Casino de Paris, France is the third venue of Kim Sunggyu’s First World Tour. The singer had his face prepared by his most trusted make-up artist, Yoon Bora. He successfully hiding the happy smile on his face but he can’t stop the shining eyes no matter how small they are.

 

“You’re unusually happy tonight,” Bora comment, scanning her work.

 

“Hehe. You think so?” Sunggyu grins.

 

“Stop smiling. Shesh.” Bora tsk as she turns her body to pick up a lip brush and lip tint. “Even a blind person can see how happy you are. You’re glowing,”

 

“I am?” Sunggyu twist his face side to side.

 

“I smell love in the air.”

 

Sunggyu stop moving. He look at the girl with curious eyes. “Huh?”

 

“Am I wrong?”

 

“Where is this coming from?”

 

No. No. It can’t be. No. Its true love is in the air. Sunggyu is so much in love with Woohyun. They are so happy together but both Sunggyu and Woohyun make sure to not showing too much. In the present of others, the lovers act normal, just like friends, just like the manager and the idol, just like Woohyun always be with Sungyeol, just like Sunggyu jokes around with Dongwoo. They never hold hand in public, never show lovey dovey, never hugs, never kiss. It’s all exclusive behind a closed and locked door. If anything, they only look like a very best friend. Even the backup dancers and the other people in the team can see how good their friendship is. Friendship, and not love.

 

But can Sunggyu really emitting the cherry blossom when the love of his life is not in front of his eyes?

 

“You’re in love, aren’t you?” Bora teased.

 

Ba-dump.

 

“Of…of course I am. I’m so in love with my fans,” Sunggyu says naturally.

 

If he looks nervous, he will sell himself away. Normally when you were asked this type of question and you have no one in your heart, you will quickly brush it off and laugh it away. But Sunggyu was too caught up in the moment to make it like a joke. He just hope Bora will buy his lie and spare him the tease.

 

Bora tsk. “You and your fans. Be careful, your girlfriend will be jealous if you put your fans over her.”

 

Sunggyu laughs as he stands up from the chair. “I will make sure my lover is my number one fan so they won’t feel jealous for other fans.” Then he turns around and went to the door to get ready, even though he still had ten minutes left to be on stage.

 

Sunggyu is preparing his mental and gathering his strength behind the curtain when he caught sight of Woohyun outside the backup dancers’ door. As always, the assistant manager was helping the dancers rather than staying by the idol’s side. Even though he knows it’s inevitable, he still feel jealous Woohyun spend his time and attention on those little devils than him, his own boyfriend.

 

“Are you ready, hyung?”

 

Sunggyu smiles as an answer. “Will you watch me?”

 

Woohyun nods. “Of course. I will see if they need me first, then I will go down there to watch you.”

 

Sunggyu throw his arm around Woohyun’s shoulder, seeking comfort and luck. “Wish me.”

 

Woohyun smiles. “You don’t need them but still, good luck, hyung. Do your best.”

 

Sunggyu let go. Then he throw his arm around Dongwoo too, to avoid some suspicious eyes. He feels Dongwoo pats his back and smiles on his shoulder before he let go.

 

“Go burn the stage, hyung,” Dongwoo says.

 

Sunggyu grins, taking the microphone from the floor manager before he runs to the stage, welcoming the scream of crazy fans waiting for him loyally.

 

“Let’s go,” Dongwoo says, turns around and paddled to Sunggyu’s dressing room.

 

Woohyun follows after him. The room is still busy but a little calm that their boss already performing his work. The television up on the wall showing Sunggyu sings his first song with the backup dancers at the back. The coordinator, the stylist and the makeup artist doing their work in tidying their own spot and get ready for the intermission. Dongwoo sits on the sofa, pulling Woohyun beside him.

 

The young assistant manager is confused. He thought Dongwoo wants him inside the room to do some work but it had been five minutes and the first song coming to its end, and Woohyun do nothing aside from watching the performance from the screen rather than watching live in front of the stage. He wants to go out but he doesn’t want to be rude. He wants to ask but he is afraid Dongwoo needed more time to collect his thought.

 

Sunggyu bows his head to the fans as he greets them and talk to them, in Korean, before a man translator repeated his words in French. Woohyun startled when Dongwoo turns to him, pulling his attention from the screen.

 

“Did you ever heard anything from the room next door?”

 

“Huh? What? What do you mean?”

 

“Did those kids say anything? Or ask you anything?”

 

Woohyun’s eyes wander to the side, thinking, before the eyes come back to the other man. He shakes his head. “No. Other than fussing around asking where my belt, where my lip balm, will we have a party after this…no. Nothing unusual.”

 

Dongwoo sighs. “Good. It seems the news didn’t reach them.”

 

Woohyun tilted his head. “What do you mean, Dongwoo-shi? What news?”

 

“You mean this news?”

 

Both Woohyun and Dongwoo turns around to look at Bora, standing close at the couch’s side, showing the small screen of her hand phone. Woohyun can’t see clearly what was on the screen. He can only make out the white wallpaper with lines of words.

 

He gasp, looking at Bora’s eyes. “Bad rumour?”

 

Bora shrugged as she pulls a chair to sit so she can face them from the side. “Kind of,”

 

“What kind of rumour?” Woohyun asks.

 

No way. He didn’t know what that rumour is but he can sense it’s not a good one judging by Dongwoo’s fidgety and Bora’s concern. This is not good. Sunggyu is in the middle of a world tour. If any rumour start to spread, fans will question and it will cost them the remaining of the tour. They might face with the cancellation and it will be a huge loss for everyone. And the most important part, it will give Sunggyu stress and might ruin his career.

 

Dongwoo scan Woohyun’s face, searching for a way to breach the news, Bora’s hand phone in his hand.

 

“What…what kind of rumour?” Woohyun repeated, readying himself.

 

“I want you to promise to not breaking down or do anything drastic,” Dongwoo warns.

 

“Huh? Why should he breaking down?” Bora asks.

 

“He is a manager. A manager tends to breaking down before their artist first and I don’t want Woohyun to be like those manager,” Dongwoo says looking at Bora.

 

“I…I promise,” Woohyun give his word.

 

Dongwoo eyed his assistant, making sure Woohyun won’t break his promise. He then give the hand phone to the younger, and hold his breath waiting for him to read the news on the portal. Woohyun’s orbs move following the lines on the small screen before he frowns.

 

“Dating?” he whispers, lifting his head to look at Dongwoo, then Bora, then Dongwoo.

 

Bora shrugged. “It’s either someone from the team tip the story or Jisoo herself told the press.”

 

Dongwoo take the hand phone from Woohyun’s hand to give them back to the girl. “I don’t want to accuse the team because everyone knows better than to give this bull away. But I don’t want to pointing finger to Jisoo either.” He sighs. “This is Sunggyu hyung’s first dating scandal and it is in the middle of his world tour,”

 

“The time can’t be more perfect, isn’t it?” Bora groans. “I tease Sunggyu just now and he brush it off but…”

 

“But?” Dongwoo asks and Woohyun has his eyes on her.

 

“His ears red and he look nervous, as if he got caught hiding something.” Bora leans closer to the managers. “Tell me Dongwoo, is Sunggyu really dating someone and he was surprise with my attack?”

 

Dongwoo laugh. “What are you talking about, noona? I guess hyung was surprise because this is the first time you about dating.”

 

Bora tsk, straightening her posture. “You’re right, I never ask him about it.” He look at Woohyun. “What do you think, Woohyun?”

 

“Huh?” Woohyun startled when his name called and realize both their eyes are on him. “What…what should we do? I’m sure some fans had read about this rumour and they might ask Sunggyu hyung when it’s time for fans’ letter,”

 

“What do you think we should do?” Dongwoo asks. “Should we tell Sunggyu hyung or should we settle this without his knowledge?”

 

“Why are you asking him?” Bora laughs. “You’re the manager. It should be the other way around,”

 

“Woohyun is also the manager. I have my own idea but I want to know what Woohyun think of this,” Dongwoo says to Bora then turns to the other man. “As a manager, this is one of the thing you have to take care of. One wrong move, it will cost your artist’s reputation.”

 

Woohyun chewed his lower lip. This is bad. He has to think as a boyfriend and a manager at the same time. He is jealous when Sunggyu caught in a dating rumour when he is dating him. He is furious to think how the writer of the tabloid know Seo Jisoo came to the concert in Berlin. He is worried how to tell Sunggyu and clean up his name to the world.

 

Think, Woohyun. Think.

 

Woohyun turns his head to the television screen. Sunggyu is singing a song he knows as the last song before an intermission. It has been 40 minutes already? Time sure fly fast when he didn’t realize it.

 

Woohyun turns to Dongwoo. “Will you let me handle this?”

 

“Before I give you the permission, tell me what your plan is. Should we tell Sunggyu hyung or should we settle this behind his back?”

 

Woohyun’s eyes downcast, healing a breath before he lift them again, determination clear in his eyes. “We should tell Sunggyu hyung, briefly.”

 

Dongwoo grins as he nods his head, giving his permission. They end their discussion as they continue watching Sunggyu sing the song till the end. Sunggyu bows to his fans and quickly running backstage to change cloth. The singer show himself at the doorframe seconds after. The coordinator pulling him in and help him changing his outfit. Woohyun healed another breath, standing up and paddled to the fussing group. Sunggyu caught him coming but his lips pouting.

 

“Why are you not outside? I’m looking for you,” Sunggyu says, ignoring the coordinator and stylist.

 

“I’m sorry. We have something to take care of,” Woohyun replies, helping a coordi noona holding a jacket when she has to straightening Sunggyu’s collar.

 

“What are you still busy of?” Sunggyu tsk. “Are you done now?”

 

“I guess.” Woohyun shrugged. “I will go watch you from the front row, hyung.”

 

Sunggyu can’t help the shy yet happy smile on his face. He let the coordinators dolling him up without a fuss, hoping they will finish them quickly and he got extra free time to spend with his beloved boyfriend.

 

He still has two minutes after they’re done working their magic on him. Woohyun lead Sunggyu out of the dressing room, holding a bottle of water in his hand. They stand side by side near the curtain when Woohyun give the bottle to Sunggyu to drink. The bottle changing hand after Sunggyu take a sip. His smile wash out of his lips when he see how quiet Woohyun is even though he quickly smile back at him.

 

“Is something wrong?” Sunggyu’s eyes widen, alarmed. “Are you sick? Did your shoulder hurt?”

 

Woohyun shakes his head. “No. No. I’m fine. My shoulder also fine. It just…”

 

“Just?”

 

“Sunggyu-shi, ready,” a floor manager announce.

 

“About your fans’ letter slot, there might be a question and the only answer you have to tell them are it’s not true and it’s just a rumour,” Woohyun says, calmly yet desperately.

 

Sunggyu frowns. “Rumour?”

 

“You trust me, aren’t you, hyung?”

 

Sunggyu grab Woohyun’s hand between their bodies and brush his back hand with his thumb before letting go. “I trust you.”

 

Woohyun smiles. “You just need to answer this, you will know which question it is. I will tell you after the stage end.”

 

Sunggyu nods. He pats Woohyun’s shoulder, not his injured one, smiling before he turns around and go out on the stage. Woohyun heave out a relief breath. He quickly put on a smile when the dancers coming out of stage and greet him.

 

“Good work,” he says to everyone when they high five him as they walk pass by.

 

“Why are you here? Not watching at the front?” Hoya asks, stopping at the side, giving way to the dancers after him.

 

“I will. I was taking care of Sunggyu hyung.” He turns to Hoya after the last dancer walk away. “I will see you at the after party?”

 

“There will be after party?” Hoya asks.

 

“Huh? Why? There always will be an after party,” Woohyun asks back, worried.

 

“Because we need to go to Poland first thing in the morning tomorrow?”

 

“Ahh…” Woohyun nods, rubbing his chest in his head. “We will just have a simple after party at the hotel. Just a drink and call it a night. But I will reconfirm with Dongwoo-shi and tell you guys later.”

 

Hoya nods his head, understanding. He then left to the dancer’s waiting room to prepare for the next stage. Woohyun left the spot as well. Rumour or not, he should give his unending support to his boyfriend from the front row of the stage. Furthermore, he is Kim Sunggyu’s number one fan.

 

-----------

 

“Dating rumour? With Jisoo?” Sunggyu shouts, standing from his seat.

 

“Shh…Calm down, hyung,” Dongwoo warns.

 

“How can I calm down? This is nonsense, bull,”

 

“Sunggyu hyung…” Woohyun calls softly.

 

Sunggyu spun around and quickly plop back on his seat, grabbing Woohyun’s hand. “Woohyunie, you have to believe me. I am not dating Jisoo. That is just a groundless rumour.”

 

Woohyun smiles. “I know. Even if you didn’t tell me, I know and I trust you, hyung.”

 

Sunggyu smiles back, relief. He tightens his hand around the smaller man. “Good because you are…”

 

“Ops. Ops. Stop right there,” Dongwoo warns, holding his hand up. Sunggyu and Woohyun both turn their face toward the manager. “Shut up and don’t say anything,”

 

“Why? It’s not like you didn’t know about us.” Sunggyu pouts.

 

After the concert in Berlin, where Sunggyu put a drunk Woohyun sleep on the same bed as him, Dongwoo confront the two and force them to confess. Sunggyu admit of their relationship, telling his manager about their past and their wish to continue what they had stop. Dongwoo surprisingly didn’t object nor making a scene. He actually had a feeling about Sunggyu and Woohyun’s relationship since the night at the hospital. He knows they said they were friend but he never saw Sunggyu care too much for a friend; buying an iced chocolate every day only to dump them in the bin, pestering him to debut, running out of his life when he heard the friend is sick, crying when he was too worry about the friend’s health, the jealousy and the disappointment. It was strange if their relationship was just a mere friend.

 

Dongwoo repeated what he had told Woohyun back at the hospital. Whatever they do, make sure they stay low and keep this secret. Because Sunggyu is an idol. A dating rumour is hard enough moreover if words spread out he is dating a man. And the netizen of their country is scary nowadays, Dongwoo is afraid Sunggyu won’t see a light in his life, and Woohyun will be more depressed than he already is.

 

“The walls could talk,” Dongwoo says. “Even though this is not Korea and you can be free because only our people understand us, this is not your home. Any place which is not your home is dangerous. How do you think they write the rumour about you and Jisoo?”

 

“I don’t understand,” Sungyu says, straightening his posture but still has his one hand holding Woohyun’s. “What was so strange with Jisoo came watching my concert? We had work together before and she came to show support,”

 

“To us, it’s not strange but people believe what they want to believe,” Dongwoo says. “Seo Jisoo came watching Kim Sunggyu’s concert in Berlin to show support as fellow artist in the same label. The story is innocent but with little spice Sunggyu was caught dating Jisoo following the model came supporting his concert, would make the story hotter, don’t you think?”

 

“What do you think we should do, Dongwoo-shi?” Woohyun asks, obviously feeling tired from the concert.

 

“I already discuss this with Donggun hyung. We will take care of it,” Dongwoo says.

 

“Donggun hyung…you mean the CEO?”

 

“Ah…yeah…” Dongwoo startled, for a moment forgot he is talking to not only Sunggyu in the room. “Let’s go to sleep. We have an early flight to catch on tomorrow. Sleep well and don’t worry about the rumour.”

 

Sunggyu sighs as he stands up, pulling Woohyun with him. “Very well. We will see you tomorrow. Good night,”

 

“Eh, yah!” Dongwoo calls after Sunggyu walking away with Woohyun behind him.

 

“Woohyun will sleep with me tonight,” Sunggyu says without turning around or stop his feet.

 

“Go to sleep. Don’t do anything funny,” Dongwoo warns.

 

“Ya…yah. Dongwoo-shi,” Woohyun stuttered, glancing behind his shoulder.

 

Dongwoo smirk as he wave his hand to send them good night. The door to the room close, leaving Dongwoo alone in the living room. They get a suite this time, just like when they were in London. Last night he successfully lock their room to make sure Sunggyu didn’t slip inside and kidnap Woohyun to his room. But tonight…since they were worn out because of the concert and the dating rumour, Dongwoo think he should let them loose, just for tonight. They need each other more than anything at a time like this. Dongwoo just wish they just sleep and not doing any funny business. They can’t risk to being late tomorrow.

 

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