Cheated Out Of Love

..1..

“You’ll see, one day your husband’s going to leave you weeping like a child because he’s fed up of you banging some other chicks!” his friends mock him, laughing their asses out.

He gives them the middle finger, calling them a bunch of morons while he grabs another drink, downing half of the contents as he lets the strong liquid burns his throat.

“As if,” he snorts. He feels a hand on his thigh, the skin through the fabric of his trousers and he smirks, turning to see his ‘chick for the night’ wrapped around his body like some kind of a snake as she tries to feel him up.

“The guy’s too obsessed with me to begin with,” he arrogantly says as he grabbed the girl’s chin, his own lips before treating himself to the land of pleasure and sin.

His name is Lee Hyukjae. Twenty eight years old and works as an executive manager on a business company.

 Recently he’s been married. That is, to a man he never loved.

He needed to do it, to save his family’s company from the verge of bankruptcy. It’s neither an option nor a choice.

Truthfully, he would’ve let the company sink down the drain.

He was never close to his parents because that’s all they were, a couple of people who dressed him up, fed him and let him go to school but were never there by his side, always in a meeting or somewhere out of the country for reasons Hyukjae doesn’t give a damn anymore. But the company was the fruit of his grandfather’s blood and hard-work, the only man who truly cared for Hyukjae before he passed away when Hyukjae’s eight. And for this only reason he tried to swallow down and digest his marriage. He realized he can’t.

Hyukjae is a playboy; flirt and wild, always in the bar with his friends to lavish himself with the things that the world could serve him under his toes.

He hated being tied down and told on what to do.

Marriage, especially to someone you don’t love, just because of some ridiculous things like business, isn’t it really stupid?

So he acts like the true that he is, working in the day, drinking his out in the bar with his friends, flirting with the girls, having with them and driving back to his apartment with his husband.

The husband…

Oh, don’t get him started; the guy is either crazy or plain stupid.

It came as a shock for Hyukjae that he would be marrying a man.

Lee Donghae, the annoying boy from back then when Hyukjae was a kid.

Hyukjae can’t remember anymore. It was probably somewhere during those times when he first met Donghae. Then his grandfather died, and he was sent to the city to study there.

When Hyukjae was told of the stupid marriage, he made sure his parents would instantly get the message that he totally despised it. He began doing stupid things, going out even more and even to the point of bringing some to their house to prove his point. His mother almost fainted from the shock.

The first time they were officially introduced, Hyukjae showed up two hours late, with his appearance very un-presentable, the smell of alcohol reeking off his clothes. He acted like a complete jerk, making sure he was vulgar and rude.

But Donghae, the guy just stayed there on his seat, his smile so bright and irritating. He ignored Hyukjae’s blatant attempt to piss him off, asking questions like “How have he been? It’s been a long time, do you still remember me?” with eyes sparkling and face all radiant and happy. What a frustration.

“Let me get this straight,” Hyukjae screeched when he couldn’t take it any longer, “I don’t want to marry you.”

Donghae only smiled at him, gently blotting the napkin on his mouth, if he was hurt by Hyukjae’s harsh words he clearly didn’t show it.

 “I know”

And it only made Hyukjae pissed even more.

“And you’re still cool about this marriage because?” Hyukjae demands incredulously as if the guy in front of him had gone out of his mind.

Donghae neatly placed the napkin down on the table, somewhat thinking, his finger absentmindedly tracing the rim of the wine glass. When he looked up, deep brown eyes met Hyukjae’s heated glare.

“Because it’s you.”

Hyukjae widens his eyes, not expecting such answer from the brunette.

“Excuse me—what?”

A small, hopeful smile appeared on Donghae’s face, “Because the one I’d be marrying is you, Hyukkie.”

“Hey Hyuk, what’s wrong?”

Hyukjae snaps out of his trance, looking down on the puzzled girl beneath him. They were all sweaty, the air in the room thick and stuffy. He scolds himself for spacing out and thinking of that man when he’s in bed with a very hot chick. He shouldn’t be thinking of nonsense stuff right now.

“I’m thinking of how you’d scream my name once I you to oblivion later, babe” he coolly says, his hands going down in between her legs, watching as her face morphs in pure ecstasy as his fingers played with her. Hyukjae plunges right through her many seconds later, getting lost as she s the girl she doesn’t even remember the name with an animalistic speed, getting drunk with her cries and plea, thoughts completely gone haywire.

--

“Donghae-hyung…”

He tiredly opens his eyes, blinking the blurry vision away as he looks up to find his friend by his side, looking at him with pity.

“Ryeowook-ah, what are you doing here?”

The black haired male with high-cheekbones sighs, “I came back because I was worried for you.”

Donghae bites his lip, turning only to find the dinner he’d spend so much of his time and effort remained there in the middle of the table, cold and untouched. He refused to think about it too much, it would only make him want to cry. So he asked his friend instead, “What time is it Ryeowook-ah?”

Ryeowook seems contemplating, “Its past three.”

Past three, and Hyukjae has yet to return home.

“He really forgot.” He spoke quietly. Dull, burning sensation filled his chest. He stared at the strawberry flavored cake that was sitting in the middlemost part of the table with the bright red lettering ‘Happy 1^st Wedding Monthsary’ written on top with a sad smile, trying to ignore the candles around it that’s almost completely melted. Sighing heavily he turns to the younger male beside him, “You better go home Ryeowook-ah.”

Ryeowook frantically shakes his head, “Hyung! At-least let me help you clean all these,” he tries to convince the latter, not wanting to leave Donghae alone. But Donghae just sends him a forced smile, giving him the assurance that he could surely do it on his own. Ryeowook would’ve argued more, but seeing the hopeless expression on Donghae’s face saying he wants time for himself, the black-haired decided not to push even more. It pained him to see his Donghae-hyung like this, really. But what else is there to do? It was Donghae’s own decision to get married to a selfish man.

“Hyung…” Ryeowook called him for the last time, stepping out of the apartment but still looking disturbed.

Donghae doesn’t give him the chance to speak further. He pats his dongsaeng’s shoulder, “Gwenchana Ryeowook-ah, I’ll be fine.”

The door-lock clicked and suddenly, under the confines of the four walled apartment Donghae finds his knees giving out. He stayed like that, using the wall to support him while he sits there staring out to the lone light coming from the candles on the dining area.  He watches how it flickered and wavered, trying to give off all of its remaining energy to stay alive.

He brings his knees to his chest and placed his chin on his arms, blinking furiously as he tries to will the tears prickling on his eyes away.

Back then, he thought he would be able to change Hyukjae. He was so determined, full of hopes.

But after a month, there has been no change.

Hyukjae treated him like he was nothing but an unwanted presence in his life.

When his parents had told him about the marriage, it was not a question that Donghae has been shocked and his heart can’t help but skip a beat. Hyukjae was his first love, after all. But ever since the boy was taken away by his parents to the city Donghae hadn’t heard anything from him ever since. So when Donghae’s father had visited in Mokpo one day with a solemn look on his face, gathering the whole family in the living room and telling them about the situation Hyukjae’s family were currently facing and the proposition that his parents had made—it stirred mixed emotions.

Donghae pushed his knees down, leaning on the wall for support as he wobbly ambles towards the dining table.

“Nonsense,” Sungmin gritted out, “Father, this whole proposition is ridiculous. I won’t allow my brother to be involved with this!”

“Hyung,” Donghae calmed his outraged brother down, “Let’s listen to what they have to say first.”

“Donghae,” he cringed at how venomous that sounded. His brother had never called him in his full name. “Don’t you dare!” the elder warned, “That guy is a complete . I would never allow you to marry him!”

“Sungmin son, please calm down.”

“No mother, you don’t get it. I understand you wanted to help your friend’s family and strengthen the company—but to such extent? And you!” Sungmin sharply turned to his younger brother, “Don’t even try of considering it! I am fully aware of what you feel for that jerk, but you won’t be marrying him! Not through pity, sympathy or anything else!”

But what about love?

Donghae was stubborn; although he knew how his hyung has strongly disagreed against the proposition and despite all the warnings he still asked to come along with his father to Seoul. He wanted to see Hyukjae. He wanted to know if everything his Sungmin hyung said was true.

Donghae was in the middle of cleaning the dining table when the door creaks open and Hyukjae came stumbling out from the door. Exhausted, totally spent and drunk. The brunette immediately rushed to his husband’s side.

“Hyukkie, where have you been?” Donghae asked with worry, reaching out to prevent his husband from possibly falling but Hyukjae just glared and slapped his hands away.

“Leave me alone.” came the harsh reply. Donghae stares at the retreating back of his husband. Hurt and anguish evident in his glistening eyes.

Donghae was both happy and surprised when he had first seen Hyukjae. He silently noted how the latter grew taller, how his jaw was more defined and his lips plump and thick. How his eyes were still angled and single-lidded, how he was still lanky but was now leaned and how even through the years that passed without meeting each other—it was only Hyukjae.  From the boy back then to the man a few meters away from him right now.  

And Donghae must have been really crazy. Because despite all the bad things his Sungmin hyung had told him about Hyukjae being true, as he watches how an oblivious Hyukjae shamelessly flirts and s the girl on his lap. The only thing that Donghae could think as of that moment was his erratic beating heart and the strong urge to bring back his Hyukkie once again.

Later as Donghae entered the room, he sees Hyukjae sprawled on their bed and was deep in sleep, heaving soft snores and chest rising and falling in a rhythmic, steady breathing. He quietly sat on the edge of the bed, carefully pushing the messy fringe on his husband’s forehead while biting his trembling lips.

He thinks of all the times Hyukjae has made him feel unwanted and hurt. And just when he thought he couldn’t take it anymore, he will remember why he was here in the first place, and then he couldn’t even remember what Hyukjae had done for him to be hurt.

“Neh Hyukkie…you will marry HaeHae right?”

“Stupid. Boys couldn’t get married.”

“But, but! Halbae said we should marry the person we love! HaeHae love Hyukkie! So HaeHae should marry Hyukkie!”

“What kind of reasoning is that? Are you out of your mind?”

“But Hyukkie! Don’t you love me too?”

“…shut up now or I’m not going to piggyback you anymore!”

“…”

“What? Stop looking at me like that!”

“H-hyukkie *sniffs* doesn’t love *tears* H-HaeHae…..”

“Sigh, why do you even love me in the first place? I’m always telling you to go away. I always complain how noisy and clingy you are. You could not possibly love me because of how rude I am to you right?”

“Hyukkie is wrong! You always tell me I’m noisy, but you always stay by my side to listen to me. You always whine to halbae that I’m clingy but you don’t stop giving me piggybacks! You always say you don’t like me, but you still look for me whenever I’m in trouble! Hyukkie doesn’t tell me but HaeHae know Hyukkie cares for HaeHae too!”

“But still, those reasons are not enough for you to love someone you know.”

“Aniyo, I love Hyukkie because he makes me happy and he’s important to me! He’s my most cherished person in the world! I love Hyukkie because it’s you, everything about you. Because you are my Hyukkie! Now Hyukkie, won’t you marry me?”

“Just…nevermind, you’re making me embarrassed.”

“Hey! Is that a blush on Hyukkie's face?”

“…”

“Hyukkie? Hyukkie? Hyukkie!—Eh? Why did you drop me? Where are you going? Let’s get married when we grow up arasseo? Hyukkie? Hyukkie! Wait for me!”

“Neh Hyukkie”, he began, caressing the soft skin on his husband’s cheeks, “I must’ve have been really stupid, don’t you think?” He smiled bitterly.

“But I couldn’t give up yet.” Hyukjae stirred and Donghae immediately jerks his hand back, his heart stopping for a moment. Hyukjae moved away but seemed has not been awakened. The brunette heaved a shaky sigh, wanting to reach for the sleeping man but decided against it.

“I couldn’t give up just yet Hyukkie; you still needed to bear with me for a little while…Even if you hated it so much…Even if you hated me that much. I won’t go away. Not until you go back to the Hyukkie that I’ve always love.” He kissed his husband's temple, wishing him a good sleep before leaving.

Unbeknownst to the brunette, Hyukjae has been awake, sober than he appeared to be.

Balling his fists and muttering strings of profanities as soon as he heard the door clicked shut.

He decided he really hated Lee Donghae. Although the heavy feeling in his chest and the painful pounding inside his head wanted to tell him otherwise. 

Later he would blame himself for ignoring everything that his body told him, wishing that if only—he had remembered sooner.

A/N: Hi~!! thanks to all of you who subscribed and patiently waited for the first chapter ^___^ Hope it's not too angsty?

Comments are well loved! <3