Hey lovelies! let's dive in! See you at the end of the episode đâ¨
___________________________
"What's the time, Boss?" Noeul's voice was groggy, barely audible as he stirred beneath the sheets.
"Past nine," Boss replied casually, eyes still on his phone.
Noeul shot upright, his hair a mess and panic instantly flaring in his eyes. "What? Why didn't you wake me up earlier?! Shit-I have a meeting with the producer at 10 a.m. Fuck!"
He threw the covers off and bolted to the bathroom.
Boss sighed quietly, placing his phone down. He had tried to wake Noeul up-twice. But the boy was out cold. So Boss had texted the producer himself, telling him Noeul might arrive a little late.
"Noeul will be a little late today" the message read. "he had a Rough night."
Boss leaned back, listening to the rush of water from the shower and the soft thud of Noeul moving around the bathroom like a small hurricane.
"We're rehearsing today, right?" Noeul asked a few minutes later, pulling his shirt over his damp skin, still fumbling with buttons.
"Yes." Boss didn't even blink. His eyes followed every movement, memories from the night before flashing uninvited in his head-Noeul's moans, his breath on Boss's neck, the way he tasted.
"Then bring my bag with you," Noeul said quickly, avoiding Boss's gaze.
"Sure," Boss muttered, eyes still on him.
Noeul let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
He didn't have the time-or the emotional strength-to dwell on what had happened last night. Again.
He had promised himself that the last time would be the last time. But every time he got drunk, every time Boss was near, it was like something inside him snapped. Like gravity pulled him toward Boss without permission.
And it was always him.
He always initiates it.
He hated that part of himself-the part that caved, the part that reached first, kissed first, touched first. He hated how easy it was to fall into Boss's arms, how he kept breaking his own rules like they meant nothing.
Boss had never brought it up. Not once. But Noeul saw it-every time it happened, Boss would look at him with that heavy silence, that hesitation, that want to speak.
But he never did.
And Noeul? Noeul was too shameless to be the one to start that conversation.
So they both lived in the space between pretending and wanting. A messy blur of lips and regret. Of silence that screamed everything neither of them had the guts to say.
Later that day...
"Has Boss arrived?" Noeul asked as he walked into the rehearsal hall, voice calm but eyes scanning.
"Yes, he's here," their manager replied, pointing toward the far side of the stage. "Over there."
Boss looked up just as Noeul entered. Without a word, he walked over and handed Noeul his script. No small talk. No lingering glance. Just... work.
They launched into rehearsal without pause-singing, dancing, re-enacting scenes from The Boy Next World with the ease and chemistry fans adored. Everything looked perfect from the outside. Like nothing had ever happened. Like there were no unresolved touches, no drunken kisses, no confessions that almost happened.
But the truth buzzed underneath every interaction.
Then came the Q&A segment.
Staff members took turns pretending to be fans, tossing light-hearted, flirty questions to help the boys prepare for the upcoming fan meeting. It started playful, teasing. They both laughed and answered with the usual charm.
Until-
"Boss," one of the staff called out, grinning as they read from a mock fan card, "Can you describe the kind of love you have for Noeul?"
Silence.
Boss froze-just a flicker, but long enough to be noticed. This wasn't the first time he'd been asked something like this. He'd answered versions of it countless times during promotions. But now, sitting beside Noeul, the weight of everything between them made the question hit different.
He cleared his throat. "Uh... the kind of love I feel for Noeul is... umm..."
He paused. Looked down at his mic.
"Do I have to answer this?" he asked, voice unsteady.
The staff laughed lightly, thinking he was just playing coy. "Yes, Boss, of course. You need to be ready-fans are going to ask worse!"
Boss opened his mouth. Closed it. The air around him started to feel tight.
"I... I don't know what kind of love I feel for Noeul," he finally said, voice low.
Another staff member pushed: "Then let's make it simple-are you in love with Noeul?"
That did it.
The question shattered whatever walls he had left. The years of experience, the polished answers, the practiced smiles-it all slipped.
"I need to use the bathroom," he muttered, standing quickly, not waiting for permission, and rushed out of the hall.
The silence that followed was awkward. Everyone looked around, unsure whether to continue.
But Noeul didn't need to guess. He already knew.
Boss was unraveling.
Because of him.
He sat still for a moment, script in his lap, eyes locked on the space where Boss had just been.
This is all my fault.
He told himself he would stop. That last night was the final mistake. But the look on Boss's face-lost, exposed, scared-proved just how deep the damage had already gone.
Noeul swallowed hard.
The worst part?
He still wasn't ready to stop wanting him.
___________________________
That's a wrap for Ep 2! đŽâđ¨
I lowkey fought writer's block to finish this one, but hey-we made it!
What do you think? Drop your thoughts đ
Don't forget to vote, like, comment, share & follow.
Love you! Ep 3 coming soon đâ¨