Five
Trust“How close are you with that Yong guy? I’ve never heard you talk about him before.”
Yoseob raised an eyebrow as he pulled the blanket over his legs and leaned back against the fluffy pillows, crossing his arms before continue eyeing his boyfriend who was drying his hair after stepping out of the shower. “Since when have you heard me talk about any colleague or anybody at all? Wait, wait, wait, let me rephrase my question. When were you ever interested in me talking about anything else other than things relating to you or your company?”
“You know that I’ve been busy”, Daniel sighed with a hint of frustration before wandering to the smaller male, joining him on bed, settling comfortably under the covers. “I’m finally back after studying abroad for three whole years. Shouldn’t you be more welcoming about my return? You didn't even join me for lunch and went on to have it with another person....”
The fair male merely scoffed and lay on the bed, back facing Daniel as he closed his eyes and harshly spat, “I would be more welcoming if you hadn’t lectured me so severely in the office today. You know the reason why I am doing what I d—“
“I know but I don’t agree with it. This is not charity, Yoseob, I’ve said it more than once to you already. This is a business, a real company, where making money actually matters.” He scooted closer to his boyfriend, slowly and carefully snaking his hands around Yoseob’s tiny waist, “You know that I wouldn’t have needed to nag at you if you had just behaved like a real property agent and done your job properly.”
“Well, just in case you have forgotten, you were the one who made me work in your company. I was perfectly fine working at where I was previously but you had to insist that I work for you when you return. You can’t blame me for not performing up to your standards”, Yoseob wriggled out of Daniel’s grasp, grabbing a pillow and hugging it tight with his eyes remaining tightly shut. His body burned with a fury of irritation at Daniel right now and every inch of him was reluctant to respond or listen to his boyfriend right now.
Daniel was persistent though, as he gently patted the smaller male’s head, murmuring a soft apology before continuing, “You know that I need you around me and I have to see you to ensure that you are safe. The past three years were a complete nightmare for me as my mind would be filled with you endlessly. I’m sure you know how I felt as you were suffering as much as I was.”
Yoseob felt his anger fizzing out just as he released the pillow, bit his lips and flipped his body around to stare into the sincere and wanting eyes, “Daniel, about that… I should be honest but I’ve—“
“Don’t say it”, Daniel interrupted as his hands found their way to the smaller male’s back, pulling their bodies close to one another, so close that they were almost one. Almost. For although the physical contact was firm, the hearts still beat as two individuals. “It took me so many years to convince you that you and I are made for one another five years ago. You agreed because you thought so too, didn’t you? You can’t back out now.”
The smaller male sighed, guilt slowly sinking into his gut but he plastered on a smile naturally, “Daniel, you’ve been there for me since my parents left this world and I cannot be even more grateful. But our personalities and beliefs… Don’t you think they are too diff—“
“No. They are not. You are just saying all these because of today’s incident right? Alright, I'll change my opinion okay? I’m sorry, baby, I really am. I promise, I would not bother about your clients and how much you are selling the apartments for. You are right, by selling the flats at such a low cost, you are only affecting your own earnings, not the company’s. If that’s what you want to do, then do it. I’ll support you for that.” Daniel’s voice was desperate, almost begging, as he held the smaller male tighter. He couldn’t lose Yoseob; he was his, he was too precious, he was too important.
Yoseob swallowed an uncomfortable lump in his throat as he willed himself to wrap his own arms around the taller male’s body. He stared down at their bodies and realised how awkward their hugs were even after ten years of living under the same roof, five as a couple. He found his train of thoughts shifting to another person he hugged earlier that day, a particular man he found himself staring at from the corner of his eyes when in the office. Before he could catch himself, he was whispering a reply, “I didn’t say that… Junhyung did.”
“What?”
“Junhyung was the one who said that only mine, and not the company’s earning is affected.” Yoseob mumbled, regret gradually consuming him as soon as the older male's name left his lips. It was almost as if he was sending an invitation for Daniel to stir up some trouble for the taller male. Trying to shrug the mentioning of Junhyung off as something casual, he hastily placed his lips on Daniel’s, praying hard that he would be able to divert the male’s jealous tendency with a kiss. “And thank you for agreeing to that. Please keep your promise that you would support me from now on,” his lips brushing delicately on his boyfriend’s as he spoke.
Daniel wasn’t fooled. Yoseob never initiates any form of intimacy and the way his voice had hummed Junhyung’s name, he knew that that man was a threat. Yet, he will let it slide this time round. After all, he was about to get a treat.
Beads of cold sweat trickled down the smaller male’s temples as his body instinctively tried to pull away, to rid itself from the uneasiness that was overwhelming him. “Don’t…” He tried to turn down his boyfriend’s advances as gently as he could but Daniel’s tenacity was strong, gripping his arms to his sides, rendering him immobile, well, nearly but not completely. “Don’t!” He raised his voice as he forcefully pushed Daniel away, with them lying facing one another with a small distance between them now. The gap was small, but it felt like they were at the world’s ends as Yoseob’s eyes looked deeply into Daniel’s. “I’m not ready.”
“When would you ever be? It has been five years, Yoseob. Five since we got together and slept on the same bed together. For any couples, this is just a natural progression, something that many would even do within the first year or even first month of being together. We are not living in medieval times, we are—“
“I’m not ready”, the smaller male bluntly interrupted, signifying that no matter what Daniel says, he would not be persuaded and neither would his opinion change. He watched as Daniel’s eyes narrowed and he clenched his teeth tightly together, prepared for the possible debate that they would be engaging in but was surprised as he saw the softening of Daniel’s eyes and the quiver in his voice. “I understand, I’ll give you time. But Yoseob ah, you must know that I really love you so much and there’s absolutely no way I would hurt you as I could never live without you. When your mother was murdered, I pleaded with my parents to take you in because I don’t want you to be sent to an orphanage and possibly a different school from me. That’s how important you were ten years ago and that has never changed. In fact, you’ve become even more important to me.”
Daniel watched as Yoseob’s jaw loosen, smirking in his heart as he knew that no matter how feisty Yoseob was, the smaller male was easily pacified when he played his cards right. In other words, when he reminded Yoseob how he was the one who gave Yoseob a home when he most needed it. The smaller male’s head was slightly lowered now as he muttered, “I know that you have done plenty of things for me and I am grateful for that.”
“Without me, you wouldn’t be able to survive too. But don’t worry, when I’ve settled in in the company, I’ll marry you and make you mine. You will be safe from the world, from anyone, from people like your mother and father.”
“My mother loves me. I do not need to be safe from her. I’m safe with her.”
“Yoseob ah, you know how she sleeps around and brings you from family to family, depending on who is her man. How is such a woman able to keep you safe? Let’s not talk about her anymore, she’s not worth it.”
“Junhyung said that she is worth remembering because she loves me. And I agree…” Yoseob muttered, more to himself but in such close proximity and a quiet environment, Daniel heard it loud and clear. He held his breath and attempted to tame the growing rage in him, “Stop mentioning another man’s name when you’re in bed with me.”
The smaller male pursed his lips and nodded, knowing that nothing good would come out from defending himself or rebutting his boyfriend. He could try, but he knew that the one who would be on the receiving end of Daniel’s wrath would be Junhyung, not him. Thus, he decided to let the matter rest, maintaining his silence as he felt the side of the bed lifting up when Daniel stood up. He watched the taller male curiously and widened his eyes in fear just as a click was heard and darkness filled the room.
“Switch on the lights please.”
“It is fine, Yoseob ah, I’m here, sleeping beside you. Besides, it’s been so many years.”
“Switch it on!”
The smaller male trembled furiously and even with the warmth of Daniel cocooning him when the taller male h
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