Chapter Text
Hyunjin holds sage green silk to his chest, champagne halter floating off to the side, frowning at himself in the mirror. Jeongin is going to scream if he asks one more question about outfit choices. He sighs, takes both tops off of their hangers and folds them into his suitcase. Packing sucks.
“Hwang Hyunjin!” Jeongin’s perturbed voice carries across the apartment.
This doesn’t seem fair. Hyunjin hadn’t asked him for any more outfit advice at all— and still! Screaming!
Jeongin bangs through his door, eyes wild and cellphone held in his hand like a war trophy. “Why is my brother saying he’s ‘so happy’ you’ll be staying with us this week?”
“Oh,” Hyunjin laughs nervously, shrinking in on himself, offering Jeongin a pathetic smile. “About that—”
“And that he hopes we’re the next down the aisle?” Jeongin thunders on, finger swinging accusingly between himself and Hyunjin. “As in— me and you.”
“Hah!” Hyunjin barks out, blinking rapidly. “I can explain!” Through the stress of packing he completely forgot about his teeny tiny, miniscule little white lie. But, in his defense, he didn’t expect his mom to call Chan, or tell anyone at all. He should have known better. She's always had a big mouth.
Jeongin brings a crooked hand to his head, acting like he’s going to pull his hair out. “Get fucking to it! Because I need some help understanding!”
Hyunjin hurries over, laying his hands on Jeongin’s arms to lead him to sit down on the bed. This is probably a sitting down conversation. He pats Jeongin’s shoulders when he’s safely seated, stepping back to plead his case.
“So, you know how I hate staying with my parents when we go home?” he pauses, shoots Jeongin what he hopes is a pitiful look. Jeongin doesn’t flinch. “And I was having a really bad week! So when my mom called and started talking my ear off about how she can’t wait for me to come home and how I need to settle down and get married like Chan and Felix— god, I don’t know! I just told her I have a boyfriend! And that I’m staying with him! And she just— and I have to stress this, Innie— she just assumed it was you!”
Jeongin blinks twice, long and drawn out, before raising his fingers to press flat to either side of his nose. Some sort of last ditch prayer, Hyunjin supposes. “And you let her?!” he snipes, voice strained.
“Well—” Hyunjin rubs his neck awkwardly. “Obviously. Or else how would Chan know?”
“And what, pray tell, was the plan if she didn’t assume it was me?” Jeongin burns holes into Hyunjin’s head with his eyes. “Stay at a hotel? With your invisible ghost boyfriend?”
Hyunjin frowns, hands on his hips. “Don’t be stupid, Jeongin. I was planning to stay with you anyway.”
“I’m staying with Chan!” Jeongin throws his hands in the air, rising to his feet and stomping right past Hyunjin back into the apartment. He always gets thirsty when they argue.
Hyunjin follows close behind, greedy fingers reaching out towards flailing limbs, attempting to slow Jeongin down. “So?”
Jeongin stops in the middle of the kitchen, shooting Hyunjin a nasty glare. “You are maddening, you know that?” He goes on to fill a glass with water, chugging it down in one go.
“I think you like me,” Hyunjin pouts, batting his lashes. His eyes follow a stray drop of water falling down the corner of Jeongin’s chin.
“No comment,” Jeongin deadpans, running the back of his hand over his mouth and stalking off once again, towards his own room this time.
Hyunjin rolls his eyes, trailing behind. “Jeongin, this is good! We’ll go home, pretend to be dating— we don’t even have to do anything crazy, we’re already so close,” he comes to a stop at Jeongin’s door, leaning against the frame. Jeongin angrily starts throwing clothes into his own suitcase. “Then I don’t have to stay with my parents, neither of us have to field questions about settling down, and I know for a fact that you’re dreading running into Yuna. So. There’s that, too.”
Jeongin’s mouth flattens into a tight line. “I’m not dreading it,” he lies.
“Last week you were crying to me about how you’re dreading it, Jeongin.” Hyunjin puts on a simpering, dramatic imitation of drunk Jeongin, “Oh, Jinnie— she’s going to think I’m so lame! I haven’t dated anyone since we broke up, and now I don’t have a date to my stupid brother’s wedding! Boo hoo hoo!”
“That’s enough, thank you,” Jeongin crosses his arms, petulant, turning to face Hyunjin head on. He pauses for a moment, just long enough that Hyunjin knows that he’s close to victory. He can see it in Jeongin’s eyes, the cracks in his structure, just how he always looks right before he gives in. “What if I wanted to hook up with someone at the wedding? Huh? I hear it’s a major turn on when your brother is the groom.”
“Really?” Hyunjin monotones. “You were going to hook up with someone?”
“I was thinking about it.”
“Hook up with someone literally any other week of your life, Jeongin!” Hyunjin crosses the room in two big steps, hands grabbing Jeongin on either side of his face, pulling out the big guns; his sad, sad, big, round, puppy-dog eyes. He only uses them sparingly, so he knows it will always work to get Jeongin to cave. “Please, Jeonginnie?”
Jeongin sighs, averting his gaze. “Don’t use that face.”
Hyunjin sniffs, wrenching Jeongin’s head back towards his direction. “Please. My best friend, the light of my life, the only one I need—”
“I fucking hate you,” Jeongin breaks, lips twitching, holding back a smile.
Hyunjin squeals, releasing his cheeks in favor of a giant bear hug. “Thank you Jeongin, you won’t regret it! Now, can you help me decide on a few more outfits?”
“You’re really pushing your luck.”
༝༚
Hyunjin is nearly certain this is the best idea he’s ever had. Honestly, he’s not sure why he hasn’t tried this sooner. Usually he dreads going home, the thought of staying with his parents makes him near neurotic.
This thing with Jeongin is perfect. No hurt feelings, no actual fear about bringing home a new boyfriend, everyone’s happy. He and Jeongin are attached at the hip anyways, they have been since they were kids— which means there’s almost no explanation to be made, no fear of slip ups. They know each other inside out, how hard could it possibly be to pretend to be with Jeongin instead of just his best friend?
Hyunjin and Jeongin will always be Hyunjin and Jeongin, no one has to know the intimate details of what they do. They’ve fielded questions about if they’re together for years, the answer will just need to be tweaked, perhaps with a bit more hand holding.
This is the best part, though; spending the car ride home completely at ease instead of anxiously counting down the minutes until arrival. Hyunjin has the aux, his feet up on the dash, windows open. This time it’s Jeongin who seems nervous, white knuckling the steering wheel as he drives. What a buzzkill.
“Can you get your fucking feet down, Hyunjin,” he snips, smacking Hyunjin’s thigh. “If I crash this car you’ll never walk again.”
Hyunjin rolls his eyes, slipping his feet safely back on the floor. “Why are you so freaked?”
“I’m not freaked,” Jeongin says, terse. “I just hate when I don’t know what to expect. I haven’t brought anyone home since Yuna.”
“You big baby. Let’s work it out now, then.” Hyunjin rearranges himself, sitting up fully with his palms on his thighs. “How did we meet?”
“Hyunjin,” Jeongin whines, close to full breakdown.
“Sorry! I thought a joke would lighten the mood!” Jeongin side eyes him menacingly. “We’ll just say that one night we both got a little tipsy and I jumped you and the rest is history!”
“Why can’t I be the one to jump you?”
Hyunjin has to stop himself from laughing out loud. “Really, Jeongin? When have you ever made a first move in your life?”
Jeongin frowns, eyebrows furrowed, glaring over the road. “Fine. How long?”
“Four months. Right after we saw Chan and Lix last. That’s the only way they’ll believe it.”
“Has it really been that long?”
“Yes. We’ve been busy,” Hyunjin shrugs. “They’ve been busy. Planning a wedding and all.”
“Okay. Yeah,” Jeongin nods, some of the tension caught in his shoulders seeming to lessen. Hyunjin doesn’t know why Jeongin lets himself get so worked up, anyway. “What about the others? Yeji? Minho?”
“We just wanted to keep it quiet until we were sure. You know everyone already suspects us.”
Jeongin goes quiet, lost in thought. Hyunjin has no need, he knows he’s right. All of their friends look at them the same way— like they don’t understand what a lifelong friendship looks like— like he and Jeongin are both one second from shedding their clothes and getting to it in the middle of the living room floor. Hyunjin shuts down the train of thought before it can get any further.
“All we need to do is whatever wedding nonsense Felix has planned, the bachelor party, the rehearsals, the pleasing the people,” Hyunjin ticks off his fingers. “And we have to spend one day with my family. That’s it!”
Jeongin heaves out a breath. “But— remind me— why do we have to pretend to be a couple while doing it?”
“We can’t lose sight of our goals, Innie! Keep the family satisfied, keep me out of my parent’s house, show Yuna how wonderful you’re doing post breakup! It’s a three step program!”
“And what happens when we have to fake break up? Then no one’s family will be satisfied and Yuna will definitely know I’m not doing better.”
“Hm,” Hyunjin frowns. “I didn’t think that far.”
“Of course you didn’t.”
“Hey! No— just. Hold on!” Hyunjin runs through scenarios in his head. “When we fake break up we’ll just tell everyone we’re better off as friends and that nothing has changed! But we’re both so bummed from the split that we can’t focus on other people at the moment!”
“And Yuna?”
“That one seems like a you problem. Just block her on Facebook or something.”
“This is about to be the worst thing you’ve ever roped me into, isn’t it?” If Jeongin were on solid ground he’d probably be stomping his feet to match his annoying little pout.
“No. The great trash can fire of College Green Park was the worst thing I’ve ever roped you into. This is going to be wonderful!” Hyunjin giggles, clapping. “You’ll have to return my affection for once. I can’t wait!”
“You’re that excited to kiss me?” Jeongin sounds a little pained.
The wind is taken out of Hyunjin’s sails comically fast. “Kiss?” He hadn’t thought about that part either. He and Jeongin have known each other forever, sure, but they’ve never crossed that line. They’re just best friends, truly.
“Uh. Yeah, Jin. We’re going to get narc-ed right away if I’m not acting normally. This isn’t a group of strangers, it's our closest friends and family,” a strained pause. “You know how I am with my partners.”
Hyunjin does. Jeongin is perfectly loving and affectionate when he has a boyfriend or girlfriend. Constantly touching them or sneaking kisses. It’s cute, frankly. Hyunjin is nearly the same in a relationship, just with more overt clinging.
Jeongin looks over again. “Is that… okay?” his voice straddles the edge of anxiety— insecurity.
“Yes!” Hyunjin scoffs, volume making up for his lapse in brain functionality. “We’re both adults, we both don’t like each other that way. I think it’ll be fine. Really! You worry too much.” They fall quiet again for a painful stretch, only the sound of Hyunjin tapping his fingers on the windowsill and the low hum radio for comfort. Hyunjin winces. “Plus, I like kissing. Don’t you?”
“Should we, like—” Jeongin visibly cringes. “Practice? So it doesn’t look awkward?”
“I think we’ll be fine, Jeongin. Unless…” Hyunjin leans over the console, puckering his lips and playing up the bit. “You wanna kiss me that bad?”
“Okay, shut up,” Jeongin pushes him away with a palm flat to his mouth. “Forget I asked.”
Satisfied, Hyunjin sits back, grinning. “Do you wanna hold hands the rest of the way? For practice?” Now he’s pushing his luck. Asking for more for the sake of the game. He knows what Jeongin will say before the word leaves his mouth.
“No.”
Hyunjin cackles, cranking up the radio and taking a nice, deep breath. “This is going to be great, Innie. I think you could benefit from kissing someone as carefree as me.”
“Doubt it.”
༝༚
The house is just as it always has been. Bright yellow siding, sunflowers out front, baby pink front door.
Hyunjin expected the place to be lost when Jeongin and Chan’s moms sold it to downsize, but Chan and Felix swooped in and bought it, maintaining the magic.
“My baby boy!” Chan howls, already busting out of the front door before they can step foot out of the car. “My beautiful baby brother! How have you been? Are you eating well? Is Hyunjinnie treating you right?”
“Fucking hell, Chan,” Jeongin complains, already trapped in Chan’s strong arms.
“Sorry!” Felix follows behind, less energy but just as bright. “Wedding planning has been making him obnoxiously sentimental.”
“I’m just so glad you’re here! Both of you! And together!” Chan shakes his head, smile wide and dimpled. “I was expecting Jin to end up crashing here after he got tired of his folks, but now he’s staying and I don’t need to fuck with the pull out couch?” He claps Jeongin on the back hard enough to send him stumbling. “This is the best, guys. Truly. We were all just waiting for you to bang it out.”
“Bang it out?” Hyunjin asks, barely getting his words out before Jeongin cuts him off.
“Chan,” he whines. “Please.”
“Don’t be embarrassed, Jeongin!” Chan enthuses. “We’re adults! We know that an active sex life is part of many healthy relationships. Unless you’re not into that sort of thing, which is also completely fine and healthy!”
“We’re very into that sort of thing, Channie, don’t worry,” Hyunjin steps to Jeongin’s side, grabbing his bicep and squeezing appreciatively. “Your brother here just— repeatedly blows my mind— and my back out, if you know what I mean.”
Jeongin is bright, burning red, from his chest to his ears.
“See!” Chan smiles even wider. “I just love you two so much, I’m so glad!”
“Okay! That is too much information!” Felix claps, always the one to save whoever is begging for help. “Why don’t we get you two settled? I’m sure Innie needs a nap.”
Jeongin leans down to Hyunjin’s ear when they’re pulling their bags from the trunk, Chan waiting nearby to help. “I’m going to fucking kill you,” he hisses, under his breath.
“Oh, Jeonginnie, stop!” Hyunjin giggles, much louder, whacking his chest playfully. “You’re so horny!”
Chan just laughs, Jeongin going deliciously red again.
“Why is this bed so much smaller than I remember?” Jeongin asks, both of them standing over the foot of the thing in the middle of his childhood bedroom.
It’s not that small. It’s a full size mattress, only a bit smaller than the queens they have at home.
“If you want me to sleep on the floor I can. I have a sleeping bag around here somewhere,” Jeongin mutters, looking around the room.
“What are you talking about?” Hyunjin scowls at the thought. Jeongin is so annoyingly logical. To his own detriment. “It’ll be like when we were kids! We used to share this bed all the time.”
“When we were kids!” Jeongin argues. “When we were half this size! You’re freakishly gangly now.”
“Whatever,” Hyunjin ignores the joke, flopping onto the mattress. “We’re sharing. Actually, now that I think about it… Why don’t we ever share a bed at home? I love to cuddle.”
“Because, Hyunjin,” Jeongin sighs, laying down next to him, an appropriate distance away. “We need to have some form of boundaries in this relationship.”
Hyunjin rolls over and swings his leg over Jeongin’s hips, hugging him around the arm. “Boo, you.”
“Hush. I’m taking a nap.”
It’s always like this. Hyunjin asks, Jeongin complains, Jeongin lets Hyunjin have what he wants anyway. A perfect system. Hyunjin is about to have the most cuddled up week of his life.
༝༚
Hyunjin wakes up an indiscernible amount of time later, cheek pressed to Jeongin’s shoulder, wet spot soaked through from his drool. Oops. Jeongin is a much heavier sleeper than him. Always has been. Hyunjin pulls back just a bit, relishing in the moment before he wakes Jeongin up.
He likes Jeongin like this. Quiet, peaceful, his lips parted slightly, chest rising and falling, his forehead scrunched up in his sleep. So cute. Jeongin is so cute. Everyone always tells Hyunjin like he doesn’t know, like he’s going to realize something big and earth shattering by just the suggestion. He knows Jeongin is cute, he spends most of his time with Jeongin. He just doesn’t see why that would matter to him specifically.
Even Hyunjin’s last boyfriend was obsessed. Constantly asking what’s going on with them. No matter how many times Hyunjin told him, “Nothing!” He couldn’t get it through his thick skull. Hyunjin couldn’t have cared less when they broke up.
It’s like a prerequisite to dating him; the Jeongin of it all.
Hyunjin reaches out a hand, carefully pinching shut Jeongin’s nose. He waits, smile burgeoning. Jeongin wakes up with a gasp, sputter, eyes flying open. Hyunjin laughs, accepts the shove that Jeongin uses to push him away.
“Let’s go,” Hyunjin flops over, swinging his feet onto the floor. “I think Chan said your moms want to get dinner tonight.”
Jeongin groans, rolling over and burying his face into his pillows. “Do we have to?”
“Yes. I’ll do the heavy lifting, you know I’m a good improviser,” Hyunjin tugs at a limp arm. “God, why are you so heavy?”
“I go to the gym now,” Jeongin says simply.
Hyunjin raises his eyebrows. “Since when.”
“Since— I don’t know,” Jeongin huffs, hoisting himself up.
Interesting. Jeongin’s arms have been looking a bit bigger lately. No matter.
“Let’s match outfits. It’ll be cute.”
“This is so much worse than College Green Park,” Jeongin complains. But Hyunjin knows he’ll do what he’s asked anyway. Jeongin is sweet like that.
༝༚
“Can you— I want to be on top,” Jeongin hisses.
“Are you serious right now? It feels so much more natural this way. Stay on the bottom!” Hyunjin wrenches their hands back to the original position, his hand on the top.
Felix and Chan are walking ahead, in their own world, per usual. Chan and Jeongin’s moms wanted to meet at a restaurant on the river, one with live music. Hyunjin is excited, despite Jeongin’s best efforts to piss him off. He loves Jeongin’s moms.
“See, isn’t this nice, Jeongin?” he simpers. “You just stay on the bottom and let me take the lead, yeah?”
Jeongin rolls his eyes horribly dramatically. “Oh please, Hyunjin. Don’t pretend like you’re not a pillow princess. It’s literally written into your dna.”
“Excuse me!” Hyunjin gapes. “How dare you make assumptions about my sexual preference based on the way I look!” He ignores the fact that Jeongin is completely right. On the nose. He will not be admitting that any time soon.
“Not how you look, Hyunjin,” Jeongin breaks into a devious smirk. “How you act.”
Hyunjin gasps, landing a solid hit to Jeongin’s chest. “Why are you thinking about me in bed anyway? Huh?”
“Because, Hyunjin,” Jeongin is smiling, but Hyunjin is pretty sure he can see a tinge of pink to his cheeks. “I’m blowing your back out every night, remember?”
There’s not even a moment for Hyunjin to think about the fizz in his stomach before his attention is redirected again, this time in a more safe, solid direction.
“My babies!”
Jeongin drops Hyunjin’s hand immediately to accept his mom’s hug.
“Oh, how are you! It’s been so long!”
“I’m good, Ma,” Jeongin squeezes her tight, moves on to the next.
“And coming back to visit with your handsome new boyfriend! Wow! I want to hear all about how you two met!”
“Hi, Haseul,” Hyunjin grins, letting the woman bear hug him, shaking him back and forth a bit. “I made the same joke to Jeongin and he didn’t think it was very funny.”
“Oh, boo to him,” Haseul laughs, releasing him and holding him at arms length. “You get more beautiful every year, Hyunjinnie. I’m glad Jeongin finally did something about it.”
“Ma!” Jeongin complains.
Hyunjin laughs, opening his arms for Sooyoung next.
“Shut up, Jeongin,” Sooyoung snips teasingly, cradling Hyunjin’s head to her shoulder. “You’re ruining this moment for me.” Hyunjin sticks his tongue out at Jeongin, loving the attention.
Chan takes pity on his brother, hooking an arm around his shoulders. “Innie, it’s your right as the baby. Everyone’s obsessed with you,” he coos. “You and your matching little outfits with your boyfriend.”
Hyunjin smiles in unabashed delight as Jeongin cries out in exasperation.
The best idea he’s ever had.
They’re seated at a table near the windows, overlooking the river and the people meandering by. Hyunjin wastes no time pressing himself into Jeongin’s side in the booth. He wasn’t joking when he said he’d milk this for all it’s worth, and reciprocation of affection with Jeongin is worth more than gold. Chan and Felix have been split up, one on each side, and Haseul and Sooyoung right across from them.
To their credit, the women hold off on prying until long after everyone has tucked into their food, focusing on catching up with everyone first.
Yes, everything is set for the wedding, Felix has it covered. Yes, Chan is going to cry. Yes, Jeongin is doing well in his masters program. Yes, Hyunjin’s art is selling. Everyone is fine. Great, even.
“Okay, I’ve waited long enough,” Haseul sighs over her risotto. “Tell us the story!”
“Please!” Felix seconds. “I’ve been dying to know.”
Hyunjin can feel Jeongin tense up a bit beneath him, his arm going stiff. He lays a, hopefully reassuring, hand on Jeongin’s thigh, squeezing lightly.
“Well, we had gone out with some friends one night, and we had a few drinks, nothing crazy,” Hyunjin begins, stealing what he hopes look like loving glances towards Jeongin. “And when we got back to ours, there was just kind of this crazy tension, and, y’know…” he trails off, leaving them to fill in the blanks.
“Ohmygod, you totally jumped him, didn’t you, Jin?” Felix oozes, leaning over the table in his excitement.
“Of course he did,” Chan scoffs. “Jeongin hasn’t ever made a first move in his life.”
Jeongin frowns, his forehead creasing. Hyunjin decides to give him a win, just because he’s such a good friend. “Actually, Jeonginnie is the one that made the first move. That’s part of the reason I was so taken. He just grabbed me and kissed me, it was straight out of a romance novel,” Hyunjin smiles shyly.
“Hey! Good for you, Jeongin!” Chan smacks him on the back. Jeongin loosens up, just enough for Hyunjin to feel satisfied.
That seems to be enough to hold them over, going back to wedding talk. While everyone’s distracted Jeongin leans in, close to Hyunjin’s ear, murmurs, “Thank you,” and knocks a kiss to his temple. Hyunjin grins, automatically cuddling closer to his side.
Over dessert, attention is brought back on them again, Sooyoung’s eyes sparkling something mischievous, a trait Jeongin definitely got from her.
“You know,” she muses, arm slung over her wife’s chair. “If I remember correctly, Jeongin’s last girlfriend was a bit, how should I say it— preoccupied with being jealous over Hyunjin.”
Maybe Hyunjin has had one too many glasses of wine. “My ex too!” he blurts. “He was obsessed.”
Jeongin freezes, looks over at Hyunjin and blinks. “He was?”
Hyunjin nods. “Yes! He was convinced I was in love with you.” Jeongin just stares. Hyunjin can’t parse through his look, not right now, too much noise in this place. God damned live music.
“Well,” Sooyoung cuts in. “Cheers to them, then, for being right.” She raises her glass.
“Cheers!” Everyone echoes, lifting their own drinks to clink together.
Hyunjin has to push Jeongin’s cheek away so he stops staring. He doesn’t see what the big deal is. This is something that seems like a constant for both of them, dealing with the jealousy issue.
Still, on the way back to the car he lets Jeongin’s hand be on top.
༝༚
“I love your family,” Hyunjin wistfully sighs as they’re getting ready for bed, running a hairbrush through his hair. He probably looks like a princess in a cartoon right now, gazing longingly into the mirror.
“Don’t be dramatic, Jin,” Jeongin glances up from where he’s sitting against the headboard, scrolling his phone. “Your parents are fine. Your sister is great.”
Hyunjin slams his hairbrush against the vanity, spinning to face Jeongin. “My parents are crazy. My sister isn’t home either. She’s staying with friends this week.”
“Not crazy,” Jeongin corrects. “Overbearing.”
“Crazy,” Hyunjin pouts, slipping into the bed next to him. It really is small, now that they’re here for the night.
Jeongin shakes his head, shutting off his phone and setting it on the nightstand. He lays down more fully after turning out the lights, flat on his back.
Hyunjin stares at his side profile, studies the curve of his nose. Jeongin won’t close his eyes, he’s just staring at the ceiling as Hyunjin stares at him. Eventually he turns his head. “What?”
“Can I cuddle you tonight?” Hyunjin deepens his pout, scooches a few inches closer.
Jeongin’s chest heaves a dramatic breath, but he pulls his arm from under the blanket and holds it out anyways. Hyunjin nearly squeals, a smile aching on his face as he snuggles into Jeongin’s side, hugging him around the waist. Jeongin’s arm falls idly around his back. “Don’t get it twisted. We are not keeping this up when we go back home,” he warns.
“Oh, Innie!” Hyunjin puts on his best cartoon princess voice. “I’ll cherish every second!”
They fall asleep between Hyunjin’s giggles and Jeongin’s grumbles.
༝༚
Hyunjin wakes with the sun, Jeongin wrapped around him from behind. He carefully extracts himself, met only with a sleepy groan of complaint and Jeongin shoving his face into the pillows.
Chan is awake, of course he is, Hyunjin isn’t positive he ever sleeps.
“Good morning, sunshine!” he smiles, dimples deep. “Can I interest you in some coffee?”
“Yes please,” Hyunjin drops onto one of the stools at the island.
“Black?” Chan checks, as if he doesn’t know.
“Mhm.”
Hyunjin doesn’t eat breakfast, but Chan doesn’t pretend to not know that. He just stands across the counter chewing his own bagel while Hyunjin sips from the mug he’s been poured.
“So, Jinnie,” Chan says, clearly trying terribly hard to sound nonchalant. “Are you serious about Jeongin?”
Hyunjin snorts, breath causing ripples in his coffee. “For real, Chan?”
Chan straightens up, arms tight across his chest. “Yes! Jeongin is sensitive, even if he pretends he’s not. When Yuna broke up with him he cried for like, a week, and he didn’t even like her all that much. He likes you!”
“How do you figure?” Hyunjin blinks, slow. He had no idea Jeongin was so broken up over Yuna. Jeongin was away at the time, visiting home when everything went down.
“Don’t be stupid, Jin,” Chan says. “Anyone can tell how gone he is for you. Just— don’t hurt him, alright?”
“I’m not going to hurt him,” Hyunjin feels defensive. He thought Chan knew him better than to accuse him of something so stupid. He loves Jeongin more than anything. Himself, even. “I’d never want that.”
“Sheesh, Chan,” Felix floats into the kitchen in a cloud of floral perfume. “Give him a break. It’s Hyunjin.”
Chan sighs, accepts the peck Felix gives him. “I know, but— you know. How it is, with Innie. With Innie and Hyunjin.” He raises a hand in Hyunjin’s direction.
“I know,” Felix agrees, laughs. Hyunjin most certainly doesn’t know. “But everything’s fine, they’re happy, they’re great. Right, Jin?”
Hyunjin nods, gives them what he hopes is a convincing thumbs up.
“See!” Felix enthuses. “Hey, Jinnie, since you’re up, Minho and Jisung are getting in this morning. Wanna come with me to the train?”
“Sure, Lix, that sounds great.”
༝༚
Hyunjin has always gotten along well with Felix. It’s hard for anyone to not get along with Felix, honestly. When Chan finally pulled his head out of his ass and asked Felix to senior prom, they all cheered, literally. They threw him a party. Everyone knew they’d end up married some day, it was just a question of when.
“Sorry about Chan,” Felix says, buckling into the car, shaking his head with a fond smile. “He’s pretending. Mostly.”
“No, I get it, really,” Hyunjin assures. “Even if he has known me my whole life.”
Felix laughs, again, fond, and gets on their way.
It always feels weird driving through where they grew up, especially since Chan and Felix still call this place home. It’s not small enough to be suffocating, but Hyunjin wouldn’t want to come back, not for good.
“What’s the plan for the week?” he asks, sticking his hand out the rolled down window, enjoying the summer air.
Felix perks up immediately, starts babbling in the way he does when he’s excited. Hyunjin’s the fond one then, listening to him ramble.
“Well, tomorrow we’ll go for our last fittings, the four of us, you know, us and our best men, and then everyone is pretty free while we wrap up the rest of the plans here. I know you’re probably going to see your parents on Wednesday, and Thursday is the bachelor party, so that will be fun! Rehearsals on Friday, and I think Channie wants to go hiking that morning, just because, you know how he is. And Saturday is the day!”
“Sounds great, Lix. You did a wonderful job planning.”
“I hope so,” Felix worries his bottom lip. “I’m sure it’ll be fine— at the end of the day all that matters is that we get married, I suppose.”
Hyunjin admires that about Felix. He could plan something for months and months, but at the end of it all he’d be happy if everyone else is, if the things, the people, that are most important are there.
The train pulls into the station soon after they arrive, each of them taking a seat on the hood until the doors open. Hyunjin has seen Minho and Jisung much more recently than Chan and Felix, the couple lives in the same city as them, but it’s still always a reunion for Minho. He’s a drama queen of epic proportions.
“My precious Lixie,” Minho croons, dropping his bags on the ground and running for Felix with his arms flung wide. “My baby doll! Oh! My favorite cousin in the world!” He spins Felix in a big circle, kissing him all over the face when he lets him down to a chorus of giggles. Hyunjin barely has time to defend himself before Minho is on him, though he’s much too tall to be swung in circles. “And Hyunjin! It’s been so long! And you’ve been banging Yang! And keeping it from me!? Oh, bother!”
“Jesus Christ,” Hyunjin complains, shoving Minho, and his searching lips, away with all his might. “Jisung, your boyfriend is psychotic.”
Jisung stands in a pile of bags, not wanting to leave them behind where Minho dropped them. “Thank you!” he calls. “I know!”
Fifteen minutes.
It takes fifteen minutes to get Minho to settle down enough to get into the car. It’s amazing that Jisung can get him to do anything, but Minho turns to goo when he’s being ordered around by his boyfriend rather than his friends, so it’s probably different.
Minho insists on sitting in the middle seat in the back, just so he can lay all over Jisung and be annoying. “Who’s coming to this shindig? Are we going out to party tonight?” he asks, head bopping against Jisung’s shoulder with the bumpy road.
“Of course! Chan made reservations at that place downtown, the one with the good wine. Seungmin and Changbin are getting in later. I think Changbin might be here soon, actually. That one is a Chan question.”
Hyunjin doesn’t know why he expected the group to be closed off at the six of them. Changbin is Chan’s best friend from college, Seungmin is Jeongin’s other best friend from home. It makes sense.
“Oh, Seungmin is coming?” Minho sits up, an evil, evil look in his eyes. “Get ready to fight for your man’s honor, Hyunjin.”
Hyunjin scowls, cranking his neck over the seat to look at Minho fully. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Minho’s grin deepens. “Seungmin has had a massive crush on Innie for so long. It was like, a waiting game to see if you or Seungmin would move first.”
“Whatever,” Hyunjin slouches down in his seat, eyes on the road.
Hyunjin has never paid much attention to Seungmin. He’s always been annoying, a bit of a know it all. Jeongin tried to get all three of them to hang out back in high school, but it ended with too much bickering, so he’s kept them apart since then. There’s no way Hyunjin could have known Seungmin was after Jeongin. He never thought about it, period. Jeongin is way out of Seungmin’s league.
He’s silent for the rest of the ride.
༝༚
Jeongin and Chan are sitting on the couch when they arrive home, playing some video game. Hyunjin doesn’t much care. He’s in acting mode, he’s about to get an Oscar. He stalks right up, flicking Jeongin’s arm to the side, away from the controller, and plops into his lap.
“Hey!” Jeongin complains, but he’s cut off when Hyunjin plants a kiss right to the center of his mouth. Nothing more than a long peck, but enough to cause his character to fall off the screen and die. “Aw, Jin! Not fair!” he whines, tossing the controller to the couch.
“Sorry!” Minho leans over and ruffles Jeongin’s hair. “I got him all worked up in the car talking about Seungmin’s big fat crush on you.”
Hyunjin frowns, holding tight to Jeongin’s neck. “Not true. Can’t I just kiss my boyfriend just to kiss him?”
“Sure,” Minho shrugs. “But you have to act less suspicious about it if you want me to believe you. You’re like an angry elf.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” Hyunjin retorts.
“Aw, man,” Chan sniffles from the other side of the sofa. “You guys— I just— Gosh. I love having everyone here.” He wipes a lone tear from his eye as the rest of them stare.
“Wow. That is—” Jisung starts, blinking incredulously at the scene before him, the sniveling man child.
“Fascinating,” Minho finishes.
Felix rushes in, like he can hear them bothering his fiancé, some sort of second sight. “Oh, Channie, baby, what have these mean men done to you?” he coos, wiping Chan’s tears.
Hyunjin hates to admit it, but he feels a bit warm and fuzzy inside at the scene too. These people, his people. He loves them all too much, it makes him nauseous.
༝༚
Changbin arrives a while later after dropping his things at his hotel, and Seungmin is going to meet them at the restaurant for dinner. They have less than an hour to finish getting ready, but Jeongin is laying in bed, pretending to sleep, and Hyunjin is pacing the floor, chewing on his fingernails.
He doesn’t know why he’s letting Seungmin get him so worked up. Isn’t that always the story, though? He and Seungmin are like a powder keg, it only makes sense that Hyunjin would be wary, especially with the new context of Jeongin being his ‘boyfriend.’
Hwang Hyunjin doesn’t compete with other men. Hwang Hyunjin is the competition. But he can’t ignore the way his gut swoops when he thinks about Seungmin trying to step in on his relationship, no matter how staged it is. Seungmin might be the only one with as much of a history with Jeongin as him, the only one that could possibly tip the scales.
What if Seungmin sees Jeongin with Hyunjin and realizes how stupid he’s been, holding off on someone so perfect. What if he decides to make a move now, after he realizes how foolish he’s been all these years. This is stupid. Hyunjin feels silly.
“What is wrong with you?” Jeongin opens one eye, peeking out. “You’re ruining my zen.”
Hyunjin pauses, idea blooming in his head. With Jeongin laid out for him like this, well, his mind wanders. He’s only human.
“I changed my mind,” he announces, jumping on the bed and swinging his leg over Jeongin’s hips. He crawls up until he’s hovering over him in a straddle. “We need to practice kissing. Right now.”
Jeongin looks shocked, eyes open wide, gaping up at him. “What?” he manages.
“Let’s practice. Just make out a little. Minho’s onto me, I can feel it in my bones.” Hyunjin waits. For what, he doesn’t know— maybe a protest from Jeongin. He gets nothing, only Jeongin’s hands landing on his waist, holding him steady. More than good enough confirmation for him.
He dives in, kissing Jeongin fully on the first go, hands framing his face. Hyunjin hums in satisfaction when Jeongin kisses him back, turns his head a bit to accommodate the angle, deepening. He had no idea what to expect, kissing Jeongin for real, but this is wonderful, Jeongin is a fantastic kisser.
Hyunjin lets him take the lead, fingers running over Jeongin’s face, the angles of his cheekbones, his jaw. So sharp for such a soft man. Jeongin goes slow, working Hyunjin’s mouth open carefully with a swipe of his tongue against the seam of Hyunjin’s lips. They meet in the middle, just a tease, leaving Hyunjin pushing in forward for more.
What was this about? Hyunjin can barely remember, lost in the dizzying pull of Jeongin’s lips, the pleased little noises Jeongin is pulling from him. Should he be embarrassed? Probably not. It’s just Jeongin, after all.
Jeongin’s hands tighten on his hips, bringing him back to reality. Seungmin! That’s what this is about. Seungmin.
Hyunjin pulls away enough to get to work, letting his lips trail down Jeongin’s jaw, leaving kisses intermittently. Jeongin smells good, like laundry detergent and that cologne Hyunjin bought him for his birthday. The one that’s exactly what Hyunjin likes on a man, just because he could. A power trip, really. He’s paying for it now.
He finds the perfect spot to latch on to his throat, licking over the soft flesh of Jeongin’s pulse point before nipping and sucking a mark into his skin. Jeongin’s hand comes up to Hyunjin’s head, holding him steady, maybe, or just on instinct. Hyunjin kisses over the mark when he’s done, smiling at the damage, more than satisfied.
“Why do you look so pleased with yourself,” Jeongin mumbles, eyelids heavy, staring up at him half-dazed. Hyunjin stays quiet, attempts to recapture Jeongin’s lips to distract. Jeongin figures him out all at once, stopping Hyunjin in his tracks with hands on his shoulders, gasping and dumping him unceremoniously onto the bed. “Hwang Hyunjin!” he yelps, leaning over to look into the mirror, fingers running over his brand new hickey.
“What!” Hyunjin feigns innocence, knitting his brows together.
“You are an animal!” Jeongin turns, hand over his neck. “What is your angle, you menace?”
“No angle!” Hyunjin pouts, lip sticking fully out. And because he can’t keep it inside, lest it kill him, “I just like to mark what’s mine.”
Jeongin’s jaw goes slack, stepping closer to the bed. His hand falls, his eyes gleam, just like Sooyoung’s, in that nasty, menacing way. “Minho was right. You’re worried about Seungmin.”
“I got nervous!” Hyunjin whines, throwing himself back against the bed. “What if Seungmin sees through us and tries to steal you? I would be so humiliated.”
“Mhm,” Jeongin pushes his tongue into his cheek, looking much too full of himself for Hyunjin’s liking. Hyunjin frowns bigger, silently begging Jeongin to drop it. He must get the memo. “If this is here by Saturday you’ll have to answer to Felix.”
Hyunjin grins, brightening up right away. “Okay, I can deal with that.” He shoves himself up on his knees, preening. “You’re a good kisser, by the way. Skilled with your tongue.”
Jeongin looks away, soft blush creeping up his cheeks. “You have no idea,” he mutters.
There goes that stupid twisty feeling in Hyunjin’s gut again. No time to deal with that now, he has tastefully matching outfits to pick out.
༝༚
Hyunjin suctions to Jeongin the second they emerge from his room, more than dedicated to being attached to him all night.
They’re late, only by a few minutes, but Chan is the only one that hangs behind, the rest of their friends already on their way. Chan eyes Jeongin’s neck, raises an eyebrow and laughs, but doesn’t say anything.
They make Chan drive while they sit in the back. “It’s just like when we were little babies, Channie!” Hyunjin smiles at him through the rear view. “When you had your license and we wanted to go to the mall.”
“Whatever,” Chan scoffs, smiling all the same.
Hyunjin is so smart, really, because he’s dressed himself and Jeongin in complementary shades of the same green, looking so cute and coupley together.
It’s not until they’re walking across the parking lot and Hyunjin laces their fingers together that he realizes Jeongin is wearing the ring. The one that’s a matching set with Hyunjin’s own. They bought them together months ago. Hyunjin wears his every day, along with the rest of his favorites, but Jeongin almost never wears his, complaining about how it hurts to grade papers with the weight on his finger.
“You’re wearing our ring!” Hyunjin grins, raising their linked hands.
“Oh, yeah,” Jeongin laughs lightly, maybe a little embarrassed. “Thought it might be cute. I dunno.”
Hyunjin’s chest explodes with sunshine. “It is cute,” he brings their hands to his mouth, kissing the ring on Jeongin’s finger. “Thank you.”
Jeongin smiles too, avoiding eye contact. All Hyunjin can do is giggle, swinging their hands back and forth between them.
He genuinely loves spending time with Jeongin. How could he not? He wouldn’t still be living with Jeongin if things were different. He and Jeongin are two sides of the same coin, or, like, two halves of the same nut. Something silly and funny and perfectly them.
Their friends are waiting out front, laughing and chatting much too loudly to be acceptable.
“Look who decided to show up!” Minho calls, looking up from Jisung just long enough to be a bother. “The king and queen of the castle!”
Hyunjin’s in too good of a mood to act annoyed. “Who’s who?”
Minho rolls his eyes. Everyone already knows. Hyunjin refuses to unlock his hand from Jeongin’s when he says hello to Seungmin, because he’s petty and rude, forcing Jeongin to give his friend a side hug, a slap on the back, a, “Hey, Minnie.”
Seungmin eyes Hyunjin up and down. “Happy for you two,” Seungmin deadpans. Or maybe that’s just how he talks. “Took long enough.”
Hyunjin gives him a tight smile, ignoring whatever insinuation he’s trying to make, tugs Jeongin back into his side. He’s not good at sharing. Never has been. He gets a rush of, likely unhealthy, glee when Seungmin’s eyes land on Jeongin’s neck, his eyebrows raising for a moment before his face goes back to its normal nothingness.
Jaw twitching, Hyunjin can’t stop his hand from reaching up to cup the side of Jeongin’s face, pulling him in for a kiss. Jeongin’s eyes shine on the withdrawal, smirk on his now gloss-shiny lips.
“You’re a little crazy, aren’t you?” he asks.
Hyunjin huffs. “Is that a problem?”
Jeongin laughs, stealing another peck, leaving Hyunjin smiling with him. “No. I kinda like it.”
“Good to know.”
“C’mon, lovebirds, let’s go!” Changbin shouts, waving them in where they’ve been left behind.
Dinner is more than pleasant. They share platters of food and catch up, everyone’s happy and together. Felix and Chan glow brighter than the sun, the picture of a happy couple. It all feels so right, being with everyone, under Jeongin’s arm, his fingers running a lazy rhythm up and down Hyunjin’s side. Adding anyone else to the mix would seem wrong, would ruin the mood.
Most people aren’t lucky enough to find family like this in the people they come to adulthood with. Hyunjin will forever feel blessed to have grown with nearly all of these people, winding up closer when they so easily could have grown apart.
Maybe Chan’s sentimental wedding energy is contagious. Hyunjin is pretty sure he’s caught it.
In bed, Jeongin automatically rolls his arm out for Hyunjin to tuck into his side. Hyunjin goes, happily, folding their fingers together where Jeongin’s hand comes to rest on his stomach.
“I’m so happy, Jeonginnie,” he admits, nuzzling his nose into Jeongin’s collarbone. “I’m having so much fun. Thanks for agreeing to this.”
“‘Course, Hyunne,” Jeongin mumbles into his hair, breath hot. “I’m happy too.”
Hyunjin grins, looks up just long enough to drop a kiss on the tip of Jeongin’s nose. “Goodnight!”
“Night, Jin.”
Hyunjin is too tired to do more than shut his eyes, listen to the soft kick of Jeongin’s heart. He wonders if Jeongin is worried about something, the beat of it going a bit erratic. He’ll ask in the morning if he remembers.
༝༚
Jeongin is out of bed before him, rustling around in his suitcase, smiling when he catches Hyunjin sleepily watching him from the bed. “What are you going to do while I’m gone?”
“I dunno,” Hyunjin snuggles further into the blankets, conserving the heat Jeongin left behind. “Maybe Jisung will take me somewhere fun. We’ll both be without our husbands. We can hold hands and pretend we’re not lonely.”
Jeongin snorts. “Okay, have fun with that.” He finishes digging his things from his bag, stepping over to the bed. “I’m pretty sure Jisung is too short for you.”
“Mmmm,” Hyunjin hums into his smile, leaning up to meet Jeongin where he’s leaning down for a kiss. Sweet, short, Hyunjin takes another before letting go.
“Don’t get into too much trouble,” Jeongin smiles.
“I won’t. Have fun trying on suits,” Hyunjin pokes him in one of his dimples and then he’s gone.
Hyunjin laughs, melting back into the bed happily.
It doesn’t hit him until half an hour later, when he’s finally fully awake, that whatever happened was abnormal.
Achingly domestic, comfortable, loving, in a way that he and Jeongin shouldn’t be. Or, at least, haven’t been. And— and. Hyunjin didn’t hate it. Actually, he kind of loved it. He was in his own little bubble of bliss from the time Jeongin kissed him until he came back to reality.
Hyunjin didn’t think he was that lonely; to be having such feelings about a silly little kiss. It’s been a while since he dated anyone, but he’s felt satisfied. Happy.
His brain goes fuzzy, all tangled up. He hates dealing with things, especially emotions. Especially when they’re big and confusing and stand to cause disturbance in his status quo.
He feels a bit out of his mind when he makes it to the kitchen, Jisung drooping over the counter like an unwatered flower. Always so sleepy, the man is never fully awake before noon.
“Why do you look like you’ve been shot?” Jisung asks in lieu of a greeting.
“Jeongin kissed me,” Hyunjin blinks, taking the seat next to him.
“Oh-kay,” Jisung widens his eyes, blows a breath from his nose. “Good to know he’s still knocking you off your feet, Jin. You two are both so weird.”
Hyunjin scrunches his face up, shoving Jisung’s shoulder. “You're one to talk.”
“Fair enough.”
༝༚
He and Jisung end up at the farmers market. A town staple, always open on Tuesday afternoons. Hyunjin suggested they hold hands, and Jisung hadn’t seemed opposed to the idea, so now they walk between the stalls, arms swinging between them.
Hyunjin wrestles with the idea of trying to prove to himself something. That maybe the twisting knots in his stomach are something more than pretend. He’s trying to replicate the feeling with Jisung, to prove that anyone who held his hand could create such a chemical reaction.
No luck so far, though he hasn’t given up yet.
“I was glad when your mom called Minho,” Jisung says somewhere between the apples and the cucumbers. “We were afraid you and Jeongin were going to dance around each other forever.”
“She called Minho?” Hyunjin can feel the stress migraine coming on. His mother is seriously off her rocker.
Jisung nods happily, his round cheeks bunched up.
“Oh my god,” Hyunjin cries. “She’s truly lost her mind.”
“Nah,” Jisung laughs. “It’s sweet! She’s so happy for you.”
“She’s annoying is what she is.” Jeongin was right. Jisung is too short for Hyunjin. It’s not as comfortable to hold his hand. “Besides, what do you mean about dancing around each other?”
“C’mon, Jinnie. We all know how Jeongin looked at you. How you looked at him. We just never thought that you would figure it out,” Jisung squeezes his hand in what Hyunjin assumes is supposed to be comfort. It reads as painful to him.
“Didn’t have to figure it out. Jeongin kissed me,” he mumbles defensively. Why is he so defensive? This is all pretend. It feels especially pretend right now.
“Good for him! The way he pined? Shit.”
Hyunjin frowns. Jisung must be mistaken. Jeongin has never once shown interest in him, the thought seems ridiculous. Hyunjin spends every day with Jeongin, Jisung only sees him sporadically.
“What gave you that impression?”
Jisung looks at him like he’s stupid. “Seriously? I thought everyone just knew.”
So long as Jeongin didn’t say anything, then. Hyunjin is confident in his knowledge of his best friend. He would know. Surely— he would know.
No matter how many fresh vegetables Hyunjin hand feeds to Jisung that afternoon, he can’t manage to replicate the stupid gut feeling.
༝༚
Felix and Chan spoke for the first time on the basketball court behind their middle school.
As the story goes, one of Chan’s buddies accidentally tossed the ball into Felix’s group of friends, and Chan was the sucker tasked to retrieve it. Felix looked up, and they locked eyes, and he knew right then that he’d marry Chan.
Of course, Chan didn’t know until much later, hence the senior prom congratulations party, but it’s still a cute moment to remember.
They end up at the basketball court that night. Hyunjin never plays, much too sweaty for him, so he parks himself on a bench off to the side, Changbin keeping him company to even out the teams.
Hyunjin swings his feet onto the bench, arm resting on the back to hold his head up, lazily chatting about whatever. Changbin is interesting. He has a big important job in the music industry, and he’s got biceps the size of Hyunjin’s head.
Hyunjin is distracted staring at said biceps when Jeongin yells from the court, “Yo, Jinnie! These are for you, babe!”
Hyunjin bites his lower lip to keep from laughing, watching Jeongin sink two free throws and then blow him an obnoxious kiss. He cheers and claps like he’s very impressed, like he knows anything about sports.
Changbin is smiling too when Hyunjin turns back to him. “You know,” he says. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I was going to ask you out this week. It was my promise to myself.”
“Sorry?” Hyunjin blinks, stunned. “We barely know each other.”
“Yeah, well,” Changbin shrugs. “Chan always talks you up, and you’re plenty pretty. Just thought I’d put myself out there. But, anyway— this is all to say that you and Jeongin are cute. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and shit, you know.”
Hyunjin laughs, albeit a little confused, looking back towards Jeongin. “Thank you. I’m really happy.”
“I can tell. It’s a good look on you.”
Maybe Jeongin has a secret sense for when his honor is being questioned, because he dips off the court at the next lull, heading towards them.
“Sub in?” he grins at Changbin, running a hand through his now messy hair. Changbin groans, waving his goodbye as he stands up and jogs to take Jeongin’s place in the game.
Hyunjin smiles sweetly at Jeongin, lifts his legs up so he can sit down. He lowers them again, folded over Jeongin’s lap, much closer than he and Changbin had been sitting. “Tired?” he asks, throwing an arm across the backrest, behind Jeongin’s shoulders.
“Nah. Just haven’t seen you all day,” Jeongin relaxes into his seat. “Feeling sentimental.”
“Aw, jagi,” Hyunjin pinches his cheek. So soft, just like always. “Miss me that much?”
He looks at Hyunjin a little funny. “I always miss you when we’re apart. Don’t you?”
Hyunjin’s never thought about it before. But, yes. Whenever Jeongin goes on a trip without him he finds himself facetiming every night, if Jeongin goes out he waits up, all of those sorts of things.
“Yes. You were right, by the way, Jisung is too short for me. I didn’t like holding his hand.”
Jeongin laughs— he probably thinks Hyunjin is joking— and they settle into comfortable silence, watching their friends play. Felix is spectacularly bad at sports, but everyone cheers him on like he’s a star.
“I had my first kiss here,” Jeongin comments casually, as if it’s not the most interesting thing Hyunjin’s heard all day.
“Did you really? With who?”
“You’re not gonna like the answer,” Jeongin smirks, leaning back against the bench.
Hyunjin looks at him, nods him on in challenge.
“Seungmin.”
“No fucking way,” Hyunjin laughs, more surprised than actually upset. “Why didn’t I know that? Why didn’t we ever talk about our first kisses?”
“I don’t know,” Jeongin falls into an easy smile, watching Chan shoot from half court. “I think I was embarrassed. And you were kissing people way before I was.”
“I guess you’re right,” Hyunjin toys with the hair at the nape of Jeongin’s neck, silky and black, untouched by dye, still holding some curl from the perm Hyunjin begged him to get a while back. “My first kiss was with Choi Yeonjun. At the lookout.”
“Never liked that guy,” Jeongin sucks his teeth. “Too slimy.”
“Shut up, he’s fun. He rocked my world back then.”
Jeongin’s face twists into a smirk, mischievous once again. “Did you tell him that he’s good with his tongue too?”
“I dunno, maybe I did. Are you jealous?” Hyunjin shoots off, snarky.
“Should I be?” Jeongin fires right back.
“You should probably be more jealous of Changbin,” Hyunjin licks his lips, a little nervous. Is it mean to do this to Jeongin? Is it wrong of him to want to know how Jeongin will react? “He told me he was going to ask me out this week, but then he found out I’ve been spoken for.”
Jeongin stiffens beneath him. “Fucking bastard. Is that not a shot? While I’m right here?” his voice is tight, edging on real anger.
Hyunjin watches his jaw shift. Interesting.
“What did you say?” Jeongin continues, catching Hyunjin’s eye, something much too vulnerable in his expression. “Would you want to go out with him? Like— after this thing.”
Hyunjin’s stomach swims, but the answer is easy enough. “No. He’s not my type. I just told you Jisung is too short for me.”
“Oh. Right,” Jeongin shakes his head so slightly Hyunjin nearly misses it. He waits a moment, like he’s trying to decide if he should continue. Then, “What is your type?”
“Hmmm,” Hyunjin thinks. It’s not that he has a physical type, not really. He’s more looking for a certain type of person. Someone he wants to be around all the time, someone he looks forward to coming home to. “Spontaneous. Fun. Comfortable. I’m not super picky, just as long as they— mmph!”
He doesn’t get to finish before Jeongin is kissing him, one hand laid where his jaw meets his neck. The kiss is hot, surprisingly intense for the quickness of it. Hyunjin has no issue bowing in further, opening his mouth to let Jeongin lick inside, exploring. His hand buries itself in Jeongin’s hair, nails running over his scalp, and Jeongin lets out a soft, pleased noise.
When they pull apart Jeongin runs his thumb across Hyunjin’s cheek. Quick. Before pulling away fully, like he’s thought better of such an intimate touch.
“What was that for?” Hyunjin smiles goofily, properly knocked off his feet. He doesn’t even know if any of their friends are watching. They must be— they’re right there.
Jeongin returns a smile, more bashful. Too bashful for someone that kisses the way he does. “I’m working on being spontaneous.”
Hyunjin scoots his butt closer on the bench, hands pulling greedily at Jeongin’s shoulders. “One more for good luck.”
They get so lost in their lazy kisses, slow and careful, that Minho has to throw a basketball at their heads before they realize they’re being called to go.
Stumbling back to the car hand in hand, cheeks red, lips wet, Hyunjin is overcome by how fun this all is. He almost wishes he could live in this moment, this week, forever.
When Changbin looks over at them, knowing look on his face, Jeongin pulls Hyunjin a bit tighter to him, hand snaking around his waist.
And Hyunjin gets that god damned sickening feeling he’d been trying to recreate with Jisung all day. In its purest form, beneath Jeongin’s fingertips
༝༚
Hyunjin only remembers to ask about Jeongin’s heartbeat when they’re cuddled up in bed, on the edge of sleep.
“I meant to ask, why was your heart beating so quick last night? Are you worried about something?”
Jeongin coughs, chokes on a short, awkward laugh. “Honest?”
“Yes,” Hyunjin’s eyes flick up at the unexpected reaction. “Always.”
Another laugh from Jeongin, this one breathy and drawn out. “You make me a little nervous.”
Hyunjin’s eyes go wide, hand flat on Jeongin’s chest so he can maneuver himself up to look him in the eye. “What are you talking about? It’s just me.”
“Jin,” Jeongin laughs, a little strained. “You’re, like, the most beautiful man in the world, and you’re pretending to be my boyfriend. I think it’s natural for my body to have some sort of nervous reaction.”
Speechless. Jeongin doesn’t often leave him speechless, but he’s done it now. Hyunjin’s lips parted in a wheeze, eyes refusing to close.
“I didn’t mean to freak you out,” Jeongin whispers, brushing a lock of Hyunjin’s hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear. “I just didn’t want you to think I’m like, nervous about anything else.”
“No!” Hyunjin protests. “No, no, I’m not freaked out.” He’s definitely a little freaked out. He lays his head back down on Jeongin’s chest, hears his heart beating strong and fast again. “Just surprised.”
Jeongin’s laugh rumbles in his chest, he starts running his fingers through Hyunjin’s hair. “I don’t know why. You know how you look.”
“Yeah. But I didn’t know you know how I look,” he complains. “Didn’t know you think I’m pretty.”
“Beautiful, Jin. I said beautiful.”
Hyunjin smiles, tapping his chest with a weak, shaky hand. “Shut up.”
“I’m serious!” he can hear Jeongin’s smile in his voice.
“You’re beautiful too, Innie,” Hyunjin blurts, surprised by how true the words ring in his ears. Once the dam is broken he can’t quit the rush of his brain, a mess of thoughts he didn’t even know he was holding onto. “Like, you’re handsome, but also really pretty. And, also, you’re hot. Do you know that you’re hot? You’re hot too. Hot and beautiful.”
Jeongin’s hand pauses in his hair, Hyunjin squeezes his eyes shut, embarrassed. “Is that right?”
“Yes,” Hyunjin’s cheeks heat for no real reason. It’s Jeongin, for god’s sake. His best friend. Jeongin. “I’m never going to tell you again. You’re so annoying.”
“Ahhhh,” Jeongin grumbles, holding him tighter, kissing the top of his head. “That’s okay. I’ll take what I can get. Thank you, Jinnie.”
“You’re welcome. Tell your heart to calm down so we can go to sleep.”
“Aye-aye captain.”
Jeongin is a liar. It takes a long time for his heartbeat to slow enough for Hyunjin to stop paying attention. Until he’s snoring softly under Hyunjin’s cheek, hand falling loose against his hip.
༝༚
“Jin.”
“I need— Shit! I totally forgot to bring mom’s birthday present, hell. Do you think Yeji remembered?”
“Jinnie—”
“Oh, god, Jeongin, this is bad. My mom is going to scream and I’m going to get a headache, did you pack Tylenol?”
“Hyunjin!” Jeongin finally breaks through, hands on Hyunjin’s shoulders, pausing his neurotic rambling. “Chill out, baby. You’re driving both of us mad.”
Hyunjin stops, squeezing his eyes shut, brain running a thousand miles a minute. “I’m fine,” he insists, squinting at Jeongin.
“Hah!” Jeongin laughs, thumbs soothing up and down Hyunjin’s collarbones. “Right. That’s what fine looks like. I forgot.”
“I’m nervous,” Hyunjin frowns, body melting forward a bit into Jeongin’s hold.
“Jinnie,” Jeongin smiles, pulling Hyunjin into his chest. “Baby, I know. But we’ll be fine. You just gotta make it to lunch, I’m sure your sister will smoke us out.”
How long has Jeongin been calling him baby? Hyunjin doesn’t know. He doesn’t hate it. He loves pet names, they make him dizzy, maybe a little horny.
“You’re right.”
“I know,” Jeongin pulls back, looks him in the eye again. “I’m always right.”
“Whatever,” Hyunjin laughs. And because he’s greedy, he puckers his lips, a silent ask. Jeongin rolls his eyes but obliges all the same, kissing the tension out of Hyunjin’s shoulders, kissing him until Hyunjin is sighing into his mouth. Jeongin’s always known what Hyunjin needs, though, hasn’t he?
“Ready?”
“Ready.”
༝༚
“My Hyunjinnie! My only son! I missed you so much— I can’t believe you left me and now you’re back! And Jeonginnie is here too! Oh, I’m just so happy I could cry! Look at that! I’m already crying!”
“Mom, please,” Hyunjin whines, dragging her blubbering form into his chest, hand running soothingly up and down her back.
“I’m sorry, baby, you know how I am!” she sniffs, voice watery. She moves on from him just as fast as she fell apart, “Jeongin! Give me a hug, sweetheart!”
Jeongin smiles his show stopping smile, perfect for impressing parents, and hugs her tight. “Good to see you, Jiwoo.”
“And he called me by my name!” she gushes.
Hyunjin rolls his eyes. “Just like he has since we were kids!”
Jeongin shoots him a pitying look, wrapping his arm around Hyunjin’s waist as soon as he’s free from the clutches of evil.
“Aren’t you two just pretty as a picture!” Jiwoo coos. “Come on out back, you sister is already here, I’m sure she’s dying to see you.”
“I see her like twice a week, it’s fine— ow!” Hyunjin frowns at Jeongin when he’s pinched harshly in the side.
“Be nice,” Jeongin reminds him, curing his frown with a kiss to his temple.
They’re spirited through the house at the speed of light, the sound of Yeji’s irritated voice drifting through the screen door.
“Dad, I just don’t understand why you won’t listen to me. It’s like anything I say is just going straight through your head!”
“This is why you’re the one that went to college, Yeji-boo,” their dad replies, ever so frustratingly calm. “You’re too smart for me!”
“Argh!”
“You two stop fighting for a minute to give the boys hugs!” Jiwoo orders, waving her hands around, already off to do another errand, surely. The woman never sits still.
“Hyunjinnie-bear!” his dad stands up, manhandling him into a hug. “You’ve gotten so tall since I last saw you!”
“Haha! Just as funny as the first time!” Hyunjin grits.
“And you’ve brought this handsome boy home to us! What a delight! I’m Seokmin, nice to meet you son,” he smacks Jeongin’s hand into a forceful shake. “What are your intentions with my son?”
“Jeongin, don’t you dare play along with him,” Hyunjin warns, taking the two steps necessary to drape himself into his sister’s lap.
“Ah, so good to meet you, sir. I’m Jeongin,” Jeongin shakes his hand rapidly up and down, completely ignoring Hyunjin’s request. “I intend to wed and bed him, if that’s alright with you.”
Seokmin laughs wildly, absolutely pleased with himself and Jeongin. “Wonderful! I’d love for you to take him off my hands!”
“Please fucking kill me,” Hyunjin begs Yeji. “I won’t even cry, I’ll be quiet as a mouse as you do it. No leftover guilt.”
“No,” Yeji pouts, hugging him around the middle. “Then I’ll have no one to hold things over. Or dress up like the shining twins with at halloween.”
“Hey, Yej,” Jeongin makes his way over, laying a hand on her shoulder in greeting before taking a seat nearby. The only time Hyunjin will choose someone else’s lap over Jeongin’s is when his sister is around. Jeongin knows that. He’s known Yeji just as long as he’s known Hyunjin, she’s in their apartment all the time.
“Hi, loverboy!” Yeji croons. “You lovebirds, you. Such sneaky little snakes.”
“Hey, that’s what Changbin called us the other day. Any chance you’re into men now?” Jeongin feigns genuine curiosity. “He’s been trying to move on Hyunjin, I need to neutralize the threat. I could set you up.”
“Wow, that really bothered you, huh?” Hyunjin laughs incredulously. “I’m not going to leave you for Changbin, Jeongin. Please. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Oh you kids!” Seokmin tuts, shaking his head back and forth. “Always some drama, isn’t there? Have I ever told you the story of when I was back in college and—“
Yeji and Hyunjin groan in twin-telepathic unison, and Jeongin pretends to be interested.
“Lunch. Jinnie,” Yeji whispers into his ear. “I’ll smoke you out at lunch. I promise.”
༝༚
Hyunjin and Yeji set up a precedent a long time ago, convincing their parents that they like to ‘take a walk’ after lunch.
A farce, obviously, neither of them are fans of physical activity, but they are both fans of getting high. Yeji more than him.
They had different friend groups growing up, obviously. Hyunjin fell in with Chan and company, she got involved with the theater kids; they turned her into a first class stoner. Hyunjin reaps the benefits.
Jeongin doesn’t always smoke, especially not when he’s busy with school, but today he indulges. Hyunjin tries not to get too excited about it. He loves stoned Jeongin, all relaxed and pliant, a perfect compliment to his own affectionate emotion.
They have a spot, a ways down a trail in the woods behind their parents house. Two logs, a thick cover of trees, it’s all they need.
Hyunjin’s feeling a buzz by now, one of their two joints already finished. He can’t stop watching the way Jeongin holds the paper between his lips, fingers pinched at the end, eyelids fluttering. He’s always found smoking sexy, sue him!
“What?” Jeongin asks, chest tight with smoke, passing the joint to Yeji.
“Nothin’,” Hyunjin lies, reaching out to poke Jeongin’s cheek. His lips. “You’re just pretty.”
“Ew,” Yeji breaks through his perfect little bubble. “Please, not now. If I knew you two would be so gross I would have brought Ryujin with me.” She steals another hit while they’re distracted.
“We’re not gross,” Hyunjin says, reaching for the joint. “We’re gay. Are you homophobic, Yeji? Is that it?”
“Yeah, bozo, that’s it. You cracked the case,” she sticks her tongue out. “That’s why I would have brought my girlfriend.”
“Aw! Yej! You and Ryujin are together now? That’s so cute!” Hyunjin overflows with happiness, deep and warm.
“You’re not the only one that got his head out of his ass and realized he’s in love with his best friend,” she snips.
Hyunjin squints at her, losing track of the conversation. “Do you know what she’s talking about?” he asks Jeongin, swinging his head back and forth between the two of them.
“No idea,” Jeongin says, eyes struggling to stay open.
“Sheesh.”
Yeji groans, holding the joint captive and finishing it off herself.
༝༚
“You kids!” Jiwoo laughs. “Always so tired after your afternoon walks! I’m so glad you’re staying healthy in your young adult lives!”
“You know us!” Yeji swings an arm over Hyunjin’s shoulders. “Big walkers. Huge.”
“Oh, dear, are your allergies acting up?” Jiwoo frowns, looking close at Yeji’s eyes. “Let me get you some eye drops.”
“Thank you, Ma!” she howls after her, giggling when she meets Hyunjin’s eye.
They fall into the cushions of the sofa in a heap. Hyunjin half on top of Jeongin, Yeji half on top of Hyunjin, just as it’s supposed to be. Hyunjin tries not to laugh as Yeji lets eyedrops be poured into her eyes for her, such a baby. Those extra three minutes in the womb really did her in.
Jeongin melts into his seat, completely relaxed, molding around Hyunjin’s body, warm and safe.
Hyunjin feels a bit silly now, with Jeongin’s arm wrapped around him, hand hot on his hip, chest rising and falling beneath his cheek, that he thought being here would be so horrible. He figures nothing could really be that horrible so long as Jeongin is around. Sure, staying at Chan’s is better, but this is nice too. His sister, his parents yapping, Jeongin attached to him, keeping him close.
They field questions about how they got together, repeating the same story as earlier, Hyunjin and Yeji faux gag when their parents cuddle up and start kissing, the group of them play Life, the board game, and Hyunjin whines until they allow he and Jeongin to be on the same team. They put both of their little blue guys in the front of a pink car.
Their highs have long worn off by dinner, but everyone is so casual by then it doesn’t seem as painful to exist.
Hyunjin feels bad that he hates being home so much. He knows that his parents are good, kind people— they’re just… a lot. He’s too soft to take the amount of a lot they can be. Jeongin is good at holding him steady.
Hyunjin hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep. Jeongin is too comfortable, it was inevitable when they turned on a movie. He wakes as the credits roll, and he’s missed most of it. His mom and dad are nowhere to be found.
“Ready to go, baby?” Jeongin brushes Hyunjin’s hair from his forehead.
“Mhm,” Hyunjin nods, rubbing his hands in his gooey eyes. “Does Yeji need a ride?”
“Yeji left an hour ago, babe,” Jeongin helps him up from the couch. “Said she’d see you for breakfast tomorrow morning. And your parents said they’ll see you at the wedding. They went up to bed.”
Was Jeongin hanging around just to let Hyunjin sleep? Good enough for him. “Kay,” he yawns.
Jeongin loads him into the car, helps him buckle, and gets in the driver's side.
“Thank you,” Hyunjin murmurs, still halfway between living and dead. “Today wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
“Anything, Jin,” Jeongin says, achingly serious. Hyunjin can’t help but reach out for his free hand, twisting their fingers together. He just wants Jeongin to be close— closer— he feels like he needs to be touching him.
“And tomorrow we’ll really show Yuna who’s boss,” Hyunjin tacks on.
“Yuna?” Jeongin’s brow pinches for a moment before he blinks a few times, headlights from other cars shining across his face as he drives. “Oh. Yuna. Right. Yeah, hah.”
Hyunjin is too sleepy to figure out what his damage is. Maybe Jeongin is too sleepy himself. Hyunjin watches Jeongin the entire ride, both his hands closed on top of his, even when Jeongin shifts gears.
He makes Jeongin carry him bridal style to bed, and set his alarm for him, and he begs to be spooned when they’re both comfortable.
Jeongin settles in behind him, a kiss pressed to his shoulder. Hyunjin is completely content. Warm, safe, comfortable, all of that bullshit.
“What do you think about everyone saying we’re perfect for each other?” he whispers, half hoping Jeongin is already asleep. The question has been knocking around in his skull, it won’t let him be. He keeps catching comments from their friends, rolling them over and over in his mind.
Jeongin’s arms tighten slightly where they’re wound around his waist, his breath comes out long and hot on the underside of Hyunjin’s jaw. “This feels right, doesn’t it?”
Five words.
Hyunjin will add a sixth, to even out the score.
“Yes.”