Jeonghan

When a slip of the tongue gets Jeonghan into more trouble than it was worth.

. . .

It was just an average night at the 17carat Bar, the music was selected well, and the lights dimmed to the appropriate level. But Jeonghan was distracted from his usual merrymaking by a lonely, hunched figure who was teetering a little drunkenly on her bar stool.

You were gorgeous, Jeonghan admitted for probably the fifth time as he snuck another glance in your direction. Your hair was mussed and hung uncaringly but somehow it seemed effortlessly casual, your dress complimented your figure (although the strap that was slipping down your shoulder definitely added a certain seductiveness), yet your eyes that glinted underneath the hazy lights shone with unmistakable tears.

The poor man didn’t stand a chance, he was hooked like a fish that willingly bit onto the bait if only to meet the beauty of its killer. Of course, this was nothing so morbid, but he couldn’t seem to keep his gaze off of you. Joshua had also been looking frequently (albeit, a lot less frequently than Jeonghan) but he was mainly concerned for your safety. No matter how classy the bar was, there were always some unscrupulous characters that were all too willing to take advantage of a drunk lady, especially one as ravishing as you.

And here was one now, dressed to the nines with a wine-coloured dress shirt that was ed at the collar and eyes flashing with an interest that was not platonic to say the least. He slid easily into the stool next to yours as he discreetly gave you a once-over; to your credit, you were much more interested in your drink than anything else at the moment.

“Hey,” the man spoke, voice smooth and gentle. But whatever softness was in his voice was killed completely by the smug smirk on his lips, “You lonely?”

You turned to him, a dead expression on your face. “Yes, and I,” you paused here to swallow a hiccup, “like to keep it that way.” You were much too busy nursing your broken heart to be interrupted by some random stranger, who you noticed, didn’t care much for personal space as he leaned in closer.

“C’mon, don’t be like that,” he smiled, an expression that contradicted his cold eyes. “You look like you need some company, babe.”

Before you could tell him that he could shove his unwelcome endearments up his posterior, a warm hand landed on your arm, “She said that she doesn’t want company, so leave before she complains to the workers, alright?”

The man says nothing before shooting a withering look at the male who just materialized next to you and sauntering away.

Jeonghan sighs delicately, “Good riddance.”

When you meet his eyes, something clicks. The feeling lasts for no more than a split second, but your chest that felt like lead gave away to something lighter and that helps aid the smile you give to him.

“I’m Jeonghan,” he seats himself on your other side (he didn’t care to sit in the same seat as the previous slimeball) and offers a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

You take it quickly to shake before letting go and wrapping a much more enthusiastic hand around your drink. You weren’t here to mingle, you were here to wallow in your sorrows while drinking like you wanted to test out what the maximum strength of a hangover was.

Jeonghan is a tad tongue-tied as he tries to come up with something witty to say, “I-”

You cut him off, head resting on an open palm now that you had finished your nth drink tonight. “Look,” your words were beginning to blend into one another, “’Ppreciate the help with the sleaze, but I not good company. Bye.”

The male tried to salvage the situation, “It was just that I was hoping you could come sit with my friends and I, you know, maybe keep the number of sleazes at bay?”

You reached for another shot, threw it down your throat before slamming it onto the table. You then exclaimed (quite loudly, as a matter-of-fact, nearly everyone turned to look in your direction), “Are you trying to get into my,” you pause for a half a second before continuing, “proverbial pants?”

Jeonghan couldn’t move, he was petrified in both embarrassment and horror as multiple patrons glared menacingly at him. He felt his reputation being flushed down the drain and was in a state of being partially comatose as he tried to devise a way out of this.

(While you were giggling in the background, “Get it, proverbial pants since I’m not wearing pants. But ‘get into my dress’ just doesn’t sound right…”)

“I’m, uh-” Jeonghan says the first thing that comes to mind, in a voice that isn’t exactly quiet mind you, “gay, yeah gay, so uh, not interested in you because I’m, uh, you know, gay?”

You squint at him, while Joshua and Sungcheol were staring owlishly at the back of their friend’s head.

“Oh, okay then.” You then proceed to pass out and nearly fall off the bar stool. But luckily Jeonghan was there to catch you.

. . .

There were a legion of jackhammers pounding merrily onto your brain. You groaned in pain as you felt yourself awaken from the alcohol-induced unconsciousness, the sheets that were cocooned tightly around you were pristine and nice. But they weren’t yours.

Panic begins to set in as you realize that you also weren’t wearing your dress from the night before. Oh, wait no, you were. There was just a comfy piece of flannel that was pulled haphazardly overtop of your dress.

Your head is still pounding like how you pound your alarm in the mornings when you begin to prop yourself up on your elbows. A quick glance around the dim room solves a couple of questions.

Well, at least you weren’t in some seedy motel, its clearly someone’s apartment (which was designed quite well with well-arranged furniture) that you had been sleeping in. Now the million-dollar question. Who?

You didn’t have to wait long to find out as one of if the most, beautiful men strolled casually into the room with a glass of water and aspirin in hand like some medical commercial. His hair was in disarray and his clothing rumpled, but that didn’t take away from his beauty at all.

He proceeds to place the water and lifesavers onto the dresser which held a modern looking lamp, “How’re you feeling?”

You groaned as a response, even this low sound reminded you how much you had drunk last night, “Ugh, like dog turd being scraped off a croc.”

“Wow, what a visual,” he comments dryly while subconsciously running his hands through his hair, trying to sort out the mess. “Well, I’ve got a few questions for you, stranger.”

You could feel a flush creeping up your neck as you realized that you were in a very vulnerable position, “As I would expect.”

“Your name? And where you live because as pretty as you are, I don’t make it a habit to have strangers in my bed.” Jeonghan cleared his throat, “And also, do you remember anything from yesterday?” But before he lets you respond, he gets you to swallow the pills and drink the water.

After a rushed introduction of yourself, you swallow hard, realizing that you didn’t have a place to return to. However, as you began to sort through your jumbled emotions and memories of last night, a detail glows brightly in the haze, “You’re gay.”

Jeonghan, whose thoughts had been along the lines of ‘forget about the gay comment, please dear Lord.’ But Joshua had not been on his side the night prior, so it was unlikely that the heavens would deign to provide him a helping hand. He sighs.

As he was preoccupied with his thoughts, he refocused on you, only to see that your eyes were welled up with tears and that you were trying hard, very hard, not to burst into tears. The sight tugged at his heartstrings as he gently sat down in front of you. “Are you okay?”

You shake your head quickly, the glint of tears in your eyes growing ever stronger. After choking back your sobs, you very choppily relayed to your new friend the brief but tragic tale of how you had broken up with your long-time boyfriend and was simultaneously kicked out of your shared apartment with nothing but a couple of suitcases that were stashed in your car’s trunk.

“So now I’m homeless because my parents live across the country and I have a job,” your face was a little swollen from your near-crying, and you looked so pathetically heartbroken that Jeonghan wanted nothing more than mend your shattered heart.

Out of its own volition, the words tumbled out of his lips, “You can stay here for the time being.” He was just about to hit himself for being so forward, what girl would willingly stay with a male stranger? Who knew what could happen? Oh, wait-

You deliberated for a few moments, mumbling under your breath as you considered the dangers, “…but he’s gay, so he’s definitely not after that.”

You weren’t quiet enough and, as evidence of that, Jeonghan cringed.

“Okay,” you state, “If that won’t be too much trouble, I’ll stay here. I won’t be a freeloader; just tell me how much rent I should pay, and I’ll get it to you. If there are any rules, please inform me.”

Jeonghan smiles, a sight that causes strange feelings in your stomach. “Don’t worry about that now, you still need to recover from your hangover. Get some more sleep, alright?”

In mere moments, you were unconscious once more and he let out a breathy laugh. He gazed gently at your peacefully sleeping face for a couple of heartbeats before exiting the room.

I’ll help her heal her heart first, then deal with my feelings second. And if I have to pretend to be interested in guys to do that, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

Jeonghan chuckles to himself, besides, it can’t be that bad right?

Oh, how wrong he was.