Work Text:
~~JDH~~
???
<hey is this jang daehyeon?>
<its park byungho>
<i got ur number from ur chem lab partner, hope u dont mind :)>
Daehyeon peers down at his phone screen. His eyebrows furrow as though stitched together. He does, in fact, mind. And he’s too tired for this today.
He considers not responding. No need to confirm that this is his contact information, after all. But his mother taught him to have manners. And anyway, although he’s only met Park Byungho once, a chance encounter at a college party, the guy had been nice enough then. Awkward and clingy long past when Daehyeon had wished to be done with the conversation, but normal enough. So he figures he owes him a response, however curt, rather than ignore his friendly text.
me
<Hi. Yes, that’s me. Did you need something?>
The reply comes way too quickly.
???
<oh thats great! i was just hoping we could chat some more>
<i havent been able to stop thinking about u since the party. u looked so nice>
<i hope its ok that i asked your friend and txted u>
Daehyeon flushes at the memory of his ‘party outfit.’ The tight leather pants paired with the crop-top had hardly been his usual style. But his friend Donghan had bought the clothes for him while nagging that “a college student shouldn’t look like a grandpa all the time! You should flaunt what you have,” accompanied by an exaggerated wink. He basically challenged him to wear it.
The situation wasn’t helped by his other friends Yongha and Junseo cheering and complimenting his bold fashion choice. Nor Seokhwa, who had been totally indifferent instead of stepping in as the voice of reason to protect Daehyeon’s honor/modesty. And Yohan might not have even attended the party, but he did “thumbs-up” the picture of Daehyeon that Donghan sent to their group chat. So Daehyeon holds all of them responsible for being complicit in his embarrassment.
The outfit had garnered him more attention than he wanted, after all.
me
<Thanks>
<Um, yeah, I don’t really feel comfortable>
<About people giving out my number without asking me usually, I mean>
<It’s okay, though>
<I know you don’t mean anything bad by it>
He doesn’t know that, actually. He barely knows this Byungho. Let alone his intentions. But Daehyeon is too anti-confrontation to chew the guy out for wanting to text him in such a roundabout way instead of trying to talk to him directly. Anyway, it’s Daehyeon’s lab partner that he’s actually annoyed with. Has she given Daehyeon’s number to any other strange people that he should know about?
???
<im sorry! it was probly weird of me to message u out of the blue like this huh>
<dont worry ill get out of ur hair>
<just wanted u to know how cute u are and for u to have my number>
<if u ever wanted it>
<;)>
Daehyeon rolls his eyes. The man is coming on rather strong with his flirtations. Over what, a twenty minute conversation at a party more than a week ago? The guy hadn’t been unattractive by any means, but Daehyeon isn’t the type looking for a hookup. He prefers a deeper connection first before thinking of anything intimate. Which Byungho might know if he had spoken to Daehyeon more than once.
He doesn’t see himself texting this guy again.
—----
~~KDH~~
Kim Donghan is a simple man with simple pleasures. Today, those include scaring the shit out of his friends.
When he bounds up to their usual table at the university cafe, he spots two of his friends with their heads buried in their arms, napping on the tabletop. And he seizes the opportunity.
“WHAT’S UP!!”
“Gyaaah!”
“Ahhhh!”
Two twin screams leave their mouths, as scaredy-cats Daehyeon and Yongha jolt upwards, their eyes wide. A second later, a delayed third shout. Donghan peers over his shoulder to see he had also startled Yohan, who was making his way over with lunch in hand. Nice.
Seokhwa looks unimpressed, and Junseo, although he had startled at first, seems to have calmed back down. Not so for the two who had been peacefully sleeping.
“What was that for!!” Daehyeon complains. He swats Donghan on the arm.
“There’s a special Hell for people who enjoy teasing others as much as you do,” Yongha pouts.
He waves them off. “I’m sure you’ll live. Anyway, why are you both so tired? It’s only noon.”
“I stayed up late watching anime,” Yongha explains.
Donghan nods. “Alright. Your own fault. Zero sympathy. And you?” he asks Daehyeon.
The other boy sighs. “I was working on the report for my chemistry essay project. My partner and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms at the moment- we had a fight over her giving out my phone number to randos- so I was basically stuck doing the whole thing myself to meet the deadline.”
“What the hell? Just ‘cause you argued doesn’t mean she can dump the whole workload on you. You should’ve just let her portion of the grade suffer,” Seokhwa intones angrily.
“And it’s not cool she gave out your number to other people,” Junseo agrees.
“The professor doesn’t divide grades between partners- we’re both evaluated on the finished product the same way.”
Donghan crosses his arms and pretends to deliberate on this. “Hmmm. One percent sympathy.” He tries not to laugh at the glare Daehyeon sends him. “I mean it! You know I took that class last semester. The professor reuses all the same projects. I woulda helped you finish it.”
“Well, thanks. I appreciate it,” Daehyeon mutters. He yawns. “I thought my final year of college would be more chill than this.”
“You wanted to double major,” Yohan reminds him. “And pick up that part time job at the convenience store. Hyung, I love you, but it’s stupid to expect a light year when you’re piling all that work on yourself.”
Donghan pats Daehyeon’s hair when the boy starts scowling. “You still have some time before your next class, right? Eat a little something and then come nap somewhere actually comfortable during your break. My dorm’s closer than your apartment, you can lounge there.”
Daehyeon smiles gratefully, even as the (dramatic) words that leave his mouth are, “It’s the least you could offer after terrorizing me earlier.”
So after lunch, they head back to Donghan’s place together. Daehyeon has been to his dorm a million times, so he toes off his shoes and makes himself at home on the bed without hesitation. Donghan sits at his desk and turns to his laptop when a loud vibrating sound interrupts them.
They both peek at Daehyeon’s phone on the bedside table, now lit up with a text notification from <???>
Daehyeon groans.
“Who’s that?”
“The random guy my lab partner gave my number to. Remember the one I was talking to at the party you made me go to last Saturday?”
“Ah yes, I’m ever so sorry for forcing my best friend to enjoy his weekend-”
“That dude apparently asked around for my number. He seems like he might be interested in me. I thought he was done messaging me, but…”
“Oh. Is he cute, at least?”
Daehyeon shrugs. “He’s okay. I’m not really feeling it, though.” He checks the phone screen. “He’s asking how my day’s going. …It’s sweet, but I don’t really wanna get into a conversation with him.”
“So don’t answer. I’m sure he’ll get the hint.”
“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” Daehyeon turns off his screen and rolls back over on the bed. It seems certain that to the other the topic has run its course, so Donghan drops it for now. He rotates back in the direction of his computer.
—----
~~JDH~~
“You’re a tough man to get ahold of! You must be busy.”
Daehyeon looks up from the convenience store register. And who should he see before him except Park Byungho.
This isn’t the nearest convenience store to campus. Daehyeon specifically chose to work here so he wouldn’t run into his classmates all the time. He sure hopes this is a (not-so-)funny coincidence.
He puts on a fake smile. “Hi. Yup, been burning the midnight oil,” he throws out as a halfhearted excuse for his lack of response. It’s not like he owes Byungho any availability. “Ready for me to ring you up?”
Byungho appears to resist his attempts to speed this interaction along. “Not just yet. What’s the best smoothie flavor from the machine?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t tried them.”
Byungho’s eyes widen almost comically. “You haven’t?? Even though you work here? I take it you don’t have much of a sweet tooth.”
Daehyeon hums noncommittally.
When Byungho makes no further move, he prompts him. “Will that be all?” He’s aware he is being a bit rude, but he is tired and doesn’t much feel like humoring a guy who doesn’t take three texts left on read as an answer. He wouldn’t want to encourage him more than he already seems to be encouraging himself.
Luckily, Byungho takes the cue. He sets his items on the counter and waits to hear the total before paying. As Daehyeon gathers the products in a plastic bag, Byungho shoots finger guns at him. Gross. “See you around,” he says, like a promise.
Doubt it.
—----
~~KDH~~
“Just the person I wanted to see.”
Donghan whips his head around from his seat in the grass, but the one who had spoken walks right past him to face Daehyeon. From the expression on Daehyeon’s face, it doesn’t appear the sentiment is mutual.
Still, a polite, if stiff, smile crosses his features a moment later. “Park Byungho-ssi. Did you need something?”
Donghan’s friends look at each other from their spot on the picnic blanket. They all look a bit lost, no one seeming to recognize the name. But Donghan figures this might be that “???” guy from the party that Daehyeon mentioned before. A suspicion that strengthens when he hears:
“Yes. I needed to ask you out.”
Donghan’s eyebrows find his hairline. Awfully brazen of the guy to come up to Daehyeon while he’s surrounded by his friends, and while they’re in public where he spies no less than four people eavesdropping on the conversation.
Daehyeon looks embarrassed to be the center of attention due this Byungho shooting his shot. “Um… I’m sorry, but I… No thank you,” he awkwardly turns him down.
Donghan almost feels bad for the man, even if he brought it on himself. At least until he hears his reply. “That’s okay. I’ll change your mind.”
Huh. Donghan’s hackles raise instantly. What kind of asshole puts someone on the spot by confessing, then won’t even accept their response? You can’t just refuse a rejection.
Daehyeon barely suppresses his grimace. “Please don’t. I’m not looking for someone to date.”
Byungho smirks. He steps in closer, to the point he could be considered infringing on Daehyeon’s bubble of personal space. “That’s what people always say until they meet the one that’s right for them. If you give me a chance, I’ll show you that can be me. You wouldn’t want to miss out on the opportunity. You never know, right?”
Now Daehyeon sounds nearly pleading. “No thanks. I’m seriously not interested. Please leave me alone.”
The rest take this as their sign to step in. Soon Donghan and the rest of the friends are crowding in closer around Daehyeon like a barrier from the pushy man in front of them. Seokhwa’s mask of passivity hides a simmering anger beneath the surface. Yohan’s glare rivals the naturally mean look Yongha can craft his face into. And Junseo stands at the ready, looking every bit like an attack dog guarding its human. Donghan wonders how his own expression looks.
However scary they must appear, it does seem to successfully deter the man. For now. Byungho takes a step back. His excuse is, “I gotta run to class. But I’ll be by again later. Maybe we can spend a little time alone, get to know each other better.”
This time, Donghan is sure he audibly growls. And then the unsavory man is gone.
“What a dick,” Seokhwa intones.
“I’m sorry you had to deal with someone so brainless,” Junseo follows up.
“I can’t believe he wouldn’t take no for an answer.” Yongha stares in the direction Byungho had left.
“Let me know if he actually comes near you again,” Yohan adds, clenching his fist in a vaguely threatening gesture.
Daehyeon looks kind of small against the backdrop of the wide open campus. Although he’s huddled up with his back against a tree as though cornered there by the aggressive, forward man.
“Are you okay?” Donghan asks. He takes Daehyeon’s hand in his. Strokes the back of his hand with his thumb.
“Yeah. That just… wasn’t pleasant.” His face screws up like he had smelled something particularly nasty. Maybe even nastier than the pile of dirty socks Donghan encountered while trying to do his laundry in the communal area for his college dorm.
Donghan sneers as well. He hopes that is the last they’ll hear of Park Byungho, or else he might have to join Yohan in kicking some ass.
—----
~~JDH~~
“Welcome. Did you find everything you were looking for?” Daehyeon repeats the routine words when he registers someone standing before him. But when he looks up, he does not actually manage to keep from groaning. Not that he tries very hard. Customer service be damned.
“Did you miss me?” the voice teases.
Daehyeon feels a swell of annoyance. When will this guy step off? “Are you buying anything or not, Park Byungho-ssi?”
“There’s no need to be so formal, Daehyeon-ah!” He leans in conspiratorially. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your boss.”
And there it is. The reminder that he is at work right now. He cannot act the way he pleases. He has no choice to do so. Here, he cannot help but to serve the nuisance of a man.
He suffers through continued interaction with the man acting overly familiar with him and breathes a sigh of relief when he leaves.
…
The relief doesn’t last very long. Because the next day, Daehyeon is sitting in chemistry class when someone sits right next to him.
A glance to the side, and Daehyeon almost believes he’s having a nightmare.
“Hey! I just switched into this section. The timeslot works better in my schedule.”
He is extremely skeptical of this explanation. He spends the following several minutes dodging Byungho’s attempts at conversation. He could be an Olympic Gold medalist at it by the time the class begins.
The professor does not immediately address the new addition to their roster. Rather, near the end, Daehyeon looks up from his notes (which he has been studiously taking despite the valiant attempts of his seatmate to distract him). Because the professor says, “We have another lab coming up soon. Everyone is in pairs already. Park Byungho, perhaps you’d like to join an existing pair and make a group of three.” The middle-aged man sees how Byungho is seated next to Daehyeon on one side and Daeheyon’s lab partner on the other. He opens his mouth-
But Daehyeon cuts in before he can. Not even feeling bad for interrupting his teacher. “I can work by myself. He can work with my partner.”
He’s still frosty with her, after all. And she had been real chummy and loose-lipped with Byungho before, when she was sharing Daehyeon’s number without his permission.
“If that’s alright with you,” the professor assents.
Byungho looks disappointed, but not discouraged.
…
When he tells his friends of Byungho’s numerous unwanted appearances in his life as of late, they all seem disgusted. Especially Donghan.
“It’s unsettling that he’s popping up everywhere.”
Daehyeon shakes his head in dismissal. “He’s irritating, but he’s harmless.”
Donghan still radiates displeasure. “I hope that’s true. Don’t be too trusting. Be cautious around him.”
Daehyeon smiles at how his friend cares, overbearing as it may be when Byungho hasn’t really done anything to him. “Yes, mom.”
His company all laugh at that, while Donghan looks faux scandalized before smacking Daehyeon’s arm. And like that, the pest from earlier is forgotten in favor of enjoying a fun time with his friends.
—----
~~KDH~~
“Hey, you’re close with Daehyeon, right?”
Donghan turns around at the question. He bristles once he sees who had asked him.
“Byungho.”
As if unknowing or uncaring of the unfriendly atmosphere, Byungho steps closer.
“Look, you should leave him alone, man. He already told you he’s not interested.”
But Byungho laughs instead. “He’s just playing hard to get. Were you at that party a few weeks ago? C’mon, you must have seen the sinful outfit he was in. It’s a little push and pull; he seems like the type to give it up and be real kinky about it, too-”
Donghan’s lips furl into a harsh scowl as the asshole continues to spew his nasty shit. He snarls and spits out, “I suggest you shut your mouth before you find my fist in your face, pal.”
Byungho raises both hands in the air. “Chill out, bro. We’re just talking.” He seems fairly unaffected by the threat. “Why are you freaking out? Are you into him, too? Well, that’s too bad- you snooze, you lose. I started making moves on him first, so you shouldn’t get your hopes up.”
There is a rising wave of rage within Donghan. He wants this jerk to stay far away from his friend. It seems like he views Daehyeon as a prize to be won, like wooing him were some competition and you just needed to be the first one there. Like Daehyeon would roll over for anyone who showed the slightest interest in him. The lack of respect is making him furious.
But it also gives him an idea. Not a good one… but one he hopes can at least temporarily deter Byungho from harassing Daehyeon.
“As a matter of fact, I ‘got there first,’ as you put it. We’re dating.”
“Dating?”
“Yup.” He pops the ‘p’ as obnoxiously as he can.
“You and Daehyeon?”
He nods.
Byungho’s eyebrows climb in skepticism. “Then why did neither of you say anything before?”
“We’ve been keeping it on the downlow.”
The guy crosses his arms. He does not appear fully convinced. “If you really are together, then I’m sorry for moving in on your man. Though it’s not my fault he gave me all those signals at the party, and that he’s playing cat and mouse with me now.”
Donghan bites his tongue at his natural inclination to defend Daehyeon’s honor. After all, it seems like this interaction is turning out in his favor. That Byungho will apologize and move on once he knows Daehyeon is “taken.”
But…
“You don’t act much like a couple, though. How do I know you aren’t making shit up just to have him all to yourself?”
Donghan tamps down the urge to throttle him by picturing happy things, like puppies and flowers. Then he gives the man a fake smile. “Believe me or don’t, hell if I care. But you’ll see. We decided recently to be more open about our relationship, so if you keep hanging around like an insect, you’ll have a front row view to our PDA upgrade.” The bite in his voice betrays his sheer anger. And to control himself from getting more heated, he swivels on his heel and leaves.
—----
~~JDH~~
“You said what??”
“I wasn’t thinking. Sorry.” Donghan has the sense to look down at the floor as he says this, but Daehyeon preoccupies himself with pacing the floor back and forth.
“God, now I’m gonna look like a loser when he finds out it’s not true. What if he thinks I told you to lie?”
Donghan quirks a brow. “Do you really care about if that loser thinks you’re a loser?”
Daehyeon deflates. It’s silly of him to get so worked up at the moment. Byungho’s opinion doesn’t matter- in fact, he’d love for the other to suddenly consider him lame so that he leaves him be. Even if the guy were to spread malicious rumors about Daehyeon afterward… well, he knows everyone he cares about would trust his word over Byungho’s. Everyone who matters would be on his side.
“…You’re right. I’m being too sensitive. And I know you were trying to help. Thank you, I guess.”
Donghan shakes his head. “No, you had a right to be annoyed that I just kinda threw that out without discussing it with you first. I’d feel blindsided, too.”
Daehyeon looks fondly on his friend. Most people would focus more on making excuses for their actions and getting defensive, but Donghan always thinks of Daehyeon’s feelings, always understands him when they bicker or even seriously argue (though that rarely happens).
Donghan continues, “So what do you wanna do about this? Byungho’s expecting us to be all touchy-feely at lunch today,” (at the cafe where the asshole has begun eating too, as though following his friend group and even occasionally bugging Daehyeon while there)- “but if you’re not comfortable with it and he confronts us, I can just tell him it was my wishful thinking.”
An offer to throw himself under the bus and face the embarrassment alone. Fair, since it was Donghan’s quick tongue that got them into this predicament. But Daehyeon appreciates the thoughtfulness for what it is. His friend had made an attempt to get the guy harassing Daehyeon off his case, and he’s willing to accept any fallout from his not-particularly-thought-through plan.
Daehyeon ponders what Donghan has said. He measures his words carefully before responding. “No, it’s… Maybe your scheme would work. Maybe he’ll actually leave me alone if he thinks I’m spoken for. He seemed a lot more willing to accept your word when you said you were my boyfriend than to respect me saying I wasn’t interested. Plus, we hang out all the time already. I don’t think it should be too much of a stretch. The question is if you’re cool with it. I know you said it more on the spur of the moment than anything else.”
“I’m okay with it if you are,” Donghan says.
“Alright then. Sounds like a plan.”
…
As it so happens, it is only to be the two of them meeting at the cafe for lunch today. Yohan is busy with the drama club, Yongha has to do some research for an assignment, Seokhwa is visiting home, and Junseo is hanging with a friend from out of town. The duo left to their own devices only serves to their plot’s advantage.
As they approach their usual table, they see Byungho already seated nearby. Daehyeon snakes his arm around to link with Donghan’s. He manages an exaggerated laugh at whatever Donghan had said, and when they sit, he flutters his eyelashes at his companion.
Donghan’s own eyes widen in surprise, then amusement. He leans in and lowers his voice. “Awfully committed to the bit, aren’t you?”
“Shut up. You just aren’t committed enough.”
Donghan seems to take this as a challenge. “Oh? I can be couple-y.” He suddenly raises his volume. “Let me grab your food for you. What do you want today, baby?”
Daehyeon flushes at the stares they receive for this behavior. He’d smack Donghan for the embarrassment if it wouldn’t draw suspicion. He’ll just have to give back as good as he gets. “You know my tastes. I trust you, darling.”
Donghan barely manages to hide his cringe, and Daehyeon is sure he himself is no better. How cliche can they be? He doesn’t think anyone would be fooled by this display. They’ll have to practice if they want to be convincing.
It seems Byungho agrees, because once Donghan stands to get them each a lunch tray, he makes his approach.
“How are you today, beautiful?”
“Worse now,” he answers Byungho candidly.
“Don’t be like that! This is the highlight of my day, you know. Since we barely get to talk in class and since you changed your shift at the store out of the blue.”
Daehyeon wants to roll his eyes. It obviously wasn’t out of the blue.
At that moment, Donghan makes his grand re-entrance. He shoves Byungho out of the way with a forceful shoulder before sitting. “Is this guy bothering you, sweetie?”
And acting mode is back on. “Nothing could bother me when you’re by my side,” he flirts.
Byungho looks like he has swallowed a particularly sour grape. He purses his lips.
“In that case…” Donghan smiles back at him. “Say ahhh!” He brings a spoon up to Daehyeon’s mouth. Daehyeon lets Donghan feed him the bite.
Now Byungho looks downright irritated. “Wouldn’t want to… interrupt anything. I can tell when I’m intruding.” Can you, though?
He walks away.
Daehyeon excitedly nudges Donghan’s arm. “Hey, he gave up sooner than usual! Maybe this strategy is effective, after all.”
When he looks to his friend, the other is staring at him, appearing dazed. But then he comes back to himself as he registers Daehyeon’s words and the absence of one weaselly jerk. A smug smirk overtakes his features. “Of course! Did you doubt me? I knew what I was doing all along.”
“Suuuure,” Daehyeon replies, sarcasm dripping from his tone. “Seriously, thanks. High five.”
Donghan grants him the high-five. It is decidedly less romantic than the show of lovey-dovey gestures they put on just before, but this feels much more like them.
Daehyeon is not naive enough to believe this alone will earn him freedom from Byungho and his advances. It is likely only a reprieve for now. But they can keep it up for a while until the man truly gives up.
—----
~~KDH~~
When Donghan and Seokhwa get together that weekend, Donghan assumes the younger boy had invited him for a casual hangout to catch up. These expectations shatter when his nosy friend interrogates him instead.
“Tell me why I hear you and Daehyeon-hyung were all over each other at lunch the other day when the rest of us were gone.”
Right. It’s not entirely unexpected. He and Daehyeon both heard the whispered murmurs of people all around them when they had sought to convince Byungho of their loving relationship.
And he and Daehyeon had discussed this very possibility after their ‘romantic’ meal.
..
“If we wanna keep this ruse up for a little while… shouldn’t we tell our friends about it?”
Daehyeon shakes his head. “Yongha and Yohan can’t keep a secret to save their lives. Seokhwa and Junseo are better, but it’d be too messy to tell some of our friends and not others. Yongha and Yohan are perceptive when they wanna be- if Seokhwa and Junseo aren’t convinced we’re head over heels for each other, then they won’t be, either.”
...
“Yeah, it’s just as you heard. We got together recently.” Donghan has mastered the art of lying, perfected it to a science. Or so he hopes. He managed to get through the falsehood without his voice wavering, at least.
Seokhwa looks him up and down for signs of deceit. Or, more likely, signs of laughter. While Donghan is always eventually honest with his friends, he is known to tease and prank them, after all. Whatever he sees in Donghan’s demeanor, it seems he will allow his statement to stand uncontested.
“Okay then. Good for you.”
Soon, everyone in their friend group knows they’re dating. Or thinks they know.
“Congrats!” Yongha tells them with a wide smile. Yohan gives Daehyeon a hearty pat on the back and gives Donghan a thumbs up.
It is the youngest among them, then, that makes them both raise an eyebrow. Because what he says is, “Finally. It’s about time you two figured yourselves out.”
Daehyeon opens his mouth, probably to ask what Junseo means, but before the question can leave his mouth, Donghan’s hand is on his arm stopping him. The others see the gesture and coo, likely believing the two are unable to keep away from each other.
Whatever. Donghan spares a glance to his partner in crime. Daehyeon doesn’t seem to quite understand what Junseo was getting at (or maybe he’s feigning a bit of obliviousness), but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that everyone had bought their story.
And so the next day, when Donghan becomes aware of Byungho hanging around nearby again, he is free to play it up without drawing curious stares from his friends. (Only drawing minimal whistling and catcalling from their annoying companions at first.) It is Daehyeon who acts first, intertwining his arm with Donghan’s. He scoots his seat closer so that their legs are pressed together. Donghan suppresses a shudder. Then, he wraps his arm around Daehyeon’s shoulders.
This feels rather nice. The scowl decorating Byungho’s face is a bonus. But what is better than that is the warmth traveling through Donghan’s body, and the pretty blush adorning Daehyeon’s cheeks.
—----
~~JDH~~
When Daehyeon turns the corner after exiting his last class of the day, he groans. There, leaning against the wall as though waiting for him, is Byungho.
His act with Donghan has earned him a break from Byungho’s creepy behavior while in public. It seems he’s not lucky enough for this to persist when he is alone.
He attempts to walk right past him, but Byungho falls into step beside him.
“Come on, don’t be like this. I just want to chat.”
“I don’t.”
Byungho rolls his eyes like Daehyeon is being unreasonable. And then he grabs Daehyeon’s wrist, halting his movement.
“Let go.”
“I only wanna say that I’d make you happier than he would. You must have felt the connection we had at the party.”
Daehyeon huffs. He attempts to break his arm free of the hold, to no avail. “You’ve got a lot of nerve.”
Byungho’s smile only turns more smug. “Exactly. I’m willing to work hard for what I want. I would never have kept you a secret in the first place, not like he did. So you don’t need to be shy about wanting this. Wanting me.”
Daehyeon sneers at the man’s overconfidence. The time for faux politeness is long past. He’s done with that. So he injects as much venom as he can into his voice. “Piss. Off.” With one forceful movement, he finally wrests his arm free. And he stalks away.
He murmurs to himself the entire rest of the walk to his destination.
“Who does he think he is?? There’s no reasoning with that guy. He’s delusional! Like he’s convinced himself I’m trapped, and he’s gonna save me.”
“Someone’s not in a good mood.”
He startles and looks up. In his foul state, he hadn’t even registered his feet taking him inside his former dorm. And when he glances up, his gaze meets with that of his former Resident Assistant, Kim Sojung.
“Noona! You’re here.”
She gives him a funny look before peeking at her phone screen. “This is the time we agreed to meet, right? I’m not ALWAYS late!” She pouts in mock offense.
“No, no, you’re right. Sorry. I was just caught up in my own head a bit.” He sets down his bag and takes a seat on the chair next to hers in the dorm’s lounge area.
“Okay. Well, if you wanna vent about it, I’m here. What else is meeting up with your old RA at your old stomping grounds good for?”
Now it’s Daehyeon’s turn to huff. “Noona, please. We’re friends. And complaining to each other is a nice use of our time, but it’s been a while since the last time we hung out. So I at least wanna know how you’re doing first. How are grad classes?”
She allows the topic change. Her eyes light up as she admits, “They’re actually really fun. It’s a lot of work, especially since I’m juggling auditioning for commercials on the side, but I’m learning a lot.”
Daehyeon shoots a proud smile at the aspiring actor. She is one of the coolest and most dedicated people he knows. “Good. I’m glad. You deserve to have a good grad school experience.” He recalls horror stories from his cousin about his own graduate program, and he’s thankful Sojung is not going through the same thing.
“Thanks. How are your classes?”
“Pretty awful,” he says with a laugh. “But I’m managing.”
A silence passes over them, and Sojung stops holding herself back.
“Alright. Now can I ask what’s got you so hot under the collar??”
He chuckles. “Okay. I am sorta… troubled, you might put it. This guy has been giving me a tough time. Another student. He keeps showing up wherever I go and won’t accept that I’m not into him.”
The glare Sojung sports now is rather impressive. “I’ll throw down with him, I’m stronger than I look. He better square up. How tall is he? I bet I could intimidate him.”
Daehyeon snorts. Some of the weight on his shoulders eases to know how protective all his friends are.
“In all seriousness,” she continues, “if he won’t stop harassing you, you could let the dean’s office know.” She has fallen seamlessly into her Resident Advisor persona, even though Daehyeon is not her charge anymore.
“I know. I don’t think it’s necessary at the moment, but I’ll keep that in mind.” He claps his hands. “Anyway! Onto lighter things, did you watch the finale for that drama yet?”
She smacks the table, eyes widening. “Oh my god. Yes.”
They launch into that topic, annoying dudes from parties forgotten.
…
Daehyeon has taken new measures to avoid the pesky Byungho as of late. He has already blocked his number, and he arrives to the Chemistry lecture hall at the last possible minute before the class starts so that Byungho can’t sit next to him. He thinks he’s done a pretty good job of not having to interact with the man when he’s alone. No, the only real time he’s faced with the guy is when he’s with his friends at lunch. And Donghan’s persistent displays of affection ward him off pretty good then.
???
<hey dae! this is kim jinwoo. i changed my number, plz save this one>
Daehyeon glances at his phone when the text comes in. Kim Jinwoo is his coworker at the convenience store. He quickly saves the contact.
me
<Ok, thanks>
His phone buzzes again.
Kim Jinwoo (new)
<btw my band is having a show this weekend. i have a ticket with your name on it>
<you probly shouldnt mention it to donghan and the others tho>
<they might be mad I didnt score tickets for all of them>
Daehyeon frowns down at his screen. He does remember Jinwoo mentioning his campus gig before. But usually he offers a free invite to all of Daehyeon’s friends- it isn’t quite something so exclusive.
A strange idea forms in the back of his mind.
He clicks on the thread with Jinwoo’s old number. Their last message exchanged was a while ago, but he scrolls up to skim-read through them anyway. Takes note of Jinwoo’s usual texting style, rife with emojis and proper punctuation and capitalization.
He decides to try sending something to the old number.
me
<Hey your band’s concerts are still open admission right?>
Kim Jinwoo
<Yup. Should I expect to see you there on Saturday? It’s gonna rock!>
Followed by a string of emojis, as Daehyeon has come to expect.
The weird feeling intensifies with this evidence.
Would he really go so far as to pretend? To change his number and impersonate one of Daehyeon’s friends? What had been the grand plan? To lure him into attending the show without Donghan and the rest, all to presumably catch him alone there?
Daehyeon instantly blocks <Kim Jinwoo (new)> from his contacts. He grits his teeth.
Park Byungho, this is a new low.
…
“He did??”
“Fortunately, I realized quickly. But this legitimately skeeves me out at this point.”
Donghan appears speechless after Daehyeon’s confession. He had been resolutely silent through Daehyeon telling him about Byungho’s one-on-one confrontation outside of his classroom, and silent through his description of Byungho imitating Jinwoo to get to him solo at the concert.
Now, though, he looks to be almost shaking in anger. “This is bullshit. This guy is unhinged. I want to go around with you until we manage to fully dissuade him. Let’s not give him any more opportunities to catch you out by yourself.”
Daehyeon blinks in surprise. He shakes his head. “You don’t have to. I’m not a kid who can’t take care of himself. And just because you said we were dating in the heat of the moment doesn’t mean I’m your responsibility indefinitely.”
“Don’t make me into such a heartless boyfriend!” Donghan’s response is playful, but there is an undercurrent of genuine worry there. “In case you forgot, we’re friends before any of this. Of course if I can help you deal with a shitty stalker, I’ll do everything I can.”
“I wouldn’t say stalker…”
His company’s expression is unimpressed. Donghan counts off on his fingers: “He shows up at your workplace, transferred into your class, waits for you outside your other classes, and assumes false identities in order to text you. What else would he be?”
Sheepish, Daehyeon shrugs. “...He hasn’t sent me any photos he took from behind bushes?”
Donghan shudders. “Don’t joke about that. Now it feels like he actually might.”
Now they both appear uneasy at the thought. Daehyeon legitimately hopes he hasn’t tempted fate.
Byungho has been so disruptive to his life lately. Of course with the whole fake-dating Donghan thing, but also altering his routines. And now, he knows he’s going to have to send the real Jinwoo an apology text about missing his band’s concert. He doesn’t want to show up there now that he knows Byungho was baiting him, trying to trap him there alone.
Donghan peers out his dorm window, scanning the grounds in non-subtle paranoia. Then he draws the blinds.
“Stay the night,” he says, more a plea than a command.
“Okay,” Daehyeon accepts easily.
—----
~~KDH~~
“Level with me. What on earth do you like about Daehyeon-hyung?” Yohan’s teasing voice immediately sets off the target.
“Yah! You’re so disrespectful!” Daehyeon cries out in mock offense.
“It’s not like you have a boyfriend,” Seokhwa points out savagely. Yohan makes a wounded sound.
The question had clearly been intended as a means to get a rise out of Daehyeon. But Donghan finds himself considering. And then answering perhaps too sincerely.
“He’s a great guy, honestly. He always looks out for me, and he convinces me that I can do what I set my mind to whenever I’m about to give up. He’s the reason I stuck with my Japanese classes and tried skating lessons. Plus, he’s funny, and really sweet.” Donghan realizes that he has been smiling in a dopey manner at Daehyeon throughout his explanation.
The other turns flushed. He looks shy at the response. And when Donghan manages to tear his gaze away to see the rest of their friends, they seem kind of caught off guard.
But Yongha doesn’t miss a beat. “Daehyeon-hyung? Same question, what do you like about Donghan-hyung?”
Donghan props his chin in his hands and flutters his eyelashes at his so-called boyfriend. He isn’t above fishing for compliments. And maybe it’ll help redirect attention after his admittedly embarrassing response.
“It’s… he says I look out for him, but Donghan is the one who’s actually always making sure I’m good. He checks that I’m sleeping and eating when I get caught up in work. He gets me out of my head when I’m stressed, and he’s always encouraging. He likes to act like he isn’t, but he’s a big softy.”
Daehyeon’s admission is shyer, but no less earnest. Donghan can feel himself beaming through the praise.
Junseo makes a face. “Gross. Go be sweet somewhere else.”
“No,” Donghan replies. In defiance, he scoots closer to Daehyeon.
He suddenly feels a weight on his shoulder, and he glances to the side to see Daehyeon resting his head there. Next, he feels a pressure on his hand, and he sees Daehyeon has interlaced their hands.
Donghan’s breath stutters.
It feels like a bit much for putting on a show for their friends.
But then he looks up and he realizes why Daehyeon is doing this. Byungho lingers in the corner of the room, chatting with someone else. At first glance, he looks to be engaged in conversation, but his eyes keep darting over to the ‘couple.’
Right. Now he remembers why they’re doing this. They have to be convincing for that bag of dicks. Why does that reason feel kind of disappointing right now?
And why is Donghan’s heart racing at the close contact?
He cannot deny that Daehyeon is cute. Plus, he meant all those things he said about why he loves him. Of course he is enjoying getting to spend so much time together with his friend, even in a different way than usual.
Surely, it’s just the situation itself getting him excited. Donghan hasn’t dated anyone in a while, after all.
The closeness continues when they leave the cafe to go hang out at Yohan’s apartment. It doesn’t stand out as much, doesn’t feel as unfamiliar, with Junseo also draping himself over Seokhwa’s back. Then with Yongha promptly plopping his head into Seokhwa’s lap once they sit on the couch.
Donghan’s stomach growls. Loudly.
His so-called friends laugh at him.
Daehyeon stands, dropping Donghan’s hand so that his arm falls back by his own side. Donghan laments the loss until Daehyeon smiles fondly at him. He teases, “And you nag me to take care of myself. Back at the cafe, you were too caught up telling that story about a student showing up to your class in full cosplay so you didn’t realize you were still hungry when you finished eating, huh?”
“Bingo,” he confesses, with accompanying finger guns.
“I’ll make you some ramen,” Daehyeon comments easily, heading off to the apartment kitchen. “Yohan-ah, do you have any of the non-spicy kind? Donghan can’t handle spice.”
The apartment owner appears exasperated. “Oh, sure. Make yourself at home.”
Daehyeon does exactly that, ignoring the sarcasm.
Soon, a steaming bowl of Donghan’s favorite ramen sits before him, courtesy of one Chef Jang. Daehyeon even swirls a bite of noodles onto the chopsticks and blows on it before passing it Donghan’s way.
Donghan eagerly accepts.
“Now they’re feeding each other right in front of us,” Seokhwa complains.
“I think it’s cute. It’s domestic,” Yongha says.
They excuse themselves to head back first a half hour later, though not without Junseo throwing out a “bye, lovebirds!” after them.
And with Yongha’s sparkling eyes telling them, “Don’t listen to these jokesters. You guys make me believe in love.”
Daehyeon smiles awkwardly. Donghan hopes their younger friend doesn’t feel too betrayed if or when he finds out the relationship has been fake the whole time.
On the way back, Daehyeon asks, “Did you get enough to eat now?”
“Yeah, the ramen was delicious. I think I even ate a bit too fast. Hope I don’t get a stomachache.”
Daehyeon pouts, then brushes back Donghan’s bangs. He tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. “My boyfriend better be healthy.”
There isn’t even anyone around to pretend for. Donghan would make fun of Daehyeon for this, but he’s a bit busy attempting to control the spreading of the red flush across his own cheeks.
—----
~~JDH~~
Byungho has been leaving them alone.
Not coming up to talk to Daehyeon, not even looking at him during class- It was dumb what he told Donghan of his initial apprehension, when he criticized the wiseness of the fake dating scheme. This is the best plan ever. It’s like the asshole has finally gotten the message.
Not to mention the added bonus of getting to stick close to Donghan for their scheme.
What? Physical affection feels nice. Sue him.
Today, too, Donghan is waiting for him outside his class. He drapes one arm over Daehyeon before they begin to walk together. In his other hand, a coffee cup. “Here.” He passes it to Daehyeon.
It’s his preferred drink order. Donghan knows him so well. He pays attention to him in all these little ways.
“I need a new jacket. Wanna go shopping with me tomorrow?” Daehyeon invites. They hang out every day, but somehow Daehyeon still finds himself formally planning them meeting up often. It’s like he can’t get enough of the other.
“Sure. I wanted to get another white tank top to go under my hapkido uniform.”
Daehyeon’s overactive mind helpfully provides him a mental image of Donghan peeling off his gi to reveal only a tanktop underneath.
He has to hastily switch the topic in order to recover. “Are you still thinking of joining the swimming team even though you’re already involved with so many other sports?”
The mental image of Donghan in a swimsuit isn’t much better. But the conversation flows easily from there.
He doesn’t notice it by the time they’ve reached his old dorm, where his RA Sojung is surely already sitting, waiting for their regular catchup session. Daehyeon is excited to see her, but he finds he doesn’t especially want to part from Donghan. Careful, considerate, deceptively kind Donghan who keeps walking him everywhere even in the absence of one clingy Park Byungho.
Still, they wave each other goodbye, and he enters the dorm.
But if Donghan leaves his presence, he sure doesn’t leave his brain.
“That’s the third time you’ve mentioned Donghan showing you the cover dance to that Block B song you like. Are you hinting that you want to perform it for me?”
Daehyeon blinks rapidly. Is it really the third time? “Oh, no, I didn’t- That wasn’t… I didn’t mean to bring it up so much.”
Sojung chuckles. “Nothing to be sorry for. You can’t help being a lovesick fool, can you? You’re really cute when you have a crush,” she points out.
Daehyeon gapes. Does she really think that his behavior indicates him having… feelings for Donghan? Feelings feelings? Romantic ones?
Then it hits him all at once. Of course. Rumors spread like wildfire on this campus. Even if he never personally told her about the fake dating stuff, it makes sense if she’s heard whispers. If the talks of him and Donghan dating have reached even the graduate students.
(This is an easier explanation to accept than to believe that she merely drew the conclusion he has a crush based on the way he speaks about Donghan.)
Before he can decide if he should clarify- Sojung is tight-lipped and fairly removed from his usual friend circle, so she’d be a good, trustworthy bet if he were to let someone in on the secret- she continues.
“It’s good that Donghan finally made a move. He’s been so whipped for you forever.”
“...What?”
“Come on. I know you’re oblivious, but you must have realized at some point, right? Noticed the way he rushes across town to be wherever you are, or drops everything he has going on if he can go to you just to chat. I swear I saw him talking to a professor once, but then he saw you passing by so he just shouted ‘bye, thanks’ to the prof before running over to ask you about your day.”
Daehyeon blushes as she describes it. That has to be an exaggeration.
“I’m glad he got his shit together. I could’ve told him it would go well and that you wanted exactly the same thing from him.”
Daehyeon stammers in lieu of a reply. She must be mistaken. Donghan doesn’t feel that way for him. (He conveniently decides to ignore the part where she is convinced he feels that way for Donghan.) But she looks so happy for them that he doesn’t want to burst her bubble.
“Uh… thank you. For, um. Supporting us.” The words tumble out of him awkwardly, but she only beams back at him.
Thoughts race through his head even as they go on to discuss more of their drama-binging habits.
—----
~~KDH~~
“Do you think we should stop this?”
Donghan peers over at Daehyeon, curious. The older boy’s every gesture seems laden with hesitance upon his approach. He grips one elbow in his other hand and stares at the ground as though insecure.
“Gonna need more context than that,” Donghan replies. Not liking the way Daehyeon seems so small, radiating reluctance.
“I mean, the whole ‘dating’ thing. It seems like Byungho has learned his lesson and moved on. And I don’t wanna tie you down from, like, actually dating someone that you’re into. That’s why I’m asking if you want to stop.” As Daehyeon says this, his eyes look up into Donghan’s. Almost as though searching for some kind of reaction.
Donghan doesn’t know what kind of face he makes, but he does know there’s a sudden unpleasant feeling in his chest. For unexplained reasons, he really, really doesn’t want to end their whole thing. But, there are also reasons he can explain.
These ones, he voices aloud.
“It’s better to be cautious. He could be biding his time and waiting to swoop in as soon as we’re not together 24/7 anymore. And don’t worry about the dating stuff, there isn’t anyone else I’m interested in at the moment. So… this isn’t tying me down.”
Daehyeon’s eyes dart to his as though for confirmation.
“Plus, isn’t it kinda fun tricking our friends?”
And his companion breaks into a smile. Somehow, he looks relieved. “You’re evil. Tell me why we’re friends again?”
“Because of my winning personality?”
Daehyeon rolls his eyes. “Uh-huh, you tell yourself that. Try again.”
Donghan makes a big show of thinking about it.
“Because when we met at our college’s Film Appreciation Society, I was the only one who paid attention the entire time when you went on a 25 minute rant about how they train the dogs that appear in movies?”
“Oh yeah…” Daehyeon’s gaze turns far away as he strolls memory lane. Then he meets eyes with Donghan again. “Why did you listen through that entire thing anyway?”
He shrugs. “It was interesting, and you were so passionate about it. That’s why I became your friend, y’know. I wanted to know more about the guy who was so informed about the most random topics.”
A fond first meeting.
“Basically, you’ve been stuck with me ever since,” Donghan concludes. “So for as long as you are, I’m cool spending some more time with you chasing off that shifty-eyed motherfucker.”
Daehyeon barks out a laugh at his disparagement of Byungho. “Alright then,” he says, settling the matter.
And now Donghan is the one who looks relieved.
…
“Ugh, remind me why I run with this crowd,” Yohan complains.
“What are you insulting us for now?” Even as he asks this, Seokhwa stares down at his phone like he has no interest in the answer.
“Your fashion. Am I the only one who cares about his appearance here?”
At this, Seokhwa raises an eyebrow. “You’re literally wearing sweats right now.”
“Yeah, but it’s a choice. It’s casual chic. You guys wear them because you don’t own any other clothes.”
Yongha pulls his beanie on over his ears and laughs at Yohan’s disgusted response.
The trio begin arguing about what constitutes looking ‘presentable’ and whether fashion should be considered a luxury for tired, broke college students. But Donghan is the only one not caught up in the bickering.
Well, Donghan and Junseo, who is looking curiously at Donghan. “Why are you all worked up?” their youngest eventually asks him.
“It’s nothing.”
It’s not.
“Yeah, and I hate anime,” Yongha replies. “Seriously, what’s going on with you? If Junseo didn’t say anything, I was going to. This is like the twentieth time you’ve checked your phone in the last ten minutes.”
Donghan lets loose a long-suffering sigh. “Just… today, Daehyeon has the lab until late, and then his shift at the convenience store.”
“And?” Junseo prompts.
“Well, it’s that class he shares with the asshole. And Byungho likes to show up at his work sometimes. What if he figured out Daehyeon’s new shift? Or follows him there?”
“So you’re worried,” Seokhwa concludes. “I mean, I know the guy’s a jerk, but hyung is a big boy. He can take care of himself, and he’ll handle it if the guy puts him in a sticky situation.”
Donghan gazes back at his phone for any kind of message from Daehyeon. He’s unconvinced. Of course, the others weren’t privy to all the same incidents of continued harassment as he was. He knows Daehyeon won’t mind if he fills them in. So he does.
He explains how Byungho had continued to hover around Daehyeon for a while. How he cornered him at the store, outside of class. How he sent him phony texts as someone else. The shit he’s said about changing his mind and how he’ll be begging to be with Byungho.
When he finishes, the reactions are mixed. All negative, of course, but…
Seokhwa looks pissed. “That douchebag.”
Yohan appears no less murderous. “Where does he get the nerve?”
Yongha looks sad. “I didn’t know hyung was dealing with all that.”
And Junseo looks nearly as concerned as Donghan himself. “Do you think hyung will find it overbearing if I text him? Just to see if he’s alright? I can make it like a casual ‘hey, how’s it going?’ text.”
Donghan ruffles Junseo’s hair. He hadn’t meant to make the others the paranoid ones by sharing the story. “It wouldn’t hurt. And Daehyeon would be all for it if he knew you messaging him made you feel better.”
So the younger shoots off a quick text. When he doesn’t immediately receive a reply, he frowns at his phone.
Well. Daehyeon is in class right now.
“He’ll be okay,” Yohan asserts. “The point still stands that Daehyeon is responsible. If he sensed any actual danger from the guy, he’d contact somebody. And while he’s in class, there’ll be a bunch of other people around.”
Donghan still looks bothered.
Seokhwa pats his shoulder. “Hey, it’s nice that you’re such a protective boyfriend, though. I’m sure hyung appreciates it.”
Donghan is mildly flustered at having his friendly concern construed that way. But mostly he’s still a bit on edge.
Yongha takes up the mantle of easing his anxiety from there. “While we wait for him, why don’t you tell us about if you have any special plans for next week. Valentine’s Day is coming up sooner than you think! If you need any help arranging stuff to surprise him, let us know.”
Donghan looks over at his hopelessly romantic friend, grateful for his efforts to distract him. And it works. Now Donghan is thinking about Valentine’s Day. The thought of spending it with Daehyeon is kind of exciting, even if it’s in service of a fake relationship.
“I don’t know… What would be good for us to do together?”
The rest groan at him seemingly not having thought of anything. And after chewing him out, they launch into a tirade of ideas. It is enough to lift Donghan’s spirits even if Daehyeon isn’t by his side right now. He’ll have to trust Daehyeon will be fine on his own, whether he’s in the lion’s den with that dickbag or not.
—----
~~JDH~~
It’s a good thing they hadn’t stopped.
“Get off my case, Byungho.” He’s more tired and annoyed than anxious of this guy anymore. It’s hard to be scared by someone quite so pathetic.
Though his behavior is unsettling. Like the only thing that makes him seem like he won’t try to jump Daehyeon or follow him home is the reminder that Donghan is waiting for him.
“You’re seriously telling me you’re with that guy? You don’t think the timing struck me as suspicious? You trying to make me jealous was cute at first, but at some point you’re wasting both of our time.”
Daehyeon throws his arms up in the air. “What’s a waste of time is arguing with you when you refuse to hear anything you don’t want to. But here it is again- I don’t like you. And I never will.”
He looks at Byungho, nearly pleading by now for the other to leave him alone.
But what he gets is, “Never say never, baby.”
He groans and pulls out his trump card. Because apparently what Daehyeon says he wants doesn’t matter. “My jagi won’t be happy to hear you’re hitting on me again.”
Byungho’s eyes pinch together, and he takes a step backward. Finally backing off. “Fine. But I’m still waiting for you to come to your senses. You can always come find me.”
“I won’t.”
…
“Here. Since you two are helpless.”
Daehyeon stares at Seokhwa’s outstretched hand. “What is this?”
“Movie tickets. We knew you and Donghan were dumb and didn’t plan anything for Valentine’s Day, so we took it into our own hands.”
“I booked you both a reservation at a nice restaurant!” Junseo adds proudly.
Daehyeon’s gaze shoots towards Donghan, who doesn’t look surprised in the slightest. “I see you guys had some kind of conversation without me. But how dare you lump me in with him?? Who says I didn’t have my own plans for us today?”
Yongha asks, “Did you?”
At the same time, Yohan interjects, “Please. We know you’re useless at romance, too.”
Daehyeon sulks. And alright, maybe they’re right. He hadn’t thought of anything special since he isn’t expecting Byungho to interrupt them today. The only thing he had really imagined… was being by Donghan’s side today. Like every day. Though it maybe feels a little different that they meet up today of all days.
(Even if they made a pitstop to see the rest of their friends first.)
“You’re welcome,” Junseo says smugly.
“Thanks,” Daehyeon responds, begrudging but sincere. He does think they’ll enjoy what their friends have prepared, after all. Who is he to pass up free movie tickets and a fancy food reservation?
“Well, if you’ll excuse us, we have places to be.” Donghan sets hands on Daehyeon’s shoulders and urges him out, seeming as eager as Daehyeon himself.
“Have fun!” Yongha calls back.
“We will!” And Donghan waves them goodbye.
As they leave the gathering, Daehyeon slips his hand into Donghan’s. Neither pull away even as their friends get smaller in their eyeline. They still don’t let go once they’re far out of sight.
Daehyeon feels like he and Donghan have been getting closer lately. That, through this, they’ve bonded a bit and come to appreciate each other’s presence and understand each other more. At least there is one good thing to come out of the ordeal with Byungho.
He might not be the only one thinking this way. Because Donghan soon squeezes their joined hands and holds up his hand, and consequently Daehyeon’s, to acknowledge it. “I kinda like doing stuff like this. If you’re okay with it, of course.”
Daehyeon nods. “I am.”
He remembers all at once how their group likes to exaggerate and freak out when any of their friends would give them skinship. They’re hot and cold, accepting contact one moment to ragging on each other in so-called disgust the next. They’ll go from indulging Yongha’s clinginess to pressing a cheek kiss to Seokhwa, then pushing Junseo away or elbowing Yohan for stepping into their bubble of personal space. Donghan was no exception to Daehyeon’s fake revulsion. And even the flirty Donghan wasn’t immune- never able to take what he himself dished out, preferring to give than receive affection.
Now, there’s no trace of that. It feels so… natural. For the past while, both of them have been very touchy with each other. And they display no discomfort or facade of dislike over it. Daehyeon feels like there is something different in their gazes when their eyes meet.
...
The movie is fun, because of course it is. The dinner is delicious, because of course it is. Daehyeon can’t help but feel he would enjoy the day regardless of how great or terrible the movie and food were, so long as he spent the day with Donghan.
Yet, all too soon, they’ve reached Daehyeon’s apartment. He had walked slower with the intention of elongating their time together, but all things must end.
Daehyeon waves. When Donghan steps in closer, his heartrate accelerates, wondering what the other intends to do. But the answer comes when he pulls Daehyeon into a hug. Daehyeon holds on for a good while, absorbing the warmth. And then they part.
“Bye.”
“Goodbye.”
That content feeling follows him on his climb up the stairs. Through fishing his keys out of his pocket and opening the door. Through entering his apartment.
That’s when the floatiness comes crashing back down to earth.
“What the fuck. What the fuck.”
His eyes dart from one side of his room to another. He sees his bedsheets, freshly made up this morning, now tangled in a pile on the mattress. He sees his favorite mug he keeps in the kitchen cabinet, now sitting upside down in the center of the floor as though it had been dropped. He sees the mess of things out of place on his desk table.
“Calm down,” he wills himself, even as a feeling of terror racks up inside him. Things are definitely rearranged from how he left them.
He is too near to hyperventilating.
And even through the panic, he is aware of a sense of imminent danger staying here. So he rushes out. He makes it as far as his legs will take him before they weaken beneath him, and then he crashes down onto a bench.
Breaths heavy, he manages to take out his cellphone. He presses the button for speed-dial, brings the device to his ear, and waits for it to ring the number in question.
It rings twice before a click indicates it has been picked up.
<“What’s up? Miss me already?”>
“Donghan-ah. ”
There’s a pause over the line. And then, <“What’s wrong?”>
Daehyeon inhales, shaky. When he speaks, he is horrified to realize his voice is wobbling, too. “My- My apartment. Someone’s been inside. Someone broke in while I was gone.”
There’s rustling sounds on the other end. <“Tell me where you are.”>
Daehyeon glances around him to take in his surroundings. He manages to describe the location he’s found himself at.
<“I’m coming. Stay there. Unless you feel someone watching you, and then go find the nearest crowded intersection or convenience store. Share your location with me.”>
Daehyeon’s mind relaxes at the simple list of instructions to follow. By rote, he pulls the phone from his ear to share his location. Then, he brings it back up to his ear.
<“You’re okay. I’ll be there soon.”> He speaks with conviction and calmness. For Daehyeon’s sake, he knows. Because he knows Donghan and knows he is repressing how frantic he really feels.
Daehyeon feels like his mind is a thousand miles away, floating somewhere out of his body, and he doesn’t know how long he spends sitting there. Waiting. But he does register when he hears pounding footsteps in his direction.
He flinches. But looking up, it is Donghan he sees racing toward him.
He barely stands up before Donghan throws arms around him to wrap him in a crushing hug. It feels different than the one they shared not long ago. This one feels like Donghan is convincing himself Daehyeon is actually there in front of him, in one piece.
When he pulls back, he has both Daehyeon’s hands in his. Daehyeon isn’t sure if it is his own hands or Donghan’s hands that are shaking, but there’s trembling involved nevertheless. “We should go inside somewhere.”
A quick search reveals they are not far from a library, and the duo quickly make their way there. The presence of other people, even quietly milling about among the shelves and computers as they are, helps Daehyeon to relax a bit. Nothing will happen to them in here.
“What happened?” Donghan whispers once they are seated at a table.
Daehyeon explains finding things overturned. The shiver down his spine when he got the sense someone had been there. Potentially not long ago.
The fury comes off Donghan almost as though in physical waves. “We need to tell the police. That fucker has gone way, way too far. This is a crime.”
Now it is Daehyeon trying to calm down Donghan instead of the other way around. “We don’t know it was him. And what if I’m misremembering- what if I think things are out of place, but my mind is just psyching me out??”
Donghan’s eyes turn softer. His voice is also gentle when he responds. “You’re scared, and that’s valid. I didn’t see your apartment this morning so I can’t confirm anything for you, but I trust your instincts. If you say you think things are different, I believe you. And you have more than enough reason to believe a break-in may have happened. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Even if an animal got in or something- even if it wasn’t Byungho- it’s better for the police to have on file that this guy has been bothering you in case it does escalate even further. But Dae, I really don’t think you’re being hysterical.”
Daehyeon wants to melt into the support Donghan’s words give him. He makes it seem easy and right, filing a police report. He sounds firm, so that Daehyeon is convinced Donghan will be here to help him every step of the way. That he won’t rest until Daehyeon can feel safe in his own home.
So he hugs his friend.
They must make quite the sight in the library like this. But Daehyeon doesn’t care.
“Stay over at my place,” Donghan says. “I’m in a dorm, so I have campus security, cameras. And I’m there! You’ll be safer there than you were in that shit apartment. Stay as long as you need.”
Daehyeon hesitates despite what his heart wants to do. “This… This could take a while to sort out. Especially if there is any sort of police involvement or university investigation. It’s different than inviting me to spend the night. It might be days, or over a week, before I can return. I should find a- hotel or something-”
Donghan cuts him off there. “You think I’ll let you waste money on a hotel? AND let you out of my sight after what happened? I’m offering because I’ll feel better if you stay at mine. I want you to. And before you ask, I’m sure- I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
Now Daehyeon allows himself to accept his kindness. He nods, tears stinging his eyes. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me for this.”
“Thank you,” he insists again. And he’s saying it not just for today. But for everything. For caring about him. For helping him to keep away from Byungho. For reminding him to eat and take breaks. For making him laugh every day. For being his friend. For listening to him on that first meeting when he rambled about movie dogs. For staying close by his side.
—----
~~KDH~~
After they call in to report the incident to the police (and hear the matter will be looked into immediately), and informing Daehyeon’s landlord (and hearing he will coordinate with the officers and cooperate with the investigation), the next step is to let their friends know.
Daehyeon had given him the okay. So now as the exhausted man sleeps on Donghan’s bed, Donghan starts a group call. He steps into the bathroom so his voice won’t carry and wake Daehyeon. He won’t step outside the dorm, though. He hasn’t strayed further from Daehyeon’s side than going to the restroom since they arrived.
<“How was your Valentine’s Day?”> Yongha’s staticky voice still betrays his excitement.
It is Seokhwa, then, who seems wary by the sudden group call. <“What is this about?”>
Donghan takes a breath. He doesn’t want to freak his friends out, but he has to be frank. “Listen. Something happened.”
Bad opener. He knows this before he hears Yohan’s intake of breath and frenzied, <“What happened?? Are you okay?? Is Daehyeon-hyung okay??”>
“Yes, we’re both okay. Calm down a bit.”
<“Just tell us,”> Junseo pleads. <“The suspense is making it worse.”>
“Alright. Well, someone or something got into Daehyeon’s apartment while he was out. He’ll say we don’t know for sure, but I think that shithead Byungho broke in. Moved stuff all around. God knows what else he did. We reported it, and Dae is staying with me for now. We plan to stay in for the weekend. In case it was an intruder with malicious intent, I don’t want the culprit to see Daehyeon while he’s out and about. I’m hoping the situation will resolve itself soon. But the main thing is that he’s safe.”
<“Fuck. That’s awful.>” Yohan’s words just about sum it up. <“Why does crap like this have to happen to hyung??>”
<“Do you think he’d appreciate if I call him?”> A worried Yongha asks.
<“How can we help?”> Junseo follows up. <“If you’re staying in, we can go pick up supplies for you and bring them by. We can come visit.”>
“I don’t wanna overwhelm him. You know Daehyeon gets embarrassed when we make a fuss over him, even when it’s deserved. A wellness-check text might be better than a call or visit. And we can always order food. I think we’ll keep it lowkey for now. But if he says otherwise, of course you can come by.”
<“Thank you for watching out for him,”> Seokhwa says. <“If there’s anything we can do or anything you need, just let us know anytime.”>
Donghan ends the call after hearing everyone’s sentiments, feeling appreciative of his friends.
The pleasant feeling fades out as he remembers what necessitated it. Like he told the others, he is convinced Byungho had a part to play in this. The idea of that freak barging into what should be Daehyeon’s safe space makes Donghan want to start swinging. It makes his blood run cold at the thought- what if the creep found his way inside while Daehyeon was alone, sleeping, vulnerable? What if something happened to him?
What if Daehyeon was harmed- or WORSE, his imagination runs wild- before Donghan has the chance to tell him-
The chance to tell him?
Oh.
The realization of what he needs to tell him doesn’t feel as groundbreaking as it maybe should. Here in the bathroom of his own apartment, while his fake boyfriend sleeps a room away, the feelings come to the forefront of his mind fully formed, as though they had always been there.
—----
~~JDH~~
Messages of support flood in from Daehyeon’s friends. He smiles down at his phone.
Then, another text.
Sojung
<Of course I understand!! U don’t need to apologize for missing our reg hangout- we both know its just an excuse to have a bitchfest anyway>
<I’m glad u’re okay>
<Take the time u need to recover. U’ll just have an extra lot to bitch about next time we meet up!>
He had told her of what happened as well, since he wouldn’t be at their ‘scheduled appointment’ to chill out together. He could have fed her any reason, but Daehyeon finds that Sojung is the kind of person who really inspires openness in others. He knows he can be transparent with her. So he was honest.
Along with his friends contacting him, having Donghan here has been nice. He is a comforting presence- not only as another body in the room, but by Donghan being exactly who he is. Playing dumb videos or singing offkey to annoy him… it distracts Daehyeon from the reality awaiting him outside of these four walls.
His phone rings, only this time, it is not one of his friends. He exhales. Gathers himself. And answers.
Donghan watches him nod along to the words coming through the receiver. Listens to the short, choppy responses he gives to the questions. Stares intently at Daehyeon’s reaction as he takes it in. Though Daehyeon doubts his expression betrays the contents of the call. So when he hangs up, he makes sure to broadcast it. His happy smile.
“They’ve arrested him.”
Donghan huffs out in joyous surprise.
“The cops found evidence because he took a sweater from my room, then he had the balls to post publicly bragging about it. He captioned it something moronic, like, ‘that feel when you adore your man so much you just have to steal his clothes,’ and used tags like ‘petty crime,’ ‘is it illegal to love.’ And he said shit like ‘I could borrow it whenever I want to soon; he’ll be mine soon, it’s inevitable.’”
Daehyeon gags as he reveals the information the officer had shared with him. Thankfully, Byungho’s post never mentioned Daehyeon’s name, or he’d be subject to a lot more attention around campus than he wanted.
“Anyway, once I confirmed for the officer that no, I did not give him the sweater as a gift, and yes, it would have my DNA all over it, he said that would be enough proof. You know, I didn’t even notice anything was missing when I entered my place. I was too caught up in the stuff that was out of place.”
“So?? What happens now?”
“Well, I told the police they could burn the sweater, or give it away to charity or something,” he responds while sticking out his tongue in disgust. “I have no clue what Byungho did with it, after all.”
“Not what happens to your sweater! What happens to him?!” Donghan insists, exasperated.
“Oh. Right. The school expelled him, but that’s the least of his worries. He’s being charged with breaking and entering, burglary, and stalking. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”
“Thank god,” Donghan mutters. “Here I thought a dating scheme would be enough to make him back off, but it ended up taking the long arm of the law to do him in. I just regret that I didn’t get to punch him in the face first.”
“Then you’d be in trouble,” Daehyeon points out. “I seriously wonder what was going on in his brain, though… Did he actually latch onto me just because of our conversation at the party? What signals did he think he was picking up on?”
“I know that face,” Donghan interrupts. “Don’t overthink it. You didn’t do anything, that guy was just messed up. No signals served as any sort of go-ahead to harass you, especially when he continued long after you explicitly cleared up that you didn’t like him.”
“I guess so.”
“I know so. It wasn’t your fault. But I’m glad it’s over.”
Right. It’s over.
All of it should be done now. The looking over his shoulder. The changing shifts and making himself scarce from social events. The clinging to Donghan like some kind of boyfriend-shield.
It’s that last one that gives him pause, though. The thought of things going back to normal with him and Donghan… he doesn’t like that idea. And after weeks of soul-searching, he’s finally pinpointed the reason why.
“Congratulations. I’m sorry you had to deal with something like this in the first place, it sucks major ass. But it’s good that you’re safe-”
“Be my boyfriend.”
Donghan stops mid-sentence. He blinks back at Daehyeon, shocked.
The next words come tumbling out of Daehyeon’s lips. “I mean, for real. Please. If you feel the same way. Uh, not that- I should probably have taken it a bit slower. I mean, we just got a guy arrested. But I didn’t want to keep hiding it from you, the way that I feel, so… You’re such an incredible guy, and I’ve felt really lucky to have you with me this whole time, and- and…”
He cuts off his own rambling when Donghan raises a hand. He manages to drag his gaze upwards off the floor to spy Donghan’s widening grin.
“Don’t turn this into another half-hour rant without giving me a chance to say something first. Yes. Yes, I would like that a lot.”
He steps closer. So does Daehyeon. Donghan completes the contact by wrapping one arm around Daehyeon. The other comes up to play with Daehyeon’s hair.
“I can’t believe you pre-empted me. Now I look like a loser who waited for you to say something first. But everything you said about wanting to express the way you feel, and how you’re grateful to have been beside me… That’s how I feel about you. You’re important to me. As a friend, of course. But I’ve realized everything you mean to me lately, and if I had the opportunity to be your boyfriend, I’d be a fool to say anything other than a resounding yes.”
Donghan’s eyes sparkle a bit when Daehyeon leans back to look at him. With mirth, affection, emotion, Daehyeon isn’t sure. But Donghan wouldn’t be alone in feeling emotional.
When Donghan leans in, Daehyeon’s eyes flutter closed.
They kiss.
—----
~~KDH~~
Donghan feels free walking down campus with Daehyeon’s arm in his. There’s no one to watch out for now. No pretense to be maintained. Just two boyfriends who care for each other a lot and want to hold each other close.
He still can’t quite believe how things worked out.
Now, they approach their friend group, and a sense of peace washes over him.
He instantly notices how everyone is acting more protective of Daehyeon now, even though that guy is no longer an issue.
“Hyung, my place is always open. Not to steal you from your boyfriend, but if you’re not comfortable going back to your apartment yet, you can stay anytime.”
“My room’s bigger than Yongha’s,” Seokhwa interjects. “Stay at mine if you need a place.”
Daehyeon beams at both of them. “Thank you. But with Byungho gone and my locks reinforced, I’ll be okay. I’ll let you know if I ever decide to take either of you up on the offer. But it would probably just be for a normal sleepover.”
“So you’re doing alright?” Yohan asks. “Shouldn’t you, like, take a break from classes or something? At least get an extension on your assignments?”
Daehyeon shakes his head, looking fond. “I’m really okay. I honestly feel so much better now than I did before, when he was still bothering me all the time. And I guess now it feels more legitimate, because he actually violated the law instead of just asking me out or hanging around too close.”
“Harassment is already a crime,” Junseo reminds him. “You’re telling me you didn’t get any sort of compensation from the university?”
Daehyeon shrugs. “You know how stingy they are. I bet I could have some kind of grounds to sue if I wanted to litigate, but I really don’t. And while I don’t think they shared any details with the professors before pulling Byungho from their classes, my Chemistry teacher randomly sent an email telling me not to worry about the deadline for the essay? And to take my time?” His voice raises upwards in question.
Donghan won’t relieve his curiosity, even though he knows exactly what bullshit he had spun to acquire this concession from Daehyeon’s strictest professor.
“Well, that’s enough of that.” Daehyeon claps with a finality that ends their discussion of the topic. “I believe we’ve gathered here because Yohan claims to be the best Street Fighter player among us?”
The challenge brings up a wave of “oohs” and protests. Donghan laughs at the antics. He intends to crush each and every one of his friends at the video game. And his boyfriend. Because Daehyeon is cute when he pouts.
…
Later, in the comfort of Donghan’s apartment while snuggled up together, Daehyeon breathes into his ear as he speaks due to their proximity. The sensation is quite ticklish. “Are we ever gonna tell our friends that we weren’t really dating before?”
Donghan steals a peck against Daehyeon’s temple. “Why should we? We’re actually dating now, that’s what matters.”
Daehyeon seemingly accepts this response, as he turns his head back toward his phone.
Donghan thinks on it a moment longer. It would be funny for them to reveal it later. Perhaps way down the line, at their wedding or something. Though Donghan is getting way ahead of himself. His mind is just always on how to play the best jokes on his close friends.
Right now, his mind is also focused on how content and safe they both are here in their bubble, and Daehyeon in his arms. And Donghan is focused on how happy he feels.