twelve
A Worth Obsessing Over
Having a record of every lie, every cheat, every secret and every illicit affair that tainted the lives of every high school student in his school had always been an asset. Daehyun was able to know the ‘ins and outs’ of majority of the people who only ever depended on a façade to get through life. So after the initial shock of Jongup and Junhong’s arrest drifted off into the night air, Daehyun only sighed with a shake of his head as a journal entry came to mind:
✈ Choi Junhong Mr.Not-So-Innocent.
He looks like a harmless little rabbit doesn’t he? But little
did you know, Choi Junhong, Mr. Not-so-innocent, really
does live up to his name because behind that noona-killer
smile is a wannabe badboy who doesn’t give two s about
the law. He’s careless, reckless and when it comes down to it,
he’s a very impressionable puppet who does things to get
the approval of others. Whether its breaking a ball-sack in
his failed attempt to grind a rail with a kick-flip added in,
or skating his way into construction sites, this in the making always has a back-up plan to get himself out of trouble.
And what is that plan called you may ask?
Why, it's none other than his daddy dearest.
Whoever was running these games knew a thing or two about its players. Daehyun was aware of that much because for Junhong, the son of a Senior Superintendent general of the Department of Justice, to have an objective that required an arrest was too much of a coincidence. No sane person would’ve attempted such a feat unless he knew, good and well, he’d get bailed out before he could set foot in a cell.
All in all, Daehyun wasn’t worried.
But what made his mind do a summersault was his own final objective that had yet to reveal itself.
“Are you scared?”
Daehyun cringed at the inquiry that brought way too much unwanted memories. “Shut up.”
Being ’scared’ didn’t even begin to scratch the surface of how he was feeling at the moment. He sat there in the small deserted restaurant with a crinkle at his brow. It was crazy! He was confused, a bit anxious and, above all that, he didn’t know what to do with the dead weight who sprawled half of his body on the table. ‘Crazy is a friken understatement.' He bitterly mused. 'This is insane.’
“Why are you so mean to me?”
Because not only was Bang Yongguk rendered useless, but he also had the mental capacity of a child. “I’m always ‘mean’ to everyone.”
“No you’re not.”
Daehyun clicked his tongue. “Don’t act like you know me.”
“But I do know you.” Yongguk replied matter-of-factly.
And Daehyun could only raise a curious brow in response. Yongguk was known as the silent type who smiled when he had to, talked when expected to and gave his opinions when he saw fit to. He wasn’t a guy who wated his time on nonsensical discussions and knowing this, Daehyun jumped at the opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
“How so?” He asked, a small smile curling at his lips. “How do you think you know me?”
Daehyun did a lot of things to acquire whatever information he needed for his book, but it was the first that he’d endure the touch of another man as Yongguk reached over to take his hand. “Your very free-spirited." He began, tentatively at Daehyun's stiff fingers. "You take risks, hate being bored and you love experimenting with your own limitations.”
His touches were light yet precise as the tips of Yongguk’s fingers fluttered up his wrist, down his thin digits and up again. They were feather-light sensations akin to a virus that multiplied and spread from one cell to the next, infecting every nerve-ending that refused to succumb to the ineffectiveness of his caress. It wasn’t going to work on him. Daehyun wasn’t some stupid chick about to fall head-over-heels in love with an just because he shoved a tongue down his throat. ‘Tch, as if that’ll ever happen.’ But Daehyun kept his hand under his hold nevertheless and readjusted his focus on the angled face of a man who rested his head at the crook of his arm propped upon the table. “For a drunk bastard you still have your wits about you.”
Yongguk giggled. “I guess I’m smart.”
“Or maybe just a dumb .”
“You’re always so hostile around me.”
“That’s because that is who I am.”
But even in his drunken state, Yongguk couldn’t believe anything he said. “You’re a liar. You always lie.”
“I’m not lying. I don’t have a reason to lie to the likes of you.” The frigid tone of his voice greatly contrasted with the heat that radiated off of the palm of Yongguk’s hand. They were still roaming, his nails lightly scraping at his skin and it was hard to ignore whatever it was the other was doing when Daehyun's body responded with a shudder. He hoped the light tremble would go undetected, but by the smile on Yongguk's face, Daehyun knew better than to underestimate the senses of a demon.
“You liked it, didn’t you?” He’d smile suggestively, curve a brow in a licentious manner that brought back the events that occurred in the hotel room, and even when Yongguk took a firm hold of his wrist, Daehyun kept his eyes upon the unrelenting gaze that tried its best to challenge him, belittle him and control him. "It felt good, didn't it?" They were at eyelevel now, Yongguk sitting up straight with the purpose of staring him down. But Daehyun didn’t shrink back in his seat, instead he leaned forward just a bit to rest his head against a closed fist, appearing bored out of his mind.
“You know how acting goes, right?” Daehyun matched Yongguk’s smile before continuing. “In order to win the Oscars, you have to be willing to put your skills to the test.” This man wasn't going to get the 'uppper hand'; oh no, no no. Jung Daehyun would never allow such a thing to happen because when it came to the domineering nature of mankind, Daehyun really did 'take the cake' in that category.
He slipped his hand out of Yongguk’s grasp and began to mimic every move the other made prior to the intense stares they both exchanged. His gaze faltered though. Daehyun had loomed his eyes over his own fingers, following the trail he made up the older’s arm. “You have to perfect your trade...to convince others that the mask you’re wearing isn’t a mask at all as deceit comes into play.” He flattened his palm over Yongguk’s forearm and slowly dragged down the expanse of skin that had gone unscathed; that was until nails joined in to claw into flesh that must’ve tingled with excitement.
"You get nominated that way when you make the masses into your puppets." Yongguk’s fingers had curled inward, nails perforating deep into the palm of his hand. Evidence of his discomfort had painted beautifully in a hot trail of red that appeared upon the other's forearm within seconds. It was light yet distinct, the thin lines and small indentation of Daehyun's nails leaving its mark.
If it wasn‘t for the table set between them Daehyun would‘ve witnessed just how much an 'innocent' of the arm affected the man in front of him. There was something brewing between them, an undeniable heat that had set a tantilizing fire in his loins. But it was nothing more than a physiological reaction - a very expected feeling that grounded deep into his gut when Daehyun decided that it was his turn to control Yongguk under his guiding hand. “But you know how you win the actual golden statue that every actor and actress drip blood, sweat and tears to achieve?”
They never tore away from each other’s penetrating eyes once Daehyun had yet again decided to lock his gaze upon the mystifying spheres that were as black as the depths of the night sky. Their was a search that began - a search focusing one’s attention to what many called the looking glass to one’s soul as the other trained upon the lips that spoke of the answers to all his questions.
He pressed the free palm of his hand upon the table and lifted himself slowly out of his seat. Daehyun leaned over the table, his face inches away from the unmoving statue of a man who still equipped himself with a shadow of a smile upon composed features. “To win the Oscars you not only convince the world of the lie you play, but you also fool your partner, co-star or whatever you call the second-handed role, that he’s truly a part of your world that's unfortuantely filled with lies.”
Daehyun could feel the huff of Yongguk’s chuckle hit his skin but even then the younger went unfazed. They remained staring into the determined depths of eyes that nailed each other upon an objective that neither of them couldn’t bring themselves to lose. What that objective was had to have been a battle of dominance that relayed within the intensity of their eyes.
“So I’m going to ask you something.” Daehyun announce over the heavy sheet of anticipation and ambiguity that draped over them.
“And what would that be?” Words were such a powerful thing, especially when you could feel every syllable brush upon your lips.
“Why are you playing this game? Why are you wasting your time on a stupid scavenger hunt that will give you nothing in return?”
“It’s simple.” He wanted some fun? He wanted to see Daehyun fail? Or was he ‘simply’ taking the invitation’s advice to heart by living life like he was going to die young? It was one of the three that came to mind, but when Yongguk cupped his hand over Daehyun’s cheek he received the surprise of his life. “You needed the money, didn’t you?”
Here’s the thing, Bang Yongguk wasn’t selfless. “You were all okay with that freshman going to a brothel…so…” He didn’t give a about anyone or anything but his hot rods, his money and his own self. “I figured you were really desperate to get that cash.” He did everything to excel in the basketball team, pushing his whole squad forward to the preliminaries, but even that had a pinch of selfishness sprinkled right in. “I was forced to join and I was going to quit once my sister went gallivanting to god knows where.” Even the wellbing of his own family wasn’t an issue with him when he was far too concern about himself. “But I had a feeling you’d need me.” It was all about him and no other. “Which is why I’m here, completing these objectives just for my Daehyunnie.”
So it caught him off guard.
Everything, from the sweet, almost sincere tone in his voice to the hand that acted like a heat compress against his cheek had taken him for a loop, turned his brain upside down and twirled the most sensible part of his mind round and round. His defenses had cracked for only a second, but it was within those milliseconds Yongguk leapt at the chance to capture the vulnerability of a mouth that went agape.
Daehyun felt like he took 15 tequila shots in one go when a tongue swept across his bottom lip. He felt light-headed, his mind slowly fogging up by the abuse Yongguk inflicted on his tongue. He couldn’t think straight and it was a wonder how the drunken Bang Yongguk kept himself standing when a very sober Jung Daehyun could barely buckle his knees.
Yongguk was filling the cavernous depths of his mouth and Daehyun struck his chest with a closed fist as if the pathetic attack would stop the assault on swollen lips. Yongguk was biting, sinking his teeth into turgid flesh all whilst digging for the moans Daehyun willed himself to lock way down deep at the back of his throat. There was a muffle here and there, a soft cry indicating a struggle his fist, that harmlessly clung onto the cotton of Yongguk’s shirt, failed to carry out.
He was goo in his hands and Daehyun knew it; And it wasn't because he was attracted to him or he had fallen for his every word. No! That was just bull because it all came down to a science where his physiological desires kicked in before common sense could take over. His hormone addled mind was to blame and he cursed the human body for being a slave to the pleasures that jilted through his veins.
It was an outer-body-experience.
There was no controlling with what was going on, especially when Daehyun had given up the fight and went through the ‘motions’ that made him respond to lips that were still stained with liquor. He could taste the kiwi flavored shot at the roof of his mouth, identified the lime of the Margarita upon the mated surface of his tongue and smelled the strong scent of cinnamon with every interchangeable kiss that carried out a groan from the elder’s lips. His senses were going wild and Daehyun was on the verge of climbing over the table between them, if it hadn’t been for something wet soaking through his clothes.
A splash of cold water hit them with a force that separated the two almost instantly. Daehyun braced himself for the string of curses that would send them right of the restaurant for the lucrative acts that had occurred. But he was surprised to see a familiar face behind the empty pitcher the other slammed on the table. “L-Luhan?”
“Come on, let’s go.”
Daehyun was trying to catch his breath from his prior ’affair’ that literally gotten him tongue-tied, but before he could ask where the hell Luhan came from, the blond took him by the wrist and yanked him away from the table. “I said let’s go.” He demanded more sternly this time around and the booming command stirred Daehyun’s ego in the most degrading way that snapped his wrist out of the other’s strangling hold.
“What the .” Daehyun rubbed at the inflicted limb. “What’s your problem?” Usually Daehyun was, for the lack of a better word, submissive when it came to Luhan. He was crazy. The boy was almost as intimidating as Kris and to put the younger on the same level as the origial Mr. ’intimidating-as-’ was really saying something. “I still have a friken objective to complete. Yanno’…for the game that you didn’t join.” So he tried to smooth things over and admonish any sort of conflict that would’ve erupted out of nowhere if Daehyun hadn’t been the first to say something.
Meanwhile, Yongguk darted his eyes lazily between the two, unsure of what to do. He did sit down of course (the drinks was now really getting to him), but not without mentally questioning what was going on.
“Oh, you mean this objective?” Somewhere between the seconds it took to water down the two animals in heat, Luhan had gotten a hold of Daehyun’s phone. “I think I can help you with that so come on. Hurry the hell up.”
“But how did you get here? And what are you-”
“Oh my gosh Daehyun.” The teen impatiently jabbed a thumb toward the front door. “Let’s just get out of here and I’ll tell you everything on our way to your next objective.” What waited just outside the restaurant was Luhan’s car with Kris occupying the driver seat while Chen took ‘shotgun.’ They were waiting for them and Daehyun knew better than to make Mr. Intimidating-as- wait.
“Hey.” Yongguk looked up at Daehyun with disinterested eyes. “Since you went through all that trouble to complete the other objectives by yourself, I’m going to get the final one done.”
“Sure. Whatever you say...have fun with that.” Yongguk had every intention to rest his head upon the table once again, but was quick to spot the hesitation that kept Daehyun standing in front of him longer than necessary. There was some sort of unidentified emotion embedded within eyes that took a number of needless seconds for Daehyun to look away from him.
Eventually, the brunette left with the blond but not without sparing him a seconds glance, hoping Yongguk would stop him from walking out of the door.
It took a few fleeting minutes to register what he had just saw.
He had his back pressed up against the wall of the dingy eatery that housed the most unexpected turn of events he had ever seen in his life. ‘He just…Daehyun just kissed him.’ Youngjae was so flabbergasted by the fervency of such a kiss that he was too late from showing himself just as the car sped off with Daehyun in it.
“What are you doing?” It was only when Yongguk decided to get up from his seat did Youngjae reveal himself. “You let him go? You just let Daehyun go with them all by himself?”
The surprise that had hit him like a pebble striking a brick wall had caused Yongguk to stare at the peeping tom. His stunned state of mind had faded however when hands fisted at the collar of his shirt and a red-faced Junior angrily demanded an answer to his question as he repeated, “Why did you let him go?!”
“You really do make a big deal out of nothing.” One by one, Yongguk peeled Youngjae’s fingers off of him and started to take his leave once he was free from the other’s hold. But Youngjae grabbed at his wrist, the grip that nearly dug his nails into his arm telling the elder he wasn’t going to let up on his pursuit on a question Yongguk was pretty sure he already knew the answer too. “Are you more upset that I let him go, or the fact that I proved you wrong?”
Youngjae had gone quiet at the unexpected reply. He wasn’t the type of person who had the self-confidence to challenge another’s glowering stare, but when it came to Yongguk he had all the reasons in the world to stand his ground.
“You were watching, weren’t you?” The accusation instinctively turned Youngjae’s face off to the side, his lack of a reply an obvious sign of his guilt. “You have to agree, for a straight guy, Daehyunnie really gets into swapping spit with other guys he supposedly hates.” He was egging him on. "I think he would've jumped my bones if it wasn't for his little friend." Youngjae could hear it in his voice and he tried to tame the bellowing surge of anger that bubbled in his gut. His breathes were heavy, his chest heaving and he wanted to punch Yongguk’s lights out as soon as he heard him shrill a laugh of amusement.
For a drunk person, Yongguk really knew how to enunciate his words without so much as a slur escaping him. The glassy look in his eyes was still ever present, but his mannerism and the way he controlled the situation without a hitch told Youngjae that the lies Daehyun spoke of not too long ago was very much engraved in the mask Yongguk proudly put on.
Yongguk got out of Youngjae’s hold and proceeded onwards, expecting another showdown of some sort. But Youngjae stood there, his eyes unfocused as he tried to make sense of everything that had just occurred. “Your phone.” The younger managed to say in a stage whisper, soon shaking himself from his stupor. “Yongguk…your phone…give me your phone.” Without question, Yongguk nonchalantly threw his phone over his shoulder, not sparing him a seconds glance as he made his way out of the door.
He caught the device with nervous hands that nearly dropped it in the process. Finger fumbled for the right keys as he searched through folders, documents and whatever it was that made it so difficult to uncover what he had been looking for. ‘C’mon…where is it.’
After Himchan and Youngjae was forced to split up because of the objectives they were expected to do alone, he became more fidgety than usual - much more anxious to get the night done and over with. But Daehyun was gone and left with his old crew, which could only equate to a double dose of adrenaline that pumped mercilessly through Youngjae’s veins. He really didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t really aware what Daehyun was getting himself into but he knew one thing was for sure, Youngjae wasn’t going to be able to follow his friends tracks with the passwords that were being asked of him.
The objective was locked.
But what he was allowed to see was enough to numb Youngjae’s entire being. He looked at the title of the objective Daehyun would stop at nothing to completely, his next few words coming out in between shallow breaths as he read:
Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough
A/N: And I'm back with another ch....I wrote this in my sleep-deprived state so I'm so sorry if it just arse xD
But oh my gosh...the new subbies I got while I was gone and the upvotes ;n; You guys are so awesome.
Thank you, MagicCookie & VanillaLaLa for the upvotes x3 hahah your guys usernames together...make me think of cookies and creme xD or an oreo...mmmmm~ okay anyways...hope y'all enjoy this chapter...events should be picking up in the next chapter so dont' give up on me /sobbing/
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