Chapter Text
Daeyoung timidly put the documents in blue plastic map from the team leader on top of the desk that is filled with NCT Jaehyun's photos on it. The owner of the desk is nowhere to be found since it's lunch time. He glances at the documents again for the last time.
“I hope she reads the sticky notes in that document.” He says while smiling shyly like a character in a shoujo manga he usually read back then when he was still in junior to high school students.
“Kim Daeyoung-ssi, bring the document I told you to finish before to my desk.” The team leader, a Japanese speaks fluently in Korean to Daeyoung who stands up timidly in front of someone's desk. He tilts his head not sure if he wants to ask Daeyoung why he stands there or not. But, well, the lunch time will be over shortly, he needs to at least bring back his favourite bubble tea from the cafe in front of the office to his desk.
“Ah, yes, Tokuno-nim.” Daeyoung then runs as fast as he can to his desk. Tokuno-nim, as known as Tokuno Yushi, the team leader in marketing department in U company nods his head and leaves.
It has been about a year and half since Daeyoung works in this company. It's a Korean branch of a large Japan company handling electronics products. So, of course, the managers and team leaders are mostly Japanese since they got transferred here.
Yushi is one of them. He is known as a sweet tooth team leader because he usually has bubble tea on top of his desk before the meeting and he usually eats spicy foods which Japanese people can't sometimes handle whenever he eats lunch at the company cafeteria. He is known to be super handsome too so some interns wish they could be put in the same team as him.
Daeyoung occasionally made a face as if he was enchanted by Yushi's beauty face whenever he came across him when he was still an intern. But, then that was it. He just admired it, he never wished to be in the same team at Yushi. If he could choose, he would like it to be in the same team as Oh Sion in the sales department, instead. He was such a supportive senior and taught him well and a lot. However once the internship ended, he got put in the same team as Yushi and there he met his crush, Oh Hana. She has the same surname as Oh Sion, but it was said that she is not related to Sion at all. She is older by one year than Daeyoung and just like Sion, she taught Daeyoung well and one time Daeyoung thought she was the team leader. He was so surprised to learn that the leisurely man who sip on his bubble tea like a mineral water daily was his team leader at that time.
Anyway, that's how Daeyoung secure his position in this company and team. He doesn't have any big complaints in this team. If all, he just really wants to tell the team leader to stop staring at him and occasionally tease him or else he will have to file a report for a bullying case within the company. However, it can't be considered as a bullying, too. But, still, Daeyoung feels uncomfortable sometimes and sweats would run profusely at his back because he thought he just made a mistake because of Yushi's penetrating gaze on him.
It's hard to face such a difficult person as your team leader, right? So sometimes, Daeyoung would go posting anonymous posts and complaint on naver. He will feel a lot better when someone shared the same experience as him through the comment section. Not only that, he also receives lots of feedbacks from the mongnyangie account that lately has been leaving comments under his posts. So, Daeyoung starts to act accordingly to avoid any mistakes that would anger the team leader. First, whenever the team leader asks him for something, he will run as fast as he can to deliver it to his desk. Is this one of mongnyangie-nim advice? No, but, anyway, Daeyoung still does it daily. Mongnyangie-nim's advices starts from here: Second, Daeyoung would smile friendly to the team leader. Mongnyangie-nim said it will be useful to give the team leader a smile to soothe his mood for the day. So, Daeyoung tries so hard smiling in front of Yushi awkwardly. Since he smiles a lot, he begins to feel the facial muscles sore. Third, the advice was to ask the team leader for lunch sometimes. Daeyoung was not confident to do it, so he just casually sometimes join Yushi in the cafetaria. He will be like 'Oh, you are eating alone here, team leader. Haha.' and naturally joins him for lunch. It happened for like four times, Daeyoung was complaining at that time to mongnyangie-nim because the team leader just stayed silent the whole time and stared at him. He thought he was hated for his gut joining him at lunch, so for one week Daeyoung only ate bread on his desk for lunch because he was afraid of coming across Yushi at the cafetaria.
Little that Daeyoung knew, that time the team leader was debating with himself the reason Daeyoung stopped eating lunch with him and was about to ask why. After seeing Daeyoung avoided him so much, Yushi finally backed away.
There are so many advices that mongnyangie person gave to Daeyoung. He has almost tried it all and now he thought he is well liked by the team leader since the team leader has stopped glaring at him from a far. Instead, he just got a new nickname from Yushi last week.
“You look like a county puppy.” Yushi said, it was more like he was mumbling to himself since he was so surprised seeing Daeyoung confused face.
“Yes?”
“Ah, no, I'm sorry. I was just talking to myself.”
Talking to himself? How weird. Those penetrating gaze, was it because I reminded him of a country dog? That's kind of sad. Should he be glad? Why a country dog, though? After all, Daeyoung can't fully understand Yushi. So he just maintains the distance as a Team leader and one of his team's member. He doesn't want to go beyond that, such as being a close brother or something.
Daeyoung carefully puts the document that Yushi requested on his desk. He just hopes today he doesn't make any mistakes since he doesn't want to stay behind. Please not today.
Daeyoung anxiously observes Oh Hana and team leader from his desk. Hana noona looks as carefree as always. Did she read the post it that I put in the document? Daeyoung thought, then he glances over to Yushi who is furrowing his eyebrows looking intensely at the document that Daeyoung put before. His heart beats so fast, he is not sure if it's because it's nearing the time to finally say byebye to this company for today and confess his love to Hana noona or because he is afraid he will spend the night at the company revising the document—again. However once he sees Yushi nods his head after going through the document, Daeyoung finally feels relaxed and focus on his work again.
Now, his heart is fluttering and beating so fast. Even if he gets rejected—which he hopes for it to not happen—he will feel content just voicing his feelings to Hana noona. So, he looks forward to it a lot.
Daeyoung sits down alone on the bench behind the company building. There is a small park there facing the sunset, so he thinks this is the ideal place to confess his love under such a romantic atmosphere.
Daeyoung carefully recites the words he has been trying to utter for the last 15 minutes. He wonders why Hana noona takes this long when she usually is the first one to leave the company once her work is done. His heart keeps beating loudly as he waits until Daeyoung hears some footsteps behind him. Afraid to turn his body, Daeyoung spontaneously starts confessing his feelings.
“Are you there?” There is only silence answering him.
Daeyoung continues his monologue confession, “Thank you for teaching me so much, helping me and showing the ropes to this company and team. Thank you for giving me lots of advices, too. I have noted it down and began to work diligently just like the advices that I received.”
“I know we haven't known each other for that long, but aside from the gratitude, there is this overflowing feelings that I harbour towards you each day passes. I begin to understand that these feelings are love.” Daeyoung gulps down feeling so nervous that his hands keep trembling.
“If you are okay with me, will you go out with me?” Just as he wants to turn his body, Daeyoung hears an answer to his confession.
“Okay, let's do it.” However, he doesn't recall Hana noona has such a low, light, and cotton candy like voice before.
“So, is today our first day?” At that question Daeyoung hurriedly turn his whole body and sees Yushi standing not too far from the bench cooly with hands in his pockets. Daeyoung stands up in panic. No, this is not how it should be!
“I was wondering why there was a post it on the document you gave me saying that you wanted me to come to the back of the company building.” Yushi takes some steps closer, closing his distance to the frozen still Daeyoung.
“I thought for sure that Daeyoung will complain to me. I... I didn't expect you would confess first, instead.” Yushi shyly closes the distance by putting his handsome face closer to Daeyoung by tip toeing.
Whoa, Daeyoung internally exclaims. No, no. This is not right! He gulps down and takes a step away. Eh, wait, confess first? He? Daeyoung? Who should confess first? Daeyoung at this time thought he suddenly doesn't understand Korean language at all. His brain can't function properly. This is like the biggest mistake he ever made.
“So, today is our first day?” Yushi blushes a bit and averts his gaze trying to hide it. However, his ears look so red. Wait, is this for real? Daeyoung thinks. So instead of dating Hana noona, he will date his team leader? First day? What is first day? Dating? And what is Yushi doing being all shy by himself? Is this his first time getting a confession? No way, ah but, it can be, from a man. It's Daeyoung's first time too confessing like this to a man, mistakenly! Oh, no, should he just cancel it? He is not gay! How can he be dating a man and on top of it his team leader?! Oh my God, Daeyoung feels like he wants to faint.
“I wish Daeyoung will call me hyung from now on.” Yushi says without knowing how Daeyoung feels. Daeyoung feels dizzy.
“What should I call Daeyoung?” Oh, shut up for once will you, why is he suddenly becoming so talkative?
“.... Daeyoung is okay.” Daeyoung unconsciously answers. Yushi smiles showing his beautiful teeth. It's the first time Daeyoung has ever seen Yushi smiles widely like this.
“As a boyfriend, I should take you home.” Yushi giggles alone to himself. Daeyoung is on the verge of breaking down and crying looking at how happy Yushi is, when he usually looks so cold, aloof and sometimes grumpy.
“Let's go.” Yushi grabs Daeyoung's wrist, he is staring hard to those beautiful long fingers and wondering if he should just intertwining their fingers, but it's just their first day. Won't it be too much? These overflowing feelings, if he was to intertwine his fingers to Daeyoung's, maybe he would get an extreme tachycardia and end up needing to be brought to the emergency room.
Daeyoung doesn't budge a bit from where he is standing, so Yushi looks up at him.
“Why?” Yushi seems confused.
“Ah, yeah, let's go. Haha. Let's go, Tokuno-nim.” Now, Daeyoung takes the lead while his wrist is still grabbed by Yushi tightly. Yushi pouts to himself.
“Hyung...”
“Yes?” Daeyoung turns his head and sees the pouty Tokuno Yushi with his long eyelashes when his eyes are downcasted.
“I told you to call me hyung, Daeyoung-ah.” Yushi slowly gazes up.
Daeyoung feels his heart beating fastly again. Crazy! He clutches his heart, why is it beating so fast like this? Am I gay? No!
So, Daeyoung awkwardly laughs, “Yeah, hyung. Uh.. let's go home.”
In Yushi's car, Daeyoung sits on the passenger seat. He recalls his friend when he was still in college that she wanted to be a passenger princess forever and sat side by side with her handsome boyfriend in the future. Daeyoung wonders where she is now, does she have a handsome boyfriend and become the passenger princess? Because right now, sadly, Daeyoung is the one experiencing it. Daeyoung unknowningly stares at Yushi from the corner of his eyes. He really looks handsome, even to his side profile.
“Uh, Daeyoung-ah, can you please...stop staring so much?” Yushi hides his ear with one of his hand.
“Ah, yes!” And Daeyoung sits down with his back straightened and his hands places on top of his knee. Yushi chuckles. How cute, is what he has on his mind.
“I didn't know being stared at so much feels so awkward and sometimes uncomfortable. I'm sorry for staring at you at work.” Yushi breaks the silence.
“Haha. That's okay, h-h-hyung.” Yushi smiles sheepishly.
“I didn't know it would make you so uncomfortable that you posted the complaints through naver.”
“Yeah, it was so uncomfortable. I ended up being an internet loser.” Daeyoung sighs.
Wait, naver? How did he know?
Daeyoung turns his head to Yushi, Yushi moves up his eyebrows as if saying 'What's wrong?'.
“To.. I mean, hyung, how did you know?”
“How? I was also posting lots of posts asking advices how to get close to one of my team member. You replied a lot to my posts. Honestly, who doesn't know the person behind that the username kdy2106?” Yushi laughs heartily.
Daeyoung blushes so hard, oh, no, he was so naive back then to make his initial and his birthday date into his username. He really thought no one in the company would discover him.
“So, hyung... What was your username? I thought I replied to lots of people...”
“Mongnyangie.”
“Yes?”
“My username is mongnyangie.”
Are you fucking serious right now?! Daeyoung.exe has stopped working. He flops down to his seat and only stares blankly at the road in front of him. This is too much of informations and events happening in one day. Will he perhaps die in the following day? This really doesn't make any sense.
“Surprised? I thought Daeyoung has already known it.”
No answer.
“If you have any complaints, you can just say it to me, okay?” Yushi brings one of Daeyoung's hand to his lips and plants a kiss there.
Crazy! Now suddenly, it feels like the burdens on his shoulder have been lifted just from an apologetic kiss on the hand? Kim Daeyoung, you are gay?
Daeyoung pulls his hand without looking at Yushi.
Then, both of them stay in silence until Yushi drops Daeyoung off in front of his apartment complex. Daeyoung waves his hand absent mindedly and takes the stairs to his room.
Daeyoung is staggering to reach his room at the end of the hallway and puts the password. He then flops down in the entrance way. He is pondering if he closes his eyes now, will it all turn out to be just one of his nightmare?
The next day, since morning, Yushi acts as usual so Daeyoung was so sure what happened yesterday was just his nightmare. So, he makes another resolution today to act as naturally as possible and maybe he can confess to Hana noona—again. But, of course, what happened yesterday was not just his illusion or nightmare.
“Let's eat lunch together.” Yushi comes approaching Daeyoung who is still focusing with his works.
Daeyoung looks up and looks around, there is no one beside Yushi and him. So, he stands up from his seat with reluctance and follows Yushi to the cafetaria.
At the cafetaria, once both of them has found their seat, Daeyoung looks around to see Hana noona and as expected she is nowhere to be found. It looks like she has lunch outside of the company.
“Who are you looking for?” His eyes meet Yushi's. Daeyoung shakes his head.
“Don't think of cheating.” Yushi says coldly as he resumes eating his favourite kimchi stew.
Ah, right. He really is d-da-dating his team leader. When is the right time to breakup? It's just their second day. Should he just wait for one month to pass? As I said, Daeyoung is not gay. Should he act like this is not dating and only think of it as hanging around with a close older brother? Yeah, let's do it until one month passes and breakup. Daeyoung nods himself. Why does he need to wait for one month? It's because he needs to search for another company to work. He will resign after their breakup since it will be hella awkward being in the same team and company.
“Oh! It's rare to see you two eat lunch together. Can Riku and I join?” Sion and Riku come approaching them with a tray on their hands. Yushi simply nods his head.
“Oh, Yushi! You finally eat lunch again with Daeyoung?!” Sion says teasingly. Daeyoung makes a confused face, while Riku keeps stretching his philtrum as if he knows some grave secrets.
Yushi nonchalantly answers, “It's because we are dating right now.”
There is silence.
“Yes?!” However the one who is so surprised at Yushi's words was his boyfriend, Kim Daeyoung.
“What?! Who confessed first?” Riku asks, he makes a bewildered face. Yushi just points his index finger to Daeyoung.
“Me?!”
Daeyoung looks around and awkwardly says, “Haha. Yes. It was me.” and Yushi makes a smudge expression.
“Are you sure you confessed to Yushi? You didn't confess to the wrong person, right?” Sion's question comes bombarding Daeyoung. Daeyoung sweats profusely. He glances over to Yushi, Yushi is now being sullen. He looks like he is trying so hard to maintain his calm demeanor, though, so Daeyoung feels bad. His heart feels like it was squeezed. That's strange.
“What do you mean, hyung? I really confessed to Yushi h-hyung yesterday.” Daeyoung answers almost confidently.
Sensing something heavy in the atmosphere, Riku starts changing the topic to everyday life questions like the ones he learnt in his Korean language class before.
On their way back home, since Yushi doesn't drive today, he walks with Daeyoung to the bus stop. He insisted on it but he remains silent the whole time while pouting. Daeyoung thinks it must be weighing on his mind about Sion's question at lunch. Well, it's true that he did confess mistakenly to Yushi. But, how will he explain it to Yushi?
“I won't breakup.” Yushi finally says in a soft voice barely above a whisper. Daeyoung patiently waits for Yushi's next words.
“I will make Daeyoung really falls for me in one month.” Daeyoung laughs painfully. In one month, he will breakup with Yushi.
“Really? Should I look forward to it, hyung?” Daeyoung smiles teasingly. Maybe this way Yushi's mood would become lighter.
“Yes, that's why I need to spend the night at Daeyoung's apartment tonight.”
“Is that so? Hmm.” Daeyoung absent mindedly replies.
“What?! Spending the night?!” Daeyoung gasps and covers his mouth. Yushi looks so determined and nods his head.
“It's only the second day!”
“I need to act fast, Daeyoung-ah. Don't worry I won't do anything.”
You must never do anything to me, crazy guy! Aaahhh, Daeyoung ruffles his hair in frustration.
“So, I can't?” Yushi looks up to Daeyoung and shows him his kitty like eyes.
“Ugh!” It seems like Yushi knows Daeyoung's weaknesses.
“Fine!”
That day, on their second day, Daeyoung brings Yushi home. The whole time he rides the bus with Yushi, he glances over to Yushi who looks so excited and keeps texting him even though he can just whisper the words to him. Is he even older than Daeyoung? Well, he looks kind of cute like that so Daeyoung just lets it slide.
“My apartment is a studio type so it is not that spacious. Please make yourself at home.” Daeyoung unlocks his apartment and Yushi secretly takes a closer look at it. When Daeyoung feels so suspicious at Yushi, Yushi whistles with no sound.
Once Yushi arrives at Daeyoung's entrance way, he takes his shoes off and put it nicely on the shoe racks. He politely follows Daeyoung every where and even to his room.
Daeyoung squints his eyes, when I say just make himself at home, I didn't mean to follow me even to my room. Daeyoung sighs, he will eventually sleeps in this room, so again Daeyoung just lets it slide.
“What do you want to eat for dinner, hyung?” Daeyoung hands Yushi his old pajama.
“Anything Daeyoung make.” He sniffs at it then realises his action quickly. It still smells like Daeyoung. He means, it might smell something like how Daeyoung would smell like.... Yushi believes himself is not a pervert and he hasn't smelled Daeyoung.
“Hmm, I haven't gone out shopping these days. I will go out, hyung, you can take the shower first. The bathroom is there.” Daeyoung gives the direction using his index finger.
Daeyoung then quickly takes off his suit and unbuttons his shirt to change it into comfortable hoodie. He completely ignores the shy looking Yushi who keeps his eyes glued to him while hiding everything but his eyes in Daeyoung's old pajamas. Daeyoung turns his head and make a confused expression.
“Pervert.” Yushi says the he quickly leaves Daeyoung to go in to the bathroom.
Daeyoung lets out a laugh, he really can't think straight to see the meaning behind Yushi's actions sometimes. He is the one who keeps staring at him but the one to shy away, too?
Daeyoung has now changed into comfortable hoodie and pants. He chuckles to himself and puts his suit in the laundry bag.
“Hyung! I'm going out now!”
After eating Daeyoung's specialized kimchi fried rice, now the two of them lays on Daeyoung's bed. Yushi buries himself in Daeyoung's chest. Now, they smell the same hehe. He looks up to Daeyoung wanting to chat for a bit, however the younger man is fast asleep. It's not even five minutes since the two of them lays on the bed. So, Yushi pokes Daeyoung's cheeks several times. Daeyoung only reacts by stretching his neck showing Yushi who still believes himself is not a pervert a full view of his long neck. Yushi's forehead wrinkles as he stares at Daeyoung's neck. Because Daeyoung's neck is long, it looks as if someone can plant lots of kisses and bite marks there. Oh, of course, this is not Yushi's wicked thought. He is a traditional man, it will take time and he himself knows better to not be greedy. So, he just snuggles closer to Daeyoung and fall asleep.
Later, Yushi will definitely leave lots of traces there later.
It has been two weeks since they started 'dating' and it also has been two weeks about two weeks Yushi has been grumbling since he felt like there is no progress in their relationship. Daeyoung treats him the same as he treats those older brothers around him. Yushi has stayed over for some times but he has no gut to do any further and Daeyoung sleeps right away whenever part of his body touches the bed. He wonder why and wants to ask but Daeyoung seems to not know the reason, too. He only replies he likes sleeping. That's bad, Daeyoung. Yushi wants to spend the night chatting with you.
Anyway, since there is no progress, Daeyoung completely forgets he dates Yushi. He just thinks hanging with Yushi is like hanging with an older friend because there is barely any contact. Well, they exchanged cute messages sometimes, but that's it. Daeyoung casually receives any skinship contact from Yushi without much thinking, too. Why? Because Yushi has been making lots of skinship like junior high school guys who bullies his crush. He would pinch the back of Daeyoung's hand. He would rest his chin on top of Daeyoung's shoulder. He would grabs Daeyoung's wrist and teases him. Are all of these supposed to make Kim Daeyoung who is known to be freaking oblivious go doki-doki? I sure think no.
And Yushi thinks the same, too, so he needs to make a bold move to make Daeyoung fall for him within one month. So here he is, spending another night at Daeyoung's apartment. It's his first time spending the night on weekend so he feels so excited and has already made a list of good restaurants to have a date the day after.
“I bought a new bed cover and pillow covers.” Yushi says as he just one step inside Daeyoung's apartment.
Daeyoung was about to ask why but then again he stops himself because Yushi looks so happy and strange excited.
Yushi really makes himself at home by suddenly entering Daeyoung's bedroom. He ponders a bit at the door seeing the single bed. It barely can fit two people and he takes the things he just bought online. He forgets and made a mistake by ordering a king sized bed cover. He guesses he will need to spend lots of nights here so he can remember the details in this bedroom.
Daeyoung follow suit and sits on the bed seeing Yushi sitting on the floor dilligently opens the package.
“What did you buy, hyung? Bed cover?”
“This!” Yushi excitedly shows Daeyoung a bed cover. It looks so pink! With lots of love shapes and flowery. Daeyoung feels light headed.
“And this!” Now Yushi takes out the pillow covers with 'Yes' word printed on it.
“What the hell?!” Surprised at his own voice, Daeyoung apologies immediately and snatches those pillow cover and turns the 'No' part to Yushi. As he thought, Yushi bought something weird judging by how strangely excited he was.
“No!”
“Why? If it's like this then it's easier to communicate, right?”
“Who in the world communicate using pillow?!”
“Us.”
Daeyoung tries to calm down and asks Yushi. “Why?”
“We haven't been making any progress.”
“....What kind of progress?” Daeyoung feels goosebumps all over his body.
“Kissing. It's been two weeks.”
“What?!”
Impossible! How can they kiss? A man kissing a man? Oh, God, Daeyoung feels like he is seriously going crazy. But, the corner of his lips keep going up seeing Yushi's dejected face as if he just got rejected. Should Daeyoung just play along?
“Isn't it still too early, hyung?” Daeyoung sits down on the floor, too, facing Yushi.
“Let's take it one step at a time.” He continues as he holds Yushi's hands. Yeah, let's do it like this and breakup within a month without having my chastity taken away by this beautiful man.
Chu. Yushi closes the distances real quick and lands his lips on top of Daeyoung's thin lips.
“I made another progression.” He says bashfully the goes out of the bedroom.
Daeyoung is frozen there and when he realises he screams in silence. His face looks so red to the tip of his ears and neck. CRAZY. His heart are beating way too fast and he doesn't really hate this feeling.
Hey, I'm not gay!
Or am I?
The End