Work Text:
Sometimes there are days when, from the very moment you wake up, you know that absolutely everything is going to go straight to hell. Today is definitely one of those days.
Seongje's head is splitting like crazy. His eyes immediately squeeze shut again when sunlight hits them. Who opened the curtains? They're always kept tightly drawn.
And why does he feel so awful?
Yeah, Seongje might've gone a little overboard with the drinking yesterday, but not to this extent. He's had worse, but even then, mornings weren't this rough.
On top of the physical misery, the unbearable heat was also choking him.
Memories of how he got home are completely missing, and trying to grab onto anything only makes the pain and ringing in his ears worse.
Maybe he did drink way more than he thought?
He couldn't throw off the blanket. It's August, why is he even sleeping under a blanket? And such a ridiculously heavy one at that. Does he even have one like this? He thinks so. But it's stashed away on the top shelf of the closet until winter. Did he really get that cold last night that he bothered to drag it out?
All thought processes get cut off because his ear catches a sound very close by. Almost right in his ear. It sounds suspiciously like annoyed muttering. Following that, a hot breath touches his skin. Seongje flinches, practically jumps, and shoves away what he initially thought was the blanket. He wishes it had been.
There's a crash and a male yelp.
The sudden movements amplify the unpleasant sensations, but the spike of adrenaline pushes it slightly to the background. He automatically tries to fumble for his glasses on the bed, but doesn't find them. Another red flag: they're usually right on the edge.
It takes a moment to realize that this doesn't look anything like his tiny room. He automatically checks himself, and something inside calms down a little upon realizing he's at least not naked. But that passes quickly, because the clothes are clearly not his. Great, fuck, and what kind of crap did you pull again last night, Keum Seongje?
Apparently, the kind that'll have serious consequences, and he'll be dealing with them for a long time. The body that fell to the floor stirs and turns out to be none other than fucking Park Humin.
What. The. Fuck.
There was, of course, a sliver of hope that Seongje was just hallucinating from alcohol intoxication, but that hope quickly shatters against the rocks of harsh reality. This "hallucination" is way too realistic. He highly doubts his brain can accurately recreate the image of Baku pouting, rubbing his bruised thigh with a pitiful look. And those stupid eyes of his. He looks like a kicked puppy.
“You could've helped.” His voice is laced with feigned hurt, finally convincing Seongje that he's definitely not imagining this. “It's been a while since I woke up like this. What made you suddenly...”
Baku trails off abruptly the moment their eyes meet. For a few long moments, he just looks, tilting his head to the side. Seongje doesn't like it. It's like he's being scanned, like someone's trying to figure him out like some stupid puzzle.
He grimaces slightly but refuses to look away first. The emotions on the other's face shift rapidly, and they aren't being hidden. Now Humin looks genuinely worried. Oh, how Seongje hates him.
“Je-yah? You okay? What happened?”
It sounds so caring and soft that, for a tiny second, Seongje is thrown off. He's never heard anything like that directed at him before. Especially from this person. Sure, Humin often coos at his precious friends, but Seongje is not in that category. He's more like the one who brings out the worst and most unpleasant things from the group's favorite. Things hidden from almost everyone behind bright smiles, loud laughter, and empathy. So, he's used to completely different tones.
What could have happened in one night to change his behavior so drastically? He's not sure he wants to know. His defense mechanisms, thankfully, kick in pretty fast.
“How the fuck did I end up here?” he says as sharply as possible on purpose.
Seongje sways a little as he gets up from the bed. His stance is unsteady because he still feels nauseous, but he still manages to give Humin one of his best contemptuous looks. He has a whole arsenal of them. For any situation. Though it's ruined by the fact he has to squint without his glasses. Probably not having the desired effect. Baku doesn't even seem annoyed. He looks confused, growing even more alarmed.
“You passed out at the table in the kitchen yesterday, so I woke you up and dragged you here. Don't you remember?”
Seongje raises an eyebrow, the crease between his brows deepening. What is this lunatic talking about? What kitchen? He was definitely drinking with Wooyoung by the convenience store near the PC bang yesterday. After that, they walked around the night streets laughing at everything, and then... blank. The pounding in his temples gets worse. Fuck, he's never drinking again. For real this time.
Anyway, he couldn't have ended up in any kitchen. And certainly not one from which Humin apparently dragged him into his bed.
“What nonsense? Why the hell would I be in your kitchen?”
Well, at that moment, Seongje wished he had his phone on him. Humin looks absolutely hilarious: blinking randomly, opening and closing his mouth like a fish, but ultimately not making a sound like the words got stuck somewhere inside. Yeah, that would've been prime blackmail material. The idiot would finally see how ridiculous he looks from the outside. But he has nothing to film with, so he'll just have to file it away in his memory. What a missed opportunity.
Gradually, a new emotion surfaces in Humin's eyes. Hard to pinpoint immediately: something between disbelief, confusion, and genuine concern.
What the hell is wrong with him today? Why isn't he firing back with sarcasm and getting pissed off? And where did this open, vulnerable look come from?
“Why are you talking like that, Je-yah? I thought we were past this kind of joke.” Humin says the last part quite firmly, but his movements are cautious and slow as he steps closer after getting up. “Or are you overworked? Maybe you're sick?”
When Baku gets the nerve to reach out and touch his forehead, Seongje recoils, shoving his hand away. His body immediately punishes him with another wave of nausea and pain. He grits his teeth and focuses all his attention on irritation.
“What were you trying to do? Don't you dare touch me.“ It doesn't come out as threatening as planned, but whatever. “And what «Je-yah» am I to you, fuck? Have you completely lost your mind? I'll hit you, and your brains will snap back into place. Though I highly doubt you have any.”
Humin freezes again like a statue. He stares at his own hand for a long time, as if trying to process what just happened. His face is now strangely blank. Seongje turns away, clutching his head. It feels like it's about to explode. He's tired of analyzing. Nothing made sense.
“You're not my Je-yah.” It comes out so quietly he barely makes it out over the ringing in his ears. “Right now, you're acting just like when you were eighteen.”
Oh, Baku should have just kept quiet, because with each new word, it starts to seem more and more like he's lost his mind. Or Seongje has. Maybe both. What is any of this supposed to mean? What utter nonsense.
“And how old do you think I am? Thirty?” he automatically snaps back, sneering. Even in this state, he's still himself: getting angry the moment he feels he's losing control. “I am eighteen, you idiot.”
A pause follows, during which Humin breathes deeper, clearly using some stupid calming technique. As if that would help. What a clown.
“If you're eighteen, then so am I. Tell me, do I look that age?”
At first, Seongje plans to twirl his finger at his temple and just finally get the hell out of this nuthouse, but then he decides to actually look at Humin. Probably for the first time this whole time. The stress and physical state hadn't left much room for comparing details. And he sees poorly without his glasses. But now they're closer, and the differences are indeed there.
This Park Humin looks more built and filled out than the one he has to deal with almost every day. The face is seemingly the same, yet not quite. There are more fine lines here and there, probably from frequent smiles and laughter. Grown-up. Baku seemed like an adult. Definitely older than he should be.
“And look at yourself too.” Baku nods towards the mirror hanging on the wall.
Seongje obeys almost mechanically. Now it's his turn to turn into a stone statue. The reflection is definitely him, but at the same time, not at all. A strange feeling washes over him. It's hard to comprehend, let alone describe.
He doesn't look eighteen at all. Still young, but it's obvious at a glance that he's no longer a high schooler. Hesitating for a moment, he risks reaching up to his hair, touching the strands. They're a bit shorter than his usual cut, but softer and seemingly more manageable. His facial features are slightly sharper and somehow more harmonious. His build has changed too, though it's not as noticeable as Baku's.
“What the hell?” he mutters under his breath, not taking his eyes off the mirror. Damn, even his voice sounds different.
When a silhouette appears next to him, he finally snaps out of it a little. As much as possible in a situation like this, anyway. While Seongje was unsuccessfully trying to process things, Baku had gone somewhere. He's back now, holding glasses and a glass of murky water, judging by the bubbles and fizz, something's dissolving in there.
Humin hesitates for a few seconds, only a blind person wouldn't notice. He definitely first intended to hand everything over directly, but changed his mind at the last second and just set it on the nightstand beside Seongje.
“You have a headache. Drink this, it'll help.”
At first, Seongje wants to tell him off and start cursing, because he doesn't understand anything and it's incredibly frustrating. He also hates it when someone sees his weaknesses and points them out. But the rational part wins. In this state, he still won't be able to properly process everything.
He downs the contents in one go, grimacing at the unpleasant taste, and then sets the glass back on the tabletop with an unnecessary clatter.
The glasses are expensive-looking and definitely not his. He puts them on anyway after turning them over in his hands. He probably should have expected them to fit. The world instantly looks much clearer. He feels slightly better because he no longer has to squint, easing the pressure on his eyes.
“Now explain to me what's going on.” Seongje crosses his arms over his chest, trying not to stare too much at the new Humin. “You know something, don't you?”
Baku doesn't answer right away. He stares point-blank for a while, as if waiting for something. Maybe a simple «thank you». Not happening. Seongje isn't going to thank anyone. He didn't ask for this, so he's not obligated. The stare-down lasts a few more moments, then Humin gives in with a heavy sigh.
“All I can say for sure is that here, in the future, you still keep attracting trouble to yourself.”
“You're saying I traveled through time?” Seongje doesn't hide his skepticism, smirking caustically. He could laugh out loud at how surreal the situation is, but he's not really in the mood.
“Come on, you must have heard about time stones.”
“They only take you to the past.”
“Well, technically, that's exactly what happened. The stone isn't with you, it's with the one who unintentionally went to the past.” Baku tiredly rubs his face with his palms. His shoulders are tense. Looks like he's not thrilled about this either.
“That's not how they work.” Seongje frowns, trying to remember everything he'd heard about the stones. He's never had personal experience. Many doubted their existence, even though they'd provided enough proof. He was in the group that neither denied nor agreed, not having seen anything up close for himself. At least until today. It seems more plausible to believe in some magical stones than to think he belongs in a psych ward. “And aren't their capabilities limited to a few days?”
“Regular ones are only strong enough for a week, yeah, but something different was used here.”
“More specifically?”
“Specifically, someone else will have to answer that, let's go.” Baku suddenly grabs Seongje hand and tugs him toward the room's exit, catching him off guard.
“Hey, where are you dragging me?” He nearly trips, digging his heels into the floor, but the strength is uneven, so Baku keeps pulling him in an unknown direction.
“To the one who can help fix this. We need to get things back to normal, preferably by tomorrow. If you don't want to be stuck here, don't fight it.”
“I don't trust you.”
“I know, but you'll have to try.” Humin replies with an almost bitter tone, faltering for a second before quickly masking it and picking up the pace.
Seongje bites his tongue and decides to stay quiet this time. He really doesn't want to rely on Park Humin, but he doesn't have any other options anyway.
He only gets a brief glimpse of the house. Not that Seongje is trying. His head still hurts, but it's gradually getting better. His gaze doesn't linger on anything specific, but he can tell the space is lived-in and somehow cozy, by normal people's standards, of course. And it's clearly inhabited by two people. He can tell from the different-sized shoes on the shelves in the hallway and the coats hanging nearby.
They put their shoes on in silence. The sneakers Humin hands him fit perfectly. They also look like something Seongje would buy for himself. The puzzle pieces slowly start to fit together, but he really doesn't want to believe it. Once they're outside, Baku doesn't let go of his hand, even when he locks the door, though it's obvious Seongje would follow him anyway.
“How did I end up at your house?” Seongje returns to his first question, yanking his hand free.
Baku's expression wavers between something like hurt and something else he can't identify. After a pause, with excessive tension, he grabs his hand again, ignoring the protests.
“It's our house.” He says it with pride and not a trace of embarrassment. “We live together. We're dating.”
Seongje freezes again. Baku tries to pull him along, but he latches onto an iron pipe near the fence and stays put.
Hold on a second, he needs to process this.
He can't. It was easier to accept the info about the stupid stones than the fact that he's dating Baku.
“Don't bullshit me. I would never date you. Let alone move in with you.” The guy snorts contemptuously, ignoring the heavy feeling in his chest.
Now Humin frowns, looking disappointed, almost reproachful. His grip tightens. But the anger fades as quickly as it came, just like before.
Seongje gets the feeling that Baku initially unconsciously thinks the words belong to his... boyfriend, or whatever they are to each other in this time, and then realizes that's not the case, and calms down.
“Of course you will. You're not getting away from me, so don't even hope. Not in the past, not in the present, and not in the future.”
The other's confidence and genuine smile throw him off for just a moment, but it's long enough for him to be pried from the pole and led further.
Maybe he thinks about that fucking smile too much along the way. Not because he liked it, of course not. It's just that Humin had never smiled like that specifically for him before. He'd only seen it from the sidelines when the other was with his precious friends. Seongje wasn't watching on purpose, but that's just how things worked out.
It was hard to believe life could change this drastically. Are they really together? Sounds absurd.
Fortunately, they didn't have to walk far. They went down narrow alleys, climbed some steps, and headed towards a two-story house set a bit apart from the others. The area looks vaguely familiar, though he can't pinpoint it. Judging by the sun's position in the sky, it's approaching noon. Or maybe not. Not that Seongje would know.
Once on the porch, Baku punches in a code instead of ringing the doorbell like a normal person and opens the door. A nasty little voice in his head warns him that this dwelling belongs to one of those idiots from the group he can't stand, and unfortunately, he's right.
After Humin makes Seongje take off his shoes, they walk into a spacious kitchen where Yeon Sieun himself is sitting at the table. The guy is typing something on his laptop, cross-referencing with scribbles in a notebook. He looks up immediately, noticing the uninvited guests, and if he's surprised, he doesn't show it.
“Something wrong?” Sieun stands up, studying them both intently.
“Yeah. I want you to give me back my boyfriend.” Baku is clearly not one to beat around the bush. Straight as an arrow.
“Isn't he right next to you?” Sieun raises an eyebrow subtly, slowly shifting his gaze from one to the other.
Seongje feels another strange jolt in his chest. Oh, so they really are dating, and everyone knows? The more new facts pile up, the more his brain fries.
“No! This is definitely not my Je-yah.” Humin shakes his head, not a trace of doubt in his voice. But then he seems to notice something in his friend's expression and decides to elaborate. “Well, it is him, but his teenage version. A bit angry, stupid, and impulsive, you remember, right?”
“Hey, I can hear you, idiot.“ Seongje is offended by such a shallow description of his, actually, complex personality, and he's tired of staying quiet. He yanks his hand free from the other's, only now realizing their palms were still clasped together. How embarrassing. “Watch your mouth, or you'll have to answer for it.”
“See, that's what I'm talking about! He's not tame yet at all!“ Humin pouts almost childishly, then looks at Sieun with puppy-dog hope. “You'll help, won't you? We need to fix this as fast as possible.”
Sieun is silent for a while, now studying Seongje more intently, with interest. It's all incredibly irritating and makes him feel like a goddamn circus monkey everyone's pointing at. Which is what he hates most.
“I'm afraid I can't help much.” Sympathy flickers in Sieun's eyes as Humin's shoulders slump. But your Seongje will definitely be back soon. Given the distance, the stone's energy should only last about a day. Maybe less. Don't worry so much.
Figures, as usual, everyone's busy comforting each other, and the fact that Seongje suddenly landed in the fucking future and had several existential crises from every new detail about his life, well, obviously no one gives a shit.
No way.
“So this nonsense will be over soon, right?” Seongje crosses his arms, feigning thoughtfulness. He wants to do something so they'll finally pay real attention to him and take him seriously. “Mmm, great. As soon as I get back, I'll fix everything right away. None of what I saw here is definitely going to happen. I'll make sure of that.”
If Baku had managed to relax for a second from his friend's reassuring words, the tension is back now. He spins his head towards Seongje sharply, then grabs his shoulders, forcing him to look at him. It was almost automatic, like it used to happen often.
“What exactly are you planning to fix? Don't you dare even think about messing anything up, got it?”
Oh, now this is getting interesting. A similar expression on Humin's face was only ever seen when someone touched his precious friends. There was something like righteous anger and a desperate need to protect in his eyes. Maybe a little fear too, but that could be imagination.
Seongje had seen this before. Sometimes he provoked it on purpose, though he'd never admit it out loud.
It's a pretty familiar sight, but also completely different. Because right now, Baku was like this because of him. Like Seongje matters so much that losing him was a real fear.
The feeling in his chest flared up again. Brighter, stronger than before. Seongje frantically tries to come up with a scathing retort because the desire to see even more emotion borders on obsession, but he doesn't get the chance to open his mouth, Sieun interrupts and ruins it.
“Don't worry, Humin-ah, he won't be able to affect the future. Once he's back, he won't even remember being here.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
Sieun says it with such confidence, like he knows for a hundred percent sure, and it's impossible not to be reassured. Baku sighs and lets go of Seongje, stepping back. Relief is written all over him. The attention slips away as quickly as it came. How annoying. The tension dissipates.
“You, as always, know more than everyone else, don't you?” Seongje nearly glares at Sieun, but the latter barely reacts and doesn't bother to respond.
It turns out the stone his future self used was some kind of prototype, completely different from all the others. It was being tested and studied.
It had only been used a couple of times before, strictly under supervision and not over long distances.
The rock ended up in Seongje's hands because he, of all people, worked at some research center as a tester. How he ended up there was beyond comprehension. Never had any interest in that.
Honestly, he never really thought much about what he wanted to be or where he'd apply, even though it was his last year of high school. Seongje doesn't make long-term plans like Sieun or Baekjin do. No, he's the type to just go with the flow. Only it seems that flow has carried him somewhere unexpected.
Baku dragged him to Sieun's because he also works at the research center and is his goddamn colleague, with whom they «work great together».
Maybe he personally hasn't lost his mind yet, but his future self clearly has some screws loose for voluntarily tying his life to two idiots. He can only hope it's just two.
Though, considering they always acted like goddamn inseparable shadowing each other, that hope is probably futile.
All this was casually explained to him during tea time. Sieun didn't offer. Baku himself put the kettle on, made tea, and sat them at the table. Seongje deliberately didn't touch the mug. Especially after Humin helpfully added exactly the amount of sugar he likes.
Kept acting like he knew him. And, fuck, it really seems like he does.
At some point, a dog, looks like a golden retriever, came bounding down from the second floor. Baku immediately stopped destroying the cookies in the bowl on the table and jumped up. The dog started barking, spinning around and wagging its tail. So cute it makes him sick. Especially because of the smile and laughter. Sieun didn't even bat an eye, but his gaze seemed to soften.
“Hey there, buddy's happy to see you.” Baku cooed, petting the dog behind its ear and along its back. “Sorry I didn't play with you last time even though I promised.”
“You can play with him in the yard now.” Sieun interjected, getting up to wash the cups.
Baku hesitated for a moment, glancing at Seongje for some reason, but then gave in and went out into the yard, grabbing a small ball from the side table.
“I'll be right back. Will you be okay here alone?” Sieun finished with the cups and spoke after the door closed.
“Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.” Seongje snorted mockingly, rolling his eyes.
“I know. He won't let you.” That was the last thing Sieun said before heading upstairs, taking his laptop and some papers.
The smile faded from his face. He didn't know what to feel. Too much at once. Well, at least he felt a bit better physically.
By the way, the reason turned out not to be a hangover, but the stupid time travel. One set of problems brings another.
His thoughts were a jumbled mess, and he needed at least a second to breathe. Well, that's exactly what Sieun gave him. Probably on purpose. How understanding and considerate of him.
***
The solitude and self-reflection were interrupted exactly five minutes later, but that was enough to pull himself together a little. Or at least try to. Sieun stopped in the doorway, then silently nodded towards the door. Seongje sighed and got up, trailing behind. He didn't feel like arguing or yelling anymore. It seemed like he was now somewhere between the third and fourth stages of acceptance. Or whatever it's called.
The numbers on Baku's ID might have gone up, but his development clearly stalled back in middle school. Or earlier. It really shows.
He was running around the yard with the dog on the grass, laughing loudly every time the dog followed commands or brought the ball back. In short, he was in his natural habitat, spending time with his closest kin. They were the same breed.
“I'm really going to date him?” Seongje made a show of grimacing. He and Sieun had stopped on the porch and were watching from there.
“Yes.” Sieun replied after a pause, letting out a barely audible snort. Or maybe he imagined it.
Sieun hadn't changed much on the outside. It was something much deeper, internal. His gaze had become lively. The calm and detachment were no longer a shield. Now he looked genuinely relaxed, like life was going exactly the way he wanted it to. Well, looks like he's doing great.
“And how serious is it?” Seongje asks the question neutrally, pretending he's not all that interested in knowing. “You know, between me and Baku.”
“You live together.” Now it definitely sounded almost mocking.
“So what? Maybe it's just more convenient. Cheaper rent, closer to work, and all that.“ He squints, finally looking away from Baku. “So how serious? From one to ten.”
Sieun raises an eyebrow and looks at him like he's an idiot. It felt like another second and he'd laugh right in his face, but instead he just huffs and steps down off the porch.
“Eleven.”
Seongje purses his lips and can't find a response. That strange feeling in his chest only grows.
***
About fifteen minutes later, they're walking back. Baku is clearly in a better mood, whether from playing with the dog or because he's now sure everything will be back to normal soon and he doesn't need to worry. Either way, he's become more energetic and talkative.
They weren't holding hands, but their shoulders kept brushing, and there was no distance between them. Seems like this guy has no concept of personal space.
“Wait, is this a joke? All your friends live in this neighborhood?” Seongje latches onto one specific phrase, though he's pretending he wasn't listening.
“Yeah. Cool, right?” Baku nods enthusiastically.
“Yeah, real cool.” Only an idiot wouldn't catch the sarcasm, and his companion seems to be exactly that, because the other's smile widens and he keeps talking.
“That's where Juntae lives.” Humin looks up, pointing at a house down the slope. Then he turns and points at another one across the street. “And see that big pretty house at the very end? That's Gogo and Jin's.
Now that caught Seongje's attention. Well, it's yet another fact that's too hard to process. His pace slows, and then he stops altogether. Baku, not expecting it, nearly crashes into him.
“Jin? Baekjin?” He repeats it, and after getting a confirming nod, can't help an ironic chuckle. “So you're telling me Baekjin lives with Gotak?”
“Yeah. They're dating.” Humin shrugs, like he has no idea what kind of bomb he just dropped. “Actually, they were the first ones to move to this neighborhood, and then we followed and...”
He doesn't get to finish because of the laughter. At first it's just chuckles, and then it gets louder and louder. If there were people around, they'd definitely turn to stare, but Seongje doesn't care. His brain just can't process all of this anymore.
There's nothing cheerful about the laughter, it's more on the edge of hysterical. That's probably why Baku stops smiling. It's noticeable that he first wanted to reach out, but held back at the last moment, dropping his hand.
“What's wrong with you, Je-yah?”
“Nothing. It's just really funny.” Seongje manages to reply only after he straightens up, holding his stomach. The chuckles keep escaping between his words. “Baekjin, he had a thing for you, you know?”
Emotions shift across the other's face for what feels like the hundredth time in just a few hours, and Seongje distantly thinks he could get used to this. To being allowed to see it.
“I know he thought he did.” Humin finally finds the right words, twitching the corner of his mouth. This smile is different from before, more complicated and heavier. “Just like you thought you liked Baekjin. You're at that age right now, aren't you?”
The laughter stops completely. Another jolt in his chest, but this time it's not warm, it's the opposite. Something unpleasant and seemingly long-forgotten. Irritation suddenly boils in his blood, and he opens his mouth to snap back, but nothing comes out.
“Don't try to deny it. We've already discussed this.” Baku starts walking again, clearly trying to bring the mood back to normal. “I even used to be a little jealous about it. Especially during the period when things were complicated between us. We were both idiots back then.”
Humin chuckles quietly, clearly at himself. Or maybe at the whole situation. There's no bitterness, regret, or shame in his voice. More like pride that it's all in the past.
“Wow, such good boys like you know how to be jealous?” Seongje only starts moving when Baku disappears around the corner. The other's phrase, even if unintentionally, hit a nerve, so he wants to jab back too.
“You've always managed to bring out things in me I didn't even know were there.” Baku snorts and doesn't take offense at all. “I almost never get jealous now. I'm absolutely sure my Je-yah only loves me.”
“Can you stop butchering my name? At least while I'm here.” Seongje mutters unhappily, catching up and falling into step. He latches onto this on purpose so he has an excuse to ignore everything else. He's completely unprepared for that kind of confession.
“But I'm used to it.” Baku either doesn't notice the deflection or lets it slide, and frowns, displeased with the request. But eventually decides to compromise. “Then, Jeje?”
“No! That's even worse.”
“Je?”
“For fuck's sake, just call me Seongje.”
“Absolutely not. The full form has only been used when we're fighting for a long time now. We're not fighting, so I won't.”
Baku pouts again and seems dead serious, like this is actually important. Cute. Fine, maybe he can concede and be generous. At least he'll have an excuse to butcher the other's name in return.
***
They return home. He still can't fully believe it's true and that it's his home too. But after a closer look, he confirms that it is.
Baku goes to cook, because apparently it's lunchtime and no one's even had breakfast yet, and that definitely needs to be fixed.
Seongje just wanders from room to room, exploring the space.
There are a lot of his things here. Not old, but definitely his. Shoes, clothes in the closets. An expensive computer with a powerful processor in their room. That was definitely his choice, because he's wanted one for a while now.
On the desk next to the monitor are a bunch of figures from anime and comics, but those belong to Baku, not him. There are also several framed photos. He studies each one carefully.
In one, there are a lot of people. They don't all fit in the frame, so Gotak and Suho are crouched at the bottom in weird poses they probably thought looked cool. Juntae stands on one side of Sieun, and on the other is a tall guy with glasses who's probably Beomseok, with Baekjin next to him. Baku and Seongje are at the bottom too, but unlike the others, they're holding each other tightly. Well, Humin is hugging him, laughing, while Seongje looks like he's trying to push him away, but he's also smiling. The photo was clearly taken a second before they fell. The background is unfamiliar.
He doesn't linger on anyone's face longer than necessary and doesn't analyze how everyone has changed, because he's had enough impressions for today. Besides, it's pointless. He won't remember any of it anyway.
In the second, there are just four people. Seongje, Baku, Wooyoung, and Youngbin. They're standing next to some poster at a movie theater. Wooyoung is hugging Youngbin from behind, who's smiling. Well, looks like they did get together. Wooyoung would be bouncing off the walls if he knew. It's almost a shame he can't tell him. Or maybe he wouldn't tell him and would just keep teasing him, knowing how it ends. At least some reward for listening to his friend's whining almost every day.
Seongje and Baku here, on the other hand, aren't hugging, but they're still standing very close and holding hands. Everyone looks quite happy, just like in the first one.
In the third, it's just the two of them. It's a selfie Baku took, judging by the angle and the outstretched arm. Hard to tell where it is, but definitely outside and in the evening, because the shot is a bit dark. Their shoulders are touching, Seongje is squinting with one eye covered, his glasses almost slipping off. Humin is looking at him and kissing his cheek, his arm around his neck. They're both smiling.
He looks at this photo for too long and can't describe what he feels. In it, he's wearing his old glasses and has the same haircut he has in high school, maybe slightly longer. He's been thrown nine years into the future, which means he's now twenty-seven.
When did he notice the glasses and haircut? How old is he in that photo? And most importantly: how long have he and Baku been together? Is it really that serious? How and when does it start? Or has it already...
“Hey, come eat. Everything's ready.” Baku peers into the room with a soft smile.
Seongje almost flinches, like he's been caught doing something he shouldn't, and immediately hates himself for it. He quickly puts the frame back on the shelf and turns away. There are more photos left: Baku and Gotak with their arms around each other, their group, and a few more with just the two of them. But he doesn't feel like looking at them anymore.
He silently trudges to the kitchen, pretending he didn't notice the questioning look on him.
***
It turns out Baku is an excellent cook. Seongje doesn't say it out loud, but Baku doesn't seem to need any confirmation anyway, he picks up on everything without words. They eat mostly in silence. Humin occasionally throws in some comments, and Seongje just hums or nods.
“If you're curious about something, you can just ask.” Baku says this when he notices Seongje has stopped eating and is just poking at his food. He himself is already on his second helping. How does he manage to eat that fast?
“What do you do for work?” The guy asks after a pause, finally putting down his chopsticks. He doesn't know why he went with that. Probably because he's not ready for the serious questions yet.
Baku raises an eyebrow at first, then huffs, but starts talking, and he doesn't look surprised either, like this was perfectly expected from him: dodging dangerous topics and staying in place.
“Gogo and I have our own gym. He teaches taekwondo, and I teach mixed martial arts.”
Of course, Gogo. Those two have been circling each other their whole lives. Seongje was convinced at one point that they were dating or about to start. But life turned out to be unpredictable. It's just unclear why, with all the variety fate presented, it still chose him. Baku's not exactly all there in the head either.
“Don't you have to work today?”
“Today's Saturday, day off.” Humin shrugs and leans back in his chair. “Besides, starting Monday, we're both on vacation.”
“Vacation? At the same time?”
“Yeah, we're planning to go somewhere.”
Seongje almost asks where, but changes his mind at the last second. Something holds him back. Baku waits a few more moments, watching, then sighs and starts clearing the table. He refuses help, though Seongje didn't offer any.
Another three minutes pass in silence, broken only by the sound of running water, before it gets old and pushes him to speak again.
“Why do we have matching rings?”
Seongje noticed the ring on his finger back when he was looking at himself in the mirror. Simple, looks like silver. He's never worn any accessories, let alone rings. Not his style. And it feels inconvenient, especially if he suddenly wants to throw a punch. But it looks like even that changes in the future. Baku has the same one. His attention caught it when they were holding hands on the way to Sieun's.
“So people aren't too pushy with offers to get to know you. Sometimes it actually works.” Humin seems to like the question. He takes a break from the dishes for a moment, looking at his ring with warmth. “Your idea, by the way. You bought them and brought them home one day.”
“Actually me?”
“Yeah. After an incident at a bar with a couple of idiots.“ He chuckles, glancing over his shoulder, then picks up the next plate. “I agreed right away. Honestly, at the time, it was a really big step for you.”
Seongje doesn't respond to that. He doesn't know how. It's hard to imagine him ever doing something like that. It even sounds stupid. What's the point of rings? They'll just bring more problems and unwanted attention. Tie him down.
He wants to change the subject. His gaze lands on a bowl on the floor in the corner and the cat food next to it. He only just noticed.
“Did we have a cat?” Seongje immediately wants to smack himself the moment the words leave his mouth.
He should have said "you." Kept his distance. But it's too late.
“Why «did»? We do. He's just at Beomseok's vet clinic right now. Routine check-up and all that. Then Sieun will pick him up and take him to their place while we're away.”
Credit where it's due, Baku catches the mood and starts rambling about something more neutral again: friends, the cat (who, surprisingly, Seongje also brought home), work, and a bunch of other stuff. Well, it's better to listen to the endless stream of words than to stew in his own thoughts and doubts.
***
The day passed faster than expected. He explored the house completely, but superficially, not bothering to go into details. Humin suggested playing on the computer, either to kill time or to make Seongje feel more comfortable. Did anyone actually care about Keum Seongje's feelings? Sounds ridiculous, but at the same time, for some reason he wanted it to be true.
A lot of games had gotten sequels. It was cool to be technically the first to play them. Then he found out about new movies, music, and so on. A few more times he had to regret that he wouldn't remember any of it.
Baku stayed close all day. Any idiot would have noticed how he unconsciously tried to move closer or touch him, but kept stopping himself. Still, he never went far. Seongje didn't say anything. Ignoring and denying is the easiest thing to do.
Being in an enclosed space with just the two of them felt a bit suffocating, he wanted to go for a walk, and Baku gave him that chance by dragging him to the store. It was small and really close by. A few people who were there greeted them, the female cashier smiled.
Humin was polite to everyone, greeting them back and asking how they were doing. Seongje didn't do any of that, but no one seemed particularly surprised, except for a couple of overly curious old ladies, but Baku just told them he wasn't in the mood, which somehow got a laugh.
What is he like here? How much has his behavior and personality changed? Who does he hang out with and who doesn't he? Does everyone around still annoy him just as much, or has he gotten more tolerant?
In a way, he can now understand people with amnesia. Except their memories are sealed but still there, while he hasn't gotten his yet.
After returning from the store, Humin cooks dinner. This time he makes him help, and Seongje, grumbling under his breath, chops vegetables. They come out crooked and uneven, but he still gets praised and told «thank you» a few times. He snaps back, because that's his default reaction to anything outside the norm. But in response, he just gets smiles and isn't taken seriously at all.
During the entire time he's been here, he's only gone out to smoke three times. Turns out, he does it less often now. At least that's what Baku said. And judging by his internal feelings, it seemed about right.
After a tasty dinner, they watch a new movie from a franchise he likes. They're sitting on the couch in front of the TV. Shoulders and thighs are almost touching. Almost. No one closes the distance completely, even though it's clearly hard for Baku with his touchy-feely nature. Seongje was going to make it easier for him and moved away a little more. Purely out of spite.
He smirked to himself, catching a quiet dissatisfied sound. If he's honest with himself for a second, the closeness didn't repel him, rather the opposite. For some reason, he always wanted to be closer to Baku, to get his attention and hook him. But still, this isn't the Baku he knows. So it felt strange.
His Baku was much more interesting and fun, because the harder it was to get a reaction, the sweeter the result felt.
Here, there's nothing to strive for anymore.
***
Humin stays to sleep on the same couch, because Seongje claims the bed for himself. Not that it was difficult, no one really put up a fight anyway.
In the dark, Seongje stares at the ceiling for a long time, replaying the events and the most vivid moments in his head. He can still hear that infectious laugh echoing in his ears, the one he got to hear dozens of times while watching the movie.
Just a minute ago, he hid the phone under his pillow, the one Humin handed him for some reason before they went to the store. He even gave him the password, just in case.
Holy shit, someone knows the password to his goddamn phone. He's never trusted anyone that much.
He shouldn't have gone through the gallery, obviously. There was a whole folder dedicated to Baku. With thousands of photos. And right next to it, one with their orange cat. There were more pictures there than anyone would ever expect from Keum Seongje.
Judging by the videos and photos, the whole bunch of idiots are deeply woven into his daily life. After scrolling to the beginning of the year, he decided he'd had enough.
So this is the future waiting for him? His own house, a boyfriend, a stable job, a cat? Damn, he might even have friends, even if they're questionable.
It's a lot to take in all at once, but if he takes it gradually, step by step, maybe he'll get used to it.
Maybe he already has.
In a way, it's good that the day will be erased from his memory. Because living with the memory but not having it seems like a twisted torture, not a blessing.
Sleep pulls him in slowly but surely.
***
Seongje wakes up abruptly, nearly falling off the bed. His heart is pounding faster than usual, the room swimming before his eyes, but it's the one he wanted to see most of all.
He's alone. For a second, everything inside him clenches. Jumping to the floor, he stumbles, but doesn't even think about stopping, heading straight for the door. On his way, he grabs his glasses from the nightstand and, without looking, tosses the bright blue stone he'd been clutching tightly in his palm somewhere in that direction.
The person he's looking for is in the living room, lying on the couch. The relief that washes over him almost knocks him off his feet with its intensity.
“Min-ah.” It comes out almost as a whisper, but it's enough, because Humin wasn't asleep and reacts immediately, lifting his head.
A few moments of complete silence pass, even breathing is inaudible. And then Humin practically flies off the couch, moving as fast as humanly possible.
“Je-yah!” Seongje is pulled into a tight embrace, making him stagger. “You're back!”
Seongje nods several times, wrapping his arms around Baku in return. His fingers dig into the fabric of the t-shirt on his back. He buries his face in the curve between neck and shoulder and just breathes, collecting himself. His heartbeat slows, returning to normal.
“Sorry. Nothing like that was planned, especially without warning. I was just studying the specs, but something went wrong, and...”
He's interrupted, made to lift his head with a gentle hand on the back of his neck. Humin looks straight into his eyes for a while, very intently, like he's searching for something, and when he finds it, he leans in and kisses him. It's a bit rushed, but very passionate. Seongje melts immediately, responding and pressing closer. Fuck, he missed him so much. Call him dramatic, he doesn't care.
“It's really you.” Baku pulls back slightly due to lack of air, but not far. He immediately leaves a few short kisses on the corner of his lips and on his cheeks. “The one who still doesn't know how to apologize or thank. Or accept either of those things.”
Seongje chuckles, mirroring his boyfriend's smile. Yeah, his seventeen-year-old version still has a lot to learn. But he's going to be really lucky with his teacher.
“He got nervous, started spiraling, and acted like a complete idiot to protect himself, right?”
“Yeah.” A snort sounds near his ear, hot breath touching his skin. “But I've built up an immunity to all that a long time ago.”
Seongje is pulled toward the couch, and they collapse onto it without letting go of each other. Humin vividly describes everything that happened, rolling his eyes when he mentions the name-shortening thing. The teenage version of Seongje apparently thought the nicknames would piss Baku off, but actually, he loves it.
Throughout the conversation, they don't stop pressing against each other and lazily kissing. They both clearly needed this, the contact, the touch. Even though only a day had passed. It was definitely harder for Baku: technically he'd seen him nearby, but had to hold back to avoid doing anything extra.
“I met you there.“ Seongje says barely audibly, resting his head on the other's chest and getting comfortable. “At the basketball court behind your school. Completely by accident, of course.”
“Of course.” Baku snorts, playing with his hair and stroking his head. “Did you approach him?”
“No. He would have looked at me differently than you do now. I don't like that.”
“At least you had a choice. I got less lucky.” He kisses the top of his head, sighing. “The important thing is everything's back to normal. And just in time. We still need to pack for tomorrow. Well, today now.”
“We'll get up early.”
“You're definitely not getting up early.”
“I'm not.”
They kiss again between chuckles. The trip to the sea had been planned for a long time, because next week is their anniversary. Seven years together already. Celebrating it by the sea had become something of a tradition. Always at the same place. It's quiet and very beautiful there.
The innkeeper where they always stay even knows their names and gives them a discount. But that's only because of Humin's charm.
Seongje, of course, had taken the stone home precisely because of the vacation, to finish studying it and document its specs. Sieun would have handled the rest. Unfortunately, everything didn't go as planned.
But at least he found out the stone's effects are more powerful than they thought. Overall, the experience was meh. He has absolutely no desire to go back to the past anymore.
“Je-yah, I love you so much.” Baku gently touches his face with his fingertips, tracing the line of his jaw. “I wanted to say that all day.”
“Me too.” Seongje gives a quick peck on the lips, but he's pulled closer, teeth catching his lower lip. He chuckles, correcting himself. “I love you so much.”
This time, Humin's response satisfies him, and the touches become gentler, maybe even too gentle, but it's no longer scary. On the contrary: Seongje has become greedy and always wants more. Fortunately, he's always given it enthusiastically. He just had to ask.
Learning to ask took a long time, but it was definitely worth it. He wouldn't trade it for anything.
Neither of them is letting go.