Days pass while Daehyun adapts to living in Youngjae’s world. He grows accustomed to ordering room service whenever he wants and having all types of delicious dishes at his beck-and-call. He’s only been out of the apartment two times within the last week and both trips were with Youngjae when he went to the convenience store two blocks over. Daehyun’s nervous about leaving the safety of apartment because the streets are overcrowded and he doesn’t feel secure walking around in plain view. His conscious is telling him to be cautious, to keep a low profile because he’s definitely not supposed to be here and for all he knows someone could be looking for him.

           But on the last day of Youngjae’s school semester, he insists on taking Daehyun out to a local club because he’s meeting up with friends and he wants to finally introduce them. Daehyun’s not exactly sure what a club entails and he’s not exactly fond of meeting new people, but if he’s with Youngjae maybe it won’t be so bad.

           As usual, Daehyun spends the day in the Youngjae’s penthouse apartment. He’s started exploring the rest of the apartment, now that he’s comfortable with his environment. The unused kitchen has become a room of interest because it’s packed with every cooking utensil imaginable and the food lover that Daehyun is can’t wait to concoct something using all of them. He considers mentioning it to Youngjae, liking the idea of personally making something for him.

           He doesn’t have time to ask about the kitchen though. Once Youngjae gets home, he tells Daehyun they’re going shopping. He wants to buy something new for Daehyun to wear to the club because Youngjae’s clothes don’t really fit him and Youngjae wants Daehyun to look good, not that Daehyun doesn’t already look good. Youngjae just doesn’t want his friends to judge Daehyun or make him feel out of place. He’s actually a bit nervous about taking Daehyun to the club because he knows how harsh his friends can be with someone new and he really wants them to like Daehyun.

           They end up going to a high-end shop or at least that’s what Youngjae tells Daehyun because Daehyun’s never really gone shopping. “We order all of our clothes from a catalogue,” he tells Youngjae. “Everyone on the island wears similar clothes, so there’s not much choice.”

           Youngjae takes the information in, not really surprised anymore. “So you don’t have any preferences for a certain style.”

           Daehyun shakes his head, glancing around at the racks of clothes. He wouldn’t even know where to begin.

           After examining Daehyun’s body type, Youngjae ushers him to the back of the store where the dressing rooms are located. He takes a seat while Youngjae rummages through the racks pulling out various combinations of clothes. In no time, he comes back with armfuls of clothes telling Daehyun to get into one of the curtained dressing rooms. He hands him the first outfit, preparing the next as he waits for Daehyun to dress.

           The first outfit consists of an oversized, cream knit sweater and a pair of dark, stonewashed jeans. Daehyun looks good, but it doesn’t suit a night at the club. Either way, Youngjae places it in the to buy pile while Daehyun tries on another outfit, this time a designer white t-shirt peeks through a half-buttoned pale blue shirt and charcoal jeans. Again, it suits Daehyun, but still not what Youngjae’s looking for. The next one consists of a black t-shirt with random silver accents and white skinny jeans. It’s still not right. The last outfit is a long-sleeved white shirt with thin black stripes, a black leather jacket, and black denim skinny jeans. Youngjae hands him a pair of charcoal, low-top boots to finish it off. This is the look Youngjae wants, so he tells the store clerk that Daehyun’s going to wear it out of the store and he’s buying the other clothes as well. He hands over a black card before waving Daehyun closer and removing the tags on the various articles of clothing, also handing them over to the clerk.

           Youngjae adjusts Daehyun’s coat, then his sleeves, pulling the shirt straight at the hem. Thinking of something, Youngjae pulls Daehyun over to a rack of belts, rifling through them until he finds the right one and hands it to him. Daehyun sighs, but amuses Youngjae by putting it on. He’s been silent through the whole affair, content with watching Youngjae’s enthusiastic expressions as he shops. Once he’s finished, Youngjae adjusts his shirt hem again, making sure it’s tucked in at the front so that his silver belt buckle is visible. He removes the tag to the belt, handing it to another clerk so that it can be added to his bill.

            He guides Daehyun back to the dressing room area, Youngjae stands him in front of a mirror. “So, what do you think?”

           Daehyun looks at himself from head to toe. This is far from anything he’s worn before, always having opted for lighter, more comfortable clothing on the island. “I’m not sure,” Daehyun says. “What do you think?”

           Youngjae stands behind him, placing his hands on Daehyun’s shoulders as they both gaze at the mirror. “I think you look great. You have this cool, mysterious vibe about you. It’ll definitely draw people’s attention.”

           Daehyun’s not happy about the idea of drawing people’s attention, but if Youngjae thinks he looks great then he can stand wearing the outfit.

           While they’re still at the mirror, Youngjae steps in front of Daehyun, running his fingers through Daehyun’s hair making it a mess and then fixing it until he’s satisfied. His hands drift to Daehyun’s mask, which causes him to jerk back.

           “Sorry,” Youngjae says, hands floating in the air before Daehyun. “It’s a bit crooked. Can I fix it?” He hesitates before reaching forward as Daehyun stands still, letting Youngjae situate his mask. Youngjae’s hands linger a bit as he tucks a few stray locks behind Daehyun’s ear, reminding Daehyun of Himchan and how he always straightens him out before he has to go somewhere public.

           “Thanks,” Daehyun says, sounding a bit off as he looks down and away.

           “You okay?” Youngjae catches the change in Daehyun’s tone.

           “Yeah. You just reminded me of someone.” Daehyun clears his throat and looks up again. “Do I look presentable?”

           Youngjae steps back, looking him over again like a painter gazing at his canvas, wondering if his creation if completed to perfection. “You look very handsome.”

           By this time the clerk comes back, handing Youngjae his card and staring at Daehyun in the process. She smiles coyly at him before running her hand down his arm. “Very suitable choice of outfit.” She winks before going to see if another customer needs assistance.

           Daehyun watches her curiously, unsure of how to respond to her attention.

           “Ignore her,” Youngjae says, trying not to laugh at Daehyun’s dumfounded expression. “She’s just flirting.”

           “Flirting?” Daehyun tilts his head in thought. “Never heard of it.”

           “Of course you haven’t.” Youngjae shakes his head. “She wants you to be interested, but she’s just playing with you.”

           “How do you know that? And why would she do something like that?” He turns to observe the clerk, as she gets friendly with another customer, supposedly “flirting.”

           “It’s a sales tactic. She’s using her looks to get people to buy clothes with the hopes that they’ll come back for more.” Youngjae nudges Daehyun teasingly. “Who knows, maybe she actually likes you? Anyways, we need to get going. I told the guys I would meet them at the club by seven.”

           Still dreading their trip to the club, Daehyun follows Youngjae without complaining. They place their merchandise in the trunk of Youngjae’s car, stopping for a quick meal before they head off to the club. Considering Daehyun has never been to a club, much less seen one, he doesn’t know what to expect. The flashing LED signs covering the side of the building, the thump of music emanating from the door, and the mass of people lined up around the building are all turn offs for Daehyun. Every part of him is screaming to go home, but he’s here for Youngjae because Youngjae wants him to do this.

           As they pull up to the curb, an attendant opens Daehyun’s door waiting as he steps out. He can feel a crowd of eyes on him, making him self-conscious; he reflexively touches his mask. Youngjae steps around the car, placing his arm around Daehyun’s shoulders, guiding him to the door. The crowd watches intently as Daehyun and Youngjae skip the line, passing through the roped entrance without any resistance from the doorman.

           Daehyun’s heart races as the darkened hall grows shorter and they enter the throng of people packed into the small, dark space. The music blares against his ears, much too loudly for him to hear anything Youngjae says to him. His face scrunches in pain as the noise plants the seed of a headache. Youngjae notices Daehyun’s discomfort and guides him to a set of roped off stairs. The guard lets them through and as they ascend the stairs the noise from the club fades enough for Daehyun to hear Youngjae say, “Have a seat. I’ll get us something to drink.”

           Daehyun gladly takes a seat at the empty, red leathered, half-circle booth. He feels secure here, somewhat separated from everyone. He watches as girls pass by, half-dressed, talking with one another enthusiastically. On the dance floor below people shake their bodies, grinding on each other to the beat of the music, some even kissing heavily, and it all makes Daehyun uncomfortable. He forces himself to look away, wishing that Youngjae would come back soon because he feels vulnerable being alone.

           His wish about not wanting to be alone is granted, but not in the way Daehyun expects. Two girls notice his solitude and decide to slide into the booth on either side of him. He watches them suspiciously as they slide in closer, giggling to themselves.

           “Hey, I haven’t seen you around here before,” the blond on his left says, placing her drink on the table.

           Daehyun remains silent.

           The redhead to his right crosses her legs and leans into Daehyun’s side. “Are you here with anyone?”          

           Daehyun shies away, but he has nowhere to go because the blond is closing in on his other side.

           “Girls, give the guy some room to breathe.” Youngjae takes a seat next to the redhead, passing a glass of coke to Daehyun.

           “Youngjae, it’s been a while.” The redhead smiles as she slides over giving him a kiss on the cheek. Daehyun notices as she places a hand on Youngjae’s leg. “I’ve missed you.”

           The blond mimics the redhead by placing her hand on Daehyun’s leg, leaning in as she whispers just above the hum of music. “What’s your name, handsome?”

           Daehyun’s relieved that he has his mask on because it stifles the repugnant scent wafting from the blond’s mouth. She smells disgustingly sour and the fruity scent of her perfume doesn’t mix well with the odor. He turns his head in disgust. He doesn’t like the excessive interaction and forwardness that these females are showing him. He chooses to remain silent as he sips his coke through a straw. Youngjae had him try it for the first time two days ago and Daehyun found that he’s not particularly fond of the carbonated drink. As the bubbles fizz in his nose, he watches Youngjae and the redhead “flirt” irked by the sight of them.

           “Oh, come on. Don’t be that way.” The blond guides her other hand up Daehyun’s arm. He’s thankful for the leather jacket because it prevents him from really feeling her touch. When he doesn’t respond, she smiles. “You’re the strong silent type. Just what I like.” She links arms with him, rubbing her against his arm suggestively. “If talking isn’t your forte, how about a dance?”

           Daehyun peels her arms off of him, using only his fingertips. “Sorry, I’m not interested,” he finally says.

           The blond pouts, huffing as she gulps down the rest of her drink. The redhead notices and laughs mockingly at her friend. She’s resting at Youngjae’s side with his arm draped around her shoulders. He seems completely at home in this position and Daehyun detests it, wishes he could pull Youngjae away from her.

           “So, you sick or something?” the blond asks, annoyance clear in her tone.

           Daehyun shakes his head.

           “Then what’s with the mask? You really ugly under there?” she asks, slurring her words. “Why don’t you take it off and show us your face?” She reaches up in a rush, but Daehyun’s quicker. Without looking at her, his hand flies up, gripping her wrist as her hand hangs just centimeters away from his visage. She’s stares, eyes wide and mouth agape.

           “I’d prefer it if you wouldn’t casually touch me.” His grip is tighter than necessary as the blond struggles to free herself. After a few moments, he let’s go, coldly looking her in the eye. “Move.”

           She does so without hesitation, cradling her wrist as she watches Daehyun stalk away. Youngjae says his apologies as he stands to follow Daehyun through the crowd of people. He calls out a few times, but Daehyun can’t hear him over his agitation coupled with the music. Once Youngjae’s close enough, he plants a hand on Daehyun’s shoulder, turning him around. Daehyun jerks away, practically yelling, “Don’t touch me!”

           Youngjae raises his hands in surrender. “Sorry.” He steps forward as a couple attempts to pass behind him. “Are you okay?”

           “No. I don’t like it here. I want to leave.” Daehyun feels people touch him on all sides as the crowd shifts around him.

           “But we just got here and I haven’t introduced you to my friends yet.” Youngjae pleads with his eyes. “Just a little while longer, okay?”

           Daehyun looks away, shuffling to the side as a kissing couple presses against his back. “Only a little longer, okay?” he pleads back.

           Youngjae nods, ushering Daehyun to the edge of the room, somewhat away from the crowd. “Wait here while I find my friends. I’ll be right back.” He worries about leaving Daehyun alone again, but he thinks it’s better than dragging him through the throng of people.

           Daehyun hides himself in the shadow around the edge of the room while he waits, hoping not to draw anymore unwanted attention. It doesn’t last long though. The blond reappears, slightly hysterical as she whines to a very tall, very buff man. Her eyes catch sight of Daehyun and she points animatedly at him. The man turns, approaching Daehyun ominously, face hardening with each step. This doesn’t look good and Daehyun doesn’t know what to expect because he’s never been in a situation like this before.

           “I heard you were messing with my girl.” His mustache creates a shadow on his face as he stands over Daehyun, practically blocking him against the wall. “I think I need to teach you a lesson about keeping your hands to yourself.”

           Daehyun shows no signs of fear. He knows he has nowhere to go, but this guys looks so inebriated and unintelligent, Daehyun’s sure he can outsmart him. He huffs, looking the man squarely in the eyes as he says, “Maybe you should teach your girl that lesson and we wouldn’t have a problem right now.”

           The guy rages, bringing his fists up and rearing back to knock Daehyun in the face but he doesn’t get a chance because someone pulls him backwards.

           “What’s going on?” Youngjae glances between the two.

           The guy is too angry and drunk to respond with words; instead, he starts swinging at anyone close by, which includes Youngjae who ends up taking a punch to the chest. It throws him back into the wall. Daehyun witnesses everything in slow motion, watching as Youngjae slides down the wall, groaning in pain. Now he’s pissed. A fury bubbles within him, anger he’s never felt before as he rushes towards the man. Something inside him acts on it’s own as he turns, kicking the man square in the chest before tackling him to the ground, knocking the air out of him. Before the man has time to move, Daehyun’s standing over him, punching his ruddy face repeatedly until he’s satisfied. Considering the way blood is running down his face, Daehyun’s sure broke the guy’s nose, but he feels no remorse for his actions. Using one hand, he pulls the man up by the front of his shirt.

           “Remember this moment. Take it as a lesson. Don’t ever come near my friends or me again. Got it?” He shakes the guy once before dropping him to the ground.

           He hurries back to Youngjae, as his friends attempt to help him up. One friend smiles at Daehyun in greeting and says, “Damn, Youngjae never told me you were a badass.”

           Youngjae coughs, leaning on his friend for support. “Cause I didn’t know.”

           Daehyun rubs his hands, finally feeling soreness set in. “I didn’t either,” he says. “Are you okay, Youngjae?”

           “Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me. I need to sit down somewhere.” They guide him to a booth, ordering some water. Concern floods Daehyun’s eyes as he watches Youngjae heave in painful breaths. “I’ve never been hit like that before. It hurts like a .”

           Daehyun doesn’t comment about how that statement makes absolutely no sense.

           “So you’re the infamous Daehyun he can’t stop talking about,” one friend says. “I’m Jinyoung, but my friends call me JR.” He extends a hand for Daehyun. “Nice to meet you.”

           “Nice to meet you too.”

           “I’m Jaebum,” the other friend says, also extending a hand.

           Daehyun’s not good with meeting new people or initiating small talk, but luckily, these guys like to talk.

           “Did you see the way he flew at that guy? It takes skill to kick someone like that,” JR says.

           “What about at the end?” Jaebum grabs the front of JR’s shirt, pulling him close. “Remember this moment. Take it as a lesson,” he imitates Daehyun. “That was awesome. It was like a scene from a movie.” They laugh together, enjoying themselves.

           Youngjae coughs and Daehyun slides him a glass of water. “You should sit up straight. It’ll help.”

           Youngjae rubs his chest, attempting to sit back, but he starts coughing again. After a moment, he chokes out, “I think I’m going to throw up.”

           “Dude, not cool,” Jaebum says. “Don’t do that here.”

           Daehyun tries to rub Youngjae’s back soothingly. “Maybe we should go home.”

           “I think you’re right.” He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a white ticket and handing it to Jaebum. “Valet has my car. Can you guys get it home for me? We’re taking a cab.”

           “We’ll definitely get your car home for you.” His friends grin at each other and Daehyun suspects they will do more than just bringing the car back to Youngjae’s apartment.

           With some help, Youngjae slides out of the booth and uses Daehyun as a crutch to make it down stairs and out of the building. Again, Daehyun thinks about just how fragile Youngjae is and it bothers him because he’s not used to seeing someone this weak. The fact that it’s Youngjae, Daehyun’s supposed match, bothers him even more because it makes him extra protective over him.

           It’s hardly ten when they make it back to Youngjae’s penthouse. He’s feeling a little better after the cab drops them off, but his chest still hurts so he let’s Daehyun help him to his apartment. They head straight to Youngjae’s bedroom, so he can lie on down and finally relax. Daehyun sheds his leather coat, draping it across the chair outside of Youngjae’s closet before retreating to the kitchen to get an ice pack that Youngjae purchased after the whole falling off the bed incident. Once back in the room, he sits beside Youngjae on the bed, cautiously asking him to lift his shirt.

           Youngjae struggles a bit before Daehyun assists him. As his shirt comes up, Daehyun’s overly conscious of Youngjae’s bare chest, but the massive bruise near the bottom of Youngjae’s sternum catches his attention. Variations of purple, green, and blue bloom into a rose shaped bruise. It takes Daehyun a moment to digest the severity of it as Youngjae lies back on the bed. His left hand ghosts over Youngjae’s skin as he traces the outline of the bruise before it clenches in anger, shaking as he recalls the way Youngjae collapsed after the hit.

           Youngjae reaches up, taking Daehyun’s hand in his, moving it away from his chest. “The ice pack?”

           “Oh…” Coldness registers in Daehyun’s right hand, practically numb now from the chill. He lightly rests the pack on Youngjae’s chest watching as his stomach caves in a shudder from the coolness.

           Youngjae notices Daehyun’s hand as he moves it away from his chest. He catches Daehyun by the wrist, pulling his hand up to his face. Using his other hand, Yongjae runs his fingers over Daehyun’s reddened, blood splattered knuckles. Luckily the blood isn’t his own, but Daehyun’s hand is scratched and bruised.

           “I didn’t know you could fight like that,” Youngjae says.

           “I’ve never fought before.” Daehyun’s hand starts shaking again. “I’ve never been that angry before.” He looks away, eyes falling to his lap, noticing flecks of blood on his jeans. “I don’t like seeing you in pain.”

           “I’m sorry,” Youngjae says, rubbing his thumb across Daehyun’s sore knuckles, causing his hand to flex. “I just reacted. I thought I was protecting you, but it looks like you don’t need my protection. I was really worried.”

           Daehyun naturally rubs at his cheek, readjusting his mask as his face flushes.          

           “I’m sorry,” Youngjae repeats. “I shouldn’t have taken you to a place like that. I should have known you would feel uncomfortable. I wanted you to have a new experience. I wasn’t really thinking.”

           Daehyun shakes his head. “It was interesting. I learned a lot.” He brings his eyes back to Youngjae. “So, are all girls like that? Always flirting and touching.” He remembers the way the redhead was all over Youngjae and how he played right back, “flirting” with her. “That one girl really seemed to like you.”

           “She’s just an old friend. We grew up together. I know she likes me, but the feeling’s not mutual. She’s like a sister to me.” Youngjae’s eyes never leave Daehyun’s hand.

           Daehyun listens, a bit relieved that Youngjae has no feelings for this girl, but that doesn’t change the fact that Youngjae still likes females, not males. Daehyun doesn’t like where his mind is wandering. He tries to expel all of the negative thoughts he’s having about never being the person Youngjae wants, never matching with him properly because Daehyun can’t be a girl. He pulls his hand away from Youngjae’s, sliding off the bed in the process.

           “I’m going to wash up. You should get some rest.” He doesn’t look back as he grabs a change of clothes from Youngjae’s dresser before disappearing into the bathroom, relieving himself of his mask as soon as the door closes. The air feels heavy in his lungs as his chest tightens, thinking about how stupid he’s acting, how annoying it is to feel this way, how close he is and yet nothing’s changed.

           As he enters the shower, he stares at his hands, still astounded by own actions. The blood makes him remember everything and he feels disgusted. He doesn’t like himself for losing control. He scrubs, much harder than necessary because he feels dirty. He wants to wash away the night, cleanse himself of everything club related. By the end of the shower, he feels better, much calmer now that he smells like Youngjae’s body wash, comforted by the familiar scent.

           Just as Daehyun expected, Youngjae’s passed out from exhaustion by the time he reenters the room, cleaned and content apart from having to wear his suffocating mask. Daehyun does his best not to wake him as he shuts off the light and crawls into bed. He feels around in the darkness, wondering how close he is to Youngjae. He brushes against an arm, flinching away before reaching out again. He’s feeling adventurous and just a bit needy tonight as he cups Youngjae’s hand in his own. He wants to hold onto to him, just for a little while, but as Youngjae’s fingers curl naturally around his, he thinks this is okay.

           Daehyun falls asleep easily, lying closer to Youngjae than he has on any other night, feeling at ease with Youngjae’s warm palm against his own. He feels anchored to this spot, like it belongs to him, like he’s exactly where he’s meant to be. He silently hopes that Youngjae will figure out that he’s the one who’s supposed to be by Youngjae’s side because apart from the whole perfect match thing, Daehyun genuinely likes Youngjae and he really wants Youngjae to feel the same. He wants it to happen soon because he’s beyond tired of waiting. He’s so close now, he thinks as he squeezes Youngjae’s hand in his sleep.

Wow...it took forever for an update. I've been busy and now I finally have free time. I hope this picks up soon.

Thank you all for subscribing and patiently (maybe not so patiently) waiting for an update.

<3 Jae