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“Hard pass,” Seonghwa said.
“Please just hear me out,” Hongjoong begged.
“Joong, this is a bad idea,” Seonghwa grimaced, shaking his head. “What is the end game? How do you get out of this once you've started it?”
“Once the show becomes wildly popular they won't care! Or we can break up and do a whole series on me getting over you. I just need to get my foot in the door. I know I could be so good at this," Hongjoong pleaded.
Seonghwa hedged, “You know I believe in you - but maybe this just isn't the right opportunity.”
“You have to make your own opportunities, Seonghwa. And everything else about this is perfect - except this teeny tiny little detail.”
“That you're not in a relationship and they explicitly stated they are looking for a committed couple to host this podcast.” Seonghwa gave Hongjoong his best judgey look. Hongjoong hated the judgey look but pressed on. He could feel that he was getting to Seonghwa.
“Exactly! But, it's not like I haven't been in one before. I've been in dozens!” Hongjoong exclaimed with no ire.
That was certainly true. Dozens of short relationships - varying from passionate romance to completely meaningless sex. And as his long-time best friend and more recent roommate, Seonghwa had seen them all.
One thing that had been consistent in Hongjoong's life, other than Seonghwa, was his desire to have a voice in the world. When he was five-years-old his youngest uncle gifted him with a megaphone and as soon as Hongjoong heard his own amplified voice he was hooked.
Now here was this amazing chance to be the host of a relationship podcast for the queer community. And he WOULD be good at it. So good that even though Seonghwa knew it was a bad idea he felt like he'd be robbing the community if he didn't make this happen. Seonghwa sighed. God, why couldn't he grow a spine around this man.
“What does this all entail?”
“Oh my god, I love you Seonghwa! You’re a prince among men.” Heongjoong gushed.
“Yeah, yeah.” Seonghwa waved off the gratitude and crossed his arms, waiting for the details.
Turns out what it entailed was them pretending to be in a long-term, happy, romantic relationship. And, with the street cred of this fantastic relationship they would host a weekly podcast about queer dating. Most importantly, the production staff could not find out that the relationship was fake.
As an energized and animated Hongjoong prattled on about his ideas for various episodes, Seonghwa gazed at him, bemused. What Hongjoong didn’t know but Seonghwa did was that Seonghwa was not going to have to pretend to be in love with Hongjoong. He has loved and longed for Hongjoong for years. The challenge for Seonghwa was going to be keeping his true feelings from Hongjoong. Thankfully, he had lots of practice and Hongjoong was utterly oblivious.