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“No, Jisoo-hyung.” Soonyoung literally put his foot down, stomping it really firmly in front of his roommate who’s quite superbly pulling off the lamentable puppy eyes.
“But—”
“We are not keeping that cat,” he insisted, face pulling into something that supposed to be a glare, but because his face is squishy, it falls into a pout. “I’m allergic.”
Jisoo clicked his tongue, glaring back because he knows what Soonyoung’s pout is supposed to mean.
“You tell people you’re allergic to green peas when you just hate eating them!”
“I’m emotionally allergic to green peas!”
“Soonyoung!”
The younger huffed, trying to just nudge the small animal away with his foot, but then the kitten hissed, its claws spread as it took a swipe at him.
Soonyoung let out a shriek that actually earned a loving chuckle from Jisoo, who pets the cat as soon as he stumbled back. What the fuck?
Good thing that he was wearing his fuzzy slippers because those claws are sharp.
“See!?” He pointed at the skinny, fluffy white thing like it’s about to plot the death of Julius Caesar. “It’s uncivilized!”
Gasping really dramatically, Jisoo picked up the furball that immediately calms down at his touch and hugged it to his chest.
“Don’t you dare call Susan uncivilized!”
“You—” Soonyoung’s jaw dropped as he eyes his hyung incredulously. “You already named it!? And an ugly name, too!”
“Susan from Marketing is a strong name,” Jisoo retorted sharply, stomping away with weight on his feet. And he did make it clear that he was stomping because his heels thud whenever they hit the floorboards of their apartment. “You’re just jealous since your name isn’t strong enough.”
“And Susan from Marketing is?”
“Susie!” Soonyoung’s shrill voice coming from the front door attacks Jisoo’s ears (he’s in the middle of sleeping, by the way, coming from an eighteen-hour shift that Soonyoung knew about). “Your master is home!”
Jisoo grunts, groggily running a hand through his newly-bleached hair that’s not as crunchy since his scalp is now oily from not washing it. And to be honest, he’s not about to entertain this much energy from a single person early this morning (it’s one in the afternoon, but nurse’s life is nothing like frolicking in fields of daisies for photo shoots, unlike his roommate’s).
“You’re still asleep?” Soonyoung’s voice sounds louder because it’s now coming from his bedroom door. “Where’s Susie?”
“Stop calling her that,” Jisoo’s voice is raspy when he hides his face in a pillow. He has always been a light sleeper, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to be woken up. “She doesn’t like it.”
“Oh, she’ll grow to love it.”
She doesn’t. It has been two years since Jisoo got Susan from Marketing, and every single attempt at a nickname only gets shot down with a swipe of her claws. Soonyoung always gets a scratch whenever he tries to get close to her, but he just never listens to Jisoo.
It’s about time he learns his lesson.
“Susie-Doozy—OW! YOU’RE SUCH A FUCKING BITCH, SUSIE—OUCH! STOP IT—!”
Jisoo sighs with a sleepy smile on his face. Music to his ears.
That’s my baby.
He tries to fall back asleep, but then his phone alarm rings and, glaring at it, he could make out the words Jeonghan and Party. Anything that has to do with Jeonghan must be slept on, so he shuts his eyes—
Oh, fuck.
Jisoo sighs deeply, his face dropping to a frown as he realizes Jeonghan’s throwing a party, and he’s required to come because that’s just the rules of their friendship (which now seems a bit inconvenient for Jisoo only).
So, begrudgingly, he forces himself to stand and wash up. If he doesn’t get up now, he might end up not going when he sleeps in. And he has been sleeping for five hours, anyway. Maybe he can find someone who’d fuck him to sleep later at that party.
If he doesn’t… well, he always does.
(But if he really doesn’t because no one’s good enough for him, there’s always Jeonghan himself.)
“You going to Jeonghan’s party later?” He asks Soonyoung whose fingers are wrapped in fresh bandages (probably where Susan swiped at him) and who’s currently packing his things up again despite just coming home. His job as a rising model means he can’t stay in one place, but for some reason he wouldn’t leave the apartment to Jisoo who can afford it alone now. He’s even paying most of the rent because Soonyoung just doesn’t stop moving around the country. “Or another job?”
“I can’t. I have to leave early. There’s a photo shoot at Busan, and we’re staying there for two months,” the younger says, shaking his head as he stuffs his things quickly in the only empty luggage he has. Everything else is filled to the brim. “But you don’t have to worry—it’s not a hotel. We have an actual home where we can stay in. It’s just me, Wonwoo, and some others from the agency. Can you get me that coat behind you?”
At the mention of Soonyoung’s manager, Jisoo perks up. “That manager of yours… any progress with your romance?” He asks as he hands him the coat. “Just go for it,” Jisoo offers like he’s giving some kind of review about a product he already tested, “He gives great aftercare. And I already told you about his big d—”
“I still can’t believe you slept with my manager!” Soonyoung playfully points an accusing finger at him, but Jisoo knows all of that is behind them now.
“Hey, I didn’t know he was your manager then,” Jisoo shrugs, making his way to the bathroom. “I’ll go take a bath. You stay away from trouble, ‘kay? Don’t be a headache to Wonwoo-ssi.”
“More like he shouldn’t be giving me mixed signals,” Soonyoung grumbles under his breath. “You stay away from sexually transmitted diseases! If I come back home and you’re itching, I swear to god—"
“Yeah, yeah,” Jisoo yawns, stretching his arms up with his back to Soonyoung. He can already see that pouting face in his mind. “I’m always careful.”
“You better be!”
In the bath, Jisoo finds himself turning up the heat of the water a bit more to soothe his back muscles. They’re a bit sore from all the heavy-lifting at the hospital (nurses do not have it easy in any way), and he really wants to feel good at that party. If he feels good, he looks fantastic. And if he looks fantastic, men come flocking all on their own and all he has to do is choose from a selection, pick the finest food for the night.
Soonyoung’s shuffling continues behind the door of the bathroom until there’s the sound of the front door opening and closing. He left, which means Jisoo is safe to walk around naked as he tries to put together an outfit (he does go to Soonyoung’s closet for some pieces. Having a model roommate has its perks).
What he said earlier about being careful still stands. He actually doesn’t just sleep around blindly—that’s a rookie mistake that he learned from the hard way in his first year in university when he thought he was old and wise and ready enough for the spontaneity of strangers he met through dating apps (He wasn’t. Jeonghan had to save him once, and Jisoo never saw the light of Grindr again.) With nursing school being hectic followed by being an actual nurse, his schedule can’t ever make time for partying (look at him now, though) and coming home with a stranger all the time, so he settles on having… booty calls, if that’s still something the youngsters say nowadays.
But recently, Jihoon is too busy to rail him and Junhui is nice, but he can’t keep up with his intense libido. Jisoo doesn’t have sex every day, given the nature of his job, but he when he does have sex, he goes all out—something Jihoon’s schedule and Junhui’s stamina can’t handle.
And sex with Jeonghan is good—perfect, even, if not for the fact that it gets awkward in the mornings if they don’t get wasted before doing it.
Jisoo’s not about to get alcohol poisoning for his friend’s dick, thank you very much.
So, now, he’s about to find someone else that’s not Jeonghan in that party, and if all else fails, he’d be drunk enough to swat away whoever’s sucking faces and other body parts with Jeonghan so Jisoo can take place.
When he comes out of the bathroom naked but freshly dried and toweled off, Susan’s body curls around his ankle, looking up at him with soft, blinking eyes.
Something in Jisoo’s chest melts at the sight. He reaches down, scratching the cat lightly behind the ears.
“You hungry?”
Susan purrs, rubbing her face against Jisoo’s palm. She’s hungry, alright.
After putting on some boxer briefs in the meantime, he fetches her some of her favorite cat food and some water, pouring them into separate pink bowls.
“Eat up,” he says, stroking the back of her neck as she laps up the water first before digging in. “We’ll have a visitor later, so be nice, okay?”
Susan huffs as if she understands her human, coldly turning away to focus on her food at the mention of a visitor.
“You better behave if you want treats tomorrow,” Jisoo stands from where he’s crouching, giving here all the space that she needs. Is this what it’s like to have a teenage child? “If it all goes well, I might even let you have catnip.”
Susan’s ears perk up.
She’s so cute.
His cat has never been fond of strangers since the time she wandered to his side two years ago when Jisoo was dead-drunk sleeping in front of his ex-boyfriend’s apartment building. His long-term, younger ex-boyfriend, whom he caught cheating on him after Jisoo bought him a freaking expensive bicycle with a high gear (Jisoo bikes a lot, he knows his shit) is a piece of shit who needs to perish. All he wanted after getting wasted at a bar all alone was to have that bicycle back because it cost him a lot.
His piece of shit ex-boyfriend never returned (the bike, too) and all that kept him safe while he slept outside was that dirty, feisty little kitten that bared its teeth at anyone who got too close at Jisoo’s sleeping figure.
Since then, Jisoo vowed to never ever buy a bike for any of his future boyfriends. EVER.
And since then, Jisoo vowed to take care of Susan, to be what she needs because whenever he needs something, it’s always Susan that fills up the void in his life for him.
Looking at her fat butt now makes Jisoo’s insides warm up in reminiscence.
Susan from Marketing and him… they’ve come a long way together.
So, when he’s nursing a glass of wine, brooding at the corner of Jeonghan’s house because he doesn’t know anyone at all in this house party, he thinks about his cat instead. Jisoo thinks she’s probably just sleeping until he comes back, but he tries to think more about her because he hasn’t seen a single good-looking guy, and he’s been here for about two hours already.
And maybe for that entire two hours about three or four has already asked him to dance to the loud, blasting music, but it’s not that they’re ugly…
Jisoo just has standards.
“Joshuji!” Jeonghan calls him over to where he’s with friends Jisoo has never seen before. His eyes do a quick scan of those people, rating them by the face, and—
Oh.
What do we have here?
“Hey,” Jisoo says, making his way to them with a little more sway to his hips. It’s a good thing he decided to go all out with his clothes today—a blazer with a deep cut on the front and a lace cut at the back should be enough to tell them I’m not wearing anything underneath. Soonyoung won’t be having this blazer back.
Jeonghan wraps an arm around his waist as soon as he makes it to them, and it’s not a big deal—sometimes it’s even beneficial to him when people mistake him as Jeonghan’s boyfriend. It’s just now—it’s a little annoying because the handsome stranger he just spotted might think he’s taken.
“This is Jisoo,” he introduces to his friends who all nod with a polite smile. And Jisoo does his best not to look at his target.
Be patient, he tells himself.
“Hello,” he flashes them a delicate smile, intentionally using his eyes to smile as well. He bows slightly, “I’m Yoon Jeonghan’s best friend. Please take care of me.”
At the mention of the words best and friend, Jisoo senses Jeonghan’s brow raise from his peripheral vision, but the older doesn’t press on it. He probably gets now that Jisoo has his eyes set on someone.
“I’m Seokmin,” a bubbly kid that looks like a year or two younger that him beams. Jisoo says hi, and the three more introduced themselves. He has his listening face on, but he couldn’t remember their names because he’s really just waiting for this one person to talk, so he can finally look at him and flash him the most dazzling smile that Jisoo’s sure to get his attention.
Only he doesn’t.
“So that’s all of them,” Jeonghan says, taking a swig of his beer. “You know who Seungcheol is.”
“Seungcheol?” Jisoo tries the name on his tongue, his brows shooting up in confusion. “I’m not sure…?”
“Whoa, that’s harsh, Joshuji,” Jeonghan nudges him, his voice dropping low as he gestures at the guy Jisoo was eyeing since earlier. “Choi Seungcheol? That guy you confessed to in high school?”
There’s a gradual stream of memories flooding back—
Jisoo almost gapes in absolute horror, but he contains himself before his face could even let an emotion slip.
What the fuck?
So after all this time, the sexy, hot guy with a great build and a devastatingly alluring dimpled smile is Choi Seungcheol.
It’s not like Jisoo was born hot. He’s also human, and his teenage years were incredibly cringy, too. So what if he used to wear his hair gelled up in spikes that could actually impale people? So what if he wore tee shirts five times bigger than his then lanky frame, if he used to do random gang signs he didn’t understand on his hands just because he thought they made him cool—
And maybe he did confess to the popular, quarterback Choi Seungcheol looking like that mess. The object of his high school affection didn’t get to respond to him because Jisoo fainted in the middle of the field, and even after that he had to leave for Los Angeles, anyway, hence the idea of confessing. So he doesn’t really have an idea of how it could’ve turned out.
Granted, he doesn’t ever want to know.
Everyone had that stupid teenage phase. He’s not supposed to be ashamed of what embarrassing shit he pulled before, but now he can’t look at Choi Seungcheol for real.
It’s okay, Jisoo composes himself. He can just avoid him for an hour, and then he’ll go straight home.
Maybe his ass sadly clenches a bit at that. Too bad, but Jisoo can get dick another time.
However.
Life isn’t that easy.
“You’re going home, Jisoo?” Of course, if Choi Seungcheol looks that fine, then his voice shouldn’t be any less deep and sexy as he is. Fuck Jisoo’s life. “It’s not even midnight yet.”
Jisoo turns to look at him despite his escape plan almost getting busted. He’s not drunk yet—maybe. Because he did down two to three more wine glasses before deciding time’s up just to ease the weird feeling in his stomach.
They’re a bit further from Jeonghan’s house, just by the yard. From where they are standing, they could make-out the loud music, but it’s quiet enough that it’s muffled, and they can hear each other better.
Jisoo only hopes he doesn’t bring up that dark past of his.
“I have to get home. My cat’s waiting for me.”
Seungcheol only chuckles, dimples casting depth as his lips pull into a gentle smile. “That’s cute.”
“What is?”
“I don’t know what exactly—” Seungcheol takes a careful step forward, but Jisoo isn’t going to show weakness at a time like this “—Maybe I’m talking about you.”
What?
Wait, what?
Jisoo opens his mouth to say something, but he’s not really sure about what’s about to come out of his mouth, so it’s kind of fine that Seungcheol takes over for him.
“You were looking at me,” he says, now just a meter away. If Jisoo’s wobbly self takes a step forward, he’d smell the alcohol in the other’s breath. “Then you weren’t.”
Jisoo doesn’t know why he’s acting all flighty and meek, all in total contrast with his appearance. He wants to feel sexy because he looks sexy, but Seungcheol piercing, easy gaze on him makes him feel…
Like a squirrel trapped in a corner by a huge, lively dog.
And what’s dumb, but not surprising, is how he particularly like feeling like that.
“I guess I thought you were handsome,” he mumbles because he doesn’t see why he should lie. Seungcheol was handsome in high school, and he’s still handsome years later. The man must know by now, so Jisoo telling him this outright won’t make much of a difference. “Look, I wasn’t the same loser in high school, so—”
“Am I good enough?”
The question takes a second before it hits him.
“Huh?” Jisoo says dumbly.
“You said you thought I was handsome,” Seungcheol says, an easy smile is still on his face like he’s talking gently to a child. “Do you still think so?”
“Well,” Jisoo tilts his head, weight shifting from one foot to another. “Yeah.”
Seungcheol lets out a sigh of relief, smile increasingly getting more charming and by now, Jisoo still doesn’t know what to make of it. “That’s good,” he nods more to himself, repeating once with a light look on his face. “That’s good.”
“What are you—”
“Because I think you’re really pretty, and it would be a shame if the feeling wasn’t mutual.”
It’s not that he has a praise kink or anything (he totally does, though), but when he pulls Seungcheol by the collar and crashes their lips together, tongues swirling thereafter, he wants to think it mostly has something to do with the fact that the man called him pretty.
Or the alcohol swimming in their system. Or the fact that Jisoo really went to this party with getting railed in mind, and his hole was celebrating as soon as he saw Seungcheol in Jeonghan’s group of friends.
He does feel pretty—especially when Seungcheol’s arms wrap around his waist, pulling him impossibly closer. His lips are plump and soft, so kissing him is just about the most satisfying thing in Jisoo’s experience. Not only that, he also tastes so good.
Jisoo finds himself limp and pliant in his arms. If high school Jisoo could see him right now, the teenager would be shrieking in jealousy.
Later, he’s screaming into his pillow as Seungcheol pounds in him, saying it’s punishment for how dangerous it was for Jisoo to give him head while he was driving them back home. Even when the older is sort of nagging him, it’s sexy.
Later, Jisoo’s being split open on Seungcheol’s cock. He’s a crying mess who should’ve known Seungcheol would be packing down there because those thighs could only be housing huge equipment.
Later, Jisoo is so sure he’s going to regret this in the morning when it’s all awkward because he fucked the high school jock he had a crush on in his teenage years.
But goddamn, his calculations weren’t off. His intuition was perfect as always.
Choi Seungcheol—with his full head of thick black hair, his well-defined jaw, his big, big package—is so fucking good at this.
Sunlight filters through the gaps of the curtains, and Jisoo is reminded once again that he should change them to blackout ones.
Despite the realization that he’s butt naked, his asshole feels like it’s gaping, and his bed is empty apart for himself, he doesn’t bother doing the dramatic gasp. He doesn’t even bother sitting up. There’s a particularly nice feeling at knowing the sore muscles around his abdomen, thighs, and lower back are from being bent in half and fucked thoroughly. It’s as if he outdid himself this time.
Seungcheol must have left already. As he should. Jisoo really hates awkward encounters in the morning. Sex with Jeonghan feels like that, and their friendship is still thriving only because Jeonghan is a shameless person, and by association, Jisoo becomes one, too.
He doesn’t think Seungcheol has it in him to be shameless, though. He looks like the type who’d get attached and ask Jisoo to marry him or something.
He's so sure he’s forgetting something. His cat hasn’t meowed outside his door, and he woke up an hour late for her feeding time—
Fuck.
Susan.
Jisoo finds himself rushing, picking off the floor whatever shirt he can get his hands on and pulling it over his head, balls dangling because he can’t be bothered to put on underpants—not now when his cat might have murdered his quick fuck before he could even leave.
“Susan! Where are you!?”
The living room greets him in silence, and his cat is nowhere to be found. Seungcheol’s shoes are still by the door, and—
Oh, my god. Where is he going to bury the body!?
He quickly dashes to the kitchen only to find his cat… getting belly rubs?
“What’s going on here?” He asks, hand on his waist like a stern mother as the collar of the shirt slips off his shoulder. This shirt is too big, falling just above his knees and probably isn’t his. And there’s a breeze from the ceiling fan that’s blowing at his unclothed nether regions, but they aren’t exposed anyway. He doesn’t let himself be distracted—not even by the way Seungcheol is crouched down, enjoying Susan’s company.
Enjoying Susan’s company.
A stranger is playing with his cat.
And his cat is playing with him without the usual murderous intent reserved for strangers.
What the fuck is happening?
“Oh, hey, beautiful,” Seungcheol greets with the same easy smile that makes Jisoo think maybe Seungcheol didn’t have alcohol in his system last night because he looks exactly the same. “I made breakfast.”
Cheeks warming up, Jisoo’s eyes wander to the kitchen table where toasted bread and some spreads are laid out. There are eggs and bacon, too. Damn him if he doesn’t swoon at the smell of coffee.
But his instincts kick in and all he can think about is cat food. He doesn’t know why the little brat isn’t acting out right now, but she might explode any time soon, so Jisoo has to appease her with some grub before that happens.
“I already fed her, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Seungcheol says after watching Jisoo rummage through the cupboard for cat food. “You should eat, too.”
“How are you alive?” Jisoo says, turning around to face him.
“What do you mean?”
“Her,” Jisoo points at Susan, who looks at him once, meows, and then proceeds to rolls on her back as Seungcheol rubs her tummy. This little bitch. “How is she not murdering you?”
“What, this little angel?” The man says, picking up Susan from Marketing like nothing, and she doesn’t even budge. In fact, she’s even snuggling her head at the cradle of his arms. “She can never do wrong. Right, sweetheart?”
As if the cat understands, she purrs, pleasantly shutting her eyes as Seungcheol pets her in his arms.
Jisoo has never felt so jealous of his evil daughter before.
“What’s her name?”
“Susan from Marketing,” Jisoo gurgles, sitting down on the kitchen table and taking a fork, so he can poke around the eggs.
Runny yolks—this guy knows his thing in the kitchen.
“That’s an odd name,” he coos at the kitten, “But anything suits this beauty.”
Maybe Jisoo’s calculations were off by a little bit. Seungcheol doesn’t seem so awkward after all. He doesn’t seem shameless, too. It’s as if he’s greeting an old friend good morning rather than Jisoo who once looked like an angst-y cactus back then in their teenage years. He’s even spending time with his demon cat.
And all he really could do is sit there and eat the breakfast in silence.
“Thank you for cooking,” Jisoo says, cleaning up the table because otherwise he wouldn’t know what to do with his hands, “You didn’t have to stay, you know.”
“I had to make sure you’re okay after last night,” Seungcheol replies, pulling on his jacket and zipping it up over his bare torso. Jisoo suddenly feels embarrassed in the big shirt that he’s wearing.
Did he miss the chance to offer it back?
“Thank you for not kicking me out,” he laughs, carefree and full, which leads the blonde to think he’s a Disney prince or something. Why is he only always tender? “But I have to go. I’m late for work.”
Disappointment washes over Jisoo, but he brushes it off. It’s not like he planned to keep him here for long, anyway.
“Alright. Take care,” is all he says tight-lipped when he turns his back on him and lets the warm tap water rinse the dishes.
For a moment, he could feel Seungcheol’s eyes linger at his back, so without looking at him, he asks, “Why are you still looking at my ass? Didn’t you have enough?”
It’s the usually flirty-but-out-of-your-league tone that he uses with most of his one night stands. Seungcheol was supposed to be a one night stand, and him cooking Jisoo breakfast and feeding his cat is already pushing it too far.
“Keep the shirt,” Seungcheol says with a smile so wide it that can be heard. Jisoo doesn’t even have to look, but he gets the urge to. “It looks good on you.”
“Anything looks good on me,” comes Jisoo’s curt reply as he flushes a dark shade of red at Seungcheol’s deep voice complimenting him. It’s a good thing he’s facing away.
Little does he know, the crimson tips of his ears are amusing Seungcheol enough.
“Of course. You’re gorgeous.”
And when Jisoo doesn’t respond to that (because how can he?), Seungcheol takes his leave. The door shuts behind him, and Jisoo counts to ten.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six—
“Did you hear that!?” He whisper-yells because, duh, what if Seungcheol is still within earshot? He lifts Susan off the floor, ignoring her meows of protest. “He called me gorgeous!”
The cat only hisses, seemingly rolling her eyes at him as if saying, I’ve been called better adjectives. Get on my level.
He sleeps around, sure, but that’s just because he has a high sex drive, nothing else. There’s no deep meaning behind it. He just wants to try the no-strings-attached kind of relationships with different partners who respect his boundaries. He might be a little minx in bed, but he has feelings, too.
Jisoo swore never to be emotionally moved by such things ever since that ex-boyfriend of him fucked up his perceptions of love (Jisoo caught himself crying over pictures of that man and his rich, very pregnant and very aged girlfriend whose wrinkles resembled Jisoo’s gran-gran’s). He loved that bastard, despite him only using Jisoo’s for… free fucking bikes!
And then there’s Choi Seungcheol with his gentle hands and soothing, deep voice, and full, rounded lips, and gigantic co—
The point is, those redeeming qualities of his are not helping Jisoo’s fragile heart.
Susan leaps off Jisoo’s arms, scratching at the closed front door. And they both stand there for a moment before the cat starts meowing in despair.
If that’s even possible.
And she stays groveling like that, which leads Jisoo to believe that Susan from Marketing is mourning Seungcheol’s departure.
It lasted for a long time, too.
He tried to watch a movie in the living room to show Susan that he’s ignoring her, but she wouldn’t stop, so Jisoo had to whip out some catnip just to make her shut up.
“Now, you’re quiet,” Jisoo taunts quietly, poking the distracted kitty. Sighing, he places his chin in the palm of his hands, the movie forgotten now as it plays in the background. “Don’t get too used to him. He’s never coming back.”
Funny how the world works because as soon as he turns back to the movie, his gaze flits to a sticky note on the center table just underneath the remote.
He snatches it up, clutching it against his chest as he tries to fool himself into thinking that it’s not what he thinks it is.
Be that as it may…
Curiosity killed the cat.
8212345678
Call me if you need anything.
— Cheol = )
But satisfaction brought it back.
Seungcheol feels his head throb in pain when he received a phone call from a Yoon Jeonghan asking him if he wants a porn plot.
“What the hell are you on again?” Seungcheol distractedly asks as he rounds a corner. He shouldn’t be driving while answering a phone call, but ignoring Jeonghan never gave him an easier life. “If you’re bored, go bother Seokmin, please. I’m on my way to work—”
“Jisoo’s roommate is moving out, so he needs help moving his stuff,” Jeonghan explains in a serious tone like that would make it okay for him to call it a porn plot. “He’s calling me over, but I’m with the band, and you’re the only guy I know that, y’know, manhandles.”
“That sound absolutely horrible. Never introduce me to anyone with that description.”
“C’mon, Cheol,” Jeonghan sighs from the other line. “I know you know where he lives. I saw you leave with him at the party.”
That was two months ago. Seungcheol sighs, “He didn’t invite me, so no, Jeonghan. I will not go to his apartment like a creepy stalker.”
“It’s not being a creepy stalker—” Here he goes again “—it’s called being his guardian angel—”
Seungcheol cuts him off. He needs to, anyway, since he’s about to leave the car and get into the building. “I have to go. He has my number. If he wants to see me, he’ll ask for me.”
“I’m gonna tell Shua that you’re nothing but a limp dick coward!”
Letting out a snort, Seungcheol recalls that night when he replies, “Good luck telling him that.”
“Ugh, I hate how I can’t control you anymore—” Beep.
Seungcheol’s life is undeniably healthier when he can utilize ways to make Yoon Jeonghan shut up.
It’s not like he can’t admit to himself how much he wants to see Jisoo again, but Jisoo will call him if he wants to see him. He left the note on the center table for a reason.
He never really changed, Seungcheol looks back at those times in high school. Jisoo would stay by the bleachers in every single one of his game. He didn’t really harbor any feelings for the boy, but Jisoo obviously had a thing for him.
What he never expected was Jisoo fainting as soon as he confessed. Seungcheol gave it some thought, that maybe he could try dating him and eventually form some affection. They were young, and having someone tell him outright that he’s liked made Seungcheol really happy. But Jisoo ignored him after that and left the country, so the absence of a message was already a clear message.
Seungcheol always thought he just changed his mind.
Just like now, it feels like Jisoo is doing his very best to avoid bringing up the past. He must’ve felt embarrassed since Seungcheol didn’t get to answer.
If he thinks Jisoo is pretty now, it’s because he is.
Even his voice, the sounds he makes in bed…
Would it be too early to want to date him?
Snap out of it, Choi Seungcheol. It’s not as simple as the past anymore.
He sighs, running a hand through his hair as he steps into the building, carrying bags of equipment he will need for this shoot.
Isn’t he essentially ghosted, though? If Jisoo saw that note that day and still haven’t texted him…
Doesn’t that mean Seungcheol just got ghosted by Jisoo?
Again?
Nevertheless, he doesn’t snap out of it. As he waits for his client at the lounge, he finds himself in deep thought of a particular person with the most beautiful face he has ever seen. And he’s a photographer. He’s seen a lot of beautiful faces to be able to make this claim.
He just doesn’t know if can let this one go, but he doesn’t want to scare him away either.
His phone’s screen lights up in his hand, and one look at the notification makes hope sprout in his chest.
He can just take it one step at a time.
To say that things between them developed would be fair. There wasn’t much talking about the details of their relationship, but after that one time Jisoo sought Seungcheol’s help in moving his supermodel friend’s things out of the apartment, they’ve regularly met up for sex.
And it’s great. Jisoo has never felt better. His brains get fucked out of him, and it’s nice to find someone with the same, if not more, enthusiasm. Sometimes, he’s the one who can’t keep up with Seungcheol, too.
That, and he hasn’t contacted any one of his partners before. They might be weirded out by now, but Jisoo is more than satisfied. These three months have been extremely peaceful.
In the course of just three months, Jisoo has learned things.
Seungcheol hates the cold weather. He likes to drink Frappuccino with extra whipped cream more than he would admit. He sings loudly in the shower, and then he sings loudly as soon as he sees Jisoo when he comes out of the shower. He likes twirling Jisoo around when he’s singing fresh out of the shower.
Seungcheol always has talc-free baby powder and cotton towelette in his man purse because he gets sweaty in the middle of the day, and he likes keeping his back and chest dry with those. He uses the a pink cologne that makes him smell like fruit. He hates the smell of sweaty leather so his favorite watch has rubber straps.
Seungcheol likes to be in charge in bed. He’s pretty dominant. Jisoo asked if he wants to take it up the ass, too (because even if Jisoo is a total sucker for being manhandled, he cares about his partner’s wants and needs), and all he got out of it is three dry orgasms—a blatant no, if you ask him.
With Jisoo working long hours, there’s less time for Seungcheol to come over, but the latter always makes sure to make time for him whenever it’s convenient for Jisoo. Seungcheol is a photographer for a pretty big deal magazine, apparently. He was initially stationed in their Incheon branch, but things happened, and he was transferred to Seoul.
Despite his job, he moves heaven and earth just to fuck Jisoo three times a week, at the very least.
“Isn’t it troublesome, though?”
“Hmm, not really,” Seungcheol gently squeezes his ass under the covers and the action is welcome because up until now he thought his ass is gone with how numb it is from. “I like coming to see you.”
Jisoo snorts, closing his tired eyes as he cuddles closer, his cheek rubbing against where his head is resting on Seungcheol’s chest. Why is he so cozy when he’s nearest Seungcheol?
Something warm cooks up in his tummy. Jisoo brushes it off with a smile. Maybe Seungcheol is just such a warm person that it’s seeping through to him.
“Hey, don’t fall in love with me,” he teases lightheartedly, “I’m only in it for the sex, y’know. You’re pretty great.”
As soon as he hears that, Seungcheol tenses up.
Well, if he put it bluntly like that…
Seungcheol isn’t in it only for sex. Sure, that’s an amazing extra, but Jisoo is special to him. He has learned a lot about him.
Jisoo likes music that has no lyrics, he likes humming to them more than memorizing the words. When he cooks, he has a hand resting on his waist. He waits for his laundry by sitting on the floor next to Susan and watching the clothes spin instead of doing something else. In the mornings, he stretches from head to toe on the bed for about twenty minutes before he decides he’s awake. He takes too long in the shower because he likes to thoroughly soak himself in vanilla body wash.
He whispers to himself when he’s thinking really hard. He doesn’t like his eggs really cooked because he doesn’t like how dry it feels in his mouth. He wiggles in his seat a little bit when taking the first bite of a really good chocolate dessert—
Seungcheol can go on and on and on about Jisoo.
He can’t not fall in love. Not when he’s already there, he thinks.
He only comes back to reality when he feels Jisoo’s eyes on him. He laughs, a cautious hehe, which makes Seungcheol realize his feelings are probably translating onto his face.
Seungcheol has always been unable to hide his thoughts because the slightest feeling can always be read through his expressions.
“Why do you look so…” Jisoo tilts his head, eyes curious as he wonders if he said anything wrong, “…pissed?”
“I’m not,” Seungcheol tries to laugh it off, but Jisoo’s worried.
“Did I say something wrong?”
He shakes his head as he smiles reassuringly. He gently gets up… and—
Flips Jisoo onto his stomach.
Jisoo raises his head, looking back at Seungcheol who’s pulling the blankets down, exposing his bottom to the cold air of the air-conditioned room.
“What—” his jaw drops when he sees the hard-on the other is sporting “—are you horny again—Oh, fuck. Fuck.”
Whatever Jisoo intends to ask was cut off by his own moans. Without any warning, Seungcheol dives in face first, licking at the rim of his hole with a warm tongue.
Since you’re only in it for the sex, Seungcheol muses as he makes sure he takes away Jisoo’s capability of going to work tomorrow, Might as well give you my everything.
In short, he makes Jisoo cum eight times in total that night.
Or fourteen. Jisoo’s not sure anymore. He didn’t even know he could orgasm that much consecutively.
The weird thing is, since that night Seungcheol became more…
Present.
He starts calling Jisoo nicknames in bed like baby and sweetheart and doll and princess, and those names just make each time heavier and fuller than the last.
He has been cooing sweet nothings in his ear, whispering how good he is, how beautiful his face looks, especially when he knows Jisoo is about to come undone.
Every night is passionate. Three days a week became every day.
And it’s not like Jisoo is complaining or anything. It has been heaven on earth having Seungcheol next to him, but he can’t help wondering how much Seungcheol is sacrificing to be with him.
His job? His family? His friends?
The weirder thing is that Jisoo doesn’t want him to snap out of it. He doesn’t want Seungcheol to start going back to the three days a week routine. He doesn’t want Seungcheol to stop whatever it is he’s doing.
He likes this. He doesn’t want it to change.
There’s also another thing Jisoo has learned. And this one was obvious to him from the start—when Seungcheol started becoming a staple in his apartment.
Jisoo is noticing how Susan loves Seungcheol more than him.
That’s right. His own daughter loves another man now.
He can’t even doubt why exactly Susan is acting affectionate towards his fuck buddy because on the rare times they’re not having sex, it’s obvious that Seungcheol is treating Susan from Marketing so well.
Jisoo opens the door, revealing Seungcheol in all his handsome glory. This time he doesn’t have his duffel bag he used to bring because Jisoo’s closet are stuffed with Seungcheol’s clothes, anyway. He’s basically living with him.
Seungcheol smiles as he steps into the place. “Hey there, kitten,” he says, crouching down as soon as he sees Susan from Marketing in her little bean bag, “How’s it going?”
Jisoo watches him scratch her face lightly, the cat reveling in Seungcheol’s touches, and Jisoo doesn’t know which one he should be jealous over because, on one hand, Seungcheol’s touches are crazy addicting.
On the other…
Susan has never let him, her owner, scratch her for more than ten seconds, and Seungcheol’s been crouching down for a minute now.
Not only that, she lets Seungcheol touch her anytime, any day. Even on her bad days. This is like a routine to them both.
Jisoo finds himself getting used to this scene whenever Seungcheol comes over.
“Alright,” Seungcheol stands, walking towards Jisoo as he pulls his shirt off. All thoughts about his cat are thrown outside the window as Jisoo takes in the view in front of him.
Goddammit, why is he so weak to this!?
And it’s always like this—after Seungcheol spends a moment with Susan, he’ll just get up and pin Jisoo against the front door, locking their lips in a kiss that the former is obvious in control of, his tongue darting in just to eat Jisoo up. And while it always ends with him getting fucked into the mattress, Jisoo never fails lock the door to keep Susan out of the room because he knows they’ll be followed.
Or sometimes…
As they sit on the couch, watching a cheap horror movie on the television (actually they’re more fooling around than watching), Susan from Marketing will lie across on the floor, her warm belly resting on the tops of Seungcheol’s feet.
They eventually fall into a make-out session—light touches feeling more like a tease. Seungcheol’s lips will wander from his lips, down to his neck—
Just when he’s about to undo the fourth button of Jisoo’s shirt, Susan meows to catch both their attention, leaping to Seungcheol’s laps as she decides that’s now her sleeping place.
But that’s not the worst of it.
When Seungcheol is about to go home—Oh god.
Jisoo has to stand there every single time and watch his cat whine and follow Seungcheol around.
Meow.
“I really have to go,” Seungcheol sighs, his hand already on the doorknob. Jisoo wants to act like Susan, too, and keep him here, but he’s stayed for too long already, and he still has work. And this time, he actually got a call from one of his clients asking why his running late.
It’s partially Jisoo’s fault for riling him up in the shower despite knowing Seungcheol has an important prior commitment, but now it’s Susan’s fault because she just won’t let go of him.
Meow.
This time, the meowing is more pointed. It’s as if Susan insists he stays, tugging at the loose fabric around his ankles with her mouth.
If Seungcheol’s pissed, Jisoo won’t hold it against him. After all, both Susan and him are acting all clingy—
What he doesn’t expect is how his feels something warm, bubbling in the pit of his stomach when Seungcheol laughs good-naturedly, reaching down to stroke Susan’s ears.
“Hey Susie, what do you want? Wanna come with?”
Susan looks like she’s drawn to him, curling around his ankles and lying on his feet, so he wouldn’t be able to leave. Seungcheol let her stay like that even if Jisoo’s reminding him about his client.
For the love of all things visible and invisible, why is Seungcheol so cute with Jisoo’s little gremlin?
He always thought it was a one time thing, but now he’s noticing that she’s not even that affectionate to Jisoo. Susan has never liked strangers, granted. When Jeonghan comes over, the cat literally tries to rip off one of his legs. Soonyoung was barely home when he still lived here, so the cat treats him like a stranger whenever he’s around.
So Jisoo is now stuck in such a predicament because the bond between his daughter and his months-exclusive sex partner (the title is getting longer because Jisoo doesn’t want to admit a lot of things just yet) is making him feel things.
Jisoo. Feels. Things.
For Seungcheol.
To be specific.
Just like now, Jisoo can hear his heart pounding so loud in his chest as he watches a shirtless Seungcheol sleep on his couch with Susan from Marketing dozing as well on his chest.
This is one of those rare times when Jisoo would realize that he’s getting used to him. That Seungcheol’s always coming back without having to call him over. And the proof is how attached Susan is to him.
As he sits on the floor, closely watching Seungcheol snore slightly, he lets himself be honest for once.
He won’t hear anyway.
“I think I’m in love with you,” Jisoo admits, voice dropping to a whisper. But then that feels too raw and vulnerable, so he adds, “Because my stupid cat likes you so much.”
Seungcheol doesn’t stir in his sleep, and Susan seems to be in deep sleep, too. He stares for a moment, his eyes tracing the outlines of his face, the curves of his lips.
He has such long lashes. Looking closely now, Jisoo thinks Seungcheol feels too good to be true.
After a moment, he shakes his head as if it’ll shake the thoughts and feelings away. But just as he’s standing up—
A strong hand captures his wrist.
With his eyes closed and a smile gracing his lips, Seungcheol’s voice rough with sleep asks, “I thought no falling in love?”
Heartbeat quickening because how the fuck is he supposed to make an excuse for that?
And since when was this oaf awake!?
“That only applies to you,” he huffs defensively, “Let go.”
“Nope.”
“Hey.”
Susan shifts in her sleep. Oh, right. She’s sleeping on Seungcheol’s chest.
“I’d kiss you right now if it weren’t for Susie, you know,” Seungcheol points out, looking at the dozing cat.
“I don’t know,” Jisoo says stubbornly. Why is that cat there, anyway? Jisoo bought him such a plushy bed, and she’s using his boyf—
His Seungcheol.
Cheeks warming, Jisoo tries to contain himself. But it really sounds good to him.
Seungcheol lets go of his wrist, opting to gently lift Susan off him. Jisoo helps in transferring her in her kitty bed just by the foot of the couch.
When that’s done, Seungcheol’s hand is quick to grasp at him again.
When Seungcheol says the next words, he speaks in a low whisper, trying not to jolt Susan from Marketing awake. But he doesn’t know what that does to Jisoo’s heart right now.
“I’m in love with you, too.”
Jisoo clears his throat, trying not to ogle too much at Seungcheol’s sexy bed head or the lines of his abdomen. “You’re just saying that to make me feel bet—”
“Jisoo.” He tugs him until they fall on the couch, Jisoo on top of him the way the cat was earlier. “I love you, too.”
The grip on him is firm, as firm as Seungcheol’s gaze holding his eyes in place.
It makes him want to say the words.
“I—” He almost says them, but he snaps out of it last second, his face turning stony and his lips pursing in disapproval. He whisper-screams, “—I can’t believe you were eavesdropping!”
“You were talking to me in my sleep,” Seungcheol points out with that dimpled smile that got Jisoo years ago and is still getting Jisoo now. “Come on, say it.”
“Shut up.”
“Come on, love.”
“Well, Iloveyoutoo!” he fumes too fast, burying his face in Seungcheol’s chest, so he doesn’t have to look at his stupid face as stupid as his cat. “You happy now!?”
Chest rumbling underneath Jisoo, Seungcheol laughs quietly. A hand is stroking his hair now, and Jisoo doesn’t have to look up to know that Seungcheol has that soft, tender look on his face.
He knows it too well. He always catches Seungcheol looking at him like that.
“I take it we’re a couple now?”
With that, Jisoo looks up at him, watching him intently. And for a second, the younger doesn’t speak, so Seungcheol tilts his head in confusion.
“What? Is it still too early?”
“You’re my boyfriend if you answer this one question correctly.”
Jisoo is so serious, he can’t even laugh at how adorable that sounds coming from him.
An all-or-nothing question? Seungcheol is well-equipped with any answer. He’s confident he knows Jisoo so much now, he could recite every quirk of his alphabetically.
“Well?” He asks, poking at Seungcheol’s nipple when he stalls for a bit. “You up for it?”
“Yeah.” Seungcheol huffs a quiet laugh, thoroughly enamored by Jisoo’s spontaneous nature. “Go for it.”
He doesn’t know why because he’s fairly confident he’d nail it, but the way Jisoo’s face turns challenging, a playful, evil smirk playing on his lips, makes Seungcheol sort of regret taking up the challenge when he could’ve begged to be his boyfriend instead.
“So,” Jisoo clicks his tongue, one brow shooting up as he asks the question he’s been dying to know since day one.
Seungcheol’s heart skips a beat.
“How do you feel about bicycles?”