It’s loud.

Staff members were running around collecting microphones and costumes, actors greeting and congratulating each other, people wiping off makeup and packing up to leave, laughter and yelling as crowds went up and down the halls.

He’s seen this scene hundreds of times by now, it just comes with the job. 

Choi Soohyeong smiles and thanks the cast who came by the waiting room and his guests for today’s show. The usual come and go yet he never tires of it, he deserves a break from acting the villain and a pull back into his usual personality. Today he acknowledges the presence of Kim Dongwan, his accompanying Edgar Poe, from the corner of his eye; posing for pictures and giving cheerful thanks to the friends and acquaintances who took time out of their schedule to watch.

He notices Dongwan form a small heart for the camera in front of him and Soohyeong shifts his gaze.

This is so embarrassing, he keeps whispering to himself as he had been since the end of the show. He takes a quick glance in Dongwan’s direction before readying his things to leave.

Can you believe Choi Soohyeong of all people, was upset over his co-actor not returning a small gesture.

Or not. Maybe it wasn’t small. Dongwan’s fans always came to his shows, he was surprised at their first performance together but quickly got used to the shutter sounds and bubbly laughs when Dongwan appeared for the curtain call. He acted with idols before and this was no different.

So that would definitely mean Dongwan’s fans had pictures of his awkward, unreturned gesture. Soohyeong confidently raising his arm to form a heart and Dongwan too preoccupied to notice and return it.

And for whatever reason he had to tell Dongwan to prevent it for next time.

~ ~ ~

As the last of the bulk of guests said their farewells, Soohyeong finally shyed over to Dongwan’s side.

“Hey.”

Still feeling the excitement from earlier, Dongwan quickly turned around and took his invitation for conversation, “Soohyeongie! Great job as always. We won’t be seeing each other for a few days, sad huh? Maybe next time we can try-” and there he went.

At least it was a bit less painful this way, better to slip in-between a conversation than have Dongwan wait for such a weird point.

“For next time… Today you didn’t…” he mumbled under his breath as Dongwan’s expression changed to one more innocent and surprised. As if someone caught him doing something he didn’t know he should be doing. He let the taller man continue, not knowing exactly what to expect. 

“You didn’t return the…..” his voice faded off once again under his breath and he tried not to meet Dongwan’s eyes with such a weird complaint. He hoped Dongwan got the message across but that dream was tossed aside when the shorter man tilted his head with a confused look.

“Say that again? Augh, did I mess up a scene?!”

For crying out loud. This shouldn’t be this hard for him to say but how embarrassing, being men in their 30’s concerned over fan service at the end of a musical curtain call.

“At the end.”

“Huh? What did I do wrong? Was it the position? I swear my timing was correct-“

“You didn’t return my heart.”

“...That’s it?”

“Uh, yeah.”

He recalled a moment from practice; when Kim Dongwan’s eye wrinkles show, he really did find something genuinely funny.

And this was one of those times.

“You’re a lot softer than you look!” he jokingly nudged Soohyeong, while picking himself up from laughter, “You know how many people mentioned that to me after the show? Ahh Soohyeong, don’t worry I won’t forget again. I promise.”

Soohyeong isn’t sure if this was relief or the spark of something else as the other man flashed a grin and put in one more word before exiting the room. 

“I’ll take care of Soohyeongie’s heart~”

There’s only one thought that comes to him as he stands dumbfounded at his own confession.

So embarrassing.

A/N: Hopefully this isn’t too random, it’s just supposed to be playful Dongwan teasing Syunggeuri. In his vapp with the other Poes, he mentions Soohyeong being “really upset” that he didn’t return his heart and while cleaning my Poe Musical folder, realized I have a pic of it. This is what I imagine that conversation being like (seriously how funny that grown men would get upset over something like this lol). 

//I have other ideas for these two but wrote this in one go for warm up, be kind~ first posting on AFF orz