Archive of Our Own

“Did you read what people are saying about your appearance tonight?”

Jeno is currently sitting in the backseat of a black car. It has tinted windows that aim at hiding their identity, even though it’s not hard to guess that it’s the presidential car. A stoic man with an intimidating expression is driving them to their destination. Chenle, beside him, is giving him a cat-like grin. The two of them are wearing formal attire, and even though they have known each other since their days as university students, Jeno still feels like they are dressing up whenever they wear suit and tie.

“I don’t really want to know what they’re saying,” Jeno says, looking outside the window for a brief moment. “Is it bad?”

Chenle pretends to think about it for a second.

“Hm, not really.”

“Is it about tonight’s event?” Jeno asks again, this time with a worried expression.

Chenle chortles and shakes his head. He’s clearly enjoying the situation. Oh, he loves when Jeno plays clueless. He might be the president of an entire nation, but he sure is a little foolish sometimes—in a cute way. Chenle wants to coo at him.

“You didn’t notice? Today is your first public appearance since the breakup.”

Oh. People are still talking about that. Of course—how couldn’t he notice?

It’s been three entire weeks, and for days his name hasn’t left the headlines. He should be used to it, but sometimes Jeno underestimates how perceptive and talkative people tend to be.

It wasn’t hard to tell that he had broken up with his girlfriend of 3 years. She moved out of their house a month ago, and she was not accompanying him during some public events. However, what seemed to be the confirmation people needed was Jeno’s own behavior. Apparently, randomly going online to use his official account to give sarcastic replies to mean comments against the government and cycling like crazy at 5 a.m. was a coping mechanism? That’s what netizens said.

Jeno hates the attention, but he must bear with it. He likes his own business to be as private as it can be. Being a young politician does not grant him that sort of freedom, though. People have their eyes set on him, scrutinizing every step he takes. The opposing party is waiting for him to make the wrong move, and they will take any opportunity to take him down.

The truth is that Jeno has actually read what some netizens are saying about him. It’s hard not to do it. Today, people are ready to give their opinions at any moment. And, of course, the first comments he came across were the ones made by the people against his presidency. They claimed that a man who can barely handle a relationship for a few years won’t be able to handle an entire country. Some of them even blamed him, saying that such a young and handsome man is bound to lose focus in his position by getting distracted by a failed romance. And it hurt; every comment did because Jeno knew it was untrue. The breakup stung, yes, but that didn’t mean anything.

Nevertheless, there is a group in the opposing party who are defending Jeno. It’s surprising, yes, but they are right when they say that his private life doesn’t determine his performance as president. Whether he has a significant other or not should not be relevant. At least that’s what Chenle says.

He didn’t read every single opinion on the internet, but he knew the array of positions was varied. After all, people who support him are many—otherwise, he wouldn’t have been elected. Moreover, human beings are nosy by nature. Jeno hates the attention, but he can’t blame them.

On one hand, the old ladies who voted for him just because he was young and looked like a good guy are depressed. They claim that President Lee shouldn’t have his heart broken, and he should never feel sad. Knowing that Jeno is hurt makes them sad too. They were all waiting for a big wedding. A handsome man like him deserves to be happy with someone who loves him by his side.

On the other hand, everyone in their twenties and early thirties has gone crazy. President Lee is charismatic and easygoing, and he’s close to the people. He’s only 30 years old, which makes him relatable and attainable, especially because he prefers to be called by his name rather than feeling the weight of his own title. People are currently lining up for him—or at least that’s what Chenle says—expecting to be the ones who can mend his broken heart.

The truth is that Jeno wants to be left alone. There are more important things to care about, and he isn’t looking for anyone at this moment.

The car suddenly comes to a stop. A look outside tells them that they have reached the venue. There is an important event today that will be broadcasted in national television. As the president, it’s his duty to give a speech. He must be professional at every moment, even if he starts spacing out while listening to other important people speak or watching the artistic and musical numbers. Months ago, when they gave him the set date for this event, Jeno was so excited. Now, he just wants to go home.

He should have thought about this before choosing his career. He was never one to enjoy the spotlight, yet everyone around him always told him that he was made for big things. It’s part of the sacrifice he must make. He has great ideas and opinions, and Jeno believes in his own abilities; he can make this country prosper. To do that, he must get used to showing himself in public even when he doesn’t feel like it. His emotions aren’t a priority when there are more important things to care about.

📰. . .

Afterparties can be quite boring. Jeno has never been an extrovert who loves to socialize, but part of this field includes a bunch of social events he must attend. Appearances are important. He must be careful with every move he takes, the intonation of every word he utters, and every micro-change in his facial expression. A wrong move, deliberate or not, can taint his reputation. For that reason, Jeno wears a mask on his face, pretending to be nice and kind to everyone who approaches him. The muscles on his face are aching, but he can’t bring himself to stop smiling—tiny crescents are tattooed on his face. Being the president does not stop him from feeling insecure under the eyes of a bunch of older guys who think they’re wiser than him just because of his age; he wouldn’t want to make things worse just because he’s feeling like crap, would he?

Jeno takes yet another discreet look at his wristwatch and nods his head. The owner of an important sports club is in front of him, rambling about the importance of creating and hosting this sort of international championships. Athletes need spaces to develop their careers, and it’s great that they receive the support. The man has a glass of wine in his hand, but it’s untouched. While Jeno’s glass is empty, the man hasn’t taken a single sip from his own. Jeno looks at his wristwatch again. The needles have barely moved.

Despite the successful inauguration of the sports event, Jeno knows the kind of things that journalists and netizens will write about him. It’s President Lee’s first public appearance after his recent breakup after all. Thousands of strangers will be discussing whether he looks heartbroken or not. Jeno wants to go home. Those comments will only open a wound that hasn’t entirely healed yet.

The truth is that Jeno is more sensitive than anyone would think. He worries a lot, in silence, too. But he’s usually so busy that he can barely stop for a moment to think and hear his own body.

The man in front of him finally stops talking and takes a sip of his wine. Jeno takes the opportunity to excuse himself and grab another glass and an appetizer. Once he’s out of the man’s sight, he takes a deep breath. He can’t wait for this party to end—when is it an appropriate time to leave, anyway?

In front of the table with beverages, there are five guys around his age. They aren’t wearing fancy suits like the rest of the guests. Even their hair colors are enough to grab people’s attention. Anyone can tell that they aren’t a bunch of stuck-up snobs like the rest of the people there. They are having a light conversation, laughing stridently. Jeno glances at them with discretion. The shortest guy throws his silver head back whenever he laughs; his whole body shakes with laughter and a dimple appears in his cheek. When he regains his composure, he makes eye contact with Jeno. Jeno averts his gaze and takes a sip of his wine, but the guy is already approaching him.

“Wow, Mr. President,” he chimes as he abandons the group. There is a huge smile plastered on his face. It’s dazzling, and even though Jeno wants to look away in embarrassment, he can’t get himself to do so. “I’ve always wanted to meet you.”

Jeno clears his throat, trying to dissipate his own nervousness.

“I saw your show,” he says. It’s not a lie. Jeno did pay attention to Dream’s performance—or, at least, to a fraction of it. “It was amazing.”

Dream is, probably, one of the biggest boybands in the country right now. They started a whole decade ago, when all members were around their early twenties. Despite of that, they have maintained their popularity, positioning themselves as one of the biggest exponents of pop music at the moment. Even though younger artists look up to them, people say that they are as down-to-Earth as they were 10 years ago.

Huang Renjun is their main vocal. He’s not only talented, but he’s also quite popular due to his easygoing personality and endless charisma. From up close, Jeno can also confirm that he’s insanely pretty. People usually say that he looks like a fairy, especially now that his hair is dyed silver. It makes him look like he’s kissed by the moon. However, from up close, Jeno would dare to say that his charm is not only carried by his visuals or his dazzling smile. There is something mesmerizing about him—something particular, that only a star like him could have.

“Did you enjoy it?” Renjun asks with confidence, even tilting his head to the side. There is a special glint on his pupils.

“I’m actually a fan.” Jeno takes a sip of wine. The way Renjun gasps puts a smile on Jeno’s face, hidden behind his glass. The guy in front of him opens his mouth dramatically. It’s funny—endearing, even.

“No way,” Renjun mumbles. “But you’re, like, the Lee Jeno.”

Jeno chuckles. “Yeah, and? You’re the Huang Renjun,” he says with a fascinated smile on his face, imitating the tone Renjun just used.

“There is no point of comparison, Mr. President. Don’t try to flatter me.”

“I’m pretty sure there’s more people who like you, Renjun.” Jeno takes a sip of his wine. A few meters from them, the rest of Dream is still engaged in their conversation; however, it seems like Renjun has no plans to return to their circle. “And, by the way, you don’t need to call me ‘Mr. President’. Jeno is just fine.”

He hears a chuckle beside him. When Jeno turns his head, he finds the K-pop idol trying to hide his mouth behind his hand. His eyes become small, and his cheeks look soft and full.

“What’s so funny?” Jeno inquires with his eyebrows raised, but Renjun just shakes his head.

“You’re exactly as people say.”

“What do they say?” Jeno asks now, panicked. He’s a public figure; people are bound to talk about him. Nevertheless, Jeno has always been a bit scared of what others may think of him. The mere idea of people having a preconception of him even before meeting him is repulsive. Renjun probably has an impression of him, even when this is the first time they talk with each other.

When Renjun replies, though, he’s suppressing a chuckle.

“They say you’re usually quite humble and down-to-Earth.”

Jeno turns his head into Renjun’s direction. He’s slightly dumbfounded. Is that it? Renjun doesn’t say anything else. He seems like he wants to, but instead, has chosen not to speak. His impression of Jeno is a secret, unknown to the person in front of him.

Renjun grabs a snack from a plate and takes a bite. He hums delighted, and then takes another one, offering it to Jeno. With that simple action, the K-pop idol changes the topic. He’s talkative, but his chatter is not burdensome or obnoxious. Talking with Renjun is definitely more enjoyable than entertaining a bunch of snotty old men.

Without noticing, the speed in which the clock needles move quickens. People have started dissipating, which could hint at how long they have been chatting. At some point, Jeno and Renjun ditch their position next to the table for the luxurious couch located in a corner of the room. Even though Jeno spent the first hour of the party taking sips of his glass to avoid conversation, his glass has remained untouched ever since his conversation with Renjun started.

He’s easy to talk to. Jeno doesn’t feel pressured over his image. It doesn’t feel like Renjun is talking to the president of the nation; instead, he looks at Lee Jeno as an individual. The weight of his title on his shoulders becomes nonexistent, and it’s refreshing. Jeno seldom feels like this. Sure, he understands the importance of his role, and he appreciates the way everyone seems to respect him, but sometimes he would like to be treated like he’s just some guy. Renjun still calls him Mr. President, but his tone is rather teasing; it doesn’t result bothersome.

Jeno has no idea of what time it is when a young man approaches them. He looks around, only to notice that the room is considerably emptier than before. He wonders for a moment where everyone went. The guy’s expression is painted with exhaustion. He’s not wearing fancy clothes, and when Renjun calls him hyung, Jeno finally understands that it’s probably the idol’s manager.

“We’ve been waiting for you for an hour.”

“What?” Renjun looks scandalized. He jumps on his spot and stands in front of his manager. They are roughly the same height. The K-pop idol takes his phone from the pocket of his pants for the first time in the night. When he looks at the hour in his lockscreen, his eyes become as wide as plates. “Oh my god! You didn’t tell me anything.”

“The kids said that you were busy and that we should wait a little,” the manager explains sheepishly.

It’s only at that moment that he dares to look at Renjun’s companion. Jeno has been watching the exchange in silence; his curious eyes have been fixed on the two guys without expecting to be acknowledged. When they make eye contact, Renjun’s manager immediately stiffens. He swallows hard and immediately bows at Jeno.

“Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt you, President Lee. I apologize.”

Jeno shakes his head dismissively, still trying to figure out for how long they talked. He didn’t even notice the time go by. Renjun speaks again, then, grabbing his attention.

“I’m so sorry, Jeno, but I really need to go. It was nice talking to you.”

Their farewell is all rushed. Renjun is immediately out of his sight, leaving Jeno alone and confused. His hand is still in the air even seconds after Renjun has disappeared. Jeno stares at his hand and lowers it, trying to regain is composure. His eyes scan the room. Standing against a wall, his bodyguard is scrolling on his phone with tired eyes. Jeno approaches him to tell him that he’s ready to leave. The way his bodyguard sighs in relief before heading outside makes Jeno blush in embarrassment.

The car ride is silent. Jeno’s stare is fixed on the city lights at the other side of the glass. It’s late at night, and the streets are silent. He can’t stop thinking about Renjun. They only spent a few hours together, but it was enough to make Jeno forget about his anxiety and his current situation. Yes, he dreaded this event and hated the idea of appearing in public when everyone knows that his heart is broken; nevertheless, none of that mattered when Renjun talked and smiled at him. Being with Renjun made the party fun, something that seldom happens. Jeno usually hates social events, but this time it was fine.

His last relationship ended recently. It’s still a hot topic among citizens. People will be talking about it tomorrow, definitely. But Renjun’s mere presence made Jeno forget about it. Well, Jeno supposes that K-pop idols are supposed to be hypnotizing and magnetic. Their presence alone is supposed to cast a spell on their audience, no matter who it is or their position.

📰. . .

A few weeks later, Jeno finds himself at yet another party. This time, it’s not a big event; it’s more of a private gathering among politicians and businessmen. He had the option of declining the invitation, but Jeno knows how important appearances are. He was invited for a reason. The owner of an important TV station is holding a birthday party. He’s an old man with white hair and a face full of wrinkles, whose money and hard work have positioned his name at the top as one of the richest, most imposing men in the country. Jeno is aware of the importance of maintaining a good relationship with influential people. Not only is his own name at skate, but connections are always needed for any kind of circumstance. In this field, bonds are not meant to be genuine—every move is transactional and strategic.

Jeno knows he’s young. His age is enough to be a disadvantage. Everyone thinks he’s inexperienced and that he doesn’t know any better. A thirty-year-old man cannot compete with people who have been here for enough time to be the ones moving the strings. They think he can make mistakes and get easily distracted. Jeno must prove them wrong and show them that he’s capable enough for the position. But, to do that, working hard is not enough.

Truth be told, he does find these old men insufferable and boring. It has something to do with his age. Perhaps he’s too young and power hasn’t rotten his brains yet. Will he become a snob once he reaches their age? Jeno sures hopes not. A regular thirty-year-old guy would probably be at home right now, playing videogames or watching crappy TV shows with a beer on his hand and an empty pizza box on the table. For a moment, Jeno wishes he could be eating a pizza with Chenle instead of drinking expensive liquor and talking about some pretentious shit.

A thought crosses Jeno’s mind. He hasn’t seen Renjun since the day they met at that afterparty. They haven’t reached to each other either, even though nowadays that’s not a hard thing to do. Weeks have passed since then. Perhaps it was meant to be a one-time thing. What do politicians and idols have in common, anyway? Maybe Renjun only wanted to approach him because of Jeno’s position—you don’t meet the president every day; that’s reserved for special events only. Either way, Jeno still takes a moment to remember the hours they spent talking to each other. It was easy and entertaining. Jeno wishes Renjun were here right now, so he could save him from his boredom.

As if on cue, the lighting in the room changes. Lights are dimmed, and a single spotlight with blueish hues illuminates a small stage located in the front part of the room, where a standing microphone awaits. Gasps and hushed murmurs can be heard all across the room. The guests are all curious, shifting their attention from their mindless conversations to the identity of the singer who has come to entertain them.

Then, a man with the visuals of a fairy stands in front of the microphone. The blueish light makes him look magical and mesmerizing, like he’s out of this world; it hits the silver hues of his hair like an artificial embrace of the moon. Jeno’s eyes are fixed on the singer, whose eyes are closed as he sings an R&B song about an intimate escapade to a hidden village with his lover.

When the song comes to an end, Renjun opens his eyes and flashes a confident smile to the audience. He’s fully immersed in his stage persona, and Jeno feels like he’s drawn to him. Even when Renjun starts speaking into the microphone, asking for an applause for the birthday boy, Jeno can’t tear his eyes off him. He swallows hard. The senator beside him tells him something, but Jeno can barely pay attention.

Renjun is so charming.

He sings the happy birthday song and encourages everyone to sing with him, and, even then, Jeno thinks he’s magnetic. Renjun is beautiful, and his voice is amazing. His number continues for a few minutes, even singing Mr. Kim’s favorite song. When he finishes, the man comes on-stage to cut the cake and thank Renjun with a hug. And Jeno has a thought. He pretends to be casual about it, but the truth is that he’s on a mission. Once the plates with cake are delivered, Jeno looks for Renjun.

Ok, maybe the snobs have a point. He’s young, and he can get easily distracted. Maybe he’s not in control of himself all the time, but that doesn’t matter. It’s not like he’s deciding on the future of the nation right now. He wants an opportunity with a pretty boy, that’s it. There’s no point of comparison.

He gently taps on the idol’s shoulder, who immediately tries to put on his customer service smile, as if that would hide the shock on his face and his cheeks full of cake. Jeno suppresses a chuckle. It seems like Renjun didn’t expect anyone to attempt to socialize with him—he’s there as a mere entertainer after all. He didn’t expect to see Jeno either.

“Oh my god,” Renjun mumbles, covering his mouth that’s still full of food. Jeno thinks he looks endearing. He can’t help but chuckle once again, and his shoulders shake just slightly.

“I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“Me neither,” Renjun replies after swallowing a bite of cake and wiping the cream off his lips. “What a surprise, Mr. President.”

“I think I said that Jeno was fine.”

They make eye contact for a second. Then, the two of them burst out in giggles. It seems like they’re equally thrilled to see each other. Jeno is giddy. He’s used to conversing with politicians about multiple topics of varying urgency as they try to reach an agreement. Polite talk is not a challenge for him. With Renjun, though, he feels slightly nervous and excited; Jeno supposes that this is how new puppies feel when they see their owner. There is a certain anticipation bubbling up inside him.

Renjun takes another spoonful of cake. His cheeks are once again round and full of food.

“So, aren’t you going to tell me how you ended up singing for Mr. Kim? I got really surprised when I saw you.”

“He’s besties with my boss.” Renjun manages to mumble. He pauses to swallow. “You would guess what Soo Man decided to give him as a gift.”

“I suppose you are the gift.”

Renjun’s eyes open as wide as plates as soon as Jeno’s words leave his mouth. His reaction is hilarious. He even raises a hand to slap Jeno in the arm, ultimately stopping himself when he’s only a few centimeters from him, seemingly remembering that this is the president of the country, and not Dream’s maknae Park Jisung. Jeno can’t help but roar with laugher. A lady standing a few meters away turns around to squint at them.

“Don’t say it like that, it sounds gross!” The expression on his face when he utters the last word is a poem. Renjun looks so disgusted. “I would never.”

“Sorry, sorry. Your face was so funny, though.”

Renjun squints at Jeno for a second before ultimately giving up. A smile ends up taking place on his face.

“Actually,” Renjun mutters, capturing Jeno’s attention once again. “I wouldn’t mind being the gift if this was your birthday.”

“What do you mean?” The tips of Jeno’s ears quickly adopt a rosy color. He’s not sure if he caught what Renjun is implying here.

“I bet the President’s birthday party would be more entertaining than this one. I don’t know anyone here!”

Jeno chuckles. “I can’t promise you anything. I’m quite an introvert.”

“I don’t mind,” Renjun replies almost immediately. “I bet it would be more fun, even if it’s just the two of us.”

The last part catches Jeno off guard. He immediately raises his head to stare at Renjun, only to be met with a sly grin and a playful glint on his eyes. Renjun is staring back at him, and Jeno feels trapped. He’s so alluring. It’s like he’s silently pushing Jeno closer and closer to him, playing tricks to get him right where he wants him to be.

“Do you want to go somewhere else, Mr. President? It’s getting boring in here.”

📰. . .

Right now, Jeno feels like a regular thirty-year-old man. There’s a can of cold beer in his hand and a pretty boy seating next to him, only a few centimeters away. Like this, Jeno is able to forget about the weight of the entire country in his shoulders. He forgets about the masks and strict protocols he must usually follow. Even his recent breakup slips from his mind. His ex recently spoke to a magazine, but none of that is important right now. She’s part of the past. Jeno hasn’t thought about her since his first public appearance, which coincides with the day he met Renjun.

He’s still wearing a suit and tie, though. A reminder of who he is and how he ended up in this position. His blazer is long forgotten in a rack next to the door in Renjun’s apartment. He leans his back against the backrest of the couch and brings a hand to loosen the knot of his tie. Jeno tries to appear as relaxed as he can, but it’s hard to do so when he’s so expectant.

He can’t deny that he’s attracted to the idol. Judging by the way they look at each other, their chemistry is also undeniable. However, Renjun didn’t have ulterior motives when he extended the invitation, or that’s what Jeno prefers to think to calm his heart down. Jeno tries to convince himself that nothing is going to happen. Renjun only wanted an escape from that boring party, that’s it. Now they are alone in his apartment, though, and it’s been so long since Jeno last found himself like this.

Jeno is a busy man. There is always a matter to attend and somewhere to be. Sure, he hangs out with Chenle sometimes because he’s his best friend, but that’s different. Apart from that, Jeno doesn’t make a routine of sneaking in people’s apartments to hang out casually, have fun, and wait for a spark to light up. He also spent three years of his life next to someone who broke up with him under the pretense of having different ambitions. They enjoyed their time together, but Jeno would be lying if he said that things were always exciting with her, especially during their last year together, when their arguments became more frequent.  

This thrill that prickles from the tip of his toes and extends all across his body is now foreign to him.

“I thought you would be more uptight.”

Renjun pulls him from his reverie, calling for his attention. Jeno raises an eyebrow in response.

“I thought you would prefer fancier and more expensive drinks, and that you would have more important things to do. But here you are, drinking beer with me on a random Thursday night. And just because I asked nicely—I’m impressed.”

Renjun’s voice is always playful. He’s sweet and spicy, all at the same time. His voice is enticing, and there is always a teasing tinge under the softness of his tone. It pulls Jeno from his seat to get closer to him.

But two can play the same game, and right now, Jeno feels daring.

“I think drinking beer with you is important enough,” he replies with a sip. Renjun’s grin widens.

“But Mr. President,” he starts, getting closer to Jeno. His hand comes to rest on Jeno’s forearm in a kittenish movement. “You must be so busy, having all that people talking about everything you do.”

Renjun is staring at him from under his eyelashes with pure want. His black almond eyes threaten to swallow him whole. Jeno can’t look away from them. If Renjun asked right now, Jeno would do anything. He just needs to use the right words.

“Don’t act dumb, Renjun. Your name is also in everyone’s mouths all the time—that means you’re quite important, too, I believe.”

“That’s different.”

“How so?” Jeno lifts both eyebrows, pushing Renjun to develop his stance.

“Having a mass of people looking at everything I do is part of my job. I’m meant to make everyone look and talk about me.”

Jeno frowns. When Renjun puts it like that, the idol life sounds like it’s built under manipulative tactics where both parts are meant to lose a part of themselves for the sake of the other. Renjun sells his soul, like in a devil pact, in exchange for his fans’ support, who drop everything to support him.

How is that different from what Jeno does, though? Renjun is quick to address his silent inquiry.

“But when it comes to you, people only care about your decisions and whether they were strategic enough. You have a right to privacy.” He pauses for a second to take a sip from his can of beer. Jeno is still staring at him. “But now people are even talking about your romantic life and whether there are any possible candidates that could be suitable for you.”

“I don’t care about that.” Jeno is quick to clarify. He doesn’t know why Renjun is having this entire monologue about the public eye. In full honesty, he doesn’t want to talk about it. Where is his right to privacy, anyway? When he left that party, Jeno expected to forget about his public persona for a brief moment at least.

“Did you know that so many people are lining up after you? They claim that they can make you feel better and mend your broken heart.”

“That’s not important to me.”

Renjun looks down. He’s still holding his empty can of beer in one hand. He moves it in his hand, thinking. The cogs move as Renjun tries to find a way to shoot his last shot. Jeno is blocking his advances without noticing, slightly uncomfortable with the shift in the topic. It’s disheartening.

“But what if I get in line, too?”

The two of them immediately lock eyes. Jeno’s expression is one of sheer surprise, finally noticing Renjun’s advances. He stares at Renjun like he’s finally processing what just happened.

“Would you do that?” Jeno asks dumbly, resembling a confused dog. Renjun scoffs before tilting his head in a coy manner.

“It depends.”

At this point, keeping his gaze on Renjun’s eyes is a whole challenge. Jeno’s eyes drift to Renjun’s lips. They’re close to each other, and Jeno is fighting the urge to simply grab his jaw and kiss him square on the lips. Renjun doesn’t even look shaken, not even in the slightest, and Jeno is envious because he can barely control the erratic beating of his heartbeat.

“It depends?” Jeno repeats Renjun’s words with a questioning tone. He’s gotten so dumb it’s embarrassing. The corners of Renjun’s lips twitch and the muscles of his face fight to contain his reaction and stay in character. The truth is that Renjun finds Jeno’s current state endearing. He’s the president of an entire nation but turning him into a poodle is so easy.

“Yes. It depends on how long I have to wait to get my turn, Mr. President.”

Jeno swallows hard.

“You don’t need to wait.”

He doesn’t know who leans in first. It was probably him, still hypnotized by the idol’s charms, but the way Renjun pulls him closer by the necktie suggests otherwise. His grip on the piece of fabric hanging of Jeno’s neck is tight, contrasting with the gentle hold of Jeno’s hand on his waist. All of a sudden, their lips are joined in a fervent kiss, and Jeno becomes unable to think of anything else. Renjun kisses him like he wants to devour him, swallow his entire self—hunger that’s almost predatory.

Renjun holds him captive in the middle of his bittersweet tongue. He keeps Jeno chained to him by a spell that prevents them from stopping until they’re both out of breath. Renjun’s lips are addictive, like the most expensive wine served at an important party. Jeno can’t stop drinking from them—he won’t, until he’s drunk and dizzy.

For a brief moment, Jeno wonders whether Renjun thought of him as much as Jeno did during these past few weeks. His kisses are akin to sweltering fire, capable of burning everything on his vicinity. A power that can only be achieved after withholding immeasurable amounts of desire. When they tear apart and Jeno opens his eyes, he sees it. Renjun’s black eyes are still coated by restless want.

“Jeno, I want you.” It’s a faint whisper. A plea, even. Jeno’s thumb caresses Renjun’s lower lip. “Take me to my bedroom.”

The line between a request and an order is slim. A man that has been bewitched under the charms of another becomes impossible to distinguish between each of them. They are the same when he’s so willing to do everything Renjun asks him to. Jeno stands from his position and takes Renjun’s hand, prompting him to lead the way.

Seconds after, Renjun is trapped beneath Jeno’s body. His back hits the soft mattress as a gasp leaves his swollen lips. Meanwhile, Jeno crawls over him, caging him with his arms. An excited giggle emerges from Renjun’s throat. His hands rush to take Jeno’s necktie from his neck and unbutton a few buttons of his white shirt. The image of a composed politician is long forgotten when his hair and clothes are completely disheveled and his eyes are completely black, mirroring the only thought in his head.

Renjun licks his lips without breaking eye contact; meanwhile, Jeno’s eyes immediately follow the motion of the wet muscle.

“Come on. Kiss me.”

A hand on the back of his neck pushes him downwards, and Jeno lets himself get lost in Renjun’s kisses.

📰. . .

Jeno wakes up slightly disoriented. His eyes open slowly, trying to accommodate to the sunlight illuminating the room. The blinds aren’t as dark as the ones in his own bedroom. He shuffles on his spot and turns around, only to be met with the sight of Renjun’s clothed back. Memories from last night start flooding back, reminding him that he didn’t go home to sleep after Mr. Kim’s birthday party.

Wait. A thought crosses his mind. What time is it? Shit, shit.

Jeno’s eyes open in alarm, and he sits abruptly in the bed, pushing the covers with him and waking Renjun up in the process. He starts looking for his phone, but he can’t see it anywhere, and now Jeno is panicking because he should be at work, and—Jeno doesn’t take his job lightly—he’s the fucking president of the country, for god’s sake.

Luckily, he’s still wearing dress pants and his white button-up. How did he even sleep comfortably in such attire?  Jeno knows Renjun and he didn’t do anything last night. They made out for a few minutes but grew tired rather quickly. The kisses soon turned more and more lazy and slurred, and when keeping their eyes open started to look like a challenge, the two of them decided that it was time to get under the covers and sleep.

Renjun beside him stretches his arms and follows Jeno with a questioning gaze, but Jeno doesn’t pay him any attention, too busy panicking. He’s growing desperate with every passing second. Jeno hates coming late to work. He’s not someone irresponsible, and—where the fuck is his phone?

“You left your blazer in the rack by the door,” mumbles Renjun.

Jeno immediately turns around, finally addressing him. He looks funny. He hasn’t even brushed his hair yet, or fully buttoned his shirt. Jeno’s breathing is uneven; his chest goes up and down, and he looks nervous. Jeno barely manages to mumble a thank you before making his way down the hallway. Renjun finds himself smiling at the sight before deciding to get up to trail behind Jeno, who’s currently checking the pockets of his blazer with hurried hands.

The first thing Jeno notices once the screen lights up is that he doesn’t have much battery left. Then, he looks at the time and his mouth open in a silent scream. The numbers stare at him, and Jeno is mortified when he realizes that it’s almost 11 o’clock.

Oh no. He overslept. It’s super late.

A supporting hand rubs his back, and Jeno leans his head against Renjun’s shoulder, trying to recover his breathing. Then, he starts mumbling to himself.

“What am I going to do?” Jeno is still staring at his phone. He has dozens of missed calls. “I need to go,” he says, finally looking at Renjun.

“I thought we could have breakfast together…” And even though Renjun looks a tiny bit dejected, he’s still understanding. Jeno hasn’t even noticed the stage of his appearance, so Renjun decides to help him out with that.

While Jeno speaks again, Renjun works on the buttons of his shirt.

“I really want to.” Jeno takes Renjun’s cheeks on his hands, forcing him to look at him. “But I can’t. I’m sorry. I really am.”

“That’s fine,” Renjun forces a smile, and Jeno goes to the bathroom to wash his mouth and comb his hair.

A few minutes later, a black car parks outside the building, coming to fetch Jeno. They say goodbye with a soft kiss, and the promise to contact each other again.

📰. . .

People on the internet love gossip, no matter the subject or the origin of the source. Gossip is gossip, and everyone loves to feast on it and delight their curiosity, like vultures picking on dead meat.

Starting a rumor is such an easy task that not even a guide is needed. Someone can take a picture and post it online with the following caption: “Hey, guys! Look at this. What are your thoughts?”. Just like that, everyone’s minds start running wild.

Security camera footage of an elevator at night. A picture of a car parked outside a building in the morning. The name and the face of an important national figure.

That’s enough to make people talk.

Who was the president visiting? Did he spend the night there? Did he sneak to visit a secret lover? Is it someone new or is he reviving an old flame? It must be an old flame. What if he was cheating on his ex-girlfriend? Did Lee Jeno and his girlfriend break up because the president is a cheater?  Wait. Is Lee Jeno a cheater? It sure looks like it, look at that picture.

📰. . .

Jeno hasn’t abandoned his office since yesterday. Even though he was away for only a few hours, that’s enough to put him behind his workload. Jeno has always been quite disciplined and hard-working; for him, accumulating paperwork is like a nightmare. Today Jeno is entirely focused on the plethora of reports and petitions that are waiting for his signature, and the multiple meetings he’s scheduled to attend this week. Jeno hasn’t had the time to look at his phone, or even process what happened with Renjun at his apartment.

Jeno is blissfully unaware of anything that strays away from his position as president of the country, even if it concerns his personal life.

It’s for this reason that he’s surprised when Chenle suddenly enters his office without even knocking. He has a scowl on his face, looking slightly annoyed. Jeno immediately looks at the time, wondering if perhaps he spent too long checking on the reports sent by the Ministry of Energy, which is currently working on a plan to enhance sustainable measures across the territory. A look into the clock on his desk indicates that there’s still time until his next meeting. Jeno stares at his friend and coworker with a confused expression on his face, while Chenle crosses his arms in front of his chest.

“Man, have you been online today?”

The question takes Jeno by surprise. The look on Chenle’s face gave him the idea that there was a problem, but instead he’s met with something totally different from what he was expecting.

Jeno shakes his head. “I’m really busy, and I need to catch up with my workload. I haven’t even left the office, to be honest.”

Chenle frowns immediately. Despite being best friends, Jeno knows that Chenle is serious about his job. He can tell whenever Chenle visits him because he needs a distraction and when he does it because there is actually a matter to attend simply judging by his attitude. Now, however, Jeno is having a hard time distinguishing between the two. He doesn’t have much time, so he can’t entertain him if it’s not entirely urgent.

“Do you have time? I need to talk to you about something. You may want to know this.” Chenle is careful with his words. It makes Jeno frown.

That doesn’t tell him anything, but Chenle’s expression indicates that whatever is going on might be serious. Unfortunately, there’s roughly five minutes left before his next meeting. University students across the entire country are threatening to go on a strike, and the minister of education and the president of the National Student Federation are set to discuss multiple matters and try to reach an agreement before the situation escalates. He should probably fetch Kim Jiwoo and take her to the salon where they will be having the meeting to make a good impression. He hasn’t met her yet, but he has seen her in the news—an encounter was bound to happen, and Jeno wants to make things right. Chenle can wait, right?

Chenle is expecting an answer.

“Actually,” he starts. “Will it be okay to have this conversation after my meeting?”

Chenle sighs, but he understands. They walk out the office together.

“Okay, fine. I don’t want you to be late again. Not after yesterday, which reminds me—you still haven’t told me why the Lee Jeno was caught slacking off.” Chenle snickers, and Jeno slaps him in the arm playfully before parting ways with his friend. Jeno’s mind is focused on more urgent things right now.

Kim Jiwoo is nothing like Jeno imagined. Although she’s an aspiring journalist, she’s quite the activist. She’s not only a well-known figure in her own university, but she has been the face and leading voice of a movement that has spread across the entire country. She’s constantly on the news talking to the press about her ideas and the motivation behind this new student movement. On TV, she looks fierce and passionate—slightly intimidating, even. In person, however, she greets Jeno with a warm smile and curious eyes. This is her first time visiting the presidential palace in 22 years, after all. Jeno is sure it won’t be the last.

Surprisingly, Jiwoo is easy to talk to. Although she’s quite clear when communicating the federation’s demands, she’s also open to listening to what the minister of education and the president have to offer. In addition, she has a bubbly personality that definitely eases up the tension in the room. Nevertheless, the demands of the National Student Federation are many. Even though the three of them are trying to take this meeting as calmly as they can, it lasts hours. They have a lot to discuss, and they go in great detail, especially when they encounter a disagreement. When the meeting finishes with the promise of reuniting again next week, Jeno is absolutely worn out.

He's so tired that he wants to go home. Jeno didn’t even have lunch today because he was busy, and his stomach is growling.

With a sigh, Jeno takes a look at his phone. He should talk to Chenle before leaving. His friend seemed concerned about something a few hours ago.

A message catches his attention. It’s Renjun. Jeno rushes to open the notification—he must have sent it while he was still occupied with the meeting.

The message reads:

“Mr. President, am I your side chick or something? :( I’m really sad…

I think you should come over to see me ㅋㅋ ”

Jeno is perplexed. What is Renjun talking about? He reads the message again, but he still can’t understand the meaning behind the text.

He still has his phone on his hand when Chenle finds him and takes him to his office with him. He doesn’t look as annoyed as he was a few hours ago, though. Chenle’s office is smaller than Jeno’s, but it’s still comfortable. There are two single couches by a bookcase, where they decide to take a seat for a more relaxed chat.

Initially, Jeno didn’t only choose Chenle as the government’s spokesperson because of their proximity. Chenle is skilled. He’s witty and assertive, and Jeno trusts his communicative abilities. Sure, the government’s decisions are always important, but they must know how to make them seem relevant for the population, and Chenle is good at that. Chenle is really good with words and making himself understood.

But Jeno is nervous. Chenle is usually the kind of person who goes straight to the point whenever a discussion is needed. However, the cryptic question he made a few hours ago only created more questions in Jeno’s head. Something unexpected happened, that’s for sure.

“Dude, everyone is talking about you on the internet right now. It’s a mess.”

Jeno gulps. So that’s why Chenle asked him whether he had been online or not.

“Is it bad?”

Chenle grimaces.

“They’re calling you a cheater.” Jeno’s eyes immediately pop out of his skull. He was expecting something entirely different, but not this. What the hell is going on? “Someone posted some pics of you from two days ago and people started connecting the dots or something.”

“But— How could they reach that conclusion?”

“It looked like you were leaving someone’s apartment, and your ex’s stupid interview was released at the beginning of the week.” He mentions matter-of-factly before sighing. “I don’t know, Jeno, people are weird!”

Chenle looks extremely frustrated again. He starts rubbing his temples. In front of him, Jeno is dumbfounded.

He would never cheat on someone. These claims don’t even have a concrete foundation. It’s a pile of nonsense! Nonsense that taints his pristine reputation, by the way.

Suddenly, Renjun’s text starts making sense. Jeno gasps. Chenle looks at him from the corner of his eyes.

“So that’s why Renjun called himself a side chick? I’m fucked.” Jeno mumbles without noticing that he’s thinking out loud. Chenle’s eyes are still glued on him.

“Huang Renjun? What does he have to do with—” Chenle stops himself. His expression morphs into one of surprise. “No way, Lee Jeno. You little piece of shit, there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Chenle shifts in his position on the couch to stare at Jeno with an inquisitive look. It makes Jeno feel cornered, like a deer in headlights. He hasn’t mentioned his encounter with Renjun to his friend. Jeno is a private person, so he doesn’t usually brag about his romantic life—Jeno is too shy to do that. His ears suddenly get hot, and the smirk sliding up Chenle’s face only makes him more nervous.

“It’s, uh, it’s nothing, really,” he stutters.

“Answer my question. You were texting Huang Renjun when we bumped into each other. Yes, or no?”

Jeno stays silent for a second, avoiding Chenle’s inquisitive stare. But he ends up giving up. He’s weak to Chenle, okay! Jeno can’t say no to him.

“Yes. We met again at Mr. Kim’s party, and I stayed the night with him. That’s why I was late yesterday. I wasn’t at home. We overslept.”

Chenle raises an eyebrow.

“And then?”

“He texted me about the cheating allegations today and asked me to visit him again. That’s it.”

“Oh my god, Jeno. You get caught hooking up with the best idol in this country, get called a cheater, and now you’re preparing to go to his apartment again? I didn’t know you were such a player.” Chenle, then, wiggles his eyebrows in a teasing manner. There’s a cheshire grin plastered on his face, and it makes Jeno’s panic grow. He desperately wants to put a hand on his mouth to shut him up, but that would probably be futile.

“I’m not! And I’m not a cheater. And, for the record, we didn’t do anything that day. It’s not what it seems.”

“But you’re coming back to him, right?”

“I don’t know…” Jeno sighs. “People are talking. I don’t want to make this worse.” Then he pauses, gluing his eyes to his lap in a pensive manner. A thought appears on his mind. “He’s also a public figure. This could be detrimental for him, too.”

“You should go, Jeno. People can talk as much as they want. They’ll forget about this eventually. Don’t let them ruin this for you.”

When Jeno looks at Chenle, he doesn’t see the government’s spokesperson. The one sitting in front of him is his best friend giving him the most encouraging smile in the world. And, well, Jeno has never been good at saying no to Chenle.

📰. . .

Jeno knows it’s risky. There are pics of him circulating on the web. That means that anyone could be watching him right now, ready to talk ill about him. However, every thought dissipates from his mind when his back hits the walls of the empty elevator. Renjun’s body is so close to his that his natural scent immediately delights Jeno’s nostrils. It’s impossible to not notice it when they’re practically glued to each other. Renjun smells sweet like vanilla, and it’s so delicious that Jeno wants to drown in his scent forever. His lips descend from Renjun’s jaw to his neck with gentle caresses that make the singer sigh, and Jeno takes advantage of their position to take another whiff of his aroma.

“You smell so good,” he mumbles against his skin, leaving a trail of short kisses. Renjun’s giggles fill out the elevator, only getting interrupted by a sharp ‘ding!’ and the opening of the elevator doors.

Jeno nearly jumps upon hearing the sound, and his hands immediately leave their place over Renjun’s waist in an automatic reaction. The idol, in contrast, looks almost unaffected, and Jeno is left trailing behind him as they make their way down the hallway.

Their encounter in the elevator was like a suddenly lit spark. It’s fervent and hot, and it’s also sudden and brisk. There’s an intensity that is meant to be short and quick. It’s like taking a bite of a piece of cake. Its appearance is so appetizing that you can’t help the way your mouth waters, and you can’t stop wondering about its taste. Only a spoonful of cake would suffice such a whim. Finding each other in an enclosed and tight space felt exactly like that. Jeno and Renjun met as they had agreed to do, but they couldn’t keep their distance for too long. The presence of the other man was tempting. It called for their touch, especially when their previous encounter was so fresh in their minds. The best part was that the both of them felt that way.

When they reach Renjun’s apartment, they have definitely calmed down. They are capable of being civil instead of acting like puppets of their own hormones. When Jeno mentions that he hasn’t actually eaten anything today, Renjun rushes to the kitchen to cook something for him.

“It’s such an honor to cook for the president,” Renjun winks at Jeno, who tries to bite down his own smile.

Jeno is fully aware that every time Renjun calls him president, the idol is teasing him. There is a special glint on his pupils. Even the corners of his lips curl up in a mischievous way. Every time, though, Jeno is unable to stop himself from saying, “you don’t need to call me that.” He acts like being the president is not a big deal, and Renjun takes advantage of that. How could he stop when teasing Jeno is so funny?

Secretly, Renjun adores that Jeno is not a stuck up. The fact that he tries to be modest is both endearing and attractive.

Jeno tries to make his way into the kitchen and help Renjun with the food, but Renjun claims that guests shouldn’t interfere with his tasks. He forces Jeno to sit down and places a cup of tea in front of him, so he can have something for the meantime.

“I lived with four other guys in a tinier dorm taking turns to cook every day. Preparing a meal for you is not a big deal, Jeno. You are my guest here.”

 “I can’t let you do everything. You must be tired, too.”

Renjun glares at him from his position next to the stove. He’s wearing an apron, his arms are crossed, and there’s a ladle on his hand. Rather than intimidating, he looks quite cute. Jeno wants to laugh but ultimately decides to follow Renjun’s instructions. He waits and drinks his tea. The mug has a cute design—it’s a character from an old cartoon show. With a soft smile on his face, Jeno mindlessly takes a picture of his mug and posts it on social media. He captions his story with a statement and a reminder: they are working hard to reach the necessary agreements and make progress on diverse matters, but overexertion is never the right way; taking breaks to enjoy simple, mundane pleasures is necessary.

Sometimes, Jeno makes that sort of posts on his social media. Some people can say that it’s informal and unprofessional, but his team affirms that it makes him relatable and closer to the people because it humanizes him. In that way, Lee Jeno the person and Lee Jeno the president can meet in the middle. After all, the most relevant information is always posted in the official channels.

When the food is ready, Renjun and he sit together to eat. They casually chat about things they did that day. Jeno talks about working nonstop and meeting Kim Jiwoo, and Renjun relates to his words by mentioning his vocal lessons and endless dance practice for the upcoming festivals he will be attending with Dream and as a solo artist.

But then the plates are empty, and the light chatter seems to come to an end. It’s dark outside, and soft jazz fills the room.

“So,” Renjun starts. “Are we going to address the elephant in the room?”

A puzzled expression appears on Jeno’s face. “Which elephant?”

“People were calling you a cheater…”

This is the most cautious Jeno has ever heard Renjun speak. He usually speaks with a light tone. He likes to tease and getting him to giggle is not hard. Renjun is easygoing and even carefree. Now, however, he even looks a bit worried.

Jeno hates being the cause of his worry. He bites his lips and averts his gaze.

“It’s a huge misunderstanding,” he explains. “But I will understand if it bothers you.”

Suddenly, Renjun grabs his hand over the table. Jeno looks at the birthmark on the back of his hand, and then lifts his gaze, meeting Renjun’s warm eyes. His hold is reassuring. It’s different from what Jeno expected from him.

“No, Jeno. I totally understand—of course, I understand. Sometimes people reach the wrong conclusions with the few information they know because they fill the gaps with anything that could make sense to them.” There’s a pause. “I’m used to it; I see it every day.”

“I really don’t want to drag you into this mess.”

“Don’t worry about me, Jeno.” Luckily, Renjun chuckles before shaking his head. “I was actually concerned about you. I know you’re not a cheater. That’s an ugly thing to call someone.”

“Thank you.”

Renjun’s words are calming. They’re akin to loving fingers soothing the tension on his frown and hot tea warming his hands after spending time in the cold. His words resonate against his ears and lift a burden from his shoulders. Renjun doesn’t judge him because his own experiences taught him how to dominate the public’s opinion. After all, Renjun has been in the public eye for a decade now—he’s perfectly aware of how a few words can shape his entire reputation and image.

Jeno has always been careful. He’s especially mindful of the way he presents himself. People pay attention to the way he speaks and the way he looks to form an opinion, so Jeno has always tried to be perfect. He’s lucky because a vast majority of the citizens are fond of him and approve his presidency. However, Jeno is well-aware of his biggest disadvantage: he’s young and inexperienced—many are expecting him to commit even the slightest mistake that could taint his reputation. For a year, Jeno has tried his best to do things right and be worthy of his title. Now, though, ill rumors about his private life are threatening to push him to the ground, like a bowling ball rolling down the lane—expectant eyes wonder if it will hit the pins or not.

Is it true that everyone will forget about these stupid allegations?

Renjun dedicates him a soft smile before standing up from his seat. He walks under Jeno’s attentive puppy eyes until he’s standing in front of him. His hands come to grab Jeno by the cheeks, and the caresses of his thumbs on the skin of his face are enough to put a smile in Jeno’s face too.

“You’re doing well, Jeno. Trust me.”

They stare at each other for a few seconds. Jeno finds a pool of reassurance in Renjun’s brown irises, inviting him to let go of all that suffocating tension. With him, Jeno feels like he can finally relax. He closes his eyes, leaning on the gentle touch of his fingers. Suddenly, tender lips brush his own. Jeno lets Renjun kiss him, melting on his embrace.

📰. . .

Jeno committed a mistake. Perhaps he should have been more careful. What’s happening right now was not unexpected. Jeno knew it could happen as well as Renjun and Chenle did. Both Jeno and Renjun are public figures—they should have known better—everyone is paying attention to their every movement. Even a single action is worthy of being included in the headlines.

It was true that people forgot about the cheating allegations as fast as the idea appeared. The discourse around the topic was brief because, well, the possibility of the president being a cheater was quite far-fetched. Everyone agrees that Lee Jeno wouldn’t do something like that. In addition, there was a greater incognita that the population was dying to answer: who is President Lee Jeno’s new lover?

A myriad of speculations filled the mouths of the people in the country. There were rumors and theories. Multiple names appeared randomly through weak connections to the president. Although some people were mildly disappointed for losing an opportunity with the most relevant and eligible bachelor in the national territory, the intrigue and interest was definitely stronger. Whoever was this person, citizens expected them to be worthy of being next to their beloved president.

The publication of new pictures only stirred the pot, intensifying the already endless mass speculation. But these pictures were different from the ones previously posted. These ones provided a new piece of information.

The elevator is the same from before, indicating that Lee Jeno was caught visiting the same building, and, consequently, the same person from the first time. This time, however, Lee Jeno isn’t alone. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Lee Jeno is hugging a man. His hands are holding his waist in an intimate and almost possessive manner. Similarly, the man’s arms are thrown around Jeno’s neck. In the picture, Jeno and his lover are staring intensely at each other with their faces only a few centimeters apart. Unfortunately, the angle of the camera prevents the identity of the second man to be revealed, since only a small portion of his face can be seen.

People start analyzing the picture, trying to find the perfect match for that refined side profile. Although the quality and angle of the image aren’t of much help, everyone can tell that the man is handsome. In other words, the visual combination is insane. It’s exactly what anyone would want for the president.

Luckily, idol fans are more devoted than anyone else. Common eyes would confuse those facial features, making it impossible to trace the owner of said side profile. But a fan can recognize their favorite idol anywhere. Their eyes are trained to pick their idol apart like a needle in the middle of  haystack. It only takes one look to notice that it’s their beloved shining star, Huang Renjun. Those are his eyes, his nose, his silver hair, his slim figure, and the clothes he has worn in multiple vlogs before—maybe his birthmark is not visible, but seeing it is not necessary when everything else screams his name.

Huang Renjun’s name travels by word of mouth until everyone is aware of the identity of the mystery man in the president’s pictures. Then, the analyses get even deeper. Multiple posts showing proof of his identity arise, obtaining a crazy amount of engagement. They compare pictures of his face from the same angle from the elevator picture. They compile clips of him wearing the same clothes he was wearing the day they  were caught. They even study the mug from Jeno’s SNS post and compare it to one appearing in one of Renjun’s old vlogs, in which he said it was his favorite mug from his collection.

The reactions are insane. Jeno never thought things would escalate this much, to the point that they appear on the front page of the newspapers. He preaches about having a private life, but he has done a terrible job at keeping his business out of the public’s eye.

After that, though, citizens start providing their unsolicited opinions. Everyone feels with the right to express their mind, even though the relationship is not theirs. The opinions are quite varied, and people start to debate.

Hardcore idol fans are the first to speak. Some of them are disappointed. Huang Renjun’s career is founded on his fan’s love and support. While they’re busy spending his money on him, he fools around with a young politician behind their backs. How could Renjun betray them? Didn’t he think about Dream’s reputation? They have worked hard for an entire decade. Many agree that avoiding scandals was the secret for their long-lasting popularity.

Nevertheless, that opinion isn’t shared among the bigger part of his fandom. A real fan wouldn’t grab the first opportunity to point their finger at his idol in hopes of making him feel guilty. Renjun is his own person. He can do whatever he wants. He deserves it; after all, he’s been working really hard. Everyone knows that Renjun is diligent and responsible. He’s allowed to fall in love, especially if he caught the eye of the most important man in the country—and the most eligible bachelor, too. The president is available and he’s also pretty hot—you cannot blame Renjun for shooting his shot! Anyone would have done the same in his position.

Some old men, who disapprove Jeno’s presidency solely because he’s too young, also express their concerns over the new couple. Is it the right moment to receive booty calls? He should be working! University students across the country are threatening to go on a strike and the negotiations with the National Student Federation haven’t been fruitful. This isn’t the moment to get distracted by pretty boys.

Although their arguments aren’t senseless, the general population is quick to shush them out. Jeno is still young. Being the president shouldn’t stop him from enjoying an active sexual life. Thus far, Jeno has done an amazing job. The country is enjoying a prosperity that wasn’t present a few years ago. Also, reaching an agreement takes time and dialogue is necessary. Jeno had his first meeting with Kim Jiwoo only a few days ago. You can’t expect him to fix everything with a zap of his finger!

A man shouldn’t drown in workload as that will only cause him burnout. Taking breaks to regain energy is necessary. People are just mad that Jeno can regain energy by having tons of fun with a hot guy. Getting mad over a successful young man fucking another successful young man sounds a lot like jealousy, by the way. Just Saying.

Also, don’t they look really cute together? Old ladies are cooing at the intimate elevator picture. Lee Jeno is like their protegee, and his happiness is their only wish. Lee Jeno is like the perfect child, and Huang Renjun looks like someone who can be trusted with his heart. In the picture they are staring intensely at each other—anyone can tell that the look on their faces is one of sheer want and exuberant chemistry.

📰. . .

“This is getting out of hand.”

Chenle is sitting on a chair in Jeno’s office. He’s sipping on a cup of coffee while staring outside the window. There is a pensive air around him, almost as if he were the main character of the story, trying to figure out how to navigate the obstacles the plot is throwing in his way. The truth is that he’s taking a break from his obligations. After scrolling on his phone for a few minutes, he decided that distracting Jeno was far more entertaining.

“I know,” Jeno beside him groans, taking his hands to his hair. “What are we going to do?”

In Jeno’s lap, Chenle’s phone remains abandoned. It’s unblocked. The screen is still displaying a social media post—the source of Jeno’s despair. A muted video replays on loop. In it, a staff from SM Entertainment talks into a microphone with a serious expression in front of a small crowd of disappointed fans while Renjun is rushed out of the fansign hall by a bodyguard.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect things to escalate this much.”

“Chenle, this qualifies as harassment,” Jeno states, finally taking his hands from his head to look at his friend. “His own fans are harassing him. And do you know whose fault is it? Mine.”

Chenle gives Jeno a pitiful look. He’s not being dramatic because that’s exactly what happened, although Chenle would love to tell him that it’s not true, and that certain things are out of his control. Jeno has the tendency to assume that he must fix every existing problem in the nation. He worries silently and carries burdens that are not meant for him to drag along with him. This time, though, the controversy is directly tied to him.

Today Renjun was scheduled to hold a fansign event. Fans report that everything was in order at the beginning, and the fansign seemed to go rather smoothly. When Renjun came in, he seemed to be in a good mood, greeting fans with a wide smile. He spoke into the mic for some minutes, and then fans started approaching him to get their albums signed. That’s when everything started going downhill.

The first fans in the list were all sweet. Renjun chatted with them and received their gifts. While wearing the cute animal headbands they gave him, he continued to sign their albums and answer their questions, even engaging in typical fanservice. However, the minutes started to pass, and most fans who attended were curious about the same topic. They kept asking questions about the president and their relationship—some of them even dared to ask about private matters, too. Meanwhile, the only thing Renjun could do was to laugh awkwardly and glance uncomfortably at his manager and bodyguards in a silent cry for help.

At some point, it got so bad that everyone in the venue could tell that Renjun was uncomfortable. He seemed down, he avoided eye contact with his fans, and he kept taking deep breaths with a hand on his chest, evidently trying to calm himself down. That’s when his manager decided to intervene and stop the event.

Watching the videos breaks Jeno’s heart. The Renjun he knows is bright and bubbly—the one in the videos is the total opposite; it’s almost as if someone had stolen the light inside him. This situation is unfair. Renjun doesn’t deserve to be disrespected like that, and it makes Jeno angry. This is his fault. He claimed that he didn’t want to drag Renjun into this mess, but that’s exactly what he did, and now Renjun is facing the consequences alone.

Chenle moves his chair to pat Jeno’s shoulder in a reassuring manner. Then, to lift the mood, he jokingly says, “I will be surprised if he doesn’t run away after this. Anyone would be scared after seeing how much attention you can gather.”

His laughter resonates stridently across the entire office, but Jeno is unable to laugh with him. This is not funny! Jeno is losing his mind here.

Instead, he glares at Chenle. “Oh, shut up.”

“Don’t get mad, puppy,” his friend coos, aggressively rubbing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a silly joke, I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t laugh, Chenle. I’m quite stressed out.” Jeno huffs, but Chenle is still grinning.

He should do something and take matters into his own hands. People won’t rest until they have an answer. Until then, they will keep finding ways to extract as much information as they can, even if that means attacking the protagonists of the story. What they want is enough clarity of the situation to quench their thirst for gossip. Until that doesn’t happen, the levels of insanity will keep growing.

Jeno can give them the clarification they need. It’s the bare minimum, especially after seeing the way Renjun was treated today.

He moves his chair closer to his desk and dials a number on the telephone. Chenle beside him throws him a puzzled look, but Jeno decides to ignore him. Instead, he waits until his call gets picked up.

“Come into my office right now. I want to make a public announcement.”

Chenle’s eyes open comically upon hearing his words.

So much for keeping things private. Jeno can’t even flirt with a pretty boy like a normal thirty-year-old man anymore. No one told him that this was the cost of becoming the president—if he had known better, he would have dropped out from the elections. Oh, he’s so upset.

📰. . .

Hello, everyone.

This is Lee Jeno, President of the country. I’m sincerely writing this message to address a personal matter that has spiked the curiosity of many people. Recently, many pictures have been published on the internet, creating multiple rumors that involve me and idol Huang Renjun. We met a few months ago, and we are currently getting to know each other as mere acquaintances. Although the rumors are untrue, I would like to clarify that this is a personal and private matter that does not concern the citizens of the country. For this reason, I would appreciate it if you could be respectful of our boundaries. My love life does not interfere with my responsibilities, as my current priority is to ensure prosperity for the country. I will keep working hard to achieve the growth of our beloved nation and become a government that everyone in the land can trust. We will be listening to your concerns and strive to make the nation flourish.

Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Lee Jeno.

📰. . .

The announcement naturally draws the interest of the people. Since no one expected the president himself to address the rumors, it caused a huge uproar even among the ones who weren’t up to date with the topic. Now everyone was aware that Lee Jeno and Huang Renjun definitely didn’t have something going on.

Jeno was too naïve to think that an explicit announcement would quiet down the many speculations that were circulating. If anything, this hint of their situation only fed their hunger and prompted them to push for more details. Was it really a good idea? Jeno sighs as he looks at the news on his laptop.

Today was supposed to be an important day. After their second meeting with Kim Jiwoo, the government and the National Student Federation had reached some initial agreements and were preparing to hold more discussions and work together to achieve something that could satisfy both parties. Yesterday, Jeno appeared on an interview with a news program, and took the opportunity to deliver the latest piece of information around the topic to update the population. Today, Chenle and the minister of education were supposed to hold a press conference. The objective was to inform journalists about the agreements and clarify any doubt on the following steps regarding the negotiations held by the National Student Federation and the government.

Looking at the news, Jeno believes that the objective of the press conference was only partially met.

He reads the headline and then looks at the picture. In it, Chenle looks rather annoyed at the press. There is a clip attached on the website, where his friend is seen frowning and huffing, clearly frustrated. He stares at the journalists for a second and inquires, “Is there any other question regarding the minister or the president’s decision?”

A journalist holding a mic with the logo of a renowned TV station speaks. “Yes, Minister Zhong. Do you think the development of the negotiations has been affected by Lee Jeno’s recent dating scandal?”

Chenle’s frown deepens as he makes his best effort to keep his composure. Jeno knows he wants to tell them to fuck off, but Chenle has always been professional. He probably swore at them once he was inside his car, anyway. The government’s spokesperson clears his throat before holding the mic with gentle fingers.

“I don’t think this is a topic we should be discussing. President Lee already made an announcement on that matter. This is not relevant right now. This press conference was meant to address the recent conflict between the government and the National Student Federation. If there aren’t more questions, we should conclude the conference. I will not be answering questions related to the president’s love life since it’s utterly irrelevant.”

Then, the clip finishes. Jeno cups his forehead with both hands. A moment to breathe without worrying, that’s all Jeno asks right now. The abrupt sound of the door to his office opening pushes him back to reality, and Jeno immediately takes his hands from his face, pretending that everything is in order and he’s doing perfectly fine. At that very moment, the newcomer speaks, catching his attention.

“I thought we had something real.”

“Renjun?”

Jeno stares at the man walking in his direction with a puzzled expression. He feels like seeing an illusion. This situation is so stressful that now he has finally descended into madness. There’s no way Renjun is standing in front of him, looking as pretty as ever, like a haunting picture Jeno created on his mind. Renjun gets closer, and Jeno stands up from his seat to meet him. He’s so confused. But, then, Renjun releases a chuckle that tells him that he’s definitely there to see him.

“I’m just kidding,” he mumbles. “I wanted to talk to you in person.”

“How did you get here?” Jeno asks, still trying to make sense of the situation. He didn’t expect to see the idol in his own office.

“I asked your secretary whether you were available. She must have sensed the urgency of the situation because she let me in in a blink.” Renjun paces around the office with eyes full of wonder, scanning ever corner of the room. His eyes move around, filled with curiosity, until he’s standing right next to the window. Renjun looks outside for a second while Jeno’s own eyes stay fixed on his figure before finally turning around again. “I have never been to the presidential palace before. Are they usually this lenient? Everyone who saw me let me follow my way without questioning why I was here. I was worried because, well, I didn’t make an appointment to see the president.”

Although Renjun looks impressed by the unusual welcoming from the palace’s staff, Jeno can’t help but let out a low laugh. Albeit Renjun’s sudden visit makes him nervous, he thinks the idol’s obliviousness is quite endearing. Everyone knows Renjun and Jeno have something going on. He released a public announcement that only gave the press more to talk about. Evidently, the staff reached their own conclusions and understood why Renjun was there. He isn’t the stranger he thinks he is.

Jeno circles his desk to stand next to the idol, deciding to go straight to the point.

“What did you want to talk about?”

Upon hearing his question, Renjun immediately sighs.

“Why didn’t you reach out to me before releasing that statement?”

“What do you mean?”

“You could have consulted it with me too.”

“Are you upset?” Jeno’s eyebrows knit together as he reaches Renjun’s hand in an attempt to display his worry. But Renjun only grimaces and averts his gaze, unable to look Jeno in the eye.

“No, but…” He pauses, trying to find the right words. “You made it sound like we had nothing serious.”

An immense sentiment of guilt immediately spreads inside Jeno. He was so busy trying not to lose his mind that the only thing in his field of vision was finding a way to fix this mess. That video of Renjun’s fansign broke his heart, and he couldn’t stand seeing the way his own fans were treating him. For that reason, Jeno felt like making the mass speculation and harassment come to an end was a personal responsibility. Renjun was involved in this mess, and it was his own fault.

However, Jeno never stopped to take a moment and think about how Renjun was doing. He was so busy trying to play hero that he forgot about the person he was trying to protect. He kept repeating that he was doing this for Renjun, yet he never thought of calling him on the phone to ask about his feelings. Instead, he took every decision on his own, treating his own love life like yet another presidential matter.

What an asshole.

“I… I wasn’t sure of how you felt regarding the allegations. I should have asked, I’m sorry.”

Renjun shakes his head, leaning his body on the border of Jeno’s desk. They’re still holding hands, and Renjun takes the opportunity to tug and push Jeno closer to his body. Like this, they are standing only centimeters apart, and Renjun’s body is trapped between Jeno’s and the desk. Jeno’s mouth opens just slightly to let out a subtle gasp.

“I’m hurt because I thought it was evident,” Renjun says, looking Jeno directly in the eye. Jeno can’t look away—the intensity of his stare is such that Jeno feels like he’s being pulled to him by a magnet, bewitched under his spell. “I really like you, Jeno. I like you so much, but this whole statement made me overthink everything. I wondered if you felt the same for me, or maybe I was reading everything wrong.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Stop apologizing.”

“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable by saying something in case you didn’t feel the same. I didn’t want to put you in the spotlight.” Jeno looks down, finally breaking the intense eye contact. He takes a second to place his gaze on Renjun’s lips, only a few centimeters away. Then, he gulps—this is no moment to get distracted. “I was afraid that  you could run away.”

“I don’t mind any of that, Jeno. I told you.” A gentle hand makes its way to Jeno’s head, carefully caressing his black hair. “I’m used to being in the spotlight. I won’t mind the attention if you’re the one by my side.”

Renjun’s eyes are filled with raw honesty. For a moment, Jeno wonders if Renjun is real or not. There’s no way someone as perfect as him has decided to lay his eyes on someone like Jeno. He remains silent because he believes that no words are enough to match Renjun’s confession. Jeno still feels guilty—being with him sounds like a huge sacrifice considering Jeno’s position, but Renjun doesn’t seem to think the same. And Jeno believes him.

He did everything to protect Renjun’s image and keep him safe without acknowledging that Renjun has been trained to dominate the public. He’s an idol, after all, and a senior, on top of that. If he says that he doesn’t mind the attention, Jeno will believe him. Ironically, now Jeno feels like he’s the one being protected. Renjun’s reassuring gaze covers him like a fuzzy blanket in the middle of a storm, keeping him safe and warm. Jeno finally feels like he can close his eyes and rest, leaving behind all that stress that had been making his guts churn uncomfortably.

Just like that, Jeno gives into the sense of calm and closes his eyes, placing his forehead against Renjun’s. He’s finally able to breathe. Unfortunately, the sweet gesture forces Jeno to miss the faint smile that appears on the idol’s face. All of a sudden, there is a pair of soft lips against his own, kissing him tenderly.

Jeno opens his eyes again once they separate, without being able to hide his own smile. His eyes taking the form of crescents betray him, though.

“Actually,” Renjun chooses that moment to speak. “There is something about the rumors that made me uncomfortable.”

“What is it?” Jeno gives him a concerned look almost immediately, which gives Renjun the urge to laugh. But Renjun is quick to regain his composure and stay in character.

“People were saying that we’re fucking, but we have barely kissed…”

The tone in Renjun’s voice is low and sultry, painted with feigned concern, and the look in his eyes is absolutely suggestive. Jeno’s mouth goes dry. Did he hear him right? His entire world stops for a second while Jeno remains speechless, trying to decipher the hidden message in Renjun’s words. There are words that are left unsaid, but Jeno doesn’t need them. The way Renjun gently pushes him by the nape to connect their mouths one more time is enough.

Their kiss starts slow, like a soft caress transmitting Jeno all the reassurance in the world. Through the movement of his lips, Renjun tells him that he will stay by Jeno’s side, handling his heart with care. With him, Jeno will find a place where he can simply rest and leave his worries behind because there is no need for him to carry every single responsibility on his shoulders. However, as the kiss becomes more fervent and demanding, the needy brush of their tongues also shows Jeno that Renjun means every single word he said. Renjun wants to stay with him no matter the number of cameras pointing at them.

Renjun wants Jeno, and he makes sure to show him. His fans usually praise him for his determination, while Dream members often call him stubborn. He is a strong-willed man who doesn’t give up until he has reached his goals, owning them, even. His firm hold on Jeno’s nape, and the subtle friction of their hips joined together are the perfect portrait of this quality of his. He won’t let Jeno go. He can make the president eat from his own hand if he wants too.

The thing with Jeno is that he’s, objectively, a logical and diligent man. Ever since he was a university student, people around him often complimented him for his intelligence and work ethic—one of the reasons that brought him where he is now. If his colleagues had to describe him in simple words, they would most definitely say that he prioritizes dialogue, he has amazing problem-solving abilities, and he never loses his temper. Jeno is a natural leader.

When he’s with Renjun, though, his brain seems to malfunction. For some reason, the only thing in his field of focus is the K-pop idol, making him a little bit stupid. Jeno’s hands are grabbing Renjun by the waist, pulling him closer. Their kiss has become so wet and messy that it’s almost obscene, and when he instinctively rolls his hips against Renjun’s crotch, the two of them can’t help but sigh into each other’s mouth. The friction produced by the movement is delicious—it feels so good, it’s almost like an electric shock that forces Jeno awake, remembering where they are.

Renjun whines once they separate, chasing his mouth, and Jeno’s eyes snap open. His own breathing is uneven. The feeling is akin to coming from underwater after drowning in the depths of the sea, gasping for air while the blinding sun hits him on the face—a reminder that he’s alive. Without taking his hands from Renjun’s body, Jeno’s eyes quickly scan the office. Renjun’s hips are pressed against the border of his desk. In it, his laptop remains open, albeit the screen has gone black long ago. Next to the device, there is a small pile of folders and papers that the congress sent him. They’re waiting for his signature of approval.

“Why did you stop?”

A voice demands for his attention, and Jeno finally looks at the man in front of him. Renjun is staring at him from under his lashes, with his eyebrows raised inquisitively. The puzzled expression on his face makes him look adorable, but also incredibly attractive. His red, swollen lips are the cherry on top. Jeno gulps, unable to turn his face away.

“I think we shouldn’t do this right now,” he declares, but his tone wavers with uncertainty. “Uhm, someone might come in,” Jeno insists, yet it seems like he’s actually trying to convince himself.

Not once he makes the attempt to tear himself away from Renjun. Their bodies are still pressed against each other, with Jeno’s hands on Renjun’s waist, and Renjun’s arms thrown around Jeno’s neck. There isn’t a single centimeter of space between them, and Jeno doesn’t move a millimeter to change their position. It contradicts Jeno’s message, and Renjun doesn’t fail to notice it.

“Hm, but why? I don’t think anyone will come in.” While he speaks, one of Renjun’s hands plays with Jeno’s necktie, pulling teasingly at the piece of fabric.

“I wouldn’t be so sure…”

“You know I talked to your secretary, right?” Renjun says. They’re so close Jeno can barely focus. “I told her that we would be busy having an important discussion. No one will interrupt us if they know you’re not available.”

“But…”

Jeno wants to say that it’s strictly unprofessional. This is no place for such behavior. The presidential office is a place where decisions about the country’s future are made—what would people say if they knew about the things Lee Jeno and Huang Renjun are doing in there? That would cause an even bigger scandal. He’s trying so hard to remain calm and rational, but Renjun’s pleading eyes are hypnotizing.

“Please, we can be silent.” Renjun pouts, and Jeno can’t tear his gaze away from his lips. Renjun is begging him, and Jeno doesn’t think he can remain in control even if he tries. At that very moment, Renjun thrusts forward, and Jeno fails to conceal the moan that slips from his mouth. “I know you’re turned on, too, Jeno—I can feel it.”

With that, Jeno stops resisting. He dives forward and captures Renjun’s lips on his own with a hand on the idol’s jaw, pressing him further against the desk. They both want it, and they can’t deny it. Their bodies speak for themselves, accommodating themselves like a puzzle. Just like a merman, Renjun successfully pulls him underwater with him again.

Jeno knows Renjun’s voice is enticing like a siren call—mesmerizing like the one of an angel. When he speaks, his voice is calm and soothing, like a summer breeze. When he sings, his beautiful melody is so enchanting that the audience becomes unable to tear their gaze from him. Jeno wonders if Renjun sounds like a divine entity when he’s lost in pleasure. He bets his moans are akin to an addicting song—the kind Jeno can’t stop listening to, replaying it any chance he can. Unfortunately, Renjun keeps his promise and suppresses his moans every time Jeno’s lips caress the skin of his neck, and his thigh purposefully rubs against his clothed cock, sending a thrill down his spine.

It becomes even more unfortunate moments later, when Jeno is down on his knees in front of him. Jeno leaves a trail of kisses over the skin of Renjun’s plush butt cheeks. Although he feels proud for making Renjun shudder with such simple gesture, Jeno seeks more. With a firm grip, Jeno parts hit cheeks. There’s a gasp somewhere that only feeds Jeno’s eagerness. He wants to drown in every single of Renjun’s sighs.

His small reactions feel like a reward—like a yellow star carefully placed on his forehead, pushing Jeno to work harder just so he can earn more of them. He puts his lips over Renjun’s pucker, sucking on it with great intent. Under the wet, nasty noise produced by his mouth, Jeno can hear Renjun’s breathing become shakier and shakier. His hands are holding the border of the desk, trying to support himself, and his knuckles get progressively whiter and whiter. When he starts lapping on his rim with his tongue, Jeno sees Renjun bring a hand to his abandoned dick to massage it lazily.

“Oh, please—” A whimper escapes from his throat, but Renjun is quick to put his other hand on his mouth, shutting himself up with a panicked gaze.

Jeno keeps sucking and moving his tongue, trying to find the best way to make Renjun melt under him. When he slurps, the idol’s knees buckle down just slightly, but Jeno is holding him tightly in place. It’s almost as if Jeno were holding onto him for dear life—the grip on his thighs might leave a mark with how hard he’s squeezing his soft skin.

Jeno wants to see him. He wants to see his reactions and enjoy the view of Renjun’s rosy cheeks and half-closed lids. The idol has leaned his torso over the desk, right next to the neat pile of folders Jeno should be revising right now. Although Renjun is biting on his fingers to conceal his moans, soaking them in spit, Jeno can still hear his voice uttering a whispered string of curses. And, God, doesn’t he sound beautiful. Jeno wishes for another opportunity where he’s not deprived from Renjun’s inappropriate symphony.

“Shit, shit, shit.” His voice is desperate, just like the sudden pull on Jeno’s black hair. It stings, but Jeno doesn’t mind—the ardor is enjoyable, just like the feeling of Renjun’s hot walls around his tongue. “Keep doing that, ahh.”

And who is Jeno to ignore Renjun’s fraught pleas? With his tongue, Jeno keeps fucking him relentlessly. Drool drips from his chin, soaking Jeno’s face. His jaw aches just slightly, and Renjun’s fingers are still entangled in his black hair. Jeno knows he probably looks like a mess right now, but he won’t stop until Renjun gets his release. Jeno will devour Renjun whole and enjoy his taste on the tip of his tongue as if he were his last meal.

All of a sudden, the pull in Jeno’s hair tightens, as if Renjun were trying to bring Jeno’s face even closer to his asshole. His hips start gyrating around his tongue, trying to ride it, and it’s almost like Renjun doesn’t even notice that he’s doing it. Renjun’s breath quickens, and his hushed murmurs become unintelligible under the slurping sounds of Jeno’s mouth against him, bringing him to his orgasm. A whine escapes from his throat, but Renjun is quick to shut himself up with his hand—his grip is tight against his own jaw.

Then, like in a rollercoaster, they find each other at the finish line of the ride. Their ragged breathing fills the silence in the room. The top half of Renjun’s body is still laid next to the pile of folders, Jeno is sitting over his knees on the wooden floor of the office, and Renjun’s cum drips from a side of the desk.

They don’t know for how long they stay like that, simply recovering from what just happened. Jeno is the first one to move, quickly looking for wipes. He doesn’t even stop to fix his appearance, too busy cleaning the cum off the desk while Renjun accommodates his own clothes. That’s until they’re both finally facing each other, and a devious grin slowly forms on Renjun’s face.

The idol’s eyes scan Jeno from head to toe. “You look like a mess.” He’s clearly trying to suppress a laugh. “You look absolutely fucked.”

Jeno looks at him with a dumbfounded expression. His hair is not as neat as it was the moment Renjun walked into the office. Instead, it’s completely disheveled, pointing at every direction. His eyes are glassy and slightly droopy, giving him the look of a dumb puppy. His cheeks are crimson red, just like his swollen lips. But his chin is probably the worst since it’s still glistening with spit—Jeno has half the mind to wipe it off with the back of his hand; it makes Renjun chuckle. Although his clothes aren’t in a bad state, it’s impossible not to notice how loose his necktie is.

“Imagine the looks of the old snobs in the opposing party if they knew the things you do in your office, Jeno.”

Renjun shakes his head and approaches him with a soft smile on his face. He was the one who caused this mess after all. He should be the one to fix it, shouldn’t he? Although Renjun just got his life sucked out of his body, Jeno is the one currently being tended—he did all the hard work; he deserves it. Tender fingers comb his hair, until Jeno is handsome and presentable again. There is a look of concentration on Renjun’s face while he attempts to fix the knot in Jeno’s necktie; Jeno thinks it makes him look pretty. When he finishes, Renjun stares at Jeno like he thinks something is missing.

“Ah!” A look of sudden realization washes over him. Then, a pair of hands grab Jeno by the cheeks, and a peck is placed on his lips. Renjun smiles satisfied. “You did amazing.”

📰. . .

As opposed to Jeno’s predictions, the fuss around them died down rather quickly. When Jeno saw the immediate effects of his statement in the public, he thought he had achieved the contrary effect and now people were more curious than ever. Luckily, after only a few days, Jeno was proven wrong, and his statement had achieved its original purpose: the public had obtained the answers they needed and quenched their thirst for gossip.

Since the waters have calmed down, Jeno doesn’t find a reason to publish a new statement to announce that, hey, he had been wrong: Renjun actually likes him, and they do have something going on. There’s no point. His communicative team claims that it would only stretch the situation unnecessarily. Renjun thinks so, too. SM Entertainment doesn’t get involved either. When Jeno asks why, Renjun replies amidst laughter that the president himself had already done their job.

In conclusion, Jeno achieved his goal, and the public isn’t talking about them anymore. He has always claimed that he likes the calm that comes with having his privacy respected. Although he sold his entire image the moment he decided to run for president, Jeno is not keen of having his every move scrutinized. Unfortunately, Jeno’s love life has been the talk of the town for months now, ever since the moment his ex-girlfriend decided to break up with him. Not only did the rumors surrounding Renjun give people to talk about, but his ex-girlfriend’s senseless interviews also worked like fuel to the fire. And now, that peace Jeno kept yearning for has finally come to him.

Renjun and Jeno have decided to take things seriously. The conversation they had in the presidential office was necessary for them to be on the same page. Now they both know that they want each other, and that they are ready to give themselves like a gift for the other. They can’t keep sneaking out to make out like a pair of hormonal teenagers who are just learning about the meaning of mutual attraction. Jeno is the president of the country and Renjun is the main vocalist of the most renowned idol group—they aren’t teenagers anymore. They can handle their relationship like grown adults who want to make things right.

So, Jeno and Renjun start going on dates. Although they’re both quite busy with their respective schedules, they still manage to find time to meet each other. Their dates are not as fancy as one could think, but that’s unimportant. The important thing is that Jeno and Renjun get to enjoy each other’s company. Sometimes Jeno visits Renjun after work, and they eat some pizza while watching a movie. Sometimes they’re so busy that they only have time to share a warm cup of tea—as warm as the feeling that spreads in their chests while they hug in the doorway, greeting each other after a tiring day. On Saturday evenings, Jeno takes the opportunity to bring Renjun to his favorite restaurant, so they can chat over a bottle of Chilean wine—a recommendation from the president of Chile himself, from the time Jeno and he met in an international conference.

Interestingly enough, none of their dates makes it to public eye, and Jeno is glad that he can enjoy this by himself. With a giggle on his lips, Renjun assures him that he has quite the experience avoiding paparazzi cameras. The perks of being an idol for 10 years.

Well, one of their dates does reach the public eye, but it’s more of a funny story.

One night, Renjun and Jeno had a conversation and decided to let the other try out their pastimes, so they can enjoy their leisure time together. See, Jeno has loved cycling ever since he started college. That is a well-known fact about him, even though he doesn’t engage in this hobby as often as he did when he was younger, only relying on it when he’s in dire need to release stress. For that reason, Jeno brought Renjun cycling with him. Unfortunately, the outcome was more comical than romantic.

A picture from that day gets posted on social media. It was taken by a random citizen who witnessed the hilarious situation. In it, Jeno and Renjun are standing in front of each other. While Jeno is dressed in all-black sportswear and there is a huge smile on his face, Renjun is wearing an oversized white t-shirt, loose jeans, and a chic bucket hat—his expression can only be described as appalled. Even the contrast in their bikes is hilarious: Jeno’s bicycle is imposing and professional-looking, while Renjun’s one is light blue, and it has a cute basket in front. The picture causes laughter among netizens, who even use it for memes. Some of them claim that it’s a cute picture, though, but it doesn’t make it less funny.

Renjun remembers this embarrassing episode perfectly. He even has to talk about it in a variety show! It’s not regretful, but why couldn’t they be photographed when they were all dressed up drinking fancy wine?

But, well, here’s what happened. Renjun had no idea Jeno was so passionate about cycling. When the idea was proposed, Renjun thought they would be taking a calm ride along the riverside. They would giggle together while the breeze hit their faces, and they would finish with a picnic in a park—it sounded romantic, right? Turns out that Jeno had a totally different picture in mind. In the end, Jeno made Renjun cycle for hours, all while Renjun could barely keep up with his pace. When they finished, he was grumpy, sweaty, and exhausted.

The next weekend Renjun got his payback, though, and they went hiking. After that episode, the two of them came to a conclusion: there is only one physical activity that they can both enjoy together.

📰. . .

When two busy people are involved in a relationship, making necessary efforts is the key to make it flourish. Sure, Renjun hasn’t asked Jeno for anything out of the ordinary, but Jeno still wants to go an extra length for him. Albeit exclusive, the two of them are not official yet, but Jeno believes their specific label doesn’t hold any relevance when taking these decisions: giving Renjun moral support is the bare minimum, and Jeno can do more.

Without telling him, Jeno decides to plan a surprise.

Lately, the two of them haven’t spent much time together. Once or twice a week, when their schedules match, they meet to have a cup of tea in Renjun’s apartment. They chat and share their worries, which entangle with the steam of the hot liquid until it’s time to depart again. Their usual routine of going on elaborated dates has also been halted, since finding a moment to meet is becoming more and more difficult. The reason for the sudden change? Renjun has been preparing for the release of a new solo single.

Jeno knows this is important for him. Renjun has talked about this single non-stop, sharing bits of stories about different meetings, the recording process, and even the plans for the promotion period. This is not the first time Renjun releases a solo song, but schedules without his fellow Dream members always turn him into a nervous wreck. So Jeno knows he needs the support.

On top of that, Renjun is also preparing a fan concert. It was proposed by the company to promote his single, but Jeno remembers the way Renjun’s eyes sparkled the moment he told Jeno about the news. They were hugging on the couch, stretching their seconds together, and Renjun had this excited expression on his face that was incredibly endearing. It’s set to be held in a small venue for a more intimate vibe between Renjun and the fans, but Renjun doesn’t care about its capacity—he’s just happy he can sing in front of his fans and interact with them.

Nevertheless, while Renjun prepares and rehearses for his concert, there is a problem. It’s not much of a big deal, really. Pff! It’s just a small thing. It’s just—Jeno is freaking busy because, well, he’s still the president of the country.

Luckily, the final negotiations with the National Student Federation have gone through a smooth sailing, so there isn’t much of a problem with that. Kim Jiwoo was of big help since she wasn’t opposed to working with them—Jeno sees a bright future for her. But countries are always dynamic, and so is Jeno’s job. There is always a matter to attend, someone to meet, somewhere to be, and a discussion to be held. Life is hectic. One day he’s on a train in direction to the south of the national territory with the minister of energy, and the next one he’s on TV, giving an important interview about their plans to reinforce national security.

But Jeno wants to do this for Renjun, so he must find a way to make it work. He reorganizes his schedule, moves some meetings around and even makes the effort to get ahead of his workload. There are situations Jeno can’t foresee right now, but he can manipulate the ones he already has knowledge of. No matter what it takes, Jeno will make some space in his hectic schedule.

Days later, Jeno finds himself inside the venue of the fan concert. He makes it on time and even gets to observe a bit of the fans’ concert culture. A bunch of people arrive with banners with Renjun’s face and name in it, and their Kkumi-bong—Dream’s official lightstick; it has the shape of a cloud and a star, and it lights up in soft color blue. Jeno watches them carefully, wondering if maybe he should have bought merch too. The only thing he has is a single yellow tulip, which is a flower that reminds him of Renjun. Jeno twirls the flower in his fingers nervously and takes a peek at his wristwatch.

The truth is that Jeno wants to attract as least attention as possible. Like an undercover idol, he’s wearing a winter coat, a big hoodie, a black mask, and a beanie. He tried to go for an outfit that looked casual enough to blend among the crowd, so that he won’t get recognized by the fans sitting around him.

Ironically, Jeno bought a seat in the first row. He didn’t use his connections to buy such ticket. Instead, he went through the exhausting process of making the virtual line, hoping that he could have enough luck to find a nice seat. Chenle helped him, too. They were in Jeno’s office with the website open in both of their laptops. Jeno thinks Chenle was more nervous than him, biting his fingernails and everything.

Till now, no fans have recognized him. For them, he’s just a mere fanboy—which he is. Jeno didn’t lie when they met all those months ago. Jeno has kept an eye in Dream for a while. Ok, maybe the girls sitting next to him stared at him for a second too long, but they didn’t say anything, so Jeno thinks he’s safe.

All of a sudden, the lights dim. Squeals fill the small venue until the spotlight casts its rosy hues into the man sitting with a microphone in the middle of the stage. Renjun is there, looking as majestic as ever as the initial melody of the song starts, and Jeno gets reminded of the time they met in Mr. Kim’s party. His idol persona is something Jeno has seen in person only a few times yet every time he’s still as enchanting. It’s impossible to take his eyes off Renjun, as well as ignoring the wave of emotions that hit him the moment the idol starts to sing.

Jeno doesn’t consider himself an overly emotional person. When he won the elections, he didn’t cry. People celebrated his win, and it was overwhelming, but Jeno was more focused on the feeling of his efforts being finally rewarded. He didn’t know how to react—everything was too much, and Jeno could only think about what was yet to come.

When he sees Renjun on stage, though, he gets reminded of the man’s excitement throughout this entire past month. Jeno can perfectly picture the glint in his tired eyes and the sound of his voice rambling about his expectations and the endless list of things he wanted to do. Jeno finds himself smiling at the thought. There is warm feeling spreading inside him that Jeno can only describe as pride. Because Renjun is not only cute, with a captivating personality, but he’s also extremely hard-working and ambitious. There is a perfect balance between his strengths and the softness inside him—it makes Jeno fall a bit deeper for him.

When the first song finishes, Renjun looks at the crowd. His expression is hard to decipher. He seems quite focused, but also a tad moved by the sight of so many people supporting him. Having a long career won’t stop him from feeling deep appreciation for his fans, no matter the occasion. Renjun’s eyes move across the picture laid out in front of him. There are around a thousand people in the room, with their banners and lightsticks, and Renjun looks at them like he’s trying to print their identities in his retina. That’s until his eyes stop on a certain figure sitting in the first row. Renjun doesn’t say anything that indicates that he has found him, but he takes a moment to squint at Jeno before smiling widely, successfully recognizing him.

After that, the concert continues. Everything goes smoothly, just like Renjun and his team originally planned. Renjun sings a few of his older songs at first, going for an intimate R&B feeling, before taking a moment to talk with the crowd. He seems relaxed. Renjun introduces himself and thanks the fans for coming, and then he derails to talk about how nervous he felt in the waiting room an hour ago. He drinks water an announces that he will be singing the next batch of songs—a set of iconic ballads and some K-drama OSTs.

Jeno enjoys the concert as if he were a simple fanboy—he’s no different from the people sitting around him. He cheers when he has to, sings quietly and even records a few fancams with his phone. Some of his recordings look so great that Jeno even considers making a fake social media account to post them later. But on a second thought, Jeno ponders on the selfish idea of keeping them to himself. Like a fanboy, his eyes are glued to Renjun’s figure in front of him.

Jeno’s plan to blend among the crowd fails miserably when the second ment finishes. An hour has passed since the concert started, and for a moment Jeno believes that he has succeeded in his mission of attending Renjun’s concert as an undercover. But he’s wrong.

After interacting with the audience and a change of clothes, Renjun gets ready to start the third and last set of songs before the encore. There is a standing microphone in front of him, decorated with a myriad of flowers that contribute to the entire fairy forest concept of the concert. Jeno glances at the tulip on his lap. Renjun suits this sort of nature concept really well. Although they are usually given to female idols, Renjun perfectly embodies the fairy look, always wearing light colors in his stage outfits. When Jeno looks up, Renjun has his eyes set on him.

They have made eye contact multiple times across the duration of the concert. If he has to admit it, Jeno must say that he does feels giddy every time it happens, but Renjun always acts like a professional. Now, however, it’s almost as if they had switched places. When their eyes meet, Jeno can see Renjun gulp as he grabs the microphone and moves his gaze to the rest of the audience. But his eyes betray him: they dart back at Jeno, sitting in the first row, before switching back to the rest of the crowd again. Now, Jeno is visibly confused. He can’t understand what Renjun is doing, or why he looks suddenly nervous.

Then it happens a third time. Renjun glances at Jeno. He looks at the rest of the audience. His mouth opens, and everyone thinks he will finally start to sing, until Renjun frowns.

“Oh, stop looking at me. I can’t focus!” Renjun blurts out all of a sudden. There is clear annoyance in his voice, and the venue fills with a weird mix of confused noises and laughter.

Now Jeno feels like he’s been put in the spotlight. Some people are looking at him—he’s the guy Renjun is talking to, and everyone is curious to know why he earned such reaction from the man on stage. Jeno wants to sigh and hide, but, instead, he simply shrugs from his spot. Jeno hasn’t done anything aside from looking at him, just like everyone else in the room. Renjun can’t blame him for something he hasn’t done. He’s not there to distract the pretty idol.

“Don’t play dumb. You know what you’ve been doing!” Renjun says, accusingly. There is a cute frown in his face that every attendee finds adorable. The universal consensus is, probably, that Renjun acts and resembles an angry kitten. Not intimidating at all, just cute.

It’s at that moment that Jeno decides to give up. There is no point in hiding his identity anymore. Renjun brought all the attention to him; if he could, he would grab the big light and point it into the direction of Jeno’s seat. So Jeno sighs and takes off his mask.

“I’m not doing anything, though?” He defends himself, voice loud and clear enough for all the silent fans to hear him.

And the crowd releases a collective gasp. The girls sitting next to him turn around at the speed of light with the expression of someone who just saw a real ghost. Some people behind him point their phone cameras at him, too. Hushed whispers can be heard: The president came to the show? Is Jeno actually here? Heol, I knew that guy looked familiar.

Renjun chuckles at their reaction, as if he hadn’t orchestrated this situation himself.

“Why are you acting surprised? Didn’t you notice he was here?” Renjun asks to the rest of the audience before turning back to Jeno, this time with his arms crossed. “I didn’t know you were coming. Now I’m more nervous. What if I mess up so badly that the president kicks me out of the country?”

It’s a clear joke, but Jeno immediately panics. What kind of joke is that? Is Renjun crazy? Does he want his fans to hate him? Upon hearing him, Jeno immediately starts shaking his head. His ears turn read under his beanie, and Jeno shakes his head so hard that the girl next to him is afraid it might go flying.

Renjun speaks again, enjoying his reaction. He’s proud of himself—evident in the way he bites his lip to prevent his own satisfied smile.

“I’m just kidding, guys. The president is my fan. Not many can brag about that. Am I right, President Lee?” Renjun winks at Jeno, and Jeno is absolutely embarrassed.

Luckily, that impromptu discussion seems to ease up Renjun’s nerves. After laughing a little, he announces that he will continue with the show and starts the next song. Just like that, the concert progresses evenly until it’s time to wrap up. Renjun greets and thanks the audience one last time before bowing and sending off a big flying kiss. The room turns into darkness for a short minute, and when the lights are turned on again, Renjun is gone. His solo fan concert has finished, and the fans are ready to leave.

Jeno quickly finds himself alone in his seat. The yellow tulip is still resting on his lap when Jeno decides to visit Renjun backstage, still processing the events that transpired during the past hours. For some reason, his heart feels full, and Jeno can’t help the way a smile spreads on his face. He’s so proud of Renjun. Jeno can’t wait to see him. He’s dying to hug him and kiss him and just tell him how amazing he is.

📰. . .

An hour later, Jeno and Renjun are sitting in the backseat of a car. It has tinted windows that aim at hiding the identity of the people inside, except that everyone waiting outside the venue saw them ride it together. In front, a young man is driving them in direction to Renjun’s apartment. Beside Jeno, Renjun lets out a big sigh, as if he were releasing all the tension pooled inside him with a tiny gesture, and rests his head on Jeno’s shoulder. Outside, the sight of the venue and the group of fans biding their farewells with the shake of their Kkumi-bongs becomes blurrier and blurrier, fading away with the distance.

Even though the temperature is colder, it’s warm inside the car. The proximity of Renjun’s body next to his irradiates warmth, and Jeno basks into the comfort and familiarity of their position. Jeno’s gaze moves from the window to the flower in Renjun’s fingers. He’s holding it like a precious treasure, and Jeno feels himself smile.

Originally, he proposed the idea of a single yellow tulip because of two reasons: yellow is a bright color able to light up any piece of art, just like Renjun is able to light up everything with his presence; in addition, the sight of a single tulip is imposing enough, strong just like Renjun. When Chenle heard him, he erupted with laughter, calling him absurd and stingy. But Chenle doesn’t get it. At least Renjun could appreciate it. He even laughed when Jeno explained that it fits the nature concept of the concert—Renjun is akin to a forest fairy, so a nice flower is like an offering to him. Is Jeno being absurd?

Renjun pulls him out of his reverie.

“I think you’re stealing my audience.” When Jeno moves his head to look at him, he finds the idol with a frown on his face. The way he presses his lips together to hold his laughter betrays him, though. “When we left the concert hall, they were all shouting your name. What about me?”

“Are you jealous that I’m more popular than you? Maybe I should have been an idol.” Jeno raises an eyebrow teasingly, and Renjun immediately gasps.

“How dare you?” He mutters through gritted teeth. Renjun crosses his arms in front of his chest and pretends to look away.

This staged annoyance is not unusual because Renjun tends to enjoy engaging in silly roleplay, exaggerating situations out of pure enjoyment. Jeno thinks it’s endearing. The way to appease him and finish the act is quite simple. First, Jeno taps his shoulder to get him to look at him. When Renjun turns around, Jeno grabs his jaw and, slowly, joins their lips together. The moment Renjun smiles into the kiss is when Jeno knows that he has succeeded.

Once they separate, Jeno throws a glance to the manager. They have stopped in a red light, and the man is looking at them through the mirror. When their gazes meet, he’s quick to look away in embarrassment. Jeno does the same.

A few minutes later, that embarrassment is thrown outside the window. Inside Renjun’s apartment, there is no one else who can witness their expressions of love. There is no need to maintain a certain pretense, run away from prying eyes or drown afraid of external judgements. For that reason, Jeno lets Renjun slide his clothes off his body and kiss him senselessly. The only things that matter at this moment are the wishes of the man in front of him, that Jeno, like a genie, pretends to comply.

Renjun has successfully trapped him in his web. Akin to a wizard, he has worked his magic to turn him into his pawn, and now Jeno is unable to escape him. Today’s events confirm it. Jeno is ready to eat from Renjun’s hand. He would do anything for him, even if that implies reorganizing his entire schedule to get an opportunity to attend his concert.

When they were in the car, Renjun confessed that he felt happy. A kind of happiness and satisfaction that was hard to attain. His confession had been proclaimed through a soft whisper, and his voice had been so low that it was almost as if Jeno was the only person meant to hear it. He didn’t say anything else, but Jeno understood what Renjun meant.

There was a gentle smile on Renjun’s face as he uttered the words. It matched with his tired eyes, completing the look of fulfillment. In that moment, Jeno thought that he was the embodiment of perseverance. Anyone who knew Renjun could see that he was someone who always strived to achieve his own goals, pushing himself until exhaustion teared his own bones apart. That gentle smile looked perfect on him. He did well.

For now, Jeno wants him to rest. Usually, Jeno would say that Renjun is the person that makes him feel like it’s okay to slow down and close his eyes. When they’re together, Renjun’s presence is akin to a warm blanket, protecting him from the cold. But today Jeno wants to reverse the roles and be that person for Renjun. After a successful concert, he wants to be the one to tell Renjun that his efforts have been worth it, and that he doesn’t have to worry anymore. Like a reward, Jeno wants Renjun to feel good.

Their bodies hit the mattress, and their lips entangle into a messy kiss. With the help of his tongue, Jeno swallows Renjun’s smile in hopes of getting a taste of his delight. The result of such blissful exchange is a lascivious symphony that quickly fills the room. Although Jeno heard Renjun sing that afternoon, he’s still completely mesmerized when the idol’s moans hit his eardrums. They send a shiver down his spine as Jeno works his hips into him, pushing deeper and deeper until no thoughts can cross Renjun’s mind.

Jeno is known for being diligent. He carries burdens that are not meant for him to carry. He tries to maintain a pristine image through a perfect performance, always going a little bit beyond to exceed citizen’s expectations. Some may say that Jeno’s expectations are so irrationally high that he attempts to fix everyone’s problems on his own, like a superhero team composed by only one person. There is a need to fulfill everyone’s needs and leave them satisfied. With that exact mindset, Jeno fucks Renjun.

He rolls his hips with such vigor, until the idol is a blabbering mess under him. He thrusts into him as if bringing him pleasure was his only goal. Tonight, Jeno doesn’t want Renjun to put on any effort—it’s his reward, and it’s time for him to relax and enjoy himself, especially after putting on such an amazing show. There is no more need for the idol to worry. Jeno will do everything to fulfill Renjun’s needs until he’s completely satiated and the pleasure becomes unbearable. And, just then, Jeno will succeed in bringing heaven to him.

📰. . .

To no one’s surprise, a great chunk of the comments regarding Renjun’s fan concert involve Jeno. Humans are curious beings by nature after all. Amidst the sea of congratulatory posts, some gossipy publications can be found too. Overall, the general consensus indicates that no one expected Jeno to attend the concert—by the looks of it, some think not even Renjun did (and they are not wrong). If people hadn’t known that the two of them are acquaintances, this would have definitely been an unexpected duo. Still, the resurgence of the connection between their names combined with the blatant and deliberate exposure is enough to shock the entire nation.

There is a second, more irrelevant, consensus, too: the sight of the single yellow tulip is both endearing and funny as hell. It seems like no one saw Jeno’s vision, unfortunately.

Either way, netizens can’t help but debate the nature of their relationship again. Even if they try, Jeno and Renjun don’t look like two guys who have nothing going on. It’s hard not to discuss whether Jeno’s intentions were friendly or not. There are two options: Lee Jeno is either a really good friend or just a dedicated partner. No matter one’s opinion, Renjun is definitely lucky, and some people in the internet claim that they would die to be in his spot. Moreover, the two of them seem to be closer than people thought they were. Otherwise, why would they leave in the same car? Suspicious, yup.

This last point brings back the rumors and pictures of them released months ago. Did everyone forget about the first time their names got put together? They were in an elevator, looking like they were five seconds away from sucking each other’s faces! (Which they actually did, but the public doesn’t know that yet, okay?) People start to over analyze Jeno’s old statement again. The conclusion? Jeno and Renjun are definitely toying with the general population. There is no way they aren’t dating. Or hooking up. Or dating and hooking up.

The speculations escalate in such a way that people start micro-analyzing Jeno’s current behavior in comparison to the way he acted once the news about his last break up broke out. It’s funny. Once, Jeno was only seen cycling at 5 a.m., and people speculated that it was because he was in desperate need of releasing stress. He tried to hide his grumpiness, but everyone could see it. Now, though, during his public appearances, Jeno is mostly seen relaxed and sporting a grin on his face. Whatever is going on with him, it’s hard to deny that he looks happier, and that happiness is reflected in his overall performance, too.

The endless discussion on President Lee Jeno’s love life is the perfect scene for an opportunist media outlet. An article titled ‘The truth about Lee Jeno and Huang Renjun’s relationship’ is released. The title is almost ridiculous and it’s, also, blatant clickbait. But people rush to feed of it akin to vultures feasting on dead meat.

The article features three pictures, taken a few weeks prior to Renjun’s fan concert. The scene occurs in what seems like an empty street in the middle of the night, and it’s starred by the two main characters: a man wearing an oversized zip-up hoodie, and another one covering his pajamas with a knitted cardigan, who’s standing by the entrance of an apartment building in all three pictures. The two of them are blissfully unaware of the paparazzi camera pointing at them.

In the first one, Jeno is in front of his personal car with his hands in his pockets, seemingly looking for his keys. His back is facing Renjun, who is watching him attentively from the entrance of his building with his hands crossed over his chest. In the second one, Jeno is holding the keys to his car in his hand, but he has turned around to face Renjun, still watching him. Although the quality of the pictures is not that good, the sight of Jeno’s smiley eyes and the gentle grin on his face are clear enough to tell that he’s smiling at the idol. In the last picture of the sequence, Jeno has already crossed the distance separating them. The two of them are standing in front of each other, and Jeno is placing a chaste kiss over Renjun’s bangs. The idol has his eyes closed, and one of his hands is gripping the president’s shoulder.

An intimate, warm farewell after escaping from their hectic routines, enjoying each other’s company. There it is. There is no point in hiding it anymore—not when there is raw affection in their eyes, that not even low-quality pictures can conceal.

📰. . .

Hello, everyone.

This is Lee Jeno. I’m sincerely writing this message to address the recent article posted by a media outlet. Recently, a sequence of pictures has been published online, where Huang Renjun and I can be seen sharing an intimate moment together. This has sparked a series of speculations and spiked the interest of some people. The two of us have gathered to discuss this situation, and we have decided to confirm the rumors and reveal our relationship. Renjun and I have been seeing each other with good feelings for quite some time now, so there is no point in keeping our relationship undercover. It’s time for us to share that we are happy together.

Although I am aware that this is a personal matter that does not concern the citizens of the country, I will take this opportunity to express myself. Renjun may look soft on the outside, but he’s a strong-willed man. I admire him a lot, and I expect to learn from him, too. He’s a person who strives to achieve his goals and push his own limits, but who always keeps his feet in the ground and takes a moment to appreciate the beauty of life. Renjun holds an infinite curiosity to know what’s beyond, and he’s incredibly talented. His fans must know this very well. I’m a lucky man for getting the opportunity to love him and get infested with his endless optimism. For this reason, I want to assure his fans that there is no need to worry since Renjun’s heart is in good hands.

To the citizens of the country, I grant you that I will keep working hard to make this beautiful nation flourish. I know I am still lacking in some areas and there is a whole road ahead for me to learn and gain experience. Some of you may be worried about the way a romantic relationship could influence my performance, but I assure you that, if anything, my boyfriend and my team are giving me nothing but support to keep doing better and fulfill your expectations. My biggest priority will always be ensuring the prosperity of the country—it is my biggest goal and responsibility, and I can only achieve it with your trust. I will keep working hard to make this a memorable government that can exceed your expectations.

Thank you so much for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Lee Jeno.

📰. . .

(“Thank you so much for your answers, Minister Zhong. Is there a possibility that we could ask you one last question?” A young journalist speaks into her mic. It has the logo of a renowned radio station.

This press conference has been almost perfect: journalists have been polite, and they keep asking meaningful questions. Time went by rather quickly without facing any inconvenience, and Chenle was able to expand on his ideas with ease. He stops to think about it since he has already addressed every topic he had to discuss, and everything should be clear by now. Still, smooth conferences like this one are rare, so he decides to entertain the press with a final round of questions, like a prize for their own work.

“Yes, you can. I will clarify any pending doubt you have or answer other relevant questions on a different topic.”

Chenle shoots a charismatic smile to the young journalist. She gets flustered for a second before regaining her composure.

“President Lee recently revealed his relationship with Huang Renjun, a member of the idol group Dream. Could you tell us about the way this news was received inside the presidential palace? Do you think they could influence—”

An older man interrupts the young journalist to speak into his own mic. “Yes, please, Minister Zhong. You are known to be President Lee’s best friend and right hand. What are your thoughts on their relationship?”

“Did you know about this beforehand? We are really curious.”

“Do you think Huang Renjun has a sudden interest in starting a political career?”

Suddenly, all the reporters in the room start talking over each other, until their questions become harder and harder to decipher. Chenle sighs into the mic, audible enough for everyone to hear. He rubs his temple with the fingertips of two fingers. He knew this press conference was too perfect to be true—he should have denied the request for more questions. Chenle can’t say that he doesn’t get paid enough to do this. The truth is that his paycheck is more than decent. Still, Chenle didn’t spend so many years preparing in college to end up talking about Jeno’s boyfriend.

He clears his throat and grabs the mic in the podium one more time. The reporters immediately shut their mouths, expectant.

“Thank you so much for your questions. With this, we can conclude the press conference. Good job, everyone.” Saying that, Chenle abandons the room. There is a smirk on his face. The press is perplexed.)