Chapter Text
Kibum is standing in the rain freezing and miserable, questioning every singe life choice that led him there – standing on a golf course, in pouring rain he might add, while trying to pretend like he knows when to clap and when to let out o’s or a’s to show some interest in the ongoing game.
He’s miserable, but he can’t look it, because there’s at least thirty pairs of eyes looking at him instead of the ongoing game, and almost as many cameras are pointed at him. So Kibum flashes a smile and holds his umbrella like it’s a Vogue shoot and gives a royal wave to his – um – boyfriend who’s out on the course.
How the hell did he get himself here?
- Two weeks earlier –
“Absolutely not”, Kibum says while scrolling rolls of fabric in a small and empty fabric store somewhere in Seoul where tourists haven’t found their way yet.
“Pleaaase, Kibummie, why not?” whines Jonghyun, his best friend and co-owner of Selene 6.23, the “hottest brand in Korea”, according to, well, everyone with an internet connection.
“I am not going to go out with some golfer friend of yours”, Kibum scuffs and pulls out a roll of pearl aqua fabric and tosses it to the cart. “The only people who play golf are people who are retired or people who can’t tell hermes from channel and I’m not interested in either”.
“Don’t be so close minded”, Jonghyn says, rolling his eyes. “And I told you, I don’t want you two to actually date, but to pretend to date. There’s a big difference there”, he continues, throwing a bag of golden buttons in Kibum’s cart.
Kibum stops and sighs, not knowing whether he should comment on them already having way too many golden buttons at the office or this whole fake dating thing. He chooses the latter.
“Hyung, our business is doing better than ever, why would I spend this time going out with some golfer because you heard through a friend that he needs to up his social status or something?”
“First of all”, the older starts, throwing an other bag of something shiny in the cart, earning a deep sigh from his partner. “He’s not just some golfer, he’s Choi Minho, a literal walking god”.
Kibum rolls his eyes, the name ringing some bells but he doesn’t manage to get an image in his head. He is about to protest until Jonghyun continues.
“And it’s not about social status for him at all”, he starts. “Dispatch released a horrible article about him a few days ago claiming he’s just saying he’s bi for shock value and how he’s actually super homophobic so my friend Taemin – you know Taemin, the pretty boy who models for us – said that he’s looking for a fake boyfriend, or, well, he directly isn’t but his friend Jinki is looking for one for him, and Taemin and Jinki are childhood friends, so Jinki told Taemin to discreetly spread the word, as according to him there must be more gays in the fashion world than in the sports world”.
Kibum just stares at his friend with a blank expression, not knowing what he should comment on in that mess of an explanation.
“Since when does Dispatch care about golfers”, is what he decides to comment on, as it’s the one part he understood.
“Since they look like Choi Minho”, Jonghyun replies as he walks in front of the cart Kibum is pushing and stops him at his tracks.
“Listen. I’m going to be completely honest here. This would be perfect. For both of us and for the brand. We’d get visibility and you’d finally be forced to take a break and go on a date even tho it’s fake”.
“And what would you get out this?” Kibum asks.
“What I would get is that people can finally stop assuming that you and I are dating and I can get laid. There. I said it, arrest me. I just want to get laid. So bad. I just want to kiss a boy or a girl or someone in between and get laid without them stopping to ask whether you and I have an open relationship and that’s why I can sleep around”, Jonghyun sighs, not caring a bit about the old ladies that walk by, sending death glares his way.
“That has never happened”, Kibum says but can’t help but to grin at his friend’s desperation.
“Oh it has, multiple times”, Jonghyun argues, his big eyes wide open and head nodding. “You know what a turn off it is that every time that I’m about to get some I’m reminded of your face”.
Kibum pushes the cart to knock his hyung out of balance, who’s still standing in front of him.
“Oh honey, you wish”, he says and continues pushing the cart past Jonghyun.
They stop to look at a new row of fabrics.
“So he’s really, like, out and bi?” Kibum asks after a moment of silence.
“Mmmhm, what are you gonna become biphobic now?”
“Of course not, I’m just, well, surprised. It must be a turn off for sponsors and stuff”
“For sure. But Taemin says that he’d apparently rather loose sponsors than have people think he’s homophobic. Apparently Minho is big on doing the right thing and what not”, Jonghyun says.
“Well he sounds like a prince charming, doesn’t he. Why doesn’t he just actually date someone?” Kibum says and starts heading towards the cashiers.
“No idea, I guess that Jinki guy is right and there aren’t any queer guys in sports?” Jonghyun sighs as he starts loading their purchases to the conveyer belt.
“Tragic”, Kibum mumbles under his breath while he flashes a smile at the old lady at the till who seems more interested at the radio show that’s playing in the background than the two celebrities in front of her.
---
Minho is sitting in a booth at a trendy bar, feeling out of place in a crowd of slightly drunk fashionable people in their 20s. Not that he really is out of place, as he’s in his 20s, has a drink in his hand and looks fashionable in his slightly too tight navy blue turtleneck jumper – a wardrobe choice that he is now questioning in the hot bar.
He honestly still can’t believe he’s doing this - Meeting a full on stranger in a bar to discuss their possible fake dating. He curses his hyung under his breath for somehow convincing him to do this, even though the original idea had been his. He’d been joking though – he never in a million years thought Jinki would take his “I should just find someone to pretend to be my boyfriend for a bit” seriously.
But his Hyung had, and apparently the word had spread around because there he was, on a Friday night, sitting in a trendy bar waiting for someone trendy to show up. Jinki hadn’t even told him who he was waiting for, as he’d just told with an evil grin to “trust him” and to “just wait and see”. He’d trust Jinki with his life so he’d somehow agreed to this setting that felt more and more like an ordinary blind date.
A sweet “Minho-ssi?” wakes him up from his thoughts and he looks up to see a man in front of him. The bar’s dim lighting is coming from behind him, making Minho unable to see his face, but making the man look majestic in the backlight.
Minho quickly gets up to greet the man, and as he stands up the light shifts and he finally recognises the person in front of him.
“Kim Kibum”, he blurts out, as he forgets all the manners and blatantly just stares at the man.
“Yes”, the man, Kim Kibum, says with a smirk, greets Minho and sits down in the booth opposite to Minho.
“I’m surprised you recognise me, I didn’t take you for one that follows fashion”, he continues, placing his handbag on the seat next to him.
“Well, I didn’t take you for someone who follows golf”, Minho shoots back with a joking tone, taking a moment to look at the fashion designer in front of him. Kibum is wearing a loose blazer with a white tshirt underneath and somehow he’s making it look like the trendiest, most fashionable thing on the planet. His black hair is styled up and his eyes have a slight layer of eye shadow, which sparkles faintly in the dim lighting.
“I don’t”, Kibum says. “Follow golf”, he continues as he sees Minho’s confused expression.
“Oh”, Minho says, forgetting all about the conversation before he got distracted by the man.
A moment of silence falls between them, filled by the music playing in the background.
“Let me get you a drink”, Minho says, snapping out of his trance and finally remembering about his manners. “What would you like to have?”
“A glass of white wine would be really nice”, Kibum says, flashing a smile. The man sits back in the booth and adjusts his already perfect hair.
“Great, I’ll be right back”, Minho says and gets up. He walks to the counter and tries to ignore the stares that he gets from the booths he walks by.
He gets to the counter and orders “the best white wine you have” and takes his phone from his back pocket while he waits.
To: Jinki Hyung
Hyung?? Kim Kibum??? Really?? You could’ve given me a heads up…
From: Jinki Hyung
I thought you’d be pleasantly surprised! You said he was cute when we saw him on I live Alone.
To: Jinki Hyung
I am pleasantly surpised, just throw off. How did he agree to this?
From: Jinki Hyung
No idea, you can thank Taemin for this. But ask him, that’s a good conversation starter! You got this. :)
To: Jinki Hyung
What the hell have I gotten myself into…
From: Jinki Hyung
An adventure!
Minho laughs under his breath at his hyung’s optimism, pays for the glass of wine and walks back to their booth. Kibum is on his phone but puts it away as he sees Minho approaching, flashing him a pleased smile.
“Ah finally!” he exclaims, pretending to be overly dramatic. Or then he was overly dramatic, Minho couldn’t really tell yet.
“Yeah sorry Kibum-ssi, I don’t know what took so long”, Minho says, sitting down and pushing the wine glass to Kibum’s side of the table.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m just being dramatic. These places are always slow, I’m sure that in order to be considered a trendy place in Seoul the lighting has to be a bit too dim, the music a bit too loud and the service a bit too slow”, Kibum says and takes a sip of his wine.
They fall into a surprisingly not awkward silence until Minho speaks up.
“So, um, I guess I should thank you for being here”, he starts. “I don’t really know why you agreed to meet me Kibum-ssi, but thank you. I’m sure you know my situation, and, well, I appreciate it”, he continues, trying hard to not sound as nervous as he is.
Kibum gives him a warm smile and takes another sip of wine. “Actually, I don’t really know your situation”, he says, coming off sincere instead of rude. “But I’d love to hear more. I honestly don’t really know how I ended up here, but our friends seem to think this is a good idea”.
Minho looks at the man in front of him, being weirdly happy that for once it seemed like someone didn’t know everything about him.
“Well, a week or so ago I gave an interview after a tournament and the interviewer asked me whether I have a girlfriend and I just instinctively added ‘or a boyfriend’ after her question without thinking about it much. And, well, I clearly should have though about it, but why? I’m good at sports and that should be the only thing that matters, not who I find attractive, right?”
Kibum nods in agreement, fully standing behind what the other is saying, but looking slightly surprised that a man like him would think like it.
“And well, then all hell broke loose and I was suddenly getting bombarded by a million reporters asking me about my sexuality and somewhere in that fuzz I ended up stating that I’ve never had a boyfriend tho, so dispatch took that and came to the conclusion that I must be lying about my sexuality then to seem ‘cool’ or something”, Minho finishes, regretting that he didn’t order himself another beer while he was at the bar.
“What a load of bullshit”, Kibum says, being genuinely annoyed for the stranger. “Like excuse my language, but since when is coming out to the world and risking your career the cool thing to do? That’s bullshit”.
Minho hums in agreement and feels a slight warmth go through him as the other takes his side so sincerely.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this, no one should have their sexuality invalidated like that, life is already hard enough as it is”, Kibum scoffs.
“Thanks”, Minho says, chugging the rest of his beer.
“So now you need a boyfriend then?”, Kibum asks, his eyes following Minho’s hand as it puts the empty glass back on the table. “You know you don’t have to date a guy to be bi right”.
“I know”, Minho says, spinning the empty glass in his hand. “But I just want to kill these dumb rumours so I don’t have to answer to a single other question about my sexuality and I can go back to focusing on golf”.
“You want to kill these rumours by starting new ones?” Kibum laughs.
“Well, yes. This seemed logical at some point, but I’m starting to doubt my sanity”, Minho says, his eyes finding the other man’s.
“Well. I’m going to get us another round then, we have some things to sort out”, Kibum says, takes his bag and starts walking towards the bar. A warm floral scent fills Minho’s nose as Kibum walks by and he is left wondering if this is the best or worst idea he has ever had.
---
It’s round four and Kibum is feeling surprisingly relaxed. He was planning to exit the club after a few drinks but there he was, for some unknown reason. Minho was still drinking beer and he was relaxing at his seat, his legs resting straight underneath the table undoubtedly in Kibum’s personal space. Minho’s left leg is touching Kibum’s, but neither of them is making a move to change that.
“You know people are starring at us, Kibum-ssi”, Minho says, his eyes moving quickly around the bar.
“I know”, Kibum replies honestly, as he had noticed. That’s what came with being 1, gay in a not always so gay friendly country and 2, someone who every now and then appeared on tv – he was always very aware of his surroundings.
“Isn’t that the point tho?” he continues, moving to take a not so subtle look around the bar, being vary that he didn’t move his legs from the position they were in. For some unknown reason.
“True”, Minho says, like he just remembered why he was there. “So, we both agree to come to at least one of each other’s events, and then go to one more date after this one? That should be enough to get the press talking, right?”
Kibum hums in agreement, trying to ignore how Minho called this a date and how this date not date honestly just felt like a really nice normal date. Not that he and Minho had practically anything in common, but at least he had good manners and was nice to the eyes – that’s more than he could say about a large number of dates he’d been on.
“Minho-ssi”, he starts, but Minho cuts him off.
“Can we speak casually? I guess if we have to pass as a couple we should drop the honorifics anyways. And we are the same age you know”, he says.
“We are?” Kibum says amused, he’s still so surprised by how Minho seems to know him - Like actually know him instead of a “I saw you in a tabloid once” kind of know him.
“Yeah, or well you are a bit older but we are born in the same year”, Minho says after chugging down the rest of his fourth drink.
“So you should call me hyung then”, Kibum says with a smirk.
“Nope, same age friends”, Minho says and shakes his head like a five year old who got just told he can’t have candy for dinner.
“Show some respect for your elders”, Kibum scoffs with a grin.
“Well, hyung, I’m going to get us one more round and then I’ll have to call it a night before my nutritionist executes me at the spot”, Minho says and exits the boot.
The drinks must have gotten to Kibum, he thinks, as he stares at Minho’s back as he walks away. He got a nice back, a really nice back, which was highlighted by the tight turtleneck he was wearing.
Kibum’s thoughts are momentarily shifted to whether that tight jumper would be hard to take off until he’s reminded of how this whole thing is supposed to be fake. He really was not looking for a relationship anyways, but was sex off the table? They hadn’t discussed that. Maybe they should discuss that.