the placebo effect ✘ jaywon

18: ROMANCE

Jungwon bursts out laughing, and then Jay's laughing too. The two just laughed hard, basically guffawing. Eventually, Jungwon holds Jay's bicep. "Thank you," he smiles, a genuine one. "It sounds bad but... I think Jaeyun totally deserved it."

Jay smiles a bit. "Yeah. I just- when I saw him, I knew I couldn't let him get away with it. With what he did to you," he says, voice growing softer. "You don't deserve that, you know?"

"Yeah," Jungwon nods a bit. "I know," he whispers, and Jay pats his head comfortingly.

✘

Jungwon spent dinner at Jay's place, the two of them on the couch together watching Hell's Kitchen. It was undeniably a good time, with Jay treating Jungwon with extra care, especially knowing that Jungwon was wounded both physically and mentally because of Jaeyun's little outburst earlier during the day.

Soon enough, Jungwon sighs as he looks at the time. 9PM. Only the TV lit up the living room space, the two still seated on the couch. "I should go," Jungwon says.

"Oh," Jay pauses the show, glancing at his watch. "Really? If you want, you can totally stay here for the night. I mean, Sunghoon went to his home for the weekends with Sunoo. You can take his bed, if that's what you want. Or anywhere, really," he clears his throat, "I mean, I really don't mind your company. But you don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"Okay," Jungwon softly chuckles. "But would you give me pajamas?"

"Yeah," Jay stands up almost immediately.

✘

They're lying on Jay's bed, the lights already turned off. Earlier, Jungwon turned on the lights to Sunghoon's room but then bolted out of there quickly, going to Jay's room where Jay was already preparing for bed.

"I can't sleep there. Aside from the fact that there's no nightlight, I realized that that's literally Sunghoon's bed and who knows what the hell happened between those four walls... with my best friend."

"Oh, gross!" Jay scrunches his nose. "I never thought of it that way! Ugh, now I can't unsee."

"Too bad sweetheart. Scoot, I'm gonna sleep here."

"Okay, your majesty," Jay teasingly mocks a bow.

Now, they're here, lying together and facing the ceiling. Jay was freshly showered when he walked in earlier. Their pajamas were the same type since Jungwon's basically wearing Jay's clothes, just in a different color. Jungwon's pajamas were grey while Jay's was black. Jungwon slightly turns his head to glance at Jay. Jay glances back.

He smells really good. The subtle scent of his lotion lingers on his moisturized honey skin. Face bare and glowing with his skincare. It's not hard to get addicted to Jay.

"Take a picture," Jay teases, briefly pinching Jungwon's nose. "It'll last longer," he snorts at his own comment.

"Oh my god," Jungwon groans. "You're so Disney cringe."

Jay laughs. "Just saw a lot of movies growing up, that's all."

"Corny ass," Jungwon chuckles.

"I love corn," Jay randomly says.

"And a-?"

"Shut it."