✨Kum Junhyeon x Kim Taerae
✨Just two boyfriends recalling their journey together
✨Fluff
Past midnight when everyone was asleep, around 3 or 4 in the morning, Junhyeon was still awake. Maybe he knew in his guts that he'd be awakened anyway, or maybe he was unintentionally waiting for someone. The fact is, someone did walk in in the middle of that quiet night, and that was Kim Taerae, the guy of Junhyeon's dreams.
"Taerae hyung?" He asked in a whisper. The tired looking man gave himself in Junhyeon's extended arms, leaving a small huff of breath. He was anxious, exhausted.
"Can't sleep?" Junhyeon asked, habitually stroking Taerae's head. The latter hummed, he found home in Junhyeon's chest. For a while, the younger only caressed his back, but when the weight of Taerae started growing on him, he slowly shifted the elder on the empty space of the bed. Taerae scooted to make enough space for Junhyeon too. It was a small bed, but they managed to fit together comfortably. And it was good for them, since they got to be skin on skin.
"I'm scared about tomorrow." Taerae answered, indicating the supposed elimination the next day. Junhyeon agreed, "Me too. I really wanna be in the top 9. Even for once."
Taerae remembered the last elimination, when three contestants were called for the 9th spot. Junhyeon was one of them. But in the end, he got the cursed 10th spot. So close, yet so far away. He saw Junhyeon walk past the top 9 seats. It broke his heart. Even though he took the 7th spot, his heart kept reaching out to Junhyeon. Because he had been in Junhyeon's shoes once.
"You're gonna climb higher than this, Junhyeon ah. I was 11, remember? But then I got in too. Don't worry. Have faith in yourself." Taerae said. Junhyeon only stared at him. He wasn't that confident about himself. But at that moment, looking at how sincerely his Taerae hyung was looking at him, nothing else mattered. Like Taerae was- hands down- the prettiest man on earth. That smile- that heavenly single dimpled smile! And those sharp yet soft eyes, they told tales of angels and heavens. The whole universe shined in the endless depth of those eyes.
Junhyeon cupped Taerae's face, his thumbs occasionally brushing those cheeks. Taerae might be drained, but he still looked stunning. And with that longing gaze he offered? Gosh he could command Junhyeon to jump, and he would. He was so down for Kim Taerae.
It was a small, slow, assuring peck. Junhyeon's lips stayed on top of Taerae's for a brief moment, but that small act of skinship connected their souls even better. Both could understand each other's worries, pain, hard works. Taerae gave a smile, Junhyeon gave a nod. No more words were needed. Yes, they were worried still, but not cluelessly anxious anymore.
"Ahhh! Hyung, it's unfair how pretty you are!" Junhyeon said, looking away from that gorgeous face. It made the other chuckle, "Why?"
"See? How you wrapped me around your finger?" Junhyeon pouted. Taerae went closer to hug him around the waist.
"Why? You only like me for my face?"
"Nah." Junhyeon grinned, "If I did, I'd have confessed to you on our star level test."
"Really?"
"Yeah, my eyes got stuck on that choker. You were the choker guy for me." Junhyeon replied, recalling how he first met the man he loved. Almost all wakeone trainees sat on the middle seats, Taerae on the left half. Junhyeon's aim was the No. 1 seat, but his eyes kept going back to Taerae. The black choker on his pale neck kept playing with Junhyeon's mind. Yet, since it's a survival show, he kept himself distraced, not until Taerae's team performed and well, his choker guy hit those damn high notes. He looked way too sexy on stage. With his bright smile but strong aura, he won Junhyeon then and there.
Taerae chuckled again, "The choker guy?"
"It was just an impression." Junhyeon answered. I bet you had one for me too."
"Yeah, the loud one!" Taerae joked, recalling Junhyeon's iconic scream after receiving all stars.
"That's what I am." Junhyeon grinned. Taerae couldn't but pull his nose. It's funny how they were just strangers when the shooting started. They were each intimidated by the other, considering each a potential threat to the way to debut. But now? They were cuddling on a single bed, walking free from their selfish shells, worried about each other.
"How did we even start liking each other?" Taerae wondered, "Was is the time when you helped me with the signal song?"
"I don't know, I guess I must have liked you back then. Cause when you got all stars at last, I was screaming!" Junhyeon answered.
"People used to say we are besties." Taerae chuckled, imagining them as something other than lovers. Junhyeon pulled him closer, moving a strand of wet hair sticking to Taerae's forehead. Taerae looked him in the eyes, but the younger broke the contact to leave a kiss on that forehead.
"Kim Taerae, I'm so happy you're mine!" Junhyeon said, "Doesn't matter if it's the signal song, the Back Door or even the time I gasped over your Man In Love performance, I'm just glad that this happened."
Taerae smiled at Junhyeon fondly. The guy may look like a hyperactive entertainer, but very few, like Taerae, actually knew the real Kum Junhyeon. The diligent trainee who doesn't think twice before helping someone. Taerae knew one thing, Junhyeon's kindness was what attracted him the most, followed by that striking face.
"Of course we had to be together. Did you forget your cheesy confession?" Taerae teased. Right after back door ended, they went to join different teams. Junhyeon missed his Taerae hyung so much at that time that one night, he pulled Taerae to one of the bathroom salls, crying his heart out how much he already liked the elder. He made a scene by saying, 'You can slap me for being gay, but I can't take it if you hate me.'
Like couldn't he see how whipped Taerae was for him already?
Funny how they shared their very first kiss in a bathroom stall though. Junhyeon chuckled remembering his stupid impulsive confession. He buried his face in Taerae's neck, "Ahhh why can't you forget that alreadyyyyy?"
Taerae was trying so hard not to laugh out loud. It's funny to see the confident Junhyeon all embarrassed, all because of him. "How can I? A bathroom confession is pretty iconic!"
"I hate you!" Junhyeon said, Taerae kept laughing though. For a while, they forgot everything with a light heart. But soon, reality hit them. The rankings would be announced the next day. They were both stressed about it.
"Hyung?" Junhyeon asked, grabbing Taerae's attention, "Even if we don't debut together-"
"We will." Taerae insisted.
"-Just imagine, if-"
"Don't think otherwise, Junhyeon ah. We will debut together."
"Just think that we don't, okay?" Junhyeon forced, "Just think."
Taerae sighed, "Okay?"
"Would you break up with me?"
"What?" Taerae was really surprised, "Why??"
"I mean, maybe you'd be busy and, meet new people, and I won't be near, so-"
"Kum Junhyeon." Taerae suddenly sounded really serious. A rare sight. "I don't know what's gonna happen to us. But we got together amidst this chaos, do you think we can't last if one of us debuts and the other doesn't?" He sounded somewhat angry, "Do you think our love is that fragile?"
"I don't know..." Junhyeon mumbled, "You're like the shining Taerae and..."
"And you are the shining Junhyeon." Taerae said, "I don't just love you to forget about it one day, Junhyeon ah. Even if the world is trying to separate us, promise me that you'll stay by my side."
"Hyung-"
"Cause if you can't, we better part ways now."
"What are you saying?"
"You tell me?" Taerae was mad, "Why would you think that I'd break up with you later? What do you think of me? Am I not showing how much I care?"
"I'm sorry." Junhyeon suddenly hugged his hyung, "I'm just really scared, and I love you so much, so I just- I don't know why I asked that. Forget it."
Taerae sighed. He was getting agitated just by thinking about losing Junhyeon. His hands slowly went behind Junhyeon's head, "It's okay." He whispered, "Don't think about these again. Okay? Wherever you are, I'll reach out to you. Trust me."
"Thank you." Junhyeon said, on the verge of tears. His voice trembled, his body started shaking. He let those tears loose on Taerae's shirt. The elder comforted him as long as was needed. He did tear up himself, but restrained from crying. He had one big baby to look after.
When Junhyeon was done crying from the emotional outburst, he felt embarrassed. He laughed because of how dumb the reason was, but Taerae assured that it was okay. He wiped the younger's face, planted a peck on his forehead and then gave a long kiss on his lips. Junhyeon reciprocated. Taerae's fine lips on his ones- definitely something he always dreams of.
The two love birds talked a little more and then slowly drifted to sleep on top of each other. By the morning, all eight of their limbs were tangled with each other, and every other trainee woke up to a view of two adult males cuddling on a single bed.
They may or may not have caught a hint of what the two might have been doing last night, since their lips were comfortably close to each other.
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Kim Taerae's smile >>>>>>