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Han Juwon did not know Kang Minjeong very well.
They had only had a few brief interactions, the first of which was when Dongsik had brought her home drunk and handcuffed her to the police station bench. The second was when she had shown up the next day shaky and pale to offer a forced apology to all of the officers for her behavior. After that she could be found buzzing around various members of the Manyang community, talking loudly (and rudely) and being a general nuisance. Despite this, he could tell she seemed like a generally…cheeful individual.
So it was strange when Juwon was dragged to another Manyang dinner to find Minjeong sitting at the table with her arms crossed, absolutely fuming.
Most of the gang was already there. Jihwa had motioned for Juwon to sit beside her, opposite her brother and the angry Minjeong. He noticed the seat on his right, where Lee Dongsik usually sat, was empty.
Juwon raised an eyebrow, his curiosity getting the better of him. “What’s wrong with her?” He finally asked as Yoo Jaeyi started setting banchan on the table.
Jaeyi snorted. “You could ask her yourself.”
“Yeah! I’m right here!” Kang Minjeong yelled, jutting out her chin.
Juwon turned and looked at her coolly. “What’s wrong with you?”
Minjeong pouted and looked away, refusing to answer.
Jaeyi huffed out a laugh. “She won a bet.”
“Won?” Jihwa said, confused. “Don’t you mean ‘lost’?”
“No,” Jaeyi said, a playful smile on her face as she set down chopsticks. “Kang Minjeong made a bet with Lee Dongsik and won.”
“I bet him that I could stay sober for a week and ace my exam, WHICH I DID, and if I did he’d have to do something embarrassing.”
“It backfired spectacularly,” Jihoon giggled from across the table. “Minjeong forgets Dongsik doesn’t have an embarrassed bone in his body.”
Juwon and Jihwa shared a look.
Jihwa narrowed her eyes at the younger duo. “What exactly did you—”
But she was cut off by several gasps and a wolf whistle from Hwang Gwang Young.
Juwon and Jihwa both turned to see Park Jeongje enter the restaurant with a shit eating grin and a dramatic gesture to the figure of Lee Dongsik.
Juwon’s throat went dry.
Dongsik was wearing a dress. Not just any dress, but an incredibly short, backless black clubbing dress. The top was made of a loose plunging neckline held up in a loop behind his neck, and the fabric seemed to flow seamlessly into a tight skirt. A black velvet choker set a little silver heart charm in the hollow of his throat, and matched perfectly with the thin silver chain belt that dangled low on his hips. The whole look was tied together with a pair of platform heels with straps at his ankles.
Dongsik fluttered his eyelashes and put his hand to his mouth demurely. “What do you think?”
The room erupted into applause and whistles as Dongsik gave a flirty little twirl, showing off every angle of his new outfit.
Juwon felt his face grow hot. There was so much skin. Dongsik’s bare legs looked longer with the heels, and the lack of fabric from the dress drew attention to the natural curve of his spine, waist, and hips. The honeyed planes of his back caught the low light of the restaurant in a way that reminded Juwon of renaissance paintings he had seen in England.
“You see what I mean?” Minjeong shrieked as everyone laughed. “Look at him! He looks better in that dress than I do!”
“Who looks better in what now?” Came the Chief’s voice from the doorway. As everyone turned to look at him, his eyes caught Dongsik. “….I’m not even going to ask.”
Fresh laughter filled the room as Minjeong screeched anew.
Dongsik gave her his most foxlike grin as Jeongje gallantly offered him his arm and led him to his seat.
Juwon briefly wondered if Jeongje was there to help him walk, but as soon as Dongsik moved he knew it was all for show. Dongsik was more than comfortable walking in those heels, his usual slinky lope amplified by the extra length to his legs. Juwon caught himself watching the sway of the man’s hips and snapped his eyes back up to safer territory.
Sudden movement out of the corner of his eye made Han Juwon look over to see Jihwa slide him a shot of soju.
He downed it in one go.
Juwon had always been aware of his preference. It had never been an earth-shattering revelation, simply another fact about himself. He was attracted to men and the sky was blue. It was something that was never a distraction or temptation. It was extremely rare for him to find someone attractive enough to turn his head or keep him from focusing on other things.
Until Lee Dongsik.
When they had first met, Juwon was so focused on proving the man was a killer that he chalked up his pounding heart, flushed face, and obsessive stalking to professional interest. If his gaze drifted constantly to the curve of Dongsik’s chaotic smile and swaggering walk, it was because he was simply observing like any good police officer. Yet the more they interacted, the more a) Juwon realized that Dongsik was not in fact a serial killer and b) that his interest in Dongsik was more than just that of an investigator toward a suspect.
“Aigoo, is our pretty prince letting loose tonight?” The teasing voice came from Juwon’s other side. Dongsik leaned his elbows on the table before playfully bumping shoulders with Juwon. “I’ve never seen you drink before.”
“That’s because he’s never seen you in a dress before!” Jihoon said with an innocent smile before Jaeyi smacked him on the back of the head.
Juwon hid behind his haughtiest façade. “It suits you,” he said as if it was a simple statement about the weather and not the smallest part of a large and embarrassing truth. He took a slower, more casual shot of soju as the rest of the table whistled and cheered. Dongsik raised his hands to hide the sides of his face in fake embarrassment, his cheeky smile still evident.
“Though I do wonder about Kang Minjeong having a dress that shows that much skin.” Juwon said blithely.
“That’s true!” Jihwa said, looking sternly at the young woman. “Kang Minjeong!”
“Unnie, please. First of all, I bought it specifically to embarrass Dongsik. Second, if I did wear it I wouldn’t wear it like that,” Minjeong said, rolling her eyes. “He’s just a tramp.”
“Damn right,” Dongsik said, taking a sip of beer and pointing the bottle at Minjeong threateningly. “And if I catch you walking around in something like this, you will never be allowed to leave the house ever again.”
Minjeong squawked indignantly and the whole table launched into a conversation about age, women’s rights, and what her loving family of cops would and wouldn’t allow her to do.
Juwon sat silently through the teasing laughter. His eyes kept shifting to the long soft planes of Dongsik’s back, the space on his sides where the dress hung open when he leaned forward showing lithe muscle, and the gap at the top where a hint of curved pectoral would peek tantalizingly from the loose folds of black fabric. Juwon would always catch himself quickly, not letting his gaze linger, but it was a constant temptation.
How could he look so good? How would that soft, warm skin feel? His waist was so small. Could Juwon fit his hands around it?
As Juwon fought to look away for the hundredth time that evening, he noticed Dongsik reach a shaking hand for his bottle of beer.
Shaking?
Pushing all lustful thoughts aside, Juwon took in Dongsik’s profile with a more analytical air. Sure enough, Dongsik was trembling slightly, his body slightly curled in on itself, one of his legs bouncing under the table.
He’s cold, Juwon realized.
Without a second thought, Juwon removed his thick, grey peacoat and placed it on Dongsik’s shoulders.
The whole table went silent.
Dongsik looked at him with wide eyes. “Wha—?”
“You’re shivering,” Juwon said simply, fighting a blush.
Then the cooing and teasing began in earnest.
“What a gentleman!” Hwang Kwang Young crowed, over the whistles and cheers.
“See?” Dongsik said. “This is how you look after your partner!”
“How come you never give me your coat, huh?” Minjeong asked Jihoon with a firm punch to his shoulder.
As the others talked, Juwon saw Dongsik look away shyly. The pink on the older man’s cheeks was probably from the alcohol.
****
Juwon looked at his phone, checking the time it would take for his ride to arrive. He had in fact, had more soju than he usually would, and though he wasn’t drunk, he didn’t feel comfortable getting behind the wheel. Jaeyi told him it was okay to leave his car in her parking area as long as he retrieved it in the morning.
The clack clack sound of heels on pavement made him look up. Lee Dongsik had exited Jaeyi’s shop and was making his way to the young inspector, his arms folded to keep the grey coat close to his body. Even within the bulkier layer of clothing, he moved smoothly, hips swaying as he walked.
“I never got to thank you,” Dongsik said, coming to a stop in front of Juwon. “I think your coat saved my life.”
“Don’t mention it,” Juwon said, watching their breath appear in puffs in front of them.
“No, really,” Dongsik said sincerely. “Thank you. I know you don’t like sharing your things or having others touch them.” He went to take the coat off. “Here, you can have it back.”
“That’s okay,” Juwon said quickly, reaching to push the jacket back on Dongsik’s shoulders. “It’s cold. Keep it until you get home.”
Dongsik looked sheepish. “I’ll get it dry cleaned for you.”
“It’s fine,” Juwon said again, his voice soft. “I have a dry cleaner I prefer. I’ll just get it from you tomorrow.”
“Well, thank you,” Dongsik said again. He paused, as if choosing his words. “Look, I know we’re a little eccentric out here in the middle of nowhere. And you were a good sport tonight. I just hope you didn’t give me the coat because I made you uncomfortable.”
Juwon looked at him confused. “You think you made me uncomfortable?”
“I mean,” Dongsik said, looking to the side, not meeting Juwon’s gaze. “It’s not everyday you see a man in dress. I know you see more interesting things working in Seoul, but you don’t actually know those people personally and—”
“It looks good on you.”
Both men froze. Juwon hadn’t meant to say it like that, with an earnestness behind his words. Juwon hoped the pink present on both of their cheeks was just a result of the cold.
After a moment, Dongsik gave a crooked half smile. “Well, that’s very flattering coming from the young master. I’m sure he’s seen all kinds of beauties in his life compared to this old man.”
“You’re not old,” Juwon said, rolling his eyes before he caught what he said. Apparently he had more to drink than he thought because his brain-to-mouth filter was not working. He cleared his throat.
Dongsik gave him an appraising look. At that moment, Juwon’s phone beeped, alerting him that his driver was close.
The silence was awkward.
Dongsik smiled. “I guess that’s my cue. Have a good evening, Inspector Han.”
As the older man turned to leave, the heels he had been expertly walking in all evening caught a chip in the pavement. He stumbled and his ankle gave, forcing him violently forward. On instinct, Juwon caught him, and found himself with his arms full of a warm, heavy Lee Dongsik.
As Dongsik righted himself, their eyes met, holding each other’s gaze.
“My hero,” Dongsik said, though the joking tone morphed into something quiet and unsure.
He has such beautiful eyes, Juwon thought, his breath catching. He was suddenly aware that his hands were on the bare skin of Dongsik’s back, the jacket having flared with the fall. The skin was scorching and soft, and he found himself unconsciously running a hand along the gentle slope of Dongsik’s spine, causing the older man to shiver.
Dongsik’s look shifted from one of confusion to wonder. “Oh,” he said softly, his eyes moving erratically, reading Juwon like a book.
Juwon’s phone beeped again.
The men pulled away quickly, Juwon clearing his throat and Dongsik straightening the coat.
“Are you alright?” Juwon asked, trying not to sound as affected as he was.
“Only my pride is injured,” Dongsik said. His voice returned to its usual tone, though with a slight waiver. “I always thought I was a natural in these things.”
Juwon watched as his ride turned the corner, pulling up to the restaurant. Dongsik smiled. “Have a good evening Inspector Han,” he said for the second time.
“You, too, Lee Dongsik-ssi,” Juwon said. He watched Dongsik walk away before getting into the car.
“Was that a man?” His driver asked, watching Dongsik enter the restaurant.
“He lost a bet,” Juwon said, feeling weirdly defensive.
“Wish I looked that good with a lost bet,” the man said with a laugh and pulled the car out onto the main road and into the night.