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The apartment was quieter than usual. In the middle of the living room, Sanghyeok was sprawled out on the couch, completely engulfed by the plush embrace of a giant Genrang plush. His arms wrapped tightly around its fluffy midsection, his cheek pressed against its soft head. Looking utterly content like a satisfied cat.
Jihoon stood at the doorway, his arms crossed as he watched his boyfriend with a mix of fond annoyance. He had been the one to get Sanghyeok the Genrang plushie for his birthday, thinking it would be a cute addition to their shared space. What he hadn’t anticipated was how quickly Sanghyeok would become attached to it.
“Comfortable?” Jihoon asked, his tone dripping with mock jealousy.
Sanghyeok cracked one eye open and grinned lazily. “Very. It’s so soft, Jihoon-ah. Best gift ever.”
Jihoon’s eyebrow twitched. “I’m glad you like it, but you do realize I’m standing right here, right?”
Sanghyeok chuckled and patted the spot next to him on the couch. “Come here, then. There’s enough Genrang for both of us.”
Instead of moving, Jihoon stayed rooted in place, his lips forming a pout. “You didn’t even ask if I wanted to cuddle,” he mumbled, just loud enough for Sanghyeok to hear.
Sanghyeok sat up slightly, his grin widening. “Are you jealous? of Genrang?”
“No!” Jihoon shot back a little too quickly, the tips of his ears turning pink. “I’m just saying, I’m real. And warm. And way better than some oversized plush toy.”
Sanghyeok tilted his head, feigning deep thought. “Hmm… You do have a point. But…” He pulled Genrang closer again, nuzzling into its fur. “Genrang doesn’t complain when I hog the blanket.”
“That happened one time!” Jihoon groaned, finally giving in and walking over to the couch. He plopped down beside Sanghyeok and glared at the plushie as if it had personally offended him. “Move over.”
Sanghyeok laughed, but he shifted the plushie to one side and opened his arms. Jihoon leaned in reluctantly, letting Sanghyeok pull him into a hug alongside the plushie.
“See?” Sanghyeok teased, resting his chin on Jihoon’s shoulder. “Now everyone’s happy.”
Jihoon sighed, but a small smile tugged at his lips. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”
“And you’re lucky I love you more than Genrang,” Sanghyeok replied cheekily, pressing a quick kiss to Jihoon’s temple.
Jihoon huffed but couldn’t hide the warmth spreading through his chest. Maybe sharing Sanghyeok with a giant plushie wasn’t so bad after all.
---------
Jihoon thought things would settle down after their cuddle session. He genuinely believed Sanghyeok would prioritize him over the oversized plushie. But he was wrong. So, so wrong.
It started small—just Sanghyeok carrying the plushie to their gaming setups at home, propping it up in the corner of the room as if it were an honorary teammate. Jihoon didn’t think much of it, though he did roll his eyes every time Sanghyeok affectionately patted its head for “good luck” before every game.
But then came the day Sanghyeok walked into T1’s HQ with Genrang tucked under his arm. Jihoon, tagging along to visit, froze mid-step at T1 HQ’s door as he watched his boyfriend hugging his rival team’s mascot and casually stroll past staff members and teammates, cradling the plushie like it was his child.
“What. Are. You. Doing?” Jihoon hissed, catching up to him.
Sanghyeok glanced at him, completely unbothered. “What does it look like? I’m bringing Genrang to work.”
Jihoon stared at him, slack-jawed. “You can’t just… bring a Genrang to T1 HQ!”
“Why not?” Sanghyeok asked innocently, adjusting the plushie in his arms. “It makes me happy.”
Jihoon groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re a professional player, hyung. People are going to think you’ve lost it by carrying a plushie from my team.”
“They already think I’m a genius,” Sanghyeok replied with a cheeky grin. “This just proves I’m a genius with great taste. Plus, I can always say its a birthday gift.”
Jihoon was about to argue when Ojunnie walked by, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and amusement. “Uh… is that Genrang?”
“Sure is,” Sanghyeok replied proudly. “Say hi.”
Ojunnie gave a weak wave to the plushie, then turned to Jihoon with a bewildered look. “You let him do this?”
“I didn’t know he was going to bring it here!” Jihoon snapped, glaring at Sanghyeok.
By the time they made it to the practice room, Genrang was seated in one of the extra chairs, its plush arms resting on the table like it was about to join their strategy meeting. Minseok and Minhyung burst into laughter as soon as they saw it, while Dojunnie gave a resigned shake of his head.
“You’re unbelievable,” Jihoon muttered, slumping into a chair across from the plushie.
Sanghyeok simply smiled and reached out to pat Jihoon’s hand. “Don’t be mad, Jihoon-ah. Genrang’s like… team morale support.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Jihoon grumbled, crossing his arms.
But as the day went on, Jihoon noticed something infuriating – everyone seemed to love the plushie. Teammates took turns posing with it for photos, staff members chuckled whenever they passed by, and even the coaches seemed unbothered by its presence despite it being their enemy team’s mascot sitting in on a T1 meeting.
By the end of the day, Jihoon sat in the corner of the room, sulking as he watched Sanghyeok explain a vod review—using Genrang to point at the mistakes
“This is my life now,” Jihoon muttered to himself. “Third-wheeling my boyfriend and a plushie.”
Sanghyeok, oblivious to Jihoon’s inner turmoil, turned to him with a bright smile. “Jihoon-ah! Come here and help me demonstrate.”
Jihoon narrowed his eyes. “Only if you promise not to bring Genrang to work again.”
Sanghyeok hesitated, glancing at the plushie. “But it’s so cute…”
Jihoon groaned. “Sanghyeok, I swear—”
“Okay, okay!” Sanghyeok relented, laughing as he walked over and pulled Jihoon into a quick hug. “No Genrang at HQ. Just you. Happy?”
Jihoon huffed but leaned into the embrace, muttering under his breath, “Barely.”
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The moment Sanghyeok walked into the apartment with the new addition dangling from his backpack, Jihoon knew peace was a fleeting dream.
“What is that?” Jihoon asked, narrowing his eyes at the small Genrang plushie swinging cheerfully with every step Sanghyeok took.
Sanghyeok glanced back at it, a delighted grin spreading across his face. “Oh, this? Minhyung-ah gave it to me! Isn’t it cute?”
Jihoon pinched the bridge of his nose. “You promised no more Genrang at HQ.”
“I’m not bringing the big one!” Sanghyeok defended, pointing at the corner of the room where the giant Genrang now sat, a permanent fixture in their home. “This one is portable.”
“That’s not the point,” Jihoon muttered, watching as Sanghyeok shrugged off his bag and carefully placed it on the table, making sure the plushie didn’t get squished. “It’s everywhere now, Sanghyeok. Everywhere.”
“It’s just a keychain,” Sanghyeok replied, his tone far too innocent as he adjusted the plushie so it faced forward, like a tiny guardian for his belongings. “You’re overreacting.”
Jihoon crossed his arms and shot Sanghyeok a withering look. “Me? overreacting? You’re treating it like a VIP member of our relationship.”
Sanghyeok laughed, walking over to Jihoon and wrapping his arms around his waist. “You’re so dramatic. It’s just a gift. He thought I’d like it—and he was right.”
Jihoon frowned, his resolve wavering as Sanghyeok rested his chin on his shoulder, looking at him with those big, affectionate eyes that always managed to disarm him. “You’re lucky I love you,” Jihoon muttered, his tone begrudging.
“I know,” Sanghyeok replied smugly, pressing a kiss to Jihoon’s temple. “And don’t worry, Jihoon-ah. You’ll always be my number one. Genrang is just… number two.”
“That’s not reassuring,” Jihoon grumbled, but he leaned into Sanghyeok’s embrace anyway, silently vowing to one-up that plushie one day.
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The teasing began the moment Jihoon stepped into T1’s HQ for another visit. It was supposed to be a quiet day—just him checking in on Sanghyeok during practice. But the second Oner spotted the small Genrang plushie swinging from Sanghyeok’s backpack, mischief sparked in his eyes.
“Well, well, look who’s here,” Ojunnie said, grinning as he gestured toward Jihoon. “How’s it feel, Jihoon? Knowing your biggest rival isn’t a player but a plushie, not just any plushie too, its your own team’s mascot?” he says while laughing hysterically.
Jihoon glared, his arms crossing defensively. “I’m not losing to a stupid plushie.”
“You sure about that?” Minhyung chimed in, casually leaning against the wall. “Sanghyeok-hyung has been talking to that thing more than he talks to you. It even has its own little chair in our practice room.”
Minseok snickered, barely hiding his laughter behind his hand. “I’ve seen him pat it for good luck before scrims. Have you ever gotten a good-luck pat, Jihoon-hyung?”
Jihoon’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing as Sanghyeok walked in, blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding. The smaller Genrang plushie swayed with each step, a beacon of Jihoon’s frustration.
“Oh, Jihoon-ah! You’re here!” Sanghyeok said cheerfully, obliviously making the situation worse as he beamed at his boyfriend. “Did you see? Minhyungie’s gift is still holding up great.”
Jihoon’s eye twitched. “Yes, hyung. I see it.”
“Don’t take it personally, Jihoon,” Minseok piped up, his voice laced with mock sympathy. “Not everyone can compete with Genrang’s... softness.”
The room erupted in laughter, and Jihoon groaned, burying his face in his hands. “Why did I even come here?”
Sanghyeok, finally catching on to the teasing, blinked in confusion before sidling up to Jihoon and draping an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t listen to them. You’re way better than Genrang.”
“Way better?” Dojunnie repeated, feigning shock. “He hesitated.”
“I didn’t hesitate!” Sanghyeok protested, though his guilty chuckle betrayed him.
Jihoon elbowed him in the side, his glare half-hearted. “If I hear one more word about losing to a plushie, I’m walking out.”
“But who will protect me if you leave?” Sanghyeok teased, pulling Jihoon closer.
Jihoon sighed, his annoyance melting slightly as he let Sanghyeok tug him toward the elevator. Behind them, the team’s laughter followed, along with a particularly loud, “Don’t let Genrang steal your spot, Jihoon-hyung!”
As the door closed, Jihoon shot Sanghyeok a sidelong glance. “You owe me dinner for this.”
“I’ll buy you dinner,” Sanghyeok coaxed, grinning. “But you have to admit—Genrang’s growing on you.”
“Not a chance,” Jihoon muttered, though he couldn’t quite hide the small smile tugging at his lips.
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Jihoon had had enough.
That night, while Sanghyeok was in the shower, Jihoon struck. He carefully unhooked the small Genrang plushie from Sanghyeok’s backpack and stashed it in the drawer of their bedside table, burying it under a pile of random receipts and cables.
Satisfied with his work, he sat back on the bed, arms crossed, and waited for Sanghyeok to emerge from the bathroom.
The bathroom door opened with a soft click, and Sanghyeok stepped out, towel around his shoulders, his hair damp and messy. His intuition tells him something is wrong and his eyes immediately dart to his backpack. Then, he frowned.
“Jihoon-ah,” he called, his voice light and questioning. “Where’s Genrang?”
Jihoon tried to feign innocence, but his poker face wasn’t as good as he thought. “What Genrang?”
“The plushie,” Sanghyeok said, tilting his head, his tone shifting to a mix of curiosity and worry. “It’s always on my bag.”
Jihoon shrugged, doing his best to look unconcerned. “Maybe it fell off.”
Sanghyeok’s eyes narrowed, but instead of accusing him, he walked over and plopped down beside Jihoon. He leaned in close, his eyes sparkling mischievously. “Jihoon-ah,” he cooed, his voice soft and sweet. “Did you hide Genrang?”
“No,” Jihoon lied, though his ears turned pink under Sanghyeok’s knowing gaze.
Sanghyeok pressed closer, his lips almost brushing Jihoon’s ear. “You’re a terrible liar,” he teased. “Where is it?”
Jihoon groaned, refusing to look at him. “Why does it even matter? It’s just a plushie.”
“Because it’s cute,” Sanghyeok said with a grin, wrapping his arms around Jihoon’s shoulders. “But not as cute as you.”
Jihoon glared at him, but Sanghyeok’s shameless charm was relentless. “You say that,” Jihoon muttered, “but you’re always cuddling that stupid thing instead of me.”
Sanghyeok blinked, genuinely surprised. Then his expression softened, and he leaned in to press a quick kiss to Jihoon’s temple. “Jihoon-ah, listen to me.” His voice dropped, becoming warm and serious. “You’re irreplaceable. Genrang is just a plushie, but you… you’re everything to me.”
Jihoon’s scowl eased, though he still refused to look at Sanghyeok directly. “Then why do you always cuddle it?”
Sanghyeok laughed, ruffling Jihoon’s hair. “Because it’s soft. But if it bothers you that much…” He stood, grabbed the giant Genrang from its corner of their bed, and plopped it back onto the chair in the living room where it belonged. As Sanghyeok entered their bedroom once again, with a quick, decisive motion, he straddled Jihoon’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck instead.
Jihoon’s eyes widened. “W-What are you doing?”
“Cuddling you,” Sanghyeok said simply, his tone playful. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”
Jihoon flushed, his hands awkwardly settling on Sanghyeok’s waist. “You’re so annoying.”
“Maybe,” Sanghyeok murmured, resting his head against Jihoon’s shoulder. “But I’m your annoying boyfriend.”
Jihoon huffed, but a small smile crept onto his face as he tightened his hold on Sanghyeok. “You better not go back to that plushie after this.”
“Never,” Sanghyeok promised, nuzzling closer. “You’re much warmer anyway.”
Jihoon didn’t reply, but the way his fingers threaded through Sanghyeok’s hair said everything.
.
.
.
As they lay there in their bed cuddling each other and finding comfort in each other’s warmth, Jihoon thought he’d finally won. That was until Sanghyeok whispered in his ear, “But I still need to find little Genrang later…”
Jihoon groaned, burying his face in Sanghyeok’s shoulder. “I hate you.”
Sanghyeok just laughed, snuggling into Jihoon closer.