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the quiet inside the studio always felt different after midnight.
it wasn't the clean, focused silence of the afternoon, but something heavy and static, like the air itself was waiting for one of them to speak first.
keonho leaned his head back against the mirror, watching the ceiling tiles through blurred eyes. his phone was face down on the wooden floor next to his thigh, but the glowing edge kept pulsing with notification after notification. edit clips. fanart reposts. soft-lit video compilations set to slow songs, analyzing the exact angle of how seonghyeon looked at him during yesterday's livestream.
neither of them had brought it up. they were seventeen, tired, and spent more time in this small, soundproofed room than anywhere else in the world, but over the last month, a strange thread of tension had pulled itself tight between them.
"you're flat on the third bar," seonghyeon said softy, not looking up from his notebook. he was sitting cross-legged on the floor a few feet away, a cheap black pen loose between his fingers.
"i know," keonho muttered, his voice raspy from hours of repeating the same vocal run. "my throat is dry."
seonghyeon didn't say i told you to take a break or hand him a bottle of water like he usually would. instead, he just paused, his thumb brushing over the edge of the paper, his gaze lingering on the floor between them before moving away entirely.
that was the thing that kept keonho up at night—not the internet, not the thousands of comments pairing their names together into a single word, but the shift in seonghyeon himself.
before the ship blew up, seonghyeon used to throw an arm around keonho’s shoulders without thinking, lean into his space to read lyrics over his shoulder, or fall asleep with his head knocked against keonho’s collarbone in the back of the van. now, every point of contact felt like a deliberate choice. seonghyeon hesitated before touching him. his hands stayed tucked in his hoodie pockets. when keonho laughed at something, seonghyeon would smile, but his eyes would dart to the floor, as if catching himself mid-reaction.
"you're doing it again," keonho said, the words slipping out before he could filter them.
seonghyeon stopped clicking his pen. "doing what?"
"acting like i'm made of glass."
the silence returned, thick and sudden. seonghyeon looked up, his dark eyes steady, though the slight twitch in his jaw betrayed him. "i'm not."
"you are," keonho replied quietly, turning his head on the glass mirror to face him fully. "ever since people started talking online. you don't even sit next to me during break anymore unless someone tells you to."
seonghyeon leaned back against the wall, pulling his knees up slightly. the dark shadows under his eyes made him look fragile in the dim studio light, but there was a guarded edge to him now that hadn't been there two months ago.
"it's just weird, keonho," seonghyeon murmured, his voice barely louder than a breath. "seeing people break down every gesture we make. it makes you think about things you didn't think about before."
"like what?" keonho asked, his heart doing a slow, heavy thud against his ribs.
seonghyeon stared at him for a long moment. the room felt tiny, the distance between them shrinking down to nothing even though neither of them had moved an inch.
"like whether they're actually making it up," seonghyeon whispered, "or if i was just really bad at hiding it in the first place."
keonho forgot how to breathe for a second. the hum of the air conditioner filled the space, cold and steady, while the weight of seonghyeon's words settled over the wooden floorboards.
seonghyeon didn't look away this time. he stayed right there, vulnerable and quiet, waiting for keonho to recoil, or laugh it off, or pretend it was just another joke for a camera that wasn't running.
instead, keonho slowly reached out, his fingers brushing against the hem of seonghyeon's oversized sleeve, waiting until seonghyeon slowly uncurled his hand to let their knuckles touch in the dark.
"they aren't making all of it up," keonho said softy.
seonghyeon let out a long, shuddering exhale, his fingers twitching against keonho's, not pulling away.
the morning arrived with a thin strip of gray light cutting through the blinds.
the dorm was unusually quiet by ten o'clock. james, juhoon, and martin had vanished half an hour ago on a sudden mission to track down acai bowls from a place three blocks over, leaving the apartment echoing with empty space.
in the kitchen, the sizzle of oil and the smell of fried eggs filled the air. seonghyeon was standing at the stove, silent, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he pushed ingredients around a frying pan.
keonho was dragging a broom across the hardwood in slow, rhythmic sweeps. his feet were tired, his head felt heavy, and every time seonghyeon moved to reach for a spatula or lower the heat, keonho’s eyes drifted over automatically, his skin still humming with the memory of their hands touching on the studio floor hours earlier.
neither of them had talked about it yet. they were just existing in the same domestic orbit, cautious and quiet.
"almost done," seonghyeon said, his back turned as he flipped an egg. "plates are in the top cupboard if you want to—"
he was cut off by a sudden click-slide under keonho’s foot.
keonho’s weight shifted onto something small, hard, and plastic sliding straight across the sleek wood. his ankle buckled, his broom went clattering against the wall, and he went down hard on his hip with an embarrassing, breathless gasp.
"keonho?" seonghyeon dropped the spatula instantly, turning around with wide eyes as the stove hissed behind him. "you good?"
"yeah," keonho muttered, wincing as he rubbed his side. "stepped on something."
he sat up on the cool floorboards and reached out, his hand brushing under the edge of the low couch where the object had skidded. his fingers caught a heavy metal ring attached to a thick, clear acrylic tag.
it was the keychain seonghyeon had been frantically looking for three days ago—the one he’d dropped somewhere between the laundry basket and the couch and swore he’d lost forever.
keonho flipped it over in his palm to wipe off the dust, expecting a basic brand tag or an anime mascot.
instead, bold neon-pink text glowed back at him against a dark background, printed right under a distinctive cursive logo: hotel royale — hourly guest pass & room key 402.
keonho froze.
it wasn't just any brand. it was the most recognizable, ridiculously famous love motel chain in the district—the kind of place that showed up in late-night television skits and urban legends.
"did you find it?" seonghyeon asked, stepping away from the stove, completely oblivious as he wiped his hands on a paper towel.
keonho held the heavy plastic tag between two fingers, slowly turning his head to look up at seonghyeon from the floor.
"seonghyeon," keonho said, his voice flat, trailing off as he held the hot-pink keychain up into the morning light.
seonghyeon glanced down, saw the bright pink logo dangling from keonho’s fingers, and instantly went entirely, dead silent. the color drained from his face so fast it was almost impressive, his mouth opening slightly without a single sound coming out.
"care to explain," keonho asked softly, his lips twitching into a tiny, dangerous smirk despite himself, "why you have a room key for a love motel?"
seonghyeon stared at the neon-pink tag dangling from keonho’s fingers for three agonized seconds before turning completely back toward the stove.
"it's nothing," seonghyeon said, his tone entirely too flat, his hand grabbing the spatula with a sudden, rigid focus that fooled absolutely no one. "just give it back."
keonho didn't move from the floor. he shifted onto his knees, holding the key up to the sunlight, his eyes narrowing as he read the tiny fine print on the back.
"it's nothing?" keonho repeated, a disbelieving laugh slipping out of his throat. "seonghyeon, this literally says room 402. it's heavy acrylic. this is an actual physical key to a love motel downtown. how is that nothing?"
"it's old," seonghyeon muttered, his back still turned as he pretended the fried eggs needed his absolute, undivided attention. "i found it in my coat."
"you didn't find it in your coat, you were looking for it like your life depended on it three days ago," keonho countered, pushing himself up off the floor and taking two slow steps toward the kitchen island. "i'm not buying it. why do you have this?"
seonghyeon let out a long, dramatic sigh, finally turning off the burner. he leaned his hips back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at keonho.
"fine," seonghyeon murmured softly, his eyes dark and calm. "it's from a fan. it was in one of those gift bags from the fan call last month."
keonho stopped in his tracks, his forehead pulling into a confused knot. "a fan? why would a fan give you this?"
seonghyeon didn't answer right away.
instead, he slowly pushed himself off the counter, taking a quiet step closer into keonho's personal space. the distance between them evaporated until keonho could smell the faint scent of laundry detergent and cooked rice on him.
seonghyeon just shrugged, a slow, lazy smirk curving the corner of his lips as his eyes flicked down to keonho's mouth, then back up.
"i don't know," seonghyeon whispered, his voice dropping into that smooth, dangerous register he only used when they were completely alone. "maybe they thought i'd have a use for it."
the heat hit keonho’s face like a physical wave. his ears burned instantly, a deep, hot flush spreading down his neck as his throat locked up entirely. he tried to maintain eye contact, but the sheer smugness radiating off seonghyeon made it impossible, his gaze darting down to the floorboards as he clutched the plastic tag tight in his fist.
seonghyeon’s smirk widened, watching the crimson bloom across keonho's cheeks with quiet, absolute satisfaction.
"you're red," seonghyeon noted softly, leaning in just a fraction closer.
-
the afternoon sun was filtering lazily through the sheer curtains of the bedroom, painting long strips of light across keonho’s bed.
two days had passed, but the air between them still felt charged, warm and thick like the heat before a thunderstorm. keonho was sprawling on his back with his phone held above his face, thumbs flying blindly across the screen as he lost his third mobile match in a row.
the bathroom door clicked open.
a cloud of warm steam rolled into the bedroom, bringing with it the crisp, sharp scent of citrus body wash. keonho absentmindedly glanced over from his screen—and instantly froze.
seonghyeon stepped into the room rubbing a towel through his damp, messy hair. he was wearing nothing but a low-slung pair of gray sweatpants, the soft waistband resting casually against his hips. water droplets glinted on his bare skin in the afternoon sun, tracking slow paths down the defined lines of his chest, tracing the lean cut of his obliques and broad shoulders.
keonho’s breath hitched right in the back of his throat. his thumb slipped, his character dying on screen with a loud, tragic sound effect that echoed through the quiet room, but he couldn't even bring himself to care.
he knew seonghyeon worked out, obviously—they all did—but seeing him like this, completely unbothered, wiped every logical thought straight out of keonho’s head.
"you..." keonho started, his voice cracking slightly before he cleared his throat and tried again, sitting up slowly on the mattress. "are you regularly going to the gym or something? to get a body like that?"
seonghyeon stopped drying his hair. the towel rested around the back of his neck as he looked over at keonho, a beat of quiet silence passing between them.
slowly, a familiar, teasing light flickered in seonghyeon’s dark eyes. a lazy, lopsided grin pulled at his mouth as he draped the towel over his shoulder, walking over to the edge of keonho’s bed with slow, deliberate steps.
"says who?" seonghyeon mocked softly, leaning down slightly until they were at eye level, his bare chest just inches away from keonho’s face. "says the guy who also has abs?"
keonho’s grip tightened on his phone, the heat rushing back into his face so fast it made his ears sting.
"that's—that's different," keonho stammered, looking anywhere but seonghyeon’s bare torso, though his eyes kept betraying him, flicking down before darting back up to seonghyeon’s smug face.
"how is it different?" seonghyeon whispered, his voice low and smooth as he dropped one knee onto the edge of the mattress, bringing all that warmth and humidity right into keonho’s space. "you look in the mirror lately, keonho? or do you only pay attention when it's me?"
the temperature in the room shot up instantly.
keonho stayed completely still, sitting back on his elbows as seonghyeon leaned closer. the faint smell of shampoo and warm skin drifted over him, thick and overwhelming.
seonghyeon didn't pull back. instead, his eyes shifted down, his gaze dark and heavy as it traced the thin fabric of keonho’s worn t-shirt. slowly—almost cautiously—seonghyeon reached out.
the tips of his fingers brushed against keonho’s stomach, pressing right over the thin cotton.
keonho’s abdomen instinctively flexed at the sudden contact, a sharp, ragged breath leaving his lips. he could have pulled away. he could have made a joke, pushed seonghyeon's shoulder, or laughed it off like they always did when things got too close.
he didn't.
keonho just leaned back, his knuckles gripping the bedsheet tightly, letting him.
seonghyeon’s hand flattened against keonho's abs, his palm warm against the steady, rapid rise and fall of keonho’s chest. his thumb traced the lean line down the middle, slow and deliberate, testing the solid muscle beneath. the teasing smirk on seonghyeon’s face completely faded, replaced by something quiet, intense, and painfully real.
"see?" seonghyeon whispered, his voice dropping into a raspy thread that barely carried across the quiet room. "you're full of it."
keonho’s heart was hammering against his ribs, so loud he was terrified seonghyeon could feel it through his hand. "seonghyeon..."
seonghyeon’s hand didn't move away. his fingers stayed resting right there, his thumb making another small, feather-light circle over keonho’s skin. he looked up, his dark eyes locked onto keonho’s burning face, his expression so open it made keonho’s chest ache.
"you're not stopping me," seonghyeon murmured softly, his thumb pressing just a fraction deeper.
keonho’s breath caught in his throat.
the friction of seonghyeon’s warm palm pressing down through the soft cotton, combined with the low, raspy tone of his voice, sent a sudden, heavy jolt straight down to keonho’s gut. he tried to relax, tried to flex his stomach to keep his composure, but his body betrayed him completely.
underneath the thin fabric of his gray sweatpants, a sudden, unmistakable ridge began to harden.
seonghyeon’s hand stilled. his fingers, still resting lightly on keonho’s lower abdomen, felt the sudden shift in tension immediately.
for a second, the room went dead quiet. seonghyeon’s dark eyes flicked down, tracing the subtle bulge forming against the fabric, before rising slowly back up to keonho’s face.
the intense, serious look on seonghyeon’s features dissolved instantly, replaced by a dark, downright dangerous smirk.
"oh," seonghyeon murmured, his thumb dragging down just an inch lower, hovering right above the waistband of keonho’s pants. "looks like somebody enjoyed that a little too much."
keonho’s face exploded into an agonizing, scorching heat.
"seonghyeon—"
"i didn't even do anything yet," seonghyeon teased softly, his voice dripping with pure satisfaction as he leaned in closer, his bare chest practically brushing keonho’s shoulder. "you're really that sensitive for me, keonho?"
that was the limit.
a spike of sheer panic and overwhelming embarrassment surged through keonho’s veins. before seonghyeon could say another word, keonho planted both hands flat against seonghyeon’s bare, damp shoulders and shoved him back with everything he had.
seonghyeon went flying backward, losing his balance on the edge of the mattress and landing flat on his back on the hardwood floor with a loud, hollow thud.
"shut up!" keonho yelled, his voice cracking violently as he scrambled backward on the bed, pulling a pillow straight over his lap to hide himself.
from the floor, seonghyeon lay sprawled on his back, staring up at the ceiling for a second before bursting into a deep, chest-heaving laugh. he covered his face with his arm, his broad shoulders shaking helplessly as his laughter echoed off the bedroom walls.
"you're unbelievable," keonho hissed, his entire head burning red as he glared down at him over the edge of the pillow. "get out."
"you pushed me," seonghyeon wheezed from the floor, slowly dragging his arm away from his face to reveal a blinding, victorious grin, his dark eyes sparkling with unholy amusement. "you literally tackled me because you got a—"
"finish that sentence and i'm locking you in the balcony," keonho threatened, clutching the pillow tighter against his hips while seonghyeon just laughed harder.
-
the air at the kitchen table was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife.
it was barely nine in the morning, and the rest of CORTIS was slowly stumbling into the living area, blinking away sleep. james was leaning against the counter waiting for the coffee machine to drip, while juhoon lazily flipped through his phone, dragging his feet in oversized slippers.
at the main table, seonghyeon and keonho sat directly across from each other.
well, sat was a generous word.
keonho was practically glued to his bowl of cereal, his spoon clinking against the ceramic in rhythmic, aggressive speed, staring at the floating flakes like they held the secret to the universe. his ears were still faintly pink, a lingering souvenir from yesterday's incident.
seonghyeon wasn't doing much better. he was sipping dark coffee, his eyes strictly fixed on the window, completely avoiding looking at the lower half of keonho's body—or keonho's face altogether. whenever keonho moved to grab the milk, seonghyeon’s arm would instantly retract like he’d been zapped by static electricity.
martin, who had walked in to grab a protein shake, stopped dead in his tracks. he looked at keonho, then at seonghyeon, then back at keonho.
"did someone die?" martin asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence.
james paused, turning around with a steaming mug in hand. his eyes narrowed as he took in the scene—the rigid postures, the absolute refusal to make eye contact, the weird three-foot buffer zone they were keeping between their chairs.
"okay, what happened now?" james asked, leaning back against the sink and taking a slow sip. "did keonho break your gaming headset again?"
"no," seonghyeon said instantly, his voice a little too quick, a little too loud. he swallowed hard, taking another long drag of his coffee. "everything's fine."
"you guys haven't said a single word to each other since we woke up," juhoon noted, looking up from his phone with a suspicious glare. "yesterday you were literally wrestling on the bedroom floor—we heard the thud from the living room. did you guys get into a real fight?"
keonho almost choked on his milk. he coughed sharply, beating his fist against his chest as his face flushed a brilliant, unmistakable crimson.
"we didn't—it wasn't a fight," keonho stammered, staring aggressively at his lap. "i just... he accidentally fell."
"he pushed me," seonghyeon corrected under his breath, a tiny, uncontrollable twitch appearing at the corner of his mouth despite his best efforts to stay stone-faced.
"because you were being annoying!" keonho shot back, finally looking up to glare at him.
"see?" james pointed a finger at both of them, shaking his head with a tired, amused sigh. "you two are acting weird again. it's like watching a high school drama."
"don't bring us into whatever weird unresolved tension you two have," martin muttered, grabbing his shake from the fridge and heading toward the door. "just figure it out before practice, please. the energy in here is suffocating."
as the older members drifted back toward the living room, leaving the kitchen empty once more, seonghyeon quietly set his mug down. his dark eyes flicked over to keonho, a quiet, lingering warmth returning to his gaze.
keonho caught him looking, his chest tightening all over again, but this time, neither of them looked away.
the rest of the apartment faded back into background noise—the faint hum of the TV in the living room, the distant sound of martin arguing with juhoon over a video game.
underneath the small wooden table, where their older members couldn't see, the space felt impossibly tiny.
seonghyeon leaned back in his chair, resting his chin in his hand as if he were just quietly staring down at his lukewarm coffee. but below the table leg, his socked foot slowly stretched out, the long arch of his foot sliding up against keonho’s ankle.
keonho went entirely stiff, his spoon freezing mid-air.
"sorry," seonghyeon murmured softly, his voice low enough that it didn't travel past the kitchen counter.
the apology sounded smooth, but there was nothing repentant about the way his foot moved. seonghyeon slowly dragged the instep of his foot upward, tracing the hard line of keonho’s shin, pressing just enough pressure against the fabric of his sweatpants to leave a line of pure heat in its wake.
keonho’s breath hitched sharp in his throat, a tiny, helpless sound catching behind his teeth.
he swallowed hard, his knuckles turning white around his spoon. he knew he should kick seonghyeon’s foot away. he knew he should pull his legs back, tell him to stop, or call him out before one of the hyungs walked back into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.
instead, keonho just slowly parted his knees a fraction wider, letting him.
seonghyeon’s dark eyes flicked up, catching the subtle shift. a quiet, heavy look settled in his gaze as his foot kept sliding higher, the steady, rhythmic rub pressing against the side of keonho’s inner thigh now.
"i didn't mean to make you that embarrassed yesterday," seonghyeon whispered, his tone gentle, almost sweet, even as his foot pushed a little firmer against keonho’s leg under the table. "really."
keonho’s throat felt bone-dry. he couldn't even manage a retort, his entire body humming with the sharp, electricity-like sensation pooling in his stomach. he just stared back at seonghyeon, his chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths, completely helpless under the quiet table.
keonho’s hand moved on instinct.
he dropped his spoon into the ceramic bowl with a soft clink and reached under the table, his fingers wrapping around seonghyeon’s ankle to push him away. he meant to be firm. he meant to give him a harsh, warning shove, to break the dangerous spell before james or juhoon wandered back in from the living room.
but the moment his warm palm closed around seonghyeon’s skin over his sock, keonho’s grip faltered.
seonghyeon didn't stop. instead, feeling keonho’s fingers on his ankle, seonghyeon flexed his foot, pressing his arch firmer against the sensitive muscle of keonho’s inner thigh, his heel dragging a slow, excruciating path upward.
a sudden, hot pulse shot straight through keonho’s lower stomach.
the desire hit him like a physical weight, thick and heavy, completely drowning out the quiet voice in his head telling him to be careful. keonho’s fingers, instead of pushing seonghyeon away, tightened helplessly against his ankle, holding him right there, pulling him just a fraction closer.
keonho’s head fell back slightly, a shaky, ragged exhale slipping past his lips.
seonghyeon’s breath hitched in return. he saw the exact moment keonho gave up the fight—saw the way keonho’s eyes fluttered half-shut, his dark lashes casting soft shadows over his burning cheeks, his knees opening just enough to invite the touch deeper.
the playful smirk on seonghyeon’s face vanished entirely.
underneath the table, seonghyeon’s foot shifted, his toes hooking lightly behind keonho’s knee to pull him forward, bringing keonho’s chair an inch closer against the floorboards. the friction of their clothes, the hidden warmth between their legs, the constant risk of someone walking in—it was driving keonho completely insane, but he couldn't bring himself to end it.
"keonho," seonghyeon whispered, his raspy voice barely a thread of sound, dark and uneven as his dark eyes locked onto keonho’s parted lips.
keonho didn't answer. he couldn't. he just squeezed seonghyeon’s ankle tighter, his breath coming quick and shallow, completely consumed by the heat pooling between them in the silent kitchen.
the quiet in the kitchen suddenly turned suffocatingly loud.
keonho’s grip on seonghyeon’s ankle didn't pull back or shove away. instead, his fingers slid up slightly, guiding seonghyeon's leg as keonho slowly parted his knees wide under the small wooden table.
he gave up completely, letting his hips sink back into the chair as he allowed seonghyeon’s foot to slide all the way up, coming to rest firmly right in the hot, tight space between his thighs.
keonho let out a quiet, trembling shudder, his entire body going rigid for a second at the heavy, direct pressure pressing against his groin through the thin cotton of his sweatpants.
seonghyeon’s whole frame went still. the nonchalant, quiet posture he was trying to maintain for the living room completely cracked. his hand, which had been resting casually on his coffee mug, tightened until his knuckles turned pale.
underneath the table, seonghyeon didn't pull back. he flexed his foot, the smooth arch of his sole pressing down with slow, deliberate weight right over keonho’s growing hardness.
"you're insane," seonghyeon rasped under his breath, his voice barely audible over the low hum of the refrigerator. his dark eyes were wide, fixed on keonho's face with a raw, dark intensity that made keonho’s pulse race out of control.
keonho’s head tilted back against the wooden frame of his chair, a slow, hot gasp escaping his throat. he clutched the edge of the table with one hand, his knuckles white, while his other hand remained hooked around seonghyeon’s calf, holding him anchored right where it hurt the best.
"you started it," keonho whispered back, his voice thick and uneven, his chest heaving with quick, shallow breaths as seonghyeon’s foot made a small, agonizingly slow rub right against his middle.
from the hallway, the sudden sound of footsteps echoed—someone stepping out of the bathroom and sliding their feet toward the kitchen.
neither of them moved. keonho just bit down hard on his lower lip to stifle another sound, his thighs shaking slightly as he squeezed seonghyeon's foot tighter against him, completely trapped in the suffocating, hidden heat under the table.
the sudden, heavy footsteps in the hallway faded toward the living room, but the air under the small kitchen table stayed razor-sharp, thick with heat.
keonho’s heart was hammering so hard against his ribs he could hear it in his ears. his dark eyes stayed fixed on seonghyeon’s face—watching the way seonghyeon’s jaw was set tight, the way his dark pupils were blown wide as he tried to maintain a completely expressionless face for anyone who might glance toward the doorway.
slowly, without breaking eye contact, keonho reached down beneath the edge of the wood.
his fingers hooked into the elastic waistband of his sweatpants and undergarment, pulling them down just an inch—just enough to expose bare, hot skin to the cool air of the room.
keonho shifted his hips forward on the wooden seat, his knees opening completely, and guided seonghyeon’s foot straight down past the elastic barrier.
seonghyeon’s entire breath hitched sharply. the nonchalant, casual look on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden, intense strain as his bare toes made direct contact with the smooth, burning heat of keonho’s bare skin underneath.
"keonho..." seonghyeon rasped, his voice dropping into a rough, dangerous whisper, his hand clenching into a tight fist against the tabletop.
keonho didn't say a word. a slow, heavy smirk tugged at the corner of his lips despite the sheer tremor running through his thighs. he leaned back slightly, his knuckles white as he gripped the underside of the table, offering himself up completely in the silent, sunlit kitchen.
seonghyeon swallowed hard, his dark gaze burning into keonho's.
underneath the table, seonghyeon stopped pulling back. instead, he slowly flexed his toes, the smooth, soft arch of his foot gliding directly over the bare, swollen length hidden beneath the fabric. he began to massage him with slow, deliberate pressure, the sole of his foot dragging upward in agonizingly smooth strokes before pressing firmly down at the base.
a muffled, broken sound caught straight in keonho’s throat.
his head fell back against the wooden chair, his hips subtly lifting off the seat to meet the friction of seonghyeon’s foot. every slow rub, every precise stroke of seonghyeon's arch against his bare skin sent a blinding wave of heat straight to his core, making his toes curl against the floorboards.
"you're really... unbelievable," seonghyeon whispered, his voice trembling slightly as he kept the steady, rhythmic massage going beneath the wood, his dark eyes watching keonho’s chest heave with quick, shallow breaths.
keonho’s hand reached down, his fingers wrapping tight around seonghyeon’s ankle, not to push him away—but to hold him flush against his bare length, completely helpless to the slow-burn friction building between them.
a soft, broken moan slipped out of keonho’s throat before he could stop it.
the sound was small, muffled against his own shoulder, but in the quiet kitchen, it rang out like a gunshot.
seonghyeon’s dark eyes flashed. whatever restraint he had left snapped in a single second.
the gentle, cautious arch of his foot suddenly flattened out, his toes curling around the base as his massage turned sharp and brutal. seonghyeon dug the heel of his foot straight down into keonho’s bare length, dragging it up in long, relentless, heavy strokes under the table. the friction was sudden, punishing, and excruciatingly direct, grinding against every sensitive nerve ending keonho had tried so hard to keep hidden.
"seong—" keonho choked out, his eyes flying wide before squeezing shut as his entire frame went rigid.
he couldn't breathe. his hands slammed flat against the underside of the small wooden table, shaking it slightly, his hips instinctively bucking up to meet the harsh, rhythmic pressure of seonghyeon’s foot. seonghyeon didn't give him a single second to adjust—his leg flexed, pushing harder, his sole grinding over the sensitive head with a fast, unforgiving pace that drove keonho straight over the edge.
keonho’s vision went white.
a muffled, sharp gasp ripped from his chest as his body gave out completely. heat exploded through him, hot and overwhelming, spilling out across seonghyeon’s sole and the bunched-up fabric of his underwear. keonho’s thighs trembled violently, his fingers clawing at the wooden edge of the seat as his breath hitched again and again, coming in short, wrecked pants while the spasms racked his lower half.
seonghyeon kept his foot pressed firm against him right through the peak, feeling every single pulse of keonho’s release under his skin.
his own breathing had turned thick and uneven, his dark eyes locked onto keonho’s flushed face, watching the heavy rise and fall of his chest, the tears of sheer sensory overload glittering at the corners of keonho’s closed eyes.
finally, after a agonizingly long moment, seonghyeon slowly, gently eased his foot back, dragging the arch down and slipping it out from underneath keonho’s waistband.
the sudden chill of the room hit keonho’s bare skin. he slouched back into his chair, completely spent, his head resting against the wall behind him as he tried to regain control of his lungs, his entire lower body feeling heavy, sensitive, and warm.
underneath the table, seonghyeon quietly pulled his leg back, his eyes dark, heavy, and completely unblinking as he looked at keonho across the wooden surface.
"clean yourself up," seonghyeon murmured softly, his raspy voice shaking just a fraction as he picked up his coffee mug with a pale, tight grip, "before someone walks in."
the shower door clicked shut behind them, sealing the small bathroom in a heavy, humid quiet.
steam rose fast, blanketing the mirrors and tiling in a thick layer of white mist. the hot water cascaded down from the overhead fixture, roaring against the porcelain floor and filling the room with the warm, clean scent of cedar and soap.
neither of them spoke right away.
seonghyeon stood directly under the stream first, his dark hair soaked and plastered against his forehead, water running down the sharp line of his back and shoulders. keonho leaned back against the cool, tiled wall just outside the main spray, his legs still feeling a little weak, his skin flushed pink from the heat and the lingering sensitivity.
slowly, seonghyeon turned around in the spray. he wiped the water from his eyes, his dark gaze finding keonho through the rising steam. the sharp, brutal intensity from the kitchen had softened into something quiet and heavy.
"come here," seonghyeon whispered, his voice low over the sound of running water.
keonho didn't hesitate. he stepped forward, entering the warm downpour. the hot water hit his chest, washing away the sticky, lingering remnants of what had happened under the table and making him let out a long, quiet exhale.
seonghyeon reached out, his big hands warm against keonho’s waist as he pulled him an inch closer. there were no jokes now, no smirks or teasing comments. seonghyeon just reached for the bar of soap, working it into a soft lather between his palms before pressing his hands against keonho’s shoulders.
his thumbs moved in slow, gentle circles over keonho’s skin, rinsing away the tension of the last two days. keonho closed his eyes, resting his forehead lightly against seonghyeon’s damp collarbone, letting the water pour over both of them as seonghyeon washed his back, his chest, and down the length of his thighs with quiet, deliberate care.
"you okay?" seonghyeon asked softly, his lips brushing against the side of keonho’s wet temple.
keonho wrapped his arms loosely around seonghyeon’s lower back, pulling himself flush against seonghyeon’s warm body under the steady stream.
"yeah," keonho murmured, his voice soft and raspy against seonghyeon's skin. "i'm okay."
seonghyeon’s arms tightened around him, holding him close in the mist, neither of them in any rush to turn off the water or step back into the real world outside the door.
the water kept falling around them in a steady, rhythmic roar, but inside the small circle of their arms, everything went dead quiet.
keonho tilted his head up slightly, his dark lashes wet and heavy, his eyes searching seonghyeon’s face through the thick mist. seonghyeon’s hand moved from keonho’s waist, his warm, wet palm sliding up to cup the side of keonho’s jaw, his thumb resting gently right over keonho’s racing pulse.
they didn't say anything else. there were no cameras, no teasing jokes, and no high-tension glances across a crowded living room.
seonghyeon leaned down, closing the tiny space between them, and pressed his lips to keonho’s.
the kiss was slow, soft, and deep, carrying all the heavy, unspoken weight of the last few weeks. seonghyeon’s mouth tasted like clean water and the faint bitter edge of morning coffee. he parted his lips gently, leaning his full weight forward until keonho’s back met the warm tile wall behind him.
keonho let out a soft, shuddering breath against seonghyeon’s mouth, his hands sliding up seonghyeon’s broad, slick shoulders to tangle into his wet, dark hair. he pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, his lips moving against seonghyeon’s with a quiet, desperate need that made his chest ache.
seonghyeon let out a low, raspy hum in the back of his throat, his other arm wrapping tightly around keonho’s lower back to hold him flush against his chest. his tongue brushed against keonho’s lower lip, slow and agonizingly sweet, taking his time, making sure keonho felt every single shift in his breath.
when seonghyeon finally pulled back a fraction of an inch, the hot shower water was streaming down their faces, washing over their parted lips.
seonghyeon rested his forehead against keonho’s, his dark eyes open, searching keonho’s face in the steam with an intensity that made keonho’s knees feel weak all over again.
"no more hiding," seonghyeon whispered softly against his lips, his hand tightening gently at the back of keonho’s neck.
keonho swallowed hard, a tiny, breathless smile breaking through as he tightened his grip in seonghyeon's hair, leaning right back in to press another slow kiss against his mouth.
the water slowly lost its heat, turning lukewarm against their skin before seonghyeon finally reached over and shut off the faucet.
the sudden silence in the bathroom felt massive. only the heavy, quiet drip of water from the showerhead echoed off the wet tiles, falling between their short, syncopated breaths.
seonghyeon didn't step away immediately. his forehead stayed pressed against keonho’s, his hand still cupping the wet nape of keonho’s neck, thumb stroking the soft skin behind his ear in slow, rhythmic pulses.
"we have to be out in five minutes," keonho murmured softly, his voice muffled against seonghyeon’s chest. "martin’s going to complain if we take all the hot water."
"let him complain," seonghyeon whispered back, though he slowly pulled away just enough to look at keonho. his dark eyes were bright, stripped completely of the guarded, defensive edge he’d worn for the past month.
he grabbed a white towel from the rack, shaking it out before wrapping it gently around keonho’s shoulders. then he took another for himself, drying his damp hair until it stuck up in messy, dark tufts.
when they stepped back into the bedroom, the dorm was still buzzing with normal, everyday noise. juhoon was arguing over the TV remote in the main area, and the smell of toasted bread drifted down the hallway from the kitchen.
keonho sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing a towel over his arms, his heart still thumping a steady, heavy beat against his ribs.
seonghyeon pulled a fresh black t-shirt over his head, settling his clothes into place before walking over to stand right in front of keonho. without saying a word, seonghyeon reached down, his long fingers curling around keonho’s wrist, tugging him up slightly until keonho looked up at him.
"you good?" seonghyeon asked softly, his thumb brushing over the back of keonho's hand—unhidden, completely open.
keonho looked down at their joined hands, then up at seonghyeon’s face, a slow, real smile finally settling on his lips.
"yeah," keonho whispered, his fingers tightening around seonghyeon’s. "i'm good."
from the hallway, james’s voice called out, loud and impatient. "hey, unit three, practice starts in thirty minutes! get moving!"
seonghyeon let out a low laugh, giving keonho’s hand one last, lingering squeeze before finally letting go. "coming," he called back, turning toward the door, but not before casting one last dark, meaningful glance over his shoulder at keonho.
-
seonghyeon slipped out from underneath his own blanket so quietly the mattress barely creaked.
the bedroom was pitch-black, save for the faint glow of a streetlamp bleeding through the window blinds. across the small space, martin’s steady, deep breathing filled the quiet room—fast asleep on his side, completely dead to the world.
keonho stirred when the edge of his mattress dipped. before he could even open his eyes or blink away the heavy haze of sleep, a warm body slid in underneath his thin blanket.
"it's just me," seonghyeon whispered into the dark, his voice a raspy thread right beside keonho’s ear.
keonho’s heart gave a sudden, familiar thud. he shifted over, making room on the narrow single bed as seonghyeon settled beside him, pulling the sheet up over both of their shoulders. the cool night air was instantly replaced by seonghyeon’s warmth, smelling faintly of the citrus soap from earlier.
seonghyeon reached out under the covers, his arm sliding around keonho’s waist, his large palm settling flat against keonho’s stomach. he pulled keonho back against his chest until there was no air left between them, resting his chin lightly in the crook of keonho’s neck.
"what are you doing?" keonho breathed, his lips barely moving as he kept his voice down to a tiny whisper, mindful of martin just a few feet away. "he's going to wake up."
"he won't," seonghyeon murmured against his skin, his hand making a tiny, slow circle over keonho’s waist, his thumb hooking casually into the band of keonho's shorts just to keep him tethered close. "he sleeps like a rock."
keonho let out a long, quiet exhale, his tense shoulders finally melting into the mattress. he reached down under the blanket, his fingers lacing through seonghyeon’s big, warm ones, locking their hands together against his stomach.
"i couldn't sleep," seonghyeon admitted softy, his breath warm against keonho’s throat. "kept thinking."
"about what?"
"about tomorrow," seonghyeon whispered. "about the fans. about the cameras. about how hard it's gonna be to keep my hands off you when we're around everyone else."
keonho’s chest tightened, a quiet flutter rising in his gut. he squeezed seonghyeon’s fingers tighter, tilting his head back slightly into the dip of seonghyeon’s shoulder.
"we'll figure it out," keonho whispered back, his voice thick with sleep and absolute certainty.
seonghyeon didn't answer with words. he just pressed a slow, soft kiss to the side of keonho’s neck, his grip at keonho’s waist firm and protective as they fell into a quiet, shared rhythm, drifting off to sleep together in the dark.
seonghyeon slipped out from underneath his own blanket so quietly the mattress barely creaked.
the bedroom was pitch-black, save for the faint glow of a streetlamp bleeding through the window blinds. across the small space, martin’s steady, deep breathing filled the quiet room—fast asleep on his side, completely dead to the world.
keonho stirred when the edge of his mattress dipped. before he could even open his eyes or blink away the heavy haze of sleep, a warm body slid in underneath his thin blanket.
"it's just me," seonghyeon whispered into the dark, his voice a raspy thread right beside keonho’s ear.
keonho’s heart gave a sudden, familiar thud. he shifted over, making room on the narrow single bed as seonghyeon settled beside him, pulling the sheet up over both of their shoulders. the cool night air was instantly replaced by seonghyeon’s warmth, smelling faintly of the citrus soap from earlier.
seonghyeon reached out under the covers, his arm sliding around keonho’s waist, his large palm settling flat against keonho’s stomach. he pulled keonho back against his chest until there was no air left between them, resting his chin lightly in the crook of keonho’s neck.
"what are you doing?" keonho breathed, his lips barely moving as he kept his voice down to a tiny whisper, mindful of martin just a few feet away. "he's going to wake up."
"he won't," seonghyeon murmured against his skin, his hand making a tiny, slow circle over keonho’s waist, his thumb hooking casually into the band of keonho's shorts just to keep him tethered close. "he sleeps like a rock."
keonho let out a long, quiet exhale, his tense shoulders finally melting into the mattress. he reached down under the blanket, his fingers lacing through seonghyeon’s big, warm ones, locking their hands together against his stomach.
"i couldn't sleep," seonghyeon admitted softy, his breath warm against keonho’s throat. "kept thinking."
"about what?"
"about tomorrow," seonghyeon whispered. "about the fans. about the cameras. about how hard it's gonna be to keep my hands off you when we're around everyone else."
keonho’s chest tightened, a quiet flutter rising in his gut. he squeezed seonghyeon’s fingers tighter, tilting his head back slightly into the dip of seonghyeon’s shoulder.
"we'll figure it out," keonho whispered back, his voice thick with sleep and absolute certainty.
seonghyeon didn't answer with words. he just pressed a slow, soft kiss to the side of keonho’s neck, his grip at keonho’s waist firm and protective.
the kiss lasted for a minute before seonghyeon's hand reached the hem of keonho's tank top. he let his own hand slide inside of it and stroked his abs. keonho pulled from the kiss to let out his moans. the tension and desire he's feeling are so unbearable. seonghyeon then reached for his waistband and slowly pulled his boxer shorts down.
“sean!” keonho yelped. seonghyeon smirked when keonho called him by his english name. “yes baby!” he responded.
keonho shut his eyes tightly when seonghyeon finally took off his shorts. holy shit!
seonghyeon slowly crawled his hand against keonho's cock, stroked it up and down, gentle but hard.
keonho's hips buckled up, meeting his movement. seonghyeon licked his neck, earlobe, sucking it after. seonghyeon's hand then rested on his waist, positioning him properly.
“what are you doing?” keonho hissed. he peeked at seonghyeon's shoulder where he can see martin facing the wall.
“sssh”
keonho's eyes widened when he felt the mattress shifted when seonghyeon lifted his own waist to remove his boxer shorts. he tossed it somewhere before shoving his fingers inside keonho's lips.
“suck!” he ordered. keonho obliged.
keonho coated his fingers with his saliva. “good boy” seonghyeon whispered before pulling it back.
“aaah” keonho gasped then bit his lower lip when seonghyeon entered his finger inside his ass. his hips trembled. he felt a hot sting, he literally forgot how thick seonghyeon fingers are.
seonghyeon fingered him fast. keonho sobbed in a silent tone, he buried his face on the pillow to suppress it.
seonghyeon fingers played inside, scissoring to stretch his hole. after that, he pulled it. keonho's breath hitched when seonghyeon slowly enter his shaft inside him.
before keonho could scream, seonghyeon covered his mouth with his calloused hand. seonghyeon started to rock his hip sideward, spooning his dongsaeng.
seonghyeon's deliciously sucked keonho's shoulder to suppress the moan threatening to go out.
“so tight. hnnggg” seonghyeon whispered. his breath is shaky, tears started forming around his eyelids.
keonho shook his head in protest. he tapped the hand wrapping around his mouth several times.
seonghyeon's head slowly moved closer to his ear. “ssssh, baby. you can take it. ok? you're taking me so well.”
keonho sobbed even more.
seonghyeon then grabbed his hips and moved faster, the bed creaked. keonho slowly turned his head to meet seonghyeon's gaze. it was full of lust and longing. it seemed like seonghyeon waited for this day to come, so needy.
then his gaze shifted at martin. he gasped when the guy was now facing their direction.
“fuck, he's.. he's-”
“ssssh don't mind him. aaah fuck, you're so tight, keonho”
“sean please!”
“hmmm ah ah ahh ugh”
keonho bit his own fingers to suppress his moans. he literally saw stars when seonghyeon spread him wider, his left thigh being lifted high before he fucked him faster.
*sobs*
seonghyeon's dick kept on hitting his prostate, his stomach turned. he felt his abdomen started to form an ounce of pressure.
“i’m cumming!” keonho breathed out.
“go on. give it to me!” seonghyeon encouraged.
seonghyeon's speed increased. in just a few seconds, keonho came untouched. they let out a long but soft moan together. they can literally be heard in james and juhoon's room. luckily, martin remained asleep.
seonghyeon pressed his pelvis against his butt. brutal, countless times, keonho gasped in every movement. seonghyeon then thrusts harder before his seed spilled inside keonho.
keonho's let out a shaky sigh. he noticed seonghyeon became motionless behind him. damn, he fell asleep already, his hard cock still inside him. keonho just chuckled and slowly closed his eyes, letting sean's shaft buried.
-
the breakfast table was chaos, but in a completely different way than the morning before.
the thick, awkward tension was gone, replaced by an energy that was somehow even more obvious. seonghyeon sat crammed into the wooden bench with his hip pressed flush against keonho’s, his long leg casually hooked over keonho’s thigh under the table—completely unbothered, as if they hadn't spent the last month keeping a three-foot buffer zone between them.
when keonho reached for the jam, seonghyeon didn't just hand it to him; he took the piece of toast straight out of keonho’s hand, spread the butter himself, and handed it back, his thumb lingering over keonho's knuckles until keonho took a bite.
juhoon stopped mid-chew, his fork hovering inches from his mouth.
"okay, hold on," juhoon said, squinting across the table at them. "yesterday you two were literally glaring at each other like you were about to throw hands, and today seonghyeon is feeding you toast?"
"i'm not feeding him," seonghyeon said smoothly, though he didn't move his arm off the back of keonho's chair. his fingers were casually twirling a lock of keonho’s damp hair at the nape of his neck. "he's lazy."
"i'm not lazy," keonho muttered, a faint pink wash rising on his cheeks, though he leaned straight back into seonghyeon’s side anyway, his shoulder resting comfortably against seonghyeon’s chest.
james leaned over the island, clutching his coffee mug with both hands, his eyes darting between seonghyeon’s hand in keonho’s hair and the way keonho was casually rest-dropping his head against seonghyeon’s shoulder while eating.
"you guys went from 'don't look at me' to attached at the hip in less than twenty-four hours," james sighed, shaking his head with a bewildered laugh. "what did you even do in the bathroom yesterday? summon a spirit?"
"we just talked," keonho said, popping the rest of his toast into his mouth.
"right. talked," martin grunted, walking past the table with a towel around his neck. "is that why seonghyeon crawled into your bed at three in the morning? because the mattress creaked so loud it woke me up."
the entire kitchen went dead quiet.
keonho instantly choked on his orange juice, coughing sharply into his elbow as his face turned a brilliant, violent shade of red. seonghyeon, however, didn't even flinch—he just reached over, calmly patting keonho’s back while a slow, infuriatingly fond smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"you were awake?" seonghyeon asked, completely unfazed.
"yes, i was awake," martin deadpanned, opening the fridge. "next time, keep your clingy late-night talks on your own side of the room. or at least buy a softer blanket."
juhoon covered his face with both hands, groaning loudly, while james just shook his head, taking a long, slow drag of his coffee.
keonho buried his burning face directly into seonghyeon’s shoulder to hide, his shoulders shaking with embarrassed laughter. seonghyeon just wrapped both arms securely around keonho's waist, pulling him in close, completely unbothered by the audience as he pressed a quick, hidden kiss right into keonho's messy hair.
-
the fanmeeting hall was deafening.
screams echoed off the high ceilings as the five members of CORTIS took their seats behind the long, draped table. the room was a sea of glowing lightsticks, banner signs, and flash photography.
right in the middle of the table sat seonghyeon and keonho, seated side by side.
before, seonghyeon would have sat rigid, keeping a careful two inches of clear table between their elbows to stop the camera lenses from catching anything lingering. but today, as soon as the host started introducing the group, seonghyeon pulled his chair an inch closer, his shoulder resting casually against keonho’s.
the crowd noticed instantly. a collective, high-pitched wave of shrieks rippled through the front rows.
"look at them," juhoon muttered into his live mic, leaning back with a mischievous grin. "they didn't even sit like that in the van."
the fans went wild, the noise doubling in volume. scattered chants began to break out from the leftmost section, rhythmic and loud, catching on until half the auditorium was echoing with the exact same name:
"seongkeon! seongkeon! seongkeon!"
keonho’s ears burned bright red on the spot. he picked up his water bottle just to have something to do with his hands, taking a slow sip while trying desperately to keep his face completely neutral for the endless row of HD masterbar cameras pointed straight at them.
seonghyeon, on the other hand, didn't even try to hide it.
he adjusted his microphone, leaning into the stalk with a slow, lopsided smirk that was captured in vivid detail on the massive LED screens behind them. he looked down at keonho, whose head was bowed as he tried to tame his blush, and casually reached out.
right in front of thousands of fans, seonghyeon’s fingers brushed against keonho's chin, tilting keonho's head up gently so they were looking right at each other.
the entire venue erupted. fans were clutching each other, camera shutters were clicking like rapid fire, and the live comment feed on the stream screen was moving too fast to read.
"you guys like that name?" seonghyeon asked into his mic, his low voice rolling over the speakers as his dark eyes stayed fixed entirely on keonho’s flushed face.
keonho swatted seonghyeon's hand away with a soft laugh, hiding his face in his forearm for a second before looking up, his eyes bright with affection he couldn't hold back anymore.
"stop teasing," keonho whispered off-mic, his knee bumping seonghyeon’s under the long tablecloth.
"make me," seonghyeon whispered back, his smile widening as he unblushingly laced his pinky finger with keonho's under the edge of the table, completely content to give the fans—and himself—exactly what they wanted.
seonghyeon didn't keep it hidden for long.
underneath the long table draped in dark fabric, his fingers unlaced from keonho's pinky. before keonho could even register the sudden loss of warmth, seonghyeon reached over top of the table in broad daylight.
he didn't just brush past. in full view of the venue, the blinding camera flashes, and the thousands of phones recording from every angle, seonghyeon reached across the gap and slotted his fingers directly through keonho’s.
he lifted their joined hands high off the tablecloth, resting them squarely on top of the surface for everyone to see.
a collective, deafening scream tore through the auditorium. it was so loud the floorboards vibrated under their chairs. fanmasters in the front row dropped their heavy lenses for a fraction of a second in pure shock before diving right back into firing off rapid-fire photos.
keonho’s brain short-circuited entirely.
he stared down at their locked hands—seonghyeon’s larger, long fingers wrapped snugly around his own, thumb stroking the back of keonho’s hand in a slow, steady rhythm that didn't stop even as the crowd lost its collective mind.
"seonghyeon," keonho choked out, trying to keep his voice off his headset mic, his cheeks burning a shade of crimson so deep it was practically glowing under the venue lights. "what are you doing?"
"holding your hand," seonghyeon answered simple as that, his voice amplified by his lapel mic so every single person in the venue heard it loud and clear.
the fans screamed so hard juhoon actually had to cover both his ears, rolling his eyes as he looked over from the far end of the table. "they've completely lost it," juhoon complained into his mic, though he was grinning from ear to ear. "manager hyung is going to pass out behind the curtain."
keonho looked over at the side of the stage. sure enough, their head manager was standing in the shadows with both hands covering his face, shaking his head in sheer, helpless disbelief.
but seonghyeon didn't care. he didn't pull back, didn't loosen his grip, and didn't look at the manager once. he just squeezed keonho’s hand tighter, a soft, incredibly genuine smile softening his sharp features as he looked sideways at keonho.
"let them take photos," seonghyeon whispered, his thumb making a sweet, small circle over keonho's knuckles. "they're gonna talk anyway. might as well give them something real."
keonho looked from their joined hands up to seonghyeon’s dark, unwavering eyes. the embarrassment in his chest slowly melted away, replaced by a quiet, steady warmth that settled right in his center.
a small, breathless laugh escaped keonho's lips. he stopped trying to pull away, squeezing seonghyeon’s hand right back in front of the whole world.