Airing One's Dirty Laundry

"Hongbin!" the angry voice of his boss yells at him from the other side of the phone. "If you're late one more time, I am reporting you to the Queen for treason!" Hongbin scoffs and chuckles under his breath as he tries to balance his cellphone between his ear and shoulder as he slings his jacket over his shoulders.

"Really now? And what exactly will you tell her?" He's opening up his brolly now as he locks the front door to his house.

"You really think I'm pullin' your leg here now, don't you?" Hongbin rolls his eyes and makes a note to spit in his coffee the next time he orders him to cross the bloody Atlantic Ocean for it just because "no one makes it like they do." It's always so gloomy and grey in England and how Jaehwan managed to get him to move here with him is a personal show of God. A car nearly skidded into him last week and by that point, it was the last straw. Somehow, Jaehwan always manages to convince him that England isn't that bad and "the best is yet to come."

"You hear me! Fired!" he hears his boss say and the truth is, he didn't register another word after "pullin' your leg."

"Do you ever stop talking?" Hongbin mutters and he suddenly regrets it because he forgets for a second that his boss is still on the line. This only angers him more and he's at it again, screaming more threats at him through the reciever.

"I swear on the Queen's headstone, you are such a dimwit. Why did I ever even hire you?"

"Well, for one," Hongbin starts and he briefly looks down at his pants to discover that the ends of his pants are just barely soaked through. "I am one of the best employees The Will Writing Company has ever given work to since it was first established in '93. And secondly, I'm sure your wife wouldn't like finding out about the not-so-secret love affair you've been having with the lady at the front desk, now would she?"

"You wouldn't dare," he says and his aggressive temper seems to be cooled almost immediately.

Hongbin repositions the mobile at his ear and stops at a traffic light. "Oh, I would dare." And the light turns white with the man walking. "Does your head harbor a brain? If so, please use it. Now if I get another call such as this, I will not hesistate to give Janet a ring and tell her how much of a 'good girl' Bridget has been to you. Cheers!" He presses the end button on his phone as he makes his way toward the more quiet areas of Lincoln.

It finally stops raining yet Hongbin is too much of a conceited prick to close his brolly since he thinks it makes his look cool. Right, he can practically hear Jaehwan say, because everyone loves an underdressed Joe Bloggs that thinks an umbrella makes his look cool. After the imagination, he takes no time in closing it and pretending he didn't actually think he would look cool with an umbrella.

He reaches his destination—the flat of the famous Jaehwan. Hongbin thinks it's quite unfair as to how popular an author can get. Here he is, trying his best to deal with a jackass being his boss whereas Jaehwan can sit at the computer all and look pretty as he sits on his arse all day and make $4500/hr in royalties. But then again, with them being close friends and all, Jaehwan dedicates a week's amount of money to him and every envious feeling he's had is gone. At that's where the rumors start. Just last year Hongbin's own lady friend accused him of cheating on her with him. While Hongbin did dabble in the arts of homouality, that was just crossing the line.

Hongbin stops, his hand inches away from the door knob, and thinks about whether or not Jaehwan will deem it rude of him to enter without his consent. He weighs out the pros and cons before saying "to Hell with it" and going in anyway. The door's unlocked, like expected, and Jaehwan doesn't even flinch when the door hastily opens.

"About time," he says instead and he looks to be reading the newspaper.

"Sorry," Hongbin responds and doesn't even bother to take off his shoes as he crosses the room to sit on a bean bag. "Angus was giving me a rough time again saying I was late."

"Really?" And Jaehwan peers over at Hongbin before returning back to his newspaper.

"Yeah," Hongbin breathes and checks his watch. "All right?"

"I guess you could say that," he says from behind his reading material. "How about yourself?"

"It's kind of cold, don't you think? Why am I living in England again? Please remind me."

"Because I'm rich and you're a good friend." He gives him a cheeky grin. Hongbin rolls his eyes at him gives him the bird. They sit silence for a while as Hongbin thinks of something to talk about. They're an awkward pair even though they're as close as close can be defined as. 

"How long has him and Bridget been shaggin'?" he finally asks and Jaehwan chokes while he brings down his paper.

"Funny. Stop kiddin' around."

"You're just now finding out, aren't you?"

"I don't really have time to lounge around in my coworkers busy but yes, I am. That explains that one voicemail he left me after a few too many drinks." He folds up his newspaper and tucks it away in his jacket.

"What he say?"

He clears his throat before taking on the role of Sir Jackass Angus. "B-B-Bridget... I, wow, it's so pretty out. Ugh, God, do you know that it's you I think of when I'm ?" Hongbin brings his hand up to his face as Jaehwan continues. "If it weren't for this God forsaken baby Janet's getting ready to deliver, I would leave her for you."

"Bollocks!" Hongbin yells.

"I kid you not. I have the voicemail saved on my phone if you don't believe me." It's times like these where he's grateful to have a friend like him. That one friend who is always on your side no matter what and isn't afraid of being deemed a heartless assface.

"That's terrible, man. He has a baby on the way and he's shaggin' the front desk." They shake their heads in unison.

"Hey!" Jaehwan says suddenly and gives Hongbin's knee a slap. "How 'bout we hit up Varsity and treat ourselves to a few rounds of tequila while we watch the soccer game?"

"Sure, I'm up for it."

"Nice. I'll grab my jacket." As Jaehwan heads to the back, Hongbin makes his way to the front door to wrap his scarf around his neck. He debates as to whether or not he should bring his umbrella. "Don't bring it!" Jaehwan yells from his bedroom and how he could possibly know what he was thinking makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"Creep," he whispers under his breath and opens the door.

"Heard that," Jaehwan says as he emerges from the back, adjusting the collar on his jacket. "Annabel called me today," he tells him as they leave the flat. Annabel was the name of Hongbin's ex-girlfriend. He broke up with her after finding out he was just a "side project."

"Oh yeah?" And a scowl is placed perfectly on Hongbin's modelesque face.

"Mhm. She wanted me to relay a message; she said she misses you and you weren't a side project in any way. She only said that because she didn't want you to be mad at her if she told you the real reason."

Hongbin stops walking to give Jaehwan a face. "Lol," he says, "tell her she can go herself the next time she calls."

"No problem," he laughs and they continue in the rain to get their fix of alcohol.

AU: Britain/English members featuring slang I looked up ._.