dream come to life (like a blockbuster)

BREAKING: LEAKED PHOTOS SHOW POP STAR YEONJUN CHOI KISSING MYSTERY BOY IN PUBLIC. HERE'S EVERYTHING WE KNOW.

alternatively: Soobin, who wants nothing to do with celebrity culture, meets famous Hollywood singer Yeonjun at a party, not realizing who he is. He falls for Yeonjun anyway. Hard.

Notes:

welcome to my txt fic debut :) the chokehold these boys have had on me for the last few years...astronomical. figured it was time to finally write something. i tried to make this somewhat realistic even within the unrealistic premise of the story lmao, but please don't think too hard about it. let soobin have his y/n moment, ok? it's what he deserves.
additional warnings: without giving too much away, there is an instance of (non-sexual) pictures of someone being leaked without consent. it's addressed and dealt with accordingly, and it's not the main plot point of the story, but just wanted to forewarn anyone who might be uncomfortable with that.
with that serious note out of the way, please be assured that this is not an angsty story. this story is a love letter to it boy yeonjun and best boy soobin, so i hope you enjoy!
title from enhypen's "blockbuster" ft. yeonjun

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

June 2022

[CelebGossip.com] YEONJUN CHOI CONFIRMS SEXUALITY. THE INTERNET EXPLODES.

Superstar heartthrob Yeonjun Choi made waves last week when he tweeted out “Happy pride!! Be who you are and love who you love,” followed by a rainbow emoji and a bisexual flag emoji. Fans have long speculated that the musician, who has had a string of public relationships with women in the past, is bisexual, referencing lyrics in his songs and this most recent tweet as supposed proof.

“I think love is the most precious thing in the world,” Yeonjun said when asked about the tweet in a recent Cosmopolitan interview. “I feel like I’m finally stepping into the best version of myself, becoming a person who can give and receive love from all types of people.”

Is this confirmation of his sexuality? “I didn’t want to make a big deal about it, but I understand that visibility is important,” Yeonjun said in the same interview. “So yeah, if I can be that inspiration for people, then great. I’m honored, in fact.”

Looks like Hollywood’s favorite it boy is back, and ready to find love regardless of gender. Let us know in the comments what you think, and check out Yeonjun’s latest EP here.

+++

6 Months Later

The party is loud, and Soobin’s head hurts.

He has absolutely no idea how he ended up tipsy at someone’s Hollywood Hills mansion rager, but he's pretty sure the answer might lie somewhere with Beomgyu.

Well, it's not Beomgyu's fault that he gained such a big following on TikTok during their last year of college that he can put his business degree to use as an influencer instead of at some soul-sucking corporation.

It's also not Beomgyu's fault that his vapid C-list actor boyfriend broke up with him over text, leaving Soobin to pick up the pieces.

However, it absolutely is Beomgyu's fault that he guilt tripped Soobin into accompanying him to some rich celebrity party, on the slight chance that his now ex-boyfriend would be there. Something about needing Soobin for moral support.

"Why?" Soobin had asked. "Don't you have other famous friends you can go with?"

"Sure, but I’d rather go with you.”

“Right,” Soobin had said dubiously.

“And besides,” Beomgyu continued, “you're my best friend. If you see me doing a keg stand against someone's newly redone countertop this early into the breakup, it is absolutely a cry for help, so I need you there to keep me in check."

Soobin had rolled his eyes at Beomgyu's dramatics, but eventually acquiesced, as he usually does. Beomgyu always manages to worm his way into the soft spot Soobin's had for him ever since they met during their freshman year at UCLA. Soobin can never say no to him, not that he really wants to anyway.

So here he is, sipping his third vodka lemonade courtesy of the bartender. Because of course whoever lives in this obscenely bougie mansion had hired a bartending team for a house party.

The DJ is blasting Rihanna, the three-tier diamond chandelier dangling from the ceiling above him is sparkling menacingly, and famous people Soobin has never heard of are grinding up against each other on the dance floor while taking selfies for their Instagram stories.

"Come on," Beomgyu says, grabbing his hand and leading him through the crowd. He makes a hard right turn, dragging Soobin down the hall with him until they stumble into a decked out game room that is really just a full-on arcade.

"Ben!" a girl motions them over, using Beomgyu's English name. Soobin forgets that he uses it sometimes, so used to their Korean bubble at school.

Beomgyu brightens, ambling over to a pretty girl sitting on some guy’s lap near the pool table. She introduces herself to Soobin as Lily, and stands up to pull Beomgyu into a hug. "I heard about the breakup,” she says. “Fuck, I’m really sorry. I’m glad you’re here.”

Beomgyu winces, mumbling something about being fine. Lily frowns. "If you say so," she says, unconvinced. She thinks for a moment, then perks up. "Do you wanna take your mind off it?”

“What do you have in mind?”

She cocks her head towards the pool table. “Jay, come over here," she says. “I want to introduce you to someone.”

One of the guys playing pool looks up. "I don't think that's necessary–" Beomgyu begins, but cuts himself off once he gets a good look at the boy in question. Soobin bites back a laugh. He's just Beomgyu's type.

"On second thought," Beomgyu says, "the game of pool sounds absolutely fascinating right now." He glances at Soobin, clearly asking for permission.

"Go," Soobin tells him. "Really. I'll be fine."

Beomgyu shoots him a grateful look and pastes on a winning smile as he saunters over to the pool table. Soobin gives Lily a short wave and takes his leave, feeling awkward without Beomgyu there as a buffer.

He wanders back down the hallway to the main room. It's too loud, too many rich famous people he doesn't know. It's not that Soobin looks down on everyone in the entertainment world–his best friend is a part of it after all–but it's just not his scene. Not that he has much of a scene anyway, considering his favorite hobbies are reading and listening to music alone in his room.

But still, the casual opulence makes him uncomfortable. Most of these people either grew up with trust funds or get paid such exorbitant amounts of money for whatever it is they do that they'll never have to worry about whether they can afford their next vacation to Bali or Bora Bora. Soobin just can't relate.

He finds himself wandering up a glamorous spiral staircase in search of some peace and quiet. The house is a maze, but eventually he finds an empty bedroom where people miraculously aren't having sex. He notices a spacious balcony attached to the room, and steps tentatively out onto the terrace, exhaling into the warm California night.

It's not exactly relaxing, considering it offers a view of the backyard where a raucous game of chicken is currently taking place in the infinity pool, but at least he has some privacy up here.

Someone clears their throat, and Soobin jumps.

"Sorry," a guy laughs. "Didn't mean to scare you."

He's sitting on a lounge chair at the far end of the balcony, smoking a joint. No wonder Soobin didn't see him tucked away in the shadows, a little too tipsy and lost in his own thoughts.

"No, it's my fault," he rushes to say. "I didn't know anyone was out here."

The guy doesn't respond, merely bringing the joint to his lips again and blowing a cloud of smoke upwards.

"I can leave," Soobin continues, unsure if his presence is welcome. "If you'd prefer?" he trails off questioningly.

The boy looks him up and down. "It's not my balcony," he says after a beat. "You can stay."

The silence resumes, and Soobin tries to ignore the awkwardness that inevitably comes when two people in a social situation pretend that the other doesn’t exist, yet are of course hyper-aware of each other's presence.

The guy finishes his joint but makes no move to leave, and finally Soobin's social awkwardness can't handle the silence anymore.

"What's your name?" he ventures.

The boy turns to him and stands up and out of the shadows, leaning against the balcony.

Oh.

Soobin hadn't gotten a good look at him in the dark, but the light from the party washes over his face now, and fuck. He's gorgeous. Full lips, parted jet black hair, legs for days, and broad shoulders covered by a well-fitted jean jacket.

Most of the people at this party are conventionally attractive, Soobin will grant them that. It seems hard to get famous these days without some semblance of beauty, but with this boy it seems natural and effortless. Or maybe he’s just too easy. Cute boys are a dime a dozen after all, and he’s always been a bit of a masochist.

The boy looks surprised at the question, and Soobin realizes that he's probably not used to people asking him who he is. It's a reminder that he's out of his element here, that nearly all of the people at this party have public-facing personas. They're known. And if they're not, then they want to be. Soobin, on the other hand, finds the idea of being perceived en masse slightly terrifying.

To his credit, the boy recovers, pressing his lips together in a faint smirk. "I'm Yeonjun," he says. "What's your name?"

"Soobin."

The boy raises an eyebrow. "Korean?"

Soobin nods. A more genuine smile graces Yeonjun's features, and he turns fully towards Soobin, interest seemingly piqued.

"Me too," he says. "Not too many of us in the industry. Nice to hear a name in my mother tongue."

"Well, I'm not exactly in the industry," Soobin clarifies. "To be honest, I don't know anyone at this party. I just have a friend who's big on TikTok who didn’t want to come alone, so he dragged me here tonight."

"Oh," Yeonjun says. Soobin half-expects him to lose interest, now that he knows Soobin has no followers to his name, no connections to be capitalized on.

Instead Yeonjun relaxes, and he almost looks relieved that Soobin clearly doesn't know who he is. "Came outside to escape the chaos, then?"

Soobin nods again. "Something like that."

Yeonjun seems to understand. "So what do you do?" he asks.

"I'm a grad student at UCLA," Soobin tells him. "Getting my masters in School Counseling. I'll start working at a school here in LA next year."

"That's really sweet actually," Yeonjun smiles. "I have a lot of younger cousins, so I've always thought it would be cool to work with kids."

"Are you an actor?"

"And then some," Yeonjun confirms. "Singing is my main gig, actually. But I got my start in acting."

"I don't know much about movies these days," Soobin confesses. "My family immigrated here when I was six, so I mostly grew up on old Korean movies."

Yeonjun nods, and he looks wistful. "I did too actually," he says. "That's what made me want to succeed at this whole thing. I wanted to represent my culture, prove everyone who said I couldn't do it wrong."

The familiarity of Yeonjun's words tugs at his heartstrings, and he realizes how similar they are to thoughts he's had from time to time.

"And did you prove them wrong?"

"I hope so." Yeonjun's smile twists into something rueful, his expression guarded. "I really fucking hope so."

"I hope so too."

That gets a real smile out of Yeonjun, and Soobin finds himself fighting back a grin at the thought that he made this boy–this really fucking pretty boy–smile like that. He wants to do it again.

"So," he ventures, trying for humor. "I'm kind of surprised no one has come up here trying to hook up yet."

Yeonjun laughs brightly, and Soobin internally fist-pumps in victory. "Honestly same," he agrees. "I've seen some crazy shit at parties like this. You kind of get used to it."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I would," Yeonjun says, "but I might expose some people that don't want to be exposed."

"Like yourself?" Soobin teases.

"Maybe," Yeonjun grins. "I am not at liberty to say."

"Ah, of course," Soobin plays along. "Well, maybe it's better not to know. I can preserve my innocence."

Yeonjun arches an eyebrow, and damn if it isn't a good look on him. "Your innocence, hmm? What, no crazy escapades of your own?"

Truth be told, Soobin's experience is limited to sleeping with exactly one boyfriend, plus a few one-off kisses here and there at college parties. There's nothing wrong with being inexperienced, but he wants to seem cool to the boy in front of him, as suave and self-assured as Yeonjun appears to be.

"Maybe one escapade," he admits shyly.

"Oh? Do tell."

"It's pretty tame," Soobin says. "But I had just gotten out of a relationship, so my friend and I went to a party and he walked in on me about to hook up with someone to try and get over my ex. He's the type of friend to make a huge deal about things like that too, so he wouldn't let me live it down for a solid week."

"I have friends like that too," Yeonjun chuckles. "They're the best, but also the fucking worst."

"The guy I was with was cool about it, but I was so embarrassed."

He can't tell if he imagines the satisfied expression that flits across Yeonjun's face as he mentions the gender of his past hookup, but it quickly passes. "That's cute," Yeonjun tells him. "I'm sure the guy you were with had a lot of fun."

Soobin furrows his brow. "What does that mean?" he starts to ask, but he's interrupted by a familiar shout. He looks down at the pool below him, where a clearly drunk Beomgyu is dragging the guy from the pool table across the courtyard and towards the deep end.

"Sorry," he says quickly. "I see my friend down there, and I should probably go save him from himself."

Yeonjun follows his gaze. "Yeah, I think that's your cue," he shakes his head in amusement.

"It was nice to meet you," Soobin says, unsure of what else to say. He feels a twinge of disappointment knowing that this is probably the first and last time he and Yeonjun's paths will cross. In another universe, one where Yeonjun wasn't leagues above him, where their lives had literally anything in common, maybe they could have been friends.

But in this one, he and Yeonjun are parallel lines that were never meant to intersect. So Soobin tucks the interaction into his back pocket and waves goodbye.

Yeonjun smiles softly and waves back. "Nice to meet you too. See you around, yeah?"

Soobin doubts it, but he returns Yeonjun's smile and pulls the screen door shut behind him.

He somehow manages to find his way through the maze of doors and back down the stairs to the backyard, just in time to wrangle Beomgyu from the poolside before he can jump in.

"But I want to swim," Beomgyu pouts.

"And I would like us to be able to get into the Uber without you being dripping wet," Soobin says. "Come on, we should go home now."

Beomgyu frowns, but eventually nods. Soobin waits as he kisses the guy from the pool table goodbye, and they make their way through the house, where Beomgyu is stopped multiple times by people saying they like his TikToks and asking to take selfies with him.

Soobin has no idea if Beomgyu actually knows these people, but he's a social butterfly even when he's not drunk, so he enthusiastically poses for pictures and gets people's contact info for "potential collaborations."

Soobin hopes that these people are after more than just clout. He doesn't want to assume bad intentions, but beneath Beomgyu's friendly exterior, he's soft and vulnerable on the inside. Soobin would hate to see his open-heartedness be used against him.

By the time the Uber drops them off at their shared apartment, he’s exhausted. He tucks a still-drunk Beomgyu into bed before collapsing into his own.

It’s too predictable, even for him, but his last thought before his eyes flutter shut is of a boy in a light blue jacket grinning at him from a balcony railing.

+++

He looks Yeonjun up the next day, and immediately feels like an idiot. "Hollywood's Beloved ‘It Boy’ Yeonjun Choi Teases New Summer Album," reads the preview of the first article that pops up on his google search. "A-lister Yeonjun Choi Graces Met Gala Carpet in Head-to-Toe Dior," reads another.

And then.

“Yeonjun Choi Confirms Bisexuality, Wishes Fans Happy Pride!”

Fuck.

He goes to Instagram and types Yeonjun's name into the search bar, heart beating wildly in his chest. He curses under his breath when the profile loads. 22 million followers, and tons of professionally taken photos amidst designer brand deals and magazine covers.

Shit. This guy isn't just social media famous, he's real-life famous. A singer, actor, model, hell he even dances. What was he doing talking to Soobin at a party last night?

Then again, Yeonjun had seemed relieved that his name clearly meant nothing to Soobin. He had wanted to feel normal. Maybe whatever had pushed him to talk to Soobin had also pushed him out there onto the balcony in the first place, deliberately distancing himself from the chaos and glamor down below.

"Why are you cyberstalking Yeonjun Choi?" Beomgyu peers over his shoulder to squint at his laptop screen, and Soobin jumps.

"Jesus," he hisses, elbowing Beomgyu away. "A warning would be nice."

Beomgyu sits down next to him at the kitchen table. "You still didn't answer my question."

"No reason," Soobin defends. "Just saw him in an ad and was curious. Why, do you know him?"

"Not personally, but yeah, everyone knows who he is. I know you live under a rock, but please tell me you've seen the latest Netflix series he starred in."

Soobin stares at him blankly.

“You’ve at least heard ‘Run Away’ on the radio, right?” Beomgyu tries again.

Silence. Beomgyu shakes his head. "I've failed you," he groans. "I'll have to culture you one of these days. But first, I have a favor to ask."

"You mean last night didn't count?"

"Okay, well this time there's something in it for you too."

"Keep talking."

"So I got invited to do press at a movie premiere in a couple weeks. They want me to shoot some content and interview some of the actors,” Beomgyu puffs up his chest proudly. "Snagged an invite to the afterparty too. I want you to be my plus one."

"What about that guy you met last night?"

"A fun distraction," Beomgyu admits. "But I'm not ready for that yet, not after my breakup. It's too soon."

Soobin can't find fault with that answer. "Okay," he says.

Beomgyu furrows his brow. "That's it?"

"Okay," he repeats. "I'll go with you. I’m happy you got the opportunity."

"I thought you would be harder to convince. I was about to tell you that Yeonjun might be there, but you already agreed."

Soobin swivels around to stare at him. “Really?” he asks, trying to keep his tone casual.

“Well, I’m not exactly sure,” Beomgyu backtracks, “but I think he’s friends with one of the actors, so it’s not out of the question. Plus, tons of celebrities show up anyways. Good press, and all that.”

“Oh,” Soobin manages. “That’s cool.”

Thankfully, Beomgyu chooses not to interrogate him this time. “Promise you’ll go with me?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

"No takesies backsies," Beomgyu sing-songs.

"Did you just regress to kindergarten?"

"Hey, don't insult your ticket into the hottest Hollywood event of the season." Beomgyu inclines his head towards Soobin's laptop again, where Yeonjun's latest magazine spread is still blown up in HD on the flickering screen. "Cute, isn't he?"

"He's a celebrity. Isn't that kind of a requirement?"

"Yeah, but you didn't deny it," Beomgyu says smugly. "Aw, you've got your first celebrity crush. You're finally growing up." He sniffs theatrically, wiping away a fake tear.

"Go take your weird acting skills somewhere else," Soobin shoos him away. "I've got work to do."

"Does that work involve meticulously scrolling through Yeonjun's old Instagram posts?"

"Get out before you don't have a plus one anymore!"

Beomgyu cackles as the door to his room slams shut behind him.

Soobin closes his laptop and sighs. It's going to be a long couple of weeks.

+++

Two weeks later (and several hours of going through Yeonjun’s entire discography), Soobin finds himself in the driver’s seat of his black Toyota Camry, on his way to the movie premiere. It’s Friday, and his internship was unskippable, so Beomgyu and his manager had gone ahead and Soobin had gone home to change first.

The premiere is at a famous theater on Hollywood Boulevard, and the afterparty is at a swanky club across the street. He fiddles nervously with the press pass Beomgyu had procured for him, hands drumming against the steering wheel. He wonders if anyone will be able to tell that he’s an imposter.

He manages to find a parking spot in one of the nearby structures, unable to justify dropping $40 or more on the club valet, and makes his way to the front of the theater.

It’s chaos.

Lines of black town cars and limos are parked along the boulevard, with crowds of fans pushing up against barricades. The entire sidewalk and side entrance of the theater is blocked off for the red carpet, and hordes of press line the steps leading up to the theater.

Trying not to panic, Soobin calls Beomgyu’s manager Chris, who thankfully answers and meets him at the side gate to let him in. They flash the security guard their press passes. She nods and lets them through. Chris tells him that they’re just waiting on a few more high profile guests to show up for the red carpet, and that the premiere will start shortly thereafter.

Beomgyu is in his element on the red carpet, microphone in hand, professional mode switched on to the highest degree. Soobin stands behind him, trying to stay out of everyone’s way, while Beomgyu flashes his brightest pearly white smile and asks the actress currently standing in front of him what her favorite part of filming the movie was.

Despite his disinterest in celebrity culture, he has to admit that this is cool. It feels important, all the people in fancy attire milling about, cameras and fans everywhere. He wouldn’t want to be in the spotlight himself, but being a fly on the wall has its perks.

Beomgyu greets him as soon as he has a quick break in between interviews.

"Shit," he whistles, pulling Soobin into a hug. "You look hot."

Soobin flushes and ducks his head.

"Oh don't get all shy on me now," Beomgyu rolls his eyes. "Own it. Half the people here need three hours of professional attention in order to look as good as they do. This is all you, baby.”

Beomgyu can always be counted on to hype him up, and tonight he’s grateful for the extra confidence boost. He’d ironed his one and only suit, unsure of how formal to be, and had taken extra pains to push his hair back.

"Your forehead is your most powerful weapon," Beomgyu had drunkenly told him once, when Soobin had complained about how long it took to actually style his hair. "Use it wisely."

He usually can't be bothered, but he figured that today was the day to try. Not that anyone’s going to be paying attention to him anyway. Especially not Yeonjun, if he’s even here. He's done his best to put Yeonjun out of his thoughts, but their interaction lingers in his mind like the scent of sweet perfume that hasn't quite faded.

“You look good too,” Soobin tells his friend. “Are you having fun?”

“So much fun,” Beomgyu gushes. “I met Doja Cat earlier. Got to shoot some fun TikToks with a couple of people too.”

“I’m glad,” Soobin says, and he really is happy for his friend’s burgeoning career.

They look up from their conversation when the screams from fans across the street crescendo into a fever pitch. The flurry of camera shutters grows frantic, and that’s when Soobin sees him.

Yeonjun looks dressed to kill, in a fitted white suit with black trim that emphasizes his proportions perfectly, dark hair slicked back and artfully styled.

Fuck.

“I told you he’d show up.” Beomgyu clutches his arm in excitement as they watch Yeonjun make his way down the barricade, greeting fans. He seems to be accompanied by a guy and a girl, most likely his friends from what Soobin can gather. He steps onto the red carpet by himself, giving the cameras his best smolder. His friends follow a moment after, posing as a couple.

Soobin can only stand and stare. The man standing in front of him is a far cry from the boy smoking weed on that balcony a couple of weeks ago. He looks expensive. Fierce. Powerful. In a league miles above everyone else here.

The photographers love him, yelling at him to turn one way and then the other so they can get the perfect shot. Yeonjun commands attention without demanding it, and everyone is eating it up, Soobin included.

He realizes in a moment of panic that Yeonjun is coming towards them. Shit. Even though Soobin had fantasized about seeing him here tonight, he wasn't prepared for the scenario where it actually happened. His brain goes blank.

Beomgyu straightens, making sure the camera behind him is ready, and waits for the event staff to guide Yeonjun to his respective camera.

“Yeonjun,” Beomgyu greets him conversationally, kicking off the interview, “So nice to see you on the red carpet today. Can you tell us what designer you’re wearing?”

He hasn’t noticed Soobin yet among the milieu of people. Soobin just stands there, starstruck, unsure if he should move into view or not.

The interview progresses smoothly.Yeonjun reacts well to Beomgyu’s friendliness, and gives him cute responses that will inevitably make the rounds on social media later.

Soobin tries to shrink down, but his height makes him conspicuous in the crowd. Beomgyu steps aside, turning back towards him, and it’s too late.

“Soobin,” Beomgyu says, handing him his phone. “Can you film us doing a quick TikTok?”

Yeonjun’s jaw drops slightly in recognition, but he schools his expression into something resembling normalcy before anyone notices.

Hi, Soobin mouths shyly. Yeonjun’s lips quirk into a confused little smile, but he gives Soobin a discreet wave in acknowledgement.

“Thank you,” Beomgyu crows after Soobin finishes filming. “Enjoy the premiere, Yeonjun, great to meet you.”

“Nice to see you,” Yeonjun replies, but his gaze doesn’t leave Soobin. Soobin feels hot under the collar, but he dares himself to make eye contact. The moment is only broken when a staff member guides him down the carpet and into the movie theater with his friends.

“He’s handsome, right?” Beomgyu shakes his shoulders, snapping him out of his trance. “Wasn’t that so cool?”

“So cool,” Soobin echoes faintly.

Twenty minutes later, he follows Beomgyu and Chris into the theater, refusing to entertain the dangerous thought that Yeonjun had been glad to see him. As the lights go dark and the movie begins, he finds himself spacing, unable to pay attention. All his thoughts are about one person in the room.

Fuck. Soobin is officially screwed.

+++

Three hours later, he and Beomgyu are pushing their way through the line at the club, having left Chris outside to catch his Uber home.

The club looks swanky from the outside, red velvet ropes and bouncers suited up at the entrance. It’s even more luxurious on the inside: three stories tall with different music on each floor, ornate engravings adorning the wall like a palace. Hell, there’s even a spacious courtyard outside in the back where people can get some fresh air.

"I owe you a drink," Beomgyu yells over the noise, dragging him towards the bar. For once, Soobin is glad to follow.

The music is too loud, but the alcohol is plentiful, and the beat pumps adrenaline into his veins. Soobin decides to lose himself for just a little while. He gulps down his drink and flails along to the Doja Cat remix blasting through the speakers, much to Beomgyu's delight and amusement.

“I’m proud of you,” Soobin shouts over the music. “I know parties like this aren’t really my scene, but I’m proud of you.”

Beomgyu just blows him a kiss and slut drops to the floor.

A constant stream of people come up to Beomgyu to greet him on the dancefloor, much like they did at the house party a couple of weeks earlier. It seems like Beomgyu knows everyone, though it’s hardly a surprise. Soobin admires his ability to make friends so easily, especially in such a cutthroat industry. The parties might be bougie and it must be gratifying to get attention, but it can't be easy to meet genuine people.

Eventually, Beomgyu spots a group of people he knows walking up the stairs to one of the other dancing areas. “You go,” Soobin tells him. “I’m going to find a bathroom. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”

He still hasn’t seen Yeonjun at the party yet, but as he’s washing his hands in the restroom, he nearly collides with someone who opens the door.

“Oh,” Yeonjun says, looking up from his phone. “I was wondering if I’d see you again.”

“Were you?” Soobin says faintly. God, Yeonjun looks so good. It’s everything he can do to keep his voice level and his body language relaxed, so as to not betray his nerves.

Yeonjun looks vaguely amused. “Two parties in a row is some coincidence,” he says simply.

“Small world,” Soobin echoes, unsure how to explain himself. “Are you enjoying the party?”

“I was, but I lost my friends,” Yeonjun says. “Reception is pretty bad and it’s too loud in here.”

“I saw a courtyard outside,” Soobin tells him. “Maybe that would be better?”

Yeonjun perks up. “Oh yeah, that would be perfect.” He considers Soobin for a moment, as if turning over a decision in his mind. “Show me where?” he asks.

Yeah, this is not how Soobin thought his night was gonna go. Yeonjun follows him outside to a fenced-off area decked out with lounge chairs, fairy lights, and a gigantic fountain in the middle, spouting off water at timed intervals. These Hollywood clubs are no joke, Soobin thinks.

“My friend said he’ll call me in a few minutes,” Yeonjun says, looking up from his phone. “Want to sit?”

“Sure.”

Yeonjun bums a cigarette off one of the other party-goers, and they sit down sideways on lounge chairs, facing each other.

“Oh,” Soobin says. “I didn’t know you smoked.”

He remembers Yeonjun blowing smoke rings from that joint a couple weeks ago on the balcony, but in Soobin’s mind, weed and nicotine are two different beasts.

“I don’t,” Yeonjun answers. “Except occasionally when I’m jittery.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Yeonjun smiles tightly. “I’m fine.”

Soobin decides not to pry.

“Can I have a hit?” he asks instead.

For the first time since they’ve met, Yeonjun looks surprised. He hands the cigarette over, watching Soobin intently.

Soobin doesn’t know what just came over him, considering that he’s never smoked in his life, but he puts the cigarette to his lips and inhales deeply. His body immediately reacts, and he doubles over coughing as he chokes the smoke out of his lungs.

Yeonjun snorts as he takes the cigarette back from Soobin’s outstretched hand. “You shouldn’t smoke,” he says, stamping the cigarette out with the heel of his shoe. “It’s bad for you.”

Soobin flushes in embarrassment.

"So," he says casually, trying to recover. "That Vogue magazine cover you did last month was quite something."

Yeonjun shoots him a wicked grin. "I see you finally Googled me," he laughs.

"I was curious," Soobin defends. "Now I just feel stupid."

"Don't worry," Yeonjun pats his leg reassuringly. "It was cute that you didn't know who I was. Kinda nice too, if I'm being honest."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Yeonjun confirms. "To be honest, it was nice to not have anyone's expectations on me for once. Nice to not have anyone want anything from me.”

Soobin immediately feels guilty for thinking about how plush Yeonjun's lips look right now, because if he’s honest with himself, he does want. Badly. But not because of Yeonjun's fame, or for any other ulterior motive. Yeonjun radiates an easy charisma, somehow intimidating yet approachable at the same time. It only makes sense that Soobin finds it impossible to look away.

But he's also not an idiot. He knows how improbable it is that he and Yeonjun even crossed paths. Famous celebrities don't usually hang out with nobodies like him, much less kiss them.

So he plays it off.

"How do you know I don't want something from you?" he challenges.

Yeonjun raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Soobin swallows hard. Yeonjun is looking at him expectantly, with an expression that says choose your next words carefully. Soobin wonders if this is a sore subject for him, if Yeonjun's had people take advantage of him in the past.

So he quickly clarifies.

"Oh, Yeonjun, you're so handsome," Soobin imitates in a high-pitched voice. "Can I get a selfie?"

Yeonjun swats at him, and the brief moment of tension dissipates. "Very funny," he rolls his eyes. “Wait, you think I’m handsome?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Soobin starts to defend himself, even though that very much is what he meant. Thankfully, he’s saved from explaining himself when Yeonjun’s phone rings. Yeonjun steps away to take the call, but when he comes back he looks visibly shaken.

“Everything okay?”

“My friend’s girlfriend twisted her ankle dancing so he took her home to rest,” Yeonjun explains. “My driver had to take the night off, so I came with them today. My manager’s not answering either, and now I don’t have a way home.”

His voice catches on the last syllable, and Soobin frowns.

“Can you Uber?”

“I would,” Yeonjun sighs, “but my friend said that there are a lot of paparazzi outside the club entrance right now, and I just…” he trails off. “I just can’t deal with that tonight.”

There’s something pleading in his gaze, something desperate. His posture is reminiscent of a wild animal being cornered, and Soobin wonders if there’s more to the story than Yeonjun is letting on.

He thinks for a moment, not wanting to sound crazy. “I have a car,” he says haltingly. “I parked nearby. Maybe you could sneak out the back and I can drop you off somewhere?”

“You drove?”

“Not all of us have private chauffeurs,” Soobin reminds him.

“That’s not what I meant,” Yeonjun rolls his eyes. He’s silent for a minute, mulling over Soobin’s words. Probably doing risk calculations, Soobin thinks. Wondering if he can trust a stranger he’s met a grand total of twice.

“Okay,” Yeonjun says after a beat. “Would you mind?”

Would he mind dipping from this party early and helping the cutest boy he’s laid eyes on in ages during his time of need? No, he most certainly would not mind.

“Let me go get my car,” he says instead. “It’s a black Toyota Camry. Give me ten minutes and I’ll pull around the back.”

“I feel like we’re planning a heist,” Yeonjun laughs. “But yeah, okay. You’re a lifesaver.”

Yeonjun leads them through the back exit, and after a few hurried explanations, the bouncer steps aside. Soobin leaves him in the back hallway next to the door, and slips outside to retrieve his car.

When he pulls back into the parking lot behind the club, he notices a man with a hefty camera around his neck crouching quietly in the shadows, no doubt anticipating that some high profile partygoers might try to get away undetected. Shit. Bad news for Yeonjun.

He rolls down the window as he reaches the back entrance. “Yeonjun,” he shouts. “Quickly!”

Unfortunately, this also has the unintended side effect of alerting the paparazzi, who immediately jolts up and starts snapping photos. Yeonjun darts outside from the back hallway, one hand shielding his face.

“Yeonjun!” the paparazzi shouts. “Miss me?” Soobin immediately hates his tone, how taunting and abrasive it is.

Yeonjun just flips him off and slams the car door shut. Soobin kicks the car into gear and zooms out of the parking lot and into the street traffic.

“Fuck,” Yeonjun whistles. “I really fucking hate that guy.”

“Are you okay?”

“I am now,” Yeonjun confirms. “Thank you for that. That was pretty cool, honestly.”

Soobin doesn’t know what to do with praise like that, so he ducks his head awkwardly and changes the subject. “Where to?” he asks.

Yeonjun hums thoughtfully. “Do you have anywhere to be?”

Soobin shakes his head.

“Are you hungry?”

“I could eat.”

Ten minutes later, they pull into the drive-thru of an In-n-Out, and Soobin realizes that he’s starving. While they’re waiting for their food, he pulls out his phone to text Beomgyu, feeling guilty that he didn’t think to do it earlier.

soobin
hiii i’m sorry i wasn’t feeling well, i just left the club
i feel so bad, i didn't mean to ditch u :(
are you ok?? with friends??

beomgyu
oh no r u ok?
it’s ok i’m with that group of friends, i’ll find my way home

soobin
ok good
and yeah i’ll be fine, just need to rest
i rly am sorry tho, i’ll make it up to you

beomgyu
yes i’m sure i’ll find some way for you to make it up to me ;)

soobin
i don’t like the sound of that

beomgyu
:P

The cashier hands them their burgers through the window, and Yeonjun hands her his credit card before Soobin can protest.

“My treat,” he insists. “As a thank you for tonight.”

Soobin blushes, and thinks about how in any other situation where a cute boy was in his car offering to pay for his food, this would be considered a date.

Well, he is bi, his brain helpfully supplies.

But this is no ordinary situation, and this is most certainly not a date.

It doesn’t stop Soobin’s traitorous brain from imagining it though.

They pull off into an empty car park, eating their food comfortably in silence.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Yeonjun says quietly. “Being away from it all.”

“How do you do it?” Soobin asks, unable to help himself. “All that attention on you, all the time. Doesn’t it get…”

“Overwhelming?”

“Yeah. That.”

“It does,” Yeonjun sighs. “I don’t know if I ever got used to it, if I’m being honest.”

“No?”

“No. I just learned how to manage it better.”

“Why did you choose such a public career then?”

“I didn’t,” Yeonjun says. “It chose me. I was scouted by a modeling agency when I was fifteen, and got connected to an acting agent and a music manager not long after. I like the creativity, and it’s fun to be on set and in the studio. But the glamor wears off after a while.”

“So why do you stay?”

“Because I don’t think leaving would make me invisible again,” Yeonjun shrugs. “And at the end of the day, I like what I do. I’m good at it. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t in the entertainment industry.”

Soobin wonders what it’s like to be followed by your own shadow everywhere you go, privacy merely a mirage in the desert perpetually out of reach.

“It’s not all bad,” Yeonjun adds hastily. “I have more than enough money to support my family, I have the sweetest fans, and I get to travel all over the world to tour and film. I’m lucky. I don’t want to sound ungrateful or take anything for granted.”

“I don’t think you sound that way,” Soobin assures him. “To be honest, it all just sounds kind of lonely.”

“It can be,” Yeonjun agrees. “I keep my circle small. But I have a few close friends I can trust, and that’s enough for me.”

“You trusted me tonight.”

Yeonjun looks thoughtful. “I guess I did,” he says at last. “I didn’t have much of a choice though, did I?”

“Maybe not,” Soobin shrugs. “I know we don’t know each other very well, but I hope one day you can start to trust me.”

He realizes his mistake as soon as the words are out of his mouth.

“Oh, so we’re friends now, are we?”

Soobin looks down. “I mean, only if you want,” he mumbles.

“Relax, I’m just kidding,” Yeonjun says. He grins reassuringly. “We can be friends. You proved yourself tonight.”

Soobin lets out a sigh of relief. Huh, he thinks. So this is really happening.

“So, Mr. Not-In-The-Industry,” Yeonjun teases. “What were you doing at that premiere tonight then?”

“So my best friend from college is huge on TikTok,” he begins, and Yeonjun starts laughing in understanding.

They talk about other things, too. He tells Yeonjun about his college adventures, how he plays guitar for fun, and why he wants to be a school counselor. Yeonjun tells him about his passion for dancing in return, and recounts some of his adventures from being on tour when he realizes that Soobin is genuinely interested in hearing them.

By the time they start to yawn, Soobin realizes that a couple of hours have passed, and they’ve completely lost track of time. He wonders if Beomgyu is home yet, inevitably wondering why his roommate isn’t there.

Yeonjun’s manager texts him, saying that he can send a car for him, and Yeonjun sends him their location in response.

“Can I ask you something?” Soobin says while they wait. “If it’s too personal, you don’t have to answer.”

“Shoot.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t like the paparazzi if I were you either, but you seemed kinda freaked out tonight. Why?”

Yeonjun sighs. “That one paparazzi guy who saw us tonight is unfortunately someone I have history with. I couldn’t handle facing him tonight, but I guess he found us anyway.”

Soobin nods. Maybe someone really had screwed Yeonjun over in the past. “Do you go out a lot?” he asks. “Is it the first time you’ve run into him?”

“I used to go out more,” Yeonjun shakes his head. “Now I’m more laid back. I still have fun, but these days it just feels too chaotic. I go to show my face, and then I end up…” he trails off.

“Smoking weed on the balcony by yourself to escape from everyone?” Soobin finishes his sentence.

“Yeah,” Yeonjun snorts. “Usually something like that. I’ve run into that guy before, but not for a while. It just shook me, I guess. My manager’s gonna have a fit when he finds out.”

Soobin nods in understanding, and drops the subject.

“So,” he says haltingly. “If we’re friends now, is this the part where I get your number?”

“Do you think you’ve earned it?” Yeonjun teases. He doesn’t mean it as an innuendo, Soobin knows, but Yeonjun’s low tone sends a shiver down his spine. Soobin wills his mind out of the gutter, refusing to imagine Yeonjun saying the same words in a different setting.

“I don’t know,” he manages to respond. “Do you think I’ve earned it?”

Yeonjun fixes him with a look that Soobin can’t quite decipher. It’s too late for this. Soobin is too tired to read between the probably nonexistent lines.

Thankfully, Yeonjun finally nods. “Yeah,” he says softly. “I think you have.” The way he says it makes Soobin feel warm on the inside.

When the town car pulls up, Yeonjun pulls him into a quick hug and waves goodbye.

“Thanks for tonight,” he says. “I’ll see you around, yeah?”

This time, Soobin believes him.

He sits there for a solid minute after the car speeds off, processing the feeling of Yeonjun’s arms around him, even if only for a split second.

Miraculously, Beomgyu still isn’t home when Soobin unlocks the door to their apartment. By the time he finishes getting ready for bed, there’s a text waiting for him.

definitely not yeonjun
home safe, thanks for tonight :)
i saved my contact name in the least sus way possible, don’t you think?

soobin
the FBI agent monitoring my phone will never know
i had fun, sleep well

definitely not yeonjun
haha thanks i will
and me too

Soobin falls asleep with his phone on his chest and a smile on his face.

+++

The next few weeks take a toll on him.

Being a grad student isn't easy, especially not on the days when he's juggling his internship on top of his regular classes. His program requires hands-on experience before he can get credentialed, so Soobin dutifully commutes three days a week from Westwood to his old middle school in Koreatown and works with some of the students there under the guidance of a supervisor.

Some days he's working with kids struggling with common problems like getting overwhelmed with schoolwork. But other days he'll have students come in who are being severely bullied, or whose parents are getting a nasty divorce, or worse. Those are the hard days. Most of the kids are only twelve or thirteen. They shouldn't have to grow up so quickly.

Yeonjun is a source of comfort when things feel heavy. They’re slowly easing into a friendship, shooting sporadic texts to each other when their schedules allow. Yeonjun is busy in the studio recording his next album, but he texts Soobin updates here and there, and Soobin sends him Beomgyu’s TikToks to entertain him during his down time.

It’s a Friday evening, and Soobin is getting into his car when his phone dings with a message.

definitely not yeonjun
this studio session is making me want to tear my hair out
and i can’t do that soobin
my hair is on life support as it is

soobin
first of all, my condolences to your hair
second of all, where are u rn?

definitely not yeonjun
the studio is in silverlake, why?

soobin
ahh it’s just, you’re pretty close to where i am now
i’m in k-town, just got done with my internship
i had a stressful day too, was gonna pick up some takeout
i could drop by with some food if u want?

definitely not yeonjun
wait really??

soobin
only if i’m not interrupting…
don’t wanna mess up ur session or whatever

definitely not yeonjun
not at all, just writing and messing around today
today i’m riding solo, so you’re not intruding
could use a break tbh

Forty minutes later, Soobin is knocking on the door of the address Yeonjun sent him, bag of take-out food in hand.

“You’re an angel,” Yeonjun says in lieu of a greeting as he opens the door. Jesus, he looks good. Stress apparently does not stop Yeonjun from, well, looking like Yeonjun.

“Wait til you try the food first,” Soobin deflects, ducking through the doorway and following Yeonjun up a flight of stairs and down a long corridor.

Yeonjun unlocks one of the rooms, and they step inside. It’s luxurious, much more so than Soobin imagined. The first thing he notices is how spacious it is. There’s a comfy-looking couch pushed against the wall, a table in the corner, and a huge soundboard spanning nearly the whole length of the room, with a glass wall separating the recording booth from the rest of the studio.

This studio is bigger than Soobin’s whole room, no doubt about it.

“You got popcorn chicken? And gamja hot dogs?” Yeonjun interrupts his train of thought as they set the food down on the table.

“I thought some comfort food might be the way to go. Get you out of your slump, and all that.”

“You thought right,” Yeonjun mumbles through a mouthful of food. “Holy shit, you’re a lifesaver.”

“Not the first time you’ve said that,” Soobin teases him gently.

“That’s because it’s true,” Yeonjun says, as if it’s obvious. “Seriously, you’re the best.”

It’s amazing how just a few choice words can reduce him into a blushing mess. But that’s the Yeonjun charm, as Soobin is beginning to find out. He’s as charismatic in real life as he is in front of a camera. But more relaxed, Soobin thinks. Softer. More human.

Today, he can see the dark circles under Yeonjun’s eyes, the pores on his bare face, the way he slouches in his seat, dressed casually in a hoodie and jeans. Yet he still looks good in Soobin’s eyes. Soobin likes that he gets to see this side of Yeonjun, that Yeonjun wants to show him these parts of himself.

“So tell me about your day,” Yeonjun says as they eat comfortably together. “What were you doing in K-town?”

So Soobin tells him about his internship, and with some extra prompting from Yeonjun, about how today was one of the hard days. He tells him about the twelve year old girl who came in to see him and his supervisor today at school, looking for help. He talks about how her parents are going through a particularly rough divorce, screaming matches and all, and how she just looked so scared and empty today. How he wants to say the right thing to help her, but sometimes he doubts if it makes a difference. How he’s getting better at compartmentalizing his feelings, but some days it’s still hard.

“I think you’re good at your job,” Yeonjun says thoughtfully. “It’s hard for you to separate her feelings from yours because you genuinely care. Yeah, you gotta learn how to balance that, but I bet all those kids can tell that you care. I’m sure that makes a big difference.”

Soobin nods. “I guess I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

“You have a big heart,” Yeonjun says. “I could tell from the moment you offered to help me that night after the premiere. Don’t lose that, okay?”

“I won’t,” Soobin whispers. His voice feels thick for some reason. The room feels heavier with the weight of their conversation, almost intimate.

“So,” he says, attempting to change the subject, “tell me about the song you’re working on.”

“I’m just messing around with chord progressions now,” Yeonjun sighs as he runs a hand through his hair. “I have some lyrics and a general direction for the song, but I’m just a little stuck.”

“Can I hear it? Or is that not allowed?”

Yeonjun hesitates, but after a beat he grabs a guitar from off the wall and strums a few notes.

“It’s just an outline right now, so it’s not much. But this A chord just doesn’t sound right.” He taps frustratedly on the guitar. “But if I go up the next note in the scale it doesn’t work either.”

Soobin thinks for a moment. “Have you tried A minor?”

Yeonjun tries it again, with the adjusted note. “Huh,” he says. “That doesn’t sound half-bad.” He fixes Soobin with a suspicious stare. “Since when are you a musical genius?”

“I dabble,” Soobin plays it off. “I told you that I played guitar once before, right? But mostly when I’m alone in my room. It’s just a hobby.”

“Wait, do you sing too?”

“Yeah, in the shower.”

Yeonjun rolls his eyes and starts strumming on the guitar again. “Do you know this song?” he asks. Soobin nods, recognizing it as an old Korean song his parents used to play when he was younger.

Yeonjun motions for him to sing along. It’s tentative at first. He lets Yeonjun carry it, not used to singing in front of other people, but he builds up more confidence as they reach the chorus.

By the end of the song, Yeonjun is smiling at him disbelievingly, and Soobin feels like they just crossed the threshold of something important, a milestone in their burgeoning friendship, but he doesn’t have the language to describe it right now.

“Why didn’t you tell me you could sing?” Yeonjun asks softly, when the last chords of the guitar fade out.

Soobin shrugs. “Didn’t seem important.”

Yeonjun levels him with another dubious stare.

“Okay fine,” Soobin relents. “I just don’t really sing in front of other people, that’s all.”

“You’re talented. You could do something with that, you know.”

“I could. But I don’t want to,” Soobin says firmly. “The idea of a bunch of strangers watching me freaks me the fuck out, if I’m being honest. I’d rather keep it as something fun, something just for myself.”

“Not into exhibitionism?” Yeonjun teases, and Soobin flushes.

“I didn’t say that,” he says innocently, and he watches in satisfaction as Yeonjun tries not to choke around a bite of chicken.

“Seriously though, I’ve been known to go a little hard during karaoke nights,” he laughs, playing it off. “But that’s it. Really.”

Yeonjun perks up at that.

“There’s an idea,” he says. “We should totally do a karaoke night.”

“I don’t know…” Soobin trails off.

“It’ll be fun,” Yeonjun continues excitedly. “You can bring Beomgyu. I want to meet him properly since you’ve sent me all his TikToks, plus I have a couple friends who I want you to meet too. We can make a little group out of it, yeah?”

Soobin knew that Beomgyu was bound to find out eventually, but he wasn’t prepared for it to be quite so soon.

He feels guilty that he hasn’t told Beomgyu about Yeonjun. It’s not that he doesn’t trust his best friend – on the contrary, Beomgyu is a great listener and knows how to keep a secret. But his friendship with Yeonjun still feels so fragile, like his own personal bubble. Soobin’s half convinced that if he makes any sudden movements, it’s going to evaporate in his hands like it was never there in the first place.

He knows without a doubt that Beomgyu would tease him, ask if there’s anything going on between them, and Soobin is already delusional enough as it is. He doesn’t need a positive feedback loop to propel his already sky-high fantasies into the stratosphere.

So every time Beomgyu asks him why he’s smiling at his phone like an idiot, he swerves the question, and feels guilty about it every time. It’s just for now, he rationalizes. Just until Yeonjun is comfortable, and I get over this stupid crush.

But Yeonjun is looking at him eagerly now, waiting for him to say yes, and Soobin can’t think of a good excuse anymore.

“Okay,” he relents. “But Beomgyu is a lot, just warning you.”

“Good,” Yeonjun grins. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Soobin wonders if he’s going to regret this.

But he wants to see Yeonjun again, and if this is how Yeonjun wants to do it, then so be it. Maybe it’s better to rip the band-aid off now in terms of Beomgyu finding out. Maybe it’s a good sign that Yeonjun is interested in his life and wants to meet the people who are important to him.

As with everything when it comes to Yeonjun, Soobin will take what he can get.

+++

Their studio sessions sort of become a thing.

Not all the time, of course, and only on days when Yeonjun’s not working with his producer team, but still. A thing.

Yeonjun usually texts first to see if he’s in the area, but sometimes Soobin will pick up takeout for two without asking, rationalizing that if Yeonjun’s not around he can always bring it home to Beomgyu instead.

Some days they mess around on the guitar together, occasionally singing when Yeonjun can get him to do it. Some days, he just sits quietly on the couch doing work while Yeonjun puts on his headphones and gets in the zone working on a new track.

“Is it not distracting to have me here?” Soobin asks on one of those days. “You know I can just drop off takeout and leave, right?”

“I like having you here,” Yeonjun says simply. “You seem to be my lucky charm. I always get a breakthrough on days that you’re here.”

“Well, I’m glad I can be your muse,” Soobin says dryly. “But seriously. If you ever need to work alone, I give you full permission to kick me out.”

But Yeonjun never does.

They get so sidetracked one evening that Soobin doesn’t get home until nearly midnight. Beomgyu is sitting on the couch when he gets home, laptop perched on the arm of the sofa.

“You’re home awfully late,” he says, glancing up at Soobin suspiciously.

“Got sidetracked studying,” Soobin says evasively. “Hey, are you free next weekend?”

He hopes Beomgyu doesn’t notice the sudden subject change.

Beomgyu tilts his head. “I have Saturday night open. Why?”

“I thought it might be fun to do some karaoke, at that place in K-town we used to go to. I have a friend I want you to meet.”

"Which friend?"

"Just someone I met recently," Soobin says vaguely. "He watched some of your TikToks and said he wanted to meet you."

"I'm flattered," Beomgyu replies. "But you're being hella sus right now. Spill."

"He's kinda shy," Soobin dodges the inquiry. "It'll make more sense when you meet him. He's cool though, I think you'll like him."

He's being purposely vague, both to protect Yeonjun's privacy in case their plans fall through, but also because the smug, chaotic part of him that he keeps buried deep down inside himself just wants to see the look of shock on Beomgyu's face when Yeonjun walks through the door.

"Ah, I get it," Beomgyu nods sagely, even though he very clearly does not get it. "You met a cute boy. This is like a meet the parents sort of thing. Except it's just me."

"Okay, first of all, your hypothetical ability to parent a child is questionable at best, and second of all, we are very much just friends. And he’s bringing some other friends anyway, so your point is invalid."

"Whatever you say," Beomgyu shrugs flippantly. "I look forward to meeting your mystery boy."

Soobin is nervous when the day rolls around. He curses his social anxiety for dredging up so many unwanted scenarios in his head, and wonders if he’s playing with fire.

The karaoke place isn’t far from where Soobin grew up in K-town, tucked away in a little parking lot off of Western Avenue. They made a reservation on the earlier side in hopes of avoiding the crowds. Soobin reminds himself that Yeonjun still has to think about these things, that each public appearance is a constant cost-benefit analysis.

There are only two other boys standing in the lobby when Soobin and Beomgyu arrive.

“Are you Soobin?” one of them asks. Soobin nods, and the boy brightens. “I’m Kai. Yeonjun’s running late, but we can order drinks while we wait.”

In the corner of his vision, Soobin sees Beomgyu’s brow furrow in confusion. But before he can say anything, the other boy is introducing himself as Taehyun, and the conversation moves on to brief small talk as they wait for Yeonjun, the common denominator connecting them all together.

As if on cue, Yeonjun strides into the room, looking flushed and out of breath.

“Sorry I’m late,” he says. “Lost track of time in the studio.” He pulls Soobin into a quick hug. “Did you have a good week? I’ll show you what I’m working on next time you come by.”

“Hi to you too,” Soobin says fondly, trying his hardest not to blush.

He turns back to the other boys, and yeah, the flabbergasted expression on Beomgyu’s face is definitely worth it.

"What the fuck?" he whisper-yells into Soobin’s ear.

The employee comes back with their drinks, and Soobin hands Beomgyu his bottle of soju in a placating gesture. "Hey, don't I get a thank you?"

"Thank you," says Beomgyu impatiently. "Now back to my earlier question, what the fuck?"

“Hey, I remember you,” Yeonjun grins. “You interviewed me at that premiere. Soobin sent me some of your TikToks.”

“Did he now,” Beomgyu says faintly, shooting Soobin a murderous look.

As the employee leads them down the hall to their private room, Beomgyu falls back into step with him and pulls him aside.

“You have so much explaining to do later,” he hisses, but he’s smiling incredulously. “I can’t fucking believe you, holy shit.”

Soobin bats his eyelashes in a show of faux innocence. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he sing-songs.

It’s hard to talk over the music, but Soobin takes an instant liking to Yeonjun’s friends. Kai is upbeat and cheerful, poring over the songbooks with Beomgyu and laughing brightly at every joke that comes out of his mouth. Taehyun just sips his sprite and watches them serenely, like he knows something they don't.

They argue over who gets to have the microphone during Doja Cat, a battle that Beomgyu and Yeonjun end up winning.

Their attempt at a rendition of “Get Into It (Yuh)” is objectively ridiculous. Yeonjun is so damn extra, making exaggerated noises and gestures that Beomgyu immediately mimics, causing a chain reaction of laughter that has Soobin clutching his sides in an attempt to keep control of himself.

Even Taehyun giggles when Beomgyu sings the line “get into the drip like a piranha” with his arms flailing around like a madman. Yeonjun and Beomgyu together really is like playing with fire, but Soobin decides it’s a good thing.

Eventually Kai cues up one of Yeonjun's songs just to embarrass him, a semi-cheesy ballad that Soobin may or may not have listened to on repeat when looking Yeonjun up on the internet all those weeks ago. Beomgyu passes Soobin the mic, and suddenly he and Yeonjun are dueting, the other boys providing backup.

Yeonjun rolls his eyes playfully at his friends’ antics, but he shoots Soobin an encouraging nod, and Soobin lets the words pour out as he sings along.

Their voices are shot from belting out so many songs without proper warmups first, but the knowing smile that Yeonjun gives him as they harmonize the chorus sends a warm burst of energy down his spine. Somehow, it feels intimate. Personal. Like they’re in on a secret together that no one else knows.

It’s getting late when the employee knocks on the door to inform them that their time is up.

Yeonjun gets recognized almost immediately by the group waiting in the lobby. Soobin sees the moment their faces light up before they look away hurriedly, sneaking a glance back a moment later to make sure their eyes aren’t deceiving them.

“We like your music,” one of the girls ventures.

“Ah, really? Thank you so much,” Yeonjun says.

He stays to chat with them for a minute, kindly asking them about their favorite songs and posing for pictures. Soobin admires how easily he switches into celebrity mode, how attentive he is to his fans.

Ten minutes later, they find themselves squished into a booth at a nearby tofu house. The ajumma running the restaurant fusses over them when they speak back to her in Korean, and soon they’re scarfing down bowls of bibimbap and soondubu.

“So how did you and Yeonjun meet?” Taehyun asks.

“Great question,” Beomgyu says, digging his heel into Soobin’s shin under the table. “I was wondering the same thing.”

“We met at a party a few months back,” Yeonjun helpfully supplies. “Hit it off and stayed in touch after.”

Beomgyu’s brow furrows, and Soobin knows he smells blood. “Interesting,” he says eventually. “Soobin’s not much of a partier.”

“It was the one you dragged me to,” Soobin says. “Lily’s thing in the hills.”

“Oh, I know Lily,” Kai brightens. “Yeonjun’s introduced us a couple of times.”

“Small world,” is all Beomgyu says, but he’s hiding a smile.

“Beomgyu makes TikToks,” Yeonjun says. He motions for Taehyun and Kai to look over his shoulder as he opens the app on his phone. “How do you even do some of this stuff?” he laughs.

A flush fills Beomgyu’s cheeks as he lets out an embarrassed little laugh, and whatever plot holes he picked up on in Yeonjun’s explanation are forgotten as they banter back and forth, Beomgyu explaining the behind the scenes of some of his videos.

It’s late by the time they pile into their respective cars. Taehyun and Kai wave good-naturedly, and Yeonjun pulls both him and Beomgyu into affectionate hugs.

“We’ll see each other soon,” he assures them. Soobin wonders if the lingering stare Yeonjun gives him is a figment of his imagination.

“This is the most insane night of my life,” Beomgyu says as soon as they’re in the car. “And you have some explaining to do. Mind starting from the beginning?”

Soobin sheepishly tells him about the mansion party, and the movie premiere, and the studio sessions. It feels surreal even as he says it, but Beomgyu listens attentively like Soobin knew he would.

“Do you like him?” he asks eventually.

Soobin doesn’t answer.

Beomgyu nods, unsurprised. “Is that why you didn’t tell me?”

“Felt like if I did it would make it more real. Didn’t want to say anything in case it crashed and burned.”

“I understand,” Beomgyu says. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, he’s clearly head over heels for you.”

Soobin’s head jerks up. “Don’t say that, we’re just friends.”

“I’m just saying,” Beomgyu’s voice turns teasing, “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

A wave of gratitude washes over Soobin. It’s been hard, keeping such a significant development in his life from his best friend. He doesn’t want to take Beomgyu’s words to heart and get his hopes up about Yeonjun, but at least now he has someone to talk with about it.

“You’re in your baddie era,” Beomgyu continues. “Finally. It’s about time.”

Soobin swats at him, and then they’re both laughing.

“You’re awful,” Soobin tells him. “The worst, in fact.”

“Yeah yeah,” Beomgyu says. “Love you too.”

+++

For all his joking around, Beomgyu somehow always ends up being right.

It all comes to a head two weeks later. Like many other Fridays, Soobin ends up in Yeonjun’s studio after work, lounging on the couch while Yeonjun fine tunes a song he’s working on.

“Listen,” Yeonjun gestures for him to come over to the sounding board. “Don’t you feel like it’s missing something?”

A shiver passes through his body as he closes his eyes and listens to Yeonjun’s voice fill the room. It’s a beautiful track called Maze in the Mirror, filled with ethereal vocals and an acoustic guitar that balance each other just right.

“It’s beautiful,” Soobin says. “Really. You’ve outdone yourself.”

“But don’t you think –”

“Look,” Soobin says. “All you need is to add the drums back in during the last chorus, give it a final oomph.”

“I'm dumb,” Yeonjun says immediately.

Soobin shakes his head. “No, you’re just too close to it. Listened to it too many times and now your brain is fried.”

Yeonjun drags a drum sample over on his laptop as Soobin watches over his shoulder. When he’s satisfied with the adjustments, he plays it back in full through the speakers, and oh, it’s even better this time.

“It’s perfect,” Yeonjun says, squeezing Soobin’s arm in excitement. “You’re perfect. My good luck charm, yeah?”

Soobin realizes how close they’re sitting and immediately feels hot under the collar. Yeonjun is looking at him intensely, too intensely, and the ensuing silence feels loaded.

“I’m going to Paris next week,” Yeonjun says at last. “It’s fashion week. Stopping in London and Milan too. You should come over tonight, since I won’t see you for a little while.”

Soobin tells himself there’s no ulterior motive in the way Yeonjun says it, but he’s not so sure anymore. All he does is nod and ask Yeonjun more about his travel plans in hopes of cutting the tension in the room.

It’s late by the time they leave the studio. Soobin follows Yeonjun’s car back to his house in the Hollywood Hills, marveling at the affluence of it all.

Yeonjun’s house is huge, of course, but at least it’s tasteful. No garish paintings or questionable interior design choices, just an artfully laid out living space that looks cozier than Soobin had been expecting.

“Are you up for the pool?” Yeonjun asks.

“I can’t swim,” Soobin admits sheepishly.

“Oh.” Yeonjun thinks for a moment. “The hot tub then?”

Soobin nods, and Yeonjun gives him an extra pair of swim shorts to change into, telling him to meet him outside when he’s ready.

Yeonjun’s backyard is massive, an infinity pool spilling over into a gorgeous view of LA, city lights sparkling in the distance. It’s peaceful, in its own way. Far away enough from the hustle and bustle to feel secluded, intimate. Maybe even romantic, though Soobin banishes that dangerous thought from his brain before it can take hold.

Yeonjun is already in the hot tub waiting for him. Soobin quickly slips into the water next to him, suddenly feeling exposed and self-conscious.

“Nice night,” he says.

“It has been,” Yeonjun agrees. “I’m glad I got to spend it with you.”

“Yeah?”

Yeonjun smiles gently at him, face illuminated by the jacuzzi lights. “Of course,” he says. “I’m gonna miss you when I go to Paris.”

This has to be a fever dream. No way Soobin is sitting in the hot tub of the same guy who sauntered across that red carpet in Hollywood all those weeks ago. The same guy who is now whispering sweet nothings in his ear, telling him he misses him for god’s sake. Soobin wonders when he slipped and fell into this alternate timeline. The universe must be glitching.

Yeonjun notices his silence. “What,” he laughs, “too much?”

“No,” Soobin rushes to clarify. “I like the honesty. Keep going.”

Yeonjun hums thoughtfully. “Well,” he begins, “I’m glad we met at that party. I was in a weird mood that night, but you left an impression on me.”

If Soobin was more delusional than he already is, he would think that this was the start of a confession.

“You remembered me,” he says. “Why?”

“Because I wanted to,” Yeonjun says simply.

Soobin raises an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

“Everyone expects me to be the person they want me to be, instead of who I really am,” Yeonjun says. “Sometimes I feel like a product. And everyone is inevitably disappointed when that product isn’t exactly to their liking.”

Soobin hums thoughtfully, trying to process Yeonjun’s words.

"Not you though," Yeonjun notes. "You never treated me differently. You didn’t ask me to be anyone else. You didn’t shove your phone in my face without permission, begging for a picture to post on Twitter."

"I don't have Twitter," Soobin says dumbly.

Yeonjun rolls his eyes, but he's smiling at Soobin fondly, and Soobin's heart skips a beat.

“You know what I mean.”

Soobin thinks he does, but he feels like it needs to be said aloud, just so he can make sure. “You mean that I don’t want anything from you, right? That you can be yourself around me?”

“Yeah,” Yeonjun says quietly. “I’m comfortable around you. And I don’t take that for granted.”

A rush of affection swells in Soobin’s chest, along with the bittersweet knowledge that he’s too far gone. His gaze wanders to Yeonjun’s lips, and he imagines for a minute what it would feel like to have them pressed against his own.

He catches himself before he goes too far, but when he looks up, Yeonjun meets his gaze with a fierce stare of his own. Soobin swallows hard, hoping he was subtle enough to avoid being caught.

"Actually," Yeonjun says, tone slipping into something a little darker, "I think you do want something from me."

"I do?" Soobin manages to say, heart pounding wildly in his chest.

Yeonjun shifts closer to him, sending ripples through the water. Soobin's brain shutters.

"Yeah," Yeonjun confirms. There's a glint of emotion in his eyes that Soobin can't quite decipher. "But you're lucky. You know why?"

"Why?" Soobin whispers, afraid to find out.

"Because," Yeonjun whispers back, and shit, now he's mere inches away from Soobin. "I want something from you too."

This is not happening right now. Soobin refuses to believe this is not a hallucination. Yeonjun can't mean what Soobin thinks he means, right?

But as soon as the question crosses his mind, the puzzle pieces start to fall into place. All the late nights in the studio, all the random texts, the way Yeonjun smiles at him when the two of them are alone together. The way Yeonjun remembered him.

All of a sudden, he realizes that the fierce expression on Yeonjun’s face isn’t one of annoyance or brooding.

It’s determination.

Yeonjun runs a finger up and down his outstretched arm. “Soobin,” he says. “Can I–”

Soobin cuts him off with a searing kiss.

At first, Yeonjun appears to be shocked that he actually did it, but he quickly catches up, bringing one hand to the back of Soobin’s neck and returning the kiss feverishly.

It’s pure heat. It takes him a minute to realize he’s trembling, overwhelmed with the feeling of finally having Yeonjun this close. How Yeonjun tastes faintly like mint and desperation, how his hand slides into Soobin’s hair to tug gently, how he licks into Soobin’s mouth like he needs it.

Yeonjun sucks on his bottom lip, and Soobin’s brain goes blank as he surrenders to pure sensation.

It’s too much, yet somehow not enough.

Yeonjun clearly is thinking the same, because all of a sudden he’s clambering onto Soobin’s lap to get a better angle, slotting their hips together, and oh god, Soobin hadn’t let himself imagine going this far. He hadn’t allowed himself to wonder, but now his hands slide down to squeeze Yeonjun’s ass experimentally, and the noise Yeonjun lets out is enough to make whatever final shreds of disbelief Soobin has been holding on to fly out the window.

Yeonjun wants him. It’s a triumphant realization.

Yeonjun breaks the kiss to mouth at Soobin’s neck, nipping at his earlobe, and Soobin decides that maybe it’s his turn to be honest.

"You're right," he pants, skin hot with desire. "I do want. But not because of any of this." He gestures vaguely to his surroundings. "Because of you. Please, you have to know–"

"I know," Yeonjun cuts him off, voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper. "Believe me, I know."

And then they're kissing again, Yeonjun licking hotly into his mouth like he’s starving, and Soobin finally understands the hype about all of this. He had enjoyed kissing his ex, enjoyed the sex to an extent, but it was nothing like this.

Back then, it was something fun to do, a box to check off on their list of relationship milestones. But this, Yeonjun grinding into his lap while his hand cards through Soobin’s hair as he kisses him over and over again, is everything.

They’re getting too worked up, Soobin knows. They’re too close to doing something they can’t take back. But maybe he wants to cross the line with Yeonjun. And maybe, just maybe, Yeonjun wants to cross the line with him too.

He grinds up to meet Yeonjun’s hips, and Yeonjun’s breath catches as his grip on Soobin’s hair tightens.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Yeonjun confirms.

Fuck. It’s really happening. Soobin wonders what city he saved in a past life to deserve Yeonjun in this one.

“How do you want to–”

Yeonjun tugs his swim trunks down in answer, and then he’s dragging Soobin’s down too, and they’re rutting against each other in a desperate race to the finish line, Yeonjun’s hand curled around their cocks as he furiously jacks them both off.

The slide is rough, the last shred of logic in Soobin’s brain reminding him that water is in fact not a lubricant, but they’re both too keyed up to care. Yeonjun is touching him, really touching him, and it’s everything he never dared to imagine.

Soobin kisses him through it, breath hitching as Yeonjun’s pace increases, pleasure curling low in his core as he melts into Yeonjun’s touch. Yeonjun’s free hand tightens in his hair, and Soobin squeezes his ass in encouragement just because he can.

“Fuck,” Yeonjun swears after several minutes, dropping his head into the crook of Soobin’s neck. “Not gonna last, it’s too much–”

“Me too,” Soobin pants. “Fuck, me too.”

Yeonjun’s rhythm stutters as his grip tightens, and then he’s coming with a low groan. It only takes a few more strokes for Soobin to follow him, biting down on his shoulder as he rides it out.

Yeonjun coaxes him through it, murmuring so good for me and just like that softly in his ear until he’s finished.

There’s a moment of stillness in the aftermath, as Soobin’s brain tries to catch up to his present reality. And then Yeonjun is smiling, biting down on his bottom lip as he fails to hide a satisfied smirk.

“What?” Soobin asks breathlessly.

“You’re so hot,” Yeonjun shakes his head in wonder. In the velvety haze of midnight, it sounds like a revelation. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

“What, clog up your hot tub filter?”

“Exactly that,” Yeonjun snorts, and then he’s tilting Soobin’s chin up for a kiss, and then another. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

They end up in the shower together, soaping each other up and rinsing each other off until the water runs cold. Soobin finds that he’s still a little shy, his inexperience catching up with him. It’s one thing to get off in the darkness together, it’s another to go full frontal in front of someone under bright bathroom lights.

But Yeonjun peppers reassuring kisses onto his cheeks, and eventually he starts to relax. At one point, Yeonjun gets very sidetracked by the view of his ass, and it’s only their too-slow refractory periods that stop them from going again.

Before he can contemplate whether Yeonjun wants him to stay, Yeonjun is handing him a pair of sweatpants and sliding under the covers of his king-sized bed, beckoning for Soobin to join him.

Internally, he breathes a sigh of relief. He didn’t exactly think Yeonjun would just kick him out, especially since they haven’t talked about anything yet, but it’s validating nonetheless.

He shoots off a text to Beomgyu before he forgets, not wanting to make him worry.

soobin
hey gyu
i'm staying with a friend tonight
don't wait up

beomgyu
you have friends?? other than me??
wait a minute
are you with yeonjun??
holy shit you better be getting laid
answer me what the fuck??

soobin
:P

He fights back a smile and shuts his phone off, crawling into bed with Yeonjun. Yeonjun shifts to face him, head pressed against the pillow, one finger gently tracing patterns across Soobin’s shoulder.

“Did you ever think we would be like this?” Soobin doesn’t know what possesses him to say it, but being brave has worked out so far for him tonight.

“Do you remember the night we met?” Yeonjun asks instead.

“Didn’t we just talk about this?”

“Sure,” Yeonjun agrees easily. “But not all of it.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

“I thought you were so fucking cute,” Yeonjun snorts.

“I think you were just high.”

“That too,” Yeonjun laughs. “And yeah, I didn’t think too hard about it at first. But when I saw you at that red carpet, I thought I was imagining things. I’m not a big believer in signs, but it seemed like the universe was trying to tell me something.”

“That you’re weirdly attracted to socially awkward nobodies who happen to show up at all your famous social events?”

“Stop deflecting,” Yeonjun says. “That I like you, dummy.”

“Oh. I like you too.”

“Glad we got that settled, considering my hand was just on your dick mere minutes ago.”

“Fuck off,” Soobin mumbles.

Yeonjun just kisses him in response, smiling all the while.

+++

Things change after that night, and they don’t.

Soobin still goes to school and his internship, studies with a few friends that he’s made in his classes, and makes dinner with Beomgyu when their schedules line up.

He just also happens to be fielding texts from a world-class celebrity at the same time.

It’s all very normal.

“Bonjour from Paris,” Yeonjun greets him over Facetime.

“I’m so jealous. I’ve always wanted to go.”

“We should go sometime,” Yeonjun says, like it’s that easy. Maybe for him it is.

“Don’t tease,” Soobin says instead. “So tell me, how is fashion week?”

“Amazing,” Yeonjun gushes. “The shows are so good this year. Dior flew me out, so it’s been extra crazy. And Paris is beautiful this time of year.”

“Sounds like quite an adventure.” Even though he has no way of relating to the conversation, he’s genuinely happy that Yeonjun gets to have this experience and wants to tell him about it.

“I’m gonna take a walk by the Eiffel Tower later. Somehow I’ve never had time to go on past trips.”

Yeonjun continues to tell him about his travel plans, the magazine shoot he’s doing for GQ once he arrives in London, and how he’s been dreaming about the pasta in Milan for months now.

“So,” Beomgyu says when he wanders into the living room an hour later, only to find Soobin finally ending the call with an idiotic smile on his face. “It’s going well, I take it?”

“Dude, I'm in so far over my head.”

He gestures towards the empty seat on the couch, and Beomgyu plops down beside him.

Objectively, Beomgyu’s not wrong. It is going well. Maybe too well. They like each other, that much is clear. Presumably this is the start of something. But why is Yeonjun so insistent on calling him when he could be shacking up with a Victoria’s Secret model in Paris instead?

“I can hear you overthinking,” Beomgyu cuts into his intrusive thoughts. “Spill.”

So Soobin tells him, minus the sordid details. “I just don’t know what it means,” he says at last. “I mean yeah, he likes me for some reason, but what does it mean?”

“It means he likes you dummy,” Beomgyu says. “Why overthink it?”

Soobin fixes him with a dubious stare. “A world-class celebrity who’s way out of my league somehow likes me, and I’m supposed to just accept that?”

“Ah, I get it. You’re doing what you always do. Trying to find something wrong with the situation and convincing yourself you’re not good enough so you won’t be surprised when the other shoe drops and you inevitably end up disappointed.”

“I don’t—“ Soobin begins, but his voice catches on the lie.

Worrying that every random person Beomgyu meets at a party wants to take advantage of his newfound fame. Going above and beyond at his internship and twisting himself in knots thinking that he’s somehow not good enough. Immediately suspecting that Beomgyu’s ex was not to be trusted before he had even met the guy.

Well, that last one turned out to be true.

And now, Yeonjun.

“Talk to him,” Beomgyu suggests. “Even if you don’t get your happy ending, at least you’ll know you didn’t sabotage your way out of it.”

“When did you get so wise, huh? Thought I was supposed to be your hyung.”

“We’re not in Korea,” Beomgyu snorts. “And in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve had to do a lot of growing up lately.”

A wave of guilt washes over Soobin. He’s been so preoccupied with Yeonjun that he hasn’t been paying enough attention to his best friend.

“I’m sorry,” he says earnestly. “I’ve been way too caught up in my own shit lately.”

Beomgyu waves him off. “You’re forgiven. Just go easy on yourself for once, yeah?”

“I’ll try.”

“And come with me to Taehyun and Kai’s apartment tonight.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah, he and Kai are having a little get-together,” Beomgyu shrugs. “Said we should come.”

“Since when are you in contact with Yeonjun’s friends?”

“Since you apparently weren’t paying attention during dinner a few weeks ago when they asked for my number.”

“Why didn’t they ask for my number?” Soobin’s not sure if he should be offended.

“Because you were too busy making heart eyes at Yeonjun.”

“Was not.”

“So, you’ll come with me tonight?”

“Fine.”

For someone who’s not big on parties, Soobin has to admit that Kai and Taehyun’s place looks rather warm and inviting. A modest group of people are scattered around the living room and kitchen, the patio is twinkling with lights, and a chill lofi playlist is drifting through the room, putting him at ease.

Some dude named Jeonghan hands him a drink, before mysteriously announcing that he must “take his leave for the night,” whatever the hell that even means. Soobin sees him dragging a pretty boy in a flannel in the direction of the restroom, so he puts two and two together pretty quickly.

“Don’t be too long Shua!” some guy yells after them. Pretty flannel boy, presumably Shua, just laughs and disappears down the hall after Jeonghan.

Taehyun greets them warmly, telling them to get comfortable, and Kai waves cheerfully from his position on one of the lounge chairs.

“You graduate soon, right?” Taehyun asks him. “Is everything going well with your internship?”

It’s a pleasant surprise that he remembers. Soobin still can’t quite get a read on him, but Taehyun’s thoughtfulness in bringing up details from their past conversation chips away at the wall of shyness that he instinctively puts up in new social situations.

So instead of worrying, he finds himself relaxing as he tells Taheyun about the last psychology class he’s taking for his degree, and how he lent one of his middle school students a childhood favorite book to help her relax when she’s stressed.

“Oh!” Taehyun’s eyes go wide. Soobin thinks he looks a bit like a deer in the headlights, and it’s kind of adorable. “I loved Percy Jackson as a kid. I always thought I was secretly a demigod.”

“Who would be your godly parent?”

“That’s an easy guess,” Kai says over his shoulder, looking up briefly from the playstation game he and Beomgyu are taking extremely seriously.

“Athena?”

“Who else?” Taehyun laughs. “Let me guess for you. For some reason, I feel like you’d have an affinity for Hades.”

Soobin’s jaw drops. “How did you know Nico di Angelo was my gay awakening?”

“If you were really the son of Hades, wouldn't that make Nico your half brother?” Beomgyu chimes in from across the couch. “Gross, dude.”

“Okay, questionable pseudo-incest implications aside, you’re really good at this,” he tells Taehyun, rolling his eyes good-naturedly at the ridiculousness of the conversation.

Taehyun presses his lips together in a faint smile of amusement. “I’m observant,” he says simply.

Soobin finds that he likes it. The thought of being scrutinized under a social microscope gives him untold levels of anxiety, but he realizes that it’s not the same as being truly seen. He feels seen by Beomgyu, has since the very beginning, and now Taehyun is looking at him gently like he’s always been there, just waiting for Soobin to realize the potential of their friendship.

Other people cycle in and out of the living room throughout the night, joining and leaving conversations. Soobin sees Jeonghan and Joshua emerge from the bathroom at some point, looking suspiciously disheveled. And while Taehyun and Kai introduce him and Beomgyu to their other friends and make them feel included, by the end of the night it’s just the four of them laying on the couch, talking about everything and nothing all at once.

He’s never really had a friend group before, finding it easier to maintain individual friendships instead, but there’s an ease to tonight that he hadn’t been expecting.

The only one missing is Yeonjun.

On the way home, Beomgyu hums happily to himself in the passenger seat. “I think Kai and I are going to plan a Universal Studios day,” he says. “You and Taehyun should come too. And Yeonjun, if he’s around.”

Soobin marvels at how Yeonjun and his friends have so effortlessly slotted themselves into his life like they were always meant to be here. He thinks about Taehyun’s casual warmth and Kai’s bright laughter, about how Beomgyu has taken to them like a bee to a garden of flowers, and he thinks that maybe he’d like to plant himself here too.

He wonders if somewhere on the other side of the world, Yeonjun feels the same.

+++

Yeonjun wastes no time in pouncing on him once he returns from Europe.

"Missed you," he pants in between kisses as they fall into bed together.

"Missed you more," Soobin says, unbuckling his belt and shucking his jeans off. A nagging voice that sounds a lot like Beomgyu tells him that they should talk first, but Yeonjun is kissing him like he's the air he needs to breathe, and who is Soobin to complain?

"Yeah? Show me."

He knows that Yeonjun has taken the lead so far, clearly more experienced in the bedroom, but a burst of confidence shoots through him at those words. He pushes Yeonjun down on the bed, flipping him on his stomach and nuzzling kisses up and down his spine. Yeonjun shudders, eyes fluttering shut, and something in Soobin's chest blooms in satisfaction, knowing that he's the one making Yeonjun feel this way.

"Like this?"

"Yeah," Yeonjun confirms, voice shaking with need. "Don't tease."

He twists upward for a searing kiss, and that's that.

Afterwards, when they've recovered their clothes and are lying in bed, Soobin decides that it's better to say something now rather than let it hang over his head for the rest of the day.

"Hey," Yeonjun says, shifting up in bed to face him. "I can hear the wheels in your head turning. Talk to me."

"What are we doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, what are you doing. Here. With me."

Yeonjun's brow furrows. "You mean why do I like you?"

"I mean, we've talked about it," Soobin mumbles, avoiding Yeonjun's questioning gaze. "And I'm not fishing for compliments here. But I just…don't know. I saw all of those photos of you in Europe looking so cool, and I was like, what am I even doing with this guy?"

"Oh," Yeonjun says. He takes Soobin's hand in his, twining their fingers together. "I see what this is about."

"Like, wouldn't you rather date a sexy supermodel or something?"

"Okay, first of all, you're almost 6'2 and just screwed my brains out, so I pretty much already am. But second of all, no. I wouldn't."

"Why not?"

"I guess it's time for the past relationships talk," Yeonjun sighs. "I've had a couple high profile relationships in the past. Singers, models, you know the type. But it felt like everyone's eyes were on us at all times. It was too hard to separate the attention and hype from our private relationship."

Oh. Soobin thinks he can see where this is going.

"Especially after that fiasco with Mike, I learned to be cautious of people and protect my privacy."

"Wait, who?"

"Remember that douchebag paparazzi guy from the club?"

Soobin nods, wrinkling his nose.

"One of my former stylists," Yeonjun says, a hint of bitterness creeping into his tone. "We became close, or so I thought. Caught him snooping around my stuff one day. Turns out he'd been leaking private information to the media outlets about me the whole time. Guess no one else would hire him as a stylist after we fired him, so he decided to become an asshole pap instead."

Soobin's heart aches. To think how Yeonjun must have felt, so angry and violated, left to stitch himself back together in the aftermath of betrayal.

"So no," Yeonjun continues. "No, I think I'd much rather date someone who's separate from all of that."

Some unnamable emotion claws its way out of his chest and bubbles to the surface like a breath released underwater. He's known since the night at the club that he wants to be a person Yeonjun can rely on. But he suddenly realizes just how much it rings true.

"Thank you for trusting me," he whispers.

Yeonjun is looking at him like maybe he's said too much, but the relief on his face is palpable.

"Thank you for being easy to trust."

Soobin falls for him all over again, and falls harder.

+++

Little by little, Yeonjun slots himself into his life like a key finding the lock it was made for. He spends the night at Yeonjun’s house on weekends when he’s not traveling for work. Studio sessions become less frequent as Yeonjun wraps up recording for his album, but sometimes he comes over to Soobin and Beomgyu's place instead just because.

Yeonjun and Beomgyu are indeed double trouble, and go to great lengths to ensure that Soobin never hears the end of it.

"What should we watch?" Beomgyu muses, scrolling through Netflix. "Maybe that new horror movie?"

"Fuck you, you know I hate horror," Soobin groans.

Yeonjun's face lights up. "I love horror movies," he says. "Don't worry babe, I'll protect you from the scary monsters."

Soobin shoves him in response, and Beomgyu cackles, clearly satisfied with this turn of events.

Sometimes, they go out, too. Not as frequently, since Yeonjun doesn't want to be mobbed in public, but occasionally they'll splurge on a nice dinner out at a quiet restaurant, or go on a hike in the Hollywood Hills, or even once to a museum on a weekday without the crowds.

It's probably fine, Soobin figures. The few people that have actually come up to Yeonjun in public when they're out together always assume he's a friend, and once someone even asked if he was Yeonjun's manager. Soobin is happy to pretend, and even happier that no one seems to care or look twice at him.

For their three month anniversary, Yeonjun takes him to the beach for a picnic at sunset. It's a secluded area several miles south of the crowds in Santa Monica. He's glad that Yeonjun didn't try to get a table at some fancy Michelin restaurant. Would've felt too flashy, too uncomfortable, not to mention they would surely be spotted.

"I hope you like it," Yeonjun says, as if the gorgeous picnic spread laid out in front of them isn't more than any boy has done for Soobin, like, ever.

"I have something for you too," Soobin says nervously. He avoids meeting Yeonjun's gaze, instead watching as the sun dips below the horizon in one final flash of light.

It was easy to convince Yeonjun to bring the guitar. "I can't pass up an opportunity to serenade you," Yeonjun had joked. But now, Soobin grabs the guitar and gives it a few strums. Yeonjun watches him with a disbelieving smile, like he has an idea of where this is going but doesn't want to presume.

"The darkness that devoured what's below my two feet
It's terrifying”

He begins the song tentatively, but the warm glow in Yeonjun's eyes gives him the burst of courage he needs to continue.

"But I don't wanna take it back
Trusting yourself is the only thing left to do
That moment you finally make up your mind
Is the moment you are magically set free

Don't stop me falling
Cause I'm free fallin' now"

He finishes the song with a tremble on his lips and his heart in his throat, praying that Yeonjun understands.

"Soobin," Yeonjun begins, voice cracking. "Can I—"

"Please," Soobin whispers.

A quick glance to make sure no one is around. And then Yeonjun's lips are on his, and Soobin is soaring through the clouds and straight into the stratosphere.

"Thank you," Yeonjun whispers against his lips. "Thank you for sharing your voice with me."

They kiss until their lips are numb and the sky has darkened to a dusky purple. Eventually Yeonjun starts shivering against him, so Soobin takes that as his cue to wrap his arms around Yeonjun and pull him tight.

Somehow, just sitting in the silence together feels personal. The steady thud of Yeonjun’s heartbeat against his chest is perhaps the most intimate thing of all.

He thinks about the surreal haze of the last few months, about how something clear, something good, is finally taking shape in his life. How maybe there is a method to the madness after all.

For the first time in maybe his entire life, here with Yeonjun in his arms, Soobin feels untouchable.

+++

Shit hits the fan the next morning.

Soobin wakes up to his phone buzzing incessantly. He has several missed calls and texts from Beomgyu, a few messages from friends asking if he's okay, and his first thought is that he slept through a natural disaster or something equally as newsworthy.

He opens the link Beomgyu sent him, squinting in confusion.

Then his blood runs cold.

BREAKING: LEAKED PHOTOS SHOW POP STAR YEONJUN CHOI KISSING MYSTERY BOY IN PUBLIC. HERE'S EVERYTHING WE KNOW.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

It’s all there. A blurry shot of Yeonjun getting into his car at the club. Photos of them kissing at the beach yesterday. Even a photo of Yeonjun letting him into his Silverlake studio, takeout in hand.

A wave of nausea threatens to overtake him as he realizes that his entire private life is now public knowledge, front page news for anyone and everyone to gawk at.

The other side of the bed is empty. Yeonjun must have gotten up before him to make breakfast, so Soobin hastily throws on a shirt and takes the stairs two at a time down to the kitchen, heart thudding in his chest.

Yeonjun is pacing back and forth on the phone with someone, clearly agitated.

“I’ll call you back,” he says when he sees the look on Soobin’s face.

He presses the end call button, and then his arms are around Soobin, who finds that he’s shaking. Fighting back the tears is a herculean effort, but Yeonjun takes deep, shuddery breaths with him until he’s no longer on the verge of breaking down.

“I’ll kill him.” Yeonjun whispers it against his neck, but it’s scathing. “I know exactly who leaked those photos. I’ll fucking end him, just watch me.”

Soobin knows too. Not that it was hard to figure out.

Yeonjun’s phone rings again with a FaceTime call, and he looks at Soobin. “We should answer,” he says. “My publicist.”

Yeonjun’s publicist Christina is a no-nonsense red-head with owlish glasses and a firm, resonant voice. Soobin thinks he would like her if the circumstances weren’t so dismal.

“Nice to meet you Soobin,” she greets him. “I know this isn’t a call any of us want to be having right now, but I need to walk you through your options so we can get on top of this.”

Soobin nods, numb.

“The first option is to do nothing. Let it blow over, wait for social media to move on. Don’t give it power.” She pauses, waiting for them to digest her words.

“The second option is more aggressive. Go public. Show up at events together, post your relationship on social media. Get ahead of the narrative and own it.”

Soobin immediately shakes his head. The idea of flashing cameras on him makes him feel like he’s about to break into hives.

“The third option is to take a middle path. We’ll post an official statement confirming your relationship, give some quotes to the press that I’ll run by you first, and then you can keep everything else private.”

How can they, though? How can everything else be private when the illusion of said privacy is what got them here in the first place?

“I’ll give you some time to think it over,” Christina says, sensing his hesitation. “But I need to know ASAP so we can get on top of this.”

“Can we add a restraining order to all of these options,” Yeonjun grits out. “I’m not fucking kidding.”

“I don’t blame you, but we don’t have any proof it was Mike.”

“He was the only one who saw us at the club,” Yeonjun counters. “The only one who has a vendetta against me. Give me a break, I wasn’t born yesterday.”

“I’ll do some research,” Christina says. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll check in with the rest of the team and we’ll get some legal support if we have to.”

Soobin thanks her, and they end the call.

“Why,” Yeonjun bites out. “Why is he doing this? Haven’t we all suffered enough?”

“He wants to ruin your life like he thinks you ruined his. Wants me to walk away because he knows how much it’ll hurt you.”

“Maybe you should,” Yeonjun says miserably. “It would be easier. I wouldn’t blame you.”

A knife slicing through his gut would’ve been less painful than to hear those words out of Yeonjun’s mouth.

But the rational side of him considers it. It would make things easier. He could go back to his normal life, not having to do risk calculations every time he wants to see his boyfriend in public, not having to worry about being recognized or photographed.

But then he thinks about life without Yeonjun, and how dull it would feel in comparison. How Yeonjun has taken him apart and drawn out new threads of his personality only to sew him back together, more complete than before. He thinks about the late night texts and nuzzled kisses and the giddy feeling in his chest that threatens to burst out of him every time they’re together.

He thinks about what it would mean to lose that. To lose him.

“You’re right,” he says. “I should.”

Yeonjun nods, bottom lip wobbling, clearly on the verge of tears but trying to hold it in for Soobin’s sake.

“But I won’t.”

Yeonjun’s head jerks up.

“But Soobin,” he whispers. “Your privacy. I know how much it means to you.”

“It was always gonna come to this,” Soobin tells him, and he knows in the moment that it’s true. “We were kidding ourselves if we thought the bubble would last forever.”

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Terrified,” Soobin agrees. “But the idea of losing you is so much worse.”

“Oh,” Yeonjun whispers. Then, “I think I might love you.”

And then they’re kissing furiously, Yeonjun licking into his mouth like he needs it, Soobin stroking his cheek tenderly and trying to prove through the kiss just how much he needs it too.

“Fuck,” Yeonjun presses their foreheads together, breathless. “Are we really doing this?”

“I think we really are.” He finds it’s not as scary to say it with Yeonjun by his side.

“Together?” Yeonjun asks.

“Together.”

Soobin squeezes his hand and kisses him one more time, just because he can.

Yeonjun takes a deep breath, unlocks his phone, and presses call.

+++

June 2023

[Buzzfeed.com] BREAKING: SUPERSTAR YEONJUN CHOI CONFIRMS NEW BOYFRIEND. THE INTERNET REACTS.

Nearly a year after coming out as bisexual, pop star Yeonjun Choi made waves this week by confirming that the mystery boy he was spotted locking lips with in recently released paparazzi photos is in fact his new beau.

Identified by internet sleuths as Soobin Choi, he appears to be a graduate student living in Los Angeles. The two met at a party, sources close to the couple confirm.

"We're very happy together," Yeonjun said in an official statement through his publicist. "As my partner is not a public figure, we ask that you respect our privacy at this time. This will be my only comment on the matter."

Well, looks like Hollywood's hottest heartthrob is officially off the market. Below are some of our favorite reactions from Twitter:

@cyjrunaway: omfg yeonjun really said happy pride you’re absolutely kidding me

@blueorangeadebitch: ok ik he’s bi but tbh i’m just shook that his bf looks like that?? the world truly favors hot people this is so unfair

@yeonjunsmoa18: my brain is fucking broken oh my godddd bffr

@RunAwayToYJ: omg of course the guy that managed to pull yeonjun would look like a kpop idol. dude's gorgeous fr

@yeonjunitboy2k23: no cuz this dude gets to kiss yeonjun every day?? god i've seen what you've done for others…

@choiyeonjunsss: is it just me or is there something kinda sexy about the fact that yeonjun is dating a regular dude?? feeding my delusion that i have a fighting chance lmao

+++

March 2024

[Popsugar.com] YEONJUN CHOI AND LONG-TERM BOYFRIEND FINALLY GO INSTAGRAM OFFICIAL? APPEAR TO CELEBRATE 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN PARIS

Looks like Yeonjun Choi and his mystery boyfriend are still happily in love, 1 year later! While notoriously private about his love life, yesterday the megastar posted an artsy photo on his Instagram story of a boy standing in front of the Eiffel Tower at night. While the boy's face was turned away from the camera, Yeonjun captioned the photo "1 year <3", leading fans to believe it was a not-so-subtle reference to non-celebrity boyfriend Soobin Choi.

Choi, who works in the education field, does not appear to have any public-facing social media accounts at this time. Some hawk-eyed fans spotted him in a TikTok video from over a year ago with popular influencer Beomgyu Choi, who replied to a comment saying that he and Soobin are long-time friends.

While the couple has not yet made an official public appearance at an event, they seem to be getting more comfortable showing their affection in public. Pictures uploaded by fans on social media a few months ago show the couple holding hands at a secluded beach in Malibu.

While many fans swiftly condemned the circulation of the photos, as they were likely taken without permission, others also applauded that the couple seems to still be going strong.

Best of luck to the loved-up couple, and happy anniversary!

+++

July 2024

[Billboard.com] POP STAR YEONJUN CHOI DROPS NEW EP TRACKLIST TEASER…WITH AN UNEXPECTED FEATURE?

After releasing his third studio album titled “Maze in the Mirror” last year, pop icon Yeonjun Choi is back. The singer just dropped tracklist snippets from his upcoming EP, and some fans are puzzled by one of the recently released audio clips. "Who is doing those backing vocals in Trust Fund Baby?" one Twitter user wondered. "They're gorgeous, but I've never heard them before…"

fin.

Notes:

and that's a wrap! thanks for reading until the very end. i haven't posted anything in like 2 years and considered rewriting to refine this a bit, but it's been sitting in my drafts for too long and i just needed to get it out there. hopefully it was satisfactory. would love to know your thoughts if you feel called to share them with me <3
the song soobin sang was "free falling," txt's new release for star seekers. also, special thanks to disney channel's starstruck for vaguely inspiring the premise of this fic. christopher wilde, you are the og it boy
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