“What can I get for you?”

Minsoo sat down at the bar.

“Gin on the rocks.”

The bartender slid a glass over to Minsoo, the ice clinking in the cup. He sipped slowly, eyes sweeping across the crowd of people.

He wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing at a club. He hated the heavy pounding of the bass, the tight squeeze of bodies on the dance floor, the smell of alcohol and cheap cologne in the air. But he needed to get out of the house and a drink seemed like a good idea at the time. He sighed, draining his glass. He gestured at the bartender. He stared down at his clasped hands as he waited for his drink.

He didn’t look up when the stool next to him scraped against the floor as it was pulled out. He did look up, however, when the person plopped down into the chair, his arm bumping into his. He looked up, glaring, but stopped short when he saw the other staring at him apologetically.

“Sorry,” the stranger smiled at him.

Minsoo just nodded, his attention turning to the drink the bartender just placed in front of him. He lifted the glass to his lips and heard him ask the stranger what he wanted.

“Just a coke, please.”

Minsoo frowned at the other’s strange request.

"Don't you want to get drunk?"

Minsoo surprised himself as he spoke up. He never was interested in other's business, let alone a stranger's, so why was he asking now?

"You can have fun without alcohol, you know?"

The stranger sipped his Coke.

"It's not only for fun."

He twisted in the stool to look at him. Minsoo deliberately kept his eyes trained on the row of bottles in front of him. He could feel the other’s eyes scanning his face.

"I suppose. You look like the type to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Is that what you were hoping on doing this evening?" he cocked his head to the side.

Minsoo rolled his eyes and tipped back the rest of his drink. He slammed a few bills on the counter and grabbed his coat.

"I'm not drunk enough for this," he scoffed, heading towards the exit.

He pushed past the grinding bodies in disgust, shouldering his way through crowds of screeching girls. He managed to stumble his way outside, sighing and running a hand through his hair.

Where could he go? There was no way he was going back home. He huffed, annoyed at the turn of events and the abrupt end to his evening. He trudged away from the bar, heading towards his car.

"Hey!"

Minsoo looked back. He stopped at the sight of the stranger running towards him.

"What do you want? First you ruin my peace, now you're trying to follow me home? What exactly are you trying to do?"

The stranger stopped short in front of him and looked a little lost. Minsoo waited expectantly for a response, and when he didn't get one, he turned to walk away. But before he could get far, a hand clamped down on his arm and spun him around. He didn't have a second to exclaim before a pair of lips landed on his own. He froze. The other's mouth moved gently, trying to coax a reaction from his unmoving ones.

When he didn't get one, he pulled away, looking disappointed. Minsoo stared down at him. Now that he wasn't bathed in the fluorescent lights of the dance floor and they were actually face to face, he realized the other was quite cute, with his big eyes and plump lips. And Minsoo kinda wanted to kiss him again.

He leaned down, capturing the other's lips. The stranger made a sound of surprise, his hands flying up in reflex, but he relaxed into the kiss. His hands landed on his chest, gripping the edges of his coat. Minsoo came closer, deepening the kiss and circling his arms around his waist. Minsoo pulled away slightly, chuckling when the other squeaked when his tongue slipped past his lips. Their breaths mingled before he leaned in again, this time mouthing along his jaw.

"I-I saw you from across the bar," his voice came out a little breathy, "I thought you were really handsome, but you didn't look up."

He gasped as Minsoo a mark onto his neck.

"What's your name?" he murmured.

"Niel."

"Minsoo."

"Well, Minsoo," his voice hitched, "My place or yours?"

He pulled away, lips curling.

"Yours."

 

Minsoo wasn't exactly sure what he was doing here. This wasn't his typical morning after routine.

He'd woken up that morning, alone. He'd assumed Niel had gone to take a shower or something, so he took the chance to sneak out. He pulled on his clothes and padded his way through the vaguely familiar apartment. He had almost reached the door when Niel popped up behind him, cheerily bidding him good morning.

"Come have breakfast."

Minsoo had blanched then, and let himself be dragged along to the kitchen. He sat down and stared at the food in a daze. Niel chattered on quietly, ignoring the other's silence.

"What are you doing today?" Niel asked him.

"Nothing, really."

And now he was standing in the middle of the milk aisle, pushing a cart through the supermarket, completely bewildered as Niel checked off items on his grocery list beside him.

He supposed he could just ditch the guy once he had his back turned, but the way Niel smiled gently at him kept him rooted to the ground. So he stayed, helping him unload the cart and bring his groceries to his car.

They dropped off everything back at his apartment and Minsoo assumed this would be goodbye but was once again surprised as Niel pulled him through the door.

"Here," he clothes into his arms.

"What..." Minsoo stared blankly.

Niel rolled his eyes. He pushed him towards the bathroom.

"Go change."

"Why?" He asked as the door closed behind him.

"You don't want to spend the whole day in clothes reeking of alcohol and sweat, do you?" the voice piped up.

The footsteps padded away. Minsoo obeyed numbly, a little confused.

"What are we doing?" he asked once he left the bathroom.

"Out to lunch," Niel looked at him, "If you want to."

He was giving him a way out. He could have left, but for some reason, he heard himself agree.

 

Minsoo found himself spending more and more time with Niel as time wore on. They'd exchanged numbers at the end of the day, Minsoo's intention being to return his clothes. But they kept talking, and calling, and seeing each other, and soon Niel was becoming a part of his daily life. Which, truthfully, he didn't really mind.

He was a little new on the whole relationship concept. When he told Niel, the other had laughed and dragged him out the door.

“Let me teach you how to be a boyfriend,” Niel grinned at him.

He brought him on dates, taking him out to the movies and cheap restaurants. They spend days wandering around the city, buying coffee and sharing ice cream. Sometimes, Minsoo felt a little out of his element, but the other had just taken his hand and pecked him lightly on the cheek, and he felt at ease.

They spent hours at his apartment, watching cheesy movies and attempting to cook dinner together, but ultimately both ending up covered in goop and flour. Minsoo had really laughed then, at the streaks of crumbs covering Niel’s face. The other smirked in response, challenging him, before running towards him with a scoop of cookie dough in both hands.

Minsoo never brought him back to his place, and Niel never broached the subject.

He'd never loved anyone before, but he was sure he was in love with Niel.

Within the first weeks of their relationship, Niel asked him to stay the night, his eyes shy. Minsoo was already halfway out the door, but he turned back and shrugged off his coat, relishing in the warmth that spread through his chest when the other smiled at him.

They'd lied down on his bed, facing each other. Minsoo had closed his eyes, feeling a little awkward with their closeness. He felt the other gently trace the lines of his face, and smiled slightly under his fingers. The other chuckled softly. He allowed the other to continue, until he eventually felt the hand drop. He opened his eyes slowly, marveling at Niel's sleeping face.

His eyes took in the slope of his cheek, the strands of hair falling diagonally across his face, and the shadowy curves of his lips. The other breathed out gently, and pressed his face into the pillow, adorably distorting his features.

His hands clenched around the sheets as he suddenly felt a strange warmness spread across his body. His breath quickened as his skin began to heat up.

Niel stirred. He groaned and reached out to grab his shirt, pulling himself closer to Minsoo, which didn’t help his rapidly beating heart.

"Go to sleep," he yawned.

Minsoo's heart thundered as Niel snuggled into his chest, his head right above the newly formed tattoo.

 

It was a cold winter’s night when Niel first met Minsoo’s fiancée.

They had just settled in for their weekly movie marathon, a bowl of popcorn sandwiched between them, when the lights flashed off.

“What happened?”

Niel reached over to the light switch and flicked it on and off. He groaned when the room stayed dark.

“Electricity’s out.”

“How long do you think it’ll be before it comes back on?”

“At least a few hours.”

Niel sighed next to him, already cuddling into his side. Minsoo frowned, the thought of Niel sitting in the dark, cold and shivering, made him spring to his feet and toss Niel his coat.

“Come on,” he pulled the other through the apartment.

“Where are we going?”

Minsoo hesitated.

“My place.”

 

“I knew it.”

His fiancée glared at him from the doorway. Niel peeked around Minsoo.

“Who are you?” he asked curiously.

“I’m Minsoo’s fiancée,” she crossed her arms, “Who are you?”

Niel’s eyes widened in shock. He whipped his head up to look at Minsoo, who was staring sourly at her.

“Fiancée?” he whispered, “Minsoo, what’s going on?”

“Come, I’ll explain everything,” he murmured.

He led a confused Niel down the hallway, opening his bedroom door for him. But before he could follow him through, she rushed forward and pulled the door close. Niel spun around at the slam.

“What are you trying to do?” he heard her hiss.

He pressed his ear to the door.

“It’s bad enough we have to live together, but now you’re bringing other people home too? You’re going to ruin everything.”

“Look, you and I both hate this arrangement, but we don’t have a choice. So I’ll go through with the wedding, but I’m not giving up Niel, regardless of the consequences. Not now, not ever.”

“You really like him, don’t you?” her voice was audibly softer.

There was a pause. Niel held his breath.

“I love him,” Minsoo said softly.

Niel heard her sigh.

“Okay, I won’t stop you, even though I don’t like it,” a beat of silence, “And I can already tell you look happier.”

Her footsteps started again and faded down the hall. The doorknob turned.

“Hey,” Niel said softly, backing away from the door.

They stared at each other in silence, Niel with a curious, if not slightly betrayed look on his face, and Minsoo, shielded and vulnerable, biting his lip. Niel had never seen him so unsure of himself.

“I guess you want an explanation,” Minsoo stared down at his feet.

“A little,” Niel sat down on the edge of the bed, “I’m not mad, though. Just a little confused.”

"It's not too complicated of a story, so I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it before," Minsoo hung his head, "That girl you just saw, she is my fiancée. But I don't love her."

"So…” he swung his feet, “Why are you marrying her then? I don't quite understand.”

Minsoo came to sit next to him.

"It's an arranged marriage of sorts, a merger between our families, I guess you could say. My parents, they’re friends, and they forced us together so much. They didn't want us to be with anyone else but each other. They couldn't accept us not being together."

"So you agreed to marry her?"

"I had no choice. My parents would never approve of anyone else. They’d keep me, keep us, under their watch. I thought, if I marry her, at least I’d get a taste of freedom."

They stayed silent.

"What does she think about all this?"

"She hates this so much more than me. Before I met you, I didn’t really have anyone I felt strongly for, or would regret leaving. But she had a boyfriend before this, and she gave him up. For our parents. So you can see why she'd be mad at me for bringing you here."

"Are you going to leave me too?"

Minsoo turned to him in shock. The other looked at him with a sad sort of smile, and it tugged at his heart.

"Of course I'm not. Niel, please understand," he took his hand, "I may be engaged to her, but you're the one I love. I want to be with you more than anyone in the world. I never would have thought that I would meet someone like you, and I regret the moment I said yes to this whole arrangement."

"I believe you, Minsoo," Niel leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips, "I love you, too, you know. I'm just a little upset that you didn't tell me about this. It's kind of surreal, and hard to wrap my head around. I mean, my boyfriend has a fiancée."

Niel laughed softly.

"I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," he leaned against his shoulder, "For some reason, it doesn’t bother me as much as it should. I guess it’s because I could kind of tell you didn't love her."

"How so?"

"Because," he murmured, "You don't look at her the way you look at me."

 

"I do."

Minsoo gritted his teeth as the crowd cheered. He wanted to run away, away from the altar and the flowers and the minister, but he couldn't. So he bit his tongue, choking out the words of his vows and cringing at the superficiality of hers.

They had helped each other before the wedding, covering up each other's tattoos.

“I never thought I’d walk down the aisle to someone who wasn’t the love of my life,” she laughed bitterly.

Minsoo fixed her veil and embraced her.

“I know,” he dabbed at her tears, “It’ll be over soon.”

He had bumped into Niel shortly after, and he immediately hugged the boy. The latter wrapped his arms around him, gently patting him on the back.

“I don’t want to get married,” his voice was small, “Not if it’s not you waiting for me.”

“It’s okay, Minsoo,” he pulled away, “Just go and get married. I’ll be waiting for you at home.”

Niel kissed him one last time before walking away.

Minsoo felt a hand grasp onto his. He turned his head, locking eyes with his fiancée and soon-to-be wife.

“Ready?” she whispered.

He nodded. So they faked their happiness, for the sake of their parents.

He pretended he didn't see her old boyfriend sitting behind everyone else, and she ignored the way the scent Niel's cologne lingered on him when she leaned in for the kiss. They smiled for the cameras, their arms around each other, more of a sign of friendship rather than love.

Once the reception was over, they drove away from the venue together, picking up her boyfriend a few blocks away. He dropped them off, watching with a smile as they walked hand in hand up the drive.

As he pulled away from the curb and headed home, he thought about Niel. The other was probably waiting for him back home, in front of the TV with two cups of hot chocolate. He would greet him with a smile and a kiss, like usual, and pull him down to snuggle into his side.

Minsoo stopped the car in front of their apartment. He paused before opening the door, slipping off his wedding ring and pocketing it. He unlocked the door, pushing it open, and crossed the threshold.

Niel grinned at him from the couch.

“I have hot chocolate for you.”