It was on a Wednesday afternoon that Hansol had seen Boo Seungkwan walking in a part of town he never would have expected a rich boy like him to be in. His part of town. Of course he knew who Boo Seungkwan was. His father owned a string of luxurious hotels and Seungkwan was set to follow in his father's footsteps. He mostly hung out with his rich buddies. They were widely known as 'the Rubies'. He remembered the first night he'd seen him. It was at a house party that had gotten out of hand. Not in the last place because most of them had been minors at the time and there was a large variety of alcoholic beverages available. It was the first time the three gangs had gotten into an actual fist fight. It was the weirdest thing considering the fight had started with Wonwoo and Jun, both usually quiet and reserved. It all escalated completely when a drink was accidentally spilled on S.Coups’s new jacket.

Hansol doesn't remember too much from that night a few years ago, but he remembers seeing Boo Seungkwan there. Keeping to the sidelines, yelling about how uncivilized they were and complaining about the mess they created, it wasn't even his house. He wasn't sure why, but something about him stuck with Hansol. Boo Seungkwan was...interesting.

And now there he was. Walking through the bad part of town with a baseball cap on, probably trying not to be recognized or stand out too much. Hansol had just finished his shift at the garage he worked at and had nothing else to do, so he decided to try his luck. He crossed the street and started to walk next to him.

“Are you lost?”

Seungkwan, startled by the sudden appearance of another person next to him, let out a small yelp and stopped walking for a moment before he recognized the face. Great. One of those Carrots. The handsome one. What did he want. “I am not lost and I don't want any of your drugs.” Seungkwan resumed his fast-paced walk and tried to ignore him.

Hansol laughed. Normally he would be offended but somehow with him, he could only laugh, “Good. I don't have any. I mean, I could probably get you some if you wanted. Anyway,” he increased his own pace to match Seungkwan's, “what are you doing here? This doesn't really seem like a place you'd have any business in.”

Seungkwan suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Hansol. “Do you think I'm somebody else? Why are you talking to me? I'm just here minding my own business, so just leave me alone. Okay?”

Now that he had him face-to-face Hansol smirked in a (what he thought was a) y way and wiggled his eyebrows,“Wanna hook up?”

“What!?” Seungkwan was so confused. He had only come to this part of town because he knew of a small bakery that made the absolute best scones ever, and now he was getting indecent proposals from a member from another gang. A very handsome and attractive member that Seungkwan might have noticed before, but that wasn't important.

“What?” Hansol said innocently, “We're both cute and I'm bored.”

Seungkwan snorted. “This just called himself cute.” He mumbled.

“What was that?” Hansol asked.

Seungkwan sighed in annoyance, “Nothing. Look, Vernon, was it? I don't have time for your jokes. Please leave me alone.”

“Aww you know my name, Boo Seungkwan?”

The use of his full name sent a soft blush to Seungkwan's cheeks and he cursed himself for it.

“And I'm totally not joking by the way. I'm super serious.”

Again Seungkwan sighed, “What part about you being in one gang and me in another don't you understand? We don't mix. I don't like you, your friends, your attitude, your weird hairstyle.”

“Hey! My hair is not weird!”

“Oh please, it's like Moses was trying to guide his people to your scalp!”

“No need to get Biblical. I'm just saying...” Slowly Hansol got closer to Seungkwan, so slow he hardly noticed that he was backing him up against the brick wall behind him, “I don't see any gang stuff happening right now. It's been months since any real went down. Why can't we have a good time?”

Seungkwan scoffed, but he had trouble finding the words needed to flat-out reject him.

“I'm a good kisser. Probably.” Hansol continued. Seungkwan now had his back against the wall, but he barely noticed, distracted by the close proximity their bodies were in.

“Wow, that sounds so appealing.” Seungkwan tried to keep up his natural sassy and sarcastic attitude, but knew he was failing when his eyes darted over Hansol's lips. He decided that he had to leave now or he would do something he was going to regret. He tried to walk away, but Hansol stopped him. He was blocking his path with his arms on either side of the smaller boy, trapping him between Hansol and the brick wall.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to start some ?”

“It's just that...something about that cute innocent face of yours makes me want to do not so innocent stuff to you.” Vernon hadn't lost his smirk and he bit his lip as he was looking at Seungkwan. Waiting for him to respond.

“That's...very creepy.” But dammit it was working. Seungkwan didn't attempt to walk away again, he wasn't sure he wanted to now. He just stayed there, back against the wall. With every second he stayed he felt his self-control walking away from him instead. Even when Hansol lowered his arms he didn't move. Hansol raised one hand again to take off Seungkwan's cap. Their eyes met and he leaned in, connecting their lips. The kiss traveled through Seungkwan's whole body. He felt it in his stomach and his legs. Yep, he was definitely going to do something stupid now.

Hansol pulled back and stared at Seungkwan, who looked like he was deep in thought. For a second he wasn't sure how he was going to react. But then Seungkwan grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him with him, “All right, come on. Hurry up. I can't have people seeing us together. My car is nearby.”

“You brought your fancy car to this neighborhood? It's probably gone by now.”

“Do you think I'm stupid? Of course I didn't.”

After about two minutes of Seungkwan pulling Hansol along they got to an almost empty parking lot surrounded by a fence. Seungkwan let go of the other man's hand to pull out a set of keys and open the gate. He walked over to a dingy looking car and opened the door. Before he got in the driver's seat he turned to look at Hansol, who had a confused look on his face, “Well? Hurry up and get in before I change my mind.”

The car ride was silent. Both of them seemed afraid to say something that would have the other one come to his senses. Finally, they arrived at a building, just outside town, that seemed to be under construction. Seungkwan parked the car and turned off the engine.

“Where are we?” Hansol asked.

“It's my father's newest hotel. As you can see, it's not quite ready yet, but most of the interior is done. Plenty of rooms to use.”

“Wow, cool. I thought we were just gonna do it in the car. Are we going to break in?”

Seungkwan sighed, “Of course not. Now come on.” He got out of the car and Hansol followed. They went in through the back entrance. Seungkwan had the keys. It was dark and smelled of paint, but Seungkwan seemed to know his way around. He went into a room that said 'office - personnel only' and told Hansol to wait. He came back out with a room-key and he led them to a room at the back of a hallway on the second floor.

He closed the door and placed his bag in the corner next to it. Seungkwan suddenly felt very aware of why they had come here. He normally wasn't this impulsive. Before he could turn around he felt Hansol's hand, gently being placed on his hip. He shivered a little when he felt a soft kiss in his neck. Seungkwan turned around and for a few seconds they just stared at each other. The next moment he was pressed against the door with Hansol's hungry lips on his own.

“V-vernon?” Seungkwan managed to get out amidst the entanglement of tongues. Immediately Hansol stopped, “Yeah?”

“We can't tell anyone about this.”

“Okay.” He leaned back in, but Seungkwan stopped him.

“I'm serious. You can't tell anyone.”

“O-kay. I get it. Can I continue with the kissing now?”

Seungkwan nodded.

“Oh, and...” Hansol said in between kissed, “call me Hansol when we're alone.”

“Why? Is that a weird roleplay thing?”

Hansol chuckled, “No. It's my name.”

“Oh.”

Seungkwan's 'oh' was the last word spoken for a while. That is, if you don't count the of names and other sounds of . They soon moved away from the door. Clothes came off and the neatly made bed became a mess.

++

The room was silent again. They were both on top of the bed, only half-covered by the sheets, sweaty and .

“Well, Boo...” Hansol broke the silence, “I got to say. You sure know how to use your mouth for other things than just talking and telling people what to do.”

Seungkwan wrinkled up his nose, “Oh my god, shut up. And did you have to use my full name while we were doing it?”

Hansol let out a small chuckle that was way cuter than Seungkwan would ever admit it was, “You know you enjoyed it. Boo Seungkwan.” He his side and smiled at him, “Just like I enjoyed you calling me Hansol.”

“Do you want a scone?” Seungkwan asked in a quick attempt to change the subject. He got up from the bed, ignoring the fact he was , and walked over to his bag by the door.

Hansol followed him with his eyes, “Eh, sure, I guess.”

Seungkwan returned to the bed with his bakery box of scones and opened it to offer one to Hansol. He took one and took a bite that was almost too big for his mouth. As soon as Seungkwan closed the box, exposing the bakery's logo, he sent crumbs flying across the bed by exclaiming: “Hey, I know this bakery! It's pretty close to my house.”

“Please don't talk with your mouth full.”

“Wait a minute,' Hansol's eyes narrowed and he glared at Seungkwan, “You didn't come to my neighborhood just for a scone, did you?”

“What if I did?”

“You came to what might be the worst neighborhood of the whole city for a scone!?”

Seungkwan just shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

After Hansol was done laughing, he looked at Seungkwan again. “Can I ask you something?”

“If I say no will you listen?”

“...”

Seungkwan made a gesture with his hand telling Hansol to 'go ahead'.

“Why would you bother coming all the way to my neighborhood for a scone? Even if you really wanted one, why would you come yourself? It's not exactly the safest place. Why not just send like...one of your people?”

Seungkwan thought for a moment about what to answer. “I dunno...I just like going there by myself. I don't like relying on 'people' all the time or make them do random stuff for me. My dad does like that all the time. Like, he makes people do things that are totally not part of their job.”

“Do you not get along with your dad?”

Seungkwan was about to open up about the strained relationship he had with his father when he remembered just who he was talking to. “You know what? I think we're done here. Finish your scone and get dressed. I'll drop you off in the proximity of your neighborhood. And then we forget this ever happened.”

They both got dressed. Hansol waited for Seungkwan as he made the bed (according to Seungkwan the sheets would be changed before the opening of the hotel since this had been a room dressed up to give an idea of the hotel's atmosphere and not a finished product, but they might start asking questions about a messy bed.). Seungkwan returned the room-key to the office, locked all the doors, and walked back to his car together with Hansol.

The car ride back to Hansol's neighborhood was just as quiet as the ride to the hotel had been.

“Is this close enough?” Seungkwan asked when he stopped the cars a few blocks away from where he had previously parked his car.

Hansol nodded, “Yeah, this is fine, thanks.” He took off his seat-belt but didn't move to get out of the car yet. “Can I have your phone number, Boo Seungkwan?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“There is absolutely no reason for you to have my phone number.”

“What if I want a repeat of what just happened?”

“Nothing just happened. We were never together. Ergo, you won't need my phone number.”

“Fine. I can always just call your house or your dad's office. Or ask again in front of all of your obnoxious friends.”

“You wouldn't!”

“Wouldn't I?”

Seungkwan sighed and caved. He wrote his number down and handed it to a gleeful Vernon. “Don't save it with my name. Don't call me. Ever.”

<>

Hansol didn't call. But he did send him messages. Sometimes about their afternoon together. Sometimes about nothing in particular, making Seungkwan wonder if Hansol really did think he was someone else, a friend. Eventually Seungkwan started replying. He told himself it was okay as long as he only replied. But one late afternoon Seungkwan was stressed and tired and he couldn't fight the urge to want to see him again. So he sent him a message with the address of a hotel, a room number and 'come now'. In the following months Hansol was introduced to a variety of hotel rooms. Most of them in hotels owned by Seungkwan's father, some of them in others. Seungkwan kept telling himself none of it meant anything. He ignored the fact they started to spend more of their time together doing things that wasn't , he ignored the fact that the time Hansol brought him scones was the night before Valentine's, and he ignored Hansol himself whenever he ran into him somewhere. Like the night of the W-8 club opening. Unless they were alone, like they were in the bathroom of aforementioned club. Hansol had walked in just as Seungkwan was washing his hands. As soon as they were the only two people in the bathroom he pushed Seungkwan inside one of the stalls and started kissing him.

“No, wait.” Seungkwan said (after a minute or two), “I have to get back to my friends. They'll think I'm sick or something if I stay in the bathroom too long.” With that he left Hansol alone. They didn't meet again that night, seeing Hansol took off after stealing a bunch of booze from the club, but they met a few days later.

They had just finished having and Seungkwan was in Hansol's arms, his head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It calmed him down.

“Boo?”

“Hmm?”

“Are we dating?”

Seungkwan sat up, a look of disbelieve on his face, “What? No! Of course we're not.”

“But...why not?”

“Because...this is just physical...it's just...stress relieve. Yeah, that's what it is. That's all it is.”

“Oh come on, you know that's not true! Last week when we got together we didn't even have ! We just lied in bed, watched a movie, and ate snacks!”

“That...that was only because there happened to be a movie on that I wanted to see...”

“It was on Netflix, Boo.”

Seungkwan stayed silent, sitting on the bed staring at his hands. Hansol got close to him and his hair, “I'm just saying...that's something couples do. We do about everything that couples do except be a couple.”

Seungkwan slapped his hand away, “That's because we're not one. And we will never be. I don't want to be a couple, especially not with someone like you.” As soon as he said it and he saw Hansol's face drop he regretted saying it. He didn't even know why he said it.

“Someone like me? What the is that supposed to mean, Seungkwan?”

“I just meant-” Before he could give voice to his confused thoughts Hansol cut him off.

“No you know what. Nevermind. You're right. I don't know what I was thinking.” He got up from the bed and started to put on his clothes.

“Hansol, come on. You know we can't be a couple.”

“No, Seungkwan, I don't know.” He pulled his shirt over his head and walked to the door. Seungkwan wanted to stop him, but he didn't.

He hadn't heard from him since that night. He hadn't sent him any messages either. He was curled up in a comfortable chair in their hangout feeling sorry for himself while the others were playing darts. In the distance he heard the sound of a motorcycle. Hansol had a motorcycle. He had told Seungkwan that he stole it from someone in Woozi's gang about a year ago. One time Seungkwan had taken a ride on the back of it. He had told Hansol he hated it, that the helmet messed up his hair and it was too cold. He hadn't told him how he loved being so close to him and how he felt safe being with him even though the motorcycle ride itself was scary. The sound of the motorcycle had gotten a lot closer. And closer. The front door slammed open when it came crashing through. Luckily none of them were that close to the door, but they only just managed to get out of the way in time before the person driving the bike rode it through the room, leaving a trail of destruction before riding out the door again. They all stared in horror and shock at the now empty door opening as the bike and the person on it disappeared into the distance.

Seungkwan knew that bike. And he knew the person riding it.