Work Text:
Since becoming roommates, it's not uncommon for Jeho to find a script or two in Iwol's desk or their shared bed. He didn't really take interest on it, unlike the younger members who would steal a peek at every chance Iwol gave them.
Iwol's script for his new drama where he would star as a supporting actor was left open in their bed, and Jeho wanted to go to sleep soon.
He was really going to place it on Iwol's desk, where his other items were usually placed, but Jeho's eyes landed on the opened page.
It's not Jeho's fault, really.
How could he not get curious when the script next to Iwol's name clearly said kiss scene.
His feet were grounded on the floor, refusing to move until his eyes fully scanned the text.
Iwol's new drama, one that had garnered the attention of the whole country, was a romcom drama. Not that this was his first time doing romcom—he's done them before with the Trio of Villains—but this was his first time as one of the supporting male leads. An actual male lead with a love interest.
All knowledge Jeho knew about his new drama was from social media. Iwol was adamant on telling them not to watch it because he was too embarrassed (which of course, the younger members didn't listen and watched whenever they had the time).
From what Jeho knew, Iwol's character, Jang Haneul, was a polite and friendly music instructor. He’s a character whose default expression is a small smile on his lips. Quite reminiscent of the actor playing him.
However, what made Jang Haneul a popular character was his, according to the viewers, loser lover boy image.
Jeho recalled the short video clip that went viral online just a few days ago.
Jang Haneul is in the faculty office, grading music sheets, but he keeps on peeking at his phone.
“... When is she replying?”
He opens his phone once again, scrolling through the messages. Suddenly, he jolts at the notification.
Upon reading the new message, Jang Haneul whimpered. He almost hits his head on the desk at how low he's leaning toward his phone. Yet somehow, there's a weird, bashful and excited grin on his face.
“Jang-ssaem? Are you here?”
The knock and call outside the faculty pulled him out. Jang Haneul sits properly on his chair, back straight, prim posture, and with a calm expression.
“Ahem… Come in!”
Still, there is a hint of redness in his cheeks.
It's one of Iwol's fan favorite moments, where he showcased gap moe. The prim and proper instructor Jang Haneul would turn into a blushing mess when the female lead enters the scene.
Jeho's eyes followed the words on the script, squinting more as he finished a page.
INT. RECITAL HALL
Sung Binna and Jang Haneul watch the stage get cleaned up. They both stand behind the farthest row of seats from the stage.
SUNG BINNA
You did well today. Everyone performed really well. Especially Yujinie. You were worried the most about her, weren't you?
JANG HANEUL
I trusted Yujinie would perform his best.
They turn silent for sometime. Jang Haneul looks at Sung Binna.
JANG HANEUL
Noona…
SUNG BINNA
Yeah?
JANG HANEUL
…
He leans toward Sung Binna, gradually closing to her face.
JANG HANEUL
Noona?
“Jeho?”
And Jeho's reading session was interrupted.
Iwol suddenly entered the room. A white towel dangled on his neck, catching droplets of water from his still-wet hair.
Countless questions ran through Jeho's mind.
Are you done bathing? Why didn't you dry your hair properly? Are you going to sleep now?
Yet a different one came out of his mouth.
“You got a kissing scene?”
He seemed to have surprised Iwol as his eyes widened. “How did you know?”
Jeho raised the stapled sheets of paper, which Iwol received. He gave a quick glance to it before humming shortly.
It irked Jeho that he looked too unbothered.
“So?”
Iwol asked back, still looking at his own script and flipping the pages back and forth. “What?”
“You're doing a kissing scene?”
Iwol hummed, walked toward Jeho while holding his script.
“I am.”
Jeho's brows furrowed. It's strange. Why the hell was he acting so unbothered?
“Are you seriously doing a kissing scene? Why?” He kept asking Iwol, but Iwol's eyes hadn't left the pages on his hand.
And he only answered with a few words. “Why not? Am I not allowed to?”
“It's not that,” Jeho winced.
Iwol finally looked at him. “Then why?”
He tapped the center of Jeho's brows, remembering him to smoothen out the frown because it would cause him wrinkles.
“Is something bothering you?”
Frankly speaking, he had no idea and that was the only answer he could give to Iwol.
So Jeho told him. “I don't know.”
Iwol looked at him and it's the same look he has when he's trying to read Jeho's expressions. He walked toward their bed and sat on the edge.
“You don't like it?”
“Huh?” That made Jeho flinch.
Unhelpfully, Iwol repeated his question. “You don't like it that I have a kissing scene?”
There was no reason why Jeho should not like it. None at all.
Iwol had been acting since their rookie years and had done multiple dramas. He's an idol who broke stereotypes about idols doing acting. He's smart about choosing which works and roles would fit and benefit him well.
Jeho had trust in Iwol's capabilities and decisions now. He had trust that Iwol would keep his promise to him and spArk.
Iwol knew what he's doing and had definitely thought of how fans might react if he actually did a kissing scene with another actress. That's why he's not worried about the consequences.
And that meant, there's another reason why this bothered him so much.
“Jeho?”
He pursed his lips tightly, then answered—looking away from Iwol. “I don't like it.”
“Then should I tell them to remove it?”
“No.”
No matter how much Jeho disliked it, he shouldn't and wouldn't stop Iwol from doing the things he enjoys and does out of willingness.
Jeho clicked his tongue out of annoyance. Not toward Iwol, but toward himself and that script. He should not have just checked that page. Ignorance is a bliss or whatever Cheonghyeon said.
“Just do whatever you want. I'm going to get a snack,” Jeho told him.
As he was about to walk away, Iwol suddenly pulled his wrist. Or rather, strongly grabbed him that Jeho would've lost his balance if it wasn't for him steadying himself immediately.
Jeho glanced back at him and threw a question with a bite. “What?”
And Iwol looked at him with those eyes—those eyes that squeezed Jeho's heart dry ‘till he's left with no resistance.
“Can you help me practice?”
It's one of the recent additions to their routine as roommates.
Whenever they had free time and Iwol needed a practice buddy, Jeho would agree to do acting with him. Jeho could be lying on the bed and Iwol would be sitting before his desk, and they'd be practicing.
Most of the time, it's really just Jeho reading the script with him. It was good practice to him as well, considering that he's the second place if people were to rank spArk in terms of acting.
But this practice was completely different.
Jeho was forced to go back to bed, pushed to sit down by Iwol, while he was sitting on his swivel chair—pulled close to Jeho, close enough that their knees were touching each other's legs.
“How far have you read into the script?”
He recalled the last words he read.
“When your character was about to kiss the female lead,” Jeho answered.
Iwol glanced at the script in his hand, and then slowly to Jeho. “There aren't any dialogues after that, so we can start now.”
“Start what?”
Before Jeho could even understand what that meant, Iwol placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Noona.”
“Fuck—”
Iwol immediately placed a finger to silence him, so Jeho had to be content with cursing him out with his glare. What the fuck did he mean by noona?
“Binna-noona,” Iwol called him.
Right. They were going to practice a scene from Iwol's script. The scene where he and the female lead were together. The scene where he was going to kiss her.
And by her, Iwol meant Jeho has to act the role of the female lead.
He had no idea what would happen next. Jeho had only read up to the part where he was just about to kiss the female lead, but after that, it was a complete blank in his head. The script laid flat behind him, thrown by Iwol just earlier, and he couldn't look back to take a glance—not when Iwol had locked him in his gaze.
Iwol's hand gently touched his chin. He leaned in closer to Jeho. Their faces were only separated by a few centimeters. Jeho instinctively moved back but Iwol's hand landed on his waist, immediately stopping his escape.
His eyes were overflowing with desperation in them. Longing laced Iwol's words with a tone that sounded as if he was begging.
“Can you please give me a chance?”
As Iwol inched closer to his face, Jeho could only hold his breath.
In such close proximity, he could feel the heat of Iwol's body. The warmth of his breath lingered on his skin. If Iwol moved even an inch, Jeho was sure their lips would come into contact.
Then, Iwol tipped his head closer and—
“That's it.”
Iwol pulled away, with the swivel chair slowly moving backward. Jeho could only blink his eyes in confusion.
“What the hell?”
Unfortunately, Iwol had no intention of entertaining him. He stood up and retrieved the wrinkled script, then walked toward the door.
“I'll be monitoring in the living room,” was what he only told him.
“Kim Iwol, what the hell?” Jeho was still baffled. That man came without an announcement and left when he just felt like doing so.
Iwol looked back. He held the script close to him, and it covered half of his face—but judging from the way his eyes were curved, Jeho knew he was definitely smiling.
“Ah, this was an old version of the script. I had them revise it and take out that scene.”
And then, he actually left the room. He ran away from the mess he caused.
In the end, it was Jeho who was toyed (again) by Iwol.
He couldn't even stay angry, not when a faint phantom touch lingered on his lips.