Work Text:
"See you guys next week again." everyone is gathering their things to finally leave work. It's Friday so Matthew is ready for a cozy weekend at home to recharge from a long week at work. For most people a 9 to 5 isn't what they want, but Matthew is content with it, wants the normalcy and steadiness.
He walks out of the office building and puts in his earphones, walking towards the subway. It's cold outside so he wraps his scarf around his neck tighter, burying his nose in it for some extra warmth. People are walking around him, cars honking and the sky is turning darker by the minute. Distracted as he is by the music in his ears, he almost doesn't notice the bicycle circling around him stoping at the last second before he bumps into it. He looks around with wide eyes and warmth envelops his chest. The man on the bike keeps making circles around him and smiling widely.
While Matthew follows him with his eyes the tall man gets close enough to unwrap the scarf and take it from him. "Hey! It's cold give it back, you rascal." he says laughing.
"Come and get it" the younger says while cycling away from him this time. Matthew is running after him and they keep going in circles, probably inconveniencing everyone that tries to walk normally. After many tries he catches the man's coat and stops him. "Caught you." he said and tried to get his scarf back.
"You did."
It had been close to 3 years since Gunwook went to the US and he hadn't heard anything from Jiwoong about his younger brother coming back. He had changed a lot since then. Broader now, his youthful features all but gone, a man Matthew almost didn't recognise. Still taller, of course, Matthew was used to almost everyone being taller than him.
"When did you come back? Does your brother know?" he asks as Gunwook starts wrapping the scarf around him carefully again. He was close now and the warmth in Matthew's chest grew stronger with his smile taking over his face again. He hadn't known he missed the younger. He hadn't known since when he felt like this but it was nice, welcome.
"Yesterday actually. And no he doesn't, no one knows. You have the honours of being my first." Gunwook smirked as he tightened the scarf, inevitably pulling him even closer. Matthew's face grew hot by his words and he hoped the purple haired boy thought it was because of the cold and not his unexpected effect on him.
"Well, should we celebrate your coming back with a drink then?"
They sat at a corner table inside the store, beer and side dishes in front of them as they talked. Gunwook told him about his 3 years in the US, his work, his friends and every cultural shock he had at the beginning. Matthew talked about his job and his colleagues, how his boss was a pain in the ass but at least he was getting paid well. They weren't friends, not really, Gunwook was always Jiwoong's younger brother that he adored. Gunwook never got tired of reminding him that they were closer in age than he and Jiwoong were, but Matthew always dismissed him talking about emotional maturity Wookie, even though everyone knew how smart and intelligent Gunwook was. Still, the 2 and a half year age gap was the only thing Matthew could use against the younger.
Both of them weren't big on drinking, something Matthew was scared of since Gunwook went to America. "I thought you'd become obsessed with partying and drinking." "I went to the US to study, hyung not drink. I'm not you." he got a dry squid thrown to his face by the older with that response. He couldn't argue though, Gunwook had seen Jiwoong and Matthew during their college years, often wasted and making, well, bad choices.
"How come you're back? I heard you had a good job there, did you do something for them to fire you?" he asked accusatory while pointing his chopsticks at him. They weren't anywhere near drunk, they've had just enough for his chest to feel warm and the noise around them to become a welcoming buzz.
"Do you really think that lowly of me, Matthew hyung?" Gunwook asked with a hand on his chest, acting hurt. Matthew rolled his eyes and looked at him waiting for the younger to tell him the truth.
Gunwook sighed and drank more of his beer "Got bored there. Missed home. I asked them to transfer me to our Korean branch and they did, after a lot of begging and negotiating. Didn't you miss me? I missed you." Matthew's eyes widened at the unexpected honesty and he bursted out laughing.
"You're so cute." he said as he put his cold hand against his cheek, trying to control the blush.
The younger pouted and Matthew couldn't help but compare him to a wounded dog. So cute.
"Didn't have time to miss you. Plus Jiwoong hyung always kept me updated so i knew how you were doing." Honestly, his friend always bragged about how successful his younger brother was doing, always talking about him when the chance arises.
"Well, that's different. That's from hyung. You could have texted me. Also, you knew about my job not me. You weren't curious about my personal life? I'm hurt hyung, I always asked about you."
"Oh, I know don't worry. A birdie told me you were a heartthrob, always turning people down. I even know how many people you've dated. Hyung isn't really familiar with privacy or personal space." it was true. He knows that Gunwook has dated a total of 3 people while in the US and has turned down triple the amount of that. And then some. It always felt weird to him, how the younger boy was so popular, but now sitting in front of him he understands. He understands too well.
At the back of his head there's a small voice telling him he should control himself, this is his best friend's younger brother, someone he has known almost his entire life, but he can't really think straight when Gunwook is looking at him with his big gummy smile and starry loving eyes. Did he always look at Matthew like he curried the sun?
"Damn, he really just outed my business huh? Well yeah, i dated some people but nothing really lasted. I think my heart wasn't really in it." he looked intently in Matthew's eyes and the older couldn't look away.
"Why would you date someone if your heart isn't in it? You should date out of love."
"Yeah. I think my heart was always elsewhere to be honest. I just tried to make it stop. Didn't really work, obviously." Matthew smiled and looked down at his beer.
"Really? Where was your heart then?" he asked even though, he's pretty sure he knows the answer.
"Right here. In Korea, i mean." he said and they both looked in each other's eyes before bursting out laughing again. The atmosphere was cozy, warm, with the rain having started at some point while they were talking.
It was comforting in a way.
"Well, i hope you give your heart to someone that can cherish it. You deserve to be loved right."
Gunwook nodded his head and leaned forward to fix a strand of hair that was falling in Matthew's eye. The latter took a deep breath because of the sudden proximity and closed his eyes. He always liked when people played with his hair, soothed him.
"I think he'll love me right." the younger whispered as he sat back down normally again.
They were walking under the same umbrella, Matthew holding it in one hand while the other was wrapped around Gunwook's forearm. They were walking leisurely, with Gunwook rolling the bicycle next to him. They were walking in comfortable silence, while the rain kept falling steadily.
Gunwook had offered to walk him home and really who was Matthew to deny him? When he left work all he wanted to do was go home and stay under the covers, only talk to the delivery man for the next 2 days, but now he kind of wished the day didn't end. He had to stop himself from telling Gunwook to walk around the block once more, or twice. Or thrice.
They stopped in front of the building and closed the umbrella. "Well, thank you for walking me home." he sounded awkward, something he had never felt with Gunwook. But it wasn't bad awkward it was cute, pure.
The younger giggled, giggled, and took the umbrella. "Always hyung. And don't be so formal with me. This won't be the last time. Now go inside, you'll catch a cold." He fixed the scarf around Matthew once again, but it was really just an excuse because there wasn't anything to fix and he was heading inside anyway.
Matthew tapped the button for the doors in the building to open and walked inside. "Goodnight" he murmured and left Gunwook outside waving.
"Go." he said watching him stand there. As the doors were about to close, he put the umbrella between them and stopped them from completely closing. They laughed like silly high schoolers from how ridiculous they were acting.
"I'll see you get in the elevator first and then I'll leave."
As the elevator opened in front of Matthew he looked back one last time and Gunwook was waving at him. Matthew waved back with a smile and the doors closed.
He sighed. It didn't feel right for the day to end like this. Something was missing and he wanted to claim it. He pressed the button to open the doors repeatedly and he got out, seeing Gunwook's back retrieving from the building. Matthew pressed for the building doors to open and Gunwook turned around at the noise.
He saw Matthew approach him and before he could react he felt a pair of lips on his. The kiss was soft, short but oh, so nice.
"There, now it feels right. Get home safe. Text me when you do." Matthew said and left a stanned Gunwook alone, quickly going inside again without looking back.
He went inside his home and squeaked like a school girl at what he did. He wasn't so sure when his feelings grew or what this would mean for them and for his friendship with Jiwoong, but he felt optimistic. It didn't feel like a crush or something passing. Seeing him again felt fated and what followed was almost natural. Like this was always bound to happen.
He peaked outside his window and to his surprise Gunwook was still there. The sight evoked a laugh out of him. The younger was jumping around and touching his lips. Crouching down and then standing up again looking at the sky with a big smile.It seemed like he didn't care about the rain falling on him and to anyone else he probably looked like a mad man. But not to Matthew.
Something in the rain made him almost fall in love.