“I’m home!” Tony announces as he steps into his apartment. He had a busy day of schedules and just wanted cuddle up with his partner and his dogs on the sofa. His dogs rush up to him, barking enthusiastically. He spots Jaeduck sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.

Usually, Jaeduck responds with a “Hyung, you’re home!” but today, Jaeduck simply glanced at him and went back to his phone, fingers moving rapidly across the screen.

“What’s the matter, Duck-ah?” Tony asks gingerly, sitting down onto the adjoining arm chair.

Jaeduck finally pauses typing on his phone and turns to glare at Tony. He shoves the phone in Tony’s face.

“This! How many times have I told you to put on some lip balm and drink enough water?!” On the phone, is displayed not one, not two but a compilation of photos of Tony’s chapped lips.

“Let me read you some netizen comments. ‘What’s going on with Tony oppa’s lips?’ ‘Does he not have money to buy lip balm?’ ‘I feel my lips are dry just by looking at his, ugh.’ ” Jaeduck rattles off the comments written and upvoted across various SNS and Naver forums.

Tony couldn’t help himself from laughing, seeing Jaeduck so worked up over fan comments over such a small matter. “I know, I know, it’s just…this is such a small thing!”

“Yah hyung, why are you laughing? I’m really frustrated at this! Look at this comment, oh god ‘He owns 5 companies, but he can’t even buy himself a lip balm? You can buy one at Olive Young for just 3000 won.”

“The fans and the public think you’re not taking care of yourself, hyung, you are 41 now, you have to maintain yourself better than this.” Jaeduck stares worriedly at Tony.

“Alright, alright, I’ll try my best to remember, I swear to my ramen, ok?” Tony scoots closer to Jaeduck, seeing that his anger has subsided a little, and plants a surprise kiss on him.

“We haven’t properly spent time with each other for days…” Tony lowers his voice.

“Hyung! I’m not done!” Jaeduck pushes Tony away, to his utmost dismay and the phone was once again planted in front of his face. This time, it’s a Kakaotalk chat room, in which the most recent comment, from Jiwon, read ‘Yah, Jaeduck, tell your Tony to apply some lip balm, for god’s sake, his lips are drier than the Sahara Desert.’

“Aish Jiwon…typical of him.”

“Here’s a lot of lip balms, hyung. Look, here’s the DHC extra moisture one, I heard it’s really good, and the classic Smith's Rosebud Salve, and there’s also Laneige lip sleeping mask, I’ll make sure you put it on every night. Look, I even got those weird jelly lip-shaped masks!”

Over the next few days, Tony constantly received texts from Jaeduck to drink lots of water and to apply lots of lip balm. He smiles at his partner’s cute texts and dutifully follows.

Lo and behold, a week later, Tony returns home to a sulky Jaeduck. 

“What’s wrong this time?”

“See for yourself.” Tony receives Jaeduck’s phone, and sees a new compilation of his chapped lips, taken over the past few days.

“Swipe right.” Tony then sees a new slew of netizen comments, remarking that despite being spotted with various lip balms, Tony’s lips still remained in a horrible state.

The Naver article comments read:
1. [+419, -5] ‘I bet he forgot to use those lip balms.’

2. [+375, -6] ‘What’s the use of buying lip balms if you’re not gonna use them.’

3. [+293, -15] ‘I heard the DHC brand is really good, Tony-sshi, if you remember to apply them, your lips will surely improve~’

4. [+287, -8] ‘I don’t want to see his crusty lips during Mimi Shop, ugh.’

“Are you not applying your lip balm, hyung?” Jaeduck stares accusingly at Tony.

“I am, I am, I swear I am!” Tony hurriedly takes out all his lip balms, trying to show Jaeduck their various stages of usage. Unfortunately for Tony, some of his lip balms were not even opened yet, with only 2 lip balms being barely used.

“Didn’t I text you to use them! Did I text for nothing?” Jaeduck huffs, crossing his arms.

“No I swear I did....at first.” Tony whispers the last part. A huffing Duck was a scary Duck.

“At first...?!”

“Yea, then I got too busy, and then I forgot…”Tony lowers his head, trying to peek at Jaeduck to gage his reaction.

“God! What do I have to do? Buy you ramen flavoured lip balm? Soju lip balm?” Jaeduck throws up his hands in frustration.

“Wait, I think I got an idea.” Jaeduck grabs one of Tony’s lip balms, applied liberally over his own lips and presses his lips against Tony’s.

Tony instantly responds, lips moving against Jaeduck’s, the lip balm spreading and being pressed into the lips.

Moments later, they separated, still breathing heavily.

“See, why couldn’t you have thought of this earlier? My lips are plenty moisturised now. You can do this every day!” Tony grins down at Jaeduck.

“Wait, I think they feel dry again, I need more lip balm.” Tony says as he leans down again.