Something About Us
Title: Something About Us
Pairing: broken!2Jun, DooSeob
Rating: PG-13
Status: 1/3
Summary: Falling in love always seemed easier than falling out of it. With a break up, comes a new start, but will it last?
Author's Notes: AU; It's been like forever since I last posted something so, I just wanted to get something out. Part One out of something that may be much much longer. I've started so many chaptered fics but because I'm so.... lazy to continue (or rather I lack inspiration) I never post them up because well, the story would be left hanging. ANYWAY, Comments are appreciated! ♥
- - - - -
“I think I’m going to quit…”
“Quit? Why are you thinking about something like that? What for?” Junhyung removed the cup of coke away from his lips and placed it on the counter. He turned to look at Doojoon, eyes searching the older man’s face for a reason.
“I just don’t feel like there’s a point anymore; continuing to work here that is.”
“No point? What about that major project you just finished? Or the managerial position that you were after?”
“Stop it. Junhyung, stop it.” Doojoon sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “You know that things like that aren’t important to me. Achievements… I can obtain them anywhere.”
“What are you saying? That you’d be able to be successful in any field you want? Yoon Doojoon, do you really think you’re that good? You’re the one who should stop it. Stop thinking of yourself so highly.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“I…”
“You were going to throw away more than a year’s worth of hard work for nothing. Our hard work.”
“So that’s what you’re getting at. You don’t want your position in the company to be jeopardized over my leaving. You just won’t change will you?”
“Yeah, and so what? I care about my future and my life.”
“Look, I only came here today to hand in my resignation and to inform you. Since you already know, I think I’m done here.” Doojoon started to walk out the pantry but was stopped. Junhyung tightened his grip on Doojoon’s wrist and glared into the other’s eyes.
“I know you think I’m selfish but honestly, I actually do care for you, even if we’re not together anymore. Doojoon, are you sure you’ve thought this through? You’ve always been one to act on your emotions. Rashness is one of your flaws.”
Doojoon shook Junhyung’s hand away. Straining to control his voice he said, “I’ve thought about this long enough. I’ve thought about it ever since we broke up. I think it’s for the best.”
“I think you’re putting too much emotion into this. Why can’t you stay in the office until you find yourself another job?”
“I’d rather not. I don’t think I’m able to do it, Junhyung. I can’t work while looking at you sitting opposite me. If my problem’s being too emotional, then yours is that you never seem to give a damn.”
Taken aback, Junhyung hesitated. “Fine, if I accept that you’re leaving, can we at least still stay friends?”
Grief flickered in Doojoon’s eyes. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes. “Jaesoon ah, promise me you’ll take care of yourself alright?” Upon opening his eyes, Doojoon walked away.
Junhyung stood in the office pantry, blankly watching the man he once loved walk away. Damn it. He hated how useless he felt right then. Maybe he should never have ended things with Doojoon. It was only a month until Christmas after all, a time that was near sacred to the older guy. After all the pain he had caused to Doojoon, he didn’t want to be ruining the guy’s favorite holiday season too. Downing his coke, Junhyung tossed his paper cup into the wastebasket and shuffled back to his cubicle.
Just four more hours until he could go home, he thought to himself. Pulling out his chair, Junhyung noticed a piece of paper flutter onto the seat. He picked it up and sat down.
Junhyung ah, I can’t say that leaving had nothing to do with you. Then again, didn’t you always know that the reason I joined this company was because of you? I never had much interest in this business. I’m going to take a break now, and then maybe I’ll start something by myself. What do you think of a café?
Oh right, you don’t like coffee…
What am I saying? This was supposed to be short. Junhyung, when I walk out the front door of this building, I’m not going to look back. Honestly, I don’t think we can be friends. However, I don’t regret loving you. I’ll remember our time together as a happy one, so you do the same okay? Goodbye.
Yoon Doojoon
Junhyung bit down on his lower lip. Tears brimmed in his eyes. Clenching his first around the paper note, Junhyung stood up and walked to the window overlooking the street outside. At the corner a few blocks away, he saw a familiar figure waiting at the traffic light. “I don’t regret loving you either…” he whispered. Junhyung lifted his right arm and used his sleeve to wipe the tears on his face. He stood there for awhile before slowly returning to his seat. He couldn’t wait to get off work. All he wanted right now was a hot bath and drinks.
-
The morning sun entered the otherwise dark room and the person inside stirred. Wincing he groaned and reprimanded himself for forgetting to close the curtain the previous night. He sat up and looked at his shirt next to him. He must have took it off while half asleep. Suddenly, the door to his room opened and in stepped a younger brown haired man.
“Hyung, you’re awake!”
“Mm?” Still groggy, Doojoon scratched his head, obviously confused at the spectacle before him. “W-who’re you and what are we doing?”
“Ah,” nodded the stranger knowingly, “the aftereffects of the fever must have gotten to you.” The man was holding onto a small pail and had a towel slung over his right shoulder. He walked towards Doojoon and sat down. “I’m Yoseob, how could you forget me?”
Doojoon scrunched his face and thought hard. Who was Yoseob? Then it hit him. Oh right, the kid who he was reunited with a while ago; the kid who was also his working partner. Speaking of which, he probably fell asleep before reading through the final budget plan for the café! Doojoon began to look around his room, searching for his unfinished work when Yoseob stopped him.
“Hyung, what are you doing? Don’t you dare think of working at this point in time! It’s precisely because you overworked yourself that you came down with a fever. Do you know how surprised I was when I came here earlier this morning? You were passed out on your futon, sweating furiously despite the freezing weather.”
Something inside Doojoon clicked and he looked up at the guy in front of him. “Oh, so you were the one who took off my shirt. Here I was wondering if I had gone insane, stripping in the middle of winter.”
Yoseob rolled his eyes. “Of course it was me. I even wiped away your sweat with this towel.” The brunette removed said towel from his shoulder and threw it at Doojoon, sticking out his tongue. “Wait here while I go grab something for you to wear.” Scampering off, he threw Doojoon a warning, “Don’t you leave your bed, Mr. Sick Person!”
Doojoon smiled. A week after leaving the company, he had met this kid at a bookshop. Despite being friends since their high school days, they had not seen each other in a very long time. Many things had changed between the two, but it was a relief that they still got along and that their chemistry had remained strong over the years. Both were taking a break from office work and it wasn’t long before Doojoon convinced Yoseob to take part in his café project. Everything was running smoothly and renovation was due to start after the New Year.
Yoseob returned to the room and tossed Doojoon a white shirt. After seeing Doojoon put the clean shirt on, Yoseob tip toed in front of the older man and cupped Doojoon’s face. He then proceeded to lean forward until their foreheads touched. Surprised by this action, Doojoon flushed and his face began to burn up.
“W-what are you doing?”
Frowning, Yoseob let go. “This is no good. You still have a fever so lie down.” Yoseob flipped the futon over and patted it, motioning for Doojoon to come over. As he was feeling a little strange, Doojoon nodded and obediently lay down. The younger man then dipped the towel into the pail of water he had brought earlier and proceeded to wring it out. He placed the folded towel on Doojoon’s forehead and instructed the man not to do anything for the rest of the day.
“You’re job is to rest, sleep and get well soon. I’ll finish the work on the café. When lunch’s ready, I’ll call you okay?” Yoseob stroked Doojoon’s hair and watched as his friend shut his eyes and once again drifted off to dreamland. “Aigoo, this man’s like a kid when it comes to taking care of himself; he’s so clueless about his body’s limit.” Smiling, Yoseob started to pick up the loose paperwork scattered on the room’s floor. In order for Doojoon to get the rest he much needed, Yoseob decided that he would take charge and finish all the work that needed to be done.
-
“Doojoon ah, wake up and eat something,” As Doojoon regained conscious, the first thing he noticed was Yoseob’s face right above his.
“Good, you’re awake. Wait, don’t move!” Yoseob put his forehead to Doojoon’s and hesitated. This time, Doojoon wasn’t as startled, choosing to just close his eyes and wait it out.
Standing up, Yoseob grinned, “I think your fever subsided! Just to make sure, eat some medicine after lunch okay?”
“Okay, what’s for lunch?”
“Eh,” Yoseob gulped sheepishly, “I accidentally screwed up the porridge I made so we’re eating the Jajangmyeon from that shop downstairs.”
Doojoon laughed and patted the younger man’s head. “That’s okay, I like those noodles.”
After lunch, Yoseob forced medication down Doojoon’s throat and drove him into his room, declaring that even if his fever was gone, Doojoon was nowhere fit for work. With that, Doojoon resigned to Yoseob’s will whilst Yoseob himself proceeded to continue working on the computer.
The clock ticked as the minutes slowly went by. It was getting hard to focus on the computer screen. Yoseob’s eyes were tired and he kept making typos. Frustrated, he pushed the keyboard away and slumped onto the desk. Head on his arms, Yoseob fell asleep. The afternoon breeze blew in through the open window, causing the windows to billow. Quietly, the sun set with neither of the two stirring from their sleep.
“Mm… That was a good dream,” It was at a little after 8pm that Doojoon finally woke up. He walked out of the room and looked for Yoseob. Just then, a gust of cold wind entered the still open window. Shivering, the man grabbed a grey cardigan lying on the couch and pulled it on. He then proceeded to close the window. As he turned around, he spotted Yoseob, who was still asleep at the computer table.
“Aish, this child. He’ll be the next one to catch a cold, sleeping on the desk with the window wide open during winter.” Doojoon tried to pick up the younger man unsuccessfully and ended up waking Yoseob up in the process.
“Doojoon?” Still half asleep, Yoseob was confused as to what Doojoon was trying to do.
“I’m sorry for waking you but you shouldn’t sleep here. Here, let me take you to the sofa.”
“That’s okay, I’ll walk by myself…” Yoseob stood up and then slipped, falling into Doojoon’s arms. “Or maybe not. Thank you Doojoon.” Yoseob looked up at Doojoon, smiling. Soon the two were settled on the sofa, with Yoseob leaning on the elder man.
“Hyung, are you hungry?”
“No, not really. I ate a lot for lunch.”
“Mm, me too.” Yawning, Yoseob snuggled closer to Doojoon. Mumbling about how cold it was, he nudged Doojoon and told him to sleep as well.
-
“Doojoonie!” The sudden sound startled Doojoon awake. Blinking, he stared at the puppy like boy who had just called his name. “Hyung, I made breakfast!”
Doojoon raised his arm, silently asking Yoseob to help him up. As Yoseob tried to pull the older and heavier man up, he lost his balance and fell into Doojoon’s arms. Laughing, Doojoon pulled the younger guy into an embrace. “Thanks for taking care of me and making breakfast. Come on, let’s go eat.”
Removing himself from Doojoon, Yoseob shook his head. “I can’t, I’ve got to go home first. I have an appointment in a while. I’ll call you later okay?”
A little disappointed, Doojoon walked Yoseob to the door and bid him goodbye. Half way through his breakfast, Doojoon heard his phone beep. It was a message from Yoseob.
Yoseob: Doojoonie! What are you doing on Christmas Eve?
Doojoon absentmindedly typed out a message and hit reply.
Doojoon: Nothing, I think? Why do you ask?
Yoseob: You sure you don’t have some girl waiting for you?
Doojoon: Yeah, yeah. Want to go out that day?
Yoseob: If you’re free, let’s go eat dinner together. It’s too pathetic to spend Christmas all alone. ;~;
Doojoon: So you always spend your Christmases alone? You poor kid, ㅋㅋㅋ
To be honest, Doojoon was also dreading spending Christmas alone. It would be his first Christmas by himself. Previously, he always had events to attend, friends to party with and more recently, Junhyung. Doojoon shook his head, hard. What was he doing, thinking of Junhyung? Well, in any case, Doojoon was glad that Yoseob didn’t mind spending Christmas with him. If it was with that guy, Doojoon felt that Christmas could still be fun.
-
“Yah, let’s go take a look at the café!”
“But it’s just an empty store right now. There’s nothing to see!” protested Doojoon.
“We’ve nothing to do after dinner anyway. Taking a walk is good for our digestion. Besides, I hear that area has pretty nice Christmas
decorations.” Grabbing Doojoon by the wrist, Yoseob literally bounced down the street. Even as he sighed, Doojoon had a smile on his face.
“Yah, I’ll race you! Loser treats desert!”
“Wait, Doojoon! No fair, you started first!”
It was a funny sight, really. Amongst the throng of couples, families and friends casually strolling in the square, two adult men were chasing each other, running in zigzags to avoid colliding full on with fellow pedestrians. Their laughter rang clear in the air, adding to the atmosphere of joy. If it was any other occasion, there would likely be complains and people getting angry. However, it was Christmas and everyone seemed to be more forgiving and relaxed during this time of the year.
When the duo finally reached the site of their café, they were both out of breath. Panting, Doojoon looked up at the shop front with pride gleaming from his eyes. “So what do you think?”
Moving to close the distance between the two, Yoseob started to speak, “I think its awe… whoa!” Clumsily stubbing his toe on a crack in the pavement, Yoseob lost his balance and fell towards Doojoon. Gripping the older man’s arms tightly for support, Yoseob straightened himself up. It felt strange; his heart was thumping against his chest in a manner he never knew possible. Color crept up Yoseob’s neck and he felt his face flush from the heat. Suddenly, he felt bashful and didn’t dare lift his line of vision to meet Doojoon’s.
“You little klutz, when are you going to learn to be careful?” Grinning, the taller of the two patted Yoseob’s head. Doojoon did this a lot, patting Yoseob’s head that is. Most of the time, Yoseob would admit he actually liked the feeling. However, today, something was a little off. Just like the erratic beating of Yoseob’s heart, butterflies appeared in his stomach, causing the brunette to feel extremely sensitive.
“Yoseob?” Doojoon looked at other man’s face, his expression a mixture of worry and confusion, “Are you okay?” When Yoseob felt Doojoon’s large warm hands touch his face, an alarm inside of him went off. The butterflies disappeared, only to be replaced by an onslaught of fireworks.
“Eh… Um, I’m fine! Look at that Christmas Tree!”
“What Christmas Tree?”
“That one!” Yoseob pointed into the distance where the tip of a large tree could be seen. “Let’s go there!” With that, Yoseob disappeared into the throng of people, his small head bobbing up and down amongst the various strangers. Bewildered, the only thing Doojoon could do was try to follow the younger man and catch up.
It took a while, but Doojoon finally spotted Yoseob standing in front of the Christmas tree. Panting, Doojoon, bent over, trying to regain his breath. He pulled at Yoseob’s jacket, but before he could say anything, Yoseob spoke.
“Do you believe in the magic of Christmas?”
“What did you say?” Doojoon turned to look at the man beside him.
“The magic of Christmas… I think it’s what brought us together again.” Yoseob bent down and looked Doojoon in the eye. He smiled, eyes
crinkling, his face a clear expression of happiness.
The older man shook his head and stood up. Confused, Yoseob followed suit. “It wasn’t Christmas. It was fate, or destiny if you prefer.”
“Destiny brought us back together again? You don’t know how cheesy that sounds, Doojoon ah.” Feeling uneasy, Yoseob shuffled his feet. He then proceeded to play with his fingers as he said, “Is it wrong to hope that it’s true though?”
“No. Of course it isn’t wrong.”
Gulping, Yoseob squeezed his eyes shut and whispered, “Cause, well, Doojoon, I think I’m in love with you.” Holding his breath, Yoseob silently prayed that Doojoon hadn’t heard him.
“Should I reply you?”
“If it’s good, well then yeah, but I mean, wait, you couldn’t possibly… No, don’t reply me.” Yoseob turned to his left, trying to hide his now completely red face from Doojoon.
Without a word, the older man tilted Yoseob’s chin upward and kissed him. It felt so right to Yoseob that he immediately melted into Doojoon’s warmth. Breaking contact, Doojoon crushed Yoseob against his body. “I think this is a good reply, yeah?”
Yoseob’s muffled reply of confirmation tickled Doojoon’s chest and the man laughed. “Merry Christmas, Yang Yoseob.”
The younger man finally escaped from the embrace and laced his fingers with Doojoon’s. “Merry Christmas to you too Doojoon.” Swinging their arms together, Yoseob spotted something that made his eyes sparkle. “Hot chocolate and marshmallows?”
“Only if there are waffles to eat too.”
Pairing: broken!2Jun, DooSeob
Rating: PG-13
Status: 1/3
Summary: Falling in love always seemed easier than falling out of it. With a break up, comes a new start, but will it last?
Author's Notes: AU; It's been like forever since I last posted something so, I just wanted to get something out. Part One out of something that may be much much longer. I've started so many chaptered fics but because I'm so.... lazy to continue (or rather I lack inspiration) I never post them up because well, the story would be left hanging. ANYWAY, Comments are appreciated! ♥
- - - - -
“I think I’m going to quit…”
“Quit? Why are you thinking about something like that? What for?” Junhyung removed the cup of coke away from his lips and placed it on the counter. He turned to look at Doojoon, eyes searching the older man’s face for a reason.
“I just don’t feel like there’s a point anymore; continuing to work here that is.”
“No point? What about that major project you just finished? Or the managerial position that you were after?”
“Stop it. Junhyung, stop it.” Doojoon sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “You know that things like that aren’t important to me. Achievements… I can obtain them anywhere.”
“What are you saying? That you’d be able to be successful in any field you want? Yoon Doojoon, do you really think you’re that good? You’re the one who should stop it. Stop thinking of yourself so highly.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?”
“I…”
“You were going to throw away more than a year’s worth of hard work for nothing. Our hard work.”
“So that’s what you’re getting at. You don’t want your position in the company to be jeopardized over my leaving. You just won’t change will you?”
“Yeah, and so what? I care about my future and my life.”
“Look, I only came here today to hand in my resignation and to inform you. Since you already know, I think I’m done here.” Doojoon started to walk out the pantry but was stopped. Junhyung tightened his grip on Doojoon’s wrist and glared into the other’s eyes.
“I know you think I’m selfish but honestly, I actually do care for you, even if we’re not together anymore. Doojoon, are you sure you’ve thought this through? You’ve always been one to act on your emotions. Rashness is one of your flaws.”
Doojoon shook Junhyung’s hand away. Straining to control his voice he said, “I’ve thought about this long enough. I’ve thought about it ever since we broke up. I think it’s for the best.”
“I think you’re putting too much emotion into this. Why can’t you stay in the office until you find yourself another job?”
“I’d rather not. I don’t think I’m able to do it, Junhyung. I can’t work while looking at you sitting opposite me. If my problem’s being too emotional, then yours is that you never seem to give a damn.”
Taken aback, Junhyung hesitated. “Fine, if I accept that you’re leaving, can we at least still stay friends?”
Grief flickered in Doojoon’s eyes. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and closed his eyes. “Jaesoon ah, promise me you’ll take care of yourself alright?” Upon opening his eyes, Doojoon walked away.
Junhyung stood in the office pantry, blankly watching the man he once loved walk away. Damn it. He hated how useless he felt right then. Maybe he should never have ended things with Doojoon. It was only a month until Christmas after all, a time that was near sacred to the older guy. After all the pain he had caused to Doojoon, he didn’t want to be ruining the guy’s favorite holiday season too. Downing his coke, Junhyung tossed his paper cup into the wastebasket and shuffled back to his cubicle.
Just four more hours until he could go home, he thought to himself. Pulling out his chair, Junhyung noticed a piece of paper flutter onto the seat. He picked it up and sat down.
Junhyung ah, I can’t say that leaving had nothing to do with you. Then again, didn’t you always know that the reason I joined this company was because of you? I never had much interest in this business. I’m going to take a break now, and then maybe I’ll start something by myself. What do you think of a café?
Oh right, you don’t like coffee…
What am I saying? This was supposed to be short. Junhyung, when I walk out the front door of this building, I’m not going to look back. Honestly, I don’t think we can be friends. However, I don’t regret loving you. I’ll remember our time together as a happy one, so you do the same okay? Goodbye.
Yoon Doojoon
Junhyung bit down on his lower lip. Tears brimmed in his eyes. Clenching his first around the paper note, Junhyung stood up and walked to the window overlooking the street outside. At the corner a few blocks away, he saw a familiar figure waiting at the traffic light. “I don’t regret loving you either…” he whispered. Junhyung lifted his right arm and used his sleeve to wipe the tears on his face. He stood there for awhile before slowly returning to his seat. He couldn’t wait to get off work. All he wanted right now was a hot bath and drinks.
-
The morning sun entered the otherwise dark room and the person inside stirred. Wincing he groaned and reprimanded himself for forgetting to close the curtain the previous night. He sat up and looked at his shirt next to him. He must have took it off while half asleep. Suddenly, the door to his room opened and in stepped a younger brown haired man.
“Hyung, you’re awake!”
“Mm?” Still groggy, Doojoon scratched his head, obviously confused at the spectacle before him. “W-who’re you and what are we doing?”
“Ah,” nodded the stranger knowingly, “the aftereffects of the fever must have gotten to you.” The man was holding onto a small pail and had a towel slung over his right shoulder. He walked towards Doojoon and sat down. “I’m Yoseob, how could you forget me?”
Doojoon scrunched his face and thought hard. Who was Yoseob? Then it hit him. Oh right, the kid who he was reunited with a while ago; the kid who was also his working partner. Speaking of which, he probably fell asleep before reading through the final budget plan for the café! Doojoon began to look around his room, searching for his unfinished work when Yoseob stopped him.
“Hyung, what are you doing? Don’t you dare think of working at this point in time! It’s precisely because you overworked yourself that you came down with a fever. Do you know how surprised I was when I came here earlier this morning? You were passed out on your futon, sweating furiously despite the freezing weather.”
Something inside Doojoon clicked and he looked up at the guy in front of him. “Oh, so you were the one who took off my shirt. Here I was wondering if I had gone insane, stripping in the middle of winter.”
Yoseob rolled his eyes. “Of course it was me. I even wiped away your sweat with this towel.” The brunette removed said towel from his shoulder and threw it at Doojoon, sticking out his tongue. “Wait here while I go grab something for you to wear.” Scampering off, he threw Doojoon a warning, “Don’t you leave your bed, Mr. Sick Person!”
Doojoon smiled. A week after leaving the company, he had met this kid at a bookshop. Despite being friends since their high school days, they had not seen each other in a very long time. Many things had changed between the two, but it was a relief that they still got along and that their chemistry had remained strong over the years. Both were taking a break from office work and it wasn’t long before Doojoon convinced Yoseob to take part in his café project. Everything was running smoothly and renovation was due to start after the New Year.
Yoseob returned to the room and tossed Doojoon a white shirt. After seeing Doojoon put the clean shirt on, Yoseob tip toed in front of the older man and cupped Doojoon’s face. He then proceeded to lean forward until their foreheads touched. Surprised by this action, Doojoon flushed and his face began to burn up.
“W-what are you doing?”
Frowning, Yoseob let go. “This is no good. You still have a fever so lie down.” Yoseob flipped the futon over and patted it, motioning for Doojoon to come over. As he was feeling a little strange, Doojoon nodded and obediently lay down. The younger man then dipped the towel into the pail of water he had brought earlier and proceeded to wring it out. He placed the folded towel on Doojoon’s forehead and instructed the man not to do anything for the rest of the day.
“You’re job is to rest, sleep and get well soon. I’ll finish the work on the café. When lunch’s ready, I’ll call you okay?” Yoseob stroked Doojoon’s hair and watched as his friend shut his eyes and once again drifted off to dreamland. “Aigoo, this man’s like a kid when it comes to taking care of himself; he’s so clueless about his body’s limit.” Smiling, Yoseob started to pick up the loose paperwork scattered on the room’s floor. In order for Doojoon to get the rest he much needed, Yoseob decided that he would take charge and finish all the work that needed to be done.
-
“Doojoon ah, wake up and eat something,” As Doojoon regained conscious, the first thing he noticed was Yoseob’s face right above his.
“Good, you’re awake. Wait, don’t move!” Yoseob put his forehead to Doojoon’s and hesitated. This time, Doojoon wasn’t as startled, choosing to just close his eyes and wait it out.
Standing up, Yoseob grinned, “I think your fever subsided! Just to make sure, eat some medicine after lunch okay?”
“Okay, what’s for lunch?”
“Eh,” Yoseob gulped sheepishly, “I accidentally screwed up the porridge I made so we’re eating the Jajangmyeon from that shop downstairs.”
Doojoon laughed and patted the younger man’s head. “That’s okay, I like those noodles.”
After lunch, Yoseob forced medication down Doojoon’s throat and drove him into his room, declaring that even if his fever was gone, Doojoon was nowhere fit for work. With that, Doojoon resigned to Yoseob’s will whilst Yoseob himself proceeded to continue working on the computer.
The clock ticked as the minutes slowly went by. It was getting hard to focus on the computer screen. Yoseob’s eyes were tired and he kept making typos. Frustrated, he pushed the keyboard away and slumped onto the desk. Head on his arms, Yoseob fell asleep. The afternoon breeze blew in through the open window, causing the windows to billow. Quietly, the sun set with neither of the two stirring from their sleep.
“Mm… That was a good dream,” It was at a little after 8pm that Doojoon finally woke up. He walked out of the room and looked for Yoseob. Just then, a gust of cold wind entered the still open window. Shivering, the man grabbed a grey cardigan lying on the couch and pulled it on. He then proceeded to close the window. As he turned around, he spotted Yoseob, who was still asleep at the computer table.
“Aish, this child. He’ll be the next one to catch a cold, sleeping on the desk with the window wide open during winter.” Doojoon tried to pick up the younger man unsuccessfully and ended up waking Yoseob up in the process.
“Doojoon?” Still half asleep, Yoseob was confused as to what Doojoon was trying to do.
“I’m sorry for waking you but you shouldn’t sleep here. Here, let me take you to the sofa.”
“That’s okay, I’ll walk by myself…” Yoseob stood up and then slipped, falling into Doojoon’s arms. “Or maybe not. Thank you Doojoon.” Yoseob looked up at Doojoon, smiling. Soon the two were settled on the sofa, with Yoseob leaning on the elder man.
“Hyung, are you hungry?”
“No, not really. I ate a lot for lunch.”
“Mm, me too.” Yawning, Yoseob snuggled closer to Doojoon. Mumbling about how cold it was, he nudged Doojoon and told him to sleep as well.
-
“Doojoonie!” The sudden sound startled Doojoon awake. Blinking, he stared at the puppy like boy who had just called his name. “Hyung, I made breakfast!”
Doojoon raised his arm, silently asking Yoseob to help him up. As Yoseob tried to pull the older and heavier man up, he lost his balance and fell into Doojoon’s arms. Laughing, Doojoon pulled the younger guy into an embrace. “Thanks for taking care of me and making breakfast. Come on, let’s go eat.”
Removing himself from Doojoon, Yoseob shook his head. “I can’t, I’ve got to go home first. I have an appointment in a while. I’ll call you later okay?”
A little disappointed, Doojoon walked Yoseob to the door and bid him goodbye. Half way through his breakfast, Doojoon heard his phone beep. It was a message from Yoseob.
Yoseob: Doojoonie! What are you doing on Christmas Eve?
Doojoon absentmindedly typed out a message and hit reply.
Doojoon: Nothing, I think? Why do you ask?
Yoseob: You sure you don’t have some girl waiting for you?
Doojoon: Yeah, yeah. Want to go out that day?
Yoseob: If you’re free, let’s go eat dinner together. It’s too pathetic to spend Christmas all alone. ;~;
Doojoon: So you always spend your Christmases alone? You poor kid, ㅋㅋㅋ
To be honest, Doojoon was also dreading spending Christmas alone. It would be his first Christmas by himself. Previously, he always had events to attend, friends to party with and more recently, Junhyung. Doojoon shook his head, hard. What was he doing, thinking of Junhyung? Well, in any case, Doojoon was glad that Yoseob didn’t mind spending Christmas with him. If it was with that guy, Doojoon felt that Christmas could still be fun.
-
“Yah, let’s go take a look at the café!”
“But it’s just an empty store right now. There’s nothing to see!” protested Doojoon.
“We’ve nothing to do after dinner anyway. Taking a walk is good for our digestion. Besides, I hear that area has pretty nice Christmas
decorations.” Grabbing Doojoon by the wrist, Yoseob literally bounced down the street. Even as he sighed, Doojoon had a smile on his face.
“Yah, I’ll race you! Loser treats desert!”
“Wait, Doojoon! No fair, you started first!”
It was a funny sight, really. Amongst the throng of couples, families and friends casually strolling in the square, two adult men were chasing each other, running in zigzags to avoid colliding full on with fellow pedestrians. Their laughter rang clear in the air, adding to the atmosphere of joy. If it was any other occasion, there would likely be complains and people getting angry. However, it was Christmas and everyone seemed to be more forgiving and relaxed during this time of the year.
When the duo finally reached the site of their café, they were both out of breath. Panting, Doojoon looked up at the shop front with pride gleaming from his eyes. “So what do you think?”
Moving to close the distance between the two, Yoseob started to speak, “I think its awe… whoa!” Clumsily stubbing his toe on a crack in the pavement, Yoseob lost his balance and fell towards Doojoon. Gripping the older man’s arms tightly for support, Yoseob straightened himself up. It felt strange; his heart was thumping against his chest in a manner he never knew possible. Color crept up Yoseob’s neck and he felt his face flush from the heat. Suddenly, he felt bashful and didn’t dare lift his line of vision to meet Doojoon’s.
“You little klutz, when are you going to learn to be careful?” Grinning, the taller of the two patted Yoseob’s head. Doojoon did this a lot, patting Yoseob’s head that is. Most of the time, Yoseob would admit he actually liked the feeling. However, today, something was a little off. Just like the erratic beating of Yoseob’s heart, butterflies appeared in his stomach, causing the brunette to feel extremely sensitive.
“Yoseob?” Doojoon looked at other man’s face, his expression a mixture of worry and confusion, “Are you okay?” When Yoseob felt Doojoon’s large warm hands touch his face, an alarm inside of him went off. The butterflies disappeared, only to be replaced by an onslaught of fireworks.
“Eh… Um, I’m fine! Look at that Christmas Tree!”
“What Christmas Tree?”
“That one!” Yoseob pointed into the distance where the tip of a large tree could be seen. “Let’s go there!” With that, Yoseob disappeared into the throng of people, his small head bobbing up and down amongst the various strangers. Bewildered, the only thing Doojoon could do was try to follow the younger man and catch up.
It took a while, but Doojoon finally spotted Yoseob standing in front of the Christmas tree. Panting, Doojoon, bent over, trying to regain his breath. He pulled at Yoseob’s jacket, but before he could say anything, Yoseob spoke.
“Do you believe in the magic of Christmas?”
“What did you say?” Doojoon turned to look at the man beside him.
“The magic of Christmas… I think it’s what brought us together again.” Yoseob bent down and looked Doojoon in the eye. He smiled, eyes
crinkling, his face a clear expression of happiness.
The older man shook his head and stood up. Confused, Yoseob followed suit. “It wasn’t Christmas. It was fate, or destiny if you prefer.”
“Destiny brought us back together again? You don’t know how cheesy that sounds, Doojoon ah.” Feeling uneasy, Yoseob shuffled his feet. He then proceeded to play with his fingers as he said, “Is it wrong to hope that it’s true though?”
“No. Of course it isn’t wrong.”
Gulping, Yoseob squeezed his eyes shut and whispered, “Cause, well, Doojoon, I think I’m in love with you.” Holding his breath, Yoseob silently prayed that Doojoon hadn’t heard him.
“Should I reply you?”
“If it’s good, well then yeah, but I mean, wait, you couldn’t possibly… No, don’t reply me.” Yoseob turned to his left, trying to hide his now completely red face from Doojoon.
Without a word, the older man tilted Yoseob’s chin upward and kissed him. It felt so right to Yoseob that he immediately melted into Doojoon’s warmth. Breaking contact, Doojoon crushed Yoseob against his body. “I think this is a good reply, yeah?”
Yoseob’s muffled reply of confirmation tickled Doojoon’s chest and the man laughed. “Merry Christmas, Yang Yoseob.”
The younger man finally escaped from the embrace and laced his fingers with Doojoon’s. “Merry Christmas to you too Doojoon.” Swinging their arms together, Yoseob spotted something that made his eyes sparkle. “Hot chocolate and marshmallows?”
“Only if there are waffles to eat too.”