[22] Someone I Used To Know
Title: Someone I Used To Know
Pairing: Yunho/Luhan, slight Sehun/Luhan
Summary: He doesn’t even look remotely like Jaejoong but Luhan has a twinkle in his eyes and an almost secretive smile that has Yunho enraptured and goddamn he moves just the way Jaejoong did.
Warning: Unbeta-ed. I have no excuse for this. D: This was supposed to be a drabble under 500 words.
It doesn’t really help that Luhan is beautiful and coy and everything that Jaejoong used to be. He’s young and innocent-looking, pale skin over delicate bones and lean muscles. He doesn’t even look remotely like Jaejoong but he has a twinkle in his eyes and an almost secretive smile that has Yunho enraptured and goddamn he moves just the way Jaejoong did.
Sometimes Yunho catches himself staring, watching Luhan with a bubbling desire right at the pit of his stomach. He wants Luhan, he’s quick to realize. But he knows it’s not so much as wanting a beautiful boy than it is wanting a beautiful boy that reminds him of Jaejoong. Yunho’s always been in love with the idea of a younger Jaejoong-smooth, pliant and utterly willing to be kissed and taken. And right now, Luhan is like that idea of Jaejoong come to life, taking the shape of an angel-faced Chinese boy with a tempting mouth.
It’s becoming a habit of Yunho to wonder what it would take to get him into his bed.
They’re backstage of Honda Center when Yunho figures out that it probably wouldn’t take much.
Every Kpop fan in Southern California has the whole place packed for SM Town Anaheim. The cameras are rolling, recording behind-the-scenes footages for an upcoming SM Town special. It’s supposed to give fans a glimpse of the camaraderie among SM Entertainment’s groups. But even this is choreographed albeit lacking any detailed script. Yunho, on his part, has been instructed to play the thoughtful sunbae who gives advice to his new juniors.
He walks over to where EXO is huddled, cameraman following right behind. All 12 of them are fidgeting nervously, and it’s not an act because this is like an informal induction into SM Town and they cannot mess it up. The sight makes Yunho nostalgic but he doesn’t quite allow himself to think back on his debut days, an era when two used to be five.
They bow repeatedly as he breaks into their circle, giving each a friendly pat on the shoulder. Like most rookies, they stare at him with awed expressions while he rattles off performance tips here and there, pointing out areas that need improvement. Baekhyun, you should perform with more intensity. Tao, try to look less nervous, and so on.
He tries to give them equal attention, tries to keep from looking at a certain member for too long. But he doesn’t miss the familiar glimmer in Luhan’s eyes.
It’s the eyes of a fanboy.
When you’re catapulted into stardom and lose whatever privacy you have to thousands of fans, you tend to develop a keen talent for deciphering people. It’s a necessity to be able to read people’s intentions just by looking at them, lest your career gets destroyed because you unwittingly trusted the wrong kind. But it’s this ability to read people that allowed Yunho to quickly conclude that Luhan wanted him, wants him. A part of him isn’t really surprised because he’s had plenty of admirers from other idol groups, both girls and boys alike. Some were more than willing to provide him with intimate company.
Fortunately, or not, Yunho is never careless and declines most offers with a kind no and gentleman’s smile. It’s not that he’s not open to a night of passionate, unattached sex. He’s just someone who believes that once you’ve had the best, it’s terribly hard to settle for anything less. And Jaejoong had been…the best.
Months into the lawsuit, he started developing an irrational fear that he’ll never find someone like Jaejoong.
So when he had first seen Luhan walk into SM almost two years ago, moving with an uncanny resemblance to Jaejoong’s nimble gait, Yunho won’t deny that his breath had lodged up against his throat. He doesn’t want to think that he already might’ve wanted Luhan then.
Thankfully, trainees rarely have the opportunity to mingle with their seniors. And with Yunho’s schedule packed with recordings and performances in multiple countries, it hadn’t been difficult to push away the image of the Chinese trainee who unknowingly channeled Jaejoong.
Yunho has always been naturally forgetful and he made good use of that.
That is, only until SM announced the upcoming debut of EXO.
They’re all high from adrenaline, the energy of the audience seeping into glittery outfits and sweaty skin. SM Town Anaheim is almost at an end and it’s a jumble of groups flitting across the stage. As always, Luhan is attached to Sehun by the hip, fuelling whatever fantasies their fans have about the two of them. Yunho is aware of the art of fanservice, having done it countless times. But he feels a tingle of jealously because there’s already no denying his desire for Luhan. He wants to touch him, feel the boy pressed against him. He probably wouldn’t be this bothered if he had not seen the way Luhan looked at him, doe eyes reflecting a similar longing.
The younger male must have felt Yunho’s intense gaze because amidst the crowd and the confetti, Luhan turns to meet his stare, lips quirking upward in a shy smile. There it is again, the look of admiration and something else, something more potent. In Yunho’s mind, Luhan might still be a boy. But he welcomes the possibility that underneath that visage of innocence is a darker persona waiting to be unleashed.
Yunho is determined to find out.
The night after the next SM Town concert proves to be the ideal setting for Yunho’s plan to lure in Luhan. The thought almost makes him feel like he’s about to commit a kind of debauchery but he reminds himself that no matter how innocent he looked, Luhan is only a few years younger. He will have him, if only to get it out of his system. Maybe a taste would be enough to erase the traces of Jaejoong in Luhan. Maybe a single encounter will convince Yunho that he’s just seeing things, that Luhan can never be a like his former lover.
Maybe.
He’s aching to know.
So he makes use of his charms to coerce EXO-M’s manager into leading him right outside Luhan’s hotel room. Secrecy is what keeps the company afloat; hiding whatever unconventional activities their artists like to engage in during their free time. As long as it doesn’t affect the company, don’t ask. It’s this unspoken rule that awards Yunho with a key card and an assurance that they wouldn’t be disturbed. Yixing, Luhan’s supposed roommate, has been reassigned to stay with Tao and Kris in a bigger suite.
Consequences be damned, Yunho swipes the card and the handle turns smoothly against his palm. He pushes the door open, resolute to stop any kind of hesitation. As he steps inside, he quickly realizes that he’s here not just for Luhan but also for himself. For once, he wants to be reckless again, unmindful of what his actions will bring. Jaejoong had been the only one capable of drawing out his irresponsible side and he hastily reverted back to being the straight-laced Yunho the moment three of his bandmates had left.
He’s halfway across the living room when Luhan emerges from the bedroom, hair still damp from a quick shower. Yunho isn’t sure if it’s the glow of the lamps but Luhan’s face lights up when he see the older male, obviously aware that he would have a visitor.
“Sunbae…” Luhan greets timidly, bowing low to hide the blush forming on his cheeks.
“You knew I was coming?” Yunho asks.
A nod. “Manager-hyung told me.”
Of course.
“And do you know why I’m here?” Yunho takes two steps to close the distance between them.
“I-I think so.” Luhan breathes out carefully, suddenly looking very interested in the door behind him. Yunho reaches out to caress a smooth cheek, amused at the how bashful he looks.
“And…why do you think I am here, Luhan?” He asks in jest but he sees the hesitation and insecurity on Luhan’s face. He’s beautiful, Yunho thinks.
“B-because you…want me?” It comes out as a question and Yunho lets out an amused chuckle, finding the situation all too entertaining. Luhan looks even more uncertain now, biting his lower lip out of a nervous habit.
“You’re right. I do want you.” Yunho’s words cause Luhan to look up expectantly. “I want you because you’re beautiful and you remind me of someone I used to know.”
Luhan smiles in understanding.
Even after months of trying to trip Luhan into divulging his secret, the rest of EXO never do find out why Yixing had to relocate to Tao and Kris’ room during that night in Taiwan. All they knew was that Luhan had been allowed to sleep in until the early afternoon, even missing an important debriefing from the EXO managers. Every now and then, a member or two would pop the question to an unsuspecting Luhan. But he would only smile and shake his head in amusement.
As Luhan’s bestfriend, Sehun feels obligated to at least have idea of what the older male is hiding. Luhan has already announced that no amount of pleading or threatening will make him talk. But Sehun feels like he’s failing as a best friend. They shouldn’t have secrets. Or at least, they shouldn’t have secrets that somehow lead to soft smiles and nostalgic daydreaming. From Sehun’s careful observations, he knows that whatever Luhan is hiding, it isn’t unpleasant. On the contrary, it’s something that makes him happy.
Sehun needs to know.
“Hyung, what really happened?” is what comes out of his mouth when he spots Luhan sitting cross-legged on the dorm couch, tinkering with his iPhone. He doesn’t elaborate because Luhan has been subjected to this inquiry too many times before.
“Wow, you’re really persistent about this.” Luhan doesn’t look up. Sehun doesn’t detect any annoyance so he bravely sits next to him, hoping to get something out this time around.
“I just want to know, hyung. I swear I won’t tell anyone.” He probably sounds whiny and childish but he doesn’t care.
Luhan finally removes his attention from the screen and looks at him. “I’m sorry Sehun-ah. You know I wouldn’t hide anything from you guys unless I really have to. Please just let me keep this one tiny secret?”
Sehun is about to reply when Luhan’s phone buzzes in his hand, signaling a new message. It takes Luhan as second before he jumps off the couch, typing a hurried reply.
“I’m sorry. Sehun-ah. But I have to go meet manager-hyung.”
“Ok,” Sehun says weakly at the empty spot Luhan just left.
From: Manager-hyung #1
Received: 5:31PM, Jul 25
Message:
He wants to see you.
Meet us at SM building in one hour.
Yunho still thinks that Luhan is a bit like Jaejoong. And it’s not just the way he moves anymore. It’s how he flirts with his members, how he switches from being shy to commanding. In a lot of ways, Yunho’s plan backfired. A taste wasn’t enough and a single encounter didn’t erase the traces of Jaejoong in Luhan. But Yunho can’t say that he regrets anything.
Do I really remind you of him?
Yes.
Then why settle for a shadow when you can still have the real thing?
Because you remind me of the Jaejoong that I used to know.