[ficlet] 096. "i like you. i like you. i like you", 1/1
Title: 096. “I like you. I like you. I like you.”
Pairing: Henry/Donghae
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: PG-13
Notes: I love writing about Henry complaining about his life. :D
Word Count: 1850
Summary: Donghae’s fingers will always curl around him, keeping him close. (In other words, in which Donghae follows Henry everywhere-even to America.)
challenge masterlist.
Henry likes living a normal life. Henry enjoys having a normal life. He’s usually a normal person for about six months at a time, going to university like a normal person, like a normal Canadian-just, y’know, being normal. And unlike most people, he kind of likes having this double life, because it means that half of the time, he can actually say random shit on the streets and no one would even care.
He has some fans here in America, too. Most of his professors know who he is because he usually has excused absences for almost a year at a time, but generally speaking, not many people in California know who he is. Occasionally, when he’s out on the streets, some people will wave to him or ask to take a picture with him or ask for an autograph, but you know, whatever. It’s no big deal. Americans are chill, anyway-no one cares if you go to a bar and get smashed and say a few offensive things. In Korea, you’d make the front page the very next morning, when you’re still trying to think coherently through your splitting headache.
One time, he was out with his friend, Nick, when a fan approached him and asked for an autograph and picture. Nick had asked him what the hell that was about, and with a little reluctance, Henry had told him that he’s a part of a Korean boy band.
“Dude, are you serious? So you’re like, famous?”
“I suppose I am in the Asian countries, or in the places in America that Asians have invaded and monopolized…or something…”
Nick had stared at him. “I’m definitely looking you up tonight. I’m friends with a celebrity.”
“Dude, don’t, there’s nothing that you want to see. This is why I didn’t want to tell any of my friends-it’s embarrassing.”
“Why are you embarrassed of being famous?”
Henry had paused. “Just take my word for it.”
Except, of course, Nick never really listened to Henry (or anyone, for that matter), and had approached him the next day, demanding if he was gay.
“Dude, what the hell?” He knew this was going to happen. He just knew it.
“When I looked you up on YouTube yesterday, I got a bunch of search results of you kissing this guy named Heechul. Did you guys seriously kiss on stage?”
“I’m not gay, okay?” He had exclaimed, earning a bunch of odd stares from people that were walking by. “Did you see the way he just yanked my face? I couldn’t have done anything! Koreans are like that, they just like gay guys-it’s called fan service, in case you didn’t know-”
“Whoa, man. Okay.” Nick had held up his hands in surrender. “It was just a question. I believe you.”
Feeling his face heat up, Henry had nodded. “Good.”
Except now, everyone thinks he’s gay, because Nick had posted the video of Heechul basically raping his face on Facebook, and it had reached all of his friends like wildfire. Now, they all tease him and ask if that guy’s cute, or hey, everyone thinks that professor is hot, what do you think? And Henry doesn’t think anything, because seriously it’s just fan service and just let it go-
One afternoon, when he’s leaving university with Nick, planning to shoot some hoops, he all but shouts in surprise and hides behind a tree.
“Henry!” Clearly delighted, Donghae runs up to him. “What’s up?”
Henry looks around him, paranoid. “What are you doing here?” he hisses in Korean. “You’re going to get mauled if someone recognizes you!”
Donghae frowns. “I missed you, and the management gave us two weeks of rest…”
“So you came to California?” It’s official. All Koreans are insane.
The older boy shuffles on his feet. “I missed you!”
Henry is about two inches away from committing suicide. “Right. Well, um. Hyung, this is my friend, Nick.” He turns to Nick. “This is Donghae. A…friend.”
“Oh.” Nick nods. “From China?”
Pause. “Uh, yeah.” It’s a good thing he can’t tell the difference between Asian languages.
“Nick, man!” Donghae exclaims in English, holding his hand up for a high five. “Yo, what’s up?”
Then Henry remembers Super Junior Full House, and he’s ready to turn tail and run.
Nick high fives Donghae. “You speak English?”
“Yeah, speak English!”
“So you’re here for a visit?”
Donghae pauses for a moment, and Henry wonders how long it’ll take before something detrimental occurs. “Visit! Yeah! Uh-Canada…cold!”
He stands there awkwardly, pretending to text as Nick and Donghae somehow communicate with little to no problems. How long is Donghae staying for? Are any of the others here? Where are they staying? Are they going to get kidnapped by some crazy fans? How long has it been since Henry’s last seen Donghae? A few weeks, maybe? He’s missed him.
“You know Super Junior?”
“Oh, yeah! That’s the band Henry’s in, right? Do you like them too?”
“Me-I’m Super Junior’s Donghae!”
…Oh, crap.
“Anyways,” Henry interrupts, grabbing Donghae by the arm. “I’m going to go show him around the city, so I’ll see you on Monday, Nick!” He waves madly and drags Donghae away before Nick gets the chance to ask if Henry’s gay, and if everyone else in Super Junior is gay, and if Korea is just full of closeted gays. Nick’s that kind of guy-intrusive and lacking any sort of social pleasantries, but then again, that doesn’t matter in America half as much as it does in Korea.
He and Donghae walk downtown aimlessly, and Henry demands why he decided to come visit him, let alone spend so much money on plane tickets. Those alone cost about half of a month’s paycheck, and there are so many better things to spend that on.
“Because I missed you,” Donghae says again. “Why don’t you get it?”
“You could’ve just texted me, or something!”
“That’s not the same.” The older boy looks at him and makes an expression that’s a cross between a frown and a pout, and Henry’s resolve almost gives way. “Don’t you want to see me?”
He sighs. “It’s not that, hyung. I do. But…just because this is America, doesn’t mean that no one knows who you are. Rumors are going to spring up if someone realizes that you came here on no basis whatsoever.” He remembers the last time he left Korea to return here-Donghae had cornered him, telling him very seriously that he shouldn’t go looking for any girls, because Canadian girls are dangerous. Henry had told him that he’s not going back to Canada anyway, but to America for school, and Donghae had cringed, saying they that American girls were even worse.
And then-and this is the part that Henry tries not to think about-Donghae had kissed him. Not for the first time, but maybe it was their first real kiss-something more than a simple peck, more than a passing display of affection. Henry tries not to remember, but he does-the way Donghae tasted, the way the sigh fell from Henry’s lips like it was just waiting to fall-the way Donghae’s hand had curled around his neck, keeping him close.
(He’s not gay. He’s not gay.)
He treats Donghae to dinner, whatever he wants-“McDonald’s,” he demands, “because the McDonald’s in Korea isn’t real,” and he’s sure he’s crazy-before they return to the apartment that he shares with Nick-who, thankfully, is still out. Henry shows Donghae his room, and the moment the door closes behind them, Donghae pulls him into a rough hug, nearly knocking the wind out of him (but not quite because of the physical impact).
“Hyung?” He awkwardly pats him on the back, and it’s then that Henry remembers how easily Donghae can feel lonely. He sighs and his shoulders slump a little, letting the older boy just hold him. “It’s not like I’m never going to go back, or something.”
“Still,” Donghae mumbles. “You’re too far away.”
“I’m…” Henry suppresses a shiver at how creepy this is. “I’m right here.”
(And he’d be lying if he said that this doesn’t feel good, doesn’t feel comforting, doesn’t feel peaceful-but then again, he’s always been good at lying.)
“Good.” Donghae nuzzles his nose into the crook of Henry’s neck, and Henry closes his eyes. Korea may be crazy, but he does kind of like this-skinship, he means. Physical proof that people care about him. After going through all of that hate a few years ago, he realizes how nice it feels to be cared about.
After a minute or so, he coughs loudly. “Anyway, so this is where I live…I just do homework and sleep here, so there’s nothing that interesting.”
Donghae pulls away, and asks, “Can I kiss you?”
“…That’s completely irrelevant to what I was just saying.”
“Can I kiss you anyway?”
“No!”
“Why not?”
“Because-” He pauses, looking for a legitimate reason. “Because this isn’t Korea. People don’t do that here. And I don’t like guys anyway.”
Donghae frowns. “Liar.”
“I’m not lying!”
“There are more openly gay guys in America than there are in Korea. And you so like guys.”
“No, that’s gross! I like boobs!” Donghae doesn’t bother arguing, though, and just kisses him. Henry responds with a muffled shout and stumbles backwards, tripping over his clothes that are strewn all over the floor and painfully bumping into his bookshelf. “Hyung, don’t do that!” Donghae’s eyes are half-lidded, and Henry wonders how much he really missed him, before the older boy steps closer, fingers ghosting across his jawline, and kissing him again. This time, Henry kisses back-it’s hard not to, okay? Donghae has a really nice mouth.
“Fine, you don’t like guys,” he says against Henry’s lips, voice like velvet and making him shiver. “You just like me.”
“That’s…” Kiss. “Debatable.”
“Or true.” Kiss.
“Maybe.” Kiss again.
“Well, I like you.” The pure directness makes Henry’s cheeks flush, and he looks away, embarrassed. “Did you hear me, Henry-ah? I like you.”
“I heard you just fine,” he mutters, determined to avoid eye contact.
He can just hear the silly grin in Donghae’s voice. “I like you,” he repeats, more confident this time. It’s like an echo in Henry’s heart-reverberating in his ribcage, hitting him over and over again-and this time, when Donghae kisses him, he submits completely-body arching against him when he pushes him against the bookshelf, hands gripping his hips like a lifeline.
This is fine. This is just fine. He doesn’t like guys-he just likes Donghae. And that’s okay.
(But when Nick walks in on them, minutes later, he doesn’t hesitate to kick Donghae out immediately. “You can find your way back to your hotel yourself,” he says haughtily, before slamming the door in his face.)
i need to stop writing, and start doing something productive with my life. like studying. or sleeping.
Pairing: Henry/Donghae
Genre: Romance/Humor
Rating: PG-13
Notes: I love writing about Henry complaining about his life. :D
Word Count: 1850
Summary: Donghae’s fingers will always curl around him, keeping him close. (In other words, in which Donghae follows Henry everywhere-even to America.)
challenge masterlist.
Henry likes living a normal life. Henry enjoys having a normal life. He’s usually a normal person for about six months at a time, going to university like a normal person, like a normal Canadian-just, y’know, being normal. And unlike most people, he kind of likes having this double life, because it means that half of the time, he can actually say random shit on the streets and no one would even care.
He has some fans here in America, too. Most of his professors know who he is because he usually has excused absences for almost a year at a time, but generally speaking, not many people in California know who he is. Occasionally, when he’s out on the streets, some people will wave to him or ask to take a picture with him or ask for an autograph, but you know, whatever. It’s no big deal. Americans are chill, anyway-no one cares if you go to a bar and get smashed and say a few offensive things. In Korea, you’d make the front page the very next morning, when you’re still trying to think coherently through your splitting headache.
One time, he was out with his friend, Nick, when a fan approached him and asked for an autograph and picture. Nick had asked him what the hell that was about, and with a little reluctance, Henry had told him that he’s a part of a Korean boy band.
“Dude, are you serious? So you’re like, famous?”
“I suppose I am in the Asian countries, or in the places in America that Asians have invaded and monopolized…or something…”
Nick had stared at him. “I’m definitely looking you up tonight. I’m friends with a celebrity.”
“Dude, don’t, there’s nothing that you want to see. This is why I didn’t want to tell any of my friends-it’s embarrassing.”
“Why are you embarrassed of being famous?”
Henry had paused. “Just take my word for it.”
Except, of course, Nick never really listened to Henry (or anyone, for that matter), and had approached him the next day, demanding if he was gay.
“Dude, what the hell?” He knew this was going to happen. He just knew it.
“When I looked you up on YouTube yesterday, I got a bunch of search results of you kissing this guy named Heechul. Did you guys seriously kiss on stage?”
“I’m not gay, okay?” He had exclaimed, earning a bunch of odd stares from people that were walking by. “Did you see the way he just yanked my face? I couldn’t have done anything! Koreans are like that, they just like gay guys-it’s called fan service, in case you didn’t know-”
“Whoa, man. Okay.” Nick had held up his hands in surrender. “It was just a question. I believe you.”
Feeling his face heat up, Henry had nodded. “Good.”
Except now, everyone thinks he’s gay, because Nick had posted the video of Heechul basically raping his face on Facebook, and it had reached all of his friends like wildfire. Now, they all tease him and ask if that guy’s cute, or hey, everyone thinks that professor is hot, what do you think? And Henry doesn’t think anything, because seriously it’s just fan service and just let it go-
One afternoon, when he’s leaving university with Nick, planning to shoot some hoops, he all but shouts in surprise and hides behind a tree.
“Henry!” Clearly delighted, Donghae runs up to him. “What’s up?”
Henry looks around him, paranoid. “What are you doing here?” he hisses in Korean. “You’re going to get mauled if someone recognizes you!”
Donghae frowns. “I missed you, and the management gave us two weeks of rest…”
“So you came to California?” It’s official. All Koreans are insane.
The older boy shuffles on his feet. “I missed you!”
Henry is about two inches away from committing suicide. “Right. Well, um. Hyung, this is my friend, Nick.” He turns to Nick. “This is Donghae. A…friend.”
“Oh.” Nick nods. “From China?”
Pause. “Uh, yeah.” It’s a good thing he can’t tell the difference between Asian languages.
“Nick, man!” Donghae exclaims in English, holding his hand up for a high five. “Yo, what’s up?”
Then Henry remembers Super Junior Full House, and he’s ready to turn tail and run.
Nick high fives Donghae. “You speak English?”
“Yeah, speak English!”
“So you’re here for a visit?”
Donghae pauses for a moment, and Henry wonders how long it’ll take before something detrimental occurs. “Visit! Yeah! Uh-Canada…cold!”
He stands there awkwardly, pretending to text as Nick and Donghae somehow communicate with little to no problems. How long is Donghae staying for? Are any of the others here? Where are they staying? Are they going to get kidnapped by some crazy fans? How long has it been since Henry’s last seen Donghae? A few weeks, maybe? He’s missed him.
“You know Super Junior?”
“Oh, yeah! That’s the band Henry’s in, right? Do you like them too?”
“Me-I’m Super Junior’s Donghae!”
…Oh, crap.
“Anyways,” Henry interrupts, grabbing Donghae by the arm. “I’m going to go show him around the city, so I’ll see you on Monday, Nick!” He waves madly and drags Donghae away before Nick gets the chance to ask if Henry’s gay, and if everyone else in Super Junior is gay, and if Korea is just full of closeted gays. Nick’s that kind of guy-intrusive and lacking any sort of social pleasantries, but then again, that doesn’t matter in America half as much as it does in Korea.
He and Donghae walk downtown aimlessly, and Henry demands why he decided to come visit him, let alone spend so much money on plane tickets. Those alone cost about half of a month’s paycheck, and there are so many better things to spend that on.
“Because I missed you,” Donghae says again. “Why don’t you get it?”
“You could’ve just texted me, or something!”
“That’s not the same.” The older boy looks at him and makes an expression that’s a cross between a frown and a pout, and Henry’s resolve almost gives way. “Don’t you want to see me?”
He sighs. “It’s not that, hyung. I do. But…just because this is America, doesn’t mean that no one knows who you are. Rumors are going to spring up if someone realizes that you came here on no basis whatsoever.” He remembers the last time he left Korea to return here-Donghae had cornered him, telling him very seriously that he shouldn’t go looking for any girls, because Canadian girls are dangerous. Henry had told him that he’s not going back to Canada anyway, but to America for school, and Donghae had cringed, saying they that American girls were even worse.
And then-and this is the part that Henry tries not to think about-Donghae had kissed him. Not for the first time, but maybe it was their first real kiss-something more than a simple peck, more than a passing display of affection. Henry tries not to remember, but he does-the way Donghae tasted, the way the sigh fell from Henry’s lips like it was just waiting to fall-the way Donghae’s hand had curled around his neck, keeping him close.
(He’s not gay. He’s not gay.)
He treats Donghae to dinner, whatever he wants-“McDonald’s,” he demands, “because the McDonald’s in Korea isn’t real,” and he’s sure he’s crazy-before they return to the apartment that he shares with Nick-who, thankfully, is still out. Henry shows Donghae his room, and the moment the door closes behind them, Donghae pulls him into a rough hug, nearly knocking the wind out of him (but not quite because of the physical impact).
“Hyung?” He awkwardly pats him on the back, and it’s then that Henry remembers how easily Donghae can feel lonely. He sighs and his shoulders slump a little, letting the older boy just hold him. “It’s not like I’m never going to go back, or something.”
“Still,” Donghae mumbles. “You’re too far away.”
“I’m…” Henry suppresses a shiver at how creepy this is. “I’m right here.”
(And he’d be lying if he said that this doesn’t feel good, doesn’t feel comforting, doesn’t feel peaceful-but then again, he’s always been good at lying.)
“Good.” Donghae nuzzles his nose into the crook of Henry’s neck, and Henry closes his eyes. Korea may be crazy, but he does kind of like this-skinship, he means. Physical proof that people care about him. After going through all of that hate a few years ago, he realizes how nice it feels to be cared about.
After a minute or so, he coughs loudly. “Anyway, so this is where I live…I just do homework and sleep here, so there’s nothing that interesting.”
Donghae pulls away, and asks, “Can I kiss you?”
“…That’s completely irrelevant to what I was just saying.”
“Can I kiss you anyway?”
“No!”
“Why not?”
“Because-” He pauses, looking for a legitimate reason. “Because this isn’t Korea. People don’t do that here. And I don’t like guys anyway.”
Donghae frowns. “Liar.”
“I’m not lying!”
“There are more openly gay guys in America than there are in Korea. And you so like guys.”
“No, that’s gross! I like boobs!” Donghae doesn’t bother arguing, though, and just kisses him. Henry responds with a muffled shout and stumbles backwards, tripping over his clothes that are strewn all over the floor and painfully bumping into his bookshelf. “Hyung, don’t do that!” Donghae’s eyes are half-lidded, and Henry wonders how much he really missed him, before the older boy steps closer, fingers ghosting across his jawline, and kissing him again. This time, Henry kisses back-it’s hard not to, okay? Donghae has a really nice mouth.
“Fine, you don’t like guys,” he says against Henry’s lips, voice like velvet and making him shiver. “You just like me.”
“That’s…” Kiss. “Debatable.”
“Or true.” Kiss.
“Maybe.” Kiss again.
“Well, I like you.” The pure directness makes Henry’s cheeks flush, and he looks away, embarrassed. “Did you hear me, Henry-ah? I like you.”
“I heard you just fine,” he mutters, determined to avoid eye contact.
He can just hear the silly grin in Donghae’s voice. “I like you,” he repeats, more confident this time. It’s like an echo in Henry’s heart-reverberating in his ribcage, hitting him over and over again-and this time, when Donghae kisses him, he submits completely-body arching against him when he pushes him against the bookshelf, hands gripping his hips like a lifeline.
This is fine. This is just fine. He doesn’t like guys-he just likes Donghae. And that’s okay.
(But when Nick walks in on them, minutes later, he doesn’t hesitate to kick Donghae out immediately. “You can find your way back to your hotel yourself,” he says haughtily, before slamming the door in his face.)
i need to stop writing, and start doing something productive with my life. like studying. or sleeping.