Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Two Years Ago

Hongjoong stared at his manager in disbelief, his mind working overtime to try and process the words that were just spoken to him. When Hongjoong received the text to meet Lee Dooshik in his office, he thought maybe their record label had finally decided on a date for the band to come into the studio and record their album.

KQ Entertainment was a small indie label, only having signed two other bands before signing Cromer a few months ago. It was a risk to go with an indie company instead of a major label, but Hongjoong was confident the risk would pay off. All that needed to happen was for the band to get into the studio and record their music.

But instead of being given a date, Hongjoong was coming face to face with a man roughly the same age as him, maybe a year younger, with Dooshik introducing him as, "Song Mingi, the eighth member of Cromer."

The room had gone completely quiet as Hongjoong openly ignored Mingi's outstretched right hand. A large compass was inked onto the back of his hand, covering most of his skin, and Hongjoong could see the hint of more tattoos traveling up the man's wrist before disappearing beneath his leather jacket; thin north stars were tattooed in the space between his knuckles and his fingertips of each finger, and his nails were unevenly painted black. Hongjoong turned his attention back to Dooshik, practically glaring at the man. After a while, Mingi let his hand fall back to his side before taking a seat on the edge of Dooshik's desk, trying to look calm when he was clearly uncomfortable.

Mingi's discomfort meant nothing to Hongjoong.

"What do you mean eighth member?" Hongjoong asked when it was clear that Dooshik wasn't going to break the silence.

"I received an email the other day that KQ had signed Mingi to the company and requested that I meet with him to determine whether he was a good fit for Cromer. And he definitely is."

"Shouldn't that be my decision? You know, since this is my band and all? Seriously, who the fuck authorized this without consulting me first?"

Dooshik chuckled nervously before taking a seat behind his desk. "If you're worried about talent, you don't have to be. I've seen Mingi's audition tapes and have heard him play live. He's a very talented bassist and songwriter."

"We already have a bassist with Jongho. Plus, I'm the songwriter."

"Is there really a downside to having more than one bassist and songwriter?" Mingi asked, his deep voice having a slight bite to it that surprised Hongjoong.

"The members of Cromer have been together since we were in high school. We're not just bandmates, we're best friends. Bringing in a complete stranger is the last thing we need. I doubt you'd fit in with us anyway."

A dark emotion flashed across Mingi's eyes briefly, gone as quickly as it came. The man crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk forming on his lips. "I've been told it's practically impossible not to like me."

"Not impossible, considering I would be happy to never see you again."

"Unfortunately, Hongjoong, that's not going to happen." Before Hongjoong could ask Dooshik what he meant, his manager continued. "The decision has already been made by KQ. He is the eighth member of Cromer."

"Unbelievable," Hongjoong seethed. "A new bandmate but no date set to get into the studio?"

"If you would let me finish, I'd tell you that you have a month to integrate Mingi into the band, teach him the songs you've already written, write a few new ones with him, and then the studio is yours. KQ is planning for a summer release."

A confirmed date, just the thing Hongjoong wanted. But it came with a cost, one that he wouldn't be forgetting any time soon.

Backed into a corner, Hongjoong reluctantly offered his hand for Mingi to shake. The moment their palms touched, Hongjoong gripped Mingi's hand in a tight hold.

"Welcome to Cromer. We're sooo happy to have you join us."

Mingi clenched his teeth as he tightened his own fingers. "Trust me, I feel the same way."

🎸🎸🎸

Present Day

Hongjoong was the first to arrive at KQ Entertainment that afternoon for their final meeting before they left for their North America tour. Two years of hard work and sleepless nights led them here, and Hongjoong couldn't stop the swell of pride that bloomed in his chest as he remembered the look on each of his bandmates' faces when Dooshik told them the news.

While overnight success didn't happen the moment Cromer released their first album, the band did acquire a pretty loyal fanbase in South Korea, which has definitely grown in the past two years. But local success wasn't all the label was after: They wanted international success as well. And with the release of Cromer's most recent album, Man on Fire, they got it.

For the first time, they were achieving numbers they'd only ever dreamed of, topped multiple charts and were nominated for all types of awards. The demand for a world tour was loud and clear, so KQ and Dooshik got to work.

The entire tour was going to take up roughly six months out of the year, half from April to June and the second half from the end of August to October, with a little over a month in between to rest. It was equally exciting as well as nerve-racking for the group as they'd never toured like this. Even with their fanbase in South Korea, the few tours that Cromer had put on only lasted a month, maybe six weeks if they were able to have a stop in London and Los Angeles as well.

Hongjoong felt pressure alongside his excitement as he walked down the halls of KQ, heading for the conference room. This tour needed to go well. If Cromer couldn't prove that they could handle a tour like this, couldn't perform at their best, then the odds of fans requesting for them to return would be low. And all Hongjoong wanted, all any of his bandmates wanted, was to share their music with the people who supported them.

Money is great, sure, but the amount of fans that have come up to Hongjoong and thanked him for one of the songs his band created, that's the real prize. He made music for the love of the craft, and the greatest reward was knowing others loved what he made and that they felt connected to it.

When Hongjoong opened the door to the conference room, surprisingly, he wasn't the first to arrive. Already seated at the table, leaning back in his chair with a confidence that made Hongjoong want to throw something, was Mingi.

The man's brown hair was tousled in a way that was equally styled and laid back. The sleeves of his t-shirt were rolled up a few times, giving Hongjoong a better view of the vine of thorns tattooed from his right wrist all the way up his arm and shoulder before reaching the side of his neck, where the thorns surrounded a beautiful butterfly. Like always, Mingi's nails were painted black and several silver rings decorated his fingers.

Song Mingi looked like a rockstar without even trying. He lived and breathed for the music, much like Hongjoong did. A fact that should have brought the two men closer together in the past two years, but that wasn't the case.

Despite Dooshik's and the rest of the band's best efforts, Hongjoong still hated Mingi. And he knew the feeling was mutual. To Hongjoong's annoyance, Mingi had been right about it being impossible for people not to like him, though Hongjoong was the exception. Within a week of introducing him to the rest of the band, he was already best friends with all of them. Hongjoong felt a little betrayed by this, but it wasn't their fault the label made that kind of decision without him.

So as much as Hongjoong wanted to protest and reverse the decision that was made for him, he thought it was best for him and the rest of his bandmates to find a way to move forward. Getting through that first month was literal hell, trying to rework his brain to fit Mingi into the future Hongjoong had envisioned for himself: Cromer had always been seven, ever since Hongjoong was a junior in high school. Now he was forced to make room for an eighth person, and he fucking hated it.

Which meant he hated Mingi. First because he was forcing himself into Hongjoong's band, where he didn't belong. Second because Dooshik had been right. Mingi was a talented bassist and songwriter. It infuriated Hongjoong, so he lashed out.

After that first month and seeing how his arguments with Mingi was taking a toll on the rest of the band, Hongjoong made an agreement with Mingi that any future arguments happened behind closed doors. When they're with the other members or in work meetings with Dooshik or the label, they'll be as cordial with each other as they can be. Which isn't a lot, but it's better than how it all started.

Ignoring the presence of the other man, Hongjoong took a seat at the table and immediately pulled out his phone to appear busy.

"How are you feeling?" Mingi asked after a couple minutes of silence, startling Hongjoong slightly.

"Huh?"

"About the tour? Excited? Nervous?"

Hongjoong shrugged nonchalantly. "A bit of both, I guess."

Before Mingi could say anything else, the door swung open and the rest of the band flowed into the room.

"Are we still waiting for Dooshik and Kyunghye?" Seonghwa asked as he took a seat next to Hongjoong.

"You ask that as if the two of them being late is out of the ordinary."

"Hongjoong's right," Wooyoung said as he leaned back in his chair, an amused grin on his face. "The fact that we walked in here without evidence of him and Mingi trying to set each other on fire is the real shocker."

As Yunho smacked the back of Wooyoung's head, Hongjoong rolled his eyes and his gaze landing on Mingi. To his surprise, the other man seemed to be holding back a grin. Just what did he think was so funny?

"Sorry we're late, gentlemen," Dooshik said as he and KQ's publicist, Bae Kyunghye, walked into the room and took their seats. "Let's begin."

The next hour and a half proceeded with Dooshik and Kyunghye going over the plan for the North America stops, how much time they'd be in each city, when they'd have free time to explore and reminded them to party responsibly as to not create some type of scandal. But Hongjoong wasn't expecting this to be a vacation, something that Kyunghye confirmed as the meeting was coming to a close.

"The label wants a new album written while you're on tour, ready to record once you return to Seoul at the end of June."

"I actually have a couple of songs ready to go," Mingi said while conveniently avoiding eye contact with Hongjoong.

"Perfect," Kyunghye replied, unaware that Hongjoong was mentally strangling Mingi from across the table. "Dooshik has already been informed that we expect you and Hongjoong to be roomed right next to each other for the duration of the tour, if not sharing the same hotel room, in order for you both to write this album efficiently."

The silence was so deafening, Hongjoong felt like he was going insane. "I'm sorry, I think I heard you wrong. Did you just say you want Mingi and me to share a hotel room for three months?"

"It wouldn't be for every stop," Dooshik assured, trying his best to keep Hongjoong from freaking out too much. "And it would be convenient, since you are both the ones writing the music."

"What about the rest of us?" San asked. "Are we going to be sharing rooms as well?"

Kyunghye rolled her eyes, hearing the question beneath the question. "No, San, the rest of you will get your own rooms for the duration of the tour. And as your publicist, I strongly advise you to have your NDAs ready if you think there's even a small chance of bringing someone back to your room. The quickest way to give me a headache is to create some kind of sex scandal, so avoid that like the plague. I beg you."

The meeting ended shortly after and everyone made their way back to their apartments to finish packing for their early flight the next morning. Seonghwa matched Hongjoong's strides as they walked to their cars, draping an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Stop overthinking this, Hongjoong. It's not the end of the world."

"Easy for you to say. You're not being forced to room with someone you hate."

Seonghwa sighed. "No one's forcing you to hate Mingi, Hongjoong. Perhaps it's time for you to let this petty grudge go."

"Petty grudge?"

"Seriously, Hongjoong. Do you even remember why you hate him, or has that emotion been the only thing you've felt toward him for so long that you don't know how to feel anything else?"

Without waiting for a response, Seonghwa got into his car and drove off, leaving Hongjoong alone with his thoughts.

Hongjoong remembered exactly why he started hating Mingi when they first met. And he had no intention of letting it go.

🎸🎸🎸

Reporters and photographers greeted the band at the airport the next morning, a dozen different flashes from cameras blinding them momentarily as questions and well-wishes were thrown in their direction.

"Are you excited about the tour?"

"Three months is a long time to be away from home. Stay healthy and well-rested."

"Which city are you looking forward to visiting the most?"

"Plan on doing anything aside from the tour?"

"Any future plans for a new album?"

Mingi was grateful for the sunglasses and black face mask he was wearing, allowing him to look as tired as he felt. He understood that these people were simply doing their jobs, but it was way too fucking early in the morning for a million questions and the constant flashing lights. He managed to wave as he walked toward their gate or nod his head at a couple of questions, but Mingi otherwise ignored them.

Hongjoong didn't have that option, having opted out of the sunglasses and face mask look, wearing a black leather jacket over a black t-shirt, dark washed jeans and black combat boots. He looked like he was ready for a fanmeet rather than a sixteen hour flight. He received plenty of compliments for his fashion, which Mingi openly rolled his eyes at whenever he heard them. Another reason to be grateful he put the sunglasses on before stepping out of the car.

Without dropping his warm expression, Hongjoong acknowledged a couple of the reporter's questions before they finally reached the VIP lounge near their gate, giving the band the chance to escape from all the noise and blinding lights.

Mingi immediately plopped onto an empty couch, the cushions soft enough that he was tempted to take a quick nap before boarding their plane. But that idea was quickly forgotten when Yunho joined him on the couch, leaning his head against Mingi's shoulder with a content sigh.

"It's hard to believe we're actually going on a real world tour," Yunho said and even without looking down at his friend's face, Mingi knew he was smiling. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up to discover that it's all a dream, but it's not. It's real. The eight of us actually fucking made it."

"Yes, we did."

Though it definitely wasn't an easy journey. If Mingi was being honest, it still wasn't easy, not with the hostility that Hongjoong showed him even after two years. Sure, Hongjoong wasn't his favorite person either, but it was clear from Mingi's perspective that only one of them was actually trying to make things civil. And it wasn't Hongjoong.

This tour was really going to test the two of them in ways they hadn't been expecting. And while he wasn't exactly looking forward to what Dooshik and Kyunghye had planned for them, Mingi could only hope that it didn't end up being a complete fucking disaster.

🎸🎸🎸

Hongjoong grabbed his guitar case from the back of the van and followed Dooshik through the back entrance of the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, their first stop of the tour. A mixture of nerves, excitement and lingering jet lag fluttered inside of his chest as the band was greeted by one of the venue staff members, who led everyone straight to the stage so that they could set up for soundcheck. After setting his case down, Hongjoong walked to the edge of the stage and looked out across the empty seats, easily picturing them filled with their fans.

This wasn't Cromer's first tour, nor their first concert, but something about this tour felt like the beginning for Hongjoong, like he was finally fulfilling the dream he has had since he was a teenager. That thought brought tears to his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away before turning back to the rest of his band.

"Let's get started," Hongjoong said before opening his case and retrieving his guitar.

The process of soundchecks were always tedious: from making sure there was no feedback in the microphones, ensuring the light shows and pyrotechnics worked properly, and finalizing the spacing for each band member so that they could move around without the possibility of running into each other. To be more accurate, they needed to make sure that San was able to run around to his heart's content for the whole show.

As Cromer's front-man, San was more than a little enthusiastic as he performed, feeding off the fans and their energy. The fans loved his energy, craved it even. Their shows were always electric and San was a big reason for that.

After a few hours of tinkering with the sound system, the lights, playing through a medley of their songs and letting San happily run around the stage, everyone placed their instruments back in their cases to head out to enjoy a meal before needing to return to the venue to get ready for the concert. Hongjoong lingered back a few moments, getting one last look at the empty arena before following after his bandmates.

The moment he sat between Seonghwa and Yeosang in the backseat, Hongjoong let out a sudden yawn, the jet lag slowly creeping in again.

"Were you not able to sleep well last night?" Mingi asked from one of the middle seats, the taller man peeking around the headrest to stare at Hongjoong.

There was nothing wrong with the question, no hint of annoyance in Mingi's voice when he asked it. In fact, he almost seemed… concerned.

It pissed Hongjoong off, and he rolled his eyes at Mingi before turning his attention to the city outside the window as the band was driven to a nearby restaurant.

"Does anyone sleep well only a day after a sixteen hour flight?"

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa mumbled as he elbowed his friend's side, clearly disapproving of the way Hongjoong easily dismissed Mingi's concern.

Taking in a deep breath, Hongjoong glanced back at Mingi, who was still staring at him. "It's just a little jet lag, Mingi. Nothing to worry about. But thanks."

After a moment, Mingi simply nodded and turned to sit properly in his seat once more, accepting Hongjoong's answer even though he didn't necessarily believe it. There was no denying that Hongjoong was thrilled to be going on a world tour, but after two years Mingi was able to notice little things about Hongjoong that the man probably didn't want him to see.

Like how his jaw clenched when he was stressed, or how his laugh felt slightly hollow when he was experiencing self-doubt. He drummed a random beat against his thigh whenever he was anxious.

They were things that Mingi felt a little weird knowing, considering this was a man that barely acknowledged his existence. But he did notice, which meant he knew that Hongjoong's exhaustion wasn't just because of jet lag. Mingi also knew that Hongjoong would never accept his help if he ever offered it, so he kept his mouth shut as they continued their journey to the restaurant.

🎸🎸🎸

The cheers were thunderous as the band stood backstage and waited to take their places on the main stage to begin the show, the crowd chanting the band's name.

"Cro-mer! Cro-mer! Cro-mer!"

There was a slight nervous tension in the air as the band all looked at each other, but it easily faded away when their eyes landed on their front-man. San was bouncing on the balls of his feet, pure excitement radiating from his body. The sight brought a smile to Hongjoong's face and he reached out his hand in between the group. One by one, eight hands piled on top of each other.

"We made it, boys," Hongjoong shouted to be heard over the crowd as he made eye contact with each member of his band – even Mingi, though his gaze didn't linger too long on the man before moving on. "Let's show them what we're fucking made of!"

"One, two, three! CROMER!" the eight men chanted before rushing onto the main stage, their presence eliciting even more cheers from the crowd.

"How's it going, Montreal?!" San screamed as the intro to their first song filled the sold-out arena, the energy raising to the highest level. "Are you all ready to have a good time tonight?"

The cheers became erratic as Seonghwa and San began singing, the crowd's voices joining in.

"News, I often hear about the generation. It's like a phantom."

"Words whose faces and reality can't be seen. These feelings, they won't know. Ohh."

Hongjoong was feeling himself, feeling the music and the crowd. All the stress he felt washed away as he lost himself in the music. The lights warmed his skin, sending beads of sweat down his temples. The crowd echoed their lyrics alongside San and Seonghwa. The vibration of the energy on the stage. Nothing else mattered. This was what he was meant to do.

Mingi was lost in his own world on the other side of the stage, strategically placed so that he and Hongjoong never had to be near each other during concerts. Both men preferred it that way, though Mingi did catch himself looking at the other man every once in a while, usually during Hongjoong's guitar solos.

It was difficult not to look at Hongjoong when he performed. He was so captivating on stage, and Mingi often wondered what it would be like if they were on better terms. Not exactly friends, Mingi had no hope that they'd ever be that close, but cordial enough that they could feed off each other's energy on stage. He couldn't help but think of how powerful they could be.

The energy in the arena never let up over the next two hours and the cheers coming from the crowd echoed in the band's ears even as the members gave their final bow and disappeared backstage. Dooshik and several members of their tour crew rushed to meet them with water, hand fans and hand towels to dry their sweat.

Hongjoong leaned against the wall in the greenroom, smiling as he took a chug of his water while listening to the crowd call for an encore.

"That was a damn good show," said a voice beside him and Hongjoong turned to find Mingi wiping the towel against his neck, his face flushed from breathing heavily.

Hongjoong bit back whatever annoyed remark that he was tempted to let fall from his lips. Because Mingi was right.

"Yes, it was."

"And the night isn't over," Jongho shouted as he draped an arm over Wooyoung's shoulders. "Several rounds of drinks is the only way to correctly end the first stop of our tour. I've already checked and there's a club not far from here that's calling our name."

Hongjoong looked over at Seonghwa, who was rolling his eyes because of course Jongho already had this planned out. The rest of the band would be lucky to make it back to the hotel standing upright if Jongho was in charge of ordering drinks. The youngest conveniently forgot that not everyone had his alcohol tolerance.

"I'll hold back on the drinks to make sure everyone else has a good time," Mingi whispered and it took Hongjoong a moment to realize he was the only one to hear what the taller man said.

"Why are you telling me?"

Mingi glanced down at Hongjoong before releasing a sigh and taking a swig of his water.

"Thought you'd like to have fun tonight instead of worrying about everyone else. Forget I said anything."

Hongjoong watched as Mingi walked over to talk with Yeosang, his mind trying to understand the interaction he just had. Just because Hongjoong liked to make sure the rest of his band didn't make any stupid, scandal worthy decisions didn't mean he didn't have fun himself. This was the second time that day that Mingi expressed some type of concern for Hongjoong and the older man didn't like it.

Tossing his empty water bottle into the recycling bin, Hongjoong addressed the rest of the band.

"Jongho is right. The night is young and the fun has only just begun. Let's get the fuck out of here."

🎸🎸🎸

"Hongjoong, you should slow down," Yeosang said as Hongjoong took yet another shot of whiskey.

"I'm perfectly fine, Yeosang. There's no need to worry."

To prove his point, Hongjoong stood up and did a dramatic twirl along to the music vibrating from the speakers. Unfortunately, the man was clumsy even on his best day, but drunk there was no saving him. Hongjoong's right foot caught on the leg of the table in front of the couches the band had claimed the moment they entered the club, and tumbled to the ground.

"What was that about not needing to worry?" Yeosang asked as he helped Hongjoong off the floor and safely seated on the couch.

"I'm having fun, okay? Mingi thinks I don't know how."

"Since when do you care about what Mingi thinks? You barely acknowledge his existence."

Hongjoong wasn't sure if the annoyance in Yeosang's voice was actually there or if it was the alcohol making him hear things.

"Trust me, I don't care," he scoffed before reaching for the bottle of whiskey to pour himself another shot.

Yeosang was faster and grabbed the bottle to pull it out of Hongjoong's reach.

"Absolutely not, Hongjoong. You've had more than enough tonight. In fact, I think I'm going to find Seonghwa and have him keep an eye on you. I've had enough of being your babysitter."

Hongjoong's lips fell into a pout as he slumped onto the couch, watching Yeosang stand up with the bottle clutched in his hand.

"Fine. Whatever."

With a sigh, Yeosang reached down to ruffle Hongjoong's hair playfully before leaving the man alone on the couch. The rest of the band were scattered across the club – dancing, drinking and flirting with strangers that would no doubt end up in their beds.

Hongjoong closed his eyes and covered his ears as the couch vibrated from the bass of the music playing, his alcohol filled brain fogging all of his senses except for sound. Suddenly, everything was far too loud – the music, the laughter and off-key singing from the club-goers, the clinking of glasses and beer bottles. It was all too much and Hongjoong wanted nothing more than to go back to the hotel and collapse on the bed, curling up underneath the blankets.

"Hongjoong?" a voice said through all the noise and a gentle hand grasped his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

It seemed like Yeosang went to get Seonghwa after all. Good, Hongjoong thought.

"I want to go," Hongjoong mumbled as he raised his hand, trying to wrap his arm around Seonghwa's shoulder. He was slightly confused when his best friend seemed to flinch away from his touch, but the alcohol made it difficult to really focus on anything except the need to get back to the hotel.

Mingi stared down at Hongjoong for a brief moment before pulling the smaller man to his feet to allow him to lean against Mingi's side as he weaved the two of them through the crowd, a firm hand on Hongjoong's waist the whole time. Thankfully their company had planned ahead, knowing that a group of men in their mid twenties would be in no condition to arrange rides back to their hotel in cities and countries they weren't familiar with, so there were two black SUVs waiting on the curb outside of the club.

The driver of the closest SUV, who the band met before heading into the club earlier that evening, looked up from his phone as Mingi approached the vehicle with Hongjoong clinging to his side.

"Calling it a night?" the man asked in a thick Quebecois accent, and it took Mingi a moment to understand what he said.

"Uh, yes. Back to the hotel."

The driver nodded before opening the back door so that Mingi could help Hongjoong into the backseat before crawling in after him. Soft instrumental music played as they were driven back to the hotel, which Hongjoong seemed to be happy about. He was no longer covering his ears to block out the noise around him. Instead, Hongjoong leaned against Mingi's shoulder, mumbling wordlessly to himself.

Mingi didn't move, though he felt odd being this close to Hongjoong, the smaller man even touching him in a friendly way. Sure, he believed the man he was slouched against was Seonghwa, not Mingi, but it was still an interesting position to be in. And while he had no intentions of telling Hongjoong the truth, Mingi couldn't say that he hated receiving this kind of friendly affection.

By the time they arrived to the hotel, Hongjoong was practically passed out next to Mingi, who was a little unsure how he was going to get Hongjoong all the way up to his room.

"Are you going to need some help?" the driver asked, and Mingi was tempted to accept the offer.

But he had a feeling if Hongjoong woke up and finally realized the person escorting him from the club to the hotel was Mingi and not Seonghwa, he would be getting a drunk induced scolding. Mingi would rather not have someone, even a complete stranger, witness that.

"No, thank you. I should be all right."

When the driver opened the back door for Mingi, he climbed out before pulling Hongjoong gently across the seat and swiftly cradled him into his arms. A sudden chill tingled down Mingi's skin as Hongjoong's soft breathing brushed against his neck. Mingi thanked the driver again before walking into the hotel and waited patiently at the elevator.

"When did you get so strong, Seonghwa?" Hongjoong asked with a laugh, his voice slurred from the alcohol and exhaustion.

Mingi didn't respond. They rode the elevator up to the floor each member was staying on in awkward silence. As Mingi carried Hongjoong down the hallway, he realized he didn't know if Hongjoong's room was to the left of his own room or to the right.

Taking in a deep breath, Mingi whispered, "What's your room number?"

"811. Key is in phone case."

When Mingi reached room 811, he set Hongjoong down so that he could grab the man's phone, which was conveniently in his back pocket. The case had a small hidden compartment that held Hongjoong's ID, his credit card and room key. Once the door was open, Mingi thought Hongjoong would walk in all by himself, but he was quickly proven wrong as Hongjoong slumped against Mingi's side. If Mingi hadn't wrapped his arms around the smaller man, Hongjoong would have ended up on the floor.

"And Yunho jokes that I'm a princess," Mingi mumbled as he carried Hongjoong into a room that looked similar to his one next door. The moment Mingi placed Hongjoong on the bed, the other man sighed happily before trying to pull the covers over his body. "Hold on, Hongjoong."

"But I'm tired."

The pout on Hongjoong's face made Mingi chuckle lightly as he knelt down and began removing Hongjoong's boots.

"If you want to sleep in your dirty clothes, be my guest. But we're at least taking your shoes off."

Hongjoong groaned but let Mingi continue. Tossing the boots aside, Mingi plugged in Hongjoong's phone and left it on the nightstand. He then turned off the lights and walked out of the room, glancing back at Hongjoong one last time before the door shut, soft snores already escaping Hongjoong's lips.

🎸🎸🎸

Hongjoong woke up with a splitting headache that was the equivalent to someone using a jackhammer right next to him. His body felt heavy and sluggish as he tried to sit up in bed, the memories from the night before hidden behind a heavy fog. There were fragments of the night that Hongjoong could see, but nothing definitive. All he really knows is that he got really drunk and Seonghwa helped him back to the hotel.

This was Mingi's fault, Hongjoong decided as he crawled out of bed and slowly made his way to the bathroom. Notifications started blowing up his phone in quick succession, none of which he could hear over the shower running. It wasn't until Hongjoong was towel drying his hair that he heard the incessant chimes and walked over to grab his phone from the nightstand.

There were several messages from each member of Cromer, except for Mingi, as well as dozens from Dooshik and Kyunghye. Those messages worried Hongjoong the most as he quickly changed into fresh clothes. Did something happen to one of his bandmates? Did one of them get hurt or cause a scandal? They had an amazing first show last night. Was everything now fucked up because someone couldn't keep it in their pants?

Taking in a deep breath, Hongjoong dialed Dooshik's number, holding his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he slipped on his boots. His manager answered after only one ring. That wasn't good.

"Hongjoong, where are you at this precise moment?" Dooshik asked, the slightly higher pitch in his voice the only sign that he was panicked.

"I'm in my room. What's going on, Dooshik?"

"It's better to discuss this with both of you in person. Head to room 819 immediately. Kyunghye is waiting for us to video call her to make a plan on how to proceed."

Dooshik didn't give Hongjoong a chance to respond before hanging up. Both of you? What did Dooshik mean by that?

Not wanting to keep his manager or Kyunghye waiting for much longer, Hongjoong dropped his phone into his back pocket and rushed out of his room. A blurry memory of someone reaching into his pocket to retrieve his phone filled Hongjoong's mind for a brief moment, disappearing as quickly as it came. He didn't have time to dwell on that thought and hurried down the hallway until he arrived to room 819.

Dooshik was pacing the room as he waited for Hongjoong, a sight that wasn't all that surprising to Hongjoong. What Hongjoong hadn't been expecting was Mingi sitting on the chair next to the window, looking a little anxious. Why the fuck was he here?

"Take a seat, Hongjoong," Dooshik said as he put on a pair of earbuds, pointing to the second chair right beside Mingi.

With a reluctant sigh, Hongjoong sat down. "Will someone explain what's going on?" Dooshik didn't answer, too busy setting up his laptop for the video call they’d be having with Kyunghye. Annoyed, Hongjoong turned to Mingi. "Do you know that this is about?"

Mingi shook his head. "Dooshik hasn't said anything since I got in the room, and he took my phone the moment I arrived."

"That reminds me," Dooshik mumbled as he reached out his hand expectantly. "Give me your phone, Hongjoong."

"Why?"

"Because I need to check who you've been in contact with since last night."

Now even more confused, Hongjoong placed his phone in Dooshik's open hand and watched as his manager scrolled through what Hongjoong assumed were his most recent messages and photos. Once satisfied that there was nothing to worry about, Dooshik then handed Mingi and Hongjoong each a pair of earbuds, connecting them to the laptop. A few minutes later, the video chat was pulled up and an exhausted looking Kyunghye was staring at the three of them.

"I thought I gave you strict instructions to not cause a scandal on this tour, and you all couldn't even last one night," the woman said, her tone resembling that of a school teacher dealing with misbehaving students.

"I really wish someone would explain what's going on, because I have no clue what you’re talking about. Which of us caused a scandal?"

Kyunghye glanced at Dooshik, who pulled out his own phone and brought up an Instagram post, turning the screen so that both Hongjoong and Mingi could see. Hongjoong immediately felt sick to his stomach.

Romance in Cromer?!?!

The post was from a supposed fan of Cromer, and it had several photos of Hongjoong being led out of the club by Mingi, not Seonghwa, as well as photos of Mingi carrying Hongjoong into the lobby of their hotel. Hongjoong's face was flushed in the photos, and he was clinging to Mingi like a lifeline. The photos in the club and as the two men got into the SUV couldn't be perceived as romantic, but Hongjoong couldn't say the same about the ones in front of their hotel.

Hongjoong's face was buried in the crook of Mingi's neck, and the way the taller man was holding him looked incredibly gentle, almost tender. The post went on to speculate about Hongjoong and Mingi's supposed relationship, when they started dating and all the reasons for why they've kept their love a secret for so long.

It was laughable, honestly, so that's exactly what Hongjoong started to do. Laugh.

"Are you kidding? This is what you both are freaking out about? Mingi and I are not dating. Trust me, I’d never date him."

"Thanks a lot, asshole," Mingi muttered as he turned away from the post on Dooshik's phone.

"Oh, please. Like you’d ever want to date me." Hongjoong looked back at Kyunghye. "This is an easy thing to fix. It’s not like anyone outside this one individual is going to believe that Mingi and I are in a relationship."

"Actually, you’re wrong about that," Dooshik said as he pulled up several other posts from fans, gossip blogs, even small music news columns that have not only joined in the speculation of this nonexistent relationship, but have been showering the two men with their support.

"Oh my god, they’re dating?!?! I knew it!"

"They’re so perfect for each other, it was only a matter of time."

"I mean, come on! The height difference?!?! Absolutely swoon worthy."

"Minjoong is endgame!!! A happy day for us Cromer fans!!!"

"Cromer band members Kim Hongjoong and Song Mingi were pictured by fans looking pretty cozy as they left a club together last night following the first show of their world tour, leading many fans to speculate the nature of their relationship. Could it be that the guitarist and bassist found romance while creating music together? Both men have yet to make a statement regarding the rumors, but fans are hopeful that love is indeed in the air."

Bile rose in Hongjoong’s throat, and he jumped from his seat to begin pacing the room. What the actual fuck?

Mingi watched helplessly as Hongjoong tried to calm down. He knew what the smaller man was actually upset about, and it wasn't that their fans were shipping them together. This was supposed to be about the music, what both he and Hongjoong were passionate about. But instead of articles talking about their show the night before, social media was flooded with rumors about them being a couple.

"How do you suggest we deal with this?" Mingi asked, trying to help Hongjoong by reaching a solution that both of them would agree to.

"We could deny the rumors but with how fast everything is spreading, that might not be the best course of action," Kyunghye sighed. "Some people might accuse you both of queerbaiting, or some bullshit like that."

Hongjoong scoffed. "Real people can't queerbait."

"I know that, Hongjoong, but not everyone has a functioning brain like I do. That leaves us with only one option."

The unspoken words hung in the air and Hongjoong turned to Mingi, who was running a hand over his face and looked as reluctant as Hongjoong felt.

"You want us to admit to the relationship," Mingi said, staring anywhere but at Hongjoong.

"I know you both are already under a lot of stress, with the tour and needing to write a new album, so I can imagine that faking a relationship is the very last thing you want to do. But that option is what will bring more positive attention to the band."

"And it wouldn't be forever," Dooshik chimed in. "Kyunghye and I have agreed that the fake relationship should last until you all return to Seoul at the end of June, when an official statement of your amicable breakup will be released."

"Won't that bring negative attention to the second half of our world tour, as well as our upcoming album?" Hongjoong asked as he leaned against the wall, his headache that he woke up with creeping back in.

"Not if we twist the information in our favor," Kyunghye assured. "We'll put out an official statement confirming the rumors, stating that the two of you only started dating back in February, so everything is still new. This will make a breakup announcement when the band returns to Seoul more believable. We'll say the tour helped the two of you realize that you're better off as friends than as a couple. Having a song or two in the new album centered on your short relationship would also help, because it would show your fans that neither of you regret being together."

Mingi finally looked over at Hongjoong, finding the man pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. The stress was radiating from his body and Mingi knew there was no making rational decisions when Hongjoong was like this.

"Would it be okay if Hongjoong and I spoke alone before you release that statement?" Mingi asked, receiving a knowing smile from Kyunghye.

"Of course. Have Dooshik call me with any information you both would like to add to the statement. It would be beneficial to get it out as soon as possible, so don't keep me waiting for too long."

Dooshik ended the video call and retrieved the earbuds from Mingi and Hongjoong before returning their phones.

"I'll give you both some space. Text me when you’ve reached an agreement."

The silence that followed their manager's exit was awkward. Mingi shifted in the chair as he watched Hongjoong continue to lean against the wall, eyes closed and his chest rising and falling with each deep breath he took. As much as he wished they weren't put in this situation, Mingi knew Kyunghye was right. The negative attention the whole band would receive if they denied the dating rumors would ruin the experience of this tour for everyone. They had to lean into it, regardless of how they felt about each other.

"We should probably make a game plan for what we'll do when we're out in public, because a statement confirming the rumors won't be enough. Fans are going to expect some sort of PDA."

Hongjoong's eyes shot open and he glared at Mingi with a level of rage the taller man had never seen before.

"I'm not fucking kissing you."

"I wasn't suggesting that, god damn. Holding hands or having our arms wrapped around each other's waist would suffice. It's not like either one of us are inexperienced when it comes to dating men."

Hongjoong couldn't argue with Mingi about that. While Hongjoong has kept his past relationships rather private, it was known within their company and among their fans that he was gay. As far as Mingi's dating history, that man has never hidden the fact that he was a proud bisexual. Theoretically, there would be no reason why they couldn't pull this fake relationship off.

Except for the obvious fact that they hate each other.

"Why were you the one escorting me back to the hotel?" Hongjoong asked, his mind replaying the images from the Instagram post over and over again, refueling his anger.

"You were drunk, Hongjoong. What was I supposed to do?"

"Yeosang told me he was going to get Seonghwa to watch after me."

Mingi chuckled. "Seonghwa becomes useless after four drinks, you know that. He would have been no help to you."

"That didn't mean you had to jump in and help."

"Seriously, Hongjoong? Why are you so pissed off about this? What is so fucking wrong with me helping you?"

"Because we're in this fucking situation because of you! Don’t you see that, Mingi? This is all your fault!"

Mingi didn't respond, at least not with words. His expression turned crestfallen as moisture began to glisten in his eyes. His massive presence withered away, leaving almost a shell of a man in its place. Hongjoong had never seen this kind of expression from Mingi before, no matter how many times they had fought over the past two years. Hongjoong's words had struck Mingi in a way Hongjoong had not expected, and a small amount of guilt began to fill within his chest.

Slowly rising to his feet, Mingi began walking toward the door, his voice completely deflated as he spoke.

"I'm sorry for fucking things up for everyone. I'll try to do better to ensure that doesn't happen in the future."

"Mingi, I–"

"You might want to work on imagining that I'm someone you could love, Hongjoong. Because at this rate, no one is going to believe this lie we're trying to sell."

Hongjoong watched as Mingi left him alone, catching the glistening of a tear falling down Mingi's cheek before the door shut behind him. For the first time since they met, Hongjoong felt bad for the words that had left his lips. Especially since he didn't truly believe them.

Sure, it was easy to blame Mingi for the dating rumors, but he wasn't truly at fault. He would have had no idea that someone would follow them from the club to their hotel, taking photos that would be taken out of context and shared on the internet. It wasn't like Mingi wanted to be in this situation either. In fact, it seemed like Mingi got the shittier end of the deal, because at least Mingi knew how to speak to Hongjoong with some level of kindness. If this whole plan failed, it would be Hongjoong's fault, not Mingi's.

"We're fucked," Hongjoong muttered before sending a message telling Dooshik to release the statement as he walked back to his own room.

Kyunghye worked fast. The official statement was released within thirty minutes of Hongjoong messaging Dooshik and a sense of dread washed over Hongjoong as he sat on his bed and read it.

Hello, this is KQ Entertainment. We would like to address the rumors circulating social media due to some photos taken of two members of Cromer, Kim Hongjoong and Song Mingi, causing speculation of a secret relationship.

While this is not the way Hongjoong and Mingi wanted to announce their relationship to their fans, they both agreed it was best to confirm the claims now rather than leaving fans in the dark. The relationship is new, having started back in February of this year, so the two men ask for privacy as they navigate this new journey of their lives.

The other members of Cromer couldn’t be happier for the couple and offer them their full support. Hongjoong and Mingi would also like to express their gratitude to their fans who have already shown the couple so much love and support as this news becomes public.

For the safety of all of the members of Cromer, we ask that individuals refrain from following the band to and from their hotels, only taking photos in appropriate locations such as concert venues. KQ Entertainment prioritizes the safety and well-being of our artists, and we ask that fans show them that same level of respect.

Thank you for all the support you’ve shown Cromer these past two years and we hope this world tour is a memorable experience for all of you.

Best regards,

KQ Entertainment

"No turning back now," Hongjoong mumbled as he tossed his phone onto the nightstand and covered his face with a pillow.

These next few months were going to be hell.

🎸🎸🎸

Fans and reporters were waiting outside the train station when the band arrived the following morning to travel from Montreal to Toronto. Mingi could already feel sweat trickle down his neck as butterflies swirled around in his stomach, his new reality laid out before him. The moment the van doors opened, he and Hongjoong would have to sell their fake relationship like their lives depended on it. Or at least their careers, which could very well be the case.

Yunho placed a hand on Mingi's shoulder and gave it a reassuring pat. "Remember, you're a man in love. Look like it."

"Try telling that to him," Mingi mumbled as he jerked his head in Hongjoong's direction, the smaller man sitting in the seat behind him.

Yunho and Seonghwa tried to get Hongjoong to sit next to Mingi when they got into the van that morning, but he openly refused. This fake relationship thing was off to a great start.

The doors opened then, and Mingi was immediately blinded by flashing lights from not only the reporters' cameras but from the fans' phones as well. It was difficult to look happy, let alone like a man experiencing new love when all he could see were dozens of white dots.

A shoulder brushed against his arm and Mingi looked down to find Hongjoong standing beside him, a gentle smile on his face as he waved to fans screaming their names.

"They're not expecting us to be overly affectionate right now, are they?" Hongjoong whispered through his smile, his tone signifying that he wanted to do anything but be affectionate with the man standing next to him. "It's early in the morning."

"Some couples are affectionate with each other at all hours of the day, baby," Mingi replied as he took hold of the man's hand and intertwined their fingers. It took everything in Mingi not to laugh as Hongjoong's small hand disappeared within his grasp. "As luck would have it, we're that type of couple."

"Call me baby again, and I'll push you onto the tracks and make it look like an accident. You got that, princess?"

A laugh from deep within Mingi escaped his lips and he pulled Hongjoong alongside him as he followed the rest of the band toward the boarding platform. Hongjoong was surprised by how genuine the laugh was. He had just threatened Mingi's life and the man took it as a joke.

"Hongjoong, I can practically fit you inside my pocket. You're delusional if you think you'd actually be able to push me onto the tracks."

"Want to test that theory?" Hongjoong tried to pull his hand from Mingi's grasp, but the taller man not only tightened his grip, he wrapped his arm in front of Hongjoong so that they were standing right up against each other. "What the fu–"

"People are still taking photos," Mingi whispered against Hongjoong's ear, interrupting him as he pressed his chest even closer to Hongjoong's back. "Relax your shoulders. You're too tense for someone who's supposed to be in love."

The feeling of Mingi's breath against Hongjoong's neck sent a chill down his spine that he didn't like. All he wanted to do was run away, but that wasn't an option. So Hongjoong took in a few deep breaths, letting his body relax into Mingi's embrace.

"I hate this," Hongjoong sighed, not meaning to admit that out loud.

Mingi gently caressed his thumb against Hongjoong's knuckles as he replied, "I know you do."

After boarding the train, Hongjoong followed Mingi as he led them to their seats. Mingi said nothing as Hongjoong slumped into the window seat and pulled out his headphones. It was only a five hour train ride to Toronto. Hongjoong could handle sitting next to the man for that amount of time, as long as they didn't have to speak to each other. Or continue to hold hands.

Mingi was fine with being ignored. He was used to it. Putting on his own headphones and taking out his tablet, Mingi began working on one of the recent songs he had written before they left Korea. He hadn't gotten a chance to let Hongjoong listen to it yet, but Mingi knew now wasn't the time. Though as the train pulled away from the station and began its journey to Toronto, Mingi wondered if there would ever be a time when Hongjoong would welcome his contributions to the band's music.

🎸🎸🎸

"Absolutely not," Hongjoong grumbled as he skimmed over the small stack of papers that Dooshik had handed him. "I'm not doing this."

Typed out on the papers, front and back, were different locations in each city the band would be touring in that Kyunghye had picked for "dates" that she expected Hongjoong and Mingi to go on. It was bad enough that they were now going to be rooming together at every stop instead of a few here and there, information that Dooshik only revealed when they arrived to their hotel in Toronto less than an hour ago, but this was too much for Hongjoong.

Looking like he'd aged several years since the dating rumors started, Dooshik began backing up toward the door, his hands raised in defeat. "I don't know what to tell you, Hongjoong. You can't really convince the public that you and Mingi are dating if you aren't seen going on dates. If you want to complain about it, call Kyunghye."

With that as his farewell, Dooshik walked out of the bedroom, leaving Hongjoong alone with Mingi, who had been surprisingly quiet throughout the whole conversation.

"You can't seriously be okay with this," Hongjoong said as he tossed the list of dates aside and fell back onto his bed.

"Dooshik and Kyunghye have a point, Hongjoong. Holding hands and whispering into each other's ears isn't enough to sell a whole relationship." Mingi glanced at his own small stack of papers. "Besides, some of these ideas look fun."

"For couples or even friends, maybe. But not for us."

"Perhaps that's our problem," Mingi mumbled as he messed with the hem of his t-shirt. "We aren't going to be comfortable with this whole ruse if we kept trying to pretend to be in love. But if we approach this as two friends, it might make things a little easier."

Hongjoong scoffed. "Have you forgotten that we're not even friends, Mingi? How could that make things easier?"

"And who's fault is that?" The bite in Mingi's tone had Hongjoong sitting up to properly look at the man. Anger radiated from Mingi's eyes, though there was a tinge of pain as well, and Hongjoong didn't quite know how to respond. In the end, he wasn't given the chance. "I'm tired, Hongjoong. I have tried time and time again to bridge this gap between us. But every time I offer an olive branch, you smack it away. What could possibly still make you hate me this much after two fucking years of working together?"

Mingi grabbed his phone and stormed out of the room, leaving Hongjoong alone in the awkward silence that lingered behind. A familiar sense of guilt began to take root in the pit of Hongjoong's stomach. It was like he was hearing his conversations with Mingi for the first time. He knew he often acknowledged the man with annoyance, but had he always been this… cruel?

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Hongjoong dialed Seonghwa's number.

"Are you seriously calling me right now instead of walking two doors down from your room to speak to me in person?" Seonghwa asked after answering on the second ring, and Hongjoong could practically hear the other man's eyes rolling in his head.

Hongjoong would laugh if he didn't feel like shit.

"Am I an asshole?" Hongjoong whispered despite being alone in his room.

It was silent for a moment before Seonghwa replied. "That depends. Do you mind giving me some context?"

"You know what I'm referring to, Seonghwa. Just answer me. Am I an asshole?"

"Yes, Hongjoong. You are unnecessarily mean to Mingi. Aren't you tired? It's been two years."

"He said we'd have an easier time with this whole dating thing if we approached it as friends."

"You know, Mingi's quite intelligent. You might learn something from him if you weren't so insistent on turning every conversation with him into a fight. And don't say it's because you hate him. It's clear you don't even know him."

"Yes, I–"

No, Hongjoong didn't know Mingi. Not personally like the rest of the band did.

"Mingi has been trying to reach out to you for the past two years, Hongjoong. Maybe it's time you actually meet him halfway."

🎸🎸🎸

When Mingi had returned to the room that first night, he took a shower and got into bed without muttering a single word to Hongjoong. He had been expecting the silent treatment, so Hongjoong didn't try to speak with Mingi that night. He wasn't sure what he had planned on saying anyway.

The only time things weren't unbearably awkward between the two of them over the next days was when they were on stage. Performing in front of a crowd filled with thousands of fans made it easy to forget their fight and the pressure of having to fake a relationship. They lost themselves in the music, like they always did, and it felt like things had been put right again.

But as Cromer gave their final bow on the second night and Hongjoong met Mingi's gaze, their new reality hit them in the face like a bag of bricks. Something needed to change, and it was clear that Hongjoong was going to have to take the first step.

"Do you plan on going with them?" Hongjoong asked as he cornered Mingi backstage, the rest of Cromer discussing which club they wanted to go to.

Mingi shook his head. "I'm not really in the partying mood tonight. I think I'm just going to head back to the hotel."

"Good." When Mingi's expression fell, Hongjoong realized his mistake and he stumbled over his words to fix it. "It's good that you're going back to the hotel because I want to join you. To talk about everything."

"We don't talk, Hongjoong. All we're capable of doing is argue."

"And I'm aware that I'm mainly the reason for that. But perhaps that can change."

Mingi observed Hongjoong with skepticism. The smaller man offering Mingi an olive branch was so out of character, but Mingi couldn't deny that that's what he's wanted from the start. Maybe hearing Hongjoong out wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"Dooshik and Kyunghye are expecting us to go on a date tomorrow, so it would probably be best to get those details sorted before going to bed," Mingi said, watching as relief washed over Hongjoong's face.

"I'll let the others know we're leaving."

A few minutes later, Hongjoong and Mingi were being escorted to an SUV so that they could be driven back to the hotel. Before they stepped a foot outside, Hongjoong grabbed Mingi's arm and draped it over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Mingi asked, heat unexpectedly rising in his cheeks.

Thankfully, Hongjoong didn't notice the blush as they walked outside and a couple of flashes caught their attention. The small group of fans called out their names and snapped photos as the two men climbed into the SUV.

"We're an affectionate couple at all hours of the day, remember?" Hongjoong whispered against Mingi's ear, too low for their driver to hear.

Having learned their lesson from the scandal, Hongjoong and Mingi weren't surprised to find fans waiting outside their hotel when they arrived. Apparently some people weren't too keen on listening to Kyunghye's request to not follow the band members back to their hotels.

Mingi got out of the SUV first and immediately draped his arm back over Hongjoong's shoulder the moment the smaller man hopped out next to him. They ignored the high pitched squeals from their audience as they walked into the hotel lobby and over to the elevator. Their steps weren't quite in sync and Hongjoong almost had to jog to keep up with Mingi.

"Do you have to walk so fast?" Hongjoong grumbled as the entered the elevator.

"I can cradle you in my arms again, if that's what you'd prefer."

"Absolutely not."

"Can I shower first before we talk?" Mingi asked once they were safe inside their room. "I'd rather go to bed immediately after our discussion instead of waiting to shower after."

"Sure. I had the same thought."

Once the two had showered and changed into their pajamas, they each climbed into their own beds and waited for the other to speak. Since coming back to the hotel with Mingi was his decision, Hongjoong eventually started the conversation.

"I glanced over the list of dates that Kyunghye suggested for us. I think keeping things simple, especially in the beginning, is the best option. With both of us not knowing how to interact with each other on a normal basis, dates that last longer than an hour might be too much."

Mingi nodded. "Kyunghye mainly has dinner dates planned for Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, with more active dates for when we're touring the States. Maybe by then there will be less animosity between us."

"I'd be willing to work toward that."

"You would?"

The hope in Mingi's eyes sent a massive wave of guilt through Hongjoong's body, leaving him feeling ill. He really was an asshole.

"Yes, Mingi. I would." There was a beat of silence before Hongjoong spoke again. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping me back to the hotel that night. You didn't have to do that."

Mingi frowned. "It probably would have been best if I had let someone else take care of you. Then we wouldn't be in this situation."

"No, Mingi. That's not true. I know I blamed you after seeing those photos, but that wasn't fair. You had no way of knowing someone would have followed us. The only person to blame is the person who took those photos. I'm sorry for making you feel like it was your fault."

Mingi stared at Hongjoong with his mouth slightly open in surprise. Not only had Hongjoong thanked him, the man had also apologized. There was nothing in Hongjoong's tone or in his eyes that hinted that this was a joke. He meant every word.

"I accept your apology," Mingi replied softly, his cheeks warming at the sight of Hongjoong shyly smiling at him.

"Great. Well, uh, we should probably get some sleep. I was also thinking that we should do a lunch date tomorrow instead of dinner, considering we have an early flight to catch the following day."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay. That's sounds like a good idea."

"Perfect. Umm, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hongjoong."

Mingi turned on his side away from Hongjoong once the room was blanketed in darkness, the warmth in his cheeks moving to within his chest. Perhaps there was hope of the two of them being friends after all.

🎸🎸🎸

"Is that not the same group that was waiting outside our hotel last night?" Hongjoong asked as he and Mingi were seated at a small table on the patio of the Italian restaurant they had come to, the red umbrella sticking out from the middle of the table protecting their skin from the afternoon sun.

As they pondered over the menu options, Mingi glanced over his shoulder and discovered that Hongjoong was right. Standing roughly twenty feet from the restaurant's patio, trying and failing to look discreet, were the same individuals that had taken photos of them the night before. Mingi didn't mind running into fans when he was out in public. With Cromer's growing popularity, it was bound to happen. But when it was clear that specific boundaries were being crossed with little to no respect for him or the rest of Cromer, Mingi couldn't help but be annoyed.

"I imagine they're only staying away because we have company with us."

Hongjoong looked at one of Cromer's bodyguards sitting alone a few tables away, immediately feeling a sense of relief.

"I've never been more grateful to have a babysitter than I am right now."

"I'll make sure he carries you back to the hotel if you drink too much."

Hongjoong gaped at Mingi, stuck between wanting to kick the man's shin and wanting to laugh. Everything about what they were doing was new and awkward, and it was clear to Hongjoong that Mingi was trying his best to make the mood as light as possible.

In the end, Hongjoong decided to put in the same effort.

"Who do you take me for?" Hongjoong asked as a playful grin spread across his lips. "I'm not San, Mingi. I can handle one glass of wine with my pasta without getting drunk."

"If you say so."

When their food arrived, there wasn't much conversation as the two men focused on the delicious food in front of them. Octopus and pasta for Mingi, creamy vodka pasta for Hongjoong and a Margherita pizza to share. There was a slight breeze in the late April air and eating beneath the shade of the umbrella was quite enjoyable.

"Try this," Mingi sighed as he placed some of the octopus onto Hongjoong's plate. "But just to warn you, there is a spicy kick to it. Trust me, though. It's incredible."

Hongjoong was hesitant at first, not because he feared it would be too spicy for him, but because they'd never shared food like this before. With the other members, sure. But not each other.

Hongjoong was surprised that he didn't actually hate it.

Scooping up the small portion of octopus onto his fork, Hongjoong ate it and his tongue immediately began to tingle from the spice. Thankfully that small bite wasn't overpowering and Hongjoong was able to enjoy it, finding that it was as incredible as Mingi described.

"It's a shame I can't handle spicy food because that is fucking amazing."

A big grin spread across Mingi's face. "I told you."

"Here," Hongjoong said as he transferred some of his own pasta onto Mingi's plate. "Have some of mine."

"Since both of us seem to be in a sharing mood, don't you think it's time we get to know each other better?" Mingi asked after taking a bite of Hongjoong's pasta. "You know, in case we're asked questions about our relationship?"

Hongjoong thought about the few interviews that KQ had set up when Cromer travelled to Los Angeles and New York, and with it being revealed that he and Mingi were "dating", Hongjoong had no doubt that the relationship would be brought up during those interviews.

"I don't think we have to worry about them asking questions that are too invasive, but it would be smart to be prepared. Kyunghye already gave us the answer for when we started dating, so we don't have to worry about that."

"She gave us the month, not the day."

"Does the day actually matter?"

Mingi chuckled. "Yes, Hongjoong. Most couples know the exact day they started dating."

"Okay, fine. What day did we start this fantastic relationship?" When Mingi began to grin knowingly, Hongjoong rolled his eyes. "We are not telling everyone we started dating on Valentine's day. That's super fucking corny."

"No, but seeing all the romantic gestures inspired me to ask you out a few days later. Let's say the seventeenth?"

"Hold on. Why are you the one who asked me out in this scenario?"

"Out of the two of us, I'm the one who's been very open about my past relationships. It would make sense that I'd be the first one to make a move."

Hongjoong crossed his arms in front of his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

"You make me sound like I'm cold and closed off because I don't share secrets of my dating life with the public."

"That wasn't an insult, Hongjoong. I actually admire you wanting to stay private in certain aspects of your life. It's a difficult thing to do when we have the careers that we do."

"Oh." Hongjoong struggled to think of something to say, too stunned by the compliment Mingi gave him. "Fine, you can be the one who asked me out in this relationship. What else should we know about each other?"

"What made you want to create a band when you were a teenager?"

"Isn't that the dream of every little boy when they're younger?"

"I think it's up there with being an astronaut or a pirate. But why was it your dream?"

Hongjoong smiled to himself, memories from his teenage years filling his mind. Mingi leaned his elbow on the table in order to rest his chin in the palm of his hand, his eyes sparkling with interest. The sight made Hongjoong's cheeks flush a little.

"I've always loved music. David Bowie and Michael Jackson were always played in my house growing up, so they were my first real introduction to my passion for music. Then in middle school and high school, I got into bands like Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance and Green Day, which sparked the idea to possibly create my own band. Seonghwa was the first person I told."

"How old were you two?"

"We were fifteen when I told Seonghwa and then he helped me approach the rest of our friends with the idea. San was known for his nonstop singing, so asking him to be the front man was an easy decision. After that, everyone just fell into place. We took random jobs during the summer to purchase the instruments and taught ourselves how to play them. Cromer was officially formed the following year."

Mingi's eyes widened with surprise. "The seven of you managed to learn how to play instruments in a year?"

"Oh, no. We were absolutely terrible in the beginning. It wasn't until Seonghwa and I graduated from high school that the band was decent enough to record a couple EPs in Wooyoung's garage."

"Do you still have those?"

"I'm sure they're buried in a box at my parents' house, but they are never seeing the light of day. Cromer has a reputation to uphold."

Mingi grinned. "Well, maybe one day you'll let me have a listen. It would be nice to see where the band started."

"We'll see how I feel about you after all of this is over."

"Jackass."

"What about you? How'd you get into music?"

The light in Mingi's eyes faded slightly as he became very focused on the empty plate in front of him, slowly spinning it on the table as the silence dragged on for a few uncomfortable moments.

"Honestly, I can't remember an exact moment when I knew music was my future. Pursuing music just always felt right to me. The older brother of a friend at school was a music teacher and he helped me learn how to play the bass when I was about fourteen."

"Did you never think of creating your own band?"

"No." A humorless laugh escaped Mingi's lips. "I bet you wish I would have. Could have saved you all this trouble."

"That's– no, Mingi. That's not why I asked."

Mingi began shifting in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. "Sorry, that was a harsh thing to assume. Can we just… I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"All right. Are you finished eating? Why don't we just head back to the hotel?"

"Sounds good."

The ride back to the hotel was a little awkward, with Mingi staring out the window for the entire drive. Something about Mingi's past was clearly painful to talk about, a fact that Hongjoong was shocked to discover. Sure, he was just starting to get to know personal things about Mingi after two years, but Hongjoong felt like he had a good sense as to who Mingi was. The man was constantly smiling or laughing. Hongjoong assumed he had always been carefree, always been happy.

Seonghwa was right. Hongjoong didn't know Mingi at all. This wasn't a great position to be in, especially since they were supposed to convince their fans and the rest of the world that they were in love. How the hell were they actually going to pull this off?

🎸🎸🎸

Photos of their date were trending all over social media before the end of the day, which led to an even bigger crowd waiting for the band at the airport the following morning. Front and center were the group of five women that had been shadowing the band's movements since they arrived in Canada. It made both Hongjoong and Mingi feel a little uneasy.

"If they keep following us to other stops, I'll talk with Dooshik to see if there's anything that can be done about them," Hongjoong whispered as they waited for their boarding passes to print, his small hand squeezing Mingi's in comfort.

Mingi smiled down at Hongjoong in response, the tension that had been building when he noticed the group slowly fading from his body. Knowing that he wouldn't have to deal with this alone was oddly comforting, even if the person he was enduring the whole ordeal with was Hongjoong.

They were still awkward with each other, not fully knowing what to say or how to act in public, or even in private, but they were trying. It was also the longest that the two of them had gone without arguing, so Mingi took that as a win.

Their show in Calgary was just as electric as the ones before it, the energy from the crowd giving Hongjoong and Mingi a chance to escape from the pressure of this relationship they were faking. But their escape was short lived, with Dooshik texting them both the morning after their concert asking where they planned on going for their date.

"Do you want to do another lunch date?" Hongjoong asked through the bathroom door as he towel dried his hair.

Mingi was slipping on his boots when he replied. "Can we actually make it dinner? I was hoping to go sightseeing with Yunho and Jongho today."

"Oh, yeah. That’s perfect actually. With everyone gone, I'll be able to start working on the album."

Mingi froze from where he sat on the edge of his bed. Hongjoong was going to work on the album? The one that they were supposed to be working on together?

Feeling annoyed and in need of a distraction, Mingi grabbed his phone off the nightstand and made his way for the door.

"Great. See you later," Mingi called out before exiting the room.

As he walked down to the hotel lobby to meet up with Yunho and Jongho, Mingi decided there was nothing to worry about. He had been wanting to talk with Hongjoong about the album anyway, so this would give him that opportunity when he returned to the hotel later. Mingi just hoped that whatever had been slowly growing between the two of them would ease the tension and they could talk about the album without getting into an argument. Mingi didn't think that was too much to ask for.

🎸🎸🎸

Hongjoong was frustrated. He had been sitting on his bed with his laptop in front of him for hours, listening to a few melodies he had prerecorded before leaving Seoul. They had sounded great when he recorded them, but now as he played them over and over again in his headphones, he realized they were complete shit. How the fuck was he supposed to create a whole new album if everything he tried sucked?

He was so lost in his frustration that Hongjoong didn't hear Mingi walk into the room after returning from his outing with Yunho and Jongho, the taller man calling his name several times. It wasn't until Mingi was standing next to Hongjoong's bed that he noticed the man's presence.

"What's wrong?" Mingi asked.

"It's nothing. I just can't figure out a single melody that would work for the new album."

"Do you want me to take a listen? Maybe I can figure out what–"

"No," Hongjoong snapped before raising the volume of his headphones. He didn't have time for Mingi's interference.

Taking in a deep breath and then another, Mingi walked over to his suitcase and grabbed a USB drive he had stashed inside, tossing the drive into Hongjoong's lap.

"Why don't you listen to something new? I mentioned at the meeting before we left Seoul that I had a few songs already written."

"Good for you."

When it was clear that Hongjoong had no intention of listening to him, the man didn't even look at the flash drive before tossing it aside, Mingi snapped. Walking back to the side of the bed, Mingi slammed the laptop shut, unplugged Hongjoong's headphones and swiped the laptop from the bed.

"You know, I really thought we had made progress over the past few days, but clearly I was kidding myself. Why are you so determined to be a fucking asshole to me, Hongjoong? Why?"

"Give me back my laptop, Mingi."

"I will if you listen to what's on the flash drive. Or have you forgotten that this album is supposed to be created by both of us? Together."

"Mingi, give it to me!"

Hongjoong removed his headphones as he hopped off the bed and made a swipe for the laptop. Mingi was faster, holding the laptop above his head and well out of Hongjoong's reach. The smaller man glared at Mingi, pure rage burning behind his eyes as he tried to jump up for the laptop and used Mingi's shoulder as leverage.

The extra weight of Hongjoong bracing himself against Mingi caused the taller man to lose his balance, and Mingi stumbled back onto his bed, pulling Hongjoong on top of him. One of Mingi's knees jabbed Hongjoong in the side, knocking the wind out of him.

"Seriously, Mingi?" Hongjoong gasped. "What the fuck?"

"You're the one who jumped on me."

"I wouldn't have had to jump on you if you didn't take my laptop."

The two glared at each other for a couple moments before a few things became apparent. First, Mingi was no longer holding the laptop. The device had slid from his hand and off the bed as Mingi and Hongjoong fell. So now Mingi's arms were wrapped around Hongjoong's waist, holding the man flush against his body. Second, Hongjoong's hands were clinging onto Mingi's shoulders in a tight grasp and he was fully straddling Mingi's hips. Third, because there was no space between them, they could feel even the slightest movement from the other brush against their bodies.

So when Hongjoong tried to wiggle his way out of Mingi's arms, he could feel what his movements were doing to the taller man. Mingi felt like he had been tossed into a furnace, sweat dampened his brow and his entire face grew red. His body's reaction made no sense. Sure, it's been a while since he was this close to another person, but this was Hongjoong. Mingi shouldn't be getting aroused simply because Hongjoong was brushing up against him.

An amused smirk spread across Hongjoong's lips as he stared down at Mingi.

"Really, Mingi? Does having me on top of you excite you that much?"

"Shut up."

"Is it me that turns you on or are you that desperate that anyone's body would suffice?"

Annoyed with Hongjoong and now unexpectedly sexually frustrated, Mingi began to slowly grind his arousal against Hongjoong, watching as the smaller man's pupils dilated and a breath hitched in his throat.

"What about you, Hongjoong?" Mingi asked breathlessly, his arousal growing with each second that Hongjoong remained this close to him. "Are you just as desperate as I am?"

"Fuck," Hongjoong gasped as heat pooled to the pit of his stomach. This was bad. And confusing. Neither one of them should be feeling this way, yet here they both were, turned on and in need of a release. Hongjoong couldn't believe the next words that came out of his mouth. "Do you want me to get up or do you want me to take care of your problem?"

Mingi's eyes widened with shock before he let out a light chuckle. "You really expect me to believe that your small hands could take care of me?"

Adjusting his position slightly, Hongjoong trailed his right hand down Mingi's shoulder and side before resting on the man's hip. He tapped his fingers and looked at Mingi expectantly.

"Would you like to find out?"

For a while, Mingi didn't respond. It wasn't like he needed Hongjoong's help. Mingi could simply walk into the bathroom and take care of his arousal on his own. But he couldn't deny that in that moment he was more than a little… intrigued. What would it feel like to have Hongjoong touch him, to get off by the feeling of Hongjoong's hand wrapped around his skin?

"Fine," Mingi whispered. "Prove me wrong."

The heat in the pit of Hongjoong's stomach flared as he popped open the button and lowered the zipper of Mingi's jeans before pulling the jeans and Mingi's boxers down until they reached mid thigh. Hongjoong didn't glance down at Mingi's exposed body. Instead, he maintained eye contact with the man as he wrapped his fingers around Mingi's arousal and slowly started moving his hand.

Mingi bit his lip as he tried not to moan from the touch, the small calluses on Hongjoong's fingertips adding to the pleasure he was beginning to feel. He had been wrong. Hongjoong's hand felt amazing.

After a few minutes, Hongjoong's movements stopped and Mingi almost whined in response. "Are you seriously teasing me right now?"

"If anyone's being teased, it's me. Or do you think you're the only one who deserves to be touched?"

Mingi rolled his eyes before pulling down Hongjoong's pants and taking the man's arousal in his hand. "Happy?" Mingi asked as he began a steady pace.

Hongjoong immediately grabbed Mingi again in response, and the two men matched each other's movements. Despite their best efforts, both Mingi and Hongjoong couldn't prevent the moans that escaped their lips as their hands pleased each other, guiding each other to their much needed release.

"Fuck, I–" Hongjoong gasped as he leaned his forehead on Mingi's shoulder, his hips rocking against every stroke of Mingi's hand, completely lost in the sensation flowing through his veins.

Mingi wasn't in much better shape, his spare hand now tangled in Hongjoong's hair as their movements became erratic.

"I know, Hongjoong. Me too."

Moments later, both men pushed each other over the edge, diving headfirst into their release. Sweat dampened each of their brows and their breathing was staggered as they came down from the high. The bliss lasted only a few seconds before they met each other's gaze, eyes widening in shock as Hongjoong practically fell off of Mingi and stumbled for the bathroom.

"I, uh, I'm going to clean up," Hongjoong stuttered before closing himself inside the bathroom, stripping off his clothes before jumping into the shower.

He wanted to believe what just happened wasn't real, but the evidence currently being washed from his body told him otherwise. Whatever. It didn't mean anything. And it sure as hell wouldn't happen again. The lingering sensation of Mingi's touch would wash away like everything else. Hongjoong was certain of it.

Back in the bedroom, Mingi cleaned himself off with the tissues on the desk before changing out of his day clothes and into pajamas before rushing out of the room. Seconds after knocking on a door down the hallway, Mingi was being let into Yunho's room.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Yunho asked as Mingi sat on the edge of his bed. "And why are you already dressed for bed? It's barely six in the evening."

"Sorry for barging in here, I just… Hongjoong and I got into an argument and I don't think I can sleep in there tonight."

It wasn't a complete lie, but it was better than the truth. Yunho nodded before pulling Mingi into a hug.

"You're more than welcome to stay here, Mingi. You know that. Just be careful. With that group of ladies following us to every city, we don't want to cause a rumor that you're cheating on your fake boyfriend."

Despite himself, Mingi laughed before getting comfortable on Yunho's bed. "Would it be okay if we ordered room service for dinner? Hongjoong and I were supposed to go on a date, but after our argument…"

Yunho smiled as he ruffled Mingi's hair. "Of course. A lazy night in is just what you need."

They didn't speak about Hongjoong the rest of the night, but it didn't matter. Mingi kept seeing that moment between them every time he closed his eyes. They had both been frustrated, both emotionally and clearly sexually, but it was a one-time thing. It meant nothing and Mingi had no intentions of letting a mistake like that happen again. The strange urge to sneak back into the room he shared with Hongjoong and crawl into the man's bed was nothing more than a trick of Mingi's exhausted mind as he drifted off to sleep.

🎸🎸🎸

If things had been awkward between Hongjoong and Mingi thanks to the fake dating situation that they'd found themselves in, things were an absolute nightmare now. Mingi draped his arm around Hongjoong's shoulder when they arrived at the airport the following morning, but both he and Hongjoong were so stiff with each other that Mingi had no doubt that they looked anything but romantic.

The tension was felt by the rest of the band, but when anyone asked what was wrong, Mingi and Hongjoong said the same thing. "We had an argument." It was a reason everyone was used to, even Dooshik, but their manager still expressed his disappointment when he learned that Hongjoong and Mingi never went on their date.

"Don't skip the ones you have scheduled in Vancouver," Dooshik said before they boarded their plane. "I'll have to inform Kyunghye if you miss another."

Any plans on skipping future dates died in that moment. The last thing either Hongjoong or Mingi wanted was to piss Kyunghye off. Which meant they were stuck in this awkward bubble that they couldn't escape.

Two years of animosity, two days of cordial interactions, and one brief sexual encounter. It confused Mingi to no end. Not once had he ever found himself even remotely attracted to Hongjoong, yet that moment between the two men contradicted Mingi's own thoughts. And now that he's had a small taste, his body craved more.

None of that mattered. It wasn't like he could simply ask Hongjoong to sleep with him. Hongjoong would never agree to something like that.

They ignored each other the entire flight to Vancouver and continued to do so as the band was escorted to their hotel. They only briefly held hands as they walked to the SUV waiting for them outside of the airport.

Hongjoong felt like he was going insane. That moment in Calgary was embedded in his brain, making him fantasize about scenarios that he had never thought about before. He waited for the shame to take over every time he imagined what Mingi could accomplish with his mouth or what the man would feel like completely bare beneath him, yet it never happened.

Dooshik had wanted Hongjoong and Mingi to go on at least two dates while the band was in Vancouver, but the two men barely managed to make it through the first one the day after they arrived. While their first date back in Toronto had been awkward, it still somehow ended up being pleasant. Now Hongjoong and Mingi could barely maintain eye contact with each other, let alone hold a conversation. Hongjoong was just glad the group of fans that kept following them never got close enough to hear what was being said or not said.

The only time Hongjoong felt free from all the pressure of faking this relationship with Mingi and these sudden fantasies plaguing his mind was when he was on stage. Cromer was scheduled for three shows in Vancouver and every time Hongjoong walked in front of the crowd, he was filled with an adrenaline that felt like home to him.

The few glances he spared toward Mingi told Hongjoong that the man felt the same way. Their love for music was one of the only things the two had in common, and Hongjoong was happy that Mingi could be professional when it mattered the most.

As Cromer walked backstage after their third show, Dooshik met them with several bottles of champagne and a wide smile on his face.

"Just got the news, gentleman!" Dooshik shouted as he popped open the first bottle. "Cromer has been nominated for Favorite Rock Album, Favorite Rock Song and Favorite Rock Artist at the AMA's this year. Not only that, but the band has been invited to attend the award show!"

Cheers erupted as the remaining champagne bottles were opened to share among the band and the tour crew. Hongjoong was elated. Finally. The focus on the band was back to being about the music. It was exactly the type of news Hongjoong needed to further distract himself from the drama of this fake relationship.

"The teenager in you must be freaking out right now over those nominations," Mingi said later that night as the two men got ready for bed.

His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and Hongjoong realized this was the first time either of them had spoken to each other in days without having an audience present.

"He is," Hongjoong replied. "The twenty-eight year old is freaking out just as much. The band deserves this."

Mingi smiled timidly at Hongjoong before turning off the lights and crawling into bed, effectively ending the conversation. But now that Mingi has opened the door for conversation, Hongjoong decided to try to pull them back to where they had been back in Toronto. If they could get back to that point, maybe things wouldn't be so awkward and they could get through the next two months without dying from embarrassment.

"Dooshik pulled me aside before we left Rogers Arena to ask what our plans were for tomorrow. I told him I still needed to speak with you about it."

"I'm hanging out with San, Yeosang and Wooyoung tomorrow. They have a couple places they wanted to take me to."

"Oh." Can I join you? Can you hang out with me instead? Can we please talk about the fact that we are sexually attracted to each other and figure out what to do about it? Those questions were on the tip of Hongjoong's tongue, but instead of asking them he simply said, "Have fun."

🎸🎸🎸

Mingi thought that spending time with other members of Cromer would take his mind off of Hongjoong, but it didn't. Numerous times as the small group was sightseeing around Vancouver, either San or Wooyoung would tease Mingi about being lost in his own world. Even Yeosang was asking if he was okay, which spoke volumes considering Yeosang was the one who often had to be pulled back from daydreaming.

It became clear to Mingi that how he and Hongjoong were handling the whole Calgary situation wasn't working. Ignoring it was never going to work, and both of them were fools to pretend otherwise. There was only one option for them and the thought had butterflies fluttering around Mingi's stomach as he walked back to his hotel room after hanging out with San, Yeosang and Wooyoung.

What if Hongjoong rejected the idea? What it he didn't? Mingi didn't know which one rattled his nerves more.

Hongjoong was sitting on his bed when Mingi entered the room, his eyes closed as he bobbed his head to the music playing through his headphones. He looked soft, almost peaceful. Mingi contemplated abandoning his idea and escaping to Yunho's room, but he never got the chance as Hongjoong opened his eyes and saw the taller man standing there.

"I didn't think you'd be back so early," Hongjoong said as he took off his headphones and placed them on the nightstand. He noticed the way Mingi was shifting nervously from one foot to the other, and that made Hongjoong anxious. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

What Mingi said next wasn't even an answer to his questions and had Hongjoong's mouth drop open in shock.

"I think we should have sex."

"You… what?"

"You heard me, Hongjoong. This tension that's been following us around since Calgary is awkward and distracting, and it's not going to magically disappear simply because we choose to ignore it."

Hongjoong couldn't help but laugh. "And your solution to the problem is that we should fuck each other?"

"Yes. It's not like we can hook up with random people anyway. To the rest of the world, you and I are a couple."

"That doesn't mean we should start having sex, Mingi. What happened in Calgary was…"

A mistake. A one-time thing. Hongjoong couldn't say the words.

"Are you telling me that in the past week you haven't wondered what it would feel like? Being together?"

Hongjoong's face flushed, his mind immediately playing his fantasies out like a slideshow. The small grin that crept at the corner of Mingi's mouth told Hongjoong that the man knew exactly what he was thinking.

"We don't even like each other, Mingi."

"That didn't seem to stop us from shoving our hands down each other's pants last week. Running away from this tension isn't working for us, Hongjoong. If we can't escape it, we might as well give in to it."

Hongjoong rubbed a hand over his face before hopping off the bed to stand in front of Mingi. For a while, they simply stared at each other. The heat radiating off of Mingi's body was intoxicating and Hongjoong found himself stepping closer without even realizing it.

"If we do this, I'm setting a couple rules," Hongjoong whispered as he stopped himself from reaching for Mingi's waist. "We don't breathe a word of this to anyone. Not Yunho. Not Seonghwa. Absolutely no one can know." Mingi opened his mouth to speak, but Hongjoong cut him off. "More importantly, there is to be absolutely no kissing involved. I don't want your lips going above my neck any time that we're together."

Mingi rolled his eyes. "Really, Hongjoong? We're talking about starting a casual sexual relationship, and you're worried about whether we kiss each other or not?"

"Exactly. A casual sexual relationship. I only kiss people I genuinely like. That's not the case here. So, do you agree to my terms?"

The space between them grew smaller as Mingi took a step forward, his hands reaching out to grab the hem of Hongjoong's t-shirt, the fabric raising just enough that Mingi's fingers brushed against Hongjoong's skin. His heart became erratic inside of his chest as Hongjoong stared up at Mingi, an emotion he'd never seen before flashing across the man's eyes.

Lust.

"No kissing and no speaking of what we do behind closed doors?" Mingi whispered, his breath warm on Hongjoong's face. "Sounds reasonable to me."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Mingi quickly raised Hongjoong's shirt over his head and tossed it onto the floor before both men worked off Mingi's shirt together, their hands rough and greedy against each other's skin. As Hongjoong guided Mingi back and pushed the taller man onto his bed before straddling him, Mingi's eyes traced the tattoo on Hongjoong's chest.

In the two years that they've known each other, Mingi had only seen the No1LikeMe tattoo on Hongjoong's right bicep. But the one on his chest Mingi had only seen glimpses of peeking from underneath the collar of Hongjoong's shirts. An hourglass surrounded by marigolds decorated Hongjoong's left pec and up onto his shoulder. Unable to stop himself, Mingi reached up to trace the tattoo with his fingertips, causing Hongjoong's breath to hitch.

"This is beautiful," Mingi commented. "Did you design it?"

Hongjoong nodded as he caressed his hands down Mingi's sides before resting them on the man's hips. "It was Cromer's original logo back when I first formed the band. Now, do you intend on asking me more questions about my tattoos or are we actually going to get naked?"

"So fucking impatient," Mingi grumbled before flipping them over so that he was hovering above Hongjoong, his hands wasting no time removing Hongjoong's pants and boxers. "Do you have a preference for how this goes?"

"I'm quite versatile when I want to be." Hongjoong trailed his hands down Mingi's back before resting them on his ass, watching as the lust in Mingi's eyes darkened. With a speed that matched Mingi's, Hongjoong freed Mingi from the remainder of his clothing, their bare bodies now flush against each other before he flipped them back to their original positions. "If you don't mind, though, I'd like to lead first."

"Be my guest."

Hongjoong smirked before leaning down and pressing a rough kiss to Mingi's collarbone, all teeth and tongue, igniting a fire beneath Mingi's skin. Fingers tangled in Hongjoong's hair as he left a trail of those same rough kisses down Mingi's chest before stopping just below Mingi's navel.

"Don't fucking tease me, Hongjoong," Mingi gasped through ragged breaths, his arousal already prominent between his legs.

Hongjoong caressed Mingi's thighs, enjoying the sight of goosebumps his touch left behind. Slowly, he crawled down Mingi's body until he was comfortably positioned between Mingi's legs. One of Mingi's hands was still tangled in Hongjoong's hair and his grip tightened when Hongjoong lowered his head to kiss from Mingi's right knee and up his thigh before wrapping his wet mouth around the place that Mingi craved him the most.

"Oh god!" Mingi whimpered as Hongjoong's lips and tongue caressed his sensitive skin, beads of sweat already glistening across his chest. "That feels– god dammit, Hongjoong. That feels good."

"Just good?" Hongjoong asked playfully before lowering his head again and working his mouth in a way that had Mingi involuntarily thrusting his hips.

Mingi tried to catch his breath in between the moans and whimpers that escaped his lips, but it became difficult as his lower abdomen tightened and his release drew near. He was overwhelmed by the sensation and Mingi couldn't stop himself from tugging on Hongjoong's hair, eliciting a moan from Hongjoong. The vibration from the man's lips quickly sent Mingi over the edge, his body trembling beneath Hongjoong as he chased after his release.

"Don't you fucking stop," Mingi managed to say as his breathing settled in his chest, causing Hongjoong to laugh as he crawled back up Mingi's body.

Hongjoong nipped at Mingi's neck before whispering, "As you wish."

While marking Mingi's chest with more rough kisses, Hongjoong moved his fingers with slow precision, making Mingi writhe and ache for more beneath him. The moment Mingi began to move against Hongjoong's fingers, he wrapped Mingi's legs around his waist and connected their bodies with one deep thrust.

"Fuck!" Mingi cried out as he slammed his head back against the pillow, intense pleasure radiating through his veins as Hongjoong moved in a steady pace.

Mingi clawed at Hongjoong's shoulders as every thrust hit just the right spot, a chorus of moans escaping his lips. He felt overwhelmed, his senses focusing on only one thing. Hongjoong. The man was everywhere, flowing through his veins, intoxicating every fiber of Mingi's being.

It wasn't long until Mingi began rolling his hips to meet Hongjoong's every thrust, heat pooling in his stomach with the promise of release. Sensing that Mingi was close, Hongjoong moved faster, rougher, moans from both men echoing off the walls as a wave of ecstasy came crashing down on them.

Hongjoong buried his face in the crook of Mingi's neck as he held the man tight, their skin slick with sweat as they trembled in each other's arms.

"Well, damn," Hongjoong mumbled as he slowly rose off of Mingi and rolled onto the mattress next to him. "That was–"

"Yeah," Mingi interrupted, his breathing still shallow. "That was fucking amazing."

Hongjoong couldn't help but grin as he leaned in to kiss Mingi's shoulder. "I guess you do have good ideas every once in a while."

Mingi slapped Hongjoong's arm weakly before rolling onto his side. It was easy to see the lust that still lingered beneath his hooded eyes as they explored every inch of Hongjoong's body.

"You'll come to find out, Hongjoong, that I'm full of great ideas."

Before Hongjoong could respond, Mingi repositioned himself on the bed so that he could begin kissing Hongjoong's thigh with the same roughness that Hongjoong had used. Hongjoong immediately grabbed a fistful of Mingi's hair and tried to guide the man to the growing arousal between his legs, but Mingi pulled away. In fact, he got off the bed and dragged Hongjoong to the edge before flipping him onto his hands and knees.

"Mingi, what are you doing?"

Hongjoong felt Mingi's breath before he felt the wetness of his tongue, effectively answering Hongjoong's question. A low groan escaped Hongjoong's lips as he grabbed the bedding with both fists, pleasure lighting a flame beneath his skin. After a while, Mingi replaced his tongue with his fingers and kissed his way up Hongjoong's spine. The man shuddered beneath Mingi's touch, desperate whimpers escaping his lips as Mingi pleased him.

It wasn't often that Hongjoong allowed himself to be in this kind of position, but with Mingi he found that he rather enjoyed it. Enjoyed the teasing of his fingers, the roughness of his kisses, the weight of his body. Their wants and desires matched in ways Hongjoong had not expected, but he couldn't focus on what that meant when his senses were overrun by Mingi's presence.

"What do you want, Hongjoong?" Mingi asked as he kissed between Hongjoong's shoulder and his neck. "Tell me."

"I want you inside me. Please. I need it."

With a final kiss to the back of Hongjoong's neck, Mingi got into position and rolled his hips forward to connect their bodies fully and completely. Mingi braced himself on the bed, his arms caging Hongjoong and his chest brushing against Hongjoong's back with every thrust.

Hongjoong couldn't hold back his moans even if he wanted to, the feeling of Mingi's body moving against his own forcing sounds from his lips that Hongjoong didn't even know he could make.

"More," Hongjoong whimpered as he pushed back against Mingi's thrusts. "Oh god, I need more."

Mingi gave Hongjoong what he wanted and soon their bodies were moving erratically, chasing the pleasure that was coursing through their veins.

"Let go with me," Mingi pleaded as he reached in between Hongjoong's legs, his touch pushing Hongjoong toward his release.

As Hongjoong trembled beneath him, Mingi fell over the edge, riding out the wave of pleasure until there was nothing left. With a heavy sigh, Mingi collapsed on top of Hongjoong, pinning him to the bed. They didn't speak or even move for a long while, content in the bliss they found themselves in. When Mingi had suggested that they start having sex, he never imagined it would be like this.

As his senses slowly came back, Hongjoong became all too aware of how close Mingi still was. His chest would rise and fall against Hongjoong's back with each deep breath he took, and Hongjoong worried that if one of them didn't move, Mingi would easily fall asleep on top of him. It felt too intimate for what was supposed to be casual sex.

"Let me up, Mingi," Hongjoong said as he tried to crawl out from under Mingi's body.

"Why?"

"I'd like to shower."

Mingi raised his body just enough so that Hongjoong could slide off the bed before falling back onto the mattress.

"Don't take all the hot water," Mingi mumbled as Hongjoong rummaged through his suitcase.

After grabbing a clean pair of boxers and pajamas, Hongjoong shut himself in the bathroom, his body aching with every step he took. He couldn't complain about it, though. For two people who previously hated each other, Hongjoong and Mingi were surprisingly capable of having some amazing sex. What would it feel like if they actually liked each other?

Hongjoong shook that question from his head before staring at himself in the mirror.

"It's just casual sex. That's it. Just casual."

What Hongjoong couldn't hear as he turned on the shower was Mingi chanting the same thing while he continued to lie in bed, his fingertips tracing the marks Hongjoong left on his skin.

"Just casual sex. Nothing more."