Dream
Dream (2/3)
By: sasakorujjin
Rating: PG-13ish
Pairing: Junho/Nichkhun, slight Jaebum/Wooyoung, implied Junsu/Junho
Summary: They say you shouldn’t run away from life, and Junho might’ve just found the reason to finally stop. AU.
As the bikes neared the center of the town, Wooyoung stepped out of his restaurant in surprise.
“What happened to you guys!?” Wooyoung asked as he saw the wet Nichkhun and Junho riding alongside Taecyeon and Jin Young. Nichkhun had decided to sit with Taecyeon instead of exposing himself to a would-be traumatized younger brother. They smiled at him and gave him a wave.
“W-W-Wooyoung!?” Jaebum on the other hand, was luckily going at a slow enough speed that when he crashed into the branch in front of him, his fall was light and he safely rolled away.
“Ah! Are you ok?” Wooyoung face scrunched up in worry as he bounded towards the fallen Jaebum.
“Y-yea, I’m fine.” Jaebum said in a flustered tone as he quickly got up. Junho observed him with curiosity before he gave a look to Nichkhun who simply smiled towards the other two.
“So, catch you later at the tavern?” Jaebum asked nervously as Wooyoung gave a smile and a nod.
“Hyung! I’m hungry!” Chansung stuck his head out of Wooyoung’s restaurant, just noticing there were people outside. He quickly bowed to the others before he retreated back to the eating establishment.
“Aiy, Chansung’s hungry. I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Before he too went back to feed the boy.
“…So … I think we need to change … or, ya know, put on some clothes.” Nichkhun said good-naturedly as he led Junho back to their home.
“See you guys tonight!” he called out as the other three bid farewell and the rest of the town went quiet again.
“You wanna take a bath?” Nichkhun asked as Junho nodded.
“Ok, go get your clothes, I’ll prepare the bath.” He shooed him away as he went off to the bath.
“Thanks hyung.”
“Don’t mention it.” He called back as Junho gathered his stuff. He stopped in front of the bath and looking around, wondering where Nichkhun went. But soon enough, he got his answer when he entered the bathroom and was met with a naked Nichkhun with a towel being the only thing hiding his dignity.
“Oh jesus, hyung! I’m so sorry!” he quickly fell back in surprise but he wasn’t able to get that far before he felt a strong hand grip his arm and pull him back.
“Come on Junho, its fine.” Nichkhun pulled him back as the younger of the two strongly resisted.
“But hyung! You’re n-naked!” he turned and struggled to be free but the other’s grip was too great.
“It’s fine. Come on, we might as well take a bath together. We’re both boys right? So there’s no problem.” He tried to reason with a smile but it slowly turned into a frown when he realized Junho was still fighting to break free.
“… Junho, what’s wrong?” he asked in a soft voice, causing Junho’s body to freeze. Nichkhun’s face was soon filled with worry as he couldn’t see Junho’s face and no answer came.
“Junho?” he tried again, trying to turn Junho around but he couldn’t. In an instant, memories of rejection and abuse quickly flooded Junho’s mind, causing his body to go limp.
“…It’s nothing.” He said quietly, pulling one last time even though he himself knew there was no use left. He didn’t have the strength left to fight. It had all … vanished.
“Then what’s wrong?” Nichkhun asked again, pulling himself closer to Junho’s back.
“…I’m gay.” He whispered underneath his breath. The moment he heard the small hitch in Nichkhun’s breath, he tried again to pull away but to his surprise, he was pulled back into a warm embrace.
“It’s fine.” Nichkhun said simply, pressing his bare chest tighter to the other’s clothed back, making Junho turn his head slightly in quiet surprise.
“…You don’t care?”
“No.”
“Like pick up the pitchforks, a fag’s in town!,” Junho uttered out in a pained voice. Nichkhun stared down intensely as he saw Junho tighten his fist, loosen it, and then tighten it again.
“It doesn’t bother you?” Junho said quietly, turning his face slowly away.
“No, it doesn’t.” Nichkhun said gently, tenderly cupping Junho’s face and bringing it around to his own.
“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but Jaebum’s a little-”
“Really?” Junho raised his eyebrows in surprise as Nichkhun simply nodded.
“He doesn’t seem the type-”
“Yea, he is.”
“Oh.” Junho said simply now, as he brought his face down.
“Stop that.” Nichkhun chuckled, bringing his eyes back to his own.
“But-” Junho started but he simply sighed and brought his arm up to wrap it protectively around himself.
How did it even get to this?
“I mean, what? Did people actually pick up their torches and then like-” he started but Junho stopped him with a simple pained look.
“Yea, they did.”
“…Oh.” Nichkhun’s face fell a little. Junho looked up at him sadly before he took in a deep breath.
“But … here. In this little town. This port town at the end of the world … they don’t care?” Junho asked timidly. He tried not to make it obvious but he felt as if the weight of the world was hanging on the end of this little question that just brushed past his lips.
“…Wait, no. Don’t answer that.” Junho spoke up as he saw the hesitance in Nichkhun’s eyes. He turned once again to leave but Nichkhun’s voice stopped him.
“No, they don’t.”
“…Are you sure?” Junho asked, not turning to look at the man behind him.
“No.” Nichkhun said resolutely. Gently, but with force.
“…Really?” he asked one last time, finally turning back to lock eyes with the other. And with a simple nod, Junho took a deep breath and closed his eyes. And finally … let go.
The first time since I was able to get away from my nightmare, and enter upon this dream …
“So … you still want to take a bath?” Nichkhun grinned mischievously suddenly, making Junho falter.
“W-what?” he instantly reverted back to his shy ways.
“Ya know? Bath? Water? Cleaning?” Nichkhun’s smile grew wider as he took a step closer to Junho.
“Well, y-yea-”
“But, maybe alone this time?” Nichkhun said softly. As a blush crept up to redden Junho’s face, all he could manage was a simple nod, making Nichkhun chuckle heartedly. As soon as the door slid shut and he had left his hyung alone, Junho simply knocked his head against the wall next to the bathroom and took a deep sigh.
“…What just happened.” He asked himself quietly. With a sudden thought however, he gave a small smile.
Was he hitting on me?
--
Meanwhile, Nichkhun was staring up at the ceiling blankly.
“Junho.” He sighed deeply.
“What happened to you? What have you faced before you got here …” Nichkhun muttered quietly to himself. He took a deep breath as he plunged down into the depths of the tub.
I wish you would tell me what’s bothering you …
Nichkhun soon ran out of breath and broke the surface as he shook his head free of water.
“No, it’s not time yet.” Nichkhun said quietly to himself as he laid back and stared at the ceiling again.
“When the time comes, he’ll tell me … well, at least I hope he does.” And he stared down at his reflection in the still water.
“… Tch, what are you saying. You haven’t even begun to …” Nichkhun stared at himself for only a moment longer before he made a small splash and watched as the ripples created a new image. His eyes grew slightly larger as he stared at the smiling face in front of him.
“…Goddamit Junho.”
--
“Chansung?” Junho called out. It was a night the same as all the others, but tonight Junho had decided to take a walk before it was time for the usual customers to arrive. He had unconsciously taken himself to the pier only to find someone already there.
“Who’s there?” the young man called out in surprise, stalling his current activity of skipping stones down the water.
“Junho!” he quickly called out, not wanting to alarm the other.
“Oh.” The younger man said simply, resuming his activity as Junho came to stand by him. They stood there in an awkward silence, well, awkward for Junho at least. Soon enough, he felt safe enough to actually sit down and watch instead of simply standing and watching.
“What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Junho asked finally, swinging his legs over the edge of the pier.
“Thinking.” Chansung replied simply as Junho quietly nodded with his lips pursed.
“How old are you.” Chansung said suddenly, stopping finally as he ran out of pebbles.
“19.” He said, scooting over as Chansung sat next beside him.
“I’m turning 19 in a couple of weeks.” He said simply.
“Oh?”
“Yea.” And again, there was a silence. Junho looked up and took a quiet breath.
“What are you looking at.” Chansung asked as he soon followed suit and looked up.
“The stars.” Junho said, as Chansung quietly nodded in affirmation.
“Back where I came from, you couldn’t see them cause of all the light ya know?”
“Yea, I know.” Chansung said, to the slight surprise of Junho. He forgot that Chansung too had wandered into this town one day, maybe in the same situation as himself.
“So … how’s life?” Junho asked, looking over at the younger man.
“…Is that your lame attempt to start off a conversation?” Chansung asked as Junho simply nodded.
“Well, at school-”
“There’s a school around here?” Junho asked in surprise, making Chansung give him a look.
“Yea. So at school, there’s a girl-”
“There are girls here?” Junho asked again in surprise.
“Yea.”
“…Wow. I need to explore the rest of this town.”
“…”
“Continue.”
“So there’s this girl. And I like her.” Chansung said simply as Junho just stared.
“…And?” he made a rolling motion with his hand.
“That’s it.”
“What?”
“You asked me how’s life, so I told you about it.” Chansung deadpanned.
“Oh.”
“… So, Junho …”
“Yes?”
“I’m not calling you hyung.”
“Ok.”
“Really?” Chansung asked, not really sounding surprised at Junho’s laidback ness.
“Yea.”
“…Junho.”
“Yea?”
“…How’s life?”
“…You’re funny.”
“Thanks Junho.”
“…Are we friends now?”
“Acquaintances.” Chansung said, making the older chuckle.
“Cool.”
“…Cool.” And they sat there for another long while of the night in a peaceful silence.
“I think it’s time to go work.”
“Ok.” And so they did. Junho would later reflect on this night, and he would smile.
This dream was slowly turning into that of a reality, one person at a time.
--
“Here ya go. Now drink it up young fella.” Jin Young unleashed a mighty chuckle as he poured more alcohol into Wooyoung’s cup.
“Whoo! Go Woo go!” Jaebum cheered from the side of the table as Wooyoung stared at the cup in front of him. Junho couldn’t help but smile from the back as he heard Jaebum’s rambunctious noises, surprised at how easily his personality changed with a little alcohol.
“Ok.” Wooyoung said nervously, bracing himself as he raised the glass to his lips and downed it all before he took a giant breath of relief.
“He he he, nicely done.” Jin Young laughed as the small table applauded.
“Hey, more soju!” Taecyeon called out.
“Coming!” Junho appeared from the back curtains with more bottles on his tray.
“Thanks for waiting, here you are.” He grinned as he served the table he had grown so fondly of over the days.
“Whoo! More alcohol!” Jaebum chucked deliriously as Taecyeon slowly turned to Junho with a drunken smile.
“And I’d like some grilled fish if you don’t mind Junho. Please, thanks.” He asked surprisingly pleasantly as Junho grinned.
“Ok. One order grill fish!” he called out as the other two answered back with a loud, “Right!”
“How are you doing? Getting settled all right?” Jin Young asked.
“Thank you, yes.”
“I heard you used to be a police detective.” Taecyeon commented, not noticing Junho’s face slightly fall.
“Oh really?” Jin Young he turned to him with an arched eyebrow.
“You didn’t know that old man?” Jaebum smirked as he poured himself a bowl brimming with soju, downing it all in one gulp.
“It’s a long time ago. A long time ...” Junho looked off into the distance, slowly drifting away from reality as the others just stared at the young man with an amused look.
“Well, I sure am glad that we have a sweetheart around like you now Junho.” Wooyoung grinned, a flush rising into his face.
“Thanks.” Junho grinned. He could tell the whole table was drunk now but he still took the compliment to heart.
“Yes, but I am the sweetheart of Wooyoung.” Jaebum seductively slid over to Wooyoung and wrapped his arms around him in an affectionate hold.
“Hey, wait a minute! Who did you say was Wooyoung’s sweetheart!?” Nichkhun suddenly stuck his head over the counter and glared at the direction the group was at.
“Me, here! Right here!” Jaebum waved drunkenly as Nichkhun’s eyes narrowed.
“What you are is rude, impertinent, and a drunkard!”
“Huh!? How dare you say such a thing to your customer!”
“What kind of customer are you anyway? Pay up your tab first and then say what you like!”
“Woo! You know what I think? I think Nichkhun is envious of us, that’s what I think.” Jaebum playfully shook Wooyoung as he simply stared at the scene unfolding in front of him in familiar worry.
“Urgh!” Nichkhun bit the sleeve of his shirt and shook angrily as Chansung simply grilled the fish over by the stove.
“Stay away from my brother! I’ll show you! Take that!” Nichkhun grabbed the nearest object closest to him and proceeded to walk to Jaebum and bonk him with it.
“Oh! Hey, gimme that!” Jaebum took the small plastic tray from him and proceeded to hit him back. Amongst all this chaos, Junho couldn’t help chuckling to himself and smiling widely.
A fun place with fun people …
--
“It’s quiet today.” Nichkhun said as Junho silently agreed with him. It was a lonely day today as everyone was busy. Wooyoung went with the other three fishermen to a neighboring town for some kind of business arrangement and Chansung was off on a field trip until the next day.
“Want to go to the pier?” Nichkhun asked as Junho quickly agreed. It was strange, Junho realized. The same spot that he arrived at not too long ago had soon become his favorite place.
Does this mean that I want to leave? …
“It seems so endless.” Nichkhun spoke quietly as Junho nodded. They found a spot on those crates that always seems to be there and just stared out into the vast emptiness.
“One day … I want to leave.” Nichkhun said suddenly, making Junho turn to him in honest surprise.
“Really?”
“Yea.”
“But why? I mean … you’ve got it so nice here.” Junho said as Nichkhun quickly nodded.
“Oh, I know. But … I don’t mean for me. I want to leave and take Wooyoung and Chansung, and Jaebum with me.”
“Oh yea?” Junho said, turning back to the sea.
“Yea. Here in this quiet town, it’s a good place to be when you retire you know? A place where the only thing you have to worry about is work the next day. But Chansung and Wooyoung, they’re both still so young. I don’t want them to already have their life set when they’re just teenagers, ya know? I want them to have experiences that a town like this can’t offer.” Nichkhun drifted off. Neither of them were looking at each other right now but Nichkhun could tell that Junho was nodding in agreement.
“But hyung, you’re only 22 yourself.”
“I know. Things are different though. When you have kids to take care of, it puts things in perspective.” Junho was awed by how righteous Nichkhun was being. However, it was what Nichkhun said next that took his affections to a totally new level.
“Junho … if we do happen to leave. Would you want to come with us?” he asked hesitantly as Junho turned to look at him with wide eyes.
“Are you serious?” he asked as Nichkhun simply nodded, still looking out at the sea.
“Yea, I am. I want you to come with us.” Nichkhun said, finally turning to him. But his expression turned to that of surprise as he was met with a pair of warm lips pressed against his own.
“I-I’m so sorry.” Junho said in shock as he quickly reeled back. He prepared to jump off the crate but Nichkhun’s arm stopped him.
“You shouldn’t be.” And Nichkhun kissed him back.
--
So how'd you like part 2 eh? Thanks for reading! And comments would be loved <3
By: sasakorujjin
Rating: PG-13ish
Pairing: Junho/Nichkhun, slight Jaebum/Wooyoung, implied Junsu/Junho
Summary: They say you shouldn’t run away from life, and Junho might’ve just found the reason to finally stop. AU.
As the bikes neared the center of the town, Wooyoung stepped out of his restaurant in surprise.
“What happened to you guys!?” Wooyoung asked as he saw the wet Nichkhun and Junho riding alongside Taecyeon and Jin Young. Nichkhun had decided to sit with Taecyeon instead of exposing himself to a would-be traumatized younger brother. They smiled at him and gave him a wave.
“W-W-Wooyoung!?” Jaebum on the other hand, was luckily going at a slow enough speed that when he crashed into the branch in front of him, his fall was light and he safely rolled away.
“Ah! Are you ok?” Wooyoung face scrunched up in worry as he bounded towards the fallen Jaebum.
“Y-yea, I’m fine.” Jaebum said in a flustered tone as he quickly got up. Junho observed him with curiosity before he gave a look to Nichkhun who simply smiled towards the other two.
“So, catch you later at the tavern?” Jaebum asked nervously as Wooyoung gave a smile and a nod.
“Hyung! I’m hungry!” Chansung stuck his head out of Wooyoung’s restaurant, just noticing there were people outside. He quickly bowed to the others before he retreated back to the eating establishment.
“Aiy, Chansung’s hungry. I’ll catch up with you guys later.” Before he too went back to feed the boy.
“…So … I think we need to change … or, ya know, put on some clothes.” Nichkhun said good-naturedly as he led Junho back to their home.
“See you guys tonight!” he called out as the other three bid farewell and the rest of the town went quiet again.
“You wanna take a bath?” Nichkhun asked as Junho nodded.
“Ok, go get your clothes, I’ll prepare the bath.” He shooed him away as he went off to the bath.
“Thanks hyung.”
“Don’t mention it.” He called back as Junho gathered his stuff. He stopped in front of the bath and looking around, wondering where Nichkhun went. But soon enough, he got his answer when he entered the bathroom and was met with a naked Nichkhun with a towel being the only thing hiding his dignity.
“Oh jesus, hyung! I’m so sorry!” he quickly fell back in surprise but he wasn’t able to get that far before he felt a strong hand grip his arm and pull him back.
“Come on Junho, its fine.” Nichkhun pulled him back as the younger of the two strongly resisted.
“But hyung! You’re n-naked!” he turned and struggled to be free but the other’s grip was too great.
“It’s fine. Come on, we might as well take a bath together. We’re both boys right? So there’s no problem.” He tried to reason with a smile but it slowly turned into a frown when he realized Junho was still fighting to break free.
“… Junho, what’s wrong?” he asked in a soft voice, causing Junho’s body to freeze. Nichkhun’s face was soon filled with worry as he couldn’t see Junho’s face and no answer came.
“Junho?” he tried again, trying to turn Junho around but he couldn’t. In an instant, memories of rejection and abuse quickly flooded Junho’s mind, causing his body to go limp.
“…It’s nothing.” He said quietly, pulling one last time even though he himself knew there was no use left. He didn’t have the strength left to fight. It had all … vanished.
“Then what’s wrong?” Nichkhun asked again, pulling himself closer to Junho’s back.
“…I’m gay.” He whispered underneath his breath. The moment he heard the small hitch in Nichkhun’s breath, he tried again to pull away but to his surprise, he was pulled back into a warm embrace.
“It’s fine.” Nichkhun said simply, pressing his bare chest tighter to the other’s clothed back, making Junho turn his head slightly in quiet surprise.
“…You don’t care?”
“No.”
“Like pick up the pitchforks, a fag’s in town!,” Junho uttered out in a pained voice. Nichkhun stared down intensely as he saw Junho tighten his fist, loosen it, and then tighten it again.
“It doesn’t bother you?” Junho said quietly, turning his face slowly away.
“No, it doesn’t.” Nichkhun said gently, tenderly cupping Junho’s face and bringing it around to his own.
“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but Jaebum’s a little-”
“Really?” Junho raised his eyebrows in surprise as Nichkhun simply nodded.
“He doesn’t seem the type-”
“Yea, he is.”
“Oh.” Junho said simply now, as he brought his face down.
“Stop that.” Nichkhun chuckled, bringing his eyes back to his own.
“But-” Junho started but he simply sighed and brought his arm up to wrap it protectively around himself.
How did it even get to this?
“I mean, what? Did people actually pick up their torches and then like-” he started but Junho stopped him with a simple pained look.
“Yea, they did.”
“…Oh.” Nichkhun’s face fell a little. Junho looked up at him sadly before he took in a deep breath.
“But … here. In this little town. This port town at the end of the world … they don’t care?” Junho asked timidly. He tried not to make it obvious but he felt as if the weight of the world was hanging on the end of this little question that just brushed past his lips.
“…Wait, no. Don’t answer that.” Junho spoke up as he saw the hesitance in Nichkhun’s eyes. He turned once again to leave but Nichkhun’s voice stopped him.
“No, they don’t.”
“…Are you sure?” Junho asked, not turning to look at the man behind him.
“No.” Nichkhun said resolutely. Gently, but with force.
“…Really?” he asked one last time, finally turning back to lock eyes with the other. And with a simple nod, Junho took a deep breath and closed his eyes. And finally … let go.
The first time since I was able to get away from my nightmare, and enter upon this dream …
“So … you still want to take a bath?” Nichkhun grinned mischievously suddenly, making Junho falter.
“W-what?” he instantly reverted back to his shy ways.
“Ya know? Bath? Water? Cleaning?” Nichkhun’s smile grew wider as he took a step closer to Junho.
“Well, y-yea-”
“But, maybe alone this time?” Nichkhun said softly. As a blush crept up to redden Junho’s face, all he could manage was a simple nod, making Nichkhun chuckle heartedly. As soon as the door slid shut and he had left his hyung alone, Junho simply knocked his head against the wall next to the bathroom and took a deep sigh.
“…What just happened.” He asked himself quietly. With a sudden thought however, he gave a small smile.
Was he hitting on me?
--
Meanwhile, Nichkhun was staring up at the ceiling blankly.
“Junho.” He sighed deeply.
“What happened to you? What have you faced before you got here …” Nichkhun muttered quietly to himself. He took a deep breath as he plunged down into the depths of the tub.
I wish you would tell me what’s bothering you …
Nichkhun soon ran out of breath and broke the surface as he shook his head free of water.
“No, it’s not time yet.” Nichkhun said quietly to himself as he laid back and stared at the ceiling again.
“When the time comes, he’ll tell me … well, at least I hope he does.” And he stared down at his reflection in the still water.
“… Tch, what are you saying. You haven’t even begun to …” Nichkhun stared at himself for only a moment longer before he made a small splash and watched as the ripples created a new image. His eyes grew slightly larger as he stared at the smiling face in front of him.
“…Goddamit Junho.”
--
“Chansung?” Junho called out. It was a night the same as all the others, but tonight Junho had decided to take a walk before it was time for the usual customers to arrive. He had unconsciously taken himself to the pier only to find someone already there.
“Who’s there?” the young man called out in surprise, stalling his current activity of skipping stones down the water.
“Junho!” he quickly called out, not wanting to alarm the other.
“Oh.” The younger man said simply, resuming his activity as Junho came to stand by him. They stood there in an awkward silence, well, awkward for Junho at least. Soon enough, he felt safe enough to actually sit down and watch instead of simply standing and watching.
“What are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Junho asked finally, swinging his legs over the edge of the pier.
“Thinking.” Chansung replied simply as Junho quietly nodded with his lips pursed.
“How old are you.” Chansung said suddenly, stopping finally as he ran out of pebbles.
“19.” He said, scooting over as Chansung sat next beside him.
“I’m turning 19 in a couple of weeks.” He said simply.
“Oh?”
“Yea.” And again, there was a silence. Junho looked up and took a quiet breath.
“What are you looking at.” Chansung asked as he soon followed suit and looked up.
“The stars.” Junho said, as Chansung quietly nodded in affirmation.
“Back where I came from, you couldn’t see them cause of all the light ya know?”
“Yea, I know.” Chansung said, to the slight surprise of Junho. He forgot that Chansung too had wandered into this town one day, maybe in the same situation as himself.
“So … how’s life?” Junho asked, looking over at the younger man.
“…Is that your lame attempt to start off a conversation?” Chansung asked as Junho simply nodded.
“Well, at school-”
“There’s a school around here?” Junho asked in surprise, making Chansung give him a look.
“Yea. So at school, there’s a girl-”
“There are girls here?” Junho asked again in surprise.
“Yea.”
“…Wow. I need to explore the rest of this town.”
“…”
“Continue.”
“So there’s this girl. And I like her.” Chansung said simply as Junho just stared.
“…And?” he made a rolling motion with his hand.
“That’s it.”
“What?”
“You asked me how’s life, so I told you about it.” Chansung deadpanned.
“Oh.”
“… So, Junho …”
“Yes?”
“I’m not calling you hyung.”
“Ok.”
“Really?” Chansung asked, not really sounding surprised at Junho’s laidback ness.
“Yea.”
“…Junho.”
“Yea?”
“…How’s life?”
“…You’re funny.”
“Thanks Junho.”
“…Are we friends now?”
“Acquaintances.” Chansung said, making the older chuckle.
“Cool.”
“…Cool.” And they sat there for another long while of the night in a peaceful silence.
“I think it’s time to go work.”
“Ok.” And so they did. Junho would later reflect on this night, and he would smile.
This dream was slowly turning into that of a reality, one person at a time.
--
“Here ya go. Now drink it up young fella.” Jin Young unleashed a mighty chuckle as he poured more alcohol into Wooyoung’s cup.
“Whoo! Go Woo go!” Jaebum cheered from the side of the table as Wooyoung stared at the cup in front of him. Junho couldn’t help but smile from the back as he heard Jaebum’s rambunctious noises, surprised at how easily his personality changed with a little alcohol.
“Ok.” Wooyoung said nervously, bracing himself as he raised the glass to his lips and downed it all before he took a giant breath of relief.
“He he he, nicely done.” Jin Young laughed as the small table applauded.
“Hey, more soju!” Taecyeon called out.
“Coming!” Junho appeared from the back curtains with more bottles on his tray.
“Thanks for waiting, here you are.” He grinned as he served the table he had grown so fondly of over the days.
“Whoo! More alcohol!” Jaebum chucked deliriously as Taecyeon slowly turned to Junho with a drunken smile.
“And I’d like some grilled fish if you don’t mind Junho. Please, thanks.” He asked surprisingly pleasantly as Junho grinned.
“Ok. One order grill fish!” he called out as the other two answered back with a loud, “Right!”
“How are you doing? Getting settled all right?” Jin Young asked.
“Thank you, yes.”
“I heard you used to be a police detective.” Taecyeon commented, not noticing Junho’s face slightly fall.
“Oh really?” Jin Young he turned to him with an arched eyebrow.
“You didn’t know that old man?” Jaebum smirked as he poured himself a bowl brimming with soju, downing it all in one gulp.
“It’s a long time ago. A long time ...” Junho looked off into the distance, slowly drifting away from reality as the others just stared at the young man with an amused look.
“Well, I sure am glad that we have a sweetheart around like you now Junho.” Wooyoung grinned, a flush rising into his face.
“Thanks.” Junho grinned. He could tell the whole table was drunk now but he still took the compliment to heart.
“Yes, but I am the sweetheart of Wooyoung.” Jaebum seductively slid over to Wooyoung and wrapped his arms around him in an affectionate hold.
“Hey, wait a minute! Who did you say was Wooyoung’s sweetheart!?” Nichkhun suddenly stuck his head over the counter and glared at the direction the group was at.
“Me, here! Right here!” Jaebum waved drunkenly as Nichkhun’s eyes narrowed.
“What you are is rude, impertinent, and a drunkard!”
“Huh!? How dare you say such a thing to your customer!”
“What kind of customer are you anyway? Pay up your tab first and then say what you like!”
“Woo! You know what I think? I think Nichkhun is envious of us, that’s what I think.” Jaebum playfully shook Wooyoung as he simply stared at the scene unfolding in front of him in familiar worry.
“Urgh!” Nichkhun bit the sleeve of his shirt and shook angrily as Chansung simply grilled the fish over by the stove.
“Stay away from my brother! I’ll show you! Take that!” Nichkhun grabbed the nearest object closest to him and proceeded to walk to Jaebum and bonk him with it.
“Oh! Hey, gimme that!” Jaebum took the small plastic tray from him and proceeded to hit him back. Amongst all this chaos, Junho couldn’t help chuckling to himself and smiling widely.
A fun place with fun people …
--
“It’s quiet today.” Nichkhun said as Junho silently agreed with him. It was a lonely day today as everyone was busy. Wooyoung went with the other three fishermen to a neighboring town for some kind of business arrangement and Chansung was off on a field trip until the next day.
“Want to go to the pier?” Nichkhun asked as Junho quickly agreed. It was strange, Junho realized. The same spot that he arrived at not too long ago had soon become his favorite place.
Does this mean that I want to leave? …
“It seems so endless.” Nichkhun spoke quietly as Junho nodded. They found a spot on those crates that always seems to be there and just stared out into the vast emptiness.
“One day … I want to leave.” Nichkhun said suddenly, making Junho turn to him in honest surprise.
“Really?”
“Yea.”
“But why? I mean … you’ve got it so nice here.” Junho said as Nichkhun quickly nodded.
“Oh, I know. But … I don’t mean for me. I want to leave and take Wooyoung and Chansung, and Jaebum with me.”
“Oh yea?” Junho said, turning back to the sea.
“Yea. Here in this quiet town, it’s a good place to be when you retire you know? A place where the only thing you have to worry about is work the next day. But Chansung and Wooyoung, they’re both still so young. I don’t want them to already have their life set when they’re just teenagers, ya know? I want them to have experiences that a town like this can’t offer.” Nichkhun drifted off. Neither of them were looking at each other right now but Nichkhun could tell that Junho was nodding in agreement.
“But hyung, you’re only 22 yourself.”
“I know. Things are different though. When you have kids to take care of, it puts things in perspective.” Junho was awed by how righteous Nichkhun was being. However, it was what Nichkhun said next that took his affections to a totally new level.
“Junho … if we do happen to leave. Would you want to come with us?” he asked hesitantly as Junho turned to look at him with wide eyes.
“Are you serious?” he asked as Nichkhun simply nodded, still looking out at the sea.
“Yea, I am. I want you to come with us.” Nichkhun said, finally turning to him. But his expression turned to that of surprise as he was met with a pair of warm lips pressed against his own.
“I-I’m so sorry.” Junho said in shock as he quickly reeled back. He prepared to jump off the crate but Nichkhun’s arm stopped him.
“You shouldn’t be.” And Nichkhun kissed him back.
--
So how'd you like part 2 eh? Thanks for reading! And comments would be loved <3