Archive of Our Own

With no restrictions holding his shoulders back, Riku slid across the leather seat, leaning his entire upper body smoothly over the center console and entering Yushi's personal space. He reached out, his palm flattening firmly against the top of Yushi’s thigh.

Yushi didn't give him a chance to retreat. He leaned up, capturing Riku’s lips in a crushing, relentless kiss that effectively answered every ounce of the teasing challenge Riku had thrown at him on the highway. It was deep, consuming, and entirely possessive, the cramped space of the driver's seat amplifying the rough rustle of their clothes and the frantic rhythm of their breathing against the steering wheel.

Riku’s hands flew to Yushi’s bare neck, his fingers knotting into the soft, damp blossom pink hair at his nape as he entirely surrendered his brief moment of control. He let out a soft, fractured groan into Yushi’s mouth, his body melting completely under the weight of his boyfriend's sudden, overwhelming return to dominance.

Yushi's free hand slid down to steady Riku's waist, his grip vice like and unyielding, anchoring Riku to him in the quiet, air conditioned vacuum of the tinted car.

When Yushi finally pulled back just an inch, his lips brushed against Riku's flushed cheek, his breath hot and ragged against his skin. A soft, breathless giggle escaped Yushi's lips, the sudden return of his affectionate warmth a stark contrast to the intense focus from moments before. But the playfulness didn't last long as Yushi reasserted his dominant tone, his eyes darkening as he took in Riku's completely undone state.

"We're not going inside," Yushi murmured, his voice dropping into a heavy, authoritative register that left absolutely no room for argument. He caught Riku’s wrists, his gaze pinning him in place. "The console is in the way. Let's move to the back seat."

The transition into the back was a scramble of tight spaces. Riku climbed over the armrest first, his long limbs tangling briefly with the cup holders, resulting in a sudden, accidental bump that sent a sharp ripple of motion through the vehicle. Yushi followed immediately behind, his weight pressing forward to urge Riku along. Riku’s knees sank into the lower cushions of the rear bench seat, his hands bracing firmly against the fabric of the back door panel for support. The leather creaked loudly under their combined movements, and the car's suspension rocked slightly in the quiet parking lot before they finally settled into the deep, private sanctuary of the rear cabin.

Riku rested his forehead tiredly against Yushi’s shoulder, his heart slamming violently against his ribs as he let out a long, defeated laugh. "You're terrifying, Yu-chan," he mumbled, his voice incredibly thick and raspy.

They sat like that for a few minutes, slowly letting the adrenaline drain from their systems. 

The quiet inside the car was instantly shattered by the distinct clunk of another car door closing nearby, followed by the crunch of heavy footsteps on the gravel lot. Both of them froze, their eyes widening in unison as the reality of the ticking clock came crashing back into the cabin.

"The staff," Riku hissed under his breath, a sudden jolt of adrenaline forcing him out of his relaxed state.

They scrambled frantically in the narrow backseat, a chaotic blur of tangled limbs and rustling fabric as they fought to get their clothes back on. Riku grabbed his cream turtleneck from the floorboards, pulling it over his head in a hurry, while Yushi quickly fastened his pants and yanked his shirt back into place. Every small sound outside made them move faster, their fingers clumsy as they zipped, buttoned, and smoothed down their wrinkled clothes in the dim, tinted privacy of the car.

By the time the footsteps faded toward the building's side entrance, both boys were sitting up, breathing heavily, completely dressed but thoroughly disheveled. Riku turned to the rearview mirror, spending a frantic minute trying his best to tame his damp, messy hair. He aggressively pulled his cream turtleneck all the way up to his jawline, his raspy voice muttering warnings while Yushi just watched him, fixing his own collar with a soft, entirely satisfied smile.

Yushi, still catching his breath, reached over to help Riku smooth down the collar of his turtleneck, his fingers lingering for a second. A sudden thought struck him, a mischievous but genuine spark lighting up his dark eyes. "A martial arts concept? Can I join the meeting?"

Riku paused, looking at his boyfriend's eager expression. Given everything that had just unfolded between them and the fact that Yushi had just thoroughly dominated him in the backseat, Riku found himself completely powerless to say no. He let out a defeated but fond sigh. "Fine, you can come with me," Riku muttered, adjusting his hair in the rearview mirror one last time. "Just make sure you behave yourself in front of the production crew, Yu-chan."

The contrast between the intense, lingering heat of the backseat and the cold, bright fluorescent lights of the conference room was dizzying. Riku sat at the main table, adjusting his collar to make sure it sat high against his throat, while Yushi smoothly slid into a chair right beside him, acting completely nonchalant.

"The editing looks sharp," the content director noted, leaning back in his chair, completely oblivious to the secret tension beside him. "The synchronization during the sparring sequence is incredible. Since Riku already has a massive following as a TikTok influencer, we are going to lean heavily into that. We'll drop the main edited video on his official TikTok profile, and we suggest you two do a TikTok Live together immediately after it goes viral."

Yushi’s fingers tapped a slow, teasing rhythm against the fabric of Riku’s pants beneath the table, his face remaining a perfect mask of calm, professional interest as he looked at the director.

"A joint TikTok Live?" Yushi asked, his voice smooth and steady. "I think that's an excellent idea. We can discuss the... intensity of the preparation process. What do you think, Riku?"

Riku swallowed hard, the warmth rising right back up to his cheeks in the dim room as he felt the precise spot where Yushi's hand rested. He cleared his throat, forcing a professional nod. "Yeah. A live stream sounds perfect. My followers love behind-the-scenes content, and we have a lot of details to share."

But Yushi didn't stop there. Emboldened by Riku’s compliance, his fingers gave a small, deliberate squeeze against Riku's knee.

That was the absolute breaking point for Riku’s patience. Shifting his weight subtly, Riku pulled his leg back and delivered a sharp, vicious kick straight into Yushi’s shin beneath the heavy mahogany table.

THUD.

The muffled impact echoed slightly in the quiet room. Yushi’s smooth smile cracked for a fraction of a second, his jaw clenching as he absorbed the sharp sting to his leg. He didn't let out a sound, but his eyes darted sideways to glare at his boyfriend, completely caught off guard by the silent retaliation. Riku, however, kept his gaze locked strictly onto the projector screen, his posture perfectly straight and a tiny, victorious smirk playing at the very corner of his lips. He had his stoic influencer face completely locked back in place.

The content director, completely oblivious to the silent warfare happening under the wood, clapped his hands together. "Excellent! We will schedule the video drop and the live stream for Friday night. Meeting adjourned, everyone."

The moment the content director and the editing team cleared out of the conference room, Riku let out a long, dramatic sigh of relief, slumping forward onto the mahogany table.

"You are insane, Yu-chan," Riku muttered into his arms, his voice muffled but entirely exasperated. "You were touching my knee the entire time they were talking about our metrics. I thought my heart was going to stop."

Yushi just chuckled, completely unbothered as he stood up to stretch his legs, rubbing his sore shin where Riku had kicked him. But before he could reply, the heavy glass door of the conference room slid open with a sudden woosh, and a very familiar, grinning face poked inside.

It was Ryo, Riku’s brother, who also worked around the agency studio. He had his hands jammed into his pockets, his sharp eyes darting between Riku’s flushed face and Yushi’s overly satisfied expression. He had clearly been waiting outside, and he stepped fully into the room with a highly amused smirk.

"Well, well, well," Ryo drawled, his gaze locking onto the stray, messy strands of hair sticking up on both of their heads. "I saw the staff leave, but I didn't expect to find you two looking like you just rolled out of a blender. Riku? what is up with your hair? Did you guys finally make it official or what? Are you guys dating now?"

Riku shot upright, his face burning an even brighter shade of red as he frantically tried to smooth down his dark locks. "Ryo! Shut up, it's just the studio air being too hoy... and we are just colleagues rehearsing!"

"Sure you are," Ryo teased. "You two are entirely too obvious. I can practically smell the tension from the hallway. Seriously, just tell me if you're official yet."

Flustered by the blunt question and acutely aware that he and Ryo weren’t close yet, Yushi chose a more cautious approach rather than jumping into physical roughhousing. Instead of tackling him, Yushi felt his cheeks burn as he quickly snatched a rolled up storyboard script from the conference table. With a nervous but polite flick of his wrist, he tossed it directly at Ryo to shut him up.

Ryo caught the rolled up paper easily, letting out a hearty laugh at how thoroughly he had managed to rattle his brother's boyfriend.

Yushi smoothed down his shirt, offering a polite, slightly reserved smile as he tried to regain his composure and make a stellar impression on his future brother in law. Wanting to bridge the gap and show he could handle the family banter, Yushi leaned against the table and cleared his throat. "Hey, since you're already here... do you want to join us for dinner tonight? My treat. We're celebrating the video launch."

Riku’s eyes widened, and he immediately cut in, shaking his head frantically at Yushi. "Nooo! Yu-chan, don't invite him!" Riku whined loudly, stomping his foot lightly against the floorboards as he turned a desperate, pleading look on his boyfriend. "Don't make him come! He is literally a black hole for food! If he comes, he will just keep ordering the most expensive things on the menu, eat everything in sight, and completely ruin our sweet moment!"

Ryo’s ears perked up instantly at the words 'my treat'. He didn't know Yushi well, but the promise of a free meal from a flustered future brother in law was way too good to pass up.

"Hey, if Yushi is offering, I am absolutely tagging along," Ryo declared, crossing his arms with a smug, victorious grin. "But I am not trying to be a permanent third wheel while you guys exchange heart eyes over your expensive steak. If I have to sit through your mushy couple energy, I'm going to need backup."

Yushi smiled politely, his quick witted nature shining through as he found the perfect solution to Ryo's complaint. "Oh, please. If you're so afraid of being lonely and having no friends at the table, I'll just invite my friend Sakuya to come over. He's free tonight anyway, so you won't have to worry about being a third wheel."

Ryo shrugged, entirely unfazed as long as the bill wasn't his. "Fine by me. As long as there is free food, you can invite whoever you want."

Riku just buried his face back in his hands, groaning out loud at Yushi’s stubborn determination to play the perfect, generous boyfriend, already mourning the peaceful, romantic dinner he had envisioned.

While Riku was still groaning into his arms on the table, Yushi smoothly whipped out his phone. His thumbs flew across the screen, firing off a rapid text to Sakuya.

Riku peeked through his fingers, his eyes narrowing as he watched Yushi’s face light up with a soft, satisfied smile. "You didn't actually invite him, did you?" Riku muttered, his voice still incredibly thick and raspy from the morning's activities. "Tell me you're joking, Yu-chan."

"Done," Yushi announced cheerfully, sliding his phone back into his pocket. "Sakuya said he’s already downtown finishing up a schedule. He’s going to meet us directly at the barbecue place. See? Problem solved."

"Kuso..." Riku muttered under his breath, clenching his fists in his pockets as Ryo let out a victorious laugh behind him. Riku's dream of a sweet, peaceful celebratory dinner with his boyfriend was officially dead, replaced by a chaotic four person nightmare. 

The Suspicious Car Ride

The glass exit doors clicked shut behind the three boys as they finally navigated their way out to the studio's private back parking lot.

"I still can't believe you did this," Riku grumbled, walking close to Yushi's side. Ryo was strolling a few paces ahead, already scanning his phone for the most expensive premium wagyu options on the restaurant's online menu.

"Relax," Yushi whispered back, a quick-witted smirk flashing on his face. "I told you, I'm trying to make a good impression on your family. It's under control."

As they reached Yushi's sleek car, Ryo suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He blinked, his sharp eyes lingering suspiciously on the slightly fogged up rear windshield and the way the suspension settled. He looked over his shoulder at Riku, who instantly went completely rigid beneath his thick cream turtleneck.

"You know," Ryo drawled, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "for a car that’s been sitting in a shaded parking lot all through lunch, the interior looks incredibly warm. Did you guys leave the engine running, or were you just doing some high intensity cardio in the backseat?"

"Ryo!" Riku whined loudly, his face exploding into a brilliant crimson as he aggressively grabbed the passenger door handle. "Get in the car and shut up before I tell Mom you're making Yushi pay for your entire week's worth of groceries!"

Ryo just laughed, thoroughly enjoying how incredibly easy it was to rattle them, and climbed directly into the backseat unwittingly sitting exactly where the two of them had been tangled up only twenty minutes prior. Riku let out another silent kuso as he slammed the passenger door, refusing to look at the rearview mirror. Yushi cleared his throat, hiding his own amused grin as he shifted the car into drive and pulled out of the studio lot.

Arriving at the Restaurant

The drive was filled with Ryo’s relentless commentary, but twenty minutes later, Yushi finally pulled up to a lively, high end Korean barbecue joint downtown. The heavy scent of grilled meat and savory spices hit their senses the moment they stepped through the glass doors.

"Over here!" a bright, energetic voice called out.

Sitting at a large corner booth near the back was Sakuya, waving his hand enthusiastically. He had already secured the table and looked completely ready to eat. Ryo blinked, his smug, chaotic energy faltering for a fraction of a second as he took in the unfamiliar face. He didn't know Sakuya at all, but as his eyes took in the pristine grills and the endless side dishes already laid out on the table, a greedy grin stretched across his face. Backup had arrived, and better yet, it came with a side of premium steak.

"Sakuya, thanks for coming," Yushi smiled, sliding into the booth first and pulling Riku down right beside him, ensuring their shoulders brushed.

Ryo slid into the opposite side of the booth, sliding into the booth right beside Sakuya. Now sitting side by side, the two of them faced Yushi and Riku directly across the grill. Ryo immediately picked up the menu, leaning forward with a predatory gleam in his eyes as he looked at the newcomer next to him.

"So, you're Yushi's friend? Ryo grinned, instantly treating Sakuya like a classmate. "I'm Ryo, Riku's younger brother. Since my hyung’s boyfriend is paying for everything tonight, I think you and I should start by ordering four platters of the A5 wagyu. What do you think?"

Sakuya blinked, completely caught off guard by Ryo’s sudden, chaotic energy, but a bright, mischievous grin quickly broke across his face at the mention of premium steak and ganging up on the older guys.

Riku just buried his face in his hands, groaning out loud. He had hoped Sakuya would be a stabilizing presence, but instead, Yushi had accidentally provided his bratty younger brother with a same age accomplice. The table chaos had officially begun.

"Four platters of A5 wagyu?" Sakuya repeated, a slow, wicked grin spreading across his face as he looked at Ryo. He didn't hesitate for a single second, matching the younger brother’s energy perfectly. "Why stop at four? We need to add the premium marinated short ribs and at least three bowls of cold noodles. If Yushi-hyung is swiping his card, we need to make sure his hand shakes when he signs the receipt."

Ryo’s eyes lit up with absolute awe. He had expected Yushi’s friend to be polite and reserved, but Sakuya was a certified chaotic prankster. Little did Riku and Yushi know, these two were a match made in comedic heaven.

"Oh, I like you," Ryo laughed, high-fiving Sakuya. "You're a genius."

"I try my best," Sakuya smirked, leaning forward as the meat began to sizzle on the grill. He cast a mischievous glance over at Yushi, who was trying desperately to maintain his cool, generous older guy facade. "You know, Ryo, since we’re a team now, I feel like you should know the truth. Yushi acts all calm and detached at the dorms, but lately, he’s been completely insufferable. He stares at his phone smiling like an idiot, and yesterday I caught him practicing his 'casual' greeting in the mirror for twenty minutes."

"No way!" Ryo gasped, slumping over the table with a cackle. "That’s hilarious! My brother isn't any better. Riku literally practiced taking 'casual' selfies in three different lighting setups last night, muttering about 'someone's aesthetic.' And then he walked out this morning wearing a winter turtleneck in the middle of a June heatwave!"

"Kuso..." Riku groaned out loud, his face burning a violent, brilliant shade of crimson as his younger brother and Sakuya started high fiving again. He reached under the table and delivered a sharp, warning kick directly to Yushi's shin, silently blaming his boyfriend for creating this monster alliance.

Yushi absorbed the sting to his leg, his eye twitching slightly. He looked across the table at Sakuya, his expression a mix of betrayal and amusement. "Sakuya," Yushi warned, his voice dropping into a low, pseudo threatening rumble. "Remember who buys your snacks at the convenience store."

"Threats won't work on me anymore, hyung," Sakuya chirped merrily, tossing a perfectly grilled piece of wagyu onto Ryo's plate. "I have a new friend now. Go ahead, Ryo, spill more."

"しねぇよ... (Shine yo... Go to hell...)" Riku muttered under his breath, his voice dropping into a dark, thoroughly embarrassed Japanese grumble. When that didn't feel strong enough to handle his bratty younger brother, he switched dialects completely, his face turning an even brighter shade of tomato red. "ちくしょう (Chikushou... Damn it all)!"

Yushi just laughed, completely unfazed by the rapidly climbing total on the digital ordering tablet. As a highly sought after, elite professional choreographer who regularly mapped out hit routines for top tier Korean and Japanese idol groups, his bank account was stacked. Four platters of premium A5 wagyu wouldn't even dent his wallet. He calmly swiped the tablet and added another round of the most expensive short ribs just to show off, offering Ryo a smooth, confident grin.

"Order whatever you want, Ryo," Yushi said, leaning back comfortably. "I've got it covered."

Ryo’s jaw practically dropped. He looked at the premium meat being stacked on the table, then over at Sakuya. "Wow. Your hyung is loaded. No wonder my brother locked him down."

"Right?" Sakuya laughed, leaning back too. "He basically lives at the arcade, but honestly, most of his money goes toward our gaming setups. You should see his apartment, Ryo. We have a massive dual monitor rig just for our Minecraft server, and his Nintendo Switch collection is ridiculous. We literally stay up until 3:00 AM playing smash bros or building entire underground fortresses together."

Ryo’s enthusiastic chewing slowed down, his eyes darting between Sakuya and Yushi. A sudden, pouty shadow of genuine sibling jealousy crossed his face. He looked over at Riku, who was entirely hopeless when it came to technology.

"Wait... you guys play Nintendo and Minecraft together all the time?" Ryo muttered, crossing his arms and aggressively pouting at his older brother. "Must be nice. Riku literally hates video games. The closest thing he does to gaming is accidentally closing his streaming app. I’ve been begging him to buy a Switch to play with me for three years and he just tells me to read a book."

Riku rolled his eyes, though he looked a little guilty. "I am busy working, Ryo!"

Yushi noticed Ryo's sudden change in mood and saw the perfect opportunity to solidify his status as the coolest future brother in law. He leaned forward over the sizzling grill, his tone turning warm, welcoming, and genuinely friendly.

"Hey, you don't need Riku for that," Yushi offered with a relaxed smile. "If you want to play, you can come over to my place whenever you want. Sakuya is always raiding my fridge anyway, so you can join our world. We need a third player for our Minecraft survival realm."

Ryo’s eyes instantly went round and shiny, his jealousy evaporating into pure, unadulterated excitement. He looked at Sakuya, who nodded eagerly, and then at Yushi. "Wait, seriously?! I can come over to the gaming room?"

"Anytime," Yushi grinned.

Riku just rested his chin in his hand, letting out a defeated but incredibly fond sigh as he watched Yushi effortlessly charm his difficult younger brother. His secret car rendezvous might have been exposed, and his wallet might be safe, but his heart was completely defenseless against his boyfriend.

Ryo’s eyes instantly went round and shiny, his jealousy evaporating into pure, unadulterated excitement. He whipped out his phone and practically slammed it onto the table in front of Sakuya.

"Drop your contact info right now," Ryo demanded, his voice cracking slightly with enthusiasm. "We are launching that survival realm tonight. I'm a certified master builder, so don't even think about slacking off on our base."

"Oh, it's on," Sakuya grinned, typing his number into Ryo's phone with a wicked smirk. "But just so you know, Yushi hyung has a habit of accidentally stepping on pressure plates and setting off TNT traps. We'll probably have to ban him from the storage room."

"Hey! That happened one time," Yushi protested, though his soft laugh gave him away as he defended his honor.

Riku watched the chaotic, joyful interaction from his side of the booth. The lingering stress of his embarrassing morning stream, the frantic rush of the car parking lot, and the fear of his younger brother being a total nuisance all began to melt away. He looked at Yushi's profile the soft, pink tinged face, the proud smile, and the genuine warmth he was showing toward his family.

A wave of intense affection hit Riku's chest. Gently shifting his weight beneath the table, he let his hand drop onto the bench seat. His fingers slithered across the leather until his palm found Yushi’s thigh, sliding down to slip his fingers directly into Yushi's hand. He gave a firm, lingering squeeze a silent, private thank you for being so incredibly sweet.

Yushi’s hand instantly flipped over, locking his fingers tightly with Riku's. He didn't look away from the two younger boys across the grill, but his thumb began to trace slow, possessive circles against the back of Riku's hand beneath the table, anchoring him in place. Riku felt his cheeks turn a soft, hidden pink, his heart doing that familiar, dizzying flip.

An hour later, the grills finally went cold. The table was covered in empty wagyu platters, a stack of side dish bowls, and an astronomical receipt that Yushi paid with a casual, effortless swipe of his card.

As they walked out into the cool, dark June evening air of the parking lot, the dynamic had completely transformed. Ryo was practically bouncing on his heels, walking right alongside Yushi while Riku and Sakuya trailed slightly behind.

"Seriously, Yushi hyung, you are the absolute coolest," Ryo sang enthusiastically, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Riku never takes me anywhere good, and he definitely doesn't buy me premium short ribs. You're officially my favorite person in the world. Riku, you better not mess this up!"

"Ryo, shut up!" Riku yelled, though a helpless, fond laugh escaped his lips. He pulled his cream turtleneck back up to his chin, his raspy voice cracking slightly in the night air.

Yushi just chuckled, unlocking his sleek vehicle and casting a quiet, incredibly smug look over his shoulder at his boyfriend. The lazy, knowing smirk was firmly back on his lips as he held the passenger door open for Riku.

"Get in, boyfriend," Yushi murmured softly, his dark eyes glittering with a fierce satisfaction in the dim lot. "We have a big TikTok video dropping tomorrow, and I think we're both going to need our rest."

The drive to Riku's house was much quieter, with the low hum of the car engine and the soft city lights filtering through the tinted windows. Sakuya had parted ways with them at the restaurant, leaving Ryo alone in the exact backseat that had been the stage for so much hidden drama earlier that afternoon.

When Yushi finally pulled the sleek car up to the curb outside the brothers' apartment building, he shifted into park.

"Thanks for dinner, Yushi hyung!" Ryo chirped from the back, completely energized by the mountain of wagyu he had consumed. He grabbed his phone, already typing out a message to Sakuya about their Minecraft server layout. "I'm heading up first to get my setup ready. See you in the realm later!"

"See you, Ryo," Yushi smiled smoothly, watching the younger boy unbuckle and slide out of the car.

Riku let out a breath, turning in his seat to give Yushi a soft, tired smile. "Thank you for tonight, Yu-chan. Truly. You didn't have to do all that for my brother."

"I told you, I wanted to make a good impression," Yushi murmured, his voice dropping back into that deep, cotton soft register that always made Riku's pulse hitch.

Before Riku could open his door to follow his brother, Yushi reached across the center console. His long fingers gently caught the edge of Riku’s jaw, tilting his face up. Without a single glance at the sidewalk, Yushi leaned in and pressed his lips firmly against Riku's. It wasn't a rushed, frantic kiss like the one in the studio car lot, but a slow, deeply possessive, and lingering goodbye that tasted faintly of the sweet plum tea they had shared. Riku’s eyes fluttered shut, his hands instinctively gripping Yushi's shirt as he melted completely into the familiar warmth.

Meanwhile, on the sidewalk, Ryo had suddenly stopped and turned around, intending to ask Yushi what time they were starting the stream the next day.

Instead, he was met with a full, unobstructed view through the front windshield of his older brother locked in a deeply romantic, intense kiss with his new gaming buddy.

Ryo’s jaw dropped. He stood frozen on the concrete, his eyes wide in absolute shock as the mushy couple energy radiated right through the car glass. A sudden, massive wave of regret hit him like a physical blow. He vividly remembered how, right outside the restaurant, Sakuya had playfully offered to split a taxi ride back to the dorms with him so they could talk about game mods. Ryo had loudly denied him, bragging that he got to ride in Yushi's luxury car instead.

Shit... Ryo thought to himself, scrubbing a hand over his face in sheer exasperation as he turned on his heel and marched toward the building entrance. I should have taken Sakuya’s offer. I could be halfway home talking about redstone builds right now, but instead, I'm standing here third wheeling my own brother in broad daylight.

Inside the car, Yushi finally pulled back with a soft, entirely satisfied smirk, his dark eyes glittering as he watched Riku scramble to fix his turtleneck for the hundredth time that day, his face completely flushed a brilliant crimson.