The whole ride over to the SM building is pure torture for Jongin. His mind is racing, trying to consider what else might be so pressing at this hour that they both need to go in. A promotional event? Individual activities? No, that doesn’t make sense that they’d need to talk about it in the middle of the night. ‘There’s nothing else. It’s gotta be about us.’ He frets over what blew their cover. Was it that one afternoon in their dorm room? Maybe someone saw them on their date in Tokyo at the restaurant, or kissing in the hotel suite? The one time he’d followed Kyungsoo into the bathroom backstage during “Sing For You” promotions to make-out in a stall for a few minutes?

He’d been so careful, but it seems like it was all for naught as his anxiety now starts to consume him. Because he can’t be positive what exactly they’re being called in for, Jongin’s not sure what he should tell Kyungsoo. He’d never told him about Jaehyuk’s confrontation after their amazing night in the practice room; for some reason, Jongin feels ashamed that such a special moment of theirs had been intruded upon, and he feels at fault for it. ‘Should I tell him now?’ he wonders. Maybe they need to get their stories straight here, ahead of time, but the junior manager’s sitting 3 feet away in the van, and they’ve got approximately 2 minutes before they’re going to arrive. Hopeless, he feels that all he can do at this point is pray for the best and make sure not to volunteer or confirm anything when first confronted.

Beside him, Kyungsoo seems annoyed but not distressed. He’s slumped down against the seat with a grumpy scowl on his face. When the older glances over at him, he senses his stress and starts gently massaging the younger’s neck. “Hey, you okay?” he asks.

Jongin looks down at the shorter male, not knowing what to say. The fear in his eyes is apparently saying it all, though, as Kyungsoo straightens up in reaction. When the dancer opens his mouth, a small whimper is all that slips out. Kyungsoo looks 100% awake now, brow furrowing as he seems to comprehend the boy’s worries about their current predicament. He deep brown irises are swirling with what seems to be rapid thinking to formulate a plan. When he speaks, it’s in a low, reassuring tone. “Don’t worry. Just try to stay calm. Whatever happens, I’ll take care of it.”

Their time is up, as they’re already pulling up at their destination. The junior manager drops them off at the back entrance. “Go to the office on the top floor. Jaehyuk’s already in there with the Vice President – they’re waiting for you.”

Jongin is having trouble making his feet comply with the instructions. Every fiber of his being is screaming ‘run,’ which he is able to fight off only by remaining immobile. Kyungsoo starts to go into the building, but realizes the younger is frozen on the sidewalk and turns back. “Come on, we’ll get through this together,” he says, standing side by side with him. The older starts to put his hand on Jongin’s back to him forward, but thinks better of it given that they’re out in the open.

Jongin still hasn’t moved; he’s staring at the building like it’s going to swallow him alive. ‘Dammit, why am I such a coward?’ Looking down at the singer next to him, he feels a huge pang of guilt. ‘I can’t believe I’ve messed this up, I’ve probably ruined his career, I’ve let him down…’

Kyungsoo seems to realize that the younger’s not any closer to moving. “We’ve got to get in there. It’s okay if you’re not ready. Just… follow my lead.” And with that, the older confidently strides into the building, hand clamped around Jongin’s wrist and tugging him to follow behind.

They get up to the office, and Kyungsoo knocks twice. “Play tired,” the older says a moment before the door swings open. Jongin tries to calm his rapidly beating heart and do as suggested, rubbing his eyes a bit to help him get in character.

They enter the room and bow respectfully. The Vice President sits behind his desk, which is clean except for one manila folder in the middle of it. Three chairs face the Vice President. Jaehyuk sits in the far left one while motioning for Kyungsoo and Jongin to take the other two. The older boy seats himself in the middle and Jongin sits in the far right chair, leaning slightly to exude the air of tiredness without crossing the line to disrespectful slumping.

“We’ve got a big problem. Do you know how many news outlets have been calling me this evening?” booms the VP.

Kyungsoo speaks quickly to keep the man’s attention focused on him. “I’m so sorry to hear that, VP-nim. What seems to be the trouble?” Meanwhile, Jongin’s attempting to twist his face from the terror he’s feeling into thoughtful confusion.

“You. YOU TWO, are the trouble,” the VP bellows back.

Kyungsoo still doesn’t seem shaken, just bowing his head politely in deference to his superior. “I’m afraid I’m not quite understanding, sir. What is it that I did?” Jongin appreciates that the older hasn’t given anything away yet, as he’s pretty sure he would have already cracked. Jongin finds it easier to keep his eyes trained on his beautiful counterpart than the VP. The singer’s serious and suave demeanor is mesmerizing. If the dancer wasn’t so terrified right now, he’d be .

Jaehyuk sighs and speaks up. “There’s a bunch of pictures of you two that the media are trying to post tonight.”

As Jongin freaks out internally, Kyungsoo simply says with an unreal amount of poise, “We always have lots of pictures out after an award ceremony. Can you show me what the issue is?”

“HERE. THESE. These are the issue,” the VP slaps open the manila folder to reveal several high quality photos inside.

While Jongin holds his breath, expecting the worst, Kyungsoo leans forward calmly and shuffles through them. They’re just pictures from tonight with the smaller standing in front of the taller, Jongin’s hands clutching his waist on both sides. All in all, actually, it’s not so bad. Kyungsoo says as much. “I don’t get it. We’re idols – we’re expected to look like we’re close in all our photo ops and put arms around each other.”

“One on one at concerts where it’s clearly just fanservice, yes. In large groups on a red carpet, sure. But NOT like this, where you’re possessively grabbing at each other like a couple. And according to the people calling me, they have plenty of pictures from past events where it’s just you two, always around each other, staring or touching each other. Don’t you realize there’s been a rumor out about a gay couple in an idol group? They’re threatening to release all of these as suggestive ‘evidence’ that netizens will surely look upon suspiciously, unless we pay them off,” rants the VP.

“Do we really have to worry about paying them off or responding to the rumors?” Kyungsoo asks, nonplussed. “After all, according to them, I’m also dating Sojin from Girl’s Day.”

Jongin’s eyes jerk away from the pictures to land on the male next to him, taking in his cold and dismissive attitude toward the VP. He can’t help but look at the singer like he’s sprouted four heads. ‘Has he lost his damn mind??’

Jaehyuk intercedes, “Sir, they’re just very close friends. They have been for many years. I’ve been their manager since the beginning. If there was more to it, I’d know.” His gaze flickers ever so quickly over at Jongin with an unmistakably cold glare.

Something in the manager’s eyes causes the dancer to speak up. “Yes, sir. Just friends.”

“Well quit being so damn friendly that it makes people think there might be more to it! Think of what it could do to our stocks! I don’t want to see you two within 10 feet of each other at events from now on, until I say it’s okay, you got it? And NO public appearances with just you two, NO CF photos with you standing next to each other, just NOTHING. Are we clear??” The VP takes a moment to collect himself and looks back and forth between the two boys, Jongin looking somewhat submissive and apologetic while Kyungsoo’s posture seems more challenging and angry. “You’re dismissed. Go wait out in the hallway until I’m done talking with Jaehyuk; he’ll take you home.”

The two rise from the chairs and bow stiffly as they leave the office. On autopilot, Jongin follows the older as he heads to the elevator lobby and sinks down on the floor, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes. The younger mimics the position next to him. It’s quiet for a minute.

Jongin speaks first. “Thank you for handling the talking.”

Kyungsoo just hums lowly in response. Jongin feels all of his guilt bubbling up again; if he’d only listened, so many months ago, to all the reasons why they should be careful…

“Go ahead, say it,” he says softly.

“Say what?”

“’I told you so.’”

Kyungsoo opens his eyes and turns to face him as the words sink in. “…do you really think I care about that?”

“…no. It’d just be a great distraction and easier for me to cope with this if you actually were petty like that,” Jongin tries half-heartedly for a touch of humor. ‘Then I could be mad at you, rather than at myself…’

It’s not actually funny at all, but the singer forces a tight-lipped smile as he sighs, his body now showing signs of just how exhausted he is. “So what do we do now?” he says aloud, but it doesn’t necessarily seem directed at the younger. No one answers the question; it just hangs in the air for awhile. “I’m about to be crazy busy with promotions for Pure Love.”

“It’s the gift that just keeps on giving,” Jongin says, trying to keep the light tone of the conversation lest he start bawling over how dim thei