iss 2011: for theblobmaster
To: theblobmaster
From: Your Secret Santa
Title: Yadong Forever
Pairing/Focus: Dongwoo x Hoya
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 3830
Summary: Being officially named the "Yadong" couple, Dongwoo and Hoya decide to turn a visit to the mall into a date.
The bottom rack of a bunkbed really did not have room for two people, but that didn't bother Dongwoo. He was cuddled close to Hoya, his icy feet bumping into the other rapper's ankles every once in a while, making Hoya fidget and laugh in disbelief. How could a human being be so cold in one place, and so warm everywhere else?
"So we're the Yadong couple, huh?" Dongwoo finally murmured into the darkness. Hoya folded one arm beneath his head, propping it up. His teeth flashed white in the dark, a gleaming slice of amusement. They'd spent at least two hours after dinner browsing the web, cackling and blushing over fan chatter about "Yadong". They'd even found pictures and some fanfictions, and skimmed through all of them voraciously. It got to the point that they were howling and laughing so loudly that Sunggyu's hand had descended before their transfixed faces and jammed the laptop's power off.
"Bedtime," he'd said. They'd gone silent, sucking in their lips to keep in laughter as their leader trudged heavily back to his room. They must have woken him. They calmed down, grinning stupidly at each other and chuckling as they gathered their scattered belongings, and gone quietly to the bathroom.
"I don't want to sleep alone," Dongwoo had said, blinking in the mirror at his dripping face as he washed.
"That's fine, I'll sleep with you," Hoya had offered easily. He figured he'd go and sleep in Dongwoo's room on some spare blankets. L was gone and there was tons of room in there. But no, they'd brushed their teeth and Dongwoo had gone into Hoya's room and fallen into his tiny bed, like he belonged there.
"Yeah, Yadong forever." Hoya said. You had to admit, their couple name was pretty awesome. They'd informed both Woogyu and Myungjong of that several times that evening. Dongwoo seemed satisfied by Hoya's admission. The older rapper nuzzled his head deep into the pillows and closed his eyes.
Hoya tried to sleep, but for a torturous ten minutes he couldn't get comfortable. His arms wouldn't fit in the bed, not with Dongwoo hogging it. Hoya was hunched up stiff on his side, his shoulder and hip beginning to ache a little. Then he realized what was wrong: he was holding himself away from Dongwoo, trying (impossibly) to sleep without touching him.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, melt down into the warm sheets, melt down against Dongwoo. He let his arms curl around him and hesitantly pressed their bodies together. He tried not to think about how sleeping together innocently had turned into beastly, passionate sex in more than one of the fanfictions they'd read. He twitched uncomfortably at the thought. Dongwoo, as if sensing his distress, threw a brotherly arm around his ribs. Hoya tensed and then smiled. He sighed, leaning his head into the other's shoulder. Sleep.
***
They went to the mall.
In the van on the way to a schedule, their manager had taken a call. He pulled the van to the side of the highway after that, flicking the emergency lights on. Sunggyu put his hand on the back of the seat and leaned forward. "What is it, hyung?"
"It's cancelled."
Their disappointment was tangible, sweeping back through the van like a cold wind. All dressed up and nowhere to go.
Their manager tapped his fingers on the steering wheel for a few seconds, then craned around. "You kids want to go to a mall?" he asked brightly. Their lost frowns dissolved. Almost at once, they began hauling their bags into their laps, counting the money in their wallets and then calling out names of malls they wanted to visit most.
When the clamor grew unbearable, their manager slapped the dashboard and shouted "We're going to the one that's closest!"
They were all fine with that.
***
Hoya and Dongwoo were in the very back row. Dongwoo had been dozing on Hoya's shoulder, his prickly hair tickling his neck. Now he was nearly vibrating in his seat, like a labrador being taken to the park.
"Do you think there's going to be a lot of fans?" Hoya fretted, eyeing Dongwoo's baseball cap with jealousy as the older pulled it on over his hair. Their clothes were already sort of flashy, their hair done up with stiff gel. He couldn't just smooth his hair down; that gel would stick till he took a long, hot shower. They were all going to stick out for what they were, especially Hoya. He didn't have a hat, a hoodie, anything.
"Hmmm..." Dongwoo studied him critically, picking up on Hoya's fear. He reached into his backpack, dug around, and finally pulled out a black medical mask. He took off his hat and pulled it snugly over Hoya's head. "You wear this. I'll wear this," he said, stretching the mask across his nose and mouth.
Hoya blinked. "But hyung, you can't just go into the mall like that... you're not even sick!" He said, wondering why he bothered saying something so stupid. Why couldn't he just accept his hyung's kindness and shutup?
"Why not? I've seen other idols do it."
"Yeah, but..." Hoya felt bad. While he was more confident with a hat to hide under, he felt guilty knowing Dongwoo would be trapped in a stifling mask all day. He opened his mouth to offer a last, feeble protest, but Dongwoo took his hand. Hoya looked down in surprise. Dongwoo was stroking over his knuckles with a rough thumb. "Hey, if you're going to be worried the whole time, I won't have fun." His muffled voice said. "I much prefer it this way."
Hoya couldn't see his large, toothy grin, but he saw the way his eyes crinkled up and glittered and knew he was beaming. He beamed back, withdrawing his hand gingerly. "Okay." He could feel Dongwoo's thumb moving over his hand even when he had it stuffed in his pocket.
***
Their manager let them out of the van, the sliding doors birthing idols out into the bitterly cold parking lot. He told them to be back at the van in three hours, and call ahead if they were having trouble with fans.
Sungjong and L went off together, walking close to each other. Sunggyu made Sungyeol walk alone, afraid his height would draw attention. The tall boy looked heartbroken, but Sunggyu promised he'd meet up with him later; it would just be better to enter the mall in small pieces, not as all of Infinite.
Hoya was watching quietly as they broke away, and didn't notice Dongwoo reach for his hand, again. He whipped around. Dongwoo's eyes were smiling above his mask. For the first time, Hoya realized that the older rapper looked almost cool with the mask on. He looked like some sort of cosplayer, with his spiked pale hair and his thick-soled boots with the buckles up the sides. He wore a white vest hanging with chains and dark, tight pants striped black and gray.He squeezed Hoya's hand. "Yadong should go on a date."
"E-eh?"
"You know!" He spoke up behind his mask. "Let's do couply things! We can act out our own fanfictions!"
Hoya flushed from his hairline to his chest. "What parts of our fanfictions do you mean, hyung?" He swallowed.
Dongwoo shoved his shoulder roughly. "Yah, you're no fun! Let's go do romantic things in the mall, come on!" His voice took on a whining tone, and Hoya knew instinctively that Dongwoo was about to get his way. "We can shop for clothes together, take pictures together... oh! We should do like in American movies and get one of those ice creams or sodas or whatever, where they get two straws and drink it at the same time!"
Hoya found himself grinning, despite himself. Why was Dongwoo able to make any idea sound fun, no matter what it was?
"Fans would love it!" Dongwoo steamrolled on. "We can take pictures and post them on twitter!"
"Ah! Fans will really go crazy, won't they?" Hoya laughed, his eyes glittering with sudden excitement. It really was fun to watch the way they could make their twitter accounts explode with comments. Yadong pictures would get maybe the hugest reaction of all time. He could already imagine he and Dongwoo later, boasting their popularity to the others.
"Okay, let's do it!" Hoya finally agreed. He adjusted his bag over his shoulder, and suddenly looked down. Dongwoo was still holding his hand. Hoya blinked, and then squeezed Dongwoo's fingers, gently. It was the Yadong thing to do.
***
Though he entered the mall full of purpose and mischevious energy, with every clothing store they passed Hoya felt his courage shrivel a little in his chest. He wanted to come right out and ask: 'So exactly how are we going to act out being a couple? What are you wanting us to do?'
'But,' Hoya finally had to admit to himself, 'I don't know if I want that answer.'
"How about this store?" Dongwoo asked, pointing into a men's clothing store. The polished windows displayed expensive leather coats and dressy outerware. Hoya's stomach clenched. He started to refuse.
Dongwoo sighed and pulled him to a stop. The mall traffic separated around them, and Hoya was sure he could hear grumbling. "Come on, you can't say no to every single store. You're not playing this game right. We're going in."
He yanked Hoya into the store, bowing to one of the stern-faced salesladies. Hoya was about to gripe at Dongwoo to let him go, but the older did so and wandered off to look at a display of jewelry. Hoya shoved his hand back safely into his pocket. But now that Dongwoo had let him go, he missed the comfort of his warm, dry hand around his.
The merchandise interested him, despite himself. Soon he got lost in the racks of cool jackets and silky shirts, and interesting metallic jewelry. He'd nearly managed to forget about Dongwoo. Eventually he gathered two shirts that he really needed to try on. One of the tight-faced woman unlocked the door of a changing room with a antique bronze key, and bowed demurely. Hoya bowed back sheepishly and was reaching to hang the shirts on the hook when he heard Dongwoo. "Oh, hi, sorry miss, but I'm with him! No, I don't have anything to try on, myself. No, it's okay. Don't worry, I'm with him. Yes. Okay. Thank you." And suddenly Dongwoo had bowed himself into the changing room with Hoya, and turned to face him. He pulled his mask down to his neck.
"I thought I told you we have to do this romantically? Why didn't you tell me you were ready to try something on?" He smirked, crossing his arms playfully across his chest.
Hoya didn't even realize the way he was shrinking back into the corner. "Oh yeah?" He tried, bravely. "So what does that mean?"
"It means we help each other try on clothes, silly." Dongwoo said, unfolding his arms and taking a step, then two, and then the tip of one shoe touched Hoya's. Dongwoo reached up and found the first button on Hoya's shirt. He popped it open. "Hyung," Hoya breathed. Dongwoo ignored him and undid the others, even when Hoya's fingers began to pry at one of his forearms.
Cool air kissed Hoya's skin, making him shiver. Dongwoo was looking at him, not at his shirt, as he slid it open and off his shoulders. He held Hoya's arm as he tugged one sleeve off, and then the other.
Hoya wrapped his arms around himself as Dongwoo respectfully folded his shirt and set it on the seat in the corner. He slid one of the new shirts off its hanger and stood behind him, opening the shirt up for his arms to slide through. Hoya did so, more to get warm than anything. He happened to glance at their reflection in the mirror. Dongwoo was looking down at him; his mouth was so close to the crook of his neck- like he was thinking about biting it. Something in a deep part of Hoya's stomach quivered. He closed his eyes against the image and finished getting his arms through the sleeves. On impulse he reached to do up the buttons, but Dongwoo's larger hands were already there. He could feel the caressing movements of his fingertips through the fine silk. He gulped. "Hyung, the salespeople are so gonna call the mall police..." he whimpered, barely louder than a breath. He didn't dare look at the mirror again, though he sort of wanted to.
Dongwoo didn't answer, but kept doing up his shirt. Finally he stepped around him and adjusted the collar, tugging it out smooth and straight. He grinned toothily, his eyes creasing. "Yah, you look really nice in that!" He circled him like a hyena, one hand on his hip. "Definitely nice. I'm going to buy that for you."
Hoya had been observing the shirt's fit in the mirror, but at that he jerked around. "What? Why?" There was a suspicious edge to his voice.
Dongwoo gave a long-suffering sigh. "You really don't know how to be Yadong very well, do you? I'm buying it cause you're sexy in it and I want to see you wearing it." He grinned again and winked in such a flashy way that it made a storm of butterflies erupt in Hoya's chest.
"Now, take that off. Let's try your other shirt on."
"No! No... I mean, it's the same shirt, hyung. Just a different color. But I think I like this shade way more. Don't worry about it."
Hoya redressed himself, half-helped by Dongwoo, and followed his hyung out of the dressing room in a daze. "Noona, we'll take this one!" Dongwoo called cheerfully, from halfway across the store. Hoya shook his head, smiling. The idiot hadn't even remembered to put his mask back on, and the ladies of the staff were murmuring and getting flustered. "Pabo..." he whispered.
***
There weren't any places in the noisy foodcourt selling ice cream sundaes or cream sodas- whatever a couple could share with two straws. They strolled around the perimeter together, their hands hanging close, sometimes brushing together, but not quite holding each other. Hoya knew Dongwoo was doing that on purpose, but ignored it as well as he could.
The steamy air was full of the scent of grilled meats and kimchi and stir-frying noodles. There were a few cute cafes serving fancy, fairy-tale-looking desserts, but Dongwoo kept passing them by like an impatient predator. Hoya sensed the growing disappointment, coming off him in waves. What a baby. Once Dongwoo had a certain idea in mind, he latched onto it; and if he wasn't able to execute it down to the exact plan, he could get mopey. Hoya finally stopped him, and pointed to a isolated table next to a pillar and a large fern. "Go sit. I'll bring you something, alright?"
Dongwoo opened his mouth and Hoya pushed his chest lightly. Damn, that was a firm chest. "Trust me."
***
He brought them a large bowl of strawberry frozen yogurt, covered with diced mango and red beans and warm honey sauce. Dongwoo's eyes got wide and shiny as he looked at it. He clawed down his mask.
"I know it's not a float or whatever you wanted," Hoya said, sitting down across from him and setting a spoon down beside the yogurt. "But... how about, I'll feed it to you? I mean, we can feed it to each other? That's couply, right?" He blushed.
"Yes! Awesome! This is an even better idea!" Dongwoo whispered excitedly. He snatched the hot-pink spoon away and dug it in, getting a perfect balance of mango and bean and yogurt. For a second, Hoya thought he was going to stuff it in his own greedy mouth. Instead, he stood up from his chair and leaned across the table. His free hand reached up and held Hoya's jaw gently. The spoon touched his lips and Hoya opened his mouth, taking in the sweet, tangy mouthful of dessert.
Dongwoo slid the spoon out slowly, but his steadying fingers didn't leave his face. "Good?" He asked.
"Y-yeah," Hoya stuttered, swallowing and then clearing his throat. Dongwoo's hand slid away from him. "Good!"
"Okay, now my turn!" The older declared, biting his bottom lip into his mouth in anticipation. Suddenly his eyesbrows furrowed. "Ah, wait, there's only one spoon. Did we drop the other?" He glanced beneath the table worriedly.
Hoya winced and scrubbed his mouth with a balled-up napkin. The back of his neck burned. "I... er... only got one spoon. I figured you'd like that," he said in disgust, as if he thought Dongwoo was a perv for that fact. Indirect kisses, and all that.
But, if he were really going to be honest with himself, he'd wanted them to only have one spoon.
He was the one quickly becoming the perv.
***
It happened towards the end of their mall trip. And it would change Hoya's life forever.
"Oh! There it is!" Dongwoo shouted. It was surprising how little that black mask of his quieted him. They'd turned down one of the side corridors of the mall, lined with a chocolate shop, a soap shop, and a couple others that weren't receiving much traffic. In the middle of the walkway were large decorative plants, a few drink machines, and a photobooth.
"Remember, I said we should get our picture taken!?"
"Yeah, I remember, hyung!" Hoya laughed, pushing the rambunctious boy away from him. He looked at the small, dark stall, and for some reason his heart sped up. By then he was toting multiple shopping bags, and the handles were quickly growing slippery from cold sweat. He adjusted his grip as they walked closer.
Hoya didn't feel like he was simply approaching a photobooth. A huge, significant feeling was crawling over him. He felt like he was walking onto his very first live performance ever, or into a restaurant for a blind date, or down the aisle of a chapel. They reached it and Dongwoo scanned the information and pictures posted on the side as if to make sure this as, indeed, a photobooth. A small mounted tv played an instructional video, showing a trio of highschool girls having what was, apparently, the most fun of their entire lives.
"Yep, let's do this!" Dongwoo announced, clapping the thing on the side. Hoya's mind rushed with black shadows as the older lifted the booth's curtain aside for him and let him sit first. Hoya huddled in, set his bags at his feet. The air inside felt hot to him, the trapped breaths of everyone who's had their pictures taken before. He forced himself to take a deep chest-full of oxygen and stretch out his restricted lungs. His fingers were trembling. He shoved his hands between his thighs as Dongwoo got situated beside him.
A friendly woman's voice began giving directions from the video screen mounted in front of them. As she started quoting prices, Hoya lifted his butt and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. But Dongwoo's hand closed around his, and pushed it down firmly. The older rapper fed the proper amount of quarters into the machine, and sat back. Hoya stared straight ahead, his mouth parted.
Their hips were touching, and the entire length of their thighs. Hoya broke his still spell and glanced over. He saw that Dongwoo had enough room on his side to sit two more people. Yet he was crushed against Hoya. He had really been taking this Yadong thing seriously, all day.
The woman's voice started counting down. Dongwoo pulled his mask down to his neck.
10.
"Dongwoo," Hoya breathed. "Do you-"
Dongwoo twisted around on the bench. His body pushed into Hoya's, hard and suffocating. But Hoya latched his fingers in his shirt and pulled him down closer.
9.
His eyes were closed, but he could feel Dongwoo's mouth hovering just above his, taste his breath. Mango and red beans. Why was he stopping? Why wasn't he... kissing him?
Ah, pabo! He's just acting! We can use these pics for twitter. Oh my god the internet will explode! It's just an act.. He thought, sadly.
8.
He swallowed, dry throat contracting.
7.
"Okay, I'm just gonna go for it," Dongwoo whispered to himself; Hoya thought he could hear tears in his voice. He opened his mouth to ask 'What?' but Dongwoo kissed him deeply instead, destroying all his words.
6.
Dongwoo's strong jaw worked as he kissed him. Hoya didn't know kisses could be this deep, this powerful. And this wasn't even with tongue! He sighed softly, but it sounded like a groan.
5.
Dongwoo's mouth left his. Hoya's lips felt tender and they tingled, like they held a million tiny fireflies. He could feel Dongwoo's fear and uncertainty, like thin, creaking ice.
4.
"You want to be a real Yadong couple, don't you?" Hoya asked affectionately.
3.
Dongwoo nodded frantically. The sight was so comical and exaggerated that it made Hoya laugh, despite himself.
2.
He stroked the back of Dongwoo's neck. "Let's kiss again, before I decide."
1.
***
They stayed in the booth even when all their pictures had been taken. When the disembodied voice began to get annoying with its demands for more money, Dongwoo tore away and forced enough money into the machine to reserve its time for two more sessions.
The air inside the booth grew stifling, but this time it didn't bother Hoya. Whenever he thought he wouldn't be able to take in another breath, Dongwoo pressed their mouths together and shared his own.
***
Hoya and Dongwoo taped the filmstrip of their pictures (or their "softcore pornography", as Sunggyu liked to refer to the images) to the top of Hoya's bunk so they could look up at them while they laid together at night.
***
"What happened to the other pictures we took, all the other things we did at the mall?" Hoya asked, one night months later. "We never even put any pics up on twitter!" They hadn't been able to put up their photobooth pictures, unfortunately. They'd decided the world just was not ready for those.
"Um... I think I forgot," Dongwoo confessed guiltily. "To even take any."
Hoya blinked. "Yeah... you're right. You were just focused on one thing, weren't you?"
Dongwoo buried his face into Hoya's neck.
"Don't act cute. You just better make sure you're only ever thinking of me."
"I know, I know!"
A pillow flew down from above and smacked their legs. "I am so sick of Yadong! You guys are the noisiest and most sickening couple ever!" Sungjong moaned hysterically. They heard him flop heavily back down into his bunk, releasing a long hiss of irritation.
The two rappers buried their cackling laughter in each other's shoulders.
"Are you sick of Yadong?" Dongwoo asked mildly, after they managed to quiet themselves down.
"No."
"Good."
From: Your Secret Santa
Title: Yadong Forever
Pairing/Focus: Dongwoo x Hoya
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 3830
Summary: Being officially named the "Yadong" couple, Dongwoo and Hoya decide to turn a visit to the mall into a date.
The bottom rack of a bunkbed really did not have room for two people, but that didn't bother Dongwoo. He was cuddled close to Hoya, his icy feet bumping into the other rapper's ankles every once in a while, making Hoya fidget and laugh in disbelief. How could a human being be so cold in one place, and so warm everywhere else?
"So we're the Yadong couple, huh?" Dongwoo finally murmured into the darkness. Hoya folded one arm beneath his head, propping it up. His teeth flashed white in the dark, a gleaming slice of amusement. They'd spent at least two hours after dinner browsing the web, cackling and blushing over fan chatter about "Yadong". They'd even found pictures and some fanfictions, and skimmed through all of them voraciously. It got to the point that they were howling and laughing so loudly that Sunggyu's hand had descended before their transfixed faces and jammed the laptop's power off.
"Bedtime," he'd said. They'd gone silent, sucking in their lips to keep in laughter as their leader trudged heavily back to his room. They must have woken him. They calmed down, grinning stupidly at each other and chuckling as they gathered their scattered belongings, and gone quietly to the bathroom.
"I don't want to sleep alone," Dongwoo had said, blinking in the mirror at his dripping face as he washed.
"That's fine, I'll sleep with you," Hoya had offered easily. He figured he'd go and sleep in Dongwoo's room on some spare blankets. L was gone and there was tons of room in there. But no, they'd brushed their teeth and Dongwoo had gone into Hoya's room and fallen into his tiny bed, like he belonged there.
"Yeah, Yadong forever." Hoya said. You had to admit, their couple name was pretty awesome. They'd informed both Woogyu and Myungjong of that several times that evening. Dongwoo seemed satisfied by Hoya's admission. The older rapper nuzzled his head deep into the pillows and closed his eyes.
Hoya tried to sleep, but for a torturous ten minutes he couldn't get comfortable. His arms wouldn't fit in the bed, not with Dongwoo hogging it. Hoya was hunched up stiff on his side, his shoulder and hip beginning to ache a little. Then he realized what was wrong: he was holding himself away from Dongwoo, trying (impossibly) to sleep without touching him.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, melt down into the warm sheets, melt down against Dongwoo. He let his arms curl around him and hesitantly pressed their bodies together. He tried not to think about how sleeping together innocently had turned into beastly, passionate sex in more than one of the fanfictions they'd read. He twitched uncomfortably at the thought. Dongwoo, as if sensing his distress, threw a brotherly arm around his ribs. Hoya tensed and then smiled. He sighed, leaning his head into the other's shoulder. Sleep.
***
They went to the mall.
In the van on the way to a schedule, their manager had taken a call. He pulled the van to the side of the highway after that, flicking the emergency lights on. Sunggyu put his hand on the back of the seat and leaned forward. "What is it, hyung?"
"It's cancelled."
Their disappointment was tangible, sweeping back through the van like a cold wind. All dressed up and nowhere to go.
Their manager tapped his fingers on the steering wheel for a few seconds, then craned around. "You kids want to go to a mall?" he asked brightly. Their lost frowns dissolved. Almost at once, they began hauling their bags into their laps, counting the money in their wallets and then calling out names of malls they wanted to visit most.
When the clamor grew unbearable, their manager slapped the dashboard and shouted "We're going to the one that's closest!"
They were all fine with that.
***
Hoya and Dongwoo were in the very back row. Dongwoo had been dozing on Hoya's shoulder, his prickly hair tickling his neck. Now he was nearly vibrating in his seat, like a labrador being taken to the park.
"Do you think there's going to be a lot of fans?" Hoya fretted, eyeing Dongwoo's baseball cap with jealousy as the older pulled it on over his hair. Their clothes were already sort of flashy, their hair done up with stiff gel. He couldn't just smooth his hair down; that gel would stick till he took a long, hot shower. They were all going to stick out for what they were, especially Hoya. He didn't have a hat, a hoodie, anything.
"Hmmm..." Dongwoo studied him critically, picking up on Hoya's fear. He reached into his backpack, dug around, and finally pulled out a black medical mask. He took off his hat and pulled it snugly over Hoya's head. "You wear this. I'll wear this," he said, stretching the mask across his nose and mouth.
Hoya blinked. "But hyung, you can't just go into the mall like that... you're not even sick!" He said, wondering why he bothered saying something so stupid. Why couldn't he just accept his hyung's kindness and shutup?
"Why not? I've seen other idols do it."
"Yeah, but..." Hoya felt bad. While he was more confident with a hat to hide under, he felt guilty knowing Dongwoo would be trapped in a stifling mask all day. He opened his mouth to offer a last, feeble protest, but Dongwoo took his hand. Hoya looked down in surprise. Dongwoo was stroking over his knuckles with a rough thumb. "Hey, if you're going to be worried the whole time, I won't have fun." His muffled voice said. "I much prefer it this way."
Hoya couldn't see his large, toothy grin, but he saw the way his eyes crinkled up and glittered and knew he was beaming. He beamed back, withdrawing his hand gingerly. "Okay." He could feel Dongwoo's thumb moving over his hand even when he had it stuffed in his pocket.
***
Their manager let them out of the van, the sliding doors birthing idols out into the bitterly cold parking lot. He told them to be back at the van in three hours, and call ahead if they were having trouble with fans.
Sungjong and L went off together, walking close to each other. Sunggyu made Sungyeol walk alone, afraid his height would draw attention. The tall boy looked heartbroken, but Sunggyu promised he'd meet up with him later; it would just be better to enter the mall in small pieces, not as all of Infinite.
Hoya was watching quietly as they broke away, and didn't notice Dongwoo reach for his hand, again. He whipped around. Dongwoo's eyes were smiling above his mask. For the first time, Hoya realized that the older rapper looked almost cool with the mask on. He looked like some sort of cosplayer, with his spiked pale hair and his thick-soled boots with the buckles up the sides. He wore a white vest hanging with chains and dark, tight pants striped black and gray.He squeezed Hoya's hand. "Yadong should go on a date."
"E-eh?"
"You know!" He spoke up behind his mask. "Let's do couply things! We can act out our own fanfictions!"
Hoya flushed from his hairline to his chest. "What parts of our fanfictions do you mean, hyung?" He swallowed.
Dongwoo shoved his shoulder roughly. "Yah, you're no fun! Let's go do romantic things in the mall, come on!" His voice took on a whining tone, and Hoya knew instinctively that Dongwoo was about to get his way. "We can shop for clothes together, take pictures together... oh! We should do like in American movies and get one of those ice creams or sodas or whatever, where they get two straws and drink it at the same time!"
Hoya found himself grinning, despite himself. Why was Dongwoo able to make any idea sound fun, no matter what it was?
"Fans would love it!" Dongwoo steamrolled on. "We can take pictures and post them on twitter!"
"Ah! Fans will really go crazy, won't they?" Hoya laughed, his eyes glittering with sudden excitement. It really was fun to watch the way they could make their twitter accounts explode with comments. Yadong pictures would get maybe the hugest reaction of all time. He could already imagine he and Dongwoo later, boasting their popularity to the others.
"Okay, let's do it!" Hoya finally agreed. He adjusted his bag over his shoulder, and suddenly looked down. Dongwoo was still holding his hand. Hoya blinked, and then squeezed Dongwoo's fingers, gently. It was the Yadong thing to do.
***
Though he entered the mall full of purpose and mischevious energy, with every clothing store they passed Hoya felt his courage shrivel a little in his chest. He wanted to come right out and ask: 'So exactly how are we going to act out being a couple? What are you wanting us to do?'
'But,' Hoya finally had to admit to himself, 'I don't know if I want that answer.'
"How about this store?" Dongwoo asked, pointing into a men's clothing store. The polished windows displayed expensive leather coats and dressy outerware. Hoya's stomach clenched. He started to refuse.
Dongwoo sighed and pulled him to a stop. The mall traffic separated around them, and Hoya was sure he could hear grumbling. "Come on, you can't say no to every single store. You're not playing this game right. We're going in."
He yanked Hoya into the store, bowing to one of the stern-faced salesladies. Hoya was about to gripe at Dongwoo to let him go, but the older did so and wandered off to look at a display of jewelry. Hoya shoved his hand back safely into his pocket. But now that Dongwoo had let him go, he missed the comfort of his warm, dry hand around his.
The merchandise interested him, despite himself. Soon he got lost in the racks of cool jackets and silky shirts, and interesting metallic jewelry. He'd nearly managed to forget about Dongwoo. Eventually he gathered two shirts that he really needed to try on. One of the tight-faced woman unlocked the door of a changing room with a antique bronze key, and bowed demurely. Hoya bowed back sheepishly and was reaching to hang the shirts on the hook when he heard Dongwoo. "Oh, hi, sorry miss, but I'm with him! No, I don't have anything to try on, myself. No, it's okay. Don't worry, I'm with him. Yes. Okay. Thank you." And suddenly Dongwoo had bowed himself into the changing room with Hoya, and turned to face him. He pulled his mask down to his neck.
"I thought I told you we have to do this romantically? Why didn't you tell me you were ready to try something on?" He smirked, crossing his arms playfully across his chest.
Hoya didn't even realize the way he was shrinking back into the corner. "Oh yeah?" He tried, bravely. "So what does that mean?"
"It means we help each other try on clothes, silly." Dongwoo said, unfolding his arms and taking a step, then two, and then the tip of one shoe touched Hoya's. Dongwoo reached up and found the first button on Hoya's shirt. He popped it open. "Hyung," Hoya breathed. Dongwoo ignored him and undid the others, even when Hoya's fingers began to pry at one of his forearms.
Cool air kissed Hoya's skin, making him shiver. Dongwoo was looking at him, not at his shirt, as he slid it open and off his shoulders. He held Hoya's arm as he tugged one sleeve off, and then the other.
Hoya wrapped his arms around himself as Dongwoo respectfully folded his shirt and set it on the seat in the corner. He slid one of the new shirts off its hanger and stood behind him, opening the shirt up for his arms to slide through. Hoya did so, more to get warm than anything. He happened to glance at their reflection in the mirror. Dongwoo was looking down at him; his mouth was so close to the crook of his neck- like he was thinking about biting it. Something in a deep part of Hoya's stomach quivered. He closed his eyes against the image and finished getting his arms through the sleeves. On impulse he reached to do up the buttons, but Dongwoo's larger hands were already there. He could feel the caressing movements of his fingertips through the fine silk. He gulped. "Hyung, the salespeople are so gonna call the mall police..." he whimpered, barely louder than a breath. He didn't dare look at the mirror again, though he sort of wanted to.
Dongwoo didn't answer, but kept doing up his shirt. Finally he stepped around him and adjusted the collar, tugging it out smooth and straight. He grinned toothily, his eyes creasing. "Yah, you look really nice in that!" He circled him like a hyena, one hand on his hip. "Definitely nice. I'm going to buy that for you."
Hoya had been observing the shirt's fit in the mirror, but at that he jerked around. "What? Why?" There was a suspicious edge to his voice.
Dongwoo gave a long-suffering sigh. "You really don't know how to be Yadong very well, do you? I'm buying it cause you're sexy in it and I want to see you wearing it." He grinned again and winked in such a flashy way that it made a storm of butterflies erupt in Hoya's chest.
"Now, take that off. Let's try your other shirt on."
"No! No... I mean, it's the same shirt, hyung. Just a different color. But I think I like this shade way more. Don't worry about it."
Hoya redressed himself, half-helped by Dongwoo, and followed his hyung out of the dressing room in a daze. "Noona, we'll take this one!" Dongwoo called cheerfully, from halfway across the store. Hoya shook his head, smiling. The idiot hadn't even remembered to put his mask back on, and the ladies of the staff were murmuring and getting flustered. "Pabo..." he whispered.
***
There weren't any places in the noisy foodcourt selling ice cream sundaes or cream sodas- whatever a couple could share with two straws. They strolled around the perimeter together, their hands hanging close, sometimes brushing together, but not quite holding each other. Hoya knew Dongwoo was doing that on purpose, but ignored it as well as he could.
The steamy air was full of the scent of grilled meats and kimchi and stir-frying noodles. There were a few cute cafes serving fancy, fairy-tale-looking desserts, but Dongwoo kept passing them by like an impatient predator. Hoya sensed the growing disappointment, coming off him in waves. What a baby. Once Dongwoo had a certain idea in mind, he latched onto it; and if he wasn't able to execute it down to the exact plan, he could get mopey. Hoya finally stopped him, and pointed to a isolated table next to a pillar and a large fern. "Go sit. I'll bring you something, alright?"
Dongwoo opened his mouth and Hoya pushed his chest lightly. Damn, that was a firm chest. "Trust me."
***
He brought them a large bowl of strawberry frozen yogurt, covered with diced mango and red beans and warm honey sauce. Dongwoo's eyes got wide and shiny as he looked at it. He clawed down his mask.
"I know it's not a float or whatever you wanted," Hoya said, sitting down across from him and setting a spoon down beside the yogurt. "But... how about, I'll feed it to you? I mean, we can feed it to each other? That's couply, right?" He blushed.
"Yes! Awesome! This is an even better idea!" Dongwoo whispered excitedly. He snatched the hot-pink spoon away and dug it in, getting a perfect balance of mango and bean and yogurt. For a second, Hoya thought he was going to stuff it in his own greedy mouth. Instead, he stood up from his chair and leaned across the table. His free hand reached up and held Hoya's jaw gently. The spoon touched his lips and Hoya opened his mouth, taking in the sweet, tangy mouthful of dessert.
Dongwoo slid the spoon out slowly, but his steadying fingers didn't leave his face. "Good?" He asked.
"Y-yeah," Hoya stuttered, swallowing and then clearing his throat. Dongwoo's hand slid away from him. "Good!"
"Okay, now my turn!" The older declared, biting his bottom lip into his mouth in anticipation. Suddenly his eyesbrows furrowed. "Ah, wait, there's only one spoon. Did we drop the other?" He glanced beneath the table worriedly.
Hoya winced and scrubbed his mouth with a balled-up napkin. The back of his neck burned. "I... er... only got one spoon. I figured you'd like that," he said in disgust, as if he thought Dongwoo was a perv for that fact. Indirect kisses, and all that.
But, if he were really going to be honest with himself, he'd wanted them to only have one spoon.
He was the one quickly becoming the perv.
***
It happened towards the end of their mall trip. And it would change Hoya's life forever.
"Oh! There it is!" Dongwoo shouted. It was surprising how little that black mask of his quieted him. They'd turned down one of the side corridors of the mall, lined with a chocolate shop, a soap shop, and a couple others that weren't receiving much traffic. In the middle of the walkway were large decorative plants, a few drink machines, and a photobooth.
"Remember, I said we should get our picture taken!?"
"Yeah, I remember, hyung!" Hoya laughed, pushing the rambunctious boy away from him. He looked at the small, dark stall, and for some reason his heart sped up. By then he was toting multiple shopping bags, and the handles were quickly growing slippery from cold sweat. He adjusted his grip as they walked closer.
Hoya didn't feel like he was simply approaching a photobooth. A huge, significant feeling was crawling over him. He felt like he was walking onto his very first live performance ever, or into a restaurant for a blind date, or down the aisle of a chapel. They reached it and Dongwoo scanned the information and pictures posted on the side as if to make sure this as, indeed, a photobooth. A small mounted tv played an instructional video, showing a trio of highschool girls having what was, apparently, the most fun of their entire lives.
"Yep, let's do this!" Dongwoo announced, clapping the thing on the side. Hoya's mind rushed with black shadows as the older lifted the booth's curtain aside for him and let him sit first. Hoya huddled in, set his bags at his feet. The air inside felt hot to him, the trapped breaths of everyone who's had their pictures taken before. He forced himself to take a deep chest-full of oxygen and stretch out his restricted lungs. His fingers were trembling. He shoved his hands between his thighs as Dongwoo got situated beside him.
A friendly woman's voice began giving directions from the video screen mounted in front of them. As she started quoting prices, Hoya lifted his butt and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. But Dongwoo's hand closed around his, and pushed it down firmly. The older rapper fed the proper amount of quarters into the machine, and sat back. Hoya stared straight ahead, his mouth parted.
Their hips were touching, and the entire length of their thighs. Hoya broke his still spell and glanced over. He saw that Dongwoo had enough room on his side to sit two more people. Yet he was crushed against Hoya. He had really been taking this Yadong thing seriously, all day.
The woman's voice started counting down. Dongwoo pulled his mask down to his neck.
10.
"Dongwoo," Hoya breathed. "Do you-"
Dongwoo twisted around on the bench. His body pushed into Hoya's, hard and suffocating. But Hoya latched his fingers in his shirt and pulled him down closer.
9.
His eyes were closed, but he could feel Dongwoo's mouth hovering just above his, taste his breath. Mango and red beans. Why was he stopping? Why wasn't he... kissing him?
Ah, pabo! He's just acting! We can use these pics for twitter. Oh my god the internet will explode! It's just an act.. He thought, sadly.
8.
He swallowed, dry throat contracting.
7.
"Okay, I'm just gonna go for it," Dongwoo whispered to himself; Hoya thought he could hear tears in his voice. He opened his mouth to ask 'What?' but Dongwoo kissed him deeply instead, destroying all his words.
6.
Dongwoo's strong jaw worked as he kissed him. Hoya didn't know kisses could be this deep, this powerful. And this wasn't even with tongue! He sighed softly, but it sounded like a groan.
5.
Dongwoo's mouth left his. Hoya's lips felt tender and they tingled, like they held a million tiny fireflies. He could feel Dongwoo's fear and uncertainty, like thin, creaking ice.
4.
"You want to be a real Yadong couple, don't you?" Hoya asked affectionately.
3.
Dongwoo nodded frantically. The sight was so comical and exaggerated that it made Hoya laugh, despite himself.
2.
He stroked the back of Dongwoo's neck. "Let's kiss again, before I decide."
1.
***
They stayed in the booth even when all their pictures had been taken. When the disembodied voice began to get annoying with its demands for more money, Dongwoo tore away and forced enough money into the machine to reserve its time for two more sessions.
The air inside the booth grew stifling, but this time it didn't bother Hoya. Whenever he thought he wouldn't be able to take in another breath, Dongwoo pressed their mouths together and shared his own.
***
Hoya and Dongwoo taped the filmstrip of their pictures (or their "softcore pornography", as Sunggyu liked to refer to the images) to the top of Hoya's bunk so they could look up at them while they laid together at night.
***
"What happened to the other pictures we took, all the other things we did at the mall?" Hoya asked, one night months later. "We never even put any pics up on twitter!" They hadn't been able to put up their photobooth pictures, unfortunately. They'd decided the world just was not ready for those.
"Um... I think I forgot," Dongwoo confessed guiltily. "To even take any."
Hoya blinked. "Yeah... you're right. You were just focused on one thing, weren't you?"
Dongwoo buried his face into Hoya's neck.
"Don't act cute. You just better make sure you're only ever thinking of me."
"I know, I know!"
A pillow flew down from above and smacked their legs. "I am so sick of Yadong! You guys are the noisiest and most sickening couple ever!" Sungjong moaned hysterically. They heard him flop heavily back down into his bunk, releasing a long hiss of irritation.
The two rappers buried their cackling laughter in each other's shoulders.
"Are you sick of Yadong?" Dongwoo asked mildly, after they managed to quiet themselves down.
"No."
"Good."