Work Text:
Taehyun swore that his shirt was clean. No accidental coffee spills, no smears of syrup from the pancakes he had that morning and no accidental smudges of dirt. In fact he thought he looked quite handsome in his new suit that he bought for work over the weekend with Kai. Sure he was slightly late, but it was five minutes past nine. Yet every single eye since the minute he walked into the office had been trained on him like a hawk watching it's prey. When a few colleagues stared a bit too intently into his eyes, Taehyun couldn't help but rush into the nearest men's bathroom to check his appearance. He felt his brows furrow as he looked into the mirror.
Fly up? Check.
Tie straight? Check.
His face? A little unshaven but overall the same that he normally looked so what was it on him that made the entire office stare at him as if he was about to snap from a single touch. Lost in his thoughts, Taehyun jerked as he ran into the tall sturdy frame of his blonde haired friend.
"Woah, woah." Kai steadied him by the shoulders before sending him a sympathetic glance.
"Hey Tyunnie how are you doing?"
"Uhh.." Taehyun trailed off not sure why Kai too was giving him the same odd stare as his other colleagues and when Taehyun peered closer, he swore he saw tears clustered in his eyes.
"I'm fine Kai," Taehyun barely finished replying before Kai forced him into a deep bear hug, squeezing Taehyun like a ragdoll.
"Kai get off! What are you doing?!"
"Tyunnie you shouldn't have even come to work today. We would have all understood. It must be so tough." Kai said but it was the sympathetic sniffle that Taehyun heard that made him cock his brow in confusion.
"Kai. I seriously don't know what you mean. I'm not sick or anything."
Kai's eyes widened. "No! Oh I didn't even consider that. None of us wanted to assume a reason. Oh Tyunnie just go home. We don't have to talk about it now."
Again Taehyun blinked owlishly. Did Kai get replaced with a skinwalker? What the hell was he talking about. Afraid he was in some dream Taehyun reached out and pinched one of Kai's cheeks.
"Dude! C'mon were at work." Kai whined at Taehyun who squeezed and pulled at his doughy face.
"Huh so you are real…" Taehyun said in awe. Maybe it was some alternate dimension. Could it be that he was isekai'd into strange world? Why was everyone looking at him and what was with Kai's strange reaction. Don't tell him he got fired over the weekend or something.
"Dude what?" Kai exclaimed rubbing his slightly pink cheeks to soothe the pain. "Of course I'm real. Wow, turns out divorce really makes you lose your mind"
At this Taehyun clicked his teeth in annoyance. "My mind is totally fine. If anything the Yang project kept me up too late and I didn't sleep until two last night. Why else do you think I came in past nine?"
Taehyun then paused suddenly balking at his best friend "DIVORCED? What the hell do you mean Kai?"
Taehyun gripped Kai's shoulders, making him shake like a poor bobblehead in the sheer insanity of that statement.
Kai lowered his head sheepishly. "Listen we didn't want to intrude on your personal life but I know Yeonjun saw some opened messages on Soobin's monitor and well, we know you and Soobin are getting a divorce."
Taehyun gaped, his jaw hanging to floor.
"Kai, tell me if you see an oven."
Kai scrunched his nose "Why?"
"So I can shove my head inside it. Me and Soobin aren't even together for fucks sake!"
Kai gave him a sympathetic look. "Oh Taehyun you don't have to lie. I know you guys are young, Soobinie is still just 25. Maybe it wasnt the right time but it wasn't a mistake. You don't have to hide it"
"Kai." Taehyun said, his eyes wild and full of insanity, so much so that Kai could notice the little red vessels in the corners. That and the painful squueze of his shoulder. Wow, Taehyun really needed to workout less.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Two, now Taehyun focus. Do you need a space to stay? Yeonjun hyungie is talking to Soobinie now."
Taehyun facepalmed himself, the sound ricochetting of the walls. "Oh god I really must be isekai'd. I didn't think the Yang project was bad enough to overwork and kill me. Is there some gamemaster here?"
He shook Kai's shoulder as he overly pronounced his words afraid he was some NPC who didn't understand him. "Start quest. S-T-A-R-T. Uhh fuck. Maybe 'Go.' or 'Green light.' Uhhh 'Show inventory?'"
Kai's face only increased in worry. "Beomgyu, you might want to come here. I think the divorce broke Taehyun"
Beomgyu sauntered over, his cherry red hair like a fluorescent beacon. "Kai why does Taehyun keep poking your chest?"
Kai looked over with a sniff. "He think he's in a game. The stress really got to him."
In the back Taehyun kept murmuring to himself "please don't make me the omega in some BL. please don't make soobin my dominant ceo husband. please don't make me pay for my grandfathers hospital bills,"
Beomgyu tsked. "I told them they were too young and they would get too attached. Instead the both of them threw a taco bowl at my head so I thought 'wow, they must be serious' but look at them now."
Kai frowned "Is Soobinie hyung doing worse?" At this Beomgyu simply sighed.
"He keeps denying they were ever together. It was so weird."
At this Taehyun perked up out of his stupor. "Because we're not together! We never even had a wedding. What are you guys talking about?" He cried out.
Beomgyu and Kai stared at him and then at each other, dazed. Kai scratched his neck awkwardly.
"Umm Taehyunie assuming that you both aren't together why do you and hyung always hold hands?"
"That's only because it's cold. Hello, it's December?" Taehyun spit out sassily and added "And because sometimes hyung gets anxious around so many strangers in crowded public places."
Beomgyu chimed in. "Right, but you always call him your soulmate and your true love?"
"Yeah, platonically. Duh." Taehyun groaned.
"Taehyun, you two have matching jewellery. I swear even your waterbottles and headphones and lunchbags are the same!" Kai said bewildered.
Taehyun pouted. "Yeah, because we're best friends? We shop together and he always gets blue and I get the matching pink. Or he gets silver and I get the gold. Cool tone, warm tone. I thought it was obvious."
Beomgyu's jaw dropped. "When you moved in together you and hyung said you "just got married" and you "might as well adopt a kid". What else could that have possibly meant?"
"Beomgyu hyung we meant that as a joke! We've been best friends since elementary school. Even our parents thought it was like a milestone."
Kai cut in "Then tell me why you've never dated anyone. When we hangout together you never talk about exes or your sex lives. We thought it was because it was awkward to talk about that stuff with your boyfriend sitting right next to you."
Taehyun flushed. "We have dated, especially in college, but it never lasted that long and well me and Soobin hyung never talk about that stuff. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable so I never mentioned it."
"So you're really telling me you wouldn't mind if Soobin dated."
Taehyun's brows furrowed as he looked away.
"You're telling me you're fine that one day someone is going to come and have matching things with Soobin instead. That one day you won't be roomates. That there will be a day where you can never hold hands again."
Taehyun couldn't find an answer this time, staring at the fibres of ugly corporate carpet tickling his shoes.
"Taehyun…" Beomgyu said sympathetically with a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't hyung. Just…don't. Tell everyone that message was just a joke and me and hyung are nothing but good friends."
Beomgyu stared at him. "Friends. Friends?! Don't tell me you've never found him attractive. That this was entirely platonic all along."
Taehyun ignored him, mumbling as he quitely picked at his nails with a soft pout "…no, i don't know, whatever, meanie."
Kai frowned. "I think you need to talk to Soobin hyung. Yeonjun hyung would have just finished talking to him now in his office now. He must be confused too."
"I don't even know what to say to him. I don't know what I feel. Me and hyung, if we liked each other wouldn't we have gotten together once in these past 15 years?"
Taehyun's feet dragged across the floor as it took the group effort of Beomgyu and Kai dragging him to Yeonjun's cubicle. His shoulders hunched in fear as he muttered on grasping at Kai's hand "He's watched me date around and I've watched him get together with other people too. What if he feels nothing?"
Beomgyu stopped Taehyun's spiral with a gentle hand, ignoring the grating sound of friction against carpet since Taehyun refused to walk as part of his tantrum. "Taehyun, attraction and romance isnt the same for everyone. Maybe all you remember is having loved him. Maybe you never realised that at some point you fell in love too."
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Soobin knew he had an odd morning. When he got up out of bed he barely had time to say goodbye to the plethora of Miku and Sasuke figures in his room, his altar of worship if you will. Instead he came to work with his tie half undone, blue hair totally askew and a toothpaste stain on his navy blue work shirt. Worst of all he had to bare the loud and overstimulating noises of rush hour public transport since he had to come to work earlier than his roomate and childhood friend Taehyun, since his stupid manager needed him to give a presentation to the new interns.
Yeonjun blabbered on about getting more experience, telling Soobin how he need to get comfortable with public speaking and how it was time that he took on more responsiblities. Soobin tired to ignore how all those words made his skin crawl. Instead he focused on the dread of meeting beady eyed 18 year olds, whose dad's probably worked at the company, who were waiting for him inside.
"nepotism isnt scary, teenagers arent scary, nepotism isnt scary," He mumbled to himself deciding to try out positive affirmations in his moment of dread. In his haste to rush into the briefing room though he forgot he accidentally left his screen open, his messages with Taehyun open for everyone to see on his stupid dual monitors.
—-
FROM: Choi Soobin
19:05
Of course I got a new project last minute 😞
Wish me luck Tyunnie
FROM: Kang Taehyun
19:10
You work too much hyung
We cant even go home together tonight. AGAIN.
FROM: Choi Soobin
19:12
Ahh hyung is sorry Tyun :( We barely see each anymore right?
Should we just get a divorce
FROM: Kang Taehyun
19:13
😢
Such a mean hyung
Maybe we should.
—-
Soobin barely stepped out of the briefing room when he came to an odd sight standing in front of him, especially considering it was barely nine am.
"Uhh, Yeonjun hyung. Why do you have six tissue boxes in your arms? Don't loot the office in broad daylight. And why are you crying?"
Yeonjun sniffed finding a way to smack his shoulder despite all the stuff in his arms. "You idiot, why aren't you crying more? How could you do this Taehyun?"
Soobin looked around, hoping at least the cctv cameras would catch Yeonjun's schizophrenic episode "What even do you mean hyung?"
Yeonjun looked up furious "How could you break that poor boys heart?"
Soobin barely had time to duck as a tissue box was chucked at head. It wasn't long before Yeonjun started chasing him around his office attacking him. He was so lucky that Yeonjun had a manager booth with tinted windows or he would've had his ass fired already.
It was only when Yeonjun ran out of tissue boxes and lunged for the stapler that Soobin finally caught his wrists, trying to calm him down.
"Stop! Stop hyung. Just talk to me."
"You're divorcing Taehyun." Yeonjun sniffled, a new wave of tears running down his face and Soobin scrunched his nose as he tried to ingore his hyung's snotty nose and blotty cheeks.
"How did you…..Oh, the teams message. It's a joke hyung, don't so get worked up about it."
Yeonjun raised his brow as he dabbed at his tears "And you're not lying? You promise?"
Soobin laughed pulling Yeonjun into a hug "Silly hyung we aren't even together, why would it not be a joke?"
Yeonjun grew stiff in Soobin's arms. "Soobin what are you talking about?"
"What do you mean hyung? We cant get a divorce if we aren't married and we aren't married since we never dated."
Yeonjun couldn't help but sputter "But- but- you've never dated anyone else! I swear you sleep in the same bed! You say he's your soulmate not even your best friend! What else could that possibly mean?"
Soobin rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Me and Taehyunnie have just been friends for a long time. It wasnt that I never liked him, I was just slow. I never understood what the social norms were, you know. I didn't know what liking someone meant until it was too late. Taehyunnie had someone and I did too. It was fate hyung. We aren't supposed to be together."
Yeonjun sighed. "Wake up Soobin. This isn't fate or any other bullshit. Everything has it's own time. The way you two act, if every single person in this thought you were married then it isn't just something to brush off."
"Hyung we're just close and affectionate. That's not the same as being in love."
"The way you love Taehyun is not the way you love me. I'm not the person who can tell you for certainity whether what you feel is platonic or if it's romantic. But the intimacy you both share is the reason we all thought you were together."
Yeonjun put a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes steadying him."It's also why none of us could believe you both splitting up. I cant see you with anyone but him."
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Soobin walked back out into the office, his eyes zeroing in on Taehyun's face. He tried to ignore all the heated stares of his colleagues. He ignored the gasp of breath that Kai and Beomgyu let out in tandem as he said,
"Let's go someplace quiet Taehyunnie."
Taehyun gulped as they stood in the small balcony of the smoking zone overlooking the sunny skyline of Seoul.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry."
They both said in tandem before sharing a look and laughing.
"You know hyung I really thought I died and reincarnated when they said I got a divorce. I really should stop reading so much manhwa my brain is getting rotted."
Soobin giggled "Yeonjun hyung almost killed me in there. How he's still employed is beyond me. Listen, Taehyunnie I need to tell you something."
But Taehyun stopped him, a somber look on his face. "Hyung I need to say something first. I've never really properly dated anyone. I've been on dates, sure. I've slept with people too. But in reality I've never felt that romantic spark other people felt. I've never had that urge to sleep on call with someone, to find them beautiful with morning breath, to have that giddy feeling of planning your entire futures together. I felt nothing."
He looked away unable to look further into Soobin's eyes "I thought I was broken. That I was an emotionless asshole. If you ask me if I felt something for you before, honestly I can't say. Like they said I've always loved you but was I ever in love with you? Did I know what that feeling was?"
"But hyung….I wanted it all with you. I want to sleep on call with you forever. I want to take you home to my parents. I want us to be in that apartment forever. I thought about you doing that with someone else, and it wasn't just jealousy I felt. It felt like we really broke up, because in my mind at some point I began to think we really were together. I'm sorry for being so slow, Soobin hyung."
Soobin looked at him teary eyed "Taehyunnie I was going to apologize for being slow too. Back in college I never talked about dating with you, I even felt squeamish thinking about kissing. We never discussed things for years probably because you thought I was uncomfortable when in reality I was just a baby about these things. We could have gotten together sooner if only I so shy. If only I understood what loving meant too."
Taehyun looked at Soobin before pulling him in closer, a soft thud as their bodies collided. "You idiot. I always loved you. And I love you now too. Just stay together with me, forever. Just be my boyfriend, okay?"
Soobin took a deep breath as he nestled his nose into Taehyun's soft pink hair. "Okay, Taehyunie. Forever."
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Kai, Beomgyu and Yeonjun piled into the hallway near the smoking area to get a better listen.
"Move your fat elbow Yeonjun. I can't put my ear on the glass" Beomgyu cried out.
"Shut up hyung! Look, Taehyun looked away. Oh god are they breaking up? Again?!"
"Kai, you really are blonde. Look at them, Soobin is looking fully at Taehyun. He obviously likes him. Body language, bitch."
"Oh my god! They're hugging! My ship is real!" Beomgyu squealed, slapping Yeonjun and Kai with a force that made the door rattle. It was honestly a surprise Taehyun and Soobin didn't hear them. That or they ignored them out of sheer spite.
Yeonjun sniffed "I really knew those kids had it in them. I'm so proud. I mean I thought they did this fifteen years ago but they're just slow on the uptake."
Kai felt a tear run down his face too, though squished between the bodies of his overemotional hyungs who seemed to use him like an emotional support plushie the only urge he had was to yell but it was only when he weighed the odds of being fired versus his personal satisfaction when a thought popped into his head when he paused and said,
"Guys…does this mean we can finally attend their real wedding?"