"Hongjoong hyung!" Wooyoung shouts and wraps his arms around the older's neck. Hongjoong is so surprised that he freezes for a bit, registering the voice that had called him and the body that had hugged him.
"Wooyoung? What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be like an hour away?" He returns the hug and looks over Wooyoung's shoulder to give Yeosang a puzzled look.
He watches the two embrace, at least he now knows that Wooyoung really did live here before him and isn't a serial killer.
"Do you know Yeosang? How come you're here?" Hongjoong asks Wooyoung when they separate and he gets a mischievous laugh in response.
"He's my boyfriend" he very loudly whispers while pointing at Yeosang. Hongjoong gasps, looking at Yeosang in shock, not believing what he's just heard.
The said boy is shaking his head furiously, "No! We're not actually dating" Yeosang exclaims while glaring at Wooyoung. "he's just pretending to be my boyfriend for a bit because... its complicated, I'll explain later"
Hongjoong is still confused though. "That doesn't explain why you're not in your house and instead in your old house with a stranger" actually he's even more confused now "... a stranger who you're fake dating?"
Wooyoung looks down sheepishly "ah... I moved out of that place, I got here around an hour ago" he says and Hongjoong looks at him in shock for what seems like 10th time today. Yeosang waits for the reason since he also has no idea why Wooyoung moved out after only two weeks and come back to his old place.
"Don't laugh at me, but I moved out because that house was too scary for me to live in" Wooyoung is serious when he says this, which stops Yeosang from bursting out in laughter, he looks like he had encountered ghosts or something. "Every day there were weird noises and banging, I stayed out all day because I was scared of being in there and I had Yunho and San on call every night to help me sleep. I even stayed at a motel for four days before I ran out of money so I had to go back."
It's a valid reason Yeosang thinks, if it were him, he'd have gone crazy if he hadn't moved out straight away. Wooyoung made the right decision but he is still curious about one thing. "So why come back here? Why not find a new place to live?"
Wooyoung sighs "At first, I thought no one had moved in yet, it had been two weeks. But when you opened the door, I knew it was over, but after some begging and you needing a favour we worked out a nice compromise"
Wooyoung looks delighted to be at his old house again. "This is the perfect place, its near everything and its surprisingly cheap for the extortionate housing prices here. I literally cannot afford any place else. I promise to still pay rent though, even though you freakin' bought this place, we could have shared rent or something"
Yeosang nods, kind of confused with Wooyoung's reasoning but whats done is done so he just sighs and nods. "You don't need to pay rent to me, I have my own source of income, you just work on getting a job and moving out of here"
Wooyoung scoffs, who would reject an extra source of income. He's secretly glad anyway because he'd eventually not be able to pay rent, which would become very awkward.
Once Hongjoong is gone and it's the two of them again, Yeosang orders food for dinner because he still hasn't learnt how to cook basic things... and he doesn't want Wooyoung to know so he nicely gets take out for the two of them.
"So, how long do you think it'll take you to find a job? A month or two?" Yeosang tries to make conversation as an apology for being moody earlier.
Wooyoung chokes on his food. "Uhm, you see... I'm in a bit of a sticky situation" he smiles sheepishly.
Yeosang doesn't like the sound of that. "What kind of situation?"
"I'm an aspiring journalist but the problem is, that I'm kind of infamous in that field now and no one wants to hire me."
Yeosang widens his eyes. "What? So... it's going take long for you to find a job?"
"Relax, I've got a plan. Also stop trying to kick me out so quickly, aren't I supposed to act as your boyfriend for at least a while?"
Yeosang is now quite weary of what he's gotten himself into. "Fine. My schedule is unpredictable so I don't know if we'll even see each other much anyway."
Wooyoung nods, then furrows his eyebrows "what do you work as? You didn't tell me before" Wooyoung wonders what kind of job pays him so much that he can randomly buy houses and reject extra income.
"I'm a model" the other replies and Wooyoung just realises that he hasn't really looked at Yeosang properly.
He's definitely pretty enough to be a model. In fact, he's perfect for it, he notes that his features are quite unique, Wooyoung would have thought he was a foreigner or at least half Korean.
"Yes I am a model, you can stop looking at me now"
Wooyoung clears his throat "I was just checking to see if I recognised you from anywhere" he scratches the back of his head. Nice save.
"My parents own Kang modelling agency, I'm the face of the company... if... you do recognise me." Yeosang trails off, a bit embarrassed. He doesn't even know why he said all that, Wooyoung hadn't even asked.
"Ah! I do recognise you now! You did look familiar" Wooyoung nods in remembrance, as a journalist, he's required to at least know about the top companies, the Kang modelling agency is very well known.
So Yeosang is definitely very rich Wooyoung concludes. He's a model and his family run a multi millionaire company. He's sort of intimidated in his presence now, especially being unemployed, he feels like Yeosang is doing charity work for him.
"So... what can I do for you? I mean- I'm acting as your boyfriend, do I need to meet anyone or..."
"You've done your part, I appreciate you agreeing to this but I don't need you to act as my boyfriend anymore, just focus on getting a job." Yeosang knows that his other won't bother him anymore now that she's seen concrete evidence, Wooyoung won't even have to meet her.
Wooyoung frowns, now he really feels like Yeosang is doing charity work for him, letting him live here for free without doing anything back.
"Oh... ok, but-"
Yeosang shushes him suddenly, grabbing his phone and startling him when he lets out a loud groan and bangs his head on the table.
"Are you ok?" Wooyoung tries to get his head off the table but then Yeosang suddenly sits up, scaring him.
His phone is shoved into Wooyoung's face, looking surprised at the text message.
Mother
Yeosang, I know it hasn't been long but I'm just too excited! I need to meet Wooyoung, how about next week at the networking event?
Yeosang runs a hand through his hair, he looks very stressed Wooyoung notes. The message is very abrupt and blunt, no room for arguing or compromise. Yeosang knows he has to go.
"I'm really sorry, I guess your job isn't over... this might be difficult to get out of." Yeosang knows he's in deep now that his mother expects him and Wooyoung at an event. She's no doubt going to show everyone else too.
"It's fine! I don't mind, don't be sorry" Wooyoung really doesn't mind doing this favour, he'd rather that than do nothing and feel like he's in debt to Yeosang.
Yeosang smiles at him for what's probably the first ever time. "Thank you"
After dinner, Yeosang goes into his room, mumbling a 'night' despite it being 8pm and Wooyoung is left in the empty kitchen. He has no idea where he's supposed to sleep so he just stays in the kitchen for now. Now that he's alone for the first time since arriving here, he feels a bit sentimental, this was his first and only apartment which he loved so much even though it's tiny. Now its someone else's and even though he's here again, it's only temporary and Yeosang seems in a hurry to get him out, which kind of makes him feel unwelcome.
He pouts, he's always likes the idea of having a roommate but Yeosang seems to very much dislike the idea. Maybe he's not used to living in such a small place with someone else, he has no doubts that his old room was probably the size of this whole apartment or even bigger.
It's his first night back in his old home so Wooyoung decides to cheer up, he'll get Yeosang to be more comfortable around him, its only been a few hours and not everyone has Wooyoung's remarkable social abilities. He gets his phone out to call his friends, who don't know anything about how different his life is now from what it was this morning.
"Hey Wooyoung, we were wondering when you were going to call" Yunho says while San waves in the background.
"Hi yuyu, sannie" Wooyoung greets his friends then moves his camera to show where he is. The pair look extremely confused at the familiar place "That looks exactly like your old kitchen... Wooyoung you're not back at your apartment are you? How?"
He chuckles at the very puzzled looks on their faces. He takes a screenshot before deciding to explain to them what has happened over the past day. "You guys will never believe this"
~
Wooyoung sits up from the hard floor in the living room after being scared awake by whoever's knocking at the door extremely loudly, Hongjoong sometimes comes at this time so he figures its him. "I'm coming!" Wooyoung groans, his muscles stiff from the cold floor (Yeosang did have the decency to lend some blankets though).
He remembers that Yeosang did order sofas yesterday after his nagging, and they're coming today. Maybe it's the sofa people.
He wipes the sleep off his face and opens the door, a man around his age is standing in front of him. Wooyoung looks behind the man, no sofas... "who are you?" He says, confused.
The man looks equally as confused "who are you?"
Wooyoung is about to respond when he hears Yeosang suddenly running to the front door, and roughly pulling him away from it. "Seonghwa hyung! You're early today"
"Yeosang who's this??" Seonghwa points at Wooyoung with a very puzzled expression, he knows Yeosang is 100% not a one night stand kind of guy, so he's extremely confused as to why there is a guy at his house at this time of morning.
"I'm his boyfriend, who are you?" Wooyoung pushes past Yeosang and stands in front of the taller man, looking him up and down, trying his best to look intimidating.
Seonghwa's jaw drops open "wha-"
"No no!" Yeosang quickly interrupts and smacks Wooyoung's arm "stop telling everyone that you're my boyfriend"
"But it's true" Wooyoung pouts, he's kind of having fun doing this acting thing. "It's fake true so don't go telling everyone that we're dating!" Yeosang snaps.
Seonghwa watches the two bicker "can someone please explain to me whats going on!"
"Come in, I'll explain" Yeosang pulls his friend inside and does what he's asked to do.
Once Seonghwa is caught up, he looks at Wooyoung sceptically "I'm still not convinced as to why you begged Yeosang to let you stay here, are you a stalker, a fan? You managed to trick Yeosang into being your boyfriend huh, Yeosang is very gullible so-"
Before Wooyoung can defend himself against Seonghwa's accusatory words, Yeosang interrupts him. "Hyung what are you talking about? I know I'm gullible but not to that point, have some trust in me. I'm not going to let someone live with me if I didn't trust them, I'm the one who needs him to be my boyfriend for a while, I didn't get brainwashed into anything."
The older sighs "fine, I was just trying to be the protective parent anyway, I trust you at least that much not to let a murderer live with you"
Wooyoung just nods, the two friends seem to be having a moment so he lets them be since his name has been cleared for him. He swears he's not a criminal.
After an hour of them chatting and Wooyoung sitting with them awkwardly, Seonghwa has to leave for work, it becomes silent once he's gone.
"Sorry abut Seonghwa hyung, he doesn't seem to trust people that easily" Yeosang says, Wooyoung can see that he's genuinely apologetic. It's really no big deal.
"Don't worry, I understand. I'm more confused as to why you agreed to let me live here, a complete stranger. We still are technically strangers."
Yeosang knows his decision was a sketchy one, anyone else would have just made Wooyoung leave no matter what. "I admit it was a spur of the moment decision. My mother had messaged me about a date and I needed an excuse right there and then. You were my excuse. Plus, you were literally begging me and I could tell you were being truthful." Yeosang is good at identifying who's being truthful or not through experience (he learnt it the hard way).
Wooyoung nods their situation definitely is a win-win situation. Thinking about yesterday reminds him of the conversation he had with his friends last night. "Oh yeah i forgot to mention this but my friends are coming over, they want to meet you"
Yeosang is taken aback at this sudden pice of information. "Friends? As in plural? How many are coming over, why do they want to meet me?" This sounds awfully like a party or something, which is definitely not his kind of scene. Even though he has to often go to parties because of his job and parents, its not like he enjoys them.
"Relax, its just two friends, they just want to say hi" Wooyoung reassures him, Yeosang doesn't know why he's overreacting like this. It's going to be fine.
As if on cue, a knock is heard and Wooyoung runs to open the door, wearing a huge smile. When the door swings open, Yeosang watches as two people envelope the other into a long hug. "I know its been two weeks only but we've missed you so much Wooyoungie" one of them say. He notices that the pair are holding hands, cute. And that they have a cute height difference.
His roommate lets them in and they immediately walk to Yeosang. "Wow... you really are a model huh" the shorter of the two says, earning a smack from Wooyoung "stay in your lane, that's my boyfriend you're talking to"
Yeosang rolls his eyes, he knows that they're joking, they're even laughing at Wooyoung's little joke but he honestly doesn't know how to feel, but he's going to have to tell Wooyoung to dial it down with the acting. "I'm San and this is my boyfriend Yunho" the man introduces them, shaking him out of his thoughts. "Hi I'm Kang Yeosang"
"So, Yeosang, Wooyoung tells me that your family runs the Kang modelling agency right? Interesting..." Yunho says, eyeing him as if he's sending him a secret message that he's supposed to understand.
"Yeah..."
"And I'm sure Wooyoung has explained his job and also why he's in the situation that he's in right now" he continues, waiting for something in Yeosang to click but he doesn't seem to understand where Yunho is going with this.
However, Wooyoung seems to have got it and quickly stops him "what are you saying, he cant do that". Wooyoung swiftly shuts him down and Yeosang still hasn't understood, he feels dense.
He looks at Wooyoung for him to explain but he just shakes his head. "It's nothing, don't worry". Yeosang frowns, it doesn't seem like nothing with the way he stopped Yunho from speaking any further but he lets it go since they've changed the topic of conversation to something else now.
They stay for a long time, which Yeosang doesn't mind at all. It gives Wooyoung some company since he knows he's very boring to be around. Or at least that's what he's convinced himself, he's told Seonghwa many times that he doesn't have to be friends with him if he's too dull but he just gets a smack in the head in response, followed by some comforting words of course.
He and Seonghwa have been friends since they were young because his family are designers. Where they made the clothes, Yeosang wore them and its still like that today. Whenever he's having a bad day, he can't help himself thinking that Seonghwa is only putting up with him because their families companies are close allies and if they were on bad terms, they'd lose a big brand modelling their clothes.
But then he forces himself back into reality and stop thinking catastrophically for his mental health's sake. He knows that Seonghwa loves him very much and vice versa, he's shown it millions of times. Seonghwa is the only person that's really been there for him throughout his whole life, he's seen his best and worst moments. So he appreciates the fact that he has at least one friend and that he's an amazing one.
He looks at the three in front of him, chatting and laughing. Hopefully he can make three more good friends. Maybe four if he counts Hongjoong, every time he's talked to him (granted, it has only been two times) he seems like a very cool hyung he'd love to have in his life.
His eyes trail from the trio to just Wooyoung, he hopes they can be friends too, honesty. He admits he was a bit rude to him yesterday but in his defence Wooyoung had just barged in and demanded to stay here and with the added stress of his mother threatening him, it was a bad day yesterday.
Yeosang has no intentions of actually dating anyone, he's perfectly fine being single. He just needs Wooyoung to act as his partner for a bit, which he's already good at and clearly doesn't mind doing. He hopes they can be good friends through this crazy incident, he'd love to have Wooyoung as a friend.
~ I know this is a horrible excuse for a filler chapter ugh I don't like this chapter, its just 3,000 words of people meeting each other. Ok enough of the self hatred, I swear I'm not fishing for compliments idk why I feel like this.
I hope it gets more interesting next chapter!