Chapter Text
“Very fucking tight,” Mokyeon exhales with a laugh that sounds like a whistle than a chuckle. He hikes the thick thigh higher and grunts at the struggle on his forearm, feeling how heavy the limb is. “Come on, babe. Help me here.”
“Fuck you,” Nanjo grunts weakly, trying to remove his thigh from Mokyeon's arm.
But Mokyeon is quicker, courtesy of the amount of time he's spending at the gym these days. “Now, now~ that's not how we address our seniors, right? Call me sunbae. Come on. Sunbae~”
“Stop–” Nanjo chokes on the spit gathering in his mouth. He gulps and coughs for a moment before he continues glaring at Mokyeon. “Why would I call you that?”
“Because I have more experience with sex than you.”
“You're not serious.”
But Mokyeon is.
He smiles slyly and leans down, pressing Nanjo’s thigh lower to Nanjo’s torso, prompting him to wince at the burn he feels on his stretched skin.
“Just a bit more,” Mokyeon whispers more to himself, shifting about Nanjo. “Bear with me, yeah? Just a moment.”
Nanjo looks away to hide his grimace, making Mokyeon focus on his face.
He probably felt my cock throbbing inside, Mokyeon thinks, amused.
Shuffling again to get the most comfortable position and maybe, just maybe, to tease Nanjo’s sensitive body, Mokyeon finally opts to just put Nanjo’s thigh down on the bed. He doesn't want to piss him off too much.
“I hope you're ready after this. I still have more condoms with me.”
Nanjo avoids his gaze, mumbling ‘what a freak’ under his breath.
“Haha,” Mokyeon laughs in the most monotone sound.
He needs to take a week’s worth of sex.
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
The sex was great.
Of course, it is. If it wasn't great, Nanjo wouldn't agree to let him stay the night, would he?
Having this kind of arrangement is a pain in the ass, but Mokyeon is known to be a flexible man. He can adjust, and judging by how Nanjo struggles to keep their meetings a secret from Sunhwa while Sunhwa is just accepting gifts from him and Mokyeon is getting his daily dose of Nanjo’s body and time, it's easy to say that he's not the one having a hard time.
Nanjo’s typing on his phone, white robes exposing his chest, face as stoic as ever. Probably weaving lies to Sunhwa about his whereabouts.
“What is it this time?” Mokyeon asks, breaking the silence.
“What do you mean?”
Mokyeon turns to his side, facing Nanjo, ruining the bedding Nanjo just put after their romp.
“What did you tell Sunhwa?”
Nanjo’s jaw tightens visibly. And for a moment, Mokyeon thought he would snap at him this time for mentioning the person Nanjo would rather have sex with instead of him.
Instead, Nanjo just goes back to his phone to turn it off before standing up and walks to the bed. Mokyeon watches the man, and he doesn't know if his face is showing how he worships this person, if it's visible in his face, but Nanjo doesn't say anything when he sits on the bed and tries to push Mokyeon further; wordlessly telling him to give more space.
Mokyeon doesn't. He just raises the blanket, staring at Nanjo, waiting for the other man to join him under it but Nanjo just sighs and opts to lay on the bed.
At least, he's still beside Mokyeon. On the bed, too.
“I told him I have a business meeting at Hannam tonight and tomorrow.”
“What did he reply?”
Nanjo frowns. Then he blinks. “Just rows of hearts. And asking what my gift would be.”
“Hmm…”
Mokyeon lies on his back and stares at the ceiling.
This is familiar. The feeling of post coiling fading into exhaustion not just physically but also mentally and, dare to say, emotionally. That's how Mokyeon realized it's not just sex anymore.
It used to be fun, playing with Nanjo when their arrangement started. Hiding from Sunhwa, meeting in secret, feeling excited if he would impress Nanjo this time. But as time passes by, as weeks turn to months of secretly meeting Nanjo, Mokyeon finds himself catching feelings.
The days of grooming himself to impress Nanjo turns into settling on the clothes he'll feel most comfortable with, that is after finding out Nanjo really doesn't care what he wears when they always end up naked anyway. Or the times he used to eat nothing but sugar and carbs turn to watching his diet; adding broccoli to his meals as much as possible and taking photos, making sure to send them to Nanjo to show him he's trying to be healthy.
The days of anticipating sex turn to anticipating times being spent with Nanjo. Of course, sex is a given. But Mokyeon likes it more when they're just talking about trivial stuff, seeing bits of the real Nanjo behind the guarded face he shows to others.
Or maybe it's just really me, Mokyeon wonders, still staring at the ceiling. He's always been nice to other people. The way he treats Sunhwa, it's just like how he treats those servants at the hotel restaurant and convenient stores. It's just really me, huh?
Not wanting to dwell too much in those thoughts, Mokyeon lies to his side and stares at Nanjo’s side profile. It's becoming familiar at this point, this sight of Nanjo being so close to him, giving Mokyeon the opportunity to watch him intently without being scolded for doing something creepy.
Maybe Nanjo is getting used to it, too.
“Don't stare.”
Mokyeon smiles, humming when he props his head on the heel of his palm, now staring down at Nanjo.
“You know, you look like you came from Gyeonggi-do,” Mokyeon starts.
Nanjo arches a brow and looks at him through the corners of his eyes, the corner of his lips twitching.
Mokyeon smiles and leans closer. Nanjo’s nose twitches at the movement but doesn't back away.
“Why? Because of my family name?”
“No,” he smiles wider. “You sound so proper. And so mighty, too. Really sounds like a proper Un, if you ask me.”
And finally, a chuckle comes out of Nanjo’s mouth. “You sound like you've met the founder of my clan, the way you talk. And what about you? You live up to your surname.”
Mokyeon is instantly offended. But instead of defending himself, he shrugs; the movement looks weird with one of his arms supporting his head. “I told you I'm broke. I guess it's my fate, being a Hwang and all.”
“But isn't being a hwang is to be beautiful, too?”
“Why, why, Nanjo-ssi, do you think this peasant is beautiful?”
Nanjo groans and shifts on the bed, laying more rigid now instead of his previous calmed and relaxed self. But that doesn't deter Mokyeon.
“You're right, though. They said being beautiful compensates for being poor. Just like what happened to Hwang Jini, right?”
“You're embracing it too comfortably. Considering she was a gisaeng.”
“Do you have anything against it?” Mokyeon asks excitedly, faking shocked. “I didn't expect anything like that from you. Considering you do participate in sodomy.”
Nanjo gives him a stinky look before he sighs and looks straight at the ceiling. “What I mean is it fits you.”
“Because I'm pretty?”
“Because you put gisaengs to shame with how crazy you are in bed.”
“Why, thank you!”
Nanjo’s response is to turn around, now his back facing Mokyeon.
Slowly, Mokyeon lowers his arm and winces at the strain. He drops his head on the pillow and stares at the wide shoulders in front of him. The familiar shoulder blades, the sight of a stretched shirt that is now printed in Mokyeon's mind with how Nanjo makes it his habit to turn his back to Mokyeon every time they sleep on the same bed, the scent of their body smelling like hotel shower gel and conditioners.
He wants to reach out and touch his nape, just to see if Nanjo would shiver. Would he turn around and glare? Would he slap Mokyeon's hand away? Like he showed more than once, putting his mouth on Mokyeon's body is revolting. Granted, a blowjob was too much. That, Mokyeon can understand.
But refusing a kiss when they've done more lewd stuff kinda hurts.
It actually hurts, if Mokyeon’s going to be honest.
Of course, getting the chance to fuck Nanjo and kissing his skin and sucking his nipples are all very much rewarding. Mokyeon feels like the heaven is on his side this time by getting to fuck the person he's possibly in love with.
But, a hidden part of him finds all of this not enjoyable anymore.
Because he's starting to feel ache in his chest every time their bubble gets penetrated by Sunhwa's existence. One time, it's just him and Nanjo. Then in a blink, Sunhwa is there.
And it makes Mokyeon feel like he's the one who actually doesn't belong in this circle. He feels ostracized in the most involved way. It makes him feel like being invited inside a room just to intrude in somebody’s business. It doesn’t matter if he’s memorized the taste of Sunhwa’s lips or he’s familiarized himself with Nanjo’s skin. Those two just gravitate to each other.
And now it makes Mokyeon wonder. He knows he has a connection with Sunhwa. They have a bond. And Sunhwa has his own bond with Nanjo. But what about him and Nanjo?
Is there a space in this world where a Mokyeon and Nanjo exists?
Just the two of them, having their own dynamic, their bond?
Turning his head aside to look once again at Nanjo’s nape, he lets his hand move on its own and reaches to tap his fingertip on the cold skin. His spine shivers at the feeling of fuzzy thin hair.
He’s so close…
“Keep your hands to yourself.”
Mokyeon can feel his eyes lightening up.
“Nanjo, you’re awake?”
Nanjo shuffles until he’s lying on his back. He doesn’t look at Mokyeon, but it’s not like he’s expecting that.
“You can’t sleep because I’m here?’ He asks, a smile gracing his lips. “You think the bed’s too steep?”
“I can feel your eyes on me.”
Mokyeon’s eyes crinkle at the words. Nanjo doesn’t sound annoyed. He does sound fed up, but not with the usual irritation and defensive tone. It makes him feel bolder.
“And? You should sleep. You have a meeting tomorrow, right?”
Silence.
Then, Nanjo replies.
“No. I don't have a meeting tomorrow.”
Mokyeon leans on his elbow and hovers sideways to Nanjo, who backs away slightly but doesn't push him.
“I thought you lied about tonight. Not about tomorrow. Why did you tell him you can't meet him tomorrow?”
The other man just groans and tries to cover his face with his forearm, but Mokyeon quickly takes the arm to prevent him from hiding.
“Why? Come on, Tell me.”
Nanjo doesn't budge. Mokyeon leans closer and lays his cheek on Nanjo’s shoulder, looking up at the man through his lashes. “Tell me.”
A sigh. Then…
“I want to rest.”
“Why?”
Nanjo gives him a stinky glare. “You're asking me? After what you did tonight?”
Mokyeon smiles so hard his cheeks start to hurt. “I want you to feel my cock inside you for days so you won't miss me too much.”
Groaning, Nanjo tries to turn away but Mokyeon lets his weight trap the man under him, linking his arm with Nanjo's and propping his chin in the middle of Nanjo’s chest.
“Hey.”
Nanjo looks at him downwards. Mokyeon wonders if he can see his nose in this position.
“What?”
“I want to renovate some parts of my studio. The vacant part at the back, I want it to be a lounge area. I got a vip client last month, you see? And he has five sessions with me. You want to know how much each session costs?”
“No.”
Mokyeon smiles wider. “₩1,300,000 per session.”
That gets Nanjo’s attention. He rises from the bed a bit, leaning back on the headboard. Like a moth, Mokyeon's body follows until his chin is on top of Nanjo’s chest again, not wanting to miss the warmth of the man's skin.
“Isn't that too much for a tattoo?”
“Not really when you're rich and don't have any more idea where to throw your money at, you do outrageous things.”
“I think you're scamming people,” Nanjo says with a small chuckle.
Mokyeon’s eyes turn lidded while grinning. “I'm a licensed artist and my studio is a registered place and business, you know? To be honest, my policy is per hour. But this client is per session. So I have some adjustment to do.”
“Hm,” Nanjo hums, then looks at Mokyeon's hand on top of his chest, too. “How many hours do you usually work per client?”
“An hour or two,” he replies. “That costs around ₩350,000 per hour. I usually finish in two. Some clients want a retouch so that's another round of payment. Kaching, right?”
Nanjo doesn't seem amused. He's still staring at Mokyeon's arm. Then, he looks at Mokyeon's face.
“And then? This client?”
Mokyeon blinks. “What client?”
“The per session client.”
“Ah,” Mokyeon exclaims in recognition. “Well, per session…. There's no fixed time. It's per session. A session could last for two hours. Sometimes, three.”
“Hm…”
“Why do you ask?”
“It's your arm.”
Mokyeon frowns. “What about my arm?”
“It was shaking earlier. When you were cooking. You're not straining your arm, are you?”
Mokyeon hums singsongly. “Why? Is Wang Eun-nim worried about Hwang yangban-nim?” He ignores how his chest thuds loudly at the idea of Nanjo being worried.
Nanjo groans and about to turn around when he speaks again.
“Can you come with me tomorrow? Like I was supposed to tell you, I'm checking some stores at Hakdong.”
The other man arches a brow in interest. “Hakdong? What for?”
“I'm checking some stores. B&B Italia, maybe?”
Nanjo pushes him gently until Mokyeon’s lying on the bed again. This time, he doesn't try to crawl over Nanjo again, because the man is now looking at him with interest.
“Interiors?”
“Yeah,” Mokyeon replies, not being able to hide his excitement. “My studio is marbled beige in the lobby, you see. Dirty cream, sort of. This time, I want the lounge area to be gray. Minimalist, but not straight up gray. Maybe flat latex white undercoat but without coating a second color. Just the white with touches of gray and black blends. And for added colors, maybe some plants at the corner and some magazines? I also plan to put some coloring books and water color pencils for entertainment. I already talked to my interior designer about it but I don’t like the samples of marbles she sent for the counter. They have some touch of brown, almost sepia. I don’t like it.”
He only realized that he might have blabbered a little too much. Opening his mouth to spout some innuendo to mask the creeping humiliation he starts to feel on his spine, Nanjo beats him to it.
“Okay. I’ll go with you. I’m also interested in what kind of stuff you’ll be into.”
₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚
The first day of May is going to be eventful for him, Mokyeon thinks, which he finds amusing since Sunhwa prides himself with his birth month. He considers his saju chart superior among others, which makes him a bit airheaded. Not that Mokyeon thinks it’s stupid because he’s known Sunhwa for so long enough to tolerate his superstitious ass. What’s funny is Sunhwa only believes them if it’s in his favor. And he’s loud and proud to admit that.
But Mokyeon is uttering an apology under his breath to Sunhwa, because he will christen Sunhwa’s birth month by spending the first day with Nanjo canvasing for marbles.
It’s stupid how silly he feels. It’s not a date, and he’s spent some outings with Nanjo before. Though some of them felt like he captured Nanjo and the latter just tolerated his persuasive ass. But now, this feels different. Nanjo sounded interested in whatever Mokyeon was planning for his lounge area. And he even asked about his arm?
Was Nanjo staring so much that he noticed the strain on his arm? Was it just from a second-long glance, or did it take a few seconds of watching enough for him to see the quiver on his arm? Was Nanjo worried? In the five months that he’d known and fucked Nanjo, Mokyeon can count on his fingers the few times Nanjo showed interest in him. And if he dwells on them on some nights, spending sleepless evenings recounting how Nanjo arched a brow showing the slightest interest and how he perked up like an idiot every time that happened, no one has to know.
Right now, he’s meeting Nanjo. The man told him to meet at Hakdong Road 17 Cafe Sumakumto, and Mokyeon knows better than to make him wait. Sometimes, Nanjo has this attitude of a self-assured fifteen year old thinking he knows everything in the world but throws a fit internally when someone isn’t as punctual as him. He used to think it’s Nanjo being his usual uptight self, but after incidents of being late a few times, Mokyeon now finds it rather cute.
Sometimes, Nanjo can be really cute.
Living at Apgujeong means going to Hakdong is like walking from one block to another. So he opts to walk than hail a cub that will only take almost five minutes of drive to bring him where he needs to be.
Spring means lighter clothes, which means Mokyeon opted for a simple printed shirt –Godbless Tenderloin– and a pair of jeans. Walking past a window, he takes a look at his shirt and wonders if Nanjo is still wearing something formal. Maybe a button up and a pair of slacks?
Arriving at the appointed place, Mokyeon’s eyes widen when he spots Nanjo already sitting inside the cafe. Feeling giddy, he doesn’t even check the coffee shop and just enters, eyes already on Nanjo.
“You’re early.”
Nanjo gives him a stare that accuses you’re late right through Mokyeon’s bones. Not feeling any ounce of offense, Mokyeon takes the seat beside Nanjo. Just then Mokyeon gets the chance to look inside the coffee shop. And his mouth almost drops at the interior of it.
Because it almost looks identical to his studio. The brown interior, the plants, the mahogany tables, the hanging jaundice lights, the wooden sets of benches and tables at the fresco, the bricked walls, even some of the chairs are made of woven rattan.
This coffee shop is just right up to his alley.
“This place looks cool…” Mokyeon says, almost sounding breathless. “This felt like my studio, if it was a coffee shop instead of a tattoo studio,” then he looks at Nanjo who is already drinking a cup of iced americano. He smiles and leans closer. “You didn’t order for me?”
“I didn’t say anything about you ordering something. This is just a meet up place.”
Mokyeon doesn’t reply. He just stares at Nanjo, their eyes staring at each other for a few seconds, that is until Nanjo gives up and stands up to order. Amused, Mokyeon stands up too and follows the man to the counter.
Standing behind Nanjo, Mokyeon looks at the menu posted above the counter inside. “I want a chocolate hazelnut coffee with five pumps of chocolate syrup and whipped cream, with five pumps of caramel syrup on top. Not salted, please.” He smiles back at Nanjo who is glaring at his own wallet. “Oh, and a piece of blueberry and cream croffle. Thank you.”
Nanjo gives his card to the server who then recites the order. Still amused, Mokyeon leans in to whisper to his companion.
“This place is so hidden, I feel so sorry for only finding about them now. They have various sweet drinks and milkshakes, too– Oh crap! I didn’t see the sugarfree section–”
An uncharacteristic chortle comes out of Nanjo’s mouth and he looks at Mokyeon with mocking eyes. “Sugarfree?”
“Hey, I don’t live off of sugar and carbs, you know.”
“You do.”
“Oh? So you’re saying you know a lot about me now? Sounds like you’re very interested in me, Nanjo-ssi.”
The server hands the card to Nanjo, who takes it back with a small timid smile. Mokyeon observes the exchange with a stoic face.
“Cut the crap. Just call me by my name. You’ve always been a crass, anyway.”
“You too. You’re so polite to others and you’re only brash to me.”
Nanjo makes a face– so cute, Mokyeon thinks– and puts his card back in his wallet before facing Mokyeon.
“Wait for your order here.”
And just like that, Nanjo turns around to go back to his coffee, leaving Mokyeon in front of the counter. Again, he can’t help but be entertained.
He watches as Nanjo pulls the chair and sits, the sight of his wide shoulder blades catching Mokyeon’s attention once again.
He’s really wearing a button up shirt in this weather, he thinks to himself, very endeared.
“He’s being adorable…” he mumbles.
“Excuse me, sir? Did you say something?”
Mokyeon turns to the cashier and smiles amicably. “Nothing.”
The cashier flushes, her eyes widening. She looks down, her eyes quivering frantically, before she snaps her head up again to speak. “Uhm- uhh- name, sir? For your order!”
Still smiling, Mokyeon replies, “Eun-mok.”
This day will be fun.