don't break

before they could do anything, they were stuck. for how long, he wasn't sure. but there's nothing they could do when the power is out and there's zero reception. he's just glad that kangwoo seems to be in a good mood as the kid had not shown even the slightest frown, even in the dark. the kid usually cries bloody murder when he couldn't see shit - it's happened before, specially when the kid wakes up in the middle of the night with all the lights off (kyungso can't sleep with the lights on).

kyungsoo doesn't know if the fact that they weren't the only ones stuck there is supposed to make him feel better. for one, even if they are in a cafe, be doubts the place have enough supply of food until the storm lets up (and that could take a while). and it's not like things there are baby healthy - too much sweets isn't good for any kid of any age. still, the warmth of the coffee helps a lot. he hears one of the staff doing his rounds of a coffee refill. with a pat on his son, softly telling him that daddy will be back, he stands, takes two strides to take a cup before he returns to their small corner.

he nearly drops the cup of coffee.

(…)

for a moment, he’s guard is down.

“I’ll give you time to read through it. I’ll be happy to discuss your questions or changes you want to do should you have anym”

Even though it was an important business meeting that will somewhat define the success of the next season’s campaign of Moonlight, Chaewon personally would like to skip this part and go straight to the main reason why she chose Kyungsoo’s company over all the others when she knew it would be a bit complicated and awkward. At the same time, what would she say to him? She had no clue why she was there to start with or what she wanted from this. Glacing over at him trying not too be so obvious, she wished she could read through his professional face, but no.

Before she could find any trace on his expression that looked inviting for her to approach him again, she was dragged back to reality with some pages of contract facing her, reminding her that there was a big chance the only thing connecting them now was business and nothing else. Wasn’t she the one who made sure it would happen after all? Carefully, she leaned in and reached out for the papers to give it a quick review. Her communication team had informed her of a few changes and new clause, which souded okay to her. She looked up from the papers when he talked again, listening to his words with attention, making sure she wouldn’t let her thoughts distract her now. “Great! I trust you and your team to do a great job.” She said honestly with a brief smile. Despite all her personal interests with the company, they have been working really well together in the past months and she really trusted them to help her brand to expand.

Her attention was, once again, back to the papers. She trusted both her and his team, but when it comes to contract, you can never agree without reading it well, or they can have future problems, something she would like to avoid. More than anything, she focused on the changes, making sure their interests would meet without any trouble and it didn’t come as a surprise that she agreed with everything. “So far so good.” She closed the contract and looked at him again, nodding with a satisfied grin. “Can I take this copy with me? I wanted to discuss it with my team before giving the final confirmation, but I can say I’m looking forward to it.”

"of course," kyungsoo replies with a simple nod, keeping his copy of the contract neatly back to his folder. "just call give us a call should you have any questions," he adds carefully. he is known to be hands on with all of their projects, but for this one, he allows himself to be as vague as possible. his team will contact him if they need to, anyway. after all, no matter his history with the clients, one can never be too careful when it came to official business.

however, the invitation had not been expected. kyungsoo looks up with a brow raised. it's curiosity more than anything, though. they could have discussed things in this spacious room. there was no one else but them there. he doubts this is solely for the project, but as he recalls his schedule, he's free for the rest of the day. "ah, sounds nice," he replies carefully, sitting up and nodding once. "don't worry, though. I'm free for the rest of the day."

“my apologies, mr. do,” he bows slightly, stepping over to the gourmet coffeemaker in the corner on a small table and flipping it on. all the world’s best to offer, that’s the crown hotel, and what sort of mess ceo would he be if he couldn’t have proper coffee in the rooms available? “i hope this isn’t a tragedy call between us, and that nothing too horrible has befallen your father.” he turns back to the other male, something teasing in his tone. “i hope he’s in… relatively settled health—as much as someone in his position can be, of course. how else could our business arrangement continue, right?”

"he's doing alright," is what he settles with as a reply, finally looking up at the other as he spoke. he's not exactly lying. he doesn't see his father much, but he's never told him otherwise either. "he's just got his hands full at the moment so he sent me. and please, kyungsoo is fine," he says, unable to keep from rolling his eyes. mr. do sounds so much like that old man and just... no, thank you.

kyungsoo knew what he was sent here for, and to be honest, he has had his suspicions long before his father had approached him. he had always turned a blind eye on it like what he always do with whatever his old man is up to. it's just hearing about it and actually kind of sort of giving a him a helping hand with it strips him of the chance to ignore it. he could've said no, of course, but he knows the old man would never leave him alone until he agrees.

but seeing the brief case jongin places on the bed still makes him feel... weird.

# 

The smile on his lips tells her that he was interested and was ready to play the cards on the desk with her. Yuri can’t help but smile. “Thank you.” She gently mutters. Sitting down on the chair with poise and manner, her body slightly facing him. No plans on entertaining any other male for the night because there was one that has already taken her attention. “I’m quite flattered with your invitation, really.” Lifting the glass of alcoholic beverage and bringing the glass close to her lips, taking a small sip to show just how she has actually accepted his invitation twice. It was a confirmation that he managed to get her attention with ease. 

“Mr. Kyungsoo? Kyungsoo-ssi? Kyungsoo? How would you like me to address you? I don’t want to be impolite, knowing this is our first meeting.” Placing the drink down, her whole attention focused on him while she listened to his voice. It was sort of deep yet smooth. It was easy to listen to and he didn’t seem like a bad person at all. “Thank you. You flatter me!” Chuckling and dipping her head into a bow. “Please, feel free to call me Yuri.” She tells him, being the first one to ask to drop the formality in their conversation. “Are you sure you think I’m beautiful or are you just saying that because you’re intoxicated?” She asks him teasingly, taking a deep breath and shaking her head. 

“I was kidding. Really. You’re probably way better company than most men here.” Turning her attention back to the men that were trying to keep her preoccupied earlier, she smirks. “They aren’t men. They are just boys. They don’t know how to deal with women in general. It’s very easy and yet they can’t do it.” Sipping on her drink once again, enjoying the peaceful drinking with the stranger. She might know his name but she still considers him as a stranger for now, but probably he won’t be a stranger to her anymore by the end of the night. 

"if you're letting me call you by your name, then calling me kyungsoo is fine," kyungsoo replies, the smile never leaving his lips. he shifts in his seat, just enough so he can face her fully as they conversed. "we're all friends here, right?" he's usually bad at socializing - people tend to get intimidated by his gaze alone - and he's still amazed how a few shots of alcohol could do wonders in times like this. he softens just enough to be friendly, almost. he wonders if it's because she's a woman or because he's already tipsy. he doubtd the latter. a few glasses isn't nearly enough to tip him over.

"ah, then I'm glad i was able to save you from them," he says, nodding in the direction of her previous companion. the glare from a few pairs of eyes was rather hard to miss. the thought was enough to pull a smirk from his lips - a challenge he knows they wouldn't act upon, not if the slight twitch on the man's form was any indication. so the alcohol doesn't quite help soften his piercing glare.

kyungsoo tears his gaze away from them. there was no reason to make his eyes hurt from looking at the likes of them anyway.

with the short time they've spent together during this ride, kyungsoo can honestly say that bora bas quite the personality. it's obvious that she isn't afraid of anything, probably taught to be ready for anything that comes her way, and it's admittedly impressive. kyungsoo likes the way she clearly states what's on her mind. people be damned. nonetheless, his only basis for all of this is what she's showing him - how she's acting around him at the very moment. she could be pretending for all he knew. not like he cared if she is.

"I'm glad i fit your standards of being manly, then. thank you," he replies sincerely, letting the words hang in the air for a few beats before he shifts gears again, clearing his throat. "but you're right. let them say what they want. they only see what they want to see anyway, right?" there's a mysterious glint in his eyes when he said it, his head turns sideways so he's looking at bora. people loved to believe the lies that covered the truth.

kyungsoo finally turns a corner and zooms through the first empty parking space he sees. it's a little ways from the entrance. it should give him enough time to sober up once they're done wasting the rest of the night away. "wait here," he says, pulling off the verh uncomfortable black blazer he had and throws it at the back before he opens his side of the doow and steps out of the car. he's rolling the sleeves of his white dress shirt up to his elbows as he walks to the other side of the car. he opens the door and offers a hand out to bora.

"by all means, please," he says, extending a hand forward as if gesturing back at the set. "don't let me... distract you," and there's a slight lilt in his voice. teasing. inviting.

do kyungsoo never backs out of a challenge

specially a challenge named silvia

there's a spell that seemed to have broken when she had turned on her heels to return to the set, bringing him back to reality. suddenly the eyes that must have been glued to them all this time are so obvious he can actually feel it. this only had him smiling as he squared his shoulders, making sure the heel of his oxfords hit the tiled floor loud when he moved. it effectively alerts everyone to get back to work - not that he cared, really. he's already used to this, his skin itching in anticipation at the rumors about what had happened here. it's bound to reach his ears by tomorrow.

kyungsoo chuckles and lets his eyes find silvia again, posing for the camera. he looks at her from head to toe, loving what he sees. age had definitely done her good, and he can only wish he could rip that dress apart alread so he can see her curves. oh, the things he wants to do to her, he thinks as he feels heat pool at the pit of his belly almost immediately.

i can't wait

kyungsoo practically eye fucks her

and i know you can't either

what if the circumstances have been different? with fate not as cruel as it had been with them. could they have stayed as good friends? probably. looking up, she still has the same kind eyes, the same warm smile. the ones his much younger self used to find comfort in when he grows tired of pretending. in that regard, chaewon had stayed the same noona he had known and lo--

kyungsoo clears his throat, flipping the folder open with his furrowed brows. it's been years. why show up now when she could have done so before? he tells tries to convince himself it's weird and suspicious (and probably had nothing to do with him). "ah, yes, we have the contract drafted from the previous briefing for your review," he says, turning the set of papers around so it's facing her and pushing it towards her. "we built a new concept around your new collection for this semester. the timeline has also been drafted. we want to built up as much curiosity and traffic as we can - create buzz, turn heads, make sure they're hooked enough to come back to you before they even know the collection we're about to launch." he reads through his copy of the contract, making sure nothing is out of place before he leans back on his chair and looking up at her with a smile.

for a moment, he's guard is down.

kyungsoo blinks, eyes zooming in on the cup she held in her hands. it took a second before he understood. now that is definitely coffee. he chuckles, shaking his head in amusement, the smallest smile gracing his lips. "if you ordered something fruity, then that's my coffee," his voice is light when he speaks. lazy mornings had always made him softer, sociable even. "sorry, if it's bitter. it helps me wake up a lot faster."

(…)

“y-yeah,” his tongue felt heavy in his mouth as he stared, unable to piece together a more intelligent reply. maybe they should have just stayed home or something. kangwoo gurgles and he clears his throat, shifting a bit so kangwoo’s facing the other way. “I’m… he’s my cousin. I wanted to take him out. what are you doing here?” he tries deflect the conversation like how he always does. hopefully it works this time, too.

sumin let out a chuckle upon hearing his response, somehow finding it amusing to have heard the question coming from him. to be honest, she would have asked the same thing. kyungsoo was the last person she would expect to come to a place like this. make that two, since sumin wouldn’t be here if it was some other time too, she was just feeling a little bit different tonight, she just felt like she should come and have a look around.

she didn’t mind if she had to walk on her own for the rest of the night once kyungri left, mostly because she always found comfort in being alone. albeit a bit awkward, she chose to ignore those weird looks and stares, and moved on, until she had seen kyungsoo. what a good luck. normally she would rather not meet anyone when she was outside, but it was safe to say that kyungsoo was one of the few exceptions—he was a great drinking buddy, and he managed to get on her good side, so it was a relief that it was him. 

“cousin?” she repeated, although it wasn’t necessary. “what a good cousin,” she said, couldn’t help the slight sarcastic tone in her voice. “i supposed i’m here because i want to take myself out.” she wasn’t sure where did that come from, but honestly she was feeling quite content for no reason, not really sure if it was because of the male’s presence, or sumin was just caught in a weird mood at the moment, it was hard to tell which one.

it's too late, though. sumin has seen the resemblance. sometimes he hates how his kid is a spitting image of him. and although he knew she's teasing (he does hope she is), it makes him feel antsy - nervous. he tries to shrug it off, pulls up an awkward smile and shrugs, the chuckle he lets out sounding way out of place.

"we get that a lot," he replies instead, shrugging. "i guess the face is the family trademark. he's a year old," he does refrain to mention his name, but as if kangwoo knew he's being talked about, he perks up, turning his tiny body in an attempt to look at the person kyungsoo is talking to. the child blinks anf kyungsoo feels his little fingers clutch the fabric of his shirt. he clears his throat, an attempt to steer the conversation away from his son.

a pause, his breath caught in his throat.

what was he doing?

kyungsoo could hear a tiny voice over the line. it's light and feminine, like a child's. her daughter, most probably. it almost had him smiling, but it reminds him of something else that instead of his lips moving, it's his hands that did. his grip on his phone tightens.

"yeah. it's kyungsoo," he replies instead. he wonders if she finds this weird. they have never exchanhed more than polite greetings before. if he thinks about it, they're not even proper acquaintances, yet she's the first to come to mind in hopes to get his thoughts straight. not knowing each other meant less chances of being judged - or so he hopes. and he needs nothing more than an unbiased point of view.

but... how does he start?

"i..." the words caught in his throat. saying out loud somehow makes him feel vulnerable, like he's accepting the facr that he feels lost and helpless. his anxiousness skyrockets, but his voice is surprisingly steady - a stark contrast to the way he's feeling. "i'm in a bit of a situation and..." kyungsoo sighs, leaning back so his head rests on the wall behind him. he closes his eyes. words fail him.

i got someone pregnant.

the words dies at the back of his throat and disappears at the tip of his tongue.

@247dksoo

jongin stuffs one hand into his pocket, the other holding onto a briefcase, as he strolls through the main lobby of the crown hotel, the place shining and shimmering in gold-plated decor. everything in this hotel looks vaguely ancient, like a throwback to an older, glamorous time that korea had never really experienced, but the style and fashion are always well-liked. like old Hollywood, not that he’s ever been there. jongin can’t care less about it either way, but he doesn’t feel the need to change anything after taking ownership. he has more pressing matters to attend to than the aesthetics of a building.

such as the mountains of paperwork that still needs his attention back in his office; work he’s neglecting right at this moment, in favor of taking the elevator up to the sixth floor and heading towards the tenth room. apparently one of his personal clients, a regular patron of his who likes being dealt with hands-on, has finally arrived and asked for him—to which the crown lobby secretary directed him to said room like a good girl. jongin expects the man to be already pretty wired, given that it’s been a while since he’s seen the human mess—drugs have a funny way of driving the body to look as desperate as one feels on the inside.

pathetic.

it's like he's looking for reasons for kyungsoo to actually hate him.

but like always, kyungsoo went and did what his parents asked of him, albeit with a twitching eye and balled fists. breathe in. annoyance and anger were brimming inside his chest. breathe out. he was quiet when a woman, with a knowing look upon telling who he's there for, lead him towards a room. 'make yourself at home' is what he's told last before she turns on her heels, the door clicking close behind her. for a brief moment he wonder if every single staff of the hotel was in on this secret before he's permanently distracted by the room's interior.

gold can mean a lot of things in this place, he thinks, an amused chuckle tumbling out of his chest.

@247dksoo

amusement park wasn’t her thing, she would say. but truth to be told, that was only because she didn’t want anyone to find out about it. it was childish to go to such a place—amusement park was only made for children, and she was no children. honestly, sumin just didn’t want to show another side of her that actually loved this kind of thing, where her childhood memories lied within. she loved every rides and the friendly environment. and it had been a while since she last came to one, she figured out she could use halloween as an excuse to show up here tonight, because she was very in love with that particular occasion anyways. 

she came here with kyungri in the first place, but the latter had left earlier and now she was all alone. the short-haired brunette wandered on her own, not really knowing if she should stay or just head for home instead, because she definitely didn’t want to be found here alone like this. sumin decided to stay for a while though, it wouldn’t hurt to walk around and have a look while she was already here, lowkey hoping that she wouldn’t bump into anyone she knew here. and that’s when she spotted a familiar face, the one she would normally see at some bar or club at this time. but here he was at lotte world, surprisingly with a little boy by his side. 

it's the bear onesie sitting innocently in his closet that had sparked the interest to go to the amusement park. the kid had been couped up in the four boring walls of their home that he figures some change in the environment would be healthy. it was risky, he knows, but a single day out together shouldn't hurt, right? and the place would be brimming with people so it'll be hard to spot him. but just in case, he had his lower face covered in a mask. it was hard to keep on, however, as kangwoo had developed a habit to grab onto his shirt tight and had probably decided he didn't like his father hiding his face so the kid always tries to pull it down. it was probably the fifth time that he glared at his son (where the kid giggles) as he pulls the mask back up when he hears someone speak.

kyungsoo's first instinct was to stiffen in his spot before he slowly turned to look behind him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. his hold on his son tightens just a tad, and he doesn't know whether to feel relieved or scared that he knew who the other person is.

# 

There are more than a few reasons as to why Yuri would be strutting her ass at the club late at night. She’s bored and she doesn’t like getting bored. Boring is best, said in some movie and Bora can definitely say nope. Boring is boring. She needed to get out of her apartment. So there she was in the club, watching people lose themselves to the music. Drunk and having loosened up completely already. The lights make it hard for people to recognize her. Good. She came here to have a good time, not to please the public with her title as a celebrity. But as soon as she was by the bar, someone has already made his move to strike up a conversation. Something she didn’t expect but with her image to worry about, Yuri politely talks to the male. He talks about how she looks better in person and so on, Yuri smiles, listening to him. His words go into one ear, out to the other. 

“Let me at least buy you a drink.” He says but she declines. “I came here with my own cash to spend, not to have men like you offer to buy me a drink.” If he really wanted to buy her a drink, he should’ve done so already and not act like he’s all that when she can’t do a thing. Ordering herself a drink, Yuri chuckles at the male talking about this commercial she shot a few years ago. So outdated. “I’ll have a shot of vodka, please.” She tells the bartender. Not hesitating to drink it straight in front of the male. The liquor burning down her throat. It felt good. The heat. The danger. The burn. The feeling of exceeding one’s expectations. She’s Kwon Yuri and she’s not gonna sit her ass down and bore herself to death with a man who is like a Russian doll. So full of himself. Yuri was smiling, she felt happy. But not because he said something good. But because the shock on his face was rather amusing. 

“A drink for the lady.” The bartender then gives her a lovely cosmopolitan to drink. Yuri eyes the drink and accepts it. “Thank you.” A little surprised but very much pleased. “Who is it from?” She asks, smiling still as she eyes the drink. She’s flattered and honestly thankful that she was given a reason to get away from the boring conversation. The bartender politely points the gentleman who gave her a drink. “I guess I should take this and thank him for buying me a drink. For actually buying me a drink and not asking so much before doing so.” Taking the drink as she slips away from the male. Whatever he says about her, no one is gonna believe him. Why would Kwon Yuri talk to a guy like him at a bar when there’s a gentleman buying her a drink without a word. 

"hello," kyungsoo greets back, the alcohol making his voice sound a lot huskier than usual - sweet, inviting, kind of like a freshly opened bottle of wine. he returns the smile she gave him - teasing, knowing. flirting. sitting up, he reaches a hand over to pull back the chair beside him just enough so she could sit. "please, have a seat. i was hoping you'd take my invitation, actually. I'm kyungsoo. it's a pleasure to meet you, miss yuri. you're even more beautiful in person."

- 

The opportunity to kidnap her never really comes. She had grown from the feisty kitten to a total tigress who can take down her own enemy. Bora simply smiles at him. He’s being silly. Way too silly and she simply finds it funny. “Would you kidnap me though? Do you know who I am exactly?” She asks with a laugh. Slowly shaking her head as she sighs. “You’re right. You’re thinking so much like a kidnapper right now! I love it!” There was no hint of sarcasm in her tone, instead, she finds it hilarious. 

He might just run for the hills if he learns the truth about her. But successful people are often the prey of evil people who wish nothing but to have what people like him and her, have. Money, fame and whatever comes along with the strings of connection that lies underneath the pretty flawless images they portray in public. 

“You make me stop calling you Mister and you call me Miss?” She chuckles. “Just call me Bora.” The female tells him with a rather uplifted mood, different from how she was earlier. “They would expect me to grace the hallway of my apartment building with lots of cameras flashing in my direction. But that is not the night I have in mind right now.” Sighing as she looks out at the beautiful Seoul City filled with drama and everything else she didn’t really have to experience in New York. 

"it's worth a try, i guess?" kyungsoo laughs "but with how swift you are with shaking off those nosey reporters, i think it'd be useless for me to try and abduct you. you'll probably give me one hell of a fight," he shrugs, but it was true. she seem to know her place, and probably wouldn't be afraid to put those in theirs without batting an eye if they so much as think to step out of line.

a spark of interest had his hand twitching a little. the sound of his name rolling off her tongue had him looking back at her briefly, a brow raised, his expression blank. it was only a second, before his expression breaks, a smile close to being genuine gracing his lips. "thank you," he replies, a finger tapping against the wheel. his shoulders relaxes a bit, finding himself comfortable enough around bora. it's a bit surprising, really, considering the short amount of time they had spent. but he's still wary. he always is.

@247dksoo​

The business meetings Yixing has to go to as the head of AOMG Records are one thing, he can manage the to the point business talks with his partners and tends to know how to end the meeting when everything has been said. It’s the parties that get him, because there is no proper way to leave one before at least some of the less important people have gone.

It’s because of this reason that he once again finds himself seated on a chair far from the middle of the room, nursing a glass of champagne in his hand and waiting for the right moment to finally get up and get the hell out of there. His gaze is focused on a vague point in the distance, not entirely seeing what he’s looking at because his mind is elsewhere.

A chair or two to his left is a by now familiar face, another young man who doesn’t seem to appreciate the social setting of these meetings. Yixing has seen him a few times before, more than once avoiding the social responsibilities by sitting in corners or more hidden places - usually not far from where Yixing himself would go to find a semblance of solitude during these things.

This time around, however, the other male doesn’t appear to be spared from the horrors of socialising, because it’s been a good while now that this or the other guy has been talking to the man. Finally turning his head a little, Yixing notices that the man bothering his so called business-party-buddy is one of the major shareholders of the company this party is for, and that his buddy is looking more uncomfortable with the minute. Or maybe Yixing just notices the signs of that.

Getting up from his seat, because there is not a situation in which Yixing can help where he won’t, he takes the few steps over to the other two. “Excuse me, I couldn’t help noticing you over here. Aren’t you mister Kim from Ginkwang Consolidated? I’ve been wanting to talk to you for so long.” Pulling all the man’s attention on to him, Yixing easily starts bullshitting his way through whatever thing he might want more information about, leading the man away from the chairs they were just at and over to the bar.

there's a reason why he avoids people, and the situation he's painfully reminds him of it. but fate seems to be testing his patience, and he's slowly loosing the battle.

or so he thought.

the stranger caught him off guard, but he doesn't let it slip past his expression, keeping it passive if not fake interested to whatever that sleaze businessman was going on and on about (probably taking advantage of his bragging rights. that's what's everyone is here for anyway). mr. kim is obviously pleased at being recognized despite being whisked away, and kyungsoo lets out a huge sigh of relief, relishing on the momentary silence his ears are granted. he picks up his champagne, takes a sip and closes his eyes. he's been dying to do that all evening.

Moments later, with half of his drink already gone, the chair beside him moves, the sound bringing him back to reality. he looks up and finds that it's the man from earlier. kyungsoo is grateful for the help the stranger had clearly done on his own accord, but he's also awkward and bad at socializing. he looks down at his drink to ponder a bit, collecting his thoughts and sighs quietly before speaking.