Han Taesan is exhausted and pissed off. Actually, he's always exhausted and pissed off. People in general aggravate him. He’d rather become a full time hermit than attend classes that start at ungodly hours of the morning, eye bags so deep he looks like the disowned amalgamation of a vampire and zombie who boned each other 'cause they got too sh*t-faced to know any better.
So yeah.
He's seated in his last class for the day, and he's mildly content. It's Friday, which makes him feel a little bit better listening to the lecturer painstakingly rant about Electromagnetism while getting interrupted by phone calls over so often on a slow, hot-as-balls afternoon. But he's still pissed off.
Taesan wants to go home, sink into his comfy bed as he binges his comfort show on Netflix while he ignores Myung Jaehyun's rambly texts about the unfortunate soul he's going to hook up with later tonight.
These are the things that he enjoys. Simple pleasures for a simple man.
Taesan yawns as he quickly types the last notes across the projector screen into his laptop that he's had since high school. He should probably replace the thing but there are stickers of his favourite rock bands plastered all over it, and he's pretty sentimental about those things.
Taesan observes his watch, and while it's getting closer and closer to the end of class, it's still slow. Unbearably so.
At long last, the class is over and the lecturer dismisses everyone. Taesan switches out jumping for joy for quickly grabbing his laptop instead, shoving them into his bag.
He makes it three (and a half) steps out of the auditorium when someone suddenly grapples his arm, stopping him from going any further.
Taesan freezes, and glares at the slightly tanned, manicured hand currently holding him. If he had laser vision it’d slice it clean off by now.
Taesan looks up to see a slightly shorter guy with a vaguely familiar face, and discerns he must've spotted him around campus or something. He's even in some of Taesan's classes, huddled with his noisy friends up front, his long, brunette hair and lean figure the only thing visible.
Taesan has never paid more attention to the guy though – people rarely hold his attention for very long, unless you're astonishingly extroverted (exhibit A: Myung Jaehyun). This stranger has also never interacted with Taesan before for that matter, so Taesan is all sorts confused with this interaction.
The guy has a smile on his face, showcasing dimples some might consider charming. He's dressed in an outfit so flannel Taesan wouldn't be caught dead in it, wearing a beaded necklace and sparkly seashell earrings. All in all, he looks – friendly. Just generally appears nice. But he's undoubtedly a giant obstacle between Taesan and his safe haven – his bed – so Friendly, Dimpled Guy will be subjected to Taesan's blazing scowl.
The guy notices Taesan's expression and quickly drops his arm.
"Uh – sorry about that – " the guy sputters. "You're Han Taesan, right?"
Taesan wonders how the stranger knows his name, and if he should lie and say he isn't, but he just wants to get this... whatever this is, out of his way and move on with his life. As a result, he begrudgingly nods. "Yes, I am."
At this, Friendly, Dimpled Guy rubs the back of his neck, clear anxiety clouding his features. And, Taesan is starting to get impatient. This guy won't say what he stopped Taesan in the middle of the hallway for and –
"I want you to be my boyfriend."
A prompt silence wedges between the two of them. The first thing that enters Taesan’s head is 'What the f*ck' – because what the f*ck – but he's too startled to form a coherent sentence.
"What?" Taesan exhales instead.
Friendly, Dimpled Guy graces him with a grin that looks forced for the most part. "It's not what you're thinking though! A fake boyfriend is what I, uh, what I meant to say."
Taesan has no idea what he just got himself into. He hasn’t got a clue why this stranger wants him to be his fake boyfriend, and why he's asking him of all people. "What the hell."
"I'll explain it to you, but you have to come with me," Friendly, Dimpled Guy rambles, flashing Taesan an easy grin despite his apparent confusion.
Taesan trails after the guy to wherever the f*ck he's leading them to, even though he didn’t want to follow him. It takes a second Taesan to notice they're headed towards the labs, which is empty of other students at this time of day. As soon as they near the entryway, Taesan crosses his arms, his irritation catching up to him.
"Now can you tell me the reason why you're asking me to be your boyfriend?" Taesan spits, his harsh words throwing the guy off a little.
"It's because of my friends. Actually, it's because of my best friend – Lee Riwoo. He said things about my love life like how I'm not getting any action and sh*t – even though it's sorta true – and is always so nosy about who I'm dating and not dating and I'm like, determined to show him that I can get someone so he can finally stop pressuring me into going on dates and stuff!” Friendly, Dimpled Guy narrates, cheeks flushed and breathless by the time he's done.
"So getting a stranger to fake-date you is the answer?" Taesan concludes, unable to believe what he’s hearing.
Friendly, Dimpled Guy nods. "I promise you it's not that bad. You only have to pretend to be my boyfriend when Riwoo and my other friends are around for like, a month, I swear – "
"But why did you ask me? You could've chosen any other person," Taesan argues, not understanding this stranger's logic at all.
"You see, my friends know a lot of people on campus, so they'd basically know I'm lying if I chose one of them. But they don't... know you. You've never spoken to any of them and you aren't exactly that... popular either. And you're like, a loner – " Friendly, Dimpled Guy halts, casting Taesan a hesitant smile.
"Okay, okay, I get it," Taesan replies, and the stranger laughs, a high-pitched, rather absurd sound. How can he laugh in a situation like this? "But what makes you think I'll agree?"
The guy stops laughing and a panicked expression shrouds his face. Taesan would laugh if he wasn't trying to perfect his RBF.
"Please, Taesan. You have to be my fake boyfriend. I don't have anyone else I can trust!"
To say that Taesan is shocked would be an understatement. This must be a fever dream, most likely induced by sleep deprivation. All he just wants is to head back to his apartment, but now he's got a guy he's never talked to in his life literally begging him to date him. "We're practically strangers, dude. I don't even know your name – "
"My name's Leehan. Kim Leehan. So please, Taesan. It'll only last a few weeks until we fake break up," this guy, Leehan, reasons, raking his fingers through his hair. They're very well taken care of. Taesan wonders if he's ever played guitar, for whatever reason.
Taesan also wants to say no. Has the tempting urge to trample all over Leehan's hope and move on with his life. He really, really wants to refuse the offer. But for some reason – maybe it's the way Leehan's now behaving like some kicked puppy with his big brown eyes, pouty lips and sh*t – Taesan finds it excruciatingly difficult to make his disapproval known. So, he sighs. Very deeply.
"Fine. Whatever."
Leehan practically engulfs Taesan in a bone-crushing hug, gushing about how exhilarated he is at Taesan's answer. Too shocked to speak and internally short-circuiting, Taesan shoves Leehan away from him because honest to god black dots are starting to taint his vision.
"Oops, sorry," Leehan says, the beaming smile on his face anything but. "Thanks, man. Also – give me your number."
"The hell would I do that?" Taesan asks, defensive.
"You look like you want to head home, and I need your number for us to communicate ." Leehan says this slowly like he's talking to an imprudent child. Taesan is stuck between wanting to die, and wanting to strangle this guy.
"Fine." Taesan forces a shrug because he is not about to show Leehan how affected he got over his words. "Alright, I guess."
They exchange numbers, and Leehan strolls away – but not before giving Taesan a huge thumbs up with that saccharine sweet grin on his face. Taesan knows he will regret this.
+
When Taesan stumbles into his apartment, he sees Jaehyun already there. Taesan didn't sign up for student lodging because he doesn't wanna deal with pesky roommates, but Jaehyun has basically become one even though he has his own roommates back at his dorm.
And boy, is Jaehyun a persistent one. Taesan doesn't know how Jaehyun convinced him into giving him the spare key, especially when the guy used the free room for his most recent one night stand. The flashbacks are the stuff of nightmares.
Taesan shoves his feet into his house slippers and contemplates whether he should tell his best friend what happened. And Jaehyun, Jaehyun is watching a show while munching on chips he stole from the pantry, that's for sure. "Hey, Jae."
"Hi, honey," Jaehyun chirps, patting the space next to him for Taesan to sit. He calls Taesan that a lot, ever since they got stuck as seatmates freshman year of high school. Taesan obeys and decides to let Jaehyun in on the insanity that took place earlier.
"Wow." Jaehyun whistles the moment Taesan is finished.
"Should I say no? Tell him to f*ck off? I have his number – "
"No! He's hot, right?" Jaehyun smirks. Taesan just rolls his eyes. Of course.
"Who cares, Jaehyun? He's some stranger that just – showed up out of nowhere and forced me to fake-date him as if I don't already have a life of my own," Taesan rants, stuffing his face with salted chips.
"What life?" Jaehyun cackles when Taesan threatens to punch him. "And, I care. You can use this opportunity to get to know this guy. And – I dunno – have a boyfriend and finally get your dick suc – "
"Nope!" Taesan hurriedly beelines for his bedroom, covering his ears before Jaehyun gets infinitely more explicit.
He resides there for a few minutes, relieved Jaehyun isn't bothering him with raunchier details. Before he gets the chance to scroll through social media and declutter his brain, his phone trills with a message.
What Leehan chose to save himself as has Taesan absolutely mortified, his heart leaping to his throat.
babe:heyyy it's me, kim leehan! be ready on monday
taesan: why.
babe: because i may or may not have already told riwoo that i'm dating this guy named han taesan and that he goes to the same college as us
babe: and riwoo may or may not have told me that he wants to meet this han taesan on monday
Taesan nearly has a heart attack for the second time.
taesan: wtf wtf
babe: sorry ^^
+
Leehan doesn't text Taesan anything else for the rest of the weekend, but Taesan isn't complaining. He doesn’t text Leehan either.
It's not like Taesan isn't keen on knowing more about this boyfriend ruse – he has no clue what's going to happen when he meets Riwoo on Monday, and it's not like Leehan had given him any pointers as to how he should act around him and his friends – but Taesan isn't one to chat, or socialize a lot.
Taesan spends his weekend playing League, catching up on his assignments and getting persuaded into hanging out with Jaehyun and his other friends. As a result he temporarily forgets all about Leehan's existence until Sunday night when he's brushing his teeth and his phone beeps, signaling a new message.
He spits out the toothpaste, slaps on his sheet mask, and checks the text, not knowing how to feel when he reads it.
babe: hi taesan :)
babe: u ready fr tmw?
Taesan should change Leehan's contact name. He also cringes at Leehan's horrendous spelling but fights the urge to correct him. He mulls over his response as he shuts the door to his room to block out Jaehyun blasting EXO's Call Me Baby at a volume high enough to shatter a billion windows.
taesan: why do i need to? i'm just pretending to be your boyfriend.
Seconds pass by without a response. And then –
babe: that's exactly why u need to be prepared !!
babe: riwoo isn't only my best friend he's like my brother and he'd call bullsh*t on this whole thing if we dont act convincing enough
It hasn't even been Taesan's first day on the job, and he already wants to hand in his resignation letter.
taesan: so what are you trying to say
babe: what im trying to say is that i'll probably have to like.. hold your hand and stuff
taesan: that's fine. but there will be NO kissing, alright? if something like that happens i'm breaking your damn jaw
babe: aggressive but okay👍🏻
taesan: did you just send me a thumbs up emoji?
babe: yepp ;) now u have to send one back
taesan: why?
babe: so i get a good night's sleep ^^ couples do this alll the time
babe: consider this practice for the boyfriend thingy duh
Taesan scoffs, finding this conversation extremely cheesy.
taesan: you're really childish
babe: idc now send one back! the law of boyfriendism demands it
Taesan can just ignore Leehan's request and call it a night, but for some reason, he finds himself scrolling through emoticons to send back to the guy.
taesan: whatever (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
babe: that's pretty cute. night taesan. sweet dreams
Taesan is clueless how, and if he should reply, so he just throws his phone aside in the end and watches his comfort show until he falls asleep.
+
Taesan wakes up early and makes it to campus on time, kind of anxious about the day and all the scenarios that could happen. He finds himself subconsciously looking around for a recognizable head of brown hair, and exhales a sigh of relief when he doesn't see Leehan anywhere.
The first half of the day ends without any hiccups. Taesan realizes it's probably because Leehan and those rowdy friends of his aren't in any of the classes he has, and honestly he feels better because of it. It's almost as if Leehan had never cornered and sprung the appalling boyfriend idea on him.
As soon as Taesan leaves his Physics class, he spots Leehan, hand combing through his shoulder-length hair and eyes surveying the halls. Before Taesan can do anything – like dash in the opposite direction – Leehan spots him, a playful grin stretching across his face as he jogs over. Taesan panics until he notices that Leehan's buddies are nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, Taesan," Leehan begins.
"Hey." It's incredibly awkward. Taesan tugs at a loose thread of his graphic tee. "Where's that friend of yours?"
"Oh, you mean Riwoo?" Leehan asks while Taesan nods, folding his arms. "We both have Economics after this, right? Riwoo also has that class. I'll introduce you two then, along with my other friends."
"Cool," Taesan answers before they start walking towards the lecture hall. He notices how antsy Leehan’s being. His hands are basically shaking and his dark eyebrows are so deeply furrowed they resemble a unibrow. "You okay there? You look terrible."
"Wow, thanks." Leehan laughs, but there’s nothing cheerful about it. "I'm f*cking nervous, dude. What if Riwoo and the others don't believe us?"
Taesan is sort of amused at how anxious Leehan is acting, ignoring the fact that he behaved the exact same way earlier that morning. "Chill. Look, it's not like you're introducing me to your parents or whatever. They’re your friends, and I'm only pretending to be your boyfriend, not asking for your hand in marriage."
Leehan purses his lips, then cracks a smile. He twirls his green hoodie's drawstrings with his finger, and bats his lashes at Taesan like a lovesick cartoon character. "Oh, look at you, caring about me. I like that."
Taesan scoffs, lightly pushing Leehan's shoulder. "You wish." Leehan's smile only widens. "Jeez, you can't stop smiling, can you?"
"Not when my boyfriend's showing how much he cares about me," Leehan sings. Taesan wants the ground to gobble him alive because he has never cringed so hard.
They soon enter the lecture hall, the place already half full with students either chatting or dozing off.
Leehan then looks around the auditorium, before waving at some guy in the distance. It’s like he and Leehan are the same person; they're grinning at each other the exact same way, giving disconcerting Cheshire cat. Taesan calculates how long it’d take for him to just sprint out of here and into the street. Less than two minutes, he’s sure.
His thought process is interrupted, however, when Leehan all of a sudden wraps his arm around his waist, and shoots him a smile that's supposed to be encouraging.
Taesan freezes at the contact, but quickly relaxes his shoulders and follows Leehan as they head closer and closer to this Riwoo guy.
Riwoo looks pretty easygoing. He's got bubblegum pink hair and Taesan has never met a mean person with bubblegum pink hair, so he feels a little less antsy about this entire situation.
"Riwoo, this is Han Taesan, my boyfriend of two weeks," Leehan introduces.
Hearing Leehan referring to him by that word, even though they're not really dating, feels super weird to Taesan. But before he can visibly show his discomfort and blab to Riwoo about how this was just a dumb lie all along, he flashes a tight smile and nods.
"Yep. Leehan and I are... dating." With that, Taesan playfully ruffles Leehan's (genuinely soft) hair and sputters out a laugh he hopes sounds more fond than exaggerated.
Riwoo watches the both of them for a moment and Taesan and Leehan tense up under his gaze, but Riwoo seems to buy it since he claps enthusiastically. "Wow, that's great. I thought Leehan was going to end up single for the rest of his life with no one but his fish as company – "
"Okay Riwoo, you can stop now," Leehan interrupts, and Taesan wants to laugh because he tends to do so a lot in highly stressful situations. When he does, Leehan looks betrayed.
"Great. Guess I'll be heading back to my seat now," Taesan starts, already easing backwards. "It was very nice to uh, meet you, Riwoo – "
"You can sit with us!" Riwoo grins, and he looks a bit sinister with those fangs he has. "I won't mind and we both know Leehan certainly won't. Besides, I want to get to know the guy who caught Leehan's eye a little better."
Taesan eyes Leehan, expecting him to give Riwoo the perfect explanation as to why he can't sit with them when Leehan all of sudden declares: "That sounds like a great idea, doesn't it, Taesan? I won't mind at all. "
Taesan can clearly see Leehan is trying his hardest not to laugh at how genuinely out of place he feels, and he really, really wants to dropkick him right now. He nods instead, glaring daggers into Leehan's admittedly nicely defined skull.
The professor soon comes in and everyone retreats to their seats. Taesan usually sits towards the back but now he's next to Riwoo with Leehan on the other side of him. He's glad Jaehyun isn't taking this course because he can just imagine the guy wiggling his eyebrows at him from the front, all the countless smoochy faces he'd make whenever they made eye contact.
During the class, Taesan unwillingly gets to know Leehan's other friends who are just as happy-go-lucky as Riwoo and intrigued by their 'relationship'. One of them is named Anton, and he's curious enough that Taesan fears he'd probably discover the truth if he spends enough time with them.
There's also this pretty, blonde girl called Belle with a bunch of piercings who honestly intimidated Taesan a bit when they first talked, but seems pretty nice.
Then there's Jungwon and Sungho who are loud as hell, always cracking jokes even when the professor's glare is a thousand times more scathing than Taesan's. They're also pretty vocal about how someone so free-spirited and unique like Leehan could bag someone so ‘chill’ and good looking. Taesan can only laugh, anxious as f*ck, but it sort of helps when Leehan gently squeezes his hand beneath their table, where no one else can see.
They're near strangers, but Leehan feels a lot more like a friend at that moment.
+
When classes end for the day, Leehan tells Taesan at the student parking lot that Riwoo wants them all to hang out at this pizza place.
"Did you perhaps contribute to Riwoo inviting me?" Taesan asks.
"No. Maybe. Yes." Leehan shrugs like he's cold, the peachy sunset illuminating his features. "You don't have anything planned, do you? And, everyone likes pizza. Plus, this will help convince my friends even more that we're dating."
"Fine," Taesan signs, dismayed he's actually agreeing to this. "Only because there's free food involved."
Leehan arches one of his eyebrows. "What makes you think you won't be paying?"
"Because I'm fake dating you, so that means you have to pay to compensate me. It's the most gentlemanly thing to do," Taesan answers. He can't help but grin too, because he knows how ridiculous he sounds.
"Wow," Leehan huffs, then grins, those alluring dimples of his making an appearance. "Can't argue with that."
+
Hanging out with Leehan and his friends spirals into total chaos.
When Leehan divulged that they were having pizza later that afternoon, Taesan didn't know it'd mean grabbing some pizza and then getting sh*t-faced at a bar on a school night. To make matters worse, Taesan has a f*cking class early tomorrow morning.
But, who's complaining, right? At least Taesan actually ate pizza. Meat lover's too, his favourite.
He'd tried convincing Leehan and his friends that drinking on a Monday night was a terrible, terrible idea, but Riwoo had just patted his shoulder and smirked, saying something along the lines of: "You aren't truly living if you don't make bad decisions in college, Han Taesan.”
Taesan isn't one for drinking a bunch. He's only twenty-one so he's just starting out, doesn't need to rush, but at least he's not a lightweight like Anton who passed out after like, one shot of tequila. As Taesan doesn't drink a lot and is more focused on the boneless wings like Belle, he has the pleasure of seeing the drunk sides of the people he got to know in such a short period of time.
Jungwon and Sungho are even louder when drunk and Taesan didn't think that it was even possible. At one point Sungho even starts some sort of soliloquy of how he doesn't know if he's in love with this guy in his engineering course because he gets all hot and cold with him. Then he bursts into tears while Riwoo yanks him into a stifling hug, swaying them both to the house music.
Riwoo is quiet and serious when drunk, clashing with his usual talkative self. He remains caring even when inebriated and is somehow in possession of tissue when Sungho sobs into his shoulder.
And then there’s Leehan. He gets exceedingly touchy as soon as he's drunk, and that is honestly the type of tipsy person Taesan can't handle. Once Leehan makes grabby hands at Taesan, rosy cheeked and bleary-eyed, and Taesan knows it's game over for him.
Taesan tries to put some distance between them, but Leehan responds by tightly hugging him from the side, puffing out his cheeks in this oddly cute way while giggling and poking Taesan's cheek. sh*t.
Belle and Riwoo laugh at his 'predicament', while Sungho cries some more because it reminds him that his chance with his crush is nonexistent. Taesan feels awkward but warm when it dawns on him that he can't exactly pry Leehan off him because he's kinda strong – and he smells a little too nice, too.
At one point, Leehan leans in, lips grazing just below Taesan's ear, and his entire face burns.
"You two lovebirds are making us look so single right now," Riwoo says, trying to wake Anton up.
Taesan's face scalds some more. It's bad enough that Leehan himself notices and laughs, slurred, his hand on Taesan's thigh firing tiny sparks of electricity up his skin.
+
Once they’re done drinking, they each hail a taxi. Since they live around the same area, Taesan ends up with Belle and a drowsy Anton who’s busy mumbling something no one else can hear.
Belle is chatty, and talks about that one time she dyed her hair bright red after the taxi driver drops Anton off. Taesan ends up revealing that he's considered dyeing his hair before but never really got around to doing it.
"You should dye it sometime, really," Belle answers, pushing her wispy, blonde bangs off her face. Her smile is encouraging. "Two toned. It'll suit you, definitely."
"Really?" Taesan asks, unsure.
"Yeah. Dyeing my hair feels f*cking awesome.Leehan, he – " Belle pauses like she's thinking hard about something, and Taesan's attention is piqued just because she mentioned Leehan. "He's always wanted to dye his hair blond, but he’s always second guessing himself. If he sees you, his boyfriend, with a totally new hair colour, he'd be pretty down to try it."
Taesan can only nod, reminded yet again that he and Leehan are just putting on a show.
"When you’re in need of a change, let me know and I'll hook you up with my hairstylist," Belle adds, none the wiser.
"Sure. Thanks."
+
When Taesan arrives at the door to his apartment, he's just about ready to hop into bed, fall asleep and not wake up for the next two hundred years.
Right then, his nosy neighbour Kim Gyuvin peeks through his own apartment door. "Hey, Taesan!"
"What?" Taesan asks, not in the mood to chat.
"My friend Sohee's here right now."
"And what does that have to do with me?"
"Just wanted to let you know since he's currently holding your friend Jaehyun hostage in the bedroom," Gyuvin smirks, and he looks downright evil. "I'd wear some noise-canceling headphones if I were you."
"Oh my god." Taesan is horrified, but for the first time in a long while, he also feels... nauseatingly single.
+
Taesan wakes up the next day with a major headache thanks to the events that took place last night. He’s regretting his life choices and he wishes for nothing more than to punch a gaping hole through the wall. But he's renting this place, so that's impossible.
It’s silent, which means Jaehyun isn't around. He must've left earlier after desecrating the sanctity of the spare bedroom with Sohee. Taesan really doesn't want to think about it.
Taesan manages to get to his first class, Art History, on time, and he registers that he also shares this class with Leehan. Sure enough, he spots the guy with his head buried on the table, his long hair everywhere. His friends are in much better shape, laughing about something.
Taesan wonders if he should go talk to them. He doesn't have to decide, however, because Sungho recognizes him and waves him over.
Leehan slowly sits upright, blinking at him all prettily, and before Taesan can chastise himself for the absurd thought, Leehan flashes him a brief, sleepy smile. Taesan returns it before he's fully aware of what he's doing.
"Where are Belle and Jungwon?" Taesan asks as soon as he’s next to them.
"Belle doesn't take this elective and Jungwon basically didn't want to get up," Anton answers while typing on his phone, chewing some gum.
"Almost didn't get up too," Taesan confesses, grabbing the seat beside Leehan. He doesn't even have to think about it. "We shouldn't have gone to that bar yesterday."
"Yeah, we probably shouldn't have – but oh well," Riwoo shrugs, setting up his things. He looks the most unscathed out of everyone. "Also, Anton is such a lightweight – "
"Am not!" the aforementioned male exclaims, voice the loudest Taesan has ever heard it, but Riwoo just keeps going.
"– And Leehan was all over Taesan and it basically like, scarred Sungho."
Leehan and Taesan stiffen at the same time.
"Wait, what?" Leehan blinks.
"Yeah. You were pretty... affectionate with me last night," Taesan starts slowly. Leehan's round eyes widen and Sungho snorts, sounding like a hyena on laughing gas.
"Oh my god," Leehan exclaims all of a sudden. "Did we have sex at the bar?"
Taesan thanks whatever god up there he isn't drinking anything because he knows he would have spit it out right there and then. This doesn't stop him from sputtering on literal air though.
Sungho's laugh gets even louder. Even Anton joins in, adding to this already insane situation. Riwoo pats Taesan's back as he tries to breathe like a normal person again. He soon regains his composure.
"No, baby. We did not have sex at the bar," Taesan tells Leehan. It's hard to look him right in the eye. He's pretty sure his face rivals a stop sign too. "We don't do that in public."
"Ooh," Sungho smirks, all cat-like. "Tell me more."
"No way in hell we're telling you guys about our sex life," Leehan says, knee bumping against Taesan's. "That's like – private info."
"Yeah," Taesan chokes out, tight-lipped. Okay, he's not a virgin, let's be clear, but he just met these guys yesterday and they're more than likely imagining him and Leehan (who are not boyfriends, mind you) in less than innocent positions. That’s more than enough to leave even the most gregarious person in shambles.
"And uh, sorry about that, Taesan – For last night and today," Leehan mutters. Pink blooms over his cheeks as soon as he settles his head on Taesan's shoulder, thick lashes perfectly curled from this angle. Taesan knows they aren't really dating, but Leehan seems a little too natural doing this, like he's gotten shy and decided to lean on his boyfriend for support.
And Taesan... he doesn't mind it as much as he thought he would.
+
Taesan ends up spending the next two weeks hanging out with Leehan and his friends whenever they share classes, and he has to admit he doesn’t mind their company. He's got nothing that Friday, so has plans to spend it at home and catch up on the sleep he's been missing for a while now.
The apartment is quiet due to Jaehyun actually staying over at his dorm for once (though that might be because he wants some alone time with a certain Sohee), and Taesan plans on making the most of this opportunity.
It's bright out, with February slowly coming to an end, and Taesan is under the covers, trying to fall asleep. His attempts fail, however, because he starts thinking about what Leehan and his friends are doing. And he can't stop. So instead of sleeping, Taesan glares at his ceiling, irritated and distraught.
Taesan groans and punches his pillow like a temperamental teenager. Because why the f*ck, is he thinking about Leehan when he's supposed to be resting?
To make matters worse, Taesan's phone pings with a new message on the bedside table. Taesan snatches it at the speed of light, his heart hammering away in his chest when he sees that it's from Leehan.
babe: do u wanna hang out?? got no class this morning
Taesan really, really needs to change Leehan's contact name.
taesan: are your friends going to be there?
babe: nope :p
babe: why'd u ask??
taesan: because they're the reason i have to act like your boyfriend
babe: arent u already ;)
Taesan, honest to god, feels his heart do a thing.
taesan: youre seriously flirting with me right now
babe: maybe ;)
taesan: if i block you in the future don't be mad
babe: lol rude
babe: so do you wanna hang out or not? i'll pick u up
babe: pls say yes
taesan: fine. i'll text you my address.
babe: didn't think you'd agree so easily lmao
taesan: i'm bored af and i can't sleep. might as well go out with you
babe: on a date, huh ;)
babe: tae?
babe: are u there??
babe: can't believe youre leaving me on read damn :'(
+
Despite leaving Leehan hanging for a few minutes, Taesan eventually texts the guy his address and waits for him to arrive.
Taesan showers, then looks for something appropriate to wear. He settles on a bomber jacket over a grey Nirvana tee and black, ripped jeans. After spraying on some cologne, he ties his combat boots, and can't help but feel like he and Leehan are actually going out on a date.
Taesan then thinks about Jaehyun and knows his friend would absolutelyfreak out if he saw Taesan – stoic, aloof Taesan – like this. He can just imagine Jaehyun saying something along the lines of "baby's first date", but not without squishing Taesan's cheeks just to drive his point home.
Safe to say, Taesan is relieved Jaehyun isn't around right now. He doesn't know what he would've done if Jaehyun and Leehan met, how he'd react if Jaehyun ended up revealing something totally embarrassing about him to Leehan.
Eventually, Leehan materializes in front of the door. Taesan doesn't come out immediately, and chooses to observe Leehan through the peephole, internally psyching himself up for this.
It doesn't help, though, that Leehan's mint green cardigan makes the faint pink on his cheeks stand out. He's even got a pair of rounded specs on, and he looks – good. Really good.
Before Leehan starts thinking he got stood up or something, Taesan opens the door.
"Hi," he exhales.
"Hey." Leehan's eyes rake down his body. f*ck. Why does it look like he's checking Taesan out? "You look great."
"Uh, thanks." Taesan clears his throat, his ears on fire. "You um, look great too."
Leehan grins in response. "Thanks." He holds out his hand, and Taesan takes it without much thought. "Why does this feel like a date?"
"In your dreams," Taesan rolls his eyes. Leehan squeezes his hand and Taesan's finding it harder to be bothered, even though he usually despises all forms of physical contact.
They eventually make it to Leehan's sedan – that is also green – and Leehan takes out his car keys, the keychain a tiny, glittery alien. He then pulls open the door to the passenger side. "Ladies first,” he says, voice dripping with Busan dialect.
Taesan glares at him, trying very hard not to focus on how husky Leehan’s voice got for a second there. "You think you're so funny, huh."
Leehan winks. "Very."
Leehan eventually pulls the car into the road, and there's silence for while, only rivaled by the upbeat kpop track blasting from the radio. Taesan watches as Leehan badly lip syncs the lyrics, and – it takes a lot to get Taesan amused, but the small smile playing on his lips right then is realer than anything else.
They watch each other, and Taesan hates that he notices how much Leehan's doe eyes sparkle.
Leehan grins at him, broad and captivating, the wind in his hair, and Taesan's heart does some kind of somersault in his chest. sh*t. He might need a cigarette or two if this continues.
Before he does something he regrets – like those rom-com protagonists do after kissing their love interests out of the blue – Taesan clears his throat, turns away and squiggles hearts over the foggy window.
"Taesan?" Leehan asks, glimpsing him again before focusing on the highway. "Is everything alright – "
"Why did you want to hang out with me?" Taesan questions, letting out the thought that's been bothering him all this while.
"Because, well, I want to. I feel like this whole 'fake boyfriend' ruse has made things a little awkward, and I want us to be more comfortable with each other. Plus, you seem like a great guy. I'd like to be your friend," Leehan replies.
"Oh." Taesan swallows, not really knowing how to respond to that. Curse his almost nonexistent social skills. "Well, thanks – I guess. You seem like a great guy too. For going through all this trouble just for us to hang out."
"Trust me, it's no trouble at all," Leehan chuckles. "I'm doing this because I really like you."
Taesan stiffens, wondering what Leehan meant by that. But Leehan doesn't elaborate, and Taesan isn't in the mood to ask, either.
You're afraid he's gonna say he just thinks of you two as friends, the horrid voice in Taesan's head snickers. If it were a person it'd have a long, diabolical mustache that it twirls every two seconds.
And, Taesan doesn't want to listen to it, but it does have a point. They just started talking – and they're not real boyfriends, either. So it should be normal that Leehan thinks of them as friends, nothing more.
Taesan can't get Leehan's shimmering eyes out of his goddamn mind, though.
Their 'not-date' destination is revealed to be a restaurant cradled beside a few gigantic mountains. There are a handful of other people around, the scenery enthralling and the open air refreshing. Taesan is suddenly reminded of all the camping trips he took with his dad as a kid.
"This is nice," he says, facing Leehan who's also looking at him. "I went somewhere like this when I was younger with my dad."
"That's amazing," Leehan smiles, and for some reason Taesan rubs the back of his neck, shy. "I've been here before a couple times – They serve great food. Plus, I thought this place would suit you."
Taesan’s mind blanks. "Why?"
"'Cause your name's Taesan," Leehan says, poking his chest. "Duh."
"Wow," Taesan scoffs, but can't do anything else because Leehan looks adorable right now, being his normal, cheery self. Why Taesan’s choosing to focus on this, he has no clue.
"Do your friends also know about this place?" Taesan asks once they climb up the steps to sit where they'd be able to see the blurry cityscape below.
"Well, about that... Only you know," Leehan confesses. Now he's the one scratching his neck.
"Oh. That makes me feel pretty special," Taesan tells him. He doesn't know if it's the adrenaline rush he has from being this high up, surrounded by nature – or if it's the sight of Leehan observing him with those pretty brown eyes of his, the sunlight slanting down on him flawlessly from the open windows – but Taesan decides right then to crack a joke. Break the ice. "You're so boyfriend material, I could kiss you."
When Leehan's eyes flash with surprise, a dimpled, flirty smirk soon tugging at the corners of his lips, Taesan grasps that he should really work on his jokes. Because why has the air gotten so charged all of a sudden? "Are you flirting with me right now, Han Taesan?"
"Um," Taesan clears his throat, rubs his nose, and Leehan's smirk gets more confident. "It was – It was meant to be a joke."
"Really." Leehan's leg brushes his under their table, and – good god, Leehan has pretty much gotten the hang of this boyfriend thing, huh.
A waiter arrives at that moment, notepad in hand to take their orders. Taesan avoids Leehan's gaze all throughout, and Leehan just snickers, having the time of his life.
Taesan feels like he's eighteen again and meeting the stern parents of this girl he'd been dating for the first time, sweating bullets in the tight dress shirt he'd (stupidly) decided to wear. Safe to say, that date ended horribly. But, they aren't meeting Leehan's parents today, so Taesan has no idea why he's being so jumpy.
Wait. They aren't meeting Leehan's parents, right?
Leehan must've noticed how Taesan hasn't said a single word the entire time they wait for their food, so he rambles about anything and everything to get rid of the unpleasant silence. And, Taesan is thankful. He learns more about Leehan's fish tank, and how he apparently resembles the Blue Tang fish species because they’re super playful, and fall asleep in unusual places.
"Wait – You think I'm Dory?" Taesan can't help but comment right then, purposefully pulling the most incredulous expression he can muster.
Leehan laughs behind his palm, eyes crinkled in delight and they still f*cking sparkle. Taesan likes seeing them. "I mean, yeah. But you're cuter than Dory, though. Way cuter."
A heated flush creeps up Taesan's neck. He looks down, way too nervous. And when he braves a look Leehan's way, his heart skips a beat, because Leehan hasn't stopped watching him. "Really?"
Leehan abruptly moves closer, pushes his glasses up his nose bridge and holds up his index finger. "Well, actually – "
Taesan laughs the hardest he's ever laughed in his twenty-one years of living. Leehan quickly joins in, and soon enough they're giggling into each other, mere inches between them. "Oh my god."
"Had to break the tension somehow," Leehan grins, biting his lip.
What do you mean? Taesan wants to ask, but their food gets served, and they become silent for a moment as they dig into their portions.
The steamed dumplings are incredible, and Taesan takes the time to admire the mountains cloaked by the misty clouds while he eats.
"Taesan," Leehan begins after taking a bite of his potato pancakes, easily attracting Taesan's attention. He then leans forward, chopsticks placed beside his plate. Once again, their faces are close enough that Taesan could count Leehan's eyelashes if he really wanted to. "I have something I need to say."
Leehan looks serious, and Taesan doesn't know what to make of it, so he nods. "Ever since we met, I've felt this... connection between us. I asked myself everyday what it meant, but now I know." Leehan takes Taesan's hand and rests it right over his thumping heart, and Taesan gulps, the lump in his throat like ice. "I feel like – like I'm in love with you, Han Taesan. Don’t you feel the same way?"
"W-what?" Taesan sputters, his pulse racing. Leehan's stoic façade shatters the second he starts to laugh, nearly toppling off his chair. "Leehan."
Leehan wheezes like Taesan's reaction is the most hilarious thing he's ever witnessed. Which kind of annoys Taesan because well, he doesn't find any of it funny. "Oh my god. You should have seen your face."
"It wasn’t funny," Taesan deadpans.
"It kinda was."
"It kinda wasn't."
Leehan smirks, but his laughter dies down the second Taesan graces him with his signature scorching glare. "Alright, fine. It wasn't funny. But I wanted to make things less weird between us and it worked, right?"
Actually, Taesan feels a million times weirder, but admitting that would mean facing feelings he's not quite ready for. So he decides to steer the topic into another direction. "What kind of logic is that?"
"Kim Leehan's logic."
"You have got to be kidding me."
"I'm not kidding."
Taesan crosses his arms. "You're paying because I'm pissed."
Leehan sinks into his chair, still irritatingly smug. His eyes keep twinkling too, which is so unfair because everytime they do Taesan can't look away. "I was already going to."
"You're so – I don't even know."
"But I'm cute, right?"
Taesan exhales deeply.
Leehan takes another bite of his potato pancakes. "You didn't answer, so I am cute!"
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
"Nope."
"You think I'm so gorgeous," Leehan adds.
Taesan rolls his eyes, but he's the farthest from annoyed right now. This is so dumb, but he's… he's having fun.
"Yes! Knew it," Leehan cheers, doing a little dance. Taesan can't even be mad; Leehan is cute.
"Do you want to get punched?" Taesan playfully kicks Leehan's leg to show he's serious.
"If it gets me one step closer to your heart."
"You are so weird."
"Just being a good boyfriend," Leehan says.
Right. Taesan's mood plummets at that. He totally forgot that they're just pretending.
+
"So, how did you and Leehan meet?"
Taesan tenses up in his chair at the question, avoiding Riwoo's prying eyes. He should've stayed home instead of heading to the school library that afternoon, but he’s got an assignment due tomorrow that he hasn’t finished yet since he's nothing if not a notorious procrastinator.
Riwoo had sauntered into the library a few minutes after Taesan sat down, which was sort of surprising considering Riwoo seemed like the type to be allergic to libraries. And before Taesan could hide his face with his backpack and sprint the other direction, Riwoo had noticed him and hurried over.
Which brings them to this very moment, with Taesan being a literal mess and Riwoo beaming right at him, eyes a little too inquisitive, just like always.
"What?" Taesan blinks.
"How did you and your boyfriend meet, Taesan?" Riwoo asks again, stressing the 'boyfriend' part, and Taesan fears Riwoo’s figured out that it's all been a lie. It's also been over a month now, but Leehan had never once discussed this part with Taesan.
Taesan wracks his brain for a good enough answer. "We met at Everland."
It's lame as f*ck, but the more banal it is, the less suspicion it attracts. At least, that's what Taesan hopes.
"You met at Everland." Riwoo's pink brows furrow in thought. Taesan uses that moment to subtly text his supposed boyfriend under the table who really should've communicated this with him earlier.
taesan: leehan riwoo just asked me how we met and i told him it was at everland
Leehan replies not too long after. Taesan thanks the heavens that his phone is on vibrate.
babe: ok. that doesn't sound too interesting, but whatever
Is he serious.
babe: oh! say you accidentally spilled your drink on me!
taesan: why tf would i say that?
babe: because i was so hot i took ur breath away, duh!!
Taesan can feel a headache coming in.
taesan: why don't you come and say that yourself?
babe: i'm working rn
This surprises Taesan, even though it shouldn't. They aren't a thing, so he has no right to feel bugged that Leehan never told him that he worked in his spare time.
taesan: then why are you texting me?
babe: i dont want our cover to be blown!! plus i care
babe: i care a lot about you
Warmth floods Taesan's chest.
babe: taesan?
taesan: yeah riwoo's starting to remember i’m there so i have to stop texting you rn bye.
babe: don't forget to add what i suggested! cause riwoo's a sucker for that ‘love at first sight’ kinda stuff
babe: alright bye baby ^^
Okay, Leehan absolutely needs to stop doing this, because everytime he does, it takes a little longer for Taesan to remember they're faking it all.
Taesan switches off his phone and faces Riwoo, who's staring at him with this look in his eye. Taesan feels like he's doing an interview he never signed up for. "We started talking 'cause Leehan accidentally spilled his drink on me."
Riwoo chortles and Taesan is relieved. "That does sound like something Leehan would do."
"He spilled his drink on me 'cause he got stunned by how hot I looked," Taesan continues, getting into it. He even chuckles a bit like he's recalling a fond memory. "Tripped and fell straight into my arms too. Knew he was the one right then."
"Hannie is so getting teased for this. And Sungho and Jungwon now owe me like, twenty won each, so thanks for that," Riwoo grins. Before Taesan can ruminate on the fact that the guy bet on him, Riwoo leaps to his feet and grabs his bag. "I'm happy you guys are dating."
"Really?" Taesan asks, taken aback.
"Yep. Leehan's been alone for a while,” Riwoo reveals. “Never really vibed enough with anyone to date them, so I was kind of worried he'd feel lonely ‘cause we’ve all dated other people at some point. I'm glad he’s got someone like you to cheer him up. He's like, way happier around us now."
Taesan has no idea how to respond, his conscience troubling him, and Riwoo pats his shoulder.
"Thank you,” he says, sincere.
Taesan feels guilty. All of a sudden, he wishes he and Leehan weren’t entangled in a lie.
+
With Riwoo's help, Taesan makes his way into the coffee shop Leehan works at after handing in his assignment later that afternoon. He's been there in the past, the place a popular spot for several college students.
Taesan sits at a table and looks for Leehan, spotting him in no time since he's the only guy there with long, luscious hair.
Leehan's talking to a customer, wearing this cute pastel blue uniform. His smile is charismatic, and it's clear he's a natural at this. Taesan’s heart flutters like crazy.
He only realizes he's outright staring when Leehan glances his way, eyes lit up in surprise. But then Leehan waves him over, and Taesan is in front of him in under five seconds.
With Leehan's eyes on him like this, Taesan gets a bit self conscious. Their close proximity has Taesan's face flaring with heat.
"Hey, Leehan," Taesan greets.
"Hi, Taesan." Leehan wipes down the countertop. "What're you doing here?"
"What, you don't want me to be here?" Taesan asks – teases almost – and Leehan punches his shoulder, playful. The brief contact sends Taesan's thoughts spiraling.
"Of course I do. Also, you gotta order something."
"Fine, if you insist." Taesan orders a latte, then grabs the closest seat. He proceeds to spend the entire time watching Leehan work on his order, and discovers that a) Leehan looks amazing when he gets all meticulous about something, and b) he's got some incrediblynice forearms.
Leehan catches him staring at one point and Taesan's eyes immediately dart elsewhere, cheeks like molten lava at the sound of Leehan's amused laughter.
When Taesan finally gets his latte and takes a sip, he observes the group of girls now talking to Leehan.
Something hot and heavy singes his chest right then, and Taesan doesn't like it. He feels possessive, wants to walk up to those girls and show them that Leehan's taken. But – he and Leehan aren't together.
The purple haired girl from the trio whispers something to Leehan while grinning, but her smile drops at Leehan's reply. As soon as the girls grab their orders, they leave the shop.
Taesan gets curious, and decides to wait for Leehan to finish his shift. 'Boyfriend' duties, he tells himself, but he knows deep down that this is of his own volition.
Taesan isn't romantic. Numbers make more sense to him and he's terrible at dealing with emotions, but walking Leehan home tonight doesn't sound too bad.
Once Leehan is done and has changed into his streetwear, he meets with Taesan up front. It's obvious he's a little startled to see Taesan still around.
"Hey," Taesan smiles, grabbing his bag.
"Hey." For the first time ever, Leehan appears shy. The setting sun seeps into the silent coffee shop, turning Leehan's hair golden. "You didn't need to wait."
"I'm your boyfriend, aren't I?" Taesan replies.
"Oh." Leehan shrugs, eyes on the floor. "Yeah, you are."
Taesan clears his throat. He isn't used to Leehan being so quiet.
"Let's go," Leehan tells him, adjusting his rucksack, and walks past Taesan and out the door before Taesan can conjure up a response.
It's odd, this atmosphere. Taesan doesn’t like it.
"Are you okay?" he decides to ask.
"Yeah." Leehan smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Let me drive you home. As a thank you for waiting for me."
Taesan feels like Leehan isn't telling him the whole truth, but he nods anyway. "Alright."
It isn't long after they enter Leehan's car and he begins to drive that Taesan starts talking, uncomfortable with how suffocating everything feels.
"I was wondering..."
Leehan indicates, and changes lanes. They're nearing Taesan's apartment complex. "Wondering what?"
"That girl that talked to you during your shift, the one with the purple hair – " Taesan has no clue why he's bringing this up. "You, um, said something to her – "
"Told her I wasn't interested," Leehan reveals.
"Oh." Taesan notices Leehan watching him from the corner of his eye.
"Why’d you ask?"
Taesan picks at his nails. They're all bitten to the quick – a consequence of how anxious he gets at times – unlike Leehan's. "Dunno. Guess I was just... curious."
"Curious?" If Taesan didn't know any better, he'd have assumed Leehan seemed kind of annoyed that he said that.
But, he isn't, right?
Leehan parks the car, and for a moment there's silence so thick you could cut into it with a butter knife.
Leehan's the first to break it with a sigh. "Listen, Taesan. I gotta tell you something."
Taesan faces him, and almost immediately regrets it because Leehan is much closer than before, his cologne and body heat electrifying. Taesan can do nothing but focus on Leehan’s face; the cut of his jawline, the sensual curve of his lips, his dark, pretty eyes.
Taesan swallows thickly, and swallows some more when Leehan's eyes unabashedly chase after his Adam's apple.
"God, this is like – so cliche. The cliche of all cliches, but – " Leehan huffs, a strangled, frustrated sound. "I think I... like you, Han Taesan. I think I've fallen for you."
Oh my god.
Taesan doesn't say a word for the first ten seconds, his emotions in utter and complete disarray.
Leehan's expression darkens, hands nervously toying with his hoodie's zipper. "Sorry. f*ck, this was so stupid of me. Forget I said anything – "
"Wait." Taesan clears his throat. "You like me?"
Leehan gets so frozen Taesan would've feared he turned into a statue if not for his steady, shallow exhales. "...Yeah, I do."
"You like me."
"Yes, I like you, Taesan." Leehan now sounds exasperated, which tells Taesan he's literally not kidding. "I like you so much – which means I want to hold your hand and f*cking – make out with you and sh*t – "
Taesan holds Leehan's face and kisses him right then, stealing his breath away. It's a little uncomfortable at first, the seat belt digging into his skin and their teeth knocking briefly, but he honestly doesn't care.
Leehan sharply inhales, a gentle, precious sound, and then he's diving in, body pressed right up against Taesan's. Leehan kisses him like he's wanted this for so long, lips supple and melding against his just right, and Taesan feels like he might be in heaven when Leehan's tongue slips into his mouth.
Inhibitions let loose, Taesan unbuckles his seat belt and pulls Leehan even closer, fingers tangled in his hair while Leehan's hands explore below his shirt.
Taesan can't help but moan when Leehan climbs onto his lap, planting open-mouthed kisses along his jaw and neck. It's a tight fit with them still being inside the car, elbows and hands bumping into the door handle and window and Leehan’s body feverishly warm, but Taesan doesn’t mind. Not with how hot Leehan looks right now.
Leehan's phone rings all of a sudden, and while that usually wouldn't be enough to disrupt a heated make out session, Girls Generation's Gee is the worst song ever for this type of situation.
"Really?" Taesan snorts, the most winded he's ever been.
"Shut up." Leehan sounds just as breathless, lips reddened and kiss-swollen. He checks his phone, then puts it away. "It's my mom, most likely asking if I've finished the kimchi she made me again."
Taesan smiles, despite himself. "That's... kinda cute, actually."
Leehan shrugs, his hands on Taesan once more. This time around, they linger on his thighs, close to his groin.
"When – when did you start liking me?" Taesan asks, even though it's not the time. But he's curious. So curious.
Leehan runs his hand through Taesan's shaggy hair. "When we went on that date."
"You mean the not-date," Taesan clarifies, giggling when Leehan punches his arm. Then they're holding hands, and Taesan doesn't want to let go.
"Date, not-date – whatever. Anyway, I thought you looked really attractive right then, in that outfit you wore. I mean, I thought you looked handsome the first time we ever talked, but it hit me a lot harder at that restaurant," Leehan adds. "So that fake confession… wasn't all that fake.” He grins, and Taesan blushes for the nth time.
"I think..." Taesan bites his lip. "I think I might've liked you earlier than that. When we drank together."
"Way to one-up me," Leehan beams.
Taesan laughs, observing their intertwined fingers. He clears his throat, looking Leehan in the eye. "I like you, Kim Leehan. And not in a fake way."
Leehan smirks, and god, he's so handsome. "Can't believe you just quoted 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before’."
"I didn't, I swear," Taesan hurries to defend himself. "I haven't even seen it."
Leehan gasps like Taesan just kicked his dog or something. "No way. We are so watching it one day – The first movie is everything."
Taesan smiles, endeared. Is this what love feels like? "We could uh, watch it right now, if you want. At my place."
"Sure." Leehan's eyes are hooded, something less than innocent blatant in them. Taesan knows exactly what it means.
They make it out of the car and into the elevator, hands entwined and lips everywhere. It's f*cking freezing in Taesan's apartment, but they more than make up for it as soon as they stumble into his bedroom, Leehan pulling him into a steamy embrace.
Yeah, they might not have seen the movie that night, but they did something much more rewarding.
+
When morning arrives, silvery sunbeams tipping past the blinds, Taesan is on cloud nine, giddy from what took place the other night. He wakes up to Leehan's gorgeous face, his bare skin glowing and crowded with love bites.
Taesan's heart races like he just ran a marathon at the way Leehan looks in his oversized band t-shirt while they brush their teeth, Leehan using the spare toothbrush because Taesan plans on having him over more often.
Leehan catches his stare through the mirror, and smiles, raking his fingers through his hair. "What?"
Taesan shakes his head. "Do you play guitar?"
Leehan's brows knit together, clearly puzzled. "Uh, sometimes. Why'd you ask?"
Yes. "No reason," Taesan answers, thrilled. The image of Leehan serenading him with a guitar infiltrates his mind and – maybe Taesan is more romantic than he'd thought.
Leehan hugs him tight in the kitchen after they've both showered and gotten dressed. Not together, but they have all the time in the world. He radiates so much warmth, smelling of Taesan's shampoo, mint toothpaste and him. Taesan halts making breakfast to look Leehan in the eye, and sees adoration there.
Leehan cups his cheek, starry-eyed and vulnerable, and Taesan understands that this is a side of him he's never shown anyone else.
Taesan is going to keep Leehan close to his heart, make him smile for as long as he lets him.
"Do you want to be my boyfriend?" Leehan asks right then. “For real this time.”
"I'd love to.” Taesan leans forward, and grins when Leehan seals his lips with his.
