A/N:  apologies for the lateness of this oneshot.  v-day had already snuck up on me, and after i posted the foreword, i got called in to work overtime for the next few days.  anyway, please don’t expect too much, but know that i tried, ok?  ;-;
       thanks to those who are so quick to comment & upvote; you guys are awesome.  ^^ <3

h1y2u3k ♥ cj041586 ♥ Jimbam ♥ hyukbear ♥ hyuno_sj 

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     “Lee Hyukjae, better known professionally as Eunhyuk, was born in Neunggok, Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Eunhyuk established his place in the fashion world after OKSJ Artist Management scouted him while on his way home from school.  Initially known for modeling both masculine and feminine clothing, his unique facial structure, slim figure, and eccentric style eventually earned him the catwalk until he saw the backside of twenty years old.

     “As his iconic style began challenging established stereotypes of a male celebrity in South Korea, he garnered the attention of leading international fashion houses such as Vogue and Louis Vuitton, which led to the start of his career as a high fashion model.  Now, Lee Eunhyuk has become a favored and sought-after muse among top fashion designers from all over the world.

     “But his rise to the top hasn’t stopped there; Eunhyuk recently made his musical debut with veteran hip-hop artist, lyricist, composer, and older brother, Lee Seonwoong, or better known by his stage name Tablo, and released his first mini-album “Hot Babe” which sold 55,000 physical copies within the first month of release.

     “It’s clear to see Lee Eunhyuk is paving a path leading only toward success, but what makes this South Korean celebrity so well-loved among the public?  We took to asking three fans who run his largest fan base, Jeweled, an online website housing hundreds of thousands of registered users—and all of whom Eunhyuk refers to as his Jewels.  This was the touching response we received.

     “‘If I have to name one thing that sets him apart from other popular Asian celebrities, it’s how he maintains his promise to engage in open and honest communication with his fans.  You don’t often see that kind of willingness here, in South Korea, because few seem to understand celebrities are not robots, and they’re not perfect.  He really reminds you he’s human, just like us, wrote user and co-owner of the fansite,’ kookykimchi.

     “‘He’s genuine, humble about his fame, and he sincerely cares for us, fans.  He’s also setting a good example for our nation’s youth.  I’m 27 and out of schooling, but many Jewels are still in school and easily influenced.  Jewels should listen to his encouragement, like when he says we shouldn’t let someone tell us we’re not good enough.  People should learn to love themselves more, regardless of what other people say or think,’ wrote user and co-owner of the fansite, eun_hope.

     “‘When Eunhyuk announced he had found someone to call his best friend and lover, I was heartbroken.  Then, when Oppa stated he was also male, the news angered and deeply hurt me.  I remember crying in my room for hours.  But if it wasn’t for his transparency, I don’t think my younger brother, who learned about Eunhyuk through Tablo’s music, would have ever had the nerve to come out as gay and tell me he was being bullied at school.  For that, I owe him and Tablo more than they know.  I’m very proud to call myself a Jewel,’ wrote community manager, shinyvia.

     “While homouality has never been illegal in South Korea, the LGBT community faces discrimination and legal challenges, including the criminalization of homoual behavior.  Article 31 of the National Human Rights Commission Act states that “no individual is to be discriminated against on the basis of his or her ual orientation”, however Article 92 of the Military Penal Code, which is currently under a legal challenge, singles out ual relations between members of the same as “ual harassment”, punishable by a maximum of one year in prison.

     “Despite South Korea’s conservative views and public backlash, Eunhyuk has remained an active figure pushing for social movements that advocate for LGBT communities in society.

     “‘Equality should be more common than it is in this day and age. People don’t seem to realize that “equal rights” encompasses everyone in our nation.  This means celebrities and citizens alike.
     “‘I’ve had it easier than most other people, but I’m aware there are those who still suffer from prejudice.  Not everyone is in a position to show their support; so, I’m proud to represent the LGBTQ community on their behalf,’ Eunhyuk shared in an interview with SUPA Magazine.

     “Although Eunhyuk hasn’t shied away from stating his opinions on same- unions as well as sharing his own experiences with dating someone of the same , he has yet to make any public appearance with his partner of…”

Hitting the back arrow on the remote with a curt sigh, Hyukjae frowned as his smart TV displayed a list of recently watched videos.  It seemed Donghae had watched MCE’s latest segment regarding him, which was worrying, to say the least.

Grabbing the nearest pillow and squishing it to his chest, Hyukjae then dropped over on the couch, lower lip pushed out in a pout as he thought about the possible stress he may have inadvertently dropped onto Donghae’s shoulders.

“It’s just a video…” he mumbled into what was his favorite Chopper plushie.  “It isn’t like we’re announcing it on TV...”

But that was more or less the gist, wasn’t it?  YouTube had grown into such a tremendously large platform that it could easily challenge TV viewership ratings—if it wasn’t already doing that.  Hyukjae didn’t really pay attention to that stuff, but he knew well enough that this wasn’t like when he had first started out on the site and hardly had a large enough following to give a about who he dated.

“Why does this have to be so hard.”  Still sulking, he rolled over, phone in hand, and lay on his tummy.  Hyukjae began sifting through different social media applications, eventually landing on his fansite Jeweled.

Pinned to the homepage was a flashing banner announcing the time of his Livestream and the long-awaited guest appearance of Lee Eunhyuk’s special someone.

Hyukjae scrolled down to the post's comments, one end of his mouth tugging up into a thoughtless grin as he read the ones with the highest upvotes.

stellarlr:  how long have we been waiting for this?  seriously can’t wait!!!
ghiybi:  i'm gonna lose it if his boyfriend is actually one of those cartoon body pillows and we’ve been duped for years.
icyliz:  he loves one piece so much it’s somewhat concerning 🤣
etientissj:  anime* 
luffsherry:  u leave him alone >:(
glsshse:  yeah!! leave our weeb alone lol

Hyukjae upvoted a few of the comments before he rolled to lie on his back.  Donghae would be home in about half an hour, which gave him plenty of time to get ready for the live stream.  He should have gotten ready hours earlier, but instead of showering and freshening up, he spent the majority of the afternoon lounging on the couch… What was he doing?  He had an image to keep up with!

Tossing the plushie aside, Hyukjae stood on his feet and raised his arms above his head, the deep vibrating in his chest thinning into a squeal as he stretched.  Finally, he made his way into the bathroom.
 

Hyukjae had never thought starting up a YouTube channel would be so rewarding for his career, let alone imagine only a couple of years later down the road, he would confide to his precious Jewels that he may have found someone whom he liked a lot, and for the majority of his fans to have encouraged him to ‘go for it’.  That stuff just didn’t happen with South Korean based celebrities, and that was ultimately the sad truth.

He smiled at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, feeling damned near baffled by the reality like he was every day.  It was Tablo’s open-minded nature and subtle support for him to follow his gut instinct that first sparked the drive to consider new and unique ways to connect with his rapidly growing fanbase, but… who knew he would end up so lucky?

“Hyukkie?”

“In the bathroom!”  Leaning over the sink, he debated applying a light layer of concealer or foundation… his skin appeared a bit unhealthy.

Behind him, Donghae poked his head through the door and grinned when their eyes met in the mirror, and Hyukjae instantly greeted him with a gummy smile.

For a moment, they blinked at one another’s reflection before Hyukjae’s smile fell away and he exclaimed playfully, “What are you doing?  Are you just going to stand there?  You look like a ghost with a decapitated head.”

Quickly maneuvering his upper half so his head was as horizontal to the doorjamb as possible, Donghae slid up, then down, then back up again, and repeated the vertical motion until Hyukjae’s bewildered laughter was as loud as his own.

Reaching for his lover's outstretched hand, the brunet stumbled through the door and into the spacious bathroom; their laughter ricocheting the walls as they met halfway, the slightly taller man taking hold of his silly boyfriend before he fell over.  Both men coiled their arms around each other and became a tangled mess of limbs as Donghae dropped kisses all over Hyukjae’s face despite the many protests about spit and how he had just washed up.  

Eventually, their mouths pressed together for a kiss that lasted longer than either expected.  

“Hi, baby.”  Donghae had on his usual dopey grin, that one puppy-dog look so clearly full of love, it never failed to make Hyukjae’s chest flutter wildly.

“Hi.”  He shook his head with a winded little laugh, barely able to resist the urge to kiss that dumb smile off Donghae’s face.  “How was work?”

“All right,” the brunet said distractedly, eyes still fixed on a pair of tempting lips.  “Had a lot on my mind, so the shoot went by fast.”

A hunch formed at once and Hyukjae dashed another kiss to the corner of his mouth before pulling away to resume his skin-care routine.  “Mm.  ‘That a good or bad thing?”

“Both?”  Donghae shucked off his jacket, crooked teeth peeking between his lips as he worked on emptying his pockets next.  “I’ve been… you know.  Thinking about the stream.”

“Me too.”

In truth, Hyukjae didn't think Donghae would ever say yes to going on camera for a scripted video, let alone agree to do a Live stream dedicated to not only testing their relationship but their general friendship as well.  Hyukjae would have gladly settled for a simple podcast, or even taking on the challenge with Donghae sitting out of the camera’s field of view and taking part only through verbal communication.

As ridiculous as the concept sounded, he knew his Jewels would readily accept the act as simply one of the many reasons why they enjoyed watching his videos on YouTube.  He was a quirky guy in real life and on camera, so it made sense his boyfriend would be just as quirky as him.

Besides, after waiting for so many years, he figured, at this rate, Jewels would probably take anything they could get.

Hyukjae turned around just as Donghae’s scarf hit the ground.  “Should I bother putting on makeup?” he asked, even though he knew it wasn’t necessary.

His fans often encouraged him to leave behind his work persona when posting on his channel.  He was Hyukjae on YouTube or whenever he streamed, not Eunhyuk.  The comments in the chat room always deemed him handsome whether he went on camera with layers of makeup on or completely barefaced, anyway, but he wanted to gauge Donghae’s mental state.

“Yes?”  Donghae blinked at him, as though baffled by his question.

Hyukjae frowned.

“Erm.”  Sweater tossed atop the hamper, his hands then made quick work of his belt and slacks.  “I mean, you’re handsome without it, don’t get me wrong.  But you’re also a celebrity who’s about to make a big announcement.  I think we should follow standard procedures.”

“Standard procedures?”  Hyukjae leaned against the sink, arms folding over his chest as he watched his lover clumsily hop out of his boxers.

“Don’t look at me like that.”  Donghae pouted when he finally pulled his shirt off, his hair sticking up in all directions.  “You know how I feel about this.”

“Donghae… They’re going to love you.  Why wouldn’t they?”

“Why would they?”  The brunet blew out a snort before stepping into the shower and closing the glass door behind him.  “They don’t even know me!”

Well.  He wasn’t wrong.
 

Most of those who watched his YouTube content already knew Lee Hyukjae’s boyfriend, an unnamed man working in the same industry, was a bit of a years-old enigma.

Though Hyukjae knew he could only blame himself for that since he never uploaded pictures or took videos of them together, and his habit of using nicknames when referring to Donghae likely didn’t help.

He had at first done so with the intent of giving Donghae a proper introduction in one of his upcoming videos, but with the two of them having such extremely busy schedules that took them all over the world, the chance always failed to line up, and before Hyukjae knew it, a few years had passed them by…

Cradling his phone in both hands, Hyukjae hummed for a moment.  “I don’t know when our schedules will match up again.  I’ll have to ask him since filming a video takes a long time… and video editing isn’t easy!  But, I don’t think he’ll mind.  We’re now in the process of moving in together, so it’ll be easier to include him in more content later on.  I’m sorry, everyone.  Please be patient with me.”

Hyukjae pushed out his lower lip, pouting for the camera, and the flood of positive responses told him everything was okay.

“Until then, would you guys be happy if he joined one of my streams instead?  Maybe I could officially introduce him then…”

gemsgena:  um yes?? yes!!! 🙏 🙏
shadyboo:  yes, oppa please ask him!! pretty please!!
helithip:  congrats moving in together :-)
belljelly:  AAAAA  :000
candyfee:  omg waited actual years for this.  worth it 🔥
teuktweet:  would you do the boyfriend tag?
( talljiffy, kyivlowther, coatcola, acculum and 179 other people are typing… )

Alas, as packing up his apartment and juggling his schedules took up all of his attention over the next few months, setting aside time to ask Donghae about his videos had honestly slipped his mind.  But when his streams took a hit and became as rare as his YouTube uploads, upset fans and netizens began to complain about anything and everything—including Donghae.

Soon enough, many had begun to speculate whether his relationship was even real.

“Why would I lie about being in a relationship?”  Hyukjae snickered as he settled his phone on the table, his two-hour livestream still going strong.  His audience had dwindled, but he supposed that was his own fault for not having streamed in a few months.

“That seems so pathetic.  Do you guys think I’m pathetic—”  When the device fell over abruptly, he let out an exasperated sigh, propped it against the cordi-noona’s makeup bag, then gave up when it toppled yet again.  He ended up holding his phone in one hand.  “Why would I put myself in the position of losing fans if not for love?”

The live chat room exploded at his words.

talljiffy:  oPPA
clubcha:  of course you’re not pathetic.  :(
coatcola:  …..ㅠㅠ….. when do we get to see him
kochivery:  did his phone fall or was that an earthquake 🤣🤣
kyivlowther:  he just say love ??
oreomonster:  your new hair color is wow!!
mimiminka:  HE SAID LOVE BABY 😭
hyukpepperonijewel:  wait I just started the streamwhat did I miss?
overgirl:  who say your lying??? I ll fight them
( belljelly, teuktweet, umberstrawberry, candyfee and 92 other people are typing… )

“I’ll try harder to make more time for you all, I promise.”

After his schedules slowed down with the arrival of the holidays, Hyukjae upheld his promise by starting with more frequent streaming, and the first thing that became apparent to him and his fans was when and if he ever got too close to Donghae while streaming, his lover would quickly duck behind the nearest object or flee the room altogether.

Hyukjae wasn’t certain if Donghae worried about getting in the way, or if he felt rude for interrupting.  He even considered it was maybe because Donghae treated his YouTube channel very seriously, like filming on a movie set.  Although It was cute and definitely endearing, he should have paid more attention; he should have noticed his reactions were not exactly normal.

Then came the day of streaming his ‘new apartment tour’ video, ( which was really just a tour of Donghae’s apartment ), after weeks upon weeks of unpacking and organizing everything because he was a bit compulsive like that.  However, unlike with his videos, Hyukjae didn’t plan out or create a basic script for his streams unless he wanted to make an announcement regarding important issues or his work.  For years, he’d been content with posting a quick heads up on social media before starting a stream immediately.

So, when he was smack in the middle of explaining why he absolutely needed a dog bed in every room and Donghae had practically catapulted across the den to evade the camera, he’d been taken so unawares, he burst into peals of laughter, resulting in a frenzy of activity in the live chat room as his hysterics shook the camera in his hands.  Hyukjae would never forget the following messages that eventually reduced him to tears.

ditzywook:  I saw him!!!  he’s real!!!
lowmi:  NO COME BACK ! don’t hiding??
woysnewman:  LOL he fly
maewinged:  ㅋㅋㅋ oppa is dating a blurry blob.. ㅋㅋㅋ
wolfayr:  yo this shaky cam got me trippin
wonboo:  didn’t screenshot in time :\
bunchzia:  EARTHQUAKE OMFG
parkcity:  was that a ing ghost
kokokyu:  I ship it!
tyio:  😍😍😍😍
( riteon, goorumi, lobsterhands, sulkyelf and 178 other people are typing… )

And because most viewers had deemed the incident utterly hilarious, he never really questioned Donghae’s evasions, especially after it became kind of a running joke between him and his Jewels.  Fans would poke fun all the time by asking if he was hiding a celebrity boyfriend, or that his boyfriend only hid because it would continue to stir interest in the community.

Hyukjae played along, of course, claiming that his boyfriend was Choi Siwon or some equally famous superstar, which further stoked the playful teasing, as well as the online debate that questioned whether Lee Eunhyuk had a boyfriend at all and if his push for ‘equality’ was actually a publicity stunt.

However, when he saw his Jewels having genuine fun with Donghae’s antics, not even the toxic homophobia bothered him, much less any of the immature heat from KNetizens.

But, the truth was, Hyukjae had always had a feeling that Donghae avoiding the camera wasn’t planned out beforehand, let alone ever meant to come off humorous.

Donghae claimed he’d been working with cameras since he was a young teen, and once he deemed his hobby a legitimate profession, it commenced his career as a high fashion photographer.  Donghae worked with cameras every day.  Professional-grade equipment that put Hyukjae’s phone camera to shame, so it wasn’t like his boyfriend had a phobia of cameras!

Of course, it was very possible Donghae was simply more accustomed to standing behind a camera more than standing in front of one—but that didn’t explain his rather over the top reactions…

It took a month after the first incident, along with a couple more semi-captured on camera incidents featuring Donghae ducking out of the camera’s field of view or him, diving for that stupid bucket hat to cover half of his face, until Hyukjae finally sat him down and asked if his constant filming inside the house made Donghae uncomfortable.

His answer had been a resounding no, but the half-frantic, half-spluttered delivery left Hyukjae with more