All Doyoung wanted on another lonely Saturday evening is to enjoy his binge watching of The Big Bang Theory with two big bags of cheese flavoured potato chips and a half a litre of Mountain Dew.

 

Being a single man of 28 years, working as a graduate school professor slash Dean of the Psychology Department in the prestigious Korea University and living in an apartment in the trendy district of Seoul, Myeongdong, his friends question his choice of always staying in during Friday nights and the weekends. Taeyong would pick on his introvert self but Doyoung knows he doesn’t mean that. Yuta would say he scares people away because he secretly psychoanalyzes them the first time they meet. Half of it is true because Doyoung is not even a follower of any Freudan principles but observing and analyzing a person’s behaviour are almost like a second nature for a psychology professor with a doctorate in the clinical field. And he is more of a Humanistic – Existential inclined person. Throw in some Cognitive and Learning, too.

 

In all honesty, Doyoung would love to go out and have fun but being swarmed with grading papers and supervising eight Master’s theses zaps out most of his energy and he only has two full days of the weekend to recharge before facing a whole week of lectures and consultations. Scratch that, he doesn’t even have the full two days to himself. He does his laundry, goes to the grocery, cleans his apartment, continues to grade papers and prepare Powerpoint presentations and handouts for his students ahead of time.

 

(“You’re such a control freak and a perfectionist,” Taeyong says when he dropped by this afternoon as he watches Doyoung type up a lesson three weeks away from now. Taeyong invited him to be his plus one to the yearend ball of the bank where he and Yuta works. He was about to agree but when Taeyong told him about the date, he immediately said no because that’s the date where the last episode of season 11 of The Big Bang Theory would air and he doesn’t want to miss that.

 

“Why am I even friends with your nerd ? Remind me again, okay?” Taeyong whined. “You can watch that the day after! They always replay it and with the Korean subtitles!”

 

“No can do, hyung. I want to be there when it happens and I don’t need subtitles anymore.” He replied, his fingers typing away fast on his keyboard.

 

“Come on, I’ll be stuck with Sicheng and Yuta faces at that ball! Have you no mercy on your best friend? I’ll be alone.” The older man grumbled, throwing himself on the couch.

 

After fifteen minutes of whining and sabotaging a large pepperoni pizza, Taeyong decided to call Jaehyun instead. The latter agreed and with that, he left Doyoung’s apartment, wishing him good luck with the season 11 ending episode. “I hope Sheldon and Amy break up again.” Doyoung hurled a stapler to his direction, the sound of the door closing following the thud of the metal supply hitting the floor.)

 

It’s not that Doyoung is unhappy with his current situation. You know, single but not THAT interested in dating. He knows he works like a horse even if he doesn’t have a family to support and his parents are doing well on their own. He likes the freedom he is experiencing and he had his fair share of lessons learned during the past years. He has great friends since college days; minus the fact that they rarely see each other but at least he is surrounded by people he knows who would be there whenever he needed someone.

 

The only thing he doesn’t have is a person to share all these great things with.

 

Okay, the fact that Doyoung’s profession is not only physically draining but mentally and emotionally made him decide early on that he won’t entertain any prospect of getting into a relationship. He can’t even take care of himself at times so adding another person whom he needs to look after is not really appealing to him. And he is aware that is only temporary. Doyoung’s sure that somewhere along the road, someone is destined for him. He maybe an engineer with a Master’s degree or a convenience store cashier struggling to get by. Who knows?

 

The ending song of the ninth season of The Big Bang Theory rolled on, snapping Doyoung out of his reverie. He already finished half a bag of the cheese chips and downed a third of the soda straight out of the bottle. He stood up and stretched his arms upward before walking to the bathroom to pee.

 

Loud knocks banged through his apartment after he had washed his hands. Doyoung’s eyes glanced over his wall clock at the end of the hallway, seeing both minute and hour hand are nearing the black number 12. His forehead scrunched into a frown, thinking of whom in their right mind would be outside of his door at midnight.

 

Now, Doyoung has a handful of people’s name swarming inside his head as he walks to the door, trying to pinpoint the identity of the person behind it. Is it Yuta? Is it Jaehyun? Taeyong? His mom? Gongmyung hyung?

 

The banging continues even as he unlocks the door, letting out a groan. “Coming, jeez-”

 

Doyoung was met neither of the people he was thinking about a while ago.

 

He was met by a rather tall man with droopy eyes, a muscular built and breath smelling like alcohol.

 

And he’s falling towards Doyoung’s direction.

 

“W-what- Hey, hey!” Doyoung yelled when the stranger’s weight is suddenly pushing him down the floor, the intensity of the alcoholic scent getting stronger as the said man’s mouth is now by his neck.

 

“E-e-excuse me, sir! Sir, get off of me- Ugh, who are you?” Doyoung asked with irritation.

 

“W-what do you m-m-mean? I-I live here, y-you idiot.” The man slurred, his hands gripping Doyoung’s shoulders. “I-I should be asking who you are!”

 

Confusion etched Doyoung’s face, pushing the man off of him. His efforts were futile because the man is buff as heck compared to his petite built. “This is my apartment, you doofus. Now- Hey, where are you going?!?”

 

The man staggered to stand up, his palms blindly searching for walls to hold onto. Halfway through the living room, the man falls down like a bag of potatoes on Doyoung’s couch, nearly missing the opened soda bottle by the lamp side table. The man is longer than the couch but at least he didn’t fell on the hardwood floor.

 

Doyoung is still in shock. There’s a stranger in his apartment. A stranger. In his apartment.

 

He slowly walked towards the couch and quickly capped the soda bottle. He took his snacks, put it on top of the coffee table and turned off the TV. Looks like season 10 needs to wait another weekend.

 

The stranger was obviously out partying. That explains why he reeks of alcohol, his well gelled hair styled upward to expose his forehead, tight fitting shirt accentuating his well taken care physique underneath a black leather jacket, dark pants hugging his long legs and thick thighs and black Converse. He could smell the same Yves Saint Laurent cologne identical to his mixing with the alcoholic scent wafting through the air. He appears to be around Doyoung’s age and by a quick once over, he doesn’t look like the party type of person. A party type of person won’t make the extra effort to look good if he already knows he looks like a meal. This man looks like he was trying to impress someone. Doyoung admits that he looks ing good. And he heard the man’s voice. It’s low and ragged (maybe because of the alcohol) and he swore it can melt ice caps of the Antarctic.

 

That doesn’t change the fact that he is clearly trespassing Doyoung’s private property. He even claimed that this is his apartment. Plus he was squished under him, enduring the disgusting smell of Cass beer.

 

Doyoung reached for his phone, unlocking it and typing the police’s emergency hotline but he didn’t press the Call button. He is imagining the man being escorted in the police car even though in reality, he just had too many to drink this night and lost his way. He never meant to trespass or anything.

 

Or he could be a drug dealer running from the police he was about to call.

 

“Staring is rude, you know.”

 

“THE , DUDE!” Doyoung banshee screamed, almost throwing his phone.

 

The stranger laughed but his crease is still scrunched a bit, indicating that he’s not comfortable or he is in pain. “Language, boy.”

 

“I am most certain am not a boy, sir. Now I don’t know who are you or what you’re doing before you came here but this is not your apartment. It’s mine.” Doyoung huffed, clutching his phone tightly in his hands.

 

“I realized that now…” He tried to sit up but his eyebrows contorted, a groan escaping his lips as he his back hits the soft couch. “I’m sorry f-for barging in. I just had-”

 

“Had too many to drink, yes. I can see that. You should watch your alcohol intake if you’re not used to drinking.” The orange haired male said, walking to the kitchen to pour a glass of water and giving it to the stranger. “What’s your name?”

 

“Thanks. And it’s Johnny.” Johnny lifted his back a bit to take a sip of the cool water, gulping the entire contents a second after. Doyoung retrieved the glass and puts it on the coffee table. “Ugh, my head’s pounding like a jackhammer. I never should have listened to Jaehyun when he told me to join him clubbing tonight.”

 

Doyoung blinked. Did he hear him say Jaehyun’s name? “Wait, Jaehyun? Jung Jaehyun? Jung Yoonoh? Tall, looks like Casper, black hair and a dimple? That Jaehyun?”

 

Johnny looked confused but he nodded. “Yeah. Why? Do you know him?”

 

“He’s one of my best friends. He was talking to my friend a while ago-”

 

“Taeyong? He was with us, too.”

 

“…” Doyoung can’t find the right words to say. His mind is swimming in confusion in fear that his life may be grave danger.

 

“You’re Kim Doyoung, aren’t you? A graduate professor of Psychology?” Johnny said, his eyes suddenly alert, a sly smile forming on his lips.

 

“Woah, woah. You know my friends now you know me? That’s creepy, man.” Doyoung suddenly backed to the coffee table. He can feel his fight or flight senses are high, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. His mind tells him to call the police and demand them to come to his apartment. He may be dead by that time but at least this man, NO MATTER HOW HOT, would be apprehended and be put behind bars-

 

Johnny lets out a hearty laugh, throwing his head back. This brought Doyoung back from his deep thought. “Oh, man. Calm down. Okay, okay. I think I need to explain this. But first, can you stop looking at me as if I would murder you? I’m not a murderer or anything like that.”

 

“That’s what murderers all say!” Doyoung sounded childish but he is really scared right now.

 

“One, I’m not a bad guy. Two, I’m also friends with Taeyong and Jaehyun. And Sicheng and Yuta and Hansol and Taeil hyung. I promise, I would explain everything. Just… Calm down?” Johnny looked absolutely sincere with his expression.

 

“Okay, okay. You know what? What the hell- FINE! But let me get some Aspirin and water for you so you can be in less pain before you talk.”

 

It took Doyoung a good five minutes to collect his wits, grab some tablets of Aspirin and a freshly refilled glass of water for Johnny to drink. He also tried to call Jaehyun and Taeyong but it all led to voicemail. Of course because the clock now says it’s 12:45 in the morning. He then left both of them a rather stern sounding message, threatening to cut their off the next day.

 

“Are you feeling better now?” Doyoung inquired, sitting down on the floor and looking at Johnny still sprawled on the couch. He has removed his leather jacket and Doyoung is having a hard time focusing because the man’s guns are now out for him to see. And that is a very tight shirt.

 

Johnny nodded, his arms now wrapping around a pillow. “Yeah, thank you again.”

 

Silence fell between them. It’s obvious that both of them are waiting for someone to talk first.

 

“This is stupid of us to wait who is going to talk first. Alright, let’s cut the crap. Who exactly are you and why do you know me and my friends?” Doyoung asked.

 

“Fine, fine. I never knew I would meet the infamous Kim Doyoung this way. With a bad hangover and in your apartment.” Johnny can now sit up but his forehead never softened. He must still feel his head throb. “Can you please sit here? My vision’s kind of spinning.”

 

Doyoung proceeded to sit down on the couch, leaving a pillow’s width of space between them. “I met your friends at work. My full name is Johnny Seo. I’m the branch manager at the banking firm where your friends are currently employed.”

 

“No. No. You’re kidding.” Was all Doyoung could muster to say.

 

Branch manager? It means that everyone, even Taeil hyung, is under him?

 

If this man is telling the truth, he just made the worst first impression in the world.

 

This man is his friends’ boss.

 

And he just accused him of being a murderer.

 

“I wish I am but no. I’m the manager of the Myeongdong branch. Five years in college, two years in Masters, now a branch manager. Get it?” Johnny made finger guns at the pun and damn it, Doyoung snickered at that.

 

Doyoung can feel the blood surging to his cheeks after snickering. The humiliation is now dawning on him. “S-should I be calling you Johnny ssi? Or hyung? Sunbaenim? Oh God, I am so sorry for my behaviour earlier. I wasn’t aware. I am just not used with people banging my door at midnight. I am really sorry.”

 

“Hyung is fine. All of your friends call me hyung outside of work.” The older smiled, affirming that he is indeed older than him. “You were quite a topic with your friends, you know. They always complain how you are never with them during weekends or special occasions. Saying that you’re married to your mistress which is Psychology and everything under it.”

 

“They are not wrong though. But is it wrong I love what I am doing?” Doyoung suddenly felt the need to defend himself to this man. Which is compelling because he was so used to people putting their defences up when they talk to him. But this man is not even showing signs of being intimidated.

 

And Johnny is only restating what his friends said when they are at work. So why does that shake him a bit? Is it because of the way and the tone of Johnny’s voice? The tone where is already so certain of the words he is saying?

 

This man screams danger with red blinking lights.

 

But why is Doyoung hoping this night would drag on longer?

 

Johnny must have felt the tension from Doyoung’s tone. His expression turned comforting, his eyes now staring at Doyoung’s own. “Doyoung, there is no need to think too much. It’s not bad that you love your work, okay? It’s actually admirable for a man your age. But you need to understand that they miss you. You’re also limiting yourself from meeting new people. I am sure lots of people would be happy to be of your acquaintance. A man your calibre would make great friend, I am sure of it.”

 

Doyoung felt his cheeks on fire again, not accustomed to hearing such compliments from a person who only have heard about his existence.

 

Johnny continued with what he was saying. “And this is where I come to the picture. They invited me to go out a few times when you bailed on them and they will always talk about you. That’s how I got to know them more and what kind of great friends you have. I got to know you, too, by extension. Taeyong was pissed when you denied going to the ball, you know. He thought a big thing like a company ball would make you say yes. But I guess it is better that he is going with Jaehyun. God, those two like each other so much. They’re just denying their own feelings.”

 

The younger’s eyes got wider from that. “That is what I have been telling Jaehyun! But he keeps denying it! He said he only sees Taeyong hyung as a friend. And Taeyong hyung said Jaehyun only sees him as a hyung.” Doyoung didn’t mean to shout but it excites him that someone besides himself can see the electrifying chemistry between Jaehyun and Taeyong.

 

“See? You’re not that hard to talk to. And I can feel that you have more interesting ideas in that intelligent brain of yours. I can’t wait to know what you have in there.” Johnny smiled widely, and that tugged Doyoung’s heartstrings harder than it should. He knows in reality that your heartstrings being tugged would bring forth complications but he wants this to sound cheesy.

 

“Sorry, again. Hyung. I really just want to say sorry.” Doyoung mumbles, grabbing the packaging of The Big Bang’s Theory CD packaging, fumbling with the plastic.

 

He felt Johnny’s eyes as he holds the packaging in his hands. The older gasped before speaking. “The Big Bang Theory? What season?”

 

“U-um. Season 9 and 10. I was planning on binge watching both tonight until tomorrow but well…” Doyoung gestured at Johnny’s whole body.

 

“I can’t take all the credit for this… Eventful night.” Wait, is Johnny blushing? Or are Doyoung’s eyes fooling him? “I-I guess I need to head home. It’s very late and I don’t want to interrupt you in watching one of the best TV sitcoms of all time so.” Johnny shrugged his shoulders and wobbles as he stands up, his hands supporting his weight.

 

The orange haired male rushed to Johnny’s side, knowing well that the older will surely fall down as he tries to walk upright. “You are in no condition to go home, hyung. You can get mauled over out there!” Doyoung nagged, guiding Johnny back on the couch and gently setting him down.

 

Their legs got tangled as he lowers Johnny to the couch and he found himself on top of the older, his palms laying flat on his hyung’s sturdy and broad chest. Wow, his muscles are not a joke.

 

“Not the kind of response I would normally get but I’ll take it as a compliment.” Johnny laughed.

 

Oh. He was thinking aloud.

 

Way to go, Doyoung.

 

“I-I’m sorry-!” Doyoung was about to stand up when he felt warm hands settle on his hip, pulling him up to Johnny’s chest. “I-I.. Um…”

 

“I haven’t caught up with season 10 yet. Can I watch with you?” Johnny murmured softly.

 

Doyoung looked at him, a soft smile on his lips. “Be my guest.”

 

Neither of them caught up with season 10 that night. Other nights? Maybe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~

A/N: 

It's a spur of the moment thing to hehehe thanks for reading! Enjoy and leave your comments :D

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