Chapter Text
𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚗 // 𝟷𝟽 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷.
a giggle escapes the recess of sunoo's lips as he turns around and winks at the camera, a cheeky smile painting the lower half of his face. he makes eye contact with his viewers, daring them silently to watch him. he's going to make ni-ki - the boy whom nobody knows is his secret boyfriend - send him a finger heart, for a challenge tasked by the producers of a content they're filming. although it'll be cringy to both of them, sunoo's adamant that he'll make ni-ki do it wholeheartedly.
talk about a deal with the devil. sunoo has no idea how stubborn the younger can be.
they've only recently started dating, and sunoo has this flicker of hope and happiness in his heart everytime he thinks about it. he regards this as the honeymoon of their relationship. everything is new to them both, but it just makes sunoo more excited for the future. honestly, ni-ki is the best boyfriend he could ever ask for, attentive to his needs, not afraid to show affection even if they're on camera, never failing to treat him like his one and only.
enthusiasm bubbles up inside him and he skips over to his boyfriend. when their eyes meet, however, instead of the usually sparkly stars sunoo sees, ni-ki gazes blankly at him before turning away. just like that. and a strike of confusion and worry pierces sunoo so hard he's nearly knocked backwards. it's completely uncalled for - why is ni-ki suddenly pretending he doesn't exist?
sunoo latches his hands onto ni-ki's arms, somehow unaware of how the younger tugs away from him slightly. "ni-ki..."
"should we do hearts to the camera, together?"
a hint of colour sparks in ni-ki's cheeks and a tiny curve of his lips reveals a small smile from him. it lifts sunoo's heart from where it's resting heavily in his stomach, and he tilts his head even more, shooting a questioning gaze his boyfriend's way.
however, despite the quiet smile, ni-ki shakes his head slightly and murmurs, "do it yourself," so softly that sunoo doubts that even the microphone attached to his clothes picked it up.
"so i'll do it alone?" he cocks his head again, confusion swimming behind his vision. what has he done to warrant such a response? he doesn't remember anything he's done that could remotely piss ni-ki off. their relationship is so fresh and tentative that sunoo tries not to disrupt their peace as much as he can. as much as he wants to tease ni-ki for all the childish things he does. fear pulsates through him. usually, ni-ki's always up to doing anything with him, or for him. why has it changed all of a sudden? clearly, he's done something wrong, but he can't place his finger on what, exactly.
just as worry's about to get the better of him, sunghoon cranes his neck and speaks up, amusement tainting the edges of his words. "he's upset 'cause you stole the caramel macchiato he was drinking."
and realisation hits sunoo like a bullet train, but he tries not to let it show.
he's an idiot. really.
he'd assumed that ni-ki didn't want to drink it anymore, and had left it there for him to finish up. without thinking twice, he drank straight from the straw he'd seen the younger use just minutes ago. he had no idea he'd come to regret such a minuscule action.
now, his fingers fondle with the younger's as he blinks cutely at him at the same time, trying to capture his attention. "please, ni-ki, please do it with me..." he tries coaxing with a pleading look in his eyes. the evil side of him knows exactly what ni-ki can't ignore, what's irresistible to him. however, the blank look doesn't escape his sharp gaze, and he turns away again.
"but my caramel macchiato..." he mumbles, sounding so genuinely upset that sunoo had taken it that the latter feels like falling to his knees in a desperate apology. sunoo's heart wrenches with affection at this.
"i'm sorry..." he apologises quietly, flinging an arm around the younger's shoulders. when has he grown so much? it seems like only yesterday when he was shorter than him, cuter than him, seeming for vulnerable than him. oh, how much he's changed. and how much he's going to change. honestly, sunoo wishes they could stay like this forever, content and happy in their own world. but he knows things change and one day they're going to go through a time of hardship. but it doesn't scare him. it encourages him to show more affection for the younger now.
this moment is theirs.
in response to sunoo's pleading apology, ni-ki merely dips his head in silence, his stubborn side getting the better of him. he continues to ignore sunoo, but the latter sees the visible contemplation flickering in his eyes. it sends him bright rays of hope. and hope, to him, is the most important emotion in their entire relationship. without the brightness of hope comes darkness. terrible, scary emptiness that sunoo never wants to experience.
"c'mon. just once..." sunoo breathes, clinging tighter onto his boyfriend's arm. a moment of silence passes, before ni-ki suddenly turns around and shoots a heart aimed directly for the camera, to sunoo's surprise. but just as fast as it appeared, it disappears as ni-ki hides his hand back inside the pocket of the shiny leather trench coat they're wearing.
shattering disappointment makes sunoo freeze to the spot where he's standing as ni-ki walks away almost indifferently. on instinct, a miserable pout curves his lips downwards, and he doesn't bother following ni-ki.
perspective change
ni-ki just can't bear to see sunoo so disappointed.
it almost amuses him. he looks so heartbroken over something so small. in all honesty, he's not as upset about the drink as he's made it seem. he's testing how long it'll take for sunoo to break. he's like that. he loves testing limits and boundaries.
this side of sunoo, though. it's too hard for him to resist.
"one... two... three..."
sunoo brightens instantly. the shift in the atmosphere is obvious and heartwarming all at the same time to ni-ki as sunoo's eyes shine in delight. ni-ki smiles to himself. he wants to continue seeing this glow in his boyfriend's hazel eyes, every single day.
and as soon as the camera's taken off of them, sunoo launches forward and straightens out his hair. "thank you, riki... and i'm sorry about the caramel macchiato."
a spark of affection ignites inside ni-ki. a laugh escapes him and pushes away sunoo's gentle touch tenderly. "no need to be sorry, love."
he glances around them to make sure nobody's looking before planting a soft kiss on sunoo's cheek.
a dark red flush spreads across those cheeks.
ni-ki's so glad to call this beauty his.