When Daehyun picks up the phone he hears a voice that sounds like it finally plummeted to rock-bottom in the depths of hell.

“Yongguk hyung? You okay?”

“Daehyun? I really need to know if you can come tonight for the fundraiser.” Yongguk asks, stress obvious in his voice.

Yongguk ran a modest nonprofit art gallery in the downtown district. Always a fan of modern, eye-catching, and minimalist art, he had sought to curate a collection for those who shared the same ambitions and help out other artists. He managed to sell a few pieces here and there to fund the nonprofit through the years but lately it was becoming harder and harder to keep the gallery running. Though Yongguk had good intentions, he was horrible at business. Of course, upon mentioning this little tidbit of information, their mutual well-to-do friend Himchan immediately whipped up a formidable charity auction event the very next day complete with a guest list. The man’s connections were…formidable, to say the least.

“You know Himchan hyung means well.” Daehyun knows very well that Himchan’s good intentions involved him being very pushy.

“I know, and when he gets like this he’s too much for me to handle. There’s too many people, and everything is smelling very corporate.” Yongguk whispers harshly—nervously—through the phone.

“Himchan can sell anything for three times the value. That only means that he’s going to score you enough funding to keep the gallery up and running for years.” Daehyun sighs.

“He’s ordered those little tarts that you like. The ones with the cheese filling.” Yongguk tries to convince before there’s a little pause in the line. “—Wait, you planned what? We’re selling art not people—” Daehyun can imagine Himchan in the background insisting on his way regardless.

”Please, come here. ” Yongguk’s voice trembles in the only way it can in the lowest register and Daehyun can hear a ruckus in the background. “Listen Yongguk,black and white is very minimalist of you but right now—”

“I’ll be there.”

---

Daehyun finds himself huddled next to Yongguk with the plateful of promised cheese tarts as they watch Himchan take the marbled floor like he was born for it.

Himchan sells the artworks, even those that remained unsold in the gallery for months, like a pro, and Daehyun wonders if he can sell houses just as well.

“Now, that is the end of our art auction for tonight, thank you all for taking these wonderfully unique pieces of artwork in your collections and supporting the artists who made them! But don't you also want a chance to snag some living, breathing works of art for a good cause? Next up, we’ll present our charity bachelor auction event!"

Daehyun turns to see Yongguk palming his head in his hands. So this was the turn of events Yongguk needed moral support for.

There are whistles in the crowd and the MC shakes his finger theatrically. “We have some very eligible bachelors, today, but I’m not one of them. Never fret. You won’t be disappointed in the slightest. Who knows? You might find yourself with something more at the end of the night.” he ends with a wink.

Each of the candidates presented were standing within a giant embellished frame. It was a corny setup as to be expected of Himchan, but of course, if Yongguk had his way it would be something deep and philosophical of an introduction no one would be able to understand. At least no one was .

Daehyun had to admit, the lineup of “bachelors” Himchan had managed to acquire in twenty-four hours was not disappointing in the slightest. There was a tall, pale and handsome young man up first that could’ve easily been a model, although he did seem a bit too under aged and Daehyun would rather not think of how he ended up at the auction. There was also a shorter bachelor with the enviable musculature of Adonis that caused further swooning. Daehyun stared at Yongguk practically gaping at the thousands they were going for.

“And now for my personal pick of the night! From lovely Hannam-dong we have a handsome prince. Look at his shoulders! Did I mention he’s photogenic too? Our highlight of the auction! Mr. Yoo Youngjae!”

The man was truly a work of art in the highest regard. Lighting seemed to radiate off his chiseled face, and he glowed, especially since he was clad in a pure white suit that contrasted well with his dark hair and accentuated his assets. He was beautiful.

Apparently others thought so too. Figures were being thrown left and right, eventually reaching the thousands.

“Five thousand!” a group of young women giggle from a table, clearly pleased at the prospect of winning.

As a real estate agent, Daehyun was making considerably decent money, but at the rate the prices were going for Yoo Youngjae, well, they were close to surpassing the amount he earned from his latest commission. It was nonsensical but Daehyun really, really wanted him. Just for tonight, to bask in the beautiful man's presence.

“Hyung, I’ll have you know, I’m doing this for the cause,” Daehyun mumbles determinedly to Yongguk and raises an arm. Himchan looks over with surprise.

“Ten thousand!” Daehyun says, and he feels rather small under the scrutiny but otherwise like a high roller in this situation.

“Ten thousand it is!” Himchan announces with glee when no one else steps up to bid. “We’ll be wrapping up our fundraising event tonight with over five million raised! Yongguk-sshi—“

Yongguk flushes red and stutters on the stage in thanks as the owner and as he talks Daehyun sees white hovering over him.

“Hi there,” Yoo Youngjae, his bachelor, gives a light wave and a warm smile towards Daehyun. Daehyun is entranced admiring the faintest trace of a dimple on the other’s cheek and the light red lips that formed each word.

Youngjae blinks at him and picks up a tart from Daehyun’s plate. “Mm, this is good.” Daehyun stands holding the plate, bemused.

“So, I’m yours for tonight. Got any plans for me? Or are you just going to stare?”

“I don’t think I have enough money to take you to dinner anymore but maybe we could just…talk?”

“Sure,” Youngjae laps the crumbs off his fingers gracefully. “I’d like that.”