Work Text:
Choi Beomgyu, 26, just finished his degree. The only son of a RICH, rich businessman who, unsurprisingly, had unlimited money to his name. Famous name. With his tiktok followers reaching 2.3M, Beomgyu was known as tiktok content creators who ‘has too much daddy money on his hand’. His content is always about some expensive hobbies, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on common things that definitely pass as scam to others, or travelling to random countries for a cup of ‘special house tiramisu’. He's kind though. Made it fun enough for people to keep watching and wishing they got a friend like him. Very once in a while, he’d do fun charity content, like bringing gifts for orphanages, visiting run-down animal shelters, giving them some funds and supplies hoping it’d help the place a little, or just doing simple challenges of buying things for random followers he met in the public, because his grandma always reminds him to care for others. Beomgyu is just a lovely and fun young rich man. Showy, a little. But it's definitely not a new thing for these kinds of rich folks.
Choi Yeonjun, 28, would soon inherit the family hotel business, Beomgyu’s cousin, and is currently trying to talk the younger out of his sudden new content idea. The younger had insisted on creating a content where he'd find a random stranger to send them anywhere they want for 2 days if they pass the vibe. Beomgyu thought it would be fun to know others' dream places and send them to reality. Yeonjun doesn't totally agree with his kind-hearted idea because to be honest he's tired of seeing people taking advantage of kind-hearted Beomgyu. Last time they spent half a hundred thousand because a random lucky stranger decided to ‘maximise’ his luck. Who knows how much more they were gonna spend trying to send some strangers to their ‘dream place’.
‘Can you not listen to every wish of your followers too much? it's getting ridiculous each day’
‘But it's gonna be fun!’
'What fun does it have sending someone you don't know to another country?’
‘uhh… I don't know. But I'm gonna do it anyway. Let's go hyung!’
‘ughhhhh’
And so they went out with a GoPro ready to record their journey of finding the lucky man
~~~
Kringg
‘Welcome in!~ May I take your order young man?’
The old man with a white beard in a floral patterned shirt started handing out their little menu pamphlets to Taehyun and Kai. The cafe looked pretty busy with tourists from different countries. The view of the sea greeted the customers through their wide windows. Perfect tourism spots. Surprisingly not blood-sucking prices for the foods on the menu.
‘I’ll have the blue lemonade and seafood pasta, please’. Kai handed his menu back. Satisfied with his choice of lunch.
‘um, I’ll have the same food but with Strawberry Ade instead. Thank you’. Taehyun bowed a little as he handed back his menu. Eyes looking very shy around unfamiliar surroundings.
‘Coming soon, young lads’. The old man said while moving away to the kitchen to pass their order.
‘Soobin-hyung said he will join us soon’. Kai said while checking his phone.
‘How do you enjoy the trip, Taehyun?’ Kai asked when he didn't get a response from Taehyun.
‘It was fine. I didn't expect us to have a free day though. We visited almost every place anyway.’ Taehyun was still looking around the cafe. Amused by the decorations and people of different countries.
‘Yeah’ Kai answered. Soon, their food arrived and they started eating. The meal was filled with small talk here and there until Kai's phone suddenly rang.
‘Hello. hyung, when are you coming? We already started eating. lol what? okay wait there im coming’. Kai ended the call.
‘Soobin-hyung got locked in the hotel bathroom again. Gonna report it for real this time. Can you wait here? I’ll be quick’ Kai start to pack his bag.
‘Oh god, please be fast. I don't know my way around here,” Taehyun said while looking up at Kai who's ready to dash out and save his boyfriend from the toilet.
‘I’ll be quick.’
…is what Kai said 3 hours ago but now Kang Taehyun (21) was left alone with his phone battery dying sooner than his willpower, in the middle of love city, Paris.
The lock apparently stuck worse this time, they had to wait for the hotel technician to arrive and unlock the door, which took two hours to arrive because they had just gone to another hotel branch maintenance backup . What a sloppy system for such a fancy hotel.
Kai had texted Taehyun about the news and Taehyun swore if he's not surrounded by so many people right now, he’d definitely cry a river already. To add into the distress, Taehyun had to pick up their cake for the closing dinner tonight before they went back to college. Kai just had to be that person who volunteered for everything. And Taehyun just had to be the friend who got dragged along.
Taehyun continued to wander around, figuring out the way, or whether the map he got from the stranger was upside down. His phone finally died and he had to figure his way from the bakery to the hotel on his own. He thought he had seen the same clothing shop twice now, meaning he had been walking in the same circle like his little anxious head right now. It's not looking great. If Taehyun knows he's gonna end up getting lost like this, he would have abandoned the pasta and followed Kai back instead. He regrets taking the Transilien as well, because now he didn't have a single clue of where he was. His lips curl upwards. He's about to cross a street with his head filled with so much thought when he hears a group of people laughing nearby. They look like influencers with cameras and a few people dancing in a circle. If he wasn't in such a distress situation he’d definitely stop by to watch. But now, he needs to move or it is going to be dark before he finds the hotel. It's not the time for sight seeing.
~~~
Yeonjun stopped by the convenience store. Today had been tiring for him. They stopped around 10 people and Beomgyu made them do all sorts of things only to choose 2 of them to complete the challenge. It was fun but for the love of god Yeonjun feels like he's aging 10 years in a span of 3 hours with this tiktokers Beomgyu’s personality. They exchanged contact with the two lucky strangers to arrange their dream trip. One of them wanted to visit Japan before they get married, and another guy wanted to visit Universal studio because he always wanted to as a child but can't afford to. Good for them. Beomgyu was happy that he get to fulfill their wishes.
The sky was getting darker, Beomgyu and Yeonjun were hanging out by their car hood just chatting around and discussing their content strategy when they saw a boy in a green hoodie with head hanging low walking by the river fences. The boy looks like a sad cat with his brunette hair ruffling out of the hood. The sleeves say a little over his wrist showing only his knuckles as clenched the hems. The steps looked slow and defeated. Beomgyu feels pulled. He started setting up the camera and walked towards the boy.
‘Beomgyu, i don't think we should-’
‘Let's go hyung, he looks like he needs some vacation’. Beomgyu was pulling at Yeonjun's arm, dragging him to the boy. Ignoring the visible tired expression of the older.
‘He looks like he doesn't want an influencer to stop him’
‘What? no hyung. Come on’. and if Yeonjun had hoped Beomgyu would listen to him, he doesn't know Beomgyu at all.
‘Excuse me’. Beomgyu started speaking with his British accent. Why? Only he knows.
The boy looked up to him. Eyes big reflecting the sunset lights, and Beomgyu figures in it. Beomgyu thought it's beautiful.
‘Yes?’ The boy speaks
‘I’m Beomgyu and this is Yeonjun, we’re doing a challenge to fulfil your dream to travel or visit your dream places.’ Beomgyu started introducing themselves and pointing at the camera.
‘Ifyou allow, we want to record you and it’ll be used for my tiktok content. What's your name?’ Beomgyu speaks again when he receives no response from the boy.
‘Kang Taehyun’ he nodded but his head hanging lower.
‘Oh, you're Korean too! Are you a student here?’ Beomgyu’s ever-glowing and joy were overflowing in his voice.
‘Yes’ Taehyun voice getting lower as his head
'That's great! Do you have anywhere you really want to go Taehyun-shi? Brazil? Mexico? Do you like football?’ Beomgyu was overjoyed. He promised himself he’d send this boy wherever in the world he wanted to go.
‘Home’
‘Yes?’ the low whisper make Beomgyu’s smile started to fade
Only then Taehyun looked up to him. This time with eyes fully wet. Tears threatening to fall. Clouding his light boba-brown iris.
‘Can you help me get home? I want to go home’ and there went the Niagara Falls of Kang Taehyun tears. His tears kept falling as he sobs getting harder. He tried to hide and wipe his tears with his sleeves but his mouth kept saying ‘I want to go home’ . He ends up throwing himself onto Beomgyu.
The outburst caused Beomgyu and Yeonjun to panic. The boy they wanted to cheer for had ended up bursting into tears. What they didn't expect the most was that the boy's wish was to go home.
Beomgyu passed the camera to Yeonjun and tried to sooth the younger boy hoping the tears would eventually stop. Having the boy crying on his chest, Beomgyu's heart was wrenched looking at the poor boy. He patted his head lightly in an attempt to comfort the boy.
‘there, there. We can help you get home, Taehyun-a. Did you get lost? Do you remember your address here? Beomgyu crouched down to meet the crying boy's eyes. Hearing the question, Taehyun sobbed, then it got louder.
‘i don't remember the hotel name huahhhh’. This time Taehyun was wailing while looking at the sky. He doesn't care if there are other people looking at him. He's so tired and scared. He wants to get home.
Yeonjun face-palmed and looked around, trying to assure everyone who's looking that they weren't bullying the kids or asking for his pocket money.
They bring Taehyun to sit at a nearby bench and let him calm down. When he did, his face was red as a tomato. Probably from how hard he cried, or the shame finally crept up his skin.
‘I-I’m sorry. I-I didn't m-mean to cry on you guys’. Taehyun finally speaks. His hand now clenching his shorts hems at his knees. It's getting chilly. Only then he notices the sun has fully set, and the street lights are turned on now. Few passersby bundled in thick padded jackets would steal glances at him then turn away not wanting to interfere. oh god his face is only getting redder.
‘It's fine. Are you calm now? Do you want some water?’ Yeonjun offers him a fresh bottle of drinks and Taehyun takes it with thanks. He finished the whole bottle before speaking again.
‘Right, you must be thirsty from all that crying’. Beomgyu said under his breath. Cute. A warm smile bloomed on his face.
‘Can you speak now? Did you get lost Taehyun?’ Beomgyu tried to ask again. Taehyun nodded.
‘I was on a college trip. We were supposed to head back tonight after dinner. We had a day free but then I got lost after my friend left me alone at lunch. My phone died and I just realised the map I found was for Canada. Taehyun was about to wail again when Beomgyu quickly soothed his back. Yeonjun had to pinch his inner arm to stop himself from laughing.
"We have stayed here for a few years. If you tell me what you remember about the hotel, maybe we can figure it out. We’ll help you okay, Taehyun?. For now let's get you some food. You must be tired from walking around all day’. Taehyun agreed and they walked to Beomgyu’s car. The camera had long stopped recording when Taehyun's outburst finally subsided.
In the car, Beomgyu had thrown a blanket and his jacket over the boy. Looking unmistakably like a burrito. A cute burrito. Beomgyu smiled and high-fived himself like he just accomplished some personal goals. Throughout the drive, Taehyun had filled Yeonjun and Beomgyu with every detail possible that hopefully could help him get back. It lead down to a few familiar hotels they know. It was near a tourist attraction spot anyway, they can just drive there and let Taehyun see which one is where he resides. Taehyun also charged his phone using the power bank Yeonjun gave. Thankfully, Yeonjun seemed to be the only reliable adult among them.
They stop by a burrito shop. Beomgyu had considered Yeonjun a mind reader and decided it's a crime to eat burrito because it reminded him of Taehyun earlier. Thus he only gets some coke and fills himself with a cute view of the younger cat boy eating. It's not a daily occasion where Choi Beomgyu finds another person attractive and cute. Hell, the boy even purred like a cat when he took his first bite. Beomgyu started to consider the hybrids AUs he used to read as no longer being just fiction.
They talked and exchanged contact after assuring Taehyun that Beomgyu and Yeonjun were good guys. Beomgyu even pulled up his tiktok accounts to gain the boy's trust. He's about to pull his id card out when Taehyun stopped him and giggled at the older boy. This is serious business for Beomgyu, and those giggles were gonna be the reason his heart stops. Gosh, was love at first sight non-fiction too?
After the dinner, they continue the drive finding Taehyun’s hotel. As Taehyun remembered, he could see a ferris wheel nearby, so Beomgyu concluded it could be around Tuileries Garden, since the seasonal ferris wheel always popped up there. He remembers there were a few hotels around the area. Yeonjun thinks Taehyun must be studying at some exclusive college too if the college trip used those prestigious looking hotels for their trip.
They were about to arrive when Taehyun's phone suddenly burst with notifications. 53 missed calls from Kai, 47 from Soobin, 100+ unread messages. Taehyun felt like his tears were about to fall again. Taehyun then asked them if he could make a quick call to his friends so they are not worried. Of course they let him do it. Beomgyu then slowed the music so Taehyun could speak comfortably on the phone.
The call only rang twice before a loud cry of Huening Kai filled in the speakers. Taehyun made a mental note to get his ear checked when he's back.
‘Taehyunaaaaaa, where did you go baby?’ Beomgyu didn't fail to catch Kai’s wailing cry and the pet name.
‘Calm down Kai-ya. I'm fine. I’ll be back soon okay?’. To be honest Taehyun felt like he was about to burst out crying again but he was reminded of earlier incidents. He never wanted to cry that loud in front of a handsome guy again. (read: Beomgyu) . But the shakes in his voice couldn't go unnoticed. Over the phone, Taehyun heard Soobin’s voice asking for the phone from the crying Kai. Numbers of reliable adults are up by two now with Choi Soobin entering the story.
‘Taehyun-aa, hyung here. Where are you? Did you know your way back? Hyung can come and take you’. Soobin's calm voice made Taehyun's heart drop even more. He’s now in full sobs at the backseat of Yeonjun’s rover.
‘Hyunggg,,, I got lost after fetching the cake and my phone died. But thankfully I got some help. I'm on my way back now. Can you tell me the hotel name?’. Finally a useful question formed despite his pitiful teary states.
‘I’m glad to hear that. I’ll text you the hotel name. Please call me back if anything happens. I’ll come to you right away. I need to go now because Kai doesn't seem to stop crying. He's worried sick for you. I’m so sorry Taehyun-a, if I didn't get stuck in the dumb toilet, you wouldn't have gotten lost’. Soobin's voice sounded so guilty even over the phone, Taehyun can mentally see his nonexistent dog ear flopping down.
‘Please don't say that hyung. I’ll see you guys at the hotel.’ The phone call ended and Taehyun tried to wipe his sob away.
‘You okay baby?’ Beomgyu asked. Received a look from Yeonjun. he mentally slapped himself with the sudden pet name. But to his surprise, Taehyun didn't seem bothered at all. Or maybe he didn't hear it.
‘Yes’ the invisible cat flopped down.
‘Thank you for helping me out Beomgyu-hyung, Yeonjun-hyung. I’m very bad with directions and I get anxious easily in crowded areas.’ Taehyun said while pulling at his hoodie hem.
‘Don’t mention it, Taehyun. Anyone would do the same. But don't just trust anyone next time, okay?’ Yeonjun received a slow nod in response through his rear view mirror. Beomgyu then gave Taehyun’s hair a light ruffle because he can't hold himself.
Taehyun can't believe how long it took for them to arrive when the clock showed that it was already 9:56pm when they arrived at the hotel, thanks to Soobin for giving them the name. Saving them time and energy going through the hotel one by one. Soobin and Kai sight welcomed Taehyun as soon as he get off the car. Kai hugged him tightly, he almost fell back into the car. The two continued to cry some more in each other's arm.
Soobin then bowed and introduced himself to Beomgyu and Yeonjun. Taking notice of unmistakable Tiktok famous Choi Beomgyu and Choi Yeonjun, he gasped, and for a second, almost forgot his manner.
‘Thank you so much for helping our Taehyunie back safely , Beomgyu-shi Yeonjun-shi. I didn't expect the people who've helped Taehyun to be you. Truthfully I’m so thankful ‘ Soobin clasped his hand to his heart and bowed again.
‘Please don't mind it, it's only natural for us to help each other out’. Yeonjun offered his hand out for Soobin.
‘Sorry if we kept Taehyun out for too long, we found him when it's already getting dark, and we figured we should feed him something first before we send him. I hope we don't hold you guys up for too long. I heard you're going back tonight’. Beomgyu says calmly.
"It's fine, the college postponed the plan to tomorrow because our bus had some issues and needed to be repaired. Seriously, today has been so eventful.’ Soobin sighs while looking at the two still hugging bugs Taehyun and Kai.
Taehyun who had calm down let go of Kai and wipe his face before looking back at Beomgyu and Yeonjun.
‘Thank you again for helping me out and feeding me’. Taehyun felt his heart warmed remembering the eventful day he had.
'your welcome Taehyun-aa. And remember you still have your ‘two days dream place’. Whenever you want to, please keep in touch with me’. Beomgyu stepped closer.
‘I didn't think I passed the vibe’ Taehyun said while giggling.
‘oh dear, you’ve passed every vibe and test. I’ll wait for your text’. Beomgyu leaned in for a hug and Taehyun hugged him back tighter. Hiding his face in Beomgyu’s warm chest. Stealing one or two whiffs of the scent for his memory.
‘I’ll keep in touch, hyung’ Taehyun's muffled voice sounded so sweet to Beomgyu’s ears.
‘Take care of yourself, don't get lost again little cat. If you ever go down here again, hit us up We’ll take you up. All of you”. Beomgyu gives a last ruffle to Taehyun’s hair before stepping away and greets them goodbye. He waves to them until he is no longer in his sight.
~~
2 weeks later…
‘Hey Yeonjun, do you think we can put Taehyun’s cut into the clip? He was so cute’ Beomgyu turned his laptop to Yeonjun who's reading some news on his phone.
‘You should start calling me Sir Yeonjun soon, you little prick! And why would you ask me that? you should ask Taehyun about it’ . Yeonjun smacked his head and left the room to the younger who's smitten to the core for that one lucky stranger named Taehyun.
Taehyun didn't end up choosing any place for Beomgyu to send him. Instead he asked Beomgyu to bring him around Paris again and that was enough to send Beomgyu giggling like a teenager in love and falling from his bed.
'Can you…send me to you instead?
'send you.. to me?' Beomgyu was confused.
'i’m asking you for a date dumbass'
'oh'
'OHH'