Before this chapter starts, let me inform please don't think I hate Yeji😭😭 For the story purpose, she's annoying.
"We can go home if you aren't liking it here."
Beomgyu tore his gaze away from the blue-pink couple dancing in the middle of the place to Taehyun beside him.
At last, he really came to the party Yeji and Lia hosted for the 'It couple' of the year. They had rented out an entire party center and invited everyone. It'd only add the positive points to his book that he was there at the party to support his ex-boyfriend's win.
But no matter how hard he tried to hide, Taehyun could see the displeasure in his eyes as he sipped on his beer.
"No. If we do that, everyone might think I'm jealous." Beomgyu shook his head, and the younger could only sigh.
"Okay, guys here me out!" Lia clapped her hands to gain attention. "I guess we all are kinda tired after all the dancings, so how about we play some fun games?"
"Let's play truth or dare!" Someone from the crowd suggested, and some others followed, "Booooo~"
Taehyun yawned. If he was being honest, the only parties he's ever been to were the ones he accompanied Beomgyu. Apparently, he came to accept the fact that parties weren't his cup of tea. Give him some essential oils and required filtration commodities, he'll give you an exquisite perfume. Provide him some wax and your favorite fragrance oil, he'll give you an aromatic candle. Ask him how organic chemistry actually works, he'll explain it to you in detail. But parties? Nah!
He once again checked on Beomgyu when people were still suggesting their favorite games and the others were not approving, the older snickering the whole time. Taehyun knew Beomgyu wasn't happy and wanted to be by Yeonjun's side but he couldn't stop him from wondering how it'd be if Beomgyu had those eyes for him.
Taehyun cleared his throat, looking away. He knew it was wrong, especially when he had promised to not be selfish. His eyes wandered about and landed on Hueningkai who was with his group of friends – Jay, Jake & Sunghoon with Hyunjin & Jeongin as new additions – on the other side of the room but the wavy-haired had his eyes fixed on him and Beomgyu. And the way Hueningkai let a lop-sided smirk play on his lips when their eyes met, Taehyun knew he was only one step away from his own embarrassment.
"Lia noona~" Hueningkai cutely waved both his hands, Taehyun already facepalming and hoping the ground would open up for him to hide. "Since this party is a celebration for our 'it' couple, why don't we play a couple-games to bring them closer?"
The crowd wasn't quite happy at his suggestion as that's what they saw or did in the event, and for once in his life, Taehyun was relieved Hueningkai would be turned down. But the wavy-haired best friend of Taehyun definitely had different plans.
"How about we play seven minutes in heaven?"
Taehyun, with wide eyes, craned his head towards Hueningkai, his eyes wide in bewilderment.
For a few seconds, the crowd was silent but it was the calm before the storm as the place filled with teasing coos and complimenting remarks towards Hueningkai. It was very clear that they liked the idea from the way someone had called one of the attendants to bring them empty closets, and Taehyun internally prayed he and Beomgyu could escape their eyes.
"Then whom should we send in first?" Lia asked when a few cupboards were placed in the middle.
The most obvious names taken by the crowd was Yeonjun and Soobin, making Taehyun glance at his side only to see Beomgyu huffing out a breath and rolling his eyes. He noticed Hueningkai's evil grin again, and he was about to shake his head in a pleading manner before Yeji interrupted everyone's conversations;
"How about we send Beomgyu and Yeonjun first?"
This time Beomgyu was the one who had his eyes wide and shook was an understatement to his expression.
"I mean, they are exes with different boyfriends, so wouldn't you guys wanna know in what situation they'd be caught in front of their boyfriends!?" Yeji giggled, and it was about time Lia had pure rage written on her face. She walked towards her girlfriend with knitted eyebrows and whispered something. But Yeji only giggled more, her girlfriend sighing defeatedly as she knew it was to no avail.
"Okay, to be fair, let's make Soobin and Taehyun go into one closet at the same time and make their closets face each other. Let's see who's the loyalest of all."
Taehyun's head went blank for a moment when he looked over where Soobin was, their eyes met and he could clearly see the discomfort in the older's eyes, he was sure he was no better. If he looked at his side instead, he wouldn't have missed Beomgyu being unusually fidgety.
Taehyun silently prayed someone would oppose the idea but then he was reminded of Beomgyu's stares at Yeonjun. His backing out might mean Beomgyu losing the chance to have his moment with Yeonjun. No matter how much the idea hurt, Taehyun knew he had to be Beomgyu's support system.
"I have no problem with it." Soobin suddenly broke the ice, surprising everyone. Which resulted in the following wild roar from the crowd.
And among everyone, Taehyun could see the baffled expression of Hueningkai, who hadn't even imagined his plan would backfire this way.
+×+
The door slammed shut, and it was all silent. The wood made the sound of the audience muffled as they could only hear each other's breathing while they stood in two farthest corners of the small closet.
Taehyun gulped, side-glancing at Soobin who was surprisingly composed.
"Why did you agree to this?" The scarlet-haired dared to ask softly.
Soobin, as if he now realized someone else was also there, hummed, "Because I trust Yeonjun."
"You do?" Taehyun blinked, "I mean, are you not worried that he might...?"
Soobin chuckled, "He might hook-up with Beomgyu? No."
The younger smiled. The amount of trust Soobin had on Yeonjun and how nonchalantly he could let that out was amazing. If it were someone else, they mightn't do the same for who was known to be a 'cheater' by many.
"In fact, I'm glad they can talk now. It might help to cheer-up Yeonjun."
"Huh?"
"I do acknowledge what we did was far worse than what could've happened if they were still together, which was never based on love. But that doesn't mean I'd allow anything or anyone to meddle with Yeonjun's mental health. He really regrets not trying harder to talk to Beomgyu whenever he'd be a brat and walk off but I know Yeonjun could've never made him sit and talk it out because he always had a soft corner for Beomgyu, even if not in a romantic way, he genuinely cared and still cares for him.
"That's why I want them to talk. Last night's dinner was his plan which I neither had any idea about nor could I say no to, and I think he really wanted to talk before Yeji appeared and Beomgyu dashed out. But what he doesn't realize is that they need privacy, they need to talk it out without me or anyone else hijacking and influencing their conversation.
"I want him to listen and tolerate Beomgyu's harsh accusations one last time so that he can also proudly keep his point of view, so that he can end it without any strings attached. Beomgyu deserves this conversation, and so does Yeonjun."
Taehyun dumbly batted his eyes. He had never seen Soobin talk this much at once before, and that too only made sense. He thought Soobin hated — at least disliked — Beomgyu. But he never knew Soobin actually thought about the bigger picture. He accepted that he and Yeonjun cheating on Beomgyu wasn't fair, no matter how shitty Yeonjun was being treated. And for that reason, he wished Beomgyu had his portion of proper explanation.
"You guys really love each other, don't you?" Taehyun couldn't help but whisper quietly, wondering if he could ever mean that much to someone.
"That, we do." Soobin smiled but then after a few seconds, he asked, "What about you? Why are you allowing this?"
Taehyun chewed on his bottom lip, rummaging his brain to find a believable excuse before clearing his throat to answer, "My reason is the same as yours—"
"No, I'm not talking about this game." Soobin faced him for the first time ever since they've been locked in the small space, squinting his eyes in a scrutinizing manner. "What I mean to ask is,
"Why are you allowing Beomgyu to pretend that he likes you?"
+×+
Although all he's been waiting for was to be left alone with Yeonjun so that he could finally make a move, this situation wasn't fascinating him too much.
But that didn't mean he would give up. No! He has embarrassed himself, hired a fake boyfriend, and even maintained a good relationship record with him, all for what? For Yeonjun. So, this shouldn't be affecting him the way it was.
Yes, Soobin and Taehyun being locked in one closet was affecting him to the point that he had his palms itching, he wanted to pound his fists on something, he had his teeth gritting thinking of all the possibilities of Soobin, the boyfriend-burglar, trying to steal his Taehyun from him.
Wait! My Taehyun?? Beomgyu's throat became dry at the thought, he quickly shook his head. There was no way he would feel possessive towards Taehyun. Why the heck would he? He reminded himself Taehyun wasn't important, no, he shouldn't care that much for a person who was here for his money.
Once I get Yeonjun back, I'll eventually forget Taehyun. Beomgyu tried to smile, despite the slight ache in his chest.
"So," He cleared his throat. "Shouldn't we start already?"
Yeonjun looked at him, confused. "Start what?"
"We're playing seven minutes in heaven if you're forgetting." Beomgyu laughed to lighten up the mood but then shut his mouth because it didn't help much.
Yeonjun, remaining unimpressed, let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Uhh, Beomgyu we both have boyfriends, and I don't—"
"And? This should be easier for you." The raven-haired, facing the other, shrugged. Yeonjun stayed silent as Beomgyu kept staring at him as if he were playing dumb or didn't grasp how his words sounded.
"Are you implying that because I cheated on you, it should be easier for me to hook-up with anyone just for a game?"
Beomgyu was taken aback, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion. It took him a whole minute before his eyes widened. "I didn't mean it that way."
"Then do you mind me elaborating exactly what you mean?" Yeonjun asked with a strained voice.
Beomgyu looked around, thinking of whatever he could but then pressed his lips in a thin line due to the lack of better words, causing Yeonjun to shake his head and chuckle sadly.
"It's okay, you won't be able to. After all, I'm the one at fault."
The younger was about to open his mouth before Yeonjun cut him.
"But I'm surprised that you're willing to hook-up with me behind Taehyun's back. What makes you so different from me?"
"Excuse me! What?" Beomgyu, now fully faced to the older, knitted his eyebrows. "Hadn't you ever cheated on me, we would've never been in this situation."
Yeonjun looked at him in the eyes. Although it was dark inside the closest, Beomgyu could see the disbelief in his expression.
"Every single one of you only blames me for our situation but no one even asks how I feel about it. Do you think I enjoyed falling for someone else behind my boyfriend's back? Do you think it was easy for me to come to terms with the fact that I was never in love with you? Do you think I should be proud knowing my boyfriend only cared about my money, and how many people admired me?
"Have you ever thought how every petty accusation you'd throw at me would always leave me feeling like shit? And then you'd appear in my classroom and gracefully lie about how I did things to persuade you, only to see others dying in jealousy. Do you know that, gradually, it started to lower my self-esteem whenever people threw mocking comments at me? I tried to talk to you, I tried my best to explain that we should solve our issues with proper communication and behind closed doors but you always needed an audience to say that you love me.
"Later when I thought about it, I realized that's what you really and only care about."
Beomgyu gulped, looking away from Yeonjun before muttering casually, "Isn't that why we were known to be the perfect couple?"
The pink-head wiped his cheeks, and Beomgyu now realized that he was crying. He wasn't sure how to coax him because he'd never seen him cry and he didn't know what to do, come to think about it, they never even sat and talked like normal couples do.
"Why is it that what people think is more important than a healthy relationship for you!?" Yeonjun sniffled, trying his best to not speak louder. You never know which creep might be hearing you.
"You'd never understand, no one does" Beomgyu crossed his arms, barely scoffing.
"And no one would even want to if you don't make them understand, Beomgyu. Also, stop obsessing over what people think about you, it's your life and people will always find ways to discourage you but you have to make an effort to find the right people who actually care about you.
"I know I don't have any right but I'm telling you this from my own experience; the people who named us 'the perfect couple' are the same ones who backbite about you, saying that you don't deserve me or you're mean and cruel and other bullshit as such. They're also the people who are now rooting for me and Soobin, albeit calling us and especially Soobin by mean names when they don't even know half of the story."
Beomgyu just hummed in response, his eyes fixed on his shoes. He knew Yeonjun was crying but his reflexes didn't tell him to do something to comfort the other, neither did his heart. Perhaps, he knew he never cared about Yeonjun that much.
"They're also the same exact people who are enjoying this situation the most, they think because we've dated each other we might lose ourselves here and do something so they can use it as entertainment, and if things don't happen their way, we'll be labeled as boring. No matter how you are, there will always be a number of people ready to drag you down."
Beomgyu sighed. "But you said you were envious! I thought you finally meant you missed me? I thought you wanted to win the game with me?"
Yeonjun blinked before letting out a timid scoff, "I meant Soobin and I were being so shy with each other but you and Tae were so confidently romancing—" To which Beomgyu wanted to roll his eyes, he couldn't put his finger on how more shamelessly they wanted to hold each other during the game because what they were doing was completely R-rated if you ask him. "—and the game isn't even that important, it's not even about winning or losing, it's about with whom you're doing it. That's the only thing that matters."
"So are these the words you'd use if you had broken up with me in a civilized way?" Beomgyu asked in a stern voice, still not looking at the older. He wasn't sad, he never was, in fact, he discovered he was just mad because they never had this discussion— the last one before they parted ways.
"Probably." Yeonjun chuckled. "Also, I lied that Soobin and I were seeing each other for two months."
"I– what!??" Finally, Beomgyu lifted his head, and he could see Yeonjun smiling sheepishly as his eyes were now adjusted to the dark.
"Yeah, back when I was emotionally disturbed, I had convinced myself to seek professional help. I got scheduled for every Thursday, and everything was going normal but then one day my therapist couldn't make it so he sent someone on his behalf. That's when I met Soobin, he was there for one of his assignments. Those two hours of my session felt like, I don't know, heaven would be the most fitting word. And after that, I couldn't stop thinking about his kind and comforting words." Yeonjun slightly laughed at the memory, Beomgyu listening carefully. "I kinda liked him more than my therapist, so I stopped going to him and searched for Soobin instead. Of course, he didn't agree at first but he eventually helped me out. Gradually, I fell for him and I knew he did too but we both understood it was wrong, and he didn't want to think about us before I had enough self-confidence to face you. It's been two months since then."
"Then are you guys pretending?" Beomgyu asked almost impatiently, the word too barely managed to stay inside.
"What?! No!!! It's not like that at all. The day you left for Daegu after our argument, I'd called him over to drink and cry. He stayed there with me for days and never left. I don't know how but I guess it was the heat of the moment that led us to confess, and then a moment happened which escalated to something more.... that you had to see us that way the next morning." Yeonjun was red by now, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't want to lose that opportunity to finally do something, even though I was wrong. I mean, that's still considered cheating but I'm sorry because if I hadn't lied then, it could be that I'd never have the courage to end things with you.
"I'm very sorry that you had to go through all these, although I was the one who suggested that we should date. You didn't deserve it, Beomgyu, I know you can be a better person. That's why I wanted us to get along but if you don't want to, I'd totally understand."
They stood there for a few minutes, silent and quiet in a comfortable manner. Yeonjun was done, and Beomgyu knew a burden had been removed from his shoulders the way he sighed. The raven-haired wished to tell him that it was okay. Call him petty or whatever but it wasn't that easy and simple for him to forgive a person just like that.
But he could try, after all, he was the one who never wanted to be there for his partner.
So he opened his mouth to at least assure that he might've accepted his apology but he still needed time to get free with Yeonjun and Soobin. But he was interrupted by Yeji's voice, and although he couldn't grasp her words, the door flung opened at the same time with the other closet as well.
The scene in front of him made his heart skip a beat in such a displeasing way (which was supposed to hurt when Yeonjun was officially breaking up with him) that he pat a hand to calm himself;
Soobin was hugging Taehyun who had his face hidden in the taller's chest, getting his back rubbed in comforting circles.
"What's happening though!?"
"I thought we'd see Beomjun make-out...?"
"Right, right, it would've been fun to watch a love rectangle."
"Gosh, they're so boring!"
And then the small crowd left it there to proceed with other couples, only Lia stayed back to ask if Taehyun was genuinely okay but when Hueningkai ensured it was all good, she also went away.
"Excuse me, now please get out of the closest, we need it for others."
Beomgyu came out of the trance at Yeji's voice again, and he noticed Yeonjun wasn't there anymore, already had made his way to Taehyun to pat his head along with Hueningkai in the drinks counter.
"Soobinnie, what happened to him?" Yeonjun asked, concerned about the sniffling boy.
Beomgyu waited for Soobin's answer, only to be glared at coldly by the latter for a second before he shook his head.
"He was just letting out his pain."
Pain? What pain? Why Soobin? Why not me? Beomgyu's mind clouded with such thoughts, feeling sick in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know why he was feeling so anxious when he didn't have any reason to.
He knew this was the moment he could show how caring he was but he couldn't bring himself to put on an act because he couldn't figure out why there was a genuine concern working inside of him which he may add, never did for others.
And so, he just stood there foolishly, scared to indulge himself in someone about whom he was so sure he would never fall for, yet his heart was saying otherwise.
💝A reminder: No matter if you're Yeonjun or Beomgyu or maybe even Soobin of the story, you and your feelings are valid💝