-induced warmth in his face is enough to conceal the additional blush that's steadily spreading.
Bonggu looks away as Yejun steps back to his side. He inserts his arms through the sleeves, feeling the remnants of Yejun's body heat within the clothing. It's also a little bit big on him, he notes, with the cuffs almost covering his fingertips, but he makes no effort to pull it back to let it rest on his wrists. Instead, he attempts to concentrate on the glimmering lights of the tall buildings stretching across the skyline. He grips the cold steel railing before him to steady himself, feeling a little light-headed. Yejun follows suit, their hands only a centimeter apart. Bonggu quickly glances at them, almost tempted to extend his pinky just enough for their fingers to touch.
"So," Yejun exhales as he leans on Bonggu lightly. "Why are you out here?"
Bonggu resists the urge to return the gesture. "It was so stuffy inside, and I wanted to sober up a little."
"Is that so?"
Yejun gently strokes Bonggu’s flushed cheeks with the back of his hand, and then slowly retracts it. That brief touch makes Bonggu even redder if that's even possible.
"I'm not sure it's working," Yejun remarks as he chuckles, the sound low and grumbly.
"I'm sober now!" Bonggu protests while side-eyeing the person next to him because he still can't bring himself to look at him directly at the moment.
There is a brief pause, but Bonggu is the one to break it. Clearing his throat, he confesses, “I actually wanted to give you something for your birthday.”
His voice is a little shaky but he doesn’t mind. He’ll blame the chilly September air if Yejun asks about it.
"Really?" Yejun sounds excited as he turns to face Bonggu. "Where is it?"
He looks around, shifting left and right as if he might find it himself.
"Is it here?" He pinches the pocket of his own jacket. "Oh wait, I just gave that to you! It’s definitely not there…”
He momentarily looks like a dejected puppy but quickly brightens up. "How about under here?" He lifts a section of Bonggu's soft pink locks and playfully takes a peek underneath.
"Of course, it's not there!" Bonggu giggles, getting tickled by Yejun's touch.
But Bonggu's breath hitches and his eyes widen soon after when Yejun decides to run his fingers through his pink hair, starting from his temple and gliding down to his ear until his warm hand settles on his jaw.
Yejun then twiddles Bonggu’s earlobe with his thumb and index finger, feeling the latter lean into the touch ever so slightly.
“So where is it?” This time Yejun says in a quiet voice. His lavender blue eyes which are almost gray try to seek out those bright magenta ones. But Bonggu isn’t meeting his gaze.
Bonggu blinks, trying to dispel the dizziness he feels. Who knows if it's because of the lingering alcohol in his system or because of Yejun's unabashed skinship?
He gulps, mulling over what he should do next. Finally, he briefly looks up at Yejun and then withdraws from his grasp. “Wait here.”
He prepares to head back inside but spots his backpack lying next to the door. He doesn't recall bringing it with him, but perhaps he should thank his drunken self, who has a tendency to bring random items along.
He bends down, rummaging through the bag. When he finally feels the box, he thumbs it for a moment, tracing the grooves of its embossed design and running his fingers until his fingertips meet its cool metal clasp. After a second or two, he exhales and stands up, bringing the said item with him.
"Here," Bonggu hands it over without making direct eye contact with the tall person in front of him. His face is an unbelievable shade of red. "I saw you eyeing it when we went out last time."
Yejun tilts his head, recognizing the deep green box with a wavy pattern on top. His eyes widened in shock. And as he opens it, he's even more surprised. Inside, he finds the luxury sports watch he's longed for. It features a white gold case that matches its oyster strap, a black dial, and navy blue bezels. It's simply stunning; even the dim fluorescent bulb lighting the balcony can’t hide its beauty. He had never imagined seeing it up close and personal, let alone owning one.
“Bonggu-ah…wow. I don't know what to say.”
"You did give me a coffee machine before." Bonggu mumbles, looking at the concrete beneath him.
"Compared to this? That's nothing."
"No, it's not," Bonggu suddenly raises his head, appearing indignant. He almost blurts out, "Everything you give me means a lot. " But he stops himself, not wanting to spill his guts in front of Yejun, as he fears he might not be able to stop himself once he starts.
Yejun's smile grows even broader as he finally locks eyes with those magenta irises he's been searching for since he got here. Taking a pause to study the smaller person in front of him, Yejun notices how the tip of Bonggu's nose is redder than the apple of his cheeks and how small his face shape is, making him wonder if he could cover it even with just one of his two hands. "Absolutely adorable" is the phrase that comes to mind when he thinks of Bonggu, triggering a desire to keep him all to himself.
“To be honest…I was expecting a MacBook from you.” Yejun can’t help himself from teasing the said adorable person.
"Huh?" Saying that he’s taken aback is an understatement. If he were being completely honest, he would be a little hurt. "You don't want it?" He further asks, his voice shaky. "Then, um, give it back."
He extends his right hand, expecting the box to be handed over. When Yejun doesn't move at all, he attempts to snatch it away. However, Yejun is quick to take a half step backward, prompting Bonggu to inch closer.
Yejun raises the box over his head, a coy smile plastered on his face. Bonggu doesn't notice this because he's focused on acquiring the small container. He also doesn't realize that his body is pressed against Yejun's as he's now on his tiptoes, trying to gain a little height. He clicks his tongue in frustration. He also seems unaware of the fact that Yejun has already taken it upon himself to support him by circling his other arm behind his lower back.
"Ahh- Give it to me hyung!" Bonggu whines as he uses Yejun’s shoulder to boost himself up, further brushing their torsos against each other. A pout forms on his cute face.
Yejun laughs. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding!"
He brings Bonggu closer to him, squeezing the small of his back. He makes sure to look into those magenta eyes again, deep and unwavering. He utters, almost a whisper, "I want it."
For the nth time that night, Bonggu's heart throbs as if it wants to jump out of his chest. He blinks, now hyperaware of their proximity. He wrestles internally with whether or not to push Yejun, but before he can make a move, Yejun speaks again.
“Can you put it on me?"
His charming down-turned eyebrows, along with his tiny smirk, are all too much for Bonggu to handle. He unconsciously holds his breath for a moment, not knowing what to do or say.
"Come on, today is my special day," Yejun prods, his tone inviting.
Bonggu manages to voice a small "okay" before peeling himself away from Yejun.
Meanwhile, Yejun loosens his grip a little but doesn't fully let go. His hand which was previously placed behind Bonggu now rests lightly on his waist. He finally hands over the box, their skin momentarily brushing against each other.
Bonggu takes out the timepiece and meticulously unfastens the clasp. He allows Yejun to place the small container in the pocket of the cardigan he's wearing. Then, he takes Yejun’s hand to help put the watch around his wrist. As soon as it snaps in place, he looks up at him, a sense of pride evident in his expression.
"It's perfect," Yejun says without actually looking at the wristwatch. His gaze is fixed on Bonggu’s face. He mentally has to snap at himself to make himself refocus on the watch before asking, “How…?”
"Trade secret," Bonggu winks. He isn't about to admit that he already has Yejun’s measurements, from his head and wrist to his shoe and ring finger. You know? Just in case. How he acquired them is another secret he's not willing to share with anyone.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Like? I love it! I guess, I’ll have to prepare for your birthday soon.”
Bonggu laughs out loud again. “You're preparing way too early!”
“Thank you. I’ll treasure it forever." Yejun smiles fondly while still gazing at the piece of time teller on his wrist.
“That’s a long time, hyung.”
“Of course, we’ll be together for a long time.”
Although Bonggu is perfectly aware that they may have a different interpretation of those simple words, the fact that those are said to him anyway makes him hold onto hope a little.
“Since you’re feeling generous, can I ask for one more request?” Yejun asks as he plays with a portion of the soft fabric draped over Bonggu’s waist.
"Anything, Your Highness." Bonggu chuckles. It's not every day that Yejun asks for a lot of things. He's usually the one giving, so Bonggu figures it won't hurt to spoil and indulge him every once in a while. However, his chuckles soon die down when he sees Yejun's outstretched arms.
Yejun could have easily wrapped his arms around Bonggu. After all, his other hand is already on Bonggu's waist, but still, he opens his arms for Bonggu to come to him. He can see Bonggu's puzzled expression, but he keeps his inviting smile in place as if saying, "You know exactly what this is."
Bonggu can feel his heart pounding again, and he can hear it loud and clear. He worries that Yejun hears it as well. So he exhales, trying to calm his nerves a little before taking a step forward. He wraps his arms around Yejun, resting his chin on the latter's shoulder in the process. He feels Yejun does the same.
Their embrace is lasting longer than expected, but they both don't mind. They start swinging gently left and right as if they're dancing to a silent rhythm. Bonggu looks up at the stars momentarily, thinking about how lucky he is to be right here, right now. He buries his nose in the crook of Yejun's neck and breathes him in. There’s a faint smell of alcohol, but he mostly smells like fabric softener. The comforting smell surrounds him.
He’s too comfortable, in fact, that he spontaneously mutters something under his breath - words that he has long held within him. But as soon as he realizes what he has done, he panics, desperately wishing that Yejun didn’t hear it.
“Hm?” Yejun hums in question. He finally lets go of Bonggu so they can look each other in the eye. “Can you say that again?”
Bonggu’s eyes are wide, like a deer caught in the headlights, his lower lip trembling. Does he dare say it again? He doesn’t know what to do at the moment. He really needs to sew his mouth shut before another stupidity slips out of it. “Huh? I didn’t say anything, though,” he stammers, his pupils visibly shaking from lying.
“You mumbled something.”
“Oh,” Bonggu chuckles nervously. “I said, Happy Birthday.”
“It sounded shorter than that,” Yejun presses on. When Bonggu steps back, he makes sure to close the gap between them. In no time, Bonggu’s back hits the steel railing. That’s when he decides to box in Bonggu by placing a hand on both sides.
“I don’t know what you heard,” Bonggu looks anywhere but the person in front of him.
Yejun leans down, their foreheads now touching each other, navy blue strands of hair mixing in with pink. He tilts Bonggu’s chin upwards so he can make their eyes meet.
“Such a bad kid. And a bad liar.” Yejun clicks his tongue.
“Wha-”
As soon as he opens his mouth so he can potentially escape this awkward situation, they both hear the door slide open.
A whine follows, “Yejunie-hyuuunnnngg. Look! Noah-hyung vomited on-”
A tall person with black hair emerges on the balcony, looking down at his soiled hoodie to brandish the evidence that Noah made a mess. However, when he tilts his head up, his words naturally die down.
“...Am I interrupting something?” He says slowly this time.
Bonggu whips his head to the side. “Hamin-ah!” he exclaims. “AH! N-no! Um-”
Even though he's stuttering, he's very grateful that he can escape Yejun's probing gaze. Bonggu ducks under Yejun’s arms to free himself from his suffocating presence. “W-what's that again?”
Yejun breathes deeply, hanging his head and then shaking it.
Hamin sees it all. When he looks at Bonggu and then at Yejun, several times, assessing the situation, he quickly decides that he doesn't want to be a part of whatever is happening between them. So, he says, "You know what, hyung," not specifying anyone in particular, "Actually, it's fine. I think Eunho-hyung is already cleaning up."
It takes no more than a second before he's gone, forgetting to close the door behind him.
Before Bonggu can follow Hamin inside, Yejun firmly takes hold of his hand. “Bonggu,” he says in his commanding voice.
“I-I said Happy Birthday, hyung." He almost whines at the end but quickly replaces it with an upbeat tone "Now, let’s go inside. Please?”
Yejun sighs in resignation, realizing he might not hear what he wants to hear tonight, no matter how much he pushes. He breathes an "Okay" and then playfully ruffles Bonggu's fluffy hair. He intertwines their fingers as a small act of punishment for Bonggu's little white lie. He feels Bonggu twitch under his touch, and that's enough to satisfy him for now.