Jonghun turned in bed, his body facing Hongki's side of their shared bed. Hongki hadn't returned last night, his side of the bed still cold. A choked sob left his body as his mind replayed the look of disgust on Hongki's face before he left, tears running down his cheeks. Through blurry vision he noticed he was running late, and had half an hour to shower, shave, get dressed and make his journey to the cafe. Sighing, Jonghun rolled out of bed, palms running over his face to remove any trace of tears before preparing for the day.

~###~

"Are you sick?"

"Hi to you too." Jonghun replied sarcastically, tipping a small salute to his red-headed co-worker.

"Seriously, you look like ." The red-head commented.

"Just leave me alone, Hyukjae-hyung." Jonghun said, tying his apron around his waist and stepping into the seating area, collecting used coffee cups and glasses.

"At least manage a smile, you'll put the customers off." Hyukjae said with a gummy grin.

Jonghun rolled his eyes, briefly wondering why his manager had insisted that he be the one of train their newest employee.

~###~

"Did you sleep?" Heechul asked, lovingly poking Hongki with his toe.

Hongki cracked open an eye, before shutting it after seeing Heechul's legs. "I hope to whatever higher being there is that you are at least wearing underwear." He replied, hearing Heechul shuffle around the room.

"Missing you." Heechul read, causing Hongki to jump off the couch and grab the paper from the older man.

"Shut up."

"You're writing songs for him again?" Heechul asked, a smirk on his face.

"I couldn't sleep." Hongki said quietly, slipping the paper into the pocket of his jeans.

"Maybe Warner Music should sleep deprive you, that album would be finished by now." Heechul said, smirk widening into a full grin.

"I hate you."

"I hate you too sweetheart. Now get out of my apartment, I want to have shower with a very y Chinese man."

Hongki rolled his eyes, pulling a teeshirt from his bag and over his head. "You're such a bad hyung, not letting me shower first." Hongki grabbed his bag and jacket, stepping towards the entrance and pulling his trainers on.

"Go home and shower. He should be at work now anyway." Heechul commented, a hand pushing Hongki from the apartment. "Call me later."

Hongki nodded, unsure if Heechul actually saw the action before the door was slammed in his face.

~###~

Jonghun was conflicted. He was stood outside of the club, wondering if he should enter for his shift, or leave, much in the same way as the previous pianist. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he couldn't just leave his job - the way that Hongki looked at him last night was enough for Jonghun to realise that their relationship was on the rocks, and if they were to break up he would need the money to pay for the apartment he would need to get after Hongki would surely kick him out.

Clenching his fists, he walked into the club, bowing his head to Jinyoung before settling behind the piano, his fingers aching to play, to release his feelings through song, dark songs with haunting melodies. With a heavy heart he adjusted the stool and his footing, the balls of his feet hovering over the foot pedals, his fingers straightening the sheet music to keep busy as he waited for Jinyoung to give him the familiar signal.

~###~

"This is the place." Hongki was stood outside Genie's Lamp, Heechul beside him. Hongki had begged Heechul to accompany him, not wanting to cause an all-out brawl if anyone dared to touch Jonghun, although Hongki couldn't be sure if Heechul would actually stop him or encourage him.

"Lets go then." Heechul said, grabbing hold of Hongki's arm and tugging him towards the entrance, Hongki reluctant to actually enter.

The first thing Hongki noticed was the seedy atmosphere, the lights turned low and the piano playing a sleazy song that Hongki presumed was supposed to be y. The club was full of men, a range of ages, some stood at the bar, others sat at tables and in booths. "Lets get a drink and take a seat." Hongki announced suddenly, shaking Heechul's grip on his arm and stepping over to the bar, ordering a beer for himself and Heechul, and a bottle of soju with two glasses.

"Is that wise?" Heechul advised. "I mean, I'm all for drinking, but I'm not sure it will help with making decisions."

"Thanks for your concern, hyung." Hongki answered, handing over the correct amount of money to the bar tender, grabbing their drinks and stepping further into the club, leading Heechul to an empty booth facing the front of the stage.

Hongki felt the atmosphere change as the song changed, the crowd cheering as a spotlight shone on the stage, the staccato beat of the song reverberating around the club as the curtains opened, revealing nine women in short shorts and tight jackets, dancing and singing to the music in a well rehearsed routine.

"I don't think Jonghun works here as a stripper." Heechul said, following the movements of the women on the stage, pouring himself and Hongki glasses of soju.

Hongki glanced around the club. "These might just be the first act."

"I already found Jonghun, sat behind the piano." Heechul explained, tipping his glass in a small toast to the nine women before drinking the contents. "Drink."

Hongki craned his neck for a better look, eyes straining in the dark as he spotted the familiar shape of his boyfriend, his eyes trained on the sheet music as he played. "He was telling the truth."

"Did your friends tell you he was working as a stripper, or just working here?" Heechul asked, an amused look on his face as he watched Hongki visibly relax.

Hongki thought back to his conversation with Jungshin. The younger had confirmed that Jonghun worked here, but not his occupation, it was Yonghwa that had supplied that information. "I'll kill that lying bastard." Hongki grabbed his glass, downing the contents before holding it out to Heechul. "More, I have a feeling I'll need it."

"Don't get too drunk. Make up is one of the best types of , you don't want to be that drunk that your equipment fails." Heechul advised with a grin, nevertheless pouring Hongki another shot.

~###~

"Jonghun."

Jonghun looked up as he heard his name, blinking as he spotted the familiar body stood beside him. "Hongki."

"I'm sorry." Hongki looked down at the floor, fingers itching to touch Jonghun. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I should have known better than to listen to him, after all the he put me through at work."

"Hongki." Jonghun interrupted, "can we talk after my shift? The next act is about to start."

Hongki nodded, gently squeezing his shoulder before making his way back to the booth and Heechul, who had somehow managed to call all five of the girls on the floor to sit with him.

~###~

"Hey." Jonghun greeted as he stood at the booth Heechul and Hongki had claimed. "My shift has finished." He cleared his throat, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"Heechul-hyung, can you leave us?" Hongki asked the older male, who nodded before sliding out of the booth, giving an excuse about needing to start work early in the morning. Hongki motioned to the booth. "Please, sit."

Jonghun nodded, sitting opposite Hongki in the booth, his hands clasped and resting on the slightly sticky table top.

"Baby, I am so sorry. I can't think of the words to express how sorry I am. I should have trusted you, listened to you instead of listening to someone with a history of bending the truth." Hongki spoke quickly, the words tumbling out of his mouth, desperate for Jonghun to forgive him. "I need you, Jonghun. I can't cope without you. I can't live without you."

Jonghun didn't know how to react. He wanted so badly to reach across the table and grab Hongki's hands in his, he wanted to pull Hongki's body against his, burying his face in Hongki's chest, yet, something was stopping him. "You don't trust me." He said quietly. "I told you I work as a musician, and yet you believe the words of someone else over mine." He sighed. "I would never lie to you Hongki, it hurts to know that you think I would."

"Jonghun." Hongki choked the word, tears already forming in his eyes knowing that he had hurt the younger so badly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I don't know what to do." Jonghun admitted, eyes still downcast. "I don't know if we can move on from here. We can't be in a relationship if you don't trust me."

"I do trust you, Jonghun, please believe me." Hongki pleaded, reaching across the table and taking Jonghun's hands in his.

Jonghun looked at their hands, before pulling his hands back onto his lap, Hongki's hands falling to the table. "How can you say that? How can you say that when you accused me of lying to you? When you accused me of being a stripper?" Jonghun scoffed. "Do you honestly think I would go back to that type of work? That I'm that desperate?"

"Jonghun." Hongki pleaded.

"I'll admit, I didn't tell you about what this place was, because I knew exactly what your reaction would be. I had the same reaction when I found out, when I was asked to cover Yong Gul's shift. But," Jonghun looked up from the table, for the first time since their fight making eye contact with Hongki, "I never lied to you. I have never once set foot on that stage, nor do I have any inclination to do so. It's all about the music, a job where I can do what I love. After all, isn't that why you're working at Warner?"

Hongki nodded, the tears flowing freely down his cheeks now. "I'm so sorry, baby, please forgive me." Hongki scrubbed at his cheeks, wiping away the tears. "I couldn't stand the thought of others looking at you, of them touching you. I can work on my jealously, I can be better. Just please, forgive me."

"Hongki, I-"

"Jonghun, we're closing up now. You and your friend will need to leave." Jonghun was interrupted by Jinyoung.

Jonghun nodded, standing and stepping around the table to Hongki, clasping his hand and linking their fingers as he stood. "My boyfriend and I were just leaving." Jonghun flashed a quick smile at Hongki, before turning back to Jinyoung.

"At least I don't have to worry about you knocking one of my girls up." Jinyoung said with a grin, placing a hand on Jonghun's back and playfully pushing him towards the exit.

"Do you mean it?" Hongki asked quietly, as Jonghun lead him out of the bar.

"Forever, Lee Hongki." Jonghun said, holding up his left hand, the silver ring glinting in the moonlight.
 

I can't keep them mad at each other for too long :)

Incidentally, next chapter is ...

Character Reference Picture

Lee Hyukjae. The new employee.