[Fic] Revelation - Part 2
*
“Stop picking at your food. If you’re not going to eat, why did you ask me out to dinner? I had to push back a schedule because of you.”
Son Gain points her steel chopsticks accusingly at her dining companion - a very sulky Im Seulong. Being the astute person that she is, she knew the minute she was allowed to get away with stealing food off his plate that there is something major bugging her friend. And, she is almost certain what it is.
Her phone buzzes just as she is about to tick Seulong off: Yeobo~~~^^ Is Seulong hyung with you? Tell him it’s really rude to just go out to dinner when Changmin hyung had already prepared his share. Gain can almost hear Jo Kwon’s voice emitting from the text, tinged with concern and slight jealousy, something she is all too familiar with.
She shows the message to Seulong, practically forcing him to look at it by shoving it in his face. He reads it reluctantly, month twisting into a deeper frown, and goes back to playing with his food.
“Oh, for goodness sake!” Gain slams her chopsticks on the table, causing a very audible clatter, “Im Seulong, talk to me!”
Seulong raises his head and looks at Gain in the eye. It takes some effort, but he finally says, “You should pay more attention to Kwonnie. I think his crush on you is fading, and he’s starting on Jinwoonie.”
Seulong’s scathing, sarcastic cloak does not fool Gain.
“What makes you think I want him to be crushing on me, presuming that this crush is real, and not just one made up in your head,” Gain is calm, too used to the melodrama both Kwon and Seulong are able to drum up where each other is concerned.
“I’m not making it up,” Seulong defends himself, “I’m not blind to the adoring looks he gives you alright? It’s proudly displayed for the entire world to see on that stupid programme anyway.”
“You do know that Kwon and I were friends before we started filming right? You introduced us? Hence, we’ve been comfortable with each other from the get go?”
Seulong squints and nods, wondering where Gain is going with her questions.
“And, you do know that Kwonnie can, in fact, act? And the mandate of the show is that we act as a married couple?”
Seulong rolls his eyes in reluctant agreement.
“Also, you are aware that Kwon has the penchant to use theatrics to cover up what he really feels?”
“What are you implying?” Seulong gives in and asks.
“I’m implying that Jo Kwon is not in love with me, he never was, neither is he in love with Jinwoonie. And, I am implying that you are a moron.”
“What do you mean he never was? Forget about the show, he calls you all the time privately. I know because I hear ‘Gain noona~~~’ often enough.”
“I called you a moron, but all you heard from that was things related to Kwon? You’re further gone than I realize.” Gain grins and takes a sip of her juice.
“Huh?” Seulong rubs the back of his head, confused, “Quit talking in riddles, woman!”
“Are you sure you want to hear this?”
“You know something about Kwon that I don’t, and I want to know what it is.”
“Of course you do,” Gain smirks, “Is dessert on you?”
“Order whatever you want,” the irritation in Seulong’s voice is evident. He waits impatiently as Gain engages the waitress in dessert selection, obviously having fun torturing Seulong.
Having picked out 3 kinds of sweets, Gain sits back and smiles till her eyes disappear.
“Ok, spill,” Seulong says, “what do you know that I don’t?”
“Kwon is not in love with me, or with Jinwoon.”
“You said that already. I’m not paying for your desserts if you’re just going to press repeat,” Seulong pouts and folds his arms.
Gain clicks her tongue and continues, “But, Kwon is most definitely in love. With someone else.”
“W-what…..w-who???”
Gain allows for a moment of sputtering, contemplating a little about the consequences of telling Seulong. Unlike Jinwoon and Changmin, she is not bound by threats, but she does know that Jo Kwon understandably wants Seulong to realize things on his own. However, she knows her friend well, and he’s going to continue being a blockhead until pushed in the right direction. Kwon will forgive her, she thinks. After all, Kwon confides in her more than to anyone else about Seulong.
“He brings this person up all the time, even on set of We Got Married. Almost every filming, Kwon will mention this person as he talks to me with the cameras rolling, so much so that the producers had to bring this person in from time to time to brighten Kwon up. His eyes sparkle when the person is around, even as he goes all shy and self-conscious, hiding behind mock annoyance. The smile he has on his face when he even so much as thinks of this person is so heartwarming to see. The times that you say he looks at me so lovingly? He’s seeing that person instead of me. It’s how he summons up the emotions to act like a loving husband to me. And the private calls he makes to me? He calls to vent his frustration because that person is thick and clueless, and overall a moron.”
Gain spoons up some chocolate mousse as she watches Seulong try to process what she had said. As much as she relishes the quiet as she eats up all the dessert she ordered, the time Seulong is taking tests her patience.
“OH FOR GOD’S SAKE!”
Seulong simply blinks, mind blank.
“He loves his Seulong-hyung alright?” Gain finally says it. “So you can come right out and tell him that you’re head over heels in love with him, and have been for god knows how long! Maybe now that you know, you can spare us the passive aggressive bullshit!”
*
“Seulong-hyung’s been acting weird these days,” Kwon says to Jinwoon in the recording studio.
“Not to me he hasn’t,” Jinwoon takes a big glug out of his grande Starbucks cup, oblivious to Kwon’s implication in the statement.
Jo Kwon narrows his eyes over the brim of his own Starbucks at Jinwoon, long enough for the maknae to shift nervously.
“You didn’t tell him, did you?” Kwon asks pointedly.
“What? No, of course not,” is Jinwoon’s immediate response, “I’m not stupid. You’ve made it perfectly clear what you would do to me if I did.”
“Good. Always remember that,” Kwon warns as he sits himself down with the music score.
Jinwoon wanders off somewhere, leaving Kwon alone in the suite, just as Seulong arrives from another schedule. For a long moment, Seulong stands in front of the double-coated, soundproof glass, looking through it, at Jo Kwon.
It has been a couple of weeks that the knowledge of Kwon’s feelings for him and the revelation of his own for Kwon were somewhat violently forced upon him by Gain. Seulong has not stopped thinking about it since. On one hand, it is a relief to finally put a name to the strange emotions that have become sharper as time passed. On the other, Seulong is worried. Now that everything is crystal clear to him, and he wants nothing in the world but to hold onto Kwon and never let him go, he wonders if Kwon would accept him. He has given Kwon so much grief over the years that it might be all Kwon sees when he looks at him. Seulong is afraid that Kwon will realize that the feelings he has for Seulong is more like wanting something unattainable rather than love. This uncertainty has resulted in him avoiding Kwon at all cost, not wanting to meet his eyes, for fear that he might reveal too much, too soon.
A soft smile plays on Seulong’s lips when he sees Kwon’s mouth form a cute pout as he concentrates on the music score. The pull Kwon has on him is strong, stronger now that Seulong is finally attuned. Before he could stop himself, he opens the heavy studio door, and he is glad that he does, because in that instant, Kwon looks up and gives him a dazzling smile.
“Hyung! You’re here!”
Seulong returns the smile as he nods his greeting. He sits down next to Kwon and Kwon shares the music score with him. Their arms touch. Kwon makes no move to pull away, and Seulong’s heart beats a million times a minute. He swallows.
“Kwon-ah….” His voice cracks a little, he’s so nervous.
“Hmmm…?” Kwon hums absentmindedly as he thinks about the music, fingers touching his plump lips.
“I…err….” Seulong stutters, fighting the urge to replace Kwon’s fingers with his own.
“What, hyung?” Kwon turns and looks at Seulong with bright, shining eyes, and Seulong loses all thought. He leans in closer, eyes transfixed on Kwon’s red lips. Seulong hears a soft gasp coming from Kwon and a small part of him tells him to pull away. But he can’t, not when Kwon is staying still, letting him. Their lips are ghosting and Seulong can feel Kwon’s breaths, coming out as unsteadily as his. Kwon wants this, Seulong thinks, as he moves a millimeter closer, their lips should touch by now……
“Hyung!”
“Huh?!” Seulong snaps up to meet Kwon’s frown.
“Your phone. It’s ringing,” Kwon huffs and gestures towards Seulong’s pocket, where the jarring sound is coming from.
“Oh,” Seulong clears his throat and answers the call.
“Hello? Oh, Jieun-ah!! What’s up?”
*
Seulong steps out to continue the call, and when he walks back into the room where he left Kwon, the atmosphere is markedly different, heavier, uncomfortable. Kwon has squirreled himself to the far end of the studio’s leather couch, shoulders tense and lips pursed in a thin line, unlike the kissable ones of minutes ago.
“Kwon?” Seulong calls apprehensively, feeling menacing vibes from Kwon’s lean frame.
“Why did you try to kiss me just now?” Kwon spits and Seulong recoils.
“Because….I…..errr……” Seulong fumbles around for words as Kwon glares daggers at him.
“Did you think it would be fun?” Kwon attacks.
“Huh?” Seulong has no idea what set Kwon off. All he can think of is maybe Kwon finds the thought of kissing him disgusting, and his heart sinks.
“Did you think,” Kwon says again through gritted teeth, “that it’ll be fun toying with me and my feelings, and then going back to your Jieun, or Yoo-Jin, or even Gain??!!!”
My what? Gain?!!! Feelings? Kwon’s feelings? Seulong is going through a loop again, his hundredth one since this whole enlightenment thing happened.
“…..I’m not one of your girls Im Seulong. I refuse to be treated like one of your girls,” Jo Kwon stands and approaches, poking Seulong’s chest as he speaks, “AND, they chose their stage names, IU and UEE for a reason. It’s for people to call them as such. Who’s going to know that you’re talking about IU when you say Jieun? Huh? What are you smiling at?” Jo Kwon halts his rampage when he feels Seulong’s hand wrap around his own, stopping his jabbing on Seulong’s chest. The warmness of Seulong’s hand makes Kwon blush, and he looks down from Seulong’s grinning, confident face.
“You’re jealous,” Seulong’s words come out steady in his realization.
“I’m what??? No I’m not, I’m just saying…..” Jo Kwon tries to pull himself free, but Seulong holds on tight.
“You are. You’re jealous,” Seulong chuckles as he bends down to search for Jo Kwon’s eyes. He notices that Kwon’s hand is splayed on his chest and is sure Kwon can feel his pounding heartbeat.
“I..I…” It’s Kwon’s turn to stutter, staring into the pools of dark brown that swirl with certainty. Kwon’s heart skips a beat.
“You love me?” Seulong says somewhat abruptly, shocking Kwon into utter silence. Seulong takes the opportunity to capture Kwon’s lips with his own, something he had always wanted to do, but didn’t know it then, whenever Kwon is being, well, Kwon.
Jo Kwon melts into the kiss, the feel of Seulong’s lips moving against his own is better than what he has imagined so many times over. He parts his lips slightly and groans as Seulong’s tongue makes gentle, tentative licks.
Seulong whispers “Kwon” as he pulls the younger boy in tighter by the waist. He deepens the kiss, tongue searching urgently for Kwon’s. Fully focused on Kwon’s taste and how it makes him feel, Seulong is not expecting it when Kwon suddenly pushes him away.
“W-what?” Seulong pants, dazed, eyes fixed on Kwon’s swollen, delicious lips.
“Why would you even think that I love you? Who told you? I swear, if it was Jinwoonie, or Changmin-hyung who told you, I’m going to make their lives a living hell, so you better tell me now……”
“Jo Kwon-sshi,” Seulong says firmly to snap Kwon out of his rambling. When Kwon quiets, Seulong cups his face in his hands and looks into his eyes.
“I know. Isn’t that all that’s important? That I know?” Seulong smiles softly, with so much affection that makes Kwon weak in the knees.
“What do you know?” Kwon asks, eyes wide with anticipation.
“I know,” Seulong confesses as he plants kisses on Jo Kwon’s cheeks, “that I love you.”
The beaming smile that forms on Kwon’s face is Seulong’s reward.
“Finally! Took you long enough! I mean, how can someone be so daft as to not know that he’s in love with someone, when that someone he’s in love with knows way before him. How did you arrive at this? Honestly, I thought it would take you another few months or so, with me flirting more with Jinwoonie. Really, did someone tell you…….”
“Kwon,” Seulong stops him again, this time with a finger to Kwon’s lips.
“Yes, Seulong-hyung?” Kwon’s words die, and his countenance immediately softens at the contact.
“Shut up. You talk too much,” Seulong says as he takes Kwon into his arms and kisses him again.
“You know you love me,” Kwon mutters as he savours Seulong’s lips.
“I do, I really do.”
*
“OH GOD! MY EYES!!!”
Changmin walks out of the room to see what the commotion is all about. Jinwoon is crouched, a little traumatized, beside the bathroom door.
“Did you walk in on them again? We have another toilet at the end of the hallway you know,” Changmin helps Jinwoon up.
“I just got home, and I REALLY needed to pee, and this one is the nearest to the front door. Good news is that my urge retracted from the shock. I would have peed in my pants otherwise. THERE’S A THING CALLED A LOCK YOU KNOW?” Jinwoon shouts loud enough for the occupants of the bathroom to hear.
“Bite me,” comes a muffled reply, followed by a moan, and Changmin sighs as Jinwoon covers his ears.
“I kinda miss the time when they were at each other’s throats,” Jinwoon laments as he shuffles into the kitchen.
“Bad choice of imagery, Jinwoon,” Changmin replies just as a telling thud comes from the bathroom. “Come, help me with supper, those 2 would be hungry once they are done.”