Taehyun picked up his glass of beer, swirling it listlessly as he looked in the direction of the club entrance for the n^th time that night. The golden liquid sloshed around in his glass, creating even more white foam, but Taehyun couldn’t muster enough s to give. It was probably way too bitter to even drink by now, with how long he’d left it sitting out in the open.

It was the fourth day that he’s staking out at the club waiting for a certain Kang Seungyoon to appear. He came alone every night, just sitting at the bar counter with a drink and waiting for the other man to show up. Taehyun had tasted more alcohol mixes – courtesy of Seunghoon – in these four days than he had in the past 25 years of his life combined, and he suspected he might be losing a bit of his hearing as well.

The handsome bartender had been rather surprised to see him back so soon, and had shook his head in a mixture of amusement and disbelief upon knowing he was trying to get hold of Kang Seungyoon, i.e. the very person Seunghoon had told him he shouldn’t get involved with that first night.

Some people just don’t know better, Seunghoon thought, but decided not to interfere any further. It was not his style to get too caught up with any of the patrons’ businesses. In fact, if not for the fact that Taehyun was Mino’s friend, he wouldn’t even have bothered to keep Seungyoon away from him the other time. Ultimately, the choices were theirs to make, and as long as they knew about and think they can bear the consequences, then it was all up to them and he had no say in anything.

Taehyun had learned from Seunghoon that Seungyoon was a regular patron, but there were no fixed days in the week which he would come by the club. He had always taken care to not let his personal information like his phone number or address get out unnecessarily, so there was really no way anyone from the club could get hold of him unless he showed up by himself, and it was probably best if Taehyun just came every night and waited it out. Still, there hadn’t been so much as a peep from the said man in the last four days, and Taehyun couldn’t help feeling a little disheartened. Seunghoon, who’d been chatting with him in between his busyness today too, wore a rather entertained expression on his face seeing Taehyun’s sodden mood.

“Wow.” There was a whisper next to his ear and Taehyun jolted a little in his seat, startled. He could never quite get used to Seunghoon doing that. “Look who’s here.”

The bartender retracted back behind the bar counter as if nothing had transpired between them, and Taehyun quickly glanced in the direction of the club entrance again. It wasn’t yet the weekend, so it was a lot less crowded in the club and not difficult to see the people coming in and out of the club.

Sure enough, there he was, larger than life and smokin’ hot in a pair of black ripped jeans and that biker jacket.

Kang Seungyoon had that default smirk on his face as he stood at the sidelines with his arms crossed, his eyes scanning the dance floor, as if considering his options like a well-trained hunter. Taehyun watched a few heads turn as they eventually noticed Seungyoon’s presence, and finally a young woman in a bodycon dress strutted up to him. She was smiling coyly when she leaned in – more like pressed her entire upper body against Seungyoon, Taehyun noticed – to whisper something in his ear, and the smirk on the man’s face only grew bigger. He carelessly twirled a lock of her long hair around his fingers and whispered something back, the woman in turn nodding ecstatically as she listened.

In the next moment, Taehyun realised that he had turned towards the stairs and was beginning to head right up to the bar. Seungyoon’s eyes lit up with that same surprise Taehyun had seen on Seunghoon’s face when he looked from the bartender to Taehyun, but then the smirk returned and he started towards them.

“Aww, Seunghoon-hyung, what’s this? Telling me to play elsewhere and keeping this cutie for yourself? That’s not very nice.” Seungyoon’s voice was dripping with mock-sweetness. Taehyun gulped, wanting to say something suggestive back but drawing a blank despite his best efforts, taken by the fact that the person he’d been waiting for was finally standing right in front of him, and the player actually remembered him.

Seunghoon only rolled his eyes at the accusation, his hands simultaneously wiping glasses dry as he said, “Shut up, it’s you he wants. Take him away and stop disturbing me from working.”

Taehyun’s eyes widened at the bartender’s words, feeling the heat creeping up his cheeks. He hadn’t wanted Seungyoon to know he’d been waiting for him, to think he was desperate or anything like that. He wanted to at least appear cool and charming, and more importantly, for Seungyoon to want him too. Even so, he had to say it was a perfect opening that Seunghoon had helped him create.

“Oh? That’s new. And what might you want with me, Taehyun-ssi?” Seungyoon asked with mild curiosity. He could usually tell when he had someone where he wanted them – which was, really, most of the time – but this first-timer had seemed a little too reserved from the last time they’d interacted. There were no flirtatious vibes coming from him, and he certainly didn’t seem particularly eager in jumping him, but Seungyoon certainly wasn’t going to say no to any good looking person who willingly presented themselves to him.

Taehyun had thought that it might be better for him to just cut to the chase and express his interest right away for a person like Seungyoon; the guy sure looked like someone with an ego the size of China anyway. On top of that, Taehyun was so bad at this flirting he’d probably never be able to subtly lure him in. How could a novice like him win a master like Seungyoon at his own game?

“Well, it’s just... Uhm, do you want to go outside for a smoke?” Taehyun looked around briefly and asked after Seunghoon sidled away to take new orders. It was too loud in here and he didn’t want either of them to mishear anything. Also, a club setting was hardly the place he had in mind for asking someone out, what with all this mess around.

“Why is everybody so anxious today?” Seungyoon said with a little laugh, “What’s the hurry, Taehyun-ssi? Let me have a drink first, and then we have all night.” He smiled mischievously and winked. There is this flippant air about him, like he was so sure of himself and just can’t take any of this seriously, can’t take Taehyun seriously. He was probably used to people wanting him, and yes, Taehyun did want him, even though likely not for the same reason as most others. It certainly wasn’t for his rumoured big d– oh please.

Seungyoon was about to signal for a bartender but Taehyun grabbed his slightly raised arm out of both impulse and panic, dropping it immediately and backing away slightly when he realised what he did.

“Now, please.” Taehyun, said with urgency in his voice. He needed to do this before all his courage dissipated; it was now or never.

Seungyoon’s brows furrowed in confusion, his head tilted to one side. It took him several seconds of staring at Taehyun as if trying to read him, and the latter not backing down and staring insistently back before he shrugged, that damned smirk coming back to his face. “Alright.”

The pair left the stuffy club, and as they moved further away from the booming music, Taehyun could instantly feel the ringing start in his ears. There were lots of people out on the streets of Hongdae even on a weeknight; most of them lingering around the other club entrances and some were passed out drunk right there on the street. Taehyun led them into an alley right next to the club and pulled out a box of cigarettes, holding it out towards Seungyoon.

“I’m good, thanks. So what’s this all about?”

In the light outside of the club, with the neon signs from other shop fronts reflecting off every surface of the street, Seungyoon’s face looked a bit squishier, and his gaze a bit less bewitching. Softer, Taehyun thought, less predator, more human.

Taehyun re-pocketed his smokes, obviously thinking about how to say whatever he was going to say. Seungyoon doesn’t hurry him, though. He leaned against the wall, sticking his hands into his pockets. He had all the time in the world tonight, and he can play this slowly. His prize for tonight will be this fine piece of – probably – , if he played it right.

Finally, Taehyun took a deep breath and met Seungyoon’s expectant gaze with one that burned with determination.

“Okay, I’m just going to come right out and say it. I like you, Seungyoon-ssi; would you like to go out with me?”

Silence.

“What?” Seungyoon started, “You mean go out as in– ”

“I like you and I’d like you to be my boyfriend.”

There was another moment of silence that felt too long to Taehyun when Seungyoon actually burst out laughing, amusement written all over his face.

“I like you too, Taehyun-ssi, but I’m sorry to say I don’t do this whole love thing.” He moved his hands around in random circles at the word ‘love’.

“You’ll never get anything out of him, he’ll never commit.” Mino’s words resonated in Taehyun’s mind when he heard Seungyoon’s flat-out rejection. He’d been turning those words over and over in his head for the last few days, thinking about how he could convince Seungyoon to take a shot with him. Mino did say there were people who’d managed to convince Seungyoon into relationships with them before, didn’t he? Taehyun could only wing it now and hope that luck was somehow on his side.

“You don’t have to do the whole love thing with me,” Taehyun talked quickly, mimicking Seungyoon’s actions, “you just… just act like a boyfriend for me. Hand holding, hugs, companionship, that kind of thing, you know? But no .” He added the last bit as an afterthought.

Seungyoon folded his arms across his chest, a funny expression on his face that resembled something like puzzlement but also piqued interest.

“No ? What do I get from this then? What’s in it for me?”

“Uhm… You get this cutie for a boyfriend?” Taehyun pointed at himself hesitantly, remembering what Seungyoon had called him earlier.

The other male laughed loudly again, the sound of it fast becoming familiar to Taehyun. “You’re funny, Taehyun-ssi. I like you, but you got the wrong man for this. I’m sure you can find someone else.”

With that, Kang Seungyoon pushed himself off the wall, patted Taehyun’s shoulder and disappeared back into the club. Back to the world of flashing lights, hard liquor and loose in which he belonged, and Taehyun didn’t. 

A.N.: Sorry this was quite a short chapter and not particularly exciting. The story will pick up more from next chapter on, but I'll also be updating slower than before because those chapters are well... not yet written. So, Taehyun has made the first move, and even though he got rejected, the fate between them continues ;))) 

Also, thanks again for all comments, subscribes and upvotes! I really do love reading your thoughts and speculations about the story, and it's especially great to know when someone can relate to Taehyun! :)