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Dohoon had always prided himself on his ability to keep his cool. However, the past few days had shown the complete opposite.
It all started when he showed up in his village. He had always lived in a remote area in Jeju, where everyone knew everyone, and random people would stop by his house just to hang out. No one really came to the village. Until him.
He was tall, dressed in formalwear, complete with a briefcase full of files. He had rented out a cottage overlooking the ocean, never coming out unless it was for groceries.
Word spreads fast in a small town, and by day three, everyone knew who he was.
His name was Shinyu. He came to the village for a business meeting, and he was from Seoul. Not to mention he was breathtaking.
Dohoon wasn’t satisfied with just that, though. He wanted to know more. He had always been curious, his mother often chided him about poking his nose where it didn’t belong. Part of it might’ve been how stunning Shinyu looked. The businessman had a face so perfect, many villager said he had to be sculpted by the goddess of beauty herself.
To find more about Shinyu, he picked up the job of a newspaper boy. Every morning, his route had him and Shinyu “accidentally” crossing paths. He couldn’t be more smitten.
—
When Shinyu first came to the village, he was almost shocked at how quiet it was.
The streets of Seoul were always filled with the chatter of people, and the lights were almost never off. Here, the streets were dark by 10, and it was… boring.
He was 23, and this was the first time in his life when he was able to do whatever without the background noise of people talking. The cottage he rented for the month was roomy, and he rose with the sunrise everyday.
During his daily trips out of the cottage, he observed the people. They had simple lives, untouched by the bustle of the city.
There was one boy who caught his eye. With messy black hair and shining eyes, he was the most beautiful thing Shinyu had ever seen. He heard from one of the villagers that his name was Dohoon. 19 years old, and he was the newspaper boy.
Shinyu would watch from his window as he took his daily route. His first week in the village was spent watching the waves, and sometimes, Dohoon. At the start of the second week, he went out to find him.
It wasn’t hard, honestly. They crossed paths often, and he stood out from the crowd, especially with those stunning eyes of his. He was able to stop him during his morning bike ride to deliver papers.
He jogged over to the boy, calling out to get his attention. Dohoon turned around, nearly crashing into him as he did so. The boy gasped, hopping off the bike and rushing over to catch him.
Shinyu stumbled slightly, but it barely affected him. Honestly, he was too focused on Dohoon to care. Dohoon bowed repeatedly, apologies flowing out of his mouth.
“It’s fine! It’s fine!” Shinyu reassured him. “I barely felt it.”
Dohoon’s face was as red as a tomato, the flush going all the way to the tips of his ears. “I’m so sorry, again. Ah, can I treat you to dinner? I feel terrible.”
Shinyu had to hide the smirk that fell over his face at that. Dinner with him sounded amazing. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden on your schedule.”
Dohoon nodded, already pulling out his wallet. “Of course. I was the one to crash into you, anyways.”
—
Choi Youngjae was so, so bored.
His fiancé was gone on a business trip and he had nothing to do. The Seoul apartment was large and empty. So, like any sane person, he went for a walk.
Just his luck, the one day he didn’t check the weather was the one day it rains. The clouds turned dark grey and poured down, as though reflecting his mood.
As he was rushing to the nearest dry area, a large body practically slammed against him, splattering water all over his sweater.
“Oh my god I am so sorry-“ the boy started, but Youngjae shrugged him off.
“It’s fine,” Youngjae muttered. “Just don’t- why are you staring at me?”
The boy stumbled back. “You’re just… Really beautiful.”
Youngjae blinked. Once. Twice. It was so out of the blue that it was almost attractive. The boy himself was handsome, that was no lie. For the first time, he took a closer look. He had sparkling eyes, a nervous smile, and a handsome face. “You’re not so bad yourself,” Youngjae said. “What’s your name?”
“Jihoon. Han Jihoon.” Jihoon scratched at his palm nervously, his eyes darting up to meet his gaze. “And yours?”
“Choi Youngjae,” Youngjae smiled. “Are you studying here?”
“No, I was heading down to pick up some groceries for my friend and then…” Jihoon gestured to the rain. “The weather must have something against me.”
Youngjae laughed, the bright sound ringing across the street. Jihoon grinned again. “Can I get your number? I’d love to talk properly with you.”
Youngjae hesitated slightly. He knew it would be wrong, but his fiancé was gone, and the marriage was only for money and looks anyway…
“Sure. Text me when you get home.”
—
As they headed towards the restaurant, Dohoon felt more and more flushed. Had he seriously invited a stranger to dinner? Specifically the one he’d been stalking for the past week? God, he was an idiot.
The restaurant was run by his mother, who, unfortunately, was running the front desk that day. She looked up at the two, and eyebrow raising at the sight of Shinyu.
“I see you brought a guest?” She said, giving Shinyu a once-over. “You need a table?”
“Yeah, any is fine.” Dohoon mumbled, desperate to get out of his mother’s sight.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Dohoon.” His mother warned, when Shinyu was out of earshot. Dohoon swallowed slightly, heading off to the table the waiter was leading them to.
Shinyu walked slowly, waiting for Dohoon to catch up to him. In that short moment, he thought back to his apartment in Seoul. He thought of his… fiancé. Honestly, he had no feelings for Youngjae. The man was beautiful, obviously. But he didn’t make Shinyu feel anything close to how Dohoon made him feel.
His ring had been left at the apartment. He hadn’t taken it out of its box since his father had given it to him. It’s not that it wasn’t beautiful, it just reminded him of the relationship that had been forced onto him.
Dohoon caught up to him, tapping his shoulder. “Here, sit down. Pick whatever you want to eat.”
Shinyu smiled, sliding into the seat across from Dohoon. From here, he could properly admire him. And so he did.
He had bright, beautiful eyes, which were currently scanning the menu with a kind of nervousness Shinyu absolutely adored. His eyelashes framed them perfectly, and Shinyu was so, very smitten.
They ordered their food. Dohoon had rice with bulgogi, and Shinyu opted for samgyeopsal. Although they didn’t exchange many words, Shinyu found himself staring at Dohoon between bites.
Dohoon pretended not to notice. However, his face flushed slightly whenever he caught the other staring at him. He couldn’t help it. It wasn’t everyday that a handsome, rich man stared at him, after all.
They finished lunch quickly. Shinyu stood up to thank Dohoon for the meal, but Dohoon was already shaking his head.
“It’s fine! I offered to treat you.” Dohoon said, “if you want to meet again, I can show you the beach. Only if you want to.”
Shinyu grinned. “I’d love that. Here, I’ll give you my number so we can talk later.” He slid his phone over to Dohoon so he could add his number in.
Dohoon’s fingers fumbled slightly when using the phone, just from pure nerves. Was he really going to pull this off? God, his mother would certainly disapprove of Shinyu. Not because he wasn’t successful, but because… Well, he was a man.
“What’s your name, by the way?” Shinyu asked, glancing up.
“It’s Dohoon. And you’re Shinyu?” Dohoon said, handing the phone back.
“Yes,” Shinyu smiled. “I’ll see you soon, Dohoon-ah.”
—
Unknown Number: is this choi youngjae?
Youngjae glanced down at his phone. He was in the middle of watching another Ghibli film, as that seemed to be the only thing keeping his life on track nowadays.
Youngjae: yes, who is this?
Unknown Number: this is han jihoon! :) do you want to talk about planning a proper date?
Youngjae thought back to the encounter in the rain. The moment he bumped into that boy, and his boldness that had somehow attracted him.
Youngjae: ah, sure. what were you thinking of for a date?
Jihoon: would you like to go to an aquarium with me?
Youngjae: that sounds fine. what time?
Jihoon: i can pick you up outside the ice cream shop at 2pm <3
Youngjae: sure. i’ll be there.
—
The beach was foggy when Shinyu walked down. He found a small, hidden path, half covered in foliage and half covered in pebbles and sand.
Dohoon was already beside the shore when he got there. The wind blew through his hair so gently, as though Mother Nature herself was caressing his head gently.
He was watching the waves roll by. Sometimes one would come near his feet, leaving small shells caught by the sands.
Shinyu slowly approached, tapping Dohoon’s shoulder. “Earth to Dohoon. You there?”
Dohoon jumped slightly, turning back to face him. “Yeah, sorry. I was distracted.”
Shinyu chuckled, patting his shoulder. “Are the waves better looking than me? I’m offended.”
Dohoon smiled, shaking his head. “No, you’re… much more charming than them.”
Shinyu’s eyes glinted in the sunlight, when the rays hit them just right. Dohoon thought they looked like shattered pieces of glass on the beach.
—
“You came!” Jihoon smiled. “I didn’t think you would show up.” The two were standing in the lobby of the Coex Aquarium. Youngjae had worn a casual sweater paired with jeans. Jihoon wore a battered band t-shirt.
“Yeah, I did.” Youngjae smiled as Jihoon all but dragged him to the jellyfish exhibit. The younger pointed excitedly at the display.
“That one is a crystal jellyfish.” Jihoon grinned. “It’s one of my favorites.” Youngjae laughed, finding his love of the animals adorable.
They spent hours, staring at fish, whales, sharks, and more. Youngjae was getting a bit more tired with each exhibit. By the time they made it to the touch pools, he was exhausted.
Jihoon chuckled. “Tired already? We’re almost done, don’t worry.” Youngjae nodded, taking a seat to watch Jihoon, a grown, 20 year old man, giggle over being able to feel a sting ray’s back.
Finally, they reached the gift shop. Jihoon’s gaze drifted to a paper weight with a fake jellyfish in it. Youngjae noticed.
“Do you want it? I can get it for you.” Youngjae offered.
Jihoon shook his head immediately. “No, no, it’s fine.” Youngjae saw the longing in his face, though, and when his back was turned, Youngjae pocketed the paperweight.
They made it to the checkout area, Jihoon carrying a stuffed figure of a blue whale, and Youngjae holding a small necklace. Before they left, Youngjae gave the cashier the paperweight, along with a wad of cash.
“It was great meeting you!” Jihoon said. “Do you want to do this some time again?”
Youngjae shrugged. “Sure,” he murmured, sneaking the paperweight into Jihoon’s bag. The younger, distracted by his new stuffed toy, didn’t notice the added weight.
—
“I’ll be leaving in a week.” Shinyu murmured one night, as he and Dohoon were laying next to each other in his cabin.
He had been in town for nearly 2 months, and been with Dohoon for about 3/4 of that time. They had done basically everything. Their first kiss was under a gazebo next to Dohoon’s house, and now, they were in Shinyu’s cabin.
Dohoon hummed, tracing small circles on Shinyu’s abdomen. “Call me?”
“Of course,” Shinyu said, pressing a kiss against Dohoon’s forehead. The younger still hadn’t found out about Youngjae. That was good. It would be better if it stayed that way.
“Don’t forget about me,” Dohoon slurred, his head tilting slightly as he fought against sleep. Shinyu laughed softly.
“Sleep, darling. I’ll never forget you.” He whispered, kissing his lips this time. Dohoon shifted in his arms, his head digging into Shinyu’s collarbone.
Before long, the younger was out like a light. Shinyu had a moment to think. He was cheating on his arranged fiancé, but it wasn’t as if the two had any real connection… right?
—
“Jihoon, get off of me.” Youngjae grunted under the younger’s weight. They had ended up in Youngjae’s apartment, both of them slightly drunk on soju.
“Can’t help it,” Jihoon groaned. “Your bed is comfortable…”
Youngjae snorted, pushing Jihoon off. “Yeah, and so is the floor.” The younger yelped, reaching for Youngjae. The two tumbled off the bed, Youngjae on top of Jihoon this time.
“Fuck.” Youngjae groaned. “You’re an idiot, you know that?” Jihoon grinned.
“Your idiot,” Jihoon murmured teasingly. Youngjae blushed, hitting his arm.
“Stop flirting before I tape your mouth shut.” Youngjae warned. Jihoon smiled. “Maybe I’ll like it,” the younger challenged.
Youngjae pushed him away, snorting as he did. Jihoon giggled and crawled back over to him.
“Hyung, you know you love me.” The younger teased, beginning to kiss Youngjae’s cheeks. Youngjae scoffed, but stayed still.
Maybe he was starting to grow fond of the boy.
—
The day before he was set to leave, Shinyu visited the florist. He wanted to buy something for Dohoon to remember him.
The florist, once hearing the occasion, went to the back, and came out with a small collection of pressed flowers.
“They’re small, but they’ll last a lifetime.” The woman said, her aged fingers tracing each petal lovingly. “I’m sure they’ll love it.”
Shinyu took the flowers and thanked her. He rushed out of the store, wanting to catch Dohoon on his way to his mother’s house.
Dohoon biked along the road, his basket full of bread and books from the bakery and library uptown. He stopped when he saw Shinyu.
“Hyung, what are you doing out already?” He called, changing his path to reach Shinyu.
Shinyu stopped jogging, placing his hands on his knees and catching his breath. “I got you flowers,” the older panted, handing him the pressed flowers.
Dohoon’s eyes widened as the flowers fell into his hands. He examined them. Lillies, lavender, baby’s breath, and a four-leaf clover. He grinned up at Shinyu, pulling him into a kiss.
They broke apart after a few moments, Shinyu smirking as he pressed his forehead against Dohoon’s.
“I take this means you liked them?” Shinyu said, brushing a stray strand of hair away from Dohoon’s eyes. Dohoon nodded, before pouting slightly.
“Not fair,” he complained, “why are you being so sweet right before you leave?”
Shinyu sighed. “I’ll call you when I get back to the city.” He promised.
Dohoon nodded. “You better,” he muttered, “don’t forget me, okay?”
“Never.” He promised, sealing it with one more kiss.
—
About a month later, Youngjae was scrolling on his phone when he heard a ring from Shinyu’s office. Curious, he went down to check for the noise. Did they have a schedule he wasn’t aware of?
But when he checked his office, he found that the ring was from Shinyu’s phone. He glanced at it. The caller ID read: ‘Dohoon’.
He frowned. Who was that person? A delivery boy, maybe. Nevertheless, he left it alone.
Shinyu walked through the door, seeing his office door ajar. He sighed. “Youngjae, stop looking through my stuff.” He muttered, pushing the door fully open.
Youngjae rolled his eyes. “Not my fault you never loc your doors.” He muttered under his breath. “And who’s Dohoon? They were calling you a bit ago.”
Shinyu paused. “What?”
“Who’s Dohoon?” Youngjae repeated, looking up at Shinyu expectantly. “A new employee? Or business partner?”
Shinyu stuttered for a moment. He grasped desperately at his mind for an excuse, before simply turning away.
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” He said finally, heading into his office and slamming the door behind him.
Youngjae scoffed. The man was nothing was avoidant, and today was no exception. He went to the living room, curling up on the couch and putting a show on.
—
“He has a fiancé?” Dohoon exclaimed, gripping Hanjin’s shoulders. His best friend sighed.
The two had been together, talking about the latest gossip in the village, when Dohoon suddenly brought up Shinyu. Hanjin raised an eyebrow, before showing him an image of Shinyu’s ring.
“An arranged one, I think.” The younger said, trying to calm Dohoon down.
“That doesn’t make it better!” Dohoon groaned. “Fuck… I’m a homewrecker now, aren’t I?” He said, turning to Hanjin.
Hanjin smiled weakly. “At least it wasn’t on purpose?” He tried, brushing Dohoon’s hand off his shoulder.
“I’m such a dumbass.” Dohoon muttered. Hanjin shook his head.
“No, you were just being too… Rash.” Hanjin said. “He’s the one at fault, if anything.”
Dohoon hesitated slightly, before picking up his phone. He quickly dialed Shinyu’s number, hands trembling slightly as he did so.
“What are you doing?” Hanjin asked, glancing at the screen.
“Fixing this.” Dohoon whispered.
—