Chapter Text
Hongjoong had waited for this day to happen for weeks if not even months with how much his work had been these days.
Going out and onto the beach, being able to live the summer with not only being stuck in a hot and of sweat stinking office with getting one week off and spending it with his best friend who he had already known since they had lived right next to each other when they had still been kids. Hongjoong is looking forward to all of that as he sits next to said best friend who is driving them to their destination.
They had been on the road for over four hours by now with Hongjoong having driven for the first two and are soon going to finally arrive at the hotel they had chosen. With being friends for that long it is also no problem to share a room and only going with one bed in it, as that will make them save some money with just splitting the check for using the same room together.
San is just someone who Hongjoong does not mind spending his days with, which he can´t say about all of his friends. He barely can stand being with Mingi or Yunho for longer than two days with how hyper they both are. They always need action and can´t stand any quietness, which is why Hongjoong´s choice on who he will spend his summer vacation with had fallen rather quickly onto his best friend.
“I checked the area around our hotel,” said best friend lets out while turning left to get them onto the last express way before they will reach what will be their new home till Friday. “There is a really old and nice looking little town not far away. We can easily reach it by foot. Oh and they offer surfing lessons, so we could maybe take one to at least try it out.”
That is also why San is the most perfect friend to take with on vacation, as he is always making plans with nice and not too much activities for them to do.
“We will definitely not get bored this week, Joongie-hyung. But don´t worry, we will not have to do everything that I looked up. We can still just chill and enjoy to be at the beach.”
“So a mix of both then?”
“Yep, relaxing and doing typical touristic activities,” San nods. “And that until we will have to leave on Friday again.”
They had both not gotten more days off, but that is fine, as the whole scenery which is now passing them by is already promising a lot. There are many palm trees and the whole atmosphere is just screaming lets-have-the-best-summer-ever, something Hongjoong really hopes that they will have.
Their hotel is also giving the same vibe and making them feel as if they had arrived to five days full of sun, fun, and the beach. As alone the lobby, which they are now stepping in after finally having reached their destination, is decorated in a mix of beige and turquoise which creates a rather nice mood.
Sadly, the lobby is also one certain thing; packed with people who are all waiting in line to be able to check in. And right as San and Hongjoong want to do the same and get into the way too long line, the younger of them is suddenly letting out a gasp.
“Shit! I think that I forgot my wallet in the car.”
“For real?”
“Yeah, sorry, I will have to go back and get it,” San apologizes. “But with how long the line is, I will probably make it back before it will be our turn.”
Hongjoong can only nod with how fast his best friend is already gone and leaving him going to the end of the line to wait without him.
He uses that time to look around a bit and also outside, as the door to the rather big terrace is open. It really looks as good as on the pictures he had seen of this whole place on the internet and he can´t wait to go outside and to discover what there all is offered.
San should not actually need that long to come back again, as the parking lot is right next to the hotel and not miles away, but after several minutes, Hongjoong´s phone suddenly rings with the other´s name popping up.
“San-ah?” He answers rather worried and also turns around with trying to understand the other better, which works, as it cancels the noise coming from the people who are all in front of him. And as no one is standing behind him with him still being the last one, he is also not bothering anyone else with it. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah,” comes the quick answer. “Everything is fine, but there was a little situation, so it will take me a bit longer to get back to the lobby.”
“A little situation?”
“Yeah, nothing drastic, so don´t worry about it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep, positive. Just check us in without me and I will meet you at the lift later.”
“Okay, I will,” Hongjoong answers right as San ends the call for good. He is a bit confused about what had happened for the other to need longer to get back to the lobby, but as he is standing alone in line anyway, it will be no problem to check them in by his own.
Only when he turns back around, he ends up looking at the back of a guy who had not stood in front of him before. Something which definitely does not sit right with him.
“Uhm, excuse me?” He tries to get his attention with also tapping his shoulder. “I was already standing here before!”
“What?” The black haired and being as tall as Hongjoong guy turns around to play all dumb. “You were not actually standing here when you took the call, as you left.”
“I did not leave!” Hongjoong argues right away with ignoring the pretty muscular arms the other his showing with his tank top. Because that is something he usually would not ignore at all. “I only turned around and maybe slightly stepped back for a few seconds.”
“It was more than just that.”
“It was not! And even so, that doesn’t give you the right to cut me in line like that. Especially if you have seen me standing at that spot before, which you must have, as otherwise you would not have seen me taking that call in the first place.”
“Oh come on, you are acting as if I did something bad,” the other chuckles. “I didn’t steal anything from you.”
“Yes, you did steal something from me; my spot in line, you idiot!”
“It´s actually Wooyoung.”
“What?”
“My name,” the other makes clear. “It´s Wooyoung and not “you idiot”.”
“Well, you are still an idiot to me,” Hongjoong claims. “And a rather rude one too.”
“Please, it´s not that serious. You were the last one in line some minutes ago and you still are the last one in line now. So nothing has changed.”
“Asshole,” Hongjoong hisses under his breath, which Wooyoung still hears, as he only laughs before turning back around again while of course not giving up the spot which had first been his.
And as Hongjoong is not keen on starting a whole argument, he just lets him, as he does not want to let this idiot ruin his summer vacation.
Besides, with how the hotel is completely booked out for the whole week, he will probably not cross paths with him again, as there will be lots of other people also staying here with them.
-
“I´m so, so sorry, but you will not believe what happened to me at the parking lot,” San greets Hongjoong after he had finally joined him in the lobby with having gotten his wallet. “I met someone.”
“You what?”
“I met someone,” the other repeats as they start to make their way to the lift to get to their floor. “That is why I couldn’t tell you more on the phone. He actually saved me in the parking lot.”
“Why? What happened? Are you all right?”
“Yes, I´m fine, don´t worry. It was nothing bad. He just called out to me, which made me see the car which was about to pass me by.”
“Oh,” Hongjoong lets out, as that is thankfully not sounding too bad. “And what happened then?”
“He was all sweet and asking me if I was all right,” San tells him right as they are getting out on their floor and are now needing to look for their room which should be coming soon. “And then he offered to walk me to my car and then back to the hotel with me and as I didn’t want for us to rush with how good he looks, I called you to let you know that it will take a bit longer until I will come back.”
“Well, while you were meeting a real gentleman, I was meeting a freaking asshole.”
“What? Where?”
“In the lobby when I was standing in line to check us in,” Hongjoong explains as they are now walking into their room. They had already looked the double rooms their hotel offers up before and are thus not that surprised or in awe while letting their luggage drop to the ground in the middle of the rather spacious and tidy room. But what is actually a nice surprise is the view they are having from their balcony with being able to see the beach and water from up there.
“So did he wait with you in line then?” San wants to know. “Or how did you meet him?”
“Oh, he did wait with me in line, but only after stealing my spot from me.”
“Wait, so he cut you in line?”
“Yes, that is what Wooyoung did.”
“Wooyoung? Oh, so you are already on first name basis with him, huh?”
“This is not funny, San-ah. He was a stupid idiot and then he was also being rude and teasing me with it.”
“Awww, come on, Joongie-hyung. Don´t let that get to you. Besides, you had to wait for me anyway, so who cares.”
I do, is what Hongjoong would love to say, but he does not even get the chance to, as San starts to talk or more like gush about who he had met again.
Half an hour later, Hongjoong knows that said guy’s name is Yeosang, that he is having dark red hair, which he himself had too before leaving them at only being blonde for now, and that he had totally swapped San off his feet.
Something he is actually happy about, as San seems to already have a real bad crush on him. And although it may be a bit annoying to have to listen about their encounter again and again and again, he does not mind it that much. He would have even listened to it some more while changing into a new set of clothes and freshen up in the bathroom if he would not be as hungry as he is right now.
Their long drive to get to the hotel in the first place and them also skipping lunch for it had caused for his stomach to grumble for already the third time ever since they had made it into their room.
Thankfully, by now it is already time for dinner and as San had also changed into a fresh set of clothes and had used the bathroom real quick, they are both ready to go down to the restaurant and try out the much praised cooked meals there which they had read about before.
But before he can open the door to leave, he gets hold back by his best friend opening his mouth.
“Actually, Yeosang asked me if we would like to join him and his best friend for dinner,” San admits, which makes Hongjoong let go of the doorknob to turn towards him instead. “I didn’t say yes yet, but I really, really want to.”
“San-ah, I-“
“Pleaaaase, Joongie-hyung. Please just give this a try. He completely blew me away when I first saw and then talked to him and I really want to get to know him better and what better way to do that than to have dinner together, right? And you wouldn’t even have to worry about being the third wheel, as there will also be another person there, one who you will hopefully get along with. Which I am sure that you will, as if he is only half as sweet as Yeosang is, then-“
“San-ah!” Hongjoong interrupts with fearing that he will get a freaking headache with the way his best friend is nonstop speaking right now. “It´s fine, we can join them.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. I can see how much you are already liking this guy, so I won´t mind if you get to have this dinner with him.”
“Thank you, Joongie-hyung, because I do in fact already like him, which is actually a bit scary with me only just having met him.”
“San-ah, you managed to talk my ear off about him for almost a full hour after only spending what? Fifteen minutes with him?”
“Yeah, something like that,” San admits. “I´m sounding crazy right now, aren´t I?”
“No, you are not. I guess that this is just a case of having an immediate crush on someone you barely know and have just met.”
“So I am not that crazy to want to already spend way more time with him?”
“I think not. Because as it seems, he is also already wanting to spend way more time with you. It just happens that you are both here with your best friends, which makes that all a bit more difficult.”
“Which is why you are going to come with me and getting to meet and know his best friend then. Same as me actually, as I don´t know anything about said best friend of his yet,” San states. “Oh god, what if he will not like me? And what if he will tell Yeosang about it and convince him that I am just a waste of his time and that he should not see me again after having dinner with us and what if-“
“San-ah, stop! You are overdramatising this whole thing,” Hongjoong cuts in with a chuckle. “It will be fine and honestly, who cares if his best friend will like you or not? The most important thing is that Yeosang likes you and that seems to already be the case. So we will both just go downstairs, walk into that restaurant, and have a great time with them, all right?”
“All right,” San agrees with a smile. “Thank you, Joongie-hyung.”
It had been rather long since Hongjoong had last seen San being this nervous and at the same time excited to have dinner with some guy he had just met. He just hopes that this will not end up in a total disaster, because although he had tried to sound as happy and confident as possible about it to lift the other´s mood up, he is not that sure about that Yeosang-guy turning out to be the right guy for him.
He also at least hopes that he will be able to talk a bit to Yeosang´s best friend who is sitting in the same boat as him, which is already something they have in common, as they had both gotten here with wanting to spend the summer with their best friend.
But the second he steps into the restaurant of the hotel with San by his side who is pointing to a very specific table, he is burying that thought right away with seeing that it is none other than Wooyoung sitting next to a guy who is now standing up and also waving at them.
“San-ah,” Hongjoong holds his best friend back who is now also excitingly waving. “Please tell me that this guy is not the Yeosang we are going to join.”
“Why?”
“Because I already know the guy sitting with him at the table.”
“You do?” San asks surprised. “How?”
“Because that guy is the one I already had the displeasure to have met.”
“Wait, so that´s Wooyoung? The guy who cut you in line?”
“Yes, he is.”
“Oh, well then dinner is going to be real interesting,” San chuckles before he grabs Hongjoong´s arm to literally drag him to the other two without giving him any chance to complain some more. “Hi, Yeosang, and hi, Wooyoung.”
“How do you already know his name?” Yeosang wants to know right as he pulls the chair across from his out so that San can sit down with being a real gentleman. Something Hongjoong does not even notice with how busy he is with staring daggers at Wooyoung with how unpleased he is to have to see him again. Only that the other does not really seem bothered at it, as he is only smirking back at him right now.
“Hongjoong-hyung actually told me about him,” San explains to Yeosang who is now also sitting again, which makes the blonde be the only one who is still standing around. “He already met Wooyoung when he checked us in.”
“Yeah, and when he was being a rude ass to me,” Hongjoong can´t hold back. “Weren’t you, Wooyoung?”
“He was?” Yeosang asks right as Hongjoong finally sits down too. “You were?” He adds with turning to his best friend. “What did you do?”
“Nothing, I only cut him in line when he wanted to check in,“ Wooyoung states. “But if it makes you feel any better, I am really, really sorry about it. I shouldn’t have done it and I also shouldn’t have kept on teasing you when you were obviously not in the mood for it.”
“See, Joongie-hyung? He is actually feeling bad about it,” San lets out. “So it is all good now and we can just enjoy having dinner together.”
“He is not actually feeling bad about it, but whatever” Hongjoong mumbles before he clears his throat and faces Yeosang with knowing that the tone San had just used means that he should better not ruin this dinner with his crush for him. “So you are Yeosang. It´s nice to finally meet you after I had to hear San going on and on about the guy who saved him in the parking lot.”
“I didn’t actually save him,” Yeosang laughs. “Because even if I would have not said anything to him, he would have still been fine with how far away the car still has been. As honestly, I just wanted to have an excuse to talk to him.”
“Awww, that´s so cute of you,” San says in an unnecessary high voice while Yeosang blushes, Wooyoung laughs, and Hongjoong feels like getting up and leaving again. But he doesn’t, as he still does not want to ruin this for his best friend. Although it is already going pretty well for him, as Yeosang is now softly grabbing his hand and stroking over his skin which is making San duck his head while giving him a beaming smile.
Dinner stays going that well for San, as even when they get their ordered food, Yeosang is still finding a way to reach out for him somehow. Also, Hongjoong is pretty sure that those two are even playing footsie under the table, which he definitely does not need to see to believe. The little giggles they both let out while they are eating are already proof enough for it.
During their time sitting at the table together he also finds out that Yeosang and Wooyoung have known each other since high school and are the same age as San is and with it one year younger than Hongjoong. Something which Wooyoung seems to take as a direct invitation to call him “hyung”, which causes for Hongjoong to like nothing more than to punch him for real this time. Because every time the younger opens his mouth, he is using that special teasing undertone which is driving the blonde insane.
It´s as if nothing Wooyoung says is earnest and just something to make Hongjoong want to punch him more and more or to make him shut up in any other way while he is also stuck with having to see San and Yeosang being all sickenly cute together.
At least the delicious food is making up for it, as Hongjoong had ordered the steak with fries and a glass of red wine to go with. Still, that is definitely not enough alcohol to make it through the many conversations going on at their table.
Yeosang is actually seeming to be a really sweet guy, but with Wooyoung being his best friend and thus the reason Hongjoong has to sit here with the guy who had already made him so angry after first getting to the hotel, he is just not that keen on having to see him and San getting closer and closer.
It is a wonder that he had not gotten up and left at this point. As when it is time for dessert, Wooyoung is joking about them also sharing something as sweet as ice cream, just like San and Yeosang are. Hongjoong declines of course, but that does still not stop Wooyoung from sneakily stealing bits of the tiramisu he had ordered for himself.
Hongjoong is rather glad when he manages to finally leave the table after having paid for his meal. Yeosang and San are still sitting there and also planning to go to the bar next to spend more time together. Something he had not wanted to be a part of, same as Wooyoung who had also paid by now, but who had still needed to talk to Yeosang about whatever. Hongjoong had not wanted to stay long enough to find out about it.
Although it seems as it had not been anything which had taken them long to talk about, as he can see Wooyoung making his way to the lift he is already standing in. And with not wanting to deal with him again, Hongjoong tries to quickly push one of the buttons which should make the door close.
But with how bad his luck had already been this day, he does not manage to get it to close quick enough, as the other slides in right before the door actually closes and the lift starts to move.
“Did you seriously just try to get the door to close faster so that I won´t be able to make it anymore?” Wooyoung lets out while not seeming actually mad about it. It is quite the opposite, as he sounds rather amused. “That was not very nice of you.”
Hongjoong is biting his tongue to not reply while he only prays for them to get to their floor as fast as possible, because of course Wooyoung and Yeosang are staying on the same one as them.
“You do know that they will hook up, right?” Wooyoung continues with not being bothered by him not saying anything. “I mean look at how all lovey dovey they already were during dinner, so there is surely something going to happen soon.”
“They only met today,” the older can´t help but to answer with. “And that also only several hours ago.”
“And? Sometimes you don´t need long to feel a certain kind of way for someone.”
“You know what? I guess you are actually right, I mean I did not even fully speak to you yet and I already wanted to punch you in the face when you so rudely cut me in line.”
“See? We already have a romantic story to tell about how we two have met,” Wooyoung teases. “I bet our future grandchildren will have a real blast with it.”
“Oh, shut up,” Hongjoong tells him right as the door of the lift opens so that he can finally escape.
“Have a good night!” Comes Wooyoung´s shout from behind him. “I can´t wait to see you at breakfast tomorrow!”
“What?” Hongjoong mumbles to himself first before he stops and turns around to end up looking directly into the other´s eyes with how close they suddenly are after Wooyoung had quickly caught up to him. “Why are you talking about us having breakfast tomorrow?!”
“Because we surely will with our best friends hooking up. As I don´t think that they will want to spend much time apart at all over the next days.”
“Great!” The older shouts sarcastically. “That is just perfect!”
“Right?” Wooyoung smirks right as Hongjoong takes a step back with not liking how there is barely any space left between them. “I am loving it as much as you are.”
“I am not loving it in any way! Because I don´t want to have to spend more time with you!”
“Now that is just plain rude.”
“Maybe I am just plain rude then,” Hongjoong hisses. “Because you and your best friend are already ruining my summer vacation!”
“Oh, cry me a river,” Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “How about just being happy for Yeosang hitting it off with your best friend? They are really cute together.”
“They are annoying and so are you,” Hongjoong only halfway lies, as he is not actually thinking that Yeosang and San are annoying or that Yeosang is the one who is ruining his vacation, but when it comes to Wooyoung, he is meaning every single word of it. “And now excuse me, I would like to go to my room, take a long shower, and lie down to forget about the last hours even happening.”
“How funny, I am also planning to take a long shower before lying down myself. So we will be doing the exact same thing. Isn’t that cute?”
Hongjoong only takes a deep breath with not wanting to let the other get to him again, which is why he gives him an overly fake smile next before turning to make it to his and San´s room.
He had not lied; he really is in the need of taking a long shower to wash all those memories from having had to sit through dinner with Wooyoung away. And with it also the pictures of Yeosang and San getting on God knows which base by now.
-
Hongjoong has no idea how late it is or how long he had already been sleeping when he gets woken up by San basically jumping on top of him with also shouting his name.
“Joongie-hyung! Get uuuuup! I need to tell you something!”
“Then get off me first, jeez.”
The other thankfully does, but that does not help Hongjoong to open his eyes further without wanting to close them right away again with how bright the light in the room is.
“Joongie-hyung, you won´t believe what a great time I had,” San sighs dreamingly while Hongjoong can see that is is long after two am by now, at least according to the clock which is standing on his nightstand. “Me and Yeosang talked and kissed and talked and kissed and-“
“Talked and kissed, yeah, I get it, San-ah.”
“No, you do not get it. It was just so and he was just so and we were just so-“
“So what?”
“Perfect! Everything was just so, so perfect! Because he is perfect and this whole place here is perfect and-“
“Are you drunk?”
“Drunk on love, Joongie-hyung,” San sighs. “I am drunk on love.”
“No, I think that you are really just drunk,” Hongjoong states as he sits up and tiredly rubs over his eyes. “Seriously, how much did you have to drink with that guy?”
“That guy has a name and he is who I will spend my next days and nights with.”
“Days, okay. But nights? How are you going to do that? I thought that he was sharing his room with his annoying and idiotic best friend.”
“Yeah, he is, but only for tonight.”
“So is Wooyoung going to sleep somewhere else then? I thought that the hotel was booked out for the whole week. How did he manage to- oh, no!” Hongjoong basically shouts after getting what San is trying to say to him. “No! No! No, San! You will not switch rooms with him!”
“Yes, I will.”
“No, you will not, as I am not going to be staying in this room with him!”
“Too bad, as he already said yes to it. Same as me and Yeosang, so you are outvoted.”
“Outvoted?!” Hongjoong repeats in disbelieve. “This is not how this is going to work, San. You can´t just vote about it. If I don´t want to sleep in the same room and also freaking bed with him, then I won´t.”
“All right, then you can sleep on that armchair there,” San states with pointing to the small area where there is also a tv standing at. “I don´t care where you sleep. I just care about me sleeping in the same room and bed as Yeosang.”
“You just met that guy! How can you already- wait, what do you mean with Wooyoung having already said yes to it? Did you ask him before even coming back here?”
“He was actually still awake when I walked Yeosang to his room. And now that I think about it, he was the one who suggested a room switch in the first place, as he wanted to be a good friend and help Yeosang out.”
“He did what?”
“He suggested the room switch, which was really nice of him to do.”
“Nice of him to do?! He did that on full purpose only to annoy me again.”
“He did not,” San scoffs. “He was only trying to help, which you really aren’t right now. It´s just for four days and even only three nights, so get over it.”
“Get over it?!”
“Okay, are you going to repeat all of my last words now? And yes, you should just get over it. Wooyoung is really nice, Joongie-hyung, and he even apologized to you earlier. What else do you want him to do?”
“Get lost, that is what I want him to do. Besides, his apology was not that convincing or even meant at all.”
“Joongie-hyung,” San sighs before he sits down on Hongjoong´s side of the bed. “Listen, I really, really like Yeosang and yes, that already after only just having met him. He is sweet, attentive, hot as fuck, and he makes me laugh. You know how long it has been since someone managed to make me laugh like that? It´s been over three years.”
“Yeah,” Hongjoong replies in a whisper. “I know.” Because that is how long it had been since San´s last boyfriend, the former love of his life, had broken up with him and with it had also destroyed and shut off his heart for a really long time.
“So please, just let me at least try this with Yeosang and see where it will go, ok? I mean with him living within a pretty short driving distance from our town, this could be something which will not only be a summer fling, you know?”
“Fine,” Hongjoong gives in with seeing how serious his best friend is right now. “But you really owe me for this, San-ah.”
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” San lets out with a happy shout as he pulls him into his arms. “Also, I know and I will make it up to you, I swear!”
“Just stop with squeezing me this hard,” Hongjoong presses out and gets San to let go of him again. “So I will not spend as much time with you as I thought I would?”
“We will still have breakfast and dinner together and I promise that we will still go to the beach and do all the stuff we talked about. All right?”
“All right.”
“Great, and thank you, again.”
Hongjoong only weakly smiles as he watches how San gets off the bed to grab his sleeping clothes before disappearing into the bathroom.
He is actually not at all happy about having to say yes to letting Wooyoung switch rooms with San, but he also knows that his best friend must really mean it serious with wanting to get to know Yeosang better.
And as he remembers how down and completely broken San had been after his last boyfriend had broken up with him and how long it had taken for Hongjoong to get him back to being at least bits of his normal self again, he is not wanting to stand in his and Yeosang´s way, even if he is honestly thinking that there can´t be that much between them yet.
Although, with agreeing to the room switch, that will also mean that he will have to spend the next three nights with Wooyoung in a way too small space where he will not really be able to go out of his way.