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“Let me see it!” Seonghwa’s face was red as he tried to snatch Wooyoung's phone from his hands.
Wooyoung laughed, the sound of it echoing off their kitchen backsplash as he ran around the other side of the island counter.
“Wooyoung!” Seonghwa chased him, his eyes wide as he did.
“Aaaaand post!” Wooyoung stuck his tongue out at Seonghwa.
“You didn't-” his phone dinged with a notification. Seonghwa pulled his phone out from his pocket, his eyes somehow getting wider as he clicked the video Wooyoung had just posted.
“My roommate wants to show you his Legos, you better listen and be nice.” Wooyoung's voice filtered to them from the screen.
Seonghwa's cheeks turned red as he saw himself step in front of the screen, Legos in hand.
Wooyoung looked on, a smile on his face. Seonghwa was so excited when he was showing his sets. He had not expected his best friend and roommate to get so into it. He suspected Seonghwa hadn't expected it either, not as the red stain on his cheeks grew.
Wooyoung looked at his phone, the video already picking up traction.
Your roommate is so cute!!
Roommate is HOT 🥵
Finally a roommate reveal!!!
Ok but his Lego collection is 🔥
Wooyoung smiled as he read the comments before looking back at Seonghwa and the video he was still watching. His smile grew wider as he went to Seonghwa's page that he had linked in his video. His follower count has increased.
Wooyoung had a large following. He was a fashion TikToker who also twitch streamed gaming on occasion. His smooth transitions caught him a lot of attention two years earlier and his following had all but skyrocketed overnight. He had 1.2 million followers now and felt obligated to do something when he heard Seonghwa complaining about how no one ever watched his videos.
So when he saw the trend of people letting their loved ones show off their hobbies while standing in the background looking intimidating, he knew he had to make a video with him. His followers had been begging to see the elusive Seonghwa that Wooyoung often referenced in his video as well. It was always Seonghwa helped me pick out this shirt, or Seonghwa is playing this video game with me from his own room, so he won't be on camera.
He even would show himself teasing the older boy, or planning pranks to pull on him. But he had never once shown Seonghwa's face before. He was surprised when Seonghwa agreed to let him. And now that he had, he knew Seonghwa’s follower count for his Lego page would grow. It was a win win for them both.
“I can't believe you actually posted it,” Seonghwa let his face fall into his palm.
Wooyoung moved close to him, wrapping his arms around the taller boy from behind before resting his chin on his shoulder.
“You look so cute, I told you my followers would love you. Look at your page,” Seonghwa looked back at his phone, leaving the video to look at his page. He let out a gasp as he saw the new number.
“See, I told you it would work.”
Wooyoung sneaked a kiss on the older boy's cheek. He moved back before Seonghwa could push him away. His cheeks were red as he touched the spot where Wooyoung's lips had just been.
“You drive me crazy, you know that?” he said, his eyes meeting Wooyoung's gaze.
“You love it,” The younger boy teased, “Now go give your new followers some content!”
He smiled as Seonghwa reluctantly went to his room to do just that. He knew the older boy was excited even though he would never say it. They had been out earlier, looking for a piece to match an outfit Wooyoung was putting together, when they stumbled across two new Star Wars Lego sets Seonghwa had been wanting.
They were sitting in his room, ready to be put together, perfect for what he needed.
Wooyoung leaned on the counter as he watched Seonghwa go. Just when he was almost out of sight, he turned back, a shy smile on his lips.
“Thanks, Woo,” He said.
Wooyoung felt lighter at the words. He nodded, a smile coming to his lips that he could not hide as he motioned Seonghwa on.
He stayed where he was for a long while, watching after where Seonghwa had just been. It made him happy to finally be able to do something to help out his longtime friend.
He loved to tease the older boy and pick on him, but he also wanted to see him be successful in life. He cared for Seonghwa. He knew that Seonghwa cared for him, too. They had known each other for so long, after all. Seonghwa had seen him at his worst, and he had seen Seonghwa at his. But they always remained friends. It was rare to find a friend as good as Seonghwa. And even though he would push the older boy’s buttons, Wooyoung wouldn't trade him for the world. He knew Seonghwa felt the same.
With a content sigh, Wooyoung pushed off of the counter and went back to his own room. He tried on the outfit he and Seonghwa had bought earlier. It fit the look exactly how he had wanted it to.
He spent the next few hours taking and editing videos with the outfit that he could roll out over the next week. He let out a yawn, the full day hitting him. He had woken up early to do a sunrise photoshoot, and had gone to the gym before coming back home and going shopping with Seonghwa.
He checked the time on his phone. It was already almost midnight. He had promised his followers he would go live that evening, and he had almost forgotten. He looked over at his bed. He wanted more than anything to just go curl up in the familiar space and catch up on sleep, but he hated the thought of letting his followers down. He would do just an hour, he decided. Interact with his fans, then sleep. He could do one more hour.
He went to the kitchen, preparing himself a pack of cup noodles. It had been hours since he had last eaten, and even then, it was only a small bite to eat when him and Seonghwa had been out. He set the cup on the counter and pulled out one of the barstools to sit before positioning his phone in front of him and going live.
“Hi everyone, I'm sorry I started the live so late, I lost track of time filming new transitions,” he looked at the screen as followers began to join.
He ate his cup noodles as he talked with them, answering their questions. He smiled as more than one person left a comment asking where Seonghwa was.
“Seonghwa had been busy making content too.” He said, a smile coming to his face. He continued on, the exhaustion hitting him now that he had some food in his stomach. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his crossed arms as he continued to look at the screen.
That was the last thing he remembered before he heard Seonghwa's familiar voice.
“Woo,” he felt a hand brush lightly on his back, “Come on, let's get you to bed.”
“Mhmm,” Wooyoung mumbled, doing nothing to move.
Seonghwa chuckled.
“You always do this,” Seonghwa said. There was no harshness to his words. They were soft, like a silk caress. Wooyoung found he liked the sound of Seonghwa's voice. He liked it even more when the other boy's hand began to smooth back his hair. He let out a content sigh, falling deeper into sleep.
Seonghwa let out another chuckle.
“You're so cute when you are like this,” he mused, tousling Wooyoung's hair, “But I can't let you stay here all night.”
He reached for Wooyoung's arm, pulling it out from under him. Wooyoung groaned in protest until Seonghwa turned him and stepped between his parted legs. He wrapped his arms around Wooyoung, placing a hand on his back for support.
Wooyoung fell into him, resting his head on Seonghwa's shoulder. He nuzzled in closer, wrapping his arms around Seonghwa's neck, the scent of his cologne a comfort.
As if he were a child, his legs wrapped around the other's waist, making it easy for him to lift him from the chair.
He held onto Seonghwa tighter as he did just that.
“Come on,” Seonghwa grunted, “Let's get you to bed.”
He walked them down the hall to Wooyoung's room. He opened the door, letting out a humorless laugh as he saw the state of it. Clothes were strewn everywhere.
Seonghwa looked at the pile on the bed. There was no way Wooyoung would be able to sleep on it. He shook his head at the mess. He knew Wooyoung would be filming when they got home, but Seonghwa usually never saw the process he went through. Wooyoung knew Seonghwa hated messes, so he always kept it contained to his room. Seonghwa hadn't realized just how much he was containing. He felt overwhelmed in the space.
Holding on to Wooyoung a little tighter, he carried him instead to the next door down the hall, to his own room.
Seonghwa opened the familiar door to his room before walking to his nearly made bed and setting Wooyoung down.
He looked at the sleeping boy, noting that he was not in pajamas, but rather the outfit they had bought together earlier. Seonghwa shook his head before he began to carefully remove the pieces. Wooyoung had spent a good amount to get them. Seonghwa knew he would hate himself if he stayed in them all night and risked damaging them.
He neatly folded the clothes when he was done, setting them on his gaming table before rummaging through his stuff to find Wooyoung an extra shirt and pants he could wear. He was able to get the pants on Wooyoung, but as he lifted one of Wooyoung's arms to get it through the shirt, Wooyoung instead grabbed his arm and pulled him down. He let out a gasp, falling on his side next to Wooyoung, who was quick to snuggle up against him, his head resting on Seonghwa's chest. Seonghwa smiled down at him. He sometimes forgot how cuddly Wooyoung could be. It had always been such an endearing trait.
He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, holding him close as he, too, let himself succumb to sleep.
***
Wooyoung’s entire body felt at ease as he came to. The sound of birds chirping outside filtered to his ears. He knew morning had come, but he was not ready to get up. He snuggled deeper into his bed, only to realize there was someone there with him. He blinked his eyes open, looking at the person he was lying on.
He eased as he realized it was Seonghwa, letting his weight fully settle once more. It had been so long since he and Seonghwa had shared the same bed. They used to do it all the time when they were younger. He hadn't realized how much he missed it.
He wondered if that was why he had slept so well. He was one to usually toss and turn as he slept, never getting a full night's rest. But his body was so comfortable that he knew he had not moved much all night. He still didn't want to move.
He shifted his weight, getting more comfortable, but as he did, he realized something else. His entire body grew still, his face red.
Shit, shit, shit!
He moved slowly, detangling his limbs from Seonghwa without trying to wake the other boy.
He moved over his body and off the bed. He did not breathe again until he was slumping on the wall outside of Seonghwa's room.
He looked down at his pants, at the still noticeable erection he could see bulging there. He brought his hand up to his face. That could have been so much worse. He couldn't imagine it if Seonghwa had been awake, how embarrassing it would be.
He was lost in thought as he made his way to the kitchen. It looked like the sun was just starting to rise outside. He would get a glass of water, then go back to his own bed to get some more sleep.
A glass of cold water. Something to calm his body down. He wasn't sure what had triggered the erection. He rarely woke up with one. He wondered if it was just being with another person. He had not really dated since his following grew. He was usually too busy to bother, but also, he had enough unsettling experiences with his fans in public that he didn't really want to try. It was hard to tell who was normal and who wasn't. He was the definition of touch starved at this point, which was why he was always so clingy to his friends and to Seonghwa in particular. Maybe it was because of that that his body reacted as it had.
He ran his hand through his hair as he made it to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, looking for something to snack on, his stomach growling. He pulled an apple out. He had it in his mouth, a bite taken out as he turned. He froze as he saw his phone leaning on a cup on the counter, the screen on, comments flooding in.
He ran up to it, picking it up, unplugging the charger from it as he did.
He's back!
Wow I was thinking it would take him longer to realize he forgot to shut off the live.
Good morning baby ❤️
I wonder where Seonghwa is 👀
I wonder how he slept 😏
All the blood drained from Wooyoung's face as he scrolled back further into the comments.
“I-uh,” Wooyoung looked at the screen wide eyed, “I need to go.” With that, he ended the live. He brought his palm to his face.
He had several new notifications. Several tags. He opened his notifications page and clicked on the first tag. It was a screen recording of his live. He groaned as he saw his sleeping form on the screen. As thousands stayed on just to watch him sleep.
He stilled as Seonghwa entered the frame.
He looked on in horror as Seonghwa tried waking him up, as he turned Wooyoung around so he could hold him, then lift him up before walking away. As Wooyoung clung to him, so clearly comfortable with him.
The video recording itself wasn't anything crazy. But what made Wooyoung blush were the comments, both from his live, and from the video he had been tagged in.
Roommates 😏
They have to be fucking, roommates don't look at each other like that
Why is this my new favorite ship
Now kiss
His cheeks turned red the more he read. He looked at the original post, checking the hashtags. He clicked on his name and filtered it to see the newest content.
There were several videos published already about him and Seonghwa. WooHwa as they had been dubbed by the Internet.
He clicked on a video to see it was a compilation of him talking about Seonghwa in old videos, then it changed to the video he posted yesterday and zoomed in on his face. He had not even realized he had been looking at Seonghwa like that. How adoring his features were as Seonghwa talked about his Legos. Did he always look at Seonghwa like that?
There were several more videos that were just different versions of the first one he saw. And a few videos focused on how Seonghwa had looked at him when he found him sleeping, how he called him cute. The last video he came across had over a hundred thousand views.
Wooyoung sat down on the chair, going through everything he could find. He was so lost in his search that he didn't notice Seonghwa until he was next to him.
“You're up early,” He groaned the words out, his eyes still full of sleep.
Wooyoung slammed his phone down, eyes wide as he looked at Seonghwa. Seonghwa raised a brow at him, a mischievous smile turning up his lips.
“Whatcha doin?” He asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked between the phone and Wooyoung.
“N-nothing,” Wooyoung said, heat rising to his cheeks. Seonghwa went for the phone, just fast enough to reach it before Wooyoung could stop him.
“Hwa!” He looked away in embarrassment as Seonghwa clicked his phone on, the last TikTok he had been viewing playing on the screen. It was a ten minute breakdown of the WooHwa relationship’s life, picking apart everything Wooyoung had ever said about Seonghwa over the years.
“WooHwa?” Seonghwa raised a brow as he looked from the screen to Wooyoung's reddening cheeks.
“Give me that,” he snatched his phone back from Seonghwa, going back to the video that started his fall down the rabbit hole. He clicked the video before turning the screen back to Seonghwa.
His eyes went wide as he watched.
“I hadn't realized you were on live,” his voice was quiet as he spoke. His brows furrowed as he continued to look through content.
Wooyoung snatched his phone back.
“This is a disaster,” he buried his face in his hands.
He felt Seonghwa's hand on his back before the other boy spoke.
“Who cares what random people think? Is it really that bad if they ship us?” There was a strange tone to Seonghwa's voice, one that Wooyoung would have usually taken time to pick apart. But he was too consumed in his wallowing to bother.
“It's my first real scandal as an influencer,” he began, hugging his arms around himself, “I'm used to people objectifying me, but us together? It just feels like they are crossing a boundary.”
Seonghwa took the seat next to where Wooyoung was sitting. He put his hand out.
“Give me your phone.”
“What-”
“Give. Me. Your. Phone.” Seonghwa looked at Wooyoung expectantly, his hand still outstretched.
Wooyoung looked at it, hesitant as he did as he was told. Some of the tension in Seonghwa eased as he had the phone in his hand. He slipped it into his pocket and stood, extending his hand out to Wooyoung.
“Come on,” he said, pulling Wooyoung to his feet, “We are going out.”
“Hwa-”
“Get dressed, I'm texting the group chat right now. Let's all go out for breakfast.”
He pushed Wooyoung towards his room before walking back to his own. Wooyoung scoffed as he watched him go.
He reached his hand towards his pocket, looking for his phone, only to remember Seonghwa still had it. He smiled at where Seonghwa had gone.
“You sneaky bastard,” he laughed.
In the early days of Wooyoung's fame, he would often obsess over his page and his posts. He would misplace his phone often, and found that when he had the small break from it, he often felt better. It was only after several times of it happening that Wooyoung realized Seonghwa was hiding it from him so that he could have a break. That he would not be able to force himself to take one on his own when he needed to, so Seonghwa would step in to help. It was just one of the many small ways Seonghwa looked out for him.
Wooyoung loved that about the older boy. He was always silently doing things to help others. He cared so much about everyone. It made Wooyoung feel safe in a way he had not experienced in a very long time.
It took him longer to get ready than he was sure Seonghwa would have liked. But as an influencer, he always had to keep up appearances. If a fan spotted him, he wanted to be at his best.
Seonghwa looked him over as he stepped into their living room. His eyes slow as they moved back up his body.
“Ready?” Wooyoung said, feeling heat start to rise on his cheeks at the appraisal.
“I-yes! The others are already there, we should go.” Wooyoung nodded.
It did not take them long to reach the breakfast spot. Wooyoung smiled as he saw it. Their friends had all fallen in love with this place after Mingi found it on TikTok and made them all go. It had become their usual spot, having an assortment of both sweet and savory options so they all could order something they wanted.
The long table of six loud men was easy to spot in the early morning quiet.
“Looks like the new couple has finally graced us with their presence,” Yunho said, a playful lilt to his voice.
“Jealous, Yunho?” Seonghwa shoved the younger boy over so he could sit next to him in the booth.
Yunho wrapped his arms around Seonghwa, placing a loud kiss on his cheek.
Seonghwa swatted him away, his gaze going to Wooyoung, who was looking down at his hands, his cheeks red.
“Maybe I'm jealous, too” San pulled Wooyoung down so that he was half in his lap. He wrapped his arms around Wooyoung before peppering three quick kisses on the other boy's cheek. Wooyoung laughed, the sound of it easing the tension around the table.
“I'm a catch, you should be jealous,” Wooyoung laughed. He moved off of San's lap, but did nothing to move San's arms from around his shoulders.
“How are you guys holding up?” It was Hongjoong that spoke.
Wooyoung wouldn't look at anyone.
“We are fine,” he said, reaching for the closest glass of water and taking a drink. San shook his head, letting out a sigh before taking the half drunk glass back.
“You don't have to be strong for us Woo. We know how serious stuff like this can be,” Mingi said. Wooyoung nodded.
He knew his friends were just trying to help. He looked up, his eyes going to the seven people around him. The seven people that made up his whole world.
It was under their patient stares that he finally relented.
“I'm a bit stressed about the situation if I'm being honest.” He said.
Seonghwa eased as he spoke. He knew the older boy was worried that he would bottle it all up. Wooyoung always put the others above himself. He tried not to burden them with what was weighing him down. It was hard for him to open up. To admit that he needed help. It had been like that when he first went viral. When some of the hate comments about his style began.
He had bottled it up and would have continued to do so if Seonghwa had not caught him crying one night.
He had said nothing as he took Wooyoung into his arms, as he held him and soothed away his tears. As Wooyoung eventually told him everything.
He was not surprised when the others showed up at their apartment the following morning with goodies and coffee in hand. Wooyoung knew his friends were worried for him. He hated it. Hated that he could not handle it all on his own. They all had so much going on in their own lives, it made him feel like a burden.
“I know it's all speculation, and that obviously that's all it is, but the Internet is a harsh place.” He said after a moment, “What if I lose followers because of this? What if I lose sponsorships? This could ruin everything I've tried so hard to build-”
“Look,” Jongho turned his phone around so Wooyoung could see. Wooyoung looked over at the screen. His TikTok profile was staring back at him. It all looked the same, except his follower count had gone up from 1.2 million to 1.3.
“Oh my God-” he reached for the phone, but Seonghwa snatched it away first.
“No phones, remember?” He said, handing the phone back to Jongho.
Wooyoung looked away. He wished he had his own phone on him. That he hadn't given it to Seonghwa. But he was also aware enough to realize that reaching for his phone and obsessing over it all was also not a good thing.
“What if they all leave when they realize we aren't actually a couple-”
“Wooyoung, there is no point stressing over it. You have people that loved your content beforehand, and they don't care either way, it'll be fine no matter what happens,” Yeosang chimed in.
Wooyoung nodded, still not feeling reassured, but knowing that his friends were right. That it was out of his hands, no matter what he did.
“I know, I just- I worry. I don't want to mess this up. I don't think I can survive having to get a retail job again.” He said. San pulled him in closer, his other arm wrapping around Wooyoung in a hug.
“Your followers love you, Wooyoung, because of who you are, not who they think you are dating,” San said.
“Or who they want you to date, it's very clear that it's all just fun speculation right now,” Hongjoong added.
“And of all the scandals you could have on the Internet, being put in a ship with your best friend isn't that bad,” Mingi shrugged.
Wooyoung looked at the situation through their perspective. He knew they were right. That, in the grand scheme of things, it really was all just speculation, and the group of people doing the speculating wasn't very large. He had not lost any followers. He had actually gained some. Maybe it really would all be alright.
“Ok, fine, maybe it isn't the end of the world,” He sighed, “But if I do end up crashing and burning, someone has to take me in, I'm not doing retail again,” his friends laughed, the tension leaving them. It left Wooyoung, too, as he let himself lean on them.
They stayed out the rest of the day. Seonghwa had somehow convinced them all to take the day off and to go to an amusement park. Wooyoung was sad he didn't have his phone to document the fun, but he also was happy to have a chance to just live in the moment. To breathe. To enjoy it. Plus, he knew the others would share the pics they took with him.
He was exhausted by the time they got home. It did not take much convincing on Seonghwa's part to get him to go to bed without his phone.
He could not fall asleep, however. He tossed and turned for almost an hour before giving up and going to Seonghwa.
“-It's coming together nicely.” He heard his roommate say.
He knocked on his door, peaking his head in. Seonghwa looked up at him, a smile coming to his face.
He had one of his new Lego sets in front of him.
“W- I'm live,” He said, catching himself before he could say Wooyoung's name. Wooyoung tensed at the words.
He knew it would be best for him to go back to his room. But he was feeling clingy. He didn't understand it, but the thought of being alone the rest of the night seemed far worse than dealing with Seonghwa's fans.
“Can I join?” He asked. Seonghwa searched his face for a long moment before he nodded. He scooted over, making room for Wooyoung to pull up an extra chair.
“What are we building?” He asked, his gaze staying off the camera.
“Here, help me find this piece,” Seonghwa handed him a set of instructions. Wooyoung began to laugh and look for the piece in question as Seonghwa turned back to his live.
“I do have the best roommate,” he laughed out. Wooyoung smiled, his gaze going to the screen.
Comments were flooding in. While most were nice, there were a few not so nice ones that would occasionally appear. A few going as far as to call them homophobic slurs.
“How are you doing on finding that piece for me, Woo?” Seonghwa's soft words pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned to face him. He could see it in Seonghwa's face that he had noticed Wooyoung start to slip
Wooyoung looked back at the Legos in front of him before picking out the right piece.
“Here,” He said, lifting it up. Seonghwa smiled, taking it from him and adding it on. The rest of the live went on much the same. Seonghwa would ask Wooyoung to find a piece. Wooyoung would. Occasionally, they would make a joke, their conversation light. But it did not take a genius to see that Wooyoung was a lot more muted than he usually was.
Several people commented on it, asking if he was sick. He said he had been feeling a bit under the weather, and the questions turned into well wishes after that.
The longer they were live, the more people joined to watch, until the Lego set was done. Seonghwa held it up to the screen, showing it off.
Wooyoung could not help the smile that came to his face as he watched. A smile that dropped the moment he remembered how he looked as he stared at Seonghwa in the other video. He did not want to give people more ammo to use against him. To use against Seonghwa.
“Okay, I think I've kept Wooyoung hostage for long enough,” Seonghwa teased, “Good night, everyone!” He waved to the camera.
“Goodnight!” Wooyoung said, plastering a smile on his face as he too waved.
The moment the camera was off, he slumped forward and rested his head on the desk in front of him.
Seonghwa set his newly completed Lego set aside.
“Hey,” he set his hand on Wooyoung's back, rubbing small circles into it, “Thanks for helping me.”
“I love helping you, you know that,” he turned his head and peered up at Seonghwa as he spoke.
“I know,” the older boy continued to rub circles on Wooyoung's back, “But I could tell that being on a live with me was giving you anxiety, so I appreciate you sticking it through even though you didn't have to.”
Wooyoung nodded. With a sigh, he lifted himself up.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” He asked, his eyes hopeful.
Seonghwa smiled at him, his hand reaching out to tousle Wooyoung's hair in the affectionate way he did.
“Are you planning to steal your phone back while I'm asleep?” Seonghwa raised a brow at him.
“I hadn't even thought of that,” Wooyoung laughed out, “But maybe I should steal it back.” He teased.
“You can have it back in the morning,” Seonghwa sighed, “If I give it to you now, neither of us will get any sleep, and I'm too tired for that.”
“Fair enough,” Wooyoung said. He was tired too. And he knew Seonghwa was right. The temptation to go through his phone, to get sucked into everything, would be too strong.
“I still want to stay here if that's okay?” He said, his question coming out more shy that time. Seonghwa pulled Wooyoung to him, wrapping the smaller boy in his arms.
“Of course it's okay, who else am I going to elbow in the middle of the night if you don't?” He teased.
“You're so mean to me,” Wooyoung shoved away from him, moving to lie down on the bed instead.
“You absolutely love it,” Seonghwa laughed. Wooyoung didn't reply, not as Seonghwa moved to turn off the lights and lie down next to him.
He was grateful when the older boy pulled him in close, his arms wrapping around Wooyoung.
Wooyoung turned to face him, his arms moving around Seonghwa as he settled against his chest. It did not take long for either of them to fall asleep.
Wooyoung was not sure how long they stayed like that before he startled awake, his heart racing.
“Woo,” Seonghwa's voice was groggy as he was shaken from sleep. He blinked his eyes open in the dark of his room to find Wooyoung sitting up, his arms wrapped around himself. There was a cold sweat on his body.
“I'm okay, just had a weird dream,” he whispered out into the dark. Now that he was awake, the dream itself filtered from his mind, but the lingering feeling, the dread, the fear, it stayed.
Seonghwa reached up and pulled him back down, his arms wrapping around Wooyoung, moving him so that he was on his side, facing Seonghwa. The older boy moved forward, pressing a soft kiss to Wooyoung's forehead.
“I’ve got you,” he mumbled out, pulling Wooyoung even closer. Wooyoung was still as Seonghwa settled against him, as he realized just how close they were, Seonghwa's face inches from his, their breaths mingling in the quiet of the night.
He did nothing to move. He did not dare, not as Seonghwa's fingers brushed against the skin of his back under his shirt that had ridden up.
It was like a coal began to simmer in the pit of his stomach, sizzling with each brush of fingers, each warm breath. He gulped, unable to move as he watched Seonghwa. As the older boy drifted back to sleep, oblivious to the change in Wooyoung.
He was touch starved. That had to be it, had to be why the feeling of Seonghwa holding him close had butterflies careening in his stomach. Why he did nothing to move as he settled his head to rest in the crook of Seonghwa's neck, his heart beating to the speed of a thousand drums as he stayed safe in Seonghwa's embrace.
It took him a lot longer to fall asleep than he would have liked, his body finally easing in Seonghwa's embrace.
When he woke the next morning, Seonghwa was gone.
He looked over at the empty space next to him, the morning light reflecting off the surface of his phone. He pulled it to him, happy to see it was fully charged. That Seonghwa had set it to do not disturb. He must have known Wooyoung would be overwhelmed when he turned it off. That all the notifications would pile up until the idea of going through them all seemed impossible.
Wooyoung wished Seonghwa were there. That he didn't have to face it all alone. He stayed in the older boy's bed, hugging the blankets to his chest as he did. He knew Seonghwa had to go to work. While Wooyoung could rely on being an influencer to bring in income, Seonghwa could not. And even though Wooyoung insisted that he could afford their living expenses on their own, Seonghwa refused to do anything but pay his fair share. He was a hard worker. And he was honest. He saw how willing Wooyoung was to give to those he cared for, how often that kindness would be taken advantage of. He didn't want to be like that. Wooyoung respected him even more because of it.
He went through every social media app he had that wasn't TikTok. That was the one where the fans had been the loudest, it was the one he was worried about the most.
An hour had passed before he made it to TikTok. He had a lot of notifications when he opened the app, but he ignored all of them. He went to his page. He sat up, a laugh escaping him as he saw his follower count. It had come up to 1.5 million. He rubbed his eyes, looking at the number again to make sure it wasn't a mistake.
He had gained followers. And a lot of them. He began to look at new tags and new hashtag uses. He found several videos of him from the live with Seonghwa. While some fans continued to ship them, several videos came out expressing concern for Wooyoung. He watched a clip of the moment he began to smile, but let it die instead because he was worried what those watching would think. There was also a clip of him with a hollow look in his eyes as he read the comments on the live.
He had not realized how guarded he looked. How the entire air around him had changed. He let out a sigh before going back to his page. He had a scheduled post drop last night. It was already at half a million views. He opened up the comments section, and a lot of it was the same. While some people commented on the video itself, the majority of the comments were either asking about Seonghwa or asking about Wooyoung himself. He hadn't realized that the video dropped right after the live he had done with Seonghwa.
He rolled onto his side, positioning his phone at an angle that didn't make him look bad in the dim light of Seonghwa's room before going live.
“Hi everyone,” He said as more and more people began to join, “I know, I was quiet yesterday. I was taking a mental health break- no, no, I'm fine. I just needed to recenter and ground myself.”
He looked down at the comments.
Are you ok?!
Who do I need to fight?
Poor baby 😭
Mental health is so important, take care of yourself 🖤
“I'm fine, I promise. I think I was just a bit embarrassed that I fell asleep on my last live. My friends won't let me live it down.” He let out a laugh, it sounded strained even to him.
People got SO weird about that
Don't be embarrassed! It was soooo cute 😍
We all had a great time watching 🥰
It's weird to watch someone you don't know sleep, sorry that happened to you
The bestie interaction you had was SO good!!!
Wooyoung was quiet as he read the comments. He pulled the comforter in front of him closer, Seonghwa's scent keeping him calm.
Wait, that's not your comforter-
THAT'S SEONGHWA'S COMFORTER
Isn't that the same one from Seonghwa's live last night?!
Wooyoung's entire face turned red.
“I-I just wanted to say I'm doing better, but I think I need to take the next few days off too. I have stuff pre-recorded, so you won't be without content. I just need some time to myself, is all. I'll be back in a few days!” He put up a set of finger hearts in front of the screen before ending the live.
He groaned, letting his phone fall back onto the bed. He had not expected them to realize he was in Seonghwa's room. He had a feeling this was only going to make the rumors worse. He was happy he had been able to keep it together at the end there. He knew his face had gone red. That those watching had seen it.
He rolled over, facing the wall. He drifted back to sleep not long after, staying like that until he heard the front door to the house shut.
With a groan, he rolled over in time to see Seonghwa as he reached his room. He stopped in the doorway as he saw Wooyoung still in his bed. Wooyoung forced himself up as he saw Seonghwa's face.
“Hwa?” His voice was dry as he spoke, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He checked the time on his phone to see that only a couple of hours had passed since he went live. It still wasn't noon yet. Seonghwa was supposed to be at work for another six hours, not at home on the verge of tears.
“Woo,” Seonghwa's voice cracked. He did not say the rest of what he wanted to say as he slumped up against the door, the tears finally spilling onto his cheeks.
Wooyoung was up in an instant, rushing across the room, pulling Seonghwa into his arms. A sob left the older boy as he clung to Wooyoung, as he let himself break down, tear by tear, until they were sitting on the floor and he was blubbering out what had him so upset.
Wooyoung had a hard time catching what he was saying in between sobs, but he understood enough.
“They fired me,” he said, his grip on the fabric of Wooyoung's shirt growing tighter.
“What? Why?” Wooyoung could not hide the shock and anger that crept into his voice.
Seonghwa was so good at his job. He worked harder than most people, taking pride in all that he did. He worked at a prestigious hotel that saw many high end clients. He had won awards for his attention to detail. For always going above and beyond. It didn't make any sense that they would fire him.
“My asshole manager,” he said, taking a shaky breath that ended on a sob, “He-he saw a video of us. He said he could not have someone like me disgracing the role any longer.”
Wooyoung stilled. He knew the manager in question. He was the nephew of the mogul who owned the hotel chain. Seonghwa often complained about the prick after particularly bad days at work. But the other part was like a knife to his heart. One that twisted the longer he sat with the knowledge.
It was his fault that Seonghwa was fired. If he hadn't fallen asleep on his live... If he hadn't shown Seonghwa off on his page…none of this would have happened.
He was quiet as he continued to hold the sobbing boy. They did not move until Seonghwa's tears quieted down. And yet even then, they stayed seated where they were.
“I'm sorry,” Wooyoung said, his own tears masking his voice, “If I hadn't messed up on my live-”
“No!” Seonghwa pushed back to look at him, “I know you’re going to want to blame yourself for this, but it wasn't your fault.” He said, his face inches from Wooyoung's, “He wanted an excuse to fire me for weeks, since I won the employee of the year award instead of him. This had nothing to do with you.”
Wooyoung nodded, knowing Seonghwa was right, but also not able to find it in himself to believe him. If he had been more careful, Seonghwa's boss wouldn't have found his excuse. Seonghwa would still have a job, he would still-
He gasped as Seonghwa moved the handful of inches between them, their noses touching for the barest of moments before Seonghwa set his mouth on his.
Wooyoung’s entire body froze at the touch, as his heart beat a thousand miles in his chest.
“I'm sorry!” Seonghwa pulled back, his cheeks red.
He scrambled from Wooyoung's lap, where he had been curled up, and walked to the other side of his room, where the door to his bathroom was.
“I don't know why I did that,” he began to babble as he looked through his drawers for a clean set of clothes. Wooyoung stood, taking a step towards him.
“I guess I just wanted to know what it felt like since I was fired for it.” He said after a moment, “I-I’m going to shower.”
With that, he ran to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Wooyoung did not move for a long time, his heart was racing in his chest. After a long moment, he brought his fingers to brush along his lips.
He was confused by the kiss. By himself. By the fact that he was pretty sure he had liked it.
He moved to the bed, picking up his phone before opening it to their group chat.
911 - anyone available to come to me and Hwa’s place?
He went to his own room, going to take his own quick shower so he would be out by the time Seonghwa was done.
He could still hear the water running in Seonghwa's bathroom when he finished, and he got dressed. He didn't even have time to check his phone notifications before the doorbell rang.
He was relieved as he opened it to find Mingi, Yeosang, and Yunho on the other side.
“What's going on?” Yunho asked.
“It's Hwa,” Wooyoung said, shutting the door behind them, “He was fired.”
“That fucking bastard,” Mingi said, “He's been gunning for Hwa for weeks now.”
“Why? What reason did he give?” Yeosang asked, his arms crossing along his chest.
Wooyoung looked away, shame filling him.
“He saw the videos my followers have been making of us, he said it would be too inappropriate to let Seonghwa stay there. And being who he is, there is no fighting it, even though everyone knows Seonghwa is the better worker between the two of them.”
“Shit,” Yunho pulled Wooyoung into a hug as he said the words, “I don't need to talk to Seonghwa to know he doesn't blame you. His boss was a dick. He would have found a reason sooner or later. At least Seonghwa has you to support him while he looks for work elsewhere.”
“Hopefully somewhere with a much healthier work environment,” Yeosang chimed in. Mingi laughed at the words. The sound of it pulled Wooyoung out of his spiraling thoughts.
“The others are coming soon,” I'll message them privately about what's going on so they know what to expect when they arrive,” Yunho said as he pulled back from Wooyoung.
Wooyoung nodded, happy that he had reached out for help. They moved to the living room, talking about random things as they waited for Seonghwa to leave his room.
Wooyoung perked as he saw him. His entire being deflated as Seonghwa's eyes met his for a fraction of a second before moving away. Before more tears filled them. Their three friends surrounded him in a moment, hugging him as his sobs started once more.
They pulled him to the couch, where he sat nestled between Mingi and Yunho, leaning on the taller boys for support.
Wooyoung was quiet as he sat alone on his couch, Seonghwa's usual seat vacant next to him.
Yeosang met his gaze several times, a question in his eyes. Wooyoung just shook his head each time it happened, unsure of what he could say. He was relieved when the door rang once more.
He was quick to answer, happy to see the rest of his friends on the other side with food and alcohol in hand.
They settled around the small coffee table in the center of their living room. Drinking and eating late into the night until Seonghwa's tears turned to laughter.
Wooyoung stayed to the side as he watched all his friends, red faced and happy as alcohol hummed through their veins. He smiled as he saw San turn and place a soft kiss on Yeosang’s lips. They had been dating for three years now, but hardly ever showed affection outside of their own home. Yeosang was always so shy when it happened. San grinned like a fool each time it did, falling more and more for Yeosang with each blush that entered his cheeks.
Wooyoung ached for the kind of love they had. But he was happy for them all the same. He knew it had not been an easy journey for them to be together. That they had both been straight going into it. That they had not expected to find love in each other, but had been open to it, and to all the ridicule that came with it, when they did.
Wooyoung smiled as Seonghwa, Yunho, and Hongjoong burst out into song, the three of them moving from side to side, arms around each other's shoulders as they sang. Wooyoung took the opportunity to grab all the dirty dishes he could.
“I'll help,” Yeosang said, detaching himself from San as he too began to sing.
The two of them made their way to the kitchen, dishes piled high. It was only when they were in the quiet of the space that Yeosang spoke.
“Is everything between you and Seonghwa alright, Woo? I know he is upset about his work, but something else seems to be off. He hasn't so much as looked at you for more than a few seconds since we all arrived.”
Wooyoung looked away from Yeosang, stacking the dishes up neatly in his sink instead.
“How-how did you know you liked San?” He asked, his cheeks growing hot at the question.
Yeosang was silent for a moment.
“I started to think of him differently from how I think of all of you. I found myself waiting to see him enter a room, holding my breath as I waited for him to hug me, of my skin to come alive under his touch. It wasn't so much as knowing up here,” he pointed at his head, “As it was knowing down here,” he moved his hand to rest over his heart.
Wooyoung nodded, still not meeting his gaze.
“What happened between you two?” Yeosang’s voice was quiet. He took a step closer as he waited.
Wooyoung finally met his gaze.
“He kissed me. It was quick, but it happened, and he got flustered and apologized before running away.” He said, keeping his own voice low.
Yeosang's eyes went wide.
“Tell me everything!” He pulled Wooyoung around to sit at one of the barstools. He took the other one there, holding Wooyoung's hand in his own as he listened. As Wooyoung told him what happened.
“How do you feel about it all?” He asked when Wooyoung was done.
“I-I think I liked it, Yeo, but what if Hwa really hadn't meant to do it. He looked so shocked when it happened. And we are both straight, and you know I'm lonely as well. I haven't dated anyone in years, so this could just be me latching onto the first available person.”
“Take a breath, Woo,” Yeosang soothed. “I know this is a lot to work through, but no one said you had to do it all tonight.”
Wooyoung nodded at the words, his eyes wide as he continued to listen to what Yeosang had to say.
“I want you to sleep on it, okay? When you think about Seonghwa tomorrow, analyze how you are feeling. Maybe write it down. I can send you some articles as well to help you determine if your feelings are affectionate or romantic as well.”
Wooyoung nodded at the words, happy he was no longer alone in trying to muddle through his emotions.
“There you are,” they both quieted as Jongho walked into the kitchen. “I think it's time for San to go home,” he laughed, “He is crying about how much he loves you on Mingi's shoulder.”
The corner of Yeosang's lips curled up at the words.
“Let's talk tomorrow?” He turned to Wooyoung, who nodded in response.
He watched as Yeosang left, as Jongho did too. He was relieved to see that Seonghwa had fallen asleep on the couch. Yunho and Mingi moved him to his bed, tucking him in before the rest of them left for the night, their spirits high.
Wooyoung was glad to be alone after the long day. But he was happy that his friends had all come. That it had made Seonghwa feel better. That it had made him feel better, too. He checked on Seonghwa, his head peaking into the older boy's dark room for a moment, his gaze easing as he saw him, before he too went to sleep.
It did not take him long to sleep, his tired body ready for the rest.
But with sleep came dreams. Ones filled with tear stained cheeks, and soft lips as they brushed against his and did not stop there.
Wooyoung woke up with more questions that morning. The house was quiet as he did, letting him know that Seonghwa was still asleep. He went to the kitchen, sitting on one of the barstools as he brewed himself a cup of coffee.
The warm cup in hand, he pulled up his chat with Yeosang. True to his word, Yeosang had sent a list of articles and videos for Wooyoung to go through. He clicked the first one.
How to know if you are gay, straight, or something in between
He went through the article before clicking on the next one, and the next. He moved back to his room when he was done with his coffee, knowing he didn't have it in him to face Seonghwa yet without telling him what was going on.
When he was back in the quiet of his room, he decided to try a different method. He went on TikTok.
He began to search for videos about people realizing they were gay. The more he watched, the more the dread began to settle in the pit of his stomach.
He liked Seonghwa. No, more than that. He was pretty sure he was in love with him. In love with his best friend.
But he had no way of knowing if Seonghwa felt the same way. He began another search.
How to tell if someone likes you.
He watched more videos. None of them quite what he was looking for.
Does a friend kissing you mean that they like you?
He found a Reddit article and opened it up. Most situations were for straight couples. And while a few were similar enough to what had happened with him and Seonghwa, Wooyoung still couldn't trust it.
He went back and watched several WooHwa videos on TikTok, listening as his fans picked apart each look Seonghwa sent his way. Still, it was not enough.
He sighed before texting Yeosang.
I think I like him.
Not even ten seconds later, his phone began to ring again.
“Are you okay?” Yeosang asked as he picked up the line.
“I-I don't know. I'm a bit confused if I'm being honest. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I still am not sure I like Seonghwa because I like him, or if it's only because he is the first person I've kissed in two years.”
“You don't have to do anything if you don't want to-”
“He got fired because of me. I can't risk damaging our friendship anymore because of this. If I tell him I like him, then it turns out I don't, that's exactly what I'd be doing,” he sounded tired as he said the words.
“It's alright, Wooyoung, you don't have to do anything that makes you feel stressed out or worried. No matter what you decide, we all will support you, you know that. Like I said last night, there is no rush in coming to terms with things and making a decision about what you want to do. We will love you no matter what you decide.”
“Thanks, Yeo.”
“I'm always here if you need to talk, Woo, always . Also, if you want to know for sure if it's Seonghwa you like, or just the idea of being in a relationship, maybe try going out on a date?” He suggested, “It might help you work through it all a lot easier than you could on your own.”
“That's not a bad idea,” he replied after a moment, even though the thought of dating shot a stab of panic through him.
“I-”
There was a soft knock at his door.
“Wooyoung?” Seonghwa's voice drifted from the other side of the closed door.
“Hwa is here, bye, Yeo!” He hung up the phone, “You can come in,” he said, forcing himself to sit.
Seonghwa opened the door, crossing his arms as he stayed in the doorway. He looked around the space. Wooyoung was happy he had found the time to clean recently. He knew Seonghwa hated clutter, and as he watched the older boy, he knew any sign of disappointment on his features would be enough to crush his spirits.
“Can we talk?” He asked. Wooyoung nodded. He moved over on his bed, a habit he had from their usual conversations. Seonghwa looked at him for a moment before he walked into the room and sat on the bed next to Wooyoung. He pulled his knees up, bringing them to his chest.
“Can I pay you back my portion of the rent when I find another job?” he asked after a moment, heat coming to his cheeks.
“Hwa, even if you don't pay me back, I've got it covered. It's the least I can do-”
“I can't ask that of you, I don't want to take advantage of you-”
“Hwa, it's okay,” Wooyoung reached for his hands, holding them in his own, “You always look out for me, let me look out for you now, too.” He said.
Seonghwa hesitated for a moment before he nodded. And with that nod, it was like all the tension between them left.
“I'm tired,” Wooyoung said, “Do you want to hang out in here with me?”
He held his breath as he waited for Seonghwa to reply, his heart easing as the older boy nodded, as he moved to lie down next to Wooyoung on the small bed.
Neither of them spoke as they scrolled on their respective phones. Wooyoung hardly paid attention to what he saw on his, not as his body was attuned to every move Seonghwa made.
He rolled onto his side, facing Seonghwa, his phone in front of him as Yeosang's words came back to him. He downloaded a dating app. He hated online dating, but he knew Yeosang was right, that he wouldn't know for sure until he tried.
He began to swipe through the app. He had a clear line of Seonghwa's face as he did. Each new profile he landed on, it was easy to compare them to Seonghwa. And each time Wooyoung would swipe away. No one even came close.
Eventually, he gave up, going back to TikTok. But that ended up making him feel even worse. The more he scrolled, the more WooHwa content he got. There were some videos about his most recent live, and someone had even snapped a few pictures of them when they were out with the others the day before.
Wooyoung bristled at the invasion of privacy. He knew things like that happened to celebrities, but he wasn't a celebrity. Not really. Sure, he had a lot of followers, but most people did not know who he was in the real world. He wasn't an actor or a singer. He just posted some videos, attended some events. But he was a normal person. Nothing to warrant people following him around in real life. It sent a shiver through him. He turned off his phone screen, glancing at Seonghwa. He could see the other boy was on the same side of TikTok as him.
“I can't believe someone took our photos like that,” he said after a moment. Wooyoung let out a sigh.
“I know, it feels weird to be treated like that. I wonder if this is what being followed by the paparazzi feels like.”
“I don't know what to do, Woo. I'm not sure how to handle this. I thought we could ignore it, but I'm not sure that's possible anymore.” He trailed off, his gaze leaving his screen to meet Wooyoung's eyes.
“I'm not sure what to do either,” he let out a sigh.
He rolled over onto his back, looking up at the ceiling. He felt like everything he did made things worse.
“Maybe we should just come clean? Tell people none of it is real, that we are just friends?” He suggested. He looked over at Seonghwa.
The older boy was already looking at him. His eyes drifted down to Wooyoung's lips, lingering for a moment before he nodded. He gulped, looking away, lying down on his own back, and staring up at the ceiling.
“I guess it wouldn't hurt to try.” He said after a moment.
Somehow, Wooyoung felt worse as he heard the words. He nodded as well, even though he knew Seonghwa was not looking at him.
“Or,” Wooyoung began, his heart skipping a beat as he continued, “We could run with it and try to get you more followers.” He sat up, “If you get enough, you won't have to go back to work anywhere. You can be an influencer, like me!”
Seonghwa sat up too, his eyes wide.
“I- ok, that could work,” his cheeks were flushed as he looked at Wooyoung, as he nodded his head.
Wooyoung found his own cheeks growing flushed the longer they looked at each other.
“We can do more lives together, and maybe I can feature you in a video or two of mine.” He said, ideas beginning to form in his head, “We can just let people think what they want and not say either way what we are. People love a good ship.”
Seonghwa nodded, a smile lighting up his face.
“Okay, thanks, Woo,” he placed his hand on Wooyoung's arm, “I'm not sure what I would do without you.”
Wooyoung gulped, nodding in response, unable to find any words as he looked away, his cheeks heating.
“Want to start now?” He asked, reaching for his phone.
Seonghwa watched as he opened his camera.
“Here, lie back down,” Wooyoung pulled him back down, positioning them similar to how they were earlier.
They were both on their backs, looking up. Seonghwa had his phone lying on his chest, his hand resting on it as he watched Wooyoung, one brow raised.
Wooyoung lifted his phone up above of them, the camera on. Seonghwa smiled, his body leaning into Wooyoung as if on its own accord. Wooyoung puffed up his cheeks, closing one eye in a wink before taking the picture. Seonghwa was side eyeing him in it, clearly not expecting Wooyoung to put on such a cutesy face. Wooyoung laughed. He took a few more pictures, including one of Seonghwa copying his cutesy face.
He did some quick editing before opening Instagram and posting them with the caption: Spending the day with my favorite person.
He tagged Seonghwa in the post before finalizing it and posting.
Seonghwa opened up his phone, smiling as he saw the post. He clicked like, then added a comment.
My best friend is the best 🥰
He wrote. Wooyoung smiled, liking the comment before sharing the post to his story.
They both looked at their screens as comments started coming in.
Omg, you guys are so cute!
I can't decide which one is cuter 😭
❤️❤️❤️
Wooyoung went under the second comment.
I'm obviously cuter, he replied to the comment.
He began to leave the comment thread when he saw another comment pop up.
Finally, something we agree on
Seonghwa replied to his comment. Wooyoung looked up from his phone at Seonghwa.
“Hwa-”
“They'll love it,” Seonghwa said, clearing his throat. Wooyoung nodded, going back to his screen.
Ok, fine, Seonghwa is cuter, but only because I can't make agreeing with him on anything that easy 😌
He posted. Seonghwa let out a laugh before he began to type.
Getting you to agree I am cuter was easier than I thought it would be 😁
“You-you-” Wooyoung moved over Seonghwa, letting his phone drop as he began to tickle and pinch the older boy.
Seonghwa laughed, gentle as he fought Wooyoung off, as he rolled them so he was hovering over Wooyoung, pinning his arms down onto the bed on either side of him.
Suddenly, all the laughter left them both. Their bodies were flush, Seonghwa hovering only a foot above Wooyoung, his gaze once more going to Wooyoung's lips.
He shook his head, moving off of Wooyoung after a moment.
“We should get something to eat, I'm starving,” he stood, walking to the entrance of Wooyoung's room, turning back when he got to the door, “You coming?”
Wooyoung nodded before standing and following Seonghwa out of his room.
The next week consisted of much of the same stuff. They played up their friendship online, doing lives together, making posts. Neither of them went out of their way to do anything that hinted they were more than friends, but their fans ate it up.
I'm not sure this is healthy for you. For either of you.
Wooyoung rolled his eyes at the message he received from Yeosang. The other boy had been checking in on him more and more as him and Seonghwa grew in popularity online.
It's fine. I know what my limits are. Seonghwa and I can still be friends. It doesn't have to be weird.
It had become more and more clear to Wooyoung as he spent time with Seonghwa that his feelings for him were not a result of being touched starved. It was Seonghwa himself that Wooyoung craved. His laughter, his teasing. The cute way his nose wrinkled when Wooyoung said something overly silly.
It was all of that and more. But he knew he couldn't say anything. Not without the risk of hurting their friendship. And as much as he was starting to want more, the thought of losing Seonghwa was unbearable.
So he would keep things as they were. He would love his best friend in silence. It was no different than how he had been living the past few years anyways.
Don't you think Seonghwa has the right to decide that for himself?
Wooyoung stared at the message. He knew Yeosang was right. He knew that it wasn't fair for Seonghwa to take away that decision. But what else could Wooyoung do? He didn't want to make things awkward between them. His phone chimed
Are you watching his live right now?”
Wooyoung furrowed his brows. He closed out his messages and went to TikTok, finding Seonghwa's page easily. He clicked on his profile picture, the live icon visible.
He smiled as Seonghwa came into view. He was in his room, sitting at his desk, a Lego set in hand.
Yes, that's right. His voice filtered through Wooyoung's screen.
My ideal type is someone shorter than me, who teases me, who knows how to make me smile when I'm having a bad day. I like dark hair and eyes. And someone with a big heart.
Wooyoung looked back through the comments. It seemed Seonghwa had been talking about this for a few minutes now. The comments rolling in. Each one asking him different questions, and he would say yes or no, then add more context.
Long or short hair? Seonghwa thought for a moment, his finger going to rub his chin.
I've been liking shoulder length hair recently.
Wooyoung’s hand went to his hair. Hair that ended at his shoulders.
So what are we at now? Someone shorter than me, who teases me, who knows how to make me smile, who has dark hair and eyes, a big heart, and shoulder length hair.
Wooyoung's heart skipped a beat, unsure if he could trust what he was hearing. A message appeared at the top of his screen.
You should talk to him.
Yeosang's words disappeared a moment after they appeared. His gaze went back to Seonghwa.Tto the ease in which he talked with his fans. How honest his answers were.
Boys or girls? Seonghwa looked straight into his camera, like his gaze was searing straight into Wooyoung's soul.
To be honest… He trailed off, bringing his hand to rub the back of his neck. He looked away from the screen, as if he were debating if he was going to continue. There is a boy I like.
Wooyoung was up on his feet and through his door in an instant. He was at Seonghwa's door, opening it before he could fully realize what he was doing.
Seonghwa looked up, eyes wide as Wooyoung opened his door.
“Wooyoung,” he said, his eyes wide, his cheeks flushed as they looked at each other.
Wooyoung gulped, moving before he could lose his nerve. He went to Seonghwa, not caring anymore, before grabbing a fistful of Seonghwa's shirt and closing the gap between them. Closing it until their lips met.
He wasn't sure who was more surprised by the kiss. If it were him or Seonghwa. The older boy didn't move. It was like he was frozen in place.
He pulled back, his cheeks red.
“I'm so sorry,” he said, “I-” he didn't get to finish as Seonghwa pulled him back down. As his arm wrapped around Wooyoung's back, pulling him closer as their lips met once more.
Wooyoung melted into him, moving to straddle his lap. They were both breathing heavily when their kiss broke, their eyes locked on each other. It was only when they heard the sound of Seonghwa's phone vibrating that they turned away from each other.
Wooyoung froze as he saw Yeosang's name on the top of Seonghwa's phone. It wasn't the call that had his cheeks heating.
“Fuck,” he said, his cheeks turning scarlet. Seonghwa was still on live. He had barged into Seonghwa's room and kissed him on live. Somehow in the haze of everything, Wooyoung had forgotten that one crucial point.
Seonghwa’s gaze was back on Wooyoung, his eyes full of so much adoration that Wooyoung wanted to melt right then and there. But he knew before he could, he needed to do one thing first.
He reached for Seonghwa's phone.
“Sorry to cut this live short,” he said, his gaze turning to Seonghwa, “But this next part is not going to be appropriate for viewers.”
With that, he ended the live, putting Seonghwa's phone back down.
“Not appropriate for viewers, huh?” Seonghwa leaned back, his gaze on Wooyoung, a teasing note in it.
“Ya,” Wooyoung gave Seonghwa a sultry smile the moment before he began to lightly hit the older boy.
“Hey!” Seonghwa laughed out, reaching for Wooyoung. Wooyoung laughed before standing up and taking a step back.
“Serves you right for kissing me first, then playing it off like it was nothing!” He stuck his tongue out at the older boy, running from the room as Seonghwa stood up, a smile on his face.
“You mean like what you just did?” He raised a brow, taking a step closer to Wooyoung.
The other boy stuck his tongue out again before bolting from the room. Seonghwa chased after him, laughter leaving them both. He finally managed to catch Wooyoung in the kitchen, the place where their scandal first began. He had Wooyoung pinned, his back against the counter, Seonghwa’s arms on either side of him. And this time, when he bent down and kissed Wooyoung, neither of them pulled back.