chapter 10

Sunggyu breathes in the winter air. The mansion smells like ginger and Christmas and Sunggyu gazes at the twinkling decorations hung up around the living room. He’s lost in thought – memories of Christmas with his family and Jung Wook – until his eyes are covered.

            “Woohyun?” he asks quietly.

            The hands covering his eyes are pulled away and he spins around to see Woohyun smiling at him. “Shouldn’t you be working?” Sunggyu asks.

            “Working?” Woohyun scoffs. “It’s Christmas eve. Why would I be working on Christmas eve?”

            Sunggyu frowns, turning around and sitting back down. He’s not really in the mood for chatting, to be honest. All morning he’s been thinking about what he should tell his parents and Jung Wook. They must be worried about him since it’s been forever since they last saw him. Sunggyu doesn’t even want to think about his job.

            Woohyun senses Sunggyu’s melancholy aura and sits beside him, brushing away the hair covering his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

            Sunggyu glances at Woohyun, twiddling his thumbs. Woohyun had specifically told him he wasn’t allowed to leave the mansion after the whole soiree incident so Sunggyu isn’t so sure he’ll be very pleased if Sunggyu tells him he wants to leave, even if only for a few hours.

            Sunggyu answers after a long pause, figuring that it’s worth a shot. “I want to see my family and Jung Wook. They’re probably worried sick and I haven’t spoken to them in so long. I might even be a missing person by now.”

            Woohyun lets out a sigh and rests his forehead against Sunggyu’s. He was prepared for this – he was just waiting for Sunggyu to ask. He’s ready to let him leave but he seriously doesn’t want to because he knows Sunggyu’s being targeted now. He just doesn’t want Sunggyu to be in any danger. He’s been breaking his back trying to find out stuff about the people who brought Sunggyu to the soiree but he’s found nothing. “I know,” Woohyun starts. “You can go out only on the condition that I am with you at all times.”

            Sunggyu brightens and Woohyun’s heart flutters. “Of course! I’d probably be too scared without you anyways.” Sunggyu flings his arms around Woohyun and holds him tight. That was easier than expected. But Woohyun’s an understanding man, or at least with Sunggyu he is, and Sunggyu’s so grateful for that.

            Woohyun swallows the hunger that creeps up his throat as his arms snake around Sunggyu’s waist. The smell of vanilla is intoxicating and he finds himself getting drunk off the scent. As Sunggyu pulls away and smiles warmly at Woohyun, he feels his heart clench and he thinks he never wants to see this go.

--

            Sunggyu is bundled up adorably in winter gear – a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck and his hood makes him look like an Eskimo. Woohyun laughs which causes Sunggyu’s cheeks to go red maybe because of the cold air and maybe because Woohyun makes him blush.

            “Why are you laughing at me?” Sunggyu pouts, wrapping his gloved hand around Woohyun’s.

            “You look like an Eskimo, Gyu. This isn’t the arctic tundra.”

            “It might as well be!” Sunggyu retaliates, ripping his hand away from Woohyun’s and scurrying forward. Woohyun chases Sunggyu down, smiling as his feet pound against the pavement. This, he thinks, is heaven.

--

            The restaurant is lit up with twinkling lights and shimmering decorations. Sunggyu flattens his palms against the door, taking a deep breath in. Woohyun stands behind him, his hand resting on Sunggyu’s shoulder.

            Sunggyu pushes the door open and steps through. The hostess’ jaw drops and she maneuvers around the podium, wrapping her arms around Sunggyu. “Where have you been? We’ve been so worried about you!”

            Sunggyu feels tears welling up in his eyes but he blinks them back. “I’m so sorry I didn’t say anything. I just went on an out-of-the-blue vacation.” The excuse is pretty but Sunggyu really hopes nobody questions him.

            She pulls back and pats Sunggyu’s shoulder. “Go to your dad. He’s in the back.”

            Sunggyu nods and pulls Woohyun to the back. “You’re bringing me to meet your dad?” Woohyun panics but Sunggyu squeezes his hand in reassurance. “Don’t worry. He’ll like you.”

            The back is quiet and the door creaks open. Sunggyu’s dad is cleaning up the back and he turns around. There are dark circles under his eyes and he looks as if he’s aged ten years. The moment he lays his eyes on Sunggyu and Sunggyu waves slightly. “Hi, dad.”

            In the next second he’s being crushed in a hug by his dad and his dad is asking him what the hell has happened and where has he been.

            “Dad, I—”

            His dad notices Woohyun standing in the doorway and he nods, rubbing Sunggyu’s back. Let’s go into my office where we can talk in private. You come, too.”

…

            Sunggyu tells him everything and Woohyun sits in silence through it all. This person, funny enough, understands everything Sunggyu’s telling him – rituals and all. “So I just wanted to tell you…” Sunggyu trails off, looking down at his feet.

            His dad sighs and ruffles Sunggyu’s hair. “I warned you about it but I didn’t think it’d actually happen,” he chuckles. They laugh a bit until his dad looks sternly at Woohyun. “If you harm my son in any way I will drive a stake through your heart.”

            Woohyun blinks and he’s pretty sure this guy would definitely do it if given the right reasons. “Don’t worry, sir,” Woohyun moves his hand so that it’s covering Sunggyu’s. “If anything were to happen to Sunggyu I would be the one driving a stake through my heart. I won’t let anything happen to him.”

…

            Jung Wook punches Sunggyu (lightly) before bringing him into a hug. “So the story is that you moved in with the model you fancied—”

            Sunggyu covers Jung Wook’s mouth before he can continue. His face is cherry red and Woohyun stands beside him, smirking. “So you liked me even then?” Woohyun asks, feeling a sense of pride. “I knew that modeling before you would catch your attention.”

            Sunggyu hides his face in embarrassment. He can’t believe that this conversation is happening. “You two are horrible.”

…

            Christmas and New Year’s comes and goes in a flash and it’s almost as if things are normal. But they’re not and Sunggyu knows that. Despite knowing that, he packs his things and goes to school when Woohyun is still sleeping. He paid a lot of money to get into that school and he’s going to get through the most of it.

            Jung Wook meets him at a coffee shop so they can quickly grab some caffeine and they walk to school together. Sunggyu tries not to think about the fact that he’s disobeying Woohyun by leaving and that he’s probably in danger by showing himself in public. But he wants some semblance of normalcy in his life and if he lies low, maybe he’ll be okay.

            You’re an idiot, he tells himself. Jung Wook doesn’t know anything and Sunggyu hopes it stays that way but if anything happens to Jung Wook, he doesn’t know what he’ll do. “What’s wrong, Gyu? You don’t look too good.”

            “W-what? Oh, no, I’m fine. Just a little tired but nothing this coffee can’t fix.”

            Sunggyu makes it through the day unharmed and he’s pretty proud of himself and wants to tell Woohyun that he’ll be fine going just to school but when Sunggyu’s about to leave, it dawns on him that he’s in trouble. There’s no way Woohyun wouldn’t notice Sunggyu’s absence and there’s no way he wouldn’t be furious. “I knew you were studious but I didn’t think you liked school enough to not leave,” Jung Wook jokes.

            “Shut up. I just don’t want to go home right now.”

            “And why is that? Isn’t Mr. Drop Dead Gorgeous waiting at home for you?”

            “You don’t understand,” Sunggyu whines.

            Jung Wook shakes his head and pushes the doors open, grabbing Sunggyu and dragging him outside. “You can’t stay here forever and I want to go home. “

            “Go home without me,” he pouts.

            “I can’t leave you on your own. Just come on—”

            The moment they’re outside Sunggyu gasps because standing there is Woohyun with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s fuming and Sunggyu hides behind Jung Wook. “Eek!”

            Jung Wook thinks he gets what’s going on but he doesn’t really and he steps to the side so that Sunggyu is exposed. “I’ll let you two be alone then. Bye, Gyu!” and then Jung Wook is gone, skipping away.

            “Hi, Woohyunnie,” Sunggyu waves nervously, hoping the use of the nickname will calm him down a bit. It doesn’t really work. 

so its been a year since ive updated this

hahahaha do you get it because its jan 1 haha i think its kinda funny

so not much happens in this chapter except technically getting sunggyu's father's blessing. and jung wook being the awesome friend he is. 

i think sunggyu deserves punishment in bed 

no jesus i cant do that

things are going to be picking up so strap yourselves in because now the story is going to take off

ready ready ready for the take off *insert japanese*