Chapter Text
Seongje didn’t have many interests, mostly he dabbled with gaming, smoking (although it was more of an addiction that he didn’t wish to part from) and fighting. He joined the Union when it first banded together, as he now held a stable position as right-hand man to Baekjin. Although this position did embrace his passion for violence, and ruling over the PC cafe some afternoons was great fun; he felt as if something was missing.
Seongje was sat up in bed, stroking his pet cat ‘Boo’ (he realises now how silly he sounded yelling out to her now) in his one bedroom apartment. His parents were of high status in their respected areas, and are often away for long periods of time. They granted him his own small apartment at sixteen to give them “more flexibility”. Seongje recognised this as an attempt to slowly distance themselves from him before they stopped paying his monthly rent as they signed over the contract to Seongje- who willingly agreed to this level off independence with the income he receives from the Union. His parents made sure to pick a rather shady landlord for picking out Seongje’s home, gifting a large sum of money to silence any issues it may cause. This was something recognisable from his childhood, hushed with money to keep quiet.
Boo keeping Seongje entertained on this weekend morning as she finds the need to work on her biscuit bakery ontop of Seonje’s stomach. “This is rather insulting, I feel like you’re squishing on my fat” He scoffs at her as he’s scrolling through his phone not so aimlessly. Hunting through instagram, swiping through stories, he lands on Gotaks story of the night before. Honestly, Seongje just adds everyone who he’s heard of on instagram because he’s majorly nosey.
He’s holding down on the screen as its brightness reflects through his glasses, showing exactly what he’s looking at. Gotak seems to have a particular interest in displaying his whole life- especially his friendship- throughout his instagram, as some sort of digital diary. Before, Seongje would have swiped right past it like all the other highlights he’s already done so to, but recently something (or rather someone) has captured his interest.
The post was of 4 boys at this restaurant, 2 landscape photos stacked on each other of both sides of the table. Gotak and Baku placed on top pulling faces as some nerdy looking kid is leaning into frame, arm around shoulders with Sieun. That’s where he zooms in.
Sieuns monotone expression is shown once again at first glance, but with excess attention (not like he was giving it) you could notice a slight upturn in his lips as nerd on the right leans in to him. God, did that aggravate him. In a swift motion, Seongje takes action as he notices that for once, there’s accounts tagged to this post. Sieuns username consists of nothing to do with his name, ‘user4457389’, making it impossible for him to find. To be completely honest, he gave himself the restriction to stop searching after a brief browse because ‘that is kinda gay’, but since he technically didn’t search for him and the account just appeared on his screen, it wasn’t as gay.
user4457389- Following: 8 Followers: 7
“Wow, this loser literally has no friends.” Seongje sighs, ignoring the smirk on his face slowly appearing. Seongje with 2053 followers really couldn’t relate to that. With a burst of confidence, Seongje sends him a quick request to test where they potentially stand. With that sorted, he moves Boo off his stomach and continues the day.
Okay, he might have felt nonchalant when walking off the request like nothing but he surely is feeling something now. Walking out of the convince store after quickly popping into the bowling alley and fulfilling some duties, with a new pack of cigarettes, some spare grape flavoured papers which happen to be his favourite, and a red bull. Feeling jolly and refreshed after such a great morning (trying to ignore the significant weight of his phone in his pocket, which has never been so noticeable before), he’s practically skipping down the road as out the corner of his eye, he notices a small gathering of some slighty recognisable faces, lower-ranked union members. Another familiar face catches his eye, that nerdy kid in the photo with Sieun. Shrugging it off yet keeping it in mind, Seongje continues his happy little path to complete the rest of his duties.
As Seongje is finishing up his duties, with just one more errand to run, he feels extremely irritated with the lack of notifications from instagram. Walking to the bike shop makes him regret not taking his bike with him today, as despite doing a couple Union related activities, he also did some grocery shopping and even bought a new scarf (not as much for himself as for the image in his head of a certain other wearing it). Scarfs weren’t typically his sort of thing, but he noticed that in a couple of Gotaks posts, Sieun is captured to look his happiest when wrapped up warm.
With the sweet image in his head, his whole mood switches and he’s back with a pep in his step as Seongje whips the door open. Rummaging through some paperwork after ignoring the bustling crowd of low level delinquents, he finds the folder and quickly snaps a couple photos to send to Baekjin. He could probably guess why Baekjin needs some sort of proof of them now and can’t collect them for himself, but he really just doesn’t care that much. With a foot out the door and his stomach growling, Seongje is ready to leave when he remembers the scene of Sieuns friend earlier. With the idea of an excuse for a potential fight and a visit, Seongje gains the attention of the low levels and punches one in the nose as he yells for them to leave. With the threat of his higher position, they leave, tails tucked between their legs as Seongje laughs.
Looking over a knocked out Juntae, Seongje slings him over one shoulder and prepares to do the humbling walk to Sieuns, taking the bus too to be able to see him sooner and just because it is easier to spend the cheap price then do the dreaded walk. At this point, Juntae fades in and out of consciousness and that’s a good enough sign for the bus driver to let them on. That’s probably not good. When on the short journey, Juntae passes out again as his head falls onto Seongjes shoulder. He’s already doing the boy a favour, why should he put up with this too? And with that, he pushed juntaes head off and balances it on the pole diagonal from them. “Can’t have him too dead”.
Finally, showing up to Sieuns apartment block, Seonje climbs the steep stairs up to apartment 303. It might be strange how Seongje knows where he lives, but who else was going to make sure Sieun got home okay? Pretty boys like him get hassle walking home.
“God this is so gay”.
Knocking on Sieuns door, his heart balancing in his throat, he really hopes someone like Sieuns mum wouldn’t answer it. It’s only 8pm, so there’s still a chance of Sieun being up, despite him seeming like the type to have a strict bedtime. Seongje chuckles to himself about that. With a couple seconds of standing there looking so pathetically excited with a mix of nervousness, the door makes a gingling sound and creeks open so slightly. Sieuns head pops out from the door, with a grey hoodie covering part of his face.
“…Juntae?” His voice creeks, confusion lacing between his words as he locks eyes with Seongje. “You.”
“Hey newbie, found your friend passed out. Thought I’d be sweet and help out the community” Seongje says, trying to act relaxed about the situation when such a pit of anxiousness heavy in his stomach. He’s never felt like this before, his heart feels like its swelling and he feels like a… wholesome person. That just can’t be right.
“What did you do to him?” Sieun says as he tries to lower Juntae, simultaneously allowing Seongje into his home.
“I didn’t do anything, I told you, I found him like this and thought that since you’re friends you might want him back”
A brief pause is shared “… how do you know whew I live?” Oh no.
Seongjes mind is racing, he forgot to perhaps create a reason why he might know this information on his way here.
“I do some business round here and saw you coming by” Smooth.
“Whatever, go into my bathroom and grad the first aid kit under the sink” That was close. Seongje scurries off to grab what Sieun demands. He could live like this, lol. Hurrying back, Seongje passes over the kit and lets Sieun do his thing. Juntae seems to be coming back a bit more to realisation, as he starts to freak out as much as he can in his painfully weak state. It makes seongje cringe, this kid is really just that useless, taking up Sieuns time like this. Well, Seongje DID bring him here so who is he to complain?
Turns out Juntae doesn’t live too far from here, in fact just a couple roads down from Sieun as when Juntae’s awake he tries to get home as “His mother will be worried he didn’t come home for dinner”. Sieun and Seongje help him on his way home, Seongje doing the heavy lifting (Juntae) and Sieun doing the leading. Juntae thanks them profusely with the promise that he’ll rest up for the rest of the weekend for school the following Monday. Sieun leaves with a small smile, and Seongje with a bored expression. They walk side by side back to Sieuns.
“Why did you actually help him?”
Seongje, preparing for Sieuns upcoming suspicions, has the words already on the tip of his tongue. “Thought of really changing my life around, You know, repent for all my sins”.
“Liar. What’s the real reason?”
“Could I stay the night?” The words slipped right out Seongje’s mouth, this sentence not being so prepared for
“What? No. Why?”
No going back now. “My place is soooo far and I’m tired of carrying your heavy friend so far.”
A pause that feels like an eternity long for Seongje.
“FIne. My mum can’t know you’re here though, so climb through the back window”
Surprised he even said yes. “But that’s so high up!” Seongje squarks.
“Okay, go home them”
“No.”