Archive of Our Own

Work Text

┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐"..Neoneun nae gaseum-e munsincheoleom saegyeojyeo.." You're engraved in my heart like a tattoo.. that is what we expect our celebrity couples to sing by the end of this romantic adventure! What's new this time is that the couples will choose themeselves through a literal dating door game! Each door leads to a specific path which is the closest to the one your partner behind the door chose! Our couples are certainly made in heaven! Let's catch up with Nakamoto Yuta from the rising boygroup NCT!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────┍━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┑Japanese Key:Baka: foolishYokatta: an expression denoting something was good.┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙“Stop plucking at your lip, Yuta, just leave it on fate! Like you did this morning when you walked out of the shower in front of Johntographer, with the towel around your head instead of y-”“It's not the same, is it? MY body, I am confident about. The body of my pROSPECTIVE HUSBAND for the next month and a half- manager-nim! What if.. what if he's more handsome than I am? It will give root to jealousy and- you see? I-” I suddenly stop. I'm too nervous. How drunk was I to have signed up for this reality show? This freakin Korean soju always brings out the vulnerable me.“3 doors Yuta, just choose which way you like and your preference will take you to your best match! It's so exciting, I wish I was at your place, your anticipated fellow participants are all pretty people..” manager-nim looks giddy. Huh. No matter how many times I've pestered him he hasn't given me the names. This unofficial gossip site said that the celeb panel participants included one idol from Bigbang, one from Got7, a Chinese dancer, an American actor, a famous choreographer and my own self. I am not sure what to feel.Okay so manager-nim says it's show time now. I have to remember that I'm the biggest hit on the stage.Ah I feel absolutely baka, man. Yes, so door 1: Date at home; door 2: Date in nature and door 3: Date at a restaurant.Definitely cross out one because I’m not suddenly going to G-Dragon’s home or whoever sunbaenim is out there waiting for me. OhmAN WHAT IF I DO GET PAIRED UP WITH G-DRAGON the heck am I supposed to say to him? “omg KING ILY”? no, I’m a manly man. “omg KING, you allure me.” Yokatta.Yes, so door 2 it is, next. Level 2..──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Door 1: Read a book together; Door 2: Watch a film- that reminds me I gotta watch that Anime swords art movie, man as soon as this show ends.Door 3: Debate. Ah, this is tough. What if I get Mark Tuan, would he read the book to me while I.. lay my head in his lap? No, I’m a manly man. He will sit on his chair and I will sit on my chair and I'll blink at him intensely as he reads. Yokatta once again. N-never mind, the film it is. What’s next? “Compromise one of these:Eyes; Ears; Mouth. W-wait a minute. What is this?? Where’s manager-nim? ARGH all these cameras. “guys? Do you know about this?” ugh look at them shaking their heads while grinning gleefully. This feels more like an eating show than a reality show, and I’m the meal. Let’s see. If I cover my ears, they’re going to put headphones or something and my hair looks perfect right now, so this option is negated. Mouth? Nope. My lips are my best feature and if I can’t smile in front of my h. My Hu. AHEM I CAN’T SAY IT OUT LOUD. My ech-band, H-band. AHH ITS SO CHEESY FML. S-So if I won’t smile in front of my proposed H-band, I’ll come off as Squidward’s mean dentist or something. Argh. It’ll have to be eyes.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Oh what is thi- HEY GET OFF! I’LL SLAP THE HELL OUT OF YOU BITC- oh its the staff.. heehee mianheyo mianheyo. They could have warned me before jumping out from behind the curtains and wrapping this black band around my eyes. AH YES HERE WE GO.So. The door has closed behind me. What? An automated voice just asked us to remove our blindfolds. Wait. US? Am I not alon- IS HE HER- OF COURSE HE WILL BE HERE, THERE WERE ONLY THREE DOORS! AAAAH PLEASE LET IT NOT BE THE AMERICAN ACTOR I only know like 10 English phrases and I don’t think “can I please get a discount on this?” is a good pickup line AAAH.Wow, the room is pitch black. I should extend my hands so I don’t accidentally dive into his face, head first. Ok, cautious steps. One, two-“Are you here?” Woah. HIS VOICE IS DEEPER THAN THE PACIFIC. This is neither G-Dragon, nor Mark Tuan. His Korean is accented, so it’s one of the foreigners. It’s either the American actor or the Chinese dancer. With my luck, it’s the American guy I AM NOT READY-Oh. His arm touched mine. Ahem. IS THIS FIRST BASE. “uhh Hi.” OH. His voice comes from a little bit south of my mouth.. I’M TALLER, HECK YEAH MAN. I instinctively put my palm out to touch his shoulders and I find it it one go. A woollen blazer. A sturdy shoulder. “Hi.” I breathily chuckle in an attempt to hide my nerves. “Are we allowed to introduce ourselves? I want to know whom fate has chosen for me..” I try to speak confidently but sound timid to my own ears. God bless Japan.AAAAH HE HAS PLACED HIS HAND LIGHTLY ON MY SHIRT CLAD CHEST.. .......aww his fingers are shaking! Mom, I want protect one (1) American/Chinese man. “I don’t know, I think we should wait for further intruc-tions” oh he’s mispronouncing certain Korean words. Ah. Poor boy, So did I, when I was new here. Also HOW DO I GET OVER HIS VOICE, SO HOT. ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“I feel like I’m underdressed, did they give you a dress code?” He chortles lightly upon hearing my question. “bah, no, wait, I’ll take it off, then we will both be underdressed..” He starts sliding the blazer downwards and I feel it moving, beneath my hand still placed on his shoulder. I impulsively start helping him tear down the blazer. .....umm Argh it’s stuck on his elbows .... he can’t shake out of it.. I’m trying to pull the blazer downwards.. wait, I’ll use both my hands to pull it down.. arghhh why is it stuck- AHHHHHH DID THE SUN JUST BLAST IN MY FACE I CAN’T SEE EVERYTHING IS WHITE WHAT THE-I blink down trying to see him. My arms are around his elbows on the blazer, and it’s like he’s in my embrace. He’s very close to me, clad in a black turtleneck, skin smooth and pure as milk. His pink lips are gentle like rosebuds. His bright eyes look familiar.. he’s not American at all.It’s the Chinese Dancer. Dong Sicheng. The flexible whiz whose videos Renjun watches all the time. The talented beauty whom every Korean theatre scouts to get just a single show but he never has a free schedule. The Koreans love him so much that they’ve given him a whole fond nickname.WINWIN. Taeil hyung’s ex boyfriend Winwin. MY H-BAND?? ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐Well well well.. in an unexpected turn of events Yuta has been granted the opportunity to offer his heart to Winwin, a blast from his hyung's past. Will this Moon cause an eclipse in their lovely night sky or will they Win over it? Stay tuned for episode 2 next week!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────It's 12 already, where is he? The crew keeps on filming me sitting here all primly, in my cashmere sweater with my legs folded beside a huge picnic basket. The way their mind works, they'll edit this scene to make me look like a sad Katherine Hepburn and add a scarf or some equally distasteful accessory on my face.. God forbid a pearl necklace.I feel I have bought everything I could, within the malnourished budget they provided.. bacon sandwiches, and if Yuta prefers Tuna then that too with Peanut Butter and banana rolls, which if he declines, we CANNOT be made for each other. Hmm let's sneak another peak at the basket.. oh yeah the strawberries.. I have my doubts about them but the only other fruit available there were Kiwis, and Kiwis aren't romantic! They are more like the fruit you eat after your divorce at your mid-life crisis WHAT AM I ON ABOUT- crap there's his car.He's…. Is that a windcheater? It's the afternoo- I DON'T BELIEVE THIS HE'S WEARING A FUDGING CRIMSON VEST underneath the flimsy windcheater MAN AT LEAST ZIP IT UP YOU'RE GONNA CATCH A COLD what will I tell my mother in law?!Mother in law- see this is why I keep quiet. Bah, look at those shoulders, the curve of his biceps, the sunlight does his arms pure justiceHOhe’s spotted me!!!!! Helphelphekohrlp Holy dragons look at that smile.. it's like 127000 megawatts of bright lights in his pearly whites. Wow did that just rhyme, maybe I should try acrostic poems again. Hmm Yuta. YU- Yu. are. my.. TA- Tangerine ...sky? Bah.Okay he's way too close to mE HOW DO I GREET HIM?? Do I jump and put my arms around his neck? Woah look at his neck though, it's so supple and gracefully malleable.. but would he even welcome this gesture? And let's not forget the cameras.. umm should I grasp his hand and kiss it the French way? ...What if I accidentally slobber over his hand like horse-Darnit he's standing here expectantly I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO h-He's bringing his palm towards my cheek YES I DESERVE THIS SLAP oh wait. His palm is on the side of my neck and he's TICKLING MY EAR WITH HIS THUMB what aboriginal greeting is that.. is it a body language 101? Wait I read a book on it once.This either means he cares for me, or that he wants me to fetch him some vegetable oil. Hmm. ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────We're sitting here underneath this tree and I am feeling so SHY Bah, I don't know where to look. He's staring directly at me and he looks so confident, he knows he's gorgeous. Everytime I try to meet his eyes, his packed biceps and delicate collar bones distract me! W-what should I do? ...ahaa! Food!“.. um, yuta.. would you like some sandwiches? Please peer into my basket..”“Your basket?” Yuta is smirking? Why? “Okay show me what's in your basket.” Aw, he's making impressed noises at the sandwiches. Success. “Yuta do you remember this?” I extract a Cherry mocktail bottle from the corner. Oh he's looking at it intently. Wow look at how he rolls and pouts his lips when he's in deep thought I'm-“Is it from the time I was promoting Cherry Bomb with 127, and you were there for that US Apple store opening act too? It is, isn't it?” Yuta smiles, self assured. His surety looks attractive on him. I nod. “It was the first time we met.” I murmur. “Oh yeah, but we didn't interact with each other that time, did we? All I remember is that you laughed at Taeil hyun-” Yuta has stopped abruptly. Thank the holy dragons.“umm..” oh gosh there must be something we can do instead of talking about Taeil. OH look the lake! Okay Wingko, you gotta do this. Let's Winwin.I am leaning into Yuta's face, oh my GOD HE HAS BAZILLION EAR PIERCINGS what in hot’s name- “Yuta.. *gulp* will you watch the fishes in the lake with me?”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Yeah so this was a bad idea. The lake water is so murky, I can hardly see anything. If I lean a bit over the railing, I can see some shadows beneath the surface.. wait those are my own shadows Bah! How do I save face now? What do I do, this silence is so awkward I'm-“Let's play a game, sicheng?” oh thank the dragon lords YAS. I am nodding with the fervour of a twelve year old but you cannot blame me. You would too if an angel wanted to play with you. “Let's spot out the fishes and the one who points out the most fishes will win, okay?” Yuta is smiling while instructing and he has the most perfect teeth I've seen in a namja. “What do you call fish in Chinese, sicheng?” “Fish? Eh, 'Yu’, ” I trail. “Me?” Omo Yuta thinks I've called him a fish! “Aniyo, fish is Yu!” “What? Suit yourself mister, I am an octopus.” Yuta has thrown his head back and stated this proudly. I am not ashamed of giggling like a wee child at this point. You will not understand. Don't look down on me (don't eat Jaehyun's bread).“So when we see a fish, we will point at it and say ‘Yu!’, Okay?” “Okay, Yuta-ya”. It's really fun. Yuta is sharp and quick and to be honest I am barely able to be a competition, this railing is too high and I have to hang over it to scrutinize the lake. Yuta is leading by 8-5 omooo!Ugh I can't find more fishes man. Hmm what's that.. maybe that is one.. I… just a closer look.. maybe if I lean over a- AAAAAAAA-Woah- the water is inches away away from my face! Strong sinewy arms are around my waist, my only Japanese savior is holding me tight and my butt Is against his chest.My butt is nestled against the chest of my crush. ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Okay he's pulling me up. Oh my god I can't believe he just saved me. Uh, okay the water was like a foot deep but this cashmere sweater is one of my favorites so this was a havoc wreaking life or death situation! ...Ah. solid ground beneath my short lived air borne feet.. and the beautiful arms are still wrapped around my tummy.. ahh this feels so safe, his sturdy torso is encasing my back.. he feels so solid.. I want to close my eyes..“Ni ge bendan!” Aw he's calling me a fool in Chinese. …..wait a minute.. Chinese? I'll have to open my eyes- Ah it's my manager shouting at me. N..no Yuta has let go of me. Booooo. what in the name of dragons, the manager won't stop scolding me and Yuta is watching this passionate foreign monologue with a curious rapture.. his lips have formed a cute lil o shape HEISGORGEOUS. “Ay, excuse me manager-ssi, I don't understand what you're shouting about but I just want to put it out there that I provoked Winwin to be competitive for the camera, so it wasn't his fault..” Yuta said What! Y-yuta you japanating beauty I wanna hug your kind lying arse!!!! This show will get great ratings, I am certain!But wait. The cameras are off. wait. Yuta came to defend me off camera! is-is it possible he may actually like me? But my management staff told me that it was just going to be a pony show one month affair! How do I find out what's real and what's not? Do I let myself fall? Would I end up making a fool of myself?┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐Ooooh Winwin is in an emotional crisis.. what will Yuta do now to tilt the needle towards a particular angle? Also, is Yuta being serious playing footy in a foreign complicated field of romance? Find out in the next episode of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Omo I can’t believe they evacuated the whole gym so that they can film our work out date in privacy. I wonder how Sicheng feels about this idea. Look at him peering over the dumbbells like they’re a foreign object. Ack. Maybe this wasn’t a good suggestion after all. The producer-nim asked my hobbies and gym feels like my second home, so I was honest about it. If only I knew their intention was to film a romantic hangout here, I’d have rather named ‘sipping coffee while appreciating oil paintings’ or ‘staring at cute Chinese dancers in tuxedos’ as my hobbies, man.“You didn’t have a very heavy lunch, did you Sicheng?”“mwo- no, no..” aaaa, he looks so lost in his fluffy hooded sweatshirt, I wanna hold him and give him a back hug and rub my cheek on his bouffant hair and-“how many lifts do you do with these dumbbells, I don’t think I can even lift them easily..” sicheng trails off. Ah, those are 10kgs weights, they aren’t for beginners anyway. Even I have trouble lifting them but now he’s questioned my namja-ness, I’m going to-“These..?” okay, 1,2,th- OOOOF TAEYONG’SMISSINGBUTT ARE THESE HEAVY- “..I do fffhhFIFTEEEEN oof, sets of thESE hheveryda-” okay enough, time to put them back dOWN. Winwin is smiling slightly with pursed lips. His lips are the smoothest lips I’ve witnessed in a man. ...okay I’m staring at him wordlessly again, time to give the director-nim some footage. “Sicheng, would you spot me while I bench press?”“uhm.. probably?” sjdhjdjdj he’s adorable. “Okay now, I’m going to lift this 20kgs barbell from the stand and lift it up before bringing it low to my chest, repeat this 7 times and then keep it back on the stand. As my spot man, you.. hold the bar lightly for cautionary support, so that it doesn’t choke me if it were to fall out of my grasp. Okay? Although I assure you, I’m a manly man and I can easily lift heavy weights. To be honest, I can even lift you in my arms, wanna try?”“..maybe some other time Yuta.” Hah, made him smile. His smile is so pure, I can’t think clearly. He’s holding the barbell with an anxious expression. Okay 3-2-1-OOF. Yes. Up.. and down.. Ahh his hands on the bar are so close to my chest and his eyes.. (oh! He’s wearing light contact lenses).. are surreptitiously glancing into mine with concern. I cannot stop taking in small glimpses of his face while lifting the bar. Up, down. His skin has the bloom of the spring season and his cheeks are naturally rosy. Up, down. Ow, he’s wearing an ear cuff on his right ear! He’s tried a different look in order to impress me! Up, down. Oh winwin, do you know how hard has it been-been, to have locked my heart into a cage a thrown the key into a bin-bin.Huff. Done with this. “Sicheng..” He’s walking away towards the lighter barbells section. He’s ..squatting in front of the barbell.. woah! He’s deadlifting it! Never knew he worked out..Ay he’s looking at me with a grin so wide and his eyes gleaming like a teen who’s first love just accepted his confession and reciprocated his feelings. “Sicheng, joha! Joha! That’s great! I couldn’t have guessed you worked out..”“I only do light deadlifts because it makes my back strong for easing various contortions during dance.” Winwin is still beaming at me, this ball of happiness.“Come Yuta, you do it too.” Sicheng is beckoning me. Of course I’ll do it.“Sicheng-ya, I’ll make you look like a novice, my deadlift will be ..dead-er than yours.”“hahah, sure it will be, why not..” Mwoya man, he’s making fun of a manly man like me. You wait and watch Sicheng, I’m going to make you clap your hands with wonder with my performance. Okay, so I gotta squat a bit and spread my legs and now grab the bar..“Yuta, position your jianbang towards the front of the bar.” ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────What in the name of Johnny’s parrot is a jianbang. “..my what?”“jianbang!” Sicheng is shrugging furiously. Huh?Is this a cue to something.. shall I start shrugging too? Kay, I guess....look at the cameramen silently howling at us apparent baboons shrugging energetically at each other, bakas. Winwin has stopped shrugging and is coming towards me frowning. He’s placed his hands on my shoulders.“Jianbang!” IS THIS A MATING CALL WHAT THE HECK IS THIS- oof he’s pulled my shoulders towards the anterior and it’s so sudden I’m losing my balance because I’m squatting AAA SICHENG’S TUMMY SEEMS AWFULLY CLOSE TO ME-OOOF.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Man. I’m sprawled across Winwin’s thighs. This feels like home. If home had a knee puncturing your liver, that is. OW. Ack, I’ve managed to make him fall too, I hope he doesn’t hate me, or else being near his feet is a good place to start begging. This isn’t going like I planned. I fell awkwardly on national television.“S-Sicheng, are you alright? You shouldn’t have shaken me up like that when I was..” Sicheng’s body is shaking.. AH CRAP HE’S CRYING OR WHAT did I hurt him.“Sicheng!” I am clawing up at his hoodie, my frame still spread out upon his legs.“Sicheng! I’m sorry! Did it hurt that bad..”WTF he’s shaking with laughter!! He is silently roaring with tears streaming down his face and he's clapping now! You wait and watch Sicheng, I’m going to make you clap your hands with wonder with my performance..He’s deriding me. So is the director-nim, look at him, snickering in the shadows. What is this, man? I am trying to do things with dignity, sharing my hobby with the person I really like and all these cameras and everyone treating me like a joke! I’m sure some when this airs next week, my fans will clown me too. All this preparation that I had made to excite Winwin with my personality, and to have a purposeful rendezvous with him where we could get to know each other better has gone down the drain. I.. I am just gonna go.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐OH DEAR. Yuta has walked off the filiming set leaving a confused Winwin behind. Will Winwin be able to explain himself? Will Yuta understand? What do the producers have in store for our Yuwin next? Stay Tuned for the next episode of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Jianbing aka the Chinese tacos, chilli cheese fries, a tall glass of coke and another of some dairy drink with bits of M&Ms in it, and a bounty of tasty dishes sit atop this table. Some clue that this was going to be a dinner date would have been nice. “Manager-ssiiiii.. I am in my running clothes for Ug-Lee’s sake! If the show’s ratings go down then you’ll be issuing the press statements.”WHOMST am I kidding, I am more nervous about Yuta’s disapproval than any ratings. He just walked off last week when butterfingers me made him lose his balance. I don’t understand what he got so offended for. I hope he’ll start afresh tonight. Boohoooo I’m really abashed. Manager-ssi keeps signing at me to stop fiddling with my bandana. There he is.. oh bABY DRAGONS he’s wearing his old SM Rookies tee with some faded jeans, he looks astonishingly cute! I recall Taeil had this too but Yuta’s has a different collar and bears the number 06.. Anyway, his version of I-woke-up-like-this is a lot better than my rather i-choked-up-like-this boooooo. Why did I decide to wear a camouflage tee today of all days.. fml.Oh he just bent and nodded at me as a greeting instead of clasping my hand like the last time.. oh chingu, he’s mad. He’s getting briefed by the director and he glanced at me once and I smiled lightly at him, but he hasn’t returned it. BOOHOO I AM SORRY YUTA BUT WHAT DID I DO WRONG- okay they’re going to start filming now so they’ve asked us to take our seats....hmm is that fried chicken? I’ll start with-“Sicheng. I’ve been informed that today we’re going to play a food truth game. We’ll have to answer some questions in order to win these delicacies.”We’ll have to what now“Y-yuta.. listen about last time I was laughing because I-”“The questions are wrapped around the stems of these red roses in this vase. You have to pick one up randomly and answer the respective question to win your food. If you don’t answer, you lose your turn. This is APPARENTLY supposed to make us know each other more.”Okay. I can see he is as uncomfortable with this idea as I am. Let’s see what the churros lined up at that corner make me do, sigh.“gauwi bauwi bo!” Bah. I’ll have to start..hmm. They’ve rolled a strip with the question around the stem’s end.What. Manager-ssi is making outward gestures with his hand in front of his lips. Ppo Ppo? RIGHT NOW? What in the name of panda.. Okay Yuta I am pouting at you...Why is he blinking at me blankly..“..I think he’s asking you to read the question aloud.”OH. BAH. I shalt stop pouting now. No, I wasn’t expecting Yuta to ppo ppo me.. SHUDDUP.“If you could dine with anyone on earth, whom would you invite?”This is easy. “Exo sunbaenim.” I state confidently. And now for the Jianbing. It’s been so long since I’ve eaten thes-“You’ll dine with 9 people? No wonder you stay this skinny..” Yuta is simpering and shaking his head while picking his rose. Look at his hands, how a man has hands this beautiful, is mind boggling to me.“What would you like to be famous for? ..ahh, I would want to be recognised for being a cool namja. When I say cool, I mean a namja who has an enlightened and unbiased mind and a confident and gracious personality. Further I would like to be admired for my talent and also for how wondrous my visuals are.” Yuta smiles slowly and graciously... and shifts the beef bowl aka Gyudon towards himself. ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────I am blown away man. My answer seems absolutely naive now and also Yuta’s smile is completely disarming; the single brain cell I feel was functioning, will hang now. Okay, as Taeil and Yuta’s hoobae Mark used to say ‘let’s get it’.“Do you prepare what you have to say before making a phone call?”MWOYA I’m getting the weirdest questions WHAT is this.“..Uh yes.. I do..” Okay, the coke seems close enough-“Why?” Yuta’s hand is also inching towards the coke.“..b-because. I don’t want to be caught off-guard..”Like I have been just now.“Sicheng. Sicheng, look at me.” Yuta’s voice is gentle. I meet his eyes.“You are eye-poppingly talented. You are a capable man. They trust you. You can do anything you want to. Have faith in yourself.”“..Do you have faith in me, Yuta?”SAGHDGAKHAS MY MOUTH HAS NO CONTROL YOU SEE WHY I PREPARE-“.... I..”Yuta’s mouth is opening and closing like a fish. Jshjshjshhh he’s really gwiyeowo. Although I should be offended at his hesitation, I know he’s an honest and direct man and he won’t confess to anything until he really feels it. Anyway, cola is lifeu.“Describe a perfect day.” Yuta looks relieved by the question. Yokshi, he gets all the simple what-is-your-name strips while I get the twisted if-you-were-a-girl-what-would-you-like-to-be-called ones. Bah. He has a distant look in his shining eyes and a tender expression on his face. I know he is visualising his perfect day. He must be counting out the weirdo that I am.“My morning would start with reading the new relased manga, and I’d love to have watermelons for breakfast..” An intellectual.“..If it’s up to me, I’d love to watch some anime series with Kun or Doyoung or interacting with NCTzens and seeing them would give me utmost pleasure. Tizennies saranghae!” Bah, he’s making a finger heart and sending kisses to the camera. This flirt. Thank the dragons I’m not on the other side of the screen or else I’d be screaming my heart out.“..Lastly I’d end the day with a game of soccer with Taeil hyung.”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────What. I widen my eyes at him.“Taeil can’t play for kimchis. Is that what he has you believed?”Yuta is popping a single eyebrow at me while reaching for the dairy drink.“Oh? What else do you know about him that you think I don’t?”I should have kept my mouth shut.“Taeil doesn’t play outdoor games, what are you on about.”“He so does, are you sure you aren’t just making up random facts about him like you did when Taeil and you were-“Desperate times call for desperate measures. ....WHOOPS oof sorry Yuta there goes your Mcflurry, was it? All over the cheese fries.. yes I’m so clumsy but will you understand why? Will you understand why you should not rush me like this? You don’t even trust me right now so what good would it do for me to explain? ┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐..Ah the friction is building up instead of fiery love.. where would this lead to.. Is winwin the type to speak his soul out? Is Yuta the type to read between the lines? and what awkward dates do the producers have planned next? find out in the next episode of They Got Married└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────The colosseum. It’s in front of me, man. AAA jinjja! Doyoung was so jealous that the mv director-nim agreed to shoot at night for my takes so that I can come here in the morning while my members still film the mv. Heheh I’ll click a lot of photographs and tease him by showing off. He’ll be pissed off and nag at his dongsaengs. Wait, I’ll rather send it on the group chat and get the best of both worlds, enjoy the drama first hand. Muhahaha. Poor Winwin must have travelled 12 hours yesterday to reach Rome just for the TGM show schedule. I am tired and I can imagine he must be too. Our Last date involved a lot of temper tantrums from his side and sulking from mine. These few days away from him make me want to start afresh-JKSAFKJKJF THERE HE IS. AAA HIS FOREHEAD IS EXPOSED TO THE WORLD IT’S SO POWERFUL I AM HYPERVENTILATING...the great thing about a foreign country is that people don’t actually recognise us here so they haven’t cleared the FREAKIN colosseum to shoot us and have just given us stick cameras while the production team lurks. It feels very normal to DROOL FOR THE PRINCE OF CHINA IN FRONT OF 5000 PEOPLE-“Anneyonghaseyo.” Bow. He has extended his hand, AW c’mon I want to feel that velvet sweatshirt of yours, I’m going for a hug. Mhm. His hair is tickling my cheeks. His hair smells.. sweet and ..like a baked cake or a bakery or some homemade confectionary.. Do I stick my tongue out and surreptitiously lick a strand-“How was shooting? Are you going to give me any spoilers?” “I would love to give you spoilers, Sicheng, but this episode will air before the teasers drop..”But wait.“Sicheng. I can whisper them to you if you let me come close to your ear..” OH he’s blushing, the aegi. Ah! He has grabbed my hand and is pulling me towards one of the entrances of the colosseum.. Man look at the vastness of this amphitheatre, unbelievable! We are easily mixing in with the crowds of tourists. Winwin is holding my hand so as not to lose me in the crowd. The arena is huge, it’s like two theatres back to back! And I believed the central region was a plain area like they depict in the movies or bull-matadors events but surprisingly, it has complicated walls and a maze like structure!I keep on pausing in wonder at the size of the stones and the iron clamps and their aged finesse but Winwin doesn’t pull me.. when he feels I’m halting, he slows down as well and looks around interestedly too. He’s the most considerate beauty ever.“Sicheng..”“Hmm..?”“Can you imagine NCT performing within these tall stone posts.. Or like you performing that sort of elaborate traditional dance routine where you portray the ancient stories, in this building?”“..I cannot imagine that Yuta.. do you know what happened here?”Ah. He thinks I’m dumb. I’ll show him.“OF course I know. Gladiator shows were held here.”“yes and also shows known as ‘munera’, which had religious elements and were held as a demonstration of family prestige. The gladiator shows that you’re referring to even had animal hunts as a sport and they used to kill beasts like rhinos and hippos and so forth. Another event was the capital punishments held publicly here where the supposed criminal was left as a meal for the wild animals. Do you really want to perform at a place carrying this heavy morose history?”Um what“I-I knew that. And um.. I..” Sigh.“How do you know so much about it Sicheng?”“.. I like to read and keep myself updated about traditions and customs as well as culture. You always learn something new..”Look at that smug smile.“..I don’t Sicheng, because you won’t talk to me about your personal life..”OOF. His smile has vanished. “Sicheng, we are supposed to be married, just now living together, and I don’t even know what happened in your past even though it connects to me and my members, your ex,-”“WHY are you so adamant on knowing what happened between Taeil and me? As you said you’ve married me now so that shouldn’t be your concern! You should start afresh with me, but here you are always bringing up the same old topic-”“..Why are you getting so upset over one simple question? I just say his name and you close up and become this cold person whom I don’t even know anymore!”“..You don’t know me? Ask me about my family, my schooling and look how eagerly I’ll answer all your questions.. but you continue to ask me to dig up a part of me that I’ve long buried!”“But Sicheng, Taeil hyung is a brother to me, how am I supposed to go jump into a relationship with you if all I know is what the tabloid and Ten’s guesswork stated. And that my boy, does not paint a good picture of yours. How am I supposed to trust you? You know the fans and the media writers, they see me as a fool! And you must know, one thing I have is my pride and my dignity! You cannot make me hamper my image”“See, this is what is hypocritical in you. You already have a prefixed image of me in your head and you just need validation. Do you care about what might happen to My image if I reveal my personal details here? You don’t even trust me. I came here cancelling my schedule in Beijing and you have the audacity to selfishly throw YOUR pride and dignity in my face.”ACK WHAT’S GOIN ON Winwin is slowly backing away while saying these hurtful words.. “Winwin wait-”He’s pushing past the crowds going swiftly towards the opposite direction. His nimble, light body is as quick as a mouse. I’m trying to keep track and calling out his name but I keep bumping into people and apologising... wait a minute where is he.. Okay the lurking cameramen are panicking too. “WINWIN! WINWIN!”People are staring as I embody the loudest embarssing eomma’s spirit in me. “WIIINWIIIIN!”OH MAN where did he go, what have I done?? Does he realise this disappearance is not safe? Oh gosh everyone is giving me curious glances as I run about. “WINNNWIIIIINN!”┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐Where has Winwin run off to? How will Yuta find him? And how do Yuwin manage to complicate things further in the romantic and mature Italian air? Stay tuned to find out what happens next in They Got Married!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TOURISTS IN HERE YA? Look at them, they keep bumping into each other while staring at the gigantic pillars, their mouths agape.. just like I was, up until a few minutes ago.Bahh. WHY is Yuta like this? Why does he have to have things his way? Why does he always behave like “the man” in the relationship? I AM A MAN TOO and my ego has knees too! Um, I mean my ego has needs too! He always pesters me about Taeil on camera. Does he have a single brain cell only? The amount of takoyaki he digests, jinjja, he should have a sharper brain yah. Why can’t he talk about our personal lives when we have some privacy-...Oh. But we only meet on camera. The director-nims have forbid us to have exogenous contact. I guess that is for the purpose of getting the opportunity to film us at our awkward interactions and misunderstandings..Like the one that just happened.OOF did I let my anger embody my actions? BUT HE WAS BEING SO ADAMANT AND HIS RESTING BXTCH FACE WAS MORE PROMINENT THAN EVER. I was feeling claustrophobic with his words, and the hostility in his eyes made me want to escape! What was I supposed to do? Ummm.. maybe I was a little rash.. To be honest I don’t really know where the crew is parked and I can’t spot anyone familiar.. umm BOOHOO why did they have to deposit our cell phones before we entered the colosseum.. umm maybe if I keep going I’ll bump into someone.. ..Man I’ve paced the whole arena thrice, where ARE THEY? OH MAN WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW,, Crap yah, perhaps I should learn to be more accommodating instead of just seeing the negative in someone right at the beginning.. Wow wise words of a wandering winwin. Juho. Okay, I guess I’ll just stand here because I’m getting exhausted now. The rays of the setting sun make the colosseum look like a theatre with spotlights shining at all the right angles. Imagine all the billions of people in history who must have witnessed this beautiful scenic view.. the grubs sprouting along the cracked walls, the slanted shadows of the maze standees, the jiggling black turtleneck at the center of the arena balcony-The jiggling WHAT NOW..That’s Yuta’s turtleneck and it’s...hOISTED on some sort of stick-thingies.. WAIT THERE’S SOMETHING SMEARED UPON IT IN HANGUL.. “mi-an-he si-cheng”.. ...SFHJJJJJ HAS HE FINALLY LOST ITomo people are starting to notice it.. DAMN they are clicking photographs of thatNOWAIT-Okay, I gotta reach him.. ugh why won’t these freakin tourists WALK FASTER.. I can’t believe someone dignified like Yuta would go through this risqué behaviour for me. Either he doesn’t realise where these photographs will end up and what tongue in cheek articles he’ll be featured in, or he’s a sexy-lipped shirtless fool.HUFF finally here. OMO. He’s standing there in just a vest and has his turtleneck suspended upon two selfie sticks which he holds in both his hands. The message has been smeared in mustard sauce.. He just ruined a YSL sweater ..this HOBO. His uh.. vest fits him in all the right places and his muscular biceps look like they’ll be serenely firm to grasp.. ahemmmm. “Yuta.”“SICHENG!”He’s thrown the sweater and the sticks on the groundYUTA THAT IS AN EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH PIECE OF GARMENT YOU LITTLE-Bah HELPHELPHELP his hands have latched on to my shoulders, DUDE HE FEELS SO STRONG I’LL CRUMBLE IN HIS PALMS I KID YOU NOT. “Sicheng! I am so sorry! I should have been more considerate and careful and I don’t know why I did what I did of course I don’t care about the past you are married to me now and that’s all that matters I am a very lucky-”“YUTA. BREATHE Yuta.” I ... have hesitantly placed my palm on his cheek. His skin is soft and supple. My lips yearn to kiss it. His eyes still look panicked and his neck is very much exposed and he’s more beautiful than any Italian athletic bust in Rome.“Sicheng, will you forgive me?” Yuta is pleading. Little does he realise that I’ve forgiven and forgotten and also realised that I was as responsible as he was for this quarrel. While I nod, smiling, my eyes travel southwards of his neck. Oof, look how the vest strains against his chest. How does he live like that. How is he like that.“...Sicheng, if staring at my chest would make you forgive me quicker, I’d make a note of it that I start stripping my shirt off when we quarrel.. okay?”SHOOT.I blush. “I wasn’t staring at your chest!” I totally was. Yum.“Are you gonna stroll here in this indecent manner some more?” SAY YES, YUTA.“I might if you would have me, mio amore..” UGH I WOULD HAVE YOU RIGHT HERE IN THE FREAKIN COLOSSEUM NAKAMOTO YUTA.Okay he’s escorting me hand in hand to the exit. Surprisingly, I am feeling very calm and secure..“Yuta, you just contradicted your previous principle that you won’t compromise your image and dignity for anything.. do you realise what this skit you participated in will come across as, for your group, as well as you?”“Whatever happens sicheng, I’ll deal with it. My priority may be my image and my success but not at the cost of upsetting or hurting a dear one. I really like you Sicheng, even though I am lousy at expressing it..” JSFHJHFSHJH Yuta is scratching his hair and looking around everywhere but at my face.I want to say that I like him as well... But the words won’t come out of my mouth while these cameras follow us around. Am I ready to publicly lose my heart again?┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐Is Winwin ready? Will he ever get over this hesitation? Will Yuta wait around for so long? And will we ever know the Taeil backstory? Catch the next episode next week on They Got Married! └─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘
╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────HE’S WEARING GLASSES KILL ME NOW AND FEED ME TO THE DRAGONS ..OH EOMMA.WE LOVE A CONFIDENT BOYFRIEND IN A HECKING CARDIGAN AND BUTTONED UP SHIRT. Dong sicheng you are so rooooooooode.“Happy Valentines day, Yuta..”He’s coming in for a hug HDFJFFFHFHBSK. Mmmm get in there.. yes the smell of bakeries.. ah I’ve missed this. Oooh, he flinched as my warm breath tickled his ear. Mmm look at his ears, they’re so adorable and pink at the tips I just wanna nom-nom.. ah a kiss won’t hurt- *chu*Woah, okay a lil kiss on his ear tip broke the hug quick. He’s a shy darling boy. Oh WHOOPS one of my chains is stuck on the threads of his cardigan.. I should pull i-“NO! It’s an Armani piece, you’ll ruin it.. take off your chain..”Mwoya. Okay. There you go, I’ve secured the chain around his neck instead. He looks absolutely hilarious topping off his geek cardigan fashion with a lil wayne chain. I can’t stop laughing.“I take it that’s your valentine’s day gift for me?”UGH look at how he narrows his eyes, half smiling, he resembles a hamster with ruffled hair and I just wanna SQUISH HIM.I hand him the bag. He actively unwraps the content and shakes off the tee-shirt that he holds now, at a one hand distance from his eye level. It’s a red tee shirt that says “I love my ‘nan pengyou’” which the guy at the printing press told me meant boyfriend in Chinese. But Winwin’s speculator glance is making me anxious.“Did I get it wrong? I messed up, right? AAAAH. See it’s all ruined.. I invited you up at a place which is so special to me, this is the rooftop where I shot my first SM Rookie video, Bassbot, and I wanted to make you happy and now its all going-”“YUTA, Breathe! I..I um.. see, the only issue I have is.. uh.. YES! I was picturing all the accessories that I can match it with!”“..Reolli? You don’t think it’s ...cringey? Because.. Ten caught me wrapping it, gave it a single glance and questioned my orientation, claiming that no gay man in the history of the gayniverse has had a taste in clothing this disgraceful- MWOYA WHY ARE YOU CHORTLING, come here you!”I lunge at him playfully and grab him by the back of his neck. His skin is soft and warm and his neck feels delicate beneath my fingers. Man.. my tongue is yearning to taste his skin. Ack, damn his cardigan, I wanna feel him. Okay, his hand.. I’m gonna grab it and kiss it. WE ARE MARRIED FOR CAT’S SAKE!As soon as my lips touch the back of his palm, he squirms and tries to pull away his hand. OH THIS EMBARASSED NAMJA. Someone has to be the flag bearer in our relationship, especially when my body heats up in his proximity.“Winwin.. I-”“Here’s your valentine’s day gift!” He is thrusting a small gift wrapped box in my faceu. What, man I don’t care for any gifts right now, I just want Winwin in my armarm.Reluctantly, I accept the box, more spurred by the shine in his eyes than by my curiosity. Hmm. Oh It’s a watch. Nice! I got him a personalised gift so I expected he’d give it some thought too.. but I should wear it, he probably acted excited for that tee-shirt just to save me from disappointment, this is the least I can do.“Did you see? There’s a water compartment beneath the dial and see it has floating letters!”HUH. OH. Oh there are letter charms swirling in a clear liquid beneath the dial.. there’s a U, a T and an A! TAU. AUT. TUA. Yes that makes up my name!“Oh, Yuta, the Y is stuck at the edge..” Winwin has grabbed my wrist and is shaking it. Oh, the Y has come loose from it’s hiding place and ....oh yes it’s the four letters of my name swimming around in the watch. This. Is a great gift! Now I understand what Ten meant. My gift makes me look absolutely 12yo. That’s exactly one digit more than my IQ apparently.I smile at Winwin, who’s lost in the watch’s dial screen, tenderly giving my palm a slight shake every now and then to be amazed at how the letters arrange themselves. The sunlight filters through his tousled hair and falls on his face in disarming streaks. I can’t take it anymore.I gingerly reach for his spare hand. As soon as I grasp it, Winwin tenses. I tug his hand slightly to pull him towards me. He stumbles lightly and ends up inches from my body. His mouth is slightly ajar and his eyes wide as he looks up at me. I daintly extract my wrist from his fingers and place it beneath his jaw, faintly cupping his pixie face. I move my head to block the sun upon his face. I can’t exactly see his eyes so as to read them, but all I want to read right now is his lips. I lean into his face. I think I can claim his beautiful bud lips now-“Y-YUTA, I think I can talk about Taeil now.”┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐GOODNESS. Winwin has halted a lovestruck Yuta in his attempts to declare his love for him on national television! And with what a statement! Is Winwin seriously going to blurt out the biggest gossip of last year in the next episode? Or is it all a scam to save his self conscious arse? Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
“Find Me.”
I hope Yuta understood these words. I am *huff* running at a speed which would get me casted into the next ISAC games. The cameramen should not catch me. Okay down the narrow stairwell. Bah, my phone is buzzing, must be the manager and the team. I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE STUPID ARSE SHOW! don’t they get I can’t play with the beautiful Takoyaki prince’s feelings like this.. he would misinterpret my hesitation as my dismissal of his feelings which I would not let-AIGOO THEY ARE CATCHING UP, okay what floor must this be? I should enter the main building through this door.. OH it’s the SMTown museum! Hmm.. maybe I can hide somewhere in the artist showcases..Dude there are so many people here in the Exo showcase.. who’s the new-est SM artist, they must have lesser fans flocking.. ..its NCT.. oh boy.. We going N-City.Okay I am in.. ohh look at these firetruck era clothing! YUTA’S KILT JSHHSHDK I remember when the articles kept calling it a skirt when it’s clearly a kilt, oof this is ignorant culture. We love a man like Yuta, secure enough of his masculinity to sport a kilt proudly. Hmm now where do I hide? There’s this space between the firetruck era and without you era display.. a thirty inches wide gap behind the firetruck display as they have erected a false wall.. hmm. Now how do I tell Yuta that here’s where I hide WITHOUT giving it away to the production team.Okay Sicheng. Time to prove that underneath this soft exterior, you are one of those silent broody namjas who speak rarely but when they do its like “the human mind is a simple plethora of deception which figuratively and endlessly m-”“Excuse me, can you read Hangul?”..AW HECK..It’s a tourist asking for some instructions.. why is my head nodding in reflex KJSJJSJSJ.It’s a coupon for food in the cafeteria. Ah it’s easy. “I-It ij a coupon for two barge lurgers.”Well then.The tourist is scowling at me while walking away and looking at my chest surreptitiously.. my hand involuntarily is creeping protectively up to my torso.. man must it suck to be a woman and have people leer at you like that- OH SHE WAS STARING AT YUTA’S HUGE GOLD LINK CHAIN that he draped round me! I KNOW. BYE EXPENSIVE SWEATER.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────It must have been ten minutes already.. where are they searching? I know they saw me enter this floor.. I hope Yuta sees the clue I’ve left for him. Oh I wish I wish I wish, so that in Yuta’s arms I can relish...Omg I can hear manager-nim’s angry terse voice barking on his handheld wireless.. I know I’m gonna be in trouble but it’s been enough that I’ve always stuck by the book and obediently followed their instructions. They asked me to hold no press conferences about my breakup, but sold it out wide themselves when Taeil and I dated. Do I owe my fans no explanation when they have been so invested in me and my life? And what about lil adorable Haechan? They never let me even write to him after the break-up.. what was his fault when out of nowhwere I just stopped coming to the dorm to meet Taeil and play fortnite with Hyuck? They can make a puppet out of me but they cannot pet the pup inside of me. Copyright, Sicheng, 2020.....YUTA IS HERE... HE HAS NOTICED. He is staring in confusion at his chain that I placed around the neck of Doyoung’s Without U costume! YES WE STAN A SHERLOCK.“Psst Yuta..”“...Sicheng!” His face has lit up! OMO there’re his perfect whites again.. His smile feels like the most expensive Egyptian cotton sheets holding the comfort of the worn out blankie you had as a kid. He’s Yuta.I didn’t even have to call him to slide in the little vertical territory where I stand. HOLY it’s a close brush situation now.. I can feel his body heat as he barely adapts to the enclosed dim passage.Oops, his foot trod on my toe and he lost his balance so now he has PUT HIS ARM BESIDE ME AND I AM HALF ENCASED IN HIS EMBRACE HOLY WALL OF CHINA AM I DREAMING?“Winwin.. I am here finally, I passed your.. logical reasoning test.. There are no cameras here now.. So can you please tell me your story?”HJJHJH he is whispering THIS WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME HE IS SO MOTHERFATHERING HOT.Okay. Time to get to the point.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“Yuta. When Taeil asked for my number after our first encounter at that apple store promotion in NY, that was the first time someone whom I admired had asked me out.. the pure astonishment made me try it out. Whenever I visited Seoul, he’d just call me over and as a result, you saw me hang out at the dorms a lot. I didn’t even know him properly and wanted to go out on a few dates or like, talk to him about our interests or hobbies.. but he just got handsy with me too early in it.. He would drape his arm around my neck while talking to others, subconsciously play with my ears or tickle my neck while watching TV and try to kiss me randomly saying I’m cute, like.. DUDE I DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU please let’s start our introductory profile case, before we get to first base..”“I know I am at fault as well.. I never discouraged it. I didn’t have the heart to.. he is.. he is Moon Taeil.. have you observed the charisma he commands? How comfortable he is around the dorms and his voice omg, I will forever love how he sings effortlessly with the most melodious sound ever.. I have been so hesitant that I kept it all in and day by day this irritation and confusion about his being at a different pace in the relationship as compared to mine, became this big brick of soreness.""I started avoiding him and spent most of the time playing video games with Haechan and Taeyong hyung.. and he resorted to complaining about it on a radio show during Touch promotions.. That was the last straw.. How could he publicly discuss that but wouldn’t discuss ‘US’ with me?”“Yuta, you are now married to me, in the show.. so you must know I have Stranger anxiety. I am very uncomfortable with strangers. I need to know someone to a given extent in order to be comfortable around them. That’s why I rarely speak because I am trying to observe and know more. This is how I am. And physical contact does not come easy to me. I cannot explain it to you but imagine an alien object touching you.. that’s kind of what I feel when I haven’t become used to a person.”“...Given all that and this being a show.. I really hope we can work it out Yuta.. can you give me some space and time so I can fall for you at my own pace?”“Yuta?”┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐OMG WHY ISN’T YUTA ANSWERING and oh the secret is out! What is Yuta going to do? But wasn’t Yuta going to kiss Winwin? How long will he wait? Will these different pages they stand on, in a single romance novella ever bind together? Find out in the next episode of They Got Married! └─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
*slap* THESE MOSQUITOES WILL DRIVE ME BAKA MAN! Maybe it wasn’t the best of ideas to choose tonight to wear a half sleeved polo, but desperate times call for desperate muscles. Um.“Yuta!” oof manager-nim is barking at me again. Can’t believe he is still upset about the incident where Winwin and I escaped not only their cameras but also their nosey arses to hide in the NCT exhibit. As if he didn’t embarrass me enough when he found us, right after Sicheng had put up a very serious question, and freaking DRAGGED ME OUT OF THAT PASSAGE BY MY EAR! Maybe I should get more piercings and wear spikey studs.. that’ll teach him! Also to prove he hates me, he confiscated my phone AND deleted Winwin’s phone number while reprimanding me, making it clear that from now on, we only contact each other ON CAMERA and act ‘appropriately’, whatever that’s supposed to mean. It’s kind of killing me here that I wasn’t able to discuss a very important part of being in a relationship with him. At least I still have some autonomy over planning of the date, so I’m going overdose romanticity here so that Sicheng feels my love. Ah he’s striding towards me, hmm a smart namja, he’s wearing full sleeved white sweatshirt that looks so cosy. His manager is on his heels and quite resembling a bulldog with an upset tummy. He probably got a scolding too because he isn’t making eye contact.Aaand the cameras have lit up. I am going to walk up to meet him halfway and extend my hand, and not think about how much I want to embrace him and sniff his feathery tresses. AAH HE’S BEING SO SHY HIS HAND IS SO FRAGILE HIS HAIR IS ASKING ME TO BURY MY NOSE IN I-──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“..What are we doing today, Yuta?” look at this good piece of personified glitter, he literally glows when he even tries to smile. I wanna hold his tiny face in my hands and- ah, I can’t, gotta stop myself as he still isn’t comfortable with it.“Sicheng.” *exhale* “Sicheng, we are going s t a r g a z i n g!” *jazz hands + creepy over enthusiastic smile* “Jinjja?” Winwin looks nervous but I sense slight excitement in his eyes. Woop woop. “Come on,” AH instinctively my arm lifted by its own desire to be draped around those broad shoulders but Winwin’s cautious glance stopped it. “I’ve positioned the telescope at the constellation Gemini at some certain stars, take a look and see if you can find some figures huh, Winwin?”AAAA he looks so cute, listening to me with such attention and bending forward a bit to fit his eye in the telescope frame. AW HE’S SCRUNCHING HIS NOSE UWU. His rosebud lips are modestly parted and I can see the tip of his tongue. ....A sudden hunger for his tongue is overwhelming me.. How do I describe this feeling without sounding indecent.. When you’re in love with someone to the extent that they occupy your mind even when they’re absent, just imagine the chemical reactions in your head when you’re inches away from them; you know you can grab and kiss them in moments, claim them and feel their warm skin, yet you somehow have to force your wandering emotions to guess the consequences first and smother your longing for them. I’ve climbed mountains, woken up at 3AM to practice choreos for 9 hours straight, and even danced a full 3 songs set while slipping and falling on wet stage in the rain, but the physical restraint which my love for Sicheng makes me go through, is a whole new level of test of strength.Ack, these mosquitoes will be the death of me, buzzing in my ears and disrupting my imaginary intimacy with sicheng *clap, slap*
“..OWAAH I see those 2 stars which are like heads of a stick figure if I connect the dots.. they must be the ones which have that story about being twin brothers!” HUH? “I know that the two stars are Pollux and Castor. Pollux is the red one and its like 10 times bigger than the sun and like among the top 20 brightest stars known and they are probably names after some greek people like mytholog-”He looks at me.“Pollux and Castor sailed with Jason in the pursuit of golden fleece. In the states though, they see these as ..lovers instead of brothers.”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Woah.. he knows shxt. Not just a pretty face huh. Oooop, he’s not finished.“At home,” he’s staring at me sideways, “my jiejie.. um I mean my noona told me they are yin yang, they show a balance between two opposites.” He’s looking at me with a slender smile.my hEAD IS SPLITTING IS THIS A CUE TO KISS OR DO I JUST STAND HERE MAKING EYE CONTACT OR IS IRISES KISSING A THING WHAToh.. he’s bent and put his eye in the lens again.. aww the way his lil butt sticks out, So GWIYEOMI MAIGAHD.. “Yuta,” he still is looking up at the stars, “this was very thoughtful of you, I know.. you don’t do these flulff dates..” oh he’s lowered the pitch of his voice.. “I know you’re showing me that you are willing to take things slow and give me my space.”AW. “Sicheng..” ...A MOSQUITO AGAIN.. I GOTTA-
*SMACK*
I just.slapped.Winwin’s ASS.....and he’s looking at me like i KilledHisPetCatAndAteItInASandwichUHOH-┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐ BREAKING NEWS! NCT's Japanese member notorious for his flirting mannerisms, Nakamoto Yuta, has been captured indulging in quite a lascivious behavior with his current boyfriend Dong Sicheng in their reality show! As seen on the blurred images on news, you can make it out my hearing the noise that some quite dominating and sensuous act has been practiced, our reporters have been chasing after Winwin but he's avoiding the paps and looks upset! Has Yuta made an ass of himself? Stay tuned for the next episode!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
“You have a whale of a budget for the show and still can’t hire a small screening room!?”
“Winwin, it’s not about the screening room, it’s about the paparazzi who may stealthily jump both of you again and we’re already under damage control habitat-”“Then why MY PLACE? Why not his place?! He owes me ample favors after his PDA last week-”“You know it as well as I do, Winnie, that it wasn’t his intention, he already released his press statement clarifying that he was being BUGGED by some mosquito-”“First of all, manager hyung, do not call me Winnie, I am ANNRAGED at this whole facade, do you even comprehend the number of wattpad entries under the tag “Yuwin, 50 shades” now available after that, that.. ..THAT!”“it’s ‘enraged’, winnie, hahaa, and are they any good? Wait... hey these ones sound interesting ‘Yuta’s anaconda don’t’ ... ‘Win-ing from the back row’ wow hahah-OKAY DON’T SHOVE ME, listen it’ll be safe here and there definitely will be no mosquitoes, okay?”BAH how do I explain to him that Yuta and I were already at a messy direction and this so called ‘spanking’ issue has blown out of proportions.. and I cannot deal with Yuta right now.. he was supposed to be extra careful and he did the worst act possible. It might not be his fault but MY BUTT IS MY BUTT NONE OF YOUR BUT™ and anyway now I feel really awkward about how to behave around him. I am definitely making him realise what he did will not be welcomed by me but the thing is how long will I be able to keep up the cold act? Have you looked into his eyes? They have the intensity of a sobangcha coming at you with supersonic speed and his smile has the effect of a bulky water pump that douses you with a tsunami worth of adoration, do you know what I mean ..bah.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────OF COURSE HE LOOKS EXTRA BOYFRIEND TODAY sitting on my white love seat couch in the living room in his freaking mandarin collared blue and white striped shirt, his bangs combed downfront.. he has brought his Touch era avatar right at my place. To be honest he seems like a ball of happiness in the promo pics. LOOK AT HIM! HE LOOKS GRAND WITHOUT EVEN TRYING LOOK AT HIS LIPS, LOOK HOW PERFECT HIS NOSE IS WHAT A FINE SPECIMEN OF HOMME FATAL DEAR GOD OF SUSHI-“Are we really going to watch the earth channel?”Ahem. Time to put on my business tone. “Yes Yuta, we will watch the grand premiere of this David Attenborough documentary series about how amazing our planet and wildlife is..”He looks confused, his upper lip is in an inverted U shape and I can see all of his perfectly straight pearly whites OH GOD WHY SO FLAWLESSLY CUTE. “..I have Kimi no nawa on my phone, we can watch that too, I assure you it’s an awesome movie, you’ll like it.. it’ll even suit our date atmosphere?” he’s adding the last part with a small sheepish smile and raised eyebrows and damn my anger, I wanna smile at him already.. NO SICHENG,LOSE YOUR WIG LEAVE YOUR CITY BUT NEVER LOSE YOUR DIGNITY.-WinWonWinning2k20“..nothing suits the date atmosphere more than a good anime movie and some occasional spanking, isn’t it Yuta-san?” I can't help but remark, just to make him realise he's still getting the cold shoulder bone.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Now that I’ve plopped down beside him I regret everything, even breathing because he smells like fresh oceans and summertime and I can close up see it must have been two days since he shaved, beneath the layer of foundation. I might be staring but I REALLY REALLY want to trace my fingers across his jaw THIS IS NOT LIKE ME WHAT IS HAPPENING! BOOHOOOO HE’S BLINKING AT ME UP CLOSE, HIS FACE IS LIKE HALF AN ARM DISTANCE FROM MINE how the heck am i supposed to keep my wig on, um i mean my dignity clasped to my head boohooooo.“Sicheng.” SHXT HE’S GONNA SAY SORRY I ALREADY KNOW I AM GOING TO NOD AND FORGIVE HIM WHATEVER SORRY HE SAYS I AM WHIPPED FOR HIM LOOK AT HOW THE SHIRT STRETCHES AGAINST HIS SHOULDERS WHY GOD“Sicheng, your documentary is starting, here’s the remote control.” What?Okay, maybe he’ll apologise later. Okay, we’ll concentrate on the documentary.He’s glancing at me every ten minutes to see if I’m looking at him too. Aw, how cute. APOLOGISE. ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────It’s been half an hour and you can cut the tension with some fat fingers. Wait, he’s kind of turned towards me.. his left hand is travelling towards my forearm, index finger first. He’s doing it in a creeping manner making it very obvious that he doesn’t want to catch me off guard. Oooooooh his finger is lightly caressing the georgette sleeve of my Hermes pirate shirt. Oooooh two fingers now.. it tickles but feels comforting.. ..he’s looking at my face now with a small hopeful smile.. YUTA AS SHIBA INU.He’s leaned a lil bit towards my face, now that I have taken my eyes off the screen and am staring at the LOVELIEST HAND IN THE UNIVERSE still stroking my forearm with agility. “Sicheng... may I ... kiss you?”....SHENME? i mean WHAT.. where’s the apology? Where’s the I love you?! What’s with these butch men and their wants of diving into relationships tongue first huh? Okay, I’ll give him a clue.“..Why do you want to kiss me Yuta?” “.................”“You realise where you went wrong last time don’t you Yuta?”“....... you’re still on about it?”“...*sigh* Don’t you wanna say something to me Yuta?”“.....what?! say something? Like what maybe? ...An oral contract declaring my goodwill and efforts to be a caring boyfriend.. sorry, a reality show husband? Do you want a written declaration too, just like I presented to the press? ..Does my intention to kiss you require a legal notice, a fortnight in advance?!”“....sit DOWN dude, am I wrong to demand a fair and square confession before someone slaps his tongue all over me haha?”Oops that sounded funnier in my head.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“Yuta.. Yuta, wait, hey that didn’t come out as it should’ve.. I just meant that I don’t .... I don’t want to be hurt again by jumping into a whirlwind romance which leaves me as the aftermath of a tornado...” there’s a big painful frog in my throat.Yuta is looking at me from the doorway, his expression is softening.“It’s been 8 weeks Winwin.. if you can’t trust me yet, will you ever? If you don’t even step on to the bridge, would you find out its sturdiness?”┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐Oooooooo what's happening here.. a lover's spat? But can we even call them lovers when they haven't even confessed? Do they even need to prove their feelings? Are they on different stages in the same auditorium of relationship? Can it BE more complicated? I'm scared but find out in the next episode of they got married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
“Is that a real skull?”
Hahaha, Sicheng’s eyes are wide and his rosebud mouth is agape. I knew he’d find the museum interesting because he’s an intellectual like I am. Yokshi.“Yes Sicheng, and it’s like 11,000 years old! The faces of homo sapiens then used to be more primitive..” Sicheng is observing the ancient skull on display in awe. His checked blazer’s giving him the appearance of a ruthless, gay art critique, all of which I believe he is, a whole darn queen-Ugh Manager-nim is making hands at me, which is his signal to move to the next display. Gotta act nice today, offended him the last time, although he didn’t question my decision to leave mid-broadcast. They want a lot of ship footage today so that they can compile last filming at Winwin’s place and today’s date all happy and flowery. Oof hey what’s this? Brazilian tribal traditional costumes on display. Hmm. Wack.“Winwin, hey look they displayed my firetruck outfit!”I know, this sucked. But Winwin’s gushing laughter disagrees with you. Ohh.. he’s also shifted closer to me..“Yuta.. hey can we talk?” Has he forgotten?“How? Aren’t we supposed to act right now?” I am already eyeing the producer while saying that but oddly enough, he’s tapping away on his phone.“Yes we are supposed to act and give them some cute scenes on film but they can’t catch our voices properly, because there’s already too much general noise disruption as it’s crowded and they would probably add ‘what we talking ‘bout’ in the background of you and I holding hands and giggling..” ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Sicheng’s already grabbed two of my fingers as he is speaking. An involuntary and creepy giggle escapes my mouth on cue. Sigh. He’s pointing at a portrait of a woman with a gigantic forehead smiling at thin air.“We seem to have different ideas and expectations regarding our relationship, don’t you think?”WOAH. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM I WAS NOT READY AT ALL BUT I WAS SO READY.I shift my gaze to him respectfully, but he’s still waving hands at the painting and smiling at me as if discussing what that forehead trendsetter woman had in mind. Dude, he’s so smart he’s acting for the cameras WHILE trying to make a serious conversation with me. “..Yes, Winwin, I think you have beliefs about how I should show you my affection in a proper way and woo you like the namjas in the VICTORIAN ERA (I say it loud enough so that the producers, if overhearing us, actually feel we’re talking about the artwork).. whereas I am a practical man and I believe in being direct.. sigh.. what should we do eh?”“..why are you so crude though Yuta? Can you just like ..sometimes imagine we are in the 19th century and maybe be more polite and careful? I am ready to compromise too and not expect a lot, but just a few basics eh?”Winwin doesn’t realise he’s making lewd gestures at the figurine of a fertility goddess while saying that.. I am going to ..pOLITELY .. grab his hands and hold them in mine.AH HE HAS SMOL HANDS AND TINY FINGERS I WANNA PUT HIS HANDS IN MY BLAZER POCKETS UWU. Omooo he’s blushing and blinking rapidly I WILL NOM YOU SICHENG-“Listen ..sir, the object of my affection, the cherry to my tomato, the umm.. bone to my dog um, I WILL DEFINITELY TRY TO BE MORE SENSITIVE OKAY but can we like wait until after this show ends? I have an image to maintain and my seasonies fans know me as sannamja, I feel I’d let them down if they see a softer side of me, not to say it’ll be unusual for my own self as well..”Ahh he’s giggling at my weak joke..“If you go on being like this, why do you feel I’d be inclined to wait for you after the filming ends?”WOAH. HE HAS A POINT. And the manager-nim is hand signing to move again..“Jinjja.. I wish we could have one (1) private date without this sham..”I falter at Winwin slowly turning his head and looking at me expressionless, his eyes glazing over as if he’s envisioning something else entirely.. great now I’m making him sleep just by speaking, this might come in handy on my next visit to idol room, where I can hopefully put those disrespectful Do&Co to happy slumber.“Yuta, I need to use the restroom, come wait for me outside?”“Yeah, sure.”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Now I will stand here introspecting the door with my full attention; you see? I’m already making efforts. Now the old Yuta would have been like, ‘yeah so I’ll see when he returns, meanwhile let’s check the score of the football match’ but here I stand, a perfect example of a dainty and attentive namja, making the toilet door my religion.Oh he’s back. He passed me a quick smile and now we’re walking side by side, the cameras filming again in front of us.. they’re asking us to walk at an easier pace.. okay I’m your man.. And there’s the cue card, “smile more” it says. JEEZ. I smile at winwin, and he’s lifting his hand and placing it at the back of mY NECK SO GWIYEOMI and it’s ticklish and his fingers and easing beneath the collar of my blazer and he’s inserted sOMETHING DAMP AND SOFT INSIDE MY COLLAR IS THAT A MOTHERFUDGING TOILET PAPER SICHENG YOU ABSOLUT-I start squirming.“D’you trust me Yuta?”I.... “...MAYB- yes.”“let THINGS be the way they are then. You and I will find a way, the fate gives us clues, sometimes boring, sometimes interesting, sometimes dry sometimes MOIST.” ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Okay dorm sweet dorm, I gotta TAKE OFF THIS COAT AND GET THAT SNIVELY SNOTTY TISSUE OUT OF MY DAMN-IT is TOILET PAPER I WILL SMACK HIM ON HIS CALVES why is it crimson and smudgyIs that lipstick“Lecheya art ciasses tusday 8pn” HUH ...WAIT.LEECHAIYA ART CLASSES TUESDAY 8PM! FUDGE IS THIS A SECRET DATE┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐HOLEE CHAIYAPORNKUL did winwin just ask yuta out on a secret date? Oooohooo WILL THEY ESCAPE THE CAMERAS AND THE MANAGERS? What’s gonna happen and what’s up with the random venue?? Also, LET’S HOPE THEY DON’T GET CAUGHT!! There’s only one way to confirm this.. next episode of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
*sniff* aigoo it smells so wispy in here..
I am surrounded by an ocean of semi-dried acrylics, and I mean a literal ocean. They’re everywhere; tacked up on easels, propped up against the walls, canvases hung on clothe string in front of my face.. it must be the students’ last classwork, different painted takes on a blue-gray lionfish. This one propped up against the stool I’m sitting on looks frameable while that one hanging 1metre away from my eyebrows, has gills which remind me of.. the toes of the scary neighbourhood ahjumma I had, as a kid. Wait, I am getting some inspo.Come through teacher hyung, guide Yuta,towards this store room, or else I’m gonna shoot a documentary, about how I’m outtathis love game, but I still suit up-I THINK THE PAINT FUMES ARE GETTING TO ME-──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Okay, I’m so bored, I’ll just spy on them through the keyhole. Hmm pretty normal right now, the teacher hyung, aka, the only person here who knows that a celebrity couple is meeting here, is explaining 9 students, the correct technique, to paint still water as an object using that glass jug he’s put on display. Ten hyung told me that he is a trustable friend and Ten hyung is my trustable friend so you know it’s a cycle of trust and friendship and loyalty and support and friendship and support and-H-VROOMVROOM NAKASTUD YUTA IN THE BUILDING he’s in a motherhugging leather jacket and his hair is ...I can’t believe it.. wet and floppy from the shower perhaps.. did he SHOWER JUST FOR ME?!!! We love a bather. Teacher hyung has spotted him! Yay, time to bolt towards the stool and pull a Katherine Hepburn in this bixch. Okay, legs crossed, right ankle tucked behind the left, hands folded and placed 6cms away from le crotch, neck up and most importantly, my hermes scarf just the right amount of loose to sway with the ..NON EXISTENT WIND bah.HsdaghhLOOK HOW HIS FACE LIGHTS UP UPON SEEING ME. I can’t help but beam right back at him as he gently clicks the door shut behind him. Then I completely stay focused and dignified and blink prettily and give him two glances before it’s lashes down- WHOMST AM I KIDDING I slide right across the stool and my feet hit the floor with an indecorous thump whereafter I stumble towards him, not knowing what will follow, not really caring. He is like that. The way the ends of his damp bangs stick to his eyebrows, the perfect bow arch of his rosy lips, the bulge of his.. adam’s apple.. can the time freeze a bit so that I can stay awhile and admire how unbroken his symmetry is. “Winwin!” Yuta is gushing AW MY BABY NEOMU GWIYEOWO! That’s his greeting! He exclaimed my name!“Ohhh Yuta it’s you!”..Wait did I just-“Did you just sing limitless?” Yuta is half laughing, half confused and he’s slowly lifting his index finger and gradually bringing it closer to my face so that I have enough chance to halt him if I’m uncomfortable.. but I am not.. OMG HE BOOPED MY NOSE.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────We are strolling among the semi-wet acrylics hand in hand and I swear to god Yuta has the most genuine laugh ever. It’s like his laugh comes from his spirit or something.“Oh my turn, my turn.. look at that fish, it looks like the headshot from when it must have gotten arrested! Hehhe”“hahhahh yeah like in a lil underwater jail made out of seaweeds and like it has cellmates and there HAS to be a starfish as its cellmate hehhh”“Yeah and like when it gets bailed, the starfish says ‘HAH YOU FINALLY GOT OFF THE *hook*!’ hiihhiiiihihihihihi” MY GOD THE FUDGE AM I BLABBING I PUT MY HERMES SCARF TO SHAME SORRY SWEETIE Yuta pauses at the weak joke for two seconds before almost doubling over at the second hand embarrassment. I swear this is my favourite laugh ever, this is the ONLY laugh ever.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────We are standing at a narrow block of space between two rows of hanging canvasses. Yuta is smiling at me dreamily but in a challenging manner, as if nudging me to take the next step. I HAVE to admit I am tempted to. Okay how do I go about? I definitely can’t pull his face towards mine, what if he’s standing stiff and I jerk his head and it doesn’t move and it comes off as a weird aggressive attempt of literal physical wig snatching?? Hmm.. I finger.... um, the lapels of his jacket shyly.. my fingers itch to inch further and feel his abdominal muscles beneath that white tee shirt but I am really nervous.His fingers are gently wrapping around mine and he takes my hand off his jacket and leisurely brings it towards his lips.. and now he’s kissing my hand while LOOKING INTO MY EYES INTENSELY OH DEAR DRAGONS OF TIBETI can’t bear the heat of his gaze for more than four seconds so I start shoe staring, feeling my face burn.“Sicheng.” His voice is quiet and melodious. I am obliged to meet his dark irises. He is regarding me warmly but seriously. I am hypnotised, I am not sure what my name is, I cannot move. I don’t know actually how long it has been since I started drowning in his pupils.“FOR MADONNA’S SAKE, KISS, YOU NEOLITHIC LIBERAL CHICKENS!”w h o w a s t h a t┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐WAIT who has been spying on Yuwin!? Was their private date not so private? Will Sicheng’s Hermes scarf live to see the daylight? Are the paint fumes taking their toll? (Will they kiss before NCT China debuts?) Find out in the next chapter of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
A petite man with a dark undercut and emphatically ripped white jeans is leaning against the closed door.
His coal stubbed neck t shirt is a chanel exclusive, which apparently he doesn’t give a single fudge about, if his enthusiastic scooping of some confectionary product from a box he holds close, gives any indication.Winwin has straightened up and is slightly pulling away his hand which I still hold close to my lips. Why? This guy definitely isn’t from the management team, his skin is too glossy to have been a business student; Can’t be a fan or a common person as justified by his nonchalant judgemental and assessing eyes, not to mention the extensive amount of earrings he’s wearing. Damn, I’ve never seen someone with more piercings than I have.“Uh-anneyeonghaseyo hyung..”Winwin has greeted him and is squeezing my hand slightly. Sigh. “Anneyeonghaseyo, I am Nakamoto Yu-”“Yuta. Shutup you philosophical ken doll, of course I know you!”HE WIPED HIS HAND ON THE CHANEL. Aaaaaaaa BAKA. Now he’s extended his hand towards me.“I’m the most splendid specimen of this gen, y’all fuglies can call me Ten.”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────He gleams with beauty and good humour and there’s a certain attractiveness in his personality that has a magnetic pull. It’s Ten, winwin’s friend and the owner of this art class gallery chain.Winwin is stuttering a bit.“Ten hyung, thank you for letting us meet here, I’d been so worried”-“YUUUTA, how long are you going to keep your romance all milk-and-cookies huh? You, Me, all these fishes here, the antis crapping on nct 127’s international success, everyone can see that winwin wants daaaat asparagus! So GO GREEN nephew, we been knew.”ABFFHJ WHAT IS TEN ON ABOUT AND WHAT THE HECK IS AN ASPAGARUS OR WHATEVER HE BLURTED. Winwin is blushing and looking everywhere but at my face. Can’t help but notice how the tip of his ears turn pink when he’s flustered, and to be very honest I want to *chu* him there.“Ten hyung, we’re taking things at our own pace, thank you for being concerned. Are you doing well? Did you have any task for us?”HEHEHE Winwin is being snappy huh? He really must adore our private moments and time. HEHEHEYASSSSHEHEHE. Ten is pouting. Well, alternating between pouting and licking the plastic fork he’s feeding himself with.“Y’all such cowards, just say, you love each other but are AMISH, and go. Listen.. ok, ok at least I can help you out with a better atmosphere for this yeehaw date.. Follow me.”Ten walks as lithe as a tiny cat who owns the room. Wait, he does actually. He opens a door into another room apparently. It’s dark as we step into it. Ten clicks on something and suddenly there’s a whirring noise at our right.. oh it’s a garage! We’re in a spacious garage!──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────There are no lights in the garage but it’s not dark.The yellow streetlight out on the pavement gives the room an exotic balmy feel. There’re framed original photographs at one wall which serves as a backdrop for a few foldable wooden chairs. There’s a bicycle at one wall and some more blank canvasses stocked up but still it feels much fresher here because of the cool night breeze and a faint whiff of someone baking something in the suburban neighbourhood. “Won’t someone see us here?” Ten is unbothered at my question. He’s ..stretching in an inhumane manner.. his arms just rotated right 270 degrees at the back ..I’m getting déjà vu feels.. I’ve seen him before haven’t I?Wait HE WAS ON HIT THE STAGE. FUDGING CRACKERS HE’S A CELEBRITY TOO of course! That’s how Winwin knows him!“Unless you decide to sprout wings, and fly away from this garage clasping my mousy chingu sicheng in your talons, I don’t see a reason why people breathing inside their homes, would suddenly step out of their boring lives to kirk off to your piping hot romance, or the lack of it, Yuta.”O-okay, he’s a cheeky one. I look at winwin pleadingly. “Ten hyung, I want to thank you for all this from the bottom of my heart. We’ll be able to spend some quality time here, for sure.”Winwin has slid his hand into mine while saying that. The force of it hits me so hard, I feel a zap in front of my eyes. OOF HIS IMPACT....I guess that impact hit Ten as well.. he’s rubbing his eyes.. WAIT.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────I turn my head at the street to find a small SLR tube equipment pointed at Ten from across the street, behind a bush. UH OH.“It’s my fansites.. shxt, didn’t think they’d camp out here as well.. I greeted them at the entrance.. guess that wasn’t enough huh..”Ten is walking towards the switch to shut the garage door. Something doesn’t feel right. “Yuta..”Winwin is nervously whispering.“..we were standing inches away from Ten hyung.. they might have caught us on film too.. if that leaks, our managers are going to quarantine us!”Aaaah crap he's right! I gotta do something to stop that ....What should I do.. ah the girl is walking closer to the garage to click some more snaps of ten before the automatic garage door shuts down completely.. Okay.. think Yuta.. what alternatives do I have.. If I try to reason with her, she might figure out something is amiss and definitely sell the photographs.. If I go out after her, there will surely be more fansites waiting..That leaves me only one option.. Okay.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“Sicheng, will you always be in my life?”Sicheng is caught off-guard. He is gasping.“..huh? Yuta? ..y-yes! Why? Wait, where are you going- YUTA!”I leap and slide on my knees as I bend my torso backwards to easily slither underneath the garage door and quickly get to my feet, finding myself one metre away from the fansite master.Her mouth is hidden by a mask but her eyes give her confusion away. As if its a slow motion scene, I see her hand lifting the camera lens to point at me but I am faster; I extend my arm, grab her camera and jerk it.. and it leaves her grasp like butter.“Chwayseonghabnida-” I utter an apology and I run towards the garage door where there’s only enough space left now between the floor and the door for a dog to roll in.. I dive in head first and throw the camera in. Now it’s time to let my core strength work out routine pay off.. I put my weight on my forearms and pull my body in through my torso and WHOOSH I am in with centimetres to spare! Winwin is clapping and his mouth is open in surprise.. he looks like a ball of sunshine I adore him oh my god.. Ten’s eyes are popping out of his head and he’s standing there frozen.. I’m still sprawled across the floor when I hear a sick crack and a wail!..There’s a hand spread out and stuck underneath the edge of the garage door, where my body had been a few seconds ago. ┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐.....DID THEY REALLY BREAK A FANSITE MASTER’S HAND!? WHAT THE ACTUAL HECK HAS HAPPENED?? How are they going to deal with this!? Is the fansite okay? Is someone going to get fired? Who’s going to take the blame?? Will winwin be able to hide this mess from his manager? Can we even fathom all the repercussions this is going to have!? Find out in the next episode of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
“Did you sign the statement?”
“Yes manager-hyung.”It won’t matter anyway, the court doesn’t find any harm in making Yuta pay damages for their fansite’s accident. They see idols as rich brats, who always have spare Wons to go around. Little do they know that their Givenchy sweaters and Tiffany bracelets are sponsored and individually, they earn barely more than your average working class Koreans, especially a group as young as NCT. Ah, It’s not even about the money, the tarnish on the image persists for long. They don’t realise what consequences Yuta’s fans or NCTzens will face; how a small misunderstanding or a false misdemeanant rumour will be flung up by antis anytime NCT achieves something. “Hyuuuung, I know I was disobedient and I am sincerely apologetic for it. Please consider my stance and let me call him once, he would be so lonely at a time like this. He must be facing the wrath of the world all alone..”“Winwin, what’s even the purpose of this call!? Haven’t I made it clear already that your appearance for the show is cancelled? They don’t want a problematic idol couple on their show. Also, definitely, your relationship is going nowhere. Your dates in the Hong Kong tour are booked, we leave in 10 days. Possibly won’t have to see that japanese guy and that dashing-manager-of-NCT’s face again for at least a year.”I know this was coming but it's no secret how the human head works where hope is concerned. We want to focus only on facts that make living easier, make breathing a bit simpler.. we worry about the disturbing news for a short while and then tuck it inside the small nook in our brain, continuing to gush over the happy chaos that we choose for the time being, until it’s time to face to music again.“h-hyung, I can always complete my tour as planned and do the long distance thing.. skype or call Yuta and-”“I DO NOT want to hear his name again from you Winwin. You CANNOT afford to entangle further in this mess especially when now it will only bring you negative publicity. Do you know I almost lost my job for not keeping you under a watchful eye? I trusted you Dong Sicheng...”AISHHH jinjja. I am not proud of what I did but ..ugh how do I explain this.. it was either jumping into the pit with Yuta or life passing me by while I sat there and wondered ‘what if I had’.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Must. Find. A way. To contact Yuta. Once upon a time, like 4 years ago, when toilet paper wasn’t invented, people used to note down phone numbers of the dear ones in an actual diary, and so did I. All I need now is some mental strength along with that diary, and a cup of shindong ramyun, here goes-“Yeoboseyo, yeah whom am I speaking to?”“Heh? ..it’s Britney bxtch.”!!!!! UH OH OUT OF ALL THE 8 PEOPLE IN THE 127 DORM, HE IS THE ONE WHO PICKS UP THE LANDLINE WHAT ARE THE CHANCES.“Taeil. Taeil, may I speak to Yuta please?”“..For the last time NO Yuta didn’t spit in the fansite’s face and call her ‘Freaky Minaj’ okayyy? STOP CALLING HERE-““FREAKY WHAT!? TAEIL it’s me!”“Hi me! It’s-ah me-uh, Taeil-io--”Ah I missed being in a relationship with him. Not.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“..THIS IS DONG SICHENG SPEAKING. I would like to have a word with Yuta please.”“..... okay madam headmistress.. Which word would that be? HEUHEUHEUHEU”SIGH.“Taeil, I’m-”“Winnie. Oraenmaniya.. How’re you doing babe?”HEOL he’s back at his charming self which was originally responsible for my deep crush on him. “I am.. fine, are you well too? Can I please speak to Yuta-”“I’m as well as an ahjussi on life support, why, thanks for asking, Winnie. Yuta is at the SM office, going over his multiple press statements ONCE AGAIN.”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“...UH.. I, okay then can you please tell him that I called-”“hey, do you ever stop to think over how everyone is supposed to go according to your actions Winnie? This is the second time in 2 months that Yuta’s character has been questioned and there have been 2 months since you’ve entered into his life, this is NOT a coincidence because I recall a similar press conference where I had to explain that skinship was casual for me but a sacrilege to you, even though you were my own boyfriend-”FLYING DRAGONS IN SHANGHAI THIS RANT IS NEVERENDING. Meanwhile, If Yuta is in the SM office, it means he must be surrounded by not only the managers but also paparazzi. It’s unlikely that I’ll be able to catch him alone or talk to him. If I can’t get him alone I’ll need him to be with someone while we discuss our next step. But who’ll be ready to let us see each other without it being noticeable?“....and I’m not saying that I hate you for ruining my dinner that day but if you were a robot surviving on electricity I would gladly take off your plug and charge my nose hair trimmer in the socket-”He’s still going on jinjja. Hmm, so other people that Yuta can roam about with are his family. Ugh I cannot get in touch with his family for sure. And how would I know where to see him anyway.. oh gosh what do I do?“...still you were out there doing the ice bucket challenge the very next week, as if you hadn’t just poured boiling hot water bucket as a challenge on my feelings for you-”“TAEIL. I AM SORRY. WE WERE JUST NOT MEANT TO BE. I tried to fall deeper for you but you’ve been more of a hyung-figure to me than a boyfriend because you’re so caring and comforting. I am sorry of how it turned out and how I acted immaturely, but I am a more sensitive person now, and I am sensitively asking for your help..”“.........”“......hello? Taeil?”“......my charging rate is 3 aegyo snaps in return for a favour.”IS HE REAL?“...oh mannnn, okay I’ll send em.. but listen what I want you to do is....”┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐CAN YOU BELIEVE WINWIN IS ASKING FOR HELP FROM HIS EX TO ACHIEVE SUCCESSFUL FACE SUCKING WITH HIS CURRENT BOYFRIEND and where in the world are they going to see each other now? Will this plan work? And let’s hope Taeil is satisfied with said aegyos and doesn’t expect more..... Watch out for the next chapter of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
I never considered Taeil hyung to be this insensitive.
Here I am stuck in a rut, multiple press conferences; tired of repeating the same few phrases again and again; searching up the meaning of the word misogynist after one reporter desperately wanted to know if I was one.. And here’s Taeil hyung successfully having dragged manager hyung and me to a public steam-sauna bath bar of all places!The way I am somehow functioning right now is, every time I get fed up of these chaotic camera shutter sounds and blinding flashes, I close my eyes for a split second at the excuse of slicking my hair back with my fingers..it’s also an excuse to picture Winwin’s worried angelic face, getting smaller as he peered out of his manager’s SUV; his faded crimson highlighted hair blowing forward on his glowing forehead with the wind wind; his dark eyeballs unblinking as his lower lip anxiously disappearing in his mouth.These four days have felt like four weeks, I am not going to lie. Jaehyun said I'll forget him, I’ll move on, asked me out for a beer night, two nights in a row when we all know that what he actually does on these beer nights is sneak into the bakery next door and gulp down multiple bottles of plain milk, that weirdo.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────“mOVE you baka namja! Aishhh, Jeno’s cat is more appeaseable than you boys are!”Taeil is pulling me out of the car by my coat collar. What’s new.“Taeil-ah.. why are you so stubborn, what was wrong with the local bathhouse?? You never had a problem with its hot tub before..”Same, manager hyung, same.“Manager hyung, you weren’t there last night when Jungwoo spilled his herbal vitamins in the common hot tub and the water turned green and frothy, and even though Lucas stepped out of it immediately, he looked like shrek's athletic grandson! Chenle saw him at the door and screamed so loud, Mark almost peed himself!Now I would have still taken the risk of bathing in it, but have you seen how these fansites take close ups of the back of my neck, or like Ten’s phone lockscreen, and absurd stuff like that? Yeah so one missed speck of green behind my ear and the next thing you know there's an article on Allkpop titled ‘Yuta of NCT grows algae at the rear of his ear’ fans say “king of sprouting fungus wbk” huh.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────We’re taking tokens at the entrance booth. Taeil is ...staring at me seriously.“Yuta. You bathed like three hours ago.. you do what, you roam around here, there’s an amusement park at the right as you can see.. why don’t you go there?”......EXCUSE ME WHAT? Do I look like an infant to him? Manager hyung is here to interrupt before I do.“Taeil? What are you talking about? Yuta will definitely get recognised and also, I don’t trust him!”“Manager hyung, here, he’ll wear this anti-pollution mask and no he won’t get recognised because this is a place far away from our dorm. Also, when it comes to trust, what are the chances that Winwin would be out here at a random amusement park. Also, Yuta can't call him out here as well because he doesn’t have his phone, you haven’t returned it yet.”Wow look at Taeil fighting for me! Man, I love him, he really cares for us all a lot and never expects us to thank him. But why is he adamant on sending me to the park?? Manager hyung looks thoughtful. He nods at the end.“Meet us here in right one and a half hours, got it?”“Ne.” “Do check out the kids train ride Yuta, promise?”Huh?“Promise me?”“Okay, Taeil hyung.”He really acts like a kid sometimes.“Okay, see you then!”He winked but again what’s new. This guy is unpredictable and it’s one of his charms.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────I have walked in and I am questioning a lot of life choices right now. There are cute kids running about, families laughing together, couples trying out rides and here I wander like a lonesome kitsune, no winwin in my life, no win win in my life.A ferris wheel, a ride in a tea cup, a clown offering me a candy corn asking me whatsup,(Hey maybe I should write a song for our next album.. hmm)A rollercoaster, a boy screaming out his brain,A choo choo choo from that long ass toy train..Hmm. Taeil hyung made me promise that I’ll ride this one so maybe I’ll just sit in and wait for the next lyric to hit me eh?──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Hmm.... a lot of couples in here.. these vulgar hormonal spazzes, can’t they keep it under control, flirting all over, in front of my Prada blazer.What’s up with this guy, in a chunky thick sweater, the sweater neck raised all the way up to his pointy little pink ears, standing there and blinking at me.. Oh, he’s coming over.. does he think he can sit with me cos I'm alone? I'm not that weak and definitely not that desperate!“HEY! Hey! I am taking this ride alone ok! Go find your own place!”Wtf?? He’s put his hand on my forearm!“My place is where my beloved is.”......IT’S WIN-I pull him inside the train carriage seat but maybe I pull too hard in excitement because he has stumbled and his body has collided with mine.. I wanna hug him but...OH MY GOD HE HAS WRAPPED HIS ARMS AROUND MY NECKHDHFHFHHis sweater is warm and smells like rosewood and the smell mixed with his candy-aromatic hair feels like a summer spa trip.. his stray fluffy strands are tickling my face but I can gladly go through hours of this sensation. I can feel his heartbeat, it’s galloping! But wait, maybe that’s my heart, I don’t know man, my hands have found their place at his waist but I can’t stop myself from relishing in the fact that I finally have him in my arms.. my hands want to take all of him in.. but right now they settle for travelling up his fuzzy sweater clad back. His shoulders are as wide as mine and it feels full to hold him like this. His soft cheek which is in contact with mine, is tempting and I have an intense desire to boop my nose against ithfhfhMay I..? I’m slowly pulling my face just enough sideways so my nose can caress his cheek.. oh wait so is he.. He’s... his lips.... are on mY CHEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He just kissed me softly there! HSHHHSHHHHHHHSHHHSHHHSS MOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM LOOOOKKKK I HAVE A BOYFRIENDDDDDDDDDI WANNA KISS HIM TOO BUT I AM SO FREAKIN NERVOUS WHAT IF HE ISN’T READY I DON’T KNOW SHOULD I MAKE THE NEXT MOVE WHAT DO I DO OHMYGOD LOOK IF HE DOESN’T LIKE IT THEN AT THE MOST HE’LL SLAP ME AND WALK AWAY AND I WASN’T GETTING THIS BREAD ANYWAY SO here g o e s Okay how do we do this???? I am verrrrrry slowly positioning my lips to where my cheek was.... now I’ll wait for him to move away if he wants out.. (you see kids? consent is important) no eye contact, no eye contact, breathe even, in, ouuut, ....he’s not moving.. his lips are five cms away from mine....I lean in as my lips finally embrace his.┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐MMMMM SO THE KISS HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING.. more romance? Or drama?? awaits.. They may have fallen for each other but isn’t it too late already? Their companies have forbid their meeting, the public has nothing positive to say, and anyway Winwin is leaving for China in a number of days.. What’s next? Please be back to find out (I promise you details on the smooch!) on the next episode of They Got Married!└─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
He tastes like peppermint chocolates.
As a teen growing up, I never understood the hype behind kisses. I mean, it’s just supposed to be one part of your face meeting your lover’s face. A face handshake. Why did people lose their dignity over being kissed???However, the way Yuta’s cushioned lips embrace mine, his minty warm breath on my mouth, the stray tresses on his forehead tickling my eyelids, and his sinewy arms wrapped in a pleasant heated lock around my body, pulling me closer to him, I swear to all that is holy in this world and to Pikachu, THIS MUST BE WHAT CHRISTMAS FEELS LIKEHe tentatively licks my lower lip. MMMM.. He doesn’t want to catch ME offguard. But maybe I do.I part his lips with mine and let my tongue explore his sweet mouth. He is taken aback by my sudden initiative and a small moan escapes his throat.OKAYYYY when I say that is the sexiest sound I have ever heard in my life, I do not exaggerate. I can feel the blood rushing to my head and I want to open my eyes and look at the object of my desire. I do not know whether it was seconds or minutes before I finally opened my eyes and gazed at him. Under the yellow lamplight, his skin looks golden, azure, flawless. His dark bangs, wet from the fog, are askew on his forehead. Half lidded eyes stare lazily and adoringly back at me, lips still moist and parted, breathing shallow. A thought hits me where I entertain the possibility of not seeing this face whenever I want to. The pain. The searing pain that I feel in the base of my throat is indescribable.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────My eyes started tearing up at their own demise so I lowered my lashes to blink away the feeling. Yuta withdrew his palm from my back and placed his fingers around my ear, tracing the bumpy cartilage. His fingers were toasty warm and moved from my ear lobes to my jaw line with the expertise of a playboy.As my eyes met his once again, he swiftly straightened, and his mouth was on my ear in half a blink. Before I could gasp, his tongue was all over the bends and indentations, hot and wet, and there’s no better description of it than to say that my stomach shivered at the insides from the thrill of it. OOF HOMEBOI COULD GET IT.“Si Cheng.”He breathed in my ear and I could hear him smiling. Perhaps I fell in love with my name today.“Ahem. Excuse me?”What?This disembodied voice came from behind me.. wait.Wait. I’m on a toy train.I’m half sprawled on top of my boyfriend on a kids’ ride.My butt is in his lap and my fingers are inside his sweatshirt collar and there are infants running around WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IDOLS WTH-Okay I am disentangling myself and bowing apologies to parents and so is Yuta, though I can’t help but notice he’s doing that with a naughty smile, not to mention he looks so sexy please can he not.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────With his mask on again, I am shameless as I cling to his arm while we walk any-which way.He keeps stealing glances at me and sometimes bumps his shoulder with mine so that I overdramatically stumble away and he pulls me towards himself again. Yes, I know we are stupid and cringey but I don’t even care. I am happy. I am in love.“You conspired with your ex boyfriend to meet your current boyfriend. That requires guts and that too in the multiples of three!” Yuta is laughing. He can even laugh in melody. Sir, am I whipped.“Is that how we are going to date now huh?”Yuta is still smiling but it’s a bittersweet smile. I do not want to answer that question.“You know what Winwin, today was maybe one of the best days of my life. I’ll rewind and play this day once again even if I have to go through those irritating press conferences once more.”“Yuta, it meant much more to me. You’re the most beautiful being in my life. I’ll treasure each moment I spent with you in my heart forever.”“...oh man.. Winnie, you chickie.. that’s really deep.. but you sound really morose.. what’s on your mind?’“..I- nothing. I’m just overwhelmed. I’m fine.”“Sicheng.. are you thinking about our future too?”“Can we not talk about it now, Yuta? I am here to just live in the moment with you. We have no idea what the future holds. Doesn’t seem like it has much to offer anyway. Can we just.. be two normal people in love?”“.. okay...But we aren’t normal people, are we Sicheng?We are idols. Anything we do has consequences for a large amount of people and somewhere in that thought process, we lose ourselves, don’t we? Well, you make me feel like I’m still corded to planet earth and I don’t float away in the idol world of media and flashing lights.. maybe I should ditch it all for us?”“..YUTA-”“Wait, why are you pulling me away, let’s discuss this! I am not scared to speak out loud about the heartaches of the idol industry-”“YUTA YOUR MANAGER HAS SPOTTED US, LOOK!”“........HOLY KIMONOS RUN SICHENG RUN-”┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐*cue Bonnie and Clyde by Dean* Seems like our lovebirds are on the run. But where does this path lead to? The future is a block of uncertainty. Yuta has his career, although blemished with the recent incidents, on a boom period, and sicheng has his shanghai tour sold out. There is probably no one around rooting for them except themselves. Find out whether this running away leads them to a flowery path or the gravelly road in the next episode of They Got Married! └─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┘╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
~An excerpt from the narrative self written account
from captured video of
fansite WholeEveryuta~
08:41PM They think they are concealed behind the fence, but I can spot Yuta’s glistening chain necklace from afar. With one of his arms wrapped around Dong Sicheng’s chest, his eyes are on patrol for his manager Byeongchul, a man of short stature but ambitious perpective. Sicheng is sluggishly dragging their crouched couple across the length of the fence. At the end of the fence, there’s a carousel with a multitude of lights where they will definitely get caught. I can see Sicheng’s fingers are shaky from where he holds the fence. Byeongchul-ssi is in the next lane I believe.They have reached dead end and.. Yuta has stood up and pulled up Sicheng as well. He has proceeded to brushing off something from the hem of Sicheng’s sweater. Sicheng is.. grabbing at Yuta’s hands in a playful manner.. now, Yuta has wrapped his fingers around Sicheng’s wrists and they have calmed down and are probably smiling at each other. From where I’m hiding, I can only see Yuta properly and he’s looking at Sicheng like a girl gazes at expensive Tiffany bracelets.A commotion *Camera loses focus*.📷“YUT-YOU! HOW DARE YOU! WAIT!”──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Byeongchul has located them. He almost called out Yuta’s name, but composed himself at the last moment so as not to give him away at a public place and cause further chaos.Time to move. Yuta has latched onto Sicheng’s arms and is pulling him through the moving carousel. I really hope he doesn’t go smack into an advancing wooden pony but I have to watch out for my own stealth too. Byeongchul is shouting out vowels. He has slowed down while running towards the carousel because he knows his wide frame would immediately barge into the first pony in one try.The few kids on the ponies are clapping, their ride has taken a turn for the entertainment. My camera has discovered that Nakamoto Yuta is laughing away while swiftly navigating their way across the carousal. His mask has come off and is hanging on one of his ears. All these neon lights but his smile still shines the brightest.Yuta is looking wildly around for an escape but Byeonchul-ssi is catching up to them from around the carousal area. Fixing his mask up again, he’s running across to *Camera loses focus*📷I almost got identified as I was on the other side of the lane. Yuta and Sicheng ran to this rollercoaster shed just a few feet from me. Have to follow them inside the shed. *camera blurry*📷There they are. Of course, the guard has stopped them, they don’t have the tickets. I can’t hear them but Sicheng has a desperate pleading look on his face. The rollercoaster bogeys are full anyway. What’s this. Yuta just took off his mask and waved to the two young girls in the second last bogey. Oh they’re screaming. Seasonies. Yuta is now putting a finger on his lips and bowing and talking to them. One is nodding eagerly and the other one is embarrassingly crying.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Yuta is taking off his Fendi brooch and giving it to the girls. Damn. Oh I see what he is doing. The girls have dismounted the bogey.. and given up their seats for him. Wow. I wonder how he knew they were seasonies. Even so, any straight girl would scream and/or cry for the takoyaki prince.Byeongchul-ssi has entered the shed and is looking around agitatedly while panting. The conductor has pulled the lever. Off goes the rollercoaster as soon as Byeongchul-ssi catches the sight of Yuta’s plaid blazer. He’s furious as he enters the conductor’s room to talk to him. *Camera readjusts*📷Yuta is definitely excited. The back of his head in the frame keeps turning towards Sicheng and his flashy smile catches the spotlight. They’re laughing about something. The bogey has made a U-turn while tardily climbing up the rails. They are too high up to exactly lip read but through the zoom in I can see they are in conversation and are smiling. Yuta seems to be teasing Sicheng about something and Sicheng is very cutely hugging Yuta’s forearm against his chest with both his hands, while interlocking fingers with his.*Camera loses focus and refocuses on another object*📷 Moon Taeil just casually walked by.Taeil is walking leisurely towards the conductor’s room where a visibly heated discussion is unfolding between Byeonchul-ssi and the conductor. My job is to focus on Yuta and so I have to concentrate.They have ascended to the top, now they are too high up even for the camera. It’s not possible to capture the rollercoaster drop because it’s the other way around the shed and there’s an enclosed no-entry area. I will position myself at it’s end. It’s about fifty metres from here.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────8:58PMThere’s a platform here at the end with stairs and railings to disembark onto, from the bogeys. Positioning myself there with my DSLR would make no sense regarding all my efforts at furtiveness, so I have hid myself here behind this food truck across from the platform.*Camera focuses*📷 Taeil is here. His gait is unhurried and he’s brushing his brown locks downwards to cover his forehead. Maybe that’s his attempt to disguise himself as a common man. He is very attractive. NCT are the most charismatic idols I have see- *Camera loses focus*I can hear the rollercoaster coming. *Camera focuses*📷 Taeil is climbing the stairs to the platform.It’s here. Taeil has his back turned as the other passengers are alighting the bogeys. There’s Yuta and Sicheng. Yuta’s bangs are awry and his Balenciaga chain necklace has come untucked from underneath his blazer, furthermore his inner sweatshirt’s zip is resting a little too low for decency. Winwin’s shirt hem is crooked too and peeping out from underneath his jumper. Not sure how just a rollercoaster ride did that. Yuta stepped out on to the platform first and wore his mask and now is pulling up an apparently reluctant Sicheng from the bogey. Sicheng is making sweet baby-like faces and has fastened himself to Yuta. Yuta has stumbled upon Taeil finally and they have stopped in their tracks. As soon as Taeil took one step towards them, Yuta pulled Sicheng into his embrace and frowned at Taeil. Yuta is furiously enunciating something. Taeil has both his palms turned outwards, universal symbol for ‘relax’ and is nodding while looking considerably annoyed.*camera refocuses*📷 Byeongchul has entered the scene. He’s running and has reached the base of the stairs. He’s shouting something at Taeil and showing him an upward raised thumb, universal symbol for ‘good’.*refocus*📷 Taeil has acknowledged Byeongchul and now Sicheng has peeped at him which has made him clutch Yuta tighter. Yuta is still madly conversing with Taeil while Taeil has moved another step closer to them.*refocus*📷 Byeongchul-ssi has started scaling up the stairs. It’s only a few seconds before he reaches Sicheng and Yuta. *refocus*📷 Yuta is holding Sicheng and caressing his hair fondly and saying something to him while Sicheng looks nervous, although he’s nodding. His grasp around Yuta has loosened and he’s now moving towards Taeil. Taeil is ..draping his arm around Sicheng’s shoulders. Yuta is watching them, and although my camera lens can’t zoom into the soul of my idol, I can see that he’s afraid. I have no clue what is going on.┌─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────┐WHAT IS HAPPENING? What is this between Taeil and Sicheng and what the heck is Yuta thinking? And what is Byeongchul going to do to Yuta now? How many times would he let him break not only his trust but also the idol code of conduct? There are a lot of questions but this might be the last of them because the future will unfold in the next episode, the "FINALE" of They Got Married! └─────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────╚═════════════. .★.╝

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

──────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────Taeil has put his arm behind my knees and whhhoosh- lifted me up effortlessly.He smells like detergent and musk. The last time we were this close was right before our final quarrel as a couple. I can feel his eyes on my face but my gaze is glued to Yuta, who is swiftly moving towards the railing.Yuta has stepped on the grill of the railing and swung his right leg over it. Oh holy dragons, please, please, please, let him be safe. Okay his foot has found the ledge of the platform. He immediately shot me a bright smile. “Winwin!”He is clutching the railing bar tight as he swings his other leg over too. His knuckles are turning pale; he knows he can fall and hurt himself. As he is turning around on the ledge, my heart is playing a moombahton beat. He jumped.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ──────────────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────ACK.Well that was high. My knees feel creaky. Now for the next part I can only pray.There he is. Taeil is looking down at me. Haha, maybe for the smol hyung’s first and last time. OKAY, he’s quickly over the railings with winwin still in his arms and now he’s squatting. WHY is he squatting, his thighs are shaking, man. No, that’s Sicheng. Ah, my poor darling, his fear of heights acting up. He’s squeezing Taeil hyung’s sweatshirt front so hard, he might rip it. Crap, I’ll have to buy him another YSL sweatshirt.THUD!“OUCH!”“Sicheng! Are you alright!? Where does it hurt, hon? Did you sprain y-”“’Twas me, you lovesick riceball! My toe hurts! But ain’t nobody got time fo dat! None calling me honey or pumpkin here, isn’t it Yuta?”“Taeil hyung. Hyung, I’m sorry, thank you for helping us out at a time like this. I don’t know how else would Sicheng have gotten down-”“YUTA! TAEIL! WHAT THE FUDGE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING! WHAT K-DRAMA IS THIS! I WILL-”Manager hyung is screaming at us from top of the platform. I look down at Taeil to find he’s offering me some sort of tickets.“..the ferris wheel.. uff..”I am realising that Taeil hyung had decided to help us out, way before he climbed up that platform or before I reasoned with him. That is so him. Kind, giving, never expecting acknowledgement, just full of affection, my hyung. I give him a speedy bear hug before accepting those tickets. “Come on Sicheng, Taeil hyung has sponsored another fun ride for us!” I try to look into Winwin’s eyes as I clasp his arm and we sprint together. He stares back defiantly with a delightful smile and all I can see in his regard, is trust. He believes in me. His face itself tells me that he will follow me into the depths of hell, needless to say I'd never take him there.──────── ∘°❉°∘ ──────────────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────We’re still panting as the conductor latches on the mini door of our ferris wheel pod. It’s an open tub pod with a pole in the middle, but I’m holding on to My pole, my Yuta. Whenever his arms are around me, I feel so free from harm; like no evil, no sadness can enter our fort, a fort of love which Yuta and I build.The flashing white lights from some fanfair catches on his toothsome grin, his dangly earring, and he glimmers like no human being can.. I feel like I’m dreaming. His fingers gently smoothen my bangs and I close my eyes at this sensation. His touch is so gentle yet so amative. “Be mine, Sicheng.”Yuta is murmuring as his fingers serenely glide over my forehead, my eyebrows, my cheekbones and I feel completely overwhelmed by the effect this man is having on my senses.“..Yuta.. inside my head, I have surrendered my heart to you, but outside my mind, look at how hard the forces are working to keep us apart. D-do we have a future, Yuta? How do you know you’re not just blindly infatuated? How do we know that in a few months, this feeling isn’t going to extinguish when our work and our professional lives make us completely go into opposite directions? Why are you working so vigorously on keeping us aflame with love, even if it’s for a few hours?” I still have abounding questions held behind my lips, the same lips which Yuta is softly gliding his thumb across, halting my monologue.The ferris wheel has completed half a circle apparently because now there’s a sudden lurch in my stomach from its downward cycle. My own fingers reach out to caress the veiny back of his palm soothingly, as I spread it out and tenderly kiss each one of his fingertips. Yuta faintly groans and pulls me to him, actively placing his hand at the small of my back and lifting me up so that my lips can greet his. He smooches like a flirt, a tease; pauses often and smiles against my lips; lets his teeth ricochet on my lower lip, so softly, dove-like. Gold dust, rainbows, glitter rain, Louis Vuitton sequinned jackets.. that’s what I see when he kisses me. Is that even natural? I don’t even recall what we were talking about.. was I just trynna see, if we ain't talking teams babe? g-get out of my head marteen ft nct 127.“Sicheng,”Yuta has loosened his grip on my body and keeps his forehead in contact with mine. “Sicheng, yes, you were just a professional relationship for the TV show when I met you..but I don’t know when I started enjoying your company.. even looking forward to your presence, your shy eyes, your nervous stutter, your smile brighter than the sunlight. It was so easy to fall for you Winwin, the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life, maybe that’s why everything else that follows is so tough, huh?You’re asking me what’s next, how to deal with the unfortunate circumstances we are in.. the truth is, Sicheng, I don’t know. I don’t know what we are going to do, what will become of us, are we even worth it and ..all that you think of before marrying someone..What I DO know is.. when you’re away from me, you occupy my thoughts; when you speak to me in that deep voice, you make my problems disappear; when you look me in the eyes, I catch a glimpse of dragon.. um, I mean heaven, ..and when you forward the prospect of my life which doesn’t have you in it, you break my heart. I do not want to keep going without you, I cannot imagine smiling without you, I need you Winwin, man, I LOVE YOU.”I am sobbing as I desperately kiss his forehead, his cheeks, his eyes, his lips. NAKAMOTO YUTA LOVES ME BI*CHHHHHHH I HAVE WONWON AT LIFELIFELIFEEEEE.“Yutaaa, Yuta, my dearest man, I LO-”..WHAT!? THEY ARE DRAGGING HIM AWAY! NOOOOOO! YUTAAAAAAAA!──────── ∘°❉°∘ ──────────────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────ACKKKK CAN HE RELAX, DOES MANAGER HYUNG HAVE TO ROUGH HANDLE ME LIKE THIS!? Maybe he does. And I was so lost in Winwin’s eyes that I didn’t even look up to see that our ride had ended and our booth was planted on the floor already.“Sicheng! Manager hyung, hyung, please at least let me say goodbye to him! I am sorry, but l-”“MULTIPLE TIMES, YUTA! MULTIPLE TIMES I GAVE YOU A CHANCE! YOU DON’T REALISE THE DILEMMA I AM IN!”“Hyung! I apologise and I’ll come to you straight away, trust me, just pleaseee, he was saying something crucial to me! Please hyung! Just-”“TRUST? TRUST YOU? YOUNG MAN, YOU HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD TO MY FACE WHEN YOU’VE BEEN MAKING ME RUN AFTER YOU FOR AN HOUR AFTER YOU PLANNED TO DITCH ME ALL THIS TIME!”Now would not be a good time to mention that this plan was originally not mine. Anyway, these were probably the best moments of my life.. I can see Winwin standing by the ferris wheel, alone and grasping his head in his hands, still shocked. I have a sudden urge to run to him. I jerk my arm from manager hyung’s iron grip.“MWOYA? You want to run huh Yuta? Okay, run if you want, run away from me, from SM, from NCT, your friends, your dongsaengs, your fans, your career. Also, remember the tarnish and adverse publicity you’ll bring to the whole of NCT by one instinctive decision. Go..? WHAT, can’t move now huh? I thought so.”I turn my head back one last time before my eyes become too blurry to capture Sicheng’s face.He has his mouth covered by his palm, he’s crying. It’s.. I.. I raise my hand and make a finger heart at him. Maybe it’s my misconception but seems like he gives me a watery smile. He looks like a baby chick. My baby chick. ──────── ∘°❉°∘ ──────────────── ∘°❉°∘ ────────
10 months later
“Sicheng-ssi, they are ready to meet you now.”Okay Sicheng. Deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out. Out. Ou-AW HECK I’M A CONSECUTIVE SOLD OUT SHOWS LABELLED TOURING ARTIST I CAN DO THIS.Okay. Three ahjussis sit there behind a long sleek desk. The one in the middle with his rectangular spectacles gives me a slight smile.“Ah, Sicheng-ssi, It’s a pleasure to see you in person! You’re a classic stage performer, I’ve seen you on weibo.”Plump ahjussi number two at his right quips,“Ah, nae, he told me about you and I was surprised that you wanted an appointment here.. to what do we owe the pleasure?”C’mon Sicheng. Do it.“I-I’m here to audition.”They are still looking at me in expectation.“I’m here to audition to be an idol for your chinese market expansion plans.”.......silence...the bespectacled ahjussi is the first to unfreeze.“..Very well, sicheng-ssi. Which position are you auditioning at our SM Ent for?”“Lead dancer.”I’m coming for you Yuta. I owe you a love confession. 👀╚═════════════. .★.╝