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hyun is the kind of guy who would overwork himself to the point of pure exhaustion. it's exactly what he has been doing for the past three weeks and that's probably why he is being dragged to an ice cream shop to hang out with his friend, jay, and some guy he doesn't know. he just allows it to happen, despite how much he doesn't want to be pulled away from his training.
that is until they walk into the shop and hyun sees the most beautiful man he thinks he has ever seen. the man has faded blue hair that perfectly complements his skin, soft-looking lips, and striking features overall. hyun had no idea a man could look like that. he watches the man's wide eyes light up and a smile emerge on his face when he notices jay. by the time hyun has registered what's going on, the man is already talking to them.
"i'm wumuti by the way" is all that hyun catches.
"oh, uh... i'm jinhyung" he barely manages to say without falling over his own words.
wumuti smiles again and hyun's insides flip. the feeling is sudden and completely kills any appetite he previously had. his friend goes to get ice cream, but hyun doesn't move to order at all.
"are you not getting anything?" wumuti asks hyun, breaking the slightly awkward silence between the two.
"i don't think i should. i'm supposed to be dieting" hyun responds.
wumuti nods in understanding. from there, the silence between them re-emerges until jay returns with an ice cream in hand. he sits down and immediately starts telling wumuti about how hardworking hyun is and how he often pushes himself too far. it makes hyun a little embarrassed. his cheeks turn a deep shade of pink and he's suddenly glad he decided to wear a mask.
hyun listens as the two extroverts talk about this and that. he isn't even fully sure he's listening or if he is just watching wumuti's lips as he explains his opinions on something. he is just deeply infatuated by the man. a couple hours of hyun watching wumuti talk pass and they say their goodbyes. hyun knows deep down that he will never see the man again, but maybe it's for the best. he really needs to focus on his training, not a man he wouldn't have a shot with anyways.
hyun and jay head in the opposite direction from wumuti. he turns around and watches the man walk away, just to get one last look at him until he turns a corner. hyun stares at the empty road as his cheeks redden yet again. jay notices hyun's longing gaze and red cheeks. he lets out a humored huff as he taps hyun's shoulder to get his attention.
"you were really quiet tonight" jay points out casually.
"yea. i've been a bit tired" hyun answers quietly.
"tired or focused on staring at wumuti?"
fuck. hyun had hoped jay didn't notice. his ears turn red and that makes jay laugh.
"so you were staring at wumuti..." jay muses. "it was really obvious that you're into him, you know. you should be a little more careful."
hyun doesn't respond verbally. he's completely embarrassed, but also a bit relieved that it won't happen again. he doesn't need to make a fool out of himself. he's supposed to be idol material.
hyun keeps devoting himself to his work after that. in fact, he pours even more of himself into training and perfecting his craft. he is determined to debut and make it as an idol so he spends all of his time practicing. when he is tired, he powers through. when his company ends his contract, he wastes no time in finding another company, attending auditions at every opportunity. it doesn't take him long to find a new label. as soon as a label signs him as a trainee, he asks when he can start. hyun is determined to get back into the practice room as soon as he can.
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hyun dives right back in when he gets to the new company. he attends a vocal class in the morning before doing independent practice for a couple hours. as the day goes on, hyun starts feeling like he has more energy and more life back in his step. he didn't even realize how much he missed being a trainee, even though his time away only lasted a couple weeks.
later in the evening, he is scheduled to attend a dance class. it isn't his most comfortable skill, but he isn't nervous like he usually is. when he walks into the room, hyun's eyes fall on a familiar face. he nearly freezes in that moment, but he shakes it off. he just needs to get through class.
hyun places his water bottle against a wall and pretends wumuti isn't around. he focuses all of his attention on the instructor. he does his best to follow along with the class, but he eventually can't help how his eyes wander. he glances at wumuti from time to time. hyun notices the way he has so much energy when he dances, the way his expressions perfectly match the lyrics of the song they're working on, how his features have changed since they last met.
he tries to shove away the familiar feeling that is bubbling in his chest. he keeps making mistakes because of how much he keeps looking at the other man. plus, he really doesn't need wumuti noticing the way he stares. hyun just keeps repeating the word "focus" in his mind on an endless loop as he dances, trying to be aware of every tiny movement in his body instead of the ethereal man to his left.
after what feels like hours of an agonizing attempt at self-restraint, the instructor ends class. hyun nearly falls to his knees from the mental and physical exhaustion that run through his body. he slowly sinks down on the ground as his breathing starts to even out. he looks up and sees wumuti looking straight at him. hyun knows he has to say something in that moment so the first words he can think fall from his lips:
"hyung, do you not remember me?" hyun inquires without thinking about how it sounds and how he looks in this moment.
wumuti looks a bit taken aback. he chuckles and runs a hand through his hair. his cheeks turn a little pink as he gets visibly flustered.
"we met a while back" hyun adds, hoping it will jog wumuti's memory.
"i'm sorry. i can't remember. could you remind me where we met?" wumuti asks awkwardly.
hyun is a little disappointed that wumuti doesn't remember him, completely forgetting that he was wearing a mask the entire time. he tries to not let it show on his face.
"i'm friends with jay. he brought me to hang out with you... we went to an ice cream shop."
"oh! you're the guy who was wearing a mask. it's jinhyung, right?"
hyun tries to not turn red at the sound of his name in wumuti's voice. it makes his heart skip in a way it never had before.
"yea... you can call me hyun, though."
"ok. hyun it is then... have you eaten?"
in that perfect moment, hyun's stomach growls. he didn't realize how hungry he was and how long it had been since he last ate. wumuti lets out an amused huff at the timing.
"that answers my question" wumuti teases. "why don't we get you some food?"
wumuti holds his hand out to hyun in case he needed help getting up. hyun blinks at his hand for a moment before accepting wumuti's assistance. they stand in front of each other, still holding hands for a beat too long. hyun quickly pulls his back and looks away.
"thank you, hyung" hyun mumbles.
"no worries" wumuti replies as if he doesn't notice the tension emanating from the younger man.
the two leave the studio together and find a cheap restaurant down the road. wumuti treats hyun to a meal and they chat for what could have been forever. through their talk, they exchange casual touches and glances. it was going to be hard enough for hyun to get over wumuti's beauty, but now he also had to try desperately to not fall for his personality as well. it was a dream come true and his worst nightmare rolled into one.
after dinner, wumuti decides to hyun back to his dormitory. they fall into a much more comfortable silence than the one they shared the last time they met. this moment makes hyun feel like he is truly starting to get close with wumuti, even though they had only met once before that day. when they get to his door, hyun has to bite his tongue to keep himself from asking wumuti to stay. a part of him wants to, but another thinks that would be overstepping, so he quickly wishes wumuti a good night and closes the door to his dorm.
when hyun is finally alone, he walks over to the sink to splash his face with cold water. it's as though he is trying to wash away his feelings. when that doesn't work, he tries to journal, but that only makes his feelings more apparent. he flops into his bed and tries to think of anything except for wumuti until he falls into a dreamless sleep.
hyun falls into a new cycle at this label. for months, he practices all day, then hangs out with wumuti when practice ends, all before trying to force away the creeping romantic attraction he feels towards the other man. it wasn't the healthiest cycle, but it is the only thing keeping him from doing something stupid like changing agencies or avoiding wumuti completely.
as time goes on, the cycle morphs to include wumuti more and more. their morning starts with having a coffee and breakfast together before they help each other practice their vocals. then wumuti helps hyun with choreography before they have classes. once they're done for the day, they immediately find each other and eat dinner together. it's a familiar rhythm for hyun and he even gets used to wumuti being by his side 24/7 after a while.
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it's a typical tuesday when wumuti suddenly says he and hyun need to talk about something serious. it makes getting through the day a bit harder. "something serious" could mean 50 million different things. it could mean wumuti is going back to china. it could mean he's sick and won't be able to practice for a while. most nerve-wracking, it could mean wumuti has realized hyun has feelings for him. whatever it is, hyun knows that he isn't emotionally prepared for whatever wumuti will throw his way. he mindlessly drones through the day until they sit down at the ice cream shop they first met at.
"i'm moving to a different label" wumuti starts while they both eat their ice cream.
this was the last thing hyun expected to hear. his eyes widen and he tries to force a smile.
"oh wow! i'm happy for you. why are you making the change?" hyun asks.
"i was scouted by a pretty small company and they offered a lot of artistic freedom. they said they would let me produce my own music and pick my own concepts. they even are going to help me sell my art."
wumuti's eyes sparkle as he speaks. his smile also gets wider and wider as he gives each benefit of switching to this other label. it makes sense for him to go in this direction. hyun feels like he should be happy for him, but instead, he feels a gripping pain in his chest and has to stop tears from forming in his eyes.
"that sounds perfect for you" hyun manages.
the rest of the evening is a blur. he doesn't remember any of the conversation or even the name of the label wumuti is going to be joining. j something and company? he can't think straight enough to recall. hyun just coasts through, feeling more and more numb as time goes on, only allowing the feelings to be released when he is finally alone.
when he enters his dorm, he doesn't rush to wash his face with cold water and push away his feelings. instead, he crumbles into a ball on his bed and allows the tears to finally run down his cheeks.
hyun thinks about all the memories he has with wumuti: every practice that lasted too long, every late night snack run, every day off and holiday that wumuti insisted they spend together, every time their hands brushed accidentally. it all flashes through hyun's mind like a montage. then the moments he had dreamt of sharing with wumuti in the future start playing. their debut together, their first mcountdown performance, their first radio show, their first kiss. it breaks him even more than thinking of the past. he grieves the things he feels like they will experience separately instead of together like how he desperately wanted.
but most importantly, hyun allowed himself to accept that he is this broken about it because he is in love with wumuti.
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wumuti leaves and the two slowly fade apart as their lives shift. hyun is busy with his training. wumuti is busy with his own and later boys planet as well. it hurts hyun's heart to know that they're in such separate places in life. he wants to just drop everything and just hug wumuti, but he can't.
before too long, hyun falls into his old routine. he spends all of his time practicing. when he is tired or sick, he powers through. when he wants to cry, he powers through. all he wants is to keep to himself and debut. he doesn't want to think about his love for wumuti or fall for someone else. he just wants to pretend his feelings don't exist.
whenever he is alone with his thoughts, they wander to the other man. he wonders if wumuti thinks of him and cries over him the way he does. from there, the what ifs start.
"what if muti hyung and i never met?"
"what if he never left?"
"what if we debut separately?"
questions like those swirl in his mind like an endless record until he falls asleep and starts his daily loop all over again.
but as all his cycles do, this one comes to an end too. this time, it's when his company tells him they've canceled his debut and his traineeship would be ending immediately.
he feels like he has lost everything. the two things he loves most in the world are no longer within reach. he packs his bags and decides to go on a walk. he holds back his tears as he aimlessly wanders around. then he sees that stupid ice cream shop and the flood gates open. he sits on the ground and leans against a wall, staring up at the sign. he doesn't want to cry, but now he can't stop the tears.
all he wants is to hear wumuti's comforting voice in that moment. he shakily pulls his phone out and finds his contact, hitting call before he can overthink.
"hyun! it's been a long time" wumuti answers with a bit of excitement in his voice.
"hyung..." he whimpers.
wumuti gets worried in an instant when he hears hyun's broken tone. it makes his heart ache. you can hear the pain when he asks "hyun? are you ok? what's the matter?"
"my label dropped me. i don't know where to go from here. i don't think i'll ever be an idol" hyun confesses between sobs.
"well... maybe you still have a chance."
hyun's tears stop in an instant at those words. he's confused and a little bit intrigued at this point.
"what do you mean, hyung? i've had debut plans canceled on me twice now... there's no way"
"i'm actually forming a group. i would love it if you were in it"
hyun's eyes light up in that moment. he stands up from the ground quickly from the shock.
"really? you want me in your group? you can get me in your group? are you serious?" he asks in one breath, making wumuti smile on the other side of the call.
"of course. i think you would really suit the concept too."
wumuti explains the genderless concept he wants for the group and all the details he has come up with. it's a lot and hyun isn't too sure he can do it, but he agrees nevertheless. he would do anything wumuti thought he could.
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within days, hyun moves in with wumuti and they start working together to prepare for the debut. it feels right to be around wumuti and practicing with him again. they go right back to spending all of their time together right away. they're never apart for more than a day. it's intense, but it feels natural for both of them.
hyun especially enjoys when they are in the studio together late at night. wumuti is working on writing a potential debut song and hyun lounges on a couch in the back of the studio as he listens to wumuti hum to himself. every so often, wumuti will turn to hyun and have him hum something back to him to see if it sounds right in his voice too. after hours of this, hyun can feel his eyes getting heavy. being with wumuti in the dim studio like this is so relaxing to him. it makes him feel at peace in a way nothing else does. so much so that he falls asleep right then and there.
wumuti eventually notices and smiles at his sleeping figure. he rolls his chair over to hyun and gently rubs his shoulder to wake him up. when hyun's eyes open, the first thing he sees is wumuti's much-too-close face. his cheeks flush within seconds.
"we probably should head back to the dorm" wumuti offers softly.
hyun nods, not wanting to try to speak just to end up stuttering.
but wumuti doesn't roll back right away. he stays right where he is, looking straight into hyun's eyes. hyun allows his gaze to roam over his face, tracing his features. his eyes dance from his warm gaze to his cute nose to his soft looking lips back up to his eyes. hyun is drawn to everything about wumuti. he feels this magnetic pull whenever he is close to wumuti, but this is different. there's nowhere else to look because the other man is so close. he knows that he's totally screwed. he can feel himself moving closer and closer until his lips and wumuti's touch. wumuti's eyes widen for a moment, but they flutter shut quickly as he returns the kiss.
once hyun realizes what he is doing, his eyes shoot open. he quickly pushes wumuti away and jumps up from the couch. he stares at the older man for another moment before he rambles "i'm so sorry. i don't know what got into me. that was crazy. i'm so sorry. i'm gonna head back first."
hyun runs out of the studio and straight to their shared dorm. he locks himself in the bathroom and looks in the mirror while his breath settles. his cheeks are pink and there's sweat dripping slowly from his forehead. he looks at his lips and reaches up, brushing the bottom one with his finger.
"i can't believe i kissed him like that... he's gonna hate me" hyun thinks aloud.
he turns the water on as cold as he can and splashes he face. maybe this was a dream and he will wake up in a reality where he didn't suddenly kiss wumuti. maybe everything will be ok after his face completely freezes. now that he has acted on his feelings, he desperately needs to shut them out. he needs to forget that he is in love with wumuti. he can't love him like this.
after what feels like an hour, but was maybe 15 minutes, hyun hears a knock at the bathroom door.
"hyun, are you in there?" he hears wumuti inquire.
in that moment, it hits him that the kiss wasn't a dream. hyun is so mortified he wants to curl up in the shower and never leave.
"no" hyun says. it's a stupid lie and he doesn't know why he says it, but it makes wumuti laugh.
"do you want to talk about what happened?"
"no" hyun replies again.
"why don't you?"
"i'm embarrassed. i shouldn't have done that. i'm sorry."
wumuti pauses. it makes hyun anxious. he could be right about to tell him off or kick him out of the group. he braces himself physically and emotionally for what's to come.
wumuti finally breaks the silence by sheepishly confessing "don't be. it was nice."
hyun feels like his stomach is doing a million back flips in that moment as the words echo in his mind.
"it was nice?" hyun repeats, confused.
"maybe you should try it again? for real this time?" wumuti proposes.
now, hyun is back to being sure this is a dream. he pinches his arm just to check. he can't believe this isn't. this is reality and wumuti just asked him to kiss him. he opens the door just a crack, enough for him to see wumuti's expression.
"do you mean that?"
"i do... you kissing me made me feel something i didn't expect" wumuti responds.
hyun fully opens the door and steps out of the bathroom. hyun pauses for a moment to look down into wumuti's doe-like eyes. he watches the way they sparkle and pays close attention to how he looks at him. something in his eyes is actually different from anything he had seen before. it makes his stomach knot. hyun finally closes the bathroom door behind him and steps closer to wumuti. they're now inches apart and hyun can feel his heart racing in his chest.
wumuti wastes no time and grabs hyun by the collar of his jacket. he pulls the man in and crashes their lips together. hyun gasps, which allows wumuti to deepen the kiss.
hyun is in shock. his lips move naturally against wumuti's. it just feels right. what feels even more right is the way wumuti's hands start to gently rub his cheeks and the way his own grip at the other man's hips. he doesn't even know when he grabbed onto wumuti. all he knows is that each brush of his thumbs on his cheeks sends more and more warmth through his body. he can't handle it. he's overwhelmed and completely flushed so he breaks the kiss. his gaze finds wumuti's right away.
"please tell me this isn't some sick joke" hyun whispers breathlessly.
wumuti smiles at how cute the other man is in that moment. his cheeks are pink but his ears are crimson. the look in his eyes is almost like a kicked puppy. he can tell hyun is preparing himself for the worst. he removes his hand's from his cheeks and instead gently holds his broad shoulders.
"i'm completely serious. when you kissed me, something felt different. i don't know what it is yet, but i know that we can't go back to being best friends. there's something more there and i want to explore that with you" wumuti confesses softly.
hyun is weak in the knees at this point and he can't even form the words to respond. he just stares at wumuti in pure shock. it makes the older man let out a warm chuckle that sends a shiver straight up hyun's spine.
"why don't we explore this more? right now" wumuti offers.
hyun is now in a tailspin. he swallows back a lump in his throat and nods. he just wants wumuti's lips back on his as soon as possible.
wumuti grabs hyun's hand and guides him into his bedroom. he sits the taller man get onto the bed so he can push him onto his back and crawl on top of him. hyun stares up at him. he wants to memorize every bit of this etheral view he has of wumuti, but his staring is cut short when the older man dives down and captures his lips in a heated but slow kiss. it drives hyun insane to be in this position. he allows his hands to roam over wumuti's back and slide under his shirt, needing every bit of contact he can get.
as the kiss slowly gets deeper and deeper, a tension starts to fill the room that neither of them can deny. both of them keep pushing boundaries further and further. hyun allows his hands to tightly grip the other man's waist. wumuti gently bites hyun's lip, making the younger man gasp. it makes wumuti smile before he decides to pull away. hyun whines at the loss of contact.
"hyung... why did you stop" hyun questions as he opens his eyes.
hyun's face says it all. his lips are swollen from the kiss but he still manages to pout in a way that makes the older man melt. his eyes are filled with love and lust alike. it's clear how much he wants him.
"i needed to see you" wumuti answers with a soft gaze.
it makes hyun blush again. his ears turn red in an instant. hyun has always been adorable to wumuti, but he has never found him cuter than he does in this moment. he's so flustered but excited. the almost contradictory combination turns wumuti on even more. he needs to get hyun more worked up so he asks "can i try something?"
hyun doesn't know what to expect, he hasn't this entire time. he still nods in response and it emboldens wumuti to grind his hips down onto hyun's. the younger man gasps and he can feel himself get hard. he can feel wumuti's dick twitch in his pants as he continues to move his hips. it's electrifying.
"hyung" escapes hyun's lips.
"do you like that" wumuti asks with a knowing glint in his eye.
hyun nods again as his eyes flutter shut. his hips buck up slightly, seeking more friction. the feeling of wumuti's cock against his own is almost overwhelming, even when they're both fully clothed. he just needs to feel all of wumuti. he needs to feel connected to him in every possible way, physically and spiritually.
when wumuti finally lets out a noise, it sends a shockwave through hyun's body. he has never heard a sound so beautiful and so arousing in his life. he is desperate to make him moan like that again. he wraps his legs around the other man to keep his hips firmly on his. both of them flush a deep shade of red as wumuti moves down and kisses him with a softness that catches hyun off guard. it's romantic and completely in opposition with what is happening in the lower half of their bodies. every inch of him burning up and he starts to feel a familiar knot form in his stomach. he can't cum this quickly. he needs a moment. he pulls wumuti's hair, breaking lips away from his so he can say something, anything.
"muti hyung... so close" is all that hyun can get out coherently.
"you wanna cum for me, baby" wumuti asks breathlessly.
something about the tone of his voice sends hyun's mind into a tailspin. he can't say no now. he can tell his hyung wants him to cum and he wants to make his hyung happy.
"please" hyun chokes out.
wumuti presses a tender kiss on his forehead and smiles down at him before whispering "we can cum together... just let go."
hyun can't hold back anymore. his eyes roll back and his mouth falls open as he spills into his underwear. he lets out a whine that sends wumuti careening over the edge right after him. hyun's name falls from wumuti's lips and he thinks that may have been the sound of an angel.
they both slowly come down from their orgasms, breathing heavily. hyun pulls wumuti down into his arms and buries his face in his neck.
"muti hyung... please tell me this isn't a one time thing" hyun begs, muffled into his skin.
wumuti's eyes soften. that wasn't what he expected to hear right after they did what they did. he takes a moment to consider the question. something about kissing hyun and being intimate with him feels so right. they fit together like a puzzle. he knows that it can't be a one time thing, but he wonders how deep this will go. he takes a slow breath, trying to listen to his heart on the matter.
"it won't be, but i don't think i want this to only be sex either" he admits as he turns them over onto their sides so he can move his hand into the younger man's hair.
those words are the most comforting thing wumuti could have possible said. hyun's grip loosens a little bit and he removes his head from the older man's neck so their eyes can meet. hyun's gaze is loving, content, and longing all at once.
"i'm glad. i don't think i would be able to handle it if this was... i've had feelings for you for a very long time: feelings i've never had for anyone else before. they're not something i could push aside" hyun professes.
"maybe we should start dating from today" wumuti half jokes.
at least deep down, they both know that's what they want. it may be a little fast, especially considering that wumuti's feelings for hyun are new, but their friendship developed just as quickly. it seems like a bad idea on paper, but it feels so right.
"maybe we should" hyun repeats, content.
he presses a small peck onto wumuti's lips. it doesn't last more than a second, but that alone conveys what words could not. they stare into each other's eyes for a while until wumuti finally says they need to clean up.
they hesitate to get up but they both shower and crawl back into wumuti's bed. hyun pulls the shorter man into his arms and buries his face into his chest.
"good night, hyung" he whispers as wumuti's breaths slow.
soon after, hyun falls asleep in the first restful sleep he has had in years. he didn't realize how much being lovelorn had affected him until that night. now he's just glad it's over and that the man he loves is finally in his arms.