Jiyong cracked a grin, as if Seunghyun had said something funny. “I always talk about you.” His hand ran through Seunghyun’s hair again, and this time Seunghyun leaned into it. “Anyway, Soohyuk kicked us out after that ‘cause he wanted to take a nap, and that was pretty much that.”
“I knew there was a reason I kept him around,” Seunghyun joked, the pressure in his chest starting to let up.
Jiyong chuckled, stroking Seunghyun’s hair again as his smile turned wry. “Honestly, I doubt Joowon was that surprised when I called him just now. He was probably expecting it.”
Seunghyun looked down, one last insecurity niggling at the back of his mind. “But you said you really liked him.”
“I didn’t, though. I just…wanted to.”
“Why?”
“Because,” Jiyong said, helpless. “I wanted to get over you. I thought someone like Joowon could help me do it. He seemed so perfect, you know? He liked all these things I liked, and he was really great with his sister. I had it so built up in my head. I didn’t even know him, but I – I liked the idea of him. Does that make sense?”
“No,” Seunghyun said, sullen. He didn’t want to hear Jiyong say nice things about Joowon, no matter what point Jiyong was trying to make. “I still hate him.”
Jiyong laughed. He leaned in closer so he could wrap Seunghyun up in his arms. “Okay, you can hate him.”
Seunghyun let himself be held, let Jiyong’s touch quiet the ache inside him, though he dragged out the process for much longer than what was necessary, grumping while Jiyong attempted to comfort him, “I’m hotter, remember? You said so.”
Jiyong snickered against Seunghyun’s shoulder, agreed, “You are hotter.”
“And taller. Did you notice I’m taller?”
Indulgent, Jiyong continued on with the list, “And funnier, and smarter, and better at rapping…”
Seunghyun sniffed. “He’s not very good at all when you think about it. I don’t know why you wasted so much time on him.”
“Me neither.”
“And what was that obsession with cars? What was that about? Like anyone cares how big the Batmobile engine is.”
Jiyong giggled against him, the soft sound of it reaching into him and soothing away the last of his hurt. He felt lighter just listening to it. Seunghyun asked one last time, just to be sure, “You really didn’t like him that much?”
Jiyong pulled back to look at him better. “If I had, I wouldn’t’ve went along with the whole fake boyfriend thing for as long as I did.”
“I thought that was to help you get him.”
Jiyong let out an offended scoff. “Please, like I needed help for that. I could’ve had him after the first night.”
“Then why do it?”
“Because I wanted an excuse to be close to you,” Jiyong admitted, soft and small, like he was revealing all of his innermost secrets. “I wanted to see what it was like. To be with you. I thought a fake relationship was all I could get, and I kept it up because – because I liked how it felt. When you took me to the movies or held my hand at Seungho’s, I could almost pretend it was real. The only reason I ended it was because I was trying to make things less awkward for you after we kissed.”
Seunghyun let those words sit inside him and fill him up, fragile and precious, like something he needed to protect. He felt warmer with each soft confession Jiyong made.
Jiyong opened his hand around the bracelet he’d been holding. “I can’t believe you went back and got this for me. How long did it take you?”
“Forever,” Seunghyun said, taking the bracelet from him and gently fastening it around his wrist. “And it cost me a fortune. You could’ve had Chanel for the amount I spent on this.”
“I like this one better,” Jiyong said. “You can get me Chanel for our anniversary. Or Christmas. That comes first.”
Seunghyun burst into chuckles at Jiyong’s audacity. “Can I? Now it all makes sense, you just want me for my money.”
“I make more than you,” Jiyong pointed out.
“Then why don’t you ever pay for anything?”
Jiyong’s lips curled. “Because I like it when you do.”
“You know, I did some thinking about this. I pay for you, and I always carry your . I’ve basically been your boyfriend for years, only I don’t get any of the perks.”
Jiyong grinned at him, endlessly amused by this. “Do you want perks?”
Seunghyun felt the subtle shift in the air at Jiyong’s words. His hands flexed against the tops of his knees, nervous. “Perks would be nice.”
Jiyong gave him a pleased little smile, rewarding his answer with a gentle pressure against his nape, a soft touch to guide him forward toward Jiyong’s mouth. Seunghyun obeyed, caught in a siren’s thrall, and as they kissed, Jiyong slowly lay back against the mattress, pulling Seunghyun along with him, repositioning them on the bed.
Seunghyun settled over him, elbows braced on either side of Jiyong’s head. “Am I crushing you?”
Jiyong hummed, arching up, luxuriating under Seunghyun’s weight. “I like it,” he purred.
And then they were kissing again, deep, ravenous kisses that made Seunghyun want to slide under Jiyong’s skin and ne