The gala scene turned out to be a lot longer than I'd expected so I decided to split them into two! The second part will be up over the next few days.

A few things to clarify beforehand:

obviously I've never been invited to an event like this HAHA so the procedures and stuff are put together based on my imagination but also my religious following of the Dynasty series. hope it isn't too difficult to understand Hyukjae is sometimes referred to as Eunhyuk in this chapter. Eunhyuk is just a persona that he takes on time and again but especially so for occasions like this. aside from Hyukjae deliberately trying to give himself a pep talk, the name Eunhyuk is also used when in the perspective of strangers/people he's not closed to, ie. it all depends on how they see him, or how he wishes for them to see him. hope it isn't too confusing! (anyway simply put: no, he doesn't have a split personality disorder and yes, there's only one of him LOL)

Also! warning: the language used in the conversation between the group of entrepreneurs and investors might be a little too demeaning, so proceed with caution (?)

Nevertheless, enjoy this chapter! It's my longest update yet hehe

The car slows to a stop outside the roundabout of the hotel, and the reporters surge forward when they notice whose car this is.

The bangs against the car windows are loud, and if Hyukjae hadn’t asked Leeteuk years ago when he was still a fresh-eyed teenager whether the windows are going to break, he might still have worried. Leeteuk had said no, the windows are reinforced, Hyukjae-ssi, and with the flash of a dimple young Hyukjae had chosen to believe him.

But they’re still loud, and Donghae is shifting uncomfortably even though the dark tint of the windows hides them from the cameras. “Wow, they’re crazy for you,” he remarks, sitting straighter as he smooths down the front of his suit jacket and then Hyukjae’s.

“Hyukjae-ssi, are you ready?” Leeteuk asks as he turns in his seat to face Hyukjae.

He has turned off the car engine, and obviously the reporters catch right on because they are literally shoving at one another just to position themselves right in front of the car door.

Hyukjae lets out a dry chuckle as he adjusts his cufflinks and checks his appearance through the front mirror. Then he meets Leeteuk’s eyes and says, “Hyung, you know it has never mattered whether I’m ready.”

Leeteuk only nods and pockets the key before stepping out of the car, but Donghae picks up Hyukjae’s hand with his own and squeezes it.

Hyukjae squeezes back, but lets go of his hand when Leeteuk opens his door from outside the car.

Immediately the surging crowds clamour for Hyukjae’s attention, and the flood of camera flashes pouring into the car dizzies Hyukjae for a moment. He squints his eyes for them to adjust and takes in a deep breath. 

He steps out of the car and onto the red carpet. Donghae follows.

The flashes go on and off, on and off, on and off and Hyukjae wants to tell them to stop, you have plenty of photos of me already, but instead he sends them a grin and raises his hand to give them a small wave in the shy, delicate manner they’ve all grown to love.

They’re shouting his name now, asking about the election and the gala and whether he’s excited for the night, all sorts of stupid questions that Hyukjae doesn’t have the answers to. But he summons up Eunhyuk and lets him run the show, and his internal conundrum ends with him running a hand through his hair and greeting the cameras with his hands behind his back.

“Hi all, thank you for coming to my father’s fundraising gala. I hope you all enjoy yourselves tonight,” he says with a smile. He thinks it can pass off as genuine.

It’s not like the media actually cares about whether he’s happy anyway. They’re here for smiles, kisses on cheeks, polite pleasantries and the dazzling glamour. Always the glamour. Not runny mascara or ruined lipstick.

Somehow the taxpayers think they fund Eunhyuk’s smile with their money, Hyukjae had said to his father once when he was caught sulking at a dinner event some years back, earning him quite the backlash online about how ‘we voted in a President with a son going through his emo, rebellious phase? For god’s sake, would a smile have killed?’ His father only placed a hand on his shoulder as he said, they will always think what they want, Hyukjae. All you can do is play nice.

He makes a move to leave, but one of the reporters yells ‘who’s this you’ve brought with you?’ and suddenly the crowd quietens down as they wait for his answer.

Every one of them wants a piece of this handsome stranger who alighted from the same car as Hyukjae did. It didn’t help that some of them probably recognised him from earlier run-ins.

Hyukjae sees in the reporter’s eyes an unspoken taunt, the way his brow is raised and his lip curved, he was probably one of the lucky reporters who got paid off by the Lee’s to keep the photos from circulating.

Isn’t it so difficult to keep a secret to yourself when you have quite the opportunity to share it with the world? But some people still love the smell of money more than the rush they get when they gossip, as it appears.

Hyukjae knows he’s egging him on to say the wrong thing or make a wrong move, and quite honestly he’s this close to shattering the surface when Donghae steps forward and breaks the silence.

“I’m a family friend of the Lee’s. My name is Donghae.”

 His voice is calm and smooth, and Hyukjae turns to look at him but Donghae doesn’t do the same. Instead, he smiles at the cameras and gestures for Hyukjae to move after the camera shutters die down.

Hyukjae takes the cue and walks forward, deliberately slowing his steps so Donghae can catch up and walk next to him. But he doesn’t, and stays half a step behind the entire time and in that exact moment, Hyukjae thinks he loves Donghae so much, and he’s so sorry.

Leeteuk pulls open the lobby doors for the both of them, and for a split second their eyes meet and Donghae lips curl up at the corners and it makes Hyukjae’s heart flutter even though he feels even sorrier now.

They’re showered by another round of camera flashes, though this time there are actual studio lights and Hyukjae’s eyes are starting to ache even though he’s just stepped into the room.

Leeteuk guides them towards the photo spot and Hyukjae thinks it’s ridiculous how there’s a photo spot, because reporters line up in two rows leading up to the photo spot already and somehow there’s another bunch waiting in front of it? How is South Korea producing so many goddamn reporters?

But they make it there anyway, and he thinks some of the reporters from outside the hotel have come in, hoping they can get a better shot than they already did. Hyukjae thinks they’re putting in all that hard work for nothing, it’s not like he’s going to kiss Donghae right in front of everybody. There’s no money shot to be won here, everyone’s just here to waste their time and lie to themselves that it was worth it.

They stand in front of the giant board that spells out ‘Lee Wonshik’s Fund for the Future’ in giant golden, cursive letters.

Hyukjae puts on a smile that only leads to more vigorous clicking of camera shutters, and he sees from the corners of his eyes Donghae giving them a bright-eyed smile.

He fails to resist the urge and turns to look at Donghae and a part of him thinks thank God they’re capturing this beauty but another thinks he should be the only person seeing this smile.

His internal conflict ends when someone shouts ‘Eunhyuk-ssi, please face the front’ and he hopes no one noticed the way his smile froze on his face or the way a blush creeps up on Donghae’s cheeks in that split second.

Then Leeteuk steps forward and gestures for them to leave by the side, though the cameras are still going off.

They follow his directions and suddenly someone shoves a mic in Hyukjae’s face and follows up with a ‘Eunhyuk-ssi, do you have anything to say?’

Hyukjae wants to say yeah, leave me alone, but Eunhyuk only grins as he says, “Enjoy the evening!”

The reporters thank him for the photos and their politeness earns them a parting wave from Hyukjae before he, along with Donghae and Leeteuk, disappears behind the curtains leading to the ballroom.

--

The ballroom is dimly-lit and there are no flashes spilling in their faces, and though the change is welcomed it takes their eyes some time to adjust. Hyukjae thinks he must have swayed a little, because he feels Donghae’s hand on the small of his back in an attempt to steady him.

He smiles and wants to say something, but Leeteuk cuts in, “Mr Lee said he’ll need you in the hall by 7 for the opening. From what I’ve heard the big names are already there, but if you don’t wish to you can still hang around the reception for now. I’ll give you two some alone time, but I’ll be nearby if you need me.”

They nod and Hyukjae reaches out to hold Donghae’s hand and immediately gets the flesh of his elbow pinched by Leeteuk. “Are you out of your mind? The reporters aren’t allowed their cameras in, yes, but they’ll still have their phones and-”

Hyukjae drops his hand and rubs his elbow as he mutters petulantly, “Okay, okay, I get it. Are you legally allowed to hurt me? I thought you were supposed to protect me.”

Leeteuk only returns a cryptic smile and sends the boys towards the dessert table.

Donghae laughs beside him and Hyukjae wants to huff out a very indignant ‘are you on his side or mine?’ but feels still the warmth of Donghae’s hand on his back and decides that Donghae is definitely on his.

--

They grab a plate off the table to share and Donghae says the pastries look dubious but Hyukjae says his father won’t risk a food poisoning case at a gala to promote his campaign and Donghae agrees, though he still feeds Hyukjae the éclair first and watches his facial expressions before taking a bite of his own.

Hyukjae wants to say ‘you could have killed me’ but his brain keeps replaying the childish glint in Donghae’s eyes when he fed him the éclair and he knows he did it quickly so no one would notice but he still wishes it lasted longer because Donghae had looked so adorably happy then.

“You’re a bully,” he manages to say in the end.

Donghae nods with a mouth full of chocolate but somehow Hyukjae still knows he’s smiling as he says, “But you love me.”

 Hyukjae agrees and reaches for the napkin while he pushes the plate more towards Donghae’s side. “Which is why I’m going to let you eat all of the remaining desserts,” he says with what he hopes is a caring smile.

Donghae narrows his eyes and points out, “You literally ate one éclair.”

Hyukjae wipes his mouth with the napkin and says, “I’m not hungry.”

He doesn’t say it’s because he thinks he’s going to throw up if he even took so much as another bite. He doesn’t say the cameras were okay, just a little bright, but the crowds are a lot to handle especially when he can’t say for sure he’s safe entirely. Surely there must be one or two in the crowd who hates him (or his father) but has managed to mingle their way in. The security check is strict, yes, but not that strict, because all publicity is good publicity.

Instead he says, “You mustn’t have had chocolate pastries when you were on your mission. You can have all of them now.”

He knows it worked when Donghae smiles and puts the last chocolate roll into his mouth. “You sound like you’re going to buy me a factory that makes chocolate pastries and exclusively chocolate pastries.”

Hyukjae hands over a napkin and forces his hands by his side so he wouldn’t do something stupid like reach over and wipe Donghae’s mouth for him. “You want me to?”

Donghae rolls his eyes fondly and slaps him lightly on the arm.

They stare at each other for a moment and Hyukjae feels the maelstrom in his chest cal