Chapter Text
Choi SeungHyun stood by the wide glass window on the second floor of his uncle's manor that overlooks the front yard. Guests were milling around the tents and gazebos, with waiters and waitresses weaving in and out, some balancing champagne glasses, either empty or full, while others carried food the size of fifty cents coins. He regards the champagne tube in his hand. His uncle certainly doesn't skimp on quality. The champagne he had been taking a sip on is an expensive one. He was sure by the taste.
'SeungHyun-ah' called a male voice behind him. He turns to see his cousin's smiling face as he climb the stairs towards him.
'Oh. MinJoonie' he smile back. 'Thank goodness I get to see you. I was just about to leave'
'Right, of course! Thanks for coming' he shook SeungHyun's hand with both of his. 'I hope your dad's feeling better now'
'Yeah. My dad' SeungHyun flashed a forced smile. His father was his uncle's younger brother. Unfortunately, he slipped on a patch of wet bathroom floor two days ago and hurt his back. The doctor orders a compulsory bed rest. SeungHyun was forced to come to this investors meeting party as a representative of his father. His father was the reason he's here. 'Well. I really should go now'
SeungHyun holds out his hand again and they shook for the second time.
~ ~ ~
SeungHyun starts his car and stared ahead. How he wished he was driving back to his home instead of a hotel in the city. He drove away while coaxing his heavy heart. His heart was screaming for home while his head was telling it that it was his duty as a member of the Choi family to be present at investor dinners, meetings and parties, at least for a couple of weeks until his father got well. After that, he can return to his cocoon of a home in PyeongChang where he had built a house near the mountain.
SeungHyun was born into an old-money family. His grandfather was the twenty-third generation heir, which makes his uncle, his grandfather’s eldest son the twenty-fourth and his cousin MinJoon the twenty-fifth. But being part of the Choi family line, he also inherited quite a lot of money growing up, not to mention the many millions of money from his trust fund and the share of the family business. SeungHyun grew up wanting nothing in a modest household and he was raised with discipline from his parents to always be humble.
SeungHyun can’t be bothered with GPS navigators. He can never understand them anyway. So he made his way into the heart of Seoul City by driving slowly, following the road signs, and ignoring impatient honking of other drivers.
~ ~ ~
When Kwon JiYong woke up from his nap, the sky outside were a light shade of violet blue. He had been sleeping and waking up at an uneven hours for months now that it’s no longer producing a hangover-like headaches when he woke up. His bedroom was small and his bed was only a futon on the floor. When he goes out to the living room he found his roommate TaeYang had fallen asleep while studying on the floor with books and papers propped open and strewn everywhere.
‘YoungBae-ya’ he shook him on the shoulder. JiYong goes back and forth with his roommate’s name. His real name was Dong YoungBae, but he still sometimes call him by TaeYang or Sol. ‘YoungBae-ya. Time to go to work’
TaeYang groaned as he stretched himself long a few times before holding his arms up asking JiYong to help him sit up.
‘What time is it?’ TaeYang rubs his eyes sleepily.
‘Six twenty-three’ replies JiYong pausing from helping to stack his friend’s papers to pull TaeYang’s hands away from his face. ‘Stop rubbing your eyes. You don't want to risk ruining your eyesight’
~ ~ ~
JiYong pulled his grey hoodie over his plain white shirt and pair of jeans. He and TaeYang head out of the four-storey flat building where they lived and walked down the evening street of Ihwa-dong village. School children walked pass them in the opposite direction, talking in loud, cheerful voices as they head home.
‘Enjoy your childhood kids’ muttered TaeYang so that only JiYong can hear. ‘Don’t grow up too fast’
JiYong did a double glance at the school kids and chuckle. They took the train to YongSan-dong, where they wait in their usual corner.
‘Another day in paradise’ said JiYong unenthusiastically, checking his pocket for condoms while TaeYang keep an eye out for any potential customers.
JiYong look up just in time to see a silver BMW pulled over on the side of the road. He tapped TaeYang in the back before pointing towards the car.
‘That’s a new model Beamer’ he told TaeYang knowledgably. ‘This guy must’ve some serious money. That model was only released two weeks ago’
‘Go on then’ TaeYang pushed JiYong towards it. ‘If he wants one of the girls, call one of them and ask for commission later’
JiYong walks slowly towards the car, hoping it won’t drive away. It’s been hard lately to find a customer, given the current economy and all.
~ ~ ~
SeungHyun find himself driving in circles for about an hour. This is why he didn’t like to go to the city. The roads and the building were so confusing. He stopped the car by a row of shops and pressing on the digital display of the satellite navigator and cursed when the GPS spouts out the wrong names. A shadow fell on the passenger side window and someone raps the glass smartly with their knuckles. SeungHyun jumps at the noise and press the window button down.
‘Are you looking for a date tonight, Ahjusshi?’ says a young boy.
For a moment back the SeungHyun thought it was the cops telling him not to park his car there. When he finally overcome his shock he takes in the dark brown hair and dark eyes of the boy down to his grey fleece hoodie. His heart raced in fright wondering what part of town he was in right that instant as he realised from the question alone what the boy was. He thought of driving away but he was tired, lost and desperately needed help.
‘Do you know how to get to CheongDam-dong?’
‘Of course’
SeungHyun waited for instruction, but the boy just stood there. ‘Well?’
‘Oh! You were asking for direction’ said the boy in a mock realisation. ‘Sure. I can tell you where to go. The fee is $50’
SeungHyun stared at him, thinking whether or not to trust this boy. ‘Do you have a change for a $100?’
‘For a $100 I can show you the way myself’ the boy offered.
SeungHyun weigh the thought in his mind for a moment and makes an executive decision to take his offer. He waved him in and the boy gave someone a two thumbs up before slipping in. If this boy turns out to be a robber, I can just crash the car somewhere, he reasoned.
‘CheongDam-dong is over the river’ the boy announced as he clicks on his seatbelt. ‘That’s near Gangnam-gu’
‘You don’t say’ SeungHyun rolled his eyes as he drove away.
The boy points out turns to take and short-cuts to follow, and soon they arrived at the junction where it will take them on a straight road across the bridge. Unfortunately, they were stuck in a traffic jam that's about half a mile long.
'So what is it that you did back there?' SeungHyun switches off the radio as it plays nothing but static for over a minute. 'Is it what I think it is?'
The boy was silent for so long that SeungHyun almost give up waiting for answers. 'I -um- provide -um- company for people who -um- you know, lonely'
He was talking slowly, with a lot of nodding and waving hand gestures. It's as if he was in a public speaking, thought SeungHyun.
'What do you mean?' The truth was, SeungHyun knew what the boy was talking about. He was just curious for details.
'I provide necessary support for -um- lonely women and -um- men' The boy said men in the lowest possible voice that SeungHyun almost didn't hear him.
'So you mean, you give sexual services in exchange for money?'
There was a silent again. 'Why? Are you going to report me to the police, Ahjusshi?'
'God, no!' SeungHyun shook his head.
The boy stretched in his seat. 'Well - Yes. That's how it goes'
'Did you say you'd provide services for men as well?'
'Ahjusshi, are you interested?'
Instead of a yes or no answer, SeungHyun just shrugged in respond. 'So how much are you making nowadays anyway?'
'It's an hourly rate' said the boy. '$50 for oral, $100 for going the whole way'
'$50 per hour, for oral?!' SeungHyun can't hide his shock. 'Who would choose to go by the hour just for oral?'
'You'd be surprised' said the boy with a faraway look in his eyes. When he realised what the boy meant, SeungHyun stiffens his body to suppress the shiver that trails up his spine.
The traffic moved a little before stopping again.
'So what's your name?'
'You can call me whatever names your fantasy wants'
SeungHyun gave him a look. The boy sighed. 'It's Kang JiWoo' he said.
'You know, I'm studying for Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. I can tell when someone's lying' Especially, he thought, when the name Kang JiWoo was taken directly off the signboard of a PC centre just across the street.
'You can call me GD' the boy said timidly, playing with the power window, rolling it up and down, letting the hot, polluted and noisy city air in. SeungHyun removed the boy's hand from the button at once.
'JiDi?' SeungHyun returns his hand to the 10 and 2 o'clock of his steering wheel. 'Spelled J-I, D-I?'
This boy doesn't really let himself away too much, he thought. Although he can tell he's telling the truth, there's something felt missing from the information.
'No, man' the boy scowled. 'GD, like the alphabet. It's short for G-Dragon'
SeungHyun flexed his tired fingers around the steering wheels as he lets this new information sink in.
'JiYong' he said out loud and the boy jumped.
'Wh-what?'
SeungHyun turned to him with a smile. 'Your name is JiYong'
'How do you - ?'
'Come on! It's just too obvious for me' The boy's look of shock alone confirms it.
The car moved again.
'What's your name?' JiYong asked.
'SeungHyun'
'And your last name?'
'What's yours?' SeungHyun looked at him as the traffic moved.
JiYong looked away, staring straight ahead at the Hyundai in front of them.
'It's Choi SeungHyun' he initiated, driving the car along the slow-moving traffic. Another few metres to go then he'll be able to escape the traffic light junction.
'Choi as in the World Department Store's Choi?' JiYong sounds interested for the first time.
SeungHyun flinched. Indeed that was one of their buildings. In fact, that's where he's heading right now. His Royal Suite Penthouse is waiting at the top-most floor of their hotel.
'There's lots of Choi family in Seoul' hoping that answer would throw away the bread crumb trails of his family.
'It's Kwon'
SeungHyun turned to him again. 'Excuse me?'
'My name is Kwon JiYong' he fumbled with his hoodie string. 'You know, you're pretty smart at figuring out that G-Dragon is a direct translation of JiYong'
SeungHyun can't help but smile proudly.
'So how old are you anyway?' said JiYong now showing interest in the folds of skin of his fingers.
'Twenty-one' SeungHyun tailgate the car in front of him and was able to escape the junction just as the traffic light turns amber.
'We're close then. I'm twenty'
'Then you can stop calling me Ahjusshi' SeungHyun gave JiYong one of his cheekbone smile. It made JiYong looked away, hinting a blush.
JiYong points the direction again and soon SeungHyun parked his car in the hotel driveway. SeungHyun gave his bags to the bell boy and his car keys to the valet. He then paid JiYong $300 cash, which JiYong hesitates to take.
'That's too many hundreds you got there'
SeungHyun pats his shoulder and shoved the dollar bills in JiYong's hands. 'Just take it. You're a good kid, for helping me like that'
'Th-thank you, Ahjusshi' he stammered. He bowed at SeungHyun twice before walks away to the bus stop just right in front of the mall. SeungHyun stayed around to see if the boy would take a cab now that he's a couple of hundreds richer, but he just stayed there waiting for the bus along with everyone else.
SeungHyun approached the bus stop and tapped JiYong on the shoulder from behind, which puzzles JiYong, evident from the look on his face. Hotel employees who just finished their shifts and was also waiting for the bus gave a collection of excited squeals when they saw him. He almost forgot that he had quite a fanbase in this part of town among their family employees.
'Let me buy you a hot drink' SeungHyun gestured towards the hotel with his head. JiYong looked like he was ready to decline, but SeungHyun placed a hand on his shoulder to show how much he insisted.
~ ~ ~
A hot drink was soon turned into supper. In the bright light of the hotel lobby, SeungHyun noticed how small and skinny JiYong is. He feels sorry for the kid, thinking that he must be starving that he ended up ordering a special supper set for JiYong. Since the hotel cafe was closed for the night, he ordered for the food to be brought up to his room. JiYong on the other hand can't help but marvelled at the Royal Suite.
'My whole apartment fits into this living room alone' JiYong told him. SeungHyun automatically looks at the living room floor area and can't imagine someone living in such a small space that he wondered if JiYong was exaggerating.
'Can I have a tour of the place?' JiYong turned to him with shining eyes.
'Of course' smiled SeungHyun, following him into the bedroom and the bathroom. He finds it amusing for someone to notice all the little things that SeungHyun had never really paid attention to before.
JiYong soon found the balcony, leans forward from the banister as he looks down at the street below which was still alive with activities.
'Please don't do that. You're making me dizzy' warns SeungHyun, which thankfully JiYong listens to at once.
Just then the doorbell rang and SeungHyun went to get it.
~ ~ ~
JiYong is not the type to eat much. SeungHyun said he was just buying him a hot drink, but when the guy ended up ordering a supper set instead, he felt like he can't just decline. So he ate what SeungHyun ordered, just to be polite. He practically cleaned the whole thing, thinking it would be rude to SeungHyun if he didn't. They ended up talking until late into the night in the living room. He finds himself attracted to SeungHyun’s deep, assuring voice that he keeps talking and asking questions just to hear SeungHyun speak. This type of voice was the kind that you can't get enough of, he thought to himself as he was listening to SeungHyun's description of Seoul city view from the top of Bukhansan.
Only when SeungHyun gave a yawn that JiYong finally looked at the time in his phone. 11.25pm. His heart heavy wondering if there's any buses or trains still available during that time, thinking that he had to go back to TaeYang.
'You know, you can just stay here' offered SeungHyun when JiYong expressed his worries.
'I can't'
'But what if -' SeungHyun gave a hesitant paused before he continues. 'What if I pay you?'
There was a stunned few seconds of silence from JiYong wondering if he had heard right.
'If I heard correctly in the car, you told me you also provide for men, didn't you?' SeungHyun looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
'Of course I did. But Choi SeungHyun-sshi, I charged by the hour' JiYong reminded him. 'I don't think you can afford me'
'So what?' SeungHyun said as-a-matter-of-factly. 'It's only $100 per hour. That sums up to - what? $1,200?'
JiYong listened to him with a stab of jealousy at how easy it seemed for SeungHyun to talk about a large sum of money like it's not much. Suddenly JiYong feels cheap.
‘Stay here with me. Don't go’ SeungHyun’s voice was low. His heartbeat quickens as SeungHyun touched his arms and moved slowly closer towards him while pulling his waist. JiYong stops SeungHyun just a couple of inches away from his face.
'I don't kiss on the mouth' he breathes, lost in the deep brown eyes of SeungHyun's.
SeungHyun nodded and instead kissed JiYong under his ears, run his lips a little along the jawline, before moving to his neck down to his shoulder. JiYong felt a white-hot dart of excitement. It's a kiss that melts JiYong completely in the arms of SeungHyun. His hands are running down JiYong's back as he eases JiYong to lie on the couch. Then SeungHyun pulls JiYong tightly towards him, and suddenly JiYong finds it hard to breathe. SeungHyun is already hard.
'Should we move to the bedroom?' SeungHyun whispered in JiYong's ears before licking it.
'Yes, please'
~ ~ ~
JiYong didn't even realised he had fallen asleep, until he woke up. He gets out of bed, slips on a bathrobe around himself, before feeling around for his jeans on the floor for his phone. 1.09am. He found about thirty missed calls and a few text messages.
TaeYang:
GD-ya. Where R U? =)
TaeYang:
Ya! G-Dragon! I'm worried. Call me back at once! >=(
TaeYang:
KWON JIYONG-SSHI! CALL ME BACK OR I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL REPORT YOU AS A
MISSING PERSON TO THE POLICE.
TaeYang:
JiYong-ah. Please call me. I'm scared for Ur safety right nw.
Don't text back. Call me! I wnt to hear Ur voice. I hv to make sure U're alright. ='(
JiYong glanced at the sleeping figure of SeungHyun on the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. He dialled TaeYang's number wondering if he's still awake at this hour. To his surprise, his roommate picks up at the first ring.
'Hello?' TaeYang's voice was cautious.
'YoungBae-ya'
'Where the fuck are you man?!' TaeYang's angry voice booms through the speaker that JiYong had to hold his phone away a few inches.
'I'm with the Ahjusshi, YoungBae-ya' he whispered to his phone hopefully loud enough for TaeYang to hear. 'He asked me to stay the night and I even got him to agree to pay by the hour'
'How much did you ask?' TaeYang's voice returned to its normal self.
'Our usual rate, of course!' he whispered. 'That's $1,200, YoungBae-ya! That's a lot of money, more than you and I made together in a week'
'Where are you?'
'CheongDam-dong. World Department Store, the hotel in front'
'Okey. Just be safe GD-ya. Make sure he pays you the moment he wakes up. Don't make him leave before he did'
'Don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow'
JiYong returns back to bed. He keeps remembering about the night he just had. As far as having sex with a man goes, SeungHyun is with experience indeed. JiYong felt his face blushing red and going hard again when he thought about SeungHyun's expert move in bed. He was very generous with JiYong too. Usually JiYong just lie on bed while he had men or women doing him, while his mind wandered elsewhere, making arousing noises like he enjoyed himself. No one was ever interested in giving him pleasure that he was giving them. But SeungHyun found his sensitive spot in a single thrust, making sure JiYong climaxed first before he follows after. He felt dizzy just thinking about it. He felt a movement from next to him and felt SeungHyun's hand clasps with his.
'Who were you talking to?' he asked sleepily.
'Just my roommate' JiYong interlocks his fingers with SeungHyun's. 'He was worried when I didn't come home'
SeungHyun kissed JiYong's hands and rests it on his bare chest where JiYong can feel his steady heart beat. 'Go back to sleep, JiYong-ah'