Chapter Text
“Can you get the door, sweetie?” Sangwon’s mother called out from the dining area, seeing to last minute arrangements.
Sangwon didn’t bother with a reply, twisting the handle. He smiled as wide as he could afford to without actually bursting into tears, bowing 90 degrees. “Auntie, Uncle, I’m sorry you had to come all this way in traffic.”
Leo’s mother pulled him into her embrace, patting his head fondly. “No, Darling, it wasn’t your fault to begin with. We’d rather talk to you here than in front of all the employees.”
Her husband patted him familiarly on the back. “Cheer up Won-ah.”
Sangwon smiled weakly, not expecting another visitor. “Hey.”
He looked up, blinking in confusion. “Hyung.. what are you doing here?”
Leo smiled, the bags under his eyes a constant. Spotting Producer and face of the Lee Music Company outside the four walls of the studio was like spotting the aurora in the tropics.
“I haven’t seen auntie and uncle outside the conference room in ages, so they said it was mandatory.”
Sangwon nodded absentmindedly, watching Leo slip on the slippers easily, like he had since they had been kids.
He stared at the homely spread in front of him, the sight a familiar one from all the dinners they’d have as kids. This time, his mouth felt like chalk, his appetite non-existent. Leo placed a dumpling on his untouched bowl of rice. He nodded, smiling politely, picking it up in gratitude, but not enough to palate it.
Sangwon’s father cleared his throat. “Sangwon-ah, we’ve all seen it. It is what it is son, avoiding the issue isn’t going to make it disappear.”
Sangwon shut his eyes, the articles flashing in colour behind his lids.
Solo artist Lee Sangwon faces accusations of ghost singing in 9-year career- that was how it had begun.
He opened his eyes, fierce. “You know it’s not true. How can they compare my singing to what it was when I debuted? What do they want me to do? Shout mid performance to prove it?”
His father opened his mouth, but Sangwon beat him to it. “Okay, I sang on live, released the BTS recording vlogs, went silent to prove there is no backing track.” He sighed. “What is wrong with this industry?” He trailed off, quieter now.
Leo’s mother hummed. “Won-ah, darling, you know it got worse. I know we told you not to look online, but do you know about it?”
Sangwon’s eyes stung. “Auntie, don’t do this. Give it to me straight. Please. Did the board meeting ask you to remove me from the label?”
Sangwon’s mother scoffed. “As if we’d let them tell us to kick one of our sons out.”
Sangwon sighed. What had started with a baseless ghost singing rumour had then led to worse- a full page in a gossip tabloid that ‘a top solo singer was a serial dater with commitment issues’ that had gone viral. To add fuel to that fire, netizens had caught him clubbing with his friends the week before. Somehow the general consensus came to be that he was promiscuous.
The problem was, his industry, as an idol, depended solely on image. His variety show appearances had been cancelled and comeback preparations paused.
Sangwon sniffed, accepting a tissue from Leo, mumbled. “Thanks, Hyung.” He continued, louder now. “I know I have it lucky. Which other idol gets to debut in their parents’ company like me?”
The Lee Music Company was started by Leo and Sangwon’s parents when they had been in their twenties. The boys had grown up running around with all the senior artists in their label, even appearing on children’s TV shows for a season or two.
Now Leo was the hitmaker, and Sangwon the top idol in their company. His record had been impeccable in the industry until two weeks ago when it had tanked miserably.
“We found out your ex was behind the serial dating part of the rumour Won-ah.” Leo’s father revealed gently.
Sangwon blew his nose. “I knew it.”
Leo hummed thoughtfully. “Um.. what are you planning to do?”
Sangwon’s mother exchanged a nervous look with Leo’s mother. “Er…about that. We think there’s something we can do… to get rid of those rumours once and for all.”
Sangwon frowned. “What is it? Let’s do it.”
Sangwon’s mother took in a deep breath before speaking a sentence in her soft tone that would change Sangwon’s life forever . “Won-ah, we think you and Leo should get married.”
Sangwon blinked. What? Of all the things she could have said, this was completely out of the blue.
“WHAT?” Leo voiced his thoughts out loud, while Sangwon still blinked in disbelief.
Leo’s mother shared another nervous look with her friend, rambling, much like her son tended to. “Look, darling, you guys are twenty nine and thirty. It’s not too young. And marriage would prove commitment. And it’s not like you guys can’t stand each other. The board would approve-”
“THE BOARD? Eomma, this is a marriage you’re talking about.” Leo’s chopsticks fell from his hand, clinking as they settled on the table. “Eomma, I’m ready, but Sangwon- did you even consider he might have someone he wants to- to marry? You always said it’s important to choose your husband carefully”
Leo’s mother sighed, massaging her temples. She rested her gaze on Sangwon who was still blinking blankly. “Won, darling, it’s just a suggestion. You don’t have to. Auntie is sorry…”
Sangwon inhaled, coming out of his reverie. “Auntie, can we..” he gestured between himself and Leo, “talk about it? In private?”
Leo sat uncomfortably, on the edge of Sangwon’s couch watching him stare into space. He smiled, despite his anxiety. Sangwon staring into space was the normal person’s equivalent of pacing a room.
He let Sangwon gather his thoughts.
Sangwon gulped, fixing his gaze back on Leo. He looked pale, paler than usual, the last two weeks not helping. “Hyung, what do you think about it?”
Leo breathed in carefully, pondering how to answer it. “Sangwon, marriage is a big deal.”
“It is…”
He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together nervously. “I.. I didn’t think I would ever get married. I love my work, you know that. I was ready to be the uncle who spoils your kids rotten.” He smiled wistfully.
Leo cleared his throat. “Sangwon, I’m willing to do this with you. For you. We’ve been friends all our lives, haven’t we? It’s just a piece of paper. We just have to keep up appearances. Nothing has to change.”
Sangwon’s eyes stung. “Hyung, you don’t know how much that means to me. I… I’m sorry you don’t get to have a grand love story…”
Leo hummed, eyes cataloguing Sangwon’s unshed tears and small pout. “Won-ah, I’ve never even let myself dream of a love story. I’m worried about you. If.. if you ever meet someone and want to try dating them, will you let me know? I can’t take being cheated on again.” He gulped, admitting quietly.
Sangwon’s eyes hardened, eyebrows furrowing. “Hyung, what are you talking about? I won’t. I am not going to date anybody else while we’re married. What do you take me for?”
Leo chuckled, devoid of emotion. “Sangwon, I’m warning you in advance. I may be an okay friend, but I’ve been told I’m the kind of partner who makes you lonely.”
Sangwon scowled. “I’m just as busy Hyung. I won’t have time to be lonely.”
Leo nodded. “You’ll tell me though, if I’m not doing something right?”
Sangwon nodded, curt. “I’m in Hyung, are you?”
“Yes.”