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Present day…
[EXCLUSIVE] ‘KPOP’S PERFORMANCE KING’ KWON HOSHI CAUGHT OUT ON A DATE WITH HIS RUMORED LOVER
"K-Pop's Performance King" Kwon Hoshi's romantic late night date with rumored non-celebrity lover in the streets of Japan?
On July 20, Kwon's agency, H-Power Entertainment, responded via its representative saying, "We cannot confirm nor deny rumors concerning our precious talent's private life.”
Photos of the artist and his rumored lover have been spreading like wildfire on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
Fans of the K-Pop Star are growing curious as to the identity of the rumored lover and have shown their unwavering support for the star and wish them a happy, romantic life.
"Who has caught the heart of K-Pop's Performance King?" is a question everyone has been asking.
Two months prior to the rumor…
Jeon Wonwoo arrives at the set an hour earlier to rehearse and prepare for the interview later with whom the media dubbed as “K-Pop’s Performance King”. This is not his first time doing an interview, in general that is. He has interviewed countless athletes from the different fields of sports, ranging from rising basketball rookies to veteran soccer players, and even retired Olympic medalists. What makes today’s interview nerve-wracking is his lack of experience interacting with stars from the entertainment world. While he is very knowledgeable with the latest happenings in the world of sports, he couldn’t say the same for the entertainment industry.
When was the last time he watched a movie? Or listened to a song sung in his mother tongue? Surely, the names are familiar, hearing them from his colleagues as he begrudgingly walks along the corridors of their office building, after forcing himself to get up from his seat to get a cup of black coffee from their pantry. He had heard his female colleagues gushing about the one of the hottest artists of this generation, Kwon Hoshi, but none of their talks had really piqued his interest. That time, his head was spinning from watching back-to-back replays of the recent baseball games, doing his best to catch up on the 2023 Major League Baseball season while trying not to die as he stayed awake without a wink of sleep for three consecutive days. Oh, he will live for sure. This is not the longest he had stayed up without sleep.
He feels bad at the make-up artist worrying about how to cover up his dark eyebags. He could only mouth the word sorry looking so sincerely apologetic. Only hope he looks decent enough next to the shining star later. He should’ve slept longer, but the amount of caffeine in his system from the ten cups of coffee he inhaled in a flash to make it through his deadline was finally kicking in. He managed to nap, around two hours at home, and an hour on the way from his unit to the venue. But they aren’t enough to hide how exhausted he looks. Well, at least, not a random pimple suddenly decided to show up where it is highly visible. There’s a small one on his left temple, but it will be hidden from view as he will sit on the chair on the right, slightly facing Hoshi who will be on the left.
“No worries. You’re naturally good-looking. I’ll try to make this work.” Wonwoo cringes at the compliment. But well, he has been told by a lot, mostly by his model friend, Xu Minghao, that if he ever finds it in himself to switch profession, he should tap into modeling. Apparently, Minghao’s model agency once asked for his name and was very persistent asking Minghao to convince him to model. He isn’t used to the camera, much more to the judging eyes of people scrutinizing his every move, so for now, he doesn’t really have any plans to. If he didn’t owe his dearest friend anything, he would really have to turn this one down, especially after knowing that this is a recorded interview—a video will be uploaded on a future date. For when it is, Wonwoo has no idea yet.
Kwon Hoshi meant nothing to him two weeks ago. After all, there is little to no chance that their paths would cross. They hail from two different fields. Wonwoo has not concerned himself with stars like him, diverting all his attention to the current MLB season and the upcoming FIBA World Cup which will be hosted by the Philippines. Having a lot on his plate, Wonwoo finds it impractical to deal with things that would not be beneficial to him with his work as a sports columnist.
Two weeks later, right now at this well-designed studio, Wonwoo is having cold feet just thinking about facing the top star for an interview later. The one initially assigned for today’s shoot is Joshua Hong from the Entertainment Department, but because of an emergency, Joshua had to file for a leave to fly out of the country. Everyone from his department has agendas and appointments today, which unfortunately cannot be rescheduled, so Joshua called him last minute to fill in for him. Apparently, today is the only day Kwon Hoshi is available for an interview and canceling would mean Joshua could be reprimanded for missing this rare opportunity for the company they work for. He wanted to decline, initially, but Joshua reminded him of the help he extended to him before. Wonwoo needed to score an interview with the boxer Choi Seungcheol, the Asian Olympics silver medalist. Joshua and said boxer are good friends, going way back. Because of Joshua’s connection, Wonwoo was the first to get an exclusive interview with Choi Seungcheol, earning him a promotion, a performance bonus and a salary increase, something he had been vying for a long time.
I knew you were going to rub it in my face, Hong! Shouldn’t have asked help from you.
Hehe, my bad. Just this once, my friend!
“Have you seen Kwon Hoshi in person? Is he nice?” Ever since he knew he would be doing this interview with the K-Pop’s Performance King, he started monitoring his latest activities—searching for his recent brand endorsement deals, watching his performances in and out of the country and the first ever movie he starred in, and even taking notes from his past interviews. Kwon Hoshi seemed like a good person based on what he had seen so far from the screen of his laptop, but Wonwoo couldn’t help but to be nervous. After all, seeing him on the screen of his device and in person are two different things. Facing him in the flesh is the real deal.
“Oh,” The make-up artist beams, smiling from ear to ear. “I worked with him during his debut five years ago and I have to say, he’s a really humble kid.” The lady examines his reaction from the mirror and laughs. “Nervous?” He nods, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Don’t be. He may look intimidating while he performs, but that’s just how he is. He had a very tough start coming from a small agency. Imagine a young twenty year old clawing his way to the top, trying to make a name of his own. You were probably just as enthusiastic as he was when you were just starting with your career.”
Fair point. But he’s still nervous, not as quite as before, but the lady has made very valid arguments. He only looks intimidating, Wonwoo silently repeats the words in his head hoping it would calm himself down.
Thirty minutes later, ten thirty a.m. Approximately thirty minutes before the interview, Kwon Hoshi arrives at the venue holding a Starbucks paper cup holder tray on both hands, slightly bowing as he greets everyone he meets on the way. He hands out the cup of coffee to each of the staff present in the venue with his managers doing the same. When Kwon Hoshi finally made his way to him, Wonwoo couldn’t move a limb, as his feet were stuck on the ground, too mesmerized by the beauty standing in front of him. “H-hi,” He croaks out, the words getting stuck in his throat. “I’m Jeon Wonwoo from The Daily. It’s my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kwon.”
The star bedazzles him with his smile, showcasing his perfect set of pearly white teeth. His aura is blinding, Wonwoo thinks, but equally as enchanting. The kind which pulls you even more to him, unimaginably drawn to him, and you’re not even aware Kwon Hoshi’s pulling you in a state of trance not until you hear him chuckle, staring up at you with his dazzling set of orbs, full cheeks even more pronounced as his lips widen into a smile. “Just Hoshi is fine, Wonwoo. Can I call you that? I heard we’re the same age.”
Before Wonwoo’s mind could even start to function and process what Hoshi had just told him, his mouth involuntarily opened for a reply. “Yes. Yes, that’s fine.” No wonder Hoshi has everyone wrapped around his fingers. The star has this ability to make everyone fall in love with him. There’s a reason why he’s loved by many, fans and non-fans alike. Maybe him, too, but he surmises, it is too early to say.
“Your coffee.” Hoshi places the cup on the table beside them. “I hope you like it sweet.”
“Yeah, sweet is fine.” He actually prefers it black, but the way Hoshi stared at his eyes as he spoke his last sentence, Wonwoo is not evil to break the heart of an angel like Hoshi. He doesn’t have the heart to turn Hoshi’s beautiful smile upside down.
Hoshi’s manager, the taller one which he called hyung a while ago, walks up to them and whispers something to the star. A moment later, Wonwoo finds himself shocked with how swift Hoshi has swooped in to hold his hands and asked to take care of him during the interview later. “See you later, Wonwoo. Let me just have my make-up retouched. It was hot walking from the parking lot to get here. I look like a mess.” Hoshi excuses himself and leaves with his manager to have his make-up fixed by his team.
No, it’s not. Have you seen me? I’m a mess. Wonwoo sure prides himself for having the ability to keep his rather foolish thoughts in his head. If he were to say this out loud, he wouldn’t have the guts to face Kwon Hoshi ever again. Nice save, Wonwoo.
-
The interview commences with Wonwoo introducing Hoshi to the camera. “A multifaceted artist, selling out concert tickets in a matter of seconds. The latest Ami ambassador who was invited to sit front row along with the biggest names in Hollywood. An artist with an unstoppable growth, gracing the big screen with his first ever movie which amassed ten million viewers all across the globe. Let’s welcome K-Pop's Performance King, Kwon Hoshi!”
The camera pans to Hoshi and the artist waves gracefully. “You flatter me too much, Wonwoo. Thank you for the wonderful introduction. It has never really dawned on me, you know? Now that you’ve enumerated them one by one, I’ve realized how much has changed compared to when I first made my debut five years ago.” The make-up artist mentioned to him an old documentary, one from a lesser known cable channel, which told the story of a predebut Hoshi. He might have missed it, but he’ll surely watch it when he gets home, curious about Hoshi’s last statement. Just how much has changed exactly?
“Not flattery, Hoshi. Just the truth. You are an amazing artist. Truly a gem this country must cherish.”
Hoshi changed into a red, long-sleeved top, the fabric of the clothes hugging his body, outlining its beautiful curves. Wonwoo is used to seeing brawny athletes and it’s a first to see someone with a body as slender as Hoshi’s. But that’s not what is important right now. Get it together, Jeon Wonwoo!
“By the time this interview is released, you have probably released your album then. Can you please talk about your album? How did you prepare for this comeback with such tight schedule?” Wonwoo finally kicks off with the first question on his script, nervousness being washed away as he’s honestly being comforted by Hoshi’s mere presence. This is the aura of a top star!
-
It went rather smoothly, and much to Wonwoo’s surprise, their synergy actually matches well. Hoshi didn’t hesitate to speak what was on his mind. Wonwoo learned more about him with every answer he provided. He learns that despite his demeanor on stage, Hoshi is actually an introvert who finds it hard to speak to someone in a room full of strangers. It made him wonder, though, how Hoshi was able to greet him a while without seeming so anxious despite being a stranger to him. Professionalism, probably the most plausible answer.
Wonwoo finds out that Hoshi’s driving force isn’t just his dreams to be a star, but to get his family out of poverty. It was both noble and admirable. He discovers that Hoshi is a lightweight and gets drunk with just two shot glasses of soju. A cute drunk at that with Hoshi exposing his drunk habit of being a chatterbox and a pouting machine. Glad to know he isn’t a kissing machine though.
Wonwoo tries to brush off the thought. Why am I relieved that he isn’t a kissing machine?
“How about you, Wonwoo? Are you a lightweight, too, like me?”
Why is he the one being interviewed now, anyway? Nevertheless, he answers the question politely. “It’ll take me a while to get drunk. Probably, five bottles? Yeah, I guess that’s my limit. But I don’t really drink that much. I just enjoy seeing my friends get drunk.”
“So, you’re the type of guy who drives his wasted friends home?” Hoshi shows him a meaningful smile, and as much as he wants to decipher what it means, the interview has to keep on going. He has a few questions left, but he’s being sidetracked by Hoshi’s inquiries. Wonwoo nods as a reply and Hoshi is quick for a follow-up. “I guess you wouldn’t have any problem driving me home if I pass out after two shots of soju. Hmm, I’ll take note of that.” If Wonwoo didn’t bother watching Hoshi’s past interviews, he would have assumed that the celebrity is flirting with him. Hoshi’s just a natural at this and has his own way with words. A born artist. Genius at best.
He moves on to the last few questions, knowing that Hoshi is most likely being playful with him to keep the interview entertaining. From behind the camera, he notices Hoshi’s manager pointing at his watch, hinting that they have gone overtime and Hoshi’s going to be late for his next schedule. Hoshi doesn’t seem to mind his manager’s nagging, just shrugging it off and nodding, as if encouraging him to go on and ignore his manager’s constant reminder. He observes Hoshi’s manager’s reaction and almost lets out a laugh after catching him sighing, seemingly giving up.
“You recently bagged a skincare endorsement deal,” Wonwoo has seen the ads on Youtube and as much as he’s too shy to admit it, he has played it an unhealthy number of times and has probably contributed more than an average viewer does to the million views it amassed on the platform. He could be considered a fan by now. “How does it feel to be chosen by a skincare powerhouse? And the first male ambassador at that.” The video didn’t seem like a commercial film at first, more like a performance film, if he has to be honest. But then, he realizes, acting and dancing are both performances in retrospect. It makes much more sense that the brand took that route as it is much more aligned with Hoshi’s brand of work. A performer through and through.
“I honestly liked the brand even before they tapped me for ambassadorship.” More often than not, endorsers would often say good stuff about the products they promote only because it is required for them to do so, but Hoshi looks sincere in what he said, lips turning into a smile the moment he heard of the question. “My mom was the first one among us who used this brand of skincare, then my older sister. I didn’t tell them about the contract deal I signed with the company and they only found out through the commercial film. They seem really proud of me.” There’s a short pause before Hoshi continues. “I am happy working with the team and I hope this camaraderie grows and the relationship stays for a very long time.” This is the thing Wonwoo noticed about Hoshi. He only commits with a brand he has been using even before signing a deal with them. All the nice things he said about every brand he works with come from the heart. Not just forced to say because he’s getting paid by them.
The level of professionalism Hoshi has is a shot through the roof. No one could ever compare, not one could even come close.
“That’s nice, having to work with a brand you truly like. Do you have anything to recommend to your fans who want to try out their products?”
“For starters who are afraid to spend a lot on a brand they haven’t tried yet, I want to recommend their serum lip balm.” Hoshi touches his lips with his index finger. “Made my lips really soft after I switched brands.”
“Oh, really?” Wonwoo replies. More like a force of habit to sound interested even if he doesn’t have an inkling regarding which skincare products are good to use and why are they even good in the first place.
“Do you want to see for yourself?”
Wonwoo leans in closer, staring at Hoshi’s plump lips. Is this how he should be doing it? What is he doing? He’d have to talk to the editor to have this cut from the video before they post the final edit. He might have seemed stupid leaning in so he awkwardly started leaning back when Hoshi grabs his hand to stop him. “You wouldn’t know just by staring at my lips, Wonwoo. You have to feel them.”
What is this tension?
“Touch them, Wonwoo.” Everyone gasps at Hoshi’s words, making him turn his head to where his managers are, eyebrows creasing from confusion. The managers give him a slight nod, as if giving him the go signal to do whatever Hoshi asked him to do. Is this actually okay? Well, Hoshi’s representative would probably reach out to their management to cut this scene out of the video. After all, this would do Hoshi more harm than good.
He raises his right hand up, index finger hovering slightly above Hoshi’s lower lip before he carefully places it atop, dabbing on its softness with utmost care. “They are soft,” He mutters his thoughts out loud. How would Hoshi’s lips feel against his? What the hell are you thinking, Jeon Wonwoo? He retreats back, ending the interview while they’re still both out of it. He didn’t know why he did the things he did, didn’t know why he had to acknowledge in front of everyone at the set how soft the star’s lips are.
“Thank you, everyone.” He says before turning to Hoshi whose cheeks have turned so red. Was it his comment a while ago? “Thank you, Hoshi. Thank you for your time. It was truly an honor to work with you.”
-
Before he could leave the set, one of Hoshi’s managers came rushing. He stops in his tracks when Hoshi’s manager tells him to wait, panting heavily after. “I’m sorry. Hoshi wants to see you at his dressing room before you leave. He’s quite a handful, but he’s a nice kid. He said it won’t be too long.”
Honestly, Wonwoo’s still in a daze from what happened earlier, but he agrees, walking towards the room where Hoshi is supposedly taking a rest before the star leaves for his next shoot. He now stands in front of the door, heart beating rapidly. He knocks on the door hesitantly before twisting the knob and entering the room. It’s cold, the room is. And he sees Hoshi, arms crossed as he waits for him to come closer. “I wanted you to touch my lips earlier.” So, Hoshi called him for this? “But you did it in a way I did not expect. I was honestly kind of disappointed, Wonwoo.”
“I don’t get what you mean.”
“I wanted you to kiss me.”
Surprised, Wonwoo steps back, almost tripping on his own feet, but Hoshi pulls him towards him. “I wouldn’t dare.”
“Why?”
“The camera.” Would he have truly kissed Hoshi if it wasn’t for the camera earlier? Would he have done it in the presence of everyone at the set? And the more he thinks about those, the more he’s convinced that he would have kissed him in a heartbeat.
“I see. But we don’t have any cameras filming us now. Would you dare kiss me now?”
“Only if you give me permission.”
Hoshi breaks out into a soft chuckle, hitting his chest lightly. “Silly,” He wanted to retort back. There’s no way he’s silly, but if he recounts all his thoughts from a while ago, he does really seem foolish. Foolish for Hoshi, it seems. “I wouldn’t ask you to come here if I didn’t want to.”
Wonwoo takes that as an affirmation. He circles his right hand around Hoshi’s waist, pulling him closer before backing up on the wall, hearing the loud thud from when Hoshi’s back hit the concrete wall. He pushes his right leg in between Hoshi’s legs, left hand placed on Hoshi’s jaw, angling the star’s head in a way that he would have more leverage and access to his lips. They lock eyes for a moment, Wonwoo gulping the lump in his throat, struggling to keep his cool. And before he could even bend his neck down to meet Hoshi’s height and capture Hoshi’s lips in a kiss, Hoshi launches his whole body onto him, Hoshi’s weight crashing against his body, staring up at him before pressing his lips onto his. Wonwoo closes his eyes as their kiss deepens, savoring the sweetness of Hoshi’s lips while feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety, hoping no one would walk in on them in the middle of their kiss to disrupt them. If he only knew they’d end up like this, he would have locked the door behind him.
(Unbeknownst to him, Hoshi’s managers are guarding the door from the other side. And they may or may not be hearing everything going on from the inside—from Hoshi moaning to the sound of wet kisses echoing in the tiny, enclosed space.)
Much to his disappointment, it is Hoshi who breaks off the kiss, but Hoshi’s now swollen lips don’t go unnoticed. “The lip balm truly does wonders. Makes one want to kiss you again.”
“You want to kiss me again?”
“I bet anyone would.”
“But I’m asking you.”
“I’d be stupid not to.” He stares at Hoshi’s lips. This time with want rather than curiosity. The first kiss satisfied his curiosity, but he’s pretty sure a second one would satiate his hunger.
Hoshi slips a small note in his pocket, winking at him before heading to the direction of the door. “See you, handsome. Call me if you want to claim your kiss.” It’s a rather bold move for a person as famous as Hoshi and right now, all Wonwoo could think of is how he just flirted back with a hotshot celebrity.
I must be freakin’ out of my mind.
One month and three weeks prior to the rumor…
“Joshua,” He groans, glaring at his friend who’s sitting opposite him. They both look so worn out, too light-headed which felt like they would drop on the floor after getting knocked down by a gust of wind. “This is all your fault,” He grits his teeth as he harshly presses the keys on his laptop, typing up a write-up he needs to submit by tonight. “If you hadn’t asked me to cover for you, I wouldn’t be in this state of dilemma.” They’re both rendering overtime and instead of staying at the office where they’re both surrounded by a state of calamity a.k.a. his overworked office mates having semblance to zombies, Joshua offers his unit. Admittedly, it’s better than his… cleaner, he supposes.
Joshua closes his laptop, taking a sip of coffee. “You’ve been like this since that interview with Kwon Hoshi…”
“And which is why I’m telling you, this is all your fault.” Wonwoo rolls his eyes at him, but he really isn’t mad, more like overwhelmed and he doesn’t know what to make out of these feelings.
“Wait…” Joshua almost spits out the coffee at his face and Wonwoo would’ve not thought twice about hitting him on the head with his laptop if Joshua has not successfully held it in and swallowed. “Why are you blushing?!” He’s startled, feeling his ears and cheeks with the back of his palm… and they’re warm, hot even.
Wonwoo covers his whole face with the large hood of his jacket, pulling the strings abruptly until only his nose is visible, but even the tip of his nose is painted with a tinge of red, as what Joshua points out. “Did something happen that day?” Wonwoo turns his body away, his back facing Joshua, refusing to say a word. “What the fuck? Something happened!”
“N-no,” He tries to deny it, but his voice doesn’t have any conviction in it. “Really, no…” He sighs in defeat, fixes his jacket and returns to working, finding no reason anymore to justify himself against Joshua. It’s just impossible to trick someone as quick-witted as Joshua. Once he catches a whiff, he latches on tightly until you give in. Persistent.
“At least try to sound convincing, won’t you?”
“Even if I do, there’s no escaping you, hyung. You know me like the back of your hand.”
“Fair point.”
One month, two weeks, and six days before the rumor broke out…
In a dilemma, Wonwoo seeks the advice of Joshua. As much as he hates to admit it, Joshua has more experience than him in the love department. He has one ex, and one is always greater than zero because Wonwoo has no experience at all.
“Should I message him?”
“Yes,” Joshua replies casually, crossed legs on his leather office chair. “Wouldn’t you want to know why Hoshi, the most sought after celebrity of this generation, wanted to kiss you that day?” Wonwoo didn’t have the chance to ask Hoshi about that after their kiss with Soonyoung heading towards the door after slipping a note into his pocket, meeting up with his manager so they could leave for their next schedule.
“Ugh,” He groans, dreading. Not that Wonwoo doesn’t want to see Hoshi again because believe him when he says he wants to.
How do you message someone you have the hots for without making it seem like you’re desperate to meet them for a second time? For a third? And possibly more? “Help me.”
“You know the magic word.” Joshua tells him and Wonwoo knows very well that his older friend is having fun teasing him. As the old saying goes: one man’s pain is another man’s pleasure.
“Please, hyung.”
“Good boy.”
One month and two weeks prior to the rumor…
Wonwoo finally musters up the courage to send Hoshi a text message without Joshua’s help because he can be a little ludicrous.
And it actually goes crazy from there. Wonwoo gets invited to Hoshi’s penthouse, but instead of going through the building’s front entrance, Hoshi’s managers guide him to a secret entrance at the back. “You’re the first one he has ever invited to his place. Please don’t break his heart.” He understands how Hoshi’s manager feels. From the documentary he watched, these two managers taking care of Hoshi have been with him ever since his trainee period, making it almost a decade that they have been by Hoshi’s side. “We’ve never seen our kid like this, so smitten.” But, during the two week interval from the interview to getting invited to Hoshi’s place, Wonwoo has sorted his feelings out. It isn’t just curiosity, it’s a want to get to know Hoshi better with the intention of staying by his side. And no one has really ever made him feel this way. He knows it won’t be easy to stay by his side, but there are more merits to it than demerits—one being staying true to what he feels and desires.
He enters Hoshi’s unit, getting welcomed by a well-curated space, a round table decorated with flowers and a lighted candle. “Hi, Wonwoo. I didn’t know what you like so I ordered everything on the menu.”
Wonwoo walks up to the table, pulls the seat, and motions for Hoshi to sit down. “After you.” He sits down after. “God—Hoshi,”
Hoshi shakes his head. “Please, call me Soonyoung. My real name.”
“Soonyoung—I, I should be the one doing this. Had I known it wasn’t a simple dinner, I would have been the one to ask you out. I would have dressed more appropriately.” Wonwoo wore something casual, expecting nothing more than a fast food dinner being served, grubby and oily hands from the fried chicken as they talked until they lost track of time. This is too formal and Wonwoo feels a little bit underdressed.
“And why would you ask me out?”
“Soonyoung, honestly, I’m not the type to date someone I met because of work,” Because more often than not, it’s hard to separate personal life and work, and Wonwoo has seen a lot of break-ups whether of a close friend or a distant colleague. And the break-ups are usually pretty bad. “But I’m making an exception for you—I like you. More than enough to think about wanting to date you. Ever since the day we kissed, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. You got me from day one, oh god, ” What did he just say? Where did he get the courage to confess? Does Hoshi—no, Soonyoung, think of him this way too? He hopes he does. I mean, he gave me his phone number and I’m the first one he allowed in his unit. So there’s a high chance Soonyoung does feel something for me too. “Are you even allowed to date?”
Hoshi bursts into a laugh, tears welling up on the corner of his eyes. What’s funny? “Well… I’m not banned, but I’m not encouraged either.” That doesn’t seem like a bad thing, but not necessarily a good one either. “So, I guess you could say, I could date. I just have to be extra careful.”
“If I ask you out, to date me, of course, do I have a slightest bit of a chance with you?”
“I would love to date you, Wonwoo,” A pregnant pause. “But are you sure you’d be able to handle the pressure of dating me? We can’t go outside, and if we do go outside, we’ll be constantly on the lookout. If they find out about us, you’ll—”
“Soonyoung—” It still feels weird to call him by his real name. “I’ve thought this through,” Two weeks was long enough to make him realize the instant connection, the attraction. It was long enough to make him realize that he wants to do something about it, but how to execute it, he wasn’t really sure then which was why his sudden confession came off as a big surprise to him as well. “Why do you think it took me a while to contact you?”
“Well—”
“You don’t really have to answer that. It’s a rhetorical question.”
“Oh,” Soonyoung peers at him with wide eyes, mouth agape, like a sudden realization popped in his head. “Oh… Oh!” It’s a variation of different oh, different intonation, different meaning. “Oooh.”
“I don’t know what that means,” Wonwoo leans forward to reach for Soonyoung, tucking the loose strands of Soonyoung’s hair behind his ear. “Answer me in words, Soonyoung. Not oohs, not aahs. Yes or no.”
Soonyoung stands up from his seat abruptly, slamming his palm against the table, almost knocking the wine glass off. Wonwoo’s heart almost drops at the sight, but his heart has a firm hold. It stammers though, now that Soonyoung’s staring intently at him and Wonwoo can see his facial features clearly without the smokey eye make-up, without the maquillage he wears in front of the camera. And Soonyoung is a really pretty man. And his beauty puts a shame to the word beautiful and pretty and all other adjectives that would mean essentially the same.
“Yes, I would love to date you, Wonwoo.” Soonyoung’s inching closer to him and as if on instinct, Wonwoo starts closing his eyes and puckering up his lips, but he hears Soonyoung laughing. “I don’t kiss during first dates, Wonwoo.”
Wonwoo cocks an eyebrow and snorts. “Does it even matter now? You kissed me two weeks ago,” Soonyoung frowns at him. “When we were basically strangers.” Soonyoung rolls his eyes and Wonwoo finds it hilariously amusing.
“Whatever,” Soonyoung turns his back against him, crossing his hands over his chest. “Say one more word and I’m going to kick you out of my unit.”
“Cute.” And all it takes is just one word for Soonyoung to face him again, eyes sparkling.
This is a side not everyone can see.
And Wonwoo takes pride in it.
Two days after the rumor came out…
Wonwoo is summoned by Soonyoung’s CEO to a private place somewhere in the outskirts of Seoul. Nervous, he arrives at the location wearing a cap and a mask to cover his face. Ever since the picture circulated, Soonyoung had told him they had to lie low for a while as advised by his manager. Soonyoung’s management did not refute nor did they confirm the rumor and it’s probably for the best right now. Soonyoung has just ended his two week promotion and is going to attend waterbomb festivals to perform. If the rumor will blow out of proportion, which Wonwoo hopes it doesn’t, Soonyoung might get kicked out from the line up. This isn’t impossible considering that they live in a country where dating is considered a scandal, where celebrities are treated like they’ve committed a heinous crime, and cyberbullying celebrities is considered a norm.
“What should we do?” Soonyoung speaks up, squeezing his thigh from under the table, away from everyone’s view. There’s palpable tension surrounding the room and Wonwoo’s kind of intimidated by the CEO. He’s a huge man, probably in his mid forties, big build, and he’d probably tower over everyone in the room. Or if not, they’re probably of the same height.
The moment the CEO speaks, all ears and eyes are on him. “No, Soonyoung-ah,” He utters Soonyoung’s name with adoration. “What do you want to do? Have you decided on it with Wonwoo?” They did, they’ve talked about it the moment the rumor erupted, but everything through facetime.
They’ve mutually agreed to keep everything under wraps. At least that’s what they discussed last night. But Wonwoo knows it wasn’t how Soonyoung truly felt. Something about Soonyoung’s facial expression tells him he’s holding back.
Wonwoo grabs Soonyoung’s hand, wrapping his lover’s cold skin with his warmth, fingers interlocked. Soonyoung stares at him for a while before looking back at their well-esteemed CEO. “I want to be honest about it,” Soonyoung turns to him. “But only if Wonwoo is a hundred percent okay with that.” Wonwoo notices the way Soonyoung’s head drops, averting his gaze. “I know we’ve talked about it last night, but I… that’s not what I really want after all. I want to show the world about you… about our love.” And while it hasn’t been that long since they’ve started dating, just like Soonyoung, the future that Wonwoo imagines is a future where he and Soonyoung are always together, never apart. He doesn’t have an idea how they’d travel to that future together, but he knows, he’s sure, so certain that it is a journey worth taking, a risk worth pursuing.
“I’m down with everything, Soonyoung. I thought I made that clear last night.”
Soonyoung giggles, clinging onto his arm as he pushes their bodies together. Everybody seems to be so supportive of what Soonyoung wants to do and he’s thankful he’s surrounded by people like them. “You heard my man.”
“I guess that settles it then. Do you have an idea how you want to go about it? There’s always the traditional way of writing a handwritten letter and posting it on your social media account…” One of his managers suggests, Jinwoo hyung.
“That’s a little bit… Jaehyung hyung, Jinwoo hyung,” Soonyoung turns to his manager for help. He sees Jinwoo patting Soonyoung’s head, whispering something, probably somewhere along the lines of don’t worry, leave everything to us. Wonwoo couldn’t hear much of the rest.
Jaehyung hyung, Soonyoung’s other manager, catches everyone’s attention when he stands up, the sound of his chair creaking ringing in Wonwoo’s ears. “I may have an idea.” He points at him and Wonwoo wonders why. “When will the interview come out?”
“Uh,” Wonwoo whips his phone out from his pocket and back reads the exchange of emails between him and Joshua. “Next week. Seven p.m., if I’m not mistaken.”
“Do you happen to know if they’ve finished the editing?”
“As of last night, they haven’t. They were packed and it got pushed back.”
“Good, that’s good.” What’s good? “Leave everything to me and Jinwoo. We’ll let you in on the plan once we’ve sorted it out.” Jaehyung hyung winks at them, putting out a thumbs up. “Trust me.”
“I think this meeting should be adjourned,” The CEO declares chirpily. It’s a contrast to his terrifying aura brought about by his build and reputable position. “Jinwoo and Jaehyung have been taking care of our Soonyoung ever since. I trust that they know the best course of action. Receiving criticisms is still inevitable. Wonwoo, please look out for Soonyoung? He may look headstrong on the outside, but he takes every negative comment to heart. He’s a really nice kid,” Everyone Wonwoo has come to know about only has the nicest thing to say about his boyfriend. “He’s like a son to me and I am the type to go all out to protect my family.” The CEO is even scarier than Soonyoung’s real dad. They’ve met once over dinner and he’s gotta admit, Soonyoung’s parents are absolute sweethearts. And they say the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. It’s no wonder Soonyoung seems full of love and is full of love.
Wonwoo knows what the CEO is going to say next. He’s probably going to threaten him that if he ever hurts Soonyoung, he’ll meet his early demise (figuratively, he hopes). “I’m not saying this to scare you,” The CEO tries to stifle his laugh, trying to keep it professional, still. “I want you to know that I’ve got your back too.” And he’s miscalculated everything… the CEO had no intention to terrorize him. All Wonwoo could muster to say, after judging the CEO in his head without letting him finish what he’s saying, is a short phrase of gratitude—a thank you and a promise to protect their beloved Soonyoung too.
Soonyoung leans onto him, lips brushing the tip of his sensitive ear, chuckling. “You got scared for a while, didn’t you?”
Wonwoo denies the allegation, but is met with everyone doubting his reply. “Fine, fine. I got scared. Happy now?”
Everyone erupts in boisterous laughter and Wonwoo joins in on the fun. He gets to have fun, for once, all thanks to Soonyoung.
Four days after the rumor broke out…
“Aren’t you nervous?” Wonwoo asks, watching Soonyoung do his mundane task from the screen of his smartphone. He’s cleaning up his plates after having dinner and Wonwoo finds it endearing to witness Soonyoung wearing a character designed apron.
Just this morning, Jinwoo and Jaehyung briefed them about their plan. They presented the idea to them after getting the stamp of approval from their CEO.
“It’d be a lie to say I’m not,” Soonyoung spins, a sponge and a plate on both of his hands. “But I know people who genuinely love and care for me would stay… no matter what. And it gives me a peace of mind whenever I’m reminded of that. But how about you…?”
Wonwoo tilts his head, creasing his eyebrows, confused by what the question directed to him means. “What about me?”
“Once our relationship is revealed, they’ll start digging up things about you… your past.” There were times where it crossed Wonwoo’s mind—is it really true that he wasted his college life by not partying around and drinking until he’s pissed drunk? By choosing to laze at home and watch animes if not videos about sport? Wonwoo doesn’t have a definite answer before, leaning towards yes if you asked him two months ago, but it’s different if you ask him now. He’ll proudly say no. At least, if they start uncovering dirt about him, he wouldn’t have any. They’d find his life a bore and eventually give up on him.
“Let them be. As long as they don’t hurt you, my family, and friends, then let them do whatever they want. Besides, I don’t have anything to hide.”
“You seem confident.”
“Well, they’ll have to try really hard if they want to bring me down.” Wonwoo shrugs, confident that the media won’t find anything embarrassing or anything worth bringing up from his past. He had never gotten drunk. He had not been embroiled in fights. He had lived a peaceful life for the past twenty five years. Being a goody two shoes , as what his friends like to tease him, actually pays well in the long run. For things like this, he supposes. You never know if you’re going to have a celebrity as your lover.
“Can’t wait till we’re free to meet each other again,” Soonyoung goes back to washing his used utensils. “The unit’s kinda quiet without you around.” His boyfriend groans and he sees him stomping his feet. “I hate this.”
Wonwoo chuckles, finding Soonyoung ranting to him very cute and adorable. “Soonyoung, may I remind you, you’ve been living there for two years and it’s only been around two months since I started hanging out at your place,” Wonwoo grabs his phone and lies down on his sofa bed. He hates this too, not being able to wrap his hands around Soonyoung’s body to embrace him as he observes him do the most mundane task and still think he’s the most beautiful person in the whole world. He hates this too, not being able to date him in the middle of the night, even if it’s in a rendezvous. “Have you only noticed it now? That your place is actually really quiet? Because you’re the only one living there for the past two years and no one else.”
“I couldn’t care less before,” Soonyoung pauses, removing his pink latex gloves and apron before sitting down on his dining chair, face to face with his phone’s front camera. “But the silence amplified now that I know what it’s like to have someone fill that with me—for me.”
“We’ll just have to wait for a few more days. It’ll be over before you know it.”
Soonyoung only hums, fidgeting with his fingers, looking sulky.
“I love you,” He means every word he says. People might think they’re moving too fast with their relationship, but love isn’t about how long you’ve known each other or how long you’ve been together. For Wonwoo, it is enough that Soonyoung is the first person who made him want to go out of his comfort zone. It is enough that when he thinks of Soonyoung, he sees his future with him. Love varies, and for Wonwoo, this is how he loves.
Soonyoung beams brightly, a stark contrast to his demeanor a while ago, and says it back to him. “I love you too, Wonu.”
The big day…
[EXCLUSIVE] KPOP’S PERFORMANCE KING, KWON HOSHI, REVEALS HIS LOVER ON HIS OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
KPop’s Performance King, Kwon Hoshi, finally responds to the rumors circulating around him and rumored, non-celebrity lover.
On July 30, Kwon Hoshi took the issue to his official instagram account by posting a lovely picture of him and rumored lover. In its caption, Kwon Hoshi affirms that the man in the photo and the man that he was seen with a few days ago are the same person.
Kwon Hoshi’s caption reads: “I have been diligently working to reach for my dreams since I was fifteen. It has been ten years since then and I’ve never really thought about it not until I saw my friends getting married one by one.
Without a stop, without a break, leaving no time for myself, I continued to work hard. I grew up in a house filled with love and dreamt of having the same. Recently, while I was on a break before preparing for my comeback, a thought came to my mind. Is becoming a huge popstar the only dream I have? That’s when I realized that in exchange for reaching this one dream, I have neglected the other. I have forgotten that I’ve always wanted to love and be loved romantically. It is something I’ve envied my parents for.
Two months ago, I met Wonwoo during an interview. You’ll probably know what I’m talking about when it comes out later. But it is an interview that I know changed the course of my life forever because it led to the fulfillment of my other dream.
The picture that circulated on the internet a few days ago was taken during his birthday. We celebrated his birthday together.
I am happy. More than I ever was, more than I ever would be. To my fans who wished for nothing but my happiness, this is it. I also wish for you to find happiness even if it’s not because of me.
I’ll continue to work hard and show you amazing stages. Thank you, everyone.”
Fans are quick to point out the instant attraction between The Daily’s Jeon Wonwoo and the KPop’s Performance King, Kwon Hoshi, during the interview. Fans have expressed their support and are actively mass reporting accounts who are leaving malicious comments on their idol’s post.
The netizens are impressed by Kwon Hoshi’s relationship with his fans as this would not have been made possible if it weren’t for the harmonious relationship that they have fostered over the years.
What do you guys think about the star’s revelation?
Six months after the big day…
The brand that sells the lip balm Soonyoung has mentioned during the interview has also signed Wonwoo for an exclusive contract. The sales have gone crazy ever since the interview was released. Currently, the two of them have shot numerous digital ads and commercial films to promote the lip balm locally and internationally. It has gained massive traction and attention ever since it was revealed that the two are dating.
The lip balm that finds you love is currently the brand’s tagline as it supposedly claims to have helped serve as a bridge in Soonyoung and Wonwoo’s relationship. Wonwoo finds no reason to refute such claims nor does Soonyoung. They’re just happy that people have been accepting. Not all, but at least most of them are. They’ve still faced criticisms but nothing really big that would pose a threat to either of their respective careers.
“Wonwoo, is this the treatment that I deserve?” Joshua whines after seeing Wonwoo ditching their boys’ night out to go home early with Soonyoung. “If it wasn’t for me, the two of you wouldn’t have met.”
“Stop being dramatic, hyung,” Wonwoo hears Soonyoung chuckling after witnessing how comical Joshua could be. He probably never imagined Joshua acting that way, considering how he is on the daily basis, especially at work. “I haven’t seen Soonyoung for a week! And I’ve been seeing you every single day!” I want to spend time with my boyfriend! Take a hint!
“Fine, fine. But next time, come with us. Soonyoung, you can join us too, if you want.”
A year and a half after the big day…
Wonwoo arrives home at three a.m. to Soonyoung doing an instagram live. “Hey, Wonu,” Soonyoung calls him. “Come here.” He sits down beside him, waving timidly at his boyfriend’s viewers. “They’re curious if I have a special way to apply lip balm,” He knows what’s going to happen next so he removes his mask. He used to be very shy in front of the camera, but being with Soonyoung somehow changed that. “Handsome! They’re calling you handsome, love.”
“Can you be my model? I’ll show them how I apply lip balm.”
“Go on,”
Soonyoung reaches for the lip balm behind the phone stand and opens it up, slowly applying lip balm on his puckered lips.
“Hoshi-nim! There’s nothing special with the way you apply lip balm!” Wonwoo reads one of the comments from Soonyoung’s viewers.
“Guys, wait up.” Wonwoo knows that Soonyoung has a trick up his sleeve. He can’t just wrap his head around it. But the way Soonyoung snickered and smirked, there’s really something sinister he’s planning. “That’s how I apply lip balm to Wonwoo, but I didn’t say that’s how I apply one to myself,”
He feels Soonyoung’s hand snaking around his nape, pulling him closer. But before he could react, Soonyoung’s lips were already on his. Wonwoo circles his hand around Soonyoung’s waist, deepening their kiss. Should they be kissing in front of Soonyoung’s million viewers? Probably not. But Wonwoo notices how Soonyoung is really comfortable in front of his fans. He wouldn’t do any of this if he wasn’t. Does Soonyoung enjoy it? Very much so, it seems. Would they get reprimanded by the management? A hard yes. But that’s a problem for tomorrow.
Soonyoung pulls away, lips looking a bit swollen, eyes half-lidded as if his energy has been completely snuffed out.
Wonwoo takes over the instagram live on behalf of Soonyoung before turning it off.
“And that’s how my Soonyoung applies lip balm on his lips. Good night, everyone!”
