A group of women bustled around Daehyun, fixing the last strands of his hair and checking on his eyeliner. It would be his turn to go on stage in less than 15 minutes and Daehyun wasn't satisfied with anything less than perfection. Behind him, he could hear the chattering of the staff that was already done with their preparations. They talked about family, boyfriends and fashion and Daehyun listened with a hint of envy.

Becoming a famous singer had always been Daehyun's dream but that this dream would come with sacrifices was something he hadn't considered back then. Thousands, maybe even millions of fans loved him, showered him with gifts and admiration and he was genuinely touched and happy about this but in the end, it couldn't replace the warmth of his family that he was missing so badly.

His staff had become something like a family to him, these people were always around him and he knew quite a lot about them and so did they about him, it was at least something. The thing that was missing though was someone who had a special place in his heart.

“Alright we're done,” the young woman who had fixed his hair announced. “Where is Youngjae?”

Just then said person came into the room, together with Himchan, who was the only male member of his styling crew apart of from himself. Himchan gave Daehyun a once-over and nodded in approval before he let Youngjae take a look at the singer.

Youngjae walked around him slowly, picking bits of fluff off his blazer and bringing the sleeves into the right position. When he was satisfied with the singer's outfit, Youngjae rearranged Daehyun's hair a little and applied another layer of powder on his face.

There was a red stain on the collar of Youngjae's white button-down shirt, Daehyun noticed, probably lipstick. Daehyun sighed. Youngjae was chewing on a gum and his minty breath fanned over Daehyun's face slightly. During the months of working with Youngjae, the singer had noticed that the stylist was always chewing bubble gum and his favourite flavour was cherry. Daehyun looked at the stylists pink lips and wondered if they also tasted like cherries.

The majority of his styling crew were young women who wanted to be in the music business but lacked either the looks or the vocal talent to fulfill this dream. Therefore, most of them didn't care too much about their own fashion.

That didn't go for Himchan and Youngjae though. The only two male members of his crew always made sure to look as good as possible, giving Daehyun at least something nice to look at. Himchan and Youngjae had joined the crew around a year ago, bringing in some freshness that was able to help Daehyun to leave his competition behind.

When Daehyun had debuted, he knew it was difficult to become a solo artist, competing against the young and good looking boygroups out there. He was struggling to get himself in the spotlight and close to the point of giving up. But just in the right time, Youngjae and Himchan had joined the team as a last resort, giving Daehyun the make-over he needed to gain popularity.

Ever since then, invitations and jobs rained down on Daehyun and the young singer was truly thankful for that. It did mean a lot of stress but he loved being a singer with all of his heart.

Youngjae was the boss of his team, only a few months younger than Daehyun himself but the young man always seemed to know what would go the best with the singer, he just hat that special something that somehow always made him chose the right things. That's why Youngjae always applied the last layer of make-up and had the last check on Daehyun's outfit before he stepped onto the stage. Daehyun trusted him more than anyone else in his team.

 

Daehyun's comeback stage was a success, the young girls were cheering for the 21 years old singer, waving their light sticks to the rhythm of the ballad that was the title track of his recent album. After 3 recordings, the singer came back into his backstage room to get his make-up refreshed. There were only 2 more artists performing before they would announce the winner of the weekly music show.

Youngjae was sitting on a sofa with Himchan and the two men were laughing about something. The younger had changed his shirt and was now wearing a black one, and he looked cheerful and relaxed. The two men got on well, it was obvious.

During the years, some of his stylists had tried to hit on Daehyun or simply wanted to get closer to him on a friendly base but the two males always made sure to keep a professional distance to him. It was a good thing, if only Daehyun didn't feel so lonely sometimes. The girls were fun sometimes but what he needed was a male friend, a buddy. His old manager had left to fulfill his military duties a few months ago and the new one just wasn't it. They were polite to each other but that was it, no jokes, no light atmosphere, it was only work.

When the stylists saw the singer coming back in, they all rushed to him with tissues, dabbing his forehead and cheeks to stop his sweat from ruining his make-up. In the corner of his vision he saw Youngjae standing up and approaching him, a little smile on his face.

“How did it go, Daehyun?” the young stylist wanted to know.

“Good,” Daehyun replied. “If I win the show today I'll take you all out for dinner tonight!”

What Daehyun wanted to say was, I'd like to take you out for dinner, but he didn't dare to. If it meant he could spend a little more time with Youngjae then he would put up with the rest of his staff.

“Sounds good. If you don't win, you have to take us out anyway,” Youngjae laughed when he applied another layer of powder on Daehyun's face.

The younger's eyes always crinkled at the corners and his cheeks got really prominent when he laughed or even smiled, Daehyun found the sight of it endearing because he could always tell if the smile was genuine or not. And not to forget, that Youngjae's pretty brown eyes just looked the best when they sparkled.

 

Daehyun did win the music show, accepting his award with teary eyes as he thanked his family for the support and his staff for the hard work. With confetti raining down from the ceiling, he performed his song again. The song was about a man finding his true love and Daehyun bolted out all notes with true passion.

By the time he left the stage, he was tired and his throat was sore. He couldn't wait to get out off the sticky clothes and to wash his face. There was not much performance as the song was slow but the glowing light burned his neck anyway. Just as always, Youngjae and Himchan were right by his side, armed with a box of wet wipes and started cleaning his face even before he changed his clothes.

Not many words were shared between them, only the women chatted in the background. After his performances, Daehyun always wished for a bit of silence, he never spoke it out aloud though, he didn't want to be rude. The only ones who seemed to understand him were once again, his only male companions. He kept his eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of Youngjae's hand moving his face gently to reach every bit of skin.

That was his favourite part of the day, when he could calm down and look forward to the warmth of his bed and maybe catch up with his parents who still lived in Busan if it wasn't too late. And it was also the time where he didn't have to wear a mask, no make-up and no image he had to keep up, where he could just be Jung Daehyun.

 

As promised, Daehyun had invited his staff for dinner, they were sitting in a Korean restaurant, spread on 2 large tables, filling their stomachs with fried pork belly and vegetables. Youngjae was on Daehyun's right side, he had made sure that the males sat together and the older watched with joy how Youngjae's cheeks bulked after he had stuffed a lettuce packet filled with meat and kimchi into his mouth.

Eating was just so much more fun when he wasn't eating by himself or just had a rushed cup of ramen between two schedules, Daehyun enjoyed nights like this. He washed his mouth with a shot of soju, his face scrunching up from the strong taste.

Youngjae laughed next to him, hitting his palm on the table repeatedly as his bubbly laughter filled the restaurant. If it made Youngjae laugh then Daehyun would happily look like an idiot in front of him, even though he would probably never admit it.

He still remembered when it had started that he had become very aware of his attraction to the young stylist. Fans had taken pictures of them during an open air event, catching the unfortunate moment when Youngjae had applied make-up on his face with Daehyun having his lips puckered to make it easier for the stylist to apply some lip gloss. These pictures were edited with little hearts flying around them and flattering comments on top of it.

That was the moment when Daehyun first started thinking that they would actually look good together. He had saved these pictures and looked at them when he felt lonely.

Youngjae's style was simple but elegant, his black hair cut in a simple bowl cut that he occasionally styled up or simply let the bangs cover his forehead and he always wore nice clothes, fitting jeans and nice shirts or sweaters, he had a good sense of fashion.

A bit of sauce was on Youngjae's cheek and without thinking, Daehyun reached out to him and wiped it with his thumb, off the remains of if with a hum. For a moment their eyes met and the time stood still. Youngjae's lips were parted but no words were coming out and Daehyun swallowed thickly looking at them. It was just them, Daehyun and Youngjae, caught in this magic moment. Emotions that Daehyun couldn't quite point out flashed in the dark brown orbs of the beautiful young man who blinked cutely.

Their moment was over when Himchan's elbow accidentally nudged Youngjae's arm and woke up the stylist from his trance. Youngjae blushed, his cheeks and ears tinting red and he thanked the older with quiet mumbles. Daehyun had crossed a line, he knew it.

*

Daehyun's promotions were wrapped up about a month later and he was thankful. This promotion circle had been especially tiring, he didn't know why, maybe he was just getting older but he desperately needed some free time and his mother's cooking.

They had just arrived back at the company where the CEO, Mr. Kim, was already waiting for them. It was a routine, he would usually congratulate him for the successful promotions and they would have a meeting about the concept for his next comeback. Daehyun bowed quickly and followed his boss to the meeting room, just as always.

“How was the last show?” Mr. Kim asked, his chin resting on his palms.

“Great,” Daehyun answered. “The feedback from the fans and professionals was very positive, I would even say the best I've had so far.”

Daehyun was proud that all his years of working had finally paid off, that he was finally getting somewhere.

“That's what I like to hear,” the CEO laughed. “I have a good news and a bad news,” he then announced.

“You already know that but you've made yourself a name, not only in Korea but all around Asia. That's why we have decided that we want to send you to a tour all around Asia, we already have the whole schedule planned for you.”

Daehyun's mouth fell open and the staff broke out with cheers. That was more than just a good news, he had always wished to have a concert tour.

“The bad news...” Mr. Kim started and it was quiet. “The preparations will start next week, I know you expected a few weeks off but you know how important this is for you.”

Daehyun nodded. A big lump had formed in his throat and he tried to swallow the agony that was building up. But he knew that he could not refuse this, because this was his big chance to make it world wide.

“We will send a team of 3 stylists with you which will be Hyosung, Sunhwa and Youngjae.”

“What about Himchan?” Youngjae asked, a look of discomfort on his face.

“I think you will manage just fine by yourself. We need Himchan here in Korea to take care of Yongguk and Junhong. Their debut will be next month and they need a good stylist as well.”

Youngjae nodded and shared a look with Himchan. Daehyun couldn't see their faces though because his vision slowly became blurry. He just wanted to bolt out of the room and cry, he had been looking forward to meet his family and rest for a while and his anticipation had turned into frustration.

When he finally was allowed to leave the room, he left without another word, his hands balled to fists. He didn't want to see anyone anymore and just wallow in self pity for a while. One week off was not much but at least he could visit his family and he would pack his things right away to take the first train to Busan in the morning.

*

Daehyun felt nauseous. He was sitting in the airplane, waiting for the giant machine to take off. They were just heading to their first destination, Japan. The flight wasn't long but he couldn't help but being nervous. He had been in Japan for several occasions but never for such a big event like his own concert.

But apparently, his concerts were sold out, even though it wasn't in large venues he was happy that he had been accepted so well. With six weeks of preparation, he started his adventure to take over the world, hopefully.

In the meantime, his company had debuted a new duo, Bang & Zelo, who caught everyone's attention with their fresh hip hop concept and their balanced raps. Now, Daehyun not only had to compete against every other boygroup that debuted every year (and they were many) but also with his company colleagues. That made him even more nervous because they were in Korea and he would be abroad for a while.

But on another note, Youngjae was sitting next to him and apart from them and a few background dancer, they were only accompanied by women, which gave Daehyun the hope that the younger might open up to him on a more personal base just a little bit.

Daehyun had almost jumped in joy when he had found out that they would be sharing a hotel room for the meantime. Maybe he could learn a little about the stylist, even though they had worked together since almost 1,5 years, he almost knew nothing about him.

Youngjae's fingers were digging into the armrest when the plane took off, he had always been uncomfortable with flying, Daehyun thought it was cute. They didn't talk much, both of them listened to music mostly, trying to escape the atmosphere of anxiety that hung in the air.

Before long, the flight was over and they landed safely. Daehyun stretched his legs as soon as he was out of the airplane and they all walked together to pick up their luggage and when they left the arrival area, Daehyun was greeted by screaming fans, gathering all around him.

Two manager did their best to keep the girls on a safe distance but Daehyun gave everyone his warmest smile and accepted every gift bag that was handed to him. Suddenly, he felt full of energy because he knew this was only a little taste of what he would be receiving the day after, in a concert hall full of people who would only come to see him.

But first, he actually had to make it through a night with Youngjae in the same hotel room. Both of them stayed on their own side of the shared room, an awkward silence wrapped around them like a suffocating blanket. Daehyun was sitting on his bed, hugging his knees, watching how the younger was bent over his suitcase, searching for something.

The singer's eyes fell on the other's that was lined out under the loose sweatpants. It was round and looked inviting, Daehyun would love to stretch out and give it a friendly pat but that would make things even more awkward than they already were.

“It's the first time I see you in casual clothes,” Daehyun mumbled and the younger looked up, smiling.

“Do I look weird?” Youngjae laughed.

“No, it suits you,” Daehyun reassured the other. Everything would suit him, he thought.

“I have a lot of casual clothes, I just don't wear them at work,” the younger explained. “You have to be dressed nicely when people watch your every step.”

Daehyun nodded. He remembered his debut days where he had been called a fashion terrorist and had to smile at the memories, he had looked really bad. But nowadays, either Youngjae or Himchan picked out his clothes and both of them had a good taste and knew what would suit him.

But Youngjae's words also reminded him that he was nothing else than work for the stylist and the thought made him sad. He was usually one to get along with most people as he had an outgoing and friendly personality but Youngjae seemed to be the opposite, wanting to separate job and personal life at all costs, Himchan excluded.

“Are you nervous?” the stylist interrupted his thoughts and Daehyun sighed.

“I am,” Daehyun admitted and flattened his hair.

“You shouldn't be. The girls love you and I will make sure you look good before you go on stage,” Youngjae offered a smile.

The younger sat on his bed, facing the singer. It was the first time that Youngjae approached him like that, asking Daehyun how he was feeling and not only if the clothes fit.

“I always look good,” Daehyun pouted. If there was anything he was confident about, then it was his look.

“You do,” Youngjae chuckled. “But I make sure you don't look only good but that you look your best,” he exclaimed.

Daehyun let himself fall back onto his bed and stared at the ceiling . “I will trust you then,” he said quietly.

“Ah! What's with that gloomy mood? Where is the always smiling Jung Daehyun?” Youngjae placed his hands on his hips, a stern look on his face as he looked down at the singer.

“I can't always be in a good mood,” Daehyun mumbled and rolled on his side, looking at the stylist.

“What has gotten you in such a mood then?” Youngjae asked.

Daehyun thought for a moment but nothing really came to his mind. He just shrugged and suddenly felt stupid. Being an idol had taught him to always put on a face, no matter if he was happy or not, that there was also a fragile side to him was something that only a few people knew. The side of his mattress lowered and Daehyun looked up in surprise when he saw the younger sitting next to him, way too close for his comfort, taking the singer's hand.

“I can imagine that the life as a singer is very difficult but maybe it will help you to focus on the things that you have when you feel down. Almost all of your concerts are sold out, you are living your dream as a singer and there are thousands of girls who love you and would drop their if you only snap your fingers.

There might be a few parts missing now to make your life complete but you're so young and you have so much time to fulfill all your other wishes,” Youngjae mumbled.

“The only thing I need is someone who doesn't love me because I'm Daehyun the singer but who loves me for how I am,” Daehyun linked their fingers together.

“You're a likeable person, if I was you I wouldn't worry about that,” Youngjae squeezed the singer's hand. “It's only a matter of time until you meet someone who looks past the idol image and sees the real Daehyun.”

Daehyun smiled at the words and looked at the other, noticing that a little smile was on his lips as he looked at him with a gentle expression. The singer's heart began beating a little quicker than before and his hands became sweaty. He hadn't been aware of the close proximity between them and suddenly didn't know how to act anymore.

Worries that the younger would notice his nervousness, Daehyun loosened the grip on Youngjae's hand awkwardly and the other let go of him. Despite the nervousness though, the stylists words made him feel warm inside. 'Maybe it's you', Daehyun thought.

*

Only 10 minutes until Daehyun had to step on the stage to perform his first song. His stomach was churning and he felt like throwing up, he had never felt so nervous before. In front of him was Youngjae, fixing his make-up as always. Daehyun kept blinking and the stylist scolded him for ruining the eyeliner.

In the venue, the fans were already cheering, shouting his name repeatedly, probably as excited as Daehyun himself. Daehyun's contact lenses were making his eyes itch and he rubbed his eyes without thinking. A look of panic spread on Youngjae's face and the stylist slapped his hands away.

“You're gonna go out looking like a panda if you keep doing that,” Youngjae scolded him.

“I'm sorry I can't help it. I'm so nervous I feel like I'm gonna faint,” Daehyun laughed weakly.

“I know that you're nervous,” the stylist mumbled, chewing on bubble gum again. Youngjae's cherry breath fanned over Daehyun's face and the singer felt himself calming down a little.

“You're an awesome singer and you will rock that stage tonight and tomorrow, we will watch all the pictures taken by fans,” Youngjae said as he wiped under Daehyun's eyes.

Daehyun nodded and his dry lips. He closed his eyes and tried to relax as Youngjae kept working on his make-up. When the stylist had finished applying new eyeliner he brushed with his thumb over the singer's cheek gently. Daehyun looked at him, wondering if he wiped off remains of the make-up or if this had simply been a gesture of comfort. He didn't have time to ask though because after a brief look into the other's beautiful brown orbs, he was being chased on the stage.

The nervousness had vanished and was replaced by adrenaline and energy and the second time Daehyun went backstage to change his outfit, the short minute he was away from the stage felt like ages. His clothes were changed quickly and Youngjae was waiting for him to wipe off the sweat from his face and after a quick nod, Daehyun was dismissed again.

He had to admit, standing on the stage in front of thousands of fans was the best feeling he had ever. felt It was completely different than the little music shows he usually performed at with only a small crowd being let in to shout the fanchants for his songs.

When the concert was over, he felt a little sad because the time went by too quick. Now that the adrenaline was slowly fading, he could feel the exhaustion taking over and collapsed on a sofa, panting. Several people of the staff were already by his side, fanning cold air for him and bringing him water. He thanked them with a gesture with his hand and downed the chilled bottle completely.

It took him almost 15 minutes to calm down to a level where he was able to change into more comfortable clothes, he really couldn't wait to take a hot shower later but for now he was already happy to get out of the sticky outfit. He dragged his heavy body over to the changing room and lifted the shirt over his head.

He always changed in front of his crew, it was unavoidable when he had to change a complete outfit in the matter of a minute or two, so the sight was nothing new to them but he could still feel the eyes burning into his bare skin as he changed. He decided to ignore it, he wasn't interested in one of the girls there anyway.

With a new set of clothes he felt a million times better already and when he turned around, Youngjae was standing right in front of him, close enough to startle the singer.

“Let's get your face cleaned,” Youngjae held up a pack of face wipes. They sat down and the stylist started working immediately. First, Daehyun took out the contact lenses and then let himself being cleaned. He could easily do that himself but he enjoyed the gentle treatment of his stylist so he didn't say anything but kept his eyes closed until the younger was done.

Once Daehyun was cleaned up, the staff was done packing their stuff and had already started to put everything into their vans. It was late and the air was cold so Daehyun snuggled into the hoodie he had stolen from Youngjae on his way to the van that would bring them back to the hotel and breathed in the sweet scent that came from the fabric.

Daehyun fell right into his bed as soon as he was finished with his shower. The stylist had told him he could wash up first and excused himself to the bathroom as well. Being too tired, Daehyun barely noticed though.

He got only woken up when Youngjae accidentally bumped into something and cursed quietly. Daehyun's eyes opened slowly and he blinked a couple of times, trying to make out what was happening in front of him. The light was dimmed and the stylist was bent over his suitcase, dressed in his tight boxershorts only.

Youngjae's hair was wet and little droplets were rolling down his smooth back. Daehyun was immediately awake and on full alert. He swallowed thickly and scanned over the other's body slowly, appreciating every bit that was exposed to his eyes.

Youngjae had broad shoulders and the singer imagined how it would feel to embraced by the younger's arms who also were surprisingly buff. Not as muscular as Daehyun's but definitely better than he had expected. The stylist looked up, an apologetic look on his face.

“I'm sorry for waking you up,” he mumbled. “I accidentally drenched my shirt and was just searching for another one.”

“It's okay,” Daehyun croaked, his throat a little sore from all the singing. Youngjae stood up, giving the singer a perfect view of his chest and stomach. It was flat and the skin looked soft and Youngjae had an incredible y belly button, Daehyun noticed.

“Just keep sleeping, I'm done now,” Youngjae explained as he quickly unfolded another plain white t-shirt and pulled it over his head. A slight pout was noticeable on Daehyun's lips and he wasn't sure if the stylist noticed but his eyes stopped on the singer's face for a moment before he turned around and vanished in the bathroom again.

Less than a minute later, the light was turned off and they shared a hushed 'good night' before both of them succumbed to sleep.

*

A camera team was following Daehyun as he walked through the streets of Hong Kong. They had decided to film a personal diary for his fans back home in Korea while he was being abroad, so they would always be up to date about him.

“I've only seen a few countries so far,” Daehyun said, sending his sweetest smile to the camera. “I'm very happy to meet my fans all over Asia but I also miss you.”

The singer's expression saddened for a moment before he chuckled awkwardly.

“Recently, I've become good friends with Youngjae, who is my stylist. He's the only male person in my staff right now so we bonded a lot,” he laughed and took the camera into his hands.

“Youngjae~~” he cooed. “Tell my precious fans your secrets how to maintain a flawless skin like yours!”

Youngjae looked a little uncomfortable and Daehyun almost giggled out loud when he noticed the pink blush on his cheeks.

“You should always remove your make-up and wash your face before you go to bed,” Youngjae explained and held one finger up.

“If you have dry skin you should always apply moisturizer,” a second finger appeared.

“Also, you should not touch your face with dirty hands,” he held another finger up.

“And the most important thing is to eat healthy and drink a lot of water!” he held 4 fingers into the camera and smiled sweetly.

“Ahhh,” Daehyun said, taking in the information. “It's thanks to him that I always look good so please give him a lot of love!”

Youngjae blushed even darker and bowed awkwardly, his black bangs falling over his eyes. They all then laughed and Youngjae demanded to have this part cut out. Surprisingly, the stylist didn't like being the center of attention and always reacted shyly when he was caught on fantaken pictures. In Daehyun's opinion though, the younger had the look to make it big as an idol or an actor even if he wanted. But that simply wasn't Youngjae's style, according to him and it already bothered him that Daehyun's fans had taken a bigger interest in him these days.

They walked up to some food stalls and ordered food, the camera still going. Most of the stuff would probably never be used but they had to make sure to have enough material to upload it later.

“Youngjae has been receiving a lot of love from my fans lately. So tell everyone, do you have a girlfriend or is your heart still waiting to be stolen?” Daehyun asked the stylist in a playful manner.

Youngjae almost choked on his Tteokbokki and swallowed the food painfully.

“I don't have a girlfriend yet,” Youngjae smiled into the camera, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Daehyun's knees almost gave in when he felt himself melting from the sweet view of the younger. He was speechless for a moment, happy that the other was not taken. Daehyun turned the camera around until he was in the picture and said:

“Did you hear that? So if you don't have a boyfriend yet make sure to keep your eyes on Youngjae, he is a good guy I promise,” he laughed when the stylist's ears turned pink.

 

“Ahhh, do you always have to embarrass me?” Youngjae groaned when they were back in the hotel room and no cameras were in sight. “I swear if they put this into the video I'm going to murder them!”

“As long as it helps you finding a girlfriend it was worth it, if it isn't me who is being killed,” Daehyun laughed and the younger threw his pillow at the singer.

“What if I don't want to find a girlfriend?” the stylist huffed.

“Why not?” Daehyun was surprised.

The stylist groaned again and let his back fall on the bed, his arms stretched out.

“I thought it was obvious that I'm not into girls,” he mumbled. “Not that any man in this kind of job would.”

“Oh,” was all that Daehyun managed to say. “So are you and Himchan...?”

“No. He's my best friend and roommate. We got to know each other in high school and since then we're kind of stuck together,” Youngjae said, avoiding the singer's eyes.

It was clear that the stylist was not comfortable with speaking out about his preferences but what he didn't know was the spark of hope that whooshed through the singer's body. Daehyun still didn't know what to do though so he opted for sitting on his own bed, hugging the stylists pillow that was still buried in his arms.

“Don't worry I'm not going to hit on you,” Youngjae mumbled after a moment of silence.

“I'm not worried,” Daehyun answered and the stylist got up with a look of surprise on his face. Truthfully, it was half a lie. Daehyun was worried but not that the other could hit on him but that the stylist would reject him.

*

Their plane landed safely in Singapore. After his, there was only one more stop in Thailand until Daehyun could finally sleep in his own bed again. He didn't complain because he had Youngjae in the same room with him and he had kind of gotten used to it, the late night chats they had and the soft sound of Youngjae's breathing when the younger was asleep. That would definitely be something Daehyun would miss but still, home was still the best and he was looking forward to it.

When they finally passed the security check and walked through the glass doors, young girls were starting to scream as soon as they laid eyes on the singer. This was something that would never get old to Daehyun, the loving cheers that he was always greeted with.

Daehyun adjusted his face mask, making sure that everything was covered before he started waving at the fans, who in return cheered even louder. From stress and unhealthy food his skin had gotten really bad and he looked with envy at Youngjae who was at his left, his bare skin absolutely flawless.

He had one day to rest and he planned to not step outside his hotel room for the whole day, even though he had only been gone for less than 6 weeks, he felt absolutely drained. But he knew he owed his fans for getting up early in the morning to greet him at the airport so he made sure to wave at everyone and to accept all gift bags he was handed.

Youngjae helped him carry when the weigh on his wrist had gotten too much and he sent the stylist a thankful smile. A really pretty girl with long black hair approached them, a black gift bag in her hand. Daehyun reached out to accept it but the girl blushed and shook his hand and then handed the bag to Youngjae instead before turning around and rushing away.

The stylist looked puzzled for a moment before he read the letters written on the outside and realized that this gift was indeed for him. Youngjae's cheeks turned red the slightest bit, especially when the other fans who had witnessed the scene started giggling and he pouted because he didn't even have the chance to thank the pretty girl.

At the hotel, Daehyun was on him immediately, urging the younger to show him what he had received as his first gift, along with mumbles that his fans were starting to betray him.

“You were the one who motivated them in the first place,” Youngjae laughed at the childish behaviour.

“I know, I shouldn't have done that,” Daehyun pouted and the younger laughed even louder. “But come on, show me what's in the bag,” the singer cooed.

Knowing that the older wouldn't give up until he got what he wanted, he patted the space next to him and Daehyun almost jumped the few steps that separated them and plumped down on the bed with a wide grin on his face.

Nervously, Youngjae opened the bag and put his hand into it reluctantly. He took out 2 boxes, one translucent, showing the content of it and a much smaller one, tinted in an elegant black.

The translucent box contained a beauty set with skin cleanser, face cream and lip balm. Youngjae knew that brand, it was very expensive and he felt guilty immediately. Daehyun's fans should not spend so much money on him, in his opinion. He didn't say anything though because the singer had already grabbed the items, a drawn out 'wow' escaping his plump lips.

“Why don't I get things like that? I obviously need these more than you do,” the singer complained.

“Maybe your fans think that you're perfect the way you are,” Youngjae said and unconsciously, a smile tugged on the corners of Daehyun's lips.

Whilst the other was still busy with the beauty set, Youngjae turned his attention towards the black box which he was sure contained jewelry. He opened the box carefully and found 2 silver bracelets inside.

In awe, he took the items out and under the watching eyes of Daehyun, he twisted the bracelets around to inspect the shiny metal. They looked exactly the same and were really elegant, exactly how Youngjae liked it.

Just when Youngjae started to wonder why she had bought him 2 of the same bracelets, he found little engravings on the inner side of it. One said Youngjae and the other one Daehyun. They looked at each other in confusion before breaking out in roaring laughter.

“Did she really get us couple bracelets?” Youngjae wiped the tears from his eyes.

“Seems like it,” Daehyun said.

“Wow!”

“Yeah,“ Daehyun chuckled. “But they look really good. Let me put on yours and then you can help me with mine.”

“Are you crazy? Do you want me to get killed by your fans?” Youngjae's eyes were wide.

“They look expensive, we can't not wear them, it would be disrespectful. And beside that, no one is going to kill you, “Daehyun insisted and took the bracelets from the younger, checking the names.

Daehyun picked the bracelet with his own name and wrapped it around the stylist's wrist carefully. The tips of his fingers brushed against the other's skin and suddenly he felt butterflies dancing in his stomach. Youngjae's skin was really soft and the silver jewelry looked really beautiful on his slim wrist.

Daehyun turned it around so the lock was on the bottom, not loosening the hold on the younger's soft hand. His touch lingered for a while and the other didn't pull away either. Time stood still for a moment with their hands touching, making Daehyun's heart just beat a little bit faster.

The warmth of Youngjae's skin felt so comforting and natural, Daehyun wished he could hold the younger's hand forever. But the younger coughed awkwardly and searched for the other bracelet and the little moment was over.

When both of them wore their new jewelry they held their arms together to observe it. Youngjae was a little paler than Daehyun but the older couldn't help but think that their hands matched well together.

“I'm gonna take a picture,” Daehyun mumbled and pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket.

The younger was surprised but didn't say anything, only kept his arm stretched out when Daehyun made a cross shape with his own and took a picture of their linked arms.

“What are you doing?” Youngjae asked when the older kept fumbling with his phone.

“I uploaded it on Instagram,” Daehyun beamed and held the phone out for the other to see the screen.

The caption underneath the photo said 'Thank you. I love you.', and a heart next to it.

“You're so cheesy,” Youngjae said but his cheeks we bulging out cutely, a clear sign that he was smiling or rather trying to hold it back.

With an cannibalistic growl, Daehyun jumped on the stylist and tackled him into the sheets. They wrestled like little kids for a few minutes, laughter filling the room. When they got tired they just laid there next to each other, panting.

“That was fun,” Youngjae said, placing his palm on his chest to calm down his breathing.

“Mhh,” Daehyun hummed and rolled around until he was laying on his stomach. He yawned and the other chuckled.

“Sleep,” the stylist mumbled, looking at him expectantly.

Daehyun looked back and their eyes met for a moment. Youngjae's eyes were of a warm dark chocolate colour and they sparkled like dark diamonds. The singer was drawn into the brown orbs and wanted nothing more than inching closer, but he knew it would be too much, he didn't want to destroy the bond they had built the past few weeks.

“Sleep,” Youngjae repeated and rolled on his side, closing his eyes.

Since the stylist didn't specifically tell him to move into his own bed, Daehyun closed his eyes and it didn't take long for the sleep to take over.

 

Daehyun woke up with something warm next to him. It was getting dark outside so he guessed he slept for quite a while. The warm lump next to him started moving and Daehyun blinked in confusion. He was met with Youngjae's sleeping face, close enough so he could count his eyelashes. Daehyun always moved a lot in his sleep and somehow he had ended up with his arms around the younger's body.

Youngjae smelled really nice and he thought if he should let go or pretend to be asleep once the younger woke up. He really didn't want to let go just yet because Youngjae felt so good in his arms. With that, he decided that he would keep his arms around the other until he woke up.

By the time the stylist woke up, Daehyun had fallen asleep again, his lips parted slightly as he breathed calmly in his slumber. Because of that, he missed the shy smile that graced Youngjae's lips when he realized how they had slept. Looking at the time, he was not surprised about his growling stomach and without peeling the other's arms off, he started to shake the singer awake gently.

“Hey, Daehyun,” he mumbled, his hand on the older's shoulder.

The singer stirred a little and opened his eyes slowly, looking up at Youngjae. Daehyun looked so cute with his sleepy face, Youngjae thought and had to fight the urge to brush his fingers along the older's soft looking cheek.

“We should eat something, it's already past 9,” Youngjae explained when the other still didn't say anything.

It took Daehyun a moment to regain his consciousness and when he noticed that his head was still lying on Youngjae's biceps and his arms were still curled around his slender body, he jumped up as if he had been stung by a bee, headbutting the stylist in the process.

“Ouch,” Youngjae muttered and rubbed his forehead.

“I'm sorry,” Daehyun said apologetically, ignoring the little pain in his skull, knowing that it would go away soon.

“It's okay, I'm going to stab your eye with the eyeliner in return tomorrow,” Youngjae chuckled as the singer looked at him with wide eyes.

“I'm joking,” Youngjae said with amusement. “Let's order room service, I can't be bothered to go out anymore today.”

“Sounds like a great plan!” Daehyun beamed.

*

The flight to Thailand was delayed due to bad weather, leaving them with 2 hours of trying to get the time to move faster.

Daehyun was scrolling through his mobile phone, checking the fantaken pictures from the concert. Some of his fans were really talented photographer and he always enjoyed them, especially if he looked really good in them.

Leaning on his shoulder was Youngjae, his chin digging into Daehyun's skin. Every once in a while he stopped Daehyun's hand from scrolling when he wanted to take a closer look at the pictures. The stylist complained every time he saw a picture of himself, saying he was not photogenic at all, Daehyun didn't agree but he didn't say anything.

The singer was used to the fans reactions and cute and sometimes funny comments on his picture but it was different for Youngjae. When they had read the comments on the picture of their couple bracelets, the cute stylist blushed more than once when fans had asked if they were a real couple.

But even though Youngjae had protested loudly, he hadn't taken the bracelet off and neither had Daehyun, he had even worn it during the concert the day before. Daehyun made sure that if he would ever see that fan again, he would thank her properly.

During the few weeks they had spent so much time together, Daehyun had the feeling that they had grown together quite a lot. He had found out a lot of things about the stylist and even better, they had a lot of things in common as well.

The younger's professional facade had vanished and Daehyun would dare to say they had not only become friends but that his chances for something more might not be so slim after all. After all, Youngjae wouldn't blush so much at the fan's suggestion of them being a thing if there wasn't a tiny spark of interest on his side.

Soon his tour would be over and Daehyun wondered how things would be once they are back in Korea. Would they keep being close or would Youngjae go back to his distanced self, making him watch his interactions with Himchan? He didn't know but he hoped that the stylist would not drop him.

 

The plane landed without any further disturbances a couple of hours later and Daehyun fell into the bed of his hotel room immediately. Traveling around cost him so much energy, he couldn't wait to be back home and sleep and eat as much as he wanted and whenever he wanted. And even though the beds were all comfortable, it just wasnt as good enough as home. He missed his mother's cooking and Korean food and he also missed his domestic fans who would give him selfmade food and cute presents.

Daehyun didn't notice when he fell asleep so when a warm palm rubbed his shoulder gently, he was confused for a moment. He blinked a couple of times and the picture of Youngjae in front of him cleared slowly. The stylists hair was damp and his cheeks rosy.

“What time is it?” Daehyun mumbled.

“Just a little after six, I just woke you to go and get some dinner,” Youngjae explained.

“Mhhh.. I don't want to go out,” the singer pouted.

“Come on, a bit of fresh air will be good for you,” the other insisted.

Groaning in annoyance, Daehyun pushed the blanket to his side and lifted his heavy body. Maybe Youngjae was right and he would feel more refreshed after having a nice meal.

“I'll just take a quick shower,” he said and gathered his things.

 

Youngjae was already waiting when he left the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes. The stylist was smiling at his phone, typing. He looked really beautiful like that with his shining eyes and Daehyun wondered what or rather who made him so happy. He cleared his throat awkwardly and the younger immediately jumped up and put the phone back in his pocket.

“Himchan said hi!” Youngjae announced with a smile.

“How is he doing?” Daehyun asked, a little bit relieved that it was only Himchan.

“He's great, he loves these new guys. But he misses me!” Youngjae laughed.

“He doesn't miss me I guess,” Daehyun grumbled as he pressed the button for the elevator.

“Of course he does, he only speaks good about you when we're at home. The only reason he misses me is because he has to clean our apartment all by hiself!”

At that, Daehyun laughed and the younger followed. Their laughter died when the elevator arrived the ground floor and a small group of businessmen looked at them with a grumpy judging look. As soon as they were out of sight, the two young men burst out with laughter again.

“Now they look like they're having fun,” Daehyun chuckled.

“I never want to end like this,” Youngjae said as he held the door open for the singer.

“Me neither. So.. What are we going to eat?” the singer wanted to know.

“There is a good traditional restaurant not far from here,” Youngjae pointed to their left and they started walking.

A few fans stood in front of the hotel and Daehyun was not surprised. While it was forbidden for fans to stay outside of his apartment or the company building, fans overseas did not follow these strict rules. He wasn't exactly happy about this but as long as they were friendly he didn't really mind either.

When the girls spotted them they approached them and held out papers to ask for an autograph. Daehyun took his time to give all of them an autograph, they weren't many after all. They exchanged a few words and the singer even allowed them to take pictures, with Youngjae as the photographer.

One girl asked if she could take a picture of Youngjae and Daehyun and both agreed, even though the stylist was rather shy. They held up peace signs and smiled and the girl almost dropped her camera because she was so nervous. But she managed to take a picture and the two boys said goodbye and the fans let them off.

The choice at the restaurant was incredible and Daehyun didn't know what to order. He kind of wanted to try everything but he knew he couldn't do that. On the other side of the table, Youngjae's face was buried into the menu and he was biting on his thumbnail, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“What are you going to eat? I can't decide,” Daehyun asked.

“Me neither,” Youngjae laughed. “How about we share something?”

“Sounds great!” Daehyun's eyes lit up.

 

They had picked a small collection of dishes, made of rice, noodles and soup. The waistband of Daehyun's jeans was uncomfortably tight around his belly but he didn't care, it had been so worth it.

Youngjae was still picking on his food but he was struggling as well and before long, he dropped his chopsticks and leaned back on his chair with a huff. It was silent for a while, except the overall noise in the restaurant but it was comfortable. They didn't need to be constantly talking for them to be not awkward, they just worked out like that as well.

As soon as they would get back to Korea, Daehyun wanted to celebrate with his whole stuff before he heads off to Busan for a few weeks to rest. This is what they all deserved for their hard work, even the ones who didn't travel with him, they had always done a great job for him and he was grateful for every single person. But for now, he still had one more concert to hold and he was excited.

*

They were already expected at the company building, in fact, Daehyun hadn't even been given time to go home and change, they were just simply called to the company as soon as they had stepped out of the plane.

It felt good to breathe Korean air again, not that the air was any different in other countries but it just felt good to be home. And also, starting from tomorrow he could rest, sleep when he wanted, eat when he wanted and see his family.

The taxi stopped in front of the large building where fans were already waiting for him. He adjusted his sunglasses to hide his eyebags and opened the door. Immediately, the girls started screaming and held their cameras up to take pictures. Daehyun was used to it. He smiled and waved at them as he walked past and even though he had missed his fans a lot, he was thankful that the volume was turned down as soon as the door closed behind them.

Daehyun was lead to the CEO's office whilst the rest of the staff members went their own ways, most likely to greet the rest of their co-workers. A tiny part of him was worried that he would be introduced to yet another schedule to be placed before his break but he pushed it away.

 

For almost an hour he had talked to the CEO, accepting the words of praise an congratulations. The tour had made them a lot of money and Daehyun had been rewarded with a bonus. Thankfully, he could go back home for a whole month, there were no other schedules planned for now. Now that this weight was lifted off his shoulders, he walked around, searching for the others to thank them yet again.

He found them in the usual resting room that they always used in their free time. There were a lot of sofas and a large fridge in this room that was always filled with snacks and drinks. When he entered, the whole staff started applauding for him and bowed. Daehyun's eyes teared up when he noticed that every single one of them was here, even his new label mates Bang and Zelo. They were blonde and he almost didn't recognize them.

One after another came to him, congratulating him personally for the successful tour. Bang Yongguk even bumped shoulders with him, he felt awkward but he was thankful nonetheless. Himchan came to embrace him in a surprisingly big hug that filled Daehyun with an incredible warmth. Even though Himchan was one of his closest co-workers there had always been that distance but for now it seemed forgotten.

From the corners of his eye, he saw that Youngjae was smiling as he watched Daehyun's bones being crushed by the taller male. It wasn't a smile of mockery but one of happiness. When Himchan didn't loosen his grip on the singer, Youngjae came to pull the older away slightly, claiming that it was his turn.

Himchan pouted, earning a collective laughter from the staff but he let go and Daehyun could breathe a little. But Youngjae's arms wrapped around his waist just a moment later, the stylists warmth seeping right into his heart. He did the same and embraced the younger whilst leaning his temple on the other's side. Youngjae smelled really nice.

“Thank you,” Daehyun mumbled quietly. He had a thankful heart towards everyone but it was Youngjae who had kept him sane day and night in this stressful situation. Pulling the stylist even closer, he wanted to make the moment last as long as possible. He only let go when he heard the others snicker behind his back.

“Thank you everyone,” Daehyun said, rubbing his back awkwardly. “Everyone of you has worked really hard and I'm both, thankful and very proud of all of you. I would like to invite you tonight for a little celebration.”

Everyone burst out with loud cheers and with that it was agreed that they would hold a little party later on.

 

A couple of hours later, the meeting room had been re-decorated by a few female staff members. It was big enough for all of them, protected them from the public eye and it was just perfect. They had bought drinks, made a few snacks and there were balloons hanging off the ceiling. It remembered Daehyun of his birthdays when he was a kid but he liked it nonetheless.

He was on his 2nd beer and he could already fee his limbs tingle from the alcohol. It had been a while since he drank the last time so he could feel the effect straight away. The mood was good, he didn't plan to get wasted, he just wanted to relax a little bit.

Everyone was chatting animatedly and so was he, standing in a little group with his new label mates, who had been dragged along from Himchan and Youngjae.

“So, what are you going to do in your free time?” Himchan asked.

“I will go home to Busan to visit my family,” Daehyun said proudly, a smile coming to his face automatically as he thought of his mother.

“For a whole month?” the older stylist wanted to know.

“I guess so,” Daehyun answered.

“Aww, how can you do that to Youngjae now that he has gotten used to be around you? He's definitely going to miss you,” Himchan mocked.

Youngjae elbowed the older, growling a dangerous “stop this bull” but his ears had clearly gotten darker. Daehyun suddenly felt hot in his face, would the younger really miss him? He didn't have the guts to ask but one thing was sure, he would definitely miss the other as well.

It was embarrassing to admit but Daehyun was completely crushing on the young stylist, even more than before. The atmosphere had grown a little awkward, with Himchan laughing and Youngjae and Daehyun avoiding each other's gaze.

“Aren't they cute?” Himchan asked and Yongguk agreed, giving two thumbs up. Youngjae rolled his eyes, it wasn't often that the stylist showed annoyance but Daehyun could see the tiniest hint of a scowl on his face, it was cute.

“Enough,” Youngjae said and sent his friend a death glare. Himchan shrugged and emptied his bottle in one go.

 

Daehyun was getting more and more tired and all he wanted was to fall into his pillows but he also didn't want to disappoint the other people who had just gathered for him. So he struggled through the evening, always something alcoholic in his hand that he hoped would keep him going.

Shortly after midnight, Youngjae plumped down on the sofa next to him. The stylist looked just as tired as Daehyun felt, his usually perfect hair looked rather messy (which suited him in Daehyun's opinion) and his struggle to keep his eyes open was obvious.

“Are you heading home tomorrow?” Youngjae asked. His breath smelt like alcohol for a change and not like sweet bubble gum.

“Yes. My train goes at 12,” Daehyun yawned. The stylist remained silent for a while.

“You're going to text me once in a while, right?” Youngjae's voice was hesitant.

“I will if I start missing you,” Daehyun said jokingly but the younger smiled anyway.

Daehyun wondered how long it would take him to grab his phone and ask about the younger whereabouts.

“I think I'm going to head home. I feel so dead,” Daehyun chuckled.

“You deserve your rest you worked really hard. I don't think anyone would mind. And if you go first, it doesn't matter if I go home as well,” Youngjae grinned mischievously.

With that, they started saying good bye to the others, Youngjae hadn't bothered to wait for Daehyun to be gone, he was just too tired to care. By the time they were outside, the taxi was already waiting for them. Since there was not much distance between their apartments, they had decided to share a taxi.

They both squished their bags into the trunk and crawled onto the back seat. The car stopped at Daehyun's apartment first and the younger got out as well to help the singer with the luggage.

Without announcement, Youngjae fell into his arm for another good bye. Daehyun's stomach twisted uncomfortably, he didn't want to think about not seeing the beautiful young man in front of him for a whole month. Youngjae's warm breath fanned against his neck, it made goosebumps rise up his skin.

“You will text me when you arrived in Busan, won't you?” Youngjae mumbled so quietly it was almost a whisper, his lips brushing Daehyun's skin.

“I will,” Daehyun replied and squeezed the younger.

“Good. Now go in before you catch a cold,” Youngjae straightened his back after he retreated from the singer.

For another short moment they stood there, Daehyun couldn't determine if the younger had an expectant look on his face but he shrugged it off as another wave of sleepiness rolled over his body. He picked up his bag and left.

 

The heavy feeling in Daehyun's heart vanished immediately as he fell into his mother's arms. He cried tears of happiness as he smelled his mother's familiar scent as the woman cradled his face in her tiny hands.

“I missed you so much,” Daehyun mumbled.

“So did I my baby,” his mother said.

In the kitchen was already food cooking, the whole house smelled incredibly good.

“I invited everyone over, so why don't you go to your room and rest until they arrive? It will take at least another 3 hours,” the woman said.

“Okay,” Daehyun nodded.

Once he was in his room, he fell asleep immediately.

His mother woke him up later, over his hair gently as she told him to come down because the guests had arrived.

Daehyun nodded and when his mother left he went to the bathroom to check on his appearance. It was weird to see his face without make-up but he felt strangely free and comfortable. Once he deemed his hair tamed enough, he walked down the stairs.

The singer was met with the sight of Youngjae, sitting on the kitchen table next to his mother, who obviously had taken a liking on him already. She pinched his cheeks and cooed over the cute young man.

Silence fell over the room when Daehyun stood there with a look of surprise and his mother excused herself to do something, Daehyun didn't quite catch her words.

“What are you doing here?” Daehyun asked as the younger looked at him sheepishly.

“I guess I already missed you,” Youngjae chuckled. “Why did you not text me?”

Daehyun laughed but he was happy. Tingly warmth spread through his chest when the stylist stood up and held his arms out. The singer knew what the other wanted so he skipped a step and curled his arms around Youngjae tightly.

“I fell asleep, I'm sorry,” Daehyun mumbled and pressed a gentle kiss on Youngjae's temple.

Youngjae leaned into his embrace, his hands the fabric of his shirt tightly. Daehyun brought his hand up to brush it through the soft strands of Youngjae's dark hair and the stylist nuzzled his face into the crook of his neck even more.

They didn't need many words of confessions how it was always shown in dramas. All that mattered were their feelings and it was then when Daehyun knew that they were mutual.

“How long are you going to stay?” Daehyun asked.

“As long as you want me here,” Youngjae said quietly.

“I hope you brought enough clothes then,” Daehyun chuckled.

At that, Youngjae looked up at him, his dark diamond eyes sparkling with happiness. His cheeks were standing out so far on Youngjae's smiling face that Daehyun couldn't help but place a kiss on each side.

Youngjae chuckled and the round cheeks turned a little pink but he rewarded the singer with a shy brush of lips against lips. This was perfect.

---

A/N: Michaela, I hope you enjoyed it!

Everyone else, I hope you enjoyed this as well :)