Work Text:
jiwoong had always been proud of his work as an actor. of course, even if he wasn’t part of the A-lister elites who no longer have to worry if they would still be relevant tomorrow, it was still a career that he had no regrets in choosing.
he enjoys the work. he enjoys being able to live multiple lives and bring these characters to life for the audience to enjoy and interpret. it’s in this work that he was able to discover and experience new things, honing skills he can only describe as memorable and educational which he hopes to apply in his future endeavors as an actor.
for the first time, after three years of back and forth as either a one-time cameo or a dismissed side character whose storylines always get rushed for the sake of the leads, jiwoong was finally given the chance to shine as a lead in his own right. the moment his talent managers walked up to him, script in hand, with the biggest smiles he has ever seen on them, he knew that the news was better than hearing he would be bumping elbows with the main lead— he is the main lead.
so to say that whatever would be the people’s response to his turn in the spotlight would be a huge deal to him would be a complete understatement.
as a week has passed after premier, jiwoong made the adventurous— as he would describe it— decision to go undercover and watch his movie in public, hoping to see people’s reactions in the theater.
but he definitely underestimated the movie’s attraction, finding out from the ticket clerk that all regular theaters were filled and only the exclusive ones were available— the ones that weren’t filled with ordinary movie seats but, rather, a whole bed in the theater.
jiwoong could only pray that it doesn’t get too packed. otherwise, he’d be sharing a bed with a whole stranger.
unfortunately for him, his prayers go unheard. as he watches the theater room get filled at every passing minute, almost every bed getting occupied not even thirty minutes before the showing, jiwoong could only expect for the worse. he was relieved for a quick moment when the lights went out and he was still soloing the bed, thinking that maybe things would go smoothly as anticipated. but as the film has started rolling its production houses, the door opens once more, one last audience member making an entrance.
jiwoong pretends not to pay them any mind until eventually, he feels someone looming over the other side of his bed.
“um,” the other person awkwardly calls out to him, “is it okay if i take this side?”
the actor looks around the theater, hoping to redirect the stranger at another vacant bedside. sadly, there were none. so he relents.
“sure,” he answers softly, letting the stranger take the other side.
“thanks,” the other minds their manners, “i’m hao, by the way. just thought it would be proper to introduce myself.”
jiwoong only nods, not wanting to expose himself.
throughout the movie, jiwoong’s attention was split. half from watching his own work, while the other was taking small glances over to hao’s side. if he was going to get feedback, the closest he can get them is his own.. bedmate?
hao would have reactions here and there, some offhanded comments that honestly made jiwoong giggle softly without letting the other know he was amused. other times, he can see hao look confused, maybe on some decisions by the characters that made him feel like he was watching a friend make a stupid mistake. jiwoong found him adorable. the more the movie went on, the more jiwoong found himself watching hao more than the actual film. but there was something that he noticed with his bedmate. something that ticks him off now that he’s noticed it.
“ugh, this fucking guy,” jiwoong hears hao groan, looking at the screen just to see his own face.
this stuns the actor, not expecting someone to have such a negative reaction of him. it almost made him want to retract ever thinking hao was funny or of nice company. the fact the other didn’t seem so fond of him honestly gutted jiwoong a little.
but he wants to know why hao seemed so put off by him, eventually finding the voice to talk to the other for the first time.
“you don’t like the main lead?” he asks carefully, slightly changing his tone of voice so hao wouldn’t recognize him instantly.
hao becomes stunned for a moment when he finally heard his bedmate’s voice, before eventually looking at the screen once more and crossing his arms.
“he doesn’t look so into it,” the other responds, watching as the scene shows jiwoong and his leading lady have a gut-wrenching conversation regarding their relationship.
jiwoong was not expecting such an answer.
him? not being into it? impossible! he put his very being into that script! how is he not into it?
“care to elaborate?” jiwoong adds on, almost like a threat if hao was listening close enough.
“his shoulders are stiff. his face seems monotonous. his voice isn’t giving much effort aside from a few syllabus tone changes, and on top of that,” hao pauses in his words, eyes seeming to glare at the screen in front of him with a look so condescending, it was as if he was cursing jiwoong’s entire existence. jiwoong looked at to what hao was seeing and right in front of him was his kiss scene with his co-star. he sees hao scowl, eyes rolling amidst the dim light of the room only illuminated by the movie screen, “this man can’t even kiss!”
and that hits the final nail in the coffin. him? unable to kiss? he needs to protect his pride.
“what!” jiwoong lets out in his normal voice, his voice a little louder than appropriate but still hushed so only hao could hear, “you’re just hating now.”
“nuh uh! just look at him!” hao points to the screen, jiwoong’s character still kissing with his co-star, “this man isn’t even making much effort! he doesn’t look like he’s into the kiss whatsoever! if i didn’t know any better, i’d say he’s obviously gay.”
jiwoong is taken aback by that statement. first of all, that was uncalled for! if hao was talking about anybody else, he would have dragged them all the way to the exit just for talking that way. but second to that, hao is completely right. oh god, was it obvious? he can’t help but deflate in his spot as he turns his attention back to his work, hyper-focusing and analyzing his movement if it really did scream “straight for pay”.
“honestly, he’s really handsome. i like his voice too. he’s exactly my type,” hao sighs, arms still crossed, “shame he kisses like that.”
jiwoong can no longer accept these hits to his pride. if he was to get a point across, words wouldn’t be enough. without much thought, he puts his hood down, face finally in view as he turns to hao. the other doesn’t seem to notice it at first until he feels the actor place his fingers on his chin, forcing him to look his way. the moment hao realized who he had been dealing with, his voice gets caught in his throat, unable to make a noise.
jiwoong leans closer onto him, eyes sharp with challenge and determination. he’s not gonna let hao walk out of this theater without a changed mind.
“want to test that for yourself?” he says to hao a breath-width’s apart.
hao remains frozen in his spot, heat rising to his cheeks and ears, as the other’s could feel hao so incredibly shaken like a leaf in his touch.
jiwoong doesn’t wait for an answer, closing the gap between them.
he takes him all in, watching the way hao reacts to his every move, kisses bound by instinct but also calculations. jiwoong would have to admit, for such a bratty mouth, he would also say it’s quite a shame that it’s attached to such a pretty face, and maybe a part of him is reeling the other in purely out of attraction with his pride as an excuse. but hao doesn’t need to know that… yet.
as he pulls away, he looks at hao’s face, eyes blown with his mouth gasping, breath taken.
jiwoong seems satisfied, pride protected. he was about to pull away completely, let hao walk out of there with this kiss as his main takeaway, not long before he feels a hand grab onto his hoodie pulling him in for another one, dragging him down onto the bed as hao lays down leading jiwoong’s body to go on top of his.
the actor doesn’t push away, rather, taking this chance to let himself indulge.
he meets hao all over again, learning him in a new way as he feels himself take up on the other’s offer. he kisses hao with much fervor, brushing his fingers over the boy’s cheeks as he takes hao’s frame in his hold. hands going trail the boy’s waist, pulling each other closer as they get lost in how each other tastes.
jiwoong pulls back a bit, just to see how hao is holding up, and he feels his ego preen when he sees the weight of the other’s breathing, hands roaming underneath his hood with cold palms met with the heat of his bare back. hao lets out a quiet moan, raising a hand up to cup jiwoong’s cheek. the actor melts into the touch briefly, before being pushed away by hao, leading the both of them to sit up from where they were.
hao didn’t seem to hate it. in fact, he looks at jiwoong once more before pressing another peck on the lips and pushing him away once more.
jiwoong has to thank for the cinema’s dim atmosphere, otherwise, it would have been a little embarrassing.
“you’ve made your point,” hao concedes, attention returning to the screen, “you just needed a better partner, that’s all.”
jiwoong laughs at the indication, moving closer to hao.
“yeah? wanna be that?”
hao looks at him briefly, then returning his eyes back on the screen.
“hmm.. i don’t know about dating actors.”
jiwoong pulls him by the waist and closer, nosing him at his cheek to egg him.
“so is that a yes?”
hao doesn’t pull away.
“i’m free on sundays.”
— FIN.