Chapter Text
It all started with a series of unfortunate events. Or rather a series of Soobin panicking and making stupid decisions.
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Whenever Soobin sees his aunt, which is fairly often, the first words out of her mouth are, "Soobin, have you found a boyfriend yet?" Found, like he has a boyfriend but they're just out there hiding from him. And every time he sighs and replies, "Not yet auntie." She tsks.
"Oh Soobin, you're too handsome to be single." and he'll let her pinch and prod his cheeks with a pitying look on her face before she states that they need to get some meat on those bones. Rinse and repeat.
The new step in the routine is an unwelcome addition, "I should set you up with my neighbour's son! He's gay too and quite the catch, I hear he's a lawyer." She makes eyes at him and Soobin is proud of himself for resisting the urge to brain himself on the wall, although it is looking awfully tempting. He is familiar with Mijin's neighbour's son. Growing up, Soobin had been round here often when his parents were busy working. Most weekdays, him and his siblings would be picked up and brought to Mijin aunties house. She encouraged them playing outdoors, climbing trees and meeting the other kids their age on the road, quite the traditionalist.
So Soobin had indeed met Shinwoo. He was a couple of years older, and by rights that should have made him cool and exciting to a young Soobin. But Shinwoo was overwhelmingly boring. Over the years, Soobin continued to run into him at neighbourhood gatherings, at the supermarket near Mijin's house and so on. Soobin had thought he might grow into his old man personality but he was still as fun to talk to as a piece of wet cardboard.
Soobin absolutely will not go on a date with this man.
He hums non-committedly the first few times his aunt brings it up. It's only when he's at dinner at his parents house and his mum mentions his aunt had wanted her to pass on a phone number that he finally snaps.
"Uh, I'm actually seeing someone right now?" Cutlery clatters into a bowl and Soobin would be offended at the obvious shock, but he can't blame them, he's not much of a social creature. "Wow Soobin, we're so happy for you! You should introduce him when you're ready." the smile on his mothers face is so genuine it hurts so Soobin just nods minutely in agreement and goes back to eating.
-
"I hear you've snagged yourself a man!" His aunt really makes it sound like he'd have to hold a man hostage to get a date. Soobin just hums as confirmation. Mijin ruffles his hair, "So, when do I get to meet the luck man who's stolen our Soobinnie's heart?" shit. Panic.
"Uh not for a while, sorry." Soobin rubs the back of his neck. "He's in Paris." Mijin practically coos.
"He should fly you out, that's so romantic! What's he doing in Paris without his boyfriend?"
Think think think.
"Oh, you know, doing some business."
"How exciting! When does he get back, we should do lunch!"
"Two months." Soobin finds himself saying. He walks out of Mijijn's house later with an armful of leftovers in various sized tupperware and an entry of his calendar for lunch with Mijin and his imaginary boyfriend.
"Shit."
-
And that’s how Soobin ended up here. Waiting inside of the lobby of a fancy hotel to get lunch with his auntie and his boyfriend. The only part that may be considered a slight problem was that he did not in fact actually have a boyfriend.
The main problem is he doesn't really have time for a boyfriend (and, as Taehyun keeps reminding them, they're not mean to be dating right now but that's secondary to the time thing in Soobin's head). Soobin feels like they're so close. Just on the cusp, if he keeps working just that little bit harder for that little bit longer they'll be able to debut. He owes it to the rest of the group to work just as hard as them, if not harder. He needs to set a good example as the oldest member. So he doesn't have time to go on dates with boring Shinwoo who is not at all as handsome as his aunt seems to think.
He’d kind of forgotten about this lunch entirely if he was honest. When it had been planned two months ago it had seemed like a distant future. He had been so sure that he could get one of the members or another friend to stand in. Then, once his career was where he wanted it to be, he could inform his family that he and his boyfriend had amicably parted ways and he was ready to look for someone new.
But he’d been busy.
And so he just might have forgotten until his aunt texted him yesterday asking what his boyfriend’s favourite flowers were.
He’d desperately asked his friends, even offered to buy one a giant plushie in exchange for his services, but they all said they were too busy and ‘if it was that important why didn’t you ask weeks ago?’
So here he is. Desperately trying to come up with some feasible plan. The most obvious choice being that they had broken up. Perhaps his boyfriend had become a philanderer once in Europe and found some model to replace poor Soobin. Or they’d realised in their time apart that they were better as friends or so on and so forth. However, that would just bring Soobin back to square one and, as established, he does not have time for square one.
His second thought is maybe his boyfriend got a last minute work call, or his train was cancelled and he just can’t make lunch today but Soobin thinks that might push his family towards suspicion. No, he has to think of something and he has to think of it fast.
Soobin has been at the hotel for a while. He got here half an hour early with the faint hope he might be able to put a plan into action before it was too late.
The hotel was a gargantuan classical style European building that somehow dwarfed the taller modern skyscrapers on either side. It was wide in a greedy way that demanded attention. Pillars lined the entrance, so broad that Soobin could barely get his arms halfway around them. The only element from the outside that would be out of place in an English period drama are the two revolving doors at the entrance. And perhaps the suited doormen.
The inside is crowded with decor in a way that somehow feels lavish and tasteful rather than gaudy but Soobin’s not sure what about it makes it that way. There’s seasonal bouquets everywhere, either freshly cut or impressively made artificial flowers. High gilded entrance ways line the lobby, if it can even be called a lobby, it feels more like a ballroom, and two twin staircases stretch around the sides of the room to meet in the middle only to split off again into more stairs. Lifts have been fitted in sections of the lobby that look larger inside than Soobin’s bedroom, pale marble floors contrasting starkly with the black marble of the lobby. The whole glamorous effect is tied together by the wealth and style clearly on display from the hotel's patrons crowding the room. He’d heard some of his American friends use the phrase ‘It’s like a grand central station in here’ and he felt like he finally understood what they meant.
He’s not used to this kind of environment. He’d been once with his aunt before on his 16th birthday, she likes to come once every few years for big occasions. Apparently meeting Soobin’s boyfriend was up to par.
He must have been distracted by taking it all in because to his horror he sees his auntie approach the revolving doors. He frantically casts his eyes around the opulent lobby. He’s almost too blinded by all the glitz and glamour to spot any potential candidates. He spies a decent looking man huffing at his phone and decides it’s his best bet.
He looks young enough, maybe a couple of years older than Soobin. He has a face that looks like it smiles often so Soobin’s hoping he’s friendly and understanding of his pitiful situation. He looks like he’s waiting for someone so hopefully he’s free now but won’t be able to stay for long and Soobin can think of some kind of excuse. With a jolt Soobin realises he needs to stop analysing and take action. He’ll thank the man later.
He rushes over to the other man before his aunt can spot him and grabs the man. The man jumps and his features begin to screw up in anger or perhaps confusion, Soobin can’t tell. Before the other man can say anything, Sobin’s pleading “Please, please just play along.” and he pulls his unwilling new ‘boyfriend’ towards the entrance.
“Hello Auntie.” Her face lights up in glee when she spots the two of them and she is not subtle at all in assessing the man at Soobin’s side. The man still seems to be in shock and hasn’t said anything. Maybe he’s assessing the situation too. “Soobin-a it’s been too long!” She sweeps him up in a great big hug. “Now my dear, how was Paris?” She enquires of the still silent man and thrusts a bouquet towards him. He doesn’t take it.
“What? I-” the man sends wide eyes at Soobin, “I’ve never been to Paris.” This guy is not good at playing along. Soobin elbows him in the side and gives him what he hopes is a subtle look in the eyes of his aunt. “Auntie he’s just so poetic, he’s got this whole idea that you can never truly go to a place unless you live there, otherwise you’re just passing through.” Soobin hopes this nonsense is enough to assuage his aunt, he’d always been a good literature student. She smiles pleasantly but doesn’t seem impressed. She retracts the bouquet.
“Look, I’m really sorry, I don’t know what’s going on here but my girlfriend’s just arrived and we need to check in. I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” Soobin’s stomach falls to his feet. This guy is not good at playing along at all .
Why had Soobin thought this would work, because it works in the movies? This was a terrible idea. He panickedly looks towards his aunty as he sees the words beginning to sink in and all he can think of is how utterly embarrassing it’s going to be to explain all of this. The man frees himself from Soobin’s grip and gives him an awkward pat on the arm and a pitying smile.
He’s trying to look for an explanation that doesn’t make him look like a lying loner and doesn’t notice a man walking towards him. In fact he hasn’t noticed this man at all. He had been there when Soobin arrived. And he’d been there when Soobin approached the man. And he’d been there for this whole embarrassing encounter. He’d been sitting in the VIP lounge just adjacent to the section of the lobby that this had all gone down in. And he had been paying attention to every embarrassing second.
“Soobinnie!” he exclaims, all three pairs of eyes turn to look at him. Soobin’s mouth goes slack. “I’ve told you you need to stop doing this.” He rolls his eyes fondly as he wraps both his arms around one of Soobin’s, who is now bookended by these two men. “I’m so sorry,” Yeonjun leans around Soobin to say to the other man, then turns his attention to the aunt. “He keeps getting random people to pretend to be me so I can make some big surprise entrance. What a practical joker am I right?” Now, Soobin is not a practical joker and never has been but there’s something about the way this man says it that makes even Soobin believe it.
“I keep telling him one day he’s gonna drag the wrong person into his jokes and get himself in trouble.” Yeonjun looks at the other man sharply but the words coming out of his mouth are sickly sweet. “I’m so sorry to have bothered you, I wouldn’t want to delay you and your girlfriend. Please feel free to go check in, I’ll make sure the hotel sends you a bottle of champagne on me to make up for any disruption my Soobinnie has caused to your getaway.”
“But-”
“Honestly, our sincere apologies. Please don’t let us delay you any further.” And Soobin doesn’t know how this man did it but suddenly there are hotel staff around them and they’re escorting the other man away and one of them is pulling his suitcase and another is already presenting a bottle of champagne to the flustered man and his girlfriend who’s appeared also seemingly out of thin air.
Yeonjun had actually discussed this with a staff member in the VIP lounge but he’s extremely grateful the man had assembled this team to wait for his signal. What can he say, he has a flair for the dramatic. Now Yeonjun turns his attention to the man’s (Soobin’s) aunt. “Hi, it’s such a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so much about you, I’m Yeonjun.” He smiles charmingly and Soobin can see his aunt melting.
“Oh, what a lovely young man! Soobin said you were handsome but I wasn’t expecting this! I’m Mijin.” He has to agree with his aunt.
This man is clad in this beautiful black suit, elegant in its simplicity, with small details making him look like he’s just walked off of a vogue cover shoot. The blazer he wears has a belt cinching his waist, the black continues past the lapels, the shirt underneath made of some kind of gauzy, yet somehow also opaque, material that comes up to encircle his neck in a neatly ruffled collar. Cigarette trousers cover the man's legs and elegantly taper off at the ankle where a pair of glossy black heeled boots provide the man with a dignified couple of extra inches that bring him almost eye level with Soobin.
Mijin offers the bouquet to Yeonjun, “Soobinnie said these were your favourite so I thought it might be nice to get you some!” Yeonjun’s smile is dazzling when he accepts the cellophane and tissue wrapped arrangement. His eyes go soft and Soobin turns to goo. “Mijin-ssi, you’re too kind! Chrysanthemums are my favourite. You know, in France they’re a sign of mourning but here they symbolise life and love.”
“How beautiful!” Exclaims Mijin, “I didn’t know they had such a meaning, what a shame you probably couldn’t get them in France.” Soobin didn’t know either, he’d just been drinking Chrysanthemum tea when his aunt texted to ask about the flowers and figured it was a safe bet.
“That makes them extra special to come home to, I’m staying at a hotel until my apartment’s sorted out so these will really brighten the room up!”
Soobin thinks he might have zoned out whilst inspecting quite possibly the most attractive man he has ever laid eyes on, which is quite a feat, Soobin has some very attractive friends. Yeonjun seems to have paid some kind of compliment to his aunt who laughed and said something in return and suddenly the arm at his side is linking with his and he’s being pulled in the direction of the restaurant.
Soobin blinks and he is seated beside Yeonjun in a gold encrusted room with high vaulted ceilings and gilded wall mouldings encircling great crystal chandeliers reminiscent of Versailles. The room is spacious yet has just around ten tables, only half of which seem to be occupied and Soobin is pretty sure this isn’t the room he remembers eating in when he’d come with his aunt before. He decides it’s high time he starts paying attention to the conversation lest he miss something important.
“This is too kind you really didn’t have to bring us here, I didn’t even know this hotel had a luxury dining room. The regular one feels so luxurious already!” Yeonjun laughs pleasantly. “No no it’s the least I could do when meeting my darling Soobinnies family for the first time! I mean, how long have we been dating and I’m only just meeting you now.” Yeonjun sends Soobin a look and he realises this is the man's subtle way of trying to gain information about the lie he’s dragged himself into. Soobin needs to get in the zone. “It’s only been seven months and you’ve been away for most of the last four. I’m just happy we can finally do this now.” Soobin gives him what he hopes is a lovesick stare, he wouldn’t be sure, he’s not used to making these kinds of expressions.
“Ah I was sad to be away from you but Paris was such a delight and it was such an important show. I promise I’ll stay in Korea for as long as my Soobinnie desires.” How much of his conversation with his aunt had this man heard? Soobin had to admit, he was impressed with how well he was keeping up the ruse.
“Show? What Show?” shit. He didn’t know about the business part of the storyline (lie, but storyline made Soobin feel more moral).
“Did Soobin not tell you?” Mijin waits for him to continue. “I was doing a tour in France, I’m a contemporary dancer.” Wow this guy was a good liar, why hadn’t Soobin spotted him before the other man! “Soobin-a said you were doing business.” his aunt looks offended at this one small lie she believes has occurred. Soobin is feeling even more grateful to Yeonjun than he had before when he imagines how she would have reacted if she found out the whole thing is a lie. “Oh well that’s true too. Although my main profession is dancing, my father’s company is hoping to expand into France so I was over there to represent the company for negotiations too. I work part time with them and I’ll be full time when I have to give up my dance career but hopefully that won’t be for a good decade yet.” he says light heartedly and Soobin can tell how desperately his aunt wants to ask which company his father owns but doesn’t want to seem rude. He sees her swallow her question. “That’s quite impressive Yeonjun-a, so driven at such a young age!”
“Please there’s no need for honorifics auntie.” And if she hadn’t been won over before, she most certainly had been now.
“Shall we have a look at the menu?”