Taming the Green Eyed Monster

Chimaek, Why Have Thou Forsaken Me?

Chimaek was a favorite meal amongst the students of Korea. More than just simple crispy sweet, savory chicken and beer, it was a pastime of good food, good drinks, and good friends. It was thus rare for anyone to be in a bad mood when engaging in this god-tier activity of chimaek-ing.

That is what Jong In had always believed. At least, until that evening when he sat at a rectangular wooden table at the far end of the restaurant, surrounded by his two friends and a stranger, all of whom, minus one, were currently frozen, staring up at the impassive face of the man Jong In had hoped, at least a couple of hours ago, that he would have the luck to see that day.

But that was then.

Now, he prayed that he could run far away and out of sight.

It had to be a joke played by fate. Some cosmic power must have decided that it would be some good old fun to do a little prank on him. It had to be. Otherwise, why would the man he had been in love with since he was 12 years old, the man he had so desperately wanted to see but refused to see him, suddenly be staring down at him when the lips of another man hovered over his in a near kiss.

Jong In wondered briefly, his mind hazy, how it was that they had even gotten to this point.

Right. They had been drinking. And like for many people, the drink made Jong In and his friends lose their reasoning and awareness of their surroundings. The awkwardness that often came to him when meeting strangers melted away with that yellow-golden liquid and melted even faster when accompanied with several friendly, well known drinking games.

Just a few minutes ago, he had been laughing openly with his friends when Si Woo suggested a new game for them to play. It required the player to use pickup lines with the intention to get his opponent to react and if they succeeded, the opponent drinks, if they failed then the player drinks.

Somehow, likely after copious amounts of beer, the game had evolved to the point where instead of words they had begun to use physical touches to incite a reaction. Ji Soo had successfully made Hwan's eyes widen simply by pressing a kiss against his finger tips. Though Jong In speculated that tongue had been involved as she had winked a second later, which would have been expected of her if she did in fact add a little bit extra to the act. And since skinship was not uncommon between those two individuals, a simple kiss would not have likely incited a reaction in the often composed Hwan.

Then it was Si Woo's turn against Jong In, who had faced him with his best poker face, waiting to see what the older man would do. Perhaps it was the beer but Jong In had met the man's gaze straight on, daring him to do his best. In response, Si Woo had smirked, dropping his eyelids marginally and Jong In had wondered, in that split second, if the man was about to kiss him.

But instead, Si Woo simply moved forward, his eye contact never wavering, and had placed his palm flat against Jong In's chest.

Jong In had willed himself not to react, alcohol having always made him a bit bold, a bit competitive. He then felt a slight pressure of the hand, slowly moving in small, circular motions. Is he rubbing my chest?

He heard a breathy laugh leave Si Woo's lips. "You really are quite cute," he had whispered and Jong In tried not to move. There was no way he would allow himself to fall for this, that was the point of the game after all. "You're unexpectedly tough," Si Woo had said with a smile as he shifted his chair closer. Jong In could feel his breath against his cheek. He braced himself.

He wondered if he would actually kiss him, a near stranger, whom he had met only a few hours before.

Suddenly, Si Woo grasped him by the front of his shirt and jerked him forward, closing the few inches that had been between them. Then Jong In felt the soft touch of lips against his mouth but not quite on it.