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It was 11 pm on a Friday, a time where everyone was either tucked away in their beds, or wasting away under party lights and getting drunk off of lord knows what ungodly concoction the bartender had mixed. But no, that simply wasn’t the case for Doyoung. Doyoung was out on a little convenience store snack run since he was craving some ready-made tteokbokki and his favorite cream cheese bagel, to which he took two small tubs and three pieces of, respectively. ‘They really should’ve just called this thing a donut,’ Doyoung thought as the young lady behind the counter was scanning his items.
“That’ll be 12 dollars and 70 cents, sir.”
“Sure.” Doyoung then handed over a 15-dollar bill to the young lady behind the counter as she started bagging up his items. Doyoung scanned her for a bit. She looked like a high school student. Part-timer? Probably. He’s seen a lot of those come and go in this little convenience store near his condo as time passed. Her name is Minjeong; Doyoung found it while looking at the name tag on her uniform pocket.
“Here’s your change, sir!”
“Thank you.”
They exchanged a small head bow, and Doyoung then made his way to the exit so Minjeong could ring up the items of the next customer. Just as he was about to put his hand on one of the door handles, he heard someone call out his name.
“Doyoung!” It was familiar, too familiar. So much so, that Doyoung found himself getting goosebumps on his arms. He knows that voice, but god he wishes he didn’t. His eyes made their way to confirm their suspicion, and to his chagrin, he was right. It was Johnny.
Johnny, his ex that he dated for about 9 months, 3 years ago.
He then found Johnny making his way towards him, as he started to move a little bit away from the door, trying not to block anyone who could be coming in and out of the store.
“Wow… it really is you! How have you been?”
Doyoung wanted to roll his eyes at Johnny’s question, but since he’s looking at Doyoung with a smiley yet curious look, he could only utter in deadpan “I’ve been doing great, why are you here at this convenience store?”
“Me? Oh, I was gonna buy some drinks since I have to do a set for this club nearby that I’m DJ-ing at later!” It wasn’t surprising for Doyoung to hear Johnny say that. Johnny loved music as a hobby and being a DJ; he also loved getting picked up by Doyoung from the clubs he used to DJ in while being shit-faced drunk, which was something that really aggravated him while they were dating.
It also didn’t surprise him since his condo was in the city center, where every street or avenue is just buzzing with life. It could be the clubs nearby, the karaoke bars, the restaurants still open, being packed with those enjoying a ‘boys night out’ or ‘ladies night.’ But then again, Doyoung doesn’t care as he only wanted to buy some tteokbokki, and his favorite donut that isn’t a donut. And then maybe put on some random variety show on YouTube playing on his TV screen.
One thing’s for sure, though. He certainly didn’t expect to run into his ex here, of all places.
“How about you? Whatcha doing here?” Johnny then started rummaging through the plastic bag in Doyoung’s hand; typical thing for him to do. To which Doyoung lightly swatted Johnny’s arm with his other hand. “Hey! Don’t mess with my stuff!”
“Hmmm, tteokbokki and cream cheese bagels. You’re so predictable, Doyoung.”
Doyoung finally rolled his eyes at Johnny, to which he replied, “They’re donuts.”
“Well, technically, they’re not.”
“Well, they should be!” Doyoung shook his arm holding the plastic bag away from Johnny’s hand. “Are we done here?”
Just as Doyoung was about to turn around, Johnny suddenly held him by the wrist and said, “Wait! Since you look like you don’t have anything to do, you wanna join me during my set?” Doyoung didn’t say anything immediately; he just looked at Johnny with a raised eyebrow and a stern-looking face. He hoped that Johnny took the hint from his look.
“Come onnn! Trust me, Youngie. You’ll have lots of fun.” There it was, that damned nickname. It was something Johnny gave him back when they were still dating. Maybe it was in their second, or third month of dating? Doyoung can’t exactly remember. But what he does remember is that he doesn’t want to be surrounded by people in a sweaty dancefloor at a club with his ex at a DJ’s booth… again. Also, he isn’t exactly wearing something that would look club-appropriate. A plain white shirt with a bunny print under a grey cotton sweater, some old black sweatpants that he got as a gift from his bestie, Haechan, and Adidas slides with the white print already beginning to fade.
“No. Thanks for the offer, though.” Doyoung shook his hand loose from Johnny’s grip.
“Come onnn, Youngie! It’ll be fun! Besides, you’ll probably just rewatch SNL at home.” Johnny retorts. Doyoung scoffs and shrugs at Johnny’s rebuttal to say, “I mean, I’d rather watch Bowen Yang make Ariana Grande references for lord knows how many times than be surrounded by wild and sweaty partygoers.”
“Yeah, you would want that. But come on, for old time’s sake?” Johnny looked at him again, pouting and with pleading eyes. Johnny always hated people doing cute stuff, but somehow it almost always works in his favor when he does it. But that was before, though… when he was still with Doyoung. He doesn’t know if it’ll work to his advantage now.
“Thank you, Sir. Come again!”
Doyoung heard that voice; it was Minjeong, the part-timer. Sounds like she’d finished ringing up the items of the person who was behind him. It was at that moment that Doyoung did something he’s never done before. Why? He didn’t know at the moment, but he knew he had to get out of that situation fast. “I’m not gonna watch you get drunk after your set and take you home. And besides,” Doyoung cuts himself off to grab the arm of the customer who just finished buying stuff from the store to say, “I’m with my boyfriend, can’t you see?”
The man looked at Doyoung like a deer in headlights, while Johnny looked at him with a puzzled look.
“Boyfriend?”
“Yup, yeah. He’s my boyfriend, isn’t that right, babe?”
“Uhhh, yeah. Who’s—,” the man didn’t get to finish what he was about to say as Doyoung started pushing him out of the store along with himself, leaving Johnny’s question answered in the most absurd way possible.
Johnny could only look at both men and say, “I’ll text you sometime,” as Doyoung was almost done pushing the man out of the door.
“Please don’t!” Doyoung said with a toothy smile on his face, as he successfully pushed the man out of the door. He then took his hand and ran so that he could get away from Johnny’s peripheral view.
Johnny could only look at the two leaving the store through the glass window, head tilted in confusion as they disappeared from his line of sight.
— 🍑🐰 —
Doyoung didn’t know what was happening, but all he knew was that he was running and dragging away some man he’d never met two blocks away from the sight of the convenience store. He then found a small alleyway on the right corner, being illuminated by a few streetlights, finally stopping and catching his breath along with the man he just dragged along.
It was at that moment that it finally sank into Doyoung what he had done. And in between his erratic breathing, he took a few seconds to take a careful look at the man he took away and see what he looked like. A tucked white shirt, a leather jacket, and black pants held together by a simple belt. The man’s hair was platinum blond; it doesn’t look like it’d be his natural hair color. He was holding two plastic bags, like what he got from the store. Although the contents are another thing that Doyoung will probably mull over later. And in between those small breaths of the man in front of him, there were a few freckles, sweat beads, and dimples too deep to be true. ‘Oh, this man is fine,’ was what Doyoung thought in his head.
As they were both starting to compose themselves, Doyoung broke the ice to say, “Look, I’m sorry about that earlier, it was just—it was just a spur of the moment thing. If you want me to explain—,” Doyoung was about to finish what he was saying, but the man in front of him raised his hand, signaling him to stop for a while.
“It’s okay. I mean, I did overhear a bit of what you guys were talking about earlier.” The man before him spoke. Doyoung was finally able to properly register the sound of the man’s voice earlier. Damn, what a nice voice.
“Oh? So why didn’t you intervene?” Doyoung asked with curiosity painted on his face.
“Bystander effect, sorry. Also, I don’t even know you. Stranger danger, I guess, and the conversation didn’t seem too dangerous enough to warrant any intervention.” The man replied in a sympathetic tone.
“Yeah, you’re right. Touché.”
The man then let out a small chuckle, and maybe it was because of the street lights shining upon them, but Doyoung saw how deep and intricate his dimples go as the man paints himself with a smile.
The man then reached out his hand for a handshake. “I’m Jaehyun, by the way. Legal name’s Yuno Jeong, but you can call me Jaehyun.” To which Doyoung reciprocated the man’s offer. “I'm Doyoung. Legal name, Dongyoung Kim.”
“Oooh, nice. What’s your story?” Jaehyun asked, curious about Doyoung’s name.
“There’s not really that much of a story. My parents just wanted to make my name sound shorter as I grew. So it’s kinda like a nickname that stuck around. What’s yours?”
“I guess it's the same as the last part of your story, but it was mostly because my Grandma wanted me to change it, so I did. Jaehyun used to be my legal name, and I guess people got used to it more than the new one. So it just kinda stuck around, too.”
“That’s so interesting. Which one do you like more?” Doyoung asked, rather intrigued.
“Meh, I don’t really have a preference over the other. I mean, semantically, they’re both still my name, right? I guess it’s because I’ve introduced myself so much as Jaehyun that it’s become a habit.”
“Makes sense, it kinda rolls off the tongue better too. Jaehyun…” Doyoung said softly. There was a small air of awkwardness after that, and then Doyoung quickly came to his senses again to try and bid goodbye to the man he just met. “Well, uh, thanks, and also sorry again for indulging in my whim earlier. I guess I’ll go home now. See you, Jaehyun!”
Just as Doyoung was about to turn around to walk back to his condo, Jaehyun softly grabbed Doyoung’s forearm and said, “Uhm, wait! Do you, kinda, wanna hang out for a bit?”
“Huh?”
“Well… I don’t know, but with what just happened earlier, you look like you don’t wanna be alone right now.” Doyoung paused for a moment to ruminate on what Jaehyun said. The man was right; he might run into Johnny again on his walk back to his condo—and maybe it’s because the cute guy’s offer just seemed too good to reject. “Hmmm, I guess I could take you up on that offer.”
Jaehyun smiled. “Great! Then let’s go to my motorcycle—Wait, you do know how to ride one, right?” Jaehyun asked, with genuine concern painted on his face. It was honestly cute and made Doyoung chuckle. “Yeah, I do. Don’t worry about it. Just promise me one thing. I won’t be chopped up to pieces and end up in a true crime Netflix documentary, right?”
Jaehyun laughed at the question. Valid, but it was rather hilarious being heard out loud. “Yes, I promise I won’t pull a Hannibal Lecter on you.”
Jaehyun reached out his pinky with a dimple-filled smile as a gesture of confirmation to Doyoung’s request. ‘How childish,’ Doyoung thought. But either way, he still reciprocated the man’s gesture with a pinky swear, even if he did find himself rolling his eyes at the man.
“By the way, where’s your bike?”
“Oh, it’s just another block away from the road before we took a right turn to hide here.” Jaehyun pointed toward its direction, which was parked in front of a high-rise building.
“Then why did you walk all the way to this convenience store?”
“Well, it’s because my motorcycle’s parked just below my office.” Doyoung nodded, with his mouth opening mimicking an “ohhh” sound that could barely be heard. “And this was kinda the nearest one around.”
“Alright, alright. I’ll find out about your little convenience store run later. Let’s go.”
The two then walked towards the front of the building that had Jaehyun’s parked motorcycle; there was a shared silence during the walk. It was awkward, but it was calm. It was pretty much a weird experience for Doyoung, as the bustling noise of the city center just seemed to fade in volume. It’s almost like he had tinnitus, but no, he can hear the footsteps of the man in front of him leading the way, and the cracking of leaves on the sidewalk that they’re walking on. Who knew the busy metropolis could have moments this serene?
The two made their way to Jaehyun’s motorcycle. Doyoung was piqued when he saw the man’s bike was a vintage Harley Davidson. Many things were running through Doyoung’s head that time. But all he could think was, ‘Oh, this is either gonna end with me getting into an insane one-time situationship that I’ll never get over for a few months, or me ending up on the news along with a ‘missing person’ police report.’ There was also a secret third thing that Doyoung thought this escapade could end up as, but he’ll just mull it over later down the road.
As Jaehyun was fixing up his motorcycle from its stand and opening the top box to get a spare helmet, Doyoung quickly glanced at the paraphernalia he could see on the bike. There was a miniature Kirby doll hanging from the rods on one of the side mirrors. A small bi flag raised from the top box. Various Pokémon stickers, along with other stickers like roses and coffee cups, were stuck on the top box and other parts of the rear. Such interesting trinkets and symbols from a man who looked like he almost belonged to a biker gang. But another thing that stood out from these in Doyoung’s mind was that Jaehyun might be bisexual.
“Here, put this on.” Jaehyun reached out to give Doyoung a spare black helmet.
“I’m wondering… why do you have a spare helmet?” Doyoung asked curiously, to which Jaehyun replied with, “Oh, well, sometimes I’d carelessly bring my helmet inside the office and forget I left it there. That’s why I have a spare, to save me from going back in. I mean, we’re on the 27th floor, and I’m too lazy to go back up to even bother.”
“Pfft, that’s so lame. But I get it.”
Doyoung then wore the helmet and quickly hopped on the bike. It wasn’t until he got on that Jaehyun finally started the engine. As Doyoung started hearing the sound of the muffler releasing smoke and gas, all that was running through his head right now is that whatever happens, happens. He already has his mom and his best friends, Jungwoo & Haechan, on speed dial in case something goes awry. Doyoung definitely didn’t want to be a new true crime documentary on Netflix.
— 🍑🐰 —
It was a 15-minute drive. Doyoung couldn’t exactly see where they were, as the helmet that Jaehyun gave him was a bit tinted, and it was a bit late at night already. The drive was silent as well; no conversations initiated as Doyoung wanted Jaehyun to focus on driving—except for maybe when Jaehyun told Doyoung to put his hands on his shoulders, worried the man might tumble left or right.
It wasn’t until Jaehyun said, “We’re here,” that Doyoung finally got to see where they ended up. It was a small coast along the outskirts of the city. Doyoung had only seen this place before during the instances where he was driving home from work, but he’d never actually have the time to stop by. ‘It’s pretty,’ Doyoung thought back then when he’d see it during the sunset, and it still is now during the nighttime—or at midnight, since it was 11:47 pm when they arrived.
“Why’d you think to bring me here?” Doyoung opened up the question as Jaehyun was hanging his other helmet on the bike. “Well, I figured this could be a good place to unwind since you look like you need someone to talk about… that earlier.”
Doyoung could only nod back at Jaehyun’s response until the latter said, “Oh, wait. Can you hold this for me?” Jaehyun gave the plastic bag he bought from the store to Doyoung before taking his helmet and putting it in the top box. Doyoung quickly saw what the man had bought: Two bottles of Soju, two packs of beer that had six cans each, and some ham & cheese sandwiches. When he returned his eyes to look at the man fiddling with the top box, he saw the man taking out a white and blue checkered blanket.
“What’s with the blanket?”
“Well, sometimes I’d bring this blanket to my office at times when we don’t get to go home. Sometimes I’d just sleep on the couch in the break room, and go home the next day after taking a slide shift.”
Doyoung then mouthed a small ‘ohhh,’ to which he followed up with saying, “Sounds like your company’s running you ragged… Does that explain the alcohol?”
Jaehyun chuckled. “Sorta. I did a bit of overtime. And since it’s the weekend, I thought I could go and restock the alcohol stash in my fridge.”
“So you wanted to drink all by yourself at home?”
“Sorta like that. But since I offered to hang out with you, I figured this could be a good time to go here since I’ve been a bit curious about it. Plus, I wouldn’t be able to commit a Ted Bundy on you since this place is a bit public.”
Doyoung then nudged the man’s shoulder, to which Jaehyun let out a small laugh. “You’re so lame.”
“Sorry, sorry. I kid. Come on, I’ll set up the blanket in a good spot.”
— 🍑🐰 —
Doyoung followed the man until they stood on a spot close to the shore, but not too close where the waves could wash over them during the night. The blanket was big enough not to invite any stray sand that could stick to their clothes. Doyoung took off his slippers to sit down and finally got to take in all of the scenery. It was quiet, but the sound of the crashing waves at high tide was enough to act as noise. It was also a bit chilly out, but it wasn’t cold enough for both men to need any additional covers. Behind them, he could see some palm trees slightly covering the road and a lot of cars still passing by. There were also a few skyscrapers towering behind the trees. Jaehyun was right, the chances of this beach being a crime scene would be almost ten percent, going to zero.
“Here,” Doyoung felt something cold touch his arm, as Jaehyun began to break open the one beer pack he had to give to him. Doyoung responded with a quick thanks.
“Do you want some tteokbokki?” Doyoung offered, trying to pay back the man who lessened his stash for him. Jaehyun was about to refuse, but Doyoung quickly followed up his question with, “Come on, you already broke open your stash of beer for me.”
“Touché. Alright, give me one.”
Doyoung then took one of the tteokbokki tubs he had and gave it to Jaehyun, while also getting his own along with some chopsticks. Jaehyun then muttered a quick thanks to Doyoung.
The two then ate in silence for a bit, being only a few rice cakes in, until Jaehyun finally cracked open his own beer can to take a sip. Doyoung then did the same shortly.
“So… what’s your story?” Jaehyun asked, trying to ease into the silence between them.
Doyoung quickly swallowed a small bit of rice cake he had in his mouth. “Hmmm… Well, you already know my name, but yeah, Doyoung Kim, 27 years old, born on February 1, currently working as a Graphic Artist and Set Designer for Neo Cultural Theatre Group.”
“Neo Cultural… isn’t that the place that does those theatre performances and adaptations, and the one where the National Orchestra would sometimes perform?”
Doyoung finished sipping a bit of his beer. “Yeah, how’d you know that?”
“Yeah, I went to their show almost two years ago. The theme was ‘Hear The Sea,’ a special performance curated by the Red Velvet Sisters.”
“Ohhh, that one, that was one of my proudest works yet,” Doyoung said with a smug grin.
“You did the set design for that?!”
“Well, only the backdrops. I didn’t do the ones that were placed on the stage, but I did make the promotional poster and flyers for the show, though.”
“Wow, you’re so amazing, Doyoung.”
“Pfft, come on. I was just doing my job.” Doyoung took another sip of his beer.
“Still, I loved that performance. Not just because of the orchestra, but everything from the stage design, costumes, and the performance was just magnificent. I even took one of the flyers home and hung it up in my room.”
“Wow. Thank you, Jaehyun.” The smug grin that was on his face earlier had now become a smile. He felt a little bit warm in the face. He was blushing; he knew that. It couldn’t have been the one small sip he had from his beer. Doyoung was blushing, and it was all Jaehyun’s fault. But thank god Jaehyun didn’t notice it.
“How about you? What’s your story?” Doyoung asked, trying to steer the conversation so that Jaehyun wouldn’t notice the change in his face.
“Hmmm. You know my name as well. Jaehyun Jeong, 26, born on February 14, and I work as an I.T. Manager at Easy Peach Tech.”
“You were born on Valentine's Day?!”
“Yeah.” Doyoung was shocked. It was rare for him to see someone born on that day.
“That’s interesting. Also, wowww, corporate. No wonder you needed a drink alone.”
Jaehyun nodded at Doyoung’s response. “Yeah, I did a bit of overtime since there was a bit of a problem with our servers again, but luckily, the other managers on the I.T. Department helped out, even the ones during the night shift.”
“Yeah, that seems fair. At least you’re getting paid overtime.”
Jaehyun shrugs. “Yeah, thankfully. But I’d much rather choose to go home early than stay at work even if it is paid.”
Doyoung couldn’t argue with that. “Makes sense, sometimes when some stage plays take too long to rehearse, or when there’s a performance at night, I’d sometimes go in the place of others who can’t cover for the day.”
“But you’re getting paid for your time, right?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it. I mean, there are times when I feel like I’m being overworked, but I love my job enough not to notice it.” Doyoung said with a hopeful look on his face.
“Yeah, same. I love my job, even if it wasn’t my first choice, it pays the bills, and has enough for me to indulge in other recreational shit or some hobbies.”
“Oh, really? What was your first choice?”
“I wanted to be a singer, actually.”
Doyoung looked dumbfounded. He did not expect that answer from the man. Jaehyun chuckled after noticing the expression on the older’s face. “You didn’t expect that, huh?”
“No… not really,” Doyoung said while shaking his head left and right, slowly.
“Yeah, I get it. I took a major in Communication Arts back when I was still in Uni, and a minor in I.T.—kinda like a scapegoat if the whole singer thing didn’t take off.”
“If it’s not too privy to ask…” Doyoung started, sounding a bit wary of what he’ll say next, “May I ask why?”
“It’s okay. I trained under a company called Mad City to become an Idol for two years, back when I was in my 4th year of Uni. I was enjoying my stay, but it kinda became a bit hard being able to balance my time. But it worked out, since after graduating, I got to fully focus on my training.”
Doyoung was listening very intently to Jaehyun’s story. He also noticed the man’s expression was a bit melancholic, even though he was still smiling.
“But during my stay, you get to see how shitty the entertainment industry can be sometimes, even as a rookie. There’d be power trips from higher-ups, and there’d be times when I’d practice singing and dancing so hard that I couldn’t stand or speak anymore. It even got so bad that I had to be hospitalized due to some issues with my back for almost a month. My parents started to worry so badly; my mom even cried when I was healing from my injury. She said she’d still support me, but she’s worried she’ll come home one day to a son no longer in one piece. So after two years, I quit. Got a job at a tech company, and it’s mostly been up from there.”
“Do you regret it?”
“Not really. I mean, yeah, it is a bit sad, but it’s not something that I should let loom over me like a grey cloud forever. I know some people have sob stories about ‘not reaching their dreams’ and whatnot, but I don’t really regret doing what I did.”
Doyoung nodded. “Besides, we all make choices in this life. I was fully conscious of the choice I made back then. And even then, I loved technology enough that I made it one of my minor degrees. And it’s not like I gave up on singing or performing entirely—Oh, wait! Look here.”
Doyoung waited as the man reached inside his own pocket to show his phone. He was fiddling around for a bit until he got to show Doyoung what he was on his phone for. It was a YouTube Channel, ‘Valentine Peach’ was the name. It had around three hundred ninety thousand subscribers. Doyoung looked at the man to ask what it’s for.
“It’s a YouTube channel I made. I do song covers there. I figured if I still wanted to fulfill my dreams of being a singer, I should just make it a hobby during my own time.”
Doyoung was in awe. He shared a small soft clap to ask the man, “Wow, could you play a song for me then?”
“Sure.” Jaehyun quickly went to the ‘Videos’ section of his channel and clicked on a random cover. It was a cover of “Ivy” by Frank Ocean. Doyoung looked at the video and listened intently. Jaehyun was sitting in a wooden chair, with the background being a plain white wall. The camera was angled well enough to show only Jaehyun’s upper torso up until his neck, face not shown. It makes sense. Doyoung saw the other covers of his being recommended, it was all the same angle. Jaehyun did not show his face, which was kind of a pity since even Doyoung was dazzled at how fine a man he looks up close.
‘If I could see through walls, you could see me faking,’ Doyoung listened to how well the man was singing. Jaehyun’s voice was deep, but it was soothing. Like a glass of lemonade during a summer vacation. Like a fireplace during the nights of winter. Warm. Jaehyun’s voice was warm.
‘We were friends—,’ Jaehyun then paused the video to see what Doyoung's reaction would be. He took a few seconds to collect himself before saying, “Wow, you sound amazing.”
Jaehyun chuckled at Doyoung’s remark. “Thanks, Doyoung.”
“No, Jaehyun. I really mean it. It’s almost like I’m a bit sad you didn’t get to live your dream completely.”
Jaehyun smiled shyly. “Hey, don’t be. As I said, we all make choices that we feel work best for us. And I can get to make new dreams, and make new decisions. Just like how I chose to take you to this beach.”
Doyoung scoffed softly. “Pfft, am I supposed to thank you?”
“Up to you.” Jaehyun then put his phone back in his pocket to take another sip of his beer.
“Thanks, Jae.”
“Jae… I like the sound of that, kinda like a cute pet name.”
“Oh, shut up!” Doyoung nudged Jaehyun’s shoulder, which made the latter push Doyoung back, but not hard enough to make Doyoung fall on his back. The man would definitely not appreciate his hair hitting the sand.
— 🍑🐰 —
The two continued eating their tteokbokki. Jaehyun was already cracking open his third can of beer, while Doyoung was only halfway to his second can. He also ate one of his beloved ‘donuts’ already.
Jaehyun finally broke the ice to ask what he was curious about earlier. “So about that thing in the convenience store earlier.”
Doyoung stopped sipping on this beer to look at the man and say, “Took you long enough to ask that.”
“I mean, I wanted to know more about you before getting into that right away.” Doyoung chuckled at the response. ‘Cute,’ was what they both thought.
Doyoung then heaved a deep sigh before starting his story. “Can I have that one bottle of soju you got? This might be a wild ride.”
“Sure.” Jaehyun didn’t hesitate bringing out the two soju bottles from the plastic bag. He wouldn’t wanna leave Doyoung drinking soju alone. “Can I have one of those bagels, though?”
“They’re donuts,” Doyoung said sternly.
“Whatever you want to believe.” That remark then earned Jaehyun a cream cheese bagel lightly thrown at his chest. The man could only chuckle as he opened the wrapper.
Doyoung took a sip of his now-opened soju bottle before starting. “Okay, so the man I was talking to was my ex. His name’s Youngho Suh, but he goes by Johnny. Born in Chicago, but moved here for Uni. Dated for 9 months, broke up almost 3 years ago.” Jaehyun was eating his bagel while listening to Doyoung’s story intently.
“I don’t know if you heard everything, but he was asking if I could join him in this club that he’d be DJ-ing at. I don’t have any problem with it personally. I know how much that lugnut loves music, but with the way he is… or at the very least how I remember him, it wouldn’t do me good being in the same space as him.”
“Hmmm, what makes you say that?” Jaehyun asked with his mouth still chewing the bagel. There was a bit of cream cheese on the side of his right lip. “Are you still not over him?” Jaehyun followed up, finally swallowing his food and cleaning the stain on his lip.
“God. Ew, no. I’m already over him. I’ve actually been for a long time. But I know how he is, he’s a little—what’s it called—maybe a little too in your face? Yeah.”
“How so?”
“Well, he’s the kind of ex who knows you don’t care about him, but will still continuously ask questions about whether you have a new partner or not. And if you do, bless your heart, he’ll just continuously ask questions that may be too… not safe for work? Questions that you definitely wouldn’t dare ask in a convenience store at 11:09 at night out loud.”
“So, he loves being in everyone’s business and doesn’t know how to read the room?”
“Yes! Exactly that.”
Jaehyun was crumpling the bagel wrapper and carefully put it away inside the plastic bag, now turned improvised trash bag. Doyoung quickly added to his story. “I remember when we saw one of his ex-girlfriends at a friend’s party, and she looked like she wanted the ground to close in on her as Johnny shared with her new boyfriend that she likes to do pet play.”
“Oof, that’s… weird.”
“I know, right? And mind you, they haven’t even been together for almost a month. I mean, I guess that's fine and all… sharing relevant information, yadda yadda. But, if I were someone’s new boyfriend, I’d definitely be fucking puzzled being told about my current partner’s kinks from her ex while fucking ‘Break My Heart’ by Dua Lipa’s playing in the background of a neon-themed party.”
“Seems like you really hate your ex.”
“Nah, I don’t exactly hate him. But he was a bit too much for me. I loved that we both had a passion for music, and I loved that we shared a bond with our crafts, but it’s just that he’s too much of a social butterfly for his own good, that it could potentially destroy me. And since we’re exes, I wouldn’t like being on the receiving end of his interrogations.”
Doyoung sipped again from his soju bottle. “Plus, I know how those DJ sets all end up. He’ll just get drunk and make someone pick up the pieces of his drunken self and take him home. I wouldn’t exactly call him a manchild, but those couple of instances could sure define him as one.”
Jaehyun could only chuckle at the last remark. “Sounds like you’re really over him by slandering him like this.”
“It’s not slander, it’s just a fact brought to life by a collective number of evidence.”
The two then sipped their soju bottles. Doyoung hadn’t noticed that Jaehyun already finished his third can of beer. “What about you? Did you have any exes? And, do you have any stories you could share?”
“Hmmm, I’ve had a couple. Two girlfriends and one almost-soon-to-be boyfriend. Breakups were a bit amicable, kinda.”
Doyoung nodded at the man’s response. “First one was just a high school puppy love, didn’t even last two weeks. She just liked me since she just wanted to gloat about being with ‘the great Jaehyun Jeong,’ or whatever. I confronted her about it, and she apologized. We’re still mutuals on Instagram, though.”
“Second one, we met in college during our second year, became a thing for maybe about… two months? We ended things since we both got a bit busy, though.”
“Mhm, how about the third one?” Doyoung was curious about this one, since Jaehyun said they were ‘almost’ boyfriends; on top of the fact that it was a guy.
Jaehyun heaved a deep sigh. “His name was Taeyong Lee. We met in college for a few courses, instantly clicked, and became great friends. It wasn’t until the end of the semester, during our fourth year, that I thought, ‘Shit, I think I might be catching feelings for my best friend.’ But, can you blame me? We did everything together. Stage plays, filming videos for a few courses, pulled many all-nighters, a lot. Even in ones where we weren’t even in the same class.”
Doyoung nodded at the man telling his story. “I don’t know, maybe that’s just how friends are, but there were a few times where the line between us in terms of friendship and a romantic relationship looked… blurred.”
Doyoung breathed out a soft smile. “Sounds like you really loved him.”
“He was my first in everything, Doyoung. He made me realize a bit about my sexuality. That I could fall in love with men the same way I did with women.”
“Hmmm… I guess that explains the bi flag on the back of your motorcycle.”
“Yeah. I’d like to think that people are bi until proven straight or gay, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking.”
Doyoung let out a soft laugh. “Maybe. Yeah…” He then turned to look at the man with an inquisitive look on his face. “And then what happened?”
“Thought about finally making it official after graduation. Was supposed to do it during a dinner I invited him to, but turns out, he was about to leave the country… He got a job. Abroad. In Germany.”
Doyoung was speechless. He’d only thought that it was only in the movies where people would be in that kind of scenario. Turns out, they’re real, and Jaehyun is the living proof of that.
“It broke me, my best friend was leaving me. But I didn’t wanna be selfish—I don’t have the right to take his dream away from him—so we settled. We stayed friends. And when he got to Germany, we barely contacted each other since I got busy with my training, and he got busy with work. Timezones were hell, too.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah… You know, I thought if I could become a famous enough idol, I’d be able to go to him maybe in the future. That was one of the thoughts that kept me going during the whole ‘training to be an idol’ deal. I’d be practicing, trying to sing and dance until my body couldn’t no more.”
“Oof, that’s rough…”
“Yeah, it wasn’t until my injury that my buddy Ten told me, ‘Why are you trying so hard to break every bone in your body in fulfilling your dream over a man who wouldn’t even lift a finger to know how you’re doing?’”
Doyoung mouthed a small ‘ohhh.’ “And honestly, when he said that, that’s when I knew that something finally needed to change. My family begging me to leave, and the whole ‘shady company’ shit was just the cherry on top, to be honest.”
“Your buddy seems like a great guy.”
Jaehyun nodded. “He is. Wouldn’t be in the place I am now without that little fireball.”
“I thought you said your breakups were amicable, but how come that last one sounded painful?”
“I said they were amicable, but I didn’t say that some of them didn’t exactly hurt.”
“Makes sense.”
Both men took a sip of their soju once more. “But like, if you were given a chance, like if the time was right, would you try to ‘get back’ with him again and make it work?”
Jaehyun pondered on the question for a bit. “Honestly, it’s a bit of a mix between yes and no. Yes, since he was my best friend, and I’d love to rekindle the friendship that we had. But, I’d probably say no to the ‘making it work’ thing with him as boyfriends.”
“Oh, how come?”
“I’ve already grieved the ‘what could’ve beens’ regarding that possibility. And I’ve already healed from it.”
“Oh, okay. That’s good to hear.” Doyoung couldn’t help but smile at that response. Why was he smiling? It’s a good thing Jaehyun didn’t notice it.
“And if there are some delayed realizations that I haven’t healed yet from, I’ll push forward and heal from them again if I have to. People are a continuous work-in-progress, after all.”
“Right, right.”
“How about you? Would you try to get back and make it work with your ex?” Jaehyun asked with a pensive look on his face.
“With Johnny? Hmmm, seriously, no. In my head, that whole chapter of us being together has already closed. Like a one-time book you finished reading. You either donate it or leave it on a shelf for display, never to be seen or opened again.”
“What about right here?” Jaehyun pointed to the left side of his own chest.
“Hmmm… I don’t think the love that I had for him will ever go away. I mean, at least when I’m talking about the time when we were together. But now, a hundred percent, I can say that there’s no space for him to occupy even the smallest string or aorta anymore.”
Jaehyun chuckled at the response. “You make it sound like he’s dead.”
“I mean, our relationship is technically dead. Kaputt. Six feet under. Wouldn’t wanna dig that shit up again.”
Jaehyun laughed at that. “I get it.”
— 🍑🐰 —
“Okay, okay. And so Jungwoo just, ‘Boom!’ Instantly crashing into one of the boys skateboarding in the park because his bike wouldn’t brake.”
Jaehyun was laughing hysterically at Doyoung sharing stories about his friends. Whether it was Doyoung sharing about Haechan’s dentist appointment, where he was so scared that he spat water right on the dentist’s face, or Jungwoo face-planting into a shrub along with another boy who was skateboarding in the park.
“I can’t believe your friend’s love story started because he and this boy were sent flying and hit a shrub. Your friends seem like a riot.” Jaehyun said as he was wiping tears off his face from laughing.
“Yeah. It’s never a dull moment with those two bastards.”
“You guys should come to this house party I’ll be having next Friday.”
“Oh, what’s the occasion?”
“I just finished moving to this new place I got almost two weeks ago. Needed a new place since I got kicked out the old one.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Well, I got this cat around three months ago, and our old apartment didn’t allow pets. Thought I could be discreet and hide her, but well… You know the rest.”
“And so, you didn’t.” It was easy for Doyoung to connect the pieces. “But also, you have a cat?”
“Yeah! Why?”
“I don’t know, didn’t peg you for the type to be a cat person.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know, you just seemed so… cool.”
Jaehyun chuckled at the remark. “So cool people can’t have cats?”
“Let me put it this way. You looked so cool that when I saw you and your motorcycle, that you looked like you’re part of a motorcycle gang that does street racing during ungodly hours.”
Jaehyun was speechless for a few seconds, but he was smiling at the older’s words. “You have… a pretty wild imagination for someone with a first impression.”
“I can’t help it! With your get-up, who wouldn’t think you were cool?”
Jaehyun chucked again at Doyoung’s impression. “Thank you for the compliment, but I don’t think I’m cool. I’m actually a very shy person, so sometimes I wear clothes that help bring out my confidence.”
“Confidence… Does that explain the random invite for a drink session at the beach?”
“Hmmm… well, I guess you could put it that way. You looked cute when I got a good look at you in that alley.”
Doyoung was speechless for a few seconds. ‘Cute,’ What did Jaehyun mean by that?
Doyoung then shifted the topic to ask, “So, what’s the name of your cat?”
“Her name’s Dandy. She’s a mix between a Siamese cat and a Persian cat.”
“Ohhh, interesting name. Does she have a story?”
“Well, when I got her from the pet shop, just as I walked out of there, I saw some dandelions flying out of the flower shop from across the road. Thought it was a cute sign, since I was already wondering on what to name her.”
“I see. So are dandelions your favorite flowers?”
“Nah, roses are my favorite flowers.”
“Oh? Then why didn’t you just name her Rosie?”
“It’s a bit on the nose, don’t you think?”
Doyoung chuckled at the question. “Likes roses, born on Valentine’s Day. It’s almost like you’re a walking stereotype, Jae.”
Jaehyun chuckled at that. “Heyyy, don’t say that, Doie.”
“Doie?”
“Yeah, I just thought of it on the spot. Do you like it?” Jaehyun asked while he was sporting a sweet smile.
“My parents used to call me that as a child.”
Jaehyun could feel his smile slowly fade. “Oh, do you not want me to call you that?”
“No, it’s okay. Keep calling me that. It just reminded me of home.”
“Okay, Doie.” Jaehyun was smiling again. “Would you believe me if I told you that I came up with that because you loved calling those bagels as donuts?”
“Because they are!”
“They are not, but like I said, whatever you want to believe.”
“Well, they should’ve been called donuts, but I guess everyone’s too much of a critic!” Jaehyun laughed at that, which earned him a soft smack to the chest by Doyoung.
“I should probably visit back home sometime.”
“How long has it been since you last came back?”
Doyoung pondered on it for a bit. “Hmmm… probably 2 years ago?”
“Makes sense why you’re homesick.”
“But it’s okay, I still feel at home even while I’m here in the city. I have my friends, my love for my job, and getting to experience new places here and leaving memories behind.”
“I get that.” Jaehyun smiled softly.
“And then there’s you.”
Jaehyun looked at the man curiously. “Me?”
“Yeah, you feel like home too.”
Doyoung then giggled and just continued to eat the last opened bagel he had. What did he mean by that? Jaehyun tried not to dwell on it, as he continued drinking his soju, while cracking open another can of beer.
— 🍑🐰 —
Jaehyun didn’t know what to make sense of this situation, but he found himself lying on the blanket along with Doyoung, who was lying next to him. Doyoung didn’t know what to make of this situation either. Jaehyun had finished five beer cans and a soju bottle. Doyoung finished three and a half beer cans and one soju bottle. There were three leftover cans. Doyoung probably thought Jaehyun would just bring them home the next morning. The two had also eaten all of the tteokbokki and donuts that Doyoung had bought.
Doyoung checked to see what time it was through his phone. It was already 4:25 am. Both men didn’t realize how late it was, but Doyoung wondered how he and Jaehyun would be going home.
“Jae, how are we getting home now?”
“Hmmm… wanna just stay like this for a while and sleep here?”
Doyoung was a little shocked by that proposition. “Are you sure it’s okay? We might bother people coming here on the next day.”
“Nah, this beach isn’t private property. And besides, it’s just sleeping here. It’s not like we’re doing anything that’s not safe for work here.” Jaehyun assured the older.
“Yeah, that wouldn’t align with what the author wants with the fic.”
“Right.”
Doyoung then found himself rubbing his stomach for a bit. Jaehyun was able to notice it and asked, “Are you still hungry?”
“Not really, but I could still probably eat.”
“Then why are you doing that?”
Doyoung shrugged. “I don’t know. Calms the nerves, I guess.”
“I get it, but don’t think anyone’s gonna want to deliver take-out on a barely lit beach at 4 am.”
“Yeah, that seems kinda fair.”
The two chuckle and then look up to see the night sky. There was that sense of calmness that Doyoung felt earlier, when he was walking with Jaehyun towards his motorcycle. He didn’t know what to make of it, but he had a small hunch why. He seemed to have gotten comfortable with Jaehyun already, indulging in his little whim and going along with his spontaneous plan. ‘Who would’ve thought I’d spend my Friday night like this?’ Doyoung thought.
There were stars hanging in the night sky. Doyoung tried to ease into the shared calmness to ask, “Sometimes, don’t you wonder about how we’re all just small specs of dust in a vast sea of stars and galaxies?”
“Hmmmm… sometimes I do. It’s kinda amazing how space works. They say that on certain nights you can even see Venus or Jupiter up in the sky.”
“Yeah. Makes you think that maybe, sometimes our little problems seem so small and insignificant due to how vast the world is.”
Jaehyun chuckled at that. “I don’t think so. We live on Earth, and the problems we have were created here. You shouldn’t just diminish your problems just because of how big the universe is. After all, as shitty as it is on this godforsaken land, you have to make sure you’re actually living in it.”
“You always know what to say, it’s almost like you’re a TED talk speaker, at this point.”
Jaehyun laughed at the characterization. “I’m just saying, the problems that we have now may be big or small, but there’ll be a time where we’ll move past them.”
“Yeah…” Doyoung thought on what Jaehyun said for a moment before asking another question. “What would you think you’d be doing earlier if this whole ‘scapegoat for seeing my ex at the convenience store’ thing didn’t happen?” The man asked curiously.
“Hmmm… probably sit down on the couch, reheat some leftovers I cooked the morning before going to work, drink a beer or two, then play whatever’s recommended on Netflix. And then probably wait until I pass out on the couch and wake up to Dandy incessantly scratching on her post to be fed.” Jaehyun then looked at Doyoung to ask, “How about you?”
“Probably the same. Eat the tteokbokki and donuts I bought, and probably rewatch a bit of SNL.”
“I heard that Bowen Yang’s leaving.”
“I knowww, my heart was in shambles for a few days when I heard that,” Doyoung said while pouting.
Jaehyun let out a small snort. “Cute.”
That, in turn, made Doyoung look at Jaehyun. “There you go again.”
“What?”
“You called me cute again.”
“I mean… you are?”
Doyoung furrowed his brows for a bit. “I’m literally one year older than you.”
“Can’t a man who’s twenty-seven not be considered cute anymore?” Jaehyun said with a slight chuckle.
“Hmmm… I guess that makes sense.” Doyoung couldn’t help but smile at the other man smiling at him back.
“Now it’s my turn. What did you mean earlier when you said ‘I feel like home?’”
Doyoung paused to think for a moment. “Hmmm, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because you just feel… warm to talk to. You always seem like you already know what to say. It’s like you’re a very down-to-earth person.”
Jaehyun was nodding at Doyoung’s comment, which the latter followed up with, “You seem like a very grounded person, especially when it comes to love.”
“I guess it’s just the hopeless romantic in me.”
“You’re a hopeless romantic, huh?” Doyoung asked with a teasing look.
Jaehyun furrowed his brow at Doyoung’s teasing look. “I mean, to some degree, aren’t we all?”
“Right, right… You’re really trying to live up to your Valentine’s Day stereotype, huh?”
“Shut up.” Jaehyun moved his elbow a bit to quickly nudge Doyoung’s side. Doyoung could only chuckle in return. This led to both men laughing at their stupor heartily, realizing the state that they’re in right now. Two young men on a spontaneous drinking session at the beach by the roadside on a Saturday, midnight. Who wouldn’t wanna laugh at this kind of thing?
Yet, it was also kind of endearing. Doyoung had never met Jaehyun, and Jaehyun had never met Doyoung. But after a few drinks and countless stories in, it almost feels like they’ve known each other for a long time.
The two then looked at each other for a while. It was like the loud waves crashing onto the shore, and the whirling sea breeze surrounding the two had gone quiet. Jaehyun was scanning Doyoung’s face once more, making sure to properly examine every intricacy on it. A few acne marks outside his T-zone, a gummy smile, eyes that curve straight every time he laughs. The man was cute, Jaehyun had already established that.
Doyoung did the same. He also made sure to examine every intricacy on Jaehyun’s face. A few acne marks above his cheekbones, his prominent dimples even when he’s half-smiling, and his protruding cheekbones that can only be seen when Jaehyun slightly sucks in his cheeks. He noticed the younger man was looking down at his lips.
“What are you thinking about, Jae?”
“I don’t know. Sorry, I guess you caught me staring.”
“It’s okay, you can continue looking at these babies.” Doyoung puckered his lips for a bit to tease Jaehyun.
“You’re so cheeky.” That earned Jaehyun a laugh from the older.
There were a few seconds of silence before Jaehyun pierced through it by saying, “If I say I’d wanna kiss you, would you let me?”
“Only if you want to… Do you want to, Jae?”
“I do. But I don’t wanna sour the mood since we drank a bit.”
“I am perfectly conscious now. A little tipsy, yes, but I’ll definitely be able to remember tomorrow… You?”
“Yeah, I’m not that drunk as well.”
“Cool…”
And there it was, stillness. Jaehyun and Doyoung looked at each other for a few seconds until the former started to speak, “I’m gonna count down from 5… If you don’t want to do it, please turn your head the other way. I promise, I won’t hold it against you.”
“Five…” Doyoung looked at Jaehyun’s eager eyes.
“Four…” Jaehyun didn’t have any regrets. If the man rejects his offer, he’d be perfectly okay with it.
“Three…” Doyoung gulped for a bit. He could tell Jaehyun wants to do this.
“Two…” And he does, too.
“On—,” Doyoung couldn't hold it in. He was the one who took the initiative to kiss Jaehyun even before the man had finished counting down to one. Jaehyun was shocked for a bit before closing his eyes and then properly leaning into the kiss.
In Doyoung’s mind, Jaehyun’s lips were soft. He remembered Jaehyun’s favorite fruit being peaches in passing. Saccharine, juicy, something that could get messy before you get to the middle. Dangerous, Jaehyun felt dangerous. But also sweet and warm.
In Jaehyun’s mind, Doyoung’s lips were small. Jaehyun remembered Doyoung’s favorite fruit being watermelon. Savory, mouth-watering, and a good pick-me-up during hot and sunny Summer afternoons. Salvation, Doyoung felt like salvation for Jaehyun, as Doyoung was quenching a thirst in him that he had never known existed.
The two kissed for what could approximately be four minutes, taking the time to catch their breath. Doyoung was the first to speak and say, “Just so you know, I don’t participate in hookup culture.”
Jaehyun let out a breathy chuckle. “What made you say that?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want you to forget what happens the next morning.” Doyoung looked at Jaehyun’s eyes with a soft look. “Please don't make me feel like a drunken mistake.”
Jaehyun then kissed Doyoung on his forehead. “I won’t, don’t worry. I told you I’m not that drunk, am I?”
“Yeah, me too. Don’t worry.”
“I mean, even without the alcohol I’d still wanna kiss you.”
And there it was again, Doyoung’s gummy smile that Jaehyun liked. “Pfft. Dork. Since when?”
“Right when I finally got a good look at you in the alley. But hey, at least the alcohol did lead us to be honest.”
Doyoung couldn’t argue with that. Doyoung then found himself snuggling his head to rest upon Jaehyun’s shoulder.
— 🍑🐰 —
The sound of waves could still be heard from the shore even during the low tide. The sun was hitting the two men who were lying on the beach mat, with Jaehyun’s leather jacket barely being enough to cover them as a makeshift blanket. It was loud. The men woke up to the sound of seagulls making noise, some fishermen getting ready to get on their boats, and some old ladies cleaning up the debris that washed up on the shore. The scent of the ocean was stronger now due to the sun’s rays, the two had thought. There were also some people arriving at the beach, probably waiting until the tides got near enough for them to swim.
The two men then got up to sit on the blanket once more, rubbing their eyes, trying to finally be awake. “God, I feel sticky.” Doyoung started.
Jaehyun couldn’t help but chuckle at that while rubbing his eyes. “Good morning to you too, Doie.”
“Good morning, Jae.”
Except it wasn’t exactly morning anymore; it was around 12:45 pm, Doyoung found as he looked at his phone, which was at 19 percent remaining, to which he then showed to Jaehyun.
“Oh god, it’s this late already?”
“You’re right. Hey, I have some mouthwash in my glove compartment. Do you wanna fix up a bit before I drop you off?”
“Hmmm… yeah. Our breaths do kinda stink. You can drop me off at the convenience store yesterday.”
“No, I’ll drop you off at your condo.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Doyoung. I’m sure.”
“Alright, cool…”
The two then got ready by fixing the beach blanket Jaehyun laid, making sure to dust off any sand before it went back into the man’s top box. It’s a good thing Jaehyun had mouthwash inside his glove compartment. They threw away the leftover trash they had from drinking, and rinsing their mouths in the communal restroom nearby.
Jaehyun was sitting on his motorcycle as Doyoung was quickly punching in his condo’s address on the Maps app on Jaehyun’s phone. “You’re not a drunken mistake, Doie.”
“Pfft, so you remembered.” Doyoung then gave Jaehyun back his phone to put on his motorcycle’s phone stand.
Jaehyun let out a small chuckle. “I mean, I did promise to tell you that you weren’t the day after, right?”
“Yeah…” Doyoung let out a warm-hearted chuckle in return. “You did.” And there it was, Jaehyun dimply smile again.
The drive on the way to Doyoung’s condo was hot compared to yesterday, now that the sun’s out. The only difference with the ride is that Doyoung now has his hands encircling Jaehyun’s stomach.
They arrived at Doyoung’s condo at around 1:30 pm. Just as Doyoung gave back Jaehyun’s extra helmet, the man went on again to say, “You’re not a drunken mistake, Doie.”
“Pfft, what’s with you saying that again?”
“I don’t know. I think I needed to say it to remind you again.”
“Dork.” That earned Doyoung a small chuckle from the man.
“Can I have your number?”
“Sure.”
Doyoung punched in his digits on Jaehyun’s phone. “I’ll text you,” Jaehyun said.
“I know,” Doyoung said confidently. “Alright, take care, Jae!”
Right as he was about to turn to say goodbye, Jaehyun quickly said, “Wait!” Little did Doyoung know that it was only a ruse by the younger to plant a small kiss on his cheek.
“Alright. Bye, Doie!”
Jaehyun then put his helmet back on before finally speeding away, leaving Doyoung with his palm on the place that Jaehyun kissed. ‘Cheeky bastard,’ Doyoung thought.
— 🍑🐰 —
Doyoung finally got back inside his unit after being out for quite a while. He didn’t spare any other thought but to leave his phone to charge, and then take a long shower and change his clothes. He proceeded to reheat some leftover wonton soup he had for lunch yesterday. When he finally got to sit at the table, grabbing his still-charging phone, he finally opened it to toggle off the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode, watching it get flooded with continuous notifications.
Some were messages from his group chat with Haechan and Jungwoo, who were sending some funny (debatable) TikTok videos, and restaurant recommendations where they could hang out soon. Some were messages from the theatre troupe, asking for a few minor changes in the poster layout due next week, on Wednesday. Some were a few work emails on his work account containing his payslip for the current cutoff, bills, and others were spam. Doyoung said he’d probably mull it over later, since among that sea of notifications and ringing, he saw the one notification he had wanted to find. A text message. “Unknown number.” Doyoung knew who it was and immediately added him to his contacts, and changed his name.
💬
2:49 pm
valentine boy
hey, i just got home and took a shower
sorry if i didn’t text you immediately
it's jae, btw
doie-nut [*]
i know, don't worry. it's doie
that's okay, i cleaned the house for a bit
reheated a few leftovers, got out of the shower and changed too
currently sitting here eating some rice and wonton
valentine boy
sounds cool
by the way, you still wanna go to my new apartment’s “house” party on friday?
you can bring your friends if you want!!
doie-nut
yup, i’m still down :)
i’ll text jungwoo and haechan about it
i’m sure they’d love to meet you and your friends
valentine boy
alrighty
doie-nut
have you eaten already?
valentine boy
not yet, but
currently reheating what i left in fridge yesterday, though
doie-nut
cool
valentine boy
can’t wait to see you again next friday!
i’ll buy those “donuts” that you like so much
doie-nut
what’s with the donuts in quotes?
valentine boy
to spare your beliefs
doie-nut
fuck you, haha
valentine boy
:P
when do you plan on going home to your family tho?
💬
Doyoung laughed softly. He can’t believe Jaehyun still remembers that.
💬
doie-nut
hmmm, maybe on saturday? i’ll text my mom about it later
maybe after your house party?
i’ll just go home right after
valentine boy
uhhh, are you sure?
it’ll be pretty late
my buddies ten and yuta just live a few floors below my unit
and ten’s boyfriend lives with him too
hey, maybe you can stay at my place if you want?
doie-nut
are you sure?
valentine boy
i insist!
i can take the couch if you want
doie-nut
don’t do that, it’s your house!!
i can sleep on the couch
valentine boy
nooo, you can take the bed, doie
i’ll be fine
doie-nut
jaeee :(
come on
valentine boy
hmmm, how about this?
you sleep in my bed with me?
we’ve already slept together during that time on the beach
i promise i won’t do anything under the covers, haha
doie-nut
cheeky bastard
don’t worry, i know you won’t
(even though i find it hard to believe lowkey)
valentine boy
hey! haha
doie-nut
oh, jungwoo and haechan replied
is it okay if jungwoo and haechan bring their boyfriends too?
also they’re currently ragging me on about what happened yesterday, haha
valentine boy
sure, it’s no problem with me!
i’m sure they’re lovely ppl that’s why they wanna bring them
also, lolll :P
what’re you gonna tell them?
doie-nut
that my nosey ex ran into me, and some blond man came to my rescue
by taking me on a spontaneous beach trip
who i thought was planning to kill me
valentine boy
lol haha
isn’t it the other way around with you dragging me away :P
doie-nut
guess they’ll have to find that out on friday :>
Read at 3:13 PM
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Jaehyun had left a small “haha” reaction on Doyoung’s text. Doyoung shot a quick voice message to his group chat with his best friends to tell them a quick rundown of what happened with him and Jaehyun yesterday, while also deliberately leaving out some details that’ll probably be up for conversation at Jaehyun’s party on Friday. He also sent a quick text message to his mom that he’ll be coming home next week. After Doyoung had finished eating, he then made sure to wash his dishes and any other dishes leftover from the other day afterwards. He then refilled his water jug to put it back in the fridge, and then went back to his bathroom to put away the towel he was using to dry his hair.
He got back to sitting at his table, to which his phone greeted him with a ping. It was another message from Jaehyun.
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valentine boy
hey so i know i said that i’ll see you on friday, but
do you wanna go to this restaurant tomorrow?
i saw they got good chinese food
found it the other day on TikTok
doie-nut
is it a date?
valentine boy
do you want it to be?
doie-nut
whatever you want it to be, jaehyun. :)
valentine boy
alright
it’s a date, doie. :)
i’ll pick you up at around… 7? if that’s cool?
see you tomorrow! :)
doie-nut
yup, that’s fine with me.
see you, jae! :)
Read at 3:35 PM
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Doyoung was left on read, but his last message earned him a cute heart reaction from Jaehyun.
Doyoung couldn’t wait until his first official date with Jaehyun tomorrow.